《I Became The Pope, Now What?》


 Chapter 1 1. Life Is A Race

    2025, January 20th


    ''All my hard work has finally paid off.''


    "I, James Francis Ford, solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the..."


    Boom! An explosion rang out.


    "Aaaah!"


    "Run! Noooo-"


    Screams and shouts echoed among the terrified crowd. The Secret Service and military quickly noticed the disturbance and surrounded the zone. The people of power standing smugly until now were fear-stricken, realizing that all their power and wealth could not buy them the safety of life.


    Their eyes then fell to the podium, wherey the body of the President-Elect, previously an ex-CIA Director. Hey headless on the floor as it had popped like a watermelon. The mic that the man was speaking into was now nothing more than bits and pieces.


    At moments like this, the journalists had more spine. Instead of screaming and running, they tried to catch as many photos and videos as possible.


    Beep¡­ Beep¡­ Ting! Tr-trinngg!


    Suddenly, every single mobile phone in that area, whoever it belonged to, rang with notifications. Some took out their phones and nced; there was a message with a link. A few daring ones clicked on it and found a live stream of a handsome old man speaking. His face looked wrinkled, the signs of ageing and weariness.


    Clicking on the link, the people there didn''t know that the entire world had received this message in every single mobile phone. Within a few minutes, the number of viewers reached 1.6 Billion. Some thought the stream was boring, but they didn''t close it. It was because the old man in the video held a poster, with the words written, "I killed James."


    The video continued.


    All those, including the ones on the st site, be it average citizens or security personnel, watched it with curiosity and fear as the man introduced himself.


    "My name is Johnathan Colt Westerling. I am an 85-year-old orphan, who used to work for the CIA from 1959 to 1980. I was a spy in the Soviet Union under the cover of a wealthy industrialist named "Artyom."


    "My wife was also a US spy there, and despite having to live in hiding, we had our moments and conceived a child. It was 1980, a month before my work was to bepleted. I was going to return home with my pregnant wife to start a normal life. However, our cover was blown!


    "My¡­ my wife was killed, but I remained. Later, I discovered that, just like me, a lot more US spies have been killed simrly. Just a few days before theirpletion of the mission. I spent decades searching for the traitor, but when I found him, he turned out to be the most powerful man in the country! James Francis Ford is a traitor!"


    The old man gritted his teeth and continued.


    "James killed dozens of our spies in return for money from the Soviets. With no other way, I was forced to kill him. Powerful men like him rarely get punished, no matter what the crime. I have proof for everything, enough to make you all believe what I said is true. Now, you shall all receive a link next to ess it!


    "I just hope what¡­ happened to my wife... does not happen to others. Those I swore to protect destroyed my home¡­ and now, I hope this ends for good. God bless you all. God bless you."


    The stream ended, and with that, every single mobile phone in the world received another message. Clicking on the link inside took them to a website with interactive content. Date-wise, all crimes of James Ford were listed there with proof. Documents, photos, audio or video - everything.


    This set the world on fire, a fire for justice where those in power oppressed and used various schemes to get their way.


    ¡­


    Around 15 minutes before the stream ended.


    Howard Jack was at the scene when the st urred. Being an ace FBI investigator, he knew that his career would skyrocket if he could catch this old man. He didn''t particrly care about the dead President-elect, anyway. Nobody did.


    So as the live stream was going on, he slipped away and got into his car to track down the source. To his shock, it was not even masked. The old man was streaming openly. So he stomped on the gas, turned on the sirens and zoomed past the busy streets.


    At the same time, he used a voice-assistedputer to check this man.


    "Botcop, search for the name Johnathan Colt Westerling, born between 1935 to 1950," He instructed.


    The system replied in an instant. "Beep. Three results are found. Johnathan Colt Westerling - born in 1935 - died in Vietnam in 1965. Johnathan Colt Westerling - born in 1940 - orphan - [ess Denied]. Johnathan Colt Westerling - Jazz Singer - Died in 2000."


    Howard frowned andmanded a momentter, "Search the second one. Use the ess code SPAFBI 40200609!"


    "[Dessified] - Johnathan Colt Westerling - Parents unknown - Born in Brooklyn - MIT Mechanical Engineering - Joined army 1959 - Killed in Action in Laotian Civil War..."


    "Is that it?!" Howard eximed, and tried to look at the screen. But just then, the AI spoke again. "[Dessified] - Artyom - WANTED - Russian Industrialist - CCCP member - Wife''s name Antonina - dead - Father''s name, Konstantin - dead."


    From all this, Howard Jack realized what the old man said in his live address was true. It seemed he was indeed betrayed. Documents released suggested the same. But now, he was conflicted if he should even hunt this guy.


    "I suppose getting more information from the national database will be impossible. Maybe I can ask him questions myself," Howard muttered.<sub> </sub>


    He drove straight to the cemetery where the location was detected. He only informed the otherw enforcement agencies after he arrived. But it seemed the people who lived nearby also saw the video and quickly came here upon realization.


    He promptly went to arrest the man... but he was in for a shock!


    ...


    Johnathan couldn''t care less about any of this. He wanted the man to be dead, and now he was. He let the crimes be public because he didn''t want to be named a terrorist, and then be used to start a war in some unrted country.


    He had live-streamed from the graveyard where his wife, unborn child, and his lovely cat, Simba, were resting. All these years, he was trying to keep his body and mind fit and strong to keep fighting. But now, it was as if all strength left him, and he fell to his knees.


    "I did it, Diana¡­ I did it!" He caressed the gravestone. "I brought justice to you, to all those who were wronged. I-I hope you will ept me now, for I have lost all my will to live. Not a single day goes by when I do not dream about us, our son, our cat... what life could have been, our little dream home¡ªis all gone."


    He took out a locket with a photo of them and stared at it tiredly. There was something in the air today. This was the end of the line, and Johnathan felt it.


    Soon enough, he felt his breathing getting harder and his vision blurry.


    Kneeling beside the grave, he caressed to clean the stone softly and took hisst breath before it, "I''m... tired, Diana. I hope there is an afterlife... where I can meet you."


    Suddenly, as if the heavens had replied to him, the cloudy sky seemed to have formed a dent, letting a ray of sunlight fall on Johnathan''s body!


    The flowers and the grass freshened up, yet the old man remained kneeling, his head held down, the locket in his hands, a photo of him and his dear wife open. His old wrinkly face froze, and his eyes felt heavy. However, there was no sadness or tears. He had been waiting to die since the day Diana left him alone.


    Wooo¡­ Wooo¡­


    Sirens resounded. It was the modern era, and it didn''t take long for people to realize from where the live stream urred. Soon, a barrage of police officers, secret service members, journalists, and even ordinary people arrived at the location.


    There they saw the concentrated golden sunlight falling on the old man''s body, making him look like some angel. The ethereal scene left the people in awe. Cameras started shing as the journalists took photos, and the police restricted the surrounding area with tapes. Howard Jack then went inside to arrest the man, but when he put his hand on the shoulder, Johnathan''s body fell back. Lifeless, like a doll.


    Howard''s face fell as he eximed, "H-He''s... dead?"


    He checked Johnathan''s pulse and confirmed that the old man was no longer in this world. Later in the postmortem, it was revealed that the death was natural. Johnathan Colt Westerling died while remembering his wife.


    Photographs of the scene circted around the world, all over the inte. It was the power of mass media, and he quickly became the greatest symbol of the fight against the corrupt people in power.


    Seeing the scandal''s size, the government had to take drastic measures. Johnathan''s proof had the names of many senators, representatives, governors, police officers, army officers, officers of secret service, CIA, FBI and other influential people from around the world. It was surely going to be a nightmare in theing years for the government.


    Yet who cared, who even cares anymore?


    Johnathan didn''t, that was for sure.


    ...


    What happens after one dies? Nobody knew that. Well, at least nobody alive knew that. Johnathan experienced what he could not describe in words. At first, he felt as if his body was flying in the sky, but he noticed his own body on the ground, still kneeling when the police arrived.


    After his soul reached the sky, everything went ck. He had no sense of time, space, direction, or touch. However, he kept his sense of sight and could see something. In this dark space, there were shining white snakes, all identical to one another. They were countless, but they didn''t attack him at all.


    They looked creepy and disgusting, but he became ustomed to them.


    ''Am I one of them?'' he wondered.


    Time passed. Johnathan didn''t know how much, but his hope of reaching the afterlife and meeting his wife slowly shrunk like dying candlelight. He wondered if she was also going through this experience, stuck somewhere. Or maybe she was one of these snakes?


    "Argh..." Suddenly, he felt as if something was squeezing and pushing him. He tried resisting but had no control over this feeling. Then, he saw that the other snakes were also being pushed in a direction.


    The white, thick-headed and thin-tailed snakes sped up slowly. ''This¡­ wait!'' An rming thought came to his mind, one that he hoped was false. ''I-I... am a¡ª''


    __________________


    [A/N: This is a disimer as I don''t want to mislead. MC will be the Pope at near 40%pletion of the novel. He will be the youngest Pope in history at the age of 25. In this world, those of Pope rank can live for 300 years on average.


    Most Popes take the throne at the age of 200 or more. So MC taking it will be revolutionary. He will have to start wars, kill folks and backstab to reach the top. But since he will have so much time and life left after that, he will indeed ask himself, "I became the Pope, now what?"


    But, if you folks have better name suggestions, please put them in thements.]

 Chapter 2 2. New World

    ''I-I... am a¡ªsperm?''


    A momentter, after deeply observing the shapes of other snakes, he was sure that his conjecture was correct¡­


    This was a race, a race of sperms to merge with the ovary! Jonathan could feel an innate need to reach the ova and fuse into an embryo. He willed it and tried to swim closer as quickly as possible. To be born, he needed to reach the goal the quickest! Thepetition was tough, and a few bigger snakes were already ahead of him.


    ''I will be the first. I will be reborn!'' He eximed inwardly. Suddenly, he saw a blinding white light.


    ''Yes, I''m almost there!'' He thought joyfully and quickened his pace.


    Johnathan saw the light all around him. He did not know if he was at the front or not, but it didn''t matter. The race was still ongoing, and the first one to attack the egg was the winner. However, after a while, he felt confused. ''Where is the egg?!''


    "Nyah...Nmmh¡­ Aaah! Nyaaa~"


    Loud sounds of moans came, and Johnathan could actually hear them. Soon, he found himself stuck on something along with other snakes.


    ''What''s happening?'' Just as he thought this, he heard someone speaking in English.


    "Argh... why do I feel regret after wanking? I need to stop watching furry stuff. That Ankha video was a rabbit hole I should have never entered. I gotta find a new hobby in this lockdown. Maybe smut on webnovel? But Gore and Bdsm seem interesting¡­"


    ''Huh¡­?'' The realization hit Johnathan, ''NO! I''m just a wasted sna-sperm. Ankha? Lockdown? What happens to me now? Also, BDSM¡­ young man, that''s a worse choice¡­ Ah-''


    He felt his consciousness shift again. He had be yet another sperm.


    ...


    Defeat, utter defeat. So many races, he won in none of them. Soon enough, he realized that this wasn''t a race of speed; it was a race of luck. But unfortunately, he was just not lucky enough.


    Until now, only once was he able to get lucky and meet the egg. Of course, he was not that furry-addict young man''s sperm now. Nah, that degenerate couldn''t have found a female¡­


    Suddenly, Jonathan''s consciousness shifted again after failing to be born. The woman had consumed possibly some sort of anti-pregnancy item. He just died and cursed his damned fate again.


    He never thought this day would ''COME'', but... ''I truly sympathize with all you white little snakes out there. Such cutthroatpetition that even Asians would cower in fear. So many variables... Truly, the birth of a child is nothing less than a miracle!''


    With this, he became depressed as he remembered his own unborn son. The only thing making it different now was that he felt what his son probably felt. Jonathan didn''t know that it was because of hisplete soul form that he could feel and see things. No other sperm there was like him.


    ''Will I forever be stuck in this cycle?'' He wondered and sighed. Suddenly, he felt hungry.


    However, what else was there to eat and consume other than other snakes? So he went after them, trying to assimte with them. The process, to him, felt instinctual. As the other snakes didn''t have a will of their own, he was like a titan in a vige of humans, eating them up.


    Whoosh!


    When he had consumed more than half of them, another race started. ''Ah shit, here we go again!''


    Hezily let himself be sucked around. Due to him always eating other snakes, he had turned into one big, chunky boy himself. So it was hard to go fast.


    ''I need to diet, it seems,'' He thought, too ustomed to this new messed-up life. But being an ex-CIA Agent, he knew that when life gives you lemons, you squeeze them into your enemy''s eyes and get information. Hence, improvise, adapt, and ovee.


    POP!


    ''What was that sound? Wait... GOD, I finally fuc... Mated with an egg!'' He looked around himself. He was in some enclosed sphere. Soon after that, he lost all his consciousness.


    When he woke up again, he could feel his limbs, and there was no limit to his joy. ''Does this mean it''s about time I head out? Fine, let''s start kicking!''


    Mustering all his strength, he started kicking, punching, and head-banging to make the woman who held him realize it was time to pop him out. He could hear some muffled voices from outside, but didn''t understand thenguage.


    Eventually, he saw the light at the end of the cave. Ah, his misery would soon be over after so many years of being a fat snake.


    ''WAIT! What if I am ass? No, no... this can''t be¡­''


    He knew some religions had the concept of the soul being genderless. So does this mean that a soul can randomly be a girl and a boy?


    He could not feel his small micro pipe for now; there was not an ounce of horny in those cheese balls to wake up the dragon. Only time could tell. Soon, he felt like being pushed out, and the woman was doing all she could as the surrounding walls contracted.


    However, some time passed, and Johnathan still found himself in the womb. The woman had gone tired. Something must have happened, he thought. Then the next thing he knew, he was being pulled out forcefully, and at that moment, he realized. ''Ah, I can''t breathe. NO!''


    He was taken out by force, and the umbilical cord was tied around his neck. It choked him, stopping blood from flowing into the brain. That''s how, once again, his attempt failed. The moment he came out, the first andst thing he saw was a woman wearing some sort of medieval midwife clothing. He was panicking, as his face had turned blue.


    Then life slowly left his tiny body, for the 2nd time since his first death. He wondered if this was his fate or was this god''s hate.


    ...<sub> </sub>


    An unknown timeter, Johnathan was once again a snake. Who knows whose balls he was in this time? Out of all these times, only twice he could mate with the egg, once killed by a pill and then killed by pregnancyplications.


    He continued to eat other snakes and let go of all hope of being born again. But, it seems people say it right; thrice is a charm.


    Without even trying, he found himself in a womb again. He could hear voices from outside. He didn''t understand it, but the woman sounded like she was singing lubies.


    A month passed, and he never kicked or punched the woman. Soon enough, the day came. It would either be his entry to a new life or another demise.


    He felt like a slime when the walls contracted, being pushed out. Slowly, air brushed past his nearly bald head, giving him hope that this may be it. Then his head fully popped out, followed by the rest of the body.


    Before he knew it, his bloody frame was for all to see. He was ovee with joy and excitement. Nobody had to pat his back; he screamed on his own, "Yes, Yes... I''M OUT!"


    The old midwife was about to p his buttocks to make him cry, but got surprised. The child made weird sounds and seemed cheerful, his voice sounding like nonsensical gibberish cries. She was stunned and quickly wrapped him in a towel. After cleaning him, she handed the big baby boy to the tired woman on the bed.


    "Congrattions, Xavia, you have a son. A cheerful and strong one. Have you thought of a name yet?"


    Johnathan stopped rejoicing and tried to open his eyes wider to see the woman who held him. Unlike other children, he could clearly see, and his vision wasn''t split in two. Jonathan didn''t know why and didn''t care to curse this blessing.


    The woman who held him simply mesmerized him. Saying she was pretty was an understatement. The charm of maturity was visible on her face. She hadrge charming blue eyes. Her pale reddened face was still sweaty, and strands of dark-red hair fell on her face.


    A big smile was stered on her face, full of uncountable emotions about to spill out. She hugged him and cried in silence. Then, after a while, she calmed herself and pecked on his forehead. "I have a name... it will be Sylvester, Sylvester Maximilian."


    "What a wonderful name, Xavia. Ah!¡­ I must go now. Two more women are to give birth in the inner vige! Someone will be here to help you after I leave. I have left all the potions and herbs for your healthy recovery; take them on time." The old midwife caressed Xavia''s head and left the small wooden house.


    All alone, Xavia stared at her baby, who was also staring at her. She kissed his forehead again. "Golden iris? Strange, even your father didn''t have this, but you have the same hair and handsome face. My beautiful son."


    For Johnathan, nothing she was saying made sense. He didn''t understand thenguage, and all he could do was try to read her expressions. However, he smelled a strangely warm and sweet odour.


    His stomach made a growling sound. ''Ah, I''m hungry. But... I don''t want to cry.'' He tried to speak, "Youngdy, where is my food?"


    Xavia was amused by the gibberish sounds her son made. But her instincts helped. "I need to feed you."


    She lifted her blouse and took out one breast. He felt strange having to go through this. Then the nipple popped into his mouth, and his hunger took over. He drank his mother''s milk silently. Being a newborn, his energy was extremely limited, so his eyelids drooped as he sucked.


    Johnathan still tried to open his eyes. He could feel her emotions to protect him. It was touching. He let out a soft breath, calming himself down. ''I do not know your name, youngdy. Biologically, you''re my mother. Mentally, I am an older man. I may not have the innocence that you expected from your child, but I thank you for your hard work. Every drop you feed will be a debt incurred on me, and I will try to pay it back when the timees.''


    He then started yawning. Not long after, the woman also fell asleep as she tucked her little son in her arms. It was cold outside, but they felt warm together.


    ¡­


    It had been three days since he was born in this strange world. His eyes were wide open, and from the looks of the ce he lived in, he could see that the family was poor. However, he had only seen his mother until now. Where was the father?


    Jonathan, now Sylvester, looked around. The ce only had a bed, a firece, and a small sitting area. The clothes, utensils, and furniture told him he was in a less technologically developed world.


    The firece was constantly burning, making the small hut-like home warm. But, for the past two days, he only saw his mother at the times when she fed him and at night, he guessed it was due to work.


    Thenguage was utterly unknown to him, which cleared that this was not Earth. He was so sure because, as a CIA operative, it was essential to know at least what differentnguages sounded like in his previous life.


    He was trying to understand by focusing on whatever his mother said. To understand verbs, nouns and basic grammar. For now, he only knew his name as she called him Max.


    The door creaked open, and his mother walked in, looking tired as always. She sighed, but she cheered up when her eyes rested on her son. Then, rushing up to him, she grabbed him in her arms and hugged him tightly. "My Max, you are my only source of warmth in this life!"


    Sylvester felt slightly mushy in his tiny body. This woman loved him just for existing, no other strings attached. She reminded him of Diana, of course, differently. Raising his soft plum arms, he patted her face.


    "M-mm---" he tried to speak, but his voice box was not fully developed yet. But the speed at which it was growing was astounding.


    ''Dammit, I can do it.''


    He put all his efforts into calling her, "Mmmm... mam... MA-M-A!"


    It was as if the sky had fallen. He felt the woman''s heartbeat fasten. Then, finally, she released him from the hug and looked at his face, her eyes tearing up, "Did... did... you just call me mama?"


    He didn''t know what she said, but his hypothesis was correct. ''As always, no matter whatnguage and, in this case, the world. Mama always means mother.''


    She hugged him once again, much tighter this time. Sylvester silently rested his head on her chest and fell asleep. He knew he was not like a normal baby at all, but however strong he may be, saying words at such an early age was tiring.


    [A/N: I will transition to calling him Sylvester, instead of Johnathan.]

 Chapter 3 3. A Cruel World

    "Max, here, like this¡­"


    ''This is so embarrassing!'' He couldn''t bring himself to look into the woman''s eyes anymore while she cleaned his pee and poo. His legs and arms were as good as sausages. Or else, if he could, he''d clean himself.


    It had been a week since Sylvester started showing his superior intelligence. He called her Mama all the time, opened his mouth wide whenever hungry, and made bubbling noises with his mouth whenever he needed to pee or poo.


    The most shocking, however, was that he had started crawling. An average child does this at around six months, but it has only been more than a week for him. Xavia tried to reason with the situation, thinking, ''He was born much chunkier than average babies; maybe he''s just extra-strong.''


    But somewhere else in her mind, she knew something strange was going on, and her excuse couldn''t exin that. True, Sylvester was fatass for his age. He was taken to the neighbour''s house yesterday, and they had a 3-month-old baby. Yet, he was bigger and stronger. Today, as well, he was being taken to the neighbour''s home.


    In the past seven days, he had learned his mother''s name. It was Xavia. He now knew what fire was called, what bed was called, what milk, water, poop, pee, nose, eyes, mouth and some other day-to-day things were called. These were the words Xavia used most while doing chores. She had an unhealthy habit of self-talking. Good for him, though.


    Using these basic words, he understood the words for pronouns. He, she, it and they were easy to understand. Next were verbs. He was using all his brain to understand thenguage of this world. But, of course, he still did not know what the written words looked like.


    "Sweetie, let''s go. Mothers like me will bring their babies to y together. You can make friends there." She picked him up, wrapped a thick nket around him, and headed out.


    He looked at the surrounding area. The weather was dry and freezing, but there was no snow. All the houses looked more like huts, some made of wood and some mud, but all had one thing inmon: thatched roofs. The ground was full of fine hard sand, revealing he was in a dry, desert-like climate. It was a ssic slum-like area.


    ''Are we this poor?'' he wondered.


    Soon, they arrived at a bigger building. He had never been here before. But seeing so many people entering and itsyout from inside, it was like amunity center.


    There were men, women and lots of babies. But the moment Xavia entered, everyone became silent. Sylvester noticed the gazes filled with disgust and some men that were full of lust, and women talked to each other as if badmouthing her.


    Yet, he didn''t feel Xavia being bothered by it. Instead, she cheerfully went to the midwife who helped her through the birth and handed Sylvester over.


    The old woman seemed kind; she checked his body from everywhere. "Sylvester is much better than any baby here. You are really blessed, Xavia. It seems he''s going to be a warrior in the future."


    Xavia poked his cheek lovingly, "Is he? But mom won''t let him leave her side. Don''t worry. You can be my little warrior and protect me."


    Sylvester smacked her hand away, not enjoying being poked. He hated his cheeks being pulled or poked, so what if he was chunky? It still hurts him. But it only made his motherugh. So he relented to his fate.


    After being checked up, she put him in a big baby ypen. There were others like him, but all were shorter and thinner. He was like a giant among babies. This also made other babies crawl to him to see who this new specimen was.


    "Stay away, you all smell," he voiced in gibberish.


    However, just as they were about to reach him, many parents came and picked up theirs, then left. This made him confused. ''What is this? Some dumb movie cliche plot?''


    Suddenly, he smelled something pungent and stopped ying like a baby, looking around to find the smell''s source. However, he could not see where it came from.


    Sylvester focused on people. Reading the atmosphere was something he could easily do. From its looks, his mother was being ostracized by these people. Most folks avoided her; only the midwife and a few other women were kind to her.


    He tried to think of a reason. Finally, after a few minutes, he saw a pattern. All those hating his mother stood in pairs, a man and a woman. In contrast, Xavia stood alone with two more women. ''Ah, indeed. If this is a mediaeval world, being a single mother isn''t good.''


    Sylvester made no big ims that he would rule the world, be the king or destroy the heavens. In his previous life, he had seen such tropes in movies, anime and novels. But, while they were fiction, he was living in reality.


    All he hoped to have was a decent, calm life, where he could earn a good living, eat tasty food, and then die alone with the memory of his wife intact. So he decided he''d try to at least give this woman a decent life too for bringing him to life.


    Soon, being left alone in the ypen, he silently fell asleep in a corner; this was the best thing he could do as a baby.


    ...


    Life was calm. His mother never took him out of the shabby house again. He would spend all his days eating, pooping, peeing and learning as much as he could about the world.


    For now, he had discovered that there was a religion in this world, and its sign didn''t match anything on Earth. The sign was a circle made of chain locks; in the middle was a triangle, with another triangle in it, a circle, and an eye. It was hung on the wall near the entrance of his home. His mother prayed to it every day before leaving.


    The other thing he had found was a book his mother read. He was able to take it and look inside. There were hand-drawn images of all kinds of nts and names below.


    ''Maybe she''s trying to be a medical healer of sorts,'' he assumed.


    The book greatly helped him learn about the names of nts. Not because he could read it, but because his mother saw him looking at it withplete focus one day. She tried to teach him basic wording with the help of chalk and ck te. The paper must have cost a fortune in this world, he guessed.


    With her help, he learnt the basic alphabet of this world. They were identical to English, containing 26 letters. There were five vowels, and the rest were consonants. They just sounded and appeared to differ from English. The best part was that learning the alphabet made everything a cakewalk.


    Actually, all the vocabry was the same as in English. He just needed to change the English letters to this newnguage and speak ordingly. Initially, he felt shocked by how convenient it was, but then put this matter at the back of his mind. He had been a sperm, and he even died multiple times. If anything, this was the least shocking thing.


    The most shocking discovery for him, though, was a single letter. Usually, when teaching ABC on Earth, you would say a rted thing to that letter, such as apple, monkey or whale. The rule was not to give an example of an item that does not exist.


    So, when Xavia said W for Wizard and M for Magic, it left him in shock and confusion. There was no way for him to clear his confusion, however. So, he only tried to gradually speak to his mother, not to shock her too much and still be considered a genius.


    Soon, a month went by. He was much more confident that he could speak and read this world''snguage now.


    "Mama, hungry," He called Xavia.<sub> </sub>


    She giddily came to let him drink milk. In her mind, it was a fact that he was a natural genius. All she had to do now was save money and send him to a good school. Yes, he was abnormal, but she didn''t care at all.


    But Sylvester refused to drink her milk.


    "What happened, Max?" she asked.


    "Honey," he said, avoiding her gaze.


    Xavia burst intoughter, "Haha... you goofy boy, I only allowed you to taste it yesterday; now you are addicted."


    Yet, she loved him far too much not to give it. She dipped her finger in the honey jar and let him lick it. Sylvester didn''t have teeth yet. All he could do was lick.


    ''Ugh... this damn itch in my jaws,'' he was growing crazy with the urge to nibble on things. Wood? Fingers? Spoons? He had chewed them all.


    Initially, he used to feel ashamed to act like a baby with Xavia, but slowly he let himself go. She was a good person, never mistreated him or harmed him, despite their poor living conditions. He had seen Xavia not eat on some nights, but she always fed him. Her cheerful personality warmed his heart as well.


    ''She''s a wonderful mother,'' he felt, albeit never knowing what a mother is supposed to be like.


    After eating, he felt tired and fell asleep. Xavia tucked him in the bed and went to wash the dishes while preparing for the morning chores.


    BANG! BANG!


    He was fast asleep when his eyes jolted open from the sound. He was alone in the bed; Xavia was still washing dishes; he guessed that not much time had passed.


    The room was mostly dark, and only the firece was the source of light. Xavia cleaned her hands, walked to the door, and asked, "Who is there?"


    "It''s me, Deserte," said the voice outside.


    Xavia opened the door. "What happened, Chief? Is there a medical emergency?... Ah!"


    The situation rmed Sylvester. He worked hard to sit up on the bed and look. His mother was thrown back, and an oversized 6 feet tall man with grey hair and a bloated belly entered.


    "Yes, it is a medical emergency, and only your body can help me." The man walked towards Xavia slowly.


    Dread took over her heart. "W-what... Are you drunk¡­? Please go back! Y-you''re the vige chief. This doesn''t suit you."


    The tall old man threw away his coat. "You wh*re, I allowed you to live in my vige. When nobody took you in, I did. This is the price you pay with your body."


    "P-please, I''m a healer. I help the vigers. I work here like anybody else." She pleaded for him to stop.


    "NO... Argh..." She was pinned down on the floor by him.


    Xavia struggled to push him away, but he was too heavy and tall. Brashly, he clenched her flesh on the chest. "And how many people do you heal in a month? One? Two? You still make a living by working in the fields!


    "Nobody will treat a wh*re like you right, but I can. So be my concubine, and you shall have all the food, clothing and money you want. And you can better take care of that garbage until he''s old enough to be left with the church!"


    As he was saying this, Chief Deserte suddenly turned to look towards the bed. There sat the baby, staring at him as if looking into his soul. Big golden eyes wide open, not even blinking. There was fury in them; he could feel it. This scene made his blood turn cold and his scalp tingle in sweat.


    "W-what are you looking at?" He shouted.


    Sylvester kept looking. He was helpless against this man, but the fury in his heart burnedrger than a forest fire. God gave him one mouth, and a good one at that. Thus, he shouted in theirnguage at the top of his lungs, louder than humanly possible. "BAD! EVIL MAN! BAD MAN¡­!"


    Like an rm clock, he screamed aloud. It was nighttime, and the vige was primarily silent, so a child''s shrill scream caught a lot of attention. Then, the dogs started barking, and many doors opened.


    The increasing sound of activities scared Deserte. He stood up quickly and pointed his finger at Sylvester. "What kind of beast have you spawned? How can he speak so early? H-He... he''s possessed!"


    using Sylvester, the man quickly ran away from the house. Silence fell after that. Xavia got up and closed the door, her face appearing tearful, but she made no sound. Instead, she silently walked to Sylvester and hugged him, falling asleep.


    But their night of horrors was only starting.


    In the middle of the night, when the mother and son were fast asleep, a loud noise resounded outside their home. Alerted, Xavia woke up in a panic.


    Bam!¡ªShe noticed an axe breaking down the door and yelped in fright. "No!"


    "Burn the demon!"


    "Let the lord bring justice!"


    "Come out, Xavia! Let us kill the evil. Don''t you dare hide him! The possessed boy must be purged, or we''ll face the wrath of the Holy Inquisitors!" The voices outside screeched, making her tightly press Max against her bosom.


    But sadly, tonight, nothing good or warm was going to blossom.

 Chapter 4 4. The Boy With Golden Eyes

    The door waspletely broken. A crowd rushed into the house and found Sylvester. They caught him by his tiny legs, hung him upside down, and went outside.


    Quickly running away at fast speed, they headed straight to the biggest vige intersection. Xavia cried and tried to reason with those remaining. She fought to get him back. "No, don''t do this! He''s not possessed."


    Thest man to leave her house was the same man, Chief of the vige, Osbert Deserte, who grinned at Xavia. "You had to spoil my night. It''s because of you that they took your boy. I am the king of this vige, my family has been running it for centuries, and you dared to disobey me? You could''ve had everything just for sharing the bed, but you lost the chance. This time, once I am done ying with you, I will let my loyal men have fun!"


    "He''s just a child! It''s not his fault..." Xavia pleaded to him, crouching beside his feet.


    Deserte kicked her away. "Even if I want to, I can''t stop them now. The crowd trusts my words with full faith. I say he''s demon-possessed; they believe it."


    Seeing no point in pleading, she ran out quickly, hoping to save her son. Maybe someone will hear her, or so she thought.


    But when she arrived, she found that the vigers had be fanatical. A mountain of wood was gathered in the vige square. Two women''s bodies were already on the pike, burning lifelessly. Their skin had melted, and the organs were slowly falling out.


    "MAX!" She shouted, her face paling beyond humanly possible. She used to think the chief was a kind man, but he too was like most other animalistic people in the world.


    "MAMA!"


    She chased after the low voice, splitting apart the crowd as quickly as possible. But as she reached the fire, two arms stopped her, grabbing her from both sides. These were women themselves. The worst part was that Xavia had helped these women deliver babies a few months ago.


    "What are you doing... he''s my son!" She cried and struggled.


    "Don''t be mad, Xavia. No baby can speak so early. A demon surely possesses him," the woman reasoned.


    The collective madness of the crowd was only intensifying with each moment. They passed Sylvester as they cursed him, each using him of being a demon.


    Sylvester felt pain from all the twisting and pinching on his body. He screamed and shouted, but the voice fell on deaf ears. The crazed eyes of the people made it clear they had left their humanity tonight.


    ''What kind of messed up world have Ie into?'' Sylvester thought as he was slowly tossed closer and closer to the fire. All kinds of smells pierced into his nose, each worse than the one before.


    The crowd had gathered around in a circle. Xavia was constantly shouting, her voice ever breaking up. Finally, the vige chief walked to the front and held Sylvester upside down by one leg. "This is the demon-possessed boy who we shall burn today as a tribute to the Lord. With his grace, we fight evil, and he may bless us with a good harvest. Tomorrow, I will call the Church to reward us for this service."


    He looked at Sylvester''s face and coldly whispered, "Boy, you sure can scream. Let''s see how loud you can get when your skin melts."


    Sylvester coldly looked back. However, he felt fear inside. Now, he was out of options. What can a baby even do in such a situation? Maybe if this was some superhero novel where he could send out a magic st and make all his enemies burn¡­ But sadly, this was his reality, and he was helpless in the face of it.


    Thus, Sylvester awaited being burnt, then possibly being reborn. However, he hated parting ways with Xavia. She was so kind¡ªlike Diana. He just hoped that she would run away and save herself from this beast.


    Deserte got closer to the fire to throw him in. His face still had the same ugly grin. Indeed, almost always, the worst men get to hold influential positions. Because the good folks fear falling to the level it takes to attain that power.


    ''I wonder how many lives it will take me to actually live.'' Sylvester had resigned to his fate.


    But fate¡ªhad something else in store for him.


    Thud Thud Thud...!


    Almost immediately, silence took over the entire vige. All shouts and curses calmed down. People lowered their burning torches and pikes. Then, they felt the ground shake rhythmically. The fine dry sand jumped as if thend was a drum.


    "THIS..." Deserte''s eyes widened in shock and terrorbined. Distant voices of heavy chanting echoed throughout the vige and the mountain behind.


    ?Marching through the heathennd,


    We are the mighty Lord''s men,


    Second son and orphans, men of such brand,


    We sing to the Lord. All say Amen.?


    ?March along, sing our song, with the soldiers of the Lord,


    Count the brave, count the true; we only fight for God.


    We''re the soldiers and proud of our name


    We''re the holy men and proudly proim.?


    ?Find the witches, demons and possessed,


    Forsaken worldly craving, for only holy hymns we''re obsessed.


    No tainted desires, our honour, you can''t question.


    We are the mighty men of the Holy Inquisition.?<sub> </sub>


    Gradually, everyone heard the voice loud and clear. Now it was not just the vige chief whose eyes were full of terror.


    nk! Whoosh!¡ªOne by one, they all threw away their weapons of choice, torches of pikes. They ensured to make no noise.


    "KNEEL! It''s the Order of the Holy Inquisition!" Chief Deserte shouted. Wasting no time, he threw Sylvester onto the ground, making him squirm in pain.


    Following him, all 1,269 vigers kneeled, some even prostrated. Then, they started chanting prayers simultaneously. But in all honesty, with two bodies burning in fire, and them praying, they looked as if they were trying to summon the Devil.


    Xavia was having none of it, however. She ran past the crowd and picked Sylvester in her arms, his body had gotten dirty, and there were bruises all over him. She kissed his forehead. "I-I''m sorry, baby. Forgive your mother... I-I am weak... I will heal you quickly."


    She sat down and put him on herp. Then she started hovering her hands over all bruises visible on his tiny naked body. Astounded, Sylvester saw this for the first time. Some sort of green light wasing out of her palm.


    ''I don''t feel any pain now. Is this¡­ magic?'' he wondered silently.


    In the middle of this act, Xaiva was interrupted. "Woman, how dare you not bow to the Inquisitor High Lord? KNEEL!"


    Xavia looked up. Nothing scared her anymore. "My baby is injured. Please let me heal him."


    "You disrespect the lnqui..." The man had taken out his sword to strike her, only to get it magically taken out of his arms.


    Then came a heavy thumping noise, followed by weighty footsteps and the nking sound of metal on the ground. "Back down, knight. To hurt a mother caring for her child is a sin beyond the salvation of a lifetime."


    Xavia and Sylvester looked up. The man standing in front of them was a behemoth, wearing dirty red robes. Over his shoulders was a red, wide, metal pauldron. There was also some metal covering over his one leg. However, the most striking feature was therge, conical helmet with a face covering. White peruke fell from its sides.


    With heavy steps, the man walked forward, supported by a giant metal cane.


    Not just him, there was an army of thousands of knights behind the man, all d in armour, their des unsheathed.


    Sylvester was utterly shocked to see this 8-feet tall human. He had no idea what this thing even was, a man or a beast of some sort. Xavia kneeled as if she knew something about the man. "I pay my respects, Lord."


    The tall man looked around. He sighed at the sight of the burning bodies on the pyre. "Leader of this vige,e forth."


    Deserte crawled on his four limbs to reach forward. "My lord, I am Vige Chief Deserte, at your service."


    "What is all thismotion?"


    Deserte nced at Sylvester and Xavia. "It''s them, my lord. That boy, he''s possessed by a demon. He''s young and speaks like a man."


    "What about these two bodies on the pyre? Only the Order of the Holy Inquisition has the authority to burn. Or do you have permission from this province''s bishop?" the giant man asked.


    Deserte started sweating, "M-My lord... this boy... he''s a demon, we must kill it before it can har-"


    BAM!¡ªThe giant man put one metal-shielded leg on Deserte''s back, pressing him down. At the same time, a knight d in beautiful silver armour and a red cape walked forward. He pointed his sword at Deserte''s neck. "Do not try to fool us, lowly scum. We know your kind. You are in the presence of Inquisitor High Lord, Crimson Fire, the 3rd Guardian of the Light."


    As soon as these words were spoken, every single viger started shivering. Instead of just kneeling, they were now lying t on the ground with arms stretched towards the Inquisitor High Lord. Their eyes had tears, hearts full of terror, for they knew a single mistake could mean the doom of the vige.


    Deserte felt his life had already left his body. The red-robed man in front of him was one of the peak powers in the world.


    "G-Great Lord Guardian, w-what are you d-doing in this faraway vige on the outskirts?" Deserte asked. He couldn''t make any sense of why a being who should not leave the confines of the Holy Land be here.


    "We shall know soon. Hans, bring that boy to me," the Third Guardian ordered. Hans was his close aide, an assistant of sorts.


    The golden armour-d man went to Xavia, and forcefully took Sylvester away as she pleaded softly. Her throat had been damaged from shouting all this time. But no matter how much she resisted, the man was way too strong.


    Soon enough, Sylvester found himself in the arms of the giant scary man, but for a change, he was not held by his leg. He tried to look beyond the small gap for eyes in the Inquisitor High Lord''s visor. The man also stared at him. Sylvester''s golden irises were too umon. There was some beauty in them that made the man pause.


    But the moment he spoke, Sylvester nearly shit himself. "Speak your sermon and prove you are not a demon, or you shall be purified in this holy fire. But know that I can sense a liar."


    Sylvester closed his eyes and cursed his fate once again. ''Why? Why can''t I have a normal life for once? Is this because I am an atheist? Because I don''t pray to God? What is this mad religious world I''m in? Fine, I will pray, but make sure you give me a better life next time.''


    After experiencing death and reincarnation, Sylvester truly believed that God or some higher power existed somewhere. So he hoped this time to get some heavenly help.


    But shockingly, the moment he started reciting, he felt his scalp tingle.


    _______xxxx_______


    [A/N: I sometimes add some example illustrations to help you folks imagine. They are usually in the paraments. If you miss them, you can find them on my discord as well.]


    Ape together strong. But Stone where?

 Chapter 5 5. The Boy Who Sings

    Max had no idea what went on outside. He simply closed his eyes, awaiting the burning pain. He was as big as the giant man''s palm; what could he even do other than stay calm?


    Making up some rhyming phrases, in a childish squeaky voice, he said his prayer aloud, wondering if there was a God who could hear his words from amidst that giant crowd.


    ?I give myself to the Lord creator,


    Aid me to be with my mother.


    I pray to you, fallen in your embrace,


    You are the God; bless me with your grace.?


    ?In this strangend, I am a sacrificialmb,


    Wronged and hurt by these souls, my body has taken a toll.


    So bless me, O'' great Lord, shroud me in your blessed garb.


    Allow blood to further pump through my heart.


    If you''re listening, help me, and I will forever be your bard.?


    The tingling sensation on his scalp increased manifolds, prompting him to open his eyes and see if it was the effect of fire. He tried to move his head left and right, only to notice hundreds of eyes focusing on him.


    THUD!¡ªSuddenly, the man named Hans, the assistant of this Inquisitor High Lord, fell to his knees with a loud thud, his face showing an expression of fanatic ecstasy. He put both of his palms on the middle of his chest, crossing on the other. Following him, the entire inquisitor army of thousands followed, releasing the sounds of nking metal tes and armour. They fell to their knees and crossed their palms on their chests.


    Sylvester was rmed. He was expecting to die. Now, what was this drama?


    ''W-what''s happening?''


    The tingling sensation behind his head increased as if something was crawling on his scalp. Not only that, he also felt a strange smell and taste, along with a pleasantly warm sensation on his tongue. It was the vour and aroma of sweet wine.


    Inquisitor High Lord kept staring at Sylvester''s tiny body, which tried to adjust itself. He yanked him a little, grabbing his attention. Sylvester stopped trying to see what was crawling behind his head and faced the masked giant man.


    Nobody made a single sound, not even a random cough. It was as if the world had stood still. Then the Inquisitor High Lord burst out madly. "Bwahahaha... So this is why fate brought me to the south in this remote desertnd!"


    Showing utmost care, he lifted Max''s tiny body high up with both hands, and addressed the crowd, "My sons of the Inquisition, this hellish march from the Holy Land to here was not for nothing. All of you are one to bring glory to the Faith of Solis. In all his glory, he sang the hymn of the Lord none had ever heard before. This is a new Holy sermon; from now on, we shall roar. For we have found the apostle, THE GOD''S FAVOURED!"


    All the soldiers went into a mad frenzy, their eyes tearing up and mouths shivering. But instead of shouting, they started thumping on their chest tes with their crossed palms, creating a deafening song of iron and adore.


    Then chants began, "May the Holy light enlighten us!"


    "May the Holy light enlighten us!"


    "May the Holy light enlighten us!"


    Sylvester rmingly moved his head to look around. He could somewhat understand what was happening. They were praying in his name. He was just called an apostle and a God''s Favoured.


    He looked back at the metal te on the giant man''s face. Who''d have thought he could''veughed so heartily. ''T-this is like a cheat code. I can use my baby charm and this new status to my advantage.''


    "Gugu buba?" He tried to pat the facete cutely.


    The Inquisitor High lord raised one arm. Immediately, all the men stopped their crazed chanting.


    He addressed Xavia, who was also somewhat shocked at what was happening, "Stand up, my child. You have nothing to fear. Tell me, what have you named God''s Favoured?"


    She nced at Sylvester for a second. Her little baby gave her a bright, intelligent smile, and she replied, "He''s Sylvester Maximilian, my Lord."


    The Inquisitor High lord seemed satisfied with it. "Magnificent! A name befitting a man of this standing. A name worth remembering in the annals of history. Who dared to call God''s Favoured a demon-possessed? That sinner must be burned eternally in Hell''s purgatory."


    As soon as he turned his head to look at the vigers, some fell unconscious, and a small minority straight-up died from a heart attack. His ire was mainly directed at the so-called vige chief, yet he didn''t say anything regarding that.


    "Men, march formation. We are to produce God''s Favoured before the Holy Father at the earliest. Hans, bring the stagecoach."


    ''I''m being taken away!?'' Max realised. He looked at the woman who was supposed to be his mother. She silently stood close by, her eyes bawling out. She made no noise, knowing she couldn''t stop them from taking him away.<sub> </sub>


    However, Max could not allow this. Only hell awaited Xavia in this vige, and although he could not bring himself to actually see her as his real mother because of his old mental age and life experiences, it was still a fact she brought him to this world, and fed him her milk for a whole month.


    Also, that bastard vige chief was still alive. No, he couldn''t ept this oue! So he started kicking around and fighting the Inquisitor High Lord''s hold. "Mama... Mama!"


    He tried to fight around with his limited strength like a mad little monkey. Sure enough, the Inquisitor was not experienced at handling a child. It worried him that he might hurt this blessed one.


    "Hold your son, child." He turned to Xavia.


    She rushed and caught her son with a hug in a heartbeat. Noticing this, the man had a realisation. "He may be God''s Favoured, but he''s too small to start his studies at the Academy of Dawn. What is your name?"


    "Xavia, my Lord." She answered respectfully.


    "Xavia, do you want to be with your son?"


    Was this something to even ask? She nodded strongly. "Yes, I want to be with Max."


    "As I said before, to harm a mother caring for her child is a sin beyond salvation. But know this, he is bound to greatness far beyond yourprehension. He is God''s Favoured, a holy apostle. His time and attention may not be focused on you when he''s older, for he is the bard of God, as spoken by his first hymn.


    "But you can still see him and meet him, that is as long as you agree to join the Bright Mothers and devote yourself to the service of God and the sick. You are a healer; you shall be valued." He offered her and told her all the good and bad aspects so as not to create impossible expectations.


    Join the church as a Bright Mother. It would put her in a life of service to the church, and she could never marry or hold any lustful thoughts. Only abstinence was the proper way. Xavia had no such feelings anyway, and to be able to reside beside her son in the Holy Land was a blessing in disguise.


    However, it ached her heart knowing that being a God''s Favoured would put her son through many mental and physical hardships. However, she could have the sce in assurance that she would be by his side, no matter what.


    Xavia nced at Sylvester in her arms. The boy, too, was looking at her face with his sparkling golden eyes. She kissed him on the forehead and said, "I ept, my Lord. I will be a Bright Mother."


    "Wonderful. Unit one, go with this woman and help her get the luggage. If anyone stops you, purge! One more thing, where is your husband, Mother Xavia?" Inquisitor High lord asked her, now addressing her as a Bright Mother''s designation.


    "He''s no longer with us." She replied, a saddened look visible on her face.


    ''She... She''s lying.'' Sylvester felt it.


    Xavia just tried to look down to hide her eyes, but Sylvester saw them, and they contracted a bit. And one more thing he felt. ''What''s happening? Why am I tasting this weird salty and sour taste on my tongue?''


    The Inquisitor High Lord took her words for truth, it seemed. "Worry not. No one can fight fate. If the Lord gives you hardships, he must have a reason. You just do good and wait, for fate is ever-changing like the five seasons. Go now. I shall care for the Blessed Child."


    Xavia nodded and carefully handed Sylvester to him. She then left for her house in the poorest area of the vige. The people were all kneeling as if their life depended on it, but they had scorn in their eyes.


    Sylvester was happy that she wasing along. He did not know what kind of world he was in or what this Holy Land was all about. But, his tasks were just half done. He nced at the kneeling man, the one who assaulted Xavia. He repeated his past life''s teachings. ''No mercy!''


    He lifted his tiny hand and pointed towards Chief Deserte. "Badman! Badman! Hurt Mama! BAD MAN! AAA..."


    It was his strategy to use his age. He will only use whole sentences when singing made-up hymns. This way, the charm and uniqueness will remain, and at the same time, he will use broken sentences for daily life, at least until he''s five years old.


    "BAD MAN! BAD MAN!..." Like a song on repeat, he screamed.


    Chief Deserte felt like digging himself into the ground right there. He angrily looked at Sylvester, and his body went cold at the sight. The little baby''s eyes were full of intelligence, and his face looked smug as if he knew what he was doing and what it implied.


    "N-No... My esteemed Lord... the child is mistaken. I was merely helping Xavia and..."


    Sylvester cut him off and started crying. It was super easy as a baby. It was as if his voice box was made to screech like a banshee.


    "MAMA CRY! BAD MAN TOUCH!"


    The Inquisitor High Lord softly put Sylvester in a better hold on his left arm so that his tiny body was tucked between it and his body. He then proceeded to Deserte, clearly having taken the words of a child over the man.


    For Sylvester, everything went as nned.


    _________________________


    [A/N: Meet local horny Monke for just a stone. Yes, click that juicy orange button. Sigh¡ªI wish it was yellow. Btw, gore description alert for the next chapter.]

 Chapter 6 6. Goodbye?

    Lord Inquisitor stopped beside Deserte''s head.


    "Look up into my eyes... Ah... I see the cries. For years you have abused the blessing of the holy Lord. Your family was given the boon to building this vige four centuries ago, and you have tarnished their legacy. Dozens of women you r*ped, so many men you killed, and today, you dared to sin against the God''s Favoured, the apostle from heaven.


    "A sin worth your bloodline, so much vice, and it still can''t suffice you. Hence, your bloodline is what shall get removed. That''s the only way thisnd can be improved.


    "Hans, bring the Deserte family here and end their bloodline." He ordered loud and clear.


    "N-No... please, great Lord, please. They didn''t do anything wrong... they are innocent, it was all me. There are little kids... kill me, spare them, I beg you!" Deserte jumped to hold Inquisitor High Lord''s feet.


    "In the Faith of Solis, there is forgiveness for those who redeem. And death for those whose crimes go this... extreme."


    THUD!


    Without warning, he lifted his metal-shielded leg and stomped on Deserte''s head. Blood sttered, leaving it as a crushed paste of bone and brain matter, a feast for crowster.


    Sylvester nkly watched. In his years of service in the CIA, he had seen various gore and violence, sometimes being its creator. He was somewhat amazed by what urred.


    An ordinary human does not have the strength to do this to a skull easily. What was more shocking to him was that the giant man who was so gentle with him and kind to Xavia was all of a sudden such a barbarian. And this was not even the end.


    "NO!... Let me go! Run, run my children!"


    A dozen inquisitor men dragged three men, four women and four young teens to the front. Only the three men were there before; the women and children had been sleeping in their house until now. They were thrown to the ground beside the Inquisitor High Lord''s feet, exactly where the headless corpse of Chief Deserte was lying. Blood was infused in the sand that had turned it into bloody mud. They were in horror at the sight.


    In a scornful, heavy voice, Inquisitor High Lord passed his judgement, "Your bloodline hasmitted a crime against God''s Favoured. Your bloodline has tainted thisnd and the name of the Holy Father, the Supreme Pontiff, Axel Tar Kreed, The Wise. By his creed, witches and possessed burnings have been ouwed unless sanctioned by the Church or me, yet you dare tomit false burnings to silence the victims of your crimes. All humans who follow the Lord are born equal, and those who don''t are heathens and deserve nothing but destruction."


    His assistant, Hans, quickly brought a thick golden book and held it in front of the Lord Inquisitor. The giant man then ced his palm on it, making it shine in bright, warm golden light. Sylvester could feel it as he was much closer to it.


    He then announced, "All hold witness, in the year 5100 of the Holy Sun, I, Inquisitor High Lord, 3rd Guardian of Light, with the power and duty bestowed upon me by the Supreme Pontiff, deres Deserte family line emunicated for heresy and condemns it to be erased."


    "AMEN!" The thousands of soldiers from the Inquisitor Army echoed all together.


    None of the vigers tried toe forward to save the family. Instead, chopping blocks were brought forward, and heads were forcibly put on them and locked. The men, women and teens cried for mercy, but that was the only thing missing.


    Nost words were allowed to be spoken, for heathens had no rights. Then, one by one, tall knights with sharp broadswords took their positions. They covered their faces with visors and hands with gloves to not let the heathen blood taint their skin.


    Like rats half-stuck in a trap, the Deserte family tried their hardest to get out, pulling and twisting, wounding themselves. Some broke their throats, and some bled themselves. Some raged and screamed mindlessly. Their eyes turned red from the suffocation, and their mouths released foam. Rage, fear, and wish to livebined made them seem like animals giving theirst fight.


    But, it was all useless. The Holy Inquisition may not be the most powerful and professional army, but they were the best at one thing, beheading.


    They swung their swords on the necks in unison.


    Thud!¡ªEyes still open, mouths still releasing foam, heads rolled on the bloodied, dirty ground. The Knights quickly cleaned their des on the clothes of those they had just beheaded. Then quickly, their subordinates brought leather water pouches and poured holy water on the des to purify them of the heathen blood.


    Sylvester sighed. Hopefully, it was a good thing this family died. He was not a wuss to cry or vomit, but his little baby heart was shaken slightly. One question repeated itself again and again in his mind, ''What kind of fucked up world is this?''


    He knew witch-hunting and burning happened in Europe in the Dark ages but what he saw and heard was too systematic, too institutionalised. And not to say the magic was real here. All his reasoning told him one thing, ''This is some sort of... fantasy magical religious world that''s stuck in the dark ages on drugs.''


    He cursed his luck. After so long, he finally got to be reborn. But all for worse, he appeared in a world that was more of a curse. Nevertheless, he saw Xavia arriving, looking shocked by the gore as well. Sylvester felt some sce. ''If people like her can exist, maybe not everything is rotten here.''<sub> </sub>


    The Inquisitor High Lord looked around at the vigers. He was certainly not pleased with them, as they, too, were a part of this. "The Archbishop of this duchy shall arrive here tomorrow to purify thisnd.


    "Hans, bring me the decree paper. A new leader needs to be selected. Xavia, my child. Who is the most gentle believer in the vige?" He inquired.


    After thinking for a second and ncing around, she answered, "T-that would be the...dy healer, Sophia. She''s the midwife who helped me birth Max."


    He mmed his staff on the ground, making the whole vige grounds shake as if an earthquake had urred, "Then by my decree, Healer Sophia is to be the Vige Chief. Come forth and take this parchment for approval."


    The middle-aged woman came forward with her head held low in respect. She knelt in front of him after taking the priceless piece of paper. "I will do my duty to the best of my ability, my Lord."


    He nodded and let her leave. His work was done here and now awaited the stagecoach to travel. Hisrge size was his curse, as no horse could support him.


    Yawning, Sylvester felt tired. He had not slept at all in the previous few hours. He just wanted this chapter to end now and go back to sleep in Xavia''s warm, soft arms.


    But then, suddenly, he felt a certain pressure developing in his little stick between the legs. Of course, he was a baby and had no real control over his digestive and urinary systems.


    "Brrr..." He started making the sound that he used to tell Xavia whenever he needed to loosen himself.


    But after a minute of making a fool out of himself, he noticed she was still not responding and continued to stare at the corpses of the Deserte family.


    ''Hey, mother, look here... your son is fighting for his dear life.'' He intensified the bubbling sound.


    Not Xavia, the Inquisitor High Lord was alerted. He faced him and asked, "What is it that you need, blessed child?"


    Sylvester had no way of telling what kind of man this giant was. His face was covered with a metal te; was he a good old man or a terrifying monster with a deformed face. ''No... I must hold on; I can''t pee on him. No man with self-respect can shrug off being peed on, especially if it''s not their fetish and they belong to a high ss.''


    "Mama... BRRRRR..."


    "What a cute littled," Inquisitor High Lord felt his bubbling noise was cute and poked his cheeks. This man''s single finger was as big as Sylvester''s entire leg, and he was supposed to be the fattest baby ever.


    "BRRRRRRRRR...!"


    "Hahaha..." Hans and a few other Knightsughed hearing him, fawning over his cuteness. Sylvester just cursed at them. ''Fools... don''tugh at a man''s misery. I can''t... this is too much... Ah...''


    The floodgates opened, flowers bloomed, and spring arrived. That was when poor baby Sylvester let himself loose. His tiny dder held as much as it could; now he cared not for any consequences and instead basked in the rxing feeling it brought. He peed so much that it might just cure the vige''s drought. His eyes shut closed in ecstasy; he was in¡ªheaven.


    But then he remembered, a small bead of sweat flowed down his forehead. The sound of water hitting metal was audible. He opened his eyes, and sure enough, the sky was not raining; it was his manhood.


    His face paled more and more as his small, yet strong fountain of sparkling water rained down on Inquisitor High Lord''s conical metal hat. No movement or sound was audible at that moment; the entire Inquisitor army stared at the madness urring while Inquisitor High Lord''s arms started to shake as if in uncontroble fury.


    Sylvester saw his short month-long life sh in front of his eyes. He sighed, ''It seems I shall return to being a damn snake. God, please grant me a nicer world next time. Xavia, it was nice knowing you, adios, ciao, sayonara.''


    ___________________


    [A/N: Correctly guess why Sylvester smells strange things from time to time and get the discord role of Oracle that lets you change your nickname freely. Offer valid only for today.]


    [NOTE: My discord proofreader ves are prohibited from revealing it.]

 Chapter 7 7. Must Live!

    7. To The Holy Land


    Xavia just noticed the incident when it was urring. The shiny water fountain was showering the one man it should not. Her face darkened in fright, simr to her son''s.


    Hans rushed to get a towel for his lord. He shouted to the soldiers to bring a seat so he could wipe the armour.


    "M-My lord, please take a seat." Hans feared that the lord might be displeased.


    But the giant man did not budge. Instead, he awkwardly stared at Max''s face. Then, contrary to what all believed, a shocking thing happened.


    "Hahaha... So this is what having a grandchild feels like!"


    "..."


    The Inquisitor High Lordughed in a heavy voice that shook their hearts. However, it was not a menacingugh, but rather one belonging to a good neighbourhood old man.


    It was awkward to be called a grandchild after being 85, but Sylvester was ready to take it if it meant living another day. ''What a bipr crazy old man.''


    Xavia rushed and took him back into her arms, swinging him to make him fall asleep. He did exactly that. His body had already been overworked, and it was not good for a little boy like him.


    Now that the bad luck had passed away, he felt peaceful. He cared not if this Church was evil; all he knew was that he lived to breathe another day. With the melodious humming of Xavia, he felt like lying on a field of flowers on a spring day. The hope that the future would be as bright as her voice reignited in his heart.


    His eyes shut with onest thought flowing in his mind, ''Magic is real in this world. If that''s the case, it''s my shortcut to a peaceful life.''


    The strong are respected and feared. The weak have no right. It''s the simple truth of the society he had learnt and epted in his previous life. In this world, this seemed to be even more truthful.


    What he saw today may have been just the trailer. The real movie could be just beginning, and he could only hope this Church was not into young boys.


    ¡­


    After he dozed off, he had no idea what happened outside. The giant carriage with multiple horses slowly rolled on the unpaved road. The Inquisitor army was marching on foot. Hence, it was taking more time than normal. But there was all the luxury one would need inside that carriage, from water to food.


    The soldiers also had all the necessary things, as a few wizards could produce water, while they had more carriages full of meat and vegetables. Each night, they were to set up a camp and cook.


    They were highly trained and professional when it came to their behavior, a noticeable difference from the Earth''s inquisitors, who were more thieves and scums than servants of God.


    Sylvester woke up after a long sleep. The journey had begun long ago as the sun beamed its rays on them. His diaper cloth changed, and his tummy filled with milk, he freely focused on various sceneries and people.


    ''Ugh, I don''t think I can ever get used to drinking milk the natural way,'' he sighed to himself.


    "MOVE!" A loud shout resounded, followed by a long sound of a trumpet. The next thing he knew, the carriage hurried with the men at the front and the back beginning to sing the hymns of whatever God they prayed to.


    Meanwhile, he was fascinated by the things outside that he saw through the two windows. He was sitting on Xavia''sp, on whose left side was another female, probably some sort of nun. A thin man in metal armour sat on the right side. The Inquisitor High Lord took the whole opposite side alone. He was a big man.


    "Interested about outside? Come, sit here," The Inquisitor High Lord took Sylvester''s tiny body and put it on hisp.


    He looked out, and by far, the most fascinating thing was the giant, steep, rocky cliff on the left that seemed to run just beside the road. He could not see the full height as the road was too close. However, the cliff provided a cool shadow on the pathway. If he looked from the other window, all he could see was a vast in of infertile drnds.


    The Inquisitor High Lord felt the need to tell the baby in his arms about some legends about this ce. He spoke, "Studies should begin from a young age, especially for the God''s Favoured. Child, what you see here is the Wall of Void. Beyond that cliff is a vast region called the Divine Desert.


    "Perhaps, your birth here is a sign that you too shall conquer this desert one day. Like the 5th Pope, Pollux Ragthon, the warrior."


    Sylvester had a thousand questions on his mind, but he knew to stay silent at such a time. However, he could always mumble around, so he pointed at the locket hanging on the man''s chest and yed with it.


    "Aya Aya."


    "Oh, marvellous!" the man loudly eximed. "Only you, the one graced by the light''s touch, would know the mark of the Church of Solis."


    ''What''s he rambling about?'' Sylvester stayed busy with his thoughts.


    PA!


    His thoughts stopped wandering when the loud trumpet resounded. The carriage came to a halt with that, and a knight approached the window to report.


    "Lord Inquisitor, the sun will set soon. We shall camp here."


    The Inquisitor High Lord looked outside at the surroundings. Yet another day hade to an end. It was an ominous sight to his eyes under the bright full moon. "We will be cornered beside the cliff and the open fields on the other side. It''s a full moon, and the nightly creatures can easily attack us. Tell the men to instal the blessing pirs carefully."


    "Yes, my Lord."


    The army started to create the camp in the form of a semi-circle. First, they used the cliff as a natural wall and made two exits on the open side. Next, they used the various carriages to create a semi-circr wall around the camp, erecting watchtowers on those carriages. All the men moved swiftly. Clearly, this was not their first time.


    Then, thergest tent was set in the middle of the most guarded location. This belonged to the Inquisitor High Lord. Then, another smaller tent was ced beside it, and given to Xavia and Sylvester.


    There was nothing to do in the darkness of the night. So after everyone ate their fill, they headed to sleep. The guards were stationed to watch periodically.


    Soon, the noises subsided and were taken over by the owls'' hoots and the wolves'' howls in the distance. The desert''s coldness didn''t help either and made Sylvester cling to Xavia for warmth in sleep.


    ''J-John... P-Promi-ise... Must live. l-love you... For-eve-r¡­''


    "AAH!" Like that of an owl, Sylvester''s eyes shot open a few hourster.


    His heart raced madly, and his body sweated. The ghosts of the past had not left his mind even in this life. The painful memory from the past kept reminding him of thest words his wife spoke to him.


    ''It''s awfully warm all of a sudden. What''s happening?'' He felt Xavia sweating as well.


    nk!¡ªThe sound of swords shing came. This alerted Sylvester to the fullest. He nced around and noticed red shes outside all around the tent.


    "Protect the God''s Favoured!" Shouts rang.


    ''Is there a fire?'' Sylvester wondered and tried to wake Xavia by punching her face with his chubby hands.


    "MAMA!"


    Xavia soon opened her eyes and looked around in confusion. But when she heard the loud shouts and the tragic memory from the Deserte vige resurfaced. She jumped up and tightly hugged Sylvester, pressing him against her agitated chest.<sub> </sub>


    "W-What''s happening?" She looked around in panic.


    "Save the God''s Favoured!"


    "Don''t let them get closer!"


    Boom!¡ªSuddenly, the ground shook, and a loud st echoed due to arge cliff nearby. Sylvester had lost all his sleep and was looking around to deduce who was even attacking them.


    "Grrrrr..."


    He was rmed. This noise was too close to them and too distinct. He tried to look everywhere, from the ceiling to the grou- ''FUCK! Why does this world hate me?''


    A few metres away, the ground started to dig open. Something was trying toe out of it, making unfriendly growls. Then, bit by bit, the head peeked out,pletely bald and yellow. It had puss-filled tumours on it.


    "Grrrr..."


    Then its thin face appeared and sent chills down Sylvester''s spine. It was so hideous that even an incestual mother couldn''t love it. Its round white eyes with no pupils were nearly falling out. The unknown creature''s jaw hung wide open, its tongue brandished outside. Was it a zombie or a normal man? It was unknown.


    "Mama... Mag-ic!" he chirped, telling Xavia to do something.


    She felt helpless. "I''m a medical wizard, and our magic is the weakest at night... all I can do to harm it is..."


    Xavia held him with one arm and started to wave the other in the air, making some sort of pattern. She kept on doing it as her lips moved silently, and then a green light appeared on her palm. It was mesmerising and mindblowing for the little boy, for what wasmon to her was a miracle to him.


    "Please work!" She pushed her palm forward a little and sent the green light towards the zombie-like creature. Unfortunately, the light travelled very slowly and sometimes flickered, proving she was not good at this kind of magic.


    The creature was stilling out of the ground by pushing the rest of the body up with its arms. It appeared to be wearing tattered clothes and had flesh wounds all over it, just like a zombie. But its movements were too careful, implying its intelligence.


    Soon, the green light touched the creature and passed right through it. Sadly, all it did was burn the creature''s facial hair and make it fully aware of their direction.


    "GREEEE..."


    Now it hastened and pushed itself outpletely. Then without wasting a second, it started walking towards them with constant angry growls.


    ''It did nothing!''


    "It did nothing!"


    Sylvester and Xavia had the same thought at the same time. She quickly retreated back as far as she could, nearly touching the tent walls. Sadly, the tent was not ordinary either, as it was made for safety from the outside. She could not tear it apart.


    Xavia didn''t stop, however. She kept sending that green energy wave at the creature. Again and again, not stopping even when she was panting like she had run a marathon. Her hair became dishevelled and fell on her face by the 20th try. She screamed in rage and kept going, "Please work!"


    ''This can''t be the end¡­ we can''t die just like that.'' Her heart beat in panic as she noticed the creature had only be more agitated from her attempts.


    "Kill¡­ the God Favored!" The creature inched closer while growling.


    "NO!" Xavia hugged him tighter and covered his body as much as she could with her arms.


    ''FUCK!'' Sylvester cursed silently. Why was this creature after him? When did he make enemies? What was it even? A million questions took over his mind, but the fear of dying was above everything else. The words of his dead wife kept echoing in his head.


    ''I must live. I must live!'' He repeated inwardly.


    Nobody was going toe and save him, and to expect that would happen was foolish. Always expect Murphy''s Law to prevail. Unfortunately, Xavia was not strong enough, and the tent''s exit was behind the creature. That left him no choice but to try doing the same thing that saved him thest time.


    As the reality of the situation seeped into their minds, Xavia hugged him tighter, and Sylvester''s will to survive got stronger. Finally, he turned around in her arms to face the creature, and then closed his eyes to start being what he promised to be¡ªthe God''s Bard.


    As soon as he sang the crude hymns in his baby voice, a bright golden halo appeared behind his head, shedding its light all over the tent. Then automatically, Sylvester''s right chubby hand came up, and the palm faced forward.


    ?For the voices telling me to keep moving along.


    My will is strong, and here I sing your song,


    You are the master, the bringer and saviour of disaster.


    I sing to you as your loyal magic caster.?


    As Sylvester was entirely devoted to singing with his eyes closed, Xavia tried to make as much distance between them and the threat possible. But the creature picked up its pace and reached merely a few feet away.


    ?Your bard stands strong as this creature threatens.


    I pray for protection, for granting me the weapons.


    Teach me, I call for your lessons from the heavens.


    This unholy filthmitted one of the gravest transgressions?


    The creature reached too close. Its growls became loud enough to shake their hearts. But Sylvester did not stop and continued to chant.


    ?I shall do your bid and ensure there remains not a single filthy trace,


    You are the grace and the light that all must embrace!?


    BOOOOM!¡ªSylvester''s right palm shined in golden-white light, followed by a deafening st that roared and a blinding light that covered the entirety of the tent, making it appear like a lighthouse in the dark night.


    "GRWAAAA!" The creature jumped with all its might to reach the child. It protruded its thin arms as far as it could with a high-pitched shrill, for even a single touch was enough to kill.


    "K-KILL!... Kill the god''s favoured!"


    _____________


    [A/N: Check this para''sments to see the relevant world map for this arc. It''s only 45% of the whole map.]

 Chapter 8 8. Wizard Rank

    BOOM!


    The energy from Sylvester''s palm increased as he finished singing the hymn a second time. Then it suddenly released itself from his palm and travelled as a beam of spectacr warm energy.


    "AH!" Xavia suddenly cried in pain. Her body was thrown back to the tent wall so hard from the sudden recoil that she felt her bones reach the limit.


    The small tent was engulfed in such a strong release of golden-white magical energy that nothing could be seen in the light. Sylvester appeared like a littleughing buddha with closed eyes, a halo behind his head, and the magicing out of his right palm.


    BOOM!¡ªThe tent blew open, burning away in golden ashes. The creature''s cries resounded in the background as flesh wounds were inflicted with deeper gashes. It raged and pushed hard, but it stood no chance of fighting against this.


    First its upper skin. Then, the muscles and then the organs. Layer byyer, all of it was blown away by the bright, warm magic.


    p Yet, the beam didn''t stop and travelled fast. It decimated the tents in its path and soon hit the cliffside with a loud explosion. However, the little boy had no control over the magic and kept releasing, caving a wide tunnel on the cliffside.</anda>


    Now, without the roof over them, they were open for all eyes to see. The soldiers and knights surrounding the tent realised they had already failed at their task. Not only that, the little child was saving their life instead.


    The magic beam cast its warmth all around, acting as the bane to the creatures of the night. They screeched, they raged, but they couldn''t fight. The army took advantage of the situation and dug their swords into the enemy''s heads.


    Then the Inquisitor High Lord tapped the staff to the ground and engulfed the bodies in bright, deadly crimson mes, ending the dreadful night.


    Slowly, the sun-like bright magic from Sylvester subsided, and the uneasy darkness returned. The fight had ended, yet the men found themselves unable to move. They were in awe of the magic they had witnessed, as never in their lives had they seen a child achieve such a feat.


    The Inquisitor High Lord walked to Xavia and took Sylvester in his arms. The boy had fallen unconscious for reasons understandable. He boomed in pure reverence, "To kill the filthy Desert Cannibals with such ease. There are no doubts left anymore. He is the true God''s Favoured!"


    The nking sound of the armour spread instantly as the men started to salute with their arms crossed on the chest te. They thumped their armour to bring forth the music of victory. To them, Sylvester Maximilian was not just a random child but already a legend.


    "He is tired, Mother Xavia. Casting magic in the middle of the night even takes a toll on my body. Go and nurture him to health," said the Inquisitor High Lord while handing him back.


    But Xavia didn''t like how thin and pale Sylvester looked. It was as if he suddenly lost some percentage of his body mass. She just swung him in her arms and moved to therge horse carriage to feed him because the tent was gone.


    "Wait," the Inquisitor High Lord called from behind.


    He faced his aide, Hans, and ordered, "Bring me a nk rank te."


    This order seemed to have caused murmurs among the soldiers. Hans didn''t dare say anything either and quickly ran to the carriage''s storage box. When he returned, he had a small golden te with irregr edges.


    The Inquisitor High Lord took it and walked to Xavia. Without asking, he ced the golden te on Sylvester''s chest and stepped back.


    The whole army stared at the mother and son silently, all eyes focused on the golden te. It showed no activity for a good few minutes, and the Lord Inquisitor''s theory seemed to have failed.


    "Ugh... mum mum... ma..."


    The instant Sylvester''s childish gibberish left his mouth, the golden te started to shine in bright light. Then slowly, the smooth surface of the te began to change, and at the centre, two empty rectangr slots appeared. Once they were clear, the te stopped shining.


    Hans felt as if his eyes would fall out any moment, "THIS... My Lord!"


    Inquisitor High Lord''s eyes shined red behind the visor. "MARVELLOUS! Merely two months old and already an Adept Wizard. Solis has blessed us! Truly blessed us! Men of Inquisition, clean the filthynd and sing the holy hymns. Prepare to move. We cannot afford to dy anymore. We must present the God''s Favoured to the Holy Father in a month."


    As he said this, he nced at Xavia with a mind full of questions. She was worried and caressed Sylvester''s face, not at all shocked by the changing pattern on the te. The boy was fine, but a mother''s care was something none could decline. It was her right. However, sometimes that right could be the reason the child strays from the Lord''s light.


    It was something the Lord Inquisitor needed to prevent... at all cost.


    ...


    In the middle of the night, they were once again on the road. Xavia sat the whole way silently, not uttering a single word. In an instant, her life had changed so much, the chain of events was bizarre, and everything started from the day Sylvester was born.


    She did notin, for he was her cherished son, but she did feel that he was too different. Being a helper of the vige healer, she had seen many babies. But unfortunately, Sylvester shared nothing with them.


    He rarely wet himself, and whenever he needed to poop, he made sounds to attract attention. Then the night she was attacked by Chief Deserte, her son screamed. She never taught him how to speak, so the hymns that followed were even more absurd. And now, he showed such magical feats that, on the surface, seemed nonsensical. The fanatics from the Church could easily dismiss it as heaven''s grace, but not her.


    She had her fair share of secrets in life, but Sylvester made her feel like there was more to him than what met the eye. Was he really God''s Favoured or just something¡ªelse?<sub> </sub>


    "Ba-Ba!" Sylvester made noise from herp, waking up after a long 12-hour nap and recuperating the lost energy.


    Xavia knew what this meant; he was hungry. So taking the thin nket to cover her chest, she fed her son. Again, an activity she couldn''t get used to due to how he behaved. He''d refuse to look and kept his eyes closed while drinking milk. He never made any noise or yed. He simply drank until he felt full and tried to get away from her chest.


    He was far too bright and behaved for his age. ''His eyes¡­ They don''t have that innocence and confusion like other babies.''


    Yet, she kept these observations to herself because being alive right now was the highest priority. She had heard rumours about how ruthless the Church was, and making them enemies was thest thing she wanted.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester had his own chain of thoughts vastly different from Xavia. What he did back then proved he had magical powers... a lot of it. The feeling when he used magic could only be described as ethereal soothing to the body, as if he released the frustration of a lifetime. Yes, it weakened him but also calmed his mind.


    But the experience reaffirmed a few ideas. He could not rely just on Xavia for physical protection, as everything seemed to be going wrong since his birth. The only hands and abilities he could blindly rely on to survive were his own.


    One thing he needed to increase his odds of surviving the early years was to gain knowledge. Knowledge about anything and everything about the world. What attacked him, the geography, the politicalndscape, the powerhouses and above all... Magic.


    However, since he could not speak openly, he could only rely on the words being spoken around him to gain more information. So, he rxed and closed his eyes, acting as if asleep. However, he was only trying to listen to the various knights close by, riding on their steeds.


    "Argh¡­ I will be reassigned to that wretched northern border again. Can''t these dunces just not fight in the name of Solis? They are brother and sister, for God''s sake," said a knight on a brown horse, his shining silver Knight''s armour nking with the movement.


    Another Knight lifted his visor beside him, revealing blue eyes, brown hair and a scarred nose.


    "It''s not hard toprehend. All these kingdoms came out of a handful of Empires. Now each wants to stay stronger. The War of Two Worlds is over, and the continent finally knows peace."


    "But why fight each other? They''ve got the bloody mountain hoards to defend against anyway. The Church sending us there is a waste of resources."


    The blue-eyed Knight scoffed and pulled down his visor. "Why all the crying? Be happy we''re in the Inquisitorial Army and not the regr ones. You just got to heal the possessed and burn the forsaken ones."


    The Knight shuddered at the thought of it. "That is more nerve-wracking than fighting, my friend."


    Sylvester felt his little brain hurt from all the talk. To make heads or tails out of different words, names and locations without knowing their meaning was like understanding a wife joke while being Will Smith. They just don''t make sense to you.


    But one thing that interested him incredibly was this ''War of Two Words.'' What was it? The world was bing more and more mysterious as the procession moved on the rugged road.


    PA!¡ªLoud trumpets resounded yet again, twice this time. A few momentster, Hans, the Knight in golden armour, came trotting from the front. He stopped by the window of the carriage and addressed, "Lord Inquisitor, we have entered thends of Gracia Kingdom. We shall make camp here,"


    "Do not stop. Go directly to the Royal Pce of the Queen. The child needs rest." He ordered and nced at Sylvester on hisp, already innocently asleep with his head resting on the thick arm.


    "Children, so naive that they do not know the darkness in thisnd. This innocence is what we fight for. I pray to Solis, may this blessed little child bring forth the holy light and solve thisnd''s plight.


    "Mother Xavia, we are arriving at the Gracia Kingdom. We shall dine with the royal family. You may don Bright Mother''s robes to ensure no corrupt man has unholy opinions about you."


    "I shall do that, my Lord." She bowed her head, something she had done from the start to avoid offending him.


    The man then nced at Sylvester on herp, "And I wish for the God''s Favoured to be tidied and given a change of clothes, one befitting of his standing."


    "I will need to buy some clothes first, my Lord," said Xavia.


    He nodded and faced the other man in Knight''s armour who sat on Xavia''s right. Only his face was visible. He was a bald, ck man with a white stubble beard and striking blue eyes. "Mother Xavia, this man is Sir Adrik Dolorem, a fine talented Knight of the Silver rank. And also a wizard of the Adept rank¡ªSame as Favoured One. He shall be his aide henceforth.


    "Sir Dolorem, you are to ensure the safety of Mother Xavia and the child."


    The strange Wizard Knight clenched his metal gauntlet and affirmatively tapped on his breastte.


    Sylvester, however, only heard a few words. ''WAIT! I am an Adept rank?''


    _________________


    [A/N: Look at this chart in the parament to see the universal ranks in this fictional world. Wizards and Knights on the same level don''t mean they are simrly powerful. Wizards are inherently stronger.]

 Chapter 9 9. Warning Signs!

    Once renowned as the Gracia Empire, the Gracia Kingdom governed nearly all kingdoms in the continent''s eastern region. However, the Thousand Year War was not kind to it, as it lost its great powerhouses and wealth. As a result, its strength dropped to the same footing as the kingdoms it governed. This resulting civil war ultimately shattered it into small kingdoms.


    One would still see traces of the fallen empire''s grandeur throughout these small kingdoms, embedded in their culture and architecture, even if these kingdoms didn''t acknowledge it. But the same could not be said about the Gracia Kingdom.


    The Gracia Empire used to be one of the three strongest Empires on the continent, mainly due to its most fertile and resource-richnd, and above all, the Faith of Solis was headquartered there.


    To this day, the kingdom''s only aspiration is to rise and reim its lost territories once again and ultimately bring forth its glorious past.


    ¡­


    ''Umh¡­ that was one deadly nap. Nightmares of that dark pool of white snakes are still there. But where am I?''


    To little Sylvester, sleeping was like dropping dead for hours. But, these long naps gave him another headache; they scared him when he woke up. Being an ex-spy, it used to be his priority never to let the situation go out of control. He always tried to interpret information and deduce things from the behaviours of the people around him.


    But as fate would have it, he had no idea where he was. Thest thing he recalled was sleeping in Xavia''sp as the carriage headed for a city.


    Now he sat on an unknown woman''sp, held tight and close to her ample, soft breasts. She had golden blonde hair, grey eyes, smooth skin, and tons of makeup. Her wrinkles revealed her age to be around forty, but they only added more beauty to her smile.


    ''Wait! This isn''t my mother! Where am I? Where is she!?''


    "Aw¡­ look at you, so small and beautiful. Look, our hair colour matches." The woman treated him like one would treat a puppy. He didn''t heed her and looked around.


    Quickly, he realised where he was. It was some sort of a dining hall.


    There was a long table on whose sides people were sitting, from old to young. The woman on whosep he was, was seated at one end, on her more prominent and luxurious chair, which revealed a lot more about her standing in the room.


    The ce belonged to someone wealthy, as the hall looked simr to a noble house during the renaissance. Colourful paintings and beautiful vases decorated the hall to the brim. There was shining gold all around, from the cutlery to the chandelier on the ceiling.


    Thankfully, he also found Xavia sitting second to the blonde woman''s right. The first was the Inquisitor High Lord. One more peculiar thing was that everyone else had grey eyes and blonde hair besides his mother and the Inquisitor High Lord.


    "Ah, such a curious child. Dear God''s Favoured, I am Empress Rexine Gracia of the Gracia Kingdom. You may call me Grandma Rex if you want," She chimed so lovingly that Sylvester felt she was his family for a second. But then his senses prevailed, and he noted the little details.


    First, he had to lick his lips a few times as he suddenly felt a strange taste and smell in his mouth. His tongue felt sour and salty, while his nose noticed a sweet rosy aroma. It was odd yet familiar. Ever since he was born, he would randomly sense these weird smells and tastes.


    ''Let''s see. ring eyes, I can feel the fastened heartbeat and how her cheeks contract every time¡­'' She was feeling envious; that was all he could crudely guess.


    It was not too hard to guess why. Sylvester was the freshly proimed God''s Favoured, and if this status was as significant as how pretentious it sounded, then this ''Empress'', in all likelihood, was cursing her luck for not finding him first.


    "That shall be sufficient, Empress. The blessed child needs respite," The Inquisitor High Lord was prompt to take him away and let him feel warm on hisp, dding him with his drape.


    Slowly, the hall began to go empty. The neatly dressed servants took the tes. Then, finally, only the Empress, the Inquisitor High Lord and Xavia remained. But, for some reason, the Empress kept staring at Xavia.


    The big man noticed. "Do not heed her, Empress Rexine. She''s merely here for the child. She is one of our kind. We are all joined by the church, by grace, and by the Holy Solis'' faith. So please speak your mind."


    The sharp sound of the chair scraping against the floor alerted Sylvester. He knew this behaviour. The people in the room were about to discuss something important.


    The Empress folded her arms. Her persona of an old, wise, beautiful queen disappeared the next moment as her face contorted into an ever-present sneer.


    "Lord Inquisitor, thest time we met, you assured me that you would discuss my matter with the Holy Father. Yet, I have not heard anything in three months."


    "Such matters take time, Empress. The devil takes a hand in what is done in haste. And, the Supreme Pontiff must also think about the whole continent and the peace treaty with the filthy heathens of the East."


    "Do not! Please do not call me Empress! This pathetic title! It''s hollow! The truth is that there is no Gracia Empire left. It broke into pieces and¡­." She babbled to show her fit of anger and the increasing frustration.


    Sylvester felt an emotional re-up in Inquisitor High Lord. He could feel it from thep, the way man''s muscles had tensed, and he could hear the churning sound of the leather gloves on his clenched fist. Lord Inquisitor was enraged by the Empress''s actions.


    Unaware of this, the Empress revealed her thoughts.<sub> </sub>


    "Don''t you forget! Fighting for the church was what made us lose wealth and our powerhouses. The weakening and the eventual breakdown of Gracia Empire was yo-"


    Her words instantly came to a halt as fear became apparent on her face. Her body shivered as her eyes remained locked on the Inquisitor High Lord''s visor.


    She quickly stood up, dropped to her knees with a thud, and pped her hands together. "I-I apologise for the transgression, my Lord. I am a devoted servant of the faith. May the light enlighten our paths and nourish our generations!"


    "Amen," The man stood up. He used his cane to walk closer to the Empress, or Queen. She dared not to look up at his face anymore.


    "Palm on the floor." His words carried no emotion. It was amand she could onlyply with.


    Without any squeal or words, she extended her right-hand palm and ced it on the floor.


    "Aaargh!"


    She cried in pain and regret. The Inquisitor High Lord put his sabaton (metal boot) on her palm, pressing it with enough force to produce the cracking of bones breaking. Empress Gracia''s tears fell, mourning her earlier meltdown.


    "Look me in the eyes," hemanded.


    His face was entirely covered with a metal-ted mask, but through the small opening for the eyes, she could see the blood-red glow gripping her heart with fear. The eyes reminded her that he was the Third Guardian of Light, a man of Grand Wizard rank, a being powerful enough to vanquish cities with a wave of his hand.


    "F-Forgive me¡­ Lord Inquisitor, I was out of li-"


    He cut her off. "Green Tribe¡ªthat''s what everyone called your family five thousand years ago. Luther Vas Hermington, the first pope, graced you with his aid. Then, for the same grace, you named yourself the Gracia family. You need to be reminded of history, child, for the ignorant ones are doomed to repeat the mistakes of old."


    Crack!¡ªHer wrist broke from his weight, but she didn''t shriek, albeit in extreme pain.


    "Merely a few days ago, I emunicated and eradicated the ruling family of Deserte vige for their sacrilege. I wish not to make that of a kingdom, ''Empress'' Gracia. May you have a good night''s sleep and ample time to reconsider your thoughts."


    He walked away with his cane making menacing steps on the tiled floor. Each time it touched the floor, the Empress'' heart pounded in fear. She wondered if this one would be a move that would uproot her entire imperial city. Because she knew the Third Guardian was known not to show pity.


    Yet, nothing urred, and the steps slowly grew farther and farther, finally allowing her to take a breath and fall back on her rear. But by then, the adrenaline had lost effect as she felt soul-wrenching pain. "Aaaaaargh¡­! Healers! Call healers!"


    Her right hand and fingers were like broken sticks, but it was something that the resident wizard could easily fix.


    ¡­


    At the same time, outside, the Inquisitor High Lord showed Xavia the way to her room. She had managed to stay quiet despite what she saw this afternoon. But her mind was still feeling numb and lost.


    "This is your room." He handed Sylvester to her. But it didn''t end there. His hand tightly rested on Xavia''s left shoulder, clenching it.


    She looked at him in the eye sockets of the visor, and in them was the same look he gave the Queen, but she felt less panic-stricken.


    Sylvester, simultaneously, sensed a familiar smell, one that he smelled the time that Chief Deserte tried to kill him¡ªSo bitter¡­ His nose, tongue, and even his breathing felt bitter.


    "What you witnessed there should not get out, child." His calm,manding voice and raging aura didn''t match. But she managed to nod. So he continued. "In the Faith of Solis, we call all female devotees Mothers. Are you a good mother, Mother Xavia?"


    "Y-Yes, my Lord. I love Sylvester and care for him well¡ªah!" She felt the grip on her shoulder tighten, making her cry out in pain.


    The man nodded and menacingly uttered, "That, I know very well. Yet, what about the faith, and the realm? Perhaps, one day if I discover someone uttering how this Queen shuddered under my foot, I shall see if you''ve been a good mother.


    "Good night, child¡ªmay the light guide you¡ªto the righteous paths."


    ____________________


    MONKE HERE, STONE WHERE?

 Chapter 10 10. The Bard Repeats

    [A/N: Check paragraphments in this and the next chapter to see reference illustrations.]


    The horses trotted on the fine stone-paved road, and the carriage followed. The hooves made rackets, indicating to them the speed at which the carriage now moved. The road appeared much more bustling, and the fields on both sides were full of luscious crops, farmers, and grazing cows.


    The procession had left Green City, the capital of Gracia Kingdom. Yet, neither Sylvester nor Xavia looked any better. Their eyes had dark circles, the events that transpiredst evening had provided them with enough thoughts for the night''s struggle.


    Xavia was scared and uncertain about the future after the indirect warning from the Inquisitor High Lord, while Sylvester''s evaluation was much more profound, hence more nightmarish to him. He now realised why the man didn''t order Xavia to leave when he knew the Queen would speak and make a fool out of herself.


    This was probably not the first time the Queen lost her temper. Hence, the Lord must have judged what was about to happen.


    Therefore, in Sylvester''s eyes, it was a show of strength and pressure tactic to scare Xavia into submission and loyalty. After all, what was she if even the Queen''s status was beneath the Lord? Sylvester used to employ these indirect threats in his past life, as they often got the job done without too much sweat or violence.


    But here, this was more of an eye-opener to him. He had made himself toofortable on thep of that man. He was fooled by the grandfatherly aura and voice, forgetting that war is often the ruling older men''s choice.


    Sylvester was thankful to himself that he only used the man for information. But he had to stop trusting the Inquisitor High Lord too much.


    It was a lesson learned by all CIA "sleeper" agents in his previous world. Expect the worst from those you expect the best. And this was certainly not a peaceful fairytale world. Hence, he needed to tread carefully.


    ''I need to change my worldview. This realm is ruthless, disgusting andwless. I can''t treat or judge beings by the standards of the 21st century Earth.''


    Sylvester nced at the Lord Inquisitor, who was sitting opposite him and Xavia. He wondered what was behind that mask. After a moment of thought, Sylvester closed his eyes. It didn''t matter. For now, the only person he could trust in this world was his mother. Her safety was his priority for now because he''d be stuck in this tiny body without her.


    ***


    Sleeping was like quick travel in games for Sylvester. Every time he woke up, he smelled unusual fragrances and saw different things. But he noticed that the more they travelled, the greener the pastures became.


    And eventually, they had arrived on a neatly stone-paved wide road. Water fountains, cherry blossoms, and other types of trees were on both sides. The wind between those trees created a sweet, fresh and pleasuring aroma. It soothed the mood.


    But call it a habit or simply the fear of being too weak, Sylvester always woke up with a jolt and heart anxiously pounding. He quickly looked up and saw Xavia nkly peering out of the window. He calmed himself and took long breaths. Then, feeling difort, he tried to move and stirred his arms and legs.


    This irritation had been present ever since he was born. He just couldn''t get used to this baby body. This made him wonder how much of it was true and how much was bullshit about fictitious characters taking things so lightly and destroying kingdoms at the age of five.


    For him, this all felt like a dream, like a story. Yet this was reality itself. He couldn''t help but be ufortable with his physical limitations in this small body.


    He yawned and rubbed his eyes. ''Where are we now? This ce looks so nice. But, wait! Where are the soldiers escorting us?''


    "Ooooo Oooo¡­" He started making the ''unga bunga'' noises to get everyone''s attention, hoping someone would say something.


    Xavia quickly tried to pop the nipple into his mouth. But he was not hungry and rejected the offer. "Owaaaa¡­"


    The Inquisitor High Lord nced at him as if waking up from a meditation. His presence was like air while meditating, but it turned into that of an apex predator as soon as he opened his eyes. However, this predator spoke in great reverence, "Just a little more, dear God''s Favoured. We have arrived at our destination, in my beloved Holy Land."


    ''What does he mean by that? Is the church a kingdom? Is it like ancient Rome?'' Sylvester wondered.


    The Inquisitor High Lord continued, "Sir Adrik Dolorem, leave this instant and bring golden silk for him. I won''t allow him to appear as a lowborn."


    Honestly, Sylvester loved that he was earning this special treatment just because of the pretentious title and the magic he showed. He was special in this world and would like to keep this going for as long as possible.


    Soon, the carriage entered a tunnel with an uphill road. The smooth walls inside it were covered with a cement-like mixture. The tunnel was dimly illuminated with crystals on the ceiling, which looked like glowing light bulbs.


    The carriage cut through the tunnel at great speed, sending a gush of soothing breeze in the cabin.<sub> </sub>


    The sunlight blinded their eyes for a second as soon as the carriage drove out of the tunnel. The difference between the surroundings before they entered the cave and now was like day and night.


    The roads became even wider, and there was a beautifully engraved goldenmp post at each interval. There were trees of fruits, flowers, and various odours at equal intervals. Every single thing around there felt nned.


    Sylvester looked from a distance. His jaw dropped from the shock was witnessing the sight in front of him. He had not seen such majestic structures even in his past life. There were castles made of white marble, one bigger than the other. All had various pointy peaks made of gold that shone in the sunlight.


    As they came closer, he realised that the various castles were not on the same ground. Instead, his location was a constetion of multiple peninss beside the sea. Each penins had castles and structures ranging from cities to simple greenery.


    They crossed into the first border walls in no time and entered the clean, well-nned city on one castle''s base.


    There were a significant number of people of all genders. But their clothes could be called uniforms as most of them were simr. The guards had shining silver armour with swords, hammers ornces. The rest of the people wore white, light grey or brown gowns. Some of them had some short, shoulder-length capes around their necks and a golden te on their chest, tying the red cape.


    Everything was unique to Sylvester, and he could not understand what these different things meant. Just then, the carriage stopped atst before the stairs leading to a massive castle.


    The Inquisitor High Lord stepped out first and immediately fell to his knees while facing the structure. He then crossed his arms over his chest and prayed silently for five minutes.


    After that, he looked at the carriage and voiced in an authoritarian tone, "Bring forth the God''s Favoured. Let his feet touch this benevolentnd and bask in the holy light. Only then will he understand the grace of Solis firsthand."


    Xavia knew better not to defy him after having received the warning. So, with Sylvester in her arms, she stepped out and knelt. She then helped Sylvester stand up.


    Sylvester understood he needed to keep the game going to keep receiving the benefits. So he closed his eyes and made up a few rhyming sentences. Then, in his squeaky robotic voice, he made them believe these words wereing from God Solis himself.


    ?Oh, thend touched by the light of god,


    I fulfilled my levy as your bard.


    I have returned to your embrace,


    And so I await your grace.?


    ''W-What is happening? This feeling behind my head, this tingling sensation.''


    As soon as he finished, Sylvester could not keep his eyes closed. He looked down at the clean, polished marble floor. He could see his reflection in it; one look was enough to make him realise what was above his head.


    ''A halo? Ah! No wonder they mistook me as a bard.'' he realised after seeing the glowing golden circle behind his skull. Itsted as long as he sang the hymn and then abruptly vanished.


    Sylvester thought everything up until now was just coincidences. But it seemed his magic backed these coincidences.


    His mind got flooded with questions. ''How do I harness this power? How strong can I get? Are those smells rted to magic as well? How high is Adept rank?''


    ¡ªTHUD!


    He had a thousand questions, but his thoughts were interrupted by the giant of a man falling to his knees again, this time facing the young child as thetter''s hands shivered in excitement.


    ______________


    BONUS CHAP NEXT! STONE ME!

 Chapter 11 [Bonus Chapter] 11. Magna Sanctum

    For a child merely three months old, to utter suchplex words in rhymes was something that no one could shrug off. Additionally, Sylvester''s hymns and magical strength had the Lord Inquisitor sold on the idea that he was the true God''s Favoured.


    THUD!¡ªThe Inquisitor High Lord prostrated in front of him with his helmet touching Sylvester''s feet. His voice still echoed throughout the open air and appeared to have a slight tint of shaking.


    "B-Blessed child, such wondrous miracles you grace us with. My heart squirms in warmth to see you speak the Lord''s words. Yes, my visions didn''t lie! I must present you to the Holy Father. You shall be the gift to his 200th birth anniversary!"


    He stood up and took Sylvester into his arms. "Sir Dolorem, show Mother Xavia the course to the Great Mother''s Office."


    "Understood, Lord Inquisitor."


    Xavia nced at Sylvester, troubled by what had urred just now. He had once again sung the hymn with the halo on his back right in her arms. She, too, felt the warmth radiating from him. But to her, him being a God''s Favoured was impossible. ''How can he be the favoured one when his blood is tainted?''


    However, she knew one thing; he was entirely safe for now. As long as they believed Sylvester was exceptional, the church would go far and beyond to protect him. So she bowed and followed the Holy Knight, not before giving onest loving nce at her son.


    The big fanatic didn''t waste a moment and started ascending the castle''s stairs. Along the way, each guarding knight on both sides knelt and thumped their spear''s end the moment his feet approached their line of sight. The more he climbed, the faster he became, ignoring that he had a cane in one hand.


    When he reached the top, loud murmurs and bows from people dressed in fine silk and gold ornaments greeted him. These seemed different from the church''s people. But the man ignored them and proceeded to the giant bronze metal door.


    The guards who stood in front of it, trying to control the crowd, knelt immediately and opened the door.


    By now, Sylvester had proof that he was in the arms of an influential man, and this same man revered him for his bullshit. He was slowlying to understand what a golden spoon he had created for himself.


    "Next is¡­ AH! Third Guardian of Light, Crimson Fire has arrived!" the announcer at the door moured at his entrance.


    On the other side of the door was a magnificent giant hall that seemed like a Throne Room. Constructed from ck and white marble, it was decorated with golden engravings with carvings here and there.


    Arge window at the end of the hall gave a beautiful backdrop to the throne on the tform. Everything there was illuminated by the sunlighting from windows strategically ced.


    Though, the beauty diminished to some degree when therge crowd gathered on the side aisles and proceeded with their loud murmurs.


    For Sylvester, it was like he was in a surreal period drama.


    The Inquisitor High Lord paid no heed to those around him and walked towards the man sitting on the throne. The High Lord''s eyes under the mask shone in red light as if he was in excitement.


    With a thud, he knelt just after climbing the first set of stairs and zealously announced, presenting Sylvester to the front. "Holy Father, I present to you, the God''s Favoured."


    "What?"


    "The Favoured One?"


    "Is he the real one?"


    The murmurs became apparent and loud the moment he announced. But they slowly died when the man on the throne stood up and walked down the stairs.


    Standing more than six feet tall, he was an old man, yet power still flowed through his veins and allowed him to stand as the Supreme Pontiff, the rumoured strongest being in the entire world.


    "Jewels, tomes, and written poems©`The kings and princes present here gifted me things that I have no use for. But you brought not just a gift, but a direct blessing from the Lord." The Pope stopped before the kneeling man and took Sylvester into his arms.


    For the first time, Sylvester saw the Pope clearly. Thetter looked like an average old man, but the aura around him was majestic and holy. He had a short but full white beard on his face and eyes that were bluer than the sea.


    The radiating aura from this old man made Sylvester feel calm and trusting of this man, despite his mind telling him not to. He also wore a mitre[1] on his head, but this one seemed to be made of silver, steel and gold.


    For the Pope, it was a simr experience. He was mesmerised by Sylvester''s eyes. "Golden? Your hair and eyes resemble the colour of Solis. It seems you were born to be blessed, my child."


    "Your Holiness, he also sings the sermon of God as the Bard of the Lord. It''s magical to hear and see from one''s eyes. God''s Favoured, please sing it again and let everyone be the witness."


    The Pope shook his head and spoke in a soft, hoarse fatherly voice, "I believe you, Crimson Fire. But the word of the Lord is not something we mortals can force out. When the Lord wishes, the child shall sing. Let us not hinder the ceremony anymore. I shall let the child y on myp."


    The Pope walked back to his throne and sat down gracefully. He made sure to let Sylvester witness the ongoing event as he held him by the tummy with one hand. Every now and then, he would converse with Sylvester and try to teach him things.<sub> </sub>


    "Announcing! The King of Riveria is here!"


    Sylvester stared ahead as a thin old man in green, gold-embroidered silk robes entered. On his head, he had a circr golden crown, which looked like tangled bushes. As soon as this man reached the end of the stairs, he knelt with great effort.


    Age must not have been kind to him since the pain was visible on his face. He then put the crown on the first stair. "I-I pay respect to the Holy Father. As always, I pledge a donation of grains."


    The Pope simply nodded and raised his palm for a second. Then, a ray of white light suddenly appeared and shrouded the old King''s body. It slowly spread all over him and then vanished silently. "This should relieve your pain, my child."


    "T-thank you, Holy Father!"


    Once the King was gone, the following announcement came. Kings, wealthy merchants and envoys from far away hade to wish the Pope his 200th Birthday.


    "The King of Hignd has arrived!"


    "The Queen of Sorrow Kingdom has arrived!"


    "The Grand Duke of the Patch is here!"


    "Envoy from the Masan Empire hase to pay respect!"


    "The Prince of Gracia Kingdom enters!"


    "Princes and princesses from the Sand Continent are here!"


    .


    .


    .


    An hour had passed, and Sylvester''s eyelids began to flicker from exhaustion. However, his heart was beating faster than ever. He was on thep of the man for whom the kings and queens of the world would kneel in fear and try to please him with gifts of unimaginable proportions.


    Gold, jewels and artefacts were asmon as air in the room.


    He realised that he was not safe at all. On the contrary, he was in the most dangerous situation a child could ever be in. In anxiety, he looked up at the face of the old man, wondering how powerful thetter was. ''I''ve brought myself not just into a den of wolves, but I''m sitting on theps of their king.''


    The old Pope felt the gaze and looked down at Sylvester. At first, his gaze was solemn, but then a big grandfatherly smile erupted on his face, revealing his white teeth. He caressed Sylvester''s hair and tucked him in fine silk cloth so thetter could sleep. He spoke softly so that no one else could hear him.


    "Sleep, little one. Your time to get bored like me right now has note yet. These pretentious, unfaithful fools and their schemes to please me...They think I see nothing, but I see it all. Bwahaha¡ªfools! RIGHT? Aww¡­you want to y with Grandpa''s beard? But it''s too short. Maybe I should grow it more."


    He was fawning over Sylvester. Heck, Sylvester felt that the old man might have kissed his forehead if not for the crowd around. And this confused him even more, ''Is he the bad guy or the good guy?''


    "..."


    _______________________


    Footnotes:


    Mitre[1] - The hat worn by bishops and senior abbots.


    ________________________


    STONE ME, MY MONKE FRIENDS!


    Help me rise through the ranks.

 Chapter 12 12. Adopted?

    ''J-John... P-Prom-ise... must live. I-I love you... for-eve-r¡­''


    "Aya!" Sylvester''s eyes abruptly red wide, and their golden pupil dted. His body rose from the bed and tried to sit up as sweat trickled down his forehead. The nightmares of the days better forgotten had not left his side yet. And they often ended with feeling like he was falling into an endless abyss.


    "What happened, sweetie? Saw a nightmare?" Xavia noticed the sweat-covered temple. Taking a piece of silk cloth, she wiped it and gave him a peck on his cheek.


    "You''re different, too different. But I have decided to let those irrational thoughts rest away. You are my son, and nothing will change that. Am I right, my handsome little prince?"


    She started ying with him, raising him above her head by extending her arms. Sylvester had just woken up and didn''t even know if it was day or night. But he entertained her. The woman deserved some level of happiness.


    However, he wondered why the nightmares wereing. If he went by science, he reckoned that a newborn''s brain develops the most by the time he turns five. So maybe his memories were reaffirming themselves in this body? Or if it was something magical, he had no idea.


    He looked at his excited mother. She was wearing bright gold religious robes and a wimple right now. And to her sides, she had also fastened a dagger and a small book.


    After ying with her son, Xavia put him into a cradle. "I''m sorry, Max, I must go and study with other Trainee Bright Mothers. You y here; I will return soon to feed you again."


    Sylvester sat in the confines of his prison-like cradle while eyeing her leave. He then nced around. This cradle was at least twice as tall as him. However, he knew he could climb up.


    Call it an upational hazard from his previous life or general paranoia after being through the hellishst few days. He couldn''t rest unless he knew his surroundings, that everything was safe.


    ''As a child, I can roam around anywhere I want to, and no one will get angry or harm me. So I must make the best out of this situation.''


    Using his noodle legs, he tried to climb the cradle''s bars. But because his grip was not firm, he''d slide down every time. There were many cushions around him that he could use. So, he used all his little might and stacked the pillows one over another until his height aligned with that of the cradle bar.


    Next, he threw a pillow out and began to climb thest stretch.


    p "Eh! Uhhh¡­" He tried to use all his core strength, but that made his weak little tummy pop out some morning breeze through his butt, a sign of good health.</anda>


    But a mere breeze didn''t stop Sylvester, no matter how foul the stench was. Even if he felt like vomiting but controlled himself, that would make him lose strength.


    ''Just a little more!'' He could see the other side as his head slowly popped out. Sylvester quickly tilted his body forward and threw himself out of the cradle.


    Thud!¡ªHe fell on the soft pillow he had thrown out earlier to secure hisnding. Now the next phase was to crawl to the door and open it. However, when he looked at the surroundings, he felt dizzy. ''M-My God¡­ everything looks so huge as a baby.''


    The chairs looked like towers; the cradle from where he fell was now unreachable. The ceiling of the room was like the sky to him. He hated his little blob body. Still focusing on his target, he crawled to the door. Despite the world being so backwards, the door handle looked modern and needed to be pulled down.


    He worked hard and pulled the bedsheets from Xavia''s bed. Then, making a noose, he threw it on the door handle. With a simple pull with his body weight, the door clicked open.


    Sylvester carefully poked his head out, just enough to observe the other side. Being caught this early was useless, after all. Thankfully, the building was reserved for the housing of Bright Mothers. Thus, most people in the building had gone to work or study.


    Since he did not know theyout, he randomly picked a direction and crawled forward in the hallway. He made sure to stick to the rightmost side to hide behind the corridor pirs in an emergency.


    The corridor was at the side of the building, so he could see the open space and the height at which he was. He appeared to be on the 3rd or 4th floor.


    After crawling for a while, he faced his first challenge: climbing down the stairs. This simple task was difficult for his body, but Sylvester could do it. He made sure not to stumble ande down falling. His curious heart was interested in the outside world.


    The moment he arrived at the bottom floor, he saw a big white cat sleeping near the exit of the building. ''Great, with my size, even this thing can kill me.''


    With baby steps, he silently crawled away. Sylvester breathed so low that if Xavia were here, she would think he was dead. ''Slowly¡­ yes¡­ just a little more.''


    Atst, he crossed the final boundary and arrived outside the building. The sun shone on his baby skin and made him feel warm. In fact, he felt like he gained energy just by being under the sunlight.


    ''Now it''s time to explore.'' Sylvester crawled towards the building next door, beyond the garden, to see what went on there. The architecture appeared to be a mix of different types from Earth, but all seemed to be in synergy.


    However, the weirdest thing was that each building had extensive open terraces and seemed to be full of people. Some sat there to rest, while others were either eating or studying.


    And this somehow made the grounds look quite deste.


    ''Good for me'', he thought.


    This meant he could go far before being caught. Soon, he arrived at the nearest building and sneakily entered the next hallway. He knew that the campus was huge, and he couldn''t explore it all with his little body, but what he wanted was to study and know the ce more.


    As Sylvester crawled into the corridors of the building, he heard loud rhythmic voices from the rooms on both sides. sses were ongoing, so he silently tried to listen and understand the words echoing in the hallway.


    "We, the Bright Mothers, are not warriors, but we shall fight when needed. We are the healers, but we shall hurt when we must. The book of Saint Mother Grace, one of the five heroes of the Great War, rests on the right side of our waist. At the same time, the dagger remains on the left.


    "We preach the teachings of the seventy-eight Popes who have guided us in the past five thousand years. We point the way to the embrace of Solis, and that is our sacred duty. As the Bright Mothers in training, you shall be taught history, the blessings and work. And the training willst five years. Any questions?"


    One woman lifted her hand suddenly. "Mother Martha, can I sometimes bring my son with me?"


    "Ah, the mother of the God''s Favoured? Yes, you can bring him. I wish not to be punished for allowing any detriment to his mind or body," the senior Bright Mother replied respectfully.<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester smiled outside as he heard Xavia''s voice. ''She thinks so much about me.'' But his mind also had a hundred questions. ''What''s this thing about five thousand years and only seventy-eight Popes? Are humans so long-lived in this world? And this Great war again?''


    There was so much to be answered. But he made a smart decision and quickly moved away from there. As long as Xavia brought him to her sses every day, he would automatically learn everything. Putting his life at risk anymore was not worth it.


    So he returned the same way while enjoying the sun. Scrutinising the sky the whole time, he realised the sun seemed much bigger in this world. Yet, the heat was not unpleasant.


    Just then, he realised something he had heard during that camp incident. ''Xavia said wizards are the weakest at night. Does that mean daylight has something to do with our powers? Is this why I feel like eating that juicy sun?''


    ''So many things do not make sense. It''s hard to adjust to this new world so quickly. Not to mention, everyone and everything feels like a threat, especially in this body.'' Sighing, he continued on his way.


    Eventually, he arrived at the entrance and there it was. The cat still slept there merrily, looking rxed. Sylvester saw its face for the first time and felt like petting it.


    But he was scared since the fluffy cat seemed to be an adult and appeared bigger than him. It was undoubtedly cute¡­ but deadly. ''Easy, can''t let it wake up.''


    Carefully, he started to climb the stairs one at a time. They were no less than hills for him and took all his strength. He aimed to climb non-stop until he was at least one floor up. Only then would he feel safe.


    One¡­


    Two¡­


    Ten¡­


    Twenty.


    ''I hate my body! I hate these week noodle legs!'' Sylvester cursed as he reached thest stair of the floor. He was sweating with sore legs and arms and might have fouled his diapers too.


    He breathed wildly. ''Ah... I-I can''t die at the hands of a cat. I can''t let such shame spoil my name. AAAA...''


    Thud!¡ªLike a dead body, Sylvester dropped face-first as soon as he reached the 1st floor. He felt tired, and his mind was on the verge of breaking. ''I can''t believe I''m saying this, but... I miss Xavia.''


    Pat-Pat!


    Sylvester felt someone tapping on his fouled diaper-d ass. Delighted that the help had arrived, he turned back to hug whichever woman it was. While also not forgetting to make baby noises. "Aya Aya Ooowaaa... FUCK!"


    There was no pretty Bright Mother waiting to help him. Instead, it was the damn cat from downstairs, now standing face to face with him. Its blue eyes appeared to be full of curiosity, and its nose sniffed him intently.


    Sylvester instinctively cursed and tried to move back. But unfortunately, he was only half as tall as the cat, who was currently sitting on its hind legs with the help of the tail.


    It constantly tilted its head left and right, as confused puppies do. Then, it started to move towards him. The more he moved back, the closer the cat got.


    ''H-How did I use my powers that night? Maybe I can pulverise this cat too. Yes, the hymns. I should sing it.'' He brainstormed quickly.


    ?O'' hear me the Lord of Light,


    I need your help in this figh-?


    "MEOW!"


    The cat leapt into the air abruptly. Sylvester even forgot to sing and covered his face with his arms, expecting sharp w shes.


    Pat!¡ªYet he felt no pain. Instead, there was a gentle soft pat. The cat moved closer, licked his hair, and then used its forelegs to hug his neck.


    Shocked, Sylvester uncovered his face and nced at the hugging cat. It looked excited, without a hint of malice he expected.


    Pat-Pat!


    The cat, this time, tapped on Sylvester''s forehead softly with its paws and did something that shocked his 21st-century brain.


    "Little human kitten... Mine now!"


    _________________


    STONE ME, APES! BUT I HAVE AN OFFER!


    450 Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter


    I SHALL BE YOUR SLAVE APE, HUNGRY FOR STONES!

 Chapter 13 13. A Fluffy Blessing

    ''I-It spoke?'' Sylvester was shocked as the cat talked warmly in a young male''s voice. At the same time, he smelled a tingling sweet aroma of boiling caramel.


    "Little human kitten, fear me not. I shall feed you and care for you like my own." The cat proceeded with another warm fluffy hug. His little sniffs tickled Sylvester around the neck.


    "..."


    "How can you speak?" Sylvester asked it directly since nobody else was around.


    The cat backed away and sat down. "Me? What about you? How can you speak, little one? I remember seeing a human kitten seven centuries ago. It bit my tail and was so dumb."


    ''Although it''s a friendly cat, I don''t know if it belongs to someone. What if it tells its owner? Wait--''


    "Seven hundred years ago? How old are you?"


    The cat quickly chirped, "Very old. Umm... One thousand? How much is that? No, more! Ugh... I don''t remember."


    "Where do you live, and who feeds you?" He indirectly asked to learn about its owner, not taking its age talk seriously.


    The furry cat stood on its hind legs and thumped its chest with its paw. "I catch the food myself. And right here I sleep, at the entrance. My caretaker said I should wait when she went to the healer. She feeds me tasty fish. She''s the best!"


    ''Oh, it''s going to tell its master.'' Sylvester was troubled. He looked around himself to see what options he had. ''Should I kill it?''


    He nced at the cat''s face. It appeared as if it was smiling, and its eyes showed excitement. Some guilt flickered in Sylvester''s mind, but he knew what he must do.


    "So, when will your caretaker return?"


    It purred all of a sudden and sorrowfully looked down. "She hasn''t returned, but I wait here every day. I know she will eventuallye back."


    "Days? How long has she been gone?"


    "Five hundred years," the white cat replied confidently this time, as if proud of being able to keep track of such a long time.


    "..."


    Sylvester had no idea if this cat was being serious or was just misinterpreting the time. But this story reminded him of a dog from his past world. "Is your name Hachik¨­?"


    It confusedly tilted its head. "No, she calls me Chonky."


    Sylvester took a long sigh and rxed his mind. Since he did not trust the cat''s words and was worried about it revealing his secret, he could only think of one way. He crawled closer to it and put an arm around its back. "Chonky,e with me. I will get you tasty fish."


    He decided to keep the cat close by. Since it was amicable, the chances of making this cat loyal to himself were high. He reckoned, ''I''ve done it with humans. How hard would it be to manipte a cat mentally?''


    "Really?" Chonky rejoiced and hugged him again. He certainly was a strange clingy cat.


    "Yes, just follow me. But remember, you cannot speak or expect me to speak when anyone else is around. Okay?"


    "Meow!" Chonky diligently nodded. Sounding like a normal cat for the first time.


    After so long, Sylvester had a moment of heartfeltughter. The cat who was adopting him ended up getting adopted by him. "You''re too gullible, Chonky. But remind me to give you a new nameter."


    "Chonky not good?"


    "Well, it''s cute, but you''re not fat at all. Chonky means plump and round."


    Chonky stopped moving with him and stood on his hind legs to look at his belly. It was t as always. Even his face was well-toned. Then, he sat down and looked at his back. "Chonky only fluffy, not fat. But I like this name."


    Sylvester crawled close to it and patted Chonky''s head. "We can keep that as a nickname. But your real name should seem strong and mighty."


    Chonky''s eyes shone as he nodded fervently. "Yes, yes... I am mighty. Come, sit on my back. I take you everywhere."


    ''Indeed, he''s too gullible.'' Sylvester thought and obliged by climbing onto Chonky''s back.


    He was self-aware that as a baby, he was a fatass. So he was surprised that Chonky could move around swiftly despite so much weight on his back.


    He felt it was a psychological win as well because by giving Chonky a new name, he would be creating a permanent bond in the cat''s head, hence leaving fewer chances of betrayal.


    On top of that. ''I''ve got myself a nice soft ride.''


    ...


    Xavia returned home in a hurry that afternoon to feed Sylvester. It was her own lunch break, but she decided not to waste time eating first.


    "Aa! Max! What happened? Are you hurt?" Her heart exploded in panic when she saw Sylvester''s body lying outside near the cradle. He was sleeping on his stomach, so it was hard to know if he was breathing.


    She rushed fast and picked him up. "Max!"


    "Hmm?" Sylvester opened his eyes slowly while rubbing them. He looked left and right and remembered he was dead, and this was life 2.0 for him.


    "Elo." He quickly got into his professional role and tapped on Xavia''s nose, appearing cute.


    Xavia sent magic into his body and checked it. Sensing he was fine, she looked at the floor and found a cushion. Then, she noticed the utensils and food boxes littered on the kitchen floor. It didn''t take her much time to understand what must have happened. "Oh, you, always scaring your mama. Come now, you must be hungry."


    ''Indeed, my excursion cost me a lot of energ... Wait!''


    He remembered Chonky, the furry boy, and looked down. The cat was still there, sleeping like a log. But for some reason, he didn''t see any reaction from Xavia. He needed to know if she was going to allow him to stay.


    "Mama, woo." He pointed at the floor.


    Xavia looked and knelt a little to pick something up. "You want the toy?"


    "..."


    "Kitty!" He voiced one word. To keep the persona of a child, he had limited himself to only five words for now.


    "Oh, we don''t have a cat toy, sweetie. I will make you a stuffed er, okay?" She said and plopped the nipple into his mouth.<sub> </sub>


    He, too, was hungry and closed his eyes. But in his mind, he wondered.


    ''Why did she not see Chonky? He''s a big cat...what''s going on?''


    Half an hourter, Xavia put him back into the cradle and tucked him under the nket. She kissed his forehead and left for her sses once again. She knew she could not stop him from getting out, so she ced various pillows around the cradle.


    But as soon as she left, Sylvester threw his small squishy teddy at the white cat. "Hey, wake up! Chonky!"


    "F-Fish? Fish? Fish!" The cat woke up with a jolt of excitement.


    "..."


    "No, there are no fish. Come up here, I have some questions for you."


    Chonky quickly jumped into the cradle and sat down like a gentleman. He also sniffed Sylvester. "Milk?"


    "Yes, my mother was here. Tell me why she couldn''t see you? You were right there."


    The cat started to groom himself by licking and replied, "Nobody can see Chonky."


    "Huh, what do you mean nobody can see you? borate."


    "I don''t know why you see me. You''re the first since myst caretaker, so I took you in. But I''ll be good and wait for her at the entrance."


    "Can''t people touch you?" he asked further.


    Chonky quickly responded, "They can. Once that baddy stepped on my tail and hurt me. I got angry and scratched her back. She screamed ''ghost'' and ran away. But I''m no ghost, I''m Chonky. Stupiddy."


    It dawned on Sylvester then that whatever Chonky had told him before might be true. Hisst caretaker left him five hundred years ago, and he was more than a thousand years old. His innocence betrayed his age, but it was understandable if he lived most of his life without being in touch with anyone else.


    He felt bad for the cat because it may have waited 500 years in istion for his caretaker, who was probably dead somewhere and didn''t know.


    But then, a new question urred. Chonky was certainly not a cat, then what the hell was he? A magical creature?


    "What are you?" Sylvester asked.


    Chonky stopped licking and puffed out his chest. "I am a mighty cat, Chonky. Oh-oh... look, I can also do this!"


    The furred fellow opened his jaws wide and sucked the air. A dark and endless depth seemed to appear in his mouth, increasing the suction.


    Woosh!¡ªSylvester''s pillows got sucked away and effortlessly vanished into Chonky''s little mouth.


    "See! Hehe, I can eat anything... I once ate a horse carriage too." He proudly proimed.


    "..."


    It was a day of mad revtions for Sylvester. From an invisible talking cat to this, the time taken was too little for his human brain to bear. He felt like he was dreaming while on drugs.


    His jaw dangled in shock as he quickly crawled to Chonky and used his hands to open the jaws. "Where did it go? How did you do that?"


    Chonky patted his hands away and moved back a little. "It''s simple. I just need to vomit it out now."


    "Uwaaa...!"


    "Uuuughaaa...!"


    ''I-Is he seriously going to vomit?''


    "Uwaaaa...!" Atst, the pillows returned to the cradle. They looked a bit crumpled but were in perfect condition. However, Chonky did not stop and proceeded to vomit some sort of sticky liquid.


    When he was done, he licked his whiskers clean and sat proudly. "See, it''s so simple."


    "Can you store anything in there? Let''s say a sword or potions?" Sylvester asked as he realised the living gift that was sitting in front of his eyes. A walking, invisible closet. It could be such a boon in this world, he thought.


    Chonky nodded. "Yes, I can keep everything. My caretaker also used me all the time. So you can use me too..." He licked his mouth and looked towards the kitchen.


    "For a fish."


    Sylvester cheered in his mind. ''That''s dirt cheap. Just a fish? Even a mountain of fish is nothing for this. This is amazing¡­ Whichever god I prayed to for this life, I thank you for this gift. Chonky may just be the one to help me in this plight and assist in all my uing fights.''


    Seeing Chonky as a goldmine, Sylvester pulled him closer and made this cat sleep beside him. He couldn''t believe he was thinking of killing him not long ago. Also, for some reason, Chonky now seemed cuter than before.


    "Come here, be my pillow," he invited. "Ah, one more thing. I have thought of a name for you."


    "Really?!" Chonky''s eyes gleamed as heid down beside Sylvester.


    The name came to Sylvester''s mind as he watched him perform the portable closet magic. He felt the name befit the fluffy boy. "You are not an ordinary cat, Chonky. You appear cute and harmless, but then you don''t appear to others at all. You can perform feats that defeat nature''sws. You are like an illusion... so I name you after a word for that.


    "Chonky, you''ll be called ''Miraj'' from now on."


    Chonky stopped all motions for a few seconds as if he was processing it. And soon, he started to purr and meowed a few times.


    "Miraj? Hmm... Miraj¡ªI LOVE IT!"


    [A/N: I tweaked the spelling for Mirage a bit becauseter, there will be a desert arc. It will be very confusing when MC will talk about real mirages then.]


    [A/N: Check the parament to see a more detailed map of the east side of the continent where the story arc takes ce.]


    _________________


    450 Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter


    YOU STONE! I WRITE MORE!

 Chapter 14 [LONG BONUS CHAPTER] 14. Magic!

    Months passed, and life became much easier with a sentient cat. Especially because Sylvester didn''t have to worry about things kept at a height, whether food or books.


    Miraj was remarkably gullible and so easy to please. He turned from a stranger to Sylvester''s first cultist within a few months. But it could have been Miraj''s istion. He probably wished to be by Sylvester''s side as only thetter could see andmunicate with him.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester would increase the number of words he would speak each month. However, he didn''t go for perfection, rather, tried to mess up the grammar now and then to still sound like a baby. Still, his growth could not be anything baby-like while his legs turned from noodles to french fries. They were still weak, but now he could walk.


    "Let''s study today, Chonky." Sylvester opened a random book from the case and tried to read it. It was titled: ''History With Pope''.


    Although he had been going with Xavia to her sses on most days, he felt they didn''t offer him anything substantial. In the first few days, they talked about geography. But on all other days, it was just religious talks and the duties of a Bright Mother.


    He wished to learn about magic, but that was not even in the curriculum of the Bright Mothers. Thankfully, Xavia knew healing magic, so she was given once-a-week sses for them, which he would go on to. But even then, it was restricted to healing magic, something useless for him as he didn''t even know how to start.


    "Woah... Fish!" Miraj pointed his paw at the diagram in the book.


    Both were lying on their bellies side by side and reading the book. "No, Chonky. That''s the face of the Tenth Pope, Varus Da Sntia, the cursed. He survived 200 poison-rted assassination attempts in his life. That''s why his face got deformed and... yes, he does look like a fish."


    "Show me more. Show me fish." Miraj wagged his tail and tapped his paw excitedly. Living in boredom for 500 years turned every little moment into a rollercoaster ride for the fluffy boy.


    Sylvester turned the page with a chuckle. ''Hah, I sometimes forget he''s a cat.''


    "Hmm... this tall scarface is Pope Atrox, the mad. He purged the Church from centuries of infighting and power struggles. But he made the Church less tolerant and more militaristic, thrusting the world into the dark, sick fetish of public burnings."


    "Public burning? Like my caretaker made me fish?"


    "..."


    Sylvester shut the book. "What''s with your fish fetish? You have repeated that word a dozen times in a few minutes."


    Miraj lowered his head and showed cute sad eyes, "I miss it. You said you would feed me fish."


    "Yes. And you said you''re going to adopt me, yet here you are leeching off of me. But don''t worry, I will get you fish when I grow some more. Now let''s go out and meet the Pope. He should be making rounds at this time."


    Yes, the Pope. In thest few months, Sylvester had all the time to ponder his next strategy to ensure his survival. He aimed to live a peaceful life, but for that, he also needed power. However, now he was God''s Favoured, and it was akin to chocte, so sweet that some people would rather destroy it if they couldn''t have it.


    He had already felt the strange emotions in Queen Gracia. There was no doubt that worse people would be out there. To ensure he doesn''t end up six feet under before he even has the ability to fight back, he needs to get on the right side of influential people. Since he was in the Church, why not target the Pope himself?


    So with his extra chattery cat, he crawled out of the room. His legs were still not strong, so crawling was much more convenient. Unfortunately, he could not ride Miraj either since thetter was invisible to others. He had already disyed enough miracles, thest thing he wanted was to overdo it.


    He knew that the Pope inspected the Bright Mother''s academy every month on thest day of 3rd week. So ever since he came across this information, he would stumble across the former.


    Looking cute and dumb, he crawled out of the building and into the Bright Mothers Academy. He sent Miraj to scout the Pope so he could strategically present himself in front of thetter.


    ''Okay, now I''ll sit in the middle of the corridor and wait.''


    It took a few minutes for Miraj to return, running and screaming that the Pope was here. They had done this many times, and now Miraj was bing a professional scout. Both of them patiently waited until the Pope was in the direct line of sight, and then Miraj used his soft paws to push Sylvester back so he''d fall cutely.


    "Aya!" Sylvester cried in a heart-melting low voice.


    "Oh, it''s our little bard. Did you run away from your room again?" The Pope fast-walked to pick Sylvester into his arms and patted him clean. He also had a dozen standard Church robed, high-ranking administrators behind him.


    Sylvester took a small candy from his little shirt pocket and pushed it towards the Pope''s mouth. "Candy!"


    The Pope took itughingly. "You saved another one for me? Good boy, already showing charitable tendencies. I have great expectations, little one. But we can''t have you running around all the time." He looked at his associates and asked, "Was no aide assigned to God''s Favoured?"


    The one in the lead quickly answered, "Lord Inquisitor assigned Sir Adrik Dolorem, your holiness."


    "Why is he not watching over the child?"


    The man didn''t have an answer and looked at the others, who scrambled to prepare a response and discussed it with each other. Soon they had the reason. "I-It seems he was reassigned to the southern region for... for inspecting the procession of King of Riveria during their departure from here. We will look int..."


    They shut their crying mouths when the Pope gestured with his hand. He turned to his men and looked them in the eyes. Sylvester noticed the Pope''s expression from up close. This did not feel like the man who was doting on him a minute ago. No, this was the true face of the Pope. And, like all other Church members, he, too, had a secret violent side.


    Amidst the burning, pungent taste in Sylvester''s mouth that distracted him, the Pope ordered. "Look me in the eyes. Can any of you tell me since when did the King of Riveria be the Pope? Since when did Inquisitors start getting reassigned? Did Inquisitor High Lord approve the transfer?"


    "N-No... your holiness," they stutteringly replied in unison.


    "Corruption in Magna Sanctum? Failed has their years of education, whoever dares to be corrupt deserves no salvation. One, a dozen, a thousand or a million, I will tolerate none. Give them¡ªDeath!


    "This peace we have is not eternal. One day, those from across the Blood Sea will strike again. When that happens, the Church shall be mighty as the dragons. We shall move as I nned this time and im the heathennd."


    "May the holy light enlighten us!" the administrators chanted, their bodies drenched in sweat.


    However, just like that, the mood of the Pope shifted, and he started making funny faces at Sylvester. "Haha, our little bard will grow and be a mighty General. Butcher those with tainted blood. Aren''t I right...bububu..."


    "Ahahaha... gaga." Sylvesterughed as the Pope started to tickle him.


    However, the bloodlust and fanaticism didn''t surprise him. But mentally, he wondered, ''First that Inquisitor and now this Pope. Why is everyone so bipr in this Church?''


    "Let''s go. I shall hand you to your mother."


    ¡­


    The next day,


    ''Yeah, baby! That''s what I''m talking about! This is what I wanted! Finally!'' There was no limit to Sylvester''s delight as he saw a familiar armoured knight walk into the Bright Mother''s housingplex and stand guard in front of Sylvester''s room.


    He remembered this man for a few reasons: First, thebination of ck skin and striking blue eyes was rare in his past. Second, the man''s existence showed that the Church didn''t care about skin colour. Third, the Church itself was a confusing entity for Sylvester at this point because sometimes it appeared to be the vilest organisation and periodically a just and equal one.


    Despite all this, Sylvester wanted to stay here, for it was the overlord of society. And all this time, he wished to learn magic and grow strong, but could not because Xavia knew only healing. He recalled how he could kill the creature that night so quickly, but it was a survival instinct that had kicked in at that time, and now he wished to learn how to aplish what he performed that night.


    Although he had no idea how high the Adept Rank was, he knew that Sir Adrik Dolorem was a Knight of the Silver rank and a wizard of the Adept rank. So for an adult man to be his guard and have the same rank could only mean that his own magic talent was high.


    He finally had something to do other than hear Miraj bantering about how to enjoy a nice juicy fish in various ways.


    So today, after Xavia left, Sir Dolorem entered the house to babysit him. From there, Sylvester started his strategy of mental maniption.<sub> </sub>


    Bam!¡ªyet again, he jumped out of the cradle. Sir Dolorem caught him before the touchdown. This was his 69th suicide jump today, and he had thoroughly annoyed his caretaker. "Master Maximilian, please don''t harm yourself."


    "M-Magic!" Sylvester gave him the puppy eye look and chirped. He was hoping to break this man''s stoic character and make him emotionally attached to himself, enving him into the trap.


    "Fair enough, if it pleases you." he ceded and raised his palm in the hope that Sylvester would fall asleep soon.


    How wrong he was.


    "Aaaaa..." Seeing Sir Dolorem creating a small fireball in his palm, Sylvester''s jaw fell open. He was careful to assess how Dolorem was doing it. There was no chant or hand movement. It just appeared on his hand out of nowhere.


    ''How did he do it?'' Sylvester wondered.


    "Magic!" he chirped again.


    Sir Dolorem then raised his palm towards Sylvester''s face and warned. "Please don''t be scared."


    Woosh!¡ªSuddenly, a soft, cold breeze whipped Sylvester''s face and blew back his short golden-blonde hair. He instinctively closed his eyes and enjoyed the gentle breeze.


    "Wa wa wa wa waaaaa..." Miraj tried to eat the breeze beside him.


    It stopped a minuteter. But Sylvester''s excitement to learn the magic increased a hundredfold. He had already started to create some hypotheses in mind about the nature of the magic, and just one word was enough to exin it. ''Elemental maniption.''.


    ''What else can he do? This is most likely not the limit of his abilities. Hmm... how do I make him teach me? What if...''


    He once again made cute puppy eyes and chirped, "Techa! Techa!"


    "Techa?" Sir Dolorem confusedly muttered. After repeating it a few times in their head, he realised what it was. "Teacher? Master Maximilian, I am far too lowly to be your teacher."


    ''Fine, you want to do this the hard way?'' Sylvester made an effort to get up to his feet. Miraj silently helped too. Then, he stumped forward and hugged Sir Dolorem, stering his face on the man''s chest te. "Techa! Magic!"


    "..."


    Sylvester looked up and nced at the man''s eyes. They were often the best means to discern someone''s thoughts and make a profile about their character. What he saw was genuine warmth and tion as the man''s pupil dted slightly and his heart raced. Sir Dolorem did not seem like the Inquisitor High Lord or the Pope.


    Again, he reckoned that Sir Dolorem was so low ranked that he didn''t have any reason to be evil. Like in most religious ces, most grassroots members believe in their religion''s message.


    "Do you wish to learn Magic?" he uttered slowly, knowing Sylvester could not understand him.


    Sylvester repeated after him, "Magic."


    Now, Sir Dolorem was there only to protect Sylvester and watch over him. But he, too, thought about being the teacher of the God''s Favoured. How prestigious would that be? He had seen the miracles done by Sylvester himself, and it was almost a guarantee that one day, thetter would be a high-ranking member.


    To be the teacher of such a person was an honour in his eyes. He sighed and nodded. "Nine months ago, you were so young, yet you killed that Desert Cannibal with ease. So I have decided, Master Maximilian, I shall teach you."


    Sylvester greatly appreciated that despite no one keeping an eye on him, Sir Dolorem remained respectful. It was a sign of a good soldier and person.


    "I will show you the basic things we learn at the academy. Please raise your hand." Sir Dolorem knew Sylvester did not understand him, but he was still verbally instructed out of habit. Then he would make Sylvester move.


    "Great, I shall use the wind magic under your hand so you may feel the Srium particles."


    Sir Dolorem sent the wind under Sylvester''s palm. In response, Sylvester closed his eyes and tried to feel the air. He tried to remember the feeling from the time he sted that bright, magical beam from his palm. It was mesmerising and soothing to his mind.


    It felt like a part of his body that got released. It was simr to his blood or the air he breathed out. He then calmed his mind and recalled the martial arts training he had gone through in his past life. Fighting was all about proper movement and breathing.


    You breathe out the power and breathe in the build-up. He did not know if magic was simr, but he tried to breathe just like that.


    ''One in... one out.''


    From Sir Dolorem''s point of view, what Sylvester was doing seemed simr to the Knight''s training. But it was not too different from the Wizard''s training. The only difference was that one needed to try and breathe out of their palms. Of course, not air but Srium.


    He was amazed how such a young child could sit calmly for so long. But he also knew it was a pipedream to expect results on the first try. Thus Sylvester''s actions didn''t raise Sir Dolorem''s expectations by too much.


    "It took me a year to even sense the particles and two more to learn how to manipte them. You too shall be ab..."


    "..."


    He was left speechless as a tiny spark of bright golden light flickered on Sylvester''s chubby palm. It appeared as if a part was trying to turn into a candle. Each spark was brighter and longer than before.


    "M-Marvellous! So fas... Wait!"


    Sir Dolorem pulled his hand back from underneath Sylvester''s, yet the sparks kept appearing. He feared that this would be too much for a child, as magic depletion could truly kill a wizard. "Master Maximilian, please wake up."


    However, the words fell on deaf ears as Sylvester was too charmed by the soothing feeling. He didn''t know if his magic was working; he hoped it did. But he kept going, wanting to etch this feeling in his mind.


    "Master! NO!... WAKE UP!" Sir Dolorem''s pupils contracted in panic when the flickering sparks became a constant orb of warm golden light that kept expanding. This was beyond what any average wizard learned in their first month. And the orb appeared more like a destructive beam than mere light.


    "Forgive me, I have no other choice!" So Sir Dolorem decided to pinch Sylvester to stimte thetter''s other senses.


    But he was toote¡­


    ¡ªWoosh!


    _______________________


    [1] Srium - The particles released from the sun that give power to the Wizards and Knights.


    [Note: Master is a title for an underage male. That is why Sir Dolorem calls him Master Maximilian. Using the first name is too disrespectful for someone of Sylvester''s standing.]


    NEW GOAL FOR APE FAMILY!


    ***1000 Stones = Bonus Chapter.***


    MONKE KNOW IT''S HARD! BUT MONKE MUST TRY!

 Chapter 15 15. More Magic!

    Woosh!¡ªthe orb expanded at the speed of light and soaked everything in the room in a blinding sh. It was warm and rejuvenating, as if the grace of Solis itself had brushed upon thends.


    Sir Dolorem could not see anything in that light. But worrying for Sylvester''s safety, he pushed himself forward. Then surprisingly, he felt the light pushing him away. It was not too strong but enough to make him exert himself.


    Meanwhile, Miraj was simply rolling on the floor, screaming, "My eyes! My eyes!"


    The cat''s shrills were very striking to the ear, so Sylvester opened his eyes and looked. But there was nothing but blinding light emitting from his palm. ''Oh! That''s interesting.''


    The light didn''t affect him in the slightest, and he tried to analyse what was happening. At first, he attempted to feel what it was that made the lighte out of his palm. ''It''s like my skin is breathing. Simr to how I can feel my body sweating, I feel this, albeit much morefortably. It appears magic is a biological part of a wizard''s body. Ites as natural as breathing... but how do I make a fire?''


    "Master Maximilian!"


    He was mmed out of his introspection when two arms grabbed him by his waist out of nowhere and lifted him in the air. He shook his head and looked around. Miraj was screeching about eyes, and Sir Dolorem seemed exhausted.


    "Ah!" he eximed loudly. He realised the magic was hurting them. But there was a problem.


    ''How do I stop it? If it''s like breathing, I don''t know how to stop breathing.''


    PA!¡ªall of a sudden, a nice hard p hit his face and hurt him.


    ''H-He hit me?''.


    ''Ah, the lights are gone.'' he understood what happened. The pain diverted his mind entirely from the magic. But, a p? He looked at Sir Dolorem''s face.


    The Knight quickly put him down and sat down on his knees. "Forgive me for hitting you, God''s Favoured. I shall report the incident and get the appropriate punishment."


    ''I think I overdid it. I can''t let this get out; I don''t need more eyes on me.''


    He contemted how to stop this man without speaking. And then nced at Miraj; it seemed thetter was knocked unconscious.


    ''If Sir Dolorem divulges this incident to his seniors, they might kill or remove him from serving me. Who knows what kind of man the next one will be? Will he teach me? No, I can''t ce my bets on the unknown. Wait... I do have a way to get the message across!''


    Sylvester once again closed his eyes and prepared to sing his hymns. He opened his mind to search for the right words and started proceeding with his first words as a bright circr halo appeared behind his head.


    ?O'' mortal, basking in my warmth.


    The time hase to make an oath.


    I shall test your loyalty thenceforth.?


    Sylvester peeked at the man from the corner of his eye. He was satisfied to see Sir Dolorem sitting with his arms crossed on his chest. The man believed whatever was happening.


    ?Make the vow here; never will your faith waiver.


    I am him, I am you, I am everywhere.


    I am earth; I am the sky, I am air.?


    ?My light reaches all, yet there remain heathens,


    Ruffians¡ªsinners no less than demons.


    Help condemn the godless to the dark abyss.


    It''s your pathway to eternal bliss.


    In your mind, etch this, for I am Solis.?


    Thud!¡ªThe loud noise made Sylvester open his eyes. Sir Dolorem was prostrating in front of him, muttering some vows. "Apostle of Solis, I, Adrik Dolorem, vow to serve you for as long as my heart allows me to feel the warmth of your grace.


    "I vow to protect you with my life, sword, and magic. J-Just... please grant your grace to my wife and infant son."


    ''He has a family?'' This was a first for Sylvester. What the man said instantly took him back to when he was expecting a child with his wife... before all went to hell.


    "Aya!" He patted Sir Dolorem''s head.


    The man got back up. His eyes looked tearful. When Sylvester noticed them, he reminded himself that he might look at the religion in this world as rubbish, but to people here, it was their way of life. It was their escape from reality.


    Sir Dolorem rubbed his eyes and moved to help Sylvester up. "Strange, I heard a cat earlier."


    ''Ah, time to fake tiredness.'' Sylvester threw himself back and closed his eyes while repeatedly muttering, "Magic!"


    The Knight could only watch over, precisely what he was ordered to do. He hoped, however, that he would never have to teach the God''s Favored again as he felt if the light could do this much damage, how much would fire, air and water would?


    It was undoubtedly a haunting thought in his mind.


    ¡­


    Sir Dolorem was utterly wrong. Sylvester not only didn''t stop but instead became more pestering. He would shout ''magic'' unless Sir Dolorempromised to teach him. Not just that, he used Miraj to go around and throw things to make it seem like it was happening because he was angry.


    In the end, the little baby won over the Knight. So Sir Dolorem picked him up and headed to the terrace to train him.


    Soon, the student and the teacher were face to face. Sylvester stood on his feet as Sir Dororem tried to convey his teachings with actions and words.


    "Master Maximilian, I am only proficient in Wind and Fire magic. Let''s start with the wind. It took me yea¡­ let''s get right to it."


    Sir Dolorem disyed his palm, put some sand on it, and showed how the wind is generated from his hand. Then, he used the sand to make a tiny tornado on his palm.<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester carefully looked and noticed that the tornado was not bound to the palm. Instead, it only started to take form a few inches above the skin. ''So do I have to move those Srium particles in a round motion? Hmm, this is going to take more mental focus.''


    Slowly, he came to understand that magic here was as much of a mental feat as a physical one. Just having magic and high talent won''t help someone to be good if they don''t practice.


    ''Okay, let''s try now.'' he tried to imitate Sir Dolorem. He raised his palm and tried to feel the same energying out of his skin as before. He felt the rush once again as the tiny invisible particles started toe out of the skin pores.


    However, they started to take the form of the orb of light again. ''No-no, I want wind!''


    He tried to rotate that orb of light while controlling its intensity. The more he messed around with the particles, the more proficient he became. But the damn orb didn''t disappear, and it annoyed him.


    "You''re doing well, Master Maximilian. It seems you have a high affinity with light, and it''s overpowering other natures." But, by now, Sir Dolorem had started to have some doubts that Sylvester could understand him.


    Because the child seemed to be following his verbal instructions more rather than his movements.


    So, he decided to test the hypothesis. "What I have shown you is called the Whirling Storm attack. It is a grade ''A'' move if done with full intensity. Those of Lord Inquisitor''s rank can cast thousands of these tornadoes and ravage cities in a few blinks. You too¡­ can do this one day."


    "..."


    There was silence from Sylvester as he kept trying to make air on his palm spin. Finally, he mumbled gibberish in frustration. "Aaaaa¡­"


    Sylvester was not a fool. He had instantly read the change of tone and manner in Sir Dolorem. Instead of speaking and moving simultaneously, the knight only talked as if speaking to an equal. ''This guy, he''s smarter than I thought. He''s testing me. Too bad, I''m the master of the art he''s trying to test me with.''


    Sylvester decided to go extra with childish theatrics and establish that he was indeed a child. He focused on turning the orb of light into the wind too hard and purposefully hit his own face with the light.


    Bam!¡ªSylvester fell on his buttock, thenid back and started kicking around his arms and feet. He screamed, "Magic! Magic! Bad Magic!"


    He stopped for a second when he noticed Miraj sitting beside him, calmly licking his paws as if this were usual theatrics. For some reason, Sylvester felt a bit offended by that. But then he continued to kick around.


    Sir Dolorem tiredly picked him in his arms and headed back to the room.


    "I should have never doubted. What a mess."


    ''Darned right.'' Sylvester kept screeching.


    ¡­


    Like that, the teacher and student duo went to the terrace daily. Sylvester trained, Sir Doloremined, and Miraj was entertained.


    Weeks passed just for Sylvester to understand how to manipte the Srium particles enough to create a small tornado on his palm.


    However, this was just the first step. Sir Dolorem quickly decided to take the next step since Sylvester had control now.


    "Master Maximilian, the next stage uses adding an element into the whirling wind¡­ like this." He lifted his palm and showed off a simr tiny wind tornado. But then, out of nowhere, it caught fire.


    Sylvester was genuinely amazed by the beautiful fire tornado. He imagined the damage it could cause if it had attained its actual size. "Waa¡­ Magi-"


    Sir Dolorem cut him off. "Yes, magic indeed. This is a grade ''S'' move. Even I cannot maintain its full size, and I never will be able to. This requires a vast release of Srium from the hands. It''s fine if you can not do it. Not all have an affinity with fire magi-


    "..."


    "Ahaha¡­ Magic! Magic!" Before the poor knight could finish, Sylvester''s palm was facing the sky, and a 10 feet tall uncontrolled tornado of fire was whirling on it, challenging the heavens.


    nk!¡ªSir Dolorem fell in utter disbelief. His metal armour made noise as it touched the concrete floor. "H-How? It took me seven years to learn¡­"


    Sylvester was in the zone, celebrating his victory. But that was not enough. He raised his other hand too and tried to make a tornado.


    Woosh!¡ªa second fire tornado left his palm and joined with the previous one, taking the form of an even bigger fire tornado. The fiery light from the fire shone all around like a beacon on the massive terrace. "Ahaha¡­ Big Magic!"


    If not for his childish voice, one could have mistaken him to be some viin. But Sylvester was only rejoicing, mainly because he finally had a move to protect himself that he could use in case of danger. ''Finally! A means of protection!''


    "Huzza! Huzza!..." Miraj woke up suddenly and started jumping and kowtowing in a circle around Sylvester like he was doing a ritual. Even Sylvester didn''t know what went on in this fish fetishist cat''s mind.


    Meanwhile, Sir Dolores was numb. He imagined that maybe in the future, people would remember him as the teacher of the Favoured One. The child had exceeded all his expectations even when he had set them very high.


    He also tried to reason with the anomaly. "Of course, the fire couldn''t be far behind with your monstrous light affinity. It seems we need to widen the scope of your training. But¡ªhuh? where is this cat''s cryinging from?"


    "..."


    Sylvester nced at the dancing cat. Miraj had gone crazy, forgetting he shouldn''t speak when people are around. ''You leave me only one option, Chonky.''


    Bam!¡ªhe stopped casting Magic and tackled the cat with his round fat buttocks. He made it look like he was resting, but in reality, he shoved his hand in Miraj''s mouth and shut him up by sitting on him.


    Leaning a bit, he whispered in Miraj''s furry ears, "Chonky, fish is banned.


    "Nyaaaa¡­!"


    [A/N: A light-hearted chap today. Get ready for darkness in the next two. Short time skip iing.]


    ____________________


    QUENCH MY THRUST WITH YOUR STONES!


    ***1000 Stones = Bonus Chapter!***


    IT''S HARD! BUT APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 16 16. The Ugly Side

    Sylvester had nothing to do but train himself and pass his time with the cat in theing weeks and months. He also went with Xavia to her sses now and then to see if they were teaching anything new. But other than the healing magic sses, everything else was useless.


    Even with Sir Dolorem, Sylvester could not learn anything other than fire and wind magic. The knight suggested that he focus more on light magic as he had monstrous talent in it.


    Sylvester did just that, and he trained every single day. He knew that to grow powerful, he needed to have firm foundations. So he spent most of his time trying to control the flow of Srium in his body.


    The easiest way was to use the light magic, concentrate it into a small ball, and keep it that way. However, he did not know how destructive light magic was and reckoned this magic was only usable on dark creatures.


    Other than magic, he got to read books about geography and history. But for some reason, the world map was iplete and only showed one continent. He had heard the Pope talking about a peace treaty with the East, so he knew there was more.


    Talking about the Pope, Sylvester kept his shenanigans going on and met the Pope every single month. His goal was to create a ce for himself in the man''s mind, so he''d give him candy every single time.


    Slowly but surely, he became a part of the Pope''s life, as he could feel the old man caring about him.


    Time passed, and Xavia was close to finishing her five-year training to be a Bright Mother. But before she couldplete it, all Bright Mothers were given a mission. They ranged from simple preaching to teaching. Xavia was a medical wizard, so she was given the task to go to a far away town and heal the ailed.


    Bright Mothers were supposed to be the mouthpieces of the Church, as people usually listened to kind women and respected them. Not only that, the Church was highly protective of each Bright Mother, to the point that if someone harmed a Bright Mother in any town or vige, the Church would send an army and destroy the ce. If it''s a city, the families of the used will be purged, from the youngest to the oldest generation.


    As for Miraj, his previous caretaker never returned. That was all Sylvester needed to believe that the cat was a magical being that had lived in istion for hundreds of years, waiting for a person who could see his presence.


    ¡­


    "There you go." Xavia made Sylvester wear new clothes. A pair of cotton, ck, long shorts and a white shirt.


    He had grown into a handsome little young man, just shy under five years. Yet, Xavia pampered him like he was born yesterday. Initially, he didn''t like it, but Xavia grew onto him slowly.


    Above all, he respected the woman for doing everything for him. In return, he tried to keep her as happy as possible. And if that meant he had to act a bit childish towards her, he did.


    "Where are we going, mum?" he asked while fixing his silky hair.


    She was packing her luggage. "I have to work to prove my training ispleted. People in Pitfall Town in the North suffer from some disease. I must go there and help with my healing magic."


    "I''ming with you?"


    "Of course, you areing along. You will get bored here otherwise, and I will forever be worried if you ate food or not. You are also turning five soon, and we have just a few more years before your formal education starts. When that happens, we won''t get time for each other." She sounded disheartened at the end.


    Xavia knew that her son''s life as God''s Favoured would be harsh, even more difficult than all other children. The expectations on him will be a constant weight pulling him down, and his responsibilities will never allow him time for himself. The only thing she wished was for Sylvester to never lose his innocent smile, but knowing the Church, it was just a pipe dream.


    "Don''t worry, mum. I will never leave you." He responded innocently. This was the least he could do for her happiness.


    As always, the woman was too emotional. She never leaves an opportunity to hug him, and neither did she miss it this time. "Oh, my Max. Why are you growing so fast? Can''t you wait¡­ maybe by ten years?"


    "..."


    Sylvester reckoned staying silent was the best thing to do at the moment. But he couldn''t ignore the cat that had also jumped on his back to hug him. ''Great, I''ve got two hug-loving cats now.''


    After their short mental health session, they moved out of the Bright Mother Complex. A stagecoach waited for them at the gates with Sir Dolorem waiting. Beside him, two more Knights were apanying them for Sylvester''s safety.


    The Church was not too scared of letting Sylvester go out this time because their destination was in the Gracia Kingdom, and that was under the tight grip of the Church. It was filled with monasteries, administration offices and inquisitor outposts. No other kingdom on the continent enjoyed this level of intimacy with the Church.


    Sir Dolorem introduced the two new faces. "Mother Xavia, Master Maximilian. This is ck Knight, Sir Charles Smith. He shall be the reinsman on this journey. The other man is a Bronze Knight, Sir Adam Silvereye. He shall provide security with me."


    "Let''s depart quickly, Sir Dolorem," Xavia said and entered the stagecoach.


    But Sylvester didn''t enter and instead red at Sir Dolorem. He had made an arrangement with this guy earlier that day.


    "Uh¡­ Mother Xavia, I believe Master Maximilian wants to sit with the reinsman at the front."


    Speaking was counterproductive right now. So Sylvester attacked her with the best puppy eyes he could make. He even perfected the art after taking lessons from Miraj.


    Xavia tried to fight herself, tried her best to avoid his charms. But, s, she couldn''t win. "Fine, but you must return inside before sunset."


    "Yes!" He quickly climbed the passenger seat and sat beside Sir Charles Smith.


    The man quickly saluted him with arms crossed on his chest; his voice shivered while addressing. "L-Lord Favoured One, I plead for your blessing."


    "May the holy light enlighten us," Sylvester replied. This was akin to a cheat code to him, a perfect conversation killer.


    "HA!"


    Quickly, the two horses got whipped, and the stagecoach moved fast. Sir Dolorem and Sir Silvereye rode on their armed horses at the sides. The closest to Sylvester was his loyal knight.


    Over the past few years, he and Sir Dolorem had be great chums. Although Sir Dolorem may not see Sylvester as a friend but rather as a holy apostle to whom he offers his utmost allegiance. But Sylvester never treated him like a ve and always gave him respect.


    This was a simple lesson that all military officials should know in his past world. Treat your subordinates with respect, and they will fight for you until the end of the world.<sub> </sub>


    As Sylvester could speak normally now, he had instructed Sir Dolorem to inform him about various things andndmarks on their way.


    "We shall pass through Green City, the capital of Gracia Kingdom, Master Maximilian. The road we''re travelling on is called Green Road."


    Sylvester looked to the left and noticed a river adjacent to the road. "What is this river called?"


    "Gold River, once upon a time it led to the gold rush that made Gracia Family so rich that they expanded into an empire. There is no more gold in the river, however. The Gold Rush happened two thousand years ago."


    ''Ah, what a great time to be alive. It''s like being born in the 21st century Earth. Too early to explore space, toote to experience the pre-inte era.'' he sighed at his fate. Even Xavia was dirt poor, so he needed to build his wealth from scratch.


    ''I wonder who my father was... is? I must have been someone''s white snake.''


    It was going to be a long journey, taking a whole week going one way. So he had various opportunities to see some viges in this kingdom. Most of them appeared to be underplete Church influence. There were Church symbols everywhere, from doors to windows.


    However, technologically, the world seemed stuck in the dark ages. Anytime the stagecoach went off-road to a vige to spend the night, they would see the real Gracia Kingdom. Wet mud roads, open animal and human defecation, people with dirty clothes and crooked teeth.


    ? The houses were mostly made of wood and mud bricks. Only the Church in these viges would look good, with its sleek stone, brick and cement work. It transpired to him that the Church and the Royal family had possibly swallowed most of the resources and riches of the kingdom.


    Another thing he noticed was that the further they travelled from the Holy Land, the more inferior the quality of life of the vigers became. Then once they passed Green City, the situation became so bad that calling these viges tribes would have been better. But as always, the beautiful church building was present in all of them.


    ''Why do people even pray at this point?'' Sylvester wondered.


    "Pitfall Town is beyond thisst stretch, Master Maximilian. It''s thergest town before the County of Sandwall. It shares a border with the Masan Empire. And the Mountain Tribes in the north and Desert Barbarians in the south constantly invade thisnd."


    ''It must be tough looking after that ce,'' he thought.


    CLANK!¡ªOut of nowhere, a loud sound of a sword fight resounded. This alerted Sir Dolorem and Sir Silvereye. They unsheathed their swords and looked left and right.


    The stagecoach had just rolled into a small town''srge, empty town square. There were two men shouting profanities at one another.


    "How dare you caress my wife''s buttocks!" a man brandished his sword in anger.


    "I didn''t perceive she had someone¡­ or that she was married. I was also intoxicated, so pardon me, friend."


    "No! I invoke a duel-of-light. Under the warmth of Solis, I shall defeat you and win my honour back. Do you ept?" The first man screamed.


    Sylvester nced at Sir Dolorem for an exnation. "What''s happening?"


    "It seems¡­ they are having an official duel. As long as duel-of-light is invoked in daylight, they must fight until one side is killed or epts defeat. Duel-of-light is extremely sacred, and these unfaithfuls are making a mockery of Solis. This is not the ce you should be, Master Maximilian. Our abode is nned in the Monastery."


    "I want to see it!" Sylvester chirped. It was the best opportunity to see how strong ordinary people were. ''Are they going to be crying dogs, or tis but a scratch type?''


    "I ept!" Finally, the other man epted it.


    ''Okay, let''s see.'' Sylvester sat there withplete focus. He imagined the one with better muscle would win.


    sh!¡ªthey struck at each other and blocked the swords. Sparks dispersed around, sending some adrenaline rushing into Sylvester''s body. These men were genuinely trying to kill each other, he felt.


    "Argh!"


    The used gashed the husband''s right arm in the next strike, sending him to the ground. The wife-toucher smirked as he looked at the other man. He pointed his sword at the neck. "Don''t worry. I will take care of her."


    "I-I admit defeat¡­ I¡­"


    But the man didn''t stop and tried to strike his sword. He would have been sessful if not for a sudden loud horn and shouts.


    PA!


    "Make way! Herees the order of the holy inquisition! Make way! Here¡­"


    Out of nowhere, a procession of knights in bloodied inquisitor robes and armours rode into the town on their steeds. A dozen of them were there, and there was a cage carriage at the end of the procession. Inside the cage was a gorgeous chained woman. She looked hurt, her green clothes were ragged, and her long, ashen hair was untidy.


    But with a passing nce, Sylvester noticed something strange about her. ''Long pointy ears? Is she an¡­?''''


    ____________________


    PLOT THICKEN! MONKE IS STONE SMITTEN!


    ***1000 Stones = Bonus Chapter!***


    IT''S HARD! BUT APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 17 17. What A Magical World

    Sir Dolorem cleared Sylvester''s doubts as the man spat on the ground in utter disgust. This was the first time he saw the man showing such an unpleasant face. "Ugh¡­ What''s a filthy elf doing here?"


    Sylvester nced at the man''s face in disgust as well. But he epted the reality of the situation. In fact, it all made sense to him. ''It seems God didn''t make this world equal for all either.''


    "Why is she jailed?" he asked in false innocence.


    "She''s a heathen from the foulnds of the east. They believe in their weak tree gods and such rubbish. She has no rights in thisnd, and the Inquisitors may do whatever they wish. Death, however, is inevitable."


    ? Soon enough, loud shrills full of fear echoed. The jail cart had stopped in front of the Monastery. She was dragged out by her hair, and her clothes were being ripped apart at the same time, for no tainted blood was allowed to touch the house of Solis.


    Since Sylvester and the rest were to go the same way, they stopped in front of the monastery gates. The Inquisitor Knights saw Sir Dolorem''s Inquisitor robes and barked. "This is our catch! Stay away from this."


    ''Ugh¡­ this scent and feeling again. The aroma of roses and sweatbined. Are these men lecherous right now?''


    "AAA¡­ Help me! I don''t want to die¡­ please!" the elven woman cried as her modesty was trampled.


    As a strong sense of chills and vibrations spread on his tongue, Sylvester decided to shut them up by giving his introduction. First, he raised his right palm and closed his eyes. Then he mumbled under his breath, letting the halo of bright golden warm light appear behind his head.


    Sir Dolorem, Sir Silvereye and Sir Smith quickly crossed their arms in prayer and closed their eyes.


    Then echoed Sylvester''s melodiously improved voice. It felt calm, soothing and with a hint of child''s cheerfulness.


    ?Kneel before the apostle of light.


    Warriors and Knights for Solis who fight.


    Feel the warmth of the Lord burn bright.


    This is the way; this is what''s right.?


    ?Signs from the Lord are all here.


    The filth of heathennd is near.


    Needs a sacrifice for his grace to appear.


    He shall make the disease disappear.?


    ?Alle together, rejoice, cheer and cry.


    The blessing has fallen from the sky.


    So says the words of Solis,


    Burn shall those who dare defy.?


    Thud!¡ªThe Inquisitors handling the elven woman kneeled suddenly, their eyes reddened in passion and emotions. They thumped their chests in salute and reverence.


    "Such a beautiful hymn, why have I never heard this before?" the Knight asked.


    Sir Dolorem exined. "You kneel before God''s Favoured, Sylvester Maximilian. The Inquisitor High Lord found him five years ago."


    "Ah! We''ve heard about it all these years. We''re blessed to be in the presence of the holy one." they knelt.


    Sylvester returned to normal and looked left and right as if he had no idea he had sung a hymn, his acting game already at the top. "It happened again? Strange. I''m hungry."


    "Please enter. We shall prepare a feast." The Inquisitors warmly weed him and Xavia.


    It was still afternoon, so there was not much need for food. Sylvester wanted to roam around the town first and see the walks of life. He spent most of his early childhood inside the confines of Bright Mother''splex, so he was interested in everything else.


    "Sir Dolorem, I want to see the town."


    "Of course, Master Maximilian. Mother Xavia must wish to get to work as well. The Monastery has all the information needed for the disease that''s spreading here. I shall go and call the Archpriest."


    Sir Dolorem tried his best to facilitate all the mother and son duo needed. He had, after all, vowed to Sylvester, and he had not forgotten it.


    Soon enough, the Archpriest appeared. He was an unremarkable man with a forgetful face. He was bald, had a short white beard and wore white silk robes over his chubby short body. He was most likely a wizard. The old Archpriest quickly gave a church salute to Sylvester. To most eyes in the church, it didn''t feel strange.


    "Oh blessed favoured one, please help this tarnishednd to be pure again. If it has sinned against the great Solis, please punish it, I beg you. We call for your aid."


    Sylvester nced at his mother. He didn''t want to steal her spotlight right now. "The Church sent my mother, not me."


    "Indeed." Sir Dolorem nodded.


    "T-Then¡­ I plead to the Bright Mother and Favoured One, help us! The people in the town have suddenly started to fall ill. The disease seems to be spreading fast as every day someone would fall and have profuse watery diarrhoea or vomit and body cramps. Three to five out of ten people die every single day. If this goes on, Pitfall town shall be finished!" the old Archpriest knelt in request by the end.


    Sylvester could notice it at first nce, though. Through the years, he had found a corrtion between what he smells and what it means. Finally, he could make a small list after hundreds of trials and errors. Even now, he was getting some new ones.


    ''Ah, same as Queen Rexine Gracia, Sour and salty. Is the Archpriest jealous of me?''


    The man didn''t care for the people. He only wished to keep ruling and making money. This disease must have been costing him.


    "We shall see what we can do, Archpriest." Xavia was determined to begin the investigation quickly.


    ¡­


    A few minutester, Sylvester apanied Xavia to therge hall the town had set to keep the sick ones. It was filled to the brim with ailing people and their families. Men, women and children were lying in a matrix, each coughing, vomiting or defecating themselves.


    At a simple nce, Sylvester knew what the problem was. He had faced it back when he was a spy with the cover of an industrialist in the USSR. A whole vige was suffering from this exact problem, and it didn''t solve until he supplied that vige with free canned food and water.


    ''This vige is suffering from a cholera outbreak. But why have they not found a solution yet? The church seemed very advanced to me.'' He wondered and silently followed Xavia around.


    She soon stopped by a young child who was vomiting uncontrobly. Due to dehydration, his eyes were red, and his body was thin as a stick. But then she started waving her hand with shining green light on the boy''s stomach.


    The boy stopped vomiting after a few minutes, and his eyes returned to normal. Xavia caressed his head warmly. "Worry not, dear. You can have food and water now."


    However, the mother of the child cried then. "Thank you, Bright Mother, we are grateful. But what you said has been repeated to us many times. Every week he falls sick like this."


    Sylvester sighed silently. ''Of course, unless they deal with the root, the fruits will keep rotting.''


    At the same time, Sylvester observed what the boy''s mother said. It appeared that Xavia was not the first healer here. And for some reason, every healer only used the magic to help thesemoners. It was still too early to judge, but he was inclined to believe that the world was so backwards not just due to the church but also due to overdependence on magic.<sub> </sub>


    Why would one invent penicillin if a wizard can cure them with a wave of his palm?


    But then, a bigger question arose. Why was Xavia sent here? What''s different about her? The answer was clear. ''It''s me, isn''t it? Is this a test of some sort? But who''s trying me? The Pope?''


    If thetter were the case, he''d have to tread carefully. First, he must show his belief in the Church and that he''s the true God''s Favoured.


    Sylvester then acted as if he got bored. So he went to the market with Sir Dolorem to buy some items. Meanwhile, the other two apanying knights guarded Xavia. Things proceeded like this until the evening when everyone returned to the Monastery for the dinner feast.


    However, Sylvester had a wish first. "Sir Dolorem, I want to meet the elf. I have never spoken to a heathen creature before."


    There was no reason to deny him. So he was escorted to the dungeons by Sir Dolorem. The Archpriest followed behind as he preached his various achievements in hopes of making good rtions with Sylvester. After all, even if Sylvester didn''t be the pope, he could reach the Guardians of Light level with the tag of God''s Favoured.


    Soon, they arrived in the dark dungeons. The pathway was tight and had a low ceiling. The various bricks had algae on them from the seeping drops of water. The location''s temperature was low, and it felt humid, absolutely unsuitable for living in. Not to mention, there was no vent for natural light.


    They walked with torches in hand, with Sylvester in the middle. However, Sir Dolorem stopped suddenly and asked Sylvester to reconsider. "M-Master Maximilian, I suggest you don''t watch this."


    For the first time, Sylvester smelled the foul scent of rotting meat. He didn''t know what this signified. "Move, Sir Dolorem."


    He soon found a way to walk to the front and look. He moved the torch closer to the jail bars and saw the horror within. Therey the body of the elven woman, her legs tied to the wall with metal chains. She had no piece of cloth on her body; worse were the bruises and bite marks all over her flesh. Blood oozed out of her various parts, making the cell look more like a ughterhouse than a prison.


    Her hair looked dishevelled and patched as if someone had pulled them. Her eyes seemed hazy, lifeless even. There was no response, and silence descended with rare churning sounds from the torches and Archpriest gulping.


    ''So the church dogs have already taken their turns and broken her apart.'' he thought.


    However, as saddened as he was, he had seen far worse in his life. So he didn''t feel shocked; instead, he was disgusted because he belonged to the same group of people who did this to her. And he had no ns of leaving this group anytime soon.


    "What will be done with her next?" He asked the Archpriest.


    The short, old man chirped in reply. "She''s a heathen, so she shall be slowly burnt alive in the town square."


    "Aaaaa¡­!"


    The voice of the Archpriest seemed to have woken the woman up. Probably the trauma from not long ago. She leapt madly, reached the jail bars with her arms, and caught Sylvester''s hand in a rage.


    "Mast¡­"


    Sylvester merely waved at them not toe close. He knew the look in the elf''s eyes. She had given up already, and this was merely an attempt to let her emotions out. Besides, he knew fire magic, and she was no threat to him, at least not in her current state.


    "What''s your name?" he asked.


    The woman replied in stutters while her eyes teared up. "L-Lixiss¡­ W-Why? Why did you steal me from my home? Why did you enve me? What did I do to you?


    "I-I was so happy¡­ I want to go home."


    As she spoke, she silently looked into Sylvester''s rare golden eyes. She kept that going for a minute until Sylvester broke her focus with his words.


    "Don''t we all?"


    Suddenly, she pushed her hand out and caressed Sylvester''s face. There was no anger or hatred in her motions, however. "Your eyes¡­ I pity you."


    "Indeed, pity me, for I have a gigantic task of bringing your heathennd to heel. Do not fight the will of Solis. There is nowhere to escape. Sir Dolorem, let us return." He turned her words around and decided to leave. "Mother must be waiting for me at the dinner table."


    "I want to go home!"


    "Let me go!"


    "Please!"


    The screams of agony slowly diminished into unintelligent echoes. Her fate was sealed the moment she arrived on this side of the world. The Church had money, power and pull, but the only thing it did not have was forgiveness and eptance.


    Sylvester calmly headed back up. Meanwhile, his mind was in chaos. ''What did she see in my eyes?''


    ''She talked about being caught and brought here as a ve.'' These words made Sylvester aware of the status of very in this world. It was still in fashion, it seemed.


    For this elf, however, Sylvester knew there was no hope. She will die no matter what, and he was not foolish enough to help her. He was, after all, just a tiny pawn in the Church.


    Amidst those thoughts, he arrived at the dining hall and sat beside Xavia. But he honestly didn''t feel like eating right now. His mind was too preupied withplex nning and what-if cases.


    "What happened, Max? You look different." Xavia asked him in concern.


    "It''s nothing¡­ I''m not hungr-"


    TING! TING! TING!


    Three clear emergency bell rings resounded in the Monastery. Something big must have happened.


    Quickly a priest came running. "Archpriest!¡­ The elf woman in the dungeons¡­ I don''t know how¡­"


    In an instant, the Archpriest put the whole Monastery on lockdown. All Inquisitors and members ran around in a hurry. Sir Dolorem and the other Knights that came with Sylvester tried to help too.


    But Sylvester stayed seated in his ce without showing any expression on his face. Instead, his eyes were focused on the te, staring at it aimlessly.


    Then he finally picked a piece of potato to eat. Xavia wished to ask what happened, but her son''s behaviour kept her seated¡­something was unnerving in it.


    "W-What''s happened, dear?"


    He took a bite of the food and stared into her eyes before replying nonchntly.


    "It''s so strange how we live in a magical world¡­ Yet there is nothing magical about it."


    ____________________


    I LUB STONES! GIB ME STONES!


    **1000 Stones = Bonus Chapter!** (Just 140 more, my Ape fam.)


    IT''S HARD! BUT APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 18 18. Mercy

    A few hours ago, when Sylvester decided to roam around the town''s market, he had a chat with Miraj. He waited for the perfect opportunity until Sir Dolorem was out of earshot.


    "Chonky, do you trust me?"


    "With all my lives." the cat nodded vigorously.


    "Good. I may have free will, but there are many eyes on me. So I doubt I can always act in any way against the Church''s principles. But, they do a few things I do not condone, so I will need your help doing a few things, starting with that elven woman. I had expected other sub-human species out there, but the hatred against them was what startled me.


    "But again, the human and sub-humans fought for a thousand years non-stop. So it''s not too surprising. However, killing is something I shall always ept, but what those Inquisitors are about to do to her. It''s not holy at all, and if I don''t do something, I will hate myself. Can a man even be considered alive if he doesn''t have morals?


    "I can''t directly involve myself, so I need you to go to a random house and steal something."


    "Chonky does as Maxymands!" After saluting, Miraj ran away and entered a random home.


    A few hourster, Sylvester stood in the dungeons talking with the elf. Miraj had silently followed them and had slid into the jail cell with his flexible body.


    "...Mother must be waiting for me at the dinner table."


    As everyone started to leave, the elven woman screamed for freedom. But soon, she lost her energy and fell into utter defeat. Then, all of a sudden, she heard strange noises as if someone was vomiting.


    Ting!¡ªout of nowhere, a fruit knife fell in front of her. She wasted not a second picking it up. At first, she was rageful and nned how she would use her abusers. But slowly, the reality seeped into her mind. She could never kill them all. And if she hurts them, they will be crueller than they already are.


    In the end, she cried in frustration. There was nothing at all that she could do for freedom. So slowly, she brought the knife near her own neck. She felt that dying on her own terms was much better than being abused by the Inquisitors in all mind-breaking ways possible. She didn''t even know for how long the torture wouldst. A swift death seemed like a better option.


    "I-I just wanted to see my babies again¡­ they must have grown up¡­" tears trickled down her tired, baggy eyes.


    Then as she took onest strong breath, she cursed from the bottom of her heart. "If there is a god, burn these mad men! Burn the Church¡­ argh! Ugk¡­"


    Soon the sounds of her pain-filled cries turned into choking, and the floor turned into a little puddle of blood. Today was a win for madness, as love, peace, and respect sat on the sidelines, once again proving that rage and misery define this world.


    Miraj saw it all until the elf stopped twitching. The sight was very bewitching. For some reason, it struck the poor cat that maybe¡­ just maybe¡­ his caretaker was never returning. Perhaps, she, too, left this world like this woman.


    Dejected, Miraj strolled the way back to Sylvester. He found his adopted human kitten sitting by his mother and talking. He jumped onto the table and then sat down on Sylvester''sp, silently tucking himself into a furball. He wished not to y today, for the memories of hisst caretaker crossed his mind. From the first day he found her to theirst goodbye.


    The first person who could see him, talk to him and give him a real¡­ home.


    Sylvester, being an observant fellow, noticed Miraj''s strange behaviour. He reckoned the bloody sight must have irked him. So he softly caressed his fur and tucked him closer¡­ tighter to himself. After all, although Miraj may be old, he still had the mind of a cat.


    "That heathen! How did she get a knife? Where did ite from?" The Archpriest''s angry scolding resounded throughout the Monastery.


    "What will we burn to get rid of the disease now? God''s Favoured passed us the Lord''s orders himself."


    Xavia tried to ask what had happened. "What''s the matter, Archpriest?"


    "That damned elf killed herself. We''re doomed. This town is doomed now. Everyone will die." He started bbering like a mad man.


    ''Death was a better option than getting her modesty trampled on every hour. I hope she felt less pain than slowly burning.'' Sylvester sighed as he caressed Miraj''s fur.


    But now he had a bigger problem. He needed to resolve this vige and return. To do that, he needed to convey the message that the disease is rted to contaminated food and water. ''Should I talk directly about it and just say Solis enlightened me?"


    So he spoke up. "I can make the disease go away."


    His words would have been ignored and ridiculed if they were from a typical five-year-old. But since it was God''s Favoured, even if he spat, it would be holy water. So the Archpriest calmly asked what it was.


    Sylvester tried to be smart and childish at the same time. "Food and water. I ate bad soup, and my tummy hurt once. Everyone here looks like that. Their tummy hurts."


    Archpriest dismissed it, however. "How is that possible? We get the water from the well and food from our farms and newly ughtered animals. This has to be a curse¡­ perhaps we should burn her body. Maybe Solis will enlighten us again."


    ''Go ahead. I tried warning you. Why should I care if you all die?'' Sylvester let the matter go since it didn''t concern him directly. His professional life was yet to begin, and he was restricted due to his age.


    The dinner ended, and the sun had disappeared to shine on some othernd. The Monastery was lit up with various torches and candles. The architecture was stunning. The ceilings were high and decorated with multiple paintings of battles and religious scenes rted to the old Popes.


    Xavia held Sylvester''s hand and guided him to their room. It had twin beds and enough space for the invisible cat as well. Sylvester took one side of the big bed, hugged Miraj and fell asleep. Too much had urred in one day.


    ¡­


    This was a backward world with no modern facilities such as electricity. So sunlight was precious, not to mention all worshippers of Solis were advised to wake up as soon as the first rays of Solis graced thend.


    So, by five in the morning, the town and monastery were full of activity. Sylvester also got up and sleepily went to the privy and sat down there. He hated using this kind of toilet. It was nothing but a wooden board above a big long shaft that went all the way to the giant underground bucket that stored all the waste.


    ''When I grow up, the first thing I will make is a good ceramic toilet seat. Can''t have the most important time of a man''s life be this unpleasant and¡­ stenchful.''


    "I poopy too?" Miraj walked in on him.


    "You do it outside. What if you fell through this hole into the poop bucket?"


    Soon he was done and tidied himself andbed Miraj before leaving with his mother to visit the sick once again. But this time, as they were walking in the town, Sylvester noticed a well in the middle of the intersection.<sub> </sub>


    Just to quench his doubts, he ran to it and looked down. But when he was merely a metre away, he smelled an intense foul smell. It seemed like a mix of rotten bodies and excretion. ''So this is the water? Where is its source?''


    But he couldn''t investigate anymore because the body of the elf woman was going to be burned on a stake soon. She was dead, but they hoped for a miracle. The people also dragged themselves out to see it, no matter how sick they were.


    The town square was precisely how its name sounded. It was a square space between twin-storey buildings. It had muddy grounds, and animals were tied outside the houses around it since people were sick and none could tend to them.


    The Archpriest read some words from a book and threw salt and water on the elf''s body. "O''Lord Solis, your children here cry in pain. All healings attended have been in vain. ept this sacrifice and let this gue be gone before it magnifies. Let it conclude while it is just the prelude before the bigger storm.


    "May your holy light enlighten us¡­ heal us."


    The Inquisitors who caught her came forward and torched the wood. Then the fire burned the elven woman''s body. Thankfully, there was no life in it, hence no screams. But Sylvester looked around him and saw the smiles on faces. Children as young as him were jumping near their parents, and the sick ones were praying with closed eyes.


    ''This burning body could have been me that night. It can still be me if I dare to go against the church. This is the reality. Lixiss¡ªI won''t forget this name¡­ the first elf I saw in this world.''


    The flesh melted like wax, and then the bones fell apart. The gory sight was stomach-churning, but it appeared people in this world were used to it. The Monastery''s Archpriest and other minor priests kept chanting words from their books. The Inquisitor Knights used long spears to ensure the body was wholly burnt.


    It took an hour for the body to burn and turn into ashes entirely. Then, finally, people dispersed, and the sick returned to their gathering spot, where Xavia healed them one after another, tiring herself out by wasting her magic.


    Sylvester noticed the priests gathering the ashes and putting them inrge mud containers. The Archpriest would then seal them with y and church markings.


    "What will you do with the ashes?"


    "As per the tradition here, we shall throw evil into the ck Pit. All evil shall remain there, and let thisnd bask in the lord''s warm light. Would you like to see the pit, God''s Favoured?"


    "Yes!" He chirped, showing his fake childishness. He also nced at Sir Dolorem and gave the nod.


    Soon three horse carts were brought in, and they loaded the mud jars of ashes on them. Sylvester used his own stagecoach and invited the Archpriest to go with him. It brought visible joy to the man.


    Yes, Sylvester was disgusted by their actions towards that elf, but there was nothing he could do about it. Since he was to live among these men, he couldn''t hate them forever either.


    "Our town used to be so beautiful before this gue came. Travellers from the Masan Empire would stay here and preach in our monastery. Beautiful folks and beautiful times. I even converted a thousand mountain tribesmen to the Faith of Solis. One day, I will convert all-mountain tribes and bring peace here¡­ then the Holy Father will surely call me to his embrace."


    ''An ambitious fool, it seems. The most dangerous kind, sadly. How many Lixiss will be burnt and vited before he reaches his goals? I hope folks like these don''t get reincarnated like me.''


    Sylvester thought. Reincarnation was something he wondered about a lot since he was reborn. He wondered if he was special or if everyone gets to be reborn with memory somewhere?


    "Ah, we''re here, just across the Desert Road." The three horse-carts took a left turn onto a worse uneven road.


    Sylvester soon started to sense the same stench he got from the well in the city. Now he knew he was near the source of the water.


    "Is there a river nearby?"


    Sir Dolorem responded quickly, "Snake River flows through here, Master Maximilian. It''s the most dangerous river, as both banks are mating grounds for snakes."


    ''Great, now I know where I must never go.'' Sylvester hated snakes in his past life and this too.


    After a few more metres of travelling, the caravan stopped. The sound of air being pushed out of a closed space echoed there. The stench was also unbearable.


    "This is the ck Pit that gave the town its name. Legends say it''s the gateway to hell. We don''t know what''s inside, as it''s too deep and dark. It must be connected with the river and full of snakes, as the airing out of it is intense." Archpriest said as he stood beside the hole in the ground. It was at least as wide as five horses standing in a line. To call it menacing was an understatement as the deep whistling noise made by the wind and the stench did their job.


    "Throw it all in!"


    The Priests chanted as they brought the jars to the edge and kicked them in.


    Sylvester didn''t dare go near the hole. His body was too small and could be thrown away by the wind itself. So he waited for the Archpriest toe closer and asked. "How long have you been throwing the ashes in there?"


    "Ashes? We throw everything there. Ashes, garbage and privy waste. We even threw the mountain barbarians in there¡­ those wretched heretics."


    "Since when?"


    "Since forever. What''s the matter, God''s Favoured?"


    Sylvester facepalmed himself. "I think I found your gue."


    [A/N: I hate snakes.]


    ___________________


    LEMME LICK THEM STONES!


    **1001 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    (GOAL REACHED! WILL POST THE BONUS WITH THE NEXT CHAP!.)

 Chapter 19 19. A Hymn To Remember

    Sylvester didn''t speak much and simply pointed them in a direction. "What if the town''s wells are connected with this pit?"


    That was all he needed to say for the faces of these men to turn pale. A few priests with weak hearts even puked right there, imagining that they drank the water mixed with feces¡ªfor years!


    The Archpriest jumped into the stagecoach in a hurry. "Move! We need to return immediately. How can they be connected? They are so far away."


    "Rivers traverse through the mountains and many kingdoms," Sylvester shut him up quickly.


    So they hurried back into the town and arrived at the well at an intersection. As they reached there, Sylvester pointed out the smell. "Don''t you notice the stenching from it?"


    Archpriest seemed confused. "What stench?"


    That''s when it hit him why nobody found out such an obvious thing. ''Ah, they have been smelling it for so long that they can''t even tell the difference. But, if this happened in the recent months, that must mean that there''s a current flowing under there, and it''s now blocked.''


    "Someone will have to go down there and clean your wells." He advised.


    A priest spoke up quickly. "I will go and call Dungface. He must be sleeping somewhere around."


    In a few minutes, a man named Dungface arrived. He appeared to be a young man with an unconcerned look, ck hair, a ck beard, and patched clothes on his body. Everything was dirty, as if he had not taken a bath in years.


    "Boy, jump into this well and see if you find any garbage on the bed," the Archpriest ordered. He also noticed the gaze of Sylvester on him and the man. "He''s the local idiot¡­ mentally slow. But he''s a hard worker and keeps the town clean of all its filth."


    Even Sir Dolorem felt offended by that name. "A man who keeps the town clean, and you named him Dungface?"


    "No-no, not us. His parents named him that. He used to work at their farm before and used to clean the cowshed. They used to beat him, so the monastery took him in. We ensure he bathes every night before sleep, so what you see is due to his day''s work."


    Ssh!¡ªDungface didn''t wait and jumped straight into the well. Then his loud voice came. "Dungface found bones."


    That made it all clear. The water was the source of the illness. It would also exin why people got sick even after being treated once.


    "We will need to clear all wells in the town then. Bring other cleaners; I will also jump in if I have to." Archpriest ordered and turned to Sylvester. "Thank you, God''s Favoured, for your wisdom. The fear of gue had blinded us with worry for themon folk that even I overlooked such a basic problem. Please, you may go and take a rest in the monastery."


    ''I want to return to the Holy Land now. But the outbreak is still here.'' He thought. But he couldn''t waste his time resting. "Sir Dolorem, I wish to practice magic."


    So they headed into the nearby forest to train in peace. Sylvester also meant to ask some questions to Sir Dolorem about the Church and his future duties. He wondered if he would also be sent to some monastery to be its priest. He honestly hoped that was the case.


    After arriving in the lush, green forest with tall trees, Miraj ran off to sit on a branch and sleep. Meanwhile, Sylvester began to use his wizard moves on a few trees.


    "Sir Dolorem, I once saw my mother chanting something and making patterns with her hand to use magic. What was that?" He asked since, until now, he had learnt nothing about making patterns.


    "That''s rune magic, Master Maximilian. You will learn it in School of Dawn. The runes are essential to use magic more intricately. If the magic is like yarn, then runes are like knitting methods. We can fight with simple magic, but one must learn runes to implement the same magic in moreplex tasks, such as smithing and healing.


    "Our body''s natural magic is limited to elemental maniption of fire, earth, water, and air. Using runes, you can do anything from creating burning sma to thunder. Since many wizards can''t use all elements, learning runes remove that limit and allow one to master all elements and beyond.


    "But it is hard to master as it''s a major branch of magic along with healing, alchemy, divination, enchanting, smithing, astrology, incantation, and necromancy.


    "Usually, most wizards learn runes and incantations as these twobined can greatly amplify one''s biological elemental magic. Of course, more specialised branches of magic exist, but these are usually personal research. The School of Dawn does not teach those."


    ''Wait¡­ necromancy?'' Sylvester had stopped listening once this word came up.


    "Necromancy is not bad?"


    Sir Dolorem chuckled. "Haha, most people have the same conception, Master Maximilian. It can be unsettling, but it is not evil. After all, it works on the same Sris Particles that Solis gifts us with. So to hate any ss of human magic is wrong in the Church''s eyes. But this field of magic is heavily regted due to its prospect of misuse, not to mention it''s rare. Even your light magic is rare to see, and one as extreme as yours is probably the first case in history."


    ''And I will use this gift like a scam to the fullest.'' Sylvester had long understood the advantages of having strong light magic in a world obsessed with the sun and its light.


    "Will I be a priest too after school?" he asked.


    To this, Sir Dolorem had no definite answer. "Normally, yes, but you are the blessed one, the God''s Favoured, his divine bard. Therefore, the Holy Father must have something else nned for you, something greater. Otherwise, your talents will be wasted. Maybe you will be a great warrior for the eventual continuation of the war."


    ''A tool for war? So nothing has changed in this life either?''


    "How strong is the Holy Father?"


    "That¡­ I believe the Holy Father is the strongest being in the world. Yet, as an Inquisitor, I''ve only seen him use his power once in my twenty years. With a simple wave of his staff, he once turned a whole rebellious heretic barony into a deep ravine. I still remember that day as if it was yesterday. My body shivered from the overwhelming power the holy father exuded. The army fell to its knees and chanted the hymns as we prayed for peace and light on that punishednd.


    "I can not even fathom the idea of trying to understand his might. He is the backbone of the church, the harbinger of peace. Even if other beings are as strong as him, I believe the Holy Father will still win¡­ because the whole church stands behind him. We will dlyy down our lives, and even if turned into wraiths, we shall keep fighting for the faith." Sir Dolorem''s eyes were so full of worship and enthusiasm that he might have just dropped to his knees and started praying if Sylvester had kept going.


    ''I can''t believe I''m supposed to show this overzealous worship in the future.'' Sylvester felt a headache. He wondered if he could truly be the greatest actor and scammer in history because the bar increases to a new level every day.


    "Thank you for clearing my doubts, Sir Dolorem. I will resume my practice now."


    ¡­


    Dungface was able to clean all the wells on the same day. He even faced death as one of the wells had a strong current flowing at its depth. But he was saved by Archpriest, who used the wind magic and negated the pressure to create a suction on the well.


    After Dungface and others had cleaned the connected pathways, the stench started to vanish, and the water became clearer. Xavia didn''t have to heal people more than once, so after three days, the town was as good as ever. However, twenty percent of the poption had died even before Xavia and Sylvester''s arrival.


    Still, everyone was highly grateful to them. While Xavia was like a caring mother, Sylvester proved to be the warm light that asked for nothing and enlightened their lives by finding the solution to the gue.


    The Archpriest held a ceremony in the Monastery on the day they were to leave. The whole town of eight thousand people came to bear witness.<sub> </sub>


    In fully formal robes, the Archpriest thanked Sylvester by kneeling before him since the little boy outranked him and was deemed blessed. "Pitfall is blessed to have witnessed your presence, Favoured One. Please ept this little token of gratitude."


    He offered a palm-sized small box with velvetyered on it. Sylvester took it and opened it. ''Ah, this is nice. A gold bracelet?''


    However, as he looked at it, his sense of smell and taste were intensely attacked by sourness and saltiness. It was so much that he felt his tongue was drying up. ''Fuck, the people are feeling jealous of me! B-But¡­ this gold¡­''


    At that moment, he realised something that instantly gave him a headache. He remembered a church bishop in his past life. The man was old and fat, but his attitude was warm and kind. On top of that, he drove a bloody Rolls-Royce. He did some background checks and found out the man came from a low-ie family and got rich by using his authority in the church. The whole county hated that man not because he was an evil man but because he was rich.


    Ordinary people hate wealthy people just for being rich. Common people hate those even more who are wealthy and government officials or, in his case, church officials. This meant that he could not openly gain and show his wealth.


    However, there was a loophole. ''I saw the grandeur of the Pope. If I can get to a high position, I can live in luxury without spending my own money. But¡­ I want a peaceful life¡­''


    Sylvester sighed and innocently smiled at the Archpriest. "Thank you, Archpriest Ronald."


    He looked left and right and found the man he was looking for. So he continued. "But I can not take this. My mother taught me not to be greedy, and Sir Dolorem taught me to think for others, for we are servants of Solis. So I wish you could use this gold to pay for a new set of clothes for Dungface. After that, you can use the rest of the money to make a stone-paved Town Square."


    He didn''t give a moment so others could speak as he started to chant one more hymn in this town. This time he kept his eyes open but showed his palm to the people as if giving them his blessing. He reckoned if he couldn''t farm money from them, he might as well get their unwavering worship.


    Then, the miraculous halo appeared behind his head and elevated his status to a god in the eyes of these fearedmoner mortals. Then, he went even more overboard by making the center of his palm release some light magic that made people feel warm.


    ?The love of Solis knows no bounds,


    For he nourishes you with everything around.


    The water, the air, and nature''s melodious sounds.


    Lord has his ways to expound.?


    ?So pray with me in the name of the Lord.


    Your voices shall be kept in the blessed record.


    From his grace, none is ignored.


    Yournd has been blessed again, wholly restored.?


    ?Raise not your swords but your voice.


    To help one or to hurt it''s always a choice.


    For every action, there is a price.


    So strive to do what shall make the Lord rejoice.?


    ?Some hands may be soaked in bloody grease.


    Few bodies may need help with disease.


    All shall find the holy road with ease.


    For his name guides us all to eternal peace.?


    ?With warmth that all have embraced.


    I kneel to the Lord, for he has graced.?


    ?This servant hopes that this healed those scarred.


    With your open hearts, ept this sermon by the Lord''s bard.?


    Thud!¡ªas soon as the bright halo disappeared from behind Sylvester, the people fell to their knees, their eyes tearing up. It was not because they were all extremely religious. Some of them were even borderline heathens.


    But hearing these words from a five-year-old child, in his sweet voice and the bright halo behind, it felt nothing short of a divine miracle. It was enough to fill hearts with utmost devotion and warmth instantly.


    Their eyes turned moist, and they pped their hands together to pray. Then, one after another, they started chanting.


    "May the holy light enlighten us!"


    "May the holy light enlighten us!"


    Slowly the shouts turned into a unified blood-pumping chant that made Sylvester feel amazed and impressed by himself.


    "May the Lord''s Bard bless us again!"


    "Long live Lord Maximillian!"


    "Long live Lord Maximillian!"

 Chapter 20 [BONUS CHAPTER] 20. The Bane Of Sinners

    [A/N: Check paraments for images.]


    Because of Sylvester''s little show, they gotte by an hour when leaving Pitfall. Every single one of the eight thousand town folks wished to kiss his little hand. He had to oblige, or his little hymn would have been wasted.


    However, he put Miraj to work and told him to scare away as many people as he could by scratching them and making them think they were not invited because they had sinned.


    But thatter backfired as these people came crying andid down beside Sylvester''s feet as he was about to board the stagecoach. They asked that he bless them and ept their apology. Surprisingly, many confessed to their sins in fear of Solis. Many of them hadmitted crimes that were never solved in the town¡ªranging from theft to murder.


    Religion was one hell of a tool, Sylvester was reminded. And he held a pretty big golden stick over it.


    ¡­


    Sylvester''s return journey to the Holy Land was ufortable as he sat inside the stagecoach. The seats had nearly no cushioning, and there was no such thing as spring suspension in this world. So even the slightest bump on the road would make him jump.


    He would have loved to sit outside, but Sir Dolorem suggested he remain inside as the word had spread of the God''s Favoured being in the area. This was also why the twelve Inquisitor Knights who had caught the elven woman were apanying them.


    "Mum, will you teach me healing magic?" he asked, having nothing better to do.


    She giddily agreed. Which mother wouldn''t love to teach her child something she loves? "Of course, dear. But since you don''t know the runes or incantation, let''s try the most basic healing magic that only uses elemental magic."


    "Okay!" He sat opposite her, maintaining eye contact and focus. It was just the two of them in the stagecoach, so they feltfortable¡­ three, in fact. Miraj was sleeping beside Sylvester like a melting potato.


    "I heard you learned wind and fire elements from Sir Dolorem? He''s a very kind man. I hope you don''t trouble him very much. The knowledge he parted with for free would empty the fortunes of many families. Now, look at my hand." She always gave him her little lesson on morality and got to work.


    "Basic healing is nothing but the use of fire and water magic. But you can use air to replicate the effect. This healing is helpful for internal concussions and flesh wounds. With the use of warmth and cold, one can rx the body''s muscles or freeze them if it''s too painful." She shared her knowledge.


    ''What''s this¡­ I know it already! This is basic science. I want to learn about miracle magic.'' Sylvester told himself.


    But he entertained her as she seemed too excited and happy teaching him. Perhaps she wanted to cherish these moments because they wouldn''t have as much time to spend together in the future. Even more so, knowing he will be busy once his school starts.


    "Can you fix a cut limb?" He asked as he was curious about healing limitations.


    "Oh, I can reattach the limbs as long as they are not destroyed. But you can not regrow it if you havepletely lost it. Maybe the Holy Father can, but I''m not very sure."


    ''So this means I need to be careful with my body. I''ll keep that in mi-'' His thoughts were interrupted as he felt the stagecoach slow down quickly.


    He quickly looked out of the ss window by moving the curtain. "What happened ou¡­ Ah!"


    Outside, he noticed thend on both sides of the road was riddled with dead bodies of men in various kinds of armour. Blood was sttered on the grass, and the bodies were full of stab wounds or arrows. Some bodies were mutted to the point that they appeared like a heap of random meat.


    He poked his head out of the window and asked Sir Dolorem. "What happened here?"


    The knight first said a short prayer for the fallen and then exined. "Who knows? The Duchy of Colorwood has not been very peaceful. The Counts have started infighting, and Duke Grimton is too weak to stop them. And to add to this, his children are wastrels. Truly a sad sight to see, all of us are the men of the same faith, yet kill for a small piece ofnd."


    This was a side of the world Sylvester was witnessing for the first time. Until now, he had only seen the church inflicting violence and demonstrating authority. This time it was the noble side of the world. However, this was not too different from Sylvester''s past life. Countries fought fornd, so he understood this situation. If you are weak, either get strong or be prepared to be plowed by others.


    However, the entourage did halt and tried to leave as soon as possible, mainly because it was unknown if the battle was over or if someone was still eyeing them.


    But, they couldn''t go far before the sun started to set. It was even more dangerous to ride at night. So after a few kilometers away from the battlefield, they set up the camp and lit up the fire in a nearby forest.


    The fire was man''s best friend at night in these wretchednds. The creatures of the night came in many shapes and sizes, looking for only one prize¡ªmankind.


    Sylvester and Xavia were going to sleep in the stagecoach itself. At the same time, Sir Dolorem and other guards, along with apanying Inquisitors, will pitch tents around the stagecoach. But first, they had to cook some dinner.


    They usually travel with all the needed utensils to cook and eat. They also had fresh meat and vegetables from Pitfall Town and gifts from the people. So they soon cooked some meat stew and baked some bread made of flour, xseeds, salt, red wine, honey, and yeast.


    This was the mostmon meal that most armies and travelers ate. But the food generally tasted nd as the use of spices was rare. But that didn''t mean the food didn''t taste good. Also, butter wasmon since it helps give energy for long, arduous daily physical tasks.


    Sylvester sat in the middle of Xavia and Sir Dolorem and sometimes took a bit of extra meat from his te and sneakily gave a few munchies to Miraj, who had stered his face close to the te, ogling at the meat chunks.


    The zing fire sound mixed with the calm wind of the air, brushing past the leaves, created a soothing natural harmony. Although it was dark, the region had the most colorful variety of trees that released pleasant aromas, which made the dinner enjoyable.


    The sky was also clear, and the two moons shined bright. Now the only thingcking was a guitar and a song in a soft voice. But sadly, the worldcked musical instruments other than drums used in wars.


    "Sir Dolorem, you served with the Inquisitor High Lord. Do you know when the next Mass Inquisition campaign begins? We can hit the tribes in the Pentapeak Mountain range this time." Sir Raymond, the leader of the 12 Inquisitors, asked as they ate.


    "Not anytime soon. Thest Inquisition went horribly wrong. A few units went rogue, killed, and r*ped multiple peaceful viges. Lord Inquisitor was enraged and called for the other Guardians of the Light to quickly travel thends and bring all the criminals. As a result, we had a mass execution by hanging thirteen thousand Inquisitors inside the Holy Land a few months ago."


    The twelve Inquisitors took a long cold breath as they heard this. Sylvester suddenly felt a slight chill in his body and vibration on the tongue. He knew that these men were scared right now. ''They must have done something wrong before catching that elf too.''


    "It happened with the Holy Father''s approval?" Sir Raymond asked.


    Scoffing, Sir Dolorem blurted, "In the Holy Land, not even a leaf falls without the Holy Father''s wishes."


    "Haha, of course, let''s talk about something else." Another Inquisitor tried to change the topic. Then, he directed his words to Sylvester. "God''s Favoured, do you know about the legend of the Shadow Knight? They say that he looks like a flying dark hooded man. He has no face and constantly burns in white mes..."


    ''Is he trying to scare me?'' Sylvester noticed a slight hint of smugness.<sub> </sub>


    However, when Sir Dolorem opened his mouth, the Inquisitor got scared out of his wits. "He''s not a Legend, Sir Druig. He''s a being of unimaginable powers that punishes the corrupt sinners, whether they be a man of faith or not. I saw him once with the Inquisitor High Lord.


    "The wind suddenly turned cold, and the day sky became cloudy. The animals stopped making noise, and the world seemed to have be still. Then mist appeared, covering thendscape in acres. Finally, the melodious whistling resonated, followed by humming in a deeply surreal voice, and the figure of the hooded robbed man appeared in the distance.


    "Anyone who dared a nce at him fell to his knees and froze down like ice. I, too, fell right there¡­ unable to utter a single word¡­ just beside the Inquisitor High Lord. Then as the whistles came closer, more men started falling to their knees. Finally, the sky turned dark as if it were an ominous night. We all prayed for forgiveness, but I noticed the figure passing me and going to other Inquisitors.


    "One by one, he stopped in front of an inquisitor, and the white fire that surrounded him would extend and touch the men. It allsted ten minutes, and nobody saw him leave... Then the sky turned back to its previous brightness, and the world resumed its activity.


    "But when we looked back, there were a dozen bodies still kneeling, that appeared as if every ounce of blood and water had been dried from their body. Their muscles, bones, and veins appeared as clean as the sky then. When I tried to touch one of them, the body disintegrated like ash¡­ the man had ceased to exist in a sh."


    "I-Inquisitor High Lord didn''t fight him?" Sir Ronald asked.


    He shook his head. "No, in fact, he prayed to the being while kneeling, calling it the Ghost of the First Pope, Luther Vas Hermington. As only he was known to hold such strength and whistle."


    "Y-You''re jesting, right? How can a ghost be this strong?" Sir Druig tried to dismiss the story. But his stutters told a different tale.


    "Ah, it''s getting cold now. The wind from Divine Desert is strong tonight. We should sleep." Sir Dolorem suggested, ignoring the Inquisitor''s doubts.


    "Hmmm hmm¡­"


    Sir Druigughed and looked around. "Haha, who''s trying to scare me now?"


    However, everyone''s face appeared to have the same expression¡ªhorror and confusion.


    They looked around, but there was no animal nearby either. In fact, it appeared awfully quiet all of a sudden. Also cold¡­ even when there was a bonfire lit right near them.


    "W-Why¡­ Why would he appear here?" Sir Dolorem stuttered.


    Sylvester was curious and looked around. It had undoubtedly be quiet, and the clear sky, full of stars and showing the twin moons, now had dark clouds. The forest became pitch ck beyond where the bonfire''s light could go.


    The humming kept intensifying. Then it stopped for a second, and the whistling took its ce. The rhythm was systematic, as if the creator knowingly made it sound that way.


    "No! No! He can''t be real!" Sir Druig jumped to his feet and brandished his sword.


    Sylvester was somewhat nervous. ''Is it a real ghost?''


    "Do not fight him! Do not anger the Shadow Knight!" Sir Dolorem tried to warn them as the mist began to appear around them.


    "Max,e here quick!" Xavia grabbed her son and hugged him tightly to her chest. He didn''t protest either, as the coldness was truly too much. To the point that all their mouths were releasing fog.


    "Hmm, Hm¡­"


    "STAY AWAY!" Sir Druig cried in panic.


    ''What did he do that he''s so scared of? Did h-" His mind stopped thinking in an instant when his eyesid on the terrifying figure standing behind Sir Druig.


    "Ah!" He felt his body limp, losing all power and freezing in one position. He, however, saw everything. First, the hooded pitch-ck robbed with no face, no legs, and white fire on the back and sides as if tentacles appeared. But for some reason, it was hard to keep looking at it as the being seemed to be vibrating at high speed, creating blurry afterimages.


    Thud!¡ªEvery single knight fell to their knees. Some evenid down t. Xavia, too, froze, but she didn''t see anything as her face was stered on Sylvester''s back.


    Low hums of Sir Dolorem resonated as he was kneeling with eyes closed and arms crossed even before the dreadful phantom reached them. "Oh Lord, we are mere travelers on a mission to heal. With the Child blessed by the light, I kneel¡­"


    ''W-What are you?'' Sylvester tried to speak, but his thoughts remained confined in his mind. He felt utterly powerless against it. No hymns, no light magic, no fire magic¡­ nothing worked. It was as if¡­ he was paralyzed.


    The uneasiness at he thought that he wouldn''t be able to do anything even if this being wished to kill him angered him. He mustered all his strength in his little body to break free of the invisible chains.


    However, even the Inquisitor High Lord couldn''t fight it. His attempts, too, were doomed to be in vain.


    ''Argh¡­!'' Veins popped up on his forehead as he fought the internal battle.


    Woosh!¡ªSuddenly, Sylvester felt a gust of wind hit his face. He turned his eyes forward, and there it was¡­ the ghost stood directly in front of him, its faceless head looking down.


    ''A-Am I the target?!''


    [Check this parament to see the Shadow Knight I drew.]


    [A/N: Yo, Today is this Ape''s BIRTHDAY! So give me stones and make this Ape happy.]


    ___________________


    I WANT THEM CREAMY STONES!


    **420 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 21 21. Knight?

    Sylvester felt cold¡­ to the point that he could feel his eyebrows freeze and umte snow. His heart beat fast seeing the towering phantom-like figure in front of him. He could feel that it was looking at him.


    ''Th-This taste in my mouth¡­ so bitter. I can''t breathe with this¡­ ugh! Is this what death smells like?''


    The thing kept staring at him for five minutes as if searching for something. Its tentacles, like res of white fire, kept closing on him inch by inch. Everyone had sensed that it was going for Sylvester, but they could not do anything.


    Sir Dolorem had stopped praying and silently tried to get up. To him, saving God''s Favored was his life''s duty. If he failed here, he failed at life.


    "Chosen by God?" Shocking everyone, the phantom made a muffled borderline demonic voice, opposite from its melodious whistling and humming. " Time shall tell. Until we meet again¡­ farewell."


    It stopped its advance and turned back to Sir Druig. Then, mercilessly, it sent out the white mes and drowned the Inquisitor Knight''s whole body in it. Just a momentter, when the fire vanished, Sir Druig looked like a deted balloon. His eyes dropped out of his socket, and his teeth fell off. All his veins were visible and dry, and then his skin became a tight wrapper around the bones.


    But it did not stop there and moved to Sir Ronald and did the same, turning him into a dry leaf, ready to wither with a touch. The phantom also touched the other inquisitors, and one by one, they all died without being able to utter a single word.


    They wereughing, eating, and chattering a few minutes ago and have now perished. Life was too unpredictable in this world, and there couldn''t be a better reminder than this.


    Then as the phantom appeared, it vanished with the diminishing mist. In a few minutes, the temperature returned to normal, the sky became clear again, and owls and insects started to make noise¡ªas if nothing had even happened.


    "Haah¡­" Sylvester, Xavia, and Sir Dolorem fell to the ground, their breaths uncontrobly fast.


    "Are you all right, Master Maximilian?" Sir Dolorem quickly gathered himself and ran to check Sylvester.


    Xavia did the same and checked his body closely. However, Sylvester knew he was fine and instead felt more worried for Miraj as he had fallen unconscious long ago. It seems the pressure was too much for animals. Maybe that''s why everything turned silent when that phantom appeared.


    "I''m fine. Check them first¡­ I don''t think they are alive." he pointed at the knights that had died.


    Sir Dolorem sighed and went to touch the bodies. "The curse of dying this way is that¡­" As he touched them, the bodies turned into such fine dust that they simply flew away and became one with the air. "It does not even leave anything to give to their families."


    Sir Smith and Sir Silvereye were not harmed, however. Only the team that had caught the elf and tortured it were killed. But no one thought it had anything to do with the elf. In their opinion, the inquisitors must have sinned before the recent case.


    "W-We need to hurry back and get to the Holy Land. The Inquisitor High Lord must know about this." Sir Silvereye said.


    "No, we can''t. It''s night, and it may cause more harm to us. The Shadow Knight was here, so we can be sure that no creature of the night would dare wander near. Go to sleep, and we shall resume the journey early." Sir Dolorem instructed, as the most senior on this excursion.


    None could disobey, so they got into their tents and went to sleep. Sylvester picked Miraj, entered the stagecoach with Xavia, and fell asleep in a hug. The night''s experience was nothing less than an unforgettable nightmare for them. They saw a legend, and it was too strong.


    Too damn strong.


    ¡­


    The next day, they traveled silently. Everyone had something going on in their mind. Sir Dolorem was thinking about telling the news to the Inquisitor High Lord. Sir Silvereye and Sir Smith wondered what would have happened if they were also sinners. Xavia was just in shock that something like this was real and nearly killed her son.


    Sylvester was thinking about what the Shadow Knight said. ''What did he mean by meeting again? Was that a challenge? Is he going to fight me? How am I supposed to beat someone stronger than the Inquisitor High Lord?''


    He had no idea if he had made an enemy or a friend. However, Murphy''s Law says everything that can go wrong will go wrong. So he was inclined to think that he''d have to fight this being someday in the future.


    ''I at least don''t want to die. I should start focusing on learning more magic¡­ but the school won''t start until I''m eight. What to do until the¡­ Wait, isn''t Sir Dolorem also a Knight of Silver Rank? I never tested if I had Knight''s talent as well!''


    "Maxy, I''m hungry!" Miraj whispered carefully near his ears.


    He caressed the furry boy, took out some dried beef from Xavia''s pouch, and secretly gave him. Miraj was unconscious untilte into the morning and missed breakfast time.


    They never took chances again and always rested in a town or a vige on the way. Soon, they crossed the Green City, and the roads became wider and even. The closer they got to the Holy Land, the faster their speed was. The surroundings became more pleasant with trees, and various travelers and merchants appeared.


    Thankfully, the Church always has the right of way, so all other horses, carriages, and coaches would give way after seeing the Church''s g.


    They didn''t have to stop at any checkpoint either. No guards from anyrge town or city on the way stopped them. Truly, being an official of the Church was like being the police and the government simultaneously.


    So their journey smoothly concluded by the end of the week, and the stagecoach stopped at the main pce of the Magna Sanctum, the Pope''s Pce.


    They all climbed the stairs and entered the pce to find the Inquisitor High Lord. Sir Dolorem was in the lead as he was close to the Inquisitor Lord. He could have sent everyone away, but he needed everyone to give testimony.


    "May the holy light enlighten us!"


    Sir Dolorem suddenly saluted with a serious face. There was not just the Inquisitor High Lord, but the Pope was also here, standing outside the throne hall, talking amongst themselves.


    "You have returned, good. I hope the task went sessfully and you removed the gue." The Pope cheerfully asked.


    Sir Dolorem nodded and started. "They did. Lady Xavia and Master Maximilian healed the Pitfall Town. The gue was due to contaminated well water. But¡­ on our way, we had an incident that killed twelve other Inquisitors¡­"


    Nobody interrupted him and waited for him to finish. "Shadow Knight appeared in the middle of the night on our way. He killed them all."


    The Pope sighed hearing that. "If it was him, we can not do anything about it. Shadow Knight does what he wishes, punishes those who have sinned. He is a force of nature."


    "Who were the Inquisitors? Why were they at Pitfall?" Inquisitor High Lord questioned.<sub> </sub>


    "They arrived in Pitfall with an enved elf woman. They wished to burn her¡­ but she somehow found a de and killed herself first."


    "Was she vited?" Inquisitor High Lord asked as his body oozed with a dangerous aura and the eyes behind his visor turned bright red.


    "Y-Yes¡­ I and God''s Favored saw herter¡­ she was not well." Sir Dolorem revealed.


    "Then they deserved death. They warrant it if they deem it''s fine to taint their bodies by getting intimate with a heathen. I have no doubt they sinned against fellow faithful too. That''s why Shadow Knight took their lives. Holy Father, I shall go and write their names in the Book of Damned. Sir Dolorem, Sir Silvereye, and Sir Smith follow me."


    This left Xavia and Sylvester with the Pope. It was normal for Xavia to feel nervous, but Sylvester was chums with the boss of the Church. His constant shenanigans and sharing candy had worked like a charm.


    "How are you, little one? I hope this incident didn''t scare you." The Pope patted Sylvester''s head.


    ''Scared? My life was in danger.'' He muttered under his breath. But outside, he showed a big smile. "I''m strong, so I fear nothing."


    "Haha, of course. You are the bard. Nobody can make your life hard. Come, let us eat lunch together. Mother Xavia, do you wish to join us?"


    Xavia was flustered and hurriedly stepped back. "N-No, Holy father, I will return to my room and clean it. I must notify Great Mother about my return."


    "Fine, child. Take care of yourself."


    With that, Sylvester and Pope walked into the Pce to the personal chambers of the Pope. This was the first time Sylvester saw the Pce deeper inside, and he was left speechless by the grandeur. Everything was massive and beautiful. Gold engravings, paintings, and flower vases were everywhere.


    ''I, too, can live in such grandeur free of cost as long as I get to the high rank.'' he thought.


    "I learned that you have been training secretly with Sir Dolorem? You are truly talented, child. When I was your age, I was eating dirt and dreaming of eating sweets¡­ good times." Pope dreamily expressed as if reminiscing about his childhood.


    "Do you have a mother too?" Sylvester asked innocently.


    The old man replied jokingly. "Everyone has a mother, but not all get to live with them. Mine died after bringing me into this world. My father then abandoned me on the stairs of a monastery. So you can say I''ve been a man of Solis since birth."


    ''Ah, of course. Everyone has a story.''


    "Don''t worry. I will always be your friend. Have candy." Sylvester, as always, took out two sour and sweet candies from his pocket and gave one to the Pope.


    The old man merrily took it and ate. "You truly are like the bright sunshine in this Church. In stressful work circumstances, you bring me great mental joy. Never change, little one¡ªnever let anyone else change you either."


    "Okie!" He acted cutely and ate the tasty food on the table. He was still not sure about how bad the Pope was. Yes, like others, he hated the ''heathens'', but that was merely themon thought process of every being in thend. So he could not judge the man on that basis.


    ''Out of everyone, this guy has the hardest character assessment. Well, at least he''s not after my life... Yet.''


    He spent some more time before returning to the Bright Mother housing and went to the room to take a nap. Miraj had gone with Xavia already and was fast asleep on the bed.


    Like this, his long month came to an end. However, today was the only day he could rest happily, for he wished to start knight training the next day.


    ¡­


    It was the morning of the next day. Xavia had gone to the Bright Mother academy to get her graduation certificate. Meanwhile, Sylvester, Miraj, and Sir Dolorem arrived at the terrace of the building.


    "I want to learn how to be a Knight." He wished.


    "But not all have the talent to be a Wizard Knight." When Sir Dolorem said that, a trace of nned confusion appeared on Sylvester''s face.


    Seeing this, Sir Dolorem exined and instructed, "I will have to test you to check it first. Come here and hold the dagger. Try to imbue it with Srium."


    After months of practice, Sylvester had terrific control over the Srium particles, so he knew exactly what to do. "That''s it? I think I can do it."


    He focused on the short dagger, wanting to cover it with translucent energy. But then something unexpected happened.


    Woosh!


    "Ah! How did this¡­?"


    [A/N: His formal training will begin in the next chapter. School of Dawn will start. The road to bing Pope will officially be in sight. New rivals, friends, and enemies will be made.


    Fun times ahead.]


    ___________________


    NO B''DAY BUT I LUB STONES!


    **420 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 22 22 - School Of Dawn

    [Memoirs of Sir Adrik Dolorem]


    [I believe Solis blessed me more than other servants of the lord, for I was chosen to be the aide of the bard. But, truly, the greatest joy of my life was to teach him the martial way. I will never forget the day His Holiness called me to his chambers and awarded me the medal of merit.


    Elemental Magic, magic theory, hand, and leg movement. He mastered it all as if he was made to learn it. He seems¡ªmade to be the favored one.


    I wake up every morning feeling calm and delighted, thinking about something new to teach Master Maximillian. He''s like a sponge, soaking in everything I try to teach. And now he''s about to start the next phase of his life.


    After these years of amateur training, his formal education at the School of Dawn will carve the diamond in the rough that is God''s Favoured. He is bound to reach heights, possibly the next Holy Father. I wish for nothing but hope he will remember me after I perish, in old or in duty.


    O''Lord Solis, grant me the wisdom and strength to aid your bard whenever he shall need it. Stand as his shield whenever he''s in danger.


    Master Maximillian is a thoughtful and intelligent young man. He says little but means a lot. I know School of Dawn attracts people from around the world, some kind, faithful, and some rich second generations. So tomorrow, grant him your light a little more when he leaves, even if you take it from me.


    Give him the strength to stand against all challenges. Give him your blessing to make various friends.


    May the holy light enlighten us and guide us all.]


    ¡­


    "Should I sit here?"


    "Yes, Favoured One. It will only take one hour for the portrait to finish." A short, thin old man with a mutton chop beard in a white toga directed him to a chair.


    Sylvester did as told and took a seat. He hade to the Pope''s pce to get his portrait made. It was a simple procedure before he starts School of Dawn, as this serves as a memory in case a student dies in the dangerous long years ahead.


    He was in an empty small hall room. There was a red carpet with golden embroidery on the floor with some royal blue curtains behind him as decoration. Other than that, he was asked to wear formal clothes of the church.


    This formal clothing was reserved for Clergymen. The dress of all church clergymen was almost the same. But the trainees had stricter codes to make all students look the same. The dress included long ankle-length full-sleeved robes of light yellowish-golden color. Existing church members, however, could wear any colored or designed robes they wanted.


    [A/N: Look at the parament to see the dress code.]


    The one thingmon among the trainees and the clergymen was that all had to wear a short shoulder-length cloak on the normal robes. It was red in color with golden lines at the extreme edges. It was held together with a golden chain at the front to which a Church''s symbol was attached.


    Sylvester was wearing this exact thing. The onlycking bit was the rank te he''d get in the ssroom.


    "How should I sit?" He asked.


    The painter was humming some hymn when he looked at him. He thought for a few minutes while rubbing his beard. "Hmm, you are a handsome young man, God''s Favoured. Just sit straight with a smile. Keep your hands together on yourp¡­ Ah! I didn''t introduce myself. I am Leo Da Lovnd. I know it''s a strange name."


    Sylvester chuckled. Being eight, he had the luxury of acting somewhat close to an adult. "Not stranger than Dungface."


    "Is that a name?"


    "Indeed, it belongs to a poor man from Pitfall. I wonder how he is now." He replied and fell into thinking. It had been a few years since the gue mission. He never heard any news from Sir Dolorem about the ce.


    "AH!" Leo eximed. "I loved the hymn you sang there. It''s one of my favorites. My favorite passage is ''Some hands may be soaked in bloody grease. Few bodies may need help with disease. All shall find the holy road with ease. For his name guides us all to eternal peace.'' Such thought-provoking words that I couldn''t help but fall to my knees and pray to Solis."


    The whole time he painted, Leo Da Lovnd kept babbling about how much he loved Sylvester''s hymns. Apparently, Sir Dolorem''s duty was to tell the relevant church scribe all Sylvester''s hymns so they could be recorded. These hymns were then copied into small booklets and sent to various monasteries to be spread around. This meant that many clergymen, soldiers, andmoners already knew Sylvester''s name.


    "Umm¡­ I have a personal request that¡­ I would be grateful if it was fulfilled." Sylvester interrupted the man.


    "Anything for you, God''s Favoured. Please speak."


    "If you have time this evening, I wish to have a portrait made with my mother. She has sacrificed a lot in her life for me, and I want to immortalize her in a portrait. Unfortunately, I do not have much money, but I will pay what I can." He requested.


    Leo dropped his paintbrush and shook his head. "How can I take money from you? No! I do not wish to sin. I''m a Baron, and I have enough money already. And to paint God''s favored and the most blessed mother in allnds is a divine gift for me."


    "So you will?"


    He quickly agreed. "Yes! I will be prepared this evening to draw."


    "Thank you, Lord Lovnd."


    Leo Da Lovndughed loudly. "No, please call me Leo. I like that. It makes me feel close to others."


    Sylvester nodded and silently stayed seated. His lone portrait, in the end, came out great. Maybe notparable to medieval paintings of his previous world, but it appeared realistic enough.


    "I am not in the portrait." Miraj got depressed because he was sitting on Sylvester''sp the whole time.


    "I will make them add you to all my portraits one day, Chonky. Let''s go and get my mother now." He muttered as he walked back home. The Pope''s Pce was half an hour''s walk away from Bright Mother''splex.


    "Our mother!" Miraj added abruptly.


    "Sure, our mother."


    ¡­


    That evening, he made Xavia wear some better clothes under her baggy robes. He wanted her to look beautiful for the portrait because he genuinely thought Xavia was extremely beautiful.


    "Are you sure he won''t ask for money?" She asked him while on the way.


    Sylvester rolled his eyes. He had answered her a dozen times already. "Yes, mum. He''s a devoted believer. We''re meeting him in the Pope''s Pce, so it''s very safe."<sub> </sub>


    Soon, they entered the brightly lit hall with candles everywhere and magic light stones on the chandelier. Lord Lovnd was waiting there, humming a hymn.


    "Ah, wee to this humble servant''s workshop. Please stand there so we may begin. I believe it will take us three hours to make."


    Sylvester held Xavia''s hand and guided her around. "I will start school tomorrow. You can see this portrait whenever you miss me."


    She hugged him for a split second, followed by a lot of pats on the head. "You are the most filial son a mother could dream of having."


    "Ahem!¡ªMother Xavia, please pick Master Maximilian in your arms. I suddenly had a great inspiration for this portrait?"


    ''What? That was not the n.'' He thought and tried to speak out.


    But Xavia had already moved to lift him in her arms and hug him. Her face had a faint motherly blush as she kissed his cheek. "If we''re doing this, this is the best pose, Max."


    Baron Lovnd pped in excitement. "Wonderful! Just kiss God''s Favoured'' cheek. There is no heartwarming scene better than this. I will add beautiful country fields in the background and make this my best work of a lifetime."


    Sylvester noticed the happy smiles on Xavia''s face, so resigned to his fate. It wasn''t as if he''d do this every day. If it made Xavia happy and the portrait came out great, it was a worthy sacrifice. To hell with his dignity, today he was just a good son.


    But he had something to add so he jumped out of her arms and took a small plushie from a cloth bag. "Wait a minute. I brought my childhood toy with me. It''s been a friend of mine whenever I used to feel lonely. Leo, can you make this toy cat look realistic? As if it''s truly sitting between mum and me?"


    "No problem at all, God''s Favoured. It''s a small thing for me. Now, give me a bright, radiant smile."


    And this way, the family of three got their portrait made. But more than Xavia, a particr furryd was more joyful. So much so that he did not stop meowing the whole night.


    [A/N: Look at the portrait in this parament.]


    ¡­


    The next day, with his robes neatly tucked and hairbed. He got ready to head to the School of Dawn, a building not far from Pope''s Pce.


    "Mum, I will see you at night." He waved Xavia from the door.


    "When you return, I will make your favorite dish. So focus on today''s ss and make lots of friends." She ended up kissing his forehead.


    Sylvester had gotten used to this new life, as embarrassing as it may be. Being someone who never had a mother in his life, he cherished everything Xavia did. So her smile was important to him.


    With that bye, he was on his way to the school with Miraj hanging on his shoulder.


    The school was supposed to start at seven in the morning, so he was going half an hour early. He timely entered the tall, 9-floor-high school building in time. It was not a simple building, as there were no staircases to get to the higher floors because they were reserved year-wise for students.


    ''Ah, is that the Pope? What''s he doing here?'' He noticed a tall figure walking along with other Holy Land Administrators.


    He knew what he had to do instantly.


    "Grandpa! Candy!" he, as always, called the old Pope. He didn''t care if the Pope was a good man or not. All he knew was that this was the top guy and the one who could keep him safe.


    ...


    Pope Axel Tar Kreed was walking down the decorated marble hallway of the school building when he heard the call. He quickly looked back with a smile and waited for Sylvester to catch up and hand him a small wrapped lemon candy, "Ho ho¡­ look at our little shining bard. All ready for the first day of school?"


    Sylvester kept the act going, even though it made his skin crawl. "Yes! How do I look? Mum made the dress for me."


    The Pope was at least six foot five inches tall, so even when he knelt, he towered over Sylvester. But he kindly patted Sylvester''s head and then fixed his cor.


    "Have a good first day in the ss, child. Make friends and work hard. Then maybe you can be the Pope someday."


    "Really?!" Sylvester eximed excitedly, albeit having no interest in the position.


    "You are God''s Favored, of course, you can. Now go, or you shall bete." The Pope warmly patted his back and pushed him away.


    Sylvester nodded and quickly ran off towards the ssroom and soon arrived at the lecture hall on the ground floor of the giant gothic-style building.


    He took a long breath before entering the ssroom. He wanted to use his skills to slowly make connections with other kids to gain some influence for the future. He wondered how smart the kids would be, however. "Here goes nothin- HUH?!"


    The words seemed to have retreated into Sylvester''s mouth as he read the signboard on the door. The engraved words on it stood there like a hurdle to his ''till now'' leisurely career.


    ''A1 - ssroom for God''s Favored Ones.''


    "Wait, this is not how it''s supposed to be. Why is there an extra ''s''?"


    [A/N: I got severe food poisoning since yesterday. I hope it gets fixed so I can write more.]


    ___________________


    GIMME SOME LOVE STONES!


    **420 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 23 23. Rank Test

    [A/N: Look at the parament to see the rank chart.]


    <o>,m _________________________________</o>


    ''A1 - ssroom for God''s Favoured Ones?! I am not special?!''


    Sylvester eximed in his mind. The extra ''s'' at the end of thest word didn''t make sense. He thought he was the only one with that status in the world.


    ''I can''t milk my status anymore?''


    He opened the door and carefully walked inside. The ssroom was big with benches and tables ced like stairs. But it was an ordinary room with no unique specifications or looks. Just at one end was the teacher''s side, with the sizeable wide ckboard with a rank chart and a table.


    On the table, however, was a clear crystal orb that seemed out of ce.


    The room was half full, with other kids his age or more sitting randomly. He tried to feel the air at first. But before he could even look at their faces, a sharp smell, and taste in his mouth. It was bitter and salty, along with a slight burning sensation on the tongue.


    ''So there''s some jealousy and hate present already.'' he evaluated quickly.


    Sylvester did not know which god he needed to thank, but for some reason, he had some talents that none other had. For example, whenever he sings a holy hymn, the back of his head would glow and make a halo; the other ability was the simple fact that he could smell and taste the emotions of those around him.


    He had always wondered what these strange smells were since he first sensed them, and it took him years to fully understand the different scents and what they meant. However, even now, he''d get to know some new scents from time to time.


    Sylvester silently went to the third row and sat beside the kid from whom he felt the least unpleasant stench. The boy appeared to be around the same age as him, with ck hair and equally ck eyes. He seemed taller than Sylvester and had a faint hint of lost childhood on his face.


    Then Sylvester started to look around at the other ''God''s Favored'' They all wore the same clothes as him, but the differencey in their jewelry. Some had gold and diamond rings on their fingers, and others had a simple thin gold chain around their neck. One even had his arms covered with gold bangles all the way to his elbow.


    There were redheads, blondes, ashen-haired and ck-haired kids, and the mostmon thing was that all were boys. Not of a simr age, however. Some appeared to be taller and more facially developed than others. All this resulted in more confusion about this mix.


    "May the holy light enlighten us." The lecturer entered the lecture hall with this standard greeting. He was a tall bald man with some wrinkles on his face.


    In response to the lecturer, all the trainees stood up and greeted back. "May the holy light enlighten us."


    "No need to sit down." the lecturer spoke in a stern, heavy voice. "I am Archpriest Edmund Gracia. Yes, Ie from Gracia Royal Family. But remember, in the embrace of the holy father, none are lords and nor are peasants.


    "I shall be your mentor for the next eight years. But sadly, not all of you will continue this journey beyond this moment. All of you may have been tagged God''s Favored for one reason or another, but none of you has yet gone through the sorting process. It is the nature of Solis that all are not made equal.


    "Some have more magic while others have none. So first, we shall have this procedure done. When I call the name, you must walk to this table and put your palm on this orb. It will prick you a little to read your magic potency. We will see a gold or silver color on the orb. Gold is for wizards, and silver is for knights. You will also see a colored dot in the orb that will depict your peak talent." He then unfolded a piece of parchment and read the names. "Henry Zartha."


    A meek, young, ck-haired boy quickly walked to the teacher''s table and put his right palm on the orb.


    "Ah!" he felt a prick on his palm and retracted it. With that, the orb started to shine in white light. Itsted a few seconds before it got fixed with a silver shade and a golden dot on the middle top. However, from the boy''s expression, it seemed this was not the result he desired.


    "Unfit for the ss. Henry Zartha, you will make a fine knight. But to be in God''s Favored ss, you must have magical talent. However, do not be disheartened. You shall one day be a Golden Knight." Archpriest Edmund tried to dismiss him as warmly as possible.


    "B-But Archpriest¡­ my father!" the boy was on the verge of tears. "My father gave so much money."


    Archpriest did not get angry at all. Instead, he warmly caressed Henry''s hair, "I understand that, and your father is a good man for donating to the church. But son, this ce is not for you. You are to be a mighty knight. It''s all fate''s decision."


    The boy soon left while sobbing. The show then continued, and the Archpriest called the next name. "Louis Hermington."


    The ashen-haired boy repeated the process, and the orb surprisingly stopped at 50-50 gold and silver, with a diamond-colored dot in the middle.


    This seemed to have left the Archpriest in shock. His eyes widened, and his face slowly curved into a big excited smile. "MARVELOUS! A boy with talent on both sides. Wizard-Knight of the rank Grand Wizard and Diamond Knight. Go back to your seat, child. I have high hopes for you."


    "Ludwig Ahgren." He then called the next name, and a dark-blonde boy confidently walked forward and put his hand on the orb. He smirked at everyone''s face as if he knew he would be the Supreme Wizard.


    "Disqualified! You have the knightly talent to be a foot soldier, ck Knight only, son. I do not know how you got here but leave silently now."


    "W-What? But¡­ I worked so hard. I calcted everything! How can this be?"


    "Ludwig Ahgren, do you wish to be disqualified from bing a knight too? Leave this instant." Archpriest Edmund took a stricter tone this time, which was enough.<sub> </sub>


    "Charles White," a short, long ck-haired boy, proceeded and put his hand on the orb.


    "Hmm, good. A golden color with a silver dot. You shall be a Master Wizard someday. Return to your seat."


    Slowly, he called more names. He sent some away, and a few were able to retain their spot. Among the top results, two boys, Augustus Steel, and Romel Riveria, had the talent of a Grand Wizard. And another boy, Griffin zekin, had the talent of both a Grand Wizard and Diamond Knight.


    Then finally, when only 30 out of 100 were left, Archpriest called his name. "Sylvester Maximilian."


    Sylvester didn''t feel nervous about his result. He would stay in this ss no matter what since he knew he had magic. The real question was how strong it was, but he reckoned it was decent enough considering the training and things he had done in the past eight years.


    He put his palm on the cold round orb and waited for the prick. "Ah!" it was not very soft, and now it made sense why others squeaked. However, the pain was not his concern as he looked at the orb shine in white light¡ªexpecting great results.


    It seemed to shine for a bit longer than all others this time. The white light would sometimes take the slight shade of gold and then show silver, but it would never stick to one side. He reckoned it would be both Wizard and Knight rank since he practiced a lot and remembered training from his past life.


    TING!¡ªThe orb rang a bell for some reason.


    This was new. The orb never made any noise in the previous sessions. Sylvester confusedly stared at it as it turned fully golden and showed a bright metallic-silver dot in the center. He felt a bit disappointed: ''Mediocre talent then, ha? A mere Master Wizard?''


    Thud!¡ªAlerted by the sound, he looked up and found the Archpriest Edmund stumbling back and finally resting his back on the ckboard. His face was stered with shock and disbelief as his jaw stayed wide open, appearing to be saying something silently.


    "Archpriest, what does this mean?" he inquired; his intuition told him there was more than what meets the eye.


    "Y-You¡­ Oh, the holy Solis has blessed us. The bard is graced. The Holy Father will be pleased to know this. I must go now! This is colossal, this is¡­ AH! There is more?"


    Ting!


    But there was another ring. So Sylvester looked at the orb again and noticed that the golden color was gone, now reced with the silver color. But the metallic-silver dot remained the same in the middle, emerging as a proud promation.


    "Woah!"


    "How?"


    The other kids eximed and reacted, ranging from awe to straight jealousy or hatred.


    This time Sylvester felt like sweating from the tension in the air. He could see Archpriest Edmund slowly slide down and fall on his buttock in utter disbelief. His eyes appeared as wide as his eyelids could expand. He kept staring at the orb, and it seemed the man would drool if not nudged.


    ''It seems my evaluation was incorrect.'' Sylvester muttered and nced at the rank chart to clear his doubts.


    But Edmund Garcia appeared more fanatic than just amazed at this point.


    "H-H-How? This is unprecedented! This is peak talent!. The church''s future is as bright as the rays of Solis. Ah¡­this¡­May the holy light bless us!... No! We have already been blessed!"


    "..."


    Sylvester silently stared at the ranking chart as the realization slowly dawned on him. All of a sudden, he felt his shoulder feeling a lot heavier now. He deduced that his life got a lot moreplicated from this moment. A whole lot more dangerous even.


    ''Should I curse or sing a hymn?''


    ___________________


    NEXT GOAL! MORE STONES!


    **1001 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    (I shall bestow upon the bonus chapter soon, lemme edit it first.)


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 24 [BONUS CHAPTER] 24. Oh No…!

    Sylvester nced at the Rank Chart on the ckboard and learned why the Archpriest was so agitated.


    No, the metallic-silver dot at the center of the Orb was not for the Master Wizard or the Silver Knight. But instead, it was for the Supreme Wizard and tinum Knight. There was no other rank higher than this! There were only question marks.


    Sylvester loved that he had such talent but hated the attention. All he wanted was to live a long and calm life. But with this status of having peak talent, everyone would expect high and mighty things from him. It would get a lot messier for a man looking for a normal life.


    "Ehm¡­" The Archpriest finally gathered himself up. He solemnly patted Sylvester''s shoulder and gave some sagely advice. "Do not feel too prideful for having great talent, son. For mere talent will not make you a Supreme Wizard; it takes tears, sweat, and blood. Even then, many perish in the quest to ascend to the Supreme Wizard''s rank.


    "Be humble and gentle. Working hard is all that''s instrumental. Son, remember that lesson hard. I have great expectations from the famed God''s Bard."


    With his mind in a mess, Sylvester sighed and returned to his seat, ''You''re not good at acting, pal. I know that I''m fabulously¡­ fucked.''


    He knew that the Archpriest was merely trying to act calm. He was itching to run away and shout at the sky that he would be teaching the peak talent. But his duties to continue the ss came first.


    "Felix Sandwall,e forward and repeat the process," Archpriest Edmund instructed.


    Sylvester saw the boy he chose to sit beside getting up and taking the test. In his case, the Orb first stopped at a golden color with a dark golden dot. But then it started to change again.


    Ting!


    Just like in his case, the Orb stopped at a silver color with a metallic-silver dot inside it. Sylvester was amazed. ''A peak Knight talent of tinum rank?''


    Archpriest Edmund was on cloud nine. "Magnificent, another great talent. Your magic talent may just be of Archwizard, but with the Knightly talent of tinum, you can easily fight and defeat anyone below the rank of Grand Wizard. I expect great things from you as well, Felix Sandwall."


    By the end of the sorting activity, Archpriest approved only 27 students, and the ss moved on.


    Once everyone was settled, Archpriest Edmund started speaking in a more serious tone. "As God''s Favored, all of you are deemed wizards and knights of high talent. But just because this Orb deemed you Grand Wizard, tinum Knight, or Supreme Wizard does not mean you are unique.


    "Years ago, the Orb deemed the Holy Father a Supreme Wizard as well, but if he had not worked his entire life to improve, he''d still be an Arch Wizard at most. Unfortunately, it is a fact that most die while trying and others quit or wither away from old age while trying to go beyond Arch Wizard and Golden Knight. It''s mind-breakingly hard, for I can tell from my own experiences.


    "Work hard, give your all, or disappear from history. Stop dreaming and thinking ''what if,'' start moving and question ''how to''. As long as you are earnest, Solis will guide you."


    As Archpriest stopped speaking, he moved to take out a cloth bag from a cupboard beside the ckboard. "Now, I will distribute you rank tes. Put them on your chest on the red capes. When in the Holy Land, all of you must always keep them visible."


    One by one, Archpriest Edmund walked to every desk and ced the rank te on it. Some kids quickly put them on while others stared at them in interest.


    Sylvester was one of them, as he desired to see how this thing could so easily tell one''s magic rank. But he had another question since he had the talent in both professions, how would it reflect on his golden te? From what he saw, everyone got a golden te.


    So he asked directly. "Archpriest, how will my knight rank appear on this?"


    The man smirked smartly. "That''s the beauty of it. You don''t get a silver te unless you have only Knightley talent. So all of you are Wizard-Knights. That makes you a wizard first and a knightter because wizards are inherently stronger than knights.


    "Some of you may have noticed that the rank tes don''t indicate your exact level. In simple words, each rank has levels, and to promote from one rank to another, like, from Apprentice Wizard to Arch Wizard, there are five levels in each rank. And for the ranks beyond Arch Wizard, every rank has ten levels. Except for the Supreme Wizard, since none know what lies beyond that.


    "Simrly, Knight ranks have levels too. But since Knights are generally weaker than wizards, they require fewer levels to step up. So there are three levels for each rank until you reach the Silver Knight rank. Then for the Golden and Diamond knights, there are eight levels. Now, does anyone know why the rank tes do not give us detailed information?"


    It was an understandable thing. Sylvester responded after raising his hand. "To ensure that the enemy does not know exactly how strong you are. Two wizards of the same rank fighting will be careful about each other. A wizard of higher rank could lose to a wizard-knight of a lower wizard rank but higher knight''s rank.


    "The rank te serves the purpose of identification as a wizard and knight only, not to show one''s strength."


    Archpriest pped at the answer. "Brilliantly answered! True, the rank tes show one is a wizard or a knight. But, almost always, you will not see anyone showing their rank te outside the Holy Land unless they are church members.


    "The rank tes are seen primarily in cities and areas where one would not get attacked for any reason. You all will slowly learn more about the ways of the Church as time goes on. Right now, all of you will be called Deacon. By the time you be a priest, you will learn everything. So let''s start with the first ss now.


    "I will be teaching you elemental magic and incantations. If you don''t have books, don''t worry. You don''t need them today. First, you will be learning elemental magic. Raise your hands if you have learned it already."


    All the young Deacons in the ss raised their hands, making it clear that nobody here was a total rookie. Just like Sylvester, others had been training too. But it had a lot more to do with their background, as many were either from rich or noble families. At the same time, those who were not rich had the help of their local monasteries.


    "Good, we will now test how many elements have an affinity with your magic. Typically, there are four elements¡ªAir, Water, Earth, and Fire. However, in exceptional cases, there can be Light and Darkness, like in the case of Deacon Maximilian.<sub> </sub>


    "If you look under your tables, you will find ck paper. Please put it on your palm and send Srium into it. You will see blue, red, white, or brown colors appear in different mixes. Yellow or dark green if there is Light or Darkness, respectively."


    Sylvester lifted the top of his table and found apartment. There was palm-sized ck paper. As instructed, he put it on his palm and sent Srium into it. Then, just like his Knight training, he covered it with magic particles.


    "Ah! I have Darkness too!" One student eximed loudly, his paper showing three equal distributions of blue, brown, and dark green.


    Sylvester focused on his own and saw the color change. For a split second, he noticed that the paper had an equal distribution of blue, red, white, and brown, but suddenly, the whole paper turned bright yellow.


    ''Do I have it all or just the light one? But I can easily manipte wind and fire.'' The appearance of the paper left him in doubt. So he raised his hand and asked, "Archpriest, why does mine only show one color?"


    The bald man calmly approached Sylvester, but calm was only on the surface as he sprinted. "Show me the paper!"


    Archpriest Edmund observed it closely to see if there was any defect in it. But he could not find anything. Even then, he couldn''t believe someone could have the rare element as their only main element. And even more scary was that one can have peak talent with just this affinity.


    "Let''s try it again." Archpriest gave him another ck paper to test.


    This time, Sylvester reckoned he didn''t send enough Srium. So he used as much focus as he had learned over the years and went all out.


    Woosh!¡ªThe paper turned into bright yellow once again. But this time, it didn''t even flicker to show the colors of other elements. Not just that, the ck paper turned into ashes.


    "This is¡­ bizarre. I have never seen this before. It seems you have an extremely high light elemental affinity only. I will have to notify the headmaster about this. But worry not. You are no less talented than anyone here. In fact, you are blessed, I would say." Archpriest patted his back and told him to sit and rx as he went to other students.


    However, Sylvester had a different theory about what just happened. ''It seems my light affinity is so strong that it''s eclipsing the other elements?¡­ Can I turn this misfortune into an opportunity? If no one knows I have an affinity with other elements, I can surprise my enemies inbat.''


    While he was musing about this new golden spoon, the elemental affinity test came to an end. Some had an uneven mix of two or three affinities, and a few had an equal affinity in all four elements. Sylvester made sure to record all of them in his head as he had a feeling that this ss was nothing but a fighting pit.


    "Good, I have recorded all your affinities. So let''s end this ss, for it''s time for lunch. Remember, wizards must eat more because Srium requires not just the rays of Solis but body strength. So I rmend you go and bask in the holy warmth whenever you have lunch.


    "However, before I leave, I must tell you an important thing. This is not a typical ss. You all are God''s Favored, and we don''t know yet which one of you is the real one. But time will slowly reveal the fated one as some of you pass, and others are left behind.


    "However, as most of you have high talent, if you work hard enough, bing a high-ranking clergyman of the Church of Solis wouldn''t be hard, and one of you may even be the next Pope. For this, it is a must that all of you must remain celibate, for only the pure of the body can be pure of mind.


    "And the church shall ensure you don''t sway while you''re here."


    Not just Sylvester but every single boy in the room felt their body shiver upon hearing these words. After all, many in the room were heirs to nobles and royals.


    Sylvester, however, merely looked at his crotch with a conflicted expression, wondering if this life was worth sacrificing these heavenly jewels. ''Wait a minute, are they going to turn us into eunuchs? Am I about to lose my little white snake?''


    Miraj, too, innocently nced at the jewels of his new beloved caretaker with eyes full of pity. He then whispered in Sylvester''s ears. "Bye-bye balls?"


    "..."


    ___________________


    [A/N: Remember, MC and all these young men have high talents, they are not OP yet. But they have a good chance of bing OP. If they don''t work hard, they will stay weak. This means MC will have to grind like everyone else if he wishes strength. He just has a few extra tricks up his sleeves.]


    [A/N: Look at this parament to see the rank chart with levels. It helps you understand.]


    ___________________


    MUST I KISS YOU FOR MORE STONES?!


    **1001 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 25 25. Wolf In Sheeps Clothing!

    Sylvester knew that many clergymen take the vow of celibacy, and they were called Deus Servus. But he had no ns to be a no-balls preacher. He would rather be a knight in the holy army because they could at least keep their balls, officially. Also, nobody told him he had to give up the little white snake for being God''s Favored.


    But subverting all their fears, Archpriest Edmundughed. "Hah, look at all your faces. No, you will not be sterilized by any means. We never do such a thing, for the devotion to Solis shoulde from the heart. If you besmirch your purity, then you never deserved to be a church clergyman.


    "But remember, once you defile yourself, there is no going back. You shall forever be limited to the confines of the Holy Army or the Inquisitors. Your talents will go to waste because you won''t be allowed in the upper echelon.


    "Well, you have your whole day to think about all this. I will see you tomorrow."


    As soon as the Archpriest left, the young Deacons stood up to talk among themselves. Sylvester could already notice a few groups forming depending on their talent. Meanwhile, as Archpriest Edmund said, the chest rank tes all showed either no rank or Apprentice rank. Nothing came close to Sylvester''s Adept rank.


    This posed a new challenge as he tasted sourness and salt of jealousy. He was being ostracised for being the best of the ss in magical and knight talent. Now, his n of making allies was seemingly already down the drain.


    ''I hope the food''s good, at least.'' He thought and headed out for lunch, deciding to worry aboutworkingter.


    He soon made his way to the food court to get his lunch. It was on the ground floor, but this food court served the whole School of Dawn. So as he entered, he found short lines of other students from different years. Some looked as young as him, and some were old with short beards.


    Again, no women, however.


    He stood at the back of a random line and waited for his turn. As Sir Dolorem told him, there were no charges for anything for the Favored Ones. However, the School of Dawn was also the famed best Wizarding and Knight School on the continent, so it also epted kids who didn''t wish to be clergymen. But they''d have to pay money¡ªa lot of money.


    This also worked in favor of the church as poor kids with magical talents woulde to join the church on their own since theycked money.


    "First-Year, Deacon Sylvester Maximilian. Here you go." Before he knew it, he had arrived at the big window where the olddy gave food trays.


    As he looked at it, he found the meal was much better than what he''d been eating at home for the past few years. There was a milk ss, meat soup bowl, some vegetable gravy, rice, bread, sd, and a banana.


    "Can I have one more banana?" He asked, knowing that Miraj would eat one. And he didn''t wish to share his as he loved this fruit too.


    "Sure, dear. Anything for the future of the faith." The olddy kindly gave him not one but two more bananas, instantly earning some respect from Sylvester.


    After getting his food, he decided to go outside and eat in the beautiful gardens. He found that the best ce to bask in the sun was the gardens since most other faith believers would go to the terraces hoping to be a little closer to Solis. But, of course, as someone who breathes out light, he didn''t care about a few meters.


    He checked his surroundings to ensure nobody was paying attention to him and sat cross-legged. Then he peeled off a banana and ced it near his feet, just under the robes. "Okay, Chonky. If you want the banana, get under my robes¡ªWait! I must rephrase my words. I have ced the fruit. Eat it."


    "I want the banana outside. Thest time you smelled bad there."


    "..."


    Sylvester coughed to shrug off what the cat just said. "Because I had just finished the Knight''s training with Sir Dolorem, I was sweating, and you were hungry. I''m not smelly today, I promise."


    "Things Poor Chonky does for his belly." The cat shook his head in defeat and moved to sit under his robes.


    "Says the one who adopted me." Sylvester fought back. He and Miraj were great friends already, as he used the bottomless belly of the cat to hoard his essential items. In return, he fed thetter and gave himpany.


    "Can I sit here?"


    A new voice came suddenly. Upon looking, he found it to be a boy from his ss. "Felix Sandwall? Sure."


    ''I don''t sense any negative aroma from him.''


    The ck-haired boy sat beside Sylvester but a few feet apart. It was clear from how he behaved that he came to talk, or maybe even make friends.


    "It seems it''s just the two of us left with no group." Felix Sandwall started the conversation.


    Sylvester didn''t dumb down his behavior this time as he wished to make an impression. "What''s the point in making groups when we''re supposed to fight for the title of God''s Favored until only the true one remains?"


    "Indeed, but let''s not forget we are servants of Solis. We have to work together as much as we work against each other. Do you know why we are both being ostracized?"


    Sylvester nodded and humbly answered. "Because they are yet to rise above their petty mindsets. We both have peak talents. Romel Riveria has gathered all Deacons with the talent of the Grand Wizard, as he sees us as threats.


    "Meanwhile, the others have grouped as they are too afraid to approach us because they have lower talent. While one thinks too highly of them, and the other thinks too lowly."


    Felix agreed with it entirely and added his bit, "But what you don''t know is that Romel Riveria is the son of the King of Riveria Kingdom. Not only that, he was bred to be a powerful wizard. His father looked for powerful witches to sire children with for years.


    "The King ended up marrying a dozen witches, but his own incestuous blood was his curse, and he only sired one strong son from hisst concubine¡ªRomel. He grew up pampered and was taught magic from a young age. He has a lot to stand for, I guess. But he''s too bratty."


    ''These noble families never cease to amaze me.'' Sylvester thought.


    "What about you, Son of Count Sandwall?" He asked, indicating that he knew about the other''s noble status.


    Felix nced at Sylvester, wondering if he should reveal things. But he soon relented as he felt his lies wouldn''t work here. "I''m the second son. My family is an ancient line of powerful wizards and knights. We never had anyck of training since mountain tribes and desert cannibals constantly invaded us. At the age of one, I was deemed a genius in sword arts, and here I am. Back home, they call me ''Sword of Solis''. So now I shall be that."


    ''Ah, no wonder he looks so buffed. He''s like a magical spartan, born to fight.''


    "What about you?" The young boy asked.


    Silvester sighed. He was broke as hell. "Inquisitor High Lord found me when I was about to be burned on a pyre by a sinner. Thankfully, Solis saved me, and since then, I am but a servant of the lord. They often call me his bard.


    "Anyway, I am heading back to ss."


    Done with lunch, Sylvester packed his stuff and started to leave. He didn''t invite Felix as he was testing the boy. If he followed, he wanted friendships. If he didn''t, then he was simply testing the waters.<sub> </sub>


    "I''ming too!"


    ''And the fish took the bait.'' Sylvester silently cheered. He had yet to feel anything negative from Felix, much less a lie. This told enough that he was earnest about this.


    ''I just need to work my charm on other Deacons and initiate my little cult.''


    ¡­


    "Get in line, my children of Solis. Among you is the true God''s Favored. I do not know who it is, but by the end of eight years, I will beat that answer out of you! So when I shout your name, you will enter this field and fight one-on-one. No magic or Knight''s maniption is allowed.


    "Use your raw physical strength to prove your worth. The winner of today''s tournament shall receive this¡ªa gold dagger. I got this from a Desert Cannibal I killed with my own strong arms." The silver-armored shouting man was Sir Baldfreak. Yes, it was his real name. Yes, he was bald, looked like a freak, and constantly shouted.


    He was once a Golden Knight, a respectedmander in the Holy Army. But now, he was too old to level up or go on new missions. So he taught Knight''s profession to kids in the School of Dawn¡ª a bit too overzealously.


    He was teaching them as all Deacons were supposed to build their core strength, be Wizards or Knights. Hence, he gathered them in an indoor arena with a dirt ground.


    ''Gold dagger? It should be worth a decent amount. I guess it''s time to put Sir Dolorem''s and CIA training to use.'' Sylvester''s eyes were now focused on the prize.


    "Deacon Romel Riveria and Deacon George Morgan! Come forth and fight. Do not wait for mymand, for on the battlefield, the de will be inbound, aimed at your throat, before you even see it." Hemanded.


    Soon, the Prince of Riveria Kingdom and an averagely talented wizard kid, George, entered the ring. While thetter looked tense, Romel Riveria had a smirk.


    Woosh!¡ªRomel moved as soon as George entered the fighting circle. He didn''t give a second to his nervous opponent and threw sand at his face. Then he saw an opportunity and precisely kicked in George''s knee joint from the front.


    Crack!


    "My leg! Aaaargh!" a loud crunch of the bones resounded, and George fell back instantly. His right knee broke in an instant.


    "Hehe¡­ everything''s fair on the battlefield." Romel Riveria grinned. This earned him instant hatred from other kids of lower talent. In contrast, those with simr talents were full of praise.


    "Winner, Deacon Romel Riveria! Squire! Take Deacon George to the infirmary and get his leg fixed. Moving on, the next fight will be between Deacon Louis Hermington and Deacon Markus Lionis." Sir Baldfreak''s words boomed throughout the arena.


    This fight was oddly ranked too. Louis had the talent of a Grand Wizard and Diamond Knight, while Markus had the talent of an Arch Wizard.


    However, what happened in the fighting circle was nothing short of a miracle. Using the element of surprise and taking advantage of Louis'' overconfidence, Markus turned out to have a unique talent in acrobatics.


    It was as if he had no bones in his body when he kicked Louis in the face without moving and still sending an uppercut with his heels. It was a beautiful sight to see as Louis not only got his overconfidence knocked out but also some of his teeth.


    "Wonderful disy of your talent, Deacon Lionis. Squire, take Deacon Hermington to the healer. Now, let''s move on¡­"


    Slowly, the strange roster for the little tournament got smaller. It was not a simple tournament as all supposed God''s Favored showed their talents. It was bloody, even Felix Sandwall was harsh against his opponent. Especially Romel Riveria, who used his past training and nastily broke an arm in his next fight.


    As for Sylvester, he was left out of the first round due to being the odd number and being amongst the youngest. However, when his turn came, it was with the naughty boy, Romel.


    Since Sylvester was the youngest in the ss, the others had already expected another one-sided win for Romel.


    "Deacon Sylvester Maximilian and Deacon Romel Roveria."


    As he went forward, Felix patted his back and asked in doubt. "Are you sure you can beat him?"


    Sylvester chuckled and replied in a low fanatic voice, befitting God''s Favored, for all the sneaky eyes to witness. "I ended a heathen bloodline at the age of 30 days. You think I can''t defeat this incestuous filth?"


    Soon Sylvester was face to face with the royal prince, who was a few inches taller. ''Can''t believe I need to use my decades of experience on a bunch of kids. But this brat deserves some, and I can use him to hasten my cult formation.''


    As a trained spy, he had various weapons up his sleeves regarding fighting. To fight clean, dirty, or like a beast always depends on who the opponent is. In this fight, he decided to use a clean, but ego-crushing method.


    "Let''s see how much of that ''peak talent'' is real." Romel mockingly challenged him.


    But the boy had lost his element of surprise, and nothing he could do would work on a man with years of real battle experience. Brandishing his fist, the prince rushed to Sylvester at max speed, thinking of throwing a fake punch and utilizing the surprise to kick in the knee again.


    ''Hah, his footwork is horrendous. Does he truly think I will take the bait?'' Sylvester saw the fake from a mile away.


    Sylvester merely stepped to his right when the boy approached him and lifted his left palm to Romel''s head level.


    SLAP!!!


    And so, the infamous p that resounded all the way to the Riveria family''s incestuous ancestors was witnessed. The pride-breaking fact was that Sylvester didn''t even wave to p. Romel fell on the palm on his own and then onto his ass while crying in pain.


    "Y-You pped me!" Romel''s cheek appeared peach red, his eyes as if he''d cry at any moment. This was the first time he felt pain in this tournament¡ªpossibly in years.


    Sylvester grinned just like Romel did before and gestured at thetter toe and fight. "I did precisely that, little one. Do you want more?"


    ___________________


    I WILL CUDDLE YOU IN MY STRONG ARMS! SO VOTE!


    **1001 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 26 26. Survival Of The Fittest

    Romel Riveria had tears in his eyes. One p shattered his honor, crushed his ego, and butchered his arrogance. Just some time ago, he was boasting about his bloodline to his new friends, but now he was a joke. All the talk about training since the age of six months fell t against a reality-checking p on his face.


    His breath gradually became hurried. The more he thought about the p, the more his blood boiled. Then, finally, when he looked at his opponent''s face, the barrier broke, and the anger poured out in wild screams as he charged ahead with his fist once again.


    "I will kill you!"


    For Sylvester, seeing a kid charging at him was nothing butedic. Fighting him was a pipe dream for someone who couldn''t even hold their anger. On top of that, he remembered something. ''Wasn''t it the King of Riveria who used his reach to send Sir Dolorem away?''


    No longer wishing to hold back, he took a boxing stance and started doing the footwork. This was new to all, as when ites to physical fighting, one only thinks about brawls or using a weapon. There were rarely any weapon-less fighting styles.


    "Deacon Riveria, this is merely a mock fight. Do not let your emotions guide you." He tried to warn the boy just so there were no repercussions for what he was about to do.


    "Take this!" Romel threw his punch with no tricks this time. It was apparent that he never learned much about hand-to-handbat. All he knew were some tricks.


    Sylvester smirked and ducked down to avoid the fist. But that left him with a clear view of Romel''s nice smooth jaw. So he kicked his feet and pushed his right fist up, along with an uppercut move.


    Bam!¡ªIt connected clean and knocked Romel off of the ground. His body was thrown a foot in the air as Sylvester jumped up. It happened in a split second, Romel fell back with a loud thud, and Sylvesternded on his feet.


    He didn''t stop and quickly moved to put his foot on Romel''s neck.


    "Surrender."


    "Aaargh!..."


    But only a deafening scream came. Blood oozed out of Romel''s jaw. It was shattered, along with its teeth that fell apart. He stared at Sylvester in utter fear, seeing the kick wasing next.


    Sylvester stared into Romel''s eyes like a predator trying to incite fear in the prey. He was asserting his dominance, for that was the only way to bring down the likes of Romel.


    ''Brats like him don''t respond well to kindness or threats. So the only way to deal is to mentally break them and then rebuild.'' He reminded himself, not wanting to feel bad for beating a kid bloody. ''Everyone is a threat, or at most, a possible pawn. No one can be an ally.''


    "Deacon Sylvester Maximilian triumphs. Fabulously done, youngd. Do not worry about Deacon Riveria. He shall spend a day in the infirmary and be healed. Next, Deacon Griffin zekin and Felix Sandwall."


    The ss went on as if nothing had happened. But Sylvester was satisfied because the aroma had changed slightly. Now with the mix of sourness and salt of jealousy, there was a faint hint of tulip. ''So they have started to admire me now.''


    While enjoying the fruits of hisbor, he waited for his next fight. Slowly, the numbers thinned to just four, and Sylvester''s next fight came. This time, his opponent was Markus Lionis, the flexible kid. His magic talent was average, but inbat, he was great.


    As Sylvester entered the fighting circle, he devised a n. ''His acrobatics are incredible, his reach is wide, and I need to fight him from a distance. Unfortunately, judo is out of options since he''s flexible. Taekwondo it is then.''


    He kept the stance of boxing but slightly changed the stepping to amodate the quick movement of his feet. Then he slowly inched closer to Markus. "You''re a great fighter, Deacon Markus."


    Seeing genuine praise, Markus chirped back. "Thank you, Deacon Sylvester. Your fight was¡­ jawbreaking."


    "Hah." Sylvester chuckled and brought down the seriousness. Subtly telling that he did not wish to wound him beyond necessary.


    Markus continued, "I thought you would be like Romel, a pompous fellow."


    "Because I have high talent? I see no difference between us right now. Talent is the future while this fight is now!" Sylvester made his move and threw a jab.


    As expected, Markus easily dodged it and tried to make a backflip to make distance and kick Sylvester''s face.


    "You took the bait!"


    Sylvester chuckled and kicked a roundhouse the instant Markus''s body was in the air. He didn''t waste a moment and jumped at the opportunity to kick in the stomach when Markus fell to the ground.


    "I surrender!"


    Sylvester stopped mid-kick and looked at Sir Baldfreak.


    "Deacon Sylvester wins! That''s the end of this little tournament." Sir Baldfreak announced.


    But Sylvester and Felix nced at each other''s faces intuitively. They were thest two boys left and were honestly looking forward to this spar.


    Sir Baldfreak seemed to notice the confusion, so he addressed it whileughing loudly. "Haha, you two youngds have the talent of tinum Knight. I will not allow you to fight before youplete your Knight''s training, and then the world shall witness the true martial duel."


    Sylvester didn''t give two cents about a future duel. Instead, he had his eyes on that gold dagger, and right now, there was no winner. "That''s very exciting, Sir Baldfreak¡­ but what about the gold dagger?"


    "Oh, this?!" Sir Baldfreak took the short golden dagger from his pouch¡­ then he took out another identical one. "I''ve got dozens of these. Gathered them myself from those Desert cannibal heathens. Each one of their team leaders carries this. Here, take one each."


    "..."


    "ss for the day is over. Return to your dorm rooms. Go!" Sir Baldfreak dismissed the ss and left swiftly.


    Sylvester and Felix dumbly looked at the gold dagger without moving. It appeared unique but apparently, it was amon thing.


    "I thought this was a Desert cannibal Chieftain''s dagger. This is a scam!" Felix annoyedly muttered while inspecting the ''trophy''.


    "Indeed." Sylvester couldn''t help but nod. However, his priority was clear. "Do you want to buy it from me?"


    Felix was the son of a count. Money was something thetter didn''tck at all, so he made an offer. "Hmm¡­ These daggers aren''t worth much. There is too much impurity in them. I''ve seen them back home. At best, it will get you two Gold Graces."


    ''That''s not a lot? Look at this rich brat! With this, I can buy meat, bread, and bananas for a whole month. But¡­ he''s lying.'' Sylvester had felt the sourness.<sub> </sub>


    "Sure, I''ll sell it for three Gold Graces. I know it''s worth a lot more to you." Sylvester haggled. Like hell, he was going to let a child rip him off.


    Felix tried to keep a straight face, but his eyes deceived him when they twitched. "No, I can''t. They are worth three in the market. So why would I buy it for that price from you?"


    It was another lie.


    "You think I''m a baby? Fine, I will sell it for four Gold Graces. I know warriors in Sandwall County collect these daggers to show the number of kills. It''s a matter of pride to have these. You want more pride or not?"


    Felix greedily looked at the dagger in Sylvester''s hand. He cursed himself for falling into the trap, but he needed it¡­ he wanted it¡­ he wished for it from Solis for weeks. They were hard to find unless won in a battle.


    "FINE!... Here, take these."


    He took out a money pouch from his robes and handed four shiny gold coins to Sylvester.


    ''This is brilliant. These nobles are as dumb as theye.''


    Sylvester slowly came to realize that he was surrounded by golden gooses who were worth more if befriended. ''I need to work harder on my cult.''


    It was merely the first day, and so much transpired. He was feeling tired so he decided to return home and take a nice bath. Unlike others, he did not need to stay in the school dorms.


    "How do you know so many things? About my home''s culture, about fighting?" Felix questioned.


    Sylvester stopped and looked back with a grin. "I wasn''t sleeping for the past eight years, kid."


    Suddenly, Felix angrily red, showing anger on his chubby face. "Don''t call me that! I''m not a kid."


    Sylvester felt there was genuine anger. He quickly thought about what triggered him. He reminded himself of all the things that Felix told him about himself. ''Ah! He''s a second son!''


    Insecurities and a desire to prove oneself could hollow a man from within. It was one of the main reasons why sons of kings and wealthy men often turned into wastrels. It happens because they can not keep up with the expectations.


    Sylvester weighed his options. That money exchange was business, but this matter was personal. There was no reason for making an enemy out of such a small thing. ''I shouldn''t forget I''m dealing with kids here.''


    "I apologize, Deacon Felix. I was merely joking."


    Felix''s shoulders fell as anger dissipated. He took a long breath and shook his head in shame. "No, I was being a brat. You were clearly joking, Deacon Sylvester."


    "Just call me Sylvester. We''re around the same age and serve Solis."


    Felix fast-walked to Sylvester and extended his hand. "Then you can call me Felix."


    Since there were no lies in Felix''s recent words, Sylvester warmly shook the hand. It was worth making acquaintances. He may nevere to trust anyone other than Xavia, but even he knew he couldn''t survive in this world alone.


    And to know someone who might be a tinum Knight one day was a real boon.


    "I will see you tomorrow then, Felix." After that, Sylvester decided to head home.


    "Wait, dorms are this way."


    "I don''t live in the dorms. My mum is a Bright Mother, so we have a little home. I will show you the ce sometimeter. Goodnight." He waved his hand and left Felix confused about how a Bright Mother could have a child despite celibacy vows.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester had no thoughts of Felix in his mind. For he had a mischievous smirk on his face while asking the cat on his shoulder, "Chonky, did you get it all?"


    "Aye-aye, Maxy. I ate all the gold chains and bracelets the Romel boy gifted us!"


    "Hah, he didn''t gift them. We simply took them, albeit without permission. Who told him to enter a fight while wearing jewelry? I merely took my loot for defeating him."


    Miraj confusedly asked, "Maxy, are we bad?"


    "No, Chonky. We''re just poor and live in a vicious society. To survive and thrive, we must stomp as many skulls as we need. In this world, that is the only way for us to seed."


    Miraj dutifully saluted with his paw. "Aye-Aye, Maxy. I eat skulls!"


    "..."


    "Well, you got the gist of it."


    ___________________


    [A/N: The currency in this fictional world is this => 1 Gold Grace(standard is 20gram) = 100 Silver crown(20 gram) = 1000 copper muds/pennies.


    The reasoning behind the naming is that Church and Solis are supreme, so gold is grace. Below are the royalties and nobles, hence Silver is the crown. At the bottom aremon folks, so Copper is mud.


    ___________________


    BESTOW UPON ME YOUR GRACEFUL STONES!


    **1001 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 27 27. Honey Enjoyer!

    Supreme Pontiff Axel Tar Kreed''s Pce


    "Holy Father, Queen Rexine Gracia will rebel if we do not hear her. Her threats are bing more direct now. She refused to send any food aid to our storage this year. It will only escte, I fear." The Inquisitor High Lord reported to the Pope.


    The meeting was being held inside the Pope''s Pce, in a secured designated meeting room for the Sanctum Council. It was an enclosed concrete gray hall with no doors or windows. It neither had furniture nor any carvings other than a simple stone table and seven stone chairs. Today, all members were in attendance.


    The Pope sat on the short end of the long table as his aides sat on the sides. While he heard the Lord Inquisitor''s words, he frowned, "For years, we have kept a bnce to maintain peace. I was able to end the thousand-year war, not for us to be consumed by these petty, foolish dreams of a mad queen.


    "She tries to control us with threats, not knowing we hold the spine of her Kingdom. I have something in mind, but let''s hear what Saint Scepter has to say first."


    Saint Scepter was also called Sword of Solis because he was the only personal guard of the Pope. His real name was unknown, however. He always wore white hooded robes with golden embroidery. His face was obscured as it stayed covered at all times. The only thing telling him apart was the golden scepter with a triangr head that he always carries.


    Even his voice sounded muffled at all times, "I believe she is out of her line and needs a reminder of who her people pray to. We need to remind her that it''s not the Holy Land that resides in the Gracia Kingdom. Rather, we allow them to exist around us."


    The Pope nodded in agreement. "And that is why I agree with you. We will lose all respect if a kingdom as weak as this can threaten us. Saint Seer, what''s the news?"


    Saint Seer, Cardinal Roman Vas Zenim, was the Pope''s Chief Spymaster. He was a trader''s son who joined the Church out of his heart. He used his father''s vastworks to make friends across the continent. This way, he ended up hearing gossip and news from everywhere. Eventually, he caught Pope''s eye and got re-educated.


    He was an unremarkable man from the looks, having ordinary thin facial and body features and white hair. This man would go unnoticed in a crowd unless he did something to gain attention. Even his robes looked normal, standard yellow-golden.


    "Holy Father, it appears Queen Rexina wishes to wage war with the Riveria Kingdom to get their rich fertile fields. She hopes to make it a short war to avoid our meddling and use the same fields as leverage to get our approval. Maybe we could prepare Riveria and weaken the Gracia Kingdom even more?" Saint Seer suggested.


    The Pope instantly objected to this n in a severe threatening tone, "Do not even think of that. Wars have already weakened our Sol Continent. Riveria is the breadbasket for us, and to allow it to face even a single day of battle is destructive. While we fight among ourselves, I believe that those filthy heathens are recuperating and growing stronger across the Blood Sea.


    "I do not know how long my brokered peace shallst, but when it breaks, I hope we can crush them and spread the warmth of Solis to those forsakennds. But for this, shortsighted rulers like Rexina are not wee. Lord Inquisitor and Saint Seer, idents do happen. Some random queen can get crippled. The world runs on uncertainty¡ªuse that."


    Gone was the cheerful and grandfatherly Pope that everyone was used to seeing. This was the true face of ultimate strength in this world. Kings or Queens, Princes or Princesses, if they make the Church''s n stall, all shall fall.


    He got up and looked in the eyes of his ministers to ensure there was nock of faith. "Sol is my home, for it, I will if I have to¡ªpurge!"


    "May the Holy Light Enlighten Us!" Saint Scepter chanted in a low voice and ended the meeting. He was the Shield of the Pope and ensured that none bothered him more than they should.


    When only the Pope and the Saint Scepter were left, the Pope asked, "So the Bard and the Sword turn out to be the best candidates? Just like the two of us back in the day, my friend. Ensure they get grouped. The bonds they form at this age shallst a lifetime. And to be the Pope, one''s strength is not enough."


    Saint Scepter saluted by crossing his arms on the chest before bowing and leaving silently. He rarely spoke, even during his days as the God''s Favored.


    ¡­


    The morning rays of the Solis hit thends and woke up all the true believers. With the first rays, the day starts with a small prayer and a bath. Then, the Church''s giant bells would ring as a reminder to all. Be it the Holy Land or some monastery.


    For Sylvester, today''s morning was not very pleasant as he felt sweaty and suffocating in his sleep. While Xavia cooked food, he tried to enjoy thest few minutes of his sleep.


    Slowly, his breathing became fast. He felt like he was drowning, and something was filling up his nose, not allowing the air to pass. His dreams, which were full of sunshine and happy scenes of him rowing a boat in a niceke in his past life, suddenly turned dark. The boat had a hole, theke water turned into blood, and the sun started spewing fire everywhere.


    "Ah!"


    He jumped up and was awake, his breath slowly calming down as he noticed the familiar room and the sunlight falling on him from the open window. But the culprit behind his condition was right there.


    "Chonky! I warned you not to sleep on my face. There is a limit to being clingy." He lifted the cat by his nape and looked in the eyes.


    Miraj yawned and slowly opened his eyes. Then the first thing he saw was Sylvester''s face, which instantly lightened up his mood.


    "Meow!" He quickly used his paws to hug Sylvester''s head and lick his forehead as if grooming his child.


    "..."


    Now Sylvester felt some pain in his old-young heart. Miraj was an extremely clingy cat, which made sense as he lived for 500 years in istion.


    His anger melted away, and he sighed. "Fine, stop licking my face now."


    He got off the bed and went out of his room. Thankfully, he and Xavia were given better housing now since Xavia was a full-fledged Bright Mother. It was still in a buildingplex, but now it had two bedrooms.


    The kitchen was the same as ever. But instead of firewood, magic fire stones were used. For drinking water, there were water stones. All elements had stones, and it was very convenient.


    But all this was only a luxury, as outside Holy Land, one would not find tall building structures unless it''s a city.


    "Max! What are these? Where did you get this much money?" Xavia stopped him on his way to the floor''s shared bathroom.


    "I won them in yesterday''s knight''s trainingpetition. I beat everyone easily, and Sir Baldfreak gave it to me." He revealed.


    Xavia appeared amazed that he won so much, not knowing he had also scammed a kid. "This is¡­ amazing, dear. I get paid five Gold Graces a month, and you made four! What do you n on doing with this?"


    "I will store it, buy somend, and build a house when I grow up." He proudly answered. After all, this was a dream every man should have. Also, when he gets stronger, he will want a ce to live, away from the Holy Land.


    Xavia nodded in agreement. Thend was a good investment. "Do you want me to keep it safe?"


    This put Sylvester in doubt. He wondered if he was ever going to see this money again. Was he getting scammed too? He narrowed his gaze and tried to judge if she was being truthful.


    She was smart enough to discern his doubts. Fakely acting as if offended, she put her hands on her waist and stared daggers with her blue eyes. "Sylvester Maximilian, do you think your mum is a liar?"


    "Last week, you said you would buy me honey. There is still no honey." He argued as his honor didn''t let him ept defeat so quickly.


    Xavia''s brows twitched. "T-That''s because¡­"<sub> </sub>


    "You forgot?"


    "Yes, I forgot." Her shoulders fell in defeat.


    Sylvester, in triumph, folded his arms and showed her his hand to get the money back. He had the best bank in the world, after all. Miraj''s endless belly could store a lot in there, much less money.


    However, as Xavia gave him the money, she was reminded of something. "Wait, I''m the mother. You''re trying to outsmart me again! Sylvester, you need to stop gulping down bottles of honey every month. It''s unhealthy."


    "Honey is healthy for the body. And one bottle a month is under the good limit." He debated.


    "It was a mistake to let you taste honey just a week after your birth. You''re addicted to it." She sighed. She had tried to get him to quit, but nothing worked. "Go and freshen up. I need to leave early today."


    Sylvester quickly ran off to the floor''s bathroom. Although he was the only male in the whole building, that didn''t restrict him from going to the bathroom. Yes, sometimes he would see some unspeakable things, but he was a kid, and everything slides.


    He also took Miraj to bathe him. It was his punishment for sleeping on his face.


    ¡­


    Half an hour before seven, he quickly ate breakfast and left for his second day at school. Today, he wished to mend his rtionship with Romel Riveria, as it was counterproductive to antagonize someone too much.


    The process of maniption is a slow and tedious one, after all.


    There was no crowd outside the School of Dawn as all students other than Sylvester lived in the dorms. He, too, was thinking about living there for a few nights every week to ensure he had the proper interaction with other dwellers.


    As he entered ssroom ''A-1'', he looked around and found Felix Sandwall sitting on the third row of the staircase-like seats. He walked up to thetter and sat beside him. "Good morning, Felix."


    "Good morning, grifter." Felix snarled.


    Sylvester knew he was messing around, so he went along. "Still salty about yesterday''s deal? Need a shoulder to cry on?"


    "Yeah yeah¡­ whatever. Look at that, your work of art."


    Sylvester looked in the direction and noticed Romel Riveria sitting at the rightmost corner of the first row. He was sandwiched between Louis Hermington and Griffin zekin.


    Romel had a few white cotton clothes wrapped around his head and jaw, signifying his injuries. But it confused Sylvester because Sir Baldfreak had said the staff would heal him in no time.


    Deciding to take care of thister, he noticed another boy, Markus Lionis, the flexible boy. "Markus,e here."


    He called the boy to sit beside him as he felt optimistic about him.


    "Felix, meet Markus. I beat him up yesterday." Sylvester introduced the new guy jokingly.


    Markus scoffed. "I didn''t know you used legs too. If I did, I would have won."


    "Keep dreaming." Sylvester proudly crossed his arms, sitting between the two.


    Bam!¡ªThe ss door opened with a loud noise, and an old man walked in, looking as if he was constipated. He had long white hair, a beard, and a long sharp nose. His face was full of wrinkles. His clothes looked like ordinary church robes too. He also had a long staff with a red crystal orb in his hand.


    He put his staff on the table and looked around with his sharp green eyes.


    "I am Bishop Norman Spring! I will be your Runes mentor and ensure you can fully utilize your magic. Can anyone tell me what the three types of runes are?"


    Sylvester raised his hand to answer as he had read some theory books in the past few years. "Support Runes, Engraving Runes, and Holy Runes. There is another one called Elder Ru-"


    "Deacon Sylvester Maximilian!" Bishop Norman boomed in his heavy old voice all of a sudden. "I did not allow you to speak yet! Only open your mouth after my permission, or else leave my ssroom. I will not tolerate any misbehavior in this ssroom. Being spurious does not give you the excuse to be unruly."


    "..."


    "Romel Riveria, you answer."


    ''Did he just call me a bastard?''


    Sylvester silently watched as Romel recited the same answer he gave. The cotton cloth strips on his face didn''t disrupt his speech. Not only that, he felt strange emotions from this mentor.


    ''I smell anger and hate from him. But I never even met him before¡­ and he''s so kind to Romel¡­''


    Having faced politics for years in his previous life''s profession, he had steered through various political messes. So the answer to his question quickly made itself clear to him.


    This unprovoked hostility was the exact reason why many kingdoms and empires fell to their destruction.


    ''Factionalism!''


    (Editor note: Spurious means illegitimate, fake, bogus.)


    ___________________


    I SHALL BE YOUR STONE WH***!


    **1001 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 28 28. Hymn Politics

    Sylvester noticed visible annoyance in Bishop Norman Spring''s mannerisms whenever thetter would look at him. The scent and the taste also helped in judging the situation. Then, from how he treated Romel, it became apparent that something was going on between him and Romel Riveria.


    For him, the only way to find out about this was to look for this Bishop''s background. Luckily, he had one loyal man in the Holy Land who could get him the necessary information. And if it became too much, he''d simply tell the Pope about this. He wasn''t creating these rtionships for no reason.


    In the rest of the ss, he stayed silent and studied the basic theory of runes. The subject turned out to be more about memorizing the various runes and being able to recreate them quickly instead of casting them.


    Because casting them was, in theory, the easiest part. The runes worked through the flow of Srium in a particr way. The Runes had anguage that one could learn if one wanted to, but memorizing the rune syntax was enough.


    To use them, one only needed to recreate them using their elements. Whichever element they were confident in, they could make it. But the hardest was air, and the easiest was fire, with water and earth falling in the mid-range.


    But maintaining a rune was a challenging task as the intensity of Srium mattered a lot, and it was not easy to regte. The hardest runes to make were semi-permanent like Engravings, while easier ones were used alongside their elements for support. Holy runes fell in the middle, however.


    ''I have such an extreme affinity with light elements. I should be able to create these runes anywhere I wish to use them, and my light magic already acts as a deterrent for dark creatures, so learning Holy Magic should be among my priorities.''


    ''So it''s like coding? A little mistake, and the whole code won''t work?'' Sylvester reckoned.


    Sadly, he couldn''t speak up, or the mad Bishop would simply shout that he disturbed him.


    He did feel like killing the man, and one day he might, but right now, he was way weaker than a Bishop or Archwizard Rank. But that didn''t mean he needed to deal with this mess.


    ''I should meet Sir Dolorem today.'' He decided to head out and find the man in the Inquisitor camp.


    The Inquisitors were scary folks to most. Even the clergymen felt on edge when meeting them. But Sylvester felt at home because they all respected him so much¡ªlike a god.


    "For today, your task is to go home and memorize the ice-spear summoning rune scheme. Tomorrow, I can ask any of you to draw it on the board. But don''t worry, I don''t expect you to be able to perform them yet.


    "ss is dismissed."


    Bishop Norman quickly left as if he didn''t just make a mortal enemy out of a very vengeful man.


    In his past life, Sylvester had spent decades searching for the mole thatpromised his location in the USSR, which resulted in his wife''s death. He searched and waited fifty years to kill the mole. So this was a wrong move by Norman by all means.


    "Sheesh¡ªhe hates you." Felix sighed. He was starting to feel that sitting with Sylvester was not the best decision he had made recently.


    "Yes, and a bit too nice to Romel," Markus added, ring at Romel with a narrowed gaze.


    ''I need to get the whole ss on my side before doing anything. No, not just ss. I need to get the rest of the faculty on my side. Luckily, the next ss is for religious studies. The one thing I''m best at is melting hearts with my sermon.''


    He made a clear n to start singing his new hymn as soon as the mentor entered. He reckoned that since the man will be teaching religion, he must be on a fanatic level and will respect the god''s bard.


    "Well, if he keeps this attitude, I will go directly to the Headmaster," Sylvester replied to the young guy beside him.


    Felix, who knew the world of aristocracy, shook his head. "I don''t know. He''s a Bishop and an Archwizard. People of his standing rarely get punished."


    "People of his standing rarely behave like him. I''m an orphan, lived my whole life in a chief monastery, and was trained by the Bishop there. He was the kindest being ever." Markus added.


    Sylvester sighed and rxed back. Miraj was whispering in his ears the whole time, saying. ''I want to eat that skull.'' He was undoubtedly protective of his beloved caretaker.


    "Sit down!"


    Suddenly, the door opened, and yet another oldie entered. This one had long white hair and beard spread apart, his face so wrinkled and old that it was shocking he was even alive. But at the same time, he had a smile that emitted positivity. He had a standard simple staff with a blue orb in one hand and a thick book in the other.


    Sylvester knew this was the next mentor. So he shut his eyes, raised his right hand, and started sending out light magic from his palm. The halo appeared behind his head in no time, basking Felix and Markus in warmth as they were close.


    ?I said to the Lord, I am your servant.


    Just a mere bard, my voice is fervent.


    May our peace be your ord.


    Hear me O'' Lord, Hear me O'' Lord.?


    Everyone''s eyes focused on his figure as slowly they realized that Sylvester, as the Lord''s Bard, was doing what was expected of him. The mentor entering stopped just a few steps inside the room, wide-eyed.


    ?Beggars us mortals are,


    Some have hearts ck as tar.


    A few sing your name but curse from afar.


    Even those grace with aligned stars.?


    ?I shall take the pain of this world.


    I shall take all curses hurled.


    I shall take the sorrow.


    But I will never stop singing,


    Even if my deathes tomorrow.?


    Thud!¡ªThe old religious teacher fell to his knees and raised his arms towards Sylvester as if praying to him. His eyes widened but now seemed hazy, as if emotions had taken over him. His lips silently moved, chanting some prayers or maybe repeating after Sylvester.


    ?Give them calm, these poor souls.


    Enlighten their way with your light.


    This world, you are the one who controls.<sub> </sub>


    Wrong or right, buried in depth or height.


    Forgive them for their slight.


    Bless their world too shines bright.?


    ?I shall never allow your name be marr''d.


    For all hardships, I stand prepared.


    If I waver, I shall face your sword.


    Here sings your bard.


    Hear me O'' Lord, Hear me O'' Lord.?


    Sylvester didn''t abruptly stop. Instead, he kept singing mentally to keep the halo behind his head. He wished to give everyone a moment to savor the scene of him appearing so godly. This would have asting effect on all young Deacons and their Mentor, just like how it had affected the Inquisitors.


    p! p!


    "So elegant! This is the most beautiful hymn my ears have been blessed with in my long life."


    This was not the mentor speaking. However, a new man walked into the room. He was also an old man with long white hair and a beard. But there was something different about him. First, his face appeared energetic and young, and he was wearing a bright red robe different from all others. His aura oozed confidence, wisdom, and sheer badassery.


    "Ah! Headmaster! You heard him as well?" The religious mentor stood up and moved out of the entryway.


    Sylvester opened his eyes and looked at the handsome old man. Then, he stood up to greet, making others follow his move.


    "Sit, everyone. I am your Headmaster, Cardinal Geralt Brightson. I was only making rounds and never expected to witness this. Deacon Sylvester Maximilian, your hymns are worth being recorded in history and repeated in every monastery worldwide."


    "Thank you, headmaster." Sylvester was happy because this was the best-case scenario.


    Suddenly the headmaster walked toward Sylvester while fiddling in his pockets. "I think this deserves a reward. Lord''s Bard should not feel his abilities aren''t appreciated."


    He took out a small red crystal and handed it to Sylvester. "That, my child, is a one-time token to meet me and ask me questions about your magic and learn from me. Use it whenever you are prepared or stuck somewhere. But remember, I only give ten of these every year, so use them wisely."


    With that, the headmaster left, having more important things to do around the school.


    The Religious mentor gave a bow to the headmaster and then turned towards the ss of still in shock young Deacons.


    "I will be your mentor for your Studies of Solis. I am Archbishop Noah, and you may call me Mentor or simply by name. Deacon Sylvester, you are fortunate. The headmaster is a step away from entering the rank of Grand Wizard. If you are lucky, you might get to learn vital knowledge." He politely said.


    Archbishop Noah had a strange way of speaking slowly in a jovial tone. The man truly loved his work, what it seemed. "And the rest of you must try harder to get the same token from the Headmaster. You are all candidates for God''s Favored. You have unique strengths that brought you here. Focus on them and impress everyone.


    "Now, let us begin for today. First, I shall teach you about the blessings of Solis, the way his holy light changed the world and made it bright¡­."


    Although Archbishop Noah had a very enthusiastic personality and his way of teaching was interesting, there was nothing worth discussing in his ss. Instead, they were being taught the way of Solis, the various preaching methods, the history, and various essential prayers.


    A few Deacons were holding their yawn the entire ss. Sylvester tried to keep a straight face and show sincerity. After all, as long as this man was happy with him, he could do a lot.


    Eventually, the ss came to an end. There were only two sses in one day, each going for three hours with an hour of break in between. There was no concept of Sunday, so the sses happened every day.


    Their subjects, for now, were elemental magic, incantation, runes, healing, astrology, Religious Studies, and Knight''s studies.


    The timetable was divided into three ways. First, three days of the week were for theory, the next two were for physical training, and thest two were for Knight''s studies and trading. The sses on theory days would end after two sses, but on the other days, they will run from seven in the morning to seven in the evening.


    Their life would only be busier as they grow and start taking one of their specializations.


    For now, they could rx. However, sadly, Sylvester could not. As soon as the ss was over, he set off for the nearby Inquisitor''s camp, which was on the outskirts of the Pope''s Penins. Because of the nomadic lifestyle that Inquisitors had, they never tried to live in luxury even when in the Holy Land, so their camp appeared to have walls made of wooden pirs, and past it was a tent-town.


    The moment he entered, one after another, each Inquisitor Knight fell to their knees and started praying to him, asking for a blessing. Some wanted it for their pregnant wife, and some wanted it for their sick children.


    He silently nodded and raised his right palm to shine some light magic on their bodies to make them feel warm and blessed. After all, these men were his first cult members.


    Eventually, he reached thergest tent in the middle and was stopped at the entrance. "I want to meet Sir Dolorem."


    "He''s busy meeting the Lord Inquisitor, God''s Favored. I will bring a seat for you to wait on." The Inquisitor Knight respectfully offered him.


    "Oh¡­ I willeter then." He decided to walk away. Ever since the Inquisitor High Lord threatened Xavia in his presence, he couldn''t bring himself to trust the man.


    "Wait!" a call came from inside the camp.


    Soon a knight in golden armor appeared. Sylvester remembered this was Hans, the right hand of Lord Inquisitor.


    "Inquisitor High Lord wishes to meet you. Pleasee inside."


    ___________________


    [A/N: NEXT CHAP COMING RIGHT UP!]


    I KNOW WE CAN DO IT!


    **500 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 29 [BONUS CHAPTER] 29. Need Some Light!

    Sylvester entered the spacious tent. He first noticed a square wooden table in the middle, where a few men were seated, some in armor and some in church robes. The Inquisitor High Lord took the most prominent seat at the end.


    "Sit, favored one. I''m pleased to hear about your feats at school. Your talent has made it clear that you shall punish the wicked one day. Be the peak powerhouse of the Holy Land and guide the church as one of its leaders, as one of its greatest preachers." Inquisitor High Lord spoke in his usual rhymes.


    "Thank you, Lord Inquisitor." He replied stoically and nced at the new face on the table. A man whose whole being screamed average. He''d have ignored the man if he were not so careful about his surroundings.


    Lord Inquisitor responded. "This is Cardinal Roman Vas Zenim, the Saint Seer of Holy Land. A member of the Pope''s Sanctum Council."


    ''Sort of a minister of a government then? Does he do divination?'' Sylvester wondered.


    "I''ve heard a lot about you, God''s Favored. The Holy Father talks about you often. He truly has high hopes for you." Saint Seer monotonously spoke.


    Sylvester noticed the man''s strange behavior. The way he looked at his facial details, the way he keeps himself calm. The way he sounds. Sylvester was sure of one thing in an instant.


    ''He''s a spy. He''s a bloody spy! I know it. I can feel it.'' Sylvester''s senses were tingling that this man was good the further away he was.


    "Thank you, Saint Seer. I will work hard and make him proud." He proudly replied, keeping his persona going. It became more important while being in front of a spy. "I-I wanted Sir Dolorem''s help with some training."


    "Of course, I assigned him as your aide, and he must serve you with his life, brain, and de. Sir Dolorem, go with young Sylvester. The meeting is over regardless." The Inquisitor High Lord gave permission.


    Sylvester didn''t spend a second extra there and moved out with Sir Dolorem. He didn''t speak about anything until he was outside the camp and nobody was around them.


    "What happened, Master Maximillian?"


    Sylvester led him to an empty garden and talked. "I need your help, Sir Dolorem. I want to know about my runes mentor, Bishop Norman Spring. He specifically targeted me in the ss today, shouted at me for no reason, and didn''t allow me to ask questions. He has a personal vendetta?"


    "I don''t know about most of the staff in the school. It was different during my time. Was he annoyed just by you?"


    "Yes, and surprisingly he was too kind to Romel Riveria."


    Sir Dolorem appeared as if something struck him. "That¡­ would exin things then. Master Maximillian, you can not understand theplexities of the political side of the Holy Land. Even I don''t, and I believe that this mentor is rted to the Riveria family or its branch. His name is Spring, and it does sound like someone from the Riveria Kingdom."


    "How can politics y in the Holy Land? Isn''t that inviting trouble? Religion should be free and from the heart. That''s what Solis desires." Sylvester asked, appearing worried for the faith.


    Sir Dolorem sighed. "That''s the ideal situation, but the reality is often disappointing. The Holy Father had to make many sacrifices to end the thousand-year war with the East. The world is still too weak due to the long war, and he probably wishes to take every step carefully not to start any internal war.


    "The truth is, the ordinary folks are loyal to the church, but the various royal families are not. They have their family or extended family members in the church in various positions. Often, these clergymen or holy soldiers are not as loyal to the faith as they should be. They are always trying to gain more influence in the church and somehow get benefits for their kingdoms.


    "I''m sure the Holy Father wishes nothing but tounch a crusade on these heathens. But¡­ we have bigger demons to fight."


    Sylvester silently sighed. He knew some politics would be involved, which didn''t surprise him. But he somehow found himself stuck in it now. "So even the Holy Father can''t do anything about this Bishop?"


    "Not unless he does something that''s considered too much. The Holy Father would be delighted to punish him and remove the heathens nted by these rich families. But without enough reason, he can not touch a man of Bishop rank. Not unless he''s ready to raze to ground the Riveria Kingdom, the continent''s bread basket." Sir Dolorem helplessly exined.


    He wanted to help Sylvester, however. Not only him, but the whole of the Inquisitor army wanted to help him, for they genuinely believed that he was the true God''s Favored because they had seen the miracles. Right now, it may not seem incredible, but when a month old sings a hymn, it changes one''s worldview.


    "I can find someone from the army to help you learn Runes. I can help you with the basics too." He offered.


    But Sylvester didn''t want that. To quit just because of a little hurdle was a shame to his pride and skills. A spy never quits. Instead, he improvises andpletes the mission. If Bishop Norman was such a thorn in the eye, maybe he could do something about him.


    ''He''s doing it because I beat Romel? This is not good. Romel will never learn his lesson and submit to me as long as the Bishop stays. Then there''s only one way to get rid of him¡­''


    "Thank you for your help, Sir Dolorem. But I believe I can handle this¡­ however, I may need your help with something else. I want you to teach me something."


    "Anything you wish, Master Maximillian." Sir Dolorem dutifully saluted.


    "Great, I just¡­"


    ¡­


    [A/N: Check Para Comment.]


    Goldstown, South of Holy Land.


    The air had suddenly turned cold. The various light stones flickered as if drained away of the blessed srium particles. The lingering faint whistling air turned into growls inside the deep cave.


    "O'' Solis, shine your warmth on this forsaken piece ofnd. For it has imed a dozen souls, let the darkness rest. I call for yo-"


    Boom!


    "I-It''sing! RUN!"<sub> </sub>


    The chanting became faster. "I call for your light to banish this creature of darkness. Save your children and your faithfuls. Go away! Heathen, I banish you with the powers stilled in¡ªArgh!"


    "I-It took away the Archpriest!"


    "L-Leave¡­ we can''t stop this thing. Seal the mine!"


    A team of clergymen and holy knights hastened their steps and ran out of thergest gold mine in the biggest county of Gracia Kingdom. An unknown creature of darkness had taken hold of Goldstown, killing one believer every week. Sometimes the victims were adults, and other times it would target the children.


    They tried to purify the mine that had sat closed for three months to banish the creature. The Archpriest was called, but everything seemed to have gone out of hand when even the Archpriest got dragged away by the dark shadow.


    As the men returned to the warmth of the open sky, they hastily put the giant stone at the opening of the mine. Then they drew the Church''s all-seeing-eye on it to ensure the creature stayed inside. Not that it ever worked, for the people keep disappearing in the town.


    Their faces were full of horror, some shaking in fear. They looked at each other, wondering where to even begin as they were out of all options.


    "P-Priest Desmond, you were the second inmand¡­ Now you are the Archpriest. What should we do?" A young Holy Knight asked in stutters.


    Priest Desmond tried to appear calm, but his eyes gave it all away as they moved rapidly. He was the closest to Archpriest inside the cave, and the thought that the creature could have taken him along left dread in his heart. He didn''t wish to stand on the ground, fearing he''d shiver and fall.


    "I-I don''t know. This ritual was supposed to be our best bet."


    "Let''s burn the mine!" The Knight suggested.


    Desmond quickly rejected it. "Don''t be foolish. Without this mine, the region will suffer. Goldstown is thergest producer of gold for the Gracia Kingdom. L-let''s inform Duke Gracia, let him go to Holy Land and request assistance. Let''s hope they can send someone strong in light magic."


    "I hope they send one of the Guardians of Light." the Knight muttered, but then the fear returned to his face. "W-What are we to do until then? How do we protect the town at night?"


    "I will go to nearby monasteries and ask for assistance. Then, we will start the undying fire in the middle of the vige and do a Seven-Light Ritual."


    "I hope it works¡­ I hope we can get the Archpriest''s body back¡­"


    Too tired, everyone sat silently after that, looking at the sky and recuperating.


    ¡­


    Sylvester''s school was good overall in theing few days, only the runes mentor was a pain in the back, but the rest were already his admirers. But before the mentors, he needed to get the Deacons in his camp as he will need their testimony once he''s done with Runes mentor, Bishop Norman.


    The best way to gain loyalty was to give them something they needed. Sylvester couldn''t give them his abilities, but he could teach them how to fight a bit. Simple theories about how to defend and move.


    "See this, with my stance. I can move my legs easily whenever I need to." Sylvester showed the group of weak, talented Deacons how to use a fighting stance. It was something they would rarely use in life but could be useful. However, each of them had something that brought them under attention and got them the tag of God''s Favored.


    Some were god-level singers, some were great artists and stone carvers, and some could run extremely fast, while a few had near-photographic memory. Each had something unique, but all fell short of his truly mythical ability.


    "How do you know all this?" asked Henry Rockwell, a Deacon of average talent.


    Sylvester proudly replied like a child. "I''ve been training since I was one. Did you know I used to y with the Holy Father?"


    "What?!"


    "You''re lying!"


    "Hmph, there is nothing for me to gain from it. I''ve been living here since I was four months old. I have seen the Holy Father many times, and if you know about him, you''d understand that he''s a kind person. He loves all of us as his children." Sylvester boasted as this was the easiest way to brainwash these kids into thinking that he was special.


    "Everyone!" Louis Hermington came running, annoying the ten boys sitting in the garden, enjoying lunchtime under the bright sunlight and talking with each other. Everyone hated Romel and his little group of elite Deacons.


    But Sylvester was trying to woo these misguided souls away from Romel, so he was kind. "What is it, Deacon Hermington?"


    "Ah, just call me Louis now, Sylvester. You helped me with my elements, so you''re my friend now. I just came to announce that Mentor Norman will be testing us in runes in the next ss."


    Sylvester didn''t feel right about this sudden test. They were not in some mandatory education system where one must excel. There was no grading system in the School of Dawn. As long as they knew the needed knowledge at the end of the year, they''d pass to the next.


    ''What is that maggot nning now?''


    ___________________


    LET''S DO IT!


    **500 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 30 30. Questionable Questions

    There is no terrible man than the one who inflicts harm not physically but mentally. For the physical harm could be healed, but the mind continues to decay¡ªslowly.


    That was exactly what Bishop Norman Spring had nned to do for Sylvester. He knew he could not physically hurt a God''s Favored, but breaking the spirit was a viable option as that would ensure that even the peak talents go to waste.


    When the ss began, he started the test. "I will name a rune, and you must perform the rune scheme I taught you this week. It must not only appear but work effectively. So first, let''s start with the runes to create magma. You all have your experiment trays. Work on it."


    Quickly, everyone moved their palms over the tray and started using their elements to create the runes. Of course, they all had been merely beginners, so this was a feat in itself.


    To Sylvester''s right, Felix used his fire element to create a little rune scheme. Markus used his water element to do the same. Sylvester, meanwhile, used his Light element to make the rune scheme. It appeared like a circle with various trigram patterns and rune letters.


    As intricately beautiful as it appeared, it was as hard to work with. The Srium needed to flow in a specific direction at a certain intensity. Failing to do so would destroy the rune, or worse, harm the caster.


    It was understandable that not everyone was proficient in all runes. But this one, Sylvester could do it.


    Woosh!¡ªA beautiful red rune circle appeared and dropped a block of magma, shining red and as hot as ever. Then, it quickly started to cool down and release smoke.


    "You need to work harder, Deacon Louis." Bishop Norman gently instructed those who could not use the rune correctly.


    ''He does not even try to hide the fact that he''s biased against me. That''s the amount of power he thinks he holds, and he''s sure that nobody can do anything to him.'' Sylvester red at the man who he so much wanted to strangle.


    "Done!" Felix eximed a few minutester. Markus could not do it, however. He needed more practice, something Sylvester was happy to help with.


    But that was forter as the Bishop ordered the next task. "Now use the rune schemes to create ice spears. Remember to do it carefully and not hurt yourself."


    Once again, Sylvester got right to it and made a rune scheme with the light. However, he had some troubles this time as he had never trained the water element much. The glowing blue rune would flicker a few times and get destroyed, sometimes only creating water and no ice.


    But he kept trying again and again until once he was lucky and made the spears. He looked at Bishop to show, but he noticed that the man quickly turned away after seeing him.


    Instead, he went to Romel to praise him because he could do it. "Marvelous, you have great talent in runes, Deacon Romel."


    But then he walked to Sylvester, knowing that the spears had melted. "So, where is yours?"


    Sylvester sighed and tried to make the ice spears once again. He had peak talent, but that was a possibility, not the current reality. Right now, he was merely better than most others in mental and physical abilities, but in magic, his starting point was the same as others.


    "You can''t? It seems simply singing some words will not take you far in life. You are supposed to have peak talent, yet you are behind Deacon Romel, Louis, and even Markus. Unruly, misbehaving, and now unschrly. You have failed every step that is required to be even a clergyman. It''s better if you simply quit and live among the peasantry. That''s what children with your status do."


    ''So he''s trying to break my spirit since I am the biggest thorn in Romel''s way. If I quit, then he wins this race, as I don''t think Felix is even in the race to be the Pope. This would be a good strategy if I were a normal kid. I would have been dejected¡­ but s.''


    Sylvester wasn''t going to take this man''s words just like that. He quickly retorted in a respectful voice. "Thank you for your helpful advice, Mentor. I don''t know what I would have done without your sage words. I reckon you too were a bastard like me and lived a peasant life once¡ªto know such intricate details. Respect for you, in my mind, has now increased many folds. Aren''t I right, my friends?"


    "Pfft¡­" Felix tried to hold hisughter as hard as he could, to the point his face reddened.


    Bishop Norman''s face was worth seeing as well. He was never expecting a retort like this from a child. In his mind, it wasn''t tough to bully a kid. But instead, he was made theughingstock while the other Deacons tried not tough.


    "After ss, in my chambers, Deacon Maximilian."


    Sylvester nodded. "Ah, you shall depart more bastardly advice to me? Thank you for this generosity."


    "..."


    Left speechless, Bishop Norman decided to move on to teaching and try to forget what just happened. But being an insecure man, every smiling face felt like they wereughing at him. It spoiled his temper and drove him mad.


    Eventually, the ss finished, and Bishop Norman left, not before reminding Sylvester to meet him.


    "Will you go there?" Felix asked.


    Sylvester shrugged. "Why not? He can''t hurt me. Everyone knows where I am going, and he will be the first suspect if something happens. But I need you to go and tell Sir Dolorem about my whereabouts. Tell him that he can bring the Inquisitors to search if he does not hear from me in an hour."


    "Don''t worry. I will do it!"


    Sylvester gathered his items, put them in a cloth bag, and headed to Bishop Norman''s chambers. The teachers of the school lived on the ninth floor in a separate space. But they also had public offices on the ground floor.


    After knocking, he entered the chambers. The room looked nearly empty, and there was only a table in the middle of the room, two chairs for visitors, and one at which the man sat. Then there was a single bookshelf.


    ''Is he like those obsessivepulsive disorder folks who like minimalistic things?''


    "Sit, Deacon Sylvester. I have much to talk to you about. But, first, tell me how your life has been at school? I heard you lived your childhood within the confines of these boundaries."<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester already felt the lies through the smell. The man had hatred in his heart and was only posing as someone nice. This raised questions. ''What does he want?''


    "That''s fine, Bishop. I am particrly enjoying your sses." Sylvester didn''t try to hide the contempt in his voice. It would be better if this man knew he was smart and shouldn''t be messed with.


    "I am delighted. But I feel sad to see a child living life like you, away from the fun little things. So I reckon I can help you, let''s say, get you 30,000... no 50,000 Gold Graces and a patch ofnd with arge mansion in a lush county of Riveria."


    ''Ah, ssic bribery to kill thepetition. Use poor vulnerabilities and exploit them. I would have epted if I had not known I have such high talent. And, even if I take the money and go, there is no guarantee I won''t be mugged and sold as a ve. I have no power.''


    "So much money? Where did you get that, Bishop? One day I want to be like you and make money. I never knew church pays so much. But sorry, I can''t quit right now. I want to be a good Inquisitorter.


    "Ah! I should go, Sir Dolorem and the Inquisitors will search the whole Holy Land for me otherwise. Inquisitor High Lord will scold me too for disappearing."


    As soon as Sylvester said the name of Inquisitor High Lord, Norman shuddered. "Yes, you may leave. This offer will always stand, however."


    ''But I can''t promise if you shall stay standing.'' Sylvester gave a weird smile and left silently.


    Just outside the school building, he found Sir Dolorem with a dozen Inquisitor Knights in armor, ready with torches and swords. ''W-What the¡­ they were going to burn the school for me?''


    This made him feel strange all of a sudden. ''Inquisitors are the nastiest folks¡­ but I love them so much.''


    "Sir Dolorem, everything is good. He was merely offering me a better deal, but I rejected it. Mother must be worrying about me. I will leave now."


    Sir Dolorem sighed in relief. "That''s good to hear, Master Maximillian. You can call us anytime you need. I''m sure the Knights of Inquisition will be ready."


    "We serve the Solis, and for Solis, we shall protect you with our lives." One of the knights saluted Sylvester.


    "Thank you. I will remember this help and give a new hymn to the Inquisition one day."


    This seemed to make them all happy and allowed him to leave. Sylvester ran to his home fast and arrived at the Bright Mother''splex. Now his home was on the 2nd floor, instead of the 4th.


    "Yes! That''s the way, Mother Loreen!"


    "This is it!"


    But as he was about to climb the stairs, he heard the muffled voices of many women. Alerted, he looked around for the source. "What was that?"


    "You don''t know?" Miraj jumped from his shoulder to the floor. "Follow me. I''ve seen it many times."


    Sylvester carefully followed Miraj to a room''s window on the ground floor. Most administrative offices were on this floor, so it didn''t make sense for anyone to be there at night.


    "Look from here," Miraj called him to a window and pointed at a small gap to look inside.


    Sylvester nced, "What is it, Chonk- Ah!"


    There was something that made him question his vision as he rubbed his eyes. His faith in humanity and religion was in doubt. All the rules, the solemn vows of the faith were¡­ shattered.


    "W-What¡­"


    Right there inside the dimly lit room was Great Mother Grace, the leader of Bright Mothers,pletely exposed with five other Bright Mothers, doing the unspeakable. They held each other like two scissors, caressing each other in various ces and making noises that should not being from that building.


    But he couldn''t bring himself to condemn it as it wasn''t a big deal for a 21st-century man. In fact, it was lovely to watch. The men and women in the church were deprived of their natural instincts¡­ so this was the result.


    He decided to leave and let the women be, only to stop when a horrendous thought appeared in his head.


    ''Wait!¡­ Is my mum also into¡­ this?''


    [Para Comment: Sylvester''s reaction basically.]


    ___________________


    GIVE ME YOUR HOLY STONES!


    **500 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 31 31. The Soul Tree

    What Sylvester saw left him amazed and confused amidst the intense smell of roses and sweat. He was not aroused, however. Being merely eight years of age, his little snakes were yet to activate. So, after eyeing the ''exercises'' for a few minutes, he silently left.


    ''These women will probably be burnt alive if the Church finds out.''


    He picked Miraj and climbed the stairs. "Since when have you known about this, Chonky?"


    "I forgot, but I watch them every week at dinner¡­ long before I adopted you," Miraj answered proudly.


    ''It''s crazy how even the Great Mother is into this¡­ isn''t she supposed to be a hero from the great war? I hope this cult isn''t too widespread, or else if Xavia is into this, then it''d be a looming danger to my life too.''


    To him, his own safety was the most important. He had a soft spot for Xavia, but if she knowingly threatened their lives, he''d have to go away from her. But first, he needed to verify if she was into this or was he worrying for nothing.


    "I''m home, mum."


    He could hear the sound of Xavia cooking from the cooking area. The aroma of marinated meat cooking in the pan was mouth-watering. This was one of the things he cherished while living with Xavia. Whenever he was with her, it truly felt like home.


    "Come here and help me cook. I will add some honey to the dish, and you watch the bread." She called him quickly.


    Being a man who knew how to live alone for years, he tried to help Xavia cook and even suggested ways to enhance some dishes. In the end, he found himself helping her every day. Also, in the name of helping, he got to feed Miraj secretly.


    "Mum, who is my father?" He asked abruptly and kept a close eye on her expressions.


    Xavia''s bodynguage revealed that she became tense instantly and avoided looking at him. Finally, she forced herself to smile. "Dear, you''ve asked me this so many times. I do not want to talk about it¡­ it brings back some extremely unpleasant memories. That''s a chapter of my life better forgotten."


    ''Hmm, she''s not lying.''


    "Do you not feel like finding a new friend?" He asked innocently, not directly calling it a lover.


    Xavia chuckled. "Why would I do that? You''re my life, and I don''t need anyone else. I''m also wholly devoted to Solis now."


    ''Okay, thatst part was a lie.''


    "Don''t worry. I will take care of you, mum. Ah¡­ add more honey, please." He pointed at the pan quickly.


    Xaviaughed heartily and did as her son wished. He was her world, her will to live. She had many secrets, but she hoped they would nevere to haunt them so they could live in peace.


    But life was going to be anything but ordinary. Sylvester knew this as he slowly came face to face with the political nature of the Church and how his own status of God''s Favored was not weed by all.


    Bishop Norman was just the beginning. There will be many more people who will want him dead or gone. And to ovee such people, he needed to grow stronger.


    "Mum, teach me healing after eating?" He asked nicely. He was trying to build his second set of skills that could help him in an emergency. For example, he kept his other elements a secret, but the problem was that it was hard to train. He knew about Wind and Fire, but Water and Earth were hard to learn.


    "Sure, dear. Anything for my little Max. Now help me set the dinner table."


    The mother and son¡­ and the cat enjoyed the fine dinner merrily. For now, Sylvester had a feeling that his mother had nothing to do with what he saw downstairs.


    ''Maybe one day I can use what I saw against the Great Mother.''


    For a spy, one''s downfall was another man''s good luck. All his life, he had learned to use the intel at the best moment.


    So now he just had to wait for the right moment.


    ¡­


    As usual, the sses went normal for Sylvester. His friendship with Felix and Markus increased day by day, and he even made new friends. One of them was Gabriel Maxwell, a boy Sylvester felt highly sympathetic to due to the former''s past as a ve.


    Gabriel was homeless and had no parents. So he sold himself to feed his younger two siblings, but thankfully the local monastery found out about him, and they discovered his great talents of minor light and extreme earth magic. Even his talents were Master Wizard and Diamond Knight, which were excellent.


    Gabriel only wished to be a clergyman and return home to live with his family and do his holy duties. So he was always serious about studying, to the point that he helped Sylvester, Felix, and Markus focus better.


    "Nobody is allowed to see the Soul Tree without the permission of Sanctum Council. We are the luckiest beings in all of the world." Gabriel chirped in worship as he walked beside his three friends.


    Today, the whole ss was heading to a unique secure location in the Holy Land. It was situated in a different penins of the Holy Land, called Soul Site. It had a giant tree that one could see miles away onnd or sea.


    The trip was organized by the Mentor of Religious Studies, Archbishop Noah. The aim was to learn about Solis in-depth because the tree was associated with Solis.


    The journey was short, done by a sailing ship from Pope''s penins. This was the first time Sylvester had seen and traveled on board a vessel since his rebirth. It was his habit to specte on the world''s technology.


    The ships seemed ordinary to him, the only new thing being ck canons with rune engravings on them. They were supposed to be magic cannons that shot concentrated bombardment. These were used against ships of pirates and Eastern heathens.<sub> </sub>


    Then when they docked at the small port, they all saw the tree from up close. Sylvester''s jaw fell as he had never seen something this majestic before. The tree was above three hundred meters, and its trunk appeared like an enormous skyscraper.


    Its various branches were full of lush green giant leaves, each leaf as big as a man. It also had watermelon-sized flowers, and some of its branches were covered in golden mist and fireflies.


    "This is breathtaking," Sylvester muttered in awe of the beauty. The air surrounding the tree felt much fresher as well. Miraj also jumped off and ran to the tree to y on it. He was excited since he was getting to see the world again.


    "Indeed, Deacon Sylvester." Archbishop Noahmented as he, too, looked at the tree with worship. "Follow me. We shall finish today''s ss in thep of the Soul Tree."


    The penins was empty for the most part, as only the Holy Knights were staffing the location. Other than that, some priests were present to do the daily prayers.


    They crossed the fortification walls and arrived at the roots. They were massive and dug into the dirt as if giant ws. There was no manmade structure near the tree, however.


    "Sit on the soft grass and listen to me carefully about this beautiful, magical tree." Archbishop Noah instructed them in a soft voice. "Look at the tree and bask in its warmth, for it is one of the only two such trees in the world. The other one is in the middle of War Ind."


    Markus raised his head and asked quickly. "Mentor, why is that ce called War Ind?"


    The old man''s face fell with sadness appearing. "That¡­ is an unfortunate case, young Deacon. The Soul tree is, unfortunately, also the reason behind the name. There are four kingdoms on War Ind, and all of them have equally divided the ind into four parts except the middle. The middle part is under Church upation by majority consensus.


    "But the four kingdoms are greedy and wish for the Soul Tree to bless only theirnds. For this, they are ready to make war¡ªwhich they do. From the time of recorded history, they have been at war."


    Sylvester raised his hand and asked a question. "Mentor, why did the Thousand-year war start?"


    There was only mention of this war, and how bad the East was in all the books Sylvester read in the past few years. He reckoned the reason was unpleasant, which was why the higher-ups kept it a secret. But now, as he was supposed to be a Clergyman, he felt he was eligible to know.


    "That too has a tragic story behind it, Deacon Sylvester. But, to respect the life of Pope Jarl Desmond, the Saint, we do not talk about it a lot and only keep what happened to him in our hearts.


    "In the year of Solis 3944, the Thousand-year war, sometimes called War of Two Worlds, began with the assassination of the Pope in the heathen continent while he was on missionary work to promote religion. It was the turning point in our history, as the Church also had to take up the martial role."


    Sylvester didn''t feel any strange emotions from the man that showed he was lying. But he found it hard to believe that someone removed the name from history out of respect.


    Archbishop Noah continued teaching the main topic next. "Young favored ones, this tree''sp is where the first Pope found internal peace. This is where he started his journey to travel the world and find answers about the reason for his existence.


    "That eventually led to the formation of the Church of Solis, right here around the Soul Tree. It is believed that Soul Trees grow in and where the intensity of Srium is at most, and the rays from the Solis fall the highest.


    "This is the most blessednd in the Holy Land. As God''s Favored, I want all of you to meditate under this warmth and try to ask questions in mind. Who knows, one of you might have the same mysterious experience that the first Pope, Luther Vas Hermington, had. Remember, meditate sincerely, for this may be the first andst time you get to be this close to the Soul Tree.


    "May the warmth of Soul Tree help you understand your destiny."


    Archbishop Noah also sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes to meditate. He seemed dead, however, as the old wrinkled face didn''t help.


    Sylvester wholeheartedly nced at the glowing branches of the trees and etched its beautiful image in mind. Then he closed his eyes to meditate¡ªto ask questions. All he had to do was clear his mind of all thoughts and take long, refreshing breaths.


    It was easy to do, but once his mind emptied and went into a trance-like state, a face surfaced in his mind. It was blurry but appeared to belong to a little newborn child. Some voices were there, too, but they were muffled to the point they were not understandable.


    p Slowly, the face became clear, as if he was waking up from sleep.</anda>


    ''Who are you?'' he wondered, remembering the day he was born to Xavia. It was only him, the midwife, and Xavia, so this was not his memory. While in this scene, there were too many people and voices, and everything was brightly lit.


    Sylvester felt he could touch the child if he willed, so he instinctively tried to raise his hand. But no change appeared in the scene except the baby''s face bing clear.


    Pat!¡ªHe touched it finally. However, the next instant, his heart fired up as the child''s red eyes shot open, looking directly at him. The gaze was piercing enough that Sylvester felt goosebumps on his body.


    Creeped out by it, he hastily stopped meditation and opened his eyes, only to realize his body was drenched in sweat, his breathing was fast, the Soul tree was shining too bright in gold, he was alone, and¡ªit was already dusk!


    "Cough!¡ªA vision, I presume, Deacon Sylvester?"


    [A/N: Check the parament for the tree.]


    ___________________


    I WILL SAFE KEEP YOUR STONES!


    **500 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 32 32. Old Mans Wisdom

    ''How long was I here?'' He looked around in confusion, not knowing how it was suddenly nightfall.


    But Archbishop Noah was there, sitting not too far behind him. The old man had a kind, grandfatherly smile on his face. "It''s midnight. Others have gone back to Pope''s Penins. Worry not, I have informed your mother."


    p Sylvester nodded and looked around. The Soul Tree had spellbound him as it showed its true elegance at night. The golden mist that looked like chemicals in the day was now shining due to the many fireflies.</anda>


    As he returned to hisplete senses, he perceived weight on hisp. Looking down, he found Miraj sleeping on hisp, tucked into a small furball, possibly frightened by his prolonged frozen state. He caressed the furry boy to give reassurance.


    "I saw a vision, mentor. Is thatmon under the warmth of the Soul Tree?" he asked.


    The Archbishop moved to sit closer to Sylvester. "No. In fact, you are the only person in thest hundred years to have gone through this experience."


    "Who was thest one?"


    "Oh, he''s a man of greatness, the First Sword of Light, Niel Gray, a Grand Wizard. Ah! You may not understand this way. Just know that Inquisitor High Lord, Crimson Fire, is the third sword of light."


    ''Great, another overly strong being I need to be careful of.''


    He wondered if he should ask this old man about his vision. Was it worth telling him? Could he trust him even a little? The old man did look kind, but again, the Pope looked like a cool old grandpa too, but he turned out to be the opposite.


    "Do these visions mean anything?" He asked.


    The Archbishop took a long breath and looked at the sky. It was dark with shining stars and two moons. "Isn''t it strange? The night sky looks so beautiful, yet it makes us weak. This Soul Tree is one of the only two things in the world that emit Srium even at night after it absorbs them during the day.


    "In a way, this Soul Tree makes us all stronger and gives us warmth. It is like a beacon of light against the dark unruly sea. So when it shows you something, I believe it does mean something. But visions can be unreliable, for we never know if they showed you tomorrow or just the moment before your demise. So heed my advice, Deacon Sylvester. Engrave this vision in your mind and forget about it, for when fate wills, it fulfills."


    "Do you not want to know what it was?" Sylvester asked with genuine interest. He knew he''d want to know if he was the old man.


    But Archbishop Noahughed heartily, his big beard fluttering with each breath. "Haha, I do, but will that change the fate? I am nothing but a servant of Solis, and my vocation is to guide young souls like you to his embrace.


    "I''m merely an Archwizard, young one. I am in thest stretch of life, and believe it or not, one learns to ignore all temptations at this phase. Your vision is yours, and your destiny is yours. But if you ever need my guidance, I will always be here¡ªfor however long I live."


    ''What''s this new taste? What does it mean? Calmness? Freshness?'' Sylvester questioned himself as a new feeling hit his senses. The smell of Lavender and the feeling of freshness of mint on his tongue and nose were something he had never faced before.


    The only respite was that Sylvester had noticed all negative emotions had some unpleasant or attention-grabbing feelings. In contrast, all the positive ones felt fresh and pleasant. This one was too pleasant.


    He looked at the old man''s face, wondering if he could ask a question he wanted an answer to. But he pondered if he would lose respect for it.


    "You appear to have something to ask, child. Worry not. Ask as long as it''s rted to the faith."


    Sylvester carefully worded his question. "Mentor, what is faith''s official stance on sub-humans?"


    "Ah, it''s about what you witnessed in Pitfall Town?"


    Archbishop noticed the amazement on Sylvester''s face. "No need to be shocked. I learn about all my students before I start teaching. Now,ing back to your question, the faith only believes in erasing heathen activities, not the heathens themselves.


    "What those Inquisitor Knights did to her was against what we stand for, for we believe that even the heathens live under the same light of Solis as we do. To end them is our duty, to punish them is the lord''s duty. If I, Lord Inquisitor, or the Pope were there, we would have killed those Inquisitors immediately¡ªand they did die at the hands of Shadow Knight."


    Sylvester nodded as he felt at peace with that answer. What those knights did to the elf woman was the same as war crimes this meant.


    "Why do they not ept the faith of Solis?" He inquired.


    There was no definite answer at the Archbishop''s disposal. "No one knows. Pope Jarl Desmond tried, and someone assassinated him for it. Maybe it''s because they have their own gods as ancient as ours¡­ perhaps not as powerful. Now, it''s impossible that they will ept unless we defeat them and totally subjugate them. The scars of the long war are not easy to heal."


    Sylvester agreed with that notion. ''Just like the USSR and USA in my world. Even after the end of the Cold War, the hostilities never ceased.''


    The Archbishop continued. "I was once a young wizard for the Holy Army who fought against them. I had a wife and two children in a beautiful vige on the coast. But then they attacked and burnt the vige to the ground. By the time I got there, everything had turned into ashes.


    "I lost everything instantly, and I was full of hatred. That was until I was among the knights responsible for raiding and burning their coastal vige. I vividly remember that in that vige of Beastkins, we ughtered them all, whether male, female, or children.


    "I was shocked and confused about which side was right. Then I went on the pilgrimage to search for answers and went to the viges where each Pope was born. Slowly, I learned and understood; with time, I calmed down, and now I teach you."


    ''Of course, everyone has a story in this world, often a sorrowful one. Can''t expect much good when the whole continent suffered a thousand-year war.'' Sylvester reckoned.


    "Did you¡­ find answers?"


    The old manughed. "Hahaha, that''s the thing, I still have not, and that''s why I agreed to teach your ss. I, too, hope to get some answers¡ªGod''s Favored."


    ''What?!''


    Sylvester looked up at the man''s wrinkly face in confusion. This time the ''god''s favored'' didn''t sound plural. There was too much confidence in his voice.


    "I believe you." Archbishop Noah blurted. "You are the one true God''s Favored."


    "..."<sub> </sub>


    It left Sylvester speechless. He didn''t see something like thising from a man of high esteem like this one. "Why?"


    "Because I read about your life. No other Deacones close to as many holy feats as you have shown. Your hymns, the abundance of light, your intelligence, and now your deep reasoning. These are the signs I cannot ignore, for this is what I was looking for.


    "But I must remain impartial as your mentor until only you remain among your peers¡ªlest foul things some malicious ears may hear."


    Sylvester sensed no lies from the man. In fact, there was even a hint of worship. That was enough to assume that Archbishop Noah truly believed the idea.


    ''He''s so rational despite supposedly being the most religious person among the crowds of the church. Or maybe it''s his old age speaking.''


    "Let''s head back. You can sleep with your friends in the dorm tonight." The Archbishop stood up and guided him away from the tree. Sylvester looked back at the tree, wondering if the visions would exin themselves if he meditated more under it.


    But he was too low-ranked toe close to the tree anytime soon. ''Let''s hope that dream was not about me being reborn somewhere again.''


    ¡­


    Arriving at the School of Dawn, Sylvester decided to reside in the dormitory with the other students for the first time. But he waste, and most had gone to sleep, except for his three friends.


    They were waiting for him at themon dining hall. This was the only ce where all Deacons of the first year sat together, be it from the Favored one''s ssroom or the normal ones. This was because there was no sunlight at dinner hours.


    "I thought you''d be fast asleep."


    Felix scoffed. "And I thought you died under that tree, can''t say it''s a pleasure to make your acquaintance again, swindler."


    "That''s not a kind thing to say, Felix." Gabriel, the kind religious boy, scolded.


    This was a simple banter between Sylvester and Felix, as their friendship was the strongest among the four. Sylvester also kept the persona of being mindless goofy with the boy as it rhymed with thetter''s personality the best.


    Also, being undercover was all about matching the mental wavelength of the surrounding. So if he acted like an adult with them, he''d onlye out as an edgy loner boy.


    "I''m hungry, don''t tell me you didn''t keep some food for your friend." He asked, not ignoring the whisper of Miraj in his ear.


    "It''s in the room. Come with us." Markus guided along.


    The four walked the ground floor corridors and soon arrived in arge dorm room. It had three beds and tables along with cupboards on the walls. There were also two windows, making it big enough to be called a hall.


    "So this is what the dorms look like. I can''t say I''m not blessed to have my own home to live in." Hemented to make them feel jealous.


    Felix didn''t like that. "Markus, I feel hungry again for some reason. What do you say if we eat a little more?"


    "Indeed, I feel hungry too."


    Silvester noticed the metal box on the table and rushed to pick it up before them. "For a child to remain hungry in God''s home is a sin, boys. So step aside and let me feed."


    He opened the box and found a chicken stew and some bread loaves on the side. Then, with the convenient magic, he used elemental fire magic to heat the food while turning the conversation a little serious.


    "I reckon some hearts were burning with jealousy once I sat down. Did anything happen¡­ especially in Bishop Norman''s ss?"


    Markus tiredly took a seat. He liked thepany of Sylvester but sometimes felt he was sitting on andmine. He didn''t wish to fail in runes ss. "Not much, but he was annoyed that you skipped a ss, despite knowing why it happened. Romel was really jealous of you as well."


    Felix barked at that. "Bloody heathen, even I was jealous of you. You had that bright halo behind your head the whole time. We all sat around you and waited for you to wake up, but you never did. So Archbishop Noah had to call guards to protect you from disturbance as we were brought back here."


    "Language, Felix," Gabriel warned him.


    Sylvester sighed and started eating while strategically feeding Miraj when the focus was on someone else talking.


    "Why is Bishop Norman so against you? Do you know him?" Gabriel asked.


    "No, but the reason is simple. Bishop is from the extended family of the Riveria royal family. Connect the dots, then. Also, I am supposed to be the best candidate in the ss, even you too, Felix. Bishop Norman probably despises you too.


    "So be careful now and focus on our studies. The yearly review for our ss is about to happen. You know what will befall those who fail¡ªelimination!"


    ___________________


    LEMME KISS YOUR STONES GOODNIGHT!


    **1069 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    TARGET REACHED! NEW CHAP IS COMING SOON!


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 33 [BONUS CHAP] 33. Tough Exam

    Goldstown.


    "The people of Goldstown wee Bishop Archon and hope his powerful might erases the evil from our town." The Chief of the town, Marigold Roger, greeted a special envoy from the Holy Land in the hopes that their town would finally be able to generate money again.


    The crowd then moved to the cave entrance with much grandeur. For the crowd, a Bishop was equivalent to a viscount or count rank, so there was a lot of weight behind him.


    The Bishop giddily ordered that the stone sealing the cave be moved so he could get inside with his two assistant Archpriests. Then, since they had no idea what they were going against, they prepared the Holy Book, weapons, the Srium crystals, and fire torches that they could magically ignite.


    "Keep chanting the hymns and use the Srium crystals to purify the cave. I will keep an eye out for the creature." Bishop Archon ordered. He was a burly tall, middle-aged man, and now, the smile on his face had disappeared. He looked more like a Knight than a wizard clergyman.


    They didn''t allow anyone else to enter to not be held back due to a weak link.


    Inside the cave, it was mostly pitch ck and cold. Underground water also made everything humid since a Gold River tributary flowed not far away. The sound of water dropping here and there, mixed with the air brushing past the minor airways, was haunting enough for the faint of hearts.


    "Stay close," Bishop ordered and kept chanting.


    "The creature from the other side, you belong not here. Leave or perish! Leave!..."


    They kept moving deeper into the cave, to the part where thest attack took ce many months ago. The Church waste to react, but after many requests from Duke Gracia, they sent this new team.


    Crunch!¡ªThe Bishop felt like he stepped on something fragile. Then, aiming the torch down to look, he noticed something awful.


    "T-This is the Archpriest''s¡­ skeleton? Why is there no skull?" Bishop recognized the ornaments on the clothes over the bones.


    Knock!¡ªOut of nowhere, a rock hit the cave walls, creating an echo. The sound was odd because it seemed like the stone hit the wall with force.


    Knock!


    Another knock came, followed by another one. Slowly they increased to the point where they fell like raindrops.


    Grrr¡­!


    Then came the sound of something, possibly a pickaxe, being dragged on the surface. It wasing from the curve ahead of the three, and the intensity of the sound kept increasing. It felt ominous, so they started chanting faster.


    "Creature of darkness, you shall not touch us, for we are protected by the graceful light. We banish you, we order you to persi¡­ W-What¡­ what happened to the sound?" Bishop Archon asked his assistants.


    The sound of stones colliding and metal dragging had abruptly stopped.


    In fact, there was more silence now, and the air became chilly. They could not look further than a few meters either as mysterious mist developed around them, turning the already dark cave into a terrible threat.


    "Stay close!"


    Tip!¡ªA drop of water fell on Bishop''s shoulder.


    "What''s this?" He touched it and felt it was too sticky for water.


    The three hastily looked up at the same time while lifting their torches. Only a faint light could reach the high ceiling, but they noticed something up there, something moving as if crawling on the ceiling. It was as dark as night and at least as big as a bull.


    "Cast your magic o¡­."


    Bishop stopped mid-speech when suddenly the thing''s head turned around, and a scalp-tingling face presented itself. There was a big salivating smile, ear to ear, on the creature''s dark face. It widened until the three could see manyyers of teeth in its throat.


    Woosh!¡ªIt jumped in a flicker andnded on one of the Archpriest''s backs. It screeched like a banshee with a low-pitched voice and chomped off the man''s head with its massive jaws. The blood sprayed like a fountain everywhere, drenching the Bishop and the remaining Archpriest.


    "What abomination is this? Use all your strength!" Bishop Archonmanded.


    Both used fire magic and amplified it with runes and incantation to hit a concentrated stream of fire waves. It soon connected and made the creature cry in pain¡­ or so they thought. As it screeched in mere annoyance, it started to make way towards the Bishop, albeit slowly. Its creepy grin was still dripping blood. The Bishop''s move was hurting it, but not enough to bother it.


    The Bishop knew what wasing next. He knew his limits and that this intelligence about the creature could be crucial. With a frustrated expression, he looked at the Archpriest. "Go! Run away and inform the Church! A creature viler than any has taken hold so close to the Holy Land.


    "Go! I can hold it off a little, but we both can''t defeat it."


    The Archpriest hesitated only for a second to follow the order. His eyes filled with helpless tears as he heard the grunts at the back, as the Bishop knowingly fought a losing battle with a creature so vile.


    The Archpriest sometimes stumbled and nearly fell on his way back. He ran as fast as he could, not knowing how long Bishop Archon could hold on. The noise of the attacks had already started to subside.


    Grrr¡­!


    The noise soonpletely died out, and yet again, the sound of metal being dragged came, following the Archpriest.


    He looked back for a split second and noticed a faint dark figure jumping from walls to ceiling and ground while following him, gaining distance.


    The man hurried as much as possible as the exit was in sight already. "Close the Cave! Close the Cave!..."


    He kept shouting to give the people a hint. Only after his fifth shout did those outside start reacting.<sub> </sub>


    "Close it!"


    The Archpriest reached the end in the nick of time and jumped out from a small gap. Then the gate closed with a loud thud as if something collided with the stone from inside. The force was strong enough to shake thends.


    He fell face-first on the grass and stayed there for the next few minutes. His clothes were bloody, but his heavy breath made it clear he was alive.


    Just then, the previous Archbishop that survived months ago came forward. "W-What happened? Where are the rest?"


    "D-Dead! Eaten by that thing¡­ whatever it is. Bishop tried to hold it off and allowed me to escape to bring the world outside so more inexperienced men wouldn''t go inside. I-It''s demonic! I must tell the Church. This cannot be allowed to exist¡­ we need the Pope."


    "No, we need light!" the older Archpriest added.


    ¡­


    At the School of Dawn, the final yearly assessment was to take ce. For this, all the Deacons were studying hard.


    But Sylvester had hypothesized something to his friends, that their assessment would be different from the rest of the school because of the weight behind the tag ''God''s Favored''. The school will try to test them in all ways possible and sort them out. They will be ruthless and won''t care if, by the end, none survive. That would only mean there was no God''s Favored.


    Felix agreed with him. "I think so too. They said today it will be our written exam, but for some reason, the Physical examination is nned to span fifteen days."


    So the four made their way to the ssroom and noticed there were multiple mentors present, from Archpriest Edmund to Sir Baldreak, Archbishop Noah, Mother Meredith, and Bishop Norman.


    Archpriest Edmund, being the main coordinator, gave the instructions. "Each of you, today you can''t sit together. So move and take one bench each."


    Sylvester stayed seated, and his friends moved to different seats around him as instructed. He looked around to feel the atmosphere, and all he could sense was fear. Many were nervous about the exam, including Romel Riveria, who had a golden spoon up his mouth.


    "Good, now we shall conduct your written examination to see if you remember what we taught you. We will give each subject one hour, each of them containing five questions. All of you shall have different questions that we will give you personally.


    "Any subject mentor can give you questions for any segment of examination. This means everything will be random, and this shall truly be your test. After this examination will be your practical examination which will be conducted in two phases.


    "In phase one, you will be tested by each mentor in their subject. In phase two, each of you will leave Holy Land with three guardians or aides if you have any. Your task will be to help those in distress and spread the name of the Church. Therefore, you will be evaluated not by us this time but by those who will apany you."


    "Archpriest, what if someone fails?" the weakest boy in the ss, Willis Leroy, asked. He was considered a candidate only because he had the unique ability to breathe fire. But in magic talent, he was the lowest with only Adept Wizard and Golden Knight. Byparison, Sylvester was already an Adept.


    Archpriest smiled wryly, as he didn''t want to dishearten the child. "If you fail, we shall move you to the regr ssroom because even if not God''s Favored, you are valuable as a clergyman.


    "Now, let''s start the examination. We have decided to start with the Runes first. Bishop Norman, please provide your instructions so we may proceed."


    Sylvester eyed as the most hated man to him locked eyes with him. ''Alright, pal, what do you have? What mess do you want to create in your numbered days?''


    Bishop Norman strictly instructed. "Anyone who gets more than two answers out of five wrong will fail my ss and year. Of course, I expect all the God''s Favored to know all the answers, but we can''t be that strict with children. Good luck."


    With that, Bishop Norman moved straight in line towards Sylvester while other mentors took different columns. He first gave five questions to those ahead of him.


    When he reached Sylvester, the taste of bitterness was as clear as day. ''He hates me so much.''


    Bishop Norman smirked evilly, making it clear that he wished to fail him. "Write down the questions on your paper."


    1. What is the theory of Bnced-Exchange?


    2. Who discovered Runes first and how?


    3. What is the process of making ovepping duel Runes? How is it used?


    4. Describe the process of casting Elder Runes.


    5. How do Runes overpower incantation?


    ''Is he allowed to ask such vague questions? There is no undisputed recognized creator of runes. And Elder Runes? They aren''t even in the school''s curriculum.'' Sylvester was confused about what to do.


    However, when he looked behind, he noticed Felix''s tense expression. He had just received the questions, and they were likely simrly bad.


    ''May Solis save thisd.''


    [A/N: I know, this Bishop Norman is frustrating. He''s meant to be. This way, the revenge is sweeter.]


    ___________________


    MONKEY SHALL BRING THE NEXT CHAP IN 30 MINUTES!


    **1069 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 34 34. Team Work

    He had only one hour to answer these five questions. So, using a simple strategy, he decided to write answers to the questions he was the surest of. For example, the Theory of Bnced Exchange was nothing but the simplews on which the runes worked.


    The caster of the runes must understand the need to keep the flow of Srium in proportion to the size of the rune they were making. If there was any mismatch, then the rune would break.


    Sylvester knew that Bishop Norman would not give him an easy question, and there must be something that the man would use to dismiss his answer as incorrect. So Sylvester wrote everything he knew in detail, including everything he had learned from his observations.


    For example, he had noticed that if one''s elemental magic is too strong, they need to be careful because they have a higher chance of their rune breaking up due to overload.


    Then he moved to the following question. It was extremely tricky because the discovery of Runes was never documented, and a dozen great wizards in history tried to take credit for it. So the only answer to this question was to write about all the wizards who imed.


    But instead of writing long paragraphs, he simply made a long table, divided them into name-based parts, and then wrote about each im. This question was there to waste his time, from what he guessed. He didn''t allow that to happen.


    ''Now what is this Duel Runes casting? I''ve never read about it.'' He wondered, believing it was likely something from the upper sses.


    ''Is he allowed to give me questions outside of the sybus?''


    He wrote whatever he coulde up with. He reckoned he''d have dealt with the man by the time the results get announced and mustn''t let him create unnecessary trouble.


    This way, he answered all questions except one. Then, when he only had 5 minutes left, he worked on thest question that wasn''t just out of the Sybus but the whole history. There was no subject called Elder Runes because it was a lost knowledge.


    So it was apparent that Sylvester didn''t know about it other than its name. So, in the end, he just wrote a little hymn to address the great mentor.


    ?O'' Great Mentor of Runes,


    Solis has blessed your brain.


    For even lost arts you have gained.?


    ?Bestow upon us this knowledge,


    Before you die of old age.?


    ?Let the faith be grateful to your deeds,


    You must nt this forbidden knowledge''s seeds.


    For minds like yours are born once in centuries,


    Most others die as retards in unsolved mysteries.?


    ?I hope you are not like those retards.


    Lord''s Bard sings in best regards.?


    He chuckled as the time was up and put the quill back in the ink bottle. ''I can''t believe I''ve turned into a poet now. Well, Diana used to love my songs. It makes sense, I guess.''


    The Archpriest soon collected the papers, and the subsequent examination started. It was for a first-yearpulsory subject called Healing. This aimed to give all Deacons the minimum level of knowledge to heal themselves or others in an emergency.


    The mentor for this subject was Mother Meredith, a Bright Mother. She was a fair middle-aged woman with a kind personality. Nobody hated her for anything. Even the questions for her subject were easy.


    This was a general attitude he had witnessed in his years here. Nobody disrespected or dared to harm a Bright Mother. Even if a Bright Mother goes into a den of thieves alone, she will be respectfully allowed to pass through.


    This was because the Church was known to be overprotective of these women as these women were the main force behind spreading the faith with their kind words, selfless healing services, and much more. For them, the Church was ready to burn viges, towns, or even cities to set an example.


    It was undoubtedly reassuring to Sylvester as Xavia was one of these Bright Mothers.


    Eventually, the Healing examination also ended, and Incantation started. This was not aplex subject for Sylvester as Archpriest Edmund was a truly neutral man in some regards. He didn''t show hostility towards Romel either, despite the hostilities between Romel''s and Edmund''s Kingdoms.


    One needed to live under a rock to fail this ss. But s, there were indeed a few who were living under a rock. So overconfident that they didn''t bother studying. The results, in the end, would eventually make things clear.


    ''Alright,st question.''


    He finished writing the answer for ''How to use Incantation to use wind element and pull or push objects.'' It was telekinesis without anything to do with brain powers.


    "Time''s up. Proceed with Sir Baldfreak to the indoor arena. He shall test your physical prowesses as there is no written examination for this."


    After stretching a bit, he got up and gathered with his friends. "How was it?"


    "Easy," Gabriel said.


    "I think I did alright." Markus solemnly nodded.


    But Felix had dark circles under his eyes and a face that seemed devoid of all happiness. "What am I going to do? My father will kill me for failing this. That Norman bas-... How am I supposed to know about making Elder Runes?"


    Sylvester pitied him and patted his shoulder. "I was asked the same question, and even got out of sybus questions. But, don''t worry, his days here are numbered. So focus on the next test."


    "Are we going to fight this time too?" Markus wondered.


    No one had any idea about it.


    But Romel dide across Sylvester along the way and challenged him. "I will be the winner this time."<sub> </sub>


    "There is a quote, the elephant keeps walking as dogs keep barking," Sylvester replied and kept walking towards the arena. His friendsughed heartily at the insult and stayed beside him.


    "I wish I had your brain," Felix muttered.


    ''Kid, you''d die from PTSD alone.''


    ¡­


    When they arrived at the arena with a grass floor, they found Sir Baldfreak standing before five other Knights with helmets on. They all wore Inquisitor robes and armor and appeared battle-ready.


    Before the confusion could take hold, Sir Baldfreak exined. "Listen up, boys. Today you will be tested not just for your fighting skills but also for your leadership abilities. All of you will be divided into six groups and will fight one of these Knights.


    "I do not imagine you winning, but I wish to see you doing your best to defeat them. The odds of numbers are in your favor, and you must use them wisely. I shall give you five minutes to organize yourselves into groups. If anyone is left at the end, I will make their groups. Proceed!"


    For Sylvester, it was a breeze to form a group as they already numbered four. Finding two more was easy, as most wanted to join them. But in the end, Sylvester selected Willis Leroy, the ss'' weakest kid, and Augustus Steel, the loner of the ss with the high talent of Grand Wizard, who refused to join any group for some reason.


    "I will be the leader. Does anyone have objections?" Sylvester started their little briefing.


    "You have great talent in fighting, so I agree," Markus responded.


    "I hate to ept it, but Markus is right." Felix agreed as well.


    The two neers were not even asked. This way, their team was ready to fight the enemy. Now all they needed to do was decide the order in which each of the five groups would go.


    The way to select the order was reasonably straightforward. They simply threw dice, and all team leaders were supposed to choose a number. The dice will be thrown four times; whichever numberes, they go first.


    "Three!" Sylvester selected his number when Sir Baldfreak rolled the dice.


    The dice rolled slowly on the grass floor and stopped, showing 5. Then the dice was rolled again, and this time it was 2. Sylvester''s number came the third time, and he was satisfied with this position. As long as he was not the first or thest, it was good.


    "You five, I need you to observe the matches. Then, I will try to plot a strategy based on the amount of violence we will have to face there." He instructed his team and took the seat at the side.


    One Inquisitor Knight walked forwards with his edgeless sword in hand and took off his helmet.


    There was no boundary in this fight, and they could use all means possible to battle.


    "Fight!" Sir Baldfreak shouted as the overseer.


    The group of six Deacons appeared ipatible with each other as they clumsily ran towards the Knight simultaneously instead of using long-range attacks to test the water.


    As they ran with a shout, once the Inquisitor Knight started striking them down, real painful screams emerged. After that, the group began to get smaller but slowly, with time, they realized the need for teamwork.


    However, a group of 6 boys who had never had any experience in fighting was bound to lose it. The Knight finally started to use more strength. He used the Srium projection on his sword, making it longer and hotter.


    sh!¡ªWith each strike, one Deacon fell.


    Then finally, in the 6th strike, the battle ended with the utter loss of the deacons. Some of them were injured to the point they couldn''t even walk. They merely cried on the grass in pain, hoping someone would heal them soon.


    "Next group, enter!" Sir Baldfreak ordered without any pity.


    Now the new group was made of average Deacons. They had also learned the lessons as they were careful with the new Inquisitor Knight. So, first, they used long-range attacks to test their strength. Then they tried to surround their enemy.


    However, as soon as they thought they had won, the Inquisitor Knight''s sword turned into an Iron il. He swung it around his head quickly using his Knight''s abilities. It created a sort of storm that imbnced the Deacons.


    Thud!¡ªAs soon as the first one fell, the Knight had a path to move around and take others down in 10 minutes. Luckily, he was not as hard on the young Deacons as the first Knight.


    "Next group! Come forward!" Sir Baldfreak ordered.


    Sylvester took a long breath and stood up. He was slightly nervous but also excited about this activity.


    "Remember, keep your ears open and do everything I say. Fighting them is full of uncertainty as we don''t know anything about their style. Willis Leroy, you stay at the back and wait for my main signal. You are going to be our game changer." He instructed the boys.


    "Sylvester¡­ is that the Knight¡­ we need to fight?" Felix suddenly interrupted and pointed.


    As he looked in the same direction, he found their opponent walking up with a smile.


    Sylvester''s eyes got filled with confusion. "Hmm¡­ So we are to fight her? How? I thought women couldn''t be knights."


    Where the battle was already deemed full of uncertainty, this was a scenario none had imagined this whole time.


    Was she strong? Was she weak? All he felt from her was the emotion of excitement reek.


    ___________________


    AS PROMISED, HERE IS THE CHAP! NOW STONE ME!


    **1069 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 35 35. Easy Money?

    The Church of Solis was known to restrict its armies to only men. Women were simply not allowed to take a martial rank even if they could fight. But for some reason, opposite to all established ideas, there was a woman with a sword, smiling at Sylvester.


    She wore metal armor that suited her body and had a white piece of cloth over the chainmail. She was tall, about six feet, and had brown hair and gray eyes. As for her age, it was hard to guess, as Knights and Wizards age differently ording to their rank.


    ''Is she strong?'' he wondered and tested the grounds.


    "Keep your distance from her. We have no idea how strong she is. Only use long-range attacks." He instructed the team.


    Sylvester then used the simple attack of Fireball by using visible runes and sent it the female Knight''s way. Next, Markus sent a st of air, and Felix also made his move.


    Bam!¡ªThe female Knight simply waved her sword to extinguish Silvester''s fire st. She let Markus'' air st touch her and fade. For Felix''s Earth elemental attack, she merely punched and obliterated the projectile.


    Sylvester was not rmed as he expected this much. "She''s calm and collected. We can''t surprise her with our moves as she''s taller and has better maneuverability. This leaves us with only one option¡ªconfuse her!"


    He had discussed the n beforehand, so they quickly got to work on it. Sylvester and Felix had Knights'' talent, so they took spears from the weapon''s rack and started rotating them in their hands.


    ''I know we don''t need to defeat the opponent but show our powers. And to get everyone from my team to pass, we must show our abilities.'' Sylvester nned silently and slowly sidestepped.


    Felix and Sylvester soon stood at a distance on the left and right of the female Knight. Markus and Gabriel stayed put. Augustus Steel, the Deacon with Grand Knight talent, was tasked with keeping their weakest member, Willis, safe.


    The female Knight smirked and taunted them to test their patience. "Boys, no matter what you do or n, you can''t defeat me. Just fight me directly proudly."


    Sylvester knowingly replied loudly. "We will not be fooled by your provocations,dy¡­ Knight."


    The woman smiled kindly at Sylvester and introduced herself. "You can call me Lady Aurora, Lord''s Bard."


    Sylvester ignored the pleasantries and focused on the fight. First, he looked at Marcus and winked to signal to prepare. Then he nced at Felix on the other side and nodded.


    Woosh!¡ªWith one swift motion, both threw their spears. But they were not aimed at Aurora. Instead, they flew past her face by arge margin.


    Sylvester and Felix jumped and caught each other''s spears. Seeing Aurora distracted, Sylvester whistled loudly.


    Shhh!¡ªAugustus used his water element to spray water on the ground to form arge puddle. Then he used his fire element to turn that water into dense white mist, effectively hiding himself and others behind it.


    Everything went as nned, and Sylvester jumped to hide behind the mist, too, leaving only Felix behind to keep her distracted.


    Felix smiled warmly as Aurora moved closer to him. "Hehe, please don''t hurt me!"


    Sad for Felix, he was the sacrificialmb for the fight and got punched in his face quickly. His eye turned red in an instant as he got thrown away.


    There was a reason why Sylvester jumped away by taking such a risk. He knew there was only one thing that could make the effect of mist amplify¡ªlight!


    ? Being the master of Light Magic, he used his power and sent out an intense beam of light into the mist, illuminating it and even making a giant rainbow. It was unknown if they were strong, but their fight was visually stunning. At least that was the general consensus.


    "TAKE THIS!" Next moment Sylvester jumped out of the dense mist by using Markus, Gabriel, and Augustus as stepping stones. His aim was Aurora herself.


    With the srium-covered spear in his hand, he went to hit her down on the head.


    nk!¡ªBut Aurora lifted her sword in time and blocked the spear. She then simply smirked and punched Sylvester in the stomach, hurling him up in the air.


    "Ack!" Sylvester felt his gutse out of his mouth as the pain seeped into his mind as he, too, was thrown away like Felix.


    But before he couldnd on the ground, he shouted. "NOW!"


    Woosh!¡ªAll of a sudden, Marcus used his air element to push the mist towards Aurora so it would cover her senses. At the same time, Gabriel shot a light beam with his limited talent in the element to blind her. But that was not the end of their goal as they quickly sat down on their knees.


    Augustus took a position in front as they once again acted like stepping stones for Willis Leroy this time. The boy was physically and magically weak with only one unique talent that brought him this far, which got him called¡ªGod''s Favored.


    He used all his strength to not disappoint the boys who selected him and gave him the chance to do something meaningful. He knew he would have been left behind normally for being so weak, but¡­ this was his chance to prove himself.


    ''I can do it!'' He reassured himself and used all the strength his legs could muster tounch himself toward Aurora.


    He had no weapons in his hands, nor was there an incantation of magic. This shocked Aurora greatly when she faintly saw what wasing through the mist.


    "Haaaaaa!"


    Willis suddenly opened his mouth wide and roared like a dragon with a long st of fireunching out. As he fell over Aurora, the fire finally hit her and burned a small piece of her Knight''s gown over the chainmail.


    ''I will not be a disappointment.'' Willis poured all his strength into this one move. Sylvester had nned it from the beginning, and this would be their little magnum opus.


    "Graaa¡­!"


    He was a dragon tonight, not a weak little boy with no friends.


    Bam!¡ªBut every magnum opus gets one-upped eventually. To fight someone many levels above was like an ant aiming to bring down an elephant. It was strategically possible but physically nigh impossible.


    Aurora butted her sword''s hilt on Willis'' head as he fell directly towards her. With that, the third group member was defeated, falling unconscious. But she didn''t let him fall hard on the floor and caught his body first.


    She then waved her sword with such speed that all the mist dispersed.


    "I am truly impressed by your six. Who nned all this?" She asked with a kind smile.


    All of them looked at Sylvester, who was panting from the hit on the stomach, his mouth appearing bloody as well.<sub> </sub>


    "Lord''s Bard? It seems the rumors I heard were right. I have high hopes for you, Sylvester Maximilian. May the holy light enlighten us." She put her sword back into the sheath and walked away, heading directly to the exit.


    "The fight isn''t over!" Marcus stopped her, brandishing his spear. Gabriel and Augustus stood at his side, nodding.


    "Haha, but it is."


    nk!¡ªShe snapped her sword an inch out of the sheath for a split second. It resulted in tiny bloody cuts appearing on the three boys'' necks.


    They realized they could have died if she had wanted to kill them. This simple action made their legs go weak, prompting a fall.


    All five could do was watch as she left with the same smile she first appeared. Clearly, she didn''t even use a portion of her strength, or she could have turned their bones into a paste by now.


    ''I hope this was enough to get good grades.'' Sylvester dragged himself to stand up and walk to Sir Baldfreak.


    "Who was she?" He inquired.


    Sir Baldfreak proudly answered. "Oh, she''s Aurora Foxtron, 10th Sword of Light, the Thunderfall."


    Sylvester silently gulped and nced at the exit. ''Why did shee here to fight?''


    All he knew was that there were ten Guardians of Light. Her being the tenth meant she was the weakest of all, but her being one of them meant she was among the top powerhouses of the Church.


    "Thunderfall?"


    Sir Baldfreak scoffed. "Deacon Maximillian, Lady Aurora is a Wizard by the main profession. Knight''s talent is her weaker talent. If she wanted, she could have obliterated all of us by summoning a rain of thunderbolts from the sky."


    "..."


    "Did we pass?" He asked right away sinceparing power was useless.


    "You shall know that after fifteen days, Deacon. Now help your teammates off the field. The next fight needs to start."


    He did as asked and walked away with his mind drowned in questions. ''Are all of these Knights Guardians of Light?''


    However, at one nce, he could discern the truth. They were too nk to be so important. Not to mention, they didn''t have the same prideful attitude as Aurora.


    ''I wonder when I will be that strong.''


    Soon their little team rested on the sides while the remaining three fights went on. In the end, as expected, no group of Deacons won, but Sylvester''s groupsted the longest¡­ that with an opponent so strong. They evennded one hit, so it had to count to something.


    All were tired, and the day soon came to an end. The first day of examination was harsh and unpredictable but also exciting. Willis quickly got back up, but Felix still had a swollen eye from the punch.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester''s pain and injury were gone. He somehow healed on his own, even shocking the healer a bit. But they reckoned the injury was not deep in the first ce.


    That night too, Sylvester slept with the boys in the dorms. He didn''t have an extra bed for himself, so he had to put a mattress on the floor. But being so tired, they just dropped like dead bodies.


    Not to mention, they made two new friends.


    ¡­


    The second day came, and it was full of activity again. It was supposed to be the day of the practical examination.


    For this, all mentors would sit in one hall together and interview Deacons one by one. Then, they would give a task to perform and evaluate right there.


    This time, as there were other mentors in the same room, Bishop Norman could not give Sylvester an impossible Rune to perform. So the examination went well with ease.


    But ording to the rumors circting around, the next thirteen days would be the crucial days of examination as the Church will test them in the real world. Apanying Knights will record their actions, and their bad habits will be penalized. So it was going to be like living under constant surveince.


    This examination was to see their real-world application of talent and ensure there was no secret heathen among the God''s Favored.


    The rules were simple. There were a set of job notifications School of Dawn had copied from the Wizard and Knight''s Guild. Each Deacon was to select one job andplete it while ensuring their behavior kept the name of faith and Church in the highest regard.


    The jobs could range from helping a vige with wild animals, an exorcism, water or food problems to fighting thieves.


    His dream of buying a farm and a house to live a peaceful life was still in his mind. So, when Sylvester looked at the jobs listed on the ckboard in the ssroom, his eyes were only fixed on the part that talked about money, as they were allowed to keep all the money they would earn.


    "Fighting wild boars for 10 Gold Graces? No!¡ªFixing a vige drought for 5 Gold graces? This is so cheap!¡ªStopping thieves from piging and ckmailing ckrock Vige for 300 Gold Graces? This one''s good but¡­"


    His eyes fell on a paper at the corner of the board. He picked the job request and read it with a greedy smile. "Exorcism in Goldstown for 1000 Gold Graces? Sweet! It shouldn''t be a problem with my light magic and Holy Runes."


    He took the job notification and registered his name with the ss coordinator mentor, Archpriest Edmund. After that, all he had to do was gather Sir Dolorem and two other assigned knights and head out.


    "They wouldn''t put an impossible request on the board for a Deacon, right?" He wondered, reassuring himself.


    ___________________


    LATE, BUT HERE IT IS!


    **1069 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 36 36. Miscalculation

    "Did you pack everything? Food, water, clothes, and your pillow?"


    "Mum, I''m not a baby anymore. I can pack my own bag." Sylvester annoyedly closed the straps of his cloth bag.


    "Max, you will always be a child to me. I''m your mother. Here, take these honey cookies. I made them for you with a Bright Mother friend of mine. Share them with Sir Dolorem too." She handed him a whole jar.


    "..."


    With a sigh, he resigned to his fate. "Okay, thank you, mum. I''ll go now. Sir Dolorem must be waiting. You take care and don''t skip meals."


    But Xavia jumped to hug him. "Be careful. The outside world is not as kind as it is here. So many of them mighte after you just because you are God''s Favored. So never underestimate any situation."


    ''I agree with you for once.''


    "Yes, mum, I will be careful," He looked into her eyes, waiting to see if she had anything else to say.


    "Have a safe trip."


    He picked up his luggage and left for this 13-day trip. Since he was too young and short, he could not ride a horse on his own. His legs would not reach the stirrups no matter what. So thankfully, the School of Dawn was rich enough to provide a carriage for all of them.


    When he reached the entrance of the Bright Mother''splex, there was a single horse-pulled stagecoach. It wasn''t toorge as their destination was not too far and just four people were going.


    "Master Maximilian." Sir Dolorem greeted him.


    "Let''s go. We should reach Goldstown by day''s end." He jumped into the stagecoach and took a seat. Sir Dolorem sat beside him, and two more people, one Knight and Clergyman, took the reins.


    These two would be Sylvester''s evaluators and were not supposed to talk to him about anything other than their introductions. Sir Melodious and Priest Boroly were their names. Sir Dolorem outranked these two lower church members by a margin.


    ...


    Despite being a single horse carriage, it was very fast, most likely the boon of having great wide roads. As soon as they passed the tunnel, they took the left road, called Holy Road, as it traversed all Kingdoms and Grand Duchy on the East side of the continent.


    "Do you know anything extra about this exorcism job, Sir Dolorem?" He asked as he took out the assignment notice. Unfortunately, there wasn''t much written on it other than name, work, and reward.


    Sir Dolorem checked the paper closely. "I don''t, but since the School of Dawn picked the job for Deacons, it shouldn''t have too high of a difficulty. Wizards and Knights Guild take all kinds of jobs, categorized based on their difficulty, so no underpowered man takes it.


    "They are usually A, B, C, and D. Above these four, there are also S, SS, and SSS, but these are restricted to the most powerful Wizards and Knights. Exorcisms usuallye under C and D, as anyone with Holy Runes and Light Magic can deal with it. People just dislike the job because it gives nightmares for months toe."


    Now Sylvester was wondering if he made a mistake by taking it. ''Well, I''ve seen worse things in two lives. How bad can this be?''


    "Have you decided to do something about Bishop Norman? I believe he will not let you pass the exam." Sir Dolorem inquired in concern. "As suggested, I can ask the Lord Inquisitor to meddle."


    "No, I believe the Lord Inquisitor already knows about it. Maybe even the Holy Father knows, as the ss of God''s Favored is supposed to be important for the future of the faith. This is likely a test for me." He confided his observation.


    Sir Dolorem may be more loyal to the church and Inquisitor, but Sylvester had put the fear of Solis and his hymns in the man''s mind, effectively making thetter the best aide possible.


    "What I want to know instead is how will this examination be judged? Because the range of jobs went from chopping trees to fighting bandits. How can both be the same?"


    Sir Dolorem looked at the two men sitting at the reinsman seats and lowered his voice. "They are not the same, Master Maximillian. The one chopping wood will have to preach to the people of the location and help them in everything they need. The less the difficulty, the more they must strive to do little things to make the people happy. This leaves too much to the mood of the examiners.


    "Meanwhile, fighting thieves is enough in itself to get a full score. You don''t need to preach anything. However, many will not make it through these harsh 13 days. Caskets have been prepared for casualties."


    This shocked him a little, and the face of Felix, Markus, and Gabriel appeared in his mind. He wasn''t worried about Felix, but Markus and Gabriel had mediocre talents at best. "Isn''t it counterproductive to let talented kids die?"


    "You picked this job; it''s good. It would have been hard if you had taken the thieves eradication job. It''s a simple process of filtering. If they can''t survive this simple test by not picking a job above their level, they can never be a God''s Favored. This also reminds other Deacons that the stakes are real. I remember reading in the Holy Father''s biography that when he was God''s favored, out of the ss of 40, only 15 survived the first year. By the end of eight years, only he was left."


    Sylvester sat back silently. This was the first time he learned that the Pope was also God''s favored once, but it didn''te as a surprise. Selection of the next Pope most likely starts as soon as the new Pope takes the throne.


    ''I hope they don''t die.'' He prayed for his friends.


    ...


    Reaching Goldstown was not easy because the town was far away from the Holy Road, and one needed to take a side dirt road that was unmaintained. Moreover, people rarely used it as Goldstown made all its trade through the river.


    However, things were even worse today because it had been raining for the past two days. The sky was cloudy the whole time, appearing gloomy. Sunlight was the best friend of a Wizard or Knight, so this was not wee.


    "Ah! The wheel is stuck again!" Sir Melodious eximed and jumped out of the seat to push the stagecoach. This was the tenth time it had happened, making their journey feel more ominous.


    Even Sylvester jumped out to help regrly, as he didn''t want to spoil his image in the eyes of the examiners. All of them had be dirty with mud and sweat. All they wanted now was to reach their destination and take a bath.


    "How far is it?" he asked.


    "Very close, but with this speed, it will be evening by the time we reach." Sir Dolorem answered.


    They pushed the stagecoach out of the muddy ditch and proceeded only to get stuck again a few meters away. The more it was raining, the worse the road became.


    ''I hate rain.'' Sylvester muttered as he jumped out of his seat again.


    It took them three more hours to cover thest stretch ofnd and arrive at the outskirts of the town. At least the town seemed highly developed, with all its streets made of fine stone, houses having two or three stories. But it was all barren, befitting a supposedly haunted town.


    "Head directly to the monastery. We shall sleep there tonight and start work tomorrow." Sir Dolorem advised. The two examiners silently nodded, as they appreciated some rest now too.<sub> </sub>


    Knock! Knock!¡ªThey mmed on the Monastery door. However, there was no response. The group was a bit taken aback as Monasteries were never supposed to close their doors.


    "Open up! We''re from Holy Land!" Sir Melodious mored.


    However, the house on the right opened instead of the monastery''s door. An old man peeked his head out first and looked. Once he noticed the armors and church robes, he ran out quickly.


    p "Holy men from Holy Land have returned? Holy men have returned!" The man went from looking scared to excited in a matter of seconds. He opened the door and jumped out excitedly, ignoring the rain spoiling his fine silk clothes.</anda>


    Silvester took the lead this time to appear good. "Greetings, I am Deacon Sylvester Maximilian, a God''s Favored, also called Lord''s Bard. Why is the monastery locked?"


    "I-I''m Marigold Roger, Chief of Goldstown. I''ve heard so much about you¡­ your hymns are sung and memorized here by all. Ah! You all look dirty. I will quickly tell the people to heat the water and cook a meal."


    "Where is the monastery staff?" Sir Dolorem asked this time.


    "They left for Holnd to bring help. And since the haunted menace has not stopped here, everyone is afraid to go out after sunset. I have the key to the monastery. I will bring it, please wait." Marigold quickly returned to his house and brought the keys.


    It didn''t take long for the group to enter the monastery. After unpacking, they bathed, ate a quick meal, and decided to sleep. Then, as advised by the town chief, they closed the gates. The monastery was big, but they slept together in the main hall of the building on portable mattresses to ensure they could all react in case of an emergency.


    With a big yawn, Sylvester closed his eyes. His body was aching from the journey, and theck of sunlight affected them all to some degree.


    ''I hope it stops raining tomorrow.'' He thought and dozed off to the dreand, knowing that at least his bed felt warm.


    However, things at Goldstown were far from good. The night was long and gloomy. The rain made hearts shudder as people holed up in their homes. But the word had spread that people from the Holy Land hade to help. The hope that after more than a year of living in terror, peace would return had now risen.


    Bam! Bam! Bam!


    "Please open the gate! Lord Bard! Sir Dolorem!"


    Bam! Bam! Bam!


    In the middle of the night, the monastery doors boomed with knocks, and the voice of Chief Marigold resounded.


    Sylvester''s eyes shot open with his heartbeat skyrocketing. The rest stood up in a hurry as well.


    "I will open it." Sir Dolorem went to check.


    As soon as he opened the door, a small crowd appeared. At the front was Chief Marigold, crying his eyes out and his face pale as a moon.


    He ran in and knelt before Sylvester with a thud. "God''s Favored, please save my granddaughter! The vile creature took her just now! Please! She''s the only family left. Y-You can do anything! You are favored by Solis. I beg you!"


    Sylvester looked around himself. It was still night outside and raining with thunder striking every few seconds. The faces of the town folks seemed as pale as Marigold''s. ''They probably think I''m some divine apostle just because I have God''s Favored associated with my name.''


    "Where did you see herst time?" he inquired.


    Marigold replied in stutters. "S-She said she needed to relieve herself, so I apanied her to the privy in my backyard outside. B-But I dozed off for a few seconds while guarding the door. When I looked again, she was nowhere to be found."


    Boom!¡ªThunder suddenly struck somewhere nearby and shook the grounds.


    Sylvester had no idea what the case here was even about. He reckoned it had to do something with a haunted ground, house, or a zombie-like creature. But he never knew abductions were going on too.


    So this raised the question. "How many people have been abducted until now?"


    "That vile creature has abducted eighty people. Men, women, and children, they were never found." Another man spoke from the gate.


    Chief Marigold added. "It''s that damn haunted mine. First, the archpriest tried to exorcise it, but he and a priest died. Then a Bishop came from Holnd, but he also died. The surviving priests went to Holnd to call for help and sent you. Please¡­ save my granddaughter. She''s just ten."


    ''A bishop died? What in the living hell!'' Sylvester was rmed.


    "Chief Marigold, when was the first time you sent a request for help?" He questions.


    "More than a year ago."


    Sylvester took a long breath and quickly looked at Sir Dolorem in confusion because if a Bishop had died here trying to exorcise whatever the creature was, this matter was way above his pay grade.


    "Master Maximillian, this job isn''t in the C or D category. It''s likely¡­"


    Boom!¡ªAn even louder bolt of lightning fell outside the monastery and lit the spot on fire for a few seconds, scaring the whole town.


    Fear gripped everyone''s hearts as the ominous night just turned more menacing.


    ___________________


    YO! STONE THIS MONKE!


    **1069 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 37 37. Sylvester Holmes

    Wizards, and Knight''s Guild, Holnd.


    In the middle of the darkness of the night, two horses trotted into the Holnd and headed directly to the Guild Penins that housed all the central headquarters of the Continent''s Guilds. The biggest of them is the Wizards and Knights'' Guild, called Sacred Arms.


    Two men in clergy robes rushed into the enormous fort and mmed their fists on the reception table, alerting the staff and the various Wizards and Knights.


    "We are Archpriests Mace and Brock. Change the Goldstown exorcism job to S rank. The Bishop sent by the Church has also died." Archpriest Mace shouted, his face looking tired from the journey.


    The old man staffer''s face paled too. "By the Solis, why did youe sote! The School of Dawn took the assignment notice for the test of God''s Favored. Why did you not get the job updated this whole year?"


    The two Archpriests stumbled back in fear. Indeed, they had not updated the job details in the guild after the town''s chief applied for help. Instead, they went through the Church''s internal system to call for help.


    Archpriest Mace faced Archpriest Brock. "I will head to meet the Headmaster of the School of Dawn. You rush to report to Saint Wazir''s office. Ask for a Guardian of Light to help this time."


    "Wait!" The staffer stopped the two. "Lord''s Bard took the job. I was there in the Inquisitor army when we found him years ago. Go to Inquisitor Camp. They will help you fast."


    Heeding the advice, the two rushed out quickly. Then, deciding not to go to the school, Archpriest Mace rushed to Saint Wazir''s office. It was inside the Pope''s Pce on the outskirts and oversaw the administration of the Holnd and the clergy.


    However, when he tried to meet with Saint Wazir, he learned that the man was away on some work.


    But he felt some respite after learning that a new team of three Bishops under the leadership of an Archbishop was dispatched to Goldstown to help quickly mine the gold to reduce the losses faced in the past year. It was a purely political decision because the Gracia Kingdom was important to the Church.


    ''I hope Lord''s Bard does not enter that cave before help arrives.''


    ¡­


    Goldstown


    In the middle of the rain, Sylvester and the rest donned their official robes and armor. They didn''t know how to find the missing girl, but they were obligated to at least help.


    Sylvester decided to use his past life''s experiences, skills, and this life''s gifts to get to the bottom of this situation. However, he had some doubts after listening to Chief Marigold''s story.


    "How many people live in the town?" He questioned.


    "Three thousand, Lord''s Bard. Most of us here are miners, but we''re on the verge of starving because the vile creature has upied the mine for over a year." Marigold answered hastily.


    "Since when did these kidnappings start?"


    Marigold thought about it for a second. "I believe it has been going on for three years now."


    "Fifteen years!"


    Suddenly, a new man barged into the monastery and spoke up. This one seemed like a warrior with a tall, burly body and a white beard. His eyes were sharp as a hunter. "I am grateful for your holy visit to this cursed town, God''s Favored. Please shine the light of Solis on us."


    Sylvester ignored the pleasantries. This was getting annoying to him at this point, as every single man or woman thinks he has some divine powers to alter reality.


    "You are?"


    "I am Lend Roger, Chief Lawman of the town and younger brother of Marigold. I have noticed these kidnappings for the past fifteen years, my lord. Marigold dismissed my concerns back then, so I kept records silently. The first case appeared fifteen years ago when a woman went missing while working in the corn fields. Then abductions gradually increased, from once every two years to one every year, then three every year and slowly a kidnapping every three days, which is the case right now." Lend smartly answered with facts and figures.


    ''Wait a minute. In corn fields?''


    He caught on to something. "What was the time when the first woman was abducted?"


    "In the afternoon. I vividly remember the day she stayed behind to work on another patch ofnd while the rest went to rest due to summer heat."


    After hearing this, a new theory started to take hold in Sylvester''s mind. But he could not announce it yet without any proof. "Let''s go to your house. We should look for clues as to where she was taken to."


    "Into that cave, where else?" Chief Marigold mored. "Why are we wasting time? We need to get in there and save her. J-Just show us your miracle and¡­"


    ''Does he think I''m god?'' Sylvester frowned. The expectations these people were putting on him were too much.


    "There is a possibility she''s still nearby. We need to find the direction the creature took her so we may rescue her. The more you cry here, the less chance of finding her alive, you decide now."


    Marigold''s brother came forward to help. "Follow me."


    Sylvester nced at the Knight and Clergyman wizards that came with him as examiners. "Sir Melodious and Priest Broly, am I still being examined? Because I might need your help to save the girl."


    The two men looked at each other''s faces and sighed. They were not supposed to talk to Sylvester beyond their official capacity, but the situation was too extraordinary now.


    "We shall help you in any way you need, Deacon Maximilian. But you should allow us to lead the investigation¡­ as you are not experienced in doing such a thing." Sir Melodious advised.


    Sylvester could understand their concern. He was merely an eight-year-old kid. The town''s folks listened to him simply because he had the title of God''s Favored and the Lord''s Bard. He was just a step down from the Pope in their eyes. But for most Clergymen who had not seen him sing hymns, he was a simple candidate who ''might'' one day be the Pope.


    But he could not ept this oue as he was over-experienced in doing investigative work in reality. So he gave Sir Dolorem a simple nce since the Knight knew clearly how brilliant Sylvester was.<sub> </sub>


    "Indeed, Sir Melodious. I shall lead the investigation then." Sir Dolorem dered. He was the most senior knight there, after all.


    Seeing no objection to it. Sir Dolorem headed out behind Chief Marigold. Sylvester followed just beside him while observing everything.


    The rain was still pouring with no end in sight. But they did not have the luxury of getting themselves covered. With various torches and Sylvester''s palm emitting light, a crowd of 15 arrived in the house''s backyard.


    The privy was a simple brick shed with a thatched roof in the backyard. There was also a boundary wall around the whole estate. So the question arose, where did the dark creature enter and leave from?


    "Is there any other entry to the estate?" Sylvester inquired.


    "No, the main entrance is the only way in," Marigold responded.


    ''Hmm, how did the girl get kidnapped then? That is when Marigold was sitting in front of the privy''s door. There''s no window inside either.''


    Rubbing his chin, he walked around the privy shed while being drenched in the rain. He looked at the distance between the boundary wall and the privy; it was merely three meters.


    "S-Sir Dolorem, can you help me get on top of the privy shed?"


    Without saying anything, Sir Dolorem dutifully lifted Sylvester on his shoulder. He was an intelligent man, and he knew something was going on in the favored one''s head. Something that he had missed.


    Sylvester stood up on Sir Dolorem''s armored shoulder and jumped onto the thatched roof of the shed. He didn''t walk around on it. Instead, he stayed at the boundary and patted the surface with his hand.


    Then as soon as he moved towards the side facing the boundary wall, his hand passed through the roof when he patted it. He pried the area open, and the roof seemedpromised. It opened wide enough for him to jump inside.


    He looked at Marigold and asked. "There is loose straw on the roof. Since when has it been leaking?"


    "Leaking? It never leaked, my lord."


    "Master Maximillian, are you suggesting the creature took the child from the roof?" Sir Dolorem inquired.


    ''Hmm, I should check that as well.''


    Not replying, he jumped from the roof by first hanging and quickly headed to the exit of the house. Everyone else followed him behind to the outside of the boundary wall.


    Sylvester walked straight towards the wall closest to the privy and started to look around on the muddy ground with the help of his light magic. He walked around for a dozen minutes, inspecting every inch ofnd, sometimes even crawling on the ground.


    Everyone quietly watched¡ªSir Dolorem in assurance, the Town''s folks in hope, and the two examiners in confusion.


    "What are you looking for, my lord?" Lend Roger asked, wanting to help.


    But Sylvester didn''t reply as his face slowly turned into a deeper frown the more he looked around. He even started to mark a few spots by nting twigs.


    The whole thing went on for an entire hour. By the end, Sylvester looked like a swamp monster, his face, body, and clothes fully covered in mud, sweat, and rain.


    But only he knew how satisfied he felt at that moment.


    He walked to Chief Marigold and sang a few lines of hymns to show his divinity and give a clue to what he was about to say¡ªmaking it more digestible.


    He closed his eyes, raised his right n, and basked the crowd in light as the halo appeared behind his head, making him look divine. In response, the town folks kneeled and silently prayed.


    ?Solis guides those who pray and ask.


    There exist faithfuls hidden under a mask.


    So let his holy light fall on your hearts.


    ept the knowledge that he imparts.


    Against the truth that is concealed.


    In his guidance, now the sinner is revealed.?


    When he stopped singing and opened his eyes, he seriously addressed the crowd with his findings. "The creature of darkness is not the sinner here, for there exists someone more corrupt near. Chiefwman Lend, the one behind all the abductions is someone from this town itself. Because, as you said, the abduction happens in the daytime too, and I believe no creature of darkness dares roam under the warmth of Solis.


    "Look at the markings on the mud. There are impressions of boots, likely belonging to the sinner, and he has no thumb in one hand."


    ___________________


    STONE, WHERE?


    **501 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 38 [BONUS CHAPTER] 38. Limitless Love

    The revtion hit everyone like a bull. For a whole year, they med the creature in the cave for the abductions. But now, a child said otherwise. But since the one who said it was a God''s Favored. And with the hymns, the halo, the warmth¡­they couldn''t dare to ignore.


    "What?!" Lend eximed in utter disbelief. He was the chiefwman. How could he not notice something like this, he wondered. But thest few words from Sylvester rang some rms in his head.


    "How did you conclude that the culprit has a missing thumb?" He asked.


    Sylvester gestured for them to follow. He took them to a marking he made in the mud. "Look here, whoever abducted the girl, fell and helped himself with his hands. It''s raining, so the mud clearly shows us the fingers. Going by the markings of the boots, it''s a male¡­ unless there is a giant woman in the town."


    Lend believed him and had a name in his head ready. "Thumbless? T-That''s¡­ Ratwood family!"


    Chief Marigold was enraged. "I will fucking kill them!"


    Sir Dolorem took control of the situation. "Do not! We need to retrieve the child first. Punishing themester. Master Maximilian and I shall go to their house in the guise of purifying homes in the entire vige. We will apprehend them once we have confirmation of your granddaughter''s whereabouts."


    "P-Please be quick¡­ my little Felicia must be sacred!" Marigold pleaded.


    Sylvester quickly cleaned his face with the rainwater to appear decent. Then, he and Sir Dolorem didn''t waste a minute and went to the instructed house. Their destination was on the outskirts of the poorest part of the town. It was a twin-story house made of mud bricks and looked unmaintained.


    "Sir Dolorem, you do the talking. Tell them I''m God''s Favored, sent here to purify the town. I will stay silent and use light magic to act like I''m blessing them." He suggested and started chanting random hymns under his breath to make the halo appear. He also used his right palm to throw some light around.


    Knock! Knock!


    Sir Dolorem roughly punched the doors twice. "Open the gate and receive the grace of God''s Favored."


    The door was soon opened by an unkempt man, middle-aged at best. He was balding and had arge belly and equally big face. He seemed annoyed, but his eyes widened when Sylvester entered his vision.


    Sir Dolorem pushed the man aside. "Move, by the order of the Holy Land. We must purify this town. God''s Favored, pleasee this way."


    "Stop! I did not allow you!" The man rushed behind them and tried to hold Sylvester''s shoulder.


    BAM!¡ªThat was a sin in Sir Dolorem''s eyes. He turned around and pped the man with his gauntlet-d hand. "How dare youy your hands on the favored one!"


    "I-I apologize¡­ oh holy one¡­"


    Sylvester silently walked around the house and looked at all the details carefully. He wondered what the hell this family was doing with so many kidnappings. ''There must be a hidden space here.''


    He knew a better way to find out where the secret entrance was. "Sir Dolorem, please bring the man in so he may receive my blessing."


    With that, the fat man stood nervously in front of Sylvester, drowning in the warm light magic.


    Sylvester kept looking into the man''s eyes while chanting silently. ''Look, dammit.''


    ?O'' Lord Solis, sinners walk among us.


    Hear this prayer amidst the stormy ruckus.


    Forgive this man if he sinned,


    Let the foul air here wash with wind¡­?


    ''Yes!'' As soon as Sylvester noticed the man looking at the carpet in the next room multiple times, he knew where to go.


    Continuing his singing, he walked to the next room and stood on the carpet with closed eyes. "Ah, Solis tells me your cer needs the warmth of the light."


    "W-What? There is no cer in this house."


    But Sylvester simply threw away the carpet, revealing a trapdoor on the floor. "Solis does not lie."


    "Sir Dolorem, please open it."


    "Stop!" the man shouted and tried to stop Sir Dolorem.


    But a meremoner was no match for a knight. Thews of the world were written in stones; for those with no wizard or knight talent, there was only frailty.


    "Dare not touch me, filth!" Sir Dolorem punched the man in the face and forced the door open.


    However, they were not ready for what came next¡ªWoosh!


    A gust of strong wind blew out of the cer. It was nothing but vomit-inducing stench, a stench that both Sylvester and Sir Dolorem were well aware of.


    They didn''t even feel like gulping their saliva as the stench wished to pull their guts out.


    "Rotten flesh!" Sylvester muttered and walked down the steep stairs into the cer. There was no light inside, so he helped himself.


    "Die! Filthy religious scums!"


    From the shadows, a big woman jumped on him with a sickle in hand. But Sylvester reacted in time and sent a ball of fire to her face. The moment the woman cried in pain, he rushed over, kicked her giant belly, and sent her to the floor.


    "Sir Dolorem! Apprehend the man and call the others!" He shouted while tying the woman''s arms behind her back.


    "Felicia! Where are you?!" He called for the girl next.


    Cough!¡ªThe cer appearedrger than the house itself and had many rooms. The stench was unbearable and kept getting worse.


    He checked each room with one hand shining in the light and the other ready to send out the fire. The first one he found had bones upon bones, a hill of them. The second room had human limbs and blood all over, from arms and legs to whole intact heads.


    ''Cannibals?'' He wondered.


    "Mama!"<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester ran towards the voice. But his mind was confused, for the voice resembled a man more than a little girl.


    "Felicia!" He shouted.


    He ran until the end of the long corridor and reached thest room. This one had the most stenching. There was blood everywhere on the floor, looking like hell on earth.


    At one nce, he noticed a man¡­ a naked man so big that his arms and legs were covered in fat, appearing to be one with the rest of the body except his little hand. He had no neck either, making him look like one big blob.


    "What monstrosity is this?"


    "Mama, hungry." the creature spoke while nibbling on what appeared to be someone''s severed thigh. Blood spread around with his bites, leaving Sylvester''s mind numb.


    The scene was scalp tingling. He had never seen such a scene in his past life either. "Where is Felicia?"


    But the creature kept eating. So Sylvester entered the room despite being on the verge of vomiting. He looked around at the piles of human body parts¡ªflesh intact.


    "Agh! This stench¡­ did you find her, Mast¡ªWhat is this?!" Sir Dolorem arrived.


    "We shall talk about itter. I can''t find the girl. Look in other rooms." Sylvester rushed, fearing for the worse.


    But not long after, Sylvester found her in another room. "Sir Dolorem! Here!"


    He rushed in and found the ten-year-old girl tired to a table, her legs and arms apart, raimentless. There was a strap on her mouth, and her eyes looked sore from all the tears she must have shed. She wanted to shout and call for help when someone called her name, but she couldn''t.


    Sylvester rushed to her and took the strap off her mouth. "It''s okay. We''re here to save you."


    She didn''t speak or shout or even squeak. Instead, she simply started crying uncontrobly as Sylvester untied her body and put his red shoulder cape on her. He noticed the various tools in the room and reckoned. ''They were about to chop her into pieces.''


    "Sir Dolorem, please pick her up. I don''t think anyone would be able to stand on their own after such an experience."


    As they walked out, Sylvester thought about burning the ce down. He was more annoyed than angry, but he stopped because the trial was yet to be conducted.


    In no time, they got out of the cer and found the small crowd. None had dared to enter due to the stench, while others stopped Marigold. The man and woman, called Ratwood couples, were hauled and locked in the town''s prison.


    Sir Dolorem handed the girl to the man.


    "Felicia!" Chief Marigold hugged her in his arms and cried tears of joy. The girl also hugged his neck tight and finally cried with some sound.


    For Sylvester, things were still half done. "I need some help down there. But those with faint hearts must note there."


    So he took the two examiners, Lend, his team, and a dozen others. Ultimately, they all end up vomiting their guts out at each step. Some had to be carried back outside. It was understandable as not all see such brutality in their lives. For Sir Dolorem, it was not too rare as he was an Inquisitor, and for Sylvester, he had the experience of two lives.


    It took them 4 hours to get the fat human out of the cer. First, they had to destroy the various doors and the cer entrance to get him out. Not to mention, it wasn''t easy because it kept crying for mama and kicking around with what was left of its arms and legs.


    Slowly, the entire town of three thousand had woken up and gathered at the town''s square. The word had gradually spread that the town''s demon turned out to be a mere family.


    Sylvester waited until Chief Marigold returned after putting his granddaughter to sleep. But he also had serious thoughts about his mission. ''If this family haunted the town¡­ then what''s in the mine cave? Do I have to go there? Isn''t my mission over with this?''


    "I am forever indebted to you, holy son of Solis." Chief Marigold appeared and knelt before Sylvester.


    "Please, you disrespect me by kneeling. I am just a servant of Solis, and I must help those who keep faith in the Lord''s light."


    "Surely, if not you, then who can be so humble." The man stood up and looked at the Ratwood family. "But what monstrosity is this?"


    "Let''s find out." Sylvester walked up to the man and woman in chains. "Speak, or face the wrath of Solis."


    Being overwhelmed by the crowd, the man named Connor Ratwood spoke in stutters. "W-We are not sinners, my lord. We just¡­ we were helpless. Our son refused to eat after he turned five¡­ he was d-dying. But then he ate my thumb in my sleep.


    "M-My son¡­ my sweet little Gibby, he can only eat human flesh. I did no wrong, for I merely wished to feed my child. I fed him my chest, my wife''s breast, my stomach, and even my back. But we were just two providers."


    The woman, Normani Ratwood, cried. "Y-Yes, my lord! We love our son dearly. Even the church tells us to take care of our children."


    Sylvester raised his palm, gesturing for them to shut up. He looked at the so-called ''little'' Gibby that turned into a four hundred kilo fat monster by eating human flesh for years. The whole family was mentally ill. That was clear.


    "You two disgust me¡­ all of us. Your child deserved to be put to death when he thirsted for human flesh. Yet you indulged him by taking away someone''s wife, mother, father, or child." Sylvester looked at Chief Marigold. "They are yours to punish."


    Chief Marigold shook with his head held in a bow. "My Lord, you are the blessed bard. You are the supreme judge among us. You unearthed the demons, and you should be the one to punish them."


    Sylvester took a nce at Sir Dolorem and got approval with a nod. He didn''t wish to do anything that''d end up hurting his image, so the approval was appreciated.


    p ''These three killed hundreds of people in fifteen years. There is no forgiveness for such acts, so let''s go by Churchws.''</anda>


    He looked around and addressed the crowd with no hymns or spectacles. "There is love and warmth in the embrace of Solis. But our world is governed by certainws that make us civilized. Once you break thesews, you are no longer a believer and be a sinner¡ªheathen!. And for sinners, there is one punishment."


    He nced at the sky for a few seconds. The rain wasing to a halt, and the clouds thinned out slowly. Then he looked at the three sick creatures, catching the hint of fear in their eyes clear.


    "Gather the stakes¡ªBurn them!"


    ___________________


    I EAT STONE! YOU GIVE STONE?


    **501 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 39 39. What To Do?

    Boom!


    The noise was not from thunder because the rain had stopped long ago. Instead, tonight Sylvester learned a new thing about the human body.


    It turns out that the human body can actually explode on its own. That was exactly what happened when they put the so-called ''little'' Gibby on fire. At first, the family of three screamed like there was no tomorrow, and it took a long time to die entirely. But when the man and woman were melting, ''little'' Gibby''s giant belly exploded.


    Thankfully, the insides of Gibby''s belly didn''t spread too far, but the same could not be said about the odor, which was equally as bad as the cer. Responding to that, most covered their noses, and a few simply fainted.


    Miraj was affected, too, as he had a sensitive nose. He quickly hid inside Sylvester''s robes. "I wanna go home."


    Sylvester agreed with him for once. "We will head back tomorrow. Our mission was to exorcise whatever was abducting people here, and we''ve aplished it. The cave is not our problem now."


    Sir Dolorem thought he was talking to him, so he responded. "You are right, Master Maximillian. Your assignment is over. The examiners agree to it as well."


    "How do you think I did?"


    After taking a pause, Sir Dolorem nodded. "Remarkably. It hasn''t been more than a week, and we''re done. That alone demands good merit. And I''m sure the two examiners will appreciate returning home quicker after seeing the madness here. They are average Clergymen and guard Knights of the Holy Land and are not used to seeing such things."


    ''And they are supposed to judge me and the likes of Felix?'' Sylvester couldn''t help but lower their standing in his mind a little, but respect was mutual, so he''d keep that going.


    He looked at the sky, the clouds had cleared up, and the beautiful twin moons were shining the brightest in the night sky. They were long past midnight, so the rays of Solis was not far away either. But he wondered, ''What does the other side of the world look like?''


    "My lord, if the Ratwoods were doing the abductions, what''s inside the cave?" Chief Marigold came to him to ask.


    "I am as clueless as you in that regard. But I believe if even a Bishop of the rank of Master Wizard could not kill it, it''s out of my league to defeat." He bluntly replied as he knew his own limits. Being merely an Adept Wizard, he would die in a blink if he stepped into the Cave.


    "B-But then how will the Cave be¡­ Favored One, we will starve to death here. The gold mine is our only source of ie."


    Sir Dolorem interrupted. "The Church will send more powerful wizards to exorcise. They, too, can''t let a goldmine remain useless for too long. So do not worry, Chief Marigold. Now, I believe we should have some rest. Master Maximillian has been traveling and working for two days now. He must be tired."


    ''Good man, way to end the conversation.''


    "Please¡­ we are thankful for this much. We shall not disturb you for the night anymore." Chief Marigold quickly left and told people to return home. The fire would burn for the night since ''little'' Gibby was too big to burn fast.


    Once again, Sylvester and the rest returned to the Monastery, heated some water to bathe, and then went to sleep. This time they dropped like sacks of grain. Even Miraj snored that night, but he was tucked in Sylvester''s arms, so it wasn''t too loud.


    With that, Goldstown was not haunted anymore¡­ at least a part of it wasn''t.


    ¡­


    That night the whole town had the best sleep in over three years. The fear of their loved ones being abducted was gone, albeit there was some worry for the cave. Seeing the cannibal family burning soothed many hearts and minds, as strange as it may sound.


    In fact, since the whole town waste to sleep, most woke upte too. But something was different this time because there was more crowd in the streets, and a few more shops were also open than usual.


    There were smiles on faces and lips and many graces¡ªfor Sylvester.


    Sylvester and the rest were woken up by a loud knock on the door of the Monastery. It raised their heartbeats because thest time the knocks came, it turned out to be something terrible.


    "Yes?" Sir Dolorem opened.


    "Respected holy men, Chief Marigold invites you to break the fast with him." A thin man in a ragtag brown tunic and dark brown pants. There was nothing on his feet, however.


    "Who are you?"


    "I am a ve under the service of the Roger family. I am called Reed."


    Sylvester interestedly walked to the door and asked. "How did you fall into very?"


    "My grandfather was a ve, brought here to work in the mines. My family has been in service to the Roger family for generations. They treat me very well." The man rified at the end, for he was taught never to make his masters appear wrong to others.


    "We will be at the Chief''s house." Sylvester let the man go and returned to gather his things. He didn''t think much about very as it was merely a way of life in this world. If he were the king of the world, he''d have abolished it, but he was a mere little soldier, so he couldn''t do anything other than dip his hands in this darkness.


    After they cleaned their faces and packed the luggage, they walked to the Chief''s house. The hosts weed them with respect and smiles on their faces. Chief Lawman Lend has alsoe with his wife and son.


    "Felicia, give the flowers to God''s Favored" Chief Marigold pushed his granddaughter forward.


    It was the same girl Sylvester had saved the night before. She still seemed to have some fear in her eyes, but her face looked healthy and vibrant, though the same couldn''t be said about her mind. The scars of the trauma were going to stay for life.


    The brown-haired 10-year-old girl smiled cheerfully and gave Sylvester a small bouquet. "Thank you for saving me."


    Seeing her being such a good kid, Sylvester instinctively smiled kindly, raised his right hand, and patted her head a few times. Itsted a few moments only before he quickly retracted his hand.


    ''Damn it. I''m not an old man anymore.'' He cursed himself silently. Being someone with an old mind, he couldn''t see anyone younger than middle-aged as someone other than a kid.


    Sensing the awkwardness, he chirped. "I''m starving."


    "Yes, yes, please this way, God''s Favored," Lend gestured to follow.


    They soon sat together around a table and ate an excellent healthy meal consisting of a lot of butter, bread, vegetable soup, roasted chicken, and milk. The town was certainly among the richest in the continent due to its mines and enjoyed a high quality of life.


    Sylvester even reckoned that the town was supposed to look more prosperous if not for the closed mine. In fact, it was shocking that people had this much with the mine being closed for over a year.


    ''I should stay on the good side of the Roger family. Who knows, one day they might give me a small loan of a few gold graces.''


    After eating their big meal, they departed in their little Stagecoach. Nearly the entire town gathered around to see them off, even with their slight disappointment that the mines were still haunted.


    As Sylvester was getting onto the Stagecoach, Chief Marigold walked to him quickly. "O'' Favored one, please ept this little donation from our town. We wish you a healthy life and sess and that we meet again."


    ''Holy Solis, that''s a lot of money!'' Sylvester was secretly excited about therge silk pouch of money.


    But he could legally not take any money for himself as servants of Solis were not allowed to do their duty for money. However, Sylvester was no pushover who''d not take his reward. "Thank you, Chief Marigold. I shall put this donation in the donation box of the Magna Sanctum."


    "B-But this is for you."


    Sylvester smiled, albeit it hurting him. "I am a mere servant of Solis. My work is my duty, not a mary profession. I shall take my leave then."


    As he turned around to enter the Stagecoach, he found a moment to whisper to Miraj on his shoulder. "I will loosen the pouch. You eat half of the coins."<sub> </sub>


    "Aye-Aye, Maxy."


    "Ehm¡­ May the holy light enlighten us!" He roared from the Stagecoach, ushering the whole vige in repeated chants.


    "Move!"


    "Make way!"


    Suddenly, the chants started to diminish, and shouts of multiple men and grunts of horses echoed from behind the crowd. Soon the crowd began to split and make way. Two horses appeared, then two more, and then two more.


    Six horses were pulling a big, long stagecoach. Then there was another coach behindden with all kinds of crates. The two reinsmen appeared to be Church''s men of Bishop ranks.


    The Stagecoach stopped beside Sylvester''s. Then its gold-decorated door opened, and a frail old man, about five feet four, with hunched back, stepped out. He had the mitre of an Archbishop on his head, and on his chest was the rank te with four golden stripes, signifying he was an Arch Wizard.


    There were three other men with the mitre of a bishop on their head and the rank te of Master Wizard. They surrounded the Archbishop and made their way towards Sir Dolorem.


    One of the Bishops spoke. "You are in the presence of Archbishop Lucas. Are you the aide to the Bishop sent here to exorcise the mines?"


    Sir Dolorem respectfully saluted the Archbishop since men of such rank usually ruled over all monasteries in entire Duchies, making them somewhat equal to a noble Duke. It was a very high rank in the Church as well.


    "Your grace, respected Archbishop. I am Sir Dolorem, an adjutant under the Inquisitor High Lord. I am currently an aide to God''s Favored, the Lord''s Bard, Silvester Maximilian."


    The Archbishop''s old gray eyes shined instantly. He turned to look at Sylvester, who had gotten out of his Stagecoach.


    "Ah, the famed Lord''s Bard. I have been told about your beautiful hymns by your headmaster, Cardinal Brightson. I hope to one day be graced by your light." Archbishop respectfully said while holding Sylvester''s hand.


    "Thank you, your grace." Sylvester disliked being so touchy with these churchmen.


    Sir Dolorem reported then. "The Bishop sent to exorcise the mines died inside, your grace. We came here for the examination¡­"


    Everything was told to the Archbishop, from their arrival to the finding and burning of the Ratwood family.


    Archbishop Lucas sighed at the revtions. "Indeed, sometimes the real demons hide in in sight while we look for the creatures of the night. You did a marvelous job, God''s Favored. But as the matter stands, the mines are closed.


    "Saint Wazir tasked me to extract a year''s worth of gold from these mines in a week. And I shall not return before I have fulfilled my duty."


    He nced at his aides, the three Bishops. "Get all the equipment out. We shall enter the cave immediately and banish whatever creature is inside."


    Sylvester nodded. He wanted to have nothing to do with these men and their tasks. He was heading home anyway.


    But it appeared he spoke too early.


    The Archbishop looked at Sir Dolorem and the two examiners. "You three shall apany us. Sir Dolorem, you shalle with us inside the cave while the two of you¡­ the wizard stays, so you shall stand guard at the cave entrance to open and close it."


    Sylvester quickly objected. "What, but Sir Dolorem is not strong either. That creature has killed three priests, two archpriests, and one Bishop by now."


    The Archbishop patted Sylvester''s shoulders. "I am touched that you care for your aide this much. But, worry not, we do not need him to fight. We shall need a messenger in case something happens inside. For such a task, a Knight is needed."


    "But-"


    Sir Dolorem stepped forward, being the foolish religious man he was. "I will be honored to help, your grace."


    "Good, let''s head out right away."


    Sylvester silently watched as Sir Dolorem prepared his swords and magic stones. ''This is foolish! This is suicide! We should be on our way back."


    He didn''t have any blood ties with the man, but being with him for eight years, often spending all the time other than sleeping with him, he had grown to see him as a subordinate¡ªa loyal subordinate.


    Dying at the hands of a dark creature was not respectful to his subordinate at all. But he found himself at ack of words and authority to do anything. He was a mere Adept Wizard.


    ''What can I even do? I''m just a light bulb. It''s foolish of me to go in there and die for nothing.'' He couldn''t bring himself to put his own life at risk.


    So he sat outside the ominous cave entrance after the team went inside. One of the examiners was left with him, prepared to open the entrance whenever needed.


    The towns'' folks had also gathered inrge numbers in hope around the cave, having brought food and drinks. But only Sylvester had a constant frown on his face for the next 3 hours¡ªdesperately waiting.


    ''I hope this isn''t thest of him.''


    "OPEN!"


    Suddenly a loud shout came from inside. Priest Boroly moved quickly and used Earth magic to move the giant stone at the entrance.


    Sylvester stood up close in wait¡ªexpectantly.


    "MOVE! I must return to the Holy Land quickly!"


    Sylvester rushed to stop the Bishop that appeared, clothes torn from ces, blood oozing from his head and back. "Where is Sir Dolorem? What happened?"


    "T-There¡­ They are fighting¡­ but can''t hold it for long. Sir Dolorem is injured¡­ I must call for help!" The Bishop yanked Sylvester''s hands and ran towards the town''s port.


    Sylvester silently peeked at the dark, menacing depth of the cave as therge stone was ced again to cover it. His heart was shattered, and frustration peaked.


    He felt helpless because he knew no help wasing anytime soon.


    ''The Holnd is one whole day away¡ªFuck!''


    [1] Magna Sanctum - Thergest Sun Temple in the world. For this, the Holy Land is sometimes called Magna Sanctum.


    ___________________


    I EAT STONE! YOU GIVE STONE?


    **501 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 40 40. Taste Of Death

    Sylvester tried to think of every scenario that could be going on inside the cave. He tried to think what would happen if he went in there. But half of his mind told him not to go because it wasn''t worth it.


    But then the other half reminded him that Sir Dolorem was a loyal man, and the only reason thetter was in this town was because of him, even if it was a duty for the man.


    ''But I can''t be held responsible for his choices, I warned him, but he epted the task to go. So whatever happens to him now is not on me.''


    However, despite his best attempts to tell himself that he should forget it, he could not. So he stayed, seated alone at the side, watching the cave. Finally, the sun was slowly setting, and the town folks started to leave, seeing no hope again.


    "If even an Archbishop could not kill this thing, what can I do? Will my light magic work on it? What do you think, Chonky?" He asked, not because Miraj was smart but because thetter was all he had.


    Chonky nced at the cave with a glum expression. "Sir Dum Dum is good. I take his food¡­ and he talks about his son and wife daily."


    "Yeah, he does talk about them a lot. The poor man hasn''t had a vacation in years." Sylvester muttered.


    He decided to wait longer and see if anything else happens. He tried to keep himself optimistic that an Archbishop shouldn''t be so weak. But when he remembered the face of Archbishop Lucas, the old hunched-back man didn''t really instill confidence in others.


    "Deacon Sylvester, you should return to the town and rest. We cannot do anything before helpes." Priest Boroly tried to console Sylvester.


    "But Holnd is a day away from here. So even if that Bishop took the boat downstream, it''d take them until the next morning to reach here," Sylvester argued.


    "There is nothing we can do." the Priest replied.


    "I know¡­ so I shall wait here."


    As more time passed, Sylvester felt empty in his heart¡­ it wasn''t guilt but general emptiness. The feeling of realizing that he would not see the person he used to take for granted anymore took over.


    It reminded him of someone, someone significant in his past. Diana had left him abruptly, leaving him just the memories of the time they spent together. He was helpless back then and couldn''t save her, as he was right now.


    p But something was different here. Sir Dolorem was probably still alive and unable to move, silently waiting for death toe. So all he had to do was go in there and drag the man out¡ªwhich sounded easier said than done.</anda>


    ''Am I a coward for being afraid to save Sir Dolorem when I know he''s alive?''


    Today, he realized, yet again, how hard it is to fight one''s own mind. ''If I go in there, chances of me beating that thing are less than none. But can my light at least hold it at bay?''


    He looked at his palms, then at the rank-te on his chest. A mere Adept Wizard wanting to do what Archwizards could not? ''I shouldn''t even think about fighting but only rescuing.''


    "Chonky, what do you think? Can I rescue him?"


    "In Maxy, I trust."


    "Haha, d to hear that." Sylvester gathered courage, and thanks to Miraj, he felt refreshed. Now all he had to do was convince the Priest to open the cave to let him in.


    He took a long breath first and reminded himself of his next steps. "Okay! All I have to do is be the strongest light bulb in existence. No fire, no air¡­ only light!"


    But he knew Priest Boroly would not let him in because ofmon sense. So he had to do something that would probably hurt his test marks, but for Sir Dolorem, it was worth it.


    ''Sir Dolorem, you better learn your lesson to always listen to me after this time.''


    He got up and walked to Chief Marigold, who sat not too far away with his brother and little Granddaughter. They stiffened seeing hime their way.


    "Chief Marigold, I have a request from you. I shall head in there to rescue the Archbishop and the team. I have the strongest light magic in the history of the church, so it will help. But for that, you must help me hold that Priest down." He requested with hidden ulterior motives. He reckoned if he was not the one to hit the Priest, then he shouldn''t get in too much troubleter.


    Lend quickly got up. "I shally my life for you if you ask, favored one. What''s knocking a mere priest? But let me get my juniorwmen here first."


    ''This was easy.''


    So in a few minutes, about a dozen men gathered. None of them had any kind of magical or knightly talent, but a little priest could not do much when his hands were tied.


    Sylvester went to Priest Boroly and spoke directly about what he wished. "I wish to get inside and save everyone. So please open the cave."


    That notion itself dumbfounded the Priest. "It''s suicide! Why do you wish to go there? You have something they don''t?"


    "You are correct in that regard." Sylvester simply showed the man his palm and threw a magic beam of light at his face, blinding him. "See, I have a certain magic that''s the bane to the dark creatures."


    "Ah!" When Priest Boroly tried to adjust his eyes, he felt a sudden push from behind him and his arms being pulled behind the back. Then he felt his hands being tied.


    Realizing, he warned. "Are you going to disobey your examiner now, Deacon Sylvester? This will get you disqualified."


    ''Not if I can save Sir Dolorem.''


    "Why would you do that? He has nothing to do with this. We just felt like tying you up." Chief Marigold objected, knowing very well it sounded dumb.


    Sylvester used runes around the base of the giant rock cover of the cave and moved it two feet so he could slide in. A gust of cold air hit his face as he looked into the darkness. All the mental preparation he had started to wither, for he was experienced in killing men, not ghosts.


    He took a long breath and looked back once. "Priest Boroly, if you hear my shouts, please open the cave quickly. Chief Marigold¡­ pray for me."


    Bam!¡ªHe shut the cave close and turned towards the dark road ahead. It was pitch ck and terrifying, so he raised his right palm and started to emit light magic from it. He then started walking deeper into the cave carefully, looking at every nook and cranny to ensure he wouldn''t get attacked from behind just because he didn''t notice the dark creature¡­ whatever it was.


    As he walked deeper into the cave, the ceiling started to get higher and the pathway wider. He''d use more Srium to make the light stronger so he could see the whole frame of the cave in front of him.


    Not only that, he started to smell something strange once again. This was not from the environment but from his power. It felt bitter¡­ so bitter that it was bing unbearable.


    "Chonky, keep an eye on my back since you can see well in darkness." He instructed.


    "Maxy, who don''t you shout for Sir Dum Dum?"


    Sylvester shook his head quickly. "And invite whatever monstrosity that resides in this cave? No, thank you. I may be acting like a dumb horror film character, but I wish to be the one who survives in the end."


    "W-What is a film?" Miraj asked.


    "It''s¡­ let''s talk about thister. I must focus on the front." He stopped talking and prepared his other free hand with Fire magic as he was taught that Fire and Light were two things that usually worked best against dark creatures.


    He could see his mouth producing steam as he breathed. His fingers were turning cold as if he was in the cold mountains. ''Stay focused¡­''


    He kept telling himself to be careful, to keep all his senses at full alert. However, even after half an hour of walking, he saw no signs of a fight.


    ''How deep did they go in?''


    Grrr¡­!


    All of a sudden, he sensed the sound of gravel falling on the ground like rain. Sylvester felt goosebumps over his body as he mustered the courage to keep walking. Even Miraj was scared and hugged Sylvester''s neck while looking back.<sub> </sub>


    "Ah! There''s something!"


    He found light in the distance, but he didn''t run. Instead, with a steady speed, he arrived at the spot and found a magtern on the ground. It was still working, which meant they were not too far. So he picked it up and put it on his waist.


    But beyond that point, he found signs of conflict at every step. There were scratch marks, burn marks on the floor¡ªblood even. They kept on increasing until he stumbled across a body.


    When he noticed it from a distance, his heart shook, hoping it wouldn''t be Sir Dolorem. This time he rushed to look. "It''s one of the bishops¡­ but why is¡­"


    There was no head on the body, ripped apart forcefully apparent by the many long veins and other neck organs. He knew what a body beheaded with a de looked like, so this raised many rms.


    "Chonky, keep looking above my head now." He ordered.


    He also noticed various flesh wounds that resembled a spear''s work. But none of the men had taken a spear with them, so this meant the creature had something sharp with it, most likely fangs.


    Sylvester deduced all possibilities and prepared to use Earth magic instead, as the best way to stop something sharp was to create a deterrence¡ªnot fire or light.


    He carefully took the next steps forward since the danger was near. The ominous sound of gravel falling kept intensifying just as his heartbeat increased. The coldness also became unbearable, but the adrenaline helped.


    "No!"


    He saw another body in front of him. Keeping himself logical, he didn''t run forwards. Instead, he prepared to cast any kind of magic needed at a moment''s notice. The light from his right hand was slowly reaching the peak too.


    He sighed when he noticed Bishop''s robes once again. The head was also gone, ripped apart from the top. This body was also much more dismembered, and the clothes were torn apart everywhere.


    The body¡ªwhatever was left of it, was riddled with ugly dark holes that oozed dark pus. The death must have been painful if the head was not the first thing to be removed, he reckoned.


    Slowly, his heart fell when he realized that only Sir Dolorem and the Archbishop were left now. Sir Dolorem was the weakest, so his chances of surviving hit rock bottom. But hope brought him into the cave, telling him to keep going.


    It would have been foolish now not to confirm Sir Dolorem''s demise before returning.


    Grrr¡­!


    As he moved more, the noise became so much that it felt like radio noise on amplifiers. It wasn''t very pleasant and tinkered with his senses.


    Despite being so cold, he soon felt sweat developing on his face and his body feeling lighter. He had no idea what was happening, but he quickened his pace slightly.


    He had continued on the path for an unknown amount of time when he noticed his light hit something metallic. He recognized it to be Sir Dolorem''s armor at a second nce. This was it¡­ the man he was looking for.


    He rushed this time to grab the man and drag him back. "Sir Dolo¡­"


    But it was just the armor.


    "Maxy! Look!" Miraj shouted close to his ear.


    Sylvester looked forward, and a humanoid frame was sitting at the side, resting his back on the wall.


    He rushed, "Sir Dolorem!"


    Sir Dolorem was only in his tunic and pants, looking dead and bloodied. Deep ck holes were on his right arm, left thigh, and shoulder. His dark face was covered with blood and showed no movement.


    He shook the man a little. "Sir Dolorem!"


    "Hmm¡­"


    "Yes!" Sylvester heard a faint hum from the man as he brought his face close.


    Knowing the man wouldn''t survive if left like this, he had to stop using light magic and heal him to give first aid and stop bleeding. Thankfully he had kept the magtern with him, so he charged it with his magic first.


    ''Thanks, mother. Your lessons areing in handy.'' He thanked Xavia as he treated Sir Dolorem.


    He used the incantations Xavia taught him and waved his hands on the wounds, sending a green light over. The bleeding soon started to stop, but he could not cure the dark holes.


    "W-Wh-"


    Life seemed to return to Sir Dolorem as the man tried to open his eyes. Although it all looked hazy, he recognized the worried face and blonde hair. He tried to raise his left hand and speak. "S-S¡­"


    Sylvester quickly shoved the hand back. "Sit still, foolish man! I am trying to save you."


    But Sir Dolorem kept trying to speak. "S-Son¡­ why did youe?"


    Sylvester scoffed as he hastily treated him. "I''m a dunderhead, that''s why."


    "R-Run¡­ It''s too strong¡­ it''s a Bloodling."


    Sylvester didn''t respond since hearing the man was tough. "I''m just done¡­ I will strap you on my back and drag you along."


    "S-Sylv¡­!"


    Sir Dolorem abruptly moved with a jolt and tried to stand up despite being in pain. His eyes opened wide as if in horror. He kept trying to speak aloud, but the injury stopped him, and the gravel noise hindered him. "S-Sylve"


    Sylvester moved his ear close to the man''s face. "What?"


    "B-Behind you!"


    "..."


    The warning prompted Sylvester to stand up hastily, his heart nearly exploded, and his face paled. His shivering fist clenched, but before he could think of a magic move, he felt cold air brushing on his nape. It was pulsating¡­ as if a breath, soon apanied by a growl.


    At the same time, a sudden extreme dose of bitterness hit Sylvester''s senses, so strong that he felt like fainting from it. There was no denying to him now¡­ it was not from the creature''s breath¡ªfor it was the taste of death!


    [A/N: Look at the Parament.]


    ___________________


    GIVE AND TAKE! STONE WHERE?


    **501 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 41 41. Dying Light

    The bitterness was so strong that he could not even think straight. His mind had gone numb, and his vision turned blurry. The thing was behind him. He knew it was too close. And, knowing that it eats the heads of the victims, this was the worst possible situation.


    ''I¡­ let''s hope this works.''


    He knew that moving his hands might cause the creature to attack, so instead of taking that risk, he started chanting hymns to create the light halo behind his head in the hopes that it would force the creature back.


    As he started chanting, a bright golden white halo appeared behind his head. It was intense and powerful enough to illuminate the entire cave. And as the movement it happened, a loud screech reverberated in Sylvester''s ears.


    But he did not focus on that as he was busy thinking of a hymn and singing it aloud.


    ?Solis, the creator of magic.


    Save me from a fate so tragic.


    Solis, the vanquisher of darkness.


    Lend your strength against this madness?


    ?I summon your light for this fight.


    Ready to give everything I have.


    Bless me here, so I stay bright.


    I will be your sword and staff tonight.?


    Wreeee¡­!


    The shrieks of the creature became apparent behind him. It was the effect of his hymn. But that was not enough, for he noticed the hymns did not hurt the creature. Even now, the cave looked rather dim, so he lifted both hands and used all his mastery of Srium to produce the most intense light magic he ever had and filled the surroundings with light to the brim.


    He turned around and aimed it at the creature. However, his heart skipped a few beats when he finallyid his eyes on it. It was ck like darkness itself, and it had three shining red eyes, the mouth appearing iplete as its ck skin was torn in stretches, revealing a hint of its blooded white sharp teeth.


    Its skin was made of an unknown substance. He noticed it was like a liquid, running around the body in little waves. The shape of the thing was simr to a sphere but with eight long spider-like legs, each having a metallic pointy end.


    It was something that would induce nightmares for years toe. But he had no time to think about it as adrenaline pushed him.


    "Argh!" Sylvester felt the creature was trying to fight his light in rage, pushing towards him even with its screeches.


    He was not too shocked by this, however. ''If even an Archbishop could not defeat it, what am I?''


    He looked back at Sir Dolorem. "Can you walk?"


    Sir Dolorem tried to stand up but could not and fell back. His legs were injured too much with the holes. "I-I don''t think I can."


    "Fine, you can at least use one leg to drag yourself. Just don''t freak out when you feel a sudden pull of your cor. I will drag you with me under the protection of this light. Just keep pushing with your good leg."


    Sylvester then whispered to the scared Miraj on his shoulder in a low voice. "You know what to do, Chonky. I know you''re a mighty boy."


    Chonky quickly jumped from his shoulder, caught Sir Dolorem''s cor, and started pulling it behind Sylvester. The goal was to have Sylvester use magic as a shield as they would carefully recede towards the exit.


    ''Ah! I feel so exhausted already. Having no sun on my head drains Srium too fast¡­ but this damn thing is too powerful.'' Sylvester was drenched in a cold sweat as he tried to keep the thing at bay.


    It was writhing in anger, wanting to devour the little boy who dared annoy it with the bright light. It felt pain, too, as if its skin was burning away slowly.


    Bam!¡ªIt tried to hit the light with all its might, but Sylvester continued to chant and used his hands to thicken the light magic and use it like a shield.


    ''I need to conserve my energy. There must be a way to turn the light into aplete hard shield instead of a torchlight.''


    Innovation happens during times of war. As a result, many new things are discovered that define the next era. This battle was simr for Sylvester as he was forced to discover the extent of his light magic.


    Until now, he never had an opportunity to use his light magic to fight or spar because it was useless to people. Now, he could go all out and try to turn the light into objects of destruction¡ªlike that night when he was a baby.


    Ensuring that Miraj was still dragging Sir Dolorem, he took the risk of stopping his right hand and emted what he usually does with the Earth element. For the Earth element, it was all about using the matter around you to your advantage. One could turn it into a wall, spikes, or even projectiles.


    He wished to do the same and use his free hand to mold the light from the halo and his other hand into a rigid ss-like shield.


    ''Come on, fold.''


    He frustratingly waved his right hand to make a shield. Not only that, he cursed because the way back felt much longer now.


    Wraaa¡­!<sub> </sub>


    The creature intensified its attacks, sensing a decrease in the light. It rammed itself again and again like a maddening bull.


    ''Yes! Like this¡­''


    Finally, after some minutes, he felt the light solidify a little and bend around him in an arc. Not stopping, they kept bending it, trying to find the best bnce between the amount of Srium required and the bending angle.


    Crack!¡ªThe shield he was making suddenly broke apart with a crack.


    ''Fuck!''


    He quickly created another one and repeated the trial carefully. But then, after what felt like an eternity, he noticed something strange happening with his own body.


    His hands seemed thinner as if blood was being drained from them, and now all veins were popping out. Then at another nce, it seemed his whole body had grown thinner, bing apparent with the feeling of lightheadedness and increased exhaustion with each step.


    ''Work¡­ dammit!''


    He couldn''t even wipe the sweat off his face as he walked back while facing the creature. Sir Dolorem tried his best to push himself, ignoring the strange invisible pull on his cor. He, too, noticed the changes happening to Sylvester, which ached his heart.


    "You will die from Srium deficiency! Leave me and save yourself! You are God''s favored, the future of the faith¡­ the world. You can''t die here."


    "Argh!" Sylvester fell to his knees abruptly, feeling too much weakness in his legs. Even breathing had be hard for him.


    Wraaay¡­!


    The creature saw an opportunity and tried to attack. Its screeches resembled the word die. Its tapered leg even reached a mere foot away from Sylvester. Sensing the danger, Sylvester again lifted his other hand and used light magic to the fullest, pushing it away.


    ?O'' Mighty Lord, sings here your bard.


    In this dark cave, give me the strength to be brave¡­?


    "Sir Dolorem, I''vee this far¡­ It''d be a shame to leave you behind now." He argued and attempted to create the shield again.


    Sir Dolorem tried to drag himself to Sylvester and used his good arm to the pat shoulder. "Listen to me¡­ I request you! You will die if you keep using magic to save both of us. You can''t¡­ but I see it¡­ your face is just bones. You are dying. This is not the ce or time for your end¡­ you can one day be Supreme Wizard¡­ peak of all."


    Sylvester cursed as he failed to make the shield again. "Sure, I can. But what''s the point if you and mother are not there to watch it happen? You''ve cared for me since I was a month old. I''ve spent so much time with you¡ªmore than mother even. So don''t give me that bullshit and start dragging yourself out."


    He cared not fornguage anymore. He was frustrated and angry at Sir Dolorem for evening here. He also had to keep singing. Was he turning into skin and bones? He didn''t care, as healing magic could cure thatter.


    ''Yes!'' He saw a thick ss-like semi-spherical shield appear in front of him, stopping the creature. But still, a crack would appear every time the creature bashed itself on it. So all he had to focus on now was to reinforce it.


    "Son¡­ look at me¡­" Sir Dolorem voiced monotonously.


    Sylvester took a nce. The man looked pale as the light he was creating. He was dying as well.


    "Son, let me do this. I''ve lost too much blood. It stabbed me and infected me as well. I might not even survive this stretch¡­ you can''t die uselessly¡­ I''m calling you a son¡­ please hear me and go. I will use thest of my magic to give you seconds if I can."


    ''This is bad¡­ I can''t have him die now, not when we''re so close to the exit. Not when I risked it all.''


    "No, I won''t die. And You must live too, old man. You must live for your son, the one you keep rambling about every day¡ªwho''s as old as me¡­ and for your wife waiting for you. You must live and go on a long vacation to see them." Sylvester didn''t look back to ensure he didn''t get emotional from the pleading dying face of Sir Dolorem.


    There was no reply anymore, so Sylvester put all his focus on the shield. As long as he could make it, he will be able to conserve his magic and make a small shield for just the three of them. It would be enough to reach the exit.


    "They''re dead!"


    Sylvester looked back as his heart jumped, feeling something had happened to them. But he found Miraj and the man as good as a moment ago. "Who?"


    "My wife and son¡ªthey''re dead!"


    ___________________


    [BONUS COMING SOON! KEEP STONING ME!]


    I THURST FOR YOUR STONES!


    **1069 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 42 [BONUS CHAPTER] 42. No More Space

    This was too big of a revtion that made no sense to Sylvester. But nevertheless, the various memories of Sir Dolorem passionately talking about his family recurred in his mind.


    "What? Have you gone senile?"


    Sir Dolorem firmly looked him in the eye and replied. "They died seven years ago when you were merely one year old. Died in a riot between factions of two men who wished to be the Town''s Chief¡ªburnt alive in their sleep at home. I-I see Nics in you¡­ and I can''t see you die too. So go!"


    Once again, Sylvester ignored him and focused on the shield, but an audible curse escaped his mouth this time. "Goddammit!"


    "We will talk about thister. And don''t give up on me after I risked everything to save you¡ªwhen it was you who volunteered for this suicide. So shut up and live¡ªand see me grow strong." Sylvester snapped at him and focused on surviving.


    Sir Dolorem helplessly followed the instructions and prepared to move. He was frustrated that Sylvester was not listening to his words, but he knew there was not much he could do. This boy was too stubborn.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester had a new worry in mind. He was losing his vision for some reason, and the continuous use of light magic had drained his magical energy. It was a surprise to him how he was even alive. But thankfully, the light shield was still going strong.


    "Prepare to move again." He instructed not Sir Dolorem but Miraj. He wished to hurry because Sir Dolorem was not looking good.


    "Wait! Please save me!"


    All of a sudden, a third voice came. It was faint but understandable. Sylvester recognized it immediately. ''Archbishop didn''t die? How did he survive until now?''


    As Sylvester shrunk the light shield to the size of his height and length that covered Sir Dolorem and Miraj''s body, he saw a man running towards him with a magtern in hand. It was as he expected, Archbishop Lucas. But the man looked gravely injured as there was a deep gash over the old man''s left shoulder. The face had the same horror as Sylvester had before.


    As the creature was busy attacking Sylvester, he shouted to stop the man. "Wait! Don''te here! This thing will kill you! I am losing strength now; I can''t keep it at bay. Do you have any Srium Crystals with you?"


    The Archbishop nodded and showed three tiny sparkling crystals. He had three of them shining in bright white light.


    "Great, keep brandishing them and walk towards me," Sylvester instructed the confused panicked man.


    The Archbishop hastily and clumsily ran towards Sylvester''s shield with the stones in hand. The creature couldn''t attack him since the Srium Crystals were charged by concentrating a beam of sunlight with magnifying sses for seven days and their presence alone was a bane for the creature.


    They had a tonne of Srium particles, which threatened the creature. But it was like an elixir in Sylvester''s eyes as Srium was like a healthy dose of caffeine and adrenaline for wizards. They could heal and replenish energy.


    "Faster, Archbishop!" Sylvester widened his shield to allow the man to enter and be a respite from their misery.


    Before the creature could even notice that there was another fish in the sea, the Archbishop had already jumped in Sylvester''s shield, falling right to thetter''s feet.


    The old man seemed broken, scared out of his wits. It was understandable. After all, there are rarely any beings who can threaten someone of an Archbishop rank. And here, this man was utterly defeated and powerless against the creature.


    Sylvester also noticed a few hole marks on the old man''s back, which meant he was also infected. ''How is he even alive? Is it due to his higher rank?''


    "Give me the Srium Crystals, Archbishop. I am exhausted." Sylvester cried for help.


    "Here!" Archbishop Lucas handed him all three Srium Crystals. Sylvester used one by putting it in his mouth and breaking it with his teeth. He threw a spare at Sir Dolorem, who was on the verge of fainting.


    And as soon as the energy returned from the crystals, Sylvester felt his vision get better to some extent. But his body remained as thin as a moment ago. ''All this new energy is going towards making the Shield.''


    He nced at Sir Dolorem. Thetter''s face looked better too. Then there was Miraj, dutifully sitting close to Sir Dolorem''s cor, prepared to start pulling at moment''s notice.


    Sylvester took a long breath and nced at Archbishop Lucas. The man was breathing heavily while sitting on the ground.


    ''There''s no other way.''


    He suddenly lifted his foot and shoved the Archbishop to the light shield. The man was left in shock and panic. "W-What are you doing, God''s Favored?"


    "You''ve lived long enough¡­ I''m sorry, there is no room for three."


    The reality dawned on his mind. He was weakened and couldn''t even fight against Sylvester''s foot. He truly cried in fear and powerless anguish. "P-Please¡­ Don''t do this to me."


    Suddenly, the foul stench of rotten flesh hit Sylvester''s nose. The bitterness from before was still present, sobined with this, it was a vomit-inducing feeling. And he knew what it was. It was the smell of sadness¡ªsomeone broken. Simr to the elf woman he saw years ago.


    It ached his heart knowing what he was doing to the man. But Sylvester could not throw away rationality and risk the death of everyone. He was not everyone''s savior. "I will remember your sacrifice."


    "No¡­!"


    Bam!¡ªSylvester kicked him and flickered his shield just enough to throw the Archbishop out of the protection.


    The creature was alerted by it, too, and turned its gaze towards the human that fell out.<sub> </sub>


    On the other hand, without wasting a moment, Sylvester seized the opportunity by grabbing Sir Dolorem''s cor and making a run for it. The more distance he could cover before being caught again, the better. He had no time to think about the man he threw to a painful death¡­ his own survival was the most important thing right now.


    Sir Dolorem saw it all while being dragged, how the Archbishop used thest bit of his magic to make an Earth shield around himself. But that only slowed down the creature for a few seconds as it started to dig. And this scuffle gave them precious moments to get further.


    Then at the 10th second, the Earth shield broke open, and the creature stabbed the Archbishop a dozen times, pulled the body out, and chomped the head off with its wide jaw.


    "It''sing!" Sir Dolorem alerted.


    Reacting, Sylvester slowed down again and faced the creature to reinforce the shield. He kept chanting more hymns and ensuring more light. Miraj was also back at work as they started to make slow and steady progress.


    ''I wonder how much time has passed here. I hope help arrives by the time I reach out.''


    Bam! Bam! Bam!


    The creature kept hitting the shield but to no avail. Not to mention, Sylvester also used thest remaining Srium crystal now and felt much better. So all he had to do now was wait for his energy to deplete, see the creature strike and keep walking.


    ''I hope I''llst until the end.''


    ¡­


    Holy Land


    The Bishop that took off from Goldstown on the boat was named James. He used the downstream to quicken the time taken. He also used his wind magic to make the boat go faster and reach the Holnd in a record time of seven hours.


    Being a man of Bishop rank, he quickly ran to have a meeting with Saint Wazir, if not the Pope. But thankfully, he learned that a Sanctum Council meeting was going on. So he rushed there, to the Pope''s Pce.


    He was allowed to enter only after he exined everything to the sentries. Even then, the sentries had to first take permission from inside. In doing all that, he wasted precious minutes and grew hasty.


    He didn''t wait and rushed into the sacred chambers as soon as he saw the sentries walking out. Then, without waiting for any pleasantries, he eximed. "Goldstown! A Bloodling has taken the caves. Two Bishops died, and the Archbishop was left alone with an injured knight named Sir Dolorem¡­ they have likely died too. I request immediate help¡­ it''s too powerful."


    Suddenly, the Pope stood up, and his expression changed to worry. "What about the God''s Favored? Deacon Sylvester Maximilian?"


    Bishop James replied. "He was standing outside the cave when I came out."


    "Did you tell him the fate of Sir Dolorem?" Inquisitor High Lord asked suddenly.


    "Yes."


    The Pope took a long breath of worry. "I know him; thisd is as stubborn as me. I''m afraid he might enter the cave himself... but how did a bloodling spawn so close to the Holnd? What was happening in that mine?"


    Saint Seer, the chief Spymaster, replied to that. "Mining and death go hand in hand, your holiness. Thousands of ves have lost their lives in copsed veins and were buried alive in the past few centuries. I reckon their corpses were never dug out, and a bloodling was born over time. It merely started attacking now because it feels powerful."


    "Deacon Sylvester cannot fight it in any situation. I need someone to go there immediately and resolve this mess. Saint Scepter." The Pope looked at his right-hand man, the man supposedly only weaker than the Pope himself.


    "I will go!" But the Inquisitor High Lord volunteered. "Sir Dolorem deserves a proper burial."


    The Pope nodded. "Alright then, Lord Inquisitor. Reach there immediately. Use any means you must."


    "I will take the river, holy father."


    Saint Seer objected. "A boat upstream? It will slow you down, Lord Inquisitor."


    But Inquisitor High Lord merely scoffed, for he knew where this naivety came from. Not all members of the Sanctum Council were men of supreme strength. Many were exceptional only in their respective fields, such as this Saint Seer, the master of spies.


    "Fear not, Saint Seer. For a man of our strength, nothing is impossible, and don''t forget, my fire leaves nothing improbable. I shall take my leave."


    ___________________


    [Next chapter will be up in an hour. Editor-chan needs some time.]


    I THURST FOR YOUR STONES!


    **1069 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 43 43. Crimson Fire

    How much time had passed? It was unknown. How much time was left before his demise? Sylvester did not know this either. What he did know was that his hands looked like a skeleton, and the exit was close by. They had been crawling at snail speed for so long that their actions were robotic now.


    Sylvester kept focusing on the shield, not allowing the creature to touch them. Miraj was exhausted, yet he kept pulling Sir Dolorem. The three were utterly drained and wished to do nothing but rest after getting out.


    To hell with the exam, to hell with this mine.


    By now, Sylvester had mastered how to harden his light magic, he could probably make spikes with it too, but it was unknown if it would hurt ordinary people. And he had no magic left to try it on this creature.


    "Just a little more." He said. It was unknown if he was motivating himself or the two others with him,


    His vision had started to get blurry long ago, but all he knew was which direction to walk. His legs were screaming at his brain to stop, but he forced himself¡­ all thanks to the mental fortitude he had inherited from past experiences.


    "T-There¡­ we''re close!" Sylvester noticed a giant blockage at the front. It was the boulder at the cave''s entrance. But now he had a new headache. He needed to shout to get it moved, as he had no spare energy left, not even to scream.


    "Okay, we''re nearly there. I want all of you to scream ''open'' at the same time." He instructed the two.


    "Open!"


    "Open!"


    "Open!"


    Sir Dolorem looked left and right for the third voice, as it hade from beside his ears. It creeped him out, but he decided to ignore everything that happened in the cave. Something was pulling him, and he knew Sylvester didn''t want to reveal it, so this was the least he could do.


    "Once more!" Sylvester whispered.


    "Open!"


    "Open!"


    "Open!"


    Grr¡­!


    Some movement happened. Sylvester''s heart ted at its sight, and he was on cloud nine when he noticed daylight falling in from outside. ''Yes! It''s daytime¡­ Wait, I spent the whole night inside?''


    He couldn''t falter here. The end was always the most crucial part. Unless he was out, he needed to keep his focus on the shield. ''I hope the help has arrived.''


    "Just a little more!" He muttered.


    The closer they got to the exit, the crazier the creature became. Sylvester longed to bask in the sunlight creeping in, as that would mean the creature couldn''t follow.


    "You go out first. I will keep the shield upright unless all of us are out."


    Wraaa¡­!


    The creature screamed because of the increasing sunlight from outside. Its movements showed a hint of caution. Its three red eyes squinted a little, the light was doing its work on it.


    Sylvester slowly backed towards the exit and pushed Sir Dolorem out of the gap. Then, he put a step out, then his back. He kept looking inside at the creature''s face. He had no idea if the thing felt emotions, but he sure noticed a look of disappointment.


    He smiled and showed a middle finger to it. "Not today¡­."


    "Favored One!"


    He heard a loud shout calling for him as he fell back on his skinny buttocks. The sun''s intense rays hit his face, revitalizing him and making him feel like he had found a new life. ''I hate caves!''


    Wraaaaay!


    But just then, the scream of the creature echoed again. One of its pointy legs protruded out of the small gap of the entrance that was still being closed.


    Sylvester had fallen just outside, so he was still in reach of it.


    He saw the ck leg and cursed inwardly. He tried to raise his hand quickly to create the magic shield.


    "Return to your realm, filth!"


    Out of nowhere, a loud voice echoed.


    Bam!¡ªFollowing that, a strong thud resounded. Sylvester noticed a figure wearing dirty red robes and a visor on his face. The pointy hat was the same as eight years ago, and so was the staff in hand. Today was the second time in his life he felt grateful for this violent man''s arrival.


    ''Let''s hope he can do something.''


    Inquisitor High Lord had descended from the sky with fire under his feet. Then he rushed forward and used his staff to m away the creature''s legs.


    Crack!¡ªNot only did he stomp the leg, but he also broke it apart with one move. However, that was merely the start, as he smashed his foot on the ground and threw the giant rock covering the cave away like it was a pebble.


    "You shall receive no wee here, filth. Dare to appear this close to my Holnd¡ªSINNER!" Inquisitor High Lord punched his free left fist towards the cave.


    Woosh!¡ªNobody saw what happened, but everything turned crimson. The fist released fire of such great intensity that it blew into the cave like a flood. The sound of such a move made the strongest storms feel like a little whistle.


    Boom!¡ªAll of the mountaintops in the vicinity blew off and started spewing fire as if they were volcanos. The fire went so high that it turned the clouds red, making it appear like the world was ending.<sub> </sub>


    The violence was unprecedented. Sylvester did not even know such things could be humanly possible. The man here didn''t even appear to be struggling and simply burned the entire cave system across the mountains.


    "BEGONE, FILTH!" Inquisitor High Lord boomed in great anger.


    The fire seemed to resonate with the anger and turned deep red, fitting for a man called Crimson Fire, the 3rd Guardian of Light.


    The people from Goldstown, even those from viges tens of kilometers away, all fell to their knees and prayed. Those who knew not this fire was vanquishing evil felt it was the wrath of Solis. So they prayed, they cried, rich or poor, noble or not, setting away their pride.


    Being so close, Sylvester felt his heart pump with newfound inspiration. His eyes, always golden, were now red from the fiery reflection. The heat from the fire was as warm as a mother''s embrace.


    He did not know what happened to the creature inside, but he reckoned not even its ashes were left. He felt an urge, a deep desire right there. This was what he wanted, what he needed; this was the path to a peaceful life.


    ''Strength! Supreme Strength¡ªI want it!''


    To be able to remove all life''s problems with a wave of his hand, he knew he had the talent to go even beyond Inquisitor Hight Lord, and he couldn''t even fathom what power that would be like.


    ''Now I know why the Pope is so feared and revered.''


    Inquisitor High Lord started walking into the cave next to ensure his fire did the job. He passed by Sylvester''s body, ncing at him. It was unknown what face the strong man hid behind the visor, but Sylvester did sense the burning pungent aroma of anger and a mix of chills with fear.


    Slowly, the man vanished from his view, but the dozens of mountaintops kept roaring with fire. It was truly hell on earth, and merely one man caused it.


    ''What happens if all Guardians of Lighte together? How strong are other Kingdoms?'' Sylvester wondered a great many things.


    But one thing he noticed was his inability to even move. His eyes also started to close slowly, exhaustion finally took a toll, and the adrenaline lost its effect.


    "Favored One!" Chief Marigold came rushing to help.


    "G-Get Sir Dolorem to safety! He''s infected. And get me some food!" He demanded.


    By then, the team that had departed with the Inquisitor High Lord arrived and took over the situation. There were three healers and five more inquisitors of various ranks that Sylvester overlooked.


    The Healers quickly picked him up in arms and ran towards the Monastery. There appeared to be a sense of hurry in the eyes of the healer. Sylvester noticed more from his senses, a taste of tangerines¡ªanxiety, it meant.


    ''Why do they look so worried?'' He wondered. He wanted to ask, but he realized he could no longer open his mouth. Even his arms and legs were numb as they simply swayed with the movement.


    His eyeballs could move, however.


    ''What''s happened?''


    In a matter of minutes, he found himself on afortable soft bed in the Monastery, and he felt like closing his eyes and just being at peace.


    "Quick! Call Lord Inquisitor back! We will need his help! This kid¡­ there is no muscle left on his body! His blood pressure is non-existent. Look at him¡ªso pale! So much deficiency of Srium, how is he even alive?" the healer that Sylvester could notice shouted at the other two inquisitors.


    ''No muscle?'' Sylvester''s mind wondered. But he felt this was not his end, as he could feel energy slowly reappearing in his body.


    ''I hope Sir Dolorem is fine. It''d be a shame if after all this...'' With that thought in mind, he finally closed his eyes. There were no dreams this time, as even the mind wanted to just shut off for once aftering up with so many hymns in the cave.


    With his dozing off, the news spread about the condition of Sylvester in the town. The people surrounded the Monastery, waiting for any news. They kept their little pendants of the Church Insignia in their hands, praying for recovery. Some had tasty food with them, hoping the God''s Favored would eat.


    But thanks to that, Miraj got something to eat. At other times, however, Miraj was always sitting near Sylvester''s pillow, keeping an eye so no one would harm his adopted baby.


    Inquisitor High Lord soon returned after his little excursion into the mountains and helped with the healing. A Grand Wizard''s simple healing magic was usually more effective than the advanced spells of a regr healer.


    So the man sat there day and night beside Sylvester, casting magic every fifteen minutes to provide a gradual boost of Srium to the body. This was a problem with Srium deficiency. If one were healed abruptly, it would st the veins and kill the patient.


    "Sir Dolorem, how could you be so careless, letting God''s Favored be this reckless?" Inquisitor High Lord scolded the man,ying on the bed adjacent to Sylvester. But he looked much better as all he had lost was blood.


    The infection from stab wounds was still there, however, as that would require a Blood-rays Ritual to heal. Other than that, he was fine and¡­ regretful.


    "Archbishop Lucas ordered me to follow him. I should have declined¡­ no matter what." Sir Dolorem mournfully replied, guilt intensifying after seeing Sylvester''s thin body.


    Inquisitor High Lord''s eyes behind the visor shed red as he cast another healing spell on Sylvester. "Indeed, Sir Dolorem. You could have cost us the future of Faith with your actions. But I must ept the fault lies in me as well."


    "Y-You had nothing to do with this, my lord. It''s my fault." Sir Dolorem blurted in panic.


    Inquisitor High Lord shook his head. "No, I should have foreseen someone attempting to order you around with their high rank. Perhaps, we must reconsider your position in the church upon returning. No one should be allowed to order the aide to God''s Favored. Your duties are to the Faith and then him, that''s it."


    The big man nced at Sylvester next. "For now, we wait for this brave young child of Solis to heal. It''s a miracle he even survived this ordeal. Truly¡ªA blessed child."


    ___________________


    STONE IS MY FOOD! FEED ME!


    **1069 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 44 44. Worth It!

    [Memoirs of Sir Dolorem


    It has been six days, and Sylvester has still not woken up. By the grace of Solis, he is medically sound, but the Srium exhaustion has taken a toll on his mind. Inquisitor High Lord has returned to the Holy Land, but the healers are here, keeping a strict eye.


    I regret what happened, and if I knew he would go this far for me, I would have rejected thete Archbishop Lucas''s order. This boy, merely eight, who should be enjoying his childhood carelessly, under our protection, is here forced to fight to protect others.


    It fills my heart that he thinks I''m this important to him, enough to put his own life at risk. It seems it wasn''t only me who felt attached after eight years of protecting, feeding, and cleaning him. He reminds me so much of my son, Nics¡­ so much that I can''t help but think, what if¡­ they were still alive.


    But I feel that Sylvester also has many secrets. Some of them came to my notice during this recent ordeal. Keeping them a secret for him is the least I can do to repay this debt on life I now owe. When he truly feels I am trustworthy, I believe he shall share them with me on his own.


    Until then, I shall give my all to protect him, even if it costs me my life, for he is the future of the faith, as Lord Inquisitor said.


    He is the bar¡­]


    "What are you writing?"


    Sir Dolorem turned to look at Sylvester''s bed, exhrated by the voice he unknowingly longed to hear again. "Master Maximilian, please wait! I will call the healers!"


    "No, wait! Call the cook. I''m so hungry. Also, no need to worry, I am fine and dandy." Sylvester lifted his hand to look. "From the condition of my hands not being skin and bones anymore, I reckon I am healed."


    Thud!¡ªall of a sudden, Sir Dolorem dropped to his knees and held his head low near the bed.


    "Master Maximilian, forgive me for what has happened to you. Your well-being was my duty, and I failed at it miserably. I forgot my duty is greater than mere exorcisms, I forgot my first and foremost duty lies towards you. I shall ept any punishment you deem fit."


    Sylvester shifted to the bed''s edge and then smacked Sir Dolorem on his bald head. "You stain the work I put into saving you by doing this, Sir Dolorem. Get up!"


    Sir Dolorem stood up and sat on a wooden stool beside the bed. "Master Maximilian¡­"


    Sylvester raised his hand to gesture to him to remain quiet. "It was worth it! I do not regret going in there to save you. You would have died a slow death and then would have been eaten by that thing otherwise. It''s a sad end to a knight.


    "But there is one punishment I can think of."


    "I will ept any punishment, Master Maximilian."


    Sylvester smiled and ordered. "You shall obey mymand from now on. I do not need you needlessly putting your life at risk. You being alive to me is more important than your death, remember that."


    Sir Dolorem''s eyes suddenly shed with a hint of emotion. A smile appeared on his face as he nodded. "I vow to follow you to the depths of inferno if you order me."


    Feeling rxed and much better, Sylvester moved a bit to make himselffortable on the bed. Miraj was sleeping inside the nket, tucked between his side and the arm, after all. ''I hope I don''t fail the exam now and¡­ others are alive.''


    "One more thing, don''t tell mother about what happened here. Or else she will be too frightened every time I leave the Holy Landter." He requested.


    "I will not, but Lord Inquisitor was here too. He healed you for three days and nights without moving. He might tell her."


    Sylvester was not worried about that. "He likely won''t."


    ''He is the man who is afraid of Xavia holding me back, after all. Thest thing he''d want is for her to be possessive now.'' Sylvester thought, remembering what had urred in the Pce of Queen Rexina.


    Knock! Knock!


    Sir Dolorem quickly checked the door and received a tray full of fine cuisine with various bowls and tes. He then set it all on the table beside Sylvester''s bed.


    "How long was I unconscious?"


    "Six days, Master Maximilian."


    ''That''s a lot¡­'' he thought. "How serious was my condition?"


    Sir Dolorem frowned suddenly. "It was a strange situation. You should have been a dead man by the look of your body. There is no record of someone being as Srium deficient as you, but somehow you were getting better on your own. But the blood quantity in your body was extremely low and constantly dropping, despite no wounds.


    "We had to feed you special herbs to produce more blood."


    Sylvester nodded and decided not to forget. While casting the shield, he felt something strange happening to himself in the cave. The more his body mass was dried, and his skin got paler, the more magic he felting out. From Xavia''s lessons, he knew that in cases of Srium exhaustion, wizards simply drop dead after spending it all. They don''t be pale.


    "Please eat this." Sir Dolorem gave him a te full of various foods. There was meat porridge, orange juice, fruits, and roasted liver of some animal.


    "Take one te for yourself and eat with me, Sir Dolorem. I will not hear a no." Sylvester ordered, smirking as well, because he was using the vow the man made not long ago.


    Sighing, Sir Dolorem took a te for himself. Then he prayed before eating. "O'' Solis, I thank you for your grace and your light that kept us alive. Thank you for Master Maximilian''s healthy recovery and for granting us this food. May your light enlighten us."


    The two silently started eating after that. Sylvester was secretly feeding Miraj as well, carefully dropping chunks of meat to his side.


    "How were they like?" Sylvester suddenly inquired.


    Sir Dolorem knew what was being asked. He took a long sigh and looked at the food bowl aimlessly. "Sweet¡­ kind. She was an amazing woman who added colors to my dull life. She was my joy, the reason I longed to go home. Then she gave me a son, born a few months before you. Little Nics, he was a child with intelligent eyes.


    "W-When I was assigned to work in the Southern Kingdoms, I had the chance of returning home¡ªonly to find my world ruined."


    Sir Dolorem''s shoulders fell, and emotions overwhelmed him. "All I found were their ashes, stored by the town''s monastery."


    Sylvester''s eyes, too, turned hazy when he heard the description. He knew what it felt like to lose one''s family. Diana and his unborn son¡­ were his life''s bliss, until they became the memories that broke him. However, he had reached his closure before dying.<sub> </sub>


    "Did you punish the two men who caused the riots?" he inquired.


    Sir Dolorem shook his head. "There were more than two hundred people involved in the burning that night. The matter was presided over by the Baron of the region. He deemed the case unsolvable because no one man was responsible for it. However, one contender for the election of Foxholm town''s chief was held ountable and punished with death.


    "But I believe it was a farce, as the other contender was a distant rtive of the Baron."


    Sylvester sighed in disappointment. "Injustice! Sir Dolorem, once Iplete my education, let''s go to the town and punish the real criminals. These arrogant, unfaithful heathens should never be left unpunished, for they are akin to rotten apples on a tree and keep spoiling the others, tarnishing the name of Solis."


    "There is no need to."


    Sylvester interrupted. "It''s not for you. It''s for the sake of justice. Where is this Foxholm?"


    "In the Hignd Kingdom, Master Maximilian."


    That brought back some bad memories for Sylvester. He was also born in the Hignd Kingdom, in a remote southwestern vige. ''I wonder how that healer did as the new vige chief.''


    The two then ate their food silently. The little talk had brought back some memories for both. Some worth cherishing, some worth sighing over.


    ¡­


    The next day, Sylvester felt even better and decided it was time to return and deal with the examination. He also wished to see how many other God''s Favored survived.


    So, with the Church healers, he proceeded to the luxury stagecoach once belonging to Archbishop Lucas.


    The whole town hade to say their final goodbye. The people looked much happier since the mines were open again, and they could extract gold.


    Chief Marigold, being a little extra, started crying and hugged Sylvester. "Favored One, this town will forever be grateful for all you have done. Since we have more gold now, please ept this again."


    Sylvester didn''t even resist and took a bag of gold, not coins this time, but bars. "Thank you, Chief Marigold. I shall donate it to the temple. I will also pray forsting peace and happiness in this vige."


    He didn''t wish to drag it too long, so he sang a very short hymn for the people to remember him by. Then, he repeated the same movements, turning his hand and the back of the head into a bulb.


    ?Thisnd has again been unsoiled,


    The ns of the evil family have been foiled.


    I wish for eternalsting warmth here,


    Joy may remain for a hundred years.


    Fear no evil of darkness or within.


    Keep praying and stay far from sin.


    Solis shall cleanse your mind from the ruckus.


    May his holy light forever enlighten us.?


    "We are blessed!" The people knelt and saw Sylvester enter the luxurious stagecoach.


    Then, his stagecoach was escorted away with two Inquisitor knights on single horses. Sylvester kept waving his hand until the town was out of view.


    With that, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of weight being lifted off his shoulder.


    "This took longer than I expected." Finally, Sylvester rxed in the soft seat where the Archbishop once sat.


    "Indeed, Master-"


    "HALT!"


    "Argh! What now?" Sylvester stopped himself from cursing at the sudden halting of the carriage. They had just moved out of Goldstown, so it was strange that someone would do something suspicious here.


    Sir Dolorem looked outside quickly. An exchange of words was going on with the Inquisitor knights at the front and a dozen more ordinary knights on horses. But it didn''t take long before the stagecoach was once again moving. However, one of the escorting Inquisitor Knights soon came to the window to report.


    "Who were they?" Sir Dolorem asked.


    "Knights of Riveria Kingdom, Sir. The Gracia Kingdom has dered war on Riveria, so the soldiers from Riveria are invading the strategic locations of the Gracia Kingdom, such as this gold mining town."


    ___________________


    [A/N: A bitte because this gori overslept.]


    O''MIGHTY READER! BLESS THIS GORILLA!


    **1069 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 45 45. Season Of Solis

    45. Results!


    "Turn the stagecoach around!" Sir Dolorem ordered the two reinsmen.


    Sylvester was annoyed, however. "Are we going to fight them now?"


    "No, it will nevere to that, Master Maximilian. You will know when you will see it. No kingdom can im Goldstown at this moment."


    So as ordered, their little procession turned around and headed to Goldstown, right behind the small military unit of 12 knights.


    Since they were merely a few hundred meters away from the town, they reached the ce fairly quickly and found Chief Marigold talking with the Riveria knights, appearing to be pleading for mercy.


    "No army can touch this town!" Sir Dolorem boomed as he got out of the stagecoach.


    Sylvester kept watching from inside, wondering if the man would again prove himself a fool or if he was in for a surprise?


    ''I hope it''s not the former.''


    The leading knight among the enemy unit walked to Sir Dolorem and spoke respectfully, as one should when addressing the Church. "Sir, this is not a matter rted to faith. You can not meddle here legally."


    Sir Dolorem nodded and took a parchment out of the edge of his chest te. "Indeed, but this town is a matter of interest for the Church. Inquisitor High Lord was here merely three days ago to exorcise the evil in the gold mines that took the life of 3 Bishops, an Archbishop, and many more."


    "B-But exorcising in privatends is the duty of the lord of thend." The Riveria Knight argued.


    "True, but they were unable to defeat the Bloodling. So Duke Harold Gracia asked the Holy Land for help in return for giving away rights to this mine and the town for a month. Byw, Goldstown is Church''s property for this month." Sir Dolorem shoved the parchment.


    The Riveria Knight read it carefully as slowly a frown appeared on his face. He nced at the people and then looked back at his men. "Fall back. This town is out of bounds until the end of this month."


    With that, the Riveria Knights got on their horses and swiftly left. The people of the town felt rejuvenated again. To them, the appearance of Sylvester was like the greatest good luck now.


    "Chief Marigold, I shall send more forces from the Church here. The mine will extract gold for the faith this month. None are allowed to interfere. Keep this parchment and show it to any force that arrives here, be it from Riveria or Gracia faction. Tell them that disrespecting the Lord Inquisitor''s seal is akin to calling the wrath of Solis on oneself."


    After that, Sir Dolorem once again entered the stagecoach, and they were soon on their way back.


    However, Sylvester had a cheeky smile, for he had sensed something when the man spoke earlier. "So, only half of it was the truth?"


    Sir Dolorem sighed, knowing that Sylvester was extremely good at reading people. "The parchment only talks about the mines, not the town. But the people of the town are important for the post-extraction process."


    "What if they had refused to go and called your bluff?" Sylvester asked him to see if the man had also thought about the worst-case scenario.


    "Even in that case, they''d have to respect the Church and not attack the town. Master Maximillian, you must remember that the Church is the supreme entity in the world. We must spread and maintain the faith and itsws, including ensuring the faithful''s safety. In the case of wars, by sacredws, no army can harm civilians. If they do, they will be seen as heathens and be dealt with.


    "This war too¡­ I can see the decision-makers of the Church being unhappy about it. At best, this war will end in a week with no winners but many sinners." Sir Dolorem exined.


    Sylvester took the man''s word by heart, recognizing that Sir Dolorem had more experience with thews and customs of this world. ''I guess I still have much to learn. But, while being careful, I should learn to use my status to the fullest. What''s the point of being God''s Favored otherwise?''


    "The town has been through enough. I do hope they get some peace now." He muttered and rxed in the seat once they reached the even, well-paved Holy Road.


    The journey would take them a whole day, so there was not much to do but rest and silently y with Miraj''s fur.


    ¡­


    It had been eight days since Sylvester left the Holy Land before. He hoped that at least some Deacons would have returned since only five days remained. After all, not everyone had taken the task of exorcising. Some must have chosen to hunt wild animals or to help a poor vige with their house reconstructions.


    However, as the stagecoach was about to cross the tunnel to enter the Holy Land, Sylvester noticed a long line of people at the side, all wearing modest robes with the faith''s insignia in hand as they prayed with closed eyes. There were all kinds of people, kids, old, young, men and women. Some even looked physically disabled.


    The crowd was so big that Clergymen kept an eye and managed everything from horseback. They were also keeping the road traffic in order.


    "What''s going on here, Sir Dolorem?" He asked, as his experience outside the Holy Land was non-existent.


    Sir Dolorem made a small prayer in the direction of the Magna Sanctum and exined. "It seems your sense of time is still affected by the long unconsciousness? It''s the Season of Solis. The two holy months when the light of Solis falls the most on thesends. All these people are pilgrims, here to see the Magna Sanctum from afar, while some lucky ones get to enter the temple and get blessings from the Pope."


    But Sylvester was shocked by something he noticed in the long crowd. He protruded his head out the stagecoach''s window to look carefully. "Wait¡­ was that a humanoid wolf? And a humanoid gori?"


    Sir Dolorem chuckled and responded. "Indeed, they are Beastkins, half-human and half animal. These ones are also faithful believers of Solis. They alle from therge ind between the Sol Continent and thend of the heathens, the Beastaria Continent. It''s called Libertia, thend of the free. It was where Pope Axel Tar Kree and various Kings and Chiefs of heathens signed the peace ord.


    "Thend is under the jurisdiction of none and has its own government. Humans and Sub-Humans live there harmoniously, engage in business, and exchange culture. It might disgust you to know, but many humans, even faithfuls, have married sub-humans and now live there."


    ''T-Then¡­ does it not make it the best ce to live? But¡­ in case of another war, I reckon it will be the first ce to get destroyed.'' He quickly dismissed the mere thought of buying a piece ofnd there.<sub> </sub>


    "And we allow this to happen?" He inquired.


    "That''s the beauty of the faith. In fact, we promote inter-marriage between Faithfuls and Sub-humans, but only in Libertia. Slowly, this way, we are turning many heathens into faithfuls." Sir Dolorem answered while looking outside.


    "Why don''t we promote it here?" Sylvester asked. Instantly, he felt a faint smell of rotten eggs, signifying disgust.


    "Sol Continent is not ready for it yet. The Church only dislikes Sub-humans because they are heathens. But the people, and byrge, the clergy, hate them for being different. They are nothing but prospective ves to most here. If you look outside, you will only find Beastkins because they are a dividedmunity in various small ns. For this, they are easy to ept Solis.


    "While Elves, Dwarves, Centaurs, Goblins and such have their own gods they strongly believe in¡­ perhaps more strongly than many followers of Solis here." Sir Dolorem exined in detail while internally epting that he held the same negative viewpoint towards sub-humans.


    Sylvester sighed silently. ''So it''s basically racism between species, or should I call it ''Speciesism''? Anyway, at least the Church''s top ranks don''t hate them for being different.''


    Slowly, the stagecoach went deeper into the Pope''s Penins. No pilgrim was allowed to enter there, so it was as empty as ever. He soon arrived at the Bright Mother''splex and went home. At the same time, Sir Dolorem left to report to his superiors about the invading armies from Riveria.


    Sylvester found the house empty, as Xavia was still at work. So he decided to bake himself some nice bread and eat them with honey. For Miraj, he boiled some meat.


    "Here you go, Chonky. Eat this banana while the meat cooks."


    He sat back on the wooden chair and rxed. His nerves finally calmed down, Holy Land being the safest pce for him.


    "Maxy, give me more banana."


    He handed his half. "What do you think, Chonky? How long will it take me to get as strong as Inquisitor High Lord?"


    Miraj stopped eating and looked at Sylvester''s face intently, appearing to contemte and estimate with the help of his vast centuries of wisdom. Then a momentter, he showed a big smile. "I don''t know."


    "..."


    "What was all that dramatic pause for then? Anyway, vomit all the gold out. I want to see how much I have saved."


    Miraj quickly ate the banana and then showed one paw. "Chonky Bank needs taxes first. One more banana?"


    Sylvester sighed and got up to get one. He never argued with Miraj for such little things, knowing the boy was merely having fun, and if he were to ask seriously, Miraj would even vomit his guts out.


    "Here you go, Lord Chonky."


    With that, the furry boy started to induce vomit. Unfortunately, this was the worst part of his ability, as he couldn''t just open his mouth and let everything out.


    "Waaaa¡­!"


    A minuteter, Miraj vomited everything, now covered in slimy liquid. But Sylvester couldn''t care less. His eyes were just shocked at therge pile of gold.


    "This is brilliant. I didn''t know we had gathered this much. This is amazing." Sylvester picked the bricks of gold and tried to guess the weight. There were a few other things, jewelry mostly.


    "All this¡­ I reckon there are more than fifty thousand gold graces here¡­ wait¡­ what is this?"


    While sorting the items, he found something strange, akin to a shining white marble, but it was too small and had a ck spot on it.


    "What is this, Chonky?"


    Miraj stopped the dramatic banana eating and looked up curiously. "Oh, that''s Archbi-bitch Lucy''s eye. It was very shiny. I like it¨CI take it!"


    "..."


    "You mean Archbishop Lucas?"


    ___________________


    [A/N: BONUS CHAP COMING WITH NEXT CHAP.]


    THIS GORILLA SO PROUD! KEEP EM COMING!


    **1069 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 46 46. Some Young Lights Doused

    "When did you find the time to take his eye? And I didn''t even notice he had one fake." Sylvester asked.


    "When you kicked him, I took his eye. You said all shiny things are money, so I took." Miraj revealed his nefarious ns, which were a result of mimunication.


    Sylvester sighed and put the whole thing at the back of his mind. "Time will teach you what is valuable and what is not. Let''s eat some good food for now."


    The two boys sat alone in the house, one fully naked and one-half naked. There was nothing to do to entertain himself, so Sylvester just slept. He needed some long naps until the end of the examination, as he knew many more tests wereing.


    However, the little napsted longer than they expected, and the rm that woke Sylvester up was Xavia entering and gasping in joy. She rushed over to him and hugged him tightly. He was still half asleep and looked around in confusion as to where he was. After all, the hangover from nearly dying takes some time to go away.


    "Ah! Mother? When did youe to Goldstown?"


    She giggled and went along with the joke. "I was so worried that I ran away from the Holy Land. Are you not happy seeing me?"


    Sniff!¡ªSylvester instantly smelled lies in the air. This alerted him quickly, quenching his sleep. But soon, a smile grew on his face. "You''re lying, mother. They fired you, didn''t they?"


    She scoffed, noticing a smile. "You cheeky boy, it''s so hard to fool you. So, how was your exam?"


    Xavia let him out of her hold and sat close with his hand in hers, much excited to learn about her son''s adventures.


    Sylvester couldn''t honestly tell her everything. So he gave a toned-down version of the cave incident. The cannibals were fine to tell, however.


    So he reciprocated her enthusiasm and briefed her. "They had two ghosts, not one. One of them was not even a ghost but an evil family. The man and woman kidnapped people from town and fed them to their son. It was very smelly in their house.


    "I caught them and punished them. Then there was a real ghost in the mines, and I beat it too."


    Xavia nodded the whole time in pride. "Of course, if not you, then who else could do such a thing. My Max is powerful and wise."


    "Oh! One more thing!" Sylvester ran off to the cupboard and took out a pouch. "I got this from the Sacred Arms Guild, a reward of one thousand Gold Graces for my work."


    When Xavia took it, her hands trembled. She was paid not even five graces a month. In her hand was her sry for two hundred and fifty months. "N-No wonder all young men wish to be an adventurer. You get paid so much."


    ''And you can die at any time.'' He thought.


    "What will you do with this money?" She inquired, with no intention of keeping it.


    ? Sylvester had his own dilemma. His ck money was worth fifty thousand gold graces. How was he going to spend that money without being caught?


    "Mum, I will open an ount at Quad Bank of Solis. Then, I will umte the money, and one day, I will buy a bignd where both of us will live. That is¡­ my dream."


    Xavia mistook him, however, and emotionally hugged him. "I''m sorry, mother is so poor. I''m sorry you lived in that little house."


    ''What? I just want some peace, woman.''


    "Ah¡­ I''m hungry." He changed the subject, fearing the tears of Xavia will never stop. She was undoubtedly a strong-willed woman, but she was too emotional sometimes.


    But he questioned many things about his and her past whenever he looked at her. ''Who is my father? Who is her father? Why does she hide it from me?''


    He will need to search for many answers in theing years. But, for now, he let the woman be happy and care for him, which made her feel satisfied.


    Later that night, they ate dinner and talked about various things, including their days at work. Xavia revealed she had been transferred to the healer''s department at the Holy Land and would no longer have to go around preaching.


    Sylvester was happy because she would be safe as long as she lived in the Holynd. However, the world outside was too unkind in his mind. From dark creatures to wars, there was no end.


    When the time to sleep came, he did not fall asleep as quickly and instead just looked at the ceiling, thinking about life in general. He wondered if there were other reincarnations in this world or what made him so special if he was the only one?


    He questioned the existence of the church. The world was so messed up, yet from the actions of the church, not all but most of them, he felt it was not an evil entity. However, it was confusing, as either the church was extremely well-nned, to the point that even the clergy wouldn''t understand its true depths, or it was truly good.


    His brain was automatically making him tilt towards the former hypothesis. ''There must be a great many secrets hidden behind some doors. I hope I nevere across them, for living in ignorance is true bliss.''


    Slowly, he fell asleep, as he needed to wake up early the next day to go and check on his friends at the school dorms. All he could hope for was that they''d return alive.


    ¡­


    Pope''s Pce, Sanctum Council Room


    "That foolish woman has initiated the war early. She must have sensed our activities. Only if I could simply kill all their spies here. But that would destabilize the continent." Pope Axel Tar Kreed appeared calm, yet the voice showed his frustration.


    At that, Saint Scepter, the second inmand, who rarely talked, spoke. "No need to fear, Holy Father. I have sent Void Keepers, Null and EX5, to deal with it. Queen Rexina will not speak or walk again. Her son, the Crown Prince, Duke Harold Gracia, will be the new King of Gracia Kingdom."


    The man did not speak anymore. So the Pope took over. "Good, I trust in Null. Hero Poison Angel taught him well before her untimely demise. I wish for this war to be over within this week; any longer would strain thends and faithfuls. We do not want another famine."


    "Holy Father, if I may."


    "You need not ask for permission, Lord Inquisitor. You are my highest general. Your concern is faith''s concern." The Pope respectfully allowed it.


    Inquisitor High Lord took out a map of the Eastern side of Sol Continent and put it on the stone table. Everyone moved their chairs closer to see what this matter was about, as the Lord Inquisitor rarely shows much activity in the council.


    "Holy Father, and the esteemed Council, I am afraid dark times are ahead for us. On the map you look at, all the red crosses are ces confirmed to be haunted by a powerful Bloodling, like the one in Goldstown. The ck crosses are suspected locations where a Bloodling may have risen."


    "S-So many?" Saint Wazir eximed with a frown apparent.


    The Inquisitor High Lord nodded. "There are 68 confirmed cases and 1342 suspected. The number is increasing as we speak. As you can see, these are particrly restricted to the Eastern side and some in Libertia."


    "So it has started." The Pope muttered, sighing in his seat. "There is a reason I was so hasty to sign the peace ord with the heathens, even with manypromises. I knew this wasing, the darkness in ournds. What do you think happens tonds constantly embroiled in war for a thousand years? Where every inch of it is tainted with blood and tears?


    "Evil rises¡ªas it has risen now. Bloodlings, creatures of the night and others alike, will soon gue thend if we are not careful. I''m afraid the Inquisitors and the Holy Army will have to work more now, Lord Inquisitor."<sub> </sub>


    Inquisitor High Lord saluted. "Holy Father, it is my obligation as a son of Solis. Therefore, even if the faith demands I work day and night, I will fight and ensure the light remains bright."


    The Pope stood up. "And the faith is thankful. Let''s end this session then. I believe the Favored Ones will soon be returning¡­ some without beating hearts."


    ¡­


    Sylvester went to the dorms of the School of Dawn the next day. But he found none of his friends had returned yet. Some students did, however. So he spent time with them, talking about their missions.


    He had nothing to do but train himself and read books while waiting for the 13th day. Meanwhile, he opened an ount at the Quad Bank of Solis and submitted his money there. The interest rates were not very high, so it was merely a ce to keep his legal money safe.


    Besides that, he spent a little money on buying some extra robes, as he will be going on more missions in the future. He also purchased some y to make miniature sculptures as a hobby. As a retired man who used to work at the Smithsonian museum as a restorationist, he enjoyed such work.


    Also, he wished to make a few inventions someday to make his life easier. But for now, he was going to keep himself low. Too much attention was terrible, as he already had enough headaches with Bishop Norman.


    Slowly, a few days passed, and thest day for all Deacons arrived. Sylvester was early that morning and went to greet his friends.


    "You''re alive!" Sylvester saw Felix setting himself in the room.


    Felix looked back and smiled. "Why does it sound like you''re more shocked than relieved?"


    Sylvester chuckled and went ahead to sp hands firmly. "It''s good to see you again. Where are the others?"


    "They have returned too, just went to take a bath."


    "Both of them?" Sylvester inquired.


    "Yes, Markus and Gabriel, both have returned. Markus has a swollen, stitched eye, however. He went hunting wild animals for a Northern vige. The poor guy came across a wild Giant Bear identally, but his flexibility saved him"


    Sylvester chuckled, knowing it made sense as Markus was someone who takes risks for adventures, being a confident boy.


    Knock! Knock!


    The two looked at the open door and found their ss''s head coordinator, Archpriest Edmund. The man looked solemn, even sad for some reason. "Deacons gather in the backside of the school. Pay respect to the fallen."


    Sylvester and Felix looked at each other''s faces and noticed the smiles disappearing. It seemed they were the lucky ones.


    "How many didn''t make it, Archpriest?" Sylvester asked.


    With a sigh, the man answered before leaving. "Out of thirty, only neen returned. Don''t dy; head out quick."


    The two did as asked and found Markus and Gabriel on the way. After a short greeting, all four went to the school''s backyard. It was an open field of grass with small patches of concrete here and there.


    Sylvester looked around. All Deacons had depressed faces. Some were still injured with wounds tied up¡ªon heads, arms, or legs.


    A chilling scene was presented to them all, as therey 11 stacks of wood, small in size for those who rested on them were kids¡ªlifeless.


    "Here we gather to pay respect to the fallen Favored Ones. May their souls rest, for they fought bravely as the sons of Solis..." A man in priest''s robes spoke aloud while walking around, reading a book and sprinkling some shiny water on the wood.


    Sylvester nced around. The school''s building behind him appeared like a wall, so tall it eclipsed the sky. But for some reason, he felt like an animal on a spectacle at that moment, as the windows of all floors were open and students from all years watched them, some with a look of pity while few carried scorn.


    ''We''re not here to study. We''re here to die.'' Sylvester thought, as slowly, the stacks of wood were lit on fire.


    Sylvester watched them burn with a sense of disgust. God''s Favored ss was a jungle where only the strongest lived, where they were merely the sacrificialmbs, as others bet which onesst the longest.


    He looked around himself. They were all real kids, unlike him. That made him wonder how broken their minds must be to see those with whom they shared meals for a year die for a mere test¡ªknowing that it could have been them too.


    Felix suddenly returned after talking to some other Deacons. "Willis Leroy is one of them. Apparently, Romel was on the same quest, hunting some animals for a vige. The examiner revealed that Romel left Willis behind when they were attacked by a Great Lion. Willis died trying to save a viger."


    Gabriel sighed and prayed for the boy they briefly knew and came to like. "I hope Romel gets punished for it."


    "In your dreams, he''s got Bishop Norman on his side. I just hope he dies on a quest now." Markus scoffed, knowing corruption was rampant.


    "It could have been one of us too." Felix suddenly muttered, sounding crushed.


    Sylvester sighed. Willis was the weakest boy in the ss with the unique talent of spewing fire from his mouth. He liked the boy for his strong will, as Willis showed in Knight''s test. But now, the boy was no longer with them, and his corpse was burning¡ªdied because of cowardice of another.


    "He was¡ªone of us!" Sylvester added, as to him, they were all just children.


    ''Someday, Romel will get what''sing for him, and I hope it''s me doing it.''


    He nced at the summer sky while the wood churning sound filled his ears with gloom. His senses overwhelmed as he felt the smell of burning flesh, and the sorrow of those around him loomed. The scene was gritty, but he did not feel sad or bad¡ªjust pity.


    ''So much for being a church of peace.''


    Despite immense warmth from the sun and the freshness of the Srium that the Soul Tree spread¡ªthe air today felt particrly dead.


    ___________________


    [A/N: BONUS CHAP COMING IN AN HOUR! EDITOR-CHAN IS AT WORK!]


    **601 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 47 47. Results!

    That day, there were no sses for the Favored Ones. Instead, they were instructed to remain in their dorms and recover since many of them were injured or exhausted.


    Sylvester didn''t go home and stayed behind to talk with the boys. They seemed too shaken by the deaths, as it was understandable since they did not have experiences of two lifetimes.


    "Who else died?" Markus asked.


    "Nobody knows, but I did not see Henry Rockwell, so I guess he''s one of them," Gabriel responded dejectedly.


    Felix sighed in his seat, adjusting himself ufortably. "We didn''t even know their names. What a waste of life."


    Sylvester was seated on the bed with his back resting on the wall. "But we all had some idea that this was going to happen. This test was not just a test of our powers but also our minds. Those with insufficient power should never have picked quests out of their league.


    "After all, I saw so many impossible ones among them. Fighting a gang of thieves? Fighting a great lion infestation? These were above us. I nearly died during my mission as well. The job request at the guild turned out to be outdated. Instead of being a C or D, it was an S-ranked job. I was in bed, half dead, unconscious for six days. Even one of my examiners died along with an Archbishop and 2 Bishops."


    "Fuck!" Felix cursed in shock, wondering if even Sylvester, with his peak talent, could have died, then how the rest could survive?


    Knowing that everyone was nervous, especially Marcus and Gabriel, Sylvester suggested something. After all, this was why he revealed to them that he had nearly died.


    "You three, I have a suggestion that you must take seriously. I believe that with each year, the bar for the tests will keep going high. I don''t see many of us surviving until the very end. It would be best if you vowed that the moment you feel your chances of surviving a test are near to none because of the insane demands of the guild quests, you would drop out of the Favored One''s ss. There is no point in dying when we all have enough talent to be high clergy members.


    "Felix, you are the second son of Count Sandwall. I''m sure you can live an extraordinary life even if you drop out. But, Markus, your family is poor, and Monastery helped you reach here. Do you want your family to remain poor?


    "And you, Gabriel, you sold yourself into very to feed your sister. Can you let her be orphaned? The world is not very kind to powerless girls, you know it." He reminded each one of them that there are bigger goals to pursue.


    "What about you?" Gabriel asked, already having a hunch what the answer would be.


    Sylvester sighed and rested back. "You think they will allow me to quit? Someone who can one day be as strong as the Pope? I am the fruit they want to nurture until I am ready to be harvested."


    Felix nodded in agreement. "True, if even the once-in-a-century talent quits, it''d be a shame to the school and the church. You are damned to eternal hardship. Talk about a blessing being a curse."


    "We''re all cursed," Markus started. "All other students in the school don''t have to fight for their lives. They merelye here to study. Some stay to join the church, while those who paid return. They don''t even study the same things that we do.


    "Do you think the study of runes is so easy? It''s one subject that allows any wizard to use all elements. The truth is, others of our age in regr sses rarely have talent in multiple elements.


    "Most of us Favored Ones are gifted with good brains. The curriculum we''re taught from day one is usually taught from the third year. This is one of the reasons why some weaker Deacons will stay weak and quit or die."


    "So the system is tilted against us¡ªto turn us into strong warriors?" Gabriel muttered.


    "Or dead warriors, hah." Felix chuckled in a self-deprecating manner.


    Sylvester got up. "As long as we''re careful, we can survive. We just need to know when to quit. We can even help ourselves by training harder and getting better. I am the only Adept Wizard among us. So first, let''s get you all to reach Adept rank at least. So get your sobbing asses off, and let''s go to the arena to train."


    "Who''s crying? I''m not crying." Felix quickly jumped to his feet and picked up his sword.


    Sylvester felt slightly envious, as the sword looked amazing with its golden hilt with some gems and a smooth de. "How much did it cost?"


    Felix shrugged. "Don''t know, my brother gifted it to me just a few days ago, as I had taken a guild quest near my familynds."


    ''I should also look for a weapon. I have paramount talent in Knightly arts, too, after all.'' He thought and proceeded out with the boys.


    "Shiny! I take?"


    "NO!"


    "What?" Felix eximed in reaction.


    Sylvester shook his head. "No, nothing. I thought I forgot something."


    ''I need to teach Chonky how to gauge the price of an item.'' Sylvester made a mental note for Miraj.


    Soon they arrived at the empty arena and put their names on the register. There was no overseer except a maintenance worker who kept the records. The arena was divided into various parts, one belonging to the Knight''s training and one for the Wizards.


    "Okay. Let''s fight but only with our magic. The more we use it, the higher our chances of ranking up." He instructed them like a big brother.


    Felix grunted. "Sword is what I am good at. What''s your Knight rank anyway?"


    Sylvester grinned. "Not telling you, boy. But I assure you that I can beat you in a minute."


    "Let''s do this then!"


    "Stop!" Marcus interrupted them. "We''re here for wizard training. Adept rank is the target, remember?"


    Sylvester was already serious and took a wizard''s stance, which was nothing but one palm facing the enemy and another arm held near the stomach as if it was holding a book. This was to train wizards to be ready to use magical items in the future.


    Soon, all four took formations, standing in a Mexican standoff. They all had mocking smiles on their faces, wondering who would win. But Sylvester added a few rules.


    "Remember, we are not here to kill or hurt each other. To ensure we don''t mess up, we must shout our move''s name to give the other time to defend. Remember, do not use any powerful magic. This is merely a warmup." He instructed.


    Everyone nodded and silently looked at each other''s faces.


    "Fireball!"


    "Air Push!"


    "Earthquake!"


    "Motherfuc¡­!" Sylvester''s mouth only let out a curse as the three attacked him simultaneously. He quickly backstepped and created a hard shield with his light magic.


    But the Earthquake attack got him as it was a simple real earthquake meant to make him fall. So as he lost his bnce, the three seemed to prepare for their next attack.


    Sylvester scoffed, turned the light shield into three hard, light cubes, and sent them zooming towards the three.


    Bam! Bam!


    Gabriel and Felix coughed out saliva as soon as the cubes connected and fell down, rolling in slight pain. However, Marcus was a master acrobat and made a front flip to save himself and close the gap.


    Sylvester was quick to jump in and gather himself. "Not today, boy."


    Woosh!¡ªA sh of blinding light went out of Sylvester''s hand, stopping Marcus in his tracks.


    "Ah! My eyes!"<sub> </sub>


    p!


    Before Marcus could reorient himself, Sylvester appeared close and pped his face, not too hard, but enough to send him to the floor. "You get the Romel treatment."


    In no time, all three were on the ground. Sylvester looked over them in triumph; his chin held up. He recognized that the three were decent wizards butcked the mental discipline to not get shocked by sudden moves.


    "Three versus one, yet you lost." He mocked and sat down while creating some water bubbles with runes, allowing the three to drink.


    Felix got up first as he was ustomed to beating. "Not going to lie, you are damn good, brother. But, I have a question."


    "Fire it up." Sylvester rxed, and the other two got up.


    "Are we supposed to be celibate already or after graduation?" Felix inquired, looking at all his friends.


    Sylvester frowned. "Why are you asking that? We''re just nine or ten years old."


    Felix scoffed. "Oh, don''t give me that nonsense. We''ve all seen the rotten side of the world, which includes the adult side. We''re the favored ones, favored with knowledge too. I know you three think about it too."


    "Do you like some girl or what?" Sylvester asked, feeling awkward at talking about adult things with younglings. So he tried to treat it as sex education.


    "No, but I''m just curious. But, you know, I want to at least experience what I am asked to give up. I can deny bing a clergyman, after all."


    Sylvester shook his head. "No, we''re not allowed to hold any scious thoughts. If you want to do it, do it once you''ve finished school and have joined the army."


    Felix rxed back, appearing sad. "That''s too bad¡­ but I''m envious of Marcus."


    Marcus was alerted. "What? What did I do? I''m dirt poor."


    With a cheeky grin, Felix replied, "Well, since you''re the most flexible boy I''ve ever seen, I bet you can¡­ you know, eat your own... um... help yourself."


    "..."


    Sylvester was at ack of words, disgusted at why such young kids were talking about adult topics.


    But the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. The line between an adult and adolescent was extremely thin here. This was a medieval world; people grow mentally much faster due to societal circumstances and even start making babies in their teens.


    Gabriel was scared, looking left and right. "I hope nobody is listening to us."


    "No! I don''t! What kind of preposterous suggestion is that?" Marcus barked.


    "Well, my friend, it''s not a matter of ''can you?''. It''s about ''wanting to''. I mean, it''s totally within the bounds of rules. You ain''t impure if you''re doing yourself."


    Marcus angrily talked back. "Felix, why do you seem more interested in it than me? It''s as if you''re¡ªenvious?"


    Felix''s face fell hard. "Ugh¡­ I just imagined it. Ugh¡­ gross."


    "Pfft!"


    "Haha¡­"


    It prompted all three tough heartily, while Sylvester remained disgusted.


    But it helped the three, finally feeling refreshed from the gloominess of the morning. This was all they could do because reality was going toe and bite them no matter what.


    "Let''s head back. I don''t want to hear what elsees out of Felix''s mouth. We should probably pray a bit too." Sylvester got up before they said something too unholy and got them hung on a pike.


    "I want to sleep early tonight. Tomorrow, we''ll get the results of the test. Let''s hope we all get great marks." Gabriel muttered.


    ¡­


    The next day, the four found themselves in their ssroom, now with a smaller crowd. It was a saddening sight, but they were less worried about it as they had something more grave ahead.


    The head coordinator of their ss was announcing the results, and everyone felt a little restless as passing marks were 25 out of 30. It was so high because this was expected from God''s Favored.


    "Charles White, 20 points, failed. Please move out of the ss and head to themon second-year ssroom."


    "George Morgan, 25 points, pass!"


    "Markus Lionis, 26 points, pass!"


    "Romel Riveria, 29 points, pass!"


    "Albus Pingu, 9 points, failed!"


    "Felix Sandwall, 27 points, pass!"


    "Gabriel Maxwell, 26 points, pass!"


    "Louis Hermington, 28 points, pass!"


    "Sylvester Maximilian¡­" Suddenly, Archpriest Edmund stopped and looked at Sylvester with a conflicted expression. "24 points, failed!"


    "..."


    "What?!" Sylvester stood up in shock.


    More precisely¡ªanger!


    ___________________


    [A/N: End to that Bishop Norman''s menace hase. To know more, keep stoning and pray I get a contract soon.]


    WE CAN DO IT, APE ARMY!


    **601 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 48 48. Payback

    "...24 points, failed!"


    ''What? I nearly died andpleted an S-ranked quest indirectly, and not to mention I''m the best in this ss at most of the magic elements. How can I fail?" Sylvester was shocked and angered at this result.


    He knew there was more to it than what meets the eye. So he quickly got up and asked, "Archpriest, can you give me a division of marks?"


    Archpriest Edmund looked at the parchment in his hand and asked, "Are you sure? I can give it to youter."


    "No, I want to hear it." Sylvester insisted because by doing this, he was creating a lot of witnesses to what was happening.


    "If that''s what you wish. To all your knowledge, we have divided the results into six segments, each subject havingbined marks with its practicals. While the quests that you all went to, holds five marks.


    "For Deacon Sylvester, you received five out of five in the theory and practice of Elemental Magic, Incantation, and healing. Meanwhile, for your quest, you received four marks, and for¡­ Runes, you have received zero marks. Since you received a zero in the theory examination, your practical marks were not counted."


    The man also looked strained by this result, wondering how Bishop Norman could be so dumb. But again, when he thought about it, the man reached his position using various strange means. Even while being under-experienced in teaching, he got an important ss like this. So he reckoned there was someone behind him.


    Sylvester frowned. "What? But how was I supposed to answer questions such as ''Describe the process of casting Elder Runes.''? Nobody knows the answer to it."


    Bishop Edmund was shocked by that too. The teachers personally gave the questions, and if Sylvester got such a question, it''d mean it was deliberate. "That is indeed an unsolvable question. But that''s just one que¡ª"


    Sylvester quickly interrupted and gave examples of more questions. "''What is the process of making ovepping duel Runes? How is it used?'' and ''Who discovered Runes first, and how?'' I got these questions too, mentor. One is out of sybus, and the other has no definite answer."


    "This¡­ I will speak with the Headmaster and get him to re-evaluate your questions."


    But Sylvester was not satisfied. He was irked. Someone was trying to create trouble for him for no reason. He believed in being kind to those who were kind to him and ruthless to those who showed uncalled contempt.


    ''Go on. I will be done before that.'' He thought. He had the one-time token to meet the Headmaster anytime he wanted, and he could have gone to him on his own to resolve the matter.


    He nodded and sat down to allow the ss to end with all results announced. This was it for the day as they were yet to get the books for the next year, so actual sses of year two would start from the next day¡ªgiving enough time to Sylvester.


    "How did I pass then? He asked me a question about Elder Runes too." Felix wondered once the Archpriest had left.


    "Well, because it wasn''t you who beat Romel,'''' Sylvester muttered. "But I do wonder what his endgame is? He can''t just fail the peak talent of the whole ss. So there are bound to be inquiries."


    "I''m sure once the Headmaster sees the questions, you will be promoted to the next ss," Gabriel said, trying to cheer Sylvester up, not knowing there was no need to.


    "Anyway, let''s all eat lunch in the back gardens. I want to know about those who fell. I''m sure the rest of the ss holds the same idea." He spoke loud and looked at the Deacons.


    Instantly, the smiles of passing the ss faded from their faces, and they nodded. There were even fewer left now, merely 15, as four Deacons failed the ss. But, of course, Sylvester didn''t count himself in that.


    "Let''s do that." Everyone agreed with him.


    So Sylvester decided to get to the next part of his n. He turned to his friends and excused himself. "Boys, I will go and meet Bishop Norman and talk to him about my marks. I''ll see you in the garden after that."


    "Be careful. I don''t like that man," Felix cautioned.


    ¡­


    Sylvester had to see Bishop Norman in his second office on the ninth floor, where all mentors lived and ate their lunch.


    By now, Sylvester had done all the investigation he needed to learn everything about the man. What he eats, where he eats, who he likes, and who he dislikes. However, his first hurdle was to get to the top floor.


    There were no stairs to go to the upper floors. All students above first-year and mentors have their names registered in the ess registry. Then to get to their floors, all they had to do was walk into a designated part of a wall to magically appear on their floor.


    Sylvester did not have his name on the registry. But, he was told by a certain Inquisitor Knight that the one-time token he had gotten from the Headmaster would allow him to reach the top floor, where the Headmaster''s office was.


    So all he had to do next was find the man''s office. Over the past few months, he had used the token to get to the top floor and explore it thoroughly.


    So now, he went directly to the floor, turned a few corridors, and knocked on the old oak door. It opened automatically in an instant, surely being magic.


    He walked inside confidently with curious eyes to look inside.


    The man sat inside, on the other side of his table, in his usual robes. He had put his mitre aside as he ate his food like a pig. Sylvester looked around first. The room wasvish, with gold engravings on the ceiling and ornamental decorations. Heck, even the windows had golden frames. There were also books around, but sadly, they did not affect the man as human decency was nowhere to be found.


    "Bishop, why did you fail me?" Sylvester asked, showing a fit of anger appropriate for a frustrated child.


    The man looked up, angered in an instant as soon as he saw the former. "How did youe up here, boy? Leave, or you won''t even get to sit in this school."


    Surprised, Sylvester wondered where the man got this confidence from. "I will leave, but first, please tell me how to cast an Elder Rune, or tell me who invented the runes?"


    "Leave at this very instant! Or I will not be kind anymore. You failed your tests. That''s final. Even if the Holy Father tried, it wouldn''t change my mind. You are the Lord''s Bard, after all. You should know about Elder Runes. Does the Lord not talk to you? Don''t you walk around singing your little poems?"


    Sylvester took a short breath and asked. "Why are you doing this? Because I beat your King''s son? Romel? Is that it? I wonder, however, if Romel is getting so much help, you must have reached this position using not many conventional ways too. After all, it''s dark times we live in, even Bloodlings are spawning so close to the Holy Land. Who knows, one might have appeared inside as well."


    Bishop Norman started shaking in anger and stood up abruptly, pointing his finger at Sylvester. "Are you using me of being a fraud¡ªa bloodling? I am as powerful as any Bishop and shall be an Archbishop soon. It takes money, resources, herbs, crystals, treasures, and sacred books to grow powerful, some things you will never have.<sub> </sub>


    "Go back to the rathole you crawled out of, you impure boy. No human of your standing can be God''s Favored. A boy born to a whor-"


    Woosh!¡ªAll of a sudden, a sharp spear made of light magic appeared beside the Bishops'' neck.


    "I''d be cautious with the next words, Bishop. That woman has given up a lot for me, and I shall hear no words against her. Not by the likes of you, a man born to lick others'' feet."


    Sylvester looked emotionless, but perhaps that was frightening enough for the Bishop to shut up. The Bishop was dazed as he looked into Sylvester''s golden eyes, finding no pity and utmost resolve.


    Bishop Norman gulped, wondering if he should take a calm approach, lest the boy might do something.


    Sylvester started to walk around the room while talking. "You know, I was offered help against you by people you can''t even dare to look in the eye. But I refused because revenge is best served cold."


    "What can you do? I have the might of Riveria behind me, the continent''s food basket. I have Archbishops across the Church backing me. You have no authority, no backing here, and just ying on the Holy Father''sp does not make you his son."


    "Do you still think this corrupt, weak iteration of the church will protect you?"


    Sylvester started humming slowly, moved around the room in a particr direction, and stopped. Then he looked at Bishop Norman''s face with false pity. "Aren''t we all his sons and daughters? I guess Bloodlings like you are not. Well, it''s your bad luck that you stumbled upon me. Otherwise, your n was great."


    Sensing something wasing, Bishop Norman breathed fast. "D-Don''t do something idiotic, boy."


    "Oh no, I won''t be the one doing something silly. Perhaps these few lines of my new hymn will exin better."


    Sylvester started to sing while keeping a big smile on his face. The halo did appear behind his head, but instead of warmth, it spread fear this time, appearing slightly crimson instead of just white.


    ?They strike, again and again!


    He says-He says I''m just a boy.


    Why would you y me? I am not a toy.


    Not once, not twice, there was no end.


    They struck him, again and again!


    He hoped, soon, they''d make amends.?


    ?Hurt enough, even iron breaks.


    When sins go beyond petty mistakes.


    Enough!¡ªsaid the boy, he was none to cry.


    For he faced death and looked it in the eye.


    Your time''s up, done with all attacks.


    It''s time for payback.?


    ?The coward stands now in front.


    His actions the boy had taken affront.


    Hurt and angered; he was none to cry,


    He just came to say thest¡ªgoodbye.?


    As he finished singing, he removed the light spear from the man''s throat and instead waved his hand. "May Solis teach you Elder Magic in his embrace, Bishop Norman."


    "Wha-"


    Bam!¡ªSylvester backed up a few steps abruptly, mming himself and shattering the window ss. Uninterrupted, he fell out of the ninth floor towards the hard ground and grass.


    ___________________


    [A/N: Sorry for beingte, this Gori overslept.]


    HIT ME BABY ONE MORE TIME!


    **601 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 49 49. A Little Purge

    A few months ago.


    Sylvester had gone to find Sir Dolorem to ask what he should do with the annoying Bishop Norman.


    Despite being offered help, he wished to resolve the matter himself. So he first tried to understand why a mentor in the school could tantly show favoritism.


    "There are a few reasons, Master Maximilian," said Sir Dolorem. "He is a Bishop, and if he''s connected to the Riveria royal family, then that means he has the whole might of the Riveria Kingdom backing him.


    "Riveria is the continent''s breadbasket, so they enjoy special protection from the church. But they misuse that protection to send their spies andckeys into the Holy Land. It''s a game of chess, as we also know all kingdoms have their spies around.


    "But this Bishop Norman Spring is being very open about it, which means he has some support inside the church, most likely from some higher up. So even if the Inquisitor High Lord or the Pope would like to stomp them dead, they can''t because that might start a chain reaction. A Bishop is a high-ranking clergyman, after all. So we can''t just remove them. Even the Pope needs a strong cause to go after them, or it would cause panic in the ranks."


    Sylvester understood everything. He had seen such a scheme y out many times. "So let''s say if the church found a usible reason to deal with him¡­ let''s say Bishop Norman attacked me, would the church react?"


    "Of course, you are a favored one. Even if they don''t believe it, you have the highest talent in decades. The church will protect you if you are threatened physically."


    Sylvester sinisterly smiled. "Is that so? I appreciate your help, Sir Dolorem. But I believe I can handle this¡­however, I may need your help with something else. I want you to teach me something."


    "Anything you wish, Master Maximillian." Sir Dolorem dutifully saluted.


    "Great, I just need you to teach me how to safely break my arm."


    "What?!"


    ¡­


    Present,


    "Where is Sylvester? We''ve already finished our lunch." Felix looked around and wondered. All other Deacons from their ss were also present, remembering their friends who had fallen.


    Marcus finished eating an apple and looked at the tall school building. "I hope he''s fine. That Bishop used to give me strange vibes."


    "W-What do you mean strange?" Gabriel asked.


    Marcus frowned, "I''m not very sure, but when I lived in the Monastery, the Archpriest there warned me not to be alone with clergy members that creeped me out."


    "Should we go and find him?" Felix suggested.


    "How are we go-"


    Crash!¡ªJust then, the sound of ss shattering suddenly resounded. All Deacons looked up quickly at the school building, only to find Sylvester falling down, while Bishop Norman stood at the window, watching with a frown.


    "Aaaaaa¡­ heeelp¡­!"


    "Meeeeooow¡­!"


    "Sylvester?!" Felix instinctively jumped into action and ran towards Sylvester. A secondter, most other Deacons did the same.


    But they could not reach him in time to save him. After all, that was the opposite of Sylvester''s n.


    Thud!


    Everyone crowded him as his body fell to the hard ground. Some blood came out of the mouth, and the right hand appeared to be twisted in a way it appeared broken. But Sylvester was still up, groaning in pain. But a few secondster, his eyes closed.


    "Holy Solis, that bastard threw him out of his office." Felix cursed and tried to pick up Sylvester quickly. Being a warrior all his life, he was strong enough.


    "Quick! Call the Archpriest!" He shouted and rushed into the building, towards the healer''s room.


    In a matter of minutes, Sylvester was put on a bed, a healer was healing his bone, and some medicinal potions were being put on his head.


    The Archpriest soon arrived with the Headmaster, as he was busy talking about Sylvester''s examination when the words reached him. He looked pale as if someone had taken out his heart. "What happened? How did he fall from there?"


    "It was Bishop Norman!" Felix blurted with no fear. Being the son of a Count, he nevercked the courage to speak to people of high ranks.


    "Bishop Norman? How did Deacon Sylvester get there?" He asked back.


    "Using my one-time token." Headmaster Cardinal Geralt spoke. "This matter is not an internal matter anymore¡­ I will have to call the Marshals."


    "I didn''t do it! He jumped on his own!" Bishop Norman rushed in fast. Finally, the smug look on his face was gone, now changed with fear.


    The Headmaster shook his head. "As I said, this matter is beyond the school administration now. The Administration of faith shall investigate it now. An attempt on the life of another clergy, a God''s Favored of highest talent at that, is a grave crime. Therefore, Bishop Norman, I am obliged to put you in the dungeon cells until the Marshals arrive to transport you."


    "W-What?! B-But I didn''t do anything! It''s all this little devil''s evil n! Ask him. He will tell you!" Bishop Norman pointed at Sylvester desperately.


    "Ah¡­ M-Mum!" Suddenly, Sylvester''s pain-filled groaning voice echoed, making everyone''s hearts feel glum.


    "Don''t make this harder for yourself, Bishop," the Headmaster warned.


    "T-this b¡­" Bishop Normal clenched his teeth, pulled away his rank te, and handed it to the Headmaster. "Before you take me, let me send a missive."


    "That can be arranged." the Headmaster agreed.


    "We must let Deacon Sylvester rest and inform his mother¡­ and the aide." Archpriest Edmund suggested, but he was scared of Sylvester''s aide, as that would mean the Lord Inquisitor would know about this.


    Headmaster nodded. "I''ll leave that to you then. The rest of you, Deacons, return to your dorms. I may call some of you to give a statement about this incidentter. Be truthful when that happens. Let Deacon Sylvester rest now."


    "Can we stay?" Felix asked.


    The Headmaster agreed in an instant. "You may."


    Slowly, everyone left the healer''s room. The healer, too, went to his little cabin after putting the potion on Sylvester.


    "Why did he scream like a cat?" Gabriel asked all of a sudden.


    Felix smartly responded. "Danger reflex. Everyone has a different way of coping. Some scream, some wet their pants, and some¡­ meow, apparently?"


    Marcus nodded with a sigh. "I would rather meow than wet my pants."


    "Ah! Look, his eyes are twitching! Do you think he can listen to us?" Gabriel noticed Sylvester''s brows.


    ''Yes! I can, you numbskulls.''


    Sylvester was not unconscious at all. He heard everything earlier and called for his mother knowingly, as it would create sympathy. But after hearing the rubbish the three were making about him, he''d have preferred if they had left.<sub> </sub>


    "Let''s try it then. Oye, little Max, wake up, you piss-eyedd." Felix yelled.


    "Piss-eyed?" Marcus stared at Felix in confusion.


    "I''m from Sandwall. It''s desert there. All of us there piss golden water due tock of it."


    "Ugh¡­ it makes sense." Gabriel bobbed.


    Sylvester, meanwhile, held hisugh now. The three were as silly as boys their age could be, as he had expected. ''I should just sleep. We''ll see what happens to the Bishopter.''


    ¡­


    It was not all good for Bishop Norman. Not in his worst dream, he thought Sylvester''s actions would open Pandora''s box, leading to the greatest harm inflicted on his beloved Riveria Kingdom.


    "Why did you give Deacon Sylvester questions that no one can answer?"


    "Why did you fail him despite him performing all the physical runes you requested?"


    "What is your rtionship with Deacon Romel?"


    "Why did you try to kill Deacon Sylvester?"


    One after another, five different, mean-looking Marshals interrogated him, who were upper middle-ranking officers of the Holy Army. The location was a dark dungeon where the light source was just a little single light crystal.


    A distance away, in the darkness, more people of unknown ranks were standing, watching everything.


    "I did not try to kill him!" Bishop Norman cried as he felt humiliated, tied to a chair with no clothes on his body.


    "Then why did you try to fail him purposefully?"


    "I-I¡­ I wished for him to fail only, not hurt him." Bishop Norman had no other way but to ept his wishes against Sylvester, as the examination sheets were enough evidence. However, he was not going to say anything else, as he had people looking out for him as they spoke.


    "Why? Why did you want to fail him? Isn''t he the top performer?"


    "Answer me!"


    "If you do not speak, you shall rot here forever, away from the warmth of Solis, growing weak by day. If you suffer Srium exhaustion at this age, forget ever advancing in magic."


    All kinds of pressure tactics were being used. However, after the initial panic, none worked as Bishop Norman kept staring at nothingness. He determined they would not get anything else from him, nor could they harm him.


    "That''s enough! I shall take over."


    All of a sudden, an old muffled voice reverberated. The voice alone was enough to instill fear in Bishop Norman''s heart as he knew who it belonged to. Soon he saw an abnormally tall man, in red robes and a face hidden under a visor, walking up to him and dismissing the marshals.


    "As the General of the Holy Military, I will investigate you, Norman. You are no longer a bishop but a mere suspected heathen." Inquisitor High Lord''s eyes shone under the visor.


    Norman could not ever utter a word directly. "Y-You can''t do anything to me."


    "Do not be so confident about your friends, Norman. Theyck the authority to undermine me¡­ or the Holy Father, who has been greatly offended by your actions." Inquisitor High Lord threatened.


    "W-Why i-is the Holy Father interested in this matter?" Norman asked because as far as he knew, Sylvester was a nobody, a simple child who yed on the Pope''sp a few times."


    Scoffing, the Inquisitor High Lord spoke in discontent. "Foolish heathen! You were not there to witness the miracles of the bard when he was merely a month old. You were not there when he fought a Bloodling alone. Your actions have made the Holy Father bemoan.


    "You stayed foolish to what was before you, chasing a dream already in view. His holiness shall show you no mercy, but I can. Your handler, Archbishop Simon from Saint Wazir''s office, has confessed his sins of working for someone other than the faith. And he has named you as his aplice. So know this, the sins you havemitted against the bard will only make your trial harder."


    What the Lord Inquisitor said scared Norman. Archbishop Simon told him that the Holy Father only knew Sylvester but never revealed the extent of influence of his miracles. All Deacons in Favored One''s ss had performed miracles or had extraordinary talent, so he did not consider Sylvester something too special.


    Clearly, he was wrong, as it appeared the whole church was obsessed with that one boy.


    "W-What must I do to save my neck?" he asked. His will was already broken, as he knew no one could save him if the Pope was angered.


    Inquisitor High Lord flicked his hand and released Norman from the handcuffs. Then he handed him a piece of nk parchment. "Write the names of all the spies you know, friendly or enemy. Archbishop Simon confessed to working at the behest of the Riveria Royal family, so do not lie."


    Norman nodded. "I-I will¡­ but please trust me. I did not try to kill Deacon Sylvester. I only wished to fail him so King Riveria''s son could have a better chance toe out as the final God''s Favored."


    "You were foolish to think merely passing a few exams will make him God''s Favored. One must show miracles, worship, and wisdom first; something Deacon Romel does not have while Deacon Sylvester has in abundance. Think not, Norman, you now know the truth¡ª just embrace."


    Norman nodded and started writing names, locations, and ranks while slowly, some drops of tears fell from his eyes. He realized he was also a little expendable pawn. His rank of Bishop may have been very high but was too low for his king or the Pope.


    Regret¡­ was all he could afford.


    "Archbishop Lennard¡­ Sand City."


    "Cardinal Moonwalk¡­ Holy Land."


    "Archpriest Remy¡­ River City."


    One by one, he wrote thirty-five names and handed the parchment back. "This is all I know. Please allow me to repent."


    "You did well, Norman. When Deacon Sylvester wakes up, ording to his testimony, you shall face your sins. But, for being a spy, I shall show leniency and urge the Holy Father to do the same."


    "T-Thank you!"


    Inquisitor High Lord got up and left the dungeon room. As he stepped outside, he saluted the old bearded man. "Your holiness, we have the names."


    "Very well, as we have dealt with Queen Gracia and weakened her kingdom, it''s time to put Riveria back in its ce. As I announced before, I want peace and stability in mynds, and I will do anything for that.


    "Apprehend all these spies, Lord Inquisitor. Their actions have caused the faith, the church, and thend a great scourge. It''s time they face the consequence, thest answer¡ªpurge!"


    [A/N: Ho-ho... So the fate of Bishop Norman is in Sylvester''s hands. Can you guess what he will do?]


    ___________________


    O''HOLY READER! GRANT ME A STONE!


    **601 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 50 50. No Mercy!

    Sylvester was still with one arm tied with thick dressings. He was called for an interview by the investigators to record his statements.


    As he entered the dimly lit room, he noticed a long wooden table at one end of the room, behind which Marshals sat, each wearing standard robes with a rank te of Master Wizard or Golden Knight.


    There was also the Inquisitor High Lord, surprisingly. The man was menacingly standing at the right corner of the room as if a statue.


    "Deacon Sylvester, tell us what happened in Norman''s office in a chronological order in as many details as you can." A Marshall asked him.


    Sylvester decided not to act like a child as the Inquisitor High Lord was here, and thetter knew him well. Besides, he had to be careful with words as he remembered the tall man stating he could discern a lie.


    He articted himself smartly. "I was confused and frustrated by what Bishop Norman had done to my exam. He asked me how to cast Elder Runes. Nobody knows that. And then he failed me¡­after all my hard work. I wanted to ask him why he did it and went to see him using the One-Time Token from the Headmaster.


    "He was eating in his office when I entered. But he allowed me in, so I faced him directly. But he shouted at me, using profanities, calling me a low born, a rat, and even my mother a who¡­ I don''t want to say that word.


    "He said even the Holy Father could not get him to change the results. He said many Archbishops across the Church are backing him? And called the Church weak? Then when I confronted his unholy words, he stood up angrily and pointed his finger at me.


    "Then, suddenly, I felt an invisible push, backing me and mming me into what I thought was the wall, but it was a window, and I fell out of it."


    He stopped and looked at the Marshal''s faces, wondering if they believed him. He purposefully revealed what Norman said about him and Xavia because he knew that many of the clergy members were originally orphans. Some of the Marshals were likely the same.


    He tried to sense the smells in the room to discern what was going on. He first felt the spiciness of anger from the Inquisitor High Lord. Then there was some disgust from others and even hate.


    "Deacon Sylvester, can you tell us how you survived the fall?" One of the Marshals asked.


    Sylvester quickly replied. "I used the air rune by casting it on the ground before my fall so that it wouldn''t hurt too much¡­ but I didn''te out unscathed, and the fall broke my arm."


    "Thank you for appearing before us, Deacon Sylvester. Would you like to add anything else about Norman?" One of the Marshals asked.


    Sylvester stared at the table for a moment as if he was thinking. Then quickly chirped. "Yes! He once called me to his office and offered me fifty thousand Gold Graces if I chose to leave the God''s Favored ss, even the Church, and live somewhere remote. But, as I am Lord''s bard, I reject that there is nothing outside for me; money is useless for a child."


    Sylvester noticed the Inquisitor High Lord nodding his head in the corner. The Marshals nodded as well and allowed Sylvester to take his leave. "Thank you. I shall return to my next ss."


    However, Sylvester was merely the first of many to be interviewed that day. Soon, other Deacons from the ss were called.


    The first one was Augustus Steel, one of the most talented wizards in the ss, but he belonged to no faction. So he gave an honest reply. "Bishop Norman was particrly antagonistic towards Deacon Sylvester."


    Other Deacons voiced simr things. That was until Romel Riveria arrived, being the boy for whom Norman did most of it. But by now, even Romel was told to throw the Bishop under the cart.


    "In your runes examination, you only answered three out of five questions, yet you received full marks. Why?"


    Romel nervously moved in his chair. "I-I was¡­ I don''t know. Bishop Norman did it himself. I don''t know him at all. He''s just a teacher. We may be rted, but he''s not supposed to help me. I know it."


    As expected, kids are kids. Under pressure, they say useless things. As apparent by Romel talking about things he shouldn''t. It was clear by now that Romel knew it.


    ? After all that was done, Sylvester''s friends were called in. Felix was the first, and he spoke truthfully, even turning up a notch a bit as he also had a personal grudge. "Oh, Bishop Norman gave me a question about Elder Runes, too. But, of course, I did not know the answer."


    "Describe what you saw in the garden."


    Felix quickly answered. "We were eating lunch when suddenly the sound of ss breaking came. I looked and saw Deacon Sylvester falling out of the ninth floor, his back facing the ground, while Bishop Norman had an evil smirk on his face."


    Marcus was the same and added some more spices. "Bishop was always angry about Deacon Sylvester. He would try to criticize Sylvester at every chance he got, despite him answering all questions. Nobody likes his ss."


    Then Gabriel came, and as he was a very religious boy, he did not say false things. But he said something that shocked the Marshals and even prompted the Inquisitor High Lord.


    "I don''t know why Bishop Norman did that, but he''s never been kind to Deacon Sylvester. In contrast, he showed favoritism to Deacon Romel. I don''t know why he does that, as Deacon Sylvester is the only likely to be the God''s Favored among all of us." said Gabriel.


    "And why do you think he''s the one?" Inquisitor High Lord asked suddenly.


    Gabriel''s jaw fell at that instant as he had not noticed the big man standing in the dark corner before. His voice took a turn for the worse, and he stuttered. "I-I just believe that¡­ to be God''s Favored one n-needs wisdom and strength. S-Sylvester has the most of it in the ss¡­ There is also Felix, but he is dense."


    "Haha, you can go now, Deacon Gabriel. May the light enlighten your paths." Inquisitor High Lord dismissed with a slight chuckle. What Gabriel said was clearly what most adults saw, but it soothed him to know that Sylvester''s friends felt the same.


    With that, the interviews ended, and the investigation had gathered a dozen small booklets.


    "What shall be the verdict, Lord Inquisitor? Bishop Norman clearly did everything he''s been used of." A Marshal asked.


    "That is for Deacon Sylvester to decide whether he holds the man guilty or not."


    ¡­


    The next day, in an underground prison, Sylvester was brought to an open area where a few Marshals, Inquisitors, Inquisitor High Lord, and the Headmaster were present. He was the only Deacon there, and therefore felt out of ce.


    He looked at Norman. The man only wore a small piece of cloth that hid his manhood. He was tied in chains, both hands held apart. His face had darkened, and his eyes were sunken and had turned red. There were various marks of injury over his torso, showing his days here were not very kind.


    There was hate and anger in the air from the clergy and Norman. Even more so from Norman when Sylvester appeared there.


    The Inquisitor High Lord spoke solemnly. "Deacon Sylvester, he sinned against you, so you shall decide to forgive him or not. Shall he continue to serve the light, or face the consequence of his sins against you, against the slight."


    ''What the¡­ why are they asking me? I thought the Church had a robust justice system with various enforcers and judges?'' Sylvester was in utter confusion.


    He looked around at everyone''s faces. There was also Sir Dolorem, nodding at him. From the scent, he felt thetter''s anger toward Norman.


    ''Ah, isn''t Norman also a spy? Does this mean this is a test? Should I kill him or not?'' He wondered what the purpose of calling him here was. Was he supposed to show kindness or wrath?


    He nced at Norman and remembered everything the man had spoken to him from day one. Calling him strange things and, to Xavia, a harlot. But above all, he also disrespected the faith and spoke negatively about the Church.


    ''No, for my own peace of mind, I can not let this man live. Today he may show remorse for his actions, but he will always remember that I caused this. He will always remember what I did in his office. Not today, not tomorrow, but whenever he gets an opportunity, he will strike like a viper waiting for the perfect opportunity¡­ No Mercy!''


    He took a long breath and tried to minimize the effect of his words, just to be sure if they were expecting him to be lenient with the man. He was the judge of the life or death of a Bishop, after all.


    He carefully sang a short passage hymn, instantly turning the anger of all Marshals and Inquisitors into worship. The warmth from the halo and his hand reached all, even Norman.<sub> </sub>


    But the ex-bishop had a strange reaction to it. He shouted and cursed, "Damn you and your hymns¡­ you are bard of none!"


    ''Thank you, Bishop Norman. You''ve made it easier for me.''


    ?You sin or not; the Lord sees it all.


    There is no hiding, be it big or small.


    There is no cure for sinful illness.


    Insult the faithful, and receive forgiveness.


    Abuse the faith, and ept destruction.


    Burn the sinners, states the Holy Inquisition!?


    Sylvester stopped and nkly stared at Norman''s terrified face. What he had decided was clear from his little passage.


    "N-No, no! Don''t do this! I did not push you! I didn''t try to kill you." cried Norman.


    Sylvester shook his head. "This is not about what you did to me, Bis¡­ Norman. I forgive you for what you did to me. But the words you spoke against my Lord, the supreme Solis, there is no forgiveness, no repentance."


    At those words, everyone in the dungeon nodded. The Inquisitor High Lord a bit more, as the hymn had his beloved Order of Inquisition in it, making him deeply proud.


    Sylvester turned to face the big man and conveyed his verdict. "Lord Inquisitor, Sylvester forgives him¡ªbut the bard does not!"


    "It has been decided then!" Inquisitor High Lord mmed his metal staff on the ground once, making the sound reverberate.


    "Burn he may in the depths of the unholy abyss, may his sins blow away with his ashes, away from Lord''s warm bliss. In the year 5100 of the Holy Sun, I, Inquisitor High Lord, with the power and duty bestowed upon me by the Supreme Pontiff, deres Norman Spring emunicated for heresy and condemned to be burned!"


    As soon as his order came, three men entered the dungeon. They were wearing ck hooded robes with no rank te. Their faces were also covered in ck metal visors. One held a book and started reciting a few words, while the other two stacked wood around Norman after locking his feet.


    The man screamed, cried, and prayed for forgiveness. His face contorted in ways unimaginable as he tried to free himself from the confines, ignoring the harm to his own body being done. His wrists seemed to rip apart slightly while his feet broke utterly.


    In the blind rage to be free, he forgot nothing could save him once the announcement of the decree.


    Woosh!¡ªIn seconds, the fire engulfed the man, and his flesh melted like snow. His screams echoed across the entire prison, sending chills as the other convicts could only listen.


    Seeing the mes reaching the ceiling, Sylvester noticed it was already darkened. He reckoned this wasn''t the first burning that hall was witnessing.


    "Damn you! Aaaa!¡­ You will stand¡­ here¡­ one day!..." Norman managed to utter a few words before his face wholly burned down. His eyes popped out and disappeared in mes. From now, Norman Spring was just another among the heathen names.


    Sylvester was not affected by the view and merely scratched his face as he looked.


    ''Great, this should send a good message to all future mentors to not mess with me. And once I''m done with my education, I''m out of here.'' He thought, nning for a future.


    "Deacon Sylvester, return to your school." The Inquisitor High Lord ordered him.


    He quickly saluted and left. Nothing was amusing about remaining in that suffocating dungeon anyway.


    ''Without any protection, it''s time to subjugate the Crown Prince of Riveria now¡­ haha.''


    Today, despite seeing burning flesh, he felt utterly fresh.


    ¡­


    "Ah, you''re back! Look here, Sylvester! A Running Man left a package for you." As soon as Sylvester arrived at the dormitory for Deacons, he was called by Felix to their room.


    "Me? Who would send me something? The only family I have is here." Sylvester looked at the package received. It appeared to be about five feet long and was thin, about 2 feet in length and breadth.


    "Open it! My greedy sense is tingling! There has to be something valuable in it." Felix, as always, was talking nonsense.


    But Sylvester shared the enthusiasm and opened the cloth wrap first. Then he found a wooden box. It was red with a lot of golden embroideries, appearing extremely luxurious.


    "Woah!" All four eximed.


    ''Who would send me such a thing?''


    He quickly opened it, and¡­ four jaws fell to the floor.


    ___________________


    [A/N: This school arc will not go on for long, as there is little left to do. Sylvester learned his lessons in this examination, and as someone whose priority is to live in peace, he will be cautious with the next exam quests and y safe until he''s decently stronger.


    Soon, thest Time Skip to a few years will happen. There is so much more left to explore and do for Sylvester. Spending a hundred chaps in just school would not be fun to write or read, honestly.


    I suppose you don''t want the chapters to turn into -> He opened the bag of chips. He took a potato chip. And he ate it! XD]


    ___________________


    [A/N: Bonus will arrive soon, or with the next chap.]


    MY LORDS, STONE TAX, PLEASE!


    **1100 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 51 51. The Pact Of Brothers

    "What the¡­ who sent me this?" Sylvester picked up the item from the wooden case. It appeared to be a spear, a very artistically made one with gold ting at the end and on the middle of the de of the spear.


    It was narrow, with the top and the sides made of sharp steel, while its center was golden. Not only that, there appeared to be a blue ribbon attached to it.


    [A/N: Look at it in this parament.]


    "C-Can I touch it?" Felix suddenly eximed as his face appeared to be struck by lightning, his eyes opened wide, and his breathing quickened.


    <o>,m "Sure."</o>


    "Ummah!" However, Felix kissed the spear instead, grossing everyone else out.


    "Are you alright, Felix? Do you have a fever? Should we take you to the infirmary?" Gabriel worriedly asked him.


    At that, Felix scoffed. "How could you three not recognize this thing? Look at it, the edges, the shape, the gold, the ribbon¡­ This is the Spear of Infinity! The greatest spear ever made, once held by one of the Five Heroes of the Thousand Year War, Wizard-Knight, Baron Elyot Harmond, also known as Elyot the Swift."


    Sylvester looked at the spear with interest and confusion. "It''s that big of a deal? Then is this fake?"


    "Who knows, but I have a feeling this is not. Sylvester, this spear is a bloody legend, and now you hold it! Do you know the story behind it? This ribbon attached belongs to the Wife of the Baron, who was also a wizard. But she was killed by an Orc Tribe. So in her honor, Baron Elyot tied a piece of her cloth to his spear before cremating her and vowed to exterminate the tribe¡­ and when he took action, he did much more than just extermination.


    "Everyone in Sandwall County knows this legend. We kids are taught this from our birth by our nannies, and we strive to be a man as great as him."


    Amused, Sylvester took the spear back from Felix and felt it in his hands. He knew there were not many people who could have sent him this spear. And ''many'' was too big of a word even.


    "Isn''t this too short for a spear?" Sylvester wondered as the spear was just a few inches taller than him.


    Felix scoffed. "You naive child, it''s called the Spear of Infinity for a reason. Baron Elyot was called Elyot the Swift because he could change the length of this pear as per his wishes. Nobody knows how long it can stretch, but the recorded peak length is fifty meters. I reckon it must get too heavy after that."


    Sylvester''s mind instantly thought about a mythical being from his past world, ''Sun Wukong?''


    "How do I make it longer?" He wondered while looking at Felix, hoping the boy would know for being a fanboy.


    But there was no reply from his end. "Why would I know that? It was Baron Elyot''s spear. Maybe his voicemanded? Try saying something."


    Sylvester nodded and stood up while lifting the spear over his head in one hand. "Keep suggesting me words, and I will repeat."


    "Extend," Felix suggested.


    "Extend!"


    "Longer," Markus added.


    "Longer!"


    "Stretch." Gabriel pitched.


    "Stretch!"


    "Erect." Felix started again.


    "Ere¡­ nevermind." Sylvester put the spear away and sat down. "I will ask Sir Dolorem about itter. But if this thing is as great and precious as you say, then I''m afraid I''d have to keep it safe unless I am strong enough, or else someone might steal it or worse, kill me to take it."


    Sylvester understood the gravity of walking around with a bigbel on his head, telling people he had a precious treasure on him. Some may have the guts to attack even if he is from the Church. After all, greed often blinds people''s judgments.


    "By the way, what happened to Bishop Norman?" Gabriel inquired.


    "Burned to crisp," Sylvester replied. But he noticed no pity or negative emotions from the boys.


    "May his soul have some mercy." Gabriel prayed. "I''ve seen too many people like him when I was a ve. They are short-sighted and greedy. It seems his sins had far outweighed his good deeds."


    "You never tell us about your past. How was it like being a ve?" Felix suddenly asked, being insensitive as he was, but it was understandable that he''d be interested, as he was surrounded by ves all his life.


    Gabriel sighed and gave a summary of his life story. "Well, I and my sister, Raven, were four when our parents died. The vige chief initially cared for us, but heter started beating Raven and me for no reason. Thankfully, there was a healerdy kind enough to take Raven in.


    "I searched for work but found none, so at the age of six, I sold myself to a merchant first. Then I gave all the money to the healer to keep my sister fed and protected. I then worked as a porter for a while, but being too small; the merchant sold me to some lord.


    "Life was hell there. The beating was an hourly urrence. The lord, his kids, and even other older ves would beat me. Many clergy members saw me but never helped¡­ until one noticed I was using light magic to walk in the dark to deliver the lord''s message to the monastery.


    "The rest is history. I just hope Raven stays safe and well fed. I don''t care about being God''s Favored. As long as I can gain strength to protect my sister, I am happy."


    "That''s¡­ sad." Markus felt lucky for at least having a family, no matter how poor it was.


    Felix, meanwhile, moved to Gabriel and patted his shoulder. "My brother, as soon as we''re done training here,e to Sandwall with me. I will get your sister a good house. My household is not the best ce in Sol to live, but she will be safe. My house puts honor above everything else."


    Gabriel nodded, showing a radiant smile. "Thank you. I will remember that."


    Sylvester was amazed at how this thin, red-haired, blue-eyed boy had suffered so much yet preserved his kind heart. ''We''re all misfits, gathered not by choice but by chance.''


    "What are you smirking at?" Markus noticed a smile on Sylvester''s face.


    "Nothing, I was just thinking about how we all have a tragic story. You were poor, Gabriel was a ve, and I was a month-old baby about to be tossed into the fire. Solis really brought us together, it seems."


    "Hey, why was I left out?'' Felix objected.


    Sylvester scoffed. "You''re a spoiled noble brat. You don''t count."


    "How dare you? I was forced to train from the day I started to walk, thrown into the desert to survive alone, and left in a jungle to spend the night. I was made to fight adult trainees at the age of six. My father ensured every part of my body was made to wield the sword.


    "I''m not the second son of Count Sandwall. I was never treated like one. I''m his fun little project¡­ and the truth is¡­ I have no interest in fighting."<sub> </sub>


    That raised the other three''s brows. "What do you mean?" Sylvester eximed.


    Felix looked at his friends and wondered if they would judge him orugh. He nervously brushed his ck hair with his hand and looked down. "I just¡­ I wanted to read books, write ys, and stories, paint, and be an artist. I wanted to do something creative, with colors¡­ not blood. I know, it''s a pansy dream to have, but it was all I had¡­ all that my mother taught me before she¡­ she left the world."


    Sylvester shook his head quickly. "That''s not a pansy dream, Felix. It''s an honorable dream, especially in times when a man only thinks about either sin or prayer. We do need a third hobby to keep ourselves sane.


    "But we must ept our reality and prepare for the worst, even if it means learning to paint with blood."


    Gabriel agreed. "True, I heard from a few clergymen yesterday that darkness ising. I don''t know if that means something dark or war or if they were just talking about sunset. But there''s a chance we will probably be fighting for something in the near future¡­ if that happens¡­ can we make a pact?"


    "What pact?" asked Markus.


    Gabriel nervously moved in his seat and asked. "I-If I¡­ I am not as strong as Sylvester and Felix, nor talented in moving as Markus. So if something happens to me in the future¡­ will you give my life savings to my sister and¡­ ensure she marries a good guy?"


    "Yeah, me too¡­" Markus chimed in. "If the war begins, I''ll be dead in months. So give my family all my money, will you."


    "Well, if I died, I''d just be shamed by my father, and my ashes would be tossed in gutters, but I promise you two." Felix raised his hand to sp.


    Sylvester, however, didn''t say anything at first. ''I''m afraid my life''s goal is to survive¡ªto live! To think I will die, I can''t even imagine it.''


    But he could honor this little pack. "Don''t worry, you two. If something happens, all of us will add money from our own pockets and ensure your sister or family can live in peace forever.''


    "Do you have that kind of money?" Felix narrowed his gaze.


    Smirking, Sylvester nodded. "Hah, I have my ways."


    "Meow!"


    "Why did you meow again?!" Markus eximed.


    "..."


    "Do you want to sp and seal the pact or not?" Sylvester was quick to bring their focus back.


    Pa!


    Gabriel quickly put his palm on Sylvester''s waiting fist, followed by Markus and Felix. And just for visuals, Sylvester made some lighte out.


    "It''s done! You three have sold me your souls now." He japed. But then he added, "By the way, don''t worry, Gabriel, if something happens to you, I''ll marry your sister to our resident rich lord, Felix."


    "Hey! I''m not up for the market¡­ though, what does she look like?" Felix intently looked at his friend.


    Gabriel''s brows twitched, and he closed his eyes for a moment. "O''Lord, forgive me for I am about to sin¡­ Fuck off, Felix!"


    "Pfft¡­"


    A little round ofughter soon ensued as the four boys pulled each other''s legs.


    Sylvester tried to bring some light to his dark heart, albeit sensing the future to be cloudier than ever. ''I don''t know if all of us can survive till old age¡­ but I hope we do. These boys may be a part of an evil church¡­ but they sure are good at heart and deserve to live a happy life.''


    ¡­


    That evening, Sylvester ate dinner at the dorms with his friends. But before he returned home, he went to his second home, the Inquisitor camp.


    The people there respected him, loved him, and cherished every word that came out of his mouth. Some have even asked him to name their newborn child somewhere far away.


    He reciprocated that respect by singing hymns from time to time, giving the Inquisition new marching songs.


    But today, he had a big wooden box on his back as he found Sir Dolorem resting inside his tent, still up and writing something in his journal.


    "Sir Dolorem, I have something to ask." He entered unannounced, as this was not the first time.


    "Master Maximillian, you should be home after seeing all the¡­"


    Sylvester cut him off with a chuckle. "Honestly, Sir Dolorem, nothing can be scarier than that Bloodling."


    The knight chortled, "Hah, indeed. How may I be of help?"


    Sylvester quickly put the wooden box on the bedding and took out the spear. "I wish to thank the Inquisitor High Lord for this magnificent gift."


    "T-This is¡­!"


    "Yes, the Spear of Infinity! Felix told me about it."


    But Sir Dolorem was still in shock. "M-Master Maximillian, Lord Inquisitor may have wished to grant it to you¡­ but he does not have the authority."


    "Then who¡­ ah!" In an instant, Sylvester realized who the true patron for this gift was.


    ___________________


    [A/N: Next chap gonna be up in 2 hours.]


    BANANA TAX, PLEASE!


    **1100 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 52 52. Lets Be Friends... Not

    The world considered the five heroes of the thousand-year war to be legends. Their weapons, armor, or anything rted to them was a treasure of the Church. So the fact that Sylvester got the spear that belonged to one of them could not have been the work of someone low-ranking.


    "The Pope?" Sylvester eximed.


    "This is likely because of your contribution. Because of what you did, we got Norman''s confession, and he revealed the names of many high-level spies in the Church. As we speak, they are either being burned, beheaded, or chased. What you have done for the faith is trulymendable."


    ''The pope thinks highly of me? Well, I do feed him candy every month.'' He thought and looked at the spear with interest.


    "Felix told me that this spear can extend to a great length? How do I do it?" He inquired.


    Sir Dolorem profoundly looked at the spear with respect for itsst wielder and felt that Sylvester having it was respectful to its legacy. "It''s not easy to control it, Master Maximilian. This spear is ancient¡ªnone know who created it.


    "To use it, one needs to have mastery over the sub-branch of Earth Element, called Metal Maniption. Only then can you extend it. However, even if you can''t extend it, there''s something else you can focus on. This spear has some magical properties. For example, it can generate blue fire, which is highly destructive when throwing the spear on an enemy such as an orc with thick skin. Or a stone golem that the Dwarves can summon.


    "Besides that, this spear is supposed to be light enough to give you fast movability. So if you can master it, this can be a greatpanion in your many conquests toe."


    Sylvester was truly curious about these weapons. Of course, he was aware of his high wizardly talent, which would be his primary focus in the future. But as he also had the highest Knight talent, he wanted a versatile weapon like a spear that he could use for both short and long-range battles since depending on Srium for all long-range attacks wouldn''t be a good choice considering the chances of Srium depletion.


    "Do you know where I can learn Metal maniption? I am truly interested in this spear." He asked.


    "That will be hard to do, Master Maximilian. These sub-branches of elements are rare; even rarer are the people who have mastered them. But there should be someone out there with such knowledge. It would be best if you ask your Headmaster about it. He knows nearly every clergyman that studied in the School of Dawn in the past hundred years. If there''s someone with the mastery over metal maniption ability, the Headmaster would know this person." Sir Dolorem advised.


    ''I guess it''s time to use that token to meet the old man.''


    Having his answers, he decided to head home as it was gettingte. "I will see you tomorrow then, Sir Dolorem. At least you can teach me how to wield the spear. After all, sharp fangs are useless if I know not how to use them."


    "It will be an honor."


    "Good night, then."


    Sylvester walked towards his home while talking with Miraj. He disliked that he could not publicly speak to the cat that always remained on his shoulder, but this was for the best.


    "You need to learn how to fight too, Chonky. Once we''re out of this school, who knows what work we will be assigned." He advised.


    Miraj was yawning sheepishly. "How do I learn? I''ve got no friends to y¡­ fight with."


    "I will, every day, after school, I will teach you for an hour. Your job will be to dodge my moves and w my neck. Remember, if you can kill your enemy with one strong blow, do it!"


    "Don''t worry, Maxy. I will eat whoever troubles you." Miraj promised.


    ''What a nice cheat.''


    Sighing, he arrived home and prepared for another round of questions as Xavia will ask about the spear.


    ¡­


    Life in the Holy Land was peaceful. You say the lord''s name and work daily, and that''s it.


    The season of Solis was at its peak. The two months were the period of the festival. People came to the Holy Land in thousands every day, bringing gifts as per what they could afford.


    The Church never asked people to give money in return for blessings, as the Church was strong enough already to hold various businesses. So instead of the people, the nobles had to pay taxes to the faith so monasteries could run efficiently.


    Also, the Church provided security to variousnds. So there was nock of ie, and due to this, a man donating a little pouch of grains and a man donating a sack of gold was equal in the eyes of the Holy Land.


    The mere experience of visiting the Holynd was ethereal for people, as holy hymns were chanted day and night inside and around the Magna Sanctum, thergest Sun Temple in the world.


    But the two months were profitable for Holy Land in other ways, as various shops and businesses would open on the outskirts. It was an excellent way for not only the many talented clergymen to sell their talents but also helped nearby viges and towns earn.


    The footfall was enough to earn everyone something.


    So it was expected that Sylvester would wish to go there and spend some money. He had a lot of it anyway. Also, he hoped to get to spend his ck money mainly.


    But first came the sses for the second year in school. In year two, not much had changed except for the addition of a few subjects and the runes mentor. Other than that, officially, the study of Holy Magic began, as that was an essential skill for fighting evil.


    The basics of exorcism were also being taught, along with full-fledged brainwashing done by the mentor of religious studies, Archbishop Noah.


    Sylvester attentively listened to everything in today''s ss as the current political state of the Church was being revealed, mainly about whom the faith was in conflict with.<sub> </sub>


    Archbishop Noah, the old wrinkly man, spoke zealously. "The might of Solis is primarily unchallenged, but a few still do not appreciate the light, so we must be prepared to show them our might.


    "Most of you may have guessed that the enemies of the Church were only in the Beastaria continent, but that''s untrue. We have enemies much closer, enemies so vile it would make your skin crawl. One of them is the heathens of the Divine Desert, the Desert Cannibals. Then there are the heathens of the Pentapeak Mountain range, the Mountain tribes.


    "These tribes do not have leaders and are divided among themselves. But that''s what makes them frightening, as the thought of the heathens banding together leaves the strongest of armies with cold feet."


    "Mentor!" All of a sudden, a boy raised his hand. It was none other than Romel. "Mentor, why don''t we eradicate them then?"


    Sylvester and his friends scoffed at the naive questions. It was clear that since Norman was gone, Romel was trying to show himself to be smart. And even stay away from Sylvester, since Romel used to try to bully him earlier. Not only that, Romel had bullied a few Deacons to quit even, some even by breaking arms or legs during various training. Bishop Norman used to protect him before, but sad for him, now his stars had misaligned.


    "The answer is obvious. We have more significant wars to fight. The Desert Cannibals consider their desert sacred and only wish for our resources, not ournds. At the same time, Mountain Tribes are used to cold weather and can''t survive in the south.


    "And we know that our enemies in the east are much stronger. Can someone tell me the names of the greatest enemies of the faith?" Archbishop Noah asked.


    Felix lifted his hand. "Mentor, it''s Dwarf King Gildrur Ironcloak?"


    "Haha, good try, but you are five decades toote. Before the end of the war, we were able to bring Gildrur to the embrace of holy fire. His son, Ggar Ironcloak, now rules the majority of Dwarves.


    "However, this is not the only greatest enemy. There are many more, such as Beast King, Berzor Fang Brightbeard; Elf King, Rathagun Xeek Eldaron; King of Giants, Fortius Gralith; Mer Queen, Norara Min. These are just the greatest few. Then there are the unknown Werewolf Alpha Suprima, Vampire Prime, Goblin Elders, Orc Father, Centaurs, Trolls, Dragons, and many more.


    "Not only that, these names may be the leaders of the majority factions with their race, but many more factions of the same race exist. So you can consider each race like a kingdom here and each leader among them as a lord."


    "And we are to purge all of them." Sylvester did not ask but instead made a statement.


    This brought great joy to the old man, who already considered Sylvester the true God''s Favored. "Haha, that would be thest option, Deacon Sylvester. No, our first solution is to bring them to Lord''s Light, make them change their hearts."


    "Then it seems I need to get better at singing my hymns." Sylvester jokingly added and rxed back in the seat. Archbishop Noah was his favorite mentor, so he did such things to leave an impression.


    "Indeed, your hymns have the power to do the impossible. But remember, when words fail, arms must remain ready to answer. With this, the ss is over. Go out and eat lunch." The Archbishop left soon after.


    Sylvester quickly got up. "Let''s go. I want to go to the Pilgrim''s Festival. Let''s eat something there. Food''s on me."


    "Finally, it won''t be me paying." Felix rejoiced and got ready in an instant.


    However, Sylvester was not done, as he had another person in mind to take along, someone he wished to bring under his thumb. Someone who was trying to hide from him.


    "Romel, my friend, won''t youe to the Pilgrim''s Festival with us?" He called the boy.


    In an instant, Romel''s face fell, and his terrified eyes looked left and right for an escape. Worse was the fact that the two peak talent boys, Louis Hermington and Griffin zekin, who used to be Romel''sckeys, had left his side.


    "I-I''m sorry, Deacon Sylvester. I didn''t mean t-"


    Sylvester interrupted by pulling the boy close and putting his arm around the dirty ashen-blonde-haired boy''s shoulder. "That''s fine, Romel. It was all a misunderstanding. I know that. It''s better if all of us strongest Deacons stay together as brothers. After all, one day, we might have to fight the heathens alongside."


    Rome''s face lit up instantly. "Yes, yes¡­ you''re right. So let''s be friends."


    A little help is worth much more for the wretched. That was Romel''s condition as of now.


    "Great, then let''s go. Ah, Deacon Augustus, join us too." He was also called the factionless deacon. The more, the merrier.


    Sylvester''s strategy with Romel was simple. The easiest way to break someone''s mind and make them subservient was to befriend them, make them feelfortable, and then slowly push theirfort zone by making them do terrible things. Then, those terrible things will gradually be normal, and all they will know would be to follow orders, turning them into great servants.


    Romel was, above all, a loner at this point. He sought new friendships, some assurance, and validation. And he was going to find it with Sylvester.


    With a kind smile hiding the wickedness inside, Sylvester nned to break Romel''s mind. The friendship he was offering was not going to be free. Thankfully, to extract the right price, the School of Dawn was there to ensure Romel could never flee.


    ___________________


    THIS SENIOR GORILLA GREETS SENIOR MONKE READER!


    **1100 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 53 53. Search For Teacher

    This was the first time Sylvester was getting to see so much economic activity. Thest time he went to the capital of Gracia Kingdom, he was a month old and slept most of the time. After that, he never entered the city and bypassed it to reach his destination.


    The festival appeared to be something straight out of some fantasy. He just felt much more connected andfortable walking around now.


    There were shops selling souvenirs, robes, pendants, food, and books. There were also a few cksmiths, but they were not allowed to sell weapons, but only household tools or any new inventions. There were also jewelers in neat silk-decorated shops.


    The whole festival grounds were surrounded by a temporary wall erected by Earth wizards of the Holy Army, and security was their responsibility too.


    The boys walked in the busy street while various loud hawkers shouted to sell their products.


    "Come here, get yourself the best silk anywhere!"


    "Tasty fresh spice milk!"


    "Get yourtestption of Bard''s Hymns!"


    "Wait a minute!" Sylvester stopped as soon as he heard thest hawker. "Is someone selling my hymns?"


    He quickly went to the shop and found a clergy member selling it. It was a middle-aged man of Apprentice rank ording to his rank te.


    "Can I get a copy of the hymns?" He asked the man.


    The man noticed the rankte of Sylvester and was shocked it was higher than his own, despite thetter being a kid. The clergyman happily passed a copy. "It costs 100 Gold Graces, but no price for the men of faith, here."


    Sylvester was none to argue with and took the free booklet with him. He quickly opened it to see and soon confirmed that the hymns were his, from the first to the most recent one. But he noticed something. ''Holy Solis, are these people copying books by hand? Don''t they have a magical way to do it?''


    "I think he''s satisfying his ego," Felixmented with Markus, loud enough that Sylvester could hear.


    "Huh, I was just ensuring they wrote the hymns correctly." He scoffed and quickly stopped an old poor-looking pilgrim walking by. "May the holy light enlighten your paths. I do not need this book of hymns, for I remember them all. Please keep it."


    The man happily took the book and kissed it as if it were some treasure. It was understandable, as books were too expensive since they were hand copied and hence, were too valuable and unaffordable by most.


    Sylvester moved away, aiming to eat something as it was their lunch break. So they soon selected one clean-looking food shop with some tables outside and sat down to eat. It was too empty for some reason, but they didn''t care and got themselves hot milk, two boiled eggs, and big, thick roasted chicken breasts.


    "Romel,e here. Why sit so far away from us?" Sylvester called the now meek prince of Riveria. The poor boy had lost his security umbre.


    Romel silently walked over to Sylvester and sat beside him on a long wooden bench. "T-Thank you."


    Sylvester read the boy''s bodynguage and sensed the chills of fear in his mouth. ''This boy, he needs to getfortable before I canmand him.''


    "If you don''t like what you eat, get something else to eat. It''s my treat." He added.


    Then they got to eating like madmen because being Deacons in training, especially as God''s Favored, their sses were harsher and squeezed every ounce of energy from their bodies daily.


    Yes, basking under sunlight did refill their bodies with Srium, but they still needed protein, iron, and calcium from other food.


    "Gabriel, please give me your written material from Incantation ss. I think I made a mistake while writing," Markus asked.


    "What''s the matter with you? You make so many mistakes even when copying from the board." Gabriel annoyedly muttered while stuffing his mouth.


    Markus sighed sadly. "I don''t know. I was never good at writing, and I sometimes jumble up the words and inversed them. I think my brain is damaged."


    ''Dyslexia?'' Sylvester thought of instantly. But sadly, he was in a world where they neither had the time nor the means to help something like this.


    "It could be something rted to the brain, but as long as you can memorize and read, it''s okay. I will give you my notes after sses every day." Sylvester offered, as his memory was good enough to memorize what happens in ss. "And try writing with your finger in the air to practice."


    "My brother, you are the best. Here, take this egg then." Markus offered a boiled egg from his te that Sylvester was paying for.


    "Why do you sit here?! Move away. You are dirty!"


    Out of nowhere, a red-haired boy appeared, about five years old, in fine silk clothing of an aristocrat. He pointed at Sylvester and the group.


    "Is this boy talking to us?" Felix wondered as he looked left and right.


    "Yes! I''m talking to you¡­ my daddy says I must not sit with filthy lowlifes because I am heir to his cunt-y."


    "..."


    "..."


    "You mean County?" Sylvester quickly corrected while holding hisughter. But the rest of the boys couldn''t and burst intoughter.


    "Pfft!"


    "Bahaha¡­ Cunt-y!"


    "Hehe." Even Romel chuckled a little.


    "Boy, I am the son of Count Sandwall, and all of us are God''s Favored Candidates. You think you are nobler than us?" Felix barked back soon after.


    "And I am the Crown Prince of Riveria Kingdom," Romel meekly added.<sub> </sub>


    "Ah! Robin!" Just then, a man with an adult face matching the boy appeared and caught the boy. He then apologized quickly before running away. "Forgive the child, respected clergy. I shall teach him better."


    "He''s not going to teach him, is he?" Markus muttered.


    Romel nodded and scoffed. "He''s Count Regalia from Riveria. That boy is his first son after 43 daughters from 8 wives. So the boy is spoiled and will never be taught anything, ssic young lord."


    "..."


    Sylvester stopped eating and awkwardly nced at Romel, the boy who was born from selective breeding the Riveria King did with a witch to make a strong boy.


    "Buddy, that''s some next-level projection. Let''s just head back."


    ¡­


    For the rest of the day, they studied Holy Magic and Exorcism''s basics. As expected, runes were heavily involved in this study, which now made sense why they had to learn them in the first year.


    But after the ss, Sylvester had decided to meet the Headmaster to talk about learning metal maniption, or at least finding someone who knew how to do it.


    So he used his one-time token to meet the man. The office of the Headmaster was on the ninth floor at the end of one of the lobbies, which had no rooms on the sides. So he went all the way to the one closed door. It wasrge, five times his height, and was made of golden metal with beautiful engravings and carvings of flowers and vines.


    "How do I call him now?" Sylvester found nothing to knock with, so he used his hands. However, something stopped him.


    "Stop right there, little one. Do you wish to meet the Headmaster?"


    "The door spoke?" Sylvester looked closely at the voice in front of him.


    "I''m here!"


    This time he noticed that the door appeared to have two eyes, one on each side. They blended well due to the same color, but now as they blinked, he noticed. "Headmaster?"


    "No, I am but a door. Let me tell you the story of the holy father, the pope who installed me here to serve the headmasters¡­"


    ''How do I shut it up?'' Sylvester wondered because as much as he may be interested in the gate, he was gettingte for his short one-hour sessions of spear training with Sir Dolorem. Then he also had to return home since Xavia was going to cook honey-baked bread.


    "I have a one-time token, so let me through¡­ respected door."


    p "Ah! Are you not interested? Well, another time then. Now just put that token into my mouth, and then you may enter."</anda>


    Just like how the eyes appeared, a carved mouth took form on the door and opened itself. Sylvester put the coin-like token in and saw it melt away.


    Woosh!¡ªthe door automatically opened with that.


    Sylvester entered curiously while looking around. But soon, he couldn''t help but hold his jaw from dropping. The ce was too big, as if he was not in a room on a floor but a castle. The ceiling was higher than it should be, and the windows were enormouspared to what they appeared from the outside. The whole room was decorated with various art pieces on the wall and in ss cases on short columns. The red carpet with golden embroidery covered all the space, with green nts here and there.


    Then, at the end of the long hall was a single small shining wooden table, beyond which the Headmaster was sitting, smoking something with a pipe and reading something.


    Sylvester quickly saluted in the Church''s crossed arms style. "Headmaster Cardinal Brightson, I am Deacon Sylvester Maximilian."


    "Come in,d. I was waiting for when you''d use your token. Usually, all others would use it in the first week after getting it, and you kept me waiting for more than a year." The Headmaster chirped, not appearing like the man of authority that he should have been.


    But Sylvester knew better not to believe what he saw. ''Powerful men often show themselves as someone humble. It''s a ssic trope.''


    "I never felt stuck in my education, Headmaster¡­ until now. But it''s more of a favor than needing help with a concept." He respectfully stated.


    The old man nodded and closed the book he was reading. "And that is?"


    Sylvester did not bring the spear, but he reckoned the man knew he had received it. "Headmaster, I received the Spear of Infinity that once belonged to thete hero, Baron Elyot. I wish to learn how to use its abilities, but I need a mentor for Metal Maniption. Unfortunately, I could not find anyone in the Holy Land with such mastery."


    The old Headmaster rubbed his bead and smoked the pipe in silence. He appeared to recall the names of all the students during his tenure. "This one''s going to be tough. Metal maniption is too extreme and rare. If it were sand maniption orva maniption, it would have been easy."


    "So, is there nobody?" Sylvester inquired.


    "I never said that, but if you must learn it, you might have to wait years because that man will not likelye here to teach you. I vividly remember him, what a cheerfuld. He is from the Hignd Kingdom, currently the Viscount Gordon Mineworth."


    Sylvester raised an eyebrow, a Viscount was just one rank above Baron, and the Church could even order kings around, so why not this. "Why can''t he possibly bless me with his knowledge here?"


    Headmaster sighed and looked out of the giant window at thendscape of the Pope''s Penins, the view of Magna Sanctum clear from there.


    "Well, besides his lordly duties of running the iron mines in hisnds¡ªhe''s a cripple."


    ___________________


    CAN YOU BLESS ME WITH YOUR SEEDS? I MEAN STONES!


    **1100 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 54 54. Rank...

    ''A cripple? Damn my luck.'' Sylvester cursed silently. Ever since he was born, the only good thing that happened was that he had a very high talent. Other than that, there had been no easy games for him. Being bullied by a mentor, almost dying to a dark creature in a cave, heck, he was even almost burnt in the first month of his life.


    "Should I go to him to learn after school is over?" Sylvester asked.


    "That depends on what profession you take as that will define your ability to travel. You could be an administration worker who works from the Holy Land. You can be a traveling preacher. You can be an administration worker who manages the areas outside the Holy Land. You can also be an inquisitor, Holy man of arms, or a Holy Inspector, who investigates crimes against the faith or a clergyman across the Continent."


    Sylvester fell into thought, wondering which path to take. Clearly, he can never amass great wealth and spend it as long as he lived in the Holy Land. So going out was always his n, but what else could he do? Inquisitors were great but would need him to stay with the army. The Holy Army was the same.


    ''I should carefully examine all these professions and decide by the end of the eighth year.''


    "Thank you, Headmaster. I will think about what profession to take. And¡­ May I send Viscount Harmond a letter? I will try to invite him. If he can''te, I will ask permission to learn from him in the future." He inquired, wishing to write a letter to entice the man, after all, who does not want to be his mentor.


    "You can, and I will send you the address of the Viscount by my assistant."


    Sylvester decided to leave, as the time to train with Sir Dolorem wasing. And he reckoned the Headmaster must be an extremely busy man, as even meeting him was so hard. "Thank you, Headmaster. I will take my leave now."


    With that, he left the sizeable unusual office of the man on the verge of bing a Grand Wizard. Sylvester couldn''t help but sometimes awe at the pure destruction these old men can cause, but the only thing holding them back is that there is always someone with a bigger stick.


    But that made him think about the Pope, the man supposedly the strongest on the Continent. ''Who is he afraid of?''


    Sylvester then headed to meet Sir Dolorem and get his spear training done. The location they had decided was not the Inquisitor Camp. Instead, it was the terrace of the Bright Mother''s building, the good old ce where it all started.


    "First, memorize the movements necessary for wielding the spear. Thest mistake you want to make in a battle is to hit yourself mistakenly. Remember, a spear is different from a sword, for its length can be your boon and bane.


    "Just like how you practice chopping the air to make your muscles remember the movement while learning sword arts, you need to do the same with the spear. But instead of chopping, you must learn how to spin the spear in your hands. Once you master that, your body shall automatically know how to move it." Sir Dolorem gave his initial instructions and showed an example using a simple spear.


    Even Sylvester had a simple spear, as he felt the Spear of Infinity was too precious to be kept outside when he couldn''t even wield it.


    ''This is going to be easy, I don''t know how to use spears, but I did learn how to use a fighting stick.'' He thought and carefully tried to spin the spear over his head.


    The twin moons were already shining in the sky, uninterrupted by any clouds, as the season of Solis usually has clean skies for two months.


    There was enough light for the mentor and student to train. There was a strange rtionship between them, where Sir Dolorem was officially a servant of Sylvester. Instead, he considered himself the guardian, wishing to see the boy reach great heights.


    For Sylvester, Sir Dolorem was a respectful man he could somewhat trust. But it was clear that he would never trust anyonepletely, maybe Xavia, because the woman was his mother. But even then, some little traces of doubts always lingered since she had not revealed his ancestry yet.


    He kept repeating one motion, again and again, spinning the spear over his head, on the sides, and the back with his hands. It was like boxing, where you teach your body to move, so the reactions appear natural. This was the same.


    But his advantage was that he didn''t need to train his mind this time. Thankfully, he did not forget the past experiences.


    After an hour of basic first-day training, Sylvester returned home as Miraj hade to inform him that the food was ready.


    As soon as he entered, his nose moved like Miraj''s. The aroma of sweetness from the newly baked honey bread was exhrating. He did not know why, but in this life, he just loved honey for some reason.


    "I will help." He quickly helped Xavia toy the table.


    She chuckled, seeing him zoom past. "Hehe, now you help your mother. Oh well, it seems that God''s Favored has been corrupted by honey."


    Sylvester brieflyughed in response. "It was you who let me taste it at the mere age of seven days. So, mum, I''d say you''re equally responsible."


    Xavia sighed while putting food on his te. "You truly have one good head and mouth; always have something to argue with."


    "They do call me the bard." He chirped and started eating. Of course, giving secret food to Miraj at the same time as he sat on hisp with dreamy eyes.


    With Baked Honey bread, they ate a kind of milk dish, cooked with rice and some vorful spices such as cardamom and sugar. It was a simple yet tasty dish to eat. One may call it poor people''s food, but Sylvester immensely enjoyed it.


    "Mum, let''s go to Pilgrim''s Festival tomorrow. It''s thest day of the Season of Solis, and we only have sses for half of the day. We should buy ourselves some items to decorate this little home." He suggested as he had noticed their two-bedroom home looked a bit too empty. Other than the beds and one dining table, they had nothing else. Even his cradle was given away to the poor.


    Xavia quickly agreed, wishing to spend quality time with her dear son. "Let''s do it then. I will ask for some time from the healer''s sick bay. I do wish to buy some kitchen utensils now. The old ones are mostly broken."


    "Let''s get the steel ones," Sylvester suggested.


    However, Xavia looked at him with doubt and disappointment. "Sweetie, you need to be more careful with your money. Poor folks use y pots. We can''t afford the mighty steel just to cook and eat."


    ''Ah, I forgot we were officially poor.'' He remembered and nodded. "But mum, we have the money now. Also, steel utensilsst long, years, actually. In contrast, the y ones can break at any time. So let''s try to find them at a good price tomorrow first."


    "That we can do, but no promises."


    With agreement reached, they ate dinner heartily until they could no longer.


    That evening, Sylvester went to his room and lit up a light stone to read and write. He wrote some vague goals he needed to reach, and good thing he knew Russian, so he used thatnguage as his secret code. He could have used English, but sadly it had too many simrities with thenguage of the Sol Continent he lived in.


    ''Hmm, I have written some good hymns, but they feelcking in charm. Maybe I should try to make a violin? That''s all I know how to y¡­ but making it will be tough as finding the right wood, angles, and other details take time.''


    But he reckoned it could be an excellent hobby for theing years, as he''d have less to do due to living in the safety of the Holy Land.


    ¡­


    In theing few days, nothing eventful urred. No mentor at the school found problems with him, so Sylvester mainly focused on his studies, training, and brainwashing Romel.


    To have the Crown Prince of a nation as his personal mindless ve was a boon in many ways. He only had to keep the facade of friendship going.


    As on any ordinary day, he arrived at the ssroom and found there were fewer Deacons now than yesterday. He sighed as he knew the reason very well.


    "More gone?" He remarked as he took his seat in the middle of Felix and Gabriel, as he was the de-facto leader of the little group, the brains behind them.


    "One of them was leaving but prompted a chain reaction, and three more left. So now there are only 11 Deacons left. But it''s good because now only the strong ones are left in the ss, those who can keep up with the studies." Markusmented.<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester looked around. The boys with high talents were still there, proving that they would not be disqualified no matter what, as anyone with a chance of bing a Grand Wizard is a blessing to the Church''s future.


    ''I need to start focusing on leveling up. I''ve been stuck at Adept rank''s level five for a while now. Just a little more, and I can be a Master Wizard.'' Sylvester thought and couldn''t help but feel enthusiastic because ranking up meant getting stronger.


    "What mission did you take for this year''s quest?" Gabriel inquired.


    Sylvester was not acting dumb as he did in thest quest. He just took the job with the highest reward before, but now he read the quest details and tried to gauge its difficulty with the amount of money offered.


    He didn''t even look at jobs that were about exorcizing. Instead, he chose jobs that required helping viges with their drought, rain, or construction. He took some hunting jobs, too, as wild animals, even as big as giant bears, were manageable.


    "I took the job of helping the construction of a new monastery and vige in the new settlement near the coast of Gracia Kingdom. I will go there and sing some hymns and get all the needed admiration from people."


    However, the job was not as easy as it sounded because the vige once used to be a bustling town but was burned down in the thousand-year war. So now thends were purified, and the foundation for the new monastery had beenid so a new vige could be started. But they needed more help, hence the quest.


    Sylvester had reasoned that there was no point in risking life. Instead, his goal was to pass all the tests with the least amount of effort.


    "That''s great," said Gabriel. "I''m going to arge farm to milk some cows. They are having a lot of manpower shortages these days to tame their animals."


    "My brother set up a job for me that I took. It''s to go home, spar with other young kids, and teach them." Felix added, making everyone envious because Felix would most likely enjoy his days as if holidays.


    "I envy you so much, my fat lordship." Markus barked. "Here, I''m stuck with the job of working in a bakery in Green City as an additional hand. They need someone who can use magic."


    ''Great, all of them have taken easy jobs this time. There should not be any danger to their lives." Sylvester muttered, appreciating that everyone had learned their lesson. Even the school had learned their lesson this time. So they allowed them to choose their quests before the year-end exams.


    "Let''s head to the arena today to spar and prepare for the uing tests," Sylvester suggested.


    "Great, let''s go." They all agreed in an instant.


    "Stay seated. I will start the ss quickly. Today, you will learn about the exorcism trap seal used to trap the evil creature." Just then, the exorcism mentor entered, wearing his iconic dark hood, looking so pale that everyone wondered if he even had blood in his body.


    Nothing was boring in most sses, and Sylvester enjoyed it all. So before he even knew it, the ss was over, and he was standing with the boys in the arena, ready to send out magic. They had done this many times and were masters in managing to coordinate their fight now.


    "Rules are the same, no harmful spell, use of arms and legs is permitted. Felix, you can''t use physical weapons, both of us banned from Knight''s spars, Sir Baldfreak wants us to first grow, and no kicking in the family jewels," Sylvester repeated the rules.


    "Haha, it seems you have not forgotten the¡ªmishap." Felix mockingly chuckled as he was the one who hit Sylvester there ''mistakenly''.


    "Let''s go!"


    In an instant, everyone used their mastery to start a four-way fight. Felix used his fire to create a semi-ring around his back and focused on Sylvester and Gabriel at his front. Being proficient in Earth and Air as well, he first made the chunks of Earth float above and then sent them as projectiles toward Sylvester and Gabriel.


    Bam!¡ªSylvester blocked with a light shield and sent out a little tornado of air towards Gabriel. The religious boy was thrown into the air and spun around crazily while screaming.


    Sylvester used his greater experience to ovee problems. They were not fighting one person at a time, but each member simultaneously, but the boys seemed to forget that every time.


    Sylvester used hardened light magic to make a staircase to gain some height and attack Felix, who stood behind a wall of fire.


    But he first focused on Markus since he waspletely distracted by Felix.


    Steamscreen!¡ªUsing this move, he created arge field of steam with fire and water from runes. The steam instantly covered everything, letting Sylvester crawl to Markus.


    BAM!¡ªHe spun his kick low and made Markus drop. Then without stopping, he jumped on Markus and tapped on the boy''s neck, signifying thetter would have died by now if it was a real fight.


    "Haha, you can''t win, Felix." Sylvester taunted.


    Felix started to use the fire to throw out fireballs at Sylvester. But Sylvester merely made himself a light magic cocoon that covered him from all around. It was small and good enough to handle Felix''s strikes.


    Then he walked straight into the fire around Felix and reached him.


    PA!¡ªHe smacked Felix on the head, showing he won once again.


    "You threeck creativity. Gabriel was so easy to deal with. He was not even seeing me. Markus was unaware of his surroundings and forgot his fight was not just with Felix. And Felix, you trapped yourself in your ring of fire as you don''t have a water element."


    "Yeah, I understood that but a bit toote." Felix embarrassingly epted his fault.


    Sylvester was not done. "You still could have stopped the fire by using the air element to create a negative pressure on the fire."


    "Wait!" However, Felix constantly stared at Sylvester''s rank te, not listening to anything. "Why is this blinking?"


    Sylvester quickly looked down only to notice his Rank te pulsating in a warm golden light. The tes of Adept Wizard rank had disappeared too, and now there was nothing.


    He instantly felt warmth rising in his body, his breath started to get faster, and his face turned red. But even with all that, he couldn''t help but feel¡ªexcited!


    "Am I¡­ about to¡­?


    ___________________


    KEEP STONING THIS MONKE! I DON''T MIND!


    [BONUS COMING WITH NEXT!]


    **1100 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 55 [BONUS CHAPTER] 55. Master Wizard!

    "Is it happening? Am I ranking up?" Sylvester eximed excitedly.


    Immediately Markus and Gabriel also got up and huddled near Sylvester and stared at the rank te in friendly envy.


    For Sylvester, the feelings were full of strangeness, he felt as if his body was being inted, but nothing appeared on the outside. Instead, he felt the blood in his veins be heavier, the strength in his body increase, and the concentration of Srium skyrocket.


    "What does ranking up do to a body?" He wondered loudly.


    "Woah, look, your veins on your face are shining in white light." Gabriel pointed.


    Sylvester did feel warm on his face as if someone had pped him a thousand times, and now he was numb. But all he could do was silently wait, hoping the whole thing would stop soon. But it did not andsted half an hour, taking away the entire time they had fixed for sparring.


    Sylvester kept his eyes on his rank te on the chest and noticed the new rank appearing. There were three long silver patches instead of two bronzes. Then he felt a ting in his head ring once, signifying his rank level was one.


    But he was already ted. "I just became a¡­ Master Wizard?"


    "What was your rank when we started our school?" Felix inquired because he was just an Apprentice during the start and only got to the Adept rank in the middle of his second year.


    "Well, when I started, I was on Adept level 2, then by the end of the first year''s quest, I was at level four, and this whole year I was stuck at level five. So only now did I rank up. It took too long, actually." He replied and thought about his magical talent.


    But this made him remember the many other clergy members he had seen in the past two years. Most were not above Adept or Master Wizard ranks, although they looked bald and old. This meant that he was powerful for his age.


    Felix nodded in understanding. "Well, you have the talent to be the highest, Supreme Wizard, so it makes sense. I can be an Arch Wizard at most, so I will level up slower while my Knight rank is climbing fast."


    "What''s your Knight rank?" Sylvester asked as all God''s Favored Candidates'' rank tes were gold, and Knight''s rank appeared only on the silver te.


    "I''m not telling you unless you tell yours." Of course, Felix was interested in Sylvester''s rank, as both shared the same talent in this field.


    "Then I guess we will never know about it." Sylvester was not going to give up his hidden advantage.


    Markus interrupted them and put his hands on Sylvester''s shoulder to shake him. "Can we talk about you bing a Master Wizard? You are of the same rank as Archpriest Edmund."


    "Yes, but he can most likely beat me with his vast magical experiences. Not to mention, he is an Archpriest while we''re still Deacons." Sylvester retorted, knowing it was best never to let this power get to his head.


    "Should we report to someone?" Gabriel inquired.


    This was indeed a confusion. Sylvester didn''t know how big of a deal it was to rank up and if there was any standard procedure after ranking up. "I will go and meet Archpriest Edmund and see you in the dormster. I will stay with you guys tonight."


    So Sylvester quickly gathered all his items and headed to the administrative office on the ground floor. It was nearly time for all mentors and staff to head out, so he rushed in.


    "Mentor! Look!" He eximed as soon as he entered. However, he erased the fake smile from his face as a man he didn''t wish to see was sitting opposite Archpriest Edmund.


    It was an old man with a long white beard and hair. His eyes appeared to be light yellowish green and on his head was a gold crown with manyrge stones. He recognized him from his first day in Magna Sanctum many years ago.


    ''What is the King of Riveria doing here? Did Romelin about me to his father?'' He silently wondered.


    "Your Highness Riveria, this is Deacon Sylvester Maximilian, your son''s ssmate." Archpriest was introduced quickly.


    The old man got up, appearing weak as he had a hunched back. The wrinkles on the face made it clear the man had one foot in the grave, making it more beneficial to control Romel for Sylvester.


    "Of course, the famous Deacon Sylvester, I know about him." The man walked to Sylvester and patted his shoulder while ring into his golden eyes. "How can I forget the gifts the young Deacon has bestowed upon us."


    Sylvester looked back with firm eyes, as he knew showing fear only strengthens the enemy. But, at the same time, contrary to the smile stered on King Riveria''s face, he was smelling the bitterness of hate¡ªa strong one.


    "Take care, Deacon Sylvester. The church has many hopes for you. Come to River City, to my pce, when you visit the Riveria Kingdom. I am not boasting when I say we have the best cuisine in Sol." King Riveria turned to Archpriest Edmund. "I shall take my leave then, Archpriest. It''s time for my visit to the Holy Father. Thank you for allowing me to meet my son."


    "And thank you, Deacon Sylvester, for taking care of my son."


    As the man left, Sylvester felt confused for the first time, as he sensed no lies from the man''s ending words. ''Did Romel not tell him about my actions? Strange¡­ has my brainwashing been too good?''


    "AH! Y-You have¡­ Ranked up?!" Archpriest Edmund shouted in shock all of a sudden.<sub> </sub>


    King Riveria paused for a mere second before continuing to leave. No one knew what went on in his mind. But Sylvester put a mental note to be more careful if he was ever in Riveria.


    "Yes, Archpriest, I just ranked up and came to tell you about it. Do I need to register myself anywhere?" Sylvester inquired.


    The Archpriest was too excited, however, as he rejoiced. "It took me eighty years to get to the rank of Master Wizard, Deacon Sylvester, and you are merely nine years old. I can''t believe what I am seeing. And don''t worry about any registration. I will take care of it.


    "But I must go and tell this news to the headmaster first. You can go and stay in the dorms. If we need you, we shall call." Archpriest hurriedly left to the top floor.


    ''This man is more excited than me. No wonder the most powerful and talented kids turn out to be spoiled brats. These adults are enablers.'' He thought and headed to the nearby sick bay to inform Xavia about his ranking. He reckoned the woman deserved to share some excitement.


    So he promised her that he''d celebrate his promotion the next day. But, Xavia insisted on something else and told him to bring his friends to their home.


    Eventually, Sylvester got the permission, and, for the first time, he took Felix, Markus, and Gabriel to his home and introduced his mum.


    At first, the three were shy of the woman, too beautiful to be a Bright Mother. But when they looked at Sylvester, they nodded instinctively and understood where Sylvester got all his handsomeness.


    But they wondered what his father looked like, yet they didn''t ask, knowing it was too insensitive. So they slowly opened up and talked andughed in Sylvester''s home. Xavia just enjoyed listening to all the noise at home, something she missed from days long gone.


    "Here you go, I made a baked sweet bread cake with cream and honey." Xavia presented them with her finest show of cooking yet.


    Sylvester did not even know cakes could be made like this. Of course, it was not really a cake in the modern sense, as the cream was not whipped cream but rather a simpleyer of milk-like thing. But, it looked tasty.


    "Woah, I''ve never seen such a thing. May I know how to make it, Mother Xavia? I want to make it for my sister when I return home." Gabriel was quick to make a wish.


    Even Felix was amazed. "This looks tasty."


    However, there was no cake cutting or such a thing, and neither did Sylvester want it. He simply cut one bite and aimed it at Xavia''s mouth since it would make her happy. The woman always gave him the taste and smell of unconditional motherly love ever since he was born, so he liked her as a person too. "You should be the first one to eat."


    "Aaa¡­ my Max."


    As expected, her heart melted, and she hugged him without reservation, letting the boys chuckle. Sylvester knew he would get his leg pulledter, but he could do it better against them.


    "Let''s eat then."


    So they all ate like cows, being the strong boys they were. Then they crammed into Sylvester''s room to sleep. As he turned off the candles, Sylvester made a wish for all. "I hope Solis helps you all be a Master Wizard too."


    Gabriel agreed. "Amen, Sylvester. I hope I can quickly get stronger and one day return home with enough power to never have to worry about food or roof¡ªmake my Raven happy."


    "And money! I need money to get my family out of poverty. They are basically semi-ves at this point, destroying their bodies in the fields of a minor lord." Added Markus.


    Sylvester agreed with them. They needed money as much as he did. And, like him, they were also looking for a better, safer life.


    "As long as you stick by me, I can assure you we will make money. But for now, good night." Sylvester didn''t borate further and closed his eyes as his ns were still just ns.


    However, unexpected thingse in various shapes and forms as the following day, they all woke up with loud knocks on the door.


    Xavia went to check, and a knight appeared, shouting immediately. "Deacon Sylvester Maximilian is required to see His Holiness!!!"


    "..."


    Xavia''s heart nearly exploded from the abrupt shouting.


    ___________________


    THIS MONKE WISHES FOR YOUR GRACE!


    **669 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 56 56. So Long...

    "Deacon Sylvester Maximilian is required to see His Holiness at six! Please ept this invitation letter, Brighter Mother."


    It was still too early in the morning, but it seemed people at the highest office did not sleep. Xavia took the letter that summoned Sylvester. She quickly ran into Sylvester''s room and woke all the boys up.


    "What did you do? Is this because of the ranking? Or did you misbehave?" She asked. It was expected for a mother to worry when the supposed strongest being in the world called him.


    Sheepishly, he took the letter and read it. After a few lines, his sleep was gone. "Hm, the letter is signed by the Headmaster, mum. It''s likely due to my ranking. Don''t worry. I will go there on time."


    "On time? Get up, take a bath, and put on a new pair of robes." She quickly pulled him out of bed and threw him out to go and take a bath. Thankfully, he now had a private bath as he was big enough for other Brighter Mothers to feel conscious about him using the same bathroom.


    He also dragged the three with him and got ready. His meeting was scheduled an hour before school began, so he left early. While the boys headed to the school, he headed to the Pope''s Pce, a long walk away.


    ''Is he going to praise me?" he wondered.


    As he arrived at the long stairs of the Pce, the guards stood stiffly as if saluting him. He reckoned they still remembered him from when the Inquisitor High Lord brought him.


    One of the staff members soon pointed him in the right direction. Then just outside the Pope''s office, the Pope''s assistant greeted him and let him in with no trouble as he had the invitation letter.


    There was no security check or such, but could anyone be threatening the old man? Wouldn''t that just be a form of suicide?


    "Candy!" He greeted the old man with the usual candy. This was a tradition among them since he was small, and if it kept the Pope kind to him, he''d do it no matter how embarrassed he felt.


    "Haha,e in, Sylvester. Take a seat." the Pope voiced, sounding old and wise as always.


    This was the first time Sylvester entered the Pope''s office. But he was surprised to see that it was nothing special, just a simple room with various decorations and beautiful carpet and curtains. There were gold ornaments around the corners and on the main table. Other than that, the most exquisite thing he could see was the strange quill made of some unknown red bird feather.


    ''Even the headmaster had a bigger office.'' He thought and handed the candy.


    "A Master Wizard? I remember I was 13 when I became a Master Wizard, so you''re doing better than me." The Pope said in an attempt to encourage.


    Sylvester tried to feel the air and smelled a sharp nose tingling, sweet aroma of boiling caramel. ''He''s excited?''


    "Am I the youngest?" Sylvester inquired.


    "Sadly, no." Pope started by pouring himself and Sylvester a ss of water. "More than four thousand years ago, the fifth one, Pope Pollux Ragthon, the warrior, attained the rank of Master Wizard at the age of 5. Times were a lot different back then. The church was not strong enough to ensure peace. Sol was divided into hundreds of small kingdoms fighting each other.


    "I believe his mind grew faster than his age with a mix of talent and tragedy. He''s the man who truly spread the faith across the continent by subjugating andbining kingdoms. Our faith is a blessing of the first Pope, but what we have today is the fifth''s gift."


    Sylvester digested the new information. Unfortunately, these finer details were never revealed in the ''History with Popes'' book. There was much more that he had to learn, and Sylvester wished he could spend one day staying in the Pope''s library.


    "But! Deacon Sylvester, you have exceeded my expectations. You are merely nine, not far from Pope Ragthon. You have blessings from Solis himself, and you have a strong, smart head. I am very proud of you, and this is one reason why I gave you that spear¡ªyou''re worthy of it." The Pope suddenly started wrapping items on the table as if preparing to move.


    "I noticed the quest you picked for this year, and I understand why you did so. What happened in Goldstown was apse in the Guild and the school''s work, a rare case. However, I hope that does not make you afraid of taking risks because risks are meant to push oneself, and only when you push will you find a more incredible version of yourself.


    "I remember ranking up during life-threatening battles in the past. There has been no study done on it, but I think the more one pushes himself, the faster they grow stronger. It certainly has something to do with our bodies and Srium.


    "But, safety is important too, because dying at this stage is equal to having the best ingredients to cook a meal but throwing them away. So, in theing seven years, give your best and grow. After that, we shall discuss your future career.


    "Now, I must take my leave. The Sanctum Council must be waiting. Take care and enjoy this good time while itsts." The Pope patted his head and left quietly.


    However, Sylvester was cursing the man in his mind. ''To hell with this. What does he mean by ''discuss my future?'' and did he just warn me not to go too easy and grow stronger by taking risks?''


    Sylvester already knew that the old man was not as kind as he seemed. So he took everything said with a grain of salt. ''But I will not put my life at risk anymore. I wish to live and aim for peace, and I shall continue to do so.''


    He quickly left the Pope''s office and headed to the School of Dawn, he was slightlyte, but none stopped him.


    However, once he entered, all the remaining eleven Deacons except the three friends had their jaws falling. The murmurs started simultaneously because noticing the significant change on the rank te was not hard. Shining silver was a lot different from dark bronze.


    Sylvester felt the envy and worship from all of them, and it was the best thing he could ask for. Winning them over by being their big brother was the quickest way to form his powerful cult.


    Instead of going to his friends, Sylvester went to Romel and sat beside him. "How are you, buddy."


    "Sylvester! Y-You ranked up? Holy Solis, that''s so amazing!"


    "Yeah, and I just returned after a meeting with the Holy Father." Sylvester boasted, hoping Romel would look up to him as his way to achieve greatness.


    Romel''s eyes shined. "I''m so envious. My father came to meet me yesterday. He said I have brought shame to his name¡­ that I am not trying hard enough."


    ''Good. Thank you, King Riveria.'' Sylvester patted Romel''s shoulder. "Come, sit with me and my friends. Maybe you can learn something better from us. After all, I helped them get to Adept rank even before you."


    "Y-You would help me?" Romel felt it was too good to be true. He never knew why Sylvester was being so kind to him when he tried to harm him. However, he slowly felt ashamed of what he tried to do, as Sylvester turned out to be genuinely kind, ording to his analysis.


    But Sylvester simply raised his palm and said a rhyming line. "What''s gone shall never be forgotten, but we can''t have our future rotten. We are the children of Solis; in brotherhood is our sce."


    Romel nodded vigorously, and Sylvester smelled a hint of worship. It was all going ording to n.


    "Thank you, Sylvester. I will never forget this. I will¡­"


    "Ah,e on, Romel. Come and sit with us." He dragged the boy and made him sit not far from Gabriel. He avoided Felix because thetter would have bullied Romel.


    Markus just then stopped writing on parchment and stretched his arms. "Yes, finally done with the assignment. Now I can focus on the quest from tomorrow."


    Sylvester nodded. He, too, was not worried about the quest he was to go on in a week. This time it was a simple reconstruction and preaching work. And, since the location was beside the Blood Sea, he would also see the beaches.


    "Hah, for me, it''s equal to a vacation. As long as there is no cave there, I''m okay." Sylvester blurted.<sub> </sub>


    "Nothing canpare with mine, though. I will literally be staying at home." Felix added, making everyone else grit their teeth in jealousy.


    However, Romel smacked his head when he learned Felix''s master n. "Stupid stupid, why didn''t I think of this. My mother could have made a quest for me as well."


    ''Because you are stupid." Everyone thought but didn''t say anything.


    Sylvester kept rxing with a satisfied smile. Thankfully, life has gotten much calmer now for him. He would take the second-year tests in a few days and finish another ss¡ªthat''s another milestone achieved.


    The winds were blowing much calmer for him now. The hectic life from day one seemed to take a turn for the good. The rays of Solis didn''t feel ominous anymore, and the slight happiness from talking with his friends, Miraj and Xavia, was soothing to his damaged mind.


    He put his arms behind his head and looked at the ssroom ceiling while Miraj slept on hisp, softly snoring.


    However, something in his mind was bugging him to ruin this peace. Despite all this, he couldn''t help but feel slightly suspicious about the life that had suddenly gotten too warm. ''I hope this is not the calm before the great storm.''


    But what could he do now other than giving his all to grow stronger? To transform into someone who shall stay unfazed by all storms. So be it dark or light, nothing could be of harm.


    ''I wonder for how long this bard will be able to satisfy that so-called lord. I hope I don''t end up in the book of the dead¡ªas just another name. I hope to keep ying this game until I achieve my final aim.''


    "Oye, Max, what are you doing? Dreaming about being hugged by your mum again?" Felix barked all of a sudden, ruining the little moment of peace he was having.


    He gasped in false anger, "Boy, you want me to rat your quest scheme out to Archpriest?"


    "..."


    "That''s ying dirty!" Felix barked.


    "Insulting my mum is dirty as well."


    Felix nodded as he looked down. "Yeah, I''m sorry. Don''t tell anyone about my plot¡ªplease."


    "Hehe¡­" However, Sylvester''s face showed an evil smile that sent shivers to Felix''s spine.


    Felix quickly covered his chest with his arms, hiding his pockets. "F-Fu¡­ I have no money anymore! So I won''t throw any more feasts for you hungry beasts."


    But hearing the word feast, Markus and Gabriel also narrowed their eyes and grinned at Felix.


    Sylvester patted his shoulder. "Lad, this is just a simple tax for your annoying acts. So it''s not a matter of if¡ªbut when!"


    "Fu-Fuck you!"


    "Deacon Felix Sandwall! How dare you use such filthy words in ss!" Shouted Sir Baldfreak, who had just entered.


    Poor Felix, it seemed Sylvester''s bad luck somehow passed on to him.


    "Thirty rounds of the central garden¡ªNow!"


    Felix had a crying face as he looked at hisughing friends. "I hate you all."


    "Deacon Sylvester, Deacon Markus, and Deacon Gabriel, you three as well! I know you all are chums¡­ and you too, Deacon Romel!"


    "B-But I didn''t even speak!" Romel cried.


    "Did I stutter?" Sir Baldfreak showed his big angry eyes shining as bright as his bald head.


    Sylvester certainly felt he got his bad luck back in an instant. Except for Felix, his new servant and friends had tears, while only he had simple fears in the hope that it wouldn''t suck like this in theing years.


    In the end, only Felix wasughing as they all ran circles. However, Sylvester was annoyed by his constant mockingughter.


    Bam!


    Felix fell face first into the grass. "Sylvester, you bastard, you tripped me!"


    "Hmm? I missed the part where that''s my problem." And they kept running.


    The light of Solis stood witness, in seven years, this group ofughing young kids would stand tall and face their destiny to fight for their dreams. After all, they were not naive, and the future belongs to those who believe in the dreams they conceive.


    Their choices, decisions, and spirit will either take them to the pinnacle or make them question:


    ''When did the dream of the future turn from being a promisednd to a pit of dark, filthy quicksand¡ªconsuming all they loved?''


    [END OF VOLUME 1]


    [Next Volume: Servant of Faith]


    ___________________


    THIS MONKE GIVES LOVE FOR YOUR SUPPORT!


    KEEP IT UP! Hopefully, I will get a contract soon.


    **669 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 57 57. Dance Of The Knights

    [A/N: Search (Kodo - "O-Daiko" - HD) on YT and y it from the most reyed part. y it in the BG if you can, or remember it.]


    ____________________


    "This year! Amidst all the Knights and Wizards, we have something special as the beginning performance of the yearly Martial Tourney. Two young God''s Favored Candidates, two young men with the potential of one day bing tinum Knight¡ªShall fight today!"


    Under the bright sunlight and soothing breeze, the enormous Guild Penins arena filled to the brim with tens of thousands of spectators, roared with thunderous screams of cheers.


    "Let the war drums roll!" The announcer kicked off the month-long tourney by shouting with the help of air magic.


    As his announcement resonated, the one hundred strategically ced, giant, two-meter wide war drums started reverberating in loud, heavily organized thumps. The men who yed it were masters of this art, as they had unique uniforms with light golden, sleeveless robes revealing their muscr arms. The way they beat the drums was like a choreographed dance. Every sound and step they took looked captivating.


    The drums were so loud that one could hear their echoes all over the Holy Land for many kilometers. Inside the arena, the people''s cheers mixed with it and started the most exciting month in the Holy Land, where Knights and wizards from across the world woulde to prove themselves as the top man in their profession.


    The winning Wizard, Knight, and Wizard-Knight are rewarded with one hundred thousand Gold Graces and recognition from the Holy Father. For the most part, the money was not as important.


    However, two young men were going to fight for the starter performances, although they were not officially participating.


    The Sacred Arms Guild invited them for a hefty sum for being most popr among all the young God''s Favored Candidates in Holy Land.


    Thump! Thump! Thump!


    The drums got faster as the two steel gates at the far ends of the arena opened slowly. The wind turned stronger suddenly and created little dust devils across the field. The suspense was killing the people, and finally, the two figures appeared.


    The crowd exhrated in deafening cheers, for they knew that these two young men were destined for greatness and one day may even be the next Pope.


    "Syl-Ves-Tah!" "Syl-Ves-Tah!"


    "Fi-e-Lix!" "Fi-e-Lix!"


    The two names echoed in the arena, creating the most beautiful setting for the long-awaited duel. The drum rolls seemed to sound along, acting as adrenaline fuel.


    The two men appeared to be tall in their robust armor. On one side was a ck-haired buffed young man about six feet tall with shining silver armor and a longsword in his sheath. On the other side was a six-foot graceful young man with golden-blonde hair and equally golden eyes that lured people to drown in them. He donned golden armor, although it looked dull and worn-out. However, the spear in his hand looked stunning.


    Both men appeared to have a smile, matching their style. They looked around at the crowd in the arena with hundreds of stair-case chairs. At the luxury box, the Pope and the Sanctum Council members pped.


    The two gave a slight bow to the people and each other and slowly took their attack forms. But, there was a lot of distance between them to be covered. Although there was no bell, the drums did their job well.


    The drum beats slowly diminished with extremely fast thumps as if rain. Then once itpletely subsided, the crowd also calmed down, hearts of all beating with excitement and rush, hungry to see who''d survive the initial push.


    Boom! Bam! Bam!


    Once again, abruptly, the drums sounded extremely loud with three distinct thumps. And that was the signal, as the two mighty knights gust towards each other with inhuman speed, leaving behind a flying trail of dust.


    The ck-haired Knight kept his sword beside his right shoulder, held with both hands. While the golden beacon of light held his spear with one hand¡ªprepared to throw.


    They came closer¡­ and closer¡­ the hearts of the crowd pumped aloud. The first sh was the most exciting part of the fight.


    Woosh!


    The golden-haired Knight adjusted his aim and threw the spear while running. The other one had to slow down to anticipate and defend against theet-like spear, burning in a red me¡ªlooking stunning.


    nk!


    The Sword Knight stopped the spear, ensuring himself behind the sword¡ªshielded. It contained the burning spear, but disappointing were the results yielded. His eleration gave enough time for his opponent to reach him, hold back the spear, and make a move.


    The sword and spear shed up close, creating sparks as red as a rose. A little stalemate appeared, letting the people scream in excitement. Certainly, bets were being ced amongst the crowd, and even the two fighting knights had made their wager, although it was not allowed.


    The spear Knight made his move and slid the spear, holding it by the far end, then spun it around, aiming to hit the sword Knight in the leg.


    "Not anymore!" The sword knight roared and used Knight''s technique to initiate a certain move.


    Boom!¡ªhe plunged the sword into the hard ground and sent out a shockwave around, disrupting the spear Knight''s momentum.


    The Spear Knight frowned, preparing for his next move, as apparent by the shining blue light at the tip of his weapon.


    The war drums kept beating ording to the movement in the arena. When there is a stalemate, the drums be lower and faster; when any abrupt move happens, it beats with short thumps, louder!


    Face to face, they started fighting using fists and kicks while deflecting each other''s moves. When the spear went, the sword deflected it; when the sword went, the spear blocked it. The two knights moved with precision, each step as if calctingly taken.


    The crowd''s cheers and cries alone had shaken the ground, while the knights had only begun. They jumped tens of feet high and shed their swords; they fell and still continued to ward as if perfectly synchronized musical chords.


    However, one thing stayed the same. The smiles never left their faces.


    "Your armor looks rather dull, Max."


    "Not everyone has a fat lord father, Felix."


    "You don''t have a father."


    "Tsk¡­ touche, that one hurt me, so what do you say we end this choreographed dance and start the real fight, my friend?"


    "This is what I''ve been waiting for, Max. Prepare your ass for me."


    "Ugh, Felix, you need to work on your catchphrases."


    Sylvester jumped back to make some distance, for this was the point it became a real duel. The fateful battle was to see who would be this tourney''s knightly jewel.


    He took a calm breath and looked at the spear in hand. ''I may not know your full extent, but you''re one strong boy.''


    "Meow!"


    "Ah! Chonky, go and be with mum."


    "I will help Max fight. I trained for years for this." The white cat, as big as it used to be, proimed.


    "Hah, thanks. But don''t sit on my body, and if I tell you, give me a smoke sk." He ordered, not wanting to hurt the little guy.


    ''Here hees.'' He braced to absorb Felix''s strike. The guy was taller and more muscr than him, sadly. But that didn''t mean he had too much extra strength.<sub> </sub>


    The beautiful sparks flew as their spear and sword shed with each other. Sylvester was none to take it easy and used the length of his weapon to advantage and twisted the spear to hit its tail on Felix''s ribs.


    Bam!


    Felix headbutted Sylvester as both were not wearing helmets since the rules suggested they couldn''t strike weapons above the shoulder, and easy to say Felix''s headbutts were like a striking boulder.


    "God, you''re a brute!" Sylvester backend.


    Felix grinned and rushed forward, his sword shining in blue light and leaving a bright after image to confuse the opponent. "That''s what I trained for since I could walk."


    Sylvester jumped back acrobatically and imbued Srium in his spear to invoke a particr rune. The problem with most spears was that nearly nobody used them as their primary weapon, as the variety of magical attacks one could make with it was less. A sword, meanwhile, was the best weapon for a knight.


    But Sylvester had the range advantage. So he used Knightly abilities to make the spear''s tip so hot that it''d cut even ordinary steel like butter. And since his Spear of Infinity was a legendary weapon, it could face higher temperatures.


    ''But I need time to let the tip heat up.'' He gritted his teeth and kept a defensive position.


    "If this was a wizard''s tournament, this fight would have long been over." He taunted.


    Felix agreed instead. "I know, that''s why I agreed to fight you only if there was a restriction for the knight''s abilities. But seriously, since you can stay standing this long, it seems both our ranks are the same."


    "Golden Knight?" Sylvester muttered. This was an incredibly high rank among the Knights, as men of these ranks are oftenmanders. But, being God''s Favored, they could only focus on their wizardly talents.


    He smirked at Felix. "Then that leaves this battle to what level you are in the Golden Knight rank."


    And sadly, or thankfully, there was no way to gauge what level the other one had.


    ''Just a little more.'' Sylvester focused on his spear''s tip. Felix was rushing towards him with his sword as well, having invoked a move to make magical projections of his sword, as hard as steel. There were three around Felix''s sword, all shining in bright red light.


    Sylvester decided he needed to make a dangerous move to give the spear more time. So he braced for impact by digging his feet into the soil.


    "Haaa¡­!" Felix reached an arm''s length and thrust his sword towards Sylvester, but there were three projections too, making it hard for Sylvester to dodge.


    But, like a master acrobat, he leaped like an arrow, somersaulted in the middle of the air, and passed from the gaps of the sword projections. It was the most beautiful move the arena had seen yet, and the cheers were evident of that.


    sh!


    However, his armor got hit, and the whole right shoulder te got thrown away. It didn''t scare him, but everything was going as expected.


    ''Thanks, Markus.'' Sylvester muttered as the acrobatic moves were his friend''s teachings. Sadly, Felix could not learn them as he was too buffed.


    Their breaksted a moment as they once again moved towards the center of the field. Sylvester, however, was now prepared. He waited for Felix to foolishly make another move, being confident that he was a better knight, and he certainly was right.


    But Sylvester was ying a different game of mind. The whole time he showed himself to be the one taking the blows, boosting Felix''s overconfidence. Now, the time hade to show hisst throw.


    Thum! Thump!


    As Sylvester started moving towards Felix, the anticipation of something big echoed. Felix felt something was wrong and prepared to shield against the spear again, using his sword.


    Sylvester roared as heunched the spear with the strongest force yet. "Haaa..!"


    The spear shone under the bright sunlight, turning somewhat invisible to the naked eye, but Felix knew not what this raining steel would imply.


    Boom!¡ªThe spearnded in the middle of Felix''s long sword. The dark-haired knight felt the force and drifted a few feet back.


    The spear, however, was too strong and fiery. It heated the steel and dug into the sword''s de as if showing God''s fury.


    As it protruded out to the other side, Felix nearly cursed. "Fu-!"


    But Sylvester gave him no time to weep for his sword as he appeared right in front and turned his back towards Felix while holding the tail of the spear over his right shoulder. "Get ready to fly, Felix."


    Like a seesaw, Sylvester used his shoulder as the middle base and the spear as the longboard. Then he pressed it down from his end. In response, the spearhead lifted the sword as it was still nted into the de.


    Felix tried his best not to let go as he was afraid, for the fight was over once a Knight lost his de. But Sylvester had the advantage of the momentum and executed his moves carefully, affecting his opponent''s mind like some vicious venom.


    "Haaaa!" Still, he had to exert himself to the fullest to lift Felix, as he didn''t have the tag of being the fat ass anymore.


    "Sh-it¡­" Felix cursed once his feet left the ground. That was it. It was over.


    Sylvester''s eyes reddened as he lifted Felix into the sky and threw him away, tens of meters away. But, the sword stayed nted into the spearhead.


    While Felix wasunched like an arrow.


    Bam!¡ªHe fell to the ground, defeated and injured, not in his body but mind. Today, he was humbled by someone who didn''t even take the profession of a Knight seriously. He took a long breath and quickly saw the whole fight y in his head. Knowing Sylvester, it didn''t take him long to realize he was outsmarted, not overpowered.


    "Hehe, I won''t pay for your sword." Sylvester appeared, extending his hand to his best friend.


    Felix sighed. "You and your dastardly mind games."


    Felix took it and stood up. He was not ashamed of losing because Sylvester was his opponent. If it was Gabriel or Markus, he would have dug his grave and buried himself.


    "It''s all a necessary experience for you, Felix. There are bound to be people outside¡ªenemies¡ªwho will be much smarter than me. As I y ten steps ahead, they''d be a hundred ahead. Now, let''s return. The graduation ceremony is to begin soon."


    Both of them gave a gentleman bow with one arm spread aside and the other on each other''s shoulder. The war drums had stopped while the people still cheered. Their fight may not be as beautiful as those of wizards, but they sure made it exciting¡ªawe-inspiring.


    Then the two walked out of the same gates, telling everyone they were good mates.


    "You must be excited for today, Max. You will finally know."


    Sylvester nodded as he took off the armor in the resting room. "Of course, I''m excited to finally know who my father is¡ªwas?"


    ___________________


    SHOW ME YOUR MOVES!


    **669 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 58 58. Never Again!

    "Nice fight, I knew you would win, so I bet on you." Markus entered their resting room and helped take off the armor.


    "I bet on Max too." Gabriel followed in soon.


    Theck of faith in him hurt Felix. "Why? We are both simrly ranked."


    "Yes, but the same can''t be said about the head. We all know Sylvester. He''s a sly fox, slowly nning, waiting to strike, and you fall for it." Gabriel made an observation.


    Felix sneered annoyedly. "Yeah yeah, our mighty Max, the schemer. And Gabriel, what the hell are you putting on your face? You already have a beard. I''ve been trying to grow one for a year now."


    Sylvester shared the same pain as Felix, however. "Indeed, it seems Gabriel has been blessed in blood. I particrly wanted a beard because people would respect me more as a bard."


    "What''s that got to do with a beard? They are gross and smelly." Markus said, another one blessed, but one who dares chop that blessing every week.


    Sylvester scoffed. "You need to maintain the beard, care for it like a baby. Only then it won''t smell. And what does that have to do? Just imagine the Pope without the beard."


    Everyone looked down as they imagined it, and soon, they nodded.


    "Yeah, not as intimidating and wise," Felix muttered.


    Gabriel, however, seemed tense all of a sudden. "Umm¡­ by the way, Max and Felix¡­ I needed some money for¡­"


    "How much?" Sylvester asked without a second thought. To him, loyalty was the most important, and from the expressions of Gabriel, there was undoubtedly a problem, not that the odor of anxiety let him ignore it.


    "Ugh¡­ I need to buy a house." Gabriel replied nervously. "My sister hase to see me. I just found her this morning."


    "Wait, wasn''t she living with the healer? What happened?" Felix inquired.


    With a sigh and tired face, Gabriel started. "I don''t know too much, she seemed too traumatized, and when I asked, she revealed she was about to be sold as the healer she was staying with was moving to a different ce and also because my sister was of marriage age."


    "Did she not know you are a man of faith? The healer?" Sylvester asked.


    "Well, since I dropped out of God''s Favored ss, they don''t consider me anything special. That''s why she tried this with Raven. Thankfully, she was able to run away ande here."


    Sylvester agreed to help unconditionally. "What is the name of the healer that did this?"


    "Umm, she is a Wizard, Crue Lampart."


    Sylvester took out a little notebook he made for himself and wrote down something on it using a strange stick. "Crue Lampart? got it. If any of us see her, we will kill her."


    "..."


    Sylvester shrugged at their surprised faces. "Folks, that''s the punishment for harming the family of a man of faith. She knowingly tried to sell Raven. Even if Gabriel is not one of God''s Favored, he will still be a high-ranking clergy. That, in my book, is worth burning on the stakes."


    Felix nodded. "I can''t help but agree. She''s not an asset anymore."


    "Anyway, how much do you need?" Sylvester inquired.


    Gabriel was confused. He did not know about the prices of houses outside, as they lived in the Holy Land their whole life. "I don''t know. I have a few thousand Gold Graces saved. But, unfortunately, that healer took most of the money I used to send Raven, so I''m not quite rich anymore."


    "Send her to Sandwall County. My brother came to see me graduate today. I will tell him to provide for her safety and boarding." Felix offered.


    But Sylvester was quick to object. "No, Sandwall is under constant attack by Desert Cannibals and Mountain Tribes, not to mention you sit at the border with the Masan Empire. What if one day they attacked? Gabriel, I have a better n. How old is your sister?"


    "Same as me, seventeen."


    "Great, my mum now runs one of the sick bays in the Guild Penins. It''s the third safest Penins in the Holy Land. So I will ask her to hire your sister as a helping hand. This way, your sister gets to live here safely, and you can meet her now and then." Sylvester''s offer was nothing less than a life-changing favor.


    p Initially, Sylvester was going to suggest that the girl join Bright Mothers, but he stopped, understanding that not all women want to stay celibate forever.</anda>


    "Y-You would do that?" Gabriel beamed with joy.


    "Why not? We''re all brothers. We made a pact, did you all forget? We will take care of each other''s families when we can. Heck, I say, Markus should bring his family here too." he suggested.


    But Markus refused. "No, my family is good. The past eight years have been great. Although I dropped out of ssst year, I still made enough money to buy them arge piece ofnd, build a big cottage, and live happily."


    ''Good to know.'' Sylvester thought.


    "That''s brilliant then, Markus. But let''s head back to school. Gabriel, bring your sister too. Families are allowed to see us graduate. And see us take the vow to let go of all our familial bonds, what a weird practice."


    He muttered and cleaned his face, then put on the church robes and ced his rank te on the chest.


    There were many strange practices in the Holy Land. One of them was this school graduation. The families were allowed toe and see their loved ones renounce them. It probably reminded both parties that nothing is the same anymore, but the Church hardly implemented these rules. Otherwise, powerful Royal families would not have been able to ce their pawns in the Church.


    ¡­


    Therge arena where spars used to take ce today seemed like a festive ground, with various small decorations of colorful ribbons and flowers. A total of 400 Deacons were going to graduate today. Among them were six God''s Favored Candidates. Their number has fallen from thirty.


    Over the years, they faced many challenges and life-threatening situations, whether they wanted it or not. Their minds were forced to break. Hearts were made strong, so they''d never shake. Perhaps, that''s why among all the graduating Deacons, only those sixcked a smile on their faces.


    But, there was still an hour before they got their official Mitre as Priests. However, unlike the ranks of Bishops and above, a Priest is only allowed to wear the mitre on the head for a religious ceremony.


    "Proceed to the booths! Get your Blood Inheritance Test done! Who knows if someone among you is rted to one of the old Popes." The announcement echoed from the little stage where the Headmaster and the faculty stood.


    ''Finally! I will know my roots.'' Sylvester was excited to get this thing done.


    "Sylvester! Come with me, quick. I need to have a word with you." Just then, out of nowhere, Xavia appeared and pulled Sylvester along. Her face tried its best to look smiling, but there was some worry. He could see it. And he felt an extreme sensation of fear from her, making him go serious.


    Xavia pulled him a good distance away into one of the empty ssrooms. She then looked around first and closed the door carefully. "You can not participate in that test! Please!"


    Sylvester saw the look of horror, the panic in her eyes as she said that. He knew there was something big for her to say. But he was not going to back down. "Why? I wish to know who my father is. And who knows, they might not even have his sample in their registry."


    "They will! They have it!" She cried. "They will surround you and kill you the moment they see the result."


    Her words rang in his ears as if ringing after an explosive. He stared at her face in confusion and a rising rage. "What do you mean? Who is my father? Why won''t you tell me? Is it some heathen? a Mountain Tribesman?"


    Xavia''s face paled, conflicted between telling him or not. "Please don''t do this. I tried my best to keep this a secret. The more people know, the more are the chances of us being¡­ killed."<sub> </sub>


    "Who is it?" Sylvester asked only once in a firm voice. He kept ring into her eyes after that, deciding not to give up today. If he was going to do something like not take this exam, he needed a good enough reason. These vague warnings won''t do anymore.


    "H-He''s¡­ please."


    But Sylvester did not respond anymore.


    Xavia fought her mind, the secret she had kept with her for so long. She looked left and right in paranoia at first. "H-He''s¡­ Rathagun Xeek Eldaron."


    "..."


    "Who?" Sylvester squinted his eyes and was taken aback by this strange name. His mind quickly tried to remember all the names he had heard or read in this life to see if it was someone important.


    Then it struck, and his eyes widened in shock.


    "The elf king?!"


    Millions of questions exploded in Sylvester''s mind. He wondered about all his abilities, were they rted to his blood? Why was his ordinary mother the wife of the elf king? Just because she was pretty? Was she even his wife?


    "Yes, Max. So please, you can''t take that blood test. They likely have his samples in the registry, which will match yours. They will never allow someone as strong as you and rted to their mortal enemy to stay alive. We must take this secret to our graves."


    Sylvester, however, was only thinking about how he would fool the blood inheritance examination. "But how will I¡­"


    Bam!


    Both their heads turned in the direction; it was the door of the ssroom. Something hit it just now. Sylvester quickly rushed and opened it to see, and he noticed someone running away towards the arena.


    "Fuck! Wonderful timing to reveal this, mum. Now stay there! And Chonky! Where the fuck are you?!" Sylvester roared at her and chased after the person.


    Xavia cried frantically. "I had nned it... I was to draw your blood to..."


    But Sylvester had already rushed away to neutralize the threat.


    "I didn''t hear anything, Sylvester!" the runner cried.


    "Why did you follow me? What are you nning, Romel?" Sylvester ran after thest person he could afford to let his secret be known. It was game over for him otherwise, he won''t only be emunicated but also killed. There was no way he could escape the Holy Land alive.


    Seeing Romel had a good enough lead, Sylvester had to use Magic. He aimed his hand and sent out a strong gust of wind, so hard that Romel could not turn left from the corridor corner and instead mmed his head right into the wall.


    That was enough time for him. He pulled Romel back by the hair and dragged him away from the corner.


    "H-Hel¡­"


    Sylvester quickly put him in a chokehold between his elbows and fell back, also locking Romel''s arms. "Calm down, Romel. Aren''t we friends? Now tell me, did anyone else know about your peeping activities?"


    But Romel was panicking. He was like a ve to Sylvester and had faced enough mental subjugation. Enough to be aware and scared of what Sylvester was capable of doing.


    "I... I... no, Syl- Nobody knows... I''m sorry, I just want to be free again. I didn''t mean to-"


    Sylvester clutched him tighter as he gritted his teeth. "You''re not going to tell that to anyone."


    Romel nodded. "I-I won''t! I heard nothing, Sylvester. Please trust m-me ugh¡­ plea¡­ I can''t breathe¡­"


    Sylvester kept pressing Romel''s neck harder as hey on the floor on his back, Romel in his arms. He gritted his teeth as it was hard to kill an Adept Wizard with just brutal physical force. But there was no hesitation in Sylvester''s actions.


    "I can''t let you live. I''m sorry, Romel, you were a good servant while you lived."


    Romel''s eyes teared up in an instant as he slowly felt his face turning red and eyes drying up, breathing bing harder. He kicked his feet and tried to free himself but couldn''t. "P-p-lease¡­"


    The smell of hate, anger, death, fear, and sadness hit Sylvester hard. He pitied the boy to some degree, as he was not born to be loved but to be used as a tool by his father. But, he was in the wrong ce at the wrong time.


    Sylvester had already thought of the scenario of leaving him alive and ensuring he stayed loyal. But, if not today, then tomorrow, Romel will be a mighty king, and then¡­ What if he uses this secret to ckmail him instead?


    What was happening now was of Romel''s own doing. Nobody asked him to follow Sylvester; nobody told him to eavesdrop. You reap what you sow, and this was Romel''s fruit to swallow.


    ''There can never be loose ends, especially not in this case.''


    Sylvester did not say anything anymore and looked away. He felt he was hallucinating as he noticed the translucent form of a woman that was immortal in his memory. As beautiful as ever¡­ looking at him with a loving gaze, saying something but her words were silent.


    He stared at that form for a few seconds, then shook his head vigorously. "Whatever it takes! Whatever the hindrance! I will not die¡ªNot again!"


    "Ummm¡­ No¡­"


    SNAP!


    Sylvester let loose as Romel''s body felt lifeless, his arms and head falling back.


    Sylvester was breathing hard, for this was not the end of this miserable day. He still had to get rid of the body and ensure nobody found out because there would soon be an uproar throughout, as Romel was not just a surviving God''s Favored Candidate but also the Crown Prince of Riveria.


    "Chonky! Come here, quick!" He finally saw the cat rushing to him. So he ordered, wishing to take care of the scene before anyone arrives. He was not in a very good situation, and he knew it.


    However, fate had something else in mind.


    "Max?" A familiar voice came from the side.


    Sylvester''s heart jumped in panic. He looked up at the known voice in exhaustion¡ªhis eyes full of caution.


    "Gabriel?!¡­ why are y¡­"


    ___________________


    PLOT THICKENS! SO GIVE THIS THICC GORILLA YOUR STONES!


    **669 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 59 59. The Chase

    There was a moment of silence. The air felt particrly heavier all of a sudden. In an instant, it increased Sylvester''s mental burden.


    Gabriel backed his steps slowly as he found no mercy or guilt in Sylvester''s eyes. Those eyes didn''t belong to a sane man, so all his mind told him was to leave¡ªso he ran.


    "Fuck!" Sylvester threw Romel''s body aside and ordered Miraj. "Chonky, eat!"


    Miraj hated eating flesh because it was one of the things that never came back out, but he didn''t argue and quickly used his ability and vanished the dead body in his bottomless belly. Then he jumped on Sylvester''s shoulder, who was already running behind Gabriel.


    "I was working to sneak and change your blood sample in the arena, Maxy." Miraj rified quickly.


    Sylvester gritted his teeth. If that was the case, then he couldn''t argue. "There won''t be a test if Gabriel reaches the venue first."


    "Ha!" He used the same technique as before and sent out an air st as it was the least visually destructive and left no trace.


    However, Gabriel turned to a side corridor just then and saved himself. Sylvester cursed and chased, soon reaching the door of the arena. Gabriel merely took a nce at him, seeing Sylvester''s shaking head.


    "Argh!" Sylvester also entered the arena and slowly walked through the crowd, making it look as natural as possible. However, the apprehension was building in his head because if Gabriel shouted, it would be game over.


    ''I need to catch him first.''


    "Chonky, go and trip Gabriel," he ordered, since Miraj''s small body let him cross the crowd fast.


    ''Don''t do it, Gab, don''t!'' his eyes focused on the fleeing red-head.


    "Ah!"


    Sylvester rushed as soon as Gabriel''s panicked shriek came as he fell. Sylvester was quick to reach him and extend his hand. "Are you okay, Gab?"


    Gabriel looked him in the eyes and reached out to hold the hand, albeit shivering. He had no idea what Sylvester would do, but he knew that his calm friend was extremely dangerous.


    "S-Sylvester, I d¡­"


    <o>,m "Gabriel Maxwell,e to the testing booth!"</o>


    Acting normal, Sylvester patted Gabriel''s shoulder. "Go, they are calling you. Let''s grab a biteter. I''m hungry."


    No more words were exchanged, and Gabriel stiffly walked away. It wasn''t that Sylvester was letting him go, but because he had his own headache of passing that examination. He walked to the side to an area where he could talk with Miraj.


    "Chonky, did you make the preparation? You said you were nning it." He inquired.


    "I did. I saw what they are doing. First, they cut your finger and take the blood to put it in the tiny bottle. Then they take it to the dark room and put it in a box full of crystals. Then the box rings once, and they destroy the blood. I have the bottle but need some blood."


    Chonky took out the said little bottle, which was a potioneering ss tube. Sylvester took it and headed back to find Xavia as she was the only one who could help at this point.


    He found her returning from the previous location, where she stupidly revealed her secret. He was in a rush, so he pulled her into an empty ssroom, closed the doors, and checked all the tables and cupboards first. "Put your blood in this."


    "Max, I didn''t mean to¡­ I had nned ever-"


    "Quiet! I will talk to you about thister! You have ruined me, woman¡­ you have no idea about the gravity of your idiocy! Now give me blood so we may see another day." He barked, clearly not tolerating her presence anymore.


    He always tried to think of her happiness, but this was what he got in return¡ªfoolishness. He was just¡­ disappointed at this point and needed some time to cool off, which won''t happen unless he''s done with Gabriel.


    Xavia, however, instead of taking his ss tube, took out one from her own robes. "Here, I had nned this beforehand¡­ I had nned it all¡­"


    Sylvester''s hand paused for a moment seeing her cry, but the frown again appeared as he took it. "Don''t show your crying face outside."


    He left her alone, returned to the arena, and waited for his name to be called. Meanwhile, he kept his eyes on Gabriel. This friend of his was getting his blood tested at the moment, making Sylvester anxious.


    "Romel Riveria¡­!"


    The announcement came. Sylvester''s eyes darted towards the booth from where the call came. Gabriel was also looking in that direction.


    "Hey, where is that friend of ours?"


    Felix appeared and patted Sylvester''s back. But instantly, he recoiled his hand, "Ugh, why is your back so sweaty?"


    Sylvester kept a calm and collected face. He acted as if looking around genuinely. "Don''t know, must be somewhere licking someone''s feet."


    "Uhh, I never liked that guy. Too much into bing the best heir to his father." Markus sneered at the idea of Romel.


    ''There''s this concern as well. How will King Riveria react?''


    "Sylvester Maximilian...!"


    His name was called. So he bid his friends a short goodbye and went to the testing booth at the front. However, when he arrived there, he understood why Xavia was so dumb to tell him the crucial details at such ast moment.


    But that only angered him more because he saw how wed her nning was. ''So healers for drawing blood are from the Bright Mothers?''


    "Oh, Max. Come, sit here." The Bright Mother called him cheerfully.


    Sylvester smiled and took a seat. "How are you, Mother Zartha."


    "Dear, I''m going to need that shoulder massage again. Too much work at sick bay these days, those Guild adventurers are bing very reckless. By the way, your mum was so excited to see you graduate today. Unfortunately, she was called back. Show me your right palm."


    Sylvester did as asked and kept her busy in talks. He was thankful to himself at that moment for making friends with all Bright Mothers in their housingplex over the years. He talked with them, sang hymns, and did repairing work for them. He was their little teddy bear they spoiled over the years.


    "Are we meeting at this month''s end, Mother Zartha? I really want to have that open grill evening dinner with all the mothers." He proposed while the woman ced the collected blood in the ss tube and then in a small open holder beside her seat.


    He kept her busy while Miraj carefully picked up his blood tube and ced the recement. It was a slow process because Miraj didn''t have fingers, and he had to lick his paws to make them sticky.<sub> </sub>


    "Of course, who knows where you will be sent after graduation. You call us mothers, and I''m sure everyone will be delighted to celebrate with you." She took a little more time to make small talk with him.


    Miraj soon jumped back to his shoulder.


    "Thank you, Mother Zartha." He got up to leave as the job was done. One hurdle was cleared.


    He then slowly walked to his friends; Gabriel was there too.


    ''Did he tell them?''


    Felix, having already done with the test, boomed happily. "Max, they are looking for Romel. God knows which hole he has climbed in to die this time."


    "Won''t he be disqualified if he doesn''t take this test?" Markus wondered.


    Sylvester shrugged. "He must be around, like hell the Prince of Riveria will be disqualified."


    He nced at Gabriel while saying that. The man showed a simple smiling face, but he could taste the fear in him.


    "Should we not look for him?" Gabriel asked.


    Felix scoffed and shrugged off the disappearance. "Too much work. I''m tired from the fight with Max this morning. People are probably looking for him already."


    Sylvester knew he could not do anything yet. So he waited for the graduation ceremony to be over.


    And it seemed missing Romel did not stop the ceremony, and the following announcement was made as the blood testing booths were moved away. "All Deacons, your names shall be called alphabet-wise. First, you shalle here and take the Mitre from the Headmaster. Then you will return to your position and wear it. Once everyone has it, we shall have the ending oath ceremony."


    Everyone stood back in their designated positions ording to their name. Sylvester knew that Gabriel''s turn woulde first. So he whispered to the little buddy. "Chonky, go stand beside Gabriel. Follow him wherever he goes. If he hides somewhere, youe and inform me quickly."


    Slowly, the roll call was made. Since his name started with ''S'', he was to go prettyte. But when one name was called again, he couldn''t help but feel his heart race a little.


    "Romel Riveria?"


    However, they did not wait and went to the next name. Sylvester noticed some people running behind the stage and whispering something in the Headmaster''s ears. Then the ceremony proceeded as usual.


    "Sylvester Maximilian!"


    He quickly walked to the front and got the white Mitre with golden decorations on it from the Headmaster.


    "I''m proud of you, Deacon Sylvester." said the man.


    Sylvester kept a warm smile on his face and returned to his ce. Then in no time, they were all made to say the oath.


    They all crossed their arms on their chests and repeated after the Headmaster''s old voice. "I am a son of Solis; in the embrace of light is my sce. His words I shall preach, even where his light can not reach. Forever I shall be his servant, towards injustice be observant, and when preaching cures no evil, I shall be lord''s death merchant.


    "May his light enlighten our paths¡ªuntil our breathsts¡ªAmen!"


    "Amen!"


    There was silence in the arena as everyone felt a strange feeling in their chest. This was it, thest day of them being little students. From now on, true service to the faith would start. They all had new journeys to depart.


    The Headmaster cheerfully roared. "I pronounce you all, from now¡ªPriests of Solis!"


    Of course, nobody threw their hats in the air. It was too sacred. But they hugged the nearest deacon beside them. Sylvester did the same with the random people. But his eyes constantly looked at Gabriel.


    "Congrattions, Priest Sylvester¡­"


    "Congrattion¡­"


    He thanked and wished everyone back that came his way. Then, he smartly circumvented his friends and followed Gabriel as the young man drifted away through the crowd, heading towards the dorms.


    Gabriel being near the beginning of the left side, got out of the crowd faster and made a run for it. Miraj was just a step behind. Sylvester also made his way while avoiding all the known faces.


    Sylvester had no idea what he would do once he caught up. But he knew he would not die again, for this was one promise to certain someone he wished to keep.


    The dorms on the top floor for the final year Deacons were empty as all were in the arena. So he found no problem in reaching the floor.


    "Maxy! Here!"


    Miraj''s voice called him to the private room of Gabriel. Being in the final year had perks because the number of deacons thinned out a lot, and they all had individual rooms.


    Sylvester walked forward with light feet and took a long breath as he clutched the doorknob in hand. ''I''m sorry, Gab. But never again¡ªno matter what.''


    He prepared needles made of hardened light magic, as thin as grass, and proceeded to twist the knob slowly.


    "Brother?!"


    But just then, he heard a different, panicked voice from inside.


    "Brother! What happened? What''s with the scared face?"


    ___________________


    WHERE IS SUPREME JADE HEAVENLY BEAUTY STONE?


    **669 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 60 60. Confrontation

    "Raven, quick! Pack your bags. We are leaving!" Gabriel rushed into his room, locked the door, and ordered his sister. His heart was beating faster than ever in his life, but at least he liked to believe that he''d be safe inside the school.


    He was not as worried about Romel''s death as he was about what his best friend would do to keep him quiet. He was not dumb enough to run around shouting what he saw, but he wondered if Sylvester would even give him a chance to speak.


    "W-What? But you said I can live in the Holy Land." Raven was confused by the sudden change in demeanor. Just a few hours ago, Gabriel had assured her that she was safe now, and now he was trying to run from something.


    Gabriel didn''t exin anything and started packing on his own. For him, Raven''s safety was of utmost importance. "No time to exin. We need to leave quickly or¡­"


    Raven got up, caught her brother by his shoulder, and looked him in the eye. The fear was evident in them. "What happened? Why are you acting like this?"


    "What would you do if you saw your best friend killing someone?"


    Raven was taken aback by the sudden question. "W-What?"


    Gabriel pulled her back and made her sit while he dragged a chair for himself. "What would you do if you saw your best friend killing someone?"


    Raven didn''t think much before answering. "A murder is a murder, but isn''t itmon for you guys? I know the Church kills people after judging them as heretics. So you must have killed someone too, right?"


    ''Wait¡­'' Gabriel did remember such things. And in an instant, his mind switched from being scared to being thoughtful. "I did...In myst quest, the town waspromised by Desert Cannibals, and to survive, I killed many¡­ I would have died too if not for¡­"


    "But that doesn''t change the fact that you''re a murderer as well." Raven pointed, "Isn''t it hypocritical of you to use someone of it and act pure simultaneously?"


    Gabriel''s head lowered. However, he was quick to justify himself.


    "Those I killed were heathens, unfaithfuls that sinned against Solis. While the one here was a believer."


    "This is not about right or wrong." His sister stared at him, "Brother, we have suffered enough to know how people are around us. I firmly believe that when ites to personal gain and morals, things are never ck and white, they are every shade of grey.


    Gabriel sighed and thought about what his twin sister said. The world was indeed grey. "Well, I never doubted him ever. He''s like a brother to me¡­ and to betray him-"


    "Is to betray his trust. At least talk to him and ask him about things. What is he like? Is he like that arse, Billy, from the vige? Or¡­"


    Gabriel interrupted with a slight smile. "He''s like our father. Caring, strong, smart, but unforgiving. He taught me how to walk in this cruel world. He taught me how not to die¡­ he held my hand and guided me when I needed him the most."


    Gabriel''s eyes heated up as he remembered a great many fond memories with Sylvester and his father. Both men profoundly impacted his life and taught him how to survive.


    "Never judge a book by its cover. That''s what you said about that healer Crue. Although it turned out to be wrong, aren''t you doing the same here? Judging the book by its cover? And do you know why that friend of yours killed someone? You should confront him, question him, and find the reason. Only then make your judgment."


    Gabriel stayed silent and kept looking at his feet, at nothingness. His mind was a mess, thinking of all kinds of scenarios. ''What if he kills me? Will he even allow me to speak?''


    "What if we''re wrong? What if¡­ he kills me?" Gabriel asked her.


    At that, Raven was conflicted too. She could not put herself in her brother''s shoes no matter how much she tried. She did not know who he was talking about either. "Only you can be the judge of that. What if I go with you?"


    Gabriel shook his head quickly. "No! Never¡­ It''s too dangerous. He''s very dangerous, and we won''tst a minute in front of him."


    Raven moved slightly and held his hand in hers. "I''m dead without you anyway. We might as well die together. And if he''s as dangerous as you say, then are you sure we can ever run away?"


    ''I guess there is no other way then. What will you do, Sylvester? Was our brotherhood just a lie? Were all those pacts false?''


    He fell silent and closed his eyes to think. He was a clergy member and couldn''t run away just like that. He''d have to tell the administration his reason for leaving, and that was something he''d never do.


    He took a long deep breath and cleaned his eyes. Then he faced his sister, who appeared wise beyond her age. "He is my closest friend, the one I consider my brother. So I guess¡­ I would rather walk with a friend in the dark than alone in the light."


    But he quickly moved back and looked at her in doubt. "Since when did you be so wise and philosophical?"


    "Crue¡ªshe used to lock me in the dark cer whenever I made a mistake in the kitchen. I''d be there for days because that bi- that witch would forget. In there, I had only myself to talk to. I had all the time to philosophize about life, death, fate, and such."


    Gabriel suddenly moved, pulled her into a hug, and caressed her deep ck hair. "I''m sorry, Raven¡­ I was an extremely ipetent brother¡­ I caused you so much pain."


    She dug her head into his shoulder, and silent tears fell out. The dam she had made to keep herself strong finally broke. "I-I was¡­ scared, Gab. I hated being there¡­ but you are not a bad brother. No bad brother sells himself to feed his sister. You lived a much cruller life than me, and because of you, I am alive¡ªSo never say that."


    Gabriel wet his eyes yet again as he remembered his life''s hardships. There were days when he felt like quitting and jumping into the river, only to stop at the thought of his sister.


    He thought about Sylvester and wondered what he must have been through, too. After all, everyone had a story.


    ''I''m sorry I doubted you, brother¡­ I forgot we''re all books, hiding our pain, sorrow, and fears.''


    He forced a smile on his face and cleared tears from Raven''s eyes. "Look how beautiful you''ve grown. You''re as tall as me. Any man would go crazy over your sparkling blue eyes. I should find a good strong man and get you married fast. You''d make a great homemaker."


    Raven smacked Gabriel''s shoulder haughtily. "I will marry when you marry."


    "..."


    "But I am a clergyman. So I can never get married."


    "That''s the point!"


    "No! You can''t¡­ There is nothing worthwhile about being a Bright Mother. How about you live in Guild Penins for a while first? Who knows, maybe you will fall in love with an adventurer? Just don''t close your doors. You''re merely seventeen." Gabriel nearly pleaded with her, as he always dreamt of giving his sister a beautiful princess wedding after growing up.


    "Hmm, I''ll think about it."


    "Great! I will now head back to the Arena. The farewell banquet must have started. I will bring you foodter¡­ and don''t go out. Also, I was not talking about any friends. It was just a hypothetical situation."<sub> </sub>


    "I got you, brother." She showed a big smile and a thumbs up.


    She waved her hand, all smiles. But once Gabriel left, the smile on her face receded as her body lost strength, and she plopped on the bed. A stream of tears flowed down her cheeks, and she felt at home with him¡ªsafe.


    ¡­


    In the Arena, all the Deacons-turned-Priests had their mitre on their heads. Everyone''s face was beaming with a huge smile, while the God''s Favored sat at one table reserved for them only.


    Sylvester made talks with the remaining five God''s Favored, which, other than him and Felix, included Louis Hermington, Griffin zekin, and Augustus Steel. What wasmon among them was that all of them were highly talented. Other than Felix and him, they all had the talent of being a Grand Wizard, basically the same level as Inquisitor High Lord.


    So it was clear that these men would be the Church''s backbone in the future. And Sylvester knew the value ofworking. Of course, it didn''t hurt that he had earned their respect over the years either by helping in training, quests or financially.


    Where did Sylvester get his money from? Well, it was the oldest profession in the world. No, it was not prostitution.


    It was from money lending, ranging from merchants and adventurers, to clergy members. Naturally, he got interest from all the loans and, over the years, umted a good amount of wealth. The best part was that this was just his clean money. The ck one was still in Miraj''s belly.


    "Priest Sylvester, what job field have you requested?" Asked Louis Hermington, a blonde, in-looking, five-foot-five-tall guy with the talent of a Grand Wizard and Diamond Knight.


    Sylvester replied as he gulped his food, a simple steak. "I have asked to be a traveling preacher. Let''s see what they''d give me."


    "What? I thought you''d be an Inquisitor. You fit right in there," said Griffin zekin, a ck-haired boy with strange purple eyes. He was a noble too.


    "But then my bard talent would have been wasted. Being a Traveling Preacher, I can spread the Lord''s word and learn new things. We''re still young, after all, we need more real-world experiences. What about you two?"


    "I''m joining the Holy Army."


    "Me too!" Louis and Griffin chirped.


    But then Griffin said something that made Sylvester''s heart jump, but in joy. "Romel wanted to join the Holy Army as well, but he ran away."


    "Ran away?" Felix eximed in a ridiculing voice.


    "Yes, we heard Archpriest Edmund talking. Apparently, all the gold Romel had in possession is gone too. So he has likely run away. I guess the pressure from his father was too much for him." Louis added. But he didn''t stop there and even showed tion. "It''s good he''s gone. He was not worthy in the first ce. You all may only remember Bishop Norman as the worst person, but for Griffin and me, it was Romel.


    "Being friends with him was the worst thing of our lives. He''d order us around, make us run errands, make us buy things for him, make us do his assignments, and he used us as live target practice. We''d often spend nights at the infirmary because of that."


    ''No wonder these two jumped the wagon and became nice to me as soon as Bishop Norman died.'' Sylvester noted. But he thanked Miraj silently for eating away all the gold Romel had over the years.


    "What about you, Augustus?" Sylvester turned to the silent priest.


    "I chose the Holy Land Administration. I''m not¡­ good at talking with people." the man said with a depressed look.


    Felix chuckled. "We all know that, buddy. But we''ll all be in contact, as we''re the future of the faith. I, by the way, have decided to join the Holy Army as well. But, that is until my family needs me to fight another invasion."


    Sylvester sighed because Felix had talents in other fields too. But if the man wanted this, who was he to stop him? He wanted to be a Traveling Preacher for selfish reasons too. But, he''d be foolish if he thought the choice they had put in the request was something they''d get.


    They were still God''s Favored Candidate. And the true winner was yet toe out. From now, there is no ss to drop out of, so these five would be the final choice until one of them rises overwhelmingly.


    "I will head back now, I need to celebrate with my mum as well." Sylvester got up as he had another important appointment.


    "See you tomorrow at Magna Sanctum temple." Felix waved goodbye, as did the others.


    Then as Sylvester walked away, he passed by Gabriel''s chair at another table and slipped a note down.


    ¡­


    Later that night, when the twin moon shone its bright yet depressing light, Gabriel immediately climbed the Bright Mother''splex building and went to the terrace. The note he had gotten asked him toe there to talk.


    ''I hope he doesn''t kill me instantly.'' Gabriel thought as he opened the final door that gave him ess to the open roof.


    He looked around and saw Sylvester sitting at the edge, hanging his feet down. The bright moonlight made him appear strange¡ªlonely¡ªhe felt.


    Without saying much, he walked to him and sat down beside him. He didn''t look at Sylvester''s face and simply asked. "Why?"


    But to his surprise, Sylvester raised his finger towards a distant road. Following the direction, he noticed it was a man, but because his face was not visible, he could not recognize him.


    Just then, Sylvester asked a strange question.


    "Gab, for your sister, would you kill that man?"


    ___________________


    [Sorry for beingte.]


    YOU WANT SOME... GORILLA HUGS?


    Bonus chaptering up with the next!


    **1111 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 61 [BONUS CHAPTER] 61. Brothers

    "Who is he?"


    Sylvester shrugged and added in his calm voice. "I don''t know. But does it matter? That man knows something that, if revealed, will kill your sister. Would you let him go?"


    "I''d kill him," Gabriel responded in a heartbeat.


    Sylvester didn''t say anything instantly as he let the words settle in Gabriel''s mind. What he did was for his family, and it didn''t matter who he killed.


    "May I ask what happened? What''s the reason?" Gabriel carefully inquired.


    Sylvester looked around this time at thendscape. "Isn''t it so peaceful inside this Holy Land, Gab? The air feels fresh. The people are so kind. We are like nobilities here. But the moment we step out of here, we''re merely prey for those brave enough to hunt us.


    "There is a lot of darkness out there, brother. The Church and its faith keep the peace, but a select few wish to destroy it."


    "The heathens?" Gabriel eximed.


    "Often, the enemy is much closer than it seems. Sometimes, heathens hide under the garb of a faithful. There are kingdoms whose nobles wish to free themselves from the Church, so they can go back to plundering those weaker regions around us. Kill, pige, and **** to their heart''s content."


    "What''s that got to do with Ro-"


    Sylvester interrupted quickly. "That guy¡­ had talent equal to the Guardians of Light. He was one day going to be the king of a powerful kingdom, a kingdom that wished to push away the Church."


    "Words are that he ran away. How did they reach that conclusion?"


    Sylvester had an answer prepared for that as well with the best facial expressions he could summon. He didn''t care as long as Gabriel didn''t know about his inheritance because, as far as he remembers, Gabriel was very religious. He''d ept killing Romel in a heartbeat, but not him being a heathen.


    "I have yed on thep of the Holy Father since I was a month old. I can meet him whenever I want. That''s all I can tell, or else I would have to deal with you too. Even telling you this much is putting you in danger. Just know this, Gab, I am one of thest God''s Favored, and most higher Clergy already believes I am the true God''s Favored. My shoulders are digging me into the ground, brother.


    "I basically don''t have a life as the Church directs it. They wish to turn me into a powerhouse so one day I can fight for them¡ªwin over Beastaria for them. And I would absolutely give my life away for this cause as long as my family is safe.


    "If someone threatened my mum, you, Felix, or Markus'' life, I''d kill in a heartbeat. No matter who it is." He pointed at multiple people on the distant roads. "Any of them¡ªin a heartbeat."


    Gabriel deeply sighed and looked down at his feet in disappointment with himself. He felt ashamed for doubting Sylvester. "I can understand. Your life is going to be hell. To be born with your gifts and talents is more a curse than a blessing. I learned this a long time ago. You can not choose a calm, peaceful life. They will never allow you¡ªIt''s sad.


    "I can understand you; why you''d go to any length for your family because that''s all you have left. In that case, I''m in the same shoes."


    Sylvester smiled and patted Gabriel''s back. "No wonder fate brought us all together. We''ve all got a sob story¡­ well, except Felix, his story is a bit too¡­"


    "Childish?" Gabriel finished.


    Sylvester chuckled. "Yes, you can say that. But I bet he has his reasons too. We can never put ourselves in another''s shoes no matter how hard we try. Our experiences are one of the few things we can truly own."


    "Sylvester!" Gabriel stood up all of a sudden, away from the edge. He appeared serious andmitted. "I have decided I will not be an administrator in the Holy Land. I may not be the strongest, but I have light magic. I can not win you fights, but I can watch your back whenever needed. I will never let you carry the burden alone¡ªnever."


    Sylvester waved his hand. "Stop, Gab. You don''t want to do this. Lord knows where I will be traveling soon. Who knows, I might face a Bloodling again. I can''t have you die because of me. I won''t be able to look your sister in the eyes."


    But Gabriel stood his ground. "You have saved my life enough times in the past. Let me repay you now. For Raven, all I ask is that if I ever die, just give my money to her¡ªas promised in the pact. So, let me make a vow¡ªa Light-Back Vow."


    Sylvester stood up, too, seeing the seriousness. He was not expecting Gabriel to be this serious, and what shocked him more were the smell and taste senses. He felt no lies, fear, or jealousy. Instead, he sensed a pleasant heating sensation on the tongue with the smell of tulips, signifying worship.


    He used to get this reaction from those faithfuls who believed he was the true God''s Favored or those who just heard his hymns.


    "Gab, what if someone forces you to break the vow then? So don''t do it." He advised and suddenly felt the sense of worship increase.


    Gabriel shook his head. "Then I will kill myself before I open my mouth. Let me do this, Max. This is the only way you and I can remain friends as good as brothers¡ªtrust each other."


    Sylvester noted the firmness in Gabriel''s eyes. He knew there was no stopping him now, so he agreed. "Make your own vows then. I will not dictate them."


    Gabriel nodded and quickly pricked his right palm with a pocket knife until blood came out. Then he took the blood droplets and rubbed them all over his hand.


    "Max."


    Sylvester did the same and sped hands with him. Then as soon as Gabriel started saying some incantations, the thinyer of blood on their hands began to shine in white light. It remained as it was as he started saying his vows.


    "By the grace of Solis, I, Gabriel Maxwell, vow to Sylvester Maximilian that I shall never reveal anything rted to what happened today regarding Sylvester to anyone in any form or shape. I vow to keep everything I shall learn about Sylvester over time to myself, in all shape and form. Bless us, O''Lord, may your light enlighten our paths bright¡ªAmen!"<sub> </sub>


    The sharp shining white light on their sped hands vanished suddenly, but not before it condensed into the shape of thousands of strings that spread evenly on both their arms, as if locking themselves.


    "Done." Gabriel took a deep breath. "With this, no matter how far we are, if I break these vows, you will know it instantly. I shall ept any punishment from you if that happens."


    Sylvester was silently amazed because this was more than he was hoping for. He only wished to talk and see how loyal Gabriel was. With this, not only did his senses tell him that Gabriel believed in him, but the vow acted as a guarantee. Not to mention, he had other ns to counter things too.


    He hugged the guy with somewhat genuine feelings of brotherhood. "And I hope I don''t disappoint you and do be great one day. Now I only need to know which department they will throw me into."


    "You''re already great, Max. As for the department, I will follow no matter which one it is."


    Sylvester sighed and made a fake yawn, making Gabriel yawn too. "Well, today was a really long day. So let''s not talk about any of this to others."


    "Agreed, this will be our secret. Let''s not talk about this at all."


    "Then let''s meet at Magna Sanctum Temple tomorrow." Sylvester decided to say goodbye as he wished to give Gabriel some time to digest things. And he had to go see Xavia. As that confrontation still remained.


    Gabriel agreed and walked out with Sylvester. "I will see you tomorrow, Max. Take care. May the light enlighten you."


    "You too, Gab."


    ¡­


    Miraj was confused seeing the woman in front of him crying. He could not touch her, nor could he meow. He just looked at her with a frown because it reminded him of something from a long time ago. When his old caretaker once started to cry about some lumps and internal blood.


    He did not know why, but it made him sad too. So he went to Sylvester''s bed and tucked himself half under the pillow to feel the warmth.


    At the same time, Xavia kept cursing herself as her breakdown continued. She had no idea what would happen next as she did not know about Romel''s death yet.


    Thud!


    She heard the door being closed and rushed to see. It was Sylvester, and as she looked at his face, her heart fell. She knew she had made a colossal mistake today, one that may get them killed.


    "Max, I didn''t mean for this to happen."


    However, Sylvester coldly asked back. "Why didn''t you tell me this before? How can you be so careless?"


    Xavia''s eyes bawled out as she fell to her knees and held Sylvester''s hand. "I-I had everything nned. I was going to be drawing your blood and changing it with mine. Everything was perfect¡­ but then I was called back to Sickbay and had no way but to tell you immediately. I was not careful¡­ I was foolish¡­"


    Sylvester already knew this much. Although he had things under control right now, he could not go easy on Xavia. What she did was the peak of stupidity, so he needed to teach her some lessons, no matter how hard the smell of sadness hit him.


    "You have ruined me, mother. Because of you, today, I lost one of the greatest pawns that could have one day got me to the seat of the Pope. Because of you, I¡­ How can you be so blind?


    "Why did you never tell me this before? I am in the bloody Holy Land, I yed on thep of the Pope, and I got injured so many times in the past years. What if someone had done that blood test before? I would have died without even knowing why. How can you be so naive not to have backup ns and more backups for them?" He scolded her with questions that were too obvious now.


    She sniffled and nodded. "I was being naive¡­ I am a fool. But I did not hide it for a selfish reason, Max. I didn''t want you to live in the same constant fear I have. They chased me from across the sea. I was pregnant and tried to find asylum. Met the worst of men and women. Some tried to enve me, some wanted to r*pe me, and some were hellbent on killing me¡­ in the end, I settled in Deserte Vige because it was too far away, and the¡­ chief was kind to me at the start.


    "Max, to live in constant fear of being found out, being killed, is something that can ruin your mind. I knew I was weak, I could not have taken the risk of telling you earlier in fear you might share it with someone¡ªI was being naive¡ªnot seeing you were much more intelligent than me.


    "I never wished for any of this, you bing the God''s Favored, the church finding us¡ªI never wanted this. I just wanted a calm, secluded life with my son¡­ just that."


    She looked down at her knees and hung her head over Sylvester''s hand. Tears dropped on their own. "I will understand if you wish to leave me and live alone. I-I won''t stop you. You deserve a happy life."


    Sylvester wanted to curse loudly. Romel could have been an excellent pawn for him, but what was lost was lost. He could only try to salvage what was left and hope King Riveria does not do something foolish in anger.


    He, too, sat down to her level and wiped tears from her eyes while he looked at her emotionlessly. "Tell me about my father. Why, where, and how¡ªall of it."


    ___________________


    CAN I SQUISH YOU?


    **1111 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 62 62. Destiny

    Xavia quickly wiped the tears off of her face and nodded firmly. "I will. I will not hide anything from you now, Max. My father¡­your grandpa, was a merchant who used to do business with Beastaria. We lived in Libertia, the Ind of the Free. But during those days, the idea of Libertia was still very new.


    "So human merchants would find a lot of trouble when doing business. Yet my father was headstrong. But then, one time, he took me with him to get the produce from a Beastkin n inside Beastaria. We had all the security passes and identity proof that we were from Libertia, not Sol. But, we were still attacked by a House of Vampires.


    "They killed my father and took me as a ve, to use me as their blood bag. But during that time, their house was at war with the Elves. And to my luck, the Vampires were attacked and destroyed before they could bite me. I was saved by the elves, however, as they found my identity proof.


    "So they took me with them and brought me to their capital, High Regnum, where seven species of Elves live together under one King¡ªyour father."


    Sylvester ate all that information and tried to process it. "So they treated you kindly?"


    "No, they made me a ve. Your father at that time was just a Prince, and I did not even know him. But once, I saved him from an attack by the other faction of elves, using my healing magic. During that time, something happened between us, and we fell in love¡ªand we got married under a blessed tree.


    "However, elves are incredibly proud beings and would never allow someone to taint their bloodline. That is why finding half-elves is extremely rare. But your father treated me right, and soon you arrived in my belly as a blessing.


    "But during that time, your father ascended to the throne and had to take an elf wife for political reasons, while I had to run to save us because the elf queen found out about me. They chased me, wishing to kill us. But your father helped me cross the Blood Sea by making a thin frozen bridge over it¡ªhe did love me and¡­ you."


    Sylvester couldn''t care less if the man loved him or not. Being half elf was a curse to him, in all honesty, but thest part had him in shock. "The blood Sea is at least four hundred kilometers wide between the closest part of Libertia and Beastaria. So he made an ice bridge this long?"


    Xavia had a look of faint pride for her husband. "He is extremely strong. He''s the king of millions of elves, after all."


    "So, my light magic blessingse from him?" Sylvester inquired.


    Xavia shook her head and appeared confused. "No, your father had no such magical abilities. Only High Elves are versed in Light Magic, but even they are not as strong as you. Also, your father had ck hair."


    ''Did she cheat on that poor elf or something?'' Sylvester wondered. But soon dismissed the idea because who would she cheat with among xenophobic elves?


    "Then why do I have blonde hair, golden eyes, and this talent?" he asked.


    Xavia didn''t know either. "Your magical talent is understandable. Elves do have a higher magical potency. But your hair and light magic¡­ it''s truly a blessing of Solis, it seems."


    ''So the mystery remains.'' Sylvester sighed and looked around himself.


    He felt much calmer now as he knew about his past and the family history. But, looking at Xavia, although there was an annoyance at her stupidity, he couldn''t help but pity her. Her father was killed, she was taken by vampires to be used as a blood bag, turned into a ve, ran for her life, nearly got r*ped, and now here we are.


    That was a lot for one lifetime.


    "M-Max¡­ are you going to leave me?" She softly asked, holding back her tears.


    Sylvester nced at her face and noticed the look of fear, apanied by the same odors of sadness, fear, and anxiety.


    "What happened today¡­ I still don''t know how things wille to bite me againter. But no¡­ I am not leaving you. I have no other family in the world. But! No secrets from now on, and you leave all the nning to me. Never speak of what happened today to anyone no matter how close you get, don''t mention our past to anyone. And, I need you to do something if and when I order without asking me a single question."


    "I will do everything for you as from me." She agreed without hearing.


    "Good, soon you will have a new girl working as a helper in your sick bay. Her name is Raven Maxwell. If and when I tell you to kill her, kidnap her, or anything else, I need you to do it without asking a question. If you don''t, then we''re both going to die." He said, not sounding like he was asking.


    Xavia had killed people in the past. That''s how she survived in Beastaria and her journey back. But the name sounded familiar to her. "I-Is it a rtive of your friend Gabriel?"


    "No questions! Just tell me if you can do it or not." Sylvester pressed, slightly taking an angered tone.


    Xavia nodded silently.


    "But remember, nothing happened today. We shall never talk about this, not even in private. I only graduated today. That''s it. Now let''s go and eat. I knew you wouldn''t cook, so I brought food. I also need to wake up early tomorrow to go and get the job appointment letter."


    He moved away and started putting food on the table while using his hands to utilize fire magic and heat it.


    "Thank you." Suddenly Xavia hugged his broad back from behind and hid her face in it.


    Sylvester didn''t react much. "Once is a mistake, twice is stupidity, and thrice is a habit. Everyone makes mistakes, and you made one today. I hope this won''t go as far as a habit. Let''s eat."


    He shifted and took a seat. He poured food on two tes and silently ate, not being in the mood to talk anymore.


    He then went to his room and tucked Miraj into a smaller nket before lying down and going to sleep. It had been a long and tiresome day for him. What was supposed to be a festive graduation ceremony turned into a murder and intimidation exercise.


    He had to tell a few lies, but he cared not for them. What scared him was the repercussions that woulde with what had urred because Romel was supposed to be a crown prince, which kept his father assured¡ªthat the kingdom would thrive.


    King Riveria would now be a cornered dog, who he''d bite, it was unknown. Who''d sit next on the Riveria throne?<sub> </sub>


    ''What a bad day.''


    He slowly drifted into sleep and had many dreams that night, most of them being about what-if scenarios of the day. What if he had not killed Romel? What if Romelter betrayed him after bing the king? What if he had killed Gabriel too?


    However, when out of nowhere, a face from days past appeared again in the dream, from the depth of the dark cer. It left Sylvester gasping.


    "Your eyes¡­ I pity you."


    These words jolted him awake. "Ahaa! W-What?"


    He looked left and right. It appeared the morning sun had already dawned over them. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. ''So this is what Lixiss meant? Stuck between both worlds, if known, both shall kill me? I even pity myself at this point.''


    "Maxy? You okay?" Miraj returned from his morning stroll from the open window and hugged his favorite human''s neck.


    Sylvester felt warm from that and hugged the big cat tight. "Yeah, Chonky. I feel much better. Let''s go to Magna Sanctum Temple now. Today decides if we will be desk job zombies or guns for hire. Actually, we''re not even hired¡ªwe''re assassin ves, I guess."


    "I''m ve too?" Miraj asked.


    "You? Of course, you''re a ve to bananas and sleeping. Let''s go now. It''s time for a bath."


    "NO!" Chonky tried to escape, but sadly, Sylvester had the high ground.


    ¡­


    Pope''s Pce


    The Sanctum Council was once again in session, this time with a few topics of great significance as the decisions they make today will decide the future of the Church of Solis.


    "Let''s deal with the biggest topic at hand, the disappearance of Romel Riveria," Pope spoke, but not an ounce of doubt or sadness appeared in his voice.


    Inquisitor High Lord, as the General, responded to it. "We believe he ran away because he took most of his money with him. He wasst seen leaving the arena."


    Saint Seer, Cardinal Zenim added. "I have not heard any chirping from mywork, however. So if he ran away, he must have had expert help."


    The Pope sighed and put the document away. "Look for any missing Clergyman and also the Guilds. King Riveria is going to rage at us; let him. We have nothing to do with Romel. The boy was a menace. He was not going to receive the Priest''s Mitre either way, so in a manner, he saved me the exnation."


    The Pope smiled next and put forward the next bunch of parchments. "The next matter, however, brings me great joy¡ªfive God''s Favored who survived, such a great number. We shall have a great many powerhouses in the future.


    "So the main task of this Council today is to assign these boys to the best department where they can truly grow. Ignore what they requested, for we understand their abilities better. Saint Wazir, I believe you have a list ready?"


    Pope''s Left-hand man, Saint Wazir, Cardinal Ethias Lovecraft, stood up and read the list.


    "Yes, your holiness. Louis Hermington asked for Holy Army, I gave him the Inquisitor Army; Griffin zekin asked for the same and got the same, the Inquisitor Army; Augustus Steel wished to be a desk clerk, I sent him to Exorcists. As for Sylvester Maximillian and Felix Sandwall, as per yourmand, I have decided to group them together. However, Priest Sylvester wished to be a Traveling Preacher."


    Pope chuckled slightly. "Haha, that position is for retiring old clergymen, not for the strongest talented boy. But, if he wants to travel the world, then we all know which position will suit him the best, a position that will push his mind, magic, and hymns to the core."


    "But¡­ that''s only reserved for well-experienced and knowledgeable clergymen. Not to new graduates, this would be bad for them." Saint Wazir responded in worry.


    However, the Pope had made up his mind. "Indeed. However, do not forget these are not ordinary graduates. Their starting point in the School of Dawn was higher than ordinary graduates, and they are already well above clergymen who have served for decades in terms of power.


    "At the same time, Priest Sylvester is a high-functioning man. His mind is as sharp as his spear. And he shall have thepany of our second best. The Bard of Solis and the Sword of Solis, they shall y heathens, dark creatures and bless thends together."


    The Inquisitor High Lord agreed. "Priest Sylvester is indeed strong in mind and body."


    "Agreed." Saint Scepter affirmed as well.


    The Pope pped his hand and stood up. "Then it''s decided. Saint Wazir, get the appointment letters written. I shall hand them to these five young men myself. Council adjourned!"


    ___________________


    A STONE A DAY, KEEPS GORILLA AWAY... NOT!


    **1111 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 63 63. Return Of Sylvester Holmes

    Sylvester and his little buddy headed to the Magna Sanctum Temple early in the morning as they''d have to take a boat to reach it. The temple was situated on an entirely different Penins, the Golden Penins.


    He did not encounter his friends along the way, so he took a boat alone. Not everyone could get to the Magna Sanctum, however. Even if one took the boat, when deboarding it, there would be sentries to check your identity and permission.


    The temple was renowned as the holiest site for the Faith of Solis, but what made it that was unknown. There was no talk about anything being buried there. Nor was there anything supernatural. It was just a giant golden structure founded by the first Pope more than five thousand years ago.


    "I will never get used to the grandeur and beauty of this ce." Sylvester was in awe of the beauty of the temple as the boat reached closer. It was huge, taking one whole Penins. And it appeared as if it was naturally etched out of thend.


    The Golden Penins was not named as such because of the temple but because of its strangend. Shockingly, thend of the Golden Penins was 70% made of gold, in the form of gold sand or chunks of gold stuck in rocks. This gave the entire Penins a golden color, and the First Pope used these same rocks when the temple was made.


    So now, whenever the sunlight fell on the temple, a sharp golden light would shine in all directions, as if the temple was the beacon of light fighting the darkness around it, purifying thends nearby.


    "This has to be the biggest building structure I''ve ever seen," Sylvester muttered, as he could not think of any building more immense than this even in hisst world. But of course, he didn''t rule out that there could be even bigger ones in this world.


    "Permission slip." the sentries interrupted as the boat reached the shore.


    Sylvester took out the parchment given to him by the School of Dawn. "Priest Sylvester Maximilian, God''s Favored Candidate."


    The sentries nced at each other''s faces and nodded. Smiles took over them as they gestured for him to enter. "Have a good morning, Lord''s Bard."


    "Thank you." Sylvester smiled back and entered. This was a regr urrence for him. His name was quite famous in the Holy Land and among most clergy, but nearly none knew his face.


    Sylvester climbed a thousand stairs to reach the top of the temple''s base. There was almost nobody there, as the ce was not open for anyone other than the required clergy, which included the guards, the Archbishop responsible for praying there, and the remaining team of administrators and caretakers. Even he had never seen the temple from inside in these years.


    "Chonky, I know it''s all shiny here, but do not! I repeat, do not take anything," he warned Miraj, as he still remembered the fake eye stones he had from the Archbishop in that cave years ago.


    "Then I am useless? You said gold is good; rest is rotten wood." Miraj asked, feeling his only job was being taken away.


    "No, I am not stopping you forever, but just here. You can''t mess around here. Who knows how secure this ce is? I don''t want any risks as long as we''re here."


    Miraj had to agree in the end. "Okay, Maxy. I only watch today and drool."


    Sylvester proceeded towards the temple''s main building. However, he was stopped and told to go around from outside to the sea-facing edge. So he did, and what he saw there left him mesmerized. The shining reflection of the temple was falling on the seawater, forming a strange small area of shining water.


    It looked like a pond full of the water of youth; drinking might make one''s soul soothe. He looked at a far distance. The blue sea appeared endless, but the mere thought that another continent existed on the other side was exciting yet threatening because it was full of enemies¡ªat any time, it could be the war of two hegemonies.


    "Max, here!"


    He noticed Felix touching the water at the extreme edge of thend. The other three God''s Favored Candidates were with him, goofing around.


    "What does the water taste like?" Sylvester asked.


    Felix shrugged. "Salty, wanna try?"


    "No, I had a tasty breakfast in the morning, I don''t want the taste in my mouth. Where is Archpriest Edmund? Why did he call us here to announce our job postings?" He asked, noting that they were the only extras in the whole Golden Penins.


    "God''s Favored, please proceed into the temple. They are waiting for you." Just then, a sentry came to call them.


    The five boys quickly tidied themselves and followed the man into the sacred temple. The whole structure was like a vertical mountain with multiple peaks, one being the highest. The temple was made in a way that the sunlight would always fall inside no matter what part of the day and illuminate the whole area.


    As they walked in, they saw finely etched engravings of some long-forgottennguage. Various runes, even art pieces, were etched on the gold walls. The ceiling, however, was as high as it could look. But the light illuminated each part of it with the help of sun ducts.


    There was only onerge empty hall inside the temple, where at the end was arge round orb shining as if it was the sun. It appeared that all light from the sun ducts was diverted with the help of reflective orbs, and all those reflections conversed into thergest orb.


    Sylvester wondered what could be the reason for this orb to exist, but the next moment he felt Srium overly charging his body as if he had entered a room where the air was water, and it tried to stop him from moving.


    The closer he got to the orb, the harder it got to proceed further. There was also a new smell he sensed, simr to sunflowers. He had no idea what it meant, however.


    Surprisingly, he noticed that other than one kneeling man close to the orb, all were standing meters away, as if they simply could not move in further.


    "Wee, blessed ones."


    "Holy Father?" Sylvester eximed and saluted. The other boys followed him and did the same.


    The Pope got up from kneeling and walked toward the group with a kind smile. "You five must be feeling hard to walk any closer, don''t worry, most others can''t even walk as much as you have. What you see is the Orb of Purity, and only those with the purest soul and the strongest body can touch it.


    "No Pope has ever been able to do it. The legends say that the one who touches it shall receive the blessings from Solis himself and ascend to a level even higher than Supreme Wizard¡ªdemigods, I''d say."<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester raised his hand to ask questions. "If it''s only a test of purity, then why is it in thergest temple of Solis? Is there something more to it?"


    The Pope nodded and reached Sylvester. He strongly patted both of Sylvester''s shoulders. "Look at you, tall and strong. Priest Felix, you''ve outdone your father, it seems. And Priest Louis, I originally thought you''d notst until the end, yet you proved me wrong. I''m so proud of you. Priest Griffin, it seems you did spread your wings like a griffin. While Augustus, your talent with theoretical knowledge is unmatched. All you five boys have filled my heart with pride and hope for an even better future for the faith."


    Of course, Sylvester knew this was the usual pep talk that most generals give before sending their men to deadly missions. So he was not very moved, but others were.


    "Now, for Priest Sylvester''s questions¡­ walk with me, young ones." The Pope started to move out of the temple. "The ancient texts and secured records of the first Pope say that this orb was present here even before the temple was built. In fact, it would be correct to say the temple was built around the orb. Initially, the Holy Land was inessible because the Orb of Purity radiated too much Srium under the direct sunlight. Even at night, thend was unreachable.


    "That is when the first Pope, Luther Vas Hermington, fought against the pressure of the Srium, but even he could not touch the orb and missed by merely an inch. But he contained the orb inside thisrge temple while ensuring the light remained¡ªjust enough to fulfill its purpose.


    "What was left became the Holy Land, the purest of allnds in the world. Every inch of soil here is filled with Srium that has been emitted for thousands of years. This is why no evil entity can step foot inside here¡ªthis is why this temple is called Magna Sanctum, another word for Great Saint."


    They had arrived outside the temple, prompting them to look at its form. To think, the whole Holy Land would be inessible without this temple. It was unimaginable. And now it made sense why nobody other than authorized personnel was allowed inside.


    The Pope continued. "But it is also true that Srium can heal. So every once in a while during the Pilgrimage, I allow a few gravely injured or sick faithfuls toe near the temple. Most can''t step onto thend and return from the sea¡ªfeeling healed."


    Sylvester, however, had only one thought in his head. ''So if I ever wish to destroy the Holy Land, I only need to destroy this one temple?''


    "Your Holiness, the posting applications." Just then, a clergyman arrived.


    The Pope took the bunch of parchment and thanked the man. "I''ll see you in the office, Gunther. Now, I have your job postings in my hand. We have selected these positions for you after a discussion in the Sanctum Council.


    "Priest Louis and Griffin, you two shall join the Inquisitor Army." He handed the two their documents and moved on.


    "Priest Augustus, you are assigned to the Exorcists. You have a talent for this. I know it, so work hard and learn from your seniors."


    But when he looked at Sylvester next, he caused a shockwave in thetter''s body.


    ''What has this mad man nned for me now? Isn''t this life already miserable enough?'' Sylvester questioned silently.


    The Pope handed the parchment to the two. "Atst, Priest Sylvester and Felix, you two are to work as SI, an abbreviation for Sanctum Inspectors, sometimes called Holy Inspectors. You two shall work as a team under the direct supervision of Saint Wazir''s office."


    Sylvester internally frowned as he read the parchment, which was his work identity document. He held himself back from tearing it apart. The words on it appeared menacing, telling him the future would be somewhat threatening, filled with moments full of adrenaline¡ªWhich he didn''t want.


    [Name: Sylvester Maximilian.


    Clergy Rank: Priest


    Job Title: Sanctum Inspector


    Level: Group C


    SI No. DB0F9


    Branch: HQ


    Override authority: B


    Identification: Golden eyes, mole behind left ear.


    Sry Grade: C


    Living Expenses: 500 Gold Graces


    Mission Expenses: TBA]


    ___________________


    YOU STONE GORILLA! GORILLA WRITE. DEAL?


    **1111 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 64 [BONUS CHAPTER] 64. Old Monk

    Sylvester looked at the paper with a hidden frown. "I requested for the Traveling Preacher profession, Holy Father."


    The Pope chuckled and tried reassuring him. "Son, that job is reserved for old retiring clergy. However, this one is better fitting for you, as it requires a sharp mind and strong body, which you have proven during years of training. Moreover, Inquisitor High Lord has informed me about your amazing feats of noticing things most fail to do.


    "Meanwhile, Priest Felix is brave and powerful. He shall be a great partner to watch your back."


    Sylvester didn''t buy it. ''This job¡­ aren''t I underqualified for it? So what''s his deal now? Pushing me to get stronger by forcing me to take risks?''


    He knew he could not deny this work. But he sure was going to milk it. "Can I bring a few other friends with me? And Sir Dolorem?"


    "Of course, you will have to form a team under you either way. It''s best if you''re all friends. But first, you mustplete basic training at Saint Wazir''s office to learn all thews, regtions, and methods to report or ask for assistance. Your job has a wide scope, but all of it leads to an investigation." The old man patted Sylvester''s shoulder.


    "It''s a fantastic opportunity, son. There is much to learn for you, so utilize it. And the rest of you as well, I hope you can reach the clergy rank of Bishop as soon as you can. Only then shall you be reassigned to a job better suiting your ranks.


    "Now, I must return to work, but I am extending special permission to you five. You may have direct ess to me whenever you need to talk or need help. You are the future of faith, and I shall stand by you as your guide. May the holy light enlighten us."


    "May the holy light enlighten us."


    All five of them saluted back and watched the Pope leave. Once the man was out of sight, they all frowned, as none of them got what they had requested.


    "Ugh, Inquisitor Army, they live like nomads," Griffin muttered.


    "And they travel constantly," Louis added.


    August was shattered, too, as he was terrible at social interaction, and now he was an exorcist. "I hope this ends well."


    Meanwhile, Felix wasughing and patting Sylvester''s back. "Bwahaha¡­ it seems we''re both stuck together forever, brother. Our adventures are going to be legendary¡­ I know it!"


    Sylvester did not show such optimism because he knew the reality of his job. "Yeah, that is if we survive."


    None of them got what they wanted, and disappointment was at hand in the end. So to quench that, they decided to go and eat something since Guild Penins was not too far and had some shops inside various guilds.


    They could not drink anything alcoholic, as that was one of the things banned under thew for clergy. But they did eat a lot and just let themselves go. Griffin and Louis were going to be in the Inquisitor army and had no idea when they''d get another good meal. In contrast, Augustus might get good food because Exorcists usually spend their time in good ces when they''re not working.


    But it was the worst for Sylvester and Felix because, unlike others, they''d have nobody to count on for food. Instead, they''d have to cook their own meals, find their own food, and manage their finances.


    "We can not drink liquor, but let''s have a toast for the bright future of the faith and us." Felix proposed as he picked up his milk ss.


    nk!


    They all chugged down the ss of milk and felt refreshed. They slowly came to terms with their jobs. After all, they knew their life would be challenging the moment they graduated as God''s Favored Candidates. The past eight years were not very kind either.


    Sylvester looked at the sky and noticed the sun was above their heads. He got up as he had a ce to be.


    "Where are you going?"


    "Somewhere divine. See you tomorrow."


    ¡­


    Sylvester wished to clear his head from all the mess of yesterday. He needed calm to n the next steps carefully, the job he was asked to do was very loosely defined, and he hoped not to die on it.


    So, after getting permission from the mentor of religious studies, Archbishop Noah, he went to the Soul Penins to sit under the Soul tree and meditate. He remembered he had that vision of a newborn baby eight years ago and hoped he''d get some updates on that.


    Like the Golden Penins, this ce was heavily guarded too, and nobody was allowed in without permission. He had to pass through three different gates that required three different approval documents.


    Only then was he let in to move freely.


    ''I envy these guards here. They get to stay in the soothing warmth of Srium. If I could, I''d have made a tree house on this and live here forever.'' he muttered.


    He made his way towards the tree''s base, where a few giant roots were sprawling around. But all of it was covered in short green grass, colorful flowers, and fireflies. The tree had such a broad umbre that it also blocked a lot of sunlight, creating a bnced environment.


    ''Who is that?''


    To his luck, when he arrived at the base, he saw someone was sitting there on a carpet made of thatched sheets¡ªmeditating. The man was bald and appeared very old with a beard. Even the eyebrows were so long that they fell to the chin from the sides. While he wore orange monk robes, one shoulder uncovered.


    The most striking parts were the man''s wooden staff and the line of tattoos over his body. He appeared wise, calm, and yet overwhelming.


    Sylvester didn''t waste much time and sat down cross-legged not far from the old man and closed his eyes.


    He took long breaths in and cleared his mind from all thoughts. He let the Srium flow into his body, and the calming breeze of the tree filled his lungs. At the same time, the beautiful cacophony of the small insects around filled his ears.


    All that gave him enough to focus and forget all other thoughts. Slowly, he started to feel as if his body had bepletely rxed and floating in nothingness. However, soon after, some scenes started appearing, something rted to the visions.


    "Come, Zye, I shall teach you how to ride a horse today."


    "I don''t wanna¡­ I wanna y with ma."


    "Haha, you are a princess, dear. These are the things you must know. Come now, pa will teach you."<sub> </sub>


    The visions were blurry, but Sylvester could hear them just fine. He finally had a name to go by, Zye. But he longed to see more, see thendscape, and learn where this vision was from.


    However, it appeared his connections with the Soul Tree were over, as a butterfly came and sat down on his nose outside. That, for some reason, immediately pulled him out.


    "''Tis a fine day, won''t you agree?"


    Sylvester rubbed his eyes and looked to his left. The old monk had woken up too and was looking up.


    He replied to the old man''s hoarse voice. "Every day is a fine day in the Holy Land."


    The old monk chuckled. "Hah, Indeed. So you are the Lord''s Bard?"


    "What gave it away?"


    "That bright halo behind your head when you meditate. So it was you Archbishop Noah was talking about¡­ indeed, you have the potential if you''re having visions."


    ''At least introduce yourself first, old man.'' He thought. "I am Priest Sylvester Maximilian¡­"


    "I remember not my name, but everyone calls me grandpa monk, but you may recognize me better by Fifth Guardian of Light."


    Sylvester''s eyes widened at that revtion. ''This man is just two ranks below Inquisitor High Lord? And is also supposed to be stronger than that Lady Aurora, the tenth Guardian?''


    He saluted the man in the usual manner. "I pay respect to the Fifth Guardian."


    However, a hidden frown remained on Sylvester''s face as he could not sense any emotions from the old man. There was no smell, as if the man felt nothing and had truly given up everything.


    "What are you doing here, Fifth Guardian?" He inquired respectfully.


    The old man nced at the sky again and muttered. "For every birth, the Lord''s n is devised. All the way until the demise. I am three hundred years old, child. I am merely counting myst breath here¡ªunder the warmth. And it helps my joint pain too, hah."


    ''This old monk, has he truly realized control over all of his body, including emotion?'' Sylvester wondered about theck of knowledge. But he also realized this man was a treasure trove of knowledge.


    "Why do you not remember your name?" He asked, using the first rule of starting an interaction: showing interest in the other person.


    "Three hundred years ago, we were still at war. My parents were wizards, not from the church, however. My mother gave birth to me in an ongoing battle, and unfortunately, they died a few hours after I saw the first light. So I never got a name. But, one who has nobody, the church is their everybody.


    "However, even during my younger days, everyone called me monk. Now it''s Grandpa Monk,"


    Sylvester digested that information. He was amazed that almost all of the most powerful clergy had either a tragic past or were orphans. ''I guess you have everything to prove once you have nothing to lose.''


    "Do you not wish to know what I saw in my vision?" he inquired, it being the best way to gauge one''s character.


    Grandpa Monk shook his head. "What would I do after knowing? I''m a dying man. And, you better tell that to none because then the vision might not happen."


    "What if the vision is supposed to be something ominous?"


    "Life is unpredictable. Let it be. Why else do you think most wizards blessed with talents in divination go mad? They be obsessed with their destiny and try to perfect it, not knowing that the lord''s n was already perfect¡ªa n you can never reject."


    ''A very sound argument, I must say.'' Sylvester agreed with that statement.


    He noticed the night would soon be upon him. So he quickly asked a few more questions. "Grandpa Monk, do you have any teachings for me? I have been assigned the task of a Sanctum Inspector."


    "Show me the paper." The old man extended his wrinkled hand.


    Sylvester handed it with no reservation. He could not even see if the old man''s eyes were open due to his old age and loose skin.


    "Ah, your override authority is ''B''. This means the higher-ups can still overturn your decisions. So I believe this appointment is a test for you, child. But, of course, Axel would do that. He''s a man who believes in tough love."


    "Axel? You mean¡­"


    The old man chuckled as he nodded. "Of course, the Pope. That little bugger used to y and cry on myp when he was little¡ªnow he makes others cry, haha."


    "..."


    "Ha?"


    ___________________


    STONE EXCHANGE PROGRAM!


    Next chaping in an hour or so.


    Also, pray this Gori gets a contract soon.


    **669 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 65 65. Crash Course

    "Of course, I saw him grow from little. I was his aide when he was chosen as a God''s Favored candidate. Who could have thought the kid with the runny nose would be the Pope one day."


    ''So this man is to the Pope what Sir Dolorem is to me?'' Sylvester realized. But the difference in power was too high. It was understandable, however, as old times were much harsher and more dangerous.


    "Then¡­ is the Holy Father not worried about your health?"


    "Of course he is. That''s why he gave me full ess to the Soul Penins. I live beside this tree now, but I''d call it Axel''s selfish greed. He does not wish to cry over my grave. But, if I can dy his tears for some more time, it''d make me happy too." Grandpa Monk responded.


    For the first time, Sylvester noticed the faint emotions of love. ''This man¡­ he truly sees the Pope as a son."


    "What did you mean by tough love?" He questioned.


    But the old man moved to stand up next. "Come with me, young one. My little hut is near, so give these old bones a push, will you."


    Sylvester rushed to help by holding the old man''s arm. Then they slowly walked towards the hut while he spoke.


    "Axel is an emotional man. If he saw me as a father, he saw the whole church as his mother. By that logic, he sees all of the Clergy and the faithfuls as his children. He loves his children dearly, but he believes every person must face hardships to truly cherish their blessings.


    "I believe the task he gave you is not just because he wishes to test you, but because he feels you can truly grow stronger with this. Archbishop Noah told me about his views; while I cannot outright say you are the final true God''s Favored, I can see why some would say that.


    "You have been blessed by Solis, Sylvester. The church took care of you all these years, so it''s akin to an investor. Like all investors in any endeavor, some good returns are expected. Even more so if the investors wish to provide more support as time goes on." The old man parted his wisdom.


    "So I''m like a business endeavor for the church? A product they have invested in?" He remarked.


    They stopped before the hut, and the old man caressed Sylvester''s head. "You are the future, son. Axel is growing old too, and he knows he won''t always be as strong as he is. And the drums of war are getting louder. You being stronger means a stronger church of Solis¡ªand peace. We can definitely use another Supreme Wizard in this time of darkness."


    The man opened the door to his little hut and entered. But he stopped Sylvester from entering. "Not today. If you wish to see my treasures, you must revisit this old man."


    Sylvester chuckled. "You''re bored?"


    "Extremely bored. That''s the fate of dying old men. But if you visit again, perhaps I will hear one of your hymns if I''m lucky. Until then, take care, train hard and stay blessed."


    But as the old man was shutting the door, Sylvester asked one final question, something that would give him a target. "How strong was his holiness at my age?"


    Grandpa Monk stopped and remembered things. Then he nced at Sylvester''s rank te. "You''re one rank below. It seems you''ve gottenx in these years. Better start rushing, or you''ll hit old age, and after that, it''s like moving a mountain by blowing on it. Good night, Sylvester."


    Thud!


    The door closed and left Sylvester in an existential crisis. ''I''m weaker than the Pope at this age? Was he already an Arch Wizard? But he likely had chances to fight in various battles¡­ is this why he gave me this job?''


    It appeared that he had found many answers to his questions. Satisfied, he decided to return to Pope''s Penins and prepare for hising training.


    ¡­


    The following day, Sylvester headed to Saint Wazir''s office with his friend to get the month-long crash course for their uing job.


    The location was in the administrative building run by Saint Wazir. It was not far from the Pope''s Pce. Nearly all of Holy Land and the faith''s day-to-day tasks were managed from here, and apparently, the Sanctum Inspector as well.


    Sylvester showed his appointment application and entered it with Felix. They were guided towards a small room on the third floor of the white marble castle-like building. It was beautiful as all the church buildings were. But here, most rooms were offices of some department.


    In no time, they found themselves seated in the middle of a room on well-cushioned chairs, surrounded by other possible trainees for the job of Sanctum Inspector. However, both boys frowned as they noticed something obvious.


    "Max, why is everyone except us so old? They all have white beards¡­ are we in the right room?" Felix nervously asked as they could sense that all these old men were actually strong in magic or knightly arts. Moreover, all of them had sharp wise eyes that oozed experience.


    Sylvester sighed. He had already expected this much to happen. Sanctum Inspector was not a profession easily given to anybody.


    He lowered his voice and spoke to Felix. "Let me exin in your own messed-up vocabry. They are the old mares that have birthed dozens of foals by now. While we''re on our first trial run."


    "We''re gonna get f-fuc¡­ked?"


    Sylvester shrugged and looked in front as someone had just entered. "Yes, figuratively."


    "Wee, my brethren of the faith. I am Saint Wazir, Cardinal Ethias Lovecraft. I shall debrief you today to inform you of what I expect from each of you. However, since all of you are seasoned veterans in your respective previous professions, I will not waste time lecturing you on that.<sub> </sub>


    "What I expect is honesty! That''s it. As Sanctum Inspectors, your authority will allow you to override the decisions of nearly every branch and office. This is because you work under me, in the name of the Holy Father, at the highest level of authority.


    "As Sanctum Inspectors, you shall look into crimes done against the faith, reports of dark entities, and above all, finding and marking Unidentified Supernatural Phenomenons USPs. You shall have the authority to call forth the Inquisitors, judge sinners, order around the local Monasteries, and utilize church resources.


    "All this power bestowed upon you can easily corrupt any man. So remember, the de-facto punishment for corruption or any sin while in this position is public hanging inside the Holy Land, after getting emunicated."


    Saint Wazir let the crowd of 30 men digest the information first. Corruption wasmon in the faith, but not at this level.


    "You will spend your next thirty days memorizing all the rules, regtions, protocols, chain ofmands, our secret assets, and such. You will get no physical training from here, as I believe you''ve had enough.


    "You shall have a written test at the end of your training period. Those who do not pass shall go through the training again¡­ again and again until you pass with 90% marks."


    ''Are they so desperate they won''t even fail someone?'' Sylvester thought.


    Knowing the human psyche, he wished to avoid another situation. ''I hope they don''t call us to the front, us being so young it can create jealousy in the minds of others.''


    "Now, to the part that has likely left you all in wonder. Let us wee the youngest ever member of this elite organization of Sanctum Inspectors¡­the two God''s Favored Candidates, Priest Sylvester Maximilian and Priest Felix Sandwall, the Bard and the Sword. I know all of you are Bishops but give these two young men some guidance. I know they can easily leave all of us behind."


    ''Fuck, that''s not helping, you buffoon.'' Sylvester cursed silently and felt like chopping off his tongue for jinxing himself.


    "Come forth, young men." Saint Wazir called.


    Having no way, Sylvester and Felix walked towards the front of the room. But as they walked, Sylvester noticed the gazes of these old white-bearded men. In normal times they''d all be smiling and be grandfatherly, but here, the smell of jealousy they emitted made everything clear.


    ''Man, when will my beard grow?'' He wondered as that was the quickest way to have some respite.


    "Thank you for this opportunity. Hehe, I wish to learn from all the kind seniors." Felix, however, was oblivious of the jealousy in the air and dumbly greeted all the men.


    ''This guy, these old men will leave us to die if they get a chance. There''s nothing kind about these seniors.'' Sylvester muttered and greeted them too.


    He looked at each face and tried to gauge who was the most jealous of them¡­ even borderline hateful.


    One by one, he remembered those faces. ''So these are the ones I should leave for dead whenever opportunity strikes?''


    He made a poker face that could still imply he was not a naive little man and spoke in rhymes. "I am but a young student of Solis; I hope to get your guidance. I know together we can make the faith spread far and wide to thends that remain untouched¡ªI will ensure the enemies of the faith are crushed."


    All the ambitious old men shifted a little in their seats as they felt somewhat ufortable by Sylvester''s emotionless smile and piercing golden gaze. In an instant, their minds unconsciously knew they were not the alpha in the room¡ªneither was it the Saint Wazir.


    "Marvellous, that''s the spirit I expect from the young ones. I shall leave you now. The instructors wille and start your training immediately. May the holy light enlighten us."


    "May the holy light enlighten us." Everyone replied.


    Sylvester returned to take his seat, but as he passed through the gaps between the chairs, the old men in his way shifted away to give space.


    ''I can''t let them feel an ounce of authority over me, or else it''s game over. I''ll be the forever bullied kid.'' Sylvester quickly set a few rules in his mind.


    He knew this would be much different from the School of Dawn, for these men were battle-hardened. Sylvester never denied the possibility that there could be men much more intelligent than himself around.


    And it was best if he remained as far away from them as possible.


    ''I take pride in nning ten steps ahead, but others must be looking much ahead¡ªnot ten but a hundred steps instead.''


    ___________________


    GORILLA WILL STEAL YOUR STONES!


    **669 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 66 66. Darkness

    Over theing days, Sylvester and Felix tried to cram all knowledge possibly into their young minds. This was an advantage they had over the other old men who were their ssmates.


    They were God''s Favored and trained to be better than the average clergy. So their mental skills were above the ordinary. Naturally, this was the cause of some envy, but Sylvester''s unnerving gaze kept all at bay.


    And if any of them dared cause even the slightest of difort for him, he''d write their name in his little diary of dead people. It was not a list of people he wanted to kill but the people he considered already dead. This means if he ever came across these people, he''d not help them.


    Mostly, the education was about the Church Code of Law, often termed CCL. It was a thick book with various punishments and case studies from history. A punishment was written for all kinds of blunders, from the smallest to the gravest.


    Usually, there is no need to use CCL when dealing with heathens. But, being Sanctum Inspectors, they may have to deal with various wealthy merchants and nobles, and in those cases, CCL helps as it''s a universally epted book of thew.


    Other than this, Sylvester and Felix were taught about how to find allies that are hidden, hidden safehouses, how to contact the Holy Land, and what to do if a local clergy is unruly.


    Currently, Sylvester was also living in the school dorm as he had dozens of thick books he had to read and various details to memorize and prepare for the exam. He slowly understood why there was no use of dropping out of this job if you failed the examination.


    Because if he was going to be made to take the exam again and again until he passed, most clergy would try to give their best in the first ce.


    Yawn!


    Sylvester tiredly read the books, and he''d been doing it since he woke up in the morning, and now it was dinner time.


    Knock Knock!


    His dorm room door was opened, and his friends entered uninvited. However, there was an addition. A girl was there too, behind Gabriel. He had not seen her until now since she had taken a job at Xavia''s sick bay.


    "Ah, is she Raven?" Sylvester finally saw Gabriel''s sister face to face. She was a beautiful woman, slightly shorter than him. She had deep ck hair and blue eyes and had a petite form, likely due to malnutrition.


    Raven chirped before her brother. "Ah, you must be the famous bard! Can you sing me a hymn, please?"


    "Hm, alright," Sylvester raised his right hand and sent out a beam of light magic. However, for some reason, there was no halo behind his head this time.


    Unfortunately, the others would only learn why when he was midway finished.


    ?O''Lord, bless these children with brain.


    Even if it be the size of a little grain.


    He''s rather in; Gabriel is his name.


    Yes, he''s somewhat tame.


    Also, we have beauty here.


    Bless her so from none she may fear.


    May she have a sessful career.?


    ?Felix, my brother with a sword.


    One too short, and the other long and broad.


    Bless him too, for he is unwise.


    Surprise him with increased size.


    Ignore the brain, however, he has none.


    Castrate him even, for he lusts for nuns.?


    ?Atst, Markus, the flexible.


    His deeds are likely unspeakable.


    Even if he may be maidenless,


    No worry, he''s both the boy and thess.


    May the Lord bless his ass.?


    Sylvester stopped singing and releasing light magic and noticed the shocked and annoyed faces of everyone, while Ravenughed nonstop.


    "Castrate me?"


    "Bless my ass?"


    "I''m tame? Max?"


    The three boys cracked their knuckles and slowly proceeded towards Sylvester.


    "The only ass that needs mercy today will be yours." Felix barked.


    Gabriel and Markus frowned, Sylvester too. "What in the Lord''s name, Felix? You''re not supposed to say such things."


    "I was talking about punching his ass." Felix rified embarrassingly.


    "That, let''s do it."


    Sylvester scoffed and took a fighting position. "If that''s what you want."


    Bam!


    Just a friendly brawl like any other day, the four fought sloppily, throwing each other as if fake wrestling. However, Felix was physically strong among them, and he was throwing two of them together. That prompted them to get together and beat Felix up first.


    "Th-That''s cheating!" Felix cried as he got pinned down and spanked.


    Pa!<sub> </sub>


    Markus scoffed. "Everything is fair in love and war¡­ and this is war!"


    "Pfft¡­ do you four always act like this?" Raven suddenlyughed out loud. They had forgotten she was even there.


    Indeed, the four goofed around like this on most days. That was one of the coping mechanisms to endure the harsh training.


    Sylvester solemnly fixed his hair and clothes again, cursing himself for acting like kids. All of them were 16 or 17 at this point. While he was...101?


    "Let''s eat now." He suggested.


    The other three agreed and acted as if they were always serious boys.


    "Raven, wait here. We will bring food back up here and eat together." Gabriel said and left with the rest.


    Their time in the dorms wasing to an end now, and the moment they headed out for their job, they will lose possession of the rooms.


    But they will be allotted housing in themon area for Clergy. The houses are different for different ranks, both Clergy ranks, and martial ranks. Sadly, none of them would be staying.


    Soon, the five gathered in Sylvester''s room and ate their fill. They talked about little old things. Raven silently heard everything, their hardships, and many death-defying feats. Slowly, she came to respect her brother and his friends. Even more so, as she, at most, faced some beating and locking up, these boys literally fought for their lives.


    "Folks, I need to head out now and have a meeting with Sir Dolorem. He will being with us as I trust him, and he''s knowledgeable about world politics and geography much more than us." Sylvester got up to leave.


    "Give him our thanks for helping us." Felix waved.


    "Sure, but Felix, go and start studying. I won''t wait if you fail the test tomorrow," Sylvester warned as he left.


    ¡­


    Outside, the usual darkness of the night had taken over. He knew that these few remaining nights of peace would be thest ones. Life would be much more dangerous once he''s out of the Holy Land, where the creatures of the night roam freely.


    He whistled alone and walked towards the Inquisitor Camp. It was, as always, full of activity, no matter whether it was day or night. Someone was always going in and out. Griffin and Louis were supposed to be there too, but he didn''t find them, likely asleep.


    So he made his way to Sir Dolorem''s camp, but the man was not there. So he headed to the Inquisitor High Lord''s tent. He was not a kid anymore. He dared to look the man in the eye now, even though the man could kill him with a wave of his hand.


    "Ah, Lord''s Bard. We heard you got appointed. Unfortunately, it wasn''t the Inquisitors." The sentries outside therge tent greeted him.


    ''Honestly, I''d have preffered to be an Inquisitor. These folks are too kind to me.'' Sylvester thought sadly.


    "I''m sure I can get a transfer once I prove myself. Is Sir Dolorem inside?"


    The two sentries nodded but looked scared at the same time. Finally, one of them came closer to Sylvester and whispered. "Lord Inquisitor was gravely injured a few days ago."


    "What?! Who could have injured him?" Sylvester eximed in disbelief. It was nothing less than an eye opener to think there were people who could do such a thing to the man.


    The other Sentry whispered. "It was the leader of the Anti-Light Sect. Lord Inquisitor fought him, but that heathen had hidden trap runes inside the ground. However, the Holy Father healed the Lord Inquisitor. So he should be fine now."


    "Let him enter!" Suddenly a shout came from inside.


    Sylvester stiffly walked in and looked around. A huge man covered with nkets was on arge bed in a corner. But the face was still covered with a metallic visor, albeit not having a conical helmet. But the man had no hair either; instead, a coif was covering it.


    The small crowd gathered inside didn''t spare him a nce. However, one particr person he noticed was the young-looking woman sitting on a chair beside the bed. From the expressions and closeness, he could see she had some rtionship with Lord Inquisitor.


    However, when she nced at him, Sylvester recognized her. ''What''s Lady Aurora doing here? Are the Tenth Guardian and Lord Inquisitor close?''


    He tasted the air. It was tense and full of anxiety. ''How strong is this head of the Anti-Light sect?''


    "Come here, Favored one." The Lord Inquisitor raised his hand.


    For the first time, Sylvester saw some skin of the man, and it seemed to be burnt to crisp, leaving the tree bark-like skin. ''Did he get burned?''


    "Are you okay, Lord Inquisitor?" Sylvester showed some worry for the man as he considered Inquisitor High Lord one of his strongest backers.


    "Haha, such injuries aremon, young one. On the path to greatness, this is a faith all must witness. I heard you have be a Sanctum Inspector¡ªwhat a record. You are the youngest Sanctum Inspector in history.


    "But, heed my advice, being a Sanctum Inspector is one of the noblest professions. Be sure to show the good ones mercy, but never tolerate hersey. Now you shall be going out into the wild. It''s dangerous.


    "The Sect of Anti-Light is expanding, so be mindful of that. Be mindful of a name as well¡ªJulius Aurelius Alexander. If you are unfortunate enough to meet him, just run, do not confront! He is now the Holy Father''s to hunt."


    ''Great, another enemy.'' Sylvester cursed internally.


    "Sir Dolorem, go with God''s Favoured, guide him, teach him the world''splexities. Let his wings spread wide so his light may shine far and bright." Inquisitor High Lord ordered.


    The bald, dark-skinned Wizard-Knight stood up and thumped his chest te. "I will do as youmand, Lord Inquisitor."


    Sir Dolorem pulled Sylvester out of the tent and took him to his own.


    Sylvester felt the tension in the air. Sir Dolorem smelled like fear. So he asked, "Is Lord Inquisitor okay?"


    "N-No¡­ I''m afraid not."


    Sir Dolorem''s head fell in tiredness and frustration. "It''s a blessing he''s even alive this long. But now, only a miracle can save him."


    "Who is this Julius Aurelius Alexander?" Sylvester inquired, worried for his own safety too.


    "Chaos... Darkness¡­ Death!"


    ___________________


    HURT ME WITH YOUR STONES!


    **669 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 67 67. What Would You Do?

    "Who is he?"


    Sir Dolorem seemed visibly enraged as he exined. "No one knows. It was as if he came out of nowhere, so powerful in dark magic that no one could stand against him. His Anti-Light Sect infiltrated small organizations and smaller noble houses and slowly grew its roots.


    "They are a disease, Priest Sylvester. And they must be rooted out or the harm caused will be far greater than the thousand years of war."


    Sylvester sighed. It seemed that even if he were to be the Pope one day, that would not solve all his troubles. He can never have peace even then. "Let me guess. They want to destroy the Church of Solis? Hence the name of Anti-Light?"


    "Correct, and that is why we must destroy them because if their rotten ideology spreads, only chaos will ensue. That man, he''s as dangerous to us as the heathens across the sea. So we will have to be careful during our missions." Sir Dolorem warned.


    Sylvester sighed and rested in his chair as he thought about getting stronger so these threats won''t affect him one day. But sadly, the stronger he gets, he seems to find out that there exist threats that can harm even those he considered the epitome of power.


    ''How strong do I have to be to be invincible so nobody would find trouble with me?''


    But at most, he felt worried for Sir Dolorem. The man was still an Adept Wizard. "Sir Dolorem, what is your rank talent?"


    The man had grown somewhat old now, as he was not ranking up much. The higher one''s level, the higher their lifespan would be; that was the basic concept. That meant Sir Dolorem, at max, could live for 120 years. However, he had alreadypleted sixty-nine.


    "I had the talent for Arch Wizard and Silver Knight. Unfortunately, I have attained only the Silver Knight rank, while my magic never got better. I''m afraid I''m too old now to hope to reach Arch Wizard rank." Sir Dolorem revealed a hint of disappointment.


    "It''s never toote. Look at Headmaster Brightson. That man has been stuck at the peak of Arch Wizard for over two decades now and still hopes to push through and be a Grand Wizard. So, I say, you still have time, and on the journey with me, all of us will grow in one way or another." Sylvester cheered the man up.


    However, his words were not hollow because he now knew what it takes to push oneself to grow. It takes rare herbs and crystals, especially the Srium crystals, and if they are of high quality, that''s even better. But all of that costs a lot of money, and guess who had a lot of illegal wealth?


    Miraj, of course.


    "By the way, do you know anything about my first quest? I wish to prepare to head out, but they have not told us anything yet." He inquired.


    "Not the quest, but they will provide us with horses and the carriage, the rest of the items need to be ours. We will get a monthly fixed amount to spend on our supplies, while the Church will reimburse all the expenses for missionster.


    "However, most Sanctum Inspectors, in the end, decide to buy their own equipment, from carriages to horses, because what the Church provides is the bare minimum. But, of course, we are not rich like those established men. You are the youngest Sanctum Inspector in history, so this is new for many people." Sir Dolorem exined.


    Sylvester thought about using his illegal money to invest in better equipment. However, he stopped himself as he didn''t even know what the job would be like. And to spend illegal money in Holy Land was foolish, even spending money in major cities was going to be irrational. What he needed to find were master artisans who lived in distant viges where the local monasteries would be scared of him instead of wanting to bring him down.


    ''But I can always stock some second-hand herbs, potions, and crystals. Besides, Felix will also be a Sanctum Inspector. I can always tell him to spend his noble money or use him tounder my money.''


    "In that case, we will need to be careful. Well, I came here to inform you that tomorrow is my test. If everything goes well, we shall leave for our first task the day after. So please prepare your armor and sword beforehand." He instructed because he outranked Sir Dolorem as a clergyman and a wizard by official records now.


    However, there was not much excitement or reaction on the man''s face.


    Sylvester understood that Sir Dolorem was worrying about the Inquisitor High Lord, and he honestly could not do anything. If even the Pope could not, then who was he? Just a simple light bulb?


    "I will leave you to it then. I still have some studying to do." He bid farewell.


    He left the tent and proceeded towards the exit of the camp. However, he felt sudden footsteps behind him. They were too close and alerted him. In an instant, he took out a dagger from his robes and looked.


    "So your senses have gotten better."


    ''What does she want?''


    "I trained for years for this, and the work is in progress." He replied, wondering what the woman wanted from him. He could not feel any particr smell or taste in the air either. "Is there something you need from me, Tenth Guardian?"


    Lady Aurora simply smiled and shook her head. "No, I was merely curious about the famous bard. Thest time we met was when you were merely starting. I wonder how powerful you have be."


    "Enough to know that you have a short sword behind you." He replied with a smirk.


    There was silence now and some tension in the air. Both of them looked into each other''s eyes and wondered about various things.


    To Sylvester, the woman in front of him appeared extremely beautiful, but he knew she was at least a hundred years old, not that heined, as his own age was near that. But behind her prettiness was hidden a deadly monstrous powerhouse.<sub> </sub>


    While Lady Aurora sized Sylvester with eyes. Just being sixteen, he was as tall as her, but when she looked into Sylvester''s eyes, there was wisdom that a man of his age usually does not have. It made her somewhat ufortable, as she felt she was naked in front of this young man''s eyes¡ªnothing in her mind or body could be hidden.


    She forced a smile on her face and put the short sword away. "I do hope you are what we expect you to be, Priest Sylvester. The Inquisitor High Lord would be disappointed otherwise. I wish you the very best for your first profession."


    "Thank you, Lady Aurora. I will keep your kind words in mind." Sylvester didn''t like talking to her. She was far too strong in his eyes.


    He was not trying to run away but be careful. It was best to stay out of the eyes of the strongest members of the Church because the more eyes on him, the worse it''d be to conduct his time-to-time questionable activities.


    "I shall pray for the Lord Inquisitor''s good health. Good night."


    He left without giving her a second nce, but he could feel she was still watching him intently, trying to read him.


    ''This truly is a den of wolves.'' he sighed and returned to the dorms.


    ¡­


    ''I want to leave this ce. Holy Land is not safe. Every eye on me feels like people are trying to see through me, know all my secrets and find my weakness.''


    Sylvester had these simple thoughts in his mind as he took the test for his job. Failing it would mean another month of torture, something he would never ept.


    He used all his focus on studying for this test. The first stage was written, asking simple questions about various rules and regtions. This was the easiest part as the answers were definite and didn''t depend on personal views.


    However, the next phase was the interview in which he was given a situation, and he was to exin how he''d tackle it. This was a troublesome test because whether he would pass or fail depended on the judge''s opinions.


    "Priest Sylvester, imagine you are on an assignment to a distant vige. You have received reports from the vige''s people that the Monastery''s local clergy is extremely corrupt and sins in the name of Solis. The people are angry and on the verge of rioting. How would you deal with it?" One interviewer from a panel of five, which included Saint Wazir, asked him.


    Now, he knew that these questions would notmonly be asked because themon belief for most clergy was that the faith is pure. But the situation given to him was a regr urrence across the continent because the faith was too big to control everything perfectly.


    Sylvester took only five seconds to give his answer. "My first action would be to gather proof of corruption so that I canter pass judgment on its basis. Of course, I would do this part in disguise. But, I will try to be quick because we must avoid the riots.


    "So once I have the proof, I shall publicly announce I am Lord''s Bard and calm the people by singing the sermon of Solis. I cannot reveal to civilians about me being an inspector, but telling them my Bard identity and singing will strengthen their faith.


    "However, I will not publicly punish the clergy either, at least not unless their crimes have gone beyond Tier 5¡ªHeathen. I would deal with them silently because I can not allow the name of Solis to be tarnished."


    The interviewers wrote something down on their hidden parchments.


    Then the next man asked their question. This was thest one. "How would you investigate a matter of heathenmitting crimes against Bright Mothers? He travels around the East Sol, finds Bright Mothers, and kidnaps them at night. He then vites their purity, chops their limbs, and packs their bodies before throwing them in front of a Monastery."


    ''T-That sounds too specific.'' Sylvester secretly frowned.


    He tried to think of a way to find such a man. But there was no immediate method, and a thorough investigation would be needed. "I will have to first find a pattern in his travels, the victims he picks, and the Monasteries he chooses. Most killers, unless mentally damaged, have a motive behind their crimes. It''s either due to retaliation, necessity, or when they want to send a message.


    "Once we have the motive, we can soon catch him."


    "What would you do after catching him?" Saint Wazir asked this time.


    He put some extra emphasis on his following words to make it clear that he was being serious.


    "The Lord Inquisitor taught me to show the good ones mercy but never tolerate heresy. Therefore, there is no need for prosecution. Immediate justice is¡ªexecution!"


    ___________________


    I WONDER WHERE THE STONES ARE?


    **669 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 68 68. Case 1: Dark Hunter

    Sylvester could already feel the smell of happiness and excitement from the men, so he already knew he had done well.


    Saint Wazir spoke this time from his middle seat. "Priest Sylvester, I will be honest. I initially had no confidence in you for this profession¡ªyet I sit here, humbled by your responses. We were under the belief that a man without any experience can not be suitable for this work. But, your responses seem like you''ve been an inspector your whole life, knowing all the nuances¡ªwhich is brilliant in our eyes."


    Saint Wazir stood up and walked to Sylvester with a paper bag. "After reviewing everything, we deem you more than worthy of this job. And for your first assignment as Sanctum Inspector, you are to catch and kill the heathen."


    "Who?"


    "The murderer and r*pist of Bright Mothers, he has imed 24 lives and yet remains atrge. Take this packet. It has all the information we have collected until now. The target is not deemed stronger than an Adept Wizard, but all previous inspectors have failed to find major clues."


    Sylvester took the paper bag and noticed the name of the case on it. "Dark Hunter?"


    "Named because he only strikes at night and has hunter-like tendencies. Like the way he cut the limbs of his victims." Sain Wazir exined.


    "Are there no other better-qualified inspectors?" He inquired because he imagined he''d not get any important cases at the start. But it seemed he had underestimated his own status.


    "There are, but you have been the first to speak about finding a pattern from day one. Most other inspectors reach this conclusion after rushing to thest crime location and wasting time on pointless manhunts. So we believe having a new¡ªyoung mind, in this case, might work."


    Since the interview was over, they dismissed him next. "Find him and kill him. If anyone tries to protect him, kill them. You may head out and pick up the assignment slip and permanent identification document."


    Believing his interview was over, he walked out thinking about this assignment.


    ''Catching a rapist murderer? It''s a noble task, but finding one man in this backward world will be like looking for a needle in a haystack.'' He took a long breath and noticed Felix entering the interview room. ''I hope he''s not as dumb as I think he is.''


    ¡­


    Priest Felix Sandwall was known to be a cheerful man who usually kept a positive outlook on everything. But he was somewhat of a brute, which was made clear in his interview.


    "A gang of thieves is responsible for periodically stealing supplies sent to various Monasteries. How would you deal with them without revealing who did it?" the interviewer asked.


    Felix thought about it for a second. "Hmm, I will ask my uncle to take care of them. Oh, my uncle is one of the 13manders of the Headless Order."


    The interviewers felt confused about how to take that answer. It was definitely not what they expected, but it was not wrong either.


    "You are sent to investigate an Unidentified Supernatural Phenomenon sighting. When you arrive, you find out it was fake, and a man terrorized the town for personal reasons. Suppose you didn''t know it was a man. How would you investigate a phantom?"


    Felix nodded as he closed his eyes. "Hmm¡­ Easy! I shall throw a stone at the thing. If it goes through, then it''s a phantom. If it strikes, the creature will screech; if it''s a man, it will cry in pain."


    The interviewers frowned. The answers were very unconventional, as most would say they wouldy a trap or try to exorcize it with a light crystal. But here Felix was, saying he''d just stone the thing.


    "What if the phantom is a hundred meters away?" Saint Wazir asked.


    Felix smirked with confidence oozing, and showed a thumbs up. "No worries, respected seniors, I can throw a ten kilo stone five hundred meters away as of now."


    "..."


    The five old men looked at each other''s faces with a frown. They missed Sylvester''s answers immediately, but they could not say what Felix was saying was wrong. It was just a very simplistic approach.


    "Priest Felix, please wait outside. We shall announce the results shortly." Saint Wazir ordered.


    "Thank you for giving me your time, seniors." Felix saluted and left.


    Once the door closed, the five erupted in the discussion, wondering if they should allow Felix or not.


    "Does he even have the mental capacity to be an inspector? He appears more of a warrior to me than a thinker," one of them said.


    "But we cannot deny that he is indeed very resourceful. He''s the son of Count Sandwall, the strongest county in the Gracia Kingdom in terms of power. Priest Felix can be an asset to the cause of Sanctum Inspectors." Another added.


    Saint Wazir, however, stayed silent as he had already received the instructions from the Holy Father and those decisions were absolute. He could have a say in it, but he could never decide on his own.


    "We shall allow him. Let us not forget that Priest Felix is paired with Priest Sylvester. The bard and the sword, that''s the goal. Priest Sylvester can be both the brain and the muscle, while Priest Felix can protect the back. The two are under-experienced and underpowered for this work, so we can not separate them. At the same time, Priest Felix has shown he can indeed solve problems. Our personal biases should not hinder our judgment."


    Well, now that Saint Wazir had spoken, others'' opinions didn''t matter anyway, so they all shut up and ticked the right ces on the evaluation chart.


    Soon, Felix was called back and informed he had passed and should regroup with Sylvester.


    Felix was thrilled and ran out to find Sylvester and hugged his best friend. "Your n worked, Max. Acting dumb and giving simple answers was enough for them."


    Sylvester chuckled and started walking. He had devised the n after taking a mock interview of Felix in which the guy failed miserably. It was understandable that Felix had no experience in the real world as an investigator. He had never looked for or caught a murderer.


    He knew they would pass Felix as long as he was not outright bad. Hence the acting operation dumb was nned.


    "Let''s go now; we''re going to leave tomorrow. So it''s time we do some shopping."


    "What''s the assignment?" Felix excitedly asked.<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester passed him the papers and let him read. The two headed straight to the dorms to pick up Gabriel, Markus, and Sir Dolorem. All of them needed to select a horse and a carriage, and also some clothes.


    "This bastard!" Felix cursed after reading the crime report. "We have to find and kill him."


    "Don''t let your hate blind your bnced mind, Felix. That''s what fools do, and it gets you killed. " Sylvester warned quickly. But he was not angered. Felix was 17, and such anger wasmon in boys of such age.


    "I thought people were smart enough to know they should never hurt Bright Mothers. They are the kindest of all people," Felix growled.


    As true as it may be, Sylvester knew why some folks would do this. "Some people are just mad. They think doing something otherwise unattainable by themon masses is an achievement. For this, they do deserve death."


    "I will plop that man''s head like a melon if I get to him."


    As they spoke, they arrived at the School of Dawn and found their threepanions waiting. Sir Dolorem was already in his armor, but when was he not?


    "You passed?"


    Sylvester and Felix showed their identification.


    "Not only have we passed, but we have our first assignment. It''s to hunt and kill a heathen who harms bright mothers." Sylvester handed the papers to Sir Dolorem. "Let''s go and check our allotted equipment. We will be getting one horse each."


    "I hope it''s a big mighty stallion, befitting my might." Felix demandingly wished as he was always proud of his height and muscles.


    "I''d say a pony would suit better." Markus mocked.


    Felix walked beside Markus and wrapped his arm around the guy''s shoulder. "Says the guy who got kicked by a horse in training."


    "That was just one time, Felix. And it didn''t even hurt me." Marcus defended his honor.


    Sylvester and the rest ignored their bickering and arrived at the stables as per the n. Horses were roaming around there or eating, appearing wild. The whole ce was located in the Guild''s Penins, as most of the business in the Holy Land happened from there. However, this stable was assigned for Church services only.


    When they arrived, they found a stable master, an ordinary man of the lowest clergy rank.


    Sylvester showed the man appropriate request documents. "We will need five horses and a horse carriage."


    "Of course, respected priests. Before I take you to the horses, I shall show you the carriage. It is thest remaining piece, but I assure you, it''s the finest among them all. It''s durable and has a waterproof roof."


    Sylvester felt there was something wrong with the tone of the man. It didn''t feel as if he was genuinely praising the carriage but rather trying to fool them. ''You can lie with words, but not smells.''


    "Here, just behind this storage." The stable master opened a wide wooden door of an outhouse and entered. He walked to a piece of cloth covering somethingrge and stood beside it. "Here it is, the beauty. I''m sure it will help you in your many future endeavors."


    Woosh!¡ª


    "This carriage is assigned to all of you, respected holy men." The stable master lifted off the cloth.


    "Is this it?" Felix eximed after seeing the carriage.


    "This is a bit¡­cking," Gabriel muttered.


    ''Is this some sort of a joke?'' Sylvester wondered and went ahead to check the carriage.


    He looked at its wheels, they were made of wood, and the nails were already squeezing out. There were also some cracks, while the roof cover was made of a piece of white cloth as it was torn from different parts. Even the floor in the back had holes in it, and the wood was rotting in some ces. The thing was just newly polished to look good.


    Then, finally, the seats. They were made of hardwood and looked ufortable to sit on.


    He looked at the stable master with an annoyed face. "Why must you make our journey tougher and have us suffer? At least tell me you have good horses."


    The stable master looked away and instantly gave four heart attacks.


    "I have three horses in trained condition. One more is under training. However, a new batch just arrived a month ago. But they need time."


    "So weck two horses?" Gabriel asked.


    "One!" Sir Dolorem interjected. "I have my own horse."


    Sylvester sighed and rubbed his face. "Fine, when life gives you a lemon, you make lemonade. Show us the horses."


    ___________________


    SWEET SWEET STONE?


    **669 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 69 69. Yeah, Boy!

    The horses were neighing as Sylvester, and the group entered the small enclosure where the horses were kept. The horses looked at them with interest, at the new faces.


    "These three are the trained ones, and that biggest one is under training. Two of the trained ones are mares, while one is a stallion. That unruly under-training one is also a stallion." The stable master informed them.


    Sir Dolorem was already checking the three horses to see if they were good. He wondered if thest carriage was left because it was the worst. Won''t the horses be the same? The worst ones would be left.


    But, he was surprised. "These three are as good as any horse."


    "That''s because they just returned. A group of preachers had taken them to the nearby town."


    "I want that one! The biggest!" Felix quickly pointed toward the under-training white horse.


    But Stable Master was not so sure if he wanted to give the horse away. "Ugh, It''d be better if you don''t take him. Well, it''s very unruly, and¡­ and it has tried to mate with the mares 69 times. It''s as if the horse is always in heat."


    "Max, you can take that one. I''m taking this stallion." Felix quickly changed his mind. "I''d rather be with a smaller stallion than a horny one."


    Gabriel chortled. "Pfft¡­ just like you."


    "Why did you not geld it in time? He''s an adult now." Sylvester asked the man.


    "We got it muchter, as its previous owner died falling from its back. Something must have happened to it. That''s why it''s acting like this."


    Sylvester walked towards the horse while talking to Miraj secretly. "Try to talk to that horse and scare it to be obedient to me."


    "Aye aye, Maxy." Miraj jumped away andnded on the horse''s back.


    It alerted the horny beast, as it could feel something was on its back but not see it. However, it had undoubtedly calmed down once Miraj started to speak near its ears.


    Miraj had no idea if he could talk with animals, as he had never seen anything other than birds in his long life. So he gave it his best, also making his voice sound low-pitched to scare better.


    "Oye Oye¡­ are you courting death? Look at that man, strong and handsome, my son. Obey him, stop being horny, or he will chop you and eat you." Miraj sounded like a typical bad guy.


    Sylvester saw the interaction happening with interest. Miraj had not said anything in a differentnguage, so he had zero hopes something would happen.


    But he was wrong; something did happen.


    "Nehehe¡­!"


    Bam!¡ªSylvester caught Miraj in his arms as the cat was thrown away.


    Sylvester sighed and walked to stand in front of the horse and look it in the eye. He was feeling emotions from this beast. It was a mixture of fear, lust, excitement, and rage. ''Hmm, why are its eyes a little dted?''


    "What have you been feeding it?" Sylvester asked.


    "We don''t feed them anything. We just let them go out in the open and graze on the fields. We have walled the wholend, so we don''t worry for them much."


    Considering stable master''s words, Sylvester thought of a possibility. "Go and check the grounds. There must be something it ate that''s doing this."


    "Grass is making him mate with 69 mares?"


    "It does not necessarily have to be grass. Send someone to look for anything peculiar growing in yournd. Take this horse with you, and maybe it will guide you to it. Meanwhile, stable master, let''s talk about the carriage." Sylvester didn''t care much about the horses. They could take them from the guilds, too, for a price. But the carriage was the main thing, as they shall be sleeping in it, using it to transport people.


    As they returned to the warehouse where the carriage was, they felt it appear even uglier.


    "Are you sure this is it? We''re supposed to catch criminals, not sell vegetables. This carriage is mainly used for transporting goods." Sylvester uttered in a scolding tone.


    "Ugh¡­ Priest¡­ this is all we have. All other carriages have been taken by clergy members. Usually, anytime the carriages are returned, they get taken away immediately. If you can wait a day or two, then maybe I can get you a good stagecoach."


    Sylvester sighed and looked at the ugly thing on wheels. "Time is something I don''t have, sadly. Do you have spare parts? I wish to make some repairs to it before I take it."


    The Stablemaster nodded quickly. That would be a win-win for him anyway. "Of course, we have many broken carriages in the other warehouse. Use whatever you want from it. I shall go and call the carpenter and cksmith."


    However, Sylvester rolled up his sleeves and stopped the man. "No need; I shall make the changes myself. Just bring the tools."


    "Max, what are you nning?" Felix inquired interestedly.


    Sylvester instead picked up an ax from nearby and handed it to the man. "I need you to rip off the reinsman seats. I shall not allow our asses to suffer."


    ¡­


    They only had one day to make all the necessary changes and improvements. So all the boys and Sir Dolorem, who was a jack of all trades, got to work.


    Sylvester had all the ns in his mind. They were little things that could make significant changes. First of all, they needed more storage. They could not just throw everything in the back. For example, they needed a dry ce to keep their tents, utensils, spices, and sugar.<sub> </sub>


    At the same time, a few major improvements he made to the floor of the carriage. First, he reced the rotting wood. After that, his focus was on the wheels. Initially, they were too big and thick, and more prone to being stuck in the mud.


    So he entirely changed them by using smaller wheels, however, these were reinforced with steel around the circumference. This gave them a lot of durability.


    After all the structural things, he focused onfort. For this, he made a simple spring frame with metal for the base of the reinsman seat. Then added some leather cushioning to the seat. And atst, for better visibility at night, added side frames for hangingmps.


    From the morning to evening, all the way until the sun wasn''t out of their sight, they worked on the carriage and made it worthy of being the seat of two God''s Favored.


    "Let''s hope you know what you are doing," Markus muttered as he wiped off his sweat.


    Sylvester scoffed, wondering if he might have just revolutionized the carriages and stagecoaches by introducing a spring, as he had not seen the thing until now.


    "I''m tired now, Priest Sylvester." The stable master was also there, as Sylvester didn''t let the man leave and made him work.


    "I found it!" However, just then, a man came running. His clothes and face looked mudded, but he had a smile.


    "The horse was eating this all this time. I ate too, and it made my¡­ my tool erect!"


    Sylvester walked forward and took the nt the man had brought. He sniffed it first and then took a small bite. ''Wait, isn''t this¡­ Ginseng?''


    "Let me try." The stable master also tried to take one piece.


    But Sylvester stopped him. "No! It could be poisonous!"


    At the same time, he spoke with Miraj secretly. "Boy, go and store all the roots this man found in your belly! But remember, don''t eat it, or you will be like that horse."


    "Let the church do their investigation on this before you eat it. Ah, look outside. It''ste at night. We should leave now." Sylvester took away all the samples the man had brought.


    ''Thend belongs to the church. They will do nothing with it anyway.'' He thought and decided to sell these rootster outside to some noble as a cure for erectile dysfunction. It may not always work, but even as hope, it was worth a lot.


    But the problem still persisted. "So, is that horse considered fine then? Because this root was causing the behavioral disorder? Sir Dolorem, can you check it?"


    "Of course."


    As Sir Dolorem went to check the horse, Felix and Gabriel went to tie it to the carriage with two horses. While Marcus got onto the third.


    Eventually, Sir Dolorem approved the stallion. "It''s not the best, but it''s trained enough to ride on it. You can likely handle it, Priest Sylvester."


    "Great! It''s time to head home then. Sir Dolorem, get on the carriage." Sylvester jumped on top of his horse and rode out of the stables.


    As they slowly left, he noticed Mirajing back, running. He jumped over and sat down in front of Sylvester.


    However, Sylvester noticed something. "Chonky, you ate it, didn''t you? I told you not to."


    "I didn''t, you didn''t see me eat it."


    "Yeah? Then why are you panting? And show me your eyes."


    Miraj red back, wanting to prove his innocence.


    Sadly, there was none. "Dted eyes, you ate it. You''re not sleeping on the bed tonight."


    "Nooooo¡­!" Miraj screamed towards the sky with his paws high, cursing his luck because it really sucked.


    He knocked on Miraj''s fluffy head and made him sit down silently. Then they rode back to Pope''s Penins, tied their horses, and parked the carriage in the stables.


    Sylvester ordered them around as he and Felix held the authority this time. "We shall head out tomorrow morning. The destination is not decided yet. I will have to analyze all the information tonight first.


    "Don''t bete. Felix, sleep early. You don''t wake up on time otherwise. I will see you in the morning."


    With that, he and Sir Dolorem left for their residences. As it was in the same direction, they spoke while strolling.


    "You should just call me Sylvester when we''re not in official ces. Adding Priest behind my name is strange." He suggested to the man who considered him a son.


    Sir Dolorem chuckled. "Get used to it, Priest Sylvester, soon you will be called Archpriest, then Lord as a Bishop, Your Grace as an Arch Bishop, and then His Eminence as a Cardinal. These words are meant to instill grandeur in the minds of the masses. They are necessary."


    Sylvester sighed as he reached Bright Mother''s residence. "I do hope we''re not so grand that the masses can''t even feel one with us¡ªas that would only give more ground to Anti-Light Sect. Well, good night, Sir Dolorem."


    As he left, Sir Dolorem watched Sylvester in wonder and nodded in affirmation to himself. ''Yes, he''s the one¡ªif not him, then nobody can.''

 Chapter 70 [BONUS] 70. Race Against Time

    It was theirst night in the Holy Land, but Sylvester decided to spend it with Xavia instead, as he''d be with his friends anyway.


    She was already frightened for him, worrying about how he was going to survive outside. She knew her son was strong but feared for his blood identity.


    "Don''t worry, if I want to keep getting the benefits from the Church, I have to prove myself too. And honestly, this work is not too harsh for me, because I will be away from the Holy Land, as I feel most threatened here." He tried calming her and ate dinner.


    Ever since the whole Romel deal a few days ago, their rtionship had not been on good terms. He did not talk much with her, while Xavia was too afraid to anger him more.


    But Sylvester wished to at least leave after giving her some peace of mind. "You should eat healthy when I leave. I know you bezy when I''m not around."


    Xavia nodded her head as if she was the kid in this situation.


    "And you don''t need to overwork yourself. We''re just ves to the faith. We get nothing in return but hollow praises. So you better rest whenever you can¡­ I wouldn''t like it if something were to happen to you."


    "I will." She chirped obediently.


    "If you face any problems, just ask the Inquisitors. They are a bunch of scoundrels in most cases, but when ites to me, they are always near orgasmic. Remember, mother, until I''m not a Grand Wizard, in fact, even then, living here will be a hazard." He added, ensuring she knew all the warnings beforehand.


    Xavia looked at Sylvester''s face. Her eyes twinkled as if on the verge of tearing up. She was, in fact, thankful to him and admired him, for being wise beyond his age. "Max, please take care of yourself. I knew your life would be one of hardships once they called you God''s Favored. I never wanted this, but fate gave it to us."


    "I don''t me you, mum. You did what you did to survive. But just remember, even a puppy can bite when hurt or annoyed. Never forget that you must always keep your head high. Look people in the eyes with confidence, and if someone tries harming you, then I am with you. Remember, once you show weakness, they will shred you to pieces.


    "Even if you''re scared, even if all the odds are stacked against you, never show fear or doubt¡ªNever!"


    Xavia nodded her head firmly and agreed with his words. She did live her life in fear all this while, but slowly Sylvester was helping her gain her confidence back.


    "Also, we have enough money to afford any home items you want. Get new utensils, new flower pots, get a paintbrush and a canvas to draw. You''ve run enough. Nobody will harm you for enjoying some time for yourself." He advised as he finished his meal and got up.


    "I need to prepare; I will be leaving at dawn. Have a serial murderer and r*pist to catch and kill. Good night." He washed his dishes in the kitchen and left silently.


    All the while Xavia watched him and regretted them being in the Church.


    Inside the locked room of Sylvester, he got Miraj to sit at the table. "Chonky, show me all our collected wealth. Before we leave, we should sort it out in smaller bags so you can hand me a certain bag whenever I need it."


    "Okay." Miraj started to, as usual, vomit. But he had gotten used to it and had be a master of controlling power. So he didn''t cover the things in saliva anymore.


    "Uwaaaa¡­"


    It was as if he had won a lottery from a machine. The hoard of gold coins and precious items came like a wave and covered half of the room. It was very loud too.


    Knock! Knock!


    "Max, what happened? I heard a loud noise. Are you okay?"


    "It''s nothing, mum. I was just practicing my light magic and air magic. You can go to sleep, I won''t make any more noises." He replied and waited for her to leave his door.


    Then he looked around in amazement and pride. He used to be a fake industrialist in the Soviet Union, so he was well aware of earning and managing ck money. But, seeing this much made him feel proud for some reason.


    "This is at least a few hundred thousand Gold Graces¡­ and all these jewelry, rubies, and diamonds. We really are the biggest robbers, it seems, Chonky. Nowe and help me stack them."


    So the two boys sat side by side and counted their loot. Sylvester was happy that he took the cat in because having him made his life a bit easier. Meanwhile, Miraj was delighted he took Sylvester in because having him around kept him busy and fed.


    It took them a few hours to sort everything into small bags of ten thousand Gold Graces. Sylvester never told Miraj to take anything below a gold.


    But, he overestimated a little. "So there are about 120,069 Gold Graces, three gold rings, ten gold chains, one hundred diamonds, and nearly a thousand rubies. Ah¡­ also the fake eye of that Archbishop and¡­ what are these, Chonky? Where are there pebbles?"


    Suddenly Miraj jumped over to hide the little shining colorful pebbles. "So smooth and shiny. They are my pebbles, Maxy. I like them, so I keep them."


    Honestly, he felt like hugging the cat at that moment. Sometimes Miraj was just the joy of his heart. He chuckled and nodded. "Sure, if you like it. Keep as many pebbles as you want. I will even help look for new pebbles."


    "You will?"


    "Why not? Everyone deserves to have a hobby. It can be anything. For me, it''s craftsmanship and restoration. For Felix, it''s polishing his armor and sword. For Gabriel, it''s praying to the lord, and for Markus¡­ Well, I don''t want to think about his hobby.


    "Anyway, store all this back in and sleep. It''s going to be a long journey tomorrow."


    "Meow." Miraj gave a thumbs up, something he learned watching Felix.


    ¡­


    Another day, nothing new. The birds tweeted around the window; the sun was peeking from the horizon, reminding everyone to get up and do the same thing they did yesterday.


    Sylvester''s eyes opened automatically. His brain clock was strong at this stage. He had learned the art of taking a nap anywhere, any time you can get some sce to stay fresh.


    He got up, took a bath, groomed Miraj''s fur a bit, and picked his bags to head out. His battle equipment was already at the school, so all he took from home were some clothes.


    "Good luck, Max" Xavia came out of her room, meekly looking at him.


    Sylvester sighed and returned to hug her so that she''d feel better these days. "Take care. I will have to return to make a detailed report, so it''s not like I''m leaving forever. See you in a few days."


    All he felt from Xavia was an unadulterated odor of motherly love. That was the only reason he stuck around her; otherwise, he''d have broken all his ties.<sub> </sub>


    He could feel she was watching him all the way until he disappeared from the corridor and walked downstairs. Then she watched him go from the window until she could no longer.


    Sylvester soon arrived at the School of Dawn. The air was particrly chilling that day, reminding that the cold winter was arriving soon.


    "Is everyone ready?" He noticed Sir Dolorem, Gabriel, and Felix were present.


    Gabriel frowned all of a sudden. "Markus is not with you?"


    "Me? Why would he be with me? I saw him with you threest night." Sylvester responded. "Is he not in the room?"


    "No, it''s empty. All his luggage is gone. It''s not in the carriage either¡­ and his horse is gone too." Felix added.


    ''What tricks are those in the high castle ying now?''


    "Let''s go and check around the administration building. I have a feeling they''d know where he is." Sylvester suggested.


    Without question, they all got on their horses and rushed to check. It was not too far away since it was all on Pope''s Penins.


    "I should go." Sir Dolorem volunteered. "They might not tell you, seeing your age and rank. I''m known around here very well."


    "You have my thanks." Sylvester allowed him.


    As they waited, he wondered what could be the reason for this disappearance. There was nothing much special about Markus except the fact he was too flexible.


    "Did you check his room correctly? Was there any note left by him?" He asked.


    But the two denied it.


    "Both of us checked every corner of the room, but there was nothing," said Gabriel.


    "He''s been reassigned." Sir Dolorem returned just then. "He was reassigned on an emergency basis and sent away. They didn''t tell me what profession, but I believe some intelligence office took him in."


    "Intelligence? He''s not even that smart, and he has dyslexia!" Sylvester eximed.


    "Dyslexia?" Sir Dolorem wondered what that strange word was.


    "Just the term I have for Markus'' situation. But the matter stands, why such a hurry and him?" He wondered.


    "It will take me some time, but I can likely get more information if I''m careful. But¡­ we''re leaving the Holy Land." Sir Dolorem suggested, but they were helpless.


    Sylvester tried to think of a way to find him. But it was impossible without any information of his whereabouts.


    He sighed helplessly. "We can''t dy our assignment either, or we''ll get penalized. So our only option is to catch this heathen quickly and return."


    "Agreed." Sir Dolorem responded.


    They all returned to the school with saddened faces and heavy hearts to get the carriage. But now theycked one horse, and a mare with a stallion can''t be put to pull the carriage.


    "Felix, let your stallion and mine pull. You take Gab''s mare. He and I will ride on the carriage." He suggested.


    They were not in the mood to argue anyway, so Felix gave up his stallion. But he didn''t take Gabriel''s mare and instead sat beside Sylvester in the reinsman seat.


    "Let''s go." He said.


    Sylvester nodded and loosened the reins and slightly whipped the horses with it. With that, they were on the move, headed towards the exit of the Holy Land, with a heavy heart and opposite of what they had nned.


    "Wait!"


    However, before they crossed the Holy Land''s borders, a man came galloping on his horse, appearing tired and tense.


    "I need Priest Sylvester Maximilian!"


    "Here." Sylvester waved the hand at the Running Man, the world''s postmen of sorts.


    "The letter was sent from Saint Wazir''s office¡ªIt''s urgent!"


    Sylvester quickly opened it and read it carefully. Momentarily a frown was apparent on his face. The mission that was already rushed now got hastened.


    "That heathen!¡ªHe got another Bright Mother!"


    ___________________


    WHERE MY FOOD?


    **1069 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 71 71. Best Hobby

    The investigation was not going to be easy. Sylvester tried to be as fast as possible, but that didn''t mean he could be ignorant.


    "Stop! We are not going to kill you!"


    At the moment, Sylvester and Felix were chasing a man suspected to be a local creep in a town near where thest victim was found. Someone had seen the local creep taking the body with him.


    And when Sylvester and the team reached there and started asking around, the man made a run for it on his horse. Felix and Sylvester had their horses with them, so they also chased.


    But when someone like Felix shouts at somebody and says he''s not going to kill, the other person will definitely think he''s lying, and death is imminent.


    Sylvester had to take the matter into his own hands. He showed his palm while on the horse and sent out light. Then he started singing... more like bellowing a hymn. "Fear not, Child of Solis, for you have not sinned. Fear the sinner whose fate is in your hands--hinged."


    As the man nced back, he was greeted by a mesmerizing view of Sylvester. Of course, at this point, Sylvester was not a cute child anymore, but still, he was handsome enough to affect even the men, especially when singing a hymn.


    The man stopped his horse suddenly and jumped down to kneel. "F-Forgive me... my lord! Please forgive me. I didn''t mean to take that body... I was just... I wanted to study it."


    Sylvester was honestly disgusted, but he remained calm. At times, you have to call a donkey a dad. "What study, child of the light?"


    The man confessed to his sins. "I... I just wanted to... see the body of a bright mother and how it''s different from normal women."


    "..."


    Sylvester and Felix looked at each other''s faces, appalled by what they heard.


    "Why would you think they are any different from ordinary women? They are all the same except their worship for the lord." Sylvester said.


    "But... they are considered pure! I wanted to see what that meant."


    Felix scoffed as he bellowed at the man. "That means they are either virgins or rejectying with men. That''s it. I don''t know why you would think something else, but tell us now, when did you pick the body? Did you see who threw it?"


    "Tell us, child of light," Sylvester chimed.


    Acting as bad cops, good cops seemed to work, as the man confessed. "I saw him throw the body. That''s why I took it before the monastery could."


    Sylvester stepped down from his horse and walked to the man. He ruffled his hair and politely asked. "Can you tell me what he looked like? About his height, or anything peculiar about him?"


    The man looked at Sylvester''s face in worship. "Yes, my lord. I did not see his face as it was covered with robes. However, when I saw his left hand, it was badly burned. And... he had red eyes--I felt scared just looking at him."


    "What about his horse? What did it look like?" Felix questioned.


    The man tried to remember it with all his focus. "It was... It was ck... tall, and had a hairy tail."


    "A mare or a stallion?" Sylvester pressed.


    "I believe it was a stallion. It was too tall."


    "Which way did he go?" he asked further.


    "Towards Ranthburg... unless he went offroad. I don''t know anything else, my lord. I am not a sinner... please bless me." The man cried again on his knees.


    Sylvester nodded and said a short rhyme for him that made a halo appear behind his head.


    "Sinner knows not when sinned.


    As unknowingly as the flowing wind.


    But the lord sees all and judges.


    His words are absolute.


    His actions are just.


    For he does not hold grudges."


    "W-what?"


    "Felix." Sylvester stepped back suddenly.


    In response, Felix came forward and shed his sword swiftly, beheading the man without any pain.


    "His mind was too corrupt. If not today, then tomorrow he''d sin. For a man obsessed with dead bodies, one day when he can''t find them, he''d make them." Sylvester muttered.


    Felix didn''t mind killing him either. "He was a lowly runt who was sick in mind. No need to think much about him."


    "Indeed. Let''s go." Sylvester used Earth runes to make a grave for the man, then he put the body in it and burned it. This was the easiest way to prevent him from turning into a Creature of Night.


    Then they got on their horses and followed the trail. Sylvester, meanwhile, wrote in his report book. "In every instance, the man appears in a town or vige near a forest or arge overgrown area. So I believe the conclusion by the previous inspectors that this man is a hunter is right. But I''d rather not take it to heart. What if the man is doing things just to confuse us?


    ? "He has not been caught for this long by many senior inspectors. There has to be something he''s doing that we have not thought of yet."


    Felix had an idea suddenly and blurted. "What if it''s not just one man? Otherwise, how would you exin the killer appearing in distant ces so fast?"<sub> </sub>


    "I thought of that too. Thest attack urred in Molgoth vige, while this fool said the killer was moving towards Ranthburg. The pattern is too jumbled up." Sylvester muttered in deep thought.


    "I hope Gab and Sir Dolorem find something."


    The two made their way towards Ranthburg while keeping an eye on any clue they could find. They also went off-road whenever they noticed even a hint of a trail leading to any forests nearby. They came across many wild animals on their way, but they didn''t kill them as that would be a waste of meat.


    It was just their 3rd day, and things did not look very good. They were just praying that no other bright mother was killed before they could put an end to this menace.


    ...


    At the same time, in another direction, not too far from Sylvester, Sir Dolorem and Gabriel entered a small vige to meet the local clergy and ask them about what was happening.


    However, as they arrived at the small Monastery, they were surprised to see there was another man--old and kind looking--investigating the same case, but he was not from the church. However, what shocked them the most was that the old man had a blonde beard, hair, and golden eyes.


    Gabriel rubbed his own eyes, feeling it was just Sylvester but older. Sir Dolorem even directly asked him. "Do you know someone named Xavia?"


    "Xavia? That''s a unique name. I''d remember if I heard it before."


    Gabriel looked at him in wonder. "Are you a clergy too?"


    "Haha, no, I am an adventurer and a concerned citizen. I like Bright Mothers, the gentle women. I hate it when good people are hurt. Ah, I didn''t introduce myself. I''m Jax, the golden eye. I got a bit of a name in Masan Empire." Jax cheerfully revealed.


    Gabriel and Sir Dolorem took long breaths as they felt the man seemed too simr to Sylvester in all but age.


    However, Sir Dolorem was smart enough not to trust the information provided by an adventurer. As the clergymen from the Holy Land, their investigation needed to be independent of any influence.


    "I just spoke to the Archpriest in the Monastery. And I am heading to the Vine Forest, as all my leads lead me there. Do you wish to join me, respected clergymen?" Jax asked.


    Gabriel let Sir Dolorem deal with this, knowing his inexperience. "What are the leads that you found?"


    With a sigh, Jax took out a diary and handed it to Sir Dolorem. "I''ve been tracking him for a year now, and all the clues tell me the Vine forest is the ce he hides... or they hide."


    That raised everyone''s eyebrows. Sir Dolorem silently read the whole diary and frowned from time to time. There were finer details about each victim that were not even present in the official church report.


    "How did you find all these details?" He asked.


    "Let''s just say I have a disorder that forces me to overanalyze things. The daggers used to cut the bodies were different, yet the pattern was the same."


    "That''s why you think it''s teamwork?" Gabriel eximed.


    "Indeed, look more. You will find morepelling evidence."


    Sir Dolorem read more and found the testimony of people who imed they saw the killer. Each time the description of height and horse was different, while the clothes were the same. Soon, he reached the end, where the Vine Forest was pinpointed because of the direction of each killer''s escape.


    Sometimes it was vague, but if one were to focus on the forest, the direction matched due to the roads eventually leading there.


    "I think we should check the forest. But we need to inform our superiors first. They are not too far away." Sir Dolorem decided. But at the same time, he made a mental note to keep an eye on this blonde man. Because things seemed too convenient at the moment.


    Jax was happy to havepany. "No problem, let''s go there together."


    ...


    "Yup, it''s a team job." Sylvester reached the same conclusion around the same time. Why? Because he found the same road pattern as Jax. Of course, he was not as sure, however. But after plotting all the locations of crimes and escape directions on the map, everything pointed towards the Vine forest, as it was the only hiding location.


    The Vine forest was located at the border of Gracia and Riveria Kingdom''s easternmost edge, touching the Blood Sea. It was also called Broken Mangroves sometimes, as the area was cut into smaller pieces with deep water ditches.


    The ce was uninhabitable, so it was easy to spot that a group of murderers was heading in that direction. However, that also made Sylvester take this clue with a grain of salt because if he could so easily spot this, most likely other inspectors did too.


    Could it be a fake trail they were following? He had to think of backups too, but that didn''t mean he could ignore the Vine forest.


    "Felix, let''s meet Sir Dolorem and Gab. We need to head in there and kill these men. Prepare your tools and all the magic crystals you have."


    "My de is never not sharp, Max. You need to think about your spear."


    Sylvester nced at the spear that hung on the back. He was annoyed that he could not simply just go to see Viscount Gordon Mineworth and learn metal maniption from him.


    "I will eventually learn everything about it... first, we got some heathens to the massacre."


    Felix grinned. "Ah, my favorite hobby."


    ___________________


    STONE IS STONK!


    **1069 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 72 72. Vine Forest

    Sylvester truly felt the need for some modernmunication devices at that moment. There was no way of quickly telling Sir Dolorem and Gabriel about his decision to go to the Vine Forest. He had to physically head back to find the two.


    "I don''t like the feeling of this, the Vine Forest is an unmapped area, and if the sinners are hiding there, they likely know the ce better than us. So they can easily hide from us and attack us from ces we wouldn''t expect." Sylvester muttered.


    He wanted some more assurance that no matter what they find in there, they can actually defeat it. He''d rather not have one more Goldstown incident on his head at the start of his career.


    "What do you suggest?" Felix asked.


    "We need to go to Ranthburg Town first. It''s thergest town in Gracia Kingdom''s south. We will likely find a garrison of Inquisitors there, and I think they will be happy to help me." He nned.


    The two moved on the dirt road towards Ranthburg town. Their way passed through the Evergreen Mountains. It had blossoming flowers and fruit-producing trees all around the year.


    But the whole ce was packed with trees, making it hard to look much farther. This wasmon in the South of Gracia and the whole of Riveria Kingdoms, as the two kingdoms had the highest crop production and green cover.


    Sadly, that also meant unsafe woods for travelers. Thieves, murderers, creatures of the night, all such things haunt themoners, as securing the roads at all times was an excruciatingly expensive task that no one wanted to embark on.


    There was a saying. ''Getting mugged ain''t no fun, and there is nowhere to run.''


    From one look, it was clear why this was said. Nobody can run away from thieves who live their whole lives in the mountains.


    The two first made their way to meet Sir Dolorem and Gabriel. However, for that, they had to go back, but thankfully they met in the middle.


    However, Sylvester was shocked when he saw the old man with blond hair, beard, and golden eyes. He felt he was looking at himself, but maybe a few hundred years down the line. Although, he didn''t think this could be his father.


    Likewise, the old man was surprised to see another person with golden eyes. This was so rare he had not seen another one with such in his whole life. "Are you by any chance rted to me?"


    Sir Dolorem chuckled at the reaction from Jax. "This is Priest Sylvester Maximilian, the Lord''s Bard, Adventurer Jax. I doubt he''s rted to you if you''ve lived most of your life in the West."


    Sylvester eyed the man with suspicion. He didn''t feel any sincerity from him, no matter what he was saying. However, it didn''t feel like an outright lie.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Jax. So you will be joining us?" Sylvester asked him.


    Jax nodded his head and respectfully replied. "I am, respected priest. This humble servant of the Lord is forever happy to help you."


    ''Lies!'' Sylvester caught it instantly as he felt sourness in his mouth.


    ''What''s this man''s goal now?'' Sylvester wondered. But he didn''t speak just yet, as that was counterproductive.


    "Great, let''s move to Ranthburg first. Then, we shall take the Holy Road to enter the Riviera Kingdom and move east from there." He did not tell them what he was nning, however.


    He tried to find out more about the supposed adventurer that appeared out of nowhere along the way. "So, what brought here from the west? I reckon the Masan Empire is not too bad. It''s rich and still powerful."


    "It is, but also corrupt. They face the same problem as any, too big to administer, and hence corruption is rampant. As a result, many people are moving either south or east in search of a better life, away from the corrupt officials." Jax revealed, but he didn''t stop there. "I, instead, work to help people cross over the variousnd boundaries as traveling can be quite dangerous. And when I heard about the murders of Bright Mothers, I knew my calling hade."


    ''What a bastard, almost everything is a lie!'' Sylvester caught it all fairly quickly. By now, he knew that this man was either a spy or someone with ulterior motives for him.


    Knowing the man was a lost cause, he moved near Sir Dolorem and asked him about the Vine Forest. "Was there ever anyrge poption living inside the Vine Forest? Perhaps before or during the war?"


    Sir Dolorem tried to think about it. "Hmm... There have been no such findings as far as I know. Forget having people living there; even traversing around is hard. Even if you have a dinghy, it''s impossible to move because you don''t know the waterways."


    "So we''re going to need a local guide? Let''s hope the garrisons in Ranthburg have someone there."


    The five slowly made their way to the town. They had parked their carriage in the Molgoth vige as they were going offroad. Doing that also allowed them to go faster.


    Traveling through the Evergreen Mountains and the various farnds that came after, they arrived at thest town of the Gracia Kingdom.


    It wasrge and full of activity as it was thest point before entering Riveria. Not to mention, the church''s presence was much more here.


    Sylvester had the authority as a Sanctum Inspector, so he directly headed into the local Inquisitor camp, manned by an Inquisitor General, a position just below the Inquisitor High Lord.


    The man was an Arch Wizard with a clergy position of Archbishop and looked old as most people of his status. He was a pure wizard with no knightly talent, but in Holy Inquisitors, the magic was often more helpful in major circumstances.


    Sylvester was granted a meeting with the man in the camp full of tents. And since Sir Dolorem was high in the Holy Inquisitors'' administration, his clout was even more.


    "I am Priest Sylvester Maximilian, Sanctum Inspector. I need some men toe with me into the Vine Forest. We suspect the people behind the recent killings of Bright Mothers are hiding in there." Sylvester was direct and precise in talks.


    "Greetings, Inspector. I am Inquisitor General Van Joseph. I''ve heard much about you from the traveling clergymening from the Holy Land. If I don''t help the bard, I know Lord Inquisitor will make my life hard... haha. How many men do you need?" The man replied in a mellow tone.


    This was the case with most Inquisitors. They were not usually repulsive, abusive people but just acted that way with civilians to keep the fear among the masses.


    Sylvester thought about the killings and the more clues he got from Jax, which he felt were true. "How many men do you have?"


    "I have four battalions here, each having 1500 men. Two of them are currently deployed, so we only have the remaining two. How many enemies do you suspect?"<sub> </sub>


    That was the problem. They had no idea. "We don''t know, but they are heathens, good as hunters, and possibly have a hidden motive behind the killing; noted from the specific way of mutting the bodies.


    "I would ask for at least onepany toe with us... and some guides who know how to travel the Vine Forest."


    The Inquisitor General immediately agreed. "That''s it? I thought you''d need whole battalions. Well, if all you need is apany, then take it. I shall assign you the best one we have here, and the best guides will apany you."


    Bam!


    As soon as the old man mmed his staff to the ground, his adjutant stepped into the tent. "General?"


    "Call in Holy Commander Arnold. I have a task for him, and tell the water wizards to prepare to go into Vine Forest."


    "Right away, General."


    Sylvester and Sir Dolorem made small talk with the old man as they waited. Then, as always, the man asked Sylvester for a hymn, but he had to reject, knowing if he obliged once, he''d be asked all the time.


    Eventually, themander named Arnold appeared, a big muscr Golden Knight, a rank although on the same number as Arch Wizard, but much weaker in terms of power.


    "Son, go with Sanctum Inspectors and kill the heathens responsible for murdering Bright Mothers. They hide in Vine Forest--leave not even their ashes there."


    ? The knight thumped his chest and bowed his head. "I will make you proud, General."


    With that, Sylvester had a small army of 250 mening with him. However, he didn''t let them walk with him as he didn''t know if there were enemy spies around the town that might alert those in the Vine Forest. Heck, he sent Felix, Gabriel, and Jax first towards Vine Forest, as he suspected Jax too.


    Once the army mounted their horses, Sylvester, Sir Dolorem, and one water wizard guide galloped on their horses and caught up with Felix''s party.


    "Let''s go. The Inquisitors have dinghies positioned at the shore." Sylvester rushed them as well.


    So all of them made their way into the Vine Forest. The name was misleading, as it was more of a mangrove. However, it was full of so many vines hanging from mangrove trees, tall and small, so dense that it seemed like a forest.


    They had to leave their horses outside and walk on foot. But as soon as they entered, they felt how dangerous the ce was. The forest was extremely dense, and the trees blocked half of the light. It was just green everywhere, so much so that even the water looked green due to algae, making it harder to differentiate between water andnd.


    Ssh!


    "Ah! Fu..." Felix cursed when he suddenly felt his leg fall into a water hole, deep enough to swallow the leg whole.


    "Watch out!" Jax quickly caught him and pulled him out. "Take every step carefully. There is mostly water under this vegetative surface."


    Felix took a sigh of relief but with a face full of horror, "I-I... I felt like something was pulling me down, man!"


    The guide quickly warned when he heard this. "So it must be true, I''ve heard this forest has cannibal vines that are spread everywhere under the surface, so if you fall in the water, they will catch you and drown you--in time, consuming you for nutrition by piercing your body."


    Gabriel and Felix gulped their saliva after hearing that. And the worst thing was they had only entered the forest. They were yet to reach the shore of the first major waterway.


    Sir Dolorem looked at the water hole where Felix fell and noticed something. He quickly used his sword and picked the little white orb out. "Strange..."


    "This is... a skull?" Gabriel wondered after looking.


    But Sylvester gloomed after seeing it. "This does not resemble a human, yet it''s too humanoid!"


    The guide coughed, pulling their attention. "Please don''t touch things. This forest is unchartednd. Nobody knows what kind of species lived here before the light of Solis touched us all. I would love to explore, but we need to hurry. I do not wish to remain here after sunset--not after the fog sets."


    "Why? What happens after sunset?" Felix inquired, knowing well he wouldn''t like the answer.


    The guide, with a horrified face, blurted. "Free reign of death! The vinese to life and move, changing thendscape entirely. Even if we get lost here and somehow survive the night, we won''t ever reach back alive."


    Sylvester frowned and couldn''t help but worry for the army instead. For 250 men inside this dangerousnd, it was an ident waiting to happen.


    But he needed them, so he sighed and moved along. ''Considering my luck, we''re staying here for days.''


    [A/N: Check this parament to see the map.]


    ___________________


    YOU CAN DO IT!


    **1069 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 73 [Bonus Chapter] 73. A Man Of Word

    Thend they had to walk on was wretched. One wrong step could doom them. Meanwhile, they also had to keep an eye around to ensure the enemy was not watching them in hiding.


    Sylvester looked above his head, and from the shadows cast down, he reckoned it was close to sunset. The face of the guide was also turning anxious as they had just reached the dinghy.


    They got on it and started to row carefully. The water was so green that it appeared they were moving on thend, but they all knew whaty beneath them¡ªdeath.


    "What are the other creatures that live in this ce?" Felix wondered.


    The guide answered. "Great Pythons, Great Crocodiles, and the River Dragons. Nearly everything here wishes to kill or devour you."


    Sylvester looked at the water carefully. Any animal name with great as a prefix meant that the animal was muchrger than usual. He remembered seeing a Great Lion, which was as big as a one-story house. How big would the crocodiles and pythons be? That was a scary thought in itself.


    But their problem now was that they had no idea where they should even go because the Vine forest was like a maze with interconnected waterways. Some were even dead ends.


    ''If there are people living here, they would likely be somewhere they know they can hide. They also need argend area to stay as far away from the dangerous waters as possible. They also need some structure, as sleeping on the ground is nothing less than a death sentence.''


    "We need to find thergestnd in the Vine forest and hope the sinners are hiding there¡ªbefore sunset." He suggested.


    "Max, why don''t we just follow the little water flow? If it''s flowing, that must mean it leads to an end, right?" Gabriel suggested to him.


    Sylvester looked at the green water. There was indeed a very faint current. "We can, but that''s the least likely path the sinners are to take to hide¡­ but, let me try something, take the dinghy to the shore first."


    Hismand was regarded as the highest authority, so they did as asked. Sylvester then jumped off. "Wait for me here. I''ll be back in a minute."


    "But, Priest S-"


    "I''m not going far, Sir Dolorem. Just wait here. I will be back with a direction to head." Sylvester reassured and walked away.


    His destination was not decided, as he just wanted to be out of the direct line of sight of everyone else. So once he came past a few trees, he talked to Miraj. "Chonky, I will throw you above the tree line. You look around and see if you notice anything of interest."


    "Aye-Aye Ma¡­ What? No! I hate heights."


    "Come on, Chonky. I will catch you easily. Don''t you trust me?" Sylvester insisted.


    Miraj looked at his face nervously. "Will you catch me? Really? What if you can''t?"


    "I will, trust me. I can use the air element to pull you towards me, so don''t worry. Besides, you''re a cat. You can handle falling from heights." He assured me.


    He could have climbed the trees too, but that would not help as the view would be limited. To see from a better height was the only way.


    "Okay, throw me."


    "Here you go then." Sylvester put Miraj''s butt on his palm and made him fold his hindlegs so his body appeared like a ball. "Keep your eyes open and look all around. Look for any giant out-of-the-ordinary tree or building structure."


    "Ha!" He threw Miraj up with enough strength.


    "Meoooo¡­"


    Miraj felt the air push against his face, forcing his eyes to close. But he tried his best and looked around, slowly reaching the peak. However, he soon realized that falling was more terrifying than going up.


    "Nyaaaa¡­."


    The furry boy fell back briefly and was caught in Sylvester''s arms. His white fur now looked messy, as if an electric shock had hit him.


    "So, did you see something?"


    Miraj looked at Sylvester''s face and wondered how important he was to this boy. "Yes¡­ I saw. There is a big tree in the East, big like the Soul Tree. And in the North, I saw some broken roofs of towers."


    Sylvester caressed Miraj''s hair back into normal style as he walked back to the dinghy. "It seems we should get to the towers first. If there is some building structure, then the chances of someone living there increases."


    "Head north." He ordered as he jumped back into the dinghy.


    Others eyed him in suspicion but knew better not to ask for anything as it was not the right time. So Felix and Sir Dolorem started to row the dinghy in the desired direction.


    Gabriel was not a knight, so he needed to preserve his energy. Jax was an old man. At the same time, the guide was tense, looking around, and finding the right path. Sylvester, however, was only focused on sensing the surroundings.


    On their way, Sylvester had to throw Miraj a few more times as they had no map of thend. So each time, they''d sometimes have to move upstream to keep going north without missing the spot.


    "This is bad. It will be nighttime in an hour or so." The guide muttered in fear.


    Sir Dolorem shrugged and patted the man on the shoulder. "You are in the presence of the strongest light wizard in history. Nights are of no concern as long as we are together. Even Priest Gabriel can use the light magic."


    "Indeed," Sylvester reassured. "The only reason these vines don''t move has something to do with the sunlight. So as long as we all stay together and I use my magic, we shall be fine. I am worried about the Inquisitor army, however."


    "You called the army?" Jax eximed. "Armies are not suitable to fight in such andscape."


    Sylvester nodded, even though he had reservations about the man. "Agreed, but as long as their Commander is smart, they would not enter the forest so easily."


    "We must reach the shore and get ourselves a base for the night. We can''t be on the wate-" As the guide spoke, his voice suddenly stopped with a choke.


    Sir Dolorem pulled the man back from the front of the dinghy. "What happened?"


    "The neck!" Sylvester moved quickly and noticed a small dart nted in the throat. "Get down! Quick!"


    "I got this covered," Jax suddenly yelled and took out a golden coin from his pouch. He then ced it in the middle of the dinghy and ced his palm on it.


    Woosh!¡ªLike a gust of wind touching them all, they felt an invisible barrier form around the dinghy.


    "I made these, my rune tokens. Theye in handy in times of need like now, as they decrease the Srium used for casting a rune with our elemental magic. Extremely helpful at night." Jax exined calmly.


    Bam!<sub> </sub>


    Bam!


    Every now and then, some darts woulde flying and hit the invisible shield made of air. The good thing about the air shield was that they could still row the boat, albeit with more exertion.


    "As expected, they are great hunters, especially at night," Sylvester muttered.


    "Max, how far can your light reach?" Felix inquired.


    "Far enough, but it''s no use fighting right now. They can easily run away, leaving us stuck in some water hole. And we can''t remain on the water either. So let''s get to the shore and hold the ground there. If they dare toe too close, we have enough means to kill them from a distance." Sylvester quickly nned.


    So as nned, they reached the shore without knowing where the darts wereing from.


    "What about the guide?" Gabriel asked as he got out.


    "Dead." Sir Dolorem replied and left the body to float in the dinghy.


    "Poison?" Sylvester reckoned and got more careful.


    The night had arrived, and it was impossible to look forward anymore. So Sylvester took the lead and used his right hand to create light. They all used some sort of a shield with their magic as they walked to safety.


    Bam!


    The darts kept oning out of nowhere. However, they knew they were being watched. They could feel it. And it was an unnerving experience.


    "Stop, let''s rest here." Sylvester stopped after arriving at a reasonably open space where they could look around themselves.


    They could have made themselves an Earth dome for protection, but they stuck to air-based as they didn''t want to wake up the next day, unable to get out because vines covered them.


    "Let''s use the light crystals now," Sylvester suggested.


    None of them were scared or even rushing to do anything. Sylvester didn''t know about Jax, but everyone else had been through so many nerve-wracking situations in the past few years that this was nothing in their eyes. Not when the enemies were so weak they resorted to using darts from a distance.


    Heck, even Miraj was happily sleeping on Sylvester''sp. While Gabriel was reading a book, Felix sharpened his sword, and Sir Dolorem was also dozing while sitting. Only Jax and Sylvester were doing nothing other than keeping a watch.


    "Priest Sylvester, did your father also have golden eyes?" Jax asked suddenly.


    "Don''t know, never saw my father. He probably did have them because my mother certainly does not have them. What about you?" He asked back.


    Jax smiled as if he remembered something. "Of course, my son and daughter both got golden eyes, but only the girl took my hair, and the boy took his mother''s ck hair."


    ''At least he''s not lying here.'' Sylvester sighed as he looked around. The vines had indeed started to move. But since they had light crystals, the vines stayed away from them as if they were the gue.


    "Wraaaaaa!"


    "What was that?" Sylvester stood up and used his hands to throw as much light as possible to look around.


    Everyone was alerted by the cry.


    "Stay alert!" Sir Dolorem warned and prepared to defend.


    "Haaaa¡­!"


    The cry came again, but not in their direction.


    "There!" Felix pointed to the left.


    Sylvester quickly moved his hand and looked. "Wait¡­ that''s! I''m going out. Cover me!"


    He jumped out of the air shield quickly and ran towards the humanoid figure. It was covered in mud, but Sylvester recognized the hair, eyes, and build.


    "Sir Arnold, what are you doing here? Where is the army?" Sylvester got to the man, who was covered in mud from head to toe and appeared tired. His sword de was also chipped in ces, showing the man didn''t have it easy.


    "I could not let my boys walk to their death here at night, so I stopped them outside¡­ but I vowed General Joseph I''d go with you¡ªI''m here to keep that promise!"


    Sylvester helped the man by giving him a shoulder and walking him into their little safe space.


    ''What a man.'' Was all Sylvester could think about this man.


    Once they were safe, Sir Arnold sat down tiredly and took long breaths. "I¡­ I was lost initially, but then I saw the light far away while resting on top of a tree. Sanctum Inspector, I know what we''re dealing with¡­ I came across a shrine of these heathens."


    "Shrine? They pray to someone?" Sylvester narrowed his gaze as he passed a ss of water.


    The big man nodded. "Yes, these filths¡­ There is a reason why they are so good at hunting at night. They pray to Ka''Zul¡ªso we must rest at night and in the morning¡ªhunt them!"


    Jax cursed vocally as he was not clergy. "Ah, shit! Now it makes sense why they kidnap, ****, and murder Bright Mothers."


    "Wait, who is Ka''Zul?" Felix asked confusedly.


    Sylvester sighed and responded with contempt in his voice. "The bloody God of Goblins."


    ___________________


    [A/N: One more chaping in a few hrs.]


    YOU CAN DO IT!


    **669 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 74 74. Magic Might

    "Ka''Zul is one of the sickest worshiped gods out there because his worshippers are the most disgusting beings alive." Sylvester disparaged. "These Goblins are hated by other sub-humans too, as these creatures have brains to be sentient but choose to be backward heathens.


    "Their culture glorifies kidnapping pure women to vite them and treat them as broodmares. The more women and children a goblin has, the higher their status is in theirmunity. They are worth nothing but rotten bones in graves¡­ but why are humans praying to the goblin god?"


    "Ex-ves?" Jax eximed. "Just like how some in Sol thirst to get sub-human ves, humans are also sold in Beastaria as ves. Maybe these ones used to belong to the goblins? Then they epted their rule and eventually ran away?"


    It was the only thing that made sense because there were no records of Ka''Zul worshiping in the Sol continent otherwise.


    "If this is the case, then we''re likely on the right path. They attacked us. This means we have encroached on their area. All we need to do now is wait until the morning. Then, while the Solis oversee us, we shall y them." Sylvester announced.


    After that, all they had to do was hold their ground and be safe for the night. They had food with them, and they could create water and fire with magic.


    When the first ray of the morning sun fell on thend, the forest started to turn into its usual self. The vines began to freeze in their ces, and the poison dartsing their way also vanished. Unfortunately for the attackers, the direction they were attacking from just confirmed to Sylvester where he needed to go.


    "Let''s move." He got up as Jax turned off the wind rune shield since the sunlight had appeared. They just quickly ate some bread and leftover heated meat soup fromst night and prepared themselves.


    "Sanctum Inspectors, I shall ept any punishment you deem fit for disobeying your orders. I could not let my men die. Many of them have families to care for, and entering here would have been death." Sir Arnold apologized first thing after cleaning the mud from his body.


    Sylvester stopped the seven-foot-tall man of muscle and manliness. "I can understand. You werete already. But we must prepare now, activate all the runes your armors have, prepare all the magic crystals you must. There may just be six of us, but ourbined might must not be less than six hundred." Sylvestermanded the six men as he also put on his own armor.


    Felix was always wearing it, as was Sir Dolorem. Jax never revealed his rank or talents as he was an adventurer and hence was not obliged to show the rank te. Not that Sylvester and the team were doing it either, as they were out of the Holy Land.


    Gabriel had his own magical leather armor, while Sylvester had a rundown armor he got for a cheap deal from a retiring Inquisitor. It was the same golden armor he used back in the tourney. His spear was shiny as ever, however. It was a legendary ss weapon, after all.


    As they returned to the water stream, they found the shore had changed mostly.


    "Where is the dinghy?" Gabriel wondered.


    "Taken by the vinesst night. It seems we will have to move on foot. There has to be a way those sinners took. And why were they not attacked by the vines? There has to be something they have discovered that we have not." Sylvester reckoned and moved along.


    Over the water bodies, he''d try to find any strong trees with thick branches reaching the other side. The flowing water was never too wide, so it was not much of a problem.


    However, they''d feel they were being watched from time to time, or suddenly all their danger senses would shout at them to move fast.


    Sylvester knew it was probably one of the top predators in the forest. Thankfully, he had the birds for help as whenever they would stop making too much noise or start making too much noise, it''d mean danger was near.


    "Wait!" He showed his hand and stopped everyone behind him.


    There was something on the ground. It was too peculiar to be just a stone, so he dug it out. "T-This is a skull like thest one."


    "I found another one!" Felix barked from the side.


    "Me too," Gabriel added.


    Sylvester looked around as far as he could. He could feel the despair in the air. It wasing from nearby. While thend he was walking on seemed to be full of bones of humanoid creatures.


    "I think we''re close¡­ be careful. We''re near the ruins. Remember, they were attacking us the whole night. They may be hiding and sleeping right now." He ordered and readied his spear. "Don''t make any noise. If you see a sleeping one, end it right there."


    The six took long breaths and calmed their minds. Their goal was straightforward for the men¡ªkill.


    However, Sylvester didn''t decide to split the group, as he had no idea how many enemies were even there.


    So as he moved therge tree leaves and branches aside, he felt thend under his feet turn more full of soil, eventually turning red even. Then, after a few minutes of walking, they noticed the first structure.


    "Chonky, jump around the ruins and mark enemies." He ordered in whispers.


    With Miraj watching his front, he looked around at the ruins. The ce appeared to be older than anything he had ever seen, as algae and vines had taken over most of the structures. However, a few stone blocks here and there were still visible. The structure appeared to have been a wide tower in the past, likely used to keep an eye.


    "Max, look," Felix called him. "Why is there an engraving of a crescent moon on every stone block?"


    Sylvester looked at it from closer. It appeared well-defined and old. "Sir Dolorem, what is the insignia of the Anti-Light sect?"


    "They have none. They simply use a pitch ck g or ck armband. I truly don''t know what this crescent moon means, for even the heathens across the sea are not known to use it." Sir Dolorem answered, amazed at the fact there was possibly a lost civilization that used to live here.


    ''More mystery to the world, I guess.'' He sighed and moved forward.


    "HAAA!"


    Woosh!


    Out of nowhere, a dozen men in olive green robes jumped out of surrounding bushes and rushed to attack the group. All of them had blowpipes on their backs and daggers in their hands.


    "Finally!" Felix eximed loudly and ran towards the enemy.


    Bam!


    Being six feet five and bulky, Felix had arge sword that would put all longswords to shame. He used it to the fullest and shed it down from above. In one strike, it sliced the enemy into two.


    "They are weak!" Felix shouted and aimed at the other men.


    Sylvester didn''t waste time either and used his spear to swing it around himself and precisely make cuts on the necks of his enemies. He wished to stay as far away from the poisoned daggers as possible.<sub> </sub>


    It seemed that Jax was a jack of all trades, as he was casting magic while using his greatsword. Sir Dolorem was mainly using magic as well. At the same time, Gabriel, a wizard knight, used Earth magic to trap his enemies and behead them with the sword.


    Sylvester utilized the limited abilities of the spear to the fullest. For example, he sometimes used the stretchable ribbon connected to it to throw the spear at nearby enemies and stab them right in their face, turning their brains into the batter and retracting it.


    "More areing!" Sylvester warned everyone and decided to use magic instead, his strong point.


    But first, he decided toy some traps if this was going to be their battlefield. "Cover me!"


    With that call, Felix and Gabriel moved closer to Sylvester and guarded him. He, meanwhile, jumped around and ced rune formations on thend with his Earth Elemental magic. He perfectly hid it under the ground, so no one even knew it.


    The formation was called Crystal Trap Rune Formation, which, when stepped on, sends out tens of thin crystal spikes at force enough to impale a great rhino.


    Sylvester went overboard with it and ced them all around their initial perimeter, dozens, then a dozen more. Melting Flesh Trap Rune was also abundantly used to ensure enemies slow down.


    "Alright, I''ve drawn the circle. Kill anyone thates near it." He announced as he prepared for an S Grade attack that Sir Dolorem taught him, called Whiling Fire.


    ''Let''s see how much damage it does.''


    "Butcher them!" He roared and showed his palm towards the hoard of heathens gathering outside. They all looked like humans, yet they were far from being one.


    In an instant, 5-meter tall and 2-meter wide tornadoes of fire appeared,ing out of his palm and taking form. He grinned and started efficiently controlling the tornadoes, burning anything in their way. Even if someone survived the crystal spike, he''d end them.


    This was by far the easiest fight to win as the enemies were simpletons with basic knowledge of magic only. Nevertheless, they had an interesting fighting style, but sadly they were against Sylvester and his party.


    Slowly, the blood sttered around on the skeleton-riddlednd. The red soil turned redder. Hills of dead bodies also started to appear because the six would kill their enemies before thetter could enter their defense circle.


    "This is going nowhere. We need to end this." Sylvester said.


    "Maxy!" Out of nowhere, Miraj came running, his furry face looking distraught. He climbed Sylvester and spoke into his ear. "Quick, quick! They are trying to run in the big boat!"


    Sylvester frowned and decided to end this. He roared at full power. "Everyone, stand beside me right now! This is an order!"


    Sir Dolorem, Felix, and Gabriel were the first to jump beside him. Then came Sir Arnold out of obligation. Thest was Jax, as he contemted before following the order.


    But before they could ask Sylvester why he did that, he appeared to be closing his eyes and casting some sort of silent magic. "O''Lord, grant your power to this loyal bard!"


    Woosh!¡ªAll of a sudden, a giant, hundred feet wide rune circle appeared right above them, shining in bright white light and rotating. It made a magical buzzing noise, a sign of the rune''s power.


    But Sylvester didn''t stop there and added incantations silently. Then, once the enemies appeared to gain the courage to enter under the circle, Sylvester opened his eyes. "Die!"


    Bam!


    Thud!


    Boom!


    The rune was Death Light Rain, Sylvester''s move that summoned a rain of spears made of hardened light magic. They truly fell like rain and impaled all the heathens right in their ce, nting them into the ground, unable to even fall. It was a gruesome death as it got them all.


    The few who survived died when the next spear fell on their skull, eye, throat, or groin.


    But Sylvester didn''t wait to count the bodies as he rushed deeper, as Miraj pointed. "Follow me! They''re trying to escape!"


    In no time, they reached therger ruins where decaying buildings were abundant, hidden under vines, algae, and nts, surrounded by blood-red soil.


    But they all frowned at the scenes, for there were metal cages, hundreds of them, ced one above another. A majority of them held women with bright gold religious robes and a wimple; some were even nude. They looked scared, hurt, and hopeless in there¡ªyet defiant in some ways.


    Sylvester could smell the emotions in the air. But above all, with his anger, nothing couldpare.


    He looked around and noticed arge transport boat docked in the waters nearby; it was full of people, some even women, but in the same clothes as heathens.


    "Stop!" A shout came as Sylvester moved. He looked towards the cages and noticed a man in ck robes and a golden bracelet on his wrist. The face was clear, looking like a mix of a goblin and human.


    "Aah!¡­ S-Stay back! I will kill this wh*re if youe close! You came here for them, didn''t you? You don''t want her to die¡­ let me leave, and you can take all these women back!" He caught one Bright Mother from the cages by the hair and dragged her towards the boat.


    However, Sylvester showed no ounce of fear, worry, or confusion. Instead, he merely walked toward the man with his spear ready in his right arm, in the throwing position.


    "You went out of your way to hunt¡ªr*pe¡ªmurder these harmless women. Women who only vowed to do good, heal, and care for all, asking nothing in return; respect was all they wanted to earn. They keep caring¡­ and caring¡­ like a mother, brightening the darkening light, ignoring their own plight.


    "So no, you shall have no mercy from me. There shall be no judge or jury¡ªonly my fury!"


    Woosh!


    ___________________


    GIB STONE! MONKE HAPPY!


    **669 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 75 75. Conspiracy!

    Ssh!


    "Aargh!"


    Sylvester''s spear sliced faster than one could see. Not only that, he had mastered the ability to maneuver the spear mid-air using the little hand movements and air element. With this technique, he could do slight course corrections in real-time.


    And the spear pierced straight into the half human-half goblin''s chest with such force that he was thrown back and crashed into a tree, along with the spear which drilled through the tree trunk.


    The Bright Mother was fine, just scared as she lost strength in her legs. Sylvester quickly walked over to her and extended a helping hand. "Get up, Bright Mother. The church sent me. I am Priest Sylvester Maximilian, often called the Bard of the Lord."


    The woman took his hand as if he was the god himself. "W-We knew it! They finally sent someone! Our misery will be over now¡­ thank you, Lord Bard."


    "Here, some minor healing crystals are in here. Help the other women, and get clothes for those who don''t have them." He advised and looked at Gabriel. "Help them, please. I need to get some information from that heathen."


    Saying that, Sylvester walked towards the half-goblin man. He had specifically aimed his spear only to hit the man''s non-vital parts. This was because he''d have to write a lengthy report soon, and he had to know the reason behind everything.


    "You will die. There is no denying it. But there can be mercy in how you die, and that''s up to you. Answer me, and I shall show leniency. Lie, and I will forget all human decency." Sylvester warned as he rubbed a dagger''s tip on the man''s neck.


    "Argh¡­ I will¡­ tell you! We''re just children of human ves from the Goblin tribe. We have nothing to do with any killings. They only sent us here to kidnap pure women and bring them to our Goblin n leaders. Think, please, we want women to breed them, use them... killing is a waste.


    "T-The killing was not our decision. They made us do it ording to the deal!"


    Sylvester looked around. The faces of Sir Dolorem and Sir Arnold changed after hearing that. Some conspiracy was going on, it seemed.


    "Who made you kill them and why?" He asked.


    "I-It was¡­ I can''t tell you, or they will kill my family and me." The man cried.


    Sylvester was having none of it, however. He nced at Felix and ordered. "Kill one person from the boat randomly whenever he refuses to answer next."


    Felix nodded and walked to the boat in an instant. Seeing this also weakened the half goblin''s legs. But he could not fall down either, being impaled and stuck on the tree.


    "Give me the answers then!" Sylvester roared.


    The half-goblin cried and yelled a name. "Inquisitor General, Van Joseph!"


    "That old man from Rathburg?!"


    It was as if the thunder fell. Sylvester understood the implications of the words of this man. "Stop ndering the General. Why would he do such a thing?"


    "I''m not lying! He allowed us to take whichever Bright Mother we wanted as long as we killed a few of them as per hismand. I know not why. I just did it as he asked."


    Sir Arnold was angered and walked forward to punch the man in the guts. "How dare you speak so foul about General? He is the holiest of us all."


    "Do you believe we could conduct all these kidnappings for so long without getting caught? Without getting found out by many other inspectors the church sent? Open your eyes. Your church is not that holy."


    "I will kill you!" Sir Arnold raged.


    Jax scoffed from a distance. "This is why I didn''t join the church. Delusional as ever."


    Sylvester, however, pushed the man away as he smelled no lies. "Calm down, Sir Arnold. We need him alive to see if he''s lying or not. However, we do not need others. Felix, kill the rest of these heathens."


    "No! Please¡­"


    But Sylvester did not care about the pleadings. "I''m sure the pure women were also pleading the same before you killed them¡­ r*ped them. As I said, expect no mercy from me."


    Felix didn''t waste a moment and checked the boat first to see if there was any Brought Mother on it. But it seemed these were the female counterparts of half-goblins.


    Seeing that, he simply sank the boat into the water. The rest of the work was done by the cannibal vines as they pulled everyone down and killed them slowly.


    The one Sylvester had caught could only watch and cry in anguish. But his cries seemed to be inaudible by everyone else... he didn''t exist in others'' eyes.


    ''How do I proceed now? If what this man said is true, then this thing will turn too big. Are the previous inspectors involved too? It indeed didn''t make sense why the previous Sanctum Inspectors didn''t see the pattern." Sylvester wondered silently.


    But, there was only one way to make things clear. It was to confront the used and ask him questions directly. But he felt ufortable returning to the Inquisitor General''s camp, as the man held authority over the men and could easily order them to counter use him of something.


    "Nothing is decided yet. We are Sanctum Inspectors and must investigate all angles before ending the case. We shall return and ask the Inquisitor General himself. Until then, you must control your emotions, Sir Arnold. Remember your vows. You are a servant of Solis first, not yourmander." Sylvester nearly scolded the man.


    Eventually, the healing crystals cured all the Bright Mothers of their minor bruises. But, sadly, it would take time before the mental scars reduce.


    "Priest Sylvester, look at this cage." Sir Dolorem suddenly called him.


    Sylvester moved to see and was left speechless at the sight. Inside the cage were four people, two adults, and two children. But, they were not normal.


    "Beastkins? What are they doing here?" He asked as he watched the humanoid bear family sitting in the corner of the cage, looking scared. The male and the female had kept the two little kids hidden.


    The Half-Goblin, known to go by the name Gobo, was asked about the Beastkins.


    Since the man had lost all hope and his will was crushed, he monotonously answered. "We got them from Beastaria to sell them to noble lords and make money to prolong our operation here."


    Sylvester was honestly sympathetic about this Beastkin family. They, too, were as much of a victim as the Bright Mothers. And from the scared looks on their faces, they knew how the church treated sub-humans.<sub> </sub>


    However, not today. Sylvester was the boss, and his words were supreme. Although Felix had equal authority, even he knew he was less of a leader.


    So Sylvester lifted his right hand towards the Beastkin family and sent a wave of light. The little chubby bear kids looked at him with awe suddenly.


    Then he started singing and made a halo behind his head, instantly changing the surrounding mood. The Bright Mothers closed their eyes and began to pray quickly. Sir Dolorem and Sir Arnold did the same. However, Felix and Gabriel were used to it.


    ?Blood is not what makes one a heathen.


    The Lord does what he does for a reason.


    From the depths of the deadly sins,


    One must know how to stay awake,


    Must never let their will break.?


    ?There shall be light for all eventually.


    All must ept, by duty or unintentionally.


    Thend, be it here or beyond.


    The warmth of Solis is one around.?


    ?Your mind is a pond right now.


    You must open it to the sea of warmth.


    Allow your inner believer toe forth.


    So say the name of the Lord.


    This bard promises you won''t be ignored.?


    The Beastkin family, on the other hand, appeared to have a strange light in their eyes. They looked at Sylvester intently, as if they were looking at a god.


    ''Good, worship me, you poor souls. That''s the only way for you to survive.'' Sylvester thought as he felt the smell of worship from the family.


    "Solis is just and kind. He does not care if you look different, for we live on the samend where the sun shines. Get up, tell me your name." He asked the family softly while opening the cage.


    "I-I am Kobo Gozira, and this is my wife and children¡­ my Lord. They speak not yournguage."


    Sylvester nodded. He could hear the strange ent in the man''s voice too. But the fact that the man even knew it was amazing. "Good. Sir Dolorem, push that new dinghy into the water."


    Then as he made small talk, the small dinghy was set up and prepared to head out at his order.


    Sylvester helped the Beastkin family get in. The family looked normal, except for their tails and the bear''s ears and nose. The kids, however, seemed strange. One had a furry body, while the other only had ears and a nose to be recognized as a Beastkin. Simrly, the two adults appeared to have human skin but bear ears, nose, and tail.


    "Follow the stream of water. You will be out of Mangroves soon enough. Then head left, and you shall arrive at Libertia." Sylvester said and even handed them some food.


    Kobo knelt on the boat towards Sylvester, tears clear in his eyes as he did not expect to be let go. "Thank you, great Lord. I will forever remember this kindness."


    Sylvester shook his head. "I am no lord, just a servant of the light. It is my duty to help people out of their plight. Go now. May the Holy Light enlighten your paths."


    With that, the family was let go. Sir Arnold was not happy, however. "Why did you let them go? They are heathens! We should have ended them."


    Sylvester shook his head. "You did not see what I did. There was worship in their eyes after seeing my light and hearing the hymns. They were very epting of the faith. I have seen many evening to Holy Land in Pilgrimage months.


    "And from what I have read about them, they don''t follow one main god, which leaves them open to epting other religions. From what I saw in their eyes today, they are now believers, but imagine when they spread the word and instill awe and respect for Solis wherever they live?


    "We may just get some more Beastkin believers with this. "


    Sir Dolorem agreed. "Winning them over with warmth and love? The first Pope said that in his book. It seems those words stand correct for you."


    Sylvester nodded as he looked toward the downstream. ''I hope the family survives, and we''ll meet again.''


    "Maybe¡­ just maybe, when the peace is gone, and war resumes, these Beastkin ns will help us. However, before that, we have to clean our own homes." Sylvester added as his aura changed back to fury.


    "Let''s head back. First, the Inquisitor General must prove if he''s a boon or bane to the church¡ªHe must truthfully answer or be removed like cancer."


    ___________________


    Get Monke High!


    **669 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 76 76. It Goes Deeper

    Sylvester had to ensure that all the 32 kidnapped Bright Mothers reached safety. It was his duty as a clergyman and also as a decent man. But, he could not make up his mind if he should take them to Ranthberg because the primary used and a high-ranking clergy of the church lived there.


    He was confused and a little nervous, wondering what he must do. The inquisitors were supposed to help him whenever needed, but what happens when the boss of the Inquisitors is the bad guy?


    Not just any bad guy but an Archbishop, someone three ranks above his and likely power level enough to kill him with ease. ''This was expected from the start. Why am I worrying? I should start nning how to get to the truth instead.''


    He shook his head and looked around. Then, seeing the Bright Mothers standing and able to walk, he decided it was time to go. "Let''s head back. It''s going to be a long journey. But before that, Sir Arnold, may I have a word?"


    As he called the man, he also nodded towards Sir Dolorem, silently telling the man to apany him too.


    Soon, the three were standing on the side. Sylvester was straightforward and respectful with his requests. "Sir Arnold, I shall ask you once. Who do you serve?"


    The old man looked around, knowing why this was being asked. "I serve the light, Priest."


    "What would you do if the usations by that heathen turned out to be true?" Sylvester added to the question.


    Sir Arnold frowned, knowing the darkness around the world, "I would y that man for tarnishing the name of the Inquisitor branch I have served since I was young."


    Sylvester nodded as he felt no lies from the man, but instead, there was anger. "Good. I shall return to the Ranthburg town and call the Inquisitor General for questioning. If he tries to flee or make a scene, I need you to takemand of the situation, as not everyone is strictly loyal to the light of the lord, Sir."


    "I will, Priest Sylvester."


    "Great, let''s move then." Sylvester rushed back to all the Bright mothers.


    As everyone was in ce, he decided to start. "Everyone, follow the person in front of you as precisely as possible. ce your foot in the ce the previous one did. This forest is perilous. One wrong step could be your doom, so remember this."


    The women nodded and started following Sylvester''s lead. Since there were about 32 women, they decided to stand after each five of them to ensure their safety. Atst was Sir Arnold, as the man had experience.


    They walked on the same path they took that morning. However, the part afterst night had changed entirely, so they had to make their way again. But Sylvester was at the front and was good at such work.


    With the help of the sun and shadow directions, he had already recognized which direction was the way back. So he kept that general direction in mind and kept moving, avoidingrge water bodies and cutting down anyrge vine infestation in their way.


    Thankfully, they only saw some minor animals, not the great ones. But Sylvester reckoned this was the case because of the constant movement of the heathens. So they must have either killed the creatures or the creatures have moved away for a better ce.


    Good for him, however.


    ¡­


    Sylvester tried his best to get out of the forest before the sunset, as managing and securing so many people would have been a headache. First, however, he picked up whatever value he could find from the heathen camp.


    Regardless, the half-goblin was still alive, just tied to Felix''s back. The man was knocked unconscious for ease of travel since he had gone mad after seeing his family die.


    "Just a little more, mothers. We will be out soon." He assured as he shined his body like a beacon of light. Each second Bright Mother also held a light crystal now, while Gabriel also emitted light from his hands. Jax, meanwhile, was somewhere in the middle, killing any small animals that came close.


    The night was falling, and they had just a little more to go.


    "I think we''ve reached the ce. I hear sounds." Sylvester heard the noise of a camp.


    "I shall check." Sir Arnold walked forward as he was themander of the army.


    Sylvester safeguarded all the Bright Mothers in the meantime. He was trying to ask them if they knew anything about anyone else being involved in the case or the killings.


    However, themon answer he got was that they didn''t even know each other that well. Maybe some had seen each other during their initial days in the Holy Land. This meant that they had no idea what was even going on.


    "Priest, pleasee here." Sir Arnold called him.


    Sylvester took the Bright Mothers along and stood in front of the camp. But first, he needed to get these men to his own side, with so much frenzy that their devotion would appear they were possessed by Solis himself.


    He raised his right hand to silence everyone. It was already turning night, so he knew when he''d sing, he would look like a light bulb, which was what he wished to do.


    "My brethren, these women who stand beside me were hurt by the heathens! We were able to bring them back, but not all survived. They faced inhuman torture and fear, yet they showed no despair.


    "So hear me and raise your arms and shields, for we are the men of the Holy Inquisition. Hunting sinners and heathens are in our definition!"


    After turning up the heat a little, he roared at the top of his lungs. The bright yellow halo that usually stayed small behind his head suddenly increased its size. It shined brighter than the light of the sun¡­ brighter than any stars.


    ?O'' my mighty brothers.


    Look at the faces of mothers.


    Heathens darey their hands on them.


    Punishment is unfulfilled if only condemned.


    So hear me, young men of the Inquisition.


    It is time to follow our old tradition.?


    ?Hunt¡ªkill¡ªburn the evildoers.


    Be it I, you, a lord, or a ruler.


    If they are cruel, we can be crueler.?


    ?Spare none, or remain tarnished.


    How will you sleep in your grave?


    When your enemy still isn''t vanquished??


    ?Raise your swords and chant with me.


    For we are against the cancer-filled puss.<sub> </sub>


    Thus, may glory embrace us.


    May the holy light enlighten us!


    May the holy light enlighten us!?


    As his little hymn ended, he opened his eyes. The knights and wizards in front of the home raged with unfiltered emotions and anger. Since all Bright Mothers were perceived no less than birth mothers, anyone whoy hands on Bright Mother was touching their mother.


    "y the sinners!"


    "Burn the heathens!"


    "We shall bring you their skulls!"


    "Lord Bard, who was it?"


    "We shall dry their blood under Solis'' light!"


    Various kinds of chants roared from the crowd. Sylvester had, in a minute, ensured that the people remembered where their loyalty lies. Not with the money or whatever the Inquisitor General provided, but rather the church.


    "We head back to Ranthburg now." He announced and started the march.


    There were only 250 men, to begin with, and each had a horse, so it was fast to travel. They also carried Bright Mothers together.


    Ranthburg was close, but it was night, so they had to hurry. However, since they were passing through farm fields, it was safer.


    The Ranthburg town was still full of light and activities. Someone was always passing through there, and the taverns were forever full.


    Sylvester, however, didn''t waste a moment and decided to go and confront the old man, Inquisitor General Joseph. So he first got the Bright Mothers amodation in the local monastery and then headed to the Inquisitor camp.


    But, surprisingly, he didn''t find the man there. Instead, he was told the Inquisitor General had gone to the nearby healer''s building. So Sylvester followed, with the half-goblin along. However, he did not bring anyone else, for even one Sanctum Inspector was enough.


    He did not knock at the room door the man was staying in for reasons understandable. Instead, he looked the old man in the eyes, wondering how he got fooled by the former and how he would get a confession.


    "Why?" Sylvester asked.


    The old, white-bearded General looked at him. His eyes appeared dead already as multiple thoughts went into his mind. "What do you mean, Priest?"


    Sylvester pped the half-goblin and woke him up. "Was this the man?"


    The half-goblin stared nkly and started to nod. "Y-Yes! This was it! The leader¡­ he told me which Bright Mother to kill. If I did not, he would have killed my whole family¡­ this bastard!"


    Sylvester looked at the old man nkly, his senses appearing sharp enough to notice even the tiniest details. "Why? Why did you get Bright Mothers killed?"


    "I do not understand what you are talking about, Priest. I am a respected member of the clergy. You cannot use me of such without due proof." Inquisitor General Joseph said, still trying to act calm. But his voice had started to rush. "And no one will believe you."


    "Haha¡­" Sylvester made a fakeugh. "Don''t be naive, General. I am a Sanctum Inspector. Any confession made in front of me is admissible in the Holy Land. Now, don''t make it harder for yourself, as I have called Inquisitor High Lord already. But, your death is guaranteed and brutal if you do not confess before hees here."


    "Do not try to fool me, boy." The Inquisitor General barked. He was the highest man in the camp and could not believe a mere priest could look down on him.


    But Sylvester scoffed. "He reached Goldstown in a few hours, while it normally takes a few days. And you think he can note here?"


    Bam!


    Bam!


    Suddenly, from outside, the noise of a cane hitting the floor started toe through the corridor.


    Sylvester rushed. "He''s here. Just tell me why you did it, and I will tell the Inquisitor High Lord to show some mercy."


    The old Inquisitor General saw his whole life shing through his mind. Everything he gained was going to be ruined soon. He was angry but also helpless.


    "Inquisitor General, give me the answer!" Sylvester pressed.


    The old man slowly started to whimper, making it worse for himself. But soon enough, there was some reaction. "I-I will tell you; please stop him! D-Do you want to know about me? Do you know how much we get paid for this kind of work? I have given my whole life to the church, yet I got nothing in return.


    "But, then one man came to me with a proposition. That he wished to mate with Bright Mothers, and he would pay me. I merely got him the women for money. But slowly, a few Bright Mothers tried to bring the matter to the light. However, we found out and killed them, ensuring it was barbaric and all me falls on heathens."


    Bam!


    Bam!


    The noise of the Lord Inquisitor''s staff hitting the floor echoed. It was too close to the door, hence paling the man. Joseph quickly shouted the name in an instant in reaction. "It was Count Ruthberg! He''s a sick man!"


    Sylvester nodded and got back up. "Fine, another noble? I will talk with the Inquisitor High Lord then. Stay here and pray that he does not decide to kill you."


    Sylvester quickly got up and left the room, ensuring he closed it first. "You can stop mming the broom now, Felix."


    "He fell for it?" Felix smirked, looking up.


    "Yeah, the blockhead fell for it."


    [A/N: Super Detailed Map]


    <o>,m ___________________</o>


    MONKE WANNA SPIN!


    **669 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 77 77. Suspense!

    "So, what now?" Felix asked, knowing very well that punishing an Inquisitor General was way above their level.


    Sylvester, however, was still not done with the interrogation. He had only stopped because he wanted to call Sir Arnold and make him hear it. After all, he''d need that man to take over the camp''smandter.


    "My friend, we have a bigger headache. It seems that Count Ranthburg is the main man behind all this. He¡­" Sylvester felt genuinely angry. "That man is sick in mind, a heathen so blind. He likes to vite Bright Mothers and kills them if they dare voice. He made these Half-Goblins take care of these Bright Mothers, all with the help of Inquisitor General, who wished for money."


    ? "So the purge it is?" Felix muttered.


    Sylvester shook his head. "It''s not that easy. We don''t have the authority to do something to an Archbishop-ranked clergy and a Count level noble."


    "Then? Should we call someone from the Holy Land?"


    Sylvester denied that as well. "We can''t, or that will be seen as our failure. They expect us to take care of our own problems. We''re Sanctum Inspectors, after all. However, we do need official directions from the Church to proceed further. I can arrest the Inquisitor General at most, but doing something to the Count won''t be easy. The man likely has a small army and magical experts at his disposal."


    Sylvester tried to brainstorm a n to finish this assignment quickly. It was a dilemma that he knew the culprit but could not do anything about it. Yet again, a reminder that just being a clergy cannot always help him. If he was stronger, he could have done much more.


    ''I should not go to the Count before getting a reply from the Holy Land. Even if he learns about being found out, he can''t escape once the Church announces his exmunication.'' Sylvester reckoned.


    "I need to send a missive to the Holy Land. Let''s find Sir Dolorem." He decided.


    They could not allow the old Inquisitor General to be left alone, as the man was still an Arch Wizard ranked wizard. He could easily overpower them. So Sylvester sent Felix to bring the man and also Sir Arnold.


    But he didn''t let Sir Arnold join him as he didn''t trust the man''s loyalties. "Sir Dolorem, I need you to return to the Holy Land immediately. I would have sent Gabriel or Felix, but we don''t have as many connections to get the right people to listen in time. You can get to Inquisitor High Lord in an instant or even higher."


    "What''s the missive about?" Sir Dolorem asked.


    "Count Ranthburg is behind all the kidnappings and murders. He lusts for the pure women, specifically, Bright Mothers¡ªyou know the punishment regarding this in the books. But I need orders from the top to go through." He exined in the least words.


    Sir Dolorem did frown at that, as was expected. But what the man said next revealed a new side of the world for Sylvester, how small his rank was. "In that case, I don''t think even the resident Archbishop of this County can do anything. A noble Count is a rank too high¡­ I shall immediately head out, Priest. At best, it will take me five days to reach the Holy Land, then maybe one day to get the words across."


    "I shall wait for you here then. In ten days, we shall march to the Count''s castle. Until your return, I shall try to gather support from minor nobles in the County and devise a n of invasion in the worst-case scenario." Sylvester handed the letter sealed with his official stamp on it. "Here, please hurry in the Holy Land if you can."


    Sir Dolorem saluted. "I am as angered as you by this, Priest Sylvester. I''m sure the superiors will be no exception."


    With that, Sir Dolorem quickly left on his trusted horse. It was just morning, so he could start immediately, and the many light crystals would be helpful.


    Sylvester began work from his side in an instant too. First, he called Sir Arnold, for thetter was to be the temporary General. But before that, he had to show the man that Inquisitor General Joseph was a sinner of the highest order.


    "Stand here and listen calmly, Sir." He left him with Felix and entered.


    He sat down in front of the Inquisitor General and held a parchment in hand. "I have talked with the Inquisitor High Lord, and he has granted me ten days to solve this mess, and if you cooperate, you shall get to keep living, albeit not as a member of the Church. So, answer me truthfully, and don''t force me to act brutally."


    He kept the most serious face possible to pull off the bluff. He knew it was working as he felt the odor of fear and anxiety from the old man in front of him, not to mention thetter''s face had clear signs.


    "Tell me, did you also participate in viting the Bright Mothers?"


    "No!" General Joseph barked quickly as if he was offended. "I would never do that! I never even looked at them with ulterior motives¡­ I do not even know the names of the women that the Count fancied.


    "I only received the money to make the things go away."


    Sylvester wrote everything down. "What was the modus operandi?"


    "I¡­ the Count loves traveling, especially to various monasteries across this Duchy of Ironstone. He would donate wealth to multiple monasteries and offer the Bright Mother of his liking toe and work at his castle to help the poor. He usually targets beautiful and young Bright Mothers with bubbly personalities.


    "These women would eventually ept the offer for being naive and zealous to help the poor, not knowing they were stepping into the devil''s den. There¡­ they would be shackled and repeatedly vited by the Count only until he was bored. Then he would let that half-goblin mane, cut the Bright Mother in pieces and throw the body in front of a monastery to give a barbarian-like clue to inspectors like you."


    Sylvester took a long breath in disgust. The man, as a Count, had all the power and wealth one could only dream of, yet he chose to do this. Some people were truly sick in the head, it was clear.


    "Many Sanctum Inspectors came before me. How did none of them find the clue and raid the goblin camp?" Sylvester asked what was bugging him. "Were they bribed too?"


    The Inquisitor General tiredly nodded. "Not all reached a conclusion. But for all who did, most took the money while only two wished to join the Count¡­ for a few days."


    "I want names." Sylvester coldly ordered.


    "Bishop Denkish and Bishop Longsmith, both of them did it¡­ I should have done something¡­ oh lord, what have I done."<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester did not pity the man, as he knew that these cries of guilt were not because the man felt sorry but because he was caught.


    "Yet you didn''t. That''s the reality of the situation. Even if you didn''t participate in the crime, you became the enabler¡ªa sinner." Sylvester got up to leave.


    "What will happen to me now?" the man asked.


    Sylvester shrugged. "You will live.."


    ''As a formless soul.'' Sylvester ended the sentence silently.


    "Stay in this room until I tell you toe out. Do not meet anyone, do not talk to anyone, or consider the deal over. I will not use my personal favors to stop the Inquisitor High Lord."


    Thud!¡ªInquisitor General fell to his knees as his darkened, baggy eyes moistened. "Thank you, Lord''s Bard."


    Sylvester did not respond. He stepped out of the room and locked it. Outside, he noticed the shocked face of Sir Arnold as the man sat on the floor with his back resting on the wall. The tall man looked visibly shaken, and it was understandable.


    "I-I considered him my father¡­ he''s been my mentor since I was a kid. How could he do this¡­ I¡­ I wish to kill that disgusting sack of sin!"


    Sylvester let the man burst out his anger in words. Then, when it stopped, he spoke. "Sir Arnold, words from the Holy Land will arrive soon. You must takemand now and tell the troops that the Inquisitor General is sick. We need to prepare to siege the Count''s castle."


    Sir Arnold shook his head quickly. "We must never let things go that wrong, Priest. Count Ranthburg''s castle is imprable. One of its sides is a deep cliff, while the other hasrge walls. It''s even situated on a hill, giving it a wide view."


    ''Well, you just jinxed it then.'' Sylvester thought.


    "Don''t worry. We will try all alternate methods. A full siege is thest resort. Let''s go now. We have work."


    ¡­


    It took Sir Dolorem five days to reach the Holy Land. He was tired and smelled like piss due to not taking any breaks other than sleeping and eating. And, even after entering the Holy Land, he didn''t wait and went directly to meet the Inquisitor High Lord, as the man can then directly forward the letter to the Sanctum Council.


    As expected, after Inquisitor High Lord opened the sealed letter, his eyes behind the visor shined in rage. He was still recuperating from his recent injuries. Otherwise, he would have gone to deal with this himself.


    Without wasting any moment, he went to the Pope immediately and called Saint Wazir with him. "Read this."


    The Pope took it first, and the frown turned into anger with each line. Then he passed it to Saint Wazir. "Having Half-Goblins infiltrating was surprising enough, but betrayal from our own hurts the most¡­ from an Inquisitor General of all people."


    The Inquisitor High Lord felt ashamed by that. Any taint on the name of Inquisition was akin to a mortal wound. "There is no salvation from this."


    The Pope agreed. "I agree. This Inquisitor General has tarnished the name of the church. If this scandales out in the open, it will destroy the name of Bright Mothers. Nody will join this saintly organization anymore."


    Saint Wazir, however, noticed exactly what Sylvester did. "The clues were so obvious. Why were they not noticed by other inspectors?"


    The Pope clenched his fist in anger as the answer was clear. "Filth¡ªall around them. This is uneptable¡ªunholy. The faith shall not forgive those involved. We must remind the world of what happens when one disrespects Solis and neglects their holy duties.


    "Lord Inquisitor and Saint Wazir, I care not what must be done. I care not who we must send¡ªI want the heathen''s end."


    "Your holiness, what about Count Ranthburg?" Saint Wazir asked, as the matter of civilian nobles required the Pope''s authority. Only the Pope could supersede the local King''s rule.


    The Pope grunted and walked over to his desk. He picked up the quill and started writing, soon to stamp it with his seal. "Send this over."


    But Saint Wazir felt his eyes pop out after looking at it. "P-Pardon me, your holiness, but is this appropriate? This is too much authority for¡­"


    "Do as Imand, Wazir. We were deceived¡ªWe must ensure on a silver tter their punishment is received! As for the youngd, he has yed on myp since he was a babe. I know his limits¡ªhis strengths, and so does he. He can handle this situation well. Now leave!"


    [A/N: Just thought you''d like this info]


    ___________________


    GORILLA ALONE! GIVE STONE!


    **669 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 78 78. Slight Inconvenience

    [Announcement: This gori has been contracted now! The book will go premium next week, so the chapters will be locked.


    If you have any Stones, Golden Tickets, or Gifts to spare, I will cherish them like beautiful bananas. And even if you don''t, then I''d still appreciate them juicy stones and you reading my book.


    Though there are perks:


    500 GT = 1 bonus chapter.(Already half done)


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    ___________


    Sylvester was making rounds in the County of Ranthburg. There was one city, three towns, and countless smaller viges. Thankfully, the Yggdrasil School of Magic was not in the Count''s Land, or he''d have a bigger problem at hand.


    "Baron Ronald Chimonke, when the timees, I hope you choose the light that makes our days bright. We shall punish the heathens today or tomorrow, there can be dys, but they shalle." Sylvester met with the local Baron of thend and indirectly warned the man.


    Sylvester did not have to worry much for the minor nobles of Baron rank as these people usually get ready even to kill themselves for a favor from the faith¡­especially when it''s someone like a God''s Favored.


    The Baron was an ordinary old beer-bellied man with no talent in knighthood or magic. Even hisnd was nothing special, simply earning money from agriculture. So, it was easy for Sylvester.


    In the days, Sylvester had made a list of nobles in thend who were close to the Count and those who were neutral. Some even hated the Count, so he used them as well.


    By the time Sir Dolorem was on his way back, Sylvester had gotten more than half of the lords to his side. Now, it was a matter of time before the Count was arrested. However, it was known to him that the Count had found out his folly had been caught.


    So the Count''s Castle had been locked down, and he had gathered the armies, and all the protective measures needed were being taken.


    "But for what? Ultimately, even if he hides in the''s center, he can''t run. If not I, then a Guardian of Light, or even the Pope, mighte to punish him." Sylvester muttered in a small meeting with Sir Arnold.


    "But, Priest, to try to enter that castle, it will be akin to a hoard of sheep trying to enter a den of lions. We are understaffed and underpowered to fight them." Sir Arnold warned.


    But Sylvester''s own hands were tied. He was not going to get inside that castle on his own. It was suicide. "It does not matter if he has two Arch Wizards and a diamond knight. What matters is that they are standing against the light of the lord. I merely need to remind them that their sins will not be ignored."


    Knock! Knock!


    Felix entered with Gabriel and Sir Dolorem behind him. The moment they had been waiting for had finallye.


    "So?" Sylvester inquired.


    "I don''t know, Priest Sylvester. The letter they sent has the Pope''s seal. I am far too lowly to open it and read." Sir Dolorem handed the letter over.


    Sylvester nodded and forced open the seal. First, however, he had to knock on a certain furry beast who shoved his head over the letter to read it. But when he finally read it, his face remained the same, yet his heart skipped a beat.


    The implications of this rank¡­ this much authority. It was far too overbearing for someone of his magical status. But he did not let others feel his emotions, for he was the leader. "It seems I have been given a temporary promotion, my holypanions."


    "What is it?" Felix took the letter to read.


    "Ah!" And once he read it, the letter just fell out of his frozen hands, agape mouth, and eyes wide open in shock.


    Sir Arnold picked it up and looked. He was a rather stoic man of honor and rules, so he saluted Sylvester with the utmost respect instead of being shocked. "Your Eminence, what are the orders?"


    Sylvester took a long breath and made the decision quickly. "Gather the Inquisitors and call the Holy Army from barracks. Tell the Chief Archbishop of the County to be present as well¡ªthis is an order."


    "Very well, I shall report to you in one hour." Sir Arnold left with no more questions asked.


    Sylvester looked at Sir Dolorem and Gabriel''s curious faces and rified. "Everyone, I have been temporarily made the Additional Cardinal Suprima of Ironstone Duchy. I, with the permanent Cardinal Suprima, control every aspect of the Church in this Duchy and can uphold thew in ordance with the Law of Light."


    Gabriel gulped. "T-That''s like¡­ one rank below the Pope."


    Sylvester rolled his eyes. "No, you''re wrong. Even the Saints of Sanctum Council as Cardinals don''t make them one rank below the Pope. But, I sure am like a king of this Duchy now. Anyway, it''s time toy siege to the castle. I will give him 24 hours to surrender first."


    As per hismand, everyone scurried and started preparing for the departure. Sylvester donned his armor, quickly put the spear on the back, and went to therge training field of the Inquisitor Camp.


    Sitting atop his horse, he stayed there and waited for everyone else to gather. He also had a short golden staff in his hand. It was not magical but only cosmetic, for it showed his rank of Cardinal Suprima in thend.


    "Maxy, I eat this staff?" Chonky asked from the shoulder, staring at the shining staff.


    "I would love you too, but sadly I must return this in one piece after this assignment is over." Sylvester sounded sad, not for losing the staff but for the fact this rank was temporary. Yet, albeit understandably, he couldn''t help but savor the authority he felt. He could basically condemn any noble other than the Duke to death.


    "Your eminence!"


    Sylvester looked toward the voice. It turned out to be the Archbishop of the county, a middle-aged man with a short stubble beard. He wore typical church robes, but the chest te showed he was a Master Wizard, the same rank as Sylvester.


    "Archbishop Ludwig, I hope you came prepared to fight," Sylvester noted, knowing very well the man''s career was over. After all, all this happened under his nose. All Bright Mothers are the responsibility of the Administration head of that region, not the Inquisitors, so even if the Archbishop was not involved, he would be treated the same way as the Inquisitor General¡­ butter.


    "Of course, your eminence. I have called the entire county''s Holy Army. We willy siege just in time if the negotiations do not go well. I have also sent men to guard the perimeters to ensure the Count does not escape."


    Sylvester nodded and didn''t say much else. As he was superior, he could not act too nice or friendly with the men, or else some may forget their rank and try to overreach.


    Soon after, the men started arriving on their horses or feet. Each had their inquisition armor on and the des ready.


    Eventually, Sir Arnold also came, along with Sylvester''s friends. In total, there were nearly 3,000 soldiers. Sadly, they had no Arch Wizards, as the Inquisitors were never supposed to fight a powerful enemy. Only the Inquisitor General was, but the man remained arrested. However, Diamond Knights were plenty as Inquisition was a profession to the liking of knights.


    However, the Holy Army had twomanders of Arch Wizard rank and a few more men of Golden Knight rank. So, Sylvester was going to wait for the Holy Army before making a big move.


    For now, he addressed the crowd with some wise words and rhymes. These were the usual, apanied by the halo and light from his palm. After all, he was taking these men to battle, some of whom may die. But at least they will have the sce that the lord was on their side with this.


    ?My brothers of the holy Inquisition.


    Your des shall move with precision.


    Today we show our proper disposition.?


    ?May the light of Solis shine upon us.


    The warmth embraces us in its arm.


    Even if deathys hands upon us.<sub> </sub>


    We shall save the realm from harm.?


    ?I say, merciful is our beloved lord.


    But against this slight, mercy¡ªwe can''t afford.


    No forgiveness shalle from this bard.?


    ?Roar with me, men of light.


    For we stand for what is right.


    We ensure that tomorrow stays bright.?


    ?Today they shall know our true wraths.


    May the holy light enlighten our paths.?


    "AMEN!"


    "AMEN!"


    The men of the Inquisitor thumped their boots on the ground and their gauntlets on shields. The beautiful song of anger and adore rang far and wide. Even if someone didn''t know, now there was nothing to hide.


    The war trumpets rang soon after, and the army left the campgrounds at the first light of the dawn.


    The castle of the Count was not too far, however. But a surprise was awaiting Sylvester as they reached closer to their destination. Instead of being greeted by an army, he saw two old men in neat, expensive, knightly armor. Both looked highborn from the way they presented themselves too.


    "Your Eminence." the two knights knelt before Sir Dolorem, thinking he was the big guy.


    "He is the Cardinal Suprima." Sir Dolorem brushed them aside and stepped away.


    Sylvester folded his arms and looked down at the two Knights. He could smell the faint fear and anxiety from the two. "I presume you work for the Count?"


    The two nodded, and one spoke, even though he was surprised by how young Sylvester looked. "Your Eminence, we are the Generals of Count Ranthburg. We are devoted followers of Solis. We did not know the folly our lord wasmitting. We wish to have nothing to do with him¡­ believe us."


    ''Lies!'' Sylvester muttered inside. The sour smell and taste in his mouth clearly ascertained it.


    "What are your ranks?" He inquired.


    "Golden Knight."


    "Golden Knight as well, your eminence."


    Sylvester nodded, knowing that these two knew what their lord was doing. But now that they were caught and the Church was after them, this was their way of saving their necks.


    But, he could not kill them yet.


    "Sir Arnold put them in chains and bring them along. We shall let them go after Count surrenders."


    The Inquisitors swiftly followed hismand, and their procession soon reached the desired destination. The castle stood before them, its high walls stopping the full view. Moreover, the gates were closed, and the small vige outside was empty already.


    They surrounded the castle, it being easy as on the other side was a deep cliff.


    Sylvester called the two generals forward. "Shout and tell your lord to surrender, or his sins will soon pass on to his bloodline, and then don''t expect me to keep the family of the Count fine. Trust me. You don''t want anyone else from the Holy Land toe here."


    The two generals nodded and walked a little closer to the castle walls. Then they started shouting at the top of their lungs.


    "My lord! Please surrender!"


    "Think about your wife, your son¡­ your family!"


    Sylvester whispered to Sir Dolorem at the same time while he looked at the two generals. "Whenever we''re done with this, slit their throats. They knew about their lord''s activities."


    Sir Dolorem didn''t question how Sylvester knew. It was not the time or ce to ask. "Understood, your eminence."


    "Urgh! Shut up, you traitors!"


    All of a sudden, a third shout came. This time it was from the top of the wall. As everyone looked up, the figure of a tall, balding, ugly man appeared. But, what angered them all was the woman he held in front of him, clutched in his arm with one hand on her neck¡ªknife d.


    "You two bastards, you enjoyed the women too. I know what you did after I was done ying." The man, clearly the Count, mored.


    He then looked down at the Inquisitor Army, Sylvester, and the rest in sneer "You all! Are you willing to die for these useless women? Fine, I have a Bright Mother with me here, and if you do not grant me safe passage, I shall kill her too¡­ right in front of you. I wonder what they will say about your so-called order then."


    Sylvester grunted silently, not tensed or scared in the least. "Just another mindless rambling man."


    "What is yourmand, your eminence?" Sir Arnold questioned, knowing they could not let the Bright Mother die.


    Sylvester knew that too. So he simply sighed and started walking away from the army, to the left. "This is merely a small inconvenience; I will deal with him. You prepare to enter the castle. Send someone to make the Holy Army haste."


    "Understood, your eminence!"


    Sylvester silently gestured to his team to stay away. Then once he was alone, hemanded softly. "Chonky, I choose you!"


    ___________________


    SHOW ME YOUR STONES!


    [A/N: Bonusing next.]


    **1069 Stones = Bonus Chapter!**


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 79 [BONUS CHAPTER] 79. Orders!

    "Meow Meow?" Miraj was shocked to hear his name being called, not knowing how he could be helpful in this case. He was no dragon, after all.


    Sylvester picked the furry boy and held him in front of his face. Both have beenpanions for more than a decade and trust each other. They looked into each other''s eyes as if talking without speaking.


    "Chonky, do you trust me?"


    Miraj looked back at the castle in the distance, then turned back to Sylvester. "No."


    "..."


    Sylvesterughed wryly. "Atta boy, you''re turning into a better spy every day. Alright, I''m going to throw you to that castle wall. You go and cut that fat lord''s tendons."


    "My sharp nails can''t do that, Maxy," Miraj argued.


    Sylvester quickly took out a small but sharp knife from his armor pocket and handed it to Miraj. "There you go, now you just go there and get him to step away from the Bright Mother. Then stay with them and listen to all their secret ns."


    Miraj looked at the knife in his paws. He didn''t like this feeling, for he knew he was no bird. He nced again at the high wall but couldn''t imagine climbing it easily. "I die if I go."


    "Come on, Chonky. I have calcted everything. You are about 20 kilos, and the height of the wall is nearly 30 meters. I can throw you 35 meters in the air, so you will freefall for five meters at gravity. So¡­ using the work-energy principle, I know your impact force will be 9800 Newtons. That''s easily manageable for your strong stretchable body." Sylvester smartly argued, as he seriously had done the calctions before the idea of throwing Miraj came to his mind.


    "Who is Newton?" Miraj asked curiously.


    "A man who loved apples a bit too much."


    "Apples? Not banana? I don''t like this Newton." Miraj dered his most hated person.


    Sylvester chuckled and prepared to throw him after ncing at the sky, which appeared cloudy, and birds flew low. ''Good.''


    "Likewise, pal. Now, get ready to go and be my little Robinhood. One¡ªtwo¡ªgo!"


    "Oh nyooo¡­!!" Miraj''s loud and echoing meow resounded in the air as he wasunched like a missile.


    Sylvester was precise with his aim as he had practiced countless times with his spear. One chubby cat was no different. But, now he was to move on with the n, as his wish was to avoid battle altogether because the enemy had two Arch Wizards, and these folks could quickly turn the Inquisitor army into a gory paste of meat, bones, and blood.


    "What happened?" Felix asked him in a rush. He was always restless, ready to use his arm before his brain.


    "Just wait. We will have the Count brought to us soon."


    ¡­


    Miraj was a cunning master of speed and agility. He was the best boy in the world, always helping his human kid.


    His eyes remained focused on the target, for the game of death he had started. Then, swiftly, he darted towards the target and reached behind the fat Count of Ranthburg. He held the sharp knife in his mighty sharp jaws and went for it.


    sh!


    sh!


    Like the wind, he made a deep cut on the tendons of the feet. In an instant, the Count cried in pain and fell back on his butt, losing power in his legs.


    "Aargh!"


    The Bright Mother found an opportunity and got away from the man. She looked down at the army of Inquisitors and contemted jumping. But, she had no magic, and the Inquisitors were too far away.


    However, Miraj was not done. "Chonky shall slit your wrists next!"


    He jumped around and, with precision, made the cuts on the back of the hand¡ªsh!


    "Aaa¡­ What''s happening? I can''t move!" Count Ranthburg cried in pain and panic. He could not see anything around himself or hear anything other than strange cat noises. "Guards! Protect me!"


    However, how were the guards supposed to protect him from an invisible foe?


    Miraj aimed at the shoulders next and zoomed past like the wind to make another cut.


    sh!


    "W-What is happening? Aah¡­ bring the healer¡­ take me to the healer!" Count Ranthburg started hyperventting.


    However, the real game was merely starting from Sylvester''s side.


    Suddenly, a voice boomed around the castle walls, reaching all.


    "O''Lord, this man deserves no mercy, but why hurt the innocents? Do not show your wrath upon thisnd. Let the Count suffer alone."


    Sylvester''s voice echoed as ifing out of all directions. In reality, he was using air maniption magic to amplify his voice. It was not easy but doable as long as there were walls around for the voice to collide.


    All started to look around at the sky dumbly. There were dark clouds now, making it appear as if night had fallen, but it was still the middle of the, and the clouds in the distance didn''t lookmon.


    Boom!¡ªThunder burst all of a sudden. The storm Sylvester had predicted from bird behavior, changes in wind, and the temperature hade true. And he was going to use it to the fullest.


    "The seniors of Ranthburg County,e out with the Bright Mother. So you do not have to face the wrath of the faith. You may win today, but can you assure me you will win when the ire of the Inquisitor High Lord reaches you? When his fire burn you?" He roared. "Look at your master. Even the gods are punishing him in mysterious ways."


    His message was clearly for the mighty men and women inside the castle.


    "No amount of fortune is worth it! In the end, if you ept this heathen money, your reward will be death too. And, if you protect this man, you will be seen as his aplices." Sylvester added.


    "Ah! My eyes!" Count Ranthburg suddenly screamed. Miraj had not yet stopped and was still strong with his strategic stabbing.


    Sylvester took advantage and raised his hands towards the sky while producing light from his palms. "Hear the roar of nature. The sky is angered! Hear the wind mor, for all the signs are there. One question is left now¡ªare you aware?


    "I shall give you one day. If you do note out with the Bright Mother, or any other Bright Mother in your possession, safely, I will call forth the might of the Holy Land¡­ One day! Remember that! "


    As his announcement concluded, he turned around and nodded at Sir Arnold. Soon thetter made the calls to set up the camp, and the Inquisitors started to move around. By doing this, Sylvester was not only buying the Holy Army some time but also creating a possibility that the battle might not even happen.


    Sylvester was the mainmander at the moment, so they set his tent in the middle of the encirclement. This was the first time he was being shown such high honor, perks of his new temporary promotion.


    But, none of them felt like sleeping and instead discussed what they should do next.


    "Can we not infiltrate the castle?" Felix wondered.<sub> </sub>


    "No, they have two arch wizards and many lower ranked knights and wizards. They likely have set runes to detect any trespassing. There are only two easy things that can go from here. " Sylvester started. "Either their powerhouses surrender to us, or we go for an all-out battle. Once the rest of the army arrives, we will have the upper hand."


    "What about the Bright Mother?" Sir Arnold questioned.


    ''I can''t save everyone.'' Sylvester thought. But he could not say that out loud. "That''s why you should hope the first situation happens. Now I suggest you all take some rest. Who knows what tomorrow will bring."


    Indeed, hope was all they could do. Sylvester had read the variousws in order to be a Sanctum Inspector. One of the highest priorities an Inspector must ensure is that they, at all costs, avoid wars from happening. The Holynd didn''t want any human resources to die before the next invasion by Beastaria.


    "It''s getting colder these days." He muttered as the night slowly arrived. The camp got engulfed withnterns and brightened every part. The patrol guards made their rounds in shifts. The owls sang their menacing songs while wolves howled in the distance.


    Meanwhile, those inside the Castle knew that Sylvester didn''t foolishly set the camp there, as the second goal was to stop all supplies to the Castle and slowly starve everyone. This verymon technique could be devastating for a castle located on a cliff.


    ''I need to focus on increasing my strength and my clergy rank. My n to live a peaceful life away from the church is down the drains already. Even a blind man can see I have the best odds of being proimed the true God''s Favored. There''s no way they''ll allow me to live.'' Sylvester thought about his fate at the same time.


    The only thing that scared him the most now was his own blood. He felt nervous, borderline scared of sleeping in the presence of anyone or living in the Holy Land, out of the possibility that someone would test his blood.


    Not to mention, he still had one mystery to solve. ''Where is Markus?''


    But out of all, nighttime was not his favorite part of life, for it leaves his mind open to thinking about his life''s strife. Sixteen years, it had been so long since he took his first breath in this strange world¡ªyet he felt his life was a mystery still tightly furled.


    He often reckoned that he was so blessed yet so cursed. He thinks about reincarnation and how illusory it seems even now. But at the same time, he''d curse as death seemed better than this life¡ª''I''m too old for this''¡ªhe''d say.


    Hey on his back on the makeshift wool bed, arms crossed behind his head. He looked at the dark ceiling of the tent, emptiness apparent in his eyes¡ªyet so profound.


    "What are you thinking, Max?" Felix asked, resting on his wool bed a few feet beside Sylvester.


    With a sigh, Sylvester shook his head. "Nothing. Just remembered someone important¡­ someone¡ªwho died today."


    "How important?" Felix pried more.


    "Extremely."


    "Who is i-"


    PA!


    Before Felix could ask further, the war trumpet resounded and woke up all. Sylvester quickly tied his long hair in the back and headed out, as he never removed the armor.


    "Your eminence, it seems they have decided. The two Arch Wizards from the Castle areing out with Bright Mother!" Sir Arnold chirped excitedly.


    "That''s gre-"


    Sylvester swallowed his words back when all of a sudden, he felt the ground shake. It felt like d¨¦j¨¤ vu, and soon he heard loud voices, shouting in unison¡ªsinging!


    A minute more, and he recognized the voice. "Why is there another Inquisitor unit from the Holy Land here?"


    The singing voices only amplified with the echoing steps of the march¡ªThud! Thud!....


    ?Let the marching of the lord


    Spill the blood, spill the blood.


    Let the justice of the lord.


    Here''s my sword, here''s my sword.?


    ?Heathens made the light obscure.


    Our des are so pure¡ªthe blessed cure.


    This tragic pain in mind of yours.


    You shan''t endure. You shan''t endure.?


    ?We find the witches; we find the heathens.


    Pure our minds; we''re men on a mission.


    Rain or snow, no matter the condition.


    No tainted desires, our honor you can''t question.


    We are the mighty men of the Holy Inquisition!?


    In an orderly fashion, five armored wizards and knights on horses in the lead led the marching Inquisitors into the camp.


    But the march did not stop until it neared Sylvester''s tent. That was when one of the men from the horses got down and saluted Sylvester, for he was a Cardinal, even if temporary. "Cardinal Suprima, Sylvester Maximilian, orders from Saint Wazir."


    Sylvester quickly took the sealed letter and tore it open. It was written in the formal format used by Sanctum Inspectors. And it was amand this time straight from the top.


    ''Fuck!'' He could not curse louder, sadly. ''So this is going to be a cleanup job now.''


    He faced the tall knight beside him and forwarded the orders. "Sir Arnold, initiate Article 66!"


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 Chapter 80 80. Purge!

    Article 66¡ªAs per the Holy Law of Light, the sacred tome which detailed all sins and their punishment, Article 66 is an annihtion and cleanup order given when the sanctity of the church is at stake. When it''s reasoned that letting some people live will do more harm than good¡­ even if there is a chance of rehabilitation. Hence, the order was simply called Article Purge, sometimes.


    Sir Arnold and Sir Dolorem were men of the Inquisition, so it was not something too strange for them. But Felix and Gabriel were taken aback.


    Sylvester exined further. "The church likely believes that letting this incident be known around will only bolster criminals to hurt more Bright Mothers. Therefore, they presumably wish to erase this incident from history."


    "Your eminence, I am Bishop Moris, an Arch Wizard. With me are two more Arch Wizards and two Diamond Knights. We have been dispatched to assist you inpleting this task." The leading man respectfully said.


    ''In short, you''re here to ensure the job is done right.'' Sylvester thought.


    "Good, but first, let me deal with those two Archbishops." He pointed toward three figuresing from the castle. These two were the only biggest powerhouses of the Count. But they also likely knew about the whole incident. Hence, Article 66 was applied to them as well.


    "We have brought the Darkstone cuffs. We do not need to fight, your eminence." Bishop Moris suggested.


    However, Sylvester denied it, as it was a waste of time. His goal was to get the Bright Mother out and deal with the powerhouses. "Just stay silent."


    Saying that, he held his spear firmly and walked alone towards the iing men. They seemed old and most likely had reached their peak, which was Arch Wizard rank. However, by merely smelling the emotions, Sylvester learned the two men were genuinely scared and were not scheming.


    ''This makes things easy. Sorry, old boys, good soldiers follow orders¡­ for now.'' He muttered as he reached them.


    Then, midway, he stopped and let the Arch Wizards and the Bright Mother reach him.


    He stood tall, full of confidence as his hair and the short red cape fluttered in the wind. He looked rather handsome for even men, but it often helped him lure the target in¡ªas bad as it may seem.


    "I pay my respects to his eminence. I am Arch Wizard, Lord Tonoris, and this is my brother, Lord Ikaris." the two old men stopped in front of him.


    But Sylvester kept ncing at the scared woman. Her eyes looked baggy as if she had not slept in weeks, while her pupil seemed dted, as if still in a shocked state. ''Poor woman, I can''t imagine what they did to her.''


    Seeing her up close, he lost all pity for the two men he was about to kill. As the Count said, the two also hurt the Bright Mothers. Who knows who else did it too? The entire House of Ranthburg was nothing but filth. However, before hemenced the purge, he had to get the Bright Mother to safety.


    "Mother, was there anyone else with you?" He asked her seriously while shoving the two Arch Wizards to the side. The fear in their hearts increased even more, although Sylvester didn''t exactly know why, other than his tone.


    The woman''s eyes teared up when she heard him calling her mother with respect and worry. She ran forward and hugged Sylvester and just wailed loudly. "N-No¡­ it was just me."


    Her words resounded throughout the silent battlefield. All eyes were on her. Many were filled with pity and shame.


    Sylvester just caressed the back of her head on his shoulder. He pitied her, as this was not the work she had signed up for. Bright Mothers were supposed to be given the highest safety, but he saw their exploitation here.


    "The church has failed you, mother. Come, we shall return home now." He walked her towards the camp. Midway, Felix and Gabriel helped her, as there were no other women, and the two were the youngest boys.


    Sylvester let her go and stopped midway. The two Arch Wizards were standing behind him, unsuspecting of what went on in Sylvester''s mind, clearly showing their fear with the odor.


    ''Article 66 is justice in this case.''


    Woosh!


    Thud! Thud!


    It happened so fast that no one even saw the whole thing. All they noticed was two old men''s bodies falling slowly and their throats spraying blood like a geyser. The two men''s eyes stayed wide open in shock. All they could do was watch as the vision dimmed.


    Sylvester jerked the spear and cleaned its de from the blood stains. He may be a rank smaller than the two, but he was also a Knight and had better physical strength. If it were a long fight, he''d have lost, however.


    He looked back at the men. The Holy army had not yete, but it was better this way. "Men of the Inquisition! I have received the words from Saint Wazir, the Lord Inquisitor, and the Holy Father. What these vile heathens have done is beyond redemption. For their sins, the Ranthburg family has been wholly emunicated, and Article 66 is sanctioned against them.


    "So, hear my words, lift your swords. It''s time to chop their evil chords. We shall not allow a single man or woman to remain alive there, for we are the justice; we y as we chant our prayer. Go, my holy brothers, leave none alive¡­ except babies that can''t walk or talk!


    "May the holy light guide the heathen souls to their demise!"


    "Amen!"


    The Inquisitors boomed in unison and roared. They clinked their swords, shields, and spears. The wizards created borate spells that lit up the night sky.


    "Burn them!" Sir Arnold charged straight to the castle with his men in tow. Meanwhile, the Inquisitors from Holy Land were slow but far more destructive, as they were sent here with themand. They directly destroyed the castle as if it were a house of cards.


    First were the boundary walls, and they were easily obliterated by the three Arch Wizards, as they used Earth runes to dismantle them. It was pitiful even to call the Count''s men a resistance, as they just gave up as soon as the Inquisitors reached them.


    As the suprememander of the operation, Sylvester slowly entered the premises. As he walked into the castle halls, he only found blood, bodies, and chopped limbs here and there. The massacre was merciless and random. There were bodies of young ones too, but sadly Sylvester could not save them as toddlers were also included in Article 66ws.


    Only babies were spared because they could not remember anything at this stage. They will instead be taken by the church as orphans and then be nourished. They will never know about their family''s past because it will be a secret in some Administration files.


    He moved from room to room and checked every nook and cranny, not to kill but to ensure no baby was left, for the fate of the castle was not going to be good.


    "Your eminence, look here!" Suddenly an Inquisitor called him.<sub> </sub>


    It turned out to be a room in the basement. It had blood around the walls and on the floor. This was definitely a room with some dark memories attached, where so many lives were snatched.


    "Did you find the Count?"


    "Not yet, your eminence." the Inquisitor quickly hurried.


    The bloodbath also included the servants of the family. The ves as well, and although it was distasteful to kill them, he knew that he must thoroughly tie the loose ends.


    The massacrested a few hours, leaving behind bloody footprints everywhere. Only the Count was caught alive, however. Sylvester didn''t have anything special for him. He just needed proof that the man was dead. So he was going to do it himself.


    "I won''t even ask you for anyst wishes, for I wish to grant you none." Sylvester aimed his spear at the kneeling Count''s neck.


    The Count had epted his fate, however. There was no regret in the man''s eyes but rather defiance. The fat lord sneered at Sylvester. "I regret nothing, ve of the church. I did what I wished. My noble blood gave me that right."


    Sylvester scoffed and thrust the spear forward. "Then show me that noble blood."


    Woosh!


    The spear passed through Count Ranthburg''s skull in one swoop and came out of his nape. The Count''s body fell back, twitching like a dying fish. With that, finally, Ranthburg House was finished, and some new Count will be chosen by a process he didn''t care about.


    Sylvester simply wished to have some rest now, as he''d been running around since the moment the assignment started. But it was not over yet, as he found two babies in his arms soon after, while he watched the castle burning down slowly to its ashes, exploding now and then and revealing the boratebyrinth under it.


    He looked at the babies and sighed internally. He could not kill them no matter what, as they were too small to be held responsible for the crime of their family. "Don''t worry. The Holy Land will be your new home. Sir Dolorem, hold them."


    He passed the two babies and gathered the army. The castle was turning into ashes anyway, so all they had to do was wait.


    But Sylvester had another thing to do. It was to arrest the Inquisitor General, Van Joseph, for his crimes, someone equally responsible as the Count. The man had been left with Jax, as Sylvester didn''t trust the adventurer enough to keep him beside.


    So he arrived with a few Arch Wizards. They were to transport the man to the Holy Land so he would get punished publicly and be an example of the church''s wrath.


    "General Joseph, time to head back. The Ranthburg family has faced Article 66." Sylvester called the man over.


    However, the man didn''t budge. "Where is the Lord Inquisitor? I wish to talk to him first."


    "He returned to the Holy Land," Sylvester replied.


    "Lies!" General Joseph argued and stood up, angered. "He was never here, was he? You yed a game with me, lied to me to make me speak!"


    Seeing the anger exploding, the Arch Wizards with Sylvester stood in front of him as guards.


    "I am the additional Cardinal Suprima, you must obey me for a trial, or I shall judge you right here," Sylvester ordered.


    "I will not go down so easily, Favored One! Let''s see how powerful you are!!" Joseph''s true nature came out in a moment of panic. He tried to use magic to harm.


    However, just then, the arm of Jax, the adventurer, rested on Joseph''s shoulder. In an instant, Joseph calmed down as if he was scared out of his wits, and beads of sweat appeared on his face.


    "You reap what you sow, General. So stand down and face the consequences of your actions¡ªtransgressions."


    ''What was that?'' Sylvester felt the scene was too strange. He could feel the fear rising in General Joseph''s heart while Jax seemed to reek of death.


    ''How powerful is Jax? Why is he with us?'' Sylvester had a thousand questions. But he''d rather not have a new enemy at this stage. So he decided to investigate the manter in the Guilds of Holy Land.


    "Men of Inquisition, put the darkstone cuffs on him, then let''s head back. I wish to report to Lord Wazir as soon as possible." He ordered tiredly.


    For now, he only wished to return home quickly, rest, and then take off for another assignment. Also, check up on Xavia if she''s still alive. ''I hope she didn''t kill herself from malnutrition. The woman is toozy to cook when I''m not around.''


    He thought. But, this time, he was wrong, for even Xavia had a new fire in her heart¡ªa fire to rise and reach high¡­ and he was in for a surprise.


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 Chapter 81 81. Love Kills

    Holy Land.


    It was just another sunny day in the Holy Land, as it rarely rained here. Like always, most clergymen were at work, students were studying, and some with free time were basking in the energizing light of the Solis.


    But appearing out of the ordinary, one woman was swiftly pacing toward the Administration building. With red hair, blue eyes, and a face enough to heal dying men, she was definitely a beauty, but no hands could dare touch her, for she was a Bright Mother and, above all, mother of a very vengeful person.


    ''You can do it, Xavia. If your son can do it, you can too. Yes, I should be mean as well¡­ I should be bad¡­ I am a baddy!''


    Xavia hurried into the castle-like tall building covered with white marble. It was undoubtedly awe-inspiring but also a reminder of the authority it showcased.


    Xavia went to the reception and gave her identification to the attendant priest. "Xavia Maximilian, I was called for an interview."


    "Yes, your number is 5th. You will be called soon; sit there."


    She nodded and went to sit at the side nervously, rubbing her hands. Thest time she felt this nervousness was back during her very days. But here, it was not nervousness due to fear but rather hope.


    ''How does Max stay so calm at all times? I can''t even control my heartbeat. Breath, Xavia¡­ you can do it. You must not remain a liability to your son. You must get this promotion!'' She talked to herself in the head, trying to fool herself.


    But she was no soldier, rather someone who lived in dread for years, hurt and hunted. For most of her life, she lived in fear of her life, so the newfound dignity to hold her head high was something new.


    "Mother Xavia, you may enter now."


    She stiffly stood and walked like she was frozen. But she soon entered the interview room after fixing her golden gown and wimple.


    She looked around after entering and noticed the decorations. It seemed like a royal chamber or something, as the ceiling showed great carvings of gold with paintings of past Popes and their various deeds. Therge windows were uncovered, with red curtains on the sides. In the middle of the room was a long oak table, behind which sat four men, the Saint Wazir, his three assistants, and Great Mother Grace.


    "Take a seat, Mother Xavia." Saint Wazir guided her while looking at her intently, possibly seeing simrities with Sylvester''s face. It may not be the hair or the eyes, but the facial structure was precisely the same.


    Great Mother Grace, the head of all Bright Mothers, spoke warmly, as she knew Xavia personally. "Bright Mother Xavia, you have been nominated by 80 Bright Mothers in Guild Penins for the position of Superintendent Healer of the Penins. So I wish you good luck."


    With that, the interview started. Saint Wazir was the one who made all the important appointments, so it was his duty to be the primary judge. "Mother Xavia, can you tell us what you did with the five hundred Gold Graces you took from your bank?"


    p "I helped a poor adventurer with no talent for being an adventurer. He was merely trying to gather money to send his magically talented son to the wizard school. But he was injured in a quest." Xavia replied kindly.</anda>


    Saint Wazir smiled hearing that. Five hundred graces was a lot of money, but it was indeed enough to send a kid to a wizarding school. But that brought another question, Xavia''s sry was at most seven Gold Graces. "Where did you get this much money?"


    Xavia felt a little embarrassed answering this question. "That¡­ my son deposits money into my ount every month so I may spend it on living a better life."


    "Understandable, Priest Sylvester haspleted many grueling quests in his time as a student. He must have a small fortune by now. But, do you not use that money on yourself?"


    "I do not need to, respected Saint. I am a Bright Mother, and I must aid others. I work to heal others with no expectations. So I believe aiming for luxury can taint one''s heart, from the faith of Solis make our minds depart. I am happy with what I have¡ªI am blessed." She replied just as she had nned after trying to imagine what Sylvester would have said.


    She had realized already that being too honest with the Church was not good. To gain favorable grounds, one also needs to say favorable things.


    "Brilliantly answered Mother Xavia. I''m sure he''d be proud of you if Priest Sylvester were here." Saint Wazir praised her. But the main question was left. "Okay, thest question is simple. Tell us why we should allow you to be Superintendent and not one of the other five."


    ''Be selfish! Be selfish!'' Xavia repeated the words of Sylvester in her mind again and again and thought of an answer.


    She knew the other four candidates and honestly believed they were better than her. But she knew she could not just let this opportunity go.


    "Because I know I can¡ªwith the name of Solis on my tongue, with his blessings, I am still very much young. Being a Superintendent, one is expected to travel a lot and oversee challenging situations. All other candidates are aging and cannot spare as much energy as I can.


    "At the same time, Guild Penins is the greatest earner of gold for the faith, which is essential to maintain our various facilities. So my focus would be to ensure the smooth functioning of the guilds in terms of healthcare, so they can keep donating their fair share.


    "I remember the words of the 24th Pope, Brayden Octavian Brooks, the Builder. After hepleted various of the important buildings of the Church, he quoted, ''Humanity without humility is like walls without foundation¡ªboth bring instability'' And I truly believe that the quote applies to all branches of the Church." She answered masterfully, crafting her words as nicely as possible, sometimes even throwing in a few rhymes inspired by Sylvester.


    Saint Wazir took a long breath and rubbed his eyes. He sensed too many simrities between Xavia and Sylvester, especially now as she talked like him. But this was good for Xavia because Saint Wazir had the utmost confidence in Sylvester due to past meetings.


    "Mother Xavia, I must say you are the best candidate we''ve had this afternoon. But we must discuss it before making a decision. So please go out and wait for the announcement."


    Xavia saluted them church style and left silently. However, as soon as she was out of the room, she took a long breath, and her shoulder fell. The pressure she had forced to stay away from her was back.


    ''Why is it more nerve-wracking to wait for the results than the interview itself?'' She wondered and took a seat. She saw the other four women too. All of them were old, with one foot in the grave.


    ''I did exactly as Max would do, confident, ruthless and¡­ I hope he won''t get angry for helping that adventurer.'' Midway through, her mind diverted to her worries. ''I wonder where he is¡­ I hope he''s eating well. Maybe I should make Honey-Banana Pie for him; it will surely freshen him up.''


    "Mother Xavia, pleasee in."


    The assistant priest''s words suddenly pulled her out of her thoughts as the former called her in to hear the results with the other four Bright Mothers.


    ''I hope I win¡ªso I can shoulder Max''s burdens.''


    ¡­


    Sadly, she could never shoulder Sylvester''s burdens, for they were too heavy for any mortal to hold.


    "Ugh, Chonky, sit on the saddle, not on my shoulder. You''ve gained weight, it seems." Sylvesterined as he rode his horse amidst the Inquisitor army from the Holy Land.


    Their small convoy was transporting Inquisitor General Joseph back to the Holy Land for his trial. Sylvester decided to tag along as it was time to return for him, but he was still the highest ranking clergy as his appointment didn''t end until he submitted the report to Saint Wazir.


    "Maxy, I''m Chonky Bank, I eat so much gold for you, and you call me fat." Miraj pouted his chubby cheek.


    "Wait! You took something from the Count''s Castle?"<sub> </sub>


    Miraj nodded and boasted. "I did."


    Sylvester felt ted but also annoyed. ck money was useless unless he could invest it somewhere. "What did you take?"


    "Hehe, Chonky Bank needs tax first."


    Sylvester grunted, took a banana from behind his chest te, and handed it to the greedy cat. Why did he have a banana on him? It didn''t matter, as long as the bank was happy.


    "Good boy," Miraj said and took his favorite food. "I did not find any gold, but I followed the bad fat man to his big room. There were many books, and I remembered you said knowledge is the greatest treasure. So I ate the books¡­ and the shiny showpieces."


    ''Can a Count have books more useful than what''s in the Church''s library? This might just be the best thing Chonky has done in years.'' He muttered.


    Satisfied, he gave another banana to the cat. "Here, I feel magnanimous today."


    "Huzza! Huzza!" Miraj held the two bananas over his head like a weapon in the hand of an evil wizard.


    "Calm down now, and eat it secretly." He hid Miraj under his robes and looked forward at the walking Inquisitors as they sang their hymns. It was very inspiring to hear¡ªbeautiful even. That is until you focus on the lyrics that talk about blood and gore.


    "I hope those two return soon."


    Felix and Gabriel were sent forward by Sylvester so they could find a ce to eat something good. He wished to celebrate thepletion of his first mission silently by offering a nice meal to the soldiers.


    However, he could not show happiness as the hurt Bright Mother was traveling with him, at the front on a stagecoach with Sir Dolorem.


    Pa! Pa!


    "What happened now?" He frowned when the trumpets signaled the convoy to halt.


    He trotted his horse to the front of the long march that spanned a few hundred meters. They were heading to the river port between Yggdrasil School of Magic and Goldstown, but this stop would dy their journey.


    "What happened?"


    But he got no reply as he noticed a crowd at a distance in the front. "Chonky, stay on the horse."


    He got off and walked to the crowd that seemed to have encircled something. Crows were circling in the sky¡ªgiving off an ominous air.


    A few inquisitors had also joined in, while Bishop Moris, Sir Dolorem, and the Bright Mother were at the front of the crowd.


    ''Did an ident happen?''


    "She was pregnant."


    That''s what Sylvester heard as he reached the front. To his shock, the people had surrounded a big tree on the side of the road, and from it was hanging a man''s body with a rope tied around the neck. At the same time, a woman''s body was on the ground, likely the work of the people.


    The woman also had a rope around her neck, as her face appeared pale as snow, devoid of life yet full of expressions of anguish clear on her face.


    "Your eminence!" Bishop Moris of the Holy Land saluted him and made the crowding locals move away to give way to Sylvester.


    The people noticed the special treatment and the title of Sylvester and understood he was a big shot.


    "What happened?" He inquired.


    However, before Sir Dolorem or Bishop Moris could speak, the people burst into angry shouts simultaneously.


    "It was the damn Baron!"


    "Baron did this to them!"


    "You men of faith did nothing!"


    It was hard to understand them, so Sylvester raised his right palm and sent a wave of light, instantly shutting them up in awe. He then turned to Sir Dolorem. "What happened?"


    The old knight sighed tiredly. "People say these two were lovers and wished to marry¡­ but the Baron invoked the right of the first night. The two were against it and decided to end themselves together."


    "She was pregnant!" the Bright Mother added emotionally.


    Sylvester looked at the people. Their anger made it clear that the Baron likely did it. But he was also a man of thew and had memorized everything. "Article 401 clearly ouwed this practice five hundred years ago, then why?"


    Bishop Moris shook his head in disappointment in response. "Your eminence¡ªLord made all men the same, but men madews, and sadly¡ªthey''re anything but a shame."


    ___________________


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 Chapter 82 [BONUS CHAPTER] 82. Just Saying

    Sylvester sighed as he looked at the scene. He had heard about this practice in his world too, although it was historically dismissed as just a rumor and justification for the sexual crimesmitted by nobles in the old days.


    But here, it seemed the thing was real. ording to the right of the night, it allowed feudal lords to have sexual rtions with subordinate women, in particr, on wedding nights of the women. This was likely some sort of a sick fetish or simple power tripping of nobles, but it was a curse that left mental scars on poor innocents for the rest of their lives.


    "Which Baron?" He asked the people, showing not much reaction.


    "Baron Fredrick Bosch! He''s the vile creature that infects thisnd." A man from the crowd shouted fairly strong words for their overlord.


    But now, Sylvester was confused about what he should even do. He can''t just take their word and kill a noble lord. That was an overreach of his authority, even if he was the Cardinal Suprima right now¡ªa temporary one at that.


    "We can at least give these two a proper funeral." He told Sir Dolorem. It was also important to burn the bodies ording to the traditions to ensure they are not taken by a dark creature and turned into something vile.


    ? Sir Dolorem looked at Sylvester strangely. He expected Sylvester to jump into action, sing a hymn and talk about killing the Baron. But, thetter appeared too silent.


    Sylvester noted the former''s confusion. "This thing is likely verymon across the world, Sir Dolorem. Not just Barons but Viscounts, Counts, Dukes, and even Kings probably indulge in such vile things. Unfortunately, it''s human nature, power corrupts, and these nobles have nobody watching over them because all are nearly the same. So how many will we punish?"


    Sir Dolorem had to agree with this, as he had heard many such incidents in the past, and in none were the nobles punished. Sexual crime, unless done against a Bright Mother, was not seen as something severe in the world. It was usually left to the rted parties.


    "T-Then¡­ you won''t do anything?" The Bright Mother asked.


    Sylvester shrugged. "My hands are tied. I can not take the word ofmoners against a lord without any proof. That''s how things work. That''s thew. And as Bishop Moris said, men are not equal. Let''s cremate the bodies first, at least."


    So they got to do just that. The local people brought all the necessary things, while the Inquisitor soldiers brought the wood to make a pyre. The two lovers would be burnt together, along with the baby that never got to be.


    Being the highest authority, Sylvester held the blessed book with thews of light in it. It was his duty to perform thest right, the least he could do.


    "Under the light of Solis, we are here to-"


    But suddenly, all voices and noises stopped as everyone turned their faces to look toward the road. Two horses appeared to being their way. The people did not recognize them, but Sylvester did.


    As the two horses stopped near him, he asked. "Where were you two? And who is this?"


    There was a man hogtied and ced on the horse''s back safely. Felix smiled and pped the tied man. "When Gab and I arrived, we saw him trying to hide the woman''s body. So we gave him a chase. So meet Sir us, a retainer of Baron Fredrick, and apparently, Baron Fredrick wanted to vite this woman on her wedding night for a practice lost in time."


    Sylvester looked at the man with suspicion. "Do you have his identification?"


    "I do, this is his rank te, and this is his noble seal." Felix handed Sylvester the two.


    Now, Sylvester had fair enough evidence since one of the retainers of the Baron was here. But, just to be sure, he asked him again while scaring him in the name of Solis. "Speak, Sinner! What were you doing here, or quibble not if I pronounce you a heathen."


    Of course, being pronounced a heathen was as good as a death sentence for any noble. So the man sang like a cuckoo. The effect of Felix''s earlier interrogation was also apparent. "I¡­ I didn''t harm them¡­ my¡­"


    "His eminence, you stand before Cardinal Suprima!" Bishop Moris barked, reminding the man to stay within limits and respect.


    Hearing Sylvester''s rank, Sir us started to shiver as he knew that Cardinal Suprima was akin to a king, sometimes having even more authority than the Duke of the Duchy. "Baron asked me to get rid of the bodies so the matter can be put to rest¡­ he was scared of an uprising."


    Sylvester nodded and thought about his next move. ''What should I do? If I don''t do anything, will I be scrutinized? I am supposed to be God''s Favored, after all. A baron, ha? Aren''t there hundreds of nobles of this rank in the Gracia Kingdom alone? Maybe I should shoot the arrow from someone else''s shoulder.''


    At that, his eyes fell on the angry people of the nearby viges. An idea appeared in his head. ''I do have an angry mob. They just need the green light. But I can''t be seen as an instigator.''


    "Scribe,e here and write an official letter addressed to Baron Fredrick. Write as I say, ''It hase to my notice that you dared invoke the Right of the First Night on your people. A practice ouwed five hundred years ago, a practice that harms the believers of the faith, the brethren, and sistren.


    "For the crime of breaking holyw, pushing two lovers to suicide, and then trying to hide it, I pronounce you and you alone¡ªemunicated.'' Did you write all that? Put my name and rank on the bottom. I will stamp it."


    Sylvester used his wax seal, melted its front with a small fire from the finger, and stered it on the document. "Now, enclose it in an envelope and send it to the permanent Cardinal Suprima and the Duke."


    Soon, a Running Man in the ranks was called forward. Sylvester took out five gold graces from his pocket and handed them to the man. "I know you''re tired, so use this money on the way to rest, eat, and stay at the finest inns."


    Sir Dolorem, Felix, and Gabriel were confused about why Sylvester was doing all this since his decision to emunicate would easily get overturned once they reached the Holy Land. He''s a temporary Cardinal Suprima, after all.


    "Let''s finish the cremation." He dered and walked to the pyre once again. He spoke the prayers again, but this time there was something different in his words¡­ they felt more meaningful in certain ways.


    "O''Lord, you see all, you punish all. The sinner is known, and the crimes are already shown. May the sinner be emunicated, so the public justice could be served¡ªworry not, for we shall be careful to only punish the Baron¡ªwhile chanting your name inpassion.


    "Must it happen immediately, for there exist men of authority who shall dare change their destiny. Lend me your power, O''Lord, let the faith in you be restored¡­ Amen!"


    As he finished, an Inquisitor knight came forward and put the pyre on fire. However, the people were dumbly staring at Sylvester, too scared to ask him or misinterpret him.


    Sylvester smelled the confusion, too, so he looked at the crowd and winked. Then he turned around. "Let''s move on, Bishop Moris. I wish not to bete to the Holy Land. As for the Baron, I''m sure he will get what''s in his fate¡­ disease, lightning from the sky, or the ire of the fire¡ªit won''t be toote. I just hope it''s only the Baron who gets punished and none else, or that shall be a sin as well."


    All smiles, Bishop Moris nodded. In his heart, respect for Sylvester increased manifolds. "As you wish, your eminence. Inquisitors, begin to march."


    Quickly, someone brought Sylvester''s horse to the front and let him mount it. Slowly, the army prepared to move while the pyre was still burning.


    The crowd of nearly three hundred people bowed their heads towards Sylvester in respect and adoration for his quickness to bring justice.


    But Sylvester warned them too, albeit in rhymes since officially he never told them to do anything.<sub> </sub>


    ?There lurks evil, be it day''s bright or darkness of the night.


    To oppose evil is an eternal fight.


    When cornered, a weapon is your right.?


    ?Love, adorations, and respect for the Lord,


    Be kind, and your appeals won''t be ignored.


    But, sin¡ªand face consequences you can''t afford.?


    The trumpets of the march resounded then. Sylvester ended his words as he started moving.


    ?So long, people of the gracednd.


    Tests of fate must you withstand.


    Sometimes punish the condemned¡ªwith your own hand.?


    Once his words ended, the Inquisitors boomed in their own marching songs, full of blood, death, and the praise of the Lord. Indeed, the Inquisitors were usually the assholes, and they didn''t even try to act friendly, as apparent from the songs.


    But thankfully, Sylvester had status among them, akin to their mascot. A mascot that sings, shines, and ys¡ªperfect in their adoring eyes.


    "That was truly smart, your eminence." Bishop Moris said as he rode beside Sylvester.


    Sylvester was also impressed by the man and what he said about ''man making badws''. "Man madews that are a shame, I agree, Bishop. But I, right now, hold the authority to make them tame¡ªinterpret them as per my wish."


    "You are truly suitable to be the best politician the holynd has ever seen. I hope I see you achieve greatness before my demise, your eminence."


    "How old are you?" Sylvester inquired.


    "I''m young, but in our professions, our age never determines our lifespan. We just hope to achieve whatever we can with what time we have."


    ''True, and with the disease, dark creatures, and war against the east, death is always around the corner.'' Sylvester thought and silently rode the rest of the way.


    By evening, they arrived at the destination, Hideport, the port town from where they''d take a ship to Holy Land, as the Inquisitor army was big. For the night, they were to stay in the town, however.


    "I wonder how the people at Goldstown are." Sylvester wondered with Sir Dolorem as he realized how close he was to that ce.


    "Last I heard, they found a new gold vein recently. So I''d say they are doing great."


    They walked to the local tavern to get something nice to eat. It was supposed to be a high-ss tavern, so at least they could have peace of mind. Felix, Gabriel, and Bishop Moris were there, too, while the Bright Mother was asleep.


    "Why are there so many orphans around here?" Sylvester asked as he noticed young kids walking around or sitting on the sides of roads, asking for money from the passerby.


    "Refugees, I believe. Riveria is the richest of all kingdoms, but they have a policy of throwing away their problems to others. So despite being criticized, they care not." Bishop Moris exined.


    Sylvester pitied the kids. They were too young to work and too old to be taken in by a family.


    "Hey, kid." he tossed a silver crown at one of the young kids, about ten years old, as he walked. However, the kid suddenly rushed to him, face full of excitement and arms held out.


    "Lord Bard! You''re lord bard, right? I want to¡­"


    Woosh!


    Thud!


    "Aaaa!" The boy, however, cried in pain all of a sudden as the bard''s spear pierced through his chest and impaled him.


    He fell back and gagged in his blood¡ªdying.


    ___________________


    [A/N: Next chaping in an hour or so.]


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 83 83. What If!

    Sylvester did not randomly pick the boy to give money to. Instead, he looked for the one who looked the most vulnerable and hurt. So when he saw one boy with a patched tunic and pants, he felt some pity.


    "Lord Bard! You''re lord bard, right? I want to¡­"


    ''What the fuck is this?'' Sylvester did not curse much, but at that moment, he felt a sudden rush of smell in his nose and mouth that curses came out themselves. ''Why am I feeling such a strong odor of death? It''s like that cave years ago!''


    Bitterness, so much so that it could affect one''s mind and suffocate¡ªSylvester was rmed.


    Just then, he noticed the kid running toward him. Hands protruded out as if wanting to hug, but they didn''t appear to be spread wide enough to embrace a man of Sylvester''s stature. It was strange to do to a stranger, whether a kid or not.


    That alerted Sylvester to the extreme, and he prepared to react at a moment''s notice as he clenched the Spear of Infinity on his back.


    He did exactly that when the smell of death increased the closer the kid got to him. ''It''s him, right?"


    But he still could not bring himself to simply kill the kid, seeing the boy was young, maybe ten at most. He wondered how a little boy could be deadly to him. What was the boy hiding, or was he some sort of a midget wizard?


    However, soon the odor of death reached the same level as it did back in that cave years ago when he encountered the bloodling. This meant that he would die if he didn''t do something, no questions asked.


    ''Fuck!'' He instinctively thrust the spear¡­ to kill.


    Suddenly, Sylvester''s hand was seen taking his spear and plunging it into the boy''s chest, killing him instantly.


    "What the¡­ Max! What was that?!" Felix responded quickly and rushed to check on the boy drowning in blood. But it was clear that he was dead, for none could survive such a strike.


    "Stay back!" Sylvester warned loudly, however.


    "W-What''s going on?" Gabriel questioned, knowing Sylvester never does things for no reason.


    For that, only one answer was enough. "Assassins!"


    Using the tip of his spear, Sylvester cut the dead boy''s sleeves. As he suspected, both wrists had hidden daggers so that they could be taken out with a snap. What was amusing was the fact that the edges of the two des seemed pitch ck.


    Sir Dolorem frowned and knelt beside the dead boy but didn''t dare touch the de. "This seems like poison¡­ not any poison but¡­"


    "Moonshade¡­ a mere scratch can kill a dragon." Bishop Morispleted.


    A small crowd started to gather at the scene of the killing. The town''s guards also arrived soon, whistling with their wooden instruments to call for backup. But they stopped once they saw the Bishop''s mitre on Bishop Moris'' head.


    "Why would someone wish to kill Max?" Gabriel wondered as the four nced at Sylvester''s face, not worried about the guards or the people.


    Sylvester was thinking about it too. He knew that there were dozens of mercenary and assassin organizations around the world, and some of them used kids. But why would anyone wish to kill him? He had spent most of his life in the Holy Land and did not have many enemies.


    "I don''t know¡­ but if they can get Moonshade poison, then I believe I''ve offended someone wealthy and powerful," Sylvester muttered loudly. "I need to inform Saint Wazir about this. An attempt on my life is a sin, after all."


    Bishop Moris nodded and looked at the guards who had just arrived. "Don''t just stand there. This boy tried to kill Cardinal Suprima just now. Pick the body and bring it with me. I must send it to Holy Land for examination."


    The body would be checked thoroughly in the Holy Land to determine which assassin organization sent him, and hopefully, the church can pressurize them to reveal who hired them.


    Sylvester, however, proceeded to what was nned and entered the tavern with the rest, but his mind worked overtime to try and think who could be this wealthy enemy. He could only think of a few names; none of them was good news for his young life. 16 was still too early to die, as he had not yet achieved the highest peak of his strength.


    He had already scrapped the idea of finding eternal peace by buyingnd somewhere quiet. But if even kids were going toe after him as assassins, he wondered how he was even going to do his job.


    "Don''t worry, Max. I will ask my father to investigate too. He has many friends across the Sol." Felix tried to cheer his friend up, forgetting that he had already revealed he didn''t get along with his father.


    Moments like these were when Sylvester felt the rule of not drinking was infuriating. He just killed a child, and it scared him that he didn''t feel even an ounce of pity. In fact, he had already put it in the back of his mind as if it was just another day.


    "Anyway, are all these kids from Riveria? Isn''t this too much? Why is Riveria not stopped from destroying the economy of another town?" Gabriel asked to change the topic.


    Sir Dolorem responded with a sunken heart. "It''s not just Riveria. Bishop Moris informed me about the happenings around the realm. Recently, the Grand Duke of the Patch ascended to the rank of Grand Wizard. With this, he has the support of two more Grand Wizards.<sub> </sub>


    "The first thing the Grand Duke did after ascending was to head across the Barrier mountain range and change the flow of the snake river, which destroyed a tributary river that went into the Sorrow Kingdom. For those who don''t know, the Sorrow Kingdom was not called by this name a few decades ago. It was called the ckhart Kingdom. There was no Grand Duchy of the Patch either. The whole southernmost area east of the Divine Desert was one nation.


    "But then the mutiny ensued, and sons fought for what their fathers built. The Grand Duke of the Patch and the King of Sorrow Kingdom are brothers from different mothers. The Church initially tried to keep things in control and stop the war, but then the King of Sorrond, Fyres Sor ckhart, was betrayed by his top twomanders, the two Grand Wizards.


    "The Grand Duke took all the good, fertilend of the Patch and even the only two Grand Wizards in the Kingdom. This left the Sorrow Kingdom weak, poor, and hungry. It''s truly a tragic tale, even worse as the Patch has redirected the only river that flowed into the Sorrow Kingdom. I believe the Kingdom will starve to death¡ªor be conquered by Desert Cannibals if not by Grand Duke.


    "And because of all this, refugees from the Sorrow Kingdom are spreading everywhere."


    Sylvester had read about things but had never heard such stories. No book tells how many powerhouses a nation has. "The Patch has three Grand Wizards, this means? How strong are other Kingdoms?"


    Sir Dolorem lowered his voice while replying. "The Garcia Kingdom has 3 Grand Wizards, but it''s suspected they have a Supreme Wizard in hiding too. However, only the Holy Father knows if that''s true. As for Riveria, it''s the strongest Kingdom right now, grown because of its extremely fertile soil and thriving industry. It has four Grand Wizards."


    ''Could Romel''s father be behind the assassin?'' The suspicion surfaced in Sylvester''s mind.


    Sir Dolorem continued after taking a sip of milk. "Further down, the Sorrow Kingdom has only one Grand Wizard, the King himself. Therefore, they are extremely vulnerable at this stage and are likely to be defeated by the Grand Duke."


    "What about the kingdoms on the other side?" Sylvester asked as he was always fascinated about the world on the other side of the Divine Desert.


    "Well, the Masan Empire likely has dozens of Grand Wizards and likely one or two Supreme Wizards, but despite being called an Empire, it''s in the weakest condition right now. The Emperor is unable to control his Magistrates that govern kingdom-sized areas. So, albeit having so many powerhouses, they are weak.


    "In fact, their greatest enemy is not in the East, but to their south. The Warsong Kingdom has war in its name for a reason. Since its inception, Warsong has fought against Masan and kept it at bay. Due to that, the whole society of Warsong is based on strength. It is, however, unknown how many powerhouses they have. As for the two more continents in the south, we don''t need to think about them."


    Felixughed at the mention of the two continents. "They are a joke. The Sand Continent alone has more kingdoms than the whole Sol continentbined. Some are even as small as cities. There are some kingdoms inside kingdoms.


    "There is a saying about that ce. If one were to throw a stone in the air randomly, it would most likely hit a noble or some prince. It''s madness over there. That''s why it''s called the Sand Continent, as nobles are like grains of sand there."


    To Sylvester, it honestly felt intriguing because that ce, even with so many kingdoms cramped in one ce, the continent had no wars. How?


    "And the Central Continent is always at war to get the Soul Tree in the middle in their possession," Gabriel added.


    This one interested Sylvester more because he remembered the visions he had gotten at the Soul Tree in the Holy Land. ''Are those visions rted to this tree? Is that girl child from the Central Continent?''


    "I''m going to sleep." Felix yawned and got up suddenly.


    "Wait, what about the Hignd Kingdom? I was born there." Sylvester eximed as he remembered the name.


    Sir Dolorem chuckled for some reason. "Hah, I kept it for thest. The Hignd Kingdom is poor and small, and the King is a good man. The King and, surprisingly, his wife are both Grand Wizards. They are called the Power Couple across the world for this. His eminence was also born in the Hignd Kingdom, and the King was devastated when he learned what happened to your mother in Deserte vige."


    Sylvester appreciated this little fact. "I would love to meet him someday then."


    "And he''d love to meet you too. I remember he once tried to send a letter to the Holy Father, requesting so you may be allowed to be adopted by him and his wife." Sir Dolorem revealed.


    "What?!..."


    [A/N: I know, a lot of names. Check out this parament for maps of the Sol Continent, Sand Continent, and Central continent.


    ___________________


    Gimme your juicy stones.


    500 GT = 1 bonus chapter.(Already half done)


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    800 Stones = Bonus Chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 84 84. Real Homies!

    At that moment, Sylvester felt like gutting himself and just dying right there. ''I could have been a prince? What madness is this? Why am I ving myself for the church?''


    His hate for the church increased manifolds in an instant. He could have been a rich fat lord at this stage, but no, here he was, singing like a Disney princess but instead of birds and animals, religious fanatics get attracted.


    "And what did the Holy Father say?" He inquired.


    Sir Dolorem shrugged. "That, I don''t know. This matter only came once when I was in a nning meeting with the Lord Inquisitor. Most likely, the king was turned down, as you are far more valuable to the faith than a minor kingdom in Sol.


    Sylvester sighed tiredly. This revtion just ruined his mood for the night. Though he quickly came to terms with his fate, it was just a lost opportunity. If he left the church now, he''d be killed because he could one day be as strong as the Pope, and all these years, Sylvester had learned that the church was ready to do anything to maintain its hegemony.


    "I shall go and sleep too then. Good evening, Sir Dolorem and Gab." He picked up the sleeping Miraj from the corner of the table and left.


    The tavern was also empty now, and the twin moons were shining bright.


    However, that night, he wondered as hey down on the bed. ''I hope those vigers did something to that baron.''


    ¡­


    On the same night, they did a lot to that Baron.


    Baron Fredrick was a thin man with dark circles under his baggy eyes. He was balding even though he was merely thirty¡ªsurely his pure blood was at work. Having inherited thend and peerage from histe father, he did everything he could to ruin what all his forefathers worked hard to attain.


    He squandered all his money on fine drinks, food, and women. But that didn''t satisfy him as he soon realized his control over others'' lives. Being a sick-minded man, he aimed to cause mental anguish to others, especially those marrying.


    But every time he did it, no one objected. That bolstered his arrogance. Finally, today was the day, the straw that broke the camel''s back.


    "Come out, Baron!"


    "Come and die!"


    "Pay for your sins!"


    Bam!


    When Baron was busy with one of his servants in bed, one of his victims, he jumped to his feet and ran to look outside from the window. Initially, he was angry, but soon his face paled as his noble keep seemed to have been surrounded by thousands upon thousands of people, each with torches and pike in hand.


    "What in the god''s name is happening?" He was still enraged and wore his clothes before running off to find the guards.


    However, as soon as he arrived downstairs, he noticed that the gates of the keep were open, and the moat bridge was already down¡ªno guards were around.


    "Guards!" he shouted in panic.


    "Kill him! For the glory of god!"


    To Baron''s shock, the people had already entered the keep and were looking for him, and by shouting, he attracted them.


    "Stay back! Do you have any idea what you''re doing? This will get you death." Baron threatened.


    But just then, a dozen more men and women entered, then a hundred. Slowly, the hall of his keep was full while he stood in the middle.


    "Please let me go." He cried finally, understanding the gravity of the situation.


    However, the people had run out of tolerance. As Cardinal Suprima had said, sometimes, to condemn, one must use his own hand.


    "My daughter cried the same way that night." One man with bloodshot eyes moved forward and thrust the pike in his hand into the Baron''s belly.


    "My wife still has nightmares." Finally, another man came and stabbed a dagger into the Baron''s shoulder.


    Then a woman came forward and smacked the fire torch in Baron''s face. "To show you mercy is heresy!"


    "Aaaa¡­" the Baron rolled on the floor in searing pain.


    However, before he could realize it, countless stabs and kicks showered him like rain.


    The night was dark, but the light of justice fell bright. The demise of the Baron was worth a thousand delights.


    Justice was served, and one face shall forever be etched in the minds of all¡ªblonde hair, golden eyes, and a voice that''d make anyone fall.


    ¡­


    The group spent the next few days onboard a ship. It was uneventful and tedious. Not even pirates could attack them since they were merely traveling in a river. So Sylvester, Felix, and Gabriel just sat at the edge of the deck, talking, drinking what Sylvester had termed carbonated water, and ying a card game called "The High Kingdom.".


    "Hehe, I got you two now!" Gabriel smugly giggled and put down his next card. A card with the image of a warship with ten magic guns.


    <o>,m Sylvester scowled. "Ugh, you got me. Go ahead, plunder me."</o>


    Gabriel happily took the remaining cards from Sylvester''s hand while discarding the current ongoing stack on the table.


    "Felix, you can surrender and keep your cards or keep fighting," Gabriel suggested.


    Felix knew he was going to lose, but he didn''t quit. "Go ahead, show me what you got."


    "Hehe, alright then¡­ try countering this"


    Bam!¡ªGabriel pped one that had the image of a man.


    "Fu¡­! You got the Pope! There is no counter." Felix sighed and gave away his cards as well. Finally, both Sylvester and Felix had to take out a Gold Grace and give it to Gabriel.


    "Alright, I need to go and prepare my initial report. See youter." Sylvester got up and went to the ship''s secondary captain''s room, which was usually for important guests, which he was.


    ¡­


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Sylvester was suddenly woken up from the loud bangs as if thunder was striking somewhere. He quickly donned his robes and picked up the spear.


    As soon as he rushed to the ship''s deck, he was greeted by a sunny sky while the sailors and the Inquisitors were huddled on one side of the ship, looking at the Holy Land''s deep water port.


    "What''s going on?" He asked Bishop Moris.<sub> </sub>


    "Ah, good afternoon, your eminence. Those are the new magic canon our C9 Workshop produced. Looks like they are testing it. Isn''t it marvelous? To reach three hundred meters with such a destructive energy projectile."


    Sylvester watched as the ship slowly moved to dock itself, and the thundering bangs of the canon testing continued. This was the first time he saw the weapon scientists for the first time.


    ''Probably preparing for the holy war, it seems. Well, I shall say all the best. Better weapons mean I might survive longer.'' he thought to himself.


    Pat!


    Felix appeared and pped Sylvester''s back. "Max, let''s meet this evening. Sir Dolorem told me about a specially reserved bathhouse for Sanctum Inspectors. It''s supposed to be really luxurious since all Sanctum Inspectors were supposed to be Bishops. Moreover, it''s supposed to have medicinal water."


    Sylvester stretched his arms and cracked his neck. "Yeah, I can use a good bath at this point. Let''s meetter then¡­I will go ahead and submit the report first."


    Soon the shipid down the stairs and started unloading. Sylvester took his horse from the lower deck and moved out first, as he had no idea about report submission.


    "Max!"


    However, as he stepped onto the holynd, he heard Xavia''s longing call. She appeared not far away, waving at him excitedly and showing the usual cheerful smile.


    ''She''s grown thin again. I guess she''ll need another lectureter.'' he sighed and walked to her.


    Xavia hugged him quickly the first thing and kissed his forehead, making Miraj jealous. "I missed you, Max."


    Sylvester looked left and right and noticed the smug gazes of inquisitors. "Mum, I told you not to kiss my head in public. Hugging is enough."


    She didn''t listen, however, as she had something great to share. "Max, I got promoted. I gave an interview and became the Superintendent Healer of Guild Penins."


    "..."


    "You what? Really?" He was shocked, to say the least. In his eyes, Xavia was an unambitious woman who''d rather live in fear than do something to overpower it. But this went against her usual behavior.


    She nodded firmly. "Yes, I even got a raise. Now I make 20 Gold Graces a month. Hehe, are you proud of your mum now?"


    He truly was. Watching her progress was like seeing your student finally achieve greatness. So instinctively, his old man''s heart took over, and he ended up patting her head. "Good, very good¡­"


    Embarrassed, he stopped and started walking away. "Let''s celebrate your promotion with a nice dinner then."


    She walked beside him while caressing his horse, who was still nameless. "I had the same thing in mind. Invite your friends too. I will make a big meal."


    "It''s decided then. But first, I need to submit the report to the Administration Office. I will see you in the evening then¡­by the way, add some honey to a few dishes."


    She giggled and left to prepare dinner quickly.


    Sylvester soon reached the administration office and handed over the initial one-page report and the short staff of Cardinal Suprima. ''So long, little one, you gave me so much power¡­ one day I shall have you back.''


    He hated parting ways with his temporary rank. But it at least gave him a taste of what the high authority would feel like.


    "Sign here, Priest." The head secretary of Saint Wazir spoke. The man was a simple high-ranking staffer. The title of secretary was just a namesake.


    Sylvester quickly dealt with all the formalities and felt relieved. "I will submit the final in-depth report by tomorrow evening. By the way, when shall I get the next assignment?"


    "No need to hurry, Priest Sylvester. Usually, it can take a week to a month for reassignment. Saint Wazir chairs a meeting for it every two days, so you will have to wait."


    ''So long? Well, I can train in the meantime.''


    "Thank you." He left the administration building and headed to the nearby bathhouse. It was close to the Administration building as it was reserved for Sanctum Inspectors. It shared the same white marble architecture but had a chimney spewing steam.


    "Finally, some good rest." He stretched and entered the premises. There was room to ce his clothes and weapons. He was okay with keeping clothes away but always kept the Spear of infinity in Miraj''s belly.


    In the end, he only had a towel covering his manhood as he proceeded towards the enclosed bathroom with arge hot water pool.


    But, at the door of the bathing room, he found Sir Dolorem, equally naked, holding the door''s knob but not opening.


    "What happened, Sir Dolorem? Let''s go I-"


    Sylvester gulped his words once the old knight started back, eyes widened and furrowed brows. "Lord Bard, often, above petty thinking, brotherly bonds transcends¡ªSo we should give privacy to our friends."


    "What? Let''s go. I''m tired¡­ Gab and Felix must be waiting inside." Sylvester went ahead and held the doorknob this time. However, before he turned it, some words from inside hit his ears that made him forget all his rhymes.


    "Ah, Gab, don''t worry, it won''t bite you¡­ just touch it."


    "Felix, how does it stay this long? How does it fit in?"


    "Hehe, with time, you will learn it too, Gab. Let me show you by pushing it."


    "It won''t fit."


    "Just trust me, brother, it will¡­ I''ve been doing it since I was six."


    "..."


    Sylvester felt his face going numb, and his eyes widen in shock. He was speechless and¡­ breathless¡­ as if blood had left his head. For some reason, the world seemed tock all the color, but he kept his heart strong, for he was a modern man. "Haha¡­ they must be joking, right, Sir Dolorem?"


    Bam!¡ªSuddenly, something hit the door.


    "Fuck!" A curse left Sylvester''s mouth.


    "Indeed." Sir Dolorem nodded, equally shaken.


    [A/N: Sylvester''s face, basically.]


    ___________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 85 85. Pope Is Angry!

    "Sir Dolorem, isn''t this epted in the faith?"


    "It is, Lord Bard, among men that is."


    "Haha... then this is fine, right?... right? Let''s go in and take a bath." Sylvester took a leap of faith and turned the doorknob, while Chonky was caught tight in his other arm, stopping the cat from running away from the bath.


    He made as much sound as he could and entered. "I''ming in, buddies."


    "Ah! Max! Look at this. I can slide it in just like Felix." Gabriel excitedly turned to Sylvester.


    At first, Sylvester wished to look away, but then he noticed that the scenes were different from what he had expected. Gabriel merely had Felix''s longsword with him, in its equally long scabbard.


    "What? What were you two doing?" Sylvester asked.


    Felix scoffed. "Gab, this fool thinks a long sword can not be practically put on the back and be easily taken out from the scabbard. I was just showing him how to do it."


    Sylvester and Sir Dolorem looked at each other''s faces and decided not to speak anything about what their minds thought not long ago.


    "I need a bath. You two y all you want." Sylvester silently went to soak in the hot pool. Miraj tried to fight but soon surrendered when the water touched him. What followed was a nice washy wash. Miraj got his fur cleaned, his chubby cheeks massaged, and had a king-like experience. The furry boy liked it in one way but also hated it in another.


    "What did they say about the mission? Where are we going next?" Felix asked.


    Sylvester rxed in the hot medicinal water with his eyes closed. "It''s going to take from a week to a month before the next task. Also, I need you three to be at my home tonight. For starters, my mum is cooking to celebrate her promotion, and I will need you three while writing thepletion report."


    Gabriel felt his stomach growl. "Finally, some tasty food. Can I bring my sister?"


    "I don''t think you need to ask. Mum will bring her on her own." Sylvester shrugged.


    At that, Felix suddenly had some sort of divine enlightenment and asked Sir Dolorem. "Sir, you are not a clergy but a soldier, right?"


    "True, I don''t have a clergy rank, like you three. Even you, Priest Felix, won''t be called Felix if you denounce your clergy rank." Sir Dolorem replied.


    Felix had some other questions, however. "Then why don''t you get married again? Find a nice wife, and make a family. I saw so many prettydies secretly eying you like fish for a cat. You even got a nice wedding singer at this stage."


    "I like bananas," Miraj whispered.


    Sir Dolorem shook his head and sighed. "Most would do the same, but I can''t--the memories of my wife... and son. I can''t betray them by having a union with some other woman. For now, the faith and my duties are my love and life."


    Sylvester nodded. ''I can understand, pal. I haven''t forgotten either.''


    Felix seemed disappointed. "That''s bad. My aunt would have been amazing with you. She''s looking for a handsome, strong man who shall sing the name of solis in the day and hers at night. Sadly, it seems she will have to do with her hand. What about you, Gab? Are you into QILS?"


    "..."


    "What''s QILS?" Gabriel innocently asked back. He was, after all, a true man of faith.


    "All beautiful women are queen in my eyes, so QILS is Queens I''d like to shag."


    "Oh lord, have mercy on my soul, cleanse my ears and grant this man some holy tears." Gabriel just started praying.


    It was no secret that Felix didn''t want to be a clergyman. He was merely spending time before he finally broke his virginity. Then he''d just be a knight.


    ''Young people.'' Sylvester shook his head in disappointment and dozed off for a few minutes. This calm was always much appreciated--more so after living days so conflicted.


    ''I should visit that Soul Tree again to rxter.''


    ...


    Soon the evening came, and Sylvester found himself eating dinner with his mother and friends. The food was excellent as always, and honey was appreciated in a few dishes. However, the three friends did feel ack of one person.


    "Sir Dolorem, you said you can find out where Markus is. Can you still do that?" Sylvester requested.


    "I can try. But if it''s something too high level, then I''m afraid you will have to ask Lord Inquisitor himself. As I said before, most likely, he was taken by some spy department. That is why I am unsure if I can find his location."


    Sylvester didn''t like it. He had tutored the three boys to be his loyal aides. Now losing one left a bad taste. It was as if you trained for apetition the whole time and someone else took the prize.


    "More?" Gabriel''s sister, Raven, was helping Xavia, so she came to Sylvester''s side and offered to put more chicken on his te.


    He nodded as he looked at the girl''s expressions. He looked for any hint of betrayal from her, any doubts or even fears. ''Should I tell mum to keep a better eye?''


    He silently ate his meal in the following minutes. Then he moved to his own room with the rest and started writing a report. "I need you to tell me anything and everything that you did while I was not near you. I have already written all the parts where I was present."<sub> </sub>


    So, all of them started to narrate their part of the stories.


    Nothing was kept hidden in the report, every person they met, what they ate, where they slept, who they killed. Even Sylvester''s hymns were in the report, as he didn''t want anything toe and bite him in the backter. Especially the part where he incited a mob to kill the baron. Of course, no one could prove he did such a thing.


    Sylvester didn''t remove the part where he let the Beastkin family go either, as that was likely to earn him more praise than condemnation. The one group of heathens the church was mostly soft with was Beastkins. This was because the beastkins were not that religious towards their own religions. Meanwhile, elves were hated the most for their strong beliefs, famous for never breaking.


    Heck, even the elf ves in Sol never ept the faith of Solis and keep praying to their god. Just another reason why Sylvester felt ufortable in the Holy Land.


    But now, he was at a point where he was in danger everywhere, inside and outside too.


    Atst, just a few hours before the sun graced thends with its warmth, Sylvester finished the report and went to sleep. In the morning, he''d sign it and be on his way. Unfortunately, the four had to stay up untilte at night to write the whole report.


    ...


    The next day.


    Sanctum Council chambers.


    The meeting of the Pope with his highest subordinates was in session. The Pope was reading about various vital matters rted to the faith and world politics.


    "Saint Seer, I need your ears in the Sorrow Kingdom and the Patch. If there is going to be a war, I''d rather support the Sorrow Kingdom, for they have not once betrayed us. While the Grand Duke dared destroy monasteries in the civil war. He has no respect for Solis and must not be allowed to grow--as every inch ofnd he gains will bolster his ego."


    Saint Seer, the chief spymaster, noted everything down. His job was simple. It was to be the neighborhood aunty''s best version, with ears everywhere. "It will be done, your holiness."


    The Pope turned the page in his booklet and got to the next task. "I''ve heard some daunting news about the rise of bloodlings. Lord Inquisitor, what are you doing about this?"


    "There have been 1800 confirmed cases of Bloodlings appearing, your holiness. We have been able to kill a thousand of them as they were weak ones. But as we doubted, the ces that saw the most bloodshed in the thousand years of war are spawning the strongest bloodlings. Worry not, however--Our light shall win forever." the tall man replied, now healed from his past wounds.


    But the Pope was not satisfied. "Men, we are supposed to be the most enlightened in the world, yet we can not find a solution to this curse. We must do something before it gets worse. Whatever this dark energy causing bloodlings to spawn is, it needs to disperse--get to it, find experts, and make ns. Ask the clergy; we don''tck smart men."


    Then, atst, the Pope saw the summary of the detailed report Sylvester had submitted that morning. "Coming to the next part, Saint Wazir has pointed out something extremely worrisome about God''s Favored Sylvester."


    Inquisitor High Lord''s eyes shined behind the visor. "Someone dared try assassinating the blessed child--I say, simply burning as a punishment is rather mild."


    "Indeed, for this, I have tasked Saint Seer to look into it. But there is something else that worries me. You all read it. A man, an adventurer, named Jax, is mentioned, a man who helped God''s favored for he didn''t like Bright Mothers being hurt.


    "He was described as someone with blonde hair, golden eyes, and an old, bearded face. We all know who loves to appear in this disguise." the Pope stopped as he nced at everyone.


    When others looked back at him in shock, he nodded. "Julius Aurelius Alexander, head of the Order of Anti-Light, the man who nearly killed Lord Inquisitor. Jax is an abbreviation for his name."


    It was something that shook the grounds below their feet. Inquisitor High Lord, especially, was enraged hearing the name, for he was bedridden for weeks due to him. "He dared!"


    But at that moment, Saint Scepter, the man who rarely spoke, added. "He seems to be testing the God''s Favored... for what, we do not know."


    "I know." The Pope started. "Every man who looks in darkness also tries to see what''s beyond it. He most likely knows his Anti-Light will only bring chaos, so he wished to test the future of the faith..., and I hope Priest Sylvester passes."


    Saint Wazir started just then. "By that, your holiness, I have receivedints from the Cardinal Sanctum of Duchy of Ironstone. He is enraged that God''s Favored had his equal authority and even emunicated a baron--resulting in his eventual demise."


    The Pope''s face turned into an angry scowl all of a sudden. "Wazir--I am disappointed. Do you not remember why people respect us? Do you not know why they pray to Solis? That''s because it brings them sce. How will they do so when their own overlords vie to exploit them?"


    Saint Wazir lowered his head. This was his second warning in past years, and the third would mean he had failed in his duty, knowingly or unknowingly. "Forgive me, holy father."


    The Pope boomed, yet his voice didn''t rise too high. "We are the holy men. It''s our duty to check every wolf''s den. And when they get sick in their mind or body--we ensure they don''t indulge in some twisted hobby. What Priest Sylvester did was grace upon thatnd, while the appointed Cardinal Suprima didn''t even take a stand.


    "And now he dares speak? Heathen! Hypocrite! Headless--that''s how I wish to see him! He sat in hisfortable keep while the people suffer--and weep."


    The Pope stood up all of a sudden and closed the books. He was done with the meeting. "I suppose you know what you must do, Wazir."


    Saint Wazir bowed his head, disappointed with himself. "I shall look for a recement Cardinal, your holiness."


    ___________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 86 86. A Big Request!

    Sylvester finally had some free time for himself. After months of hard work, he returned to one of his pet projects--making a violin.


    He didn''t want to start some musical revolution or such. He merely wished to once again do what he loved once and feel calm through the music. Of course, it can help with his hymns as well...he was called the Bard, after all.


    However, he was stuck as he wished to find the best wood for it. He had already designed it and tested it with regr wood over the years, and it took him a long time to refine the design to perfection.


    Why did it take him so long? The reason was a change in atmosphere. Although the''s gravity was nearly the same as Earth''s, the air was different since it was filled with Srium.


    In different conditions, the strings of a violin could produce different sounds. So he had to tweak things slowly to reach perfection. And now, he was finally going to find some wood...and his eyes were set on one tree that no one could even usually touch--the Soul Tree.


    "I hope you finish soon... I loved listening to your test violins." Xavia chirped. She was still at home today as she wished to spend some time with her son. Although Sylvester was busy, he told her they''d go out once he returned. Good or not, he hoped to take care of her and see if he could teach her some better fighting magic while advancing his own.


    "You were not really helpful. No matter what I yed, you loved it." Sylvesterined while eating breakfast.


    Xavia embarrassingly chuckled. "I was not lying... To my ears, it all sounded great. By the way, Max, how did youe up with this idea? And that time you also showed me carbon water... when do you research all this?"


    ''I''m afraid, even if I told you, you''d not believe it.''


    "It''s carbonated water... and it''s simple to do as long as you understand basic natural alchemy. As for this musical instrument, I merely wished for something soothing to apany my hymns, so I spent years working. I''m not the genius you think I am, mother...it''s just your parent''s bias speaking."


    She didn''t buy his argument, however. "No, it''s not biased. My son is just too good. I know it!"


    Sylvester sighed as he stood up to wash his dishes and then leave. "I will be going to the Soul Penins for the afternoon. Don''t cook anything for the evening. We will go to the Guild Penins and eat there."


    She chirped in agreement. "Understood, Priest Sylvester."


    Sylvester picked sleeping Chonky from his room, put him on his shoulder, and left. ''This boy, he''s still sleeping on my shoulder.''


    He went to the nearest port and caught a ferry to the Soul Penins. As for permissions, all he had to do was request it with his old religious teaching mentor, Archbishop Noah. Since the man already believed Sylvester was the one true God''s Favored, there was nothing off the table from him.


    Soon, hended on the penins, showed his documents, and walked into the enclosed region. He didn''t go to the tree at first. Instead, he looked for the hut of the old man, Grandpa Monk, the fifth guardian of light.


    p "There it is!" He noticed that some weeds had overgrown near the old man''s thatched roofed hut, and not only that. Now there was a big ck bear sitting at the door, guarding it. Sylvester was not afraid of it, though, so he proceeded as nned.</anda>


    "Grandpa Monk, are you still there?" He called out the name, even though he knew the man was inside as the hut''s chimney was spewing smoke.


    In a few seconds, the door creaked open, revealing the old bald man with the same long mustache and beard as thest time. He even appeared delighted to see Sylvester. "Good timing, young one. Come, I made some tea."


    Sylvester walked in by skipping over the bear. Chonky, however, decided to stay behind and mess with the poor animal. He started pping the bear awake, only to have him end up confused.


    "Where did you find him?" Sylvester inquired.


    Grandpa Monk rubbed his beard solemnly as he poured tea into cups. "That, I found the poor boy in the forest. He was sleeping, and I stumbled across him while looking for some herbs. He''s a goodd, didn''t attack me, and followed me back home to ensure I was safe."


    ''Why am I not shocked?'' Sylvester thought.


    "Why were you looking for herbs? Do you need something? I can get it for you from the market." He offered.


    "Bwahaha... I am fine, son. My old bones still need some exercise from time to time, and picking herbs is the best activity. I not only get to see nature but concoct potions. Do you want a potion? I have many that are useless to me... like that aphrodisiac."


    Sylvester narrowed his gaze and looked at the man before jokingly asking, "Old man, are you thinking of finally leaving the clergy and exploring the lustful world as a knight?"


    "..."


    Grandpa Monk''s face turned serious all of a sudden as if offended. He red at Sylvester for a whole minute. "Pfft..." But then suddenly burst into uncontrolledughter. "Bwahaha... don''t make this old manugh so much now, child. My bones will break apart. I am a man belonging to the Solis...indulging in the flesh is the work of you youngsters now."


    Sylvester shrugged. "I don''t have any interest in such things. I just want to live in peace, see the world in peace and make people happy with my hymns. I hope that''s not too much to ask."


    "I''m afraid that is--son. In this world, one can have anything they want, love, lust, war, or some other sick fetish--but not peace. Because you see, this world has a grave disease...disease of short-sightedness. People now live in the moment without thinking about the consequences of their actions that maye tomorrow--and that is making our world hollow."


    Sylvester agreed with that evaluation. "True indeed. All the sinner lords I''ve met recently turned corrupt because they didn''t think of long-term consequences."


    "I heard about your recent work. Good job, son. The Bright Mothers deserve our protection even if it costs us our lives. Because if we can''t even protect them, how can we boast about keeping the peace across the world." Grandpa Monk finished his cup of tea and tapped his staff on the floor, making the teacups fly away to the side table. "Well, tell me why you came here now. I know it was not to meet this dying old man."


    Sylvester smiled and honestly answered. "It was actually three things. First, I did want to check up on you. Second, I wished to meditate here and see if there has been any update on that vision of mine. Lastly, I needed permission to take some wood from the Soul Tree."


    The old man released a dangerous aura all of a sudden. Sylvester could not smell any emotions from the man all this time, but now he felt pure anger.<sub> </sub>


    He rified quickly. "I don''t want to do anything strange with it. But just create the musical instrument I have designed so that I can better sing my hymns and purify the masses. I felt what better wood than the most blessed one."


    "Ah! That? If it was up to me, I''d agree." the anger vanished instantly, revealing the smile again. "But only the Holy Father can permit it. Even then, you can only take the wood from the top, from the new branches. Don''t worry; Axel was supposed toe and meet me today. You should hang around and return after meditating."


    ''This seems a better option. I could always steal the wood with Chonky, but who knows if they watch every single branch over? They could easily pinpoint the thief.''


    "In that case, I will go and meditate first. See you in a few hours."


    He walked to the door and tried to open it, but instead, it opened on its own, and a tall, old man entered without looking and bumped into Sylvester.


    Sylvester strapped back and nced. "Holy father?"


    The old Pope did not look like a Pope at all right now. The man had no unique jewelry or ornaments. Instead, he was wearing simple peasant clothes, a gray tunic, and brown pants.


    The Pope chuckled, noticing Sylvester. "Ah, so you''ve kept this spoiled old man busy? Thank you, child."


    Bam!--Grandpa Monk threw a pillow at the Pope''s face, smacking it hard. Then heughed, "Hah, it seems your reaction speed has gotten worse, Axel."


    The Pope gritted his teeth, stuck between maintaining his image in front of Sylvester and replying to the old man with equal violence. "Grandpa Monk, please don''t throw such things."


    "I will. What are you going to do? Cry on myp like in the past?"


    Pope''s brows twitched, and his fist clenched. "Please maintain the decorum, Grandpa Monk. We have a guest."


    "Who? Young Sylvester? Haha, he''s not a guest!"


    Bam!--And this time, Sylvester also received a pillow to the face.


    ''This old man, he was so wise and sage-like a moment ago. I guess having the Pope nearby invoked the goofy father mode.'' Sylvester didn''t mind the act. But he was more interested in getting his precious wood.


    "Did you bring it?" Grandpa Monk asked all of a sudden.


    The Pope grinned while nodding. "I never forget it, old foggy... but."


    Sylvester noticed the gaze and thought there must be something important the two had to discuss. So he asked for permission quickly. "Respected holy father, I came to ask for permission to take short top branches from Soul Tree. I wish to build a musical instrument for myself--one that shall purify minds and hearts."


    "You want wood from the soul tree?" Pope turned serious, eyes piercing into Sylvester as if a hawk looking at prey.


    ''What''s with this pressure? And why do I smell lies?''


    "Yes, holy father," he replied.


    "No!"


    "..."


    "But, I can allow if you do one thing for me... It''s top secret, and you must take it to your grave."


    Sylvester gulped and had second thoughts running across his mind. But he realized he couldn''t take a step back, or it''d spoil his image in front of the Pope. "I will do as you say, your holiness."


    Grandpa Monk''s serious words resounded, too. "Are you sure, son? If you do this, there is no going back."


    ''What the hell do they want from me? I just want some wood!'' Sylvester cursed silently and nodded.


    ___________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 87 87. Three Wise Old Men

    Sylvester looked at the two old foggies¡­he was one of them too, technically. "I will keep it a secret until my grave, holy father."


    "Great! What are we waiting for then?" Grandpa Monk pped his hand and waved his staff to magically pull the side table closer to himself. Then two more chairs also got dragged for the Pope and Sylvester.


    The Pope took a seat and put a cloth bag on the table. "I hope I don''t get dismissed for this."


    ''Who''s going to dismiss him?'' Sylvester muttered, sensing a lot of lies.


    "Come here and take a seat, young bard. Today, I shall make a man out of you." The Pope called him, patting the table.


    ''What does he mean by that?'' Sylvester, for the first time, felt slightly worried for his safety. The two men in front of him could easily kill him with a wave of their hands. He was less than an ant.


    But he took a seat and waited to see what was inside that cloth bag.


    Ting!


    Grandpa Monk took out three crystal clear sses from under the table. Then the Pope took something out from the bag¡ªa bottle, to be precise¡ªa big crystal bottle.


    "Haha, let us all share a nice peg of my own, homegrown sunshine nectar." The Pope boomed happily and popped open the wooden cork.


    Sylvester had never expected to share a drink of alcohol with the Pope in his new life. But he was confused because this went against the rules¡ªand it was the top man breaking it. "Isn''t the clergy banned from consuming alcohol?"


    ''Is this a test?'' As always, he started to overanalyze everything. He tried to look at the expressions of both men and tried to sense the odor. Of course, Grandpa Monk never gave away his emotions, but the Pope did.


    "I am Axel Tar Kreed right now, son. The Pope is officially sleeping in the pce." said the Pope as he made the drinks like a master. Heck, Grandpa Monk had taken out a little jar with some sort of spices and lemons.


    ''This doesn''t look like it''s his first time.'' Sylvester noticed the masterwork.


    "This is not alcohol, however. I use special algae that grow deep in the water under the Golden Penins. I am the Pope, so only I can ess it...and use it. It has strange properties of elevating¡ªrxing one''s mind. Here, you''re new so try a little." The Pope handed Sylvester the sses.


    "Cheers to a few more days of living." Grandpa Monk lifted his ss.


    The Pope did the same and looked at Sylvester.


    ''I can''t believe this is happening¡­ What have I gotten myself into? Is this good luck or bad luck?'' Sylvester was internally growling. Not to mention, he didn''t like the smell and the green texture of this homegrown moonshine.


    "Cheers!" He lifted the ss too but waited until the two old folks took a sip.


    nk!


    "May the holy Solis give my old pops a few years to live!" the Pope prayed when the sses nked.


    Then, without waiting, both of them gulped down the drinks in one go. By contrast, Sylvester tried not to vomit while drinking. ''Not even Chonky would swallow this abomination.''


    "Bwahaha¡­ there are two of you now, old pops." the Popeughed at Grandpa Monk, who also pointed his finger back. "And there are three of you¡­ three brats."


    "I was never a brat¡­ I was just more cultured."


    "Hah, you call not drinking milk being cultured? I remember you loved fried food only¡­no wonder your hair turned white so fast."


    The Pope barked back. "They were always white¡ªhave you finally gone senile, pops?"


    Sylvester dumbly watched the two men acting like drunkards, fighting over the smallest of things from the past. That made him look at the drink in wonder. ''How strong is it?''


    It also brought an opportunity, however. ''Can I ask the Pope any questions now? He should give me something, at least.''


    He kept looking at the two men with focus and tried to read their behavior, eyes, and expressions.


    "Axel¡ªwhen I die, don''t be sad. I will simply be one with Solis¡ªalways watching over you."


    The Pope shook his head sadly. "Let me cry¡ªpops. Each falling drop of tears will let me cope."


    "Thank you for being my son... in name¡­ I am proud of you. Have I told you that before?"


    "You have about one million and three sixty-nine times. And I, too, thank you for guiding me¡­ without you, I wouldn''t have been this wise, this strong¡ªenough to bring the faith to the direction it belongs. I merely hope now that¡­" Pope, with his flushed face, looked at Sylvester. "I hope if not I¡­ then the next generation can end the Thousand Year conflict once and for all."


    Sylvester acted to be slightly drunk as well. But he dared not say anything unholy, for he had caught the Pope''s folly. ''Thank goodness my nose¡ªhe''s half drunk but fully conscious.''


    "I will do all I can too, holy father. I, too, wish for eternal peace and eptance of Solis on all of the heathennds. I will ensure that even there, the faith expands¡­ but-"


    He looked at the Pope to see if the man was focusing on him.


    He was, but at the same time, Sylvester felt the Pope knew he wasn''t drunk either. "In my recent travels, I have felt the real hurdle to expansion of faith are nobles! They often stop our goodwill policies and help themoners. We have the power to absolutely obliterate them, and they are incredibly corrupt. Why doesn''t the church simply take over?


    "Sure, there will be the headache of running such argend, but the trouble from nobles will be gone. Then we would be able to easily implement all our politics and absolute justice while focusing on Beastaria."


    The Pope nodded and then shook his head, not even trying to act anymore. "There is no fault in your reasoning, young bard. One Pope in the past indeed tried to do this, but in that quest, he learned a great lesson. The world is poor, son. Themoners suffer eternally despite how much we try to help. Even when given food, water, and a roof, they lust for more. Who do you think they hate when they suffer? The nobles! Who will they hate when there are no nobles?"


    "The church!" Sylvester blurted, already expecting this much.


    The Pope continued. "I believe thisnd has seen enough bloodshed already¡ªI wish to end very one day too, but that would likely lead to another war. I am supposedly the strongest man in the world, but at times I am weak."


    He took another sip of the drink. "I can only try and ensure peace, so one-day young men like youe up with a system that shall uplift us above nobility¡ªbring unity, equality, and eternal worship¡ªlessen themon man''s hardships."<sub> </sub>


    ''Did he just propose a modern civilization? Democracy? No¡­ more like a church-based order of sorts.'' Sylvester was amazed by the Pope''s wishes. He used to think that thetter was just another bipr churchman¡ªbut it turns out it was a man with a profound n.


    "Let''s continue this little talk sometimeter, young bard. My old pops is asleep¡ªthe best time to put medicine on his aged wounds¡ªlest his body may go cold. You have my permission. Take ten branches from the top of the tree."


    Today, even though Sylvester saw the Pope as somewhat of a necessary evil, he felt a tinge or increase in respect for the man.


    "Thank you, holy father¡ªmay the holy light enlighten us¡ªand keep grandpa monk healthy."


    He got up and left the little shack respectfully. But as he closed the door behind, he saw Miraj still annoying the scared bear.


    "Oye Oye, call me daddy if you wish to be left alone. Kowtow to me!"


    Sylvester picked the cat by his nape and dragged him away. "You''re bingwless, Chonky. Come, let''s meditate together and quench your madness."


    So he jumped up a few branches, each thicker than thest.


    He picked a random green, algae-covered branch and made it his base. Then he sat on it cross-legged, also keeping Miraj beside him. "Stay here, cross your legs, and breathe just like I do."


    Miraj tried his best to sit like a human but instead only fell on his back cutely. "Maxy, I can''t sit like you. My legs are too small."


    "I noticed. Fine, just sit like a normal cat and meditate. Do what I tell you to and follow my lead." He ordered.


    Eventually, he prepared himself and took a long breath before closing his eyes. He was also giving instructions to Miraj. "Let the mind go empty¡­ no thoughts should be there¡­ of the world, you shall be unaware. Breathe in, breathe out¡­ keep the mind empty and eyes closed¡­"


    Sylvester''s voice slowly lowered and soon turned into mindless babbling. Then, a few minutester, itpletely stopped, and it became apparent that he was having another vision as the halo appeared.


    Sylvester found himself watching a scene transpiring as if he were a god, looking down from the sky at his subjects. The images were hazy but clear to some extent¡­but not as clear as the voice.


    The little girl in his vision was the same, a child merely nine or ten. The ce seemed to be a room, and the girl seemed to have woken up on her bed. She had tears in her eyes and was on the verge of crying.


    Just then, a manly voice came, simr to thest time. "Did my little Zye see a nightmare? Is it that man again?"


    The little girl with ashen-ck hair nodded and spoke in a childish voice. "T-That man¡­ it''s scary, papa."


    The man, whose face was not clear, hugged the girl. "Little one. You must learn to be brave, for we have enemies who don''t wish to see anywhere but our grave. You are my Zye, my strong princess¡­ and papa will always be with you, remember that."


    She hugged the man back and cried. "B-But¡­ he''s bald now! And his golden eyes shined at night¡­ he was angry."


    The man chuckled as he patted her head softly. "Hah, so what if he''s bald? I''m bald too. Who knows, he may be your future partner¡­ your best friend, or something like that. At least I remember when I met your mum. We were merely six. Our fathers made us sit together and said, ''They look good together.'' The next thing I knew, I was engaged.


    "That''s the beauty of life¡ªit''s unpredictable¡ªeven with your visions. And I taught you not to judge a book by its cover¡ªalways keep yourself ready to discover!¡ªSo just rx and let the shroud over your destiny uncover."


    "No!" She pouted suddenly. "I marry my papa!"


    The man chuckled and let her sleep again. "We''re not Masan royals, dear. We don''t keep our bloodlines that pure. Now sleep. I will sit by your side."


    "Yes!" She happily closed her eyes and let the sleep kidnap her. This time they were surely not going to be nightmares.


    The man watched his daughter''s face silently, his eyes going numb. It was strange, as he also had a smile on his face. "I wish I could do more to keep you safe, my child. But your father is weak¡ªI alone can''t win this game¡ªAs long as you get to live, I''m fine if it''s me you me."


    With that, silence fell over. While the little girl slept, the man looked up and silently wept. Sylvester felt the emotions in that room, a mix of pain, fear, and a whole lot of childish bloom.


    "Agh!" Sylvester''s eyes shot open as if lights were turned on¡ªhis breath uncontrobly fast.


    The vision this time was too long and too detailed. "Was she having visions of me? Who is she? But I''m not bald." He caressed his long, silky hair. "Yet?"


    It was certainly a fear that would terrify any young man. But he was old, so he cared not for anything other than the identity of the girl, which was still unknown.


    He yawned and looked around, searching for the furry boy. "Where is Chonky?"


    As he tried to look, he heard Chonky''s voice, singing some strange song.


    "Scratch scratch scratchy scratch! I put my name too! Mighty are my paws¡ªThose who see me are very few. Scratch sc-"


    "What are you doing, Chonky?" Sylvester appeared behind the singing cat as the furry boy scribbled on the tree with his w. But, there seemed to be an inspiration as another set of words was present besides looking old.


    Sylvester silently read them, but it took some hard work as the words resembled oldnguage usually found in ancient books.


    However, soon he frowned at the content. "What the¡­ He was just five years old? This does not make any sense! This contradicts history!"


    ___________________


    500 GT = 1 bonus chapter.(Already half done)


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    800 Stones = Bonus Chapter.[Will likely reach it, so a Bonus ising!]


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 88 [BONUS CHAPTER] 88. Money Making Scheme

    "I''m five¡ªI hate this world!¡ªI will change it!" These were the first set of words. And then there was more under that, appearing to be written sometimes after the first line, and this was a name. "Luther Vas Hermington was here."


    These words threw Sylvester''s mind into a frenzy as they discarded everything he knew about the Holy Land''s history. "The first pope was here when he was five? How is that possible? Didn''t Pope Axel say this whole region was covered in extreme Srium due to the orb of purity? That the first Pope was the first to fight the Srium imbnce and created the Magna Sanctum temple?"


    He rubbed his chin in wonder. "How can a five-year-old child be on this tree when the whole region was inessible?"


    Miraj soon finished carving his own name beside the message and looked proud. "I am an artist¡ªSometimes my genius... It''s almost frightening."


    Sylvester chuckled at the boy''s theatrics. "Did you find any other such words on the tree?"


    Miraj nodded his head proudly. "I found one more! Come, I will show."


    The furry boy jumped from branch to branch and led Sylvester to a lower area near the tree''s base. "Look here!"


    Sylvester was excited to find more information about the past, as he felt misled by the books he had read over the years. "Good job Ch- Ah, what is this?"


    "I, Knight Billworth, ask for forgiveness from Solis¡ªfor shagging the wife of the Count! I shall never participate in debauchery again."


    "..."


    Left speechless, Sylvester did not wait and simply jumped away, headed to the top of the giant tree to get some branches. But, of course, he would not use them all for the violin but experiment on them too.


    "Woah!" A gasp escaped his mouth when he reached the top of the Soul Tree, as his head poked out of the leaves. Thendscape was clear in his view, and he saw the entirety of the Holy Land. The Pope''s Penins, the Golden Penins, the Guild Penins, and many more. There were nearly 13 Peninss, each with different operations, and he had not even visited most of them yet.


    "I haven''t even explored the Holy Land yet, and there is a whole world outside. It''s awe-inspiring but also frightening, knowing thewlessness that lives beyond thesends. Chonky, do you think you''re a magical beast from Beastaria?" He asked the furry boy sitting on his shoulder.


    Chonky silently wondered while looking at the horizon. "I don''t remember¡­ I only know myst caretaker, and Maxy."


    Sylvester patted the furry head and moved to get some nice branches. "Don''t worry. One day we will crack your mystery as well. Now let''s move and get these sticks, or else we''ll bete for dinner with mum."


    ¡­


    "He''s gone?" At the hut below, Grandpa Monk woke up.


    "I knew you were faking being asleep. You don''t have to do that. Sylvester is¡ªdifferent. He''s wise beyond his age¡­ he understands things faster and reacts appropriately." The Pope stopped massaging herbal lotion on the old man''s muscles to ensure the motor functions remained working.


    "So he''s a dangerous man?"


    The Pope shook his head. "Yes, and no! Over the years, I''ve seen a strange lust in him¡ªlust for peace! So even if he does not be the Pope one day, I will still carve this diamond in rough to ensure he can satiate that lust. After all, letting such a talent rot is a waste."


    Grandpa Monk, however, was the mentor of the Pope, so he knew what went on in thetter''s mind. "But you seem conflicted about your choice?"


    "I am to some degree conflicted. Often, smart people tend to overestimate themselves and bring doom to even those around them. However, I have proposed a test, and it shall reveal if the boy is hungry for power or peace."


    "What if he fails?" Grandpa Monk questioned.


    The Pope sighed sadly. "Then he will remain yet another name among other servants of the faith. Without expensive herbs, crystals, and training, it''s impossible to be a grand wizard, forget supreme wizard. He may have the talents butcks direction¡ªand without my approval, there will be no God''s Favored selection.


    "Besides, it''s still too early as the other four candidates are doing great now. So I can''t be fully biased against them¡­ that''s unbefitting for the Pope."


    Pa!¡ªThe Pope pped on Grandpa Monk''s back. "Done, this medicine should relieve all your pain."


    "Thank you, son. You are doing too much for me. I can''t be wasting the Pope''s time. You don''t have to visit me anymore, just work."


    But the Pope scoffed. "If a son can''t even care for his parents who cared for him for years, he should be rained down with a thousand spears! You cared for me when I was lost, old man¡­ now it''s my turn to pay it back."


    Grandpa Monk was filled with warmth hearing that. "I hope you soon find an heir¡­ as good as the one I found."


    "You tter me, pops. But what can I say, you hit the jackpot by finding me¡ªa handsome, strong, smart, and witty kid. Not everyone is as lucky-"


    ? Grandpa Monk interrupted. "Who? As far as I remember, you were a stupid kid with a forever runny nose, which you used to mop with that tongue."


    The Pope ignored all that, "Ah, the weather is nice outside today. Well, I shall leave now, much work to do. If Sylvester returns, tell him to be present at Wazir''s office tomorrow morning. Take care now."


    ¡­


    Sylvester was not the only person in the race of God''s Favoured. He was merely the front runner, a front runner who was given a job that did not involve as much use of the body as the mind. So his speed of improvement in magic was going slow.


    But the same could not be said about the other three God''s Favored candidates. Augustus Steel, especially, was making strides towards improvement, as his talent of Grand Wizard finally started toe out once given a job that was in symphony with his nature¡ªexorcism.


    The Exorcism department operated out of the Darkwatch Penins, a ce that held headquarters for several offices, such as those that oversee hearsay, those that record the presence of dark creatures, or those that conduct an exorcism.<sub> </sub>


    Exorcism was an art of holy magic that allowed one to expel the dark entities that took over a person or an area. But it was majorly just people being possessed by something. Often it was a low-level poltergeist, but sometimes they''de across a Bloodling, too¡ªthat''s when they''d step back and call the powerhouses from Inquisition.


    Augustus traveled around various kingdoms with his mentors and proved to have a knack for the art of exorcisms. Despite having no light magic, he was great at remembering the various rune schemes, chants, and incantations.


    Meanwhile, the two other boys with simr talents, Louis Hermington and Griffin zekin, with their talent of Grand Wizard and Diamond Knight, were quickly taken under the second inmand of Lord Inquisitor, the Wizard-Knight known as Hans.


    The two were being trained harshly, without sleep, and their bodies were broken from overworking. The Inquisitor High Lord didn''t care if they were God''s Favored candidates. All he saw was that these two had high talent and could be of excellent service to his beloved lord Solis.


    So, this sadly left Sylvester and Felix without a real mentor who could guide them in terms of training. Sir Dolorem couldn''t help much either, as his own rank was too low. All he could give was some advice and information.


    "Where is Sylvester? He called us here and is missing." Felix and Gabriel sat outside an eatery on the Guild''s Penins.


    Gabriel merely hummed in reply as he had a book in hand and was reading it with focus.


    Just then, Sylvester arrived and took the book from Gabriel. He took a seat and confidently suggested something. "Do thister. We have an important thing to do right now. Tell me, do you wish to make some more money? After all, our sries right now are pitiful at best."


    "Ugh, I don''t want more money." Felix shrugged. "I got enough of it."


    "Felix, you spoiled rich young master. I want more money." Gabriel barked. "That healer took all the money I used to send to Raven, so I need some extra now. I wish to buy Raven a house here. Max, what do you propose?"


    Sylvester took out three parchments from his robes. "Here, fill out these forms ande with me."


    Felix read. "Application to be a Sacred Arms Guild member? Max, we''re clergy. We can''t do this."


    Sylvester smugly rxed back. "I have read all thews in the Law of Light book. It tells us about not selling our services for money. But it nowhere tells us not to be a guild member. These guilds work because we, as adventurers, will take the money in the guild''s name. Then, the guild takes its little cut and gives us the rest. So, technically, it wasn''t us who took the money."


    "But, won''t that interfere in our work?" Gabriel wondered.


    "Just think about it, you two. We''ve been given a job that leaves nearly no time to train¡­so we need more challenges. And we all travel around the world anyway, so why not take a few job requests that would appear on our way? This way, we can earn some good money while also helping the people." Sylvester proposed.


    He had already done all the needed research and had spoken with Sir Dolorem. He learned that even the normal clergy members from monasteries take a small amount of money from people for their special services. But, of course, that money is taken in the name of Solis¡ªa guise.


    "Let''s do it!" Felix readied quickly. "More adventures? Count me in!"


    Soon Gabriel also agreed. "As long as we don''t take any jobs that contradict our work as clergy, I''m fine."


    Sylvester pped and took back the applications. "Great, then let''s go and fill them ou-"


    He suddenly stopped speaking, for he felt a sudden rise in gloominess in the air. Sadness, anxiety, and fear mixed in. He quickly got up and looked back. There, he found Sir Dolorem closing in.


    Confused, he wondered if something terrible had happened to him. "Sir Dolorem,e and join us."


    The knight took a seat silently but didn''t dare look Sylvester in the eyes. There was nkness on his face and traces of guilt. "Priests, I have grave news."


    "Did we get kicked out of the Sanctum Inspector job?" Felix asked excitedly.


    Sir Dolorem didn''t move, however. Instead, he kept staring at the ss of water on the table, feeling thirsty but being unable to make himself reach out for it.


    After a long silence, he added, "I have information regarding Markus."


    The three straightened their backs at that. They had decided long ago that as long as they found Markus'' location, they''d go and bring him back. They could easily use their status as God''s Favored.


    Sir Dolorem, in a low voice, uttered¡ªbut with each word, he appeared to clutter.


    "M-Markus¡­ They¡­ His ashes have been handed over to his family."


    ___________________


    [A/N: Count to 1000, and the next chapter shall appear.]


    500 GT = 1 bonus chapter.(Already half done)


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1500 Stones = Bonus Chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 89 89. A Golden Storm

    "M-Markus... They... His ashes have been handed over to his family."


    It was like a p of thunder on their heads as the realization of the meaning behind the words hit them. The three looked at each other, brows furrowed and confused.


    "Are you messing with us? What do you mean by his ashes?" Felix stood up abruptly.


    Sir Dolorem shook his head. "I wish I was, Priest Felix. I asked Inquisitor General Hans to ask around. Markus was indeed taken in by a spy branch for his flexibility--for a specific mission. But most of the unit sacrificed their lives in that mission. We lost one Cardinal, three Archbishops, fifteen Bishops, and five hundred more knights, wizards, and clergymen. Unfortunately, Markus was one of them."


    ''And so it begins.'' Sylvester was depressed somewhat as he did spend eight years alongside Markus. ''The world is unpredictable--despicable--inhospitable. Death is just a word for people here... sadly.''


    "Why did they allow a newly graduated priest to go on such a dangerous mission then? How can they be so heartless?" Gabriel asked frustratingly. "How could they not foresee something so obvious?"


    "They needed him for the mission... as it required crawling through an extremely tight ce to allow the rest of the force to attack."


    "How did he die?" Sylvester asked calmly. He didn''t show anger towards Sir Dolorem as he could feel the man was also somewhat saddened by this death.


    "He was... buried under the ground while trying to cross the tight space. The enemy caught the scouts sent by the forces, and their n was leaked. It was a--bloodbath."


    ''What a painful death... to suffocate until thest breath.'' Sylvester was more annoyed because the death wasn''t quick. But hearing the details of the mission made him confused. "Where did this mission take ce?"


    "That''s ssified. Not even Inquisitor General Hans was informed about it. I''m afraid none of us can find out more. Something that required such an overwhelming force must have been an important mission."


    Sylvester remembered the pact the four made years ago in the dorms. Markus'' words were as clear as day to him. ''If the war begins, I''ll be dead in months. So give my family all my money, will you.''


    Sylvester felt it was shameful that Markus didn''t even die in a war. He died because of the stupidity of the Church. But a pact was a pact; he respected his promises. "Sir Dolorem, I would like to ask the administration to have my next assignment be somewhere around Markus'' home vige. We four made a pact years ago, and we must fulfill it."


    "Where is his vige?" Sir Dolorem asked.


    "In the Hignd Kingdom, called Fallshoot Vige, it''s near the Rich Wall of Riveria Kingdom." Silvester blurted back.


    None of them were in the mood to speak much anymore, forget writing the guild application. All of them merely sat there as their minds yed back some fond memories of their good friend. The goofy, the virtuous, unwavering Markus Lionis.


    Boom!


    Suddenly, the clouds in the sky burst in loud booms. Sylvester looked up and abruptly found the clear sky covered with dark clouds. A momentter, the wind started to pick up and turned stormy.


    A minuteter, thunder started striking in the sky. It felt gloomy as everything turned darker. "What is going on?" Sylvester questioned.


    The sudden changes could not be natural. It was clear from the abruptness of the change. But, the storm seemed to get stronger and stronger.


    Sir Dolorem, however, didn''t speak and simply stared at the sky with hazy eyes, as if the burst of light hypnotized his mind.


    Boom!


    "Crap! We need to get inside, Max." Felix got up.


    Woosh!


    But just the next moment, the rain started falling, and for some crazy reason, the rain didn''t appear clear as water, but rather it had a golden tinge to it, shining bright like it was liquid gold. Sylvester caught a few drops on his palms and tried to check the texture, which appeared like water.


    "Should I taste it?" He wondered as the puddles started to appear around him. The water, however, would appear golden before falling to the ground, then slowly losing color and appearing normal.


    The situation was so bizarre. None of them had seen such a thing happening in their lifetime before.


    "Don''t!" Sir Dolorem stopped Sylvester from tasting it. "Do not drink it, for that isn''t water--but a sign."


    "What sign?" Felix blurted.


    Sir Dolorem looked Sylvester in the eye suddenly. "It''s divine!--This is nature''s design! Priest Sylvester, etch this scene in your mind, for some day you''d also cause this... be the reason behind--this!"


    Sylvester silently looked at the golden raindrops falling from the heavens and genuinely felt divine; there was something special in this water''s shine.


    Sir Dolorem took a long breath and looked towards the Pope''s Penins. The tall pce was slightly visible from where they sat. "This must have caused a frenzy there right now. You three may not know this, just like most people in the world. This rain is, after all, not natural."


    "Stop beating around the bush and tell us what it is." Felix hastily asked.


    "Someone has risen!" Sir Dolorem muttered. "The message from heaven has been delivered--someone has risen to the rank of Supreme Wizard!"


    ''Wait! This is the sign of someone ranking up to the Supreme Wizard rank?'' Sylvester was taken aback.


    "How far does this divine message appear?" He questioned.


    "Everywhere! From the hundred kingdoms of the Sand Continent in the south to the cold Pentapeak range to the north of the Sol Continent. From the vast castles of the Masan Empire in the West to the depths of the Beastaria continent in the East. This message is sent to all--a new god on earth has risen! To threaten other gods'' position!"


    ''This must be maddening to the likes of the Pope. Now he knows there''s another threat to him, but not who or where.'' Sylvester thought. But at the same time, he felt the world just turned more dangerous for his little life.


    "Is there any way to pinpoint where this new Supreme Wizard is?" Gabriel wondered.


    "No. But they are likely to be somewhere secluded since a wizard or knight is the most vulnerable to attacks when ranking up. The higher the rank, the higher the risk for even a tiny disturbance can kill."


    Sylvester sighed, not even knowing what to think about at this point. But he soon felt normal as whoever this Supreme Wizard was, it was none of his concern. Markus had died, and he just wished to mourn.<sub> </sub>


    "I was called to Wazir''s office. I shall request them to assign me a mission near Markus'' vige. I will see you three tomorrow and tell you the details... goodnight." He dejectedly instructed them. But then he also handed them the applications. "Fill out these applications too."


    Dead or alive, life must go on, for even those dead would not want to be the reason for another''s suffering. Sylvester kept Markus''s name in mind and respect in his heart. "Take care."


    He walked away towards the stables and took his horse. The golden rain slowly started to stop too, and by the time he reached the administration office, it had halted entirely. On the way, he could see many people standing in groups, talking. Some were knights, some were clergy, but the topic was the same for almost everyone.


    ''How many Supreme Wizards are out there living in secrecy? No wonder the Church does not dare attack any other kingdom. Who knows what powerhouse might appear.'' Sylvester thought. But there was something more exciting to think about. ''Whates after the Supreme Wizard? If these are God on earth, what kind of gods would they be?''


    "I guess there is only one way to find out."


    "Maxy, you will die one day too?" Miraj suddenly asked him.


    ''Ah, isn''t this boy immortal?'' Sylvester realized something saddening. He had no idea how long he''d live, but Miraj would always remain.


    "Don''t worry. I am not dying anytime soon. On the contrary, I strive to live the longest in this world--but all things die, Chonky. Be it you or me... we just don''t know when."


    Miraj hugged Sylvester''s neck with his paws and rubbed his fluffy face. "I will stick with you forever!"


    Sylvester hummed in reply because the boy was too cute sometimes, and he wished not to make any weird noises. But he patted him back.


    Soon he arrived at the Administration building, which seemed like his second home at this stage. But this time, he came here because the Wazir himself had summoned him.


    So it was normal that he was given entry immediately, and a secretary escorted him towards the Wazir''s office.


    ''This building is so big. I wonder what secrets it hides behind all the shine. What history has it edited to suit its own purposes?'' He wondered, remembering the etching by the first Pope on the soul tree.


    "Move!"


    All of a sudden, a scornful, heavy voice erupted at Sylvester. He looked up and saw a tall, thin, yet well-built man. He had gray eyes and entirely silver long hair. He wore white, high-cored robes with strange golden embroidery on them.


    Sylvester had never seen this man in his life before. "There is enough space to walk."


    But the tall man narrowed his gaze as if he''d killed Sylvester right there. Not to mention, Sylvester felt it too. ''Why is he giving me the bitter taste of death?''


    But Sylvester stood his ground, notpromising his self-respect, no matter who this person was or how threatening it got. He was inside Holy Land, and this man was also a clergy from the looks of it, so he was safe. But there was no rank te on the chest, so he couldn''t see how powerful the man was.


    "Tsk... imbecile." The man sneered and sidestepped.


    Sylvester scoffed in reply. "Old and tall, yet a mind so small."


    "M-My... Lord Bard, please follow me!" The secretary cluttered and dared to pull Sylvester away.


    "Who was he?" Sylvester inquired once they were on their way again.


    The secretary looked back at Sylvester as if he were a mad man. "He''s the first Guardian of Light, the Silver Mist. He''s the third strongest man in the whole church--and he dislikes everyone other than his holiness and Saint Scepter."


    "Why?" Sylvester questioned.


    The secretary looked left and right before replying carefully. "Because he''s likely to be the next Pope. So everyone else, especially you and other God''s Favored Candidates, arepetition for him."


    ''Oh! That exins it. I should ask Sir Dolorem about him too. He must know better.'' He decided but didn''t pay too much attention to the man. ording to the records, the current Pope was going to live for more than a century, so there was no rush.


    "Go in, please."


    As they arrived, Sylvester knocked on the door and entered Wazir''s office. Surprisingly, it was nd to the point it seemed empty. There were just a few portraits of past Popes on the walls as decorations, that''s it. There was a simple wooden table, two chairs for visitors, and onerge ordinary chair for the Wazir.


    The namete on the table was the only golden thing in the room. Ethias Lovecraft--Saint Wazir, it said.


    Sylvester greeted the old white-haired, long-bearded man. Thetter was unremarkable, the only strange thing being the vertical cut mark on the right eyebrow. "Greetings, Saint Wazir."


    "Sit, Priest Sylvester. I have something important to discuss with you today. And I don''t have much time, for the Pope has summoned me, so I will be direct with you." Saint Wazir fiddled with some documents on the table. "Here is your new appointment letter. Seeing your work, your decision-making, your worship-inducing acts--it allpelled us not to ignore the facts.


    "Priest Sylvester Maximilian, I am delighted to appoint you as the new Cardinal Suprima of Ironstone Duchy! Here is the appointment letter--and we merely hope you make the Duchy better."


    "I refuse!"


    "...What?!"


    ___________________


    500 GT = 1 bonus chapter.(Already half done)


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1500 Stones = Bonus Chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 90 90. The Ultimate Move!

    "I refuse!"


    "What?... Why?" Saint Wazir was taken aback by the instant rejection of the position most men would kill for.


    Sylvester was cursing the man internally, not just him but hisst five generations. ''This bastard, he thinks I will fall for his puny schemes? I smell all your schemes. The sourness of lies, the feeling of excitement and also anxiety.''


    Sylvester had understood this was a test as Saint Wazir emitted the emotion of lies when he said Sylvester was appointed as Cardinal Suprima. It was a position given to the Cardinals while he was a simple Priest. Like hell he could skip three highly important andplex ranks for no apparent reason.


    Hence, he reckoned something was going on behind the scenes, and it was best to just reject it. But, he had to give a good reason as well.


    "I am too inexperienced. I don''t think being good at something for one month makes me as good as those who''ve spent decades of hard work. It''s unfair if I were to jump so many ranks. One rank jump? I understand that, but going from the bottom to the top is too much. I might create disharmony in the clergy, may cause rumors of corruption, or even make the clergy hate me outright.


    "I''d rather be a priest who is loved than a cardinal who is hated."


    Saint Wazir smirked and put the documents back. "That''s... too bad. I will respect your choice, however. So it seems I will have to find a good assignment for you."


    ''What a bad actor. I can see through his lies without even smelling them.'' Sylvester thought. But, he turned serious as it was time to ask the real thing.


    "Saint, I have a request. I... just heard what happened to Markus. He was a dear friend of mine--with whom I spent eight years of school. I made a pact with him, and I can''t stand blind, that would have my words undermined.


    "So, I hope you can give me an assignment near Markus'' vige. I wish to meet his family and fulfill the pact. Markus has gathered money over the years, and hisst wish is that it reaches his family."


    Saint Wazir nodded. He tapped on the call bell on the table. But strangely enough, it didn''t make any sound, but the secretary still entered quickly. "Bring me the pending assignment ledger."


    With no words spoken, the secretary soon brought a thick, three-foot by three-foot book. It was certainly too big to be called a ledger. But it appeared to be magical as the Saint Wazir merely gestured, and the book opened up.


    "Where is martyr Markus'' vige?"


    "It''s Fallshoot Vige, near the Rich Wall, in the northwestern part of Hignd Kingdom," Sylvester answered.


    Saint Wazir quickly moved the pages of the ledger and soon stopped at one page. "There is one assignment at Sphinx Town. Hmm, the case is named Eternal Unidentified Supernatural Phenomenon. It says that the town is suffering from constant demon possession every week, and the local monastery exorcizes all the time but to no avail.


    "It has been suspected that the monastery is asking for extra funds and is either falsifying the cases or isn''t solving them knowingly. So the job is to investigate both the monastery and the Eternal USP."


    Sylvester tried to remember where this town was on the map. He had memorized nearly everything avable on the maps at the Sanctum Inspector''s office. "Is it southwest of Fallshoot Vige, near the Desert Road?"


    "Indeed, Priest. I''m amazed at your remembering skills."


    "Thank you, Saint Wazir. Then I will take this assignment and leave immediately." Sylvester respectfully requested.


    Saint Wazir walked around the table to Sylvester and patted his shoulder. Miraj had to quickly jump away and sit on Sylvester''s head, however.


    "Son, you don''t have to take this assignment. You can simply go to Fallshoot vige to fulfill the promise. I will send some other inspectors." Sain Wazir said, showing genuine care this time.


    Sylvester appreciated the kindness but knew he couldn''t take time off. "With all due respect, Saint Wazir, as sad as I may be about the passing of my friend Markus, I can''t allow that to hinder my work or progress. If I wish not to be the next Markus, I must work harder. As for the dead--they are never dead as long as we keep their names in our memories."


    Saint Wazir was taken aback since he wasn''t expecting much profoundness from a young man. But when he remembered who he was talking to, he smiled appreciatively after a moment. "Wise words, Priest Sylvester. You can rx in the meantime. I will send the written assignment allotment by tomorrow. Take care, son."


    Sylvester thanked the man and left the office. He was honestly d that all these men at church were so kind to him, especially the Pope, Inquisitor High Lord, and now this Wazir. He knew he had nothing special to offer, but he believed the reason for this likeness was his temper and wisdom, which were the same as that of an old man. Hence, these senior clergymen probably feel somewhat connected with his words--or feel he''s too intelligent.


    ''Let''s hope it stays this way.''


    ...


    ''Can you... you know... you''re so flexible, so you should be...''


    Bam!


    "This does not feel right. Why did they take him away in the middle of the night?"


    Bam!


    "Why the fuck is everything so mysterious around this?"


    Bam!


    Everyone has different ways of coping with the loss of life. Some cry, some shout, some think while some punch. Felix was thinking and punching the steel wall used for training knights in the arena of the School of Dawn.


    He had the same questions as Sylvester at this stage, feeling strange about the whole deal with Markus. It didn''t make sense to him how thetter had disappeared from the dorms that night. Why didn''t hee to say goodbye? Why so abruptly?"


    Sadly, Markus was gone, and all there was left were memories. He remembered the constant jibes he and Markus took at each other. It was undoubtedly one of his favorite things over the years.


    "I''m so fucking weak!" He cursed and punched harder. "I need to get serious!"


    "Ahem!" Suddenly a second voice rang behind him. "With those kinds of punches, you can only hurt toddlers."


    Felix turned around in aggravated mode. "Sir Baldfreak?"


    The dark-skinned, old, bald yet strong knight appeared out of nowhere, standing there with arms crossed and a look of annoyance. "You may have the talent to be a tinum Knight one day, son, but right now, I can say that even a simple Golden Knight can beat you up... yes, I know you''re a Golden Knight too."


    "I was able to stall a fight with Sylvester, then how am I weak?" Felix asked proudly.


    Sir Baldfreak scoffed in response. "You are blinded by friendship, son. Sylvester has far surpassed you. If he wished to, he could have defeated you with one move. You have not, but I have seen him, sparred with him. His every single move has a dozen thoughts and ns behind it."


    "He went easy on me?"


    "No, he saved you from humiliation in front of a crowd of thousands and possibly your own family." Sir Baldfreak bluntly replied.


    Felix was taken aback by this. He used to think, at least in terms of Knight''s training, that he and Sylvester were the same. But it appears he was not just wrong but also blind. "He..."


    "Don''t be angry at him, son. He does teach you from time to time and helps you grow, does he not? He''s like a big brother who holds your finger and guides you. I''ve seen him watch you train and note what you did, good and bad.


    "But, you muste out of his shadow and find your own fighting style. You need to be strong and push yourself. Only then can you one day be a tinum Knight."<sub> </sub>


    Felix knew there were no free meals, however. "Why are you helping me?"


    "Because I can''t see your pathetic punches. Nowe with me, or I will add a hundred weightedps around the grounds." Sir Baldfreak boomed.


    Felix stiffly ran after him. "Yes, Sir!"


    "Each day you will spend in the Holy Land from now on will be spent on training with me. I can''t see your talents be wasted...it''s painful."


    Silently, Felix was extremely grateful for this. Sir Baldfreak may also be a mere Golden Knight, but the man was old and had worked for decades before retiring as an instructor. All that experience could help him improve greatly.


    After all, what Sylvester and Felix werecking was a mentor. Finally, at least one of them found one now.


    ...


    In the housing for priests, in his room, Gabriel shut himself close and just sat by the table to read some books about magic and faith.


    "Where do souls go after death? They join the Solis?" He questioned.


    Gabriel was a religious man, with light magic, Earth elements as main, and Master Wizard and Diamond Knight talent, he was already an Adept Wizard in thest level, but he still had a long way to go as a Knight since he was merely a Silver Knight right now.


    But, by far, his greatest strength was Light Magic and his ability to remember the various chant prayers that help while performing various rituals.


    And that brought him to this moment where he could not stop but wonder about Markus'' fate. He was trying to find answers to the questions he did not know--in books written hundreds of years ago.


    "I need to find someone who understands the faith better than me." He muttered and tried to think of a name. Of course, Sylvester was among the top, but he knew that couldn''t help him right now.


    "Archbishop Noah was our religious studies mentor. Can he help me?" He wondered and decided to give it a try. The man was always kind and gentle, so there was no risk involved.


    ''I hope others are doing fine.'' Gabriel thought as he headed to find himself a mentor.


    ...


    The three boys hade to ept their own shortfalls and wished to improve so one day they could take on any enemy. But, for now, the road was full of hardships, mental and physical.


    a??The light of the shining star


    Let me spread this light afar.


    I call you forth, to help me perish the evil.


    Be it steel or cloth, let it burn and turn them feeble.a??


    a??I am your blessed bard, I care not if life''s hard.


    Forever I shall stand guard to poor souls scarred.


    So...a??


    "Ah! It''sing!" Miraj''s young boyish voice reverberated.


    Sylvester happily looked at his right-hand palm that he had kept adjacent to his right shoulder, facing forward. At the same time, the back of his head shined with a halo.


    a??So give me the strength to vanquish the darkness.


    I am here, standing, wishing for your light to harness...a??


    "It''s out!"


    Woosh!


    "YES!" Sylvester cheered in victory at the top of his lungs.


    Poof!


    But almost instantly, his shoulders fell in despair. "No! Not again! Why can''t I make that move again? For Solis'' sake, I did it when I was just a month old."


    "Maybe you''re not good enough?" Miraj asked from the sidelines.


    Sylvester looked at his palm in frustration. "I don''t know, Chonky. I was much weaker that time, yet I could send out a light beam that melted wood and steel and even carved a cave in the mountain."


    Sylvester tried to harness that one move he used when that zombie-like creature attacked him in the tent years ago. That was a truly overwhelmingly destructive power, and he reckoned that as long as he had it, at least he''d have an overpowered tool in his arsenal.


    "It has to be at least an S-Grade move. Let''s have another try... keep an eye on me, Chonky."


    Miraj shrugged. "Maxy, get good."


    "..."


    [A/N: Dear readers, suggestions are open to name this move. It looks like a beam of yellowish-white light. Extremely destructive and scble to the user''s srium reserves. Something like Blessed Beam, Light Spear, Dragon Light, etc.]


    [Editor note: Kamehameha!]


    ___________________


    500 GT = 1 bonus chapter.(Already half done)


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1500 Stones = Bonus Chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 91 91. Invisible Threats

    The Sol continent was always on the brink of wars erupting, and the Church tried its best to be the middleman and stop them.


    With itsplete hold over the Gracia Kingdom''s politicalndscape, wars against the Riveria Kingdom were fairly limited. But, that left the southern Sol uncontrolled on a deeper level and open to madness--something that only pushed it towards more darkness.


    Year 5116 of Solis was not kind to the Sorrow Kingdom, as, on the 25th day of the 8th month of the year, The Grand Duchy of the Patchunched a full-scale war on the Sorrow Kingdom. Unfortunately, the King of Sorrow could only defend, for hecked arms to raise swords, while he alone stood as the only Grand Wizard--as thest defendant.


    The man would go down in history for his bravery, strength, and sorrow--for he would save thousands with the stalemate... with time he''d borrow.


    This was the world--so fragile and full of powerful people--so facile.


    ...


    "Max, what do you think I should focus on next? My next promotion can be one of two things: either stay in the Holy Land and be Chief Superintendent or leave and be Chief Superintendent Healer of a region?"


    Sylvester was going to head out for his next mission today, so he was having hisst home breakfast. "Stay in the Holy Land. The world outside is too vtile, and anything can happen. It''s not safe for a woman who''s not well versed in fighting. But are you so confident about getting another promotion?"


    "No, I won''t get that anytime soon. I was merely thinking about which side I should focus on. The position of Chief Superintendent is somewhat politicized as it''s selected by voting among other healers." She exined.


    Sylvester thought about how he could help her, as the higher she went, the better it would be for him. "You should use my name to get support. I''m sure no other healer has a son who is also a God''s Favored candidate with the highest talent possible. So you should take my name and, in non-direct words, imply, ''My son is one day going to be a Supreme Wizard.'' And that will by default pull them into your camp."


    "Won''t that make the higher-ups angry?" She inquired.


    Sylvester scoffed. "Tell them the same thing and shut them up. And, mum, even if I don''t try to be the Pope, I will still at least be a Guardian of Light. A strong one at that!"


    Xavia quickly imagined her son being tall with a nice beard, looking proud while the people prayed to him as he sang and the halo appeared. It raised goosebumps and made her squeak. "My son will be big and strong... I believe in you."


    ''I hope it was as easy as it probably seems in her head.'' Sylvester thought and kept eating.


    "By the way, take these pickled eggs. They are sweetened with honey as well... although they made me vomit, I know you will love them." Xavia brought a big ceramic jar and put it on the table. It was undoubtedly heavy as it made the wooden table''s legs creek.


    ''It made her vomit? If it''s this bad, then why would I like th-''


    "Holy Solis! Why is this so good?" Sylvester was all praises once he tasted merely the juices in the jar.


    Xavia made a strange, disgusting face and shrugged. "I have no idea why and where your obsession with honeyes from. I just let you taste it once."


    Sylvester was already eating the pickled eggs, however. "This is really good. I''m going to need more jars of itter."


    ''Oh no! I have created an abomination. I pity his friends who will be forced to taste it.'' Xavia sighed internally and moved to pack other things.


    "Take these dried beef strips too. I bought them from the Guild Penins. They say that the adventurers take these on long journeys."


    Sylvester didn''t deny the gifts. "Don''t worry about my food, mum. We usually have a whole carriage with us full of supplies. Sometimes we even hunt on the road and eat fresh meat."


    "I wish I could travel with you too." Xavia dreamily muttered.


    If Sylvester was a brainless man, he''d have agreed to her, saying he''d need a healer. But the reality was that she''d be a deadweight on him, always needing saving. And since she was pretty as hell, there was that aspect as well.


    "Maybe when I be truly powerful, I will take you on a world tour." He suggested on the go.


    But that meant the world to Xavia. "You will? I would love to see different ces one day. Your grandpa used to tell me about thends of the East and the mystical south."


    ''And then you got enved.'' He sighed and got up to leave. "Don''t worry; a promise is a promise. Now I should head out. The rest must be waiting."


    "Take care, Max. And if it takes too long, please send me a letter through the Running Men. I sometimes get anxious when I don''t hear from you for months." She requested calmly, albeit wanting to hug her son.


    Sylvester did it on his own ord as he smelled the anxiety. "Got it, mum. And you ensure you eat well and work hard. I might be gone for a long time since I need to meet Markus'' family."


    Hearing Markus'' name, she felt even more scared, for he was her only family left. Her hug turned tighter, and she nodded. "I will... you too, please take care."


    Pa!


    "Meow!"


    Suddenly, Xavia looked up, feeling something tapping on her head and the cute meowing voice. But Sylvester quickly moved back and headed out. "Bye, mum!"


    He went out and scolded Miraj. "What was that?"


    "I pat her head to make her less sad. It always works."


    "Yes, but only when they know or can see you. As of now, most would think it''s a ghost touching them."


    Sylvester and Miraj walked to the stables while bickering. Since Sylvester was the one who drove the carriage, it was his responsibility to keep it. So he tied his white horse and headed to pick up the rest of his teammates.


    They slowly rode on the wide roads of the Holy Land, passing by the various scenic buildings. The sky was blue like most days, and the air was colder. Winter was finally around the corner, but thankfully the weather in Holy Land never goes too cold.


    Despite the horrifying news from a few days ago, the weather and fresh air helped.


    "Chonky, suggest me a good name for this horse," Sylvester asked, as his horny horse was not so horny anymore and even well trained now.


    Miraj looked down at the horse on whose neck he was sitting. "He''s big... white and... Juan!"


    "What? Why that name?" Sylvester wondered.


    Miraj merely shrugged. "I don''t know. I said the first word that came to my mind. Is it bad?"


    Sylvester tried to think of the name and imagined himself calling it from afar. "Juan... Juan Wick? Why did I think of that? That''s one strange name. No, let''s name him Frost. He is very white, after all."<sub> </sub>


    "Frost? I like it. Chonky and Frost will be friends from now on, am I right?" Miraj melted on the horse''s back. But eventually, he''d move to the back of the carriage, find afy ce and sleep the whole way.


    The horse neighed as if it understood Miraj''s words and trotted faster, appearing happy.


    Sylvester chuckled while watching the exchange happen. It was good to remind oneself every once in a while that everything could feel happy or hurt. All had a life, but of course, some didn''t deserve it.


    "You arete." Felix barked as soon as Sylvester reached the rest of the team at the exit tunnel leading outside the Holy Land.


    Sylvester could see the dark circles under the eyes of Gabriel and Felix. It was apparent they had been doing something in thest few days, or perhaps the memories of a dear friend haunted them. Sir Dolorem, meanwhile, seemed normal, but there were more people nearby, two on separate horses and six more in amon carriage.


    The short, chubby semi-bald man spoke from the horseback, appearing to be the leader. "Priest Sylvester, it is an honor to meet you finally. I am Archpriest Harmond, and this is Priest Karl. We''re the head of a healer''s camp headed to Sand City. Sir Dolorem allowed us to ask you if we could join you on the journey?"


    Sylvester noted the people in the carriage at the back. From the rank tes, the Archpriest appeared to be an Adept Wizard, while the Priest was an Apprentice Wizard, the same as the rest of the people in the carriage.


    ''It''s one of the good things the church does, and I can respect that.'' Sylvester thought, appreciating that in this dark backward world, the Church held healing camps to heal the sick free of cost.


    Sylvester nced at Felix since thetter shared the same authority as Sylvester in theory. "You got any problem with that?"


    "Not at all."


    "Fine by me too then. But, Archpriest, our destination is Fallshoot Vige, so you will be on your own beyond that point." Sylvester warned as the Hignd Kingdom was not that rich, travelers were sometimes raided by brigands, although cases of them attacking church representatives were rare.


    The Archpriest bowed his head slightly. "We shall manage beyond that, Priest Sylvester. You have my gratitude."


    "Good, let''s move then." Sylvester didn''t waste time and whipped the horses slightly, not to hurt them but enough to make them move fast. Felix sat beside him as he too had a stallion now attached to the carriage--Lady Trash--they had named it.


    They were fast on the road soon, traveling on the smooth Holy Road south. They were headed to the sideroad that led to the bridge crossing into the Riveria Kingdom. The route bypassed Goldstown, bringing back hundreds of memories.


    Merely in 4 days, they easily entered the Riveria Kingdom, as the Church had an express pass to move freely around the continent.


    "Why did you fake the match in the tourney?" Felix suddenly asked, sitting beside Sylvester in the carriage at the reinsman seats. In front of them were Gabriel and Sir Dolorem, and behind were the rest.


    Sylvester sighed as he watched the endless farnds of the Riviera Kingdom with trees on both sides of the roads. He was in awe of the kingdom as it fed the whole continent.


    "I didn''t want to discourage you... and trouncing you in front of all those people would have hurt your image. And honestly, I don''t want to lose a friend because other people think negatively about us. I didn''t want any rumors."


    Sylvester could predict what wasing. He could feel a slight hint of sourness and saltiness, signifying there was jealousy. There was also a hint of anger.


    But, all of a sudden, it disappeared as Felix said something Sylvester didn''t expect.


    "Thanks, brother. You saved me a lot of trouble and... didn''t destroy my self-respect. Of course, I''m slightly disappointed and jealous, but it''s all in good faith. One day, I will surely beat you."


    Sylvester chuckled at the promation. "You onlyck experience, my friend. We both are the same ranked Knights. Our powers are simr; the only difference is how we move."


    "You talk about experience, but where does your experiencee from them?"


    Sylvester fell silent and thought of a convincing answer. "Dreams--It''s a pretty great ce to train and n your next schemes. I can teac--Hm? We havepany!"


    "What?"


    "Shh..."


    All of a sudden, Sylvester handed Felix the reins and stood up on his seat while the carriage kept moving. He looked left and right at the endless t agricultural fields. They were still far away from their destination and had just entered the Riveria Kingdom. ''What now? Why do I smell such extreme... rage and lust... with death mixed in?''


    "Prepare yourself, Felix!" Sylvester barked and quickly held up his spear from behind himself.


    "Priest Sylvester!" Sir Dolorem and Gabriel receded a little to the carriage and spoke to Sylvester. "It seems we''re being watched and followed."


    "I know, Sir Dolorem... and I think I know who it is. You and Gab go back and tell Archpriest Harmond to maintain distance. I don''t want them to get hurt."


    "What''s going on, Max?" Felix clenched his sword in hand, ready to be unsheathed.


    Sylvester looked left and right, trying to figure out how the hell the enemy was keeping up with them without showing up, despite such open fields. "Felix, strike to kill!"


    "Got it!" Felix prepared, no more questions asked until they had enemies in their grasp.


    Of course, Sylvester knew what was happening now. He had not forgotten that kid assassin and had hypothesized who was after him. Now--he was nearly sure of it.


    ''That damn Romel, even after dying he''s so annoying!''


    [1] Green City - Imperial Capital of Gracia Kingdom


    [2] Sand City - Imperial Capital of Hignd Kingdom


    ___________________


    500 GT = 1 bonus chapter.(Already half done)


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1500 Stones = Bonus Chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 92 92. Assassins In Riveria

    Sylvester could feel his danger senses tingling through the smells. But he had no idea where the enemy was. He looked at the sky, and there was nobody. He looked at the fields, and they were empty as ever. Not even crops were grown at this time of the year.


    He silently sat back down in his seat and closed his eyes, appearing to be meditating, but he was merely trying to focus on the various smells he felt. Death, rage, and lust, he knew that lust was something that didn''t only apply to physical attraction but also attraction to money.


    And if someone felt all three emotions against him, they were offered some money to kill him. So he was like a golden trophy to the attackers.


    "Where is the attacking from?" Felix asked him.


    But Sylvester silently focused on the emotions. ''Not above, not around me, and that only leaves...''


    "Got you! Felix increased the speed." Sylvester ordered and jumped to the cloth roof of the carriage. It was strong enough to hold weight due to the frame. Then there, as he stood, he watched the road behind.


    "You can''t hide!" He put the spear behind himself and used runes since he was still keeping his water and earth elements a secret.


    But thanks to the air element, he could quickly create runes on the ground and activate them. The rune was called Earth Rise, a Grade B rune that did what the name suggested.


    Boom!


    A square, meter by meter block of the hard dirt road rose into the air as if it was pushed from underneath. But Sylvester didn''t stop, and as the carriage kept moving, he kept making runes and raising the Earth blocks.


    "Now it''s time toe out!"


    As soon as he felt the feeling of their emotions diminishing, he stopped sending his magic to all those runes and let the blocks of earth fall back to their ces.


    Boom! Boom!


    ''Still going to hide underground?'' He looked at the road intently, having realized that the enemies must be using Earth elements to create caves for themselves underneath.


    A dust cloud rose from the sudden fall of so many earth blocks. Since the road was not paved, it became hideous in no time.


    "Felix, stop and prepare to fight." He ordered. He also lightly kicked the big furry cat to wake up and get to work. Miraj''s job during fights was simple: sit on his shoulder and keep an eye on his blind spots.


    "You bastard!"


    Boom!


    A st appeared not far behind the carriage. The ground opened up with a loud explosion, and a few figures jumped out of it, cursing Sylvester as they seemed to have suffered from the sudden falling Earth blocks.


    Sylvester had merely yed a mind game with them. He reckoned that if they were creating a tunnel to follow him, he could create a tunnel for them from a distance ahead. So that''s what he did. And when they came across the long empty tunnel, they thought someone else left it here earlier for a canal, and without thinking, they ran fast in it--a grave mistake as the tunnel suddenly copsed on them.


    Sylvester held his spear in front, and Felix also stood beside him, his sword ready. They were wearing armor as well, but it was hidden under their church robes, though that made them look much bigger than they were.


    "Get that blonde boy, don''t touch the rest."


    The order resounded in the dust cloud before five figures jumped out of it and rushed towards Sylvester. Then once they were out of the dust cloud, Sylvester got to see them for the first time.


    "Who are these jesters?" He blurted.


    All of them were wearing dirt brown robes with different belts hanging des or potion bottles. There appeared to be two women and three men. Out of them, one man was at least eight feet tall, akin to a giant.


    But, the fight was not a joke.


    Sylvester quickly realized that there was a six-member in the group as well, the one who shouted, the leader.


    Bam!


    Out of the earth, just beside Sylvester, came out a man like a projectile, cutting through the dirt like butter. His right hand aimed at Sylvester''s face, showing a glowing red rune ready to be sent out--deadly, without a doubt.


    "Not so fast!" Felix was a warrior above everything else, and his reaction speed was much better. In no time, his sword was cutting the air towards the attacker, a short, thin man from the stature.


    nk!


    nk!


    Sylvester, in time, moved his head back and avoided theing rune punch. At the same time, he tried to smash his spear''s de at the man''s face since it was a close-quarter fight. But surprisingly, the man seemed highly skilled and blocked the strike from both with small daggers that appeared out of nowhere in his hands.


    Sylvester and Felix jumped back to make a distance and assess the situation.


    "Do you know who you''re attacking? If the word reaches back to Holy Land, they will destroy your entire guild." Felix reminded the assassins what a great folly they weremitting.


    "Hehe, like we didn''t know that before attacking you." The leading man revealed his face as he took off the hood. He was bald, and a tattoo emerged on the left side of his face, surrounding the left eye.


    Sylvester looked behind at the additional five members. It was a fight with losing numbers on his side. Four against six, and these assassins were likely more trained.


    ''I don''t even know what their power rank is. It will be a problem if it''s a rank higher than me.'' Sylvester tried toe up with a scheme to defeat them. He was the strongest wizard in his camp, while his and Felix''s knight rank was the same.


    Sylvester was, after all, a man who''d rather first fight with the brain than arms. This was the strategy to live the longest until he was strong enough to stomp all. "Who are you?"


    The man didn''t speak and regrouped with his team. Then, without wasting time, they runched the assault, focusing again on Sylvester. ''So King Riveria it is?''


    He knew by now that the King of Riveria was behind it. The man had given him creepy vibes when he once saw him a long time ago. Now, it was clear that the man med him for his son''s ''disappearance''.


    The battle started on the empty roads. The enemies were experts in Earth magic, as they relied heavily on it.


    The leader seemed the best with multiple elements as he used Earth and Air. Other than that, there were numerous magic runes, along with various des.


    "Felix, you handle all those with des. I will handle the leader and the remaining two magic casters. If you can''t win, stall the fight until Sir Dolorem and Gabriele." He ordered and went all out.


    "Have fun with these!" Sylvester started with an S-ranked magic move right away and used Whirling Fire that Sir Dolorem taught him. Two enormous fire tornadoes came out from his palms, as tall as a fifty-foot tower.<sub> </sub>


    The use of these was not to kill but to distract, as dodging them was easy, but they would y with his enemy''s minds. However, there was something great about surprises, something Sylvester was known to use. He made more tornadoes of fire, in total, ten of them.


    "Let''s deal with you now!" He stood face to face with the group leader, eyes locked at each other''s movements--ready to make any needed adjustments.


    "I will offer you double of whatever you were offered." Sylvester proposed for he believed this was the best ce to use ck money. But he didn''t have hopes up because if they belonged to some organization, making secret deals would harm their reputation.


    "Even if it were ten times, I would still disagree. Your skull is my prize, priest!"


    Sylvester prepared to use light magic, his favorite and strongest element ever since he learned how to harden it. And since it was the middle of the day, the sunlight amplified it. However, the leader was not his target.


    Woosh!


    Under his feet, a burst of mes exploded and threw him off into the hair, dozens of meters in height. Then, at that height, he used Light Step, an ability that consumed an extreme amount of Srium, but it was worth it.


    Unless of the highest rank or expert in the art of this branch of magic, Wizards could not fly. Sylvester, of course, could not either. But, with the ability to harden the light, he discovered a miniature and bastardized version of flying.


    By simply creating a small tile of light in the air, he could stand on it as long as Srium in his body allowed it.


    "Hah, can''t fly, maggots?" Sylvester mocked his enemies from the sky.


    But, he wished not for his own magical powers to attack them. "Chonky, give me the number eight."


    "Aye aye, Maxy! Uwaaa... Uwaaa..."


    Eventually, Miraj vomited out a small bag and handed it over. Sylvester quickly opened it and took out a handful of red, finger-sized crystals. His face showed a wicked smile, for he was about to y with his enemies--make them dance.


    "Good thing trade outside the Holy Land is allowed. Felix''s elder brother got me some amazing crystals." He muttered and looked down. In the distance, he saw Sir Dolorem and Gabriel just reaching and helping Felix.


    While the leader of the group and two more magic casters watched him.


    "Catch!"


    He threw one red crystal at the leader''s head. The man was annoyed and shocked by Sylvester''s magic, amon trait in whoever sees him.


    Boom!


    Then the crystal touched the ground and exploded in beautiful red mes of fury.


    Boom!


    One more crystal exploded, this time straight on the head of the eight-foot giant magic caster. Sylvester targeted him, knowing the man couldn''t move fast. And sure enough, the prize was his head.


    The crystal exploded the giant''s entire skull like it was a watermelon. And the bloodied brain matter fell on hispanion beside him, scaring her to no limit. She screamed and jumped away.


    The group leader had by now started to use Earth magic to create stairs for himself and reach enough height to at least hit Sylvester with his magic.


    Smirking, Sylvester, this time, took a handful of exploding crystals. Yes, each explosion cost him 100 Gold Graces, the equivalent of his 5-month sry, but it was all ck money, so it didn''t hurt much.


    "You should have taken my offer!" He eximed and threw away the crystals, raining them down on the shocked woman.


    The leader saw it all and shouted in worry. "Be! Run!"


    Sylvester scoffed from the height. "Sure, do it if you''re faster than the light."


    The woman was stupidly trying to clear pieces of the brain from her robes. So when she looked up, finally, her face revealed a young woman with a simr tattoo, with red hair. But it didn''t take much for fear to appear--her eyes to drown in tears of despair.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    A magnanimous explosion so vast that its mes even reached Sylvester at his height. A cloud of mushrooms apanied it in the sky, going extremely high. Everything was covered in fire, in light with so much might that even Sylvester was amazed by what a dozen exploding crystals could do.


    ''Two down, one more to go.'' He muttered as he looked towards Felix. With the addition of Gabriel and Sir Dolorem, the enemies appeared to be on the losing side, even more so with the demoralizing scream of their leader and the explosion.


    "Y-You bastard! You killed my daughter!"


    Sylvester looked at the bald, tattooed leader on his Earth stairs just a few meters down from him.


    But instead of replying with something abusive, Sylvester simply raised his right palm and spoke a small hymn with a halo--appearing saintly.


    a??You and your daughter, chaos you followed,


    Cry to me not when death has you swallowed.a??


    [A/N: One moreing in 2 hrs. Keep stoning!]


    ___________________


    500 GT = 1 bonus chapter.(Already half done)


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    ? 800 Stones = Bonus Chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 93 [BONUS CHAPTER] 93. The Bounty

    "You bastard!"


    Sylvester scoffed and threw the crystals at the man as well. But he was clearly the most experienced and powerful as he used the air element to blow the crystals away.


    "Fine, since the nuisance is gone, we can fight conventionally." He said in a challenging voice and jumped off of the light step, straight to the ground. Then just when he was about tond, he used the air element to soften hisnding. This was why most wizards don''t die just from falling.


    ''The bomb was too strong.'' He thought, seeing the ckenednd in arge radius while the burning ashes still fell from the sky¡ªcovered in dark smoke.


    Thud!


    When the mannded, Sylvester turned to focus on him. "I don''t think even the body of your daughter is here. But still, maybe you can look around to find one of the bones¡­ or if she had any lockets?''


    His wish was to anger the man, and he seeded pretty easily.


    "Fuck you! Bloody sun fucker?"


    Sylvester chuckled, "What kind of insult is that?"


    He yed with the mind of his enemy. He tried to show he was not serious about fighting when he really was.


    Woosh!


    The bald assassin used a barrage of runes to make Earth spikes below Sylvester, throw beams of fire at him or invisible des of air. He also used runes thatbined elements like earth, water, and fire, throwing a spray of hot, burning mud on Sylvester.


    But, Sylvester was a man who had studied hard for each aspect of magic, especially runes and incantations. His aim from the start was to be the best at fighting. Hence, he used the same runes the man used to stop his attacks. The fire killed fire, air killed air, and Sylvester''s Srium reserves were much bigger.


    The rule was simple: the higher one''s talent, the bigger his reserves. His enemy was also a Master Wizard, a man of pretty high rank for an assassin, very deadly for Felix and the rest. "Sad for you, I suppose your Master Wizard rank level is lower than mine."


    Even a difference of one level could prove to be deadly in a fight. Sylvester easily broke all deadlocks of attacks by overpowering them and ousting his opponent. And now, with nobody annoying him from behind, Sylvester aimed to end this fight.


    But, his wish was not to kill him. So he took his spear in his right hand and aimed, while using the fire element from his left hand to stop the maddening barrage of attacks. His opponent had lost his mind. It was clear from his hazy eyes and mindless magic casting.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester used Knight''s runes on the spear and made the tip of his spear heat up. Then, when his opponent used a water attack, he used a fire attack to create a steam screen¡ªthe best time to throw the spear.


    The Spear of Infinity flew like an eagle ready to hunt, faster than one''s eyes could see. Then, cutting the air, it plunged into the assassin''s stomach as the heated tip acted like a hot knife on butter. But the force was so great his whole body got pulled along by the spear.


    Thud!


    When the steam vanished, Sylvester pped his hands clean and walked towards the assassin¡ªNow nailed on a tree trunk, bleeding profusely from his mouth, eyes, and nose. His eyes were going dark as well, for he had lost the fight and the will to live.


    He nced back towards his friends. They had also won the fights, and the woman and two men were kneeling, their swords taken away from them.


    "You think you can die so easily?" Sylvester spoke into the man''s ears from the side, towering him in height and looking down with hostility.


    Bam!


    He pushed a pale blue crystal into the man''s mouth and forced the jaw to move. "That crystal will keep you alive for some time now. So, are you going to tell me everything?"


    There was silence.


    Sylvester moved closer, brashly caught the mouth, and moved the face up, so the man looked him in his sharp, deadly eyes. It was time to break him mentally. "So she was your daughter? Hmm, I''m sure since I have your body, I can find out who your wife is from the Guild Penins. Your daughter was beautiful, to be honest, unlike you¡ªso I guess I know where that beauty came from.


    "Too bad, I will have to catch her now and¡ªsell her as a ve. I know a few particrly sick lords who like to ''y'' with their ves. I''m sure they''ll at least keep her well fed."


    The assassin''s eyes widened in fear, rage, and helplessness. Dying was eptable to him. He knew that before starting this job. But this was too much¡ªand the threatsing from the church were no joke. "I-I am James Marshall! I work for King Badgers'' Assassin guild! Please spare my wife¡­ She-she''s lost everything now¡­ all she has is a little son."


    "Oh! So she has a son? Well, the church is always in need of new meat." Sylvester replied, still not satisfied. But he noticed Felix and the rest were bringing their three prisoners. So he stopped being so out of line.


    Instead, he walked to the three prisoners, took out a dagger, and ced it at the necks of their kneeling bodies. "Tell me who hired you, or they die¡­ and much more!"


    James cried as he shouted back in tears. "I don''t know who posts the request! It''s an open contract¡­ the bounty on your head is a hundred thousand Gold Graces. That''s all I know!"


    <o>,m ''What the hell! Am I this expensive?'' Sylvester was not shocked by the bounty but more by the price.</o>


    "How can someone put a bounty on a God''s Favoured''s head? Do you know how important I am to the church?" He asked further.


    James shook his head frantically. "Anyone can! The assassin organizations don''t work underws! Even the Pope has a bounty on the head that stands at three hundred million Gold Graces. Please, don''t kill them¡­ we will return quickly¡­ you should do the same! Riveria is home to some of the strongest bounty hunters."


    sh!<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester nodded and slit his prisoner''s throat. The woman fell forward¡ªdead. Then he stepped to the side and did the same, and then one more time. He killed the three assassins with no mercy in his eyes.


    "Please! Don''t do this¡­ I beg you!" James cried, sensing that he was done for now and his wife would be sold as a ve.


    "Argh!"


    As Sylvester thrust the dagger into the man''s heart, he whispered into James'' ear. "Don''t worry. I won''t touch your wife and son. I''m not that heartless."


    At thest moment, Jame''s face showed an ted calmness¡ªand it froze with death.


    Sylvester cleaned his dagger and pulled back the spear. Then he looked at his teammates, who didn''t act surprised at all. "I am not¡ªwe are not safe in Riveria. Let''s hurry and enter the Hignd Kingdom."


    "I should tell the healer camp to go their own way." Sir Dolorem suggested.


    "Yes, do that, please. It''d hurt me if they were to be harmed."


    While he burned the bodies of the six assassins, he thought of the fight. It was not as hard as he was expecting, but the bounty on his head was surely going to be obstructing.


    That prompted him to look at his friends and Sir Dolorem. Of course, he wished for them not to be hurt because of him. But on second thought, he knew they wouldn''t leave his side no matter what.


    ¡­


    They tried to be as low-key as possible in the remaining part of their journey. They ditched their clergy robes and donned regrmoner clothes. Sylvester, in particr, had to dye his hair brown using some chemicals from his arsenal.


    Slowly, they traveled West on the dirt roads and moved beyond the capital of the River City, where the king lived. They passed by the towering walls of the Harvest School of Magic and Knighthood. One of the five greatest wizarding and knightly schools in the world.


    Then, they took a left turn from the intersection and headed towards the Snake River bridge. Thankfully, with the changed looks, nobody stopped them.


    Then, they finally reached the Sunflower Fields, the part of Riveria always covered with sunflowers as far as one could see. It was beautiful and mesmerizing to the mind. For the first time, Sylvester saw something like this and couldn''t help but appreciate the beauty of this dangerous world.


    However, all their mood was destroyed when therge castle in the distance appeared on the horizon of the flowers.


    "We''re going to have to be careful here." Sir Dolorem spoke. "That''s the Fort of the Duke of the Northern Duchy, our only way through the Rich Wall into the Hignd Kingdom. It''s heavily guarded, and every man going inside is checked."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin, trying toe up with a scheme to go. "Alright, I will deal with all the items in the back of the cart. You all rip your clothes and pour dirt on yourselves. We shall tell them we''re healers but got robbed in our way. We will prove ourselves by showing them healing magic."


    The idea was not something genius, but it might work. Healers were always in high demand, after all, not to mention they carry expensive goods most of the time.


    So they quickly went to the side of the road and dirtied themselves by swimming in the sunflower fields. Meanwhile, Sylvester ordered Miraj. "Chonky, eat all the items in the carriage."


    Miraj knew this was not the time to be greedy and ask for a banana. So he vanished all the items in his bottomless belly like the good boy he was. Then, by the time they were on their way again, they looked the ugliest ever.


    "We need something more! Okay, Felix, you''re going to act like your leg is injured; Gabriel, you bite your lips and make bloode out; Sir Dolorem, you''re a sorry old man, so get to the back of the carriage and lie down; I will just bloody my clothes and eyes, so I appear blind." Sylvester ordered.


    Sir Dolorem didn''t like being called a sorry old man, but he was out of options. So, their little dramapany soon reached the gates of the Fort Sunflower.


    The guards there donned standard Riveria-styled, metallic green, full armor, from leg guards to helmets. But the man questioning the arrivals was a scribe in neat noble clothes. "Identification?"


    Sylvester spoke from the seat while Felix held the reins. "M-My lord¡­ look at us. We were robbed on the road! We are mere healers¡­ and they did this-"


    The scribe looked at Sylvester intently, then Felix, and atst, Gabriel on horseback, holding another horse''s reins. He then walked to the back of the carriage and saw ''sleeping'' Sir Dolorem.


    Soon, the scribe returned to Sylvester''s side and appeared to write something on parchment.


    ''Did it work?''


    Then the scribe smiled gleefully and handed the parchment to Sylvester. "Lord Bard, wee to Fort Sunflower!"


    "..."


    ___________________


    500 GT = 1 bonus chapter.(Already half done)


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    800 Stones = Bonus Chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 94 94. A Good Day Indeed

    Rubbing; verb; usually a sign of confusion when done to the hair.


    And Sylvester did precisely that when the scribe called his name out with so much confidence that it made him question his own intelligence.


    Felix''s jaw fell, Sir Dolorem sat up in the back, and Gabriel nearly fell from his horse. They had tried their best not to be recognized, and yet, here they were directly being called out.


    They all looked at each other''s faces for a whole minute, silently asking questions about how they were recognized.


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and wondered if he should make a run for it. ''How did he know it was me? My eyes were closed, and I had dyed my hair. But trying to push forward now would be suicide; they''d likely have armies in there... but-''


    Sylvester decided to publicize his appearance. As long as the general public knew that the famed Bard of the Lord was here, the words would reach the Holy Land, and in the Fort, nobody would dare do anything against him.


    "Were you expecting us, lord...?"


    The scribe shook his head and respectfully replied. "I''m no lord, but a mere officer of thew, the name''s Jord. But, yes, Duke Conrad has alerted the city guards and the gate scribes to be on the lookout for four injured men, one of them being an old dark-skinned man."


    Sylvester looked back at Sir Dolorem in annoyance. Meanwhile, Sir Dolorem wondered how he could have changed his skin color. But Sylvester didn''t forget to focus on the underlying meaning.


    ''So the Duke knew we were attacked and expected us to be injured? Is he also one of those after my life?''


    "Then I suppose he wishes to meet us?" Sylvester stopped acting hurt.


    "Indeed, that''s why I have issued this gate pass for you so you may enter the inner Fort immediately. A guard will lead you in, so please follow him." Jord pointed at a guard waiting beside the gates on the horse.


    Sylvester nodded at the man and followed him into the city. He also used some water runes to wash his hair and let the blonde hair reappear, for they were important for his next n. The ce didn''t really have a name, as the entire city was also encapsted in the Fort walls. So it wasmonly called Fort Sunflower.


    The people in the city looked affluent, as not a single beggar was seen on the streets. People seemed happy, smiling and going about their businesses. Kids were running around, doing little errands, or just ying.


    Unsurprisingly, he saw a lot of shops that sold various flowers. The houses were mostly twin stories, with streets wide enough for two carriages to move side by side and still leave space for pedestrians. Not only that, for security, there were sentry towers at every intersection.


    "Duke Conrad seems rich enough to send out a bounty of a hundred thousand," Felix muttered.


    Sylvester had the same idea, but he didn''t speak as he was busy chanting a hymn silently. And that had the intended effect as the bright shining halo appeared behind his head. On top of that, he waved his right palm at the crowd and sent out warm light magic.


    In the eyes ofmoners, he was instantly a holy man. So, as expected, most people dropped to their knees to start praying. He, too, started chanting louder, making sure people knew who he was.


    a??...Oh, is it such a big crime?


    I''m merely signing a rhyme.


    For the beloved Solis, I dedicate this hymn.


    Your bard hase; everywhere is the lord''s home.


    So, raise your drums, raise your drums.


    Get your blessings, lord''s daughters and son...a??


    The people now knew who he was. The name of the Lord''s Bard was famous throughout Gracia and Riveria because of its proximity to the Holy Land and the number of people moving around for trade in the region. The monasteries also kept books with his hymns, for they were great during public congregations to sing.


    "M-My Lord!" Suddenly, a pretty, well-dressed woman ran out of the sides and started jogging beside the carriage.


    "My Lord, please help me! I''ve had a chronic stuffy nose and tearful eyes since I was small... I can''t breathe at night!"


    ''Who the hell does she think I am? A God doctor?'' Sylvester cursed internally after hearing her request. But he expected this much after unting his halo.


    "Where do you work?" He inquired.


    "Ha... ha..." She was going out of breath from jogging. "At the Sunflower fields! My family has been sunflower cultivators for five generations."


    ''Ah, so it''s probably an allergy.'' He reckoned.


    So he quickly tore a cloth from his sleeves and handed it to her. "Use a clean, cotton cloth and tie it above your face every time you work in the fields. Sometimes, things you can''t see can affect your body greatly--take care, young one."


    ''Wait, why did I say young one?'' He wondered quickly.


    But the woman seemed to be on cloud nine because of it. "Thank you, my lord! Thank you!"


    With that, she stopped chasing him, and the carriage also moved into the inner fort after crossing the deep moat around the main building. The guard took them to the Duke''s own stables, where they parked the carriage.


    As soon as they arrived, a brown man was waiting there. Old, yet tall and strong, in neat red noble robes with golden embroidery. He walked to Sylvester and bowed his head a little. "Wee to Fort Sunflower, Priest Sylvester. I am Duke''s Prima, his second inmand, Jeremiah Freeman."


    "Freeman?" Sylvester blurted.


    "I used to be a ve," Jeremiah replied and looked at Sylvester from head to toe. "Please follow me so you may don some new robes and be presentable for the evening ball."


    ''...''<sub> </sub>


    Sir Dolorem quickly interjected. "We are holy men, Lord Jeremiah. Therefore, we do not participate in gatherings of nobles--where vices are exchanged."


    "It is not an ordinary ball. Nobles from the whole of the Northern Duchy will be here, and perhaps Lord Bard can shower his light upon us."


    Sylvester contemted going in. He did wish to know more nobles, and it was necessary if he one day wished to achieve great heights in terms of authority. ''What kind of man is this Duke?''


    "Fine, but we shall leave immediately after your gathering, Lord Jeremiah. This is because we have important work in the kingdom beside yours--holy work." He responded.


    The man quickly led Sylvester and the team into the fort and showed them a smallplex of rooms to stay in. It had everything prepared, from bathwater to church robes and some refreshments.


    Once Jeremiah left, Sylvester ordered his team. "Do not touch the robes or the food. Drink only what you know others have tasted. Do not use the bathwater either. Instead, use your own magic to clean yourself."


    Sylvester had decided to treat Duke Conrad as he would King Riveria for now. Nobody could be trusted--not even the folks from the local Monastery.


    Knock Knock!


    A whileter, some knocks came. Sylvester went ahead and opened the door. It was Jeremiah once again. "Lord Bard, Duke wishes to exchange some words with you in his sr."


    ''I smell no hostility yet.''


    He gave a nod behind to Sir Dolorem and walked out. "Lead the way."


    Jeremiah brought him to the tower''s top floor and led him to an ordinary-looking door at the end of the stars. "In here, please."


    Then, with one swift motion, he opened the door and entered, leading Sylvester in. But, for the first time in both of his lives, Sylvester felt his mind going nk. Wealth!--Extreme wealth! Today he finally saw what that meant with his eyes.


    The sr appeared to be at least 50 meters by 50 meters. All he saw was shining gold, silver, emeralds, and diamonds from end to end. Ornaments that Sylvester didn''t know could exist were there... There was a bloody full-sized horse made of gold with big diamonds for eyes. Then there were gold replicas of heads of various animals on the wall, each with emerald eyes: Bear, deer, wolf, lion, and much more.


    The ceiling was covered with molten gold engravings soplex that even spiders would feel ashamed. Then there were dozens of chandeliers and arge one in the middle.


    The carpet was made of rugged red silk but with embroidery of real gold strings. The walls were the same with various borate gold-framed portraits, and the sunlight from giant windows on all sides of the tower room added a magnificent shine to everything.


    "Meow!" Miraj lowly voiced beside Sylvester''s ears. His eyes looked hazy.


    ''Boy, don''t pass out!''


    Sylvester knew that the Pope was likely richer than this; heck, many high-ranking men of the church were richer. But the thing was, clergymen took living with simplicity as a pride.


    "Wee, Lord Bard. I call this ce the Treasury, albeit this is not my treasury--haha."


    Sylvester looked at the handsome duke, who stood behind arge desk, also made of gold. The man appeared somewhat simr to Romel, but that was only limited to the ashen-blonde hair. He seemed to be at least 35, six foot five tall with a muscr build and had a short stubble beard.


    "It''s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, your grace." Sylvester greeted with a smile.


    "Come, have a seat. I have wanted to meet the famous bard for a long time. To meet a man who receives words from Solis directly is so--so divine!" Duke Conrad enthusiastically spoke.


    ''Happiness, excitement, and worship--these are good signs.'' Sylvester recognized the odor released.


    Duke went as far as to pour water for Sylvester, while Jeremiah stood beside the closed door at the back. "Here, I''m aware of the hindrance on your way, Lord Bard. I am truly disappointed in my father--how could he go against the holy men?"


    ''This is pretty...direct!'' Sylvester didn''t show many reactions, but he did smell that there were no lies. That made him question the Duke''s intentions. ''Why is he being so kind to me?''


    "It''s not easy on the divine path to travel--all know it''s full of sharp gravel. But, one who truly believes shall forever stomp over murderers, assassins, and thieves!" Sylvester replied in a few rhymes, a habit of his by now.


    The Duke smiled ear to ear. "I knew it! My father is blind. How could he use you of that pathetic Romel''s weakness? Who knows where he has run off to. But--s, I am once again the Crown Prince of Riveria."


    "..."


    "You''re the Crown Prince?" Sylvester repeated, his face calm but heart bursting.


    Duke Conrad folded his arms and sat back. "Of course! I am the oldest of my wretched siblings--the future King of Riveria."


    At that moment, Sylvester felt anxiety in the man''s words. But, then, everything became clear to him instantly, and he couldn''t help but rejoice.


    ''Yes! Yes! Yes! Another Crown Prince--a pawn! Yeah baby! That''s what I''m talking about! Thank you, Solis... I will offer you ten human sacrif... I mean, I will sing more!''


    ___________________


    500 GT = 1 bonus chapter.(Already half done)


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    800 Stones = Bonus Chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 95 95. The Bard Can Sing!

    Sylvester was happy to have found a new pawn, and he knew why the Duke was being so kind to him. After all, King Riveria specifically married a woman wizard to have a highly talented son because he didn''t have faith in his other offspring. This meant the Duke was magically and physically weak and required the support of high-value individuals like him.


    A god''s favored candidate, the famed blessed Bard of the Lord, the highest talent in decades. All thisbined ensured that Sylvester would be a top man sooner rather thanter. And that''s how the Duke can secure the throne.


    But that left Sylvester in the wonder of one thing. ''Is he as dumb as Romel?''


    Heck, even Romel was not dumb. He was just too young and hence was vulnerable to brainwashing. But, Duke Conrad was a grown man, and to brainwash him¡ªif possible¡ªwon''t be fast and easy.


    He had to learn more things about the man. For that, he needed to spend more time with him. But he didn''t have time right now. ''Maybe on the way back, I will.''


    "Let''s go to the ball! I called the nobles from my Duchy for this night especially. It''s my birthday today, you see."


    Sylvester gave a blessing to the man. "I pray that you live for centuries toe."


    Laughing embarrassingly, the Duke walked towards the door. "Let''s go, I have already donned my clothes of choice, and I believe you won''t be changing?"


    "No¡ªthese robes are my forever clothes."


    The Duke then led him out of the tower, downstairs, and then towards thergest hall of the fort. And as they got closer to their destination, Sylvester noticed more buzz, decorations, and staff running around. But, above all, he saw a few rooms with open doors and heard not-so-family-friendly moans from there.


    The Duke felt embarrassed and faced his second inmand, who was walking behind. "Stop these activities at this moment. Tell them Lord bard from Holynd is here, and I wish not to see anything vile in sight for this night."


    ''Did I just cockblock a bunch of nobles?'' Sylvester jokingly thought and followed in.


    "Lord Bard, do you have any preference for eating? Please tell me so I can order the cooks." Duke asked.


    ''Goodd, he knows how to lick shoes.''


    "As long as it has nothing to do with alcohol, it will be fine." He replied, remembering a particr meeting with the Pope and Grandpa Monk.


    Eventually, they reached arge twin door with two guards standing at each side, fully d in armors, swords unsheathed.


    "Let''s enter, Lord Bard. I shall announce your arrival myself¡ªand I hope you can give these nobles a word of wisdom from your collection of hymns."


    Sylvester''s main goal was to attract people toward him, so he was not troubled in the slightest. But he wished to use the beautiful instrument today. "Is it alright if I use my musical instrument?"


    As if Duke Conrad''s ears stood up, he excitedly turned to Sylvester. "That is more than what I could ever ask for¡ªthe best birthday gift I ever dreamt of."


    ''This fucker.'' Sylvester''s brows furrowed as he smelled a hint of lies.


    Bam!


    Duke Conrad pushed therge doors open and walked in first. Since he was the main guest anyway, the people stopped talking and looked towards the entrance.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, men of nobility and faith. I thank you foring to the celebrations. It greatly pleases my heart. But, today, someone more significant than me has graced ournds¡ªthe Bard of the Lord, Priest Sylvester Maximilian!" Duke Conrad entered with great fanfare and exaggerated theatrics. The man was truly a smooth talker, a skill he developed for being weak.


    Sylvester walked in with a halo behind his head, having already started humming hymns.


    He didn''t waste any more time, and before people could crowd him, he whipped up the Soul Violin and started ying it slowly at first. He loved this instrument as the Soul Tree''s wood on it made it feel fresh, as if all the sounds were full of the richness of Srium.


    He walked towards the crowd and stood in the middle, under thergest chandelier with light stones. He could hear the awes of the people, amon reaction from those who see his halo, his hair, and golden eyes.


    ?O'' the light beyond the void of darkness.


    I await your touch, on this world¡ªthat''s so heartless.?


    Sylvester started singing and ying. This time his lyrics were meant to sound more like an actual song than a hymn. He then closed his eyes, held the violin up, and moved around in rhythm with the music.


    It was nothing extra. He was still standing in one ce just as he appeared to be enjoying his creation as well¡ªwhich he was. However, the song may seem to be about Solis, but it was actually dedicated to another light in his dark heart.


    ?I longed to see you shine, O'' beloved of mine.


    My day starts and ends on you, as per the Lord''s design.


    You are so amazing, so divine¡ªmore intoxicating than the wine.


    Forever shall you remain in my heart, for it''s your eternal shrine??


    He was meant to do this, to move people with his words. That was the whole point of the halo. After so many years, sure enough, his voice was now ethereal to hear with the right amount of base and heaviness in it.


    He moved around slowly, gracefully, his long golden-blonde hair fluttering with motion. The breeze slowly filled the hall, thanks to the wizards ced to keep the hall cool with elemental air magic¡ªfools they were, for what Sylvester sang was tragic.


    ?It was like another day. I woke up for you.


    You were my home, where my rent was always due.


    No clue¡ªno clue, what god was about to do.


    Who knew, today the light won''t pass through.?


    Sylvester could feel the smells from the people around him. He reflected his emotions vaguely with the words, but the effect was all the same. The pleasant heating aroma on his tongue with a slight tulip ensured there were enough worshippers. But the chills of fear and tangerines of anxiety with the rotten smell of sadness revealed there were enough sinners.


    ?Just a thought of you was like an unsuspecting prize.


    O'' my beloved, you leave me cherished¡ªso energized.


    But with darkness clouding, how shall I rise?


    Yet a true believer, however, worries not if he dies.?


    He decided to end it now with some profound words from the Lord. It was his sorrow. He could not really sing the words his mind had stored.


    ?I despise¡ªI despise¡ªclose to me is death.<sub> </sub>


    The darkness that now stands in my path.


    Oh Lord, it''s hard to take another breath.


    Be my light, be my hope, be the bringer of strength.?


    He started ying the violin faster and heavily, then brought it to a slow end with hisst few words.


    ?I pray here, let them fall¡ªyour divine rays.


    For now, for tomorrow, for infinite days.


    <o>,m Pray¡ªpray his words¡ªfor the eternal fire ze.</o>


    May Solis carry our soul when this mortal body decays.


    May the holy light forever enlighten our ways.?


    He finally stopped and put the bow and the violin away while he looked around at the various faces. He mainly felt regrets from the people and tearful eyes on some. Some felt guilty for doing something wrong, and some merely missed their home.


    "Amen¡­!"


    Duke Conrad suddenly blurted loud, appearing somewhat shaken as his eyes moistened. But hearing him, all the others shouted the same.


    "Amen!"


    Sylvester nodded his head and walked to the side to put the violin in the case, letting the party continue. But as he was doing it, a tall, clean-shaven, white-haired old man interrupted him. "Marvelous show of worship, Lord Bard. I feel cleansed hearing your voice and the music."


    Sylvester recognized the robes. They belonged to Clergy but were far too noble. The rankte on the chest gave away the Arch Wizard, while the mitre on the head revealed he was a Cardinal.


    "I''m d you cherished it, Cardinal Suprima. They were just some words from the heart and some guidance the lord departs." Sylvester replied respectfully, as thetter was Cardinal Suprima of this duchy.


    "I heard what happened in your way. I assure you that I will get it investigated immediately, while the Holy Land will hear about it too. These assassins have gone out of line now."


    ''Lies'' Sylvester smelled them as clear as day, instantly bringing the man''s credibility down to zero.


    "M-My lord!"


    All of a sudden, a noble woman came to Sylvester''s side. ck-haired, tall, and seriously beautiful. She seemed nervous as her hands tugged at the hem of her noble gown.


    "What do you need, mydy?" He asked, already sensing the aroma of rose and sweatbine¡ªit was lust.


    She looked left and right nervously, then closed her eyes before fairly loudly asking. "Give me your blessed seed!"


    "..."


    Awkwardness, that was all Sylvester could feel. The nobles and servants alike looked at him and the woman. At that moment, Sylvester felt some heated gazes as well, from all the women in the room, from young maidens to old hags¡ªtheir lust overpowering his senses.


    ''Hah, I''m in danger.''


    "My Lady, you know very well that I am a man of faith. I have taken the vows of Deus Servus to never indulge in the vice of lust or make a family." He replied. However, he knew that the woman didn''t want his seeds because he was the bard, but rather because of his extreme talent.


    The woman looked confused, however. "What do you mean? Cardinal here always fuc-"


    "Ah, mydy, I think you should return to your friends. I''m sure Lord Bard here is tired and wishes to have some rest." Cardinal Suprima quickly sent the woman away.


    But Sylvester was not blind. ''So this Cardinal is breaking the vows of celibacy. Well, it''s a minor thing.''


    Sylvester bid his farewell and walked to Felix, who was trying his best to send women away who wanted to have a dance with him. "It seems we''re famous."


    Felix scoffed. "Nuisance! If I wish to break my abstinence, it will be with ady of high morals. Social standings don''t mean anything to me."


    "Goodd." Sylvester patted his shoulder as he walked towards the exit. It was time they headed out to Markus'' vige.


    "Max," Felix muttered, seriousness in his voice. "I know you, and I know it when I see it. So tell me, honestly, who was that song for? Did you lose someone important in life?"


    Sylvester smiled and shrugged. "Not at all¡ªI haven''t lost anyone¡ªin this life."


    Cough!


    "Lord Bard, wait!" Duke Conrad stopped him again. "Why leave so fast? We have Battle Games next¡ªespecially organized for my birthday."


    "Battle games?" Sylvester had not heard about this before.


    "In the public arena, fighters will battle. Today, my favorite ve will fight to retain his top spot¡ªit will be exhrating!"


    "Ah, you mean a tourney?" Sylvester asked.


    But the Duke didn''t nod. "No, I mean Battle games!¡ªDeathmatches!"


    [A/N: Well, this was the end of the fun chapters. Now we begin the real depressing arc.]


    ___________________


    500 GT = 1 bonus chapter.(Already half done)


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    800 Stones = Bonus Chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 96 96. Ten Years A Slave

    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Drums around the arena''s edge resounded in unison and cheered the crowds. The arena in the Fort Sunflower was not that big, able to seat merely five thousand people. But that was enough as only nobles, merchants, and wealthy citizens were allowed to visit it as they spent the most money on food, entry fees, and better seats.


    The arena was like a typical colosseum structure, with steps as chairs. But the first three rows had well-cushioned chairs, with a luxury roofed box at one edge for the Duke and important guests.


    "Here hees." Duke proudly pointed at one of the entry gates on the battlefield below. "You''ll be shocked to know that when I found him, he was merely a ve doing manualbor¡ªand he used to be a merchant before being sold."


    Sylvester watched as the doors on one end opened, and from it came out a six-foot-tall, pteruges-wearing man. His upper body was naked and defined with fine muscles. He was only wearing left shoulder armor for protection; on his head was a helmet and a skull mask on his face. He held a thick sword in one hand and a shield in the other.


    "Why was he sold?" Sylvester inquired.


    "I don''t know. The Duke before me bought him ten years ago. His real name is Kaecilius Silvanus. Used to be a merchant, then got into a mess with some smuggling gang, and they targeted his shipments. Eventually, he lost everything and was sold for his debts owed¡ªincluding his family of wife, son, and daughter."


    ''Of course, how could the tragedy be limited to one man?'' Sylvester internally scoffed. Every time he starts spending some time in peace, the world reminds him of how messed up it is.


    "Where is his family?"


    "With me." Duke replied. "I''m not that heartless, Lord Bard. Some Lord had bought his family, and I repurchased them. Then gave this man an offer that if he stayed at the top in this arena for ten years, he could have his and his family''s freedom. As of now, he''s stayed at the top for five years. Maddening how he turned from a merchant to a warrior."


    ''Doesn''t the Pope wish to abolish very? I can see why.''


    Sylvester watched the fight start soon after. The man named Kaecilius, now nicknamed The Butcher, started slowly walking sideways in anticipation.


    It was a one versus five fight, The Butcher being there to hold his top position. Sylvester tried to feel the emotions behind the man''s skull mask, but he was far too away, and the excitement of the people around him overwhelmed his senses.


    sh!


    With his mighty arms, the Butcher went ahead and shed his de down straight on one of his challenger''s heads.


    "Haaa!"


    Thud!


    The challenger''s body got split in half and fell to the sides. The crowd roared with pleasure, however, enjoying the show of violence. But the Butcher showed no emotion and simply moved on to hunt for his next target.


    It was hard to gauge how strong each of them was, but Sylvester reckoned the fight was already decided. The Butcher was too strong for the rest, and even when the remaining four attacked him together, the Butcher leaped around like a lion and hunted them down.


    ''A man fighting to free his family¡ªI pity this poor soul. But, very is perfectly legal under thew, the best I can do is¡­''


    Sylvester got up from his seat and walked to the edge. He waited until the man killed hisst opponent¡ªturning the hard soil bloodied with the guts of the less fortunate. But Sylvester noticed signs of a broken man in the Butcher, as the man didn''t even celebrate and stood there like a machine turned off.


    ''He''s been doing this for five years? What a strong man¡ªif he does survive, I might just give him a job.''


    "Use it wisely." He boomed as he threw a small silk pouch full of Gold Graces, 500 to be precise. It was enough to let the man buy good enough armor and have better odds of survival. ''I suppose I can count this as assignment expense and get the reimbursementter.''


    Of course, Sylvester was not going to lose money foolishly. On the contrary, this was an investment for the future because now the man was likely to remember him for as long as he lived.


    Knowing how things work around, Sylvester also spoke with the Duke. "Let him keep it. The man deserves some respect for his unwavering will."


    The Duke nodded, "I agree. But I hope you don''t make it a habit, for the next segment is the rookie fight, where the most bloodshed urs."


    "I''m afraid I will have to move, for we must reach the destination as soon as possible for we are responsible for the evil unstoppable. It was great meeting you, and I hope we meet again on my return journey." Sylvester bid his farewell since the sun was setting. Markus'' vige was very close to the border, so he wished to depart quickly.


    The Duke stood up and shook Sylvester''s hand. "I understand, Lord Bard. I won''t keep you held here any longer. Thank you for your serene hymns¡ªyou truly took the spotlight away from me on my own birthday."


    Sylvester chuckled. "A bit too much, I''m afraid."


    Both of themughed for a few more minutes in their small talk and parted ways. Duke retook his seat, and Sylvester left with his team. This time, since they had exclusive permission, they got their carriage, horses, and fresh supplies, and the moment twin moons shined, they headed out.


    They first headed for the Rich Wall and crossed it after getting clearances from the guards on both sides of the wall. The ones on the Hignd Kingdom side were prettyx and didn''t care as soon as they heard the word ''Church''.


    So, the four moved on their way. But, sadly, the road turned for the worse soon after. It was so bumpy that the carriage''s spring suspension seats made menacing creaking noises.


    "Take the right." Sir Dolorem spoke from a few feet in front. Then, as they took the side road, it turned even worse. It was better to say that there was no road but rather some foot trails left by animals.


    At least it was all tnd, though barren. The sand slowly started to turn bright yellow, proving they were in desertnds. In no time, they saw dead trees, ominously standing here and there.


    "Let''s head to the monastery directly, it''s nighttime, and the vige is probably asleep," Sylvester suggested. Also, since Markus was brought up under the guidance of the local Archpriest, it was better to meet the man first.


    Soon, under the bright moonlight, they saw the mighty Wall of Void in the distance, the cliff that separated the Divine Desert and the rest of the Eastern side of Sol. It was as magnificent as when Sylvester was little, so high that the vige in the distance appeared like grass.


    "We''re here," Felix eximed and slowed the carriage.<sub> </sub>


    The church monastery was merely at one end of the vige, so they tried not to make much noise. But, the houses looked so out of shape that they would have taken it as an abandoned vige if not for the candlelights from a few homes.


    "Life does not seem to be going well around here," Gabriel muttered in pity.


    The dogs on the streets barked as best as they could, for they looked malnourished. Chonky even threw some meat out of his dimensional mouth out of pity for the animal kingdom.


    "Sir Dolorem, who''s the main noble around these parts?" Sylvester inquired, wondering why Markus'' vige was not cared for.


    After thinking and remembering the map a little more, Sir Dolorem answered. "I believe it''s the Governor''s Keep, as he runs the daily administration of allnds north of Sand City. Since the Hignd Kingdom is so small, and the King and Queen have no heir, they didn''t create any Duchy. Instead, it''s all divided into counties directly under the royals."


    Eventually, after moving between mudbrick houses, they finally reached the Monastery, which was also rundown in appearance. Its tiled roof was falling apart, while the paint on the walls was chipping off with the ster.


    "Even the poor Pitfall Town had a better monastery than here," Sylvester muttered and jumped off the carriage to knock. He expected the clergymen to be asleep, as it was nearly midnight, but¡­


    "We have nothing left¡­ go away!"


    Before Sylvester could knock on the door, an angry voice from inside resounded. Sylvester felt fear in the voice, so he stepped back a little and shouted back. "I am Priest Sylvester Maximilian, here from the Holy Land¡ªregarding Markus!"


    "Markus?!"


    In an instant, the door opened, and an extremely old-looking archpriest came out, his eyes appearing hazy, his hunched back appearing painful. The wrinkles on the man''s face, along with the beard, moved as he spoke. "I-Is Markus alive? Did hee with you?"


    ''This must be Markus'' mentor.'' Sylvester felt nothing but pity for him.


    Gabriel started. "I''m afraid not¡­ we are his friends and spent eight years of school together."


    The old man''s eyes opened wide. "Ah, you must be Sylvester, Felix, Gabriel, and Sir Dolorem! Markus used to talk a lot about you four in his letters."


    Felix moved in and helped the old man stand up, as thetter seemed to be having a hard time with just a cane. "Let''s go inside, Archpriest."


    "Name''s Norin Raad, respected Priest." He introduced himself and led them in.


    Sadly, there were no rooms for visitors in the Monastery as it was minimal to begin with, and had only one giant hall. So they decided to sleep on the roof.


    But the Archpriest also followed them there, leaving his makeshift bed in the hall, saying he''d be ashamed if he let the guests suffer while he rxed. Then, for the night, they all went to sleep in their portable mattresses, deciding to talk about everything elseter in the morning.


    Tired from the long day and journey, they didn''t even know when they started snoring. But, morning came fast as the sun rose from the West. Before they knew it, the burning desert sunlight made them sweaty and woke them up.


    "Argh!" Felix angrily jumped to his feet, drenched in sweat. "Should have put on a roof first!"


    However, he then walked to the edge of the roof and looked at the vige, hoping to see activities.


    "Why are there so many people gathered?" He noticed a crowd far away.


    Sylvester soon threw a pillow at Felix for disturbing him. "Shut up, you noisy brat."


    "Max, look there!"


    Sylvester walked over annoyedly. "What? It''s just people going to wor- Wait, why are they being put in cages?"


    The old Archpriest walked over, hearing them, and looked in the same direction. Sorrow and horror were apparent in his eyes. "They are going for a hunt."


    Sylvester frowned as he felt rage in the man''s emotions. "People here hunt regrly?"


    The Archpriest shook his head and pointed in another direction, where a few well-armed men rested on horses, surrounding a noble, most likely. "People don''t go to hunt¡ªbut to be hunted."


    "What do you mean?" Confused, Sylvester eximed.


    "Priest Sylvester, in our stomach resides an evil, who if not satisfied¡ªcan make one sell their soul to the devil."


    ___________________


    500 GT = 1 bonus chapter.(Already half done)


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    800 Stones = Bonus Chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 97 97. Its A Trap!

    ''What the hell is going on in this vige?'' Sylvester tried to make a wild guess but didn''t want to ept it.


    "Tell me everything, Archpriest Norin," he demanded.


    "The man over there is Master Hornbill, who runs this area for his liege, Baron Vermilion." Archpriest pointed at the men on horseback, watching the vigers being put inside the cage slowly. "Our vige faced a heavy drought this year, and nothing grew.


    "And with the death of Markus, the head monastery of the region does not send money anymore. The people are desperate to survive here¡ªthey have kids too. So, like hyenas smelling meat, Master Hornbill came to abuse them.


    "He loves to hunt, but as you can see, the area surrounding us is barren desert nd. So he offered to pay the vigers who agreed to be his prey in the hunts. He pays 10 Muds to each participant, and he will pay 1 Silver Crown for every death. Those men and women you see willingly ept death¡ªas they step into that cage, they have made peace with their lives." The old man''s voice started to crack by the end, unable to see the suffering of the people he saw grow from little kids.


    Sir Dolorem, Felix, and Gabriel felt angered by that too. They knew darkness existed in the world, but the example in front of them was of the negligence of duty and exploitation of the poor.


    Sylvester was not too shocked, however. It wasmon for the worst of humanity toe out during a crisis. He''d have ignored it if the abuser was an ordinary man, but here the case was the noble supposed to look after these people.


    "What about Markus'' family?"


    Archpriest shook his head. "Last month, Markus'' father died from this hunt. He survived nine such runs, but a man can''t always be lucky."


    "What! Markus was a man of faith. How can his family be treated like that? Did you not make it clear?" Felix butted in.


    "I did, but no one listened. Initially, when Markus was selected as God''s Favored Candidate, the whole vige was proud and happy as the future looked bright, so when he dropped out, his family received a lot of hate, and now that he''s gone¡­ sadly, nobody cares."


    It saddened the three boys to think the people were so cruel just because Markus chose to live by dropping out. But that left them questioning how the family was doing now and what to do with this case.


    Sylvester sighed and looked toward the people. "Why is it that we never really find happy ces?"


    Sir Dolorem reminds him quickly. "You''re an SI, Priest. It''s your job to find and cure the rotten part of the society around us."


    "In that case, let''s y a real game of hunting with this noble. Boys, I have a n, so hear me out." Sylvester gathered his team on the side and plotted an excellent scheme. The thing was that he was a member of the church, and as Sanctum Inspector, his jurisdiction was only over Church matters; he could not interfere in the affairs of nobles.


    But soon, they all started, heading to fulfill their decided role. Sylvester, meanwhile, put some dye on his hair and brows and put onmoner clothes, torn from some ces. ''This one''s for you, Markus. May your soul rest in peace.''


    Sylvester moved out of the monastery and headed towards the crowd. The guards there selected young men and women who could run fast since the Baron hunted on horseback with a bow.


    Old people were an easy target, and women start to get slow after middle age. So young men and women were the ideal choice; kids were spared, however.


    Sylvester had some dirt on his face and a lot more on his clothes. He let out a long breath and thinned his cheeks to appear sick. Then, he tried to walk forward slowly from the crowd. He was afraid of being called out by the people themselves, but when he reached the ce, he realized it was a flesh market, the guards simply picked a person and moved them into the caged cart.


    Of course, he was a little over six foot, so he stood out in the crowd, not to mention he appeared young¡ªa good runner for the lord.


    "Have I ever seen you before?" All of a sudden, a middle-aged man called him out in the crowd.


    Sylvester didn''t look at him and acted like he was only focused on being selected for the job and making some money. Internally, Sylvester was annoyed. ''Of course, someone was going to ask this, it''s just a small vige, and people probably know each other.''


    "You! Tallboy! get in!"


    ''Finally!''


    It didn''t take long for Sylvester to get selected and be shoved into the caged cart and huddled with 12 other people. Soon there was not even enough space to stand up properly, as the crowd was too much.


    ''I should try to be in the line of sight of Master Hornbill.'' He nned as it was his aim to be hunted.


    Eventually, the horses pulled their cage without care for their well-being and brought them east of the vige to a small patch ofnd where a few dying trees were left. It was the best ce to hunt as the trees provided enough locations to hide and make it challenging.


    "You all know what needs to be done. You all must run away when I whistle, and you shall have until this minute ss loses all its sand." The guard debriefed the people.


    Sylvester could feel the smell of brokenness from the people. Funny enough, it also smelled like rotten flesh. There was not an ounce of happiness in that cage. Yet, all were on the same page¡ªsince death did not discriminate between ages.


    "Go!"


    The guard opened the gate of the cage, and everyone ran out. Sylvester got outst and walked away as if he were strolling in the park. Not only that, he also spat on the ground while walking, showing the noble that he was not afraid.


    Sylvester could expect a man who takes pleasure in hunting people to be enraged by the disrespect from who he considered his prey.


    ''Come on, fool. Take this holy meat.'' Sylvester muttered while walking slow enough that it''d take a long time to vanish from the line of sight. He was not trying to hide, which should have raised red gs in the noble''s mind, but thetter was too ustomed to living in luxury where he didn''t have to think a lot.


    Woof!


    Woof!


    "Maxy, friends are here!" Chonky meowed from his shoulder.


    Sylvester chuckled and stopped the hounds first. He used the fire element to leave thend under his feet so hot the paws of the hounds would hurt, discouraging them from running more or faster.


    "Ha!"<sub> </sub>


    Eventually, the sound of hooves resounded, and like a bunch of wolves, the men chased. Sylvester was the closest and in in sight. It was like a real animal hunt, as the guards moved ahead and tried to make Sylvester run in the direction they wanted.


    Sylvester obliged and ran zigzag, avoiding the arrows fired from Master Hornbill''s bow.


    ''Alright, it''s time to y my game.''


    Sylvester suddenly turned around and faced the noble with crossed arms and a raised chin of pride. "Stop this instant, you insolent man."


    However, it was toote to stop for Master Hornbill, not that he nned to. So seeing Sylvester static, he aimed and set loose the arrow.


    Woosh!


    "It hit!" Master Hornbill cheered, his face sweating under the desert heat.


    Sylvester didn''t fall, however, and stayed standing while the arrow was imnted into his right arm''s muscles. He didn''t let it hurt him much but ensured some blood came out.


    "Argh!" he acted of being hurt.


    Then, as Master Hornbill was aiming again, Sylvester roared. "This heathen! Arrest this man!"


    Woosh!


    Just like how the arrow came, now Felix, Gabriel, and Sir Dolorem appeared and took down all these guards with ease as they were just some simple ck Knights. In contrast, Master Hornbill was a nobody, even below a ck Knight.


    "Who are you? Brigands? What do you want?" Hornbill sneered at them, unaware of his situation.


    Sylvester pulled the arrow out of his arm and showed the church''s insignia locket around his neck, usually worn by clergy. "You dare harm the envoy of the Holy Land? This is punishable by death!"


    The sense of fear, chills, and vibrations on the tongue was all Sylvester felt in return. It was clear the man had understood the gravity of his situation.


    "Y-You trapped me in this?" Hornbill used, clearly not as dumb as one would think. "I will tell the Baron!"


    But before he could run away, Felix jumped and tackled him down from horseback, not holding back his weight at all. "Where are you going now, mad dog? It''s time we finally put you down."


    "Let me go!" He tried to fight back.


    Sylvester looked around and noticed the vigers peeking out from behind the trees and looking in fear. "Don''t worry, I am from Holy Land, and the vige shall not suffer any longer. Return to your homes, for tonight we hold this man''s trial."


    "What about them?" Gabriel asked about the guards.


    Sylvester didn''t care for them either. "I will question themter. If they''re doing it as a job, then I''m fine, but if they are doing it because they like it¡ªthen off their head goes."


    Hearing about the beheading, Master Hornbill started crying and cursing. "You bastards, the Baron will stop you¡­ just let the words reach him."


    Felix burst into chuckles. "Pfft¡­ you think a mere baron scares us? Fool, just a month ago, we erased a Count''s entire family from existence in the Ironstone Duchy."


    No more words were spoken, and the man was thrown into the cage carriage that brought his prey before. Now, the predator had be the prey¡ªthe best case of karma on disy.


    However, Sylvester had to travel slowly as the vigers needed to walk back. But the four ensured the people had enough water to drink with their magic.


    ''Markus was probably the first or one of the few people with wizarding talent in this area.'' he thought during the march back.


    As they reached the outskirts of the vige, Sylvester noticed arge crowd of people nervously standing there, likely awaiting the return of their loved ones. Today was going to be a happy day for them as no one had died.


    Sylvester didn''t stop and entered the vige on horseback. For this asion, he had tied Master Hornbill with a rope to the back of his saddle. The man was being dragged on the dry sandy road, crying with each bump.


    The people parted ways and saw Sylvester going toward the Monastery. So they also followed and soon gathered around the rundown house of god.


    But before that, he looked back at hispanions. "Felix and Sir Dolorem, you two go to this noble''s house and pige it! For there is no greater retribution¡ªthan some wealth redistribution!"


    "Don''t start without me," Felix requested.


    "Don''t worry. I''m just a bard¡ªso you''ll be the one swinging sword."


    ___________________


    500 GT = 1 bonus chapter.(Already half done)


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1500 Stones = Bonus Chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 98 [BONUS CHAPTER] 98. Lionis Family

    "Sir Dolorem, you go from the back, and I will charge from the front. I have scouted the region. The whole property has merely five guards, likely as strong as those we beat earlier." Felix had arrived at the wealthy mansion of Master Hornbill.


    Master Hornbill was half a noble, a servant of the Baron who looked after one of the regions. So he didn''t have as much money to hire strong guards, not that he needed them since it was extremely rare for him to cross paths with people of Sylvester''s rank.


    Felix jumped over the boundary wall and stepped on the neat smooth green grass. Yes, even the desert can have a green grasswn if one is rich enough.


    He crouched down, walked stealthily behind the guards one-by-one, and punched them in the back of their heads, dropping them unconscious. There were five guards only, and the rest were the family members of the noble.


    Thankfully, there were no kids, only the wife and parents of Master Hornbill. It was easy for Felix to hogtie them and throw them into one of the rooms. By then, Sir Dolorem had also cleaned the property''s backyard and regrouped with Felix.


    "Where is the vault? Tell me, or I will start harming you three." Felix scared the family of three.


    "Stop." Sir Dolorem interrupted, however. It was not because he felt bad but because he had a better way. "We are from the church. Your husband, Master Hornbill, has been arrested for the crime of harming an envoy from the Holy Land. For this heathenish act, he''s being put on the chopping board. However, we may reduce the sentence if you give away the money to the people of Fallshoot vige. I suppose this should be proof enough."


    Sir Dolorem threw a few rings at the three family members. They quickly started to cry after recognizing them to be Hornbill''s.


    In no time, Hornbill''s wife was taking them to the underground vault whose secret entrance was hidden behind a bookcase. The vault was small but full of not only gold and silver coins but many other artifacts too, and wild enough, some of them belonged to the vige monastery.


    "Will you let my husband go after this?" The woman asked them.


    Felix nodded. "Sure, but that''s our leader''s decision, so you''re going to have to ask him as well."


    Sir Dolorem and he both knew what kind of man Sylvester was. He would never go soft on Master Hornbill no matter how much he pays or his family pleads. And now, since the man had stolen church property too, the crimes were pretty grave.


    With no people harmed, both took a stagecoach from the house, put all the coins and artifacts in, and rode back towards the Fallshoot vige. It was time to tell the people the good news.


    ¡­


    "Stand in line, don''t push each other, please!"


    Gabriel stood at the door of the monastery and ordered the vigers around. The word had spread around that a person from the Holy Land was here about something. And now they had caught the master of thends for harming the Bard of the Lord. Honestly, most people here had not heard about Sylvester much; even the word Bard was not as famous. So to them, he was just another person who held some power.


    But Sylvester decided to help them first, so he sent the words out that any sick man, woman, or child coulde to the monastery for healing. He just didn''t realize that in a vige of two thousand poor, malnutrition people, almost all had some sort of ailment.


    But eventually, he was able to fix the problem fast because most people hadmon ailments. For example, some had constipation due to ack of food and water. Some had bleeding gums, and some had pain in parts of the body.


    The solution was the same for all, get food. But that was a rarity in this case. Still, he tried his best to heal the injuries at least and fix their daily habits that could help.


    "We''re back!"


    Felix walked into the monastery proudly. The stagecoach was parked outside, being guarded by Sir Dolorem. "It''s a lot, honestly. It can definitely help people to buy food. As for the water, we need to dig a well. I''ve told people toe tomorrow to get somepensation."


    "Great, we shall hold the trial of Master Hornbill and his stooges tonight. Now sit here and help me treat these people. There are too many."


    Felix furrowed his brows. "I''m not good at healing magic."


    Sylvester scoffed. "Look there. Even Gab is helping. Don''t worry; you can be my assistant¡ªBright Mother Felix, I shall call you that for today."


    No questions were asked, and the tall man sat beside Sylvester and started to see the patients. Their healing involved simple surface-level work; they didn''t do any surgeries as it was not their forte.


    Sadly, the closest healing camp orrge monastery with a healer was hundreds of kilometers away. So people appreciated this as well.


    "Say aaa¡­ ugh, you don''t brush your teeth, right? Use charcoal every day in the morning." Felix started to check patients.


    It was free, so why not get the check-up done? This was probably what the vigers thought, as they kept all the boys busy until the evening. But for the night, they had ns already.


    Sir Dolorem didn''te with the three, as he didn''t know Markus that well. So, Sylvester, Felix, and Gabriel went to the little house of the Lionis family. It was a little house with two rooms and a cooking areabined with a hall, made of mud bricks. But it was falling apart slowly, clear from the sight.


    "That bastard! He shouldn''t have left silently." Felix cursed lowly as they arrived.


    Gabriel didn''t call him out fornguage this time. "What are we going to tell his mum and siblings?"


    This time, Sylvester honestly didn''t know. They had recently lost the man of the house as well. In one year, Markus and his father both died. The loss must be devastating, they reckoned.


    "We will be honest and hand over the money. She does not know us, so it''d be strange to try and act intimate. All we can do is extend our helping hand and care for them¡­ that''s it." He said and knocked.


    Knock Knock!


    The door soon creaked open, made of rotting wood. From inside came a woman with eyes the same as Markus''¡ªpitch ck. But she appeared unwell as her body was too skinny, her cheeks caved in, and her eyes looked hollow.


    "Who is it, mum?"


    A girl also came out, probably around fifteen or so. She had the same brown hair and eyes, while her face had many simrities with Markus. She, too, appeared thin but less than her mother.<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester spoke in his soothing singing voice. "I am Sylvester, and these are Felix and Gabriel. We are¡­ were Markus'' friends. Years ago, we made a pact, and we''re here to fulfill it."


    In an instant, the woman''s eyes teared up, and she rushed back in, not wanting to appear weak to strangers. The girl stayed, however, albeit with simrly saddened eyes. "Big brother used to talk about you in his letters. You look exactly like I imagined you three to be."


    Gabriel handed over a bamboo basket full of edibles. "Please use them. They won''tst long but can help keep the bodies healthy."


    "Thank you¡­umm¡­ how should I call you?" She appeared embarrassed.


    Felix thumped his chest. "Big brother, of course. All of us are your big brothers."


    "Thank you." She smiled, but the pain was apparent. "I''m Elis."


    "Can wee in... Elis? We have something important to talk about to your mother." Sylvester asked.


    The mother-daughter duo quickly invited them into the house that barely had any furniture or decorations. There were just walls meant to protect one from nature. As one would expect, the cooking area was a conventional wood-burning stove made of y adjacent to a chimney on the floor. For light, the stove was also the only source.


    ''Why are they so poor? Didn''t Markus send them any money?'' Sylvester wondered after looking at the condition.


    The three were invited to sit in the cooking area and offered water. Of course, food was being offered, but it was being cooked with the ingredients they had just given them.


    "Where is Moris?" Sylvester asked about the youngest brother of Markus.


    Elis sighed at that while she cut vegetables. "He went out to get water from theke. Every evening a dozen people form a party and go east to a naturalke. Wild animals drink water there, so they have to be careful, and it takes time."


    "Since Master Hornbill killed their father, we''ve had to sell most of what we had to survive and get food. The only sce is the thought that we''re in a better condition than poor people of the Sorrow Kingdom." Gianna, Markus'' mother, spoke from near the stove.


    "Was there a drought in Sorrow as well?" Gabriel wondered.


    "Don''t know. But many refugees have started appearing from there, turning into thieves and ouws. Living in this vige will soon turn into hell, I''m afraid. Markus used to talk about buyingnd in the East near the Snake river¡­ it was his dream." She added sadly.


    Sylvester didn''t waste time and took out the money bag. It was big and heavy, for it also contained Felix and his contribution. "As per our pact, we''re here to hand back Markus'' savings to you and his belongings."


    He silently handed the bag to her and watched her emotions. Hate, sadness, fear, anxiety, and hope, there was so much mix-up that it was hard to pinpoint.


    Gianna opened it and looked inside. It was all gold¡­ hundreds of them. "H-How much is this?"


    "Five thousand." Felix blurted.


    "He¡­" She cried silently and held the bag close to her chest like it were a person. She let her eyes bawl out but didn''t make any sound. "H-He¡­ he''s gone and is still looking out for us¡­ he was always like this¡­ my Markus¡­my son¡­"


    Sylvester would be lying if he said he didn''t feel anything as the image of smiling Xavia appeared in his mind, the only mother he had known in two lives. ''Will she cry if something happened to me¡ªlike this?''


    "Buy somend with this in the east¡ªMarkus would want this," Gabriel suggested, as that would be best for them since the man of the house was dead too.


    Felix even decided to help. "I know people who ca-"


    Knock Knock!


    Bam!


    All of a sudden, the door of the house was kicked open. Sylvester and Felix rushed to pick up their weapons and angrily walked over.


    There were two neatly armored knights forcefully entering. "Are you the priests who arrested Master Hornbill? We are retainers of Baron Vermilion, and you are to release the man right now by the Law of Non-Interference!"


    "Silence, rotten heretics!" Sylvester''s voice boomed.


    Sylvester and Felix were taller than the two and towered over them. Sylvester put the tip of his spear on one man''s throat, while Felix did the same with the end of his sword. Both stared at the knights as if they were dead men.


    Sylvester then ordered coldly. "Felix, I''ll get the chopping block¡ªYou prepare the sword with the sharpening rock."


    ___________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 99 99. Sylvester The Builder

    It was night, yet, people crowded the widest part of the street in the vige to witness the public execution. Many were feeling confused about this. On the one hand, they loved that their tormentor and abuser would be killed, but now they wondered who would pay them money.


    But Sylvester''s voice echoed throughout before they could realize their thoughts in words. He was in full church attire with a priest''s mitre on top of his head. He raised his right palm towards the people and showered them in the bright light of the Lord--light magic.


    And on his left hand was the book of Law of Light. Behind his head, however, was the halo right now as he sang like a menacing cuckoo announcing a man''s end.


    "...Long went your sins ignored.


    You were chosen by the supreme Lord.


    Despite all the signs, you failed to forbode.


    Virtuous get blessed, but sinners get the sword.


    So I speak on this night in the name of God


    As his one true bard...."


    The halo vanished, but then the book shone, along with the light on his other hand. Then, automatically, a page turned open, and Sylvester read it loud. "In the year 5116 of the Lord, I, Sylvester Maximilian, by the authority given by the Holy Land, read Master Hornbill''s sins.


    "Vition of Articles 4, 4A, 4B, and 12. Finally, the gravest, gross vition of Article 10, harming a clergyman, is punishable by death, and you even broke Article 10A by stealing church property. For this, you are emunicated and sentenced to death by beheading. Priest Felix, please proceed."


    Gabriel walked behind the keening noble and pushed his head over the chopping block. "Stay still in the name of the Lord; your future has been decided by the Bard."


    "I do not ept this! This is madness! This is an overreach of power--the Baron will not sit quite after this."


    Felix scoffed and prepared his sword. "Then he shall see my de as well, reminding him his fort, his shell--everything is breakable."


    Felix put on the helmet and swung his long sword, heavy in weight, sharp as a thin de.


    Bam!


    Thud!


    All it took was one second to chop the head and let it fall like a dead stone. The woman, the wife of the man, was crying at the side, asking for mercy. But Sylvester had simply told her that if her husband could bring back to life all those he killed, then he''d forgive the man.


    Of course, even necromancers can''t bring a dead man back to life. So, all she could do was cry and watch.


    "May the holy light enlighten his soul and our paths." Sylvester ended the ceremony and let Sir Dolorem put a white cloth on the body so it could be tied and burnt. The pyre was also set nearby, so it didn''t take long before the dead body erupted in red mes, illuminating the faces of the vigers.


    However, Sylvester had felt the doubt in people''s hearts, so he announced to them quickly. "Tomorrow morning,e to the Monastery to receive your marypensation."


    He then looked at Sir Dolorem. "I need you to go and bring supplies for this vige. Mainly grains, vegetables that can be stored and also sownter."


    Soon, the long night ended, and people returned to their homes to sleep. The two knights the Baron sent were staying in the Monastery too, where Sylvester handed them a letter. "When you return, give this to the Baron. And tell him to open his eyes and care for hisnd, or else, if we find another man harming the people as Hornbill did, I will also consider him a heretic."


    The two knights were scared at this point as they had understood they were far too weak to fight them. Also, they now knew the gravity of Hornbill''s crimes, so they had no legal grounds.


    That night too, all of them went to sleep on the terrace of the Monastery. However, their rest was disturbed when they heard a suddenmotion outside. Sylvester annoyedly looked from the edge and saw the vigers had already started to camp outside the Monastery for marypensation.


    ''Do they think we will run away with the money? Well, they''re not wrong.'' Sylvester forced himself to fall asleep by using Miraj as his neck cover. The furry boy sleeps like a log, so he didn''t even know.


    ...


    The following day, they sorted all the money into equal parts for the people to get. Since there were more kids in the vige than adults due to the hunts the old noble did, the church needed more staff so the orphans could be cared for.


    From Hornbill''s treasury, Sylvester gave half of the money to the Monastery to help get the required food. Then he gave three Gold Graces each to all the people, which would get them by for six months or so. By then, more aid woulde as he had sent a letter to the Holy Land and the Cardinal Suprima of the area.


    That whole activitysted till the afternoon, and then Sylvester and the rest went to find locations to dig deep water wells. Since Felix and Gabriel had Earth elements as their main, and secretly Sylvester, it was easy to dig. But to find the water, they needed Water elements.


    They went to different spots and tried to pull water droplets from the ground with the help of magic, and they estimated the depth of water by how much time it took the droplets toe out. So eventually, they finalized 5 locations, each having water at thirty meters.


    After that, they got to work. Instead of individually digging thend, they decided to use runes. Sylvester used the same runes in the fight against the assassins to lift the ground up.


    "Everyone, stay back!" Felix boomed to warn the onlookers.


    "One..."


    "Two..."


    The three boys stood around therge circr rune to pull upnd. While Sir Dolorem stood on the side with his sword out, ready to push away the pulled dirt.


    "Go!"


    On Sylvester''s signal, all three of them activated the same rune with their magic which intensified the rune''s effect.


    Boom!


    With a loud explosive noise, the earth in the shape of a cylinder came out of the ground as if it were a pir.


    Bam!


    Sir Dolorem used sword magic and struck the tall pir with the fuller side, throwing it away easily. Their activity left a thirty-meter-deep pit whose end was hard to see in dim light.


    "Okay, who is jumping in to dig now?" Felix asked his friends.<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester didn''t wish to, as doing so would likely leave him covered in dirt. "Let''s use a game called Rock, Paper, and Scissors. In short, rock beats scissors and loses to paper. Scissors win over paper too."


    After teaching them the simple rules, Sylvester started the game. "Rock-Paper-Scissor!"


    "I won!" Gabriel showed the paper while the others had a rock.


    Now, it was just between the two. So Sylvester tried to read his friend as much as possible. ''Okay, he''s excited and hopeful. But what will he make? Rock? He seems confident... Yes, it will be a rock, and it matches his personality of a tough boy.''


    After analyzing, Sylvester started. "Rock-Paper-Scissor!"


    Pa!


    "Yes! I win! I win!" Felix jumped around happily in triumph, having shown scissors.


    Sylvester was left questioning his evaluation. "How?"


    Felix proudly raised his chin and spoke. "Hah, I''ve known you for eight years, boy. I know you''re good at reading people. So I went against my instincts at the end and picked something else randomly."


    "..."


    Sylvester took a long breath and silently jumped down into the well. ''I need to find another way to fool him now.''


    In an instant, he was covered in wet mud. But he didn''tin and just dug. By the time he was done, he wasn''t recognizable. But, they didn''t stop and went to dig the other four wells. The people of the vige, meanwhile, watched them work.


    They had nothing but respect for the four foreign clergymen in their hearts. And when they saw the first bucket of water out of the well, their belief in faith and the church that was dwindling reaffirmed itself.


    Chants of Solis and various hymns resounded on the streets, people humming and going around to work. Sylvester had tasked them to create walls around the wells to ensure nobody fell in.


    They spent the entire day working hard to improve the people''s lives, even fixing the people''s homes, fixing the dirt roads, and, above all, repairing the Monastery. The vige didn''t have any wizards or knights living in, and the Archpriest was too old, so Sylvester and the team were the once-in-a-decade miracles to the Fallshoot vige.


    That night, the vigers tried their best to organize a little feast for them in the Monastery to show gratitude. They made milk porridge thanks to a few cows and some roasted vegetables. The meat was a luxury, however, and none had it.


    "Thank you, big brother!" Then, all of a sudden, a young, thin boy, around 13, walked to Sylvester and bowed his head--tearfully.


    It didn''t take Sylvester much to recognize him. "You must be his younger brother, Moris? Come, sit with me and eat."


    Since they were eating on the floor of the Monastery, on a carpet, he moved a little. Moris embarrassingly sat down.


    Felix was always happy to be a big brother, so he patted Moris'' shoulder and spoke frankly. "Moris, do you have talent in wizardry or martial arts?"


    The brown-haired boy, a replica of Markus, nodded meekly. "I was tested when I reached the age of eight years. But, it''s just ck Knight."


    Sylvester handed him a te with food. "That''s still something. It''s better to be a ck Knight than being nothing. You should get trained at the Kingdom''s magic and knight''s school."


    "I got no money--and what you gave will be used to move out," Moris replied.


    At that, instantly, a chubby little white furry hand popped out beside Sylvester''s head, showing a thumbs up. Sylvester chuckled and offered. "I will pay for your education."


    "And I know people who can get you the best deal fornd purchase. Don''t worry, kiddo. You''re not alone. You have three brothers." Felix blurted.


    Moris silently nodded and ate, but he felt like crying. "T-Thank you... I will pay you back."


    Gabriel scoffed and put more food on the malnourished boy''s te. "Nonsense, we got two rich fat lords here. They don''t need the money back."


    Felix just looked at Sylvester then. "Yeah, this reminds me. How do you have so much money, brother?"


    In an instant, Sylvester and Miraj''s ears stood up. But Sylvester didn''t need to answer, as he looked away and called old Archpriest Norin, who finally had a smile on his face.


    <o>,m "Archpriest, I talked to you about growing vegetables. I think I know how to make the soil good for it--but I will need something from vigers."</o>


    The Archpriest beamed with joy. "Anything you say, Lord Bard. What may you need?"


    "Yes! Just say it, Lord Bard!"


    "I will do anything!"


    "Name it, holy clergyman!"


    The people serving them food also chirped. So Sylvester folded his arms and seriously looked at their faces before sternly replying.


    "I need you all to collect--poop!"


    "..."


    ___________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 100 100. Rise! Rise! Rise!

    "Poop? You mean shit?"


    Sylvester nodded. "Yes, your poop! Let me tell you. It''s very magical."


    "My poop has magic?" Amoner suddenly eximed, angered. "Why don''t I have magic then?"


    Felix facepalmed. "I''m sure Priest Sylvester was speaking metaphorically here¡­ and why are you feeling jealous of your poop?"


    "Why are we talking about poop?" Anothermoner inquired.


    It felt as if he was teaching integration to a bunch of apes.


    Sylvester sighed tiredly, reminding himself that he was dealing withmoners. These people didn''t have ess to education, and even being able to read or write was a major thing among them. ''I must use the most basic term to teach them.''


    "Do you know why and how trees grow in the wild? Why do they keep growing even after we keep chopping down the forests?"


    There were question marks all over their faces. Of course, they knew trees grow from seeds, but who nts the new seeds?


    "It''s the animals. They eat fruits and seeds of other nts, then they travel around and poop, and then from that poop grows trees. The poop actually acts as nutrition for the seed. Alright, let me ask you another question, why is thend near Snake river more green and fertile than here?"


    The people tried to think about it and came up with some stupid reasons. "Thend is more blessed?"


    "The rays of Solis are brighter there?"


    "Fish?"


    Sylvester raised his voice. "No! Wrong! Well, the fish one is somewhat correct. But mainly, it''s because the river''s flow is eternal, and the flow brings new mud. And, whenever floods ur, the ins beside the river get deposited with new nutritious soil¡ªvery fertile.


    "That nutritious soil is somewhat simr to what we poop. The only difference is that one is natural, and the otheres from us." He ended up teaching them, believing it was enough to make them agree.


    "So, all you must do is store your and your cattle''s poop for at least half a year in a dry pit. Then spread it over your farm field and reap the fine crops. Understand this, your soil is nearly dead, so this is the only way for you to grow something to sustain. But you can never grow enough to earn money, so you people need to find something else that you can sell¡­ you have Desert Road by the grace of Solis, one of the most important roads in the East-side, so use it."


    [A/N: Crop rotation exists already, so Sylvester did not suggest that.]


    Sylvester tried to help these poor people from the bottom of his heart. It was genuine goodwill as the vige belonged to Markus. And if he could help them, he''d earn their undying loyalty.


    "This is possible? Amazing! We never knew they teach this at Holynd now." The Archpriest muttered.


    Gabriel was quick to deny it. "They don''t¡ªit''s just Priest Sylvester whose brain works a bit differently."


    "Of course." Archpriest Norin added. "Solis graced Priest Sylvester, and perhaps this knowledge is also parted by Solis."


    One of the vigers then asked. "How do we do it, Priest? We poop in a pot and put it in the pit daily?"


    "No, I will make one woodenmode to show you tomorrow before leaving. It''s called aposting toilet. You shall understand once you see it. But, for now, I believe it''s alreadyte, and we should rest. Sir Dolorem will be returning tomorrow with the supplies, so be prepared to work hard from early tomorrow morning." He ordered the men and stood up to head to sleep on the terrace.


    "Thank you for your work." The people quickly started leaving after thanking the three boys.


    After that, they made their night prayers in the monasteries and went to bed. Sylvester, however, wondered a few things about his own future and his effect on the world. ''What technologies are safe to introduce in this world? Gunpowder is useless since magic exists, and making anythingplex, like a steam engine, is a waste of time. But what about the little things? Water mills, water hammers, steam power manufacturing machinery, Gutenberg printing press, or water pipeline system?''


    He certainly had the expertise in making many things due to hisplex background. But again, the bigger question was. ''Who should I make it for? The Church? Why would I do that?''


    It appeared he still had not decided what path to take. Although he had let go of the foolish dream of retiring and living in peace, he didn''t wish to participate in the church too much and instead wanted to stay away as far as possible.


    ¡­


    [Memoirs of Sir Adrik Dolorem]


    [Sixteen years¡ªI''ve seen Sylvester grow from a little bo¡­ Big baby to a big man now, and he''s still growing. I am truly blessed to witness his rise¡ªbut still, I see doubts in his eyes.


    But, what shocks me is that I don''t remember ever seeing him cry¡ªnot even during his childhood. He is mentally and physically meant to sit at the top, but it''s wishful thought to expect him to strive for that.


    Albeit, I made a vow to him years ago¡ªand I shall never break it. Sixteen years¡ªmy little Nics would have been this big too. But I''ve got no regrets, for the Lord blessed me with a son, even if not by blood.


    May your light keep enlightening us.]


    Sir Dolorem closed his diary and looked around at the vast tnds.


    "Sir, what will you do with so much food and grains? Is there a feast?" The owner of the small convoy of 5 trade carriages asked as they turned to the side roads leading to the barren vige.


    "No, it is for the unfortunate, punished by nature and their Lord. Do you not travel into this region often?" Sir Dolorem inquired.


    The middle-aged trader rubbed his bald head with a hint of fear in his eyes. "What''s there to hide from you¡ªwe used to have a lot of trade with the Sphinx Town beside the Desert Road, but ever since that deadly miasma took over the nearby mountains and that disease infestation in that town, we traders have stopped going that way altogether. There is nothing south anymore, as even the Sorrow Kingdom is facing war for its existence."


    Sir Dolorem nodded and fell silent, as their eventual destination was Sphinx Town, their mission. Unfortunately, the report only mentioned that the people of the town are getting possessed too much. So hearing about toxic miasma was new and dangerous. ''It seems we will need to n before going there.''


    ¡­


    "Alright, you see this little wooden shed I built? This part is the seat on which you shall sit and do the deed. Then your waste will go down through that hole onto the back of the sealed removable cart I''ve ced down below. Then, you empty that cart every few weeks into the pit we dug outside the vige.<sub> </sub>


    "As for avoiding odor, I''ve ced a rope mechanism which shuts and opens the hole. Remember to use that when you''re done with the deed. Then after six months, you spread the fertilizer from the pit on the cultivation field and grow vegetables, grains, and such. Understood?"


    Sylvester, Felix, and Gabriel finally ended their day''s work and appeared all sweaty. They had created theposting toilet and the pit with a shed over it to avoid rain falling into it¡ªnow they were finally ready to head out.


    One viger asked Sylvester. "Priest, will women use the same t-to¡­toil-et?"


    Sylvester nodded. "Don''t they excrete waste as you do? That''s the reason why these toilets are designed with a lockable door. Now, since you all number nearly three thousand, I reckon there will be at least one such toilet for every 50 people. Take your time. No need to hurry, but remember, the more you collect, the bigger the field you shall cultivate."


    "What if nothing grows?" Another man questioned.


    ''Something will, eventually.'' Sylvester thought. But he needed to give some assurity. "Then I will organize for all of you to move to the East and settle in a better, greenernd."


    Loud murmurs took over the crowd as they felt pretty shocked because it was rare that any man with power would do so much for nobodies. But at the same time, they couldn''t bring themselves to say Sylvester was lying because he gave them everything he had promised the next day.


    The Archpriest bowed his head to Sylvester with respect. "Then you shall have our forever gratitude, Priests. To be fairly honest, people here were losing faith in Solis¡­ so thank you for reminding them of their roots.


    "I believe I still have a few years of life left, so if someday you need any help¡ªanything that we can do¡ªdon''t hesitate to ask," Archpriest added.


    Sylvester, Felix, and Gabriel proudly looked people in the eyes and gave slight nods. Among them was Markus'' family as well, and they were wearing simr smiles. The three were going to move out to live near Gravel City in the East, adjacent to the Snake River and the capital, and the kingdom''s Blessed School of All Arts, where Moris would study.


    "So, ready to leave?" By then, Sir Dolorem had also arrived with the carriage and horses and let the caravan of traders go towards the Monastery where they would safely store the food and grains underground.


    Sylvester looked at the crowd, crying just a few days ago and now smiling like there was no tomorrow. Seeing them happy brought some joy to the three as well.


    He waved. "Ah, I feel tired and sweaty, now only if there was water around here."


    "Me too¡­"


    "Same."


    Some young boys from the crowd ran to the newly dug wells and brought three buckets full of water.


    Sylvester lifted it and poured it over his head, cleaning his body and drenching his clothes, giving the much-needed cooling. However, Miraj was angry and softly nibbled on Sylvester''s ear for this transgression.


    Felix and Gabriel did the same and felt refreshed.


    Above all, this made the vigers happy, as they saw three young and powerful men being as simple as them. Maybe a little; they felt the world was not as shitty anymore.


    With that, Sylvester turned around and mounted his carriage. Followed by Felix taking his seat beside him and Gabriel mounting his mare.


    "People of Fallshoot vige!" Sylvester boomed as the carriage slowly started to move. "Take the name of Solis and never lose hope."


    Felix added. "No matter how bleak the days go, you must cope!"


    Gabriel also chimed in. "For hope shall appear, sometimes like a thin rope!"


    Sir Dolorem was not a clergyman, so Sylvester finished. "I tell this with the blessing of the Pope. If therees another vile lord to make trouble, you are free to step over them like a little pebble.


    "So long, people of Fallshoot. May the holy light enlighten your paths¡­ and maintain yourughs."


    "Amen!" Felix and Gabriel boomed. Then, with a light whip, they moved out at speed to their final destination of Sphinx Town¡ªwhere awaits them tests of both body and mind¡ªonly time would tell what the Lord has designed.


    ¡­


    Somewhere,


    "Oh the mighty dead, rise for the ashes of those gone, see the light of the Lord and serve as my faithful pawn¡ªRise! Rise! Rise!¡ªBe my enemy''s demise! Haaa¡­"


    A strange rune scheme shone brightly on thend at night. Under the bright moonlight, the dead rose in delight¡ªfor a man wished to win a fight.


    "Rise! Rise! Rise!"


    And the dead came to life.


    ___________________


    [A/N: 100 CHAPTERS! MONKE HAPPY!]


    500 GT = 1 bonus chapter.(Already half done)


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    1500 Stones = Bonus Chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 101 101. Sphinx Town

    Their next destination was not too far away, merely 150 kilometers from the Fallshoot vige if traveled on Desert road. It was boring to move as the road was empty even though it was one of the major lifelines. Thankfully, though, it was adjacent to the Wall of Void. So they were protected from sharp sun rays.


    "How do you think people in Sphinx town live? Their location is just beside the warmest parts of the continent." Gabriel wondered, resting in the back of the carriage while the horses were tied behind. Sir Dolorem was doing the same, as having a roof over their head was better than riding a horse.


    Miraj was angry, however, as he now had less space and had to be careful while sleeping. In the end, he just made Sylvester''sp his new bed.


    "They don''t work from noon to evening." Sir Dolorem spoke. "Their working hours are different from the rest of the world. They sleep when the sun is at its peak, do their farm work and outdoor activities during the morning, and bulk sunlight in thete evening. At night they do all the processing work."


    "Then how do they keep themselves safe at night?" Sylvester inquired. "If I remember correctly, we were attacked by a Creature of Night thest time we were here."


    "It''s not an ordinary town, Priest Sylvester. You will know when you see it¡ªyou were asleep thest time, so you didn''t see it. It was in a better condition back then, however." Sir Dolorem exined.


    While Felix steered the carriage, Sylvester rxed back in the reinsman''s soft leather seat. "Want some music? I can y the violin, no singing, however."


    "Yes! As much as I want to badmouth you for fun, I can''t deny you have some talent in this violin thing. If you were not a clergyman, I can guarantee you''d have been the top court jester." Felix chirped quickly.


    Sylvester ignored his friend''s japing and started ying a piece from his old memory. "Who do you want to dedicate it to?"


    Felix thought about it a little and blurted quickly. "My mother¡­ she''s gone, but she was an amazing person."


    "Alright then, to Felix''s mum. May her soul rest in peace."


    [A/N: W.A.Mozart - Eine kleine Nachtmusik]


    As Sylvester gently started ying the music, Miraj becamefier on hisp and snored. Meanwhile, Gabriel and Sir Dolorem closed their eyes with a smile, reminiscing about some happy memories from the past.


    Felix, however, was the reinsman, so he just kept looking forward nkly, but his mouth also appeared to take the crescent shape. He was, in fact, remembering his childhood with his mum. The hide and seek, the bedtime stories, and so much more.


    Sylvester, too, soon found his eyes closing, but this time instead of something from his past life, the happy memories with Xavia reappeared. The various wild honeypot hunts at home only to make a mess, Xavia tickling him until he started cursing in English, and him telling her bedtime stories instead.


    Laughs, giggles, and rxation¡ªthe memories were pleasant. But, in that rxation, the all-great detective Sylvester failed to realize that he was not an outsider anymore¡ªhe was someone''s son¡ªwholeheartedly.


    They silently moved the whole journey, letting the wind sway and showing them the way. Eventually, a few ran out of good memories, and some sad ones crept in, but the smiles remained.


    Taking a nce, Sylvester noticed Sir Dolorem''s lips shivering faintly. Yes, the man was fighting tears. Sylvester could guess that losing his wife and son and not even being unable to see their bodies for thest time must have been painful¡ªno matter how much time passes.


    At another nce, Gabriel and Felix were no better. So Sylvester didn''t interrupt them and kept ying the music while looking at the deands. They felt resonating with him for some reason¡ªdead being the keyword.


    Unlike his friends, he didn''t feel emotional at the moment. He was instead a man who contains those emotions over time. But they do burst out... eventually.


    "Ah, look, I can see the tall walls. Now I understand how they stay safe." Sylvester interrupted everyone.


    Felix came back to his senses and looked. "Oh, yeah. I didn''t even notice¡­ damn, Max, you''re good at making people remember memories."


    Sylvester shrugged as he put the violin in the case. "Life is just a bundle of memories¡ªyou''re alive as long as in someone''s mind¡ªand when that''s gone, you''ve truly died."


    Felix chuckled. "Good thing that our names are in the history books now. We''re technically immortal this way."


    "Look! What are those?" Gabriel suddenly crawled up behind the two and pointed at the front. The noon sun was bright and warm, so the road ahead appeared as if boiling, distorting the vision from the heat.


    "Are those sheds? Why so many on the sides of the roads?" Felix wondered.


    As they moved closer, they realized the whole Desert Road''s side, until it touched the town''s gates, was littered with small two-meter wide mud sheds with conical thatched roofs.


    Sylvester waited until they reached one of them and looked inside. They had no doors, so it was easy¡­ but at one nce, it raised goosebumps all over their bodies. There, in the little shed, remained a thin, malnutritioned man, barely skin and bones right now, with his feet tied to a thick metal chain.


    "What is all this? Are all these sheds full of people?" Sylvester jumped off and started to check the sheds from a distance. Each one of them contained a man or a woman, dying slowly. The mostmonalities were reddened eyes, falling jaw with sharp dirty teeth, and dry cracked skin.


    p "Aaaa¡­ help!"</anda>


    Out of nowhere, a young voice echoed. Sylvester immediately kept his spear in battle position and carefully moved forward. The Sphinx town seemed to have one entrance to their tall walls, and the way to it was full of these sheds.


    "Wraaaaa¡­" All of a sudden, a woman tried to jump on him.


    "I''m hungry¡­ give me food."


    "Water¡­ please¡­"


    It slowly became apparent that not all these people were with one foot in the grave. But he looked for the voice asking for help.


    "Help me!"


    Once again, the call came. By now, Sir Dolorem had joined him in the careful search. Eventually, they came across a little shed close to the wall. A young, brown-haired, nearly ten-year-old boy, was fighting the person inside the shed, or it was better to say trying to get away.


    "Let me go!"


    But, the woman inside the shed appeared like a zombie with rotten skin and a lot of rage. She tried to pull the young boy in and bite his arms.<sub> </sub>


    "Help!" the boy cried as he tried to fight and get away.


    Sylvester and Sir Dolorem were quick to jump into action. Sir Dolorem caught the boy from the back while Sylvester beamed some light from his palm at the zombie-like woman. In an instant, the woman started quivering and crawled back to the shed, where she sat down in the corner like a scared girl.


    "Are you good?" Sylvester checked the boy to see if he was bitten anywhere. However, there were just some scratches, which he quickly healed with minor healing runes.


    Clearing the little bit of welled-up tears from his eyes, the boy thanked kindly. "Thank you, sir¡­"


    "Priests¡­ we are priests from the Holy Land. What are you doing here?" Sylvester asked.


    The boy looked at the woman in the mud shed, and then at the fallen cup of water. "I was giving water to my mum. S-She is very sick¡­. The chief said."


    Hearing that, Sylvester moved closer to the shed and looked at the woman, still sitting in the corner with her head tucked between her knees. Her clothes were torn from ces, and her skin had flesh wounds that none healed.


    "I try to give water to everyone here." The boy added.


    "Why don''t the other town folks help you?" Sir Dolorem questioned him.


    "They say these people are possessed, and to go near them will get you cursed or killed. I go to them every day¡ªI''m not cursed." the boy proudly replied.


    ''What a good kid! He has more willpower than the entire townbined. But, are all these people possessed?'' He looked around in shock as there were at least a few hundred such mud sheds.


    As for why they were being so silent now, it was because the day''s light was still striking hard. At night, most of these would get agitated if they were possessed. Sylvester faced the Sphinx town, its strong stonewalls were at least twenty feet high, and the entrance door was made of steel.


    There were, of course, some sentries at the top watching them with intent, some rushing around having recognized Sylvester''s robes of the church.


    "Have you given her water?" Sylvester asked.


    "No, mum attacked me."


    Sylvester nodded and waved his left hand to create a small rune on the ground, blue in color. Then, a thin stream of water came out slowly, fully under Sylvester''s control, and started to fly towards the woman''s mouth.


    She didn''t waste a moment and drank it all frantically. ''These people have been left in this strong heat to die. Well, I guess I''ll exorcize them all then.''


    Sylvester still did not understand how this concept of demon possession worked. Where do these demonse from? How do they possess? Where do they live? Because as far as he knew, the church differentiated between the Creatures of the Night and Demons. To the Church, Demons were a totally different species.


    "What''s your name, kid?"


    The boy respectfully replied with a bow of his head. "I am Shane Kolt, sir¡­ priests."


    By then, Felix also arrived with the carriage. So Sylvester told the boy to get on it. "We''re here to fix your town''s trouble¡ªso rest easy now."


    "Really? Will my mum be good again?" Shane beamed happily. "Let''s go quickly then. I will show you the ways, si¡­ AH!"


    Suddenly, Shane jumped up from where he sat in the carriage. Sylvester quickly helped, having seen sleeping Miraj being squished just now. But instead of being annoyed, the cat got interested in the new kid¡ªperhaps a new toy to annoy.


    "It was just a bag. Sit now and rx." Sylvester quickly moved the carriage down the road between the men and women tied to the sides.


    At the door, one guard came out, wearing leather armor, and asked for the purpose of the visit.


    "The Holy Land sends us to exorcize and fix the problems urring in the town. Due to this mess, the entire Desert Road is seeing less traffic and is hurting the other regions." Sylvester eximed and showed the official letter from the Holy Land, stamped by the Administration office.


    Upon checking, the guard waved at the ones back at the top of the wall. Then with a loud creaking sound, they opened the metal doors.


    "Shane, do you know where the monastery is?" He asked the boy.


    Shane chirped. "Yes! I live there¡­ just follow my lead¡­ take left."


    It was obvious that the town''s rulers and clergy knew someone hade to their town. So when Sylvester got off at the well-kept,rge monastery building, the Archpriest of the town came to wee them.


    "We are blessed to have you here, holy men. I am Archpriest Oliver Weston." An old, buffed, strong man saluted.


    Sylvester, however, frowned internally, for he smelled something fishy. ''This¡ªWhy is he lying about his own name?''


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 102 102. A Sight To Behold

    [A/N: Privileges have been updated. There are now ten chapters for reading in advance.]


    ''This¡ªWhy is he lying about his own name?''


    Sylvester came up with two possible reasons: One, the man had changed his name, or two, he was not the man he said he was. But then something happened that left Sylvester in even more confusion.


    "And this is the second Archpriest of this town¡ªsince our monastery is big." Then, Archpriest Oliver Weston introduced another man. This one seemed young and middle-aged, as he still had ck hair. But, the man had some serious dark circles under his eyes.


    "Respected envoys, I am Archpriest Aiden Silvereye."


    ''Strange, this man is not lying, but he reeks of fear and anxiety. What''s going on in this town?''


    "Thank you for the wee. I am Priest Sylvester Maximilian, and those are Priest Felix Sandwall, Priest Gabriel Maxwell, and Sir Adrik Dolorem. We are sent here by the Holy Land to cure the ce of its menace." He revealed it right away to see their reactions. And as he expected, he smelled panic in Archpriest Oliver''s, while hope from Archpriest Aiden.


    Archpriest Oliver tried to smile kindly, but it was no different from a smirk. "And how will you do that¡­ Priests?"


    Of course, not much confidence is induced by the rank of a mere priest. "You may know me by my other name¡­ Bard of the Lord."


    "Ah!" A look of confusion appeared on the Archpriests'' faces, but soon, the realization dawned.


    "Of course! Golden eyes, golden-blonde hair¡ªForgive us for not recognizing." Archpriest Oliver tried to butter things up.


    But at this point, Sylvester could not take the man seriously. ''Is he an Assassin? Who is he?''


    "We shall stay here and investigate the cause first and then try to eradicate it. But first, care to tell me what all that outside the walls was?" Sylvester asked in a stern tone.


    Archpriest Oliver blurted in answer. "They are those possessed by the demons, Priest. We can not exorcize them no matter what, so we leave them outside until some cure arrives¡ªor they die. We don''t let anybody stay there. However, we burn all the dead with respect."


    Felix pointed at the other Archpriest all of a sudden. "Why is he shivering? Are you okay, Archpriest?"


    "Ah, his fever must have returned." Archpriest Oliver quickly pped his palms, and two young Priests came out of nowhere. They caught Archpriest Aiden by his arms and took him away.


    Sylvester stopped them, however. "What are your names?"


    "Gunther."


    "Rodrik."


    ''Fuckers! They''re all lying!'' Bells of warnings rang in Sylvester''s head like church bells in the Holy Land. ''Are all these imposters? That''s the only possible reason¡­ then what happened to thest Archpriest? And are those demon possessions even real?''


    So many questions. The whole town was a cesspool of problems in his eyes. But thankfully, none knew that Sylvester had already deduced so much from their way of talking and moving.


    "We shall rest for the afternoon and start our investigation in the evening. Is there anyone that has recently been possessed and remains inside the town?" He inquired.


    The Archpriest quickly answered. "Yes, it''s the son of the Town''s Chief. Truly a sad deal with them, as the man was supposed to be the next Chief. Recently he started showing the initial symptoms of this disease as he began to get angry and agitated. So they have locked him in their cer and tried every known healing method."


    ''Even the Town''s Chief''s son is not safe from this.'' he thought and wished to meet the man as well.


    "If you may, please call the vige Chief. I wish to talk to him about the disease and the cure for his son. I shall go and bathe in the meantime." Sylvester receded into the monastery and climbed the stairs to the third floor, where some empty rooms for visitors were.


    Shane was happy to be showing him the way as he was excited to get his mother healed as soon as possible. But he knew he should not pester the guests lest they get angry.


    Sylvester remembered that there were child assassins too out there, so he was reserved towards the kid and tried to get every information possible from him to get an evaluation. "Since when have you been living here, Shane?"


    The boy chirped back. "Always! Father was a trader but left us due to an ident on Desert Road. But my mother and I still lived happily. She knows how to make beautiful tapestries and sells them."


    ''No lies so far.''


    "Shane, tell me, do you know how to wield a weapon? A sword, a dagger or such?" Sylvester asked.


    The boy shook his head. "No, mum never let me¡­ even when the Archpriest said I have talent."


    ''Good, no lies even now.''


    Sylvester got curious about the boy''s talents, however. So as he entered his room, he also let the boy in. "What''s your talent?"


    Shane proudly answered and showed his right palm, which suddenly formed a fireball. "Hehe, I can make this¡­ Archpriest said I could one day be an Arch Wizard and Silver Knight. But mum never lets me practice."


    ''Holy Lord! This kid is talented! But why isn''t he already scouted by the Baron, Count, or the King? Or the Church¡­ Ah, the town''s been suffering for fifteen years, right?''


    "How old are you?" Sylvester asked.


    "Ten!"


    ''Makes sense. Since nobody dares to step foot in this town, he must have been ignored.''


    But sadly, he didn''t have anything to offer. "Well, let me rest now. I will see you in a few hours.


    In his locked small room with one window, Sylvester quickly cleaned himself with some water elemental magic since nobody was watching him. Then he put on some new robes and started taking out the items usually needed for exorcism. The wooden que made in the shape of church insignia, the water from the holynd, one leaf of the Soul Tree, and many light crystals, although thest part was not needed as he was alone enough for light.


    As for all the chants, rituals, and runes, they were fed into his mind. So he was always ready to work. But, it was also a fact that his main job was not to exorcize and save people but rather to find out what was going on in the monastery and what was behind so many demon possessions.


    But before that, he took a small nap of three hours to freshen his mind up from the long journey.


    ¡­


    "Why are they here now?"


    "Chief, you need to be careful with them. One of them is a famous God''s favored, the bard. If you earn their ire, then he can call for the total destruction of this town." Archpriest Oliver tried to exin things to the town''s Chief.<sub> </sub>


    They were in a mansion in the middle of the town. It was the tallest building in the area beside the monastery, so the view from the top gave them a view of the entire town''s walls.


    Kennard Ferguson was the name of the Town''s Chief. "Fine¡ªif they wish to pull me away from my sick son, then so be it. But they better have something important to talk about."


    "They wish to check your son." Archpriest Oliver added.


    "What is there to check? He''s gone! He''s been possessed! They tried for years, and now they send some upstart priests?" Chief Kennard boomed in rage, frustration, and annoyance apparent.


    Archpriest Oliver started sweating. "Chief¡ªthey are not ordinary. The Bard is famous across the kingdoms. Let them try. Perhaps they can see something that others did not. This is for the survival of this town."


    "We''re already dying, but I understand you. Invite them here directly. I have no time to entertain some useless travelers¡ªand don''t expect any feasts."


    The Archpriest nodded and quietly left the mansion.


    ¡­


    "Maxy, I''m hungry. Give me the dried meat that mum gave."


    Sylvester opened his eyes and saw Miraj standing on his chest, looking down at his face as if he was some god. "Hah, Chonky, since when did you start calling her mum? Aren''t I your son?"


    Miraj proudly raised his chin. "Umm¡­ she''s big mum!"


    That''s it. After saying that, Miraj denied borating on why he said that and happily got to eat the dried meat Sylvester gave. ''Well, if Xavia could see you, I''m sure she would have spoiled you to fatness.''


    He washed his face and decided to head out and get back to work. But, before making sure that living here was safe, he would not eat anything given to him either.


    "Chonky, let''s go."


    Taking the cat on his shoulder, he packed his toolbag and left the room. But, as soon as he looked outside, surprisingly, he found Shane sitting on the floor beside his door, back resting on the wall as he slept.


    ''This kid, did he not go to his room?''


    "Shane, get up."


    "Mum?" The boy jumped to his feet only to be disappointed as he soon realized what he saw was just a dream.


    "You good?" Sylvester patted the boy''s shoulder and felt the increased heart rate.


    Shane nodded frantically. "Yes¡­ thank you¡­ what may you need, si¡­ Priest? I can get it to you quickly."


    ''Hope¡­ sunflowers in a gentle breeze.'' Sylvester sensed something from the boy.


    "I am going to the Chief''s mansion to see how to cure his son. Do you wish toe and watch?" He asked.


    "Can I? Chief hates me," Shane replied with fear in their eyes.


    Sylvester shrugged and started walking. "There is nothing to fear as long as I''m near."


    They soon came downstairs and met with Sir Dolorem, Felix, and Gabriel. The three were talking with the priests working as staff. There were some Faith Learners and Deacons as well, training to be priests.


    The monastery in the town was functioning well from what he could see, and despite being locked away for so long, the town seemed to be prospering as there was no poverty like in Fallshoot vige.


    "Priests and Sir, shall we move out?" Archpriest Oliver came rubbing his hands like some shady businessman.


    "Lead the way," Sylvester replied. The sun had set, and just a few shades of light remained. But the entire town looked well lit withnterns and candles, understandable as the people worked at night.


    ''Okay, the houses appear to be in good condition. This means the order in the vige has not yet been destroyed.'' He noticed things as he walked.


    "Max, look there." Felix suddenly pointed him towards the second floor of a building on their side.


    Sylvester felt somewhat unsettled by the view as a middle-aged woman stood at the window, watching them go. She was stark naked, and had no bruises, yet her pupils were red, with big dark circles underneath. Besides that, she was constantly grinding her teeth loud enough that he could hear a faint sound akin to falling raindrops.


    ''What a freak show this ce is.''


    "Aaaaaa¡­ Hehehe¡­"


    "Catch him! Quick!" All of a sudden, multiple sounds of people shouting echoed from the front.


    "Priests! Move aside!" Archpriest Oliver warned them in manic. "One of the possessed has escaped, it seems. Let the Demon Watch catch him."


    Sylvester didn''t move, however, as he looked in front, at the crowding towards him. At the was a man, running naked whileughing madly¡ªhis little trunk waddling from one thigh to another amidst the dark forest.


    "Maxy! Snake!" Miraj chirped.


    But Sylvester was irked. ''I wish I could gouge my eyes out.''


    ___________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 103 103. Possessed Or Not?

    Gabriel and Felix were disgusted by the sight as they stepped aside. But Sir Dolorem stood in front of Sylvester as a shield.


    "Sir Dolorem, step aside. Let me try light magic on him." He ordered quickly and raised his right palm towards the oing man.


    "Hehehe..."


    As soon as the naked man reached a few meters from him, Sylvester sent a beam of light from his palm and drowned the man in it. He kept chanting and let the man screech in anger and fall to his knees, rubbing his eyes.


    "Aaargh!..."


    ''This is not good...'' Sylvester muttered upon making observations that his light and chant were not affecting the man as they would if he was indeed possessed. The man was supposed to start releasing steam from his body and writhe because the demon would literally be forcefully taken out of the body and burned.


    But here, the man just fell down and covered his eyes as if it was not the holiness or the chant affecting him but the brightness itself.


    "Thank you! It would have been a disaster if he had bitten someone." Soon, the people Archpriest called Demon Watch came and tied the naked man with multiple ropes like a cocoon. "You must be the new Priests. I am Sir Hnd Smith, the Chief Lawman of the Town."


    "Who is he, Sir Hnd?" Sylvester inquired.


    The tall, burly, gray-haired man easily picked up the naked man and put him on his shoulder. "This used to be one of the best carpenters in the town, but sadly the demons have possessed him. His condition keeps deteriorating, so we are preparing a shed for him outside. But he ran away while transporting him."


    ''This man is not possessed. I''m one hundred percent sure.'' Sylvester had already made up his mind.


    "Bring him to a secure location where I can perform some demon exorcism rituals for him. I''m sure the Town''s Chief will appreciate his own son not being the test subject."


    Sir Hnd looked at the body on his shoulder and contemted. But it didn''t take him long to decide since he would put him outside in the shed anyway. "Follow me then, Priests."


    Sylvester, however, could feel a hint of animosity from every citizen he met, well, except little Shane. ''What happened to the people here?''


    Sir Dolorem felt something was going on, too, as he was receptive to danger due to his years of work as an inquisitor. So he walked beside Sylvester and whispered to his ears. "Priest, do not let any of them stand behind you."


    He nodded immediately. "I understand, Sir Dolorem. Also, I need you to check the monastery. I have a feeling things are not as they seem there. Tell Gabriel to try and get close to Archpriest Aiden Silvereye.


    Gabriel was a religious, good-looking man with a gentle speaking style that eventually made people drop their guard. So he was the best negotiator among them, and even better when speaking with other clergy.


    As for Felix, Sylvester decided to keep him by his side as he was a strong man, useful if he got ambushed by someone. He did not ignore the possibility that the whole town could be after his life for the bounty as well. Hundred Thousand Gold Graces was a lot of money, after all.


    Soon, they arrived at aplex of buildings made of stones. At one nce, it was clear that this was some sort of guardhouse, as there were cells inside with metal bars.


    Sir Hnd took them to one of the rooms with full metal gates and then strapped the naked man to the wooden table in the middle. "This is the best I can provide, Priests. You may conduct your business here. No one from outside can overhear you. If you need anything else, please inform me--I too wish this misery leaves us alone."


    Sylvester nodded and got to work by first putting his toolbag on the table. He then put a cloth mask on his face and passed three more to his team. Then, he cleaned his hands with an alcoholic solution he had made and got to work.


    Sir Hnd was amused by Sylvester''s actions and somewhat felt they were ridiculous, but he didn''t speak and kept watching from a distant corner.


    "Hold him tight--what''s his name, by the way?" Sylvester questioned.


    "Billy." A reply came.


    Sylvester nodded and used one hand to use light magic as a torch, and with the other, he pulled the eyelids to check them. Billy was constantly trying to fight, however, but only his low hums were audible since the mouth was gagged up.


    ''Eyes seem dted... reddened too.''


    He then put his palm on the man''s chest and felt the rising heartbeat. But, he was not a doctor or a healer, so he could not go too in-depth and just tried to use his modern knowledge of the human body and mind.


    ''What is causing this? Is this some sort of seizure? But this man was running.''


    "Let''s start with the ritual." Sylvester started, as he still needed to show Sir Hnd that exorcism was not working, and there must be another reason for this.


    Taking hismand, Gabriel and Felix started moving as they were trained for this. Sir Dolorem simply stood behind and kept a watch for any danger.


    They first removed the table from the room and put Bill on the floor. Then they used golden chalk and drew an intricate rune scheme with hundreds of characters and shapes with symmetrical lines.


    Afterwards, Gabriel and Felix returned to the circle''s edge and took out their books to start chanting the exorcism ritual. Meanwhile, Sylvester did the rest of the work. First, he put a precious leaf of the Soul Tree on Bill''s forehead and poured one drop of water from the Holy Land on his hands and feet. Then finally, he ced five light crystals at the corners of the rune scheme.


    "Try not to look directly towards the light, Sir Hnd." He warned and stepped back to take up his own book. But simultaneously, one palm was aimed at Bill''s body. "At three."


    "One!"


    "Two!"


    "Three!"


    Woosh!<sub> </sub>


    As soon as the three started to chant the ritual vocally, a bright halo appeared behind Sylvester''s head, making him appear like a god. At the same time, his palm sent the rays of bright holy light on Bill, also activating the Light Crystals that illuminated the rune circle so much that nothing was visible.


    The chants were no different from Sylvester''s hymns, but they had magic and were never meant to be sung for useless reasons.


    Sir Hnd''s eyes fell out as he only looked at Sylvester. He rubbed his eyes multiple times, but the scene didn''t change. The young man who seemed like a god stayed there, chanting with his soothing voice.


    ''Is he even a human?''


    It wasmon for people to question this since Sylvester''s blonde hair and golden eyes do make him look otherworldly when using the halo. Not that they were wrong, he was indeed otherworldly.


    Sylvester watched the rune circle and sighed internally. He could feel Bill not being affected by the light in the slightest. There was not an ounce of a demon in him. So he decided to end this little show and get to the actual work.


    "...Lumen hic stat pedibus tuis clypeus gentilium. Abite ergo tenebras daemoniorum mundi...discede discede discede..."


    They ended their chant and let the lights die down slowly. The room had gotten warm as well, but not in an unpleasant way, but rather like the warmth of a hug from a loved one.


    ''I... am I in the embrace of God?'' Sir Hnd questioned himself.


    Sylvester knelt beside Billy and looked at his eyes again. But, again, there was no difference other than the pupil looking less dted.


    "Sir Hnd, I don''t think this is happening due to demon possessions. There is something deeper and more problematic at y. I have a request to make to clear my doubts."


    Sir Hnd thumped his chest. "Just say it, my lord."


    ''My lord? What happ... Oh! Understandable...''


    "Do you have anyone else in town currently tied up in their home and possessed? We wish to conduct this same ritual on each of them. That will prove whether the people are possessed or just sick with some rare disease."


    "Disease? What kind of disease can make a man go mad like this?" Sir Hnd frowned.


    Sylvester honestly didn''t know, as it was too early to guess. "Many--it could be some strange chemicals in your water supply, some strange insects having taken home in your food chain. There are countless reasons, Sir. That is why I must first check all possessed. In fact, it would greatly help if you could bring me someone who recently got possessed and can still speak."


    Sir Hnd rubbed his clean-shaven chin and tried to think. "There are currently eight new cases in the town, and the most recent one is the Chief''s son and another woman, a mother of two. She started acting strangely yesterday."


    "Then let''s go see the woman. The faster, the better. As for Bill, please lock the gate and keep a guard here at all times. Tell the guard not to entertain Bill no matter what." Sylvester quickly ordered and packed his bag.


    Soon they were on the way to the little house on the other end of the town. It appeared to be a simple artisan district due to various closed shops around.


    The midnight moons were also peeking at them, so they were more careful since dark creatures go wild at this time. Sir Hnd was kept at the front as the man knocked on the house doors and spoke with the man of the house.


    Soon, the man, with a tired face, looked at Sylvester and the rest in hope. It was visible on his face how distraught and frustrated he was. Anyone would be by life changing for the worse so suddenly.


    "Please help us, priests."


    Sylvester nodded and walked into the house. At first nce, he noticed pure destruction everywhere. The tables, the chairs, the showpieces shattered around. Two young kids, likely ten or twelve, were cleaning it off with tearful eyes.


    In no time, Sylvester, with the husband''s permission, tied the woman to the floor with hooks Felix ced with earth elemental magic.


    "Don''t do this, please." The woman cried, pleading with her husband.


    Sylvester tied her mouth with a cloth as well. "Don''t worry. It does not hurt. Just close your eyes, and you will feel a soothing warmth."


    Soon, they finished the ritual, mesmerizing the kids and the woman''s husband with his light and halo. But, the result was the same. There was no demon in her.


    However, shockingly she appeared to be calmer now and even thanked Sylvester. "I feel so... rxed."


    <o>,m But Sylvester knew it was temporary due to the light magic. So he faced the woman''s husband. "Let''s sit and talk. I want to know all the symptoms you noticed in your wife."</o>


    In no time, the man revealed everything from the first thing he noticed. "She tries to stay isted, gets irritated, forgets things, sees things that don''t exist, and gets scared of random things and sometimes stutters too much--and even forgets who she is sometimes."


    Sylvester rubbed his temples in frustration because what he was guessing was impossible. ''How can it happen to so many at once? It''s impossible.''


    ___________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 104 104. Bloody Bloodlings

    To ensure that he was right on point, he tried to do a test with the woman. First, he made her stand in front of him, face to face and asked her a few questions. "Don''t say anything other than the answer."


    "Name?"


    "Ginna, priest."


    "No need to address me, only answer the question. Tell me the name of your children."


    She replied, her brows furrowed for a split second there. "Ben, Renis, and Grant."


    Sylvester continued. "Where do you live?"


    "In Sphinx Town."


    "What is the name of the faith we all follow?"


    Woosh!


    As soon as Sylvester asked this question, the husband of Ginna and Sir Hnd emitted such rage and hate that Sylvester felt they would attack at any moment. In an instant, Sylvester felt hair on the back of his neck standing as one perilous possibility came to his mind. ''A-Are they followers of Anti-Light Sect?''


    This was certainly a scary thing to imagine because that would mean he was against the entire vige.


    "Let me ask you something else then. Can you tell me what you ate for lunch or breakfast today?"


    "Today? I ate something¡­ I can''t remember¡­ who are you?"


    Sylvester didn''t react much. "I am Priest from the monastery. Now, I need you to do something. Priest Felix."


    Felix came quickly and put a small bottle made of ss on the floor in front of Ginna. The peculiar thing about the bottle was that its mouth was tiny, less than an inch in diameter. Then, Felix took out small marbles made of stone and put them near the bottle.


    "I need you to put these marbles into the bottle one by one," Sylvester instructed her.


    Ginna was confused about why she was being asked to do all this, having forgotten everything that happened recently for some reason. But seeing her husband nod in approval, she did it.


    However, everyone sighed as they saw Ginna slowly picking up a marble with her shaking hands. Then she tried to put it in the bottle, but her hands would shake every time, and she would miss it.


    "Ugh¡­ why can''t I do something so simple?" She started to get agitated.


    Sylvester was watching her intently the whole time. A theory was slowly forming in his mind that could be true, as absurd as it may seem.


    "I think that''s enough. You should go and have some rest." He took away the bottle and the marbles before her frustration triggered another event.


    He got up and headed out. "Your wife is not possessed. She is¡ªunwell¡ªin mind. But before I try to heal her, I will need to do the same tests on some other people. I advise that you let your wife have as much rest as possible and do not let her go through any stress."


    Sir Hnd followed Sylvester out, but he had felt the tension in the air differently. "Is there any cure to what you are calling a disease?"


    Sylvester nodded and then shook his head. "First of all, light magic has no effect on her. This means they are not possessed. And as for treatment, I will have to try a few things, and hopefully, it will work out. Now, I need you to take me to the other sick ones you mentioned, no matter what stage they are at."


    "Why did Ginna mention a third child? There is no one named Grant." Sir Hnd questioned him while Sir Dolorem, Gabriel, and Felix listened as they knew Sylvester was better in such situations than any.


    Sylvester shrugged. "How would I know that, Sir? But, something may answer us, did she ever suffer from some sort of pregnancy-rted trauma? In the past fifteen years or so?"


    Sir Hnd didn''t make any strange faces, yet the scent of anxiety was unmistakable, even more so when he spoke. "That¡­ maybe it has something to do with the Sacking of Sphinx 15 years ago."


    Sylvester stopped and looked back. "Can you borate?"


    "Desert Cannibals attacked, we lost in a prolonged battle, they looted everything, r*ped, ate babies, and killed to their heart''s content until liberation by the arrival of King Hignd himself¡ªthree dayster. I don''t know much about Ginna, but maybe she was one of the unfortunate ones and¡­ likely had unsessful childbirth."


    "I understand. No need to say more." Sylvester silently followed the man to the next person''s house.


    Though his mind could not stop thinking about the mention of the sacking, and in the end, he could not bring himself to connect everything to what happened years ago. Still, he kept his findings to himself as there was much to see first.


    They spent the whole night going to a few other houses and checking the patients. Sylvester told Gabriel to start registering each name, age, and symptoms. At the same time, he would try to subtly ask them if they had suffered anything vile during the sacking.


    Then, when the first ray of the morning sun started to fall, they headed out of the town to see the small sheds littered around Desert Road. For the most part, a majority of the people were already half dead from the inhuman conditions. A few were barely surviving and were able to move. Only a minority could still talk.


    "I''m afraid you have done more harm to these people than good by keeping them here." He muttered and walked around to see if anyone could be saved.


    "Priest¡­ here! My mum!"


    Just then, they found Shane once again, probably having snuck out following Sylvester. The boy, after all, was waiting for Sylvester to go in that direction desperately.


    Showing some humane pity, he agreed to go and check her condition. Shane''s mother''s shed was near the town''s gates, as she used to be a woman of good standing before, and they pitied her son.


    Sylvester walked closer to her to look closely. Her skin had dried from dehydration, she was also untidy, and her hair was patched from a few ces, likely in self-harm. Her face had marks of tears sliding down, while her eyes appeared reddened. From a nce, it could be noticed how Shane was a good-looking young fe.


    "Wraaa!"


    "Mum! He''s here to help!" Shane cried while rubbing his hands nervously from a distance.<sub> </sub>


    She growled at him suddenly. But Sylvester, without fear, held her face with his right palm and let the warmth of the light and srium flow through her body. "Fear me not¡ªno more shall you rot¡­ here."


    "K-Kill me¡­" She, shocking everyone, uttered a few words in a low, hoarse voice.


    Sylvester looked at her face and saw great mental pain and hate, likely for herself. The emotions were not of someone insane, and he gathered she was faking her rage.


    "I¡­ I d-don''t want to hu-hurt my baby¡­ anymore."


    Sylvester looked back at Shane and called the boy close. "Shane, did she hurt you?"


    Shane tried to steal their gaze and looked down nervously. "S-She¡­ Mum didn''t want to hurt me¡­ I made a mistake, so she got angry¡­ I won''t break anything, mum! Pleasee home."


    <o>,m Sir Hnd coughed and added his side of the story. "We arrested her for trying to kill Shane¡­ she would have if we had not arrived in time."</o>


    "No! She would not have! Mum loves me a lot¡­ she even made me coco milk!" Shane argued.


    Sylvester raised his hand and signaled for everyone to shut up. He addressed the woman directly. "rify this misunderstanding then. Tell me, what''s the matter? Why do you wish to die?"


    She cried in response. "I''m going insane, Priest! There is bloodlust on my mind! I would have truly killed Shane that night¡­ Something is happening to me. I don''t know¡­ I''m often not in control, and when I return to my senses, I remember not what I did before. I love Shane¡­ please save him from my hands."


    "Did you suffer any trauma during the sacking of Sphinx?" Sylvester questioned directly.


    She red back into Sylvester''s golden eyes and nearly cursed in rage. "You mongrels¡­ imposters! Ran away when we suffered¡­ for three days they had me¡­ for three days they-"


    "Enough! Don''t sully the name of the town anymore. Priests, what do you wish to do now?" Sir Hnd erupted.


    Sylvester already knew what was wrong with these people, but he had no idea how he could heal them as the disease was incurable for the most part, even in his old world. But he could try because if he does not, then one day, the whole adult poption of the town might die out.


    "How many rooms do we have in the monastery?" Sylvester questioned.


    To that, the Archpriest standing at the back silently spoke. "Eight rooms, Priest."


    "Good¡ªGabriel, give them the list of names. I want all these people shifted into the monastery so they can still be cured. As for the others, you all have left nothing to be healed. Give them an easy death by giving them a sleeping poison."


    Sir Hnd stopped them, however. "Without the chief''s permission, nothing will move into the town."


    Sylvester red at the man, nearly as tall as him, and looked down into his eyes. "Look around¡ªthere are hundreds of sheds¡­ a majority upied by dead or nearly dead. You did that, Sir Hnd. You killed them¡­ and now you want to let these die too?"


    Scoffing, Sir Hnd folded his arms and red back. "Why do you care so much what happens here?"


    Without a second of waste, Sylvester answered. "Nothing¡ªbut I am not an ipetent man, so I take my work seriously. I was sent here to fix this mess, and that is what I am doing."


    There was a non-verbal standoff of sorts. Sir Dolorem even ced his hand on the hilt of his sword, as did Felix, in preparation for any hostility.


    But, Sir Hnd merely sighed and moved back. "Care to exin what disease the people of this town have?"


    Sylvester noticed all eyes on him, even Shane''s mother. So he didn''t keep the matter a secret. "I have named this disease schizophrenia, which means split minds. It is a mental illness that is caused due to chemical imbnce in one''s brain. Severely stressful life events, trauma, abuse, or neglect may also trigger it. As far as I have noticed, this madness is only consuming those who suffered extremely during the sacking."


    "Then why has it increased so much now? What happened?" Archpriest Oliver questioned.


    Sylvester didn''t know that, sadly. "Is the town facing too much hardship nowadays? Is there something sad or stressful happening around? Because this condition to develop so extreme so fast is indeed a worrying sign."


    "We have not faced any food shortage, and for ages, we have created a self-sufficient internal market and industry. Could it be the air? The dry mountains south of the town have been filled with strange toxic misty miasma for the past five years¡ªso this Schizo¡­ thing you say may be due to it?" Sir Hnd inquired.


    Sylvester silently tried to remember the geography of the area on the maps he had seen. ''Hmm, isn''t there another little vige south of those mountains?''


    "Did anything happen in those mountains in the past? Some mining or battle?" He questioned.


    Instantly, with pride, Sir Hnd replied. "There¡­ Fifteen years ago, when King Hignd liberated the town, he pushed the Desert cannibals into the mountains¡ªsame mountains the mighty king turned into a graveyard of those sickly animals."


    Sylvester, as if annoyed and tired, rubbed his face with both hands and shared a nce with Sir Dolorem. "Same guess?"


    Sir Dolorem nodded. "It makes sense."


    "I hope it''s not a cave this time¡ªBloody Bloodlings!"


    ___________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 105 105. Music Healing

    The news of there being a bloodling nearby unsettled Sylvester as memories of the old days reappeared. Although he was much stronger now, he still didn''t know if he could beat one of the Bloodlings because, as far as he knew, in that cave years ago, even Arch Wizard died, and he was just a Master Wizard. But he had the help of overpowered light magic, which was like the worst poison for Bloodlings.


    In the end, Sylvester kept aside his woes as the task at hand was more important.


    Some of the still sane people were out of their minds and tried to fight. So, it took them the entire morning to bring all the people Sylvester considered treatable to the monastery, where he gave them rooms and also tied them, so they didn''t end up killing each other.


    After that, he poured some chemicals into their rooms that would induce sleep and left. It was time to sleep for him as well since it was noon, and the town slept during the peak sunlight hours.


    Sylvester had called his whole team into his room as others were given to the patients. They put some mattresses on the floor andid down.


    "There is something wrong with this town," Sylvester muttered as the thick curtains kept the room dark as the night.


    Gabriel agreed with him. "I feel like they hate us for some reason,"


    Felix added something crucial then. "They likely do. Did you not notice? Except in the monastery, there are no Insignias of the church in the whole Town. We saw so many homes and found none. Even the Fallshoot vige had more of them."


    Sylvester nced at Sir Dolorem and noticed the dark man''s seriously contemting face. "What are you thinking?"


    "Shane''s mother called us cowards back then. I feel that has something to do with it. We should try to dig deeper into the history of this Town¡­ learn more about the sacking and what the monastery did at that time."


    Sylvester sighed as he felt that the assignment was slowly turning too big for him. From a simple investigation to a Bloodling in the mountains now, it was a lot. "I noticed something else too. All the victims of this disease are adults who would have been either adults or young adults during the sacking.


    "So, even if Bloodling is behind the push, the sacking is the reason why so many minds in the Town remain broken. They need some therapy, I believe."


    "What is therapy, Max?" Felix asked.


    Sylvester exined in simple words. "Well, it is the treatment of someone with mental or physical illness without the use of drugs or surgery. Instead, you talk to the other person and delve deeper into their minds to find the source of their problems and then try to heal them."


    "Just talking can heal someone''s mind?" Felix was amazed. "You''re toote. My uncle who went senile could have used some help."


    "Max, how do you know all this?" Gabriel suddenly asked.


    Sylvester pped his hands together and closed his eyes. "The bard preaches what the lord teaches."


    "Solis taught you all this?" Perhaps it was too unbelievable for them.


    Sylvester shrugged. "I don''t know. I just have some knowledge in my mind that I can sometimes easily recall and use to help. Whether Solis is behind it or not, nobody knows. Anyway, let''s sleep."


    "Let''s do that." Sir Dolorem agreed. "We need to find out the mystery behind the vige tomorrow."


    "What about the bloodling? Are we supposed to fight that too?" Gabriel questioned.


    For that, no one had any answer. Sylvester turned to his side and hugged invisible Chonky. "Who knows¡ªbut considering my luck, we are fabulously wrecked. Ah, this annoying itch over my body! I think I''m about to level up."


    Bam!


    Felix and Gabriel stood up instantly in envy, for they felt something they had long forgotten. A lesson they had learned long ago. When Sylvester failed his ss in the first year, as friends, they did feel bad. Later, when he topped the ss, they felt worse.


    "You''re going to be a f-fu¡­ frickin'' Arch Wizard?" Felix boomed and shook Sylvester hard.


    Smack!


    Sylvester pped Felix''s hand away in annoyance and closed his eyes to sleep. "You deaf donkeys, I said level up, no rank up. Now go to sleep."


    "..."


    The two embarrassinglyid back at that. But Felix couldn''t sleep before knowing something. "Still, can you tell us at what level you''re at? How close are you to bing an Arch Wizard?"


    Sylvester didn''t answer and started snoring instead, dueting with the chubby-fluffy cat in his arms.


    ¡­


    It was extremely strange to experience waking up when the sun started setting instead of rising. But work was work, and they had to drag their feet out of bed and freshen up. Today''s work schedule was packed tight, and everyone had something to do.


    First of all, Sir Dolorem was supposed to go around and find out what happened during the sacking and why there were no religious people in the Town. Gabriel was tasked to meet and talk with the second Archpriest, Aiden Sylvester, to reveal all the information.


    As for Felix, he was supposed to be Sylvester''s bodyguard during his attempt at healing the people he had brought.


    "You''re going to use your violin to heal people?" Felix was shocked to see Sylvester preparing to sing from the looks.


    "Music is often the best way to soothe one''s nerves. It calms the mind and releases happiness in the mind. It will help me make them concentrate on my instructions. Your job instead will be to stand beside me and stop them if they get agitated." He ordered as they arrived at therge attic of the monastery building.


    There, all 37 patients were tied to the floor with one metal chain to their legs. This would ensure they don''t attack each other for some reason.


    "Lord Priest¡­ can I also help you?" Shane was already waiting for Sylvester outside the attic entrance as he also lived in the monastery.


    "Sure¡ªI''m certain you only wish to see your mum." Sylvester ruffled the boy''s hair and took him along. "Do you love your mum so much?"


    "Yes! She''s the best! She''s all I have." Shane replied proudly. But then his face fell as he asked. "Can she really be healed back to health?"


    Sylvester didn''t know the answer, and he wished not to give false promises. "There is no medicine for this problem, Shane. I can only try and hope for the best. Now, you are to stand behind me and only watch. No matter what, do note close to the sick or me."


    "I will not!"<sub> </sub>


    Dutifully, Shane soon stood silently behind Sylvester and watched the scenes unfold in front of him. There were many unsettled minds in the room, and they screamed and tried to scratch the floor or bite the chains. At the same time, some others looked normal and interested in Sylvester.


    He directly started to sing the hymn and yed the violin in the background. He ensured that his notes didn''t go too high, as irritating them might create some problems. Instead, he kept the notes low and soothing to the mind.


    The soothing light from his halo was a fine addition to the performance as it calmed the unsettled ones much better than just music.


    ?When the sun shines, wakes up O'' mother of mine.


    She is the world to me, who makes my life define.?


    He sang about a mother''s love for her child, as he considered that everyone in the group must have had a mother who was likely caring in most cases.


    ?I make mistakes, things at home that breaks.


    I get some scolding, yet your love never shakes.?


    ?O'' mother of mine, I think you are divine.


    How can the lord of light design


    Someone so kind and lovingbined??


    Sylvester took the old-school tone of voice this time, the ones he heard on the radio in the sixties and seventies. He sang and sang without stopping for a moment, and the magic of music was that slowly all the sick stopped showing aggressiveness and silently listened to him.


    ?"I don''t drink, but I think you are what they call fine wine.


    You age and be yet more kind¡ªyou truly are divine¡­?


    Pa! Pa!


    As he stopped singing, he heard that everyone had started to p for him. Even the worst of the cases were somewhat back to sanity. But Sylvester didn''t let that moment go to waste. "I am Priest Sylvester Maximilian. They call me Bard of the Lord too because¡­ as you can see, I have some little talent in singing and ying music."


    Some low voices of chuckles came from the people as they heard his humble bragging. "Today, we shall learn to meditate and calm ourselves. But before that, let''s eat something."


    The food was ready beforehand, a nice spicy porridge with some meat in it and also some chicken soup. This was to help them after their prolonged exposure to the sun andck of food.


    None of themined and ate their fill like it was the nectar of the gods. They didn''t even leave one food stain on their bowls by the time they finished.


    "Great, now that our bellies are full, we can rx and proceed. I need you to do nothing but remain seated and close your eyes. You shall rhythmically hear this sound." He created a short sound from the G-string of the violin. "All you have to do is keep your mind empty and only focus on this periodic sound. When you feel you can''t focus on it and are getting strange thoughts, I need you to tell me immediately."


    Ting!


    Ting!


    Ting!


    Sylvester trained them to keep their mind under their own control, as that was the only way to heal them. As for medicine, he was still testing what to do. But thankfully, over the next 5 minutes, he saw nobody struggling and raising hands.


    He didn''t let the meditation go on for too long, as that was hard to do. So he ended the ss for the day and started sending them away. "Remember, whenever you feel your mind is going out of control, all you must do is close your eyes and count to ten."


    Soon, the attic became empty, and only Felix and Shane were left with him.


    "Can I y it?" Shane asked.


    Sylvester chuckled, knowing very well it was going to be a mess. "Sure, but not right now. I have work to do. I will teach youter tomorrow morning early."


    "Thank you¡­ Priest¡­ thank you for my mum." Shane reeked of nothing but positive energy all the time, and Sylvester liked him for it.


    Thud!


    Shane suddenly hugged Sylvester''s leg as his height allowed that much only. "I will one day pay back¡­ thank y-!"


    Before Sylvester could speak, however, Archpriest Oliver came running, panting. "Priests! Quick! The Chief''s son''s Demon Possession is really bad! We need your help."


    Sylvester grunted and followed behind with Felix and Shane. "Not demon possessions. They are not real, Archpriest."


    They made quick strides in the middle of the night and arrived at therge stone mansion. The servants quickly led Sylvester and Felix towards the basement and opened the door for them to enter, the Town''s chiefs being inside.


    However, as soon as they entered, Felix nearly cursed. "Fffuuu¡­ How is he crawling on the ceiling?"


    Sylvester, seeing such for the first time, bit his tongue. "Alright, this one''s a real possession."


    ___________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 106 106. Exorcism

    Sylvester had never seen a demon-possessed in his life before and didn''t know what it looked like in person. Today, he got the answer to that question, and he didn''t like it. There was a big difference between seeing a creature of the night or a bloodling and a demon-possessed because the possessed one you see is still a human, somewhere trapped inside.


    He saw the Chief''s son''s face morphed into a strange demonic shape as if there were tumors, rotten, cracked skin all over, dark ck pitch ck eyes, spiky teeth, long w-like nails, and feet as he walked on the ceiling and growled at them.


    He was, however, chained, so he could note close to Sylvester and the rest. The Chief of the town, Chief Kennard, looked at Sylvester in anger. "You see this? Still don''t believe in possession? My son has been dying slowly for so long, and you didn''t evene to see him."


    Sylvester defended his actions. "Because I wanted answers first so I could tell you."


    "And the answer is?"


    "The people of the town are not possessed because if anyone is really possessed, then it''s easy for the church to purify them, for the darkness fears the light. Look at this." Sylvester raised his palm toward the demon-possessed man hanging on the ceiling.


    "Reeee¡­!"


    The creature seethed in pain and rage. Sylvester had his point proven, however. "See that? That''s how the possessed ones react to light. They cry in pain, and their skin burns to show steam. But this does not happen to anybody else."


    "Then why is my son''s exorcism not showing improvement? The Archpriest has tried already." Chief Kennard asked.


    Sylvester looked at the demon in wonder and asked Sir Dolorem, who had just arrived. "What are the chances this is a higher-ranking, more powerful demon?"


    Sir Dolorem had vast experience with these things since it was his main job for years to kill these creatures and burn them. Inquisitors know which demon to mess with and which not.


    "Priest Sylvester, from the look of the horns on the head, the eyes, and the movement, it appears to me that it is at least a B-ss Demon, not easy to banish since they are known to form an extremely strong bond with the host. There is likely something in possession of the man that he picked or received from somewhere¡ªwhich was haunted by this demon.


    "We need to find it to end the possession, as it serves as the key."


    Sylvester looked at Chief Kennard. "Can you tell us about this? Where are your son''s belongings?"


    While Sylvester tried to find the final cure, Gabriel and Felix came and put protective runes on the ground to ensure that the demon could not escape the room under any circumstances. Now, it was not them stuck with the demon, but the demon was stuck with them.


    Chief Kennard took everything seriously and brought a bag full of belongings to the man. "This is all we took from his room."


    Sylvester started to look into the items as if they were trash. Sir Dolorem helped him find it. "Just try to send some srium into each object, whichever makes you feel your power is being repulsed. It''s the thing we need."


    Sylvester nodded and started to check every single item. There were clothes, books and some random objects.


    Then finally, after a few minutes, he found an old-looking ck key. It appeared very old and was simr to no key he''s ever seen in this world, as its shape was extremely odd from the end.


    "What does this key unlock?" Sylvester asked Chief Kennard.


    The man looked at it closely and frowned. "I don''t remember any such lock being in the entire town. Where did he get this from?"


    Sylvester brandished the key toward the possessed man. "You see this. I will end you soon."


    "Wraaa¡­"


    "Yeah, this is it. Look at how it''s screeching, seeing it in my hand. Alright, let''s start the exorcism first and then talk about other things. But, chief Kennard, please go out of the room as we don''t know how the demon will react once we have taken it out of your son''s body. It could attack and take over you." Sylvester pushed the old man out of the basement room and shut the door close.


    Then he looked back at his allies. "Take out your lockets and show them clearly. Keep one light crystal in your mouth to break it anytime the demon tries to attack you. Keep chanting and leave the fight to me. My fist will show it the depths of true hell."


    Immediately they prepared for the ritual. This was more tilted towards harming the other party than just banishing it. At first, they drew arge runic circle around the bed the possessed man was tied to. This would ensure that he can''t run away.


    After that, Sylvester threw some water from Holy Land on the bed and the floor and folded his sleeves.


    Gabriel and Felix stood at two ends of the circle and started chanting from the book, while Sir Dolorem was there to ensure that the two didn''t get interrupted.


    As for Sylvester, he jumped onto the bed, both his fists shining in bright light magic, while Miraj also growled at the demon with his hair standing. It was unknown how effective he would be, but he sure had the spirit.


    "Wraaa¡­"


    The demon leaped from the ceiling toward Sylvester with its ws out. At a closer look, Sylvester felt even more disgusted by this thing as the mouth had multiple rows of ugly sharp teeth.


    "You¡ªugly¡ªlittle shit!" Sylvester pulled his fist back and aligned it with the oing demon''s head.


    Woosh!


    Then all of a sudden, his fists got covered in bright light magic, appearing as if fire. "Fist of Light!"


    Boom!


    It connected cleanly to the jaw of the demon so hard that its jaw got disfigured, and the whole body was thrown away. But the chains attached to the leg did more damage and also broke its ankle.


    "Oh no!" Sylvester eximed suddenly as he remembered something. "Will beating him also hurt the man it has possessed? Did I just break the jaw of the Chief''s son?"


    Felix, Gabriel, and Sir Dolorem awkwardly looked at each other''s faces.


    "I didn''t see anything." Felix blurted.


    "Me neither."


    "Nor did I!" Sir Dolorem and Gabriel added.


    Sylvester chuckled and prepared to exorcize the demon. "In that case, I won''t pull my punches. Begone! Heathen!"


    Boom!


    Sylvester punched with his fist of light once again and pinned the demon down as he sat on the chest, putting his knees on his arms. Then, taking out the Soul Tree''s leaf, he ced it on the demon''s forehead and started chanting the expelling ritual; all the same time, the halo reappeared behind his head and made the demon screech in pain from the light.


    It cried in pain as the skin burned with steam rising.<sub> </sub>


    "Wreeee¡­!"


    "Shut your mouth." Sylvester punched the jaws close and kept chanting. Even Miraj was helping by poking his ws into the demon''s eyes.


    "...Sit lux domini urat malum¡­!"


    Woosh!


    Suddenly the rune circle they had drawn around the bed lit up in light and engulfed everything that was in it in the brightness. Nothing was visible anymore, but much was audible¡ªthe screeches of the demon.


    "Come closer!" Sylvester roared.


    With that, Felix and Gabriel started to push closer toward Sylvester, and slowly, the light in the rune circle started to condense at the center of the demon. Slowly, foot by foot, eventually, the light was only falling on Sylvester and the Demon.


    ''Come out now, you filth.'' Sylvester was intently preparing to move quickly.


    To kill a demon, the low-level ones could simply be done by pouring light on them even when they are hiding in someone''s body. But on stronger demons, it doesn''t work, and in those cases, one needs to drag the demon out of the body and let the light of the lord engulf it directly.


    "There you are!"


    In the intense wriggling of the possessed body, the demon finally showed his form, appearing out a little. Sylvester didn''t waste the opportunity and caught the thing with his hand and tried to pull the demon out.


    "That''s the end of your terror¡ªto meet you was my pleasure!"


    "Wraaa¡­"


    As he pulled the demon out, he saw its final form, which was as hideous as the possessed one, if not more. Nevertheless, Sylvester kept the demon clutched in his ws and let the light do its magic.


    "Aaaa¡­"


    Screeches, mindless mumbling of the demon resounded so loudly that it was heard even outside the confines of the mansion of the Chief. Sylvester again used his light magic to burn this thing.


    As if a body was being deted, the demon slowly lost its body mass and appeared to be fluttering with the waves of light magic like a piece of cloth.


    "Nnn...ooo... t....l...k..."


    "What?" Sylvester stopped trying to kill it fast as he heard some words from the demon, but it was too muffled and unrecognizable. "Can you speak my tongue?"


    "Wraaaa¡­."


    But, it was far toote as the empty husk of the demon started to turn into ashes in the holy light and burn away. Soon, the mass disappeared from Sylvester''s hand, and the menacing aura too¡ªthe exorcism was sessful.


    Woosh!


    The light dispersed quickly as the chants from Gabriel and Felix ended. But Sylvester didn''t move and stayed seated on top of the now purified and unconscious man.


    "Max, what happened?" Felix asked quickly.


    "The demon tried to speak to me¡­ what could it possibly wish to say?"


    Sir Dolorem interrupted quickly. "People have gone mad trying to decipher just that, Priest Sylvester. Try not to think too much about that, as they are known to try and dupe others when on the brink of death."


    ''Hmm, but that didn''t seem like duping¡­ it was more of a plea.'' Sylvester thought about the cries of the demon. ''I should try to capture one alive next time.''


    He returned to his usual sense and looked at the man they had just saved. He seemed weakened, and of course, his jaw was broken. "He''s alive, at least. Open the door, let the man''s father enter."


    Sylvester fixed his clothes and stood away solemnly. Chief Kennard soon entered and looked around at the pure destruction in the room. All the extra furniture was gone, and the walls appeared as if they were burnt.


    He gulped and nced at his son. "I-Is he¡­?"


    "We have exorcized the demon, Chief. However, your son needs normal healing now, so I suggest you call the town''s healer." Sir Dolorem suggested.


    The man ran up to his son with tearful eyes and caught him in his arms. But he noticed an open jaw. "W-What happened to his mouth?"


    All four of them shared a nce at each other. Gabriel, however, spoke in pure worship. "Miracle of the Lordes at a price. The demon in itsst moments fought, and it resulted in this¡­ rejoice, Chief¡ªfor he''s alive and saved you from grief."


    Felix tried his best to hold his suppressedughter. This was some high-level nonsense right there.


    ''He''s learning from me.'' Sylvester nodded in pride.


    DONG! DONG! DONG!


    However, the night seemed to want to not let them have a moment of rest, as suddenly loud bells started to ring around the town.


    Chief Kennard stood up in a panic. "Are we being attacked?"


    Bam!


    The door was mmed open, and Sir Hnd rushed in. "Chief! We''re under attack¡­ white mist has surrounded the town''s entrances¡­ and¡­" There was horror on his face. "I saw walking skeletons¡­ thousands of them!"


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 107 107. A Small Promise

    "Great! This is amazing! I can''t believe how lucky I''m feeling right now!" Felix suddenly eximed loudly as soon as the news of the skeletons was heard.


    There was dead silence in the room. Sylvester walked over to his friend and patted his shoulder. "You okay, Felix?"


    Felix smiled like he was reborn. "I am absolutely fine. Madness, Demons, Bloodling, and now we have skeletons attacking us. What can be better than this?"


    Sylvester chuckled. "First time? Get used to it. I''ve learned my lessons, and nearly nothing shocks me too much. Let''s go and see these skeletons. They are too easy to deal with anyway."


    "Of course, we have the world''s greatestntern beside us." Gabriel japed.


    Sylvester rolled his eyes and moved out of the house. The walls of the town were pretty high, so nobody was too afraid of this urrence, although somewhat creeped out by it. "Chief Kennard, get your son checked by the healer."


    He then followed Sir Hnd to the boundary wall. It was dark outside, and the twin moons were hidden behind the dim sky. The climate of thend south was very much unpredictable, so the town was prepared for everything.


    Lanterns and candles were ced all over the roads and near the windows of the houses. It was a rule in the town that people must centerns outside their homes each night. For it, they were paid monthly with material to burn.


    "Have you ever been attacked by these creatures before?" Sylvester asked Sir Hnd.


    "No!" Sir Hnd blurted, shaken up, it appeared. "We have never faced anything so vile before. This is¡­ strange¡­"


    Sir Dolorem blurted quickly at that. "Maybe the dead outside in the shed were not burned fully, and you left their bones. The creatures of the night do rise from the dead."


    "Sir Hnd! Come quick! They have started to kick and punch the gates." A guard came running to inform.


    So they all hurried more and made a run for it. Soon, they climbed the stairs and looked on the other side of the wall.


    Sylvester did the same and felt somewhat amused and shaken by the scene. He had only heard about the skeleton hordes that rise from the sudden death of a whole vige or a town due to some cmity. They are not too powerful for a magic user or a knight but still, in enough numbers, they could be disastrous.


    "Maxy! Look! There is a kitty skeleton too!" Miraj pointed his soft paws from his shoulder.


    The air on top of the wall was strong, and since it was a desert area, the nights were specifically colder. So the furry boy was Sylvester''sfy muffler around his neck.


    "Hah, wanna make friends with it, Chonky?" He joked.


    Miraj intently looked at the skeleton and soon shook his head. "Umm¡­ I can''t share my tasty bananas with it¡­ it will fall out of it."


    Sylvester chuckled and prepared to attack the creatures with fire and light to end the menace quickly so he could go and work on the methods to treat the schizophrenia patients in the monastery.


    "Prepare to pour fire and light on them. If you have any light crystals, throw them too." Hemanded loud and clear.


    Sir Hnd was absolutely not prepared to lead in a situation like this due to his fears of the undead. So Sir Dolorem had to take themand.


    "Light your arrows on fire!" Sir Dolorem roared like the military man he was.


    "Max! Stop! Look there, near the back of the skeletons¡­ there is someone." Felix boomed suddenly.


    Sylvester stopped looking at the horde just below him near the entrance and looked back. There, in the white mist, a figure of a man was clearly present. It appeared the man was wearing dark robes, and the whole body was covered from head to toe.


    ''Is that an enemy? A necromancer?'' He deduced quickly and prepared to act.


    "Change of ns, take offensive formation, and aim at the man in the back!" He roared and walked to Gabriel. "It''s likely a necromancer. You take care of the entry gates. If they are breached, the undead will enter easily. Use your light magic¡­ I will have to act if the necromancer makes a move."


    "Are you going to him?" Gabriel questioned.


    Sylvester denied. "I''m not that stupid to go to the enemy when he''s in his home ground. No, let hime closer."


    "Loose!" Sir Dolorem''smand came soon after.


    Hundreds of arrows with lit tips covered the sky like a raining fire and slowly arched towards the man in the back.


    nk!


    Bam!


    However, none of the arrows hit the man as a few skeletons jumped in the way to save him. This effectively made it clear that the man was likely the master of these skeletons.


    Sylvester prepared his spear for the worst-case scenario too.


    "Loose!"


    The barrage of arrows kept going out in waves, but the necromancer was as safe as ever. However, a bigger problem was near the gates as the skeletons started to make a mountain there, climbing on one another in order to reach the top.


    <o>,m Sylvester quickly went closer and openly used the Whirling Fire move to create a small tornado of fire near the skeletons. In an instant, it raged through them, burning some and blowing the others away enough to destroy their momentum.</o>


    The situation was not out of control, though, and nobody among the four of them was panicking. On the contrary, Felix and Gabriel were helping the soldiers by ordering them around. Felix was a knight above all, so he was easily able to throw some spears at the skeletons with precision. So he was ordering the soldiers around to bring him as many as they could find and dip them in the burning oil.


    Sylvester kept an eye on the necromancer in the distance, who was moving too slowly. But when the man finally came out of the mist, he noticed something. ''Wait, why is he dragging one leg? Is he hurt? And what''s that in his hand?''


    He noticed the man. The necromancer was holding something in his hand as if he was trying to show it to all of them. But the night was too dark, and the mist was stopping them from seeing it.


    Sylvester decided to do something and threw a light crystal near the man to see things more clearly.<sub> </sub>


    Bam!


    However, the moment he saw it, he quickly bellowed further orders and, without waiting, jumped down from the wall. "Stop this instant! Friendlies!"


    Felix and Sir Dolorem also jumped down and ran behind him, thinking he was going to attack the necromancer.


    "Are you okay?" Shocking them all, Sylvester asked the man for his well-being instead.


    Thud!


    As soon as Sylvester reached him, the man fell face first. Sylvester was quick to hold him up and take the thing the man was holding. "Look, it''s the church''s insignia¡­."


    Sir Dolorem was quick to fiddle the unconscious necromancer''s clothes and take out a few papers. The result, however, left him in shock and wide-eyed. "This¡­ What''s he doing here?"


    Sylvester took the paper and read it. "So he''s a Sanctum Inspector too? Indeed, what is he doing here? Actually, why is he alone? He''s at least a Bishop ranked man and must have a team."


    Sir Dolorem fiddled more with the clothes, but they found nothing else. They could understand, though, that no normal knowledgeable Sanctum Inspector would keep his assignment documents to himself.


    "What about the skeletons? They will not stop unless he stops his magic?" Felix asked as he noticed the skeletons wereing towards them slowly.


    Sylvester picked up the necromancer on his shoulder like a sack of rice. "Leave them be. They will die or be nullified in the morning anyway. We need to get this man to safety first and heal him¡­ it appears he''s suffering from srium depletion."


    Sir Dolorem nodded and waved his hand towards the boundary wall. Soon, adder was dropped for them to climb up, while Felix covered them from behind and stopped the skeletons. Like a bull, he broke them apart like toys with his inhumanly long sword.


    ¡­


    Sylvester brought the necromancer to the healing station and put the man on the bed. He appeared pale as the moon, likely due to covering himself all the time.


    The man was not too old, likely middle-aged, but hecked any hair on the face or the head; even the eyebrows were gone. Still, Sylvester couldn''t help but nod as he expected a necromancer to look just like this¡­ a loner.


    "Good thing we keep srium crystals to ourselves," Sylvester muttered as they started feeding the needed minerals.


    However, Gabriel was on the verge of crying as he was the keeper of the ounts for their team. He was supposed to write all the expenses so thatter, they may reimburse them. "The Administration never gave us money to buy these crystals. They are too expensive, Max."


    Sylvester scoffed and took money out of a leather pouch belonging to the necromancer. "Well, I never said we''re saving this necromancer bloke for free."


    "Woah! Is this what monsters look like?" Just then, the wandering young boy of the town, Shane Kolt, walked in to see the new addition.


    Sylvester chuckled and called him in. He was trying to get this boy to be passionate about learning magic and knighthood. He could always use some good strong subordinates. And since the boy was very young, he could make him utmost loyal to himself with some not-so-conventional methods.


    "Hah, no, I''m afraid this is not a monster¡­ well, not the kind you think. What are you doing here? I hope you didn''t sneak in to meet your mum."


    Shane shook his head strongly. "I will never disobey you, Priest. You are my new teacher, and mum says we must always listen to our teachers."


    ''When did I be tha- Ah, I did say I would teach him the violin.''


    "Good, boy. Now don''t waste time here. Find something else to do." Sylvester shooed him away.


    But Shane remained behind and asked curiously. "Priest, I heard Archpriest talking about Bloodlings¡­ are they scary? Are they bad? What do they look like? How were they born?"


    ''Was I also this annoying when I was a kid?'' Sylvester wondered. But he entertained curiosity. "They are the worst kind of monsters, and they look ugly with a lot of tentacles¡­ they can destroy towns with ease too."


    "Then, can you beat them with your shiny magic?"


    "Of course!" Sylvester replied almost instantly. How could he not say yes?


    In an instant, Sylvester''s mouth and nose were hit with an extreme amount of the smell of tulip. It was proof of how much the boy worshiped him in his mind¡­ It was almost unbelievable. ''Did my light have too much of an effect on him? Or perhaps it''s because I saved his mum?''


    "Priest, can I one day be as strong as you? Can I also join you on the adventure?"


    ''Adventure? I''ve nearly died more times than I can count.''


    But Sylvester didn''t want to break his heart, and the boy was indeed talented to be an Arch Wizard. "If you train hard on magic and be a Master Wizard in the next eight years."


    His words appeared to have meant too much as the kid beamed with joy and smiled ear to ear. "Really? You promise?"


    Sylvester sighed and nodded. "If you keep your word, then I shall keep mine. Be a Master Wizard, and I promise to invite you to the Holy Land myself."


    "Argh¡­ No¡­"


    "He''s waking up!" Gabriel got up quickly. The necromancer finally seemed to respond to the treatments.


    ___________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 108 108. Strong Boy Necromancer

    The necromancer woke up soon after as he healed up with the help of the srium crystals. He looked scared, first of all, and that required some time to fix. They had to bring him some real food and calming potions to ease him.


    When he finally looked healthy enough to talk, Sylvester returned to speak to him, this time ensuring that nobody listened in on him by cing Sir Dolorem, Felix, and Gabriel as guards outside.


    Sylvester also shared his church identification papers, first revealing he was a Sanctum Inspector. "Tell me why you''re here and what happened to you."


    "Ah, you''re the new boy everyone is talking about? I heard a lot about you, young bard." The man spoke up, his voice appearing to have a hint of whistling whispers for some reason, creating an aura of mystery around him.


    "I am Bishop Lazark Kul Mizar, a member of the clergy for decades now. I was not sent here originally; in fact, I''ve been out on a mission for over three months now. Beyond the mountains south of this town, there is a vige.


    "We received a report from a few traders that the entire vige was empty, and the people just disappeared somehow. No matter how much they looked, there was none to be seen anywhere. Eventually, the local Archbishop of the County sent men to search, but when they also vanished, the task was given to the Sanctum Inspectors."


    ''A north-western name? Is he from Felix''s county?'' Sylvester recognized the styling of the name, which went much differently from the rest of the southern kingdoms.


    Sylvester nodded and took a seat beside him. He felt no liesing from the man, and he could understand why. One Sanctum Inspector could somewhat trust another because it was in their rulebook to help each other in need. The end goal was to finish the task, that''s all.


    "I am Priest Sylvester Maximilian, and they are my team. Where is your team, Bishop Lazark?" Sylvester asked him.


    At that, Bishop Lazark seemed embarrassed. "That¡­ I still have not found my team, Priest. You see, although the Dark aspect of magic is not criminalized and is seen as nothing but another branch of magic, people still hold some prejudice against it. Even more so for someone who is an expert necromancer.


    "So, even after trying hard, nobody agreed to join me on my team, and since then, the dead have been my teammates."


    ''I honestly feel bad for this guy.'' Sylvester pitied the man.


    "What are you here for?" The man asked.


    Sylvester talked about his mission too. "I think both our missions are somewhat the same. I was sent here to find out why the town had so many demon possessions. Later I found out that it was not demon possession but instead a mental illness that was maddening the people and making it seem like they were possessed.


    "Can you borate on your findings of the vige and how you found yourself here?"


    Bishop Lazark nodded and told his whole story about the lengthy investigation. "Just reaching the vige''s location was hard for me as no carriage would agree to go there, and the traders don''t use that route either. But, eventually, when I arrived at the Foothill vige, it was emptier than the roads of Sorrow.


    "I looked around to find any sign of life or movement. But soon I realized that the vige had been empty for longer than anybody estimated as there was a lot of dust on everything.


    "Still, I decided to look around. But, just after spending one night in the vige, I felt that my behavior was changing too much. I am usually a very calm and collected man, but for some reason, I started to be angry at everything, cursing and being outright disgusting.


    "As soon as I realized these changes, I tried to find a reason why. That was when I felt that there was something wrong with the water from the wells I was drinking from. Because the moment I stopped drinking water from there, I started to feel normal. So, I theorized that something simr must have happened to the people of the vige, and that night, I used necromancy to raise all the dead from the ground.


    "Sure enough, hundreds upon hundreds of skeletons rose from the ground."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and thought about the wells in this town. "They died because of the water?"


    "No! They all killed themselves." Bishop Lazark imed. "Since I am an expert on skeletons, I can tell just by a look how that person died. And from my evaluation of them, it was clear that blunt force was used on all of them. The water in the wells turned the vigers mad to the point where they turned on themselves. And, likely, a sandstorm came a few dayster, pushing the bodies down into the desert grounds.


    "My task was yet to finish, however. Hence I went out to find the reason for this mutation due to the water¡­ and I realized the water in wells came from an underground river that flowed from the mountains to the north."


    ''Ah, I think I know where this is going now.'' Sylvester knew what must have happened once the necromancer talked about the mountains.


    And sure enough, Sylvester smelled much fear in the necromancer, abination he never expected to see. But the eyes of the man made it clear that he went through hell to survive.


    "I entered the mountains north of the vige with care. I was already told by the traders that a strange, purple, toxic miasma mist had taken over the valleys. So I used my toxin mask to keep myself safe and entered.


    "It was hard to even see amidst all that mist, but thanks to magic, I used the air element to make way, stopping after every few meters to check the flow of the underground river by trying to summon skeletons of river creatures.


    "It was tedious work, but I was making progress, and slowly I was reaching the center of the strange purple mist¡ªa grave mistake¡ªas it all went to hell from there. Horror¡­ the worst of the kind that you can ever imagine¡­ huge and so powerful my spells were merely smacked away, and being a dark wizard, I was at a disadvantage."


    Bishop Lazark looked at his palm as he felt utterly weak and useless. "The creature had minions as well, small and simr to snakes¡­ I didn''t see it clearly, but the creature''s eyes shined even in the thick mist. All it took to bring me down to heel was a gust of wind from the creature that contained a thousand cuts. My leg was injured by it¡­ but who knows for how long the creature was there, as I was able to raise the dead from the deep sand around it.


    "More than ten thousand skeletons rose from the sand, but I still could not do anything other than use those skeletons as shields for my own escape. It was mayhem as I could not see anything due to the dense mist akin to darkness. But, the little snake-like minions chased me, tripped me, and tried to strangle my neck.


    "That ce¡­ Priest¡­ It''s hell! I was somehow able to cross the mountain range and arrive here, on the other side of the mountains. I felt vulnerable there¡­ utterly powerless¡ªI know, I am ashamed of my cowardice."<sub> </sub>


    ''This mad man!'' Sylvester could imagine the whole situation ying out in his head as he tried to put himself in the man''s shoes, as he had experienced a Bloodling before. And the fact that this man came out alive, all alone, when the Bloodling had minions too¡­ It was nothing less than a testament to his prowess.


    In Sylvester''s eyes, he had nothing but admiration for this man. "No, Bishop, you are one of the strongest wizards I''ve known. The thing you survived was not just another creature of the night, but a Bloodling!"


    "A bloodling? I''m afraid I''ve only heard about them, so I don''t know too much. Ah! If I remember correctly, you were involved with one incident before, correct?"


    Sylvester nodded. "I was nine back then and barely survived the encounter. That bloodling¡ªeven Archbishop-ranked clergy died at its hands. Only when the Inquisitor High Lord came could the creature be killed. By the way, may I know if you found this Bloodling inside a cave?"


    "No, it was in the open, in the middle of the mountains¡ªthe deepest valley is its home."


    Sylvester took a sigh of relief hearing that. Since that whole debacle years ago, he had somewhat of a dislike for all kinds of caves. Even if well lit, he would not like to go inside them.


    Bishop Lazark sighed suddenly. "Lord Inquisitor could kill it, so it was impossible for me to kill it?"


    "I don''t know. Maybe you didn''t have the right tools for it. For example, their greatest bane is light magic, and you being a necromancer, it was impossible to do. Like it''s impossible for me to do dark magic."


    The man didn''t feel right to hear him speak about the cave like this. "Don''t tell me you''re going in there.,"


    Sylvester stood up as it was time to go and work. "I won''t¡­ at least not for now. My first duty is to the people, and I will try to heal them as quickly as possible. There has to be a reason why the madness of the mist is affecting the people here since the wind and the water don''t flow in this direction in front of the mountains."


    "You can''t win against it, Priest. The thing is too strong, not to mention you can not see there."


    Sylvester let the healers enter. "Last time I was a child and naive, I didn''t have any ns and went in there ill-prepared. This time, I will be ready with the right things to give that creature hell. Don''t forget, Bishop Lazard, I am also the bard of the lord¡­ for that creature, my light is nothing less than the sharpest sword.


    "Please have a rest here and try to recuperate." Sylvester patted the man''s shoulder. ''You''ll be going with me eventually.''


    Bishop Lazark nodded and saw Sylvester leave in silence. But, a sudden frown came upon his pale face soon after. "Why did I feel the same coldness from him as my old master?"


    ¡­


    Sylvester and the rest then left the healing station to do their work. But as they went, they were confronted by a guard. "Priest, you have been called by Sir Hnd to the fruit district¡ªurgently."


    "What''s the matter? Did something happen?" Sylvester asked, somewhat rxed now as he felt the mysteries were slowly unfurling to him, and he was reaching the end of his assignment. As for the Bloodling, he honestly didn''t have any wish to go there unless absolutely necessary. Instead, he could return to the Holy Land and inform the higher-ups about it.


    "There has been another demon-possessed¡­ a real one."


    "..."


    Sylvester stopped in his path, looked at his own hands, the various lines on his palm, and wondered. ''Which one of you fuckers is responsible for my misery?''


    Meanwhile, behind Sylvester, Felix was doing the same, while Gabriel and Sir Dolorem also looked at their palms but didn''t know what to think.


    Sylvester sighed and walked forward as he looked at the sky. "Is it my luck, or is the world just too crazy?"


    "It''s the profession." Sir Dolorem corrected.


    ''Why? Why couldn''t you adopt me faster, King Hignd¡­ I could have been a rich fat prince right now.''


    Pat!


    Miraj suddenly patted his head with his paws.


    That made Sylvester chuckle. ''Instead, a magical cat adopted me¡ªcan''t reallyin here.''


    ___________________


    400 GT = 1 bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.

 Chapter 109 109. A Trap?

    Sylvester and his team arrived at the designated location. The first thing he asked was, "Does he and the son of Chief know each other?"


    The answer was, as he expected, a yes. And then, the search for the cursed object that allowed the man to be possessed started. They looked all around the house and soon found a little pebble. Yes, a simple pebble was enough to get one open to possession. But, the thing was, such things were extremely rare, and so many being found in one ce was surely not a coincidence.


    The Demon Possessions worked in a pretty simple way. The demons can''t just directly possess anyone. First, they must get the person to break and lose control over their mind. For that, these little cursed keys and pebblese in handy as they slowly corrupt the holder''s mind, making it open to possession.


    The cursed objects try to amplify the negative feelings in one''s mind. So a man who was just thinking about stealing something would not steal for sure. A man wishing to get revenge on someone would now go to the extreme and might kill.


    It was also hard to notice the changes in oneself because of how subtle they are, and before one knows it, they are possessed by a demon, which could range any among ss D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS and X. If you get possessed by a demon above A-ss, you''re basically dead.


    However, it was still unknown why these possessions happened. What do these demons want? And where do theye from? Sylvester was, however, inclined to believe that the higher clergy should know something¡ªthey always do.


    "¡­Demonium terrae, abscede¡­!"


    Theypleted chanting their ritual, and Sylvester, just like before, pulled the demon out and smacked the death out of them with his fist of light. He also tried to talk to it, but this demon just screeched in pain while dying.


    ''How can there be so much of a mess in one town? Is it caused by the Bloodling as well? But I saw no mention of Bloodling being able to bring forth demons.'' Sylvester was trying to remember all the books he had read during his years of training. But the answers were far from any.


    For now, he knew that at least the Schizophrenia was due to the Bloodling. The traumas from the past were being triggered on the already weakened minds and turning them crazy.


    ''Let''s see if my treatment does work.''


    ¡­


    Sylvester sent Sir Dolorem and Gabriel to do their respective tasks of snooping around while he once again appeared in front of the sick in the monastery. Today, he was going to use a magical means to heal their minds, as making a drug like the modern world was impossible for him, even with modern equipment. He was an engineer, not a chemist.


    As far as he knew, the suspected reason Schizophrenia happens is due to an imbnce of some hormones in the mind or injury to the mind. Unfortunately, neither of these could be known with his limited methods.


    So it was all shooting an arrow with a blindfold on. "Everyone, I heard that only half of you had a violent episode since ourst meeting. I hope the counting methods have calmed you down. But today, we shall move toward actual healing.


    "However, all of you must remember that your mental condition is something that shall stay with you forever. All you can do is control it and minimize it. It is like living with an incurable disease, but in your case, it will only get you killed if you allow it."


    Sylvester first called Shane''s mother to himself and made her sit on a chair in front of him. The woman looked much better now with proper food and rest. Her eyes were not red anymore, and she didn''t show much madness.


    "The building block of life in this world is called Srium. The particle that gives power to a knight or a wizard¡­ and me the ability to connect to Solis. Every person, animal, or insect has Srium in them, but it''s a matter of quantity. The more the amount, the more chances they can be great wizards.


    "But, what people don''t know is that Srium can also heal one''s body. And that is what I shall try on you all. Lady Kolt, I shall put my fingers on your temples, don''t react if you feel the warmth." He warned the woman. There was also the head of a certain boy peeking inside the attic hall with interest and excitement.


    "I trust you, my lor¡­ I mean priest."


    Sylvester nodded and started to send light from his fingertips to her head. At the same time, he held Srium Crystals in half-closed fists to send that into her too.


    The sad part was thatmoners were weak for Srium crystals. Amon wizard could simply chew the crystal and take all the energy in it, but ordinary people could die from the sudden surge of the particles.


    So Sylvester had to do it slowly and gradually. Even worse was the fact that he could not even know if his methods were being helpful. Only time would tell the effects.


    "How do you feel? Can you exin?" He asked.


    Lady Kolt, in her somewhat hoarse yet mature voice, answered. "Warmth¡­. A soothing warmth in my mind. It''s as if¡­ I am flying in the warm clouds. My vision has cleared up somehow."


    Sylvester nodded and stopped, not wanting to take any risks by fusing too much srium. "Good, take back your seat and rx. Next, Sir Amrik Lof, pleasee and take a seat."


    He was called the sickest one among all, with frequent violent episodes. So he reckoned the effects of his treatment would be best shown on him.


    "Chonky, if he starts acting up, I need you to smack him," Sylvester ordered in a low voice to his little partner in crime.


    ¡­


    Sir Dolorem''s job was to find out the history of the town, what happened during the Sacking of Sphinx, and above all, why the town was even called Sphinx.


    To solve these mysteries, he went to the library of the monastery. Each one had it, and he was allowed to enter almost all of them byw due to his rank in the church. He was, after all, amander in the Inquisition, an officer.


    However, to his dismay, after arriving at the library, he found out that there was not a single book. It was just an emptyrge room with ckened walls and some bookcases remaining in a destroyed state.


    "Sir Dolorem." Out of nowhere, Archpriest Oliver came.


    ''That was very good timing. Was he following me?'' Sir Dolorem looked back in a suspecting gaze.


    "What happened here? Where are all the books? I''m sure this monastery was also given many precious copies when it was opened."


    Archpriest Oliver made a saddened face, albeit a fake one for Sir Dolorem could see it clearly. "There was a fire outbreak years ago, and it burnt nearly everything. So not many books are remaining anymore. We have sent a letter to the Holy Land to issue more books, however."


    ''Sylvester was right. There is something going on in this town¡ªsomething rted to this man.''


    "In that case, I shall go ahead and inform Priest Sylvester. May the holy light enlighten us!" Sir Dolorem made a proper church salute by folding his hands in a cross over his chest.


    ''Got you!'' But he instantly noticed that the archpriest was flustered by that and tried to mimic his movement, and above all, the salute was wrong.


    The left hand was supposed to be above the right hand. ''There is no way in a thousand years an Archpriest would not know how to salute. Who is this imposter? Should I send a letter to the Inquisition Headquarters of this Kingdom?''


    He didn''t speak further and left to find Sylvester. But on his way, he met Gabriel as well, who was on a mission to meet with the other archpriest, who was quite possibly locked in one room in the basement of the monastery.<sub> </sub>


    "Anything?"


    Gabriel nodded. "He wishes to speak with Sylvester directly."


    "Then let''s find him."


    ¡­


    "Not like this¡­ like this."


    "I am trying to do it like this¡­ but the sound is so bad."


    Sylvester chuckled as he tried to teach Shane how to y the violin after the ss. Even Felix was there, trying to learn and performing even worse than Shane. This was one of the moments that Sylvester tried to cherish by rxing, as all of his other moments were just full of tension.


    Chee¡­ Cheee¡­!


    "Okay, that''s enough, Felix. I know you never had the talent for music in you. Even Shane is better." Sylvester took the violin away from the guy as he was ying it like he was rubbing a de on the strings.


    "Be delicate with the string and try to go with the instincts." Sylvester handed it back to the young boy.


    Shane happily and carefully tried to y the instrument and make various sounds. Sylvester didn''t stop him every other second, as that was counterproductive. He let the boy explore how to y it and make pleasing sounds.


    "Hmph, I can do that too." Felix scoffed.


    Sylvesterughed at him. "Are you seriously feeling jealous of a little boy?"


    Felix folded his arms. "I''m just saying¡­ I can do it too."


    "Shane, does he look jealous?"


    "Very jelly, Priest." Shane blurted.


    Felix stood up abruptly. "Ah, I don''t know why but my hand is itching¡­ as if some brat is calling it to get a nice whooping."


    However, just as Felix was about to hit Shane lightly as a joke, a melodious note from the violin came, a first for the boy. That instantly stopped Felix and made him quit. "Fine, you''re better."


    However, Shane was lost. "How did I do that?"


    Sylvester chuckled and showed him by repeating. "Maybe a guitar would suit you better¡­ it''s easier to learn."


    "What''s that?" The boy asked, starry-eyed.


    "Another musical instrument that can greatly help you impress thedies."


    Shane appeared to be disgusted, however. "No! I will be like you¡­ a big clergy!"


    "Atta boy, now let''s prac-"


    Gabriel arrived just then and informed him that Archpriest Aiden was awaiting him in the basement room.


    Sylvester didn''t waste a moment and went to meet the guy. He took Felix along to make him stand guard at the gate. The ce was dark, however, and it surprised him how a priest could even live there.


    "So, you wished to speak to me?" Sylvester entered the dark, dimly lit room.


    Bam!


    Archpriest first shut the door and faced him. "Birds that are caged dare not spread their wings¡ªfor the doom it brings. There exists a mystery, however, under the foundation of the castle¡ªhidden under the lord''s chapel.


    "One has the key to open and see¡ªbut be hopeful that you can foresee¡ªfor your life I can''t guarantee. Have a good day, priest."


    Archpriest Aiden left after speaking in riddles and leaving Sylvester in confusion. But he had already sensed fear in the archpriest''s mind, clear that he was afraid of talking to him openly.


    So he didn''t stop him.


    ''What does he mean? What key? There is a son¡ª Ah! What''s this? Did he leave this behind?''


    Sylvester noticed a small piece of paper on the floor of the room. It was crumpled and folded tight, left on the way the archpriest went. Sylvester quickly opened it to read, but it contained nothing but one short line.


    That rmed Sylvester quickly. ''Is this a trap?''


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 110 110. Down Under

    The low humming noise of the air passing through various vents to the underground cer of the monastery was menacing to some levels. Sylvester looked around himself and noticed the room didn''t have much to call home. There was merely a bed in a corner, a table and chair, and some books on it.


    The most reassuring thing, however, was the church symbol hanging on the wall near the door. This did show that at least Archpriest Aiden was a believer in Solis. But why was the other archpriest so hateful towards him?


    "Felix,e in." He called his friend, whom he could consider a brother at this point. Over the years, he could only count on Felix to go to any lengths for him. The reasons were plenty, but above all¡ªhe was crazy.


    "Keep an eye on the entrance to the cer. I have a feeling that there is something hidden under the floor. I shall have to look around to find the entrance to it." He requested.


    Felix noticed the seriousness in Sylvester''s gaze, and being a Sanctum Inspector as well. He knew this was time to work, not goof around. "Got it, but don''t go in there like a buffoon and call me."


    "I won''t."


    Sylvester then started looking around. As known, the monastery in the town was not a small one. It had multiple floors and wings of corridors spread around, and that meant that the cer was huge, too, since it held a lot of storage space and also rooms. But how big was it going to be, whatever was underneath it?


    "Chonky, you start looking around too and try to find a keyhole where this thing could fit in. Or maybe some sort of a trap door¡­ or any part of the wall from where you feel the air ising out." He made the furry boy work as well.


    "Aye aye, Maxy."


    Sylvester reckoned the key the archpriest referred to was the key he found from the town''s chief''s son, the one that got him possessed. The key was purified now since he had already killed the demon attached to it, so it was still in his possession.


    He looked around at the various corners, any stone in the wall that seemed out of ce or furniture that had no reason to be there. He looked behind every single thing that blocked the view of the wall or a carpet. There was even an underground well full of water, it was understandable as they were in the desert and water levels were indeed very deep underground.


    But, he could not find anything, and he was slightly frustrated since the ce was too big to see every single inch of every wall. It was impossible.


    ''Is there any type of magic that can help me?'' He wondered and thought hard.


    Runes could help him unlock the doors, but there was no such things that could find the door for him. ''Hmm, I should use the fire magic and see if air hits the fire from any direction.''


    So, he created a small me on the tip of his finger and started moving around close to the cer''s walls. Since it was underground, the entrance could have been at any ce.


    ''If the ce is underground and so nicely kept as a secret, then it does not make sense how the Chief''s son found this key. How did the keye out¡­ or was it outside forever?''


    "Maxy! Look!"


    Hearing Miraj''s voice, Sylvester rushed to see him in another part of the cer. "What happened, Chonk¡­ ah!"


    "Hehe, I found so many bananas." Miraj appeared standing on top of a pile of goods. Sylvester reckoned that this was where the monastery kept its supplies.


    "Chunky, do you want me to get angry? We are working right now, and I told you not to goof around when working." He warned.


    "Work? Ah! The keyhole? Yes, I found it, Maxy. Follow me!"


    Miraj kept a banana in his mouth and started running away. Sylvester followed behind, and soon they came to a dead end. "What''s here?"


    "Here, sit down and look at me," Miraj called him with his paws and showed a crack on the floor where four stones had their edges intersect. The key''s end was shaped like a plus sign with hooks at the end too.


    At one nce, Sylvester felt this was not the ce, and it was a simple joint. But the more he looked at the other parts of the stone floor. He found they didn''t have such cracks. ''No wonder I missed it. Only Chonky, with his low point of view, could have seen it."''


    "Okay, step aside. I will try to put the key in it." He took out the strange but long metal key and inserted it into the gap. At first, he didn''t have many expectations because he couldn''t see any mechanism inside it.


    Click!


    "Does this sound like I earned one more banana?" Miraj cheekily asked.


    Sylvester chuckled and ruffled Miraj''s head. "Yes, one more. But where did the sounde from? The ground has no door, however, something did open up."


    So yet again, their hunt for the location began. This time, however, it didn''t take them long as Sylvester noticed something strange. "Wait, all the water in the well is gone¡­ and there¡­ seems to be a hole at the bottom?"


    He called Felix quickly and told him they were to go inside the well. But the consistently strong knight seemed to have double thoughts about it. He kept looking at the deep dark well that seemed like a hole to hell.


    "No, absolutely not! Look at it, man, it''s so dark and deep, we don''t even know how wide that hole is and where it leads to."


    Sylvester, however, knew he had to go in to see whatever Archpriest was telling him about. And the key was unique. There was no way that it was all for nothing.


    "I have light magic, so we can see everything easily. Besides, I know it''s wide enough¡­ trust me." Sylvester argued.


    "How? Did you go in there?"


    ''Not me, but Chonky did.''


    "I''m going in. You can either follow or stay here and wait for me." Sylvester jumped into the well and soon disappeared into the darkness like a candle diminishing slowly.


    "This guy¡­ now my clothes will get dirty again." Felix sighed and also jumped in. However, soon his loud screams echoed throughout, and also some unholy words left his mouth. "Aaaa¡­ fuck you, Max¡­ fuckingntern¡­ son of a¡­"


    Turns out, at the end of the well was a slimy slide that took them deeper down. For him, it was all darkness as he didn''t have light magic.


    Ssh!<sub> </sub>


    A few secondster, he fell into waist-deep water. But thankfully, it was not all dark anymore as Sylvester was also there with his hand shining bright light all around. At a nce, they realized they were in an underground cave system as the ceiling appeared to be covered in stctites all around. They were as big as horses and houses. They were also covered in algae due to humidity.


    But, the ce was not at all small, as they could not even see the end around them. But the sounds of water and air flowing around linger a hint of fear in their minds.


    "Man, how are we going to get back up?" Felix asked.


    Sylvester was indeed worried about that, but at the same time, they were wizards, and there was nothing to fear. They could always use Earth elements to create a way for themselves.


    "Let''s first look around and worry about returningter. Be careful; however, there could be holes in the ground as I''m sure some of those rocks from the ceiling fall regrly." He warned and started moving in a random direction, with each step being taken with care.


    The water appeared to be ck, however, so there was no way to look at the bottom. ''Ugh, don''t like it¡­ this is a cave.''


    "What if a bloodling is here?" Felix asked.


    Sylvester shrugged. "Then we fight¡­ don''t worry. I came prepared."


    ''The cat on my shoulder is my preparation.'' He thought. Miraj was angered right now, though, as he had fallen into the water as well.


    As they moved around in search of an end to the giant cave, they saw many natural wonders in the form of patterns on the ceiling.


    "How deep underground are we?" Felix wondered.


    "Likely a few dozen meters below, at least. We were already in the basement." Sylvester answered.


    ''Did the people who created the monastery know about this giant cave beforehand?'' He wondered. ''Did the clergy ce that keyhole or was it someone else?''


    "Ah! Look there, Max!" Felix pointed in the opposite direction they were moving in. There appeared to be a dot of light far away in the distance. "Quick, stop using your light magic."


    Sylvester did so and looked¡ªand their jaws dropped. To call the ce beautiful was an understatement as the patterns on the cave ceiling were shining in dim white light¡ªa pure delight for sight.


    He noticed something strange, however. "Let''s go in that direction, Felix. The bright patterns on the ceiling appear to be brighter in that direction."


    So they moved¡ªand kept moving. They did not know how much time had passed, but they could feel they had been walking for a long time, and still, no end was in sight.


    "How in the hell is this ce so big? Does it span the whole town?" Felixined.


    Sylvester didn''t speak. However, he was starting to feel strange all of a sudden. It was like a longsting buzz in his head that kept increasing.


    ''It seems we''re on the right path.''


    "Finally!" Felix eximed.


    Sylvester stopped in his tracks, too, and again used his palm to spread the light magic all around. In front of them appeared to be ruins of a giant gray building structure¡­ likely a castle. But it was in a broken state¡ªcovered in overgrown algae.


    "Keep your sword ready!" He ordered Felix.


    They then proceeded closer to the giant structure that seemed to touch the ceiling as well. ''It seems the structure was etched into the ground instead of being built with pieces.''


    Sylvester kept his spear in his right hand, prepared to defend against anything that maye his way since the existence of a structure meant someone used to live there.


    There was no door to the entrance, just an arch into the giant walls. They entered carefully and looked around.


    Crunch!


    "Ugh¡­ did I step on something?" Felix looked down in disgust.


    Sylvester knelt, however. "A skull? It does not appear to be of a human."


    The skull appeared strange with horns and an elongated jaw, but Sylvester was reminded of the simr skulls he had seen some months ago.


    "Let''s look around more." Sylvester had a hunch about where he was, but he needed more proof. To find it, he decided to go near the walls of the building that were giving him a buzzing sound in the head. And sure enough, he noticed something etched on it. "The same crescent moon as the ruins we found in the Vine Forest¡ªwhat does it mean?"


    "Max! Whatnguage is this?" Felix eximed from a few meters away, staring at a wall with the help of a light crystal.


    Sylvester rushed and took a nce. There were some etched letters on the walls. They were big and deep enough to have survived the corrosion of time. But they were shocking nheless, as he had only seen them once in his school days.


    "This is¡­ the Elder tongue!"


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 111 111. Its Party Time

    "Can you read it?" Felix asked.


    ''I wish I could.'' Sylvester sighed and denied it. "Nobody knows how to read thisnguage, Felix. The fact that we even found its proof is shocking enough. But¡­ Why is this here? Did the people who used thisnguage live underground?"


    "Just imagine somehow learning thisnguage. I heard Elder tongue had a superior magic effect. You could be the Pope in an instant." Felix started to procrastinate right there.


    Sylvester scoffed. "You''re in the race to be the Pope too, pal."


    "Pfft¡­ are you serious? I am smashing the first chick I feel connected with. I have no interest in being a lifelong virgin. You can take that burden happily if you want." Felix''s n was already clear. It had always been.


    Sylvester didn''t reply quickly, however. "I don''t know, bing the Pope feels like a hassle. I won''t be able to live for myself then¡­ will be surrounded by bootlickers. I''m pretty happy as I am right now."


    "I can understand. My brother says the same, he used to wish to be the Count of Sandwall before and take charge from our father, and now that he is taking charge, heins that it destroyed his life¡ªI guess some things are only meant to be admired from afar."


    "Let''s look around and end this little excursion of ours. We still have not found out why that archpriest told us toe here. I''m sure he did not know what exists here underground, so something must have happened above rted to this ce." Sylvester got back to work and looked around left and right.


    There were various engravings of the crescent moon and the elder tongue. But it was all useless for them. Other than that, there were skulls of strange beings too. ''I should at least try and write all these words down.''


    So he started copying everything on a few parchments thanks to the grace of Lord Miraj.


    As he slowly walked from one wall to another, he soon found something new. This time, the words etched were recognizable.


    ''What''s this doing here? First the tree, and now it''s here!'' Sylvester stared at the wall.


    [''There is to see farther than our eyes can¡ªso seek where it all began'' ¨C Luther was here.]


    Sylvester didn''t even know how shocked he should be by this. ''Was the first Pope here too? Why? Was he looking for the elder tongue? And what''s this riddle?''


    He felt now it was even more important to note down all these elder tongue words as they maye in handy in the future. It also became apparent that the first Pope was a far more important character in history than the books told. There was something going on behind the scenes¡­something that either the church does not know, or they try to hide.


    On another thought, he remembers the mention of the First Pope was limited in the books, and only the legends and stories of him founding the church were told. It was never revealed how he lived and his ideologies, like other Popes in history.


    Even the books on the man were limited, making the first Pope somewhat of a legendary being than a Pope.


    "Max! I found them! That damn archpriest Oliver is fake!" Felix shouted from a distance.


    Sylvester made his way quickly and found Felix standing beside five whole skeletons, the most important part being they all were wearing clergymen''s clothes. One of them was in an archpriest''s attire, and the rest were simple priests. And besides their skeletons, on the floor, something was written with dried, ckened blood. ''They threw us in the well! Oliver Weston, Gustav, Mormon, Hensley, Charles.''


    "Ah! So that''s what happened!" Sylvester eximed and rubbed his chin. "These men likely died from hunger after walking around indefinitely and eventually reached these ruins."


    Felix was angry, however. "The Archpriest Oliver above killed them? Why? Why would a townmit heresy and risk being wiped out by the Inquisitors?"


    "I don''t know¡ªbut we shall soon find out. Let''s leave this ce now, Felix." Sylvester packed all the remains of the clergymen and headed out of the ruins.


    "How are we going to return? That little ce we fell out of is too small, can we even find it?" Felix worriedly asked.


    Sylvester smirked and nodded at the cat on his shoulder. In an instant, Miraj started to point his paws in a certain direction. "Just follow me."


    It took them as much time to return as it took them to reach the ruins. Thanks to Chonky''s sensitive nose and the bunch of food and banana Sylvester left behind, it was easy to find a way.


    Eventually, they arrived at the little hole in the ceiling of the cave. The way back up was going to be tough but not impossible. "Let''s use Earth magic."


    Sylvester and Felix both created tall steps for themselves that got them to reach the hole in the ceiling. Then, they started creating small protruding rocks in the tunnel they fell out of so they could hold them and climb their way up.


    It was not easy, but since both of them were young and strong Knights too, physical exertion was nothing. They remained calm and silent the whole way back, however. Sylvester was deep in thought about the first Pope. He felt like looking for more details rted to the man may answer some important questions for him.


    At the same time, this assignment that started as something normal had taken the shape of something too immense. Madness, Demons, Bloodlings, Pope FIrst, and now this heresy. Things kept escting, he felt.


    Slowly, they arrived at the top and jumped out of the well. Then Sylvester used the same key to lock the hidden door again and filled the well with water.


    "Crazy how there exists a totally new world underneath this little well," Felix muttered.


    "We saw nothing. We went nowhere. Don''t speak of this to anyone unless we find out what''s going on in this town. Got it?"


    ¡­


    "Where are Felix and Sylvester? Did you see them?" Gabriel was looking around for his friends who had gone missing hours ago.


    Sir Dolorem felt worried as well since they could not find him anywhere in the monastery. "They''re not healing the patients either."


    "Did something happen to him? Did they take him somewhere?" Gabriel thought about the worst-case scenario and was one step away from contacting the local Inquisitors toe and take charge.


    Bam!


    "Ahaha¡­ who knew the girls were so feisty in this town!" Felix suddenly arrived, appearing to havee from outside the monastery.


    "Where were you?" Sir Dolorem questioned.


    Felix embarrassingly rubbed his hair. "Hah, I was just¡­ you know¡­ sightseeing. What about you two? Why the long faces?"


    "We were looking for Sylvester. Was he with you?" Gabriel inquired.


    Felix nodded. "Oh, he''s looking around and finding more people suffering from that brain disease. He''ll be back soon, don''t worry. Come, a kinddy gifted me some fruits. Let''s eat."


    Felix knew he had to make some nonsense and keep the two carefree about Sylvester, so he kept babbling and entertaining them.<sub> </sub>


    Sir Dolorem was not satisfied, however. "It''s not good to leave him alone, Priest Felix¡ªconsidering his luck."


    ''Come on, bald old man, just sit here already.'' Felix was tired and frustrated. "He will be back¡­ trust me."


    "Felix¡­ what are you hiding?" Gabriel quickly caught onto it.


    ''Fuck!''


    "Nothing¡­ ah, this fruit is so tasty."


    "Sir Dolorem! I will hold his arms. You hold his leg." Gabriel jumped all of a sudden.


    Bam!


    "I won''t go down so easily, boy!" Felix brawled back.


    "I''m too old for this." Sir Dolorem stayed by the side and¡­


    Crunch!


    He took a bite of the apple. "Indeed, the fruits are good."


    Instantly the two boys stopped and looked at the man''s face awkwardly. Clearly, they yed themselves this time.


    ¡­


    Chief Kennard''s Mansion


    Bam!


    "We finally had the monastery under control, and now these so-called priests have appeared. This is madness¡ªwe have to take care of them before it bes too much."


    "Calm down, Chief." Archpriest Oliver spoke. "I know it''s frustrating and honestly annoying to be constantly on the lookout. But we need to be careful, lest they get a whiff of this, and we attract the ire of the Holy Land."


    Thu!


    Chief Kennard spat on the side. "Those sun-fuckers, they were useless then, and they are useless now. That Bard¡­ or whatever, he says the mental illness is spreading because of what happened fifteen years ago? It was them! We suffered because of them!"


    Sir Hnd was in the room as well, sitting in a distant seat by the table. "Chief, we have a bigger problem now. The Necromancer is a high-ranking Bishop¡­ he may have more power than even the Priest, and if he finds out¡­ we will join his army of undead."


    "They are the same!" Archpriest Oliver muttered. "They are all likely Sanctum Inspectors¡­ that''s what they are called. We can not mess this up, or it will be the end."


    "What about the trouble in the mountains?" Sir Hnd asked.


    Chief Kennard folded his arms and scoffed. "We have money. We can hire a Legendary-ranked party from the guild. They should be good enough to handle whatever demon resides there. What I''m saying is clear, we need these priests out of town as soon as possible!"


    "That blonde priest is missing as of now. I heard his partners calling for him." Archpriest added.


    "Great, he better meet some demon and just die now. The sun-fuckers are not wee in my town¡­ they lost that right years ago, Pollux."


    Sir Hnd, however, was someone who had seen Sylvester''s miracles and was honestly moved by them. "Do we have to kill them? Even if we hate them, they have done more for us than any other. Finally, we''re seeing some progress in treating the people."


    Bam!


    "Look at this." Chief Kennard put a paper on the table. A grin was clear on his face. "That boy is worth a hundred thousand Gold Graces. That much money can easily allow us to not only hire a legendary adventurer party but also save enough to rejuvenate the tradeter¡­ Ah! I need another drink."


    Chief Kennard got up and walked towards the cupboard to take out expensive fine wine while addressing the two partners in crime. "Let''s deal with that Archpriest Aiden as well. He came here from the Holy Land, but, no matter what we give him, his loyalty will always lie to them."


    "B-But¡­ they will send investigators to look¡­ Lord Bard is also God''s Favored." Sir Hnd warned them.


    Drunk in power, Chief Kennard scoffed. "Nothing to fear, Sir, I have everything covered¡­ what can the little blonde man do?"


    He opened the creaking cupboard smilingly, already seeing the money from killing Sylvester. Not knowing, he would soon be turning so cold he''d need a dozen warm stone heaters.


    "Let''s celebrate with the best wine in my- my- my¡­ AAAARGH! W-What are you¡­ N-No¡­ we didn''t mean to sae¡­"


    Thud!


    Chief Kennard fell back on his arse.


    There, inside the cupboard, stood a man with a wide devilish grin and narrowed eyes¡ªnow there was nothing that could save these men from their demise.


    "Sorry, this little blonde man invited himself in¡­ can I have a ss too?"


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 112 112. Raining Gifts

    "So, I''m a sun-fucker? I must say, I have never heard such a word before, but it''s really ingenious. It does make sense." Sylvester stepped out of the cupboard, where he hid for more than an hour for this very moment.


    In an instant, the little meeting room was in an uproar. Sylvester was surprised to see, however, that there was an extra person who had not spoken all the way until now. A woman in a wizard''s robes.


    "Don''t get up. After all, I''m just a lowly priest. But, while at it, why don''t I also chop my head and ce it on your table? That way, you can get that bounty easily¡ªright? Fucking heathens!" In an instant, his face turned from all smiles to fearsome.


    Everyone in the room shuddered in fear, not knowing what might happen next.


    "You killed the previous Archpriest and took his ce? Also, four more priests? What about the monthly funds the monastery receives from the Holy Land? Did you eat them? Wait, let me guess, Chief Kennard is a fat healthy man. It must be in his belly¡ªjust a minute, let me gut him and take it out."


    Sylvester took out a knife from his robes and walked towards Chief Kennard, who was horrified and tried to stand up but fell back each time. His legs had given up in fear.


    "Priest¡­ please hear us first." Sir Hnd spoke quickly, trying to calm the situation. "There is a reason why we hate the Church so much. It''s not you who we hate¡­and that n of bounty killing was of Chief''s."


    Sylvester nodded and took the seat of Chief Kennard. "Speak!"


    Sir Hnd was the only man Sylvester could somewhat respect because the man had acted reasonably previously on his orders. Not only that, he was also against killing him.


    "This is from fifteen years ago. We had just received the news that arge horde of desert cannibals wasing toward the town. We got busy fortifying ourselves and putting defense mechanisms around the walls.


    "We were sure about protecting ourselves, for we had created the walls just for that sake. We had oil, arrows, and spears ready to kill them all. But, when they were about to surround us¡­ the¡­ the Archpriest of the monastery¡ªthat bastard! He and his staff killed the guards and opened the gates to escape with their belongings in a carriage. However¡­ they left the gates open since they could only be closed from inside.


    "By the time we tried to close it, the desert cannibals were entering the town in crowds, killing and burning all they could find. They ransacked homes, r*ped mothers and daughters, yed around by making men run and then hunt them¡­ they ate newborns¡­the horrors are still fresh as if it all happened yesterday."


    ? Sir Hnd took a sip of water and continued. "The men you see in the town are the lucky ones who the cannibals decided to take as ves. All the other old ones and young ones were murdered. While the women¡­ they suffered the worst of fate, for their souls were murdered in the three days the town was upied.


    "But thanks to an adventurer named Jax, we were able to survive even that, as he brought us food and medicines in secrecy. Only when King Hignd arrived did he butcher the cannibals and end their tyranny. But the damage had already been done. We were broken from mind and body. Weter raised our woes with the Church as well, but we were ignored, and our words never reached the Holy Land.


    "All of us here were staunch followers of Solis before¡ªit was you people who destroyed our faith¡ªwe didn''t deserve those three days of hell!"


    Sylvester had never expected it, but today, he saw tears in the eyes of a tall, strong old man. These were real tears of pain and frustration.


    Sylvester sighed and rxed back. "I don''t care."


    "What?" Sir Hnd red.


    "I don''t care if you believe in Solis or not. I can understand why you would fall out of faith. It can happen to anyone. But¡­What you did in that hate is something I cannot ept. You killed five clergymen and still n to kill more. I''m afraid those are crimes you must pay for. As for the Archpriest years ago responsible for breaking the city''s defense. Tell me his name, and you shall have retribution." Sylvester remarked.


    "He''s a bishop now¡­ we know him! His name is Richmond Donaris." Sir Hnd answered.


    Sylvester nodded and took out a small diary-like booklet and wrote down the name on it with a piece of charcoal he kept. "He will be brought to justice. You have my word for it. But in the case here, the fake Archpriest Oliver and Chief Kennard must die for their sins. That''s the holyw of thend."


    "Isn''t that too much? The town''s folks will revolt!" Finally, the woman spoke.


    Sylvester red back. "Do you know what would have happened to this town if you had sessfully harmed me? The Inquisitors would have raged this ce to the ground. No rape, no piging, everything would have been burned down, and all people, regardless of age and gender, would have been killed."


    The four adults in the room gulped some cold air down and looked at each other''s faces. Sylvester stood up and decided to head out. "Decide what you must do. I will keep doing my work¡ªheal the poor who have suffered. But, remember, I cannot lie when I report back to the Holy Land, so you better choose your options wisely.


    "Take care, and may the holy light enlighten your paths."


    There was an eerie silence on the roof after he left. Sir Hnd looked at the fake Archpriest and Chief Kennard in anger as they had brought this upon them. "Happy now? I am calling the Town Council to meet immediately. Until then, you two are to be held under house arrest right here."


    "You have no authority to do such a thing!" Chief Kennard barked, raging in anger.


    Sir Hnd agreed. "I know, but once the Town Council knows why I did it, they will only thank me."


    He walked closer to Chief Kennard. "How could you n to kill him after he saved your son? How does that make us any better from that Archpriest years ago?<sub> </sub>


    "Lady Merisa, let''s go. Your healing talents are wasted on these two."


    The woman, Lady Merisa, nced at Chief Kennard and Fake Archpriest and spoke in disgust. "They say it right, you reap what you sow, so there is no point in crying in sorrow. You wished to kill him, and the tables merely turned, be thankful you''re not going out the church''s way of doing things¡ªburned!"


    ¡­


    Sylvester saw the sun rising slowly in the sky. It was not cloudy today, so the fresh blue sky looked starkly beautiful today. People were walking around him as the Chief''s house was in the best part of the town.


    He looked at the faces of the people, most of them were smiling or were just normal, but he wondered how much pain and suffering they hid beneath it. ''Why does the Church sometimes appear to be the real enemy of mankind to me? It should be the opposite.''


    Still, he was not too harsh on the Church because what happened to the Sphinx Town was the responsibility of the local County''s Archbishop. The fact that he didn''t forward theints puts him in as much sin as the Archpriest, who let the cannibals in. If the one to hear of this transgression was Lord Inquisitor, Pope, or any Guardian of Light, he could imagine instant justice.


    ''I should have their names in my final report. Knowing Saint Wazir reads them, some action will likely be taken.''


    "Ah! Lord Healer! Why are you standing here?" All of a sudden, a womanly voice interrupted his thought.


    Upon looking, he noticed a chubby, middle-aged woman with a face full of smiles. "Yes, do you need any help?"


    "Hehe, no dear¡­ here, take this cheese, I cute it freshly! Thank you for helping the sick." The woman handed him a round block of cheese and just left, humming.


    As absurd as it was, he thanked her and walked away. But, he was again stopped, this time by a tall, muscr man with a beard to envy him for.


    "Haha, Lord Healer, take this¡­ fine Silk cloth. I just finished working on it. It will suit your blonde hair." The man handed him a roll of red silk cloth and walked away happily.


    "..."


    Sylvester was dumbfounded. This was the first time people were being so kind to him in this town. In fact, I was too kind. ''Did I do something too good?''


    "My Lord Healer! Have some fresh fruit. You need all the energy possible for your fabulous work."


    "..."


    "Honey, take some apple pie I made¡­ Thank you for your hard work."


    "..."


    "Are you married, Lord Healer? What do you think about my daughter? She''s ripe fourteen."


    "..."


    This time Sylvester ran as fast as he could, as things were going out of hand. He had no idea what he had done or how so many people knew about him suddenly, but one thing he did know was that fame was not always a good game.


    "My Lord, would you like to sharpen your de? I will do it for free."


    When a cksmith stopped him, Sylvester decided to get to the end of this ruckus. "Thank you, but can you tell me why you are doing this? So many people have given me things."


    "Bwahaha¡­" the old cksmithughed. "You don''t know? My grandson just returned and told me that¡­"


    ___________________


    400 GT = 1 bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 113 113. Scent Of Storm

    [A Morning in the Life of Chonky [Chonky''s POV].]


    I love my little Maxy¡­ so kind and so strong¡­ he''s my son, after all. But he''s smelly, sometimes¡ªstill, I love him.


    Anyway, I wake up every day and peck on Maxy''s cheeks for good luck. Hehe, he does not know it, however. Then I clean myself by licky-licky and then go on the walk. I am a very busy cat, after all.


    I like to make sure Maxy knows what''s happening around him, or if his friends are safe. So first, I go to baldy Sir Dol-Dol. He''s very kind and leaves me tasty food every day in his bag. I then practice drumming on his bald head to see if he''s alive, and when he moves, I leave¡ªhe''s scary sometimes. After that, I go to Gab¡­ but today, I saw another little one¡­ Shane is his name, and he has many more little friends.


    "Friends, I am telling you, Priest Sylvester is a great healer and a fighter. He alone exorcized the demon out of the Chief''s son with ease¡­ he punched and even made the demon cry. And right now, he''s healing the people who were hurt by that demon in the head.


    "He''s the best¡ªI''m telling you. He can destroy any monster with his beautiful light and songs. Look, he also gave me this thing, it''s called a flute¡ªyou want to try it? Sorry, I can''t. Lord Healer said I must care for it like a baby."


    I want that flute too, so I will ask Maxyter. But I like this little human kitten. He says good things about my son¡ªanyway, time to see Gab.


    My duty is to wake Gab up every day, so I go to his room and lick his ear. He giggles and asks me to do more, so I do it and wake him up¡ªHumans are very strange sometimes. But Gab is also very boring¡ªall he does is write letters to his pretty sister and tell her to find a good man for marriage.


    Anyway, time to see my favorite fun time, Felix. He''s strange¡­ I think Maxy needs to treat his head too. But he''s also kind, so it''s alright.


    Ah! He''s ying under his sheets today as well. I wonder why he moves so much. Is he beating something? Or¡­ is there a toy inside there? I''m jelly¡ªI wanna y with the toy too.


    "Meow!"


    If I can''t y, no one shall y, so like always, I spoil his ying time under the sheets¡­ he must y a lot, though¡ªHis face is always sweaty.


    "Oh, for fuck''s sake! Where does this cat sounde from every day?"


    Hehe, that''s what you get for ying alone. Anyway, it''s time to return to Maxy and wake him up.


    [End of a Morning in the life of Chonky.]


    ¡­


    Sylvester called young Shane to his room and interrogated him about the various things he had been sharing with his friends in town. He had received so many gifts in the past few days that it was harder to keep them now.


    "So you''ve been talking about me with others. It hase to my attention that you''ve been exaggerating my feats?" Sylvester asked the boy while he folded his arms and looked at him angrily.


    Shane looked down in some fear. "I-I was just¡­ I didn''t lie¡ªI swear! I was only telling them what you did and what I heard from others. I didn''t see you exorcize the demon, but the guards on the town''s wall told me how you punched the demon in the face. And¡ªAnd you are really treating the sick, so I never lied."


    "You''re good at words, aren''t you? Fine, if you truly wish to be a clergyman, you must pass a test. Here-" Sylvester handed him a booklet. It was not thin. At most, there were fifty pages. "These are the hymns that I have sung over the years. You are to memorize all of them by the time I leave the town, and if you fail, I will not let you be a clergyman."


    Shane''s shoulder fell in fear, but he took the booklet with worship as if it was a treasure. "I will not disappoint you, Priest. I promise¡ªI will go and memorize everything now. Bye!"


    Sylvester chuckled, seeing him run away. ''This kid has too much worship towards him. I''m afraid he''d worship me more than Solis if he became a clergyman.''


    "What do you think, Chonky? Can he do it?" He asked the little friend on his shoulder.


    Chonky shrugged sleepily and yawned. "His brain is small. I don''t think he can."


    "Hah, indeed. I hope he does surprise me, however. It''d be a waste to let his high talents go to waste. Anyway, let''s go now. It''s time to heal the patients."


    ¡­


    The cat was out of the bag. No, it was not about Miraj. The town''s council was called, which involved various essential people in the town. The chief architect, chief carpenter, chief cksmith, weaver, head of agriculture, and all the people with decision-making powers.


    In arge hall, all ten council members sat together and discussed what must be done regarding the situation. It was no news to them that they all hated the church, and nearly everyone knew that Archpriest Oliver was a fake one.


    But what they didn''t know was that Chief Kennard was ready to have the town razed to the ground by plotting the murder of Sylvester.


    "This is grave news. But it seems Lord Bard is not a vile person as that Archpriest was in the past. He knows about our ns and our crimes and yet does nothing. I just earlier saw him walk around to various homes and check on a few people he suspected of carrying the disease." The Chief carpenter spoke, an old man with an arched back.


    Lady Healer agreed as she was in the meeting room earlier. "From what I''ve seen, Lord Bard is a man who can show extreme wrath to those he considers beyond salvation but show love and warmth to innocents and hurt. He is¡ªa true man of faith."


    "Yet this fool Kennard dared tried to harm him. What good is the bounty when we''ll all be hunted like criminals? I call for a vote for dismissal of Chief Kennard¡ªand it''s an aye from me." The Chief cksmith spoke, the same man who tried to sharpen Sylvester''s tools for free earlier to show gratitude.


    "Agreed."


    "Aye."<sub> </sub>


    "Dismiss him."


    "Yes."


    One by one, all members of the council gave their vote, and Chief Kennard was dismissed from his position. The man was also sitting there, but his mouth was tied with a cloth as he was shouting too much earlier.


    Just then, Lady Healer called for something else. "Let''s vote to elect the next Chief of Sphinx Town. I name Sir Hnd, for he was the one to defend our town every time, and he also helped Lord Bard treat the sick."


    The voting process to choose the town chief was never democratic to the point that evenmoners could vote. Because it was universally epted thatmoners could not be trusted with such power, they couldn''t make well-educated decisions and could be easily swayed by rumors. Hence the ability to choose a new chief was always in the hands of a Council.


    "I second this¡ªSir Hnd is a man with a good head over his shoulders."


    "I propose my own name."


    "I vote for Sir Hnd."


    Soon enough, Sir Hnd won by a majority vote of 6 out of eight. The rest of the two members of the council were not allowed to vote.


    Sir Hnd was not a fool and had discussed this whole deal with Lady Healer beforehand. So he took charge quickly. "I shall hold the trial of Kennard and Pollux(Fake Archpriest Oliver). But, I do not wish to anger the clergymen anymore, so I shall first speak with Priest Sylvester about this."


    "What about Archpriest Aiden Silvereye? We have tormented him so much over the years¡­ he will definitely want us razed to the ground." Chief cksmith asked in fear.


    Sir Hnd was of the same idea, sadly. "I will speak with Priest Sylvester about this as well. But in the meantime, I want all of us to help him get this town back on track. The spreading madness must be stopped quickly¡ªor there shall be no Sphinx town left."


    ¡­


    "You called for me, Sylvester?"


    "Yes, Sir Dolorem. I wish to discuss something with you¡ªof importance. By the way, the view from here is magnificent." Sylvester muttered as he looked around from the boundary wall of the town. This time he was at the back-side of the town from where he could look south at the barren mountains in the distance.


    Sir Dolorem nodded and stood beside him. "Yet lurks evil here."


    Agreeing, Sylvester handed a parchment to Sir Dolorem. The old knight read it and couldn''t help but frown. It stated the current tally of demon-possessed and sick. The numbers were jarring, to say the least. Currently, out of seven thousand people in the town, one thousand had died, and three hundred were under treatment by Sylvester, but the scary part was the rate of addition of new cases.


    Just today, one hundred and fifty new cases of mental disorders were reported. Yesterday it was one hundred. The rate of increase was exponential and beyond their capacity to do something.


    "If this goes on, at this rate, I''m afraid there shall be none left in half a month. Not to mention, two more cases of real demon possessions have urred. This is rming, and I''m afraid we must prepare for the worst." Sylvester added, seeming a bit tense about what was toe next.


    Sir Dolorem nced at the mountains in the distance. "Did you send the letter to the Holy Land?"


    Sylvester seemed visibly annoyed by that. "I did, and sadly, we''re stuck here, Sir Dolorem. Since no trader passes through here, I could not use the Running men. I had to send one of the town''s guards. They could not move beyond the Northern Duchy of Riveria as the letter bore my name. I could not write a false name either since no one would take it seriously in the Holy Land.


    "As for the southern route, the guard tried it, but it seems the toxic purple mist has now taken hold of the Desert Road as well. So, in a way, we are cut off."


    Sir Dolorem grunted in frustration. "Why is the administration not dealing with this Riveria matter? The king is openly against you."


    "This is either a test for me, or the Riveria Kingdom has something that the Holy Land is afraid of. Riveria has been the richest kingdom for far too long¡ªwhat are the chances they have a Supreme Wizard among their ranks¡­ and many more Grand Wizards than wemon low ranked folks know?" Sylvester reasoned.


    Rubbing his chin, Sir Dolorem had to agree with this. "It''s possible¡ªfrightful¡ªbut possible."


    Sylvester let go of that matter as he had more things to worry about right now. "Prepare for the worst, Sir Dolorem."


    "We must fight the bloodling?" Sir Dolorem asked, not really a fan since hisst encounter.


    Sylvester looked in the distance; the sun was on the rise. He nodded, letting the wind blow his hair as he closed his eyes. "We tried all means to heal the people, but the town''s current state is irrevocable¡ªso fighting the bloodling might just be inevitable."


    ___________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 114 114. A Shocking Discovery!

    Sylvester decided not to waste any more time and started preparing for the worst immediately. Unfortunately, time and time again, his life has proven that the worst always happens. Even if some miracles appearter, initially, the worst partes and does break you.


    "Are you mad? You won''t survive there, not with your current rank. I''m a Bishop and half-past Master Wizard. I couldn''t even take one strike from that monster."


    Sylvester was with the necromancer clergyman. He had never expected to see a necromancer in service of the god of light. His past world had painted a specific view through various books and entertainment, that dark magic and necromancy equal bad.


    Sylvester was no longer in the mood to joke as the task was too big. "Bishop Lazark, I respect your opinion, you are more experienced than me, but I am more experienced than you in Light magic and fighting a Bloodling. We are stuck here, and down south, the road has been blocked by the mist, and in the north, beyond the Northern Duchy, the brigands are targeting any letter I send.


    "If we try to go to Holy Land personally and bring help, then before we even return, the entire town will be gone, just like the vige you went to investigate. That would mean assignment failure for both of us."


    "How are you nning to fight?" Bishop Lazark asked.


    Sylvester raised his palm and let it shine in bright light. But it was different this time as the light was not just for the sake of it being light, but rather, this was to solidify it and turn it into a sharp little spearhead. "With light, of course¡­ and Bishop, I''m also a Master Wizard."


    "How in the heavens have you solidified the light magic? This is unheard of¡­ maybe one of the Popes could do it but¡­ how?" The man was shocked beyond belief and appeared to have not heard thest words of Sylvester.


    "Death¡ªnear-death experiences, Bishop. Thest time I was caught up with a bloodling to save myself, I came up with this. They don''t lie in the Holy Land when they teach us that pushing oneself often results in improvement¡ªdeath as well, sometimes." Sylvester replied and decided to let the man be in his room. It felt too gloomy for some reason.


    "Meow!"


    However, as Sylvester was about to leave the room, he saw a skeleton¡­ a moving skeleton of a cat. It even had fake cat ears. "How is it making the sound?"


    "Oh, that''s just the advanced level of reanimation spells. Meet Harpy. She used to be my cat. She died, and I brought her back. She has been my one true partner on all my adventures."


    "..."


    Sylvester was out of words. ''Buddy, you need to find some friends fast.''


    "Take care. Tell me if you ever change your mind and decide toe with us to fight that Bloodling." Sylvester bid goodbye and headed out.


    But the necromancer stopped him again. "What''s your Master Wizard level?"


    Sylvester smiled back. "Join me in the fight and find out. See youter."


    ''I''ll make you join anyway by guilt tripping you, crazy man.'' Sylvester, as always, was cooking something up.


    ¡­


    Sylvester wanted to take time off healing people and exorcizing demons to start training for his eventual battle, but he had to take part in the trial of Chief Kennard and Pollux, the fake Archpriest.


    The trial was being held in front of the people, and they would also give the punishment publicly.


    As the new chief of the town, Sir Hnd presided over it and announced the verdict that he had discussed with Sylvester beforehand.


    "People of the Sphinx town, I am regretful and ashamed to reveal the folly that these two havemitted against this town. They single-handedly tried to destroy us all, for their evils knew no bounds. While Chief Kennard was caught trying to kill the only man in town who knew how to heal the mentally ill, Pollux tried to kill his team.


    "Doing so would have brought the full wrath of the Holy Land, the Holy Army, and the Inquisition. Yet, these two wished to go ahead with it¡ªbut it''s the nobility of Lord Bard, the great healer, that he did not hold the town responsible. However, the sinners must be punished¡ªwith the highest possible punishment.


    "May I announce it, Lord Bard?" Sir Hnd asked, but his brows were twitching at that moment. He did not wish to let Sylvester speak here as that would cause doubt regarding authority in people''s minds, but this was a part of the deal he had made with Sylvester.


    For Sylvester, this was the best time to shine some light upon the minds of the town folks and earn some of their worship and loyalty.


    He smiled and showed his palm and sent out bright golden light from the palm, then he started singing, and therge bright halo at the back of the head earned loud awes.


    ?The time is of the essence,


    Yet anytime one can feel the lord''s presence.


    For it resides everywhere and in all.


    He sees our sins, immense or small?


    ?It matters not whether you worship him or not.


    His light gives warmth to even those who forgot.


    And burns the sinners who plot¡ªare caught.


    As per, these here have been brought.


    Merciful¡ªthey shall die, instead of being locked to rot.?


    ?May the holy light enlighten the darkness around.


    May he heal this town''s painful wound.


    In his light, let all be drowned¡ªlet joy be inbound!?


    "AMEN!"


    Heads suddenly turned as one hooded man with a freakishly dark aura and a skeleton of a cat on his shoulder shouted. His eyes appeared to shine in delight and worship, however.


    ''I will never get used to a necromancer being a fanatic for light.'' Sylvester thought as he stopped singing. But he didn''t expect Bishop Lazark''s shout to start a wave.


    "Amen!"


    "May his light enlighten us!"


    ''Good lord, the heathens have been reignited with faith in Solis?'' Sylvester was shocked to see a great many people chanting together.


    "Thank you for your gentle words and great service to the people, Lord Bard." Sir Hnd thanked and proceeded with the punishment. "Kennard Frugson and Pollux Hoff are to be hanged till death. Guards, do the work."


    The town''s border guards quickly came and erected a wooden frame to hang the two men. Then two wooden stools were brought on which they were made to stand. The town didn''t have that many executions as punishment, so they didn''t have any fancy execution stages set.


    "May the lord guide your soul to the right path." Sylvester mumbled loudly.<sub> </sub>


    "Do it!"


    Bam!


    The two stools were pushed away from underneath their feet. It was a hard fall as when the rope tightened around their neck, a snapping sound came, clearly indicating their necks were indeed broken, though it still took some time for them topletely die as their feet kept kicking around desperately for a few more seconds.


    Their eyes bulged out, and blood oozed from their nose, eyes, and ears. Then a few more seconds passed, and they became static, their eyes freezing in ce and turning hazy.


    Sylvester nodded at the newly elected chief, Sir Hnd, and left the ce to start training for something he was desperate to achieve before entering the mountains to kill the Bloodling and freeing the town.


    He got Miraj toe along as the cat was helpful at telling him when he was doing something wrong as per instructions.


    He arrived outside the town''s wall as he needed some privacy. Then in a deste location, he started practicing the same overpowered move he had mistakenly used when he was a month old. The strange beam of light razed everything to the ground in its path and left a cave on the cliffside that it hit¡ªhe still vividly remembered.


    "Chonky, be focused. We''re going to need this if we''re to survive fighting that bloodling, got it?"


    Chonky saluted with his paws. "Aye aye, Maxy. You show, and I see."


    Sylvester nodded and imitated what he did back then. He put his left palm on his chest and extended the other hand towards the barrennd, showing the palm. Then, he started singing hymns, as that was what initiated the attack years ago.


    ?...O''Lord, grant me your sword.


    May it shine bright in the hands of the bard.


    So you shall be more adored¡­?


    Sylvester kept singing whatever came to his mind as he didn''t have to be specific about the situation right now since nobody was listening to him.


    Bzzz!


    "Ah! Maxy, there were sparks!"


    Sylvester''s heart raced as he felt something heavy and warm in his palm. His unconscious mind kept reminding him he only had a week to prepare at most, so he shouted the hymns even more.


    ?...Let this barrennd be the witness,


    Let your light show its bright swiftness.


    I will bring down the heathens,


    You point, and I ensure the burning quickens¡­?


    Buzz!


    Woosh!


    "Yes! Yes!... No! Noooo¡­" Sylvester, at first, got excited to see a streak of light shooting out of his palm very fast. But, at speed it appeared, it also vanished and showed no sign of being destructive. Instead, it was a simple streak of massless light.


    Miraj quickly climbed Sylvester, sat down on his shoulder, and started to pat his head with paws. "Easy, easy¡­ Maxy. You can do it! My old caretaker used to say, ''Where there is hill, there is a cave.'' I know we will find this cave too."


    "..."


    ''Does he mean ''Where there is a will, there is a way''?'' Sylvester wondered and let the cat try to cheer him up as he looked at his palm and wondered what was causing this failure. What was the missing piece they still had not found yet?


    Bam!-Bam!-Bam!


    Bam!-Bam!-Bam!


    Bam!-Bam!-Bam!


    Suddenly, Sylvester heard loud, fast drums three times in three beats. "Well, that was our call. Let''s go, Chonky. They need us."


    Sylvester packed the little items he had and returned to town. There, at the entrance, Sir Dolorem was awaiting him.


    "What happened now?"


    "Another demon possession."


    Sylvester sighed and walked along. This was the fourth Demon Possession in the past few days, and sadly, he couldn''t connect the dots for this matter. ''Does it have something to do with that underground castle?''


    "Aaarrgh! Wraaaa!"


    As they reached the house, Sylvester quickly got busy as the demon had taken over the person, this time a woman. The physical mutation was already in full swing as her skin turned deep gray, her eyes turned red, and three more pairs of eyes emerged underneath the natural ones.


    Thankfully, Gabriel and Felix had already contained the woman inside a rune circle. The bad part was that they didn''t tie her to anything. Sylvester wasn''t scared, however. Instead, he folded his sleeves and prepared to jump in, as his light was basically the best tool for this work. "Did you find the key?"


    Felix nodded and handed him a book. Sylvester, just out of curiosity, opened it and looked. And that left him bewildered, for someone had scribbled strange characters on it. "Sir Dolorem, whatnguage is this?"


    The bald knight took a look and appeared confused. "Never seen it before, Priest."


    Sylvester nced back at the demon in amazement. "Could it be¡ªtheirnguage?"


    ___________________


    [A big thanks to <strong>Justus_Halbach</strong> for Magic Castle. Sorry for thete bonus chapter, was busy setting privileges. There will be two more chapters with the next release as well.]


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.(Each one helps a lot)


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 115 115. Strongest Demon

    Sylvester was interested in this newnguage he saw in the diary. He had seen thenguage of various other species, even the eldernguage, but this one didn''t match any of them. The characters were entirely different from any historical evolution ofnguage too.


    ''Is this what the demons use tomunicate with each other?'' He wondered and decided to try and speak with this demon.


    "Wraaaa!"


    Bam!


    The demon was angered inside the rune circle, trying to break free of the confines. But only Sylvester could go in, and nothing else coulde out unless he wanted to. But, of course, these rune circles were not omnipotent as they could also break open if the demon was too strong.


    "Hold on to this diary. This could be the best way for us to understand the demons in the long run. Whatever is written on it is not gibberish. Look at the patterns and repetitions, I am sure it''s anguage with some meaning. Wait outside, don''t start chanting the exorcism ritual until I tell you to¡ªfirst, I shall try to speak with it." Sylvester ordered his friends.


    Sylvester prepared his fist of light, jumped into the cage-like rune, and started to brawl with the demon immediately.


    Bam!


    Hended the first punch in the face, but he ensured it was not too hard as that would also hurt the woman the demon had possessed. So instead, he let the light do its magic.


    Bam!


    He threw the demon around like a toy, and soon enough, he was sitting on its back, arms and legs locked in the right ces. "What were you writing in that book?"


    The demon, however, only screeched and tried to attack Sylvester. It soon reached a point where he had to use more force and hurt it. "Speak, dammit, I am trying to listen to your wishes¡­ where do youe from? What is your name?"


    "Wraaaa¡­Ror''...ona¡­th¡­ Aaaa¡­!"


    "Ror? What?" Sylvester tried hard to understand, but the screams were too loud.


    ''I can''t wait anymore, or the woman will die.'' He considered safety and started to chant. With that, Gabriel and Felix also started.


    Like all past possessions, the light started to shine on the whole rune circle and slowly focused on the demon. The moment he noticed the demon writhing in pain and trying to leave the body, Sylvester caught it and dragged it out. With that, the effect of light amplified manifolds, and the demons started to wither away.


    "Ror''...onath!"


    Just before the demon died, Sylvester heard itsst words near his ears, and this time they were fully recognizable.


    ''Ror''onath was his name? T-this means the demons are not mindless? But who are they? Where do theye from?''


    Sylvester decided not to divulge this information with his friends, at least not Sir Dolorem and Gabriel, as their minds were too affected by the Church ideology, and they''d never see demons as anything other than demons. As for Felix, he could share it with him, but it was useless since thetter was no expert in such matters.


    ''Bishop Lazark should know more about demons since he''s a necromancer¡­ maybe I should have a vague talk with himter.''


    Sylvester wasn''t doing this for no reason, and he had a motive behind this¡ªa selfish one. He just imagined what effect it would bring on him if he were the one to fix demon possessions around the world. He would likely be named Saint¡ªgetting a lot more perks and, with more perks,es a peaceful life.


    He checked the possessed woman, and after ensuring she was alive, he left with the rest to let the town''s healer get to work.


    "We''re more exorcists at this point than investigators. Perhaps we should have joined Augustus Steel in his department." Sylvester muttered jokingly.


    "There is a big difference, however." Sir Dolorem started. "The Exorcist department deals with various kinds of evil, while we only deal with the demons. They have hundreds of different ways and chants to memories for each kind of evil."


    Felix scoffed. "Which means they are living a better life than us. Man, why did I follow Max and agree to this stupid job?"


    "Indeed, Sanctum Inspectors have it worse. Too much traveling, risk, and work. But, the benefits outweigh everything. Since your pay is higher, you will get promotions faster, and also, it will reflect well on your record as you''re supposed to be God''s Favored candidates." Sir Dolorem said, trying to cheer him up.


    Felix shrugged. "As I said, I am not interested in being a clergyman. One day, I will find a beauty, get married, and then pop a few dozen kids with my strong blood and raise an army of strongds anddies."


    Sylvester couldn''t help but chuckle, remembering what Miraj had told him in the morning that day. "Well, pal, by the record you''re going, the only thing seeing your offspring will be your bedsheets."


    "What do you mean?" Felix appeared confused.


    Sylvester smirked. "Hard work and sweat go hand in hand, right Felix? I think you know what I mean with all that?"


    "..."


    "Fuuu¡­ Were you the one making all those cat noises all these days?" Felix barked.


    Sylvester shrugged, feigning ignorance. "What cat? All I know is that you are one hard worker, Felix."


    "What are you two talking about?" Gabriel finally asked. Sir Dolorem nodded at the side too.


    Sylvester decided to exin in a few rhyming words, akin to his hymns.


    ?The boy we thought was naive


    Turned out to be more than just alive


    He suddenly spends more time to bathe


    His actions might just be against the faith.?


    ?He works hard under the sheets all night and day.


    Ensuring that his actions are not on disy.


    But the stains of sweat and the white snakes,


    So clear they appear, there can be no mistakes.?<sub> </sub>


    ?The boy has grown up and has be a man.


    Young degenerate he may be, but he has merely begun.?


    Like a lightbulb lit in Gabriel''s mind, he eximed loudly. "Ah! Felix is a wanker?"


    Felix was fuming. "How the hell do you know all that about me? And I only practice ensuring my tool works for the long night."


    Sylvester shook his head at the shenanigans. "No amount of practice will prepare you for that night, pal. Le-"


    He suddenly stopped speaking midway as a terrifying possibility rose in his mind, one that could be true, for he had faced it too. "What if¡­ the white snakes in our balls are people waiting to be born? What if people die and they turn into a white snake too? And wait to be born?"


    Felix and Gabriel heard him and looked towards their crotch in wonder.


    "Am I a genocidal maniac?" Felix wondered.


    Sir Doloremughed, however. "Don''t overthink. There is nothing that proves such a thing. The Church even has a silent rule not to touch oneself, but nobody cares since it''s impossible to enforce."


    However, Sylvester was far too serious because his journey also started as a little white snake. He silently wondered a great many things. ''Is there a grown man inside me¡­ fighting for his freedom¡­ no! This can''t be! But¡­ why can''t it be? Oh¡­ how will I ever sleep now?''


    "I have work to do. I will see youter." Sylvester decided he needed to go and get to work to remove his mind from this possibility.


    Right away, he went to find the necromancer to see if he knew anything about the demons.


    "Bishop, do they have horns too?"


    As Sylvester entered the room, he found Shane was also sitting on a chair beside the necromancer''s table. While Shane read the booklet he gave, the man worked on a rat skeleton.


    "What are you doing here, kid?" Sylvester didn''t like seeing a young child in that dark, gloomy room.


    Shane showed a thumbs up. "I memorized ten hymns already, Priest. I was singing them to the Bishop. He said I am talented¡­ and he told me about demons."


    "They look like a mix of animals and humans, bizarre and ugly. Now, hurry out and read outside in the light; I have something important to discuss with the Bishop."


    "Okie!" Shane jumped off his seat and ran away quickly. And before he shut the door close, he reminded Sylvester. "I will memorize all of them, Priest¡­ don''t break your promise."


    "I won''t. Now move along."


    "What promise?" Bishop Lazark inquired with interest.


    Sighing, Sylvester took the seat and looked around at the table. It was a mess with organs of animals sttered everywhere. "He wishes to be a clergyman."


    The necromancer nodded in approval. "He''d make a fine young priest. So, what does Lord Bard need from me? I hope you''re not here to convince me to join you."


    Sylvester chuckled as he took out the book he found from the possessed. He then opened one page and showed it. "Do you know whatnguage this is?"


    He tried to see how the man would react while keeping his senses high. If there were any surprise reaction, that would mean he''d know something.


    But sadly, there was no reaction. So he asked something else while putting the book away. "Tell me, have you heard that demons have names?"


    "Of course!" Bishop Lazark eximed. "They all have names, but it''s just too hard to know, and even those we know are kept in utmost secrecy to ensure that people don''t start worshiping one. If I remember correctly, the strongest demon in history was Tut''Makht, The Absorber."


    Suddenly, Bishop Lazark looked around as if scared and then lowered his voice. "It''s not known to all, and you will ess these advanced books once you be a Bishop.


    "It''s written that to kill this demon, nearly four thousand years ago, the ninth Pope, Alexander Maxim Cosmo, the Eternal¡ªgave his life alongside five Guardians of Light in a Soul Sacrifice Seal ritual. They all had to kill the demon by trapping him into their souls little by little and then killing themselves.


    "This was the point when the Church became weak, and infighting started with two hundred poison attempts on the next Pope, Varus Da Sntia, the cursed. It took ten more Popes and over a thousand years for Pope Atrox, the mad, toe and stabilize everything.


    "So yes, demons are extremely dangerous, and their names are the highest secrets. Did you learn a name?" Bishop Lazark guessed.


    Sylvester nodded and also felt somewhat excited and spooked. First of all, he found out that he needed to be a Bishop to learn more intricate things¡ªreal history. And second, the demons can sometimes be as powerful if not more than a Pope. But again, Popes also differ in strength.


    "Yes, I did." He responded.


    Bishop Lazark stared into his eyes and warned him. "Only verbally mention the name to Saint Wazir when you return, never write it down, never reveal it to others."


    Sylvester could smell the scent of some fear, albeit faint. ''The Church is this serious about names?''


    "Do bloodlings also have names?" Sylvester asked for more.


    Sadly, this time he was disappointed. "Never heard of such before, but again, there has never been a sentient bloodling in history. But, if they have one, it''d be a boon to kill them as knowing a name makes it easier to exorcize and trap evil."


    Satisfied, Sylvester got up. "Thank you for the lesson, Bishop. See youter."


    He headed to his room next, as he needed to prepare for the uing battle. As for this demon book, he''d have to research it slowly¡ªhe reckoned that maybe one day he could talk with the demons.


    ''It''s time to use Chonky bank again and prepare to make some light crystal weapons¡­ I wonder how many I have.''


    ___________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 116 116. A Threat

    "Chonky, give me bags¡ªtwo number nine, a number six, a number seven, and two number forty-five."


    "Aye aye Maxy! Uwaaa¡­ Uwaaa¡­"


    And there, the cute furry white cat started to vomit wholeheartedly. He was getting better at using his ability, but he still made weird noises due to the feeling of vomiting. Sylvester honestly didn''t feel good seeing his good friend suffering like this, but he had no choice but to gently pat the back of the cat.


    Thud! Thud! Thud!


    Soon, one after another, six jute bags fell out of Chonky''s mouth in front of Sylvester. These bags contained the necessary things Sylvester needed to defeat the bloodling. They would be his backup n if he failed to master his move.


    But, using this many resources to kill one bloodling also brought tears of blood to his eyes. The six bags contained items worth more than fifty times his yearly sry, which was twenty Gold Graces a month.


    The bags contained things such as Light Crystals, Fire Crystals, Exploding Crystals, and some Srium Crystals, thest being the most expensive. But, everything was necessary.


    "Alright, let''s see if my theory can work." Sylvester started working on a mechanism, a simple yet wonderful thing. If he seeds, he could amplify the effects of light and fire crystals to manifolds.


    The n was simple. What is the basic unit of magic? Srium. What powers magic? Srium. So, if one needs to make any kind of magic stronger, they just need to add more srium. Hence, he was typing to make a contraption of three crystals in which the first one to break apart would be the Srium Crystal, and then the fire crystals would erupt and with that the light crystal.


    When the final explosion happens, it will be much bigger and include a much brighter holy light that would hurt the dark creatures. But he needed to work on how to time everything perfectly.


    Two days had passed, and the rate at which madness was increasing spread, already reaching 200 per day. He had to act sooner rather thanter.


    ¡­


    Year 5116 of the lord was not kind to all.


    Especially not in the southern region of East Sol. With death and destruction raging through the Sorrow Kingdom because of the war waged by the Grand Duke of the Patch, tens of thousands ofmoners started fleeing in any way possible. Since the Great Barrier mountains blocked the East, all they could do was go north throughnd or river.


    So, the Hignd Kingdom became a hotspot for this incursion. But, sadly, the people who wished to go further north were now stuck as Riveria Kingdom''s border was closed with the long and tall boundary called The Rich Wall.


    The Hignd Kingdom became the center of the refugee crisis, with new tent cities erected everywhere, disease spreading rampantly, and crime and exploitation increasing at an unprecedented rate.


    But, the worst fate awaited those who took the Desert Road north, for the mountains that lie in the way were not the same anymore¡ªawaited for them there was a fate worse than war!


    ¡­


    "May the holy light enlighten your morning, dear."


    "You too."


    Such greetings were rare in the town, but this was much better than there being no such greetings. The effect of Sylvester''s bard work was immense, even if he didn''t wish to acknowledge it.


    The people who had lost all their faith in the Church and Solis were now returning to the embrace of the light. They once again hung the Church symbol in their homes or shops to show that they worshiped the lord.


    Even when their close ones were still falling sick, they felt confident in Sylvester that he would cure them because up until now, he had done a great job. Over the two weeks that Sylvester had spent there, his actions had truly gained the people''s trust as he never asked for anything in return¡ªno money or favors. So Sylvester was a breath of fresh air formoners, who were used to seeing the world as a ce filled with sick nobles and corrupt men with power.


    In the town, currently, a man was walking around in his overlyrge robes and an aura that made people walk away from him. But the thing was, kids don''t really run away from him since they have the danger sense of a deer.


    So, on his way, he got a lot of greetings from children, who respectfully spoke to him.


    "Good morning, Bishop."


    "Have a good day, Bishop."


    "Thanks for helping us, Lord Bishop!"


    Then eventually, the man heard a few kids talking about how cool the Bishop was because he could bring back the dead and make them dance to his whims.


    At that moment, that man felt something he had never felt before. It was a sense of pride for his work and a sense of fulfillment that what he does actually makes a change.


    "Harpy, my little friend, it seems Necromancers are no longer seen as that bad. What a great time to be alive¡­ Ah, I must go and talk to Priest Sylvester."


    Bishop Lazark Kul Mizar, the Sanctum Inspector, was a simple man who wanted nothing from life but just some praise for his work¡ªfor existing. It made him so happy that he felt he was no longer a dark wizard but a light wizard. For the first time in months, he enjoyed the light of the rising sun.


    He wasst seen walking fast toward the Monastery. And a few faces had smirks over them when they saw that.


    Once the man had disappeared from the streets and entered the Monastery, a young red-haired little boy came out of the shadows of a small alley and went to the kids who were talking about how great the necromancy was.


    "As decided, here are five muds and candy."


    "Hehe, pleasure helping you, Shane. If you ever need us again, tell us." Then, the kids left, walking to the market district to get some snacks with their new easy money.


    Shane just had a satisfied smile on his face. ''I hope I didn''t disappoint Priest Sylvester.''<sub> </sub>


    ¡­


    He did not, as Bishop Lazar soon came to meet Sylvester and took a seat in front of him, discussing with him ways they could kill that Bloodling thing and save the town.


    "This is really amazing, Priest¡­ but where did you find all these crystals? These must have cost a fortune."


    Sylvester shrugged. "I have my ways. What matters is that now we have some viable weapons that can harm that creature. Even those who don''t have light magic can now harm that thing¡ªeven you¡ªBishop. I''m d you changed your mind and decided toe along. What made that happen, if you don''t mind telling me."


    Bishop Lazark sighed and looked out of the window at the sky. "Sometimes, we just have a calling from the bottom of the heart telling us that this is the right thing to do."


    ''Don''t mention it.''


    Sylvester nodded with all seriousness. "Then, let''s talk about the n. I was hoping you could tell me everything you can about that thing, all the details, even minor ones. You talked about the Bloodling having minions. Can you describe them?"


    Bishop Lazark started quickly. "They are annoying and too many. Their strength is in their numbers. Individually, they are weak and can be easily taken out with fire. They seemed like meter-long snakes but were as thin as a hairsbreadth. Their mouths, however, are hideous as they have no eyes but just a mouth covering their whole front. It stays open and shows lines of sharp teeth. Once it sticks to your skin, it starts sucking your blood, and the only way to get it off is by ripping away your flesh."


    Sylvester noted everything down. "I believe the light crystals should help us deal with them. How many undead can you raise, Bishop? And what are the strongest ones?"


    "There is technically no limit. As long as the srium in my bodysts, I can keep going. As for their strength, it depends on the state of the corpse. If it''s a skeleton, then I can reinforce my magic on them and turn them into Elder Skeletons and even King Skeletons. If the corpse is with flesh, I can turn them into superhuman beings with speed. King Zombies can even cast their own simple spells." Bishop Lazark exined the basics.


    ''So the necromancy is only restricted by the magic one can hold and their control? Interesting and very powerful. Has there ever been a Supreme Wizard Necromancer?'' Sylvester wondered in silence.


    "What if I provide you with Srium crystals? I won''t need the undead to fight but to be our shields when the Bloodling attacks. From what I know, they be crazy when hurt, so let''s expect the same here."


    Bishop Lazark thought about it seriously and nodded. "I should be able to."


    "Great! Prepare for departure in two days, and if you need something, just ask me, and I will try to get it for you. I shall leave you to it then." Sylvester didn''t tell him much so as not to spook the man.


    He silently went to Sir Dolorem and showed a thumbs up. After that, all they had to do was prepare and make a move as quickly as possible.


    ''I should check up on the patients. Shane''s mother has been healed nearlypletely already, as long as she keeps practising¡­ but it won''t go away unless that bloodling is killed.''


    Still, he was happy because he could finally see an ending near this saga of a mission.


    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!


    However, how could his day be normal without something happening? Just when he thought about going to sleep as the sun was reaching its peak, loud sounds of the war drums resounded from the town''s border wall.


    ''How in the hell is a deste town being attacked so often?'' Sylvester grunted and made his way to the walls quickly.


    On his way, he saw the rest as well and joined along. They soon climbed the stairs and looked down at the other side.


    "It''s a big one this time."


    "Yeah¡ªI think they all joined hands together."


    Sylvester heard the guards talking with each other without much fear in their voices, albeit there was a huge crowd on the other side.


    "What''s going on here?" Sylvester questioned them.


    "Lord Bard! It''s nothing. No need to worry. This happens every month. They are just a bunch of bandit groups. They used to attack us every other month, but they all joined hands this time and came as one. However, they can''t climb the walls, so don''t worry." One of the guards assured him.


    The other one also added. "Yes, they are refugees from the Sorrow Kingdom. Since they have nowhere to go and nothing to eat here, they are turning into brigands. Moreover, they have no knights or wizards since all of them had the money to migrate further north and join the service of some lord."


    Bam!


    Just then, an arrow came flying out of nowhere and nted itself into the wall beside one of the guards. It appeared to have a paper tied to it.


    "A message?" Sylvester took it and read it aloud. "Give us food, or we all stay here, die slowly, spread disease, and then turn into creatures of the night to haunt you."


    "..."


    Sylvester''s brows creased. "What kind of messed up threat is this?"


    ___________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 117 117. Into The Mountains

    Sylvester was amazed and also pitied the people who had surrounded the city to create a camp around it. It was amazing that these thieves knew they could not climb the wall or break and enter the town. So they just decided tomit suicide in front of the town.


    Soon, all the town''s decision-makers were standing on the boundary wall and looking at the camp of refugees in confusion. The thing was, they had no reason to go out. They had made sure to make the town self-sufficient, and it wasn''t as if the trade was happening on the route anyway.


    "Let them rot." Sir Hnd, the new chief, said.


    <o>,m Sir Dolorem refuted him, however. "As they said, they will indeed die if they stay here. If not from hunger and nightly cold, then by the creatures of the night or some wild desert animals. Then, their corpses will rot and spread disease."</o>


    "This is extortion!" Sir Hnd bellowed.


    Sylvester agreed with that statement, however. This was indeed extortion at the price of one''s own life. But it also meant these people were desperate. "Sir Hnd, can you not spare anything for them? Not even a soup to fill their bellies? I can send a letter to the Cardinal Supreima of thisnd, and due to my rank and profession, he can not ignore the request. Until then, you will have to care for them."


    "Well, we can certainly get some thinned soup for them, but no bread! We don''t know how the future is going to be, and we can not waste our storage. Even the traders don''te here, so we can''t buy more either." Sir Hnd agreed swiftly.


    Sylvester nodded and looked towards the campsite. Then, he made a light blink on his palm and sent the signal. A man trotted close to the wall on a horse soon.


    Sylvester first took a test. "I am Sylvester Maximilian, representative of the Holy Land. State your name, where you''re from, and why you''re here."


    "I am Van Sigurd, my lord¡ªI was a sheep farmer back in the South. I am the leader of this group... We''re just hungry." The man spoke with reverence in his voice.


    Sylvester did feel a hint of worship towards the faith and honesty from him. But he was not stupid enough to open the gates of the town.


    "Sigurd, I shall contact Cardinal Suprima to send relief to all of you. In the meantime, the chief of this town has agreed to provide you withrge containers full of soup. In the meantime, I shall award you 10 Gold Graces that you must use to buy flour to bake bread. Also, you must allow a messenger to be sent out of town towards the Governor''s Keep." Sylvestermanded the men from a position of authority.


    The people were refugees and had no rights in the foreignnd. The only thing protecting them was their belief in Solis, so he was their best bet for a better life.


    "Thank you, my lord! The people here will be forever grateful to you. One little thing¡­ Can you look south from your walls at the Desert road? Arge group of refugees was supposed to arrive here yesterday, but they still have not." Sigurd asked respectfully.


    Hearing this, Sylvester looked at his partners as they knew what must have happened. ''They''re probably dead if they entered the mist."


    He didn''t lie, though, as he felt telling them the truth would scare them to be careful or move further back. "Sigurd, I''m afraid they are not going toe. In the mountains south beside the road, a mighty Dark Creature has taken abode. It kills anything thates its way¡­ so the refugees are either dead, or they have returned."


    ''Great, contorted eyes and a pale face¡­ fear more, young man.''


    "T-Thank you¡­ My Lord. I shall keep an eye out for when you send the soup." The man gloomily turned around to leave.


    "Take this." Sylvester threw a small pouch of money, however. Enough to buy them a lot of flour.


    Once that was done, Sylvester looked at his team and then abruptly announced a decision. "Felix, you will stay in the town just in case they decide to take advantage of our kindness and attack the town."


    "What?! No! I will go with you all to fight that Bloodling." Felix refuted instantly and could do so since he was of the same rank as Sylvester.


    Sylvester had made up his mind, however. "Felix, you are a strength build; your talents are in close-range fighting, not magic. While Sir Dolorem is more experienced in battle than us, Gab has light magic, and Bishop Lazark will create an army of undead as our shields. You can better help here at the moment, and if this mess had not arrived, I would have taken you along. This was the n originally."


    Frustrated¡ªBut Felix couldn''t help but agree. He''d be useless in the mountains as he can''t really fight from a distance that well. His body was his weapon, and that was pointless in front of a creature that wanted to eat him.


    He sighed and looked at the camp of refugees annoyedly. "Fine, but you better bring me a souvenir. I''m gonna rub it in my old mentor''s face back hometer."


    "Hah, I will. Alright then, let''s prepare. Sir Hnd, you know what to do. Do not open the gates under any condition when I''m not here. We will leave from the back walls by lowering down directly." Sylvester ordered the man, a power he had earned after slowly helping the townspeople and earning their trust.


    ¡­


    Two more days passed, and the tally of the dead did not increase, but there were two more demons possessed that Sylvester had to exorcize and 500 more people who fell to Schizophrenia. It was madness, but Sylvester could only wait until his preparations wereplete.


    However, despite his best efforts, he could not learn to use that powerful beam ability no matter how hard he tried, how loud he sang or what position he took. The best he could do was create some stronger light which would definitely help but not kill the thing. Eventually, he had to make a decision to head out, or else everyone would die.


    "Please beat that evil, Lord Bard!"


    "I will pray for you!"


    "Lord Healer! Take these with you¡ªI made them this morning."


    Several townspeople stood at the back walls to see Sylvester, Gabriel, Sir Dolorem, and Bishop Lazark off. There was Lady Merisa, the healer who had concocted some health potions for them that could help stop bleeding.


    Sylvester took it. "Thank you, Lady Merisa."


    "Priest! Wait!"


    Just then, Shane came running, panting as he ran all the way from one end of the town to another. He appeared excited as well and, without waiting, started singing a hymn in a childish nervous voice.


    ?O'' mortal, basking in my warmth.<sub> </sub>


    The time hase to make an oath.


    I shall test your loyalty thenceforth.?


    ?Make the vow here; never will your faith waiver.


    I am him, I am you, I am everywhere.


    I am earth; I am the sky, I am air¡­?


    Sylvester proudly nodded. "Ah, I remembered this one. I was too young back then."


    Shane grinned. "I memorized all of them. When you return, I will sing all of them to you¡ªand I have also taken permission from mum. I have packed my bags to go with you too."


    Sylvester ruffled his hair, feeling somewhat proud of the kid. "You''re one smart fe, Shane. Well, if you sing them to me when I return, then I will take you to the Holy Land and also train you myself."


    "Really?"


    Sylvester had no words to add for this overly enthusiastic kid. Time and time again, he had shown that his worship towards Sylvester was more than fanatics have for Solis. In a way, Sylvester felt he had found the best addition to his little cult now. A boy who would one day be an Arch Wizard.


    "Yes. I made a promise to you, didn''t I? Now go and spend some time with your mother because she is going to miss you when you are gone." Sylvester advised him.


    That, in an instant, turned Shane sad. But soon, he felt Sylvester patting his shoulder. "It''s okay, Shane. To love one''s family and cry for them is not a sign of weakness¡­ instead, it''s a sign of strength for it shows you will do everything to keep them safe¡ªand by that, the world safe."


    "Yes! Thank you, Lord Bard." Shane suddenly jumped in to hug Sylvester. The poor boy could only reach his stomach.


    ''Sweet taste of happiness, the aroma of boiling caramel of excitement and tulips of worship¡­ what a good mix to show one''s devotion to another¡ªI hope this feelingsts forever.''


    Sylvester decided to give him something to cheer him up. So he handed the boy a knife, one that he had won years ago from Sir Baldfreak after beating Romel. "I received this when I was little. Perhaps you can do better with it. Take care of yourself and the monastery for me, Shane¡­ and also that bloke."


    Felix barked with folded arms. "I don''t need a babysitter¡­ I am the babysitter."


    "Hehe, thank you." Shane giggled and moved back, eyes shining. But onest time, just before Sylvester and the rest were being dropped down on the other side of the wall, the boy shouted.


    "Good luck! Beat that monster''s as¡­ I mean¡ªhurt it very badly!"


    "Ahaha¡­" Felix came forward and patted Shane''s head. "Kid, I think we''re both going to get along just fine."


    Sylvester saw it with worry as Felix took the boy along. ''I hope he doesn''t teach him anything wrong.''


    ¡­


    They were dropped on the other side because they didn''t want to reveal to the camp of refugees that the town''s most powerful people were gone. So, instead, they headed towards the mountains in the South from the south wall.


    The dried, barren, and sandy mountains were not too tall and were close. As the four moved closer to it, they smelled a few things in the air already.


    "I suggest we wear the masks I made." Bishop Lazark advised.


    Sylvester nodded and put it on. The thing was made strangely but was simr to the gue doctor from old times. It had enough space to breathe, and with the oval sses near the eyes, it was also easy to see¡ªbut not below, as the long nose got in the way.


    "Keep an eye on your foot as well. If we see any of those snake-like creatures, try to kill them with light magic. If we seed, we move forward, or else we retreat."


    The group slowly made their way into the valleys of the mountains and reached a denser region of toxic purple mist. It was getting harder and harder to see anywhere, but they all used air magic to at least see the ground.


    Sylvester had already recognized the gas mixed in the mist, however. ''Pungent¡ªSulphur Dioxide? It affects the respiratory system, particrly lung function, and can irritate the eyes. It''s no wonder people died here.''


    However, he soon remembered something from his past, a gas that caused so much trauma and PTSD that many veterans went mad. ''Is this in any way simr to Sulfur mustard¡ªMustard Gas?"


    "Everyone! No matter what¡ªDo not take off the mast!" He quickly ordered everyone. However, just then, he remembered Miraj and worriedly looked over his shoulder.


    [A/N: See his current location in parament.]


    ___________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.[Keep ''em Coming!]


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 118 118. Death In Hope

    ''H-How is he not affected?''


    Sylvester looked over his shoulder, and Miraj was fine as always. In fact, he was grooming himself with his tongue. Sylvester was so used to Miraj sitting on his shoulder that sometimes he wouldn''t even realize thetter was there.


    "You good?"


    "Itchy!"


    Sylvester nodded and gave Miraj a potion that would cover his body with a slime-like coating and protect him from natural elements.


    With no worries for the cat, Sylvester and the rest walked forward into the mist. It was all purple everywhere, and since they had decided to start in the morning, the sunlight was making the purple even brighter.


    "This will turnpletely dark once we''re close to the main area." Bishop Lazark warned them as they took every single step carefully.


    Sylvester kept his senses high as he started to feel a constantly increasing scent of death. The extreme bitterness in his mouth and nose didn''t overwhelm him anymore, but it was still a good reminder to him at all times that he could very well die here. Also, it was an excellent indicator of how close to the enemy he was.


    p "We''re on the right path. Everyone, keep the light crystal on your teeth! The moment you feel somethinging close, you break it." Sylvester advised everyone, mainly Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark, since they had no light magic.</anda>


    Sylvester didn''t use light magic at all times either since it was a waste of Srium, and when they were deeper into the valley, they won''t get any sunlight, meaning no new Srium other than from the crystals.


    The only magic they used was to clear the mist from the ground so they could see where they were stepping on, awaiting to be attacked by the snake-like things.


    "Zzzz¡­"


    "They''reing!" Bishop Lazark eximed, alerting the others.


    Sylvester didn''t waste a moment and swung his spear towards the direction they were headed and used one of his knightly moves by initiating the runes on the spear to produce air.


    Woosh!


    In an instant, from Sylvester''s move, the mist in front of them cleared up, showing thend and the oing horde of snakes. And it was more disgusting than what Sylvester had prepared himself for.


    They all seemed gray in color, and as Bishop Lazard said, they had no eyes but just a t mouth at the front that remained open and showcased the rows of ugly sharp teeth. They were as thin as an inch but nearly a meter long.


    Worse, they came in numbers greater than one could count as a horde with no end, a truly scalp-tingling scene that even made Miraj stand on Sylvester''s head in fright.


    "Use light crystals!" Sylvester roared as this was meant to be a test of whether they were going to move on with the mission or retreat.


    As the horde kept closing in, Sylvester and Gabriel used light magic from their own hands. At the same time, Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark threw 2 IED Bombs that Sylvester developed bybining Light, Fire, Exploding, and Srium crystals together with a little mechanism. They knew about their massive destructive powers, but this was a different test.


    "Out!"


    "Out!"


    All of them closed their eyes for a split second, except for Sylvester, as the light didn''t affect him too much anymore. He saw it all clearly with his golden eyes. At first, they seemed worried, but then they cheered with the sound.


    Boom!


    The bombs made contact and exploded simultaneously in a beautiful show of explosion, light, and fire. The mist dispersed due to the shockwaves in arge radius around them, but they waited to see the snakes¡ªwith what fate these bombs condemned them.


    "Ah! It worked marvelously," Bishop Lazark eximed in excitement.


    Sylvester silently nodded, albeit the scene appeared too ugly. There remained the horde of the strange snakes, but now they were either turned into meat paste, or they had lost a significant part of their body. They were just little pieces of meat now.


    "Zzzz¡­"


    "Another wave!" Sir Dolorem blurted.


    Sylvester walked forward this time. "We must not waste these IED bombs on these weak snakes¡ªmy light is enough to burn, let their master learn¡­ we''re here to kill it."


    Sylvester started using simple light magic to create light waves in the direction of the oing snakes. They didn''t even know if it was a snake, however. They simply kept killing them and going forward.


    Sylvester at the front, Gabriel at the back, they formed a closed group that provided enough security from all sides. Sir Dolorem''s job was to guide them to the right path as the horde of the snakes was covering them from all around the deeper they went into the cursednd.


    Bishop Lazark, on the other hand, was tasked with sensing the number of undead he could bring out from the depths of thend and, when the timees, do it.


    "Bishop Lazard, how much further do we have to go in?" Sylvester asked the man as he felt his Srium reserves being wasted on these snakes.


    The bald hairless necromancer had no idea, sadly. "Last time I was here, I was too angsty and wished to only run away. I remember not where I fell and ran."


    "Fine!" Sylvester stopped using Srium altogether, took out an ordinary light crystal, and used that instead. These were a little less effective as they allowed the creatures toe as close as a meter to them, creating a sort of wall all around since the horde of snakes was intertwined into each other¡ªgoing as high as three meters.


    Miraj silently hid inside Sylvester''s light chest te armor and peeked out every now and then. He reckoned even if they couldn''t see him once they caught him, he''d still die.


    However, these lights could not kill the snakes and only worked enough to keep them away, as if the light was the boundary they could not cross. The only sounds being made were the low screeches and the clicks of saliva from the horde.


    "This is bad!" Sir Dolorem cursed suddenly. "Priest Sylvester, the horde is getting too high! They are about to surround us from the top as well."


    Bam!<sub> </sub>


    Suddenly, one of the snakes fell onto them, mainly on Sir Dolorem''s head-covering. Initially, none of them panicked. However, even after Sir Dolorem cut the creature with the knife, its mouth was still attached to the gue-doctor helmet mask.


    "This is bad!" Bishop Lazark muttered suddenly. "The mask was made of leather! These snakes can easily bite it off like the skin."


    Sir Dolorem didn''t panic and pulled the creature off with force, and with that, a small hole appeared on the mask.


    Cough!


    The bald old knight coughed instantly as the mist affected him. Sylvester quickly used his free hand to take out a cotton bandage from his pocket. "Use this! Fill the hole with it, use water to make a paste mud, and seal the hole with it!"


    Bishop Lazark helped Sir Dolorem quickly while Sylvester used his own light magic to make a shield of light above their heads as well. But that soon forced the horde to take them over, surrounding them from all directions.


    Thud!


    "Ugh!"


    Gabriel fell to his knees as the weight of the countless snakes above them was too much for him. Sylvester also felt the weight and decided to do something. "We can''t move anywhere as long as we''re covered. All of you! Kneel down! Gab, when I say, stop using the light crystal!"


    As per hismand, they all knelt. Sylvester then created a second U-shaped light shield all around them. This time it was hardened as it was made of his own magic.


    "Stop!"


    He threw four IED Bombs outside and stopped using the Light crystals from earlier. This, in an instant, made the outeryer of the shield disappear, and the IED bomb fell in the open air to obliterate the horde into pieces.


    "Duck!" Sylvester roared.


    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Four distinct explosions roared so loud they all felt their ears going deaf with a long, constant buzz.


    The blood of the creatures rained down for a second, and the area around them instantly turned clear. But they were already deep enough in the mist that the sky was not visible at all.


    The horde was gone. However, it left behind a ground covered in corpses. Sylvester was quick to start moving towards the direction he felt the scent of deathing from. "Get up!"


    They were jogging to their enemy soon enough, waiting for more snakes to appear and harm them.


    "Ugh¡­ they are here. How many of these are even there? How are they being created?" Sylvester cursed when he noticed another horde slowly covering them from all sides.


    ''I can easily keep killing them all, but wasting my own energy at this stage is foolish as the real enemy is still sitting at the back. I need to be in top condition when facing it.'' Sylvester thought and decided it was time for the Bishop.


    "Summon them, Bishop!"


    "Finally!" Bishop Lazark started to chant something silently as his lips moved. Then he raised his arms sideways and roared. "Rise! Rise, my pawns! Help me as the darkness dawns!..."


    Sylvester did not know if the man had to sing that little hymn, but he didn''t ask as he noticed the ground shaking a little. Then, the vibrations were felt underneath, and soon enough, a hand crawled out of the sandy soil.


    Bam!


    "Grrrroar!"


    "Rise, my children¡­ it''s your duty to rid the world of heathens! Aid me in the bloody battle¡ªfor this enemy, I must tackle."


    Sylvester took notes of the lines, lest they might help him in the future. But he was more interested in seeing the ground, as he saw a hint of some creaturesing out. The entire field around them was covered with hands¡ªwith flesh.


    "Rise! Rise! Rise!" Bishop Lazark boomed at his summons.


    "Grrroar!" they seemed to growl in reply.


    Soon, second hands came out, and then they pulled themselves from the hard grounds. Since they were already dead creatures, the snakes did not affect them other than slowing them down.


    But, soon, when hundreds and thousands of them started toe outpletely, the group frowned as they were not skeletons¡­ not a single one of them was a skeleton, but instead, they appeared fresh human.


    "Why are there so many well-preserved bodies?" Gabriel wondered vocally, a bit disgusted as well since the bodies were riddled with holes¡ªthe work of the snakes, likely.


    Sylvester, however, could imagine what must have happened. "These must be the refugees running from the war in the hope of a better life... They took the Desert Road to reach Sphinx Town¡ªnot knowing here awaited their demise. May the holy light guide their souls to peace. Still, I wonder when they died."


    Bishop Lazark, gloomy, replied. "Some of them¡ªdays¡­ some of them¡ªhours. I can imagine the terror they must have faced¡­ I just hope their end was brought in haste."


    ___________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 119 119. Battle Of Mist I

    Sphinx Town


    The town was working as well as ever. The people came together to cook a lot of soup inrge containers. They could not afford a lot of vegetables or meat, so they just mushed whatever meat and vegetables they could into a paste, put some herbs and spices, and cooked it all. At least it would be edible with the bread the people in the camp were making.


    Felix was helping as well, as the temporary kitchen was set in front of the Monastery, and there was no other priest right now since the two men working for the fake Archpriest were locked in the dungeons.


    "You fool, if you fall in that pot, you''ll die a death worse than my third cousin''s uncle." Felix scolded Shane, the boy wanting to help at all times.


    "What if you fell?" Shane asked curiously.


    Felix scoffed and proudly took away therge spat and sat beside the boiling pot that could probably cook a whole bull in one go. "I am a powerful knight. Such low temperatures can''t hurt me. See this."


    Felix took out a little bit of soup from the pot and drank it right away. "See¡ªI''m as good as ever."


    Shane''s eyes shined as he felt excited about what the future held for him. "I will be like you and Priest Sylvester as well! Do you want to listen to my favorite hymn?"


    Felix''s face fell. "Kid, you''ve sung ten times already. But fine, some entertainment is better than no entertainment."


    Shane coughed and tried to imitate how Sylvester sang.


    ?A mighty man from thend of giant sandwall


    He is the one knight that stands above all


    God has graced him with everything


    He''s a man with a lot of daring.?


    ?Firstes in his glossary¡ªdebauchery


    With light, he may stand¡ªdark he is morally.


    Run¡ªprettydies¡ªrun from his lechery


    Or his lust shall be your en-encephalopathy.?


    "How am I doing, Priest Felix? Do I sound like Priest Sylvester?" Shane innocently asked.


    He didn''t notice the frowning face of the Knight of Sandwall, the temporary preacher of the light. Felix knew who this song was made for. There was no other man nearby from thend of the giant sand wall.


    "Shane, do you know what debauchery means?"


    Shane shook his head. "No, I wanted to ask you that. Also, thest word¡­ what was it?"


    Felix patted Shane''s head. "You little sweetling¡ªyou need not know that. Care to tell me who gave you this hymn?"


    "Oh, Priest Sylvester wrote it down for me yesterday. He said you would be the best judge of it¡­do you also know this hymn?"


    Felix clenched his teeth as veins popped on his head. ''You want it this way, Max? Fine, the game is on then¡­ let''s do it.''


    "Do you want a hymn from me as well?"


    "Yes!" Shane agreed immediately. After all, the more, the merrier.


    So Felix wrote down a hymn in the notebook and handed it back. "Read itter. By the way, you''re writing your own hymns as well?"


    Shane nodded proudly as he embarrassingly smiled. "Of course! I want to be like Priest Sylvester one day¡­ so I need to master the hymns and the violin."


    "Great! Another bard. Put the book away now. It''s time we get the food to those refugees."


    So they all preparedrge metal containers with lids and started to lower them with rope on the other side of the wall. It took a lot of time as there were many people to feed. And since it was nearly afternoon, the heat was bing unbearable.


    PAA!


    However, just then, some warning horns resounded in the vicinity, originating from the camp''s far north side.


    "Fuck! It''s an attack!" Van Sigurd, the head of the refugee camp, cursed as he noticed a rising cloud of desert dust in the distance.


    Felix, however, boomed in excitement as he unsheathed his longsword from the back. "Yes! Finally, something interesting! Sigurt, prepare your men for battle¡ªI will hold them back."


    Felix looked at the people on the wall. "It''s afternoon. Don''t you all have to nap? Go on. I will handle this! Shane, you return to Monastery too, and stay away from the patients!"


    Thud!


    Felix jumped off the town''s wall and grinned ear to ear as he saw the raiders. There were at least a hundred, and most of them were on horses.


    "Booming sh!" He roared the name of his first attack just to catch the attention of the raiders.


    Then Felix waved his swarved horizontally towards the enemies at such speed and magically imbued that when itpleted the arc, it sent out a visible wave of air and a loud sonic boom. The wave of air was a literal arc, sharp as his sword.


    Woosh!


    It effortlessly connected with the enemies at the head''s level. In an instant, two dozen men got beheaded by a single attack from Felix¡ªthis was the power of a man with magic or knightly talents againstmoners.


    Not stopping, Felix jumped six feet into the air and then mmed the de of his sword to the ground while using Earth rune magic.


    Boom!


    The ground split open from where his sword touched and expanded to where the raiders were. This one didn''t kill people, but it scared or tripped a few horses, killing a few and turning them into meat for the refugees.


    The raiders were in total chaos as they noticed their brethren falling or beheaded. It spread panic amongst their ranks.


    Felix was not satisfied, however, and tried to reach the raiders. However, he soon stopped as an angry frown took over his face. "No! Don''t run away! Fight me¡­ please¡­ I''m bored!"


    And by the time Van Sigurd arrived with the ragtag team, Felix was already returning to the town with a dejected look. "Just go and eat your food¡­ I''m going to pray."


    And that''s how the legend of the Mad Sword Felix started in the destends of the Hignd Kingdom.


    ¡­


    However, things were not as cheerful or kind in the valley of toxic mist.


    There were countless zombies around the whole region, some even so far the team could not see them due to the mist. They all still had their clothes, albeit torn from a few ces. Though their eyes appeared dead as there was no light of the living visible, they seemed to not react to anything and just stayed standing.


    What actually shook their hearts more was that there were little kids and babies, too, from little months old to mere toddlers. The little babies who never got to grow enough to walk were still there, on the ground, just wagging their legs and arms while being chewed by the monster snakes.<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester didn''tin as that kept the snakes busy and gave them time to head further into the valley. But one thing was for sure. They were never going to forget the scenes from today.


    However, Sylvester wondered, "Have you seen any scenes worse than this before?"


    Bishop Lazark nodded. "Once, when I was further south, I investigated a powerful necromancer who had killed an entire town of five thousand people and then controlled them as if they were real people. He would lure rich traders in, make the zombies attack them, and take the money. It was¡­ haunting¡­ But the gore here is what makes this worse."


    Cough!


    Sir Dolorem was still coughing from time to time as he spoke. "Let''s try not to be like them¡ªfocus on the path."


    It was not needed, for Sylvester''s senses told them more than their eyes could at this moment. But at least they now had the zombies to attract the snakes away so they could walk deeper into.


    Sylvester was also keeping track of everyone in the group. Their emotions told a lot to him. Sir Dolorem was not scared at all. Instead, he had a sense of hope and anger. While Bishop Lazark seemed excited and disgusted¡­ Only Gabriel was a bit scared and saddened.


    ''How long mu-''


    Just in the middle of his thought, he felt the feeling of death increasing at a maddening pace, and since they had not moved too fast, that only meant one thing. "Prepare for battle! It''sing!"


    Woosh!


    Bam!


    Sylvester was thrown away instantly as something shed with his spear at superior strength. All he noticed was a giant shadow, at least nine feet tall.


    He quickly got to his feet and shouted orders to maintain the battle formation. "Take out your light crystals, hang them around your waist, and start throwing out the explosive crystals! We need to clear out the mist."


    But, sadly, the purple mist only seemed to increase with the arrival of the protagonist of these mountains.


    "Wraaaaa!"


    A deafening scream resounded and echoed through the valley. That alone was enough to sink their brave hearts and question their own sanity.


    "Bishop, keep track of all your zombies. If you sense them getting killed too fast in any one direction, then shout which direction. Gabriel, stand behind me and cover me. Sir Dolorem, please give cover to Bishop with Srium and Light Crystals. Do not stop emitting light! I repeat¡­"


    "NORTH!" Bishop Lazark shouted.


    Sylvester bit his lips and quickly threw two IED bombs towards the north. ''Just get hit already, creature.''


    [Editor''s note: Li-Fi Bombs (Light-Fire) are now IED (Improvised Explosive Device)]


    "Duck!" Sylvester shouted as he felt the feeling of death peaking again. With that, he now knew he had the best sensor to know which direction the bloodling was, albeit it only gave him a second to respond.


    Bishop Lazark asked, appearing to be scared now as he stuttered. "Do you have any ns on how to kill it?"


    "Yes! But for that, we first need to know which direction it''sing from and ce the bombs. I didn''t know this thing would be so fast¡­ but the n remains. First, I will use the Earth element to stop or slow it down." Sylvester replied and prepared to hit with his spear. This was the moment he felt he could have used the ability to control the spear''s length.


    "East!" Bishop Lazark eximed.


    Sylvester was ready this time and instantly threw five IED bombs in that direction.


    Woosh!


    However, the Bloodling still arrived, and this time, something happened as Sylvester felt pain in his bleeding right arm. He looked at it and cursed loudly. "Fuck! It pierced through my armor! And how in the hell did ite from the West instead?"


    They were utterly blind, stuck inside the dome of light they had created inside the dense dark mist. They were eating through their srium reserves like water, and their fight had not even started.


    Cough! Cough!


    "Sir Dolorem!" Sylvester ran to the man while keeping his light, even intensifying it. "It seems your mask is not working properly! Take mine."


    Sylvester, without wasting a moment, took off his mask. Sir Dolorem jumped to his feet in fright, however, angered, too. "You foolish boy! Your life is worth a thousand of mine! Keep your mask to yourself, I will survive."


    Sylvester was honestly touched, but he still took it off. "It''s okay¡ªfor I have a mask that the lord gave me from birth¡ªmy hymns."


    Indeed, as soon as Sylvester took off the mask, a bright halo appeared behind his head, and it acted like a mini filter that didn''t allow any toxin toe closer to his face as it emitted a strange aura. There was something different in the halo than the normal light since this also sometimes gives him a power buff.


    "Wear it!" He shoved the mask at Sir Dolorem and prepared to hunt for this thing, as he felt much more open now with better vision.


    Boom!


    Without wasting a moment, Sylvester threw an IED Bomb in a direction while keeping his spear ready to point towards the iing Bloodling.


    Crunch!


    Sylvester looked down, a snake had somehow gotten there, and he killed it with ease.


    "Wraaaa!"


    Just then, a scream of the Bloodling also resounded in the distance. Sylvester was alerted yet felt ted. He looked to the side and noticed a few more snakes, so he quickly stomped over them.


    "Wreeeeaaa!"


    "Oh!" Sylvester smiled. "Everyone¡­ I don''t know how, but these snakes are somehow connected with that Bloodling, and if we kill them, the Bloodling shouts. So you know what to do."


    However, Sylvester didn''t take into ount the speed of his enemy. "Duck!"


    One did not do it this time.


    "Argh! Holy Solis! Priest¡­ help¡­!"


    Sylvester looked towards Bishop Lazark and noticed the man being taken away by the Bloodling. Unfortunately, it was still very fast to see anything, and by the time they could react, the bloodling had taken off into the mist.


    But Sylvester cursed louder than ever before as he only noticed one thing about the Bloodling that disturbed him to no end¡ªsomething that changed everything about this fight. "Holy fucking Solis! We''re not prepared for this! Fuck!"


    [A/N: Illustration of Demon in next chappy.]


    ___________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.[GIB SOME!]


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 120 120. Battle Of Mist II

    "Did you see it too?" Sylvester asked Sir Dolorem since the man had a great reaction time too.


    And the man nodded nervously, and finally, a hint of fear appeared in his emotions. "We''re not prepared for this¡­not even if all of us were Archpriests."


    "It can bloody fly!" Gabriel was stunned as well.


    Sylvester only saw it briefly but remembered it vividly, the giant wings behind the back of the tall creature. "And this time, it''s also humanoid!"


    "Can we retreat now?" Gabriel gulped.


    Sylvester and Sir Dolorem looked at each other''s faces and shook heads simultaneously. There was no point in returning now, as the whole town would die out before they could make any arrangement to either move them or bring help.


    But, the question was about how they would fight it? And even more important was the fact that Sylvester realized Bishop Lazark was likely alive even now. "The zombies are still alive, so I believe the Bishop is fine. Still, the only way to find him is to get rid of all the mist."


    Sir Dolorem agreed with that. "How are we going to fight it? It can fly."


    While chanting a hymn under his breath, Sylvester thought about how to deal with this matter. The enemy had the high ground, better speed, and visibility, but what did they have? Light.


    "The first goal is to clear the air. We needed better visibility. And since I can also at least step into the air, I am better suited to fight it while you all can support me. But first, you need to create a circle around yourself by cing the light crystals and Srium crystals together." Sylvester plotted as he had already prepared himself to fight the Bloodling all by himself.


    They didn''t waste time and started to fortify themselves. Thankfully, the zombies were still well and kept the snakes away. Those that got too close died this time because the light crystals were being reinforced by the srium crystals, making them powerful enough.


    After making the encirclement around themselves, Sylvester prepared himself by cing some Srium crystals around his body to be activated whenever needed. As for Light Crystals, he didn''t need them.


    "Alright, I will go into the sky now¡­ and try to engage the thing at least. Throw the IED bombs I made whenever you get an opportunity." He instructed them as the head of the mission.


    "How will you fight it?" Gabriel asked in worry.


    Sylvester shrugged. "All these years, I''ve never gone all out¡­ I mean, I went all out for defense, but never for the offense. So let''s try that today."


    He used Light Magic to make hardened tiles in the air to get to a certain height. After reaching ten meters, he stopped and looked around. ''Alright, here goes everything!"


    He took a long breath and spread out his arms. Then, he used the basic spell Sir Dolorem taught him years ago¡­ the first magic he had ever learned¡ªWhirling Storm.


    Woosh!


    He channeled the Air element with the Srium in his body and made ite out of his palms¡ªviolently circting¡ªlike a tornado. As he was going all out, he didn''t hold back anything this time.


    Shhh¡­!


    The air current ranged like no tomorrow. The mist all around started getting sucked into the tornado and thrown into the sky, clearing up the surrounding, at least. The tornados could easily be ranged in Category-5 as they appeared giant and scary to normal eyes, but he ensured to steer them correctly and never made them touch the ground near Sir Dolorem and Gabriel.


    "Two won''t be enough."


    In a show of massive magic, he went ahead to make three more tornadoes and sent them out like his little pets. The five behemoths of air, now mixed with mist, started sweeping the area clear and making it clearer to see¡­ At a look, the darkened barrennd seemed like a dead sea.


    "Ah! It''sing!" Sylvester suddenly felt the scent of death rising in his mind. So he prepared himself by making both his palms shine in the light, as strong as he could¡ªwhich made him impossible to be seen with naked eyes.


    He was like a sun in the mountains, ready to lift off all the deadly dark curtains. He kept his spear ready and chants going, the enemy was creeping closer by milliseconds, and he felt it all.


    "Ha! Another faint?" Sylvester didn''t budge this time and correctly predicted the creature woulde from the east instead of the west as he felt before.


    "Take this!" Sylvester imbued as much magic of light as he could in his magical spear, making the tip of it shine like a shooting star. Then, with explosive strength he could muster, he threw it in the direction.


    Woosh!


    Bam!


    "Wraaaah!"


    Sylvester secretly felt joy as the spear hit the thing. But he didn''t act dumb and quickly pulled the spear back with the ribbon tied to it.


    "Hsss¡­!"


    But it appeared that the effect of the spear was not that much as he felt a presence behind himself. The senses of death and rage in his mind were going berserk¡ªtelling him to run or there will be nothing left.


    Without wasting a moment, he jumped blindly, created a light tile under his feet, and looked back. And there it was, for the first time, he saw the whole creature clearly¡ªmenacingly staring at him with its shining red eyes. It had two pairs of eyes and a fifth vertical eye in the middle of the forehead.


    Sylvester truly felt goosebumps all over his body as the creature''s full extent became apparent, and its body made him frown. The head appeared to have spiky tentacles sprouting out of it, there were giant ten feet wide wings on the back that were constantly spewing the toxic purple mist, the arms seemed to be made of dozens of tentacles, and the torso appeared to be humanoid. However, the torso didn''t seem to be covered in skin. Instead, it had something moving at all times.


    Sylvester focused on it and soon felt his scalp tingle. ''T-They''re¡­ the torso is made of intertwined snakes¡­ all of it!''


    He realized the nature of those snakes finally and why killing them was hurting this thing too. ''This Bloodling is either the creator of those snakes, or all the snakesbined made this one giant Bloodling.''


    But, at another look, the bloodling didn''t have humanoid legs. Instead, there was arge and long tail simr to a snake, with patches of green on it. The whole creature was at least nine or ten feet tall, dwarfing Sylvester.


    [A/N: Check this parament for the image.]


    Woosh!


    Sylvester used his spear to stop the des of air the creature sent his way. But, he was far too underpowered physically and was thrown away.<sub> </sub>


    Thankfully, with his mastery over the light element, he never really fell and made a tile for himself to stay up. He then noticed the spot he had likely hit before. There was nothing since the moving snakes on the thing''s torso reced the injury.


    ''Is the head the only spot to hit it?'' Sylvester wondered.


    Deciding to do everything possible, he started using all elements to his heart''s content, and since fire and light were Bloodling''s bane, he went overboard.


    He turned the original raging tornados of air into fire tornados and sent them all towards the Bloodling. However, thetter was calmly hovering in mid-air and didn''t try to kill Sylvester.


    ''Come on. I''m standing right here.'' Sylvester was waiting for any movement.


    But¡­ he noticed its head turning and looking down towards Sir Dolorem and Gabriel. It became clear the creature wished to deal with them first, as his light was likely more harmful to it. ''Fuck, this thing can think!''


    "You can''t run!"


    Boom!


    Sylvester openly used Earth elements this time, a move called Earth Drops that bombarded the enemy with chunks of earth of varying sizes, but Sylvester also used fire to turn the earth balls into more deadly blows.


    Bam! Bam!


    "Come here. I''m the real hunt!" Sylvester tried to get its attention.


    Boom!


    "Wraaa!" the bloodling cried in pain as all of a sudden Gabriel and Sir Dolorem started throwing IED bombs too, and they were devastating to the snakes on the creature''s torso.


    The bloodling, annoyed, made its arm tentacles release thousands of little snakes towards Sir Dolorem and Gabriel. But, the snakes quickly died as the two men were under the protection of light and Srium crystals.


    Sylvester had nned well for this fight, and all the Bloodling needed to do was fight him, which it appeared to realize as soon as it started flying towards him.


    Sylvester used hardened light this time and made two meters long and five inches thick spears with highly sharp tips¡ªdozens of them. Then, he released them all in one go and started moving towards the Bloodling.


    There was no way it could dodge all the light spears as there were too many. Sylvester was positive that he couldnd a good blow on its head as long as it was slightly distracted.


    But, sadly, Bloodlings were all different, and they could all have unique abilities¡ªcrazier than any can imagine.


    Sylvester stopped running towards the Bloodling as he noticed it was throwing one snake from the gaps in the spears. Once the snake had crossed theing attack, the Bloodling disappeared.


    "Fuck! What was that?" Sylvester cursed seeing this.


    And he was not prepared for what was toe next.


    Woosh!


    Out of nowhere, the Bloodling appeared right in front of him and mmed its huge snake tail on his stomach, hard enough to make him gasp and throw up some water from his stomach¡­ followed by a spray of blood.


    "Argh!"


    Boom!


    Sylvester, shocked and out of breath from the substantial impact on his stomach, was thrown away faster than one could see¡ªan event he couldn''t foresee.


    What did the Bloodling use? Was it magic? Was it space magic? How did it vanish and reappear? How strong was this thing? Sylvester was finally questioning if he could even defeat it, as from the start, he could only inflict scratches on it while he was being mmed around.


    He was thrown so far and fast that he soon disappeared into the purple mist in the distance, even his halo vanished, and the tornadoes of fire and air went berserk.


    Sir Dolorem and Gabriel, who saw it all, were distraught and wanted to chase after Sylvester, but they had a bigger problem as the new target of the creature was them.


    "Quick! Use all the remaining Srium crystals! Only they can stop it!" Sir Dolorem shouted.


    So the two immediately reinforced the light crystals around them with more Srium particles, instantly turning up the intensity of the light magic.


    Bam!


    The Bloodlingnded on the ground and tried to hit the two with its tail, then used des of air from its wings and little snakes. But nothing went through the light shield.


    "How long can we hold on? If the crystals run out of power, it''s the end." Gabriel asked as he saw they had only a few more light crystals left.


    ___________________


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    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 121 121. Wrath Of The Heavens

    "How long can we hold on? If the crystals run out of power, it''s the end." Gabriel asked.


    Sir Doloem and Gabriel were worried for Sylvester and also for their own safety. They weren''t strong enough to keep the bloodling away with their magic. These crystals were their bloodlines, and they were running out.


    However, Sylvester had already prepared for this situation after suffering thest time. He had ordered his little invisible friend to be with the two.


    "Uwaaa¡­!"


    Thud!


    "W-What was that? Where did thise from?" Gabriel eximed.


    Out of nowhere, a new bag full of light and Srium crystals appeared¡­ it appeared a little wet and sticky, but that was alright.


    Sir Dolorem nkly stared at it. "There are things about Sylvester we don''t know¡­ and it''s better we never ask¡­ if we survive this, we owe him this one."


    But the cat beside them felt offended. ''What about Chonky? I get no thank you? This is the worst deal ever¡ªwhere my bananas?''


    Bam!


    Sir Dolorem watched as the Bloodling tried to break into their little barrier with all its might, seething in range and blind lust for their lives. "We can''t beat it¡­ this is much different from the Bloodling in that cave years ago."


    "How different?" Gabriel questioned as all they could do was watch their death slowly creep towards them.


    "This one can think."


    However, just then, the Bloodling stopped midway through and screamed as if in agony. "Wraaaaa!"


    And for no reason, it flew away, as its life depended on it¡ªinto the mist in the distance. This allowed Sir Dolorem and Gabriel to preserve some crystals.


    "He''s alive¡­ it seems¡­ and kicking," Gabriel muttered as he watched the direction the creature left.


    "We need to follow it." Sir Dolorem was quick to start packing up. "We need to give him backup with the IED Bombs he made."


    ¡­


    Sylvester did not know where he was since he was thrown like a ragdoll. Blood was oozing out of his mouth, nose, and ears, as most likely his lungs had been damaged from the impact. He had also inhaled a tiny amount of the mist, making him cough out even more blood.


    It was hurting like hell, but he tried to manage it consciously.


    He also quickly started to sing hymns and tried to get up, only to realize he could not, for he was surrounded by the little snakes in the unknown region. The light showed the nasty creatures intertwined and moving all around him, just staying away from the light¡ªfrom eating him up.


    Badly hurt yet somewhat safe, he tried to give his body some rest to heal as he thought about his next move.


    ''How do I kill that thing? Why can''t I use that move? What am I doing wrong? I tried everything, all hymns and¡­wait! There are three stages of mass¡­!''


    An idea appeared in his head that may just work. Could it be the missing key to the ultimate move? It was merely a thought, however¡ªsomething only time shall prove.


    He decided it was time to move out as there was also Bishop waiting to be rescued, and letting Sir Dolorem and Gabriel alone was still risking them.


    "Burn, you filth!" Sylvester cursed as he started to use fire magic to engulf the little opening he had under the mountain of snakes. They squirmed and curled as they got burnt away and made way for his light to shine on the ground. Sylvester slowly made his way up and realized how deep under he was.


    ''Bloodling must be feeling pain right now¡­ is it going toe here and fight me?'' Sylvester wondered as he got out. He''d rather have the thing note to him as he wanted to try to use the move he just theorized.


    ''Ugh¡­ this itch just keeps increasing!'' Sylvester grunted at the feeling in his body.


    Since he didn''t have much time, he decided to go ahead and try using the move right there and make a path for himself.


    What he had theorized was really simple. He had until now tried to cast the light beam while singing a hymn and spewing the normal light from his palm and the hardened version. But what if it was supposed to be the middle way?


    What if the ultimate beam was supposed to be made of liquid light instead of just pure light? And it would actually exin how it could cause so much damage and burn everything in its way.


    If normal light could be seen as a gas and the hardened light as solid, then only liquid remained, which he had not tried before. But how to make it was the tricky part. ''I guess I will just try tobine it with the water element.''


    He closed his eyes while letting the light from his halo keep him safe. He calmed himself and tried to imagine what his attack would look like and how he would make it allbine.


    ''Since we canbine air and fire elements to create fire tornadoes, then why notbine light with water?'' he wondered and prepared.


    He ced his right-hand palm facing forward near his chest and started chanting the hymn vocally.


    ?Move aside as the lordmands,


    His bard here makes the demands.


    Purge under the holy light,


    Heal thisnd''s unholy plight


    For there lives an evil inside¡ªdestruction is its pride.


    Your bard takes your name¡ªon your name I have relied¡­?


    Woosh!


    Sylvester didn''t rejoice this time and just watched the lighte out of his palm. He had tried his best to force light and water to mix through the masterful maniption of Srium. The fact was that the magic limitations were based on biology in this world, and there is a limit to how much Srium a body can store, which increases with each rank-up¨C¡ªHe didn''t know how strong the attack would be if it happened.


    Sylvester''s case was special, however, as his body was made to be in harmony with light, and since his talent was already the peak, his natural body was better than most others.


    ''Please¡­ juste out now!''


    He did not know if Solis was real as he prayed. If he was, Sylvester only wished to master this move now and end this whole assignment and go home to sleep for days.


    Zzzz!


    As if electricity, he heard a buzz from his palm, but since it was facing away, he could not look closely to check it. He just kept focusing and prepared to shoot out the beam¡ªif it came out.


    ?Begone! For evil has no ce here.


    Whatever you throw, vile or naught.<sub> </sub>


    Master of magic and knights of swords will bear.


    We fight until to justice evil has been brought...?


    ?Bless me, Solis¡ªsave us from this abyss¡­?


    Boom!


    Woosh!


    A deafening explosion took Sylvester by surprise, and a blinding light emitted out of the palm of his hand. Shocked and ted, he watched as the scene changed¡ªgone were the hordes of snakes above him. Now there appeared a straight cave in front of him, wide as a man, burned through the bodies of the creatures.


    Not only that, the rest of the creatures that never came in direct contact with it died, too, as the holy light devoured all evil that existed around.


    Sylvester was on cloud nine. ''Yes! Yes! Finally! The missing key!''


    He finally had a powerful weapon unique to himself in his arsenal. But soon, his tion turned to depression as he tried to quickly stop the beam that kept emitting. ''Fuck! Stop now!''


    He remembered he had fallen unconscious when he was little after using this move. ''I can''t have the same thing happen now! That will be the death sentence otherwise.''


    He cursed silently as he felt his srium reserves depleting rapidly. He quickly took out some Srium crystals and chewed on them quickly. At the same time, he quickly tried to stopbining water and light in his body.


    But, he could not do it as if a chain reaction had started. The Light Beam, golden in color, kept raging through and traveling like a pir, piercing through the dense purple mist, creating a hole in the clouds, and reaching the heavens¡ªilluminating it.


    People as far as five hundred miles away could see the shocking strange phenomenon ur in confusion. As for Sylvester, he was shocked at the destructiveness of his move as the sky appeared clear now, albeit in arge circle. The mist, the cloud¡ªall had dispersed and let him see a clear blue sky.


    ? "Ugh! Just stop already!" He cursed vocally this time to make it stop¡ªthe energy beam also stopped.


    Sylvester instantly realized what had happened. "The moment I stopped singing the hymn and making the halo, it stopped¡­ Does this mean¡­ this power has something to do with this blessing? Why¡ªhow am I blessed?"


    But, he didn''t have time to ponder on it for now. He climbed out of the hole and silently chanted again to keep the reappearing mist away. However, only now did he see where he was stuck. It was a literal hill of these snakes that he stood on, for as far as he could see, they appeared like little ropes¡ªdisgusting.


    But now they remain dead, all of them. ''This must have enraged that Bloodling.''


    "Argh!"


    Thud!


    He fell to one knee suddenly. ''That move is too much for my body.''


    Sylvester felt exhausted and had no idea how many more times he could use this move again. All he knew was that just the crystals would not fill his reservespletely.


    Still, he ate all the Srium Crystals he had and prepared to fight because he again felt the approaching scent of death. He quickly put forward his spear in front and waited for the enemy. This time, his aim was the head.


    Boom!


    "Here it is!" Sylvester didn''t go into the air this time, as that made him prone to being thrown away.


    "Wraaaa!"


    Like a blurry shadow, the Bloodling struck Sylvester with its arm tentacles. But Sylvester used his spear of infinity and was shocked as he sessfully blocked the strikes without being thrown away.


    nk!


    "I can now hold on to the attacks? No! The attacks seem weaker now¡­ and the¡­ good lord! Its size has been reduced!" Sylvester, wide-eyed, rejoiced at this news.


    It was not hard to imagine how it happened. He just killed tens of thousands of those snakes, and if they were a part of this Bloodling, then that''d mean he killed a part of it.


    Bam!


    Sylvester sessfully pped a fireball on its head. ''It''s slower too now¡­ and have I leveled up?''


    There was so much going on that he could not focus. All he knew was that there was a significant shift in winning chances. He could kill this thing sessfully¡­ All he needed to do was slow it down.


    "Max!"


    "Priest Sylvester!"


    "Meow!"


    Sylvester grinned at the appearance of his two allies, so much so that he wished to kiss them right away.


    Bam!


    He kept blocking the strikes from the Bloodling while maintaining a halo behind his head with silent chants of hymns in his mind. It was hard to do, but he was used to it by now.


    With no reservations, he boomed. "Both of you! Start killing those snakes! They can slow this thing down¡ªso I can use Wrath of the Heavens on it!"


    Sir Dolorem and Gabriel were rmed by Sylvester''s torn clothes, bloodied face, and thinned-out body. But they obeyed as winning was a priority.


    "Let''s do it!" Sir Dolorem nodded at Gabriel and stopped using the Light stones.


    "Hah¡­ So we''re the bait now?" Gabriel helplessly chuckled and noticed a distant swarm of snakesing towards them. "And did you hear a cat just now, Sir Dolorem?"


    The old knight didn''t reply, though his curious eyes made it clear he did.


    ___________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 122 122. Hard Earned…

    Boom!


    Boom!


    Bombs were going off every ten seconds, each being as powerful as thest one. With those fiery explosions, there was an ocean of dead snakes around Sir Dolorem and Gabriel. Since they knew what they had to do now, and as the effect was visible, they went all out.


    "It''s working!" Sylvester roared from a distance as he felt the Bloodling was slowing down with more snakes dying.


    Sir Dolorem nodded and once again stopped using light crystals to act as bait. Their strategy was simple: they first let the snakes get attracted to them, and once they came close, they reactivated the light crystals after throwing an IED bomb out.


    Each wave that came ended as a bloody dirty paste and corpses of half-destroyed snakes. It was disgusting to see, and even the stench was getting overbearing.


    Miraj was also there, but he was small and somewhat scared of snakes, so he just tried to stay as close to Sir Dolorem as possible, even jumping on the man''s shoulder a few times, but for some reason, the old knight didn''t react to it.


    "Wait! Did you hear that, Sir Dolorem?" Gabriel suddenly stopped frantically moving. They were sweating like crazy since it was the middle of the day. They appeared lower than the lowestmoners.


    Sir Dolorem also stopped and looked at the ground, there was an asional thump echoing from a distance, and the fine sand beneath their feet was shaking. "Be prepared! Something ising--Something big!"


    Gabriel nodded and quickly took out IED bombs and prepared a dose of light in his left hand. Sir Dolorem, meanwhile, held his broadsword to his front and initiated some magic, making the edges of the de shine in deep blue.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    "W-What''s that?" Gabriel stuttered when the shadow of something huge was visible behind the edge of the purple mist in the distance.


    Then, finally, it came into the small dome of the open area they had created. Without wasting a moment, Sir Dolorem shed his sword horizontally towards it, sending away a wide arc of blue light-like de meant to cut.


    Bam!


    It made contact and threw the creature to the back. Soon, the iing horde of snakes took over the creature and covered it.


    "F-Fuck!"


    However, just then, a loud curse came from the creature. Then more words, rifying everything. "Don''t attack! It''s me! Bishop Lazark! I conjured this golem and took hold inside it... help!"


    "This mad man... how did he survive so long?" Sir Dolorem was in awe of this man since it must be doubly hard for him to survive here as he was a dark wizard.


    "Gabriel, throw the light crystals on him." Sir Dolorem ordered.


    This way, they ensured the snakes could not hold the stone golem down. Bishop Lazark then slowly got up, moved as fast as he could in that giant body, and arrived closer to the rest.


    And the first thing he did was curse at the Bloodling in the sky. "This unholy filth! Look at it! Is it a man, a bird, or a snake? Ugh! Fucking evil! Give me a Srium crystal, please... I feel like I will die any moment."


    Bishop Lazark, however, didn''te out of the golem and just absorbed the crystal given to him into the golem''s body. It took him a few seconds to start feeling its positive effects. "Is there a n?"


    "Kill the snakes, as many as you can! That''s what Priest Sylvester needs to kill the Bloodling." Sir Dolorem advised.


    Bishop Lazark looked towards Sylvester at first and noticed the state of the young man, battered, bruised, and bloodied, yet giving a fight to the vile creature. Then he looked at the horde of snakes. "I think I can help in that regard...a lot! But I will need more srium crystals."


    "What''s the n?" Sir Dolorem questioned.


    "I have nearly eight hundred zombies scattered around thend, covered with mountains of these snakes as they eat them--what if I can make them explode?"


    Gabriel gave him a handful of srium crystals quickly. "What are you waiting for then, Bishop? Start sting."


    ...


    Sylvester struggled and got hurt every now and then as he was not invincible and the strike from tentacles of the Bloodling was akin to strikes from swords. They still cut him and made him bleed.


    He finally felt the Bloodling was weakened enough to go for the final kill--for the head. So he prepared his spear by heating its edge and then adding a taste of light magic to it. This was one of the things he envied about knights. Their weapons were highly versatile with magical runes.


    Boom!


    Sylvester strategically took out an IED bomb and threw it towards the Bloodling to blind it with the light. Then, with a quick leap in the air with Light Step, he shed the Spear of Infinity with a zap. The Bloodling was trying to wave its tentacles at him blindly, but Sylvester was mindful of the gap.


    "Die--filth!"


    With the halo still radiating behind his head, and his leaping image with the spear, in the eyes of Sir Dolorem, Gabriel, and Bishop Lazark, the scene was going to be immortalized--as if they witnessed a god fighting a demon--where Bloodling''s purple mist tried to push against, and Sylvester''s light obliterated all in its way.


    The image was reinforced when Sylvester''s strike finallynded.


    sh!


    Sylvester''s de made contact with the Bloodlin''s neck, just where the head started. Then, effortlessly, it passed through, chopping all the snakes and beheading the creature.


    Thud!


    The head fell to the side like a stone on the sand, and the body remained still as the light killed all the snakes that built it. The fight was finally over, and Sylvester felt rejuvenated. Being on the toes for all this time, wondering if he''d even survive, this was a relief.


    Boom! Boom!


    Just then, loud explosions started to resound all around. Weakened, he looked at his team. "What''s happening?"


    Gabriel shouted back. "It''s Bishop Lazark! He''s exploding all the zombies!"


    ''A bit toote, I''m afraid... ugh! This hurts.'' He sat down right there as his arm felt numb, this was where the vile creature had hit him the first time, and now it was likely infected. ''Let''s wait for the mist to disperse and then...''


    His mind stopped thinking as soon as he tried to look where the skull of the Bloodling had fallen. To horrifying shock, he noticed the eyes on it were still as bright, and the fifth vertical eye was even blinking, while at the same time, all the snakes from around tried to get to it no matter what, even if they were dying.


    "Fuck! It''s not dead!" He jumped to his feet and bellowed. "Keep exploding them!"


    Grrrr...


    Just then, he heard a rumbling noise, and the ground seemed to shake. Alerted, he quickly jumped ten feet in the air and made a light step to stand on. "Good lord!"


    His jaw fell at the scene, and his eyes contorted as this smelled dangerous. He quickly warned the rest. "They areing! All of them! Use all the light and srium crystals!"


    The horde of snakes had left all their activities as their master had fallen. Sylvester reckoned the skull was still alive and was summoning them to form its new body.


    "So I must destroy you first."


    He made himself stand a few feet above the spiky skull with five eyes on a tile made of light. Then he sat down on his knees and aimed his right-hand palm at the head. "I don''t know what you are made of, and since you''re not dying from my halo either--this is all I have."<sub> </sub>


    He took a long deep breath. ''I hope I don''t run out of srium too much with this.''


    Grrrr...


    "Max! Be quick! There are too many!" Gabriel eximed loudly, despair evident in his voice.


    Sylvester also stole a nce, and his heart sank in an instant. The snakes were crawling toward them from all sides, but they appeared like a tide in the sea, as tall as 50 feet. Their menacing gray color and their always open salivating mouths looked nothing but a nightmare.


    Sylvester hurried and initiated the process of using the Wrath of the Heavens andbined light and water elements together. Then he started to sing the hymn, more like bellowed.


    a??O'' Creature of the devils--I condemn you to die.


    Erase you from existence and clear the dark sky!


    You have sullied thends and hurt folks enough.


    I call forth the light to end and have your poison rebuffed.


    I speak the word of Lord, don''t take them for a bluff.a??


    His palm finally started to shine bright in golden light. But it was taking too long as he noticed the horde had already covered Bishop Lazark''s Golem and now hurried towards Sir Dolorem and Gabriel.


    a??The bard sings for the grace to befall


    The heavens cry, let my enemies halt.


    On this blessednd, let not the evil crawl.


    Save your believers, and hunt the sinners.a??


    Finally, he felt the beam of blinding and burning lighte out.


    a??These creatures in darkness who dwell.


    Kill this filth! Erase the darkness! Let it rot in hell.


    I am a ve to your rules and spells.


    For nothing but your name--I yell!a??


    BOOM!


    A thunderous explosion of blinding golden light and the rumbling stronger than the horde arrived, it shook thends as the mountains cried, and the creatures lurking in the shadows pried. What was happening? Who was this man--how does he summon the thunder of the gods?


    The light that menacingly bombards--It was nothing but the ender of the pure evil--from the bard amongst the bards.


    Sylvester kept his hand steady as the beam of deadly light struck the earth, melting a hole in it. So hot, nothingsted--turned the sand into ss, and the rocks melted to let it pass.


    "Fuck!"


    However, he noticed just when he was about to hit the head of the Bloodling, a snake dug out of the ground and shifted it underneath the light tile he stood on. Cursing, Sylvester just jumped into the air high and let the beam of light hit the ground so wide in size that there was nowhere left to move to.


    "Haaaa!" Sylvester forced his eyes to stay open as the light tried to leave his embrace. His body was running out of Srium, but he just needed a few seconds more of the Lord''s grace.


    He, too, fell into the bottomless dark pit of unimaginable depth he had just created, but it was essential to ensure the Bloodling ended. So he didn''t stop himself and fell--more and more as long as he saw even a speck of the bloodling remain.


    First vanished the spikes around the head, then slowly the four eyes, and atst remained the fifth eyes, yellow in color and appeared like a marble--the core, Sylvester reckoned.


    ''Just one final push!'' He thought as he bellowed thest hymn with a breaking voice.


    a??One or two! To all gods, I beg.


    Let your warmth end this heathen.


    May this light end all--bloodling or demon!


    Don''t let your bard be beaten.


    I sing--I sing--to Solis--Amen!a??


    Whoosh!


    Crack!


    A crack appeared in the yellow crystal as a sudden burst of extra-intensity light released off his palm. Sylvester cursed as he felt like nearing his limit. He pushed further as much as his body could permit.


    Shhh...!


    Suddenly, when the cracks opened wide, a strange ck menacing dark mist appeared. It didn''t attack but, in a hard-to-understand demonic voice, whispered before it disappeared.


    "Forev-errr...can''t...win--when... etern-al dar-knesss arri-vesss--I sh-all rissse from all--from within..."


    <o>,m Crack!</o>


    Boom!


    The crystal exploded in a dark light, somehow. Was it light or just darkness? But it seemed to have taken all Sylvester could harness. His eyes finally felt heavy, and began to droop. The halo disappeared and ended the reign of light and hymns.


    And then there was just--darkness. In the pit he created, which seemed endless... he fell--and fell--in the deep dark abysmal hell.


    Unconscious...Lost...Hurt...He fell where reaches--not even the loudest yell.


    ___________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.[Thank you, Dagorith. Much ape love to you!]


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 123 123. Juicy Fruits Of Labor

    "W-What happened? They are not moving anymore!" Gabriel finally showed a moment of rxation as the worrying lines on his forehead vanished. But he was confused and worried about his best friend.


    "He won!" Sir Dolorem eximed and looked towards Sylvester. But, there was nobody... and just a deep dark pit, as wide as ten meters.


    ''No, no!'' Sir Dolorem left everything behind and ran towards the pit. His duty of protecting Sylvester was a joke already. He was just a helper, but he knew he couldn''t ever let the boy die--no matter what.


    "Sylvester!" He shouted into the hole. But all he received back was absolute stillness and a menacing sensation of nothingness. He felt powerless against the bottomless pit right now, as he had no means to go in there and get Sylvester out.


    "Did he make this?" Gabriel also reached the edge, as the mountain of snakesing towards them had died silently by now and had already started to rot and vanish.


    "We need to get him out! He''s likely in bad condition--he must be Srium deprived." Sir Dolorem didn''t hide the urgency.


    "How do we get there? How deep is it?" Gabriel wondered.


    Thud!


    "The mist has started to disappear." Bishop Lazark finally came out of the stone golem, battered and bloodied as well. He then walked to the edge of the pit and frowned. "We can''t have Lord Bard stay there! Let me help."


    "How? We allck Srium. We can''t create stairs to the bottom even if we all tried." Gabriel argued, frowning. He was thinking about calling Felix as he''d have perfect magic right now.


    But it appeared Bishop Lazark had his ways. The Stone golem didn''t disappear and now started to climb down the pit slowly. "I am a necromancer. Did you forget that, Priest? At least it might bring Lord Bard up."


    But what they didn''t notice was that the little invisible cat also jumped onto the back of the golem and waited to reach down. He was also worried for his son. How was he going to live without his Maxy? It was already saddening to him.


    "Maxy!" Miraj meowed loudly once he knew the people above couldn''t hear him. Everything was dark, however, as no light reached that deep, not when there were dark clouds in the sky.


    Tip! Tip!


    Woosh!


    However, it appeared as if the heavens were crying for some reason, as the rain started to pour and made the golem lose its grip--sending it sliding down straight to the bottomless pit.


    "Mewaaaa..." Miraj was screaming and holding onto the golem for his dear life. Whatever number it was, he was not taking any chances.


    Boom!


    Then, with a loud thud, the golem fell onto the bottom and shattered into stone and mud. Miraj was safe, thankfully, and soon cleaned himself quickly with his tongue. But, now that he looked around, he felt scared as it was all dark. "Maxy! Where are you?"


    "Maxy!"


    Miraj ran around, trying to find the body in pitch ck darkness. It was not arge space, so he reckoned if he ran enough, he''d eventually stumble onto him. But seeing Sylvester was not replying to his shouts, he felt worried.


    "Don''t leave me, please!... I don''t wanna be alone again." Miraj cried loudly and ran around frantically. To Sylvester, he may just be another being in his life, but to Miraj, Sylvester was his everything--as clear by his cries.


    Thud!


    Running around, Miraj finally fell down as he tripped on something. He quickly returned to the spot and tapped around, and there he felt the silky hair of Sylvester. "Maxy! Don''t worry. I''ll save you!"


    Miraj started to vomit quickly and soon took out a bag full of more Srium crystals. It was a treasure in itself that Sylvester had illegallypiled. They had likely spent more in this one fight than the gross domestic product of many small viscounties by now.


    Miraj didn''t know how to use magic, but he knew how to make Sylvester good. So he quickly took out a handful of srium crystals, shoved them into his mouth, and then forced his jaws to chew on them. The crystals soon melted like sugar and disappeared.


    "Maxy, why are you looking so thin? Are you dead?" Miraj cried and put his head on the chest to listen to the heart.


    Bam!


    But all of a sudden, two arms caught him in a hug and stered him on the chest. Miraj happily slid to the top and started to lick Sylvester''s dirty face to clean him, for he was his child, and it was his duty.


    Sylvester chuckled as the first thing he saw after activating a little magic was Miraj''s furry, cute, white chubby face. "You truly seem like an angel right now, Miraj. Come, let me kiss your forehead."


    Sylvester left a big nasty slurp on Miraj''s head, which obviously annoyed the cat as he tried to get away but was held by Sylvester.


    "Let go! That''s so dirty!" Miraj cried.


    Sylvester scoffed. "Yeah, that''s what I feel when you lick my face."


    Both of them fell silent then and looked at each other''s faces. Then in an instant, they burst intoughter, both feeling much rxed in body and mind.


    "You''re very strong, Maxy."


    Sylvester sighed and tried to get up. "Yes, but clearly not enough. Let''s get out of here now."


    He took more Srium crystals and started eating them like they were little snacks. Even Miraj was given a few to eat. The strange thing was they could never tell what the crystal tasted like. All they knew was that it felt amazing--refreshing.


    Sylvester, however, was silently worrying for himself. He noticed how thin his arms and legs were looking. It was as if he had lost all his muscles. His veins were clearly visible, popping out, and his wrist was so thin now that he could circle them with his index finger and thumb and still leave space for Miraj''s fat paws.


    ''What is wrong with me? This happened thest time as well. I should be a dead boy now, but... here I am." Sylvester wondered in confusion. His own body was a mystery at times, and he didn''t like it as it left things uncertain.<sub> </sub>


    "How is everything at the top?" He asked.


    "It''s raining, and everybody is worried for you," Chonky answered while chewing on the crystals.


    Sylvester took a long breath and forced himself to stand up. "Let''s go up then, or who knows, Sir Dolorem might just jump down."


    But he was obviously not going to use light magic to walk up as that would take a lot of Srium. Instead, the way up was with the air element. "Chonky, hold onto me tight. We''re going to fly."


    So the cat wrapped his arms around Sylvester''s neck and prepared for whatever was toe. Then, all of a sudden, from Sylvester''s palm came a tornado of air, and started to lift them up. Sylvester kept on increasing the intensity, and soon, in that confined space, the tornado acted like a geothermal geyser.


    "Weeeee..." Miraj was enjoying this more than anything.


    Air hit their faces, and soon raindrops came from the sky. One good thing it did was refresh them, but Sylvester knew he was already on thin ice and couldn''t use too much Srium or might risk falling unconscious again.


    ''My god, how deep did I fall? And I made this?'' He was in awe as even after ten seconds, they were rising up into the air. The exit had finally started to get bigger exponentially, however.


    Woosh!


    Then, at once, they thrust out of the pit and appeared in the open sky for a few seconds. But by then, Sylvester had started to feel weak, and when they began to fall back down, he cursed as the pit was still under them.


    So he used a final push of air with his right hand and threw himself to the edge of the pit, where he fell hard with a thud and rolled into the mud, getting dirtier than before. Miraj had already jumped off, however, and was clear.


    The rain seemed to be falling hard at the moment as everything appeared hazy around.


    But soon, the footsteps of the mud resounded, and Gabriel arrived. "Max! Are you good?"


    Sylvester nodded, but at the same time contradicted himself. "Do I look good? Give me a piggyback now and be my mare."


    "..."


    Bam!


    Gabriel punched his arm lightly andughed. "Stop joking, man."


    Sylvester sighed and rxed with his eyes closed. "It''s the best way to cope with pain and exhaustion. How is everything on your side? Did the snakes stop?"


    Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark knelt beside him too. The old knight quickly started putting some sort of lotion on his wounds. "They melted away with the rain... after you killed the Bloodling, they were just empty husks."


    "I''m d."


    However, Bishop Lazark was in awe of Sylvester and refused to address him as just a Priest. "I feel honored for the spectacle you showed me today, Lord Bard. You truly are worthy of being called God''s Favored."


    ''Great, another worshiper of mine.'' Sylvester cheered silently as he felt the strong scent of tulips.


    But the truth was, Sylvester could not move too much right now. So he was dependent on them for now. "We need to cover this hole or else if someone falls in it... it''ll be instant death."


    Sir Dolorem nodded and created earth runes over the whole pit''s mouth and erected a t covering of earth on it. "As long as nobody tries to dig here, they won''t fall anymore."


    "Shall we return then?" Gabriel asked. They had just spent a few hours in the mountains, but that was enough to make them hate it.


    Sylvester agreed. "Let''s do that and return to the Holy Land at the quickest... this time with a new little bard in training."


    Gabriel chuckled, knowing who he was talking about. "Are you sure about taking Shane along? He''s just a kid... a bit too kindhearted."


    Even Sir Dolorem chimed in and took Sylvester''s side. "He''s old enough, and his talents of being an Arch Wizard someday can be a boon. Priest Sylvester making him his apprentice is even better. But first... We should take a look at the Bloodling''s nest. Oftentimes, they are hoarders who keep precious items with them."


    Sylvester''s eyes shined in an instant, and he winked at Miraj. The good chubby cat also understood the task very well and saluted with his paws. The bank of Chonky was once again open for taking more treasures in.


    "Let''s go then." Sylvester stood up with Gabriel''s help and walked along with the rest. The mist had already disappeared, so everything was now clear.


    Sir Dolorem seemed to have seen the nest before, so he took them directly in a direction. Eventually, they arrived in a small crater at the side of a mountain, not too deep but enough to hold water in it, drowning whatever treasure was in.


    Sylvester walked to the edge and picked a fist-sized strange rock. It was pitch-ck with shining blue veins all over it. His hand even shivered, holding it, as he felt everything he did today was worth it for this maddening reward of unimaginable proportions--worth more than gold and silver fortunes.


    "T-This is... a Skygem!"


    ___________________


    [A/N: It seems WN has made the decision to kill the site. They have now locked chaps on the website and force people to read on the app, be it originals or fanfics. I''m sorry if this is causing any inconvenience. I hope they go back on this decision.]


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 124 124. Burning Dreams

    "T-This is... a Skygem!" Sylvester eximed. He had read about this when he was reading about the most precious items in the world. This was one of the top items there.


    Skygem was one of the strongest metallic materials known in the world, with magical properties to be highly durable and in harmony with magic. It was the best thing one could build armor out of, and supposedly, there were just five full-body armors made of Skygems in the entire Sol. But, sadly, throughout history, all five armors have been stolen, divided, and lost, so no single full armor exists.


    Not only that, even if one finds many new Skygems now, one can never make armor because this knowledge resides with Dwarves of Beastaria only. Since it''s an ancient gatekept art, it''s impossible to find and enve dwarves who know how to work on it as they don''t travel. And those enved dwarves who knew, had long passed away.


    "Well, let''s first get rid of the water here and see what we can find," Sylvester suggested, though he had winked at Miraj to make him look for more such stones and store them. Unfortunately, however, there was no hope of finding gold as the people the Bloodling killed were poor and were running away from war.


    Sir Dolorm and Gabriel did the work and drained the water from the small crater. Then, they found a few more gems, such as diamonds and other materials that one could find in the wild. There were also a few gold ores in the shape of random blocks too.


    "Priest Sylvester should keep them." Bishop Lazark voiced. "You used so many light and srium crystals here. I can not even imagine how much wealth you spent on them. But, they kept me and all of us alive, so I can never bring myself to take these."


    Sylvester nced at the man in amazement. ''Brilliant, a good clergyman who is honest and willing to see beyond one''s eyes.''


    "Thank you, and yes, they did leave a dent in my pockets," Sylvester replied; although he lied, he was not going to let go of this fantastic opportunity to fill his coffers. Still, he was not that heartless since they did help him, so he gave each one a small Skygem and a few other diamonds.


    "Let''s head back now. I''m sure Felix is going crazy waiting for our return. The town will finally be free of the evil presence. Hopefully, we can heal the schizophrenia with this." Sylvester prepared to make the journey back.


    Since they had not brought horses, they had to trek back all the way. And it was also turning dark slowly, so they had to rush a little.


    It was a slow journey, sadly, because of Sylvester as he was too weakened and his body needed time to heal.


    "How are you going to write the report, Bishop?" Sylvester asked on the way.


    "I will only write the report until the part where I encounter you at the town''s gates. Beyond that, I was a part of your assignment, so you will have to fill in from there." Bishop replied.


    Sylvester instantly smelled a hint of worship and lies. It was a strangebination, and only one reason could make sense. Bishop Lazark didn''t know what to write about the fight, especially regarding the crystals, because that would raise questions about why a little priest had so much wealth.


    Sylvester didn''t say anything in response and epted the proposal. In reality, none of them had the energy to say anything. They wished only to return and fall asleep.


    ''I hope Cardinal Suprima of the region got my letter for the refugees. As long as these people surround the town, the trade will always suffer.'' Sylvester thought


    Slowly, they crossed the mountains and returned to thest turn from where the open desert fields would take them directly to the Sphinx town. Since the rain was still raging over them, they reckoned the people must be dancing in joy right now as rainfall was rare around these parts.


    "With this rain, the winter will finally arrive and take over the entire region other than the holynd." Sir Doloremmented while looking at the sky.


    Sylvester also looked up and noticed the dense clouds. "It seems the rain willst long. I wonder what ca... Wait! Those do not look like clouds!"


    Sylvester frowned and ran forward with whatever strength he had to cross thest turn in the valley ande out of the mountains. Others followed behind him, noticing the bizarre thing in the sky.


    Boom!


    The thunder roared as ifughing at them all. The moment they arrived at the opening, their jaws had fallen. Right in front of them, in the distance, they could see the Sphinx town--burning and being razed to the ground as the boundary walls fell.


    "What the! What happened? Did the refugees attack them?" Sylvester eximed and ran towards the town as fast as he could while holding his spear.


    Since they were at the back side of the town, they decided to go to the front and see the status of the refugee camp, which would tell if it was them who did this.


    "I don''t think this was them? They can''t bring such chaos so fast." Bishop Lazark noted. And this was happening in everyone''s head, but they wished not to ept that before seeing it themselves.


    ''Felix should have been able to stop all the refugees if the situation had called for it! So what the hell happened here?'' Sylvester wondered.


    And then, they arrived at the front of the town and saw the horrors that could not be described. Therey bodies upon bodies, mercilessly killed. Some were cut into pieces, while most were thrown around--burnt.


    All the tents the refugees had set were turned to soot, as the fire had done its work as the rain made things worse. There was bloody batter everywhere. Sylvester even found a few intact bodies, but they were all dead. He tried to look for any sign of life and found nothing but silence.


    "What the hell happened here?" Gabriel eximed in anger and helplessness.


    Sylvester, meanwhile, smelled nothing but misery, death, and sorrow in the air--still lingering from what had happened here.


    "Felix! Where is he?" Sylvester questioned and looked around. But seeing him nowhere, he ran towards the town''s gates. The walls could not be called walls anymore, as they were burning ragingly.


    The four rushed and reached therge metal gates. To their shock, they were not just sted away, but there appeared to be arge hole as if someone had melted the metal.


    And to their horror, as soon as they stepped inside, they were gifted with the sight that sent shivers down their spine. As there remained Felix''s form, kneeling on the ground while facing the gates.


    His head was held low while the rain soaked his hair, and his arms rested on the hilt of the broken sword in front of him on which he rested his forehead. He appeared to be burnt, and his body was bloodied beyond recognition. There was no movement, however, as Sylvester walked towards his best friend.


    Sylvester knew, however, that Felix was not dead, but broken he undoubtedly was. The smell of foul rotten meat of sadness, the chills of fear, and the spices of the rage mixed together made it clear that Felix had fought a battle no different from his own.


    He knelt down in front of the man, ignoring the burning town, and patted his shoulder. "Felix!"


    However, in response only came a little sob, not of tears but of anger. "I...I couldn''t stop them, Max. I failed... I couldn''t do anything..."


    "His tendons have been cut. That''s why he can''t stand up." Bishop Lazarkmented as he quickly tried to give first aid to Felix. "I can heal them."<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester nodded and didn''t talk to anyone. Instead, he walked straight into the town, towards the monastery, looking for survivors. But his way went through the various small districts. The houses had burnt down and now just spewed smoke.


    There were bodies littered on streets, simrly some burnt, some chopped, and some just dead. There were men, women, and even kids. Nobody was spared. Sylvester''s heart sank as a young boy''s smile resurfaced in his mind, of the boy who was always so determined--to be like him one day.


    But he kept himself hopeful and made a run towards the monastery. On his way, sometimes the walls of the houses fell on him. Sometimes the smoke covered his way--the darkness from the smoke had turned the day to a night.


    "Shane!" Sylvester called for the boy since he considered him to be smart enough. But when he arrived, all he saw was a still burning Monastery and dozens of corpses outside.


    The scent of death, not as a threat, lingered around him, and overwhelmed his emotions. He had recognized many faces as just a day before they were listening to his hymns, saluting him, or giving him gifts.


    ''What brought this destruction to this town? Why?'' Sylvester wondered the same thing repeatedly as he ran into the monastery.


    "Kid! Can you hear me?" He called for the boy and checked each room while dousing the mes with magic.


    He was on the verge of copsing from exhaustion, but he forced himself not to as adrenalin kept alive his frustration. He checked each room and called for the boy, yet all he found were burning bodies and fire raging, leaving everything destroyed.


    Sylvester had no obligations towards that kid, nor was he rted to him. But he liked him for his unwavering will and perseverance to be his student. Sylvester never considered taking in an apprentice before as he always felt on edge with people, but the boy left no stones unturned to show he was not like others.


    The scent of emotions, after all, doesn''t lie--and the boy also had the talent to go very high.


    Bam!


    Sylvester kicked the final door on the way to the monastery''s basement. But as he entered, the fire appeared to be raging even more under there.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester quickly used air maniption to end the fire and looked around. It appeared the ceiling had fallen in a few ces.


    "Hm? Shane?!"


    All of a sudden, his sense was alerted as a sudden strong punch of emotion of love took over his mind. This was the love of a mother, and there was also fearbined.


    Sylvester knew someone was around there, so he started lifting off every fallen ceiling. One, two, three, and more... he kept going until he reached the one... that mattered the most.


    "Haaa!" With great effort, he lifted it off.


    Thud!


    And there he saw--the horror... The scene made him fall to his knees and crumble apart even the tough walls around Sylvester''s heart.


    "Shane... Kid..."


    As he saw, there remained the naked body of Shane''s mother, sitting with crossed legs, and there was Shane in her arms, who she shielded with her body--sacrificing herself.


    "Kid..." Sylvester dragged himself closer to them as he also felt his body finally give up. For he wished such fate to befall not even on his enemies.


    He tried to extend his hand to hold them. But it was all a mess as the fire had gotten to them. Shane''s mother had her entire back with hair and her face burnt. In her arms... Shane''s tiny frame remained stuck to her skin as the heat of the fire melted them into each other.


    He could see she was dead, and thest expressions were of pain, frown, hope, and fear for the one in her arms... her son, who, sadly, she couldn''t protect from the fire that had dawned over them.


    "Ugh..."


    "Shane?!" Sylvester noticed the painful groan. He moved closer quickly and tried to heal him with his magic.


    But the fate that awaited them was nothing but tragic.


    Shane''s eyes had also melted away, and his face was beyond recognition. Yet, the boy somehow tried to raise his disfigured hand with whatever strength remained.


    Sylvester held it quickly and forced all the magic he could muster. "Miraj! Give me all the Srium crystals! Kid, don''t push. I will save you."


    But, he had already lost hope as the boy hardly breathed hisst words in whispers.


    "P-Pr-riest..." Shane tried to speak.


    Sylvester forced him to shut up, as his own face seemed pale as the night moons, having lost too much in his body. "Shh... you will live... for your mum!"


    Although innocent were the next words spoken, they were profound enough to leave Sylvester heartbroken.


    Murmured the little boy weakly as he gasped for one more breath.


    "Y-You li-lied--M-Monster...lo...look...like--Us..."


    Sylvester tried to do something--anything. But the eerie silence was all that greeted him as the little hand in his palm fell lump. A smile was erased forever--the giggles, yful schemes, dreams, and crude recitals of hymns would remain just a memory--just another name that became another part of the dark history.

 Chapter 125 125. Facing The Reality

    Sylvester sat there silently, staring at the lifeless body of Shane and his mother. How could everything turn out so bad so suddenly? He had killed the bloodling; the town should have been in a festive mood, not this¡­ wastnd.


    Bam!


    The monastery was falling apart slowly since the floors above were still covered in fire. But Sylvester remained there, staring at the burnt face of Shane¡­ wondering how much the pain must have been for the little kid.


    "Maxy." Miraj tried to warn Sylvester of the approaching fire.


    Sylvester breathed out and closed his eyes before standing up abruptly. "Life in this world¡ªto call it uncertain is an understatement. I hope you find peace and warmth in the next life¡­Shane Kolt¡­and you too, Lady Kolt."


    Sylvester stepped back and let out the fire magic. Since it was magical, its effects were much quicker than normal and soon turned both bodies into ash. "Chonky, do you have any containers to store their ashes?"


    Miraj nodded and quickly got Sylvester a small metal sk. Sylvester didn''t waste a moment, gathered some ashes, and walked back. He was shaken, and his mind was saddened. But life must go on, which was one thing he was good at pushing himself for.


    Bam!


    As he walked away, the monastery started to copse, and by the time he got out, it was in ruins. He stopped there and took onest nce at it. "I guess this town was not haunted by the Bloodling¡­ but a curse."


    "Max!"


    Just then, Sir Dolorem and Gabriel arrived with a makeshift stretcher with them, on which Felix rested. They probably hoped to use the monastery for shelter.


    Sylvester did not reply, however, and looked around at the Sphinx town. For as far as he could see, the houses were gone, the distant town''s walls were gone¡­ the destruction was inhumane and not something a simple fire could do.


    "Did you find someone alive there?" Gabriel asked him. Of course, he didn''t want to take the name, fearing the worst.


    Sylvester just showed a sk full of ashes. "He died¡ªpainfully."


    Now there was a hint of anger in his voice. Shane''s death did make a dent, but the real outrage was aimed at how he died. The cries of pain and help¡­ for nobody toe¡­ that was frustrating to imagine.


    Sylvester walked up to Felix, who appeared to be in a state of shock as well, with his eyes open yet hazy. "Who was it?"


    Felix scowled all of a sudden, and rage took over him. He started hitting his own head with the healed hand. "I don''t know¡­ they came out of nowhere and started killing. I tried my best but¡­ I was just a toy in their eyes. We''re fucking weak, Max¡­ we''re nobodies¡­ Shane¡­ he died trying to save the patients in the monastery¡­ only for it all to go to waste¡­ I couldn''t do anything¡ªnothing. They just¡­"


    "But who were they? What did they do-" Sylvester abruptly stopped as he was inquiring further.


    "Ugh!"


    Thud!


    Suddenly, Sylvester felt as if he was a thousand feet underwater, and his body was being pressurized from all sides, pulling him down and inwards.


    "W-What''s happening?"


    At another nce, he noticed Sir Dolorem, Gabriel, Bishop Lazark, and even Felix were in a simr situation, falling to the ground t on their bellies, panic clear in their eyes, and unable to sit up. They appeared worse than him.


    Click!


    Click!


    The sound of something periodically hitting the ground resounded from behind them. Sylvester could not see anything as he was looking away from them.


    ''This is bad!'' The scent told him a lot, however. ''Why is this feeling of death here¡­ it''s even worse than that, Bloodling! What''s there? Assassins?''


    Sylvester was never going to ept his death without even facing the enemy. So he poured all his remaining physical strength into getting up. He also started to sing hymns in his mind and create that halo, as he believed it would give him some sort of a boost.


    "Haaaaaa¡­ Ugh!" He put everything in it, albeit feeling the body-shattering force hurting every cell in his body.


    Slowly, he got to his knee and started to turn around. ''I can''t¡­ What is this pressure? How are they holding us down without touching us?''


    Sylvester finally turned around, yet couldn''t stand on his feet. So he remained sitting on his knees. The rain was going even harder at this point, making it hazy. But at one nce, Sylvester could figure out there were at least five figures, ranging from as tall as seven feet to as short as five.


    Shane''sst words rang in his ears, making him wonder. ''These must be the monsters.''


    The five figures slowly walked closer and finally showed their faces. It appeared there were four men and one woman, all wearing strange clothing of varying colors. One of them was seven feet tall, like a giant.


    "Oh no¡­ look what we did to the famous bard¡­ his clothes have been spoiled." The slender woman, bright red-haired in two ponytails, wearing a noble pink gown too big for her size, walked closer to Sylvester and knelt a little to lift his head from the chin.


    Sylvester looked at her face closely, and he knew what that smile meant. It was sadistic and mocking him, while the scents told him these were no allies, for there was the bitterness of death still lingering. Her red eyes, too, held a look of uncaring.


    Sylvester had to push hard to speak. "Who are you?"


    "Hehe¡­" The woman jumped back like a doll whileughing. "Such a strong boy¡­ Master Null, can I open him and see where the lightes from? Pretty please?"


    ''What madness is this?''


    "No, Spine¡­ we need him alive¡­ he''s far too valuable that way." The man named Null, a tall, serious-looking man in gray robes with a white hood, replied. Sylvester only felt the aura of death from this man, who appeared too creepy with his strange yellow eyes.


    Sylvester could not understand who these people were. Not to mention, how were they holding him down all this time?


    "Who sent you?" He questioned inplex growls.


    The woman skipped back to him. "Honey, we came here on our own. We are just working like you are. Oh! Who do we have here? Isn''t this your little brother, Exten? I wonder how good his necromancy has gotten now."


    Sylvester didn''t fail to realize that detail. It appeared the seven-foot-tall man in oversized brown robes was the elder brother of Bishop Lazark.


    "Ugh!" Sylvester groaned in pain as the pressure on his body increased suddenly.


    Thud!<sub> </sub>


    The man named Null walked closer and pushed Sylvester further down by cing his foot on the back. His eyes appeared uncaring and rageful.


    "You are worth nothing, little Priest. Your light, your hymns, none of them matter. You have not even started walking the path many have almost crossed. Look at yourself, utterly helpless¡ªfrail! This is your reality, and it shall remain the same forever."


    Sylvester grunted and asked. "Why did you kill people? What do you want?"


    "So you have not recognized us yet? Perhaps you''re too lowly to be allowed to. We are the Void Keepers, Little Priest. We ensure the faith remains eternal. We ensure the lord''s enemies can''t see the light of day. This little town?" Null looked around at the destroyed town and sighed.


    "They sinned against the faith¡­ they harbored the man named Jax years ago¡­ I''ve learned you know him too? Poor thing, even that information is too high for you. This!" All of a sudden, Null''s voice turned rageful, and his eyes turned red. "This town harbored Julius Aurelius Alexander! The head of Anti-Light! That in itself condemned them to death¡­ but they lived a few more years, regrettably."


    Sylvester growled back. "Jax was the one who helped the town when the monastery''s men escaped¡­ leaving the doors open for Desert cannibals!"


    "And?" Null asked in an uncaring tone. "Heathens are heathens! They deserve to die, and the same shall be the fate of all who help him. He is the greatest enemy of the faith, and whoever assists him¡ªtheir death won''t be dyed."


    Sylvester fell silent as he knew there was nothing he could do to stop them. Today, he hated himself because of how powerless he felt. He never tried to walk the path to attain strength at all cost, for he wished for peace, but here he was, reminded that even if he pursued peace, someone would always be ready to destroy it.


    And¡ªbecause of this, even Shane died. Because he was weak, hey in the dirt while the enemies mocked him.


    "Did the church authorize these actions?" Sylvester questioned in disappointment.


    "Hehe!" The woman named Spine giggled. "We are Void Keepers, dear. We don''t need permission byw. Null, let''s kill all of them! Nobody will know. I''m sure he will appreciate it. Don''t you agree, Double O?"


    Sylvester struggled to move, even in the slightest. "I am a God''s Favoured¡­ to kill me¡ªus¡­ is a crime!"


    The third man, Double O, sneered. "Pathetic¡­"


    Null scoffed with a little chuckle. "Do you seriously dream of bing the Pope? Laughable at best¡­ you are no threat to anyone, little Priest. And that? The so-called Sword of the Lord? Both of you are pathetically weak¡ªYou shall remain so no matter how much strength you seek."


    Bam!


    Suddenly the man knelt and held Sylvester''s face up by clutching his hair. "You¡­ Do you hear me? Your songs are mere entertainment. For the real world, it''s nothing. You can''t even stand up to my Soul magic¡­ and dream of sitting at the top?"


    Sylvester tried pushing the exchange for as long as possible to gather some energy. He had to do something as he felt the scent of death increasing by the second. Still, the words the man said struck him like an arrow.


    Bam!


    Null let Sylvester''s head go and fall to the ground. "Only the brightest of light reaches the holy throne, young bard¡ªyour golden halo is too small¡ªfor the great silver outshines all."


    He moved back and ordered the woman. "Spine, let the Bard and the Sword go. Kill the rest of them¡­"


    The woman pouted, skipped to Sir Dolorem, and swiftly grabbed him by his throat. "Hehe, this one''s a pretty man¡ªsad¡ªhe''ll die."


    Sylvester breathed heavily as he tried his best to move and attack. But the pressure on his body fought him and stopped him. ''Fuck! This is bad¡­ I have to do something!''


    He had no option but to use it one more time, as the only way to stop them was by scaring them. He knew not if he could, but that was the only way, for light was one power that could ignore everything else in the world. So he started to force himself and pushed his palm to the front, aimed at the group of four in the distance.


    Then, he sang under his breath as he could not speak aloud.


    ?There is death, and destruction,


    Of innocents¡ªfor no real reason.


    Their only crime was of being weak,


    Is it too much? The justice I seek?


    In breath, I sing, just this onest time.


    Let your lighte out of this hymn.?


    Abruptly a bright golden light appeared on his palm and sent out a beam of liquid light, burning brighter than anything imaginable¡ªready to destroy everything in its path.


    Boom!


    It was so fast and bright that it gave no time for anyone to move. But, they were still strong and sharp and jumped aside, being able to do so since the beam of light was not as big and wide anymore.


    This time, it didn''t require Sylvester to stop as the light abruptly vanished on its own.


    Exhausted, he tried hard not to let his eyes shut.


    "Ugh! H-He killed Double O!" The woman screamed madly.


    His beam of light had brushed past one of them and easily melted away half of the body, as now only the legs remained still standing there.


    Sylvester''s face fell hard in the mud this time as he lost all strength, but still, he soon looked up with a wide grin that appeared nothing but grim. His eyes, nose, and ears started to bleed, making him seem like a demon.


    "Go ahead!" Sylvester spoke calmly. "Kill them! But remember my name, for I wille after you. Not today, not tomorrow¡­ but one day I will¡­ and ensure there remains nothing you love."


    Sylvester was making a bluff by threatening them since they could not kill him, lest they invite the wrath of the Pope. "Ten, twenty, or thirty years¡ªI will stand on your corpse. So go ahead¡­ kill them!"


    ________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 126 126. O Great King Of Bards

    Sylvester sensed some doubts in their minds. So he decided not to push it as antagonizing them might have the opposite effect. This was the rule of taunting, don''t do it so much that the other person feels obliged to respond.


    Instead, Sylvester kept staring into the eyes of Null, who was undoubtedly the leader of these Void Keepers.


    There was a fierceness in Sylvester''s eyes as he started the man down. He made it clear that what he said was not an empty threat. Yes, he would go to any length to kill them, no matter how long it takes. He has done it once, he can do it again.


    Of course, Null didn''t know it but just looking into Sylvester''s eyes made him feel subconsciously small as if he was in front of not a young boy but a seasoned veteran who had seen all the evil that the world had to throw at him.


    "Hehe! You''re threatening us? Little youngling... yo-"


    "Stop it, Spine!" Null ordered the woman. "We''re leaving... our work is done here. We need to head south."


    "B-But what about these? These three are not God''s Favored! We can kill them, right?" She tried to argue with him. Bloodlust was apparent in her voice. "We must kill anyone who knows us... and he killed Double-O... or perhaps... you''re scared?"


    p!


    Null suddenly appeared in front of the woman as if he just teleported and pped her with the back of her hand while donning a cold face. "I can have you beheaded for this disrespect to your senior, Spine."


    "I... I''m sorry." She apologized, her head held low.


    "I didn''t hear you. Say it loud so all can hear!" Null pushed.


    She suddenly cried loudly and ran away. "I''m Sorry!"


    Null ignored her spoiled theatrics and eyed Sylvester again. "Wee to the game, Bard. Let''s see how far you can go as a sapling so small... Will you survive or die when the giant shall fall?"


    Sylvester didn''t have much strength left to speak any longer. So he remained there and red at the man with his golden eyes.


    Null eventually stepped back to gather what was left of Double-O and moved out of the town with his team, headed south towards the Sorrow Kingdom to do god knows what.


    With the peace of mind that the threat was gone, Sylvester finally allowed himself to fall unconscious as the headache was killing him. His body had already lost more than half its weight and mass--and blood... was now a rarity.


    "Max!" As soon as the pressure on their bodies was gone, Gabriel shouted and ran to his best friend. Even Felix crawled beside Sylvester as he had faced a simr humiliation not long ago.


    "Let him be!" Sir Dolorem ordered since he was there thest time Sylvester had fallen sick after the fight with the bloodling. He now needed blood and srium crystals the most. "Let us find an intact shelter and rest there... we shall think about the next step after recuperating. Priest Felix also needs urgent medical attention."


    Sir Dolorem and Grabriel were in the best state right now, not fully healed but still much better. So the two first moved out to look for a ce to spend the night as the heavens continued to cry its tears upon them.


    ...


    Sylvester felt like he was floating in the clouds, engulfed in darkness. He had no idea where he was until a familiar and haunting view appeared.


    He saw little white snakes flying around, everywhere, moving to win the race. Sylvester felt saddened that he died this way, and after living for so many years, growing up as a kid... and now it was all a game over.


    However, he had no motivation anymore and didn''t even want to live again. So he aimlessly just moved around and saw other snakes being snakes.


    "Hey, how are you, Max? Long time."


    Sylvester was shocked that someone called him, so he looked at one snake, a bit toorge in size. "Felix? What are you doing here?"


    "I''m here too." Gabriel appeared too.


    "Me too." Markus'' voice also came.


    Sylvester felt speechless beyond belief. "W-What... how are we all in the same space?


    "Meow! Meow! Maxy!"


    "Chonky?" Sylvester was shocked to see a cat-headed white snake.


    Sylvester''s mind went nk. "You''re a cat... this is impossi... is this a dream?"


    In an instant, Sylvester tried to imagine things per his wishes and turned all the little white snakes into white cats, simr to Miraj. Then he imagined a surrounding, a memory from the past. His original house back on Earth.


    But, sadly, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t remember the face of his beloved Diana. It just appeared nk as her form appeared in the surroundings. Sylvester tried harder as he remembered all their moments together, all the lovely conversations... But why not the face?


    Leaving it aside, he tried to imagine things from this world--Markus, who had left them too soon.


    Then Xavia, who was doing what she usually does, humming one of his hymns and cooking something good in the kitchen.


    This suddenly dawned a realization in his mind. ''I have so much to lose in this life now. I may never trust people, but I care for them... For Felix... For Sir Dolorem, for Chonky, and for Xavia.''


    He tried to imagine the scene from the past when he was about to die, being thrown into the pyre. ''What if it had ended right here? What if Lord Inquisitor had never arrived... what would have happened to Xavia?''


    And then, Chonky''s figure appeared in front of him, sitting alone, sadly looking out of the building in the Holy Land, still waiting for his beloved caretaker even after five hundred years. His eyes were full of hope and loneliness.


    ''I''ve brought so much change to the lives of all around me. The butterfly of chaos has already fluttered its wings once I took my first breath here... yet my battles are the same with just a new frontier-- and to survive is the only game on which I must thrive.''


    Eventually, the scenes changed, and he found himself standing in the empty Pope''s Pce in the room of the high seat, where the throne coveted by many remained... shining in its glory and gold.


    He walked to it and just watched it, never even touching it. He stared at it nkly and then moved back a step. "What must it cost to rest on you? Is it worth paying? Or will you be the reason for my body decaying?"


    Sylvester shut his senses away and returned to the darkness with his body floating in nothingness. He knew not when he''d wake up, but he hoped the damage was not too much.


    ...


    Boom!


    The thunder was striking thends as if the heavens were falling. The four sat close under the roof of a wooden house they had fixed recently. They had lit a fire in the middle of the hall and ate their fill.<sub> </sub>


    Thankfully among them, only Felix was physically injured beyond the point of being able to walk smoothly. He was still lying down beside the fire but was awoken. Still, the frustration was apparent on his face. After all, he lost badly. "How did that man move so fast? I didn''t even see him, and before I knew it, he had cut my body."


    Bishop Lazark, who seemed to be more knowledgeable, replied, "That was Exnine, the ninth member of the thirteen Void Keepers--twelve now, thanks to Lord Bard. Each one of them is the best of the best, with the strangest abilities you can find in the world. They are usually mentally deranged, cruel, and, above all, they are loyal dogs. Nobody likes them, but they hold the most authority. You were likely defeated by Exnine''s singing swords style."


    Felix sighed as his eyes shed. "So that''s singing style. I did only hear a musical humming of air being cut by his sword... never knew what it was."


    "What about you?"


    Heads turned as it was Sylvester speaking from the sleeping mattress beside the fire. He seemed fine now from the look on his face, but his body remained thin as before. So he didn''t move much. "Are you and Exten rted?"


    Bishop Lazark clenched his fist and took down the hood of his robe, showing his bald, pale head that he rubbed annoyedly. "Sadly, yes... he''s my elder brother. I haven''t seen him in ten years... he became a Void Keeper now, it seems. Well, we never got along since we were kids, and after our parents passed away, we were both taken in by our old mentor. He taught us necromancy... but then my brother tried secretly experimenting by attempting to mutate me with a chameleon''s blood.


    "Thankfully, he was caught by our mentor and expelled. But it seems the church found a use for him as a loyal dog." the man looked into the fire as he finished his short story.


    Sylvester sighed and didn''t say anything as he knew everyone had a sob story. One worse than the other.


    He finally got up. "Let''s head out... the rain will not stop anytime soon. Clean up the town and burn the dead, or soon the ce will be infested with creatures of the night and undead."


    "But... your health!" Sir Dolorem tried to force him back.


    Sylvester pushed the old knight''s hand away. "I''m fine, Sir Dolorem. The crystals have done their magic. I can walk and use basic magic... don''t worry. We should leave for the Fallshoot vige tomorrow and get a horse and carriage from there."


    Felix also got up slowly despite being in a bit of pain. "Yeah, I wish to return home now--if I can even call it that."


    Truly, all of them were shaken by what had urred today. The church itself inflicted unnecessary wrath on poor innocents already suffering. None of them spoke it out loud, but right now, they could somewhat understand why the Anti-Light was gaining influence.


    That night, as decided, all five of them walked around the town and burned the dead while ttening the breaking buildings. The work was not too much; burning could also be done with simple fire crystals, saving their own magic.


    They continued to work until the first light in the morning and thest drop of rain and eventually gathered back in front of the monastery. However, the clouds still appeared dark.


    But it was time to say goodbye to thend... the lost town of Sphinx.


    Luckily, one of the horses had run away at first sight of fire and was found outside the town, a little burnt and scared. It was Frost... Sylvester''s white stallion. The others had likely died.


    So they healed the horse first and then patched up a crude carriage with the help of an already broken one. Then, all five climbed on and decided to head back.


    Felix was in even worse physical condition than Sylvester, so he was made to lie down in the back, with Gabriel and Bishop sitting beside him while Sylvester and Sir Dolorem held onto the reins.


    Sylvester took one final nce at the area before they headed towards the exit. All burnt now, nothing like the cheerful and colorful town that used to be.


    "Max, here." Suddenly, as they started moving, Felix tugged Sylvester and extended a small crumpled booklet.


    "Isn''t this mine?" Sylvester recognized it was the book of hymns he had given to Shane. As he remembered the cheerful face of the kid, he opened to look. To his surprise, he found there was an addition to the written material, so he read silently--and fell into silence.


    His eyes widened--finally, the first sign of genuine sorrow appeared on his face.


    Thud!


    "Max!"


    "Priest!"


    Sylvester suddenly jumped off the carriage and ran back towards the monastery. The others shouted for him; only Felix remained silent.


    He only stopped outside the burn-down monastery and used magic to lift off a massive piece of sleek stone rudely, and ced it into the soil, so only a part was visible. Then, he deeply carved something on it.


    "Here lived the kind and strong Shane Kolt, the little bard, apprentice of Sylvester Maximilian.''


    ___________________


    [O'' Great King of Bards by Shane Kolt]


    a??I want to be your hymn student.


    I promise I shall forever be prudent.


    Memorized I have all the hymns.


    It''s time to write my own rhymes.a??


    a??O'' Great King of Bards


    Really, I promise to work very hard.


    One day, I, too, will be a bard.


    Sing the songs and pray to the lord.


    Like you, be the good people''s guard.a??


    a??For I have now super strongly vowed.


    Just watch; I will make you and mum proud.


    O'' Great King of Bards, I say without a doubt.


    One day my name--even you will shout!a??

 Chapter 127 127. S-Ranked Bounty

    John Hayward was the leader of the Sneaky Stormers. It was a bounty hunting group that he made on his own; over the years, he grew it full of thirty members. Initially, he didn''t want to exceed five, but as he realized that nobody wished to join him due to his low talents, he saw an opportunity in numbers.


    After all, one ant may not be able to lift the prey, but a hundred ants can surely do it. So, he looked for people with the same struggles as him who wanted to be bounty hunters but were lower ranked than a Master Wizard or Silver Knight.


    He may not have a remarkable appearance, standing just five foot five and with a bald head and a beardless face, but his voice still helped him, which made him appear wise and confident. Perhaps the reason why all the members follow his lead.


    As of now, John needed a new hunt. He needed money to keep the group together, or else the Sneaky Stormers would be forced to disband, as they would not even be able to pay the Assassin Guild the fees. That would mean they can never take another job and earn money.


    So, this time, they decided to hit big because his informants revealed to him that the priest with a bounty of a hundred thousand gold was riding along on the desert roads, headed to the Governor''s Keep in the north.


    He was told that the party the priest traveled with seemed to be injured and battered, creating a perfect opportunity for his group to hide and storm the enemy.


    "Shh... Don''t move, and keep your eyes on the road. The moment their wheels get stuck, we shall storm." Ordered John to his men as he and the other thirty Stormers hid behindrge rocks on the sides of the road.


    However, a subordinate of John didn''t have his heart in the job. "Boss, didn''t we decide never to mess with the church back then? Then why are we doing it now?"


    John licked his dried lips greedily and replied. "Remi, a hundred thousand gold will keep us funded for months, andpleting a job of such a level will get us enough reputation that we won''t ever have to worry about jobs. And with better money, we shall hire stronger members--wizards and knights of Arch Wizard and Golden Knight ranks. Just imagine."


    Paa!


    "Attack!" John screamed at the top of his lungs as soon as the loud horn resounded.


    They were calm and cheering since this was the Desert Road, and rarely would there be any travelers. So they had all the time needed.


    John only saw the stopped broken carriage being pulled by a single white horse. At the reins, he noticed a man with blonde hair and golden eyes sitting calmly, but also appeared to be hurt and weak.


    "Sylvester Maximilian! Come with us, and none of your partners needs to get hurt by this. We only want you." He shouted confidently while the rest of his men stood beside him, arms folded and weapons brandished.


    ''Haha, we have you greatly outnumbered! Even a Master Wizard can fall to a dozen Adept Wizards. Come now... bring me your golden head.'' John was gloating in his mind the whole time. His confidence was even bolstered as he noticed the remaining men in the carriage also seemed out of shape.


    ''What''s he doing now?'' John was confused as he saw the blonde man coldly looking at him and showing him the palm and emitting light magic before erupting in a hymn that made a godly halo.


    a??We have met. It is all God''s n.


    Your fate was sealed as your life began.


    Bask in my light as this may bring you peace.


    Don''t look up, or your breath may cease.a??


    "Fuck!" John looked up instantly and cursed. Out of nowhere, there hovered hundreds of long, golden spears made of some sort of light.


    a??I pray--May the holy light enlighten your path.


    I bless you not to be saved from the lord''s wrath.a??


    Woosh!


    Bam!


    Bam!


    To John''s horror, he saw the spears falling down like rain. And they were not just made of lights; they were as solid as steel.


    "No! Mercy!"


    Frightened, he jumped away as he was at the front, but his thirty men were not as lucky. As spears, after spears fell, his men--the Stormers--all of them got pierced through their eyes, mouths, and necks and got nted into the sandy road like scarecrows.


    On the desert road, today appeared a sea of blood.


    Some who didn''t die instantly choked on their own blood slowly, in pain, stuck with the spear impaling them.


    John''s eyes bulged out, for he never expected or knew that there existed such magic. The reports only revealed that the man is a light wizard--a useless element in real-world fights.


    Soon, by the time the rain of spears stopped, all his men seemed like meat stuck on skewers. Decades of work he had put in was gone in seconds--just like that. That made his mind go nk, and he fell. His eyes went hazy--the first sign of a mental breakdown.


    "W-What... happened? Where am I?" He muttered continuously.


    "Rise, heathen! Receive the blessing of the lord."


    John looked up and saw all the spears had vanished, and now the carriage had moved forward, reaching his side. He noticed the man with golden hair and his halo of light. It filled his heart with warmth and love for Solis. So he stood up asmanded. "Oh, lord of light, I made a folly; please spare my life."


    sh!


    "Ghk! Agh! W-Why?"


    Thest thing John saw was a dagger stabbed into his throat by the blonde man, who appeared as calm as a mountainke and as cold as ice. There was no mercy or pity, only anger for his heresy.


    As he fell back, he slowly lost consciousness. Thest sound he heard was of the carriage slowly riding over the bodies of his men.


    Crunch!<sub> </sub>


    Crunch!


    The sound of bones breaking apart haunted him in hisst breath.


    Woosh!


    Thest thing he felt was fire--burning him. But, he felt no pain, for he was already near death.


    Thest thought in his mind was cursing the guild. ''T-They lied... the quest is not C-grade... this is... S grade... fuck!''


    ...


    <strong>[Memoirs of Sir Dolorem]</strong>


    [The whole way, he did not utter a word, and when he did, it rhymed, and men got killed for their crime. So coldly and so effortlessly--it''s frightening.


    Something has changed in him, and I don''t know what. I can understand, however, that the experience we had in Sphinx Town was something that could easily shake one''s belief. But sadly, that''s the reality of the world we live in... What happened in Sphinx town has urred before and will continue to do so.


    Shane''s death has... left all of us enraged. I can understand Sylvester''s rage, for the first apprentice of any wizard is like his own child. He teaches him, nurtures him to grow--but to see that son die like that... It hurts.


    I look into his eyes now, and they appear furious, but the hint of intelligence has not left him. I wish to give him a hug and give him a shoulder to cry on--but I reckon Sylvester is not one of those men who show emotions to others--especially their most vulnerable ones.


    He has to do something... he has to let out the frustration. Otherwise, it will hollow him out slowly and... I don''t want to imagine the oue. O'' Lord Solis, if you are there, please guide this young mind... for I have failed as his mentor, guardian, and... self-proimed father.


    He has great potential in him--just waiting to be unlocked. So, if you have any grace left, even for me, please pass it on to Sylvester. I beg you... he needs it more than I.


    May your light enlighten our paths and minds.]


    Sir Dolorem stopped writing in his journal and looked ahead. They were close to the Fallshoot vige, Markus'' home. He had knowingly given the reins to Sylvester, wishing to distract him from having angry thoughts and instead focus on the road.


    "We shall get some medicine from Archpriest Norin Raad for Priest Felix and then move out." Sir Dolorem suggested.


    Sylvester nodded nkly and added. "I need to check the agriculture methods I suggested. The first winter rain has poured upon here. They don''t have too much time before the cold hits them."


    Sir Dolorem internally sighed. He appreciated that Sylvester was back in work mode, but he could feel that things were different now. His voice, his mannerism, it all had be colder--clouded even.


    ''What internal battles are you fighting, young bard?'' He wondered and kept his thoughts to himself. He could only hope that at least his friends or his mother wouldter talk with him about it.


    ...


    Sylvester was just in a bad mood. Anyone would be after what happened. It was not just the death of Shane that angered him, but also the fact that the entire town was murdered, including those refugees, nearly six thousand people.


    For what? Because they harbored a dangerous man more than a decade ago? A man who was disguised? It was the straw that broke the camel''s back and ended even the tiniest bit of respect he had left for the church. But his anger was diverted to himself as well.


    At how weak he was. How easily a bunch of psychos stepped on him. ''I need to rethink my whole strategy. There can never be peace in my life... unless I hold the biggest knife.''


    "What happened? Where is everyone?"


    Sylvester''s thoughts receded when he heard Sir Dolorem''s curious interjection. He also looked around and noticed the entire town was empty, at least the streets. But leftover items on the side of the road suggested people were still there.


    "Let''s go to the Monastery." Sylvester decided and moved faster.


    But, before they even reached the Monastery, they found a house surrounded by all the vigers. They all looked healthy now, but their faces showed tension. And thebined stench he smelled was that of anxiety.


    "What goes on here?" Sir Dolorem shouted at the crowd.


    When people looked, they nearly knelt towards Sylvester. Only when Archpriest Norin came to the front, he exined after greeting. "Ah, Priest Sylvester, you must be headed back. I reckon your mission was sessful?"


    Sylvester held himself back from cursing. "Indeed--the mountains have been cleared of their toxicity. So, what''s happening here?"


    Archpriest Norin appeared saddened deeply. "A robbery urredst night. David had just started dealing in handicrafts at the Governor''s Keep and made a fortune. But now his body lies inside, dead, bloodied. Where could such heathens appear in our little vige?"


    Sylvester looked at the crowd and shook his head. ''One of them is the culprit... I can guarantee it.''


    Considering this little matter was a great mind diverter, he got off the carriage and moved towards the little house. The people parted ways and let him enter quickly. Then, without searching around, he looked directly at the body.


    He noticed a blunt injury on the back of the head of the man, and some jewelry boxes and gold jewelry lying around the room, with one wooden cupboard open wide.


    He shook his head and looked at the people outside the house. "This was not a robbery but a pre-nned murder!"


    ______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 128 128. A God

    "Murder? Who would do such a thing? We are all very peaceful in the vige." Said the old Archpriest.


    Sylvester didn''t react much and looked around the room. "Since when do thieves decorate houses with perfectlyid out jewelry just out of their respective boxes? Look at them. It''s all ''arranged'' on the floor."


    Hearing him, the Archpriest and Sir Dolorem looked around. They had to agree the observation was correct. None of the jewelry was thrown randomly but instead ced beside their boxes.


    Sylvester looked at the people around coldly. "Bring me the people who quarreled with this man or had anypetition or animosity. The one whomitted this sin stands amongst you."


    As soon as Sylvester dered that, everyone started to look around themselves. But Sylvester was looking at the whole crowd in general and noticed a few heads that were not turning and a few people who were slowly trying to move back in the crowd.


    They didn''t need to be the killers, but they likely knew the dead man from their reaction. So, he whispered to Sir Dolorem on the side and told him to gather all of them.


    Nearly ten men and women stood before him in a few minutes, with their faces turning pale in fear.


    "One of you killed this man. Now I will ask you questions one by one, and you must answer me truthfully, and if you don''t, I will consider you the real perpetrator." Sylvester threatened them as he walked left and right in front of them.


    He first started with the man on the left. "Did you know him?"


    "Y-Yes, Lord Bard. I bought clothes from him some days ago... and we had a little fight because he was selling them at a high price."


    Sylvester nodded and asked further. "Why did you kill him?"


    The man appeared flustered and started to look away from him. He stuttered while replying. "I-I did no such thing... Lord B-bard... We may have differences, but I would never take his life. I am a true believer in Solis. Taking another man''s life is against the faith."


    ''But the same faith will have no qualms in killing you for no reason.'' Sylvester thought and silently scoffed. But he waved the man away. This was not the murderer he was looking for.


    Then Sylvester repeated the same with the other nine and asked the same questions. By the end, he only had three people left, two women and one man.


    "Why did you kill him? I know you lied thest time, so if you don''t want to be punished for the crime, you better tell me the truth." He ordered her.


    The middle-aged woman, a typical vige woman with a husband and two kids, was looking so nervous she may have shed a bucket full of sweat by now. "M-My Lord... can I speak to you on the side... privately?"


    Sylvester looked into her eyes and smelled the anxiety. Since he was not an animal out to humiliate her, he agreed and stepped to the side where people could see her but not hear. Then, she whispered into his ears.


    Sylvester sighed after hearing her story and told her to stay standing there. She was not the killer, but she was close to the man. It turns out that the dead man was rich and somewhat of a phnderer. And his favorite hobby was offering desperate poor women money to sleep with him. In times when there was nothing to eat in the vige, it was the perfect yground for him.


    She, too, exchanged her self-respect so she could feed her kids since her husbandy dead due to the man-hunting the previous lord of thend organized.


    Sylvester didn''t reveal her problems to the others and continued to talk with the remaining two. The man said he was at home with his wife and kids and was not lying. Then finally, the turn came for the young woman, maybe in her early 20s. She seemed pretty enough to be desirable to men, but seeing her nervously fiddling with the hem of her skirt, Sylvester knew there was something.


    He told her toe to the side without her asking and talk with him alone. "Tell me everything."


    Her blue eyes were on the verge of tears, and her long blonde hair fell over her face, making her appear frenzied. "I-I am Darcie Brown, my lord... I... I just... my parents died, and I was hungry..."


    Sylvester saved her the embarrassment. "I know, he pays money to women to sleep with him. Tell me why you killed him?"


    "I''m pregnant... and I went to tell him. But David tried to kill me and... and I pushed him. I didn''t want to kill him, my lord! I was just... scared."


    Sylvester nodded as he looked at the room, and there was indeed a table where the head could have been bashed. The corner, in particr. But, he had to give her credit for thinking of making it appear like a robbery. But she didn''t take anything.


    He looked into her blue eyes and saw real fear, desperation, and anxiety. He could, byw, kill her right there. But...


    "Does David have a family?"


    She shook her head. "He had a wife. She died years ago in childbirth with the baby. P-Please... I didn''t mean to hurt hi-"


    Sylvester raised his palm and stopped her. "This is what you will do now. First, you will wash your face and look pretty. Then you will go to the vige chief and ask him to find you a good suiter for marriage with whom you shall stay forever loyal as long as he''s kind to you. You are a pretty woman. I''m sure there will be many willing to marry you--and I will pay your dowry. I will give you until tomorrow. Get this done before I leave."


    Her eyes sparkled suddenly, not expecting such a thing toe out of her confessions. She quickly wiped her eyes and nodded strongly. "I will... thank you... thank you, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester walked back to where the dead body was ced. The vigers were looking at him, some looking in from the window and some peeking from doors. Some had even entered the house.


    He rubbed his chin and walked to the table behind the body. He then touched the corner of the table and showed he found some liquid by trying to rub it between his fingers. "Hmm, it seems the death was an ident! He fell back and mmed his head onto the table''s corner. The ce of injury makes it clear too."


    The people gasped in awe and fright that such a thing could happen at home. But then the Archpriest asked, "What about the jewelry?"


    Sylvester knelt down and put all the jewelry into their boxes one by one. Soon, no empty boxes appeared. "See, nothing was even stolen. Only one gold ring is missing, and that''s on this man''s finger."


    "Holy Solis--such a sad end to life." Archpriest sighed, convinced by him.


    Sylvester then picked up all the boxes of jewelry and even more stacks of coin pouches from the cupboard and handed them to the Archpriest. "Since nobody remains to inherit him, the church must use it for the vige''s welfare. Buy more food since winter ising."


    Not only the Archpriest but also the people thanked him and bowed a little as he walked out without saying anything more. Then, without asking, he went to check all the wells he had dug, all theposite toilets and the fields since more than a month had passed.


    Meanwhile, Sir Dolorem informed Archpriest Norin about the events of the Sphinx Town, of course, not the part about Void Keepers. The deaths were attributed to Desert Cannibals instead.<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester and the rest helped the vige with a few moreposite toilets until the night.


    "Marvelous, you made these?" Bishop Lazark was all praise for Sylvester after seeing how he had helped the vige of his old friend.


    Then, by nighttime, the news was announced that a woman in the vige was going to wed the next morning. Sylvester publicly announced that he''d pay her dowry and personally bless the couple.


    Then, night fell, and finally, after so many days, Sylvester slept in some peace on the terrace of the monastery. The wind was cold--but on his bed, Sylvester just rolled--left to right and repeated. His mind would not allow him to sleep calmly. His existence was in danger now, and he needed to find a solution.


    What path to take? How to survive in this world? Of course, he wished to get stronger too. But, what he heard from Null in the Sphinx town, the words ''your golden halo is too small--for the great silver outshines all.'' These words had taken hold of his mind.


    ''Does this mean there is someone those Void Keepers already consider the next Pope? How many people are vying for that seat?... The Pope isn''t even that old yet.'' He thought but could note up with answers.


    "Maxy... no sleep?" Miraj asked as he noticed his dear son in anguish.


    Sylvester patted the cat and scratched his head. "Just thinking. Don''t worry. You go to sleep."


    Miraj nodded, snuggled beside Sylvester''s neck, and tucked himself into a furball. "You will always have me, Maxy... forever."


    Sylvester didn''t doubt him since only he could see him, and the furry boy was immortal. But, the real question was, could he--live that long?


    ...


    Pa!


    Pa!


    Small crude firecrackers went off as Darcie Brown walked into the monastery altar in a modest, clean gown. There was no such thing as a wedding dress formoners.


    She now had a man beside her, around her age and decent looking.


    Sylvester didn''t waste time and donned his mitre on the head. Then as the bride and groom came, he ced the Law of Light Book between their palms and used a white silk cloth to tie their hands.


    After that, Sylvester spoke a few words. "The Lord has willed for these two to form a union, in mind and body, but above all, in the soul. The lord asks not for tributes but only that the man and the woman never forget their roots.


    "Timothy Bane and Darcie Brown, you are to, from this day, be the backbone of one another. When one falls, you must lift the other. In the eyes of the holy light andw--I pronounce you as one united soul." Sylvester used one free hand to spread some light from his palm at the tied hand. It was not needed, but he did it anyway, so the man feared a bit in the future before hurting the woman, or vice-versa.


    "May the holy light enlighten your paths, and brighten your lives. May you bring forth many little sparks of lights--Amen!"


    "Amen!


    The crowd of vigers cheered for the new couple in the vige. And Sylvester had already awarded the dowry of five Gold Graces, which was a lot formoners.


    With that, it was time to leave as Sir Dolorem had fixed their carriage and had taken a horse from the vige. They were already waiting for him in the carriage outside the monastery. They had to leave quickly since the journey ahead was going to be long.


    The entire vige came to see them off since they never knew if they''d even meet Lord Bard again. They were expecting a new hymn from him, but all they saw was his back leaving.


    "My lord!"


    He stopped and looked back. It was Darcie running to him in her wedding dress. "What happ-"


    "Lord Bard!" She just jumped to hug him very tight, and her eyes bawled out silently. Sylvester didn''t respond with a hug but patted her head like a kind senior. "What happened?"


    She shook her head and released him from the hug. "I-I thought I would di... Thank you... you made everything so delightful... so easily... when you had no reason to. I don''t know about others who meet you but--you are a god to me."


    Sylvester could understand where that feeling wasing from. Most nobles, rich, and even men of faith would have used her for fun rather than helping her. In this world, nobody helps someone for no reason. But Sylvester saw no reason not to help when he could without spending any extra energy.


    Sylvester sighed and patted her head like she was a child before boarding the carriage.


    "I am no god; I am what you all were supposed to be."


    As he left, she just waved her hand, not understanding the meaning behind his words. All she knew was that her life had changed because of one man, kind, strong, and wise--a god--in her eyes.


    [A/N: Read the note below. Btw, one more chap and prologueing next.]


    ______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 129 129. Tower Of Godless

    [A/N: Check out the new prologue chapter in the auxiliary volume. It contains Sylvester''s past.]


    _______________________


    "Why did you help her? What did she tell you?" Felix asked from the back, still lying to heal the body joints. They had just left the Fallshoot Vige. Since Markus'' family had already moved towards the East to buy newnd with the help of Felix''s contacts, they had no reason to stay.


    Sylvester was holding the reins of the two horses. It was cold now as the winter had finally started knocking on doors, and sadly they had no extra clothes.


    "Someone has to, Felix. As for what she said, it''d be a disservice to her trust if I told you. It wasn''t much; forget about it." Sylvester replied and focused on the road.


    Traveling on the dirt road, they soon arrived at Fort Sunflower. And since Sylvester''s attire was very famous, they were quickly given entry. This time, however, they didn''t go to meet the Duke as they were in a hurry. Instead, they went to the market to buy some nkets for the remaining journey first.


    Their n was to avoid the Riveria Kingdom as a whole in their return journey as the chances of being attacked again were very high. So instead, they were going to keep going up on Desert Road until the Snake River crossing, and from there, they''d enter the Garcia Kingdom and take the Green road straight to the Holy Land.


    "I wonder if that ve you gave money to thest time is still alive." Felix wondered as they entered the market streets.


    Sylvester was also interested in that man. A merchant to a seasoned warrior¡ªa victim of the world he lived in. Not to mention, the name Kaecilius Silvanus was unique enough to make it memorable.


    "If he''s strong-willed and nobody plotted against him, I don''t think he''d die that easily. He has everything to lose if he loses one fight. Anyway, I shall go and meet Duke''s Prima. They should at least know we''re here." Sylvester took off without exining much further.


    He soon arrived at the Duke''s castle first, but he was informed the Duke had gone to the River City, the capital of the Kingdom of Riveria. So Duke''s Prima was handling things.


    He was allowed a meeting rtively quickly since they knew each other.


    The man came to greet Sylvester himself at the door. "Lord Bard, wee back. I''m sure the Duke will be heartbroken to hear the time of your arrival."


    "Thank you for the hospitality, Lord Jeremiah. I only wish to inform you of my visit¡­ and meet the Duke if possible. We shall be heading back to Holy Land after buying some winter clothes." Sylvester inly informed the man.


    This earned a raised eyebrow. "I shall order one of ourmanders to escort you out of the Riveria territories then."


    Sylvester raised his palm and quickly denied. He''d rather not take useless favors from these nobles, as he never knew what hid behind their masks. "No need, Lord Jeremiah. We shall take the Desert Road towards the Gracia Kingdom. However, maybe you can help me with one thing. What happened to my reward thest time I was here? Did he survive?"


    Smiling, the brown man smiled. "He is alive and well. Thanks to you, his rise has quickened as now he owns armor and a better sword. Worry not for him, Lord Bard. I, too, was a ve once in the same arena and fought until I got my freedom and slowly climbed enough ranks to sit here. I know when I see men with a greater purpose¡ªhe has one¡­ just like you."


    Sylvester felt some lies and excitement from the scenting from this man. He didn''t like it, but he didn''t care either. He had no ns for this man. After all, if anything, he''d wish to kill him and make the Duke more vulnerable.


    "One more thing, Lord Bard. Duke expected something like this to happen, so he left a letter for you. Here¡­" The man took out an envelope from his desk drawer and handed it to Sylvester.


    It was a premium, neat, clean paper with excellent cursive writing, named to him directly.


    "Thank you, Lord Jeremiah. I shall take my leave then." Sylvester left the Duke''s castle and went straight to the fighting pits to see the ve. He wondered if he could use the man in the long run or how good he was at fighting and ounting.


    Using his status as a man of faith, he entered the fighting pits, mainly the area where the resident fighters are kept. It was all underground space under the arena, so the ce was dark and unpleasant, as bleak as the future of many dwellers.


    Still, there were fire torches every few meters and guards standing straight. There were long corridors, and each held rooms, at least they looked big considering the space between each door.


    He knew he would not be allowed to meet the prized top fighter of the arena, so he had to utilize some underhanded means of corruption. It was good for him in this case because as long as the guards felt they did something wrong, they''d try to keep his visit a secret.


    He paid the guard a coin of gold and easily went into the man''s living quarters. At first nce, the ce seemed spacious enough, with tworge rooms interconnected, but it had nothing other than a mattress in the corner and a table and chair in the other corner beside the oilmp.


    When he entered uninvitingly, the man was writing something and jumped to his feet in fright, a reflex that saved him all these years. He turned around and was ready to fight. But instantly, his shoulders rxed as he recognized Sylvester.


    "Nice armor you bought," Sylvester muttered as he walked around to the armor pieces hung on the wall.


    The man¡ªShort ck hair, a stubble beard, and a face that told a sad story with scars and dark circles beneath the eyes¡ªfrowned a little and spoke in a hoarse voice. "I will give back the money once I win three more fights. I only have half the money at the moment."


    Sylvester waved his hand, appearing serious. "I care not about the gold, Kaecilius Silvanus."


    ''Sniff-Sniff¡­ my gold.''


    Sylvester ignored Miraj''s whimpers and walked forward to shake hands with the man. "A man of numbers counting dead bodies instead of gold? Your story is fascinating to me, warrior. So I offer you here¡ªI invite you to join the church as a Knight. You shall serve in the Inquisitor''s army."


    Kaecilius denied it immediately. "What is my life''s worth when I leave behind my treasure¡ªmy family? I thank you for being considerate, my lord¡­ by I desire nothing but the warmth of closeness of my family."


    Sylvester nodded silently in admiration. He never really had permission to recruit someone, and he was merely testing the grounds. If the man had epted, he''d have left him behind. But now, this proved that this man would fight no matter what for something he cherishes. A man worth investing in because this one also had brains.


    "I hope you did not spend all the money on the armor. Did you give some to your family?" Sylvester asked him.


    Kaecilius was trying hard to understand what Sylvester wanted from him. He had lived in a world of merchants and then very for years now, and he knew there was no ck and white. Everything was in shades of gray.<sub> </sub>


    "I sent some to my family¡­ they could use some new clothes and better food."


    Sylvester nodded, but somewhat rudely, he sat down on the chair and took a paper from the desk, and started writing on it with the quill. "What does your family do, Kaecilius?"


    "My wife is the handmaiden to the Duke''s wife, and my kids¡­ they help clean around."


    Sylvester sighed as if hurt deeply. "This is uneptable. The fact that you are a learned man means your children have the potential to be schrs or traders as well. What are their names?"


    "Remus and Cirus¡­ my lord, did they offend you in any way?" Kaecilius asked nervously as a caring father. He knew he couldn''t do anything if a man like Sylvester decided to make his life hell.


    Bam!


    Sylvester took out his wax seal of Sanctum Inspector and melted it, then stamped it at the end of the document. He blew on it to let it dry, then folded it before handing it to the man. "Here, a letter of rmendation and request that the local monastery allows your children to get basic education¡­ and that they are treated equally¡ªor the bard will sing some songs."


    Kaecilius quickly looked at it and silently read it. To his shock, the letter was indeed about his children''s education. He felt conflicted by this, however. He had never met or talked to this man before, and what scared him was that there was no request.


    "What will this cost me, my lord?"


    Sylvester gave a faint fake smile and extended his hand. Kaecilius felt obliged to shake it and did so. "Kaecilius, not always there has to be a reason for kindness to be shown. Because if there was a price involved, it was never kindness. Now, I believe you were busy writing your book, so I shall take my leave. If fate wills it, we shall meet again."


    Sylvester proceeded to leave calmly. But deep inside, he hoped the scheme he had just hatched would someday work in favor. ''How will the wind bow for you, my friend Kaecilius¡ªOnly time shall tell if you will be my Spartacus.''


    [A/N: Spartacus was a ve who led the third andrgest ve revolt against Rome in the 1st century BC.]


    ¡­


    "Ha!"


    "It''s good to be able to do this again!" Felix rxed as he was finally able to move and sit in the front seat and hold the reins. It had been three days since they left the Fort Sunflower. They quickly moved West and took the Desert Road again. Then, it was a smooth journey as the Desert road here saw a lot of movement, and no one dared attack him on it.


    Then, finally, the crossing of the Snake River came. There was no bridge, however, as the location held strategic importance for Riveria and Gracia. But it was shallow enough to allow carriages to move with care.


    Sylvester was rxing beside Felix and looked towards the north. He remembered just a few kilometers upstream, there was the ck Pit, the ce that brought cholera to Pitfall town years ago.


    p "What''s that?" Sylvester suddenly eximed as he noticed something at a great distance. There were tall mountains just beside the Wall of Void, the cliff of the Divine Desert. He could not see it clearly since there was a lot of fog, but he could notice some sort of a manmade structure as tall as the mountain itself. "Why did I not see it when I went there years ago?"</anda>


    Sir Dolorem nced and sighed instantly. "Because it''s usually covered in mist¡­ It''s rare we can see it from here today."


    Gabriel was interested, too, since the map showed nothing out there. "What is it?"


    Bishop Lazark chimed in. "That''s the Tower of Godless, thergest ve market in the world, divided into a hundred floors. Each floor caters to specific needs. Humans, elves, dwarves, beastkins, merkins, vampires, centaurs¡­ anything that moves, you can find it there at the right price. I have only seen the ground floor once¡­ they don''t allow clergymen to go above 3rd floors."


    "How can faith allow such a thing to exist? So close to the Holy Land?" Gabriel asked in disgust.


    Felix chimed in, already knowing about the ce as it was near his family county. "Because thend it lies on belongs to none. It''s on the other side of the Snake River, everything is barren desert there, and Desert Cannibals constantly attack."


    Sir Dolorem also added. "And on the top floor lives the ve Imperia Council¡ªMade of 5 self-proimed ve Gods¡ªthree of them being Grand Wizards and two being Diamond Knights."


    Bishop Lazark had more to say. "It''s also protected by nobles¡­ for it''s the ce where they get their best ves for work¡ªbest elven women to bed¡ªand best orcs to do hardbor."


    Sylvester nodded in silence as he nced at the distant mystical but dark ce. Its size was so enormous that Sylvester was forced to imagine how many tears of blood and cries of pain were echoing in there.


    But then he shook his head since he could do nothing about it and focused on the road ahead. "Even with all of us living under the same sky¡ªthe light that reaches uses in many shades of gold... some dark and some pale¡ªsome ept the false peace, and some get rid of that delusional veil."


    Felix agreed and responded. "That''s why they say Ignorance is bliss¡ªBecause once your eyes open, it''s just an endless dark abyss."


    ______________________


    [A/N: Look at the map to see the location of Tower of Godless.]


    ______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 130 130. Home

    Sand City, Royal Pce


    Therge block-like bricks in the walls of the Sand City were best to trap the heat in winter and keep it out in summer. The Sand City was the biggest and likely the onlyrge city in the Hignd Kingdom, where most economic activities happened. Although the Kingdom spanned from the Wall of Void to the Blood Sea, most economic activities urred beside the Snake River or to its east.


    The King Atrox Hignd and the Queen Trinity Hignd were the famed power couple as both were Grand Wizards, the only two in the Kingdom. But, sadly, both of them were unable to sire children for some unknown reason, so they treated the entire Kingdom as their family.


    Perhaps, the Hignd Kingdom was one of the only Kingdoms where mostmoners loved their King. Of course, situations like Sphinx Town or Fallshoot vige were too small to change the perception ofmoners.


    But the destruction of an entire town was something that could not just be epted and shrugged away. So, when the men with the news arrived in the Sand City, the Imperial Council was called, where the King and the Queen sat side by side on one side of the table and the rest of the advisers or administration around it.


    Although the King and the Queen usually donned a very easygoing and kind attitude, they were serious and outraged at the moment.


    "... We saw the leftover pyres of the dead bodies. The entire town was gone, not a single wall was left... and we found a remembrance stone near where the monastery was, with the words ''Here lived the kind and strong Shane Kolt, the little bard, apprentice of Sylvester Maximilian.'' engraved on it, your majesties."


    The Queen held her husband''s clenched hand, knowing the man was angry but felt helpless about who the perpetrator was. She asked the messenger. "Is this Sylvester Maximilian, the famed Bard?"


    "Yes, your majesty. From the words of Archpriest of Fallshoot vige, we learned that Lord Bard was headed to Sphinx Town to heal the demon possessions there... in doing so, he also defeated the bloodling terrorizing the mountains beside the Desert Road."


    "Elder Brother." The King''s Prima, dius Hignd, spoke. "I shall write a letter to the Holy Father and ask why they sent the bard to destroy a little town--without asking us."


    King Hignd stopped all the talks, however. "It was not the bard... it does not make sense that he''d first help them, kill the Bloodling, then destroy the town only to leave behind a remembrance stone. But this is likely done by the church... and I shall have my answers. I will be going directly to the Holy Land to meet the Holy Father. They can ignore your letters, but not me,"


    "Dear, the time isn''t right. You know the turmoil in Riveria." The Queen warned him.


    King Hignd ignored her warnings. "They dare not touch a man or woman as strong as us, Trinity. The Faith needs us for theing war, and even Riviera knows that if I die, their south-eastern nk will be wide open--And I might meet the bard as well, always wanted to since I learned about him."


    The Queen sighed and facepalmed. "You still have not given up trying to adopt him?"


    The King chuckled and proudly replied. "We both know the lord has not blessed us with an heir... so if we''re going to select one from the crowds, why not the best one in the world?"


    "You don''t even know him." She argued.


    "That''s why I shall go and meet him. Until I return, take care of the Kingdom, my beautiful Queen."


    King''s Prima, dius grunted and stood up annoyedly, dismissing the council as well. "Move along, folks, the two have started flirting again... you don''t want to see them go wild--trust me. Elder brother, and Lady Trinity, see you in the evening."


    The two were the strongest in the Kingdom and cared about nothing. Perks of being too old and strong. So, they did everything whenever they wanted... of course, they always maintained some decency.


    "Yeah yeah... shut the door when you leave, dius!" The King boomed, and soon in that room, some steam bloomed.


    ...


    It was nearing night when Sylvester and the rest arrived near the Holy Land. They had already passed by the Green City and were now on the best road in the world where they could feel the soothing winds.


    The closer they got to the Holy Land, the less cold they felt, as the Holy Land had perfect temperature because of harboring the Orb of Purity that spews an extreme amount of light and Srium.


    "Bishop Lazark, why don''t you join my group? I''m sure the administration will have no problem with it." Sylvester offered the man. He was rxing at the back of the carriage with Bishop and Gabriel, while Sir Dolorem and Felix steered.


    "I am afraid I will have to refuse, Lord Bard." Bishop Lazark replied. "I appreciate that you don''t care about a necromancer being in your group, but I must consider the reaction of others. If I was just a dark wizard, I would have joined you, but I am a necromancer. We don''t have an outstanding reputation and get too many eyes on us. They will talk about you even if nobody says it to you directly. Which may hurt your future prospects as a God''s Favored."


    Sylvester could understand that reasoning, but he felt some pity for this man. The former had proved a reliable partner on the mission, even fought against a Bloodling, and survived twice. This was not the sign of an ordinary man. "Too bad, I would have liked to have you on the team."


    Bishop Lazark chuckled in a self-deprecating tone. "That''s why necromancers are cursed and blessed at the same time. I have the power to raise the dead and havepany... sadly, it''s usually just me doing the talking."


    Sir Dolorem chimed in. "Why not find other necromancers and make a group with them?"


    "There are a few, but none in the Sanctum Inspector division. Most clergymen with brains dare not volunteer for this job--as we saw in the mountains how dangerous it came to be." Bishop responded.


    ''If I didn''t have light magic, this could have been the end for all of us.'' Sylvester thought about it. His light magic was one of the reasons why he was never scared of standing against evil entities.


    "I will write the report slowly this time. I need some rest." Sylvester changed the topic.


    "Remember not to mention the Void Keepers in it. Instead, tell Saint Wazir in person about what truly happened."


    Sylvester thanked the man for reminding him and sat back silently. The darkness was increasing slowly, and soon the twin moons were menacingly watching over them.


    Sylvester tried to think about the hidden underground castle he saw under Sphinx Town. It had a lot of crescent moon engravings too. So this made him wonder, ''Was there some sort of a moon-rted religion in the past? The Faith of Solis did develop five thousand years ago, after all. What about the rest of history before that?''


    Not so surprising, these were the questions whose answers he could never find in a book. So he''d have to do research himself--carefully even as the matter involved Faith.<sub> </sub>


    ''I just want to take a bath and sleep for now. Too much chaos for such a short time.''


    ...


    By midnight, Sylvester finally arrived at his home. He had dropped Felix and Gabriel at their quarters, then Sir Dolorem at the Inquisitor Camp, and Bishop Lazark at his house. Then, he parked the carriage away, took Frost alone, and reached the Bright Motherplex.


    Most of the rooms and housing units appeared to have lights off, but one did not as he soon smelled the mouthwatering scent of some honey buns and other food. Despite all that had happened, he smiled as he was about to knock on the door. "Of course, mum is preparing for me."


    "Quick, Maxy! I''m hungry." Miraj was going crazy due to the aroma.


    Sylvester, however, caught Miraj first and tied him into his bag. "We shall have a bath first... and you will not run today."


    Knock Knock!


    Bam!


    Just a few seconds after he knocked on the door, it opened, and jumped out an overly excited and happy woman, hugging his neck enough to suffocate a normal human. "My Max is back! You were gone for so long this time... I missed you."


    Sylvester responded and patted her back. "Now, now, calm down. Seriously, why is it that you act more like how I should be acting."


    Xavia stepped back embarrassingly. "Well... the house felt very lonely without you... so I got excited."


    He didn''t mind, however, since her emotions were genuine. "Let''s go in... I brought you a souvenir from Fort Sunflower. They are famous for their flowers and make the best perfumes."


    He shut the door behind them and followed her in. Instantly he was hit by the strong aroma of so many dishes that his stomach started to grumble. He had, after all, only eaten in the morning today.


    Xavia chuckled when she heard his stomach. "Go and take a bath, Max. I am making so much good food for you... look at you, grown so thin and weak. It hurts me to see you."


    Sylvester knew that mothers tend to see things out of proportion regarding their kids. But here he agreed because he was still healing from that srium deficiency and blood decrease. "I will go and take a bath. By the way, mum, do you have blood-replenishing potions at home? I will need them."


    Xavia jumped close to him and touched his forehead. He appeared warm, too much, in fact. "You have a fever?"


    He shrugged. "It''s okay, mum. I am a light wizard. I am usually hotter than most others."


    Picking the bag that was a cage for Miraj, he went to the bathroom. Thankfully, with a new bigger house, it was indoors now. With the help of magic crystals, anything could be done in the Holy Land.


    Miraj had epted his fate and soon found himself sitting in therge bathtub in front of Sylvester and getting his furry head rubbed like an obedient child.


    "Mraaa... Maxy! It''s going in my eyes."


    Sylvester chuckled and wiped the eye clean. "Aren''t you the one who adopted me? Then why am I bathing you?"


    Miraj visibly appeared anxious to find an excuse. "Ummm... because I''m a cat, and if I were to bathe you, that''d mean I lick you all over. You want that, Maxy?"


    ''It''s a nice answer, honestly.'' He thought.


    Soon after, the two dried themselves with the air element and came out looking fresh. Miraj jumped onto the kitchen shelf to see Xavia cooking while Sylvester sat down by the dining table.


    He looked at his mother in a loose, long robe, humming one of his hymns, shaking left and right in the kitchen and making food for him happily. Her happy, free, and kind nature was a breath of fresh air for him truly, and he wished for this tost forever... her happiness, at least.


    Then suddenly, his face turned grimmer as he nced at the house''s front door and wondered. ''There is nothing stopping someone--the church--froming into this house and destroying everything. They can harm her, r*pe her, kill her--kill me... and I can just watch it happen.''


    He looked back at Xavia. "Mum."


    She turned around, a smile donned on her face. "What is it, dear?"


    "What if--One day--I became the Pope?"


    ______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 131 131. Will To Rise

    There was near-silence in the dining room, and the only distraction was the constant boiling sound from the pot. Xavia just stared at his face and knew something must have happened. Over the years, she had noticed it enough times to know that her son thinks way ahead and deeper than normally others would.


    So, she knew she could not half-ass her answer. She quickly put the fire crystal away from the stove and walked to sit beside him. "I will feel sad, but also proud--extremely proud... and safe."


    "Sad? Why?" Sylvester asked further.


    Xavia sighed and replied. "You know why we are the safest and the most in danger here. You bing the Pope is an achievement that seems impossible to me. But, if you do, I will feel proud as that would mean you sit at the top... and also that you will be safe. But... your life will also be in the most danger, and the work--I''d worry for your mental well-being."


    ''It''s not that good right now anyway.'' Sylvester thought.


    But he appreciated her care. "Mum, tell me, what happens when a king dies all of a sudden without announcing an heir? What does the strongest among the kids of that king do to hispetitors."


    "He kills them... no!" She realized where this was going. "That''s not how the church operates."


    Sylvester stared into her eyes and didn''t say anything. That, in reply, brought tears to her eyes as she realized Sylvester didn''t have a choice in this matter. One day, if someone else bes the Pope, they will try to either fully make him subservient or kill him--even more so because he has the highest talentbined with light magic and that bard blessing.


    The Church had many examples of mysterious deaths due to poisoning in the past, so nothing was unimaginable.


    Xavia held Sylvester''s hand and cried. "I''m sorry... I don''t deserve forgiveness for pushing you into all this."


    Sylvester wiped away her tears. "No--We never really had a choice. Everything was decided by Lord Inquisitor''s voice. This ce is our best chance of survival, dangerous but still better... I''m sure of that after seeing the horrors outside."


    "You don''t me me?" She asked.


    Sylvester nodded and rxed. "The only thing I me you for is that school incident. I''m still suffering from the consequences of that... likely will for the rest of my life until I uproot the problem. We can just own up to our mistakes and hope not to repeat them. Anyway, I''m starving, mum."


    "Ah! Yes!" She quickly wiped her tears, got up, and walked away to finish cooking. However, in the middle, she stopped and asked him. "Dear... who is Chonky?"


    "..."


    Sylvester kept a straight face and answered. "Just an imaginary friend I made when I was little and had nothing else to do. Don''t worry. It''s my way of talking to myself and making ns."


    Miraj was very much offended by this, however, as he was called imaginary. So he pouted and climbed on Sylvester''s head, then started to punch him.


    Xavia seemed satisfied by that answer, albeit a bit creeped out. But, knowing already how much stress her son faces, she didn''t bother.


    In half an hour, the table was full of food. She exined what it was as there were things Sylvester had never seen before. "This is a fried spicy chopped potato I made with some honey. There is a stew, smoked chicken,mb, and your favorite honey bread."


    Good food was something that could be a smile on even a demon''s face. He quickly dug in. "You''re going to turn me fat, mum."


    <o>,m She put more on his te. "If you''re going to return home so thin every time, I''d rather take preventive measures and get you fattened first."</o>


    He chuckled and, in the middle of the distracting talks, threw some food down onto hisp, where Miraj sneakily ate his fill. He even got some extra today for being such a good partner all this time.


    The tasty mealsted untilte at night, as it was already midnight by the time he arrived. After eating, Sylvester retreated to his room to rx a bit and have a good night''s sleep. But, soon, he felt sweaty despite the gentle temperature. So he just sat and took out his violin to start ying it in the room.


    Knock Knock!


    "Can I listen to it?" Xavia''s voice came from the other side.


    Sylvester let her in and sit on his side. It was a double bed anyway, so there was enough space. Only Miraj was having trouble. However, since it was Xavia, he happily epted her. In his words, she was the big mum, after all.


    Sylvester closed his eyes and started to y the violin at a low pitch and slow. Then, for the first time, he sang... not for the lord or the hymn... but just sang. Hence, no halo appeared behind the head.


    a??The world looks like an abyss so deep.


    Where the light reaches not--the future is so bleak.


    Strong or weak, strength is all we seek.


    Why do we forget, it''s the same air we all breathe?a??


    a??The rush is real; the struggle is fierce.


    Lost many kids their souls in these conflicts.


    Some reach the lord, some remain broken.


    Among us--they are the real forsaken.


    Their dreams are shattered, and will is shaken.<sub> </sub>


    One day, from sleep, they refuse to awaken.a??


    a??Care for them, not the Church, neither the lord,


    Lived a life so hard, and got themselves so scarred.


    This is all the remedy I can afford--a song from this bard.a??


    Sylvester, of course, sang this for the little Shane and many more unknown, nameless kids that died due to the wrongdoings of the Church. They probably didn''t even know what was happening... and then they died in confusion and pain.


    ''So much chaos... I can never find peace like this. They already know about my abilities... they will never let me be amon civilian. Is there no other way?'' He wondered that night very profoundly.


    But then he suddenly stood up. Xavia was already fast asleep, listening to his music. So he left behind a note, and at three in the morning, he went to speak to Sir Dolorem at the Inquisitor camp.


    The breeze was very calm at this time of the night, so he didn''t take the horse and instead walked all the way, reckoning it would also help him clear his mind of any doubts. He was, after all, fighting an internal battle right now.


    He knew that he had to make a decision now, and whatever he chose, he must give his all for it. There was no ''I won''t bother you, so don''t bother me.'' since he had the prospect of bing too strong, something that his enemies would never ept.


    "Maxy!"


    Sylvester stopped and looked back. It was Mirajing for him, running fast. The furry boy jumped and climbed onto his shoulder. "You ran away?"


    "Where will I even run? No, I was going to meet Sir Dolorem. You go back and sleep. Mum will cuddle you like a little toy." He suggested.


    But Miraj denied. "Where Maxy goes, I go."


    "Fine with me."


    Sylvester whistled on the way and finally arrived at the Inquisitor camp. The sentries at the gates let him enter without even checking him. Though they were the only ones awake, and the camp was mostly empty.


    He made his way to Sir Dolorem''s tent. He noticed the light from inside, so he coughed outside and asked. "May I enter, Sir Dolorem?"


    "Priest Sylvester?" Sir Dolorem quickly appeared, opening the entrance curtain. He was initially worried that something had happened. But seeing Sylvester fine, he let him in. "Thiste? Is everything fine?"


    "Sorry to disturb you sote at night. I could not sleep and needed to talk with someone. What are you doing up sote?" He asked and nced at the table in the corner with a light crystalmp.


    Sir Dolorem closed the book. "I was writing about the journey... for personal keeping. Come, have a seat. What troubles you?"


    Sylvester rxed first. "The future is what troubles me. The fact that I can be disposed of at any time. It''s suffocating... to be this powerless--to know you are an insect in their eyes. Even being angry is pointless."


    "Then you just need to rise up. You are the bard, after all, you are meant for greatness," Sir Dolorem replied.


    Sylvester disagreed with that notion. "The more I try to ignore the Church''s sinful actions, something like this happens. How am I supposed to heal the faith by being the bard when it''s the Church leaving behind people scarred?"


    At that, Sir Dolorem turned very serious, even angered to some degree. There was visible frustration on the man''s face as he replied. "It''s no ce for me to say this, but--you''re weak in power and position. Having seen you for so long, I don''t feel you even wish to get a promotion in the clergy, forget magic. A man with so much power... so much talent... you choose to sit back. Sylvester, the only path to do something is by sitting at the top--you can achieve that, I know it--but if you''re actively trying not to reach the top, then you have no right toin."


    "With the current pace, you will never be the Pope. Despite all your talent, you''re still a Priest. You were among the youngest in history to reach the rank of Master Wizard, but ever since, your growth has stagnated. You should have already reached Arch Wizard in eight years... but you never tried to reach that. You need to be better--colder and sharper."


    Sylvester crossed his arms and sighed. He looked into the man''s eyes and smelled nothing but worship, hope, and love. "Old man, I do not wish to cause bloodshed."


    "Thend already bleeds."


    Sylvester added. "I do not want to be the cause of people''s tears."


    "They were never wiped clear." Blurted, Sir Dolorem.


    "I do not wish to die foolishly." He said.


    Sir Dolorem moved closer and held his shoulders. "Then stand at the peak of all."


    Sylvester tried to think of every scenario that could go on in his head. All the possible ways he could die, all the enemies he would develop, not just outside but inside the Church. If he decides to rise to power, that would require his everything--not just his mind, but blood, sweat, and tears. He will have to be the same evil that the Church is, and that means his life will never be at peace until the race is over.


    "Isn''t your first duty to the light?" Sylvester asked, only to receive a burst of worship in reply.


    "Yes, but it has been tainted... and purification of light... requires another source--more bright!"


    "Sir Dolorem." Sylvester''s voice seemed to be full of confidence. "If I do this, my holy throne will be made of bones."


    The old man just looked into his eyes and, in pure worship, that borderline fanaticism, replied, "And I shall dly be a piece of it if I must."

 Chapter 132 132. Payback

    Sylvester thought about what Sir Dolorem said. He was shocked by how much trust the man had put in him. So much faith and worship as if he was not the bard but the god, almost to the point that he felt terrible because, in the end, he does not really believe in Solis and is just scamming the world.


    But nobody needed to know that. It was a secret that he shall take to his grave, same with his reincarnation aspect. Some words are meant to never be spoken loud, as they might get you burnt on a pyre.


    "Sir Dolorem¡­ I had not even started to y the game yet. That''s why I shall ask you this again¡ªIf we do this, I willmit many things conflicting with themon faith¡ªyour beliefs. I will have to make choices that will result in death and chaos¡­ Will you still follow me?" He asked in a serious tone.


    "O'' mortal, basking in my warmth. The time hase to make an oath. I shall test your loyalty thenceforth." Sir Dolorem repeated a few lines of a hymn Sylvester sang a long time ago. "I remember the promise I made, the vow to protect you with my life, sword, and magic¡­ I have not forgotten it all, Lord Bard, nor do I ever wish to. I will likely be dead by the time you shall be the Pope, however."


    Sylvester looked into the man''s eyes and shook his head lightly. "You think you will die of old age? You think I am nning to be the Pope in two hundred years, like the previous ones?¡ªYou''re wrong there, Sir Dolorem. I have a feeling that the race has already begun, and some other participants have started making their moves. I n not to drag this¡­ if I''m too old by the time I ascend, the whole point will be missed."


    "And what''s the point?" Sir Dolorem asked.


    Sylvester had not nned much for that, but there was an idea. "Reforms¡­ but this is all just empty talk right now. First, we need to n a roadmap and then walk on it. No matter how hard it gets or the threats.


    "What I need to know right now is how many more contenders for the position of Pope are there?" Sylvester asked.


    Sir Dolorem thought about it and counted a few names in mind. "Lord Inquisitor is not interested¡­ Saint Scepter is legally bound to only be Pope''s protector¡­ from the Sanctum Council; there is nobody. However, there are the first and second Guardians of Light, the Cardinal of the West as well, who governs the entire region of the Masan Empire and the Warsong Kingdom. There could also be a few more powerful clergy members, as even strong nobles are known to sometimes take the throne."


    Sylvester frowned. This meant he didn''t have targets that he could focus on. "So there is no number?"


    Sir Dolorem sounded doubtful himself. "I can not be sure, but it ought to be less than ten. Bing the Pope isn''t a joke, after all. Just pure physical strength won''t take you too far. You also need the approval of the current Pope if he''s alive, the approval of the Sanctum Council, and above all, the approval of the Saint Scepter, the Shield of Solis. There are a lot of checks to ensure no unworthy person ends up destroying the faith."


    ''Alright, baby steps then¡­ I am not even going to appear in front of all these men. What if they just poison me or use forbidden magic I don''t know about.'' Sylvester reminded himself that there were no friends in high ces, only supreme interests. Even the Lord Inquisitor was kind to him because he was a miracle child.


    Sylvester stood up, as it was time to return now. He did not have any ns since he had made none, but he was going to think about it in theing days. First of all, he needed to make the report and submit it to the administration, and then wait for the next assignment.


    But, this time, he was going to ask for an easygoing assignment, as he felt two chaotic ones were enough, and it was time to focus on his own magic. Not only that, "I will file for a clergy promotion tomorrow. I am a Master Wizard in thest phase of bing an Arch Wizard. There is no other man in the Clergy who is at my stage and is still a Priest. Technically, I deserve to at least be a Bishop."


    "So you have decided to be the Pope?" Sir Dolorem questioned.


    Sylvester started to leave. "I think you already know the answer to that, Sir Dolorem. You better start training too¡ªIf you don''t want to be left behind."


    Sir Dolorem stood up and saluted him church style. "I will, Lord Bard¡­"


    There was no doubt Sylvester''s little threat of being left behind ignited something in Sir Dolorem''s heart. Although his upper peak in talent was low, he was yet to reach it.


    "Good night, Sir Dolorem. Have some rest now. I''m sure you''re also as tired as everyone else." Sylvester left the tent and headed towards the exit.


    The Inquisitor camp always had a strange rough feeling about it. The ce was not meant to show luxury but rather the hardships of what the Inquisitors go through. Everything was made of wood there, the boundary walls of the camps, the various torch poles. For housing, there were just tents of various sizes.


    The whole camp spanned across many meters and housed nearly a hundred thousand Inquisitors, with the same number being out on various assignments.


    Sylvester felt rxed to some extent after talking with Sir Dolorem. He had already seen how the old man looked at him. So he knew that in the eyes of Sir Dolorem, he was like his son. So, talking to him was easy, at least regarding the future.


    ''I need to get stronger first. For that, I need to focus on my training. But I need a better mentor as well. I can''t explore every single little detail. It''s better to innovate on the knowledge the world has already developed.''


    Cough!


    "Where are you going thiste at night, young bard?"


    Sylvester turned around and responded. He didn''t act frightened as there was no scent of any danger. But seeing who it was threw him back a bit. "Lady Aurora¡­ greetings. I should be asking the same question. What is the tenth guardian of light doing here?"


    She walked close to him and snorted as if offended. "Little kids will now ask questions? You have some balls."


    Sylvester knew she was messing with him from the scents. So he replied sarcastically. "At least I have them."


    "..."


    She was totally taken aback by his reply, as no one dared to talk to her due to her status. But instead of getting angry, she burst intoughter. "Haha¡­ you can not only sing but also make jokes. I like it."


    She was extremely pretty, even though she was more than a hundred years old. Training and fighting had toned her body in a shape that most women could just desire in sleep. Her perfect bosom and waist, even the armor on her, made her look appealing to the eye.<sub> </sub>


    But Sylvester didn''t care how pretty this woman was to look at. All he knew was that she was strong enough to stomp him to death in a second if she ever wished so. So he remained respectful. "In this line of work, you have to learn to make and take jokes, or else life will be very nd."


    "Agreed, Lord Bard. Come with me. The Lord Inquisitor wishes to speak to you." She gestured for him to follow behind.


    Sylvester honestly felt like he was being picked up by a candy van that didn''t have good intentions. But what options did he even have other than following her? Though from that, he did wonder one thing while walking behind her. "Lady Aurora, since you are not a Bright Mother, are you allowed to marry and have a family?"


    She looked back instantly, in a frown but also a blush. "What kind of question is that? No, I am chaste and desire to keep to myself that. Hence, I am one of the only few women in the world with a Clergy rank. Even though I am allowed to break away from Clergy and start a family whenever I want. But why are you asking this¡­ could it be."


    She suddenly stopped and looked at him teasingly while biting her index finger seductively. She was not usually like this, but she had heard so much about Sylvester from Lord Inquisitor that he felt like a friend already.


    Sylvester, however, was disgusted by her and made a face as if he had stepped on a soggy sponge. "Too young for me."


    "..."


    "What!" Lady Aurora eximed in shock.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester felt his heartbeat increase. He truly did feel disgusted because she looked to be in herte 20s. But the thing was, Sylvester was an old man in the past and held no attraction to these pretty young women. Of course, he was not supposed to say it out loud.


    Cough!


    Sylvester walked past her shocked form. "Let''s go. Lord Inquisitor must be waiting for me."


    Lady Aurora silently walked behind him this time and curiously looked. "So you''re into older-looking women. How old, I wonder?"


    Sylvester replied in a short song. "I am a man of faith, and Solis, I feel no desire for touch. As long as the lord graces me, never shall I ever fall for lust."


    She blinked dumbly and silently covered the rest of the way. Soon, they finally entered the reached tent in the whole of the Inquisitor camp. As soon as Sylvester moved inside, he found the big man sitting on a throne-like chair in the middle of the tent. His armor appeared the same as before, red and conical hat.


    "Take a seat here, Lord Bard." Inquisitor High Lord boomed, the seriousness and rage apparent in his voice as always.


    Sylvester did so, but first asked for the man''s well-being, as thest time he saw him, he was bedridden. "I hope you are healthy, Lord Inquisitor."


    The big giant''s eyes shed in red under the visor. But he nodded and replied. "I am, favored child. I wonder how your career goes."


    Sylvester rxed in his seat. The big man didn''t scare him much anymore. "The work is great, a bit frustrating at times. Nearly died this time but eventually, I killed the Bloodling terrorizing the Desert Road near Sphinx Town."


    Once again, the big man''s eyes shone red. A dangerous aura spread quickly. "A bloodling? What did it look like? Insect? Cloud?"


    "Human¡­ It had a demonic face, five eyes, a humanoid torso, and a snake-like bottom. It was taller than nine feet and had tentacles for arms." Sylvester exined everything and told the man about the little snakes that were a part of the creature.


    There was silence for a while after that as the Lord Inquisitor digested the news. But he also stared at him the whole time. "You just killed a Dragon ss evil creature. That''s more than what most men even dream of aplishing in their lifetimes. I am extremely proud!"


    Sylvester shifted in his seat and added. "Yes¡­ albeit the end result was not good for the town. You can read itter in my report¡­ but before that, I wish to tell you about heathens in the Clergy."


    "Heathens?" As always, Lord Inquisitor got serious and ready to burn some sinners.


    Sylvester took out his notebook and read everything. "An archpriest named Richmond Donaris used to preside over Sphinx Town. When the town was attacked 15 years ago, the Archpriest and his four priests ran away in the middle of town defense, leaving the gates open. That led to the town being ravaged, r*ped, and destroyed by the cannibals. The people were hostages for three days until King Hignd freed them and killed all the cannibals in the nearby mountains.


    "Hence, from that, I havee to the conclusion that the demon possessions and mental illness spreading in the town was due to the cannibal attack that inflicted inhuman pain on innocents. At the same time, the bloodling appeared due to dead bodies in the mountains. All the me goes to one man¡ªArchpriest Richmond Donaris¡ªnow Archbishop."


    ''I couldn''t protect you, folks. I can at least bring justice to your souls.'' Sylvester thought as he reported.


    Bam!


    Lord Inquisitor stood up and thumped his staff on the ground. His anger grew beyond bounds and appeared in a burning, rageful aura. "Such inhumane actions¡­ for such transgressions¡ªdeath is the sanction! They shall be hung after interrogation!"


    ''That''s it? He trusts me?'' Sylvester was amazed at how much value his words held. But he was notining.

 Chapter 133 133. Lady Auroras Class

    Sylvester appreciated that the big man trusted him enough to feel that he wouldn''t lie about such things. "Thank you. What happened there truly disturbed me. The people didn''t deserve to be left to evil''s whims like that. If possible, we should also investigate the Archbishop responsible for that region back then. As far as I remember, the town chief told me they sent him a letter of grievance andint after their ordeal¡­ but they never received a reply."


    Crack!


    Sylvester was taken aback. The Lord Inquisitor appeared so angry that the stone floor under the staff started to crack. ''Good lord, it seems Inquisition is not just against the heathens outside but also against those within.''


    "Thank you for revealing to me such heresy. I shall look into this and bring more rity. As for why I invited you here today, I have a matter of concern. Sir Dolorem has requested that I train you, as youck any powerful superior who may do so."


    Sylvester felt a bit strange by this. ''I just told Sir Dolorem about my ambitions. Does this mean he asked the Lord Inquisitor even before I told him? What a thoughtful man¡­''


    "Yes, Lord Inquisitor. I was able to kill the Bloodling somehow with my light, but I was still unable to bring forth my full might. I need proper guidance to learn and prosper." He requested.


    Thud!


    Lord Inquisitor thumped his staff on the floor. Quickly, Lady Aurora entered and saluted. "Yes, Lord Inquisitor."


    "Lady Aurora, I called you here for a special purpose. You are to be the mentor of God''s Favored and teach him the art of war, justice, and strategy. Teach him magic, and help usher his talents to truly shine¡ªfor the church that is so benign. You shall apany him for theing one year and teach him all that there is to." Lord Inquisitor ordered.


    Sylvester and Lady Aurora stared at each other''s faces instantly. There was some sort of friendly animosity between them. But both had different thoughts. Sylvester was excited and appreciative about this, because no matter what, she was a level one Grand Wizard and tenth Guardian of Light. She was extremely powerful in both strength and authority.


    He was excited to learn from her, and not to mention, keeping her alongside on assignments would work as a great relief, which would mean he could take bigger assignments.


    "Ha? I don''t want to! I am not a babysitter!" She denied.


    And Sylvester felt offended by that. He was not a child, even inparison to her long lifespan. Instantly, all his excitement died out, and he talked back. "Perhaps Lady Aurora does not wish to help the future of the faith¡­ I don''t mind if she wishes not to apany me."


    "Aurora! I order you." Lord Inquisitor boomed again, however, this time with some anger in his voice.


    Aurora shrank her neck and annoyedly looked at Sylvester. "But what about my own training? I am close to reaching level two."


    "Priest Sylvester is about to reach Arch Wizard rank too, and he recently killed a Bloodling. At the same time, there is a bounty of a hundred thousand Gold on his head. You will find plenty of evil to train with on journeys."


    She argued quickly. "There are no challenges for people of our rank¡­ and you want me to be his bodyguard? I am a Guardian of Light."


    Lord Inquisitor seemed even more angered as he scolded her. "I am telling you to find challenges on the way¡­ and do not forget, by helping Prist Sylvester, you are indeed helping the light. If you are going to disobey me, perhaps I need to find a different apprentice."


    "May the holy light enlighten us." She instantly saluted the Lord Inquisitor. "I ept this sacred duty, my lord. Priest Sylvester, meet me in the morning every day to train."


    Sylvester silently nodded, while internally frowning. ''God! No! Look at her face¡­ she''s definitely going to beat me¡­ this is so shameful¡­ I can''t allow that to happen. Yes! Why just me? I will bring Felix and Gabriel to share the humiliation too.''


    As the meeting came to an end, somewhere out there, in their sleep, two boys shuddered and felt cold all of a sudden.


    "Take this as you leave, young bard." Lord Inquisitor handed over a token.


    At first nce, Sylvester recognized it to be a summon from the Pope. "Holy Father wishes to see me?"


    "Indeed¡ªI know not why, so do not ask. Go now, prepare for tomorrow''s task."


    Sylvester saluted the man and left therge tent. And as he stepped outside, he was lifted into the air by his clothes from the front. Although he was taller than Lady Aurora, she was clearly stronger.


    Sylvester, who knew how to handle people the best, didn''t react much and decided to go calm and easy with her. He reckoned the woman still had a very jovial personality, and since she was the youngest Guardian of Light, also the weakest, she had a lot to prove. "Lady Aurora, let''s help each other bring out the best of us¡­ in body and mind."


    The way he spoke those words, there was not a hint of the nativity of a young boy. Aurora felt as if she was the one being a little spoiled kid. This brought embarrassment and realization to her, that the way she was acting was not befitting for her position.


    She let Sylvester go and apologized. "Forgive me. I was being too impatient. I need to level up as quickly as possible, so I felt this is a setback."


    "Why such hurry?" He inquired.


    "Because the Fifth Guardian is too old and may die at any moment. That would mean the Guardians below fifth will move one ce up each, and to be the ninth guardian, I need to be at level two of Grand Wizard rank as well." She exined annoyedly, as she rubbed her eyes in frustration.


    Sylvester could understand her urgency. It was simr to his, the only difference being his stake was his life. "Then let''s give our best and attain our goals."


    "What''s your goal?" She asked.


    Sylvester answered mysteriously. "Be what everyone else expects from me."


    "Pope? Do you really think you have what it takes to reach that ce? Well, you do have the talent, and you''re still young." She suddenly got close to him and patted his shoulder, showing her big wide smile. "If you someday do sit on the throne, don''t forget about this kind big sister, okay?"


    "..."


    Sylvester, after looking at her face nkly, turned around and walked away. "Ugh¡­"


    "How dare you sigh at my face!"


    Sylvester ignored her yfulness. He was curious about her, who she was, where she was from, her history, and such. As for now, from the scents, he could only tell that she loved to mess around and make things easygoing.


    ¡­


    The next morning,


    Sylvester was able to gather with his friends in the training arena of the Inquisitors. It was an empty open space where anyone coulde and train.


    "Why did you call us here so early in the morning, Max?" Felix asked while yawning tiredly.


    Gabriel was the same. Even though he wakes up early, he spends most of his time in the morning praying, so this was annoying to him. "I''d rather go back."


    Sylvester scoffed. "Go on, but don''tin to meter why you two are unable to rank up or get stronger."


    Felix lost all his sleep in an instant. "What have you nned, my best friend?"


    "I have secured a teacher for all of us. One so strong that most can''t even dream of being taught by her. Just wait, and you shall see who it is."


    Both of the boys gulped and nodded silently. But, even after waiting for an hour, nobody came, and they started staring daggers at Sylvester.


    However, to ignore both of them, Sylvester sat down to meditate instead, even though he was faking it and internally cursing at Aurora for not arriving on time. ''I should just go and meet the Pope.''


    "Alright, you three. Come here and stand in line!"


    Sylvester''s eyes opened abruptly and found the woman standing in her normal armor, her brown hair fluttering with the wind and gray eyes shining as always.


    "Woah! Tenth Guardian of Light will train us? That''s so awesome!" Felix chirped excitedly and wished to go first.<sub> </sub>


    Lady Aurora started to order them around. "You will call me Lady Aurora the whole time. And, you must obey all mymands, no matter what. I shall first teach you how to dodge, so prepare yourselves."


    Sylvester knew what wasing, so he quickly ced a srium crystal in his mouth, and then put a lotion on his face to ensure the hits didn''t get to him.


    Everyone knows that dodging exercise is just an excuse to beat someone up. And as he expected, Felix soon got the first taste of that medicine.


    Bam!


    "Argh! That hurt so much! That was amazing, Lady Aurora¡­ can we do it again?" Felix jumped to his feet instantly.


    Sylvester held hisughter after noticing the disgusted gaze of the woman as she felt Felix''s love for pain was creepy. However, she failed to realize the young warrior''s resilience was more than she could imagine.


    "Just stay down this time." Aurora boomed and punched Felix in the guts after dodging all his strikes easily.


    Bam!


    Felix fell down, clutching his stomach with his hands, and rolling on the grass. But he was still excited, "That was so fast¡­ I didn''t even notice your moves. Do you know the Singing Sword style, Lady Aurora? Can you teach that to me?"


    "Just stay down, boy! Why are you enjoying the pain? You''re supposed to cry in pain, not cheer in joy." She shouted at Felix.


    Felix, however, stood up and taunted her with his right hand, gesturing to her toe forward. "Once more!"


    "..."


    "Are you mentally retarded?" She asked.


    "No! I am mentally challenged¡ªto fight!" Felix replied.


    In the distance, Sylvester and Gabriel sat on the ground and watched the madness ensue. Lady Aurora was pulling her punches; there was no denying it, or else Felix would have been in pieces by now. But seeing her tormented because of Felix''s stupidity was a pure delight.


    Sylvester just took out some snacks Xavia had packed for him and ate them. "Want some?"


    Gabriel took the dried, pickled veggies. "How long do you think he willst?"


    "As long as she keeps pulling her punches¡­ I''d say the whole day." Sylvester muttered and secretly fed the fat cat on his shoulders.


    Bam!


    "Argh! You hit me in the nuts!" Felix finally fell to the ground, and it was at the cost of pain that even Sylvester and Gabriel felt from the distance.


    "You two! Come here right now!" Lady Aurora roared, appearing frustrated.


    Sylvester sighed and prepared himself for the beating. This was going to destroy his self-confidence for sure, and humble his pride. But, he won''t go down so easily.


    "Gab, do you remember the n?"


    <o>,m "Yes! Let''s do it!"</o>


    As they approached Lady Aurora, they started running forward with punches out. They looked clumsy and not threatening at all, which rxed Lady Aurora. That was Sylvester''s n from the start.


    He jumped towards her and shouted. "Now!"


    Woosh!


    Instantly, Sylvester and Gabriel used light magic simultaneously and stunned Lady Aurora''s vision. She even stepped back from the shock, which bolstered their confidence.


    Bam!


    Bam!


    Sylvester on the right and Gabriel on the left¡ªtheir fists perfectlynded on Aurora''s pretty face.


    However, sad for them, this was all they could do. Lady Aurora didn''t flinch from the punch, and her face didn''t appear red.


    Crack!


    She, instead, caught both their fists with ease. Her eyes shined as well, and her face grew a big wide smile¡ªmaking her appear demonic. "Hehe, I knew you would do such a thing, boys. I remember your technique from that spar years ago¡ªtorch boy!"


    "Shit!" Even Garbiel cursed.


    Woosh!


    She started to rotate them around herself like they were little dolls. Sylvester cursed as he knew what wasing next. ''Ugh¡­ so she''s not dumb and does n beforehand like me.''


    He was merely testing her to see if she was really worth following and learning from. From this, it appeared she remembered his strategy from years ago and expected it.


    As for the beating¡­ it was inevitable. They were just too low-ranked.


    Three minutes was the maximum time the twosted. By the end, their faces appeared swollen and bodies dirtied from being thrown around like ragdolls. But after the fight, they saw another side of Lady Aurora.


    She made them sit together and start healing their injuries with her magic. At that moment, she appeared like a reasonable adult¡ªa genuinely caring person with a good heart. From the scent, Sylvester smelled the calmness and freshness ofvender and mint in his mouth, with a slight hint of motherly love.


    That made Sylvester wonder why she was so subservient to the Lord Inquisitor. So he asked her directly when she healed him. "You are a Guardian of Light as well. Then why did you obey the Lord Inquisitor so easily?"


    Lady Aurora looked at his face in dread. "No! No thanks, I have no intentions of disobeying my father and getting whooped?"


    "What?" The three boys eximed in unison.


    _______________________


    [Thank you, Dagorith, for SG.]


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 134 134. Too Many Ding-Dongs

    "What!" The three eximed together.


    Lady Aurora kept healing Sylvester''s face and responded with great respect for the man that the world feared. "Of course, not blood-rted. He''s a proper clergyman, after all. When I was little, just eight, my vige was sold by the Baron of the region because he could not pay the money he borrowed from the Count.


    "It happened even though it was all illegal. And then¡­ the vigers were sold. Unfortunately, they sold my parents to someone else while I was sent to a different ce because they realized I somehow had high magic talent. After the revtion, I became one of the prime goods, though the treatment got worse as they tried to subvert my mind and make me submissive to their demands.


    "To me, back then, the days were filled with misery, and I knew the future would be no better. I was too young and did not understand why all that was even happening to me¡ªwhy they would hit me for no reason and try to scare me with death threats. Then, when I was about to be sold in an auction for ten thousand gold, Lord Inquisitor came and bid one copper Mud. Everyone looked over and was shocked.


    "Then, the Lord Inquisitor just said one thing. ''Let the child go, and nobody dies. Persist¡ªand cease to exist.'' My eyes widened back then. Even though I couldn''t see his face, he looked amazing and strong. And since that moment, he became my role model." She revealed her background with much pride.


    Sylvester wondered if she tells others these details just to boast about the Lord Inquisitor. "And? What did the envers reply?"


    She grinned. "Lord inquisitor believes that unless they are children of heathens, all children ves should be freed. So when the people in the auction hall refused, he just burned all of them to crisp. Even the spectators were not spared¡­ yes, he gets furious too quickly. At that time, he didn''t know about my talents, and it was only after he brought me to Holy Land that I was tested."


    "What about the Baron who sold you?" Felix asked.


    "Lord Inquisitor exterminated his entire bloodline and made it vanish, and all the vigers who were sold were freed and given the wealth of that Baron to resettle. Sadly, my parents were long dead because they were bought by a noble in the West to be fed to his pet Great Lion. I hope they die a quick death." She revealed, though there was not much sorrow in her voice, as she likely didn''t even remember her parents'' faces.


    Gabriel sighed and made a quick prayer. "May their souls rest in peace."


    "Done!" She stood up. "Go now, do whatever you want. Tell me when you''re assigned another assignment. I shall go and train myself in the meantime."


    Soon, they all got on their horses. But as they started to move out, they realized they were all going in the same direction, and so the awkwardness ensued. However, they didn''t say anything and just rode towards the port of Pope''s Penins.


    "Where are you three going?" Lady Aurora asked.


    "Guild Penins to buy some things," Felix replied.


    "Bank, I need to see if my sister spent any money," Gabriel added.


    "To meet the Pope."


    "..."


    They all stopped all of a sudden and stared at Sylvester''s face. Even Lady Aurora was surprised. "I am so envious of you right now."


    "Max! What are you doing here?" A voice came out of nowhere.


    Suddenly, Xavia appeared on their way, likely going to work as Sylvester''s training had taken ce early in the morning.


    "I just finished training. Aren''t youte for work today?" Sylvester waited for her to reach them.


    She showed her small bag. "We are having yearly check-ups for orphaned children at the sick bay today, and all Bright mothers must bring cookies or other treats for them. You want some?"


    "Cookies?" Felix jumped from his horse, snatched some as she was offering, and ate it with no reservation. He loved the food Xavia made, no matter what it was. Following him, others also unmounted their horses.


    "This is your mother?" Lady Aurora asked, looking at Xavia with interest.


    Sylvester introduced them to each other. "Mum, this is Lady Aurora Foxtron, the Tenth Guardian of Light. She will be my mentor for this year."


    "..."


    Xavia''s jaw fell. It was worth noting that at most, the highest ranked people Xavia met in her day-to-day life were Bishops at best. Thest time she met anyone too high ranking was when the Lord Inquisitor saved them. Inparison, the Guardians were some of the highest-ranked people throughout the church.


    So, being casually introduced to someone like this was overwhelming, to say the least, not to mention that Lady Aurora was famous for being one of the only women to reach this level in the clergy.


    Lady Aurora shook Xavia by the shoulder. "Breath¡­ Bright Mother¡­ Breath!"


    "Hmm? Ah! May the holy light enlighten us¡­ Lady Guardian." Xavia saluted as she was taught in her early study days.


    Lady Aurora chuckled and waved her hand. "No, just call me Lady Aurora. And my god, you are so pretty. It''s unbelievable you''re Priest Sylvester''s mother."


    ''Does she mean I''m ugly?'' Sylvester wondered.


    Felix nodded with his arms crossed, "Indeed, Mother Xavia is very pretty and makes the best food too. You should try that sometime, Lady Aurora. Here, have some cookies."


    Sylvester looked back at his friend in disgust and annoyance. He was not nning to invite any woman to his home. It''s best people of Aurora''s rank stay away from that building, for the touching that happens there on some nights and the moans that leak. He''d rather not have all those poor women be chopped to pieces.


    Aurora took the cookie and ate it. And instantly, her eyes sparkled. She held Xavia''s hand in hers and asked, "What did you add to it? It''s so good."


    Xavia, a bit stunned, replied monotonously as if she was a machine. "Honey! Max loves... honey... since he was young¡­ add honey to anything, and he eats it like holy water."<sub> </sub>


    Lady Aurora suddenly nced at Sylvester with a changed look on her face. Gone was the condescending tone and expression. Now there were emotions ofradeship. Sylvester smelled pleasantness from her. "So you''re a fellow honey enjoyer? Let me guess. You tasted it when you were little?"


    ''Oh! Is she also¡­?'' Sylvester realized he needed to thank his motherter for this blessing.


    He nodded. "That was the first non-milk thing I tasted."


    Lady Aurora bobbed her head as if she expected this much. "It''s good to meet those with the same taste as you. Ah, honey¡­ the texture, the taste, and the pure natural sweetening¡­ there is nothing like it elsewhere. Mother Xavia, I would love to try more cuisine with honey from you."


    She said while holding Xavia''s hands, making her flustered.


    But Xavia was as kind as they came. "Sure, I will tell Max from now on to bring you food with him."


    "Marvelous! So this venture will not be wasteful, it seems. But I must leave for my own training. You three boys, meet me here in the morning, same time." She quickly took some more cookies from the metal box in Felix''s hand and left.


    Gabriel was just speechless seeing her attitude. "She is so beautiful and yet¡­ does not seem womanly at all."


    Felix nodded. "Yeah, there is a man hidden in her somewhere."


    "Mum,e with me. I will drop you at the port so you can go to the Guild Penins; I also need to go to Pope''s Pce. I''ve been summoned." Sylvester offered her a ride on the horse. Frost was a well-trained boy at this point.


    "The Pope has summoned you? Max¡­ why are there so many important people all around you? You''re just a priest." Xavia asked him because, deep down, him being half-blooded was fearsome to her.


    Sylvester honestly had no idea. "I guess I am meant for greater things. I did y on the Pope''sp for years, after all. Don''t worry now, this isn''t my first time."


    "Look at your face." Xavia suddenly moved closer to him and used her scarf to clean dirt off of his face. He grunted and moved back.


    "Mum, I''m not a kid anymore."


    ''Seriously, woman¡­ I''m a century-old man. I have some self-respect.'' He muttered silently.


    Xavia scoffed and continued to wipe his face. "For a mother, her child is always a child, no matter if he''s ten or a hundred. And I suggest you cherish this while itsts because once I''m gone, you will only have these memories to remember the past."


    That did remind him somewhat that she was not as strong as him. Her magic rank was, at best, initial Adept level, which meant she would not live for as long as him.


    "Fine." He stood silently and ignored Felix and Gabriel''s chuckles. Though Sylvester was more annoyed by Miraj, who was now licking his face.


    Eventually, they headed their ways. Sylvester got Xavia to sit on his horse in front of him with her legs swaying to one side and gave her a ride. Normally, if a man was seen going somewhere with a Bright Mother like this, it would be instant heresy, but he was famously known to be her son.


    A whileter, he dropped her at the port from where she headed to work, and he went to the Pope''s Pce alone. He had to leave the horse at the bottom of a thousand stairs and slowly head up. He rarelyes to this ce, and whenever he does, he can''t help but awe at the pce''s beauty.


    It was mighty tall, and white marble was used in abundance. The pointy tips at the top were all gold, and beautiful engravings were everywhere. Even inside, he was in awe of the beauty after he entered.


    The entire ceiling was painted with scenes of various historic moments and some tales. The walls were covered with portraits of people from over five thousand years of history. Various flower vases and other nts were ced evenly at a distance. And gold was the usual theme to show royalty.


    The guards were strategically ced to ensure nothing was harmed since every inch of the pce had some important history in it.


    He was soon informed of where to find the Pope. The man was supposed to be in the East Wing, leading to the main office. But, as Sylvester reached the ce, he found the Pope standing outside his office and looking at the corridor''s ceiling as if in deep thought.


    "May the holy light enlighten us, holy father." Sylvester greeted the man.


    The Pope just nodded and kept staring at the ceiling. "Come here, young bard¡­ look up there. I don''t know why the 24th Pope got these strange murals made on the ceiling. They are beautiful, but why are so many of them in such a questionable position?"


    "Maybe he loved them, your holiness."


    "What? Cocks? No, I don''t think he was into them."


    "..."


    [A/N: See the ceiling in the parament.]


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 135 135. Is This... Crusade Time?

    "I meant the murals, holy father," Sylvester quickly borated. However, he was also a bit shocked as to why there were so many naked men on the walls and the ceilings. This was not art, this was simply annoying public indecency, and the fact that all men must go through this hallway to reach the Pope''s office ensured that everyone saw it every time.


    So he could feel that the 24th Pope must have some hidden desires for making this. Or maybe he was the opposite of those horny Bright Mothers.


    "Bwahaha... of course... I was just kidding with you. Come, let''s go to my office." The Popeughed it off and led him to the big but in office of the Pope.


    Sylvester took a seat behind the table while the Pope took his throne-like seat on the other side. The old man was smiling at him and showing a genuine proud face. "I heard a great many things about your work this time, son. Especially from the Inquisitor High Lord. Did you create a new method for growing food in the Hignd Kingdom? That is brilliant!"


    Sylvester knew that the Archpriest of Fallshoot vige must have sent a letter to the Holy Land long ago. Though he knew that the Pope didn''t know about Sphinx Town since everyone was dead and only his own report contained the details.


    "It was not that hard, just some basic alchemy concepts. I hope they can survive there. The climate is not very kind in those parts, Holy Father. I did, however, punish a noble of the region who was hunting the people for fun." He revealed.


    The Pope shrugged. "I trust you, son. Some people get far toofortable with their sick tendencies once they taste some power. Wealth is like a curse sometimes, one of the reasons why we don''t offer excessive amounts as sry here."


    ''Why did you call me here?'' Sylvester wondered instead.


    The Pope then turned serious. "I heard you killed one of the thirteen Void Keepers."


    ''So this is what he wanted?''


    Sylvester rified immediately. "Because they threatened to kill Sir Dolorem, Gabriel, and Bishop Lazark while holding Felix and me down after we had just returned from killing a Bloodling."


    The old man frowned instantly. Clearly, he didn''t know the whole story, and only the death was reported to him. "Tell me everything, priest. Do not omit anything."


    Of course, Sylvester would never tell the man about the underground cave and therge castle. But he didn''t hide the other details. "Firstly, the reason for the madness and the people of Sphinx Town falling out of faith was the faith itself."


    Sylvester told the Pope about the whole scenario of the sacking of Sphinx Town by cannibals and how an archpriest caused it. Then, he revealed how the madness spread, slowly bringing up the current details. "Shane Kolt was a young eight-year-old with only a mother left, suffering from madness. He was an honest, hard-working child. Inspired by me, he wished to be my apprentice¡ªa bard. Above all, he had the talent to be an Arch Wizard and Golden Knight.


    "By the time I went to kill the Bloodling, the entire town had started to believe in the faith again because of my hymns and work to protect them. But¡­ When I returned, it was all gone, razed to the ground. That child¡­ he died in his mother''s arms, in fire, melted like wax!


    "All because a man named Jax stayed in the town fifteen years ago and helped the people defend against the r*pist, massacring cannibals."


    By the time Sylvester stopped telling the Pope the details of his journey, the old man looked visibly enraged. He was tapping on the table as if trying to stop himself from speaking and disturbing. "Do you know that Jax is the head of Anti-Light? If he wins, all of us lose."


    Sylvester looked into the old man''s eyes and replied. "From what I see, he''s already winning. Holy Father, who are we going to rule over? Who are we going to preach to? Who will pray to Solis¡ªwhen we''ve killed all the believers? Now the words of faith killing more than five thousand people will spread like wildfire, and viges and towns will fall out of love with the church.


    "Is that what we want? Because that''s exactly what the Anti-Light wants. Our fight against the Anti-Light is not just of arms but also of the mind. We win as long as people keep praying to Solis. We lose once they stop."


    He knew that the Pope was not a dumb man and obviously understood this much. All of the higher clergy understood this much. The church was feared and respected because it was strong but alsopassionate. What happens when it bes cruel? Nothing¡ªall bes nothing.


    The Pope fell silent for a few minutes and thought about the future of the faith. Even to him, it was undeniable that killing people left and right was not the way. "What the Void Keepers did was abysmal, there is no denying. They killed innocents for no reason. Indeed, if we''re to kill everyone that hase into contact with Anti-Light, we''d end up killing most of the poption. What happened to Sphinx town is irrevocable and disheartening¡­"


    Sylvester nodded at the man''sments but was disappointed that he didn''t hear him say he would take action against the Void Keepers. By now, he had understood that the Void Keepers were like the CIA. They work on behalf of the top boss and sometimes don''t even have to tell the top boss before doing something. Everything goes as long as the work is done to further the interests of the top boss.


    But at least the Pope''s feelings seemed genuine enough, as the scent of hope and sadness backed them. "Holy Father, I will submit my report tomorrow to Saint Wazir¡­ and also put in my request for a promotion."


    The Pope sat straight in his chair as the topic changed. "That''s well due, Priest. You are already a Master Wizard and will soon reach Arch Wizard rank. You should have been a Bishop by now."


    ''Yes, I should have focused on elevating my clergy rank. I nned to run away from the church all this time, while the church just kept inching closer and weaving its designs¡ªall around me.'' Sylvester thought, a regret for sure because maybe, just maybe, with more authority, he could have done something to save that boy.


    "Then I will go and write my report, Holy Father. I am also being taught by Lady Aurora now, so I must also prepare for that." Sylvester stood up to leave as he felt his confidence in the Pope dwindle to an all-time low. Even though he understood why the man could not do something, there was no denying Sylvester was highly disappointed about losing a talented student¡ªwho could have been loyal to him.<sub> </sub>


    As Sylvester was leaving, the Pope interjected. "Son, there maye times when the future looks bleak¡ªbut it''s our duty to keep moving, for the light at the end of the dark tunnel is what we seek."


    Sylvester nodded and saluted. "May the holy light enlighten us."


    The Pope added more before Sylvester left. "You did well this time¡­ I am proud of you."


    ''And I am ashamed of you.''


    Sylvester thanked the man and left the office. Once out of the door, he just sighed and left the Pce. He looked around and now felt disappointed instead of in awe because all he saw sent the message of might and authority. But what good was it?


    ''Thendscape of upper echelon clergy is full of politics. I need to be careful with my rise, or I''ll end up making enemies I can''t afford to fight.'' he reminded himself.


    Meanwhile, back in the office, the Pope spoke. "Did you hear all that?"


    Woosh!


    A man donning white robes with golden edges and holding arge golden glowing staff appeared out of nowhere¡ªmore like he appeared out of invisibility. "I did, Your Holiness."


    The Pope stood up, walked to his window, and looked at the sea and the Magna Sanctum in the distance. Its shining golden beauty and warmth were the best calming medicines to ever exist. "Such experiences could dwindle one''s belief in the lord, Saint Scepter. The Void Keepers have done irrevocable damage to our¡ªmy reputation this time."


    Saint Scepter nodded and spoke minimal words. "They shall be reeducated, your holiness."


    "Keep them in sensory deprivation and starvation for two months. And form a new policy for Void Keepers¡ªfor what the young bard said had some truth to it. With our hurtful actions, we are handing over viges and towns to Anti-Light on a silver tter. From now on, Article 66 can only be issued by me, you, Lord Inquisitor, or Saint Wizard. No Cardinal Suprima will hold this authority anymore."


    The Pope ordered. He was somewhat grateful to Sylvester for bringing light to this matter for him. As the Pope, he was a man who was constantly busy with a thousand everyday things. The entire continent was at all times on the verge of a big war. There were enemies in the East and the Anti-Light. He can not micro-manage all things, leaving room for mishaps.


    "Also, ensure the next assignment Priest Sylvester gets has nothing to do with faith. He needs a break from constant preaching¡ªI know I''d need it if I were to lose my prodigy student¡ªspeaking of him, where is he currently?"


    "The ninth guardian is sent to watch over the war between The Patch and Sorrow Kingdom." Replied Saint Scepter.


    The Pope nodded his head. "Good, he needs experience. Unfortunately, despite being my first student, he can''t rise to my level. Priest Sylvester is my only hope¡­ keep an eye on the young bard for me¡ªprotect him if he faces something too big for him."


    Saint Scepter saluted and bowed before vanishing once again. "I shall do as youmand, your holiness."


    With that, the room fell silent, and the Pope returned to work at his desk. The documents revealed reports of Bloodling appearing here and there every few days.


    There were, in total, twelve thousand reports of bloodlings and further thousands of suspected cases. But, of course, not all of them were as strong, and most of them go unnoticed. Most of them could also be dealt with by low-level clergymen from various monasteries too.


    Still, the situation was getting out of control now, and he feared he''d have tounch something he despised personally. As the n had a very high chance of turning violent intensely.


    "I hope Lord Inquisitor can handle this¡ªOr I''d be forced tounch another crusade."


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 136 136. Tree Has Seen Some Bull****

    Sylvester left the Pope''s Pce and headed to the Bright Mother''s housing on his horse. He needed to n things out for theing years and find a way to get stronger fast.


    "Chonky, you''re supposed to be a thousand years old. Don''t you have some secret technique worth learning? Some funny drunken master, monkey art, or swan dance martial art or something?" He jokingly asked the cat, who enjoyed the wind while sitting on the horse''s head.


    Chonky looked back at him and nodded. "I do.... Eat banana, and you will get strong."


    "Of course, lord Chonky, what else could I even expect from your wisdom," Sylvester muttered and rode in silence. That was until he was stopped by another man on a horse, wearing clothes not akin to a clergy. Instead, the white-haired, tanned skin and bearded old man was wearing a noble''s attire, a super wealthy noble, above all.


    "Respected clergyman, can you point me to Saint Wazir''s house?" The old man asked.


    Sylvester wondered who this could be, as he appeared very important. But he didn''t pry too much. "Sure, just take a left from the road ahead, and you will reach the Administration building. Saint Wazir lives in the mansion beside it."


    "You have my gratitude." The old man thanked him and trotted away quickly.


    Sylvester just saw the man leave in silence. "He looked rich."


    "So shiny... I wanted to take his rings and chains." Miraj added, drooling at the same time.


    ...


    Riveria Kingdom.


    The Riveria Kingdom was many things good, but also bad. Being the wealthiest kingdom in the world ensured that the people and the nobles had a lot of disposable ie, so much so that it could be used to tap into businesses otherwise thought to be too violent.


    very, forcedbor, prostitution, assassinations, and all such dark industries were thriving with the grace of the nobles of Riveria. Even the King knew about it, but as long as he received his share of the taxes, he didn''t mind.


    All this eventually resulted in the appearance of the assassin guilds, one stronger than the other. They then created an extensive bounty system andbined it with many other organizations around the continent. This guaranteed that they always knew who wanted someone dead.


    There were assassins and bounty hunting groups as weak as a group of lowly knights and as strong as a few arch wizards. The work paid really well, so it was a lucrative business for even men of high morals.


    Sylvester''s bounty was initially a hundred thousand Gold Graces, and his initial bounty rank was set at C-grade because it was widely known he was a bard and a light wizard. Now, he may be highly dangerous against dark creatures, but against other men, he was considered weak.


    At least, that''s what all thought until the news of the massacre of the Sneaky Stormers bounty hunting group came. When the news of it reached other hunters and assassins, immediately the bounty was increased, and the rank was upped.


    However, they still made it an A-Grade bounty only. There was a mystery as to what Sylvester was capable of doing, and that would cost many lives in the long term.


    ...


    Holy Land


    A day had passed, and Sylvester had submitted his report and also told Saint Wazir about his experience with the Void Keepers.


    Then a scheduled Sanctum Council was called, and all got to read the report about the rise of Bloodlings, their powers, their effects on the mind, and also the presence of demons. Only a few details were omitted from the report, such as the underground castle, various wealthy tools he used, the Void Keepers and his meeting with the Crown Prince of Riveria.


    "They crossed a line this time to threaten to kill him." Lord Inquisitor spoke first this time. "A good insect is one that knows what can stomp it, so when it bites, it''s time to end its misery."


    Saint Seer, the Spymaster, interrupted, however. "They do what we can''t do openly. They are as important to the faith as the Bright Mothers and the Holy Army."


    The Pope raised his palm and silenced everyone. "They did go too far--killing more than five thousand people for just a ''what if'' is not how we want the people to remember the faith. They will be punished ordingly but not killed. They will be re-educated and informed about the newws."


    Saint Keymaster and Saint Medico gulped their saliva in the room. The two were the most non-battle-rted Saints, so they were not as face to face with the violence. But they also knew re-education was just another word for ''mentally breaking and reengineering''. It was an excruciating process.


    The Pope continued after letting them digest the information. "There is no more need to talk about the Void Keepers. The real matter is about the bloodlings. Lord Inquisitor, can you handle them or not? Otherwise, a crusade may be the only option."


    Not overestimating his own abilities, Inquisitor High Lord replied honestly. "I do not believe just the Inquisitors can handle so many Bloodlings. We may need to eventuallyunch a crusade against them at the right moment... but we must also ensure they don''t turn violent. Otherwise, the ravaged viges will only be new hotspots for future Bloodlings."


    Pope sighed in frustration and looked toward Saint Seer. "What''s the news from the ongoing war?"


    "It''s as bloody as we expected." the chief Spymaster replied, "Grand Duke of the Patch has overwhelmed the Sorrow Kingdom. The refugees from the Sorrow Kingdom have swarmed the Hignd Kingdom and are in one way or another trying to reach Riveria and eventually the Holy Land."


    "If I may." Saint Keymaster spoke suddenly. His name was Cardinal Helix Steelworth, and he was the chief economist of the Pope. He was responsible for maintaining a steady flow of money, so it was rare for him to meddle in such war-rted discussions. "The various monasteries across the East-Sol have been asking for aid so they can help refugees. If we proceed to help them, then the coffers of the faith will dwindle to an all-time low."


    Saint Medico, Cardinal Nos Leeds also spoke up. "A higher demand for more medical supplies and help is being noticed as well. Not only that, but crimes against Bright Mothers have also been noticed to be on the rise. Those people have nothing to lose, so they are not even trying anymore."


    It was a mess ofrge proportion that left the Pope angered. "First of all, kill anyone who harms a Bright Mother. There shall be nopromises in thosews. And preach to them what will happen if they touch these poor women.


    "As for the price of all this. Put it on the Grand Duke''s head. We allowed him to break the Sorrow Kingdom into two and create his own Grand Duchy, and now he has started an unprovoked war, so he better pay. Saint Scepter, take a delegation to the Patch. You will find the Ninth Guardian there as well."


    Saint Scepter was the publicly known second strangest man in the church and likely among all the kingdom. So him going was a huge message. ''Pay up, or we''ll take the money ourselves.''<sub> </sub>


    "It will be done, your holiness." Saint Scepter epted the task.


    After that, thest matter was on the table. It was not really a matter, however, because the decision had already been taken by Saint Wazir. It was just a low-level administration thing, and the council didn''t need to discuss it. "So the next is a request for a clergy promotion by Priest Sylvester."


    ...


    Sylvester hade to the Soul Tree once again to see if he could observe another divination. He was also hoping to see Grandpa Monk. But first, he decided to explore the tree more to see if the first Pope wrote any more messages.


    "Maxy!"


    Sylvester quickly moved to Miraj, as the boy seemed to have found something. "What is it?"


    "Look, more words."


    Sylvester, excitedly,nded on the branch and read it quickly. But in an instant, his shoulders fell as the words were not something he expected, nor were they something he wanted to read again.


    The words were. "Oh Lord Solis, why did you make me like this? Not only did I copte with the Count''s wife, but I did it with his two daughters as well. Please have mercy on my soul, for I do it not from the heart, but it just happens... I hope you will guide my soul after my timees to an end--trust me, I am no fiend."


    "..."


    Sylvester was speechless at the words and felt disgusted. This Knight was first of all rted to the faith, and second, he was somehow high enough to reach the Soul tree unsupervised. Who was he, Sylvester thought.


    "Chonky, how sharp are your ws?" he asked.


    Miraj quickly showed one hand and the sharp ws on it with a grin. "Maxy wants someone''s blood? Tell, I slit!"


    "..."


    "Chonky, just use your mighty paw and scratch this name off. I despise it." He ordered.


    Miraj quickly got to work and started scratching. "Okie!"


    Meanwhile, Sylvester looked around but found no more words of the first Pope. Seeing his time wasing to an end, he decided to go and meet the Grandpa Monk before meditating.


    Knock Knock!


    "Come in!"


    Sylvester opened the door of the wooden shack and entered. It smelled like heaven inside, as various herbs and some sort of tea were brewing in a pot. The old man was the same as thest visit, happy and calm.


    "I knew you woulde here soon enough. The guards informed me of a blonde boy entering the penins. Come here, drink some tea. It''s good for your heart."


    Sylvester was careful since this was one man he could not sense the emotions of. "Thank you."


    He looked around and noticed a few new things were on the various wooden shelves. "It seems you found more herbs?"


    Grandpa Monk smirked. "I am an enthusiast, after all. Trying to make a non-alcoholic beverage that also gives you the same effects is extremely hard. But I have made some progress. What about you, young bard? What adventures did you go on?"


    Sylvester mumbled a few words. "Killed a bloodling, saw my first apprentice die, and nearly got killed. Anyway, Grandpa Monk, do you know some knight by the name Billworth?"


    "Pfft..."


    The old man spat his tea. "So you found the carvings? It''s maddening, truly... nobody knows who this Knight is or when he lived, or which Count he talked about. All we know is that he has fornicated with the Count''s wife, his two daughters, Count''s mother, Count''s wife''s mother, Count''s niece, Count''s servants, and even Count''s sisters, and every time he writes an apology here. Many Popes in the past haveunched a manhunt for him but had no luck."


    "..."


    Speechless!


    Sylvester was just speechless and felt somewhat worried for the mysterious Count''s sake. He wondered if he had also found the god of debauchery by mistake.


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 137 137. Dreams Of Destruction

    Sylvester wondered if the whole thing was a joke by one of the guards in the Soul Penins. But again, why would they do something like this? So either this was the story of the most debaucherous knight or the most unlucky Count. He wondered if the Count''s children were even his own. Heck, did the Count''s bloodline even survive?


    Grandpa Monkughed after seeing Sylvester''s deep-thinking face and poured him some more tea. "Here, freshen your mind of that filth now. Don''t think much about it. I tried and couldn''te up with any reasoning."


    Sylvester was, however, also interested in the message from the Pope. ''Did he not see that as well? If he did, then why didn''t he get it removed? Or could it be deliberate ignorance?''


    "True, but I came here to check up on my visions and you, Grandpa Monk. Every time I return to the Holy Land, I wonder if you''re still alive." Sylvester replied.


    The old man coughed and looked at Sylvester''s face dumbly. "That almost sounds like you''re disappointed with my prolonged existence."


    Sylvester ignored what the old man just said and spoke about Solis instead, something that gets everyone riled up. "Grandpa Monk, what should one do if he sees another man of faithmitting a sin that harms the very foundation of the church?"


    Being an experienced fifth Guardian, the old man already understood that Sylvester must have experienced something in his journey. In his eyes, he saw an image of Pope Axel when he was young and going through an existential crisis because he saw something wrong done by another clergyman.


    "Deathly embrace of Solis is what those clergymen deserve--that''s what the officialw suggests. But, the reality is often moreplex than just the written rules. Sometimes, one evil must win so we can defeat ten other evils. But, we all get judged by the lord at our end, so punishing one while alive is the duty of those alive right now."


    "What if they are not punished?" Sylvester asked.


    Grandpa Monk replied instantly. "They always do... not today then tomorrow. Anyone who thinks they are the biggest fish in the pond is destined to be eaten by a bigger fish one day.


    "There is aw bigger than man''s, one that umtes the sins and the virtuous deeds, and they apply on all no matter how much one pleads. So, if you can, try bringing justice. If you can not, then let fate im the fatality."


    ''These old men do speak very wisely but act otherwise mostly.'' Sylvester thought silently.


    "In that case, I hope I can one day be strong enough to bring justice to all. Nobles,moners, ves, or Underhumans, as long as they praise the lord, they should be allowed to afford--the light of Solis." Sylvester replied in the same old wise manner, which was the cheat behind leaving a longsting image of him in others'' minds.


    "Do you want more tea, son?" Grandpa Monk asked him.


    Sylvester stood up instead. "No, I should leave and meditate now. But, I did bring you a gift from my travels. Here, this is the sunflower voring for food and sunflower scent liquid."


    The old man''s eyes shined as he epted the gifts warmly. "Haha, goodd, it''s always a treat to receive gifts. I will dly utilize these. Go on, meditate and try enjoying life every once in a while. There is no point in working if you''re not living."


    Sylvester saluted him and walked out. There, he again found the pet bear of Grandpa Monk. It was also an old bear and very friendly. So Sylvester gave the good beast some honey-baked cookies as treats and left.


    But, instantly, Miraj spread his paws in front of Sylvester''s face as if he were a poor beggar. "Lord Maxy, won''t you spare one little cookie for this little meow meow?"


    ''Damnit, I can''t be strict when you''re this cute.'' Sylvester melted instantly, especially seeing the cat''s big cute eyes.


    "Fine! But only one. You need to be careful, Chonky. You snore a lot these days." Sylvester relented and gave one cookie, then he jumped onto some branches and found a good spot to sit down and meditate.


    Miraj knew Sylvester would take a lot of time, so this time he just stayed sitting on hisp and eating the cookie, and once done, he nned to sleep.


    As usual, Sylvester closed his eyes and emptied his mind. Then he started to focus on his breath and slowly felt like he was falling asleep. When he started to sense some heat radiating behind his head, he knew the meditation was working, and if there was any vision, he''d see it.


    Woosh!


    Soon enough, he felt his senses being swept away through a tunnel. His vision stopped being dark, and a scene appeared. It was daylight, and it seemed to be some sort of ruins of a castle. It was daytime, and all he could hear was the rumbling of the earth and the shing of swords in the distance.


    The ruins seemed new as bloodied bodies were lying around here and there, heads sttered and brain matter scattered, but it was all too blurry to see who they belonged to.


    "Princess! We must leave this ce! It''s not safe."


    "B-But... my father... he''s still fighting."


    "He''s fighting for you, my princess. This is an order... I must bring you to safety."


    "No! I won''t leave him!"


    Sylvester tried to focus on this exchange happening. And soon, the first scene he saw was a blurry tall man in knight''s clothing smacking his hand on the little girl''s head, making her fall unconscious.


    Then he put her on his shoulder and started to run while talking to her in a saddened voice. "Forgive me, Zye, but as long as you live... we are immortal in your memories... you must stay strong... the future will not be very kind to you, these walls that protected you these years will not be there, and you are small--weak--but talented. In the dark days ahead, you must show us all how you are so valiant--you must always strive to be gant!"


    Sylvester noticed a few drops of tears from the ashen-ck-haired girl''s eyes. She was so small and thin, making him wonder if she''d even survive out there--if what he guessed was correct.


    "Ah!"


    The girl suddenly jolted awake and looked towards the sky, straight towards Sylvester, in his eyes. She cried, seemingly talking to him. "You hear everything! You see everything! Then why can''t you help? Aren''t you god? You can do anything!"


    Sylvester silently kept looking at her, reckoning she was talking to Solis.


    "How can you be so indifferent to my plight? How can your golden eyes be void of light?"<sub> </sub>


    That, in an instant, raised some goosebumps. Sylvester was unaware that she could see him all this time. Who was she? How could she? Why? His mind was overblown with questions, but there were no answers. He could not even discover who she was since the world was full of chaos and there were far too many people with simr hair.


    "Please! You sang me to sleep when I was scared... Just once more! A miracle... Please...!"


    Sylvester, however, could not do anything, and he felt out of breath from this revtion. So his senses became out of order, and the vision started to end. Slowly, everything started to turn dark, and the girl simply cried.


    "Don''t let her go! Master wants here dead!"


    Sylvester heard the echoes of someone chasing the girl and her helper. She was not going to survive, it appeared. But he hoped she would. He hoped one day he could meet her and find out why they were connected.


    So, as the vision diminished, he sang a hymn to call forth a miracle. He did not know if it would seed, for he didn''t know if the Solis was real and his words would do something. All he could do was just hope.


    "I watch the sins of mortals from afar


    You are not a son of Solis anymore.


    The pain you have inflicted on others.


    Time shalle when in pain you too--suffer.


    You bloodline--I curse today.


    Specks of dust that makes you--shall wash away."


    As Sylvester sang, amidst the narrowing vision, he noticed the girl was nearly captured as the chasers threw some projectiles. But as they were about to grab her, they stared at the sky in fear and soon knelt with arms crossed on their chest--saluting the Solis.


    "Lay siege to end this bloody facade.


    Perish these foul souls who seem so untrod.


    Burn these with the utterance of your bard!


    Fall! O'' mighty thunder of god!"


    Boom!


    Suddenly, Sylvester''s ears were attacked with a loud boom that abruptly shocked his mind out of the vision. He woke up instantly and looked left and right; his heartbeat was racing and echoing in the nightly forest.


    He looked down and saw Miraj soundly sleeping on hisp. He wondered how long he was there, meditating. ''That was such a strange... vision! I must get to the bottom of this! Who is she? Did my hymn do something? Could they hear me somehow?''


    He looked up at the sky, and all he noticed was the darkness due to the thick cover of the Soul Tree. But there were fireflies illuminating everything, making it beautiful and indicating it was night. This brought another question, however. ''The vision I saw was all happening in daylight! Does this mean the visions can be from the past or the future?''


    He was undoubtedly left with a serious headache. ''I should head home, or mum will be frightened.''


    As he picked Miraj up, he noticed a small te beside him with a symbol of the church painted on it, full of half-eaten fruits. ''Who ced it? For Chonky? But nobody can see him!''


    Cough!


    "You finally woke up, lord bard!"


    He turned around and saw Sir Dolorem standing there, appearing tired as well with dark circles under his eyes. But there were also the Pope and Grandpa Monk standing behind, staring at him with curiosity and wonder.


    "I... Did something happen?" Sylvester asked them in concern, as this was unexpected. He had just gone to mediate, and didn''t expect to meet anyone here. Another thing was that the Pope was in his official robes, meaning he came here in a hurry. ''Did I do something?''


    "Son! You are one blessed beast." Grandpa Monkmented, but it seemed to be apliment.


    At that, the Pope walked close to Sylvester and patted his shoulder and arms as if to see if he was alright. "Amazing, you are unharmed even after spending five days in meditation!"


    "..."


    "What?"


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 138 138. Sir Dolorem & Nights Of Revelations

    Five days ago.


    After Sylvester went to do his meditation, Grandpa Monk got busy making his non-alcoholic but effective sunshine nectar, as it was his best pass time with his adopted son, the current Pope.


    Even the Pope nowadays came to help him in the evening, and like two mad muscr men with exposed torsos, they brewed it in the open.


    Bam!


    "Old man, let''s go and brew your sunshine nectar! Tonight, we shall finish the final recipe!" The Pope entered the little shack of the Grandpa Monk by kicking the door.


    It was enough to scare the old man inside and hold on to everything, fearing it would all fall apart. "Axel, you silly child! My little home can be blown away by your single sneeze! Do not kick the door."


    The Pope, turning into a kid when with his adoptive father, acted silly. "It''s just a shack. I can make you a nice stone castle here if you want. I will enchant it myself with all luxuries. What do you say?"


    Grandpa Monk ignored it. "No need, you stay in your pompous pces. I quite like nature... Ah! By that, I remembered the little Bard is here; he went to meditate early in the morning. Did he go back?"


    "Sylvester is here? Interesting, let''s go and see." The Pope suggested.


    So, the two men searched around and soon found Sylvester sitting on a thick branch with a bright golden halo behind the head. He was cross-legged, his palms were on hisp, and he appeared so calm that one would think he was dead.


    "He''s in a trance," The Popemented as they watched him shine in the darkness of the night.


    Grandpa Monk knelt beside Sylvester and nodded after looking at his face, particrly the moving eyeballs under the eyelids. "He''s seeing a deep vision, it seems... truly a miracle child. Who knows where his destiny will take him--I hope it''s the right path. There is no saying when he will wake up, however. Should we stay here?"


    The Pope shook his head since the ce was extremely safe. "No need. We shall focus on brewing. I will call his aide to keep an eye instead."


    Saying that, the Pope stared at Sylvester with a mysterious gaze. He knew about Sylvester''s visions, but even he could not help but wonder what it was that Sylvester was seeing. Was it rted to him? The church?


    ''No! I can''t let these thoughts corrupt me... for this paranoia is the first step to insanity.'' The Pope looked away and returned to the shack with the old man. Then he called a guard and sent him to find Sir Dolorem.


    ...


    Sir Dolorem was called in the middle of the night and was informed that there was an emergency. He was not told anything and was just thrown onto a boat and taken to the Soul Penins. He was honestly a bit on edge, as any man would be after being awoken so abruptly.


    But, he kept calm and followed the instructions. He was a little man and had been on the penins only once, as he was not allowed anytime else.


    As his boat reached the shore, he was overwhelmed by the number of guards. Even the lowest-ranked guards were higher-level wizards or knights than him. Soon his whole palm print was taken on a shining orb, and then his eyes were scanned with that same orb. He didn''t know what strange magical artifact it was and didn''t dare question it.


    After that, the overly-dressed and formal guards led him straight towards the little hut near the Soul Tree. And to his shock, he saw madness--a scene so bizarre that he had to pinch himself until he bled to ensure it was no dream.


    There, he noticed the Pope and the Fifth Guardian, topless, sweating, boiling something on a furnace in arge container. It smelled like a mix of herbs and a strange nose-tingling solid smell.


    ''What''s happening here? Did I offend them?'' He wondered.


    But, all that doubt went out of his mind as the Pope looked at him. In an instant, he was on his knees and greeting. "I pay respect to the respected His Holiness, Supreme Pontiff."


    He was an average man. He does not get the privilege to meet a man like the Pope so often. At most, he can see him from afar. The only reason he does not get overwhelmed by Lord Inquisitor''s aura was that he became an Inquisitor under that man''s training. He had been an assistant to high-ranking Inquisitors from the start.


    Meeting any other Guardian or such men was overwhelming, for they represented the best and the strongest the church had to offer.


    "How may I be of use, Supreme Pontiff?" He asked, not looking at the face.


    But, the Pope seemed to be in an excited mood as he shooed the guards away and pulled Sir Dolorem close. Then made him stand, sandwiched between himself and Grandpa Monk. Both old fogies were six foot five or six, so they towered over the average Sir Dolorem.


    The bald wizard-knight was sweating more from the pressure of being between there than the heat from the furnace.


    "Here, take a sip, young soldier. It ought to rejuvenate you." Grandpa Monk passed a ss full of liquid from the pot.


    Now, Sir Dolorem''s duty was to drink it. So he didn''t waste a moment and gulped it all down in one go. "Ah... my the-"


    Bam!


    And there he went, falling on his back like a wooden log, straight to dreands. This did frighten the two mad old men, however.


    The Pope quickly checked. "Good Solis, he''s alive! Let''s put him in the shed."


    Grandpa Monk sighed. "Young generations can''t even handle some good old sunshine nectar... Only a little Bard and you can handle it."


    The Pope chuckled. "I get the feeling that Sylvester may not look old, but in my mind, he''s just like us too. Now wait for me while I put Sir Dolorem to the bed, don''t drink all of this!"


    Sir Dolorem did not know what had happened, but when his eyes again opened, he initially thought it was all just a dream. But then he felt the ceiling was not something he recognized, so he jolted up. "Where am I..."<sub> </sub>


    But his voice died the moment he noticed the Pope and Fifth Guardian of Light sitting beside a table and staring at him. Thankfully they were now adequately dressed.


    Pa!


    Grandpa Monk pped suddenly and shoved his palm at the Pope. "You lost the bet, son. He woke up in two hours."


    The Pope, begrudgingly, took out a gold coin from his pocket and gave it to Grandpa Monk. "I will win one day. Just remember that."


    "I''ve remembered it for two hundred years; I''ll probably die before you win."


    Sir Dolorem silently stayed seated, for this was not his ce to speak. He mentally prepared himself for whatever was toe next. But one thing was certain; he saw this side of the Pope and the Fifth Guardian for the first time.


    While the Pope usually seemed like a highly wise and strict person, the Fifth guardian was a silent sage. But apparently, this was their real personality.


    The Pope noticed the gaze and ordered Sir Dolorem. "Forgive us for calling you here, son. But your duty calls you, for the young Bard sits on the tree branch, meditates, and likely watches a vision in a trance. There is no telling when he may wake up, so your task is to watch over him."


    Sir Dolorem stepped to the side and knelt like a knight, then saluted. "I shall fulfill the duty to the best of my ability, your holiness."


    "Good, then follow me." The Pope led Sir Dolorem to the specific branch.


    ...


    [Memoirs of Sir Dolorem]


    [As shocking as seeing the Holy Father and Fifth Guardian like that was, it was also reassuring to know that they were just like us--people who enjoy little happiness.


    But I was not prepared for what was toe next, and Sylvester''s halo and meditation were not even a part of it. Initially, I didn''t even believe it. I thought I was hallucinating after staying awake for a whole day without resting.


    But then I realized someone was snoring nearby. I could not find anyone, no matter how much I looked, so I decided to try a hypothesis. Since the guards left food for me to consume, I decided toy it as a trap.


    At first, I put some fruit on a te and then ced it beside Sylvester in a way I could see it, and yet it may seem I could not. And as I expected, one of the fruits--a banana--was slowly being pulled out of the te and then behind Sylvester. Soon, the banana peel was thrown off.


    I was frightened that an evil spirit had haunted Sylvester, but on second thought, I realized that was impossible, for we sat beneath the warmth of the holiest tree in the world. Hence, I nned to test another hypothesis. This time, I ced a te with the symbol of the church on it.


    Yet again, the banana got taken away. I kept doing it until it became so bold that the banana flew away right in front of my eyes. I had no idea what it was, but I reckon it was small. Was it the devil? Or an evil spirit? I do not believe that''s possible.


    Sylvester is the Lord''s Bard, his shine is brighter than the sky stars. No evil can lurk near him lest they wish to burn.


    This means it could only be one thing. It is a Guardian Angel, sent directly by the lord--for the one befitting a child of solis, blessed by the light--the true God''s Favored.


    May the holy light enlighten us! I thank lord Solis for showing me this miracle!]


    ...


    Present


    Sylvester looked at the Pope''s face as if he saw a ghost. "Five days? How is that possible? I felt as if only a few minutes had passed."


    The Pope quickly handed him a little bottle of potion to restore the lost nutrients in his body. "That is why the visions are considered so rare and iprehensible. Not just seeing them is hard, but also finding where it leads. Hence, in most cases, these visions are useless as by the time the seer realizes their oing fate, it''s toote."


    Sylvester nodded but didn''t borate on his own vision. He didn''t know who was after that girl. Was it the church she was running from?


    Pat!


    The Pope patted Sylvester''s back and spoke. "Priest Sylvester, I see you as a son... just know this."


    Sylvester internally frowned as he smelled the aroma of anxiety from the big man. "Thank you, holy father."


    The Pope nodded and replied with something nothing less than a shocker. "If you are physically feeling well, you have someone waiting to meet you--It''s the King Atrox Hignd."


    Sylvester stopped himself from jumping in excitement. ''Isn''t he the one who wanted to adopt me?!''


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 139 139. An Opportunity Of A Lifetime

    Sylvester didn''t know why King Hignd wanted to see him, but he knew that the man could be worth a lot if he could somehow win his fondness, even more so as an ally since the King was also a Grand Wizard, along with his wife.


    ''As long as I can somehow manipte this king to be kind to me, I will never have to worry about power¡­ and maybe one day he can help me in the fight to be the Pope.'' He nned to meet the man silently.


    But, at the same time, he strongly reminded himself that other people are not fools. The man was a strong wizard and a king. There had to be a lot of mental and physical prowess involved there. ''I may be highly smart, but to think there can never be someone better than me will only bring my doom earlier.''


    Sylvester readily agreed to meet the King as he felt well. "Then I should not keep the King waiting, Holy father."


    "Good. You may leave with Sir Dolorem and return. I believe Sir Dolorem also needs some rest after staying up for five boring days and nights." The Pope ordered them in a usual formal tone.


    Grandpa Monk rubbed his beard and walked closer to hand Sylvester a ss jar. "Take this, young bard. This is my recipe for the best sunshine nectar¡­ but keep this away from the reach of your mother and friends, lest they suffer the same fate as your aide."


    Sylvester nced at Sir Dolorem and smelled some disappointment. He chuckled and took it. "Thank you, Grandpa Monk. I wille back again to y a new game with you, it''s called Chess."


    "I will be waiting for you then, young bard."


    Sylvester saluted the two old men and walked away with Sir Dolorem. It had been five days, and he wondered how everything was going.


    "Did you inform mum about my absence? I hope she didn''t get anxious because of this." He asked.


    "She was brought here by me on the same night to show you were fine. She may still be a bit anxious, however. That''s how most mothers are."


    Sylvester had to agree on that point. No matter what, Xavia would worry about him. Likely even if he bes the Pope, she would worry about his safety.


    Soon they were on a boat to Pope''s Penins. It was nighttime, so there was nothing to see other than water all around them. Being alone, Sylvester asked Sir Dolorem. "Do you think Solis is real?"


    Sir Dolorem wanted to shout back at Sylvester by now. He had seen the young man meditating for five days, looking like some god, and at the same time, he met a guardian angel. "Of course, he is real! You are the living proof for it."


    "If that''s the case, then why am I not pampered? Why must I go through all these things? Be treated like amon clergyman and face all this madness alone?" Sylvester asked, because, ording tomon customs, talented or important individuals are usually protected and spoiled. Yet here he was, going through every torment imaginable.


    Sir Dolorem had an answer to that as well. "That''s because it never works. You know how spoiled princes be the worst of kings and general humans. In the old days, God''s Favored were genuinely treated like princes. They were never sent out of the Holy Land, were taught by the best teachers in special sses, and were trained with the best materials. But, in the end, in nearly all cases, none of those God''s Favored became the Pope or even a Guardian of Light.


    "This revealed the ws, and since then, God''s Favored are made to face all the hardships like any ordinary clergyman. Sure, you may get some small benefits, like how you can meet the Holy Father or how you can get some special resources. But other than that, you are expected to face all the hardships and grow.


    "Because if you survive all that madness and stille out on top, then that would mean you were always meant to be the one true God''s Favored. If you quit or die, then you were never even worthy."


    "So you mean the church would rather see talented young men die than spend precious resources on them to be spoiled," Sylvestermented.


    Sir Dolorem shook his head. "The Church takes responsibility for the safety of those it considers important. Didn''t Lord Inquisitore to save you and me in that cave? Even Priest Felix has been saved by higher clergymen during his adventures. The Church merely tries to bnce the special privileges they give you while ensuring you organically grow stronger.


    "All the mental and physical hardships are meant to make you stronger¡ªeven more so after the great game has started."


    "Great game?" Sylvester eximed.


    "I don''t know the details, but I heard this from the Lord Inquisitor in a joint Inquisitor-Administration meeting. It likely means that those vying for the Pope''s position have started making their moves. The Holy Father is 216 years old as of now, and ording to history, on average, a Pope lives for 300, ten years more or less on that. So, if they start ying the game right now, they will have enough support to ascend when the timees."


    ''So I must start ying this game as well?'' Sylvester thought about the future prospects. He reckoned that in most circumstances, he''s only being seen as a possible Pope after the next Pope. Hence most people in the current race to ascend don''t even take him seriously¡ªand this ignorance could be his boon.


    "It seems the times ahead are going to be very interesting," Sylvester muttered and looked towards the twin moons in the sky.


    "And dangerous."


    Sylvester chuckled. "Already is¡ªSo tell me something new."


    ¡­


    Sylvester''s home.


    "Bwahaha¡­ I never knew that young Sylvester had such feats under his belt. Such a talented young man. Unfortunately, I couldn''t help in time."


    Xavia was again baffled because so many strange things had happened in the past few days. First, she met the Tenth Guardian of Light, then she saw the Soul Penins and walked on the branches of the Soul tree, and right now, there sat in her house, in the living room, a mighty King.<sub> </sub>


    "Why have youe here, old foggy! You shall not have me deceived again!" This voice was from the Tenth Guardian of Light, who hade to guide King Hignd around because one, she was strong, and two, letting a man enter the Bright Mother''s housing was not good.


    King Higndughed with no care. "Bwahahaha¡­ are you still angry at me, Aurora? When you were little, I remember you came to my Pce with Lord Inquisitor. You wanted to marry me because I was handsome!"


    Lady Aurora pouted and looked away. "I was a naive child back then¡ªnot my fault there. It was you, fiend, who tried to seduce me."


    "Sorry, Aurora, but I have no liking for young kids. That''s the specialty of some of your brethren heathens. Trinity is and was the only one for me, my beautiful love from childhood." King Hignd mocked and then dreamily spoke.


    Lady Aurora acted as if she didn''t hear the first part, as she had no counter-argument regarding that. "How is Queen Trinity? If anything, she is the most sensible person in your Kingdom."


    King Hignd didn''t mind Aurora''s jibing remarks as he knew it was all being said in yfulness. He had known her since she was a little kid, after all. "Oh, she''s fine and pretty as always. But¡­ the mental burden of not being able to further our bloodline has been taking a toll on her now¡­ the words spoken against her in mockery¡­ even when it''s not her or my fault is heartbreaking."


    Just then, the door to the little house opened, and Sylvester walked in alone. However, he paused in the middle as he looked at the people inside. He expected the King to be there, but what was Lady Aurora doing there?


    "Greetings¡­" He muttered.


    The King stood up and walked to Sylvester. Without showing any reservations, he hugged the bard. "It''s a pleasure meeting you, son. You are as handsome as the legends say."


    ''Gods, so much ttery.'' Sylvester sighed internally and moved back from the hug.


    "May the Holy light enlighten us, your majesty. The Holy Father told me that you wish to see me?" He asked, intentionally revealing that he was close to the Pope.


    The Kingughed it off and retook his seat. "I was in the Holy Land regarding the intense wave of refugees arriving in my Kingdom. I can not alone help them, for my coffers are not that full."


    In silence, Sylvester tried to discern the man''s character. From the various scenes, he saw that the man was cheerful and happy. But he refused to believe there was nothing hidden inside. So, to test the King, he spoke something that would usually anger any boastful noble.


    Sylvester, in a scornful tone, replied. "Not that you helped your own citizens either."


    The King Hignd fell silent, and the smile disappeared from his face. He looked at Sylvester''s face in his eyes and nodded. "I have indeed failed them, it seems. I was never told about the condition of Fallshoot vige and the human hunting happening there by the noble. For that, I am utterly ashamed. As for the Bloodling, we normally let the church deal with them."


    ''What''s this? Genuine spiciness of rage and foul smell of sadness? Did I just find the most honest King ever?'' Sylvester wondered once he sensed the scents.


    King Hignd continued to speak. "I am thankful that you were able to defeat that vile creature."


    "But in the end, it was toote," Sylvester eximed.


    "It wasn''t you who failed, Priest Sylvester, it was them¡ªthose vile dogs of the¡­ It is one of the reasons why I came here, to ask for an exnation¡­ and to apologize to you."


    That raised his brows. "Apologize? For what?"


    "For what happened to you when you were little. If not for Inquisitor High Lord, we would have lost a wonderful young man. My wife and I initially thought about adopting you after we heard what happened, but sadly we were denied because the Church was your custodian. However, now you''re an adult and free to decide for yourself. So, priest Sylvester, would you like to be the Crown Prince of the Hignd Kingdom?"


    Sylvester nced at Xavia, who appeared shaken by the proposal. So she looked at Sylvester to see what his response would be.


    He, instead, looked into the King''s eyes and smelled something that made everything clear for him¡ªnow, making a decision was easy.


    ''I can be a rich fat lord and never worry about money¡­ or feeding Chonky? I can forever live in luxury?''


    To Sylvester, the answer was as clear as day. "Your Majesty, I want to¡­"


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 140 140. Cough! Cough!

    "I refuse!... Your Majesty."


    "..."


    "But why? All the riches! All theforts of being royalty! You won''t ever have to go on life-threatening missions either!" King Hignd asked, appearing saddened.


    But Sylvester smelled the same scent as thest time¡ªlies. For some reason, he realized King Hignd was lying to him. His persona of being kind and gentle was likely not false, but this one thing about adopting him was definitely a lie. Why? He''d have to find out on his own.


    "This is my life now. All the people I know, the friends and families, all expect something from me, and that expectation is from this life I am living right now. I have given myself to the service of Solis, and I do not n on leaving this anytime soon." Sylvester replied.


    King Hignd nodded and smiled. With that, Sylvester was pleasantly shocked to sense the scent of tulips, a sign that some sort of worship was emerging in the man''s mind.


    ''I should seal the deal with my ultimate move. Maybe then I can induce some more worship.'' Sylvester thought.


    King Hignd was already full of praise, however. "This is the first time I''m seeing someone reject a whole Kingdom."


    Sylvester replied instantly, trying to make himself appear wiser. "If it''s not earned, then there are no lessons learned. If you make a king by simply picking someone off the streets, then the days of your kingdom are numbered. Experiences speak louder than any words in a book, your majesty¡ªif you insist on making a king such as this, then it''d be your legacy''s travesty."


    Sylvester, not giving time to anyone to speak, raised his right hand and spread light. Then he looked directly into King Hignd''s eyes as he started to sing, with a halo behind him.


    ?For long, the lord''s edicts have been erect.


    Thews of mankind on which we act.


    A ve or a king¡ªwe all muste to respect.


    All must await until fate and duty intersect.


    This is thew, the light that makes us perfect.?


    ?We''re souls stuck between the godly realm and hell.


    We must keep our hearts open for the holy bells.


    All are born with a purpose, and so itpels.


    If you do not serve, against you, the heavens shall rebel!


    For we''re just little strands of magic in the lord''s grand spell!?


    Sylvester didn''t make it too long as it was normally hard to make hymns regarding a situation in real-time. But, it seemed the intended effect was already visible since he could feel the scent of a tulip on his tongue¡ªa strong one this time.


    ''Good, now, I only need to throw the final ball.''


    Sylvester stopped singing and stared at King Hignd. "Your majesty, you should be more focused on preparing yournds for the eventual war. If the people of Hignd stay as poor as they are now, they won''t survive. At the same time, the world is seeing an increase in the number of bloodlings."


    The King, however, was still looking at Sylvester in worship as if he was going to, at any time, explode in light.


    "Your majesty?"


    "Ah!" The man shook up. "Lord Bard, can you ask the great Solis to bless my queen-wife and me with a natural-born child?"


    "..."


    ''What the¡­ this has backfired! I am no expert on childbirth!'' Sylvester internally frowned while keeping the guise of a calm and collected young man outside.


    He started to think of ways to help this man have a kid. In this era, there was nothing such as test tube babies. It was all done naturally, and if you can''t, your neighbor would before you even know. Of course, that''s not possible in the case of royals, as bloodline matters.


    In the end, he could not understand what the King''s problem was. But he needed a usible treatment that he could shrug offter, that if it did not work, then Solis wishes not to bless him.


    "Come with me to my room, your majesty." He got up and walked away.


    The King also silently walked behind, and soon the room door was shut. Inside, Sylvester asked the King about the problems. "So, what''s the exact problem? Are you not able to perform it?"


    The King quickly shook his head. "No, not at all, Lord Bard. In fact, we can do it for hours every single day, multiple times. And we satisfy each other quite thoroughly."


    Sylvester nodded as he didn''t sense any lies from the king. But he had to take another look at the white-bearded man with the sex drive of a god, it seemed.


    ''Could it be low level or low quality of sperm? Well¡­ I think I''m an expert on sperm in some ways.'' He suddenly remembered the horrific experience of being stuck as a sperm for who knows how long.


    But, as he thought about it, he was once again reminded that there could be people stuck in his and this King''s jewels. ''God, I need to forget this again.''


    He needed to think in peace, so he turned around and walked to the window to look outside, not the King''s hopeful face. It was a strange situation as well, one that left him weirded out because he never expected a king to be this friendly to him. But he reckoned it was perhaps due to him being born in the Hignd Kingdom and also being a prospective future big man in the church.


    As he looked outside, he noticed Miraj sitting outside the window on the cloth hanging rails and grooming himself. Seeing the furry boy, Sylvester remembered something. ''Wait¡­ don''t I have that ginseng from a while ago? From that stable master''snd? It''s known to increase the quality of the sperm, and even quantity as well as libido.''


    He walked closer to the window and whispered to the cat. "Chonky, give me those strange root nts you had taken from the horse fields. Give me fifty of them."<sub> </sub>


    Miraj looked back and quietly tilted his head left and right like a puppy as if he didn''t understand what this strange human was saying.


    "What? Do it fast, boy."


    But there was silence, and Miraj acted like an ordinary cat, licking his paws. Finally, Sylvester sighed and agreed to the unspoken exchange. "Fine, I will get you a banana."


    "Oh, Maxy! You should have said that first thing." Miraj spoke instantly and started vomiting. Thankfully, he was now slowly adapting and didn''t make as much noise.


    "Uwaaa¡­"


    Eventually, Sylvester held fifty ginseng roots in his arms as he turned around. "I think I have a solution, but nothing is guaranteed, for the final gift is in the hands of the lord! But, if so he desires, not just one but hundreds could be your reward."


    King Hignd was slightly above 150 years old at this stage and was still considered to be in his prime. At the same time, he had been married to his beloved for a century now, and they didn''t even have a single child where they should have had great-grandkids already.


    Being deprived of a child was one of the biggest curses parents in love could go through. And the pain increases many times when no healer can identify what even the problem is.


    King Hignd considered Sylvester a mere child, but seeing his blessing, he just held on to that thin little ray of hope called the Bard of the Lord. He knew Queen Trinity wept, longing for a child, but never showing it in the open, and as a good husband, he was ready to try anything¡ªgo to any length to heal her broken heart.


    "This root can help me?" King Hignd asked in surprise.


    Sylvester could only nod weakly. "As I said, there is a possibility it might. But let me first do something."


    He put the roots on the table and poured light from his palms just for the theatrics. It was strong as it blinded everyone for a few seconds, but the roots looked clean and fresh by the end.


    "Your majesty, eat this every single day, not more than five grams¡­ and you may give it to the Queen as well. Do not over-exceed, however, for it may hurt instead of cure. Also, after eating this regrly, you may have an increased desire to get intimate, so be mindful of that." He gave simple instructions for the root.


    "What is this miracle nt? Why has nobody heard of it before?" King Hignd asked.


    Of course, Sylvester was not going to give the name. But he also wanted to test whether the King would keep a secret for him. "None know because we are far too drowned in the realm of magic that we fail to see the miracles nature has created. However, this root is still experimental, and once I am sure of its properties, I will reveal it to the world. But, for now, please keep it a secret."


    King Hignd looked at the strange root as if it was worth more than all the gold in the world. "If¡­ If this does help me¡­ I wil¡­"


    Sylvester raised his palm and stopped the man. "Do not make anymitments. The disappointment is harder that way. Keep your expectations low, say the name of the lord, and hope for the heavenly reward. May the holy light enlighten us!"


    "May the holy light enlighten us." Repeated the King after Sylvester.


    That was all Sylvester was willing to do for this first meeting, however. It was better to maintain an air of mystery around himself instead of appearing like an open book. After all, he needed to ensure he was on the King''s mind for the months toe. As for the baby, that was all God''s n.


    King Hignd took the cue that he had overstayed his wee. So he respectfully bid farewell. "Thank you for this gift of hope, Lord Bard. If you ever need something, you know how to contact me. Until we meet again, I bid you a warm goodbye."


    Sylvester shook the man''s hand and led him towards the main door. But, as the King Hignd moved out, he looked back at Lady Aurora. "Will you not leave?"


    She scoffed and pointed at Xavia. "Your mum and I have forged a friendship, and she teaches me to make honey cookies. You won''t know since you were missing for five days."


    Sylvester made a scowling face and just shook his head. He waved goodbye to King Hignd and shut the door. There was no need to escort a Grand Wizard into Holy Land, after all.


    He went to the kitchen and started to take whatever edible things he could. "I am starving."


    Xavia hurried to stop him. "Max, just wait. I will cook you something good. Don''t eat these snacks for regr food."


    Sylvester didn''t argue with her knowing very well it was pointless. So he just took an apple and a banana and sat down in the dining room, just opposite Lady Aurora.


    ''Why is this woman staying here? Is she sent by the Lord Inquisitor? The Pope? What''s their purpose? Mum?'' Sylvester was trying to read every worst-case scenario possible.


    Lady Aurora eventually got annoyed. "Stop staring at me, Priest Sylvester."


    "Ah!"


    All of a sudden, Xavia''s cry came, followed by her taking a rest by the counter. Sylvester quickly got up to check. "What happened?"


    She smiled wryly and went back to work. "It''s nothing, dear. Just some neck and back pain. I''ve got myself checked, it''s just some strain on the back."


    Sylvester, however, nced at her body and frowned. He could somewhat guess why the pain was there. "Mum, what''s your bust size?"


    "..."


    "What?!" Lady Aurora eximed, while on Xavia''s face, silence remained.


    _______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 141 141. Where It All Begins

    "What son asks such vile questions to his mother?" Lady Aurora barked.


    Sylvester just realized that in his old mindset, he forgot to realize Xavia was supposed to be his elder, not the other way around. Honestly, talking about all these things didn''t matter to him as he didn''t care. But there was certainly a problem here.


    He rified in a more technical way. "What? I wish to help mum, that''s why I''m asking. You tell me, how do you maintain your bust from bouncing around when in a fight? Or on a horse?"


    Lady Aurora was flustered, for no man ever dared to ask her such questions. "H-How fiendish you are!"


    Sylvester sighed. "Just tell me the answer, and you will know the science."


    "I wrap a long piece of cloth around my torso, that''s it."


    Sylvester nodded and thought about making a bra for Xavia and poor women like her. He reckoned it must be hard formon women withrge busts. Noble women could easily afford a wide range of bustiers, butmoners could afford clothes only if they desired to. Most just let it be free.


    "What about you, mum? You don''t do something simr?" He asked.


    Xavia had no shame with her son; after all, he drank milk from the same thing they were talking about. "I don''t, as I am not a warrior."


    "That''s the problem. Even if you''re not a warrior, you need to use one, especially for someone of your size. Don''t worry. Give me a few days, and I will create an undergarment that can help you with the pain caused by the strange center of gravity." He reckoned it wouldn''t take too much time since it was a really easy thing as long as the size was known. As for clothes, cotton and silk would suffice, but the stic part was the real problem.


    He knew he could find and harvest naturaltex pretty easily, but turning it into an stic band would not be easy. Still, he knew he had most of the ingredients avable thanks to alchemy, but how to go about it was the question. His little knowledge told him thattex, acetic acid, and sulfur were involved.


    "You will make something to hold them up? How? You don''t even have them to know how to go on about it." Lady Aurora asked him interestedly.


    "As long as you give me your size, I should be able to make something. Anyway, for now, please put this lotion on your back, mum." He handed Xavia a paste-like thing that had a cooling effect on the skin.


    Sylvester felt somewhat awkward talking about the twin peaks for so long now, so he changed the topic and sat down. He kept trying to infer the reason why Lady Aurora was there and what she was trying to gather.


    "Mum, I have filed for a promotion as well. So I should be able to be an archpriest now." He revealed while sneakily feeding the banana to Miraj, keeping his end of the bargain.


    Xavia, of course, turned very happy. But the truth was that Sylvester was heavily under-ranked for his job. He was a Sanctum Inspector, and by that reference, he should at least be a Bishop, and even then, Sylvester just killed a Bloodling, clearly making him someone near the rank of an Archbishop, as only they are strong enough to do such a thing.


    "What''s your clergy rank, Lady Aurora?" Sylvester asked her.


    She replied proudly. "I am a Cardinal. All Guardians are given the rank of Cardinal."


    "What about Saint? I have seen some Cardinals having Saints behind their names." Sylvester inquired.


    "That is even rarer than a cardinal. To get a Saint rank, one needs no promotion. You can be a saint even while being a priest. Only those people who have done something vastly big for the faith are given the Saint prefix. Or if they showed any otherwise impossible miracle."


    Hearing that, Sylvester wondered why he didn''t have a Saint prefix since he was breathing, walking proof of a miracle. He''s the Bard of the lord, after all.


    ''Maybe I should try to get the Saint rank first. If my goal is to be the Pope early, I need to earn the respect of the people fast. And it''s impossible since oldies of the church will never support an upstart young man unless I do something so revolutionary that it''s impossible to ignore me.''


    Sylvester had long realized that to rise in the ranks; he didn''t just need to fight against the darkness but also his colleagues. Even if someone is not interested in Pope selections, they''d rather see someone with a white beard than a pretty face like him.


    He rubbed his chin in annoyance. ''I seriously need a beard so I can appear wiser¡­ but why is it noting? I''m sixteen.''


    Soon enough, the dinner was ready. Sylvester ate it, and surprisingly Lady Aurora also stayed to eat. He didn''t like it but epted the situation. He had not smelled anything suspicious from her until now.


    And if she truly didn''t have any agenda, then the best case was to befriend her, through Xavia, of course.


    ''I should exploit the fact that she never had a family. She likely longs for the warmth thates from little things.'' he nned secretly while eating.


    "You should try some pickles mum made. They are amazing." He suggested and passed on the jar on the table.


    He was trying to make her feel at home with these little things. Xavia was one step ahead, and her motherly instincts red up every time she saw a parentless child. Even though Lady Aurora was obviously older than Xavia, but she looked younger.


    "Eat more, here." Xavia filled Lady Aurora''s te again.


    The all-so-mighty Guardian of Light could only shift in her chair and eat it silently, but a smile was always present on her pretty face.


    ''Haha, I guess not all the powerful church members are freaks.'' Sylvester thought and finished up.


    He went ahead, washed his te, and headed to his room. "Mum, I will go to sleep. Been tired from meditation on Soul Tree. Good night to you as well, Lady Aurora."


    Sylvester lied. In reality, he was not tired, nor did he need rest. Instead, he wished to do nothing but make some ns for the future. Use his old notebook and write some things on it, including targets and plots he needed to focus on.


    So he told Miraj to vomit out his book of schemes after giving him another banana. "Aye, Aye, Maxy."


    Soon Sylvester changed his clothes and sat down by the table, and started writing on it. He needed to get recognition and power as fast as possible. For that, he needed some high-profile cases for work.


    ''I cannot stay as a Sanctum Inspector either. I need a transfer to something like the Holy Army or Inquisitors, where I can have a cult following. I''d prefer the Inquisitors, however, as they already hold me in high regard.''<sub> </sub>


    He quickly wrote down the ways to gain poprity among the masses. ''I need to earn money and use it for the social welfare of people while ensuring they know I provided it, not the church.''


    Atst, he wrote about his strength. ''The more I exert myself, the stronger I will grow. So I need to pick more missions that require me to exert. Even dangerous ones will do with Lady Aurora along for the whole year.''


    "Maxy! y?" Miraj suddenly jumped to sit in front of him on the table.


    "Fine!" Sylvester closed the book and turned his chair around to face the room. Then, he used his palm to send a little light beam on a wall.


    "Oh! What''s that? I must catch it." Miraj quickly jumped away to hold the little light on the wall. It was a natural cat instinct, it seemed.


    Sylvester chuckled every now and then while making Miraj run around. "I guess this is how I can keep you in good shape, Chonky."


    But Miraj was busy. "Oh no! Why must you run away, little light? Let me eat you!"


    Sylvester sighed rxedly. It sure was soothing to his mind to have some calming time at home. However, it was his luxury that he could temporarily afford, for outside, an intense mess of unimaginable proportion was brewing.


    ¡­


    Four thousand kilometers away.


    In the fields of craters in the war-stricken Sorrow Kingdom, a new battle took ce, one that would define the future of the world and the faith. One that would bring out the fangs of the church.


    Boom!


    Thends appeared demonic in an incredible show of power; everything burnt, destroyed, and ckened. Somewhere, it was a field ofva, while some had pits of poison.


    "Argh!"


    A feminine voice echoed in pain as the thin woman d in ck armor, golden mask, and helmet knelt down. She was missing an arm, yet she kept praying in the name of Solis.


    "The might of Solis will befall you, heathen! You may kill me, but the servants of the faith will hunt you down!" She growled.


    "Gods gave up on us long ago, Eighth Guardian. There is nothing in praying to them¡ªfor pain, we are eternally condemned. I''ll give you another chance. Join me! Join Anti-Light, and you shall see the true face of the church."


    The woman, weakened to the brink and bleeding profusely, looked up at the man and cursed him. "You will never win, heathen! Faith is much more than you can imagine. Your upstart Anti-light may harm a few small pirs like me, but you shall never reach the foundation!"


    Bam!


    He punched her face and held her by the neck.


    "My name is Julius Aurelius Alexander, and you shall call me that. As for the so-called foundation¡­ Who will care about the church when no believers are left? Who will pay you scums when there is none interested. You rule through fear, and I shall erase it¡­ you rule through your false pretense of kindness, and I shall lift that veil."


    "Impossible! Keep dreaming, heathen." She didn''t budge and kept staring into the man''s eyes.


    Alexander shook his head in disappointment and looked towards the cloudy sky and the destruction surrounding them. "Pity, I could have used someone like you. Look around you, Eighth Guardian¡ªlook at the destruction. Do you know what''s even more destructive than this?"


    Woosh!


    Suddenly, a cloud of ck energy appeared around Alexander''s free hand and took the shape of a long de on his fist.


    "Y-You¡­" Eight Guardian''s eyes widened under her mask. "Such control of darkness¡­ The church shall never tolerate it."


    "Argh!"


    She cried as the dark de was instantly thrust into her chest, impaling her entirely and burning her insides.


    With no particr expression other than coldness, Alexander brought his face closer to her ears and whispered. "The real darkness will only now ensue¡ªbecause of you¡ªas the crusades shall ravage through! Thank you for your sacrifice, Eight Guardian of Light¡ªsadly, your death is the beginning of this world''s plight!"


    "No¡­ ca¡­" She lost thest remaining speck of life with nothing but fear and pain-filled tears.


    She just realized she had miscalcted and made a blunder¡ªsince the start, she was the prey and never the hunter.


    _______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 142 142. New Assignment!

    "So, what are we gathered here for? I had some training to do, you know." Felixined as he found himself standing in the middle of a warehouse in the Guild Penins early in the morning, just after their training¡ªalso known as beating.


    "We are going to make something called a bra. It''s a garment that''s worn by women to hold their breasts up and in shape, so when they work around, they don''t feel pain from extreme movements." Sylvester gave them a crash course about the undergarment.


    "..."


    "..."


    But, the two boys stared at Sylvester with an annoyed look. They could not understand why they should be making something like that since none of them was a woman.


    "Why would you need a bra?" Felix questioned.


    "I don''t need it, you musclehead. I need it for my mother and other women withrge assets. Gabriel, even your sister could use it. And Felix, don''t you want to get famous among highborndies? This is the way." Sylvester said, enticing them with personal benefits.


    "I wonder what having breasts feels like," Gabriel muttered while rubbing his bearded chin suddenly.


    Sylvester ignored and gathered a few materials he needed to make the whole thing. The process of making stic was simple but took time and work. As for the undergarment, it was the easiest part because as long as he had the measurements, he just needed a tailor to do as he said.


    Since they were working with a small amount oftex, they didn''t need any heavy industrial equipment for pressing and mixing. So, they just used some metal hardened tes and stood on them.


    Since there was also some heating involved, they had to use fire magic. Slowly but surely, they started to see the progress. Then, atst, sulfur was added and mixed at high temperatures to make thetex genuinely stic. Naturaltex was soft, sticky, and had less tensile strength, so it was unsuitable for clothing.


    Then, before it fully hardened, they made a long and thin sheet of it and cut it into straps so they could be sewn with clothes. In a matter of six hours, they were able to make stic, a thing that appeared so ordinary but could revolutionize how clothes worked.


    Sylvester checked the end product and decided to try more variations of mixester to get the best possible stic.


    "Can this be used for bow strings?" Gabriel wondered, seeing the sticity of the material.


    "No, this can still break under extreme stretches, so it''s better to keep using the current materials. However, this is a great thing for clothes. Just imagine the pant''s waist having these. You won''t have to tie any knots then."


    Knock Knock!


    All of a sudden, their little invention factory was disturbed as a knock came. Sylvester walked to open the door to the warehouse and received words. Then he returned to the two boys with a piece of paper. "It seems our next mission has been finalized. We are called to the Administration office to get briefed about it."


    "Finally! I was getting bored of sitting in the Holy Land now." Felix cheered and was already on his way out.


    Sylvester quickly gathered all the materials they made and their evidence and then cleaned the ce with water magic. He wished not to reveal the invention to others without the prospect of making money off of it.


    It was afternoon by now, so they quickly headed to the administration office. Gabriel was not allowed, however, since he was not a Sanctum Inspector.


    Inside, they were sent to meet the Saint Wazir, as Sanctum Inspector was a department directly under him. However, they also noticed something strange on their way.


    "What''s going on? Everyone seems to be running around." Felix wondered.


    Sylvester also noticed it, and through the scents, he could feel anxiety among the people. ''Did something big happen?''


    Eventually, they were allowed inside the office of Saint Wazir, and surprisingly, they also saw Saint Seer inside, the man Sylvester felt the most afraid of. Not because of power, but because of work. Saint Seer was the chief spymaster of the Pope. The man was supposed to know everything.


    And Sylvester didn''t like the gaze the man saw him with. It felt as if Saint Seer was always trying to find some dirt on him. But thankfully, with the ability to smell emotions, he was able to avoid it.


    "May the holy light enlighten us all." Sylvester and Felix saluted them at the same time.


    Saint Wazir, the old man, appeared to be on edge, as his face was devoid of all emotions, and he just nkly kept staring at the paperwork on the table.


    ''What the hell happened that even he''s so stressed out?'' Sylvester silently wondered and waited for instructions.


    Cough!


    Saint Seer coughed and spoke instead. "Wee, priests. You are called here to be assigned a new mission. Saint Wazir will brief you about the initial details now."


    Saint Wazir looked up and started monotonously speaking. "You two are to go to the Northern parts of Gracia Kingdom and solve a matter of great importance. The Gracia Kingdom seems to be imploding as we speak. Two counts are on the verge of an all-out war, and the unfortunate part is that both of them are brothers."


    Sylvester took the paper holder from Saint Waziar and looked at the reports and the maps of the conflict zone, drawn by hand. He muttered after reading the names. "County of Jartel and County of Raftel? Aren''t these near Pitfall Town?"


    "Indeed." Saint Waziar continued with seriousness. "Both of them are actual brothers, but they''ve hadnd feuds as they believe their father didn''t divide his territory correctly among them. The reality is that only Count Jartel was supposed to get all thends as he was the firstborn. But for some reason, he decided to divide it into two. But Count Raftel, the second son, feels he was given less. While Count Jartel, the firstborn, feels Count Raftel got the bestnd as it''s more fertile.


    "It bes even more troublesome because both belong to different duchies, hence implicating two dukes in this possible war¡ªDuchy of Colorwood and Duchy of Zon. We cannot afford this. Hundreds and thousands of people will die if the war ensues."


    Sylvester read the report and frowned soon after. "He wants an independent investigation into the murder?"


    Saint Wazir nodded and handed him a new folder of papers. "Recently, the wife of Count Jartel was found dead in mysterious circumstances¡ªnaked and possibly vited. Count Jartel instantly used his younger brother of the crime and vowed vengeance. He called for many investigations, but all led to no conclusions.


    "So now, the responsibility lies on us to find the true criminal and stop two duchies in our backyard from possibly going to war."


    Felix also read the reports and asked instantly. "Umm¡­ but this is not a crime against the church, so why are the normal marshals or Holy army not sent to handle this?"


    Saint Seer spoke just then, maintaining the creepy smile on his face while staring at Sylvester. "Oh, we have the utmost trust in Lord Bard. He has proven himself many times with his masterful deduction skills¡ªfinding the killer of Bright mothers, realizing the mental illness of the Sphinx Town, and the murder-ident in the Fallshoot vige¡­ I''m quite sure Lord Bard is the best investigator we have."<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester remained silent as he felt a little bit of hate from the man, in addition to jealousy. Why was that there? He didn''t know. All he knew was that he needed to add another name to the list of people he needed to kill in this quest to rise.


    "I am giving you a toon of twenty-two knights and three wizards for this assignment as you may have to face some sort of armed conflict during the work. You are authorized to arrest anyone as long as you are positive that they are the murderer." Sait Wazir finished giving his briefing. "Any questions?"


    Sylvester shook his head without thinking much. As he was tenser about the Saint Seer and why thetter was being hostile towards him? Was he a part of the same faction that those Void Keepers imed to be? Was even the highest level of authority under the Pope divided?


    ''It''s still too early to judge. It''s impossible to know if he''s against me on behalf of himself or someone else.''


    "I shall fulfill my duty, Saints. You can rely on me¡ªI will find the murderer at the quickest." Sylvester saluted and turned around to leave as Saint Wazir seemed too busy to talk more.


    The two walked all the way outside the building, but even outside, they noted various clergymen were rushing in. There was something big happening as all these rushing men were of Archbishop rank at the minimum.


    ''Did the war with Beastaria start already?'' He wondered.


    "Man, I will be so close to my home on this mission. Max, why note to Sandwall and see my ce?" Felix asked him.


    But Sylvester''s focus was only on the mission. "Maybe after we''re done with this mission. For now, we should first go to Pitfall town. I know a few people there who can probably help us. Let''s go and gather Gabriel and Sir Dolorem."


    By evening, Sylvester had gathered the whole team and discussed what they needed for this new work.


    "If I recall that time correctly, you may remember we saw a bloodied battlefield nine years ago while returning from Pitfall town. It was the work of these counts too. But we should still prepare for the worst-case scenario that there is a bloodling out there." Sir Dolorem said, knowing Sylvester''s bad luck with the dark creatures.


    "Agreed!" Gabriel and Felix blurted.


    Sylvester looked at the map, however. "Sir Dolorem, since you are amander of the Inquisitors, I give you themand of the men who shalle with us. Felix, you are also a Sanctum Inspector, so you will always be present in the other county when I am in one. We cannot afford any kind of dy inmunication."


    "Got it!" Felix wrote down things on his little booklet as well.


    "What about Lady Aurora?" Gabriel asked.


    Sylvester felt a headache developing instantly. She was too strong, which meant too careless regarding little matters. That''s the problem with overly powerful people as they fail to see things normally. To them, it was all about whether they solved it with overwhelming strength or not.


    "Let''s discuss this with her tomorrow morning." Sylvester decided. "I need to head home now. Mum called me back earlier today for some reason."


    "We''reing too." Felix and Gabriel chirped.


    ''Why would they want that? What''s going on?'' Sylvester visibly frowned as he smelled excitement from the two.


    But he relented and took them along to the Bright Motherplex. However, as he entered the house, it was all dark, and nobody was there.


    "Where did mum go?" He looked around in the rooms.


    "Max! Look!" Felix eximed from the kitchen all of a sudden. "I found this note¡­ it says Lady Xavia is on the terrace."


    ''Once again, why are they so excited?'' Sylvester frowned and instantly raised his guard. He prepared to cast any spells if need be.


    "Lead the way then." He ordered.


    So, they started to climb the stairs. While Felix and Gabriel were calm, Sylvester was on edge. One floor, two floors¡­ They soon arrived at thest door, beyond which was the terrace.


    "Let''s go, Max!" Felix shouted loudly and opened the door. "Follow me!"


    Sylvester felt it was too strange the way Felix spoke. So he slowly stepped forward and stepped onto the terrace after the two.


    Woosh!


    "Surprise! Happy Birthday, Max!"


    "..."


    Sylvester jumped back in fright as the light crystals lit up and revealed a massive crowd of Bright mothers all around, smiling cheerfully and looking at him lovingly.


    But Sylvester was quick to turn the surprise around. "Wait! Today is my birthday?"


    "..."


    _______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 143 143. The Son

    Sylvester had never expected someone would do such a thing for his birthday, so he was taken aback by the crowd shouting and cheering for him. He was used to people screaming for his death, not this.


    "Of course, dear. I''m your mother; how can I be wrong?" Xavia came forward.


    ''Ah! Wait... I mistook my birthday in this world with the past one.'' He quickly realized the mistake in his mind.


    He looked around and noticed that the Bright mothers from the whole building hade there to celebrate with him. From the oldest to the youngest, even the Great Mother Grace was there.


    "Thank you, everyone. I was not expecting such a thing, honestly." He didn''t know what to feel about this. At least he could sense their excitement and motherly love for him, as he had always helped many of the Bright Mothers since he was a kid. These women, at least most, were not wizards or knights. They were just simple humans, so physical tasks that were normal for Sylvester were impossible for them.


    One after another, older Bright mothers came to him and kissed him on the cheek and patted his head, blessing him with long life and strength. Some also had gifts, but nothing expensive as they were not wealthy nobles. Most gave something edible or some sort of medical potion.


    The only expensive gift was from the tall, strong, Great Mother Grace, the head of all Bright Mothers. She was extremely old and still somehow looked middle-aged. She was a rich woman and gave Sylvester a nice little ring after saying. "When the spark of your light is about to diminish, this shall shine bright as a beacon of hope."


    Sylvester, however, while seeing her face, could only remember the scene he saw years ago, the night the scissors met. This was the ringleader, after all.


    "Thank you, Great Mother. I will cherish this gift." He took the ring with care but not so foolishly as he wondered if there was something in it that could track him.


    But he didn''t have time to research it as there were hundreds of Bright Mothers greeting him and kissing his cheek, which by now had turned red from all the lipstick marks. Most of them were from olddies, though.


    "Umm..."


    However, to his surprise, at the end came a young girl, about the same age as him, looking all nervous. She timidly reached him and extended the book in her hands. "I... I am a Bright Mother trainee... Anya Moller. I just arrived here and... I heard a lot about you, Lord Bard. I want to give you this book."


    Sylvester looked at the book and read its name on the first page. "The Grand Sacrifice? The book is about the Ninth Pope, who gave his life to defeat the strongest demon ever recorded."


    She quickly nodded. "Yes! I read about him, and it inspires me so much... he gave away his life, along with the guardians, to protect the world from evil. I often wonder what was in his mind when it happened. Was he scared? Angry? Or nothing?"


    Sylvester looked at the girl strangely. She appeared smarter than your averagemoner Bright Mother trainee. But, on top of that, the scent of her emotions told a story of fear for some reason. "How did you end up here? Aren''t you too young to be a Bright Mother?"


    Sylvester, who was emotionally dead to feel any romance or attraction to most women, sized her up from head to toe. She was about five foot six, had reddish-blonde hair, and a pale face with some light e. She had deep blue eyes and was petite in stature.


    She nodded and looked down as she replied in a rather apologetic tone. "I''m sorry if I''m disturbing you... I never had someone my age to talk with these past few weeks. I used to be the daughter of a Viscount in the Sorrow Kingdom... but now that everything''s gone and my family is dead, this is the only home I have."


    Sylvester didn''t ask her to borate on her story anymore, as he could guess most of it. But he patted her shoulder and spoke in a little rhyme. "What happened was painful, and the pain will never go away. But to respect the dead, the least we can do is not let our minds decay--for those who search for it, there is always a way."


    She nodded and forced a kind smile on her face. "Thank you, Lord Bard... you really are as different as they say... I really hope someday you be the Pope."


    Sylvester took out an emergency cookie from his robe pocket and gave it to her. "Just call me Sylvester, and those two blokes you see behind are Felix and Gabriel. Also, you are very young. You don''t have to force yourself to be a Bright Mother. Take your time in studies, and meet people--if you fall in love and wish not to take the vows of Deus Servus, I will support you."


    Just then, Great Mother Grace approached them and repeated what Sylvester said. "He is right, dear. Not all women in the world can be Bright Mothers, or else who will birth the future warriors, future faithfuls... even future Popes?"


    Anya bowed her head quickly and thanked before running away in freight. She was scared of authority, it appeared.


    "Do you like her?" The Great Mother asked Sylvester all of a sudden.


    Sylvester shrugged and looked at the book in hand. "Yes, but not in the manner you think, Great Mother. I just like smart people... and she certainly is smart."


    "Max! Eat this cake! This is great!" Felix shouted from a distance all of a sudden.


    The Great Mother scowled at Felix''s behavior and snarkily added. "Smart people? A wise fondness to have... but you''re certainly not very good at finding them, I must say."


    Sylvester chuckled, knowing she was taking a jibe at Felix. He also decided to go and join his friends and eat. "Felix? Well, I suppose he''s something more than most of us."


    "What may it be?" She questioned.


    "He is--alive."


    He hurried to eat the cake Xavia had made for him. It appeared ordinary with just some milk cream on it and soft sweetened bread with honey. There were also a few fruit pieces on it that were a delight to eat.


    "Thank you, mum." He made sure to show her his gratitude. He knew he was too old for these celebrations, but even he felt they were great rxing events.


    Xavia hugged him tight and started crying. "My Max! You''re now seventeen... you''re growing so fast! Your fat cheeks are gone now and... and you look so handsome! Girls must go crazy for you."


    He chuckled and replied. "But what''s the point? I must stick to my vows."


    She cried stronger. "I know! And that''s why I wonder what my grandkids would have looked... pretty little angels, I reckon."


    He patted her head and made her sit down. Then he also sat cross-legged while telling Gabriel to bring his violin from his room.


    "Bright Mothers!" He addressed all the women as they started to sit down too.


    Soon, a circle was made around Sylvester, with Xavia, Felix, Gabriel, Great Mother, and Anya sitting closest to him. Miraj was not close, however, as he finally had a chance to eat cake since no one looked at it.


    "Bright Mothers... or should I just say, mothers." Sylvester decided to show some appreciation and win their hearts emotionally. This way, if and when the timees, they''d choose him over anyone.


    "I came here when I was merely four months old. Small and curious, I roamed around. Yet all of you cared for me like I was yours. Outside on my journeys, I have seen the worst humanity has to offer... son killing parents, mother killing son. But out of all mothers in the world, you all are the true mothers--bright mothers--who care for all, blood or not. Someday, I will be something in this church, if not the Pope, then something else, but no matter what--I wish for you all to remain my mothers. I hope you all keep spoiling me and depending on me."


    Sylvester saw a lot of smiles and even some tears on these women''s faces. He could understand where it wasing from. All of them were alone with no family of their own. Only a few women voluntarily became Bright Mothers, while most became one due to circumstances--to survive.


    So, seeing Sylvester being so kind and familial to them warmed their hearts.<sub> </sub>


    "So, I shall sing a hymn dedicated to you all." He announced and prepared. He hoped that his halo and voice were bound to earn many fanatical believers today. But at the same time, he truly wished to be kind to them, at least.


    As he started ying the violin, the Bright Mothers became attentive. Then, when the halo appeared behind his head, the Bright Mothers began praying silently.


    a??Just a little bird out here in the harsh world.


    I grew, somehow, despite the fate so swirled.


    To see another day, there was no guarantee.


    At times, the world seemed so against me.


    Believe me, O'' Solis, I am your devotee.a??


    a??My wings were cut, in wars and violence so meaningless.


    The hearts stopped--my loved onesy lifeless.


    Why? I just wanted to fly. Why? I can only cry.


    Is it my fault? The dark world I couldn''t foresee.


    Believe me, O'' Solis, I am your devotee.a??


    As Sylvester stopped verbally singing and just yed the violin on a low pitch, he looked around and noticed a lot of tearful faces and sniffling. Xavia, Anya, or even the Great Mother appeared to be crying uncontrobly.


    Even Gabriel couldn''t help but wipe out his wet eyes while Felix stayed seated silently, looking at the sky.


    All the Bright mothers resonated with the song, as they were little birds who just wanted to fly. But then some tragedy struck, and here they sit and--cry. Each one of them had some trauma that pushed them into this life; each had lost someone dear to them they couldn''t forget. Each one of them had a silent harsh journey that no one knew.


    ''If I must gather followers, then why not from here itself?'' Sylvester thought as he prepared to sing thest passage of his hymn.


    a??The featherless bird embarked on a journey.


    Through bloodiednds--There was none to hear me.


    My feet bled, rain on my head--But I refused to drop dead.


    Solis kept me alive--His warmth I wished to spread.


    Help those like me who cry and live in utter dread.a??


    a??I hope all those saddened hearts will find me.


    Believe me, O'' Solis, I am your devotee!


    O'' Solis, I shall forever be your devotee!a??


    Sylvester stopped singing and yed the violin for a few seconds before slowly ending it all and letting the silence take over. But it didn''tst as all the Bright Mothers realized they were crying.


    But just then, one old Bright Mother, possibly the most senior among all, got up and wiped her eyes clean. Then she walked to Sylvester and leaned down to kiss his forehead. She looked into his golden eyes as she stood straight back. "Lord Bard, it was your birthday, yet we are the ones who received the gift. I was merely a poor vige girl when the fire took over our little home. My father ran into the fire to protect us; only I survived. Your... Your hymns remind me of my father."


    As she left, another Bright Mother came and did the same, her tearful eyes still appearing uncontroble. "You are so... If my son was alive, he''d be as big as you. Unfortunately, I couldn''t protect him from brigands, but... if Solis can, I hope he gives my remaining life to you."


    Sylvester just sat there astonished, having underestimated the effects of his voice, light, and music. It had undoubtedly moved their hearts, and now they moved his hearts--as each wished him nothing but good.


    ''All these Bright Mothers are so protected by the faith, yet no one is there to hear them--their cries.'' He thought.


    "Lord Bard!"


    Then something happened that he didn''t expect. Great Mother Grace, formerly known as Lady Grace, one of the five heroes of the thousand-year war, came to him and kissed his forehead. Then she patted his shoulder. "All Bright Mothers here are humans, and people seem to forget that sometimes. They see us as mere pure preachers without any wishes or needs. They forget that we''ve all led harsh lives, and had our own battles... some physical and some within. Yet only you today brought all those emotions out.


    "I don''t know what the future holds for you, young bard, but I hope it''s the very best because it would truly pain me--all of us--to see our son suffer."


    She caressed his hair and left silently, yet spoke a thousand words unknowingly.


    Sylvester just sat there in amazement as he realized that he had won the support of a highly senior member of the faith just now--a person who sees him as her son now.


    ''This is it? All one needed to win over these sad women was someone to hear them out?'' He was in disbelief.


    _______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 144 144. Author

    That night, Sylvester realized the power in words, as he gained the unspoken loyalty of the Bright Mothers, and as long as he strived to help them, he could gain so much more from them. So he reckoned why not simply extend the gifts of undergarment to all of them.


    However, he knew it was not a topic that women would be happy to talk with him about. So, he asked Xavia to help him by asking around for the size of the bust and for the Bright Mothers who know sewing toe forward and help.


    But, he didn''t want to waste this invention on all the women for free. Of course, the Bright Mothers would get it for free, but the real market was outside. Since Bright Mothers traveled the world and preached around, they could also be the best saleswomen.


    However, he was not going to share with them the method to make stic, and instead, he''d leave behind warehouses full of them to be used. At the same time, he''d share the profit between himself and the Bright Mothers so their living standards, allowances, and grants could be improved.


    And that was not possible without the agreement of the Great Mother. So, after tidying up, he knocked on the old woman''s door. He tried his best to flush out the memory of what he saw through the window of this house years ago, however.


    "Lord Bard, what brings you to my door?" She appeared at the door in her sleeping gown. She didn''t wear a headscarf. Likely just waking up for the day.


    He greeted her with a standard salute. "Great Mother, I wish to discuss something with you that concerns all the Bright Mothers and possibly the prospect of bettering the lives of many women across the world."


    He felt awkward about what he would talk about since the Great Mother was also an old woman. But he just turned a blind eye and kept a poker face. The idea of selling undergarments may sound ridiculous, but it could generate him some little money and a lot more clout, so why not?


    After a few moments of contemtion, she invited him in. "In that case,e in. Have you eaten breakfast, lord bard?"


    "Thank you, and yes, my mother cooked me eggs and bread for it."


    Often, you can understand a lot about a person by how they decorate their house. So he looked around with interest and noticed a few things that insinuated a few things. First of all, the house was covered with ancient wood furniture, and second, there were too many religious items. A lot of golden and crystal showpieces were also ced around.


    ''No wonder she has all this¡ªshe was a famous war hero, after all. Must have made a fortune during those years.''


    He took a seat in the living room and ced a box in front. "My mother recentlyined that her back and neck were hurting despite being physically healthy. As far as my knowledge told me, it was due to her chest size offsetting her footing. Hence, to support her body, I invented a new type of material that can stretch and return to its shape on its own. It''s called stic¡­ here, you can see it."


    Sylvester gave her a sample of the stic strip. The Great Mother checked the material with interest, stretched it, and even tried to tear it apart. "Interesting! How did you make it?"


    "That is a trade secret. However, I was able to add this to a new type of undergarment called a bra, which I designed to help secure women''s chests. It shall help women ofrge sizes to move around, run, and even ride horses without difort."


    He just showed her a sample of the thing and wished to end this awkward talk as quickly as possible. "It can also help themoners since they can''t afford the expensive bustier."


    Great Mother looked at the sample and stretched it from here and there. She was amazed but could not understand the usefulness since she had never faced the same problems.


    ''I hope she realizes this prospect¡ªeven though she''s t.'' Sylvester thought and tried to stay optimistic, although he smelled the confusion on her.


    "You talked about bettering the lives of Great Mothers? So this will do it?" She inquired.


    Sylvester put forward a piece of document. "In a way, yes. Bright Mothers can make these and sell them tomoners as long as you allow. Of course, the price will be meager, but imagine the mass sale since Bright Mothers are everywhere. As long as you agree to make them and sell them, you can keep eighty percent of the profits. Use that profit to distribute to Bright Mothers as bonuses, buy them better food, clothes, or even some safety equipment."


    Sylvester never nned to earn big from such a simple item anyway, as he estimated the profit to be too little to divide appropriately. He could make a lot more money with Miraj, regardless. In addition, he was going to create a brand instead. So every woman across the world must know who it was that helped them.


    So, his idea was to put some sort of a mark on the items sold that would slowly create a name for him. This way, in the future, when and if he introduces other things, he can instantly win people''s trust.


    Great Mother tried to imagine the time it would take to make something like this. "We can use the trainee Bright Mothers for production as they are mostly free after their education hours. How shall we make this stic, however?"


    "I will leave warehouses full of them. You just need to send people to take them, Great Mother. So, what do you think?" He inquired, not seeming very nervous about rejection as he''d just try and find a trustworthy nobleter to get these things made.


    The Great Mother rubbed her chin and nodded. "I can see such a thing being useful, especially for women ofrge sizes. I also like your idea, but I can''tmand the Bright Mothers to do something other than what the faith requires of them. So I must first put this forward to the Administration. If they agree, we shall produce these."


    ''At least it''s not a no.'' He sighed silently.


    "Then I will await a response. I shall take my leave now, Great Mother. Thank you for giving me your time. May the holy light enlighten us." He saluted and walked to the door.


    The old woman saw him leave in confusion. ''How did hee up with such an idea without experiencing it himself? I can''t even fathom what this would feel like.''


    Of course, Great Mother was utterly t, so she could only try to imagine.


    ¡­


    After his meeting, he headed to the Guild Penins as he needed to prepare for his next assignment and leave as soon as possible. They had already informed Lady Aurora, and she had decided to arrange for their carriage.


    So, Sylvester just needed to get a good knight''s armor since there could be a realrge-scale battle this time. He was going to buy second-hand armor again as he rarely gets into closebat, and at the same time, he didn''t want to waste money.


    ''I need to find an opportunity and head south againter. I must learn metal maniption and use my spear to the fullest.'' He muttered dreamily.<sub> </sub>


    But when he arrived at the port of Guild Penins, a knight stopped him. "Lord Bard!"


    Sylvester sized up the man and felt he had seen him before. He brainstormed and soon remembered him as one of the two Knights that escorted him and Xavia to Pitfall town years ago.


    "Sir Adam?" He eximed, sounding unsure.


    The Knight saluted with arms crossed on his chest. "I am, Lord Bard. May I talk to you in private?"


    ''What does he want?'' Sylvester walked a little closer to the Knight and smelled the emotions. And instantly, he was hit by a strong hint of sadness. ''What happened to him?''


    "Let''s sit at the food house," Sylvester suggested, and the two soon took seats by the tables outside a shop. In no time, they also had sses of hot vored milk in hand, a famous drink there in the morning.


    He waited for the Knight to speak while analyzing the bodynguage. ''He has let his sword dangle with no care, and his shoulders have fallen.''


    "As you may remember, my full name is Adam Silvereye¡­ and Archpriest Aiden Silvereye was my younger brother."


    Sylvester''s mood instantly turned for the worse, and the smile on his face disappeared. "I''m sorry for what happened. Aiden was a Good Archpriest but was held hostage by the false clergy masquerading there."


    Sylvester was instantly reminded of Aiden Silvereye, the Archpriest from Sphinx Town, who was forcefully kept there. The Archpriest who gave him the key to that underground passage.


    "Can you tell me about how he was and his end? Thest time I saw him was five years ago." Sir Adam asked in sorrow.


    Now, Sylvester knew that the man likely died an excruciating death after being burnt in the fire, but he chose to lie. "He died in a fire¡­ likely very quickly, however. He was a great man, Sir Adam. He helped me in my missions."


    "Why couldn''t you save him?" Sir Adam asked.


    Sylvester quickly rified before the hate could rise. "I was not there before the refugees attacked the town. Instead, I was in the mountains, fighting the Bloodling with every inch of my life."


    Yes, the official excuse for the destruction of Sphinx town was that it was destroyed and ransacked by the refugeesing from the Sorrow Kingdom. Sylvester even felt that this was a deliberate excuse meant to hurt the refugees, as they would not be seen with kindness anymore. Most barons and towns will be hostile towards them now.


    This would mean the refugees would be forced to run around and not go directly toward the Holy Land.


    Sir Adam nodded and stood up. "Thank you for telling me this, Lord Bard. I disturbed you, so please forgive me."


    Sylvester saw the man leave without hearing his reply. But he just sighed as he felt the world was so small. Two brothers a whole profession apart, and he met both.


    Pat!


    Felix appeared behind him. "What are you doing here?"


    Sylvester took a long, calming breath, paid for the milk, and moved out. "Let''s go. I want to buy a lot of paper."


    "What for?" Felix asked.


    "I have decided to write a book."


    Felix got excited. "Woah! What will be the name? Will there be something about hymns? Or our journeys?"


    But it was none of them.


    "Its title will be¡ªThe Devil''s Manifesto."


    [A/N: If you beautiful apes are interested, just to let you know, Sir Adam first appeared in chapter 16.]


    _______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 145 145. Art

    "The Devil''s Manifesto? What is that supposed to be about?"


    Sylvester didn''t exin. Instead, just give him the following few words in the book title. "The full name is ''The Devil''s Manifesto: From Faith to a Wraith''. The book will be about how some clergymen fall from faith andmit sin in the name of Solis."


    "What is the aim of this book?" Felix asked.


    Sylvester didn''t answer truthfully, however. "Just to educate the masses."


    ''And create an image among the masses that I stand against corruption in the church and with the masses instead. That''s the only way they may one day ept a young Pope. But¡­ I need to somehow mass produce these books?''


    "Sweet, if I ever write a book, it will have me be a seven-foot tall, mighty man, on whom women throw themselves at." Felix babbled.


    "To stab you because of how hideous you are?" Sylvester added, taking a jibe.


    Felix''s brows twitched, but he didn''t get angry. "No, my virgin princess. It''s to get my mighty seed."


    Sylvester, disgusted, decided just to ignore this young boy''s horniness. He was too excited to be able to go and work near his homnd.


    They walked through the crowded streets, full of life as the various shops did their business, and folks went in and out from time to time. There were clergymen, Bright Mothers, and armor-d adventurers as well. The Guild Penins was a ce to have fun and spend money. The only ce for the formal life of clergymen to be fun.


    They soon walked into a bookshop and bought three hundred parchments. In total, all that cost him around five gold graces, nearly one-fourth of his sry.


    "Paper is truly so expensive." He muttered and also bought a holder for the pages, made of leather and resembling a journal.


    Felix shrugged and also bought a hundred pages with his filthy rich pockets. He wished to write a book about his life as well. Whether it resonated with the actual facts or not was something only time would tell.


    After buying paper, they headed to the second-hand armor shop and found Gabriel waiting for them in front of it.


    "What took you so long? I''ve been waiting for an hour." Gabriel barked, seeing them.


    Felix scoffed. "You uncultured fool shan''t understand the hobbies of us learned men. We were preparing to write the chronicle of our life."


    "..."


    Gabriel looked at Sylvester. "One of those days?"


    Sylvester nodded. "Let''s go in. We need to prepare to head out quickly before the two Counts start fighting. It''s a high profile case since a Countess was murdered and r*ped."


    The three walked into the big shop and started to look around. Most of the armor there belonged to men who had discarded them or had died at the hands of thieves or in a battle. The market for second-hand armors was actuallyrger than the recently made ones.


    "I''m going to get this one. It looks good with my hair." Sylvester noticed a golden armor with questionable blood stains on it and decided to take it. It was light armor, with good torso guards, waist tes, knee guards, and sabatons. It looked a bit rusty, but he reckoned a little polish would be enough.


    His wish was to not stand out too much anyway, at least not at the beginning of a fight since it would lose him the element of surprise.


    "Gabriel, get yourself some upgrades too. This time the assignment may involve skirmishes or a field battle."


    "That''s what I''m talking about! Yeah!" Felix cheered instantly, pumped for finally finding an opportunity to showcase his knightly talents, the part he was good at. It had been months, and he was a bit disappointed in himself because he never got to do anything. It was always Sylvester saving the day with his brain and magic. So, he just wished to do something on his part.


    After all, even if he was not as bright as Sylvester, he was still a God''s Favored and a Sanctum Inspector. He was not a dumb man but just acted goofy to lighten up the mood. Otherwise, living would be too dull.


    <o>,m Sylvester didn''t tell Felix to get armor since he was sponsored by his family with powerful, well-made, and runed armor. But there was something that Sylvester needed from Felix. "Did your brother write back to you? We need the shipment as quickly as possible. Even if they get it to us on our way, it''s fine."</o>


    Felix showed a thumbs up. "Don''t worry. My brother said the items would be dropped in Pitfall town. We just need to reach it in time."


    Sylvester nodded in rxation. Felix''s elder brother was the point of contact for Sylvester to buy the various precious crystals illegally with his ck money. Since it was Felix, they had already decided that they''d never ask where the money came from. After all, in the end, those crystals had saved their lives many times by now.


    "Let''s head back then. We need to n for this mission." Sylvester went to pay the shopkeeper, an old cksmith. The funny part was that the whole armor cost him less than the three hundred pieces of parchment.


    "Why not check with the Guild as well? Maybe we can do a few quests on our way and make some money?" Gabriel suddenly suggested.


    That made the two boysugh as initially, Gabriel was against the idea of double work as he felt it''d be in conflict with the faith''s interests. But, since Gabriel had seen the benefits of having a little more gold, he was now fullyplicit.


    Sylvester agreed. "Let''s head to the Sacred Arms Guild then."


    So they arrived at thergest castle-like building in the Guild Penins. Scared Arms Guild being the biggest Guild in the world, it boasted of having some of the strongest guild members in any ce, with a few members going as strong as the Grand Wizards, but none got as close as thest ranks.


    "The quest board is too big. Let''s check a segment each and return here with the quests that will all be on our way." Sylvester suggested the two.


    Sylvester went to the left side and started to look at various quests. He could also go to the reception and ask there directly, but there was too much crowd gathered, so he remained away.


    Soon enough, he found a quest that made him grin ear to ear. ''Haha, that Count Jartel has actually put forward a quest to catch his wife''s killer? Great, I can make him pay me for just doing my job then.''


    He looked for a few more quests around there and noticed one from Duke Grimton of Duchy of Colorwood region. It was about killing a boar infestation in the fields. But since the money was too low and the task too beneath him, he ignored it.<sub> </sub>


    ''Why are all these quests so bad? Chopping wood, hunting thieves, killing animals, helping dig wells.'' All of the tasks were just little meaningless ones.


    He reckoned the more dangerous ones were kept with the reception since the Guild had learned its lesson after his cave incident years ago to not put any USP quests on themon board.


    So he walked to the reception. But to get ahead of the crowd, he just used his right hand and created a beam of light. As if a bearded old man was splitting the sea, he split the crowd and walked forward. The adventurers just bowed their heads in respect, as they didn''t really have any other option. The church''s matterse first in the Holy Land.


    "May I get the list of all the quests in the region of Duchy of Colorwood of Duchy of Zon?" He asked the pretty woman at the counter.


    She obviously knew who Sylvester was as he was a regr there. So she picked a booklet from underneath her table with loosely kept parchments. Then opened one section and showed it. "These are all the ones, Lord Bard. Are you going to be headed that way?"


    He nodded and looked at the list. This time he found some really juicy ones, which paid anywhere from a thousand to ten thousand Gold Graces. ''Alright, another investigation for murder, another one¡­ I should not take another murder investigation as it may be seen as a conflict of interest.''


    He looked further and noticed a few strange requests. ''Baron Strongarm offers five hundred coins to anyone who can defeat him in physical wrestling? This is easy money.''


    But he didn''t stop and looked for a few more. However, only disappointment got to him as there were no nearby quests.


    ''Well, it''ll just be wrestling then.'' He took the paper and moved back to let the crowd do whatever they were doing and returned to Gabriel and Felix.


    Both of them seemed to have some papers in their hands. Felix first shoved a few at him. "I found one asking us to hunt a Great Lion for a noble and another asking to repair houses."


    Sylvester instantly rejected all of them. "I will not hunt a lion just for some noble''s fun. As for repairing the house, we can''t do it. They will not pay us after work since we''re clergymen, and service is our duty."


    Gabriel put away the papers after hearing it. "Well, I got one that is asking to clean Pitfall town''s sewers'' rat infestation."


    "We''ll take it!"


    "..."


    "What? We can''t hunt lions, but will we enter sewers to kill rats? What''s that all about?" Felix barked.


    Sylvester, however, knew the importance of keeping the rat infestation in check, for the middle ages were full of teachings. "Rats bring disease and can start a gue, my friend. Don''t worry, we will use some higher spells to wipe clean all the rats without entering the sewers."


    They headed back to Pope''s Penins after that to end their preparation. Sylvester also had to fix things about the production of the undergarments. He didn''t know if the Great Mother could get permission, so the least he could do was help Xavia before leaving.


    "Ah! Lord Bard? Is that you?"


    Sylvester turned back on his way as soon as they arrived on Pope''s Penins. He noticed an old man in a noble''s toga. But he could not remember who it was.


    "It''s me, Lee Da Lovnd! I must say you have grown quite marvelously. Do you mind if I paint a portrait of you¡­ as a grown young man?"


    Like a light bulb lit up, he remembered the man. "Ah! Baron Lovnd! How are you? And is the portrait going to cost me?"


    "Oh, I can''t take money from you, Lord bard. I just want to encapste your majesty with my brush.


    "Let''s do it then." Sylvester was all onboard. He needed these portraits for the future, after all.


    So all of them moved to the ce Lovnd was making his paintings. It was just a small amphitheater in the Pope''s Penins where some clergymen would sit to bask in the sunlight and share their ideas.


    Sylvester donned his armor and stood like a good model for the portrait.


    "Lord Bard! Can you please make the halo as well? And also hold the sword in front of you?" Lovnd asked.


    Sylvester''s weapon of choice was a spear, but he got the sword with the armor, so he used it and ced it in front of him, its tip resting on the ground.


    Then he started to sing a hymn under his breath and let the artist make art. But the clergy that was resting nearby soon circled around Sylvester, and before anyone knew it, they started chanting some hymns that once Sylvester sang. The scent of high worship also hit his senses.


    He was startled by this, however. ''This is¡­ amazing! I never knew I was this famous.''


    "Maxy is so famous," Miraj muttered while resting on his shoulder te.


    Sylvester just nodded and whispered back. "Yes, but I hope there is no hidden cost attached to it."


    _______________________


    [A/N: One more iing.]


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 146 146. So It Begins

    The Portrait turned out very nicely by the end of the day. Sylvester just took it and headed home to show it to Xavia. She loved to collect anything Sylvester-rted.


    But as he arrived, he noticed a few clergymen were also climbing the stairs and stopped in front of his apartment''s door. He instantly turned serious and prepared to react if anything happened.


    "How may I help you?" He walked up to them. From their rank tes, all of them were Master Wizards, and ording to their Mitre, one was a Bishop while the other were Archpriests.


    "Lord Bard!" They all saluted him simultaneously as if Sylvester was their senior.


    Just then, Xavia also opened the door and looked at the crowd of men with suspicion until Sylvester came forward and stood in front of the door like a wall. "Yes, that''s me."


    "I''m Bishop Kenward from the Administration office. We are delighted to inform you that your promotion has been epted, and I am tomission you as an Archpriest by handing you the new identity and Mitre."


    Sylvester''s mood turned better instantly. "Thene in, Bishop. I was going to leave for my next assignment in a few days, so I appreciate youing quickly."


    In the house, in the living room, the identification was handed over to Sylvester first, and the old one was burnt. Then the old Mitre was taken, and Archpriest''s Mitre was put on Sylvester''s head.


    "As an Archpriest, you are byw to be called Sire bymoners," Bishop informed him. "But we all knowmoners have no sense of rank and call everyone lord."


    Sylvester agreed as he signed a parchment the Bishop brought, officially making him an Archpriest. Now, as he was an Archpriest from the Holy Land, the headquarters of the faith, he had higher authority over all Archpriests outside the Holy Land, such as those overseeing a monastery or such.


    It was a little ceremony for the promotion. The real deal happens when one bes a Bishop because then they officially be a part of the senior clergy of the Church.


    As it was already turning night, the Bishop and his assistants soon left for Sylvester to celebrate alone.


    He rxed in the chair and looked at the identification. "I should be able to be a Bishop by the end of this year¡ªas long as I do a good job."


    "Don''t force yourself too hard, dear." Xavia walked behind him and started caressing his hair, massaging it. Sylvester just melted in his seat as he felt ticklish and rxed.


    "I must force myself to reach greater heights, mum. That''s the only way to stay relevant and important in the eyes of the clergy for me." He replied and enjoyed the massage.


    She sighed and silently massaged. She felt useless to some extent, as the most she could do to help Sylvester was just talk.


    Sylvester grabbed her hand and made her walk over and sit on the chair beside his. He had work for her this time, as he had also stepped into the great game. "Mum, I have decided to try and be the Pope seriously. I make no promises or guarantees that I can, but I shall give it my best. But, I can''t do it alone; I will need allies and people I can trust¡ªinfluential people in power and rank.


    "You are already a Superintendent Healer, and the better you work, the higher you will go. So, I was hoping you could help me gain influence over Bright Mothers. I wish to turn them into my informationwork. Not for spying, of course, but just for information collection. To make a list of what''s happening in parts of the world. If there was a murder, robbery, heresy, or a rumor about a noble."


    Xavia didn''t fluster and instead firmly nodded. "What must I do, Max?"


    "Not much. You just need to ensure that the Bright Mothers feel optimistic about me. Remember, mental ideologies are not forged after one discussion. It''s built on the back of years or hints¡ªand that''s what you must do. I shall, from now on, tell you all about my outstanding achievements, and you must subtly tell them to others and spread the word. You are a healer too, maybe tell stories about me to young orphans who shall one day join the clergy.


    "I need the people to think of my name as a legend. Of course, I will also push things from my end by inventing a few things, but word of mouth muste from Bright Mothers as people already believe you all."


    Sylvester''s words resonated in her mind, and instantly she tried to think of how she could achieve the things that Sylveste asked her. She already knew a lot of Bright Mothers who were known to gossip, and she met young orphans and patients every day.


    "Max, is this legal?" She asked.


    He nodded and also shrugged. "Mum, it''s perfectly normal. The Bright Mothers already preach the name of the Lord. And remember, what I am doing is for the sake of the faith, because as of right now, I have seen so much darkness and corruption in the Holy Land that the future looks too bleak."


    Xavia trusted him and his ns, having taken the lesson from thest incident where she tried to n things. "I will do all I can, Max. But, please guide me whenever you feel I must do something in a particr way. I¡­ I don''t know how to do everything you ask me to, but I will learn."


    ''Not your fault. It''s not a month''s work to be a spy. It takes years, blood, and a lot of backstabbing to get to where I am.'' He thought.


    "Anyway, let''s stop talking about all this." He changed the topic and held her hand in his. "Tell me about your life. How is everything going? Are you facing any trouble at work?"


    Xavia''s heart felt like it was exploding, sensing his concern and love for her. She tightened the grip on his hand and nodded vigorously. "Yes! I am fine, dear. Work is also good, and the Great Mother takes special care of us. She may be very strict and sometimes scary, but she treats all of us as if we''re her daughters and sisters. If any clergyman misbehaves with us, they get the hell in return."


    Sylvester bobbed his head and just listened to her. He knew she likely had nobody to talk to about her personal problems. And if left like that, it could lead to a lot of mental frustration. But he was thankful to the Church for at least being good at one thing, which was caring for the safety of the Bright Mothers. The Church''s no-nonsense policy was brilliant¡ªas apparent by their willingness to erase the house of a Count.


    He listened to her and replied in between untilte at night, past midnight. She had so many stories to tell and people she met over time. He didn''t feel bored or annoyed due to this, however.


    After all, he may just like her and respect her as his mother in this world, but for Xavia, just like Miraj¡ªhe was the entire world.


    ¡­


    Over theing four days, Sylvester, Felix, and Gabriel trained with Lady Aurora every day. They were nowhere near getting any better, however, and they just get beaten up before being healed.


    But the undergarment work came out nicely, despite Great Mother Grace''s inability to get permission in time. So he decided to only hand over the ones he made for Xavia and leave for the assignment.


    ''I can''t believe I am using my mechanical engineering degree to make bras.'' he muttered as he put the final clip for the bra to maintain its front size. He also made a few more and decided to let Xavia distribute them to women she deemed were of simr size as her.<sub> </sub>


    But he didn''t talk about her size anymore and just handed it over. Though he needed to demonstrate how they could use it for which, he enticed Felix with the promise of Xavia''s cooking.


    Still, the tall, mighty wizard-knight from Sandwall felt utterly embarrassed as he stood in the living room with a bra on his robes. At the same time, Sylvester showed Xavia how it''s used.


    "There are hooks at the back which you can use to adjust the tightness around your midriff. Then you see these little metallic hooks at the front over the two thin strapsing down from the shoulder¡ªyou can adjust their length ording to the size required. You may feel difort initially, so I have brought some herbal skin powder you can use." He exined to her in the least sexual words possible.


    Xavia wrote everything down while seeing. Then finally, she was handed over a box full of simr bras.


    "Keep these, mum. You can hold onto seven of them and give the rest of the thirty to other Bright Mothers you feel can benefit from it."


    She took it and put it in the safe in her bedroom. "Don''t worry, Max. I will take care of them. By the way, when will you return this time?"


    Sylvester had to leave for Pitfall Town quickly now. "About a month or two. It depends on how fast I can find the killer and stop the war. But don''t worry, I''m not dealing with anything supernatural this time."


    "Tsk¡­ You jinxed yourself now." Felix barked from behind.


    Xavia hugged him and handed him a jar of cookies, as always. "I will be waiting with more of these."


    Then she went to Felix and hugged him as well and handed him a jar too. She knew the boy didn''t have a mother, and her being a Bright Mother, her motherly instincts red up for Felix. "You too, dear."


    Felix was in a daze after receiving her hug and good luck. Then instantly, he smiled like there was no tomorrow. "Yes, Mother Xavia! And don''t worry about Max¡ªI shall protect him with my life!"


    She chuckled and patted Felix''s head. "Thank you, dear. But take care of yourself too."


    "Well, see youter, mum." Sylvester picked up his luggage and moved out.


    Both of them proceeded to the School of Dawn, where Gabriel, Sir Dolorem, and Lady Aurora were to meet.


    "Max!"


    However, as they reached midway, they noticed Gabrieling to them, running and panting as if his life depended on it.


    "You two are urgently called to the administration office! Lady Aurora and Sir Dolorem were called too!"


    ''What the hell happened now?'' Sylvester frowned and didn''t have good feelings about it.


    "Take our luggage to the carriage then. We will meet you there." Sylvester handed over the items.


    Felix did the same, and both made a run for the Administration office not far away. As they arrived, they noticed a lot of other Sanctum Inspectors were there. Not only that, but the Holy Army''smanders and Inquisitors were also present. Along with hundreds of other clergymen.


    "What''s happening?" Felix muttered.


    Soon, they were directed to head to the Great Hall of the building, where sometimesrge-scale events ur. Fromrge-scale award ceremonies to rituals.


    As they reached it, they saw a vast crowd had gathered there. Clergymen from all sorts of departments were there, each being ranked high enough to be in charge of something.


    Thankfully, there were people guiding them to their respective sections, so they soon reached the Sanctum Inspectors section and took seats among the old men.


    At the end of the hall was a small stage on which stood First, Third, Fifth, and Tenth Guardians of Light in a row, facing the crowd. In front of them stood all the Sanctum Council members, and then finally, at the frontmost was the Pope, looking at everyone settling down.


    Saint Wazir and all the other clergy members on the stage were standing in full attire with the Mitre. Not only that, but they were also wearing light armor over their robes.


    Slowly, all the noise and movements stopped in the hall as everyone took a seat. Then, Saint Wazir came forward instead of the Pope to speak to all.


    "Attention to all, this announcement holds great importance for the future of the faith. All of you are members with the authority and power to decide certain things. Henceforth, your responsibility will be to ensure there arises no possibility¡ªof heresy."


    The man then unrolled a parchment pasted on red silk and announced it even louder. "On the seventh day of the first month of the year 5117 of the Lord¡ªas authorized by the Pope, signed by the council.


    "Against the creatures of the dark that endanger our realm¡ªbloodlings that have gued ournds. Around the world, to the faithful''s aid¡ªI pronounce themencement of the seventh Holy Crusade!"


    _______________________


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    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 147 147. Bard At Work

    The entire hall erupted in audible murmurs as they digested the announcement. A crusade was a massive matter because it could be violent and vast. So many people participate in it, and it couldst for years at a time. Besides, the Crusade gives the church absolute power over the ruling of Kingdoms. Except for the Kings and Dukes, the Church can at any time kill a noble as long as they are proven to be heretics at the order of an Archbishop.


    "Silence!" The Pope boomed this time, appearing serious as his eyes seemed bloodshot red for some reason.


    In response, those sitting at the front shuddered, and the others shut up quickly. The Pope then borated on the reasons behind the Crusade and its implications.


    "All of you must learn why we have taken such a step first. This time, the Crusade is not against heresy, which means no crusader shall be allowed to harm any human or believer. But, do not forget, this time, the Crusade is against the Bloodlings.


    "As you all may know, the Bloodlings appear at the ces of death, where once arge war took ce, and dead bodies got buried. Unfortunately, there are plenty of such sites due to the thousand-year war. Hence, we must kill as many bloodlings as possible because if they are left, they will only get stronger in time and be a hurdle in our fight against the Anti-Light and the heathens of the East. In fact, the war has already begun!


    "We have received a confirmed report that the Anti-Light''s head and his minions ambushed the Eight Guardian of Light, Lady Melina ckborn, and killed her in a devastating fight. Naturally, this is a direct challenge to the church, and we must give a befitting reply. But we cannot leave issues such as bloodlings behind for that."


    The Pope looked at a few faces in the hall, Sylvester being one of them. Then he made the next announcement. "But, as we all know, the past crusades have been a shame on our names. They have tainted the faith like no other--as crusaders thought they could do anything with their emergency powers. They left a trail of death wherever they went--piging, r*ping, and destroying the towns and viges they desired.


    "But no more! The Sanctum Inspectors shall be given special oversight authority over the Crusades. They shall investigate any report of wrongdoing, and if found guilty, they shall have the authority to invoke justice in my name and deal with the perpetrators. If necessary, they shall kill a single crusader... or a thousand. So remember this and be sure to spread the word for I will not tolerate any indecency."


    The Pope scanned the hall with a threatening gaze. "I say this only once. We are the faith of Solis, and our duty is to spread the light--Our duty is to stay upright and help those in plight. So you must stand for what is right--or don''t mind me when you fail to wake up from that dark night."


    A few souls hiding some darkness within that hall shuddered at the Pope''s promation. Indeed, this time the Crusade was different. They were not meant to interact with people. Hence, if they inflicted any harm to a town or a vige, then by default, the crusaders would pay the price.


    Saint Wazir walks forward again. "Now, you must return to your departments and brief your subordinates about what you heard here. Be clear and precise, ensure they don''t get the wrong idea, and know the slight''s price--Dismissed!"


    Everyone started to get up quickly and move out. But when Sylvester looked around, it turned out none of the Sanctum Inspectors stood up. He reckoned there was something more for them here.


    Sure enough, only the Pope, Guardians, Sanctum Council, and Sanctum Inspectors were left after the hall was emptied.


    Saint Wazir, as the overall head of the Inspectors, called them forward towards the stage. "All of you have a much greater task now than before. But, you must still keep doing your regr duties since they are essential.


    "And, simultaneously, you need to handle the Crusaders. Inquisitor High Lord will be directing the overall Crusade, but he can''t have eyes and ears everywhere. So, from now, you will write two reports in case of an ident with a crusader. One report shall reach me, and the other shall reach the Inquisitor High Lord. Any questions?"


    Sylvester raised his hand instantly. "Respected Saint, how are we to fight if we encounter arge group of unruly crusaders? Let''s say... a hundred?"


    Saint Wazir chuckled. "If anything, they need to fear you, Archpriest. But I understand your concerns. That is why, for the duration of the Crusade, all of you are allowed to form a team of 20 knights and wizards. You shall lead them around and instill justice. If you feel that the situation is still out of your control, you merely need to order the nearest Inquisitor camps."


    Sylvester was already thinking about the names of those he would take with him. After all, he knew a few old God''s Favored kids from his school days. They were still talented even if they had dropped out of the ss.


    The Pope gave them his blessings after that, as well as a parchment each. "This parchment holds my seal, and you shall be working in my name. I hope I hear no words of you tarnishing my reputation--or else, the one to deal with you won''t be Saint Wazir."


    A few inspectors gulped their saliva and saluted quickly. Then they all received the parchments and were let go.


    "Wait, Archpriest Sylvester." The Pope called suddenly. "Rest of you, leave! Including the Guardians and the Saints."


    Sylvester looked around and noticed the gazes of envy from other Inspectors, even the smell of jealousy. While from Guardians, the Inquisitor High Lord nodded at him, the old Grandpa Monk showed him a thumbs up with a grin, Lady Aurora winked at him, and only the first Guardian showed hostility for some reason.


    Soon, only Sylvester and the Pope were left in the giant hall where now their voices echoed.


    "Congrattions, young bard. You finally stepped up adder, and I hope you step up magic rank too." The Pope walked up to Sylvester and patted his shoulder.


    ''What does he want now? What are you plotting now, old boy?'' Sylvester wondered as he smiled falsely.


    "Thank you, your holiness. I believe I am just half a step away from a rank-up. And, with more challenges so apparent now, I think I will get better soon."


    The Pope nodded and walked around, looking at the various beautiful carvings on the hall''s walls. "Faith is going through a tough time, son. We need you more than any time before."


    ''Me?''


    "Darkness is shrouding the world. Anti-Light, Bloodlings, Heathens of the East, some nobles on the brink of wars, the internal schemes, and plots. As the Pope, I try to bnce everything and ensure one does not be such a big problem that all others are forced to be ignored.


    "This Crusade could either be the best thing in a century or the worst. It all depends on how the crusaders work. For this, I need your help as it''s a known fact your hymns can soothe souls and remind one of their vows to Solis. So, from now on, every time you meet with a crusader group or camp, please try to bask them in your warmth of light and hymns. Maybe--it will remind them not to lose their way--not let their hearts sway."<sub> </sub>


    ''A good idea. I can surely get some followers and spread my name with this opportunity.''


    "For the lord chose me as his bard, it''s my duty to be the light''s guard. I will do my best, your holiness." He saluted.


    "Nicely spoken, young bard. I reckon you were on your way out just now. I wish you sess in your assignment. We cannot afford a war between two duchies of the same kingdom."


    Sylvester left silently. He found Sir Dolorem and Felix waiting for him out there.


    "Let''s go. We''re already dyed by hours now." He quickened his steps towards the School of Dawn.


    "What did the Holy Father say to you?" Felix asked curiously, not to mention a hint of envy in the air.


    So Sylvester truthfully replied. "Not much. He just wants me to sing some songs to crusaders from time to time, so they don''t sway and get reminded of their oaths."


    "Pfft... Archpriest Sylvester, the singer of the church. If you were not a clergyman, you could have been so famous and surrounded by prettydies. Just imagine."


    Sylvester rolled his eyes as he had no interest in women. His only lust was for power. "Stop imposing your fetishes onto me, young man. Also, I am an Archpriest now, so you better respect my authority!"


    Sir Dolorem sang the exact words as Sylvester. "Archpriest is correct, Priest Felix. At least in public, you can no longer call him by his direct name or short name. Or that would send the wrong message."


    Felix scowled, the jealousy increasing more. But it was not a threatening type of jealousy. "Yeah yeah, our rich fat lord bard shall get his due respect now. Hmph... I should have filed for a promotion as well."


    "You''d have likely gotten it." Sir Dolorem blurted.


    "..."


    Instantly, Felix stopped in his tracks and got left behind a few steps. Sylvesterughed and looked back. "You truly are one stupidd. I thought you got rejected, so you never told me in shame--but you didn''t even try?"


    "Nobody told me to try!"


    "Nobody told me either," Sylvester eximed as he held hisughter. "Let''s go. You will receive the promotion once we return. Let''s hurry now; we need to reach a small town to spend the night on our way."


    "That won''t be necessary, Archpriest." Sir Dolorem interjected.


    And the man was absolutely right. When Sylvester finally arrived at the location of their carriage, he was shocked to see the monstrosity of a carriage in front of him. It was less like a carriage and more like a small house, with wooden walls and windows, a roof, and tons of storage. It even had six wheels, along with four horses tied to pull.


    "What''s this? Pimp my ride?" Sylvester muttered in question.


    Bam!


    Lady Aurora jumped from the carriage''s roof andnded in front of Sylvester. She boomed excitedly. "Behold! My beautiful personal carriage--The Beast is the name. Let''s move now. We''re locked and loaded with tons of food and water."


    "..."


    Sylvester just stared at the thing in wonder. ''Isn''t this too big for muddy roads?''


    [A/N: See the carriage in this parament.]


    _______________________


    [A/N: Sorry for the dy, there was some problem.]


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 148 148. The Man

    "Are you sure? We will be travelling through variousnds, some dry and some wet. This big carriage can easily get stuck in the mud." Sylvester pointed out.


    But, as he walked closer to check the carriage up close, he noticed a few strange lines all over the wheels and hull. In no time, he realised that it was full of runes. "Forget it. Let''s just go."


    ''So one can use runes this way as well? It must have cost a fortune.''


    He had noticed runes that should be able to make the carriage wheels resist water and inflict pressure on arger surface area for a better grip. It was a strange use of veryplex runes, and the fact that it was used on such a thing made him realise he could learn so much more from Lady Aurora than just fighting.


    They didn''t waste time anymore and got onto the carriage. Lady Aurora went into the cabin behind and took a seat near therge window, from where she could also look out and talk with reinsmen.


    Sylvester just wanted to see the cabin before he moved out. And it seemed Lady Aurora was proud of her creation as she moved around and showcased everything.


    "Look at the interior, polished and made of fine rosewood. There are runes ced to make the interior cool on warm days and warm in winter. There is also a storage box for keeping food fresh and also space for mattresses. Everything here has been hand-crafted by me alone. What do you think?"


    Sylvester looked around, impressed by it, of course. There was a table in the middle as well that could be ttened to the floor. Then on the sides were cushioned benches that could be pulled forward and turned into a bed.


    "Let me check something," Sylvester said and jumped heavily in the carriage. He shook his head in disappointment. "So you have not implemented the spring suspension?"


    "What''s that?"


    "It''s a technology I created to make the carriages morefortable on uneven roads. It''s in the inventor''s registry of the church with my name on it." He revealed. He was honestly expecting that more people would have started to use the springs by now, but it seemed nobody looked into the inventor''s registry that much.


    She seemed amused enough by that, even excited. It appeared that her hobby was making carriages or customising them. "Really? I will have a look at it when we return. Now, let''s move on."


    Of course, she was not going to hold the reins. She was a Cardinal-ranked person and a Guardian out of all things. There were only 15 people with more authority than her in the clergy. As for strength, it was unknown to Sylvester.


    "I will help you, Lord Bard." Sir Dolorem moved out towards the reinsman seat with Sylvester.


    But then Lady Aurora caught his arm and dragged him along. "You''re an old man, Sir Dolorem. Come, sit with me and drink some herbal water¡­ while you tell me stories about my father. You''ve been with him for decades, right?"


    In the end, Felix and Sylvester were steering the carriage, while Gabriel was turned into the maid, tasked to prepare tea and food. He was doing it on his own ord, though, as he was too religious.


    Outside, Sylvester and Felix just talked about this and that. Sylvester usually liked spending time with Sir Dolorem because both were old mentally. But with Felix, he sometimes found himself talking about something extremely inappropriate.


    "So, what are your thoughts about Henry Rockwell?" Felix asked.


    "The kid from school? I remember him. He was slightly above average in magic. So I invited him to be a part of my Inspector unit for the crusade."


    Felix started coughing suddenly as if he choked on his saliva. "You don''t know? He was found with another clergyman¡­ sword-fighting."


    "Well, even if he''s a wizard, it''s okay if he practises swo-" Sylvester''s eyes fell on Felix''s face, and he noticed the disapproval. "Ah! That kind of sword fighting? Hmm, so he''s gay. He did seem that type even back then, not really surprised."


    "And you asked him to join us?" Felix eximed.


    Sylvester sighed tiredly. "Seriously? There are pedo clergymen, and it''s the gay one which bothers you? It''s even secretly allowed in the clergy, bud. Not everyone has an option to leave the clergy and find a wife like you."


    Felix seemed diforted. "I''m not against it¡­ I just imagined myself and¡­ I don''t like it."


    Sylvester nodded in agreement. "For a straight man or woman, it would obviously seem strange. Just don''t think about him, Felix. You don''t have to give special treatment to him or anyone. Just be frank as we were in school."


    "Haha, yeah¡­ I remember him putting burning glue on Bishop Norman''s chair because he scolded him for no reason. I guess he did have balls of steel¡ªwhat a madd." Felix remembered the good old days.


    [A/N: Bishop Norman was the mentor Sylvester got killed.]


    Like that, they travelled smoothly towards the Green City. Since the roads were wide and smooth until there, they had no problem moving fast. But after the Green city, they had to slow down.


    Still, they were thankful for the quest Sylvester had taken, the one about beating Baron Strongarm in wrestling. This ensured they got to at least sleep in a well-walled ce.


    The Baronyy near the end of the Colorwood Forest.


    So, a few hours after the sun had set, they arrived at the Barony and were subsequently weed into the small castle of Baron Strongarm.


    From the first look, Sylvester felt the man''s name was true to what he looked like. A six-and-a-half-foot tall, burly man, looking more like a caveman with a long ck beard and hair. But he didn''t appear to be overly proud.


    "Who would have thought that the Lord''s Bard himself woulde to wrestle with me? And Lady Tenth¡­ It is my utmost pleasure to meet you. Please, enter my little home and share supper with the family. This is my wife, by the way¡­ my little wildflower."


    Sylvester nodded at that description of the woman. She was probably just five foot five, had a chubby build, and appeared beautiful from the face with her brown eyes and hair. Both looked so mismatched in size that he pitied the woman''s bed life.


    Soon they were led inside the castle to the dining hall, where a long table was set. There were few people, just the Baron, his wife, two sons, and the Archpriest of the local Monastery. The ves were present to cook and serve, however.


    Obviously, the Baron was not a dumb man and gave Lady Aurora the well-deserved respect by letting her sit in his main seat while he sat on one side, and on the other sat Sylvester, being an Archpriest.


    "Baron, how is everything going on in your backyard?" Sylvester asked as the food was being served. He was also smelling the various scents to learn about the neers. The Archpriest seemed nervous due to Lady Aurora; the baroness was staring at him with worship and lust; the two sons didn''t care, while the Baron gave scents of worship, hope, and excitement.<sub> </sub>


    "Lord Bard, what can I say? Count Jartel is illegally chopping the great Colorwood forest to make guard keeps. Both brothers have gone senile and refuse to listen to their Dukes as well."


    Sylvester rubbed his shin and wondered. "Did you notice any abduction or such cases happening nearbytely? Or perhaps murder of women and¡­r*pe?"


    Baron shook his head firmly. "R*pes happens every month, and I give punishment for those. As for murder, thest one took ce ten months back. And abductions, I have not reported any such crimes. But, of course, this is just mynd, Lord Bard. I do not know about my neighbours."


    ''Half truth? What is he hiding?'' Sylvester instantly smelled lies. But the scent was so little that he couldn''t be sure.


    "Lady tenth, will you be stopping the two Counts?" Baron asked Aurora.


    She silently ate her dinner, not talking since it was not her ce. She was explicitly warned by the Inquisitor High Lord not to bother Sylvester in his work, and in fact, learn from it. However, she was yet to see what she was supposed to learn from a kid.


    "No, I am merely the Archpriest''s mentor for the year." She replied and got back to eating her fill.


    There was no more talk, however, as they were just staying for the night and wrestling. Sylvester agreed to get the fight done with the Baron early in the morning at the first sign of light.


    After supper, they all retreated to the assigned room and slept well. Sylvester, too, as he had learned to cherish calm nights, for he never knows when thunder strikes.


    ¡­


    Sylvester woke up before the sun smiled on thend. It was especially cold as the winter was at its peak. He took a bath and prepared to fight the Baron. He was yet to know why the man even wanted this, as he reckoned there must be enough people who could fight him.


    He went to Felix''s room and kicked on his sleeping ass. "Get up! It''s time to leave. We must end our work in Pitfall town and reach Count Jartel before nightfall."


    After that, he went to Gabriel''s room. "Chonky, wake him up."


    Miraj jumped to the bed and licked Gabriel''s ears. Sylvester chuckled, thinking Gabriel would wake up. But what came next was the opposite.


    "Hehe¡­ more¡­ keep doing it¡­ harder!"


    Miraj, depressed, looked at Sylvester in defeat. "Maxy, he giggles."


    Sylvester just picked up the cat and left the room. "It was a mistake to enter. Let''s go."


    He arrived at the little training field in the castle''s backyard and found Sir Dolorem speaking with the baroness. Lady Aurora, meanwhile, sat on the side on a chair.


    "What happened? Where is the Baron?" He inquired.


    Baroness seemed panicked. "I-I apologise, Archpriest¡­ my husband has a habit of going into the forest every morning to chop wood. He¡­"


    "Why does he even want to wrestle?" He asked her out of interest.


    She quickly answered. "Uh¡­ You see, when my husband was merely six, he was abducted by a plundering party of Mountain Tribes from Pentapeak Mountain Range. Everyone thought he died or was eaten¡­ but then ten yearster he returned, tall and strong, sixteen years old with skillsmoners would envy."


    ''That''s one hell of a story.'' Sylvester thought.


    But he still didn''t get his answer. "How strong is he that he can''t find opponents to fight?"


    She nervously looked down and hesitantly answered. "I¡­ It''s not that he can''t find someone¡­ it''s just that most people consider him a heathen now as he lived ten years with them. But, I swear, Lord Bard, my husband''s mind and soul belong to Solis."


    Sylvester honestly couldn''t care about the man''s faith. But at least he felt at peace now, finally knowing why the Baron smelled of lies the previous night at dinner.


    Paaa!


    "Open the gates! Baron has returned!" The guards yed the bugle, and the gate to the castle was opened.


    Sylvester went forward to fight and end the task quickly. However, he was not prepared to see the peak of manliness today.


    As the gates opened, the Baron walked in. Mighty tall, broad, and strong¡­ he was naked from the top, while his bottoms were covered in animal hide. In one hand, he held an axe, while with the other, he held the nape of a Great Wolf, as big as a one-story house.


    In Sylvester''s eyes, the man appeared manly¡ªenormously; as the Baron dragged the dead beast into the castle grounds while his own head appeared to bleed profusely.


    He then left the beast and the axe before walking to Sylvester. "I apologise for the dy, Lord Bard. A little inconvenience had held me back. Let''s wrestle now!"


    _______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 149 149. Pitfall Town

    The wrestling match started as soon as the baron cleaned the blood off his head.


    Sylvester didn''t pull his punches against the baron, however. He wanted to teach the man a lesson to not mess around because if any hateful adventurer had taken the quest and hade, he could have just killed the baron in a legal duel. There was no point in putting one''s life in unnecessary danger. If he really had so much free time and energy, then use it to help his people, spread the word of the Lord or make babies.


    Bam!


    Sylvester, only in pants now, wrestled with the baron. Thankfully, Sylvester''s growth had not stunted yet, and he had grown to six feet one by now, just a bit less than the baron. His body had well-defined muscles all over, although not buffed.


    "Ha!" Sylvester caught the big brute''s w-like hands and stopped him from pushing him back. Then he increased pressure from his side, pushed the baron easily and kept throwing the man off further and further. He was a Wizard-Knight, after all, and his physical talent was as good as his magical talent.


    Knights are inherently stronger in the body than anybody else, so a Baron, who was likely just at the beginning of his knight rank, was of no match, no matter what his size was.


    "You can not win against a Knight or a Wizard, Baron Armstrong!" He warned the man as he lifted him on his shoulder. "You should value your life more, not this senseless hunger for fight. Killing a Great Wolf is easier, for it does not think like a man... it does not scheme to bring down your house, pige yournds."


    Thud!


    Sylvester threw the baron away as if he was lifting a sack of grains. "You should be happy that it was I who took your offered quest. Imagine if it was someone with nefarious motives?"


    The baron stood back up and looked at Sylvester fiercely. "To me, it''s not about fighting, Lord Bard. I am merely training my body. I understand that I am limited by theck of talent in my body from birth. But, as long as one master the techniques to fight, a de does always cut the skin, be it wizard''s or knight''s."


    "So you only wish to train?" Sylvester asked. "Why not pay to get an instructor instead?"


    "As you said, too much risk. To invite a man stronger than me into the castle to live for a long time is like inviting the devil into your home. As for these little quests, they are only supposed tost a single match. After which, we go our own ways...but believe me, you are the only response I have received in the past two months. Most don''t wish to travel north towards this territory as the risk is too high." Baron Armstrong exined.


    Sylvester greeted the baron''s strike as he shed like a bull. But Sylvester didn''t even move a flinch and stopped the man. ''Let''s try a german suplex.''


    He swiftly let go of the sped hands of the baron and moved around him. The baron was shocked since he had never seen a move like this. It was all about fighting face to face or ambushing from hiding in the wilderness.


    Sylvester grabbed the baron''s waist and lifted him off over his head to the back. To baron, everything seemed to be going in slow motion.


    "Aaa..."


    Thud!


    Sylvester pped his hands clean and looked at the man on the ground. "Stay down, baron. You can not defeat me or fight me."


    The baronughed heartily instead. "Haha, what a strange but amazing move. Who taught you this, Lord Bard? How do you know so many different techniques never seen before? You use strange grasping, kicking and punching moves... they are fascinating. I felt like fighting a wild lion who is as smart as a man, who uses every part of his body to attack."


    ''Even if I told you, you wouldn''t believe me.''


    He shrugged. "Experiences taught me a great many things, Baron Armstrong. You just have to learn to adapt and ovee the situation. Now, if you''re done with this, I would like to take my leave. We have much important work ahead on the road."


    The baron waved his hand to his side, and two ves came dashing with his and Sylvester''s upper wears.


    "Lord Bard, I understand the hurry, and I won''t dy you. However, if there is anything you need help with while stopping this conflict from expanding, you just need to ask. I may not be a strong baron personally, but my soldiers are the best in the Duchy of Colorwood."


    Then the baron saluted Lady Aurora. "Lady tenth, it was a pleasure to have you stay here."


    Aurora nodded and moved out of the castle towards the carriage quickly. Sylvester and the rest also proceeded to follow. But Sylvester didn''t forget to get the well-deserved reward first. Otherwise, their time here was a waste.


    "Thank you for your visit, Lord Bard... and I have decided to consider what you said. Indeed, if some vile man had taken the quest, then byw, he could have killed me in a legal duel. W-What would have happened to mynd and wife..." The baron spoke as he handed over a silk pouch full of gold coins.


    Sylvester patted the man''s shoulder and replied in a rhyme. "Remember to respect not just yourself but also those around--for you are a man of noble authority, your mind is supposed to be profound. May the holy light enlighten your paths, baron."


    The baron crossed his arms and saluted. "You too, Lord Bard."


    However, as Sylvester was leaving, he remembered something. "One more thing! A seventh crusade has been started, but it''s not against the heretics or humans this time. This time it''s against the rise of bloodlings around the world. So, if you face any misbehaviour from crusaders, write to me, the Saint Wazir, or even the Inquisitor High Lord. The Crusaders are byw not allowed to trouble the people this time."


    "Thank you for the early warning."


    Sylvester left with that and took the seat beside Felix. The horses got whipped, and they moved towards the Pitfall town not too far away.


    As they left, the baroness came to her husband and scaredly uttered. "I-I told him about you. T-That the people see you as a heathen."


    The baron seemed amazed by that. "Yet he didn''t disrespect me or act disgusted. He is a respectable man. Anyway, let''s go in now, my wife--it''s time to teach you some wrestling as well."<sub> </sub>


    ...


    As the team moved north, the wind became chilly, and the Pentapeak Mountain Range in the great distance became clear to the sight--covered in the snow and shining under the bright sunlight. It was mesmerizing and also belittling, to say the least.


    Soon, they reached the outskirts of Pitfall town and noticed light snowfall around the area, making everything look muddy. But it appeared that the donation he had made thest time years ago was used for good. The roads inside the town were well paved.


    "This brings back memories." Sir Dolorem hummed from his seat in the back near the window.


    It had been twelve years since theirst visit to the ce, and nothing appeared to have changed. On the contrary, the town looked as poor as before, except for theck of muddy roads and the empty streams due to the cholera outbreak.


    This time the streets were full of people as theirrge carriage moved between the rows of two-storey houses.


    The people stopped and looked with interest as such arge carriage was an extreme rarity. It was not amon sight in the whole world. It was not evenmon in the Holy Land.


    "Let''s just go to the monastery and conduct our business. I hope your brother has sent the men with all the items." Sylvester pointed in the direction he still vividly remembered. After all, how could he forget the first time he met an elf here--albeit the end was not so ptable.


    Soon they reached the monastery. It appeared the same as before, castle-like with pointy roofs. But, it was not damaged like thest time anymore. Instead, it seemed out of ce since it was too good to look atpared to the rest of the town.


    Lady Aurora stepped out first and moved towards the gates of the monastery. Of course, the Priests had alsoe running out due to all the voices outside, followed by the Archpriest of the Monastery.


    The clergymen were confused about who this noble, armour-wearing, pretty woman was. But they dared not speak as she had a natural aura of authority.


    Sylvester also stepped beside her and asked the men. "Where is Archpriest Ronald?"


    An old clergyman walked forwards and introduced himself. "I-I am the new Archpriest, name''s Mn. Archpriest Ronald passed away a year ago due to a lung infection. Who might you be, respected men and woman of faith?"


    ''So he died? Well, good riddance.''


    Sir Dolorem informed them of their names and ranks, as it didn''t seem right to boast about oneself. "You stand before the Tenth Guardian of Light, Thunderfall! While that is God''s Favoured, Archpriest Sylvester Maximilian, famously known as the Bard of the Lord; and the other is God''s Favoured, Priest Felix Sandwall, Sword of the Lord. While I am Sir Dolorem, Inquisitor Commander; and behind me is Priest Gabriel."


    The Priests and the Archpriest Mn nearly coughed out blood in shock at so many famous or influential clergy arriving there. The Archpriest especially started to shiver as he wondered what wrong he hadmitted.


    "I... As you can see, I have kept the monastery as pristine as possible. I pray to the Lord ten times a day and preach his name to the people with my priests."


    Sylvester nodded and looked around. The people of the Pitfall were the same, after all. He smiled at the crowd as they gathered around to see the new arrivals.


    Then, like he did when he was a child, he raised his right hand, spread the warmth of light, and then spoke thest two lines of the long hymn he sang to them at that time.


    a??This servant hopes that this will heal those scarred.


    With your open hearts, ept this sermon by the Lord''s Bard.a??


    The people, some of the old ones especially, slowly felt their eyes widen. And without any dy, they fell to their knees and started chanting just like thest time. "The Bard hase to see us again! Long live Lord Maximilian! Long live Lord Maximilian!"


    Sylvester waved his hand. "I am delighted that you remember me, people of Pitfall town. I hope your wells never went foul again. I am here for some small work for the church. I will leave in a few hours, but this ce shall forever have my blessings."


    The people thanked him and prayed.


    Sylvester then moved into the monastery with the rest and looked at the newly renovated interior. It all seemed too clean. "Who maintains this ce?"


    The Archpriest proudly pointed to a man in the distance, who was mopping the floor while humming Sylvester''s hymn from years ago. "We took that boy in some time ago since he seemed highly motivated to work. He cleans everything in the monastery as a trainee deacon."


    But Sylvester noticed something else, something he recognised. ck hair, a ck beard and the only difference being the patched clothes were now changed with good trainee clergy clothes.


    "Dungface?!"


    _______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 150 150. Fine Sand

    "Dungface?"


    When Sylvester eximed, the man turned around and recognised him in a heartbeat. Dungface didn''t speak much, however, so he just walked to Sylvester and knelt as if he prayed to god. "Dungface thank big lord."


    Sylvester knew that the man was mentally slow, so he didn''t try to correct him. Instead, he forced him to stand up as he felt nothing but pure unadulterated worship from him. "Thank me? Why?"


    "Dungface dirty. Big lord give money for new clothes."


    ''Ah! I remembered ordering thest Archpriest to get him new clothes. But this much gratitude? This is craziness.'' Sylvester thought and tried to guess what Dungface was thinking. But soon gave up as it was impossible to read someone like him.


    "It''s good to see you. I hope you''re eating well and living well." He patted the man''s shoulders.


    Dungface smiled ear to ear, appearing more innocent than a child. "Dungface work, eat, pray and sleep. Very happy."


    "Good, keep up the work." Sylvester excused himself and walked back to the Archpriest Mn.


    "We shall rest here for a few hours before heading east. Did you send out a request for the extermination of rats? We took that request as ity in our way."


    The Archpriest nodded. "Yes, Lord bard. I will send someone to show you the way."


    "You need not worry about me. I was here years ago. Lady Aurora shall rest here until then, however."


    "Actually, I won''t. I shall be apanying you, Archpriest Sylvester." She interjected.


    ''Ugh... how will I do the transaction now? I guess I''ll have to use Felix''s name?''


    "That settles it then. You need not worry about any of us, Archpriest Mn. We will finish our work and leave quickly. You just prepare lunch for us." He ordered as he was a senior despite being of the same rank just because he worked for the Holy Land directly, the headquarters.


    "We shall prepare a feast, Lord Bard... Lady Tenth."


    Sylvester stopped him. "No, just prepare normal food. We''re not here to celebrate anything. We shall see you in a few hours then. Also, announce in the town that everyone must stay away from the sewers until night."


    They all quickly left to find the sewer opening in the town and exterminate all the rats as soon as possible.


    "Dungface? Is that truly his name?" Lady Aurora asked in ridicule.


    Sylvester remembered what the old Archpriest had told him. "His parents named him that. He''s a bit slow in the head."


    "He''s a retard?" Felix blurted.


    "Well, even a sane man can be retarded. No, he was born with a mental deficiency. He used to work on his parent''s farm and clean the cowshed. They used to beat him, so the Monastery took him in and cared. Honestly, one of the only few things thest Archpriest did."


    Gabriel prayed to the lord under his breath as they walked. "He''s an innocent soul stuck in an imperfect body. May the lord have mercy on him."


    "There it is!" Sir Dolorem eximed as they arrived outside the town, towards the west. It was arge hole on the ground with a metal gate with small holes in it.


    "Ugh! The smell!" Felix clenched his nose.


    Sylvester instead used a magic rune and ced it around the sewer entrance. Then it gushed the wind away from them, taking away most of the foul odour.


    "Don''t tell me we will go in there," Gabriel asked.


    Sylvester had already started to work, however. "No, we won''t because I came prepared to kill them all without taking a step inside. Just rx there and watch me."


    Bam!


    Sylvester took the lid off of the hole and exposed the entrance. It was a deep pitch ck pit as far as he could see and appeared to have overgrown fungus all around near the opening. Also, the odour was vomit-inducing. But Sylvester had scented worse, thanks to his damn blessing.


    "Stand back now. I am going to use acid poison." He ordered them all.


    After that, he ced a small fire pit near the entrance and put some wood on it. Then he took out a sk from his bag containing some red boiling liquid. He then poured it on the wood and lit a fire. The smoke that was produced also had bright red smoke.


    Sylvester quickly used his magic to direct the smoke into the sewer shaft. In an instant, its effects became visible as all the fungus started to disappear, and the neat and clean surface of the sewer appeared.


    "I need help! Sir Dolorem and Felix,e here and direct the smoke into the shaft. Beware, however, do not inhale it, or your insides will melt." He ordered the two.


    Once the two took their ce, Sylvester stepped on the other side of the opening and aimed his right hand towards it.


    Woosh!


    Woosh!


    Runes appeared underneath his hand, made of light. Then, he let the floodgates open. Like a river stream, the water came from the rune scheme at an explosive speed and poured into the sewer. In an instant, it got mixed with the smoke and turned into bright red water. It flooded the entire sewer system, and Sylvester didn''t stop until he felt the water had started to log itself in there.


    For the next fifteen minutes, he kept pushing water into the sewers. Thankfully, it was a sunny day, so they didn''t feel as tired that fast.


    "Gab, when I say you end the fire by using the Earth element and making an air-tight lid on it," Sylvester ordered. He didn''t ask Lady Aurora for help as he knew she was not there as a team member but rather as a mentor.


    He had already sensed strange emotions from her. Emotions that were a mix of happiness, jealousy and hope? He didn''t know what she exactly felt, but it was certainly not overly friendly.


    Woosh!


    He kept pushing water until he felt the entire sewer was full, as it filled the pit to the brim. Then, finally, he shouted, "Cut it!"


    Bam!<sub> </sub>


    Gabriel was prepared, and since the Earth element was Gabriel''s inherent talent, he quickly made a semi-spherical cover over it, instantly cutting the smoke. The fire would soon douse itself due to theck of oxygen. Meanwhile, the smoke would imbue itself into the soil, making it acidic.


    "It''s okay. You can stop now." Sylvester stepped back and took a breath of fresh air.


    Felix and Sir Dolorem also stopped and breathed in rxation. But then Felix remembered something. "Ah! What if the smoke reaches out inside the vige through the sewer holes?"


    Sylvester shrugged off the concern. He wasn''t dumb enough not to think that. "It''s alright. Even if it reaches the top, the smoke will be heavily diluted from the water. It will only cause a slight cough for a day. That''s it. As for this sewer, the acid will eliminate all the water in itself. Soon the whole system will be as clean as if new."


    "What was that red liquid?" Felix inquired.


    Lady Aurora blurted before Sylvester. "Dragon''s Bile? I must say, that was a brilliant way to deal with it. Did you n from the start?"


    Sylvester nodded. "Not just start. I had nned it the moment I read about it. This was the perfect acid, although it has nothing to do with dragons--it''s just too hot."


    Gabriel sighed in self-loathing. "I need to focus more on alchemy, it seems. Felix you too... you should be ashamed of being called God''s Favored."


    Felix roared. "I know other things!"


    Gabriel didn''t back down. "Like what? Fondling oneself every morning? What? You thought we never knew? Don''t look at me like that."


    "Cough... Boys, calm down." Sylvester reminded the two they were in the presence of a woman.


    She scoffed and walked back towards the town. "Whatever--I''m too old for your young shenanigans."


    "How old are you... Lady Aurora?" Felix asked naturally.


    She didn''t stop, however, and instead showed her left palm. "You want a tattoo?"


    "No, mydy... I was merely joking." Felix nervously rubbed his face. After all, the three may be at work, but their daily morning beating was still consistent.


    Sylvester was making progress, however, as he found patterns in Lady Aurora''s moves and magic. But the problem was that she had simply too many techniques, as expected from a Grand Wizard.


    "Yeah, I''m hungry now. We spent too much energy here." Sylvester packed his items and destroyed the dome under which the fire was trapped before leaving.


    ...


    Sylvester returned to the town, but it was still too early for lunch. However, he smartly told everyone to go around and check all the sewer openings to ensure there was no problem. This way, he was able to send Lady Aurora away as well.


    With that, he was free to go and deal with the merchant sent by Felix''s elder brother. So he went to the outskirts near the woods and found one man on a horse.


    "Sand so fine, I''d wish it were mine. But I wonder what it may cost me." Sylvester spoke as he walked past the horse.


    After a momentary silence, the man responded. "Five thousand Gold is the price of this fine sand, ready to exchange with swapping hands."


    Sylvester walked back to the horse and, without greeting, took one unsuspecting jute bag from the man while he gave a heavy, simr jute bag full of gold coins.


    Then, without wasting a moment, both of them went opposite ways. Only after the man was out of his site did Sylvester open the bag and look. As expected, he found it full of various helpful magic crystals.


    "Chonky bank, ready for work?" He asked.


    Miraj quickly swallowed the whole bag into his bottomless belly. Sylvester was sometimes interested in knowing where it leads to, but he was too afraid of even wishing to enter that ce as nothing returns alive.


    After the sessful transaction, he returned to the Monastery. By lunch, others also returned after checking all the openings to the sewer.


    "Let''s eat and head to Count Jartel." Sylvester nned.


    But Sir Dolorem rejected it. "That wouldn''t be wise. Our twenty-five-member toon from Holy Land is about to arrive here, Archpriest. We should let them join us first--at most, it will cause a few hours of dy."


    ''I should take them along. Who knows what lies ahead.''


    "Fine, we will wait then." Sylvester ate his fill in peace.


    Bam!


    However, just when he felt calm, a loud sound of metal utensils falling came, followed by an angry scolding voice of Archpriest Mn.


    "Boy! Does nothing go into that thick head of yours? You can not enter here after cleaning the dirty streets. Now go and visit Fifth Street; they need some house cleaning done. Afterwards, go to the seventh side street; they need the turd-pit cleaned."


    "Dungface sorry... I go fast!"


    Sylvester noticed many eyes were on him at the dining table, expecting some reaction from him as he seemed close to that man. But, he continued to eat his food. Dungface was mentally slow and could not have regr jobs. If ving oneself was the way to survive, then he must do it, Sylvester reckoned.


    "The Lord''s n exists for reasons. Today it may be harsh; tomorrow, it may be kind--for it changes like seasons." He muttered to justify his inaction and continued to eat.


    _______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 151 151. A Cold Night

    Sylvester finished his meal and prepared to move out as soon as the twenty-five men toon reached him. He just wished to reach the Count''snd as soon as possible because if they mobilised their armies before he reached, it would be tough to convince them to move back. Nor would they give him time to find the real culprit.


    "Sir Dolorem, let''s take a walk," Sylvester called the old man along. Thankfully, this time Lady Aurora didn''t go along, nor did Gabriel or Felix.


    Sylvester and Sir Dolorem walked around the town as they talked about little things. The people would, however, from time to time, pray to him and ask for a blessing. Some would even bring their newborns.


    Sir Dolorem chuckled, seeing all that. "The only difference between the holy father and you right now is in age and strength. Rest is all the same... people pray to you just as they''d do to the Pope."


    Sylvester had to agree to that. "I won''t say you''re wrong. That''s light magic for you. The halo and being a bard are truly a blessing and, at the same time, strange to me. I am yet to understand how the halo even appears."


    "If we mortals could understand his ns, then we wouldn''t be praying to him, Sylvester. Anyhow, what do you wish to talk about with me? I''m sure you have something in mind." Sir Dolorem inquired.


    Sylvester looked left and right and then gave some instructions. "When we reach the Count Jartel, I need you to take Felix''s side and team up with up., You two must act like you''re not happy with me being in charge. I want both Counts to think that we are divided. Only this way will they let their tongues slip."


    Sir Dolorem agreed instantly as he also saw the good in the whole n. They needed to have the two Counts put their guards down. "I agree with your n. However, we must also think about the possibility that the other Count does turn out to be the culpr-"


    Sir Dolorem stopped speaking midway, however, as he stared at something. Sylvester did the same and couldn''t help but feel sad for the person. They saw Dungface not far away, sitting on the side of the road and feeding the stray dogs and puppies while he ate too. His food appeared to be simple bread and water-like soup with nothing in it.


    "As you can see, some men are born with more rights and security than others. The Count will have his loyalists who will try to stop you from exerting your authority, just for the sake of appearing to care for their lord." Sir Dolorem finished what he was saying.


    "That is why the light of Solis I possess can be used to instil love and, when needed--fear. So let''s not talk about that anymore."


    He walked to Dungface as he was curious about something. "Hey, bud. Are these your friends?"


    "Grrrr..." The dogs started to growl at him as he approached Dungface.


    "Bad dog! Stop!" Dungface scolded the dogs.


    Sylvester still confidently walked over. "Can you tell me about your daily schedule? What do you do every day?"


    Dungface replied truthfully. "Dungface, wake up, clean the house. Then clean the street. Then clean what people say. Then at night, go to sleep."


    "So you just clean ces from morning to night? Are you being paid for the work?"


    "Paid?" Dungface only had questions all over his face.


    Sylvester sighed and moved back. ''So they use him as free vebour? No cost, no maintenance, just give some little food, and he''ll be happy. What a shame in the name of the faith.''


    "Let''s go, Sir Dolorem." He headed back towards the Monastery.


    As they arrived, they noticed a few more horses outside the building. They realised the toon from Holy Land had arrived already.


    "Sir Dolorem, you shallmand the toon since all three of us are young, and they won''t respect us from the heart." He ordered and entered.


    He arrived at therge hall and saw the 25 members of the toon kneeling before Lady Aurora. She was scolding them at the same time. "How dare you enter this town, and the first thing you did was tease a woman? Is that what they teach in the Holy Army nowadays? We at Inquisition would have quenched the light in your heart by now."


    Sylvester arrived and heard everything. "Which one was it, Lady Aurora?"


    A man stood up on his own ord, appearing to shiver in fear.


    Sylvester nodded. "I am Archpriest Sylvester Maximilian, the overallmander over you. Since you have decided tomit such a folly, be reminded, that one more mistake and I will treat you as I would a heathen."


    The man shrank his neck and looked down while humming in agreement.


    "Now we march directly to Count Jartel''snds. You can have your rest there, go out and prepare." He ordered.


    The toon consisted of mostly low levelled men. The highest ranked Knight among them was a mere Bronze Knight, while the highest of the three wizards was an Adept wizard. It was not a lot, but enough formon security work.


    In a few minutes, all preparation was done, and therge carriage of Lady Aurora was parked outside the Monastery. The destination was just a day away, so they didn''t bother stashing their rations. At most, they''d have to stay the night somewhere in the middle.


    This time Sylvester let the neer knights be the reinsmen of the coach while he also joined the rest in the back of the luxury carriage. There was enough space for all, and Lady Aurora didn''t mind.


    "Big lord! Bye-bye!"


    "He truly likes you." Lady Aurora muttered after seeing Dungface frantically waving his hand like a child.


    Sir Dolorem agreed, albeit disappointed. "He''s a child from his mind. Sadly, the townspeople will likely end up killing him from overwork. The kind of lifestyle he''s living won''t leave his body healthy."


    After a few moments of silence, Sylvester took a deep breath and suddenly ordered.


    "Halt!"


    He got off the carriage, walked over to Archpriest Mn, and looked him in the eye as if thetter was already a dead man. "Listen to me loud and clear now, Archpriest. I know you''re keeping this kid as a ve here. Do you know what the punishment of enving a clergyman, even if just a deacon is? Death! So, do one thing until I return, you keep this boy safe and well fed. If anything happens to him, I will, by default, look for you."


    "W-What will you be doing with him, Lord bard?"


    "He shalle with me to the Holy Land. So remember my words, Archpriest."


    Sylvester then walked over to Dungface and patted the man''s shoulder. "You do not need to work at anyone''s house anymore. Your only duty from today is to keep this Monastery clean, okay?"


    Sylvester wasn''t pitying the man because he was poor or a ve. He pitied him because the man was mentally challenged, and no matter what, he would remain like that. Unlike an ordinary child ve who can grow and be intelligent, Dungface''s fate was sealedpletely, and this was his forever prison--very without being called a ve. He had nothing in control and never would have. He was just born with a stroke of rotten luck.


    So, helping a man who didn''t even know what was right and what was wrong for his own good was something he did from his heart. He never expected anything in return from the man.


    Dungface nodded as he smiled. "Dungface do as big lord says."


    "Good. When I return in a few weeks, I will take you with me to see a huge castle. So be good here."<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester then returned to the carriage, and their small procession left for Count Jartel''s territory.


    "What did you do?" Lady Aurora asked.


    He shrugged and cryptically answered. "Just helped a puppy of a man find a home where his ''puppyness'' can be utilised."


    She smirked and silently looked out, having a dozen thoughts of her own. But she was finally realising as to why Sylvester was so much liked by her father and why he was being favoured by so many people. ''It seems he simultaneously has the brutality of a father andpassion of a Bright Mother. No wonder father wants him to be a Pope one day. That''s what the faith needs right now.''


    ...


    However, sadly, fate itself didn''t seem to be kind towards Sylvester.


    The night had started to make travelling on the offroad harder, so they all decided to make a camp nearby the road for the night. So the twenty-five-member toon erected their tents around therge carriage of Aurora. Then, on one side of the same carriage, they lit a big bonfire and sat around it while the meat stew was being cooked.


    "May I sit with you, Lord Bard?" A man came close, wearing clergyman''s robes with a staff in hand, likely a wizard. "Name''s Phobos, a wizard."


    Sylvester nodded and gave some space on his right. Since, to his left was Lady Aurora already, while on his other side were the rest.


    "Can you sing us a hymn, Lord Bard? I always wanted to see the famous Bard of the Lord!" Another man requested excitedly. With that, others also agreed to that request.


    ''Fine, let''s start turning you into my cult then.''


    He went to the carriage, brought out his violin, and started ying it. The pitch ck night, the slight hint of moons under the dark clouds, and the songs of owls in the distance with the sound of burning wood elevated the mood of the small crowd.


    ''Can I also affect Lady Aurora with my hymns? Good thing she''s sitting beside me.''


    Sylvester took a long breath while adjusting himself and let Miraj curl himself onto hisp and sleep. "It got too cold suddenly, didn''t it? Feels ominous."


    Felix agreed as he felt smoke appearing in front of his mouth as he breathed. "It certainly is freezing tonight. All the more reason for you to sing."


    Sylvester nodded and started to make hymns with a halo behind him. It illuminated the area like no fire, for it was one step higher.


    a??I''m a marching soldier of the god.


    I fight for your light with this fickle bod.


    Look at me; I ain''t no spoiled child.


    My faith in you ain''t so mild--oh, it''s wild.


    Just once more, let your light hit me like a lover''s smile.a??


    a??The warmth of the lord ain''t that weak.


    For the truth and glory ahead we seek.


    It''s there... just grab it--for we''re folks of the same clique.


    Trust me; I am not weak... my faith is not bleak.a??


    a??Oh we''re the sons from the holynd.


    Our work is all so grand--the faith we must expand.


    The heathens or the demons must all withstand


    The tests of solis that befall like a father''s scolding hand.a??


    a??There may be soa€¡°a??"


    Sylvester wished to continue singing, but when he tried to look around and see if everyone was enjoying it, he noticed something that spread dread in him like no other.


    All appeared to have frozen in the middle of the air--making no sound. Their eyes remained open, and they were surely alive, but they just couldn''t move no matter what.


    "No, no! Why is he here now?" Sylvester cursed internally and looked left and right. As he remembered that night vividly, the sky had turnedpletely ck with clouds, the trees were making no sound of a breeze, and the animals were so silent as if dead--like now.


    ''D-Did hee for me? Why?''


    He looked left and right while the effect of the surroundings took over him as well, making him slow doing and slowly freezing.


    "Why have youe here now?"


    Woosh!


    The white mist started to spread all over the ce, and Sylvester felt colder than ever. When he looked closer to the front, beyond the bonfire, he noticed finally. Like a ghost, the thing in a tattered ck cloak floated towards him.


    Yet! There was no noise--so quiet--moved the Shadow Knight.


    _______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 152 152. Shadow Vs Light

    Sylvester felt out of breath just looking at the towering monstrous form of the Shadow Knight. Why was he here? What did he want from him? Is this what the thing talked about, all those years ago? About meeting again?


    While Sir Dolorem was panicking and looking at Sylvester the whole time, trying to think if he could do anything to save him if the thing went after him. But, he could not even move, no matter what.


    "Urgh!"


    But, shockingly, Lady Aurora was able to move, albeit so slowly that she seemed not moving at all.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester was somehow able to move even more than Lady Aurora at that moment. But he had to exert himself to the fullest. "W-What..."


    The Shadow Knight slowly hovered towards the toon''s men. Then, as its robes brushed past one of them, the Knight''s body started to turn into a heap of ash. The Shadow Knight then moved to the wizard named Phobos, just beside Sylvester, and once again turned him into ash--slowly falling apart.


    It moved towards the back and killed more, but Sylvester could not see it anymore. He could only hope that the creature does note after him or those close to him.


    No sound was made, and no screams echoed. The forest was absolutely silent, and the sky starkly dark. The shadow knight mercilessly killed without making any remark. The freezing cold made all those who survived to sense death, too, as they felt their eyes heavy--frozen. Blood in their veins got colder, and it felt as if a burden fell heavily on their shoulders.


    "Shhh..."


    Sylvester heard hissing from behind him. It was too close, and raised his hair instantly. ''Fuck! Is he close? I can''t even see it... what''s he doing? Does he want me?''


    He tried to turn his face with all the strength he could muster. Eventually, he could only turn an inch, but that was enough to notice the fluttering ck robes behind him, close enough to touch and turn him into ash.


    Then, for the first time, Sylvester heard clear words from the Shadow Knight. Although they seemed like whispers full of death and coldness, they were clear.


    "I remain the same--but look what you became--the height your sins have reached."


    ''Fuck!''


    If there was any confusion, it was now clear. He was also the target. But why? He could not remember ever harming someone for his sadistic desire. It was always for his own survival, and those he killed were far from kind folks. ''Is this for Romel? For that Count''s family? But that wasn''t my decision to make.''


    "Take yourst breath--to greet death..."


    Sylvester felt a sharp pain in his back, but it was cold. So cold that he just couldn''t sense the part of his body on the back once the pain registered. It was like a dead spot.


    "Arghh..." He grunted and put his everything in moving away. With that, like a raging beast, he roared. "My light will--stop you, shadow knight!"


    Woosh!


    He used every ounce of magic to let srium release from his body and shine all around him in bright golden light. His whole body turned into a torch at the moment, a new sight for all as he had never done something like this.


    Every pore in his body released the light and made the coldness around turn into warmth--letting all around him take a fresh breath.


    But, Sylvester felt the light had some effect as he could now move better, albeit still struggling--but faster. So he jumped forward and got away from the Shadow Knight.


    "What do you want? I have not sinned; I follow the word of the lord!"


    The shadow knight flew towards him, slowly as it appeared Sylvester''s light was affecting it in return. "Faith or wraith, sins do not discriminate."


    "Sylvester!" Lady Aurora seemed to somehow get up. Her sword remained in her arms, ready to strike and help him.


    But Sylvester knew she was not a match for this creature. On top of that, he could not use the Wrath of Heavens there as the allies were too close. And the coldness increased as the Shadow Knight tried to get closer to Sylvester.


    "Stop! Don''t indulge it! You are no match... for it... Ugh!" He fell to his knees as the Shadow Knight reached arm''s length from him. The creature seemed to use more strength on him now as the coldness increased at least five times. Even while emitting light, he felt weak and cold.


    ''Fuck! I can''t let this fight go on here, or Sir Dolorem and the rest will die from the cold anyway.''


    He noticed Chonky was also frozen on his shoulder, jaws wide open. "Give me the bag."


    Chonky did whatever it could and vomited the bag they got from Pitfall town. After that, Sylvester pushed Miraj away to the ground as he didn''t want to risk his life.


    Then, he looked towards Lady Aurora, his face contorted in pain from the wound on his back. He still couldn''t feel the back of his body. "L-Lady Aurora... Look for me, please...."


    "Wha-at?" She struggled to stay conscious.


    Sylvester didn''t answer and closed his eyes. Next thing they knew, an immense explosion resounded, and fire appeared under Sylvester''s feet--so strong it shined brighter than his light, and its warmth instantly relieved those around--making them sense the warmth abound.


    But all their minds could feel was dread as Sylvester''s body flew into the sky like a spear and vanished soon after. They knew he was saving them by luring the legendary Shadow Knight away--he was giving himself for their sake. Shame--utter shame was all their thoughts could make.


    The Shadow Knight shockingly changed its movements and flew away deeper into the forest towards Sylvester''s direction so fast they could only notice blur.


    This made them realise that the Shadow Knight had not even started to use its full power on them. It was merely toying this whole time, using its mystical powers to make them freeze.


    Eventually, the noise around them seemed to return, the sky appeared to shine with the moonlight again, and the owls sang once more. The bonfire in the middle of the camp slowly made them feel warm again and move.


    "Fuck! Fuck! We need to go fast!" Felix was the first one to stand up and shout in anger and fear. "I won''t let that bastard put himself at harm each time for our pathetic weak lives! Get up!"


    His frustration was evident as the events of the past were still fresh. During the Sphinx Town bloodling, when the Void Keepers came, and now. Each time Sylvester saved them, all they could do was watch or assist him from afar.


    Sir Dolorem looked towards the sky at the trajectory Sylvester flew off to. "We need to be careful not to be a liability instead. I believe we need as many light crystals as possible."


    "Where are we going to get those?" Gabriel asked.


    "I have them!" Sir Dolorem blurted and showed arge bag full of said crystals. But at the same time, he was praying to the lord. ''Thank you, guardian angel--with you; I can help Sylvester.''


    It was Miraj who was scared the most. Sylvester was everything to him--his family, and all he could do when frozen was watch in fear. Sylvester was gone, and all he could do was wish he was safe.


    Thankfully, he could help the people around him. And thanks to Sir Dolorem''s cryptic messages, he could give them what they needed to go after Sylvester.<sub> </sub>


    Lady Auror was frustrated and angered. She started to tap on her armour in different ces, activating some runes and preparing to fight and give her all. ''Father will kill me if Sylvester dies here. Why did it have to attack him?''


    "Let''s move! Leave everything you don''t need to fight and march behind me." She ordered them. "Sir Dolorem, how many crystals do we have?"


    "Nearly two hundred."


    "Give five to each one..." she paused as her gaze fell on the various swords left on the ground. "So, out of twenty-five, only ten survived in the toon? Ugh... this is a mess. Give five crystals to each and move."


    Gabriel stepped forward first, however. "I can use light magic. Give me Srium crystals if you have them instead."


    Sir Dolorem nodded and acted like he was fiddling in the bag behind him. But then, suddenly, a bag appeared in his palm. "I have some--Sylvester handed them to me a while back."


    Quickly, they were all armed to the teeth and prepared to move. But first, Lady Aurora moved to each one of them and tapped a few times on their armours. "I am cing anti-cold enchantments on your armours. I believe it''s going to snow soon."


    She was the strongest member among them, and her experiences speak for themselves now. Nobody objected to her taking over themand of the situation.


    "Priest Felix! I know you''re angry but don''t do something foolish." She red at the tall wizard-knight.


    Felix nodded. "Let''s just move now, please!"


    And as they moved, as Lady Aurora guessed, it snowed.


    ...


    Unknown distance away, Sylvester fell like a meteor in the middle of the forest and burnt away hundreds of trees in arge radius around himself.


    "Why do I have such rotten luck!" He cursed and prepared to huddle himself there until the morning, as night was the only time the Shadow Knight appeared.


    Thankfully, since he was away from the Shadow Knight, the sky was clear, and he could move easily. So he started to take out all his light crystals and put them around himself in a circle. He then ced rows of srium crystals behind them.


    Over half of his bag emptied in one night, thousands of gold graces gone instantly. But as long as he lived, he could earn.


    Quickly, he created a dome of light around him, using his own light maniption to solidify the light from crystals. This way, he could conserve his own magic while keeping a shield around himself.


    "Ugh!" He sat down and felt pain all over his back. So he touched it and felt as if a part of his back was made of rough sand. He could not feel any touch on that part, as if it was dead. "Did he kill the cells of that area?"


    Boom!


    sh!


    Abruptly, his thoughts returned to the matter. Out of nowhere, like a spear, the Shadow Knight appeared in front of the light dome and collided with it. Instantly, the dome cracked but didn''t fall apart.


    "Damn it!" Sylvester realised the thing was far stronger than thest Bloodling he fought.


    He had to use his own magic now to reinforce the shield.


    Boom!


    "Fuck!"


    The shield cracked again, and yet again, he had to exert more effort to repair the damage. Not to mention, the coldness had returned and was slowly reaching his body.


    ''Is this going to be it?''


    "Why are you after me when far more viins exist outside?" He asked the thing.


    The Shadow Knight stopped and stared at Sylvester with shining white streaks simr to eyes. There was silence for a while, but the dread only increased.


    "They may be sinners--but the prospect of your sins overshines all others."


    Sylvester felt sweat dripping down his forehead even in that cold. "Because I have high talent, I am a bigger sinner? How can you be sure? Can you see the future?"


    But the Shadow Knight spoke no more words, and the only reply was another wave of body ms from it.


    Sylvester gritted his teeth as he noticed the exhausting srium in his body. "Fine... I will use it then."


    He took a long breath, raised his right palm beside his chest, and aimed toward the Shadow Knight. Then, the chants of hymns started resounding with the halo behind his head.


    a??Return to the depths of hell below,


    Take this ray of light I bestow,


    You vile pest, risen from the shadow!a??


    Boom!


    _______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 153 153. Cry Or Laugh?

    Boom!


    A blinding beam of light left Sylvester''s palms. It boomed like lightning falling from the sky, covering everything around him, as its warmth erased the dreadful coldness.


    He strategically removed the solid shield of light around him and sent the beam straight toward the Shadow Knight. But he knew not if it struck him or not, as he could only see whiteness all around.


    But he didn''t try to maintain the beam for too long. Finally, after three seconds, he stopped and brought back the shield around his body. Then he looked for the sign of the Shadow Knight to see if the beam did any harm.


    Shh...


    "Did he get hurt?" Sylvester noticed the form of the Shadow Knight a distance away, appearing to have be translucent for some reason, but it was gaining its previous denseness.


    "What is he made of?" Sylvester wondered as it was clear now that the thing was not a human with a cloak on. This was truly a ghost or something like that.


    Boom!


    The Shadow Knight soon attacked him again, but this time the shield didn''t break in one go. But on the third strike, it did. Then on the second strike, it broke, and after a few moments, the Shadow Knight seemed to have returned to its previous strength.


    ''So I can not kill it by just harming it. What even is this thing?''


    But finding out about what this thing was cameter. First, it was about his survival. The only boon he had was light, the power that had helped him since he was born. Of all the bad luck, he was lucky for this one blessing.


    He tried to maintain his body, keeping it from going into extreme exhaustion by letting the crystals help him. Then, when he felt he could not hold the shield for long, he again used the Wrath of Heaven.


    a??You god-forsaken creature of vileness


    Burn in the warmth of my brightness...a??


    Boom!


    The streak of light once again hit the creature and pushed it back hundreds of metres away. This time Sylvester maintained the beam for five seconds. Once done, he quickly ate the Srium crystals to get back some energy. Then, he formed the shield around himself again.


    This time he got nearly half an hour of rxing time while the Shadow Knight returned to its past full strength and once again started its menacing strikes on the shield.


    Again and again.


    Time and time again.


    Sylvester repeated the process of buying himself some time to rx. But in his mind, he knew his life had changed that night--for the worse, sadly. Damned, he was now--immensely.


    Crack!


    The shield cracked again, and he prepared to strike the light beam. At least he was thankful for his past hardships as he had be much more efficient with his magic utilisation now.


    But sadly, in front of absolute strength, no amount of techniques can help.


    ...


    A distance away, the remaining toon and the rest roamed to find Sylvester under themand of Lady Aurora. They didn''t know how far Sylvester had gone or if he had gone somewhere else after his initial jump.


    All they could do was hope that they''d find him quick. But sadly, none of them could fly. Nor did the trees help them in looking far away.


    Silently, they gritted their teeth and ran fast.


    ''How long will this keep happening? Why can''t he even afford a little moment of peace? Hasn''t he suffered enough? Why does Solis keep testing him? Why does Solis keep punishing him?" Sir Dolorem wondered in silence, ignoring the weighty presence on his shoulder that he shrugged off as the guardian angel.


    Woosh!


    "What was that?" Felix stopped and questioned.


    Woosh!


    They could hear an echo ringing around them. But from the sound, it was clear it was very far away, and it was hard to understand which direction it was.


    "Let''s split!" Felix suggested.


    Lady Aurora vetoed the suggestion instantly. "That''s asking for death. If not the Shadow Knight, then some other creature of the night will kill you. We can''t afford to separate right now. Just keep moving in the direction Sylvester flew off to first."


    "Agreed." Sir Dolorem interjected.


    Felix gritted his teeth and continued to run along them.


    Seeing him, Gabriel came to his side and asked. "What''s with the attitude? You''re not helping anyone by being annoying."


    Felix knew Gabriel was right. "I''m angry. Sylvester has to be the unluckiest fucker in the world. Everything messed up happens with him. Every time someone attacks us, it''s to kill him. I see him in strain, man. Look at his bloody eyes, they seem hollow. I don''t want that... it feels as if... the more we''re growing, the less human we''re bing."


    He was loud enough for all to hear, and they couldn''t help but feel the same, not for Sylvester but for themselves. It was true that the more they grew up, the less happy they felt. Even if the faith was the best ce to be, it didn''t help them with their personal life that much.


    "We didn''t choose this path," Gabriel replied. "We are born with a role and die while trying to fulfil it. Fate is universal and unique to all--we can run away all we want, but it will catch up. So we can just ept it and live."


    Felix didn''t reply and moved in silence. He never says it aloud, but Sylvester was the only best friend he had in his whole life. Since he was young, all he knew was his strict father and a hoard of trainers ready to inflict all kinds of pain on him to make his body strong.


    ''I didn''t live all those years to be a damsel in distress for you to save me every time, Max. We''re meant to fight side by side... as brothers.''


    "We''re close!" Lady Aurora boomed suddenly and halted their speedy chase.


    Everyone felt it. The area had suddenly be colder than before. The trees were frozen, and no other noise wasing from the forest.


    As they started to walk forward, they felt a certain suppression on their bodies.


    Thud!


    One of the weakest Knights from the toon fell down, frozen like before.


    Thud!


    Then another one fell.


    Seeing this, Lady Aurora decided to stop for now. "We need to n this carefully. All of the toon members will stay. Sir Dolorem, youe with me... you too, Priest Gabriel. And you, Priest Felix, you care for these toon members."


    Felix just red into Lady Aurora''s eyes in bloodshot fury. He wasn''t going to sit there. That was not negotiable.<sub> </sub>


    Lady Aurora sighed and nodded. "Fine,e along then. The rest of you, move a few metres back and prepare for a medical camp here. We don''t know what Archpriest Sylvester''s condition is, but he will at least be exhausted if he''s alive. So be prepared to transfuse blood if necessary."


    After that, the four headed deeper into the forest. The closer they got, the colder the climate became--the more the pressure they felt on themselves. They felt as if they were moving in an ocean and going deeper and deeper into it.


    "Ugh!" At one point, Gabriel grunted while pushing himself.


    Lady Aurora looked back and noticed the men were struggling to move forward. Even Felix, albeit with his rageful movements, couldn''t ignore the pressure.


    She looked forward and noticed a bright osciting light. ''We''re not far away... but to stand against the Shadow Knight. It''s impossible for these three... even me."


    "Stop! I will go ahead now. You three stay here and prepare to-"


    "I''m not stopping! I will go on." Felix barked.


    She looked at him deadpan. "Then what? Be a burden to Sylvester? You can''t even move here. How will you fight that thing? Look over there. You can see the light. That means Sylvester is fighting it somehow."


    Felix gritted his teeth and clenched the hilt of his sword. "I hate this weakness!"


    "Then get stronger. But right now, think from your brain, not muscles. Now, give me some more light and Srium crystals. It''ll be hard to fight it, but I will try to reach Sylvester and heal him if he''s hurt." She nned.


    Sir Dolorem didn''t doubt her and handed the whole bag. "I will be indebted to you, Lady Aurora. Archpriest Sylvester is important to many people--and the future of the faith."


    She didn''t reply and moved toward the blinking lights. But even she couldn''t go fast after arriving at thest stretch. However, she could now see the scenes in front of her, beyond the treeline in the empty circle of burntnd.


    ? Sylvester was defending himself against the attacks of the Shadow Knight.


    Boom!


    And, every few minutes, he would send out a beam of light so strong it would push the Shadow Knight back hard and burn the trees in a straight line in the path.


    She rubbed her eyes repeatedly because she couldn''t believe the scene. The Shadow Knight was a dreadful entity that not even her father, the Lord inquisitor, could shrug off. And here he was, Sylvester, albeit struggling, pushing the mysterious creature away and also... harming it?


    ''W-What is he? His light...''


    Her eyes shone with the light from Sylvester''s moves. He appeared like the sun in the dark night. ''His light magic is strong enough to be tangible?''


    But soon, she forced herself out of her trance-like state and shouted. "Sylvester! Take this!"


    She knew Sylvester was doing a much better job fighting than she could ever do. So she decided to throw the bag full of crystals at him.


    However, she noticed Sylvester was not even looking at her. Instead, he was looking in a different direction, towards the ground.


    "What are you doing, Chonky? Go back! This is dangerous!"


    Aurora heard Sylvester shouting as if addressing someone. But there was nobody. ''Is he hallucinating?''


    "Meow!"


    She frantically looked around to find the origin of the cat''s cry. But, again, she couldn''t find it. ''Am I hallucinating?''


    Boom!


    Sylvester once again sent out a beam of light from his palm, blinding her eyes and pushing the Shadow Knight away. In that blindness, she just silently prayed that Sylvester could keep this until the morning.


    ''Is this what you wanted me to learn, father? Perseverance?'' She wondered.


    ...


    "Chonky! What in the hell were you thinking?"


    Sylvester used the Wrath of Heaven and threw Shadow Knight away. Then he leapt to pick Miraj and bring him into the shield, to safety. The furry boy couldn''t walk, so he was slowly dragging himself toward Sylvester on his belly.


    "Maxy! I will protect you!" Miraj meowed and hugged him around the neck with his little paws.


    Sylvester patted his back too. "Are you hurt?"


    "No. I feel better. I can move here... Ah! Let me vomit!... Uwaa..."


    Miraj quickly threw up two bags full of Srium and Light crystals. This was thest batch they had left, ignoring the one Lady Aurora threw.


    He chuckled tiredly and wiped the sweat from his head. He was tired and frustrated. His back pained him, and he felt sore all over his body. But his heart felt full from Miraj''s worry-filledints.


    "Why did you leave me?"


    He caressed his head. "Chonky, I didn''t know how the fight would turn out to be. I didn''t want to risk your life."


    Bam!


    "And it begins again." The Shadow Knight started attacking again. But this time, Sylvester had dozens of more crystals.


    So he didn''t feel as strained and calmly fended off all the attacks. Though his eyes were bing heavy slowly, it was not srium exhaustion--just mental exhaustion.


    He needed to keep this going until the sun came out. So he just looked at the sky and prayed. "Come on, Solis... show your pretty face quickly now."


    Booom!


    He repeated the Wrath of Heavens for the sixth time, a maddening number for sure. With that, he felt something in his body. It felt as if the heat was rising all over him, and his cells were trying to revolt and break apart. He felt his arms and feet going numb.


    He quickly realised that this was a blessing that came at ill timing. It could very well prove to be his doom--and turn this light shield into his tomb.


    ''I-I... am I about to rank up? Fuck! Not now... I can''t...!''''


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 154 154. On The Edge

    The crusade was a lengthy and messy campaign, and things are prone to go bad asionally. No matter how much you prepare, there is always something, someone who just can''t follow the rules and makes it their life''s goal to abuse the little power they are given.


    Since the crusade also involved the knights and wizards from various kingdoms, the second sons and the useless ones, some units of crusaders sometimes did things that the church would never avow to. Although the leaders of each unit were church members, when nobles entered the fray with deep pockets, things tended to go out of control.


    And... consequences to this, the innocents suffer--believers, someone''s father, daughter... someone''s mother... they suffer.


    ...


    Ender Vige, Duchy of Ironstone in the Gracia Kingdom.


    The Ender Vige was a coastal vige not far from the Evergreen mountains and south of the Duke''s Keep. The vige enjoyed a rare environment as it was in direct contact with the trade routes of the Libertia ind. All this was due to a family of Tiger Beastkins that converted to the faith of Solis two generations ago and moved to the Sol Continent.


    As if they adopted the vige, they brought wealth to the vige with their trade business. Soon, the Beastkins assimted with the people of the vige, slowly bringing about a new poption of half human and half tiger beastkins. It was hard to differentiate most of the time. Some kids would have human skin but tiger ears and tails, while some wouldn''t have ears or tails but fur over their bodies, along with increased muscles and strength.


    The faith never had a problem with them as everyone was a follower of Solis, and normal humans of the vige also never had a problem with what was happening. Even the local monastery didn''t bother and wholeheartedly epted the faithful.


    But the crusade often brings about the deepest, darkest madness residing in some minds.


    Being a coastal vige, years ago, it was also one of the homes of great conflicts, hence death. A bloodling was suspected of having appeared not far from the vige, so a crusade unit of fifty crusaders was called.


    But no one knew the crusaders would be a far worse evil than the bloodling.


    Tiger Beastkin with fur, Elyon Mizar, the patriarch of the Mizar family, returned from his long voyage to the Beastaria''s Beastkin region after sessfully selling his shipment of goods. With a delighted mood and full pockets, he hoped to organize a mass gathering for his beloved daughter''s wedding--his little tigress.


    However, when he reached the little hill his estate stood on, all he saw were the remains of ashes of what was left. The house, the gardens once full of little growls andughter, were not darkened with dried blood and burnt ground.


    Crunch!


    He stepped on a stick. But on a closer look, it turned out to be a bone. He crouched down and picked a little silver locket.


    He recognized it, sadly.


    Thud!


    Falling to his knees, he stared at it nkly, and a few memories resurfaced. His whole life, his hard work, the generations of hard work... all gone.


    "Why?" he asked.


    "Elyon? Is that you?"


    The Beastkin turned around and saw the old vige chief, a human and also the priest of the local monastery.


    Elyon, in a calm yet raging voice, asked. "T-Tell me... please tell me they are fine and this was an ident."


    The vige chief sadly lowered his head. "I wish I could. I wish I could have done something to stop them. I tried, believe me... but they didn''t listen and called your family bloodling worshipers. They... they conducted public beheadings and took whatever they could from your house. Even the Archpriest tried to stop them, but they hit him."


    "Who?"


    "The Crusaders, along with Baron''s third son... the Holy Land announced it against Bloodlings. What the Crusaders did here was illegal, and we have called forth the intervention by Cardinal Suprima."


    "Did no one survive?" Elyon asked in a cold voice.


    There was just silence from the vige chief, enough to suggest what the answer was.


    "Wraaaa!" Elyon went into a mad frenzy and punched whatever of the house was left, hit his head onto the walls, and let the fury calm him down as he bloodied himself.


    Eventually, he calmed down and looked at his palms in anger and wondered. "I--my father and grandfather gave everything to this vige. Then why?"


    "They were not humans, Elyon. They were demons... and the church will punish them, trust me."


    "Of course..." He sighed in helplessness. "I can still smell the blood here... how scared my little tigress must have been... to be killed for no reason but existing."


    The vige chief felt what was in Elyon''s mind. "Young man, don''t do something you might regretter."


    Elyon looked up, and his eyes shined with a hint of bloodlust. "I''m afraid--they left me nothing to regret over, chief."


    Woosh!


    He leapt into the air and zoomed past the man.


    "Stop! Elyon! Don''t do this... you can''t fight them alone!"


    "Grrraaa!"


    But only a true roar of a tiger was heard--A lesson for those who were near--Never push a man so much that he has nothing to fear.


    ...


    The first rays of the sun fell on the coldnd of the north. Then, the snow started slowly softening, and the bodies became warm again.


    Finally, the time many had been waiting for, what felt like an eternity, came. But Sylvester knew not when he fell unconscious. All he knew was that he was alive and felt warm again.


    He was exhausted andy on the ground. The shield was gone, however. But he was awake and looking at the sky. He raised his hand and tried to catch the shining circle in the sky, the origin of Srium.


    He sat up slowly but felt a lot of pain. ''I hope there''s nothing serious on my back.''


    "Ah! What the!"


    He eximed when he noticed a big ck dot right in front of his face when he sat up.


    Slurp!


    But then a big pink tongue licked his face and kept going for a while. Finally, Sylvester pushed himself a few feet back and gazed at the form of the big majestic creature. It was a white hart, huge like a horse and with majestic antlers.<sub> </sub>


    Against the backdrop of the sunlight, the creature appeared as if sent from the heavens. But then it licked his face like a mother caring for her son in the wild.


    "Haha, calm down now, boy." Sylvester patted the hart''s face and caressed it underneath the jaw, instantly making it happy with tickles.


    ''What''s a great white hart doing here? I thought they''d all gone to hibernation.'' He wondered.


    "Meow meow!"


    And just then, like a little angel, Miraj appeared on the back of the big hart, ncing at him. "Maxy! I made a new friend. I named him Whitey. What do you think?"


    "Whitey? Well, that''s a bit too straightforward. If everything white is whitey, then you''re a whitey too."


    Miraj started to think a lot while mumbling. "Yes! How about Big Charles Leopold?"


    "..."


    "Alright, I''m interested to know how you went from Whitey to Charles Leopold but... ugh!"


    Miraj jumped down to check Sylvester, worry evident in his eyes. "Does it hurt?"


    "A lot."


    Miraj worriedly tapped on his forehead as if checking his temperature. In reality, Miraj didn''t know how to check it. "You want me to licky-licky the wound?"


    "Since when did you have a medicinal tongue? Forget it. I will get someone else to check it. As for your big buddy, give him some food and let him go. He needs to hibernate in the winter."


    Miraj nodded obediently and jumped back onto the hart. "Let''s go, Big Charles Leonardo. I will give you food and tuck you back in your sleeping spot."


    "..."


    ''So Chonky woke the poor thing up? And he already forgot the name...''


    He watched them leave, took a deep breath and stood up, feeling sore throughout. ''Where is everyone else... Ah! There they are.''


    "Max!" Felix came running the fastest and started patting Sylvester all around. "Are you okay? That mad thing."


    "Shockingly, yes, I''m good. Just some pain in the back." He replied. But above all, he was feeling hungry.


    "Show me!" Felix pushed him to show the wounds.


    Sylvester noticed that Lady Aurora was alsoing to him, so he decided to show the wounds and see what she said. This way, he can get help without asking.


    "Look at the back. I think the Shadow Knight touched that part and likely burnt it." He guessed.


    Just then, Lady Aurora arrived and looked at it closely. "Hmm... you''re lucky. It seems that the patch of skin ispletely dead. But since you''re alive, it likely didn''t reach your organs."


    "Let me cut this part out." Sir Dolorem prepared knives.


    Sylvester quickly put his robes down and stood up. "No, thank you. I would rather have a professional look at it. Let''s just reach Count Jartel first. The mission is still important."


    ''And I''d rather not suffer from a sudden infection due to your dirty unsanitized knives and dressing.''


    When they started walking away, Miraj returned and took his prized throne to Sylvester''s shoulder. They didn''t leave right away, however. First, they ate some breakfast the remaining toon had cooked.


    Then, they gathered what was left of the dead knights and the wizard. So at least the church can hand them to their families. Yes, clergymen were supposed to cut all ties, but everyone knows that to many, their love for parents can never be erased entirely.


    After that, they finally headed towards the castle of Count Jartel and the town surrounding it. Sylvester remained in the luxury cabin of Lady Aurora, resting, as he still needed to recuperate the exhausted energy and magic.


    "How do you make your light solidify?" She suddenly asked.


    ''Spying? Or just curious?''


    "It just happens with a thought. I don''t do anything special. I bet even Gab can do it." He replied in a dismissive tone.


    She shifted into her seat as if ufortable. "Do you have any idea how wild your proposition is? No light wizard in history has ever been able to use light as a weapon--not against anything non-darkness rted. All the great Light wizards in history used fire or other elements in fights, but never light. Yet you somehow... was that really light?"


    "One hundred per cent." He blurted back.


    She felt cold on her tongue and didn''t speak any further. Her mind, however, was the opposite. ''No wonder he''s the precious boy of the church... no wonder father sent me with him in disguise to teach him. They want to protect him without hindering his growth.''


    Of course, she knew it was all her hypothesis, but it made a lot of sense to her. ''He''s merely a master wizard, and his light is already so strong... what happens when he''s a Supreme Wizard... O'' Lord Solis, have you taken birth yourself?''


    She just stared at him, his bright golden-blonde hair, his golden eyes. She couldn''t help but feel strange about it.


    "You can sleep, Archpriest Sylvester. I will wake you up when we reach." Sir Dolorem suggested to him.


    Sylvester was feeling like shit, however. For he knew what this night meant for his life. "Sir Dolorem, you already know what this attack means for the rest of my life."


    "Fucking hell!" Felix cursed again after he thought about it. He had been on edge since thest time, letting all the barriers over his tongue loose.


    Sylvester looked out of the window at the sky and muttered for all to hear. "My life that used to be harsh now will be hell. For the rest of my life... Until I can defeat the Shadow Knight--Each slumber I may spend in fright--that tonight he will return, tonight, for my life, I will fight!"


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 155 155. What A Good Start

    It was God''s grace that the rest of the journey didn''t face any problems, and they arrived at therge castle of Count Jartel. It was made of grey stone with a dense moat all around it. It was quite big in size, and the town around it was full of activities.


    "Even with all this wealth, the two brothers keep fighting," Sylvester muttered as they moved towards the castle''s drop bridge.


    "Greed and lust are among the hardest sins to control, Archpriest. If they had controlled them, they''d be clergymen, not nobles." Sir Dolorem replied.


    Sylvester silently chuckled, knowing that the clergymen were far from being pure in greed and lust. It was a human brain circuit that allowed all to feel these emotions. To control it is one''s choice, not God''s n. Even if one worships Solis day and night, they would still feel aroused when incited.


    "Felix. Get ready with your act. Sir Dolorem, you will stay with Felix and act against me. Gabriel, you are with me, and as for you, Lady Aurora. I don''t need you to participate, so you can just rx and do whatever you feel is right. I am too lowly to order you around." Sylvester briefed his team before they started this assignment.


    She nodded and silently kept staring outside. Ever since she saw Sylvester stopping the Shadow Knight, all she could think about was how he was able to do what he did. She thought about the story her father told her about finding Sylvester.


    That a vision had told him to go south, and when he did, after months of travel and search, just at the right time, they stumbled across this far away unknown vige where a child was about to be burnt.


    And that child turned out to be the lord''s bard, who shimmered in her father''s arms and shone bright like the sun. Of course, the part about him peeing on her father was something she learnt from others.


    But all those things and all the other legends about Sylvester being wise beyond his age were slowly making them clear to her. It was frustrating to her, in reality, because she too wished to get stronger and reach the peak¡ªbe the first Guardian of Light.


    "Max, where is your rank te?" Gabriel asked him suddenly, pulling her thoughts back.


    Sylvester looked at his chest. "Ah, I think it got lost when fighting the Shadow Knight. I will get another once we return to the Holy Landter."


    "Halt!"


    The guards of the castle stopped their little procession on the way. They only had ten members of the toon left. Two were steering the carriage, and the rest were on their horses, four at the front and four at the back.


    Sylvester shoved the papers pertaining to his identity and the reason for his visit to the guards. Then once they verified it from the inner castle, they dropped down the bridge over the moat.


    "It seems the Count has increased the security now." Felix noticed there were too many guards armed to the teeth.


    "Anyone would after their wife is kidnapped and killed from their house," Gabriel added.


    Soon the carriage rolled through the castle walls and arrived at the front yard of the castle. It was a well stone-paved courtyard with many flower pots around the corners. There was even a little pond with ducks in it.


    It was clear that the Count was not poor at all. But Sylvester had, in fact, underestimated how rich the man he was about to meet was.


    The moment their carriage stopped near the castle gates, a little crowd of people came out to greet them. They were likely the family members of the Count.


    As per the protocol, Lady Aurora got out first and was announced by one of the knights moving with them. "Tenth Guardian of Light, Lady Aurora Foxtron, is here. With God''s Favoured, Lord''s Bard, Sylvester Maximilian, and Sword of Solis, Felix Sandwall."


    Just as they all got off, a fat, tall, white man shifted forward. He was so fat that even his under-chin had an under-chin. Moreover, he had a belly so fat that he could sire five babies simultaneously. And, of course, he was balding from the top, with shoulder-length brown hair falling from his sides.


    Over his fat piggy body, he donned an oversized tunic with leather armour over it and breeches underneath. But the most striking feature was the abundance of gold. The man wore more gold rings than the number of his fingers, and he also had earrings, nose-piercing, neck lockets and even gold bracelets.


    The man rubbed his hands as if sweating too much and bowed his head to Lady Aurora. "We didn''t know that respected the Guardian would being. We would have prepared a wee worthy of your name. But please, I shall ensure that the remainder of your visit is not unsatisfactory."


    Sylvester honestly felt a bit jealous of Lady Aurora. She was strong, and that was enough to make even a noble as high as a Count act like a lowly bootlicker. He reckoned even Dukes would act this way because she was not just any cardinal. She was a Guardian.


    Sylvester spoke up instead. "Count Jartel, I am Sanctum Inspector, Sylvester Maximilian. The Holy Land has sent me. Let''s go inside and speak calmly. I''m sure this heat is unbearable for all of us."


    It certainly was, especially for Count Jartel, as the fat folds on his body started to sweat profusely. The man seemed like a walking bucket of water.


    ''He even has a few gold teeth. I should keep him in suspicion as well¡­ who knows she killed herself to save herself from this monstrosity.''


    They were invited into the castle and taken to the sizeable throne-room-like hall where a long table was set. There were a few more people, some old and some kids.


    ''Amazing, I can feel air flowing throughout the hall. Did he employ wizards to ce some sort of venttion runes?'' Sylvester felt the strangeness of the castle. Not to mention, wealth was unted everywhere, from silk curtains to gold-ted chandeliers.


    The Count had understood by now that Sylvester was the leading man here as Lady Aurora took a backseat. So he introduced his family and staff to him.


    "Archpriest, this is my daughter Urs. She''s a ripe fourteen. I''m looking for good suitors for her." The man introduced the big girl just like her father. Fatness seemed to run in the family as nearly everyone was fat.


    "These are my brothers after that despicable Raftel, youngest to the oldest. Aurolis, Martel and Milton. This is my youngest son, just ten, Willis."


    Sylvester nodded at everyone and received their formal greetings. He was trying to sense any negative smell from them, but until now, all he smelled was some worship and excitement to be seeing him. He was obviously a legend among the nobles by now.


    Then Count Jartel introduced him to a cripple on a wooden wheelchair, a bit too excitedly. "This man is Sir Walder Cain, the Prima of this County, the man behind my riches. He''s a genius when ites to business."


    Sylvester looked at the man with interest as he felt a high level of worship from him and also some level of adoration.


    The man was thin, like a frail stick. He had shoulder-length grey hair and a stubble beard. He had tanned skin and brown eyes, along with a little scar near his mouth, appearing to have been a stab wound.


    The man straightened his back and bowed his head. "It''s a great honour to finallyy my eyes on the miracle born, Lord Bard. I''ve heard so much about you. The bards sing your name and deeds every single day in the town''s square. I always wished to go on pilgrimage to the Holy Land one day and see you, but these feet."


    "What happened to your legs?" Sylvester asked.


    Count Jartel sighed from behind. "Tragedy¡ªa horse ident. But thankfully, his brain didn''t cripple, bwahaha."<sub> </sub>


    ''Did this man really lose his wife?'' Sylvester felt awkward hearing the Count''sugh.


    Sir Walder seemed to have the same idea as his face didn''t show any kind of smile. So instead, he tried to reach Sylvester''s hand. Sylvester responded in kind and let him.


    "Lord Bard, Lady Marce was an amazing person. She had a pure heart, prayed to Solis thrice a day and cared for the people like her own children. She didn''t deserve the fate she received¡­ please bring justice to this heretic folly."


    Sylvester nodded as he felt the man''s concerns in the smell of worry and anxiety. He seemed truly disturbed by the woman''s death. That made him look to his side in wonder if one of them had killed her. His suspicion was going towards the Count, his brothers and even his extra healthy daughter.


    ''I will need to interview all of them.'' He decided.


    "I will need to speak with everyone alone, one by one. Priest Felix, arrange everything." Sylvester ordered.


    Felix, however, relegated the task to Gabriel while showing a scornful face. "Priest Gabriel can do it."


    The Count rubbed his sweaty hands and started smiling. "Lord Bard, let''s have supper first, and then we can continue?"


    "That is eptable."


    So in the same hall, they sat around the long dining table. ves and servants soon started to bring out food and decorate the table with various forms of cuisine. Entire cooked animals were present; vegetables, butter, milk, and sugary items were there. The secret to the great bellies of the Count and his family had been revealed.


    Thankfully, they were smart enough not to bring in wine, as nobles usually drink. However, when Sylvester thought they were smart, the so-called ripe fourteen daughter of the Count started throwing a tantrum.


    "Where is the wine? Daddy, you know I can''t eat without wine. Argh¡­ my throat feels like burning without it!"


    "Dear, drink some water." The Count suggested.


    But, she kept screaming as if she would die at any moment while holding her neck. "Ugh¡­ no water! Only wine!"


    Sylvester looked at the ashamed faces of the Count and his brothers, along with their wives. Then he nced at his side, where Felix was holding hisughter. Sir Dolorem, Gabriel, and Lady Aurora seemed disgusted.


    The Count looked at Sylvester. "Lord Bard¡­ if you may allow, can I¡­ let my daughter dri¡­"


    Bam!


    Lady Aurora annoyedly mmed her hand on the table angrily. "I wonder if the Archbishop of the county is doing his work in instilling religious discipline in nobles. Such a nuisance at the dinner table¡ªit is damnable!"


    The Count sweated hard. He dared not disrespect a Guardian, or else even the King of Gracia couldn''t save him.


    Pa!


    The Count pped his daughter right then and there, so loud it rang like a whip. "Silence, you insolent brat! Once I send you off in marriage, I will see if you still dare throw these tantrums. Now eat in silence or leave!"


    The girl started crying. "Daddy¡­ you hit me? I-I¡­ hate you!"


    The Count coldly shook his head. "I should have pped you years ago, foolish child. Now shut up, or expect many more ps."


    Sylvester knew the Count was faking it. He could smell his frustration and anger directed towards Lady Aurora. ''Definitely one of the prime suspects.''


    "My lord, milk?" a servant came to his side with a jug in hand to fill his ss.


    Sylvester let it be refilled and continued eating dinner. But his focus was only on the Count and his actions, so he didn''t notice Miraj''s suspicious activity.


    Bam!


    nk!


    Sylvester looked at his hand quickly and noticed Miraj had pped the steel ss away, letting it fall to the ground.


    Miraj whispered near his ear right then. "Maxy! Poison milk!"


    Not even doubting Miraj''s words, Sylvester stood up angrily, grabbed the servant''s feeble thin neck, and lifted him into the air. "Who ordered you to poison me?"


    Shhh!


    The sound of unsheathing swords echoed as Felix and Gabriel jumped to his side while Sir Dolorem watched his back. The toon men circled around the table so no one could escape.


    Lady Aurora stood up too and red at the frightened Count. "What is the meaning of this, Count? You daremit heresy?"


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 156 156. Sylvester, The Versatile Superstar

    There was a tense silence in the hall as the swords were pointed at all the nobles in the room. Even the Count felt he''d be killed by the sword of Lady Aurora the moment he moved wrong.


    He stuttered and sweated. "M-My Lady¡­ I¡­ I don''t know what''s going on¡­ T-Th¡­"


    Sylvester was not a fool, however. "I know. You''d be the mightiest fool in the world if you dared to attack me or any of us in your own castle. Even if you could have killed me, Lady Aurora would have uprooted your entire Countyter."


    Lady Aurora firmly nodded in affirmation.


    "So, this servant did it on someone else''s order. It''s unknown if their goal was to create distrust among us or truly harm me. You speak, or I shall snap your neck." He red into the servant''s eyes as the man wriggled, trying to catch his breath.


    "I-I was offered money to add something to your drink¡­ I didn''t know it was poison."


    Sylvester could smell the lie as clearly as a dirty Miraj after his ying hours. "Speak the truth! Who offered you the money?"


    "I don''t know, my lord! He was wearingrge robes, and it was dark! He just gave me the money and said if I don''t do it now, then he will return to kill me."


    Sylvester released him and let him fall. "Well, congrattions, you''re still going to die for heresy."


    "It must have been Raftel! That little twat!" Count Jartel barked in anger.


    But almost instantly, the second inmand of the Count, Sir Walder, spoke from his wheelchair. "My lord, please control your anger. Let''s not lose our rationality. Count Raftel is not foolish enough to do something so obvious. Until now, he hasmitted to saying he didn''t harm Lady Marce, so he has no reason to dig deeper into the trouble."


    Sylvester nced at the crippled man. He was not in awe as anyone could realise this observation. But he felt a hint of disgust in him. ''Does he dislike the Count? Is it physical disliking or personal?''


    "Lock him up. I wish to interrogate himter. But, for now, we shall be moving to the Monastery for the night''s sleep. Nobody wishes to eat dinner anymore, I suppose, lest one of us may drop dead from some vorful poison." Sylvester snarkily said, taunting them all to get someone to show an emotion he could count on.


    "Woof! Wowoo!"


    Sylvester turned to the side as a big cute dog came running, wagging his tail and tongue excitedly. It was a wolf-like breed, likely, but too friendly apparently as the furry white boy jumped to y with him.


    "Raftel, sit!" Count Jartel shouted.


    "..."


    The name stupefied Sylvester. "You gave the dog your brother''s name?"


    The Count shrugged and called the dog towards him to pet it. "Raftel started it by naming his dog Jartel¡­ me! It''s the highest level of disrespect."


    He sighed and ignored this little squabbling of brothers. He was here to stop the war, and that''s what he would focus on. But that didn''t mean he didn''t like dogs.


    "Come here, boy." He called the wolf-like dog, akin to a husky but more ferocious.


    Soon, wagging his tail, the dog reached him. So Sylvester took out one of the small dried chicken pieces that Xavia packed for him and gave it. "Sit."


    "Woof!"


    "Shake hand."


    "Woof!"


    "Roll."


    The dog did everything, certainly a well-trained one. So Sylvester gave him a few more treats, and felt somewhat refreshed with that little interaction. He knew dogs and simple pets can be very good anti-depressants at times.


    ''Maybe I should get a dog for mum. She must wish to have somepany when I''m gone¡­ or else she might fall into that Great Mother''s activities.''


    "Respected clergy¡­ I shall guide you to the Monastery." A man entered in Priest''s clothing. Clearly, he was a member of the Monastery, and this time the Monastery was a huge one since it was the office of the County''s Archbishop.


    Sylvester nced. "What''s your name, Priest, and do you have prison cells under the Monastery?"


    The Priest, a middle-aged man on the brink of balding, nodded with great reverence. "I am Priest Herman, Lord Bard, and yes, we do have jails in the cer."


    Sylvester caught the servant who mixed poison by the cor and dragged him along. "I will need to interrogate him. Help me bring him along, Priest. As for Count Jartel, I humbly request that you don''t leave the County until I am done with the investigation. I willter call you and your family one by one for an interview in the Monastery. Have a good night."


    With that, they all took their leave, leaving behind a confused and fuming Count Jartel. The man was not angry at Sylvester but at his brother, as he still believed he was responsible for his wife''s death and today''s poisoning attempt.


    "My Lord, you can trust him." Said the Prima of the Count, Sir Walder. "You are as aware of his prowess as anyone else. The bards sing his praises non-stop."


    "One week! If he can''t find the culprit at that time, I shall raze Raftel to the ground."


    ¡­


    As Sylvester walked out and got onto the carriage, he noticed a lot of people gathered in the distance in the town''s square.


    "What''s happening there?" He asked.


    "That''s the bard, sire. They sing and tell stories every night there, as Lord Jartel believes that the best way to keep the people happy is to keep them entertained, as it''s the best way to forget some of the hardships in life." The Priest answered.


    ''The count seems better than most others.''


    But again, if a man can rise to be a Count, even if inherited, it means they have some prowess. Because inheriting a title is easy, but maintaining it is hard. Same as his case, where he has to keep singing to maintain the buzz and poprity.


    "Let me see what they sing about." He muttered and walked to the crowd. It seemed like a dug-out amphitheatre, and the people were sitting with discipline, though some shouts were apparent asionally.


    At that moment, a y seemed to be going on. What story it was, he didn''t know. But after it ended, a single man appeared with a in and simple mandolin. He was wearing nice silk clothes and appeared to be a performer of sorts.


    Then, he sang with full emotions and music, of course, not as good as Sylvester, but this was more entertaining and exciting for the crowd.


    ?Comes here, your favourite travelling bard, after a journey so hard.


    To sing the song that matters, one of the great bard''s life chapters.<sub> </sub>


    The story of thend in the south, the miracle of the light.


    Oh, his might, so bright that against it¡ªnone can fight.?


    ?The miracle born to spread his love, all around and above.


    He is one in a million, his name is Sylvester Maximilian.


    The bard of the Lord, the apostle of the god.


    He shall judge the sinners, and give faithfuls a reward.


    He will mesmerise you with his musical chord.?


    ?Hear his adventures, for he protects the innocents from the darkness.


    Heid siege on the evil with the mighty light he could harness.


    But wait! It''s not just his light, for even his spear shines with sharpness.


    Bloodling of the cave! Bloodling of the mountains.


    He''s the light that leaves all such evil as nothing but a carcass.?


    "Sing with me!" The bard started to y the mandolin loudly while the people pped in rhythm.


    ?O'' Holy Wizard, your magic heals our plight.


    O'' Holy Knight, we respect your might.


    O'' Bard of Light, you shine so bright! Your songs are a delight!


    O'' Man of faith, you we invite¡ªin our hearts, let the blessings ignite!?


    "Look at his face! That smugness! He''s enjoying it." Felix barked all of a sudden amidst thebined singing of the crowd.


    Sylvester didn''t even refute him as he felt pumped by thebined singing. It was like sitting in an arena, and the people screamed for you. This was the proof he needed that showed his work was not for nought. He was sessfully bing popr and building a narrative that he was the saviour.


    ''Good good¡­ I just need to enter the lives ofmoners slowly and then¡­ even the clergy can''t reject me from bing a Pope, no matter my age.''


    Gabriel chuckled at the side. "He deserves it, you know. He has saved so many people, so it was just a matter of time before the legend spreads."


    For Sylvester, it was even better that nobody called him God''s Favoured. But instead, they called him Lord''s Bard. This ensured that he could develop his own unique identity instead of going on the hype of God''s Favoured.


    "Let''s move!" Sylvester left the arena and let the crowd enjoy.


    They soon arrived at the giant Monastery building, made to look like a castle as well, but it was too big and spread out instead of going high. There was no moat, however, instated there was a tall boundary wall. It was amon consensus among all nobles that if they made war on each other, then they could not touch the Monastery normally. This way, the Monastery didn''t have to spend much on anti-war safety.


    It was already night, so most of the clergymen had gone to sleep, as the many windows appeared dark. But, a man in red silk robes with golden embroidery stood at the gate of the Monastery. On his head was a very intricate mitre as well.


    Sylvester walked up to the man and saluted seriously. "I pay my respects to the Archbishop."


    The Archbishop appeared to be an average dark-skinned, middle-aged man with ck hair and eyes. He was not as tall as Sylvester, however, and his build was on the thin side¡ªlikely a wizard only. Nevertheless, his face appeared amicable.


    He, too, saluted back. "Wee to my monastery, Lord Bard¡­ and Lady Tenth. Please,e in. I''m sure you''d wish to do your night prayer before sleeping."


    ''He does not seem like a bad man. The scent of real worship and admiration¡ªcloves is there. But I can''t keep him out of suspicion either, for he holds a lot of authority in the County."


    "Please lead us, your grace," Sylvester responded.


    As they walked, the Archbishop told them about the ce. "It''s a sad thing what happened to Lady Marce. She was a gentle soul and a firm believer. This monastery holds two bishops, four Archbishops, twenty priests and eighty deacons, yet we couldn''t administer the faith properly."


    "It''s not your fault, your grace," Sylvester replied, also hoping to get something back. "Evil generally hides even among the kindest hearts without oneself knowing. Who knows whomitted this folly? Anyhow, what are your thoughts on the Count and his family?"


    The Archbishop blurted quickly. "They are good people, Lord Bard. But I can''t say the same about the Prima, Sir Walder. He''s a bit¡­ strange to me."


    ''Oh! What''s this? Animosity? I smell strong hatred¡­ and anger. Interesting!''


    "Why?" He pushed further.


    The Archbishop appeared to struggle to find words. "He''s just¡­ he''s not a very religious man. He also controls the money flow in the County."


    "Hasn''t he enriched the county, however?"


    "Yes, he has. But he stands against the faith¡­ he keeps cutting the budget allotted to the Monastery every year. How can such be eptable?"


    Sylvester could smell that lie from a mile away. ''What''s the real reason for that hate, Archbishop? I guess only time will tell.''


    _______________________


    [A/N: Sorry for the dy, I had to write a lot more for the privilege.]


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 157 157. Acting

    "Meow!"


    "What?"


    "I sleep here!"


    Sylvester looked at Miraj with doubt. "What are you nning? You never before demanded to sleep by my chest. You¡­ Chonky, by any chance, are you jealous?"


    "What? No! I''m not jealous of anyone. That''s so immature, pfft."


    ''Yeah, pure lies.'' Sylvester chuckled and let the furry cat enter his nk.


    "Dogs are cute and dumb creatures, Miraj. Trust me, they will nevere close to how good you are. Besides, can they also be my cute little bank?" He asked him.


    Miraj happily tucked himself near his chest and felt the warmth on a winter night. "I''m the best Chonky bank. Yes, doggies are dummies. But I don''t care about them. They are too beneath me¡­ I''m not jealous of them."


    "Of course, why would a mighty tiger be jealous of little puppies." Sylvester pointed his palm at the candle near the door of the small room and sent out a gust of air. "Good night, Chonky. We''re going to have to work really hard starting tomorrow."


    "This pussy is always ready, Maxy!"


    "..."


    "Chonky, remind me to start teaching you about vocabry and its double meaning from tomorrow¡ªagain!"


    "Okie."


    In a minute, Chonky was heard snoring already, while Sylvester was still thinking about work and who was the real culprit because he realised his ability to smell emotions wouldn''t help too much. Because everyone has something to hide and lie about, everyone is imperfect¡­ so they are all bound to raise the rm to him.


    ''I should send Felix and Sir Dolorem to Count Raftel. I also need to find a useful thing for Lady Aurora, or else keeping her fed and entertained is a waste of resources. Maybe I can use her name to scare some fools.'' he nned silently.


    It was a daily routine for him to fall asleep while thinking. But now, a few more nightmares awaited him as he''d never know when the Shadow Knight woulde and attack him.


    Was the only way out of this situation to get stronger and kill the Shadow Knight? Unfortunately, there was only one way to know the answer to that.


    ¡­


    In a room adjacent to Sylvester''s, a woman more than a hundred years old rxed in her bed and thought about a boy. But, of course, it was not in any unholy way, for she was the loyal woman of faith.


    ''Why does he not act like a real teenager? When I was seventeen, I was obsessed with Sir Kristen and acted like a total fool all of the time. So why is Sylvester so different? It can''t be just his life experiences since I faced hell too. Even when he japes with his friends, it feels misced.''


    ''How is he so level-headed? How did he find the milk had poison in it? Are all men destined to be the Pope one day like this? Was the holy father like this too? Is Sylvester going to be the Pope one day?''


    She had a million questions, and each one interested her in following Sylvester for the rest of her life to see where his fate would lead him. What hurdles will he cross over?


    For now, she had surely lost all her sleep. Especially because the scene of Sylvester using his light against the Shadow Knight kept reappearing in her mind.


    ¡­


    In another room, a boy had decided not to sleep, for he was disgusted at his own weakness. He ridiculed himself for being called the Sword of the Lord, as he couldn''t even protect his best friend.


    How was he to stand beside Sylvester when thetter one day ascends to new heights? Won''t he be a weakling? It was uneptable! Absolutely uneptable! He had spent his entire childhood training and now was not the time to rx.


    Until he reached the peak of his magical and knightly talents, there was no point in calming down. Nobody will save him. Neither the church nor his family. All he had were his friends, but if he remains a weakling, then even they can''t help him in the long run.


    ''I am a failure¡­ but more! If Sylvester is the light that outshines all, I will be his shield that blocks all the darkness. I have peak Knightley talent, and I shouldn''t stop until I sit at the top.''


    Woosh!


    In his room, he used a sword many times heavier than his standard sword in hopes of training his muscles to get stronger and thrust more power with the minimum amount of motion.


    ''Day or night, I must never stop training. Every chance I get, I should be able to make myself better¡­ enough to stand side by side. Ha!''


    ¡­


    Sylvester knew that his actions affected many people. But he never knew that Felix felt this way about him. If he did, he would have tried to help him get better. But, he supposed Felix had some self-respect that wouldn''t allow him to take his help. The same was the case with Sir Dolorem.


    But the problem with the old man was that his peak was not that high. He had already hit his magical peak, and only his knightly talent needed to rank up to Golden Knight level.<sub> </sub>


    This was a problem that Sylvester had noticed. No matter who is beside him, if they are not monsters of Lady Aurora''s level, they are bound to feel inferior. But, of course, he had no idea he had managed to even make Lady Aurora jealous of him.


    Sylvester also wished to find ways to make his allies stronger without doing something illegal, such as body muttion, to gain more power. That''s what genuinely evil wizards do. Other than that, all he could think about was magical weapons.


    He had only seen magic canons on the ship as magical mechanical weapons all this time. There were no other weapons that were small enough to be handheld or dangerous enough.


    ''I don''t wish to bring uncontroble handheld weapons into this world. They may create more trouble than help.'' Sylvester thought as he got up from the bed.


    The only person in the group he didn''t worry much about was Gabriel. Although he may have the magical talent just to be a Master Wizard and Knightly talent to be a Diamond Knight, it didn''t matter much as he was more inclined towards religion studies. In addition, light magic would help Gabriel to at least be a Cardinal Suprima.


    "Maybe we need to choose a specialisation. Even I need to select a specialisation. Illusion, mind and temporal magic seem the most lucrative to me. And since I will learn metal maniption anyway, I can easily diversify my strengths from being light-based to much more."


    "Maxy! You talk to yourself too much." Miraj also woke up andined.


    Sylvester, without asking, made some water appear in his palm and wiped Miraj''s sleepy face as if he was a baby. It was an ongoing joke that Miraj adopted him. The truth was the opposite, instead.


    "I talk to myself because I know myself the best. Now let''s go. We need to start the next phase of the n." He pocketed his items and headed out to the town.


    He didn''t find anyone other than Garbiel, so he ate breakfast and headed towards the Count''s castle in the middle of the town.


    As he walked the streets, he saw the roads were full of activity. There were fruit and vegetable stalls on the sides and carts going to and from the road. More shops were also scattered around the town, selling everything from steel items and gold jewellery to baked bread. Clearly, Jartel County''s economy was flourishing more than one could imagine.


    But then he noticed an extraordinary thing. The people, mostly the buyers, were not from the East side of the Sol. Many of the crowd appeared to be brown-skinned, wearing western clothes, mainly from the Masan Empire. A cloth turban with various head decorations, the torso covered with mainly sandy-white tunics, cotton pants, and leather boots.


    They seem to be buying items in bulk. And that made him wonder if the Masan Empire had good trade rtions with at least the northern part of Gracia Kingdom due to close proximity.


    "Sylvester, I need some funds." Just then, out of nowhere, Felix approached him and requested money openly.


    Sylvester looked left and right to see if Felix was talking to some other Sylvester, as Felix did not need to ask him for money. He was a rich man already.


    ''Ah! So that''s it.''


    He soon noticed the winking from Felix and went along with the whole y. "What money? I just gave you some yesterday. Did you squander it again?"


    Felix scoffed. "Just give me my share of the allotted money, and I''ll be done with it. I have my needs to be taken care of."


    Sylvester folded his arms and made sure he was audible enough for all the drama-hungry passersby who had started to surround them. "The money was given to me to be used for work. And I am allowed to give it or take it as per my authority."


    Felix pointed his finger angrily. "You have no authority! So what if you''re one rank higher than me? We''re both designated as the same. My administrative rights equal yours, so give me my share!"


    "Imand you, Priest Felix. Do not be so foolish! I am the head of this assignment!"


    Woosh!


    Felix unsheathed his sword in anger. "I will not take a no today! I want my share as per my rights."


    Sylvester frowned and prepared his spear as well. "Are you sure? Do you wish to fight your superior? Don''t be an immature child, Felix. The money is supposed to be for the goodwill of the people, not you."


    "Stop!" Sir Dolorem jumped between them all of a sudden. But he also took Felix''s side. "Archpriest, give him his money. You both share the same organisational rank. None of you is a senior to the other."


    Sylvester put away his spear. "Fine, go ahead and squander the church''s money on your useless leisure."


    "Let''s go, Sir Dolorem. We''re clearly not wee here. I''ve had enough of this joint investigation. I shall do mine from the other side¡ªmyself!" Felix haughtily took the bag of money and left.


    Sylvester was left alone, with people around him feeling bad for him as he only stuck to his duties during the exchange. As per the n, in this county, Felix was the viin.


    ''Goodd! Let''s hope this game gives us a good return.''


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 158 158. Mystery Goes Deeper

    The little fight was witnessed by all themoners and a few clergy members from the monastery. It was given that the words would reach far and wide, even to the county across.


    Sylvester expected Felix was going to be received warmly when he reached Raftel county. But, he thankfully sent Sir Dolorem along because sometimes Felixcked critical thinking in the heat of the moment. It was not his fault, however, he was just too young and inexperienced.


    ''Alright, let''s move on with my investigation.''


    With Gabriel, he reached the Count''s castle again. As for Lady Aurora, he had no idea where she even was. Nor did he bother as she was strong enough to care for herself. Even if someone strong attacked her¡ªsomeone stronger than her, she''d still be able to send signals, at the very least.


    Sylvester looked around at the castle''s training fields and found the Count''s brothers and their kid''s training, along with a few knights in neat shining armour.


    Milton, Count''s third brother, walked up to him and greeted him. "Good morning, Lord bard. Is there anything I can help you with?"


    Sylvester took out a parchment and handed it to the man. "Here is the list. I shall await for people toe and give me their statements as per the list and timings. This is to officially clear the names of the close family members and focus on the culprit outside."


    Milton, who was merely a Knight, looked left and right and got closer to Sylvester. "My lord, are you sure about this? I remember my elder brother having a loud argument with his wife¡ªit was bout some debauchery. My brother used her of lying with a knight from the capital."


    Sylvester didn''t take the man''s words seriously. He was the second in life to take the mantle of the Count since the Count''s son was too young. So he had too much to win if the Count was found guilty. Not to mention, the scent also gave him mixed signals.


    "Then why does he use Count Raftel?"


    Milton whispered again. "This is a family secret¡­ I hope you don''t reveal it to others. Lady Marce and Count Raftel used to be lovers. But then our father set the eldest brother, Jartel''s marriage with Lady Marce, as she was the only daughter of the most respected Baron of our County. This is one of the reasons why father divided thends to keep the two brothers away from each other."


    ''Okay, this part is not a lie.'' Sylvester didn''t smell any aroma this time. But, this was a clue that was only useful as gossip.


    "Did Count Jartel love Lady Marce?" He inquired.


    "Of course! Even I loved Lady Marce¡­ I mean, akin to a big sister¡ªmother. She was a woman devoted to Solis and her husband. Her days would start thinking about the family and would end with it too. She would never participate in an affair. So that only leaves Raftell, who may still be angry."


    Sylvester rubbed his face in annoyance. ''This is such a strange situation. But the truth will onlye out if I also interrogate Count Raftel.''


    "Thank you for the well-needed clues, Sir Milton. Please inform the family members to appear in the monastery ording to this list. This in itself will take us a long time. So the sooner it''s done, the earlier we can finish the case." Sylvester warned.


    "You better finish it by the end of the week, lord bard. My brother has said he will only wait seven days for you to progress. If he sees nothing, he will attack Raftel."


    ''Fuck!'' Sylvester internally cursed. ''There goes my sleep.''


    "Understood. Do as I say, for now. Thank you for the cooperation, Sir Milton." Sylvester left the man to prepare to speak with Felixter that night.


    ¡­


    Raftel County


    "Wee, God''s Favoured. I heard you''d be arriving soon to investigate." Count Raftel greeted Felix and Sir Dolorem.


    The man appeared the pr opposite of his brother. He was tall and so thin it seemed the wind would blow him away. His robes seemed like curtains. The only simrity was in the facial features and colour of the hair. And, of course, there was a mean-looking dog beside him, akin to a bull dog but tall.


    "This is my dog, Jartel. Boy, say hello."


    "Woof!" The dog tried to jump and bite Felix with its dangerously sharp jaws.


    Felix tried to keep himself as gathered as Sylvester. "Thank you for receiving me, Count Raftel. Let''s go inside and talk about this case. I''m sure you also wish to get this mess over with if you''re truly innocent."


    Count Raftel scoffed. "Of course, I am innocent. That buffoon is making things up because his wife cheated on him, for which I won''t me her. Nobody in their right mind would wish to be under that fat toad. He likely killed her and now mes me."


    Felix nodded. "That is for the faith to decide now since both of you have agreed to an independent investigation. Can you tell me more about this debauchery allegation?"


    The Count nodded. "Just follow me in, please. Let''s sit in my sr and spark in calm."


    As they started walking behind the Count. Sir Dolorem tapped on Felix''s shoulder strongly and whispered. "You''re doing well, but you''re letting him steer the conversation. Don''t take anything he says at face value. Expect he''s lying about everything."


    Felix nodded and gazed at the old man thankfully. He knew he was new to this, but it wasn''t his fault that Sylvester was just too good at this stuff. "I will try to keep this act going and make him speak. He needs to befortable with me."


    Soon they arrived at the Sr of the Count. Simr to Jartel, Raftel was also rich as hisnds were incredibly fertile and connected with the river trading routes, which were much cheaper.<sub> </sub>


    But, unlike Count Jartel, it appeared that Count Rafel didn''t have the support of the family. It was just him in his county.


    "Count, what are your thoughts about the murder of Lady Marce? The way she was killed, her chest was cut apart, and her genitalia was vited."


    Count Raftel''s face instantly turned dark in sorrow, and soon anger rose. "Must be a fucking animal whoever did it! She was so kind¡­ Marce."


    Felix and Sir Dolorem looked at each other''s faces at this scene. It became clear that there was something deeper going on. This was not a man defending himself but a man grieving.


    "Do you have anyone in mind who''d wish to harm Lady Marce?" Felix inquired.


    "No! Not that I know of. She had no enemies, and the people loved her. I myself have ced a bounty of five thousand Gold Graces for whoever brings me her killer. I will not kill that person¡­ I will let them rot slowly with open wounds on which I shall throw salt every day¡­ Ah! Forgive me, Priest. I was out of line."


    Felix had a hunch that Raftel was likely not the man. But, he still didn''t wish to cross his name just yet. But, he had enough for now. "May I also meet the Archbishop of your county?"


    "Archbishop Gunar? He''s not here, I''m afraid. Just yesterday, he left to meet the Cardinal Suprima to discuss the end of hostilities. I don''t really want a war, Priest. I may have problems with my brother, but I am no kinyer," Count Raftel said, with confident eyes and a severe voice.


    ''That''s a very suspicious timing to be leaving behind the county. I need to talk to Max.''


    "Thank you for giving us your time, respected Count. We shall stay at the monastery and work to solve this issue."


    "Why? You can stay in the castle. It''s big enough for a hundred more men and women, and only my dog and wife live here." Count Raftel offered them.


    Felix was not dumb enough to stay in the den of the wolf he hade to hunt. "Thank you, but we are obliged to stay in the monastery. I will meet youter then."


    Sir Dolorem escorted Felix out as if he was the bodyguard, not speaking a single word. But after they had left the castle, he spoke. "I presume you also wish to speak with Archpriest Sylvester?"


    "I do. This whole case is too confusing. A man who has no reason to kill her seems like a killer, and who has all the reasons to kill seems innocent. Not to mention, everyone speaks so highly of Lady Marce, then why would anyone harm her? And what''s with chopping breasts?" Felix had a hundred questions in mind.


    "Maybe it''s religious?" Sir Dolorem added.


    Felix''s face paled suddenly. Of course, he knew the messed up rituals the more one goes north and west. The cultures were different even though they followed the same faith. "I hope it''s not. Human harm in religious work has been ouwed since the previous Pope''s rule."


    "As is demon-possessed and witch-burning, yet Archpriest Sylvester was nearly burnt alive at his birth."


    Felix scoffed. "That was on Max. He may be dumb back them, but even I''d scream demon if a baby started speaking."


    "A baby who also shines?"


    p "Yeah¡­ correction there. I''d have licked his feet if I had seen a shining baby who spoke." Felix jokingly said. "Anyway, how are we going to talk to him? He said he taught you something?"</anda>


    "He did. You will understand everything in the night."


    ¡­


    A few hourster, the sun had set, and the darkness embraced thends. The people went to sleep, but Sir Dolorem and Felix went to the edge of Raftel County and made a small tform for themselves to stand on using earth maniption, this way, they could look above the treeline.


    Sir Dolorem sat down with a parchment and charcoal pencil in hand.


    "What''s that?" Felix eximed as he noticed a blinking light in the distance.


    But confusing him even more, Sir Dolorem started writing something on the parchment. He looked down and frowned. "What are these dots and dashes? Is that Sylvester?"


    "He calls this morse code. Please let me focus now, Priest Felix."


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 159 159. Hey You!

    --... / -.. .- -.-- ... / ..-. --- .-. / .-- .- .-. / .-. .- ..-. - . .-.. / -- .- .-. -.-. . .-.. .-.. .- / .-.. --- ...- . .-. ¡­


    Sir Dolorem wrote down the dots and dashes and soon tranted them. "Seven days for war. Raftel Marce lovers?"


    Felix nodded at thest part. "I felt something was going on in his mind. The man seemed hurt by her death. But, he said she was a very devoted woman, so did she cheat on her husband? Sir Dolorem, tell Felix about the bounty thing and that the Archbishop here is missing."


    Sir Dolorem nodded and used a light crystal to send the signals back. Then soon, he received a reply. "Ah, so it was their father who fixed this marriage. So then Count Raftel does have a reason to harm her."


    They exchanged a few more words and soon decided to keep going, fishing deeper into the lives of the two counts. There was bound to be something. As for Sylvester''s side, he revealed that he''d being to Count Raftel''s territory soon to speak directly.


    ¡­


    Sylvester returned to his Monastery and took a rest for the night. He had already taken a big risk by going into the forest at night to speak with Sir Dolorem. But, he kept his mind alert to the cold so that if there was even a speck of temperature change, he would run away as it may signify the arrival of Shadow Knight.


    But thankfully, it seemed the Shadow Knight was not going to attack him so close to the civilisation. Which would allow him a few rare nights of good sleep.


    However, he was in a rush as well because in seven days, the war would begin. He won''t be able to do anything once the armies are face to face in the fields.


    Eventually, he woke up and headed to see the Archbishop of the county, Archbishop Raymond. The man was also under suspicion because there were a few red gs thest time they talked. He kept himself from telling the whole story, or at least, his hate towards the Count''s Prima was not just due to profession.


    "Good morning, your grace." Sylvester addressed the man as per the church''s rules.


    "Join me for breakfast, Lord Bard. I''m sure there are things you wish to talk about." The middle-aged man invited him, exuding positive energy as a whole.


    Sylvester followed him to a private eating chamber and took a seat. "I''m afraid this case is much moreplex than initially thought, your grace. So I am going to need your help. It hase to my knowledge that Count Jartel has unterally given us seven days to find the killer, or else he will wage war. We can not allow this, or else not just mine but your job will be in danger. Saint Wazir and even the Holy Father have told me to avoid a war at all costs."


    The Archbishop''s eyes nearly fell out of shock. He was an Archbishop, and the only time he met the Pope was when he got his Archbishop''s mitre for the first time in the ceremony. After that, he didn''t even get to meet Saint Wazir.


    But, on another thought, his jealousy also decreased, knowing Sylvester was a Sanctum Inspector, directly under themand of Saint Wazir. At the same time, he was a God''s Favoured, hence close to the Pope.


    However, that didn''t help the fact that he felt pressure on his shoulder. "What do you suggest, Lord Bard? I have tried all ways to stop the Count."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and quickly came up with a scheme. "Archbishop, are there any knights of high standing you know who are also single? How about you be the middleman and get that Knight to send a letter to the Count, showing interest in marrying his daughter? Set up a meeting for five days from now, when the Count has decided to start the war."


    The Archbishop sweated suddenly, pitying the Knight who marries that blob of meat and narcissism. "You want me to lie?"


    "No, I want you to set up a meeting. Just don''t tell the Knight what the woman looks like. I''m sure any Knight would jump at the opportunity to marry a Count''s daughter. Though I''m sure the man will reject her after seeing her, that will buy us some time." Sylvester suggested.


    It was the definition of throwing someone under a cart for one''s own gain. And in this case, they were nning to throw a poor knight under an elephant.


    The Archbishop hummed and thought about a perfect scapegoat who was greedy enough to agree to something like this blindly. "Hmm, there is this one Knight from the Duchy of Iceling that I met once. He''s so greedy that he once tried to sell his own brother to the Tower of Godless, but the ve market rejected his goods, saying it would bring too many problems. So he was stripped of his military power and is now just a knight in name, drinking and destroying his body."


    "Perfect!" Sylvester eximed. "We don''t need him to marry the daughter of the Count, Archbishop. We just need a distraction."


    Sylvester knew that it was perfectly possible that the Archbishop could be very loyal to the Count. So, he didn''t try to make it so that he was belittling the daughter of the Count. In addition, he was trying to instil fear of the church so the man would work with him¡ªno questions asked.


    "I will get to it then. I shall send a deacon with the letter to the Knight."


    "I will await your reply, Archbishop. Until then, I will go to the market and see how people are doing and their thoughts about the murder. What do you think about the people''s perception of the faith, however? How loyal are they?" He asked a veiled question.


    Instantly, he was hit with a strong aroma of excitement, worship and happiness. It seemed the man was really proud of his work. "They are utterly loyal, Lord Bard. They sing hymns daily, participate in mass gatherings in the church every few days, and donate to the Monastery.


    "They even call me old man because I care for them so much. I helped a lot of them to start a business by giving them interest-free loans to begin. It was a sess, and now there are so many shops in the county."


    ''So he''s also behind the prosperity? Then why is he against the Count''s Prima?''


    "What does Sir Walder do, your grace? He''s holding all the rights over the finances, right?" He questioned.


    Just like before, the Archbishop scowled. "He¡­ That hateful man. He is greedy and cares not about the faith. He even tried to tax the money I gave themoners to start their businesses. He''s always trying to take money from the Monastery''s coffers, even when there is aw to not touch the gold belonging to the faith."


    "Can you show me the registries?" He asked frankly.


    Sylvester smelled the anxiety in an instant. And now the Archbishop was at a point where he''d be creating suspicion if he denied. He had no choice but to agree with the Sanctum Inspector. "Sure, Lord Bard. But it''s filled with numbers, so be mindful not to be overwhelmed."


    "I will."<sub> </sub>


    He followed the man to the cer of the Monastery and into the vault. The gold was stored there, along with the important documents. The cer was specially treated to always be dry and ventted, it seemed.


    "This is the whole register that records all the ie and spending of the monastery." The Archbishop showed him a big book with hundreds of parchments. Even the ink was fading on a few pages.


    Sylvester opened a random page near thest page and looked at the numbers. It showed basic details about the expenditure and ie.


    "The ountant must be somewhere busy, so you will have to wait for him toe," the Archbishop said, a lie clearly.


    Sylvester started to read thest pages and see if the sheets were even tallying as the total amount at the end of the page must match everything else. He noticed all kinds of expenses, from food rations to candles and various rituals, from free food services for the poor to loan agreements to the people.


    However, he slowly started noticing a pattern with a particr field named ''Donations from the Count.''


    ''Hmm, the misceneous expenses are too high. Why are the donations not correctly showcased? Where''s all the money going?'' He wondered. Because as far as he knew, the money given by the Count must be ounted for as to where it was spent.


    But the same was not the case with the money received from the Holy Land. On the contrary, that money was clearly used for the good of the people and for running the Monastery.


    Page after page, he kept adding the discrepancies, and by thest line, he had a number in the head. The amount of money the Archbishop had embezzled was so high that even he felt jealous. ''My god, three million in two years. This money is enough to buy me many important crystals and resources.''


    He feigned ignorance and closed the book. ''The taste of tangerines is really clear from him. Why so anxious? Corruption is the lowest level of crime, after all.''


    But, he could not use the Archbishop without more proof. For that, he needed to go out and meet a few people who got loans from the church.


    "That''s a very well-kept record, Archbishop. I''m impressed. I''m sure I will do something simr when I be an Archbishop one day."


    The man smiled nervously and tried to act calm. "Haha, you speak too highly of me, Lord Bard. I''m sure you will outshine us when you take over a county."


    They two walked out to the ground floor together. Sylvester kept reading the man to catch any slip of the tongue. But it was hard since Archbishops are like senior politicians.


    nk!


    Ha!


    Thud!


    "What''s happening?" Sylvester frowned hearing the sound of shing swords and punches.


    They rushed quickly and ran out of the Monastery. And a big group of men appeared, in armour, wizard''s robes and a convoy of carriages.


    The Archbishop quickly took control of the situation. "What''s happening here?"


    In reaction, a priest came running, breathing heavily. "Y-Your grace! They say they are a crusader group! They are headed north to wipe out a bloodling infestation and wish to stay here for the night!"


    Sylvester narrowed his gaze at the armoured men, some with expensive shining ones and some with dirty ones. They appeared like a group of misfits just put together without much thought behind it. There was no clear voice of authority as everyone just did their own thing and walked around.


    ''No wonder crusades are crap.''


    "Hey, you! Blonde boy,e here and bring my luggage inside! I wish to rest inside before heading out again.''


    Sylvester narrowly nced at the man who was trying to order him around. He appeared to be a noble, with ck hair, a stubble beard and blue eyes. He was tall and broad, wearing shining armour with gold engravings here and there. The rank te revealed he was a Golden Knight, clearly.


    "Are you deaf? I am Prince Harpus Degracia, so you better behave or expect to be thrown to some backwater vige."


    "..."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin, wondering if this was perhaps the most courageous man or the dumbest.


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 160 160. Embezzler

    Sylvester had heard the name Degracia. It was a branch family of the main royal family of the Gracia Kingdom. It was not too powerful or wealthy outside the scope of the capital city, so it was amazing to see a mere boy from a branch family try to step on him.


    The Archbishop nearly boomed in anger, but Sylvester waved his hand and stopped him. "It''s fine. We can help these hard-working, devoted men, I believe. They travel in such fine carriages on the hard roads, away from their homes, and eat tasteless food. We should help them when we can."


    The Archbishop knew what Sylvester was doing. He had done it, and nearly every high-ranking clergyman does it. This tactic was called ''Let the enemy dig his grave deeper first.''. It was a simple concept to not disturb your enemy when he''s being a fool. Then when the time is right, you shatter their life.


    ''God save this young man.''


    Sylvester picked up the man''s luggage boxes and walked into the monastery''s empty guest room. "My Prince, why are these boxes so heavy? I''m sure they have your fine clothes and weapons."


    The Prince proudly puffed out his chest. "Of course. I am the leader of my Crusader unit. It is my duty to always be prepared with the finest clothes¡­ and weapons."


    ''God, how narcissistic this man can be. This is the first time I''m sensing thebined smell of cloves and roses.'' Sylvester was in awe of how dumb some nobles could be. Especially the new generations who lived their whole life in a bubble¡ªpampered.


    "Ah, this is your room, my Prince. If you need anything, just shout in the hallway, and someone wille to help." Sylvester ced the luggage and headed to leave.


    The Prince looked back at Sylvester and extended his hand. Sylvester was not going to kiss such filth in his life, so he just shook it and left. "It''s good to meet you, my Prince. I''m sure you will bring glory to the light and shine as the brightest beacon of light."


    The Prince smiled in satisfaction. "You say beautiful things, my fellow man of faith. How about you join my service? Maybe you can also bask in my brightness and radiate like a star?"


    ''Pfft¡­ this fucker.''


    "I would love to, my Prince. But I''m afraid I''m too low for this crusade¡­ too weak. I wish not to be a burden on you. Ah, you must be exhausted. Please have a good rest." Sylvester closed the door and left while giggling, imagining how he would mess with this boyter.


    He then headed out to do the normal work that he had nned. He needed to find clues and proof of the Archbishop''s corruption. And thanks to the ledger of the records of all the loans, he knew who the biggest takers of the loan were.


    He went directly to the shop¡ªa cksmith. It was famous in the town as it had simr branch shops with the same name around the whole town.


    Sylvester didn''t know who was the owner of it, but he didn''t need to meet him. The workers of the cksmith workshop were far more valuable as they would know all the gossip rted to their Lord.


    "My friend, how much will it cost me to sharpen this knife?" Sylvester took a random knife out of his inventory.


    The old man working at the shop looked at the knife and marvelled at it. "Ah, this one''s from the chief of desert cannibals? You must be powerful to have this. I can sharpen it for a mere silver crown, holy man."


    Sylvester nodded and handed a silver crown. "Then I shall wait while you do it."


    "Why wait outside? Come in and have a seat. I would love to hear some words of faith from you, as I rarely get time to pray these days."


    ''Good, give me all the good stuff.''


    "Why? I don''t see many customers around." He asked back. "Ah, forgive me, I am a travelling archpriest, working from one monastery to another, doing some little tasks."


    The best thing about Sylvester was how easily and neatly he could lie. Amon man can''t even notice his deception unless they know where to look.


    "I can understand. The work of a cksmith is such that when the times are bad, we make a fortune. The Count has called for his retainers to raise the banners and form the army. So we have too many orders for swords, arrows and all kinds of refitting work. The furnace is basically running night and day for the past three months."


    Sylvester noted that down in his mind and spoke a few good words. "Every man is born with a destiny, my friend. The Lord writes our fate even before we are born, for we are nothing but akin to a little worm. We live, we serve, and we die."


    "So I won''t be a sinner for making these tools of war?" The cksmith asked.


    In a saintly voice, Sylvester responded. "This is a question of moral ethics going back to the dawn of civilization. None have been able to answer it, but there''s a general consensus that no, you won''t be a sinner.


    "After all, a farmer can use his suckle to cut his crops or other men''s throats¡ªit''s all up to him. So if he one day does hurt someone, will the cksmith who made it be responsible?"


    The cksmith fell into silence and nodded continuously. Sylvester''s words resonated with his mind and gave him some peace. This meant the blood wouldn''t be on his hands.


    "Thank you for your words, Archpriest. People like you are like a beacon of light in times like these. So, may I know what you''re doing in this town?"<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester didn''t hide anymore. "I was sent here by the Holy Land to find the true murderer of Lady Marce and stop the two Counts from fighting.


    "..."


    The cksmith was left speechless, unable to believe he was talking to someone this high. "Haha¡­ you''re good at jokes, Archpriest."


    Sylvester stared at him. "Blonde hair, golden eyes. I''m sure you have heard the bards at night."


    nk!


    The knife fell from his hand, and he knelt down. "Ah! Lor¡­ Bard of Solis! My benevolent gods! How could I not see it? Forgive me, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester walked over and gave the man a small sugar candy. "It''s alright, my friend. I am but a servant of the Lord. None have any obligations to know my name, for living for the sake of fame is nothing but akin to lust¡ªa sinful shame!"


    The cksmith nodded and stood up to get back to work. "Thank you for your kindness, Lord Bard."


    "The pleasure is all mine. I didn''t get your name, however." Sylvester asked.


    "Oh, how insolent I am! My name is Fenris Wildback, my Lord. Ie from the north, where I learnt to smith. I work for Sir Renly, the greatest cksmith in the north!"


    Sylvester acted as if intrigued. "How did he get so big, though? Was he always this rich?"


    "No, no, my Lord. The monastery helped him a lot. He went to see the Archbishop and got a lot of loans with no interest. He then hired a few more men like me to work with him on his designs of armour and swords. These were the same swords used in the past skirmishes between the two counts, where Count Jartel won due to these weapons¡ªresulting in Renly being granted Knighthood."


    Sylvester nodded and talked a bit more with the man. Once his de was sharpened, he left for the next shop, a medical potioneer who makes not only magical potions but also normal concoctions. This was a single shop, but he reckoned the owner needed a loan because the materials for such a work cost a fortune.


    He tried the same tactics and used his poprity to get some answers.


    Slowly, one by one, he went to each shop and estimated the loan the monastery was giving away for no interest.


    By evening, he and Gabriel had not only met with the biggest loan takers but also the small ones. There were hundreds across the town, and a few names were even outside the town where they didn''t go.


    "What do you think, Max? Where is the Archbishop getting all this money from? I''m sure all the money Holy Land sends is only enough to run the monastery and some minor expenses. But to do something like this on this scale requires deep pockets." Gabriel asked him as they arrived in their rooms in the monastery.


    Sylvester was continuously writing on parchment, however. He was making some calctions, adding and subtracting a few things.


    "I think I am reaching an excellent guess as to why the Archbishop did this, Gab. Just a minute, I will have the final number then." Sylvester kept writing.


    Soon, an hour passed, and Sylvester finally ced his charcoal pencil down. "Ah! We were wrong, Gab. We were totally wrong about the Archbishop. He turned out to be a bigger genius than we ever imagined."


    "What is it, Max?"


    Sylvester shoved the papers at Gabriel. "Look at their numbers. All I remember from the ledger in the basement was the final total number. And if I add these new numbers that we gathered today as loans into the ledger''s total¡­ we find out the Archbishop is perhaps the smartest scammer ever!"


    Gabriel frowned since, to him, the numbers were very confusing. "Max! These numbers, what do they mean? What did the Archbishop do?"


    Sylvester chuckled. "He¡­"


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 161 161. Bad News

    "The Archpriest is¡­ he''s a man of the people, Gab. He scammed the money out of the Count''s pockets and helped people set up businesses. All this loan is, in reality, some of the misced money from the direct donations the Count makes to the monastery. But since, byw, the monastery must reveal the spending of this money, they had to find loopholes.


    "They did so by showing the missing money as misceneous expenses that added up in time to more than three million gold graces. This man is a genius at embezzling money, and he''s doing it for good. But¡­ it seems he''s in trouble with the Count''s Prima, who has likely found out the folly."


    Gabriel sipped in some cold breeze. Three million was an absolutely crazy number. "I don''t know if he''s a genius or mad. But, even if he''s caught, I don''t think he should worry. Because in the end, he did make the Count rich by making the people rich. More business means more tax."


    Sylvester agreed. "That''s what confuses me. The Archbishop has already done plenty of things, and he should have gone to the Count to show what a great job he has done and that they should implement the scheme more. So this could only mean that the Count''s Prima has some other dirt on the Archbishop. Maybe a woman or something, that''s the mostmon thing around."


    They couldn''t really find out the reason just by sitting there. So the best way was to search for it the next day. But Sylvester had also felt he needed to put this matter to the side and instead only focus on the killer. So he decided to go to the castle again and look for this knight from the capital that Sir Milton talked about.


    Why was a man from the capital there? What did he want? He needed to know everything. Even a clue as thin as a straw was appreciated as there was no other way to solve this mystery.


    ¡­


    In Raftel County,


    Felix had to deal with a different thing altogether. It turned out that the Count and his wife were overly kind and friendly to him. They held a good feast for him and happily participated in all investigations.


    Even the Count''s wife was as humble as the famous Lady Marce. But Felix reckoned the man probably looked for the second-best woman after the one he loved was taken from him.


    "Lady Melinda, may I ask if you ever had met Lady Marce?" Felix asked the blonde woman as it was her turn for interrogation. She was a pretty, middle-aged graceful woman of good stature. Definitely, some men would go crazy over her. And it appeared she knew it, apparent by her choice of dress.


    It was an intricately made red gown with golden embroidery. It was an off-shoulder gown, meaning the entirety of her neck and shoulders were clear to see¡­ and also a good part of her upper bust.


    Felix was a hard man in mind and could easily ignore the hardness in his pants. Even her sweet, melodious voice did not affect him.


    "Of course, she was like a sister to me. Although our husbands didn''t get along, we got along just fine. We''d even meet up every once in a while over our little wine dates. I''m going on a wine date with noble wives of minor lords after this too.


    "I must say, Lady Marce was like an elder to me who guided me in marriage. I know she''d had experience with my husband before me, so she told me many things on how to handle him."


    Felix didn''t ask her to borate as he felt she would say something inappropriate. By now, he knew she was only noble in looks, while in mind, she was a degenerate¡ªor something close like that.


    "Did you hold any hostilities with her because of her past rtionships with your husband?" he asked.


    She chuckled and put one finger under her chin while staring at Felix. "Dear, I''ve been with many men before I met my husband. I don''t see him getting riled up about it. Besides, Lady Marce is too stuck up in honour. She wouldn''t even take it in her mouth, I heard. She says it''s against the faith. Bullocks, I say¡­ mouth is where the real fun begins. If we don''t satisfy our husbands, they will eventually sniff around other women''s panties. But again, seeing Count Jartel''s pig-like body, I don''t think I would take it in my mouth either."


    "..."


    Felix moved on to the next question. "Thank you for your cooperation, Lady Melinda. For thest question, do you have anyone in mind who would want to harm her? Or maybe wish to harm her as retaliation against Count Jartel?"


    She shrugged gracefully. "I wouldn''t know about Count''s enemies. But, at least for my husband, I can confidently say that he''d rather slit his own wrist than harm Lady Marce. You see, my husband is still stuck up on her¡ªone of the reasons why we still don''t have any kids."


    "So you''re not involved with him?" Felix instinctively asked.


    She chuckled seductively. "Naughty boy, asking such questions. Well, I was very much involved¡­ he just didn''t go all the way with me. Sadly¡­ he sometimes calls me Marce in the middle of it¡­ I wonder what I''m doing wrong."


    There was genuine sadness on her face this time. And Felix could somewhat imagine how it could affect her mentally. He reckoned this was one of the reasons why she became so flirtatious over time¡­ unless she was always like this.


    Felix took out a little piece of strange root from his bag that Sylvester had given him to fight cold if he''s ever stuck somewhere. He had learnt that this peculiar root could also cause an intense erection.


    "Take this and somehow get your husband to eat it. Archpriest Sylvester, the Lord''s Bard, discovered it. Maybe this can help you¡­ as it causes some very much increased¡­ ugh¡­ thirst."


    Sheughingly got up from her chair and took the root. Then as she headed to the door, she winked at him. "Thank you, Priest Felix. You''re nothing like your dumb father¡­ I''m amazed."


    Felix chortled at that remark. "Yeah, most people say that. When did you meet him?"


    "Count Sandwall came here for trade-rted talks. He''s an abysmally boring man, I must say. Maybe you should teach him something¡­ and I can teach you some things?"


    "Like what?" Felix asked instinctively as she was too close to him, and the perfume she used was too strong.


    Lady Malinda got closer to him and caressed his cheek with her index finger. "How to¡­ please¡­ a woman¡­ with¡­"


    She didn''t finish and left after pecking on his cheek. She was definitely the most teasing woman Felix had ever met in his life. Even a minute after she was gone, he was standing in the same ce like a statue.


    Then, when his mind came to senses, he cursed. "Damn! She''s fine!"<sub> </sub>


    "..."


    There was sir Dolorem in one corner of the room, writing down the exchange. "I suppose there will be no need for another interrogation of her?"


    "Yes! No more meetings with her. The woman is too horny!"


    "Just like someone else." Sir Dolorem took a jibe at him.


    Annoyed, Felix pointed at the man in return. "Oh really? Says the man whose own groin mountain has reached the peak!"


    "..."


    "May the holy light enlighten us!"


    Sir Dolorem chanted the Lord''s name to allow his tool to calm down. Women can be perilous without even a weapon; he had learnt a grave lesson today.


    Felix agreed. "May the holy light enlighten us indeed."


    ¡­


    The crusaders were moving out, and Sylvester, along with the rest of the town folks, were as happy as they could be. They were annoyed by the knights and wizards because they followed nows and made a mess everywhere they went. In the taverns, they harassed the women, and in the streets, they catcalled women from young to old.


    Seeing this, the most annoyed person was, of course, Lady Aurora. She was missing for the time, but when she was needed, she''d appear. As she was from Inquisitor''s camps, she knew that her father''s reputation was hinged upon this crusade. So seeing the crusaders acting in such a way angered her.


    "I will see which one of you dares utter a single word of filth!" She boomed at the crusaders after gathering them up in the fields outside the monastery.


    In shame, they all held their heads low, knowing she could easily kill them and nothing would happen to her.


    After that, all the crusaders behaved like scared kids, taking every step carefully. Perhaps that annoyed them, and they decided to leave before their departure time. So the first thing in the morning the next day, they packed their luggage and headed north, towards the Duchy of Iceling, where the supposed Bloodling resided.


    "My prince! See youter!" Sylvester waved at the dumb prince who happily sat in his luxury carriage.


    Lady Aurora looked at Sylvester with suspicion. "What are you cooking now?"


    He smirkingly replied. "Sometimes, it''s better to act ignorant and let the fools be fools. The end fruit is sweeter this way. By the way, where were you? I needed your help with a monastery-rted issue."


    She scoffed while standing with folded arms. "My work is none of your businesses, Archpriest. Stay within your limits."


    "Ah¡­ no cookies then. Anyway, I was-"


    "Lord Bard! Lady Aurora!" Archbishop came running. "Great misfortune has befallen! Oh Lord Solis¡­ thesends will be ravaged now!"


    Sylvester helped the man stand straight amidst his heavy, scarred pants. "What happened?"


    "This! It came from Raftel!"


    Sylvester read the letter addressed to the Archbishop. And the moment he read the first few lines, he felt like tearing the paper apart.


    "Jartel, that hateful man I can''t ever call brother again. I loved Marce¡­ he took her from me¡­ and when I finally found love again, he took Melinda too! I demand my wife be returned, or I shallunch a full-scale invasion into Jartel at sunrise tomorrow! Empty the monastery¡ªbe warned!"


    "What happened?" Sylvester questioned the Archbishop as he heard about Lady Melinda just the night before in morse code. And it seemed everything was fine.


    The Archbishop cried in worry for the people. "She''s missing! This is like Lady Marce all over again! Thisnd is doomed."


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 162 162. Medic!

    Indeed, when something goes wrong, everything goes wrong. That was the life of Sylvester. In urgency, he quickly gathered the toon and prepared them for their next actions. He also asked Lady Aurora for help, as the matter was not just finding a murderer but stopping a war that could kill thousands.


    "I must go to Raftel County and find Lady Melinda to stop this war. All of you must stay vignt and ensure that no one in the Count''s family is hurt anymore." He briefed the men.


    "Lady Aurora, I need your help if ites to war. No matter what, we can not let it go through. At least not unless there is a clear reason and proof that one of them harmed the other''s family." He requested her as well.


    Of course, she agreed since she knew that the church didn''t want to see the Gracia Kingdom be enshrouded in a war.


    So, Sylvester went to Count Jartel immediately to confront him and ask him if he was behind this whole thing. After all, he could never be sure with these sick nobles. They are very unpredictable when angered.


    He found the man in his sr, nning for hising battle. He had gotten the information as well that Raftel was gathering up his men and preparing for the war. So, he had called hismanders, too and prepared to move at the same time.


    Bam!


    Sylvester barged into the room and walked over to the man. "Did you have anything to do with the disappearance of Lady Melinda? Did you kidnap her or kill her?"


    His question was straightforward and in front of so many people. The Count felt anger, but he didn''t dare show it on his face right now. "No, Lord Bard. I would never harm a woman for vengeance on my brother. She did nothing wrong."


    Sylvester nodded and left silently, having gotten his answer as no smell of lies reached his nose. So at least, he knew that the Count had nothing to do with the disappearance. Now the only thing he could do to stop the war, for now, was to find the woman, or at least her dead body.


    But he didn''t tell Count Jartel not to make war either since he knew he would not stop. The man was looking for just one small reason to do it anyway.


    Sylvester went to the monastery and found Gabriel there. "I have taught you the basics of the morse code. Just make sure to tell me if anything major happened here."


    "Got it, Max. You can also keep me informed."


    With that, he quickly took his horse and galloped towards Count Raftel''snds. He went through the farnds as that was the shortest route and didn''t require a detour to get on the road.


    ¡­


    At Count Raftel''s Castle.


    Felix and Sir Dolorem were also present in the war room and saw all the nning going on. Themanders had gathered and nned the troop deployment and the formations. They had already surpassed an army of five thousand with five thousand more mercenaries. This would be a bloodbath if the other side also got this much.


    "Max should be here at any moment," Felix muttered, a frown clear on his face as he had just met the woman the previous day. She was so cheerful and happy, albeit a bit questionable in my mind. She didn''t deserve to die just due to a foolish animosity between brothers.


    Sir Dolorem was analysing the war formations and frowning. "This is not good. From the way they are nning, it seems they are also going to be using war animals. Maybe elephants."


    Felix sucked in a cold breath. "Why does it seem like they were nning for this for a long time? How did they get elephants so fast?"


    "There is something greater at the y here, Priest¡­ something beyond our understanding."


    ¡­


    In the open, Sylvester was moving around the county, searching for the woman. He didn''t go to the castle to waste time as the war bugles had already been blown. The only way to dy the matter was to find her and prove that Count Jartel didn''t have Count Raftel''s wife. The man had likely already decided on his own that his wife was taken and that it was not something else.


    Raftel County was vast, but thankfully it was just full of various gardens, little forests and primarily farnds. But the problem was that most of the farnds had crops growing right now, which went as high as two metres tall. So it was impossible to look for her and find her there.


    ''Felix said she was going on a wine date with her friends. I should go and look for her there. Even if she was killed on the way to go there or to return, the killer must have thrown her not too far away. Or¡­ if she''s alive, then maybe she''s kept somewhere alive.


    "Chonky! Try to smell the scent of blood if you can. Maybe you can see some things I can''t." He asked the cat on his shoulder.


    He went to the nearby town where the woman was supposed to be. It was a few minutes away from the Count''s castle and town. So, after arriving, he used Light Steps and created tiles for himself to move in the air and get better visibility of the surroundings.


    ''Where are you, woman?'' he grunted and looked left and right.


    But, after not finding her, he decided to move along the way and see the various side roads and the forest. But he knew that if she was kidnapped, the problem would intensify as there was no way to search every house in the county.


    "Maxy! Look what I found!" Miraj came running to him suddenly, while in his jaw was a piece of gold bead, likely fallen from some gold jewellery.


    "Hmm, the only one who could have dropped it would be noble. The peasants don''t go around showing their gold ornaments. Chonky, where did you find it?"


    "There!" Miraj pointed at his little paw and led him to the bushes on the roadside.


    "Look if there are any more items such as these." He ordered. There was no way to find anything in there if not for Miraj''s lower field of vision.


    Sylvester remembered the map at the same time and realised the direction was leading them away from the castle of the Count. Once he learnt it was northbound, he moved in that direction on the road while keeping an eye out for any clues.<sub> </sub>


    "Ah! What''s that?" He soon found a little silk cloth with some blonde hair stuck to it due to the mud. "Certainly a deliberate throw. Did Melinda throw these so someone may follow back to her?"


    "Chonky! Look in this direction!" He ordered.


    At the same time, he was also looking for clues and slowly was indeed finding a few scattered pieces of cloth, hair or jewellery.


    Chonky was also sniffing around and eximed soon enough. "Maxy! I smell blood!"


    "Good, then follow the scent."


    They slowly realised they were going too far from the castle, towards the empty northern farnds. They were into the open fields of the county where the crops fluttered in the wind.


    Miraj kept leading him towards the origin of the scent of blood he had smelled and eventually brought him a small hut in the middle of nowhere in the fields. There was nothing for as far as he could see, and the hut was most likely ced there so the farmers could rest when at work.


    Sylvester quickly took out his spear and prepared to use magic at a moment''s notice. But, he had a better option. "Chonky, you go in and tell me if any threats are inside."


    "Got it, Maxy."


    Sylvester waited outside and ced a few runes on the ground to ensure that if someone ran out of the venttor or the door, they''d trip and freeze.


    "Maxy! Come quick! She''s hurt!"


    Sylvester stopped whatever he was doing and ran into the hut by barging through the door. It was a small building with a thatched roof and walls made of mud. It was also hard for him to see since the light source was just a little venttor on the wrong side of the house where the sunshine did not fall.


    He rushed to the left, beside a small wall separating the cooking station for whoever lived there. As he walked to see, his stomach started to churn. But he didn''t go into shock and instead ran to the woman. She waspletely naked, lying on the floor. A puddle of blood had formed around her body, making her blonde hair appear red.


    She seemed still alive as her eyes were open a little, responding to his movements. She was also gagging for air and choking on her blood. But, the most disgusting sight was that her breasts had been cutpletely off. There was nothing now but tworge wounds that appeared painful and profound. All he could hope was that they were not too deep.


    "H¡­e¡­lp¡­" She weakly breathed out as she sensed footsteps.


    "You''re going to be fine, Melinda! Don''t worry. Chonky! The medic pack!"


    Miraj threw up a small jute bag that contained various items necessary for survival in a few situations Sylvester could think of. In addition, it contained a few important potions and crystals.


    The first thing he put into her mouth was a blood-replenishing potion so she may not die from blood loss. Then he started healing her wound with the help of Srium crystals and his magical healing spells. He was not an expert but using srium crystals amplified the effects.


    Ghk!


    She started gagging and shaking uncontrobly all of a sudden and also vomited out the blood-replenishing potion he had fed her.


    Sylvester quickly checked her pulse, and it was dying too fast. In no time, it vanished, and she stopped twitching.


    "Fuck! She''s going into cardiac arrest!" He quickly got on my stomach and breathed into her mouth two breaths. He then gave chestpressions at a rate of 100 to 120 per minute with cycles of 30, followed by two rescue breaths into her mouth.


    "Chonky! Break a srium crystal and put it in her mouth!" he ordered.


    Miraj, like a good fellow, ran around and did as Sylvester asked with his little paws.


    "Ha!"


    "Ha!"


    Sylvester kept trying to give her CPR and revive her. "Do not die, woman! You can save the lives of tens of thousands of men!"


    But he was also scared of harming her even more as there were deep wounds on her chest. Giving chestpressions was likely hurting her too.


    "Chonky! Put more srium crystals in her mouth!"


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 163 163. Mountain Of Tears

    Sylvester gave the CPR for more than a dozen minutes and kept trying to heal her simultaneously, so her body would get out of the initial injury shock. The blood replenishing potions were also given to her, by force this time. At the same time, he used healing lotions for flesh wounds and put them on her chest while giving chestpressions.


    "Ha!"


    "Ha!"


    He stopped givingpressions and trying to hear her heartbeat. "Yes!"


    It was very faint, but it was there. She was alive, and all he needed to do was make sure she only got better. "Chonky, good job. Now sanitise your hands with the alcohol and give me the tools as I will ask. I need to perform minor surgery on her chest to sew a few wounds and heal the others."


    Miraj, like a dutiful boy, stood beside Sylvester, while on his left was a leather pouch unrolled with multiple shining tools on it. They appeared scary to normal eyes, nor was Sylvester trained to use them. But he had eventually reckoned that if there was anybody to test modern medicine, then it had to be him.


    "Scissors."


    "Here."


    Sylvester performed an emergency surgery the best he could. The woman would likely never be the same, but at least she will live. At moments he looked at her pretty face and wondered who could have done something like this.


    "Her genitalia do not seem vited at all¡­ which means this crime was likely not sexual in nature. So then, why would someone cut her breasts?" He wondered while he worked on her and checked her heartbeat and pulse from time to time.


    After a few more hours, she seemed in a stable condition with his limited healing capacity. Good enough that he could put her on his back and bring her to the Count''s castle. He didn''t have much time either, as it was already past midnight, and the Count must have likely started to gather the troops.


    "Chonky, you''re going to have to walk this time." He said as he put the woman on his back. She asionally cried in pain, but she was not fully conscious, so there was not much resistance.


    "I hope we''re not toote, or else Lady Aurora will have to force them to stop."


    ¡­


    In the castle, Felix and Sir Dolorem had put on their armours and sharpened their des. They were also going into the battlefield to ensure that the Counts did not die.


    "Where is Sylvester? I thought he had left for here." Felix wondered annoyedly.


    Bam!


    "Priest! Lady Melinda was found!" A servant in the castle came running and informed them.


    "He''s here!" Sir Dolorem eximed and rushed out to see how the woman was because if she had died, then the war was inevitable.


    Both of them soon arrived at the medical bay of the castle and found Sylvester standing beside a bed, while the Count was on his knees, crying, and the healers were working on the woman.


    "Priest Sylvester." Sir Dolorem greeted.


    Sylvester just nodded and helped the Count stand up on his feet. He was amazed that the man was so emotional for his wife as he had thought the man would be cold to the woman, who was likely his second choice. "Count Raftel, please stand up and talk to her. She can still hear you, and I''m sure that will cheer her up."


    The Count sped his hands together as if praying and spoke to Sylvester. "Thank you, Archpriest. I will never forget this boon you have bestowed upon me. But who was it? Did you find the bastard who did this to Melinda? Poor foolish girl¡­ she didn''t deserve this¡­ she is so cheerful¡­ my light in this dark castle."


    Sylvester patted the man''s shoulder as he felt the grief was real. "She will live, Count. As for the one who did this, I didn''t get there on time. But I believe if I had beente, she would have died from blood loss. Maybe the culprit did expect her to die¡­ which means the only way we can know who it is..."


    "If she wakes up!" Felix blurted in.


    The Count turned to his wife and caressed her face before kissing her forehead. "I''ve caused her so much pain¡ªall she wanted was a child and my happiness¡­ I can''t put my life at risk for nothing. Fine, I will withhold the war until she wakes up. I vow in the name of Solis¡ªand as per the traditions, we never cheat in warfare. But¡­ you must promise me something, Archpriest¡­ I know you can."


    ''Here ites.''


    "If my brother dide out to be the culprit! You will not stop me from waging this war."


    Sylvester denied it outright. "That I cannot. War is not good for business. It leaves behind nothing but death and destruction, and the Holy Land explicitly has stated it does not war. But, I promise you that¡ªif he''s the one¡ªI will give you his head."


    "I have heard a lot about you, Lord Bard. The clergy in the monastery speaks about you all the time. I hope you keep your words¡ªas your reputation precedes you."


    "I will, Count, but for now, you need to send a man to inform your brother of the situation. That the war is postponed until Lady Melinda wakes up and tells us who the culprit is. I''m sure he wishes to know as well." Sylvester advised. But he also knew that there was no going back now. The armies had been mobilised, and they would only stay ready in the fields.<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester knew that he was not doing something entirely different from what any other investigator could have done. The two counts had hired their own men to investigate. But the problem was that they would have never epted the results from the other side. Hence, the Holy Land was asked to mediate as the neutral middle party.


    That is why the two counts were obliged to at least hear Sylvester and trust his actions. As his loyalty only lies with faith, not the two counts.


    "Umh¡­"


    Sylvester hastened closer to the bed as the woman finally made some noise. He looked at the healer. "Is she physically fine? Her blood?"


    "It is, Lord Bard. You did a splendid job before you even brought Lady Melinda here. She''s only tired and mentally shaken. Give her some time, and I''m sure she will wake up fine."


    ''She better.''


    He decided to retreat and rest now as he had had enough of the day. "Then I will retire to the spare room and rest."


    Sylvester left with Sir Dolorem and Felix in their room and got a status update about the castle''s politics.


    "The Count is a mad man. He keeps no assistant to manage the finances. He''s a one-man army at everything. Only Archbishop is the only advisor, but the man left a while back. From my understanding, he''s not hated by the people or loved. He just exists to brood over his dead lover and now his hurt wife." Felix read the full report on the Count he had made.


    Sylvester was lost in thought, however. He wondered who the real culprit could be and why? The whole case was too mysterious. Was it a dark wizard doing this? But if he needed breasts, then why only target noble women? Something was going on that he just couldn''t pinpoint, or imagine.


    "Don''t you feel that the timing of Lady Melinda''s kidnapping is really suspicious?" He asked them. "It''s as if someone wants a war between the two."


    "You suggest a foreign hand is behind all this?" Sir Dolorem asked.


    Sylvesterid back on the bed and looked at the ceiling. He closed his eyes and rubbed them tiredly. "It could be both. Seeing that the two counts are on the wrong terms, someone could have easily taken advantage."


    "But why cut breasts then?" Felix questioned. "Won''t just killing women have the same effect of angering them?"


    "That is a mystery, Felix. What''s the reason for chopping breasts? If we find that out, we may just crack the case. In the case of Lady Melinda, it''s understandable that she was abducted from outside. But in the case of Lady Marce¡­ She was taken from inside Count Jartel''s castle. How?" Sylvester wondered as he slowly drifted into sleep.


    "Maybe it''s someone from insi-"


    He was interrupted by Sir Dolorem. "Shh¡­ he''s sleeping."


    "I should sleep too then."


    Felix was also tired, so hey on Sylvester''s side and fell asleep. As for Sir Dolorem, he was used to staying awake for a long time.


    Sir Dolorem just stood by the window and looked outside in the distance, up east. There was a shadow of a mountain visible in the night. High and mighty, all alone¡ªtall. "I think I should take him there. Maybe it can serve as inspiration and motivation for him."


    ¡­


    Sylvester has no dreams most of the time. He just sleeps and wakes up like a machine. And when he does dream, it''s usually about some tragedy, some fight where he was finally unable toe out on top and ended up dying. He hated such dreams because he could never know if they could be a vision. But, this time, he woke up early in the morning.


    "Sylvester,e with me."


    He sat up and tiredly looked around. He nced outside the window, and it was still nighttime. "Sir Dolorem? Where to?"


    The old wizard-knight held a little wooden carving of the faith''s sign. "To the holiest site in the entire north¡­ the Mountain of Tears!"


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 164 164. The Unmovable

    "What mountain? I never read about it anywhere." Sylvester was fully awake after hearing this strange name. But, he was someone who had read about nearly all the ces in the world. The green mountains, the burning mountains, the barrier, the pentapeak range. But this was the first time he heard Mountain of Tears. The name itself was so ominous.


    "It''s supposed to be a holy site?" Sylvester muttered.


    Sir Dolorem was already preparing the items they''d need on the journey. "Yes, it is not in the maps of the books for a reason. Come, I will exin everything once we reach there... maybe it will get you some well-needed fresh air and inspiration."


    ''This old man, he''s trying to be a caring father or something?''


    He didn''t deny it, however. "I presume the Shadow Knight won''te to hunt me there?"


    "The whole mountain exists on shallow flooded ins. The water in that entire area is considered pure and holy. No dark entity can even touch it, so don''t worry."


    If that was the case, who was he to deny? He also packed his luggage and even put Miraj in a bag as the furry boy was a spoiled sleepy boy. He also kept the necessary crystals along and headed out with the spear of infinity on his back.


    "We need to sneak out." Sir Dolorem warned and lightened his steps.


    Since it was early morning, most guards were tired andzy. So they had no problem finding their way to the backside of the castle, from where they entered the town and then headed towards the East. The mountain was not too far, as the Count''s castle was adjacent to the water body ity upon.


    Underrge dark robes, they moved towards the White River port to get a port and reach the river delta, the tall and dry mountain sat.


    "Sir Dolorem, be honest. Why are you taking me there?"


    Sir Dolorem took a long breath and exined. "Because I want you to learn a lesson there. A lesson about when caring for others and risking one''s life bes too much. As honourable as dying for others may be, I do not wish to see you dead."


    "And I have no intention of dying. Remember that Archbishop in the cave years ago? I''d kill a hundred more like him as long as I, you, mum and the two buffoons can live."


    Sir Dolorem coughed and picked one of the empty boats at the shore. Yes, they were stealing, but they would return it in a few hours.


    "Let''s go."


    The two rowed the boat one by one and slowly made their way to the mountain. A cave, to be specific. They also had to avoid a few swamps on their way. The area''s topography was strange and amazed Sylvester, as he saw many trees around him, and even thend was just a few feet below the water surface.


    "What caused this delta to form?" He asked.


    "A flood... a flood so big that it caused irreparable damage to thends. You will know more once you enter the cave system."


    The sun also started to rise after a while, and by the time they reached the cave entrance, the sunlight enabled them to see the surroundings clearly. It was all deste, flooded in area. The mountain seemed like a hardened rock, more than a pile of dirt.


    "When did you find out about this ce?"


    "When I was a young man in the Holy Army. Back then, there used to be a Gracia Empire, not just a kingdom. All the lords rebelled and wished to cut out a bigger piece ofnd for themselves. During that time, I was stationed in a camp up north. That''s when I learnt about this ce and its story. Let''s go in."


    They reached the cave entrance, parked the boat near a tree, and tied it to it. The two took out light crystals and started walking while marvelling at the interior, about five metres in height and four metres in width. It was mostly rocky, with many stctites filling up the ceiling. They were all so shiny due to the erosion that the light reflected on them, making them glow.


    "Do not expect a beautiful marvel, Sylvester. The tunnels under this mountain are consistently this big. I want to show you a spot in the middle of thebyrinth." Sir Dolorem came clear with the expectations.


    Sylvester was still amazed, however. "These tunnels can be a great ce to hide in case of a civil war or something in the kingdom. So many people can hide her."


    "And starve." Sir Dolorem said. "This mountain is blessed with a curse, Sylvester. Just a little more, we''re about to reach the ce."


    ''He''s being way too cryptic about this today. What''s so special about this ce? I feel no sense of the warmth of light. In fact, it''s depressing here.''


    They two kept walking, taking turns. Sir Dolorem remembered the whole way it seemed, and they only made one wrong turn the entire time, which cost them a good few minutes. But, eventually, they arrived at the centre, in the middle of the mountain''s base.


    Sylvester noticed something strange, however. They appeared to be in an open space that spanned dozens of metres in radius, and all that was supporting the mountain above was a single strangely formed stone pir. The pir didn''t seem too thick, so it was amazing how it held so much weight.


    "What am I looking at?" Sylvester inquired.


    Sir Dolorem, however, didn''t respond. Instead, he opened his bag and took out a few flower petals. Then he went to the bottom of the pir and ced it there. Afterwards, he sat down on his knees, crossed his arms in a church salute and started praying.


    ''He''s praying to a rock? Is this the holy thing?'' Sylvester was too confused.


    But he was interested, so he walked forward and ced his palm on it.


    Woosh!<sub> </sub>


    Instantly, he was thrown back as if an invisible st of air hit his body from the front. "Argh... what was that?"


    "Haha. I went through the same thing the first time I came here." Sir Dolorem helped him up and exined. "What you see is a naturally made coffin. The coffin of the 13th Pope, Carwyn Giltbert."


    "The Pope?" Sylvester, shocked and amazed, stared at it. "Why would they ce a Pope''s body here?"


    Sir Dolorem shook his head with a saddened expression. "There is a sad story behind it, Sylvester."


    "Isn''t that why you brought me here?"


    "Then let''s sit down." Sir Dolorem invited and started the story. "More than three thousand years ago, this region was one of the many counties of the Gracia Empire. Remember, after the tenth Pope, the church was in a stagnation phase where infighting and power struggles were above all.


    "But, in that race to oppose each other, nobody had enough support when the 12th Pope died to be the next Pope. Hence, the neutral man, Pope Carwyn Gilbert, was chosen to preside over the highest chair. But, the Pope was also a user of the magical anomaly of green magic--the magic that lets one control nts.


    "This ability is generally frowned upon in the faith for its closeness to the elves and their tree gods. But still, Pope Carwyn tried his best--he truly tried. But then came a rainstorm so intense that the rivers flowed thousands of times above their mark. The stormsted for months and months.


    "Amidst that, the Pope organised the rescue and relief work for the people, to the point where he also stepped in to help. But sadly, he was not among the strongest of the popes, being merely a mid-Grand Wizard.


    "So, when he arrived in this region, he found it was entirely submerged, and the people were going to be swept away if he did nothing. So, they all ran into these caves underneath the mountain. A total of three hundred thousand people from all across the County and many nearby Counties took shelter here.


    "The Pope was with the people and helped them in everything. From childbirth to cold, he healed everything. But tragedies often strike when you''re at your lowest. Simr was the case back then. A strong earthquake came and shook everything up. The entirety of the mountain started to crumble, and it would have fallen on the people if the Pope had not lifted the entire mountain on his back."


    ''I wonder how much pain he was in.'' Sylvester took a long breath of admiration. He could also imagine the next part of the story to some degree.


    "The mighty, the strong... he was not the strongest, but his heart sure was. To protect the people, he kept the mountain on his shoulder for days upon days that turned into weeks. The rain didn''t stop and kept making the mountain heavier.


    "But, upon the hopeful gazes of the people, the Pope could not bring himself to give up. So, for a month, he kept the mountain on his shoulder--for it was too big and trying to destroy it would kill the people.


    "The people who saw his devotion cried tears day and night. They cleaned his face, fed him and sang hymns. He just remained here like a father protecting his kids--he did his duty better than most kings.


    "But, a man always breaks, no matter how strong. So, by the time the rain stopped four monthster, the Pope had gone into a semi-conscious state. The clergymen also came to help, but when they found the Pope, they realised he could not be saved, or the mountain would fall."


    Sir Dolorem stood up and walked to the pir. "Here lies the 13th Pope, Carwyn Giltbert, the Unmovable. As per what the people he saved say... always in tears after witnessing his sacrifice. In time, the rocks took over his body and enshrined him in them. Some say the Pope still lives in there... but who knows."


    Sylvester nced closely at the pir. "So not all Popes in the past were insufferable know-it-alls."


    "Archpriest, there is a reason people still strongly believe in Solis... it''s because of Popes like the thirteenth. Although the church may have forgotten and erased the man due to his magic talent, he still lives in many hearts, even though thesends for decades after that were gued with bad crops and disease--they remember him."


    "But for you, the lesson here is what happened after his death. Because his reign was the shortest in the history of Popes, merely five years, no new Pope was strong enough to rule properly after him. The infighting and power struggle remained until the 21st Pope, Atrox, the mad, purged the church clean."


    Sylvester silently walked closer to the rock. "A man hated by the faith but loved by the people. One who gave his life away for so many generations that exist today. You don''t wish for this to happen to me, right, Sir Dolorem?"


    "Yes!"


    Sylvester chuckled, a bit conflicted. "To be honest, I don''t know the answer if I was him. On one side, I truly wish to live... on the other, my life wille at the cost of three hundred thousand others. It''s a moral dilemma... one that can''t be answered unless I stand in the same shoes--but for now, even I don''t know what I''d choose."


    Sir Dolorem walked in front of Sylvester and red into his golden eyes. "Bard of Solis, you are not meant to die no matter what hardshipse. Your life is worth more than millions. You are the one to save us from the unholy wrath--I can not say it in words, but my soul tells me your light is the beacon to the one true path."


    "So what you want is--if an asion arises--I should let a million people die to save my own life?"


    "Not should. You must!"


    "Even if the said life is my mother''s or yours?"


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 165 165. Who Did It?

    "I stand by my words from that night. I shall dly be a piece of your throne. Mother Xavia must also not want you to die for her sake either."


    ''This man is too fanatic for his own good. But the question is indeed right. What would I have done if I were in the Pope''s ce?''


    "Well, the only option out of this is to get stronger, correct? Don''t worry about it. I am on track once again. I also n to get Lady Aurora to spar with me seriously with heavy hands and magic. I feel I won''t grow if I don''t feel the pain. You too, Sir Dolorem. If you''re so worried about me dying while trying to save you, then make sure you don''t put yourself in a situation where it may happen."


    Sir Dolorem already knew that part, But he also knew his peak power, so he didn''t live in the delusion that one day he could be a peak strength. What his strength allowed him, he was already doing. And once Sylvester goes too high, he will be a burden to him rather than a boon.


    "I will, Sylvester. But you already know I can''t keep up with you. None of us can, and we muste to ept that. You were born with a higher talent than others. That''s a fact all must ept. Even Priest Gabriel and Priest Felix."


    Sylvester nodded and looked around. "I think we should head back now. If Lady Melinda has woken up, we shall produce a rough art of the culprit''s face."


    "Agreed."


    As Sir Dolorem picked up his bag, Sylvester walked closer to the stone tomb of the Pope. He had no idea how strong the man was in reality, but if, even after his death, he could keep holding this mountain, then it was likely a lot.


    "Rest in peace, good man."


    They headed towards the exit after that. But Sylvester had an interesting theory about the 13th Pope''s death. "Sir Dolorem, what are the chances that the clergymen who came to see him stuck could help him but just chose not to? I reckon they didn''t want a neutral figure on the throne."


    Sir Dolorem instantly agreed, surprisingly. "The chances are very high because the other Guardians could have been called once the people were evacuated, and the whole mountain could have been obliterated. But they chose to leave the Pope to die slowly--painfully, I presume."


    "Isn''t thendscape the same now? We know that the factions exist already, each wishing to ascend." Sylvester inquired.


    "In a way, it''s the same; in others, it''s not. In the era of stagnation, they were actively trying to kill each other. Right now, however, they are just vying to take the spot after the Pope''s natural death. But, you must remember, Pope Axel is not weak--in fact, he''s one of the strongest in history. So nobody wants to truly be in his bad books."


    Sylvester and Sir Dolorem talked all the way until they arrived at the river port again and sneakily left the boat there. The town had started to show signs of activity now, and the castle was full of activity as well.


    They jumped onto the castle''s wall and arrived in their room, where Felix was waiting for them, awoken and angry.


    "You two! How could you leave me behind?"


    "We left you a letter, and you probably already know the ce. We went to the Mountain of Tears to see the tomb of the 13th Pope." Sylvester replied, believing that since Felix was a native of a close-by county, he should know about it.


    "You what! Fuck! I wanted to see the dead Pope too, man. Why didn''t you wake me up?"


    "We tried, but you shook your arse and went back to sleep after saying, ''Just five more minutes.''. You know how hard it''s to wake you up at times. So now don''t cry and get ready. I think Lady Melinda has awoken since so many female servants were headed to sickbay."


    Sylvester also took out Miraj from the bag, who slept the entire journey without making any noise.


    Bam!


    "Lady Melinda has awoken!" a servant came to inform.


    The three quickly made their way to the sick bay and found a small crowd of men in expensive armour, likely the vassals of the Count. They were being loud and annoying, talking about how they would do this or that.


    "Silence! All of you! What you''re doing is dancing on the head of the sick! Give her some peace of mind." Sylvester boomed as he arrived in his own golden armour as well, appearing as overwhelming as possible.


    <o>,m "Either stay silent or leave this hall." He ordered as he reached the bed and saw Lady Melinda. The woman was still lying down, but her eyes looked full of life again, though a bit of sadness remained.</o>


    He checked her eyes first to see if there was any dtion. "How are you feeling? Lady Melinda? I am Sylvester Maximilian, and I was the one who found you."


    "Thank you for saving me, Archpriest. My husband told me about what happened." She breathed in a low voice.


    "No need to thank me, I do what my job says. I hope you''re ready to talk now so this war can be avoided. Can you tell me anything about the attacker?" He carefully asked her, not wanting to end up traumatising.


    She nodded and started telling whatever she remembered. "I was going to meet otherdies when the attack happened. First, the reinsman of my carriage was shot with an arrow. Then, a single man appeared on horseback, wearing fine ted armour. His face was covered with a visor as well.


    "He dragged me out, hogtied me and took me to the hut in the fields, where he... he cut me and..."


    Sylvester interrupted. "No need to tell the moment of pain, mydy. Did you see his face? Can you describe him? Anything about him that may help us catch him."


    She gulped and started to speak. "He was tall... as tall and broad as the other priest behind you. His armour was entirely silver, with a red scarf around the next. I was able to take off his visor for a while when I fought him. He had deep-red hair, a white face, ck eyes and a cut mark on the upper part of the nose. His horse was also ck."


    "A cut mark on the nose?" Sylvester hummed as this was a significant clue. "Can you tell me the details of the face so I may create a rough sketch of the man?"<sub> </sub>


    She silently nodded, a bit unsure if she could really help that much. Still, Sylvester tried his best and tried to draw the man''s face on a nk parchment. Of course, he was not a professional, but he hoped it would help.


    Eyes, nose, lips, stubble beard, and hair were quickly made, then the shape of the face. It took nearly an hour to draw it out and get a decent-looking sketch of a man.


    "Have any of you seen a man like this?" He asked the nobles in the room and passed the sketch to see it clearly.


    As expected, there were no answers among them. So Sylvester decided to go to the Jartel county and ask the Count there.


    "I will return to inform you about the findings. Until then, please hold restraint and do not start anything. As for Lady Melinda, I believe she will be healed in time. Just don''t let any mad healere near her--they often do more harm than good."


    "Archpriest!" Lady Melinda called him as he was leaving.


    Then, with visible frustration, she asked in a low voice. "I... Can I still bear a child?"


    "Melinda! You don''t have to..." Count Raftel wrapped his arm around her back to support her.


    ''How would I know? But, it should be possible.''


    "As long as you''re fertile, you can have as many babies as you want. But, I''m afraid you can''t feed them yourself anymore... you will need a nanny to help you."


    She clenched her hand and nodded in silence. Her concern was understandable to Sylvester. This was a world of old thinking, after all. Marriages in this era were done more for furthering the bloodline than for love. So if a noble woman can''t bear a child, that''d mean she''s useless to the male as the marriage defeats the whole purpose.


    He walked close to her and handed her his own locket with faith insignia. "May you find calm and warmth in the name of the lord? I will be backter."


    Sylvester walked out of the castle and went straight to the front lines. His golden armour and blonde hair had be the word of the talk by now, so he didn''t need any escort. He entered the Jartel county immediately and headed to meet the Count in his war tent in the field.


    "How is Lady Melinda?" Count Jartel asked, appearing concerned.


    "She lives, but her mind and body scars willst forever. Anyhow, I have drawn a rough sketch of the man who attacked her. You need to check and tell me if you''ve seen him." Heid down the parchment on the table for all to see.


    "That''s Sir Kenworth from Green City!" Sir Milton, the third brother of the Count, blurted instantly.


    "This bastard!" Count Jartel growled in anger. "This fucker was trying to woo Marce too... how I used her of indecency. Is this man behind harming Lady Melinda as well? But why would a knight from the capital do such a thing?"


    "Are we sure it was him in the case of Lady Marce?" Sir Walder, the Count''s Prima, rolled, arriving in his wheelchair. "Sir Kenworth had left a week before the murder of Lady Marce--inside this castle. A knight from outside can''t just enter the castle that easily, my lords."


    Sylvester narrowly stared at the cripple, for he finally smelled something suspicious. There was anxiety in him, as well as excitement. ''This is as if... he''s nervous about his ns but happy that it''s going ordingly?''


    Sylvester was always very suspicious about this man because he had his shadows falling on so many ces but never enough to raise any strong suspicion. Even right now, despite what he said, it was not a lie.


    ''What game are you ying, cripple?''


    "So war it is!" Count Jartel barked.


    Bam!


    At that point, Lady Aurora lost her patience and mmed her fist on the table. "Go ahead, make war without a proper, proven reason and see how I finish you all with one swing of my de."


    "..."


    "My lords... War is postponed!" Count Jartel blurted almost instantly. It was that easy to persuade him. "Firstes my daughter''s marriage."


    For that, none were that hopeful.


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 166 166. Sir Willfard And Bob

    [A/N: This chap was inspired by my favourite anime, Gintama. Check the paraments for some visual aid.]


    "She loves me! She loves me not! She loves me! She loves me not!..."


    Sir Willfard was the name of the Knight who had decided toe to ask for the hand of Count''s daughter in marriage. He himself was the second son of a noble lord, but due to his past misadventures, he was unable to gain much power.


    Nevertheless, he was still a knight women would throw themselves at, for he was handsome and built like a hunk, with ashen hair like the snow. But, above just flesh pleasure, he wanted wealth. So, when he received the word that Count Jartel wished to marry off his daughter in apetition, he set off to win her.


    "Hehe, Urs. What a beautiful name. What do you think, Bob? Will she have a bigger bust than myst adventure?" The Knight shamelessly asked his Squire as they rode down the North road.


    "Sir, I think she will have a big bust and butt, just as you like it. Perhaps she''s even more beautiful than the countess you slept with once. You must give your best in thispetition and win her. The glory of your house will increase with you."


    Of course, the Squire saw his liege as nothing but a cash cow, so he would bootlick even when the situation was utterly ridiculous.


    "Oh, I am already getting an erection thinking about our first night. I shall lift her in my arms and gentlyy her on the bed. Then gracefully slide down her dress and caress her curves through and through. She would say, ''My beautiful stallion! Shall I ride you?'' I will agree and let her mount on me and ride while I caress her twin peaks. Ah, the fun I will have with her."


    "Sir, isn''t she a ripe fourteen? I don''t think she will be as developed yet."


    "No problem. I will make her bloom like a beautiful rose with time."


    The two men fantasised about the woman as they rode down south. The closer they got to the county, the more excited they became. The Squire, Bob, was just happy because he would get a lot of pay if this marriage went through. He will be able to scam the wealth of a count as well.


    In time, they finally reached the county and eventually the town surrounding the castle of the Count. He knew he was an important man, so he went straight to the gates and demanded to be let in. "I am Sir Willfard, and I am here to contest for Lady Urs''s hand in marriage. Let me in this very instant."


    The guards looked at each other''s faces. First, there was confusion, then there was a realisation, and finally, as they opened the gates, there was pity. They were knights, too, and they ran away from Urs like she was the gue.


    The Count went as far as to greet the Knight himself at the gates with great enthusiasm and fanfare. He made the servants put a beautiful flower ne around the Knight''s head and give him good coconut water.


    "You must be tired, Sir Willfard. I have arranged the best room for a knight as respected and mighty as you." The Count greeted him while he rubbed his hands as if scheming.


    The Knight was blind to it, but not the Squire. He noticed there was something wrong. ''Fuck! Did we just walk into a trap?''


    But, he dared not speak, for he was a meremoner in pursuit of bing a knight. He very much loved his head above the shoulders. So, like a good servant, he picked up the Knight''s luggage.


    Sir Willfard was on cloud nine after he saw the gold rings, earrings, nose piercings and bracelets the Count was wearing. His eyes didn''t even register the fatness of the Count--that may be inheritable.


    "Respected Count Jartel, where are the other contestants wanting the hand of the beautifuldy Urs?"


    The Count just smiled. "You are early, sir. But worry not, you can rest in my castle. In fact, I shall allow you to meet with my daughter face to face so you can get to know each other. After all, marriage is the congregation of two souls, not just bodies."


    ''I''m one hundred per cent sure now that my liege is utterly fucked. Look at the damn smug faces of all these men. They know they have caught a nice fat pig ready to be ughtered. Should I make a run for it?'' Bob, the Squire, wondered in silence.


    Soon, the Knight was shown a room to sleep in, while the Squire was given the servant quarters adjacent to the room.


    "Sir, get ready for dinner. The Count wished for you and Lady Urs to have a meeting before anything else." The servant who led the men informed them.


    "I shall don my finest silk robes then, dear peasant. Go now and tell Lady Urs that her Knight has arrived--ready to pluck the beautiful rose she is." Sir Willfard cooed like a happy little girl.


    But only Bob saw the disgust on the servant''s face. He had no doubt now that they were stuck here. These walls were their home now--their prison.


    In no time, the Knight changed his clothes and wore a beautiful noble tunic and breeches, red and gold in colour, exuding his wealth and pride. "Bob, how do I look?"


    "Wonderful, my liege! You look fabulous! Just ripe to be taken and swallowed by the beautiful flower!"


    "Right? Hehe, I am going to be so wealthy soon." Sir Willfard happily skipped downstairs in hopes of finally meeting the woman.


    Soon, they arrived at the dining hall, where the food was not yet served, and the men and many women sat with grinning faces. The moment they saw the Knighting, they stopped those smug smiles. The Count himself stood up and went to hug.


    "Ah, you look fine, Sir Willfard. As they say, a night should look mighty in armour and manly in tunics. Now, let''s have you meet my daughter. I believe she is waiting to see you in her favourite red flower dress."


    Sir Willfard melted in the arms of the Count. "Hehe, thank you... father-in... Ah, I mean my lord."


    "..."


    ''My liege, please open your eyes! You''re not the reason for the feast! You''re the pig to be butchered for the feast!'' Bob, the Squire, cried silent tears for the man.


    "Come now."


    Count Jartel, Sir Willfard and Bob soon arrived in front of a deste room in the corner of the castle. No sound would leave that spot. That was for certain.


    Knock Knock!


    "My beautiful princess--look! Your Knight hase."


    Sir Willfard took the initiative as well, a bit more seriously, as he fell to his knees and put a rose stem in his mouth. He closed his eyes and started to sing praises of her. "Oh, my Urs, your name is enough to brighten my heart, and I''m sure talking to you will enlighten my life. Remove these walls, these doors between us! Let''s join forever be together. Oh my..."


    "Daddy! Is my Knight here?" The door opened, and a feminine voice crept into everyone''s ears. But, it felt strange as the bass was too much... as if it was suppressed underyers of nkets--muffled.


    Thud!


    Sir Willfard quickly looked back due to the sound and saw his Squire having fallen to the ground, his jaws open, and eyes widened. He appeared to be gasping for air as he pointed his finger at where his woman of dreams was supposed to be.


    "Bob, I know she''s pretty, but that''s overdoing it aa€¡°"


    The woman, supposed to be prettier than the moon, was just a fat blob with clothes enough for a vige wrapped around her body.


    "Oh my, is that a rose for me? Thank you, sir!"<sub> </sub>


    No words could leave the poor Knight''s mouth anymore. Only breaths... scared and terrified breaths--silent screams for help, likely. His face, full of happiness, expectation and lust, turned pale as if a ghost.


    "Daddy! He''s so pretty! I''ll take him to y."


    Bam!


    Lady Urs grabbed the Knight''s cor and dragged him into the room. The man, who had just lost his self-respect, could see Squire''s face and realise that he had fallen into the age-old trap in the world of nobles. It appeared he had utterly lost the game of thrones.


    ''Ah! So this is how it ends... I will be her stallion and... die?''


    Bam!


    The door was closed. Bob crawled on his four to the door and just sat there in silence. He didn''t like the man, but he felt the pain as a fellow man.


    "You, Squire. Come and have dinner with us! This is a very auspicious day for all." The Count dragged Bob to the dining hall and made him sit at the table.


    Bob knew he was not a guest here. He was a hostage. So he ate silently, making no noise and expected that his liege could survive this meeting, so they could n their escape.


    A few minutester, he felt another presence beside him, like a ghost. At a look, he realised it was Sir Willfard, the mad man who had survived. But, before he could ask how the man was, he heard the Count.


    "So, son. What do you think about my little wildflower? She may be a bit goofy, but she has a heart of gold. I''m sure you will be happy with her for the rest of your life... inside this castle!"


    "Daddy! He taught me how to kiss!"


    Bob, wide-eyed, started at Sir Willfard for answers. What was this giant woman saying? ''Please tell me she''s lying! Please!''


    Sir Willfard wiped his mouth with a cotton cloth. He remained seated like a statue; however, no real expressions on his face were visible other than his eyes looking at a distance in a random direction. There was still a hint ofck of delight, however--and shame.


    "Count Jartel... Lady Urs... I will marry her!"


    "..."


    Bob fell from his chair loudly. His mind was shouting inside. ''No, my liege! Don''t do this! Just for money, you''re selling yourself! Please... reconsider this! You have to... I refuse! You deserve better... I know you''re an asshole, but still.''


    "Do you really like her?" The Count was on cloud nine.


    Sir Willfard nodded solemnly. "I love her.''


    ''Oye-oye! That face does not match the feelings!'' Bob cried... silently, for that was all he could afford.


    ...


    In the Monastery.


    Sylvester was in a meeting with his team and Archbishop.


    Knock! Knock!


    Suddenly, a messenger from the Count''s castle came and handed Sylvester a letter. He quickly opened it and read it.


    Thud!


    Sylvester helped himself stand by taking the table''s support. His eyes darted toward the Archbishop. "Your grace... it seems the Knight you selected was worse than we imagined. He agreed to marry Count''s daughter."


    "What!"


    "Pfft!" Felix threw up his lemonade. "What kind of degenerate did you find?"


    "May the lord have mercy on his soul." Sir Dolorem and Gabriel prayed silently.


    Sylvester, meanwhile, looked outside from the window at the sky. "This day shall be remembered for when greed won--for self-respect, there was none! May the holy light enlighten the poor chap."


    Then, ignoring that matter, he returned to the main important business.


    "It seems the war will not happen anytime soon now. Therefore, Sir Dolorem, you are to quickly leave for Green City, find this Knight Kenworth, and bring him to justice." Sylvester ordered.


    Then he faced Lady Aurora. "What have you thought about the request for help? The crusaders said they are unable to deal with the Bloodling."


    "I will go if you go." She blurted back.


    Sylvester was going anyway as he felt this was the best time to farm some brownie points with many nobles in the crusading army. Not to mention, he was less scared this time due to his special move and a Grand Wizard being with him. "I am going. After all, a dear old friend has requested help from me."


    "Who?" Felix wondered.


    "A certain lord of undeads."


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 167 167. Two Music Enjoyers

    "The Lord has willed for these two to form a union, in mind and body, but above all, in the soul. The lord asks not for tributes, but only that the man and the woman never forget their roots.


    "Urs and Willfard, from this day on, you shall be the backbone of one another. When one falls, the other must lift them. In the eyes of the holy light andw¡ªI pronounce you as one united soul."


    "May the holy light enlighten your paths and brighten your lives. May you bring forth many little sparks of lights¡ªAmen!"


    There were ps all around the big hall of the castle. But the groom appeared tock all smiles. He was just moving around with a in face, stiffly. But, there was another man sadder than the groom. There was a certain squire on the side, brooding over the fact that he probably can''t scam his liege anymore.


    Sylvester felt awkward because he never expected things to go this far in the first ce. Instead, he hoped the Knight would refuse to marry and run away. He reckoned this was just the fetish of the Knight. Otherwise, there was no exnation since the Count had a son who would be the next Count, not this girl. So there was no good side to this deal.


    ''Thank you for your sacrifice, young man. I can finally take a breath of calm and n for the next step. Sir Dolorem needs to hurry as well, or the war may resume with a little spark.'' Sylvester was, nheless, thankful for this unknown Knight. Because of him, the war got postponed.


    "How long do you think they willst?" Felix wondered while drinking some lemonade.


    Gabriel shook his head in pity. "I say, one of them will die in one way or another. Though the chances of the man dying here are more because one wrong step and she may just slip on him and kill him."


    "Agreed. The Count really yed a big game here. He fixed the marriage in just a day¡ªwhat a mad man." Felix muttered.


    "It''s not like he had any more options. He just found a pig and ughtered it." Gabriel added.


    Sylvester was only confused and tried not to judge the two. "This chapter is over. You two need to return to the main job. Keep an eye on anything suspicious and..." He lowered his voice. "Especially keep an eye on Sir Walder and the Archbishop. There is something going on between them."


    "You better take care of yourself. Every time you fight a bloodling, you get beaten bloody." Felix warned.


    Sylvester nodded, but he was not too worried this time. "I will be heading to help the crusaders, so I will have a lot of support. At the same time, I will have Lady Aurora with me. By the time Sir Dolorem returns, I will be back as well. Then we can focus on finding the culprit."


    "What if the Shadow Knight appears?" Gabriel asked.


    Sylvester''s shoulder fell in an instant. This was an entity he knew he couldn''t beat with his wits. Even worse was that it even refuses to talk. "If I feel cold rising, I run¡ªthat''s it. That''s all I can do. But, I am certain I can at least stall him for a whole night."


    "But if you''re already hurt, and he appears then..." Felix added.


    "Then I may die... But I can''t allow the Shadow Knight to dictate my life. I can''t cower in fear and sit in one ce. I would never grow if I did that. Anyway, I must first find out where Lady Aurora is and leave. She always vanishes for most of the day and randomly appears back."


    "I saw her in the town an hour ago. I thought she wasing here." Felix remembered. "Could she be doing something unholy?"


    Sylvester shook his head at that possibility. "She''s too proud to be impressed by anyone in this backwater county. She''s also very serious about her vows, not to mention, she''s very old, and most men are too young for her. While those her age look too old."


    Felix sighed in pity. "That''s why I need to find a good strongdy for myself. It''d be a shame if I were to remain a hunk, and she''d be an old hag."


    "May the lord bring you to the right path." Gabriel quickly prayed as he always does when Felix talks about breaking his current vows of Deus servus.


    "Hmph... Virgins." Felix scoffed back.


    Sylvester ignored them and decided to head out and find her. "Alright, I''m heading off. See you in a day or two."


    He went to Count Jartel first. The man seemed very happy tonight, unknown if it was because he felt relieved that the marriage would reduce the burden on him of his oversized daughter or because he caught a fool so easily.


    "Count Jartel, I must take my leave to go and help the crusaders. Until I return, I hope you don''t break your word. Sir Dolorem has gone to the Green City, and we will eventually hear something from there. Until then, there is no reason to escte."


    The big lord chuckled and sent waves down his quadruple chin. "Lord Bard, do not worry, I will not break this delightful festive atmosphere¡ªMy daughter has gotten married! I''m so happy! But I hope my wife was here to see this."


    "May her soul rest in peace." Sylvester prayed.


    "Raftel and I are very religious, and our mother taught us to always respect thews, Archpriest. So we would never use any schemes or lies to make war or win them. Everything shall happen in the open¡ªlike real men."


    "That is a very honourable thinking you have, my lord. Well, then, I hope you stick by them. Give my congrattions to Lady Urs and Sir Willfard; I''m happy for them both." Sylvester lied as smoothly as a hot knife on butter and left the ceremony to find Lady Aurora.


    He went to the location Felix told him to find her. It was a busy street in a market full of shops, mainly those selling liquor or had taverns. Be it day or night, the business of booze was always booming. The economy of the County was also doing incredibly well.


    ''What is she doing here?'' He wondered.


    He started to check the taverns one after another. Thankfully, because of his earlier friendly visits to many shops, he was soon informed by one of the owners of where Lady Aurora was, so he went directly to that tavern¡ªWesndia, was the name. It was a big one, certainly for the wealthy ss of the County. It didn''t even seem like a tavern, as everything was too pristine.


    To his amazement, the tavern was strange. It appeared to be based on Masan Empire''s style, where people sit on the ground on padded carpets with bolster pillows there forfort. In the middle of each carpet was a small table where drinks could be stacked.


    The carpets were ced in symmetry. As such, the middle part of the hall was left empty. At that moment, the bard he heard singing the hymn about him some days ago was singing a traditional song to entertain the people. And not so surprised, he noticed Lady Aurora sitting alone on one of the carpets and listening to the song.


    He sneaked close to her and took a seat. "What''s this? Do you have an interest in that man or something?"<sub> </sub>


    "Wha!" She was startled until she looked.


    "What? Ah! Archpriest. No, I am merely interested in his music. He''s very good at singing. His voice has a strange melody in it." She spoke in praise.


    Sylvester scoffed. "Is that so? You have not seen me sing then. With the violin and serious voice. This man is near the middle, I''d say."


    Lady Aurora smugly looked at him. "Oho? I think I smell something burning?"


    "..."


    "Well, I was just saying. But care to tell me why youe here every single day? Isn''t that too much¡­ obsession?" Sylvester turned the cards around.


    "I really like listening to the songs. In the holynd, all we get are religious hymns or those written by you. We rarely get songs about the summer, death, love or some other stories in the form of songs. Honestly, after living for so long, it starts getting boring." She revealed her little struggles in life.


    He also enjoyed the song in silence and agreed with her. If he lived for three hundred years, he''d also get bored with life. "I never thought you were into this kind of stuff. But, good grace, there are still some folks in the clergy who know how to rx."


    She chuckled and gave him a ss of coconut water. "You don''t have a choice, Archpriest. You have to learn new things and find a hobby to stay sane. I know the Lord Inquisitor likes to carve skull sculptures out of ivory. As for others, they must have something too."


    ''Grandpa Monk likes to run his illegal non-alcoholic alcohol distillery.'' Sylvester remembered theughing face of that retired old man.


    "I understand you, Lady Aurora. I created the violin for that reason itself. In our line of work, wee across so many stomach-churning, scalp-tingling things that any man would go insane. I guess in both our cases¡ªmusic keeps us sane." He reciprocated her feelings as he remembered the scenes of death and gore in life.


    "Yes, that strange musical instrument of yours. It''s truly fascinating how you made it. Archpriest, be honest, how do you know all this? You''re just eighteen." She asked.


    "I have been singing hymns of the lord since I was a month old, Lady Aurora. I don''t think ying instruments or making them should be that shocking."


    She sighed and rxed in her seat. "I envy your talents then. I wish I could also sing and y these instruments. But the only good thing I know is my sword... and how to chop the stings called veins of my enemies."


    Sylvester stood up. "Then let''s not waste time here, Lady Aurora. We have a bloodling to chop and return at the quickest. I can only hope that no new murder and breast muttion will ur here."


    "At least the war has stopped." She patted his shoulder and walked out of the tavern.


    "But for how long?" He wondered.


    p ...</anda>


    They had taken a boat in half an hour and headed upstream towards the north, into the Duchy of Iceling. As they moved north, everything appeared white as the snow became more prevalent. Even the river would be frozen if they went too north.


    Though they had one more person along, the owner of the boat. The man was a wizard and could use water elements. He was just an Acolyte Wizard-ranked man who got training under the monastery. In magical terms, he was a frail man, but he could earn a lot in this profession.


    Sylvester had taken out a map of the region and discussed where they were headed with Lady Aurora, as it was his habit to learn about the terrain first. "So, not even the mountain tribes live here?"


    "No. The region is full of dry mountains. Even the trees don''t grow on them, and hence, they make for terrible locations for starting a camp." She taught him. But then she pointed at the section where the White River appears from the middle of the mountains. "A few centuries ago, a massive battle urred in this region called River pass. The Elves from Bastaria wished toy siege to the castle of Duke Iceling, take hold of the area and then let dwarves build a dam over the White River.


    "With one move, the Elves could have brought drought to what is today''s Gracia Kingdom. But then the church got heavily involved, and in a ten-day-long battle, tens of thousands died. However, the battle ended not because of one side winning, but because of a massive blizzard that buried all the dead under thick sheets of snow."


    "That''s why bloodling has appeared?" Sylvester blurted. But he wondered how strong this one would be, and what its abilities would be like since dead bodies of elves and dwarves were also involved.


    Sylvester fell into deep thinking, wondering what he would need to use and what protective runes he should put on his armour.


    Lady Aurora interrupted him with a cough, however. "Archpriest Sylvester, may I ask you something?"


    "Go ahead." Sylvester allowed.


    "Who is Chonky?"


    "..."


    Thud!


    _______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 168 168. The Necromancer, The Dude

    A sudden thud resounded as Sylvester saw Chonky falling from his shoulder to the floor of the boat. Thankfully the furry boy didn''t cry in pain.


    "What was that?" Lady Aurora looked left and right.


    Sylvester shrugged and focused on the map again. "Must have been the wind."


    But Lady Aurora was someone who once decides on doing something, never quits. "So, who is this Chonky?"


    "An imaginary friend I made when I was little since I had no friends around my age to y with. It was a talking cat, little and very cute. So whenever I am in any problem now, I think about him, and it helps me to calm down." He lied through his teeth.


    Lady Aurora made a face that showed pity and some sadness. "You poor soul, mentally retarded and isted. I can understand your scars, as I was also little when I came to the Holy Land. But I was already at the age of starting school. You were just a month old, so I can imagine."


    "What do you mean mentally retarded? I''m not retarded." Sylvester only picked one word from her reply.


    "You poor soul, I think I will have to ask the great mother I know who is a great mental healer. She can surely help you."


    "Fine, say whatever you want." Sylvester ignored her theatrics and worked on the nning.


    "Hmph, you''re no fun, an old man stuck in a child''s body¡ªthat''s what you are. Look at me; I''m so old and still trying to live! You need to learn to ''live'' too. With your supreme wizard talent, you will live for centuries as long as you don''t have an untimely death. So once you reach the higher ranks, get ready to be bored to death!"


    Sylvester''s eyes silently darted towards her as she said it. ''What in god''s name¡­ that was oddly specific.''


    "I''m sure I will forever have something to do. I can be very crafty, and making things is a hobby for me."


    She sighed and rxed back in her wooden seat. Sylvester was amazed that she was so brazenly sitting with legs wide open, no shame or shyness. He honestly appreciated that she was this free with him. This meant there were fewer chances she was scheming against him. Not to mention, he smelled nothing that would suggest she had any wrong motives.


    "You know, under the rule of the twenty-sixth Pope, the fifth Guardianmitted suicide due to boredom. There was no war back then. Though I suppose they very much preferred the boredom than the war."


    Sylvester sometimes feels amazed by the history. The fact that the faith was so old, nearly anything one could imagine had already happened. That included the things that are funny and also those that are messed up.


    "How did he kill himself? He must have been really powerful, after all." He inquired, wondering if knowing this could one day help him.


    "Oh, he just drowned himself. It turns out that the body and powers may be really strong, but a person still needs air to breathe to live. But, it did take him about three months to die fully under the water. It was also sort of an experiment that he voluntarily did." She exined.


    ''What kind of dumb monsters are manning the church?'' Sylvester wondered. But then he thought about who would be a guardian under his rule. At least Lady Aurora will still be there since she was young. Maybe the Lord Inquisitor too? As for others, he knew that the fifth Guardian was soon going to pass away, and the first Guardian was already against him.


    ''How many of them will I have to kill to forge my holy throne of bones?''


    "Lord Bard! Lady Tenth!" The helmsman spoke. "This is as far as I can take you. Look ahead. The chunks of ice have started to appear. I think the winter has been hard in the north this year for the ice to emerge so early. It wasn''t there a few days back."


    Sylvester annoyedly stood up at the bow of the boat. "How far is the Crusader camp?"


    "It''s near the start of the river pass, Lord Bard. That''s also where the bloodling has appeared. The camp has been set in the woods far north of the shores of Duke Iceling''s castle. You are not far from that site, just five or six kilometres."


    "What if I stay standing at the boat''s bow and keep pushing away the chunks of ice?" He offered.


    But the helmsman objected to that too. "I can get you there this way, but when returning, it will just be me."


    Sylvester took a little pouch from his pocket on the underside of his chest te. Then he took out three gold graces. "Here, you can keep these three right now and get two moreter. You are to stay with me at the Crusader camp as I wish to return to the County by tomorrow evening. You can remain at the back of the camp, and I assure you no harm shalle to you from the bloodling."


    After all, if money could solve some things and he had money, then why the hell not?


    The helmsman looked at the gold with shining eyes. "And what about my boat, Lord Bard?"


    "We can surely pick it out of the water and ce it somewhere safe. Don''t worry; I got everything covered for you. All I need right now is to reach that ce as quickly as possible. Are you going to get me there, my fellow man of faith? My duty is of utmost importance to the Holy Land¡ªto the Pope. Do you not wish to help the Holy Father? Do you now wish to be a part of history? The main helmsman who helped the Lord''s Bard?"


    "Yes, my Lord! I am a humble servant of the light. Whatever you say, I do! I shall help the Holy Father get rid of this menace! Please brace yourself, I shall get you to your destination quickly! Haaaa!" The man became pumped and spent all the magic he could to make the boat go fast.


    Sylvester also kept a serious face, despiteughing inside. The same was the case with Lady Aurora, as she knew how easy it was to manipte people with their high identities.


    So, their boat journey was cut in half as Sylvester used air maniption to move all the ice blocks out of the way. He was still hiding the fact that he could use Water and Earth maniption, at least not using it openly.


    Before noon, they arrived at the shores near where the Crusader camp was set. They could not go too far since the bloodling was living there. From what the helmsman said, it was known that this bloodling was somehow spawned in the water and had something to do with it.


    As they moved about, Sylvester could feel many eyes were on him despite three being nobody in the vicinity. He reckoned the Crusaders had set up a parameter and ced some alert runes.


    "Don''t be scared if someone abruptly appears." He warned the man behind him.


    Woosh!


    "Stop!"


    As expected, after they passed what appeared to be the border of the parameter the crusaders had set, some knights appeared from the trees and aimed their swords or spears at them.


    Sylvester raised his hands. "Look at me, folks, blonde hair and golden eyes. I am Sylvester Maximilian, the Lord''s Bard. This is Lady Aurora, the Tenth Guardian of Light. We''re here to help you as per the request of your Commander."


    "And why should we believe you? Any blondie could im to be the Lord''s Bard." The crusader rebuked.


    Sylvester''s brows twitched. But he agreed and made both his palms create a ray of light and also sang a hymn silently, making a halo appear behind his head. "Is this enough?"<sub> </sub>


    Thud!


    The men fell to their knees and started crying. "Lord Bard! Please save us from this hell. The bloody Bloodling does not die no matter what we do! We''re so frustrated, hungry and cold here!"


    "..."


    ''Well, a hero you want, a hero you shall get.''


    ?Fear not, children of the Lord,


    To save you has arrived his bard!?


    Sylvester spoke in rhyme and went forward to make one of the men stand up. Then he used his palm to pour some light on his head, making him feel warm.


    It was his usual theatrics to create a longsting image in people''s minds. Now this crusader, who was surely not a clergyman, will go around for the rest of his life telling people about this one story. As for the other men, they will also spread the message.


    "T-Thank you, Lord Bard. Please follow us!" They happily led the way.


    Meanwhile, Lady Aurora was ignored despite her being much stronger than Sylvester. One of the reasons was that mostymen didn''t know how vital the guardians were, and the second reason was that women were scarce in the clergy, especially as warriors¡ªlet alone one as strong as her. They likely thought she was a bright mother or something.


    They were brought to therge camp of crusaders soon after, where multiple divisions of small crusader groups had gathered and worked under one Commander, who was a bishop-ranked clergyman.


    The location was depressing and cold, as the snow-covered all of the grounds, and in a short distance, the mountains started¡ªdark and dry as a desert. The river flowed from between these mountains, and the ce, where the river came out into the nds from between the mountains, was called River pass.


    Boom!


    "Quick! It''s starting to fight again! Leave your posts and run back!"


    As Sylvester came close to the river again, he heard the shouts of men in panic and utter chaos. Soon after, louder booms resounded.


    Boom!


    "It took Sir Carter and Sir Steven!"


    "Sir Bruce was also taken!"


    Sylvester hastened his steps and finally arrived at the shore. It appeared less like a battlefield and more like a construction site with chopped timber, and men were working to make something out of it.


    Also, the most noticeable thing was the destruction, as it appeared something huge and powerful had mmed over whatever the men were building, as now only the shattered pieces of some parts of wood remained.


    "What''s going on here?" He asked the crusader beside him.


    "Lord Bard! The bloodling is a rare type, as the Commander said. This one does not have a physical body and is one with water in this part of the area. Nothing we throw at it can harm it. Even the fire has no effect since it''s a river and more water takes the vaporised one''s ce. So we''re trying to make a dam."


    "Interesting." Sylvester moved a little upstream, among the crowd of crusaders working to help the wounded and getting back to work. There were at least a thousand men at work right before his eyes.


    "What do you think, Lady Aurora? Have you ever encountered one like this?" He asked her.


    Lady Aurora stared at the river with interest. "If what he said is true, then this one will be hard to kill¡ªnot because of its strength, but because of its ability to replenish itself. I''ve never heard of such a bloodling in history, however. But I must say, whoever this Commander is, he did amendable job of nning to make a damn."


    "Good, then let''s check this dam," Sylvester said and moved further. Soon, they came across a strange structure that was still under construction. But, to their shock, the blockade was not made of earth, neither wood nor was it being worked on by humans.


    "W-What the¡­ undeads are making a dam of bones?" Lady Aurora eximed in shock.


    "Meow!"


    Sylvester looked down, as the cat''s noise didn''t belong to Miraj. He chuckled at the sight, knowing who it belonged to. "Haha, how are you, little Harpy."


    Lady Aurora jumped even further and unsheathed her sword. "An undead cat? Archpriest Sylvester, let it go!"


    But Sylvester only patted the little skeleton cat. "Calm down, Lady Aurora¡­ I know who it belongs to¡­ and there he is."


    Sylvester turned around and saw a man in ck hooded robes, so big they covered all of his skin, and even his face appeared under the shadow.


    "Hah¡­ herees my favourite Necromancer!" Sylvester was truly delighted as the man spread the strong scent of tulips¡ªpure worship¡ªthe same as thest time he saw him. He was a true loyal cultist.


    "Lord Bard?"


    _______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 169 169. A Man Doomed For Loneliness

    "Lord Bard? We met again¡­ albeit under the same circumstances."


    Sylvester hugged the man, for the necromancer''s reclusiveness was ineffective against his light. It even surprised the man, as his face appeared shocked but also happy from underneath the hood. "It''s good to see you again, Bishop Lazark. How have you been, and what are you doin¡ª Ah! You''re themander of this Crusader army?"


    Bishop Lazark, the amazing necromancer who, despite being a dark wizard, was able to fight and survive a Bloodling twice. He was a man that Sylvester respected because even alone, the man had great might.


    "I am¡­ themander¡­ but in name only. What are you doing here, Lord Bard?" Lazark asked, sounding a bit depressed for some reason.


    "We are the support you asked for. You sent someone to the nearby monasteries, asking for any help they could send. Since we were the strongest and the most experienced folks nearby, we came. And this finedy here is the Tenth Guardian of Light, Lady Aurora."


    The necromancer just nodded, as this was his usual notion of all emotions, whether happy or sad. This was why Sylvester appreciated his ability even more, as he could tell what the man was thinking. He was happy and hopeful.


    "How are you doing, Lazark? You sent me no letters¡­ we could have coborated on more assignments." He asked him.


    Bishop Lazark sighed and pointed at the back, at the river. "I am trying to create a dam here using the undead by making them pile themselves on top of each other."


    "Then what about the other dam they are making in the front?" Sylvester asked.


    Bishop Lazark appeared saddened at the mention of that. "Priest, as you know, people are not very apprehensive about my necromancy¡­ and that''s why I have no team either. My second and third-inmand nearly caused a riot against me and nearly killed me, using me of being a secret member of the Anti-Light¡ªof being unholy. They''d rather disobey my authority than serve under me. So, here I am, trying to solve the problem I am asked... alone."


    "Those maggots!" Sylvester cursed and showed artificial anger to make Bishop feel he was important to him. "What''s the name of the second-inmand?"


    "Prince Harpus Degracia, some small princeling from the branch family of the Gracia family."


    "Oh!" Sylvester eximed. It was certainly a surprise but a pleasant one. He was waiting for a moment like this to happen.


    He decided to do something about this. "We''re here to deal with the Bloodling, and as I am also a Sanctum Inspector, I am legally bound to reprimand any unsavoury acts done by the crusaders. Come with me, Bishop, let''s deal with this princeling. It''s time he learns that real power lies in the hands of the holy men, not nobles."


    "I hope it won''t cause a riot," Bishop muttered and followed.


    As they arrived with Bishop Lazark behind him, he noticed everyone going silent and ring at them, mainly Lazark. They scowled, frowned and sometimes called strange names.


    For the first time, Sylvester got to see first-hand what Bishop Lazark goes through on a daily basis. This was the reason why he had no teammates, as his necromancy was his boon and bane at the same time. He wondered how a man could keep himself gathered for so long after being abused by those with whom he was meant to sing lord''s hymns.


    ''Either Bishop Lazark has the mental fortitude of a god, or he just doesn''t care.'' He thought.


    Soon, they were brought to a tent in the back of the camp, away from the river. The supposed second and third-inmands who mutinied against Bishop Lazard were living there. It was a veryvish tent, and even two men were standing in front of the entrance, guarding it.


    Sylvester moved closer to them and showed them his upational identity document of being a church official. "This is a Holy Crusade¡ªchurch''s business. Move aside, or I will hold you ountable for what''s about to happen to the two inside."


    The two guards knew better than to mess around at this stage. Everyone loves their head above their shoulders, after all.


    Sylvester then pushed open the entrance cloth and nced inside. The ce appeared even morevish than he initially expected. It was snowynd, so the ground was supposed to be damp. But, here he was, standing on a thick rug, as dry as a desert. There was a heating stove in the middle with a chimney going up, while animal fur was in abundance, spread around. There were also a few chests that were lying open, full of gold and other items.


    ''Where did they get these?''


    There appeared to be two designated spaces for them to sleep, each at the opposite extreme of the tent. And there seemed to be two people sleeping, evident by the lump of nkets.


    "Bishop Lazark, you and the men outside are working so hard and dying, while here, these so-calledmanders are sleeping. I can''t tell if they are so confident or just don''t care." Sylvester boomed loudly.


    The two men slowly started to wake up from their sleep and look. The first person to wake up was Prince Harpus Degracia, and his reaction to seeing Sylvester was as expected.


    "Y-You''re the priest from that town¡­ my porter!"


    Sylvester smilingly walked close to him. "Then let me port you outside."


    "What?"


    Bam!


    Sylvester caught the man by his ck hair and started dragging him out. The Prince was not wearing much under the nket, so he was instantly hit by the cold.


    But then Sylvester abruptly stopped as he found an exposed woman under the nket, who was just waking up. He was not too shocked but just amazed because they were so far from civilisation. "Where did you find these women?"


    Bishop Lazard responded in a disappointed voice. "These two are high nobles with too much money. They''ve kept women close by on all their journeys. She''s probably some wench he paid from the closest town."


    "Oh, then the charges add up! sphemy in the work of faith! You have tarnished the holy crusade." Sylvester said, and started dragging him out again.


    "Aaargh! What do you think you''re doing?"<sub> </sub>


    "I know exactly what I am doing." Sylvester didn''t go easy on him and held his hair harder. A bit too hard, it seemed.


    Thud!


    Sylvester lost the grip, and the Prince fell face first on the rug. But on another look, Sylvester realised that he had patched away a piece of the scalp of the Prince. "Well, they can grow again."


    He again caught a different patch and started dragging him to the exit. "Bishop Lazark, drag the other man the same way¡­ and ensure you mistakenly pull a little hard."


    "Argh!"


    In no time, two pieces of scalps were on the floor, and two bloodied men were dragged by their hair. Sylvester showed no mercy and would even kick the so-called Prince in the face for wiggling too much. A few times, he''d also try to attack, but then he''d get punched in the face¡ªhence theck of few frontal teeth and bleeding mouth.


    As they got out, the ground was too muddy, so the two men got dirty, and by the time Sylvester dragged them near the centre of the camp, the two were unrecognisable and shivering heavily.


    He then addressed the crowd that gathered near him. "Listen to me. I am the Lord''s Bard, Sylvester''s Maximilian. I havee from the Holy Land to ensure that nopse is made in the crusade. Yet! Here I see mutiny against a Bishop of high rank. I hear that you men rioted against him because he''s a necromancer. I do not know what faith of Solis you follow, but we do not discriminate against magic. All are the same in the eyes of the lord¡ªfor all that exists is ording to his ord."


    Sylvester waited to see a few heads falling down. He tried to smell the air, which was full of anxiety, for the men were scared. But Sylvester was more angered at a particr bunch.


    "All those who are from the clergy,e forth and show your shameless faces." He ordered.


    In an instant, nearly thirty per cent of the men came forward; still, heads held low, for they knew what their folly was.


    Sylvester scowled and shamed them openly. "I am ashamed to call you my brother in faith. You know thews, you know how to identify fake or real identifications, and yet you joined them against the Bishop? The man who has experienced surviving a fight against a bloodling twice? A man who has more knowledge about dark creatures than any?"


    "M-My Lord Bard! Please¡­ forgive us! We were enticed by the Prince. He said if he became themander, his family would send many extra supplies such as food and clothing. We couldn''t kill the bloodling here, so we needed those things as the winter breeze became stronger." A clergyman in knight''s armour knelt and spoke.


    ''Lies!'' Sylvester could smell it from a mile away. He knew already that these men didn''t do it due to some words of a Prince but because of their own prejudice against necromancy. It was understandable, but this was a breaking of the protocol.


    However, it was also a fact that he could not punish all of these men, who likely numbered thousands, and he also wished to win them over. But, he could surely create an example for them.


    "Get this in your heads, the Bishop shall remain themander, and you must obey. Or¡ªDon''t mind me if I decide to hold all of you ountable and report to Saint Wazir. The woman beside me is Lady Tenth, the Tenth Guardian of Light, a Grand Wizard. She can instantly burn you with fire¡ªwithout a need for a pyre."


    He easily threw Lady Aurora under the bus. After all, this was his reason for bringing her anyway. Her status was more helpful when enforcing something.


    The Crusaders nodded silently. They had no other choice, even less so with Lady Aurora. They could only gulp their saliva and agree to any order they got.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester wondered what to do with these two. He nced at Bishop Lazark and saw the anger in the man''s eyes. He reckoned the man must have been humiliated and frustrated but couldn''t retaliate even when he could massacre them. It must have been frustrating knowing you have nobody watching your back. ''Killing these two high nobles could give me minor troublester. But Bishop''s loyalty to me will only increase if I give him what he wants to see¡ªso death it is.''


    Sylvester then looked at the twomanders of the mutiny. "And these two¡­ They shall work at the front to build a dam. No matter what, they shall not be allowed to sit back¡ªand they will get one meal a day."


    "W-We will die! The bloodling will kill us!" Prince Harpus cried.


    Sylvester knelt down in front of the Prince and looked him in the eye with a cruel smile that sent shivers down thetter''s spine. "This ''blondie'' is just doing his job, my Prince. And don''t forget that all men live by God''s n¡ªbut rest easy, if you die¡­ you will have my condolences."


    The Prince knew that he was being given a death sentence. "W-Why are you doing this to me¡­ What do you want? Argh!"


    Sylvester pulled him closer by the hair and whispered in his ear. "Don''t give yourself so much credit, my Prince. You are nothing to me, never were and never will be."


    "Please¡­ I will do as you say, don''t let me die¡­ my family will reward you."


    "You''re not fooling me, Prince. You wish to kill me. I can see it in your eyes. Tell me, why should I let a threat to my life live when I have a chance to end it? The moment you tried to kill a follower of mine¡ªyou should have prepared your shrine." Sylvester stood back up and spoke loudly. "Prince, you joined this crusade knowing what could happen on it. Now, do not cower while your brethren are doing the same work¡ªand dying.


    "Now, get to work¡ªall of you! I want this dam made by sunset!" He boomed. He had no reason to be kind to these Crusaders for now because it''d be a waste. The actual game of winning their hearts and minds was toe next.


    He didn''t waste any more time and walked closer to the riverside. He looked at the clear blue water, and there was no sign of a bloodling in it, but it was there as Sylvester felt the scent of death looming. "We''re going to continue to make a dam. But two instead of one!"


    "What are you nning, Lord Bard?" Bishop Lazark asked.


    With folded arms and a seriously threatening face, Sylvester smirked at the water¡­ at the bloodling. "Water is the element this bloodling can harness¡ªSo I shall turn this same water into its carcass."


    _______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 170 170. F*** My Luck!

    Sylvester made up his mind and went on to make the two dams. He divided the men into two teams. One team was responsible for creating the dams, and the other was responsible for creating side passages for the river water to keep flowing and not flood the whole area instead.


    So, they had to make two tunnels going from behind the first dam to the other side of the second one. This would require Earth magic, so he could only let the knights and other wizards work on creating the blockade on the river, away from the area of influence under the Bloodling.


    The river was as deep as two metres and as wide as fifty metres. This was going to be an arduous task as the current of the water was also strong. Sylvester had to ensure that he did not change the intensity of the flow either, as that could adversely affect the parts downstream and flood various towns or viges.


    He first got to dig the tunnels as that would make the water more shallow, making the dam-making process easier. Bishop Lazark had already decreased the flow a bit already.


    "Lady Aurora, you shall focus on the left bank tunnel, and I will be on the right. Make sure you don''t break into the wall of thest stretch and flood the tunnel itself before getting out." He showed them a few sketches he had made.


    After that, they all got to work. Using Earth element maniption or simply using the runes, they started to dig. It was going to take them a while, but they still had decent enough speed. While at the surface, the dam was being created. One was made with necromancy as the skeletons piled up one above another. The other one was made of wood.


    The Prince and his partner-in-crime were forced to work on the frontline at the wooden dam. They were the two men sitting on the thin logs, nailing pieces one after the other. Whenever they would slow down, they would get shoved around and threatened that they''d be thrown into the water.


    But as the night started to linger over their heads, he began to feel somewhat on the edge as the air was too cold, mainly because they were close to the Pentapeak mountain range, the tallest and the longest mountain range in the known world.


    But the main reason for his worry was the Shadow Knight. He could only wish the creature would note after him there.


    "Let''s go and have some rest. We shall resume at the first light in the morning. With this speed, I''m certain we canplete the task by noon tomorrow and then deal with the bloodling by evening." Sylvester ordered the men and sent them to sleep after eating.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester took the mainvish tent that the previousmanders used--speaking of those two. They were tied inside a small, thin tent without much instion. Sylvester was hoping they''d naturally die.


    In therge tent, Sylvester, Lady Aurora and Bishop Lazark rested as they ate their food near the coal heater in the middle. The temperature was falling rapidly as the winds kept getting stronger outside. They had the luxury of the fur, but the people in other tents were freezing. But most of them were used to it as they had been serving in even harsher work conditions throughout their lives.


    "I can''t help bute to respect the Mountain Tribes who live even further north of here," Sylvester muttered as he ate.


    "Would you say the same about the Desert Cannibals?" Bishop Lazark asked as the memory of Sphinx Town was still fresh to them.


    Sylvester sighed, put the bowl away, and rxed by taking off his boots to dry his feet. "Them, most certainly not. As long as they are cannibals, in my eyes, they are dead. But, if there are some tribes that are not cannibals, then they''d have my respect. It''s harsh to survive in a climate such extreme--and they''ve done it for generations."


    At that, Lady Aurora chuckled. "I''m sure most of them would die if they lived among us,mon civilised folks. We scheme and kill so much for no reason that they''d just be confused. ''They have all the food they want, so why do they still fight and kill?'' They''d say."


    "Or maybe not." Sylvester rebutted. "Remember, it''s themon folks of these tribes who are hungry, not their leaders, who likely live in more luxury than you and I do. All the food, women and treasures, yet they fight other tribes and raid nearby settlements. It''s human instinct to keep fighting and keep wanting more. It''s a never-ending cycle... no matter what era... or the world."


    "Or species." Bishop Lazard added. "Elves, Dwarves, Vampires, Goblins, Dragonkins... I heard they are the same too."


    Sylvester looked around at the tent and noticed the open chest full of gold. A good amount of it was already missing, however, thanks to one hungry furry bank that loves gold. "I have no idea where that money came from. Do you, Bishop?"


    "Tributes! The Crusaders, this time, know they cannot leave behind a trail of destruction, sacking and r*pe like thest time. But the people don''t know this, so when some Crusaders arrive at a new town or vige, they demand a certain payment for being left alone. The poor people cave in--valuing their lives and peace more than gold."


    Sylvester felt a bit disgusted by that money. But the deed was already done, so there was no going back. But he could at least stop such things from happening again. "Does the Holy Land know about this?"


    "Maybe, I don''t know. Crusades started just recently, and my case is rare, as I don''t have a team. I just get attached to leading various teams randomly. So I believe those groups that are doing this are little chambers of secrets, where they all keep their sins tight-lipped. But thankfully, out of the past eighteen groups I havemanded, I''ve only seen this happening twice."


    "It''s still not good. I will write to Saint Wazir and inform him. By the way, I would once again like to offer you a spot on my team." Sylvester straightforwardly invited him. He truly believed that with Bishop, his team could gain a much-needed strength upgrade. Not to mention, Bishop Lazark was an old dog who knew some level of diplomacy.


    "And my answer remains the same, Lord Bard. I do not wish to make life hard for you. Having a necromancer beside you can tarnish your name." Bishop Lazard said.


    Sylvester appreciated that the man was worrying about his reputation. But he didn''t really care at this point because all it takes him to impress someone is one hymn. Besides, what he wished to do was use his maniption means to make Lazark and his necromancy popr in a good way.


    <o>,m "Then, don''t join my Sanctum Inspector team but my Crusade supervisor team. As Sanctum Inspectors, we are allowed to gather a team of twenty each. Felix and I will have twenty each, making it forty. We can easily make that forty-one. What do you say, Lady Aurora, shouldn''t he join me?</o>


    "Lady Aurora?"


    Sylvester looked to the side, and to his surprise, the woman was already asleep--while sitting. She was even snoring a little from the sound of it.


    "She''s truly one of the prettiest yet least feminine women I''ve ever met, and I can''t help but say I like that about her. Anyway, what do you think, Bishop?" He asked the man again.


    Bishop Lazark seemed to contemte that for a long time. He wondered if the effects of him being a necromancer would be the same if there were forty people. He knew Sylvester, Felix, Gabriel, and Sir Dolorem didn''t care, but others might.


    "I need time to think about it, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester shrugged and got up to head to his bed. "You have the whole night, Bishop. I shall head to bed now. See you in the morning."


    He hugged Chonky in his arms under the nket and soon drifted off into a very light sleep, enough to let him rest but also be alert to any temperature change--which would mean he needed to run or prepare.


    But not everyone went to sleep. Still, besides the heater in the middle, Bishop Lazark sat quietly and thought about his life. He was certainly not happy with it, as humans are creatures that long for connections, friendships andmunication. Having lived in istion for so long, even he wished to have someone to talk to and share his thoughts and ideas with. But, he knew he''d be a burden on most--and that was something he could never ept as a firm believer of the lord.


    "I guess I am forever damned to be alone." He muttered.


    "He values you, Bishop. Go ahead, join him."


    "Lady Aurora?" Lazark eximed, shocked she heard him. "You were not sleeping?"


    She slowly stretched her arms and yawned while getting up. "Even my unconscious mind functions more than amoner''s focused mind. I''m a Grand Wizard, Bishop. My level of strength is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural. Good night now."


    With no care, she went to one of the beddings and rested down, once again falling asleep, leaving the necromancer perplexed.<sub> </sub>


    ...


    "One!"


    "Two!"


    "Three!"


    "Let Go!"


    Boom!


    The next day, Sylvester didn''t want to take any risks with the lives of the crusaders. So, after ensuring that thest part of the tunnels was dug, he told everyone to get out while he set a few explosive crystals in the ce. Then, all they needed was a surge of magic to activate them.


    Lady Aurora and Sylvester easily made that happen. So with a loud boom, the two tunnels that bypassed the dams were built. The water started to flow as expected, and the intensity of water where the dams were being built decreased.


    ''Ugh! I hope it doesn''t attack.'' Sylvester grunted alone as he felt the scent of death rising astronomically. The Bloodling was undoubtedly not happy having its habitat halved.


    But that was only the start, as Bishop Lazark soon finished building his undead dam. With that, the waterpletely stopped flowing downstream for a 100-meter stretch. By then, the second dam had also been constructed to a decent height, so now the water was trapped between the two.


    However, he didn''t let the men rest and quicklyunched a response.


    "Get ready, everyone! We are going to attack the river with all the fire magic we have!" He roared as he gathered the Crusaders beside the shoreline.


    Lady Aurora was given the job of using Ice and Air elements to freeze water if the Bloodling decided to attack them. This way, they could at least minimise the casualties.


    Sylvester stood at the leading charge. But he kept Prince Harpus and hisckey beside him... ready as sacrifices to the Bloodling.


    ''It''sing!''


    "When I say, you start shooting your fire spells without care. Use up all the magic you have!" He roared at the hundreds upon hundreds of men, most of them covered with armour, but they all were sweaty and muddied from working all that time.


    ''Come out!'' Sylvester waited as he knew the threshold of the scent of death that meant it was the closest. So he waited, calcting all the changes.


    Soon, he noticed the water turning a bit darker. ''Yes... a bit more!''


    The crowd nervously stood, some coughing, some sweating profusely, and their hands appeared ready to cast spells or runes. The winter didn''t even affect them anymore, as their lives could be taken at any moment.


    "NOW!"


    Boom!


    Woosh!


    Bang!


    As soon as Sylvester''s roaringmand came, the crusaders unleashed hell on earth. Even if they were not all wizards and those who were wizards were not strong, thebined might of hundreds of them was overwhelming.


    The scorching heat reached the water in the river, from which a certain shape was slowly trying toe out. But the concentrated fire pushed it back with ease.


    "Wraaaaa!"


    ''So it can cry!'' Sylvester mumbled and focused both his hands on the water, releasing beams of pure red fire. He had also cast a few whirling fire moves, creating fire tornadoes on the river.


    The scene that appeared was mind-numbing, as the steam rose and covered everything around, making it impossible to see, mixed with the screeches of the bloodling--it was a musical sound.


    "Wraaaa!"


    Boom!


    Boom!


    "What was that?" Sylvester eximed and looked to his left and right. To his shock, the Prince and hisckey were gone.


    ''There is no water... how did it pull them in?''


    "STOP!"


    He boomed aloud. But his voice was nothing inparison to the fiery hailstorm around him. The crusaders kept raining fire.


    Woosh!


    "Argh! My f*cking luck!" Sylvester cursed as out of nowhere, he felt something wrapped around his waist and pulled him away--into the river... or whatever was left of it.

 Chapter 171 171. Pathetic!

    As far as he could see, it was just mist everywhere. He was in the air, being pulled down by the bloodling. He didn''t know what it looked like or if it even had a form. He stayed focused, however, and kept shining his light from his palms as it seemed to work against these creatures.


    Thud!


    "Argh!" He grunted in pain as he got mmed onto the muddy riverbed. The water had evaporated, and now only the swamp-like ground remained. Still, there was too much mist for him to see. So he went by his instincts and used the sense of smell to determine how far the bloodling was. For now, the bloodling seemed a bit shy and didn''t continuously attack him.


    "Sylvester!"


    "Lord Bard!"


    The crusaders and Lady Aurora were shouting his names and calling for him continuously, thinking the bloodling had got to him. But he didn''t want them to charge forward and die simultaneously.


    "I''m fine! Focus on your defence!" He shouted and continued to focus on his surroundings. "Chonky, try to smell things. If you see something nearby or behind my back, just scream."


    "Aye, Aye, Maxy!"


    Sylvester then held his spear in front of him as he knew that if the bloodling was going to attack him secretly, then the best way for the defence was something physical, as spells take time.


    Woosh!


    Suddenly, a strong gust of air zoomed past his head. At first, he didn''t heed it, but when the same thing happened a few more times, he realised something.


    "Fuck! Did that bloodling be steam now? But it must have a physical body as well since it dragged me here." He muttered and decided to deal with this steam first, at least whatever was near him.


    He used a simple spell called Whirling Storm to create a few tornadoes of air and sent them to spin around him. In no time, the steam started to get sucked into it and pushed towards the sky.


    Slowly he was able to see a few metres around himself. He noticed the ground, it was full of mud, but at the same time, it had too many little golden shining stones as big as an inch. As far as he could see, it was full of them.


    ''Holy goodness! bloodlings are known to hoard stuff... does that mean this bloodling has been hoarding back all the gold in the mud that seems to pass through here from asional floods?''


    He wondered with eyes shining bright and his heart racing in excitement. But then he looked at the various tornadoes and decided it was better if the steam covered the surroundings. He could not let the crusaders see the state of the riverbed. Nor could he allow the Duke of the area to know about this.


    ''But how do I extract it fast? Chonky can''t eat this much mud, right?--I can''t ask him to do something like this.'' He tried to brainstorm something while stopping the tornadoes.


    He knew the gold was extracted from the mud through a long process of putting the mud on a shaker and throwing water on it to separate the gold, so it remains in the bed of the machine. He didn''t have the machine or the time.


    Magic was his only sce. "Chonky, look at all this mud on the ground. It has a lot of gold in it. Do you have anything in mind about taking it all?"


    Miraj''s eyes shined even more than Sylvester''s as his love for shiny objects was amplified by Sylvester''s questionable teachings. Over the years, Miraj hade to realise the importance of this shiny stone. It could buy him all the bananas in the world.


    "How much gold?" Miraj asked.


    Sylvester looked around and tried to calcte how much it could be. Since the little chunks were as big as pebbles, he felt the amount would weigh at least more than a hundred kilos. That was only the parts he could see... the riverbed under bloodling''s influence was a hundred metres long.


    If he could turn them into Gold Graces somehow. It was a lot of money, and he could buy tonnes of new materials with it.


    "There will be tens of thousands of gold coins, Chonky. What do you think? Do you have any way to get it out?" He asked.


    Miraj didn''t reply and instead jumped onto the ground and started sniffing around. Then, like a vacuum cleaner, he started devouring all the upperyers of mud into his special bottomless tummy. It was unknown where all that was going, and he didn''t ask. Miraj was just moving around with his head held low and taking all the gold he could as fast as he could.


    "Ah! It''sing!" Sylvester felt the oing scent of death increase.


    He quickly prepared himself to counter the attack. Chonky taking all the wealth the bloodling had kept was likely angering it. But since Chonky was invisible, all it could do wase out and attack him.


    Sylvester prepared to use both his hands to create a beam of light. Not the Wrath of Heavens, since it was still too early and killing it would also remove all the steam. Chonky still needed at least a dozen more minutes with his speed. And they didn''t even know how far that gold was spread, so it could very well take an hour.


    ''Alright! Let''s see how strong this bloodling is.''


    "Woosh!"


    Sylvester jumped back out of instinct. But he kept his eyes on the front and noticed a giant figure. It seemed like a big blob on foot. The colossal monster was made of something blue like water. It had hundreds of tentacles, and all of them appeared like water. But it had eyes too, not one but tens of them spread around the body. At the same time, the feet seemed to be made of vines.


    This was a proper monster, unlike thest bloodling with a humanoid body. Though Sylvester appreciated one thing for now. "At least it can''t fly."


    But, the tentacles the bloodling had were like whips that went at the speed of sound. They were so fast that Sylvester didn''t even know when they were thrown at him and taken back. All he noticed was the booming sound of the snapping tentacle.


    "Chonky! Can''t you increase the speed? I do not wish to be caught by a tentacle monster... I don''t think that will lead to good things for my body." Sylvester shouted in question.


    Miraj didn''t reply, however, and kept eating the dirt. Thankfully, he was not tasting it since this was not his regr mouth but the interdimensional one.<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester took that silence as, ''It will take time.'' So he braced to fight this thing slowly this time. For this, he decided to use fire-based attacks.


    Woosh!


    He sent one fireball at the creature, then another one. One after another, heunched a barrage of them. He could see something happen to the bloodling, too, as the spots that would hit it would slowly release a lot of steam with pain-filled growls from the creature.


    ''This one seems too weak against fire and light. No wonder it was strong with the flowing water. And if its body is based on water, then it can''t heal itself by recing it anymore.''


    Sylvester slowly started to realise the edge he had over this one bloodling. The odds were entirely in his favour this time. As long as he stayed away from the range of the tentacles, the creature could not hurt him. Not to mention, the creature was too slow on its feet.


    ''I should take this as slow as I can.''


    He even took the spear in hand and started to heat the tip of the de with magic. He aimed to cut the tentacles slowly and make the bloodling useless.


    Woosh!


    The bloodling sent a strong wave of attacks--a barrage of hits from the bloodlings towards him. Sylvester anticipated them from the scent of death. Whenever it peaks, it means the attack ising. So, whenever that happened, he''d start spinning the spear at a fast speed.


    "Come on! You can do it, bloodling... or should I say, weakling? Pathetic!"


    Sylvester didn''t know if the creature could even understand his taunts. But his voice sure made it annoyed and forced it to use more of its tentacles. But Sylvester kept spinning the spear in front of himself, making the tip go red.


    Woosh!


    "Wraaaaa!"


    bloodling cried in pain once its tentacles started to get sliced as if it was inside a mixer grinder.


    Boom!


    Sylvester threw an intense fireball when it came too close to him, sending it tumbling back. Its huge blob-like body was its bane as it was too easy to roll around.


    ''I can''t believe this thing was killing the crusaders.'' He muttered. Though, it was this weak because he had taken away what made it strong in the first ce--water. It was like taking the sun away from a wizard. The Srium is the lifeline of all wizards, so without the sun, weakness would ensue.


    So, he kept ying around, wasting time with it. Cutting its tentacles from time to time.


    Bam!


    Sylvester made a 180-degree jump to the back and spun in the hair to dodge the oing attacks from the bloodling. By now, the creature knew that Sylvester could not be beaten, so it decided to cover itself in the mist again.


    "Haha, you can hide from me, but not my fire!" He boomed and threw so much fire from his two palms in two directions that even a dragon would feel ashamed. The mist was part of the creature''s body, so it was naturally hurting it--clear by the grunting screams being heard everywhere.


    "Maxy! All done!"


    "About time!" Sylvester breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to end this thing once and for all. First, he needed to gather all the mist in one ce and burn it all with his Wrath of Heavens.


    He started to chant and ced his right hand on the chest, facing the palm forward. He wanted to first see how much mist one attack could remove. The light he''d release would spread everywhere. Hence its effect should be radial and not linear.


    a??Filthy creature of the water, you have defiled thisnd.


    You are needed no longer, for I am putting you to an end.


    O'' holy Lord, erase this darkness with the light Imand...a??


    He suddenly stopped and looked around himself. His hands fell to his sides, along with his shoulders.


    Pa!


    He facepalmed himself, but under that palm was a big grin. "Why didn''t I think of this before? With a few human sacrifices--I can use this weakened bloodling to win over the crusaders!"


    _______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 172 172. Fortune In Misfortune

    "Uwaaaaa...!" It was Chonky, just vomiting the mud back out like a tap was opened.


    Sylvester hurried to him and patted his back. "You okay, bud? What''s happening?"


    "I release all the mud out and keep the gold!" Chonky replied and continued.


    ''He can do that? This is brilliant. If he can separate materials inside his bottomless belly, I can probably use this ability in the future as well...to stea... tax the people.''


    Woosh!


    But he had a bloodling to y with for now. Its attacks had weakened by now and didn''t scare Sylvester as he could easily dodge them. But he wanted to lure this creature to attack the crusaders and kill a few so he could appear as a hero and save them.


    But first, he picked some mud and poured it over his clothes and face to appear as if he was struggling to fight this thing. Then, he picked Chonky and rushed to exit the mist and reach the shores again.


    However, the bloodling kept attacking him from the steam, only to fail to reach him every time. It was also getting weaker slowly as the water it had was limited and, with time, was only decreasing.


    "Get ready to attack!" He roared as soon as he appeared in the crowds.


    Lady Aurora looked at him with a strange expression when she saw he was not injured at all. But she still came to him to check. "Did you find its weakness?"


    "Yes, and we have already exploited it. It thrives on water, and we have taken it. The more we fight it, the weaker it will get. But you should stay out of this, Lady Aurora. Let them fight because if you moved, it''d be just a one-shot kill." He exined with some half facts. "They need to fight it and learn how to deal with bloodlings. After all, this whole Crusade is about Bloodlings."


    She nodded and stepped back to stand at the back of the crowd that was aiming at the steamy mist. They awaited Sylvester''smand. But, it never came, as there was no physical creature.


    "Prepare to strike! You need to harm that steam itself. Remember, all you see in front of you is a part of the Bloodling''s body." He roared but never told them what attack to use. He just told them to fight it.


    And, as he expected, some of the Wizards were likely dropped on their heads as a baby.


    "Attack at will!"


    With hismand, most wizards started to attack the bloodling with fire attacks. But, a minority were those who attacked with water. This was, in return, not just healing the creatures but also negating the effects of the fire attacks.


    ''Go on, dig your own graves deeper.''


    Sylvester was also sending a few weak fire spells. But he needed the Bloodling to use its tentacles to drag a few of the crusaders with it, not just one but a few of them. For this, he had to wait and let the dumb wizards use their water to strengthen it.


    "Lord Bard, won''t it be better to fight it with fire?" Bishop Lazark asked him as he appeared behind him. The man used a few rune-based magic spells as his fire element was not too strong, and his undead were useless in this case.


    ''Ugh!''


    Sylvester had to agree or his little scheme would be too obvious. "You''re right! Please go and tell the wizards using water to stop."


    Boom!


    "Save yourself!" Sylvester shouted as the tentacles finally started to fall on them like whips.


    Bam!


    It fell on one crusader and killed him on the spot as it caved his helmet with ease and crushed his skull. The other crusaders were horrified by this, and a stampede developed among them, all trying to move back. But, they all fell on each other, and the whole situation turned into a mess. More than a thousand crusaders were now immobile, slowly getting back up.


    This was the perfect opportunity for the bloodling toe and im as many lives as it wanted. However, it was also Sylvester''s time to shine, and he knew spectacle was necessary to win over the hearts of these men, clergy or nobles.


    He jumped to where he expected the Bloodling to attack and held his spear in hand. Then, he started chanting a hymn, creating a halo behind his head. With his spear, golden armour, hair and halo, he appeared like a God of War in the eyes of all.


    Boom!


    Sylvester spun the spear in his hands faster than one could see, soon cutting one tentacle of the bloodling.


    "Stand, children of Solis, for the fight remains.


    Move, keep focus, and let our might reign.


    Pick your arms, your swords and shields.


    Or prepare for the castigation of anyone who yields."


    Sylvester kept fighting theing strikes from the mighty bloodling. He defied it with ease with his heated spear and made the creature scream in fear.


    Woosh!


    The first crusader rose up and threw a ball of fire at the steamy mist. They didn''t know where it was, but after hearing Sylvester, they wished to fight--they simply couldn''t resist.


    Boom!


    Then the other crusaders slowly rose and formed a giant wall behind Sylvester.


    To fight, they all stood, ready to crush the Bloodling with theirbined might.


    "Only use fire spells!" Sylvester boomed. There were not a lot of wizards, but even the Knights could use special knightly abilities to throw burning knives and shes from the backlines.


    A bombardment ensued. The Bloodling had likely never thought this would happen, if it could even think. It screamed in pain and tried to move back, away from the fiery rain.


    But Sylvester was not done yet. He wanted the creature to hurt the Crusaders more. So he lowered his magical intensity and let the bloodling recuperate. It soon took the bait andunched a do-or-die attack.


    All of its dozens of tentacles aimed towards the shore, but not at Sylvester and instead the crusaders.


    Woosh!


    "Arrr... Help!"


    "Save me!"<sub> </sub>


    "No!"


    Like plucking fruits from a tree, the Bloodling picked away crusaders left and right, sometimes even throwing them into the air so high that wherever they''d fall, death was their destiny.


    But Sylvester kept calm and chanted while finally increasing his magical intensity. The fire from his palm started to get bigger and brighter. At the same time, heunched a few Whirling Fire spells, creating three tornadoes of fire circling around and destroying the steamy mist.


    "Aim your weapons! Don''t fall back! Don''t ept defeat!


    To end this creature, it''s no longer an impossible feat.


    I promise! Victory is in sight! And it shall be sweet!"


    "Help!"


    One more crusader was being pulled away by the tentacle. But this time, Sylvester was quick and threw his spear right at the sky blue tentacle and cut it apart.


    "Release all you have!" He roared and jumped forward onto the empty riverbed where now only a sea of mist remained.


    The crusaders'' hearts were pumped, and seeing him jump, they felt scared for their Lord Bard. But, to their shock, Sylvester didn''t fall and appeared to be standing on a bright white tile made of light.


    "Aa! No!"


    This time, Sylvester leapt towards the crusader while avoiding the tentacle strikes. He caught on to the man with one hand and cut the tentacle with light from the other.


    "Keep fighting! I stand here as a bridge between your glory and death! And today--we shall have glory!" Sylvester roared and prepared to end this sham since he had already felt an overwhelming smell of tulips--the highest form of worship was all around him. So strong that even the smell of death from the bloodling was fading, but that was also due to it weakening.


    The fiery tornadoes whirled around and ate all the steam away. Finally, the view was bing clear, and all saw the Bloodling in its proper form--hideous and gigantic. But it was also nightmarish.


    "My light shines brighter than your shadow.


    ept my wrath and fall into the abyss below!


    I promise--pain is all you shall know!"


    Sylvester kept his palm on his chest, facing forward towards the vile creature in the clear. The halo shined bright, and his hymns were ready to end thend''s plight.


    Boom!


    Then, with one loud explosive roar, it shook the ground--light overtook all that was around.


    "Let the light hold you in arms, for this is the dawn.


    Die, filth! For the Wrath of Heaven falls upon!"


    The Crusaders all basked in the warmth of the snowynd and felt as if holding them was Solis'' hand. For some, it was the beginning of an end. For others, it was the start of an eternal trend--To keep praying to the Lord through the Bard''s hymns.


    Boom!


    The mighty beam of light touched the Bloodling, creating a strong hole in its blob-like body. Sylvester was strong, and the Bloodling was too weak without its water.


    The ground started uprooting as if made of ss. The beam of light spread destruction too fast. Sylvester knew he was overdoing it, and he didn''t stop.


    Once he felt the lingering scent of death had vanished, he slowly faded the beam of light, and the Wrath of the Heavens stopped. There was no steam left, and everything was clear.


    But what they all saw was enough to let their jaws fall. On the spot Sylvester''s light hit, a giantke appeared as wide as a hundred metres and going as deep as fifty. The scale of destruction and the effect of one attack was mind-numbing to some, as they all imagined what it would take to harness such power.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    Sylvester looked below as he stood still at the tile of light in the air. Then, one by one, the crusaders fell to their knees and sped their hands to pray to him.


    ''My god! This intensity of worship!'' Sylvester would have cursed if they didn''t have good mental fortitude. He felt like drooling. ''This worship... I think some of them are taking me as Solis incarnate or something.''


    Sylvester was happier than ever and even thanked the Bloodling for being rtively weak. ''I cannot let this go to waste. I need to keep these men alongside me for a while longer.''


    He slowly stepped towards them andnded at the front. He kept a solemn look and spoke. "Men of light, I say this with pure delight--we have won. But I''m afraid the cost has been grave too, as a few of our brethren have lost their lives. So ensure we find their bodies and give them a befitting farewell before we open the dams."


    "As youmand, Lord Bard!" They all roared in unison.


    ''This is brilliant!" Sylvester felt pumped hearing a thousand men obey hismand so thunderously.


    "Now go and prepare the pyre for the fallen. Yes, even those two misguidedmanders of yours. They may have lost their way, but I''m sure the light had not left their hearts." He ordered, instantly making himself not just appear mighty and fearful but also generous.


    In an instant, they all hurried away to work, excited and happy, apparent by the scent.


    But then Bishop Lazark came up to him when nobody was around. He, too, was oozing with the scent of excitement and worship. "Lord Bard, about the offer you made... I have made my mind."


    _______________________


    p [A/N: Don''t forget to unload your heavy load of stones and GT on me!]</anda>


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 173 173. Why?

    "I have made up my mind."


    Sylvester expectantly awaited for the man to say what he wanted to hear. But he didn''t keep his hopes up as it was impossible to read the necromancer''s face.


    "I will only join you as a member of the crusade supervision team, not as a member of your permanent arrangement as Sanctum Inspector. When the crusade ends, I shall be on my way¡­ if I believe that''s the right thing to do. If I feel that due to me, your image is suffering, I shall leave." Bishop Lazark frankly spoke his terms.


    Sylvester chuckled, put his arm around the man''s shoulder, and walked along. "Lazark, do you think your necromancy can hurt my image? On the contrary, I''d rather say that my image will uplift the image of necromancers around the world. My light shines brighter than any darkness; I''ve said this in many of my hymns."


    Bishop Lazark nodded, feeling grateful and excited in the heart. This was going to be the first time he would work alongside those he considered friends. Friends with whom he can talk about anything, who don''t care if he has an undead cat.


    "Now, the first thing we need to do is get you some better robes. I know you like ck, and I''m not changing it. But let''s add some vour to it¡­ and not have them scream that you''re a dark wizard. Remember,mon people believe what they see as they are not taught to be critical thinkers. They are taught to be sheeps.


    "So, if you''re good-looking and kind to talk to, then they will automatically see you in a better light." Sylvester walked with him towards where Lady Aurora was.


    Bishop Lazark didn''t ignore Sylvester''s suggestions as he knew by now that Sylvester had a godly charm and a way of talking that attracted people to him naturally. "I will let you prepare that as you wish."


    Sylvester nodded and focused on Lady Aurora. She seemed to have her jaw still wide open for some reason. "Lady Aurora? What happened?"


    "What? How did you do that? That beam of light was much stronger than the one you used to fight the Shadow Knight. How?" She barked in questions.


    Sylvester stole his gaze and looked away. "Well, we all need to improve with time, don''t we? To be clear, I was not even using all my strength back then. My goal was to survive and prolong my stay. Here, I was just focusing on destruction."


    "I wish to fight you!" She demanded.


    ''That''s what I was going to ask anyway.'' Sylvester thought. He wished to use Lady Aurora''s overpowering strengths to push himself to rank up. It was better to be beaten bloody by an ally than against an enemy in a fight.


    "I will be d to do so, Lady Aurora. But first, let''s return to Raftel County. We still have that murder case to solve. We must find the sick bastard cutting women''s chests for whatever sickly reasons."


    "Cutting the chests?" Bishop Lazark eximed all of a sudden.


    "You know something about it?" Sylvester smelled a hint of surprise.


    Bishop nodded before starting. "I do, but I don''t know if it''s rted. Beforeing here, I was in the south, in the Riveria Kingdom, near the border of Gracia. I heard that a local lord had his daughter kidnapped, killed with her breast chopped off."


    Sylvester instantly fell into thought. "Can you tell me the exact location?"


    "Near the Bamboo forest. The Baron lives there."


    ''Hmm, if it''s rted, then this matter goes way beyond just the two counts. This would clearly mean they are not the ones who attacked each other. I need to find out more about this.''


    "Thank you for that information, Bishop. This means we need to hurry quickly. Lady Aurora, youe with me. We shall take the same boat we took toe here. As for you, Bishop Lazark, please bring the crusaders to Raftel County. We shall disband them there to head to other regions." He ordered quickly.


    "Lord Bard!" A knight came up to them. "The bodies have been gathered and put on a pyre. We await your prayers."


    Sylvester solemnly nodded and walked behind the Knight. He soon arrived near the riverside where the pyres were set. There were fifty in total, ready to be burnt.


    ''Not that big of a sacrifice. If this were an actual battlefield, hundreds more would have died.'' Sylvester thought to himself and walked to stand in the direction from which he was facing the sun.


    "I didn''t know their names. But they died giving their lives in the ultimate sacrifice¡ªthey died serving the lord. I''m sure their souls are receiving the warmth of Solis as they prepare for what''s toe after. But here, in honour and with their memories in mind, we give them ast goodbye. May the holy light enlighten their souls to the right path." Sylvester nodded at the knights standing beside Pyres with magic torches.


    Woosh!


    Instantly, all of them were left to burn while the rest watched in silence. In the hearts of the crusaders, it was a scene that inflicted fear on them. But at the same time, their minds told them how lucky they were to be saved by Sylvester, or else they could have been one of those lying on the fire.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester''s mind was empty. In both his lives, all he had known was to kill people for the greater good¡ªfor selfish desires. So letting a few crusaders die to earn the loyalty of others was a worthy sacrifice.


    ''When in Rome, do as the Romans do. In this cruel world, cruelty is the only path to survival.'' He told himself in silence.


    Since it was a magical fire, the burning of bodies didn''t take more than half an hour. After that, Sylvestermanded all men to work and restore the river''s natural flow by removing the dams.


    First, they removed the second dam, and then they slowly started to fill the tunnels they made to alter the current. In the meantime, Bishop Lazark removed his undead from the dam. The crusaders watched him do it this time and didn''t try to ridicule him.<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester had sowed the seed of doubt over their prejudice. They were forced to question why a necromancer would be a Bishop if he were not epted by the faith¡ªand Solis already.


    By afternoon, they were done with all their tasks and cleaned themselves. Sylvester was in a hurry, however. So he gathered the men andmanded them.


    "Men of the holy crusade! As per my order, you all are to head south to Raftel County and rest there. You shall receive your further orders from the Holy Land there. You shall march under themand of Bishop Lazark Kul Mizar. If any of you break the order and reject hismand, I won''t do anything¡­ I will just be utterly disappointed in you as a fellow man of faith." Sylvester made a sad face, enough to make a grown man feel ashamed.


    Sylvester then spoke with Bishop a little and headed straight towards the County in the same boat. This time their journey was even faster since they were going downstream.


    ¡­


    Green City, Capital of the Gracia Kingdom.


    Sir Dolorem had just arrived in the city to find some information about the Knight, Sir Kenworth. The man made continuous trips to the Jartel county months before the murder of the Countess. All the clues pointed out that this was the man who did the deed, even more so since Lady Melinda, the wife of Count Raftel, personally instructed the rough sketch.


    Sir Dolorem was a very resourceful man and had dozens of contacts all over the Kingdom. He had been in the service for so many years, after all. Many of the strong inquisitors that he had served with over the years had been promoted into various departments and positions. They were ced around the world and were still loyal to the order of Inquisitors¡ªfor that was what their brotherhood preached.


    He was on his way to meet one of the bishops in the massive Green City monastery, where the most senior Cardinal Suprima in the Kingdom worked.


    Woosh!


    "Ugh!" Suddenly, Sir Dolorem fell from his horse with a loud thud. He looked to his shoulder and frowned, as what happened to him was impossible to ur inside the royal capital, the supposedly safest part of the Kingdom. "How di-"


    Before he could even make the following words in his mind, his eyes fell heavy, and soon his body became limp. He lost consciousness right in the middle of the city''s busy roads. The people, some cried, and some stood nearby to see. But none helped, for the world was not as kind as it used to be.


    "Move!"


    Not long after, the guards arrived to scatter the crowd. But once they reached the centre, they lost all colours from their faces as therey a man of clergy¡ªwith an arrow plunged in the shoulder.


    "Fuck! I''m losing my job today! Quick! Take him to the sick bay and pray he lives¡ªor we''re losing our heads." The head guard shouted orders while looking at the various terraces on the sides.


    The buildings were at least four stories high, and the attacker had most likely fled. But the guard wasted no time rushing to the guard post and calling for the city-wide lockdown.


    Ting! Ting!


    Shortly after, bells started to ring madly around the Green City.


    ¡­


    Raftel County


    Sylvester and Lady Aurora disembarked the boat at the port of Raftel County and quickly headed west. But, to their confusion, they found the entire port was empty and the nearby town too.


    "What''s happening?" the helmsman wondered in confusion.


    Sylvester could still hear the voices from inside a few houses. And that was a sign that made his face go pale. A strong and highly unfavourable possibility rose in his mind.


    "I''m afraid¡­ Archpriest..." Lady Aurora also reached the same conclusion once she realised the people were hiding in their houses.


    Sylvester frowned, took a horse tied in front of a house, and rushed to the two counties'' border. "Fuck! This doesn''t make any sense! Why would they start the war?"


    _______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 174 174. But Why?

    Sylvester gritted his teeth as he already smelled the increased scent of death the closer they got. But, this time, the smell of death didn''te as a reminder of danger to him but as a messenger of the news¡ªthat death was spreading.


    "Look at the sky." Lady Aurora muttered.


    Sylvester nced, frowned and increased the pace. In the distant sky, he saw many burning balls flying from Jartel county towards Raftel County. The catapults were at work, but that also confused him. "I don''t remember Jartel possessing catapults."


    "Me neither."


    They rushed as fast as they could and soon crossed thest ridge that brought the view of the whole battlefield in to them.


    It was a mess¡­ utter chaos. There were thousands of men, impossible to count. They fought each other with their weapons of choice. Magic knights used their shy magical knight moves, Wizards used their destructive spells, while themon soldiers thrust their swords into each other.


    Blood spread around and painted the ground red.


    nk!


    Boom!


    The catapults were continuously shooting balls of fire from Jartel County, burning Raftel''s men and their allies. It was a mindless bloody mess.


    Sylvester grunted and headed towards the battlefield. "Why did they start the war all of a sudden? They had sworn in the name of the lord¡­ they don''t have any evidence. Did Sir Dolorem arrive?"


    "Don''t go there, Archpriest!" Lady Aurora stopped him.


    "I need to find Felix and Gabriel. I don''t care if those noble fools kill themselves, but I need the twods alive." He boomed.


    "Signal them!" She suggested.


    He took a leap of faith and raised his hand in the air, then made it shine in bright light. He waited for any reaction, any distinct shout or response. The entire battlefield was in his view, so it was easy. But, at the same time, everyone looked the same from that distance.


    "There!" Lady Aurora pointed her finger.


    Sylvester followed it and noticed a blinking light in the middle of the battlefield. It was Gabriel, he was sure of it. "Since light magic is useless against another man, only Gabriel has the reason to use it to signal us."


    But he felt helpless as well. Yes, he could go in there and save Gabriel, but thetter was not the only man he needed to help. Felix and the rest of the toon''s men were still unounted for. So he turned to Lady Aurora. "Lady Aurora, I have a request¡­ I know this is not your mission or your battle to fight. But this whole situation in the Duchy reeks of a conspiracy to me¡ªa conspiracy to destabilise the region. I need your help ensuring the Holy Land''s backyard does not turn into and of chaos."


    She didn''t say anything and just thoughtfully nodded. There were men dying in front of her for no apparent reason. It was her duty to do something.


    "I need you to get Gabriel and regroup back here. I will go ahead and find Felix in the meantime. After that¡­ we shall see what we can do to stop this battle." He advised her since he couldn''t order her around.


    "Fair enough. Good luck on your end. Ha!" She rode the horse fast towards the battlefield with no fear at all.


    Sylvester, too, headed in the same direction, but he went slow as he wished to find Felix first. ''If I were a maniac like Felix, I''d be in the middle of the enemy lines and fighting them all simultaneously.''


    He looked around to see if there was any cluster of too many soldiers circling around a single target. And from the looks of it, he could notice at least six such clusters. ''I should hurry and check all of them.''


    He increased the speed and started chanting hymns under his breath to make the halo appear. He hoped that seeing him, the men would not attack him, as the halo was sort of his trademark around the continent at this stage.


    Bam!


    Woosh!


    "Fuck!" He cursed soon after. It seemed as if some of the soldiers started to attack him specifically and threw their spears, some ordinary and some imbued with magic. It was strange since this was akin to heresy. "Why are they attacking me?"


    He had no other option then. So he held his spear in his left hand and created a ball of fire on the other one. He made the horse go faster and inched closer to the first line of soldiers fighting each other.


    Ten metres.


    Five metres.


    One metre.


    Boom!


    Sylvester rammed into the crowd like a Rhino. His spear in the right-hand slit throats of all wearing the armour of Jartel County. At the same time, the fire from his left hand kept everyone from attacking him from the other side.


    "Who are these third variety of men? Wait¡­ why are they all fighting each other." Sylvester observed the looks of three kinds of armour. But he didn''t waste a moment to think and sped towards the first cluster.


    Woosh!


    "Argh!" Sylvester quickly ducked on the horse as he felt danger. His call proved right as a fireball soon flew over his head. Of course, there were wizards involved in the battle too. But what was their rank, it was not known. He hoped there were not many archwizards.


    "Felix!" He roared.


    But, seeing no response from the cluster ahead, he realised the only option was to clear things up. So he stopped using fire on his left and instead started to throw light towards the sky. Then, he solidified that light itself and turned them into little spears, sharp and hot.


    Woosh!


    Without warning, he threw spears of light towards the cluster of soldiers. The spears fell like rain and punched into the armour and joints of many. It was easy to spread mayhem, so the cluster broke apart quickly, revealing the form of a strong warrior from Raftel County.


    "Ugh!"<sub> </sub>


    He continued to another cluster instantly. But he knew this was an inefficient way of finding Felix. He couldn''t go to each cluster as he was already running on luck. The moment his horse falls, things will get worse.


    "Chonky! Do you know how to ride a horse?" He wanted to try something.


    "..."


    "Meow?" Miraj was surprised at that question.


    "You don''t? No problem. Horses are dumb creatures. Just keep these reins in your mighty little jaws, okay? Don''t let it go too loose or tighten."


    "Where are you going?" Miraj worriedly asked.


    "Nowhere. Just maintain this direction and speed. I will try to find Felix from a height." He ordered and didn''t ask again. He made Miraj sit on the saddle, and himself stood up on it. "Here goes nothing."


    He jumped forward and created a light step under his feet. It worked like stairs, while Sylvester maintained his speed and kept climbing up in the sky while maintaining his position on the horse.


    Once he was high enough, he looked at the remaining five clusters. On the north side, he saw two men at the centre he didn''t recognise. On the south side, he noticed Count Jartel and Count Raftel, and in thest cluster, one tall man was swinging his sword with his armour shining bright¡ªit was Felix.


    "That madman! He''s smiling while chopping heads." Sylvester grunted and made his way back towards the horse below.


    Woosh!


    "Woah!" Sylvester quickly stopped, ducked again, and caught whatever was flying at him. "A spear? Why are some men targeting me?"


    He reckoned he could help Count Raftel at least as the man appeared to be in a pickle. So he imbued Knightly magic with the help of exploding runes in the spear he just caught and sent it flying.


    Boom!


    In no time, it sted near the cluster around the men trying to kill Count Raftel. The man was quick enough to turn things around and used the moment from the surprise explosion to get out of the encirclement. The Count just nced at the sky, noticed Sylvester, and gave a nod of thanks.


    Thud!


    Sylvester fell back on the horse and continued to spear his way to Felix. On his way, he met countless men and put holes in their heads with his spear, or he burnt them with fire.


    "Chonky! Take the little bag of magic crystals from under my chest te and throw explosive crystals on the ground." He ordered.


    "Wraaaa!" A giant knight appeared all of a sudden, at least eight feet tall.


    Sylvester didn''t stop and increased his speed. He then aimed the Spear of Infinity at the man and made it heat up.


    Woosh!


    He threw it so fast that only its afterimage and the sound of it cutting air were audible. The giant Knight blocking his way fell silent, and his shoulders fell lifelessly, along with the two battle axes.


    "Rot in hell!" He plucked the spear back from the Knight''s skull, where it had made a big hole and had crossed to the other side.


    The entire battlefield was full of such mad knights and wizards. Some are strong, and some weak. It was amon rule to make sure that each army focused its powerhouses on the powerhouses of the enemy. This way, the little weaker soldiers don''t end up dying too fast in one shot kill.


    "There he is!" Sylvester finally found arge cluster of men ahead. It was like a mountain of dead bodies by now, on which Felix stood above all while the enemy soldiers from Jartel County and some third-party men tried toy siege to him. But, he was too strong, and even a simple kick from him threw men into the air away from the mountain of corpses.


    "Felix! Let''s go!" Sylvester roared and made a brought light from his hand to grab attention.


    "Haha¡­ Max! Look at these buffoons! You won''t believe what just happened! I finally ranked up! In both, Wizard and Knight ranks. These fools are nothing to me!" Felix shouted in pride from the corpse mountain.


    Sylvester cursed under his breath. Not because his friend ranked up, but because he knew that was nothing. Felix just became a Master Wizard and a Diamond Knight, most likely. Where the Knight''s rank was really good, the Wizard''s rank was not that great.


    "We must retreat and n! This is not our war to win!" Sylvester roared with utmost seriousness while asionally stopping some men from attacking him. He could feel the scent of death increasing around him¡ªit showed how fast the bodies were dropping dead. He wished to understand the situation quickly and stop the war soon.


    "Fine!"


    Woosh!


    Felix jumped and stepped onto one of the enemy soldiers as if they were stones and, in no time,nded beside Sylvester on the same horse. "Why didn''t you run away? Why engage the battle?"


    "It was a surprise attack when we came to Count Raftel," Felix replied. "We couldn''t run."


    "Jartel attacked?" Sylvester questioned while sprinting the horse. "That man swore in the name of Solis. He swore his family never uses underhanded means or lies to make war."


    Felix patted Sylvester''s shoulder. "Max! The attacker wasn''t Count Jartel¡ªIt was Duke Grimton of this Duchy!"


    "What?!... Why?"


    _______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 175 175. Mayhem

    "What?... Why? Why would the liege of Count Jartel attack Jartel and Raftel at the same time? This does not make any sense." Sylvester asked.


    Felix shrugged and kept killing the men who came close to them. "I don''t know. It happened all of a sudden. We just heard the rumbling of the ground. We were on the side of Raftel at that point, in the castle. The Duke''s army came charging immediately and started mercilessly killing Jartel''s men first, then moved towards Raftel County. This battle is crazy, Max! So many men¡­ This makes the Desert Cannibal invasion of my home County look like child''s y. It''s exciting and annoying at the same time." Felix bellowed.


    Sylvester didn''t try to correct him. He could understand Felix was in an adrenalin rush. "Let''s first get out of this madness and then talk."


    Sylvester felt the horse was slow because Felix was with him too. So he decided to make way for himself. "Everything is fair in love and war¡­ and I sure don''t love this ce."


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Boom!


    As Miraj had thrown rows of explosive crystals behind. All Sylvester did was activate them with magic. The loud explosions created a highway ahead for him soon after. Bodies exploded, and limbs fell apart. Sylvester didn''t care and only raced ahead on the horse.


    It was total pandemonium on the sides as the men who survived were confused about what had happened. They just remained on the ground and soon got stabbed by an enemy and died. Everyone was killing each other as it was a three-way war. Things had gotten out of control¡ªnobody was in charge other than bloodlust.


    In no time, through the sea of blood and falling burning boulders from catapults. Sylvester got out of the battlefield and arrived back at the distant hill. By then, he was panting and bloodied from the blood of his enemies.


    Unsurprisingly, Lady Aurora was looking neat, clean and calm¡­ as was Gabriel. It must have been child''s y for her, and she was probably waiting for him for a while now.


    "That was a good strategy, Lord Bard." Sheplimented him.


    Sylvester kept a straight face and revealed the details to her. "The Duke of Colorwood has attacked both the Count Brothers. This is going way out of our hands."


    She, for the first time, showed an expression that leaked a powerful scent of anger. Her eyes narrowed, and she looked at the crowd in the distance. "So a Duke has decided to kill his own retainer Count? Why would he?"


    She turned to face Gabriel and asked. "What about the Archbishop of Jartel County? Where is he?"


    "He''s with Count Jartel. He said he would not leave behind the lord of thend. He was meant to protect and enlighten. I tried to pull him away, but he didn''t agree." Gabriel recounted.


    "Fool!" She grunted. "The Church does not meddle in the squabbles of nobles. We shall leave and let them settle this matter, Archpriest. This battle is not under our jurisdiction."


    Sylvester was not in favour of leaving for selfish reasons. ''Won''t that mean I will have a stain on my perfect record? This mission failure could bite me in the back when I ask for promotion again.''


    But on another thought, he could not help but feel that he was toyed with this time. There was a mastermind behind all this out there, someone pulling strings and making this happen for some reason. Someone so good that even the Duke was helpless. What motive did that person have? He needed to find it because if his instincts were correct, then this matter was grave.


    ''I''m not foolish enough to believe I am the smartest man in the world. There have to be better¡ªgodly schemers who are better than me. The main question is if this is it? Have I finally found mypetition?''


    "We can''t, Lady Aurora. Let''s not forget why we came here. The killer harmed the noble women and chopped their chests. All of that and this connects. You can''t seriously believe a Duke would attack his own retainer for no apparent reason. Someone is controlling the strings." He made the argument.


    Gabriel backed him up, too. "Yes, Lady Aurora. You won''t believe it, but after you and Max were gone, we oversaw the first meeting between Count Jartel and Count Raftel for the first time in years. Both men appeared calm, hugged each other, drank, and remembered their parents. They vowed not to fight each other as long as it was proved that they didn''t harm each other''s families."


    "Whatever is happening¡­ someone forced the Duke to do this," Sylvester added. He had to get her to agree because if she decided they were heading back, she had the power to tie them up and take them along.


    "Fine¡­ but we must end this fast." She agreed with their arguments.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    Thud!


    "Woah!" Felix eximed all of a sudden. "Do you also feel the ground shaking?"


    "I do," Gabriel muttered.


    Sylvester frowned heavily, however. "No, no¡­ this is bad."


    He quickly used light steps, made himself a staircase of hardened light magic, and climbed fifty feet in the air to get a full view of everything in the surroundings. He ignored the battlefield and looked back instead.


    "Fuck!" He cursed loudly. "This is bad! I see an army headed this way¡­ and they are holding the sigil of the Duke of Zon Duchy!"


    "How big is the army?" Lady Aurora questioned.


    "This makes no sense¡­ The army is big¡­ at least ten thousand men!" Sylvester estimated and looked down. "Felix, how long ago did the battle here begin?"


    "Six hours ago!" Felix blurted.


    Sylvester looked east towards the oing army. It was still a reasonable distance away and would take at least two hours to reach them. "This means someone informed the Duke of Zon to gather the army¡­ someone likely told him that the Duke of Colorwood is going to attack hisnds¡ªthe Raftel County!"


    "This is a bloody conspiracy!" Gabriel cursed, which was rare.


    Lady Aurora seemed tense as well. The war between the two Dukes was a humongous mess. This would mean that the economy of Gracia Kingdom would cripple as the industrial and agricultural output would plummet.


    She breathed fast and thought about what to do. She was certainly not as well prepared for this kind of work to steer her way through all the scheming. All her life, she had lived under Lord Inquisitor''s shadows and worked with the Inquisitors. She was like a princess to the Inquisitors because she never faced too many hardships. There was always someone to advise her, such as Sir Hans, the right hand of Lord Inquisitor.<sub> </sub>


    She nced at Sylvester, who appeared calm as a mountainke. She knew he was also thinking about dealing with this conspiracy, but while she found her head empty, she knew Sylvester''s mind was full of ideas. ''So this is what my father wanted me to learn from Lord Bard? Learn how to steer around the scheming nobles?''


    "Lady Aurora!" Sylvester spoke. "I wish you to head to the oing army and meet the Duke of Zon if he''s among them. You''re the Guardian of Light. Even if you are thest rank, your words hold much weight. Tell him not to attack and make a camp instead. Tell him that the Bard of the Lord shall bring him the answers he likely seeks."


    She didn''t try to fight his suggestion. She knew the boy was much smarter than she was, and given time. He''d grow stronger than her too. Knowing that, she couldn''t help but feel happy for the future of the faith. "I will do so, Lord Bard. You take care of yourself¡­ the Duke has likely seen your previous rescue attempt. He may send his Arch Wizards after you."


    He nodded and looked at his brothers. "Get ready. We''re moving quickly. Here, take these srium crystals and keep them in your mouth. Don''t let yourselves be exhausted."


    "Where do you get these? They are so expensive!" Lady Aurora eximed just then.


    Sylvester ignored her purposefully and climbed his horse. "Boys, let''s move!"


    He didn''t wait and speared towards the battlefield. He was on the horse, so he first threw his spear to kill two knights who were on horses too, and let Felix and Gabriel hijack them. After that, the three galloped towards the cluster where Sylvester had seen the two Counts before.


    "Spread as much chaos as possible. Userge-scale spells!" He ordered them. He, too, used an S-ranked spell that was not easy to control. The Whirling fire was something he used a lot but was not everyone''s cup of tea to master. For that, one needs a strong fire element.


    Woosh!


    Five different tornadoes of fire spread around and followed Sylvester and the two on their sides. The tornadoes ensured that nobody ambushed them. Felix and Gabriel, who was a master in Earth elements, used their ability to make ditches on the sides of their horses as they moved to make sure all the horseback Knights around them couldn''t reach them


    "You''re doing good!" Sylvester roared and led the two straight towards the destination.


    Soon, arge horde of men was in view. From the looks of it, Sylvester could notice that Count Jartel, Count Raftel and Archbishop Raymond were surrounded by hundreds of soldiers from the Duke''s army. They were being pushed closer and appeared hurt¡ªapparent by the blood.


    Sylvester whispered in the ears of Miraj then. "Boy, go and ce the exploding crystals near the feet of the soldiers surrounding them."


    Miraj jumped from the horse and made his way to the big cluster. He threw around the crystals randomly and soon got picked back up by Sylvester.


    Boom!


    "Let''s go!" Sylvester roared when he activated the explosives and made the horses jump over the pile of dead bodies and bloodied limbs. But, of course, not all enemies were dead, so they had to dismount the horses and make their way towards the centre of the encirclement.


    Felix was a Diamond Knight, so he had much more bullish strength. He easily made his way into the crowd by cutting Knights left and right. The Wizards were not in the crowd as they were too strategic, leaving Sylvester with a great advantage.


    He abundantly used magic. He created pits on the ground, made the water turn slippery, and used fire to burn.


    Inch by inch, they made their way and broke into the centre where the Count Brothers and the Archbishop stood, back to back.


    "Let''s get you three out of there," Sylvester called them.


    The three men were also injured as blood oozed out of their noses, mouths and various cuts all over their bodies. The Archbishop was the most injured since he was a wizard stuck in a close battle.


    "Archpriest!" The fat Count Jartel called his name, his voice sounding broken and excited to see him. "I didn''t start it¡­ I swear!"


    "He didn''t!" Count Raftel also rified.


    Sylvester moved closer to them and voiced, "I know. But I was hoping you coulde with me. Army of the Duke of Zon is marching towards here¡­ if we don''t stop him, then it''d be the end of two duchies."


    "Who is doing all this? This is a conspiracy!" Archbishop Raymond barked in pain.


    "Agreed. That''s why you two must survive!" Sylvester replied. He caught Count Jartel with his armour and started dragging him out of the encirclement. "Just follow me."


    Felix did the same and started to drag Count Raftel. While Gabriel helped the Archbishop, they knew their way back would be challenging, but first, they had to get to their horses.


    Sylvester was in the lead and used fire magic in abundance, making his hands seem like me throwers. "Ugh! We''re surrounded by your own men, Counts! Tell them to assist us!"


    "JARTEL HAS DIED!!!"


    Out of nowhere, a loud voice boomed so strongly that it echoed throughout the battlefield. It came from where the Duke of Colorwood was camped up in the west.


    Sylvester looked left and right, and his heart sank. The soldiers of Jartel County were staring at him with their reddened eyes. He cursed aloud. "Fuck! They are trying to use your own men against us! The mob has no mind of its own! It runs on emotion!"


    "RAFTEL HAS DIED!!!"


    Once again, a second roar echoed throughout the battlefield and shattered Sylvester''s ns and confidence in getting out unscathed. In one second, the entire mood of the battlefield changed as bloodlust changed intoplete madness.


    "Close formation! Unleash all that you know best!" Sylvester boomed, for he knew what woulde next.


    _______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 176 176. Meat-Shield

    Sylvester looked around and saw the soldiers slowly looking at him and others behind him. Mainly it was the retainers of the Jartel and Raftel families. They appeared confused because the Counts were alive. So why was that shout made? The news was still spreading like wildfire around the battlefield.


    It made the soldiers go crazy and fight mindlessly, aiming to enact revenge for killing their lords.


    "They want to kill the Counts!" The soldiers of Duke Grimton screamed, seeing Sylvester dragging the fat Count behind him. He had no choice but to drag him since the big man was too slow.


    Sylvester tried to create a halo behind his head as he sang under his breath. "I am not the attacker; I am the saviour." He shouted while pausing for a second. "I need to get the Counts out of the battlefield, or you can say goodbye to your homes."


    The soldiers, a few of them, believed Sylvester as he was a holy man. But a few other mad ones just went forward to attack and kill him. Joining the Duke Grimton''s men, they all pouched on Sylvester, Felix, Gabriel and Bishop Raymond.


    Sylvester wasn''t going to take any chances, however. He quickly used his second strongest element, fire. But he also had to use the Earth element now, as this was a do-or-die case for the Counts.


    Boom!


    The move he initiated was called Earth Drops. First, Sylvester used Earth elemental magic to scoop a big chunk of earth from the ground in the shape of a sphere and made it fly into the sky. Then, he made it spin fast and made cracks appear in the earth sphere.


    The goal was to make the rocks fly around and fall on people like raindrops. But these would be fast enough to cave in a skull. However, Sylvester didn''t stop there and used Fire magic to make every little chunk that flew off catch fire.


    Thud!


    Argh!


    Aaaa... My eye!


    The little and big rocks fell around from the rotating earth sphere in the sky not too high. Sylvester used that mayhem to make his way towards the horses and made Count Jartel sit on its back. But then he had another problem.


    The Count was too fat and he could not share the same horse. Meanwhile, Felix had Count Raftel to take care of and share the horse, and Gabriel had Archbishop Raymond.


    "Leave me behind... get the two counts to safety!" Archbishop eximed. His eyes showedplete determination and faith in his own decision. The man was ready to die today.


    But, what Sylvester saw in that man was not an Archbishop, but a possibility of a cardinal who shall stand behind him when he aims to win the throne of Pope. Complete loyalty was earned in situations like these, after all.


    "No! You won''t survive here in closebat. Archbishop, you leave with Priest Gabriel. I shall grab a new horse and follow you behind. Remember, we need the two Counts alive or else this whole conspiracy will never see an end." Sylvester ordered them and pped the horse of Count Jartel.


    "Felix! Keep Count Jartel in the middle. Use Earth magic to make the enemies fall... and fire magic to burn them in the pits!"


    "See youter." Felix had enough confidence in his and Sylvester''s abilities that he didn''t waste more time arguing. He quickly sped up his horse and made his way through the crowd.


    Once they were gone, Sylvester looked around. ''Okay. Where do I find a living horse now? Most of them are already dead... or immobile.''


    He started to move around while still heading towards the distant hill. He came across many horses silently standing while the soldiers fought around them. At one nce, he noticed they were injured so much that they could not move. Being wounded in the leg was the end of life for a horse. So Sylvester showed mercy now and then and stabbed the hearts of those horses.


    He was now less attacked by the mob since he didn''t show hostility towards most and was also in clergy robes. Still, only the men of Duke Grimton woulde and try to kill him--each one of them would. That proved him one thing. ''So it was Duke Grimton who wished to harm me?''


    He knew he needed to find a horse as quick as possible. So he picked up his speed and chased after the knights who he saw were still riding on the horses in the distance. He prepared his spear to throw and kill the man riding on it.


    Boom!


    Before he could throw his spear, the earth in front of him blew open as if somethingnded on the ground from up in the air.


    He quickly pulled his guards up and kept the spear ready in his left hand and fire magic in the right. ''A wizard, finally?''


    If a wizard was ready to go in the middle of the battlefield, then they must either be crazy or stronger than the general strength of the crowds. And from the manner of arrival, Sylvester was willing to bet on theter prediction.


    "Hehe... I finally found the golden boy!"


    The dust settled soon, and a middle-aged man appeared from thending site. It was a ck-robed man with a bald head, pale skin, no eyebrows and a crest of the Duke Grimton on his chest as a small metal pin.


    "Who are you?" Sylvester inquired as he felt the scent of rage from the man. The fight was unavoidable; he knew it.<sub> </sub>


    The wizard proudly proimed. "I am Arch Wizard, Viscount Willington, under the service of the gracious Duke Grimton."


    Sylvester nodded and looked around. There were a lot of knights from all sides gathered as they watched Viscount Willingtonnd. They were also taken aback by the man falling from the sky.


    A sudden smirk grew on Sylvester''s face. One that made the body of Viscount shudder. "You made a mistakeing across me. It does not matter if you''re an Arch Wizard or a Grand Wizard."


    "What do you m-"


    "Everyone!" Sylvester boomed aloud, as loud as his throat could allow him. "I am Sylvester Maximilian! I am God''s Favoured Candidate and the famous Bard of the Lord. If I die here at the hands of this... VIscount Willington, the lord under Duke Grimton! Then do tell the Holy Land who it was... Do tell the Holy Father... the Lord Inquisitor... That a nobleman killed the Bard of the lord!"


    In an instant, the grin on the face of Viscount Willington vanished, and his shoulders fell. He looked left and right and noticed the anger dwelling in the eyes of the men of Raftel and Jartel. Even a few soldiers of the Duke appeared angered as they previously didn''t know Sylvester was Lord''s Bard. They were just told to kill a man with blonde hair if they saw him.


    Sylvester kept a kind smile and started walking towards the Viscount. At the same time, he started chanting to prove he was telling the truth.


    In an instant, a big halo appeared behind Sylvester''s head as he moved closer and closer to the Viscount.


    a??O'' noble, don''t let your greed ovee the faith.


    Don''t call upon yourself heaven''s wrath.


    And if you dare harm the Lord''s messenger.


    Be prepared to find your life in danger.a??


    "Oh lord! What have I done...!" The knights in the vicinity who saw the whole exchange first-hand fell to their knees and started praying for forgiveness as they were aiming to kill Sylvester not long ago.


    Sad for them, the knights arriving freshly didn''t know what happened, and they just shed their swords at the kneeling throats and stabbed their spears in the praying hearts.


    Sylvester silently passed by the Viscount, who appeared already defeated. He could smell the scent. It was full of chills of fear and anxiety.


    Just as he passed by, Sylvester whispered. "So, my Lord. Since we have so many witnesses, are you willing to call upon the wrath of the Holy Father? The man who let me y on hisp as a babe? Are you willing to call upon the ire and the fire of the Lord Inquisitor... the man who found me in the first ce? I''m sure you''ve heard the stories of him... how he burns not just the sinners but also their bloodlines."


    A bead of sweat slid down from the Viscount''s temples to his chin. He was nervous and scared. That was clear.


    Thud!


    He fell to his knees and asked for forgiveness. He knew that as long as the Holy Land found out he even touched a hair on Sylvester''s head with the aim to kill him, his bloodline would be over, and if anyone was lucky to survive, then they''d be cursed.


    In this world, a noble''s greatest fear is not wars or schemes, but the church. Because if they anger the church, then not even the King of thends can save them. Viscount knows this very well. "My Lord... I didn''t mean to kill you--I was enticed and manipted to do so! All the lords under Duke Grimton have been offered thend of Count Jartel if we manage to kill you and the Count."


    This was news to Sylvester. "Why would Duke risk earning the ire of the Holy Land?"


    "I don''t know, believe me! All of us nobles initially were against the mobilisation, my lord... that was until he offered us thends of the Count. We believed that all risk and punishment would be borne by the Duke, no matter what happened. After all, we''re merely the little lords under him."


    Sylvester could feel the fear oozing from the man, and there was no scent of lies. So he believed him. But it was still a lie that the man didn''t wish to kill him. The only mistake he made was proudly telling his name, which led him to this moment.


    Sylvester looked into the pleading man''s eyes with indifference. The man was an Arch Wizard. A really powerful rank, no matter what level.


    ''Wait... I can use this dunderhead for my survival!''


    _______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 177 177. Duke Zephyr Vas Zon

    Once again, a scheming grin appeared on Sylvester''s face, sending shivers down the Arch Wizard''s spine. It was a fact now that if Sylvester dies, the Viscount''s name would appear somewhere. Therefore, it was beneficial to this noble that Sylvester lived.


    Sylvester put his hands on the man''s shoulder and made him stand up. "Viscount Willington... by the holy powers bestowed upon me by the lord. Imand you to aide me. Your liege, the Duke, has beenpromised as a part of a greater conspiracy. If we lose today... the entire Duchy shall fall."


    "What do you need me to do, my lord?" Viscount asked firmly. He already knew there was a conspiracy going on. But he only cared for Count Jartel''snds before.


    Sylvester solemnly ordered. "Be the shield that guards the light. You must ensure that I reach that hill over there... or else... if I die here, then..."


    The Viscount blurted quickly. "I will Fight! Even if the toll is my life... I shall stand by the light!"


    Sylvester, out of the instinct of being an old man, patted the man''s bald head. "Goodd. Let''s move now... You walk before me and be my shield... as so desires the lord."


    "..."


    The Viscount was forced to make way for Sylvester this time. As the battlefield was full of madness at that stage, many knights came to kill the man too. But, an Archwizard is too strong for any such attempt.


    It appeared that man''s mastery was over air and earth elements. He''d use runes to make des of air fly around and cut knights in half. He''d create spikes thate out of the ground and impale the soldiers. The man showed why high-ranking wizards are usually countered by the opposition side''s high-ranking wizards. And if there is no opposition, then the battle is typically one-sided.


    ''No wonder the minor lords fear the lords above them. They can neverunch a coup or anything simr.'' Sylvester thought while walking behind the Viscount in safety.


    All Sylvester had to do was be mindful of the back, and that''s it.


    "Max! Help here!"


    Just then, Sylvester heard a loud call for help from Felix. He noticed that one of the horses carrying them had died from a spear strike. So they all had to slow down, which allowed the soldiers to surround them.


    "Viscount Willington... we must ensure that those two counts reach safety! Otherwise, the wrath of the Holy Land shall fall upon all." Sylvester again reminded the man. It was a clear hostage and ckmailing situation. But, what could the man even do? He needed to ensure that Sylvester did not hold any grudges against him.


    "I can''t believe I need to protect my enemies."


    "Did you say something, Viscount?" Sylvester heard the man mumbling.


    "N-No! Lord is great! His light is the brightest..." He quickly usedrge-scale spells.


    Viscount Willington createdrge runes on the ground itself using the earth element, all around Felix and the rest. He appeared to be using double runes as he then ovepped them with more runes.


    Woosh!


    Once he was done. The runes created spikes of Earth and killed all the soldiers that were trying to encircle Felix and the Counts. Most of these soldiers belonged to Duke Grimton himself, so he was killing his own side.


    "These runes won''t attack us, Lord Bard!"


    Sylvester nodded and walked to help his friends. "Let''s go. We''re not too far. We can cover this part on foot. Viscount! Come forward and provide cover. I will guard the back!"


    He was using the pawn to the fullest, not caring if the man died or not. He just ensured that nobody harmed them from behind.


    Slowly, they made progress and ploughed through the army of soldiers slowly, leaving behind a bloody trail of dead bodies in their path. But soon enough, they came out on the other side of the battlefield, in the open.


    The risk decreased by a lot at that stage, and they made their way towards the small hill in the distance.


    "Just a little more, Count Jartel!" Sylvester dragged the fat Count by his chest te.


    Eventually, they climbed the hill and fell to their knees to rest. Everyone was tired from the bloody mess. Felix had a few cuts here and there but nothing serious. Only Archbishop Raymond was heavily injured.


    "Good job, you three." Lady Aurora also arrived just then. Behind her was a small group of men in beautiful heavy armour, and a few in intricate silk wizard robes.


    In the middle of the group was one man in the most glorious armour, with gold ting and too many magic crystals to count. The delicate carvings on it that appeared like designs were, in fact, engravings of runes.


    Sylvester guessed this was likely the Duke of Zon, Zephyr Vas Zon. The man appeared to be a good warrior as his body showed muscles with a height of probably more than six feet. The face also seemed like one belonging to a battle-hardened warrior.


    The supposed Duke got off his horse, along with his guards, and walked closer to Sylvester. "You must be the Lord''s Bard, Sylvester Maximilian. Other Bards love to sing about you; even my court Jester dares not make jokes about you, and only tells mighty stories of your adventures."


    ''That''s news to me.'' Sylvester thought. But he also felt this was a blessing, as this created soft power for him to exploit.


    Sylvester shook the red-headed, pale-skinned, ck-eyed man''s hand firmly. "You embellish me with words too mighty for my lowly stature, your grace. I am but a servant of the lord... embroiled in what appears to be an borate conspiracy here."


    "Haha, you humble me with your humility." The Dukeughed heartily, as if genuinely excited about meeting Sylvester.<sub> </sub>


    But the truth was, Sylvester could see through the guise. He could smell the scent of light worship, but there also appeared to be a doubt as the sweetness and sourness fluctuated on his tongue. ''This man... he talks like an experienced politician while being a warrior. I need to be careful.''


    "I believe that Lady Aurora has revealed to you why I tried to stop your army''s march?" He asked.


    Duke Zephyr nodded before waving his hand at the man behind him. In no time, a table and two chairs were brought for him. "Sit, Lord Bard. I''m sure you''re tired of managing the situation here. As for what Lady Aurora told me, it was not enough. I wish to hear from you--why I should not bring down my entire might to stop that foolish Duke Grimton?"


    ''I must stop his army at all cost... or thisnd will spawn Bloolings like a festival.'' Sylvester reminded himself.


    Sylvester could smell the anger, the rage in the man. He had stopped a warrior from continuing his battle. He understood that this reaction was typical. "Tell me, how did you assemble your whole army so fast?"


    Duke looked at the old, long white-bearded, blue-eyed wizard that stood to his left. "Show it to him, Count Leopold."


    The old man, who turned out to be a Count, took out a parchment from a bag and put it on the table. He addressed Sylvester with respect and utmost worship. "Lord Bard, we received this letter ten nights ago. It revealed to us that Count Jartel had embezzled money from the taxes that reached Duke Grimton. The number goes as high as five million Gold Graces. The same letter revealed that the Duke would seize the whole County aspensation. Of course, we initially didn''t believe it. But, after we sent our men to check things, we learnt that the war factories were working overtime--day and night.


    "So, in response, we also ordered the mobilisation just in case the whole attack on Count Jartel was a farce, and the real aim was at Count Raftel. In the end, both our predictions turned out right. Both Counts were attacked."


    Sylvester read the letter carefully. It appeared to be written from the left hand as the clockwise strokes implied that.


    He took a long breath and put it away. "Don''t you think something bigger is going on, your grace?"


    "I do, and that''s why I agreed to hear you. All I wish for is proof that a conspiracy is at y. Otherwise, I will be forced to attack with full might, as I wish not to go down in my family history to be the one who lostnd to an ipetent Duke."


    Sylvester could feel the Duke was trying to test his wits for some reason. This was most often the response when he dealt with older men, who refuse to easily believe a young boy like him could be this smart.


    Sylvester looked back at Count Jartel and Raftel. "These two. Someone has been trying to make them fight for a while now. Count Jarte''s wife was murdered, and her chest was chopped off. A simr case happened to the wife of Count Raftel, her chest was chopped off, but I was able to save her.


    "At the same time, I have learnt that a simr case in the Duchy of Ironstone in the south. A Baron''s wife was killed, and her chest was cleared-"


    Duke Zephyr interrupted. "You''re implying that whatever this conspiracy is... its aim is the entire Gracia Kingdom? Do you understand the gravity of your words, Lord Bard?"


    Sylvester didn''t reply instantly. "I do not know how far the conspiracy goes. But it''s clear that this murder situation is spreading kingdom-wide. Thankfully, the wife of Count Raftel saw the attacker''s face, and as we speak, Sir Dolorem of the Inquisitors is in Green City, finding the culprit, Sir Kenworth. As for what''s happening here..."


    Sylvester stood up and looked at the raging battlefield. "Duke Zephyr, would you consider Duke Grimton to be so foolish to attack his own County and risk making war with you?"


    Sylvester pointed to Viscount Willington. "This man is a retainer of the Duke. He told me that Duke Grimton has ordered his soldiers to kill not only Count Jartel but also a certain blonde man..."


    "That''s so... Foolish!" Duke Zephyr stood up and walked beside Sylvester to look at the battlefield. "To harm you is one thing, but to kill you will call upon the church''s wrath. No, Grimton may be a fat oaf, but he''s not this dumb."


    Sylvester nodded and firmly looked at the Duke. "This is why I say there is a conspiracy going on. Something or someone has forced Duke Grimton to take such an insane step. And there is only one way to find out."


    "To get him here!" Lady Aurora blurted and walked forward. She had remained at the back the whole time, knowing Sylvester was better at talking than her. "I can get him here."


    Sylvester looked at the men who were guarding this Duke beside him. "Are you sure? Duke Grimton is likely surrounded by strong wizards too."


    "Five Arch Wizards, ten Diamond Knights, and thirteen Master Wizards--that''s the main power of Duke Grimton." Duke Zephyr blurted.


    "Is that it?" Lady Aurora eximed in a ridiculing tone. "That''s like stepping on ants for me."


    Sylvester did smell confidence in her and nodded. "Thank you, Lady Aurora."


    "Anything for the sake of the faith, Archpriest."


    Woosh!


    She vanished from her position as an afterimage. Nobody knew where she disappeared to; all they knew was that they were going to see first-hand how powerful a Grand Wizard can be--one that had decided to go serious.


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 178 178. Connecting Dots

    Boom!


    A moment after Lady Aurora disappeared from her ce, a loud explosion resounded. It happened in the air, as the battlefield still remained untouched.


    Sylvester kept looking at the far west side to see what Lady Aurora would do. The Duke''s camp was situated there, and he could already see a few dots of men standing in a cluster and panicking.


    "She''s very strong, Lord Bard. Don''t worry about her." Duke Zephyr said.


    ''This fucker!'' Sylvester cursed under his breath. He could feel the scent of lust in the Duke''s voice. ''Well, she is indeed pretty, can''t be helped.''


    Boom!


    Once again, the boom resounded, and the earth shook for once. Sylvester noticed a figure appear in the air above the camp of Duke Grimton. Then, a beautiful streak of blue light struck down like an arch of the sword.


    Boom!


    Everything shook when her sword touched the ground, and the battlefield paused for a moment as the knights tried to stay afoot.


    The next thing they knew, Lady Aurora seemed to counter a few attacks from the guards of the Duke. She easily blocked the oing attacks of fire, wind, water, and air with her sword and replied back with overwhelming force.


    In no time, she made the guards kneel. Then, when only the Duke remained standing, she grabbed the old fat man by the arm and dragged him along. Then, she appeared to make a jump once again and disappeared from the spot.


    A few momentster, she appeared near the hill Sylvester stood on, with the Duke being dragged by the arm, already passed out and somewhat hurt as blood oozed out of a few flesh wounds.


    The entire ordealsted only three minutes at maximum, and Lady Aurora was back, having not even broken a sweat. She just threw the Duke near Sylvester and pped her hands clean. "That''s your man, Archpriest. I hope this solves the war and this bloody mess."


    "Thank you, Lady Aurora." Sylvester thanked her and walked to the unconscious Duke. He used basic healing to stop the bleeding and then made the man sit on the chair.


    Ssh!


    He made water on his palm and threw it on Duke Grimton''s face. The man was the pr opposite of what Duke Zephyr was. This Duke Grimton was old with short white hair, a beard, and a fat belly. He was a short man, likely around five foot five, and there was not an ounce of muscle on his body. As for the face, it seemed round, fitting a man spoiled with food all his life.


    ''What''s this pattern? Both Count Jartel and Duke Grimton are fat, while on the other side of the border, Count Raftel and Duke Zephyr are thin.'' Sylvester wondered as he tried to wake up Duke Grimton.


    "Let me try." Duke Zephyr walked forward. "I know how to wake him up. When I was little, he used toe to my family castle and mess around with the servant women. I used to beat his ass even when he was meant to be more than a decade older than me."


    Pa!


    Duke Zephyr pped Duke Grimton''s chubby face, sending waves down theyers of skin.


    Pa!


    When the second p hit the man, he groaned and slowly woke up. He was initially unaware of where he was, but after rubbing his eyes for a few minutes, he looked around and recognised Duke Zephyr. "F-Fuck! Kill me if you want, Zephyr... I will not surrender!"


    Sylvester dragged a chair and sat beside Duke Grimton. "Your grace, I am Sylvester Maximilian, sent from the Holy Land. I have found out that you ordered your men to kill me. Do you know what this means for your Duchy? Everything, each and every noble house under you, can be purged out of existence.


    "So the best option for you right now is to tell me everything. Why did you attack Count Jartel? Why did you give such orders? What''s your grand n?" Sylvester asked the Duke. He knew that the man was not easily going to confess. The only way to make him speak was to make him realise that even if he wins, his Duchy will be burned to the ground for his crime.


    "Let''s say you kill me today, right now. You will then have to deal with Duke Zephyr, as he witnessed everything. Duke Grimton... this is yourst chance to save your Duchy from total annihtion. Tell me everything or..."


    Sylvester smelled the rising fear, anger, rage, and anxiety in the man''s heart. His words were having an effect.


    Duke Zephyr pressed further. "Speak, you fat oaf. Why did you do something so foolish? Speak, or know that the beautifuldy who brought you here is a Guardian of Light. She can easily end your bloodline."


    Duke Grimton, alone and surrounded by a few faces he knew and most others he didn''t, felt overwhelmed and scared. But what scared him the most was Sylvester''s threat. The threat that no matter what happens today, he may have his entire bloodline removed.


    "I didn''t do it for myself! I did it because I was forced. M-My granddaughter has been taken away. I tried my best to find her over the past ten days, but I could not. Then... a letter came." Duke Grimton confessed, snivelling as well in a low voice. "My granddaughter... she''s just ten years old, Lord bard... and the kidnapper has a history of... the kidnapper is the one who killed Count Jartel''s wife and tried to kill Count Raftel''s wife!"


    "How are you so sure?" Sylvester questioned. He finally felt all the loose ends were connecting and forming a story.


    Duke took out a parchment from his pocket. "This is the letter... and that man also sent..."<sub> </sub>


    Duke stopped in the middle, and his eyes welled up with tears. His face scowled as if in mental anguish and total fear. Sylvester could smell the mental seizure the man was going through. It was clear that Duke Grimton was a man with a fragile resolve and brain from all that.


    "What was it? Speak, Duke. Don''t waste time here." Sylvester raised his voice.


    "He sent me a box with two pairs of chopped female breasts! Everyone knows what happened to the wives of the Count Brothers! That man would have done the same to my little granddaughter!"


    Sylvester sighed and opened the letter to read and analyse it. In it, he found various details about the murder of Count Jartel''s wife. The description was vivid enough to suggest that this was the man behind it.


    In the following few passages, the letter ordered the Duke toy siege to Count Jartel for money mismanagement and stealing from taxes. If he didn''t do it, the Duke''s granddaughter would be killed, and her chopped body would be sent to him. The breasts were sent as a trailer.


    There was also a time limit that stated that the Duke needed to defeat the Count by the morning of a specific day.


    "This is written with a right hand." Sylvester evaluated it after reading it. "Duke Zephyr, can you show me your letter?"


    Soon, he had both the parchments on the table side by side. He tried topare a few things in how each letter was written. Obviously, both had different handwriting, but each person as a particr way of writing certain letters.


    "It''s the same person!" Sylvester concluded soon after.


    "W-What do you mean? What''s this letter?" Duke Grimton asked.


    Sylvester stood up and walked left and right while thinking. "Duke Grimton, this kidnapping is not about harming your family. This whole ordeal, from the murder and attempted murder of Counts'' wives to this, is abined conspiracy. The goal is to destroy this entire region of Northern Gracia. I don''t believe this conspiracy is the work of a single man either because who is to gain from all this?"


    Sylvester tried to connect the dots and think about who could be behind all this. Who could be this rich and powerful?


    "But Lord Bard!" Duke Grimton started after wiping his eyes. "The letter didn''t entirely lie to me. What it said about Count Jartel stealing taxes from me was real. I had my ountants investigate the matter, and everything was clear. He has stolen nearly five million gold graces. I have proof."


    "Lies!" Count Jartel roared. "This is nder! I did no such thing. On the contrary, I counted the tax each week before I sent it to you. I am a man of faith, and I would never lie!"


    "Then care to exin where-"


    "Silence!" Sylvester roared. "Open your eyes! You''re being pitched against each other. Think from your brain, Duke Grimton. Just when you received the letter about your granddaughter, Duke Zephyr also received a letter telling him you''re going to attack. If I was not here, you two would be fighting each other as of now!"


    "Who could be behind all this?" Count Raftel wondered in a low voice.


    "Wait!" Felix eximed all of a sudden. He pointed to Duke Grimton. "Why did you lie on the battlefield? You announced Count Jartel and Raftel had died. Do you not fear god for using such schemes?"


    "It was not me." Duke Grimton defended himself. "It was done by a mercenary I hired. He said we should kill the two dogs of the Counts they had named on each other and announce their deaths."


    "Did you see this mercenary? What did he look like?" Sylvester interrogated.


    "He had a half-mask on at all times under the hood. His eyes were brown, however, and his skin was tanned. From the way he spoke, he was likely from the west. But men from the west aremon in our Duchy, so I didn''t mind when I hired him and his team."


    "Who suggested you hire them?"


    "It was my Prima... Sir Wulfric. He''s a great man with amazing talents inw management. He said he hires those mercenaries for various work."


    ''Prima!'' That word took home in Sylvester''s mind.


    He looked around and finally saw the man. "Archbishop Raymond!..."


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 179 179. No Winners In War

    "Archbishop, you used to tell me that you hated Count Jartel''s Prima! That the man was too nosey regarding the Church''s finances."


    "He was, Lord Bard," Archbishop replied, not liking all eyes on himself.


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and closed his eyes, trying to remember all the times he had seen the man. The man was overly worshipping and never lied to him about anything in the interrogations.


    "Did he ever take the money from the church?" He questioned.


    "Of course." Archbishop blurted. "He knew he could not tax the Monastery directly. So instead, he increased the taxes on those businesses that I helped raise with no-interest loans."


    Sylvester mumbled a few things under his breath. His mind tried to remember every single person he had met since his arrival, and there appeared nobody with the brain to do something so borate. The killings and schemes were too much for a man if he was not a wealthy lord with too many contacts.


    ''It can''t be Jartel''s Prima. Sir Walder never lied to me. He even said kind things about the dead Countess. And he worshipped me¡­ Unless.''


    Sylvester nced at Count Jartel. "Unless¡­ he''s not the one behind the murders! And just used the opportunity!"


    Sylvester closed his eyes, remembering his past life. He recalled one time when he had to malign the image of his rival food processingpany in the USSR to keep his business monopoly. He used underhanded means to pin the me for a few winter deaths on thatpany. Behind himself stood the entire might of his home country, helping him against such a tiny target.


    "Could it be¡­" He opened his eyes and nced at the two Dukes. "Tell me something. Have your Duchies been this rich forever?"


    Duke Grimton spoke first. "Absolutely not. We were rich as those peasant lords of the Sorrow Kingdom once. When the Gracia Empire broke apart into smaller pieces, we also lost manyrge markets for export as the new Kingdoms ced heavy taxation on foreign imports to save their own industries.


    "Things only started to get better after we signed the deal with Count Sandwall to open a new corridor to the West side of Sol Continent through hisnds. The corridor would allow Western merchants toe to us and buy our products. In return, Count Sandwall gets a small chunk from our profits."


    Duke Zephyr had the same view. "The fat oaf is right, Lord Bard. Not just the Duchy of Colorwood and Zon but other northern Duchies of Normani and Iceling have benefited from this new trade route greatly. I suppose Count Sandwall is swimming in riches as of now."


    "Father did this? When?" Felix mumbled at that point.


    "Father?" Duke Zephyr looked at Felix''s face. It took him a minute to recognise something. "Ah! You''re that Felix? Felix Sandwall? I once saw you when you were merely five. Your elder brother is a genius. Your father may be the one to sign the deal, but it was your elder brother who prepared the whole n."


    Sylvester interjected then, stopping their distractive talk. "Can you tell me a general period of when the special economic corridor was opened and when your wealth started to increase?"


    "The corridor was opened a decade ago." Duke Grimton started. "But the riches started to pour in just six years ago. The traders from Masan Empire and the Warsong Kingdom seem to have a liking towards our produce. Especially the Masan Empire¡­ their merchants spend loads of gold."


    "I didn''t receive any such growth, however." Count Raftel interrupted. "No traderes to mynd since they leave after purchasing whatever they want from Jartel. All I sell is to other Counts and the Duke. If that wasn''t enough, Jartel even makes the convoy of carts full of gold pass through the road nearest to my border¡­ showing my peasants how rich hisnds are."


    "I do no such thing! We have no reason to¡­ there are no major towns near the border, Raftel!" Count Jartel shouted back. "What about yournd? You have such a great harvest every year while I''m forced to spend so much on buying grains."


    Sylvester sat down on the chair and saw the two Counts quarrel. The two Dukes also nodded from time to time, agreeing with them.


    ''All this seems artificial. These nobles had no idea they were being manipted. He really chose his targets wisely, it seems, only infiltrating the dumbest of the four.''


    "How are your rtions with the Masan Empire?" Sylvester asked all of a sudden and shut them up.


    "Neutral. Masan is too busy keeping itself as one empire to focus on anything else." Duke Zephyr spoke. "Their industrial output is also falling. Hence we see so many merchants."


    "Have you confirmed those things, or did you hear them too?"


    "Hear them¡­ from various visitors," Duke Zephyr replied.


    Sylvester sighed and rubbed his hair to fix them back. His eyes darted towards Lady Aurora, who silently stood with her back resting on the tree, arms folded and listening to everything.


    She noticed his gaze and inquired what''s the matter with a raise of her brows. But Sylvester just shook his head and focused back on the Dukes.


    "I''m afraid you will need to ask for a more senior Clergyman to take up this case." He announced. "I am far too low-ranked and young for this situation. What you have going on here is an international conspiracy. A foreign nation is trying to cripple you for reasons I do not know."


    "Haha! You''re saying Masan Empire wishes to attack us? They can''t even keep themselves together right now. The Emperor of Masan is old and weak. Each lord there wants to carve and for himself and make a kingdom out of it!" Duke Zephyrughed at it.


    Sylvester remained serious and stared at the man''s face. No matter how brilliant the Duke was, he was not smart enough to see thising. "You don''t know that. You ''heard'' all that from the mouths of ''traders''.


    "For all we know, Masan could truly be on the brink of copse, and by conquering you, they wish to strengthen themselves. Remember, an injured lion is often more dangerous than a healthy one. Duke Grimton and Count Jartel, tell me, when did you hire your Primas?"


    "Seven Years ago."


    "Seven for me as well."


    Sylvester shrugged in exhaustion, for he was truly bested this time. The conspiracy was way bigger than he had initially imagined. He only knew the politics of the East side of the Sol continent, not the West side.


    "You can''t be blind enough not to notice it now? Count Jartel''s Prima is a brown man from the west himself. And let''s not forget, Count Jartel''s Prima, Sir Walder Cain, is also responsible for the upkeep ofmerce and treasury of the County. Only he has the means to steal money and make a convoy of the gold pass near the border.<sub> </sub>


    "Only he has the ability and connections in the west to suddenly invite hundreds of traders into your Duchies and create an artificial wealth. And without the support of deep pockets, nothing of this scale could have been possible¡ªto have so many traders suddenly appear."


    The Counts and Dukes lowered their gazes and thought about everything. Every single exchange they had with an important trader from the west resurfaced in their minds. Slowly, as the seeds of doubt had been sown, they started to see every single interaction with doubt.


    In no time, they could think of one or two asions when a trader slipped his tongue. For example, one of them saying they get reimbursed after returning, or one of them saying they get their taxes wavered toe here.


    "Tell me, after this war, who loses?" Sylvester asked further.


    "All of us!" The four of them replied in unison.


    "But what about the other Duchies? If Masan wants to conquer us by weakening us, then they need to weaken Duchy of Normani and Duchy of Iceling too." Duke Zephyr asked.


    Sylvester agreed with them. "That''s why I wish for someone else to be put on this case¡ªsomeone more knowledgeable about the politicalndscape of the west as well. Because, from what we have seen, this conspiracy has been too subtle and long. If I had note to investigate the murders, this war would have been much bigger. So we don''t know what little secret schemes are happening in the other two Duchies."


    "Then what about my wife?" Count Jartel boomed. "Did Sir Walder kill her too? For what? She used to call him her brother¡­ How could he¡­"


    Sylvester responded immediately. "He''s likely not behind the murder. The same is the case with you, Count Raftel. The man your wife detailed is still being searched for in Green City by Sir Dolorem. I believe this conspiracy was supposed to go on for much longer, but with my arrival, the schemers had to hasten their ns and improvise."


    "No! This can''t be! My little granddaughter!" Duke Grimton boomed suddenly. "My little Thea! Are you saying she was taken by someone else? Lord Bard¡­ please save her! I made this war! I tried to kill you... just to find her¡­ It can''t be all lies!"


    Sylvester had some respite for the old man in this case. "No, I''m sure Sir Walder and whoever his partners are were involved in this kidnapping. They had to take your most beloved person to force you into this war. Just Count Jartel stealing money would not have been sufficient."


    "That bastard!" The Duke Boomed. "We must find him and save my Thea!"


    Sylvester agreed and turned to look at the battlefield. They had been toote. Most of the soldiers had died already, and the fields looked more like hell than what used to be beautiful farnds.


    "Sound the retreat drums for each of your armies. I will go and distract them too. Duke Zephyr, I will need your men to move and surround Count Jartel''s castle. We can''t have Sir Walder escape¡ªif he hasn''t already!"


    "Right away." Duke Zephyr seriously got to work and briefed his men.


    Then Sylvester turned to Lady Aurora. "Please go to Count''s Castle instantly and see if you can apprehend him."


    She nodded and jumped away with a loud boom. Her extreme strength was truly something Sylvester envied.


    Then finally, Sylvester walked over to his two friends. "You two¡­ stay with me. I''m afraid I have failed this time¡ªutterly."


    "No, you haven''t," Felix eximed. "We came here to solve a murder, not this. You even stopped the Dukes from fighting each other."


    Sylvester shook his head and made them turn towards the hellish, bloodied battlefield. "Look at that. Thousands have died¡ªthey were not just soldiers butmoners. Huntsmen, cksmiths, farmers. Look at thend their bodiesy upon¡ªthe crops for seasons toe have been foiled. The enemies seeded in their aim. Maybe not as much as they wanted, but they have indeed weakened the Gracia Kingdom¡ªThe backyard of the Holy Land."


    "What now?" Gabriel asked.


    "Now we hope that we find Duke''s granddaughter and whoever is killing and cutting women''s chests."


    "You don''t want to catch Sir Walder?" Felix inquired.


    <o>,m Sylvester sighed and looked at the castle in the great distance, appearing as small as a little rock. "One thing I''ve learned from all this is that Sir Walder is no fool¡ªHe''s likely already near the border of Sandwall County and Masan Empire."</o>


    ''If only I knew I was dealing with international espionage and conspiracy, maybe I could have done something differently.'' He thought in silence.


    The murder mystery he hade to solve initially had turned into something way bigger than he could have imagined. This also taught him another thing about the politicalndscape of the world. How fragile the peace was as each Kingdom tries to bring the other down.


    Thump!


    Thump!


    Soon, the drums started to resound, signalling retreat. Sadly, there were no winners today; only heads held low in defeat.


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 180 180. Aftershocks

    Sylvester noticed that even when the drums were being sted, many of the remaining men on the battlefield were not retreating. Instead, they were so blind in rage and thirst to survive that all they saw were the enemies around them.


    "It will soon be night. We need to end this fast." Sylvester muttered and put his palm over his chest, facing the sky over the battlefield.


    Then he started to chant a holy hymn and made the palm shine bright.


    Boom!


    When the halo appeared behind his head, a light beam shone from his palm so brightly that it covered the sky. It illuminated the entire battlefield, and all the men on the it, who didn''t respond to the drums, looked up in wonder.


    As they looked up, the sound of retreat drums also registered in their ears. They looked left and right and found themselves standing in the middle of a primarily empty battlefield; as far as their eyes could see, there was only blood and gore on the ground.


    Sylvester noticed how many fell to their knees in despair, realising their brother, father, or friend were likely among those who were in. Some threw their weapons away and started walking towards their army''s side.


    There were two drums repeatedly beating, which left the third army on the battlefield confused and devastated. The war had been for nothing, but they were yet to know this.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester stopped sending his light around and looked back at Duke Grimton and Duke Zephyr. "Let''s head to the castle now."


    In silence, they all got on their horses and made their way towards the end of the west side, where Count Jartel''s Castle was. However, they didn''t go through the battlefield and circumvented it from the sides.


    Most men were confused about what was happening since a new fourth army had appeared and started to surround the castle. But soon, Sylvester told the Lords to address their men about the situation before some senseless rumours started spreading.


    "Tell them to start collecting bodies and prepare for the mass burning. We need to give the dead a proper funeral, or else thisnd will see the rise of Bloodling in a few years." He advised them.


    After managing the matters outside, they all entered the castle. Lady Aurora was already waiting for them.


    "Archpriest, a word, please." She softly asked him toe to the side.


    He let everyone else proceed in and went to talk with Lady Aurora. "What''s the matter? Did you find something?"


    She nodded and replied in a whisper, "I''m afraid we''re toote. There has been more damage to the County than just the army. It appears that the..."


    "NO! This can''t be! No!" All of a sudden, loud cries came from the crowd that went ahead. The voice was especially recognisable to that of Count Jartel.


    Lady Aurora finished speaking. "It appears that Sir Walder, or whatever his real name was, killed the entire family of Count Jartel before leaving."


    Sylvester sighed lightly and looked towards the depths of the castle. "I feared as much. If Sir Walder aimed to weaken the region, the best way was to mentally destabilise all the lords. Did you find the granddaughter of Duke Grimton?"


    "Not yet. But I have found three surviving men from the toon and sent them to search. So if she''s in the castle, we will find her soon."


    "Alive... I hope." Sylvester muttered and walked to where the scream hade from. He found Count Raftel patting his older brother''s shoulders and trying to get him to calm down.


    The big lord was crying and shivering as therey a pile of bodies, knowingly put there to ensure maximum mental anguish. One on top of the other, all the remaining brothers of the Count, their wives, kids, and the Count''s own son, newly-wed daughter and Son-in-Law were dead.


    Each body had precise slits on their throats. It was imaginable how they all died a slow death as they bled and felt unable to breathe. It was a death that even those on the battlefield would not wish for.


    "That bastard! My daughter... my son! Why? I didn''t deserve this! Why?"


    Of course, there were no definite answers to the Count''s questions. They could only watch in pity as the Count reached out to hold his ten-year-old son''s body in his arms and slid towards his daughter''s body. In the process, he himself turned into a bloody mess.


    "May the lord bring peace to their souls." Duke Zephyr muttered loudly.


    Meanwhile, Duke Grimton was already feeling despair, wondering if his little Thea had also suffered the same fate. He hoped he was wrong... he prayed to god that he was wrong.


    Sylvester walked forward and took charge of the situation. He didn''t try to make Count Jartel leave though. The man needed time to let his tears flow.


    "Duke Grimton, don''t worry. Men are searching the castle as we speak. Don''t lose hope. Duke Zephyr, please send your men to search the castle as well. Sir Walder has likely escaped, but we must be sure of that first."


    The Duke of Zon nodded and gestured to his men to move.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester headed to Sir Walder''s room, hoping to find a clue. He believed that since the man was a spy, he likely had many hidden spaces to keep certain items.


    "Look at the bodies of the soldiers." Felix was with him as they went deeper into the second castle. "Sir Walder was able to kill them while being a cripple? The man was a god, I must say."<sub> </sub>


    "He was likely not a cripple. At least, not anymore. I believe sometime in the past, he truly got hurt in an ident, but then he decided to keep the act going to ensure nobody suspected him of what was toe. From the looks of it, he was likely a highly skilled warrior." Sylvester noted. His reasoning was simple. He had not smelled lies from Sir Walder before when he talked about being crippled due to an ident.


    "What are these weapons plunged into their throats? Discs?" Felix walked closer to one of the dead bodies of the castle''s guards.


    Sylvester pulled out the weapon that was used to kill the man. It was in the shape of a t hollow disc with sharp edges. He could imagine they were used as throwable weapons. "Chakram?"


    "Chakram? What''s that?" Felix asked.


    ''Well, it was called Chakram in my past world. I wonder if it''s the same here. But does this mean the Western side of Sol has a society so different from this side? Different weapons?'' Sylvester thought to himself.


    "I don''t know what it''s called. But it must be like throwing knives, I believe," he replied and kept the disc to himself. He would try to master itter as it could be useful.


    They then proceeded to enter Sir Walder''s room. It was not much different from any other noble lord''s room. There were a lot of items from the west, such as finely crafted rugs, curtains and bedsheets.


    There was also a table at the side of the room with many books and other documents. The wheelchair was also left as it was.


    "Don''t touch anything. We don''t know if any traps are set to hurt those whoe here." He warned Felix and started to move around the room while carefully looking at everything.


    He looked at the bookshelf and noticed most of them were religious books. There was even a copy of theption of his hymns. But this was not the official church version, as the cover was different. Instead, it was likely copied from a monastery.


    He didn''t find anything in the room. The walls and floor were made of stone, so there was not much opportunity for a secret space. The walls were also of normal size, and the bookshelf didn''t appear suspicious either.


    So, atst, he returned to the table and looked around. The first thing he noticed was a book about agriculture. When he opened it, he found a specific bookmark ced between a few pages.


    "Ah! He was behind it too?" Sylvester eximed after reading the contents of the page. "Sir Walder was behind the decrease in crop growth in Jartel County. He was adding a certain pesticide to increase crop growth, but in reality, it was killing the crops and hurting the soil."


    Sylvester looked at other books too. There were many things, from books rted to construction, religion, politics, geography and much more.


    After being unable to find anything else, he looked at the wheelchair. It was one thing that was with the man at all times.


    He caressed his hand over the various parts of the wooden body. Its wheels were made of steel, and the seating area and the backrest were made of wood. However, his eyes were mainly focused on the armrest, as he found they were too thick.


    Knock!


    Knock!


    "They''re hollow!" He eximed. "Felix, try opening the other side."


    Both of them started trying to pull it and break it apart. But they didn''t put too much force either in fear of destroying what was inside.


    Sylvester looked below it, picked up the wheelchair and ced it upside down. There, he noticed keyholes under the armrests. "We need to find the keys."


    "Just break them open, Max." Felix blurted.


    "No! There could be chemicals inside to ensure everything in it burns if opened forcefully. The man was no fool, Felix. And I feel he left something for us--after all, we spoiled his ns."


    So they walked around the room and looked for the keys. Under the bed, between the cracks in the walls, and inside each book on the bookshelf. But the key was nowhere to be found.


    Bam!


    "Lord Bard!"


    All of a sudden, a man from the toon appeared, panting. "Lord Bard! Duke''s granddaughter has been found in the basement! They are calling for you! I-It''s not good..."


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 181 181. The Letter

    Sylvester didn''t let Felix stay back, knowing the man was wild and would break the chair. So they made their way down towards the basement as fast as they could.


    By then, the entire castle was crawling with soldiers. However, he found one old face when he was crossing by the entrance.


    "Bishop Lazark? When did you arrive?" Sylvester found the ck hooded necromancer looking all confused at the scenes.


    "Only now, Archpriest. What happened here? I thought you hade to solve a murder and stop two brothers from fighting. Why are there so many men outside and on the battlefield?"


    Sylvester didn''t stop to talk. "Walk with me, Bishop. I''m afraid we have nothing but bad news today. A foreign conspiracy was at y here. It had been going on for years at the behest of the Masan Empire, most likely. They have set their eyes on conquering the northern Gracia Kingdom. Everything seen here is a result of that. We are going to the basement now. Duke Grimton''s granddaughter is supposed to be held there."


    "Did you write to the Cardinal Suprima of the Duchy?" Bishop asked.


    "Not yet. I am not yet done with the investigation. Once I have all the answers, I will write the report and send it to the Holy Land. Unfortunately, I am not qualified to deal with such international matters. I''m sure the Holynd will wish to put more focus on this matter as it''s their backyard."


    As they talked, they finally reached the second level of the basement. It was very dry there, and the various torches illuminated the space. They followed the lights and eventually arrived at the room at the end of the long underground corridors.


    Many people stood outside it and crowded the small area. From beyond, he could hear the loud cries of the Duke calling out his granddaughter''s name.


    "Did she die?" Felix wondered.


    "I hope not!" Sylvester split the crowd apart and made his way forward.


    At the door, he found Lady Aurora standing as the guard, not allowing any more people to enter. "What happened?"


    She heard his voice and let them enter. "See for yourself. I hope your healing is good enough for this, Lord Bard."


    p Sylvester nced inside and noticed the big frame of Duke Grimton kneeling on the ground and holding someone in his arms, a small body. He could only see the thin legs, and they appeared too pale.</anda>


    "Move aside!" Sylvester pushed Duke Zephyr aside and knelt beside Duke Grimton.


    "Lord Bard! Please save her! Look at what they did to her... poor little girl." Duke Grimton cried.


    Sylvester nodded and checked the little, brown-haired girl''s eyes. She seemed unconscious, but there was a faint pulse still present. Her arms and legs appeared too thin, a sign of malnutrition. "She was likely held here for days without water and food."


    She was just ten years old. The fact she was even alive after so many days was a miracle. But her body had suffered a lot of internal damage. Her skin had gone dry, and her lips had be a cracked mess. In addition, she was not responding to any voice.


    ''Wait! Are those keys?'' He noticed a chain around her neck with two small keys hanging.


    "Your grace! Water." A soldier came running with a jar full of water.


    Sylvester quickly pped it away. "Don''t be foolish! Do you want to kill this poor girl? Feeding her water and food all of a sudden will do more damage to her body than good. But don''t worry, I have other means to help her. Let''s move her out of this depressing ce first."


    He took the little girl''s body in his arms and started to walk out. In the middle of his way, he whispered to the cat on his shoulder. "Take the keychain."


    With that done, he brought the little girl to the room of the Count as it was the closest. He put her on the bed, quickly took out the expensive Srium Crystals from his bag, and ced a small chunk of it in her mouth. She was a child, after all, too much srium could kill her.


    "We need to heal her body before we feed her anything, your grace." He addressed the scared Duke.


    "Don''t worry. She''s a strong girl. She will survive. But you better send someone to your capital and call other healers. My methods are very crude and only good for wizards. For a child so small, I might do more harm than good." He honestly warned them lest he get her death pinned on his head.


    Bam!


    Duke Grimton stepped near Sylvester and sped his hand as if praying. "Thank you, Lord Bard. I know as long as your light basks upon my little Thea, the warmth of the Lord will not leave her. Please, let her hear a hymn so she may heal faster... I beg you."


    ''It''s useless.'' Sylvester wanted to say it. But, he relented since his hymns most often calm the minds of men and women.


    He put his left hand on Thea''s forehead and let out a little bit of light touch her. Then, he sang a little hymn. But this time, as the halo appeared, all men and women bowed their heads, closed their eyes and prayed too. It was understandable since theirnds had just faced one of the biggest crises ever.


    a??The Lord sees your misery as well as glory.


    Your life, no matter what, is an ongoing story.


    As long as you keep breathing, there is meaning.


    If there is hurt, then soon there shall be healing.a??


    a??Don''t let these hardships and pain turn you frustrated.


    Don''t let these bitter experiences make your vision obfuscated.


    Remember, only a concerned parent scolds their child.


    For there is light after dark; Time shall again go beguiled.a??


    a??It''s thew of the Lord; those dead may never return.


    But no matter how much we yearn.


    Let''s hope their souls never take a wrong turn.


    Let''s pray that in the embrace of the Lord--they return.a??


    "Amen!"<sub> </sub>


    "Amen!"


    The crowd''s silence finally broke as they all responded to the prayer. Duke Grimton also seemed rxed now and silently looked at his granddaughter.


    "She has no mother... and her father is a wastrel," Duke spoke. "We are the only support for one another. She is my little sun, and I am her best friend for the little tea parties. Hehe... she calls me mister fatty bear."


    Sylvester smiled and nced at the little girl. He could imagine her ying around with her grandpa, giggling and running around.


    "I have no one in my life other than her. I want to see here of age and be the Duchess... my inheritor. Lord Bard, thank you for saving her."


    Duke Grimton held Sylvester''s hands and rested his forehead on them inplete resignation, showing his sincerity in his actions.


    Sylvester patted the man''s shoulder and let him sit back, although he knew he did nothing. "It''s my duty to serve the faith, your grace. And kids are the purest creation of the Lord, so if I could save her, I''d be blessed. Don''t worry, Thea will live and be a strong Duchess."


    Cough!


    Duke Zephyr alerted them. "Grimton, how about you marry your granddaughter with my second son? Both are of a simr age."


    "Fuck off, Zephyr! My little Thea will not marry the son of a wastrel like you." Duke Grimton snapped.


    In turn, the little crowd in the room chuckled as they all knew this was friendly banter. After all, the two Dukes had known each other since they were young. But a few faces didn''t smile as they remembered the cruel demise of Count Jartel''s family. The two Count brothers were still mourning beside the pile of dead bodies.


    Duke Zephyr scoffed. "Well, as you wish. My second son has the talent to be an Arch Wizard one day. What does your granddaughter have?"


    "She, too, has the talent to be an Arch Wizard and a Golden Knight. Hmph! Keep your lowly brats to yourself. I will find her a strong man like Lord Bard!"


    Sylvester silently cursed them both. ''Keep me out of these foolish discussions.''


    Duke Zephyrughed at his rival''s face. "My friend, at least dream about something possible. Lord Bard is a once in a millennia creature. Folks with monstrous talents like him are not your run-of-the-mill boys. I guess little Thea will be single forever then."


    ''What do you mean creature? Am I being dehumanised?'' Sylvester frowned in silence and slowly started to back away.


    "I don''t know! Even if not as strong as him, then... I won''t settle below how strong Lady Aurora is!" Duke Grimton barked back.


    Sylvester walked to the door. He whispered to Lady Aurora as he passed by. "Follow me if you don''t want to be dragged into their banter."


    "Thank you!" She did so.


    Sylvester had the keys, so he went towards Sir Walder''s room. Felix, Gabriel and Bishop Lazark were with him too.


    "Where are the Crusaders?" Sylvester asked his favourite necromancer.


    "I left them to set up a camp around the main monastery in Raftel County. The people there told me about the war, so I came to check here." Bishop answered.


    "I hope they don''t make a mess. I believe this whole region will soon be swarming with the Holy Army and Inquisitors. I wonder how the folks up high will respond to this." Sylvester wondered.


    Lady Aurora chimed in. "I''d rather worry more about what''s happening in the remaining two duchies in the north. If the Masan Empire is behind this, then I''m sure they have ns for that region too."


    Sylvester shrugged. "I won''t bother with it anymore. This whole conspiracy is way beyond my pay grade. I''ll let the experts handle them."


    They soon made their way into the room, and Sylvester immediately proceeded to open the armrests of his wheelchair.


    "That slimy guy," Gabriel muttered, seeing the secret chambers of the wheelchair.


    Sylvester first opened the left side and found a red feather of a strange bird. He looked at it in wonder at what it could mean. "Any ideas?"


    "It''s a message." Bishop Lazark voiced. "It''s a feather of Fire Eagle native to the western coast of the Masan Empire."


    "What does it mean?" Sylvester inquired.


    "It''s a sign of respect and that one has epted that their opponent is better than oneself. It''s usually given inpetitions in the west. I received one from a necromancer I bested." Bishop exined.


    "Who is it for?" Felix wondered.


    ''I think I know.'' Sylvester thought as he proceeded to open the right armrest of the wheelchair.


    Pop!


    It plopped open, and from it fell out a thick, folded parchment.


    Sylvester unfolded it and sighed after a single nce at the content. "It''s a letter... addressed to me."


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 182 182. The Hornets Nest

    Sylvester held the parchment in hand and read in silence before allowing others to read it, as he wanted to ensure that there was no problematic information about him in it.


    ''I''m sure you''ll be the one reading this letter first, Sylvester Maximilian, Bard of the Lord. What a strange title to have, but at the same time, so prestigious. I wish we had met in different circumstances, but since we serve the interests of two different sides, this would have always been the natural oue.


    ''Truth be spoken, I aimed to destroy the two duchies entirely, and I was merely a few months away from reaching my target. Total destruction as the two sides foolishly hired mercenaries from the west.


    ''Foolish they were, hence people like us can rise through the ranks so easily, Lord Bard. But I ept the only one toe close to finding me out so fast was you, and I hold my head low in respect. Young and yet so wise¡ªthe future will be exciting with you as a yer, not a pawn, in the great game of ever-present political and power struggles.


    ''But I''m sure there is much for you to learn about the ugly side of things. For that, I wish you luck, and we shall meet again if fate will. Perhaps this time knowingly opposing the other.


    ''Until then, stay strong and keep chanting. I genuinely love your hymns. Please keep that book of hymns on my table safely. Unfortunately, I couldn''t find space to store it. But I cherish it as I personally copied it with my hands.


    ''May the light enlighten our paths.''


    Sylvester sighed and turned the page around as there was more. ''By the way, I am not the one behind the murders of those women and cutting their chests. I am but an opportunistic man; I found one and used it to spread fear.


    ''I know who is behind it. But watching you run around trying to find the culprit is more fun. Good luck, Blessed Bard... let''s see if you can save Gracia from annihtion by its own hands¡ªfor the darkness this time lies within the house of light.''


    There was no name on the page. Of course, why would a spy reveal his real name to him or anyone else? But thest words spooked him a little. ''What does he mean by the house of light? Is someone from the Holy Land responsible? No! I can''t take his words seriously¡­ he could be ying with me again.''


    Sylvester looked at the book of hymns on the table and couldn''t help but marvel at the man. ''He did not even lie to me once during our various meetings. He truly was a cripple, but for a time only. He truly cherished the Countess, likely as a sister. He crafted his entire life so that everything he did was the honest truth. I couldn''t smell out his schemes fast enough without him even knowing I could do such a thing. What a fantastic spy.''


    "What is it, Max?" Felix asked him, unable to keep his interest in check.


    "Read it yourself." He handed him the letter as it didn''t contain anything too controversial.


    Felix started reading it loud so Gabriel, Lady Aurora and Bishop Lazark could also hear it. The whole letter was not too long and only took him three minutes toplete.


    "So you have a new admirer?" Bishop Lazark added.


    Sylvester shook his head. As bizarre as it sounded, yes, he now had a new admirer. "Look at the other side. I am more worried about that even if there is an ounce of truth in his words."


    Lady Aurora frowned after hearing what was behind it. "This means the murders are not a part of the conspiracy? Who is doing it, then?"


    "Let''s hope Sir Dolorem finds some answers," Sylvester muttered. "Let''s return outside now. I''m sure Count Jartel needs our support as well. After all, the man lost everything in a single day."


    They all agreed and left the room. It was unknown what effect the war would have on the Duchy in the long run, but it was certain that the artificial wealth due to traders swarming in from the west would be gone now.


    Sylvester then went to see Duke Grimton and his granddaughter''s condition. It was alsote at night, and soon he''d need to perform thest rites of the dead.


    ''I hope Sir Dolorem gets me something valuable at least.''


    ¡­


    Green City, Grand Monastery, the capital of Gracia Kingdom.


    "Ugh¡­"


    "Sir Dolorem! Wake up!"


    "Hmm?"


    "Can you hear me, Sir Dolorem?"


    "Sylvester?"


    "It''s Bishop Charlie White! We served together years back in the north! Remember?"


    Sir Dolorem slowly opened his eyes and looked at the familiar face from old times. A white man with ashen hair, a beard, blue eyes and a muscr build. "C-Charlie?"


    Sir Dolorem felt pain throughout his body as he tried to get up and sit. He realised he was in arge room with intricate engravings on the ceiling and walls. The windows were open, and a cool breeze wasing in, fluttering the white cotton curtains.


    "Easy there, my brother in faith." Bishop Charlie helped him sit up. "They shot you with an arrow dipped in brain-paralysing poison. It would have put you into an etern if not for the famed princess Isabe Graciaing to treat you herself. She was able to extract the venom out of your pores, but the pain will take time to go away."


    Sir Dolorem looked at his palm. Even though he was a ck man, his skin seemed shockingly pale at the moment. "Who did it? And inside the Green City? How could this happen?"


    Embarrassingly, Bishop Charlie shared the same feeling. "The entire city has been in lockdown since you fell two days ago. They are searching every nook and cranny to find the heathen. But it''s like searching for a needle in a haystack. They don''t know what to look for in a city of seven hundred thousand that never sleeps."


    "It has to be rted to my work. I was looking for a-"


    Knock! Knock!


    The room''s door opened, and multiple men in Gracia Royal armour entered. The armour was ted with silver and gold from head to toe and had various engravings made of molten green-coloured silver. And there was also a green cape at the back.<sub> </sub>


    "Bishop, can you give us a moment? We need to take Sir Dolorem''s testimony." A white, old, bald man with a majestic white moustache spoke as he took off his helmet.


    "Of course, Lord Commander." Bishop quickly left and stood outside the room.


    Then the old man sat beside Sir Dolorem''s bed and introduced himself. "I am Sir Winston Lennox, Lord Commander of Gracia Royal Knights. I am personally handling the assassination attempt on you as per his majesty''s wish. I wish to know a few important details if you may agree to share them."


    Sir Dolorem noticed the rank te on the old man''s chest. It was silver in colour with five distinct crystal-like rectangr lines on it. The man was a Diamond Knight from the looks of it, and it made sense considering the job.


    "Of course, Lord Commander. I hope to get the perpetrators caught too."


    "Then do you have any guesses on who and why someone would try to kill you?" Lord Commander asked.


    Sir Dolorem realised they had no idea what he did as a job. "It''s likely due to my work and the current assignment. I am the aide to Archpriest Sylvester Maximilian, Sanctum Inspector, Bard of the Lord and candidate for God''s Favoured."


    The Lord Commander straightened his back and looked at four other armed knights at the back, and nodded.


    Thud!


    The door was soon shut, and the Lord Commander turned serious as if he realised this was a higher profile case than it already was. "What is this assignment that you suspect is the reason?"


    Sir Dolorem stared into the man''s eyes and noticed a sudden change in the aura. Sylvester had taught him for years how to read people and learn what the other one may be thinking from their bodynguage.


    ''Why is he agitated?''


    "We are¡­ trying to solve the murder of Count Jartel''s wife. And a¡­ a knight from this city is behind it, as the clues have revealed. The name of the knight is¡­"


    ''His pupils have contracted.''


    "Sir Kenw¡­"


    "Hold this man tight!"


    Bam!


    Clunk!


    The Lord Commander boomed loudly and jumped to his feet, taking out his sword from the sheath. The other four knights ran around the bed to hold Sir Dolorem''s arms and legs.


    "You''re all involved?!" Sir Dolorem bellowed and tucked his legs up.


    "Hold him!" Lord Commander aimed to cut Sir Dolorem in half.


    But Sir Dolorem was not a weakling.


    "Argh! My eye!"


    Just as a knight reached to the bed''s left, Sir Dolorem pulled out a dagger from underneath his pillow and vigorously stabbed into the knight''s eyes, turning him not just blind, but brain dead as the de pierced deep amidst the wet sounds.


    "You will burn! Heathens!" Sir Dolorem roared and ran towards the open window, and without wasting a moment, he divided out of it.


    It didn''t matter that the room was five floors above the ground, for he was also a wizard.


    Thud!


    Sir Dolorem used air elemental magic to make hisnding softer as he fell on the street. However, he was still in his medical gown, so he had to make it quick and find armour because he had just realised the city''s lockdown was not to catch the culprit but to ensure he couldn''t escape.


    He ran towards an alleyway and disappeared into the darkness. In his hand was the same dagger he used to blind that knight. On its hilt was carved the number 109, the number of his first Inquisitor Unit.


    He smiled and kept running. "Thank you, Charlie."


    ''I need to rush back to Sylvester! It seems we havee too close to a ho''s nest¡­ a nest too valuable to someone in a high ce¡ªCould it be King Gracia?''


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 183 183. Broken Minds

    Sylvester had no way of knowing what was happening hundreds of kilometres away from him. Sir Dolorem''s battle was something thetter needed to ovee himself this time. But one thing was certain. When the words reach the right ears--heads will fly.


    "We havee together with our heads held low to pay respect to the dead. This war was meaningless, but they did their duty as soldiers. Every man, woman, and animal is born with a purpose in their life.


    "They give their entire life to fulfil that purpose. But some leave us fast, and someter. But the end doese for all. But no matter when it arrives, we can pray for the dead that their souls reach the embrace of the lord and they get the heavenly reward.


    "Amen!"


    Sylvester finished speaking the prayer as everyone joined to oversee the cremation of the dead soldiers. There were, in total, more than eight thousand dead in this conflict, mostly due to the involvement of the Duke''s men, who were stronger overall.


    It was a prime example of senseless chaos. But, as all knew, it was a conspiracy. Nobody could bring themselves to curse at the Duke. But, still, Count Jartel was the scapegoat for many as they med him for harbouring the prime culprit, Sir Walder.


    Speaking of Count Jartel, the man appeared devastated. His eyes were red, his face pale and his mind nk. He didn''t utter a single word and remained standing and saw his entire county burn away.


    "Keep a watch on him, Chonky. He''s mentally disturbed--a bit too much." Sylvester asked his dear friend.


    Slowly, the pyres were burnt one by one. They couldn''t afford to make one for each, so they made huge pyres, each holding five hundred bodies. Even then, there were 16 small mountains of dead bodies and wood.


    ''Rest in peace.'' Sylvester muttered.


    Nobody left the grounds and saw through the end until thest speck of fire vanquished and took away the souls of men. It was a dark night for certain--as on thesends, death had freely lifted its curtain.


    "Let''s get inside. Did the cooks prepare the meals?"


    Sylvester heard Duke Zephyr. The man was trying to organise things in the chaos, not for any ulterior motives this time. They were all a part of the same kingdom, after all.


    Sylvester walked back into the castle and went to see Thea Grimton, the granddaughter of the Duke. Thankfully, the Srium crystals had gradually healed her body from the inside. But still, the Srium could only heal and keep one alive, not provide the necessary minerals one may need.


    "Only feed her porridge made with rice, chopped vegetables and boiled chunks of chicken. Don''t feed her anything too hard to digest." He ordered the ve-servant who was lucky enough to survive.


    "Yes, my lord."


    "And make sure she does not get too cold or warm."


    Duke Grimton sat beside the girl and heard Sylvester giving orders. He didn''t object or try to act like a know-it-all, as he knew the other party knew more than him. But, he was still amazed by Sylvester, a mere seventeen-year-old boy with a mind to best adults.


    "Lord Bard, where will you be going after this?" Duke Grimton asked.


    "Holy Land. I will have to write the report and hand it to Saint Wazir. It is up to them if they still wish to put me on the murder case. But forget about me; you should prepare yourself for the worst, your grace. All northern duchies will see a sharp decline in traders from the west. If you don''t manage it, there will be riots due to lowering the people''s standard of living and wealth."


    Duke Grimton took a cold breath realising that. He had not thought about the long-term consequences at the moment. But this panicked him. "Do you have any suggestions, Lord Bard? There are no other markets to sell our produce."


    "Expand, that''s all I can sway. Send your nners around the kingdom and other kingdoms. See what the other kingdomsck and can''t produce, but you can. Find the demand and try to fill it. You can even invest in a few trade ships and send them to the coast of Beastaria... mainly to sell to the Beastkins. As you know, Beastkins are quick to ept the faith of Solis."


    Duke Grimton nodded and thought about it in silence.


    "Umh... M-Mister fatty bear?"


    Just then, the girl woke up from her long slumber. The Duke frantically crawled close to her and helped her into hisp. "Yes... your grandpa is here. Don''t worry, Thea. You''re okay."


    "B-Bad man! He... lock me."


    Sylvester got up and left the duo to talk in the room. He looked around for Duke Zephyr, as the man was possibly the strongest faction left in the two duchies.


    But, instead of finding the Duke, he found Count Jartel standing alone near his family portrait on the wall, looking at it as silent tears dripped from his eyes. He was still in his bloodied battle armour.


    ''I can''t really help this one.''


    He still walked to his side and looked at the portrait. He didn''t say anything as the smell was too strong. The smell of hate, rage, sadness, anxiety, and so much more--all aimed at himself. The man was thoroughly broken, and it was understandable. Just a few days back, his daughter got married. It was an atmosphere of joy--and here he was now.


    "What am I to do now, Lord Bard?" the Count asked in defeat.


    Sylvester could somewhat feel him, as he, too, once lost all that he loved. He knew first-hand that no matter what he said, it would never get easy. The memories will always resurface and make you cry.


    "I cannot tell you not to grieve, Count. I can only say that it was not your fault. Even the likes of Duke Grimton did not realise the conspiracy under their noses. But, sadly, what happened was the fault of everyone--we were too unprepared."


    "Hmm..."


    Sylvester patted the man''s shoulder and left him standing. Chonky was still there as a guard, however. His duty was to watch over the big man.


    Eventually, it gotte at night, and finally, the Cardinal Suprima of the Duchies arrived. Cardinal John and Cardinal Karl. They came to represent the church''s side, as they knew it was a mess of great proportions.


    But, first, the dinner was served in the main hall. It was a simple meal of bread and meat stew. It was made in enormous quantities as there were many soldiers nearby.


    Sylvester was asked to sit between the two Cardinals so they could ask him questions.


    "Lord Bard, when did you realise something was wrong with the situation?" Cardinal Karl asked, representing the Duchy of Zon.


    Sylvester was honestly annoyed and tired, but he answered. "When I discovered that the murders of noble women with their breasts cut was not an isted case of this region. A simr case urred in the Duchy of Ironstone, down south. That alone meant that the murder and the increasing hostilities between the two counts were not connected.<sub> </sub>


    "But the true culprit was smart. Sir Walder yed his game slow and steady to eventually win the race."


    Cardinal John looked around. "Where is that buffoon Count Jartel? A spy lived under hismand for so long, and he never knew? That''s impossible!"


    Sylvester felt like punching the Cardinal. A man lost his entire family, and they were ying a me game to save their own necks.


    "Likely mourning... somewhere," Sylvester answered and focused on his meal.


    ...


    In the backyard of Count Jartel''s castle, there was a fire tree famous for its red leaves. The Count nted it himself when he was merely ten, and as he grew old, he saw the tree grow. Then, he got married, and his children also grew up with it. The tree saw his life, and so did he.


    But, ever since his wife died, the tree started to wither for some reason. Sir Walder said it was a divine message that the tree was in sorrow. Only now, he realised that the bastard likely poisoned it to strain him mentally.


    Thud!


    "What am I to do now?"


    In the middle of the cold winter night, under the dark sky, Count Jartel arrived near the tree and knelt before it. His face was drained of all emotions and life. His eyes were devoid of any light. Still, in armour, he looked at his hands in rage.


    Bam!


    Bam!


    He pped himself repeatedly until his cheeks and ears bled, and he broke down in loud wails. He punched the ground and cursed at Sir Walder--and god.


    "What am I to do now?"


    He asked again and again, for nothing remained. All died, his legacy was destroyed, and his people suffered because of him. He saw it in the eyes of all. They med him for this mess.


    "They are not wrong." He shouted.


    Tired and in anguish, he felt out of breath. So he slowly started to take off his armour.


    nk!


    His metal breastte fell apart to the front, and he took a long breath. Then he took off the remaining minor parts and, finally, took off the inner chainmail, leaving only a thinyer of a cotton tunic.


    Yet, he was still out of breath. As if being stared at by death.


    He looked at the sky and found no twin moons. "Even you won''t shine?"


    Shhh!


    He took his long dagger in hand and unsheathed it. It was long, sharp and shining. But, in the night, even its shine was a waste.


    "Meow!"


    Suddenly, he felt something strike his hands and make the dagger fall. He looked left and right in shock. But there was nobody, so he picked it up again and stared at it.


    "I''m sorry--Marce--I hope we meet again."


    Alone, he closed his eyes and ced the dagger''s tip in line with where his heart was. Tears still fell out of the corner of his eyes, but his mouth showed a faint smile.


    "It''s very hard to ignore--It''s hard to breathe anymore."


    He felt no pain as he split apart his veins. There was no fear; only the sound of cutting flesh reached his ears.


    Ugh!


    "Meow!"


    He suddenly felt a jolt near his hands as if someone tried to take the de out. But he persisted, smiling. "O'' Solis, don''t stop me--I care not if your arms don''t ept me."


    "Ugh! Forgive me...!"


    The final grunt came again as he felt his mouth flood with blood. His eyes went hazy slowly, but the smile remained. From his body, the blood drained, but he did not fall and persisted on his knees--Alone, anguished, and in pain...his body began to freeze.


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 184 184. The Escape

    "Nobody could have imagined the Masan Empire would go this far when they knew the war could spark at any moment with Beastaria." Cardinal Karl spoke with Sylvester and Cardinal John.


    Sylvester hummed and nodded from time to time as he didn''t feel interested in talking about what had already happened as he was a part of it. He could feel the air of indifference from the two Cardinals. They had no aura of sorrow or such; all Sylvester smelled from them was surprise and peace.


    But he could understand why that was the case. Cardinal Suprima was a very high-ranking position, and the men who reach it usually go through situations and training that would leave most men broken. So, to them, this could be just one of the messed up things they had to deal with.


    Woosh!


    "Maxy!"


    Suddenly, Miraj appeared, jumped onto Sylvester''s shoulder, and whispered in the ears.


    "Maxy! That fatty! He stabbed himself in the backyard!"


    "God da..." Sylvester didn''t finish cursing and jumped out of his chair to run at full speed.


    "Max!"


    Seeing him go, Felix, Gabriel and Lady Aurora followed, and then others ran behind to see the situation that alerted the young bard.


    Sylvester rushed as fast as he could and arrived in the open backyard and found a kneeling form of a man near the bottom of a fire tree. The moon was not shining that night, so it was mostly ck.


    He quickly created some light on his hands and proceeded forward. He didn''t call the man out, for he already sensed he was dead. He saw a pool of blood underneath therge body, as the kneeling man remained frozen.


    He walked around and knelt in front of the Count and noticed a smile on his face but drying tears near his eyes. The scene instantly reminded him of his own final moments.


    ''So you made peace with yourst breaths?''


    "Maxy! I tried to help him!" Miraj tried to rify his failure.


    Sylvester just patted the cat''s head. "It''s okay, Chonky. Sometimes, ending a story is better than dragging it, for there could be something sadder lying ahead--or even worse--nothing."


    "Brother!" Count Raftel arrived and rushed close.


    "He''s no more." Sylvester stood back up and announced.


    There was silence all around. It was just another death for most, as they had seen too many already in one day. But that didn''t mean there was no depressing air in the surrounding.


    Duke Grimton appeared visibly shaken as well. "Why would he do such a thing? He was no man to kill himself. He''s a fighter."


    "Loss can push even a man as jovial as Count Jartel to such an edge." Duke Zephyr added. "Sadly, he couldn''t climb back out."


    Sylvester looked at the kneeling man with no particr feelings. He was not close to him and only treated him as a possible suspect for his own wife''s murder for the most part. But he wondered how broken he was to do this. What was in his mind when he thrust the dagger in?


    ''I should leave this ce and return to the Holy Land.'' He made up his mind.


    "A letter!" Count Raftel found a small folded parchment from his brother''s tunic while trying toy the body back.


    Sylvester took it and, at first nce, realised these were the final words of a man. "It''s better if I read it out to all of you."


    After getting a nod, he read it with a monotonous voice, but he could feel the emotions from the words personally. "What is a man without a family? What is life without someone waiting for him at home? A month ago, I had everything--now I have nothing.


    "I was blind to not see the devil sitting above my head. I was naive to believe the riches were God''s grace. Now, each breath is like a toll, again and again, reminding me that I''m alive and they are not. That I lost to an enemy I didn''t even realise existed--His sins with my blind trust--I assisted. There is no forgiveness for my sins, for I doomed not just myself but thousands.


    "I deserve no forgiveness, and I ask none from any. Nor do I ask for a funeral--Just let me rot, for that''s all I am worthy. I failed everyone, my family, my people and my allies. There are no ways to make amends, so I have decided this is where my life ends.


    "But, before I go, I hope to try and ease the pain of some. Lord Bard, as the apostle of God, I hope you shall respect my wishes. In the castle''s treasury, there rests one million gold Graces, five million Silver Crowns, and many more Muds. Please equally divide them between the families of all those who died and all those who were injured. Not just in my County, but also in Raftel''s and the men from Duke''s army.


    "Please tell them I ask for forgiveness--but they need not forgive me if they wish not to. I deserve nothing for being a buffoon, that I know.


    "I am leaving this heap of unhealthy flesh and bones. I hope that I can meet my family again if there exists a realm beyond--just once, I wish to hear their sound.


    "Raftel, I have wronged you, and I ask for forgiveness. You shall be thest of our bloodline left now, and I hope you reach sky high--with this, I bid you my goodbye."


    Sylvester put the parchment down and nced at the man onest time. Count Raftel was crying near the body of his older brother.


    "Let''s prepare for the noble funeral." He told the various servants who had just arrived.


    He then walked back into the castle. Of course, none returned to the dinner table anymore.


    Sylvester instead went to find Archbishop Raymond to get statistics of the dead, injured and all other soldiers so he could honour the dead Count.


    ...


    ''Why have I not received any word from Sir Dolorem yet?''


    The following day, Sylvester woke up after taking a short three-hour nap in the castle library where the county statistics were kept. He was doing various calctions to decide how much money he should give to whom.


    But as he woke up, he was reminded of the murder case that still remained unsolved. Even now, nobody knows who killed the Countess. Count Jartel didn''t even know what took his wife from him.


    ''I should wrap things around here and head to Green City too.'' He decided and got back to work.


    Bam!


    "Wake up, Felix. We have work." He pped the back of Felix''s head as the man slept beside him on the chair.


    Bam!


    Felix then pped Gabriel and woke him up. But beyond Gabriel sat Lady Aurora, who was already awake and working.


    "In total, we have nearly ten thousand soldiers who participated in the war, and about eight thousand died. We need topensate all of them equally now." Sylvester started writing and found the calctions.


    First, he divided the money. There were one million gold coins, so if he was to give each person equally, that would make it a hundred gold coins per person. But he needed to give less to those who were just injured.<sub> </sub>


    So, he decided to give 112 gold coins to the families of each of the eight thousand men who died. All those who were injured would receive 50 coins each. This was a lot of money since Sylvester''s monthly sry was 35 Gold Graces. At the same time, a peasant who only works in agriculture earns between one gold and fifty silver crows.


    Then finally, for the silver crowns and muds, he decided to distribute them among various businesses in the County as he knew the real dark times were yet toe.


    "Felix and Gabriel, you will be responsible for distributing the money in the County of Jartel and Raftel. As for the Duchy, I will hand over the money to Duke Grimton after he swears in the name of Solis to distribute it. We need to head to Green City after that." He ordered the two other boys, still trying to calcte slowly on the abacus-like instrument.


    "Do you still wish to find the killer?" Lady Aurora asked him.


    "No, I wish to find Sir Dolorem. He has not contacted me yet--this is not usual for him."


    ...


    Green City


    Sir Dolorem had to resort to various ungodly means to survive inside the city walls while avoiding the guards swarming every street and asionally having to fight a few.


    He had to steal armour at night from a cksmith shop. He had to pick the pockets of a few citizens. He had to harm a few traders to give him some goods.


    But he knew that if he took the lord''s name and ensured he did everything only to survive and serve the light, he''d be forgiven.


    Ding! Ding!


    The bells of the monastery started to ring. This was the sign of morning finally dawning on the city--a call for all working people to wake up and do their duties and for women to prepare the morning food.


    But for Sir Dolorem, this was the time to escape. He had plotted everything after careful consideration. First, he nned to take a noble hostage, but he reckoned if the one after him was sitting too high, then they might just let the noble die.


    He considered climbing the city walls and jumping on the other side, but many runes were likely engraved to alert against intruders.


    Hence, only one option was left--one extremely appalling option but the only way out. He was desperate and knew that the more he dyed, the lower his chances of escaping would get. And if he died here, Sylvester''s life could also be in danger.


    ''I must warn him at all costs!''


    "Morning cleaner! Morning cleaner!" a horse pulled smelly carried pulled through.


    Sir Dolorem stood in a dark alleyway as the sun had only begun to shine. The city, as every morning, was going through its basic everyday upkeep.


    "Filthy boy! Come here and help me! It''s been stuck since yesterday morning!"


    ? Sir Dolorem had already nned everything and waited for the cleaning ve to head into the house to help the resident, leaving behind his full cart.


    ''Go... just go, boy.''


    He remained ready to make a run for it.


    ''Yes!''


    After a small argument between the ve and the resident, the ve relented and ran into the building.


    Seeing the opportunity, Sir Dolorem-pletely naked except for the helmet--ran and dived into the huge wet pile on the city''s shit-cart.


    It smelled horrible, enough to make Sir Dolorem vomit a few times. But thanks to the helmet, his face didn''te into contact with the excrement and having poured a few chemicals into it beforehand, he was able to tackle the stomach-churning smell.


    Soon, he felt the cart moving again. But, beyond this point, all he could do was pray to God that he''d be thrown out of the city as they usually do.


    The cart then moved to a few more houses and finally headed to the city gates.


    "Halt!"


    "Sir, please make it quick! I need to make two more rounds!"


    "Shut up, filth! The city is in lockdown, and... ugh!... nothing leaves the city without being checked."


    Woosh!


    Two guards came close to the back of the cart and started to repeatedly stab their spears into the heap of waste while pinching their noses with one hand.


    "Check it thoroughly! Lord Commander''s orders!"


    ''Argh''


    nk!


    "What was that?" Commanding Knight was alerted.


    "M-My... Sir, that was my bucket!"


    Plop!


    Suddenly, a nasty bubble burst. "Arghh!, Fuck! It fell on me! Go! Holy Solis, I will die checking all these shit-carts this morning!"


    The cart finally started moving again, but the spears had done their damage. One crisis averted, another had risen. Sir Dolorem couldn''t cry, he couldn''t growl--if there was pain, he could only silently scowl.


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 185 185. Suspense!

    "Thank you, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester handed over a bag of money to a textile shop in the market. "Prepare yourself. You will need to work harder to make money now. Don''t spend it on foolish things."


    He advised as many shop owners as he could. In one nce, he knew which one would heed the advice and who would soon be a beggar.


    The entire northern Gracia would soon suffer from high poverty; Sylvester knew it. If the Holy Land and the rest of Gracia Kingdom didn''t help them, people would die from hunger or worse, a gue could start.


    He slowly made his way back to the castle as once again he was to say the prayer to the dead. This time he wondered if he was an extraordinary case of reincarnation because if everyone gets reincarnated, then that would mean no new people get born. It''s all just recycling.


    So that begged the question. ''Why me?''


    Sadly, this question could not be answered by anyone, nor could it be asked to someone. This was a secret he was going to take to his grave¡­ pyre in this case¡ªwhenever it may be.


    "... May the Lord enlighten the path of his soul."


    He finished speaking and used a torch to me the pyre. Seeing this one burning, all hoped this was thest, for they were tired now.


    On the other hand, Sylvester didn''t have time to wait and see things go on. The next day, after he had overseen the distribution of money in the two Counties and had given the rest to Duke Grimton, he arrived at Count Raftel''s castle onest time.


    "How isdy Melinda?" He asked since the Countess had been resting over the past few days.


    "She''s alive and in spirit. But I know she''s broken inside after the incident and the continuous iing news of the conspiracy." Count Raftel led him to Lady Melinda''s room.


    "How is her health? Is she eating properly?"


    "Yes, but only because I told her I''d do what Jartel did if she left me." Count Raftel said.


    Soon they entered the spacious room where in the middle, on the bed, a beautifuldy sat with her back resting on the wall behind. She appeared lost while staring out the window as the cool breeze seeped in.


    "Greetings,dy Melinda."


    She faced Sylvester and lightly smiled. "Wee, Lord Bard. I''m sure you''re tired after all that has urred."


    "I am alive, mydy. It''s just that I am mentally exhausted. How are you? Did the healers from Duke''s Keep check you? Can you grow back?" He asked, knowing how vital a chest can be for a woman¡ªespecially for one looking forward to having children.


    She shook her head. "They are not hopeful, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester nodded and wrote something down on a piece of parchment he had brought. "Mere Counts are not worth much in thend of god. But, thankfully, my mother is a Superintendent Healer in Guild Penins. Take this parchment to her if you ever find yourself on pilgrimage. The healers at Holy Land are far morepetent than what you''d have here.


    "I''ve heard about bones growing back, so something should be possible. If not, then at least they can do something cosmetic-rted. But in the end,dy Melinda, you muste to terms with this new life. Nobody but you can help yourself in this situation."


    She took the parchment with great hope. She held Sylvester''s hand and thanked him continuously. "T-Thank you, Lord Bard. Even if it''s a hope that may result in nothing¡ªthank you for this. I''m sure my lord husband and I will visit the Holy Land in this year''s Season of Solis."


    "Wonderful! Now, I must take my leave,dy Melinda. I need to return to Holy Land and report the situation. As for the one who attacked you, I''m sure a manhunt will be initiated against him soon." He reassured her as he stood up.


    Count Raftel escorted him towards the exit. "Thank you for saving us from total destruction. If his schemes had gone on untilplete fruition, they could have been disastrous."


    "The disaster is still not fully here yet, Count Raftel. Be careful. That''s all I can advise."


    They soon arrived outside, and therge carriage of Lady Aurora was waiting there. Sylvester bid his farewell to the Count without any useless songs this time.


    "Let''s go." He took his seat at the front beside Felix.


    "Ha!"


    The horses moved fast, their destination being the Pitfall Town, as Sylvester had promised to pick Dungface when returning.


    "How bad do you think the situation will be?" Felix asked him as they sat isted from the rest in the back.


    "Are you worried about your house?" Sylvester wondered, knowing that Sandwall County was the bordering County beside the Masan Empire. The trade route went through there and likely generated a lot of money for the region.


    "I don''t know. When I was little, I remember we still lived in decent wealth before they made the corridor. We hunt and kill the Desert Cannibals and take their gold asionally. Not to mention, the cannibals attack us in hordes too."


    Sylvester coulde up with a few reasons for Sandwall''s wealth. ''Sandwall County should still be able to do business with the Masan Empire since it shares a border. They probably send their own traders to Masan, I believe.''


    "Your family will be fine then. But for now, let''s focus on the task. I have a bad feeling about Sir Dolorem''s silence."


    ¡­


    Pitfall Town


    After Sylvester warned the town''s Archpriest that he''d be taking Dungface with him, the clergyman didn''t dare harm the mentally challenged man. He didn''t allow him to go and work, as usual, and he didn''t allow him to climb heights to paint the Monastery.


    But the problem was, Dungface was so used to being ved around that he was now getting angry at being stopped from working. The simple man thought people were mad at him and didn''t want to talk with him.


    So, Archpriest Mn had to create jobs for the man, one of which was to clean the artefact room.


    After that, Dungface carefully and diligently cleaned all the artefacts in the room with great care while singing a few hymns of Sylvester. His favourite was a hymn from years ago that Sylvester sang personally.


    Though he had already forgotten that Sylvester woulde to take him along. In his devotion, he just cleaned and cleaned, eventually rubbing his hand on a strange transparent orb.


    ?With warmth that all have embraced.


    I kneel to the Lord, for he has graced¡­?


    He first cleaned the orb with a cloth and then rubbed his hand on it to remove the scratches.


    "Clean clean¡­ I make it very clean¡­"


    Woosh!


    All of a sudden, the crystal got covered in bright shining light that shrouded the entire room. But, Dungface was so engrossed in that warm light that he forgot to let the orb go.


    Bam!


    "What in God''s name are you do-" Archpriest Mn barged in, intending to scold him but ended up with his jaw falling low and losing breath.


    "W-What¡­ How are you¡­ this is¡­"


    ¡­<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester ensured he reached Pitfall town as fast as possible this time and didn''t dare spend a night in the region. He had seen the Shadow Knight two times, and in both cases, he appeared in that region.


    Felix had gone to sleep now, and Lady Aurora sat beside Sylvester, steering the carriage herself.


    ''What does she want now?'' Sylvester clearly knew that her reasons for being so generous as to sit at the front were her selfish desires. Nevertheless, he knew she was curious about something, and the scents rified it.


    "Lord Bard, how old are you?"


    ''Why is she asking this?''


    "Seventeen, why?" He asked back.


    She stared at his face as if trying to read him. "No."


    "..."


    "What do you mean no? Ask my mum if you want to."


    She still shook her head. "There is something else, Lord Bard. You''re too developed in the head. Now, keeping the blessing of the Lord aside, you are talented in things you shouldn''t be. How do you know about making a trade?"


    "Demand creates supply. That''s all one needs to know to trade, Lady Aurora. It''s not that hard to master various things. You just need to try. I am personally interested in thenguages of the Desert Cannibals and Mountain tribes." He subtly changed the topic.


    "Why? Do you want to convert them to one true faith?"


    He scoffed. "Not in the slightest. Many Popes have tried in the past and failed. I only wish to learn theirnguage and find out if it''s derived from ourmon tongue."


    ''And see if they have matching grammar with any other Earth''snguage.'' He thought.


    "Good luck then. But I''d rather suggest you learn the Beastkin''s or Elven tongue. You''re young and will likely participate whenever the great war continues. I, for one, have mastered the Dwarvennguage already." She boasted with pride.


    But Sylvester was not impressed. "Ugh¡­ aren''t you more than a century old? Just learning one newnguage is anything but amateurish."


    "How dare you! Dwarvennguage is the mostplexnguage script in existence since theirmon tongue is also their runenguage. They used it for mining and enchanting nearly everything."


    ''That''s really impressive.''


    "Umm¡­ still not very impressive. Just onenguage in so much time?" He still teased her, knowing she was also in a joking mood.


    "Hmph! Whatever. I will see how great you be when you are a century old." She scoffed and focused on the road ahead. Not knowing she was nowhere near prepared for the greatness Sylvester shall earn in a decade, let alone a century.


    "We''re here!"


    Finally, they saw the start of Pitfall town. They drove the carriage straight to the Monastery, and Sylvester called the man''s name.


    "Dungface! Where are you, buddy?" He called the middle-aged simpleton.


    ''I''m going to need a new name for him.''


    "Ah! Lord Bard!" When Monastery''s gates opened, Archpriest Mn walked out, rubbing his hands, face sweating and eyes dted. "What can I do for you?"


    ''What''s he scheming now?''


    Sylvester felt suspicious and jumped down from the carriage. "I havee to take Dungface with me. Tell him toe out."


    The Archpriest made a false sad face. "Oh! Dungface¡­ I''m afraid he''s not here, my Lord. He''s been missing for days now."


    Bam!


    Not giving him any time or exining, Sylvester grabbed the Archpriest''s neck and lifted him in the air easily. Lady Aurora also stood beside him and watched everything calmly, already used to Sylvester.


    "Don''t lie, Archpriest! Where is Dungface?" Sylvester interrogated.


    Cough!


    "M-My lord¡­ I swear, he has run away. I think he..."


    Crunch!


    The sound of something breaking came from the Archpriest''s neck. "If you don''t speak the truth in five seconds, a beam of light shalle out of my palm and burn your head away."


    "One!"


    The Archpriest tried to free himself and kicked around.


    "Two!"


    The man lost strength, and his eyes started to go red from theck of air.


    "Three!"


    Cough!


    "Four!"


    "He''s inside!" Archpriest Mn blurted slowly. "He''s inside! I locked him there¡­ He''s¡­"


    Thud!


    Sylvester let him fall but didn''t let him go as he put his right foot on thetter''s chest. "Why?"


    "His talents, my Lord! We found out Dungface has the talent of a¡­"


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 186 186. Bards Knight

    Sylvester pressed more on the chest of the Archpriest and forced him to say it. "What is it?"


    "His talents, my Lord! We found out Dungface has the talent of a... Diamond Knight! Second-highest Knightley talent! This is God''s gift! This town can have so much support from the Holy Land if he remains here and learns under me!"


    Pa!


    Sylvester knelt and pped the man with the back of his hand, though not too hard. "So you can eat up all the money the Holy Land shall send for his upkeep and training? Do you see ''fool'' written on my face, Archpriest? And why were his talents never tested before? He''s already in his thirties; he has lost so much precious time."


    "I-I don''t know, my lord! The previous priest likely didn''t bother to test him since he was always slow in the head. Nobody in their right mind would expect him to have such high talent." The Archpriest cried, getting continuously pped on the face softly.


    Pa!


    "This is what you will do now. You will go in there and bring Dungface out respectfully--without saying a word to him. If you fail to do that, your head and my light shall meet for onest time. And don''t think I have no authority--I am a Sanctum Inspector." Sylvester ordered the man in a threatening tone.


    It worked as the man quickly got up and ran into the Monastery, nearly panting and on the verge of crying.


    "You did a number on that poor guy," Felix muttered, having woken up ande out of the carriage with Gabriel and Bishop Lazark.


    "He''s a scum but of a lower order. He was using Dungface for freebour and abusing him constantly." Sylvester replied.


    Agreeing, Bishop Lazark added. "A man''s true nature is shown when he''s given power over others."


    "He clearly failed that test," Gabriel muttered.


    Soon, the door of the Monastery opened again, and Dungface walked out. He had a big smile and a crate of fruits on his shoulder. But he looked much different.


    "Big Lord! You''re back!" Dungface cheered up seeing Sylvester there.


    "It seems they took good care of you, buddy. You have gained some good muscles and fat, it seems." Sylvester walked up to him and patted his shoulder.


    In truth, Dungface appeared much better now than before. Before, he was dirty and thin, and now he had good clothes and a body. He was already in the perfect state to start training, building good muscles, and burning fat to make more muscles.


    "I eat very good food, big Lord. Mn is very kind."


    Sylvester narrowed his eyes at the Archpriest standing on the side with his head held low. Poor Dungface didn''t even know that this was the normal life most people enjoy. To him, this was a luxury because he had never had it.


    "Dungface, I have a crucial task for you, one that will require your blood, sweat and hard work." Sylvester looked into Dungface''s innocent eyes.


    The man straightened his back, releasing the scent of utmost worship towards Sylvester. Indeed, in Dungface''s eyes, Sylvester was not just the preacher of the Lord, he was the Big Lord.


    "Big Lord wants my blood? I will give it!"


    "..."


    Sylvester quickly reminded himself that he needed to be careful with this man and only use simple words and sentences. "No, buddy. I don''t want your blood. What I meant was, would you like to join me and be my assistant? You will learn to be a Knight under my training and help me spread my light to the people and make everyone happy."


    "Dungface can make people happy?" The man wondered excitedly. His eyes told everything.


    At that, Felix walked up and put his arm on the man''s shoulder. "My friend, you will be a mighty knight with great power. Even stronger than Archpriest Mn... and you will also be a church member. You can help people all you want."


    "Can I help puppies too?" Dungface questioned out of nowhere.


    Instantly, Sylvester was reminded of the past when he found Dungface sharing his food with stray puppies, even when he didn''t have enough food for himself. Truly, the man was as much of a gentle soul as they could be.


    "Yes, you can help as many puppies as you want. But first, you will need to work hard and be strong. It will hurt your body, it will make you tired, but you must never quit." Sylvester added. "Are you willing to do that?"


    "Ugh..." Dungface looked left and right in panic.


    Thud!


    Then, he put the fruit crate away and knelt down like a Knight in front of Sylvester. He didn''t have a sword, but he still acted as if his hands were resting on the hilt of an invisible sword in front of him. He kept his head low and proimed. "I-I will forever serve you, big lord--In mind, soul, blood and body!"


    ''Amazing! He must have seen some other knights do this in the past.'' Sylvester thought.


    But he went with the theatrics as he didn''t see a mindless simpleton in front of him. Instead, what he saw was his most loyal, most faithful fanatic follower who would one day be quite strong. He may nevermand armies, but he can certainly help in times of need.


    Sylvester raised his right palm towards thetter and started shining some light upon him while singing a short hymn dedicated to Dungface.


    Thud!


    The moment Sylvester started to sing, and the halo appeared, Archpriest Mn, other Clergymen from the Monastery, and the nearby town folks knelt to pray.


    a??The Lord makes all men equal, but some he tests.


    In your heart, don''t let those tests create--unrest.


    It''s your fate to ovee life''s quest.


    For you, my friend, are the most blessed.a??


    a??You are not born any lesser than a king.


    You are not meant to feel cold in spring.


    For you are meant to fly with your strong wings.<sub> </sub>


    Wait and watch these hymns; even the heavens will sing.a??


    a??Rise, the blessed son of the light.


    For the good--For the sad--You are to fight.


    Walk with me and help me shine bright.


    You, my friend, shall be this Bard''s Knight!a??


    Sylvester ended singing and put his warm, shining hand on the kneeling man''s head. He caressed it and made him stand up. "Rise to your feet, good Sir. You are not amon man anymore--you are a knight."


    Sniff!


    Sylvester noticed a small drop of water fall just underneath where Dungface''s head was held low. ''Let theme out, buddy. I can''t imagine how hard it was to live without parents and a normal brain in a world like this. You lived this long. It''s already a miracle.''


    Sylvester was a man who schemed and killed for his own interests as easy as breathing. But, seeing a man as unfortunate as this, even he felt some pity. Taking his chances with this man, he knew he had nothing to lose and everything to gain.


    "T-thank you, big Lord! My best friend once told me that I am very strong." Dungface said.


    "Where is this best friend of yours?" Sylvester asked back, wondering if he could have another loyal person.


    Cough!


    A clergyman walked forward to exin, as he''d been in the Monastery for a long time. "She''s dead, my Lord. She was another orphan but not as unfortunate as him. She cared for him like a little brother when he was young, but a fever imed her life when she was eleven."


    "May her soul rest in peace then. She had more heart than most others these days," Sylvestermented while staring daggers at the Archpriest. "Some are born unfortunate but with a heart bigger than those--fortunate."


    "Dungface, rise and go gather your items. Take whatever you feel emotional about ande here. We shall leave this instant." Sylvester ordered the man.


    "Yes, big lord!" Dungface wiped his face clean and ran back into the Monastery.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester asked a few more questions to the older priest, who knew more about Dungface. "How old is Dungface, and where is his family?"


    "He''s thirty, my Lord. His family still lives on the eastern outskirts of the town. They have arge farm there. His father has died, but his mother and two brothers are still alive." The priest answered.


    Sylvester remembered what the former Archpriest had revealed about Dungface being disowned and tortured by his own family, which led to the Archpriest taking the boy in.


    He seriously looked at the priest. "Sins do not go unpunished when the soul reaches the embrace of the Lord. But, to punish sin in the mortal world is our duty. Make sure you tell the family that the Bard of the Lord was here, and he took their son to be a mighty Knight of the Church. A knight who shall one day attain the rank of Archbishop or--even a Cardinal."


    All the clergymen gulped in silence, wondering how Dungface would look with an Archbishop''s or Cardinal''s mitre on the head. They imagined him smiling stupidly while in a fabulous Knight''s armour.


    To some jealous ones, it was an image that made them rage, but those real priests who felt pride just smiled. This was the proof that God writes man''s destiny. Dungface was a prime example of a sad start but a mighty future.


    "Dungface is ready!"


    Just then, Dungface returned with a huge bag the size of Dungface himself on his back. It was made of thick, patched cotton clothes, and God knows what was inside them.


    "Indeed, he''s a Diamond Knight talent." Bishop Lazark muttered in nods.


    Sylvester chuckled, seeing him. "What''s in it?"


    "Vegetables, fruits, farming tools, a little chair, and paintings!"


    ''That''s probably all he''s owned in his thirty years of life.''


    He didn''t deny him front taking it. "Good, then let''s put everything on the roof of that carriage and move."


    "I will!"


    Dungface walked close to Lady Aurora''s carriage and effortlessly threw the bag on top of it. Indeed, he was truly strong. It was now making sense how he survived years of abuse.


    Soon, Felix tied everything on the roof, and they prepared to head out. They wished to reach Baron Strongarm''s castle and spend the night there.


    "Dungface,e here and sit with me," Sylvester called the man to the reinsman seat. He wished to talk to him more and slowly make him more devoted to himself. He also needed to impart knowledge about who he should trust and what to do in certain life-threatening situations.


    "First of all, let''s talk about your name. Have you thought about changing it?"


    "Dungface not good?"


    "It''s good, but you will be a mighty knight now and need a mighty name. Do you have any suggestions?" Sylvester asked.


    Dungface thought about it and started remembering all the names people called him. "Hmm... Poopy!"


    "..."


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 187 187. Exotic Man

    "Poopy? No, buddy. Poopy and Dungface mean nearly the same thing. No, we need a new name for you, one that reflects your strength. One that is fit for a knight who shall protect me."


    Dungface got excited. "I protect Big Lord?"


    "Yes, but only after you get stronger. One more thing, you should stop calling me Big Lord. Instead, call me Lord Bard." Sylvester corrected him. But he didn''t tell him to use his clergy rank to call him because he reckoned the man would keep calling him Archpriest even when he bes the Pope someday.


    "I will work very hard."


    "Good. Now let''s get back to your name. Are youfortable if I give you a new name?" He inquired.


    "I am blessed." The simple man, too easy to make happy, answered.


    ''Good. What should I name him now? It must be something simple and easy to remember, or too much time will be spent just remembering it. Hmm, something meaningful as well, for he will be in the public eye as time goes on.'' Sylvester fell into deep thought.


    He could note up with a name, so he left it to discuss with otherster.


    Changing the topic, Sylvester just asked him about his life, what he liked and what his life was like. He tried to see if the man ever lied and was promptly proven wrong. Dungface was too honest, no matter what was asked.


    For the first time, Sylvester felt troubled by someone''s honesty. ''I need to teach him how to lie tactically. Or else he''d spill all the beans about me if he ever learned something he shouldn''t.''


    Thinking, he steered the carriage the whole way until the sun finally started to hide. He had to make the horses go faster to reach the Barony of Strongarm so he could at least sleep in peace. The threat of Shadow Knight was always looming on his head, and he tried to n things ordingly since then.


    But every night, he does wonder why the Shadow Knight was even after him. He had killed no innocent just for sheer fun. He did his duty as the church asked, so he wondered where he went wrong. He didn''t believe just killing Romel was enough to earn the ire of the Shadow Knight. So there was something he had missed, he believed.


    Amidst his thoughts, they arrived at the barony''s capital and reached the castle. Baron Strongarm had deeply impacted Sylvester''s memory due to the man''s past of being kidnapped by Mountain Tribes and living with them for a good while.


    It waste at night, and dinner was likely served already. Still, when they arrived, the Baron came to greet them at the castle''s gate in the middle of the small town that had spawned around the castle.


    "Wee back, Lord Bard. I heard the news of what transpired in the North. I believe the times will be tough on all of us now." Barom Strongarm, the tall, mighty, ck-haired absolute unit of a caveman, greeted Sylvester with a warm hug for some reason.


    ''Strange, I feel more worship in him towards me than thest time. What changed?'' Sylvester wondered as he knew he had not done anything significant for the man.


    "Greetings, my lord. I suppose you don''t have to worry about it. Your economy is based around timber and hunting in your substantiallyrge forest grounds. As long as you manage the money well, you will likely be the least affected noble of the Duchy." Sylvester said, giving veiled advice.


    "I will, Lord Bard. Please, join me inside. When the guards informed me of your arrival, I woke up the cooks. A hot meal shall be served as soon as we talk."


    "Thank you." Sylvester and the rest went to the medium-sized castle.


    "Lord''s house is very big," Dungfacemented, getting the attention of the burly lord.


    Sylvester introduced them. "He''s... well... his name is Dungface, an inauspiciousd in the intellect but blessed by the lord with high knight''s talents. I emancipated him from Pitfall Town."


    Sylvester used particrlyplex words not to make Dungface ask a dozen questions about what was wrong with his head.


    Of course, Baron Strongarm may have grown up with Mountain tribes, but he was still a noble with substantial education. He understood Sylvester''s meaning and felt pity for Dungface. "He shall make quite the best man of faith, I believe--with his pure mind and heart."


    "Indeed."


    "Do you still go on hunting, my lord?" Felix blurted as they reached the dining hall.


    Baron nced at Sylvester and smiled. "I stopped after being bested by Lord Bard. What he said echoed in my mind time and time again. I need not put my life at risk, as too many depend on me. Besides... I am going to be a f..."


    "Your wife''s pregnant?" Lady Aurora noticed the Baroness sitting in the dining hall, looking happy--a bit too much. How did Lady Aurora realise the Baroness was pregnant? Nobody knew.


    "Indeed, and I thank Lord Bard for that," Baronmented. But he soon felt his words could be taken the wrong way, so he added. "Because of you, I decided to start a family and further the bloodline."


    "Thank you, Lord Bard." The Baroness chirped. "You finally nailed some rationality in my lord husband''s head."


    ''Haha, japing about your husband, but gracefully.'' Sylvester thought and chuckled while taking a seat.


    "Who is that?" Baron suddenly pointed at Bishop Lazark in the furthest seat of all.


    Sylvester didn''t introduce this time and let the Bishop be on his own. He wanted the man to get used to talking and bringing out a likeable persona.


    "Greetings, Baron. I am Bishop Lazark Kul Mizar. Forgive me if you feel strange due to me. It''s the fault of my natural magic inclination towards darkness." Bishop Lazark greeted with a straight face under the hood of his robes. "And this undead cat is Harpy."


    Baron suddenly jumped up and walked to Bishop. That instantly made many nervous in the room, but Sylvester only smelled excitement, surprise and admiration from him.


    "My goodness! This is my first time seeing an undead cat. Can I touch your cat, my lord?" Baron asked, addressing Lazark withplete respect.


    "You may, but she''s slightly shy." Bishop Lazark let his little cat jump on the Baron''s shoulder and meow to her heart''s content.


    "Haha, such a strange world we live in. You are so close to the darkness and yet serve the light."


    Bishop Lazark nodded. "Because there is only one true creator, the supreme Lord, the Solis."


    "May the light enlighten all our paths?" Baron happily chirped and yed with the undead cat. "I once saw an undead deep in the North when I lived among the Mountain Tribes. It was weak and died by simply hitting it with a boulder and burning its scattered bones. But this is much different--too animated."


    "Because she''s not controlled by my will. Such necromancy is tough to cast but, in the end, it was worth it." Bishop replied, looking at the undead cat lovingly.


    Sylvester silently nodded, seeing Bishop Lazarking out of his cocoon and talking to the Baron. But he was certain the Baron''s open-mindedness was at y too.


    ''If all had such a mindset, Bishop Lazark wouldn''t have been cursed to live alone forever. Well, now he''s my cultist, so all is well when the end''s well.''<sub> </sub>


    Soon, dinner was served, and most proceeded to sleep after that. But Sylvester, Felix and Bishop Lazark stayed behind as they were Sanctum Inspectors and had some things to talk about.


    "Have you heard of a Sir Kenworth?" Sylvester asked instantly.


    Baron rubbed his beard and tried to remember. "Hmm... the name does sound familiar. Is he a knight from the Green City?"


    "That''s it!" Felix eximed. "What can you tell us about him?"


    "He was here without invitation or deration. My guards caught him snooping around my chief cksmith''s warehouse. He said he was on an official mission to assess war preparedness for the Royal Family. But the man was too low ranked to be any such thing. I kept him locked in the dungeons for a week with only water and then let him go."


    "When did it happen?" Sylvester asked.


    "More than a year ago, I believe. Why? Is he a part of the conspiracy?"


    "Yes and no." Sylvester prepared to drop the bomb. "But he''s likely behind the murder of Countess Marce and the attempted murder of Countess Melinda."


    "What?!" Baron stood up in utter shock. "And I kept him so close to my wife!"


    "Do you remember anything out of the ordinary about him?" Bishop Lazark asked, always straight to business.


    Baron nodded, now far more serious. "He seemed paranoid and out of his mind most of the time. That''s it! He seemed just like any other drunkard my soldiers arrest every other day. I only remember him due to his absurd ims."


    nk!


    Sylvester ced the Chakram on the table he had taken from Count Jartel''s castle. He didn''t have many high hopes, but since he was in the Northern region, this was the best ce to start looking for clues against that spy, Sir Walder. "Can you tell me anything about this?"


    "Chakram? It''s rare around these parts. What do you wish to know?"


    Sylvester borated. "Where was it manufactured? Most master cksmiths have their own trademark, sometimes in the shape of a mark on the product, or sometimes as the specificposition of the material."


    "Hmm... I can''t, but my chief cksmith sure can. There''s a reason why he''s paid more than my Prima."


    "Why?"


    "Oh, you will know when you see him. He''s one exotic fe." Baron responded, with some pride ring up in him that Sylvester could smell.


    "When can I meet him?"


    "Early morning! I will inform the guards. You can go there directly."


    "That will be appreciated, my lord." Sylvester then decided to call it a day and headed to sleep in the assigned room.


    "Maxy, I''ll sleep with you again." Miraj, feeling cold due to the northern winter, jumped into his nket and happily tucked himself beside his chest.


    Sylvester caressed the furry boy''s head. "Chonky, do you remember my lessons?"


    Miraj nodded fervently while blinking his big eyes cutely. "Yes! Never use the word Pussy again."


    "..."


    "No! Not that one... but yes, you should never use that word. But here I was talking about not climbing to sleep on my face at night. I get nightmares of drowning from suffocation."


    "Aye, Aye, Maxy! I hug you and sleep here." Miraj snuggled his head near Sylvester''s chest and fell asleep quickly.


    ''I''m raising a baby.'' Sylvester muttered and aimed his hand at thentern to extinguish it.


    ...


    The following day, Sylvester woke up early and went to find the cksmith the Baron had spoken about the previous night. He did not know the man''s name but only the ce to find him.


    The workshop was adjacent to the boundary wall of the Baron''s castle, and it was at all times guarded by two men. And at the moment, the chimney on top of the workshop was intensely spewing fumes.


    ''He seems to be at work.''


    "Morning, lord bard!" The two guards at the gate saluted Sylvester.


    "Likewise." He replied and walked into the workshop. "Greetings, I am Sylvester Maximilian and the Baron sena€¡°"


    He stopped in the middle of his speech as soon as the cksmith turned to him. The man appeared d in a heavy leather apron, sweating profusely and looked.


    "Exotic indeed."


    ''This is new... What ethnicity is he? I''ve never seen people with this feature in my entire life in this world.''


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 188 188. A Name

    He was amazed to see a man with what he''d call east-Asian features from his previous world. The man had narrow eyes and an overall thin build, but the significant difference was that he was blonde and had blue eyes.


    "I am Sylvester Maximilian. Bishop Strongarm sent me to ask you a few questions about a certain western weapon." He continued to speak without sounding amazed by the man. He had never previously seen a man with such features, and he wondered where he was from.


    "The famed Bard? Greetings." The man spoke as he put his tools to the side. He spoke with an ent, however, but it was not too disrupting or unrecognisable. "What can I help you with?"


    "I would like to know where this was made or who made it, if that''s possible." He handed the Chakram to the man.


    He was yet to ask for his name. But Sylvester followed him as he moved to a workstation and turned on the magtern to look at the tool closely. He even had a monocle in his eye to look at it.


    "Hmm¡­ it''s hard to tell when he made it, but it is certainly made in Marashia, the capital of the Masan Empire, the seat of the Emperor. It was made by a certain cksmith by the name of Raz''ul Makh. It does not reveal much about him, however. From the looks of it, the man seems to be just another cksmith in the sea of many."


    Sylvester wrote down all the strange names in a little booklet of his. "Do you find anything peculiar or out of the ordinary from this weapon?"


    "This Chakram? No, not at all. It''s not even that high quality, but since it has a marked name on it, it at least belonged to some ranked person."


    Sylvester nodded. But instead of taking the information to face value, he knew this was a call. ''That fucker! He purposefully left these behind to give me something to hunt for, but not enough to actually get to him.''


    "How do you know all this?" Sylvester indirectly asked for his origins. "Also, they did not tell me your name."


    The man took off his gloves and shook Sylvester''s hand. "I''m called Yazukoto, lord bard. The name may sound strange, but my mother gave it to remember her homnd."


    "Where is your homnd?" Sylvester asked, as he didn''t feel any reservations from him.


    "My roots are from Warsong Kingdom, Lord Bard. It''s the only kingdom south of the Masan Empire. It''s known to be at constant war with the Masan Empire for the past few decades¡ªI think it''s been more than a century now.


    "My mother was a soldier in the Warsong army but was captured by the Masan soldiers in a battle. She was sold as a ve and brought to the Tower of Godless for her exotic features. My father bought her, freed her and made her his cook since Warsong cuisine is much different."


    Sylvester chuckled. "Let me guess. The way to man''s heart is through his stomach?"


    Yazukoto nodded, smiling. "Indeed. They married, and she gave birth to me¡ªa boy stuck in two worlds. With a face belonging to my ancestral home and hair belonging to this side of the world."


    "Does Warsong kingdom have different weapons too?" Sylvester asked with interest.


    "Of course. People from Warsong are experts in bows, arrows, spears, and throwing knives. It''s why they can fight against the mighty armies of the Masan Empire, which is more blessed in the art of shields, swords and horses."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and felt the tiny micro hair trying to break out. "Hmm, if I asked you topare the Masan Empire, Warsong Kingdom, Holy Land and the mightiest army of East, Riveria Kingdom, who would win?"


    "Holy Land!" Yazukoto replied without thinking. "The style of fighting I have seen from Holy Land''s armies is much different. You have extreme nning, formations and such in the ranks of the Holy Army. Not to mention, the number of wizards in the Holy Land is enough to shudder most enemies."


    ''No wonder the Masan Empire is using these underhanded techniques. The more chaos spread in the East, the weaker the Holy Land would be since we''d have to focus on extinguishing the mes on our home turf first.'' Sylvester reasoned with the current situation.


    He nced at the man from the South-West and wondered something. ''The only way to defeat the Masan empire without engaging in war is by strengthening the Warsong Kingdom. I hope the Holy Land is doing this already¡ªI think they are¡­ there is no other way that Warsong kingdom could have survived for this long.''


    Sylvester remembered the tactic used by his home country from his past life. It was best surmised in a single expression. ''Shoot one''s gun from someone else''s shoulder''.


    "Thank you for sharing the information, Yazukoto. I should head back now, but I will remember your name if I ever wish to tour the southwest on a religious trip." He shook the man''s hand.


    "I would love to see my ancestral homnd once in my lifetime too. But for now, I need to build five chainmail armours for the Baron."


    Sylvester took his leave. "Then I won''t hold you at it. Take care, Yazukoto."


    Sylvester truly appreciated that he did not just skim through all his travels without stopping somewhere or meeting people. If he had skipped staying at the Baron''s castle, he would never have found such an interesting person who maye in handy in the long run.


    He could have given the man money, too, to leave an impression. But he didn''t, as he felt the man was already rich being the Chief cksmith. Besides, the name ''Sylvester'' will spread sooner rather thanter. He didn''t need to publicise that much.


    Sylvester then headed into the castle and ate his breakfast before preparing to make the journey to Green City and find Sir Dolorem there.


    "If you ever roam these parts again, visit this little keep, Lord Bard." Baron Strongarm bid his farewell.


    "I will, Baron. Thank you for the hospitality, and I shall pray for a healthy child to bring warmth to your castle."


    Sylvester, this time, didn''t steer the carriage himself. Instead, he has asked for two men from Baron''s subordinates to do the job. He knew that everyone was tired and needed some rest, so this was the best way.


    After all, what was waiting for them in Green City was still unknown.


    Soon, they were on their way whilefortably sitting in the luxurious cabin of Lady Aurora. It was big enough for all of them to sit on the floor covered with padded carpet.


    "Alright! Time hase to decide on a name for Dungface!" Sylvester announced as he sat with everyone.


    Felix jumped to his feet. "Finally! I want to name him Alexander Sandwall! He shall be my brother! I am adopting him!"


    "..."


    "Sir Felix, my brother?" Dungface confusedly looked around.


    Bam!


    Sylvester mmed his fist on the low table. "Don''t give me that, Felix. I found him, so he''s myd. You can find another one somewhere else. As for the name, I hold the main veto¡ªso rejected!"<sub> </sub>


    Offended, Felix also mmed his fist on the small,p-height table. "This is preposterous! This is a scam! How dare you decide things on your own!"


    Sylvester scoffed and raised his chin in pride. "I found him, so I will decide. Besides, the name has to be small, so our dear friend here does not have to spend a whole year memorising it."


    Felix calmed down in an instant. "Oh! You should have said that before. I wasted my energy. Well, how about Bob? It''s very small."


    Everyone in the carriage looked at Dungface''s chubby mug. The man was indeed fit for the name ''Bob''. But Sir Bob? It was not a very befitting name for a future Diamond Knight.


    Lady Aurora scoffed. "I''m sure now that Priest Felix fell on his head as a baby."


    "Pfft!" Gabriel snorted, holding hisughter.


    "How about Jax?" Bishop Lazark suggested.


    "No!"


    "No!"


    "Absolutely not!"


    Sylvester, Felix and Gabriel denied it instantly. They remembered that Jax was the secret name of the head of Anti-Light. The name was akin to asking for trouble.


    "Vetoed!" Sylvester blurted. "Any other suggestions?"


    "Why not ask him what he wants?" Gabriel suggested.


    Sylvester objected to it instantly. "It can''t be done. I asked him before, and he suggested Poopy."


    "..."


    Everyone silently closed their eyes and tried to think of a name for him. They asionally would look at Dungface''s mug and shake their head as the name would not fit.


    "Hmm¡­"


    "Naming is hard."


    "Why not put the names in a jar and let him pick one? Let fate decide." Bishop Lazark suggested.


    "Agreed."


    "I''d like that."


    One by one, they all responded positively and wrote names on a small piece of parchment in secret.


    "Make sure it''s not a foolish name. Remember, I have the Veto power." Sylvester reminded them.


    "That!... You can just veto every name until your favourite one is selected." Felix objected.


    Relenting, Sylvester made apromise. "Fine. The veto can be overruled if you all vote against my veto for a name."


    So, they all agreed, and soon Sylvester ced a small jar made of mud in front of Dungface.


    "Dungface nervous!"


    "Don''t think about it, buddy. Just pick any one piece, and that shall be your name." Sylvester patted his shoulder.


    But everyone failed to realise that Sylvester also nodded towards a certain invisible cat with a sizeable scheming grin. Of course, how could Sylvester take the risk of someone else giving Dungface a name?


    The man was going to be his squire and, one day, his holy guard. Naturally, therefore, the man must have a small yet meaningful name.


    "Ugh¡­ it''s slippery!" Dungface tried to hold a chit from the jar, but every time he''d pick one, it slid off¡ªthanks to an invisible furry paw.


    "Got it!" Dungface finally lifted one chit that was folded in a certain unique way.


    <o>,m "Read it!" Felix excitedly eyed the simple man.</o>


    Dungface slowly unfolded the chit and first read the letters in the head. That''s how he was taught to read. "It says¡­"


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 189 189. What Shines, Also Burns

    "It says... Z... Zeke?" Dungface, now Zeke, announced his name to all.


    Sylvester cheered instantly. "Yes! What a fine name! Zeke is amazing and fitting for you, my friend. It means ''God Strengthens''. You truly are strengthened by God."


    "Ugh! My name was much better... it was Neo, which rhymes with new." Felix spoke, but he also epted the name Sylvester had suggested. "But who said the meaning of Zeke was God Strengthens?"


    "I did." Sylvester blurted.


    "..."


    "It''s fine, I guess," Gabriel muttered since he had selected a pretty dumb name inparison.


    "Agreed! It''s a good name... Zeke." Lady Aurora mumbled. "But my suggestion was still the best--Ragnar would have been amazing. But it may have been too long."


    "Zeke is good." Bishop Lazark also agreed.


    Sylvester, with that, won this little battle. "My friend, your name shall be Zeke from now on."


    The man blinked his eyes dumbly, not realising what a significant upgrade it was from Dungface. But, thankfully, it was easy to remember and sounded good, so he was happy. "Zeke is good... I will be Sir Zeke?"


    "You are already a Sir Zeke. Just need to get you registered at Holy Land and have you assigned to me. After that, you will officially be called Sir Zeke." Sylvester exined.


    nk!


    Felix took out a bottle of orange juice since they could not drink alcohol. "For this asion, let''s share a ss of juice and cheer for Sir Zeke."


    Sylvester, instead, took out a small bottle of Grandpa Monk''s Sunshine Nectar non-alcoholic but still effective drink. "No! This one needs a proper celebration. This drink does the same job as alcohol, but it has no alcohol. Grandpa Monk gave it to me."


    "This is from Grandpa Monk?!" Lady Aurora grabbed the bottle as if it was a treasure. "He told me that he made a new drink during the gathering at the announcement of the crusade. Pour me a ss, Archpriest Sylvester."


    Sylvester did so, but he poured not even half a ss. "Here, try this much first. Let me warn you, it''s very strong and was able to knock out Sir Dolorem in a single shot."


    "Really?" Lady Aurora excitedly gulped down while Sylvester poured some for others.


    Bam!


    "More!" Lady Aurora greedily eyed the bottle.


    Sylvester relented and poured another one to her, but then he closed the lid and quickly handed it to Miraj behind him to hide it.


    "For our new good friend, Zeke of Pitfall Town. May the lord enlighten his paths and help him reach the rank of Diamond Knight very soon." Sylvester raised his ss.


    "To Zeke!" Felix did the same.


    The rest also followed, and atst was Zeke, who embarrassingly, but with a big happy smile, nked his ss.


    "Cheers!"


    Cough!


    Cough!


    Cough!


    Everyone except Lady Aurora and Sylvester started coughing, and instantly, everyone''s face took a slight hint of red. The drink made by Grandpa Monk was highly potent. There was no doubt about it.


    "What is this crap!" Felix barked once his throat felt like burning.


    Sylvester scoffed and japed. "Hmph, young boys. Can''t even handle a little bit of drink. It''s called being a man, Felix. If youin, you ain''t one."


    Bishop Lazark shook his head. "Now I know why this is called the root of the devil. If a man gets addicted to it, he''s giving in to the demon that lives in one''s unconscious mind. No wonder I''ve encountered so many drunkard wife-beaters over the years."


    Sylvester agreed in that regard. "That''s why the church should also take over the production of alcohol. We can manage its sales and production as per the demand and control the supply as well, ensuring one region is not buying too much of it."


    Sylvester was all up for a free market and democracy, but those things were a joke in this world. Here, power speaks above everything and control grants you power, and control is synonymous with the church.


    "They will riot. Don''t underestimate the local drunkards." Lady Aurora spoke.


    "Well, riots can be quenched, but when the madness of addiction spreads, they may worship the drink more than Solis--isn''t that heresy?" Sylvester argued.


    "We can ala€¡°" Felix stopped in the middle of speaking. "Why are we slowing down?"


    In an instant, everyone took their weapons of choice in hand and looked out of the windows. They saw the front through the venttion above the head of the reinsmen.


    There appeared to be a blockade on the road as five men appeared on horses standing there. They were well armed and donned fabulously clean and shining armour of the Gracia Royal family.


    "What''s Green City Knights doing here?" Sylvester mumbled and prepared to disembark as the carriage came to a halt.


    "Felix and Gab, behind me. It seems we have some news from Green City. Be prepared to push them from information if they refuse." Sylvester ordered quickly.


    "Halt! Whose carriage is this?"


    Bam!


    "It''s mine!" Lady Aurora roared before Sylvester could even exit the carriage. She decided to take the lead here. "I am the Tenth Guardian of Light, Cardinal Aurora."


    Sylvester also introduced himself. "I am Lord''s Bard, Archpriest Sylvester Maximilian. Why do you block the way?"


    The knights appeared flustered, as expected, since they were not prepared to deal with such a high-ranking clergyperson as Lady Aurora and someone as famous as Sylvester.


    But the man in the middle of them, who appeared to be a Golden Knight, spoke. "May the holy light enlighten us, people of faith. We are here blocking the way to the Green City because the city has gone into lockdown. We are not allowing anyone to go on this path--so I humbly ask you to take the side route."


    Sylvester smelled lies from the scent released by the man. "I want the truth and only the truth. So tell me, why are you blocking this road? As for your suggestion, it''s humbly rejected! Even your royal family has no authority to dictate where the holynd''s carriages go."


    The golden Knight nkly looked at Sylvester and took on a more nervous stance. "I-I didn''t mean to offend you, famed Lord Bard. I am merely following the orders. We have been told that a murderer is on the loose. He is likely hiding somewhere behind us, and if a carriage goes through, he may attack the civilians."


    ''He''s speaking the truth this time. Hmm... What''s behind all this? Did they start a manhunt for the murderer?'' He wondered.


    "Then step aside and let us through. Your little murderer can''t evene close to our carriage, let alone attack it. We are in a hurry to the Holy Land." He ordered them and started walking back to the carriage without waiting for a reply. It was essential to show these knights their ce this time, so he acted overbearing with them.<sub> </sub>


    Lady Aurora also nodded and got into the carriage. The Knights soon discussed what they should do and finally decided to let them go. Nobody could fight Lady Aurora, they knew.


    Soon, the carriage entered the area the knights had set up. The closer they got closer to the Green City, Sylvester felt something was wrong. He had not gotten any news from Sir Dolorem all this time, and now he was hearing such news.


    ''This does not add up. They can''t be so weak that they must go to such lengths to catch a murderer.''


    He sat beside the venttor that allowed him to look at the front while they travelled. On the way, Sylvester noticed a few knights on horses on the road or off it, looking for something. They were randomly stabbing heaps of grass with spears or burning them outright.


    ''Who are they trying to find? Is it Sir Kenworth? The murderer?'' He wondered.


    nk!


    ''What was that?''


    All of a sudden, his ears noticed a distant sound of swords striking something. But it was not a sh of a sword hitting a sword.


    Alerted, he walked around the carriage to see which direction it wasing from.


    "What are you doing?" Felix annoyedly asked as Sylvester stepped around near the various windows.


    "Shh... something suspicious is happening. Get ready to fight if the need arrives." He ordered.


    nk!


    "Ah! On the left!" He quickly jumped to the left side of the carriage and looked out the window. There, in the distant grasnds, he noticed a single man, covered in mud, fighting with his bare hands against three knights in shining Gracia Royal armour.


    ''Who is he?''


    "Sylvester! I''m here!"


    Boom!


    As soon as the voice touched Sylvester''s ears, he clenched onto his spear resting at one end of the carriage and, without warning, exploded out of the door, shattering it apart.


    He sprinted faster than amoner''s eyes could see, using all his knightly talents over his body.


    "Sir Dolorem! Is that you!" He shouted aloud.


    "H-Here...S-Syl... Ugh!"


    A faint voice came, this time with asional grunts.


    Sylvester rushed faster and prepared his spear for the throw. But since he was in the middle of tall grasnds, he created light steps for himself that appeared as he took steps forward. Up and up, he kept climbing high, and once he had a clear view, he released the spear with a force he had never done before.


    Boom!


    Breaking the sound buried, the spear spiralled towards the Knight about to strike at Sir Dolorem''s arm. Shining in red light, the spear was covered with fire magic--enough to melt steel and bring the mightiest to the heel.


    Woosh!


    It made no loud sound at all when it struck. Instead, the sound resembled a gust of air. But the Knight, about to hit Sir Dolorem, stopped moving. His sword hand stuck in the air in preparation.


    Bam!


    Without warning, the Knight fell forward, face first. But, there was no face anymore--just a hole. The spear, so fiery and fast, thrust into the Knight''s head like a hot butter knife, melting the helmet and the brain away.


    Everything happened so fast that the remaining two attacking Knights were left in flusters as they jumped away from the falling body with an ugly burning hole in the head, big enough to see the grass underneath on the other side.


    "Your fates have been sealed!"


    Sylvester had not stopped, however. Like a lion, he leapt from the sky,nded in front of Sir Dolorem and faced the two knights.


    He gave no second thought as ws of hardened light appeared on his two hands. "Haaa!"


    Sylvester plunged his burning, white, shining ws into the chests of the two knights.


    "Aaargh!


    "No!"


    The strength was overwhelming, but Sylvester had no mercy.


    "Ha!" Sylvester roared and pulled back the ws he had dug deep into the two Knights'' chests.


    Ssh!


    The two Knights went limp in an instant as their eyes turned hazy, staring at the ws Sylvester had pulled out--for in the two ws rested two hearts, bleeding and bursting apart under the great strength--It was theirs, they had no doubt.


    Thest thing they saw before falling to their death was the blood-covered face of Sylvester. Today, he was merely the shining light that burned the heathens--Yet, to the eyes of the dead, he appeared like a demon.


    Thud! Thud!


    Two bodies fell back--dead!


    Thud!


    But a third one also fell, prompting Sylvester to turn back and rush, only to find more blood oozing from the man and the scent of death overpowering all senses. "Sir Dolorem!..."


    _______________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 190 190. Hanging By A Thread

    Within mere seconds, Sylvester had killed three Knights and now rested in his arms the mudded and bloodied body of Sir Dolorem. The man''s eyes appeared devoid of life--devoid of strength to survive.


    "Chonky! Give me the crystals!... And what the hell happened to him?" He wondered while using the best of his healing magic to try to heal therge sword shes and stabbing wounds on Sir Dolorem''s torso.


    Each wound went deeper than the other. Each one struck where life would quickly wither.


    He looked at Sir Dolorem''s current state, and there didn''t appear to be anything on him other than a simple cloth covering his lower body. He was alsopletely covered in dried mud and what smelled like faeces.


    "What the hell happened to you, man?" He muttered while fervently trying to keep him alive.


    "Max! Ugh... what''s that smell!" Felix arrived with the rest. "Fuck! Is that?"


    Lady Aurora and Bishop Lazark, who were clearly better in healing, rushed to push Sylvester away and started healing Sir Dolorem. Lady Aurora knew the general spells, but Bishop Lazark was an expert, for he spent his entire life alone--having no one to rely on in times of peril.


    "We need to clean him quickly and start sewing his wounds," Bishop eximed.


    Lady Aurora quickly used her hands to create water and wash away the dirt from Sir Dolorem''s body. Then, slowly, as the skin appeared clear, they realised how heavily injured he was.


    "This is not good." Bishop Lazark eximed after patting around Sir Dolorem. "He has broken three ribs, one knee, an ankle and dislocated his left shoulder. There seems to be some injury to the skull as well--how he''s even alive is beyond me."


    "Let''s head to the carriage and heal him there," Sylvester suggested, since they needed a clean environment to ensure the wounds didn''t get infected.


    "Pick him up." Bishop Lazark got up.


    Sylvester created a hovering bed of solidified light. "Put him on it."


    They delicately put the unconscious body on it and proceeded towards the carriage. They hurried as much as possible without harming Sir Dolorem since his organs were damaged too.


    "I have an emergency kit for sewing wounds." Bishop Lazark hurried to his baggage.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester started taking out some expensive Srium crystals and fed Sir Dolorem one by one in pieces. The crystals would ensure that Sir Dolorem did not run out of Srium in his body, which was as important as blood.


    "Wait!" Sylvester stopped them. "Check the internal organs first. If they are bleeding, then we can''t just seal the wounds."


    He hurried close to help Bishop Lazark with his crude medical knowledge from modern times. They opened the wounds a little to see inside. But blood was flooding and stopped their vision.


    ''We don''t have modern equipment. We can''t afford to drain this blood out.'' Sylvester thought and just put his hands over the deepest wounds and started to send out green light, which was the healing magic.


    "We can''t see the insides. Just try to heal the wounds with magic until we see the bleeding reducing." He suggested.


    Lady Aurora objected, however. "We can''t let him bleed more--we need to get him blood-replenishing potions. Or else, even your crystals won''t save him."


    ''Damnit! I don''t have any. I used all of them to save Countess Melinda thest time.'' Sylvester cursed internally and tried toe up with something.


    "Since the attackers were knights from the Gracia Royal family--it''s suicide to enter Green City. Let''s take the river! We can move faster on it, and the carriage can be brought to Holy Land by the two knights of Baron Strongarm!"


    The Gold river flowed adjacent to the Green City and went into the Blood Sea, from where the Holy Land was just to the left, not far away. The strategy could work as the river was downstream for them, and with their magic, they could make the boat go faster.


    "Where will we find a boat now?" Gabriel asked.


    Sylvester looked in the distance, towards the south where the river was supposed to be. "I will take care of it. You all bring Sir Dolorem along to the shore."


    "I wille with you." Felix got up quickly.


    Sylvester didn''t deny him and promptly left on foot, as horses were required for the carriage to move. Not to mention, the river was not too far. The Green Road was mainly built adjacent to the Gold River since the era of the Gold rush in the river.


    With them gone, Gabriel quickly proceeded to help as well. "I know how to brew some low-level healing potions. I think I can make them with a few nts I saw outside. I will get them."


    "Do it!" Bishop blurted. Any help would be appreciated right now.


    ...


    Sylvester went straight to the south without much hope of finding a town or a vige. His best bets were the boats already in the river going about their business.


    "Felix! Don''t be near me when I reach the river. Stay out of sight, as I will need to do an act." He ordered.


    "What''s the n?"


    "You''ll see."


    Sylvester soon found himself standing on the shore of the river. The river was deep and wide, as most of it was extensively dug for years in the past. He looked at the ongoing traffic. Every few minutes, a boat passed by, some small and some big, and all of them contained cargo as they were headed to River City.


    ''That one!''


    He finally noticed a small boat with enough space for all of them. So he quickly started to sing a hymn and made the halo appear behind his head. That made him seem like a lighthouse beside the river.


    Soon enough, the boat''s owner noticed the marvel and couldn''t help but proceed to him. He was, after all, amoner. Seeing a man appearing so heavenly was like a boon from Solis.


    Sylvester noticed him and started singing loudly in hymns.


    a??O'' son of the great Solis--hear the sermon.


    Bask in this warmth and rid all your burden.


    The time hase for you to determine.


    Do you wish to be ignorant or memorise this hymn?a??<sub> </sub>


    He made sure to make the man feel warm from his light to increase the effects.


    a??Let go of your worldly possessions, your life and luxury.


    It''s time for your holy journey--for self-discovery.


    Here, have this gold and for prophecy--prepare to behold.


    It''s time to head to Holy Land--by Solis, you''ve been told.a??


    Sylvester took out a bag of gold from his robes and extended it to the man.


    a??Make your choice, son of the lord--this or live in the eternal dark?


    Are you prepared to make the sacrifice and leave asting mark?


    Speak--O'' son of god--will you stay or proceed to embark?a??


    The man started to cry on his knees and epted the bag of gold. "I--I will, holy Solis! I will... I will walk to the Holy Land right now! I am graced--I am blessed..."


    Sylvester just nodded. The man, on all fours, crawled away in respect towards the road and then headed towards the Holy Land with a bag of gold.


    Sylvester stopped singing, jumped onto the boat, and started throwing away all the goods from the shed on it. "Move on, Felix! We need to hurry."


    "What was the need to do all that? He would have agreed to sell us the boat for the money anyway." Felix asked him while also throwing the goods.


    "Ignorance is bliss, Felix. That man now believes that Solis told him to head to Holy Land on foot. If anyone asks him where he''s going, he will answer as such--making all believe he''s heading to Holy Land as a pilgrim for the uing Season of Solis. Remember--we do not want to alert the Green City."


    After a while, the carriage also arrived. But when Sylvester saw that Sir Dolorem''s condition was worsening, he quickened. "Move fast!"


    Then he handed some gold to the two knights who would steer the carriage. "Remember, you must only start your journey tomorrow morning. So rest in the carriage for the night."


    With that, he pushed the boat with the oar and made his way downstream. At the same time, Felix and Gabriel were putting runes at the back of the boat to create an airwave that would thrust the boat faster.


    Lady Aurora reminded them of a problem, however. "How are we going to leave Green City? No boat or ship passes their shore without being checked."


    Sylvester didn''t think much about it anymore. "If that happens... then I''m afraid you will have to go all out, Lady Aurora. I don''t believe they will have the guts to so openly attack a Guardian."


    She could only nod in expectation of such an oue. "I hope you''re right, Archpriest."


    Slowly, the boat made its way down the river and finally crossed the bridge beyond which was the Green City. One of the oldest cities in the world, spanning nearly an entire river delta. It boasted the most talented and sophisticated poption of the higher ss--where music, art and innovation were given importance. Unfortunately, however, all that was in decline at the moment.


    "Everyone, ditch your armour and don clergy robes. Don''t let them feel any hostility from us." Sylvester ordered.


    They knew they could likely fight their way through, but they didn''t wish to waste the precious time needed to save Sir Dolorem.


    So, without questions, they started to take their armour off and patted clean the robes. Lady Aurora even put her rank te on her chest--proudly showcasing a golden te with six diamond bars of Grand Wizard on it.


    "Ugh! There''s traffic in the river." Felix cursed as he steered the boat.


    They had arrived in a region of the river where Green City blocked boats and ships from moving using thick long metal chains going from one end of the river to the other. There were five different chains like these, creating four long stretches of river that would be blocked at a time in series.


    They had no way but to get in line while the port managers and the river managers of the Green City checked each boat or ship one by one. They use specially enchanted little boots with wide circr wooden boards attached underneath to move around on the water with ease.


    "Alright! So where are you heading?" Soon, a man appeared in light green robes, jumping onto their boat.


    Sylvester stepped forward. "Greetings, fellow man of faith. We are returning to the Holy Land."


    "From where?" The port manager asked without much interest.


    "Why does that matter to you?" Lady Aurora stepped out all of a sudden. "Church business is confidential."


    "Who do ya€¡°" The port manager shut up the moment his eyes rested on Lady Aurora''s chest. They were ample, but the man was not aroused, instead frightened. "A-Ah... forgive my impudence... please wait. I will bring the clearance."


    "Good." She just nodded with arms folded.


    The man rushed back to the shore and entered one of theplex buildings. This granted them a moment to rx and hope.


    "I believe that worked," Sylvester muttered. "Thank you, Lady Aua€¡°"


    "Max! Come quick! Bring your weapons!" But all of a sudden, Felix''s shout from the front of the boat interrupted him.


    Sylvester quickly moved, jumping over the small shed and reaching the bow of the boat. He found Felix gawking. "What hap... This is bad!"


    Sylvester cursed as he noticed the situation. The boats and ships around them appeared to be moving apart and creating space. But, at a nce, it was clear they were not doing it to let them go--but to allow someone to reach them.


    "Arms up!" Sylvester roared. "Go all out!"


    _______________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 191 191. Trapped

    "Arm''s up!" Sylvester roared and clenched the spear in his hand.


    He continued to look around himself and noticed the many wizards and knights on the various iing boats,rge and small. These boats werepletely different from what others looked like. An abundance of green paint was on them. That was the infamous mark of the Gracia family--previously called Green Tribe, a fact known by a few.


    "Felix! When I give a sign, start steering the boat ahead. I will break the blockade!" He instructed as he put his palm by his chest, facing the front.


    Lady Aurora also appeared beside Sylvester, this time having donned her armour again and her sword in hand. "They likely know I am with you, and they still dare toe and attack us. So they are either foolish, or they have brought someone they know can harm me."


    Sylvester was unsure of it, however. "That would be suicide for the entire Gracia Royal family. The Lord Inquisitor and the Church would shower their wrath on thisnd if you were harmed by these supposed ''allies''. Don''t you think so?"


    She nodded in agreement. "You can be right--you are most likely right. But, after being alive for so long and having seen so much, life has taught me never to underestimate someone''s ability to do something stupid."


    "I can understand that. But I don''t wish to spend time here in a fight. If Sir Dolorem dies..." Sylvester didn''t even know what to say. What did he see the man as? As far as he knew, Sir Dolorem saw him as his son. But Sylvester, a mentally old man, could never do the opposite to him.


    For the most part, he saw Sir Dolorem as a good friend, loyal believer and his first and most critical teacher.


    "I will be extremely disappointed." He finished his words, albeit a dozen emotions were hidden behind them.


    "Me too... He''s a good man with morals." She said and held her sword in a striking pose. "Get ready now. They''re arriving."


    It was just Sylvester, Felix and Lady Aurora who were going to fight since they needed someone by Sir Dolorem''s side for his injuries. Gabriel was not much help inrge-scale battles either. The man was more of a philosopher than a warrior.


    "Felix, be prepared!"


    Sylvester silently waited for the oing boats. There were five of them, surrounding them in a semicircle. They varied in size, with at least a dozen men on each. Sylvester was trying to let theme close so he could sense the scent--if they werepletely, unreasonably hostile.


    "Hold! Hold!"


    A loud call came from thergest boat in the middle as a man waved at them in shining, semi-golden and silver armour. "Don''t engage--wee here with no intention of causing hurt!"


    However, Sylvester didn''t put his guards down and kept himself prepared to send out arge beam of Wrath of Heavens to make way for himself. The beam was strong enough to melt rocks and make a deep cave, so melting some wooden ships and a few metal chains would not be difficult.


    "Identify yourself," Sylvester shouted back.


    "I am Sir Morphus, sworn to the faith and protection of Princess Isabe with my life. Ie here to ask you to wait a little longer. The Princess wishes to speak to you."


    Sylvester saw the rank te on the man''s chest up close now. The man was a Diamond Knight, not a threat to him, as he had Lady Aurora at his side. Not to mention, he didn''t take the man''s words at face value.


    "What does the Princess want from us lowly clergy folks?" Sylvester asked back, a little bit of mocking in disguise.


    "Please... Lord Bard, Lady Tenth! We know what has transpired, and we wish to right the wrongs--the Princess ising to exin everything herself." Sir Morphus replied.


    ''He''s not lying! But why would the Gracia Princesse here? Could it be that even he does not know what the Princess or his masters are nning?'' Sylvester wondered and didn''t put his guard down.


    "If that''s the case, then we decline to meet her. Move aside and free our path--for that is the desire of Lady Tenth." Sylvester replied, invoking the bigdy beside him, to which she just nodded.


    "Please! Wait!"


    Just then, another boat rushed close to them, this being the smallest and right away approached Sylvester.


    The only reason Sylvester didn''t strike was that a woman was standing at the front of the approaching boat, and since her blonde hair was visible, he reckoned this was the Princess. He knew it was foolish to be the first attacker in this case.


    "Do note closer!" He still warned.


    But the boat didn''t stop, and the woman kept shouting. "It was not my brother! Please let me speak to you once!"


    Her face was not visible under the brown hooded robes, but her voice was charming as if she had been singing her entire life and could not sound normal anymore. Every time she even shouted, it felt melodious.


    Sylvester nced at Lady Aurora. "Didn''t they say she was a student of healing magic? So why does she sound like a singer?"


    Lady Aurora shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe she was a part of their monastery''s singing group. Anyway, what''s your n? We can''t waste time here."


    Sylvester looked back at the oing woman. He had no idea what she looked like or her personality. He did, however, remember the previous Queen of Gracia Kingdom, Queen Rexina--from when he was a baby.


    ''If I remember right, didn''t that queen get her palm stepped on by Lord Inquisitor as punishment? And she held jealous and lustful thoughts about me--a baby. Are her kids like her?'' He wondered in silence and let the woman approach her.


    Thud!


    The Princess jumped onto Sylvester''s boat and clumsilynded in front of him. She then quickly removed her hood and revealed her striking face to all.<sub> </sub>


    To say she was beautiful was an understatement. She had a different charm of cuteness and innocence written all over her. With long silky blonde hair, a curvy fit body, big grey eyes, a round face and full red lips, she was worthy of being called one of the prettiest Sylvester had ever seen in this world since his birth.


    Bam!


    Sylvester tapped Felix''s shoulder, telling him to shut his drooling mouth as he expected the guy to react this way at one nce.


    ''Hmm... I can smell anxiety, fear, worship and hope mixed all together, with fear overpowering everything else slowly. What can she possibly say to defend her family? She does not appear much older than me--maybe eighteen or twenty? Let''s see how smart she is.''


    "Please leave, your highness. We do not wish to speak to any member of your family." Sylvester antagonised her.


    But instead of showing tearful eyes, she showed a resolve that she had indeede with the goal of clearing her brother''s name. "Please, call me Isabe, Lord Bard... and I can prove that my elder brother did not try to harm Sir Dolorem."


    "Prove it then. I''m listening."


    Sylvester folded his arms while she stared at his face, finally revealing what he was used to by now from most women he meets--desire. However, it was worth noting that there was no lust here, just attraction towards his face.


    Sylvester often believed that god had yed a joke on him by giving him the worst luck, a fabulous face and strength while ensuring he must remain celibate for his goals. Not that he wished to mingle with women anyway.


    Princess Isabe fiddled with her hands nervously and asked with her head held low. "I-I need a little time to prove it, but I assure you I can. My brother is a just king--maybe a little spoiled and easy to anger, but he''s not foolish. The attack on Sir Dolorem was done by some foreign powers trying to create problems for my family."


    Lady Aurora scoffed. "You''re saying your own family Knights, under the duty of the crown, are not under your control? Princess, I can see you''re not too old, so I can understand, but please don''t think we''re as naive as you."


    Lady Isabe shrank her neck, obviously scared of the powerful exertive woman. Lady Aurora was like a big sister one admires but also fears. "I-I know, Lady Tenth... but believe me, if my brother wanted to harm Sir Dolorem, it would not have urred inside the Green City."


    Sylvester stared at her face while shaking his head. He could see she knew about the noble world''s internal politics butcked experience.


    "Please leave!" Sylvester firmly ordered this time. "Your highness, the investigation is not a personal matter anymore. Sir Dolorem was here to investigate something that has terrorised the entire Northern Gracia--so the webs of lies and schemes go deeper than you can imagine. Let the Church investigate and don''t interfere--lest you fall out of the grace of some senior clergyperson."


    This time she pleaded with wet eyes, knowing that if the matter went into the hands of someone more radical, then her family was over. Her mother had already tarnished everything by waging war on Riveria a few years back, and now this. The Church only tolerates the Gracia Family because removing them is too much of a hassle--but that does not mean they can''t remove them.


    "Please, just give me one chance to prove my family''s innoa€¡°"


    Bam!


    Gabriel appeared behind Sylvester, angry and anxious. "Why in this tarnished world are you waiting here? Sir Dolorem is dying! We need to get him to the Holy Land fast!"


    "You have Sir Dolorem here?" Princess Isabe eximed. "Where? I thought I had healed him already! I was told he had left!"


    ''So she doesn''t know what urred outside the city?'' Sylvester realised.


    "What do you mean healed him?" He interrogated.


    Princess Isabe didn''t reply instantly. Instead, she walked forward, pushed Sylvester aside and proceeded towards the shed on the boat. "He was attacked with a brain-paralysing arrow inside the City, and I healed him to save him. He''s a very kind man and told me stories about you... please, let me help him! I think the poison didn''t leave his body entirely."


    "Poison?" Felix was irked. "You heathens poisoned that man too? No wonder he''s dying now!"


    Sylvesterpleted. "He''s dying because your knights were seen trying to kill him outside the City, your highness. If not for me, he''d have died. Now, bloodied, broken and in pain--he''s battling to breathe. I repeat--your family knights did it!"


    "No, t-that can''t...!" She gasped and ran towards the shed. "Let me see him."


    Sylvester stepped in front of her. "Do not push me now. Please leave and let us go too. Whatever you can do, folks in the Holy Land can do better."


    "Let me help him, at least! They call me a once-in-a-century prodigy in healing magic! I can help him." She requested him, her eyes bawling.


    Sylvester, not moving, looked into her eyes and kept ring until she stopped crying and focused on him too. He was absolutely serious and even murderous to some extent, something he didn''t hide. "If you wish to help, tell your men to move aside and let us proceed."


    "I will!" She was quick to turn around until Sylvester further added.


    "You shall remain on this boat and live in the Holy Land until the verdict. Then, if--the guilt is proven, the first head to roll shall be yours."


    "Archpriest, that''s going too fa€¡°" Lady Aurora tried to stop him.


    But Princess Isabe remained in front of Sylvester, ring back, then finally replying. "Lord Bard, If it means I can heal Sir Dolorem and it calms your mind--I do not mind being confined."


    _____________________


    [Check this parament to see Princess Isabe]

 Chapter 192 192. Here He Comes!

    Sylvester didn''t know how important the Princess was to her brother or if she had received permission from her brother, the King, to seek them and exin things. But he decided to keep her close if things came to a point where he had to force the King.


    As for the Princess, he held no repulsive thoughts since she did not lie the whole time. She did heal Sir Dolorem in the past and seemed sincere about helping him heal now. But on a side note, Sylvester felt she wanted to ensure Sir Dolorem lives to save her kingdom from peril.


    So, he allowed her to see Sir Dolorem while the blockade cleared up. But, as their boat started to move ahead, the guards of the Princess also followed behind. But he didn''t mind, as they wouldn''t be allowed inside the Holy Land anyway.


    "Knights pledged to my family did this?" Princess Isabe sat beside Sir Dolorem''s body in shock. Seeing how badly the man was injured had shaken her belief towards her brother too.


    "They sure did since one of them is lying without a face and two without hearts." Felix blurted.


    Sylvester, however, didn''t care to make small talk with her. "Can you help him or not? If not, then go and sit on that corner."


    She nodded strongly and ced her hand on Sir Dolorem''s injured, covered chest. "I-I can¡­ I think. At least help him stay alive until we reach the Holy Land. I can use magic to turn the blood of anyone to suit another. But it can only be done if I do it with my own active magic."


    Sylvester eyed her in a bit of jealousy and wondered if he could learn it. With this, he can kill his enemies and use their blood to heal himself or his allies.


    "How much do you need? Does it have any specifications?" He questioned.


    "It must belong to a human. That''s the only requirement." She answered.


    Sylvester kept a straight face, but deep down, he was cursing. ''I don''t fit this in any case imaginable. Are elves considered human? Likely not, even if they look so simr. But if I don''t offer my blood, then who will?''


    He looked around and noticed a sense of confusion. Everyone was waiting for Sylvester to jump at the opportunity, but he was still silent.


    ''I need to divert their line of thought.''


    "Gab, can you do it this time? If I gave my blood, I wouldn''t be able to fight in case something happened. Lady Aurora and I are the strongest walls keeping us safe right now." He asked in a solemn, serious voice.


    Lady Aurora thankfully agreed with his argument. "Indeed. Until we reach the Holy Land, we don''t know who we can trust."


    "I shall help too." Bishop Lazark added.


    "No! I will!" Gabriel barked. "Bishop Lazark already looks like he''s just one step away from death. Look at his pale skin. He''s white as cotton. No, we can''t have him falling too. I will give the blood required."


    "It''s just my skin colour due to the absence of exposure to direct sunlight." Bishop Lazark rified, but none trusted him. The man was too thin.


    "Please rest beside Sir Dolorem then, Priest." Princess Isabe meekly spoke.


    So, they all saw as the Princess used magic of some sort and a thin little tube made of sheep skip to first extract blood from Gabriel by making a small incision on his arm. She then used the same tube, made a simr incision in Sir Dolorem''s hand, and used her magic to attach it.


    Sylvester stood close, analysing and memorising every move she made. But slowly, it became hard to focus as the magic started to seem tooplex, not to mention beautiful.


    It was a mix of runes and incantations. She first moved one hand over the container of blood. In an instant, four parallelyers of green runes appeared. They were all circr with intricate patterns inside.


    Then, the blood started to shine in white light. At the same time, she ced her other palm on the hand to which the tube was connected. Here, she used simr runes, but they were fiveyered.


    ''This is brilliant! She''s using fiveyers of runes, where it''s hard for even an Archwizard to do more than three. But is her mastery just rted to healing, or is it all kinds of magic?'' Sylvester was in awe of this woman''s skills.


    But soon, it became apparent that her internal strength was not much. Her forehead started to sweat profusely, and her eyes dted. She also started to pant while chanting some incantations to activate magic and intensify the effects of the runes.


    Slowly, she put all the blood taken from Gabriel into Sir Dolorem. It was unknown what kind of magic it was or if it was just a mutation in her, but it was clear that she was indeed a medical genius who justcked some experience.


    "Sir Dolorem will need better care now, as we can only heal the internal damage in the specialised surgery rooms with expert help." Princess Isabe wiped her head and dragged herself away from Sir Dolorem to sit beside the wall.


    Sylvester went ahead and gave her a ss of water. He reckoned that being kind to her could bring benefits he had not foreseen. "Thank you for your help. His breathing and pulse seem normal now."


    Bishop Lazark seconded that. "Indeed. He''s much more stable, albeit still in danger."


    Princess Isabe silently nodded and looked around at everyone for the first time in calmness. She only nced at Lady Aurora, while Bishop Lazark seemed a bit freaky. Sylvester was handsome enough to make her blush while looking at Felix poking his nose made her shake her head. The only normal one seemed Gabriel, but even he took out a random book about religious philosophy and started reading it beside Sir Dolorem.


    Sylvester smelled a mix of scents that could only mean amusement. "This is normal."


    She hummed sheepishly. "L-Lord Bard¡­ I can understand your anger, but believe me, I didn''t know Sir Dolorem was attacked outside."


    Sylvester didn''t react much. "He was likely on the run. When he wakes up, we shall know everything. For now, you should pray that your elder brother is not behind this. But worry not; if he''s not guilty, I shall drop you at your home safely."


    She nervously rubbed her hands together as Sylvester sat beside her, resting his back on the wall. "I¡­ I''m a little scared... This is the first time I''ve stepped outside Green City. My mother was very strict with me, and my brother is overprotective."


    ''A trapped princess then, which means a highly impressionable mind. Hmm¡­ can I mould her my way?''


    "The world is full of insane, vile monsters¡ªmost often than not, they look just like us. Looking at you, I can understand why they feared for your safety. Your beauty must be coveted or envied by many in the higher nobility." Heplimented her strategically.


    She blushed and looked at his face. "You''re very handsome too, Lord Bard. I''m sure many women must go mad for you."<sub> </sub>


    ''Your mother included, sadly.''


    Of course, he won''t say that out loud. But he acknowledged thepliment. What he was trying to do was create an impression in her brain. Impression of a strong, mature and reliable man with a good face and voice. Something she wouldter remember forever and may even long to see again.


    "Oh, you have no idea how often I''ve been asked for marriage by rich noble women. I remember once a woman in a celebration held at Fort Sunflower asked me to make her a mother."


    "What!" Princess Isabe''s jaw fell. "How could a noblewoman be so¡­ vile?"


    He shrugged. "That''s just a moderate example, your highness. Anyway, unfortunately for all women, I''m already married."


    This time, her shoulders fell too. Not just her, but Lady Aurora, who was snooping on them and Felix, who was enviously staring at him too, showed a reaction.


    "What? What are you saying, Lord bard?" Princess Isabe asked in utter confusion.


    Sylvester chuckled and stood up. He first went to Sir Dolorem''s body, checked the pulse, and then moved to hisrge bag taken from the carriage earlier. Then, before anyone knew it, in his arms was the violin.


    "Of course¡­ Even Lady Aurora is married, as are Bishop Lazark, Felix and Gabriel. We''re all married to Solis."


    He sat back beside Princess Isabe and started to y the violin in a pleasing tune while humming mostly. The lyrics were rare and spontaneous.


    ?He''s your servant; please grace his body.


    With your light and the warmth that you embody.


    Show us, O'' great lord, just once¡ªa miracle.


    Save one great man, for the world''s full of the cynical¡­?


    He mainly sang for the betterment of Sir Dolorem, never breaking the halo that shined behind his head, even when humming as he spoke the words under his breath. All that, in response, made the room on the boat warm, as well as the many hearts.


    Princess Isabe, who saw the legendary Bard in action for the first time, was the most affected as she was the closest to him. Her eyes simply shined at each verse he sang. Nevertheless, her face would remain the same¡ªblissful.


    Sylvester could see it already, as many walls of reservations were being broken. He knew he had a great cheat on his hands as people trusted him a bit too easily after seeing him sing and shine. But, he cared not, for this was a great game; if he didn''t y it¡ªsomeone would y him.


    It took them nearly half a day to reach the Blood Sea in the East, and from there, they took a left and slowly proceeded into the Pope''s Penins, where the specialised sick bay existed, reserved for the high-ranked clergy.


    They didn''t waste a minute and took Sir Dolorem to the small but highly sophisticated sick bay. However, since it was reserved for folks of high importance, like Sylvester, Felix, Lady Aurora or Bishop Lazark, Sir Dolorem was denied entry, for he carried no special rank.


    But Sylvester took the old Bishop sitting at the admission desk to the side. "He is a man of great importance, for he''s close to Lord Inquisitor, and¡­ the prime suspect behind the attempt on his life is King Harold Gracia."


    The second half of the bomb was effective enough to make them hurry around and take Sir Dolorem in. After that, a senior healer team was seen entering the surgery room.


    They were all left to wait outside the room.


    Sylvester didn''t know for sure what they would do inside without modern technology. But he just hoped Sir Dolorem didn''t suffer any serious damage.


    Thump!


    Thump!


    However, half an hourter, sudden sounds of a metallic object hitting the ground and someone walking towards them echoed.


    Everyone was tired and looked to the side, only to find the sick bay staff on their knees.


    Thud!


    In an instant, Felix, Gabriel and Bishop Lazark took to the ground on one knee and kept their arms crossed on their chests to salute.


    Slowly, Sylvester also took to his knee and tiredly addressed the tall man draped in red robes and a pointy helmet with a visor. "May the Holy Light enlighten us, Inquisitor High Lord."


    The giant man looked at Sylvester and then at the gate leading to the surgery room. His heavy voice soon boomed, albeit him speaking low. "So the diseasednds have started to rot¡ªenough that honest good men are being caught. Speak, favoured child¡ªwhat has you so bedevilled?"


    ____________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 193 193. Darkness

    Sylvester stood up and looked at the man''s visor. He could sense the scent of anger and rage from the Lord Inquisitor. But, this was the case most of the time he met him, so he was unaware of what he was angry at.


    "I will hand over the fully detailed report by evening. The gist of the matter is that a foreign conspiracy caused the war in Northern Gracia. Thousands died in the war before I stopped it. At the same time, the case of someone murdering noble women and cutting their breasts seems to be a widely spread urrence.


    "I sent Sir Dolorem to find a knight in Green City, as surviving female victims imed the knight was behind the attack. But, I did not hear from Sir Dolorem until I found him on the outskirts of the Green City, naked, injured, covered in mud and faeces, fighting bare-handed against three Gracia Royal Knights. Now, Sir Dolorem is fighting for his life."


    The Lord Inquisitor nodded and nced at Princess Isabe. "You did well bringing her. If it is found that the bucket of sins for the Gracia family is full, they shall get what''sing--nothing shall save them from sumbing--to their fate."


    Sylvester noticed Princess Isabe shivering in fright already. The name of Inquisitor High Lord was not something people recalled in hopes of seeing him. He was famous for purging heretics even for the slightest disrespect to Solis. It was unknown what made him so religious, though.


    "Lord Inquisitor, I wish to take up the investigation to find this perverted murderer while senior clergymen can take up the investigation into the Gracia family." Sylvester suddenly asked.


    "I do not assign work to Sanctum Inspectors, God''s Favoured. Nor do I meddle in the work of my associates. If you wish to investigate it, you should ask Cardinal Lovecraft."


    Sylvester nodded appreciatively. "Understood, Lord Inquisitor. I was merely stating a wish. But, of course, in the end, these matters are better left to the more experienced seniors."


    ''Do the thing, old man. Weave your words and get me on this.'' Sylvester muttered to himself.


    His decision to continue with this investigation was purely self-serving. He cared not for any Princess of the Gracia Family, but he cared for his own reputation and connections. He understood that this case held high importance for the nobles around the Kingdom. If he investigates and solves it, he will not only meet many of the rich but also paint a positive image in their minds.


    In the long run, this will help him when the battle for the holy throne goes into its final stages. After all, it was a known fact that most of the nobles had their stooges inside the church--some in low and some in high ces.


    But, whenever he nced at Princess Isabe, her meek manner and impressionable mind, all he could think of was a tool that had fallen into his arms by the grace of whatever god was out there. She was the second child of the previous queen. Even if it was amonw that women could only be queens if all male heirs were unavable, it still made Princess Isabe second in line since the current king had no children and just a younger brother.


    ''If I y my cards right with her, I can attain influence over the Gracia Kingdom''s royal court. But... that is if they are found innocent.'' Sylvester thought, already weaving his little strings of plots and schemes. All for the final grand n.


    Knock!


    The door of the surgery room opened, and a few healers walked out, talking among themselves. They all wore the same robes they did when they went in, nor were their long beards covered. Clearly, hygiene was not considered necessary yet.


    But, once they walked out and noticed the tall and mighty form of Lord Inquisitor, they also fell to their knees.


    "Speak! What is the status of Sir Dolorem?" Lord Inquisitor asked.


    The old healer at the front spoke. "L-Lord Inquisitor... I am honoured to havea€¡°"


    "Answer the question, healer--your faith in me is being questioned by none here."


    The healer shook himself to his senses and replied professionally. "Sir Dolorem is in good health now. The looming danger over his life has vanished, but the long-term consequences of the injury will only be revealed in time. I am most concerned with the hit on his skull, as it could have done something we could not see. As for his body, most of the wounds and bones have been fixed. He shall wake up in a few hours, likely.


    "But one thing concerns me. Was he poisoned in the recent past?"


    All eyes other than those who didn''t know turned to Princess Isabe. She was the one who revealed this part, after all.


    "Yes," Sylvester replied. "A brain paralysing agent was delivered to him through an arrow wound."


    "Ugh... that makes things worse." The healer grunted. "With the injury to the headbined, we may never know what caused something if we ever witness an anomaly."


    Sylvester prayed that was not the case. He reckoned that brain issues must be the hardest to heal here.


    "That will be it." Lord Inquisitor let the healers leave and strode into the surgery room. Sylvester followed behind, but he stopped others from following as that would make things too cramped. Not to mention, he was already taking the risk of spreading germs by going in. He couldn''t let others increase the chance of infection.


    For the first time, Sylvester saw a surgery room in this world. The room was lit with light crystals on the ceiling. Meanwhile, the room was fully painted in a grey colour, and on the walls were various metal shelves with all kinds of bottles and ingredients resting.


    In the middle of the room was a single high bed on which Sir Dolorem''s body rested--just covered with a thin white sheet. Sir Dolorem''s body was resting face up, and the head was held in ce with two cushioned metal frames on the side.


    The reason was that above Sir Dolorem''s head was a metal container dripping drops of some medicine right into the mouth of Sir Dolorem. Then, slowly--drop by drop--it emptied itself.<sub> </sub>


    ''So theyck equipment such as syringes. Hence they can''t inject blood and fluids into the veins. Even Princess Isabe used crude means and her magic to transfer blood. Maybe I can help in that regard?''


    But that was forter as he silently stood beside Sir Dolorem. Seeing him like this didn''t feel right, and a little bit of self-me was due. It was Sylvester who sent the man to Green City, after all. He tried to stay positive all this while but seeing the odds of a perfect recovery dwindling was unsettling.


    ''It''d be a shame to lose my number one follower, Sir Dolorem. Don''t you die on me before I sit on that throne!''


    He held the man''s hand in silence. "I sent him to Green City to investigate that Sir Kenworth... If I had known, I would have gone with him."


    Lord Inquisitor stayed standing there like a statue. It was hard to tell most of the time if the man was even alive, if not for the rageful scents he released all the time.


    "Things are not all well in Gracia, Lord Inquisitor. The cancer is spreading within, and it''s corrupting everything. The Masan Empire was behind most of what transpired in the North. But who knows what else is urring down south."


    Lord Inquisitor''s eyes shone red behind the visor. "Do not belittle yourself, God''s Favoured. What happened to Sir Dolorem was an upational hazard. Even I nearly lost myself in the warmth of Solis months prior. Nothing is absolute in this world--everywhere you see, there are schemes and mysteries furled. So it is our job to find the heathens and purge--for only then shall the faith emerge--above all."


    Sylvester sighed and dragged a chair to sit beside the bed of Sir Dolorem and indulged the tall overzealous man.


    "I know, my lord. But, every man has a world of their own here." He tapped on his temple. "When this is destroyed, a man is truly devoid: of life, joy, smiles, warmth and love. The faith is the sun shining bright in these little worlds, Lord Inquisitor--It''s our duty to save them from bing their own world''s prisoner."


    Inquisitor High Lord understood that Sylvester was refuting his ideals of absolute justice in the most diplomatic way possible. "Wisely spoken--and that is why you are called the Lord''s Bard."


    "Ugh..."


    "He''s waking up!" Sylvester jumped to his feet and sprinted out of the room to call the healers.


    In no time, the same team of healers rushed back in to look after Sir Dolorem. They noted down how much medicine had been poured into his mouth, as well as other things.


    "Aaaargh!"


    But soon, Sir Dolorem started to kick his feet around and scream in rage. It was pain, but not of the body, it seemed.


    "He''s clutching his head! Quickly, make the potion!" The healers rushed to make some sort of potion right there with a few ingredients on the wall shelves.


    They then proceeded to feed it to Sir Dolorem forcibly. Then, slowly, peace and calm took over.


    Sylvester stayed beside Sir Dolorem and spoke, hoping it would calm him. "It''s me, Sylvester. I''m fine, Sir Dolorem. We''re in the Holy Land right now."


    "Archpriest Sylvester?"


    Sir Dolorem''s eyes shot open as he tried to sit up. To do this, Sylvester helped. "Yes, it''s me. Lord Inquisitor is here too."


    "S-Sylvester!"


    Suddenly, a loud, panic-filled call echoed from Sir Dolorem as he clenched Sylvester''s shoulder.


    "S-Sylvester?! Why is everything dark? Where are we?!"


    ____________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 194 194. All Is Not Well!

    "I can''t see!"


    The words echoed in the room, and silence ensued. Everyone felt their hearts sink as the realisation dawned that perhaps all was not well.


    Sylvester held the man tighter and kept calm. "Sir Dolorem, can you tell me exactly what you''re feeling right now?"


    "Pain--behind my eyes. I feel as if something is missing... It''s a looming pain and difort." Slowly Sir Dolorem''s breath started to hasten. It would''ve been more shocking if he didn''t react as such.


    Vision is one of the most essential abilities a human possesses. To lose it is to lose half of you.


    "It''s all darkness... I can blink, but I can''t... see... ha..."


    ''Nerve damage? That does sound like it... I hope it''s not that... even in the modern world, there was no cure for it.'' Sylvester''s heart sank further.


    Sylvester just hugged the man, for he knew no words could be enough to ease that pain. He knew not if Sir Dolorem could get his vision back nor if he could be healed. He hoped he was proven wrong.


    "I''m here... I''m with you, Sir Dolorem." He patted thetter''s back.


    He smelled the fear, the anxiety, the anger welling up in Sir Dolorem. But there was nothing he could do. He didn''t know if there was magic in the world that could bring back eyes or heal nerves.


    At the same time, he smelled pure rage overflowing in Lord Inquisitor. It was clear by now that this case was not just about the noble women''s murder anymore. This was not just about the insolence of the Gracia Kingdom anymore.


    Now, it was bloody personal.


    Lord Inquisitor stepped close and rested his giant hand on Sir Dolorem''s shoulder. "Hurt a man, and find nowhere to run. Hurt a Bright Mother, and have your blood sttered. Hunt a man of Inquisition, and learn my wrath''s definition--I shall investigate this godless crime myself, Sir Dolorem."


    Sylvester agreed with the Lord Inquisitor in the same tone. "An eye for an eye. And I believe not that it makes the world blind--rather it shall remind--there are crimes one must nevermit, for time can never rewind."


    The Lord Inquisitor nodded in agreement. "No matter a king, peasant or ve. The scourge shall face the purge."


    The Healers felt their legs go numb as they heard the two speak. So they interrupted quickly. "There is no guarantee that this is permanent, Lord Bard and Lord Inquisitor. He might heal as his body recovers."


    Then another old healer spoke. "And if it is permanent, I''m sure the second Guardian of Light will be willing to help--he''s this strong and wise even after being blind... there must be a special way to see through other means."


    Inquisitor High Lord appeared to go into deep thought as he didn''t move for a while.


    "The Second Guardian, Lord Bloodrain, is an honourable faithful indeed. I shall ask him if all roads appear closed. Until then, let''s not lose faith, for whatever Solis wills--fate fulfils."


    Sylvester focused on Sir Dolorem. He wondered if this was the right time to ask him what had happened. There was no telling if the blindness would ever go away, so was there any point in waiting?


    ''I don''t know how he will live his life now. But can the Pope not heal him? I thought a supreme wizard should be able to perform such simple feats'' There were so many questions in Sylvester''s mind.


    "Sir Dolorem, was it King Gracia who was after you?" He finally asked.


    Quickly, Lord Inquisitor waved at the healers to shoo them out of the room.


    Sir Dolorem appeared confused. "I don''t know. When I reached the Green City and was heading to the Monastery, an arrow hit me out of nowhere. My guards were down since Green City, its inner parts no less, were considered safe. An old Inquisitor friend, Bishop Charles White, helped me, and Princess Isabe healed me. But,ter, when I woke up, I was attacked by the Gracia Royal Knights, led by theirmander, Sir Winston Lennox.


    "I was able to survive their attack and jumped out of the sick bay. I slowly made my escape inside a faeces collector cart. But at the gates, I was stabbed by the spears of guards checking the pile.


    "After that, I tried to distance myself, but the Royal Knights were already looking for me outside the gates. That was when I fought the first two opponents. One of them was able to hit my head, but eventually, I won. I then covered myself in dirt and crawled away... until I was found, and thankfully, Archpriest Sylvester found me too."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin, wondering why the royal knights would do such a thing. "Are there any fine details you think can help us narrow the suspicions?"


    Sir Dolorem had just woken up from a long deadly slumber, so it was understandable that it took him time.


    "There is one thing. The Royal Knights didn''t attack me until I uttered the name of Sir Kenworth."


    With that, everything was cleared in an instant. Sylvester made up his mind about where to start the investigation. "It seems a coverup is in motion. Sir Kenworth is likely dead too, and they wish to kill anyone who tries to dig too deep. It seems we need to first round up the Gracia Royal Knights."


    The Lord Inquisitor agreed. "If they are not dead already, they shall be arrested. For the time being, I shall also order four Archwizards from Inquisitors to stand guard here. At the same time, I shall speak with the Holy Father about this matter. God''s Favoured, you must also stay prepared--you shall join me in this investigation."


    "I stand ready, Lord Inquisitor," Sylvester responded.


    The big man didn''t speak any further and silently left after patting Sir Dolorem''s shoulder. With that, the rest also entered.


    Sylvester quickly gestured to them with his hands, suggesting that Sir Dolorem could not see anymore. Initially, they were all confused, but soon their hearts fell.


    Felix sprinted and hugged Sir Dolorem. "You''re awake, old man! Thank Solis!"


    Gabriel joined in too. "We thought we lost you, Sir Dolorem."


    They actively tried not to talk about the blindness and acted happy to see the man just alive. But they all knew what was going on in their hearts and minds.


    Sir Dolorem was not ustomed to moving ording to the sound, so when he tried to hold Felix and Gabriel''s hands, he could not find them.


    Felix spoke to change the mood. "Don''t worry, Sir Dolorem. We will get them this time. First, you must rest and healpletely."


    "I''m afraid I will now be useless in helping Archpriest Sylvester." Sir Dolorem spoke in self-loath. "Please help him... he sometimes takes risks he should not. Now the duty to keep him safe falls on you two."


    Sylvester silently shook his head, feeling terrible. So without making any noise, he walked out of the room to find Princess Isabe sitting alone, scared and confused.<sub> </sub>


    "Follow me." He ordered her without looking at her.


    Soon, he arrived at the terrace of the Sick Bay and closed up to her. He looked at her face in slightly visible anger. "Thanks to your family''s Knights, Sir Dolorem is now blind."


    Thud!


    She fell back as her legs went weak from that revtion. "I-I''m sorry...."


    "Stand up!" Sylvester ordered her, showing no pity or giving her his hand, for he knew there was a fifty per cent chance that she would be killed following the investigation. "You showed me your magic. You were able to transnt the blood of one man to another--likely ipatible. Can''t you do the same for his eyes?"


    Princess Isabe shook her head. "I-I don''t know... I never tried it."


    He caught her by her shoulders and shook her. "What if I get you the chance to try it?"


    She appeared frightened but replied still. "I have no idea, Lord Bard. I must try it first on someone... and there is no way of finding so many people to test on."


    "Speak not what''s unnecessary, Princess. Just tell me, if I get you as many men as you require to try your magic on, can you do it?" He clenched her shoulders tighter.


    She cried this time, her eyes going watery. "You''re hurting me, Lord Bard."


    "Answer me!"


    She nodded strongly. "Maybe. I won''t know unless I try. But where will you find so many people for this?"


    Sylvester let her go and took a long, calming breath. "Leave that to me."


    He looked at the sky and thought about a few things before deciding to head home for the night and rest. Sir Dolorem will be taken care of by the Inquisitors now. Not to mention, he had an extremely important task too.


    Before leaving, he apologised to Princess Isabe, though. "Forgive me for doing this, your highness... I am not in a good mood today. Sir Dolorem is a person... close to me."


    "I will try my best, Lord Bard... Everything will be fine." She chirped after gathering some courage.


    Sylvester shook his head at her naivety. "Really? Then go and say that to the man your family tried to kill."


    ...


    Sylvester bid his farewell and told Sir Dolorem that he would visit again in a few hours. This time, unlike before, even in the Holy Land and at home, he didn''t feel rxed.


    When he arrived, Xavia was already at home, cooking dinner. His appearance was a surprise to her, but also a point of anxiety. "Max, what happened? You don''t look well... Why are you out of breath?."


    She had known him since young and could somewhat understand when he was in a bad mood. She quickly got him some water and asked. "Is everything okay?"


    Sylvester didn''t have the energy to tell her everything. "Sir Dolorem was injured during the mission. He''s now resting in the sick bay here--he''s blind now, mum. He''sing to terms with it, but it will take time."


    "What! How? Can he be healed?" Xavia stood up, aghast.


    "Likely not."


    "Max, does he have any family near him?" She inquired.


    "He has no one, mum. They died long ago due to a riot."


    Xavia folded her sleeves quickly. "T-Then... he must be feeling so awful right now. I should take food for him. Maybe that will help him a little?"


    Sylvester nodded appreciatively. "You can try taking the food; he will appreciate it, I''m sure. But beware of the guards keeping him safe. Don''t fight them."


    She thumped her chest and ran to the cooking area. "Dear, I''m a Superintendent Healer, don''t worry. I must go and help Sir Dolorem quickly. He helped me so much when you were a baby. We can''t leave him alone now--he''s family."


    Sylvester watched as she hurried around and gathered her items. She cooked some porridge, cut some fruits and packed them before leaving in her full Bright Mother attire.


    "I will visit the sick bay after taking a small nap, mum." He informed her as she left.


    Thud!


    Once he locked the door, he breathed out loud as if in extreme pain and fell to the floor, holding his right leg tight. His eyes watered up as he reached the limit of tolerance. "Fuck! It''s too unbearable today... Chonky,e here and help me."


    Sylvester quickly dragged himself into his room and sat down on a chair. Then he strapped his legs to the chair''s legs with a leather belt.


    "Alright! Give me the tools whenever I point. No matter how much I scream or bleed--Do not cower!"


    "It''s scary, Maxy!"


    "Fate is unforgiving, Miraj--This is the price I pay for living... Ugh!" He put a big piece of cotton in his mouth and sealed it to stop himself from screaming loudly.


    "Aaargh...!"


    ______________________


    [A/N: Can you guess?]

 Chapter 195 195. A Test Of God

    Sometimes, silence is a man''s worst enemy, for it doesn''t just remind him of emptiness around but also gives you time to find emptiness within.


    Sir Doloremy in his bed alone, unsure of his surroundings. Was it bright? Was it dark? What was the colour of the nket he was covered with? What was the colour of his clothes?


    He tried his best to keep himself collected, but whenever he tried to cheer himself up, he was reminded of the vows he took to Sylvester. The vow to forever follow him and support him--to give his life if he must--to be a bone of his holy throne if he must.


    Now, it all seemed empty.


    "I must not let theck of sight hinder my duties. This is a test the lord has embarked me upon, and I shall defeat it no matter the cost."


    He forced himself to sit up despite the pain and tried to touch things around his bed. Sometimes, he''d hear something falling, and sometimes, he''d find nothing, but soon he caught what felt like an apple.


    ''If Lord Bard could sing the praises of the Lord and move at the age of a month, then I have no reason to ept this fate.''


    Pa!


    He tried to juggle a single apple from one hand into another to build hand coordination and sense the minute details, such as the change of air with the throw of the apple.


    ''Baby steps lead to long-term effects... I must not ept this fate... I must never give up.''


    ...


    The next morning, Sylvester woke up tired, still in the seat he tied himself to thest night. He looked left and right and found the walls, the floor and the bed bloodied. ''Ugh... I need to clean this before mum enters to clean.''


    He looked at hisp where Miraj was sleeping, having curled himself into a ball of fur. He caressed the good boy and woke him up. "Thank you, Chonky. I feel much better in my leg now."


    "Maxy!" Miraj woke up and quickly hugged his neck. "You fell asleep and didn''t wake up no matter what I did. I thought you left me..."


    Sylvester patted his back. "Don''t ever think of that, Chonky. I am not dying before living this life until I''m an old man with a long white beard. This recent happening is just one of the few hurdles, one of the many that shalle with time. I guess the religious folks would say this is a test from god. Let''s just hope we find a permanent solution to my problem soon."


    Chonky licked Sylvester''s face, cleaning him like a cat would their child. "Why not ask big mum? She can heal people."


    Sylvester smiled wryly. "As much as I cherish her, I know her limitations. She''s a healer of wounds and ailments, and my problems are more magical in nature. Only the senior clergy healers can do something--and they are the ones I can never go to, for I am what they call tainted blood. If they decide to test my blood, I''m sure before the next sunrise; my body will be found dead in some pit of mud."


    "B-But..."


    Sylvester freed himself from the leather straps and stood up. "If I was just another tainted blood, perhaps it would not have been a problem. But here I am, a prince who never was."


    He quickly started to clean his room using water and air elemental magic. Within an hour, he had everything back in its original state. Then, he removed the cotton bandages on his right thigh and reced them with fresh ones.


    Knock Knock!


    "Max! Breakfast is ready."


    "Coming!"


    Sylvester looked left and right to ensure nothing suspicious was left in the room. Thankfully, he used Miraj to keep most of the personal items hidden. As a result, his room only consisted of his bed and table, nothing else.


    "I should take a bath first." He decided and took off his upper robes. As for the pants, he didn''t remove them, or Xavia would notice the bandages. Not to mention, that was a bit shameful.


    Bam!


    "Where do you think you''re sliding off to, boy?" He also caught Miraj in his arms.


    "Nyooo... leave me! I lick myself clean every day!"


    But Sylvester didn''t listen to him one bit. "Shh... no noise now."


    "Mum, I''m taking a bath first." He informed and proceeded towards the indoor bath that only the rich and important like him could afford.


    Xavia quickly came out of the cooking area and handed him a metal bottle. "Take this. My senior gave me this. He said it keeps the hair silky."


    ''It does?'' Sylvester took it, no questions asked. After all, looking graceful was a part of his whole persona as a bard.


    He then walked to the living room, beyond which was the bathroom. "What''s in the breakfa€¡°"


    "..."


    There was a sudden silence as soon as Sylvester reached the living room. There, he noticed a certain woman sitting alone, blonde hair, grey eyes and a pretty face--now blushing profusely and trying to look away from his bare, muscled upper body.


    "What are you doing here?" Sylvester questioned her, not even bothering to hide as he didn''t care.


    "L-Lord Bard... I... I..."


    ''Ugh... women.'' He sighed internally as he instantly smelled the lust and anxietybined.


    Just then, Xavia appeared. "Oh, you''ve met? The Inquisitor High Lord told me to bring her with me when I visited Sir Dolorem. She was just sitting outside, alone, crying. She''s the Princess of Gracia Kingdom, can you believe it?"


    Sylvester didn''t share the enthusiasm and only looked at her with a suspicious gaze. ''Why did that big man do such a thing? Does he want me to interrogate her... Or... Perhaps this is more of a boon than a bane. The closer she''s to me, the faster I can ''educate'' her.''


    Sylvester, taking the benefit of her attraction towards him, sat on the cushioned wooden sofa beside hers. "I have no problem with her living with us, mum. I''m sure you always wanted a daughter. Go ahead, teach her how to cook and other things."<sub> </sub>


    "Oh, I showed her the bra! All bright mothers talk about you constantly whenever I meet them. You really made things better for their personal lives."


    ''I could have lived without knowing that, but I''m happy.'' Sylvester thought and nced at Princess Isabe. "Your highness, how about I show you the Holy Land? This is your first time outside Green City, right?"


    "Brilliant!" Xavia eximed. "Go with Max, dear."


    "I will, mother Xavia." she meekly nodded.


    Sylvester got up. "Let''s do that then. But first, I need to visit Sir Dolorem and Saint Wazir. After that, I will be free."


    "Understood." She gave a monotonous, nervous reply and saw him leaving.


    "Isn''t my son so handsome? What do you think?"


    Princess Isabe just nced at Xavia in confusion and embarrassment. She was shocked that Xavia was not being nervous around her or addressing her as most people do--flustered.


    Sadly for her, it was Xavia''s daily life to meet and heal nobilities of all ranks, even the Kings a few times during the Season of Solis. So, as per the protocol, as Bright Mother, she was allowed to ignore all nobility ranks--as there is no one worth more than a mother.


    ...


    An hourter, Sylvester finished writing his detailed report about all the incidents and headed out. He didn''t take Princess Isabe along as she would not be allowed inside the Administration office.


    First, he arrived at the sick bay to meet Sir Dolorem.


    "Maxy! I will give baldy a shoulder massage." Miraj proimed while showing his mighty paws while sitting on his shoulder.


    "That will spook him more than calm him down, Chonky. So don''t do that, and stay silent."


    Miraj sadly lowered his head. "Okay."


    The sick bay was half an hour away by horse. He soon reached it on Frost, his horse that had seen life and death. Frost was one loyal horse, and he''d been around Sylvester no matter what, be it the disaster of Sphinx Town or this time.


    "Greetings, respected Inquisitors." As he entered, Sylvester saw the four Archwizards from Inquisitors standing guard in front of Sir Dolorem''s room.


    Bam!


    Bam!


    "What are you doing?" Inside, he first noticed Sir Dolorem lying in bed, throwing an apple above him with each hand and then catching them effectively as they fell.


    "Archpriest?"


    "We''re alone. You can call me Max."


    Sylvester went ahead and took a seat at the side of Sir Dolorem. "How are you feeling? I can not imagine the blindness, but I know you must feel depressed."


    "Indeed." Sir Dolorem replied while catching and throwing the apples. "But life is never a straight line, Sylvester. It''s always a mix of ups and downs--sometimes a straight freefall. But, it''s on us to not fall--into the abyss of evesting self-loathing depression."


    ''Holy goodness! What''s this shocking change of mindset? He appears even more positive and motivated than before.''


    Sylvester was left in confusion as he also smelled the confidence. A gentle breeze with the smell of sunflowers in his mouth--It was hope.


    "I know you can ovee this, Sir Dolorem. At the same time, I will try to find a cure for your eyes. The world is too big to not have some magical genius who can heal you. As for right now, perhaps you can try to somehow learn echolocation, like the bats."


    Pat!


    Sir Dolorem stopped juggling and faced Sylvester, albeit not seeing anything. "What is echolocation?"


    "It''s the ability of some animals to emit a sound wave that bounces off an object, returning an echo that provides information about the object''s distance and size. Bats and some animals use this to travel around." Sylvester rified in easy words. He reckoned this was not amonly known thing.


    "T-This... could it be!" Sir Dolorem sat up with a jolt. "Could this be the secret behind the Second Guardians? Could this be how he can fight so well despite being blind?"


    Knock Knock!


    Suddenly, the door opened, and one of the four Inquisitor guards came in. "Lord Bard, you have been summoned to the Pope''s Pce."


    "Go." Sir Dolorem blurted. "I will try to feel this echolocation in the meantime."


    "I will be back in a few hours. Take care, Sir Dolorem." Sylvester left quickly.


    ''Pope wants to see me? Did the Lord Inquisitor get the words across? Perhaps I should ask him to heal Sir Dolorem?''


    ___________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 196 196. Chamber Of Schemes

    Sylvester was initially going to make his way to the administration office to hand over his report about the recent mission. But, since he was now going to the Pope, he decided to hand it over to the man instead.


    Soon, he arrived at the top office in the world, at least on the West side of it. He proceeded to the Pope''s office, as he reckoned he was called there.


    But, instead, he was stopped, and the assistants told him that he had been called to the Sanctum Council room instead. Now that was different for him. He had only heard about this ce where the top decision-makers of the Church gather and decide what direction to lead the Church. In that room, they could determine the fate of a kingdom with just words.


    "How are you, Lord Bard?"


    Sylvester saw Lady Aurora there too, sitting in the waiting area outside the Sanctum Council room. Felix and Bishop Lazark were there as well. From that, he could guess the Pope had called them for matters rted to their recent assignment.


    "I see you''re all here. What about Zeke?" He looked at Felix.


    Felix showed a thumbs up. "He''s good. He''s a really nice guy and helped me clean my home. It''s not too big, just two rooms, one for him and one for me, with amon hall. But he needs time to get used to the new name. I had to call him Dungface once since calling Zeke was not working."


    Sylvester sighed as he took a seat beside Bishop Lazark. "It will take time."


    "Maxy¡­" All of a sudden, Miraj whispered near Sylvester''s ears. "I go in and spy for you. I will help you today!"


    "No!"


    Sylvester stood up quickly, but Miraj ran away by then, following another clergyman who went into the Sanctum Council chamber for some reason.


    "What happened, Max?" Felix asked.


    Sylvester cleared the frown from his face, but his heart was beating fast. ''That fool! That fucking fool!''


    "Nothing. Anyway, did you hear any news, Lady Aurora? Did the Lord Inquisitor send someone to arrest the Gracia Royal Knights?" Sylvester quickly changed the topic while stealing nces towards the entrance of the Sanctum Council chambers.


    "I don''t know. They will likely decide what to do next today. But I''m sure the order to arrest has been sent already. After all, they are as much at risk of dying as their victims. Whoever the top schemer is, he won''t like leaving those men walking." She replied.


    "How''s Sir Dolorem?" Bishop Lazark interjected.


    "Surprisingly amazing. He does not appear to be in a miserable state. He''s trying his best to ovee this hurdle instead. I''m in awe of his will to never give up." Sylvester remembered the enthusiastic Sir Dolorem he just saw.


    "Indeed." Lady Aurora bobbed her head. "That''s why despite being low ranked and not as strong, he''s valued by the Lord Inquisitor. He''s been close to the topmanders of the Inquisition longer than I''ve been a Guardian."


    ? "Max!" Just then, Felix stood up from his ce and forced himself beside Sylvester before wrapping one arm around the shoulder. "My brother, where is Princess Isabe? Be honest¡­ tell me what happened? I heard you took her to the terrace, and after that, I didn''t see her."


    Sylvester looked at his friend''s face with disgust. "Ugh¡­ bring your mind out of the gutter, Felix. I am not a horndog like you, for I live and breathe only for the lord, for I am his Bard. As for Princess, she''s safe and sound. My mum is taking care of her as per Lord Inquisitor''s orders."


    Felix still grinned creepily and elbowed Sylvester. "Come on, you can''t deny she''s extremely alluring. She''s the prettiest woman I''ve ever seen, and she''s around our age. Be clear, Max, if you don''t go after her, then I might."


    Sylvester closed his eyes and sang a few lines to shame his horny young friend.


    ?Lord of the Light, use all your might.


    On this horndog, let your wrath strike.


    Or give your Bard the authority to make him straight.


    For I believe the only way out is to castrate!?


    "Amen!"


    "Amen!"


    Bishop Lazark and Lady Aurora muttered simultaneously, making Sylvester chuckle a bit.


    "Felix, you are a mere second son of a Count. Yes, you will be a strong manter and high-ranking clergy, but that''s still not enough for King Gracia to allow his family''s flower to be taken by a little man like you."


    Felix scoffed and folded his arms. "I am handsome, tall and mighty. My family is one of the richest in Gracia, so why not?"


    Sylvester sighed, seeing ack of understanding in Felix about politics. "My friend, in the end, it does not matter how handsome you are, nor how beautiful the Princess is¡ªthe fact is she''s the second daughter and at the mercy of her brother. In the end, she will be wedded to some fat middle-aged man for political reasons because he fulfils the King''s most desirable needs of that time¡ªsomething that he requires, it could be money, arms or power."


    "Spoken like a real politician." Lady Aurora approved. "Priest Felix, this is how the world works; this is how it has worked for centuries."


    Thud!


    Felix tiredly sat back. "Man, it''d be a shame if she was really wedded off to some fat fuck¡­ forgive me, lord, for mynguage. But honestly, she may be pretty, but she seemed dumb too."


    "Sheltered is the right word," Sylvester corrected. "This is the first time she has left Green City. She knows nothing about the madness beyond the walls of her castle¡ªit''s surprising she even had the guts to reach out."


    "I wish her good luck then, though I will try my best too, hehe." Felix was never going to give up. After all, it was his goal from the start to leave the clergy once he found a woman worthy of himself.


    "Dreams don''t require tax, my friend. So dream on." Sylvester patted his shoulder and silently sat back, staring at the door, worrying about his little friend.


    ¡­


    Inside the Sanctum Council Chamber.<sub> </sub>


    As a little invisible furball took a seat near the exit, the session was in motion, and a sense of unease was in order. Everyone had serious faces as they read the various documents and discussed the happenings around the world.


    "So it was the Masan Empire behind the trouble in the north. How did you miss this, Saint Seer? You''re my spymaster, I didn''t expect this ipetence from you."


    As always, Cardinal Roman Vas Zenim kept a straight face while replying to the Pope. "Your eminence, I am shocked by my own ipetence too. I have ears and eyes everywhere, and yet I could not find him. Apparently, this Sir Walder, the chief nner of the scheme, had installed himself in his role so well that it was all organic. Even my distant eyes and ears were blinded."


    The Pope didn''t show much anger as this was a normal urrence. Politics was a never-ending game of gambling, after all. "Masan is bing restless. We have Archpriest Sylvester to thank for finding out about the schemes so quickly. We must send better and more senior investigators to other Duchies and investigate if they have beenpromised as well."


    Saint Wazir agreed and put forth another matter. "Besides this, the Gracia Family has been having some trouble. They seem to be involved in the ongoing murders of noble women across the Kingdom. To the point that they tried to kill Sir Dolorem, an Inquisitor close to Lord Inquisitor and the Bard."


    The Inquisitor High Lord spoke at that instant. "Hence, I wish to eradicate this menace myself. We must remove the rot before it renders all our work for nought."


    "Granted, see that this mess does not spill out." The Pope approved.


    "What if the rot starts from the top?" Lord Inquisitor asked further.


    At that stage, everyone fell silent and stared at the Pope''s face.


    "When the tree rots, we remove it from the roots, lest it leaves thend tarnished. If it arises to that, inform me before taking any major steps."


    "Understood." Lord Inquisitor silenced after that.


    The Pope then stood up and walked over to the wall at the back. He simply tapped on it, and a metal safe appeared. "Let''s proceed to the more important part now. As per the first Pop¨C"


    "One more thing, your eminence." Saint Seer straightened his back as he interrupted the Pope. "There is one more thing you should know¡ªregarding Lord Bard."


    As the Lord Inquisitor became alert, the Pope returned to his seat with interest. "Speak, Saint."


    With a smile on his hairless face, Saint Seer seemed ted. "Our long hard work hase to fruition. Article 66, which we made Lord Bard enforce on the family of Count Ranthburg, has shown its effects. It has nowe to my knowledge that the Shadow Knight hunts Lord Bard with its full might. Although Lord Bard was able to survive on his own with his mighty blessings, he can never again sleep or live a normal life outside the Holy Land."


    "Good work, Saint Seer." the Pope appeared content. "It is essential for the future of faith that talented individuals remain dependent on the Church and one day support the faith on their back. The closer the Bard is to us, the better we can educate him. I have high hopes that he may be the Pope.


    "But, at the same time, we can''t put all our bets on one¡ªfor being the Pope is easier said than done. Still, he may be a better recement for Saint Scepter¡­ or one of you instead. For this, having him constantly rely on us is a good decision¡ªat the same time, it shall train him¡ªfor when the time seems too grim."


    "Your eminence." Lord Inquisitor interrupted while his eyes under the visor shined red. "Isn''t this against the spirit of the faith? Why must we resort to such crude means? Why not train him with nned regimes?"


    Scoffing, Saint Seer spoke in a ridiculing tone. "Lord Inquisitor, I understand your upation does not allow you to think sideways, for we know the bull only sees what''s at the front. So leave this to us."


    "Saint Seer, have you ever gotten stabbed in your chest while attempting to save a child from a ver?" The Inquisitor High Lord asked calmly.


    "No, why wou¨C"


    The Inquisitor High Lord interrupted. "Sir Lorenzo Hike, a little ordinary Inquisitor¡ªhe died this morning while doing just this. So speak not of bravery and wits to me, spymaster. For if you fought in a true battle, even a new squire wouldst longer."


    Bam!


    "Apologise!" The Pope boomed, ring at Saint Seer. "Ask the Inquisitor High Lord for forgiveness, Saint Seer. You do not sit in this high seat to dishonour another Saint. What he asked me was a genuine question and did not require your valuable feedback¡ªnot after you cost me eight thousand men in the recent battle up north. Apologise!"


    Saint Seer bowed his head towards the Inquisitor High Lord instantly. "Forgive my disgraceful conduct, my lord."


    "Remember, this chamber is not for you to squabb¡ª"


    Bam!


    The Pope suddenly stood up, eyes turning red as if anger erupted. He looked left and right, at the ceiling.


    "Your emine¨C"


    "Silence!" The Pope roared. "Freeze your breaths! We have a rat¡ªa little one, listening to us! I can feel an extra body breathing here."


    The Pope walked towards the door, and his left hand rose, creating a dozenyered rune circles. "Come out and live! Stay hidden and perish!"


    But, only silence resumed.


    "Fine, you leave me no choice!"


    Boom!


    ___________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 197 197. Hidden Meanings

    Boom!


    Before the Pope could release his magic, the door of the Sanctum Council opened, and Pope''s assistant entered, a big smile on his face. "Massive news! Your Eminence!"


    The Pope''s face looked to the side, and in an instant, his anger peaked.


    But, the assistant, Gunther, kept speaking. "I bring word from Beastaria! Grand Cardinal Bison''s words--Alfia and Greenpeaks are now at an all-out war! The Elves and Dragons are out for one another''s blood!"


    The news instantly changed the Pope''s expression. "What? Did we cause it?"


    "No, your eminence. It naturally urred. The letter reveals that verbal disputes inside the administration of the Deca Imperia Federation spread outside into their respective kingdoms. The Elves and Dragons wish to gain more authority in the neutral Federation."


    "That''s great news!" Saint Wazir stood up, delighted. "If this is the case, their industrial output shall reduce greatly. The Federation area was the only ce that developed their war supplies since all speciese together and live as one there."


    Saint Seer saw an opportunity, however. "With the Elves and Dragons gone, the Federation shall lose its two strongest pirs. Perhaps it is time topletely destabilise the ants while the giants are busy fighting one another."


    Saint Sceptre, however, walked over to the Pope and looked towards the exit after sending the assistant away. "Your eminence, do you wish to put the pce in lockdown if you suspect a spy?"


    "No." The Pope muttered. "It''s gone. Whatever we speak inside is encrypted with distortion runes. No living thing other than a few of us can understand each other. Since it was breathing, it heard nothing--but it entered here. That''s a concern in itself."


    "I shall look into the protection and secrecy mechanisms." Saint Sceptre assured.


    With that, the Pope returned to his seat. "Yes, as Saint Seer said. This can be an excellent opportunity for us to weaken the enemies further. We shall not be the first to strike them directly, but we must ensure they don''t strike us anytime soon. The weaker they are, the more they will hesitate.


    "In fact, I have a better n. First, we sow the seeds of hatred so much that they refuse to unite against us. This way, when we start, we can defeat their kingdoms one by one instead of fighting the whole of Beastaria together."


    "Agreed, your eminence. The Inquisitors are ready to start whenever you wish for us to." Inquisitor High Lord uttered.


    "Thank you, but we have more pressing matters too. First, we must ensure our home is safe before focusing on the outside. The Grand Duchy of Patch has ruined the entirety of Sorrow Kingdom, and now we face an unprecedented refugee crisis. Tell him to stop and start working to rehabilitate people."


    "It shall be done." Saint Wazir bowed as this was his duty.


    The Pope continued. "At the same time, start supplying more aid to the Warsong Kingdom. Keep the Masan Empire on its toes so they can''t focus more resources towards the East."


    After that, they finalised a few more documents and signed some others. The meeting went on for another hour.


    ...


    Outside, Sylvester saw Miraj running up to him and jumping into his arms. The furball was shivering in fear, and his face appeared more shocked than ever.


    Sylvester caressed him and asked in whispers. "What happened?"


    Miraj was still in shock as he nearly died today after being sensed. But, amongst his shivers, he uttered a few words. "Maxy, everyone is bad! Run!"


    "What exactly happened there?" Sylvester questioned him. But he couldn''t get any more answers as the cat just dug his face into his chest and curled himself in his arms.


    ''What the hell happened there?'' Sylvester wondered in confusion.


    Knock!


    The door of the Sanctum Council opened, and Saint Seer, Saint Wazir, Saint Sceptre, Saint Keymaster, Saint Medico and Inquisitor High Lord were seen leaving.


    Sylvester and the rest stood up and bowed their heads in respect with arms crossed. In return, they also got saluted back. It was frowned upon if a senior clergyman did not respond to the salutes of a junior, for it was seen as the senior was too high-headed.


    "You all please enter. His eminence wishes to see you." the Pope''s assistant called them.


    "Mwaaa...!"


    Miraj started to throw tantrums and tried pulling Sylvester back towards the seat. However, he could not be too loud, as that would mean being busted.


    Sylvester knew Miraj had seen or heard something inside that troubled him greatly. But he could not deny going in there now. Not unless Miraj told him everything, for which it had been toote.


    So Sylvester opened his bag, took out the file about the assignment report and put Miraj into it. "Shh... don''t make any noise and just sleep. I will be back, and then you tell me everything you saw, okay?"


    "M-Maxy..."


    Sylvester closed the bag by buttoning it up and cing it under his seat.


    "Max! Don''t bezy. Come quick!" Felix called him as he was thest to enter.


    Sylvester soon entered and finally saw the big room. It was all nearly white, made of marble. There was no wooden furniture. In fact, the only furniture in the room was the long stone table and eight stone chairs around it. Besides that, the walls were also made of bright marble stone, with no window or a vent.<sub> </sub>


    ''I wonder what runes and magical mechanisms have been ced on this ce. It certainly doesn''t look like an average room.'' Sylvester wondered and stood at the extreme left, beside Felix, and saluted as well.


    The door closed behind them and isted them. They could feel that nothing they do inside this room, scream or riot, no voice will escape outside.


    "At ease, my blessed soldiers." the Pope smiled cheerfully at them and walked over to pat their shoulders one by one. "I am so proud of you four that words are not enough to describe it. Although the assignment''s result was not as satisfying, you uncovered something that will help us save the entire north. Imend you for your investigative work."


    "It was mostly Archpriest Sylvester, your eminence. His intuition andprehension skills can best even the most seasoned spies." Lady Aurora rified.


    Even Bishop Lazark spoke, albeit in a low voice, since he had never spoken to the Pope before. "I deserve no praise, your eminence. I was merely the leader of a Crusader group that was to kill a Bloodling in the Duchy of Iceling. It was Archpriest Sylvester who came to give us a hand. Without him, I''m afraid we would have lost."


    Seeing all of them praising Sylvester, the Pope faced Felix atst. "You wish to say something,d?"


    Now, Felix was someone who had too much confidence for his own good. He was someone who would rather argue with God than cower in fear. So, he showed a thumbs up to the Pope. "My brother is the best, your eminence. His songs are so divine, and I envy his brain sometimes."


    ''Bwahaha..." The Popeughed and patted Felix''s shoulder. "Thank you for your service, Archpriest Felix. I''m sure Archpriest Sylvester considers you invaluable."


    "Wait! Archpriest?" Felix eximed. "I didn''t file for the promotion yet, your eminence."


    The Pope walked over to his table and took out an Archpriest''s mitre to hand Felix. "Consider your request for promotion signed and approved by the highest authority then. Congrattions."


    Felix quickly took the mitre, saluted the Pope, and smugly looked at Sylvester. "It seems we stand on the same footing now."


    Sylvester knew his friend was messing around to ease the mood. "Congrattions, Felix. You finally got the position handed down to you."


    "What do you mean handed? I earned this!"


    The Pope chuckled, seeing them. "I was like you two once, along with Saint Sceptre. He spoke less usually, but he was a funny friend nheless. But jokes apart, I wish you four the very best in theing days. As you rise in the ranks, your work will increase and be grander. So train hard and keep the lord''s name in mind, for he is the true master behind all that is."


    ''What do you want from us? Say it.'' Sylvester thought in mind.


    "That will be all. You can head out and rest. I''m sure the past few days have made you tired." The Pope ordered. "Except you, Archpriest Sylvester."


    ''Of course.''


    Sylvester saw as the rest left and the door again shut closed. Now, there was silence as he stared at the Pope''s face. He didn''t say anything and allowed the big man to start.


    "Sit." The Pope returned to his seat at the far side of the table.


    Sylvester sat on Pope''s right in the nearest seat. "Your eminence, this is the detailed report of all that transpired."


    The Pope took the file and turned the pages. "I heard many things from various Archbishops and Cardinal Suprima about what urred. You did well, Favoured one."


    "But it''s not enough. The original task of finding the murderer of the Countess remains unsolved. I have asked the Inquisitor High Lord to take me along to solve it, for I do not wish to leave a job iplete." Sylvester rified and stated his wish.


    The Pope kept reading the report and frowned at one point. "Did the Shadow Knight attack you? You were able to fend it off?"


    "Thankfully, yes."


    "You make me proud, blessed bard. But, sadly, this Shadow Knight entity does not understand the real difference between good and bad. It sees all from one lens with no care for reasons and motives. It''s disheartening that you are its target--but I, too, was its target once."


    ''Why is he lying? What''s happening?" Sylvester smelled the faint smell of lies.


    "That is why you need tools to fight it. For this, I have decided to appoint you on a special temporary designation."


    ''Once again--words filled with lies and truths.'' Sylvester''s guards were up, and rms rang in the head nonstop.


    "I shall fulfil all duties given, your eminence." He kept the act going.


    The Pope looked him in the eye. "I am appointing you as Grand Crusader..."


    ___________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 198 198. Entertaining A Princess

    "I am appointing you as the Grand Crusader. Your duties shall be simr to what you were supposed to do as a Sanctum Inspector, but at the same time, you shall have the authority to hold the trials of the Crusaders who do any wrong. For this, you shall be given an army of a thousand that shall follow you everywhere. Not only will it help you fight in your various assignments, but it will also help you in any battle you must go through."


    ''A double-edged sword, huh? Who knows who will be the spy for the council in the group of a thousand? But why is he giving me this much power? To judge over crusaders would mean I can judge over nobles who join the crusade too.'' Sylvester''s thoughts were filled with confusion about this sudden appointment.


    He bowed his head and epted the appointment. "I shall not disappoint you, your eminence."


    "I know you won''t, son. Now go and prepare your team. Speak with Saint Wazir; he will assign you a unit."


    Sylvester saluted and proceeded to leave. But as he opened the door, he heard onest thing from the big man that sent the rms bursting in his head.


    "One more thing; you are not alone, son. That Shadow Knight will never defeat you. That''s my confidence in you speaking, as well as my support to you."


    ''I need to get Miraj home quickly.''


    "Thank you, holy father," He bowed and left quickly.


    He grabbed his bag from underneath the chairs and stormed out of the Pce. He didn''t go to the Administration office; instead, he headed home after evading Felix and the rest. On his way, Miraj came out of the bag and sat down on his shoulder.


    "Don''t speak yet," He stopped Miraj before he could even open his mouth.


    He quickly arrived back home and only found Princess Isabe sitting in the living room alone, doing nothing other than looking out of the window.


    "Just a minute, I will be back," Sylvester barged in and locked himself in his room.


    Princess Isabe, who had stood up with a big excited smile on her face, again fell back in the seat in defeat. She was thoroughly bored out of her mind.


    Meanwhile, inside, Sylvester put Miraj on his table. "Chonky, what did you hear there, and why were you scared?"


    "That beardy man... The Pope, he sensed me, Maxy! He sensed I was breathing air in the room and was about to kill me. But I escaped in time!" Miraj eximed, speaking everything without taking a breath.


    "Did he touch you?"


    "No, he was going to burn me, I think. Maxy! They are bad people. I heard they nned to get you hunted by that bad man in the forest. They made you kill that count family using order sixty-nine."


    "You mean Article sixty-six?" Sylvester corrected him.


    Miraj nodded intensely, "Yes! They are bad, Maxy! They spoke about wanting to keep you close and depended on the church. That bald hairless man is very mean. He nned everything and even made fun of the big red man."


    Sylvester took a long breath and sat down on the chair, "Did the Pope approve it?"


    "Yes, yes! He was happy that the n did well."


    Sylvester fell silent and closed his eyes to imagine every option he could and choose the best as his next step. It was clear why he felt so negative when meeting the Pope today. The man didn''t have good intentions at all from the beginning.


    "Maxy, are you angry?" Miraj asked.


    Sylvester picked him up and put him on hisp. "No, Chonky. I was confused the whole time why the Shadow Knight was after me. Now, it makes sense--it was a setup. But honestly, I can''t me the Pope. If I were him, I''d have done the same.


    "Me being a possible top dog in the future is too much to lose for them. They wish to retain me at all costs while simultaneously closing down all other pathways for me. So, in the end, the way of faith will be the only one left."


    Miraj was worried for Sylvester, "What will you do now?"


    "The Pope granted me an army of a thousand soldiers not because he wished for me to do a better job but so they could be used as a meat shield against the Shadow Knight. This whole Grand Crusader designation is hollow--it only exists as an excuse. So, we have to do nothing different from what we were already doing. Finding out the culprit who harmed Sir Dolorem and killed the noble women is still our top priority.


    "We must slowly build connections with the high society. Our goal remains unchanged no matter what hardships we face--no matter who is against us."


    Seeing Sylvester so focused, Miraj felt pumped. "Maxy, I want to get stronger too."


    Sylvester squashed Miraj''s face, "You want to get strong? Well, you''re already a strong chonky boy. Your big bottomless mouth is your weapon. If you ever dislike someone, just eat them. But do stay away from the Pope and all of the Guardians."


    "Yes!"


    "Now, let''s entertain that bored Princess. It shouldn''t be hard to make her my staunch supporter. But first, let''s understand her dreams and wishes," Sylvester said as he got up.


    The news of the Pope plotting to keep him chained was slightly disappointing. But he had never assumed that the Pope was a nice man. No people holding as much power as him are kind--it''s a universal fact. Not to mention, anyone with so much power has to have their hands dipped in dirty politics, so this was just a taste of it.


    ''I should worry about theseter. First, I need to find a cure for myself.''


    He used liquid scents on his robes to not smell sweaty and moved out. The Princess was still sitting alone, apparently wearing amoner''s clothes. These belonged to Xavia, and they were just simple grey gowns withces around the waist to tighten it ordingly.


    Sure enough, Princess Isabe looked alluring in that, too, since she was naturally attractive. Her hair, peerless skin and eyes were attractions that most men would notice.


    In Sylvester''s eyes, she was beautiful too. One of the most beautiful, in fact. But, he had the self-control not to be another Felix. He knew what his goal was, and he would never sidetrack it.<sub> </sub>


    "Shall we head out, your highness?" Sylvester asked her.


    She stood up like she was being interviewed, stiff as a stick. "Yes, Lord Bard!"


    ''What a sight. The kingdom''s Princess is nervous around the "lowly" me.'' He chuckled to himself and walked out.


    "Call me Sylvester from now on. That''s what my close friends call me. Also, it gets annoying to be called Lord Bard or such every time," He tried to reduce the boundaries between them first and kindle afortable friendship.


    "T-Then, you must only call me Isabe--or Be. I don''t like being called Your Highness or Princess. I make my handmaidens call me Isabe too." She spoke in her charming voice, much suitable for singing.


    ''Maybe I can win her over by teaching her to y the violin?''


    "Alright then, Isabe. Let''s show you the great Holy Land then."


    They soon arrived outside the building. But before they could leave, a bunch of Bright Mothers appeared and started giving him hugs. Most of them were olddies, some young too, but all considered him a son or brother.


    "Who is this fine youngdy? Max, are you being naughty?" One of the Bright Mothers asked.


    Sylvester nearly chuckled as he remembered her face. ''Well, not as naughty as you get on some nights.''


    "This is Princess Isabe Gracia. I''m tasked with showing her the Holy Land, Bright Mothers."


    ''And brainwash her.''


    The Bright Mothers turned respectful in an instant. "Then have fun, both of you."


    Before more Bright Mothers coulde, he took her to his horse. "Do you know how to ride a horse?"


    Isabe shook her head. "My brothers never let me try it. They said I will never need to ride a horse in life as I am a Princess."


    "Can I be frank with you, Isabe?" He finally called her by her name.


    She blushed slightly since her interaction with boys of her age was none. Heck! She spoke to a male maybe once a month by mistake while in the Pce. Even then, that would be her old royal guard.


    "Please, Sylvester. Speak your mind."


    Sylvester got onto his horse as he spoke. "You likely know about the case your family is involved in. Someone in your family is behind the murder of noble women and has a sick fetish for cutting their chests. Countess of Jartel and Raftel were victims.


    "This tells you how important it is for nobledies to know the skill of fighting to defend themselves. Because there won''t always be your guards around you--less so when the attacker is someone you''re close to. So, I say, your family is foolish for keeping you sheltered for so long. With your beauty, there is also an increased risk, won''t you agree?"


    Sylvester extended his hand towards her after mounting the horse.


    Isabe was confused as she answered. "I agree with you, Sylvester. I''ve tried to fight them, so they let me learn these skills--but all was for nought. They''d rather have me learn how to be a gooddy for whoever I''m wedded off to."


    ''Smart enough to know she''s just a seble asset. Good girl,'' Sylvester mentallyplimented her and started to create her character profile in mind.


    "Hold my hand, Princess. We must share a horse for the day." Sylvester extended his arm. Of course, he could grab a carriage from somewhere, but that was against his objective.


    Isabe blushed but tried to keep a strong face in front of Sylvester.


    "Ugh..." Sylvester pulled her up and made her sit in front of him sideways. So her legs were falling to the right while he held the horse''s rein by putting his arm around her back and belly.


    The close touch instantly made the Princess feel strange things, not to mention he smelled nice. But Sylvester kept a in, professional face and treated her respectfully, not touching her where he didn''t have to.


    "Let me show you the School of Dawn, where I studied," he suggested while keeping the scents in check. He felt she was nervous and anxious, but there was also a sharp nose tingling sweet aroma of boiling caramel--she was excited, that was obvious.


    Being up so close, Isabe could see him from this close for the first time as Sylvester started slowly moving the horse.


    His golden eyes were so rare that he was the first person she met to have them. His hair blended with his face and eyes, and she felt as if in the presence of royalty instead. His arms, warm and muscr, around her back and front, made her feel safe.


    But simultaneously, as she looked ahead, she felt something else. ''I wish I were not just a chained pretty face to be bartered. I wish I were him--go wherever I want on a whim.''


    Sylvester picked her emotions instantly. ''Sour and salty? Why is she jealous of me?''


    ___________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 199 199. Visions?

    "This is the building where all the talents in the Holy Land learn magic and knightly arts. School of Dawn is the name, for this is where our minds ovee the darkness and learn to appreciate and bask in the warmth of the lord." Sylvester showed Isabe around.


    However, he was not allowed to take her inside the various buildings, but the buildings themselves were so well built that they were a piece of art.


    Princess Isabe had grown calmer as she held Sylvester''s waist and looked at the structures around in awe. "This is so pretty. Although the Green City''s royal castle is itself aplex of castles with much space and ces in between, the Holy Land defeats it. So much delicate work on each building."


    Sylvester agreed to this and pointed above. "Oh, you see that window on that floor? I was thrown down from there on my first year by a corrupt mentor."


    "Wait, what? You were thrown?"


    "Hah, indeed. He was angry after I confronted him because he was unfairly trying to fail me while taking the side of King Riveria''s son. In the end, the mentor was revealed to be a spy working under King Riveria''s family. He was given death punishment for sulling thend of god."


    She looked interestedly at the eighth floor of the building. "How did you survive the fall?"


    "Wind magic is one of my strong elements. But I still fell hard and knocked myself out for a while. Anyway, those were the good old days, I must say. Life is much moreplex and full of hardships now." Sylvester trotted the horse forward.


    Isabe looked at Sylvester''s face for a second. "I''d say the same. I was so happy and free when young. As I grew up, I realised how sheltered I was. By the way, didn''t King Riveria''s son run away from the Holy Land? It was the talk among all nobles back then."


    ''It happened just a year ago, though.''


    "He did run away. But wherever he is, I hope he rests in peace and warmth, under the light of Solis."


    She hummed and made a happy face. "I was to be wedded to him to ease the rtions between Gracia and Riveria after mother waged war on them and was forced to stop. My elder brother feltbining the two families would have been the best."


    "From your expression, I presume you didn''t want that?" Sylvester questioned.


    There was silence and a small sigh from the Princess before she replied. "I heard words about him¡­ that he''s mean, bratty and cruel. I never met him, but since everyone said the same, I reckon they were right. Was he like that, Sylvester?"


    Sylvester didn''t exaggerate much. "I don''t know. I only knew him briefly. He did indeed use his family name to pass exams. He did bribe other God''s Favoured candidates so they''d leave the ss. He mortally wounded other kids so they''d be disqualified from the ss. But, I''d say, he was pursuing his goals only¡ªas mean as he was¡ªhe knew what he wanted."


    She hummed. "I''m d he ran away. Now I get to stay single for a little longer."


    Sylvester chuckled as he arrived in front of the Pope''s Pce. "You probably know what this ce is. But with you, I can not even start to climb its stairs."


    She gawked at the giant pce made of white marble and an abundance of gold tings here and there. Under the sunlight, the pce appeared to shine like a torch. "It is so beautiful. How is it from the inside?"


    "Even more beautiful. Just imagine all the Popes have lived here and contributed to its beauty." Sylvester roamed the horse around the castle so she could see it from the sides.


    Bam!


    "There you are!"


    Suddenly, a small pebble hit Sylvester on the back of his head. He quickly turned the horse around and saw Felix and Gabriel on their horses.


    "..."


    "..."


    But, only their jaws fell as they noticed Princess Isabe sitting in front of him, so close. Of course, envy was any man''s normal reaction at that point, especially the horndog.


    Felix came beside Sylvester and red at him with narrowed eyes. "Hmm¡­ what are you two doing here?"


    "I am showing Isabe the Holy Land. She has never been out of her royal castle."


    "Isabe?! Calling her highness by her first name?" Felix eximed as if the heavens were falling. "How can you be so disrespec¨C"


    "I let him!" Isabe rified. "You can call me Isabe as well, as long as I can call you by your first name."


    ''Good girl, making friends already anding out of the cocoon.'' Sylvester appreciated her confidence.


    Felix quickly agreed. "Of course, Isabe. You can call me Felix as much as you want. And that praying guy behind is Gabriel."


    "Why is he praying?" She asked.


    "He probably felt aroused by your beauty, but he''s too religious and is praying to ask for the Lord''s forgiveness." Felix was straightforward as always, which was why Sylvester knew the man would stay a virgin for a long time.


    Isabe blushed and looked at Felix and Sylvester amusedly. "Then why are you not praying as well, Felix? And what about you, Sylvester?"


    Felix answered for both. "Oh, Max? Don''t expect anything from him. Even a naked beauty from the heavens won''t make him feel anything¡ªhe''s basically a stone¡ªhe''s dead inside."


    Isabe nodded vigorously, agreeing with him as Sylvester''s reaction was unlike any other male she had met.


    It''s not hard for a woman to know when the other person is looking at her differently, so she could tell. "What about you then?"


    Felix proudly pressed his palm on his chest. "Oh me? Well, one reason is that I do not shy away from appreciating beauty when I see it. You see, before I was a clergyman, I was the second son of Count Sandall."


    She knew that much. "What''s the second reason?"


    "Hmph!" Felix puffed out. "I''m shameless!"


    "Pfft!" Isabeughed uncontrobly, so hard that she caught Sylvester tight to bnce herself from falling from the horse, making Felix more jealous. "Hahaha¡­"


    Sylvester nkly looked at his friend. ''I changed my mind. He might just getid by making womenugh. It will definitely work with his pretty face and strong body. But¡­ can he seduce this naive princess?''


    "Thank you for making meugh, Felix. I feel much refreshed now." Isabe finally started to calm down.


    Felix proudly nodded. "It''s my pleasure. Why don''t you join me on my horse? I can make youugh much more¡ªunlike certain stoneheart."


    ''I changed my mind again. He''s a dumbass and will die a virgin.'' Sylvester shook his head in disappointment.


    The hand holding Sylvester''s robes near his waste tightened as Isabe shook her head. "I''m quitefortable, Felix. Frost is arger horse, after all. Sylvester, shall we continue the tour?"


    "Of course." Sylvester moved the horse.


    He could feel that Isabe got anxious as soon as Felix asked her to hop to him. However, that also made him happy because that meant she was rxed and trusting enough towards him that she feltfortable even when being so close.


    ''Things are going very well.''


    As he left, Felix was left embarrassed and confused.


    Pat!


    Gabriel came beside Felix and patted his shoulder. "My brother, I shall pray to the lord that he grants you another brain¡ªfor the one you had is likely in the drain."


    "What? What did I do wrong?"


    "May the lord enlighten your brain." Gabriel prayed and moved behind Sylvester.


    After that, Sylvester took Isabe to various other buildings and monuments. He showed her the Golden Penins from the distance since none was allowed to be near it. Then he took her to the Guild Penins, where the real fun was as the ce was full of various family-friendly taverns, shops, and guilds.


    As Sylvester left the horse in the stables and walked with Isabe, all eyes would fall upon them. But, he''d try and make it appear that he and his friends were just her bodyguards instead of friends.


    There, he loaned her a few hundred gold graces so she could buy whatever she liked. From some clothes, and souvenirs to food. She tried everything and enjoyed it the whole time, as apparent by the big smile on her face.


    Sylvester let her be and didn''t disturb her as this was her first time seeing a market or getting to buy something.


    But, past noon, Sylvester had other things to do, so he got her back on the horse and proceeded back to the Pope''s Penins, and back home. Thankfully, this time, he called <anno data-annotation-id="caff38dc-4dbf-75fc-ea61-67a221b65454">Anya Moller</anno>, the young Bright Mother in training to givepany to Isabe in his home.


    "There is some food in the cabs that mum left behind. Take whatever you like, and enjoy your time. Mum will likely return before me." He instructed the two girls.


    "Where are you going?" Isabe asked, her face growing anxious once again being with a stranger.


    ''Hmm, I left such a good impression? Excellent!''


    "To meditate in a ssified location. See youter." Sylvester shut the door and left the building again.


    He arrived at the port and caught a boat to head to Soul Penins to meditate beside the Soul Tree and meet Grandpa Monk to see if he was alive or kicked the bucket.


    He had received special permission beforehand from the Pope, so he was allowed into the heavily guarded ind. After giving his prints as records, he was let go to roam around under the dense cover of the giant tree.


    But before going to Grandpa Monk, he decided to finish meditating and see if there was any update on the visions.


    After jumping a few branches, he chose a location and sat down. "Chonky, go around and see if you can find any inscribing by the first Pope."


    "Aye, aye, Maxy!" Miraj saluted and ran away.


    After that, alone, Sylvester sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes. He slowly let his mind go empty and let the air flow through him and the Srium from the tree enter his body.


    By the time an hour passed, his brows started to crease together. But he didn''t stop meditating and stayed in the same position.


    Another hour passed, and his face started sweating from forcing himself to focus so much.


    "Gah! Nothing!" A few minutester, his eyes opened abruptly, and he breathed heavily. "No more visions? Did she die? Did she not escape?"

 Chapter 200 200. Chonky Under Dumpy

    Sylvester tried to meditate again and replicate the effects from thest time. But another hour passed, and the night was now shrouding the skies in darkness. He could not enter his visions no matter what he did.


    "Did something happen to her?" He wondered and stood up since remaining there was a waste of time.


    He found Miraj sleeping beside him after getting tired from ying around for hours. So he just picked him into his arms and made his way towards the little hut of Grandpa Monk.


    Arriving, he saw smoke rising from the little chimney. "What''s he cooking up now?"


    "How are you, Yogi?" He first patted the head of the giant bear that sat in front of the hut and acted as the loyal guard of the old man.


    "Grrrr¡­" Yogi growled and showed his sharp teeth.


    Sylvester just took a strategic banana from his robes and gave it to him. "Enjoy, bud."


    Yogi quickly got up, grinning unnaturally and took the banana. Which annoyed a certain cat, and a fight ensued, where Yogi tried to catch the jumping banana.


    Sylvester just knocked on the door and entered. "Grandpa Monk, you still in there?"


    "What do you mean still?" Grandpa Monk blurted from his cooking station.


    "Ah, Archpriest Sylvester Maximilian, it''s been a while since I saw you."


    Sylvester found two oldies inside the room. One was Grandpa Monk, and the other was Archbishop Noah, the man who was his religious studies teacher in the school and the first man who openly believed that he is the real God''s Favoured.


    Archbishop Noah was as homeless-like as before with his long, white hair and beard, along with simple baggy robes. But, the already wrinkled face had a few more lines now.


    Sylvester held respect for this man and knew he was important to himself. "May the holy light enlighten us, mentor Noah. I hope I didn''t disturb you two."


    The old man smiled like he just saw the shine of his life walk in front of him, so happy and excited. "Not at all, Archpriest. And I am not your mentor anymore. We''re colleagues."


    Sylvester shook his head. "In a child''s life, there are two teachers to whom he always remains a student. One is the mother who teaches the child to walk, and the other is his mentor who teaches him how to live. So, you are my forever mentor, Archbishop Noah."


    The old man nodded in contentment. "Of course, if not the sweet tongue bard, then who would dare say such fine words? Come, Archpriest, have a seat beside me. My old friend here is showing me his new tea."


    Sylvester bowed to Grandpa Monk and sat down. "I hope it has no nectar in it."


    Cough!


    Grandpa Monk coughed and eyed Sylvester as if telling him not to talk about the homemade non-alcoholic booze.


    ''Haha, so even he''s scared of offending the ultra-religious Archbishop Noah.'' Sylvester internally chuckled.


    "What brought you here, Archpriest?" Archbishop Noah asked.


    "I came here to meditate and see if I get an update on my visions or not. At the same time, I hoped to check up on Grandpa Monk."


    "Did you?" Grandpa Monk asked. "Get an update on the visions?"


    "Sadly, no." Sylvester dejectedly denied. "I don''t know why, but I tried for three hours and could see nothing. It''s as if I''ve been disconnected. I don''t understand. Has the visione true? Or did something change?"


    The two old men looked at each other as if talking with eyes. Then, Archbishop Noah spoke. "Archpriest, it''s impossible to say anything about this subject, for there exists no master in this field. Visions are like the fruits from Solis. Only a few are lucky enough to have them.


    "When they appear, and when they don''t, there exists no fixed pattern. It could mean anything. It could mean that your visions have shown you everything that they want. It could mean that the visions have changed and have be invalid. Or, it could mean your visions have already passed without you noticing it."


    Sylvester was reminded of a past vision where the girl directly spoke to him. "No, I don''t think the vision has passed. But, Archbishop, could it be that this other person who appears in my vision has gone beyond the range of how far this Soul Tree can see?"


    "Hmm¡­ That''s an amazing theory." Grandpa Monk muttered. "It''s a known fact that the world is full of spots where sometimes an abundance of Srium exists, and in some cases a great deficiency."


    Sylvester silently wondered what it could be if even these seniors could not answer his questions. But he wasn''t disheartened as he was warned enough times not to fall into the bottomless pit of divination and visions.


    All he could do now was to keep the face of the girl in the vision etched into his mind so that when she finally appears in front of him, he could recognise her.


    "I should take my leave then. I''m sure mum is waiting at home. I will return againter, Grandpa Monk." Sylvester got up. "I also need to see Sir Dolorem in the sick bay."


    "I won''t be here for theing months, son." Grandpa Monk blurted. "I''m afraid, seeing so much turmoil and mess around, I have toe out of my retirement and work a little more. I shall head south tomorrow to stop the mad war the Grand Duke of the Patch has waged. They say they need someone senior, and I''m the most eligible one left."


    ''This could very well be thest time we meet then.''


    Sylvester walked forward and extended his hand. "I shall pray for your calm and fruitful travels, Fifth Guardian."


    "Come here, you." the old man instead hugged Sylvester. "This may be thest time we see one another. If that is the case¡ªthen take my blessings. May you help the faith shine brighter in the time of darkness¡ªand in times of warmth, may your light lead to calmness."


    "Amen." Archbishop Noah muttered.


    Sylvester patted Grandpa Monk''s back and whispered. "I will pray you return safely and cook up a few more recipes of that nectar."


    "Bahahaha¡­ goodd." Grandpa Monkughed and released him from the hug. "Take this for Sir Dolorem. I heard what happened to him."


    It was a bag of tea, so Sylvester happily took it and left the little hut. Outside, he found Miraj stuck under the butt of Yogi, as the bear ate the banana slowly.


    "How did this happen?" he asked.


    Miraj angrily meowed. "Mwaaa¡­ I got too greedy and didn''t see his fat butt!"<sub> </sub>


    "Chonky, my friend, you deserved it."


    "I know¡­ help?"


    Sylvester pped Yogi''s back lightly to make him move a little and release Miraj from the thick prison.


    "Wrraaaa¡­"


    Bam!


    Sylvester caught Miraj by his nape before he could shoot off at Yogi and scratch the poor bear''s face. "We''re going to Sir Dolorem, so behave."


    "Okie."


    ¡­


    "I know he''s the true God''s Favoured" Inside the hut, after Sylvester was gone, the Archbishop spoke confidently.


    Grandpa Monk nodded while cleaning a few sses. "Everyone knows, my friend. Nobody possesses the magical abilities that he does. That Felix kid is too easygoing for his own good. Those Louis and Griffin kids are good as Inquisitors, very strong, and on a path to might. Finally, Augustus has a knack for exorcism of a higher level. But, no one can shine as bright as Sylvester, nor are they as wise as him."


    "Then why keep mockery of the test going?" Archbishop asked.


    Grandpa Monk answered him. "To drive them all towards greatness. I remember when the current Pope, Axel, was young. He didn''t win to be chosen as a final God''s Favoured; instead, he befriended all otherpetitors and proved to them that he was the best, so the rest dropped out on their own.


    "As of now, this is not apetition of might anymore. It''s apetition of self-discovery. They must question if they are truly worthy¡ªafter all, the path to the lord starts from within first."


    "Does everyone agree that he''s the one?" Bishop asked.


    At that, the old monk sighed. "I wish that were the case, but I''m afraid we''re seeing something simr happening to what urred during the era of turmoil. Factions¡ªugly vicious factions are rising, and they aim for the long game¡ªand I''m afraid I won''t be alive to help when they show their real face."


    Archbishop disappointedly sighed. "Indeed, it''s a vicious cycle. After every era of prosperity, therees an era of stagnation. The demons are rising outside and within¡ªI hope the right minds can realise it and stop its final rise before it begins."


    "Amen to that, my friend."


    ¡­


    Sylvester arrived at the sick bay and was allowed to enter. But, before that, the guards informed him that he was summoned to the Inquisitor camp.


    He knew why, so he went to say a small goodbye to his favourite wizard-knight.


    "Sir Dolorem! Why are you trying to walk around?" Sylvester rushed in to help the bald man. "You will open your wounds again."


    "No, I must learn this echolocation quickly. I''m afraid I''ll lose all my skills if I remain in bed for too long. My muscles shall forget how to swing the sword." Sir Dolorem frustratingly tried to push Sylvester away.


    "It''s not something you can learn in a day, Sir Dolorem." Sylvester tried to reason.


    "But I must!"


    ''So much desperation. I must force him to rx, or he''ll never heal.''


    Sylvester stood in front of Sir Dolorem, and then slowly pushed him back, leading him to the bed.


    "Do not hinder my training, Archpriest Sylvester!"


    Sylvester roared even louder. "Sit back down, you old manchild! I do not wish to see you bleed any further. Do you wish to have me me myself more and mentally suffer?"


    Sir Dolorem stopped struggling, facing Sylvester. His eyes were open and blinking, but they saw nothing. So, Sir Dolorem slowly patted his hands on Sylvester''s arms and eventually brought them up to his face, feeling his skin with his palm. "It was not your fault."


    "I am yourmanding officer. You are an aide to me. I sent you to Green City, so the me lies within me. No need to deny that, Sir Dolorem." Sylvester spoke. "But I shall not wail in the corner. Instead, I am looking for a cure. And I shall have it in a few months, of this I''m sure."


    "Don''t make yourself go through this anguish, Sylvester. You have enough on your te. Forget my eyes. It''s toote."


    Sylvester gave the man a brotherly hug and whispered to him. "Never. Or else, how will you see me on the golden holy throne? I advise you not to forget your own vows, Sir Dolorem."


    He released the man and helped him sit back on the bed. "I have been called by Inquisitor High Lord. We are likely to head to solve the murder mystery. And whoever did this to you, I will bring you his eyes. So, keep yourself safe until then."


    Sir Dolorem nodded intensely. "I-I will¡­ Lord Bard¡­ I have not forgotten my vows."


    Sylvester put an apple in the man''s hand. "And you never will. Together, we are fated to cross each, and every hurdle¡ªfor the service to the bard is eternal, as much as the lord''s warmth that is so kernel!"


    "Amen!" Sir Dolorem muttered, tears of calm finally sliding down, for he felt at peace after so long. Being on the run for life for so many days was not easy on his mind.


    But Sylvester was gone by then, for every man deserves to have a ce of his own when the ''sweat'' from eyes falls down.


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 201 201. Green City

    Sylvester, without wasting time, went to the Inquisitor camp not too far away. He felt lucky to live on the Pope''s Penins since all the essential offices were here.


    "Lord Bard!"


    "Greetings!"


    "May the holy light enlighten us!"


    Sylvester saluted back as the Inquisitors greeted him one by one. He was always popr among them as his legends kept getting spread among them. They are the first to know and spread it every time he does something extraordinary. They were his unofficial propaganda machines.


    He went to therge tent of the Inquisitor High Lord in the middle of the camp and entered after the guards opened the curtains to let him.


    Sylvester found something akin to a war council inside the room with multiple people seated around a round table. Sylvester only recognised three of them, however. Inquisitor High Lord, Lady Aurora and Sir Hans, the right-hand man of the big man.


    "You came in time, young bard. Take a seat." The Inquisitor High Lord called him in.


    Sylvester first silently saluted them and took a seat quickly. A map of the entire Gracia Kingdom and its nearby regionsy on the table. At a nce, Sylvester knew they were nning to surround and take over Green City so they could investigate everything without the risk of someone running away.


    Sir Hans continued to speak. "Since everyone is here, we can divide the tasks. Since it''s not a major operation, there is no need for all of us to go. Therefore, Archbishop Payne and Sir Martin shall remain here and oversee the rest of the work of the Inquisitors.


    "Meanwhile, I shall lead therger Inquisitor army of five thousand and take over the gates of the Green City. At the same time, Archpriest Sylvester and Lord Inquisitor shall head inside and meet the King. Lady Aurora will stand in the backlines in case we need support urgently. Any questions?"


    Sylvester raised his hand. "I am to be allotted an army of a thousand as his eminence has appointed me Grand Crusader. What am I to do with them?"


    This was notmon knowledge, and only the Lord Inquisitor knew it. So, the eyes of others shined in pride as they considered Sylvester one of their own. When he rises, they feel their name rises too.


    "That''s even better." Sir Hans spoke. ck hair, ck eyes, pale skin, a vertical scar over his lips on the right side, and his iconic gold-ted armour. The man was tall as six feet seven and screamed authority and discipline even when he spoke casually.


    "Archpriest Sylvester, you shall have your soldiers march behind you when you proceed inside the Green City to meet the King. You shall use your men to organise the crowds around the parts wherever you go to investigate. We must remember that we''re dealing with a city of seven hundred thousand. Any mistake can lead to panic--which is not good as they may try to run out of the city in great numbers."


    Sylvester nodded in agreement. "I shall heed your orders, Sir Hans. The Crusaders who will apany me will meet us outside the Green City. They were likely still travelling down south from the coldness of the north."


    "Good. Any questions?" Sir Hans looked around the table. "No? Then I ask the Lord Inquisitor to approve the n."


    The big man had stayed silent for some time now. "I see no problem in your procedure, Sir Hans. But there are a few things that I shall need to do before we proceed. But worry not; I have a way. I give my approval; proceed to head out."


    Quickly, everyone got up from their chairs, saluted and left the tent to do their preparations.


    After getting out, Sylvester finally greeted the two new faces he saw today. They introduced themselves on their own.


    "Lord Bard, it''s quite the pleasure to see you. I am Archbishop Payne, the third inmand of the Inquisitors."


    "I am Sir Martin, the fourth inmand. It is an honour, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester shook their hands and made small talk before quickly returning to his home since he had to hurry. The inquisitors had already made their preparations, after all.


    It waste at night at the moment, and soon the sun would be out. He knew that''s when their journey would start on the river.


    "Chonky, how many crystals do we have? We''re going to need to count it." He said as he opened the door and entered the home. It was all dark as everyone had gone to sleep.


    He just went to his room silently and filled his bag with all the essentials, such as some cheap potions, extra clothes, and civilian clothes. Unfortunately, he still didn''t have a rank te. But for that, he needed to visit the Wazir''s office, and he had no time.


    Knock! Knock!


    Sylvester opened the door. "Why are you not asleep?"


    "Where are you going?"


    "To the Green City. We shall directly conduct the investigation using Inquisitors. Don''t worry; it will soon be revealed if your brother is the culprit or not." Sylvester let the princess stand at the door and returned to pack his bags.


    "I want toe with you!"


    Sylvester stopped and looked at her face. She appeared firm and strong-willed, but he saw the fear underneath.


    "You have no battle experience. You will die from a single punch, I''m afraid. I''d rather not cause a mess for the Holy Land."


    She entered his room. "Please, take me along. I came with you with the wish to prove that my brother is innocent. I said I could prove it, so give me a chance, please--just once. I can help you greatly--I know manydies who can help you search the entire city if you need to."


    "What if you died from something? You''re too weak."


    "Won''t I die anyway if my family is found to be guilty?" She replied.


    "That does make sense," Sylvester muttered but kept reservations. Taking a woman along with an Inquisitor army, one as pretty as her, was not wise. Yes, he loved those Inquisitor bastards for being so loyal, but they were still bastards in the end.


    "You don''t even know how to ride a horse, and you wish to travel with me. That isn''t very smart. You will be more of a burden than a help." Sylvester said and ignored her.


    "Please! I beg you!"


    Sylvester didn''t listen. He was not going to ignore his rational mind. She was a liability in case of an emergency. He can''t always be there to protect her.


    "Please!"


    "I''m sorry, but this is for your own good." Sylvester left her in the room and rushed out. He first knocked on Xavia''s door. "Mum, I''m going with Inquisitor High Lord on a mission. I will see you in a few weeks."


    Xavia opened her door, her hair in a mess, while rubbing her eyes as she quickly proceeded to give him a hug. "Best of luck, dear."


    "Take care, mum."


    He left the house and took the horse to rush to the Inquisitor camp. He expected Felix, Gabriel and Bishop Lazark there. As for Zeke, the old Dungface, he was sent to the School of Dawn to get trained, especially by the old Sir Baldfreak.<sub> </sub>


    "Chonky, this time, I want you to go all out. If you see any threat around me, don''t wait; just consume them." He ordered the cat sitting on the horse''s head.


    "Aye, aye, Maxy! I shall eat the skulls and chew their bones." Miraj proimed while staring at the road ahead, trying to look badass.


    ''Haha, I can never take his threats seriously with his big chubby furry head.'' Sylvester just chuckled.


    Soon, he reached the camp and got assigned by Sir Hans. "You shall travel with the Inquisitor High Lord as your work is with them."


    Sylvester proceeded as per themand. They were to go upstream throughrge ships this time. In total, thirty ships were prepared to move them and their horses simultaneously. There were five thousand men in total. Most were Knights and a few wizards or wizard-knights. There were a few ordinary people as well, with no magical talent in any field.


    Sylvester arrived at the ship at the front and met his team there. "I hope you''re all prepared."


    Felix tapped on his fine shining armour and showed his sword. "My de is sharp, and armour ready to stomp!"


    "What''s the n, Archpriest?" Bishop Lazark asked. The man was really good as he didn''t feel awkward reporting to a man younger and lower ranked than himself.


    "I will exin it on the ship. Let''s start the journey first. Gabriel, this time I will need your special help too." He pointed at the guy cking in his training the most in their group.


    "Anything you need, Max."


    Ting! Ting! Ting! Ting!


    Therge bells started to resound from their ship. Then the bells resounded from all those behinds, signalling that they were ready to depart.


    "You three find spots to rest. I will go and find the Inquisitor High Lord."


    Felix dly epted. "Ugh... go ahead, I''d rather not feel like being stared down by death itself again."


    "He''s not that scary," Sylvester muttered.


    "Haha." Gabriel chuckled and reminded him of an event from history as he was a nerd. "Says the one who peed on Lord Inquisitor''s helmet as a baby."


    "..."


    Sylvester looked left and right before stepping back. "See youter."


    ...


    The journey to the Green City was short this time as every single ship in the broad river would move aside as soon as they noticed the long line of ships with gs of Inquisitors fluttering proudly.


    This made their journey smooth and fast as they found no hurdles in the river. It was early morning when they left, and it took them twelve hours to arrive at their destination. By the time they forced the city''s docks to start clearing up the civilian ships, the sun was slowly dipping down into hiding.


    The first ship to dock was the Lord Inquisitor''s. And since no prior warning had been given to the city, the guards and managers of the port were in a frenzy.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    Then, Inquisitor High Lord came down from the ramp. He was possibly the most easily recognisable man in the world with his red robes, staff and conical helmet with a visor.


    Behind the big man were Sylvester and the rest. Further behind were lines of well-armoured Inquisitors marching down while singing their song.


    a??...Find the witches, demons and possessed,


    Forsaken worldly craving, for only holy hymns we''re obsessed.


    No tainted desires, our honour, you can''t question.


    We are the mighty men of the Holy Inquisition...a??


    Sir Hans quickly announced it to those in the vicinity. "You are in the presence of the Third Guardian of Light, the Inquisitor High Lord--Crimson Fire! Kneel!"


    Bam!


    Thud!


    Be it ves, merchants, civilians or nobles, everyone knelt down faster than Sir Hans'' words could end. This was proof of the fear the masses held towards the man. And that the church was higher than any noble.


    "M-My... esteemed graces... I wee you to the Green City." the Chief port manager spoke from his kneeling position.


    Inquisitor High Lord merely nced at him with his shining red eyes under the visor. "People of Green City, Ie in peace and respect. Ie here not to find in you a w. So, return to your homes--and respect the Holy Marshal Law!"


    Boom!


    Inquisitor High Lord mmed his staff on the ground once, and instantly a huge red rune spread through the surface and began to erge like a spider''s web, as if ready to trap the whole city within it.


    The Holy Marshal Law was officially in ce.


    ___________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 202 202. A Bard & A King

    Holy Marshal Law states that when thisw is invoked over an area, no more than three people can gather in the streets in one ce. Kids must stay inside their homes, as should other people unless it''s an emergency.


    Under thisw, the ruling authority has all the right to arrest any man as long as there is even the slightest suspicion. It allows the church''s authorities to supersede the authority of the nobles of thend¡ªbe it a baron or a king.


    Thew can only be invoked by the Inquisitor High Lord, Saint Wazir, Saint Sceptre or the Pope. If a strong enough wizard is avable, they may also deploy a wide area surveince rune that shall tell the caster whenever someone dares escape the designated blocked area.


    Inquisitor High Lord did precisely that as he used thin lines of fire under the grounds of the entire city to spread the rune. The rune scheme for it was simple, but it requires a vast amount of magic as usually the need for this magic arises over arge area.


    The people, however, didn''t understand what was happening as they had never seen such magic. They thought they were being attacked by the Holy Inquisition, the branch of the church known to be cruel to heathens.


    "I repeat, return to your home and ensure that you don''t needlessly roam in the streets!" Inquisitor High Lord boomed.


    Sir Hans took over from there. "You heard the Lord Inquisitor. Calmly return to your homes. Unless it''s an emergency, you must not appear outside. Go."


    The Inquisitors respectfully started to order the men and women around, telling them to return. They tried to ensure that nobody tried to run as it might cause a chain reaction and a stampede.


    Sylvester nodded in approval, seeing the work go smoothly. "Lord Inquisitor, allow me to head outside the City to gather my small crusader army. I shall meet you near the southern gate."


    "Proceed as you may, blessed bard."


    Sylvester faced Bishop Lazark. "You shoulde with me, Bishop. They are likely to feel at ease seeing both of us together. And we must ensure they have not forgotten that you being a necromancer does not change the hierarchy."


    Leaving Felix and Gabriel with the Inquisitor High Lord, Sylvester proceeded to head outside the city. He could already see the Inquisitors working ording to the n and taking over the gates of the City.


    They would inform the city''s guards what was happening, show their holy decree, and proceed as needed. Then, outside the city wall, in a river away from the port, Lady Aurora waited in a ship to react to any emergencies.


    Sylvester bypassed them and rode his horse to reach a small camp erected by the crusades away from the city walls. "Attention!"


    The men were already prepared as they had received words to be ready. A few submanders kept them in formation and discipline.


    "At ease!" Sylvester stopped in front of them. They only numbered nearly nine hundred, as the rest had died in thest attack on Bloodling. "It''s good to see all of you. Today, you are going to be a part of history. You all are now under my permanentmand as I have been conferred the rank of Grand Crusader by his eminence himself.


    "ording to this, now our duties are not only to help other crusaders but also to oversee that other crusaders are not breaking thews¡ªcausing more harm to the realm than good. So tell me, my men, will you dutifully serve as my Crusaders?"


    "Till ourst breath!" One of them shouted.


    "Till the end!"


    "Till the end!"


    They all started chanting. Their reverence didn''te from nothing. They had seen Sylvester defeat Bloodling all alone. They had heard him sing the hymns, and they had seen him bask them in the warmth of Solis.


    They were staunch supporters of Sylvester because, in their eyes, he was the incarnation of Solis. The sun that shines the brightest, even at night.


    "Till the end!"


    Sylvester raised his palm and made them calm down. "I know you all are not yet well armoured, as some of you lost it in the past battle. So worry not, for I won''t take you in a battle ill-prepared. Today, we''re here to arrest a heathen inside the Green City, who may just be a noble. So, along with five thousand Inquisitors, and Inquisitor High Lord, we shall conduct an investigation.


    "You are to be my loyal soldiers and secure my back and front. You are to march in the city''s streets with might and pride, for not just me, Inquisitor High Lord shall also watch you."


    Sylvester could smell their excitement and an overwhelming sense of worship. These men were his now, and as long as he yed his cards right, they''d remain so until their death.


    "Now, with discipline, you are to march behind me," Sylvester ordered. "Begin!"


    Out of nine hundred crusaders, nearly seven hundred of them had horses. The rest were too poor to have one or had lost one.


    Soon, through the wide streets of the magnificent City that was the capital of Gracia Kingdom, the songs of the lord and the sound of the marching hooves echoed. They all followed Sylvester in four neat columns.


    "Halt!" Sylvester roared and showed his fist in the sky.


    In front of Sylvester was the Inquisitor High Lord, with Felix and Gabriel standing on the ground. Since the man was too big for a horse, he had no choice but to walk, as his carriage was also too big for the streets.


    Sylvester and Bishop Lazark also got off and walked with them.


    The Gracia Royal Pce was in the middle of the river delta on which the entire city was situated. It was an enormous city, and simrly big was the castleplex. Theplex spanned the east and west edge of the delta, leaving only a small space on the west side for people to move north of the city.


    Theplex was entirely walled and consisted of a few castles, the biggest one being the main royal castle. The walls of the castles were made with some green substance added to them, not to mention there was a lot of greenery. There were trees, grass and vines all around.


    As Sylvester and the rest made their way up, the people would secretly watch them from the cracks of the doors and windows while the city guards would simply kneel at their sight, knowing too well that obstructing them would cause doom.


    Eventually, they arrived at the main entry gate into the castleplexes. From there on, the Gracia Royal Knights were in charge of security. And they dared not to open the gates even after seeing them arrive.


    "What business brings yo-"


    Before the knight in green-ish silver armour could speak, Inquisitor High Lord pointed his metal staff at the front.


    Boom!<sub> </sub>


    The gates were mmed open without breaking them apart. The royal guards were shocked and triggered, so they unsheathed their swords, for they were sworn to the royal house.


    Woosh!


    But, the crusaders replied by unsheathing their swords as well and taking a tactical formation by quickly reaching in front of Sylvester and Inquisitor High Lord. They made three rows of horses and roared in unison.


    "Dare raise your swords on the Lord Inquisitor and the holy Bard? Kneel, or you shan''t have another head for a meal!"


    <o>,m ''Ah! Rhymes, it feels so satisfying to see others use them.'' Sylvester silently appreciated his boys. If they served him right, he was nning on training them and brainwashing them to a higher level. He needed an elite unit of fighters, and this was his opportunity.</o>


    "Stop! Please! In the name of the lord, stop!"


    Just then, a man came running from inside the castleplex and started pping the royal knights away to force them toy down the sword.


    "Oh, lord! Forgive these fools, esteemed holy guests. They just arrived here on their evening shift. I am Count Harvard Zeelif, the Prima of King Harold Gracia. Please,e in. Everything here belongs to none but faith!"


    Sylvester, at this point, felt his suspicion peak whenever he heard or saw a prima of any noble. This is because the prima was the second inmand of any noble and held the most power to do damage if they went corrupt. So, to avoid a situation like Count Jartel, these Primas were his first suspects.


    Sylvester whispered towards the Lord Inquisitor. "My lord, I can feel he''s lying. His eyes twitch, and his nose creases¡ªa sign of a dishonest man. We should keep our guards up."


    The big man didn''t say anything until he looked at the Count. Then, he took a step back. "You take the lead, young bard. Show me the miracles of your knowledge¡ªtoday, let these lowly nobles see your light and acknowledge¡ªyour blessings from the lord."


    ''Good.'' Sylvester was waiting for this and took the lead.


    "Count Zeelif, please guide us to the King''s pce. We have urgent business to conduct."


    "Of course."


    So the crusaders moved to the back again and stayed vignt. Meanwhile, Sylvester was in the lead this time as he walked to the front centre. He kept his senses on alert to smell if there was any danger.


    But when they were near a castle, he started to chant a hymn under his breath to create the halo behind his head. The reason was to intensely affect the King''s mind and force him to think that Solis hade to punish him.


    Behind him, the crusaders became frantic as they saw their beloved lord bard shine just as brightly as they remembered in the past. To them, this was the meaning of their life.


    Knock Knock!


    Atst, they arrived at thest gate, beyond which was a moat, then crossing the bridge, they entered the main castle of the King.


    "This way, lord bard!" Count Zeelif took them towards the throne room. The man, with pale skin, blonde hair and a fat body, was sweating like he was sitting on a pan. It appeared Sylvester''s warmth was too much for him.


    Bam!


    The Count pushed thest gate and led them inside the throne room of King Gracia. Sylvester was in awe, but he didn''t let it affect his mind as he continued to chant.


    Ignoring the high ceiling, various chandeliers, shining pale green walls, silk curtains and beautiful wall engravings, Sylvester followed the Count until they stood in front of therge heightened throne with an abundance of gold and green emeralds.


    Sylvester closed his eyes and sang a short hymn before even looking at the man sitting on the throne.


    ?O'' King of the Greens, your ornaments that sheens.


    What use are they when nothing they mean?


    Choose wisely, for the path you stand in between.


    One leads to dust, and the other to a life more serene.?


    Thud!


    "Oh, bard of Solis¡ªI surrender myself to your feet!"


    Sylvester looked down and saw the King, in his regal gown and crown, lying on his belly on the ground, forcibly holding Sylvester''s right leg over his head with a face full of tears and a frown.


    It appeared that the King had seen his death creep near. The scents¡ªit reeked of nothing but merely sent chills and vibrations of fear.


    Today, witnessed by a thousand¡ªSylvester, a mere seventeen-year-old boy who could sing¡ªstepped on a king.


    ___________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 203 203. Interrogation

    Sylvester didn''t expect the King to be like this. But, on another look, he could see that this was all just for the show to save his own neck. He could smell the lies, but there was fear and anxiety as well, clearly showing the King was ready to do anything as long as he could survive this crisis.


    "Rise, King Gracia. On yournd, an unholy act had transpired. Now it''s up to you to serve us and ensure that the true culprit is found¡ªunless you had something to do with this." Sylvester spoke in a respectful yet angry tone.


    Meanwhile, he was also worried about something else, a realisation that had only hit him just now. He had wondered why the Inquisitor High Lord hade here himself instead of only having Lady Aurora''s support.


    From what he could remember, the Gracia Kingdom had 3 Grand Wizards or Wizard-Knights. That would mean if it turns out that the royal family was behind the crime, then these powerful guardians of the kingdom might respond.


    In that case, he won''t be able to defend himself with just Lady Aurora beside him. So, this new arrangement by Lord Inquisitor made all the more sense.


    "Understood, lord bard. I shall do everything I can to help you. In fact, I have already apprehended the knights involved in the attack and the subsequent uwful behaviour. I have tried to get the word out of them, but they have yet to respond." The King fixed his crown and his clothes while slowly bringing back his royal demeanour.


    Thud!


    Lord Inquisitor tapped his staff on the beautiful light green marble floor with patterns akin to leaves. With that tap, a crack appeared on it, making all hearts in the hall beat profusely. "Speak with actions, King Gracia. Lead us to where you have them imprisoned."


    "O-Of course, Lord Inquisitor!" The King eximed in fright. "Second uncle, pleasee with me."


    Quickly, an old, bald man with a short white beard and a finely built strong body walked forward. The man appeared to be a wizard or a knight as he wore intricate armour and had the eyes of someone who had seen battles. But he wore no rank tes.


    "This way, respected clergy." The man led them with the King. "I am Viscount Tempus Gracia, brother of the previous queen Rexina."


    Sylvester was reminded of the old and pretty blonde woman who once lusted at his body. ''Last I remember, didn''t she get crippled from some sort of poison? Or was she paralysed? She must be somewhere within these walls''


    Soon, they were brought down to the castle''s dungeons and could hear many screams. These were not the men they were looking for, however. Who they were looking for were in a level even below the dungeons, where not even an ounce of light reached, nor did any sound. Whenever the prisoners there are left alone, they just go insane because of the darkness and silence.


    "Why didn''t you have a child, your majesty?" Felix asked all of a sudden. "By the way, I didn''t introduce myself. I am God''s Favoured Candidate, Felix Sandwall."


    The heads of the King and Viscount Tempus turned as they recognised his name. But soon, the King''s face turned into a frown. "I¡­ I will soon have a few¡ªI have six wives, after all. I''ve just been waiting for the right moment."


    ''What?¡­ he can''t have babies?'' Sylvester chuckled in silence. This was another case of a royalty being unable to have a child. So he wondered why such a thing wasmon.


    "Your majesty, were your wives someone rted to your family before marrying you?" Sylvester asked.


    "Of course, my first wife is my uncle''s daughter, and my second wife is my second uncle''s daughter. The others are also distant cousins. Why? Is that a problem?" King Harold Gracia asked.


    ''That exins it.''


    ? "No, nothing. I was just curious." Sylvester didn''t exin anymore and silently followed.


    Thest floor of the dungeons was more than a dozen metres underneath the ground. At that level, all the walls around them felt wet, as if they were mud, not walls. It was understandable since the entire city existed on a river delta.


    "They are locked in here." Viscount Tempus spoke and opened the metal door with just a little box to see inside.


    They found at least six guards standing in light leather armour as they entered. The fire torches kept everything well-lit, and deeper inside that room were a few doors leading to a dark cell.


    Sylvester looked around first. They were in a cave-like location. The torches were enough, but he used his right hand to spread light around and see everything. "You better start reinforcing the ceiling. From the looks of it, I believe it wille down soon."


    "What?" King Gracia panicked, for he knew that the entire pce was in danger if this ce caved in. "How can you tell, Lord Bard?"


    "Look at those cracks and the surface. It''s more caved in and appears wetter than the rest." Sylvester pointed at the top. "Get it done as soon as possible, your majesty."


    The King took his words seriously. "Uncle, get this done, please."


    ''An immature king is all I see from this. At least his mother had guts and a regal attitude. He seems tock everything that makes one a king.'' Sylvester thought as he analysed the royal man.


    "Enough chatter. Show us themander of your royal guards." Lord Inquisitor interjected.


    Silence ensued, and they moved seriously. The guards quickly opened one metal door. It was as thick as five inches and ensured that no sound went inside.


    The first one to enter was Inquisitor High Lord. But the man was so big that he took up all the space. Still, it was enough as he simply asked him the question while making fire on his other palm. "Speak, knight, for I give you this right. Defend yourself and tell me why I should not kill you?"


    "Thu!" The Knight spat on Inquisitor High Lord''s feet. "I am the Lordmander of the royal guards. My mouth will stay close¡ªno matter who asks."


    Woosh!


    The Inquisitor High Lord tapped his staff. The metal cuffs that kept the man tied to the wall freed him. "There exists punishments worse than death, knight. Fear the fury of the lord¡ªdo not say something whose reply you can''t afford."


    "Hehe¡­ you think I didn''t know this would happen? I''m a dead man already¡ªI failed and got caught. So either you kill me now, or I wait to dieter¡ªfor that man is a worse freak than you all."


    Inquisitor High Lord didn''t be enraged, for he had done what he hade to do. He turned around and walked out, and let the door close. After that, he faced Sylvester. "I did as you asked, young bard. Now show me what game you have set¡ªwe don''t have much time, don''t forget."


    Sylvester bowed his head and let the Lord Inquisitor rest on a seat on the side. Then, he walked over to Viscount Tempus, the King''s serious man and first uncle. "How long will it take?"


    "Just ten minutes, lord bard. But we have the prisoner you asked for."


    "Take me to him." Sylvester took an axe from Felix and followed the noble.


    They soon returned to the upper level of the dungeon and were taken to a dark room where only a single man was tied to a stone bed in the middle of the small room.<sub> </sub>


    "P-Please¡­ let me go! Why have you kept me here?"


    Sylvester didn''t allow the man to see him as the head was tied too. "What did he do?"


    "Murdered five families in the city, including three infants, a newborn, and ten women. One was vited. He''s everything that''s sick in the city, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester proceeded as he didn''t feel any lies. "Step back, lest you get your pretty armour dirty."


    The Viscount had no idea what Sylvester would do, so he watched in silence.


    Bam!


    "Ghaaa! Noooo¡­ Fuck!"


    Bam!


    "Aaaa!"


    "Shut up, filth!" Sylvester roared at the tied criminal. He used the axe to chop the arm clean and then one finger from the other hand.


    Woosh!


    Then, Sylvester used elemental fire magic to burn the wounds on the severed arm and finger, and then on the man''s wounds.


    "This is a small price you pay for your sins. Let''s go, my lord."


    Sylvester left the room without sparing another nce and proceeded to the lower floor again. This time, as he arrived, he saw a new figure there, a woman in particr. She appeared old but not too old to appear ugly. She had brown hair that was now going white. She had pale skin with a few wrinkles on her scared face. Her blue eyes were darting left and right, looking for answers.


    Sylvester looked around and saw Lord Inquisitor and the King sitting on the side. Gabriel, Felix and Bishop Lazark were doing what he asked them meanwhile. They forced the woman to keep her elbow closed, so her hand was touching her chest. Then, they tried her arm with white bloodied cotton.


    At the same time, they made one finger on her right-hand fold and then tried it simrly. Then, atst, she was made to wear a dark brown lowborn gown over her body.


    Sylvester moved forward. "You are the wife of Sir Winston Lennox, and you have to save your husband now. But only if he tells us who asked him to do what he did. Now, I shall present you in front of him, and if you make a single sound without my permission or speak any word, I will kill him without wasting a moment. Understood?"


    The woman''s eyes turned watery in an instant. "Y-Yes¡­ I will do everything."


    Bam!


    Sylvester moved closer and firmly rubbed his palm over her eyes. "You''re not going in there for coupling with him¡ªyou need to look broken. Smudge your makeup."


    She nodded and quickly did so.


    "Cry now¡ªand do not stop." He ordered. "Do it!"


    It took him a little more effort to scare her, however. But once done, he nodded at the guards to open the room.


    After that, Sylvester went inside, with his right-hand shining in light and his left hand holding the woman. There was also a bag on his shoulder.


    "Sir Winston Lennox? I am Sylvester Maximilian, Lord''s Bard." He introduced himself as soon as he entered.


    The man was freed now and sitting on the ground in darkness. He didn''t even spare a nce at Sylvester. "I won''t say anything."


    "I know¡ªThat''s why I brought gifts."


    Thud!


    Bam!


    Sylvester first threw a severed hand at the knight and then a finger. "Look up, Knight. There is more to where ites from. I wonder if you''d want to see more¡ªI can surely explore that possibility."


    He looked up and saw her. "M¡­ M-Marin? W-What did they do t¡­"


    The woman just cried uncontrobly.


    The Knight saw her severed arm wrapped in a bloodied bandage and the missing finger on her right hand. His face turned red, and his eyes turned bloodshot. "You sunfucking bastards!"


    "Move another step and have her other arm chopped. One more step and have her head dropped. These are your options, Knight¡ªSpeak¡­ or hear her shriek."


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 204 204. Trouble In Green City

    The Knight tried to jump on Sylvester. But all he got was a foot ced on his face and thrown back to the wall again. "Did you not hear me? Speak, or¡­"


    "Aaargh!" Sylvester clutched the woman''s neck tighter and made her yelp in fear.


    "Or hear her shriek. Speak, Sir Lennox. Why did you try to kill Sir Dolorem? What''s your rtionship with Sir Kenworth?"


    However, the man did not speak and kept staring daggers at Sylvester. "I will not speak¡­ or he will kill us all. He will do worse than merely cutting arms and fingers!"


    "If you don''t speak, then I will kill her first and let you live." Sylvester threatened him back. "You have children too, I heard. A daughter who just got married? I wonder what the Inquisitors will do to her."


    "Say it, please!" the woman also cried finally.


    ''What could it be that''s holding him so hard? Who did he work for?'' Sylvester wondered as he could feel the fear from the man, but it was not directed towards him.


    That, in the end, left him with just one option. ''If the fear is too much, then I shall try and erase it.''


    He left his grip on the woman. "Go and be with him."


    She quickly ran over and sat down beside the man. She wiped his face with her clothes and tried to see how badly he was hurt while crying.


    At the same time, Sylvester sat down on the ground, crossed legs. Then, he pointed his palm at the couple and started singing a hymn, while also releasing normal light magic from his palm, making the two feel warm.


    ?We all are born for a reason unknown.


    Doing our duty, we hope destiny is shown.


    On the wrong path to be blown¡ªSome are prone.


    For them, my light leads to the trail to atone.?


    ?Heed to my hymns, and rid your crimes.


    Old and new, at all times, brightest the lord shines.


    So speak, child of the lord, for your faithmands.


    To punish the vile filth, speak¡ªas your lord demands.?


    Sylvester looked at their faces to see if the hymns were doing their magic. And certainly, they always do. The two had their eyes big, shining with the light that Sylvester released. Their faces were stuck on Sylvester''s form as the halo made him appear like a god.


    Especially in a room so dark and damp, and after having spent days in the chamber, being tortured, the old Knight started crying in his wife''s arms.


    Sylvester continued and ended with onest verse.


    ?Rise, O'' knight sworn to the highest king.


    Embrace the warmth of eternal spring.


    Find salvation in the arms of the lord.


    For his grand n, we''re all aboard.


    Amen, Amen¡ªrepeat with the lord.?


    "Amen!" the woman chanted.


    But the Knight was incapable of speaking as he cried like a child, face twisted, nose runny. He knew he had sinned, and now was the time to ask for forgiveness. "It was all Sir Kenworth¡ªmy lord! It was a long conspiracy. My daughter''s husband¡­ I thought he was a good man from the royal army, but he turned out to be a beast in disguise. He pained her, hid her, andmanded me to do things to save her."


    Sylvester didn''t stop spreading light from his palm even when he stopped singing. "Since when did you know this, Sir Kenworth?"


    "Years!" Sir Lennox replied. "He''s been in the royal army for years, and I saw him grow in front of my eyes. From a young squire to a mighty knight. He and my daughter became friends long before they fell in love. I thought he was a good man¡­ I was foolish."


    "Is your daughter safe?"


    "She is, thankfully, but mentally broken."


    ''But this does not help me at all. What about the motivations? Why do all that?''


    Sylvester moved closer to them. "Tell me everything you know about this man. Why does he go around ces killing women and cutting their breasts? What does he get from this? Is he involved with dark magic?"


    "We don''t know, lord bard." The Knight eximed. "He was a good man until he was not. As if his whole life was a lie¨Cas if everything he showed us was a part of the n. Who he works for or why he does what he does, I don''t know. My order was only to kill Sir Dolorem and dy the investigation."


    "Any idea where he could be now?" Sylvester inquired.


    "None. He''d be foolish not to run away by now. My lord¡­ will I have salvation now? Will the Solis forgive me?"


    Sylvester stood up and proceeded to the door. "The result of your actions will only be revealed in the arms of Solis when you cross the final bridge. But, until then, you can only try and win some grace back. So be a good man¡ªthat is if you''re let go."


    He walked out and let the guards close the door. But this time, they put a torch inside so the couple could talk.


    As the door closed, the woman quickly untied the cotton straps that made her arm look chopped, as well as her finger.


    Seeing this, Sir Lennox was bewildered. "H-He did not?"


    The woman scoffed. "He said he''s not the monster that he''s on the hunt for. Lord bard is¡­ pure and holy¡­ unlike the foolish us." She looked at his face and sat beside him, putting her head on his shoulder. "My love¡­ what will happen to us now?"<sub> </sub>


    "There is only one punishment for treason, Marin¡ªonly one."


    Sniff!


    She silently cried and stayed resting by his side. "Years of loyalty, sacrifices, and this. I wish I could turn back time."


    The old Knight and his olddy silently wept, for the future seemed bleak, no matter how much light they wished to seek.


    "Forgive me. Please care for our daughter and settle somewhere far away after I''m gone."


    She nodded slowly. "I will¡­ but for now, please let me hold your hand while it remains warm."


    ¡­


    Sylvester walked out and frustratingly looked around. He had found nothing of help inside other than knowing that a long-term conspiracy was at y here. And it was certain that Sir Kenworth was not working for himself. Otherwise, the man would not appear in Jartel and Raftel counties at the most convenient times.


    "Young bard."


    Sylvester walked over to the Lord Inquisitor and reported everything. "The man was a victim of the long conspiracy, lord Inquisitor. The same Knight whose face we search all over destroyed his family. Over a decade, he befriended the Knight''s daughter and eventually married her, only to show his real face.


    "He forced him to act against Sir Dolorem by keeping his daughter hostage. Now, where he is, nobody knows."


    "So nothing?" Felix muttered. "How do we even start looking for a man in such a big world?"


    Sylvester silently thought about things. He was reminded of something Bishop Lazark had told him during the Bloodling hunt. "Bishop, you said a simr case had happened in the south?"


    "Near the Bamboo Forest, lord bard." Bishop Lazark answered.


    Sylvester closed his eyes and remembered the map. "Alright, let''s say she was the first victim. After that, the victims went from the far south to the far north. All three were women, nobles and had their chests cut off."


    He didn''t utter his next words. ''Going bymon criminal psychology. Especially in a world where it''s hard to travel. The first crime is usually done around the nearest location to where the criminal originates¡ªlives or works. And then, scared, they try to get as far away as possible to do the next one.''


    "I need to go south, Lord Inquisitor. I need toplete that investigation on my own, or else we may miss something." He requested.


    "T-This means my family is innocent, correct?" King Gracia eximed, nervously looking around. "The culprit is this Sir Kenworth, as you said, Lord Bard."


    "Sit down, King Harold." Lord Inquisitor boomed as he stood up. "If a conspiracy is in motion, one this long, then how deep its roots go, we must know. The seedling could be anyone¡ªyou, your woman, or your cook. So, young bard, go south and find what you will. I shall watch things here until we have the culprit kneel."


    Sylvester bowed his head. "However, I have a request. Until we have the culprit, do not punish Sir Lennox and shift him to a better cell. What happened to him, it could have been anyone else in the kingdom. If it was Sir Dolorem, he''d have felt the same."


    "Mercy and might, you have everything right, young bard." The Lord Inquisitor replied, showing praise so openly for the first time. "You heard him, King Harold. Do as is wished. As for I, lead me to Lady Rexina¡ªshe ought to know more about the realm."


    Viscount Tempus answered. "She lives in the highest tower of the royal pce, my lord. She likes watching over the city from there, for she can''t move anymore."


    "Then lead me to her."


    "As youmand, my lord."


    As they headed out, Sylvester gathered his friends and moved along to the ground floor. They were all led back into the throne room, where King Harold retook his throne to look mighty, but his face spoke otherwise.


    Sylvester bowed his head. "I shall take my leave then, your majesty."


    "Where is my sister?" The king spoke loudly.


    ''Oh, so this is why he took the throne.''


    "She''s safe and healthy in the Holy Land. My mother cares for her like her own child, so worry not." Sylvester said.


    The King raised his finger and then put it down, only to speak meekly. "C-Can I have her back? I have a suitor for hering in a few days."


    ''Oh, no wonder she had dared to leave the castle. It seems her motivations were many.''


    "Can you describe to me how this suitor looks?" He asked.


    This time, taking a proud demeanour, the king replied. "Oh, he''s rich and mighty, a lord from Southern Gracia. His coffers run the Yggdrasil school of magic."


    Felix interrogated before Sylvester this time. "By any chance, is he as big of a man as his coffers are?"


    "Fat? Hmm¡­" The king thought. "He has certainly gained a few dozen kil-"


    Bam!


    The throne room''s gates suddenly opened, and a man in perfectly shining Knight''s armour ran in.


    "Nephew! Riots! Riots have broken out! Go hide!"


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 205 205. Hymn At Saving

    "Nephew! Riots! Riots have broken out! Go hid-"


    Every head turned to look at the man who had just entered. He looked the opposite of Viscount Tempus. This man was fat but still had fine armour on his body. The only simrities were the blonde hair and grey eyes, themonality among all of the Gracia family.


    "Riots?" King Gracia muttered from on top of his throne.


    "I just received the news. The people are going into a frenzy. Someone has spread rumours that the Inquisitors are here to burn the city for your crimes. The entire poption is trying to run out of the city now, and a minority of them are trying to enter the castle and kill you for causing this."


    Thud!


    King Harold Gracia fell to his seat. "W-What? But who would spread such rumours? I have been such a good king to them. I¡­ they all love me¡­ everyone said that."


    "They did love you, my king." Viscount Tempus spoke. "You gave food to the poor and removed corruption from the government machinery."


    "Rightly said, my lord." King''s Prima, Count Harvard Zeelif, agreed.


    Inquisitor High Lord looked unfazed at the same time. "Perhaps they loved you too much, King Harold. A good king is not only loved. But a good king is one who is equally feared. Now, they attack you for they see you as weak¡ªso now it''s your head they seek."


    "But what should we do now?" Prima Zeelif asked. "Neither the Inquisitors nor the city guards can hold on to so many people from escaping."


    "We can not let them escape either. Who knows who sits among them." Sylvester added. "What if Sir Kenworth is ying the smart game and thinks the only ce we won''t look for him will be here? What if these rumours were not random?"


    "We can not harm them either, for they are not the sinners we look for." Inquisitor High Lord said, deep in contemtion.


    Bam!


    "Did you know there is a riot brewing outside?" Just then, Lady Aurora also arrived, likely having been alerted by the situation in the city. "I just saved one gate from falling to the rioters."


    Sylvester noticed a knight behind Lady Aurora. This was a short man with a fully covered helmet with a visor. His eyes narrowed as he looked at him, for thetter smelled of anxiety. It didn''t make sense as he expected the man to be strong if he was with Lady Aurora.


    "The riots need to be quenched. Send the entire garrison out." King Harold ordered from his throne. "They must not be allowed to enter here."


    Sylvester shook his head at the King''s reasoning skills. He now felt pitiful for the church as it was they who likely got rid of the previous queen and had this new King take her ce.


    "That will only make them bloodthirsty, your majesty. Be at ease; I shall go out and stop the riots. Meanwhile, have the guards spread the word that the Inquisitors are not here to burn anything. Tell them you invited us to take the Lord Inquisitor''s blessing for something."


    Felix got closer to Sylvester and asked in whispers. "What''s the n, Max? You can''t possibly be nning on fighting thousands of people simultaneously."


    "That''s exactly what I n to do, my friend. But this will be a fight of words. And... it would help if you don''te with me, they might feel threatened seeing your tall form. Gabriel is better for this." Sylvester answered and called the other man up.


    Sylvester then bowed his head towards Inquisitor High Lord. "My lord, I shall go and quench this riot without a single swing of the de. Permit me to proceed."


    "Take Aurora with you." Lord Inquisitor suggested.


    Sylvester nced at the brown-haired, tall, and mighty woman with an ever-radiant confident smile. "She must rid her armour for it and wear the dress of a Bright Mother. I can''t have her appear hostile."


    Lady Aurora sighed and agreed. "Fine. Let''s go now."


    So they all quickly made their way out. Sylvester, Gabriel, Lady Aurora and the new knight that hade with her.


    First, Lady Aurora changed her robes in the small monastery inside the castleplex. But, as she was doing so, she looked at the knight as well. "You do it too, girl."


    "Oh¡­ okay."


    nk!


    Slowly, the knight, who turned out to be a woman, put away her helmet, then chest te and other parts, revealing her full form.


    Sylvester took a long breath and rubbed his face. "You cut your hair, Princess Isabe?"


    The woman embarrassingly looked down. "I did."


    "You ran away from my home?"


    "I did."


    "Lady Aurora helped you?"


    "Yes."


    Sylvester shook his head tiredly. "You do know that you don''t look masculine at all. Not at all, no matter how short you cut your hair."


    "Oh,e on, Archpriest. Let her live her life as she wants to." Lady Aurora patted his shoulder. "She was crying and kneeling to me, asking to be allowed toe. So I helped her a little, that''s it. Not to mention, she''s been a great help to me. She helped me pass through the houses and reach the castle by bypassing the rioting crowds."


    "I thought you had nevere out of the castle." Sylvester narrowed his gaze at her.


    Isabe meekly answered. "I have many friends, lord bard. Servants, handmaidens that I know. I know people. That''s what I did for so many years."


    Sylvester rubbed his face tiredly and walked away. "Do whatever you want. Gabriel, follow me. When I start chanting a hymn, your job will be to stand beside me like a sage and send out light magic. Meanwhile, these two pretty Bright Mothers will repeat my words and pray."


    "What?!" Lady Aurora eximed. "I don''t know how to sing."


    "Isabe does. Follow her lead. But, before we start, we need to do something."


    ...


    The entire city had turned into awless zone almost instantly. The criminal gangs that operated from a few ces now openly ransacked homes. This was not how the n was to go.


    But rumours kept spreading. Some med the King. Some said the Inquisitors were there to burn, kill or something else. Despite the best efforts of the Inquisitors, none believed them.


    Bam!


    "From here!" Isabe showed them the way to move around.<sub> </sub>


    "You remember the map of the city?" Sylvester asked her, amazed at how she knew the streets.


    Nodding, the woman proudly replied. "Maps were my only escape. They allowed me to imagine the world outside, so I memorised them in the hopes that when I go out, I''d know where to go."


    ''She''s smarter than I expected.''


    "Where do you think you''re going?" Then, all of a sudden, a small group of five men appeared with torches in their hands, blocking their way.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester''s right hand created a small arrow made of hard light. He sent it flying right into the thighs of all five men. "Sit here, burdens on earth, or the next time I move, it''ll be your head."


    They didn''t stop at any moment and proceeded to the South Gate first as the most crowd was gathered there. It was the widest and the most used gate.


    "There are too many people. How do we get to their front?" Gabriel asked.


    "Follow me." Sylvester started making light steps¡ªtiles made of hard light. He made them a few feet above the heads of the crowd and slowly walked towards the front. There were at least two hundred thousand people, from what Sylvester could estimate.


    ''This is going to be hard. Not all of them will be able to see me, but they should be able to hear me.'' Sylvester nned. He also looked at the sky and thanked Solis for the sun setting slowly. The darker it was, the better his n would work.


    Thud!


    Hended near the gates of the city. The Inquisitors were standing there in five rows, stopping the people from leaving the city. Sort of a skirmish was going on at the moment, as the strongest of the Inquisitors used all their strength to block the way.


    "Gabriel, stand beside me, a step behind. Lady Aurora and Isabe, you both stand on Gabriel''s side each." He ordered quickly.


    After that, he used magic, a simple Earth rune, to make a little stage so he could stand at least a metre in height for those in the back to see.


    "Repeat after me. Try to make the crowd chant with me." He ordered the three.


    Then, he took another nce at the Inquisitors. "All of you, sing the hymn with me! As loud as possible!"


    After getting head nods, Sylvester put one palm beside his chest, facing the front. Then, he closed his eyes and started chanting.


    Woosh!


    An intense ray of light shot off his palm and illuminated the surroundings. Each head looked up, slowly noticing the single man with a bright halo in the distance. Some knew who it was, for they had heard of the legends.


    ''Here goes nothing.''


    ?Hear me as I sing, for I am the lord''s bard.


    I stand here, with your life in the highest regard.


    I know you are scared, and also scarred.


    I beg, look beside you, at the children left marred.?


    Due to his words and loud repetitions of Inquisitors, the people started to look around and indeed, in that packed crowd, there were also kids being squashed left and right, as some lost the grip of their parent''s hands.


    ?Some words you may hear, that induce fear.


    They may have you unable to think clear.


    But look around. Do you see a fire?


    Look around you. Do you see a pyre?


    None! For hurting you isn''t why we''re here.?


    The people looked around, and indeed, the city behind them was silent. If the Inquisitors were here to hurt them, it would have been burning, but that was not the case.


    ?O'' children of the lord, this chaos is of devil''s design.


    For you to determine, I leave the fate of mine.


    To night or light, to which side do you incline?


    Shall you thrust the city into darkness, or let it shine??


    The people silently stared at Sylvester''s harmless, defenceless body. He was telling them to push forward if they still wished to.


    ?Embrace this warmth, for this you deserve.


    Don''t destroy the city, for it''s a home you preserve.


    I stand here, harmless¡ªfor all of you to observe.


    If you still feel anger, hit me with your stones. I won''t swerve.?


    His hymn ended but stayed under his breath. The silence ensued, and the halo still shined. Finally, he let his arms rise on his side¡ªspread wide.


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 206 206. Good Friends

    The people were silent and just stared at Sylvester. For a few seconds, there was no movement, and the skirmish with the Inquisitors also stopped.


    Bam!


    But then, one man picked up a stone and threw it at Sylvester. It hit him on his forehead and left a small red mark. It didn''t really hurt, but Sylvester still creased one eye more than the other. "If this will calm your hearts and bring you back to the arms of the lord, so be it."


    Pa!


    "How dare you hit the holy lord?" A woman shouted at the man who threw the stone. She then proceeded to pull the man''s ear. "No food for you for three days. Let''s go back now. You need to go and find a job again tomorrow."


    "M-M-Maaa¡­ but he asked to be it!"


    Pa!


    The man got another p nted on his face. This time, it was hard enough to leave a mark and resound hard. But that made the people chuckle and look around. Then in no time, as a few people started to move to return to their homes, others also followed and in a chain reaction, everyone returned.


    Most would first silently pray to Sylvester once and then head back. Others woulde closer and kiss the little stage he stood on before returning. Sylvester wondered how many of these were really religious and how many became this religious because of his little show.


    In no time, the crowd that was violently raging returned to normal. And soon, the gate where the Inquisitors were fighting for their life was now deste silence.


    "It worked! Good job, Max." Gabriel patted Sylvester''s back. "Your hymns are great."


    Sylvester shook his head, however. "The work of hymns was just fifty per cent. The rest was the work of that woman and her son we paid to act, and those other few people we paid to start moving back to start a chain reaction."


    "Ah! So that''s what you did before starting?" Lady Aurora just realised.


    Sylvester nodded and started to remove the short stage he had created. "If you''re careful enough, you''ll realise slowly that people are just sheep. Mostck a will of their own, and they''d rather follow than lead."


    Gabriel was especially happy because he was scared that the crowd would riot at any moment. "Good lord, I''ll pray extra at least once to thank the lord for giving you a big brain. Now, should we head out to the Bamboo Forest in the south?"


    "Head out?" Sylvester chuckled. "We''re just starting, buddy. We have two more gates to handle. Then we will walk around the most dangerous streets of the town. We will meet a fewmunity leaders and convince them. At the same time, if we find any crooks¡ªkill."


    "I volunteer for the killing part." Lady Aurora raised her hand. But her being in the Bright Mother''s robes made it appear all the more maniacal.


    Sylvester just sighed and moved on. "It''s going to be a long night, I''m afraid."


    ¡­


    It took them eight hours to finally quench the riots and the rumours. Sylvester had to sing his hymns so many times that he just started to repeat his previous hymns from the past. He was too tired to keep the brain running for so long.


    By the morning, they had also killed at least a dozen crime groups in the city and had made the streets safer. By the time morning came, the city guards and inquisitors were heavily deployed to roam the streets and maintain order.


    But eventually, they were nning on opening the lockdown a few hourster anyway so the trade could happen. Their goal was not to hurt the region, after all.


    In the morning, he returned to the royal pce and spoke with the Inquisitor High Lord. "I ask permission to leave with my crusaders, Lord Inquisitor."


    "Take this." The big man sitting on an equally big chair extended him a piece of parchment. "It is a deration with my stamp. You can show this if any noble, from the lowest to highest, or any clergy, be it a priest or Cardinal, dares hinder your investigation. ording to this, you are working on my behalf¡ªmeaning your word is my word."


    ''Good lord, isn''t this too much freedom? I can do so much with this piece of paper.''


    "Use it wisely, young bard."


    "I will, Lord Inquisitor. Thank you for the help. I will update you if I find anything." He swiftly bid his farewell and left the pce.


    Thankfully, Lady Aurora''s big luxury carriage was back, and he was notining. Since his thousand crusader army was going to ride with him, he didn''t have to sit at the reinsmen''s seat and steer the horses.


    At the same time, he took hundred more men from Inquisitors and joined them with his Crusaders, effectivelypleting his requirement of a thousand soldiers for his Crusader Army.


    But as he entered the carriage, he saw Isabe was there too. "You''reing along?"


    "I have been assigned as a private healer by Lady Aurora." Isabe instantly took a defensive tone. "I will not listen to you anymore."


    "I wasn''t going to stop you anyway."


    "Yes, you heard it right, I will no¡­ Wait, you''re okay with meing?" She appeared surprised.


    Felix was the most excited to hear that. "Finally, you ept her, Max. Just let her be a part of our group already. She''s an amazing healer."


    ''This boy.''


    "We will indeed need a good healer along the way. Who knows what we might witness on our way? It could be a demon, bloodling or something else. But you must also ensure you don''t put yourself at needless risk."


    Sylvester had other reasons for keeping her as well. ''I have not forgotten the deal. I will get you the eyes; you must test them to treat them. I will not have Sir Dolorem waste his life being blind.''<sub> </sub>


    Pa!


    Soon, the horns blew. Five hundred crusaders on the horse at the front and five hundred at the back. With a few more support carriages and a great many gs of the church, they all started moving.


    The destination was Duchy of Ironstone, the keep of Baron Redman, whose daughter had been murdered and her chest cut off.


    Inside the carriage, Sylvester was briefing them all. "Remember, under no circumstances should anyone know that Isabe is travelling with us. She''s of noble birth, and who knows, that killer maye after her. Let''s just call her Bright Mother Emma for now."


    Everyone nodded their heads at his n.


    "At the same time, Isabe must wear light leather armour under her robes. Meanwhile, Lady Aurora, you were originally assigned to train me, so let''s begin my training again. As for this mission, we have no idea where the clues will lead us to. We''re merely shooting an arrow in the dark with this. But whoever the culprit is, they must be a higher born, as that''s the only way they can have ess to all the noble castles."


    Bishop Lazark gave his input as he caressed his skeleton cat. "Our best hope is that another case urs so we can have fresh clues¡ªbut that would mean a nobledy would have to fall victim."


    Indeed, that was the ideal thing, but at the same time, it''d lead to more mess.


    Felix suggested something then. "Why not hire mercenaries to search for this Sir Kenworth?"


    "It will take too long." Sylvester refused the suggestion. "First, we''d have to request funds from Saint Wazir, then wait, and hope we get them. That''ll be too expensive."


    "Achoo!" Princess Isabe sneezed all of a sudden. "S-Sorry, I have allergies from too much dust."


    Sylvester grunted and took out a little bottle of potion from his bag. "Drink this. We don''t want our healer to be bedridden now, do we?"


    "Oh, thank you!" She gulped it down in one go.


    ? "..."


    "You have the survival instincts of a deer, Isabe. I''m genuinely worried for you." Sylvester muttered. "You''re too old, but let me remind you. Do not take anything edible from a stranger, okay?"


    "But you''re no stranger, Sylvester." She blurted. "You showed me the Holy Land, and Mother Xavia was so nice to me. You''re my friend now."


    "What about me?" Felix jumped.


    "You''re a friend too." She added.


    Sylvester shook his head and moved to a corner to put his foldable mattress and sleep by the already asleep chonky boy in his arms. "Great, have fun with your new friendships then. I''m going to sleep. My throat feels sore after singing all night. Wake me up when we reach the first stop for the night."


    Isabe nced at Felix and asked in a low voice. "Why is he so grumpy most of the time?"


    Felix snarkily replied. "Ignore his pretty looks. He''s an oldie from the inside. How about we both y this card game he made?"


    "He''s tired." Bishop Lazark suddenly spoke. "Look at him. He''s already asleep. If you were him, you''d be broken even more. Sir Dolorem''s condition must have affected him¡ªthe man is like a father to him, I''d guess."


    Gabriel agreed. "Sylvester did say that Sir Dolorem took care of him since he was a month old."


    "That''s so¡­ sad. Felix, please don''t make fun of him." Isabe requested all of a sudden, embarrassing the strong boy.


    Felixughingly dismissed her worries. "Ahaha¡­ It''s okay, Isabe. We''re like brothers. It''s okay if we joke¡­ if it were someone else, I''d have cut their tongue myself."


    "And I''d have set the pyre." Gabriel, the usually religious but asionally mad Priest, added.


    Isabe was amazed instead of scared. "That''s so nice of you two. I wish I had such friends."


    Bam!


    Lady Aurora knocked on her head. "Don''t take inspiration from these fools. Or you''ll be corrupted. Now move, we should also take a small nap. Felix and Bishop Lazark, since you sleptst night, please stand guard."


    With that, Isabe, Gabriel and Lady Aurora also unrolled their nkets and slept. This was the luxury of having such a carriage.


    Though, what none knew was that Sylvester was not asleep. Living under the constant threat of the Shadow Knight, his nights are never peaceful. Instead, his sleep is usually light enough that even the touch of a feather would wake him up.


    ''Felix and Gab are understandable. But I never knew that Bishop Lazark understood me so well. Can''t believe he lived so long, ostracised by everyone. What a prime example to ''never judge a book by its cover''. So what if a necromancer¡ªhe''s a good man indeed.''


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 207 207. A Mothers Cry

    The journey was long and took a while as this time, they made their way through the road since only the Inquisitor army had exclusive ess to the navy. Sylvester could have taken the ship after a bit of talk but decided not to and do his work as a Grand Crusader along the way.


    Inside the luxurious carriage, they didn''t face any inconvenience other than the asional bumps of the road. The first stop to stay the night was selected to be a little vige that appears just beyond the bridge on the Gold River and enters the Holy Road.


    Since it was slowly turning night, Sylvester knew it''d take them hours to reach their destination. Not taking any chances with Shadow Knight, he decided to spend the night there, as the rest of the journey would be on a side road.


    The vige was mostly happy that the crusaders were living there for the night as it meant opportunities to make money. By cooking food or providing any other service, the vigers would hope to improve their lives, as the vige didn''t seem that flourishing.


    The houses were mostly rundown. The people didn''t appear to have decent clothes, and the roads in the vige were all made of dirt. The only clean and well-maintained site was the monastery.


    "I thought the Duchy of Ironstone was the richest of all of Gracia Duchies. Then why this much poverty?" Princess Isabe wondered while looking out from the carriage window.


    "They are rich," Sylvester spoke. "But the wealth lies in the palms of the nobles, not themoners. This vige is probably leftover or not worth much for any noble to care about. What do they sell? Grain? It does not fetch that high of a price."


    "But, this vige is so close to the Holy Land. The lord of this region should keep it in good condition at least." She replied in pity for the people.


    Nobody added anything further as, except Isabe, everyone else had seen the duality of the world and how cruel it can be at times. This vige was nothing in their eyes. At least the people were not dying.


    "Isabe, who is the suitor your brother talked about? Isn''t he from around here?" Felix suddenly asked with great interest.


    She instantly turned angry, and her cheeks puffed. "That ugly thing. He''s the new Count of the County of Ranthburg after the original Count Ranthburg and his family were destroyed by the church. My brother elevated this man to the Count position after he proved his loyalty and how fat his coffers were¡ªas his belly."


    "You''ve met him before?" Felix asked.


    "Only when he swore fealty to my brother. Honestly, I''ll kill myself if my wedding is fixed with him. He''s fifteen years older than me, for lord''s sake." She was going all out, letting out her frustration.


    Lady Aurora felt lucky to hear her, even if her childhood was painful. "Good thing I don''t have to worry about this."


    "I envy you, Lady Aurora. You''re so strong and can do nearly anything you want. Everyone respects you." Isabe got depressed.


    ''How can I ever forget Count Ranthburg?'' Sylvester thought to himself, as he now knew that they were the reason why the Shadow Knight was after him.


    He forced himself to forget those thoughts and asked. "Aren''t you a wizard too? What''s your talent rank?"


    "Oh, I can be a Master Wizard, but I''m still just an Apprentice, and my mother never allowed me to study anything other than healing." She answered, appearing more saddened by that.


    But Sylvester was baffled and excited. ''If she''s this much of a genius with mere Appercantis-level magic, what monster would she be with her full potential? It seems investing in her is the most obvious choice right now, no matter what the result of the investigation is.''


    Slowly, as they talked, the crusaders set up their camp outside the vige and began cooking the meals. The Crusaders had a team of ten men responsible for cooking. These men were all without any magical or knightly talents. They were simple humans who had nothing to do.


    Most armies in the world were like that. Only the Holy Land could muster to produce an army full of only wizards and knights, but even that was a rare case. Usually, the armies consist of sixty per cent ordinary soldiers and thirty to thirty-nine per cent magical knights; the rest are wizards.


    "Felix, let''s go and meet the Archpriest of the local Monastery. They should know who we are so they don''t try anything funny." Sylvester got up and stretched his back.


    "Sure, let''s go." Felix picked up his sword and donned his chest te.


    His armour was customised so that it was easy and fast to remove and wear so he could rest now and then. As for Sylvester, he was still using an old second-hand golden armour, which made him look rugged and all the more dangerous.


    "Bishop Lazark, please watch over the Crusaders. They can sometimes be an awful bunch andmit atrocities on the locals. And Lady Aurora, since you''re a part of Inquisitors, tell all the Inquisitor men in our armies to act as internal police." Sylvester gave a fewmands as he prepared to head out. He was acting on behalf of the Lord Inquisitor, so they had to take his word.


    "Got it, blondie." Lady Aurora cheekily gave a thumbs up and brashly went out.


    Sylvester shook his head, grunted, and left with Felix. There was nothing he could do to Lady Aurora yet. But he remembered everything as one day his day would alsoe.


    "What do we do now?" Isabe asked Gabriel as he was the only one left in the carriage.


    Gabriel merely sat down in the corner, crosslegged, and took out a book. "Come, sister-in-faith. Let''s pray in the name of the Lord, for he''s the one behind everything¡ªour one true god."


    "..."


    "I will sleep."


    ¡­


    Sylvester roamed around the vige and saw the plight of the people. They appeared well-fed, but there was nothing much beyond that.<sub> </sub>


    At the monastery, they found out that the vige produced nothing but grains, and even that was only enough to feed themselves. So, they never had money to buy clothes or other items for personal care. Only the monastery donates a few clothes on asion.


    "This is the real life of amoner, Felix. Unfortunately, most viges and towns live like this." Sylvester said as they made their way back.


    "Not too surprising, honestly." Felix started. "Most viges in my county were dirt poor as well. Though father used to forgive their taxes in some extreme cases, or else thousands would have died every year."


    "Then I must say, Count Sandwall is a good man."


    "Fuck no!" Felix cursed from the heart. "He''s an animal who lives to gain more power and wealth at all costs. He sees the people as tools, and no real man would want to lose his tools of cheapbour. In Sandwall County, you will never find a cripple. Guess why."


    The answer was predictable. "Off with the head?"


    "Worse, they get fed to the domestic lions we keep to hunt for Desert cannibals. Father says, ''Why to waste the flesh of men I own?'' He''s a sick man, Max."


    Sylvester nodded, agreeing with the feeling, but he felt the Count was not evil but too pragmatic. The man likely saw everything from the eyes of ''Can it benefit me?''.


    "M-My lord!"


    "My lord! Please!"


    Sylvester stopped and looked to the side. The Crusaders tasked with guarding his surroundings were preventing a woman from reaching him.


    "I just wish to speak! Please!"


    Felix unsheathed his sword. "What has your rotten luck brought us now, Max?"


    Sylvester waved his hand at the guards to let here close. But, simultaneously, he kept his senses high to smell her emotions.


    ''Hmm¡­ fear, anxiety and sadness¡ªShe''s broken.''


    Sylvester allowed her to reach him. The woman appeared like any other middle-aged woman but dirt poor from the looks of it. She wore a dirty, patched brown peasant gown that was god knows how old. She had dirt all over her ck hair, and her blue eyes appeared devoid of all happiness.


    But what made Sylvester pitiful were the two kids on her side. Both boys, wearing old tunics and pants, no shoes. They appeared ten and six years old, but were highly malnourished.


    Sylvester raised his palm at them and used some light magic to make them feel warm. "Speak your mind, children of Solis."


    Thud!


    Seeing his light magic, the woman fell to her knees and forced her children to do the same. But she didn''t cry and merely took a folded parchment from her gown and extended it to Sylvester. "M-My lord¡­ I heard the great Lord Bard is here. The archpriest of the monastery ignored my request and called me a lunatic¡ªbut I do not lie, my lord."


    "What is this?" Sylvester took the parchment and read it in silence. And the more he read, the more curious he became about this case.


    "You im your elder brother is a Cardinal in the Holy Land? And you wish to ask him for help?" Sylvester asked her to ensure he read it right.


    The woman nodded vigorously. "Yes, my lord. His name is Robert Maxim. He''s a Cardinal, but what he does, I know not. I was wedded to the Master of thesends before he died, and his second wife took all his inheritance. She had the support of her father, another Master of nearbynds.


    "I have nothing left. My children are dying a slow death. I sent many letters to my brother over the past year but received no reply. I believe he is not receiving these letters. So all I ask of you is that you give him thisst cry for help¡ªthat is all¡­ I ask for nothing more."


    She finally started crying as the sense of hope made her emotionse out. Her sons tried to wipe her tears, but she just hugged them tight and wept.


    Sylvester reread the whole letter. The more he read it, the more he appreciated this woman. In the entire letter, she didn''t ask for money once. All she asked her brother was to help her find a job.


    But what made Sylvester amused and confused was the Cardinal. ''Why would a Cardinal, the highest ordinary clergy rank achievable, not help his own sister even with all the means readily avable?''


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 208 208. The Mad Queen

    He looked at the kneeling woman andmanded her with the name he read on the letter. "Rise,dy Helga."


    She cleaned her eyes and shook her head vigorously. "I am nody, my lord. I''m just a peasant. I don''t want any pity¡ªI only want work to make an honest living and feed my children."


    Even Felix was impressed by her strong will to be self-sufficient.


    Sylvester nodded and put the letter into his robes'' pocket. "You are the sister of a Cardinal. No matter what the vows say, you and he are rted. Since my vows tell me all Clergymen are my brothers, that makes you my sister."


    He then fiddled with his pockets and took out a little pouch. "Take this not as a pity, my sister. This is your reward for standing up to the Lord''s testing. Worry not; I will get this letter to your brother. Until then, use this to better your lives."


    She first had a defiant look. But once she nced at her children, she took the money with shivering hands. But then she sped her hands together and prayed to Sylvester with her eyes closed. It was unknown what she said under her breath, but the scent Sylvester felt was full of worship.


    "You shine people''s lives as bright as the travelling bard says, my lord." She said, "I will pray that you ovee all hurdles in life, no matter what."


    Sylvester chuckled, knowing it would take much more than that to fix his rotten luck.


    "Take care of yourself and your children." Sylvester patted the heads of the two boys and walked away. The scene was witnessed by all the nearby vigers and the crusaders.


    Pat!


    "Maxy, good boy." Miraj suddenly tapped on Sylvester''s head and praised him.


    Sylvester chuckled and patted Miraj''s head back. "It''s all possible because of the Chonky Bank, my furry lord."


    "Hmph! You''re right, Maxy! I''m a big, fat, rich pus¡­ I mean cat!"


    Sylvester ignored Miraj''s almost slip of the tongue and looked back as Felix had note yet. ''What''s he doing now?''


    Felix appeared to take a ring from his finger and hand it to the woman. Then he also patted the heads of the boys and jogged to Sylvester. "Hehe, what are you watching, Max? I''m a God''s Favoured and Archpriest too. I shoul¡­ Oh, fuck! I gave her the diamond ring instead of the gold ring!"


    "..."


    Sylvester shook his head and walked away.


    "Ugh, I''ll ask my brother to send me another. Anyway, why are you kind to some and so vengeful to others?" Felix asked as they made their way back to the carriage.


    "You asked me the wrong question, my friend. Instead, you should ask me, why am I generally so kind to these peasants and even ves than those nobles."


    "You hate feudalism?" Felix asked.


    "No, I hate nobody," Sylvester responded. "I merely go bymon sense. A noble does a crime usually out of selfish needs or sickly minds. A peasant usuallymits a crime out of helplessness or necessity. The mostmon crime is the theft of food and money, Felix.


    "They do it because there is no other way. And then we have cases like the woman we saw. These people have nobody looking out for them, and in my eyes, they are as much, if not more important, as the followers of Solis. Remember, if numbered enough, even ants can devour an elephant.


    "You see peasants, I see thergest social ss that, if united, can destroy anything in their path."


    Felix whistled. "Good lord, so you''re ying the long game. Don''t tell me you also pay the bards to sing for you around the Sol."


    "No, I don''t. It would be counterproductive because if someday someone pays them more to speak against me, then they''d do it. Right now, they sing out of the goodness of their heart and admiration of me."


    Felix sighed and rxedly folded his arms behind his head. "I won''t argue. You''re smarter than me. Anyway, let''s return and eat. I''m starving. Also, thest one to reach cleans the dishes!"


    Woosh!


    Felix ran away.


    "That''s not right, boy! You can''t escape your turn for the day!" Sylvester shouted and chased, but he didn''t run, as that was against his noble demeanour.


    ¡­


    The following day, the Crusaders again began their journey and headed to Baron Redman''s keep. The ce was five hours away from their location.


    But it took them seven hours since they had a long procession and the roads were not wide or smooth enough. Lady Aurora''s carriage had no problem, but the other supply carriages would have their wheels break down now and then.


    However, Sylvester and the rest had taken horses by now, as they didn''t wish to appear spoiled in front of the Baron.


    "That''s the keep of Baron, lord bard!" one of the knights pointed.


    Slowly, they made their way into the little town around the Baron''s keep. As they arrived, the town''s people were initially scared, wondering what mess their lord had created now.


    But as per Sylvester''smand, the first task of Crusaders was to spread around and tell people they meant no harm and who they were. This was to avoid another situation simr to the Green City.


    As for Sylvester, he rode his horse into the Baron''s keep. It was not too big but was still a well-built stone castle with defensive walls and a small moat around it. But, seeing its state, it was clear that wealth was not a strong point of this house.


    As they rode in front of the castle''s gates, a small crowd came out of the castle. The man at the front appeared modestly dressed with no jewellery. He didn''t even look like nobility with his ordinary clothes, ck hair and pale skin.


    Sylvester fixed his robes and gracefully stood at the lead in the middle of hispanions. "It''s good to meet you, Baron Redman. I am the Grand Crusader, Lord''s Bard, Archpriest Sylvester Maximilian, and this is Lady Aurora, the Tenth Guardian of Light. "


    "I''m not the Baron."


    "..."<sub> </sub>


    "Where is the Baron?" Lady Aurora stepped forward.


    The man nervously answered. "I-I am his Prima, Jason Woods. Baron and his family have gone to Duke''s castle to attend the harvest celebrations."


    "Didn''t Baron''s daughter recently get murdered and her body mutted?" Felix questioned.


    "Yes, may Solis grant peace to Lady Wanda."


    "Then why isn''t he mourning her death?" Gabriel asked this time.


    "She was his sixth daughter."


    ''Ah! That makes sense. She was expendable human then.''


    "When will he be back?" Sylvester inquired.


    "By tomorrow, my lord. All of you can rest inside the castle until then. Please, I wee you."


    Sylvester just walked away as he wished to investigate the town first, and this was the best time to do it. "Thank you, but I must refuse. We shall rest in our camps. Inform us when the Baron returns."


    As they left, Felix rode close to Sylvester. "What''s the n?"


    "Overturn the entire town. Find any clue possible."


    ¡­


    As the moonlit night shrouded the Sol, a meeting was taking ce in the Green City, still under the control of the Inquisitors.


    In the southern tower of the royal pce, near the wall, a woman sat alone on the top floor''s balcony. Her blonde hair was untied and fluttered in the wind. Her face was now old but clearly showed the remnants of the beauty she must have been in the past.


    Her grey eyes, however, showed nothing but vengefulness as she heard the heavy footsteps and the thuds of staff behind.


    "Been a while, Lord Inquisitor."


    "Lady Rexina, I hope you''re healthy and doing well."


    She scoffed, almost spitting. "What can I say other than thank you for crippling me? Now don''t tell me you people were not behind it. My son may be, but I am no fool."


    Lord Inquisitor didn''t sit, and just stood in front of her, looking at her paralysed body, stuck in a wooden wheelchair with only her head movable. "You reap what you sow, Lady Rexina. I warned you times and times again¡ªthat from war, you had nothing to gain."


    "Gain?!" She boomed, her eyes widening in rageful anger and her face turning pale red. "You bloody sunfuckers! All I asked you people was that you let me take back Riveria! That I be allowed to bring back the Gracia Empire. Clearly, you couldn''t let that happen, am I right?"


    Inquisitor High Lord''s eyes behind the visor shined red as the air in the vicinity turned warm, almost burning.


    Bam!


    He lifted his staff and mmed its bottom tip on her chest. "Disrespect my faith again, and I will end your bloodline, woman. Do not test my patience!"


    "Hahaha¡­ end my bloodline? Fuck you, Lord Inquisitor. So high and mighty, yet what are you? A ve to those who im to be holy! I respect you, you are perhaps the true servant of the lord, but those you serve are not! That Pope, he''s a sham! For control and power, he''d fall to depths even the vilest wouldn''t."


    "Gah!"


    As the staff pressed on her chest, she coughed out blood. "Kill me if you wish to, my lord. You already took everything away from me. That war, I was winning it! All elders of the family were ready to strike¡ªwe were going to take back Riveria in one swoop! Until you meddled¡­"


    Lord Inquisitor retracted his staff. "Because we wished for no bloodshed. Your war would have killed thousands of wizards and knights, even of Grand Wizard rank. That, in the future, would have weakened us in the war against Beastaria. You also have Masan and Anti-light to worry about now. You would have ruined everything."


    She shook her head in ridicule and focused outside on the city. Being on the highest floor, she could see all the lights in the streets below. "I know who is behind the murders and vile muttions."


    "Who?" Lord Inquisitor asked, urgency apparent in his usually calm voice.


    "Haha¡­ I was thest decent Gracia ruler, my lord. My sons are buffoons, and my daughter is a useless, pretty flower. Now, do you know what I wish to see the most?"


    "Who is it? Answer me, woman!" Lord Inquisitor again pressed his staff on her chest, this time much harsher.


    But she justughed even when blood spewed out of her mouth. "Hahaha¡­ look at this beautiful city¡­ my beautiful kingdom. Sad that you ignored all my past concerns¡ªNow, all I wish is to watch this realm burn! Hahaha¡­"


    She stared at Inquisitor High Lord,ughing madly, with a vengeful fire in her eyes. "Burn it to the ground, my lord! Destroy this realm so no one shall have it! You people wish to rule my kingdom? Go ahead, have it¡ªafter all the fiery gashes, you shall be none but rulers of ashes!"


    Madness took over her mind. Herughs echoed, and her hair fluttered with the wind. Broken so badly that there was nothing left to amend. In the city outside, none knew their Queen Mother wished for their end.


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 209 209. S.S.R

    Nothing. In the entire town, they looked for clues but found nothing. They asked people around, but they did not remember anything other than learning the news of the murder and muttion of Lady Wanda. Heck, they only learned about the murder from the rumours.


    The thing was, Sylvester learned from the peasants that Lady Wanda was not even good-looking. She looked like a man, and the Baron was crazily looking for a match for her but to no avail. Most people didn''t know the woman at all.


    That left them at square one yet again, with no clues. All they could hope was that the Baron would be helpful and tell them something about the case, or at least recognise the sketch of Sir Kenworth, the Most Wanted man in Gracia at the moment, with a reward of a thousand Gold Graces on his head. The reward was huge, as Duke Grimton and Count Raftel were funding it.


    "I''m tired. I''ve talked with so many people, and they say the same thing. She was ugly, nobody knew her, and they didn''t care." Felix tiredly returned to Sylvester''s tent to report.


    "Same with the rest. Stop searching now. The Baron should be returning soon enough." Sylvester was busy writing something.


    "What are you doing?"


    "Finishing my book," Sylvester replied. "I need a little more inspiration, and I think I will have it once we solve this case. The book is supposed to be aimed at every single person in the world, or at least those who follow the faith of Solis. It gives out warnings and various hymns, telling how easy it is for a man to fall into depravity.


    "How life can, in an instant, turn a harmless puppy into a ferocious wolf. This is full of tales and situations people can take inspiration from¡ªit''s a manual of sorts on what to do, how not to fall and lose all."


    Felix quickly came beside Sylvester and took a peek. "Hmm¡­ are these new hymns or the old ones?"


    "New."


    "Sweet!" Felix eximed. "I love reading your hymns. can''t wait to be the first reader of this book and use these hymns on pretty nobledies. They dig a good poem."


    Sylvester chuckled and continued to work. "Only if you focused on your training as much as you do in finding a girl. I am about to rank up, my friend; move fast, or I''ll leave you behind."


    "What! In what? Knight or Wizard rank? Wait, why are you not wearing the rank te even now?"


    Sylvester shrugged, dismissing it as not a big deal. "Lost it to the Shadow Knight when it came after me. Haven''t got time to go to the administration office and get a new one yet."


    Thud!


    "My lord!"


    All of a sudden, a loud thump of the foot resounded, and at the gate of his tent, a crusader knight appeared, saluting him. "The Baron has returned, my lord. Prima Jason Woods hase to invite you."


    ''Goodd, it seems training them didn''t go to waste.'' Sylvester proudly nodded. He had given the men a short session on marching and behaving with the senior, especially in a public setting.


    "At ease. Tell the Prima that I will be at the castle in a few minutes. Tell Lady Aurora, Priest Gabriel and Bishop Lazark to meet me there too." He ordered and started to gather his luggage.


    He looked around and found Mirajzily sleeping near the entrance, with sunlight falling on him. He went close to him and lightly tapped him without acting suspicious. He then left behind his items so Miraj could eat them and also follow him back.


    Sylvester didn''t take horses this time as the camp was not too far away from the castle. On his way, others also joined him, all except Isabe. Sylvester didn''t allow her to meet any high nobles because the chances of them having seen her before were very high.


    "The Baron is likely not going to be helpful." Sylvester briefed them. "Let''s try the old tactics of good guy and bad guy. Lady Aurora and Felix, you be the crooks, threaten him of destroying his house if they don''t cooperate. Then I will appear, shining like a night star, and gently ask him."


    "Got it!" Lady Aurora agreed immediately.


    "What if they still disagreed?" Felix asked.


    Sylvester faced Bishop Lazark this time. "If love and anger fail, then fear shall prevail. Everyone wets themselves in front of a necromancer, after all. I''m sure the Bishop can do a trick to get the job done."


    "I can melt one of their bodies and turn them into undead."


    "..."


    "Calm down, Bishop." Sylvester quickly stopped him. "We want to scare them, not kill them. Just summon one of your undeads; they have to have a few skeletons lying under theirnds."


    "Understood, Lord Bard."


    Soon they arrived near the castle walls. They had a lot more guards now since the Baron had returned. The Prima was also waiting for them near the gates.


    "Lord Bard and Lady Tenth! I hope you had a good night''s sleep. Come, the Baron has ordered for a feast to be held to honour your holy arrival to thesends." Prima Jason started his usual bootlicking.


    ''I can actually use a feast right now. Been a few days since I''ve had a proper meal.'' Sylvester thought and followed the Prima inside.


    The castle, from the inside, was like any other ordinary castle. Most castles he had seen were identical unless they belonged to a king or some high noble. Most didn''t have much character or vour in them. And this one was one of those extra nd ones.


    There were no decorations other than some paintings and a fewnterns to illuminate the castle. There were no gold or beautiful carvings. Only once they arrived in a ce one could call the great hall they saw some decorations in the form of silk curtains and engravings. But gold was still nowhere to be seen, nor silver or any other precious stone.<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester didn''t speak and let Gabriel announce their names and positions, all for the sake of building superiority in thetter''s mind.


    "Baron Redman, you are in the presence of Lady Aurora, Tenth Guardian of Light. Lord''s Bard and Grand Crusader, Sylvester Maximilian, and Sword of Solis, Felix Sandwall." Gabriel announced as they were the most senior. Bishop Lazark was left, as it was better if he didn''te into focus.


    The Baron was fat. There was no telling where his chest ended and belly started; it was all just a big bloat. His face was so fat that his eyes, nose and mouth seemed like a small spot over his colossal head. His cheeks resembled a bulldog as well. He had dirty red hair and ck eyes, nothing that would say he was of nobility; even his clothes were that of any average merchant.


    "Your holy presence has truly graced thisnd and the castle, Lord Bard and Lady Tenth. I wee you to my humble abode and the feast I have prepared." The Baron spoke sweetly; his voice was not manly either.


    Sylvester agreed, appreciative of the attitude, and decided to first see the Baron''s whole family and understand what they were like. "Thank you, my lord. Please guide the way."


    So they soon arrived in the dining hall, where a big long table was set, and the servants were cing the dishes on it, decorating it.


    But what Sylvester was amazed at was that other than the servants and ves, everyone else was fat, including the Baroness and likely the daughters of the Baron.


    "This is my small family. My wife and my five daughters. They are my world; they are my everything." The Baron introduced Sylvester to everyone.


    ? ''If his sixth daughter was supposed to be uglypared to these, then she must have probably been a demon.'' Sylvester thought to himself and took a seat.


    He listened to everyone making small talk and eating. He could feel the happiness in the family. There was joy, warmth and excitement for some reason.


    "How was the Duke, my lord?" Sylvester asked.


    The Baron''s eyes shined as if he waited for this to be asked. "He''s marvellous, my lord. He is brilliant and should have been the King, honestly. He decided topensate us, lords, if our crops suffered any climate disaster. He even helped me set up marriages for all my daughters¡ªhe''s amazing."


    ''He means whatever he says¡­ Interesting.'' Sylvester nodded and ate his food.


    He didn''t ask the man anything until lunch ended when they proceeded into the Baron''s sr. The ce also appeared ordinary, with nothing but a wooden desk and some bookshelves around the walls.


    "Baron Redman, we are investigating the murders of noble women around the kingdom¡ªwhich urred in a simr fashion as your sixth daughter''s. Kidnapped, murdered, breasts cut. Do you have any clue about the culprit or any suspicions?" Sylvester asked as he sat in front of the Baron with a small diary in his hand.


    The Baron rubbed his shin and moved across the room to open a drawer embedded into the wall. "As much as it was saddening what happened to her, I have now gotten over her death. Call me heartless, but none of us loved her. She was an ugly little thing, cruel in mind and nasty in the tongue. Always creating trouble and hurting the servants. She even beheaded our little cats.


    "But I did investigate it and found this little knife near the murder location." The Baron brought the knife draped in red silk cloth.


    Sylvester took it and checked it closely. "Hmm¡­ this is too ordinary to be of any use to us. There are no markings, and it appears to be crudely made. Can you tell us about the murderer? Did you see him? A man by the name of Sir Kenworth?"


    The Baron shook his head. "None at all, lord bard. This is a remote part of the world. We''re just farmers here making a living in the fields. You are the only outsider to visit us in months, and trust me when I say it, if anyone from outside enters mynds¡ªI''d know."


    Sylvester frowned and cursed in his mind. ''Damn it; this is useless. The entire trip was for nothing. So many months and still nothing.''


    "So there is nothing that can help us find the murderer?" Lady Aurora stood up.


    "I''m afraid I can''t help, esteemeddy."


    "What now?" Felix blurted, looking at Sylvester.


    Sylvester also stood up and bowed his head lightly. "May the holy light enlighten you, my lord. I must take my leave now. We shall leave yournds in a day."


    "You can stay as long as you wish, lord bard. I am honoured to meet you." The Baron saw them out of the castle and entered the town.


    Sylvester was frustrated and felt helpless. There was no clue to take the next step now. ''Where should I go now? Back to Lord Inquisitor? No, that won''t help us. There has to be something. There is no such thing as a perfect crime.''


    Bam!


    All of a sudden, in the crowded town market, a young boy crashed into him. Sylvester quickly helped, "Be careful, child. Watch where you''re going."


    "I-I came to see you, m-my lord." The boy scaredly spoke and took out a little piece of paper from his pocket. "H-He told me to give you this."


    "Who?" Sylvester looked left and right in a frown. But his heart knew what this would be¡ªanother blessing in a mysterious disguise.


    He took the parchment and found a cryptic message on it. ''Search where you shouldn''t. For the sinner sits where you wouldn''t. High on thedder, they create chaos, for they have no ethos ¨C S.S.R.''


    "S.S.R?"

 Chapter 210 210. Sylvester Vs Lady Aurora

    "What''s this now? A mystery well-wisher?" Felix took the parchment and read it as well.


    Sylvester was meanwhile in more confusion than he had begun with. The short message could mean many things, but what gave him the headache was the big question. ''Who and why?''


    As far as he remembered, he had no real friends in such ces where they could help him. Inquisitor high lord would have solved the case if that was the case. So, who was this secret helper now? And does this mean he has infiltrated high ces?


    He had more questions than answers. Not to mention, there was another possibility; it could just be a ploy by someone to steer his investigation away.


    "Boy, who gave this to you? Can you describe him?" Sylvester focused on the kid, likely ten years old.


    The boy was clearly scared of the tall and armoured bunch of them. So Sylvester knelt down and handed him a silver coin. "Tell me, and you can have another."


    "Tall man! He was very tall and wore big ck robes with a hood. I only saw his long white beard, but not his face. He gave me one gold grace and asked me to give you the thing." The boy answered while his eyes remained on the coin.


    "Did he tell you anything about himself?"


    "No." The boy shook his head firmly. "He give me money, and I work. I made more money than I would in two months. This is my happy month."


    Of course, the boy didn''t know what he did or what it meant. Amoner''s life starts with surviving and ends the same way. So the boy''s happiness was understandable.


    Sylvester smelled no lies, so being honest with his words, he handed him two Silver Crowns. "Don''t spend it all, kid. Give it to your mother and tell her to buy food with it."


    "I will, my lord. Bye-bye." The boy ran away quickly.


    Sylvester got up and looked back seriously. "I don''t know who is behind this. Let''s move on and discuss our next steps in Lady Aurora''s carriage."


    He knew he was very smart, but Lady Aurora and Bishop Lazark were too, and above all, they were more experienced. So he decided to include them in the suggestions.


    They all arrived back inside the carriage as it had excellent noise instion. Then, around the little table in the middle, they talked about the message.


    "The message clearly tells you to go for the highest seat in the kingdom." Felix started.


    "But it could also be talking about the highest seat in the Duchy or the County," Gabriel chimed in.


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and didn''t ignore the remaining part of the message. "It talked about somewhere I would never sit. Somewhere I shouldn''t look¡ªSomewhere high on the socialdder. That leaves us the highest nobles of the kingdom. The King and the Dukes. Me being a clergyman of ordinary background, even if I were to leave the church somehow, I would never get to be in their shoes."


    "King and Crown Prince, perhaps?" Lady Aurora blurted.


    "No!" Isabe opposed. They were talking about her brothers, after all.


    Sylvester patted her shoulder and shook his head. "You can''t say that you know your brothers well, Isabe. Everyone has two sides, one they show to family and one they let out when they hold power. Every noble is under suspicion, and until we haven''t caught the culprit, we shall keep looking for him in all castle halls."


    "B-But¡­ why would my brothers do something like this?"


    "Only they can answer it," Sylvester replied and made up his mind. He wanted to ignore the message he had received as there was a high chance it was meant to mislead him. But, seeing the initials printed on it, S.S.R., it meant that the person behind it wanted him to find him out.


    Not that he had any other choice, either.


    "We''re close to the Duke, so let''s pay him a visit." Sylvester decided. "And Isabe, do not think we''re going out of our way to incriminate your family. We''re only doing our job; if you can''t set aside your personal feelings, you better return to Green City."


    She vigorously shook her head. "No, I cut my hair and did all this to help you investigate. If one of my brothers is found to be behind this, then I will dly ept any punishment you inflict on me¡ªus."


    Without furthering the discussion, Sylvester went out and ordered the crusaders to move out. But they were going to spend the night there again as they were already toote.


    "Crusade Commanders Eros, Hartwin, Gibbins and Torfin, report to me in my tent." Sylvester moved away after ordering a group of crusaders.


    These four were the crusademanders that Sylvester had selected after the past few days of close observation. He looked for intelligence, presence of mind, magical and knightly abilities, and above all, the origin. He avoided any nobles as he believed they were the fastest to go corrupt. Meanwhile, themoners had suffered the plight themselves, so they didn''t readily inflict it upon others.


    These four men eachmanded a battalion of 250 men. And Sylvester was training these four, so they could pass on the teachings to other soldiers. All in the hopes that one day they''d be his elite troops¡ªonly loyal to him.


    But he also knew that to win loyalty, he first needed to do something worthy of it.


    "Maxy, can I go and see the market?" Miraj spoke as they were alone in his tent.


    Sylvester looked at the furry boy. "Thest time you went, you nearly died. You still want to go? Fine, but do not enter the castle. Who knows what magical means they have? It''s always unpredictable."


    "Aye, Aye, Maxy. I will bring you some fruits too." Miraj quickly ran off.


    ''You mean a banana.'' Sylvester thought and silently worked on a few parchments.


    Thud!


    "My lord, you called us?"


    Soon, the four men arrived in front of Sylvester. Each of them came from a varying background, either in service of some merchant group or some lord before starting the crusade.


    "At least take seats," Sylvester ordered them and extended the four parchments he was writing on.


    "I have something to discuss with you three. Since I''ve been training you in leadership and battle warfare, I''ve only focused on marching and teamwork. Now the time hase to begin the actual battle training and various formations. Also, skills in how to deal with various conditions and fight an enemy with arger army. How to create traps for the enemies. These documents contain such things, and you must memorise them before burning them away."


    The four men silently read them for a few minutes and nodded. Eros, among them, was a big burly man, smart and always serious. Meanwhile, Hartwin was a tall, serious man. Gibbins was the youngest, and Torfin was a tall, cheerful ck man.


    "This is easy, my lord," Torfin spoke.


    "It''s easy to memorise, but when ites to the actual battlefield and managing hundreds of soldiers, it''s not as easy," Sylvester warned them. After all, it wasn''t just them who had to memorise the formations. Their job was to teach them to other soldiers too.<sub> </sub>


    "You have until tomorrow morning to memorise everything. Good luck." Sylvester dismissed them as his own time to train wasing.


    "Understood, lord bard." They saluted with arms crossed on their chests and left quickly.


    Soon, Sylvester also put his things away. ''I should start working on my next strong move. I hope Lady Aurora will be good enough to help.''


    Sylvester had realised by now that he stood at a unique ce in history as a man with an extreme amount of light magic affinity and a strong affinity with all other elements. He had the opportunity toe up with unique attacks never seen before.


    But, the Wrath of Heavens had its own shorings. It was small, too precise, and the move was wasted if missed. Hence, he wished to have something that could damage arge area in a single action.


    So, he soon arrived in an open field far away from the town and the Baron. The field had its crops recently harvested, so they had enough space to fight. The weather was also great, sunny and warm.


    "Ready?" Lady Aurorazily stood a few metres away from Sylvester, not taking him seriously.


    Sylvester held his spear in his right hand, ready to act. "Let''s make this one count."


    "Woohoo! Beat her ass, Max!" Felix was shouting from the distant side.


    ''I don''t think I can. Hmm¡­ I need a strategy.'' Sylvester thought, knowing the difference between him and Lady Aurora was huge. He''d need to live for decades to reach her level, and that is if he went all out in pursuit of power. Otherwise, it''d require a century.


    This was not a spar. This was going to be a real half-serious fight where they were allowed to injure one another as long as it was not a mortal wound. But, of course, they were taking this risk only because Isabe was there to heal them.


    "Make the first move, blondie."


    Sylvester grunted. ''Alright, I''ll have to make her bleed at least and shut her mouth.''


    Sylvester knew that the difference in their physical strength was enormous too. And most likely, Lady Aurora had experience fighting against all elemental wizards in the past. So, he decided to use a light element, one she had probably never fought against.


    ''Firstes the disturbance.''


    Sylvester didn''t charge ahead. Instead, he started running around Lady Aurora, making arge circle and releasing tens of Whirling Fire Storms. The tornadoes provided good space to remain out of Lady Aurora''s sight.


    "Haha, you want to beat me with this?" She boomed.


    Sylvester didn''t respond and kept running, slowly inching closer to her by making the circle smaller. ''Nowes the clones.''


    Woosh!


    He tried it for the first time but believed it should work. So he used light magic to the fullest and covered his entire body with light, so much so that he only appeared as a humanoid body made of light.


    But that was only the beginning, as he used light magic to create simr humanoid bodies around himself, identical in height and size. There were twenty in total, his limit.


    ''Good, I smell doubt now.'' He cheered, sensing Lady Aurora could not tell which was the real him.


    "Hiding now, Blondie?"


    ''Try all you want, I shall not speak.'' He knew she was trying to find the real him.


    ''Now the next step¡ªattack!''


    Twenty light clones started running in circles as well and slowly inched closer, now faster. They were all identical, so there was no telling which one was real.


    "Ha!"


    Finally, Lady Aurora made a move as she used her sword to send a slicing de made of wind magic.


    Shh¡­!


    It passed right through a few of the clones. She then repeated it, wishing to hit all clones.


    But Sylvester had prepared something else. His aim was to push himself, after all. So he tried to replicate the Wrath of Heaven from each of his clones.


    Boom!


    Twenty beams of light got sent off towards her in the middle. The light was so intense that everything else outside the close vicinity seemed ck. Meanwhile, the heat was menacing.


    "Not today!" She scoffed, and just as the beams of light were about to strike her, she jumped into the air.


    But¡­


    "Hah! Got you!" Sylvester boomed and swung his spear, as right above her head he appeared.


    sh!


    ________________________


    750 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 211 211. Bystander Endangered

    sh!


    The moment she reached her maximum height, to her utter shock, Sylvester was there, waiting for her on a light tile like an angel of death. He swung his spear at her face with all his strength. It smoothly burnished past her face, leaving a long streak of flesh wound on her cheek.


    Blood oozed out of it, shocking her to the extreme as even harming her physically was impossible for most.


    Thud!


    Once theynded, she touched her cheek and saw her blood. "Ah¡­ I had forgotten the colour of my blood. And you, Archpriest¡ªYou purposely hid you became an Archwizard? Now don''t mind if I go a bit harder."


    "Fuck!" It was all Sylvester could utter once he nced at the sky.


    He remembered that the codename of Lady Aurora was ''Thunderfall''. Why was she named that? He did not know, and it seemed he was about to learn it.


    Boom!


    The sky started to turn dark, with dense clouds overtaking and shrouding the sunlight. Then slowly, the thunder began to boom and flicker all around.


    "Don''t think you have achieved greatness by merely scratching me, Archpriest Sylvester. You have a long way ahead¡ªBut right now, feel the dread."


    Sylvester quickly made space between himself and Lady Aurora. "Calm down, woman. Don''t go overboard with your move. You might end up killing me."


    But she merely smirked and showed no signs of taking back her attack. The thunderstorm slowly started to intensify, and nearby, Sylvester began to strike the ground. Where it fell, it left behind a fiery red spot as the ground heated to extreme temperatures.


    ''Alright, as long as it''s just the thunder, I just need to redirect it.'' Sylvester didn''t feel too scared and instead covered himself inside a bog cocoon of the light shield. The shield was round and translucent, so he could see what went on outside.


    Boom!


    For the first time, the thunder fell directly on Sylvester''s shield. Now, since his shield was made of light, definitely not a conductive material, the thunder just got absorbed into the ground after hitting him.


    He smirked while looking at Lady Aurora. "It seems the Thunderfall has failed."


    Boom!


    Boom!


    "Ah, I said it too early!" Instantly, stronger thunderbolts repeatedly struck the same spot of his shield this time and caused a crack to appear.


    Boom!


    Lady Aurora seemed not to go easy and kept the strike of thunderbolts concentrated on one spot. It was faster than the rate Sylvester could fix the shield with his light magic.


    Bam!


    "Fuck!" The thunderbolt finally entered his shield sphere. And then, the dance ensued since it waspletely insting. The thunder had nowhere to escape. So, it was just bouncing around while Sylvester jumped for his dear life.


    He knew that the moment he opened the shield, he''d get struck by a dozen more thunderbolts as they were falling outside like literal rain. Now it all made sense why her code was ''Thunderfall''.


    ''This woman has gone crazy. Did I hurt her pride?'' He wondered in silence and tried to find a way out.


    He was in his chamber of misery as he tried to iste the thunderbolt stuck inside his shield by making a separating wall. It was easy, but the thunderbolt was too fast.


    ''The only way out is down.'' He made up his mind and quickly made the shield denser, not allowing Lady Aurora to see him inside.


    Quickly, he created some clearance for himself to go underground. Then, he used the Earth runes to make a tunnel while maintaining the shield. It took nearly all his mental capacity to focus on two magical elements separately. But, slowly, it started to make progress.


    In no time, he had enough space to crawl underground. But as he left the shield behind to act as a decoy, his focus flickered, and the wall separating the thunderbolt was freed, though thankfully, most of it got absorbed by the earth.


    Bam!


    "Aargh! Good lord... It hit my butt!" Sylvester now had the pleasure of knowing what it felt like to be hit in the back by thunder. It was not pleasing at all as he felt the burning, the sting and the vibrations.


    But he was utterly focused on ending this battle now at all costs. If he couldn''t defeat her directly, indirect means were always wee. After all, in a real battle, all that matters is that you win¡ªnot how you win.


    He dug the tunnel underground towards Lady Aurora. He had already calcted everything. He knew how far she was and how much he had to dig. Not to mention, he had left behind a rune to make it appear he was still making a shield when he entered the ground.


    He moved towards her at great speed and slowly arrived just underneath her. ''Alright, the element of surprise is my only friend. She also underestimates me greatly. So, let''s try this.''


    Sylvester didn''t have arge window of opportunity since he expected the light rune to vanish at any moment now. So, he focused all his magic towards the top and lightly dug up. Eventually, he felt he hade near the surface.


    ''Alright! One.. two¡­ go!''


    Woosh!


    Boom!


    "Take this!" Sylvester dug his arms out of the surface, grabbed the legs of Lady Aurora and pulled her down into the ground. He didn''t waste a moment and used Earth elemental maniption to fill the gaps and trap herpletely.


    At the same time, he imed out of the ground and looked down at the protruding head of Lady Aurora smugly. "How does the dirt taste like,dy Aurora?"


    "Pfft Haha¡­ look again." She scoffed.


    Sylvester looked down and found his feet were also in the grasp of Lady Aurora. He didn''t feel them as it seemed she had caught him right when he was getting out. He realised he was never that far ahead of her as she could quickly negate everything with her enormous strength.


    "Archpriest Sylvester, you have genuinely baffled me with your improved battle tactics and presence of mind. But you can never win against raw strength unless you inflict a killing blow. Me being dug into the ground is as much of a hindrance as standing in water.


    Sylvester sighed. "So, what now?"


    "ept defeat, or else I won''t pull you into the ground, but rather break your ankles. Isabe can easily heal them, but you will feel pain." Lady Aurora threatened.<sub> </sub>


    "I''d tell you to reconsider, Lady Aurora. I still have onest move! It may not kill you, but it can certainly do something worse!"


    He quickly ced his right palm near his chest while looking down. It was facing the head of Lady Aurora. Then, he started singing a hymn, and a halo appeared behind his head.


    ?O'' holy ethereal light of the lord.


    Shine bright for the sake of your bard.


    Rests my enemy under my feet¨Cour fight stalled.


    May your light burn¡ªso she may be left bald!?


    "What!" Lady Aurora was alerted by the word ''bald''. She loved her hair like any other self-respecting woman. They were the love of her life as they made her appear feminine¡ªher silky, shiny, beautiful brown hair.


    ?Bald! Bald! Bald! She smiles so smugly!


    O'' lord, may my light turn her fugly!?


    Lady Aurora''s eyes showed worry for the first time as she smelled of tangerines, signifying anxiety. But it felt sweet to Sylvester as he kept singing.


    She felt stuck, as she knew the shining light on Sylvester''s palm would hit her if she tried to get out or break his ankle.


    ?The perfectdy, or so she was called.


    Nothing will be left, only the ugly bald.?


    "Truce!" She shouted. "If I break your ankle, it will hurt. If you hurt me, I will go bald. Let''s call it a draw, okay?"


    But Sylvester didn''t stop, for he realised that she loved her hair more than he loved his feet. The deal was in his favour as he knew Isabe could fix his feet in minutes, but hair, once gone, would take months to return.


    So, he continued to sing¡ªlouder!


    ?Look, the vile confidence in her eyes.


    O'' lord, her hair, show them its demise.?


    She cursed openly. "You runt! This is preposterous! This is dishonourable! This is ckmail!"


    ?Now my sermones to an end.


    For she has decided to¨C?


    "I surrender! Look, I''ve released your feet." She begrudgingly released him, but her eyes appeared truly angered as she had never expected to lose like this.


    Sylvester didn''t even wait to help her out. Instead, he simply ran away because he knew she was mad. "See you in town, Lady Aurora! And I won! haha¡­!"


    Of course, hisughs were the salt on her wounds as she slowly pulled herself off the ground with her teeth gritting. However, she didn''t chase Sylvester, as even she knew what he did was absolutely amazing.


    ''That rascal! He acts so honourable and enlightening but is so scummy at times.'' Sheined to herself.


    However, then she noticed a certain tall, ck-haired boy. So she went to him, caught his ear, and pulled him away. "So you wanted him to beat my ass, ha?"


    Felix tried to fight. "W-What? I never challenged you, myd¨C"


    "But I did take you three as my students. Get ready now."


    Bam!


    ¡­


    Back in town, Sylvester went right away to find Isabe to get his minor injuries healed. However, she lived in Lady Aurora''s carriage, so he knew he was still in dangerous territory and wished to get it done quickly.


    "W-What happened to you, Sylvester?" Isabe worriedly helped him over and started healing him. Her eyes showed genuine worry, and that was something Sylvester appreciated.


    "Nothing, a friendly spar with Lady Aurora."


    "Who won?" She inquired while applying ointment to his face and then using healing magic to seal the wounds.


    "I did." He proimed.


    Bam!


    Just then, the carriage door opened, and Gabriel appeared, holding Felix by the shoulder.


    "I-Ishabera¡­ herp¡­"


    "I guess you didn''t win?" Sylvester held hisughter, seeing Felix''s swollen face, bumps on his head, and bloodied face.


    Felix showed the middle finger. "F-Fuck ewh!"


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 212 212. Song Of The Crusade

    Thankfully, Isabe was a great healer when it came to minor wounds, and for that, she instantly became everyone''s favourite. Still, even when Sylvester did see her in a positive light, it was never with irrational blind trust.


    But the crusaders were also happy with her as she healed the injured men. She was more like a real Bright Mother at this point.


    After a day of training, they left Baron Redman''snds to reach the Duke the next day. They hoped to make the whole journey in one go.


    "You did well, Archpriest Sylvester." Lady Aurora praised him as they sat around in therge carriage, doing their own things. Gabriel and Bishop Lazark were reading books. Felix was outside, messing around with Crusaders, while Lady Isabe stared boredly at the road. Miraj was, as always, sleeping on Sylvester''sp.


    "If it was a real fight, I believe I would have died, Lady Aurora. You need not act humble with me. I know my body''s reality." Sylvester replied while he prepared a few throwing knives for himself.


    Lady Aurora took one and sharpened it too. "And if this were a real battle, I would have been blinded in one eye. So don''t humble yourself either, Archpriest. That clone move you made, if you had wished to, you could have thrust that spear into my eye¡ªmy weakest point."


    That Sylvester also knew. "I do have a decent brain, I guess."


    "Indeed, and that makes you all the more deadly. Mastery over the body and mind at the same time is the toughest nut to crack. It is often the mind you subdue thest, but in your case, it''s the opposite. From what I''ve seen, you''re smart and mature, but your body has be its own limitation." She put the de down and stared into his eyes. "Yet, at seventeen, you have be an Archwizard. This is not normal, Archpriest¡ªyou will have many eyes on you¡ªmany wizards will be after your blood."


    "I know. Nearly everyone I meet tries to kill me." Sylvester grunted.


    "You misunderstood me. I meant they''d literally be after your blood to do tests and see how you can grow so strong so fast¡ªthey''d try to learn how to unlock their own potential too. So, try your best not to be turned into an experimental cat." She gravely warned.


    And certainly, the warning sent rm bells ringing in his head. ''How do I protect my blood now?''


    "Wait! Experimental cats?" Sylvester blurted. "They use cats for experimentation?"


    She nodded as if it was nothing major. "Of course, they are the favourite for most wizards experimenting with body tempering or some other biological magic."


    Sylvester''s eyes instantly darted towards hisp. ''Could Chonky be someone''s test subject?''


    But there was no way of knowing it unless he were to look into various records in the Holy Land. Not to mention, Miraj had no real name, so what happened to him before being turned invisible was impossible to know. Nevertheless, the fact that he breathed was proof enough that he was alive.


    "Lord Bard, see this."


    He was brought back to his senses by Bishop Lazark''s call. "What is it, bishop?"


    "Look at this coin. I bartered this coin from the child who handed you that little message. I found something strange on it." Bishop Lazark said as he held the gold grace in his palm. "Look at the coin. It appears this has been forged, the weight is off by a fraction, and the series number makes no sense. ording to this, the coin was minted on the other side of the continent, but we have no minting factories there. Only the engraving on nk coins is done there."


    Sylvester looked at the coin from up close and nodded. "Hmm, this was clearly minted in one go, from top to bottom, or else the engraving would have shown a slight difference in colour from the base coin."


    Sylvester closed his eyes and thought about all the clues. ''S.S.R? And now this. The initials don''t make sense, but this coin screams at me, telling me toe to the West side of Sol. But why would someone invite me? Could it really be that spy? But the kid said the man had a long white beard. A real old man or a disguise?''


    "May I keep this coin, Bishop?"


    "Sure, lord bard. It''s useless anyway, or else, if caught, it cannd one in trouble."


    Sylvester silently kept trying to find anything else on the coin. It was clearly not a coincidence. It was supposed to reach him one way or another.


    ''So many mysteries; I''m starting to understand now how tough being a Pope may be. He probably deals with a dozen such mysteries every day.''


    Eventually, he gave up trying to read anything more and just looked outside the window. They were halfway through the way, and the Crusaders sang the Song of the Crusade while marching with their horses.


    The roaring singing voice was disciplined and felt like one, which made listening to it greatly pleasant.


    "You''re amazing at writing songs, Sylvester." Princess Isabe spoke in awe of a thousand men singing together.


    "That''s my thing, Isabe." Sylvester chuckled and started to hum along.


    ?My brother on the left, brother on the right.


    Wee together for the evil we must fight.


    Vanquish the darkness and paint the world in holy light,


    Fear not; we''re the end of all your plight!?


    ?Move the legs, move the hooves, now we march!


    Vows we have taken, no sin we shall silently watch.


    Our hearts and honour remain forever tidy.


    For we are the mighty, in service of the almighty.?


    ?Off with the arm, off with the leg, off with the head.


    In the hearts of unholy shall rise all but dread.


    Strong, we stand tall, until all fears are shed.


    In name of the lord, we fight until our body lies dead.?


    ?The reason we were made¡ªfor justice, our lives we trade.


    No matter how heavy the price that must be paid.


    We stand mighty, never afraid¡ªWe are the men of holy crusade!"?<sub> </sub>


    The song of the march was blood-pumping and exciting for all men, so they didn''t get as tired as they usually would have. After all, travelling was too dull in the current times.


    But that seemed to being to a change as Felix eximed beside the carriage. "Woah! Look at that tree. A man and a woman are kissing¡­ so much lov¡ªWait, is that a rope around their necks¡ªFrick! They jumped!"


    Bam!


    Sylvester also saw the scene take ce. They were nearing a town, so they didn''t act surprised to see people. But, as the army marched, and the carriage passed by, he noticed a middle-aged woman and a young man kissing on the tree¡ªand then hanging themselves.


    Out of reflex, Sylvester jumped out of the carriage and threw one of the throwing knives he was preparing. It cut the rope in the middle as the man and the woman tied one end of it each and jumped in opposite directions.


    But, it appeared the woman was heavier. Hence her weight pulled the man further up, harming him more.


    Thud!


    The woman fell to the ground on her back, but the man hung onto the branch and remained on the tree.


    "Soldiers! Hold this woman strong!" Sylvester quickly ordered and looked up. "You, gentleman,e down."


    "No! I will never! Go away. I love Jenny; if we can''t be each other''s, we''ll be nobody''s!"


    Sylvester folded his arms. "Fine then, jump down. I will catch you."


    The man panicked and angrily growled. "Just go away! Why are you hindering my life? Let us end it ourselves. It''s our wish."


    "Foolish boy!" A Crusader roared. "Speak with respect, for you stand before the Bard of the Lord, great Sylvester Maximilian."


    ''When did they add ''great'' before my name?'' Sylvester noticed the subtle changes.


    "No! Whoever you are, I don''t care. Let Jenny climb up and give me the rope." The man barked.


    Sylvester grunted and nced behind. The Crusaders were now fully invested in thismotion. ''Ugh! If I don''t show a good side here, they''d forever see me as a heartless bastard. I might lose a few loyalty points from them.''


    Sylvester sighed and spoke into Bishop Lazark''s ear something. Following this, Bishop used a low-tier spell to bring out a skeleton from the ground. It was the lowest-level undead. The skeleton belonged to someone random from the past.


    "You see this?" Sylvester pointed at the skeleton. "Come down, or else, if you die, I will ask this man here to enve you as his undead forever. Do you want that?"


    "..."


    The man fell silent, and clearly, fear took over his heart. He didn''t say anything and slowly climbed down the tall tree.


    Bam!


    He was quickly caught by soldiers and made to sit with the woman. Now, when Sylvester looked at them, they appeared mismatched. The woman seemed like a middle-aged mother, while the man was young, maybe twenty. Both had simr ck hair and brown eyes but were definitely not rted.


    Soon, Sylvester and his gang stood in front of the two jumpers as he asked. "Speak in the name of the lord. Why did you try to end your lives?"


    The woman dejectedly spoke. "I love Harris, forever will! I can not imagine a life without him, ever. We are one and the same."


    Felix scoffed as if it was a simple problem. "Just run away then. What''s the big deal? It happens all the time around the world."


    "We can''t." Harris cried. "We sadly can''t."


    The womanpleted. "I can''t go. I am married to a different man¡ªagainst my will."


    Sylvester sighed, not knowing what he should do or what he was allowed to do in these civil matters. Marriage-rted disputes were the local noble or chiefwman''s matters. "How long have you been married?"


    "O-One year, my lord. Harris and I have been together for a long time, but his parents refused to wed him to an older woman like me." Jenny exined.


    ''She''s lying somehow¡ªI can smell it!'' Sylvester was alerted by the faint smell.


    "Tell me the truth, why can''t you run away? Or else, I have enough ways to make you speak." he tried scaring her. With a thousand men around there, intimidation was the easiest thing to do.


    Lady Aurora also angrily voiced. "Speak, woman. Or we shall hold you for adultery, and you should know the punishment for it."


    Harris kowtowed. "My lord, she has twin kids!"


    Lady Aurora felt confused and asked further. "And?"


    Jenny swallowed her saliva. "T-The twins are not my husband''s¡­ they are Harris''."


    "..."


    Sylvester annoyedly rubbed his face. But he wished not to waste too much time, as thews werepletely clear in this case. "You two buffoons. You could have run away before, but you instead ruined another man''s life, also the kids''.


    "Anyhow, Article Null One of the Marriage Law of Solis stiptes that adultery shall be punished by hanging till death. So, unless you, woman, can get your husband to forgive you publicly¡ªsay goodbye to your necks. Or¡­"


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 213 213. Duke Of Ironstone

    "Or, return to your husband, tell him everything,pensate him with all the wealth you two hold, and take the children. I suppose the kids are not even a year old, so this will hurt less. Ultimately, I do not wish to see the children suffering from your vile actions. If you die together, all fingers will point to a love affair¡ªhence your husband will live in shame and doubt if the kids are even his. If you run away with this man, your husband might again kill himself in shame."


    Sylvester tried to find an optimal solution for the two lovers. He didn''t care about these two but did worry about the current husband and the kids. "ept this, or die publically."


    "B-But, my lord¡ªwhere will we go after that? This vige is our home. Won''t the children starve?" Jenny, the woman asked.


    Sylvester eyed her in disgust. "Should have thought about that before getting married and spawning children. This is a mess of your own making. If you feel you can not take care of the twins, then hand them to the Monastery¡ªnot here, but in a bigger Monastery, perhaps in a city."


    Lady Aurora backed his advice. "Nobody needs to die if you do it right. But don''t forget, those two kids are yours. If you leave them, forget reaching the arms of the lord after dying¡ªyou will forever be left in misery, wherever it is."


    The couple looked at each other in confusion. But, of course, they wanted to live. So it took them only a short time to agree.


    The woman responded. "W-We agree to do as you suggest, my lord. But what if my husband refuses to forgive me and let me go?"


    Sylvester looked to the left and called two Crusaders randomly while addressing the woman. "Tell him to think about the innocent children and not orphan them. Plead him to bepassionate in the name of the lord. Rub your face on his feet if you have to, and do all you can to ask for forgiveness¡ªboth of you.


    "These two Crusaders are to remain here and watch you confess everything. If, after all your attempts, he refuses to forgive you, then, as per thew, I ampelled to hand you over to the Monastery and get your two hanged. In that case, these two men will give the twins to the nearby city''s Monastery."


    Felix nudged them. "You were going to kill yourself anyway. So you have nothing to lose and everything to gain."


    "Understood, my lord." The two weepingly agreed.


    Sylvester didn''t waste any more time and walked back into the carriage. "Other than the two Crusaders, all soldiers march out!"


    The rest also entered the carriage, and soon the long march of the Crusaders resumed with an echoing hymn enough to shiver hearts.


    "We wasted an hour on those two. Let''s hurry up now." Sylvester spoke to one of the Crusademanders near the carriage window.


    As the journey began again, Isabe came to sit beside him and asked. "Why were you against letting the children be given to the local monastery?"


    "Because the monasteries in the city have a higher oversight of the Holy Land. Let''s say one day; those twins turned out to be highly talented. Then they''d be quickly sent to the Holy Land. But, in a smaller monastery, some cruel caretakers may show the talent as low in the documents and ask for extra funds from the Holy Land to provide a better upbringing for the kids. The kids don''t get much, sadly. The money goes into the pockets¡ªand eventually, the potential is wasted." Sylvester exined briefly.


    Isabe appeared shocked by it. "This is new to me. I thought the faith was pure and true."


    "Nothing as big as faith can be pure, Isabe. In an organisation this big, corruption is anything butmon. But, one good thing is that it''s much less than the corruption of nobles inparison. Because while the faith often has to mingle with the people, the nobles are rulers and can easily brush off themoners."


    Why was Sylvester teaching all that, many in the carriage wondered. He was often talking to her about various things rting to administration andws, and none would understand why. But, it was all a part of Sylvester''s n, for he wanted this girl to rise up and turn from a pawn to a yer¡ªunder him.


    "Then, how corrupt is the Gracia Kingdom?" She inquired.


    Felix barked from the side. "About eighty per cent, I''d say. My uncle, who is amander in the Headless Order, sends me letters. He tells how most nobles happily take bribes for ignoring certain low-level thief groups working in their towns or cities. All for a cut of their own.''


    Sylvester agreed and parted some knowledge. "He''s right. Rule one of being a ruler, Isabe¡ªAlways believe the other person is evil and corrupt. This way, if they turn out to be evil, you won''t be shocked, and if they turn out good, your joy will be greater."


    "That''s a very¡­ strange way of thinking," Isabe muttered and silently thought about it. "I hope my brother Daemon isn''t as corrupt. He was always the smartest and the kindest to me. He should have been the King¡ªI don''t know why mother chose Harold."


    ''Oh? What''s this? A silent civil war for the crown? Now this does make the Duke seem full of suspicion. After all, if the nobles revolt against the King, he will benefit the most.''


    Sylvester''s interest in the Duke peaked now. And if the man was truly as smart as Isabe was saying, then it was not hard to imagine.


    All he could do now was hurry and reach the Duke''s Castle at the eastern edge of the Ironstone Duchy.


    ¡­


    Ironstone Duchy was the most prosperous Duchy of the Gracia Kingdom and usually the seat of power of the Crown Prince. The Duchy boasts the most ie in all, as it holds the most fertilends, mines, mountains and gold.


    Years ago, a great battle was fought between Gracia and Riviera to hold thisnd when the Gracia Empire was breaking apart. Since the Duchy rested beyond the Gold River, it was easy for Riveria to attack and control. But the Gracia family knew that if they lost it, they''d lose a massive chunk of their agriculture and industrial output.


    So, the bloodiest battle between two families was fought, dubbed the Battle of Ironstone. It resulted in 80,000 dead, 100,000 permanently wounded, and 110,000 minorly injured. Only after three months and Gracia''s marginal victory, both families recognised the boundaries.


    But, the damage was done as even until now, the losses had not been recovered, for they were too great.


    As they reached the Duke''s Castle, Sylvester and the rest took their horses and rode at the front of the army. Since the Duke was also a Crown Prince, the level of wealth and power was expected to be much higher than the likes of Duke Grimton.


    It was visible from the town sprawling with activity outside Duke''s Castle. Guards were at all times patrolling it. The same guards stopped them as they were entering the town.<sub> </sub>


    It was understandable. They couldn''t just let an army of a thousand enter so casually. So, Sylvester went to exin, along with Lady Aurora.


    It didn''t take them much, and they were allowed to enter. But they could only bring fifty Crusaders along. The rest had to make a camp outside the town. It was an agreeable term, as Sylvester''s goal was only to meet the Duke.


    "People seem prosperous," Sylvestermented, looking at the activities and clothes ofmoners.


    Isabe took pride in it. "Of course, it''s my brother. He was the best during mother''s rule, as he was the Master of Finances. But Harold dismissed him after taking the throne."


    ''He has the money and the motive.''


    Soon, they made their way to the castle. It was huge and rested at the edge of the cliff, beyond which was the Blood Sea. The cliff was steep and high enough to grant a great defence from the east side.


    Meanwhile, on the west side, it appeared the castle was secured behind threeyers of walls. Each was as high as thirty feet, made of stone blocks, with walkways on it that were heavily patrolled.


    Between each wall were a deep moat full of ck water and beastly crocodiles. To cross each wall, one must pass through a thick metal gate, and then cross the drawbridge.


    After crossing the third wall, they were greeted by a beautiful sight, as the colossal castle stood on grasnd with flowers here and there. The castle had beautiful engravings, pointy tops, and greenish stones, with vines and leaves covering every inch of it. The castle screamed that it was the key property of the Gracia family.


    The castle appeared to have five high towers, each going at least six hundred feet. Then there were dozens of smaller towers. All of them were beautifully and symmetrically ced to seem pleasant.


    "Your family certainly knows how to build castles." Sylvesterplimented Isabe.


    She was happy to be seeing it. "This is my first time seeing it! It''s so beautiful and mighty!"


    They soon reached their destination and stopped in front of the massive twin gates made of dark green metal. They dwarfed the guards standing in front of it.


    They were slightly open, and a few people came out.


    One of them appeared to be the Duke himself, as he supported long, elbow-length silky blonde hair and an abundance ofplex clothing under a silky green cape with gold embroidery.


    Behind the man was a gorgeous woman: tall, with an hourss figure. She had ck hair, extremely pale white skin, and ck eyes, and she also wore a tight, silky, ck gown that charmed her figure even more.


    "The guards were quick to inform me, Lady Tenth and Lord Bard. I wee you to Ender Castle, my humble home. I am pleased and blessed by your visits." The Duke warmly spoke, swaying his muscr arms around.


    ''Hmm¡­ why do I smell lies already? What''s there to lie about? He''s annoyed by our visit?'' Sylvester was already alerted.


    "And this is my wife, Lady Artemis¡ªthe love of my life." The Duke also introduced the beautiful woman.


    Lady Artemis moved forward gracefully and greeted them by giving her gloved right hand to Lady Aurora. "It''s a pleasure to meet you, mydy."


    She then turned to Sylvester and looked into his eyes with utter confidence and a look of superiority. But her thin lips were curved into a kind smile, alluring enough to make all not notice the hidden meanings.


    Sylvester also reciprocated and stared into her ck eyes, showcasing his look of apathy, which was best to make one understand they were insignificant to him.


    "Greetings, Lord Bard. I''m quite an admirer of your written hymns. I hope to be blessed by your soothing voice." She extended her hand.


    "Pleasure is all mine, mydy." Sylvester kissed the back of her hand.


    "W-What?!" He blurted suddenly.


    "Any problem, my lord?" Lady Artemis inquired, her tone appearing amused.


    As he straightened himself, he kept a in smiling face, but his instincts screamed. ''Good god! Why from her? Who is she? What is she? Why this strong bitterness¡ªwhy death?''


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 214 214. Tempted

    Sylvester was always aware of threats around him as he smelled them. But, in this case, to his utter shock, she appeared normal and didn''t send off any threatening scents. But all of a sudden, now she smelled of death.


    ''What is this? Is my life in danger of ending, or does she smell of death in general? Who is she?'' He asked himself, albeit keeping a stoic face.


    Just then, the Duke came forward and wrapped his hand around her waist. "This is my Duchess. A few years ago, when I was on a hunt alone, I was attacked by a pack of Great Lions. She saved me and healed my minor wounds. I offered her a job at the castleter, and slowly, you have us standing here."


    "That''s so romantic! Why didn''t you invite me to the wedding?"


    Sylvester and the rest parted aside and let the speakere forward. A short-haired, blonde woman in Bright Mother''s robes.


    "Isabe? Is that you?"


    "Hmph! You don''t even recognise your little sister anymore?" Isabe pouted and ran forward to hug the Duke.


    Sylvester kept a firm eye on them this time and noticed what the Duke was feeling. And to his satisfaction, there was nothing but love and warm feelings of siblings.


    The Duke hugged her, then pushed her back to look at her face and caressed it. "Why are you here? And why did you cut your hair? Now you look like a pretty boy."


    "She looks fine to me." Felix blurted.


    The Duke instantly red at Felix and asked. "Who might you be, young man?"


    Felix respectfully replied. "I am God''s Favoured Candidate, Felix Sandwall, your grace."


    Duke''s eyes shined. "Aha! Count Sandwall''sd? Are you going to stay in the clergy forever?"


    Felix blurted instantly. "Not the n. I will settle down when I feel connected with a certain someone."


    The Duke''s eyes shone. "What do you thi-"


    Isabe punched the Duke''s stomach lightly. "Why don''t you show me the castle? It''s so pretty and big. I remember the maps for this ce¡­ is there an indoorke as written? Please show it to me!"


    "Calm down. I will show you all that after dinner. Come now, let your big brother spoil you like always. By the way, how is mother? She does not answer my letters anymore."


    Isabe shrugged. "She barely leaves her tower anymore. I have not seen her in months. Harold does not bother with her either."


    "Well, he does have six wives¡ªand a useless willy, so he must be too busy." Duke indirectly mocked his elder brother while dragging Isabe along.


    Then, Duchess Artemis walked to Felix and held his arm with her hand while holding herself a bit too close to him, letting her sides touch him. It was undoubtedly a killer move for Felix with her extra-revealing dress.


    "I shall guide you, Lord Felix." She spoke in a seducing voice and walked with him.


    Gabriel, Sylvester, Lady Aurora and Bishop Lazark were left standing as if they didn''t matter. Sylvester sensed a hint of jealousy from Gabriel and Bishop, but it was understandable. She was attractive enough that he felt something too. But the scent of death was enough to think logically.


    "Why is she drooling over him? I thought I was the most important person here." Sylvester muttered.


    Lady Aurora chuckled. "He''s valued because he''s a rogue cannon that will fire someday. But you are a cannon supposed to stay dormant for eternity, for you are a challenger for the top seat. Anyway, let''s go in."


    Sylvester was bbergasted. "Did she just¡­?"


    "Yes, Max." Gabriel also followed up. "She just mocked your prick."


    "That''s new," Bishop added and moved as well.


    Sylvester sighed and entered the castle as well. He didn''t mind the jokes, as he felt they meant Lady Aurora was now getting close to them, gettingfortable enough. This meant she wasing close to turning into a loyal ally.


    "This is madness!"


    Sylvester heard Gabriel''s astounded tone as they entered. They all looked up and noticed the high ceiling covered with shining white marble. Going against the usual architecture, the castle from the inside appeared not as green, at least not in terms of walls and furniture.


    It was mainly made of brightponents. For example, white marble, gold chandeliers, golden candles and torch holders, even the floor was shining with pale-grey marble. However, there was still a lot of greenery throughout in the form of nts.


    Heck, there were even butterflies flying around everywhere, near the nts. It felt like they were in some heaven.


    "This is real wealth," Sylvester muttered.


    "The Holy Land is richer, though," Gabriel argued.


    Of course, everyone knew that was true. But there was a reason why the church didn''t show it openly.


    "True, but we can only spend money on outer structures to make them beautiful. Inside them, we must stay modest unless we''re making something important. Our wealth is also spent to manage many things." He said while looking around.


    In time, they were led into arge hall that was used to host guests at dinners. It was huge, enough to have seating for at least a thousand people. But, at the moment, there was only one long table in the middle, entirely made of steel with a silver coating. While the chairs were well cushioned with red cloth, and their frame was gold coated.


    ''This is the life of a true Crown Prince, I guess. Unfortunately, Crown Prince Conrad was not supported by his father, King Riveria, or else, he would have had such a lifestyle too.'' Sylvester thought while taking seats.


    Then, in time, a hundred servants entered in long lines and started to ce the tes full of food on the table like machines. They made no noise while walking, putting the dishes around, or even serving. They were undoubtedly trained to be like this.


    "Forgive me, Lady Tenth and Lord Bard," Duke spoke from his chair at the smaller edge of the table. The thing to note was that his wife was sitting beside him on another chair instead of on another edge. This was not typical behaviour.


    "My servants could only prepare this small feast on short notice. If I had known of your arrival beforehand, I would have been able to wee you better."


    ''This is a small feast? I can feed a small vige with this.'' Sylvester thought, as did most others.


    "This is more than enough, your grace. We are honoured that you give such importance to us." Sylvester spoke politically and started eating.<sub> </sub>


    "The honour is all mine, Lord Bard."


    Duke was constantly putting food on Isabe''s te, who sat the closest to Duke''s right.


    From the look and scent, Sylvester was more inclined to feel strange about the Duchess as he watched her every move. He noticed her eyes would look at him every now and then and maintain eye contact until she took another bite of food.


    ''Is she trying to subdue me?'' Sylvester wondered.


    The same thing transpired until the end of the dinner. Sylvester and Duchess were in a sort of silent war.


    "Come, Be. I will show you the entire castle. As for the remaining, the servants will show you your rooms. I''m sure whatever you wish to discuss can wait, but for now, I want to be a child again with my little sister." the Duke humbly spoke. But he was not asking, just telling them his decision.


    Sylvester could feel that the man was not as simple and kind as he seemed. Instead, he saw the true intelligence and demeanour of someone with power and control in the Duke''s eyes.


    But, there was one thing that rubbed him the wrong way¡ªthe Duchess.


    "Please, let the servants guide you to your rooms." The Duchess soon dismissed the gathering, and they all headed their way.


    ''I need to memorise all the pathways in this giant castle.'' Sylvester focused on all the turns he took. But what irked him was that they all head rooms in different ces, especially Felix being sent the farthest for some reason.


    Considering his friend may be in danger, he whispered to the fluffy boy on his shoulder. "Chonky, follow Felix and stay with him until the morning. If someone tries to kill him, as long as the attacker is weak¡ªeat them."


    Miraj always gets pumped for missions about killing. "Maxy, I shally down the skulls of your enemies by your feet! I promise!"


    "..."


    "Good boy." Sylvester didn''t stop him.


    ''Felix, I hope you don''t do anything stupid. Don''t lose focus¡­ or there will be no difference between you and Zeke.'' He could only silently hope.


    ¡­


    "Good, good, this room is bigger than my family castle''s great hall," Felix eximed once he entered his room and made himselffortable.


    He quickly removed his armour and put on afortable tunic and pants. Then he started looking around. The golden engraving on the ceiling, the chandeliers, the curtains, the bed, and the table. All were luxurious.


    "I should tell my elder brother to make rtions with the Duke. The king is a buffoon from the looks of it."


    Knock! Knock!


    "Who is it now?" He went to open the door, thinking it was Sylvester. "What do y¡ª"


    His jaw fell as he was pushed back into the room and the room subsequently closed with a thud. "Are you finding yourselffortable, my lord?"


    Felix gulped his saliva, seeing the form of gorgeous Lady Artemis, the Duchess. She appeared in a different dress, too revealing, as it was nothing but a long, sleeveless negligee made ofs-like thin cloth. It allowed one to see everything beneath, and it appeared she wore nothing, for he could notice twin dots on the peaks and something down there.


    "Y-Your Grace¡­ I amfortable¡­ how may I help you?" He asked, obviously tempted and aroused.


    "Ah, I see you have not found the water jug and the ss. Thosezy servants." She moved in, letting the negligee flutter and revealing her back legs and back.


    Felix felt cloudy in his mind all of a sudden. "I-Its okay¡­ You smell amazing, your grace."


    "Oh you, thank you. And how can it be okay? What if you feel thirsty in the middle of the night?" She poured him a ss of water and moved back to hand it. But she stood too close, allowing a view straight down as Felix was taller.


    Pat!


    She started touching his chest and sides. "Your clothes appear dirty too. Why don''t I get the servants to clean them? Can you please take them off?"


    But, after a moment of silence. She stepped back a little. "If you''re feeling ashamed, then don''t. Here, I will first take mine off."


    Thud!


    With a soft sound, her entire negligee fell around her feet and revealed her extremely pale-white nude body. Her ck eyes stared into his eyes while she acted shy and yed with her long silky dark hair. "Go on now, my lord. Or should I help you?"


    Felix appeared as if turned into a statue. His eyes were hazy, and he didn''t move. So she quickly untied the knot over his tunic and slid it off. "I think the pants need washing as well."


    She knelt right there and started to untie them. "My god, it seems your body can use some stretching as well¡ªas it appears you deeply desire one right now. But, of course, it shall remain our little secret¡ªfrom all¡ªincluding the bard."


    Still, Felix didn''t even flinch as she touched him where no woman should touch a clergyman, for it was a crime punishable by death.


    "Hmm¡­" Only a faint hum resounded from him.


    Why was he not speaking? Why didn''t he move? A certain furry was very curious.


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 Chapter 215 215. Hidden Hands

    Miraj was confused. For some reason, even he found the woman attractive. And it was strange because, in his eyes, all humans were ugly, except his beloved Maxy, Big Mum, and old caretaker.


    ''What is happening to me? What happened to Felix?'' Miraj wondered and was rmed. He didn''t know what, but something was wrong.


    So he jumped onto Felix''s naked torso and looked at his face. He moved his paws before Felix''s eyes and saw no reaction. ''Is he sleeping?''


    "Perhaps you wish to feel some warmth first?"


    Miraj looked down and noticed the woman was about to drop Felix''s pants. ''I should wake him up.''


    Pa!


    He pped his mighty chubby paw on Felix''s face. But it did nothing to wake him up. So, left with no choice, he moved near the ear and blew into it.


    ''Ah! His skin became weird.''


    But, noticing the silence even then, he decided to bite the boy straight up. ''Hmph, you deserve this for being a bad boy.''


    Chomp!


    He nibbled on the ear until blood came out. His big white fangs were sharp and easily dug into the boneless flesh.


    "Aaargh! What?" Felix bellowed. "Get away from me, you wench!"


    ''Yes!''


    Miraj quickly jumped away as soon as Felix''s shout resounded, and he backed away from the naked Duchess on her knees.


    "Ugh¡­ how did you wake up? Spoiled my n."


    Woosh!


    She jumped to her feet and inched close to Felix before moving the back of her hand near her mouth.


    Pop!


    A diamond ring''s top opened up, and she blew on it, spreading some fine dust on Felix''s face. In an instant, he fell back with a thud, unconscious.


    "How did he wake up? It''s impossible to fight my charm scents. Ugh¡­ I should move."


    She talked to herself while working hard to put clothes back on Felix and then pushed him onto the bed, tucking him with a nket as if nothing had ever happened. Then, she wore her negligee and rushed out of the room.


    Miraj was left there watching everything in shock. ''Woah! Is her breath so stinky that Felix fell asleep again? Oh wait, it was that power?¡­ I better not sniff it.''


    So, he decided to sleep right where he was, in the corner of the room, on top of a hanging flowerpot with no flowers.


    ''I wonder if Maxy is missing me¡­ hmm¡­'' He slowly drifted into sleep.


    ¡­


    Knock Knock!


    The following day, Sylvester barged into Felix''s room after receiving no response for a while.


    "Felix! Are you alive?"


    "Maxyyy!"


    Bam!


    Miraj jumped on Sylvester from the flowerpot, giving a fluffy jumpscare as Miraj fell on Sylvester''s head. "It''s no fun sleeping alone. It was cold."


    Sylvester chuckled and caressed him to tidy up the fur. "It was just a few hours, Chonky. You should learn to spend time away from me sometimes."


    "Never!" Being clingy as always, Miraj sat down on his shoulder, tightly holding his ce with ws. "We''re hoes for life."


    "You mean bros for life. But who taught you that word?"


    "Horny Felix did. He tries to sing like you but ends up saying strange words that I like. Ah! Maxy! Felix got his willy eaten by that ck hairdy! She came in and made him a statue and got naked herself, and¡­"


    Miraj told everything about Felix from the start to the end. It was all jumbled uping from Miraj''s mouth. But Sylvester had be a master of understanding him by now, so he put everything together in one go.


    ''S-She tried to force herself on him?''


    He walked over to Felix and threw water on him. "Wake up, horndog. You nearly got your head choppedst night, it seems."


    "Umm¡­ what? Wha?"


    Pa!


    Sylvester pped Felix''s butt and made him get up. "Stand up, boy. Do you have any idea what happened to youst night in this room?"


    "Fff¡­ Fuck off, Max! Let me sleep! My head feels like exploding."


    "Of course it does. You got molested yesterday¡ªnearly raped!" Sylvester dropped the bomb.


    As expected, Felix jumped up and patted his back. "I-I don''t feel any pain. What in the god''s name are you saying?"<sub> </sub>


    ''So that powder also made him forget what happened? It''s some sort of nerve agent?''


    "Sit down and listen to me carefully. Last night, Lady Artemis came to your room in a thin negligee. She tried to seduce you using some hypnotising scent and then nearly took your little friend as hers. But you woke up in time, yet failed to react as she used another dust to make you fall asleep and forget everything."


    "What?!" Felix stood up in shock. "But why would she? I''m a nobody, while her husband is the Crown fucking Prince! Rich and powerful, more than me."


    Sylvester couldn''t tell him that he had heard her say it. So he acted like he was guessing. "To likely use you against me, or bring you under her thumb and use you as a pawn in the church since one day you will certainly hold a high office. I had a feeling she was up to no good from the moment I saw her, but this incident proved it all true."


    Bam!


    Felix stomped his foot on the ground. "That wench! What she did was an act of heresy. How could¡­ Wait¡­ if all that happened inside the room, then how do you know all this? Were you hiding somewhere?"


    Sylvester knew this question was going toe one day or another. But he was not going to reveal Miraj to him yet. The man was too much of a loudmouth, and there was no telling when his tongue would slip. However, he was thinking of revealing it to Sir Dolorem first, as the man quite literally wishes to sacrifice himself so Sylvester could sit on the throne.


    "I have otherworldly help, my brother. It would be best if you never question or speak of it again, for it''s something too divine for even my understanding. All we need to know is that something is wrong in this castle. That woman has a past, and we must find out what it is."


    He looked around and got Felix''s armour. "Get dressed. I do not wish to waste time inside this castle. How far that woman can go, we don''t know, and right now, we''re inside enemy turf."


    Felix quickly started getting dressed, albeit groaning with a headache. "Get the rest, especially Isabe. She''s¡­ dumb, more than me."


    "Hah, self-realisations? I like it. But, I''m afraid you will need to do that too, as I am headed to meet the Duke in his Sr. I need to talk to him about the murder mystery and see if he can help. Also, send the word to Crusaders to stay on high alert." He ordered while leaving.


    Felix silently readied himself up alone. "Damn it. I wish I at least remembered it¡­ she must have a nice body."


    ¡­


    Sylvester took the man-powered elevator, run by ves, to reach the top of the Duke''s tower, where the man''s office was.


    As he arrived, he noticed even more extravagance. From gold and silver, things were now diamond and gold only. So much wealth was ced in a single ce, but the shocking part was that this was not the treasury.


    But he remained focused. ''Strange, I haven''t seen a prima yet.''


    He knocked on the door and entered after hearing the man from inside. "Good morning, your grace."


    Sylvester found the Duke, Duchess, and Isabe all inside, talking and eating something cheerfully.


    "Good morning, Sylvester." Isabe chirped.


    "Morning, my lord." The Duchess also spoke.


    Sylvester nodded in reply and addressed the man directly. "It''s better if we talk in private, your grace. This matter rtes to you directly, and it''s official church business, for I am working on behalf of the Inquisitor High Lord."


    The Duke seriously looked at Isabe. "Be, can you go out and wait for a little while? I will show you the surrounding gardens after this. And Lord Bard, my wife is my Prima, so she must stay."


    ''As I suspected¡ªthis woman holds too much power for being a nobody. Is he under her control too?''


    "Fair enough." He agreed and waited for the door to close behind Isabe.


    Then the Duchess stood up and poured Sylvester a ss of water. But he didn''t drink, as nothing could be trusted with the woman. "Duke Daemon Gracia, do you know about the recent killings of nobledies¡ªspecifically, Count Jartel and Raftel''s wives and Baron Redman''s daughter? And their subsequent muttion of chests?"


    "I am aware," Duke replied.


    Sylvester continued. "Then you should also know that a man named Sir Kenworth is behind this mess, working for someone else. He tried to kill and silence an Inquisitor close to me and the Inquisitor High Lord right inside Green City. Now that''s a grave crime¡ªand under the radar is your elder brother, implicating your family. So, if you have anything that can prove your innocence or help us catch Sir Kenworth, it will be appreciated."


    "I have nothing that can help you, nor should you expect anything from me." Duke suddenly took a hostile position.


    But, what angered Sylvester was the scent of lies. ''This bastard¡­ he knows something or is hiding something.''


    "Remember, your Grace. My words are Inquisitor High Lord''s words. So please be honest, and help us in the investigation." Sylvester repeated.


    The Duke looked into his wife''s eyes for a split second before speaking, "Sir Dolorem, is it? The man attacked in Green City? I feel sad, trust me. But I do not know anything to help you, Lord Bard."


    ''Why did he turn calm again all of a sudden? She did something?'' He was confused about the woman as he felt no scent of death anymore.


    The Duke continued. "But you must understand that if my brother falls, it''s my rise. If he is pushed off the throne, then I, the rightful and logical heir, can take it. So, please do not meddle in Kindom''s internal politics nor hope to gain help from me to save him."


    "You are obliged to support the Inqu¨C"


    The Duke cut Sylvester off in the middle and stared at him with intelligent eyes. "Must I remind you of Articles 12 and 12B of Holy Law? The church cannot meddle in the kingdom''s internal politics unless it harms the church. I see no harm being done to the church¡ªso be it you, Lord Inquisitor, or the Holy Father himself, you can not interfere."


    Sylvester was also well-versed inws. "Then should I remind you of Article 12F?"


    "I know," Duke responded. "I am obliged to help you in your quest to solve the murders. That is why you can remain in mynds freely, investigate whatever and where you want, but you shall get no help to apprehend or investigate from me, for that is like dropping an axe on my own foot."


    ''I''m more inclined to believe he''s behind it now. But even if he is¡­ why cut breasts? That makes no sense.''


    Of course, he could not simply arrest or interrogate a Crown Prince even if he held the Inquisitor High Lord''s authority. To attack ruling families of Kingdoms was a messy business that even the Pope had to be careful about.


    "Lord Bard, it was nice meeting you," the Duchess tried dismissing him, keeping the same kind and charming smile.


    At that moment, Sylvester felt it once more. ''Ah¡­ death again¡­ from my demise, what does she have to gain?''


    "I will forward your words to the Lord Inquisitor and others. Again, thank you for your warm wee, your grace. The lights, the beauty, and the scents in the castle were amazing." Sylvester eyed the Duchess strangely before turning around to leave.


    She clearly got the message.

 Chapter 216 216. Happy Ending For Some

    Sylvester stormed out of the Duke''s Sr, knowing very well that he couldn''t force the man. Nor was he a divinator who could see what the Duchess was nning. He also feared what hidden military strength the Duke might have as he was also a Crown Prince.


    "Oh! Are you done talking, Sylvester?" Isabe eagerly awaited outside, wanting to return and speak with her brother.


    Sylvester thoughtfully nced at her. "We are leaving the castle. Your brother has denied any assistance. He sees this as an opportunity to let King Harold fall to his doom."


    "What? But this is bigger than that¡­ Why would he do this? Let me go and talk to him."


    Sylvester didn''t stop her. "Go ahead, try if you can. Remind him that this isn''t just about King Harold but the entire Gracia family. If more noble women die, the Gracia family will lose much of the support it enjoys."


    She resolutely nodded. "I will, Sylvester. I will try all I know to make him help us. I know he would have been a better king, but Harold had the support of the nobles as he was the oldest. There was no foul y, so this animosity does not make any sense."


    But Sylvester didn''t have much confidence in her that she''d be able to convince him, not when that Duchess was with him. "If you can''t change his mind, you can find me near the castle gates. Remember, Isabe, the toughest thing to control when dealing with your loved ones is rationality. So don''t let your personal bias affect your logical mind."


    "Y-You mean he is the o¡­"


    Sylvester interrupted her. "I mean nothing. Our investigation needs facts and tangible evidence. Good luck, and see youter."


    He left to meet with the rest and inform them about the Duchess. Initially, Sylvester was worried thating to Ironstone Duchy and meeting the Duke was proving to be pointless. But, on another thought, the Duchess was the living, walking point of interest they had to investigate now. They had at least something, so he needed more people, trustable to some extent, to help him.


    He met with everyone near the castle gates. The fifty crusaders acting as their guards had also arrived. "Change of ns, the Duke does not care about the murders. So we are on our own."


    "Do we have any leads?" Lady Aurora asked.


    "Much more than leads, but it''s better we don''t discuss it here, for even the walls have ears. So let''s return to the camp and speak in your carriage."


    Soon, as expected, Isabe also arrived, her face appearing depressed, and she didn''t even look Sylvester in the eye. "Let''s go."


    That was all she said before climbing up her small mare that she was learning to ride. Clearly, she had failed, as the scent of sadness made it apparent.


    Sylvester led everyone out of the three walls of the castle and entered therge town outside. They ignored all the bustling crowd and reached the Crusader camp outside the town. The camp was basic, with a waterproof tent for every team of ten men. They were not small and had enough space for each person to sleep.


    Of course, the fourmanders had their own private ones, as well as Sylvester, theirmander. The carriage was parked near his tent and worked as the army''s sick bay, too, since Isabe lived there with Lady Aurora.


    They all sat down around the table inside the carriage, and Sylvester told them about Felix''sst night.


    "So this is why she was acting so close to him. She nned to use him from the moment he dered his wish to not always be a virgin clergyman?" Lady Aurora muttered, rubbing her chin in wonder.


    But what surprised Sylvester the most was that Isabe didn''t say anything, nor was there any scent of anger or hate from her. So he asked her directly. "Isabe, were you able to do anything there?"


    "He''s not my brother anymore." She eximed angrily. "He has changed so much. No matter what that witch says, he agrees with her like a loyal trained dog. I tried to tell him how important it is to the family that we solve this murder mystery. But Lady Artemis said it was not in their best interest not to use this opportunity, and he agreed. She''s controlling him!"


    Bishop Lazark refuted her words. "She probably is a witch, but I don''t think he''s being charmed or something. You said your brother was extremely smart, so it goes against the fact that he''d be dumb enough to fall for her. Is he not a wizard-knight as well?"


    "Yes, he''s an Arch-wizard and Golden Knight. But¡­ maybe she did something simr to what happened to Felix."


    Sylvester was in doubt too. "No, if that were the case, then she wouldn''t have let the Duke speak for himself. She could have possibly brainwashed him and changed him. But I don''t believe he''s being actively controlled."


    "Then what now?" Felix asked frustratingly.


    Sylvester passed them parchments. "These are the maps of the streets of the town that I asked a few crusaders to makest night. Each of you will cover a sector and interview the people, asking them about Sir Kenworth or anything mysterious happening. Meanwhile, I will head to meet Cardinal Suprima, whose monastery is nearby. Lady Aurora, you wille with me, and you too, Isabe."


    Knock Knock!


    Before he could finish the briefing, someone knocked on the carriage''s door. Lady Aurora just flicked her hand and opened the gate.


    Two crusaders appeared outside. Sylvester recognised them as the men he had left behind to solve that adultery matter. "What''s the report, soldiers?"


    One of them answered, still kneeling like a knight. "Lord Bard, the end was happier than we expected. As you may remember, the woman, Jenny, had revealed that she was forced to be married¡ªit turns out her husband was also forced.


    "All because her husband''s parents had found out his sexual interests aligned with the same gender instead of the opposite. Since Jenny was the most eligible and in a hurry, they got married¡ªforcibly. So, the man was thrilled when she went to him to apologise, not to mention, the man knew already that the kids were not his."


    Now that was a great turnaround, Sylvester felt. "What happened to the kids and that man, Harris?"


    "Well, since Jenny and her Husband were happy to break their marriage, the monastery found no problem and let them be. As for Harris, since the man''s parents discovered their son already had kids together with Jenny, they are now set to wed in a few days. The best thing is that Harris will still inherit his father''s shop. Hence, the future of the twin kids is safe."


    Lady Aurora questioned then. "Did you do something to Jenny''s husband?"<sub> </sub>


    "N-No, Lady Tenth. Since we have heard that homosexuality is not a punishable offence unless done forcibly, we let him be. We didn''t reveal his secret to anyone in the vige." The Crusader said.


    "Good job, boys. Go and report to your squad leader and get some rest. We might be moving tomorrow." Sylvester dismissed them with praise.


    "May the holy light enlighten us!" The two saluted and left with faces full of smiles. To them, the praise and job well done were worth more than money at this point, for they considered themselves servants of someone divine¡ªSylvester.


    With that, Sylvester got up to head out. "Well, that was the end of that matter. All of you, head out. Lady Aurora and Isabe,e with me."


    It was still morning, and the sun was shining clear in the sky as slowly the spring knocked on the continent''s doors. The breeze felt warm, but for Sylvester, it was also annoying.


    "We''re being followed." He revealed the instant they left the Crusader camp and entered the town.


    Lady Aurora clenched her hand on the reins of the horse. "Can you tell me from which direction?"


    "One behind us, on foot, and one on the right, jumping through the rooftops. Don''t look, Isabe!" Sylvester answered.


    By now, Lady Aurora had grown ustomed to not questioning his certain abilities and epting them as talents or boons. In this case, she prepared herself to strike if anything happened. "Be careful. And Isabe, jump onto my horse¡ªin case of an attack, you won''t be able to control the animal."


    "It''s alright¡­ no need to worry." Sylvester dismissed her concerns. Miraj was already instructed to sit on Isabe''s horse, after all, and the fluffy boy had some great threatening skills.


    Eventually, they reached the edge of the town, on a different side, still near the cliff but far away from the castle. The monastery was huge and even had multiple elevators that went down the cliff since the monastery also operated a port for itself.


    A single, ten-foot wall surrounded the monastery. There were multiple five-story buildings with red rooftops, each connected with the other through multistory walkways between them.


    Since Sylvester was in his regr church robes, he was allowed in without question. Only at the main administrative building gate was he stopped by two guard clergymen.


    To his surprise, though, nobody in the entire premise wore any armour, surprisingly. But Sylvester could see the leather armour under the robes. The Clergymen seemed discreetly ready for warfare at any moment.


    ''Interesting. Why do they not have any men from the Holy Army protecting such an important Monastery?''


    "I am Sylvester Maximilian, working under the directmand and in the capacity of Inquisitor High Lord, Third Guardian of Light. This is Lady Aurora, the Tenth Guardian of Light. We are from the Holy Land and wish to meet the Cardinal Suprima."


    "Ah! Forgive us!"


    Thud!


    The two men standing guard fell to their knees instantly and saluted with their arms crossed. But Sylvester took a step back, as the way they knelt was like a knight.


    ''They are not clergymen! These must be the knights of the Holy Army disguised as Clergymen. But why?''


    Sylvester saluted back and entered the building. By then, a man came running in his regal church robes and a mitre of a Bishop on the head. "Wee, Lord Bard and Lady Tenth."


    "Where is the Cardinal? It''s urgent." Sylvester didn''t waste a second, for he knew what was toe next.


    Bishop''s face turned sweaty. "Cardinal Cornelius is away, my lord. When he may return, I do not know."


    "Lies!" Sylvester replied and brushed past the man. "Do not sin, Bishop. For I, with the Authority of the Inquisitor High Lord, can¡ªand will¡ªpunish evil, as he would! Now move!"


    Sylvester walked to the end of the hallway and pointed at a door that appeared the most luxurious as its handle was made of gold-ted steel. "Is this his office?"


    "My lord¡­ he''s not in the monastery." Bishop seemed like he''d cry at any moment.


    Sylvester tried to open it, but it was locked. So he took a step back and lifted his foot. "If you say he isn''t¡­ then he''s definitely inside."


    Bam!


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 Chapter 217 217. A Cardinals Woes

    Sylvester kicked the door open with his full might. He expected that since it was Cardinal Suprima''s office, it would be firm and have some anti-break-in mechanisms.


    He was wrong.


    Boom!


    But the door was still strong as one unit. And that meant it flew right into the room and mmed ahead into the wall.


    "Ugh¡­ I hope the Cardinal is fine." He muttered annoyedly and entered amidst the small dust of destruction his kick caused. "Cardinal, are you okay? Forgive Lady Tenth. She overestimated the door."


    "..."


    "Why are you taking my name, boy?" Lady Aurora stopped in her tracks. "Don''t try to push me under the carriage. Don''t think I have not forgotten how you cheated that time."


    ? "Everything is fair in love and war, Lady Aurora," Sylvester replied without even looking and jumped onto the desk of the Cardinal.


    "What did you do, Sylvester?" Isabe asked curiously. Her hair was covered at the moment in her Bright Mother robes, so nobody recognised her.


    "Nothing." Lady Aurora eximed and followed Sylvester in.


    The room was small and modest as it was just an office. Nothing was extravagant other than therge, made-of-gold church emblem hanging on the wall behind the chair.


    "Cardinal Cornelius, Where are you? Pleasee out, so I don''t have to dig around in the office to find you. I do not wish to cause damage to church property." He shouted aloud as he knew the man was around.


    "H-Here¡­ my lord."


    "Under the table? What in God''s name are you doing there?" Sylvester jumped down from the table and looked. The Cardinal appeared to be a short man, maybe around five foot six, and very thin. The face was pale white, and the hair was brown, as was a stubble beard. The face looked so malnourished that a mother would take pity and feed him milk in natural ways.


    The man also had eyes that would make one feel pity for no reason. And the dark circles under the eyes were enough to consider him a zombie.


    "Let me help you." Sylvester grabbed the man''s arm and let him rise. "Are you okay, your eminence?"


    ''Hmm¡­ he appears to be more scared of something other than me or the st of that door. The fear, anxiety, sadness, anger and doubt I smell are too strong. What could it be?... Better keep things vague.''


    He helped the man by patting his robes. It looked weird as the Cardinal seemed like a child in front of six-foot-three-tall Sylvester.


    "I''m quite alright, lord bard. Wee to the Ironstone duchy and my monastery. I heard about your arrival, but forgive me, I could not participate in the feastst night." Cardinal spoke in a rushed tone.


    Then he looked at Lady Aurora and bowed his head, ignoring Isabe as a simple Bright Mother. "Lady First, you are as beautiful and mighty looking as I first saw you in the Holy Land."


    Lady Aurora, of course, didn''t even know the man. "Thank you, your eminence."


    "Ah! I need to go and see the people in the town¡ªBishop, prepare my horse outside. My Lord anddy, please ride with me. I will show you the town." Cardinal suggested, still sounding rushed as before.


    ''The scent of sunflowers is too strong¡ªhe''s hoping I agree with his suggestion. Let''s go with the suggestion, then.''


    "Please lead the way, your eminence."


    Cardinal happily nodded and fixed his robes and mitre on his head before heading out. He tried to appear calm and holy, but only Sylvester knew what went on inside¡ªas in that man''s heart, a lot of misery resides.


    They soon got out of the Monastery and mounted their horses.


    The Cardinal addressed his subordinate before leaving. "No need to send men to guard me! I don''t believe I have anything to fear with Lady Tenth and Lord Bard beside me."


    With that promation, they rode out into the bustling town. Sylvester rode on the man''s left, Isabe and Lady Aurora on the right.


    Seeing they were far away, he decided to ask vaguely. "Does a snake reside in the rabbit hole, your eminence?"


    Cardinal Cornelius turned his head towards Sylvester abruptly and smiled, feeling relieved. "I thought I''d have to exin, but it seems the rumours of your wisdom are underreported. Indeed, it is not just infested with snakes but also infected with the venom."


    "In your home as well?"


    "Indeed¡ªI am but another rabbit trapped in the strangles of a python. But let''s move somewhere a little more private before I reveal how far the venom has spread." Cardinal increased his speed.


    Sylvester had a better ce, so he loudly voiced. "Your eminence, have you seen Lady Aurora''s carriage? It''s the most fabulous and magical thing you''ll ever see. Come, I must show it to you."


    "Is that so? Even better than my carriage? I guess I must take a look then. Please lead the way, Lord Bard." Cardinal simrly replied loudly.


    ''Good, he''s a neatly smart man, it seems.''


    Sylvester nced at Lady Aurora and nodded. With that, they galloped to the Crusader camp and only stopped after reaching its middle, near the carriage.


    "Come inside, my lord." He invited him in.


    Once inside, he locked the door and windows and spoke. "This carriage has runes to ensure minimal noise goes outside, your eminence. As long as you speak lowly, none shall hear a word."


    Thud!


    "Please save me!"<sub> </sub>


    The Cardinal jumped to Sylvester and fell to his knees, grabbing Sylvester''s feet. "Please save me, lord bard! Your light can do miracles¡­ just once more!"


    ''Broken, that''s all I can feel from him. What the hell can even break a Cardinal Suprima, the mightiest clergyman in any Duchy?''


    Knowing he needed to calm him down first, he ruffled his hand on the Cardinal''s brown hair, ensuring his light shined from the palm and made thetter feel the warmth.


    At the same time, he spoke a few lines of a hymn, showing the halo behind his head, as that always gets the job done.


    ?Worry not of the darkness around.


    Let all the fears go for you have been found.


    All is the Lord''s n, and it''s so profound.


    Feel it, for in his warmth, you''re being crowned.


    So calm your heart, and let the delight abound.?


    "Amen!" Lady Aurora and Isabe lightly bowed their heads and muttered with closed eyes. They truly believed in Sylvester''s gifts, after all.


    The Cardinal was crying by then, but he made no voice while his eyes watered. Sylvester also sat down, not far from the man. "Bright Mother, can you give the Cardinal some water?"


    "..."


    Lady Aurora nudged her. "Mother Isabe?"


    "Ah, yes." Isabe had forgotten she had a new title. But after that, she carefully brought a ss of water.


    "Have I seen you before, Bright Mother?" The Cardinal asked while taking the water.


    "Yes, you have," Sylvester eximed, making the eyes of Isabe and Lady Aurora pop out. "She''s a Bright Mother, and all Bright Mothers are our mothers, be it any. They may sometimes appear the same in their headscarf and clothes."


    The Cardinal nodded and focused on Sylvester. "I heard you were inside the castle. Did anything happen? Anything you''re confused about, or¡­ do you feel strange? As if you can''t remember something?"


    ''Does Felix feel this right now?'' Sylvester wondered.


    But he feigned ignorance. "Something did happen that has me interested in Lady Artemis, but what you''re particrly talking about, I have no idea. We are here to investigate the murders of noble women and their breasts being chopped after."


    "The duke denied you, didn''t he?" Cardinal guessed it right.


    "How do you know that, your eminence? Can you please borate on the snake infestation?"


    Sylvester got to the point.


    The Cardinal turned depressed instantly and nervously rubbed his hands. He nced at Lady Aurora and Isabe before turning to Sylvester. "It all started when I was newly appointed here a few months back since thest Cardinal Suprima was recalled after that Bright Mother rape and murder debacle by Count Ranthburg.


    "The day I took charge, I was invited by the Duke and stayed the night there. But, the next day, when I woke up, I felt a sharp pain in my head, and I could not remember anything that had happened the previous night.


    "I then observed that it urred every time I went to stay in the castle. So I stopped going there no matter what, but it happened to me in my residence as well. So I got extremely annoyed, so much so that I suspected an evil creature of the night had possessed me. So, I made a small secret room beside my bedroom and installed a small eyehole. Then, I told my two subordinates to sit there every night and watch me sleep."


    Sylvester straightened his back, for he knew the moment of truth wasing.


    "Then, a weekter, as it was told to me, I learnt that Lady Artemis, that filthy witch! She''d enter the Monastery ande to my room. I''d invite her in respectfully as she''d cry fake tears, saying she needed help.


    "Then, slowly, she''d start touching me, and I''d be a statue, not moving¡ªnot even blinking. She''d take my clothes off andy me on the bed before copting with me by sitting on top. The whole time, she''d ravish my mouth with her tongue while humming something¡ªakin to an incantation.


    "After that, she''d ask me questions, and I''d reply to everything she''d demand, from church secrets to private matters. She''d then copte again, as I believe there is a time limit to her fiendish magic. Then, she''d make me write letters to the church and the various lords in the duchy¡ªasking for more faith tax or some other information.


    "Then, she''d blow some dust on my face, put my clothes back on me, and leave me in the bed as if nothing happened."


    nk!


    "This is the highest order of sphemy!" Lady Aurora barked in anger.


    The Cardinal agreed. "That witch¡­ she''s a demoness, my lord. She killed my assistant that night and left his body chopped into pieces in that little room to greet me in the morning."


    "We should call for the full Inquisition and end everything that woman has touched." Lady Aurora suggested, being in her rightful ce as her adoptive father was the Lord Inquisitor.


    "No! Please! What about my brother? She must have done something to him too!" Isabe cried.


    But Sylvester was only staring at the Cardinal with a doubtful gaze.


    Ting!


    He took out a dagger and ced it on the floor before himself. "Cardinal¡ªif she killed your subordinate that night, how did you learn all this?"

 Chapter 218 218. Worst Assassin Ever

    The tension in the room reached its peak when Sylvester started tapping the floor with the tip of the dagger. "Answer me, Cardinal."


    The Cardinal looked nervous and gulped his saliva. He seemed nervous and hesitant while telling this, which made no sense as he had revealed so much. "I-I do not wish to put his life in danger, my lord."


    "You have nothing to fear here, Cardinal. Your secrets are safe with us, so go ahead and tell me everything." He assured.


    "I¡­ I¡­" The Cardinal slowly made up his mind. "He''s alive, Lord Bard. The witch didn''t know that my two subordinates were, in reality, twins. In fact, most of the clergymen in the Monastery didn''t know that, as the two men had little to no contact with anything outside my office. The man she killed was the wrong one. The real one I have kept hidden for I know he''d be dead if found out."


    "Not just coercion, rape, sabotage but also murder now. I''m not surprised, but the fate of that woman is sealed now. She''s going to die soon enough." Sylvester said,forting the man. "But why didn''t you run away, your eminence? I''m sure you could have found many ways to do so. You are the highest clergyman in the Duchy."


    "I can''t." Cardinal Cornelius held his chest and clenched the robes tightly. "That Witch has put some dark creature inside me¡ªsome sort of a worm that has clenched my heart. It''s called Heart Eater Vine, a rarity from thends of Vampires in Beastaria. I have no idea how she got it, but I know that if I were to go a certain distance away from the castle, my heart would be crushed."


    Sylvester didn''t reply and silently tried to think if he could do something. He wondered if his light would help since the creature was supposed to be darkness rted.


    "Please help me, my lord. That woman does not even hide anything. Shees to my bedroom, uses me, and orders me. If I don''t, she threatens to call the guards and have my head for raping her. She''s a demoness¡ªshe deserves nothing but a painful death."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin. "Hmm, if they killed you now, I''d call the entire Inquisition. But worry not, I will try to get you out of this ce soon. But first, I need to solve this murder mystery because if I kill the witch now, we''d likely never reach the end of it. Is the Duke alsopromised?"


    "No! That bastard! He''s using the witch instead. It''s a mutually beneficial rtionship. The Duke wishes to use her less-than-holy methods to get to the throne and be stronger. Meanwhile, the Duke provides a safety umbre for the witch to keep practising¡ªI know not what else they have exchanged. This was all that the Witch revealed to me on one of the nights."


    "Hmm, strange. I almost felt they actually loved each other," Sylvester muttered.


    "They likely do at this point, my lord. You mix dirt; it remains dirt. They are like one another, so I believe their love is also true." The Cardinal added.


    Thud!


    Isabe fell to her knees and cried while pressing her mouth with her palms. She was probably broken as this was a reality check that her family, whom she saw in a good light, was not that nice. This was a lesson for her, teaching her how to look at the world. Not everything is what appears from the outside. Sometimes, vile-looking men like Bishop Lazark turn out to have a heart of gold, and handsome men like Duke Daemon turn out to be actual demons.


    Lady Aurora quickly sat down and hugged her while patting her back. But Sylvester didn''t bother addressing her.


    "You are after that murderer because of Sir Dolorem, correct?" Cardinal Cornelius asked, eyeing Sylvester.


    ''How does he know Sir Dolorem? The man is a simple inquisitor with not much fame.''


    Cardinal seemed to realise the suspicions, so he exined. "Bishop Charles told me what urred in the Green City. He wrote to me, worrying about the safety of Sir Dolorem."


    "How do you know Sir Dolorem?" Sylvester asked.


    "We all started in the same Unit as Sir Dolorem, Unit 109. We were all rookies with not much real-world experience. But Sir Dolorem was a tough and thoughtful man from the beginning. A man who once decides something never wavers, even if the cost is his own well-being. He was like a big brother to all those in Unit 109. He once saved me from a venomous snake under the effect of a demon''s aura. Sir Dolorem got bit while protecting me¡ªhe spent a whole month unconscious, fever high enough to kill a horse. But he came out stronger than before. You don''t know, but the man is more respected than I among the Inquisitors, haha."


    Sylvester chuckled, agreeing that Sir Dolorem was indeed that kind of a man. A senseless fool who did not value his own life in Sylvester''s eyes, but that was also why Sylvester trusts and cherishes that man.


    "I never knew he had friends in such high ces, your eminence." He said in amazement.


    "Oh, there are many more. Sir Dolorem was gifted with experience, skills and mind, but sadly not in Srium. His talents didn''t allow him to rise in the ranks of clergymen, but he certainly enjoyed life asst I heard, he got married and now has a son too." The Cardinal was all smiles and smelled of truthfulness and happiness while talking about Sir Dolorem.


    Sylvester had sad news, though. "You seem to not be updated, your eminence. But, some years back, his wife and son were killed¡ªmurdered, in fact. In a riot instigated by two men fighting to be the chief of the town."


    Cardinal''s shoulders fell. "Did he get justice?"


    "I''m afraid not. But please do nothing, for I have promised him vengeance with his own hands. For now, he rests in the Holy Land, blinded due to an injury to his head. And I have vowed to not only bring him the eyes of the culprit but also heal him. That is why I am here¡­ and ask for your help." Sylvester asked with genuine feelings. But he also had something to offer.


    "I also might have a way to fix your situation, but that will require me to open your chest and see your beating heart so I can shine my light on the dark, vile creature. So, I ask you to wait until I have caught the culprit. After that, I will heal you before killing that witch."


    The Cardinal was smart and thoughtfully agreed. The man understood that if the surgery was done now, he wouldn''t be able to stand up due to the wounds. "Agreed, my lord. But I aming to my wits'' end trying to survive. You have no idea how hard I had to try to get those Knights of the Holy Army toe as disguised clergymen."


    "What I need, Cardinal, is the background of that witch. Can you look into it?" Sylvester requested.


    "Certainly¡ªI already know she''s from the Sand Continent in the south. These days, when she tries to use me on the bed, I ask a few questions while she''s ecstatic. It has worked over time. Hopefully, it will be the same now."<sub> </sub>


    But Sylvester knew it was too dangerous. "As a safety measure, if she ever tries to kill you, simply tell her that now I know about her actions, as does Lady Aurora. If you died now, that would call forth the entire wrath of the Holy Land. First on her, then on the entire Gracia Family."


    "W-Won''t that put you in danger?" The Cardinal asked in genuine worry.


    Smelling it, Sylvester appreciated the man. But he shrugged, remembering the Shadow Knight was still after him. "I have faced worse, your eminence. The witch also likely knows her limits, as she didn''t try anything funny with me in the castle¡ªbut went after my second inmand. I saved him, thankfully."


    "May the Lord enlighten us! That witch needs to die." Cardinal mmed his fist on the table.


    "She will. For now, let''s return you to the Monastery. I will start other work on my end. The Lord Inquisitor needs to know about your situation." He stood up and took a nce at Isabe.


    "Take some crusaders with you." Lady Aurora suggested, remaining behind with the Princess to help her.


    Sylvester didn''t bother replying and moved out. They got on his horse, and he called one of hismanders with five men to surround them. After that, they calmly made their way back.


    "How many little snakes live in the town?" Sylvester asked.


    "Many, almost under every rock you may pick."


    Sylvester nodded and looked left and right. He could sense many scents, many of them hostile or scared of him. ''I wonder if they are even followers of Solis. I hope they are, or this entire town will soon be torched.''


    "Ah, can we stop there? I was supposed to inspect that street. There are words that a lot of orphans have taken over that street and are loitering there." The Cardinal stopped his horse suddenly and pointed at a small backstreet. It looked unkempt and dirty.


    "Sure, your eminence." He agreed and soon unmounted the horse.


    He, the Cardinal and the six crusaders enter the unkept small street. It was behind the lines of shops and houses. The buildings looked rundown in this part of the town, and inside the street, the sunlight was blocked due to twin-story buildings with their tiled rooftops.


    "I took on the task of rehabilitating the orphans of this street a few weeks ago, but sadly, the more I help, the more appear out of nowhere." The Duke roamed around, showing various spots where he saved some kids.


    Even during the day, they could find a few older kids sleeping near the edge of the walls, as if dead, in their dirty, torn clothes. There were at least ten of them in the street.


    Sniff! Sniff!


    Suddenly, Sylvester smelled something, it was the scent of emotions. ''What''s this? Fear, jealousy, sadness and hopebined? What''s with this strangebination?''


    "Haaaaa! Die!"


    Instantly, all crusaders unsheathed their swords and aimed to strike. Everyone turned around.


    But, they calmed down as the scene was too absurd.


    Finally, Commander Eros rubbed his beard and asked Sylvester. "My lord, should we kill her?"


    Sylvester amusedly looked at the frail little girl running towards him with a small knife pointed at him. She appeared young, likely ten years old. She shockingly had golden eyes; untidy, dirty blond hair, and arge sack with holes for her arms and neck for her clothes. Her face was scowling as she screamed.


    "I will kill you!"


    Sylvester chuckled and folded his arms as he smelled no danger. "She has got to be the worst assassin the world has ever seen. She''s still a good twenty metres away from us."


    ________________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 219 219. An Orphans Tale

    "Aaaa..."


    "It seems she''s getting tired now." Sylvester chuckled, seeing the girl struggle so much while reaching him. She certainly had no experience in what she was trying to do.


    Even the crusaders wereughing as the girl appeared cuter than deadly. Still, they kept their guards up just in case she turned out to be the decoy.


    Eventually, the girl reached Sylvester while panting uncontrobly. She clumsily proceeded to stab her little knife at Sylvester''s stomach.


    Pa!


    But she received a warm p on the cheek from Sylvester, sending her back a few feet away, tumbling to the ground and her knife released from her hand. But she didn''t cry, for she was an orphan and had learnt the hard way that no one ever came to help wipe the tears.


    She just red at Sylvester with her shocking golden eyes.


    This was merely the third time Sylvester saw someone with eyes like his own. He was instantly interested in her.


    "B-Big Sis!"


    "Ah, there is another one," Sylvester eximed as he noticed a little boy, likely five years old, running towards them, also with a little knife, but he was so clumsy and nervous that he was falling after every few steps. Only after seeing his sister getting hit did the boy gain some courage.


    ''Another blonde-haired kid with golden eyes. Who are these two?'' Sylvester was amused.


    "And what do you want to do?" Sylvester called out.


    The boy at first looked at Sylvester with firm eyes. But as he got closer, his steps slowed and his knife slowly fell from his hand. Soon, his eyes became watery, and he ran off to help his sister get up.


    "Big Sis! Hurt?"


    The girl stood up and kept a strong face, albeit it was clear she had bruised her knee on the fall. She held herself from crying in pain and patted the boy''s head. "I''m fine, Max."


    ''Max? That''s the boy''s name?'' Sylvester moved closer and sat down beside the two, crossed-legged, rxed as if nothing had happened.


    Then, without asking, he hovered his hand on the girl''s knees and healed the light scratches. "Be careful, little one. You might end up assassinating yourself at this rate."


    "Woah! Magic!" The boy eximed, wide-eyed and excited.


    The girl was rmed and stepped back once the pain was gone. "W-What do you want? We''re sorry... we will never hurt you again."


    "Bwahaha..." Sylvesterughed heartily, a sight many saw for the first time. "Girl, even if you had reached me, you couldn''t have scratched me with your soggy weak arms. Now, what are your names, and where are your parents?"


    The girl scaredly answered as she was surrounded. The crusaders were standing all around them and appeared menacing. "Ia€¡°I am Diana..., and he is Max. Our mother left us in a crowd and ran away."


    Sylvester''s eyes shone for a split second before extending his hands. The two shrank their necks in fear of being hit, but they only received pats from his warm hands. And before they knew it, they were covered in warm light.


    The two looked up at his face, and their eyes widened in shock. There was a giant halo behind Sylvester''s head.


    "Diana, that''s a lovely name. And Max is what my friends call me. You two... It must have been tough living alone. Are you two fine? Are you hungry? Where do you live right now? It must be freezing."


    The boy and the girl didn''t even know Sylvester, yet their eyes turned watery. He was the first adult ever to ask them such simple questions. Are you okay? Are you hungry? They had felt they were invisible for the past few months, as no matter how much they cried or asked for help, the people would only ignore them, kick them, or try to take them away for god knows what.


    And now, here was this unknown saintly man who they tried to kill and yet got showered with kindness in return. It didn''t make sense, as they knew they''d hate it if someone wanted to hurt them.


    Thud!


    Max, the little boy, jumped to hug Sylvester while bawling his eyes out. Then the girl also jumped in and whispered. "I... I''m--very--hungry."


    Sylvester caressed their hair and sang a little hymn, a cryptic reflection of his own true origin.


    a??I know what you two feel in your belly.


    Emptiness in the stomach, and clothes smelly.


    Nights go sleepless, in fear of the unknown.


    While kindness, the world had barely shown.


    We walk all the streets we''ve ever known.


    Looking desperately for someone to call your own.a??


    a??I know what you two feel in your heart and mind.


    I know what you are frantically trying to find.


    For there was a time, in fate, like you, I was confined.


    But cry no more, for you, now I stand behind.a??


    "Let us get you two something to eat." Sylvester let them out of the hug and gather themselves.


    Little Diana looked at Sylvester in confusion. "W-Why are you being kind to us?"


    Sylvester chuckled and looked around at the crusaders. "Isn''t that what I''m supposed to be? Kind? Wait! Why are all your eyes wet?"


    The crusaders hurried to wipe their eyes and stand straight. Commander Eros nearly even shouted, trying to sound manly. "Must have been the wind, my lord--it''s surprisingly warming today."


    Sylvesterughed briefly, seeing the double meaning. "Well, it seems it''s also raining,mander."<sub> </sub>


    The men giggled and saw Sylvester rise to his feet while holding the hands of the two kids. "You two, I am Sylvester Maximilian, Bard of the Lord, and I live in the Holy Land. Tell me, do you enjoy this life?"


    "No!" The two shook their heads vigorously.


    "Then tell me how and why you decided to assassinate me. Who told you to do so? Be truthful, and you shall never have to worry about food again." He offered them.


    The little boy was small and simple, so he answered instantly. "The bad man said if we kill you, we get money!"


    Sylvester nced at the girl to get a better answer.


    "It was a bounty, the man said. He said if we kill you, we can get 200,000 golden coins. We are sorry, mister, we only wanted food. We have not eaten in three days." She answered with her head held low in shame.


    "Preposterous!" Cardinal Cornelius eximed. "How could there be a bounty on you, Lord Bard?"


    Sylvester scoffed and addressed the kids. "Whoever that man was, he lied to you. No, you should have gotten 300,000 gold coins for killing me. It seems he wanted to trick you--just in case you were lucky."


    "What!" Diana appeared shocked beyond words. "Even the bad man lies about bad things? So evil!"


    Sylvester chuckled, took out two strategic Chonky bananas from his robes, and handed them to the kids. "Eat them ande with me. I will send you to the Holy Land, where you can live with other children. You will get good food and a ce to sleep as well. You can study magic too if you have talents."


    Sylvester didn''t waste more time and left the alley. There were other kids too, but they appeared too old and didn''t seem willing to do anything. Only these two were new rookies, hence worth saving.


    He got them on the horses and first dropped the Cardinal in the monastery and then made his way back into the crusader camp.


    He brought them to Isabe right away, who seemed fine now. "Can you check them for any bodily harm? They are orphans I rescued."


    Isabe''s big sister instincts rose, and she rushed to check the two adorable golden-eyed kids as if they were puppies.


    Lady Aurora walked beside Sylvester and revealed her displeasure. "Since when did you start collecting orphans? These two will cause us more trouble than good."


    Sylvester stood still with crossed arms. "Weren''t you an orphan too, Lady Aurora? You told me about how the Lord Inquisitor saved you from very. So, perhaps, I''m the Lord Inquisitor of these two."


    "Oh, since when did our blondie be a softie?" She jokingly made fun.


    He walked away to find something else to do. "Everyone should have a softie in them, Lady Aurora. Otherwise, we''d turn into hateful beasts. I remember Archbishop Noah telling me once that who has nobody; the church is their everybody. So I am merely doing my job here--I also liked their names, and they were adorable while trying to kill me."


    "Wait, what?"


    "Ignore it. I will send them to the orphanage in the Holy Landter. I am deeply interested in their parentage as golden eyes are scarce." Sylvester said and arrived near his personal tent.


    "Max!"


    He found Felix, Bishop Lazark and Gabriel just arriving too.


    "Any clues?" Sylvester asked.


    Each one of them shook their head. But Felix also stepped aside and let the two mene forward. They were wearing the body armour of the Inquisitors, with all the markings and the red cloak at the backs.


    "Max, I found these two Inquisitor blokes roaming around the town. They were looking to see you but couldn''t enter the crusader''s camp." Felix exined.


    The two Inquisitors came forward and knelt like knights. But only one of them spoke. "Lord Bard, wee here to ask you for help. Wee from Ender Vige, half a day south of here. We are not crusaders, but Inquisitor garrison stationed at the Ranthburg town."


    Sylvester remembered someone just then. "Isn''t Commander Sir Arnold also from your Garrison?"


    "He is, Lord Bard. He has now been promoted to Inquisitor General. With his orders, we havee here to ask for help." The man answered.


    Sylvester nced at his team and made up his mind. "Since we found no clues, we will have to wait for a reply from the Cardinal. So let''s see what our Inquisitor brothers are troubled with."


    "It''s a Bloodling, my lord! We have already lost four thousand men to the strange effects the Bloodling has on people." The Inquisitor revealed. "We urgently need help."


    ''Four thousand already lost? Isn''t that too much?'' Sylvester turned utterly serious as Bloodlings were no joke. He could speak from experience.


    But he had some other doubts about these two men. "Why did youe to find me directly? Didn''t you go to Duke first?"


    "We went to the Duke, but he refused to help and rmended your name as you are a master in dealing with Bloodlings."


    Sylvester frowned. ''That bastard wants me out of hisnd as soon as possible. I can''t abandon this post... not this time.''


    He nced to his right. "Lady Aurora, I''m afraid you''ll have to go and take care of it this time. We need someone here, too, just in case."


    "B-But my lord... we need an expert!" The Inquisitor interrupted.


    Sylvester didn''t waver because if the Duke was able to destabilise the kingdom, then millions would die. "She''s a Grand Wizard. I''m sure she can handle things."


    Lady Aurora thumped her breastte proudly. "Of course, a Bloodling is nothing, boys. Your big sister wille and help. Lead the way!"


    ________________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 220 220. The Horny Heist

    Sylvester made Lady Aurora wait until the following day so they''d reach their destination in one go. But before she left, he met her in private.


    "Lady Aurora, please do not underestimate the bloodling no matter what. You don''t have light magic like me, so keeping it from touching you will be hard. But, I hope this helps." He extended a small leather bag to her. "There are two dozen light crystals and a dozen srium crystals. Please use them for your own safety, and remember, if you find it troublesome, just return."


    Lady Aurora nced at Sylvester while smiling warmly. To her, this gesture meant a lot more than anything else. What does a person without a family wish for the most? It''s someone to care about you¡­ think about you.


    "Oh, you¡­" She jumped closer and hugged Sylvester tightly, mming his head on her breastte by pulling him down. "You are like my little brother, Archpriest. Thank you for worrying about me."


    Sylvester got himself freed after some struggles as she was strangling him. "Good lord, be more careful with your monstrous strength. Furthermore, if you see me as a little brother, just call me Sylvester. No need to use official rank."


    He offered. It was a well-calcted move. Because not only was Lady Aurora already older than his both livesbined, but she also longed for a family. And, if he were to be family to her, then the loyalty could be eternal.


    Her smile was worth seeing as her grey eyes shined with excitement. "Really? You''re okay with that? Then you must call me big sister Aurora from now on."


    Sylvester made an ugly face. "Ugh¡­ I''m not calling you that. The best I can do is Aurora, or sister Aurora."


    "Good, that''s also good. Call me sister from now on. I always wanted a little bother to bully since I was small¡ªfinally, the wish hase true."


    "..."


    Sylvester turned around to leave. "Good luck with your mission, Aurora. Remember, never underestimate a bloodling."


    "Hey! Add sister to it!" She shouted in fake anger, but Sylvester just waved his hand.


    Seeing him gone, she opened the bag and looked inside. It was filled with expensive magical crystals. "My brother is filthy rich. But how? Can a bra make one so rich? Hmm¡­ they are pretty great, though. Anyway, let''s move out."


    ¡­


    Holy Land, Pope''s Penins.


    "Haaa!"


    sh!


    "Wraaa!"


    nk!


    "Stronger and louder, boy! You''re one tall giant, so make sure your enemy not only bathes in his own blood but also piss. Roar, my boy! Roar to the heavens!"


    "Rwaaaaa!"


    "Good boy, Zeke. You will one day be the finest knight this school has ever produced!" Shouted the bald ck man, tall and old as ever, with his iconic foul tongue. Sir Baldfreak was the same as years ago.


    "My sword is strong," Zeke muttered while looking at the long de in his hands.


    "Indeed. You may not be gifted like most others, but you have a high talent, and the best thing about you is that you are one persistent fellow." Sir Baldfreak praised him.


    The thing about Zeke was that he was very simple-minded. Once he''s told to do something, he''ll do it for night and day until he''s asked to stop.


    And that''s how even if he knew just a few moves, he was strong and masterful in it. Not to mention, he was slowly turning into a powerhouse with his potential being untapped.


    Of course, for that, a good diet was required. So, Zeke now had a new adoptive mother, who happily made him tasty food, and in return, Zeke cleaned the house.


    "It''s lunchtime, Zeke. Come here!" Xavia arrived at the School of Dawn with a big lunchbox.


    Zeke quickly put aside his sword and bowed his head in respect. "Big Lady, thank you for the food."


    Xavia chuckled. "Stop calling me that. I''m just Max''s mother, not some powerful woman. He asked me to take care of you and ensure you eat healthily and work hard. Is your training going well?"


    Sir Baldfreak greeted her as well. "Mother Xavia, good to see you again. Zeke is a good monster in disguise. He has a lot of physical strength, and his arms are strong. He has already ranked up to Silver Knight''s rank. If he keeps exerting himself like this, before long, he''d be a Golden Knight and ready to go out on adventures."


    ? Xavia proudly nodded and patted Zeke''s shoulder. The simple man was much taller than her. "I''m sure Max will appreciate this. Zeke, make sure you keep getting stronger and protect Max. He''s too reckless otherwise."


    Zeke patted his chest. "Big Lady, don''t worry. I will protect the big lord with everything. He''s my favourite person in the world."


    Xavia made a fake sad face. "Really? Then what about me? I thought I was the favourite as I make you tasty food."


    Zeke appeared taken aback and tensed. He looked left and right in panic, trying to think. "Uh¡­ I¡­ Big Lady is my favourite person too. But I met the big lord first, so hees first."


    "Haha¡­ fair enough. Come, eat lunch now. I made Max''s favourite dish. But I just hope he returns soon now. Sir Dolorem asks about him every time I see him¡ªbut I have no information to give. Where even is that careless brat?"


    "Big lord work very hard, bigdy," Zeke spoke.


    Xavia eyed him. "Oh, what''s this? Already taking his side? Fine, I guess you don''t like my food anymore."


    Zeke quickly ate all the food and bloated his cheeks. "I love the food! The best ever! You are the greatest! The mighty! The¨C"


    "Alright, alright, no need to be a bootlicker now. Eat fast and get back to training. I must head to work as well."


    "Understood, bigdy!"


    Chomp!


    Zeke emptied the lunchbox in one go.<sub> </sub>


    ¡­


    Duke Daemon Gracia''s Keep.


    Sylvester and Felix arrived inside the castle yet again. But this time, they didn''te to ask the Duke any questions or get him to agree to something. No, this time, they had a much more profound, selfish, and possibly a criminal reason.


    "Are you sure about this, Max? We don''t want to bebelled as thieves now." Felix asked nervously.


    "Shut up. If you keep talking about it, we''ll be caught before we even start. Just do as I told you and reap the benefitster. We must do this for effective missionpletion. Now focus." Sylvester scolded Felix and made him walk in front of himself.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester spoke with Miraj. "Chonky, you got the map memorised? You know what to pick. Remember, this heist is very important. The chonky bank is nearly empty, and we need funds to prepare for any future emergency."


    Miraj saluted with his chubby white paw. "Aye, aye, Maxy. Worry not. Your bank shall never disappoint you as long as the banana tax is paid."


    "Hah, you can have ten bananas if you do this, boy. Now, get serious. The rooms on the top floor of the Duke''s tower are covered with valuable items, but you must only focus on what shins. Gold, diamonds and rubies, that''s what we need. But, make sure it''s not something so big that it''s noticeable on one look." He started briefing him.


    The need of the hour for Sylvester was to buy more essential crystals since the future was unpredictable. He didn''t know who he''d have to fight all of a sudden. It could be Shadow Knight in the worst case.


    Knock! Knock!


    Sylvester knocked on the door, and it automatically opened. He moved in proudly, but inside, all he saw was Lady Artemis sitting on Duke''s chair, with her legs on the table. She was wearing a ck gown that had a long cut on the side, all the way to the side hip. Hence, her slender, smooth legs were shining under the sunlight from outside. At the same time, her more-than-normal pale face and red lips contrasted against the bright room.


    She smirkingly looked at the two of them and spoke in an orgasmic voice. "What can I do for the two of you, lords?"


    "We wish to speak with the Duke," Sylvester replied.


    The Duchess shifted into her seat, so more of her legs were visible. "What''s there that he can give you and I can''t? Speak your mind, lord bard. But take a seat before that."


    ''Good. If the Duke isn''t here, I should be able to keep her distracted while Chonky eats up all the precious things. No matter what, my pretty face has never disappointed me.'' Sylvester thought and walked forward with no fear or doubt.


    "Forget what you''re about to see." He whispered to Felix before proceeding.


    While Felix took a visitor''s seat, Sylvester walked around and took the seat beside the seductress Duchess. The Duke usually kept two seats on the leading side, one for himself and one for his wife.


    Doing the unexpected, Sylvester put his hand on her revealing thigh and made his palm warm. In an instant, he felt goosebumps all over her skin. He didn''t caress her, though, as that would be too much. "Ah, I saw a small blood-sucking fly. It''s gone now."


    ''Good, I can smell the excitement in her.''


    The Duchess looked into Sylvester''s confident golden eyes. He was handsome as hell, like no man should be. "My lord¡­ I must say, even the best elven ves I''ve seen in my life hold no ce aspared to your elegance¡ªyou are as exquisite as theye."


    "Ah!"


    She eximed in shock as Sylvester lifted her legs and turned her chair easily so she faced him, and her legs rested on hisp. Her dress was not very good at hiding anything under her waist, so he could see everything all the way till where her legs parted.


    But Sylvester kept staring into her deep ck eyes, ensuring she did not break eye contact. "You may not have heard of it, but I read a book about something called massage that''s popr in the Warsong Kingdom. It''s a technique of pressing certain parts of the body that makes one rxed. I''m sure you can use some¡ªrxing."


    He used both his hands, ensuring they were pleasingly warm. He needed no oil as he started caressing her slender legs, every time going all the way to her upper inner thighs but never reaching where she wanted him to.


    ''The scent of roses and sweat is overwhelming. Good lord, how horny is this woman? Chonky, boy, I hope you do it fast, or I''m afraid this woman will just jump on me. I''m putting my name and reputation on the line here!'' Sylvester felt slightly worried as the Duchess made some low-moaning noises and twitched around in her seat.


    Sylvester gave her an authentic massage, though. He was not kidding around with his techniques as he pressed ntar fascia under her feet and, from time to time, went up near the parts he never wished to reach.


    "Umph!" She moaned.


    Bam!


    Just as Sylvester was reaching her inner thigh again, she suddenly moved and caught his hands. Her eyes showed a pleading, weing, submissive look. "My lord, you are such a tease¡ªI won''t mind if you give me a full body massage."


    "..."


    ''Damn it! She''s hit the peak!'' Sylvester cursed internally.


    Ting!


    Thud!


    A loud noise resounded in the quiet sr. Lady Artemis immediately stood up, fixed her dress, and looked around. "What was that?"


    "Wind, I believe."


    Sylvester also walked back to Felix''s side and winked at Miraj, who was also showing him a thumbs-up from a distance.


    Apparently, the good boy saw Sylvester''s predicament and decided to help. Certainly, he was now getting not ten but fifty bananas in tax.


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 221 221. Family Biases

    The heist was done, the wealth was taken, and a woman was left in the heat. Sylvester didn''t want to waste a single more second in that sr after she tried to pull him. He simply looked out the window, said it was gettingte in the evening as he had work to do, and left.


    Miraj just jumped onto his shoulder, while Felix acted like a dead puppet and got pulled away by Sylvester. With that, Duchess Artemis was left unsatisfied and quite literally¡ªscammed.


    Bam!


    The door shut behind them, and they rushed towards the castle''s exit. Felix, however, came back to his senses just then.


    "What in the holy Solis'' name was that, Max? Good lord!"


    Of course, Sylvester was not happy with what he did. He felt disgusted with himself, but this was something taught to him at his job in his previous life. Honey trapping and taking advantage was an art as old as civilisation itself. "Felix, please forget what you saw. I had no choice and no interest in that witch."


    "That was bloody magnificent¡ªterrific¡ªbreathtaking!"


    "..."


    Sylvester looked at his friend with doubt. He thought Felix would make a big deal about it, that he did something dirty. But it appeared he was impressed.


    "Max, she was shivering with just your touch. How in God''s name did you do that? Teach me, please! I wish to one day seduce women like that too. Come on, help your brother out."


    "..."


    Sylvester sighed and continued to walk. "Perhaps it''s I who should be offended. Felix, as long as you are mighty handsome, it''s all about confidence. It''s a world full of people where the rich usually are fat fools, or, if too handsome¡ªpsychopaths. Peasants aren''t even counted. Their beauty doesn''t matter, as they are still peasants. That leaves folks like us, men of faith and handsome. We''re like an exotic forbidden fruit to women, as they know we are unattainable for our vows, but it''s still exciting to at least try and pull us to the dark side¡ªfor it''s a testament of their own beauty that they could even entice us."


    Felix whistled. "I never thought about it this deeply. It''s like finding an extremely beautiful Bright Mother and thinking, ''What a waste. She''s too pretty to die a virgin.''. Yeah, that does make us exotic."


    "Sadly, Bright Mothers have it worse than us. If we break our vows, we''re just removed from the Clergy and remain soldiers of the Inquisitor or Holy Army. But, if the Bright Mothers break vows, they are made to leave and marry the man with whom they sullied their bodies. They get no long-term benefits. Hence, most remain in the clergy¡ªeven if they fall for someone."


    "Wait! You''re implying that some Bright Mothers are not pure?" Felix stopped.


    Sylvester shrugged. "My friend, they are humans too. They have bodily needs as well. Honestly, I don''t mind if they use various means to satisfy themselves. They have my blessings."


    "That''s so unfair. What about us?" Felix asked.


    "We have to stay pure, Felix. You and I are bound to someday sit at the highest tables in the world. The Church will never allow a man with children to sit there, as the man might try and bring his kids up there too. Nepotism, basically. Now don''t stop, move."


    Felix grunted and continued. "As much as I hate it, it makes sense. Now I''m questioning if I should stay a virgin or not."


    "It''s your choice. You will have my blessings as long as it''s not a psycho like the Duchess."


    They proceeded to exit the tower of the Duke and reach the castle gates. There were guards, but they didn''t mind as the two hade insidewfully.


    However, just as they passed by a tree in the gardens outside, they heard Isabe''s voice.


    "Brother! Please! Don''t do this!"


    "Shh¡­!" Sylvester crouched down and moved closer to listen to everything.


    "What is she doing here? Did she tell you?" Felix whispered.


    Sylvester was wondering the same thing. But, before erupting in anger, he wished to hear why the woman dared do such a thing behind his back. "Listen silently."


    So they heard the exchange between the Crown Prince, Duke Daemon and Princess Isabe.


    "Be, don''t try. As I told you before. You are being brainwashed by those fools from the Church. Artemis is a wonderful woman, and she''s loyal to me. She may have magical abilities, but she uses them for the good of the Duchy. As for your other wish¡ªI will never speak with that oaf. That fool, he knows nothing about the real world, the economics, the strategy, and yet he got the throne on a golden tter. Then he had the audacity to remove me from the finance office."


    "Brother, please. You''re better than this." She cried.


    But the Duke had made up his mind, and even more shocking revtions were in order. "Go away before Ie to hate you, Be. And that Cardinal Suprima is evil. He tried to ckmail my Artemis¡ªit''s uneptable. She nted the Heart Eater on him on mymand. But, I agree, it was going too far. Bring that man to the port in an hour. I will be there and give him the cure for the Heart Eater Vine. Of course, as long as he agrees not tounch the church''s wrath on me."


    "Do you promise?" She asked expectantly.


    "When did I ever lie to you, Be? Now go; I have some guests to entertain." The Duke sent her away and entered the castle again to reach the sr.


    Sylvester and Felix meanwhile walked out of the castle grounds calmly and soon left on their horses. The whole way, they didn''t utter a single word, for they knew what they saw was a farce.


    ¡­


    Monastery


    Sylvester and Felix arrived at the monastery in time and moved to the Cardinal''s office without any greetings.


    As they opened the door, Isabe appeared with the Cardinal Supreima behind her. Excitement filled his face. He was likely fooled since he believed Isabe''s words were identical to his or Felix''s.


    "My lord, why didn''t you tell me this earlier? The Duke will take the vine out?" Cardinal Cornelius eximed.<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester red into Isabe''s eyes, showing his evident disappointment with her. "Perhaps it was a mistake to trust your reasoning abilities, Isabe. I warned you before that biases are the hardest to control in family matters."


    She stammered. "I-I just wanted to help. My brother would never lie to me¡­ he never has. T-Trust me, Sylvester. He-"


    "Silence!" Sylvester bellowed. "You are a fool to not even see the underlying meaning between his words."


    Felix agreed with Sylvester. "Isabe, we were there, returning from Duke''s office after not finding him there. We saw it all¡ªhe was definitely lying. He only wants you to bring the Cardinal, so he can kill him and also implicate you¡ªan ally of ours. Hence, if we were to unleash the wrath of the Church, you''d suffer too."


    Sylvester added. "He is hoping we value you enough not to report his case. But he forgets my duty is to the faith, not to you, Princess Isabe."


    She seemed devastated. All her attempts to save her family went down the drain, and everyone seemed to be using her. "How can you be so sure he was lying?"


    ''Because I smelled it.'' Sylvester sadly couldn''t say that aloud.


    "How can you be sure your brother is the same person after so many years? He allowed his own wife to sleep with the Cardinal to nt a vine in his heart. I don''t think any self-respecting man would wish for such. Your brother is gone. What''s left is an empty, evil husk." Sylvester sted her with cold hard facts.


    Cardinal sighed and returned to his office. "So it was a false hope. I should have known it was too good to be true."


    "Your eminence, do not trust anyone''s words unless it''s Felix or me. Understood?" Sylvester warned the clergyman and dragged Isabe out by her hand.


    "You are under arrest, Princess Isabe Gracia. Creating hindrance in the investigation of the Church¡ªArticle 5A of the Holy Law of Light. You shall be kept in total confinement until I feel it''s safe to release you." Sylvester announced his verdict.


    Isabe didn''t fight him. Instead, she just cried in silence. "Why is everything going wrong with my family? First, the mother, now Daemon. Sylvester, please help me."


    Bam!


    "I am helping you," Sylvester replied, bringing her back to the Crusader camp. There, as Lady Aurora''s carriage was still present, he put Isabe in it and locked the door. "You will be under surveince at all times. Do not try to escape, or else¡ªI will consider you an enabler of your brother''s crime."


    He heavily shut the door and walked away to his own tent. Felix followed behind, worried. "Is it fine to be this strict with her?"


    "She needs it," Sylvester answered. "I can understand where her rationality ising from. By now, it''s clear that the Duke and Duchess have something to do with the murders. There is something fishy going on. Once we know it, the man will die. If I were in Isabe''s ce, I''d try to save my brother too¡ªwith whom I yed for years as a child. She must be feeling helpless right now¡ªand frustrated."


    "I hope she won''t hate us for this," Felix muttered, leaving for his tent to rest.


    Sylvester ignored the question. ''If she does hate us for a long time¡ªshe was never worth investing in.''


    As he was alone, he put Miraj in front of himself. "So, my Chonky bank. Are we good?"


    Miraj nodded intensely. "Aye! Chonky bank is yet again filled to the brim. Hehe, I also saved you¡ªso I get more bananas?"


    Sylvester ruffled the good boy''s chubby head. "Of course, lord Chonky. Let''s go to the market and buy them for you."


    "Yay!" Miraj threw his paws in the air and climbed onto Sylvester''s back again. "Banana, banana¡­"


    He headed out to the stables and got his horse. "Chonky, we may get another chance to rob the Duke in the future. So be prepared for my orders. Remember, gold, diamonds and rubies, that''s all we need."


    "Aye, aye, Maxy. My tummy is ready to serve!" Miraj patted his belly again and again.


    "Haha, I hope it doesn''t burst open, though. You''re getting fatter, and I can already sense it. My shoulders feel heavier right now."


    Miraj quickly started massaging him. "Oh, that''s because you''re tired. I''m still the same. It''s not my fat¡ªit''s the fur."


    "Sure, sure, whatever lets you sleep." Sylvester teased the furry boy. He loved doing it because Miraj''s tantrums were mostly pouting and making cute cat noises.


    Thud!


    "Lord Bard! Lord Bard! A great catastrophe has befallen! Please help!"


    Sylvester turned around while exiting the crusader camp and looked. It was one of the two Inquisitors who hade to ask for help and left with Lady Aurora early in the morning.


    The man was panting and appeared bloodied, having fallen from his horse. His face told a story of horror, misery and pain above all. So Sylvester quickly rushed to help him sit up. "What happened?"


    The Inquisitor stared into Sylvester''s eyes, passing on the dread with his stammering words.


    "L-Lady Aurora has f-fallen!"


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 222 222. On The Night Roads

    Sylvester''s face turned ugly. He shook the Inquisitor by the cor. "What? Say that again!"


    "L-Lady Tenth¡­ she suffered the same fate as the other Inquisitors, my lord. The creature is too strong!"


    "Nonsense!" Sylvester boomed. "She''s a Grand Wizard, and I have seen a grand wizard incinerate an entire mountain range to destroy a bloodling. It''s impossible she''d be dead."


    "S-she''s not dead, my lord." The Inquisitor rified. "She is stuck inside the dead mist. We don''t know what it is or what it does, but whoever inhales it goes into aatose state and remains standing in one ce. We know they are alive but have no way of saving them. They remain inside, standing as if dead."


    Sylvester breathed in relief. "In that case, let''s return as soon as possible. My light magic should be able to deal with whatever that''s in there. Come with me."


    ''How strong must this nerve toxin be to even defeat a Grand Wizard? Or could it be that she didn''t take the proper precautions?'' Sylvester was left in wonder. But he didn''t show his fears in the open as that would spook the Inquisitor.


    Quickly, Sylvester arrived inside his camp and called the rest to report to him, including the four Crusade Commanders.


    "A situation has appeared. I will have to go to the Ender Vige and defeat the bloodling myself. But I cannot leave this position unguarded either. We''re the valve keeping the Duke and his witch under control. So, I will go alone. In the meantime,manders are to continue training the men. Felix and Bishop Lazark, you will be in charge here.


    "As for the Bright Mother, she stays inside the carriage, locked and secure. None shall tell her about my location. Ensure that nobody finds out where I am. Got it?" He gave them quickmands as he needed to leave immediately.


    "Take her with you," Felix suggested. "You will need a healer if you get injured there, and this time we won''t be there to help."


    Sylvester did think about this possibility, but he couldn''t bring himself to trust her. Not to mention, she was too inexperienced to do the right thing in case of a messy situation. Moreover, she had no idea how to deal with stress.


    "Take her. It''s better if she''s as far away from here as possible." Bishop Lazark added.


    "Alright, I will talk to her. Get me two horses. We need to rush as fast as possible." He dismissed everyone and walked towards the carriage.


    "Chonky, how many bags of Light and Srium crystals do we have now?" He inquired.


    Miraj tried to think about it first. "Umm¡­ I think we have two bags left. Each has more than ten crystals, Maxy."


    ''I hope that will be enough.'' Sylvester muttered and pushed the door open.


    Isabe was silently sitting in the corner of the room, reading a book.


    "You look dead," Sylvester said, as there were dark spots under her eyes and her face appeared paler than usual.


    He went close and touched her forehead. "You have a high fever. I guess I can''t take you then. But I can''t leave you like this either."


    She blinked her eyes in wonder. "Is it over? Did you kill my brother?"


    Sylvester sighed. "Girl, I won''t just kill him without irrefutable proof. He''s a duke, not a little baron. If you''re worried I will wrong him, then you''re mistaken. If he''s innocent, he will be free to go. If he''s found guilty, you will also get to see the proof."


    She nodded appreciatively. "I''m sorry for being stupid."


    "Not stupid, I''d call it inexperienced. You''ve lived your life as a sheltered princess all this time. Now, you''re finallying out of your cocoon. Everyone makes mistakes, but what matters is that you learn from them. Stay in here now. I will send a healer." He got up to leave as he picked up a few extra items from the carriage.


    Isabe also stood up. "Where are you going? You seem to be in a hurry."


    "To save Lady Aurora. Some Inquisitors hade to ask for help in a fight against bloodlings down south. Unfortunately, I received the news that Lady Aurora has beenpromised by the toxic mist of the bloodling."


    "I will go!" She boomed. "Please take me with you!"


    Sylvester ignored her. "I don''t need dead weight on the mission. You''re sick, so rest. I will handle it."


    "No! I can''t sit here¡­ if you don''t take me, I will die from worry. Lady Aurora has helped me so much over time. She is like a big sister that I never had. She must be in pain¡­ let me help." Isabe pleaded.


    Sylvester did smell her firm resolve with the scent of confidence ring up.


    "You''re sick. If you can''t even move, then how will you help?" He questioned.


    Isabe closed her eyes and took long deep breaths. She repeated it a few more times until her face became healthy again. "It''s just a fever. I can easily deal with it. Check the temperature now."


    He did so by touching her forehead. ''Good lord, she actually controlled her body''s temperature. How?''


    "It''s easy when all you''ve studied your entire life is healing. Oftentimes, since I was locked in my room, I had only myself to experiment on. That''s how I developed the technique to regte my body temperature. Now, I never get a cold or a heatstroke." She revealed proudly.


    ''She may be dumb in life, but in healing, she''s the best. I guess it''s about time I make her test her eye-healing abilities too.''


    "Fine, you''reing. But you will share a horse with me as you can''t steer yours fast enough yet. We will not stop until we reach the Ender Vige."


    So, Isabe also prepared a small bag for herself and followed Sylvester. It was already turning dark, so Sylvester had an excellent cover to leave secretly. But he was also scared as night was when the Shadow Knight struck.


    "Good luck, Max. Go and beat that Bloodling''s ass!" Felix cheered him up.


    Gabriel handed Sylvester, Isabe and the Inquisitor a small piece of paper with some runes. "This is a talisman I learnt from Archbishop Noah in the Holy Land. I don''t know if it works, but I hope it does."


    Bishop Lazark moved closer to Sylvester''s horse and handed him a small vial. "This can heal any flesh wound you can imagine. A mere drop is enough¡ªthis contains ten. Use it wisely, Lord Bard."<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester took the precious deep purple liquid. "This is magnificent. You should make more of itter."


    "Each drop costs one hundred Gold Graces, Lord Bard. The likes of us can''t fund it." Bishop replied.


    Sylvester didn''t even ask and took out a big pouch of money. "Here you go, these contain a few dozen diamondsrge in size. Go to the nearest cityter and buy the ingredients. Make a vial for all four of us. If this is not enough, I''ll give moreter."


    "..."


    "Ha!" Sylvester pped Frost lightly, and the loyal horse sped up. Isabe was sitting in front of him, but this time she was wearing pants and upying a second seat on the custom saddle. He had to hold the reins by wrapping his arms around her waist, but neither he nor she minded it.


    Soon, they were out of sight, leaving behind a perplexed necromancer. "H-How is Lord Bard so rich?"


    Felix, of course, knew the answer. He knew they scammed the Duchess that morning, but how, he had no idea. "Some questions are never meant to be answered, Bishop. Let''s return; we should take the attendance of the Crusaders."


    ¡­


    The path to the Ender Vige was harsh at night. It was just an uneven mud road through various farnds and small forests.


    "Sylvester, can I ask you something?" Isabe spoke as they rode at top speed.


    "We don''t have much to do, so fire it up." He acknowledged and shifted himself a little back into his seat to avoid touching her too much.


    She knew he was a gentleman, and that was why she wasfortable enough to ride with him. "I¡­ I want to get stronger¡­ like you."


    "You can be a Master Wizard if I remember it right. Being my age, you''re still not too far behind, Isabe. As long as you train, you surely can get stronger."


    But she had something else in mind. "Not strong like that¡­ I meant mentally. I''ve never seen you not in control of a situation. I want to be like that."


    ''Only if it was that easy, princess.'' Sylvester thought to himself. He knew if he didn''t have experience of his old life, he would have been a foolish teenager as well. Perhaps even dumber than Felix and Isabe.


    "As I said, you need experiences to get better. But you can also learn from the mistakes of others. Just keep your eyes and mind open, and you will learn a lot."


    "Even if it''s about running a Kingdom?" She inquired.


    ''What''s she cooking up in that head of hers now?''


    Sylvester silently thought about what he should reply with. He didn''t want to give her any false sense of hope. "Certainly can, but I''d say, to run a kingdom, one needs many more abilities. Leadership skills, management skills, critical thinking, and much more. Such things require a lifetime to acquire, Isabe. There is a reason why kings or Clergymen who are called wise have a long white beard and a wrinkled face."


    "But." She slightly shifted back and looked up at his face. "You have no white beard. You''re my age, and people already call you the Wise Bard. The local Bards also sing of your wisdom."


    No excuse could justify how he knew the things he knew. Hence, his usual answer was mostly about mystics. "There is a reason why they call me Lord''s Bard, Isabe. The first time I sang in the arms of Lord Inquisitor, I was a month-old baby. I merely repeated what echoed in my ears¡ªand you know whose echo it likely was."


    Her eyes shined in admiration, and she smelled of pure worship. "S-Solis?"


    "Ah¡­ it''s getting so cold all of a sudden, my lord." the Inquisitor moved slightly closer to Sylvester all of a sudden.


    "I feel it too. Look at the cloud of fog from our mouths as we speak." Isabe breathed out the air.


    Sylvester''s heart was beating faster than usual, however. Isabe felt it too, and shut her mouth.


    ''No, no¡­''


    He looked left and right in the absolute darkness with only a faint moonlight helping. As far as he could see nearby, he was in the middle of farm fields. But, on the left, in the distance, was a cluster of mountains called the Iron Mountains¡ªthe biggest source of Iron ore in the Gracia Kingdom and likely the East side of Sol.


    ''Is that you?'' Sylvester wondered as he stared at the mountain. He could feel the winding from the mountain''s direction was colder.


    Woosh!


    "Birds!" the Inquisitor shouted. A massive horde of animals was also there, running away front the mountain.


    Then Sylvester saw something that took his breath away. Near the base of the mountains, just before the treeline started, a dark shadow appeared, darker than anything around it, with two sharp slits of shining white eyes ominously looking back.


    He felt his scalp going numb.


    "Ha!" He went faster. "Sir Kennedy, do not question, do not look back! Run¡ªor forget ever again seeing the sun!"


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 223 223. The Mist Of Dead

    "What is it, my lord? Are we being chased?" Sir Kennedy, the Inquisitor, asked.


    Sylvester grunted and felt the cold rising. "No, we''re being trapped. It''s the Shadow Knight¡ªhe''s after us!"


    "What? Good lord!" The Inquisitor rode his horse even faster as he didn''t have two people.


    Sylvester cursed internally. ''Don''t do it¡­ whatever you are. I will one daye to you on my own¡­ but not now.''


    "Shadow Knight is real?" Isabe asked in shock.


    "Not only is it real, but I have also fought it once and somehow survived to tell the tale. Now, look at the front and lower your head as much as possible." He pushed her down while also touching her back with his head.


    To reduce the air resistance, he had to do it. He reckoned that even a fraction of an increase in speed could be life-saving.


    "You can do it, Frost!" Sylvester cheered his stallion.


    The poor boy neighed and gave his all to run as fast as possible. He, too, felt the cold, after all, and didn''t want to die. His instincts were no different than the other animals.


    ''Ah! It''s decreasing now.''


    He realised that they wereing closer to a vige in the distance. The closer they got, the less cold they felt. Then soon, they rode into the vige, and the looming danger vanished¡ªthey could feel it.


    He stopped for a few minutes to let the horse breathe. But there was some confusion. ''Why didn''t it kill me? It clearly had the opportunity and time.''


    "Let''s move, we''re halfway done. Just a little more is left. We can wait, but I''m sure those stuck in the trap of the bloodling can''t." So he ordered and continued the journey, albeit a little slower, as he didn''t want to kill the poor horse.


    Thankfully, the rest of the way went by without any more danger appearing, and they reached the outskirts of Ender''s Vige. The vige was mostly intact, as the bloodling had not done any real damage. Moreover, it had not even appeared inside the main vige but on the outskirts, near the cliff facing the Blood Sea.


    "My lord, the Monastery outside the vige is currently the only habitable pce in the town, as the mist can not enter it. The remaining survivors are staying there, under the care of the Archpriest, who is also the vige chief." Sir Kennady exined while leading the way.


    "Since when is the mist affecting the people?" He inquired.


    ? "It has been more than a week now. The people initially thought it was just a normal winter mist. But, slowly, it spread out from the edge and into the vige. The people mostly got stuck inside because they were sleeping. Only a few vigers escaped¡ªand now five thousand Inquisitor men are also in there." Sir Kennedy exined.


    ''I should first understand the nature of this bloodling before entering.'' He thought and entered the Monastery behind the Inquisitor.


    The Monastery was massive. Big for a small vige. However, it struck out as a sore thumb since all the buildings in the vige appeared to be only half as high as the Monastery.


    "I didn''t know the Ender Vige was this rich." He admired the beauty of the tall building with a red tiled roof and one high pointy tower.


    Isabe was doing the same and gawking at the structure. With the mist behind the Monastery, it looked particrly majestic.


    The Inquisitor, however, turned sad as he reminisced about the story behind it. "I''m afraid the story behind its creation, and the creator will anger you as well, my lord. Perhaps, after this crisis is over, you will have time to listen to it. Come, I will take you to the Inquisitor General."


    The sun had only started to rise, so the sky appeared with a faint dark blue tint. But the surrounding was very depressing since the mist hindered the visibility.


    Inside the Monastery, many mattresses were ced for people to sleep on. The sick were being treated while the Inquisitors who were left were resting.


    Sir Kennedy took Sylvester to the top floor of the high tower and knocked on the door before entering. "General, Lord Bard is here, as you asked."


    Sylvester walked forward to shake hands as he had met the man before during his first mission as Sanctum Inspector. He knew that Sir Arnold was a good man who could be trusted, a man who once vows to do something¡ªfulfils it no matter what.


    "It''s nice to meet you again, General Arnold." he greeted the tall, muscr man with a sharp jawline, an emotionless face and ck hair.


    "Thank you foring, Lord Bard. I know you were busy doing your duties, and I have no doubt your work is far more important than this, but I am out of options. Calling for help from the Holy Land would take too long, and you were the only expert in bloodlings nearby." Inquisitor General Arnold apologised humbly, though his face remained as serious as ever.


    Sylvester shrugged and moved closer to look at the table as a map was spread. "No time to talk about pointless things, General. I have been made Grand Crusader by the Pope, so as long as your men are here as a part of the Crusade, your duty is my duty. Please tell me as much as you can about the situation."


    General Arnold moved around the table and pointed at the vige map. "From what we have noticed, the effects of the mist are akin to necromancy magic. They leave a person in aatose state. Now, we know that the centre of this mist is somewhere near the edge of the cliff, if not down the cliff itself.


    "If you enter the mist without protection, you willst merely ten seconds. You see these circles within circles on the map? These are the radiuses we have measured with various means. The deepest one is two hundred metres. But, to reach it, we used magic masks¡ªthe best thing known to us. Hence, we made no further attempts to enter."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and stared at the map. Near each circle was a number. It was the time it took to reach that part. But, if the masks were useless, then he didn''t know what could even help.


    "Hmm¡­ any information about the bloodling? What does it look like, or what are its attacks other than this?" He inquired.


    Sadly, the General shook his head. "None have seen what it looks like, Lord Bard. But, I am willing to lead you as deep into the mist as you may need¡ªas long as we can save the men and the people."


    "No need, I will do it myself." Sylvester waved his hand. "Can you point on the map where Lady Aurora is stuck? She''s the greatest powerhouse among us; we need her to defeat the bloodling. So, I shall save her fist."


    "But my lord, how will you be entering the mist? Thest known location of Lady Aurora was five hundred metres before she stopped. She had no protective measures on her¡ªhence we only marked her as a cross." The General showed a cross on the map.


    ''So the Grand Wizards have resistance to such attacks as well?''


    "I will move in immediately. I have a way that will ensure no amount of mist even touches my face." He assured and walked out of the Monastery to stand near the edge marked on thend beyond which the mist started affecting.<sub> </sub>


    The general then brought a rope and tied it around Sylvester''s waist. "This is how we measure the distance and pull back the Inquisitor, my lord. Sadly, even after leaving the mist, they don''t wake up from aa."


    ''Likely it has something to do with bloodling being alive.'' Sylvester theorised in his head.


    All he could hope was that the bloodling wouldn''t decide toe out and hit him directly. If that happened, he knew he''d be in deep trouble.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten our paths and grant us strength!" He prayed onest time before taking a step forward.


    Instantly, a halo appeared behind his head as he mumbled a hymn under his breath. Then, he created a round helmet around him and Miraj''s head, made of solidified light. It was going to protect them from the mist entering.


    Woosh!


    He stepped into the mist and disappeared. All around him, all he could see was white, so much so that he couldn''t even see his own feet eventually. The deeper he went, the denser the mist got.


    ''This is strange.'' He muttered aftering across a few men stuck in motion, standing with wide-open eyes. But the whole eyes appeared white, without the iris.


    He ignored them and went to his goal, Lady Aurora. She was five hundred metres deep into the vige. The vige itself was not too big, so he was already near the cliff, and the destination seemed to be a small hill.


    "D-ea-th¡­ lie-ssss¡­ he-re¡­"


    "Chonky, did you hear that?" He abruptly stopped and asked the furry boy on his shoulder.


    Miraj nodded firmly and looked left and right. "I don''t like it here, Maxy. It feels¡­ bad."


    Sylvester was very amused as this was the first time he had encountered such a bloodling. "A humanoid bloodling thest time, and this one speaks. Are they evolving, or is this just a different ss?"


    "Maxy! Aurora!" Miraj jumped on his shoulder and pointed his paw.


    Sylvester could see her too. She seemed to be just taking out her sword when she got frozen. Her pose sent rms to his head. ''She was preparing to fight something? I must move fast.''


    Crack!


    "Dammit!" He cursed as a crack appeared on his helmet. The pressure was increasing so much that he found it hard to even move. The mist was as thick as water at this point, and each step seemed to be harder exponentially.


    ''What the hell is this ce?'' He wondered.


    Pat!


    Without second thoughts, he reached Lady Aurora and picked her up in a princess carry. "She''s too heavy!"


    "Maxy! Duck!"


    Sylvester didn''t even flinch and sat down with Lady Aurora still in his arms. Miraj''s job was to guard his back, so he trusted him blindly.


    Shwoo!


    "Good lord¡ªthe scent of death! It''s maddening! I must escape quickly." He saw nothing but felt something zooming past his head at incredible speeds. It cut through the mist and disappeared in the distance.


    All he knew was that anything that could move so fast in such air pressure was not simple. Besides that, since he couldn''t see anything, it was suicide to try and fight it.


    He gritted his teeth and pulled himself forward, one step at a time. Thankfully, on the way back, the further he got, the easier it became to walk.


    Eventually, he reached the edge and took a different route for a different goal. He wanted to inspect the frozen army of Inquisitors so that he could get a better understanding of the creature. So he remembered the map and reached the spot, only to see frozen bodies with white eyes¡ªfour thousand of them.


    But he sensed something troublesome. "This isn''t normal¡ªthey aren''t dead¡ªyet no scents?"


    "What happened, Maxy?"


    Sylvester looked around himself, at the mist, at the dead; remembered the hissing voice and the lingering scent of death. He felt it was all too familiar. "Chonky, I don''t think we''re dealing with a bloodling."


    Miraj''s tail fell, for he knew he would hate the answer. "What is it then?"


    "A demon!"


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 224 224. Summoned Darkness

    "Demon?" Miraj looked left and right at the crowd of Inquisitors, frozen as if stuck in time.


    Sylvester went closer to one of the men and tapped on their faces. "No reaction, no scent of any emotion. The Bloodlings are not known to speak, Chonky. But Demons are sometimes able to do so. Also, a Bloodling is a monster that kills, while Demon is something that possesses for whatever their n is."


    He looked at Lady Aurora''s face as she remained in his arms. "But to think that the demon could also affect her mind, we will need to be careful this time. Let''s return and strategise first since dealing with a demon is very different from dealing with a bloodling."


    "I don''t like being here¡­ I feel like someone''s watching me," Mirajined and hugged Sylvester''s neck.


    "I feel it too."


    Sylvester didn''t waste any more time and left the mist with Lady Aurora and arrived at the Monastery. There, as per his orders, a room had been prepared where she could be treated and woken up as quickly as possible as she had no physical injuries.


    "Isabe,e with me." He ordered while heading to the room.


    With her, the General and the newly arrived Archpriest of the monastery followed behind Sylvester and arrived in a room near the General''s office.


    Sylvester put Lady Aurora on the bed there and took off her armour. "She''s only mentally defeated. Physically she''s absolutely fine. Still, have a look, Isabe."


    He turned around and faced the General. "We''re not dealing with a bloodling, General Arnold. It''s a demon of a high ss¡ªpossibly an A or S ss. Bring me any exorcist you have in your ranks."


    "A demon? But how? Thisnd never saw any demonic activities here. Bloodling makes sense as a war was fought here years ago, but this?" General Arnold wondered loudly.


    At that, the Archpriest and chief of the vige stepped forward. The man was old with a hunched back, short, and had white hair with a beard. His face appeared wrinkled and, at the moment, full of worry as he spoke, "I believe it''s due to a curse, my lord."


    Sylvester asked, "Your name, Archpriest?"


    "Brylee, my lord. I''ve been the priest and chief of this vige for the past eighty years and just recently became Archpriest as thest one died. I''ve seen many generationse and pass here. But what we''re seeing right now is the result of the church itself¡ªthe consequences, if I may add."


    General Arnold tried to dismiss his words, however. "No, it can''t be rted to that. Demons don''t appear so fast from a curse."


    "But we''re forgetting that he also knew the magic of the Beastkins, which is as mysterious as the Lord''s ns," Archpriest Brylee said as he focused back on Sylvester. "Lord Bard, esteemed bringer of the light. What I will say has not a single word of lies in it¡ªso please hear me, for it might help the vige."


    Sylvester smelled the sadness radiating from the Archpriest. ''What happened here that has made even him so sad?''


    "Let''s take a seat then." Sylvester went to the corner of the room and dragged a few chairs. They all then sat by the window while Isabe checked Lady Aurora.


    The Archpriest started telling the tale, "My lord, until a few months back, a rich and influential Mizar family used to live here. They were Tiger beastkins, mixed with the local poption. They were staunch supporters of Solis, as they had been for generations¡ªthis monastery is the prime example of it.


    "They were in the trading business with the variouspanies in Libertia and Beastaria, all legally done. They were very kind people and always took care of the entire vige. They produced jobs for everyone here¡ªeveryone was happy¡ªuntil the Crusade started."


    Sylvester shifted on his seat, having guessed already where this was going.


    The Archpriest sighed and looked out of the window. "I remember that day vividly. The crusaders came under themand of Baron Karl Rockwood. The Baron demanded that the Mizar family pay fifty thousand Gold Graces. That was a lot of money, even for them¡ªnot to mention, the patriarch of the family had gone out to fulfil arge trade order, so there was not much money left.


    "The Baron used them of hiding their wealth and being unfaithful. He used them of being bloodling worshipers and barged into the house with the Crusaders. They looted everything but did not find enough coins. Then he med the family for heresy and burned the mansion down.


    "After that, they killed the entire Mizar family, beheading them publicly, humiliating them for no reason. Little kids were scared and crying¡ªyet the Crusaders showed no mercy¡ªin the name of Solis, they openlymitted heresy."


    Sylvester stood up and poured the old Archpriest some water. "You must be close to the family, Archpriest?"


    The old man nodded while gulping water. "M-My daughter was married to the Mizar Patriarch''s son. She was also killed with her daughters¡ªfive and six-year-old little fluffy-eared younglings. I performed the family''sst rites with my own hands."


    "What about the demon?" Sylvester steered the topic back in the right direction.


    "Yes, the demon. Some days after the whole ordeal, the Patriarch, Elyon Mizar, returned from his business, only to find the burnt house and ashes of his family that I handed over to him. But he went into a rage and vowed to kill the Baron. He''s not a simple man, my lord. He''s a pure Tiger Beastkin man with great physical strength and some magic to speak of¡ªBeastkin magic.


    "He cursed thends before he leapt away in a mindless berserk state. He prayed in the name of Solis, ''From thend where lies the ashes of my kins¡ªshall rise darkness and that time will be when the end begins.'' were his words. He also threw the ashes of his family on the spot and slit his wrist to put blood on it. Must have been some sort of a ritual."<sub> </sub>


    ''A blood ritual? I''ve only read about them in dark magic sses, and it''s mostly used by illegal dark wizards. Do Beastinks have a more mainstream blood magic?'' Sylvester wondered as he thought about it.


    From what he knew, to bring forth a demon, you needed a demon key. The key could be anything known to mankind, and as long as it''s tainted by a demon''s evil energy and a human or another living creature keeps it close for long enough, the possession begins. But here, the demon seemed to be something called forth. ''Or is it even a demon?''


    "Did you not report the incident to the higher-ups?" Sylvester asked while eying Inquisitor General Arnold with doubtful gazes.


    "We did," the Archpriest answered, "We have yet to receive any reply from the Cardinal Suprima."


    Sylvester sighed, for he knew there would be no reply. The Cardinal''s office waspromised, and the man didn''t receive any letters before the Duchess, and her loyal stooges checked them.


    "What about you, General? Why have you not initiated the response per the Holy Law of Light?" he pressed on the General.


    "We have started it, my lord," General said, "As the HLC(Holy Law Code), Article 66 applies to the Baron and the entire crusade army. But, we have our hands tied here, so we nned to deal with the Baron after this."


    Sylvester stood up and walked over to Lady Aurora whilemanding, "As I am Grand Crusader, this matter lies under my authority. General, spread the word to the Baron and the Crusaders under him. The Grand Crusader will meet them to reward them for their impable work, so ensure they are present at Baron''s Keep when I reach there."


    "It will be done, Lord Bard," General Arnold understood what the n was.


    "Reward them? Lord Bard, how can y¨C"


    Archpriest Brylee stopped as General Arnold tapped his shoulder and shook his head. It immediately struck the Archpriest what reward Sylvester was talking about.


    Sylvester was focused on Lady Aurora. ''How am I supposed to solve this mess now? I don''t even know what I am dealing with. My light magic also appears to be useless, as if it''s not the devil that has kept her in aa.''


    "General, please prepare as many long ropes as you can. I will enter the mist and bring out at least a dozen Inquisitors. I must test something on them to understand the nature of this ''entity'' we''re dealing with," he ordered.


    With that, everyone got busy after hismands and hurried around to find as many ropes as possible. Sylvester''s n was to take one end of the ropes in, tie it to the bodies and signal to the men to pull the bodies out.


    In half an hour, everything was ready, and Sylvester prepared to enter the white mist once again. The air was blowing harshly as well, but the mist wasn''t affected by it.


    Thud!


    However, just as Sylvester was entering the mist, the Inquisitors standing at the edge dropped down, and one froze up like those inside the mist.


    Sylvester cursed internally and shouted at the back. "Everyone! Move back! The mist is expanding¡ªquick!"


    His words spread panic as the monastery was not too far away from the mist, and if the mist were to keep spreading, then soon enough, it would be taken over too.


    Sylvester looked back at the General. "Get the exorcists ready! We are going to start a Seven-Light Ritual here. I''m afraid this mist is going to be a bigger problem than any of us can imagine."


    In Sylvester''s mind, thest words of that Beastkin Patriarch the Archpriest revealed echoed.


    ''From thend where lies the ashes of my kins¡ªshall rise darkness, and that time will be when the end begins.''


    "If the end begins here, and this mist is the end¡ªthen how far will it spread if not stopped? The Duchy? The Kingdom? The Continent? What in the devil''s name did that Beastkin invoke?"


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 225 225. A Rare Demon

    Sylvester couldn''t waste more time, so he hurriedly entered the mist. Once again, he used the hymns to make a halo and put a solidified light helmet around his head that allowed him to see. Miraj was with him, too, watching his back carefully.


    He arrived at the exact location where the army of Inquisitors was frozen and started tying the ropes around the legs after putting them down. They were more like statues on the stage, so it was easy to pull them.


    He repeated the process in haste since he didn''t want to attract any attention from the demon.


    "Pl-ease¡­ he-lp."


    "M-mom-my?"


    Miraj looked left and right in wonder, his hair standing erect in alertness. "Meow?"


    Sylvester also stopped and prepared himself to react to any sudden attack. "What was that? I felt as if someone spoke directly into my ear."


    "Me too, Maxy. Hey, whoever you are, don''t disturb us!" Miraj shouted openly.


    "K-Kit-ty¡­ pl-ay¡­ ussss¡­"


    The voices were echoing and seemed muffled. They didn''t seem to have one origin and were all around. But they were understandable, and from what the recent words were, Miraj was visible to this creature.


    Sylvester was alerted and quickly pulled Miraj close to his chest and hid him inside his robes. "Stay there, Chonky. You''re tiny and easy to take."


    Miraj didn''t object and only peeked out with his heading out of the robes, cutely wondering who this kid-like voice was that saw him, "New friends?"


    "I don''t know¡­"


    "Greee¡­!"


    "Fuck!" Sylvester jumped back and felt his scalp tingle. The inquisitors in front of him, each one of them, suddenly turned their heads toward him.


    "Zombies?"


    He was utterly confused as the events didn''t fit in any case. No Bloodling or Demon would use such theatrics.


    "Sssss-av-e ussss¡­"


    Mouths of all the bodies moved in unison and spoke the same words in a hissing voice.


    "Save us? Who are you?" Sylvester asked, reckoning the entity was using these bodies as a medium.


    "Kitty¡­ y¡­"


    But the bodies of the Inquisitors didn''t move or speak again. Instead, the happy giggles of a child responded, repeatedly addressing Miraj, who was now shivering for some reason.


    Sylvester took a deep breath inside the helmet and looked around himself. ''I must get rid of this mist before even trying anything. But Lady Aurora is needed to fight against the strong pressure in the middle.''


    He decided to ignore these voices as they were not hurting him. However, they continued to run into his ears, calling him for help, asking him who he was, or addressing Miraj.


    After he was done with two dozen bodies, he decided to leave as the voices became too much. Though before leaving, he did hear one distinct voiceing from a distance¡ªfrom the ce where the Mizar family''s mansion used to be.


    "De-ath¡­ so-ul¡­ eat¡­"


    This time he felt goosebumps as the voice did seem like that of a demon. Deep, muffled voice filled with great malice, and even the air smelled of death with that voice.


    "Chonky¡­ this time, I have a feeling we''re dealing with a really messed up demonic and ghostly situation."


    Miraj had already hidden inside his robes and hugged his chest. "R-Run, Maxy. That voice¡­ it''s talking to me¡­ I don''t want to hear it."


    "What?" Confused, Sylvester quickly shook the ropes a little to signal the men outside to start pulling. Then he also rushed out of the mist.


    But he went a little sideways and came out where none were close. He looked at Miraj inside his robes. "It talked to you? What?! Thatst voice?!"


    Miraj nodded his chubby white head and looked into Sylvester''s eyes. "I-It said it will eat my soul¡­ and everyone''s soul. Maxy! Don''t go in there again."


    ''A soul eater? I did read about this ss of demons¡­ But, if that''s the case, then¡­ it''s an X-ss demon¡ªthe strongest ones ever recorded.''


    "Did the other voices also speak with you?" He inquired.


    Miraj once again nodded. "They cry¡­ everyone cried and asked me to help. But I''m tiny and weak, so I can''t help."


    ''How is it that they canmunicate with him but not me? Are they simr to Chonky?'' Sylvester was trying to make sense of the situation. He was not a professional exorcist, after all.


    "Whatever the case may be, let''s try to wake Lady Aurora up. If it''s truly an X-ss demon, then we will need her to kill it. But what I am more intrigued with is how could that Beastkin summon such a strong demon?"


    He talked to himself while walking back to the Monastery. The inquisitor bodies he had saved were now put to rest in the infirmary they had set. However, Sylvester has a different reason for saving them.


    ''Best I can do is theorise and trust my smelling abilities. They''ve never failed me.''


    He walked to one of the frozen Inquisitors and checked the eyes. They were just like before, milky white, while their hearts were beating normally.


    Pa!


    A loud p resounded all of a sudden. Sylvester had just pped a frozen Inquisitor in the face¡ªvery firmly.


    "What are you doing, lord bard!" General Arnold came running, angered.


    Sylvester merely showed his palm to the man and shut him up.


    Pa!


    Another p resounded on another inquisitor''s face. This time too, Sylvester was not even looking where he pped but the bodies beside.<sub> </sub>


    Some Inquisitor men were getting frustrated seeing him disrespect their brethren.


    Pa!


    Sylvester again pped the third inquisitor. But this time, he just stepped back while rubbing his chin and a face full of frowns. "As I guessed, my worst fear hase to reality. General, we''re in a big mess."


    "What happened, Lord Bard?"


    "Hivemind¡ªthat''s what these men are sharing. Look at how they all twitch when I p one." Sylvester blurted. "A soul eater demon has taken home in there, and these men had their souls snatched away¡ªleaving behind a body that''s alive but not really."


    He did not mean to keep his word secretive, as all Inquisitors who heard him quickly came to their friends to see their bodies. The general, however, asked Sylvester toe to the side.


    "Are you sure, Lord Bard? Soul Eaters are rarer than the Soul Tree. We will have to call an expert of Soul Magic from the Holy Land, or perhaps the Pope himself."


    That was indeed the case. Soul Eaters were dangerous because they could grow infinitely stronger the more souls they consumed. So, if not killed in the initial stages, it could grow stronger than even a Supreme Wizard. The Soul Eater demon¡ªTut''Makht, the absorber¡ªwas precisely what the ninth Pope and five Guardians of Light lost their lives to while fighting.


    "I would love to be proven incorrect, General. But before we do anything else, we must free Lady Aurora. She''s a Grand Wizard, and I refuse to believe that an initial stage Soul Eater can harm her soul. Perhaps she''s struggling right now, but we can''t be sure. So, I advise you to prepare the men and send word to the Holy Land. I will focus on Lady Aurora," Sylvester advised him firmly.


    "Can''t your light defeat it? It''s a dark creature, after all." General Arnold asked.


    "Only time will tell that. But to even try that, we must first eliminate the mist. Anyway, see you in a while¡ªpray that Lady Aurora is well."


    Sylvester left the man and went to the top floor of the monastery''s tower. There, in the room, Isabe was still seated beside Lady Aurora.


    "Status?" He asked.


    "She has a fever and from time to time mutters something, as if fighting someone."


    Sylvester rushed to sit beside Lady Aurora and used his hands to spread light magic to remove any evil impurity on her body.


    Lady Aurora was sweating profusely, and her lips appeared cracked. She was panting loudly as her body twitched from time to time. Isabe tried her best to keep the fever under control, but it seemed the internal fighting was too hard.


    "Remove her clothes!" He ordered as the fever was getting higher than what Aurora could manage.


    "W-What?"


    Sylvester ignored her doubts and got to work. "I need to cover her in ice, or else, if the fever bes too high, her brain might get damaged¡ªleading to permanenta, partial paralysis, or even death. Quick!"


    Hearing about the consequences, Isabe also diligently moved and helped Sylvester remove Lady Aurora''s clothes from head to toe. Nothing, not even the undergarments were left.


    There was no time to feel shame or lust for an injured woman. Sylvester was used to performing emergency procedures, so he got to work quickly. He used water and air elements to create ice and cover Lady Aurora in it from head to toe. He only left two small dots on her temples exposed.


    After putting the ice, he created ice runes as well that would keep supplying more ice as the extreme body temperature of Lady Aurora melted it.


    "Isabe, I will be giving Lady Aurora Srium from my own body so she may keep on fighting. In my bag, I have some Srium Crystals. I need you to keep putting the crystals in my mouth after every thirty minutes so I don''t run out instead. Understood?" He ordered as he put his index fingers on Lady Aurora''s temples while she remained covered under a thick sheet of ice¡ªas if entombed in a crystal.


    "Got it."


    Sylvester didn''t speak more and closed his eyes to focus. He could smell the scent of rage from Lady Aurora, so he knew she was different from those inquisitors downstairs. ''You can do it, woman. Don''t you want to be the First Guardian someday?''


    He channelled the Srium in his body and into Lady Aurora. He specifically chose the mind as he reckoned it was the most criticalponent in fighting the demon''s corruption.


    In silence, Sylvester kept taking deep breaths. Isabe kept putting the crystals into his mouth after each interval.


    ''Good lord, her Srium reserves are monstrous¡ªI wonder how big are Pope''s reserves?'' Of course, Sylvester was learning new things at the same time.


    As time passed, the day started toe to an end. Hours had passed, and Srium crystals had run out a long time ago. But Sylvester didn''t let go, for he felt the fever decrease. But, he himself didn''t look good¡ªhis body had started to get thin.


    ''As long as she can survive, this is worth it. I just need to sunbathe to recoverter,'' he thought and kept pushing himself.


    Crack!


    "Sylvester! Look!" Isabe eximed.


    Sylvester opened his eyes and tiredly nced at the ice over Lady Aurora''s body. It had started to break apart.


    "It''s working!" Sylvester again focused and gave more Srium. He didn''t know what was happening, but liked to believe that she was winning the invisible battle.


    Crack!


    The more the cracks appeared, the more he felt rejuvenated.


    Boom!


    And finally, like an explosion, the ice blew away, sending around shards of ice everywhere. Isabe fell to the ground while Miraj hid behind Sylvester.


    "Ah! Good lord, It''s so cold!"


    Sylvester heard a known voice and chuckled. "Wee back, princess. You woke up in time, or I was going to make a frog kiss you."


    "Sylvester? My little brother? I knew you''de to help me, so I gave it my all. But you look thin!" Lady Aurora blurted while still lying on the bed and stared at Sylvester sitting behind her head, looking down. "And why am I naked?"


    "To save your life. Anyway, how are you feeling?" he asked tiredly while putting a sheet of cloth on her body like a gentleman.


    She closed her eyes again for a few seconds and took a long breath. "I-I saw things¡­ a strange world¡­ dark and yet so warm¡­ I think it was the¡­"


    [A/N: Check map image]

 Chapter 226 226. Into The Mist

    "The demon world?" Lady Aurora didn''t sound confident in her own words. "It was all so strange. It was all dark and shining, like fire, and so many demons were present¡ªbut they didn''t look ugly at all, albeit with horns and such. They spoke anguage so strange I could not make heads of it. Then suddenly, I felt like someone was pulling my thoughts away, and I tried to fight."


    Sylvester gave her a ss of water. "Good for you. It was a Soul Eater demon, trying to take away your soul."


    "What?!" Her jaw fell open.


    Sylvester quickly forced it close as the water was falling out. "Did the soul take your brain? Don''t make a mess. Also, how are you feeling right now?"


    Lady Aurora checked her arms and legs by tapping on them. Then she wrapped the sheet of cloth around her body and ran to the small mirror on a wall. "I look fine¡­ am I fine? What if the demon took a chunk of my soul, and I don''t even know?"


    "Won''t killing it give back all the souls?" Isabe spoke from the side.


    Lady Aurora just noticed her. "You also came to save me? Such a good girl, and yes, killing the demon will give back all the souls. I believe that''s what you''re nning, Sylvester? The more we let it remain free, the stronger it will get."


    Sylvester nodded and revealed his initial n. "From what I experienced inside that mist, I believe something physical remains inside the mist near where I found you. It tried to attack me, but I got away safely.


    "I also heard many strange voices, one belonging to a child. So there are likely some old souls trapped there. All in all, I first wish to get rid of the mist and then move in. Otherwise, the demon will have a grave advantage over us."


    "Agreed." Lady Aurora replied as she shamelessly threw away the sheet of cloth and started wearing her clothes.


    Sylvester sighed and looked away. At that, Lady Aurora scoffed loudly. "What? You''ve already seen it, so it doesn''t matter anymore. Am I right, Isabe?"


    Isabe nodded nervously. She was like that around Lady Aurora most of the time. Meek and shy, for she saw thetter as a role model.


    "Let''s move out now. Losing me must have brought down the morals of the Inquisitors. I can''t have that, for they are the backbone of this mission. Furthermore, Sylvester, did you find any further information about this situation? I know you''re the smart brain, so give it to me."


    As they walked downstairs, Sylvester updated Lady Aurora about the whole situation of the Mizar family and the culprit crusaders under themand of the local Baron.


    "That maggot!" She cursed at the Baron. "It''s so hard to convert the heathens to the side of the light already, and then these buffoon noblese and destroy everything. I''m sure the words of the massacre of such a prominent trader''s family must have already spread all over Libertia and the Beastaria''s coastal region. I believe we''ll likely see fewer pilgrims from the Beastkins this time."


    Sylvester shared the same feeling. "We are our own enemies, Aurora. Why do you think any underhuman species will ept Solis if we treat them inhumanely? Why would an elf bed vemit to Solis after being abused by some sick fat lord? Why would an orc ve ept Solis after being beaten and forced into doing hardbour? Why would the dwarves ept Solis after being locked in a dungeon as a free weaponsmith ve?"


    Lady Aurora stopped and looked at Sylvester. "A-Are you suggesting we absolv¨C"


    "I am suggesting nothing, Aurora. Just making an observation. All I know is that our methods of preaching are wrong. I don''t think even my hymns and light can heal the mental scars of an elf that''s been vited and tortured for decades. But, we have heathens like the Baron and Duchess Artemis among us¡ªwhy even talk about the underhuman species?"


    Lady Aurora sighed and continued on her path. "That''s why you need to do your best and win this race¡ªtake the seat you were born to upy."


    ''Isn''t that what this entire game is about? I will have that throne no matter what¡ªI''m just afraid of the cost.'' Sylvester thought and arrived at the open field outside the monastery.


    "Lady tenth!" General Arnold came running, surprised and ted, yet his face remained dead as always. "You''re well? It''s certainly soothing to the mind. Will you be taking over the authority again?"


    "No, not anymore, for we have a better thinker among us. My brother here, Lord''s Bard, the bringer of light, Sylvester Maximilian, will officiallymand all ten thousand of your Inquisitors." She proudly proimed while patting Sylvester''s shoulder, who was taller than her.


    ''This woman. Why is she smirking at me? Did she just push away her responsibilities onto me?''


    But nothing had changed. Sylvester was the boss already. "General, start preparing the masks. Lady Aurora and I will start removing the mist. Whenever you see the cleared space, I want you to save the rest of the Inquisitor Army, and then start evacuating the bodies of the frozen vigers too. Once you''re done, take everyone at least five kilometres back from here. We don''t know how dangerous this creature will be, and we don''t wish to take any chances."


    ? General Armstrong stoically looked back. "Vigers who lived have started to run away, Lord Bard. They are scared of the increasing mist¡ªhow can I tell them to stay and help now?"


    "There must be some who have their families still stuck in the vige. Keep them behind and let the rest go. I am allotting thirty minutes for you to prepare everything. After that, I will enter the mist with Lady Aurora."


    "Understood." the man saluted and marched away.


    Lady Aurora giggled, seeing hismanding attitude. "I''m slowly starting to understand why the more you meet my father, the more he likes you. You''re apetent armymander."


    Sylvester responded in a retort. "And I am confused about how a woman as old as you is still so immature sometimes. Truly, the world is full of mysteries¡ªsome awe-inspiring and some just dumb."


    Lady Aurora blinked dumbly and pointed her finger at her own face while facing Isabe. "Did he call me dumb?"


    Isabe nodded strongly. "I believe that''s what his words can be interpreted as, mydy."


    Lady Aurora stared at Sylvester''s leaving figure. But she stopped herself from doing something immature again as the moment was truly serious and deadly. So instead, she focused on the mist and wondered what magic to use to get rid of it.


    Sylvester was thinking the same. He was less worried about the outeryer, as the innermostyers had so much pressure from all around that he wasn''t sure if he could get rid of the mist.


    Either way, he had no option but to try and stop the demon before it devoured everything.


    Soon, the time for the moment of truth arrived. Sylvester was slightly nervous this time as he had no srium crystals left. So this time, he was going with the ''retreating at the sight of trouble.'' mindset.<sub> </sub>


    "Ready?" He stepped beside Lady Aurora at the edge of the mist. Behind them were the Inquisitors, donning light armour, ready to run in and drag their brethren out.


    "I was basically asleep the whole time my mind was lost. My body feelspletely fresh at the moment." She responded and started waving her hands towards the mist.


    She createdrge circr rune schemes, each being as big as a metre in diameter. They appeared white, meaning they were rted to the wind element. She didn''t need to hide her spells at the moment, so she put no focus on ensuring the runes remained colourless.


    Boom!


    Then, with her monstrous magical strength, she unleashed the most incredible gust of wind that Sylvester had ever seen. It dug into the mist and disappeared, not even removing the mist. However, what happened after that was the most shocking.


    Shhh¡­!


    A few secondster, all the mist from the vicinity started to get sucked away in the same direction Lady Aurora''s spell went.


    "Ah, creating negative pressure to make the mist fly over the cliff and disperse over the Blood Sea? Smart." Sylvester praised the woman he considered sister now.


    Lady Aurora chuckled wryly, definitely not having thought as much as Sylvester. "Behold my power, Sylvester. You must strive to be stronger than this one day."


    Woosh!


    She threw away a few more such gusts of wind.


    Seeing that, Sylvester also made his move and started creating massive whirling storms. "Let''s work together,dy Aurora. With the tornadoes, I will gather as much mist as possible, and once I signal, you send the gust of wind."


    "Got it."


    With that, Sylvester and Lady Aurora showed an incredible feat of magic to the Inquisitors. Their spells were vast and mighty. They were audible to the ears even when they only consisted of air. It was undoubtedly confidence-inspiring for them.


    Boom!


    "That should do it." Lady Aurora eximed afterunching thest spell. The area had be much clearer now, and the first two hundred metres appeared clear to walk around.


    "Exorcists! Move-in!" General Arnold roared, as per the n Sylvester had made.


    "Malum quod ante lucem stat. Perstare necesse est, nam hanc pugnam vincere destinati sumus. abscede! abscede!..." Loud reciting of the ritual echoed all around. A dozen exorcists made a semi-circle around the vige and started to walk in.


    The seven-light ritual was in ce. The exorcists held a torch in one hand and a holy book in the other, while the symbol of the church was brandished on their chests as arge locket.


    They chanted, and chanted, for thend they had to purify. In the meantime, Sylvester had a demonic mess to rectify.


    "Inquisitors! Mask up and move in! Follow the protocol and bring all the brothers of the Inquisition and vigers out!" General Arnold roared. He also put on a mask and led the men into the recently cleaned area.


    However, Sylvester and Lady Aurora''s destination was further deep into the vige. After the first two hundred, the next three-hundred-meter radius was the next target. Though this time as well, they quickly cleaned the area, albeit with a dozen more spells than before.


    "Clear!" Sylvester bellowed to signal the Inquisitors behind.


    Though for Lady Aurora and Sylvester, the real fight was to start now. In front of them was the five-hundred-meter mark, the toughest. The same radius inside which Lady Aurora was stuck and Sylvester''s solidified light helmet was cracked.


    Sylvester didn''t wish to enter without a n, so he stopped to think. "Do you know what powers a Soul Eater has other than eating souls?"


    "I don''t. They are so rare that even books don''t have much information about them. Though, this mist situation is a first." Lady Aurora said.


    Out of options, Sylvester walked to arge tree; half stuck inside the mist and half outside. The outer part had a hollow, a big one.


    "Does the mist also travel under the gr¡ªMove back!"


    Sylvester abruptly jumped back, alerting Lady Aurora too. He kept his spear forward, and Lady Aurora her sword¡ªpointed at the hollow.


    He roared. "Come out! I saw you in there! Show your face!"


    ________________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 227 227. Dual What?

    "Come out!" He bellowed angrily as no movement was seen.


    Sniff! Sniff!


    Snivels of a child resounded all of a sudden.


    Sylvester faintly recognised the voice belonging to the whispers that wanted to y with Miraj. So he quickly tucked Miraj into his robes and asked again. "Come out. I won''t harm you."


    Then, a ghostly figure of a little girl came out, hovering in the air. It had no legs, apletely white body, long messy hair, and ck eyes. It looked as innocent as a young child could be. This one was likely not over five years of age.


    [A/N: See her reference art.]


    Sylvester tried to smell, but there was nothing. ''Is this a ghost?''


    "Who are you, young one?" he tried to act calm.


    "Mister... where is mum? Where is big brother?"


    ''Is she a ghost of the Mizar family?'' He wondered in silence.


    But just then, Lady Aurora voiced in confusion. "Sylvester, who are you talking to?"


    Sylvester turned to the side and noticed Lady Aurora was clueless. She was looking left and right but didn''t seem to focus on the little ghost of the child.


    "You really can''t see her? Over there, near the tree. There is a little child." He pointed precisely where the girl''s ghost was standing, scared and sad.


    "I can''t. What is going on?" Lady Aurora still could not see.


    "Can''t even hear?" He asked.


    "Not at all."


    Sylvester wondered what it was that made him so special. ''Why can I see her then? Is it rted to my light magic? Or is it something else?''


    He focused back on the little girl''s ghost. She looked so lost and confused, and her face was full of panic as well. She didn''t appear like a human entirely. And the fact that she likely died a gruesome death was quite heartbreaking.


    "What''s your name, young one?" He asked kindly while kneeling down, not to appear threatening.


    "I am Amy... mister. Can I see the kitty? I love Kitties." She asked longingly.


    Miraj poked his chubby head out of Sylvester''s robes and looked at his face to get permission. He whispered. "Maxy... she''s really a child... I know."


    Sylvester nced at the girl and then at the chubby boy. ''What am I supposed to do with her? She''s dead.''


    "Fine." He allowed it.


    Miraj jumped out and rubbed himself around the ghost. Shockingly, Miraj could touch her even though she looked like a little cloud.


    "What the!" Sylvester jumped to his feet.


    ''I can''t see her now! What''s this? Miraj is the key?'' He talked to himself in utter disbelief. He had never thought Miraj would have such a unique ability.


    But the question was, if only Sylvester could see Miraj, then what was Miraj looking at that only he could see? ''Is Chonky some sort of a key that connects the world between the living and dead? His belly is already an example of extreme interdimensional space. What other abilities does he have?''


    He saw Miraj ying with the girl, albeit he couldn''t see her. So Sylvester walked behind Miraj and put his hand on the chubby head. In an instant, he could see the girl again, who was giggling as Miraj licked her hand.


    Sylvester tried to check his abilities again and again by touching Miraj from time to time.


    ''He is the key, it seems. But how far can the touch extend?'' he wondered and looked behind.


    "Aurora, pleasee here and put a hand on my shoulder." He asked, hoping she wouldn''t see Miraj but would see the girl.


    Without much thought, she knelt beside Sylvester while putting her hand on his shoulder.


    "What in the..."


    She retracted her hand and then ced it again. She repeated the action a few times until her jaw fell. "Woah... what is this? Is she a ghost? Look at her, so tiny. But why is she giggling?"


    Sylvester didn''t answer her and addressed the girl now that Lady Aurora could also see her. "Amy, what are you doing here?"


    The little ghost girl looked left and right in confusion. "I... I don''t know. I was ying hide and seek with Nat, Mat, Tony and Leo. I was hiding in the cupboard and waiting to be found. But then everything felt very warm, and I couldn''t breathe... I don''t know what happened after. Mister, where is mum? When will daddye?"


    ''So she didn''t live through the burning and fell unconscious due to the smoke?'' Sylvester could only pity the poor thing.


    Wraaa!<sub> </sub>


    "No!" Amy''s form flew to Sylvester and hid behind him. "Mister, that big monster wants to eat me. Please help."


    Sylvester faced the mist while the roar came from inside it. He could feel that this demon was undoubtedly the strongest he had ever witnessed yet.


    "Lady Aurora, use your strongest attack and try to get rid of this mist. I will do the same." He suggested. "Amy, stay behind me."


    "Yes, yes." The little girl hid behind Sylvester''s legs and peeked at the front.


    To Sylvester, it felt bizarre how he wasmunicating with a ghost, but at the same time, he could feel that she was no different from any innocent child on the streets. So, he reckoned that if he was willing to save a child on the streets, why not her? The Crusaders had already done enough to hurt her, and he was already aiming to kill the demon.


    Boom!


    Sylvester''s right palm rested by his chest as he started singing a hymn, and a bright beam of light sted into the mist. The Wrath of Heavens was as strong as ever, fitting for the name.


    The bright white light pierced through the mist and illuminated the particles. The entire area seemed like a torch from that.


    Woosh!


    A tunnel formed in the intensely packed mist. But, sadly, it didn''t wash away like the rest of the mist before. The area was so pressurised by the demon''s powers that the mist was trapped.


    "Let me try." Lady Aurora said and nted the de of her sword into the ground while her hands rested on the hilt. She then closed her eyes and muttered a few words. "The lightning that can incinerate the world entirely. What burns harsher than fire-e forth, for your beauty we all admire."


    Boom!


    Unlike Lady Aurora''s signature move of Thunderfall, as her code name suggests, this one was reversed. The lightning bolts wereing from the ground inside the mist, creatingrge punchers here and there.


    There were hundreds and thousands of such bolts, each strong enough to uproot a small keep. So strong that even the earth shook, and the sky boomed with ear-shattering ps. The might of a Grand Wizard was something none could fight--in most cases.


    "Ugh... still can''t do it. If I wish to remove all the mist, I need to summon more lightning, but this is my limit." She panted a little after obliterating thendscape. There were no houses other than the ruinednd and mansion of the Mizar family, so they didn''t worry about damaging the ce.


    "Let me try again," Sylvester said, using more energy this time.


    Boom!


    This time, a bigger, brighter, and wider beam of light pierced through the mist. This time, Sylvester could see that the beam of light crossed over to the other side, onto the cliff''s ridge, as he saw a clear sky at the end of the long tunnel.


    "Great! Let''s go!"


    "No!" Sylvester stopped her. "If this is all we can do with our full might, then the demon is likely stronger than the home it has created for itself. So unless we can remove all the mist, we should not enter. Thest thing we want is a Soul Eater to devour us two and gain your strength and my light magic--bing resistant to light magic in return."


    "Woah! Big brother is so shiny!" Amy suddenly eximed, having seen the might of Sylvester and Lady Aurora.


    She flew around Sylvester and chirped. "I will one day be as strong as you, big brother. Daddy said he would also teach me how to punch like a tiger when he returns. Do you know where daddy is? He went beyond the big blue sea to make money. Mum says he''s powerful and smart."


    Sylvester''s heart broke as he heard her words. ''S-She... does not know she''s dead?''


    The realisation somewhat saddened him, knowing the girl would never have the happiness she desired. ''How do I make her soul leave this ne? The more she lives here, the sadder she will get, likely one day turning into a vengeful creature of the night.''


    He tapped on Miraj, who sat on his shoulder, to jump down and y with the girl so he could talk with Lady Aurora about the next step. "Let''s move back and call for help from the Holy Land. Until then, we can stop the mist from spreading."


    Lady Aurora rubbed her chin and thought about it. "Even if we ask for someone, the best they can send is some random Guardian, maybe Lord Inquisitor. But that won''t be enough to kill this thing. What we need is the Fourth Guardian of Light, the Soulbreaker--Zackmund Koff Xerxes. But,st I remember, he was stationed on the other side of the continent, so it''s impossible that we''ll get any help quickly."


    "What about the Pope?" Sylvester asked. "He should be able to deal with this."


    "Hmm... he should be, but will he be free toe here? I mean, he will likely wish to kill this demon as quickly as possible, but we don''t know what''s on the Holy Father''s te right now."


    The two fell into thinking. Sylvester looked around at Miraj and Amy ying, running around him, giggling. ''Then how do we kill this thing?''


    "I have an idea!" Lady Aurora blurted. "Sylvester, don''t tell anyone this, but I have reached a bottleneck, which means I am about to level up to Grand Wizard level two. If I can level up, I should be able to make my lightning bigger and remove all the mist from thisnd. After that--we just have to kill the demon."


    He knew some terms and conditions wereing next. "What do we have to do to level you up?"


    She folded her arms and seriously replied. "Dual Cultivation!"


    [A/N: Cough! Hold on,ds. Don''t drop your pants just yet.]


    ________________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 228 228. Dream Of Invention

    "What''s Dual Cultivation?" Sylvester asked as he heard the term for the first time.


    "It is beneficial to you as well, Sylvester. That''s why it''s called Dual cultivation. It''s the art of training together with the aim to only push the opponent''s magic without hurting each other. What''s the one thing that makes us wizards and knights stronger? It''s to push oneself beyond the limit.


    "So, we will spar with each other continuously, non-stop, no matter how exhausted we get. Unless we''re so tired that we faint, we must keep on sparing and using our best moves that are strong enough to push the other side while ensuring we don''t kill the other party. We will try to defend against each other''s attacks¡ªno scheming involved. Usually, Dual Cultivation only works if the two sides are of equal level, but I know you have a few moves that can harm me too."


    Sylvester didn''t really have another option than to do this. So he agreed, hoping it would help with his own training as well. "Alright then, let''s get to it."


    He nced at Miraj and went to pick him up. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be able to see the girl. "Amy,e with me. We will first practice and get stronger and then return to defeat that big bad monster."


    "Really? Yes! He''s sitting in my home. I can''t go in and find mum if he''s there," she chirped and flew around Sylvester.


    Lady Aurora, meanwhile, shook her head, finding the conversation with an invisible ghost creepy when she couldn''t see the girl. "You are one strange man, Sylvester. Every time I''m with you, something strange happens. You are the ma for trouble."


    "It''s just a game of fate, Lady Aurora. I have no control over what Ie across. All I can hope is that I can ovee whatever it may be. Let''s go and start the training then."


    They made their way back toward the monastery instead of spending time near the new restricted zone. Though slowly, all the damage Sylvester and Lady Aurora had caused to the mist was being recovered, so they knew they''d have to return soon enough to ensure the mist didn''t spread out again.


    "What happened? Did you defeat it?" Isabe asked them as they returned.


    Sylvester knew that Lady Aurora didn''t want to reveal her power level to others, so he took over, "I''m afraid we will have to call help from the Holy Land. The demon is too strong for us. Perhaps, the Pope can do something¡ªor maybe a few more Guardiansing together will solve it."


    "B-But, my lord¡­ how are we to keep the bodies of all these men, women, and children safe? We already saw that the degradation has started. The Inquisitors can surely survive for a month in aa, but the normal vigers will die in a few more days," General Arnold addressed the most pressing concerns.


    Sylvester had not thought about it initially as he was too upied. But now that he did, they were indeed in a mess. At least three thousand vigers and five thousand Inquisitors were in aa. The Inquisitors would mostly live. But if nothing was done, all the vigers would die.


    ''I can''t even use the srium crystals on them. First of all, getting so many of them would be expensive. Not to mention, they may end up killing the vigers since their bodies are fragile to srium imbnce,'' Sylvester rubbed his chin as he thought about a way to at least get the people to live until Lady Aurora levelled up.


    "How many cksmiths and Bright Mothers do we have, General?" Sylvester inquired about a very strangebination of professions for sure.


    "cksmiths? Maybe five; the rest of them are in aa. As for Bright mothers, since it''s a vige Monastery, they have merely two local Bright Mothers. What are you nning, Lord Bard?" General asked.


    Isabe and Lady Aurora also stared at Sylvester''s face, for they had been together with him long enough to know he wasing up with some crazy but revolutionary idea.


    Sylvester fell silent and closed his eyes to think in focus. At the same time, he started to take off his golden armour and cape since he wouldn''t be fighting anytime soon.


    ''The vigers are no different from normal humans. Any person that''s not a wizard or knight is just a normal bag of meat with an average lifespan of sixty years, prone to injuries and disease. Modern means should work on them, but I can''t create things as good as they were in the past life. Ick the industrial hardware for it.''


    "What are you thinking, Sylvester? If you need any help, just tell me." Lady Aurora spoke in her kind voice.


    "Water, that''s the most important thing for the human body," Sylvester started speaking, "Without food, people can survive a month or two. But without water, not even a week. We will need to feed water to these people in theatose state. Of course, we can''t feed them through their mouths. So, General, send your men to nearby towns, viges, and even the Magic City and Yggdrasil School of Magic. Bring as many cksmiths, ssmakers, healers, and Bright Mothers as you can."


    "To do what, my lord?"


    "To feed the solution of water & salt directly into the blood of those fallen to the demon. Preach that the Lord''s Bard is here, and remind them of their solemn duties as faithfuls. But we need the people as quickly as possible," he ordered, with no scope for failure.


    No one knew what he was about to do or make. But the General followed the order, as was his duty. "I will send the summons, Lord Bard. I hope your methods work out."


    "They likely will."


    ''As long as I can make it,'' Sylvester thought.


    The n was simple¡ªmake needles to administer the saline in the body. But he also needed to make ss bottles and thin tubes. He was going to use sheepskin for tubes since things like PVC or such materials were impossible to make quickly.


    For the needles, he could easily use fire magic to get the thin steel sheets turned into pipes. After that, all that was needed was to cold press the pipes to make them stretch out and be thin before cutting them. He needed to make many of them as reusing a single one could transmit deadly disease and create more trouble than help.


    "What are you cooking in that big brain of yours, Sylvester?" Lady Aurora asked. She was not mocking but genuinely interested.


    "Let''s go to the open fields and start training. I will exin things while we''re at it. Isabe, you also got nothing to do here, soe with us. Maybe you will learn a thing or two about microbiology." He walked away with the armour neatly folded together. He usually kept it in Miraj''s belly, but that could only be done privately.<sub> </sub>


    Not to mention, he had the little ghost of Amy following behind, always ying and talking with Miraj. She was talking non-stop about her life, her family, and how much she loved her parents. But, of course, all that was putting a nail in Sylvester''s heart since he knew the truth.


    Soon, they arrived at a location away from the vige. Sylvester and Lady Aurora stood apart as this was not hand-to-handbat. All they were supposed to do was stand in one ce and defend against the opponent''s magical attack.


    "I will go first. After that, you may assess how strong my attack is and calibrate your moves ordingly," Sylvester shouted, "I don''t know how effective it will be on you. So I won''t use a full-powered Wrath of Heaven. Okay?"


    Lady Aurora showed a thumbs-up from a distance.


    "Here goes nothing," Sylvester put his palm forward near the chest and spoke a little hymn from the old times.


    Boom!


    It was evening, and the sun was a few hours away from setting. So in that dim light, Sylvester''s beam of pure light struck out beautifully. The ghost girl, Amy, was cheering beside him¡ªcalling it pretty.


    Though across the distance, Lady Aurora stood firmly with her feet strongly nted on the ground. She put her hands in front of herself and prepared to block the strike with a firm Earth wall.


    Boom!


    Grrrr!


    "Good god, I never knew it was this strong," She was in awe while being pushed back a little as her feet got dragged. But she wasn''t breaking any sweat from a small attack. Though she did realise that the beam of light was digging through the earth wall.


    So she quickly used multiple water runes and started to destroy the beam of light by expanding all the energy that was avable in it.


    "Still not dying? What is this made of?"


    Though she felt the light was slowly getting weaker. So, this time she decided to use her bare arms and push her body to rank up at least. Of course, she was not stupid enough to allow that light to touch her skin. No, she used electricity instead. It covered her arms with an invisible electric field.


    Bzzz!


    Sparks flew around when she finally stood face to face against therge beam of light, seemingly attacking like a dragon just wanting to plough through.


    Over time, she was able to withstand it as the energy in Sylvester''s attack died down. In total, it took Lady Aurora a full thirty seconds to fend it off.


    "Sylvester! Get ready! I will be sending you a bolt of lightning, horizontal from my direction!" Lady Aurora shouted to give a heads-up.


    Sylvester also dug his feet into the ground and prepared to fend off the attack. ''She''s so strong¡­ I don''t know if I can even withstand her ''weak'' attacks.''


    "Here I go!" She roared.


    Sylvester didn''t waste a moment and created a small circr hand-held shield of solidified light magic. It was his strongest element, after all. And pushing its limits was beneficial to him as he one day wished to use solidified light as a personal all-purpose tool that could take the form of anything he could imagine.


    Bzzz!


    A single, thick bolt of lightning zoomed toward Sylvester. He expectantly prepared for it and let it strike his light shield that shined in white light and appeared invisible¡ªas fragile as ss.


    He gritted his teeth and took a long breath. ''Let''s see what you''ve got.''


    Boom!


    ________________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 229 229. A Letter From Home

    "Ugh¡­ frick!"


    Sylvester didn''t think a single bolt of lightning would be this strong. He felt his feet being pushed back so much that he had to take steps back to stay standing. Besides that, his light shield felt warm and slightly cracked in a few ces.


    But the game was all about pushing oneself. So he focused and put more light magic on his shield, making it thicker and sturdier. At the same time, he pushed his physical body to the limits by trying to hold his ground.


    He also tried to obstruct the path of the continuous lightning bolt by throwing asional chunks of earth at it. He was proficient in all elemental magic, after all. Though only the elemental magic was intent-based, the runes, incantations and otherplex forms of magic required training, study and actual process.


    Boom!


    The chunks of the earth would blow up instantly, though. ''How long can she keep on going?''


    He looked at Lady Aurora, and she appeared not even tired from her continuous attack. She even seemed to be smiling. However, it didn''t look good with thebination of her thunderous powers.


    He, too, chuckled, albeit grunting next, as he remembered something from his previous life. ''Good god, she''s the seconding of Palpatine.''


    Thud!


    He knelt down knowingly as he needed a better grip. ''I need to push back as well.''


    Sylvester thought about all the attacks in his arsenal. Soon, he came up with the idea of using tripleyered Earth and Water runes. The Fire was useless against lightning, as was Air, so this was the only way to go.


    So, he went ahead and started to cast the runes behind his shield that he stopped powering. In a few seconds, it was supposed to break apart. He infused water into the ground around himself and raised it. His goal was to create a straight line of raised earth and fight against the oing strike until he could reach Lady Aurora.


    It was dangerous as he couldn''t see anything at the front, but this way, he''d be free from real physical force that stopped him from moving. At the same time, he could use as much material from the ground as he needed.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    It seemed as if a long tall cuboid erected out of the ground and moved forward slowly. Sylvester, behind everything, pushed ahead with his hands facing his front, holding three intricate giant runes,yered one above the other, two brown and one blue.


    The water in the ground would take a little time before boiling apart in steam and also blowing apart. That would allow Sylvester to move ahead and raise morend.


    The process was tough on his body and srium reserves. Nevertheless, he pushed himself to the limit, though also being careful with his leg as things were not right there.


    Boom!


    "Stop!" Lady Aurora roared and ceased her attack. "You did great, Sylvester. Came so close to me."


    Sylvester also stopped and removed the raisednd. To his shock, he hade so close that they were merely a metre apart. But Sylvester was not happy, as he panted and epted the reality. ''This was her weak attack, and I struggled so much. I hope I never have to face a Grand Wizard anytime soon.''


    "That was one good exercise." He said and calmed his breath. He was conscious enough not to lose all his magic in training, as the primary goal was to level Lady Aurora up, not him.


    "I will go harder than thest time, also from closer." He alerted her before walking back a few metres, cing his palm near his chest, and facing outward.


    Lady Aurora had decided to do the same as thest. She covered her arms with an invisible electric current to make them act like a shield. "Got it."


    He started singing the hymn, and the halo appeared.


    Boom!


    ¡­


    Time in Ender Vige passed fast as Sylvester found himself extremely busy. First thing in the morning, Sylvester and Lady Aurora would deal with the increasing mist. Then, he would train withdy Aurora, focusing more on her than on himself.


    After that, he''d spend his day trying to manufacture syringes, long tubes and hanging ss bottles. Making Saline was the easiest part, though. What was Saline? It was a mixture of Sodium Chloride, also known as salt, with boiled water. Making them was something even ordinary vigers could do as long as hygiene was maintained.


    "Making the ss bottle is the easiest part, even making the tubes is not hard. But making the syringes will require a higher quality of crafting. First of all, we need thin steel sheets." Sylvester was trying to teach a few cksmiths he had recruited so they could teach the rest when they''d arrive.


    He showed them the whole process and asked the Inquisitors toe and help. The wizards ended up smoothening and fastening the ss-making and needle-making processes.


    By the end of the second day, when Sylvester and Aurora returned after their harsh training, the first prototype of the needle was prepared. All Sylvester needed to do next was create a holder for the needle.


    By night, Sylvester had created the firstplete prototype, and the testing was to be conducted. First, Sylvester connected everything and held the ss bottle high up. Then, he opened the stopper made of a ball bearing and metal frame.


    Tap!


    Tap!


    Soon enough, water droplets started falling from the needle. Sylvester knew it would work, but he was worried about the consistency and speed. He wanted to avoid ending up damaging the vigers instead.


    "My lord, this is brilliant!" A healer from the ranks of Inquisitors eximed happily. "With this, we can even give medicinal potions to the patients."


    Sylvester was happy that the people realised how great this little invention was. "Indeed. But you don''t always need to put a whole bottle of saline into someone to give medicine. If it''s supposed to be a small dose, then we can use something called an Injection. If we have time, I will show it as well. But for now, get to work and create as many needles as possible. Remember one thing carefully, never reuse a single needle on more than one person. Understood?"


    "Yes, lord bard!" The five cksmiths, two bright mothers, three ssmakers and a dozen or so inquisitors saluted him together. Then, they rushed back to the basementb Sylvester had set up under the monastery.<sub> </sub>


    ''I should get this invention recorded in the Inventor''s Registry of the Church. Who knows, someday someone might make a better version of this.''


    "How do youe up with all this?" Isabe asked from the side.


    Sylvester shrugged. "Necessity is the mother of invention, Isabe. We needed to feed water to the people, and we all know our body is majority water. So I just usedmon sense, an idea, and the help of a few talented helpers."


    "If that was the case, then why didn''t anyone in the paste up with such a thing?" Isabe asked further.


    For that, Sylvester could only make guesses. Because, as far as he knew, the society in this world seemed to have stagnated. Not much has changed in the past five thousand years of recorded history.


    "Well, the reason is simple. The peasants are mostly illiterate, and they are usually busy farming or doing other chores from morning till night. So none have the time to think. As for nobles, you folks have ess to the best magical healers, so you do not need to invent something. As for Clergymen, we have magical healers avable at all times. Do you see the pattern? Nobody ever had the need or time to think." He exined the best he could.


    Lady Aurora came to his side and tapped on his head. "May the lord give me some of your brains as well, for you certainly are above all us peasant mortals with no brains?"


    "Hah,e on,dy Aurora. You''re probably one of the youngest Grand Wizards in the history of mankind. If anything, you should be thest to be envious of me." he chuckled.


    But Lady Aurora''s face turned serious instantly as she nced into his eyes. "You are seventeen and already an Archwizard. Sylvester, it takes more than sixty years on average to reach that rank. Most don''t even reach Archwizard rank in a century¡ªand here you are. If the speed continues, we may see the youngest Grand Wizard in history."


    Isabe''s jaw fell agape. "Really? But how? What makes him so different?"


    "Eh, probably blessed by the lord or something. Look at his face. He''s either a womaniser devil or Solis incarnation himself." Lady Aurora jokingly left the room to help the workers.


    Though Sylvester was left with a self-question too. ''I have asked myself this again and again. Why can I rank up so fast? Felix just recently became Master wizard, and even that''s considered very fast. Gabriel is still stuck at Adept wizard rank. Is my Light Magic helping me somehow?''


    Sure enough, not only the world but his own body was a mystery to Sylvester¡ªsomething he hoped to unwind slowly with time.


    ''There is so much work¡ªso much mess. I hope the whole Duke Daemon situation gets sorted soon.'' He muttered and went off to work as well.


    ¡­


    In theing days, crowds started arriving at the Ender Vige. Dozens of Bright Mothers, tens of healers, and hundreds of cksmiths or ssmakers. Of course, Sylvester would pay them a small wage from Monastery coffers that they couldter reimburse from the Holy Land.


    With a slow but efficient process, he trained all the people to form a supply and service chain. The healers and Bright Mothers were responsible for taking care of the fallen, while the rest were to make the tools.


    Sylvester and Lady Aurora also intensified their training since they now had more free time.


    Boom!


    In the same old open field, Sylvester sted a full-powered, wide and strong Wrath of Heavens. It was the same that created a hole in the strong mist of the Soul Eater demon.


    Woosh!


    Lady Aurora appeared to struggle this time and got pushed back. She gritted her teeth as her whole body started to radiate blue lightning.


    "Aaaarrrgh!" She shouted as veins popped all over her head. It was not hurting her much, but she was finding it hard to push against Sylvester''s light. This means that Sylvester''s current strongest move could not kill a Grand Wizard, but it could surely push one back.


    But Sylvester didn''t mind as he knew that slowly, with every level up, his moves would get stronger too. Not to mention, he was working on a new wide-area move.


    Bam!


    She got thrown away finally and fell to the side. The beam of light got sent away into the sky, only to disappear like a shooting star.


    Sylvester went close to her and gave her a hand. "You are making some progress. Before you couldn''t even stand a second there."


    Lady Aurora gritted her teeth, however. "It''s been seven days, and I still don''t feel the level-up. This is not working."


    "Calm down, slow and steady wins the rac¡­ What''s she doing here?" He stopped speaking as Isabe appeared, running to them.


    "Sylvester, you have a letter from the Holy Land. I thought it was urgent, so I brought it here." She panted and breathed out words.


    Sylvester hurriedly took the letter and tore it open. "It should be importan¨C"


    He suddenly stopped speaking, and his face changed from always calm and confident to one of rage. His golden eyes widened and shook, and his brows furrowed.


    "Sylvester, what happened?" Lady Aurora asked with urgency.


    "M-My mother¡­ She''s been stabbed."


    ________________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 230 230. Black Market Trading

    "Xavia got what? Show the letter to me." Lady Aurora took the letter and read it in a low voice.


    "Big brother, this is Raven Maxwell, Gabriel''s sister. I work as Mother Xavia''s assistant. I am writing this to you because Mother Xavia refuses to, for she fears it would worry you too much. Two days ago, when we had gone to the viges near the Holy Land''s border to oversee the free health camps, two men attacked her and stabbed a small dagger in her neck while shouting--Death to God''s Favoured. Thankfully, Sir Zeke was the guard and protected Mother Xavia, killing the two attackers in a tough battle.


    "Mother Xavia is out of danger, and you need not worry. She has received the best medical aid and is conscious, but her voice has temporarily suffered. The two attackers were men from Clergy as well. They were Archpriests--Jeffery Rivers and Harold Bloom. I just thought you would like to know the names--as you''d know best what to do with the information.


    "Please write a letter to Mother Xavia so she may feel calm. She misses you a lot and worries for your safety."


    Lady Aurora folded the letter back, her hands shaking as her anger took over. She liked Xavia, too, after all. She had spent a lot of time with her during the time they were in the Holy Land. She felt like the woman was her big sister, albeit younger.


    "These bloody waste of fresh air. Rivers and Bloom are family names of the branch families of the Riveria royal family. This attack clearly has the name of Riveria written all over," She barked.


    Isabe, who also had a favourable view of Xavia, was taken aback. "That''s so... wrong. Why did they do that?"


    Sadly, only Sylvester knew the answer to that, but he couldn''t tell anyone. ''King Riveria has gone senile from his age, it seems. He still has not forgotten the disappearance of his son. And the only person famously known to have any animosity or reason for hostility against Romel was me--since I got Bishop Norman caught and killed.


    ''So King Riveria wants kin for kin? But he made a move, and now I must make the final move in return. But how? I''m sitting too low in the food chain to do anything against a mighty king protected by the whole kingdom.''


    Sylvester wished to neutralise the man as soon as possible. The mess had gone on for far too long and needed to be sorted out now. He didn''t want to live in fear of Xavia being in danger at all times--even inside the Church.


    ''How did this even happen so close to the Church? Why didn''t the Church do anything even when knowing that if she died, I''d have no reason to stay with them? Is the Pope nning something again?''


    "Syl..."


    "Sylvester!"


    ''If she''s fine, I have no reason to go so far back right now. I need to first end this mess as quickly as possible and start plotting for the distant future.''


    "Hmm?"


    "Sylvester! Hey!" Lady Aurora shook Sylvester firmly. "What''s the matter? I called your name so many times."


    "I''m fine,dy Aurora. I was just thinking about a few things. Mum is fine; that''s good to hear. But I''m sure the higher-ups will take care of the situation--they all know how important she is to me, after all." He replied and started walking back towards the vige.


    Lady Aurora didn''t follow for a second, though. As per what she could understand, she could feel this was a veiled threat. If something happens to Mother Xavia, then the Church could say goodbye to having another Supreme Wizard in the near future.


    ''How did such a thing even happen? I don''t remember the Holy Land being this unguarded and clumsy.'' She wondered as anyone would at that point.


    ...


    Sylvester put all his focus on the mission at hand. He had waited so many days in the vige, yet no words hade from Cardinal Cornelius. He was growing impatient as he saw little progress here as well.


    "Lady Aurora, we will only wait three more days. If you can''t level up, then we will evacuate this areapletely and let the experts from the Holy Land handle this--whoever they may be. If you level up or enter into the levelling-up process, then we shall enter the mist and kill the demon. I have also ordered a few things through Running Men. As long as we get them, our mission will get easier." He briefed Lady Aurora. A sense of urgency was evident in his voice now.


    She had no option but to agree with him as well. Otherwise, they would be jeopardising the primary mission.


    So, they got to work, preparing for the fight. Lady Aurora kept practising alone even after training with Sylvester. Isabe would go and heal the sick, and Sylvester had a solo trip to a nearby road to exchange some precious items.


    He used Felix''s help to acquire another batch of Srium, Light, Explosive and a few other types of crystals. He was spending a lot of money this time, though he had decided to pay with diamonds since keeping that much gold in pouches was too much. It would weigh more than a hundred kilos if he were to do that.


    "Woah! I never came out this far from home before. Big brother, what''s that?"


    Sylvester talked with the little ghost of Amy. He had to work hard not to feel sad while talking to her. He wanted to tell her that she was dead but didn''t have the cold heart to say it yet. At least he wished to first defeat the demon.


    "That''s a big haystack, Amy. And don''t fly too far from me, or you''ll get lost. Do you want a bad monster to chase you again?" he tried to keep her as close as possible.


    "Okie! But... Why won''t you let Chonky y with me more? I want to hug him."


    Sylvester looked at the furry boy sitting on his shoulder. "Fine, you can y, but you must sit here."<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester lifted the thin sheet of the nket he was using to cover himself and let Miraj jump under it. "Come here and tuck yourself in."


    Woosh!


    "Yay!" She chirped happily and jumped on Miraj. Sylvester could not touch her, no matter what, so Miraj''s touch was the only source of warmth for the poor girl.


    Though, Sylvester soon came to regret letting the two inside his nket as they started ying, and Miraj became violent, sometimes rubbing his paws on Sylvester''s stomach. Amy was also giggling, singing rhymes and telling stories to the cat.


    The whole way passed before they knew it, and Sylvester arrived at the rendezvous point. The man he was dealing with was obviously from the ck market of this world that he didn''t know much about. The only rule Felix asked him to follow was to ''never ask any questions.''. Just take your items and leave.


    Like thest time, soon, a man appeared on horseback with a leather bag on his back. Sylvester also reached the man on his horse and spoke the codeword. "A rat thinks the earth is t."


    The tall hooded man nodded his head and passed on the leather bag. At the same time, Sylvester handed over a pouch full of diamonds.


    The man looked inside and checked all the diamonds and then left with no words spoken. That''s how the Undersun Trading Company did its business. Silently and quickly. They were notorious for declining clients or outright banning them if anyone tried to act smart. But nobody knew who ran the organisation or where it was even headquartered.


    "Well, that takes care of one aspect. With this many crystals, dealing with a single demon should not be that hard." He spoke to himself and quickly returned to the Ender Vige.


    By the evening of the same day, Sylvester arrived back in the vige and immediately started nning to enter the mist again without caring if they first cleared it or not.


    But what awaited him there was a surprise as he found Lady Aurora jumping in excitement. "Sylvester! It has started! I can feel it... the level up is happening. I will soon be the ninth rank!"


    He shared her joy with words. "But you will still need a push, right? Don''t worry. I have a trick to generate a much stronger Wrath of Heavens for you to fight against."


    He nned on using his srium stones to increase the beam''s intensity and temperature. What he wanted to do was to make Lady Aurora finally feel pain.


    "Really? Then let''s go and try. The quicker we are, the faster we can kill the demon." She chirped and grabbed Sylvester''s hand to drag him outside.


    It was about to turn very dark, but Sylvester decided to entertain her. However, he didn''t allow her to go too far from the vige. After all, he still had to be careful about the Shadow Knight.


    "Alright, stand right there and wait for me. Be careful, and this time it will be somewhat different--and try not to jump aside, but use your body to block it instead. It''s okay if you get somewhat hurt." He gave her the same strategy that boxers use to strengthen their knuckles.


    Lady Aurora nodded firmly from a distance and took a defensive position.


    Sylvester prepared for the attack. But, he had to first sit down and take some tools out of his bag. He wished to make an IED, after all.


    Lady Aurora''s shoulder fell, and she walked closer to him to check. "What are you even doing? I thought you''d attack."


    "I am but a weaker wizard than you. You have already faced my peak strength and lived to see the day. Hence, I am left with no choice but to increase my magical strength in the hopes of causing you some real damage. This srium explosion will greatly intensify my light--and temperature." Sylvester exined while he diligently crafted the bomb.


    "Is this your wide area destruction move you talked about?" She asked him interestedly.


    Sylvester shook his head. However, a scheming smile was on his face--borderline evil. "Oh, that, well... I can show you a mini version, but I will use the real one in the war! Its element of surprise is what will win us a great many things--I know it!"


    Now that excited Lady Aurora like nothing else. "But first, you must win against me. Are you ready?"


    Sylvester rose to his feet with the Srium bomb in his hands. "Prepare to cry, Aurora. But never forget, I am your brother--and you shall have my shoulder to cry on forever."


    ________________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 231 231. Hunting A Soul Eater

    Sylvester dug his feet firmly and erected a wall behind himself as well. He didn''t wish to waste any momentum by being recoiled back.


    "Alright, catch it." He put his right palm beside his chest and let the Wrath of Heavens go out at full strength.


    Boom!


    Sylvester then aimed the srium bomb he made with 10 Srium crystals and threw it in the path of his beam of light.


    Boom!


    The bomb blew up and intensified the light he released. If it was just arge beam of light before, now it was gigantic, being tens of metres in diameter. Its light shrouded the dark sky and made it appear like a day. The creatures of the night, close and far, hid away in fear of being purged as well.


    For Sylvester, this was exciting. But the same could not be said about Lady Aurora. Being on the verge of levelling up was less harmful or life-threatening than ranking up, so she had no fear about that. But she found herselfcking in fending off Sylvester''s strongest move.


    In the past, in no books--no person like Sylvester had ever existed who harnessed the blessed light magic this way. Historically, most light magic users had been tame, calm, and merely preachers, for their talents could not be used in battles.


    So, Sylvester''s uniqueness usually leaves his opponents scratching their heads. One could easily fight any element. Water could quench the fire, the fire could st earth, and air could harm all elements. But how does one even fight the light? Something that''s intangible in most cases? Even if it''s solid like Sylvester''s, how does one neutralise it?


    Lady Aurora gritted her teeth while trying to stay standing in her ce. The beam of light did feel very hot this time, and she felt it was burning her skin. But she didn''t want to quit and put everything she had into resisting.


    To save her body from burning, she first covered it with ayer of mud she manipted. It was good since she needed something that was conductive in nature, as her primary weapon of choice was electricity.


    She also nted her feet firmly into the ground with Earth maniption. After that, all she had to do was fight against the light and withstand it until it disappeared.


    ''No running away this time!'' She reminded herself.


    Boom!


    Sylvester increased the intensity from his side, giving it his all. He also panted and felt he''d faint at any moment. But he wanted to get Lady Aurora to level up at all costs that night.


    Woosh!


    "Good god! This is too harsh." Lady Aurora cursed in her ce.


    She tried to survive the best she could. She created ayer of the earth again and again around herself. She also added water to earn some extra seconds of calm each time. On top of all that, she created an invisible field of a current to stop the beam of sma-like light from touching her.


    Slowly, her strength drained out. She felt her eyes going heavy and her body bing light. It had been a long time since she had exhausted herself this much, but at the same time, she enjoyed the feeling.


    Thirty minutes!


    Sylvester kept going for as long as he could and even ate more Srium crystals to keep himself from falling. He needed Lady Aurora to be the first to fall, as that would mean she had exhausted every ounce of strength in herself after pushing out all she could.


    ''If this method to level up works well, then I should be able to do it multiple times, even with Felix and Gabriel. As long as I ensure I have money for Srium crystals, I can level up by pushing myself. But... ugh!'' He held his thigh with his free hand and patted it.


    The pain had returned, and it annoyed him. ''I will need to do the procedure to remove the blood clot again.''


    Thud!


    Sylvester''s thoughts returned to the moment, and he stopped using his powers urgently. He rushed to Lady Aurora to check up on her as she had fallen face-first into the dirt.


    "Hey, you okay?"


    Lady Aurora groaned tiredly and just showed a thumbs-up without moving. She likely had no strength left to move even.


    He chuckled and helped her to sit back before putting a srium crystal in her mouth. "Here, it should get you revitalised slowly. Let''s go. I will piggyback you to the vige."


    He didn''t waste much time before picking her on his back with his arms tucked underneath her thighs and making her hold his neck. She was heavy, but he was much taller than her, and it was not too hard.


    "This is embarrassing." Lady Aurora muttered with a blush stered on her muddied face.


    Sylvester didn''t ridicule her. "Well, don''t worry. Brother will take care of his little sister. Just sit back and rx."


    "Pfft... Me? Little sister? Hmph, I am stronger and older than you, boy. Just too tired right now..." She slowly stopped speaking and let her body rx on his back, letting her head fall on his shoulder.


    It was a short journey. However, the night was particrly pretty, with the twin full moons shining in the night sky. It seemed a little rejuvenating for both of them.


    "Are you worried about Mother Xavia?" Lady Aurora asked.


    Sylvester sighed in silence. He''d be lying if he said he was not, as he had grown so used to being with her and caring for her. "I love her as any son would, and I am angry as any son should be. She''s my only family in this world--the only mother I ever had."


    ''In both lives.''


    Of course, he could never speak some words aloud. But his feelings were genuine. In his past life, he never had a mother. She had abandoned him and his father when he was small, and then his father left him in a crowded fair--abandoning him.


    In this life, he finally had a mother who cared for him so much that she''d probably happily give her life for him if it ever came to that. It was this love and loyalty that he trusted and cherished above all.


    Lady Aurora''s arms tightened around his neck. "Don''t worry. I will help you if you ever need it. I never had a loving family or a mother--but I feel if I ever had one, she would have been like Mother Xavia. Kind, cute and lovely."


    "Clumsy as well," Sylvester added with a chuckle.


    "Well, not everyone is a high functioning big brain psycho like you and me."


    Sylvesterughed louder. "Haha, you? Big brain? Come on, sister, it''s wrong to lie to oneself... Ah!"


    She punched Sylvester''s chest as that was within reach. "Hmph... don''t you badmouth your elder sister. Or I will never train with you again."


    Sylvester scoffed. "As far as I can see, the only one training someone has been me. You didn''t even teach me a single new good move yet."


    "Fine! I will teach you all I know after killing that Soul Eater. I just... need a nap right now." She yawned loudly and closed her eyes.<sub> </sub>


    "Did you level up?" He asked her.


    "..."


    But no more words came, as he soon felt Lady Aurora''s breath on his neck. She had fallen asleep.


    ...


    Sylvester prepared for the fight the whole night while Lady Aurora rested.


    The following day, he called the Archpriest and the General to tell them his n. His image among folks in the vige had grown to be somewhat simr to a Demi-god by now. His hymns, his looks and his wisdom usually left most people baffled. Not to mention, his invention helped the people in a way none had thought about.


    Due to all that, his orders were usually given the highest priority. So, he told them to start shifting away from the monastery.


    He had no idea how long it would take him to defeat the demon or how far the mist would spread. The Seven-Light ritual was alsopleted, so now, there was nothing to stop the mist.


    He gathered the people in front of the Monastery and addressed them directly. "Children of the faith. I am so proud of you, for you all came here to do what was right. You fought your inner demons of fear and came here to help against a real demon.


    "I feel great pride to have worked with you. But, atst, the final chapter in this series of events is about to begin. Lady Aurora and I shall enter the mist and defeat the vile creature. So pray for us... Pray for thisnd... Pray that this Monastery forever stands."


    He didn''t sing any hymns for now as he was facing an urgency. But, the people were already deep into the worship towards him, so he didn''t need to sing.


    "May the holy light enlighten you!" they all moured again and again.


    Sylvester gave General Arnold and Archpriest Brylee a nod before walking away with Lady Aurora. Isabe was staying behind, however, under the strict protection of the Inquisitors.


    Donned in their armors, with Lady Aurora, he again reached the inner parts of the vige, from where the toughest segment of the mist started.


    "So, did you level up?" He asked her.


    Lady Aurora smirked. "See it for yourself!"


    Boom!


    Once again, Lady Aurora used her power to create a storm of lightning that came out of thend instead. This time, it was faster and more intense. They punched holes into the dense, heavy mist and created various openings.


    Sylvester also prepared to use his power to help erase the mist.


    Boom!


    With the use of srium crystals, he could create multiple long tunnels into the mist without getting tired. Lady Aurora''s work was the central part, however.


    "Haha... look at this, Sylvester. This is the ultimate power! I feel so good right now!" She roared and continued to st thend with lightning, shaking the very earth and leaving the ground red--burning.


    She had to keep doing it for ten minutes before the mist cleared up for the most part. They finally saw the broken remains of a mansion in the distance at the top of the hill.


    "Ah! That''s my home!" The ghost of Amy chirped near Sylvester.


    "That''s enough!" Sylvester stopped Lady Aurora. "Conserve your energy now. Let''s start moving."


    With that, Sylvester held the spear ready in one hand, and Lady Aurora kept the sword. They also kept multiple rune schemes ready to be used in their free hands. A Srium crystal was also resting in their mouths, ready to boost them if needed.


    This time, they felt no pressure as the mist was gone. They slowly made their way up. Nothing interrupted them. Though Sylvester could feel it--the bitter scent of death was overwhelming, and it was only increasing.


    "Amy, where is the monster?" Sylvester asked the little ghost.


    "Grrr..." A growling echo resounded out of nowhere.


    "Fuck! The mist is returning!" Sylvester eximed as he saw the surroundings turning whitish again.


    "Grrr...!" The growling returned again, and it was now so close that the two felt their hair stand.


    a??O'' mighty lord of light.


    Bless me with might in this fight...a??


    Sylvester started to chant the hymn, for he knew what awaited them.


    Lady Aurora''s body also sparkled with lightning, her eyes narrowed, and her expression turned grave. "It''s behind us, isn''t it?"


    "When I say, use your strongest attack and jump to the sides," Sylvester instructed and kept singing, ensuring the halo shined brightest ever.


    a??Let my sword plunge into this heathen''s filthy heart.


    To your punishing arms, I shall have this vile soul depart!a??


    Boom!


    [A/N: See the demon and Lady Aurora in this parament.]


    ________________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 232 232. Brother & Sister VS Soul Eater

    Sylvester dropped a srium-Light bomb on the ground without making much movement.


    "Jump!"


    He shouted and leapt to the side. Lady Aurora did the same and jumped to the other side.


    Boom!


    The bomb exploded, but the ear-shattering screams of the Demon suppressed its explosion. The light seemed to affect the creature significantly, as it was still screaming by the time Sylvester stood up and faced it.


    However, Sylvester felt his feet freezing as soon as his eyes rested on the demonic monstrosity. It was gigantic, like a towering mountain in front of him. It had a giant blood-red body with no particr regr shape or form. It seemed like a tree root hade out of the ground and hovered in the air, with smaller roots still protruding out like tentacles.


    There was no specific shape of arms or legs, just a giant face. Its two big red eyes were looking left and right due to the bomb. Its mouth was akin to a mess and only seemed full of uneven teeth of varying shape and position.


    In a true sense, this thing could be called a demon as it was so nightmarish.


    Sylvester kept his heartbeat calm as he focused on Lady Aurora. "Start sting lightning on it! Use your strongest moves!"


    He, too, began using the Wrath of Heavens. Thankfully, the Demon was toorge. Hence, he could easily target its parts.


    Boom!


    His sma-filled beam of light hit the creature right in the centre of the face. At the same time, Lady Aurora''s thunder started to fall from the sky like precise meteors. Each time they fell, they''d leave behind a big burning spot on the Demon''s body.


    "Wraaaa! Filth! Human!"


    "It can speak!" Sylvester muttered and rushed to meet with Lady Aurora. Staying together was the smartest option at the moment.


    Lady Aurora was worried, though. "Our attacks did nothing to it!"


    Sylvester was not panicking. "It''s fine. Everything has a weakness. We just need to find it. I think you should start using your wide-scale attacks--like how Lord Inquisitor once destroyed mountains with one single move."


    "I can do that too, Sylvester. But this thing won''t die with it, and we''ll only end up destroying thendscape. This is not a simple bloodline. This is a Soul Eater--the strongest and the most dangerous of all demons." She replied.


    Sylvester silently thought about the next move. Direct attacks were of no use from the looks of it, and the mist was also returning. With mist, the air was going to be more pressurised, making them slow and an easier target for the Demon.


    "Duck!" He shouted


    The Demon started to use its branch-like tentacles to hit them. However, what Sylvester noticed was something that brought a possible hypothesis. "It''s not moving a lot, Aurora."


    She also focused while carefully dodging the tentacles. "Is it protecting something?"


    Sylvester thought about the same thing. ''Does it have some sort of an extended piece of body dug inside the ground? Perhaps it''s core or something? Or maybe the key from which the Demon was summoned?''


    Boom!


    Sylvester jumped back to distance himself from the Demon and Lady Aurora, for he wished to speak with Miraj. "Chonky, can that demon see you?"


    "Umm... I don''t think so. Only Amy can see me."


    "Good. I will give you a small window in which I will make the Demon immobile. In that time, you are to run near the Demon, take a look at what''s underneath it and run back to me. Okay?" He plotted the n.


    "Aye, Aye, Maxy!"


    Sylvester was amazed by Miraj''s resolve. ''He does not even question or show fear for what I just asked him to do. Does he trust me so much that he believes I won''t ever let any harme to him?''


    Miraj was right if he thought that. He loved the good boy and would never let any harme to him. There was no doubt about it.


    "Good. When I say ''go'', you run. Now, stand on my shoulder and watch me." He instructed and took out two srium-light bombs.


    "Lady Aurora! Catch!" He threw one at her and prepared one for himself. "Use fire magic, not lightning. Demons are usually afraid of light and fire magic. While your thunder is good, but it''s too precise."


    He lied to her, as he knew that her thunder was much more devastatinga€¡°enough to kill him if struct directly. But he only needed to blind the Demon for now.


    a??Ground or the sky, where you came from.


    You can try, but to fire and light, you shall sumb...a??


    Sylvester started to sing the hymn and prepared the Wrath of Heaven.


    Boom!


    He matched his attack to go at the same time as Lady Aurora''s. She was using a concentrated beam of fire using fire and an air elemental rune.


    "Wraaaaa! Filthy magic!" the Demon cried in its loud, groaning voice.


    "Go!" Sylvester signalled.


    Mirajunched from Sylvester''s shoulder like he was lightning itself. Focused, speed, flexible, and mighty--the words described the furry white cat urately.


    Woosh!


    "Meow!" Miraj jumped over the various branch-like tentacles and made his way. The Demon was blinded by continuous attacks from Sylvester and Lady Aurora, so it was busy. But in its groaning rage, it was also mming the tentacles randomly.


    "Nyo!" Miraj cried when he found a thin tentacle getting a hold of him.


    "Grrr...!" But the boy was strong despite his small size and quickly chewed through the tentacle and kept running right towards the danger. No fear, only determination. Miraj had decided to be an essential part of Sylvester''s fight. After all, he had adopted Sylvester.


    Woosh!


    Chomp!<sub> </sub>


    Miraj ate through several tentacles in his quest. What was just five seconds seemed like an eternity. But eventually, Miraj did reach underneath the Demon to look.


    Then, a few secondster, he turned around and made his way back. This was, once again, a straining battle, and Miraj had to be careful. Since now his back was facing the Demon, he could not look back.


    "Jump!" Sylvester shouted.


    Miraj did so and narrowly dodged a tentacle swinging low to the ground. Then, five secondster, the furry boy made thest leap and climbed onto Sylvester''s shoulder. He was panting like never before but also had a proud smile, likes of which never seen before.


    "Retreat!" Sylvester roared to signal Lady Aurora.


    With that, the two regrouped away from the demon. At the same time, Miraj was telling everything to Sylvester in his ears.


    "Maxy, it''s very ugly in there. I saw a big single root going into the ground, and the entire root had big transparent egg-like orbs, inside which I saw white people, from head to toe--just like Amy."


    ''Souls?'' Sylvester thought of the first thing. Of course, a Soul Eater eats the souls and uses them to get stronger by absorbing the powers. This exined how it absorbed and utilised the strength of all the souls it devoured.


    But, for the creature to be this strong, it had to have taken the soul of someone brilliant. And that puzzled him because, as far as he knew, there had never been any expert born or living in this vige.


    "Sylvester, what now?" Lady Aurora reached near him and asked. "I can try using the wide area destruction spells. I can summon a single bolt of lightning from the sky that will obliterate anything and everything in a radius of three hundred metres and leave behind nothing but sand-turned-ss. But that move will leave mepletely drained."


    ''Hmm...'' Sylvester thought about it. ''Even if she does it, can it kill the creature? Because unless the key that created the Demon is purified, the Demon shall remain. Not to mention, it has souls kept imprisoned.


    "No, we don''t need to do so. I have learnt that the Demon is connected with a single main root that contains the cocoons of the souls of the fallen. We must cut that root to kill the Demon and free the souls." He proposed a simple n. This was what they were waiting for--a weakness.


    "Fine, I''ll do it." Lady Aurora decided unterally, as she was the strongest of the two, no matter if it was about being a knight or a wizard.


    Sylvester didn''t know if he should let her go. But the logical mind did tell him that he should since she was much stronger than him. ''Her strength is among the top of the clergy... I stand nowhere near her.''


    "Fine then. I will give you a backup, my sister. Go and kick its ass... or whatever it has." He cheered her on and took out multiple srium crystals. "Crush them in your mouth and recuperate."


    She did so and started nning. First of all, she activated various knightly runes all over her armour, creating a faint blue shield all over the armour. Then, she lifted her sword and initiated some incantations under her mouth that made the sword shine in red.


    "Provide backup, Sylvester." She requested and took a long breath. "Let''s do it!"


    Woosh!


    She was fast, too fast for normal eyes. But Sylvester could vaguely follow her ever since he had ranked up while fighting the Shadow Knight.


    Boom!


    He, too, threw various srium-Light Bombs at the Demon while also creating elemental fireballs tounch at the Demon''s eyes.


    "Wraaaa!"


    Lady Aurora easily sliced through the tentacles as if her sword was a hot knife on butter. She also punched the various tentacles repeatedly, securing her free movement.


    She was faster than Miraj and in no time reached under the Demon beside the root. After that, she started shing her sword at the root, thicker than ten metres, wider than most trees out there.


    nk!


    But, her sword was ineffective on it and sounded like it was hitting a stone instead. But, even a stone was not supposed to be a problem for her strength.


    "Haaa!" She continued and used all her strength. First, she charged her body with electricity and sent it to the sword. Then she also used the only few srium crystals in her mouth.


    Woosh!


    In a shining move, she struck with full might.


    "Yes! Finally, a cut!" She cheered at the sight of a deep gash.


    But, as she tried again, no more gashes appeared. That made her realise the grave situation she was in. Only srium crystals were effective. "I... I don''t have any more crystals!"


    She still kept trying to cut it in a rage. However, no groaning voice of the creature came. All that did resound with the shining swings of her sword was a curse.


    "Fuck! Sylvester--The souls can also..."


    Boom!


    A fiery, cloudy explosion appeared underneath the Demon, near the roots.


    "God damn it! Where did she go?" Outside, Sylvester was bombarding the creature with the Wrath of heaven while staring at Lady Aurora.


    He could not see her clearly, even less when the shining explosion came. His heart slowly sank as he felt the smell of death intensify excessively. "Where is she? What was she trying to say?"


    "Wraaaaa! Ha! Ha! Ha!..."


    Sylvester jumped back quickly as the Demon threw all its tentacles around as if in ecstasy.


    But what next appeared destroyed all hope Sylvester had. "No! No! No!... Why can it manipte electricity now? D-Did it devour he... Fuck! That would mean the Demon has gained her strength?"


    ________________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 233 233. Battle Of Ender Village

    Intense sparks of lightning scattered around the demonic giant body of the monster. It wasughing and enjoying the surge of power it had just received.


    Sylvester''s heart was beating fast and strong, for he knew the situation had turned from just bad to a cmity.


    The Demon was pping its tentacles all around in madness. What was it feeling, it was unknown. But it wasughing for sure. Its big red eyes also shone simultaneously, and its size seemed to increase.


    "Wraaa... Cut it... Syl..."


    Sylvester was alerted by that growl of the Demon. Was it addressing him and telling him to cut it?


    At that, a hypothesis formed in his mind. "Is it possible that Lady Aurora''s soul is so strong that she is fighting to stay alive and killing it from inside? Then that would mean the Demon is not yet as strong as her! What a mad woman... Chonky! Give me all the Srium-Light bombs." He roared and started chanting.


    The runes on his old and rusty armour were already activated to provide physical protection.


    Boom!


    The Demon threw its more enormous tentacles at him, mming them onto the ground. But dodging them was not going to help as each strike also let out a giant shockwave of lightning--spreading all around.


    "Fuck!" He jumped into the air and used the Light Step to stay above the ground.


    "Lady Aurora! If you can hear me, then please keep the creature distracted! I will kill it!" He tried tomunicate.


    "Graaaaa!" Instantly, the Demon cried loudly as if it faced some sort of attack.


    ''I hope it''s Lady Aurora''s doing.''


    He looked back, picked up all the Srium-Light bombs, and tied them around his body. "Miraj... Stay back. Feed me the crystals if I lose too much blood and energy."


    Miraj seriously nodded. "Got it, Maxy. Please don''t die!"


    Sylvester smirked. "I never n to die, Chonky."


    Of course, Sylvester had already devised a n to beat the Demon. So even though he didn''t know why Lady Aurora was physically unsessful, all he could hope now was that his light would be adequate.


    Thud!


    Boom!


    The tentacles kept on mming down on Sylvester as the Demon tried to fight Lady Aurora internally and Sylvester physically.


    ''Now!''


    Sylvester found an opportunity and rushed forward. He jumped over various small craters and tentacles.


    Bam!


    "Gah! Fuck!" He cursed as a tentacle suddenly held his foot and swung him into the air.


    Sylvester tried to free himself and used his spear to cut the tentacle apart. With his light magic easily imbued in it through the runes, he easily did it.


    Thud!


    He fell to the ground and, without waiting, again rushed towards the root. But, he noticed that even when the Demon was in agony, its focus was on him--trying to stop him at all costs.


    Boom!


    Once again, another tentacle got a hold of him, this timeing out of the ground and swinging him vigorously. It threw him away from itself instead of trying to harm him.


    ''I need to take its ability to see.'' He decided on a whim and changed his direction of attack. Instead of rushing towards the root, he jumped from one tentacle to another, trying to reach the main body of the Demon.


    Behind his head, a halo shined. On the one hand, the spear was aligned; on the other was a light magic rune appearing well-defined.


    "Aaaargh!"


    The demonic monster was screaming the whole time. It appeared that Lady Aurora was sessfully hurting it. That also gave enough time to Sylvester.


    He jumped and made his way all the way to the eyes. Once he reached closer, heunched his spear at full power, its tip burning with fire.


    Boom!


    The sound barrier was easily broken, as evident by the loud sonic boom. It travelled in a straight line and, withplete precision, plunged into the Demon''s left eye.


    "Wraaaa...!"


    Sylvester was not done. He knew the Demon would go mad now and focus on him entirely, even if Lady Aurora hurt it.


    So, he decided to create a lot of decoys. In an instant, his body started shining with Light Magic, covering him from head to toe. He then proceeded to create light clones, the same thing he once used on Lady Aurora.


    Soon, a dozen clones appeared, all made of pure light magic. They were so bright that the entire area illuminated and made the Demon cry in fear--enough that it started to retract its tentacles.


    "I''ll take it!" Sylvester climbed closer to the face of the Demon and leapt across it, pulling back the spear and thennding on the ground. Though he wasted no time and focused back on the other eye.


    He charged the spear with fire, so its tip was deadly, and at the same time, he used air runes imbued on the spear''s body to make it go at its maximum speed.


    Boom!


    Again, the spear plunged right into the other eye of the Demon, effectively blinding it.


    "Graaaa... Filth! Leave me!"


    Sylvester ignored the screams and rushed towards the root without wasting a moment. He tried to be in hate as he had no idea if the Demon could heal itself. Though it was still frantically mming its tentacles around, but now they were predictable as they didn''t seem to react to his presence.


    He reached his waist and started activating all the srium-light bombs slowly. But he didn''t throw them away yet as he wished to protect Lady Aurora''s body first.


    Shh...!


    He slid below the Demon and eventually arrived near the root. The ce was not surrounded by as many tentacles, but it had dust blowing around due to the frantic Demon.


    He quickly used simple air elemental magic to blow away the dust and see everything carefully. "There she is!"


    He rushed to Lady Aurora''s body as it rested on the ground without any visible wounds on her. "You owe me one again."


    Sylvester tried to pick her up and take her to safety. In that task, the clones were supposed to help by acting like a light shield. They were to keep the tentacles away from him as his speed would slow down significantly.


    ''I hope she can return to the body after defeating the creature.''


    "Ss-ave usss..."<sub> </sub>


    "He-lp..."


    But all of a sudden, he heard some voices from behind. He faintly recognised them from the first time he had entered the mist.


    He turned around and noticed therge orbs that Miraj had talked about. Inside the orbs were various ghost-like figures of people. At the top, the front, was the figure of a tiger Beastkin, thumping his ws at its prison.


    ''H-How deep does this root go for it to contain the souls of all the inquisitors as well?''


    "Wraaaa!" The Demon raged continuously, and its shining bolts of lightning were ever-increasing, revealing it was growing stronger.


    Sylvester looked at Lady Aurora''s body in his arms. "Forgive me, but I will have to throw you out."


    He swung himself in a circr motion and soon released Lady Aurora outside. Her body flew like a ragdoll and soon fell far away, where the Demon could not reach her.


    "Now, it''s time to chop some roots." He held the spear and started throwing around the Srium-Light bombs. They were now like ticking time bombs as they shined brightly.


    "Sss-ave Usss..."


    "I am saving you! Shut up now!" He bellowed and continued to prepare for his major move.


    Bam!


    Bam!


    "Fuck!" Sylvester cursed and hurried. The Demon was getting out of control, as evident by the lightning it was now aiming underneath itself on Sylvester.


    Soon after, one of them struck Sylvester point nk, right on top of his back.


    "Argh! Damn it! This is not good!" He cursed as he felt his clothes burning and his body suffering from a deep burning wound.


    Boom!


    Another strike fell on him, injuring him more. Though he quickly took out some Srium crystals and ate them to keep his body in a good state in magical terms.


    His goal was to ce the Srium Crystals around the whole root and then activate them simultaneously--so he could channel all that power into his spear''s strike.


    It took him merely a few seconds, but they still felt like hours. But finally, he was done as he aimed his spear''s de at the root.


    "Here goes everything! Haaa!" He used all the physical and magical strength his body could muster.


    The spear''s tip shined as threeyers of bright white rune schemes appeared. At the bottom of the spear, two moreyered runes appeared, pale white this time, blowing out air and trying to push the spear as strongly as possible.


    Sylvester''s feet got locked on the ground as he used earth magic to dig himself in the dirt.


    "Y-ou... can... dooo... it..."


    "Yesss..."


    The faint whispers of the souls resounded louder this time as they expectantly saw him try to defeat the Demon.


    "Haaa!" As the lightning got stronger, he shouted in rage and pain.


    Boom!


    Just at that moment, all thirty Srium-Light bombs exploded at the same time. The light they produced was blinding, to say the least. They were so bright and intense that every ounce of mist remaining in the entire vige got washed away. They even burned all the garments Sylvester had on his body.


    It was so bright that for miles and miles away, it was visible as a shining dot. For the free Inquisitors and vigers, the scene was that of God''s grace. They simply fell to their knees and prayed, for they could feel the warmth of it.


    "Graaaa... Die! Die!" The Demon was in excruciating pain as it shook intensely from the burning light--its bane.


    Sylvester''s focus, however, was on the root. His spear plunged into the root with full might and added weight from the bombs.


    His hymns were muffled, but they echoed loudly.


    a??For every poison, there is an antidote.


    For your vile sins, face the smote.


    Cry as my spear tears you apart.


    Growl as your soul prepares to depart.a??


    The Demon went berserk and screamed so loud that Sylvester couldn''t even feel himself singing. Its screams reachednds far and beyond easily. Spreading dread to all those who heard, for this was the strongest of all demons.


    a??Begone, filth! For that is your destiny.


    Hear my hymns and burn in their melody.


    Face the consequences of making me an enemy.a??


    Boom!


    The spear pierced through the root and plunged deep into it. It tore everything apart and severed the connection between the souls and the Demon''s main body.


    Thud!


    Sylvester, however, fell to his knees as he lost all strength. The thunder had ceased to fall, but the damage on him was not small.


    "Haaa!" Sylvester roared as he pushed his body for thest stab. And with that, like muscles, the roots gotpletely severed apart.


    "Nooo..." The Demon''s roars first increased and then slowly diminished, for its end hade. Its own biology was its bane. In agony, it writhed profusely, but there was nowhere to flee.


    But to Sylvester, his eyes, arms, and legs felt heavy. Too great was the pain as the wounds were many--too high was the price levied.


    He hoped that if anything was left, Lady Aurora could solve, for he had done all he could, going beyond what his physique allowed. He now merely hoped to have some rest endowed.


    "C-Chonky!" was thest call before his fall.


    ________________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 234 234. What Now?

    ''What would you do if you had the power to do anything with a snap, Max?''


    ''What a silly question, Felix. I''d immediately erase myself from everyone''s mind and go somewhere secluded with my mum. There I''d grow my own food, chop my own wood and be at peace.''


    ''That''s crazy. No world domination? Not bing a god? Not getting all the prettydies?''


    ''Ugh... too much work and stress in that. Why be a god of someone else when you can be your own god? Anyway, go to sleep now; we have work tomorrow.''


    A random exchange with his friend passed through Sylvester''s mind as he slowly felt his senses returning to the body. He felt strong wind brushing past his skin, and there was also the warmth of the Srium.


    "Hmm..." He hummed while trying to wake up.


    "So you woke up? Don''t worry. I will carry you to the vige as you did for me thest time."


    Sylvester was alerted as he slowly opened his eyes. The first thing that came into his view was the pleasant face of Lady Aurora, vibrant as always with a kind smile.


    "..."


    "But I carried you on my back. You have me in a princess carry... and why am I still naked?"


    She chuckled and kept walking while looking at his face. "You''re not naked; I did cover your crotch with a cloth. Also, you had too many injuries all over your body. So, don''t worry, my little blondie brother--big sister will have you healed in no time."


    "..."


    "Uwaaa!" Sylvester jolted into her arms and shoved himself away.


    He fell to the ground and started vomiting almost instantaneously. Though, he cursed loudly as only blood came out of his mouth. "Damn that Shadow Knight...!"


    ''Did the blood clot spread further? I need to find a magic healer fast... one who can keep a secret.''


    Lady Aurora helped him by patting his back. "What happened? What did the Shadow Knight do?"


    "Nothing," He changed the topic as he cleaned his mouth. "What happened after I fell?"


    She scoffed, "You fell? No, it was the demon who fell. Though it was troublesome for me, and not to mention, I nearly got my soul erased. After you severed the root, the demon lost all its powers, but it still had some leftovers in its body.


    "At that point, I realised I was stuck in it as the root was disconnected. So I had to fight for my soul''s survival by killing the remaining parts of the demon. I was like a caterpir eating the fruit from inside. Eventually, I finished it and freed myself before returning to my body."


    "Y-You ate a demon?" Sylvester nced at her in doubt, "There ought to be some side effects."


    She shrugged, "I don''t know. Only time will tell, and I will get myself checked once we return to the Holy Land. But first, let''s savour the taste of victory. We have killed a Soul Eater, Sylvester--an X-ss demon. This alone is enough to get public recognition in the church as we saved the world from the cmity that the ninth Pope faced centuries ago."


    "What about the souls?" He asked weakly.


    Pop!


    Woosh!


    "Thank you, Lord Bard. We''re free because of you."


    Sylvester looked around himself and noticed six ghostly bodies hovering nearby. Most of them were Tiger Beastkins. Some had no fur on their body but fluffy tails and ears instead. Some had furry bodies with no tails or ears. They were a mix of every possible oue when a Beastkin and a human mingled.


    But they were all dead, and Sylvester could guess who they were. ''The family of that trader Beastkin?''


    "How did you get trapped in the first ce?" He asked them, alerting Lady Aurora as she realised he was talking to ghosts. She, too, put her hand on him and looked around.


    The souls appeared saddened as one of them spoke to him. She was a woman, old and with features of a real tigress. "My husband... poor Elyon. In his wrath, he likely used magic he didn''t know the consequences of. The Soul Eater resided under our house for centuries, locked and secured--Elyon just let ite out by giving his own blood and soul in return for the promise of vengeance."


    Sylvester sighed, understanding it was an artificial catastrophe. "Does that mean Elyon now has his soul back?"


    The woman''s ghost nodded, "Maybe. When he left that time, he was in a berserk state. Perhaps now, he will return to senses ande back... for we are still stuck in this world."


    Lady Aurora chimed in, "Stuck? What do you mean? We can''t have you all turn into creatures of the night."


    The woman agreed, "Nor do we wish to. But we don''t know what to do... where to go, or what must happen. We''re confused and... angry."


    Sylvester wondered what he could do and tried to look for answers in the various books he had read in his time. ''As far as I know, the only reason the souls of people that remain behind go foul is either for vengeance or a strong unfulfilled desire rted to anything.''


    "I think I know what should set you all free. So don''t go anywhere and stay by my side. We shall soon head to the Baron who wronged you and bring him to justice." He spoke to them in an apologetic tone.


    He didn''t cause harm to them personally, but he was associated with the organisation that took everything from these innocent people. And for what?


    Lady Aurora also reciprocated that feeling, "I apologise for what happened. None can reverse the time and fix what went wrong, but we sure can ensure the name of your family is spread far and wide in good faith, and those of the heathens are known for treachery."


    Sylvester then stood up and adequately wrapped the cloth around his waist before he started walking on his own. "This was a tough battle... If we had failed, I can''t even imagine the destruction it would have caused. The demon realm sure seems like the worst enemy of the Faith and our reality."


    "Sadly, we don''t consider it as that," Lady Aurora said, "Demons are rare, and they need to take over someone''s body or soul first to take form. There are too many restrictions."<sub> </sub>


    But Sylvester didn''t underestimate it, "But they are still hellbent on reaching our world. It''s only a matter of time before they figure something out. Perhaps we should also start investing in anti-demon magic research."


    "They likely do it already... just without too much interest. Anyway, let''s go. I feel tired right now. I can really use a good bath and some food."


    Sylvester could agree with that wholeheartedly.


    Though he wondered. "I wonder if everyone else also woke up."


    ...


    As per Sylvester''s orders, before he left to deal with the demon, all the saline bottles and needles were to be removed from the bodies. This was so that when people woke up, they didn''t end up harming themselves due to shock.


    Everyone had left the Monastery by the time the bright light started to rise from deep inside the vige. The mist had gone away, and many could see the faint form of a giant monster at the top of the hill at the edge of the vige, near the cliff.


    Rows upon rows of unconscious bodies were resting on the ground as the Inquisitors & the remaining vigers set up the tents. Wives sat beside the bodies of their husbands; parents sat beside the bodies of their children; inquisitors sat beside their brothers in arms.


    But all remained on their knees and prayed to the lord and the bright light shining.


    "Ugh... mum?"


    Suddenly, a woman heard the voice of her little son, a voice she had longed to hear for so long. She quickly opened her wet eyes and hugged the boy.


    But a look around revealed she was not the only blessed one. Every unconscious body slowly rose up. Some old ones found it hard due to weakness, but most woke up. With that, many tears of joy and cheers of praise echoed.


    "They did it!!" General Arnold took a breath of relief and fell back. He was nning on leading the army if no clear result appeared.


    Slowly, the camp was overtaken with activities. People ran around to prepare watery porridge for those who woke up. Sylvester had already instructed them not to feed them anything too fatty or hard to digest, or they''d die from it. Most didn''t understand the reasoning behind his words, but they epted hismand since he was the ''Wise Bard''.


    Eventually, a few hours after the explosion of light in the vige, two figures appeared on the horizon,ing towards the vige. The Inquisitor moved fast with their stagecoach, having prepared for all scenarios.


    "Please... sit in this." They quickly opened the door and let Sylvester and Lady Aurora sit down. Inside the stagecoach, there was also a healer who had brought some healing ointment potion.


    Sylvester was not mortally injured since only a few deep burn wounds were visible on his back and shoulder. Instead, he was merely tired and in pain from the blood clot in his leg.


    In no time, amidst all the fanfare, Sylvester arrived at the temporary camp. Arge tent was already set up for him to rest.


    But, as he walked towards it, the people gathered all around him. It even included those who had just woken up. They all kept their heads down in respect while simultaneously chanting one of his hymns.


    It was mesmerising, to say the least. Theirbined voices were melodious and awestriking. Sylvester appreciated it as such moments proved that his actions worked as he wanted. That he was gaining influence on minds.


    "The vige is safe now... the demon is gone," He announced loudly, "May the lord enlighten our futures."


    "Amen!" The people boomed.


    Sylvester then proceeded to his tent with Lady Aurora. However, the General was waiting for him there.


    "Did we lose any men?" Sylvester questioned the first thing.


    General Arnold nodded with a sad face, "Your treatment was definitely great. But sadly, as soon as a few old ones woke up, their bodies died from a heart attack. The eldest one hundred among the vigers have died this way."


    Sylvester sighed and proceeded inside, "I expected this much. Ensure that their bodies are properly burnt. We don''t want a bloodling to rise hereter."


    Thud!


    "Grand Crusader Sylvester Maximilian! Words from Inquisitor High Lord!"


    Sylvester turned around and looked. A man in an Inquisitor Knight''s clothing had appeared. "Atst--what''s the word?"


    The knight spoke without looking Sylvester in the eye. "Archpriest, you are to remain here as Lord Inquisitor ising to see you. He wishes to speak with you directly regarding the events surrounding the High Lady Murder conspiracy."


    ''What happened now? Can''t I catch a break and have a good night''s sleep?'' Sylvester cursed in the head.


    "Understood, but please return and tell the Lord Inquisitor to change routes and meet me at Baron Karl Rockwood''s keep. I shall be there to punish the Crusader army thatmitted the highest order of heresy."


    The knight saluted before turning around to leave. "Understood, Archpriest."


    Left with the others, Sylvester again moved into the tent and rested on the bed. "I will be going to sleep and get some rest. General, start preparing to move out. It''s time we erase the legacy of those whomitted heresy. Prepare for Article 66."


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 235 235. Meeting Lord Inquisitor

    By evening, the people started to return to the vige and clean the streets or their homes. The monastery remained untouched for the most part, so the Inquisitors also helped the people. This was done by the Order of General Arnold as he believed in keeping themunity united and happy with the faith¡ªespecially after the whole crusade ordeal.


    Sylvester required a night''s rest, at least, to get his energy back and heal the wounds to some extent. The one good thing about his strange body was that it recovered abnormally quickly.


    He rested in a room in the monastery, awaiting the Inquisitors to prepare to march. He didn''t sleep, however, and kept looking at the ceiling and various beautiful carvings. The monastery was truly built with love for god and money¡ªprovided by a family that was killed in the name of the same god.


    ''How do I get my body fixed now? I don''t know any great healer that''s independent, good, and can keep a secret. I can''t have anyone take my blood either.''


    "Maxy, look what I found in the demon''s house with Aurawra." Miraj returned from his little excursion with Lady Aurora and jumped onto his chest.


    Sylvester patted the head of Miraj. "I hope you were discrete at following her. Now, show me what you got?"


    Sylvester sat up straight and took the little golden chain with a locket from Miraj. He opened the locket and was surprised. "Such fine craftsmanship. Who even painted such a miniature family picture?"


    "Ah! Dad!" Amy''s ghost was around, as was the rest of the Mizar family.


    He looked closer and noted all the features of the family. In the middle was a strong, tall, tiger Beastin, likely the patriarch, Elyon. Beside him was the rest of the family with little kids at the front. They were all smiling so happily.


    ''This is depressing.'' He thought and put it in his pocket.


    "Let''s get ready now. I don''t want Lord Inquisitor to wait for me. Chonky, you are to remain with me now. No excursions, and no stealing bananas."


    "What? But I never stole a ba-"


    Sylvester red into Miraj''s eyes and shut him up.


    Miraj lowered his head. "It was just one banana from the kitchen. You were sleeping, and I was hungry."


    Sylvester patted his head and gave him another strategic banana from his strategic reserves. "That''s why I''m not angry. But never steal when you can have something legally. It''s a slippery slope otherwise."


    "B-But¡­ we take so much money from others," Miraj argued.


    Sylvester caressed Miraj''s chubby cheeks and grinningly replied. "Chonky, that''s called charitable donation towards the betterment of mankind."


    Miraj''s eyes shined before he proudly raised his chin. "Really? Then I do banana charity."


    "..."


    "Nyahaha¡­ Maxy, I am not dumb-dumb." Mirajughed with a few bursts of meowing and a big toothy wide mouth.


    Sylvester shook his head and went to take a bath. Miraj was too unpredictable for even him, as his chaotic brain sometimes seemed too bright and sometimes too naive.


    Soon, he got ready and put on full armour as his martial duties were still not done. He cleaned his spear and checked the remaining crystals before leaving the room. The ghosts also followed him behind.


    Sylvester walked to the main hall of the monastery first, where at the end of the long hall, a giant replica of the sun was kept. He prayed to it in front of all the other clergymen and went outside. The Inquisitor camp was set up right outside the monastery, but now it was all empty as everything had been packed.


    The air felt fresh now, and the vige was returning to normal. Not much damage was done to most of its parts other than the hill where the Mizar family used to live. The hill was obliterated and appeared like farnd with a lot of garbage.


    "Move, move, we must reach the Baron''s keep by evening!" General Arnold ordered an army of ten thousand soldiers.


    Sylvester walked over and joined him. "How far is the Baron''s keep?"


    "It''s near the Iron Mountains. Not too far from here."


    ''I hope the Shadow Knight isn''t camping there.''


    "Then we should hurry up. I will go and bring Lady Aurora."


    By breakfast, the long convoy of Inquisitors was ready and set to go. There were about two hundred carriages carrying all the supplies. Now they were empty, however. Then there were eight thousand horses.


    Sylvester, Isabe and Lady Aurora also got on their horses and led the convoy with the General at the front.


    "You will likely receive the news of the fate of the Baron soon enough, Archpriest. Please hold a small cleansing and purification ritual at the previous residence site of the Mizar family after that." Sylvester addressed Archbishop Brylee.


    The Archpriest bowed his head after a nod. "I will, Lord Bard. I must also thank you for saving the people of this vige. We are all indebted to you and Lady Aurora. For as long as this vige shall survive, every generation will remember your name. We will make sure of it."


    Sylvester shrugged. "It''s not as important to remember the name of the bard as are the bard''s hymns about the lord. As long as my hymns live, we shall live too."


    The Archpriest, two Bright Mothers and a few vigers nearby bowed their heads respectfully and saw the convoy of Inquisitors move out slowly.


    It was so long that it took minutes for thest men at the back to pass the monastery. Though the road was going to be wider soon, and the speed would pick up. Not to mention, the church gets the right of the way.


    Archpriest Brylee watched as thest shadow of them disappeared. His heart felt somewhat overwhelmed by Sylvester. A man so young, yet so strong and wise. "If it''s the hymns we must remember, perhaps we can create arge cluster of marble sculptures to honour the Mizar family, Lady Aurora and Lord Bard. We should etch some hymns on it too."


    "Brilliant idea, Archpriest." The two Bright Mothers chirped.


    "But how big should it be?" a viger asked.<sub> </sub>


    Archpriest rubbed his chin while wondering. "It should definitely berge, or else it would be disrespectful."


    ¡­


    "I hope it''s good news this time," Sylvester muttered as they moved toward Baron Karl Rockwood''s keep.


    "If it were good news, then the Lord Inquisitor wouldn''t be here to tell it personally." Lady Aurora instantly ruined all the hopes Sylvester had.


    Of course, he knew it too. But ignorance was bliss, and for that moment in time, he wanted nothing but some calm. "Thank you for ruining my mood. I guess I will y the violin to pass some time. The scenery is excruciatingly boring here."


    On the road going through the in and vast farnds, Sylvester started ying music. The Inquisitors close to him felt their hearts at peace and minds rxing just from hearing him.


    That was nothing magical. It was just what music did to people. Especially if yed masterfully. However, Sylvester didn''t sing this time as there was no topic. He just yed some great violin pieces from his past life. Such as Mozart''s Eine kleine Nachtmusik


    [Search on YT: W.A.Mozart - Eine kleine Nachtmusik [Violin Solo] - Roman Kim]


    It was just the beginning of the summer season, and the Season of Solis was around the corner. So, the summer heat was starting to build up, but the cold breeze of spring was still lingering and making everything calm and rxed. The butterflies on the sides of the roads and the crackling of many insects melted in with the melody to energise the mood of all those nearby.


    No words were spoken for fear of disturbing the music. But all felt like closing their eyes and enjoying the literal song of nature, warmth, joy and spring.


    Sylvester had his eyes closed, though. Frost, the good horse. He was a loyal servant and knew where to go. Not to mention, the horse enjoyed the music, too, as evident by his rhythmic trotting while shaking his head.


    As for Miraj, the furry boy was sitting on Sylvester''s head of all ces, enjoying the blonde hair like it was a bed. He had his eyes wide open, looking at the road while his paws were extended in four directions as if he had melted in his seat.


    "Maxy, you''re the best¡­haa¡­" Miraj whispered and yawned cutely.


    Sylvester chuckled and slowly yed music all the way with a few intervals of talking with the others. In one single trip, he surely calmed his and Lady Aurora''s nerves. Meanwhile, Isabe was reminded of her happy childhood, which prompted a smile on her face.


    Eventually, before the evening came, they reached the Baron''s keep. It was not too big, being just a tiny castle in the middle of the farms. There was no moat around it or a town. It was a simple stand-alone castle with not many high towers.


    But, there were a thousand men in Inquisitor armours standing outside the castle with their armoured horses.


    "So the Lord Inquisitor has arrived?" Sylvester muttered as he put the violin away. "I hope we''re not toote."


    Thud!


    "Lord Bard! May the holy light enlighten us!" A thousand Inquisitors saluted Sylvester firmly.


    Sylvester was used to that by now. The Inquisitors were always fanatical about him and considered him their own brethren, a part of their department. So he saluted back and proceeded into the castle with Lady Aurora. General Arnold and Isabe remained behind to manage the army.


    As Sylvester entered, he found there were a thousand more men. They were not in armour and instead donned various tunics and pants.


    ''These must have been the Crusaders who attacked Ender Vige. I hope it''s all of them.'' He thought and didn''t spare them a nce.


    In his mighty armour and spear in hand, he soon followed the Baron''s prima into the great hall of the keep. Most of the furniture inside the castle was made of wood, and even that seemed very old and rotting.


    ''No wonder the Baron was lusting for the Mizar family''s fortune.'' He realised and soon saw Lord Inquisitor sitting on a grand chair.


    Sylvester respectfully bowed his head. "May the Holy Light enlighten us, Lord Inquisitor. Grand Crusader reporting."


    Pat!


    Lord Inquisitor stood up, shocking Sylvester. The man had the same old rageful and scary vibe along with the smells. But then the big man patted Sylvester''s arms, back and head. "You fought a Soul Eater and survived unscathed?"


    Lady Aurora chimed in. "I nearly died, Lord Inquisitor. But we were able to defeat it somehow. My soul was taken for a few minutes while Sylvester received a lot of physical injuries. But, in the end, he somehow did it¡ªripped it apart from its core."


    The Lord Inquisitor nodded as he proceeded to pat Sylvester and Lady Aurora''s shoulders. "I am immensely proud of you two. The strength you have shown will be remembered for years toe¡ªfor I am sure this was not thest of those vile demonic scum."


    Sylvester agreed and took a seat at the side. He didn''t even greet the fat Baron. "Thank you, Lord Inquisitor. What is it that you wish to discuss?"


    Instantly, Sylvester smelled anger as if it was a burning fire. There was rage, disgust, hate, and hope too. It was something big. Sylvester knew it.


    "The issue with the Gracia Kingdom appears to have spre¨C"


    ''Big brother Sylvester! Save my dad! He''s below the ground¡­ I saw him!''


    "What!" Sylvester stood up abruptly as he heard the ghost Amy''s voice when she came out of the floor, looking all distraught.


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 236 236. A Tigers Vengeance

    Sylvester interrupted the Inquisitor High Lord and stepped away from his seat.


    "What happened, young bard?" Lord Inquisitor asked.


    Sylvester mmed his foot on the ground and heard the sound. "Hmm¡­ you have a cer underneath this hall?"


    The Baron appeared taken aback by Sylvester''s direct gaze and cold tone. He sweated a little and nodded. "Y-Yes, great lord bard. We keep food and other items stored there."


    "I wish to inspect it. Take me there." Sylvester ordered as he picked up his spear as well.


    The Baron looked at Lord Inquisitor with a firm face. But it was clear that he was trying to push forward a strongman attitude to appear confident. "L-Lord Inquisitor, why am I being treated like this after I so graciously agreed to entertain your men and your visit?"


    Thud!


    Sylvester punched the wooden table near the Baron and made a few cracks appear. "Silence, heathen! You are a volunteer of the Crusade, and I, as the Grand Crusader, have the right to investigate you. Now do as I demand, or I will be forced to announce my judgement without looking."


    "I.. Inquisitor High Lord, please tell Lord Bard to stand back." Baron Rockwood cried and pleaded.


    But the Inquisitor High Lord stayed in his seat. "He is made Grand Crusader by the Holy Father. To hinder him, my rank does now allow. So I can not stop him from fulfilling his vow."


    Sylvester appreciated the rification and pressed onto the Baron a bit more. "Stand, Baron Rockwood. We don''t have time to waste here. Take me to the cer¡ªquick!"


    The fat, tall, modestly clothed baron stood up. His blue eyes appeared panicked, and his brown hair seemed drenched in sweat already.


    As the two walked out, Lady Aurora and Inquisitor High Lord followed. Lady Aurora even gave a brief report to Inquisitor High Lord about what transpired in the Ender Vige and the crimes of the Baron there.


    Soon, they arrived at the cer of the castle. It wasrge and seemed to have multiple floors. However, the baron tried to act smart and only showed them the first floor.


    Sylvester pointed his spear at the man''s neck. "You think we''re fools? Take us to the deepest floor, or my spear shall meet your throat."


    "N-No, my lord! I will take you."


    Sylvester kept the spear touching the Baron''s back as a reminder that one wrong move could result in death. Though he was knowingly stabbing it a little now and then to make the Baron suffer.


    "Here, Lord Bard. This is the deepest floor." Baron stopped after opening a trap door that had some stairs going down.


    "What are you looking for, my lord? Perhaps I can help you."


    Sylvester patted the Baron''s shoulder and moved in. "We''re looking for your sins, Baron. Now stay silent, or I won''t bother conducting a trial for heresy."


    There was no natural light or a provision for a torch in the space, so he used his right hand to create light.


    But, at a look, all there seemed to be was junk. There were sacks full of various materials and a lot of discarded furniture. But Sylvester''s senses told him a different story. ''The smell of rotten flesh is so strong here¡ªnot just sorrowful, but someone is utterly mentally broken.''


    "Hmm¡­ why are there scratch marks on the floor¡­ as if you just moved the furniture?" Sylvester asked and started to move things around in the same pattern.


    The Baron tried to find excuses while visibly panicking. "Ah¡­ W-we just cleaned the ce."


    Bam!


    Lady Aurora mmed the hilt of her sheathed sword on the Baron''s head. "If that was the case, then the dirt and those scratch marks won''t be on the ground. You are done for, you mad heathen. Stop lying."


    "Found it!" Sylvester suddenly eximed and slid in through the narrow space between the furniture.


    Boom!


    Lord Inquisitor was too big for the space, though. So the big man simply tapped his metal staff once and turned all the furniture to ashes in a split second. The fire only appeared like a short spark.


    But, none noticed it as what was in front of their eyes was more shocking. There was a small metal cage made with solid bars, barely four feet wide and seven feet tall. Inside it was a humanoid figure¡ªa tiger Beastkin¡ªriddled with stab wounds all over the body.


    Even though the man had the furry head of a tiger, the emotions appeared clear. He was broken in mind and body. Perhaps, the scars of the mind were more hurtful at the moment than those on the body.


    He was tortured, and that was evident as the cage was just big enough for the seven-foot-tall muscr Beastkin. The man could not sit, turn around, or stretch his neck. Just looking at his condition was painful enough.


    Sylvester went ahead and opened the cage by cutting it. The Beastkin didn''t react much other than his eyes moving towards him.


    "Mizar family. When I touch him, you better start speaking with him. Otherwise, he might enter a berserk state." He spoke to the ghosts. Of course, only he could see them, so Lord Inquisitor and the Baron were confused.


    Bam!


    Sylvester cut thest bar and pulled the entire side off. It was the front side so the Beastkin could walk out.


    "Easy there, Elyon. I am Sylvester Maximilian, and I am here to bring the Baron to justice¡ªso his head will soon be rolling, I promise." Sylvester called him and, at the same time, started singing a slow hymn to produce the halo behind his head.


    Bam!<sub> </sub>


    ? But the tall Beastkin fell forward. It was unknown how long the man was in that cage, so it was understandable that the legs had been affected.


    Sylvester caught him in a hug and helped him sit down. All the while, Elyon showed no reactions, as if he was a living corpse.


    ''How broken is he to be in a state like this?'' Sylvester wondered and patted Elyon''s back. This was the first time he hade this close to a Beastkin, but he didn''t feel it was any different from an average human man.


    "I ended the demon in Ender Vige and freed the souls of your family. They are now here, Elyon. You can help them pass over to the other side, or else they will one day be creatures of the night¡ªevil spirits." Sylvester advised him. "Why don''t you greet Amy?"


    Elyon seemed to react after hearing the name as he left Sylvester''s arms and looked around. There, he noticed a small hovering figure of a cute little girl with fluffy tigress ears.


    "Amy?" Elyon rose and jumped to hug her. But as soon as he left contact with Sylvester, the figure disappeared, and all he felt was nothingness in his arms¡ªinstantly making him feel emptier.


    Before the tiger Beastkin could enter his rage, Sylvester put his hand on thetter''s shoulder. "Only when you''re in contact with me can you see them."


    Instantly, not only Amy but the rest of the Mizar family also appeared there. They seemed to be worried for him and tried to say things to calm him down.


    Elyon''s furious eyes turned watery with that, and he silently wept, raising his hands to touch them but only seeing them pass through the translucent bodies.


    Pat!


    Sylvester looked behind and noticed Lady Aurora and Lord Inquisitor putting hands on his shoulders as well. That way, they all saw what Elyon was experiencing.


    "Forgive me¡­ Please forgive me." Elyon''s heart-wrenching words echoed.


    The woman tigress Beastkin came forward and shook her head. "Dear, it wasn''t your fault for what happened. None of us knew our lives would end that day. No one could have predicted it¡ªwe''re simple mortals. You wouldn''t have been able to stop them if you were there either."


    Elyon shook his head and held his face with the ws in frustration. "No¡­ No¡­ I could have. And I made you suffer even more by casting that vengeful magic without knowing it was a curse instead. Forgive me, M¡­ I wasn''t a good husband. I wasn''t a good father."


    M came closer and tried to ce her hand on Elyon''s shoulder. "Again, you didn''t know. You wanted vengeance; you wanted justice. Don''t cry anymore, my love. What the lord nned for us has already passed. No one could have altered the fate that was destined to happen since we were born.


    "If anything, it''s that heathen¡­ that Baron who wronged us, not you."


    Elyon silently looked down in defeat. His eyes bawled with tears of losing everything. His parents, his wife, his daughter, his siblings¡­ everything. He felt empty and had no idea what to even do now.


    "What am I to live for without you all? Please¡­ let me join you."


    "No!" M roared like the graceful tigress she was. "If I could, I would have pped you for saying that. Never think of doing such a thing, Elyon. To kill oneself is a grave sin¡­ you will never join us if you do so. No¡­ you must live! You must live and see the world so when we meet again, we may see the world through your memories¡­ Please."


    Elyon fell silent in a mental conflict. But just then, he felt the hand on his shoulder tighten. He had not seen the face of the man behind him carefully, so he turned around.


    "Elyon, you still have unfinished business. You have earned your vengeance, and the heathen has earned his punishment. Come, perform it so your family can be freed from this world''s shackles."


    Elyon noticed the strange halo behind the blonde man''s head. He couldn''t help but feel even more emotional after seeing it. Though his eyes soon darted towards Baron Rockwood, making the fat man shudder.


    "Let''s go out." Sylvester decided and left Elyon''s shoulder. "Don''t worry. They are still here. You can see themter."


    After that, without saying anything, Sylvester walked over to the Baron and grabbed the hair. Then he started dragging him out. "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. You dared sin; now you must bear the fruit."


    "Aaaa¡­ No!" The baron tried to weakly fight Sylvester.


    Sylvester dragged him all the way outside the cer, then through the castle halls and eventually out of the castle to therge open courtyard.


    Thud!


    He threw the Baron forward and pped his hands clean. "Inquisitors, ce him in his spot."


    "Nooo! Please! Not my sons and wife!" Baron cried aloud as he noticed the entire courtyard was full of men forcefully made to kneel with their hands and feet tied. There were a thousand of them exactly¡ªall were the Crusaders who joined the Baron in his crime.


    It was very noisy as they cried. But behind every five men was an inquisitor who would m a stick on their heads to silence them.


    At the front was the family of Baron. A wife, two sons and their wives¡ªkneeling simrly.


    "Where is my trial? You can not kill me without it! I know my rights!" Baron screamed, his eyes turning red as death appeared unavoidable. "Lord Inquisitor! This is injustice!"


    Lord Inquisitor looked at Sylvester and asked. "What are the articles?"


    "Article 66, as per the Crusader Charter of 5117." Sylvester instantly replied.


    Inquisitor High Lord nodded and looked at the Baron. "Crusader Charter allows Article 66 against Crusaders caughtmitting heathenous acts. As I said, I am but a mere observer¡ªSo do not expect from me any favour."


    "Nooo¡­ Please¡­!" The Baron cried madly. His whole family and the crusader army as well.


    But Sylvester, instead, walked over to Elyon. "Take this sword and realise your vengeance, for there is no room for repentance. Proceed as you wish, and punish them for heresy¡ªfor they all now sit here at your mercy."

 Chapter 237 237. Promise Of A Father

    Elyon''s eyes shined in a dangerous yellow light. Of course, this was the reason he came looking for the Baron in the first ce. So he clutched his sword in hand and stepped closer to the Baron.


    "You killed my daughter; you killed my wife; you took everything away from me. Why should only I suffer?"


    sh!


    "Aaaargh! Noo¡­"


    sh!


    "I¡­ Hur¡­ ghk!"


    Elyon didn''t swing the sword at the Baron but instead at the Baron''s eldest son, who was part of the Crusade as well and one of the decision-makers on that ominous day.


    Wanting to inflict maximum physical and mental pain, Elyon purposefully struck sloppily in ces that wouldn''t kill instantly. The first strike was on the left shoulder, and the second was on the right.


    In a gory mess, the shoulder got cut but notpletely. As the blood oozed out with giant open wounds and visible bones, the shoulders appeared hanging by just the little remaining pieces of flesh and muscles.


    "Father¡­ Help!" The man cried.


    sh!


    But Elyon had no mercy for them. The Inquisitors, too used to such scenes, simply stood in their ces and kept the crowd silent. Sylvester and the rest didn''t move either and just watched.


    Thud!


    Finally, Elyon struck the skull with a straight-down verticle strike. He hit the de at the centre with enough strength to chop the body in half. Brain matter, intestines and much more spread out in an ugly and smelly mess.


    But Elyon was not done. He moved to the other son, younger but a monster nheless. "You¡­ I heard you tortured my brother''s wife. Merely seventeen and yet so vile¡­"


    sh!


    Woosh!


    He swung his sword masterfully from a distance. Only the tip of the de touched the man''s face. But there were so many shes that soon, the face appeared to be thinly cut into a thousand tiny pieces. Eyes, nose, mouth¡ªeverything was a mess.


    But the man was not dead, and since his throat was not harmed, the screams that echoed were blood-curdling. They scared the mightiest of the men sitting there as they foresaw dying simrly.


    After the screams started to subside, Elyon made a sharp cut on the neck and beheaded the man, sending the head flying to the side, on the Baroness''p, which made her scream like no tomorrow.


    Then, finally, Elyon came in front of Baron Rockwood. He didn''t speak to him and simply threw his sword before showing his sharp tiger ws.


    "Argh! Go to hell, fucking heathen!" The Baron growled as he got lifted by the throat so easily. "You pests shouldn''t havee to ournds¡ªthisnd belongs to us, humans!"


    His words seemed to have irked Inquisitor High Lord as the big man walked closer while mming his staff menacingly. "Congrattions, heathen. I shall now ensure that not even the record of your bloodline remains. None shall ever remember you in history. Die knowing that you caused the end of your centuries of ancestral rule over thesends.


    "As for thisnd. It belongs to humans or not¡ªas long as one has the name of Solis in mind¡ªwe''re one and the same kind."


    Without any more exchanges, Elyon stabbed one w into the Baron''s stomach, digging his sharp nails in.


    Bam!


    Then he stabbed the other hand so that both hands faced outwards. After that, he started applying pressure outward and ripping the Baron apart slowly.


    First, the intestines came out, then other organs. As the split became wider, the lungs hung down along with the heart. There was blood all over the ground, and many drops fell on Elyon. But he didn''t seem to care as he finished his enemy.


    "Haaaaa!" Elyon roared.


    Thud!


    Two sides of Baron Rockwood fell to the ground in an ultimate gore.


    Sylvester then stepped forward and addressed the three leftover women. "You three. Either ept to live the rest of your lives as lowly peasants, or receive a dagger and bring yourselves to Solis'' embrace."


    This was a standard procedure in cases of Article 66. The reasoning was straightforward and sensible. To leave a kin behind meant leaving cancer behind that could either stay dormant or take the form of a life-threatening disease someday.


    Sylvester threw three daggers at them and waited with folded arms.


    "I curse you!" Baroness growled in rage. "May you receive the most painful death imaginably?"


    Lady Aurora scoffed. "Should have shown that anger on your husband and sons, woman. Now either ept to be a peasant or kill yourself."


    The woman didn''t speak more and stabbed the dagger into her chest. She had no reason to live, after all. Her sons and husband were dead. However, she was a fool and stabbed herself wrong. So she didn''t die, and an Inquisitor had toe over to pierce her heart.


    After that were the two wives of the Baron''s sons. They appeared as rageful as the woman earlier, but their eyes held defiance.


    Sylvester scoffed as he smelled the rage, anger and hate. ''Don''t¡­ don''t make me do it.''


    "Die!"


    The two women tried to stand up with the dagger and run towards Elyon, to kill the Beastkin.


    Thud!


    But they fell simultaneously as they found the back of their skulls pierced by two knives that Sylvester threw. At this point, he was a master with them, and with his strength, hurting ordinary folks was as easy as squashing an ant.


    "Elyon, decide the fate of the Crusaders." Sylvester nudged the man.<sub> </sub>


    ''Show me what you are, buddy. Are you now a mindless monster or a just and ruthless warrior?'' Sylvester wondered from a distance. Of course, this was a test for the Beastkin.


    Elyon nced at the massive crowd of a thousand Crusaders. Most looked pale as a ghost, and some were sobbing hard.


    "Mister Sylvester, may I speak with my family?" Elyon asked all of a sudden.


    Interested, Sylvester walked behind Elyon and put his hand on thetter''s shoulder. "You may walk as well."


    "Thank you." Elyon looked at his family hovering in the air nearby. "Please point out the faces you remember¡ªthose who were a part of the physical attacks and your deaths. I do not wish to kill all thousand of them, or our great ancestor will be utterly ashamed of me."


    ''And you have passed.'' Sylvester sighed in relief.


    With that, selective killing started. Elyon didn''t even get his hands dirty anymore and let the Inquisitors do their jobs. As the ghosts of the Mizar family pointed, heads fell to the ground. On the other hand, the good men who had tried helping them received praise from Sylvester and were let go.


    Slowly but surely, more than two hundred died out of a thousand. By night, the whole vengeance activity was done, and the time came to bid farewell to the ghosts while the pyres were still burning.


    Sylvester let Elyon speak to his family privately in a room, though he had to be there. But he didn''t say anything in the middle and silently listened to the whole exchange with Miraj sleeping on his shoulder.


    "It seems this is the final farewell, my love," M said as she looked at Elyon''s sad face closely for thest time.


    Elyon again tried to touch her, but all he felt was cold air¡ªa reminder that this emptiness would remain forever.


    "What am I to do now? I have nowhere to go¡­ Nobody to care for." Elyon asked them in defeat, his mighty shoulder slumped.


    "Son." An old man with human skin, the tail, and the ears of a tiger came forward. "My son, I am proud of what you have achieved in life. You furthered my legacy beyond what I ever expected. You have done enough for others. Now it''s time to look within yourself and do what''s important to you."


    "We don''t me you, brother." Elyon''s younger brother spoke. "We lived the best life while itsted. What we have now¡­ none could have foreseen or changed."


    As they all spoke slowly, the ghostly translucent bodies started bing paler and slowly disappearing. Finally, the time wasing to say thest words.


    "Daddy! When will you teach me how to fight? You promised me." Amy chirped, still not knowing what was happening.


    Thud!


    Her words were the straw that broke the camel''s back. Elyon fell to his knees to Amy''s level as his eyes teared up. "I¡­ I will one daye to you and teach you, my princess."


    "Why not now?" Amy asked.


    Elyon choked on his words. "Because yo¡­ your dad has some work to do. So wait for me, got it?"


    "Oh no." Amy turned sad. But a momentter, she smiled brightly. "I will wait, daddy. I know you work very much for us. Can you bring me a new toy when you return, please?"


    The ghostly bodies became so transparent that it became hard to focus on them. Some members had already gone, and only a few were left.


    Elyon looked his daughter in the eyes. "I love you, princess. I will return with a gift¡­ I promise."


    Amy nodded, though for some reason, she also teared up and raised her little hand to show her pinky finger. "P-Promise?"


    Elyon quickly raised his pinky finger and held it close to hers. "I promi-"


    Before he could finish speaking, thest of Amy and M disappeared. Silence took over the room with menacing sounds of breaths echoing¡ªthe only proof they were still in the realm of the living.


    Sylvester patted the man''s shoulder. "I, for one, know you will never get over their deaths. They will always be in your mind as a precious memory. But the best you can do to honour those memories is live¡ªthe way they wanted you to. They may be gone¡ªbut never forget the promise you made."


    Elyon didn''t look at him and stayed on his knees with his head held low. "Mister Sylvester, is Solis real?"


    "Most likely he does, or else, the things I can do¡ªthey''d make no sense. Come now, it''s better you have some rest now. You need a calm mind to think of your future." Sylvester helped the big Beastkin stand and helped him onto the bed.


    The man didn''t even resist and rested back and closed his eyes. Sylvester knew that behind the darkness of those eyes, the images of his family were likely shing.


    ''Yet another man scarred by the world¡ªyet another man with his fate furled. I hope you ovee the grief, Elyon.''


    He shut the door and left to find Inquisitor High Lord. It was midnight, so most of the staff and Inquisitors had gone to sleep. Just a few remained to watch over the burning of pyres.


    He was soon directed to the roof of the tallest tower of the small castle, where he found the man in red watching the starry summer sky.


    "Forgive me for keeping you waiting, Lord Inquisitor. I dyed the matter you came to discuss."


    Inquisitor High Lord didn''t look at him. "You did your duty, young bard. He may have been a Beastkin, but he is still one of us¡ªa faithful. To leave him would have been baneful. But now we must discuss a more pressing matter. So, I shall be heading to River City in Riveria and meet the King."


    Alerted, Sylvester questioned. "What''s the matter, my lord?"


    A threatening, angry aura spread across the vicinity. The smell, Sylvester felt, was overwhelming. Inquisitor High Lord lightly tapped his staff on the floor. "The realm rots with sinister plots, young bard. I''m afraid the dark times are ahead, and they shall leave behind nothing but long trails of the dead.


    "King Riveria''s favourite daughter has been murdered¡ªbreast mutted. In response, King Riveria has called for an all-out war."


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 238 238. Looming War

    ''When I hoped that there be another victim, I didn''t mean this. But who did it? The Duchess? Duke?'' Sylvester was left in shock.


    "The Duke''s castle and the entire town are under strict surveince by my men. So how did theymit such a crime? As I informed you in my letters, the Witch is likely behind the murders. It''s unknown why, but how could she harm a princess in another kingdom''s most secured castle?" Sylvester wondered loudly.


    Inquisitor High Lord didn''t care about the reason anymore. "The time to ask questions has psed, young bard. The two kingdoms will burn if we do not stop this from escting. I''m sure the Administration of the Holy Land is preparing for the worst--but before that, our actions will dictate what happens. Hence, we must act in haste."


    Sylvester thought about what could be done. The stakes had suddenly gone so high that things were reaching borderline impossible. But, over the past year and a few months, he had met some important people he understood very well. So, he wondered who he could use to get on top of everything.


    "Can we arrest the Duke and Duchess of Ironstone?" Sylvester asked.


    "Yes, but not without definitive evidence. I''m certain you don''t have that, nor do I have any hope of finding it, for they sit too high in the food chain to be foolish enough to leave evidence behind. So, for now, what matters is that we stop the two sides from meeting on the battlefield. Or else, when the first sword is struck, the chaotic fate will be sealed."


    Sylvester sighed in frustration. This scenario was worse than the worst thing he expected. "How can King Riveria be so foolish? The destruction will be mutual. If he goes all out, then Gracia will have to do the same. Both kingdoms are rich and have enough powerhouses. The deaths will be in tens of millions, not to mention the millions more who will die slowly from starvation."


    "Indeed. The two kingdomsbined amount to Eastern Sol''s three-fourth food supply. This is why we stopped the war years ago, and this is why we must do it again. King Riveria has also grown too old and senile after his son, Romel''s disappearance. Knowing his sinister ns for you, you will return to the Holy Land with your men. Consider your missionpleted." The Lord Inquisitor ordered him in an authoritative tone.


    But Sylvester knew better than most that the mission was an utter failure. ''Is there no way I can be a yer in this game? I can''t let this opportunity slide.''


    He silently thought about all the strategies he could. His own goal was to gather as much soft power as possible, after all.


    "My lord, I request you to take me along. I desire to meet someone in Riveria who--if everything goes well--can fix our Riveria problem entirely. At least for a few years."


    Hearing him, Lord Inquisitor''s eyes shined behind the red visor. The big man was amused, and knowing Sylvester''s past wise decisions, he was intrigued to listen. "Speak, young bard. If I find the n usible, then you may join me. If not, then you must resign to the Holy Land."


    That was all Sylvester wanted. "Respected Lord Inquisitor, you see, I know a man who..."


    ...


    The very next day, Sylvester prepared to head to Riveria. He was also given the Inquisitor Army under General Arnold''smand because even though he''d be going on official business with the Inquisitor High Lord, there was no doubt that someone may still try to harm him as the bounty was still on his head and growing ever stronger.


    "You two will be joining me." Sylvester addressed Lady Aurora and Isabe as he wrote a letter in his room. The castle of the previous Baron was now considered a property of the Inquisitors until the new allotment.


    "Why are we even going there if a war is about to start? And why Fort Sunflower? The king lives in River City." Lady Aurora questioned him, confused as she thought her need would be near the battlefield.


    Sylvester finished writing and sealed the letter. "Because our goal is not to meet the King. We''re going to meet Duke Conrad of the Northern Duchy. Don''t worry; I will exin everything along the way. Let me send this letter to Felix first. I''m afraid they and the crusader army are in danger. They must rush away and reach this castle."


    Isabe was depressed at the same time. The war involved her family at its centre, after all. "I hope you and the Lord Inquisitor are sessful in stopping this."


    "Stopping is not hard, Isabe," Sylvester answered immediately. "What''s hard is to guess what King Riveria will ask in return for stopping."


    ...


    Ender Castle, Duke of Ironstone.


    It had been more than ten days since Sylvester had left to deal with the so-called bloodling, who turned out to be a demon.


    For the most part, Felix and the rest had nothing to do, as their job was to keep an eye on all sorts of activities in and around the Duke''s castle. In addition, they were to keep an eye on the port and roads so anyrge movements could be noticed.


    There was a strange tension in the air for the past few days. Felix, Gabriel and Bishop Lazark felt it. Spy activities against them had increased significantly recently.


    Usually, Felix spent his time watching the town while Bishop Lazark kept an eye on the monastery to see if anything strange was happening. Meanwhile, Gabriel acted like a religious teacher and roamed around the entire town, performing house purification rituals and asionally overseeing marriages.


    Their roles were not random, though. Felix was made to mingle with street folks because he was so friendly and easy to trust. Bishop was to oversee the monastery as he had a very high rank himself. Then Gabriel was made to mingle with decent upper-ss folks as he was a learned man with a particr interest in religious scriptures.


    Each was tasked with gathering intel and being on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary.


    Currently, Gabriel was making his rounds and helping the town''s people. "May the holy light enlighten us? You asked for a purification ritual for your home?"


    He stood at the door of a small house with a good outer garden and walled area. The family was wealthy but not rich enough to be close to the Duke. This was a typical sessful trader''s family.


    "Priest Gabriel. Please enter. We were awaiting you. We have prepared all the listed items for the ritual." The man of the house, a middle-aged tall and average build man, greeted.


    Gabriel acted as usual. "That is brilliant. May I know the need for this purification? I don''t sense any negativity from here."


    The trader excitedly replied. "You don''t know? It was announced a few hours ago. The Duke''s birthday ising, and a weeklong tourney will be held in celebration. So I wish to have a purified and warm house just in case I''ll need to entertain some influential guests."<sub> </sub>


    Gabriel silenced, nodded, and proceeded to perform the small ritual and move on to the new house. This one belonged to a man who worked for the town''s administration.


    "Oh, so many great lords anddies wille with their knights. We must have the town cleaned before they reach."


    Gabriel noted that as well and moved on after doing his duties. After this, he headed into the market to do the same purification ritual in the shops. Most of the traders were saying the same thing about the tourney and seemed excited as they expected the business to boom for theing few weeks.


    "Thank you, honourable priest. Here''s the payment." A shopowner tried to give him a silver coin.


    Gabriel rejected it and stepped back. "Please don''t. It''s against the grace of the lord that his servants ask for money for work so small. If anything, please use that money to feed the poor. That shall bring earn you not only a good name but also good grace."


    Shopowners andmoners generally enjoyed it whenever clergymen like Gabriel spoke words like that. It created an aura of wisdom and superiority in the minds of others.


    "Did the Duke hold a tourneyst year as well?" Gabriel then asked out of interest.


    "No, no, this is the first time for his grace''s birthday. Usually, he holds one to celebrate his marriage anniversary."


    For some reason, Gabriel felt that there was something wrong. Living with Sylvester had taught him to be paranoid whenever something happens out of the ordinary.


    ''We didn''t receive a single invitation yet. Nor did we find out about a tourney like this when it takes months of advance nning to hold such an event. All this seems to start out of nowhere.''


    Gabriel had hundreds of doubts, but the means of clearing them were limited. So he cleaned his church robes and brandished the church symbol chain on his right palm while creating a small light. He was, after all, a light wizard too.


    He then walked over to the gates of Ender Castle slowly while chanting a hymn from Sylvester''s book ofption.


    a??The love of Solis knows no bounds,


    For he nourishes you with everything around...a??


    "Halt!" The guards stopped him, four of them pointing their spears at him. "No man, clergy or noble, can pass unless you have an invitation token. Do you have one?"


    Gabriel spoke in rhymes. "I''m but a mere small priest of the lord. By his grace, I travel with the bard. This small man wishes the Duke a delightful birthday and hopes he may always find the right way. May the Lord bless him and tourney."


    The guard who stopped Gabriel seemed confused. "Birthday?..."


    Cough!


    As another guard from behind coughed, the one ahead spoke rushedly. "Indeed, Duke''s birthday will bring the well-deserved light and joy to our town. Thank you, priest. I will pass your words to mymander."


    Gabriel stayed smiling despite the mayhem in his mind. "Thank you, my brother in faith. May the holy light enlighten us."


    After that, without wasting a moment, he rushed back to the Crusader camp and entered the leftover carriage of Lady Aurora.


    He found Felix and Bishop Lazark in there, appearing serious. The same was the case with Gabriel.


    "Gab, grave news." Felix blurted.


    Bishop Lazark started. "I returned from Monastery. Cardinal Cornelius has learned that King Riveria''s daughter has been murdered--breast cut. Riveria has now dered all-out war on Gracia."


    "But how did they do it? We never left the sight of the castle or the town." Felix wondered in a frustrated tone.


    "..."


    Gabriel didn''t usually curse, but this time as he realised the grand conspiracy happening in the town. Then, as he felt the links connecting, he burst. "Good fucking devil! The duke is nning our funeral! We must escape!"


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 239 239. Anger In Sanctum Council

    A war between two nobles wasmon. A war between two high nobles was rare but understandable. But a war between two kingdoms was something nobody ever wished to see.


    Because such wars don''t just leave a trail of blood but also tears. They devastate the economies and ruin social harmony and the standard of living. Moreover, they ruin the industries and break apart the supply chain.


    It was the reason why the Holy Land never wished to see a war in thends lived on by the followers of Solis because more deaths meant more bloodlings and the weakening of the continent as a whole when the war against Beastaria resumed.


    Inside the Holy Land, everything was in chaos in the upper decision-making body. Frustration and anger weremon among the members of the Sanctum Council, which now met every day, sometimes more than once a day.


    "We must straighten these two problem kingdoms." The Pope ordered the men. He appeared calm, but his voice contained a dangerous aura. "They have continuously created trouble for us. In the past, it was the Queen of Gracia, and now it''s the King of Riveria."


    "The murder is real, your holiness. That''s the reason for this war." Saint Seer spoke.


    But the Pope didn''t care about who killed whom. "Saint Wazir, I gave you the entire Eastern Sol to govern and ensure peacests while I focusedpletely on breaking the Masan Empire apart. Yet you failed to do such a simple thing? We have Masan conspiracies running amok in our backyard. How did you fail so spectacrly?"


    Saint Wazir seemed prepared as he passed on a few pages to each member. "It contains information about the recent actions of King Riveria. He is about to die of old age and yet married another woman to produce a strong heir, a widow Baroness who gave birth to an Arch Wizard talent holder son five years ago. He has reduced the taxes and donations to the Faith as well. He has restricted the ess of Bright Mothers and Clergymen in his city. I also suspect he''s in contact with Anti-Light.


    "I do not use the whole family. But the King has gonepletely senile since his son''s disappearance in the Holy Land. I believe he has given up faith and holds anti-Solis ideas. I remained silent as I gathered clues through various spy channels with the help of Saint Seer. But now we have theplete picture."


    Saint Seer also enunciated. "Something is certainly happening in his administration. I don''t think he should remain as the King any longer, as he threatens the authority of the Holy Land."


    The Pope looked at Saint Keymaster, the chief economist of the Holy Land, Cardinal Helix Steelworth. "Saint Keymaster, what''s the projected loss if the two kingdoms go to war?"


    Saint Keymaster was a man with a big brain and didn''t speak much. His head was usually just filled with numbers and projected growth of various industries. Albeit, he was still a strong clergyman when it came to magical prowess.


    The most striking feature about him was his expressionless face at all times. Even with his striking red hair, blue eyes, and thin and tall body, he didn''t stand out.


    "Your holiness, the loss will be more significant in terms of human resources than just mary assets. Due to this war, every non-war-rted industry will be destroyed. Without men to work the fields, the crops will suffer and start a food shortage crisis. Moreover, the deaths of strong men will make society afterwards morewless and unholy.


    "We shall return to a position worse than what it was when his holiness stopped the thousand-year war. I project that the economy of both kingdoms will shrink by more than seventy per cent, and the human poption will reduce by half in the long run. The loss of powerhouses will be even greater."


    Everyone in the room ufortably shifted in their seats. The Pope was busy for the past few months trying to break Masan apart into pieces and increase the trouble for the Empire by empowering the Warsong Kingdom. Yet, it turns out, their home turf was not safe either, and a shadow plot appeared to be in motion that none of them had any idea about.


    The Pope looked at Saint Seer. "Any news on the internal investigation? What else has the Masan Empire plotted in the northern Duchies? We can''t have the Count Jartel situation again."


    To the shock of many, Saint Seer had a conflicted look. "Your holiness, I''m afraid I''m at my wit''s end. I found no more plots, but I did learn who was behind it all. The Shadow of Masan is the reason for many messes recently created. Nobody knows his real name or what he looks like. He''s somewhat of a legend around the entire Sol.


    "He goes by many names. Future Seer, God''s Listener, Overseer, Mask of Mystery and many more. He''s famed for being the greatest spy ever to live, for his plots don''t just go a year but decades deep. Unfortunately, there is no way to ascertain what he''s up to¡ªwe don''t even know if it''s a man. Recently, he went by the name Sir Walder, the Prima of deceased Count Jartel¡ªthe mastermind behind the downfall of the entire Duchy of Colorwood."


    Boom!


    The Pope mmed his fist on the stone table, sending cracks like spiderwebs as he stood up. "Ipetence, that''s all I see here. While I focus on the Empire, Anti-Light and Beastaria, you Saints can''t manage two little kingdoms."


    Heads hung low in shame for disappointing the supreme authority of the faith.


    But Saint Wazir still dared to speak. "Your holiness, I''m afraid our ownws stop us from taking any drastic measures. Articles 12 and 12B. We cannot meddle in noble matters nor enter the right ces to influence the right decisions."


    Saint Seer agreed with that. "Unless the Holy Land initiates a State of Emergency, we cannot overrule thesews. We have reached a point where we have to send spies into our own monasteries."


    The Pope went to the wall behind and opened a concealedpartment to take out some nk parchments. Then he returned to the table and started writing on them. "Emergency is something thatmoners dread right now. It gives the clergymen too much power, and eventually, it leads to many vile men showing their true colours.


    "No, as long as we can avert this crisis, we need not worry. Who is handling Riveria?"


    At that point, the one man who remained quiet on all meetings and asions spoke. Saint Sceptre, the right hand of the Pope. "Inquisitor High Lord is handling the war, your holiness."


    The Pope nodded and finished writing the letter. "Good. Hand this to the Lord Inquisitor and tell him he has my authority to go to any length as long as we can avoid the war. Saint Sceptre, I also appoint you as the overall overseer of the conflict."


    "What about the Duke Daemon and the usation of murders on him?" Saint Wazir questioned.


    "As far as I remember, was it not Archpriest Sylvester handling it? I have faith in him¡ªhe can solve the crime in a given time. Focus more on the war first, thenes the rest. Make sure you handle it correctly this time, or else I will have to find a few recements for these seats. Dismissed!"


    The room immediately emptied, leaving only the Pope and Saint Sceptre behind.<sub> </sub>


    The Pope sat back tiredly and looked at his friend, his right-hand man. "King Hignd is a personal friend and a firm believer in faith, even more so after meeting Sylvester. The Sorrow Kingdom is lost; hopefully, the Patch will reassure its allegiance soon.


    "But the two strongest of all are not helpful¡ªWe must find a permanent solution for these problem kingdoms."


    Saint Sceptre rarely showed any emotions or expressions and always remained mysterious. Even now. "Worry not, your holiness. It appears your shining protege has a n."


    The Pope straightened his back. "Oh¡­ care to exin?"


    "He has left to meet Duke Conrad Fitz Riveria while he kept Princess Gracia beside himself."


    "..."


    "Bwahaha¡­" the Popeughed heartily. "Goodd has finally started ying the game? Good, good¡­ I shouldmence formally training him. Anyhow, let''s discuss our next move for the Elf-Dragon war."


    ¡­


    Northern Duchy of Riveria.


    Crossing the wide Snake river, Sylvester entered the Sunflower fields. Thend was as beautiful as he remembered it thest time, albeit the memories of a certain wannabe little bard were attached to thest journey. And that memory certainly spoiled the beauty of the ce in his mind.


    Since they entered thends under the strict control of Duke Conrad, he had significantly reduced the possibility of an attack. Not to mention, Sylvester had kept a thousand Inquisitors with him as protection, and that number was enough to deter most.


    "Lady Aurora and Isabe, I will meet the Duke alone. Until then, you can go to the arena and watch fights and otherpetitions." Sylvester suggested.


    He had informed them about his friendship with the Duke and had given them somewhat of an idea of what he wanted to do by meeting the Duke. They all knew it was best not to let those ideas appear on their lips.


    So the two agreed immediately. Lady Aurora even had a n. "Maybe I should enter the Arena myself and see how strong those boys are."


    Though Isabe quickly stopped her. "You can''t¡­ that will ruin your name and social standing, mydy."


    Bam!


    Lady Aurora grabbed Isabe''s neck between her elbows. "You little girl, how often have I told you to call me big sister? Hmph! I guess I will have to knock that word in your thick head."


    "Big sis! Big sis! Big sis!" Isabe chirped instantly.


    "Good." Lady Aurora let her go. "Though I''m still missing being called Big Sis by a certain someone."


    Sylvester scoffed and focused on the road as he steered the carriage. "The deal was I''d call you either sister or just Aurora. After all, in the faith of the lord, and in the eyes of Solis, none are young or old¡ªeveryone''s is as precious as gold."


    Lady Aurora snorted and rxed back in the roofed carriage. "I seriously hate your brain sometimes. How do you do this so easily? Shut people up by invoking the lord?"


    Sylvester chuckled as he steered the carriage into the Fort''s walls. "You get used to it after singing since the age of thirty days. Anyway, prepare yourself. Don''t let your tongue slip, and Isabe, if anyone asks, you''re just a Bright Mother named Grace."


    After advising them, Sylvester stopped at the gates of the main fort of the Duke and only took a single horse to enter alone. He was wearing his full armour instead of the usual robes. The n was to make it clear to the Duke that if need be¡ªthe church was very happy to go into war mode.


    However, Sylvester was surprised by the fact that the Duke appeared near the gates of his castle. The ashen-blonde-haired tall, and the strong man seemed excited by the looks of his smile and rubbing hands¡ªseemingly waiting for him.


    ''Ah¡­ I smell hope and excitement. So he already knows why I''m here. Good for me.''


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 240 240. The Kingmaker

    Sylvester followed the Duke into the highly decorated sr, filled with wealth. Diamonds, gold, pearls, rubies, and other rare items.


    But none were interested in that as the Duke invited Sylvester to sit on the sofa instead of the visitor''s seat beside the table. Including the Duke''s Prima, Jeremiah Freeman, there were three of them.


    Though Sylvester nced at Jeremiah and felt conflicted. The man had brown skin, and at the moment, Sylvester''s trust in anyone from Masan Empire was at an all-time low. He didn''t want another moment like the Jartel County.


    His gaze of doubt didn''t go unnoticed, and the Duke responded. "Don''t mind Freeman, Lord Bard. He''s the most trusted man I''ve known."


    Sylvester didn''t budge. "Count Jartel said the same when I first met him, but most often, those you consider the closest end up hurting you the most. No offence to you, Lord Prima; I am just being careful because what I am about to discuss with the Duke has implications that can ruin us if prematurely revealed outside."


    Perhaps the man sensed seriousness, so he stood up and decided to leave. "Your grace, Lord Bard is right. I shall wait outside if you need anything."


    Soon, the door closed, and Sylvester nced at the smiling Duke. He could see why there was such happiness in the Duke. After all, his father, the king, had finally done something that could cost him the throne. And as he was the Crown Prince, he was to be the new king by default.


    "It seems every prince has his day." Sylvester cryptically said.


    The Duke chuckled and poured a ss of water for Sylvester. "Hah, I presume we''re all dogs then. But I''m certain with every Prince''s rise, a few next to him also share that. So what brings you to my little county, Lord Bard?"


    ''This bastard, he wants to y riddles with me?''


    Sylvester didn''t be direct either. "The realm is thrust into turmoil, leaving us men to toil. The looming war will not be kind to many souls, I''m afraid. Can''t we¡ªcivilised men¡ªsit and discuss peace?"


    The Duke stood up to take out a bottle of wine from an elegant ss cab and returned to his seat to pour. "Peace? You''re talking to the most peace-loving man right now. Why else do you think my Duchy, even without massive trade as the south, flourishes? Peasants, artisans and nobles love me¡ªso does my wife, which I believe is an achievement higher than any. But I''m afraid I''m but a little prince not very loved by his father."


    "Crown Prince." Sylvester corrected.


    The Duke shrugged. "Makes no difference, I''m afraid. The man in the River Castle would rather make a newborn with high talent a king than me¡ªa thirty-three-year-old Master Wizard and Golden Knight."


    Sylvester took out a small ck coin with Inquisitor High Lord''s insignia of a red triangr visor with two eyes on it, revealing that his words were Inquisitor High Lord''s words.


    Sure enough, reacting to it, the Duke straightened his back.


    Sylvester started. "I''m sure some hearts change with time¡ªor after the heart''s time has passed. After all, in a horse race, if the first rank falls, the second bes the first."


    "The top-ranked horse sits in a well-protected stable, surrounded by mighty stallions as protectors. How will he fall?" The Duke blurted.


    Bam!


    nk!


    All of a sudden, Sylvester dropped his ss of water in an overly exaggerated manner. It was made of ss, so it shattered into pieces. "Oh, forgive me, your grace, it was an ''ident''. Perhaps the ss was too weak or too old for it to shatter on a ''well-protected'' carpeted floor."


    The Duke had a big grin on his face. "It''s alright. I will take care of the broken sster, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester then shifted the conversation. "How is your younger sibling, your grace?"


    "Which one? I have three hundred and two brothers, and one hundred sisters."


    "..."


    ''Holy Solis, is the King Riveria a human or a breeding pig?'' Sylvester eximed internally.


    "I was talking about the Duke of Southern Duchy, your grace. He''s the third in line, I believe." He rified.


    The Duke dreamily looked at the ceiling and spoke. "Ah, my little brother Tommy. Both of us are the first two sons of the king, born from the same mother. Sadly, when our father became obsessed with gaining a powerful heir and became a manwhore, mother stabbed her own throat in the Throne room in front of the masses. We were there, merely ten and five years old¡ªwatched her body quiver as she choked in a pool of blood. Lord Bard, guess what the king said at that moment once our mother''s heart stopped."


    Sylvester knew it was something messed up as he smelled rage and extreme hatred from the Duke. "Did he apologise? Or perhaps shout something?"


    "Hahaha¡­" Duke Conradughed menacingly; a hint of sadness was there too. "No, that bastard said, ''Good riddance, now I can get married again. Prima, arrange for me the strongest women in the realm to select from. I shall not marry them, but they may join my harem as a concubine.'' And then he left the throneroom, not sparing a nce at me, Tommy or our mother."


    Sylvester was taken aback. It was a bit too hardcore in his eyes. He couldn''t understand why the king had such an obsession because, as far as he knew, Riveria was the wealthiest kingdom in East Sol due to the two Duchies¡ªruled by the two Duke brothers.


    The Duke continued as he downed another ss of wine. "I and Tommy, we were bullied, beaten, mistreated and vilified by our new step-mothers, a new one every few weeks. Let me show you something."


    The man stood up, tipsy from the wine clearly, and took off his tunic. He then turned around and showed his back riddled with scars of de wounds. There were more than one could count, and they seemed stretched out.


    "Tommy and I survived more than a hundred assassination attempts. Of course, the assassins were hired by our ''mothers''. Tommy even lost an eye because of one such ident¡ªI tried shielding him from the knife-wielding mob, but one hit his eye. So, simple to say, we two brothers cherish each other enough to give our lives for one another. So if this horse wins the race, he will dance in cheers¡ªfor we both hate the current top horse."


    "What about the rest of the siblings?" Sylvester asked.


    "It''s a race. One must do whatever he can to win it¡ªeven if some blood is spilt. When do you think this race will end?"<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester stood up as he had already conveyed what he wanted. "We shall meet again then¡­ a week from now perhaps. I will write to you. I''d suggest you polish your hooves until then."


    The Duke also stood up and walked with Silvester all the way to the castle''s gates. Then, he shook Sylvester''s hand. "It was a pleasure to see you again, Lord Bard."


    "Likewise, your grace. I shall take my leave then." Sylvester got on his horse and moved out to find Lady Aurora and Isabe at the arena.


    Soon, he found the two of them watching a fight in the arena from the front seats, cheering for the armoured ve fighting mightily. He recognised the man instantly.


    "Ah, you''re watching Kaecilius Silvanus. The poor man has one tragic story." He muttered as he took a seat beside them.


    Soon, the battle ended with Kaecilius stomping on his opponent''s neck. The crowd erupted in loud cheers, and some threw flowers into the arena. Kaecilius was the fan favourite, after all.


    As Kaecilius bowed to the public, he noticed Sylvester in the front seats where the nobles and the important people sat. His body froze for a second, followed by a deep bow of his head as if showing respect and giving his thanks.


    Lady Aurora noticed it. "He''s thanking you?"


    Sylvester shrugged and stood up to leave. "I once helped him get his children into the monastery school. He used to be a trader once¡ªbefore the tragedy struck. He made a deal with the Duke that he must stay at the top of the Arena for ten years to earn freedom for his family. It''s been five years."


    Isabe felt sad and asked. "Can''t we help him? He looks so sad."


    "Of course, he''s sad. The man fights for his life and freedom every single day. Though the burden must have decreased a little since I got his kids some quality education. Anyway, move your legs. We must return immediately." He dragged them to the carriage and soon started the journey back.


    ''I wonder what deal Lord Inquisitor made.''


    ¡­


    River City, the seat of King Riveria.


    Inquisitor High Lord was someone that no one could deny a meeting, especially when the man came to meet on his own.


    Without wasting a moment, the pce guards and servants went into a frenzy, trying to amodate him. But the dangerous man draped in red didn''t wish to spend a moment in waste. He asked for an audience with the king and received it.


    Inside the personal royal chambers of the king, Inquisitor High Lord arrived. The chamber had all its walls covered with a thinyer of gold ting with various engravings and runes. The table was made of ivory, as were the chairs, and behind the table sat the withering king with a hunched back.


    "May the holy light enlighten us, King Riveria."


    The king looked up with bored eyes. His face had grown more wrinkles than the hair on his head. His eyes appeared lifeless already, with no real drive behind them.


    "What is it, Lord Inquisitor? Has my deration of war scared the Holy Land so much that they sent you to negotiate?" The king spoke in a dull threatening tone.


    Red eyes behind the visor shined as the big man walked forward and took a seat. "The Holy Land is scared for the continued existence of the Riveria family¡ªfor you have invited upon yourself a cmity."


    Thud!


    King Riveria mmed his fist on the table weakly. "Youe into my house and threaten me? I don''t see how that''s sensical."


    A dangerous aura spread from the Inquisitor High Lord. "I can''t see how dering war on another Kingdom that is equally if not more powerful than you is sensical. So I suggest you open your eyes, king of the river¡ªor you might see this kingdom, before you, wither."


    Eyes shook for a few seconds as the king shifted in his seat ufortably. Nobody likes being stared down by the Inquisitor High Lord. The man was too famous for being ruthless when it came to heathens.


    "My precious daughter was murdered by those who sit in the backyards of the Holy Land. I want justice, and I will have it no matter what."


    Inquisitor High Lord nodded. "I do not deny the folly against you. But there is no evidence it was the Gracia family that did it. Still, for peace, any price is eptable. So speak your mind, for as long as it''s reasonable, it will be feasible. But remember, I know the history of your actions, so do not test my patience¡ªor I shall leave no room for any repentance."


    Sweat slid down the king''s forehead as he knew his unholy deeds. "I¡­ I want his head. The head of Duke Daemon. One week¡­ if it does not appear on this table by then, the war will continue."


    Thud!


    Inquisitor High Lord stood up and mmed his staff to the floor, shaking the entire room. The red eyes behind his visor met the king''s for a few seconds, sending chills down the weak man''s spine.


    "So be it!"


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 241 241. Do What?

    Sylvester and the thousand Inquisitor army made their way back to the Ironstone Duchy of Gracia Kingdom. Once again, he didn''t find any assassin attacking him, thanks to the big armoured and mounted army that travelled with him.


    Sylvester shared a stagecoach with Lady Aurora and Isabe this time as he needed to brief them and get as much rest as possible.


    He wasn''t going to the River City to get Lord Inquisitor as he had no idea if the big man was still there or if he had left already.


    "We will return to Rockwood''s castle directly and regroup to n the next move. Hopefully, Lord Inquisitor will be able to earn us some time to fix this mess." Sylvester said in hope.


    "Duke Conrad is using you." Lady Aurora spoke.


    Sylvester scoffed. "I know he''s using me, just like I''m using him. But at least I know he won''t betray the church no matter what happens. You may not know this, but the Duke and his younger brother, Duke of Southern Duchy, hate their father to the core. And guess who took care of the two brothers after their mother died?¡ªABright Mother!


    "Since they were just ten and five years old, they needed someone. And at that time, a Bright Mother in the monastery was assigned to them, and over the years, she took care of the boys like they were her sons. The two also treated her like their mother."


    Intrigued, Lady Aurora asked for the name. "Who is she?"


    But Sylvester only had a sigh to offer. "She''s dead. When Duke Conrad turned twenty, she was poisoned by one of the king''s concubines. It''s been a recurring thing in the family. Over the years, the two Duke brothers have lived through more than a hundred assassination attempts."


    "So it will be a bloodbath once he takes the throne?" Lady Aurora predicted, not something far-fetched.


    "It''s inevitable. As distasteful as it may be¡ªit''s the price we pay for a long period of peace. Let''s just hope that Gracia side can remain peaceful as well. The current king is not very¡­ wise, to say the least." Sylvester said while ncing at Isabe.


    The girl shrank her neck and looked down in sadness. "I know he''s not the best, but we don''t have any other choice. He was mother''s pick no matter what."


    Sylvester spoke no more after that as he thought about various events and plots he needed to focus on. The world was getting too big for him as he also grew older and stronger. The things he needed to keep in mind were increasing rapidly, and he was worried that even a tiny miscalction could bring him to his doom.


    ''I should start my specialised magical training and gain an ability that''s not predictable. I also need to learn metal maniption from that Viscount. So much to do¡­ but will the Holy Land grant me a long leave?''


    But he eventually gave up the idea of taking a break and just focused on the task at hand.


    ¡­


    The time taken was smaller as they travelled on the well-paved major roads on the way back, amon sight in the Riveria kingdom as it was just too rich. Each lord could afford to pave the roads going through their regions. It was all done in hopes of attracting more traders, and it did work.


    The Riveria kingdom only had two dutchies, unlike Gracia, which had five. In Riveria, the Southern duchy was blessed with the richest soil in terms of raw material, thanks to Eden Mountain. It also had the Trade Corridor that passed through the entire duchy and consisted ofrge industries, factories and trading posts. Meanwhile, the Northern Duchy was the bread and butter and produced so much grain that it fed the world. All thanks to the two major rivers, Gold River and Snake river, that bordered thend on two sides.


    All that wealth, for Sylvester, was a boon as he soon found himself across the border and back into the Ironstone Duchy. Eventually, he arrived at the castle of the now-dead Baron Rockwood.


    The whole castle and the regions around it had been turned into a gathering ce for the Inquisitor army and more men from the Holy Army. There were big tents around the castle as far as one could see. Bonfires spewing smoke into the sky, and the men walking around various spots under the bright sunny day were a sight to behold.


    Sylvester noticed that the men from Inquisitor High Lord''s army were also there, so he proceeded right into the castle, hoping to find the big man and n for the future.


    "Max!"


    But he stopped as Gabriel appeared in front of him. Felix was there as well, looking at Sylvester with scorn. "Look who is having all the adventures after leaving us to rot in that camp. We would have died if not for Gabriel''s big brain this time."


    Bishop Lazark also came and refuted Felix''s words. "He did send us a letter to leave the town immediately. We merely left a few hours earlier."


    "Hmph, still. You even killed a Soul Eater alone. Are you trying to be a Bishop before me now?" Felix asked, of course, joking with him.


    Sylvester shrugged with a grin. "Well, aren''t you a Sanctum Inspector as well? You need to earn your own name, kid. I, your father, won''t always be there to help and guide you. One day, you must evolve into a man from a child."


    Felix folded his arms and scoffed. "Haha, you? Father? Max, you are the most virgin man I''ve ever known. Do you even have thoughts about women? Do you even know how to wank?"<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester''s face changed into a frown as memories resurfaced in his mind, which left him disgusted. ''I''m afraid I don''t just know how to do it, but also how it feels to be one.''


    "Jokes aside, we need to start preparing, Felix. The war seems inevitable, and this time we might have to win a few battles as well. Wait for me here; I will first speak with the Lord Inquisitor and see what he suggests. Start gathering the Crusader army as well. Keep training them." Sylvester ordered them and looked behind.


    "Lady Aurora, you may wish to have some rest to stay in your best state. You haven''t slept since the time we fought the demon." He advised her. "As for you, Isabe. Start preparing for the experiments¡ªthe promise you made me."


    "What experiments?" Lady Aurora asked.


    But Sylvester only eyed Isabe and left to find the Lord Inquisitor.


    He knew where he''d find him. It was on the terrace of the castle. The problem was that Lord Inquisitor was too tall and broad; hence, most rooms and doors were too small for him to feelfortable.


    "May the holy light enlighten us, my lord." Sylvester greeted him and walked to the big open tent with arge table under it.


    Inquisitor High Lord gestured with his hand and kept writing something on paper. "I have been granted the authority by the Pope to do whatever may be necessary to avoid this war. So I hope the Lord''s Bard was able to y his cards."


    ? Sylvester nodded and returned the Inquisitor High Lord''s token coin, "I was, my lord. It didn''t take any convincing as the Duke hates his father to the core due to various past events. I just had to ensure that he knows he will have our support when we ''allow'' him to sit on the throne."


    Inquisitor High Lord kept writing. "He''s right to stand with the church. But, I''m afraid the bloodshed can not be avoided in this conflict. The terms the King of Riveria hasid out are understandable, but harsh as well. If we solve one problem, then a dozen more shall arise."


    "What is it, if I may ask?" Sylvester inquired.


    "Duke Daemon''s head. We have a week to reply, but we can not simply take the Duke either. Behind him stand the many nobilities and merchants of the Gracia Kingdom, and killing him without solid proof will mean spreading fear in the hearts of too many powerful people. Fear is often good, but this may cause more than just fear¡ªhatred. That will spoil the name of the church that we consider so sacred."


    Sylvester sighed and thought about a way to gather strict evidence. "It will be tough to find solid proof as we don''t even know their motive. Although I am certain that the Duchess is rted to this and hasmitted various other sins, such as ckmailing and raping the Cardinal Suprima."


    Thud!


    Inquisitor High Lord stamped the paper and folded it into an envelope before standing up. He also picked up something thin and long covered with an old, red cloth. "The Holy Land wishes to avoid the war at all costs, and I will do whatever it takes to fulfil that wish¡ªWhatever the price may be. Now,e with me, young bard. We have a lot to talk about before we begin this campaign."


    Sylvester stood up in seriousness. "To where, Lord Inquisitor?"


    Inquisitor High Lord looked into Sylvester''s eyes, radiating a dangerous aura as the red eyes under the mask shed. His towering form reached closer to Sylvester and, in turn, spread more of that always rageful aura.


    Sylvester silently gulped as he reckoned that whatever it was, it must be extremely important or ground-shattering. So he didn''t utter a word and kept staring into the big man''s eyes, for he wished not to show any weakness.


    "Every man must think deeply before he does something of vast scale¡ªfor the price could be heavy if he were to fail. Young bard, there are a few pieces of the plot still missing. To gather those, we shall go¡­ Fishing."


    "..."


    "Fishing?"


    ________________________


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    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 242 242. Fishing? Lord Inquisitor?

    Sky falling, the sun exploding, he could even imagine this entire life was just a dream, and he was in some sort of aa.


    But going fishing with Inquisitor High Lord? The famed, most ruthless man in the world? That was something beyond one''sprehension.


    "Fishing, my lord?" Sylvester repeated in wonder.


    Inquisitor High Lord nodded his armoured head and proceeded. "It is one of the few things that calms my mind and allows me to think deeper."


    ''My goodness, since when did he be such a softie? Or was he always like this but never showed me this side of himself?'' Sylvester''s mind was full of questions. But he was none to say no to such an opportunity.


    After all, bonding and having a better rtionship with Inquisitor High Lord could be helpful in the long run. Not to mention, Sylvester truly respected and liked this violence-loving man.


    So he followed the man awkwardly on a short trek to nearby mountains. There was ake at the start of the mountains. There were trees all around and various animals and birds making noise. The Iron Mountains were not very green, but the surrounding area was a sight to behold.


    They soon arrived at theke with clear blue water. Theke itself was not too big, likely spreading a few hundred metres in each direction, but it was surely deep in a few areas.


    Inquisitor High Lord seemed to have prepared for the fishing as arge rowing boat was waiting for them at the shore.


    ''So he does not want anyone to hear us talk?'' Sylvester reasoned as talking in the middle of ake was the best way to ensure control of the environment.


    Sylvester jumped in and started rowing while Inquisitor High Lord took out two fishing rods from the wrapped cloth. It was a standard wooden rod, but it had a strange line that was too simr to synthetic polymers from modern times.


    "To the middle."


    Sylvester nodded and kept rowing. It was easy for a warrior of his rank. Though he didn''t even think about strength as he was busy sensing the various emotions through the scent. ''Amazing, he actually smells sweet without a taste--he''s in a pleasant mood.''


    But there was still a hint of rage and anger present. That was something that never left the big man for some reason, all the very more reason to be interested in his real identity and story.


    "This is fine." Inquisitor High Lord eximed and handed Sylvester a fishing rod. "Do you know how to fish, young bard?"


    Sylvester nodded silently, put the bait on, and cast the line in the water.


    The sound of the fresh wind, the warm rays of the sun and birds chirping made the long silence between them much more tolerable. They didn''t even look at each other, and Sylvester awkwardly kept fishing.


    "Ah! I got on!" He stood up and slowly started pulling it up. He''d let loose every now and then, followed by a quick rolling back.


    Eventually, he got the fish out and dragged it onto the boat. "A big one."


    Inquisitor High Lord nodded and picked it up. "The Greyback, bigger than the usual. Are you hungry, young bard?"


    Sylvester shook his head.


    Ssh!


    The big man gently put the fish back into the water. "There is no meaning in violence if it does not serve a purpose, for mindless violence harms the soul and deteriorates us."


    Sylvester nodded and took a seat. "Yet we stand in the middle of this war, mindless and purposeless."


    "That is why we are working so hard to preserve the peace we have built. No mindless king or queen shalle in the way and create the chaos that births the worst of monsters--lobster!"


    Sylvester''s brows rose, confused by what thatst rhyme meant. "Lobster?"


    "You caught a lobster, young bard."


    Sylvester looked down dumbly; indeed, his fishing rod seemed to have caught a lobster somehow. ''Lobster in ake?''


    He quickly pulled it up. "This one seems tasty. Maybe I will eat this one."


    "Then the lobster has served the purpose of its life." Lord Inquisitor said and focused back on his fishing rod. "Just as all of us have a purpose to fulfil--a predestined, never changing purpose."


    ''What''s he on about? My purpose or his own?'' Sylvester wondered and finally decided to get straight to the point.


    "Why can''t the Holy Land simply dictate the terms to the two Kingdoms? What''s the point in being so powerful and influential if the Pope can not put these foolish nobles down?" He questioned something that had bugged him for a long time. He was curious about Pope''s powers.


    "The faith is not above allws, young bard. In the end, we exist for as long as faith exists. If the church became the instigator, murderous, and scandalous, then we would be no better than the foolish nobles. The Holy Father is not a fool or weak. He is wise enough to see the damage it may cause if he goes overboard.


    "That is precisely what the 21st Pope, Atrox, the mad, did. He purged the church of all the centuries of infighting and power struggle. But, in doing so, he also put down any rebellion or dissent from the nobles ormoners with a heavy hand. That created extreme distrust regarding the faith, making it harder forws to amend. And we paid a heavy price for it as the Dark Times started from then.


    "In those days, so-called witches and possessed burning were asmon as stepping on an ant. We suffer the consequences of his actions to this day, as many turned heretic back then, whose descendants still deny to <anno data-annotation-id="1a6b9629-1be2-746d-276a-2d450b12885c">recant</anno>."


    "Where do these heretics live now?" Sylvester asked.<sub> </sub>


    Inquisitor High Lord looked at the north. "Far to the north, in thep of the Pentapeak Mountain Range. Today, they are known as Mountain Tribes."


    ''So this is the origin of those tribes? It''s better to say the church dropped an axe on their foot with this one.'' Sylvester was amazed.


    "Young Bard, you must get stronger and focus on learning more about this world to fulfil your destiny. You must make allies and gain a strong foothold, for relying on just your strength will not take you far."


    Sylvester nodded continuously. However, at that instant, a certain idea popped into his mind--an idea to test Inquisitor High Lord. ''He must know the plot of Shadow Knight too. Does he not feel wrong for doing such a thing against me?''


    "I would love to get stronger, my lord. But sadly, certain beings out there wish to strike me down, not letting me sleep in peace for a single night. Thanks to them, now I sit in pain, for they struck me at my most crucial time with all their might." Sylvester gave all the hints needed.


    And sure enough, he smelled some new emotions from the big man. Anger, sorrow, rage, doubt and fear allbined into one. It was abination Sylvester never imagined to sense from the Inquisitor High Lord. ''He feels guilty?"


    Shhh...!


    Sylvester noticed Inquisitor High Lord''s fist clench as it made the noise of the leather glove being squeezed. ''So you are against the Pope''s n?''


    However, Inquisitor High Lord didn''t say anything directly. "There are trials of fire, and then there are trials of pain--ovee those, and the lord''s blessings shall rain. The Shadow Knight is a noble yet vile entity, one that cannot be reasoned with for its borderline insanity. May I know what hurts you, young bard?"


    Sylvester responded quickly in hopes that this man could help him. "What happens when someone ranking up is disturbed and has to fight for his life? What happens to our veins that carry magic?"


    But there was a long silence following that. So Sylvester decided to change the topic. "My lord, what were you doing in the remote, Deserte vige all those years ago?"


    Inquisitor High Lord''s eyes flickered as his mighty strong shoulders eased down. "Young bard, you and I have much more inmon than you may think, for we share a heavenly link. Without knowing it, you have helped me through--for I live today because of you."


    ''What in the god''s name? What''s he saying? I saved him? When?" Sylvester''s face visibly appeared confused as a frown took over.


    "Perhaps, one day, I may reveal more--for now, know that you are not alone in your journey to soar. You shall have the support of the swords of the Inquisition, who shall fight for you on every asion.


    "And my daughter... Aurora. I request you to keep her beside yourself. For years, she has lived a lonely life. She spent years training, wasting her youth among the older instructors, but she still longs for that lost time, for that warmth of friendship. I see her delight when with you, for you share a mind more mature, yet an age closer to what she feels secure."


    Sylvester took a long silent breath. He was not expecting the Inquisitor High Lord to talk so much with him, even about something other than killing and purging. ''What''s this man''s story? He seems much more thoughtful and emotional than I guessed initially. He actually cares about Lady Aurora deeply. And... what''s this sadness I smell behind these words?''


    "I cherish my friendship with Lady Aurora, my lord. That is why I call her sister now, and like a true brother, I shall never leave her side. She''s a warm and cheerful person who often turns bleak days into delights--Ah! I got another one!"


    Sylvester quickly moved to pull the fish out. However, he tried to steer the conversation to the matter at hand now. "What should we do to bring about asting peace in the two kingdoms, my lord?"


    Ssh!


    Inquisitor High Lord also caught a fish and easily pulled it out. "To bring peace, the two kingdoms need to understand where their priorities should lie. The war from the east will soon engulf us in misery if we don''t prepare and be aware. Do you have anything in mind, young bard?"


    Of course, Sylvester had something nned. Something sinister, but if done right, could bring about a long peace. "My lord, we have two apple trees with two rotten roots. We can save the trees and ensure their health if we cut these two--discreetly. We already have a recement root prepared in the south, and in the north, the root travels with me."


    Behind the visor, the red eyes shed in a dangerous light as Inquisitor High Lord put down the fishing rod. "The north is simple, but how will you cut the southern root?"


    Sylvester smiled, giving the look of a schemer. "Leave that to me, Lord Inquisitor. As long as I can get a few important things, I can do it."


    "What of the new root in the north? She remains naive, unprepared, and weak." Asked the Lord Inquisitor.


    Once again, Sylvester was rxed as before. "Her training has already begun. Soon, she will be a firm believer and fabulous ruler."


    Silence ensued amidst the song of nature. Sylvester continued to fish and awaited a reply.


    But it didn''t take long, as the Lord of Inquisition uttered. "You have my blessing, young bard. So proceed as we have discussed; you have my trust. Thus, may the holy light enlighten us!"


    "Amen!" Sylvester eximed with a salute.


    The war instantly turned intrusting and exciting for Sylvester as he finally found himself doing what he had nned. No more, by authority, he was confined. It was finally the time to enter the great game, not as a pawn--but as the mastermind.


    ________________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!


    <annotations style="disy: none;"><ol ss="tinymce-annotation-container"><li data-annotation-id="1a6b9629-1be2-746d-276a-2d450b12885c">Meaning: Say that one no longer holds an opinion or belief, especially one considered heretical.</li></ol></annotations>",

 Chapter 243 243. Into The Battle

    The sun rose the next day, and the various armies started to leave the Rockwood castle. One part went with Lord Inquisitor to the Green City. And the other part prepared to move with Sylvester and arrest the Duke of Ironstone Duchy.


    Since Inquisitor High Lord''s job was to deal with the queen, he couldn''t apany Sylvester. But still, they had some level of information about the strength of the Duke and what armies he had most likely gathered. For that reason alone, the Inquisitor High Lord had left behind Sir Hans, his right-hand man.


    Sir Hans was a veteranmander, so his experience was supposed to help Sylvester n for the uing battle. His help was well appreciated as Sylvester was not a jack of all trades. He didn''t know about mass warfare, especially how tomand arge army in a backward setting.


    Before leaving the castle, a meeting was convened where Sylvester, Felix, Lady Aurora, Bishop Lazark, Crusade Commanders and Sir Hans met to n for the battlefield.


    They already knew about the whole terrain, so they didn''t need to gather any extra intel. Instead, they simply drew a map and plotted the various formations and where they expected the enemies to be.


    "Most of the area near the Duke''s castle and the town is farnd. A small forest and Three Fingers Vige are only further to the West. Other than these two ces, they have nowhere to start their battle. Staying inside the castle will be foolish as they know we can simply ask for reinforcements until we have immensely superior numbers." Sylvester briefed everyone about the situation.


    Sir Hans looked at the map and rubbed his ck stubble beard. "The battle will likely ur near the small forest and the vige. They will likely hide some of their men in the forest, and when we sh with their main army, they will do a pincer manoeuvre."


    Sylvester agreed with him as there was no other option. The rest of thend area was just t farnds. "Bishop Lazark, what is the report from the men you left behind?"


    "Twenty thousand soldiers roughly. The tourney is still going on, which is just a farce. It''s impossible to know how many experts there are, but they do have a number advantage over us." Bishop Lazark reported as he had left a few men behind acting as merchants.


    Sylvester sighed and wrote down the numbers. "We have twelve thousand men in total. We will need to fight this battle smartly instead of head-on if we wish to maintain our numbers. I have no wish to sacrifice so many brothers of the faith senselessly."


    "What do you suggest?" Lady Aurora asked.


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and felt no beard as always. He ignored that pain and wrote a few things on the map. "Bishop Lazark, I need you to conduct a secret operation inside the forest area. Lady Aurora, I will require you to do something too, but it''s nothing worthy of nning in advance.


    "Crusade Commanders and General Arnold, tell the men to wear light armour instead of a heavy one and wear nothing on their feet."


    The men looked at Sylvester strangely as hismand was confusing and dangerous. So Sylvester had to make things clear. "Don''t worry. This is going to save your lives with what I have in n. Also, bring as many carpenters as possible, and give me a count of all the ordinary men in our army who have no magical or knightly talents."


    Felix rxedly held his hands behind his head. "Well, let''s move on then. The n is set, and our des are sharp. Let''s not stop until thest heathen body doesn''t drop!"


    "Amen!"


    Everyone repeated and went on their way. The bags were already packed, and only the soldiers were left to get into marching formation with a roll call.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester went to check up on the tiger beastkin living in the castle for now. He didn''t know where the man wished to go, but the least he could do was give him some money so he could buy his way to the destination.


    He arrived at the tower room and found it was already open. He walked in and soon found Elyon sitting near the open window, facing outside at the morning sun. The man appeared very calm and collected,pletely different from what he was some days ago.


    The wounds also appeared healed, but it was hard to tell when the wounds of the heart and mind will.


    "So, what''s your n now, Elyon Mizar?" Sylvester asked. "The Inquisitor Army will move in an hour, so this castle must be vacated so another noble may get it assigned."


    "What are you, lord bard?"


    Sylvester raised a brow as he replied in a simr fashion. "Bones, meat, water and a whole lot of ideas. What about you?"


    "Confusion."


    "Then start walking, and keep walking, then walk some more. Keep at it until you find something¡ªan aim. You''re a tiger, my friend¡ªso be a tiger." Sylvester replied, not really sure how he should help this man.


    "Scars of the mind and hearts take years to heal, Elyon. You just keep living and hoping they don''t grow deeper. I need to go now, and I''m leaving this small pouch with some money. Use it to go wherever you wish to¡ªperhaps Libertia." Sylvester put the pouch behind Elyon and headed to the door.


    "I don''t need the money!" Elyon stood up suddenly and brought the money pouch back to Sylvester. "What I need is work, a goal¡ªsomething to do. You saved me. You liberated my family''s souls¡ªJust onest time, I ask you to enlighten my path, for you are the only holy light I know." Elyon said in a soft yet imploring manner.


    Sylvester was taken aback and somewhat tempted as well. ''What am I to do? I have never seen a beastkin clergyman before. I know they exist, but certainly none in the holynd.''


    He focused on the emotions Elyon radiated. They were one of sorrow, worship and hope. There was certainly truth in the man''s request. But Sylvester didn''t know if he could keep him along. Not when he didn''t even know him that well.


    ''Perhaps I can test him in theing battle.''


    "I am going into a battle against the Duke of Ironstone. The man and his wife havemitted a grave sin that has caused the kingdom a lot. As a result, thousands have died and continue to do so. If youe with me, you will have to raise a sword. Do you know how to fight?" He asked.


    Elyon nodded. "I do, my lord."


    "Then you shall receive an armour and ride with me. Remember, as long as you say the lord''s name, nobody in the ranks will trouble you. Come down when you''re ready." Sylvester ordered him like a soldier and left.


    Though on the way down, Miraj started jumping on Sylvester''s shoulder. "Yay! Can I make a new Kitty friend now? He''s so big and pretty¡­ Can I be a kitty like him?"<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester sighed as he patted the fluffy cloud. "Boy, you are already prettier and mightier than him. No need to be him. Besides, you can''t sit on my shoulder if you be him."


    Miraj agreed with that reasoning and sat down calmly. "Then¡­ maybe I can paint myself?"


    "Sure, but not right now. We have a crucial battle to fight." Sylvester warned him and eventually arrived outside the castle.


    The whole army was standing, prepared to move. Lady Aurora''s carriage was there in the middle. But Sylvester decided to use the horse as he needed to show himself to the army to lead themter.


    Within an hour, the long marching men with the song of the Inquisition began. It was a song that Sylvester remembered very well, for it was a sign of hope when he was about to be thrown into the fire.


    The march needed to move around the Iron Mountains and towards the Three Fingers vige to set up a camp. It was clear that the whole day would be spent marching, so Sylvester ensured that each man stayed healthy, drank enough water and kept something to eat with them at all times.


    Thankfully, most of them had horses, but still, a fewmoner soldiers with no power to boast had to walk. And that reduced the speed of all the soldiers.


    "They likely know we''reing, so be prepared. Although themon understanding among all warring factions agrees not to attack at night, who knows how desperate the duke is?" Sylvester warned Sir Arnold and Sir Hans.


    Sir Hans agreed and advised. "Let''s not go too close to them and prepare our camp in the open fields where no one can attack us from hiding."


    That was already Sylvester''s n, so he nced at Bishop Lazark. "You know what to do, Bishop."


    "I will see youter, Lord Bard." Bishop Lazark took five men with him and quickly left the marching army. None other than Sylvester knew what they were up to, but all hoped it was something spectacr.


    By the time the sun slid into darkness, the whole army of twelve thousand reached a few kilometres from the enemy army camp. The scouts had confirmed that there were a lot of tents and soldiers sitting prepared. The tourney was, as expected, a fake distraction.


    "Halt!" Sylvester roared and raised his fist. "Get ready to camp here! Cook the food and eat! Prepare for tomorrow, so when we win, it shall be a feast!"


    The men cheered and moved around, busying themselves by erecting the tents. But just then, Sylvester shouted again. "Do not erect tents, as the enemy can burn them easily! Only use the bedding and a bonfire."


    "Lord Bard, a missive has arrived." One of the Crusademanders, Torfin, came up to him.


    Sylvester took it and read it loud for others to hear. "I, Duke of Ironstone Duchy, have no fight with the Holy Land or you, Lord Bard. Instead, I wish to speak with you once in the middle of the battlefields¡ªalone¡ªat dawn."


    Sylvester crumpled the letter and threw it into the fire. "Write back to him. Say that I have agreed."


    "Yes, my lord." Themander left.


    Paaa!


    However, as they prepared to eat, a loud horn resounded out of nowhere. It was deafening and echoed throughout the camp, spreading dread and panic into their minds. The soldiers rushed to pick up their weapons¡ªsome even throwing their food away.


    Sir Hans sighed and shook his head knowingly. "This will likely continue for the entire night. They are trying to keep us on edge. Hoping it would make us unable to sleep so when we fight, we may be too tired."


    Sylvester smirked evilly and looked at the sky. "Not for long, Sir Hans¡ªjust wait and watch. After all, two can y this game."


    Paaa!"


    Every hour, the loud horn resounded. It urred two more times, all the way until midnight. Everyone was angry, frustrated and tired by then, as they never knew if it might be an actual attack. By the fourth hour, everyone expected to hear another horn¡ªBut none came.


    Of course, they could not see the enemy camp, so they had no idea what had even urred. All they could do was make guesses.


    However, Sir Adrik asked Sylvester directly. "How did you stop them, lord bard?"


    "Haha¡­ Do you know what''s the universally recognised scariest thing on a dark night?" Sylvesterughingly asked. "An army of undead besieging you¡ªTrying to eat you alive!"


    As if a light flickered in Sir Hans'' mind, he eximed. "Ah! Necromancer? Bishop Lazark?"


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 Chapter 244 244. Calm Before The Storm

    Duke Daemon was a talented and wise man who knew a few things about warfare. His idea to keep the enemy on edge the whole night was brilliant. But he failed to realise that if he considered himself a schemer, Sylvester was worse--a scum.


    Both sides knew that attacking the enemy at night was not good. Because if the other side retaliated, then it would lead to a messy situation.


    But what if the attack ismitted by a bunch of undead? Who can be med if, in the middle of the night, because of ominous luck, some creatures of the night attacked a random camp in the middle of nowhere?


    Could Duke Daemon me anyone? No, all he could do was stand on the terrace of his double-story tent and look at the chaos as his soldiers ran around, trying to either kill the undead or run away because they were scared.


    Gritting his teeth, he could only hope that the sun would rise quicker so that he could fix the mess and prepare for the war.


    ...


    A few kilometres away, in Sylvester''s camp, the men slept happily with no more sudden loud horns. Sylvester was there, and they knew his light was brighter than the enemy''s fire. Of course, they overestimated him, but Sylvester didn''t care. He was happy as long as his cult could keep expanding.


    "Get some rest now, Felix. We are going to have a long day tomorrow. Some of us might even get gravely injured, but let''s hope we win." Sylvester put down a thinyer of bedding in therge tent formanders and rested.


    Felix was sitting nearby, sharpening his sword and humming some hymn that Sylvester wrote. "Max, you''re an Archwizard already, right?"


    Sylvester nodded, not saying anything, as he was stuck in the middle of Master and Archwizard rank because of the ident with Shadow Knight. He could certainly use the magic of an Archwizard''s level, but it hurt him every single time.


    "Then, are you going to ask for another promotion upon return? Because as far as I know, Archwizards are usually folks of Archbishop and even Cardinal rank. Bishop is already too low for you." Felix borated.


    Sylvester rested down and put a thinyer of nket on himself while tucking Miraj by his side. "I will surely ask them for a promotion, but I don''t know if they will allow it. I have not seen a Bishop as young as me. I''m only about to turn eighteen--while Bishops out there can go between forty to even a hundred."


    At that, Lady Aurora also chimed in, not asleep yet. "If we win this, then they will most likely promote you. You are the shiniest example of the perfect man of faith, after all. The more people know about you, the more people will join the faith as a clergy or a soldier--Now go to sleep."


    Sylvester sighed and closed his eyes. Ever since he found out about the Pope''s involvement behind the reason the Shadow Knight was after him, he was not very optimistic about his career anymore. He didn''t even know if the higher-ups were interested in promoting him.


    ''Well, as long as I y my cards right in the shadows, I''m sure I can rule the world without even bing the Pope fast. After all, the one who controls the money rules the world.''


    ...


    The sleep didn''tst too long, though. Sylvester woke up early in the morning before the sun had even shown a trace. He woke Lady Aurora up and took her far behind the camp where no one could see them, not even the scouts from the Duke.


    "So, why did you bring me here?" She asked, yawning and rubbing her sleepy eyes.


    Sylvester didn''t reply and walked to five carts that were suspiciously left in the middle of therge fields. They had something on the back, but it was covered with a canvas.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester pulled one canvas and showed the item on the cart. It was like fine sand and white. "We must throw all this into the sky, above the clouds."


    Lady Aurora, intrigued, tasted it. "Salt? Why do you want salt in the sky?"


    Sylvester smirked. "To make it rain, Aurora. Sprinkling salt on the clouds can make it rain. That''s what I need to win this battlefield--at least in the first phase."


    Lady Aurora was not sure about that, though. She had never heard of such a magical phenomenon. "Using magic to make the clouds rain is already hard enough, and you''re saying salt can get the job done?"


    "Trust me... it will rain, especially with the clouds we have up there now," Sylvester assured and got to work by pulling off the canvas from the rest of the carts. "Now, how can we throw this salt into the clouds?"


    Lady Aurora didn''t question anymore and seriously wondered. "Hmm, maybe I can throw it with my hand by making a ball out of them, but it would take too much time. We can also use the whirling storm move to create a tornado to take this salt above. But that would attract attention."


    Lady Aurora went to the cart and tried to lift the entire thing. Of course, it was barely an inconvenience. She lifted it over her head and even did a few sit-ups.


    "I can surely throw it up into the sky, but not enough to reach the clouds. Perhaps your light steps can help me. Take me as high as you can, Sylvester."


    Sylvester obliged and created the tiles. Though it was hard for him this time as the increased weight meant he''d deplete more srium. But thankfully, he had many crystals left and didn''t worry about losing too much energy.


    Slowly but surely, they walked into the sky. Sylvester had to carefully create a mist around themselves to ensure nobody saw the shining rectangles in the sky. Soon, they reached enough height that Lady Aurora felt confident.


    "Alright, hold the tile. I will throw this cart into the sky and then shoot a broad and fast gust of wind to sprinkle it everywhere." She instructed and slightly crouched to build up the momentum.


    "One!"


    "Two!"


    "Three!"


    Boom!


    She jumped and pushed the cart into the sky. Then, with a sharp hum, the cart soon disappeared into the atmosphere.<sub> </sub>


    Woosh!


    Lady Aurora thenunched a gust of wind, effectively destroying it and sprinkling everything. Then shended back on the light tile and pped her hands clean. "One done, four more to go."


    Sylvester looked at Lady Aurora in pity. "Actually... there are four more farm fields with five carts each."


    "..."


    ...


    It was certainly not a fine morning for Sylvester and Lady Aurora. They were tired from all the work early in the morning. But they were satisfied when the rain heavily graced thend, drenching the soil first of its thirst and then flooding it, turning it into soft mud.


    Sir Hans strangely looked at Sylvester during the war meeting. "How did you know it would rain, my lord? You ordered the men to wear light armour."


    The man was a battlemander, for sure. He knew where to ce the men, what strategy to use, and how to manage therge armies of tens of thousands. But with Sylvester, he was seeing a new style of warfare that relied more on pre-war indirect activities than direct nning.


    In his old, polished golden armour, Sylvester folded his arms and proudly smiled. "Who said it was natural rain, Sir Hans? But, I won''t tell you how I did it--that''s my personal secret. But now we have an advantage. As long as themoner soldiers, carpenters and enchanters do their job right; we won''t have to suffer due to the enemy''srge numbers."


    "This is brilliant. Absolutely masterful nning, Lord Bard. Having seen you since you were merely a month old, you have certainly grown very well." Sir Hans praised in awe and worship. After all, he was one of the few Inquisitors who were present when Sylvester delivered his first sermon.


    Bam!


    Felix mmed his fist on the table. "But we can''t let him go there alone! This is madness!"


    Sylvester reasoned. "I am not going to enter their camp, Felix. Instead, I n to be close to it, enough that the men in their camp can hear my hymns and see me shine--as I deliver them perhaps theirst look at something divine."


    "Why? What if someone shot an arrow at you?" Felix asked.


    "That''s why I''m taking you with me, my friend."


    "..."


    Felix shut up, and Sylvester chuckled. "Hah, don''t take it to heart, Felix. Bringing Lady Aurora or Sir Hans might make them feel threatened. So, I need you to watch my back as I try to raise fear of the god among the soldiers--maybe some of them will question their choice as they prepare for war."


    Sir Arnold agreed with Sylvester. "It should spread some fear. I do not believe all those twenty thousand men know who they are trying to fight."


    Sylvester then looked at Gabriel and Isabe. "Did you prepare what I asked for?"


    Isabe nodded. "I have the donated blood prepared, my lord. Once you bring me the wounded, I can easily cure the lost blood through the needle and the pipe system you developed. I''m sure it will save many men."


    "True." Gabriel started. "I have prepared the minor healing potion, two thousand litres--as you asked. But I fear that we might run out of blood."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and looked towards the north, in the direction the enemy army was settled. "Hmm... Sir Arnold and Sir Hans, you two are the overallmanders. I need you to tell the men that if it''s viable--without endangering their own lives--they are to take any enemy soldier that surrenders in the name of the lord. Also, bring the wounded enemies--if there is no one from our side in need of help.


    "Once here, we shall arrest them. Then, Isabe, you can take blood from them as well. But only treat the enemies with the least priority--first shalle our brothers of Inquisition."


    All heads nodded in agreement, and Sylvester picked up his helmet to move out. "Remember mymand. Let the men wear their heavy armour until moments before we start the push. Don''t let the enemies see we''re prepared for the rain."


    "Understood, Lord Bard." Sir Hans agreed instantly, already impressed by Sylvester.


    With that, Sylvester ced his spear on his back and mounted his horse. But before he left to speak with Duke Daemon, he eyed every member seriously. "If they attack me--go berserk!"


    Thump!


    They all saluted with their palms mming onto their chests. No jokes anymore, for they knew this time they spent was the mere silence before the storm. It was time for them to show for what they were born.


    Echoes of chants roared, like waves in the ocean, ever increasing.


    "May the holy light enlighten us!"


    "May the holy light enlighten us!"


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 Chapter 245 245. Battle Of Three Fingers - Mind Games

    The ground was muddy, and the air was humid. The rain had stopped, but the dark clouds still covered the sky. But for Sylvester, it didn''t give any ominous feeling as he was the one who caused it.


    "Stand behind me on my right at all times. Do not make abrupt movements that may scare the Duke or whoever wille with him. Do not touch the hilt of your sword, and stay silent." Sylvester ordered his friend.


    "If he does something dumb, can Iugh?" Felix asked.


    "That you can, as long as you''re not pointing fingers and acting like you''d fall from the horse whileughing."


    Soon, on their majestic galloping horses, they arrived near the massive camp of the Duke''s army. It was all in a mess, and most of the tents near the boundary seemed to have broken apart. Last night''s undead attack had truly hurt them, it appeared.


    "Stay alert! I shall start singing the hymns!" Sylvester ordered and raised his right palm to shower the light at the front. Then, with his left hand, he used air elemental magic to amplify his voice so it may reach far and wide into the camp.


    The warm halo appeared behind his head, and his first words rang loud enough to gain the attraction of every man in the Duke''s camp.


    ?Look here, hear this holy hymn.


    It''s the Lord''s gift¡ªthese blessed rhymes.


    Hases to you the Lord''s only Bard.


    Pray that his light heals your body when marred.


    No matter what, today, Solis¡ªyou shouldn''t disregard?


    ?Sins of many have angered the supreme Lord.


    For he writes the names of all in his record.


    O'' naive child, you can not leave his wrath ignored.


    Or prepare to suffer from the dark undead hoard?


    ?But, there is love in the arms that are mighty.


    Do not take these words very lightly.


    There is still a path to leave the side so unsightly.


    You can surrender¡ªwhile calling the name of the Almighty?


    ?May you leave the deadly darkness that blinds.


    May the heavenly light enlighten your minds.?


    Sylvester''s rhymes echoed uninterrupted and breached the hearts and minds of all as the soldiers of the Duke came out of their camp and stood at the boundary to see Sylvester¡ªshining halo making him appear like a god on earth. Some even knelt and prayed to the god, while the rest stared at the Bard.


    They realised the war was against the Holy Land and Lord''s Bard. This was something most of them were never told.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Just then, all of a sudden, various loud explosions rang deep inside the Duke''s camp. They were big, and the clouds of smoke and fire were visible high in the sky.


    Sylvester roared his hymn again, this time more violent.


    ?Time waits for none and devours all.


    You see your own perpetuated sad downfall.


    Tick! Tick! Time passes as you remain standing tall.


    Don''t cry for mercy when deadly strikesnd to maul.?


    Sylvester saw the soldiers falling to their knees one after another, dread and fear so evident in their eyes that he could smell it from afar.


    Sylvester saw the effect and continued to sing, one very ominous and full of warnings.


    ?I, Lord''s Bard, stand here in the open and pray.


    What''s to be of you, we shall see today.


    Limbs apart, throats slit¡ªIt''s a price of sin you''ll pay.


    I shall pray, after death¡ªmay you find your way.?


    Pa!


    Just then, a loud horn resounded, and from the gates, three horses came out, galloping towards Sylvester. In the front was a man with long blonde hair, tall, strong and lean build. He wore full-body ck armour.


    "There he is, the Duke of Ironstone, Daemon Gracia," Sylvester muttered.


    Felix scoffed. "The man has even given up his family''s trademark green colour. Now he wears that witch''s ck."


    Sylvester chuckled. "True love, I guess¡ªor maybe something else. Anyway, get ready, and stay quiet."


    Sylvester waited for the Duke to reach him, stopping a few metres away. He could smell the emotions the man was going through. Anger, rage, hate and all the negative feelings one could imagine were living free in the Duke''s mind.


    Everything that could go wrong had gone wrong in one night.


    "It seems you''ve been hit by bad luck, your grace," Sylvester spoke calmly, though all knew he was teasing.


    The Duke gritted his teeth. But he didn''t say anything in anger and instead tried to regain hisposure. "It''s a pleasure to see you again, Lord Bard. May I know why you stand against me with an army?"


    Sylvester took out a parchment from his armour and handed it to Felix, who moved slightly forward and gave it to the aide of the Duke.


    Duke read it slowly and a frown formed on his face. "A warrant to arrest me? For what? You have proven nothing, Lord Bard. What happened to King Riveria''s daughter could be anyone''s fault."


    Sylvester didn''t care. "But the King wants your head to stop the war. And stop lying to me, your grace. Half of the realm knows by now that you and your fiendish wife had something to do with the deaths. Where were you taking the army anyway? To Green City? To usurp your brother from the throne?"<sub> </sub>


    The Duke vengefully nced at Sylvester. "You don''t know what you''re getting into, Lord Bard. I have no wish to make an enemy out of the Church. I only want what''s rightfully mine¡ªthe throne. My ipetent brother does not deserve it¡ªnot after he tried to get me killed so many times."


    Sylvester did sense the truth. It appeared the King indeed harmed the Duke. But Sylvester''s orders and needs were precise. "You only have a few options now, your grace. Surrender to me, and I will see to it that the investigation is done, and if it''s not you, then the real culprit will be found. Or, you can go on with the battle."


    "I choose thetter."


    Sylvester had nothing more to say. "Then I wish you luck. Know this, while your men have everything to lose¡ªa family, a happy life. My Inquisitors are devoted to Solis and only fight for me. Most don''t have family and will dly give themselves to the martyr''s glory."


    "What good is it when you doom your men to a pre-nned death?" The Duke retorted, ridiculing him in calmness.


    Sylvester chuckled and slowly moved his horse back. "You don''t understand, do you? Inquisitors have nothing to lose from this battle. They don''t fight for money,nd or women. They fight for the glory thates after death itself. I still give you an hour¡ªspread the word¡ªany man who surrenders will be spared, and those who don''t will be treated as heathens once the battle is over. May the holy light enlighten your minds."


    Sylvester turned around and galloped away, leaving the Duke in confusion and his aids in dread¡ªfor they knew their Lord would never ept defeat, and there was no chance of a retreat.


    ¡­


    Sylvester returned to his camp. But first, he had to go to a secluded area and give Miraj his reward. "Goodd, you ced those explosives in all the right ces. They probably think it''s the god''s wrath, haha. Here, take these three Chonky banana tax."


    Miraj jumped happily and took the three bananas. Before long, he started eating them with all the focus on enjoying them. "Maxy¡­ you got more work? Just tell me, I will ughter the world if I must¡ªof course, for a little banana tax."


    "..."


    Sylvester let the good furry boy eat his treats first and then met the rest of themanders to prepare for the final push. All the Inquisitors and Crusaders were currently arming themselves to start moving while a sick field bay was prepared by Gabriel, Isabe and a few more healers.


    "The battle is evident." Sylvester dropped the news. "But can any of you help me understand why the lords of this Duchy are supporting the Duke against the Holy Land? I would have understood if only the Duke was a heretic, but how can all of them be such?"


    It was undoubtedly the most bizarre situation, and no one could imagine an answer. There were only suggestions, and they all pointed to one thing.


    Lady Aurora spoke. "Perhaps some sort of ckmail? I don''t know what can force so many lords to do such a thing, but that''s the only usible exnation."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and decided something. "Tell the men that if they can capture a lord, then capture him. No need to kill each one of them. Not to mention, we canter ask for a ransom from their families¡ªfor the church donation, of course."


    Heads nodded, and another n was ced in motion.


    In an hour, all the men got ready. Then the march started to the battlefields, open and wet, muddy, especially from the middle.


    Sylvester stood on a raised ridge at the back to look over the entire army from his side and the enemy.


    Sir Hans stood beside Sylvester to advise him. "Lord Bard, from their formation, it''s clear they are hoping to crush us with their first push. They have ced theirmoner foot soldiers with weaker armour at the front to soften the blow for the heavier forces behind."


    Sylvester was happy as this was going as he expected. "The Duke overestimates himself because of his superior numbers. As long as no big expertes here, we shall win. Tell the archers to prepare while behind the heavy Cavalry knights. Let the Duke feel we''re going for a defensive approach¡ªshow that we are insecure."


    Soon, Sylvester gave the orders, and four thousand men came to the backside of the army near Sylvester. These were all the archers with their newly designed bows. As instructed by Sylvester, the longbows had greater range, enchanted bodies and arrows, perfect formoner soldiers. Each arrow could create a small explosion, and when thousands of them would rain¡ªin the store was pure deadly gore.


    Sylvester looked at the Duke''s side and waited for the man tounch his attack. ''Come on¡­ go for it¡­ do it!''


    Pa!


    Soon, a loud horn rang, and a few gs were shown.


    Haaaa!


    The distant echo of nearly twenty thousand men from the Duke''s side rang in the ears of all Inquisitors, pumping their blood. But they were ordered to stay.


    "Archers!" Sylvester roared. "Once they cross that mark! Shoot at will!"


    The mark was a part of the field that Sylvester had noted to be the muddiest.


    100 metres.


    50 metres.


    10 metres.


    Woosh!


    Woosh!


    Swoo!


    The fingers loosened, and the thousands of bows released their enchanted arrows with shining tips. They covered the sky a little, turning it somewhat dark. To the shock of enemies, arrows could reach them easily.


    Boom!


    The first arrownded on the shoulder of a footsoldier at the front. In an instant, the head sttered away like a watermelon, releasing all the gooey gore on the men nearby.


    Then the second arrow fell near a man''s foot and exploded away with fire. Arms, legs, shoulders, stomachs and mostly legs flew around like crimson flower petals in a spring breeze.


    Boom!


    The heavy cavalry was not spared either, as the horses instantly got impaled by the explosion. Losing their heads or legs, or just getting spooked.


    That left the knights in their heavy shining armour in the deep mud. They tried to stand, but only to feel dread, realising their fate was already sealed as the glowing dots appeared in the sky.


    Boom!


    Arrows fell and brought darkness. The field was littered with blood, limbs and bodies¡ªit was pure carnage.


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 Chapter 246 246. Battle Of Three Fingers - Bloody Twists

    [A/N: Make sure you check the paraments for battle n images.]


    It was absolute madness as mayhem took over the battlefield. Before Sylvester''s army even shed with the enemies, he had already sung his song of fire and blood.


    Limbs and heads flew around with each explosive arrow. Some died on the spot, and some were unfortunate enough to receive a slow death as they bled in pain and cried.


    The bombardment kepting and killing the Knights who fell from their horses and could not run fast due to the mud.


    Sylvester raised his arm in the distance, ready to send the inquisitors out to engage as Duke''s soldiers started to organise themselves towards the back. But still, a lot of damage had been done, and it had broken the spirit of all the soldiers.


    Slowly, the bombardment of the arrows started to slow down and gave a false sense of ease to the knights of the Duke''s army. The screams of those injured and slowly dying were still fresh, however.


    "Attack!" Sylvester roared loudly and sent seven thousand men to face the knights of the Duke, which numbered ten thousand. But, of course, Sylvester was not blind, nor was he overestimating the abilities of the men. He had a n that had already begun.


    Sir Hans, on his side, had already been briefed about the whole n, so he didn''t meddle. "If this n works, then perhaps this might be a battle worth teaching in the Commanders'' schools around the world."


    Sylvester felt the same, but he acted humbled. "There are many variables that are in the act there. The Duke may be a decentmander, but he overestimates himself just because he has greater numbers. He also thought he had a geographical advantage as we''re on his turf. Let''s hope things go ording to our n now."


    Lady Aurora, standing on Sylvester''s other side, asked. "When will I be moving? You are seriously not utilising a Grand Wizard in the ranks properly."


    "Your time wille too, Lady Aurora. You are the ace of the army, and we don''t send the ace at the start. Remember, it''s not these little knights andmoners who are our targets, but it''s the Duke. But remember not to kill him." Sylvester borated in amanding tone.


    "You want to interrogate him?" She asked.


    Sylvester shook his head as his face appeared cold. "No, I want the Duke''s eyes¡ªas I promised Sir Dolorem."


    Sir Hans, who was well aware of what had urred, patted Sylvester''s back. "He''s truly blessed to have someone like you as his friend."


    "Ah! They are about to sh! Let''s see how Felix performs now." Aurora eximed all of a sudden.


    Everyone was nervous as they could easily notice the vast difference between the numbers. But the Inquisitors wore light armour, so their horses were very fast. Meanwhile, although the Duke''s soldiers had also removed some of their armour, it was still not enough.


    Felix and General Arnold were leading the Inquisitors at the front. The grand n had already been ryed to all the men in the ranks, and all they had to do was follow the two leaders: Felix, the leader of the West nk and Sir Arnold, the leader of the East nk.


    The horses soon stepped over the dead bodies of the previous victims of Sylvester''s ns. The distance between the two sides quickly reduced to just fifty metres.


    "Haaa!" Duke''s men roared with their weapons brandished.


    But to everyone''s shock, Inquisitors didn''t shout as Felix and Sir Arnold each took out a g and started waving it to signal the men behind them.


    With that, the Inquisitors suddenly took a left turn and galloped straight towards the forest that rested between the Three Fingers Viges.


    "They are running! Don''t let them go!" The Duke''smanders, Sir Renly and Sir Robin, shouted as they chased after the Inquisitors, confident that their heavy numbers scared the enemy.


    Everything was happening fast, and the forest was not too far away. Nevertheless, the Inquisitors didn''t even flinch or shout a single word. They just followed their leader while singing hymns of the Lord.


    The Duke''smanders soon felt somewhat confused as things didn''t go as nned. They expected their men toe out of the forest to squeeze the Inquisitors from the two sides and finish the entire army in one go.


    "What the hell are they doing?" Sir Renly wondered as he chased after the Inquisitors.


    Then to his surprise, the Inquisitor army started to divide into two segments. One slowly diverted to the right, avoiding the forest, and the other moved towards the left. The strange manoeuvre confused the Duke''s army, wondering which army to follow.


    Commander Sir Renly and Sir Robin were also confused as they watched the Inquisitors dividing themselves and creating an opening straight into the forest.


    "Ah! Look¡­ Isn''t that Sir Gibbins?" Sir Renly asked his fellowmander.


    "Indeed¡­ Why are they thiste? And where are their horses?"


    Slowly, hundreds and then a thousand men appeared to walk out of the forest, heading straight towards the Duke''s army as it remained right in front of the forest.


    Since the men were allies, the twomanders didn''t feel threatened.


    "Good! Let them join us. We shall split and follow each army." Sir Renly suggested and slowed their horses.


    "Why aren''t they running?" Sir Robin wondered.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    "What?!"


    Suddenly, as the men from the forest reached the army and walked between the soldiers, they exploded.


    "F-Fuck! It''s a trap! Fall back!" Bothmanders shouted and turned around to run.


    But, to their horror, they only saw mayhem behind them as Sylvester, with the rest of the Inquisitor''s army, had moved forward, effectively blocking their back.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    The men exploded as most of them walked into the army ranks. They walked slowly, some even dragging one foot. None of them were speaking and only growled.


    Angered, Sir Renly jumped off his horse and grabbed one of the men he recognised. "What the hell are you doing?"


    But Sir Renly''s shoulders dropped when he saw the man''s entirely white eyes, falling jaw, and rotting skin.


    "Z-Zombi¡­"


    Boom!


    Sir Renly''s body got thrown around in pieces. Just like all other men of the Duke''s army. Most felt confused, wondering why their allies, who they knew, were exploding like that. Not to mention, there was nowhere to escape from the chaos.


    Trapped between the forest and Sylvester''s army in the back, the ten thousand men of the Duke and the heavily armoured knights fell victim.


    Meanwhile, Sir Arnold, who had taken half of the Inquisitors to the right, hit the Duke and the remaining men directly from the left nk.


    While Felix, who took a left, returned to Sylvester from behind and reported with a gleaming smile. "Task sessfullypleted, Max! Haha¡­ look at those fools!"<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester weed his friend. "Good job, Felix."


    Boom!


    The explosions were still echoing among the ranks of the Duke''s men. Each explosion meant the death and misery of the Knights and a few wizards. But, unfortunately, there was nowhere to run to, as the explosions had spooked and hurt the horses.


    Sylvester sighed. "Let''s wait for Bishop Lazark to return as well."


    Boom!


    The explosions showed no signs of stopping. But Sylvester didn''t mind them anymore and only looked at the front. In the distance, he could see Sir Arnold nearly reaching the left nk of the Duke.


    "Lord Bard!"


    Just then, from behind, Bishop Lazark, Beaskin Elyon and four more men arrived, covered in dirt from head to toe.


    Sylvester praised their work. "You have done a marvellous job, brothers of the faith."


    Bishop Lazark bowed his head, epting the words. "I merely did what was asked, Lord Bard. Turning the hidden men in the forest into exploding zombies was your idea in the first ce. Not to mention, Elyon here helped me greatly by using his instincts to sniff out and hunt down all the Duke''s men."


    Sylvester nced at the Beastman, who he was evaluating at the moment. If what Bishop said was true, then he was pleased. "Thank you, Elyon. Your service to Solis will not go unnoticed. I will also make sure to write your contribution in my report."


    "What now?" Felix asked as everyone was itching for some actual fighting.


    Sylvester nced at the men still dying under the explosions of the Zombies. "We sessfully turned their trap against them. With this, we have likely exhausted more than ten thousand men in the Duke''s army while losing none of ours. So now we have the upper hand in numbers¡ªbut I''m afraid, from here, it will be a traditional battle."


    "All of us were ready for this battle from the start, Lord Bard." Sir Hans spoke.


    Sylvester agreed and raised his fist. "Glory to Solis! Full speed ahead! Attack the Duke directly!"


    "Glory to Solis!"


    "Glory to Solis!"


    Loud, rageful echoes resounded as the pure frenzy took over. Finally, it was time to show the Duke what it truly meant to fight Inquisitors. For the first time, even Sylvester was going to see how mad Inquisitors can be when in war.


    For they fight for no glory but only for their one true Lord¡ªSolis!


    "Glory to Solis!"


    The ground shook as Sylvester and his army went full speed ahead. Everyone held their weapon of choice raised high¡ªSwords, spears, maces¡ªthey were not afraid to die.


    Sylvester was in the middle of the ranks as the leadingmander. Around him were a few key members as well.


    "Lady Aurora." He shouted. "Make way for us! Kill all wizards that stand in our way!"


    She grinned and stood up on the back of her galloping horse. "That''s what I was waiting for! Glory to Solis! Haaa!"


    She jumped high into the air, leaping to the front andnding ahead of the raging army. She then increased her speed and reached the Duke''s army before any.


    Boom!


    A single vertical swing of her sword created a gust of wind so strong it made a long dust cloud and split thend into a hundred metres long cut. Instantly, whoever came in its way, if they weren''t high-ranking wizards, died.


    Boom!


    She went wild and raised her hand to the sky, summoning the clouds to shower her thunder, for her name was Thunderfall.


    Boom!


    Woosh!


    The first bolt of lightning fell and exploded the men underneath like toys. It was so warm that not even their ashes remained.


    "Haha! Face my wrath! Heathens!" She roared and swung her de with her free hand. The enemies, at best, were of Archwizard rank¡ªnothing she was afraid of.


    Boom!


    She went wild and made a path for Sylvester to directly reach the Duke and end the war in one go.


    When Sylvester reached behind her, she threw a few more thunderbolts and jumped to sit behind Sylvester on the horse. "I will make the way to the Duke! Keep riding! We''ll have his head soon!"


    Sylvester was happy, seeing the pure destructiveness of a Grand Wizard.


    "My nephew''s head? Not so soon!"


    "What?" Lady Aurora eximed at the sudden echoing voice that rang throughout the sky as if a god had spoken.


    Woosh!


    Thud!


    "Fuck! What was that?" Sylvester felt a sudden force from his right, so strong it instantly threw his horse in the air.


    But he quickly stood up and kept the sword prepared. To his horror, not only he but all the horses to his right and left had fallen, throwing the Inquisitors to the ground.


    Sylvester instantly smelled the scent of death, and his senses red up. He looked around with a frown as he noticed a person missing. "Where is¡­ Aurora?!"


    ________________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 247 247. Battle Of Three Fingers - Shocking Development

    What had happened? What forced the horses to fall? Where was Lady Aurora?


    Sylvester was looking for answers as he helped the men nearby to stand up. His senses were screaming and telling him there was a lot of danger. But he couldn''t understand what it was, as he had already dealt with most of the army of the Duke.


    Boom!


    Sylvester looked up as a sonic boom resounded in the sky. A curse left his mouth as he suddenly rushed in a direction. "Sir Hans! Felix! Use the air element!"


    He rushed to create a big rune scheme on the ground and applied as much magic to it as possible to develop an upward wind. Lady Aurora was falling fast, and Sylvester wished to soften the fall as much as possible.


    Thud!


    Everything happened so fast, and before Sylvester knew it, she had fallen on the ground, her face looking at the sky. But she appeared conscious and unhurt as she started to stand up.


    She said nothing and kept staring at the sky, her brows furrowed. Then, she lowered herself a little and jumped at the same speed she fell.


    Boom!


    Another sonic book echoed, followed by repeated sounds of sts. It was clear that a battle was happening in the sky.


    Sylvester looked at Sir Hans. "How many Grand Wizards does the Gracia Kingdom have? Is any of them Duke''s Uncle?"


    "Three! One is the grand-uncle of the Duke from the Queen''s side." Sir Hans revealed. "Sir Maximus Linus Gracia¡ªThe Eagle¡ªnamed for his flying talent by using his mastery in Air elemental magic."


    Sylvester grunted and looked towards the Duke in the distance, who was also staring at the sky. "So this is why he was so confident about taking the throne. He has the support of his grand-uncle. Sir Hans, you''re also a Diamond Wizard. Can you beat that man with Lady Aurora?"


    Sir Hans appeared unsure. "Nobody ever knows the exact level of non-clergy Grand Wizards. Lady Aurora is likely level one Grand Wizard, while I¡­ As long as Sir Maximus isn''t higher than level five, we should be able to defeat him."


    Sylvester nodded. "Good, then go and beat him. I will get the Duke. He''s an Archiwizard, and I should be able to get him."


    Sir Hans nodded and left with a jump.


    Silvester took a deep breath and held his spear tightly in hand. ''I should try and end this battle as fast as possible.''


    "Glory to Solis!" He roared, reminding each inquisitor why they were fighting.


    "Haaaa!"


    Blood-pumped, motivated and thirsty for some battle, the Inquisitors roared and shed their swords with the Duke''s men. The Wizards stayed back and sent a barrage of destructive or defensive spells.


    The reality was that the Duke only had some Wizards left at this stage as usually wizards are never sent into the first charge with the knights. But, these wizards were also highlypetitive as they represented the best of what the Duke had to offer, his inner circles¡ªand a few remaining lords of the Duchy.


    Sylvester only focused on the Duke and called Felix as well. "Let''s go! We must get that man to his knees and end this battle."


    The two friends rushed forward, weapons in hand. Sylvester remained grounded while Felix leapt into the air, mming his sword vertically down at the head of the Duke. Sylvester, meanwhile, thrust the spear at the Duke''s neck¡ªthe weakest part of any armour.


    "Duke Daemon! Surrender! Your forces are dead!" Sylvester roared.


    "Haha¡­ the ants may be dead, but the real lion lives and fights in the sky. Did you think I''de unprepared when I knew you had a Grand Wizard among the ranks?" Duke Daemon retorted, ridiculing while blocking the strike from Felix and using magic with the free hand to lift a rock and stop the spear''s thrust.


    ''Alright, he''s terrific at fighting.'' Sylvester evaluated and changed his battle strategy. He created some gaps and started using magic intensively.


    Woosh!


    He threw fireballs from his palm first, one after another, and slowly made his way closer and used the spear again.


    Shh!


    But the spear was just a decoy as he created a spearhead from solidified light just behind the Duke''s, ready to plunge in and leave the man on the ground. He didn''t care anymore about not killing the man. He just wanted it to end quickly.


    "Ha!" The Duke grunted, used his short sword to stop the spear, and instantly ducked, avoiding the light spearhead on his back.


    Felix was going strong at it too, being the better-skilled knight. He swung his de like a master, each one having all his might. But the Duke was easily demolishing all attacks as he''d only tackle with a nted sword in a way that all of Felix''s longswords would just slide off.


    It was a sword-art style that relied on deflecting the enemy''s strike so that its total momentum was not transferred to the defender. That posed a challenge for Felix, who used the quick style to hammer the enemy with unstoppable heavy strikes.


    "Let''s see how you deal with this!" Felix eximed, and suddenly, his sword''s entire de caught fire, so strong and smooth that it seemed like it was made of sma. The use of intricate runes on the sword was apparent.


    Woosh!


    "Ha!" Felix went ahead.


    The Duke, however, didn''t tackle anymore and instead dodged each strike from Felix masterfully with the slightest movement possible.


    Boom!


    "Glory to Solis!"


    All of a sudden, a loud explosion resounded. Sylvester quickly looked and noticed a maddening scene. As the wizards of the Duke were doing a lot of damage to the Inquisitors, some of the Inquisitor men started using explosive crystals by jumping onto the wizards in a group of three and all exploding themselves at the same time.


    They were killing themselves in the name of the god and taking the lives of the enemy wizards.


    "Good god! They are crazy!" Sylvester eximed and turned back to the Duke as he found another reason to defeat him.


    "Duke Daemon, are you sure you want this? Even if you win, you will have the entire Holy Land on your back. Are you sure you want to sit on a throne of ashes?" Sylvester asked the man, trying to reason.


    The Duke scoffed. "It''s do or die for me, Lord Bard. I never wanted this¡ªbut my brother won''t let me live in peace. Fifty-eight assassins! That''s just how many he sent in the previous month. I know I can''t win politically¡ªso this is my answer. I repeat, I didn''t kill King Riveria''s daughter! I wish no harm to the Church."


    Sylvester sighed and took an attacking position. "Your Grace, you''re one amazing warrior¡ªtoo bad we met in such circumstances."<sub> </sub>


    The Duke also nodded and took his position. "And you''re possibly the smartest man I''ve seen among the clergy¡ªI am sure you know a lot more than what you reveal to others."


    Ting!


    Sylvester and Duke''s des shed with each other. Sylvester was good as he didn''t adhere to any one fighting style. Instead, he believed in copying the enemy and adjusting to the situation. Of course, that meant he''d never have exceptional skills in one style, but he didn''t even wish to have one.


    sh!


    The sparks flew as the two men rammed their des. But at the same time, being Arch-Wizards, they used magic to the fullest.


    Boom!


    Duke tried to punch Sylvester in the stomach.


    Bam!


    But the punch only touched a strong wall made of solid light magic. And by then, Sylvester had also thrown a punch with his fist on fire.


    Shwoo!


    The Duke instantly tilted his head sideways, avoiding Sylvester''s strike. It all happened at the speed of a second. Both men impressed each other, but the Duke had shown his strength was higher, as was his experience.


    Felix also jumped in with his sword, turning it two against one. Sylvester''s spear and magic, while Felix''s fire sword. The two Sanctum Inspectors were in tune with each other and struck the Duke nonstop, pushing the man further away from the crowded battlefield.


    "Ha!" The Duke suddenly kicked down.


    The ground started to crack in a small radius around them.


    "Felix! Jump back!" Sylvester shouted as he realised the magic was used to turn the ground into quicksand, using fire and earth runes simultaneously. But Sylvester wondered when the Duke nted the rune.


    ''Unless he has the runes engraved underneath his boots.''


    Shhh¡­!


    "What is it now?" Felix cursed and looked up. Something was falling once again.


    Boom!


    Sylvester and Felix jumped away as Sir Hans fell where they stood, creating a small crater due to the intensity. The man appeared bloodied but not as beaten.


    Sylvester helped him up quickly, expecting an answer.


    But when Sir Hans shook his head, Sylvester''s heart sank.


    He nced at the sky and prayed for Lady Aurora, who was still somehow fighting.


    "She''s a Wizard¡ªthey are stronger than us knights." Sir Hans replied, tired from all the jumping he had done the whole time.


    Sylvester rubbed his face in frustration. His mouth felt too dry. But he gathered the thoughts and ordered the man. "You''re a Diamond Knight, Sir. Use every ounce of strength in your legs and reach Holy Land up north! It''s the closest to us from here¡ªyou merely need to cross the river. Bring¡­ someone."


    Sir Hans stared into Sylvester''s eyes, feeling troubled. "My lord, you are the future of the faith. You won''tst a second against that Gracia Grand Wizard. Once Lady Aurora falls¡ªthe war is over."


    Sylvester nced at the Duke a distance away and stared into the nobleman''s eyes. The murderous aura was clearly visible. "I''m afraid we are out of options, Sir Hans. And¡­ I can''t leave all these men here; otherwise, my name will be tarnished. It''s all on you now. Please be quick!"


    Sir Hans took a long, steady breath. "If I use everything I have in me to thest breath, perhaps¡­ ten minutes."


    Sylvester had no idea if he couldst that long. In fact, the real question was if Lady Aurora couldst that long.


    ''Ten minutes just to get there? How long will the backup take?''


    "I¡­ We will be waiting¡­ Sir Hans." Sylvester breathed out, not really sure in his own words.


    Sir Hans nodded and, without wasting a moment, used all his strength in his legs and leapt away, disappearing into the sky. The power of a Knight in high ranks was truly destructing. But sadly,pared to a Grand Wizard atter levels, it was nothing.


    With Sir Hans gone, Sylvester zed to the Duke again and struck his spear like he was dancing. Along with the spear strikes, he nonstop threw sharp, knife-like solid light at the man.


    But the Duke danced and jumped, rolled back, turned and twisted easily. The man avoided every single strike that Sylvester threw at thest moments.


    "One second?" Sylvester blurted and suddenly stopped.


    The Duke jumped a few feet back and appeared confused. "What, Lord Bard?"


    Sylvester kept staring into the man''s extremely reddened eyes. "One second¡ªthat''s the limit of your Futuresight, right?"


    "..."


    Silence resonated, and slowly the dust from their recent manoeuvres settled. Felix appeared shocked by Sylvester''s words too, and clutched his sword hard in response.


    "Hahaha!" The Duke startedughing like a madman. He threw his helmet away and let his long, blonde hair flutter in the wind. "Finally¡ªYou noticed!"


    ________________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 248 248. Battle Of Three Fingers - A Conclusion

    Futuresight was the ability to see the future in real-time and be able to react ordingly. Of course, it didn''te at no cost. First of all, it was an extremely rare ability, and to even master it takes decades of harsh training. It was wise to say that it was impossible to attain it if one didn''t have talent in it in the first ce. The cost of using it was hefty on the eyes, and if overused, it could lead to permanent blindness.


    Sylvester scoffed at the proudughs of the Duke. "But we both know that your ability has one grave shoring that can lead to your demise."


    The Duke stayed smirking. "What can a pathetically weak, newly risen Archwizard do to me? Stab me with your light? I only have to drag this fight until my great-uncle deals with that woman."


    Sylvester sighed and nced at Felix. "Go and tell all the Inquisitors to leave the area. Go as far back as possible, or they will be caught in my attack."


    "W-What are you going to do, Max?" Felix asked. There was a hint of worry in his voice.


    Sylvester looked back at the Duke and smirked. "Something I''ve never shown before. He can easily avoid my Wrath of Heaven. So, that leaves me no option but to attack with something from which escaping isn''t possible within a minute."


    Felix''s eyes widened in excitement, and he asked with a whisper. "Therge-scale move you were talking about?"


    Sylvester merely nodded and started calming his breath to focus on the move he was about to make. The most destructive,rge-scale attack. Of course, Wrath of Heaven was terrific in a precise strike due to its mad heat, but this new attack was nothing to shrug off either.


    Felix nodded. "Beat his ass, Max¡­ And don''t die¡ªfor Mother Xavia."


    Dying was nowhere near in Sylvester''s mind. To live, he was ready to give his all, like he had done the whole time until now.


    "Go and check up on Isabe as well. I hope she''s doing the tests on the dying men of the Duke''s army as I ordered." Sylvester ordered and sat down on his knees with palms on the ground.


    Felix saluted before running away. "May the Holy Light bless you, my brother."


    Sylvester didn''t reply, as his focus was on his next move. He had tried the attack in training withdy Aurora many times, but it was always limited to a small scale. Today, he decided to go all out.


    His two palms on the ground started to shine as they pushed a beam of light into the earth. Meanwhile, the halo behind his head shined brightly while the hymns were echoing loudly.


    ?Disgrace the lord once; it''s a mistake.


    Do it twice; you shall burn at stake.


    There is always a price for one''s naivety.


    When your mind, for darkness, has proclivity.


    Be prepared¡ªThen befalls the holy cmity!?


    The Duke was confused about what Sylvester was doing, but he was scared of going too close to Sylvester as he felt the bard was too unpredictable. Moreover, he didn''t want to get caught in something he couldn''t foresee.


    Sylvester poured all the magic he had in himself while infusing the Earth''s elemental magic and Light magic together. It wasn''t even the usual light magic, but the same thing as what created the Wrath of Heaven.


    Grrr¡­!


    All of a sudden, the ground started to vibrate, and the trees nearby started to shed leaves and make noise. Then, the stones grinding on each other became loud, and small cracks appeared on the soil.


    "W-What are you doing?!" The Duke roared in confusion.


    But only Sylvester''s hymns echoed.


    ?You had your time in the light to emerge.


    Yet you continued the crimes and became a scourge.


    Your bucket of sins is full; Now I shall be the judge.


    O'' great lord, let this fool burn in Holyfire Purge!?


    Boom!


    Suddenly, a giant, one-meter-wide crack started from between Sylvester''s palm and elongated towards the Duke. It seemed deep as only menacing darkness was visible inside it.


    The ground was splitting apart with loud menacing roars, and it was extremely fast.


    "Fuck!" The Duke showed the first signs of distress as he jumped to the side, avoiding the gap.


    Boom!


    But, to his shock, as he stepped to the side, the ground there also started to split apart. It was so fast that he only had a second to jump away. But then a crack appeared there too.


    He soon realised he could not see so far in the future to avoid all the cracks since they appeared even where he wasn''t looking at them. His Futuresight didn''t give him a bird''s eye view.


    There was only one option left for him. Run away as far away as possible, where Sylvester''s attack won''t reach.


    Bam!


    But the shattering of the ground intensified. It wasn''t just the cracks anymore but the entire field was being lifted apart as if it was just a piece of paper. It was splitting, cracking, turning upside down. It was pure chaos as clouds of dust also covered the ground.


    ?In hell, burn! O'' filthy noble sinner!


    To oppose light, there shall be no winner!?


    Sylvester''s chants were only gaining more power and creeping fear in the heart of the Duke.


    "Fuck!" The Duke cursed and started running away as fast as possible, jumping from one chunk ofnd to another.<sub> </sub>


    But only the earth had shown its wrath, and the light was yet to appear to smear the world in its melting warmth.


    Woosh!


    "Argh!" The Duke cried in pain and fell back all of a sudden. Then, right in front of him, from the deep crack in the ground, a wall of bright white light appeared, going as high as he could see. It was so hot that just being close to it burned his skin slightly.


    "No, no, no!" The Duke cursed and looked around.


    As if geothermal geysers of water, beams of light started toe out of all the cracks in the vicinity. It was pure madness and chaos since the destruction spanned hundreds of metres in diameter. And the gaps numbered in the thousands. Yet, from a distance, it all appeared like one giant ball of light.


    The Duke found himself trapped between various beams of light, covering the entire cracks around him. But, the earth kept shattering, changing the beams as well.


    But there was nowhere to run, and Duke Daemon knew there was only one way to escape this¡ªkill the origin of the mess.


    So he changed his direction and quickly made his way towards Sylvester, who appeared vulnerable as he had to kneel and focus on the attack.


    Sometimes he got burnt and sometimes fell, but Duke Daemon was not someone to ept defeat. He jumped slowly towards Sylvester. Anger was apparent on his face, and his eyes seemed red from all the Futuresight he was forced to use.


    Woosh!


    Soon, he came as close as fifty metres close to Sylvester. "Haha! You thought this would stop me? But worry not. I will not kill you, Lord''s Bard!"


    Woosh!


    Duke Daemon kept jumping, left and right, but eventually, he made progress forward. Soon, fifty metres became twenty, and he clenched his sword firmly while keeping his free hand ready to shoot a magical attack.


    However, Sylvester''s hymns continued to resonate.


    ?Herees the heathen that sullies this gentlend.


    On his own, he steps closer to death like a sacrificialmb!?


    The Duke made his final jump from an exploding chunk ofnd. Having already sensed with his Futuresight where the beam of light wouldn''t arise, he went for thest move.


    "Die!" The Duke roared with full might, keeping his hands clutched to the hilt of his sword as he aimed at Sylvester''s weing shoulder.


    "Huh!"


    Just then, a big smirk appeared on Sylvester''s face, sending chills down the Duke''s spine. But being mid-air, there was nothing he could do. He just hoped that his sword would soon touch Sylvester''s flesh and bones.


    Woosh!


    But dreams rarelye to reality.


    Everything happened so fast that the Duke couldn''t even feel anything. But he saw it all, as his protruding arms with the sword got erased by the sudden beam of light that rose from where it shouldn''t have.


    No pain, no feelings, not even ashes remained.


    Thud!


    The Duke fell back on a piece ofnd that appeared underneath him from nowhere. The madness of destruction also stopped instantly, and all the beams of light disappeared, leaving behind nothing but spots of molten rocksva, it was called.


    Cough!


    "You buffoon!" Sylvester''s voice echoed with a few bloody coughs. Of course, not everything was fine with his body.


    The dust clouds were slowly settling, and the tens of thousands of cracks on the ground remained filled with violent red molten rocks. But slowly, peace was returning as the cries of birds reached their ears again.


    Sylvester took a deep breath and walked while dragging one leg as if it was broken. His eyes, nose, mouth and ears were bleeding simultaneously.


    He soon towered over to the Duke, who had fallen to the ground on his back. There were no arms anymore, though. Nor was there any blood since the light beam had also burned and sealed it.


    Sylvester repeated the Duke''s words. "Don''t worry; I won''t kill you, your grace."


    "Aaaaargh! My arms!" The reality seeped in finally. "Y-You¡­ What have you done!"


    Sylvester also breathed heavily, having spent almost all of Srium in him. So he knelt beside the armless body of the Duke and stared at him coldly. "I did what you deserved."


    Scared, the Duke kicked his legs to get away. "W-What now?"


    Sylvester took out a small knife from beneath his chest te and held the Duke''s head firmly on the ground. "You may not even know his name, but he is someone close to me. And you took from him something very important. They say, an eye for an eye makes the world blind. But, I say, if that''s the price, it''s justified¡ªas long as it turns the world kind.


    "So, Duke, let out all your cries¡ªBecause I''m taking your eyes."


    "N-No, no, no¡­ Aaaargh!"


    ________________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 249 249. An Offer

    Some distance away, in the emergency sick bay, the injured were being brought as the war was over. Finally, the Inquisitors won, and most of the remaining men of the Duke surrendered after seeing the fanatic attacks of the Inquisitors blowing themselves up. It was something that could shake any man. After all, how was one to fight someone who didn''t care about his own life?


    But the misery of those injured in the Duke''s army was far from over. As they were brought to the camp, Isabe had to get to her work. Per her promise to Sylvester and the order she received, she had to experiment on them--their eyes in particr.


    Felix stood guard as she performed her experiments on the injured men. Some of them had gone blind naturally from various magical attacks in the battle, so she had enough sample size.


    "Where is Sylvester?"


    "Fighting for all of us. Just pray that he wins." Felix replied and silently watched over everything.


    So she got to work and tried to heal the nerve damage or fix the nerve connection to the eyes. She sweated, nervously trying to operate on the eyes, the most delicate part of the body.


    She couldn''t really take the eyes out and reattach them. All she could do was try various ways to heal the eyes through magic.


    "Is my brother dead?" She inquired all of a sudden. An understandable question as the war involved her family.


    Felix shrugged. "He will likely live, but I''m sure he''ll wish he was dead soon."


    ...


    Back in the field of raging mess, Sylvester showed no mercy to the man. He easily held the Duke to the ground even if he was tired. With one hand, he pressed his head and with the other, he stabbed the knife.


    With wet noises, he slowly moved the knife. It wasn''t hard, nor was he soft with him. The Duke kicked his feet in pain and helplessness, but what could he do without his arms? His legs were useless, too, as Sylvester had gotten rid of the boots with runes underneath,


    The Duke cried and begged, for what Sylvester was taking was the most prized possession of the man. It held his most potent power.


    "Aaaa! D-Don''t do this, please!"


    Sylvester continued. "I gave you every chance to surrender, but you didn''t. Now face the consequences of your actions. In the end, I won, and you lost."


    "Aaaargh!"


    Sylvester took one out and got to the other quickly.


    "N-No! Please... I will tell you whatever you want! Yes! My wife was behind the murders of the noblewomen! I didn''t agree with her... but it was the price I agreed upon in return for her services!"


    Sylvester paused for a second. "Why did she need noble women''s breasts? Why did you dare weaken your own kingdom?"


    The Duke cried, seeing no other option to save the remaining eye. "She''s a witch! Her power and beautyes from strange sources. Hearts of newborns, milk of a lioness, foetuses, and pristine noble women''s breasts increase her beauty and power!"


    Sylvester felt so disgusted that he wanted to take the man''s tongue out. "What did she offer in return?"


    "Total control over all the lords in my Duchy! She... She controls them with dolls called Blood Idols. If she harms the dolls, it will harm the real person! B-But... I truly love her, and so does she. We married not for the deal but for mutual feelings!" Duke spewed out all the secrets.


    But Sylvester was not satisfied. "A random woman saves you in the forest on a hunt, and she turns out to be a master witch? And she falls in love with you? Is there ''fool'' written on my face? What is she nning? Tell me, or I will continue!"


    "AAA... No! That''s all there is, Bard. That''s all it is. She''s a witch. That''s all there is to her. She''s not evil. Her magic is."


    Sylvester pressed the knife near the remaining eye. "Is that so? Then who is Sir Kenworth? The man who attacked Countess Melinda Raftel?"


    The Duke shook his head vigorously. "I-I don''t know! I''ve been trying to find him too, bard! That man tried to exploit what my wife was doing! We don''t know any Sir Kenworth! It must be him behind Riveria''s daughter''s death too!"


    Sylvester smelled no lies from the man, which worried him a lot. The mystery went deeper all of a sudden. Where he was hoping to end the mess and go home to rest, he was now left still searching for answers.


    But he continued. "What you told me, I already knew to some degree. So, a promise is a promise--an eye for an eye."


    "Aaaaargh!"


    Sylvester scooped the remaining eye out and put it in a jar. Of course, it was useless, but he kept it to experimentter. After all, these eyes had the Futuresight.


    The Duke was in a lot of pain. Anyone would be after having their eyes forcefully taken out. The man growled and shouted all sorts of profanities. "You... You mad fanatics! You live in your dream world... Whores of Solis... You got me, but how will you survive the man in the sky?"


    Sylvester did worry about it, but considering how much time had passed, he believed Sir Hans should have reached the Holy Land a few minutes ago, and since the man was a very high-ranking clergyman, he must have gotten a direct audience with the Pope the instant he arrived.


    "I guess only time will tea€¡°"


    Tip!


    The rain started to fall again with thick and heavy drops as if the heavens wept. But it was merely the magic of science he and Lady Aurora had created.<sub> </sub>


    Sylvester stopped speaking as he heard the sound of something falling from the sky at high speed. He knew it was Lady Aurora and didn''t want her to get hurt, as she was likely in a vulnerable state after fighting for so long.


    Bam!


    He kicked the Duke in the head, knocking him out, and ran to where he calcted Lady Aurora would fall. He tried his best, dragging his aching leg and breathing fast like a tired horse. Out of Srium, he didn''t know what would happen next. All he had as insurance was a pouch full of srium crystals.


    ''I hope the man is a talker.'' He muttered and tried to save Lady Aurora. After all, where could he even run to at this point? The enemy could fly easily.


    He created the rune scheme on the ground, creating an upward wind. It was not a lot, but for someone falling at a fast speed, even a small change could mean life and death. He also put a few srium crystals on the rune scheme to make it stronger.


    "Fuck! She seems unconscious." He cursed and stepped back, knowing that trying to catch her would only result in his own death.


    Thud!


    In a matter of a second, a loud sound resounded. Sylvester rushed to Lady Aurora and checked her breath, heartbeat and pulse. ''Good god, she''s better than I thought.''


    "S-Sylvester?"


    Sylvester quickly poured a few crystals into her mouth to at leastpletely stabilise her condition. "Stay calm and easy now. You''ve fought enough."


    He checked her body. Her bones from multiple ces seemed to be broken, and there was likely internal bleeding in some parts. Her armour was barely left intact as most of it was chipped away from god knows what sort of attacks.


    ''The Gracia Grand Wizard is supposed to be a master of Air Elemental. Then his strongest moves must be of the same ss.'' Sylvester reckoned as he prepared for the inevitable.


    ''R-Run... Y-You can''t win..." Lady Aurora breathed after mustering some strength.


    He chuckled helplessly. "There is nowhere to run when a Grand Wizard is on our heels, Aurora. Let''s hope help arrives soon now."


    "M-My nephew! You... you animal! How can a man of faith do such a thing?"


    "And here hees."


    He looked back at the body of the Duke. Now a new man stood there, wearing nothing but a in, royal green silk tunic and pants with leather boots. The man appeared old, with short white hair and a thick full beard. He was tall, as tall as Sylvester, and appeared muscr, more than Sylvester.


    Sylvester didn''t speak first and let the man digest everything. He didn''t want to anger him and get attacked.


    He could feel sweat rising all over his body underneath the armour. His helmet was lost, but he still felt his hairpletely drenched with sweat and rain. One wrong word, and it was guaranteed death.


    ''I smell anger, but there is doubt as well. He doesn''t want to fight me?'' Sylvester wondered as he kept his senses high.


    "You did this, Bard of Solis?" The old man turned around, revealing his iconic grey eyes of the Gracia family.


    "I had no other choice, Sir Maximus. I had the warrant to take him. But I would have never killed him. That''s not my decision to make." Sylvester carefully answered.


    Woosh!


    The Grand Wizard suddenly hovered in the air and started to get closer to Sylvester at a plodding pace. "How are you not afraid of me?"


    "I only fear Solis, and as long as my heart knows I am not wrong--I have not sinned--I fear nothing," Sylvester answered, sending the message with indirect words that he was a man of the church and to attack him was akin to going against the church.


    "Haha, you speak just like those fanatics do. But I see reason and wisdom in your eyes. How about this, I can let you live if you agree to a condition. Not just live. In fact, you''d live like a king." Sir Maximus offered, still closing the distance.


    ''Hmm... Hope and excitement? He really wants me to ept whatever he''s nning?'' Sylvester smelled.


    "Please speak your mind, Sir Maximus."


    The old man stopped moving and spoke while keeping his arms folded. "Marry my grand-niece, Isabe Gracia, and be the Crown Prince of Gracia Kingdom."


    "..."


    ________________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 250 250. Guaranteed To Lose

    Sylvester stared into the man''s grey eyes and smelled no lies. ''Is he serious? The church will kill the whole Gracia family and me. There''s no way they''d let a prospective Supreme Wizard leave their leash.''


    "I am married only to Solis and have no desire to cheat. But perhaps, I can suggest someone else if you''re looking for a suitable man? I know a certain strong second son of a Count." Sylvester deflected the question.


    The old man started moving toward him again. "Sad, we could have brought back the old glory of Gracia, just like at the time of the previous King. Gracia Empire, the richest Empire to ever exist. Too bad, my sister turned pathetic, and my older nephew is up to no good. Daemon was my only hope¡ªand you doused it too. Get ready now, bard. It''s time to see how long your hymns and light shallst against my might."


    ''Fuck! I must dy more.''


    "Are you sure?" Sylvester asked while also preparing to try something new. "The moment I die, you will sign the death warrant of the Gracia Family. Giving King Riveria exactly what he wants."


    The old man didn''t stop, however. "Hah, you''re naive to think that. The Holy Land needs Gracia to fight the Beastariater. The Pope needs me, and the other powerhouses. While you¡­ an Archwizard? You are nothing special."


    Sylvester knew the man was bluffing as he smelled the doubts and a hint of fear. "I yed on thep of the Pope since I was a baby. So he sees me like a Grandson. Not to mention, Inquisitor High Lord and Fifth Guardian are close to me. That''s a lot of trouble for a little Kingdom that''s already hollowed by schemes of Masan."


    "And that is why Daemon was important!" Sir Maximus boomed in rage. "He was the future of Gracia! The future that you destroyed!"


    Sylvester didn''t fear anymore as he was done preparing. "No, he destroyed himself when he married that witch¡ªsin in the eyes of the church. You fools have gone so blind in your thirst for the glorious old days that you fail to see the present. Be man enough to ept the consequences of your actions, Sir Maximus."


    "Enough! Insolent brat!"


    Sylvester scoffed, and a hymn echoed suddenly as Sylvester raised his arms towards the sky, lighting them up. The halo also appeared with the first word. He kept the Srium Crystals beside his body, touching him close as he tried to utilise them with his next move.


    ?While your honour sleeps, heaven weeps.


    Crying¡ªwhen the light of Solis reaches us in heaps.


    Your wind may be your strongest defensive wall.


    Let''s see how itsts when the sky falls!?


    Sylvester''s hymn was a literal exnation of what he was trying to do.


    In the sky, even though the pale clouds were raining down, strong sunlight was still present somehow, basking them all with its warmth. So Sylvester tried to manipte the weather conditions to his advantage.


    The raindrops suddenly started to turn bright white, as if shining. Then they solidified and turned into sharp needles, falling down hard, numbering in billions. With his maniption, the speed increased even more, and each needle became a piercing arrow.


    They produced a streak of light behind them and made it appear as if the entire sky was full of long white lines. The scenes were mesmerising to look at but deadly for those who knew what it was.


    Sylvester was lucky enough that it was the Season of Solis, the months when sunlight was most potent. Otherwise, this move would have been impossible. The sunlight wouldn''t have been strong enough to affect the rain.


    As the sky got covered with shining raindrops, it appeared as if the entire heavens wereing down. Hence, he had named this¡ªSkyfall.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester wasn''t just manipting the nature of the rain, but also their trajectory. He tried to funnel as many droplets as possible towards the Grand Wizard.


    Boom!


    It looked as if a barrage of modern bullets were hitting the old man hard. It soon made it impossible to even see the old man as the light covered his entire body. Was he being affected by it? There was no clear answer.


    The man was a Grand Wizard, after all, someone that Sylvester could not even imagine fighting at this point in his life. Not to mention, the man wasn''t going to be sparing like Lady Aurora. Hence, each strike was a certain death.


    Boom!


    Sylvester''s body was limping slowly, and his muscles were disappearing somehow. His skin started to be much paler as well. Sylvester himself questioned the state of his body, as this was a usual urrence whenever he forced himself to go beyond his abilities.


    He looked at his arm as he kept his palms towards the sky. On his right arm was a flesh wound that was bleeding until a while ago. But now, he noticed that not only had the wound dried up, but the blood in it was disappearing as if evaporating.


    ''W-What''s happening to me? Where is my blood going?''


    "Argh!" He felt pain, a lot of it.


    Though thankfully, it appeared that the barrage of sharp lightning drops affected Sir Maximus as well. At least by restricting him from viewing his surroundings.


    ''Is he hurt? That shouldn''t be possible with this weak attack.'' He wondered, knowing that this Skyfall move only appeared deadly, but in reality, it wasn''t very strong, not at all when he was exhausted.


    Still, Sylvester gave his all, using all the crystals he had. He stayed on his knees in front of Lady Aurora the whole time, protecting her from any abrupt attack. Every pore in his body bled profusely, only for that blood to vanish eventually.


    ''Where is the damn backup? I''m at my limit!'' He cursed.


    Thud!


    Sylvester kept the Skyfall going for a minute, which was his limit in the current state. And shockingly, Sir Maximus was, by the end, standing on the ground as the raindrops started to slow down.


    p! p!


    Loud ps resounded while the dust settled. "Marvellous! Brilliant! I''m shocked, bard. You brought me to the ground."


    Sylvester felt his shoulders falling. Sir Maximus didn''t seem affected. Not even a speck of dirt was on his body. He was unscathedpletely and remained smiling.


    "Shocked?" Sir Maximus asked while stepping forward. "You merely shrouded me in light and blocked my vision; that''s it. But I must say, that attack was spectacr. But only if it was equally as deadly. But what now? I can simply walk to you, grab you by the neck and kill you. You are nothing to me."


    Sylvester scoffed as he smelled the doubts in the man''s mind. "Then why haven''t you done it yet? You''re a mighty Grand Wizard, so why are you afraid of a little bard?"


    "Arrogant!" Sir Maximus bellowed and punched towards Sylvester even though they were metres apart.


    Boom!


    A strong gust of wind erupted from the Grand Wizard''s fist. It travelled towards Sylvester and Lady Aurora, with its many de-like currents, whirling violently.


    "So you choose death?" Sylvester growled tiredly.


    He leapt back and quickly grabbed Lady Aurora''s longsword.


    Thud!


    He plunged it onto the ground right in front of himself. While he stayed on his knees, hiding behind the broad de. Furthermore, behind him was the unconscious body of Lady Aurora, whom he tried to save.


    But, sadly, Sylvester was broader than the sword, and his sides were exposed. He tried using solidified light magic to create fins on the sides of the de, but they were weak and broke away.


    "Aaaaa!" He shouted as his shoulders felt the deep cuts, and the pressure was only increasing on him.


    He even used his head to support the sword, saving it from falling back and leaving Lady Aurora exposed.


    "ept defeat and my offer, bard! ept it and live like a king! Reject¡­ and today will be your end!" Sir Maximus shouted as he increased the power of the wind.


    Sylvester gritted his teeth and shut his eyes as they felt too heavy. Having bled profusely, he knew not how much body mass he had lost.


    He didn''t let the sword sway at all and stayed on his knees, nor could he afford to let that happen. After all, Lord Inquisitor had asked him to look out for Lady Aurora, so he did.


    "Haaaa!"


    Boom!


    "ept the offer, bard! Make the Blood Pact!" Sir Maximus roared and kept on increasing his push.


    "Argh!" Sylvester grunted in pain as he felt his shoulders open up all the way to the bones. His arms were losing strength because of the lost muscles. And the pain, it was better not to talk about that.


    "Maxy! I will help you!" Miraj suddenly peeked his head out of Sylvester''s chest te and ran out.


    "No! You will die!" Sylvester shouted.


    But Miraj didn''t care. "If you die, I will be sadder. Maxy, don''t worry. I will protect you!"


    Sylvester had no idea what Miraj even had in mind. So he tried to force his eyes to open to look. But to his horror, all he noticed around him was thick wind, so dense that it appeared faint white like a curtain.


    "M-Miraj! No! Don''t go out! The wind is too strong!"


    "I''m not going out. I just want to look ahead!" Miraj said and lightly peaked his head from the side.


    Woosh!


    In an instant, wounds appeared on the poor cat''s face, cut marks from the de-like wind current.


    But Miraj didn''t jump back and instead opened his jaws.


    "Chonky Bank does not only store money! I can take everything in my tummy!" Miraj proimed and used his interdimensional belly.


    Woosh!


    From Miraj''s mouth, arge suction force came and started sucking in all the violent gusts of wind, instantly reducing the load on Sylvester. Miraj''s mouth acted like a vacuum cleaner at that moment and reduced Sylvester''s pain by taking some of it.


    But Sylvester felt pain in his heart as he noticed Miraj''s face get covered with wounds because not all of the wind could enter his mouth at the same time. Some of the wind-des would still cut him.


    ''No! I won''t allow this!''


    He closed his eyes and tried to create a shield of light in front of Miraj''s face. But he failed every single time as it would break apart.


    Helpless, hopeless, but Sylvester knew he only had tost a bit longer.


    "Give up, Bard! This is merely the beginning of my power." Sir Maximus threatened.


    ''Finally!'' Sylvester cheered instead.


    A smile appeared on his face as he smelled a few emotions from the distance. Filled with rage, anger, hate, and worry.


    "Haaaa!" He shouted as the wind became unbearable and he couldn''t feel his shoulders anymore. "Quick! I can''t hold it for too long!"


    "Meow!" Miraj shared the same feeling.


    He didn''t know who hade to help, but he hoped it was someone powerful.


    Bam!


    "Sylvester!"


    Abruptly, the wind decreased as if someone had shielded him from the front. Not to mention, the voice felt highly recognisable.


    Sylvester forced his heavy eyes to open and look. There he saw a mighty tall man in white armour and clothes, dark-skinned, and with a thin strip of cloth on his...


    Sylvester''s heart skipped a beat as he felt energised by the sight. "W-What¡­ How?... Sir Dolorem?"


    [A/N: See Sir Dolorem here.]


    ________________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 251 251. Bloodrain

    "Sir Dolorem?"


    Sylvester''s jaw fell as the tall man was supposed to be resting on the bed in the Holy Land. It had been about two months, and that was not enough time to learn anything, let alone be on a battlefield.


    "Lord Bard," Sir Dolorem''s calm voice rang in Sylvester''s ears.


    "..."


    "How? How are you here? And why are you here? Please move out of the way. That man can kil¡ª"


    It suddenly struck Sylvester. Sir Dolorem shouldn''t be able to stand in front of Sir Maximus'' attack for even a minute, let alone block it and appear sofortable. Not to mention, Sir Dolorem didn''t appear strained at all and instead faced him calmly.


    "I shall exin everythingter, Lord Bard. Let''s move first and allow him to actually help you." Sir Dolorem walked closer to Sylvester and helped him up to his feet by letting his shoulder be the support. Then he walked closer to Lady Aurora, picked her unconscious body over his other shoulder, and moved away.


    Sylvester looked back to see who had actuallye to help. But to his dismay, he didn''t recognise this person. However, something told him that the man was not simple, absolutely not with that kind of bloodied attire.


    The man appeared at least seven feet tall, lean, solid build. He wore purple clothes under his minimalistic silver armour covering only his shins, chest, and shoulders. The most eye-catching thing about him was his headgear, which consisted of a long, silver, conical helmet with a metallic expressionless face mask which covered everything till his shoulder and lower neck. In addition, there was some barbed, long spikey wire tied around the forehead that also went up.


    Then there was a sword, longer than what any ordinary man would use. Its hilt was also covered with metal spikes, going until the middle of the de. All of it was silver and, for some reason,pletely covered in blood.


    However, more striking was that on the man''s visor, the eyes were constantly bleeding, as if the man was crying blood.


    [A/N: See him here]


    "Who is he, Sir Dolorem?" Sylvester asked curiously while he also groaned in pain.


    "That''s Magnus Constantine, famously known as Bloodrain, the Second Guardian of Light, the fourth strongest being in the church''s arsenal, and he''s also blind like me. Don''t worry; he will sort out the Gracia Grand Wizard." Sir Dolorem exined and dragged Sylvester and Lady Aurora as far away as possible.


    ''That''s so rxing to know. Finally, some good help.'' Sylvester took a sigh of relief.


    He then kept looking at Sir Dolorem. "You look¡­ different. How did you be more muscr, and¡­ how are you seeing?"


    "I can''t see, Lord Bard, and yet now I see more than I used to. I will exinter. Let''s bring you to safety first." Sir Dolorem decided to stay mysterious for a while.


    So Sylvester focused on the stalemate behind him. The Bloodrain had easily stopped Sir Maximus with a swing of his swords. The tall holy Guardian of Light''s eyes wept with blood as a pain-filled voice echoed.


    "Why must you tarnish the sacred soil? Why must you anger me¡ªmake my blood boil?"


    "Don''t meddle in this, whor¨C" Sir Maximus couldn''t finish speaking.


    Poof!


    Sir Maximus'' left arm entirely blew apart as it exploded from inside into little pieces. The cloud of blood also appeared so thin that it seemed like mist. But Lord Second had not even moved an inch.


    "Aaaargh!" Sir Maximus cried in pain as the incident registered in his mind.


    Sylvester, who was watching it all, stopped moving with Sir Dolorem. "W-What?! How did he do that? Is the gap between the different levels of the Grand Wizards so high?"


    Sir Dolorem also looked. "Lord Second is proficient in a rare and extremely dangerous branch of magic called Blood Magic. It falls in the dark magic category, but the way he uses it, it''s purely destructive. He merely boiled the blood in the arm of the Gracia''s Grand Wizard."


    Sylvester just eyed the strange, powerful man with conflicted feelings. ''W-Why do I feel so much¡­ pain, sorrow and anger from him. It''s all constant.''


    Thud!


    While Sylvester was busy thinking, Sir Maximus lost his other arm, too, as he tried to attack Lord Second. The Gracia''s Grand Wizard then just fell to his knees and looked like his grand-nephew¡ªarmless.


    It sure was a strange day for the Gracia family as in a single day, two important family members lost their arms inbat. Both to members of the faith.


    "For meddling in the work of the faith, I am obliged to arrest you. If it were for me, I''d have recovered the price of harming the holyw from your blood. But I must take respite in seeing your family name dragged into the mud." Bloodrain, Lord Second, dragged the old Grand Wizard of Gracia by the hair and walked towards Sir Dolorem.


    "Aaargh! Take your hands off me! You mongrels of the church! It''s because of you that the Gracia Empire fell!"


    But Lord Second didn''t respond and arrived near Sir Dolorem. The tall, mighty man raised his free hand towards Sylvester and did something invisible to the eyes.


    Sylvester felt something and noticed his wounded shoulders, which had such deep wounds that even the bones were visible, were now getting healed quickly. The muscles returned, the blood vessels returned, and then the skin. In a matter of seconds, Sylvester felt healed.


    Bloodrain then patted Sylvester''s shoulder while tears of blood slid from his eye socket in the visor. "Bard of the Lord, today we ultimately meet. I am proud that until the end, you didn''t ept the defeat. Instead, you held your ground against this heathen noble."


    Sylvester stood straight, leaving Sir Dolorem''s hold as he didn''t feel injured anymore. But he showed his due respect to the inspiring man. Not to mention, he went a little extra, wishing to leave an impression in thetter''s mind.


    So Sylvester saluted, with both arms crossed on his chest. He bowed his head a little and spoke a little hymn.


    ?I can see you are blessed by God.


    Your words mean much to me, my lord.


    This bard thanks you for raising your sword.


    But I hope the crimes of heathens won''t be ignored.?


    Sylvester had already made a few guesses about what kind of man Bloodrain was. From the emotions of constant anger, pain and sorrow, he knew that this man was simr to Inquisitor High Lord¡ªhighly religious, righteous and straightforward.


    So, he also took a hardliner approach to impress the man. Which almost certainly seemed to work as he smelled a hint of tulips from the man, signifying that worship had been induced.


    ''God, I love my halo so much. It''s the best thing to ever happen to me.'' Sylvester felt satisfied in his heart.


    Bloodrain nodded and raised his arm again. This time he didn''t touch it, but merely hovered it over Sylvester''s shoulder. "I went blind because the world has so much sin¡ªBut now I''m am graced to see what others can not. Yet more than me, it''s you who is blessed, bard of Solis. Followers as loyal as Sir Dolorem, and spirits so small¡ªthey flocked to you. So I shall pray that one day¡ªyou may swing your heavenly scythe and clean this world of its filth."


    Sylvester felt his heart skip a beat. ''D-Did he just sense Chonky on my shoulder¡­ Wait! He healed Chonky''s face as well!''


    Sylvester looked at the sleeping and tired cat on his shoulder. The poor boy used his everything in the end to help and protect him. It must have hurt a lot, but the furry boy never wavered.


    ''Can Sir Dolorem also sense Chonky?'' Sylvester wondered. But he didn''t worry about that as the man already knew about Miraj and considered him a guardian angel. And it was fine with Bloodrain as well, as the man considered Miraj a spirit.


    ''As long as they don''t know about Miraj''s abilities, it should be alright.''


    He thanked. "I am indebted to your help, my lord. But I beg you to heal Lady Aurora as well, for she fought this heathen alone."


    Of course, Bloodrain didn''t deny as Lady Aurora was already his colleague and a fellow Guardian of Light. But the man did make an observation. "The young one has grown so tall and mighty. Crimson Fire must be proud of the daughter he raised¡ªshe deserves nothing but to be praised."


    Sylvester saw Aurora''s wounds heal back, oneyer at a time. It was nothing less than a miracle but also understandable. If anything, he expected a Blood magic user to be able to do such.


    But she didn''t wake up as only her flesh wounds were healed, not her Srium reserves. As for Sylvester, he had by now realised his body was different from other wizards. Somehow, he never ran out of Srium to the point he''d die¡ªbut his body does be thin and paler the more he spends it beyond his natural reserves.


    ''I need to look into this too, it seems. But first, my leg.'' He wondered if Bloodrain could heal him.


    But, on another thought, he refused to ask the man, knowing that thetter was a fanatic believer, and if he found out about his half-blood ancestry, then he''d be the biggest heathen, not the Gracia family.


    "Thank you, my lord." Sylvester bowed his head, took Lady Aurora in his arms, and carried her.


    "Proceed with your work. I shall bring this man back to the Holy Land for the judgement." Bloodrain replied and dragged the armless Grand Wizard along.


    Sylvester and Sir Dolorem waited until the man disappeared from the vicinity. How the Bloodrain travelled so fast, they didn''t know, but it certainly wasn''t flying. Moreover, the man was an enigma to Sylvester, from his personality and scents.


    Now alone, Sir Dolorem faced Sylvester with a kind smile on his face as they proceeded to pick up the unconscious body of Duke Daemon. "So much has happened, it seems, Sylvester."


    Sylvester smiled and wanted to hug his favourite follower. "Indeed¡ªWe have so much to talk about. But first, please tell me how you''re doing all this. How are you navigating?"


    "It''s a long story."


    Sylvester shrugged. "I see no carriageing to take us."


    Sir Dolorem sighed as he started. "It happened when I tried to train in that echolocation you spoke about and kidnapped a child to run from the Sick Bay."


    "..."


    ________________________


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    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 252 252. What Makes A Guardian

    "You ran from the sickbay and kidnapped a kid? Why?" Sylvester asked as he worried for the man''s safety.


    Sir Dolorem chuckled wryly. "Well, I wasn''t getting my eyes back by remaining there. So I reckoned it''s better to train. But they refused to hand me my sword, so I had no other way but to run."


    "I presume there was someone who helped you in doing it? The kid?" Sylvester asked.


    "Of course, you helped me."


    "..."


    There were questions written on Sylvester''s face, so Sir Dolorem borated. "Well, you sent two little kids to the Holy Land a while back. Their names were Diana and Max. When I found out about them, I got interested. So I decided to go and see them as they were being checked by the healers for their initial mandatory diagnosis before being sent to the orphanage.


    "They are really sweet kids. That girl is a genius and strong-minded. But, after seeing them, I realised nobody was stopping me; nobody was watching me. So I just walked out of the main door with the help of that little girl, Diana, and returned to the Inquisitor''s camp. There I started training with other brothers of the Inquisition."


    "..."


    Sylvester never knew that his actions hundreds of kilometres away in another Duchy would cause something like this. ''The butterfly is truly amazing. You never know what causes what.''


    "So, how did you get so much better at sensing your surroundings? I see you''re easily avoiding the cracks in the ground." He inquired interestedly. "Did you truly learn Echo-location?"


    Sir Dolorem exined. "Well, it''s luck, or perhaps the hidden work of Lord Inquisitor. As you may know, the Second Guardian used to be the Inquisitor High Lord nearly two centuries ago. So, he sometimes appears in the Inquisitor camp to help when Lord Inquisitor is out working.


    "He saw me and learned about my story from other Commanders. So he decided to help me understand how to live a life of blindness. Although his way of sensing his surroundings has something to do with his blood magic, he was able to help me to stay calm and use my other senses to the fullest, like the smell, touch and hearing. So now, I have started grasping the concept of Echo Location as well, as now I can create a simple textureless linear structure ording to the noise that reacts with the environment in my mind."


    ''Living in a colourless world, I can''t imagine being him.'' Sylvester sighed as he heard the story. Although it was very positive, he knew that these limited abilities would harm Sir Dolorem in one way or another.


    "I am working to find a way to heal your eyes, Sir Dolorem. So I''m sure soon you will be able to see me again." Sylvester replied, sounding firm in his promise.


    But Sir Dolorem didn''t immediately reply.


    So Sylvester borated. "I have a few people who are urgently looking for a way for the cure. I''m sure magic can do it. Nerve damage is extremely hard to fix, but if people like Lord Second can use blood magic to fix wounds, I''m sure there is healing magic for the eyes. Perhaps across the sea, maybe."


    "I''m not sure if I want my eyes back." Sir Dolorem muttered. "Not having eyes has taught me something new, something great. There is so much detail to the world that I could not see before. My vision was, in reality, dulling down so many things because they were so easy to ignore unless you were specifically looking for them. Now I smell, I hear, and I sense a great many things, which in reality can be amazing as a fighter."


    "But you''ll be against enemies who can use magic. So how will you counter them?" Sylvester argued.


    Sir Dolorem sighed and shook his head. "I am physically limited in terms of power, Sylvester. I can never fight against someone many times stronger than me. So, believe me, you don''t have to worry too much. You need not rush. As long as I can have my vision back to see you take the holy throne on that inevitable day, I''ll be the most satisfied person in the world."


    ''This fool, I can already sense the hints of doubt in his own words. So he doesn''t wish to cause me to worry?'' Sylvester read the man like an open book.


    But he didn''t press on it and changed the topic. "How is mum? She was attacked."


    "I went to see her and spoke to her. I couldn''t see her physically, so I don''t know about that. However, she did say she was fine and only slightly weak. She even handed me this letter when I told her about returning to aid you. I just never knew it''d be so soon, thanks to Lord Second." Sir Dolorem handed Sylvester a piece of paper while carrying the armless Duke on his other shoulder like a sack of grains.


    Sylvester had Lady Aurora''s body on his back, piggybacking it, so he opened it in front of himself and read it. ''Dear Max, don''t worry about mum. I am fine and eating very well. Raven is helping me a lot, and soon I will be able to get back to work. The wounds have beenpletely healed, so please be at peace. Don''t rush your work because you will find me right here whenever you return. Love you and take care.''


    Sylvester crumpled the paper and put it in a pocket. "She didn''t write this. I know her handwriting. She likely dictated it, and¡­ Raven wrote it."


    Sir Dolorem sounded disappointed as well. "She likely does not wish to worry you, Sylvester."


    ''Aren''t you doing the same?'' Sylvester thought in mind.


    But he felt more worried for Xavia now as he didn''t know her actual condition. "Her neck was stabbed, so I''m sure she also lost a lot of blood. Her entire body must be fragile right now. That bastard!"


    "Was it King Riveria?" Sir Dolorem asked.


    "Who else could it be? The man came after me; it was eptable. But he crossed a fine line this time and will pay greatly. Let''s rush a little. My work is not even half done as of now." Sylvester increased his pace.


    "What are you nning, Sylvester?"


    "I''ll let my actions speak, Sir Dolorem."


    ¡­


    Sylvester and Sir Dolorem soon arrived at the Inquisitor camp. A lot of dead bodies were ced on the ground in a few ces. An extreme majority of them belonged to the Duke''s army, however. In contrast, the dead Inquisitors had been ced in a much better ce with a white cloth on their bodies. Pyres were being set up for them.


    Sylvester ced Lady Aurora on an empty makeshift bed and called the healer. "She''s out of Srium. Everything else is fine. Feed her some strengthening potions for nutrients. They should help her."


    Then Sylvester walked to the most guarded makeshift tent and ced the Duke there with metal chains bounding the legs. The man was now officially a prisoner.


    "Old man?! Woah! What are you doing here?" Just then, Felix''s loud and excited voice came from behind.


    Thud!


    And before anyone knew it, Felix had jumped in to hug Sir Dolorem like they were childhood buddies, which they were in a way, as Sylvester had known Felix since he was eight.


    Sir Doloremughed heartily and patted Felix''s back. "I hope you''re doing well, Felix. I see you have be heavier."


    "Of course, I''m a big growing boy, after all. But how did you get here? And was that armless sack of human meat the Duke? Who did that?"


    Sylvester replied in the fewest words. "I chopped the Duke. Then Sir Maximus attacked, but he got his arms sliced and arrested by the Second Guardian of Light, Bloodrain."


    "..."


    "Where is Lord Second? I''ve never seen him before. Is he handsome? How tall is he?" Felix excitedly asked.


    Sylvester sighed, still feeling numb by how dark the Second Guardian''s appearance was. "Imagine Inquisitor High Lord, but a foot shorter, thinner, with silver armour, the same conical hat, detailed human face visor, a lot of blood¡ªespeciallying from the eyesockets."


    Felix was speechless. "...Why are all these Guardians such weirdos? The only simple one I know is Lady Aurora."


    ''I ask that question myself time and time again.'' Sylvester thought.


    But Sir Dolorem answered them. "It''s because of their uniqueness. Bing a Grand Wizard in the clergy does not automatically make one a Guardian. To be eligible, it takes uniqueness and special abilities that are not easy to beat."


    "That makes sense." Sylvester agreed. "So Guardians are more about talent and not just strength? So, even if they were to fight a Grand Wizard of the same level, they''d still win?"


    "Exactly."


    Bam!


    "Sir Dolorem?" Gabriel also appeared and jumped on the poor blind old man for a hug.


    But Sir Dolorem just smiled, and he seemed genuinely happy. After all, the man had seen them grow from kids.


    But Sylvester decided to move on with the rest of the mission. "Everyone, enough talking. Now let''s get ready. We still don''t have the Witch in our hands. From what the Duke revealed, she''s a vile woman. Felix and Gabriel, you two areing. Call Bishop Lazark and Beastkin Elyon as well. Prepare two thousand men from the Inquisitors as well. We will need them to handle the crowd."


    "I shall go with you, Sylvester." Sir Dolorem wished.


    But Sylvester didn''t know if he should take him. "How good are you with your abilities?"


    "Defeating someone of my rank isn''t an issue. But more than that, I have be much better at sensing clues in the surrounding."


    ''So he degraded on one side but has be a better detective on the other?''


    "Alright, you cane too. Everyone, we leave in fifteen minutes, go and get ready!" He ordered and sent all away so he could speak with the Duke alone.


    But before that, a certain good furry boy had woken up from his injured slumber. So Sylvester coddled the boy in his arms like a baby on his back. "How are you, Chonky?"


    "Meow Meow is very good¡ªbut hungry." Miraj cutely patted his tummy while looking around with sleepy eyes.


    Sylvester chuckled and handed him a banana from the side table. Then he patted Miraj''s belly. "Boy, we have something important to do now. Remember thest time in Duke''s castle I told you we would have one more opportunity to fill this bank? That time hase."


    Miraj''s eyes shot open, and his nostrils blew air. "Hehe¡­ I be Rich Chonky now?"


    Sylvester agreed. "Extremely rich, my lord Chonky. In pay, you shall receive an extra banana every single day¡ªwith milk!"


    Miraj was on cloud nine and rxed his body, letting his paws fall on himself and head back. "Oh, my¡ªSo much food. Chonky will be a fat lord now!"


    Sylvester chuckled and patted the tummy again. "Wasn''t it just the fur?"


    Miraj grabbed his furry head with his paws. "Oh nyo!"


    [A/N: Make a guess how rich Sylvester will be by the end of this arc.]


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 253 253. Fall Of A Titan

    Green City, Capital of the Gracia Kingdom.


    Inquisitor High Lord had arrived in the city long ago, but he couldn''t simply go after the Queen as that would create a lot of suspicions. The best option was to make sure it appeared as natural as possible.


    Not only that, he didn''t even meet the Queen once after returning and stayed within his camp. The entire city was still under the influence of the Inquisitors. Not to mention, the King was now busy with the deration of war by the Riveria. Many men had lost their night''s sleep over the past few weeks.


    The entire Duchy of Ironstone had gone silent on the King''s Administration, and one of the Grand Wizards was also missing. So the Gracia Kingdom was under tremendous pressure and fear that if the Riveria didunch a major attack, then this time, their defeat was guaranteed.


    So, that left the Inquisitor High Lord with a lot of room to work with. He organised gatherings indirectly. He funded the many small parties, where drinks and other sins were the norms.


    He ensured that the Queen always knew about it. After all, the gatherings were held near where the Queen lived, in her tower. In addition, the Church had many loyal members in the Gracia administration, which helped.


    The Queen had retired, so she usually spent most of her time in leisure. Being paralysed from the neck down, she could only move around on a special wooden chair with wheels. Even then, she needed a servant to drag her around.


    The same servant was responsible for getting her food and drinks and maintaining her hygiene.


    "Mary, bring me another ss of wine. I wish to have a pleasant sleep tonight." The Queen stoically ordered her servant.


    "Yes, Queen mother."


    Therge hall was filled to the brim with nobles from all across the kingdom as the discussions for war were going on. Laughs, talks and many words of worry weremon there. This time, however, there was a guest who usually avoided even entering the royal castle.


    Inquisitor High Lord stood out among all due to his tall height, outfit and aura. Everyone would cower in fear and make way for him to proceed. Only a few strong-willed ones would bow their heads and greet him in the church style.


    But Lord Inquisitor walked straight to the Queen and stood beside her. The party then continued, and he talked. "It must te you to see your kingdom on the brink of copse. Your family has fallen into all the enemy traps."


    Queen Rexina chuckled. "Yet here I am, delighted and enjoying this gathering. I can''t wait to see the armies of Riveria march into these streets and take everything. Perhaps, then the Holy Land will realise their mistake."


    Lord Inquisitor''s eyes shed red, annoyed and angered at the tant disregard the woman had for the people of her own kingdom. "The only mistake was to allow you to rise to the throne after your husband''s death. Even if merely a few years old, your son would have been a better ruler."


    The Queen sneered and took the ss of wine her servant had brought. "It''s not I who failed, my lord. It''s the faith that failed us. You stopped me from taking Riveria, and now Riveria will take us. The world runs on the rule of the jungle¡ªthe winner takes it all. You can impose your will all you want, but the kingdoms will always defy."


    Inquisitor High Lord looked around the hall and then outside the window. "You never cared for the realm or the faith. So do not cry at me now with your childishints. Men and women with nothing live a much better and happier life out there, yet you were never satisfied with the kingdom. May the Holy Light enlighten your mind."


    Inquisitor High Lord proceeded to leave after meeting a few more higher nobles to avoid making it appear he only came for the queen.


    "Queen mother, do you need anything else?" The servant, Mary, asked.


    The Queen scoffed and put the ss away. "I wish to retire to my chambers. That man ruined the night for me."


    The servant pushed the chair away and helped the Queen change into her night dress, cleaning, and then bedding. Mary did everything for the Queen and usually spent most of her day with her. Even when sleeping, she rested just outside the chamber.


    Her entire life was devoted to the Queen. In return, she got to feed her poor family in the city and fund the study of her younger siblings. She was not an actual ve, but her life was nothing less than toned-down very.


    "Good night, Queen mother." Mary extinguished thentern and left the bed chamber.


    The Queen, alone in her room, tucked in the bed, stared at the night sky outside from the open widow. The warm breeze of the summer was soothing, but her mind was never at peace. Instead, it was always filled with dreams of what could have been.


    "Dear, I failed as your wife. My promise to you on the deathbed¡ªI couldn''t bring back the Empire. I hope you will forgive me¡­ I tried my all."


    The memories of the old when she was but a young girl surfaced in her mind. Her marriage, her first night after that, and then the birth of her children. When the King died and when she took over. She had so much pride and might¡ªbut here sheid, paralysed, a gift from the Holy Land that she spent her life praying to.


    "I hope someday¡ªsomeone makes those fanatics taste defeat in their own game. I hope someday someone will punch those on the high seats in the face."


    Slowly, she drifted into sleep. The breeze made it much more soothing. In calmness, with a smile on her face, the Queen remained unmoved. The whole night, no one knew that the Queen had silently been reproved¡ªBy the Holy Land.


    Ting!


    Ting!


    In the morning, first came the loud cries of the servant, Mary. Then came the loud bells ringing across the city¡ªdering that a royal had fallen.


    In therge monastery, Inquisitor High Lord stood in front of the bell on the roof as it rang. Beside him was a bald man with no hair on his face. Wearingmoner''s robes, the man appeared as unnoticeable as a pebble on the street.


    "So a chapter ends for the Gracia Kingdom. Finally, thest Gracia royal who saw Gracia Empire is gone. It wasn''t easy."


    Inquisitor High Lord nodded as he stared at the bell. "How did you do it without being noticed, Saint Seer?"


    The bald man grinned evilly. "A true craftsman never reveals his true skills, my lord. But it''s you, so I will tell you. I simply poisoned the servant of the Queen. But the special poison wasn''t deadly for the servant; instead, her breath became poisonous. Over time, since she remained so close to the Queen, her breath poisoned the Queen. It was a peaceful, painless death, Lord Inquisitor."


    The big man in red didn''t say much about it. No one ever knew what went on in the mind of Inquisitor High Lord. "Thank you, Saint Seer. Did you bring what I asked for?"


    The bald chief spymaster of the Pope took out a small vial that had nothing in it. "I did, but I can''t give it unless you tell me why you need it. Holy Father''s orders."


    Inquisitor High Lord looked towards the royal castle in the distance. "One titan has fallen¡ªbut the other one remains."


    Saint Seer''s face turned excited instantly, and he handed over the vial. "Ah, I never took you for a scheming man, my lord. Such surprising times we live in. Well, I must leave now. Please use this vial wisely. A single one is expensive enough to bankrupt an entire kingdom."


    No more words were spoken, for they were never meant to be. The future was something none of them could foresee. Will it be full of turmoil or calm? For now, there was no cure for the qualm.


    ¡­


    Ironstone Duchy, Duke''s Castle.


    Sylvester arrived with the Inquisitor army and took over everything. The town and the castle didn''t have many guards and defences left as most of the powerful members had gone to battle. Even the people didn''t oppose and hid in their homes¡ªin fear.


    "A thousand of you shall take over the town. Five hundred of you take the monastery, and the remaining five hundred follow me into the castle!" Sylvester ordered the army.


    The men saluted and dispersed quickly. While Sylvester, on foot, marched to the three walls of the castle premise. Felix and Sir Dolorem were walking on his side while the rest were behind him.


    "We have captured so many lords, Sylvester. Are we going to ask for ransom? We have a noble from every house in the duchy." Felix asked interestedly.


    Sylvester agreed solemnly. "We have spent a lot in this war, Felix. So we have to find ways to recuperate the cost at least. But we will let a few good lords go as long as we have proof that they were manipted by the Witch."


    Boom!


    Just then, they arrived at the first wall of the castle, and a loud magic cannon fire resounded. The cannonballnded right in front of Sylvester.


    They all looked up and saw a few royal knights in full armour. They were preparing for another cannon strike.


    At that, Sylvester waved his hand, and an Inquisitor came running with the g of the Duke. He waved it clearly and roared. "The Duke has lost the war! Surrender the castle, or all of you shall be treated as heathens for opposing the Church! You will be killed, along with your family, if you have any!"


    Sylvester waited for a few minutes as he heard some discussions at the top of the wall. There was even an argument from the sound of it. But eventually, a white g was waved, and the doors were opened.


    Sylvester then moved in, and slowly, all three gates were opened, giving them full ess to the castle''s surroundings. All the guards were also arrested and imprisoned outside the walls.


    "Lord Bard! Lord Bard!"


    But just then, an inquisitor came rushing on a horse, shouting. "M-My Lord! A word from the Monastery! The Witch has taken Cardinal Cornelius hostage!"


    Sylvester sighed, not really shocked. "I knew this won''t go straight. Men, take the defensive position! It seems that Witch won''t go down without a fight!"


    Felix scoffed. "Sad for her. No matter what ns she makes¡ªher end will be on a burning stake."


    "Amen!" Not only Sylvester but the entire army of Inquisitors roared.


    ________________________


    700 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 254 254. A Moral Dilemma

    With the new information, they arrive inside the castle. Unfortunately, Duke Daemon didn''t have much family support, so the only Gracia in the castle was the Duke himself.


    But Sylvester had no worries as he had already gotten a map of the most critical routes from the Duke. So, Sylvester knew that the Witch was most likely at the castle''s bottom level, a few hundred metres below the surface.


    That was where the Witch had created her workshop. In Duke''s own words, he was not allowed to go in there either. That instantly raised many questions.


    Boom!


    But, the moment they stepped into the castle, the giant, tens of metres tall gates got loose and started to fall on them. But thankfully, they were so big that they needed time to fall, enough that all the men could jump aside.


    Thud!


    A cloud of dust emerged, and they coughed. But Sylvester used a simple air spell to clean the whole area to ensure he had his eyes on his men at all times.


    He had more worries now, though. "It seems that Witch has ced many traps for us. This is going to be a very annoying journey. Sir Dolorem and Elyon, you two have the best natural sense, so walk with me at the front. Bishop Lazark, please create a few skeleton undead and send them fifty metres ahead of us."


    "Understood, Lord Bard." Bishop Lazark took action fast and went out to summon an undead skeleton that was at some point buried underground nearby.


    After that, in the lead was the undead. Sometimes, the poor undead got shot with an arrowing from the ceiling. Sometimes it caught fire spontaneously, and sometimes it tripped and fell due to sudden spikes on thend.


    Not only that, Elyon and Sir Dolorem were also announcing whenever they''d sense anything strange. They had already smelled some oil hidden in the ceiling that was to fall on them and start burning them.


    "What a mad woman. For how many years has she been preparing for this?" Gabriel wondered annoyedly. Everyone else shared his thoughts as well.


    "The Duke said he had given the Witch all the permissions to do whatever she wanted in the castle. She was, after all, the Duchess. Her man must have been busy working while she did all this. Let''s keep moving." He ordered, and the march continued.


    Over time, they came across a lot of traps. But then they arrived at a ce Sylvester purposefully wished to reach. It was the treasury room of the castle, and it was just behind a steel door. The same door whose key Sylvester had gotten from the Duke.


    "Let''s keep moving, men!" He urged everyone.


    But he had a small chat with a furry boy on his shoulder. "You have the key, now go in there, take more than half of all the gold and valuables, and return to me fast. I will purposefully go slow until you''re back."


    Miraj''s mouth had an unnatural grin the whole time. "Hehe¡­ I am speed, Maxy. Worry not. I''ll be back in a jiffy."


    And with that, Miraj zoomed away like an arrow. Jumping from Sylvester''s shoulder and going to therge metal gate. He then waited until all the Inquisitors had left to open it and slid inside sneakily.


    Thud!


    But, what waited for him, even he was not prepared. He fell on his furry ass in shock, and his blue eyes shone gold. His jaw hung open, and drool fell like a waterfall.


    "B-B-Banananana¡­" Miraj was officially broken¡­ and perhaps, in love with money.


    ¡­


    Eventually, nearly twenty minutester, Miraj returned to Sylvester with a big shining smile on his face. He looked particrly white and furry for some reason.


    "How was it?" Sylvester asked.


    Miraj grinned and showed a gold coin between his jaws. "Hehe¡­ Maxy, we''re rich! Very rich!"


    ''How much was it?'' Sylvester wondered in silence. But he couldn''t speak loud as they finally reached the serious parts of the basement.


    After going below the third level of the basement of the castle, everything turned crude, as if nobody had bothered to keep this part tidy. There were no torches. There were no carved walls. It had started to appear like a cave system that went narrow as they proceeded.


    It all felt like a mountain was carved and went deeper, one level at a time. They found nothing on those levels, but now and then, they''d discover wild rats big enough to be called dogs¡ªthose needed to be killed as they were annoying.


    "Fuck! These bastards don''t know what fear is!" Felix cursed as he swung the sword to kill the rats.


    Sylvester didn''t want to spend too much magic as he feared he''d need it in the confrontation against the Witch. So he used his spear as well. There were five hundred of them anyway, and the rats were weak. So it was not much of a bother.


    "This is annoying!" Sylvester added.


    But they made progress no matter what. After who knows how long, they arrived at the bottom level. Everything was pitch ck, and the surroundings seemed like a carved cave with damp walls.


    They were deep underground, and there was a sea just a little east of the castle, so it was understandable. But what caught their eye was therge, rusted metal door at the end of the cave.


    The door blocked the only path, so it was the only way to go. It was made of some sort of blood-red metal, and on the door was the carving of some strange runes, as well as a skeleton head with a crown. Even above the door, a few skeletons were carved on the stone.


    "Why do they always use skeletons?" Felix wondered. "It''s the worst way to tell everyone ''Oh, the evil witch is here! Come in!''. So dumb."


    Sylvester chuckled and walked closer to it to observe. But he was careful not to touch it. "Hmm¡­ the runes are ordinary, but not what we usually see. It''s supposed to do something to us if we try to force it open. But what?"


    "Let me try something." Bishop Lazark said and sent the undead to touch the door.


    Bzzz!


    The Undead got electrocuted, and it was very intense.


    Sylvester sighed and lifted his right palm. "It seems the only way inside is to obliterate this thing. So, everyone, step back."


    Then he chanted a short hymn from the past and sent a smaller beam of light directly at the door. Now, this attack was strong enough to make deep tunnels into the formidable Wall of Void. So, what was a steel door?


    Not to mention, whatever that witch did with it was dark magic. And the bane of Dark magic was the light of one true bard.


    Boom!


    The Inquisitors prayed under their breath at the sight. Their belief in Sylvester went more profound every time he showed them his halo, hymn and power.


    He didn''t use it for a long time, however. Merely after three seconds, he stopped and looked. "Ah, it seems I went a little overboard. There is no trace of the door left."


    Felix agreed. "Perhaps you have be too strong for these mortal tasks. Next time, allow me to do such things."


    ck! ck!


    Meanwhile, Bishop Lazark sent the undead inside first. They had no idea what was on the other side, so they were cautious. Not to mention, everything was dark, and some sort of fog was there too.


    Sylvester looked back. "Men of Inquisition, did you bring your masks?"


    "Yes, Lord Bard!" They roared.


    "Masks up! Stay vignt and blow anything that moves¡ªas long as it''s not the Cardinal," Sylvester ordered, and also put on apulsory mask to protect himself from the Soul Eater demon-like situation.


    With that, they slowly moved inside. Bishop Lazark was guiding them down the path. "No obstruction found. But it seems the area is vast."


    "I smell something!" Beastkin Elyon spoke suddenly. "I smell¡­ rotting flesh and a lot of ash."


    Sylvester was also smelling something. ''I smell so much rage, jealousy and hate from inside. But why is there no death like that time? Or¡­ was it a false g back then? Perhaps the scent of death was from the Grand Wizard hiding in the castle?''


    He still stayed on guard and took each step with care. On the first look as he stepped inside. He felt like he was walking on sand. But, on another look, it turned out to be ash as it was too fine.


    Then he looked around, and as far as their regr torches could go, they saw nothing. Just dark emptiness and smoke all around.


    ''This is bad. She can strike us if we don''t have a clear view.''


    So he raised his right hand above his shoulder and used normal light magic to act like a lighthouse. Of course, his light was far more intense than any touch could achieve, so he lightened a lot more area.


    "Felix and Gab, throw light crystals as far as you can." He ordered.


    With that, slowly, they started to see the entire vicinity. But, to find the witch, it didn''t take long as soon a light appeared ahead¡ªakin to fire. It was like a burning pot in the arms of something¡ªsomeone¡ªinhuman.


    "Good lord! What is that abomination?!" Felix shouted in fright.


    Shhh!


    All swords were out instantly, and magic spells were ready to be thrown. The abomination in front of them was enough to cause nightmares, let alone be standing in front of it.


    Sylvester, too, felt his scalp tingle. For some reason, he found this more frightening than the Soul Eater or a Bloodling. Because in those cases, he knew they were not humans and hence so ugly. But here, the Duchess he had seen was a beauty of no limit¡ªprecisely opposite of what he saw now.


    Even Gabriel, the asionally abusive priest, activated his light magic, making his palms shine. "W-What the hell is that, Sylvester?"


    Sylvester took a deep breath and started walking forward to allow the Inquisitors more space to move. However, he still remained alert from the creature. It appeared humanoid but was at least nine feet tall. It was not a human, however, as the face seemed too¡ªugly. in yellow face, creepy smiling lips, two shining yellow dots as eyes.


    The attire was even more frightening, for she wore some sort of a gown with many torn pieces of human skin. The headgear was pointy and made of cloth. Around the neck was a ne made of human arms, numbering dozens. Meanwhile, near the bottom of the gown were little humanoid creatures¡ªas if they were babies¡ªbut demonic looking.


    [A/N: See the Witch]


    Worse was the fact that Sylvester could see at least a dozen more simr shadows in the back. They were definitely not full humans.


    "Duchess Artemis?" Sylvester asked.


    "Hehehe¡­" An ear-piercing giggle resounded, followed by a whispering feminine voice. "Wee, Lord Bard. So you have killed my husband? You did beyond my expectations. But now you must choose."


    The horrifying womanly creature threw hundreds of crude cotton dolls on the ground from a bag. "Each of these Blood Dolls is tied to Duchy''s nobles. So tell me, will you save this Duchy or¡ªOr let hundreds die for a single Cardinal?"


    She moved aside and revealed the nude body of Cardinal hung on a stake, covered with minor cuts and on each cut was a leech, drinking the blood. The man appeared pale and thin as a skeleton¡ªlikely had a few more minutes left to live.


    "Hehehe¡­ Choose, Lord Bard! Tick Tock! Time is of the essence!" The Witchughed menacingly, standing still.


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 255 255. Sylvester And The Witch

    Sylvester looked at the dolls and then at the Cardinal. In his mind, he did a quick calction on who mattered to him the most. On the one hand, the Cardinal was Sir Dolorem''s friend, while the nobles of the Duchy were essential to run the whole region. Having all of them killed would mean that most of the authority figures would be gone, pushing the entire region into chaos.


    And not to be forgotten, the entire duchy was known to be the real money maker of the Gracia Kingdom. With its destruction and the mess that happened in the northern Duchy of Colorwood, the entire Kingdom will be doomed to extreme poverty and hunger.


    "What? Confused? Let''s make it easier then." The ugly Witch spoke. "If I were to pour this fire pot on these Blood Idols, then that would kill all the important nobles of the Duchy. Most of these are under arrest by you, as I understand. Now, if they all were to die¨C"


    ''Fuck!'' Sylvester cursed internally. ''The people will lose faith in the church if they believe that the church and I killed them. They will see me as a cruel person, and my name will be tarnished around the continent. But the Cardinal is a man in a very high position, and he can truly help me when the timees.''


    "What''s your n? Let''s say I chose one. Then what? You have nowhere to escape." Sylvester asked.


    The Witch smiled creepily, showing her rotten teeth. "You will ensure I can leave this continent alive and well on a ship, Lord Bard. You may only select one, and that will be my hostage. Then you will arrange me a ship in the Duke''s Private port. A ship from Libertia."


    Sylvester scoffed and folded his arms while keeping a look of pride on his face. "Then I choose none, you ugly wench!"


    "..."


    "What?" Felix gawked.


    The Inquisitors also looked at Sylvester in confusion. Were they not going to save anyone? That sounded like the worst deal possible.


    The Witch was also taken aback. "How dare you mock the great Darkbird! I am an elder Witch, and I can curse your generations with misery!"


    Sylvester kept the same persona. "Is that so? Are you going to curse the Bard of the Lord, who possesses the most potent light magic in history? Wench! Open your eyes and look around. There is nowhere to run, and no matter what, I will have your head!"


    Everyone was confused why Sylvester had changed his method all of a sudden. What was it that he saw, but others didn''t?


    Even Sir Dolorem took Sylvester''s side. "She deserves nothing by fire."


    "Hehehe¡­ Are you sure you want this? Fine, I shall kill the Cardinal first, then." The Witch moved towards Cardinal Cornelius hanging on the stake.


    She took out a dagger and extended her right hand towards the Cardinal''s throat. She giggled menacingly the whole time, while the Cardinal didn''t even react as he was already on the brink of death.


    "You caused this, Lord Bard. These deaths will be on your head."


    Woosh!


    "Aaaaargh! My Arm!"


    Opposite to what most were expecting to happen, the Witch started screaming in pain as her arm disappeared all of a sudden. Now, it was just a simple fountain of blood, spewing red everywhere.


    "Aaaa!" She spun around in anguish and covered the wound with the other hand. Her entire right arm from the shoulder had gone missing as if it had been cut with a hot knife. The wound was too smooth.


    "W-What have you done to me?" She screamed.


    Only Sylvester knew what had happened. On his shoulder, the furry boy returned with a grin on his face, showing his cute little thumb. Miraj had sessfully eaten the arm of the Witch.


    Sylvester, without any reservations, walked forward. But, simultaneously, he sang a hymn that created a halo behind his head. He did it not to attack but just to make the present Inquisitors more loyal to him.


    ?O'' filth that has been born on thisnd.


    Sins you havemitted, crimes so grand.


    All has a price that you must understand.


    I shall ensure not to leave a single strand.?


    ?Now, prepare to face the wrath of heaven, heathen!


    To burn you, you have given me enough reasons.?


    The Witch finally started to panic and stumbled back, falling down. "S-Stay back! Do you have any idea who you are dealing with?"


    Sylvester nodded and stopped singing. Then he created ws on his fists, made of solid light, long, sharp and shining bright. "What''s your real name?"


    "A Witch has no name! But you may call me Darkbird!" She grunted back in reply while dragging herself away.


    Sylvester agreed and kept walking closer. "Darkbird, do you know what''s the difference between a Wizard and a Witch? A Wizard can harness the Srium and use it to create all sorts of miracles and control nature to the whim. But, a Witch can not use Srium like that. A Witch can only do certain things indirectly. By using materials, using various runes. But she can never attack like a Wizard."


    Sylvester''s face was slowly turning from a smile to an evil grin. "Do you know what that means? You are nothing! A pest! I can walk over you, cave your skull, and you can''t do anything to me! Use your materials. Against me? Go ahead and try it."


    The Witch panicked and tried to stand up fast. But, theck of an arm stopped her from that.


    Bam!


    Sylvester finally arrived beside her and stepped one foot on her chest. Though he appeared visibly disgusted as he now saw her from close. "Tell me, why were you after the breasts of noble women?"


    Crunch!


    Sylvester''s leg pressed harder, creating cracking sounds. He was serious, and he could easily kill the Witch. He realised this fact just now as he smelled no scent of death or danger from her.


    "Speak!"


    "Aaaa! T-To make my sisters! Look behind me! I needed the best parts from women to make them!"


    Sylvester looked back and noticed the other tall figures. They turned out to be just scarecrows made of human flesh. "You can create a life by joining human parts?"


    "I tried¡­ A lot! Lord Bard¡­ Do you want riches? Do you want eternal beauty?"


    Sylvester sneered and pressed harder on her chest, cracking a few more ribs. "How did you be like this? Last I saw, you were a shorter graceful beauty."


    The Witch scoffed. "That was merely a disguise! This is the real me, a body and form I have attained after years of hardships, rituals and experiments! I am the epitome of beauty that men should desire! So tell me, Lord Bard¡­ What is it that you desire the most? I can make anythinge true!"


    Sylvester raised his right hand and showed his w. "Your head."


    Bam!


    He didn''t behead her as he still needed answers. So he only stabbed her in the various parts of her muscles where they wouldn''t bleed as much. Then, he stabbed her again and again, turning her immobile.


    "So much misery, so much pain. There is more to you than what meets the eye, I know. Congrattions, Witch, your days of torture will now begin." Sylvester muttered and let her drift into sleep.


    ''I still don''t know who Sir Kenworth is, and who gave me that small clue in Baron Redwood''s town?'' Sylvester still had many answers left.


    Sylvester then looked to the side. He saw the small, baby-like creatures. They were now very demonic but also appeared frightened. He could smell it from them.


    ''These are perhaps real babies she stole and experimented on over the period. No wonder the town outside the castle has an orphan problem.'' Sylvester sighed at sight.


    "Inquisitors, carefully kill these little creatures, and burn everything in the vicinity!" He started ordering. "Bishop Lazark, call your undead again and make it undress this Witch. We can''t allow her to take anything dangerous with her¡ªespecially in jail."


    "Understood, Lord Bard!" The men got to work.


    But Bishop Lazark''s was the most important job. He made the poor undead slowly undress the nine-foot-tall, hideous body.


    "Uwaaa!" Gabriel really vomited as soon as the gown was removed.


    Felix tried to hold it in while he moved to Sylvester and hugged him tightly. "B-Brother, my beautiful best friend. Thank you for saving me that night¡­ I would have killed myself if she had done it with me."


    Sylvester, too, was amazed at the sight. The body of the Witch was rotten, to say the least. Her breasts were mismatched and appeared fake as they were not yellow in colour like the rest of her skin. Instead, they seemed to have normal human skin. The Witch had likely operated on herself and imnted them, he reckoned.


    The rest of her body was filled with tumours, ulcers that were swollen and some even leaking smelly substances. The Witch''sher regions were rotten beyond words. It was best never to exin the details, for they were too grotesque.


    ''Is this why she got so angry when I asked her about the looks? Perhaps she was also trying to attain her normal body back? While coping with the fact she''s ugly right now?'' Sylvester wondered and patted Felix''s shoulder.


    "Felix, you were lucky. But think about the poor Cardinal. And did the Duke know about her true form?" Sylvester wondered.


    Bishop Lazark sighed and prayed for all the men who were vited by the Witch. "May the lord have mercy on them and keep them without disease, for this hole is infested with corruption."


    Soon, the whole area got engulfed in the fire. All the little demonic creatures got killed, and all the other scarecrows got burnt. Leaving only the Witch to be arrested and taken into a torture chamber.


    "Lord Bard!" Just then, Bishop Lazark eximed. "The undead found something, a letter addressed to you, as far as I noticed."


    Sylvester took it to read. "What did the Witch write for me now? Hmm¡­ Dear Sylvester Max¨C"


    Thud!


    Thud!


    Thud!


    All heads looked left and right at the sudden thumping noises.


    "What''s that?" Felix wondered and took out his sword.


    Sylvester put the letter in his pocket and prepared his spear as well. His eyes were now focused on the gate from which they had entered. "Inquisitors! Battle formation!"


    Thud!


    Thud!


    Beastkin Elyon stood beside Sylvester and whispered. "Humans, my lord."


    Sylvester took a sigh of relief from that. ''My senses don''t give me any particr smell either. So they can''t be enemies then.''


    "Prepare to attack when I tell you!" Sylvester roared.


    Soon, the sound became more apparent, and it felt like the footsteps of a marching army as it descended the stairway. It wasing closer with each passing second.


    ''I was not informed that anyone would being here. Is it the Inquisitors from the camp?'' He wondered in silence and kept his palm facing the door.


    Thud!


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 256 256. Rise Of A Kingmaker

    Finally, with one big thud, it abruptly stopped. Only one man appeared behind the door after that¡ªa man less than six foot, bald on the head and hairless on the face too. One could easily fail to recognise the man as he looked ordinary and uninspiring.


    "May the Holy Light Enlighten us, my brothers of the faith!"


    Sylvester walked forward with a frown. This was the man he never liked and perhaps never will, for he knew that if anyone, he needed to be careful with him the most.


    But still, he bowed his head and greeted, for thetter was too high above him. "Greetings, Saint Seer. What brings your esteemed self so far from the Church? These little menial tasks are too beneath you."


    The Spymaster smiled and looked around at the alert men of the Inquisition. He was shocked that they had not put down their weapons even after Sylvester announced who he was. Loyalty was absolute from what it appeared, and it worried him, making him raise his non-existent brows.


    "You praise me too much, Archpriest. But, in the end, we all are servants of the faith."


    "What brings you here?" Sylvester got the point right away.


    The bald spy kept looking around carefully. Sylvester knew precisely what the man was doing, as he did it too¡ªchecking the surroundings, reading the crowd''s mood, and predicting the subsequent actions.


    "You did an amazing job, Archpriest. But seeing this matter involves the Duchy and the lives of millions, I havee to take over. So, you are freed from themand of the Inquisitors and the Crusaders¡ªYou may return to the Holy Land and see your mother."


    Tensions red up instantly as everyone knew Sylvester would never leave his work unfinished. Not to mention, they were already done with it. So giving up now didn''t make sense.


    Sylvester stared calmly into the bald man''s eyes and asked. "The great Seer sees all. I do wish to see my mother, but I took an oath in the name of Solis to let personal rtionships be a thing of the past. So I''d rather finish my work before I return. But, may I know if you found out how the attackers reached my mother?"


    The Spymaster shook his head expressionlessly. "Sadly, I couldn''t. I''m afraid that finding a mole in one''s own family is the hardest. But rest assured, we will find the main sinners soon. For now, the two attackers were dealt with by your new recruit on the spot."


    Sylvester kept looking into the man''s eyes for a second before moving. "Understood. I am finished here, and we have arrested the Witch. Let''s return to the surface and put her behind bars. We need to provide emergency help to the Cardinal as well."


    Saint Seer agreed. "Let''s move then."


    Sylvester waved his hand at the back and headed out alone. However, the veins on his forehead popped up as he suppressed his anger. ''Bullshit! You may be a spymaster, but I know when you lie. But why lie¡ªDid he have his hands behind the attack on mum? Does the Pope know? Or is the Seer from another faction?''


    Sylvester felt extremely angry at that instant. But he knew he was powerless in such matters. He had no authority to override the orders of Saint Seer, a Cardinal member of the highest decision-making body.


    "Chonky, did you take them?" Sylvester asked his loyal partner on the shoulder.


    Miraj nodded dutifully. "Aye, aye, Maxy. I took all those dolls. Now they are locked and secure in the Chonky Bank."


    "Good. They may have the Duchy and the control, but with these dolls, I shall always have the lifeline in my hands." Sylvester muttered and rxedly climbed back up.


    Yes, he was dissatisfied that the mission was being taken away from him. But he could understand it as the case was directly rted to the life and death of a Duke and a war that all wanted to avoid.


    Now orter, the involvement of the higher-ups was inevitable. But, he now worried about what was toe next as he was hoping to meet King Riveria personally with the head of the Duke as a gift. But if the Higher Ups deem him unworthy of handling something so big, they might not send him.


    ''I need to speak with a few folks of power quickly.''


    ¡­


    Sylvester walked out of the Castle and noticed many soldiers from the Holy Army manning the various ces. The entire town was also taken over by the Church, it appeared. In contrast, his Inquisitor Army was pushed aside and forced to stand outside the town.


    He went to them and ordered them to follow him back to their camp away from the town, near the battlefield that remained a wastnd now.


    Soon, Felix, Sir Dolorem and the rest also came from behind and joined him. So the Duke''s Castle officially fell into Saint Seer''s hands. He didn''t care, however.


    By evening, Sylvester reached the camp and reunited with the rest of the army. He still had too many prisoners, however. So he sent a man back to the Castle and requested Saint Seer to take the prisoners.


    But when he looked around, he couldn''t find Isabe in the sick bay. So he went to therge tent set up for Lady Aurora.


    Sniff!


    When he arrived, he heard soft cries from inside. So he didn''t barge in and first tried to see what the situation was all about.


    "H-How could Harold do this? Mum passed away, and he didn''t even call me for the cremation ceremony. I wanted to see her for onest time¡ªjust once. She was not a good mother, but I still have many fond memories¡­ I will never see her again."


    Sylvester sighed outside. ''So the Inquisitor High Lord did it. Forgive me, Isabe, but I must ensure peace until I learn to climb faster through thedder of chaos.''


    He walked inside the tent. "We have caught the Witch, and the battle is ov¡­"


    "Sylvester!" Isabe jumped to her feet and rushed to hug Sylvester. "H-How did my mother die? Did someone kill her?"


    "She died?" Sylvester acted shocked. "When?"


    "You don''t know anything?" Isabe looked at his face. "She passed away three days ago."


    Sylvester caressed her head as he had realised by now that Isabe saw him as a guiding figure. "I don''t know what happened. But there must be a reason why your brother did this. Perhaps the war didn''t allow him to hold a long week of mourning."


    "But still¡­" She sobbed in silence.


    Sylvester let her use his shoulder. He didn''t know the feeling of having one''s parents die. But he reckoned it was simr to having any loved one die. He also tried to imagine Xavia dying, which made him sad.


    "The war here is over. You can return to Green City now. King Harold was not responsible, but Daemon was, and so was his Witch wife. She confessed herself." Sylvester said. While he caressed her hair, he also used light magic to warm her.


    In a few minutes, she cried herself to sleep. So Sylvester tucked her into the bed and looked at Lady Aurora.


    "How are you?"


    Lady Aurora patted her arms and shoulders, then gave a thumbs up. "Alive, in one piece, and stronger than ever. But how did I survive? How did you survive? I tried my best to keep Sir Maximus busy, but eventually, he overpowered me."


    Sylvester exined to her in brief words. "Lord Second, Bloodrain, appeared. He sted Sir Maximus'' arms, healed us and ended the battle. I also chopped Duke Daemon''s arms and took his eyes before that. We also had the Witch arrested. But sadly, Saint Seer has appeared and has taken over everything. Right now, I''m officially jobless."


    Lady Aurora''s brows were touching her hairline. "What? So much has happened? So I missed the best parts, you mean? But it would make sense if Bloodrain was here. Even my father admires him."


    Sylvester finally asked her about the man. "Why? What''s his story? How did he get blind?"


    Lady Aurora appeared offended but soon realised something. "Ah! You''re not a Bishop, so you can''t read real history books. Well, the man is hardcore. When he was the Inquisitor High Lord, the men under hismand oncemitted a grave sin. They burned, piged and raped a desert town because the people of the town refused to serve the Inquisitor''smands to give away their food and water."


    ''Verymon urrence, I must say.'' Sylvester thought. But, even he wasn''t prepared for the next part.


    She continued excitedly. "Angered, Lord Bloodrain killed every man in that ten thousand-member Inquisitor Army and dragged themanders by their necks to the Holy Land, by which they had died painfully. Then he entered the previous Pope''s Pce, knelt before the Pope''s feet, gouged his eyes out and presented it as an apology and surrender for punishment."


    Sylvester instinctively cursed. "Good God!"


    She agreed with him. "Indeed, he is an extreme devotee of Solis, for whom he''d do anything. So the Pope, seeing Lord Bloodrain''s pain, decided to give him a special task. He ordered Lord Bloodrain to do two things. One, he was to ensure that Inquisitors never repeat their mistakes. Two, he was tasked with overseeing the conversion of Desert Cannibals and Mountain Tribes to the faith of Solis."


    ''No wonder I''ve never seen that man before in the Holy Land.'' Sylvester realised.


    But this was somewhat of an eye-opener too. He liked to believe that the Lord Inquisitor was not the only loyal believer in Solis among the Guardians. Like Bloodrain, he hoped that there were others too.


    "So the man blinded himself and still went on to be the Second Guardian? He''s crazy." Sylvester mumbled in amazement.


    Lady Aurora nodded and stood up, yawning. "He''s yet another role model I follow, minus the blindness. Anyway, I''m starving, so I''ll go find something to eat. Do you want something?"


    Sylvester shook his head and walked out with her. "I will be writing my official application for a clergy promotion. It''s better to move fast, lest they forget my achievements."


    She agreed. "They should make you a Bishop easily. You''ve killed a bloody Soul Eater, held against a Grand Wizard, and defeated an overwhelmingly bigger army with the minimum casualty. Most men can''t achieve in their lifetime what you did in a few months."


    Sylvester crossed his fingers. "Let''s hope for the best, then. See youter."


    But Lady Aurora suddenly pulled his arm and looked him in the eye. "I''m asking this as your sister, so tell me the truth. Are we behind what happened in Green City?"


    Sylvester took a long breath and patted her shoulder. "Aurora, you know better than me that some things are better left unspoken. However, if you wish to know more, the Lord Inquisitor will be able to answer."


    She already deduced her answer from his reply. Sighing, she shook her head. "Isabe¡­ She''s a good girl. She deserves some happiness¡­is all I feel. I just¡­"


    Sylvesterpleted her words. "Don''t want her to live through what you did? A life full of hardships, pain and sadness? Well, I''m sorry to say, as the new Queen of Gracia Kingdom, she will have to bear that burden."


    "Q-Queen? What? Isn''t her elder brother the King?"


    Sylvester started stepping back while answering her in riddles. "Long gone is the time when lineage decided the King. Now we decide which side the throne shall swing. All to remove any liability¡ªfor longsting tranquillity."


    He turned around and left silently.


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 257 257. Price Of Misunderstandings

    Sylvester walked around the camp and looked for a ce to sit and write his letter. The sun was nearly set, and the warm night was looming. But the twin moons were shining very bright, so it didn''t seem as dark.


    The breeze was calm and soothing, andbined with the various small groups of the Inquisitors sitting together and singing; the night was very rxing.


    "Ah, what are you doing here alone?" Sylvester soon found Elyon sitting alone near the outskirts of the camp, where no particr noise reached. But the various insects yed their music, which felt more rxing.


    Sylvester joined the man, sitting beside him on the soft grass. He took out a parchment and started writing the application for a promotion. Though he also talked with the Tiger Beastkin. "What''s on your mind?"


    Elyon kept staring at the moons with his big ferocious eyes. "Wondering where they are."


    "Where they must be. They have fulfilled their destiny, Elyon. However long or short it was, they spent their reserved time in this world. We can never know what''s toe in our lives, my friend. Even I don''t know anything. Who knows, I might just die from something tomorrow, or I might not even wake up from sleep. Life is very unpredictable." Sylvester replied and kept writing.


    "What am I to do now, lord bard? I''m confused." Elyon asked.


    Sylvester blurted in reply. "Well, you can keep on living and waiting. One day, you will die too, when destiny sees it fit. But also know that it will never be easier just to forget your loved ones. Those memories wille to haunt you now and then. You can only ept them and live on."


    There was silence after that as both men didn''t speak anymore. Sylvester got busy writing about his heartfelt desire to be a Bishop so he could start focusing on his specialisation in magic. He wrote down all his achievements in it as well.


    "Lord Bard." Elyon started again. "Have you lost someone too?"


    At that, Sylvester''s hands stopped, and he looked up. A short burst of light shed in his eyes as he remembered everything so vividly. "Yes¡­ Someone significant to me was taken away by a terrible fate. To this day, I remember everything clearly. Anyway, why don''t you join me, Elyon? Be a Priest under my team. I can definitely use your talents and, perhaps, spread the word of Solis better among the Beastkins."


    "Will the Holy Land ept me?" Elyon asked.


    Sylvester didn''t have a clear idea, but he shrugged. "Why won''t they? The faith of Solis does not tell one to differentiate between species. As long as you''re a follower of Solis¡ªNothing else matters."


    Elyon looked at Sylvester seriously and asked. "What will be expected from me?"


    "Nothing much. Just go on various assignments with me and help meplete them. You will be a part of my team." Sylvester exined. "My work is usually investigative in nature."


    "Won''t it cause a problem for you? Even if the faith tells us not to discriminate, we know the true reality." Elyon asked.


    Sylvester shrugged and continued to write. "I have a necromancer in my team, Elyon. A beastkin won''t make much difference. Besides, if I truly want to change and influence the world, I need different people to understand different perspectives. Think about it, Elyon. You have a few days to decide."


    "I ept the offer." Elyon blurted without waiting. "If you''re ready to take a leap of faith and add me to your team, then I have no reason to back down. You are perhaps¡ªthe most decent man of faith I''ve known. I see no harm in working with you."


    Sylvester extended his palm. "Wee to the club then, Elyon."


    ''And my cult.'' He didn''t say that part out loud.


    ¡­.


    The Holy Land and the Administration of the Gracia Kingdom were busy. The trial of the Duke and the Witch was to be held. But it was more of torture than a trial. What they wanted was to know everything that there was about the two, especially the Witch.


    Soon, King Harold Gracia, Inquisitor High Lord, and other senior Cardinals from the Holy Land arrived at the Ironstone Duchy. All took testimonies of the Duke and the Duchess. The Duke confessed to knowing that his wife killed a few noble women. The Witch also confessed, but she and the Duke both denied knowing any Sir Kenworth or going after the wives of Count Jartel or Raftel. They denied going after King Riveria''s daughter too.


    The men from the church were fine with that and wanted to deal with the whole mess as fast as possible. So they set the dates of the private execution. The Witch was to be burned, and the Duke would be beheaded.


    Though, Sylvester was interested in something, so he went to the dungeons of the castle and secretly hid behind the jail cell of the Duke. He wanted to hear the exchange between him and the current King Harold.


    It was cold and dark in the dungeons. But, for Duke Daemon, it all didn''t matter, for his eyes had been taken. Even his arms were gone, which had truly broken him to the point that he didn''t even try to plead to be let go.


    "Look what you did to yourself." A new voice came as footsteps stopped before the castle''s jail cell. "Daemon, why did it have toe to this?"


    Duke Daemon replied in a sneering voice while he remained in his seat. "Wee, brother. Enjoying my misery? You finally got what you wanted all this time. I will be beheaded tomorrow."


    Thud!


    King Harold sat down, cross-legged. His voice cracked as he held the jail bars. "What stupidity are you bbering? I never wanted any harm toe to you, Daemon. I loved you wholeheartedly. We''re family, for God''s sake. We have so many joyous memories as kids together.


    "And, If I wanted to harm you, my armies would have marched on thisnd long ago."


    "Oh, really?" Daemon shook his head as anger red. "Then why did you send assassins to kill me? More than two hundred times in the past three years alone. If it were not for Uncle Maximus, I would be dead."


    King Harold was taken aback, feeling confused. "What? Who sent the assassins? Why would I send any assassins? And you think it would take me 200 attempts to kill someone? I have the entire coffers of the Gracia at my disposal. I could have hired anyone to deal with you."


    Daemon didn''t believe him. "Then why did you remove me from themerce department? I was the best master ofmerce in the history of the Kingdom."


    The King shook his head in disappointment. "It seems someone has sown the seeds of poison in your mind, and you couldn''t see beyond a certain perspective. I didn''t remove you¡­ I promoted you. The entire Kingdom''s biggest money maker is the Duchy of Ironstone. I wanted you to be the Duke and see that the duchy works even better and fills our coffers more."


    There was silence after that. Duke Daemon couldn''t even cry as his eyes, and the sockets were damaged. But he did wail vocally, feeling helpless and misguided. "Fuck! What about my wife? What happened to her? Did she say anything?"


    King Harold added. "Brother, I feel you are blessed not to have eyes right now. That Witch was wearing a disguise in front of the world. In reality, she''s a nine-foot-tall monstrosity. Imagine a rotten body with a demonic face. She was using you to conduct her unholy experiments, trying to create her clones. You were just a fool who fell for her fake looks¡­ and she used you conveniently. She''s from the Sand Continent¡ªDarkbird is her name."


    Thud!


    Duke Daemon fell from his chair and crawled forward sloppily as hecked arms. His voice shook as if he was terrified. "I¡­ I messed up so badly. Did mother say anything about me?"


    "Daemon, our mother passed away four days ago. It was peaceful and happened in her sleep."


    "N-No! No¡­" Daemon cried vocally and fell back into his jail cell. "What about Isabe? Please tell me she''s fine."


    "I''m fine, brother." A feminine voice came, and Isabe walked up to the cell. "You were supposed to be the smartest! Why? Why didn''t you hear me back then?"


    Daemon faced down and shook his head. "I know, Be. I have disappointed too many people with my actions. Only if I had sat down and thought about everything back then. It''s clear there are things happening that we cannot see. Someone was shooting an arrow off my shoulder. Someone made this long borate n, and sadly... they have won."


    "What now?" Isabe asked, her grey eyes showing her fears clearly. "I don''t want you to die."


    But her elder brothers knew that the world does not work on wishes and pities. Every action has a reaction, and here, it was death.


    Duke Daemon tapped his forehead on the jail bars, close to Isabe. "I must pay for these crimes, Isabe. If I don''t, then the entire Gracia family will be doomed. I caused this mess, so let it be my head to end it."


    "B-But! It''s not even you who killed King Riveria''s daughter! Or the Count''s wife." She cried.


    King Harold patted her back. "But the world thinks he did. So whoever was plotting behind the scenes has won the game without us even knowing. We have no way of proving that Daemon didn''t do it. And the term of stopping the war is Daemon''s head¡ªKing Riveria''s words himself."


    Isabe just cried at that and hugged Daemon''s neck, and then Harold hugged them too.


    The three were thest main members of the Gracia Bloodline. Soon, the number was supposed to fall further. They sobbed, together, in that dark, damp dungeon. They knew this doom was self-inflicted, so they had nothing to even defend themselves with.


    This was theirst chance to say their final goodbye to their brother. The pain of loss was high, as merely a few days ago, it was their mother.


    Sylvester, who heard everything, stood up and silently left to let them have a moment in peace. ''Sorry, but the world is ruthless and unforgiving. A crime has beenmitted, and now you must pay the price. But who is Sir Kenworth? This is as if the man was a ghost.''


    Sylvester soon walked to the open courtyard in the castle''s backyard, where they had set up the stake to burn the Witch. Many members of the Clergy were present, waiting to see the Witch burn and seeth in her rage as her flesh melts.


    Witches were usually burnt because they always revealed something when being burnt. And that revtion usually helped understand many mysteries. They expected to learn something new from her this time as well.


    "Ah! Archpriest Sylvester, about time you came." Saint Seer greeted him expressionlessly. "I expected you to return. But don''t worry about work. I will be taking the Duke''s head to King Riveria and ending the war. You can rest."


    ''This fuck! Why is he lying now? Testing me? For what?''


    ________________________


    400 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 258 258. The Great Revelation!

    Sylvester ran his mind at top speed to reply to Saint Seer. ''I already have the support of Lady Aurora, Inquisitor High Lord and King Harold. There is no way possible for him to get any permission. Without Gracia Family''s nod, none can touch Daemon''s body. So¡­ he''s seeing if I back down?''


    He still tried to sense any other emotions that Saint Seer possibly felt. ''Hmm¡­ There is an awful lot of hope I smell. So he wants me to back down?''


    Sylvester confidently replied to the man. "I''m afraid you are misinformed, Saint Seer. I have been given the nod by King Harold Gracia, Princess Isabe Gracia, Inquisitor High Lord and Lady Aurora. So ''I'' will be taking Duke''s head to meet King Riveria."


    Saint Seer smiled for the first time. "Is that so? Then I think I haven''t received the notification yet. I wish you luck with your¡­ adventure. Many eyes will be on you after your return."


    Sylvester didn''t stop looking the man in the eyes. He could easily kill the fool standing before him, as being a Saint didn''t require any martial or magical talent. What mattered were other necessary skills.


    ''I need to start being careful in the Holy Land from now on. The faction wars are intensifying slowly. But¡­ which side does this man stand for? He''s even the mastermind behind the Shadow Knight fiasco.''


    "I already have too many eyes on me, I''m afraid. But, I know, as long as your eyes are there to help me, I can rest easy." Sylvester replied in a very calm, emotionless manner.


    But Saint Seer was a seasoned spy and knew that Sylvester was merely showing his dissatisfaction in a very polite manner. "Of course, Archpriest Sylvester. Now, let''s focus on this burning."


    Sylvester agreed and walked away from the man to stand beside Sir Dolorem, Lord Inquisitor and Lady Aurora. He personally wasing to hate Saint Seer as he felt being looked down upon whenever the man called him Archpriest, instead of ''Bard'', like the rest of the people.


    Lady Aurora passed him a smile and brashly put her arm on his shoulder. "Ignore that bald buffoon. Even I get annoyed by him."


    "Aurora, behave!" Suddenly, Inquisitor High Lord''s eyes shone as he stared at his adopted daughter.


    Lady Aurora scoffed, perhaps the only person in the world who could do so. "Sylvester is my brother, and I shall do whatever I wish to do with him. Beat him, scold him or fight him."


    Sylvester rubbed his temples as he noticed the Inquisitor High Lord''s gaze falling on him next. Again, he felt the rage rising, and this was likely the rage of an overprotective father who didn''t want his daughter to be near boys.


    Sylvester quickly cleared things up. "Sister Aurora, I hope you don''t ruin my name with that loudmouth of yours someday."


    She chuckled and patted his back as she was shorter. "Don''t worry, boy. Our little fights will just be among us. For the world, we''ll be badass siblings."


    Sylvester didn''t refute her words and merely nodded. ''She probably never had such a close friendly rtionship with someone of her mindset before. Can''t reallyin, considering the higher clergy ranks are full of old boring folks.''


    "Hah¡­"


    ''What the!'' Sylvester was alerted instantly as he heard a faint chuckle from the Inquisitor High Lord. He was in utter disbelief.


    ''Good god! Is the sun rising from the east today? Since when did this madman start showing suchplex emotions?''


    But, of course, he didn''t point anything out and focused on the stake that was mostly prepared by now. The Inquisitors were doing this work as they were the experts, not the Holy Army.


    Chomp!


    Chomp!


    All of a sudden, Sylvester heard a chewing noise and looked to his side. There stood Felix beside him, with a small te in hand. "You''re eating roasted peanuts while waiting to watch a witch be roasted?"


    Felix shrugged. "What? I was hungry, brother. Not everyone has mad bodies like you. I had to steal this from the kitchen; the cooks are fierce in this castle."


    "..."


    Sylvester then looked further. There was Gabriel, reading some religious books as usual. Meanwhile, Bishop Lazark and Elyon stood at the back, talking about something. Only Isabe was missing, perhaps spending what time was left with her brother.


    "Aaaaargh! Please! Mercy! I will do anything you want. Let me go!"


    Before Sylvester could call his team to the front, loud screams of the Witch started toe from the distance. Clearly, she was making herst effort to escape. Sadly, Inquisitors could forget they are Inquisitors, but burning a Witch? They never forget or regret that.


    Amidst the Inquisition''s loud, boastful marching song, the men dragged the Witch forward. Her legs, leftover arm and neck were cuffed with thick iron chains, limiting her movements.


    ?Burn the witches, demons and possessed,


    Forsaken worldly craving, for only holy hymns we''re obsessed.


    No tainted desires, our honour, you can''t question.


    We are the mighty men of the Holy Inquisition.?


    As she was dragged to the stake, she noticed Sylvester standing at the side as a spectator. "Damn you, sunfucker! Damn you! Do you enjoy seeing me burned like this? Why? Because I look different? Yet, I possess and manipte the same Srium as you! Srium that Solis makes¡ªthat you pray to!"


    For once, Sylvester wholeheartedly agreed with herst words. He didn''t really see the Witch as a different person, but since shemitted grave sins, this was her punishment. He knew he might have even built a friendship if she had been a good witch.


    Though, he had to put her in her ce as she disrespected Solis. "Witch! You are a pest who denies ever learning! You had enough chances to take a turn. Hence, here you stand, ready to be burned."


    She even tried to spit on him.


    Of course, her spit didn''t even reach Sylvester''s feet. Instead, he just smiled at her, frustrating her even further.


    ''I do feel a sense of rxation with this mess being over. But still, a few more remain unresolved and iplete. Good god, I really need a short vacation.'' Sylvester sighed silently and stretched his neck sideways.


    Eventually, the Witch was tied to the stake, and one of the Senior Inquisitors came forward to pray while throwing holy water on her.


    "Aaargh! Release me!" She tried to free herself from the confines like a trapped animal.


    "Oh Lord of this world, let this soul rest in your arms. The wrong road it has taken; may you enlighten her path. Now, we shall purge her sins with your fiery wrath! Amen!"


    "Amen!" Everyone else repeated.


    With that, two Inquisitors came forward with fire torches in their hands. They started putting fire all around her on the wooden logs. Of course, since it was a Witch burning, they used special Inquisitor techniques to stack the wood for maximum anguish to the Witch.


    Slowly, the fire started to engulf the Witch. But her screams had not started yet. She merely kept staring at Sylvester, possibly cursing him to god knows what.


    Sylvester smelled her emotions clearly. Fury, sadness, fear, anxiety and whatnot. ''I guess¡­ To her, what she did was normal since she was probably brought up that way.''


    Woosh!


    The Inquisitor Wizards started using wind elemental magic to fan the mes and force them towards the stake in the centre.


    "Aaaargh! I-It hurts¡­ Please¡­!"


    Sylvester sighed, knowing very well that even when he bes the Pope, he will likely never ouw witch burning and torture. He knew very well that the dream of democracy was foolish in a world like this.


    He looked beside him, and it reaffirmed his mind after hearing the Inquisitor men talking.


    "It''s so sunny today! Such a fine day of Season of Solis."


    "Indeed, my brother. It''s a fine day to be burning a witch."


    Such words were prevalent among the Inquisitors as they all watched the burning.


    "Graaaa!" The Witch''s screams soon became hoarse and unintelligible.


    Everything was visible. Her hair burnt away, her clothes vanished, and her skin slowly melted down. Her legs gradually gave up, but she was tied to the stake tightly. Finally, her eyeballs started to fall out, and blood began to boil, creating popping bubbles.


    "Ha Ha Ha¡­"


    Finally, like most Witches, she lost her mind and sense of pain, prompting herughs. They expected her to say herst words at any moment and fall into dead silence. There were even scribes standing nearby, prepared to write whatever she said.


    "Aaaargh! L-Long Live!"


    Sylvester focused on her words, cutting every other noise from the surrounding.


    "L-Long live¡­ The Sand Lord! Hahaha¡­!"


    "Hahaha¡­!"


    She screamed whatever she wanted andughed like crazy, which slowly diminished and vanished eventually, leaving her dead body to be burnt away into nothingness slowly. The Scribes had frantically written everything down.


    Meanwhile, the faces of all the higher clergymen had fallen. Even Saint Seer appeared as if the devil had just kissed his cheeks.


    Sylvester looked to his side at Lady Aurora. "Who is the Sand Lord?"


    Lady Aurora''s eyes widened, too, just like the rest. But she soon turned to Sylvester and replied. "I-It''s the¡­ Lesser known name, mostly used by small tribes, for the Emperor of the Masan Empire. Good Lord! Was this all a conspiracy?"


    Boom!


    A silent explosion erupted in Sylvester''s mind as the various dots connected by themselves, and he too appeared, like the rest, shocked.


    "Wait!"


    He frantically searched his pockets and took out the letter he had found on the Witch, addressed to his name. But he didn''t read it out loud.


    ''Dear Lord Bard, the Witch is likely dead if you''re reading this. But still, let me tell you a story. There was once a witch, lost in the deserts of the west¡ªTired, alone, thirsty and hopeless. She was ready to sell her soul to the devil for some water.


    ''But, I offered her power, magic, wealth and above all, a prominent position in the court of the Masan Empire. She lunged at that opportunity and got ready to do my bidding. It took five years, but¡ªShe did what I wanted.


    ''After semi-sessful work in the Colorwood Duchy, I knew you''d eventually sniff this conspiracy out as well. But I''m delighted to say that this time you werete. Lord Bard, I truly admire you, but sadly, in this grand scheme, you''re a mere reactionary at the moment, chasing the shadow of a dream¡ªtoote to be in the game.


    ''Still, I hope that someday we meet. The ying fields are honestly boring with no one topete.


    ''From Sir Walder¡­ Sometimes also called Sir Kenworth¡ªBut people usually call me Shadow of Masan, sounds great, right?''


    Sylvester''s shoulder fell, and he blinked dumbly while staring at the burning Witch. ''This madness... How am I to get over¡ªWhen, by the time I learn his schemes, the game is already near closure?''


    ________________________


    700 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 259 259. The Final Piece

    Sylvester knew that he couldn''t do much about these plots. He couldn''t stop them as he entered the whole clergy system just a year ago. In contrast, all these plots had been running for years.


    It also showed Saint Seer''s failure. The fact that a spy could wreck the kingdom in the backyard of the Holy Land proved that the Holynd had failed to keep a strict eye. But there was another element that restricted the Holy Land from taking any drastic steps.


    Since the Masan Empire had not directly attacked the church and was only going after a Kingdom in the hopes of expansion, the Holy Land couldn''t do anything drastic openly. This was one of the majorws that kept some peace between the Holy Land and the Kingdoms.


    Inquisitor High Lord shook his head disappointedly while looking at Saint Seer. "How the snakes have entered the gardens we used to decorate. We didn''t even notice while ournds they slowly ate."


    Saint Seer felt the ground underneath his feet shake. He knew the Pope would be enraged, which was terrible. Because the moment he gets kicked out of the Sanctum Council, his doom wille, for he knew too many things that should nevere out.


    Sylvester was busy thinking about his own problems. ''So the whole war between Riveria and Gracia is likely his work. But we''re now in a situation where we can''t even negotiate and must behead the Duke. This man¡­ Shadow of Masan¡­ He really clutched his ws around the whole plot perfectly.''


    "Let''s move to the dungeons now. Duke is to be beheaded within an hour as well." Sylvester turned around and walked away. He wasn''t going to bother with these things for now. Not beforepleting his own scheme.


    Slowly, the crowd thinned out as the Witch was dead and mostly burnt. The Inquisitors returned to their positions, and the rest of the Clergymen went to the monastery. Duke Daemon''s execution was supposed to be done in as much secrecy as possible.


    So Sylvester, his team and a few other important people walked into Dungeon''s execution room. The ce was very dark and lit by torches on the walls. There was a tiny stone stage in the middle with a narrow block of stone to put heads on it.


    This time, there were no angry screams or words spoken. Instead, Duke Daemon willingly came with the soldiers and walked towards the chopping block. Hecked eyes, so there was nothing to see, but the man kept repeating the same words again and again.


    "I apologise for my ignorance."


    "I apologise for my ignorance."


    "I ask for forgiveness."


    "Let my neck be the end of it."


    That, honestly, made many clergymen feel uneasy since they had learned by now from the Witch''sst words that the Duke and the entire Gracia Kingdom was yed like a pawn in a game by the Masan Empire. The Duke''s only fault was not seeing through the lies. But, the Clergymen couldn''t me him either as they had failed too.


    Sylvester sighed and walked forward, and climbed the stage. He waved at the Inquisitors responsible for beheading and whispered something in the ear of the Duke.


    Instantly, the Duke''s mouth showed a smile as he nodded. "Thank you for telling me that, my Lord. Please forgive me for my heretic activities. I was¡­ misguided and lost."


    Sylvester stepped back a little and raised his right palm to shine his light upon the sad man who had epted his fate. He started to sing a hymn too, and the halo made every man and woman in the execution hall hold their heads low in respect to the blessing.


    ?With parents, we''re also the children of the Lord.


    Children make mistakes, the fact can''t be ignored.


    Sometimes small, and sometimes grave.


    Yet one who epts them is called the brave.?


    ?So do not be afraid when eternal darknesses.


    Fight¡ªso to the devil, your soul doesn''t sumb.


    Just chant his name until your senses be numb.?


    ?I assure you, there is always light after darkness.


    For the Lord''s arms are full of warmth; they are harmless.?


    The Duke''s shoulders started shivering as Sylvester stopped singing and stepped back. The man was crying, but theck of eyes and damaged eye region kept him from genuinely crying.


    Thud!


    He fell to his knees and let the Inquisitors put his neck on the stone p. But before the sword swung, he voiced onest time. "May my brother and sister live a happy life. May the Gracia Kingdom flourish. May the holy light enlighten us all¡ªLord Bard, may you keep growing stronger¡­ May you fill the world with joyousughter. Good boy¡­ to all."


    Woosh!


    sh!


    Thud!


    The swing of the giant axe was fast and smooth. The Inquisitor swung it masterfully, and the head fell in one strike. But a soft red cushion was waiting underneath to stop the head from rolling.


    The second inquisitor quickly came forward with a steel box, just big enough for the head to be ced inside. He lifted the head respectfully while chanting the name of the Lord and put it inside with the cushion. Then he locked it tightly and activated the ice runes on the box.


    As for the remaining body, it was to be burned ording to the Gracia family and Faith of Solis'' ritual back in the Green City. A small Remembrance stone was also to be made in the Gracia family''s garden of the dead.


    But for Sylvester, the real test of his abilities was just beginning.


    He picked up the steel box and walked towards Lord Inquisitor. He wished to leave for Riviera immediately as the deadline for the war was closing in very fast. But he still had to prepare everything as his schemes came to an end.


    "What did you say to make a dying man smile?" Lady Aurora asked him in whispers.


    Sylvester smiled back. "I just told him I see Isabe as a little sister and that Gracia Family will not die out."


    "How can you say that so surely?" She inquired.


    "Well, it at least made him die with a smile. That''s all that matters. Let''s move now. You are toe with me to meet King Riveria." He moved past her as this was not the best ce to talk.


    Sylvester led his team out of the dungeons and arrived in a secluded room on the castle''s ground floor. He then closed the door and spoke with everyone.


    "I''m afraid all of this was a conspiracy, and I am one hundred per cent sure that the Masan Empire is likely behind many other messes that have been urring recently. At this point, we must look at everything with doubt. Felix, send words to your elder brother and tell him about the Masan plot. It''ll be a disaster if Sandwall County falls victim too." Sylvester ordered his friend.


    "But¡­ What does Masan even want?" Gabriel asked, as he was less of a politician and more of a religious man. "It will be catastrophic even if they somehow take the East Sol. The Divine Desert is in between, and it''ll be impossible to govern this region."


    "Trade." Elyon, the tall and mighty Beastkin tiger, spoke. "Masancks trade partners as of now. They likely wish to take the Gracia Kingdom as that would allow them to move freely across the Blood Sea¡ªOpening trade with Beastaria."


    Bishop Lazark nced at the man in wonder. "I thought we don''t trade with the heathens."


    "The Holy Land does not. But the Kingdoms are allowed as it fills their coffers. As long as it''s not war supplies, anything can be sold or bought¡ªIncluding expensive exotic ves." Elyon revealed. The man was, after all, a bigshot trader first and then a priest.


    Sylvester then added a few more insights. "Masan is mostly desert. It''s tough to support theirrge poption with just their gold mines. They need arablend, and since the Warsong Kingdom is almost impossible to conquer, they have raised their eyes towards Gracia. Not to mention, the King is old, dying, and losing credibility, and the Empire is crumbling slowly. He needs a big win to keep the Empire intact."


    Lady Aurora agreed with him. "True. The worst part is that they are using covert warfare to do things. The Holy Land cannot do anything openly. Not to mention, the people of Masan don''t feel as close to the Holy Land either. Sure, they follow the same god and faith, but their rituals, methods, and lifestyles differ. The Masan Empire is also annoyed since their representation in the clergy of the Holy Land is very small."


    Felix sneered and walked to the side to pour himself a ss of water. "Ugh¡­ Politics. I hate this."


    Thud!


    Thud!


    But just then, the familiar sound of Lord Inquisitor''s staff tapping on the floor came. Soon, the door opened, and the tall man walked in. "Except the young bard, all leave."


    No one dared question the Lord Inquisitor, not even Lady Aurora. They all silently walked out of the room and closed it, standing guard outside so no one could hear what was happening inside. However, they were also interested in it.


    In the room, Lord Inquisitor took out a small, finger-length vial and handed it to Sylvester. "Ask no question of its origins, young bard. Only five people in the world know of this¡ªall belong to our side. Use it wisely, for a single one of these can bankrupt an entire Kingdom. Do not make me regret giving you this freedom."


    Sylvester held the vial with nothing visible in it carefully. He felt sweat on his back just thinking about its cost. "I will not disappoint you, my lord."


    "I know." The big man instantly replied. "Be safe on the journey. Once this enters his body, he shall slowly wither like a dying flower in a week. Then, when you return, perhaps we can talk about your great feats¡ªAbout your rise to the ranks of clergy elites."


    Sylvester felt his heartbeat increase as he knew the benefits of being a Bishop were immense. "I shall leave for River City right away, Lord Inquisitor."


    "Be careful." The Inquisitor High Lord warned him seriously. "That man may have gone senile, but he''s always brewing something. Considering his past animosities towards you, he may try something. If he does so, remind him to be careful of my staff''s thumping¡ªRemind him of my fire that can burn until there will remain nothing."


    Sylvester bowed his head respectfully. "I will, my lord."


    With that, Sylvester headed out. Finally, he had thest piece in his hand to end his long assignment. Though, this time, one furry boy would be the most detrimental.


    ________________________


    700 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 260 260. The River City

    With the head of Duke Daemon and the questionable vial, Sylvester prepared to head out to Riveria with Lady Aurora. They had also decided to use Lady Aurora''s carriage since it was easily recognisable.


    But they were not taking any helpers with them. He couldn''t risk having more eyes and ears on him, even if they were the Inquisitors with unquestionable worship towards him, because there was no telling who was a whisperer of the Saint Seer.


    "Sylvester, be careful, brother. Don''t let that old fart walk over you." Felix said as he helped put some supplies in the carriage.


    Sylvester scoffed. "Oh, he won''t be walking over anyone, that I''m sure of. You should also prepare to head back home as soon as I return. Release the Inquisitor Army from themand as well. Also, oversee the release of our noble prisoners in return for money from their families."


    "Got it, boss." Felix jokingly saluted.


    "Sylvester!"


    Just as Sylvester was finishing up, Isabe appeared. Her face seemed as glum as before. But she just ran up to him and hugged him tightly. "I''m going back to Green City. Thank you for clearing up my family''s name and bringing light to the conspiracy. What happened, in the end, is depressing¡­ But I don''t me you.


    "I will also work hard and try to improve on what I learned here, and one day will fix the eyes."


    Sylvester patted the back of her head and hugged her back. It wasn''t like they had any feelings for each other. He saw her as a naive child needing guidance, while he reckoned she saw him as an older, wiser brother.


    "I will see youter in Green City again, Isabe. For now, just pray that King Riveria doesn''t do something stupid."


    She nodded and let him go. "I will pray."


    Sylvester then shared a nce with the rest. "Don''t go easy. Always expect the unexpected to happen. That''s the least we can do after facing all that we have. But, if everything goes well, I will see you in two weeks."


    With that, he climbed up to sit in the reinsman seat with Lady Aurora. He did feel bad for not taking Sir Dolorem along, but he didn''t want to put his life at risk.


    "Ha!"


    Sylvester whipped the horses, and soon, they started moving. The sun was bright, and winter had disappeared. So they didn''t have to worry about keeping themselves protected. In fact, the wind hitting them felt soothing.


    "What was that?" Lady Aurora asked Sylvester all of a sudden.


    "What are you talking about?"


    "That hug."


    Sylvester grunted, and his shoulders fell in exhaustion. "Come on. We''re not having that talk. Isabe is just a naive little girl. That''s how I see her. I''m not Felix."


    Lady Aurora chuckled and rxed back into the seat, folding her arms behind her head. "I reckoned as much. The only thing young about you is your face. Rest is like an old man. Though, you still must have a type. For example, I like tall, strong men who know when to be serious and when to have fun."


    "Have you been with a man?"


    "No! Never!" She nearly shouted. "How can you say that? I''m a good girl, a faithful girl. But I can still have a type, right? What about you?"


    Sylvester sighed and looked at the sky. "I don''t know. I only like one big fat blob of light in the sky. I''m a Heliophile."


    "..."


    Lady Aurora sighed and shook her head. "You''re the most monk-like man I''ve met in my life. Even my father had a crush on someone when I was little."


    Sylvester''s head turned to her abruptly. "Say what? Inquisitor High Lord liked a woman?"


    She giggled as she reminisced. "Of course. She was a wizard Countess of Gracia Kingdom. Sadly, she was not as high ranking in magic as the old man, so she ended up growing old and dying."


    ''Our long lifespan ensures we can''t find long-living partners. What a sad fate for someone strong.'' Sylvester thought and continued to move on the road.


    The journey was good. They spent most of their time talking about useless things. They spend one night at a monastery in a small random vige. Then, they continued to move further West, entering the Riveria Kingdom. Finally, they saw the Kingdom''s vast agriculturalnd, full of fluttering crops, ready to be harvested.


    The Kingdom seemed genuinely graced by the god as it had not only the best agriculturalnd but also the best industry. While the Northern Duchy was best for growing food, the south was best for building anything one could envision.


    "This is where I was attacked by the assassins once," Sylvester said, remembering the first time he entered the Riveria Kingdom.


    "Is this road always this crowded, though?" She inquired as they soon noticed a lot of people in the front.


    There were hundreds of people walking on foot towards the Gracia Kingdom''s border. But the mostmon thing about them was their attire. They all looked dirty, with cracked, dry skin, thin, frail bodies and eyes full of hopelessness. Their clothes were mostly torn and dirty, and even their footwear wascking.


    As Sylvester slowed his carriage, the people parted and made way for him. They were too silent, and even the little babies in the frail arms of their mothers didn''t cry. They just watched Sylvester and Lady Aurora with their heads held low.


    "This is not normal," Sylvester muttered.


    Slowly, the carriage kept moving. But, even after three minutes, the crowd didn''t disappear. It felt as if the entire road was full of them in both directions.


    Eventually, Sylvester decided to ask them. So he stopped the carriage and looked at the closest man to his side, an older man with a hunched back and a long white beard. "Who are you people, and where are you going?"


    But he instantly felt strong emotions. ''Ah! Such an overwhelming smell of tangerines and vibrations. Why are they so scared with just a single question from me?''


    Heck, the old man started shaking as if he''d fall apart at any moment. But the man did reply while keeping his head low, not daring to look Sylvester in the eye. "G-Great Holy man, we are refugees from the Sorrow Kingdom. We¡­ forgive us foring into your path, my Lord¡­"


    ''They must have had bad experiences with the nobles and clergymen on their long journey here, hence the fear.''


    So, Sylvester raised his hand and let his palm shine light on the man. But he didn''t sing any hymns. "Be at ease, my friend. I am Sylvester Maximilian, Bard of the Lord. Tell me, how did you get here? I was told that the war had stopped, and the Holy Land was setting up camps in the Sorrow Kingdom itself."


    The old man''s eyes shone in reverence as Sylvester suddenly appeared so godly. This time, he shivered in warmth and excitement. "Y-Yes¡­ You are right, my Lord. But the camps being set there are run mainly by the army of the Grand Duke of the Patch. Only one or two Clergymen remain for every five camps.


    "There¡­ those soldiers beat us and ask for payment in return for food. They force us to do hardbour and women to give their bodies so that we can feed ourselves and our children. If we dare try toin to the clergyman, they kill us right away.


    "We¡­ Most of us are from different camps. We are those who couldn''t trade our dignity for their vile pity. So we made the long journey into the Hignd Kingdom, where King Hignd graciously helped her for months. But he''s not rich and sent us to River City on boats.


    "But, in the River city, too, the locals were against us and tried to lynch us in mobs. The soldiers locked many of us, once again harassed us, and raped us. Eventually, they let us go further north, telling us to reach the Holy Land, for only the true home of the Lord and Holy father can help us."


    Sylvester felt pity for them, but he wasn''t foolish enough to make any promises. There were thousands of them from what he could see, which was a considerable burden to support on one''s head.


    So he did the second-best thing. "Then you are on the right path. You shall reach Goldstown if you keep going on this path. They may not let you enter the Gracia Kingdom without the King''s nod, but if you say my name to the town''s chief, Marigold Roger, they will at least feed you until words from the Holy Land arrive."


    "Thank you, my lord!"


    "We are forever indebted!"


    "Thank you!"


    The people in the vicinity started thanking him suddenly and touching his feet. Some even put their heads near his feet before moving away. They cried and smiled. Sylvester was perhaps the only shining ray of hope they had witnessed in months.


    Sylvester let them be and slowly made the carriage move. At the same time, he kept pouring light from his palm. But he also spoke just a few lines of a hymn to show them his halo and turn this short meeting into a permanent memory in their minds.


    ?I see your misery, as does the Lord.


    Don''t be afraid; your cries won''t be ignored.


    The sinners will be punished; rest assured.


    I promise, there will be a cure for the pain endured.?


    ?Let this be just a momentary, painful fall.


    Let the Lord''s warmth in your hearts install.


    I pray, may the holy light enlighten you all.?


    By the end of his hymn, the carriage had started to move faster, and soon enough, they left the crowd behind. The people, however, remained there for a few minutes, digesting what they just saw and then continued their journey with newfound hope in their eyes.


    As for Sylvester, he didn''t stop this time as what he saw was not too out of the ordinary. He already expected the refugee situation to be bad. So, in one long journey, hepleted thest stretch to reach the beautiful River City, the famed capital of the Eastern side of the Sol Continent.


    Even before he entered the main parts of the city, he could see the beauty as the wide bridge let them cross the river. All ces were clean. The roads were wide and full of life. All the buildings were beautiful with their blue tiled roofs and various engravings. Even on the streets, there was a water fountain in the middle of every road intersection.


    The people even spread their buildings to stand on waterways, making narrow alleys of water where only boats could go.


    It was a strange yet beautiful city where prosperity could be seen everywhere. The same was the case with the giant castle at the other end of the city.


    Tall, mighty, majestic and beautiful. It had tall walls and a deep moat around. The guards patrolled everything with utmost care. In fact, the walls were so high that Sylvester could only see the top of the towers inside.


    So, he and Lady Aurora traversed through the crowded city and arrived at the front gates of the castle boundary wall. There, Sylvester revealed his name and showed the stamped document from Inquisitor High Lord, Saint Seer and King Harold Gracia.


    "It''s urgent," Sylvester added.


    But the guard instantly gave back the letter while staring at his face. "Apologies, Lord Bard. But the King is not in the city. Pleasee again tomorrow."


    "..."


    Of course, Sylvester exploded internally in rage. ''These bloody bastards! They''re lying! Why? Why can''t anything be normal with me?''


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 261 261. Master Of Manipulation

    Sylvester nced at Lady Aurora, and she looked back at him. Both their eyes met, and without words, theymunicated on instincts.


    "What now?" She inquired.


    Sylvester shrugged and walked back to the carriage. "Now we wait for tomorrow. Even then, if they don''t let us enter, perhaps I will have to gather some attention."


    The two had been really tired after months of constant fighting. First, the whole demon deal and then the war. They just wanted peace of mind afterpleting this, but fate certainly wished to make them suffer a bit more.


    So, the two spent the night in the carriage itself as it was their most protected spot. They could move at a moment''s notice if needed.


    Thankfully, though, no overnight attack happened. The following day, Sylvester woke up early and got them hot milk and buttered bread to eat. Then, they waited until the sun was up and the streets became full of activity.


    Again, they went to the castle wall gates and spoke to the guards. Sylvester, again, showed the paper as this was a different guard. "It''s urgent, by the order of the Holy Land."


    "Ah¡­ But His majesty returnedte at night after yesterday''s hunting excursion. He''s tired right now and sleeping in the Castle. Pleasee back in the evening. Perhaps he''d be in the mood to see guests by then." The guard replied as if he was a machine, so monotonous.


    It was easy to see that the man had memorised this reply.


    Sylvester sighed and turned around. Though Lady Aurora was pissed. She got to the guard''s face and roared. "You little¡­ Do you have any idea who you speak to? I am a Guardian of Light from the Holy Land."


    The guard, however, didn''t appear threatened. "I can''t."


    Sylvester pulled Lady Aurora back. "Leave him, Lady Aurora. This man clearly is forsaken by the light of Solis. That''s why he lies like this. But, unfortunately for him, Solis sees it all and everything leads to final judgement after death."


    Sylvester tried to scare the man with his religious talks. And it seemed to work as well as he noticed a frown on his face and the scents of fear. But the man didn''t back down. Instead, he kept telling them toe back in the evening.


    So, they were denied an audience with the King for the second time.


    "Let''s go and see the Monastery. Cardinal Suprima should be there. Perhaps, he can help us." Sylvester decided and got back on the carriage.


    It was still morning, so they had much time to kill. They decided to also do some sightseeing in the city and see how the people lived and their mindset regarding the church. After all, in a kingdom so hostile towards the Holy Land, there were bound to be some issues.


    Soon, they parked the carriage in the yard of the massive Monastery in the city and walked inside the tall, well-maintained building to meet Cardinal Suprima.


    "Why is everything so calm and deste here?" Lady Aurora wondered.


    Sylvester felt it, too, as he looked at the various parts of the premises. The pce was the office of Cardinal Suprima, and it was supposed to be busy all the time due to the multiple requests made by the people or other smaller monasteries around the region.


    This time, Lady Aurora took the lead as her rank eclipsed a Cardinal Suprima. "I am the Tenth Guardian of Light, Aurora Foxtron. Bring me to the Cardinal; I wish to speak with him."


    They spoke to the first man they found after entering the Monastery, which turned out to be a Bishop.


    "Respected Lady Tenth, it''s an honour to see you here. We were not told about your arrival." The man bowed his head with respect. "I am James Mason, Bishop and the acting Cardinal Suprima."


    "Acting? What happened to the original Cardinal Suprima?" Sylvester asked.


    "He¡­ Sadly, he passed awayst year, and since then, no new cardinal has been appointed here. I have sent an application time and time again, but they only tell me to wait." Bishop replied.


    Sylvester could smell the conspiracy from a mile away. Someone must have killed the Cardinal. "Tell me, Bishop. What''s the current state of the faith in the River City and the region itself? Please be honest."


    The man looked at Lady Aurora with his scared brown eyes and pale, sweaty face. "Pleasee with me to the office, lest the walls may grow ears."


    "Lead the way."


    So, they soon entered the Cardinal''s office and took seats by the table. But the Bishop didn''t sit and just answered their previous question. "The situation is dire, mydy. The King has gonepletely senile and anti-faith. I used to be the River Castle''s resident clergyman before. But then I was thrown out, and soon the Cardinal died.


    "The people also share that same sentiment thanks to King''s men spreading harmful rumours about the faith. And when we send men around the region to preach, the guardse and, every single time, push the crowd around to make them leave. They even arrest clergymen, saying we held an uwful gathering."


    Sylvester didn''t mind, though. All he needed was one single meeting with the King, and that would be the game over. But, sadly, even meeting him was proving to beplicated.


    "Can you do something to have us enter the Castle? We''re here to stop the war." Sylvester asked.


    Bishop shook his head. "The war won''t stop, I''m afraid. King Riveria has spread the word to the masses to join the army. The various workshops are running day and night to produce war goods. He wants Gracia Kingdom, and he won''t stop."


    "We will make him. Bishop, I am Sylvester Maximilian, Bard of the Lord. You must have guessed that by my looks. Tell me, how many men do we have in the Monastery? I wish to force the King toe out if he won''t invite me." Sylvester inquired with confidence oozing in his voice.


    "The Monastery is a big one. We have thirty bright mothers, three hundred Clergymen, and a singlepany of a hundred men of the Holy Army. What is your n, my lord?" Bishop Mason asked in hope.


    "Ah! There it is!" Lady Aurora eximed. "That smile! I know it!"


    Sylvester did smile schemingly. "The n is simple!"


    ¡­


    The best way to scare a man is first to find what he is scared of and then intensify his fears a hundred times.


    What does a man who dislikes the faith of Solis fear the most? A man like Sylvester, of course.


    Sylvester had decided that in his pursuit to cause an uproar, he was also going to do something good in the name of the faith. So, he called ten soldiers from the Holy Army and made them wear their ceremonial clothing, a bright white armour with golden capes and well-polished golden helmets.


    Then, he called for five Bright Mothers who knew how to sing. They, too, were to wear their freshly cleaned clothes. As for Sylvester, he was to wear customary church robes, but this timepletely white, with a red cloth around his shoulder. He appeared as ordinary as any man, but when he started singing the hymns and the back of his head shined in bright light¡ªhe was the most spectacr.


    Sylvester walked to the front withdy Aurora by his side. Behind him were five Bright Mothers, singing each line loudly after he was done. Then, behind them were the ten soldiers in a long matrix formation, thumping their feet as if marching.


    Not to mention, Sylvester had utilised the love of Bight Mothers towards him and asked them to spread the word around the entire City that the famed Bard of the Lord hade to bless thend. Thankfully, even if the people hated the clergymen, none coulde to hate the sweet-talking Bright Mothers.


    ?Hear me! This is a sacred hymn!


    Oh, mortals of thisnd, soak in this rhyme!


    To remember Solis, you don''t need time!


    Be it someone who lives well or does crime.


    Everyone is worthy of one forgiveness¡ªto <anno data-annotation-id="23ba3773-6944-79f3-cf9a-0f84fc0fd1ab">sublime</anno>.?


    ?If I have mistaken, you can openly bemoan.


    But trust me, I can help you be a better person.


    I can turn you into your own better version.


    So,e, join me in this holy sermon.?


    Sylvester''s words were neutral and didn''t mean to vindicate anyone. He knew that at this stage, what he said didn''t matter, but what he looked like did. After all, no other man was known to any, who was blessed with a halo behind the head.


    The city disliked the clergy, but that didn''t mean their faith in the Solis was gone. It had merely dwindled, and that was now being rekindled. Many eyes went numb, and their hearts were shaken. After all, magic was so ordinary that nothing felt like a miracle in the world anymore.


    But Sylvester''s ethereal sight, his perfect face, golden blonde hair, golden eyes and the light¡ªthey were anything but otherworldly for most eyes.


    ''Yes! It''s working! Haha¡­!'' Sylvester cheered proudly as he smelled the extreme scent of tulips¡ªthe Worship was off the charts.


    Sylvester nced at Lady Aurora beside him and gave the nod.


    With that, she walked beside him and raised his right palm forward. From it, shining bolts of white electricity started to rise. Soon, they became huge and formed various shapes in the sky ahead of Sylvester.


    Eventually, they started taking precise forms of people. But who were they? None knew though Sylvester was there to teach.


    ?Watch the lives of those who came before.


    The first Pope¡ªto Solis, who opened the door.


    Allowing the light to bask on us¡ªmore and more.


    He was the light to our lost souls, who got us to the shore.?


    Sylvester made it clear that the spectacle was massive and awe-inspiring enough to produce goosebumps. And what Lady aurora made was the representation of many popes in history.


    ?The one to unite us under one warm light.


    The Pope who never lost any holy fight.


    The Warrior Pope spread the faith to new heights.


    None before, none ever shall match his might!?


    The scene of Pope Pollux Ragthon appeared in the sky, stabbing a demon. It was clear enough to understand and send shudders down bodies. The people were genuinely finding a new love for the faith.


    Sylvester kept singing but never stopped. He roamed across the city, and soon, behind him, thousands of people walked¡ªcrowding the streets as if they were a flood, passing through thends.


    Atst, Sylvester decided it was time and marched towards the castle. Singing, he kept telling the tale of Popes.


    No one realised where they were going. But the crowd made the castle guards shudder in fear. They didn''t know what to do. Attack or not? Because they, too, were mesmerised.


    Thud!


    Finally, Sylvester stopped ten metres from the castle wall''s gate and turned around to face the crowd. Many among the people had tears in their eyes and watched him in adoration. It was this easy to manipte them, Sylvester thought.


    ?My beloved brothers and sisters of the faith.


    To meet me today was your absolute fate.


    But I''m afraid the big man there feels nothing but hate.


    So, for the next hymn, I''m afraid I will be veryte!?


    Woosh!


    Out of nowhere, a few masked men in dark blue tight clothes appeared behind Sylvester, wearing the uniform of Riveria Royal Guards, and put a ck sack on Sylvester''s head, then tied it with a rope.


    In seconds, they picked him up and disappeared, leaving the crowd confused¡ªfeeling abused.


    ________________________


    700 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!


    <annotations style="disy: none;"><ol ss="tinymce-annotation-container"><li data-annotation-id="23ba3773-6944-79f3-cf9a-0f84fc0fd1ab">Sublime - elevate to a high degree of moral or spiritual purity or excellence.]</li></ol></annotations>",

 Chapter 262 262. Power Of Halo & Hymns

    Bam!


    Pa!


    Punches and kicks flew freely at the blonde man hanging in the middle of the dark room with hands tied above the head and to the ceiling. Robes had been taken away, only leaving his pants.


    Bam!


    "How dare you organise a mob against his majesty?"


    Bam!


    "Stop smiling!"


    Sylvester''s smooth, spotless skin over the well-defined muscles and abs was now covered with red spots from all the weing attacks from four men standing around. They used sticks until they broke and punches until they got so tired that they stopped from all panting.


    But Sylvester, hanging in the middle, merelyughed and asked. "Water."


    Even the four men had gone so tired that they felt somewhat bad. So they gestured for one of them to go and bring some water in a wooden ss.


    Though, when the ss was being extended to Sylvester''s mouth, he justughed and gestured with a nod to the man standing on his left, panting after exerting himself so much. "Not me. Give it to him. Look at his red face and that throbbing belly. I''d hate to see someone die from a heart attack because of me."


    "..."


    The three men looked at the fourth one speechlessly. The man was obese, and his belly throbbed while he panted. The face was all sweaty and red as well.


    All four were left red-faced, seeing Sylvester not even breaking a sweat even after being punched for so long. Heck, he wasn''t even bleeding from anywhere and only appeared to have some red bruises.


    "You! How dare you mock us!" The fat man tried to punch Sylvester.


    Thud!


    But Sylvester merely dodged it by moving his head back a little. As a result, the man missednding the fist and, instead, went with the momentum and fell on the floor, face first, breaking his nose.


    "Argh! Fuck! They said he was just a clergyman¡­ Why is he so strong?" The man asked his friends.


    Amused, Sylvester inquired. "They didn''t tell you who I am?"


    The four shook their heads. And one of them spoke. "We''re just simple workers of the Guard Post number four. Our only job is to make people confess to their sins."


    "..."


    Sylvester sighed and looked at them intensely. "I am Sylvester Maximilian, Grand Crusader, Lord''s Bard and God''s Favoured. Do you know what that means?... That means you four will be burned at the stake for torturing me and the sphemy you have done."


    "W-What? That can''t be it¡­ You''re so young. You cannot be such a higher clergyman." The fat one argued.


    Sylvester smiled, closed his eyes and sang a small hymn.


    ?He who stays blind even with his eyes open.


    Punishment wille, to leave them broken.


    You have hurt the people''s deeper emotions.


    Watch, Lord''s wrath, you have now awoken!?


    Thud!


    All four fell to their knees, and their faces went pale as they realised their folly. They cried and asked for forgiveness. After all, with a halo behind his head, Sylvester appeared like Solis incarnate.


    "Oh god! What have we done? Please forgive us, my Lord!"


    "Please, you are big and mighty. Just once¡­ Give us a chance."


    Sylvester sighed and used extra force on his tied arms. Instantly, the ropes broke apart in a snap and released Sylvester to the ground.


    Crack!


    He stretched and cracked his fingers and neck. Then, he walked to the y pot full of water. He took some out and washed his face, hands and feet.


    Bam!


    But then, shocking the four, he walked to a wall and mmed his face on it with force heavy enough to make a dent.


    Instantly, his nose started to bleed. Satisfied, he returned to the same spot and tied himself again, though his feet touched the floor this time.


    "Men, you have sinned. But, what you do from now on will decide whether you are saved or¡­ skinned."


    "W-What do you mean, my lord?" One of them asked.


    Boom!


    An ear-shattering explosive erupted from outside.


    "That."


    ¡­


    Everything was a part of the n. So, after Sylvester revealed the n, they asked the Bishop to use his contacts, have Sylvester arrested by fake Royal Guards, and be given to a small Guard Post to be lightly beaten.


    With that, he created a perfect storm of an angry, rioting mob. With the location of the Blessed Bard known, they all stormed to the Guard Post in thousands. All the city guards who came in the way got thrashed, pped and thrown away.


    Not to mention, some Clergymen from the Monastery were among the crowd, inciting them and even sometimes attacking them to create a riot-like situation. The crowd''s mind was forcefully manipted into thinking that the City guards were heretics who harmed Lord''s Bard.


    One thousand, two thousand, three thousand, and then ten thousand. In a city of 500,000, what was a few dozen thousand? So, gathering the crowd was extremely easy.


    By the evening of the same day, the guard post was surrounded, and the people had started to throw stones and eggs at the ce holding Sylvester.


    But, eventually, the anger became too much. And discreetly, a wizard Clergyman from the crowd threw an explosive crystal at the gates, shattering it apart.


    The explosion pumped the crowd and gave them the signal to go ahead and attack. Which they graciously did. But, even then, they needed a push, which a few hired men provided by going first.


    "Haa!"


    Loud shouts echoed throughout the eastern part of the city. People barged through every barricade ced.


    "No! Please! Let me go!"


    The guards working in that Guard post tried to run away. But they were surrounded and soon caught. They received no mercy as the mob ran on collective anger and rage.


    Amidst the screams that slowly diminished, crowds of fanatic rioters tore the guards into pieces. Legs flew one way and arms the other, while the head got crushed under feet.


    Every man wearing the Guard''s uniform received the same fate. Furniture or any other valuable item in the Guard Post got instantly stolen or broken. Of course, the mob had already forgotten why they were even doing it.


    For most, just the thrill of delving into one''s wildest animalistic nature with no consequences was enough.


    The situation seemed out of control but was under control as everything went ording to n. Of course, a few casualties were already expected, but it was nothing in the grand scheme of things. Just a few minor sacrifices for the greater good of the world.


    Woosh!


    The Guard Post was slightly bigger as it also held some prison cells. Hence, nearly a dozen or so guards were resting inside when the mob attacked. However, Sylvester was in the basement, hidden behind a secret door.


    Clergymen disguised in the mob knew where to go. They pushed aside a big bookcase and quickly opened the way leading to the basement. Unfortunately, it was small, and the people tried to barge in.


    Thankfully, Sylvester had ordered and instructed the clergymen and Holy Army soldiers on how to disperse the crowd and how to control it to avoid any stampede and crushing situation. So, in an orderly manner, only a few were let in, so there was still room to turn around.


    But what went inside the basement was anybody''s guess. Since it was a hidden space, there was only one room, which belonged to Sylvester.


    Boom!


    The door was broken open, and a raging crowd entered. At one nce, they saw Sylvester''s body hanging in the middle by a rope, his face bloodied and his body full of bruises. While there were four men in Guard''s uniforms.


    Simple to say, anger red, and threats were dered. The people had nothing to fear, after all.


    "You hurt our lord Bard!" They shouted, while just a day ago, they didn''t even know or care about Sylvester.


    "No! Don''t kill us! Please! Just take him¡­" The four cried and tried to hide behind Sylvester''s hanging body while he acted unconscious.


    "Argh! Aaaa!"


    Sadly, one of them, the fat one, was caught by the mob, as there was not enough space behind Sylvester. In a matter of seconds, the man was ripped apart into pieces while his screams and agony died down slowly.


    The remaining three shivered, cried, and wet their pants. There was nowhere to run, and only one man could save them there. So, the three fell to their knees and held Sylvester''s legs, pleading.


    "Please save us, Lord Bard!"


    "We have sinned, but give us a chance. Just one!"


    "Yes! I have a family, my Lord. I can''t have my little daughter orphaned. How will she survive?"


    They bawled their eyes out and told their life stories, family histories and whatnot. Of course, the crowd didn''t care, and soon, two more died at the hands of the people.


    "Enough!" Finally, Sylvester''s loud voice resounded, shutting the crowd into silence.


    A warm halo appeared behind his head, and he reminded them of two lines from the hymn he had sung in the morning.


    "Be it someone who lives good or does crime.


    Everyone is worthy of one forgiveness¡ªto sublime."


    He then helped the sole survivor, who was terrified for life now¡ªripe to be brainwashed quickly. Sylvester didn''t want the man to remember that he had bashed his own face on the wall to make it bleed.


    What he wanted was that he only remembers the fear and his divine grace¡ªthe reason he survived.


    "Let this man go, my brothers and sister of the faith. He sinned once, but every man deserves a second chance. Let this be a lesson for him to stay true to the faith and never sin again."


    He ensured to keep lighting from his palms as well. The warmth from it was the best way to let the people feel close and connected.


    "Turn around and walk outside, for there is no greater kindness than to forgive. This violence is meaningless, for I still live. But, all of you have a greater waring to your doors soon, as your King dreams of taking Gracia by the end of this moon.


    "You shall lose sons, husbands, brothers, fathers and friends in this senseless war. Man will kill another for dreams of someone who will never step on the field himself. In the end, he shall have the riches, and you¡ªburned on pyres like witches."


    His words echoed in their minds and sent shivers down their spines. Sylvester smelled the fear he induced. There was a reason he said this to a smaller crowd, so there was nobody to refute him.


    "But! I came here to speak with the King, to bring peace. So, step aside, so I may enter the Royal Castle¡ªand give all of you eversting peace¡ªwithout any hassle." Sylvester roared hisst few words.


    The people, their emotions slowly changed from fear to a wave of happiness and hope. Of course, everybody liked talking about war but not participating.


    "May the Bard''s Light Enlighten us!" One of them roared.


    "May the Bard''s Light Enlighten us!"


    Slowly, the fever spread, and tens of thousands of men and women crowded inside and outside the building, shouting the same words again and again.


    It was not only the roar of adore but also Sylvester''s knock on the King''s door.


    Within a day, he turned the people of River City into his greatest army that would ensure he''d enter the castle and meet the King.


    Not to mention, with the wording of their chants and the omission of the ''Lord'' and addition of the ''Bard, he knew one thing.


    ''Haha! People of River City¡­ Wee to my cult!''


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 263 263. Sylvester Meets King Riveria

    At the helm of the crowd, Sylvester walked straight towards the castle. The crowd chanted slogans in unison, ensuring that every person in the castle could hear him.


    "Let the Bard in!"


    "We don''t want war!"


    "Let there be peace!"


    Sylvester had turned them into hippies. But he didn''t care. As long as the city''s significant poption rejected the call for war, the King would have to think twice because the people of River City were some of the most talented and wealthiest folks in the entire Kingdom, as this was the capital and the centre of the Kingdom.


    Lady Aurora soon arrived beside him and smiled. "I''ve set everything up, Sylvester. Fires will soon shroud various ces across the city, and the men from the Monastery will douse those mes while singing your hymns. So the people will forever remember who saved them."


    Sylvester chuckled and kept walking. He knew what he was doing was hical as he was creating a problem and then solving it himself. But, this was war, and everything was fair in it. Not to mention, this was what politicians do¡ªAnd he was the father of all politicians¡ªa spy.


    "Good job. You will apany me inside and stay by my side the whole time. But you must not say or do anything without my permission. I''ve spoken to Lord Inquisitor, and he said the King is very scheming and quick with his mouth. He may try to anger us with words, hoping we''d do something so he can renege on his deal to end the war." He advised her, not in amanding tone, as he still respected Lady Aurora''s strength and rank in the clergy, no matter how close they were.


    She was busy cleaning her armour and clothes with magic as they walked. "Understood, Sylvester. Don''t worry about me, but I''m afraid he will invoke something about Xavia, which may anger you."


    Sylvester smirked. "Oh¡­ I hope he does that."


    ''I won''t have any second thoughts then.'' Sylvester added in silence.


    "You want me to heal you? Your face looks bruised." She asked.


    But Sylvester denied it. "That would beat the whole point. The King must see and understand the situation he has put himself into. He didn''t just attack me today. He attacked the authority of the Holy Land. I know my looks won''t scare him or affect him, but let''s not forget that every King has a court, and every court has two sides. One which always stands with the King and one that opposes.


    "Laws may bind the Holy Land, but that doesn''t mean it''s a toothless lion. You anger us enough; we won''t only bite but also eat and digest."


    Pat!


    Lady Aurora tapped his back. "Good man! You sound like my father more and more now. But, I agree with whatever you said."


    "One more thing. Do not react if, all of a sudden, some assassins appear. They won''t be after me." He added and refused to borate.


    Soon enough, the standoff began. But the King had reinforced the castle wall''s gates with many more garrisons of the guards. They were all d in their heavy armour and shields, prepared to face the riots.


    But they were there to save the Castle, so who was going to save the City?


    Boom!


    Soon, the first ''random'' explosion appeared inside the city. It was just a short distance from the Castle. Hence, the guards could see the cloud of mes rising in the sky. It was dense and much fiercer than normal fire for some reason.


    Sylvester walked forward and spoke with the most well-armoured knight with an ocean blue cape on his shoulder and a blue feather fin over his helmet.


    "Please tell his majesty that if he does not allow me to enter, then perhaps, only this castle will be left standing, not the city." His voice was so calm and soothing, yet the threats were clear as day.


    The man gulped and nodded before turning around and heading back into the Castle. Unfortunately, though, the guards at the wall only kept increasing slowly.


    Boom!


    A second explosion resounded. Of course, Sylvester was not going to calm down until he had the signed letter from the King that called for a ceasefire. The explosions were meant to put more and more pressure.


    ?Speak and shout, sing with me, my brothers and sister!


    Today, show your pain to those who know not what''s a blister!?


    Sylvester''s asional hymns continued to pump the crowd. The people had be ustomed to repeating after him, so eventually, all his hymns reached all the protestors.


    Boom!


    The third explosion came. This one in the distance. But the sound was still as resounding as any.


    "Pleasee in!"


    As expected, the guard returned and frantically called them inside. "The King is in the Riverside gardens. The servants inside will take you to him. Until then, please, tell them to calm down."


    Sylvester nced back and waved his hand. Instantly, the crowd became louder. "I''m afraid the crowd will only calm down once they have what they want. Until then, stay safe."


    He patted the guard''s shoulder and entered the castle premise with a small metal box in hand. It took him so much arm twisting, but finally, he felt the fruit of thebour taste much sweeter.


    With Lady Aurora behind him, they soon crossed the moat and the final gate. Once inside, Sylvester''s jaw fell as he soaked himself in the beauty in front of his eyes. It was a massive castle. There was just one, but it was immense, not just in height but also in its area.


    Heck, he noticed many waterfallsing down from many rooftops of the Castle.


    There were various beautiful birds, flowers and trees. The breeze was so different from the City that it suddenly felt like they were in a different part of the world.


    The Castle was made of light grey stone with a slight blue tint. The roofs were all covered with ocean-blue tiles, and there was an abundance of water. There were small ponds and fountains as far as Sylvester could see.


    Many people were working to maintain all that area as well. People were cutting the grass and cleaning the many fountains and ponds. He even noticed what seemed like a sparring match between some kids, likely King Riveria''s kids, as thetter had so many, and his harem was also something to boast about.


    Lady Aurora sighed. "Every time I see this ce, I wonder why these men even want to fight. They have everything that amoner can''t even dream of."


    Sylvester didn''t mind, as he had seen many times before how greed consumes men in power and brings senseless war onto the people.


    "Let''s go and finish this work."


    They followed the servant male who led them towards the river on the Castle''s West side. There were vast grasnds overlooking the river, and apparently, the King was supposed to be there.


    They had noints, though, as they got to see the beauty of the Castle. They silently followed and soon arrived in front of three-metre tall walls made of bushes. There was a metallic open gate between them.


    The servant stopped and gestured for them to enter. "Please enter. His majesty is waiting inside."


    Sylvester nodded and walked in confidently. He took a few long calming breaths simultaneously, hoping everything he was about to do went well.


    At the same time, he nced at Miraj on his left shoulder and gave a wink. The furry boy also tried to wink back at him, though he only ended up blinking both eyes.


    "Aurora, remember my words. Stay under control." He advised again.


    With that, they finally arrived outside a sshouse just a few metres away from the riverbank. The ce was full of flowers, and the scents were overwhelmingly pleasant. Combined with the sound of the river, it was an incredibly soothing ce.


    "Please enter. They are waiting." Another servant was waiting for them at the gate.


    Sylvester followed directions and went inside the densely vegetated garden. He could notice a distant sound of a chuckle and some voices belonging to men.


    ''Alright then¡ªLet''s see if I still have it in me.''


    He took a calming breath and made more noise from his footsteps, revealing his position. Then, once he turned from the pathway between the dense nts and trees, he noticed a white garden table and four chairs beside the ss window that overlooked the river.


    On the side closer to the window, two men were sitting. One was King Riveria, looking older than thest time he saw the man. Wrinkles had taken over his face, white shoulder-length hair was falling to the back, and his sharp yellowish-green eyes had gone hazy. He also seemed very weak with a thin, frail body, but above his head, the crows still shined as any other day.


    Sylvester knew he could kill the King even if he pped the man too hard. But he sensed death from the other man. The man also appeared old, with white shoulder-length hair falling to his sides while parting from the middle above. The old man had a well-defined sharp moustache and wore a monocle.


    But that was the only old thing about him, as he was at least six foot five and as broad as Sir Dolorem. It was obvious that the man was a high-ranked wizard or a knight.


    "Greetings, your majesty. You''re a hard man to meet." Sylvester made himself known as he walked closer and put the metal box on the table.


    The King and the other man amusingly looked up, not even greeting them back. The King even sneered and, as expected, retorted indirectly. "And you''re a guest most pray only to entertain once. You''ve had quite an¡­ adventure in the City."


    Sylvester chuckled and confidently took a seat just beside King Riveria. "What can I say? Your wee overwhelmed me. But, don''t they say, desperate times call for desperate measures, your majesty."


    ''Ah! The anger, rage and whatnot¡ªThe King hates me to the core.'' Sylvester was always alert.


    "This is Lady Aurora, the Tenth Guardian of Light." He introduced.


    The king firstzily pointed the finger at the other man sitting beside him. "This is my dear friend, As Aqua Riveria, the first Grand Wizard of Riveria."


    But then, all of a sudden, Sylvester smelled lust from the King as the old, ugly, frail man swept his gaze on Lady Aurora from head to toe. "By the way, Lady Aurora, you''re a Grand Wizard, correct? Even with all that power, why waste away your life as a clergyperson? Perhaps, I can find a ce for you in my castle¡ªThe realm needs strong blood, and strong bloodes from strong men and women, after all."


    Lady Aurora sneered, displeased, obviously. "Please keep me out of your talks, your majesty. I''ve given my life to the faith, so I request you not to sully my worship."


    "The worship is wasted." The King jibed while pouring himself a ss of whatever was in the bottle on the table.


    Sylvester, however, with a in face, talked back, though a bit cryptically. "Thank you for your wise words, your majesty. The world is witness to your exploits. A man so famously known as the key to a hundred locks. I''m sure many of your children shall be mighty keys like you."


    King''s face fell. Of course, he was not famed as the key to a hundred locks for being a sex god¡ªrather¡ªhis inability to produce strong heirs.


    The King barked back instantly. "What about you, boy? Do you know the key that unlocked your mother? Or perhaps she''s the lock that opens for every key ites across?"


    ________________________


    700 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 264 264. Web Of Lies I

    Sylvester''s brows twitched as the King was basically calling Xavia a whore. But he didn''t react sharply as this was going to be thest day that the man wouldugh. He knew that the King was only looking for an excuse to throw him out.


    ''I''m afraid if I told you who the key is, you''d shit your pants.''


    ? But Sylvester also knew that he could not just let the man walk over him, as that would give the King a green light that he can be pushed around. "Your majesty, whoever it was, I must say¡ªit was one majestic godly key to churn out someone as talented as me. I''m sure I''m the envy of many fathers and mothers."


    Sylvester jibed back at the old King, reminding him his only most talented son was missing.


    ''Missing'' was still the official status of Romel Riveria, as the body was never recovered. Not only the King, but the Holy Land was still looking for the boy as the case had gone in history as the most bizarre and serious unsolved mystery. How could a boy just disappear from a ce no one could run from?


    Sylvester could only imagine how much gold the King must have spent in search of him.


    Old King Riveria immediately lost his temper. He didn''t stand up, however, as even doing that required the help of his friend. "How dare youe into my house and disrespect me? For all you''ve done against my family, I should have you beheaded."


    Sylvester didn''t even bother with his threats and started to slowly open the metal box on the table. "Yes, you can do that, but are you sure you want it? I am not Sylvester Maximilian today, but the representative of the Holy Land."


    "Makes no difference to me." King Riveria barked.


    Sylvester shrugged and opened the metal box, and took out the preserved head of Duke Daemon. It prompted the King to shut up and back up a little, as the sight was gruesome, to say the least. The face appeared pale, and the eye sockets were empty.


    "As per the deal, this is the head of Duke Daemon, the man who was behind the death of your daughter. He did it after being enchanted by a mad witch who is now nothing but ash. Now, call off the war."


    The King was a tough nut to crack, as he retorted. "How do I ensure he''s the real Duke? How do I ensure you are not ying schemes with me?"


    Sylvester''s shoulder fell in tiredness. He wanted to p the man and end it, but he had to be patient as his mission was too sensitive. Everything needed to be perfect, or else, in the future, someone could point fingers at the Holy Land.


    "About fifteen thousand men who participated in the army and dozens of higher clergy, as well as King Harold, can verify it. The man died a gruesome death¡ªfirst losing his eyes and arms in battle with me, then his head to you. Congrattions, your majesty, you seeded in what you always wanted. Gracia is weaker than ever before. Even one of their Grand Wizards got arrested by the Second Guardian of Light, also losing his arms." Sylvester gave more details about what happened, all in the hope of enticing the old rotten-tongued King.


    ''Good! I smell excitement, but doubt still lingers. He''s emotionally broken and perfectly ripe for me.''


    Sylvester took a folded, thin parchment from his gown''s pocket and unfolded it on the table. It was the map of the northern part of the east of Sol Continent. It included the Riveria and Gracia Kingdom, along with the Holy Land.


    "Not only that, but the Holy Land has tasked me to offer you a great deal that shall end the war between you and Gracia family once and for all. But¡­ I can not speak of it to anyone but you." Sylvesterid down his small term.


    ''Please go! I don''t want to take major risks in front of a Grand Wizard. He may catch my lies.''


    He tried to y some mind games with the King. He knew that the King hated him and would never forgive him, most likely. But, he at least tried to divert the man''s mind from the hate. Because to ensure his task seeds, he needed the King to be excited and open.


    Though, before the King, the Grand Wizard spoke in his hoarse in voice, "What is this about?"


    Sylvester gave a one-word answer that widened everyone''s eyes. "Expansion."


    Even Lady Aurora was shocked as Sylvester never told her about this n. But, she didn''t dare to say anything at the moment.


    Immediately, the Grand Wizard stood up as he was confident that no man would be foolish enough to try anything there. He politely looked at Lady Aurora. "Mydy, if you don''t mind, will you give this old manpany for a few minutes while they talk?"


    Lady Aurora stood up quickly after getting a nod from Sylvester. The nod was pre-nned, however. So, she ensured that everyone saw it happen. The n was to show that she was under Sylvester''smand¡ªdering without words that Sylvester had a very high authority. Hence, what he said was likely the truth.


    Soon, both Grand Wizards left, and Sylvester slid his chair closer to the table. He then put his finger on the part of the Gracia Kingdom north of the Gold River. "The Holy Land shall keep everything above the Gold River because that will solve our food security problem. Meanwhile, Riveria can keep the Duchy of Ironstone¡ªthe biggest money pit of Gracia Kingdom. You also get to keep the highly acimed Yggdrasil School of Magic. As for the Gracia treasures in the giant vaults under Green City. They will be divided in half."


    The King sceptically looked at Sylvester. "This sounds like a fairy tale, boy. Don''t take me for a fool. Since when did the Holynd be so just and kind?"


    Sylvester took out a letter this time. This was the letter from the Shadow of Masan he obtained from the Witch. "Read this, and you will understand. Your majesty, you likely know that the entire Gracia Kingdom is in turmoil. Its northern region is devastated by the war, and now the South as well, because of a witch. This letter answers who was behind it all."


    King Riveria read it carefully. Even though his eyesight had weakened, he read it by keeping the letter close to his face.


    Thud!


    As expected, King Riveria''s arms fell on the table, and he cursed loudly. "God, those western fuckers! Masan was behind all of this? Has the Shadow of Masan involved himself? Then¡­ Riveria must be¡­ if not already, is being eaten by this cancer?"


    Sylvester nodded and put the letter back in his pocket. "Indeed. It''s not just Gracia and Riveria. I''m sure his eye is on the whole of Eastern Sol. Masan King likely wishes to be the Supreme overlord of the whole continent."


    King Riveria seemed truly distraught by the news. After all, the Masan Empire was as threatening as the Holy Land. In fact, he feared Masan more as the Holy Land would never attack directly, while Masan could.


    "Why did he talk about you in the letter? That Shadow of Masan?" the King asked interestedly.


    ''Good¡­ The shroud of doubt is disappearing, and more hope is appearing. Finally, he''s starting to believe in me.''


    Sylvester replied confidently, "I met the man in Jartel County while he was disguised as the Prima. I was easily able to solve the mystery and unwind the conspiracy there. Shadow of Masan had spent years working on that n, and I spoiled it in a month. He now sees me as apetitor of sorts, I believe."


    ''Good! He''s feeling admiration now.''


    The King''s eyes softened, nearly turning watery as he started at Sylvester with a conflicted gaze. The emotions were as clear as day¡ªAnger, sadness, admiration and hopebined. It was a strange mix but fit well with the King.


    Then, finally, King Riveria asked Sylvester a question he always wanted to. "Young man¡­ Please tell me truthfully. I ask you as a father, not King. What happened to my son? Did you kill him?"


    ________________________


    700 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 265 265. Web Of Lies II

    Sylvester didn''t react. His breath stayed calm; not even his pupil reacted. He had prepared himself for this question long before he even embarked on this journey.


    He quickly answered the man. "I didn''t touch a hair on him, your majesty. In fact, we were friends. Yes, we had a rough start, but I slowly realised he was just another boy, shouldering the great burden of getting stronger and inheriting your throne. I saw myself in him¡ªAs too many people expect a great many things from me as well, your majesty."


    He manipted the old man''s soft spot by drawing parallels between himself and Romel.


    Sylvester''s eyes turned slightly watery, and his lips twitched as if he was in the grief of losing a friend. "That day, something must have happened. I had met him once before the graduation oath-taking ceremony. But, I only learned about his disappearance when the ceremony began, and his name was called. I searched for him all over the school but found him nowhere. I¡­ I lost two great friends in a single month, sadly¡ªRomel and Markus."


    ''I''m sorry for using your name, Markus. I hope your soul rests in peace.''


    The King''s stern expressions turned softer almost instantly as he heard Sylvester''sst words in a wobbly voice. Out of shared emotions, he raised his hand and patted Sylvester''s shoulder. "Son¡­ Does that mean¡­"


    Sylvester nodded firmly and wiped his eyes. "I feel the same, your majesty. Romel must be out there¡ªalive. Someone can''t just die and not be found in a guarded ce like the School of Dawn. Perhaps, the Masan Empire took him, as he was to be a strong heir to Riveria, a kingdom stronger than even Gracia. The holynd has no reason to weaken its own backyard when Beastaria sits beyond the sea. Only Masan could wish for Riveria''s demise.


    "In fact, I tried to find him over the past months while doing my work. Sadly, I''m far too poor and low-ranked to do anything major. But still, I did find something when I was up in the North, in Jartel County. There, I found this ring being sold in a jewellery shop."


    Sylvester put forward a ring with a giant blue diamond on it. It was beautiful and recognisable since the engravings were too detailed for it to be a random creation.


    The King leapt to hold it in his hand. In fact, a few silent tears slid down the man''s wrinkly cheek. "R-Romel¡­ My dear son¡­ Where? Where did the shop owner find this?"


    Sylvester''s shoulder fell. "On the Desert Road¡ªLeading to Sandwall County¡ªto the Masan Empire. Hence, my doubts."


    The King''s eyes shined instantly. He wiped away his tears and put the ring down. "He''s alive! Romel had the talent to be a Grand Wizard. Masan wouldn''t be foolish enough to kill such a talent. They must be trying to brainwash him¡­ Son, can you find him if I give you all the resources and tools of my Kingdom?"


    ''I shall take it anyway.''


    Sylvester rubbed his chin as if in deep thought. "We will first need to learn if Romel is there. I''m sure I can bribe a few traders and higher clergymen to get me the information. People respect me in the Holy Land, after all.


    "And, since the Season of Solis has started, many pilgrims will be moving around. So, this is the best time to find Romel, infiltrate Masan, and bring him back. But¡­ I''m weak, your majesty."


    "Nonsense!" King Riveria boomed. "If the Shadow of Masan sees you as a challenger, you''re not weak. I shall send all four of my Grand Wizards with you. That should do it."


    Sylvester agreed wholeheartedly and patted the King''s shoulder. "For Romel¡ªI will absolutely do it, your majesty."


    The King saw Sylvester as the light at the end of an endless tunnel. The only hope, the only possibility or reason. So, hetched on to it like a bee on a flower.


    While Sylvester saw in the King a foolish old man, unable to let go¡ªmaking him perfect to be manipted.


    ''Good, he''spletely brainwashed now. It''s time to proceed.''


    Sylvester finally moved and took out a bottle from his bag. It was a simple crystal clear bottle with dusky white liquid in it. He then poured four sses for each of them. "Your Majesty, this is the non-alcoholic beverage made by the Fifth Guardian with his own hands. He gifted it to me once, and this has always brought me luck. Because of this¡­ I defeated a Soul Eater demon and could stand against a Gracia Grand Wizard.


    "What we have nned. The expansion and¡­ bringing my good friend back from those barbarians¡­ Let''s start it all with this drink of good luck. Also, your majesty, forgive me for my words at the start. I didn''t mean to disrespect you. It''s just¡­ I see Lady Aurora as my sister and dislike hearing anything about my mother. I''m just a man who gets deeply attached to those I choose to make friends and family."


    He carefully phrased himself to include the word ''friends''. He wanted the King to wholeheartedly believe that he was friends with Romel. Although he had already smelled the emotions, he still didn''t want to take any chances.


    The King smiled warmly. "That''s fine, young man. If anything, I''d have seen you as a lesser man if you had not fought back. No real man would hear his mother being disrespected. Now, pour me a ss. Let''s see what Fifth Guardian, that old man, made."


    The King gestured, and immediately, the Grand Wizard As came with Aurora.


    Sylvester knew the Grand Wizard was watching him the whole time, so he stayed careful. "Alright, pick your sses, and let''s toast to good luck."


    "I''ll take this one." Grand Wizard As suddenly picked up the ss Sylvester poured for the King.


    "Ah, of course, safety first," Sylvester stated the obvious, instantly turning the situation easy. But before As could pass his ss, Sylvester did so and extended it towards King Riveria. "Here, your majesty."


    The old man chuckled. "So young and full of energy. I wish I had that too¡­ And no need to call me Your majesty every second. Just call me Old Derek¡ªAs my friends do."


    ''Sadly for you, your desperation for Romel has blinded you, old man. On any other day, you''d have thrown me out already.''


    Sylvester nodded and dyed everything so that the old King would take his good time. Meanwhile, as Sylvester''s hand stayed extended with the ss, a certain invisible furry boy carefully slid forward from his shoulder to his palm.


    In Miraj''s sharp jaws was held an open vial that he carefully lowered, letting the invisible, formless, odourless content fall into the ss. Next, Miraj ran away to the side to use his power. Instead of breathing or tasting his saliva, he let it all go into his extradimensional belly so no toxin would touch him mistakenly. He had practised it hundreds of times with normal water in the past few days.


    The drink was ready. Sylvester let the King take it and then raised his own ss. "Cheers for good luck!"


    nk!


    The King was the happiest. He got so many gifts in a single day. Expansion, end of the war, and above all¡ªHope. So, he bellowed in his weak voice. "For a blessed future!"


    Gulp!


    Everyone downed it in one go and coughed a little. After all, it was made by Grandpa Monk, and it was one hell of a strong drink.


    "This is good." The King praised, looking at his ss.


    Sylvester, meanwhile, felt nothing but rxed in his heart. ''May the Lord grant you merciful seven hellish days that are to arrive. Sadly, no matter how much you shall cry, you won''t survive.''


    "What are you thinking, son?" King Riveria asked him, seeing him in a daze.


    Sylvester''s eyes turned hazy again, "Romel¡­ My good friend."


    ________________________


    700 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 266 266. Anger Of Commoners.

    Sylvester drank with the King two more sses of the exclusive drink. By the end, the King got visibly drunk and started to doze off every ten seconds. It was clear that the meeting had ended.


    Then, with Grand Wizard As'' help, the King stood up. "Son, take the letter of armistice from the castle while on the way out¡­ and stop the people from rioting. Tell them¡­ the King has announced a week of celebration in the name of the Lord''s Bard. All food and drinks in taverns shall be half the price from evening till midnight for seven days."


    Sylvester was shocked that everything had gone so smoothly that now the King had basically announced celebrations for his own uing seven days of slow death without even knowing. It was depressing, but Sylvester epted.


    "Understood, your majesty." He bowed his head.


    King Riveria started walking away. "Ah¡­ I should retire to my chambers now. Take care, son. I shall call for you soon with a detailed n."


    "I will be waiting, your majesty." Sylvester didn''t act close to the man by taking his name and politely saw as the Grand Wizard took the King away.


    But still, Sylvester didn''t feel as happy for some reason. He didn''t like that the man would just die slowly in his sleep. Sylvester hated King Riveria for making his life frustrating for the past few years. The bounty on him made everything messy, as on any given asion when he was outside the Holy Land, he had to be careful about too many things.


    ''Killing him like this feels more like an act of kindness than a punishment.'' Sylvester thought and sighed. However, no matter what, he had finally removed a thorn.


    "What did you do to make him so kind to you all of a sudden?" Lady Aurora asked. "And what about that expansion n?"


    Sylvester didn''t borate. "Let''s not talk here. In fact, let''s leave this city quickly."


    "Back to the Holy Land?"


    Sylvester denied. "No. We shall go further down southwest in Riveria and meet Duke Conrad. No more questions here. Let''s move."


    So, Sylvester went to the castle as the King had advised. He was soon guided by the servant at the caste''s gates to the administrative wing of the King''s office. Yes, the King had a whole wing dedicated to his administrative work.


    Sylvester noticed multiple doors on the sides of the corridor, each marked with different departments and the name of the person upying it. He saw the Head of Agriculture, Head of Fisheries, Head of Industries, Master of Commerce and whatnot.


    ''Good lord, now it makes sense why Riveria is so rich and has a big industrial output. Unlike the other Kings and their offices, the work here is well-distributed and structured. If this were a normal king, all the heads of these departments would sit beside the King in the same meeting room or the throneroom and discuss things there.''


    Sylvester was in awe. He wondered if King Riveria was behind this system, and if the man was, then he had to agree that the King was good at something finally.


    Soon, Sylvester received the letter announcing the armistice with all the proper stamps. It was written by the King''s Prima, and it turned out to be none other than the Grand Wizard As.


    ''How much does the King trust his Grand Wizards to give them such a major position? Does he not fear they''d remove him and be the King instead?'' Sylvester wondered. But he didn''t voice himself.


    "Thank you, Lord Prima." He bowed, took the letter and left without much fanfare.


    They made their way out of the castle and proceeded towards the boundary wall. The loud explosions were still resounding in the city, and the crowd''s shouts had only increased. It was clear that even if the sun was setting, the people had no wish to back down.


    "Woah! Golden man!"


    Just as Sylvester was moving beyond a small garden near the castle, he heard a squeaky voice of a child. Interested, he looked and found a ck-haired, chubby-faced, dark-skinned boy. The boy also had eyes simr to the King, so it was clear who it was.


    "So cute." Aurora wanted to go to the child and pull his cheeks.


    "No." But Sylvester dragged her by the arm. "It''s better if you don''t get attached to any of King''s young children, Aurora. Don''t forget; a raging storm can easily destroy little saplings."


    Lady Aurora sighed, nced at the kid oncest time in pity, and followed Sylvester. They didn''t stop anymore and arrived at the gates.


    "Lord Bard! Please!" Themander of the Royal Guards came running to them. "Tell them to back off. Look what they have done!"


    Interested, Sylvester followed and climbed the stairs of the walls to stand at the top to look. Unfortunately, the gates had been shut closed long ago as the crowd had be too restless.


    "Look what they did to the walls!"


    Sylvester nced carefully. The giant crowd had reached the castle walls, but instead of trying to climb, they took turns using charcoal to write something on the wall, covering all of it with words.


    ''Pfft¡­!'' Sylvester could hardly contain hisughter.


    Lady Aurora, however, was in a position where she didn''t need to hold back. So she burst intoughter. "Ahaha¡­ Who gave them this idea? This is genius!"


    Sylvester noticed the annoyed Royal Guard, but the man could do nothing to Lady Aurora and only watched as the people wrote more.


    ''Useless cunt lover''


    ''Weakest cock of Riveria''


    ''Cockless King lives here''


    ''Harem King with a weak thing.''


    ''Just Die.''


    ''War Monger.''


    ''Leave some for us!''


    ''Just Stop!''


    ''Does it even stand?''


    Sylvester shook his head and stopped reading them. But he did wonder why most of the curses were about the King''s thing. He didn''t know the people held such resentment against the King for having a vast harem.


    ''Perhaps the city''s men are jealous of their king?''


    He eventually got closer to the edge and raised his hand, shrouded in light. It took a few minutes for everyone to notice, but they ultimately stopped shouting and drawing different words or shapes on the walls.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester showed a parchment in his hand. "It has been signed! There shall be no more war! Only peace! So no more violence, my brothers and sisters. The King has announced a whole week of celebration in my name. All drinks and food in the city taverns shall be half the price for seven days from evening to midnight!"


    "Yeah!"


    "Bard!"


    "Bard!"


    The people started to chant for him, all faces full of smiles and excitement. In Sylvester''s eyes, they were the biggest fools because they not only damaged their own city but also worked as his pawns for free, and after this celebration, his name was going to be immortalised in the city.


    Sylvester turned around and walked downstairs to the gates to leave the city. Lady Aurora stood before him as the people would pounce at him at any moment. The crowd had only increased over time, and it seemed like the entire city hade.


    Sylvester kept chanting a hymn under his breath and created a halo. He then raised his right palm and shined some light on the people, making them feel the warmth.


    He didn''t sing this time, as that would be overdoing it. So instead, he just kept walking, and the people kept moving apart, making way for him and Lady Aurora. Many even went down to their knees and prayed.


    Sylvester was the miracle the city needed to rekindle its belief in the faith. With his light, thousands of hearts had once again epted the light of Solis wholeheartedly.


    ''I need to add this to my mission report and list of achievements.''


    It took Sylvester and Lady Aurora an hour to get out of the enormous crowd. Often, some people would stop him and cry out about their problems, from things rted to their failed romantic endeavours to their sick parents or children.


    Sylvester could only shine his light upon them and say a few good words. However, he did advise many of them to go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. That would not only generate more revenue for the Church but also spread his name far and wide as the city''s people would meet the other pilgrims from around the world.


    Eventually, Sylvester arrived at the Monastery, and they got on Aurora''s carriage quickly. They didn''t know how the people would react when the King would fall sick suddenly, and they didn''t want to take any risks.


    They just informed the Bishop of the Monastery and left the city in the darkness of the night when the people had moved to various taverns and eateries to have fun.


    "Let''s find a small town on the way and rest there. We should keep ourselves well prepared for any attacks from any direction." Sylvester advised and made the horses go faster.


    Lady Aurora agreed and gave a few words of warning. "You''re right. When I spoke with that Grand Wizard As, the King''s Prima, I couldn''t understand his motives. He seemed uninterested, yet he was so caring for the King. Not to mention, he''s the King''s Grandfather from his mother''s side, so he''s likely to suspect us."


    Sylvester then had the realisation. "So that''s why the King was confident enough to make him Prima. But sadly, just having blood ties in this day and age is not enough. What''s about toe for the Riveria family as a whole is going to be nothing short of a fiery storm."


    "Is it rted to the Duke?" She inquired.


    Sylvester neither nodded nor shook his head. "The Duke, well, he''s going to be the King soon. But¡­ Ever wondered what will happen to his over one hundred half-mothers and nearly four hundred half-siblings once he takes the throne?"


    Lady Aurora took a calming breath and stared at the road ahead. "As you said, those mothers harmed and tried to kill the Duke and his younger brother from an early age¡ªSo I''m afraid it will be nothing less than a bloody carnage."


    "Indeed, my sister. But again, bloodshed in a war of ascension is asmon as srium in the air. If there were no bloodshed, then that would''ve been suspicious."


    She agreed but didn''t like the fact that even the kids won''t be spared. "At least we should take the little ones as orphans into the church."


    Sylvester immediately warned her. "Don''t even think about it. Those kids are not just children. They are sleeping bombs for the Duke¡ªWho may somedaye to im his throne. No, we can''t have the Duke hate the Church. Let him do whatever he wants."


    They silently epted what was toe and drove on the in straight road in the middle of the night. But of course, Sylvester''s mind never rested, for the nights were his greatest enemies, as there lurked a shadow, ready to ensure he never saw the light of tomorrow.


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 267 267. A Shocking Question

    Sylvester didn''t hurry too much as it would take a lot of time for the King to get sick. Not to mention, the poison that he had fed to thetter was untraceable, and there was no cure known to anyone other than five people that worked for the Church.


    Sylvester rested in the cabin behind while Lady Aurora drove the carriage. They took turns to rest every now and then but didn''t stop the whole way after sleeping once at night in a town.


    However, Sylvester was more worried about his little furry friend. "Chonky! Are you alright? Do you feel anything?"


    He was worried because the poison was very dangerous, and he didn''t know if Chonky could ensure that no single drop of it went into his system. So, he held Miraj on hisp, on his back, as he rubbed his belly.


    "I¡­ I feel something, Maxy." Miraj replied with a scared impression.


    "What?!" Sylvester was rmed.


    Grrr¡­!


    Miraj''s tummy growled. With that, a big toothy grin appeared on the cat''s face. "Hehe¡­ I feel hungry."


    Sylvester breathed a sigh of relief and tickled Miraj''s belly crazily. "You bad boy, making me worry for no reason. But, again, you have helped me so much these past few months, and without you, I might have even died a few times by now.


    "So, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you, Chonky." Sylvester hugged the cat on his shoulder and patted his back.


    Miraj, in return, patted his paws on Sylvester''s head. "There, there. You are my little Maxy. After all, I adopted you, so it''s my duty to protect you forever."


    "..."


    Sylvester didn''t retort. Whatever made Miraj happy, he was happy to go along with it. But, he had a surprise for the excellent kitty as he had gone secret shopping at night when Miraj was sleeping.


    "As promised, you get to eat three bananas today¡ªno need to be quick either. Take your time and savour the taste. I shall take a little nap in the meantime." He handed three ripe, spotless bananas.


    Mira''s eyes had stars in them as he nodded profusely. "Yes, Yes! You sleep. I will keep a very¡­ good¡­ watch."


    Chomp!


    Miraj didn''t wait a moment and pounced on the three bananas. Where did his love for bananase from? It was a mystery that Sylvester didn''t even dare think about.


    He was worried about his next move, as he had not yet finished moving his pieces.


    ¡­


    While Sylvester journeyed to Fort Sunflower, a crisis is about to erupt inside the River Castle.


    "Ha!"


    "Ha!"


    "Ha!"


    The wooden bed in the royal chambers of King Riveria made squeaky noises, and the King''s frail, old and ugly body pressed onto a young beauty that most men could only dream of ever touching.


    While the King grunted with his full might, the woman looked calm, and not receptive to the moving body above her, as if she didn''t even feel anything. Certainly, the key was there, but the lock was too deep and tight to react to any movements.


    "Ugh!"


    "Argh!"


    Thud!


    Merely fifteen secondster, the King did his deed, and his body fell limp. But, instead of rolling over to the side, he fell on the woman''s body, letting his head fall between the hills.


    "Your Majesty, please move. I must go and clean." She requested softly while caressing the old man''s hair.


    "Your majesty?"


    But, even after a dozen calls, the man didn''t react at all. Finally, she panicked, pushed him to the side, and stood up. Being a noblewoman, she knew a little bit about healing and caring for one. So she checked the King''s heartbeat and pulse.


    "Oh no!"


    Scared, she jumped to her feet, quickly covered herself with the gown and ran outside into the corridor, screaming. "Guards! Call the healer! Quick! His Majesty needs help!"


    Her beautiful face had already turned into an ugly mess, as her mascara made her eyes look ck, and her lipstick was smudged over her mouth. She was afraid of being med if something happened to the King. Not to mention, since she had not given birth to any of the King''s children yet, she wouldn''t enjoy any immunity or privilege if the King died now. She could only hope that tonight when the King finished, it would make life grow in her belly.


    Immediately, the Royal healers, with the whole team, arrived and checked the King. His blood, his body, the room''s air and everything else. The food and wine the man had drunk previously were tested, as well as the utensils.


    "This is not good! His vitality is fading. The amount of srium in his body is diminishing¡ªAs if his body is rejecting it. Quick! Bring me the most potent srium crystals in the healer''s treasury!" The chief healer ordered.


    The entire castle went into a frenzy as the news spread like wildfire. The Harem wing erupted into loud shouts and curses as many women fought each other, dering themselves the most beloved of the King and their children the true heir.


    The court of the King immediately started talking about the second in line. Only the King was against deciding who shall sit on the throne after him as the man was not satisfied by any of his sons.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    No one expected the old man to survive this as he was already too old, and everyone knowledgeable knew that this day had been on the horizon for months now.


    As for the King, his body kept getting weaker, and signs of his life worsened. However, no poison was found in the blood or food. No ailment was detected outside or inside the body. The situation appeared to be normal, and there was nothing the healers could do.


    "I vote for Prince Logarth."


    Unofficial voting was cast among the members of the King''s court just to see who they favoured the most. If there were a majority, then they''d go with that.


    "I vote for Prince Conrad."


    "Prince Logarth from me. He may only be ten years old, but he''s a sharp fellow with a talent to be an Arch Wizard. Therefore, we can let him take the throne and at the same time advise him on the matters."


    The meaning of the words was clear. They wanted to ce a puppet king so they could influence various decision-making.


    "Prince Conrad is old and has stayed too far away from the capital. He may be a great administrator, but we can''t trust him. So my vote goes to Prince Logarth as well."


    One after another, the whole court of 10 voted, and except for one, all voted in favour of Prince Logarth, the son of King''s eighty''s concubine.


    "It''s decided then. We shall put Prince Logarth on the throne if the King passes away."


    ¡­


    Sylvester, away from all the scheming and chaos of the River Castle, had just arrived at Fort Sunflower, the seat of Crown Prince Conrad Fitz Riveria.


    But, initially, Sylvester was not allowed to enter the castle city, as the guards had stopped all iing traffic into the city for some reason. But still, Sylvester revealed who he was and who Lady Aurora was, and they were soon given express entry into the city with ten mounted guards escorting them.


    However, when Sylvester drove the carriage inside, he smelled anger in the air and was left speechless at the condition. People were on the streets shouting and breaking things, trying to burn things. Many guards were also trying to stop the people and even beating them.


    "Riots? What''s going on here?" he questioned the closest mounted escort.


    The man grimly replied. "They are angry, Lord Bard. Today, the five-year champion of the fighting arena finally lost a battle¡ªresetting his famous ten-year deal for freedom. His defeat angered the people as he is a favourite among all."


    "Kaecilius lost?" Sylvester was shocked. "Such a piece of sad news. He had somehow spent five years winning and lost halfway. But we live in a cruel world, and there was bound to be someone too strong for him entering the arena. So what do the people want?"


    "They want the fight to be considered invalid and that he be given another chance." The soldier answered.


    Sylvester just sighed and rxed back. "That''s asking for the impossible. A deal is a deal. Neither the Duke nor Kaecilius would agree. This is sad¡­ but this is reality."


    He silently watched the people riot and drove towards the main castle. The people, thankfully, were not dumb enough to stop a carriage with the Church''s g. Instead, they gave way and allowed them to move smoothly.


    By the end, Sylvester entered the castle and was soon guided to the Duke''s office on the top floor. It looked as extravagant as ever, but Sylvester didn''t eye that wealth anymore as he already had the treasures of one Duke.


    The ashen blonde-haired, tall man came and hugged Sylvester without any reservations. "Lord Bard, wee back to Fort Sunflower. Forgive me for what you saw outside. People are too emotional these days. Come, have a seat. And what happened? You have so many bruises on your face."


    Sylvester chuckled and replied. "Your father gave me quite a wee in the Green City."


    Duke Conrad rubbed his face frustratingly. "I apologise on behalf of Riveria. He''s a senile fool who knows nothing but to sleep with a new woman every moon."


    Sylvester shrugged and sat down, with Aurora beside him, and Prima didn''t sit at all, only standing behind the Duke''s chair. "Whatever he may be, it won''t be for too long. I have good news for you today."


    The Duke''s face lit up, and he looked at Sylvester with hope. "Is it happening?"


    Sylvester shared the letter of the armistice signed by King Riveria. "I suggest you start marching to the capital soon. You have seven days at best. By the end of the week, they might nt a puppet king if you don''t take the capital. Then you may have to face some pushback."


    Duke Conrad appeared confident, however. "Don''t worry about that, Lord Bard. My younger brother and I will march at the same time. There are only two giant duchies in Riveria, one under me and the second under my brother. So we can easily surround the central royal region and force anyone to submit. Not to mention, I have already garnered the support of all the Grand Wizards who serve the family."


    That amused Sylvester. "Since when?"


    "Sincest month. After father dered war on Gracia, everyone knew it was a stupid move that would anger the Holy Land. Not to mention, the father''s past actions have already angered the faith. So, everyone wants to rx and wish for a king to heal the rtions."


    "And what about your extended family? You have too many step-siblings and step-mothers." Sylvester questioned further.


    Duke Conrad coldly replied without wasting a moment. Releasing the scent of rage and hatred clearly. "Death¡­ A quick death to all of them shall be my mercy. I am fond of some of them, but all must die for asting peace, except my blood brother."


    "Is that so?" Sylvester eyed him strangely and finally asked shocking questions. "It wasn''t Duke Daemon''s wife who killed your step-sister. It was you, wasn''t it? You wanted your father to dere war, am I right, Duke Conrad?"


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 268 268. Real Mens Taste

    Heads turned, and tensions red up in the room. Lady Aurora looked at Sylvester, her eyes asking a thousand questions. But Sylvester was only looking at the Duke with a smiling face.


    "Is that a problem?" Duke Conrad asked.


    Sylvester shrugged and folded back the letter from the King. "I don''t really care what you did because, in the end, we both benefited from what transpired. You get to be the King, and the Holy Land gets to have some peace in its backyard. No more wars between Gracia and Riveria for as long as you shall live. You may even proceed to establish better, stronger economic ties with Gracia. I heard they need some help up in north after the wave of destruction Masan''s plot left."


    Duke Conrad smiled and nodded firmly. The scent of anxiety and fear he was oozing not long ago went away. After all, he had yed a considerable gamble by trying to mess with the church and use them as pawns. But now he realised that he never yed the church. Instead, the church was only feigning ignorance as it suited them.


    "Indeed, Lord Bard. I wish for no useless conflict. On the contrary, I am in favour ofmon prosperity, and I''m sure the Holy Land wants us to start preparing for the war with Beastaria whenever it maye."


    Sylvester eyed him for a few seconds. He smelled various scents that made him alert. One of them being rted to lust but not of the body. ''It''s clear that I can''t trust him. He''s too smart and tried to manipte the church as much as I manipted him. There is no guarantee that he won''t betray me when the timees.''


    "But you have something worse to deal with first. Masan has likely nned something for Riviera as well. The man leading Masan''s spies and schemes is none other than Shadow of Masan, so be careful, lest you might find a sudden uprising in a certain part of the kingdom. In fact, make sure you have absolutely clear and soundmunication with your brother. You don''t want another situation like King Harold and Duke Daemon now, do you?" Sylvester reminded him. He didn''t have any threats in his voice, but it was clear that Duke Conrad got the message.


    The Duke shifted in his seat and agreed with the view. "You''re right, Lord Bard. In fact, I shall allow funding to repair all the monasteries across the kingdom. I know my father held some¡­ unpleasant ideas about the faith, but that was only him. So I hope the Holy Land shall also help and keep me informed in case any suspicious activity happens."


    Sylvester knew what the Duke was doing. It was the textbook sycophancy, licking the feet of someone more powerful in order to gain support and benefits. Duke Conrad would need a lot of support as he''d be taking the throne by force instead of natural ascension, as the King never dered him the official heir. He was just naturally epted as the Crown Prince since he was the eldest of the children.


    "Of course¡ªYour Majesty." Sylvester bowed his head and called him by the title he''d soon inherit.


    ''Good¡­ Excitement and happiness rose in his heart. He truly wants the seat of the King.''


    But Sylvester had some personal matters as well. "Now, I want you to help me remove the bounty that King Riveria has ced over my head. It''s utterly frustrating and hinders my work for the betterment of society. I''d rather fight demons than assassins."


    The Duke looked at his Prime, the brown-skinned, stoic, old and tall man. "Lord Jeremiah, what''s the status? I asked you to look into it."


    Jeremiah Freeman stood up and presented a parchment. "Your highness, I asked around in the various assassin guilds in ournds. They revealed that the King had already sent them words to remove the bounty. But¡­ The bounty has remained as someone has outbid it and made it five hundred thousand gold Graces instead of the previous three hundred thousand."


    "..."


    Sylvester blew out air in frustration and rubbed his face. "Let me guess, Masan?"


    Prima Jeremiah nodded his head. "The guilds don''t reveal information about their clients. But they hinted to me that it came straight from the Royal Pce of the Masan Emperor."


    ''This is bad. I don''t want the attention of all these old monsters out there. I have my hands full on this side of the world already.''


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and asked. "Then, what if someone was to outbid the bounty again and then take it back? Would that remove the previous bounty?"


    "I''m sorry, but unless all parties take their requests back, there is no way to remove it," Prima answered, much to Sylvester''s disappointment.


    Silence took over the room as no one knew how to help Sylvester. The Duke could not really stop the guilds even if they resided in hisnds, while Lady Aurora could only stay beside Sylvester and be his shield. After all, he was her little brother.


    For Sylvester, the headache was different. ''How am I to travel around and study better things if every time someone will be looking to kill me?''


    "Your majesty, can you tell me the cost of hiring the highest-ranked Assassins?" He inquired.


    The Duke nced at his Prima to start speaking, and the man did. "Lord Bard, the Assassin Guilds are divided into various sses. C, B, A, S, SS, and SSS. You need not worry about any of those below S, as you''ve already destroyed an A-ranked team once. But the S-ranked are dangerous, and they are likely to go after you as you meet their desired threshold.


    "Among the Assassins, there is an unsaid rule that as long as a bounty is less than five hundred thousand, anyone below S rank can take it. If it''s between five hundred thousand to a million, then S ranked take it. Between one million and ten million, there are SS ranked, and if it''s above ten million, then SSS ranked take it. There also exists a legendary ss, but they are as rare as dragons in Sol, and they rarely act, for they are usually employed by various Kings and nobles for personal security."


    "So I have to be mindful about S-ranked assassins? How many of them exist in East Sol?" Sylvester inquired.


    "Three groups." Duke Conrad spoke. "All of them operate from my Duchy. The strongest are the Red Knights, and they are likely toe after you. They specialise in knightly magic, strategies and militaristic operations. They have a strict rule of only keeping one hundred members. But rest assured, I will warn them never to attack you inside Riveria."


    ''That''s not very helpful, buddy.''


    But he felt interested in other ranks as well. "Do we have any higher-ranked guilds on this side of the continent too?''


    "Of course." The Duke started. "We have one SS-ranked Guild called Warlocks. It also operates from Riveria. It''s full of wizards who did sick experiments on themselves. All of them are ugly, mentally ill bastards with the strangest abilities you can imagine. Then there is also one SSS-ranked Guild called Weeping Ghosts. Nothing is known about them other than that they operate from Hignd Kingdom''s easternmost part, from the Isle of None situated in the middle of the giant Weeping Lake."<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    Sylvester grunted, already seeing his bounty going higher with time unless he did something about it. And eventually, he will have to fight these guilds as they''de after him. ''Why can''t they just be good Mercenary guilds.''


    "What about Legendary?" This time, Lady Aurora asked interestedly.


    At that, the Duke seemed unsure. "As Jeremiah said, they are as rare as dragons in Sol. Legendary-ranked guilds don''t exist. Only teams or individuals do. They travel the world and make money without making much sound. I only know about one Legendary Assassin called Mistwalker. Nobody has ever seen him, however. But you need not worry, Lord Bard. All these assassins will think a million times before going after you. After all, you''re not a simple man. The church will protect you."


    ''Protect me? They''re the ones who put the Shadow Knight on my back.'' Sylvester thought and decided not to overthink it. It was too much information for him and was honestly frightening to some degree.


    He got up. "Your majesty, I won''t disturb you more. Please start preparing to march to the capital. I shall apany you."


    Duke Conrad beamed with a smile. "Thank you, Lord Bard. You being there will be a morale booster for the soldiers. You may look around the city. While I call mymanders and send words to my brother."


    "May the holy light enlighten us," Sylvester bid his farewell and walked out, his face appearing as in as a log.


    Lady Aurora followed behind him and felt heartbroken. Sylvester''s shoulders appeared weighed down by more problems than before, and she knew he had already been through enough. After all, every man has a limit before he breaks, and she hoped Sylvester wouldn''t hit that limit.


    So she hastened her steps and got beside him. "Sylvester, stop for a second."


    He did so and looked behind. "What is it?"


    With a serious and worried face, Lady Aurora came close to him and put her hands on his shoulder. "My brother¡ªI don''t call you that as just a cosmetic word. I mean it. So, you can rest easy. I shall help you fend off these assassins¡ªalways."


    Sylvester took her hands in his and held them tight. A smile grew on his face as he felt appreciative of her gesture. He could smell that she genuinely meant what she said. He never expected to forge such a rtionship with her when he first met her, but now, he was d he did.


    "Thank you, Aurora. That means a lot to me. But¡­ You need not worry about my mental well-being that much. In fact, right now, I was thinking about how we''re going to find an open eatery as a riot is going on."


    "..."


    Her face fell, and she red into his eyes, trying to sense any lies. "But¡­ I thought you''d be worried."


    Sylvester chuckled and started walking again while keeping one arm over her shoulder as if she was the little sister. Height did give him an advantage. "I am worried, but not that much. Aurora, remember my past. At the age of thirty days, my vige chief tried to throw me into a fire and kill me. At age nine, I fought a bloodling, and my Runes teacher tried to kill me. All my life, a threat to my existence has been as abundant as Srium in the air.


    "I know danger always lingers around me, trying to pounce on me. But if I let that scare me, I''m afraid I''ll go mad. Still, your words calm my mind and reassure me that I''m not alone. Thank you for that."


    Sylvester sensed as his grateful words red up emotions of sadness, happiness and love in her. ''Perhaps, she''s the only normal Guardian among them all. I should cherish this friendship¡ªfor my own good.''


    He released her and walked normally. "I have someone important to meet now. But first, what do you want to eat?"


    "Meow!"


    Lady Aurora looked left and right. "W-What? Why did you meow like a cat?"


    Sylvester ignored her. "What meow? I didn''t hear anything. Anyway, let''s eat some steak and¡­ bananas."


    "Steak and banana? Whatbination is that?" She asked, weirded out by it.


    Sylvester kept a in face. "A real man''sbination, that''s what it is."


    Miraj quickly patted Sylvester''s head and licked his cheek as he agreed with the statement. Real men and cats do eat bananas.


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 269 269. Man-Eat-Man World.

    sh!


    nk!


    "You can''t win against me, ve. I can''t believe you''vested at the top for five years¡ªPathetic."


    Boom!


    "The winner is¡­ Sir Malus!"


    Woosh!


    Eyes opened abruptly. Lost, pained, angered, and reeling with hopelessness. There were not enough words to describe the feelings that Kaecilius felt at the moment. It had just been a day since he lost, and now, he was digesting another grave news.


    "Haaa!"


    Bam!


    He mmed his fist on the wall. His entire room was full of the aftermath of destruction by now. "My son¡­ Remus¡­!"


    Merely a few hours ago, the news of his son''s demise hade. His son had fallen from the horseback while training and had broken his neck. He had just returned from finishing the cremation of his body.


    "Only if I was better¡­ If I could have done something." But deep down, he knew there was nothing he could do. He was a ve, and so was his family.


    In the dimly lit, cold underground room, he sat on the bed and held his face with his palms, unable to think anything straight. "What am I to do now? Five years have been wasted. Must I spend ten more to gain our freedom? I can''t have Elia and Cirus face the same fate as Remus."


    Knock!


    "They don''t have to."


    All of a sudden, a voice came that Kaecilius distinctly recognised. He jumped to his feet, ncing at the door.


    "I heard what happened, my friend. It''s a fate I wouldn''t wish even upon my worst enemies."


    Thud!


    Kaecilius fell to his knees and held his hands together, praying to Sylvester. "M-My Lord¡­ Bard¡­ Please help me."


    Sylvester stepped closer and smelled the emotions. He felt terrible for him, as fate had utterly broken the man. First, losing his family''s freedom and then his son in just a few hours.


    There was a smell of rage, anger, sadness, fear, anxiety and perhaps, helplessness. But what stood out was his worship and hope towards Sylvester. It was something that Sylvester appreciated.


    Sylvester helped the tall and strong man up to his feet. "I can not help free you, sadly. But I can... Perhaps¡­ Take your remaining family, your son and wife, to the Holy Land. Your wife can work there, and your son can study¡ªFreely and Safely."


    Kaecilius bowed his head deeply. "Thank you, Lord Bard. You helped send my children to study before, and now this. I know I can never repay you for your generosity¡­"


    Sylvester interrupted him, however. But not with words. Instead, with a little hymn that was supposed to get the message across to the poor ve indirectly.


    ?See beyond what appears affront.


    There is a devil lurking on the hunt.


    When least expected, he''d hit you blunt.


    Now in his direction flows the power''s current.?


    ?Your pain is not natural but inflicted.


    Who did it can be easily predicted.


    Open your eyes, for it''s all scripted.


    Read through the lines, and it''ll be decrypted.?


    ?Remember, a man is like every changing season.


    Follow the money, and you''d have the reason.?


    Silence prevailed following his little hymn with no halo behind his head. This time, he was not praising the lord but showing the path to the truth. His words were indirect, but they were easy enough to understand.


    Kaecilius appeared dangerous and angered at that very instant, and a rageful aura and emotions of anger red from him. He looked Sylvester in the eye and asked respectfully. "My lord, are you suggesting that my defeat was not natural? And my son¡­ Someone killed him?"


    Sylvester didn''t use anyone directly. "You think about it, my friend. What generates the most money in Fort Sunflower besides trade? The Arena! Who is the most famous man getting the arena filled to the brim daily? You!"


    "B-But why? Why would he go back on his deal?" Kaecilius asked.


    Sylvester revealed further and got direct. "Because the Duke has now be the King of Riveria Kingdom. He won''t be living here anymore, and in his absence, he still wishes to keep making money from you. After all, why use you for only ten years when you can be kept for a lifetime?"


    Kaecilius clenched his fist so tight that veins started popping up, ready to burst. "But why my son?"


    Sylvester patted the man''s shoulder. "That, I don''t know. Perhaps, it was just an ill-timed ident. But only one man can answer you, and now he''s untouchable in the entire Kingdom."


    Kaecilius stepped back and sat down on his bed, his head in his hands, as he felt utterly helpless and hopeless. He knew not where to go now or what to even do. "S-So¡­ Am I forever stuck here as a ve? Was it all a lie?"


    Sylvester sat beside him and offered a small locket with Church''s symbol on it. "I''m afraid, without power, we are useless in doing anything. After all, for a weak man, a dream of justice is as irrelevant as a beggar in the eyes of a noble. The Duke¡­ He''s a brutal man who killed his half-sister to scheme against his father¡ªforcing thetter to wage war with Gracia and get the Church involved.


    "He''s a man who''d go to any lengths, and I''m sure the remaining hundred or so siblings he has will die soon. Forget it, Kaecilius¡­ I can at least help you by bringing your wife and son with me. If not you, then your son may live his life as a free man."


    Kaecilius didn''t reply with anything and remained seated in sorrow¡ªBrokenhearted for the promise that was not kept.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester looked around the room. It was all a mess with many holes in the wall that Kaecilius punched. He walked to the table and looked at the parchment. It was filled with three words, repeated all over the page. ''Forgive me, Remus. Forgive me, Remus¡­''


    "My lord¡­ I want to kill that son of a whore! Can you allow me to get closer to him?"<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    Sylvester looked back with not much shock. "Don''t be naive, Kaecilius. First of all, the Duke is now under the protection of the Grand Wizards. Second, even if you somehow seed in killing him, your wife will be gifted to the soldiers to be vited until she dies, and they will sell your son to some sick vemaster who will do to him what you can''t even dream in your worst nightmare.


    "You are a nobody and are bound to die as a nobody. Just ept your fate and sit down, like all those ves out there who keep their heads down and ept everything thrown at them¡ªhunger, pain, misery or worse. You are still a more privileged ve as you are well-fed, and so is your family. Yes, your son was probably killed, and yes, you were yed by the Duke, but still, it''s nothingpared to what''s out there.


    "Children as young as six are thrown into the arms of their abuser, women with children sell themselves for half a meal, and men die while serving their master¡ªall ves¡ªworse than you."


    Kaecilius appeared frustrated as he started breathing fast. He scratched his head like a madman, for he could not see any way to earn his vengeance. "There has to be something I can do¡­ I became a ve not because of a failed business, but because my business was destroyed¡­"


    Sylvester again interrupted him. "No. Your business failed because you were weak. So weak that someone could step all over you."


    Kaecilius'' eyes became red as if his mind would burst at any moment. "Then how, Lord Bard? How do I attain power? Please tell me because¡­ I''m out of my wits. You are the famed wise bard¡­ there must be something."


    Sylvester stared the man in his eyes and walked up to him.


    Bam!


    Without warning, he clenched Kaecilius'' throat with one hand and mmed him onto the wall. "Do you have it in you? To do what''s needed to attain power?"


    "I-I¡­ I do."


    Sylvester clenched the neck tighter. "It''s not my hand that''s choking you, Kaecilius¡ªIt''s the chain ofws of this world¡ªLaws made by the nobles, for the nobles, to step over you and those like you. Will you give your blood, sweat and tears to attain power? To break away from this chain?"


    Kaecilius didn''t struggle at all, even though his face turned red. "I do!"


    "Fine! But once you break those chains, what then?" Sylvester asked further.


    This time, the scent of rage, hate, worship and pure determination took the room by storm. Kaecilius didn''t even blink and stared into Sylvester''s eyes to show his pure determination. "I shall break more chains¡­ Then more¡­ Then more chains¡­ I''ll break them all until none remains!"


    "Ha!"


    Sylvester released Kaecilius from his hold and let the man breathe. "It is easier said than done. If you wish for vengeance, to break the chains, then you must first shake the very ground those nobles stand on so proudly. You must raise an army that shall make those tormentors shudder in fear. You must attain the strength that shall dwarf theirs¡ªYou must be amander¡ªA liberator¡ªA believer!"


    Thud!


    Kaecilius took to the knee like a Knight and crossed his arms over his chest to salute. "I shall stand by what I im, my lord. I will not quit as long as I breathe¡ªI will never let the mes of anger douse that makes me seethe."


    Sylvester put one hand on Kaecilius'' head and raised other palms to shine light over him. And then came a true hymn with a halo.


    ?Today, you rise by the grace of the lord.


    Your name is now written in heaven''s records.


    Be diligent in duty and attain the reward.


    Achieve vengeance you otherwise can''t afford.?


    ?Fear not for the future; I stand by your side.


    I''ll fight, for in your cause, justice resides.


    Arms or armour, as many as needed, I''ll provide.


    When lost, I shall be your brightest guide.?


    ?So, be the evil''s annihtor.


    Rise, Kaecilius¡ªThe liberator.?


    Kaecilius stood up and looked into Sylvester''s eyes with pride developing in his chest. "My lord¡­ You oppose very?"


    Sylvester nodded. "Even the Pope does. But, we are powerless as very is the nobility''s construct. However, to end this evil, an uprising is needed. So, I bid farewell for now, but you must start preparing. Wait for my instructions while you forge friendships in secret. Then, when the timees, you shall receive all the weapons needed."


    Kaecilius bowed his head, oozing the scent of worship. "Thank you, my lord. I will do all that''s needed to conquer this evil. I shall await your instructions."


    Sylvester nodded and proceeded out as he wished to give Kaecilius some time to digest what had just happened.


    Using Miraj to divert guards, he escaped the underground quarters of fighting ves undetected and arrived near the castle-city''s walls. As Lady Aurora was meeting with the Duke to discuss the march, he was free to use the carriage.


    But, as he entered the carriage, someone was waiting for him there.


    Thud!


    A tall man in knight''s armour saluted. "My lord, I defeated that ve as you asked. Please don''t report me to the Inquisitor Commander now."


    Sylvester closed in. "As an Inquisitor, youmitted the gravest sin by viting and murdering that woman''s family in Three Fingers viges. For that¡­"


    Bam!


    "Argh!... Why?"


    Sylvester held him in his arms as a spear made of solid white light pierced the man''s heart. "I chose you exactly for your sins. You were going to die anyway, might as well be useful before it."


    The Inquisitor Knight''s eyes teared up as life seeped out of him. "B-But¡­ Y-You promis¡­"


    Sylvester let himy on the carriage floor, dead. "True, but dead men tell no tales. Chonky¡ªEat!"


    ________________________


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 Chapter 270 270. O King Of Rivers

    Sylvester knew what he did was maniption at the highest level. And with the death of the one who did the deed for him, the secret would nevere out.


    "Chonky, do you think I''m a bad man?" Sylvester asked his Miraj, who had just finished devouring the Knight.


    He never wanted Miraj to dislike or see him in a bad light because Miraj mattered the most to him. Miraj''s help and wholesomeness had kept him sane and active whenever he was in a pickle.


    "Bad? Why? You''re the best, Maxy. You never hurt the good kiddies, fed me, and even helped that man. You take his family with us to protect them, and in return, he has to work for you. Isn''t that fair already?" Miraj countered with an argument.


    Sylvester took a calming breath.


    "Thank you, Chonky. I''m doing all this for a dream of a calm future so you, me and mum can rx atst. Let''s move now. It''s better if we remain in the royal pce and keep an eye on the Duke. The man is not as simple as he seems."


    ¡­


    River City.


    Days passed, and the condition of the King went from bad to worse. Without Srium entering his body, he started going thinner. Even if fed food, the nutrients were rejected.


    Confusion and panic were widespread in the castle, especially among the harem and the healers. As for the people, the seven days of celebrations were still going on, and none even cared about the King.


    Meanwhile, inside the King''s chambers, the old King Riveria remained resting. He remained unconscious most of the time, only waking up for an hour at most. But, in that time, he tried to speak all that he wanted.


    "I¡­ I nominate¡­ James for the t-throne."


    The Grand Wizard As remained beside the King as his shield and was in a pinch. "Your majesty, that will create a grand civil war. Most are supporting your eldest son, Conrad. And Conrad, with his younger brother, runs the Northern and Southern duchies. They can keep the Kingdom at peace with their impable administration experience."


    Sadly, the King was a man who obsessed over physical strength more than anything else. "N-No¡­ Ja-ames is Arch Wizard¡­ Conrad is only a Master. M-Make James the King."


    "But¡­ How will I get the two Dukes to step down and allow their younger brother, with no achievements, to take the throne? The people won''t ept it either." As argued.


    Cough!


    But the King only closed his eyes slowly, not listening and only speaking. "C-Call¡­ T-The Bard!"


    With that, the man fell asleep again. A grave duty had fallen over the shoulders of the first Grand Wizard of the Kingdom.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, hundreds of kilometres away, back in the Ironstone Duchy, the Church had set up its huge outpost to manage the region at the now-dead Duke Daemon''s castle and town. And the administration was temporarily handed over to Inquisitor High Lord, as he had spent a significant amount of time there.


    But, there was one person who was the happiest. It was Felix, the newly appointed head overseer whose job was to release prisoner nobles in return for ransom. He was to oversee the money, and living with Sylvester had taught him one thing by now¡ªBe greedy and a scum when ites to money.


    So, in his well-protected office room in the castle, he called the families of the noble prisoners one by one. "Next!"


    Soon, a beautiful middle-aged, redheaded woman entered, shaking her hips as if she was walking to seduce the famed Sword of Solis. But Felix was not interested in older women. So, he just asked for the money.


    "Ah! Lady Damascus, wife of Baron Damascus. Since he''s a Baron, his bounty is set at twenty thousand Gold Graces." Felix put forward an official document.


    The woman walked closer to Felix''s table and tilted down, giving a nice view of her meaty hills. "Twenty thousand? Oh, Sword of the Lord, that''s too much. Perhaps, if I help the sword¡ªIt can be reduced?"


    Felix scoffed. "I''ve seen better, mydy. You''re not the first one to offer me such favours. But if I take them, then how will I face my seniors in the Holy Land? How will I look my brothers in the eyes? But I can reduce it a little as long as you''re willing to donate to thend restoration fund. Pay thirteen thousand¡ªTen thousand as the ransom, and three thousand as the donation."


    The woman appeared sad for some reason. "Are you sure you don''t want me to sharpen the sword, my lord?"


    "..."


    Felix felt confused. ''Good god, she''s hornier than me. What''s with all these noble women trying to woo me these days? Did I be extra handsome suddenly?''


    "No. Please, tell me if you''re willing to pay this ransom, or I''ll be forced to send the Baron to the gallows. After all, he chose to side with a heathen in this war." He threatened.


    "ept! I ept, my lord." She snapped her fingers loudly, and immediately two men with a money chest and a big bag. "Here, ten thousand and three thousand more."


    Felix quickly stamped the ransom paper and handed it to the Baroness. "Here you go, mydy."


    She frowned, however. "It''s only¡­ It only says ten thousand on the paper."


    Felix shrugged. "Of course it does. The rest of the three thousand will go directly to the pockets of the craftsmen who shall restore the destroyednd. The rest will go directly to the Holy Land."


    Eventually, the woman epted what he said and left with the parchment to get her husband freed from the dungeons.


    Meanwhile, Felix tapped his table loudly and called Gabriel in. "Ten thousand ransom in one chest and¡­ Three thousand ''donations'' in that bag."


    Gabriel grunted and wrote it down on parchment. But he didn''t write down the extra donation. "Felix, you''re one bad scummy bastard."


    Felix grinned ear to ear. "What can I say? I learned from the best."


    ¡­


    Back in Riveria.


    "Achoo! Ugh¡­ Too many flowers around here." Sylvester sneezed while he kept the reins of the carriage tightly in hand.


    "What a wonderful carriage, I must say." Duke Conrad praised as he sat beside Sylvester on the reinsman seat just to be close to Sylvester. The man was already licking Sylvester''s feet, knowing very well that a man like Sylvester was bound for greatness and heights in the Holy Land.


    "Lady Aurora built it herself. But, I have developed a new technology that can make any carriage much morefortable. However, nobody uses it as it requires some modifications to the current carriage models, metal modification, and that costs money." Sylvester replied, trying to sell his stuff as always.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    The Duke jumped on the bandwagon. "If I may, please send them to me. I''m sure many makers in the Trade Corridor of Southern Duchy would like it. After all, our Trade Corridor attracts the richest and the most powerful buyers from around the world."


    Sylvester just nodded and changed the topic. "How much control do you have over the King''s administration?"


    "None, for the most part. I don''t have any influence in the Council of ten. But, since I have the support of all the Grand Wizards, the council members are nothing but little inconveniences. They are likely scheming something right now." Duke Conrad said, having predicted most of the matter.


    Sylvester sighed and hoped for the best. "May the lord bless us with the devil''s luck."


    ¡­


    It took two days and a night for the long procession of the Duke to arrive at the border of the River City. Since rivers surrounded the city, and only two bridges gave ess, it was very easy for the Duke to take control.


    No resistance was noticed from the city''s guards, and they just epted that the Duke had arrived. As it had already been six days since Sylvester''sst visit, the King had gone so frail that death was imminent. Hence, the City was already prepared for such a case.


    But, while Sylvester, Duke Conrad and Lady Aurora waited for the other Duke to arrive, a messenger came from the Royal Castle and called Sylvester inside. "The king wishes to see you alone, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester already expected this much. ''He must want to tell me hisst wish to find Romel.''


    "Lady Aurora, pleasee with me. Your Highness, please wait here and don''ty siege. I''m sure we can settle this without any blood if you have the Grand Wizards'' support." he advised while preparing to leave.


    Duke Conrad agreed wholeheartedly. "Rest easy, Lord Bard. I have no wish to rule over a city of ashes. I shall await your reply."


    Sylvester nodded and eyed Lady Aurora. And soon, they moved into the City, then to the castle. Everyone was in a hurry, so the servants rushed Sylvester to the King''s chamber inside the beautiful River castle.


    Sylvester didn''t even get the time to appreciate the beauty of the ce. But he sure felt disgusted when he noticed dozens of beautiful women, young and middle-aged, standing in the corridor leading to the King''s chamber. There were even some with little babies in their arms.


    ''Ah¡­ I already pity them.''


    "Please, don''t let him exert himself. He''s weak and can''t stay up for more than a minute." The head healer warned Sylvester before he entered.


    Though, Sylvester had a different worry. He went close to Lady Aurora and whispered into her ears. "Ensure nobody dares eavesdrop on me."


    "Understood." She gave a thumbs up.


    With that, Sylvester entered the vast chambers of the King. It was a giant hall with a double-king-size bed in the middle. On its one side remained the King, nearly dead.


    Sylvester stood beside the man, who appeared more like a skeleton now. "Your majesty, I''m here."


    The King''s eyes slightly opened, clearly strained. He couldn''t even move his body but spoke in weak whispers. "B-Bard¡­ R¡­. Romel¡­ Find¡­ King¡­"


    Sylvester knelt and brought his face closer to the King''s ears. "Romel? Forgive me, your majesty, but I can not bring the dead back to life."


    "Uhhh¡­ Haa?" The King''s brows shivered weakly as he tried to stare at Sylvester in panic.


    "You dared attack my mother¡ªstabbed her neck. And now you expect me to help you? Listen to me clearly¡ªRomel is dead." Sylvester showed his hands. "I crushed his neck with these myself. ''Please¡­ Let me go¡­ Please¡­'' Hisst words I remember vividly. What a fool he was, honestly."


    "Ah... Ha¡­ Y-You¡­ I wi¡­"


    Sylvester sang a hymn suddenly, creating a warm halo behind his head. That halo created enough heat that the King''s body had to spend thest ounce of energy and Srium to keep himself cool¡ªeffectively killing him.


    ?The Lord thanks you for the gift.


    Your Kingdom, riches¡ªbig is the list


    It''s the price of revenge that you insist.


    Except for two¡ªall shall cease to exist.?


    ?O'' King of Rivers, you are so naive.


    My intentions, how couldn''t you perceive?


    My words, you foolishly believed.


    So easily fell into the web of lies I weaved.


    Die now, with no tears¡ªYou won''t be grieved.?


    The King''s eyes got closed, and his breathing slowed. The man was dying, there was no doubt. But in Sylvester''s heart, there was nothing but calm throughout.


    Finally¡ªOne enemy was down, albeit many left to go. But for now, how was Xavia? That''s all he wanted to know.


    He wanted to head home, train to grow stronger, and maybe take a break to catch a breath. After all, no matter how many schemes he could produce. In front of absolute power, he was always one palm swing away from death.


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 271 271. Two Brothers & Blood

    The bells rang all over the city as a menacing announcement of what had transpired inside the walls nomoner could see. They rang ten times at once.


    But the streets of River City were full of cheering crowds as they partied, ate and drank. It was thest day of the celebrations, after all. So everyone was drinking and eating more than usual.


    Not to mention, nobody gave a damn about king Riveria since the man was too old and rarely showed his face outside. Thest time people saw him was two years ago, so most people didn''t even know if their king was alive.


    "Move!"


    "Get out of the way!"


    But opposing the cheers, the loud footsteps of a marching army were echoing in the city. Duke Conrad and his brother had arrived and were in the process of taking over the city. They had decided not to leave any chance where the council members could ce a puppet king and announce him.


    However, a bigger drama urred inside the castle as the Duke made his way towards it.


    ¡­


    Inside the castle, as Sylvester came out of the room and announced that the king was dead, a frenzy took over. People, instead of rushing into the room to see the dead body started running away. The women from the harem rushed out while the council members hurried to have a meeting and vote for the next king.


    The only one left behind was Grand Wizard As, the first Grand Wizard of the kingdom. He went inside the room and checked the king''s body. It was so thin that it was hard to even see it as a human. It was just a skeleton with some skin on it.


    "So, what will you do now, Lord As?" Sylvester asked, as the man had an official rank of a Count but without anynd.


    The Grand Wizard fixed his moustache and looked at the king''s dead body. "He wanted me to make Prince James the king because he has the talent of Arch Wizard. While the council of ten wants to make Prince Logarth the king, as he also has the talent of Arch Wizard, but he''s barely ten¡ªand ripe for maniption."


    Sylvester could smell the confusion and disgust from the man. The Grand Wizard was disgusted at his king''s choice, it appeared. But, if it were him, he''d feel the same. The king was a blind fool who gave more importance to magical rank than actual talent in running a kingdom.


    Sylvester didn''t say anything directly, however. Though he knew from Duke Conrad''s mouth that he had the support of all the Grand Wizards, that meant As too.


    "All I will say is that your duty lies with the kingdom and its people. Not to the king, not to the council¡ªThe people, the faith and their prosperity. But in the end, it''s for you to decide. But I hope my words brought you some rity."


    Lord As nced at Sylvester, clearly reading the meaning underneath his words. It was a warning that the wrong choice could enrage the Holy Land, as king Riviera had already angered them enough.


    Conrad was openly pro-church and also experienced enough to run the kingdom. Therefore, the man was the best choice for the king among all. But the council was also influential as it belonged to well-established affluent families.


    Sylvester walked away while singing a little hymn.


    ?The battle between logic and duty is tough.


    But as long as the mind can call the bluff.


    One can ovee situations, no matter how rough.


    May the holy light prevail and warm thisnd enough.?


    Sylvester left the room and headed to the castle''s throne room as Duke Conrad was to arrive there with his younger brother. There, the Duke was to take the throne and the crown while also addressing any opposition in a very ''civil'' manner.


    "Lady Aurora, did you receive any words from the Holy Land?" Sylvester asked as he walked with the woman.


    "I did, just an hour ago. They gave us the go." She handed him a folded parchment with a wax seal from the Pope''s office.


    Sylvester took a sigh of relief and put it in his pocket. "Good. Let''s end this and return. For the first time, I''ve started to feel homesick."


    "Me too." She reciprocated the feelings. "So much has urred to us in the past few months that it''s hard to digest. I''m seriously going to need a small holiday and ease up."


    "And get your promotion as well. I should already congratte you, Ninth Guardian of Light," Sylvester teasingly said, as it always excited Aurora.


    "Oh, you! I should also congratte you. With this achievement in your bag, you should be made a Cardinal already. Bringing peace to Gracia and Riveria¡ªAh, I never thought I''d see the day arrive," she mumbled.


    Sylvester didn''t say anything about that, though. He knew that his tongue was poisonous. Every time he hoped for something, it got jinxed and created more trouble.


    "Sylvester, teach me to y that Violin of yourster. Music has always fascinated me, but sadly, I never got much time to try it. I may be a broken flute when ites to singing, but I should be able to y it," she requested.


    ''Of course. I can already imagine Inquisitor High Lord not allowing you,'' Sylvester thought.


    He agreed instantly, "Sure."


    Amidst their talking, they arrived at the throne room. It was truly massive, with blue silk curtains hanging everywhere; golden carvings and engravings on the many blue pirs of the hall.


    The throne was set at the middle-front end of the hall, seven steps above on a tform. It was made of gold and iron, with many blue diamonds and other expensive items. Behind the throne was a huge g of the Riveria kingdom.


    At that moment, four men stood on the tform¡ªtwo on each side of the throne.


    "Be prepared. There are too many guards near the entrance and exits of the hall." Sylvester warned Lady Aurora as he walked in and made his way through the crowd.


    The throne remained empty, as Duke Conrad had only arrived just now with his vast army that had surrounded the entire castle and many key locations.


    "It''s good to be back home." Duke Conrad proimed in front of therge audience in the hall.


    Along with the council of ten, who each had their seats perpendicr to the throne, in two rows, facing each other, there were also many more influential men of the realm who hade to see the king for thest time. There were also a few senior harem members of the king, standing with their sons proudly, waiting for the promation that their son would be the new king.


    Behind Duke Conrad was another man with nearly identical features but a few inches shorter and slimmer. He alsomented, "The hall looks as magnificent as always. So go ahead, big brother, take the throne."<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    "I should." Duke Conrad, with a big smile, walked towards the stairs leading to the throne.


    "Stop!" Suddenly one of the council members nearest to Conrad stood up. "The council has decided the king already, and it shall be Prince Logarth."


    "My son?!" A woman eximed from the crowds and came running forwards in a hurry while holding her ten-year-old son in her arms. Her eyes seemed full of excitement and happiness. After all, she was going to be called Queen Mother now.


    "Halt!" Grand Wizard As'' voice roared from beside the throne. "The council has no say in who bes the king. Our beloved king Derek Riveria has already shared who he wished to see on the throne¡ªwith us four."


    "True."


    "Aye."


    "He did."


    The other three Grand Wizards nodded with As but remained mostly silent as it wasn''t their ce to speak.


    So As continued, "By the old king''smand, the new king shall be¡­ Duke Conrad!"


    "This is heresy towards the ethos of this kingdom! You have no proof of what king Derek wanted!" A council member roared, trying to defend their rights and ce a puppet king.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Just then, Sylvester walked forward with Lady Aurora beside him. He mmed the butt of his spear on the ground hard enough to make it sound loud. "The Holy Land gives its blessing to the new king, Conrad Fitz Riveria¡ªMay he bring about a century ofmon prosperity and warmth of Solis to the people."


    Lady Aurora then showed the letter from the Holy Land. "By the Grace of the Holy Father, his eminence, Pope Axel Tar Kreed, the wise¡ªConrad Fitz Riveria is epted as the official king of Riveria in the Holy Records. May the Holy Light enlighten us all!"


    "Haha¡­ See that? Not only my father, but the Holynd also approves." Duke Conradughed and continued to climb the stairs. But, at the same time, for some strange reason, he was taking off his armour and then the silk tunic.


    By the time he reached the throne, he had thrown away his upper clothes, and his back was in open view. It was riddled with old scars that had filled over time.


    "We do not ept this! We shall write letters to the lords of Riveria and have you denounced!" The councilmen threatened.


    But Conrad didn''t reply and simply took the crown from Lord As and ced it over his head. But even now, he didn''t face the people and kept showing his back.


    "Silence!" Conrad roared. "You will denounce me? Like you did my mother? While she killed herself right on these stairs? Where were you when my father dared marry another woman? Where were yourws when he brought all these whores into this castle? Where were you?!"


    "Look at all these scars on my back. Five hundred and thirty-two! There are many more over other ces¡ªAll inflicted by you council members and those whores! Assassins, abuse, and neglect! We were royal princes, and you treated us worse than orphans!"


    Conrad finally took his seat and sat proudly on the throne. But his face appeared cold and rageful as he looked at those in the hall. His bare chest appeared wide, and his body was built like a warrior. But even the front of him was covered in scars.


    "My brother and I suffered long enough at your hands! Riveria has suffered enough from scheming ns! No more! Because today, for each scar¡ªA toll will be levied¡ªIn blood!"


    The silence broke in as many eyes widened. They understood the meaning of Conrad''s words, and their hearts sank deep.


    Bam!


    Everyone nced at the gates and noticed them getting closed shut while hundreds of soldiers from Conrad''s army took position behind the crowd.


    "Today, let all your hearts give up in shivers! Because today dies the old kingdom of Rivers! DO IT!" Conrad roared.


    Woosh!


    sh!


    "Ahh!"


    "No! My child!"


    "Please¡­ Forgive us!"


    Cries of apologies and pain echoed throughout the hall. But the new king remained stoically seated, the Grand Wizards watched the massacre inly, and the younger brother smiled.


    No mercy was shown: man, woman, councilman, harem or step-siblings¡ªall got their hearts stabbed and throats slit. No chance was given to any to submit.


    The soldiers mercilessly moved around and painted the floor red.


    For the two brothers, it was payback for their mother''s spilt blood. It was payback for the loss of the mother the two brothers loved.


    But it was only the beginning, for only a few were present in the hall. After all, the old king''s harem was not small.


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 272 272. Money, Money, Money…

    The bloodbath wasn''t fast, and in some cases, swords were not even used. When the news of Conrad bing the King spread through the castle halls, many women in the Harem wing of the castle shut themselves inside their rooms with their children.


    There, some slit their own wrists, along with their children''s. At the same time, some who lived on higher floors jumped out with their children to their inevitable death. It was not a good sight to hear the screams of someone falling from a tower in the castle every few minutes.


    But still, Conrad didn''t show any mercy or stop the massacre. Instead, he ordered his soldiers not to stop until each one of his stepmothers and step-siblings was dead, for even a tiny nce at them enraged him, reminding him of his childhood that he spent in pain and misery despite being the Crown Prince.


    Sylvester didn''t like what happened. But he was neither in a situation to stop it nor did he want to stop it. He knew if he were in ce of Conrad, he''d have done the same as each of the women from the old King''s harem and their child were a threat to the throne.


    For now, Sylvester knew that he was done, and it was time to head out. After all, his n wasn''t to use Conrad anyway since he didn''t trust thetter as much. Yes, there can and will be many excellent partnerships in the future, but he knew he couldn''t influence Riveria like he was going to do with Gracia soon.


    ''I hope you seed, my Spartacus.'' So he thought and waited until the throne room was cleaned.


    At the moment, the only survivors were the Council members and some visitors who hade to meet the dying King. Everyone else was killed without any mercy.


    In his defence, Conrad said only one thing. ''Marrying another woman while being married to someone is against thew of the faith. He didn''t only marry different women over time but also held a giant harem. So he and all his wives are¡ªsinners."


    That was true, but notpletely. Most noblemen could keep as many women as they wanted but only as their concubines. They could only have one real woman as a wife, and if they want to remarry, then the current wife either should be dead or the marriage mutually annulled.


    Killing the concubines was a bit too much. But, since the children were illegitimate, no one could meddle in the matter. As thew clearly states that concubines should not be used to further the bloodline.


    But, at that point, nobody among the court members of the pce wanted to open their mouths due to fear. So, silently, they watched as all the dead bodies were taken away and some wizards cleaned the area.


    But once everything resumed, Conrad made his first announcement, and it couldn''te as more of a shock to Sylvester.


    "First of all, from today onwards, I will be creating a new position in my court that shall be equal and even slightly higher than all the Council members. Perhaps equal to my Prima. From today onwards, I am naming Lord Bard, Sylvester Maximilian, the official Faith Advisor of Riveria!"


    Sylvester nced at the man in shock and somewhat hidden excitement. Being a religious advisor was an extremely overpowered status. Sylvester remembered how various Kings in the old times were controlled by religious figures, as scaring someone in the name of God was easy.


    Newly self-crowned King Conrad looked at Sylvester with respect. "Lord Bard, you are perhaps the holiest man in the faith, along with the Holy Father. This kingdom will be blessed to have your grace shine upon us and help me usher all of us into an era of prosperity."


    Sylvester bowed his head. "I will be d to help you, your majesty."


    "Wonderful!" King Conrad pped and looked at the Council members. "I want a detailed record of all the work each of you has done over the years since the day you started working. I want every single detail with no omission¡ªOr else, remember, these Grand Wizards who stand beside me are older than your fathers¡ªThey remember what you might want to forget."


    All of the ten Council members bowed their heads while their feet shivered. They soon bid farewell and went to work in their official work chambers.


    With that, the throne room became empty, as other than Prima Jeremiah, Lord As and Duke Rainer Fitz Riveria all left.


    Sylvester decided to bid his farewell as well. "Now, I''m afraid I must return to the Holy Land and file a report of whatever happened here. But I''m sure we will meet again soon, as my work demands that I travel."


    King Conrad stood up and walked down his throne to Sylvester. "Thank you, Lord Bard. You were instrumental in my rise. You can expect full support from me in anything you need¡ªIn anything the Holy Land may need."


    Sylvester shook the hand but didn''t sing any hymns as he understood that threatening the King even indirectly now could be harmful.


    "Then, I will look forward to it. I wish you good luck and hope you stay vignt, for the enemies are often closer than you may expect. Don''t trust those Council members. They may try to bring you down." He warned.


    King Conradughed. "Haha, they? Don''t worry, Lord Bard. I asked them for all their work summary so I could get my own selected men from the realm to understand the duties and the past. Once I have my team ready¡ªThe older Council members will have no ce in this Kingdom¡ªOr the world. They were among those who stayed silent when my father abused my mother, after all."


    Sylvester didn''t try to correct the man. He had no moral high ground to tell him not to take his revenge, as he himself had killed the old King for being a threat to him and trying to hurt Xavia.


    "Good luck, young King." Lady Aurora also waved her hand as they proceeded to head out.


    Soon, they climbed onto the carriage seats, and Sylvester drove it out of the River Castle, perhaps one of the most beautiful castles in the world. But today, it had rivers of blood flowing through its halls and towers.


    Only time would tell if this bloodshed was worth it, however. As long as sanity prevailed in the new King''s brain, his work won''t be in vain¡ªHe hoped.


    ¡­<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    Sylvester didn''t take any rest this time and headed straight towards the Ironstone Duchy to regroup with his team and head to the Holy Land together.


    On the way, they also came across a few refugees who were going towards the Holy Land. Sylvester would randomly give a few some money to buy food or give some grains directly. It was the Season of Solis, after all, and showing some kindness to them could go a long way.


    Soon, without any mishaps, he crossed over the border, entered the Hideport and went right towards the Three Fingers Vige, beyond which was the Duke''s keep.


    It took them a few days toplete the whole journey, but the best part about having a carriage with a house was they could rest anywhere. Still, Sylvester tried to find a monastery in order to stay safe from the Shadow Knight.


    Eventually, they arrived at the town outside the Ender Castle of Ironstone. The town was now immacte, and gs of the church were everywhere, along with patrolling Holy Army men, ensuring that thew and the faith were followed strictly.


    "They must be inside the castle." Sylvester reckoned and moved right into the castle.


    He stationed his carriage and tried to look for Felix and the rest. Only after asking around did he find out what status and work had been assigned to Felix.


    ''I have a bad feeling about this.'' Sylvester mumbled to himself as he proceeded to Felix''s office.


    "Felix?" Sylvester entered the room and looked around. It was a standard room with a table at the end, and behind it was Felix with Gabriel.


    Felix stood up, jumped over his table and gave a hug to Sylvester. "My brother is back! I heard what you did, Sylvester. You''re one badass guy. Pfft¡­ You simply changed the King."


    Bam!


    Sylvester knocked his fist on Felix''s head. "Never speak of it to anyone, Felix. It''s not supposed to be even discussed anywhere."


    "See, I told you." Gabriel stood up and came forward to give Sylvester a brotherly hug. After all, everyone was worried for thetter as he went straight to the den of his enemy. "Felix was warned by Bishop Lazark and Sir Dolorem as well, but he didn''t listen."


    Felix defended himself. "Man, do you understand the gravity of this? My brother here had a problem with King Riveria, so he changed the bloody King itself. How crazy is that?"


    Sylvester chuckled. Indeed, it was somewhat inspirational and terrifying. But Sylvester also understood the gravity of the situation. "Never speak of this again to anyone, Felix. If people find out, especially the nobles, they will start fearing me, thinking that I can change any of them through underhanded means."


    Felix nodded. "I know. I''m not that stupid."


    Lady Aurora scoffed. "Just like all thieves say they are not thieves."


    "..."


    "Haha." Sylvester chuckled and walked close to the table, and took a seat. "So, what have you been up to?"


    A big, scheming, wild grin appeared on Felix''s face. "Hehe¡­ Sylvester, thanks to your teachings, I have sessfully taken some ''donations'' from families of nobles we caught."


    "How much?" Sylvester asked without much thought.


    "Many of them didn''t pay. But, a total of three hundred nobles have ''donated'' me three hundred and forty thousand gold Graces!"


    "..."


    Sylvester froze, and his eyes opened wide. "Can you repeat that number?"


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 273 273. Forged In Fire

    Sylvester asked for the amount a few more times. He couldn''t believe that ransoms could be this lucrative. The crazy thing was that if he tried to make this much money from his current sry, it would take him nearly fifteen hundred years.


    "You know what? I could have been an amazing noble lord with an army." Sylvester muttered.


    Felixughed. "Of course, you would. With that big brain of yours, catching the enemies alive would have made you more money than winning over new territories. Sadly, you''re destined to be the Church''s chief virgin."


    "..."


    Lady Aurora walked closer to Felix to beat him up. "Did you just call the Pope chief virgin?"


    Felix raised his hands in surrender. "Hey, I''m not wrong in saying that. Isn''t the Pope supposed to be the first clergyman of the faith? Besides, I was only using that in Sylvester''s reference. I would never disrespect our current Holy Father."


    Sylvester sighed and stood up. "Anyway, I should report to the Lord Inquisitor. You all pack your bags. We''re going home."


    "Finally!" Felix eximed.


    Not bothering them anymore, Sylvester headed to the room that once used to be the Duke''s office. But now it was stripped of all its wealth and remained a simple room with just walls and some windows.


    Knock Knock!


    Sir Hans opened the door and let Sylvester enter.


    Sylvester walked in and saluted the Inquisitor High Lord sitting on a giant chair. "May the holy light enlighten us, my lord. I am delighted to announce that the rotten root has been cut, and a new one has taken ce. The Riveria is secured."


    Inquisitor High Lord''s eyes shined as he looked at Sylvester for a few seconds.


    Sylvester, meanwhile, smelled the emotions. He could sense the pleasantness, worship, and admiration¡ªmostly pride. And that made Sylvester feel good, for he had told the angry old man that he could be trusted with this.


    "You have exceeded every expectation, young bard. I know it must have been hard. So I won''t hold you here anymore. There is no more war nor any mystery to investigate. You may head to Green City first and take Princess Isabe along." Inquisitor High Lord ordered him and extended a stack of few parchments.


    Sylvester seemed confused, as he didn''t expect he''d be allowed to keep Isabe with himself now. "Won''t the Church teach her?"


    "Yes, but under your overall supervision, young bard." Inquisitor High Lord said. "The Holy Father himself has signed the letter of appointment. You and Mother Xavia are to be the legal guardian and hosts of Princess Isabe throughout her time in the Holy Land."


    Sylvester felt some warmth in his heart. ''Great! This means I can still brainwash her not to be a fanatic ve of the Church and rather be my loyalist. With her being so close, I can definitely make her feel close to mum and me¡ªThis can help me a lot.''


    Sylvester nodded and looked at the papers. His eyes soon fell on a particr one. "This is¡­ Summon to the Supreme Council of the Holy Land?"


    Sir Hans smiled and spoke. "Congrattions, young bard."


    Sylvester confusedly nced at Inquisitor High Lord, albeit having already guessed some of it. "I''ve never heard of this Council before."


    Inquisitor High Lord''s eyes shined red behind the visor. From him, the smell of pride increased as well. "Young bard¡ªOver these past few months, what you have achieved has filled many hearts with pride. The feeling is apparent to all the clergymen, no matter where they reside. Hence this summon to the Supreme Council. It involves thirty-two cardinals and the Pope, who oversee promotions beyond Archpriest rank.


    "They have called you for an interview. It''s umon for Bishop rank, but you are anything but ordinary. So, I, too, congratte you, Young Bard."


    Sylvester, however, merely sighed in his heart. ''Let''s not jinx it.''


    "Thank you, Lord Inquisitor and Sir Hans. I shall be on my way home then." Sylvester bowed his head, saluted and turned around.


    Thud!


    However, Lord Inquisitor tapped his foot on the floor. "I shall visit you at your home in the Holy Landter. I have something to give you."


    ''What is it now? I really don''t like surprises at this point.''


    But he couldn''t show dissatisfaction or deny him. "May the holy light enlighten us."


    Sylvester left the office and returned to the ground floor outside, where his team was preparing to head out. It had grown big by now with the inclusion of Elyon Mizar. He could already imagine how many heads would turn when Elyon appears in his clergy robes.


    "Sylvester! Tell Elyon to just sit inside the carriage." Felix shouted as Sylvester arrived. "Horses are too scared of him otherwise."


    Sylvester nced at Elyon, who had mounted a big stallion, but the poor horse''s eyes told a different story as it appeared panicked. Of course, Elyon was a Tiger Beastkin, and this was anything but expected.


    "How did you mount the horse before during the battle?" Sylvester inquired.


    Elyon bowed his head. "That horse was from my home vige, Lord Bard. I had trained most of the horses there not to be scared of me. This one¡­ Will take a few hours."


    Sylvester nced at the horse and had an idea. "Let me give it a try."


    Then, Sylvester nced at Miraj on his shoulder, and the cat understood the assignment. So instantly, Miraj jumped over to the horse''s head and started whispering into its ears.


    A minuteter, Miraj jumped back to Sylvester''s shoulder. "Done, Maxy. I scared him more. He will do as we wish now."


    Woosh!


    "..."


    "The horse just peed," Sylvester muttered and shook his head. "Elyon, do what you need to do. Everyone else, listen to me. We are to first go to Green City to pick up Isabe. She will be living in the Holy Land with us."


    "Yes!" Felix eximed shamelessly. It was not hidden from anyone that he had a crush on the girl. But again, Felix had never hidden his intentions from anyone.


    "Let''s move then." Sylvester climbed onto the reinsman seat of the carriage. Meanwhile, Bishop Lazark, Elyon and Felix rode horses. Sir Dolorem and Gabriel sat behind inside the carriage.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    They waited a few more minutes for Lady Aurora to return from reporting to the Inquisitor High Lord. Then by afternoon, they moved out.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, back in the Duke''s castle of Ironstone Duchy, a serious discussion was happening.


    "Are you sure about this? Letting Sylvester hold Princess Isabe? She''s going to be the next queen." Sir Hans inquired.


    The Inquisitor High Lord forwarded him a letter from the Pope. "The Holy Father has recognised the young bard''s talents in¡­ educating others. His hymns, his actions, and his maturity inspire many. Since the young bard represents the future of the faith, he should hold the key as well."


    "But to allow them to live under the same roof. She''s a famed beauty, my lord. Young bard is young and in his age¡­ unholy thoughts can sometimes cloud one''s mind." Sir Hans added in a warning tone.


    Inquisitor High Lord stopped writing and looked at his assistant. "Worry not, as it would have urred long ago if it was meant to be. Sir Maximus, Princess Isabe''s Grand Wizard grandfather, offered her hand to the young bard in return for sparing his life. The bard refused instantly and fought the Grand Wizard persistently.


    "I have also spoken to Aurora. She has made clear that the bard sees the Princess as nothing but a little sister. So douse your worries, and focus on this Anti-Light disease. Send men into Riveria and start conducting surveys¡ªsecretly."


    Sir Hans saluted firmly. "Understood, my lord."


    ¡­


    Sylvester and the group spent the night at Baron Redman''s keep. He was the Baron who also had his daughter killed and her breast mutted. Now, the man had some answers, but he didn''t care then and didn''t care now.


    The following day, they all moved out early in the morning and wished to reach Green City by evening. Since their path went through Holy Road and Green Road, the highways, their speed increased.


    Sylvester and Lady Aurora remained in the reinsman seat while Felix joined inside the carriage,bing his hair and making himself look suitable for the evening. They were going to Isabe''s appointment ceremony as the Crown Princess of Gracia.


    It was a soothing summer wind, and the early morning was particrly refreshing. The wide, paved road and the smooth travel added charms to the journey.


    "Why didn''t you tell me before?" Lady Aurora asked as she felt no one could hear them at that speed.


    Sylvester, who held the reins, looked at her. "About what?"


    "About your injury from back then, when the Shadow Knight attacked you. Do you have any idea how serious a Srium Blockage can be? It can ruin a part of your body permanently. Imagine your bing a Supreme Wizard one day, but one arm or leg will remain at the level of Arch Wizard." She scolded.


    But Sylvester only smiled as he smelled genuine worry, anxiety and fear.


    "Look at you,ughing like a buffoon."


    He chuckled and looked ahead. "It''s alright. I take care of the blockage every now and then by manually unblocking it. I didn''t want to worry you all."


    "Foolish! You call us a team and don''t share such things. I don''t care why you won''t seek treatment in the Holy Land, but at least ask us for help in your fights. You need not shoulder all the burden alone. Felix''s brain is underutilised anyway, so use it."


    Sylvester chuckled. "Alright, no need to do Felix dirty here. He''s somewhat twisted but a good brother, just like how you''re a good sister."


    "But you''re the worst one for not sharing your problems." She barked back.


    Bam!


    Woosh!


    All of a sudden, the four horses pulling the carriage dragged their hooves to stop as quickly as possible. In front of them, a carriage had somehow toppled over due to a broken wheel. A dozen or so people were trying to roll it up with ropes and their horses.


    Elyon roared as he was at the front. "Move aside! Do not block the path!"


    Sylvester, however, picked up his spear and stood up. ''Ah¡­ Here it begins again. I was waiting for the Assassins to attack since we''re out of Riveria now.''


    "Assassins." He shouted.


    Bam!


    But to his surprise, Lady Aurora stood up and pushed Sylvester to sit back. "You sit here like a good little boy. I''ll take care of these maggots. Good god, I can''t imagine the pain you''re probably in, and you still want to jump into battle."


    Sylvester raised his hands and didn''t move.


    Boom!


    But just then, the carriage''s door opened, and Felix ran out of it, with only his pants on but the sharp sword brandished proudly. "Assassins? Where? Yes! Finally, I get to train my sword again! Max! Stay back and let me fight here."


    Behind Felix, Sir Dolorem walked out. His longsword was unsheathed too. He arrived beside Sylvester and tapped his shoulder. "I may not have eyes, but my other senses are heightened. She''s right. You should have shared it with us. Look ahead, Lord Bard. Look at all the friendships you forged through the fiery trials of blood, sweat and tears."


    Sylvester nced ahead, and there he saw Lady Aurora in the middle, Felix to her left, Gabriel to her right, Bishop Lazark and Elyon behind them, all walking towards the disguised assassins¡ªwith a smile on their faces, confidence in their gazes.


    Sylvester sighed and remained seated as he felt his heart beat slightly faster. Today, he realised that he unknowingly had started his life story''s hidden chapter.


    ________________________


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 274 274. A Troubled Heart

    Thud!


    "Mommy!"


    sh!


    It was a total overpowering ass-beating the dozen or so assassins got from anyone but Sylvester. Elyon wed the throats of his enemies, Felix stabbed them, Lady Aurora stabbed and roasted them, and Gabriel stabbed while taking the lord''s name. Bishop Lazark first killed one, then made it a zombie and had it attack its allies, which was genuinely hardcore. As for Sir Dolorem, he moved like he saw everything all around himself in each direction and easily dodged all enemy attacks, then retaliated with minimal movements.


    The Assassins turned out to be an A-tier group who hade out to make a name for themselves by trying their luck on Sylvester. Although there was an unwritten rule only to allow S-ranked assassin groups to go after a bounty between half and full million, they still went for it, as Sylvester''s bounty was at precisely half a million.


    Unfortunately, for them, they were abysmally underpowered by Sylvester and his group. So they all died while crying for their mothers and families. But, they received no mercy as they were assassins, and they chose this path in life.


    ps!


    Lady Aurora cleaned her hands and returned to sit beside Sylvester while the others burned the bodies on the side of the road and removed the carriage.


    "See, that''s how you do it, Sylvester. You''re not alone in all this." She said while sitting beside him. "But have you thought about finding a healer for this?"


    "Maybe mum can help me¡­ If she''s fine." He didn''t sound very convincingly confident, though.


    Lady Aurora also sighed. "I hope she''s fine. Let''s be quick now."


    Soon, they cleared the road, burned the heathens and were on the way again. This time, as the sun had risenpletely, the road had be much busier, even more so since it was Season of Solis. So, no more assassins dared to attack Sylvester.


    By evening, they arrived at the Green City.


    The ce looked ordinary; just a few small gs were hosted here and there to signify that something important was happening. The number of guards had also increased, and the people seemed more cheerful.


    The upation by the Inquisitors had ended long ago, and everything was back to what it was before. But, none of them expected that Sylvester had be a legend after his short speeches that night when riots had urred, and people tried to run away from the city.


    Sylvester was quickly recognised for his shining hair and pretty face as the carriage passed through the wide streets.


    "Lord Bard!"


    "You''re back!"


    "May the Lord have mercy!"


    "My day will be good now!"


    Manyments were leaving the mouths of the people as they waved at the carriage. Some tried to get close, but Sylvester waved his hand and shined his light on them without stopping.


    For them, this was enough as whatever their problem was. Whether financial, family or health, it gave them hope that they had blessings from the Lord''s Bard.


    After some time, some city''s royal knights arrived and escorted the carriage straight into the walls of the castleplex. The drawbridges were down. The gates were open to wee them.


    By the time the sun had set and the night drenched the world in the dark, they stopped in front of the main gate of the royal castle.


    "How do I look?" Felix came out of the carriage and asked.


    Sylvester shrugged. "Like any other day. You''re wearing the same old ordinary clergyman robes, Felix. Justbing your hair and washing your face five times won''t make you look better. In any case, you look decent already."


    "Decent? What do you mean by that? Women tell me I''m very handsome." Felix proudly folded his arms.


    Just then, Gabriel passed by. "Great, he''s now delusional."


    Felix''s shoulders fell. "Damn you, Gab! You foolish man gifted with good blood. Why does he get to have such a majestic beard, and we get nothing, Sylvester?"


    Indeed, Sylvester also nced at Gabriel enviously. "I ask that question daily when I wash my face, Felix. Forget it¡­ Women like smart, clean men anyway."


    "Is that a coping mechanism?" Gabrielmented while taking some items out from the carriage.


    Sylvester and Felix ignored him and walked in. Prima of the King, Count Harvard Zeelif, was there for them and showed them all their rooms in the castle, as they''d be staying for the night after attending the ceremony and the feast.


    It wasn''t that the King or Isabe didn''t feel sad from the death of their mother and brother, but they knew that the kingdom and the nobility needed a reason to let go and enjoy themselves so the air around the royal family could be cleared up a bit.


    It went without saying they were given the best rooms in the same tower the King and the Princess lived in, as they were much more than just guests.


    Then, everyone went into their rooms to get ready. They were to wear ceremonial dresses. For Sylvester, it included a mitre on the head. But, he was stillcking a rank te on his chest. ''I should get one after returning.''


    Knock Knock!


    Just then, a few rapid knocks came on the door. He quickly went to open it, wondering if it was an emergency.


    "Hey, Sylvester. How are you?"


    Sylvester was taken aback by the person. A beauty of mad proportions was a better word for her. Isabe stood in her elegant regal white gown with a long high neck and open space above her chest, showcasing her spotless skin. Her dress had golden embroidery of leaves, giving a more royal look. Around her neck was also a ne with a huge blue crystal, likely magical. Above all, she wore something akin to a coat, also white. All of it embellished her figure and height as well.


    She had not tied her blonde hair, letting them freely fall to her back, some tucked behind her left ear, revealing her diamond earrings. All the while, her grey eyes sparkled at the sight of Sylvester.


    [A/N: See Isabe here.]


    Now, Sylvester would be lying if he didn''t find her attractive. She was definitely one of the prettiest women he had ever seen in both worldsbined. But he was not Felix, nor interested in rtionships. For Solis'' sake, just staying alive was proving to be challenging recently, so romance was far back in the warehouse of ideas in his mind.


    "Woah, you look¡­" Sylvester replied.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    Immediately, Isabe rotated full circle and excitedly asked. "How do I look?"


    "Cute."


    "..."


    Her cheeks got puffed, and she pouted angrily, joking clearly as the scent implied. "You fiend! How could you call this heavenly jade beauty just ''cute''. Cute is reserved for children, and I''d rather hear beautiful, gorgeous and¡­"


    Thud!


    "..."


    "How dare you close the door in my face!" She roared like an angry white kitten and entered his room again. "Now, tell me seriously, do I look good?"


    Sylvester nced back as if he was uninterested and nodded. "Indeed. You look gorgeous, but why ask me?"


    Sylvester had already sensed the red gs, sadly. And he was cursing himself for not making it clear already. He could smell the excitement, love and lusting from her. ''Come on, girl¡­ I don''t want to y with your feelings. Don''t go down this route.''


    He immediately realised that he had to do a few things to ensure she didn''t see him as anything other than an elder brother. ''Perhaps Aurora can help me with this. I hope she can¡­''


    She folded her arms and replied in a rather stoic manner. "My brother, of course. He''s trying to lure some strong high noble to marry me now. I''m just seventeen, for god''s sake. I don''t want that, so I need you to walk with me into the hall when the ceremony starts."


    Sylvester denied it immediately. "Take Felix. I''m busy."


    She didn''t budge. "No, it has to be you¡­ I don''t feelfortable with him."


    Sylvester nced back at her. "Then you have mistaken him. He may seem like a horny degenerate, but he knows his boundaries. Most of the time, he''s merely joking, and you never have to fear him jumping on you. He''s just goofy."


    She nodded silently and shyly yed with her hands. "But still¡­ I want you because then everyone will shut up. You''re too¡­ handsome, Sylvester."


    "I know that," Sylvester replied, having met women in the past who would have thrown themselves at his feet if he had politely asked. "You don''t really have to worry. You''re to be the queen, so no random rich lord can marry you. Unless the Church and I approve, you can''t marry."


    "What about now?" She asked again, looking into his eyes.


    ''God, will she cry if I keep pushing?'' He wondered and walked up to her. He could sense her emotional state, trying to find something to hold on to with half of her family lost.


    "Fine, but you must maintain a one-foot distance between our shoulders. I don''t want any rumours that the Lord''s Bard has been tainted. I very much wish to remain a virgin."


    She chuckled and nodded firmly. "Aye, Aye, Lord Bard."


    With that, she quickly turned around and left his room. Sylvester nced at Miraj sitting on the bed and watching everything with interest. "So clingy. What''s with you two?"


    "Because in Maxy, I trust," Miraj repliedzily and started rolling on the bed.


    ¡­


    Two hourster, the throneroom of the castle was filled with nobility of all kinds, from close and afar. There were also traders, the wealthy ones. Then there were various clergy members, though they were only hanging around Lady Aurora, trying to curry favour.


    Thud!


    Just then, the gate at the far end of the hall, perpendicr to the throne, opened. The herald shouted the announcement.


    "Herees the Crown Princess, thedy unmatched in beauty, by the grace of the god¡ªPrincess Isabe Gracia. With heres the famed Bard of the Lord, the wise, the favoured one¡ªSylvester Maximilian!"


    The door finished opening, revealing the forms of the two. Isabe, in her expensive, regal and royal gown, looked stunning. While Sylvester, in his ordinary robes, mitre on the head, still looked devilishly handsome without even trying. But both being blonde, they appeared like a perfect match.


    "I said, one foot apart. Now you''re holding my arm." Sylvester scolded her from the side of his mouth.


    She did the same and waved her hand with a smile. "I''ll make it up to youter. But, for now, just smile and wave. I really need this suitor to be called off."


    "Who even is this man you''re so scared of?" Sylvester finally asked.


    She pointed at a certain someone with a nod of her head. The man appeared exotic with his brown skin and the golden ornaments around his neck.


    "That man¡ªHe''s the fifth prince of the Masan Empire. Here to apologise on behalf of his father and forge a friendship."


    Sylvester read through the lines. "So his im on the throne of Masan may grow stronger with the Emperor nearing his death."


    She nodded and reeked the scent of fear. "M-My brother¡­ He is such a fool even to entertain him and believe his words."


    Sylvester clutched her hand tighter, gesturing to her that she was safe. "Without Church''s approval, your brother can''t do anything. However, this Masan prince¡­ After all that''s transpired¡­"


    He stared at the man, wondering what schemes the Shadow of Masan nned now. Could this be the man himself?


    "The audacity!"


    ________________________


    500 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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    APE TOGETHER STRONG!

 Chapter 275 275. Some Ambitious Men

    Sylvester and the Masan Prince''s eyes met almost instantly. Sylvester was interested in him to see if there was any secret about his identity. Was he even an actual prince or a spy? Meanwhile, the Prince''s eyes showed envy and difort with Sylvester being close to Isabe.


    But, for now, the ceremony was to ur first. King Harold Gracia stood up from his throne and walked forward to hug his sister. But before the man could hug Isabe, Sylvester hugged him instead.


    He aimed to send the message to the King''s imbecilic brain, "Your majesty, have you not learned your lesson? Did what transpired in yournd not open your eyes? You are not the spearhead anymore. You''re merely the stick now that does nothing but support the de. Church advisors will arrive soon. Until then, don''t ruin your legacy. Don''t you dare marry Isabe to any pathetic lowlife out there? Now, smile and wave."


    Sylvester could feel the fear in the king. After all, Sylvester was something to be feared at this point, especially by kings. But the man was smart enough and kept smiling. Then went to hug his sister.


    After that, the ceremony started, which involved some rituals, some prayers and finally, the ceremony where a crown was ced on her head, along with many noble lords of Gracia Kingdom kneeling and swearing fielty.


    It was a tedious ceremony, but after a few hours, it was over, and the feast started. Thankfully, it was not as dull at the feast since a few musicians yed the flutes and some sort of single-string guitar-like crude instrument that sounded more like a cello.


    The real socialisation started as arge hall was turned into a ce for the feast. There were servants everywhere, women trying to woo some eligible lords and vice versa, while the clergymen silently ate without drinking any alcohol.


    At the end of the hall was the main table of the King, overlooking everything. But only the King was sitting there alone, as Isabe had joined Sylvester and the rest at a different table.


    Sylvester was busy, however, as he had not one but two bellies to feed. One was his own, and the other belonged to a cute furry boy. Miraj, albeit he didn''t need much food, he still ate just for fun and taste. Yes, he was very greedy.


    So, every now and then, a little paw would rise from underneath the table onto Sylvester''sp, asking for more meat and banana.


    "Isabe, you look stunning. Here''s my gift to the future queen of Gracia." Felix forwarded a small wooden box to Isabe. Though he didn''t act like a pervert or such, instead, he appeared calm and serious.


    Isabe didn''t mind and took it. "What''s in it?"


    "It''s just something I picked up long ago when I fought a couple of vige raiders. It''s a finger-sized effigy of a demon popr in the folk religion of Desert Tribes. This effigy is supposed to keep your enemies awake at night and slowly degrade them mentally. Who knows how much truth is in it, but it''s pretty interesting." Felix exined his rare and meaningful gift.


    Isabe kept it. "Thank you, Felix."


    "Ah, it''s nothing." Felix shrugged and got back to eating. He was certainly ying the double game of not acting too strangely.


    Sylvester, meanwhile, was looking around at the various guests. He could see a few faces whose Blood Idols were in his possession. There were even a few counts, and he couldn''t be happier about it.


    ''If I y my cards right, I can turn the entire Gracia Kingdom into my yground, and then, I won''t ever have to worry about my coffers being empty.'' He thought and nced at Isabe, who was talking with Lady Aurora.


    ''I can''t ever let her fall into hands that may misuse her against me. She''s too naive and kind for her own good. Teaching her my craft to some level can help, but too much could harm in return if she starts questioning me.''


    "Excuse me, may I have a dance."


    His thoughts were interrupted as he heard a male voice near him, but it had a different ent. He looked, and sure enough, there was the fifth prince of the Masan Empire, extending his hand towards Isabe.


    "Sure."


    Instead of flustered Isabe, Sylvester stood up, grabbed the Prince''s hand and dragged him to the side where the crowds of nobles were shaking around and started dancing, holding the Prince''s waist as if he was a woman.


    The brown man looked fairly smart and had long ck, curly hair. His eyes were also brown, with some dark circles or cosmetics. He had a short beard, and there were tattoos on his face, not many, but just a few lines.


    Strangely enough, he wore thick gold ornaments around his neck and earrings with purple diamonds. The man didn''t shy away from showing his wealth.


    "It''s nice to meet you, your highness. May I know your name?" Sylvester asked while dancing. It wasical in others'' eyes, but Sir Dolorem, Bishop Mizar, Elyon, and Lady Aurora knew what Sylvester was doing.


    "Likewise, Lord Bard. I am Ibrasil Mirmasan, the fifth son of Emperor Zenith Hu''ul Mirmasan. It''s a¡­ pleasure to make your acquaintance."


    Sylvester continued to move around. Although prince Ibrasil was a strong and tall man, it wasn''t hard for Sylvester. He could feel the nervousness in the Prince''s heart.


    "I must say, you''re quite brave to appear here after what transpired in Duchy of Colorwood and recently to the King''s brother. The witch confessed to everything, and your famed Shadow of Masan left behind enough clues for me. So, tell me straight, why are you really here?" Sylvester asked him while ring into the man''s brown eyes. For those inexperienced, it was a strange view. For the experienced warriors, it was a standoff.


    The Prince stood straight. "I do not ally myself with the policies of my father. On the contrary, I very much believe in mutual existence and peace."


    ''Lies¡ªSo easy to catch these buffoons in these cases.''


    "Yes, we have our entire northern part ruined by you. Yet, here you are, trying to woo the next Queen of Gracia, unable to defeat the Warsong Kingdom in the south. From the position you stand on, it''s hard to believe you want peace¨CI''d rather say you want allies to fight." Sylvester rebuked almost instantly.


    Prince Ibrasil, albeit middle-aged, felt overwhelmed by Sylvester''s gaze and aura. It seemed as if thetter knew everything before he even opened his mouth. Still, he had to defend himself. "From the holy union, both of ournds will benefit. We can strengthen each other with food from the east and gold from the west."


    ''Ah, a weak argument of a weak man. He has ambition but no confidence. You''ll be easy to scare.''


    Sylvester didn''t buy it and, in fact, learned valuable things from his emotions. "Holy Union? May I know what her number will be in your harem of wives? In the west, you guys openly practice polygamy, don''t you? Even the church rules have been tweaked. So tell me, your highness, are you married?"<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    The Prince replied hesitantly. "T-Three¡­ I have three wives as of now."


    Sylvester sighed and shook his head. "I am not against what you do in yournd. But you''re not going to bag the queen of Gracia as your free-to-use sex ve. So put my next words in your permanent memory¡ªUntil Princess Isabe bes the Queen, she remains in the direct protection of the Church, the Holy Father, and I. Do we have an understanding?"


    Prince Ibrasil nodded his head in a second. "I understand¡ªNone shall try her before she takes the throne, Lord Bard."


    "Good. I hope you''ll enjoy the meal. The spicy steak is surprisingly great tonight." Sylvester stepped away and walked back to his chair beside Isabe.


    "What was that?" Aurora asked from the other side of Isabe.


    Sylvester picked up his ss and raised it towards Felix.


    nk!


    "That was a man-to-man talk. I''ve ''educated'' him about certain conditions and situations in this part of the world. No need to worry about marriage now, Isabe. Eat to your heart''s content and worry not if you get fat." Sylvester jokingly put more food in her ce.


    She chuckled and ate. "Thank you, great Lord Bard."


    With that, they all enjoyed the dinner to the fullest. Sylvester sang a few hymns for the people as well, but that always resulted in some nobleman crying to him and confessing his sins, asking for forgiveness.


    Of course, they got no forgiveness. Sylvester reported all their crimes instead. After all, who told them to get that drunk?


    But the night went well, and eventually, everyone returned to their rooms to rest as they were to head to the Holy Land in the morning. Since the road was good and Holy Land was not too far; they were optimistic about reaching home in half a day.


    "Meow Meow!"


    "Meow Meow!"


    As always, Miraj woke Sylvester at the first light of the sun by pping his face. The furry white boy had to go and freshen up outside and needed Sylvester to open the window.


    "Fine, fine, I''m waking up. You''re seriously more urate than a clock." Sylvester muttered and sleepily walked to the window to open it.


    Miraj quickly ran to it. "Don''t close it! I''ll be back in a jiffy."


    Sylvester rubbed his face and looked around the room. "Time to say farewell to you as well. My entire house may be smaller than this room, but that''s the only ce I don''t feel doomed."


    Soon after, he packed his luggage and walked out. He regrouped with the rest and headed to the stables of the castle. Everyone was happy as they were returning to the Holy Land.


    Isabe came to give them a farewell, however. She stopped them as they were loading the carriage and spoke after deeply bowing her head. "Everyone, thank you so much for everything you did for me. I know my family and my actions brought you a lot of pain and problems, and for that, I apologise. But, I promise never to waiver and always be just. I will do my best to be a queen you all can be proud of.


    "I may not be as strong as you, Lady Aurora, or as smart as you, Sylvester, but I will try and make this Kingdom better for all of us." She was getting teary-eyed by the end of her short speech, telling her strong desire to be a good ruler.


    "..."


    However, Sylvester looked at Lady Aurora beside him and conveyed the message with a raise of brows. They realised that none of them had told Isabe about her future.


    So Sylvester started, "Isabe, my mum and I are assigned as your guardian and host while you''ll live in the Holy Land. You shall master your magic and learn many theories and tactics to employ when you be the queen. I know you were looking forward to finally getting some freedom and doing what you want¡ªhelping the people. But you must first get the right training."


    She wiped her eyes cleaned and looked at their faces dumbly. "I what?"


    Lady Aurora chuckled. "Stupid girl, you''reing with us to the Holy Land."


    Woosh!


    But surprising both of them, she lunged and hugged Sylvester and Aurora''s necks, hanging her head over their shoulders.


    It appeared Isabe had found more warmth in the arms of a few strangers she came to care so much for than her own real brother.


    Sylvester sighed and patted the back of her head. ''Such emotions¡ªsuch happiness. Well, mum won''t be bored at home now, at least¡ªBut I wonder how she is¡­''


    ________________________


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 Chapter 276 276. Mother Xavia

    Isabe had to pack her wardrobe in haste. So it didn''t take much time to hit the road again, this time in the peace and warmth of the sun. The road was full of Holy Army soldiers patrolling as there were a lot of pilgrims. The whole road was also full of pilgrims walking on the side.


    The best thing about the highways of the East, such as Holy Road and Green road, was that they had an abundance of trees at their side, ensuring that the pilgrims could have some shadow over them down. Not to mention, the trees were mostly fruit trees. Hence, the poor pilgrims didn''t have to spend too much money either. As long as one did not try hoarding the fruits and only ate them there, they were essible to all.


    During the Season of Solis, the Holy Land also orders the monasteries beside the highway to open their free giant rest houses made of tents and free medical centres, providing food, water and healing. After all, these two months were the most important and holiest for any clergyman or believer, so mostly everyone did their duty with honesty.


    "This view is so blissful. To see all these people going to the Holy Land with nothing but worship in their hearts." Lady Aurora sat on top of the carriage with Sylvester and Felix. Meanwhile, at the reinsman seats, there were Isabe and Gabriel.


    All of them were enjoying the warm breeze of the summer. At the same time, Sylvester had kept hundreds of small food packets ready-made of banana leaves. They contained some soft salted bread and fruits.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us!" Sylvester shouted and threw a food packet at the man, who caught it carefully.


    They were merely helping those who appeared too poor or tired. Of course, they had no reason to, but Isabe was rich and decided to bring certain items from the leftover food atst night''s feast.


    They continued to do that the whole way. Eventually, they arrived at thest turn, which led right into the tunnel that entered the Holy Land. There was a lot of traffic as many nobles simply didn''t wish to walk, so they used carriages.


    As for themoners, they had to stand in long crowded lines and identify themselves, along with registering themselves. But, surprisingly, no man wasining in those lines, while the nobles who sat in their carriages were nagging about the dy. All the while, they also had hand-held feather fans to douse their difort. Heck, there were ves to fan the feathers.


    "Society," Felix muttered as they came close to the final entrance of the Holy Land. Since their carriage was too recognisable, along with the g, Lady Aurora, and Sylvester on top, they entered without even getting stopped.


    "Wait! Is that?" Sylvester suddenly eximed and jumped off the carriage the moment they crossed the final checkpoint.


    Immediately, Gabriel also stopped the carriage and brought it to the side. They couldn''t really leave Sylvester behind. And they were also interested in seeing who Sylvester had recognised.


    Though, to their surprise, Sylvester went to the long line ofmoners and started talking to a man and a woman, surrounded by a few tall and strong-looking men who seemed more like soldiers than pilgrims.


    "Count Raftel and Countess Melinda?" Sylvester spoke with a pleasant voice and smile.


    Count Raftel smiled but didn''t take off his hood. "Lord Bard, I was wondering if we''d even get to see you here. As we had said, we are here for the Lord''s blessing and hopefully¡­ better treatment for Melinda."


    Just then, Felix also arrived and went for a hug. After all, he was closer to Raftel as a noble than anything else. "How are you, my lord? You look thin."


    Count Raftel chuckled and nced at his wife. "I know, she says that often."


    Sylvester patted the man''s shoulder. "Take care of yourself, too. You are thest of your family remaining. And how will she be free of mind if you''re not healthy? But why are you standing here? Come, no need to spend hours in this line here. I will drop you inside."


    "It''s alright, my lord. We wish to go on foot. There is no worship without hardship. This wait is a test for us, Lord Bard. And hopefully, by the end, we shall have his blessings." Count Jartel replied.


    At that, Isabe came and held Countess Melinda''s hands in hers and apologised on behalf of her family. "Mydy, I know what happened cannot bepletely repaired. But I assure you that House Gracia and the other Duchies of the kingdom will do everything in their power to help the north."


    Sylvester nodded. "Possibly, it won''t be necessary. My lord, I hope you give me a visit after you''re ustomed to the Holy Land. Then, perhaps, we can have a business venture together that can benefit both of us and the goodness of the world. Until then, I shall write a reference letter for you so you may be treated by some of the best healers here."


    Count Raftel bowed his head in thankfulness. "That will help us a lot, Lord Bard. I''ll be forever grateful to you."


    "It''s alright, my brother in faith. Now, I must take leave. I shall see youter." Sylvester bid his farewell as he noticed that a dozen men around the Count were disguised asmoners but were soldiers. So there was no security issue.


    After that, Sylvester got back on the carriage. It didn''t take them long to reach the Pope''s Penins; from there, everyone had a ce to be. However, Sylvester ignored the summons from the Supreme Council for now and headed to see the person who mattered to him the most.


    He waved his hand and took his horse, Frost, from the herd tied to the carriage. He also had to take Isabe along as her guardian and host. "I''ll see you tomorrow then."


    "Wait, I''lle with you. I want to see Mother Xavia too." Felix blurted and followed Sylvester''s horse.


    Bam!


    However, Lady Aurora came quickly and smacked him on the head. "Don''t put your nose where it doesn''t belong. Let Sylvester see his mother in peace today. We shall converge tomorrow morning at Sick Bay to see her."


    Felix nced at Sylvester and received a firm nod from him. He caught the seriousness and hint of emotion in Sylvester''s eyes. Even he wasn''t dense enough to ignore those. "Alright. Sylvester, give her my best wishes."


    Soon, everyone waved goodbye and went on their way. Felix and Gabriel went to their allotted single-room housing. At the same time, Sir Dolorem and Lady Aurora headed to the Inquisitor''s camp. They even took Elyon along as the Tiger Beastkin had no ce to stay. As for Bishop Lazark, he was a rich man and had his own tiny house.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    Before long, Sylvester and Isabe rode their horses to the sick bay where Xavia was still admitted.


    Sylvester didn''t show it to anyone, but he wanted to rush and see her to ensure she was fine. He had avoided the depressing thoughts long enough, so this was a moment of truth for him. Was she alright? If not, then how bad?


    "Where is Mother Xavia admitted?" Sylvester asked the low-ranking staffer priest at the front desk.


    "Big brother?" But just then, a known voice came.


    "Raven? Where is my mother?" It was Gabriel''s sister.


    "Follow me!" She quickly guided them to the top-floor room reserved for important patients.


    Without waiting, Sylvester slowly opened the door, trying to see if Xavia was sleeping. His heart pounded in his chest as he wondered about the letter she had sent before¡ªnot written by her.


    Sylvester had, over the weeks, thought about what it could be that had left her unable to write.


    However, as he entered, the form of Xavia came into his view. Inside the room, she was resting on the bed with her back supported by a few pillows. She appeared awake and holding a book in her hand, which she read merrily. Her face had a warm, soothing smile, and her red hair shined under the sunlighting from the open,rge balcony ss door.


    In Sylvester''s eyes, she appeared as kind and motherly as the day he had first seen her. But today, he felt somewhat hurt as he noticed the folds of bandages on her neck, going from below her chin to her chest underneath the loose white gown.


    But then he noticed something more problematic. As she flipped the book page, her hand seemed to shiver wildly, as if she had no control over it. ''What happened to her?''


    His mouth felt somewhat dry as he remembered the debt he owed this woman¡ªA debt of life.


    "Mum." He called for her softly.


    Xavia''s head quickly turned towards the door, and her eyes watered up instantly, for she''d longed to see that face for a while now. "Max! You''re back!"


    As she raised her shaking arms towards him, Sylvester didn''t waste a moment rushing up and embracing her in a warm familial hug. Xavia held him firmly, wrapping her arms around his chest, while Sylvester held her head under his chin.


    They remained like that for a few seconds, holding each other dearly. At the same time, he could hear Xavia''s muffled words. She was so happy to see him finally.


    "I missed you, dear. This time you were gone for so long."


    He let her go, wiped the small tears from her eyes, and caressed her face. "Yeah, I didn''t expect it to take this much time. But how are you? And please don''t lie."


    Sylvester had already smelled the love, anxiety and fear dwelling in her, signalling that she was holding her words back. But he wanted to hear the harsh truth rather than soothing lies.


    "I''m fine¡­ dear." She smiled widely but appeared strained clearly.


    Sylvester shook his head, however. He didn''t even have to smell her emotions, as he could easily tell whenever she lied.


    "Come on, mum. I know your brows don''t move whenever you try to show a fake smile. So tell me the truth. What''s your medical condition? What have the healers said?"


    "She''s not fine!" Raven started before Xavia could. "I''m sorry, Mother Xavia, but I must tell him everything for your own good. Brother, she was stabbed from her neck to her shoulder, damaging something in her that the healers could not identify. They had to keep her in intensive care and work on her for three days and nights to save her. But there were consequences."


    "What is it?" Sylvester questioned in a rush.


    "Mother Xavia has forgotten¡­ No! The healers said that her body muscles have forgotten how to move."


    ________________________


    500 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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 Chapter 277 277. The Worlds Choices [End Of Volume 2]

    Sylvester''s heart sank, and he nced at Xavia, who was stealing gazes like a child. She wanted to look at him but, at the same time, couldn''t muster the courage.


    "Which healer checked her?" Sylvester inquired, though a hint of defeat was now in his voice.


    "The best of the best. Saint Medico, Cardinal Charles Nos Leeds, the Pope''s Chief Healer. The Holy Father brought him himself." Raven revealed.


    Sylvester''s fist clenched so hard that his nails dug into his skin and made it bleed. ''Those bastards! As I sensed back then through lies, Saint Seer is behind the attack on her! Since the Pope knew about the scheme of putting the Shadow Knight behind me, he must know of this too. Shameless lunatics! How can they now act as well-wishers when they are the evildoers!''


    He took a long breath, rubbed his face and dragged a chair to sit beside Xavia. He then held her hand tightly while caressing his other hand on her hair as if she was a child.


    "What did they say? Can she be healed?"


    Raven nodded strongly. "Of course, in fact, she has already started to recover. Saint Medico said that her muscles just need to remember the feeling of all the movements again. But it will be a gradual process."


    Sylvester stared into Xavia''s eyes with a hundred thoughts emerging in his mind, trying to make sense of the sickness. ''So is it something akin to Ataxia? But¡­ Does that mean her spinal cord or a nerve was somehow harmed?''


    He honestly didn''t know what to do. Could srium alone heal someone like that? He could only hope that, eventually, he would teach her body movements again.


    But, for now, he had sensed something else that made him sad more than anything else. He smelled the scent and sensation of fear from her. ''S-She''s¡­ Scared of angering me? Is it because of my outburst at her after Romel''s death?''


    He remembered not talking with her nicely for some time after what had transpired back then, which had made her very depressed. But, now that he thought about it, killing Romel started a chain reaction that benefited him deeply in terms of influence over Riveria.


    ''She¡­ I have many friends, goals, and wishes but to her¡­ I''m everything¡ªher world starts with me and ends with me. Her loyalty to me is undying¡­ And she fears me?''


    Sylvester nced at Xavia again, staring into her blue eyes akin to an ocean. She tried to look away but could not.


    Pat!


    He tapped her head and chuckled. "Hah, I guess I''m the mother now. I will have to teach you to walk and eat now."


    That immediately rxed Xavia. ''Good¡­ Let go of that fear and anxiety, mother. You need not fear me¡­ Rather, it should be those who dared harm you.''


    Xavia chuckled and faced Sylvester nervously. "You''re not angry?"


    "Why would I be angry at you? Instead, I''m angry at the administration that allowed this to happen. But, for now, let''s not talk about that. Have you eaten?" He asked while letting her rest back.


    Knock! Knock!


    But just then, knocks on the door resounded, and two female healers entered in their white robes. But they seemed annoyed seeing so many people in the room and tried to send them off.


    "Only one person can stay. The rest of you go and wait in the lobby. It''s time for Mother Xavia''s muscle training." The two healers busied themselves and tried to push them out. Since Raven was a regr, Sylvester and Isabe were being pushed.


    But Sylvester didn''t even budge and red into the eyes of the brown-haired, ck-eyed, middle-aged woman. His golden eyes shined as if a predator was looking at a lowlife whose neck he could break at any moment. "Dare not touch me, healer. I am Xavia''s son. I will remain here for as long as I desire, and if you deny, then I will have the Holy Father write to you if you need so."


    "Y-You are the Lord''s Bard! Oh god! Can I hear a hymn¡ª'''' She went into fangirling mode. But soon felt a tap from her partner and shut her mouth. She then turned to Isabe. "You, out of here."


    "I am Isabe Gracia, Crown Princess of Gracia. I shall stay here for as long as I wish." Isabe repeated Sylvester''s words.


    "..."


    The poor healer rubbed her palm on her face and turned around. "Alright, I''ll shut up. Let''s go, Mother Xavia."


    In front of Sylvester''s eyes, the two healers worked hard to help Xavia slide to the edge of the bed. They were very delicate, and there were momentary frowns of pain on Xavia''s face.


    Sylvester felt a fire rise in his heart as he saw Xavia''s body tremblingpletely. Her thin legs didn''t move unless the healer moved them. Her arm movement was limited to the point that only her wrists could move.


    Certainly, her injury was much deadlier and deeper than anyone had reported to him.


    Sylvester felt his heart go cold seeing her state. ''I should start plotting for Saint Seer''s painful demise. Or if I can''t even defeat a mere rival spy, then I should stop dreaming of bing the pope.''


    Then, he saw as the two healers lifted Xaiva, held her arms over their shoulders and tried to help her walk in the long corridor outside. They tried to mimic the walking movement by tying Xavia''s feet with theirs.


    Sylvester just shook his head at their crude methods and had already nned a healing treatment for Xavia. But, he didn''t disturb them as they only did their job¡ªA tiring one from the looks of it as they kept going for half an hour.


    After that, Xavia was ced back in bed to rest. By then, Raven had also taken Isabe to the food court, so Sylvester remained by Xavia''s side alone¡ªher hand firmly held in his.


    "Dear, who is this Shane Kolt?" She picked the old-looking book from her side and asked suddenly.


    Sylvester recognised it as he had left it at home, on the bookshelf. He liked to read it as it contained a memory that always reminded him why he couldn''t ever give up.


    Xavia continued. "He wrote such a cute hymn about you in this old journal¡­ So I wrote one for you, too, taking inspiration from this talented man."


    Sylvester''s mind suddenly had a thousand shbacks of the past, of the day his dreams changed from just surviving to wanting to conquer and build a world of his own choice.


    Finally, his shoulders fell a little, and the exhaustion showed its effects. Since being born, month after month, crisis after crisis, he''d been battling foes, demons or uncovering nasty schemes¡ªWith his life constantly on the line.


    It was bound to take a toll. ''I¡­ I feel so tired¡­ But if I rx, it''ll be my neck and their deadly axe.''


    So he took the journal from Xavia''s hand and put it on the side. "Not a man; he was a little kid, mum. A very good child¡­ Who lost the fight against the darkness that lurks around us. Now, let''s not talk about this. You sleep and rest, as I will start your baby-walking sses tomorrow."


    Xavia warmly smiled and rested down. But she didn''t let his hand go and slept on her side, facing him the whole time.


    "Don''t worry. I''m not going anywhere before I see you healpletely. Now close your eyes." Sylvester assured her, sensing the worry in her heart.


    Soon, the room got engulfed in silence except for the tweeting of birds outside. He caressed his warm palm on her head and ensured she felt safe, happy and calm.


    Though, he could see she wasn''t sleepy from all the excitement. So, he decided to sing a hymn. "Since you''re the baby now, I will sing a luby."


    ?Once, there was a mother.


    So pretty like none other.


    She lived with her son.


    Mighty like none other.?


    ?He was born so fat.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    Shined wherever he sat.


    Rode like a knight on a cat.


    But, the cat was also fat¡­?


    "Pfft! Ahaha¡­ Stop." Xaviaughed uncontrobly. "I''ll sleep, okay? You''re terrible at lubies."


    Sylvester adored seeing her smile and being happy. "Of course. Usually, I sing about death, god and burning heathens¡ªSo this is the opposite of my profession. Now, go ahead and sleep like a baby."


    Xavia held his hand tighter and made herselffortable. "Don''t worry. This baby won''t cry too much."


    ''It''s alright if you do, mum.''


    Before long, as he kept caressing her hair, she fell asleep, likely tired from her exercise a while ago.


    "Maxy! I''m not fat! Also, I sleep with my big mum here." Miraj soon jumped from Sylvester''s shoulder and tucked himself beside Xavia''s chest, putting his fluffy head on her arm.


    Sylvester pulled the sheets over the two and patted both their heads softly. "Yes, lord Chonky, you''re not fat, and it''s just the fur. Now don''t snore and sleep like a good boy."


    "Aye, Aye!" Miraj closed his eyes and started snoring, thankfully not very loud.


    Sylvester stayed with the two, caressing their heads for an hour or so. Then, when he ensured they were asleep, he picked up the journal and walked over to the balcony with a chair. The sun was still an hour from setting, so he had ample light to read.


    First, he opened it and found the hymn. ''O'' Great King of Bards''. Then, he turned the page and found what Xavia had written with her uneven handwriting.


    In the calming breeze of the evening, he read it under his breath, trying to understand its meaning. Each line, each word rted to him directly. He felt it was all written so lovingly¡ªintentionally.


    He read it once, and then he read it twice. He didn''t even know when it happened thrice. In the middle, however, he stood up and nced back at Xavia, sleeping happily. Then the journal fell from his hand, and the meanings of the rhymes he began to understand.


    In his mind, the hymns rhymed. It contained no Xavia''s wishes or demands. Instead, it was a promation¡ªof her love, her life, and how she''d not be hindered by a mere sharp knife.


    Woosh!


    All of a sudden, for unknown reasons, in the Solis'' holy season¡ªthe halo appeared. Sylvester didn''t sing in words or breaths, yet it remained behind, shining brighter than ever. But that wasn''t all; his eyes appeared with an unnatural golden glow as if they, too, shined as he stared at the sun.


    The aura surrounding him didn''t seem warm anymore, as even the ss door in the back seemed to turn white and crack. This was pure destruction, threatening all who sought his mind''s corruption.


    "They came after me with the Shadow Knight, and I said nothing. Now they raise des against my mother and erase her smile, and I''m supposed to still serve you? Sing your praise?"


    Against the dusking sun, whose light slowly became frail, Sylvester''s eye and halo seemed to arrogantly prevail. But at Solis, no hymns, only questions he could exhale.


    "This halo of yours, this talent in me¡ªyou gave it? You made me? You say you''re real? Then answer me¡ªIs my simple dream of a little peace so impossible?"


    Halo-d, Sylvester knelt and saw the sun hiding behind the horizon. "Coward! Answer me if you''re real! Is it too much to ask to coexist willingly? Must I take the world for peace to exist? Or must I burn it all so none are left to resist?!"


    In utter silence, his unanswered words were echoes of the future. An echo that was heard by oracles of far and closer. But no one could understand what it meant or who it represented.


    However, the world''s actions were now going to define its fate. Will they realise their mistake? Or will it be toote? Will they die¡ªOr kneel when Sylvester arrives at their gates?


    It was an answer that only the mythical master wizards of time could state.


    ______________________


    <strong>O'' My Handsome Bard </strong>


    ?When the times were sad, when the days were dark.


    In my sorrow, you appeared¡ªlike a cheerful giggling spark.


    You filled my life with joy; the difference was stark.


    Who knew, with you on this thrilling journey¡ªI''d embark.?


    ?O'' My Handsome Bard, my life''s greatest blessing.


    For you, your mum is always so obsessing.


    Yes, I can sometimes be very unpleasing.


    But for your well-being, I can''t help stressing.?


    ?O'' My Handsome Bard, my peace of mind.


    Thank god, our fates are forever intertwined.


    So never worry when you''re feeling confined.


    Remember, mum will always be standing behind.?


    ?O'' my handsome bard, I know life has you vexed.


    Embarrassing, but let me get these words off my chest.


    I wish to be your mother in this life and the next.


    If more, then that too, and the next, and the next, and the rest.?


    <strong>¡ª Xavia Maximilian, the proudest mum in the world. </strong>


    [End of Volume 2]


    __________________________


    <strong>[Next Volume - The Brightest Light]

 Chapter 278 278. Heard Around The World

    Marashia, Masan Empire''s Capital.


    The city that never sleeps, the city that never falls, the city that was never destroyed. Be it a natural or man-made cmity, there have always been defenders who kept it safe, for there existed the Eternal Castle of the Mirmasan Royal family. The castle was so big that it could be called a city in itself.


    Made with one hundred castles of immense size connected with each other in close proximity, it was the most beautiful and terrifying sight of the West Sol, for anyone who sees it wonders¡ªHow powerful are those who reside in it?


    In the magnificent castle, one tall tower existed right in the middle. It stood out not for its height, however. Instead, its top was made of a humongous sphere made of ss.


    It was the tower of the Chief Oracle of the Masan Empire, one of the most prestigious positions, for it helped the Empire ride through the many storms yet toe.


    And that day, too, as the sun started to go down, the giant sphere of the tower started to shine. Inside, the Oracle, an old brown woman, began to see something in her ancient white orb of watchers.


    She focused on it and spoke as the prophecy was made. Beside her were also some of her students. "Do not y with fire, for it can burn¡ªparticrly those who refuse to learn. Your deeds will now dictate whether he incinerates you. With your actions, decide to be cherished¡ªor perish."


    "Is that it?" A man from the Emperor''s royal court asked as he quickly noted down the prophecy to send it to the Emperor.


    Chief Oracle nodded, appearing tired. "This is it¡­ It didn''t reveal who it pertained to or who it would affect. From the words, it seems like a warning."


    Bam!


    But just then, the door to the chamber opened, and a man walked in. "Teacher! I had my first prophecy today! It was rted to something ying with fire and burn."


    There were a few more men and women following him, all saying the same thing. They had all witnessed a prophecy as well on their personal orbs. It was rare to have a high talent in this field of magic, so most Oracles don''t even see a prophecy for years on most asions.


    But, here, all of them saw it, and it was the same for all.


    The Chief Oracle started sweating as she looked at the Emperor''s court official. "I¡­ I think I should speak with his Imperial Majesty and exin thisplex prophecy. Unfortunately, there aren''t many details, so I will have to specte. I''m sure you don''t want to do it."


    The man agreed wholeheartedly. He loved his head above the shoulders a lot. "Understood, mydy. Pleasee with me then."


    However, as she left the tower, she looked outside from the ss. She could see the city in the distance and the vastnds. All she could think of was, ''Who else saw this?''


    ¡­


    Millionthia City, Capital of the Warsong Kingdom.


    Sand Continent, where small kingdoms are spread like grains of sand.


    Central Continent, where the state of war remains in effect for centuries.


    In Libertia, thend of the free.


    Deca Imperia, the united city of the species in Beastaria.


    The Dragon Kingdom of Greenpeaks.


    The Grand Elven Kingdom of High Ragnum of Alfia.


    Holy Land, thend of the faith of Solis, where the power of Sol resides.


    Oracles had their eyes opened throughout the world by the sudden prophecy that came like an adrift fire and vanished without warning. But they had recorded the words, and most felt nothing but ominous about it. They hurried to their kings, masters, lords and self-proimed gods. But, being so vague, they could only fret about it for some nights and then forget.


    For life goes on, no matter what.


    ¡­


    Back in the Holy Land, the sun again showed its face and spread warmth to many hearts of the pilgrims.


    As for Sylvester, he had fallen asleep outside on the balcony in the chair, letting his tired body have some much-needed rxing, for the Holy Land was the only ce he could rest easy.


    "Meow Mew-Mew-Mew¡­ Meo¡­"


    Sylvester woke up to the cute sound of Miraj. It was very close to him, so he looked. "What are you doing?"


    Miraj looked back as he sat on the balcony''s brick wall. "Good morning, Maxy. I was training to sing like you. One day, I, too, will impress everyone I meet with a few words."


    "Why? Do you have a crush on someone? Another cat?" Sylvester asked as hebed his hair with his fingers and cleaned his face with some elemental water magic.


    Miraj showed his jaw, however. "Crush? Yes! I very much want to crush all those who want to harm you and big mum¡ªIn these mighty jaws."


    Sylvester sighed and just patted Miraj''s head. The good furry boy had lived in istion for so long that he had no idea about themon terms used around the world. "Chonky, never change."


    He allowed Miraj to sit on his shoulder and returned to the room. Xavia had just woken up from the looks of it as she was rubbing her eyes with her shaking hands. She was in visible difort.


    "Let me help." He got closer and used his fingers to clear the corner of her eyes. Then, he helped her sit back with some pillows. "I''ll get you the helpers. I''m sure you need to freshen up."


    But first, Sylvester gave Xavia a ss of lukewarm water. "Drink it until then. I will wait outside while they will help you. If you need anything, just call me."<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    At the same time, Sylvester decided to go and clean himself as well since he had an important meeting to attend. He didn''t know what would be discussed or what tests would be taken regarding his promotion, but he hoped to be wearing the Bishops'' mitre by the end of the day.


    In half an hour, he saw some healers leaving Xavia''s room after finishing up the morning routine care for her. So Sylvester entered, but to his surprise, the whole gang was there.


    Felix, Gabriel, Lady Aurora and Sir Dolorem had arrived. As for Isabe, she had stayed the night with Raven and was also back.


    They crowded around Xavia''s bed and asked her many questions. Felix, who didn''t see any difference between Xavia and his own mother, went for a hug. After all, Sylvester and his friends had spent years together, sometimes at his home. So they were all close to Xavia as well.


    Lady Aurora, meanwhile, was cutting some apples for her like a grown-up. At the same time, Sir Dolorem stood silently behind everyone else as he couldn''t see anything. Just listening was enough.


    Xavia was all smiles, however. She even loved all the noise in the room as that brushed away all the istion she was feeling. "Thank you for taking care of Sylvester, everyone."


    Felix nodded proudly. "It''s alright, Mother Xavia. He''s my brother, after all."


    Sylvester shook his head and got closer. "Are you sure you''re talking about me? Because I remember saving you from a certain Witch that night."


    "Ahaha¡­ I was merely kidding. Mother Xavia, you created a magnificent strong boy. This time, he stopped a great war between Gracia and Riveria, solved a grand Conspiracy, and brought down a rogue Witch." Felix rified and exined in some detail.


    Aurora also added, albeit with a hint of envy. "On top of that, Sylvester also saved my life by holding his ground against a Grand Wizard. He also saved me from a Soul Eater demon, and weter defeated it. Seriously, Xavia, tell me, who is his father? Where does his monstrous talente from?"


    "His f-fa¡­"


    Sylvester smelled the anxiety skyrocket in Xavia''s mind. So he intervened quickly. "No more! Don''t bother her with such useless questions. Instead, talk about something positive, something great. Ah, Mother, I have news for you. Do you remember Isabe?"


    Sylvester dragged Isabe to the front. She was in a simple body-fit white gown, and with her freely swaying hair, she appeared no less than an angel.


    Xavia tried to straighten her back. "Yes¡­ It''s a pleasure to meet you again, your Highness."


    Isabe jumped forward quickly and stopped Xavia from being so formal. "Please, Mother Xavia. Just call me Isabe, as everyone else does. We spent so much quality time together, albeit I ran without telling you, and I ask forgiveness for that."


    Sylvester patted Isabe''s head as if she were a child, much to her dissatisfaction. "Mum, she''s to be the next queen of Gracia once she turns twenty-four. Until then, she is to live in the Holy Land and learn all sorts of things. From magic to history and statesmanship. And guess what, you and I are her appointed guardians and hosts."


    Xavia''s face instantly bloomed with excitement. "Really? Will she live with us for so many years? God! I always wanted a daughter! Your Highness, you are very much wee to my house¡­ But it''s too small for all of us."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin. "I will ask the head of Bright Mothers, Great Mother Grace, to allot me one of the biggest units on the top floor of the housing building. I heard they have four rooms."


    "That would be great. I will teach you how to cook, sew, and much more. Of course, if you''re fine with it, Your Highness." Xavia nned out everything, not even realising that she first had to be healed.


    Isabe held Xavia''s hand and agreed. "Of course, I would love to. But only if you start calling me Isabe. Just¡­ Isabe."


    "Alright¡­ I will try my best, you¡­ Isabe." Xavia quickly corrected herself.


    "Aren''t you gettingte?" Lady Aurora voiced suddenly, aimed at Sylvester.


    "Oh yes! You have that meeting." Felix remembered. "Go, brother. We''re here with Mother Xavia."


    Sylvester nodded, fixed his clothes, and put the mitre on the head again. "Wish me luck."


    "Where are you going?" Xavia inquired.


    "To get a promotion, mum."


    ¡­


    Sylvester didn''t take Miraj this time as he feared the Pope might catch him again. Though he didn''t have to travel too far as the meeting venue was the Administration office itself. It was, as always, in a state of utterly busy chaos as Clergymen ran around here and there in haste.


    It was impossible to find anyone lower than the rank of Archpriest in the building. However, many recognised Sylvester and gave a quick nod of their heads before going on their way.


    As for Sylvester, he went to the front desk and asked where to go. Then, like always, a clergyman was called to guide him to the Supreme Council chambers, a giant, round, stadium-like building segment.


    Through the many corridors, gardens and turns, the man guided him to a giant metal door with many carvings and two gigantic statues of knights on the sides as guardians.


    ''I can feel the increased Srium here. Are these two statues magical? Hmm¡­ They can probablye to life like golems.'' Sylvester thought as he looked around at the enormous structure. It felt like a building inside a building.


    "They are waiting, Archpriest." The man guiding him gestured.


    Sylvester fixed his mitre again before moving to the door. ''Alright¡­ Let''s do it.''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 279 279. Supreme Councils Verdict

    In the distantnd of the ''so-called'' heathens. In the southeastern part was a giant, walled kingdom called Alfia. It housed High Ragnum, the seat of power of the Elves, the contender to be named the strongest species in Beastaria, and Dragons of the northwest.


    For the most part, life in Alfia was blissful, with a preference for nature being the priority for all the species that live under the protection of the Elves, such as Dryads, Fairies and Centaurs.


    It was like any other day for most. But, in a room inside the Royal Pce, the Elven King remained unconscious while his face sweated, and his closed eyes appeared full of activity.


    His fingers also moved, and his legs seemed to kick every now and then lightly. His pale-white face and short pointy ears all seemed to glow red, as if he was suffocating. But if someone were close, they''d have noticed even the heart had stopped beating.


    The situation remained the same for seconds and then minutes. For fifteen minutes, the Elven King, Rathagun Xeek Eldaron, remained virtually dead.


    Woosh!


    "Gah!¡­ Yes!"


    Suddenly, his deep grey eyes opened wide as he panted loudly and fast. Tears slid down from the corner of his eyes. The tears were filled with the pain of more than a decade. Of the long secret searches that went unfulfilled again and again.


    He then quickly stood up, tied his long ck hair behind, and dragged his body to the table beside the bed to write what he saw in that dream-like vision, afraid he might forget it.


    "H¡­ Holy Land¡­! X-Xavia¡­ Sylvester!" He wrote it down weakly.


    "Ha¡­!" Then he took a long breath to calm himself and ensure his heart was beating again.


    Still, he couldn''t help but cry even more as the sunlight from the windows felt a little more pleasantly warm today. And that feeling strengthened his resolve as he clenched his fist tight.


    "H-He¡­ My son¡­ Is so¡­ Blessed!"


    ¡­


    "Heathen!"


    Sylvester turned towards the voice, another Cardinal using him of something in the second hour of the meeting. It didn''t feel like a meeting anymore, however¡ªIt felt like a trial¡ªone-sided. The only difference being he was sitting by the same giant table as others.


    "Archpriest Sylvester, what you did can tarnish your name and brand you as a heathen! Complete insubordination, gross misuse of power and constant overstepping of authority! What are you? A Cardinal? A Saint?"


    "But, your eminence, I had to act, or it would have been toote. In the end, I was able to help build a friendship with Duke Conrad, and because of that, now he has made me the Faith Advisor of his court after the untimely sad demise of King Riveria." Sylvester spoke in his defence.


    But he didn''t slip the fact that he killed the king. He doubted that these Cardinals knew about it. They likely knew the church was behind it, but when and how was impossible to know.


    The Cardinal sneered. "What do you have to say about the death of Duke Daemon? Couldn''t you have handled it differently? Or allowed a more experienced, high-ranked Clergyman to handle it? Now we have lost a great militarymander¡ªNow Gracia''s coast remains weak."


    Sylvester didn''t take the usations silently, however. But he could already smell that what was happening had nothing to do with his actions and everything to do with the factions that divided the council of thirty-two men. Their jealousy against him was not hidden from his senses.


    "I did send words to the administration. But I had to act before the situation got out of hand. Before he couldy siege to the Green City, Gracia''s capital. I even defeated the Duke Daemon''s army while being abysmally outnumbered, with extreme casualties on their side."


    Another Cardinal pointed the finger then. "You made contact with Duke Conrad without our permission and plotted everything? For how long were you nning this? Are you the Lord''s Bard or a fiend conquerer in disguise? You overstepped your authority by multiple levels. Only the Holy Father could decide something like that."


    Sylvester sighed, knowing that factions had been formed and these men were divided among themselves too. Some of them sang his praises, and some of them only wished to tear him apart.


    ''Ah¡­ Politics.'' Sylvester sighed inside. He noted down everyone''s emotions. Many were admiring him, some were worshipping, but the jealousy was thriving above all. However, there was one emotion that rmed him the most.


    ''Why does the Holy Father reek of sadness? What happened to him? Shouldn''t he be speaking right now?'' He wondered in silence and let the Cardinals do their barking.


    "Speak, Archpriest. Your silence will not clear your name. We have heard a lot of troubling words from Saint Seer''s report as well. More than half of the treasury in Duke Daemon''s castle is missing, and you were the first one to arrive there." Another Cardinal questioned Sylvester, this time making everyone straighten their backs.


    Sylvester nced at Saint Seer sitting there, too, as he was a member of the Sanctum Council. ''That smugness. I so much wish to break all his teeth.''


    Sylvester made himself appear shocked and disappointed. "And where do you think I kept all that wealth? Are you saying I ate it? Please, your eminence, don''t use me of something you don''t have proof of. I was inside that castle to battle a Witch and was busy doing so. If anything, Saint Seer should know better as he came to take over themand from me."


    "When I arrived, the gates were already open. And the Duke confessed that you took the keys to that chamber." Saint Seer spoke from his seat.


    Sylvester took out the key he kept around his neck like a locket. "I was going to submit it to Saint Wazir while giving the detailed work report. I took the key because I didn''t wish for the Duke to try something and swindle his wealth away. But clearly, it happened anyway."


    "What about the extra ''donation'' you took from nobles in return for the hostages?" Another Cardinal questioned.


    Sylvester promptly replied. "I spent hundreds of thousands in the war, helping Ender Vige and much more. It all came out of my pocket."


    "And where did that moneye from? From what I remember, an Archpriest''s sry is merely thirty-five graces." They questioned him.


    Of course, Sylvester had an answer for it as well. "I earned that money from my entrepreneurship venture, your eminence. It''s quite lucrative and humane."<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    Not everyone knew it, but some did about his business and deal with the Bright Mothers. Unsurprisingly, those who wanted to find wrong in him spoke negatively about this too, as a Cardinal sneered and pointed his finger in a fake fit of rage. "I remember now! You are making those things called¡­ Bras? Such a perverted hobby you partake in, Archpriest. The Lord is watching!"


    ''Can''t have them walk all over me, or they''d think I''m a pushover. They''re already against me anyway¡­ And I still have the support of two Grand Wizards.''


    Sylvester read the namete and addressed the man by his name. "Cardinal Merryworth, I am disgusted that you''d say that. Do you have any idea what those women face in their day-to-day life? They are my mothers, I saw them since I was a baby, and you use me of such vile thought.


    "I designed those clothes for their well-being, for the betterment of their life. So they won''t have breast ailments and may be able to move around quicker. I care for them, and that''s why I made such a thing. And if you consider that sin, then perhaps you should look within."


    Sylvester didn''t stop, however, and looked at the faces of each member. It was time to carefully craft his words and show his dissatisfaction while also reminding them that he was not to be dealt with politically. Instead, he should be supported and promoted.


    "Is this why I was called here? To be ndered? To be shamed and used of such?" He asked them.


    "Archpriest, please. We don''t mean any disr¡­" Saint Wazir tried to speak.


    But Sylvester cut him off. "A month! That''s how old I was when Solis spoke to me for the first time. I was five when I cured the gue in Pitfall town. At nine, I stood against a bloodling, and at seventeen, I killed a bloodling! Then another bloodling! Then a Soul Eater, which once killed a Pope and many Guardians in the past. I saved Bright Mothers. I saved millions in this war. I invented a life-saving treatment. I brought light to the bloody conspiracy by Masan Empire¡ªI gave my everything to the Holy Land! And you doubt me?"


    Sylvester then abruptly sang a few words of a hymn, making a halo appear behind his head.


    ?Fear not the man whose eyes are blind.


    But the one who is sightless in mind.


    To them, even if the Lord speaks directly.


    They will shout, scoff and ignore it ineptly.?


    He spoke normally again. "What I do, what I invent, and what I n¡ªI do that by the grace and words of the Lord. And to deny the knowledge that he imparts to me is akin to denying the words of Solis himself¡ªWhich, I consider¡ªHeathenistic!"


    Sylvester remained silent for a few seconds and savoured the shing scents of fear, shame and worship from the Cardinals. After all, no matter what, it was a fact that Sylvester was the Bard of the Lord and incredibly blessed. So, no matter how scheming and evil they were, the fear that god was watching them certainly created some doubt and panic in their hearts.


    "I ask of nothing more than what I deserve, respected senior clergymen. I merely hope to be promoted so I can use my authority, name, fame, blood, sweat, tears, hymns and halo¡ªFor the best of mankind. That''s all." He purposefully made himself sound tired and sad at the end and let his shoulders plummet.


    Absolute silence echoed throughout the giant empty hall with only the seats and the stone table in the middle. It was eerie for many who saw the future of faith in Sylvester.


    Cough!


    Saint Wazir started from his seat beside the Pope. "That was¡­ I''m sure we all know here your immense contribution towards the church. So, let''s continue with the vote. Fellow Cardinals, please write your verdict on the parchment in front of you."


    Sadly, however, some Cardinals were very vocal while writing their vote.


    "Rejected!"


    "Unexperienced!"


    "Too young!"


    Soon, Saint Wazir had all the parchments magically transferred to him. "As this voting mechanism was ced to ensure the powers of the Sanctum Council were kept in check, I will respectfully read the tally.


    "Out of thirty-two, twenty are against promoting Archpriest Sylvester to higher clergy. Two have abstained, and the rest are in favour. Holy Father, do you wish to veto?"


    Sylvester nced at the Pope, who had remained quiet the whole time, not even looking at him for some reason. But even now, the man merely shook his head and remained the same.


    Saint Wazir looked at Sylvester with saddened eyes. "Archpriest Sylvester, your petition for a promotion has been rejected, and I must respect the council''s decision, no matter appalling it may be to me."


    Sylvester sighed. ''As I expected from the start¡ªBloody politics. But what happened to the Pope? Why is he being a mindless mute today?''


    ________________________


    [A/N: Yo! Elven daddy is in the house! Also, while writing this and the next chap, I got the same vibe as when Anakin was denied the rank of Master.]


    ________________________


    500 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 280 280. Reason Behind Popes Grief

    ''They were never going to make me a bishop? They will never allow me to rise if the voting is done like this. They only serve their self-interest and their masters. They will always find an excuse to pull me down. If this continues, I may only be a Bishop when my hair starts turning white.''


    Sylvester was annoyed and frustrated, but not taken aback. For long enough, he knew that the church was not united anymore. The Pope may have done great to bring peace, but the Holy Land''s internal structure was as rotten as it was during the war. So it was better to say that more than the outside, the inside of the Holy Land needed a crusade.


    "Why, if I may ask," Sylvester questioned, but only stared at the Saint Wazir with his golden eyes.


    Saint Wazir shifted ufortably in his seat. After all, the man knew better than any that Sylvester''s achievements were enough to make him a Cardinal, let alone a simple Bishop. Sadly, he couldn''t meddle in politics.


    So, he tried to give a satisfactory answer. "Age, Archpriest. If we were to make you a Bishop, then you''d be the youngest Bishop in the church''s history. Naturally, this may not sit well with the rest of the clergy, especially the Bishops. Jealousy may not do anything outside, but it can burn people from the inside, Archpriest."


    "As I''ve noticed," Sylvester replied with a calm face, of course, pointing at all the mad Cardinals in the hall.


    Saint Wazir nodded and continued. "As we know, you''re also a God''s Favoured. So, while it''s noteworthy and prideful that you rose through the ranks to be an Archwizard so early, your rivals are still in the Master Wizard ranks. But the contest to prevail as the God''s Favoured is not all about strength, but also mind, actions and heart.


    "So, to make you a Bishop, it would be unfair to the others, as it''d be considered a win for you by default."


    Sylvester didn''t buy it. "So your understanding of keeping the yfields equal is to pull me down from my rise? I thought the church would appreciate having a strong member. Since when did we start quashing talent to not hurt others'' feelings?"


    Saint Wazir knew he was making it all up and felt embarrassed. "Still, it''s a fact that you''re too young, barely eighteen? Bishop is the rank of the higher clergy, requiring experience, time and age. Sadly, that''s what the majority here think youck, Archpriest."


    Sylvester nced at each of the Cardinals who were against him. ''Go on, y your faction games. One day I''ll have your heads.''


    "What now? My contribution goes unnoticed. All the life and death battles I fought were for no reason?" Sylvester questioned.


    Cough!


    Saint Seer spoke then. "Archpriest Sylvester, you have been doing high-risk assignments constantly since you weremissioned from the school. I believe it''s high time you also experience some administrative duties and learn how the Holy Land works."


    Sylvester didn''t like the sound of it a bit. So he nced at Saint Wazir to borate on this.


    "Your next assignment, Archpriest Sylvester. From now onwards, you are to spend six months in the Holy Land and six months in field assignments. In addition, you shall focus on administrative duties as well and study under the direct oversight and tutge of the Holy Father.


    "For this time, you shall oversee this year''s Season of Solis and ensure no mishaps happen during the pilgrimage. You may also train as you wish to better yourself."


    ''Nice! So I get to read the Holy Father''s mind? And this is great. I wanted to take a break anyway.'' Sylvester was ted inside. But he knew he had to show dissatisfaction.


    "Are you stunting me? Forcing me to sit behind a desk when my best use can be in the fields, to fight the demons and bloodlings? What am I even going to do here? I''ve read nearly everything avable to me."


    "Perhaps that can be changed." Saint Wazir added. "At the behest of my authority, I can still do a few things for you. You shall get all the perks of a Bishop, including the sry and housing from now on. Not to mention, the most coveted perk, the restricted library only essible to the higher clergy."


    ''These bastards! This way, they can shirk their responsibility whenever I ask for a promotion.'' Sylvester read through the words.


    "So I should stop even thinking about being a Bishop?" He questioned.


    "For a few years, yes." Saint Seer chimed in.


    Followed by Saint Wazir. "The Council has decided, Archpriest. You can sit among the higher clergy members, but we do not grant you the rank of Bishop."


    Sylvester retained his disappointed expression. "I... I understand, Saint."


    "You may take your leave now, Archpriest." Saint Wazir said, and the gates opened.


    Sylvester stood up and walked out of the hall silently, not even ncing at the members or bidding farewell. He ensured that each one of them saw the moment they rejected what was rightfully his for their petty schemes. And that whatever mayeter will be of their own making.


    Thud!


    Eventually, the door shut close with a thud, and many Cardinals in the room took a sigh of relief.


    But just then, the Pope stood up and started walking away, seemingly disappointed. But he didn''t leave without addressing them. "Do not assume I see not what just transpired. I see it clearly--What exists in your hearts. You should all fear the lord. If the First Pope was walking among us, he''d have cried tears of blood for your actions.


    "Take my words with a due warning. Choose the right path, or don''te to me crying when you''ll face the lord''s wrath."


    With that, the Pope left, but along with him went the peace of mind of many Cardinals. Of course, they knew that their actions were no secret. But today, they had openly shown their contempt towards a young talent who should, in allmon sense, be heavily promoted.


    After all, a shining young handsome man who could sing and create a halo was a much better preacher of the faith than a few Bright Mothers or some old priest.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    Sadly, the contenders and many factions only saw threats in him. After all, he was the only man in the Holy Land with the talent to be a Supreme Wizard one day--To stand above all.


    ...


    Sylvester silently walked out of the hall while thinking about his next steps. He really needed a promotion if he wanted to be the Pope fast. But, there were walls made of steel in his way, and he could do nothing about that as they all exceeded him in authority by a significant margin.


    ''I''m afraid I''ll have to do something so major, so crazy that my name is known all around the East of Sol. My name should be on the mouth of every single clergyman. So much so that if they wouldn''t allow me to rise naturally, they''d be forced to do it. But what should I do?''


    "Sylvester? How did it go?"


    Sylvester came out of his thoughts and looked. Lady Aurora stood in her battle armour, looking as great as ever. But in her arms was a big bouquet, likely to congratte Sylvester. After all, bing a higher clergy member was not a small thing.


    Sylvester just shook his head. "They insulted me and my work, used me of crimes, denied me my right. They are ying a dirty game of politics inside there, Aurora. In there sit people in the majority who want to see me lose and stay a lowly ranked nobody."


    "What?!" She eximed loudly. "How could they? Most of those old blokes have never achieved anything close to what you have, and they denied you? Are they blind? Did the Holy Father not say anything?"


    "Sadly, the Holy Father remained silent for some reason. Not only that, I have been stunted and barred from taking any outside assignments for six months every year. At the same time, they had the audacity to give me the perks of a Bishop and the sry of a Bishop--But not the rank--They say I''m too young." Sylvester made his dissatisfaction very clear because he was about to ask her something.


    Lady Aurora appeared angry as well, and she had every right to be so. "This is beyond dumb. Anyone who voted against you does not deserve to sit in that room. I... I don''t know what to say to ease your frustration, Sylvester."


    "But there is something you can do to help." Sylvester nced at her with a scheming smile. "Just a little thing."


    Of course, Aurora was well aware of Sylvester''s geniuses. "Please speak, my wise brother."


    "Spread the word! Tell the Inquisitors that I was mistreated, ignored, and rejected. That all my grand achievements were ignored just because I am young. Let them spread the word, too, so all Clergymen know that their achievements mean nothing because, in the end, they will all be ignored. Let the clergymen ask their superiors questions about me. Let''s give these old men the headache of a lifetime."


    "That''s all good, but what about your promotion?" She asked.


    Sylvester shrugged and continued to walk. "I guess I''ll just have to work harder."


    "That''s wrong!" She burst, appearing angrier than Sylvester. Understandable as she saw his struggles at each step. "You... For the faith, you still suffer in pain."


    Sylvester moved closer to her and took the bouquet. "It''s okay, Aurora. Let them y their schemes. As long as you and the rest trust in me, that''s enough. In the end, the Lord will do justice--I believe him. Anyway, this bouquet is useless to me. Can I give it to mum?"


    Aurora took long breaths to control her anger and nodded. "Yes--You can. God, I want to beat someone so bad now!"


    Sylvester chuckled and walked with her.


    "Young Bard! Wait there, please."


    Sylvester turned around and noticed Saint Waziring towards him with a parchment in his hand.


    Sylvester sensed the scent. ''He''s... Frustrated? He wanted me to be promoted? But why is he here?''


    "Please don''t be angry at what happened in there, Archpriest. Those men are... A pain in the back for even the Holy Father. I assure you, we will soon find a way to bypass the council, but until then, please cooperate with us." Saint Wazir apologised, smelling of half-lies and half-truths.


    "But I stopped you to give this." The man extended the parchment.


    Sylvester took it in confusion. "What is it?"


    Saint Wazir''s face fell as utterly broken sadness became apparent. "An invitation to a funeral session... Funeral of the Fifth Guardian of Light here in the morning tomorrow."


    "What?!" Aurora eximed.


    Sylvester was speechless, and the parchment fell from his hand. "Grandpa Monk... Is no more?"


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 281 281. Food Revolution

    "What? When and how?" Sylvester asked in one breath.


    Of course, Sylvester was close to the old man. However short the time was. He genuinely liked Grandpa Monk without any hope of ever receiving any favours. He just liked to meet him and talk or learn some new things.


    Saint Wazir answered honestly. "He passed away peacefully while returning from hisst assignment of stopping the mad war in the Sorrow Kingdom. He was able to hold the Grand Duke of the Patch back, but in doing so, expanded thest of his life''s energy. While on the way back, in his sleep, he took hisst breath. I must go now, many things to prepare. Please be present at the ceremony, as the old man has left behind a few things in your name."


    "In my name?" Sylvester mumbled in surprise, unable to imagine what it could be.


    "Again, I hope you don''t mind what urred inside there. Once this funeral is over, I will speak with the Holy Father and see what we can do. I genuinely believe you deserve to be promoted, Archpriest." Saint Wazir patted Sylvester''s shoulder and walked away in a hurry.


    Sylvester silently appreciated that some on the Sanctum Council were in favour of him, but he also knew the reality of the situation. Personal supreme power does not mean supreme political power too. As personal strength is earned, so is political support.


    ''Do what you may, but I''ve made up my mind. Even if I be a Bishop now, then what next? Those old sycophants will never leave an opportunity to pull me down. So it''s better if I bury them ten feet underground.''


    However, for now, it was a moment of grief. "Let''s return to the sick bay. I''m sure mother is waiting for us."


    Aurora nodded and followed behind while remembering the old man. "So he finally closed his eyes for thest time. I didn''t have the luck to get close to him, but he was one of the only few Guardians who I truly felt positive about. He was so kind and alwaysughing. I''m sure the Holy Father is heartbroken right now."


    "If he really considered the old man his father, then I guess he lost his only family. I''d be devastated if I was him." Sylvester replied.


    In a silence filled with chaotic thoughts about the dead, they arrived back in the Sick Bay. Sylvester didn''t tell anyone about the death of Grandpa Monk, though, as nobody there other than him shared a bond with the old man. Not to mention, he didn''t want Xavia to feel any sadness.


    He forced a smile on his face, being a master of making it seem natural, and entered the room with a big bouquet. "I''m back! Mum, here you go."


    Felix immediately jumped in front of him, though. "Where? Where is that sweet Bishop''s mitre? Show it to me!"


    Sylvester shook his head with a sigh. "They said I''m too young for the rank of Bishop."


    "..."


    "Bull¡­ Excretion! Did they not look at the list of things you''ve done? They should be kissing your feet at this point." Felix barked, enraged, of course.


    "Well, they were also afraid that me bing a Bishop would discourage the other God''s Favoured candidates from giving their best. It''s dumb logic, I know, but I have no option but to ept this." Sylvester added in a sad tone.


    Gabriel sighed in frustration. "You should be the example child of the church right now. I don''t know what they are thinking."


    "Politics." Sir Dolorem blurted from behind as the man stood like a statue by the wall.


    But Sylvester didn''t want to get into all that talk. "Forget about it. Let''s move on. Mum, I''m taking you home. I have nned a better treatment to train your muscles, and I will oversee it myself."


    Xavia didn''t agree with him. "No, I can''t, dear. I can''t be a burden on your already heavy shoulders."


    Sylvester got close to her and put a hand on her shoulder while staring into her eyes. "You are my mother, not a burden. Never consider yourself a burden to me. If anything, I want to spend more time with you and, perhaps, rx a little after nearly two years of constantly running around and working. I will even call Baron Lee Da Lovnd to have another portrait made."


    Aurora chimed in. "Go for it, Xavia. You won''t get another chance to spend quality time with your son. The bigger he grows, the higher he will rise, and the matters he''ll need to worry about will take most of his mind. So you should cherish this time."


    "Nonsense." Sylvester barked in a fake fit of anger. "Mum is mum, and shees above all. If the world starts burning tomorrow, sorry in advance, I''ll save her first."


    "Meow too!"


    "Woah! Where is this cat hiding?" Felix started looking around quickly as the voice came.


    Sylvester red at Miraj sitting near the window. The boy tried to ignore Sylvester''s gaze, but now and then, he''d look. Of course, it was a slip of tongue in the heat of the moment. After all, to Miraj, the big mom was a real mom too.


    "Anyway, let''s move." Sylvester busied himself and brought a wheelchair from outside. It was very crude, slow and ufortable. So a good wheelchair was already on the list of things he wanted to create in the next few days.


    Woosh!


    "Ah! What are you doing, Max!" Xavia eximed embarrassingly.


    But Sylvester didn''t react and kept her in a princess carry and gently put her on the chair. "What? There is nothing to be ashamed of, mum. And Felix, why are you standing? Start packing the bags, and Isabe, hold the wheelchair."


    Sylvester didn''t care about the warnings of the Sick Bay healers. They were doing nothing with Xavia''s healing, and he had better ways. So, he brought her to the Bright Mother''s housing building.


    There, many Bright Mothers came out of their rooms to see Xavia. The attack on her was big news, after all.


    But eventually, they arrived at the little two-room house. Sylvester quickly set everything up for Xavia. First, he ced many bells in the house tied to a rope in Xavia''s room, which, if she pulled, would ring everywhere in the house.


    As for the bathroom, it already had a good, nearly modern seat. The buildings in the Holynd were fairly advanced due to the abundance of magical means. Otherwise, only big lords could afford to have a personal privy.


    "What''s your n for healing Mother Xavia?" Felix asked him when everyone settled down.


    "Water therapy." Sylvester started. "What mum needs is physical exercise, but doing it normally won''t help as she can''t put weight on her legs. So, I will use a water pool and exercise with her there. That way, her body weight won''t affect her legs as much."


    "Are you sure that will work?" Gabriel asked.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    Sylvester was absolutely confident in this one thing. "I am. Anyway, let''s get to cooking now. Felix and Gab,e and help me. Aurora and Isabe, keep mum entertained. Sir Dolorem, don''t let them talk bad about me behind my back."


    "Haha, I will try, Lord Bard." Sir Dolorem chuckled and remained seated.


    With that, soon, a lot of noise started toe from the kitchen. A lot of utensils falling, a lot of shouting at each other, shaming each other, calling names and such. Of course, the three of them were not professionals, but while Sylvester knew very well how to cook, his two helpers were as dumb as they came.


    "Good lord, Felix. What is wrong with you? Why did you add honey to the Marinara Sauce?" Sylvester quickly took the bowl away from Felix.


    "Marine what? And don''t you like honey?" Felix asked cluelessly. "And what are we even making?"


    Sylvester rubbed his face in exhaustion. "We''re making something called Pizza."


    "What''s that?" Gabriel inquired.


    Sylvester had to exin them again. "It''s a bread-based dish topped with tomatoes, cheese, and various other ingredients. It''s baked at a high temperature and tastes really good. We''re adding chicken for today. It''s a great cheat food for when you''re bored with regr food, but overeating can be bad for your health."


    Felix scratched his head. "Umm¡­ So it''s like how I make my breakfast? I take a loaf of bread, put in some nice vegetables, boiled meat and sauces, and eat it."


    "..."


    "That''s¡­ Now a very good breakfast, Felix. And no, this is different. Just do as I tell you to, and you will know soon. No need to add honey either." Sylvester again started instructing them.


    He kept a strict eye on everyone this time and ensured they made the base nicely. As for cheese, that was readily avable in the Holy Land. Vegetables and meat were also not a problem. In fact, Holy Land was the only ce that never suffered from food intion no matter what went on in the world because the methods used to grow food and maintain livestock in the Holy Land were highly efficient with the help of magic.


    "Alright, I will keep the fire going. You two prepare the hot coco-milk. Today, I''m going to spoil you all and show you the wonders of my cooking." Sylvester instructed them further.


    But Felix and Gabriel were very dubious about his ideas as they had not yet tasted whatever he was making. But, at least the aroma was absolutely mouth-watering, so they silently worked.


    Then, by evening, everything was ready, and Sylvester stopped using magic for baking the pizza. He didn''t have any modern tools to check the temperature, so he had to go slow with his instincts.


    Soon, a big table was prepared inside Xavia''s room, whereughs and giggles were resounding as even Sir Dolorem would chime into conversations. Xavia was truly happy to have suchpany.


    "Mum, you should try it first." Sylvester sat beside Xavia as she couldn''t use her hands that well and he had to feed her.


    Xavia didn''t fight and took a bite as she was also interested in it. As did the others at the same time from their tes.


    And then, an explosion happened. Food that had never been seen or tasted before, food that was never meant to ur in the world before¡ªNow widened the eyes of the many.


    "Holy f¡­!" Felix nearly had a slip of the tongue as he took a bite of the cheesy pizza. "This is so good! So tasty and¡­ Max, is there anything you can''t do?"


    Sylvester chuckled with pride. ''I guess my memories are not only useful in winning battles, but also hearts.''


    "Please give me the recipe!" Isabe asked as her eyes appeared full of shine.


    Lady Aurora was just silent and gobbling on it. Inparison, Sir Dolorem was silently savouring the taste. It was akin to nothing they had ever tasted before.


    "What do you think, mum?" Sylvester asked her finally.


    Xavia stared at Sylvester''s face constantly with no expression. "I¡­ What have I done!"


    Sylvester didn''t panic as he still smelled the scent of happiness and excitement. "What happened?"


    Xavia caressed his face with her shaking hand. "You¡­ I''m afraid if you keep showing these wonders to the world, the women across the realm will rise against the church for keeping you away from them."


    "..."


    Sylvester dumbly stared at her and looked at others as theyughed. But eventually, he also took a bite while thinking about something. "You know what¡­ I should let the world taste my cuisine."


    Felix got excited. "Am I thinking what you''re thinking? Are you going to¡­"


    "Yes! I''m going to buy myself a ve!"


    "..."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 282 282. Grandpa Monks Letter

    "W-What? Wait, I was talking about letting others cook your recipe and sell it." Felix corrected himself while the rest stared at Sylvester.


    Sylvester rified himself quickly. "Yes, I am thinking about buying somend outside the Holy Land and building a big house, with the ground floor being the shop. But I won''t run it, and I don''t trust any traders. So, I''m going to buy a ve and train them."


    "But... A ve? That would tarnish your name, Max." Gabriel warned him.


    Owning ves was not a bad thing for most people. But among the ranks of the Clergymen, it was generally frowned upon since many of the clergye from humble beginnings. Hence, many of them were anti-very.


    Sylvester was also anti-very, but he understood well that he held no authority to do anything about it. Though he knew his time woulde when he''d stand on some important stage and announce the abolition. But until then, he was a part of the system.


    "Of course, I know that. I only need the ve to learn how to cook a few items for me and run the shop. I will sign a year-long contract with them in the lord''s name, and once the year passes, I will free them and give them a lump sum of money to start a new life."


    That surely sweetened the deal for many. In a way, Sylvester was freeing a ve already. After all, getting to cook something like that was anything but a boon because once the ve goes away, they can be a cook too--As a free person.


    Not to mention, Sylvester hoped to earn these ves'' trust so they may keep working for him even after being freed. For this, he had already nned a special indoctrination scheme to ensure they saw him as nothing less than a god.


    Felix rubbed his chin and thought about something. "What if the ve steals your recipe?"


    Sylvester shrugged. "I don''t care. The ce I''m thinking about opening my shop will ensure that my business never goes down. Anyway, stop talking and start eating, or it will get cold."


    Sylvester had to stop them as he had to feed a little chunky boy, too, who was desperately pulling his robes from underneath the table. Miraj also wanted to try this new thing, after all.


    However, Sylvester didn''t know if giving a cat the pizza was good. But he didn''t mind as Miraj had eaten worse. So he sneakily passed a small slice to the best boy in the world.


    But at the same time, something was going on in his mind regarding Miraj. ''I should introduce Miraj to mum as my guardian angel and have her make an oath of secrecy with the use that if she reveals, the guardian will disappear, leaving me in danger. That way, at least mum and Miraj will have each other to mess around in the house.''


    "Meowr!"


    Sylvester made a big fake yawn, making it seem like the sound hade from him. "I''m sleepy now."


    "..."


    "That''s one messed up yawn you got there," Felix muttered. "Be sure not to do that in a crowded ce. There are... a few messed up individuals who get turned on by that."


    In response, everyone red at Felix with doubt, and Sylvester asked. "Why do you know that?"


    "..."


    "That... I like to read."


    Sylvester sighed and returned to eating. "Sometimes... I wonder why you''re even my friend."


    "Likewise," Gabriel added.


    Felix looked at Xavia. "Mother Xavia, you believe me, right? I only like women--pretty nobledies, with big... I mean, I shall marry one someday."


    Lady Aurora finally spoke, though it shattered Felix. "I don''t know, Felix. Your taste in women is so... Choosy. There has to be something extraordinary you''re looking for in them."


    Even Sir Dolorem didn''t let the opportunity go. "Sometimes, when the mind gets too excited, the truthes out uninvited."


    "Oh, dear." Xavia caressed Felix''s head as the boy came to her side. "Don''t worry. It''s alright to be different sometimes."


    "..."


    "Oh,e on!"


    "Pfft..." Isabe burst intoughter, unable to hold herself. Of course, they were all joking.


    Just like that, amidst the tasty dinner andughter, Sylvester and his friends finally had some soothing mental peace after months of life-threatening work. They cherished these moments, for they never knew what maye next, leaving them perplexed.


    ...


    The night went fairly well. Xavia didn''t have any wounds left, so all her problems were rted to mobility. Thankfully, Isabe decided to sleep beside Xavia in the same room, as thetter might need some help.


    Sylvester was grateful for it. But he didn''t want that to be a permanent urrence. So he decided to immediately ask for a bigger house to keep a hired help as well. After all, Isabe had to do her studies as well.


    But Sylvester had to wake up early that morning, even before the sun shone its warmth on thends. It was time to go to Grandpa Monk''s funeral. It was supposed to be held when the first light falls on the pyre.


    "When will you be back, dear?" Xavia asked when he came to inform her.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    "I don''t have any major duties anymore, so I will be back as soon as I''m done there. Isabe, Gabriel and Felix wille to help you. Tell them if you need anything."


    "Understood."


    Sylvester then closed the door behind him and left the building. Many Bright Mothers were also awake and preparing to go and work. Clearly, they worked just as hard as any other clergyman, but sadly, they don''t get as much open recognition. But at least they had the respect and utmost security.


    Greeting any Bright Mother that came his way, he silently got on the horse and rode to the Administrative building. But, once he arrived there, he found a small crowd of a few important people. Mostly it was the Cardinals and the Guardians, and he was the only Archpriest.


    "You''re here." Lady Aurora came to him quickly.


    "What''s happening? Why is everyone outside?" Sylvester inquired.


    Lady Aurora pointed to the left, where a long line of carriages was visible. "We''re all going to the Golden Penins. The pyre is set there."


    Sylvester was amazed since the Golden Penins was the most restricted, guarded and holiest ce in the Holy Land. After all, it contained the Magna Sanctum Temple.


    "I guess nobody can say no if the Pope wants it." He muttered and saw the Cardinals get into the carriages one by one.


    "Let me guess. I won''t get a carriage?" Sylvester wondered.


    "No, actually, you ride with Saint Wazir and me in his carriage. He said he had a few things to hand over. Come, his carriage is at the front."


    Sylvester fell into thoughts, wondering what it could be that the old man had left behind. He never thought that Grandpa Monk felt this highly of him and thought that he only liked him due to thepany he provided.


    He remained silent and soon arrived in front of a well-ornated stagecoach. It was big, pulled by four horses. Heck, even the reinsman was a Bishop ranked man.


    Knock Knock!


    The door opened, and Saint Wazir invited them in. The man seemed very serious at the moment and nervous as he rubbed his long white beard again and again while sometimes caressing the cut mark on his right brow.


    "Archpriest, you''re on time. Here are the two things the Fifth Guardian left in your name." Saint Wazir handed Sylvester two folded and sealed parchments without any sweet talking.


    Sylvester looked at them. They appeared slightly old, as some dust had settled on the wax seal. ''Did he write the letters a long time ago?''


    "Can I?"


    "Of course, go ahead. The Holy Father wants you to read it before you arrive there. He wants you to partake in the ceremony alongside him." Saint Wazir advised.


    ''What? Why? I don''t think I was that close to Grandpa Monk.''


    Still, he didn''t waste time unfolding the parchment and started reading it silently.


    ''Yes, I wrote this three months ago. I know, you''d think about it because you''re too bright. But, unfortunately, by the time you read this, I''m either dead or on the deathbed. So, son, I have nothing to tell you, teach you, or unique to give you. I''m far too old, toote to have met you.


    ''But, after my initial life as a ve, I''ve learned to read people pretty well and control my emotions. When I first met you, I could easily see there was something different about you in a good way. It was not the halo or the hymns. That''s just the cherry on top.


    ''What I saw were your eyes. They hold wisdom that none of your age should possess. Your wit and achievements are something everyone would covet. But, after meeting you many times and learning about your desires and will, I know you don''t want the power to rule. I know you don''t want to be the Pope--You only want peace.


    ''That is why I know you will be the Pope one day. Yes, it''s bizarre to see how often the people who loathe power be powerful. But, usually, they also tend to be the greatest rulers of their time. The same was the case with the first Pope, and the same was the case with many others.


    ''Son, when you be the Pope, I only have one piece of advice. Treat the people, the faithful, like family. Because remember, for one who has nothing, the church is their everything. Every other person out there has a sad story, so be their reason for not choosing the destructive path--Be their father figure who guides them, holding their hand through the darkness.


    ''Also, I hope you be that figure for one old boy immediately--My son--Axel. We may not be rted by blood, but we share a bond stronger than blood. I''m sure he''s devastated right now. I''m sure his mind is empty. So, please be the shining light that brings him out of his insanity--Don''t let him brood in sadness, as that''s the first step of losing one''s humanity.


    ''Of course, I don''t ask you this for free. In the other parchment, you may find the recipe for my life''s greatest achievement--The Sunshine Nectar. Bwahaha... I heard you were going to use it on King Riveria--Good going, son. Drink it, sell it, and keep it however you want. I wouldn''t mind.


    ''With this, I say my final goodbye. May the holy light keep you, your family and your friends strong. May the holy light guide you to the throne where you belong.


    ''--Grandpa Monk, an old man who forgot his name.''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 283 283. A Dream Of Immortality

    Sylvester took a long cold breath and settled back into the cushioned seat of the stagecoach. He digested all the words the old man spoke, and they did a number on him.


    ''Who knew the man whose emotions I could not smell was creating a character profile on me instead? And he believes I will be the Pope no matter what? I hope you are right, old man¡­ I really hope so.''


    Sylvester then opened the second parchment and read it as well. It was the recipe for the whole Sunshine Nectar drink. But there was a surprising paragraph written underneath all that.


    ''Son, I have also decided to give my little shack to you, as you''re a regr visitor of the Soul Penins. Moreover, I have asked Axel to give you permanent permission to go to the Soul penins to meditate anytime you want. Visions can be critical, and you must not stop trying to see them.''


    Sylvester sighed, folded both of them back, and put them into his pocket. "I don''t know much about the early days of Grandpa Monk as a clergyman, but from what I''ve seen and felt¡ªHe was a good man."


    "Any man who can im to be the father figure of a pope has to be a great man, Archpriest." Saint Wazir replied without much thinking.


    Sylvester, however, was keenly focused on the actions of the man. The rubbing of hands, the eyes darting here and there. It was the sign of a scared man. ''What could it be? Maybe¡­''


    "What troubles you, Saint? Is it the Sorrow Kingdom or the Grand Duke of the Patch? Perhaps you fear His Holiness will destroy the entire Grand Duchy of the Patch in rage?" Sylvester asked him while making a few assumptions since there was no way the man would share it himself.


    Saint Wazir looked at Sylvester in shock. "You¡­ Are as sharp as they say. True, I''m fearful of the reaction of the Holy Father. The fifth Guardian died due to the Grand Duke. There is no denying it. But, we can not be seen as a retaliatory faction for no reason. The death was natural."


    Sylvester had hit a nerve directly from the looks of it. "Wasn''t it the Holy Father who signed to send Grandpa Monk in the first ce? The man had basically retired to spend thest few years in peace. But, at the same time, I believe he appreciated this death as he died while serving the faith¡ªthe lord. There can be no greater martyrdom than that."


    Saint Wazir kept his mouth shut after that. Of course, he knew what Sylvester said was right. But who was going to tell that to the Pope?


    So, they soon arrived at the port whererge ships were waiting for all of them to move. There were just two of them, as only one hundred people were allowed inside the funeral ceremony.


    Everyone was silent and got onboard the ships. Quickly after that, they were taken to the closeby Golden penins with its giant golden temple still shining under the faint moonlight and the sun making its presence known on the distant horizon.


    Everyone had their names and identification checked on the penins and then allowed to enter. After that, they all walked to the eastern edge of the penins, beyond the temple. There, a cliff was situated that looked over at the Endless Sea.


    There, manyrge firenterns were ced here and there, with guards standing in their golden armours, specially ced to ensure none desecrated the pyre ready to be set on fire.


    The Pope stood near the pyre in hisplete ceremonial attire with a big mitre and vibrant robes on him. He held a big staff in one hand with various shining orbs, while on the other was a book.


    ''He looks devastated, no doubt.'' Sylvester realised as he tried to stand in the front with Lady Aurora.


    "Archpriest Sylvester Maximilian,e forward." The Pope''s voice boomed suddenly, oozing nothing but authority and power at the moment. "You partake in this ceremony. It was the Fifth Guardian''sst wish."


    Sylvester looked around as all eyes now rested on him. Some were full of jealousy, some full of interest. He didn''t like it but couldn''t deny it either.


    So he put his Archpriest''s mitre on the head and walked to the Pope as formally as possible. "Your holiness."


    "Hold this book, Archpriest. Sing a little hymn for the old man if you can. I''d appreciate that." Pope requested, with his face turning softer for a few seconds.


    "Understood, your holiness."


    Pope then turned around to face the pyre and spoke with Sylvester in a low, emotional voice. "Son, do you understand why he asked for you here?"


    Sylvester seriously had no idea. "I''m afraid not."


    "It''s a message." The Pope continued. "He wanted to tell all that he stood behind you and supported you in the race, and that you should not be schemed against. Old man¡­ He always nned many steps ahead."


    Sylvester nced at the pyre silently. He could see a body on it, draped in a shining golden cotton cloth. ''Why? Why did you go out of the way to do all this? I never did anything for you. Is it just because I told you I only want to live in peace? Or is it something else?''


    There was too much confusion, and sadly the questions were never going to be answered now. At best, he could only appreciate the old man''s help.


    "In his letter, he talked a lot about various things. I''m d I got to meet him in my lifetime. It said he was a ve once. Can I know about it?" Sylvester inquired.


    The Pope''s eyes seemed to glow a bit as if he was ovee with deep emotions. "Before he became a clergyman, he was kept as a locked-up ve by a noble family. He was locked alone inside a gold mine, where he''d only get food if he fulfilled the mining quota daily. They kept him because of his extreme talents, but it was against the church rule to hide and abuse such talented individuals¡ªEspecially in those warring times.


    "So, coincidently, a Bishop got lost in the mines on a different mountain. But since he was strong enough, he kept digging and eventually, mistakenly, ended up in the old man''s mine prison. From there, the church was notified and promptly saved the old man. But to the church''s shock, the old man was already an Arch Wizard by then¡ªControlled through a magical ve chocker. He was mentally devastated and docile due to harsh lifelong very."


    ''It makes sense how his worldview was so down to earth despite being a Grand Wizard. Normally, people of his talent get cocky and get used to getting their way.''


    "So this is why you abhor very?" Sylvester asked.


    The Pope smelled of anger instantly and showed his clenched fist. "My disgust for very is unquantifiable in words, son. If I could, I would have ripped out the spines of every ve owner with my own hands."


    ''Alright, change of ns. I''m freeing the ves I will buy instantly.'' Sylvester made a mental note.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    "Let''s proceed with the ceremony now. The sunlight is about to strike this region." The Pope moved ahead and started cing some burning material near the pyre while talking for thest time with the body of Grandpa Monk.


    Sylvester, meanwhile, was trying toe up with a short but meaningful hymn that everybody could feel connected to.


    "Today!" The Pope finally started speaking. "We are here to witness the Fifth Guardian''s remains return to the dirt of thisnd that made us. But, sadly, through his long life and the eras he saw, he forgot his name, and due to that, we usually called him Grandpa Monk.


    "He was a great man, an excellent guide, and above all, a true believer in faith. He wished to see the world entering a new era of peace and prosperity and the end of the long war. But, sadly, we couldn''t achieve that in his time. Hence, now it lies on our shoulders, and those of the next generation, to ensure that true peace arrives¡ªTo across the world, to all lives.


    "With the first ray of Solis, I now bid thest farewell to the Fifth Guardian. May his soul rest in peace and reach the arms of the lord. May he watch over us from the realm thates after¡ªand see us usher the world into a better, warmer, calmer chapter."


    Immediately, all the men there voiced. "Amen!"


    With that, the sunlight finally reached the edge of the Golden Penins and engulfed Grandpa Monk''s pyre. It happened automatically, as some alchemical substance reactive to sunlight was ced on it.


    The fire that appeared on it was also bright golden, and the light from the sun that fell from the gaps in the clouds made it appear as if the heavens were opening their door to let the old man''s soul enter.


    Sylvester found it to be a perfect opportunity to start singing. So he moved to the side of the pyre from where all could see him and the fire. He then held the holy book open in one hand while the other hand showed the palm towards the fire.


    And when the halo appeared and his palm shined under the bright light, he seemed like a god''s apostle, if not god himself.


    Then soon, the charming echoes of his melodious and soothing voice erupted.


    ?Risen from thend and served the light.


    Nameless you were but so full of might.


    You helped those who suffered in plight.


    Without you, I know it won''t be as bright.?


    ?To age and time, you remained unbowed.


    Through the eras, you have made us proud.


    Because if any, you''ve fulfilled all you vowed.


    O'' Holy Lord, in your warmth, let his soul enshroud.?


    Sylvester didn''t sing for long, as that would take too much time and be awkward. So, he ended it on a short note and bowed his hand lightly.


    "Amen!" The spectators again echoed together.


    After that, they silently watched as the pyre burnt slowly. Many were sad, but many were wondering who''d take the Fifth Guardian''s position now.


    One after another, the faith had lost two Guardians, after all. If they did not do something, it would leave the church vulnerable to the enemies and, worse, to the hyenas among the peace-loving monks.


    However, no one coulde to say anything as the Pope remained standing unmoving. Close to him, Sylvester smelled the scents he was producing.


    Seeing that, as Sylvester smelled the Pope''s emotions, he was also hit by an unavoidable sadness. ''If I can''t find a way, one day I will be in the Pope''s ce, and on the pyre will be¡­ Mum¡­''


    Everything born one day dies. Some early, someter. But, for a man who finally got to cherish a mother after a whole lifetime, the thought of losing her was akin to a grave crime.


    ''There has to be some sort of a fountain of youth or elixir. The world is far too big and magical for immortality to be unachievable. I need to rush my rise a bit more, it seems. Perhaps, it''s time to start Operation ck Cat.''


    [A/N: I am taking part in the Mass Release event. The first instalment will be on the 15th of this month.]


    ________________________


    500 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 284 284. New Home

    It took nearly an hour for the pyre to burn its course and turn into fine ashpletely. After which, the Pope went ahead and picked up the ashes.


    As for the Cardinals and others who hade to see it, they paid their final respects and started returning to their workces. Most were heads of essential departments, after all.


    As for Sylvester, he remained there just in case the Pope needed some help. He was honestly confused about the Pope as the man didn''t fit on any side. One moment the Pope seemed against him, and other times he seemed like the best ally to have. It was getting hard to see which shade of grey the old man was on any particr day.


    ''Fine, if they keep me inside the Holy Land for six months, then I shall use that time to create my own string of connections. But¡­ I can''t begin to create my own secret association until I find an oath that binds life itself¡­ There has to be something. Perhaps Bishop Lazak would know.''


    "Son, go home. I will oversee your training three times a week starting next week." The Pope ordered.


    "Understood, your holiness. May the holy light enlighten us." Sylvester saluted formally and turned around to leave.


    Sylvester returned to the port and took the small ferry waiting there. He didn''t go inside the temple, however, as that required many permissions and a lot of oversight. Not to mention, the guards there would pounce on him with the intent to kill the moment he tried anything.


    So, he silently returned to the Pope''s Penins. However, it waste in the morning already, so the various workspaces had opened. So instead of returning home, he decided to pay a visit to the Administration office to ask for a small office room from where he could work.


    Of course, his real intention was just to be inside that building so he could meet influential people and do some spying. He had the best surveince tool with him, after all.


    "Saint Wazir will see you next." He was soon allowed inside the office.


    Sylvester gave a slight bow and took a seat. He could see the tension still lingering on the man''s old face. However, nobody knew what the Pope was going to do next. But the work must continue; the church must keep running.


    "Respected Saint, I''vee to request a small room to set up my ce of work in the building since I will be on administrative duty. I don''t know what to do as a Sanctum Inspector, but I will try my best." Sylvester humbly requested.


    Saint Wazir didn''t bother with him much. "I will order my assistant to provide you with a small room in my staff office. Anything else?"


    "Yes, I will need two hours every day at home. I am working on a treatment for my mother, which will require me to be with her." Sylvester didn''t sound like he was asking, however. Instead, the message in his words was clear. You were ipetent to keep her safe, now don''t anger me more.


    Saint Wazir had no problem either. "Your first assignment for the next two months is managing the Season of Solis. So you will have enough free time. And I will pray for Mother Xavia''s quick recovery."


    Sylvester graciously epted the instructions. "Understood, Saint. I will leave now."


    He left the building and headed to the Bright Mother''s training academy. Typically, men were not allowed inside, but he went there anyway as he needed to meet Great Mother Grace. No woman, Bright Mother or trainee bothered him, as he already lived in their same building. If anything, many young ones were in awe or crying after seeing him. True, they were never supposed to mingle with a man, but they were still allowed to admire one.


    He knew every corner of the building as he spent most of his childhood there with Xaivia while she was studying there. So, he found the Great Mother''s office on his own.


    The legendary old woman, a hero of the great thousand-year war, was mostly retired now and spent her time drinking tea or ''ying'' with her friends in her house on some nights. But thankfully, albeit with her cold and proud demeanour, she liked Sylvester a lot.


    "May the holy light enlighten us and grant you two more centuries of life, Great Mother." Sylvester entered her office with a big smile.


    She didn''t smile, however, and kept a cold persona. But the scent she released was pleasant, so Sylvester knew he was in the clear.


    "What do you want?"


    Sylvester took a seat. "Can''t I juste to ask how the Great Mother is doing? I''m not that selfish."


    She stared into his eyes. "What?"


    "..."


    "Need a bigger house. Princess Isabe will remain with mum and me. I also need to keep a helper for mum until she fully recovers." He requested.


    "I knew it! You''d nevere to me for no reason. Fine, I will allot the top floor''s house to you. It has five rooms and arge open balcony. Should be enough for you."


    "Awesome! You''re the best, Great Mother." He showed visible excitement as he kept this persona in front of all Bright Mothers.


    She grunted. "Sure. Anything else?"


    Sylvester awkwardly shook his head. "No, that''s all. I''ll take my leave now. I need to shift home. Take care, Great Mother, and be sure to eat healthily."


    Thud!


    As Sylvester left, the Great Mother sighed and rxed back. "What a good boy, caring for us mothers. Solis truly blessed us to bring him to our doors."


    Of course, the cold and calctive Great Mother was like any other Bright Mother. After all, who wouldn''t dote on a son as great as Sylvester? She just didn''t like showing it openly.


    "May the lord bless his warm soul."


    ¡­<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    Sylvester quickly returned to his home and found a great manyughtering from inside. As he entered, he found Felix and Gabriel joking around and bickering about little things.


    "Alright! Enough fun. I''ve got the permission and the keys from the Great Mother''s office. We''re shifting to the top floor into the best penthouse. Felix and Gabriel, you two shall be the porters for the evening. I will pay you with food."


    Felix stood up quickly. "Ah, things I have to do to feed my belly."


    "You don''t have a lot of stuff here anyway. It won''t take much time." Gabriel added and prepared to work.


    So, Sylvester also joined them and slowly took the furniture, the boxes full of clothes, and various utensils to the top floor. It was a great ce to live as it had arge living room, five bedrooms, a cooking area, and a bathroom. Not only that, the open balcony was in the corner. Hence, there was sunlight avable from morning till noon.


    Sylvester already had a n with the open space. "This is great. I will construct a nice wooden pool here for water therapy. But first,e with me. We''re going shopping on the Guild Penins. We also need to buy Isabe a bed, a wardrobe, and furniture for other rooms and the living room."


    "But why are you walking so weirdly? Is your leg hurt?" Felix suddenly asked.


    ''Ugh! Is it that obvious? I need to get the blockage cleared tonight, it seems.'' Sylvester cursed himself.


    "It''s nothing. I just hit my toe on the wall. Anyway, let''s move. I''m nning on taking mum and Isabe as well. The wheelchair will work just fine." Sylvester nned and walked out of the new house.


    Sadly, there was nothing such as an elevator in the world currently. So he had to use the stairs. They were no hindrance to Sylvester, but he reckoned it must be annoying for Bright Mothers.


    Soon, they took a carriage and made their way to the Guild Penins. Sylvester seriously felt the need for a modern wheelchair after pulling Xavia''s small wheeled chair. It was impractical and required too much push. Moreover, the chair alone was too heavy.


    But ignoring that, everyone liked the little excursion. They travelled around the market to buy whatever was needed. He also lets Isabe go crazy and take whatever she needs. While Xavia was always worried about budget, it took much convincing to make her realise how rich Sylvester was without even considering his ck money.


    By evening, five carriages full of crates, bags and wood departed for the Pope''s Penins. Sylvester, however, spent a little more time there and had dinner outside with everyone.


    "Felix and Gab, I''m afraid I won''t be allowed to take any outside assignments for theing six months. However, I don''t want you to stop focusing on your development. So, this time, I want you to go on missions on your own. You will have Elyon, Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark with you on these assignments." He informed the two.


    Of course, they were prepared to do this. They had always known that one day Sylvester wouldn''t be there to help them at all times.


    "Understood, my brother. I will try my best. But, if you can do it, I too wish to be an Archwizard fast, or else, how can I remain the Sword of Solis alongside you?" Felix proimed proudly.


    Gabriel agreed and chimed in. "I will focus on my religious studies with Archbishop Noah too. Perhaps, when you take the seat, I can help you with religiousws and such."


    "You''re a dumbass, Gabriel." Sylvester suddenly cursed, making everyone''s jaw fall.


    "What?"


    "Yes, you''re a numbskull. You have the talent of being a Master wizard and a Diamond Knight. That''s one high knightly talent, my friend. You also have light magic to boast too. And here you are, spending all your time studying. Remember, in front of absolute power, all your wisdom and knowledge are useless because death is always a breath away.


    "You need to focus on getting stronger as well. You just entered the Master Wizard rank, but your Diamond Knight talent can make you as strong as Sir Hans, Lord Inquisitor''s right-hand man." Sylvester nearly scolded him.


    Gabriel nodded his head in reply. "I know you say that in concern for me, Max. But I can''t seem to train very well."


    "You''re not trying enough. Think of your sister, Gab. Do you want to protect Raven or not? Do you want to burn that heathen witch who abused her or not? Do you want to rise in the clergy or not? If you don''t get stronger, you will always be a priest, while I will rise to be a Cardinal." Sylvester added more warnings.


    The fear of being left behind was something that could force people to work hard, after all.


    "Y-You''re right¡­" Gabriel muttered. "I will try to focus on my Knight''s talent as well."


    Sylvester patted his shoulder. "My brother, I don''t want to lose more friends¡­ Like Markus."


    Everyone turned sad at Markus'' mention. Indeed, they had not forgotten their good flexible friend.


    Then Sylvester cleared his mind and stood up as he had work to do on himself. "Anyway, let''s go home now. I have to wake up early tomorrow to build the pool. I''ve also nned to go to the Soul Penins and meditate there."


    ''Ugh¡­ The pain is increasing. I need to look in the archives for any healing method quickly.''


    [A/N: Some light-hearted chaps for now. Will focus on world-building and plotting here.]


    ________________________


    500 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 285 285. Cardinal Is Too Loyal

    "Nyaaa nahaha¡­"


    Sylvester''s eyes opened the following day to the strange noise of Miraj''sughs. He quickly looked to his side and noticed the furry white boy was still sleeping. But there was a grin on his face.


    "What''s he looking at in his dream? That smile does not seem very family friendly." He wondered. But he didn''t bother him and got up to freshen up and make breakfast.


    Being a man from the modern world where scam food such as cornkes was considered healthy, he really appreciated the diet in this world. Everything was natural. Just eggs, good homebaked bread, real fruit juice, and of course, Sylvester''s cocaine¡ªHoney.


    "Honestly, if I wasn''t in the race to be the Pope, I might have opened a restaurant. Haha, I wonder what life would have been then." He talked to himself while cooking.


    He made three servings, and by then, Isabe and Xavia had also woken up. Isabe even brought Xavia to the dining table in her wheelchair.


    Xavia apologised the moment she saw Sylvester. "I''m sorry, dear. You have to do all this. I know you wanted to rx at home after harsh missions."


    Sylvester shrugged and put tes on the table. "Believe it or not, mum. I really feel rxed with what I am doing right now. Cooking, and building a pool for ourselves is very rxing."


    "I hope you''re not lying just to keep me happy," Xavia muttered.


    Sylvester put food on her te, a little extra. "Hush up now, little one. You''re the baby, so just eat. Do you want the birdie to fly to your mouth as well?"


    Sylvester yed around by picking a spoonful of chopped fruits towards Xavia''s mouth.


    She scoffed and looked away jokingly. "Stop treating me like a child, Max."


    Sylvester chuckled and let her eat on her own. "By the way, I was thinking of bringing Zeke here and letting him live with us. He''s a simple man and has no family or friends. Also, he''s pretty strong and needs my guidance. He will also be studying at the School of Dawn with Isabe. So he can be her loyal protector. We have empty rooms anyway."


    "Why would I say no to such an amazing n, dear? Zeke saved my life that day and killed the two attackers. He even injured his arm in the process. If anything, he''s like a son to me now." She responded happily.


    Though Isabe seemed reserved. She knew Sylvester and Xavia very well, but to have another man in the house.


    Sylvester smelled her emotions and reassured her. "Don''t worry. Once you meet him, you''ll treat him like a little brother. He''s charming and naive, but his loyalty is unwavering."


    Then Sylvester quickly gobbled whatever was on his te and stood up. "Alright, I''ll be leaving now. Isabe, a trainee Bright Mother by the name of Anya Moller, willeter as caretaker of mum."


    Isabe chirped in all smiles. "Got it, Sylvester. And don''t worry about Mother Xavia. I will take care of her."


    "I know. I''ll go and pack my bag."


    Sylvester went into his room and changed his clothes. Though first, he looked at the wound on his thigh that he had opened to fix the magical blockage temporarily. ''Why is my body so weird? How do my wounds heal so fast?''


    "Chonky! Wake up. It''s time to go." Sylvester patted the sleepy cat.


    "Umh¡­ Two more meow meow only!"


    Sylvester folded his arms and stood by the bed. "Oh! What''s this? A giant, juicy, sulent banana?"


    Woosh!


    "Where?!"


    "..."


    Sylvester took out a regr banana from the bag and handed it over. "Get up now. We have many ces to be today¡ªAnd pray for someone special."


    Miraj''s interest was piqued. "Who? Grandpa Monk? Shane? Markus or¡­"


    "Stop talking and eat fast."


    "Aye, Aye!"


    ¡­


    It was still early morning when Sylvester left the house. This time he didn''t take any friends orpanions along. Just him, his horse and a hungry cat. He had decided to spend some alone time today.


    But, still, he had one thing to do, something he had promised to someone some time ago. So, he travelled on horse to the Holy Land''s weapons research division. It was also situated on the Pope''s Penins since the department was crucial.


    "Good morning, Lord Bard!"


    "May the light bless us!"


    Sylvester saw many people on the way. Some faces he had seen, and some were new. But they all seemed to know him as they greeted him with worship and respect.


    "So strange how it started with being called Lord''s Bard, and now they simply call me Lord Bard. Well, I''m notining." He talked to himself as he enjoyed the soothing morning breeze on horseback.


    Soon, he arrived in the heavily restricted area. Thankfully, with his identity as a Sanctum Inspector, he could easily enter after naming the man he wanted to see. Still, he was restricted from the primary research and production base.


    So, he sat by the seashore on a bench and waited for the man he wanted to see. He also had a small sk full of tea with him as this was his rxing time.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    ''I should focus on those cardinals who voted against me in the council. Once I have dirt on them, I can bury them or make them my ves. But how do I ensure that loyalty remains unwavering?''


    "Y-You called for me, Lord Bard?"


    Quickly, Sylvester stood up and looked at the man. It was a simple, ck-haired, stubble bearded man with a thin build and height shorter than Sylvester. He wore work clothes, including a tunic, pants, boots and a leather apron.


    However, the man''s rank was not so simple. "Greetings, Cardinal Robert Maxim. I am surprised to see a Cardinal who looks as young as you."


    (A/N: The man was first mentioned in Chapter 207.)


    The man appeared tock confidence as he stuttered while speaking. Sylvester quickly caught onto it and created aplete character profile in his mind.


    "I¡­ I am honoured to be in your p-presence, my lord. I''m but a mere human with no talents, magic o-or knightly. All I have is a decent alchemical talent that earned me the rank. D-Did Imit something wrong?"


    ''Good god! What mad genius is he to be able to get this rank?''


    Sylvester waved his hand and took a seat. He was in a pleasant mood today, for it was an important day. "No need to be nervous, your eminence. I''m not here to investigate you as a Sanctum Inspector nor here to preach as a bard. I''m just Sylvester Maximilian, a random bloke from the neighbourhood. So please, take a seat and share a cup of tea with me. I made it myself¡­ It has honey in it."


    The Cardinal nervously sat down and took the cup of tea Sylvester extended. "What is this about, Lord Bard? I¡­ I''ve never met you before."


    Sylvester shrugged and took a sip. "And now you have, on a nice warm day with nice tea. I also have a letter for you. When I went to deal with Duke Daemon, a woman gave it to me."


    "My sister?"


    Sylvester nodded and handed it over. "Why have you not replied to her? She was so distressed when she came to me looking for help. She didn''t even ask for anything other than the request that I give this to you."


    The Cardinal looked at the letter. "M-My lord, forgive me! I have sinned! I took the vow to forget the ties that make us families by blood. Yet I used my influence to send the money directly to the school to allow my nephew and niece to study."


    "..."


    Sylvester was taken aback by the confession. "What? What sin? That''s not a sin. Your eminence, the money is not reaching them. When I saw them, your sister had patched up, dirty clothes, and your niece and nephew looked malnourished, dirty, sad and hopeless."


    Thud!


    The cup of tea fell from the Cardinal''s hand as his face filled with horror. "H-How is that possible? She''s married to the Master of thatnd."


    Sylvester waved his hand a few times to use wind elemental to clear the spilt tea from the bench and filled the ss again. "That''s why you should have read the letter. Her husband died, and before he died, he took a second wife¡ªThe daughter of another master ofnd nearby. That woman threw your sister out and took her husband''s property."


    Cardinal Maxim''s shoulder fell as the realisation of his failure hit him like a bull. His hands shivered as he opened the letter and read it. In no time, as he read her desperate pleas for help, tears fell from his eyes.


    "I¡­ I just didn''t want to break the rules and appear corrupt. I thought¡­ I need to stay away from my family as per the oath."


    Sylvester added a few words to the man''s character profile in his head. ''Super genius, hencecks someprehension andmon sensical abilities. Too loyal to the faith.''


    Sylvester patted the Cardinal''s shoulder. "Your eminence, you''re mistaken. The oath tells you to draw a line between your family and duty, but it never tells you to ignore their plight, for that''s a sin in itself. In fact, the oath is not meant to be absolute. Its main target is the high-ranked clergy with great decision-making powers who may have kids andter try to push them to a high rank in the church¡ªNepotism, basically.


    "Heck, there are old priests outside in backwater monasteries who have married and even have grandkids. That doesn''t mean they are not clergymen¡ªThat only destroys their chances of ever-rising high.


    "Cardinal, not everyone is lucky to have a family of their own. You have some left, so cherish them. Or else, once you lose them, you''d only be filled with regrets and pain¡ªAnd mark my words, it will never go away."


    The Cardinal nodded and wiped his eyes. "H¡­ How do I help her, my lord? I don''t know anyone, and my senior said only to focus on work."


    "Then perhaps you should stop listening to your seniors. And don''t worry, now you know me. Ask me for help anytime. I may not be very high-ranking, but I know people all the way to the top, and thankfully, my words are valued.


    "But, you need not worry for now. I gave your sister money and sent her to the undergarment factory run by Bright Mother''s Economic Aid Association. She now has a job, and her kids are in school. So, be sure to write to her, and remember, if you ever need help, find me." Sylvester replied and started to pack his stuff.


    However, as Sylvester stood up, the Cardinal stopped him. "L-Lord Bard¡­ Can you help me bring her here?"


    "Sure. Send her a letter to arrive at Guild Penins. I will ask someone to handle it from there. Now, I must say my farewell. I have a few ces to be. May the holy light enlighten you and stop you from ignoring more letters." Sylvester saluted and walked away.


    Cardinal Maxim kept watching his back. But eventually, he gathered some courage and asked. "L-Lord Bard! You don''t know me, and I never met you before. Then¡­ Why go out of your way to help someone?"


    Sylvester stopped and nced back. A big smile shone on his face as the bright sunlight fell on his golden blonde hair. "A long time ago, someone told me¡ªThat sometimes, the best way to help yourself is to help someone else first¡ªTake care, Cardinal."


    ''Of course. The more I help you all, the farther my name will spread¡ªThe legend of the Bard of the Lord.''


    ________________________


    500 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 286 286. The Newton Moment!

    School of Dawn.


    "Alright! Son, I need you to create this exploding mixture using the crystals as I taught you. Here is a minute ss, and if you can do it within this time, I will consider your training over!"


    "Yes, instructor!"


    Woosh!


    Bam!


    "Done, sir!"


    "Good bloody lord! That''s a record, son! If you weren''t so dull, then perhaps you''d be in the race to be a Guardian one day. As per the deal, I dere you graduated from Knight''s school. Go ahead and report to your senior. Understood, Sir Zeke?"


    Sylvester just arrived and saw the whole exchange between the always overzealous Sir Baldfreak and Zeke. It appeared Zeke had learnt how to make explosives using some crystals and alchemical substances.


    "You haven''t changed a bit, Sir Baldfreak," Sylvestermented.


    "May the Holy Light Enlighten us!" Sir Baldfreak saluted Sylvester.


    "Why are you saluting me? I''m not higher than you in the rank." Sylvester waved his hand, trying to calm down the man.


    But Sir Baldfreak stayed the same. "No, my lord. After hearing about your achievements, how you defeated a Soul Eater, a Duke, stood against a Grand Wizard, and stopped the war; I know you deserved to be a Bishop. For me, you are a Bishop."


    Sylvester internally chuckled. ''So Lady Aurora has already spread the word as I asked? Great!''


    "Please, Sir Baldfreak. You were and will always be my mentor. Anyhow, how is Zeke doing?" Sylvester asked as he focused on his loyal soldiers, previously known as Dungface.


    Sir Baldfreat was full of praise for Zeke. "He is one talented boy. His greatest disadvantage, as well as advantage, is the same thing. He''s too linear and can''t think outside the box. That means if I ordered him to practise sword swings, he''d keep doing it day and night until I tell him to stop. That usually ends up with him over-practising even the simplest of the moves¡ªand that''s his strength. He can''t doplex manoeuvres, but even with the basics, he''s utterly strong."


    Sylvester looked at Zeke. The man had lost all his extra fat and now had a finely toned body. Since he had a naturally big frame, he looked like one fine warrior.


    "I''m proud of you, Zeke."


    Boom!


    Zeke knelt on one knee and kept the sword in front, with his hands on the hilt and the de''s tip on the ground.


    "Big Lord, I vow to be your knight!."


    ''He must''ve seen someone do this.''


    "Rise, Sir Zeke. I ept your loyalty. From now onwards, you are to live in my house and be the guardian of Princess Isabe. She''s like a sister to me, making her your sister too. So while you will study theoretical knowledge here, you will also guard her. Understood?" Sylvester formally passed his orders.


    Zeke nodded his head excitedly, loving acting like a knight. "Understood, Big Lord! Zeke will protect sister!"


    Sylvester then walked closer to him and patted Zeke''s shoulder. "Thank you for protecting my mum, Zeke. I will never forget that help."


    "Protecting the bigdy boss is my duty," Zeke replied with a stern face. However, the simple man had a naturally smiling face. So it wasn''t doing the job of making him look serious.


    "Alright then. You may have graduated from Sir Baldfreak''s sses, but you still need to clear the theory sses. I know it will be tough, but don''t worry. I will teach you everything once you move to my home."


    Sylvester then bid his farewell. "I have somece to be. I will returnter, Zeke. Take care, Sir Baldfreak. Maybe go a bit easier on the little new kids."


    Sir Baldfreak scoffed while crossing his arms. "Hah, never! They need some tough love from me to get good."


    Well, it worked all this time, so who was Sylvester to meddle now?


    "Then I wish you luck. See youter, Zeke."


    Sylvester mounted his horse and left. He went to the Guild Penins, into the market, as he wanted to buy a few things. The ce was filled to the brim as the Season of Solis was the peak sale time for the penins. As a result, the revenue generated in the Guild Penins in the two months was higher than what they generated in the rest of the year.


    But that also meant some scummy folks woulde into the crowd and try to ruin all the blessed fun. There were now thieves in the crowd, trying to pickpocket and harass the poor who came to pray.


    "Maxy! Look! That man stole her money!" Miraj suddenly alerted as he saw everything while sitting on Sylvester''s head.


    "Where? That one? Hmm¡­ The woman seems old." Sylvester split the crowd easily and moved just behind the thieve, a scrawny man with a small build.


    Bam!


    Sylvester didn''t do much other than ''gently'' shoving him to the ground and shouting at the guards on the side, who were not doing much.


    "Thief!" He shouted and continued on his path as if nothing had happened. Naturally, since he was in his church robes, the guards took his words seriously. But, before even the guards could arrive, the people had already nted a few kicks on the thief''s face.


    As for the old woman who lost her money pouch, Sylvester discreetly put it back in her bag. After that, he continued on his way and arrived at a fruit shop.


    "Yes, give me some apples and guavas¡­ Add three bananas too. Also, give me a few incense sticks and a holder for them," he asked the shopkeeper and passed on the money.


    "Maxy, is the banana for me?" Miraj asked from his head.


    Sylvester chuckled and put the fruits in his bag. Then, he moved to the other shop while replying. "Do I know any other banana addicts? I don''t think so."


    "Hehe¡­ You promised me extra bananas, so I''m not an addict. But greedy? Yes!"


    "Well, at least you''re self-conscious. Anyway, I will let you eat them at the Soul Penins. Just need to buy a canvas and some charcoal sticks for drawing first."


    So, after manoeuvring through the crowd, Sylvester was finally able to buy everything. Then he took a small boat and headed to the Soul Tree. Since he had received permission from the old Grandpa Monk, he didn''t need to ask anyone.


    There, as always, his palm prints were taken, his name was registered, and then he was free to move as he pleased as long as he didn''t harm the tree itself.


    "Let''s first get our things done and then check the old man''s shack. He did leave it in my name, and I don''t want to let it rot. Also, I wonder how that bear is doing?" Sylvester wondered and jumped from one branch to another to arrive near the top where the sunlight also reached.


    The giant tree was, as always, soothing to the mind and heart as its fresh srium-imbued air seeped into Sylvester''s body. It was as green as always. But near the top, the view got much better as the sky was visible fromrger gaps.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    "This seems like a nice spot." Sylvester stopped on a thick branch and sat down near its limb.


    "Chonky, sit beside me and eat this banana while I draw this."


    Of course, Miraj didn''tin and ate his treat silently. But he kept watching what Sylvester was doing with curious eyes. Though he never interrupted.


    Slowly, Sylvester drew on the canvas he had just bought. It was a charcoal drawing, lightly detailed but realistic. It was a face. In fact, the face of a person who was very important to Sylvester¡ªthe person who made him what he was.


    "Chonky, you see thisdy? If it weren''t for her, I would have been a much more cold-blooded scheming murderer. Perhaps, I''d have already betrayed everyone I''vee to cherish now if I had not changed." Sylvester spoke while finishing up the art.


    Miraj looked at the portrait with his cute, big blue eyes and asked curiously. "Who is she, Maxy?"


    Sylvester smiled and put the canvas at the front, so it remained standing. "Well, it''s alright if I tell you. Her name was Diana, and she was very important to me, like how you and mum are."


    [A/N: See Diana here.]


    "Really?! She''s so pretty. Where is she now? Can I see her? Will she hug me if she sees me? Does she like kitties?" Mirajunched a barrage of questions.


    Sylvester continued to make preparations and ced a small cotton cloth in front of the portrait. Then, he put the fruits and burned the incense using fire maniption. "She, I''m afraid, is no longer with us. Disappeared like the many lives lost in time."


    Miraj''s tail fell, and he sat very close to Sylvester. "Maxy is sad?"


    Sylvester pped his palms together, taking a praying position. "For a lot of years, yes. But now I''ve learned to live with the loss and have moved on. Still, on asions like today, the day she died, the least I can do is remember her name.


    "Come, Chonky. Pray with me. Sit on your hind legs and p your paws together." Sylvester helped the cat sit like himself.


    Then he spoke to the portrait he just drew. "Grandpa Monk used to say that every soul receives warmth and happiness in the afterlife. I hope it''s true, Diana. Actually, I''m proud to say that i''m not as obsessed with your memory anymore. But still, I think you won''t mind me brooding over you just for one day. And being an orphan, since you never knew when you were born, as per your wish, I''m treating your death as your birth. So, Happy Birthday, Diana."


    "Maxy, won''t you sing today?" Miraj asked suddenly.


    Sylvester looked at the sky and realised he still had time. "Do you want me to? Fine, I will if you sing with me."


    "Aye, aye! Anything for this missy."


    "Haha, good then. Repeat after me as best as possible. Also, remember, keep your eyes closed." Sylvester prepared to sing, this time without a halo.


    ?Lady with pretty eyes,


    Heavenly was her voice.


    A treasure of my heart.


    Now, heavens apart.?


    ?It''s painful, sometimes rough.


    Worry not; I''m eating enough.


    Though¡ªI can''t really bluff.


    Sometimes, it''s hard staying tough.?


    ?But, I know what I must.


    So, rest easy; you can trust.


    No, not tears; it''s just some dust.


    Yes, in this world, I''ve adjust.?


    ?I hope you found some rest.


    I hope you pass the afterlife test.


    Me? Please don''t be stressed.


    I''ve made friends, and they''re the best.?


    "And Chonky always protects Maxy," Miraj added with his eyes closed.


    Bam!


    "Meo!"


    Miraj suddenly cried as a short branch fell on his head, creating a small bump. Angered, he stood up and started kicking the tree.


    "Bad tree!¡­ Evil tree!... I will end you! Wait¡­!"


    Miraj looked at Sylvester suddenly in confusion. "Maxy, why do things fall down? Why can''t they go up?"


    Sylvester dumbly stared at Miraj and felt shocked as he realised that he was possibly witnessing history. ''D-Did Chonky just have a Newton moment?''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 287 287. Drunken Pope

    "Why do things fall down? Well, it''s called Gravity, Chonky. Everything in the universe has gravity, even you and me. But our gravity is negligible; meanwhile, thend we stand on is vast, and its gravity is equally greater. So it keeps us and everything around us tied to it. It''s called Newton''s Law of Gravitation.


    "Its form can be written as the force of gravity acting between the earth and any other object is directly proportional to the mass of the earth & the object and inversely proportional to the square of the distance that separates the centres of the earth and the object."


    "..."


    Miraj''s ears fell, and he looked at the sky and then at Sylvester. "Inver¡­ Propo? What? Your words, what do they mean, Maxy?"


    Sylvester shrugged and started packing things up. "Forget it. That Newton is useless for most people in a world of magic."


    "Who is Newton?"


    Sylvester chuckled as he answered. "Some bloke with too much time who is also hated by millions of kids. So, forget about him. Let''s go to Grandpa Monk''s shack."


    "Understood!" Miraj saluted and devoured all the stuff Sylvester packed into his dimensional belly. After all, Sylvester couldn''t risk keeping the portrait of Diana outside, as he feared the misunderstandings it may cause.


    After spending half an hour, he was ready to jump down from the branches. ''I should return hereter to meditate. I wonder where that girl is now.''


    In no time, he jumped from one branch to another and slowly descended. He had already mapped most of the parts of the penins by now¡ªat least all of thend part¡ªso he could easily navigate on it.


    ''I wonder how that Bear, Yogi, is doing after the old man''s death.''


    Woosh!


    Thud!


    As soon as Sylvester arrived near the shack, he stopped and brought his guards up. "Why is there smokeing out of the chimney? I saw no other name on the visitor''s list."


    He didn''t have his spear, but he did have a dagger with himself. He prepared it in one hand and maintained a rune scheme of light over his right palm.


    Without making any sound, he slowly made his way close to the shack and tried to look inside through the gaps.


    nk!


    Then, he heard the sound of sses hitting one another.


    ''Could it be?''


    Sylvester put his dagger away and opened the door without any dy. And, as he had guessed, the big old man was sitting alone. He appeared drunk. His eyes were red with dark bags underneath.


    "Holy Father!" Sylvester walked inside.


    There, the Pope was sitting by the table near the only window. There was a portrait of Grandpa Monk on the table, apanied by a ss and a bottle of Sunshine Nectar that the Pope was drinking.


    "Sylvester! Come, sit with this old man."


    ''Hmm¡­ The feelings seem genuine. I can smell the sadness, anxiety, and¡­ fear? He''s drunk¡­ Perhaps this is the best opportunity I will ever get to ask him a few questions.''


    He took a seat opposite the Pope. "Your holiness, what are you doing here alone? I didn''t see your entry in the visitor''s register."


    The Pope scoffed and downed another ss of the drink. "Ugh¡­ Forget that¡­ Let me mourn the loss of my old man in peace. He¡­"


    Sylvester knew that he couldn''t go right at the questions. So, he poured himself a ss too, but never drank it and only acted of taking sips. "I¡­ miss him too. I came here to check his shack and keep it maintained."


    "Good¡­ Good¡­ He gave it to you, didn''t he? Do take care of this ce, as it''s thest proof of his existence. Oh¡­ why did I send him on that assignment~" The Pope started pping his forehead as the regret became apparent from his voice and the scents.


    "He passed away because that''s what fate had nned. He was old, and I''m sure he was happy as he died while serving the one true lord to whom he had dedicated his whole life." Sylvester tried to say some words to calm the Pope.


    But the man only kept brooding in his drunken state. "When I had nothing, he came out of nowhere and became my everything. Now¡­ He left me an orphan again. I envy you, son. You better take care of that woman called Xavia. Not all are lucky enough to have a loving family."


    Sylvester couldn''t say anything as his eyes widened. A great realisation touched his thoughts, and it was scarier than he could believe. ''Wait¡­ There is genuine concern in his words¡­ Wasn''t he behind the attack on mum? Did Saint Seer go lone wolf? Then¡­ Does he serve another faction?¡­ Good lord! That means the most important man in the Council, the Spymaster, ispromised!''


    This was not good news at all. This meant everything was at risk. But again, he couldn''te to believe that the Pope did not know this.


    ''Or perhaps Saint Seer did it without telling the Holy Father¡­ For the greater good? But why? He has already tied me to the Holy Land with the help of the Shadow Knight.''


    Sylvester silently stared at the Pope and thought about all the different scenarios, all the various pathways his future could move, and all the possible oues. But, in the end, he could onlye up with one that was likely the reason. ''There is no possibility that Saint Seer could rebel against the Pope, as that''d be instant death for treason. So he''s likely doing things independently for the ''greater good.'' And¡­ he aims to strengthen me by removing my greatest weakness¡ªmum.


    ''But this would mean that the attack on her was meant to kill her, not just send a warning or harm her. Ugh¡­ this is not good.''


    "Your holiness, what if someone is trying to kill my mother? And it''s someone I can not touch?" he asked directly.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    The Pope looked up at Sylvester''s face for a few seconds.


    ''Strange¡­ Why do I smell more sadness and regret all of a sudden?''


    "Son, I know people see me as a half-god. While some see me as a monster, I''m not¡­ a monster. But where I stand, if I don''t be one, then those outsides will chew us down. Sometimes, to get things done or to secure the future of the faith and the world, I have to do things that none would be proud of. That''s the duty of the Pope. Today it''s mine. Tomorrow, it may very well be yours."


    Sylvester kept his mind open to ensure he understood the meaning of whatever the Pope wanted to say.


    "Sylvester, I heard what happened to your leg. Are you in pain? How are you?... I know you never told your mum about this. I''d have done the same if I was you. The happiness of our loved oneses at the top, after all." The Pope asked while pouring more drink for himself.


    ''So he regrets sending out the Shadow Knight behind me? Could it be that he barred the Saint Seer from doing anything against me anymore, but the Saint Seer never stopped?''


    "I''m managing, your holiness. But you didn''t answer my question yet. What should I do if someone is trying to harm my mum, someone I can not reach?"


    "Kill them! That''s what I''d have done if someone had tried toe after my old man¡­ But I killed him with my decisions instead¡­"


    ''And there he goes again with his self-loathing. Who would have thought the Pope would seem so vulnerable someday?''


    Sylvester, however, poured the old man another ss of the Sunshine Nectar... and then another... then one more. His goal was to get him extremely drunk. "Let this day be the only day you will cry for the loss, your eminence. Let your emotions out, or they will remain inside and rot you from inside slowly."


    The Pope downed the sses one after another while praising Sylvester. "You''re such a goodd. You must hate this world and the church¡­ right? You could have been a high noble or even the crown prince of Hignd¡­ But we keep you here. Where you don''t even get the recognition you deserve because I am too afraid to bring chaos inside the church. Afraid that Beastaria and Masan could exploit our differences to end us. Those Cardinals¡­ If I didn''t have great wars to fight, I''d have broken their necks by now."


    Sylvester wasn''t shocked by that at all. It was already a fact that the world knew. "I am only allied to the Solis, your eminence. I serve the light, and no matter what path my life would have taken, I''d still have served the light¡ªEven if I was drowned in the darkness."


    Thud!


    The Pope picked up the bottle this time and started drinking nonstop. "Nonsense! Son, forget whatever you know about the world. It''s all¡­ a mess!"


    ''And so it begins.'' Sylvester straightened his back.


    "Forget what, your eminence?"


    "Hmm¡­ Whaa¡­ my old man¡­ my father¡­"


    Sylvester frowned as the Pope started to mumble randomly. So he kicked the Pope''s feet from underneath the table. "Forget what, your holiness? Why should I forget things about the world?"


    "Arrgh¡­ Forget all thews, forget all the history!..."


    Sylvester quickly shifted to sit beside the Pope to hold him from falling asleep. "Why? Tell me. Why, your holiness? Who are you afraid of?"


    The Pope''s eyes seemed to go smaller slowly as he started to drift into sleep. But Sylvester didn''t care, and he wanted answers now. "Speak, your eminence! For the sake of Grandpa Monk!"


    "Old man? Yes¡­ The mystery goes deeper than you can ever imagine, son. The First Pope discovered the truth but was deliberately forgotten by those who steered the world throughout history. All this¡­ power¡­ In the end¡­ It''s all just u¡­"


    Bam!


    "Your holiness! What? What is this power? Who controls the world? What do you mean by mystery?"


    But the Pope''s head had fallen to the front, on the table, as he passed out.


    The questions remained unanswered, and Sylvester tried to wake him up to the best. But, no matter what, the Pope was too tired as he had not taken any rest since the news of Grandpa Monk''s death came.


    Sylvester was on the edge of his seat, and his heart felt like bursting, raging for the answers. ''What was he talking about? The first pope? Yes. The man was indeed mysterious, ording to the strange messages he had left behind. And the history of the world is manipted? This would make sense why I have not found any written history of anything that existed before the church''s foundation five thousand years ago.''


    Sylvester nced at the Pope, who slept calmly. The man was genuinely heartbroken after the death of his only family in the world. He could sympathise with him to some degree, but the news that Saint Seer wanted to kill Xaiva had sent rms ringing in his head.


    ''Once again, I''m feeling theck of authority. I must start going after all the Council''s Cardinals¡­ I must rise higher in the clergy at all costs¡­ As for history, I''m sure whoever the mastermind is will introduce himself to me eventually.''


    But the one big question still left him in more fear than just interest.


    ''The world¡­ There is so much mystery. How strong must that person be that even the Pope is afraid? Will I ever be able topete with him and achieve my peace?''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 288 288. Felix, The Best Bro!

    Holy Land Administration Building.


    "Are you sure, Archpriest Felix? Once you do this, you will not be able to undo this decision. Therefore, I suggest you take a few more days to think about this."


    "No, respected Saint Wazir, I have thought about this a lot and have made up my mind. This decisiones from my logical thinking and understanding of my limits." Felix respectfully talked while standing in front of Saint Seer''s table.


    The old man sighed and eventually stamped his seal on the application. "I wish you a great future, son. You may just be an Archpriest right now, but I can see you easily bing a Cardinal one day¡­ But I''ve heard you wish to leave the clergy one day?"


    Felix embarrassingly looked down. "I¡­ Saint¡­ I do wish to have a family of my own someday."


    "Haha, then there is no need to be ashamed of, Archpriest. After all, if all you strong ones be celibate, how will the strong bloodlines spread? But even then, you can surely be a Holy Grand Marshal of the Holy Army with your talents and lead the armies under the name of the Holy Father."


    Felix saluted with his arms crossed. "Of course, respected Saint. My body and de are always ready to move to ensure that the Lord''s Light never diminishes. I have not and will never forget my oath."


    Saint Wazir smiled heartily and gave back the parchment. "Good, I am happy to see young blood so motivated. You can go now. I''m sure you wish to see your brother in faith. He''s inside room six-zero-nine on the sixth floor of this block."


    "Nice! Thank you for giving me your time." Felix bowed his head and respectfully left the room.


    After that, with a big smile, Felix climbed the stairs and soon arrived at Sylvester''s office. It was a small room, and the name on the door clearly said Sanctum Inspector Sylvester Maximilian.


    Felix had no shame, and he mmed the door open. "My brother from another beautiful mother! I have arrived. Now entertain me!"


    "..."


    Felix''s shoulder fell as he noticed that Lady Aurora was also there. She was looking at him with her jaw half open and a piece of biscuit half in her mouth.


    Sylvester grunted and called him in. "You know, I can legally call the guards and throw you out of this building."


    Felix smiled and shut the door behind him before carelessly taking a seat. Then, he threw a parchment towards Sylvester. "Here you go, Max. No need to worry about me anymore."


    Sylvester unfolded and read it in silence. His brows furrowed soon after, and he stared at the ck-haired bloke, smiling widely as if feeling immense pride.


    "Are you sure, Felix? Your father will not like this."


    Felix scoffed and folded his arms. "He can eat my horse''s ass. He is never satisfied, no matter what I do. I remember once I won the local melee tourney at the age of seven, defeating five new squires of some knight. My father shrugged and left, saying the men were nobodies and I shouldn''t celebrate."


    Sylvester still didn''t feel it was right. "You should have at least waited a bit more. Taking back your name from the race of God''s Favoured, you worked hard for it for nine whole years."


    Felix shrugged. "Oh, I know I''m not favoured at all. Your head bloody shines when you sing. If you''re not the true Favoured One, then I guess we should all just slit our throats and die. Don''t think much about it, man. Just go and defeat the other three blokes too and take that Bishop rank."


    Sylvester kept staring at Felix, knowing very well that thetter was doing it so he could move forward. ''This boy, he''s too goofy most of the time, but when he does something good¡­ It''s too good.''


    "Why the hurry, though?" Aurora asked. "It''s not like you need to be the Pope tomorrow. Your number will likelye after the retirement of the next Pope. So, I''d say you still have nearly two hundred years to grow."


    "What if I be a Supreme Wizard at an early age?" Sylvester asked in reply. "What if I''m still stuck at the rank of Bishop when that happens?"


    Lady Aurora rubbed her chin. "Hmm¡­ That''s quite possible for you, seeing your speed. Then, perhaps, we might see a hundred-year-old Supreme Wizard, the youngest ever. Indeed, if that happens, then you not being the Pope would mean an insult to your power and prowess. After all, currently, the entire Church only has the Holy Father as a Supreme Wizard, so if you were to be one, that''d be a direct stride to the top throne."


    ''Actually, I was thinking about the age of twenty-five¡­ But whatever.'' Sylvester kept it to himself, knowing that he''d only beughed at as he didn''t know how he could be a Supreme Wizard so fast.


    "That''s why I wish to rise. Not to mention, ording to my current achievements, I should already be an Archbishop, at least, and yet I am undervalued. It''s like having a sword that can cut heads of the strongest foes and using it to spread butter on bread." Sylvester said and focused back on Felix.


    "I called Lady Aurora today for you and Gabriel. She will be training you two when I''m busy with my work. I want Gab to reach the Diamond Knight rank as fast as possible and for you to reach Archwizard and tinum Knight ranks. She''s going to beat you, break you and then rebuild. Use as many Srium Crystals as you need. Also, Lady Aurora, can you train mum and Isabeter? Both women are healers and losers when ites to fighting." He requested her.


    Lady Aurora grinned while looking at Felix and cracked her knuckles. "Oh, I get to punch a few bags? Hmm¡­ I''m sure I will quite like training these two boys. As for the twodies you mention, I will be as soft as a feather to them."


    "I¡­ I want feathers too." Felix muttered.


    Aurora shook her head. "Are you ady as well?"


    Felix grunted and cursed at Sylvester. "Go to hell, Max! I shouldn''t havee here."


    Sylvester waved his hand and bid farewell. "Bye now. Please train well and rise in the ranks alongside me. I need friends I can count on¡­ if I want to maintain peace."


    Felix''s expression turned serious for a few seconds. "Fine¡­ Do whatever you want with me, mydy. I shan''t mind¡­ My body is all yours."


    "Alright, let''s have the tolerance training first," Aurora said as she started to leave.


    "What''s that?" Felix asked.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    "Simple, I will punch, and you have to try not to cry."


    "..."


    "That''s just abuse!"


    "Part of the training, youngling. Come now, or I might forget to hold my strength back."


    "..."


    Sylvester knew Felix was cursing him as he left, but he didn''t worry about him much. He knew that Aurora was¡­ likely¡­ joking. So, he focused on his work.


    The interaction between him and the Pope left him feeling that just knowing the map won''t do anymore. So, he went to the special library. From there, he picked as many books as possible rmended by Aurora and a few others to learn about the world''s history.


    "But¡­ I''m afraid this has to wait. The appointment with that ve seller is in an hour." He told himself and started packing all his items to throw them into the extra-dimensional bag.


    "Chonky, stop sleeping all the time, or you''ll truly get fat. Now, move. We have a human to purchase¡­ and free. We''ll also see a patch ofnd near the entrance to the Holy Land to buy."


    Officially, he was going to check the Holy Land''s entrance and exit as he was responsible for overseeing that part of the Season of Solis.


    This time, he used an official work stagecoach that was heavily decorated and appeared posh.


    ''Hmm¡­ I''m close to finishing up Devil''s Manifesto. But I can certainly not ask someone to make hundreds of its copies as that''d take a lot of time. Is it time I build that crude, first mass printing press machine¡ªGutenberg''s printing press? Building it is absolutely simple, as is the ink¡­ But how to keep it a secret and operate it? I can''t allow the world to know I''ve got something so revolutionary, or I''d be seen as Church''s enemy number one.''


    As he thought, his eyes fell on Miraj, who slept on hisp. "Chonky, want to increase a banana per week?"


    Miraj opened his eyes slightly and looked at his face. "W-What must I do?"


    "Nothing much, just the use of your amazing devouring belly. Both of us are going to change the world with that, trust me." He cheered up the cat.


    Miraj merely yawned and went back to sleep. "Anything you say, Maxy."


    Sylvester, ted with the agreement, looked forward to thisnd visit. He hoped to get it done as quickly as possible and start building the house so that he could conduct his ''re-education'' activities from underground.


    Soon, he arrived at the exit gates where the long line of pilgrims was as evident as a few days ago. But, this time, everyone saluted his carriage as it officially belonged to the Administrative department¡ªThe bosses of all other departments.


    ''I''ll look at the gates after returning.'' He made a mental note and proceeded as he had nned the meeting.


    So, just after crossing the tunnel out of the Holy Land, he turned left onto the Gold Road. However, the carriage stopped merely a kilometre after turning to the left. On one side was a patch of forest, and on the other was the Gold River.


    Yes, he was looking at an empty patch ofnd very close to the entrance to the Holy Land. And the one selling him was none other than the Baron of the region¡ªLee Da Lovnd¡ªThe artist.


    The old, white-bearded man in a beautiful silk tunic was waiting for him by the road on a horse. And the moment Sylvester appeared, he happily chirped. "Greetings, Lord Bard¡­ I''m quite pleased to make your acquaintance for the third time."


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us, my lord. And I''m afraid I will soon be disturbing you regrly. So, shall we go and check thend parcel? How far into the forest is it?"


    Baron Lee Da Lovnd chuckled and presented a patch of emptynd visible beside the dense forest right from the road. "You''re looking at it, Lord Bard. This patch was made clear by me to sell to a trader once, but the deal never went through. Everyone is afraid of taking it since it sits too close to the Holy Land''s entrance, and we know how powerful the people who pass by this patch are¡ªEvery buyer is too scared."


    However, where fear prevailed, Sylvester''s greed was unveiled. ''This is bloody perfect! Close to the Holy Land and far enough to do my work. This is brilliant!''


    The Baron continued. "Forgive me for my next words, but I am a trader by nature, so the best discount I can gi¨C"


    "I''ll buy it!"


    "..."


    "What? But the cost is fifty thousand Gold Graces!"


    Sylvester shrugged. "Did I stutter?"


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 289 289. Sigma Cat

    Of course, he didn''t stutter. After all, Chonky Bank of Commerce was filled to the brink. Not to mention, Sylvester didn''t even need to use his ck money as he was making ample money from the royalties he made from the bra and the ''donation'' he had taken from the various lords.


    Soon, he was also going to enter some other business ventures and hoped to make enough high-stakes ie streams so he won''t have to worry about money. Not to mention, he didn''t even know how much was in Miraj''s belly at the moment. And he was afraid he would never see it as it was hard to find a ce he could unload that much money.


    "Y-You will buy it?" Baron Lovnd asked again, unable to believe that the deal went so smoothly.


    "I must tell you, the actual price of thend is not more than ten thousand, but because this is thest patch ofmercially seblend before the Holy Land, its price is supposed to be higher. Depending on who bought it, it can easily be someone''s greatest investment, as it''s close to the Holy Land. So I never lowered the cost. I hope you don''t think I''m duping you, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester waved his hand and looked around the area. It was a in grasnd with some flowers. It was surrounded by trees on all sides except one, where the road passes from. The trees were all colourful, some green and some amber, and there were a few cherry blossom trees too, giving it a great cheerful personality. The birds were also chirping around, elevating the mood.


    "What will you do with thisnd, Lord Bard?" The Baron asked.


    "I will¡­ Build a house. But I will also be selling something from here, so perhaps you cane and try it out next month. As for the payment, is it alright if I pay through the Demand Invoice from the Quad Bank of Solis? Then, you can transfer the money from the bank with the slipter, as it''s impractical to move around with fifty thousand coins." Sylvester asked.


    "No problem, Lord Bard. I will return here tomorrow with the proper deeds. When should I expect your arrival?"


    "At the same time. One more thing, my lord. I was wondering if you''d be free to draw another portrait of my mother and me and one with all my close friends¡ªIncluding Princess Isabe and Lady Aurora." Sylvester also threw some shiny fish in the form of the two women. After all, when again would he get an opportunity to draw them?


    As expected, Baron Lovnd''s eyes shined with happiness, and his mouth went agape in a big smile. "That would be an honour, Lord Bard. Let''s discuss the further details tomorrow then. I wille with all my equipment. And if you find time, you are always invited to my castle. It''s adjacent to the Trident Lake, near the Gold Road."


    Sylvester respectfully nodded his head and moved back. "I just might, my lord. Now, I must move as some tasks remain unfinished. I shall see you tomorrow."


    Sylvester had to hurry as he had to meet the ver man he had contacted. Of course, it was just a middleman who he had found out through some connections in the Guild Penins. The man''s job was to go around and inform the seekers about locations where the most recent ve auction would take ce.


    So he got on the stagecoach and moved further ahead near the Graced Vige. But, the vige was just andmark, and Sylvester had to look around inside the roadside forest on foot.


    "Psst!"


    "Hey! Here!"


    Sylvester turned around and nced at a thick-trunked tree. The voice wasing from behind it. However, Sylvester didn''t act like a dumb, brainless kid and instead whispered to Miraj. "Chonky, go and see if there is any danger behind the tree."


    Miraj loyally jumped away and quickly checked the tree. Then soon, he gave a thumbs-up towards Sylvester with his fluffy little paws.


    But Sylvester still kept his long dagger out and got closer. "Show yourself. Are you the one they call Columbus?"


    A head peeked from behind the tree. It was a skinny white man, bald and had blue eyes. However, he didn''t appear as old since his face seemed too clean, without a wrinkle. In fact, the man evencked an eyebrow or any hair on his head.


    ''Does he have cancer?'' Sylvester wondered.


    "Aye, I am Columbus. Are you the bard of the lord? You want to buy a ve?"


    Sylvester looked left and right and rephrased the man''s question. "No, I am looking for a person who needs my help. It can be a ve, sure. What can you tell me as the middleman?"


    Columbus was also doubtful about Sylvester, as he didn''t know if this was a trap or a real purchase. But he was thirsty for money, and money can make anyone stupid. So, he was ready to take the risk. "The auction is scheduled to happen the day after tomorrow, just opposite the Graced Vige, on the riverside. A ship carrying the ves will stop there for a short period."


    Sylvester could imagine why and how these ve traders probably acted. Using the river was the fastest and most effective escape route if the situation were to worsen. Yes, very was not ouwed, but most of the ve traders were the first target of bandits, and various noble lords, as ve traders also didn''t enjoy any legal immunity.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    "How many ves will there be? I''m looking for someone young, working age." Sylvester inquired.


    Columbus abruptly put his hands inside his tunic from the chest and started to fiddle something out. Sylvester raised his dagger simultaneously, not wanting to take any chances.


    Columbus then started to read the list. "I have the list, Lord Bard. Quite recently, ve trading has seen a significant boom due to the tragic war and destruction of the Sorrow Kingdom. As a result, many refugees are either willingly selling themselves to very or borrowing money for food only to be unable to repay.


    "In total, this shipment will have fifteen young ones, boys and girls aged five to fourteen, sold by their parents or orphaned. There will be two Grade A women, best suited for bed ves due to their good looks. Then twenty ordinary women of Grades B to E, these are your usual work ves. Then there are also three Grade F women. These are the old folks. Usually, Dark Wizards buy them for their human experiments.


    "Then there are the Five Grade A men, rarely known for their looks, but mostly known for their top-notch physical abilities¡ªBest for guard duty or specialised physicalbour. Then there are thirty Grade B to E and one Grade F man. I can book some of them in advance if you want to, respected Lord Bard."


    "What about wizards and knights?" Sylvester asked further.


    Columbus'' face turned sad, as if he was disappointed in himself. "Forgive me, Lord Bard. If you''re looking for a Grade S ve, then you''ll have to go to a major ve market in any major city. Or, if you want a further specialised, magically strong ve, then go to the Tower of Godless. You can find anything there. From an Archwizard to an Elven beauty¡ªAs long as you have money, they can get you anything. Do you want me to represent you there and get you a deal?"


    Sylvester was speechless, however. He knew that very was widespread worldwide, but it was this systemised. He didn''t know. But what hurt him the most was the first part. ''So many child ves? As young as five? To even think about what will happen to them makes me feel disgusted. I can somewhat feel what they must be feeling right now¡ªscared, confused and hopeless. Tears were no longer in the eyes as the rivers they had already shed had never brought any mercy or help.''


    "No, I don''t need any special ve and don''t book any. Just tell them that I will being there, and I reserve the first right to choose. Once I''ve made my purchase, they may sell others." Sylvester ordered in a stern voice. "If they ignore my wish, then I will unleash the Inquisitors on them¡ªRemember, I am also the official Grand Crusader."


    Columbus saluted quickly to show how respectful he was towards the faith. "Ah¡­ Yes¡­ May the Holy Light enlighten us, my lord. I will go now¡­ Please be there exactly at noon."


    Sylvester just nodded and saw Columbus run away, scared one hundred per cent as the scents were not hidden.


    Sylvester sighed and walked back towards the stagecoach. He knew he couldn''t do anything about the ve situation. He knew he didn''t have that much power yet, so he could only be a part of the system, no matter how vile it was.


    "No matter how many hardships I''ve faced until now, I must also recognise the fact that I''ve been very lucky and not the opposite. I''ve lived and thrived¡ªBut I can''t keep testing my luck since one day it might just run out, and I''ll drop dead."


    "What do you think, Chonky? What should we do to help the ves?" Sylvester asked the furry cat on his shoulder.


    Miraj stayed silent for a while. But when he opened his mouth, it was explosive. "Kill them! Kill them all!"


    "..."


    "You mean, kill the vers?"


    "No, the ves, Maxy."


    "..."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 290 290. A Delightful Dinner

    Sylvester stopped in his tracks and picked Miraj to keep him in front of his face. "Say that again. You want me to kill all the ves?"


    Miraj looked into Sylvester''s eyes with the will of fire. "You said you can''t take any risk, so¡­ Kill them. At least that will save them from their misery."


    "Even the kiddies?"


    Miraj nodded instantly. "Especially the kiddies. They are so small and weak that they can''t defend themselves or even run fast. So they will be at the mercy of the bad man and be hurt every day. So, hurt them once and end them."


    Sylvester hated it, but he had to agree with Miraj. True, the kids would most likely be exploited¡ªin an excruciating manner. After all, no sane man would buy a child for manualbour. Instead, they''d buy them only for their sick fetishes.


    "Chonky, you''re absolutely right. But your emotions can''t stay hidden from me. I see the sadness in your eyes. Fine, we shall only help the kiddies. But, from an indirect manner as I don''t wish to have myself be personally involved and fall on the wrong side of some big ve master. I already have enough assassins after me."


    Pat!


    Miraj patted Sylvester''s head. "Maxy is a good boy."


    Sylvester patted him back. "No, you''re the good boy. Let''s move now. I have to check the Holynd''s entrance as well. Can''t give those pesty Cardinals more reasons to step over me."


    So, wasting no time, Sylvester hurried back towards the Holy Land''s entrance. The long line of themoners and the coaches of the nobles were as long as ever. However, a third empty path was reserved for the church''s carriages.


    But Sylvester''s carriage stopped after arriving at the gates, sending the soldiers into a frenzy as they held their weapons of choice.


    "Stand down!" Sylvester''s voice echoed in amanding tone. He knew that his age, youthful looks and rank may make some men act unruly, so he had to establish his authority fast.


    "I am Sylvester Maximilian, Lord''s Bard, Grand Crusader, and currently the acting overseer of the Season of Solis for this region. Commander of the gates, report to me." He ordered the men openly.


    Sylvester was both lucky and unlucky to be working for the church. Because in the church, one''s clergy rank defined seniority, while outside, one''s wizard or knight rank defined one''s seniority. Yes, Sylvester was given high authority in some cases, but if he was outside, working for some King, then he could''ve been a high-ranking noble already with his monstrous talent and current Archwizard rank. Perhaps, he could''ve been a Count easily, if not a Marquess.


    Here, he could see the rank te of themanders. These men were supposed to be the first line of defence of the Holy Land, so obviously, they were supposed to be strong. Hence, out of the two Gatemanders, one was an Arch Wizard, and the other was a Diamond Knight, a rank on the same level as Grand Wizard but much weaker and moremon.


    Still, due to his authority, Sylvester outranked them. Hence, the twomanders had to salute him.


    ''Thank goodness, at least they have no hatred or jealousy against me and only worship.''


    He saluted back and asked. "How is the process of entry done? What''s the reason behind such a long line?"


    "Lord Bard, we have five tables at the gatehouse where each can handle six to ten people every hour. But this year, the crowd is much bigger as many refugees have appeared in the north, and they wish to plead for help from the lord. Not only that, line cutting, skirmishes among the people, and such events are dying everything." Wizardmander answered.


    Sylvester looked at the endless line of themoners. Then, he nced at the noble''s side, and there were at least two hundred carriages in the line.


    "What about the noble''s situation then?"


    At that, the Knight-ranked Commander spoke. "That¡­ I''m afraid their dy is the fruit of their ownbour. Since they arrive in carriages, with a lot of luggage, we have to check everything. In most cases, they bring certain items that are prohibited inside¡ªSuch as alcohol, food nts, or any weapons. When we try to confiscate them, they argue with us for a long time and threaten us with their status. This causes a dy."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and walked towards the gatehouse, where four tables were set side by side. There, the soldier would first write the pilgrim''s name, ce of birth, and parent''s name. Then, the same man would get up and search the pilgrim from head to toe. After that, each pilgrim would be given a small stamp on the back of the hand, dering they were clear.


    Behind each table were two more men, each with staff and an orb. Each pilgrim would be made to touch the orb, and their magical or knightly talent would be checked. Then they would be sent to the side for possible career advice if they had decent talent.


    The whole process for a single pilgrim wouldst fourteen minutes. It was very inefficient. But, since the crowd was too much, he could understand why they were having trouble.


    "Stop the admission for a few minutes, please. Obey my orders and make the changes, and by the end, we shall have increased the efficiency of the process. Commanders, move the second and third tables behind the first, and fourth and fifth behind the second row." Sylvester started ordering them around without exining anything.


    His voice was resolute enough to make them move fast.


    "Alright. Now, the first desk''s only job is to write the details of the pilgrim. Two men can sit there, I believe. Behind him, the second and third tables shall check the pilgrims thoroughly. Then the fourth and fifth tables shall test the orbs. The process must run non-stop, and it will increase efficiency." He ordered and continued the movement of the pilgrims.


    This time, it felt more efficient as the moment the first desk wrote the names, the second pilgrimage woulde forward. It became an efficient chain reaction.


    "W-What about the nobles, Lord Bard?" The Wizard Commander asked. They didn''t say anything overly praiseful to Sylvester as what he did was justmon sense, and they were, in fact, embarrassed.


    Sylvester shrugged. "Let them suffer. Just tell your men to stay calm, and if any noble tries to physically attack our men¡ªSend them back home. I also want¡­"


    Thud!


    All of a sudden, a crash resounded, and Sylvester nced back. An old woman had fallen in the line from a heatstroke.


    Sylvester rushed and conjured some water to ssh on her face. In no time, healers also arrived and took the woman along.


    But that also revealed a weakness to him. "Commanders, the line is long, and the tree shade is limited. Get two men to continuously drive a cart back and forth the entire length, offering water. Remember, these are respected pilgrims¡ªthe children of Solis like you and me. Their hardship is their test, but we can''t let our guests face death, can we?"


    "It shall be done, Lord Bard."


    "Great. I also want daily evening reports from now on. I want to know how many people we processed, how many people fainted, and how many skirmishes happened. I will send a Knight by the name of Sir Zeek every evening to bring that report to me. And if somethingplex urs, you must inform me quickly at the Administration office." Sylvester didn''t waste too much time there or boss them around. Since he solved the issue of long lines to some degree, he was free to leave.


    So, he made his way home since Xavia''s water therapy was due for the day.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    However, just as he was about to knock, he heard someughtering from inside. So he just opened the door and walked in.


    "W-What?"


    To his surprise, in the living room, Inquisitor High Lord was sitting on the wooden sofa, which was struggling to stay intact. Meanwhile, Aurora was in the kitchen with Isabe, and Xavia was in her wheelchair, not far from Inquisitor High Lord, appearing nervous.


    "May the holy light enlighten us, Lord Inquisitor!" Sylvester saluted formally.


    "At ease, young bard. I''m pleased to see your mother is not mortally wounded. I shall pray to the lord that your healing technique works." Inquisitor High Lord spoke, sounding much kinder and talkativepared to before.


    "Sylvester!" Aurora shouted from the kitchen. "Take a seat! I''m cooking for dinner today."


    ''Does she even know how to cook?'' Sylvester could not bring himself to feel confident about her.


    "What are you even making?" He asked.


    "Oh, nothing special. Just some bread and thick gravy stew with a lot of meat and vegetables." She chirped happily from the kitchen.


    Sylvester nodded and sat there silently. But he couldn''t bring himself to ept that everything was fine. His danger senses were tingling, trying to tell him something ominous wasing.


    Slowly, an hour passed, and Sylvester had run out of topics to discuss with the Inquisitor High Lord. The big man had just returned from the Duchy of Ironstone and was on his way to report to the Pope. But it seemed his daughter trapped him toe and taste her cooking.


    Now, no matter how serious and stoic Inquisitor High Lord was, Sylvester knew better that behind that scary mask and red eyes was a doting father who loved seeing his little girl seed in life.


    "Done! Here you go, one te for you and another for my beloved old man." Aurora passed them a te each.


    ''I''m not taking any chances.'' Sylvester waited until the Lord Inquisitor took a bite. But then, another question arose. ''How is he going to eat with the visor in the way?''


    Woosh!


    ''W-What? What just happened? He took a bite so fast I didn''t even see how he did it.'' Sylvester was left in more worry now.


    "How is it?" Aurora asked.


    Inquisitor High Lord''s eyes shined, and he replied in soft praise. "Stupendously exquisite taste, Aurora. You have be much better at cooking. I''m delighted at the taste."


    Sylvester, who heard the praises, looked at the food. ''Hmm¡­ The bread looks great, and the stew is also pleasant. Is it really so good?''


    Taking a leap of faith, he picked the first bite and chewed.


    He kept chewing.


    And kept going.


    "A-Are you crying, Sylvester?" Aurora asked with puppy eyes.


    Sylvester nced at the Inquisitor High Lord and noticed the raging red eyes. ''These two fuckers! This is garbage! How can someonebine simple ingredients into this abominations? Ah¡­ I feel like vomiting¡­ Fuck you, Lord Inquisitor¡­ Don''t peer pressure me now!''


    "Ahaha¡­ It''s so tasty that I couldn''t hold back my tears. You''re a master of cooking, Aurora." Sylvester praised her and stood up. "I will pack this and save the rest so the boys can taste it too."


    Pat!


    But Aurora pushed Sylvester back onto the couch. "No need. I invited them long ago. You just eat yours, and there is a lot more, so eat as much as you want."


    Sylvester didn''t want to. ''I can''t! This will kill me! Yes, where is Chonky? He can save m-''


    Just then, his eyes fell on Miraj''s body on the kitchen counter near therge stew container. The cat was resting on its back, all paws vertically erect upward, and the eyes were closed.


    ''C-Chonky? My boy! Don''t give up so fast! Save me first¡­!''


    "What a delight, isn''t it, young bard?" The Inquisitor High Lord spoke ''calmly''.


    ''Traitor!''


    ________________________


    500 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 291 291. Hope Shines & Luck Declines

    [A/N: Check paraments for some visuals.]


    Tears in the eyes, pain in the heart and hopelessness in mind. Sylvester had faced the demons, the bloodlings, murders, mad kings and whatnot¡ªBut today, he lost to food.


    "Is it really so good?" Xavia wondered. "Can I have some?"


    ''No! You shan''t have my mother, you evil witch!'' Sylvester stood up instantly.


    "Mum must only eat simple rice and milk porridge. Don''t give her anything, Aurora. Be mindful of her medical state." Sylvester saved his dear mother from a sad fate akin to his own.


    "Do you want more, Sylvester? Don''t be shy. Your big sister made a lot of it." Aurora tried to pour more into his te.


    But Sylvester was ready to fight for his life. "No, no, I''m fine. I also ate outside with Baron Lovnd while talking about buying thend. Don''t waste so much food here; save some for the rest."


    Bam!


    "Woah! It smells good." Felix barged in excitedly. "What did you make, Lady Aurora? I hope it''s good because I''m starving. When you told me this morning about the dinner, I decided to go on a whole day fast so I could eat more tasty food now."


    "..."


    Sylvester tried to signal his friend to run away by the movement of his eyes. But, s, he expected too much from Felix as the man just walked over and sat opposite Sylvester.


    "Haha, look at your face, Max. Is it so tasty?" Felix asked.


    Knock knock!


    Just then, more victims for Aurora to exploit appeared. Gabriel, Bishop Lazark and Elyon were there.


    "Oh my! Pleasee in and take a seat." Aurora chirped from the kitchen.


    In a few minutes, tes arrived and sat in theps of all, steaming like a volcano of doom. But sadly, none of the neers knew their death was about to touch them.


    "Thank you for the meal!" Felix dug right into it. He broke a bit chunk of the bread and scooped a significant portion of the stew. With him, the others followed suit and took a bite.


    "..."


    Yes, there was silence¡ªutter andplete silence.


    Yes, Felix and Gabriel''s jaws stopped chewing as their faces turned from excitement to utter horror. Then, finally, their eyes went dark as death seemed to seep closer.


    Sylvester shook his head and felt no sympathy for the two. Instead, he nudged at them with his forced smiling face and eyes so wide they were fighting to pop out. "Oh, isn''t it delightful, my brothers? Lord Inquisitor loves it."


    Felix and Gabriel''s faces also turned simr to Sylvester''s. They forced gritting smiles, and at the same time, veins appeared all over their eyes. They knew Sylvester''sst words were warnings.


    "Y-Yes, Max¡­ This is quite exquisite¡­ I feel like packing it and taking it home to eat slowly over the days." Felix spoke.


    Gabriel wasn''t far behind. "Me too¡­ This is nast¡­ I mean tasty! Aren''t I right, Bishop Lazark and Priest Elyon?"


    "Indeed¡­ Not the best, but quite nice." Bishop Lazark replied.


    "Agreed! I''ve tasted much worse out there." Elyon added.


    Sylvester, Felix and Gabriel red at the two men with deep hatred and sympathy. What could be worse than that, they wondered. But it also made sense. Bishop Lazark was a necromancer, and god knows what kind of things he had probably done while pursuing knowledge.


    Meanwhile, Priest Elyon was a Tiger Beastkin, so he had likely eaten some nasty rotten raw meat sometime in his entire life.


    Bam!


    "Oh! My hand slipped!" Felix acted and let his te fall.


    Sylvester jumped in to help and, in doing so, let his te spill. Gabriel also dived, taking the cue, trying to save Sylvester''s te instead, letting all his stew spill on the floor.


    nk!


    However, as Sylvester, Gabriel and Felix started to get up triumphantly, they heard more nks. To their shock and anger, Bishop Lazark and Priest Elyon had also dropped their tes to the floor and hurried to help them stand up.


    "Are you alright?"


    "You wasted so much food." Said Bishop Lazark.


    Sylvester and his two brothers dumbly stared at the two hypocrite bastards. They were acting as if they were fine not long ago¡ªdefinitely a lie.


    nk!


    But, to all their surprise, one more nk resounded. It was confusing as they had all dropped theirs, so only one was left.


    ''Fuck! Lord Inquisitor also dropped his te!'' Sylvester cursed inside, as did the others.


    Shamelessly, the Inquisitor High Lord stood up. "Ah, it fell. It''s quite hard to hold the te with a metal gauntlet. But now I must take my leave, Aurora. I need to meet his holiness. I wish you a healthy and speedy recovery, Mother Xavia¡­ And the young bard¡­ Come with me."


    Sylvester didn''t spend a second in wait and followed behind Inquisitor High Lord to the exit.


    "Oh no¡­ My robes have been spoiled. I should get them changed. See youter, Lady Aurora." Felix excused himself.


    "Likewise. May the holy light enlighten us¡­" Gabriel did the same. While the remaining two didn''t say anything and silently left.


    Once the living room was silent again, a loudugh erupted. It was not Aurora but Isabe. Sheughed with no shame and even got teary-eyed.


    "Oh lord, why would you do this, Sister Aurora? That was so mean, Sylvester was crying¡­ Pfft!" Sheughed heartily.


    Xavia was confused, however. "Can I taste it?"<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    "No!" Aurora eximed. "Don''t taste that, my sister! I can not see you suffer like them. My cooking is absolute garbage, and what I made was probably just one step below poison."


    "What? But why do such a horrible thing to those poor souls?" Xaiva asked.


    Lady Aurora smugly folded her arms. "Well, I was just testing them¡­ Now I know they love me so much that they''d rather not hurt my feelings by calling my cooking bad. This means¡­ I can trust them wholeheartedly."


    Xavia stared at Aurora for a few seconds before sighing. "That''s so¡­ Evil¡­ and brilliant!"


    "I know, right? But I will have to treat them to good meals for a whole month now. Well, I''m rich, so no harm done."


    But Xavia was still a mother. "I will go and make something else for Max¡­ Pranks aside, he must still be hungry."


    Isabe chimed in, though a faint blush was on her cheeks. "I¡­ I cooked normal food already, Mother Xavia."


    "What a gooddy you are, Isabe." Xavia was all praises, and Isabe was all blushes.


    But Aurora had created some headaches for herself too. Now she had to clean all that mess alone.


    ¡­


    At the same time, Sylvester was speaking with the Inquisitor High Lord on the terrace of the building.


    Sylvester got handed over a small piece of folded paper. "This is?"


    "The solution to your troubles, young bard." Inquisitor High Lord stoically said as he returned to his usual attitude.


    Sylvester unfolded the paper and read it aloud. "Healer Darwin Hendrix of Graced Vige?"


    Sylvester kept his senses heightened and tried to perceive even the slightest change of the scents from the Lord Inquisitor. He did trust the man to some degree, but it was not blind faith.


    ''Anger as always, but there''s some guiltbined.''


    Inquisitor High Lord looked towards the sea in the distance. "Young bard, there exist some people in the world who reject power and authority. They''d rather live as a minority than rule the majority. This man is one of them¡ªDarwin Hendrix, the only known Grand Wizard Healer in the entire world."


    Sylvester''s mind was blown instantly. For a fact, thanks to Xavia, he knew that finding a healer who was Arch Wizard was already near impossible. This was because most serious healers didn''t get the time or opportunity to hone their physical skills and rank up.


    So, having a healer who was also a Grand Wizard was a crazy concept. But that left him with more questions.


    "Such an important person in a little Graced Vige? That makes no sense."


    The Inquisitor High Lord nodded. "Darwin is an enigma. For most of his life, he was a travelling healer. For many great healers today, he was a teacher. But his rise remains a mystery, hidden among the annals of history. All he wishes for is peace and calm."


    Sylvester easily understood the reason. "He must be heavily coveted by many. So now he lives near the Holy Land, where he lives in the faith''s protection¡ªas a free man?"


    The Lord Inquisitor continued to speak. "You are correct, young bard. You can trust his tongue for the many important folks he treated when they were young. Kings, queens, nobles and holy men, the list goes on. But¡­ The price for his services, you can not pay with gold. Each time it''s unique. Only he can decide if his talents can be sold."


    ''Of course. A man of his rank and talent is probably already filthy rich. I hope he''s not a twisted man who will ask me to do something¡­ unholy.'' Sylvester thought to himself while staring at the parchment.


    But the prospect of getting healed was enticing as the injury affected his talent and stopped him from going all out.


    "Thank you, Lord Inquisitor. I will go and meet him as soon as my insignificant duties are finished."


    "Nothing is insignificant in this world, young bard. All have a purpose, and our fate can only be decided by the lord. You know my permanent residence¡ªYou can report to me if you ever need guidance. Be well." Inquisitor High Lord proceeded to leave.


    ''So much scent of regret. There''s sadness, hate, doubt and hope¡­ It can only be that.''


    Sylvester put the parchment in his pocket and followed behind the Lord Inquisitor. He still had to give Xavia her exercise session and cook something edible.


    Sylvester obviously knew what Aurora was doing from the beginning. He knew she was lying about her questions, about her intentions. But he let it continue as he understood the value of such pranks for the sake of building longsting mind-upying friendships.


    ''As long as I y my cards right, I can have Isabe''s close friendship too¡­ But first, I must kill her romantic feelings about me.''


    Thud!


    Thud!


    "Hmm?" Sylvester stopped and heard the sound of someoneing up the stairs, running. Even the Inquisitor High Lord stopped in front of him.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    "Max! Come quick!"


    Sylvester recognised that voice, and now it was full of anxiety-filled fear. "Felix?"


    In two seconds, Felix climbed all the stairs, passed by Inquisitor High Lord and stood in front of Sylvester. "M-Max! Dungface¡­ I mean Zeke!"


    "What happened to him? Did he return with the gate report?" Sylvester asked.


    But Felix grabbed Sylvester and almost shouted. "A-At the gates! He killed a Bishop and two Archpriests! H-He''s been arrested!"


    ________________________


    500 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 292 292. Fortune In Misfortune

    "What?" Sylvester was speechless. "I only sent him to get the reports. Why would he kill three clergymen? And where is he kept?"


    "I don''t know, Max. I only saw him being taken in a prisoner transport carriage. I stopped them and questioned them for their actions myself. This is bad, Max! They will kill him without blinking an eye. He killed a Bishop from Administration." Felix spoke nonstop.


    Sylvester remained calm, however. Having been through abrupt life-threatening situations had taught him to be calm in all conditions. But that didn''t mean he didn''t feel any headaches. In fact, he was seething in anger.


    "Zeke is too simple-minded to kill someone for no reason, not to mention he''s extremely docile. If he attacked someone, then he must have a big reason. He''s my underling, and if they wish to hurt him, they must first investigate everything. Come with me." Sylvester walked towards the stairs.


    He didn''t ask the Inquisitor High Lord for any help, however. He knew better not to rely on such overpowered beings as that might reduce his image in their minds. However, he could feel that Inquisitor High Lord was going to do his own investigationter.


    Rushing, Sylvester only informed his mother that an emergency had arrived and he had to go. He didn''t tell her about Zeke yet as that could produce a lot of anxiety, which could be bad for her health.


    After that, he mounted his horse and galloped towards the prison cells of the Holy Marshals. It was the nearest facility to the gates where the unruly visitors were kept.


    Sylvester arrived at the gates of the walled prison and tried to enter. However, the guards there barred him from doing so.


    "It''ste in the evening, Lord Bard. Pleasee back tomorrow morning."


    But Sylvester didn''t budge and red right into the man''s eyes. "If Ie back tomorrow, and my subordinate who has been arrested here¡ªdies¡ªWill you pay for it with your neck? If you say you will, I shall leave."


    Sylvester was only trying to stall, however. He had sent Miraj inside to check the condition of Zeke already.


    The guard started to shiver in fear after Sylvester''s warning. He turned pale and looked at his partner at his side.


    Sylvester patted the man''s shoulder. "Brother in faith, I am not your enemy nor here to harm you. I am here to take the initial statement of Sir Zeke. You see, he''s an extremely talented man, but sadly, god made him a little slower in mind. So, he must be very confused, like a small child in an unknown ce. That man is loved by Solis, and I''m sure you don''t want to anger the lord."


    Religion was the easiest way of manipting and scaring someone. Sylvester was a master at using it to his advantage by now.


    Woosh!


    Just then, Miraj returned from inside and jumped back onto his shoulder to whisper. ''Maxy! They''re beating poor Zeke.''


    Sylvester clenched his fist and started walking inside, followed by Felix. This time, the guards didn''t stop him.


    Miraj showed him the way, while Sylvester didn''t bother with any marshal trying to shout and stop him. Instead, he just shoved them to the side and entered with no care.


    Soon, he climbed down the stairs and arrived at the basement level, where rows upon rows of prison cells were visible. Each one of them was full of people, primarilymoners who had daredmit a crime or make trouble. Most of them were only going to spend a night there.


    Sylvester didn''t stop and walked to the end of the long corridor.


    Bam!


    Bam!


    Sylvester''s eyes glowed in gold as he saw five men beating Zeke, who was hung from the ceiling, his hands tied with metal chains.


    "Raise another hand, and I will ensure you lose it." Sylvester boomed from outside the cell. "Who ordered you to beat him? Who ordered you tomit such heresy?"


    The five men turned around and saw Sylvester. Of course, they recognised him due to his looks. No other man was as widely known to have blond hair and golden eyes in the Holy Land.


    "He''s a filthy murderer! He deserves nothing but this!" They argued.


    Sylvester moved forward.


    Bzzz¡­!


    A long, shining de of solidified light appeared on Sylvester''s fist. He shed it at the gate''s lock like a hot knife on butter. It easily opened, allowing him to enter.


    "Are you the judge now? Do you know why he killed the Bishop? Do you know what happened? If you do, then show me the proof. If not, then get ready to face the repercussions." Sylvester argued.


    He ignored them and helped Zeke get down from the hold. Zeke''s tunic was removed, and his torso was full of bruises by now. On his face, multiple wounds from punches were apparent, including a swollen eye and a broken nose.


    "Now go and bring me water. Do not disturb me either. I shall be legally representing him and must record his statement. Any further physical violence caused to him will also be met with full scrutiny." Again, he threatened them, this time legally.


    Of course, they didn''t want any trouble as they were just a few simple prison guards. So they left silently.


    Sylvester took out a few Srium Crystals and minor healing potions to feed him. "What happened, Zeke? I only sent you to bring me the gate report. Why did you kill a Bishop?"<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    Sylvester could feel sadness, fear and confusion from Zeke. It was understandable as Zeke was likely unable to realise what wrong he did, as he probably did what he did from the goodness of his heart.


    "I help the woman¡­ I saved her." Zeke answered.


    Sylvester patted his shoulder. "Zeke, no need to be sacred. I stand with you, but if you want me to help you, you must first tell me everything in great detail. Tell me all you did and saw from the moment you went out to get the report from the gates."


    Felix also sat on Zeke''s other side and patted his shoulder. "Don''t be scared, buddy. You''re a mighty knight."


    Zeke finally felt some confidence and started. "First, Ipleted my work at School of Dawn and left sister Isabe at home. Then, I went to the gate to take the report. But, when I was halfway, I heard a woman shouting for help.


    "At school, they said I should always help the needy. So I wanted to do that. But, when I arrived, I saw the Bishop and two Archpriests hurting her inside a stagecoach. I heard them saying that they would help her pray at M¡­ Magn¡­ Magna Sanctum if she did as they wished. She was crying and fighting them, but they didn''t listen and even beat her. There was also a little boy shouting for his mother from outside.


    "I didn''t like the cries of the child, so I opened the stagecoach''s door and asked them to stop. But they tried to cast magic on me or pick swords. S-So I stabbed my sword into their necks and backs. After that, I saved thedy, covered her body with my cloak and dragged the three bad men out. Then, some people came and brought me here."


    Sylvester nced at Felix as they understood what had likely happened there.


    "They must have dared to take advantage of her helplessness and enticed her for a faster entry in return for certain favours that she didn''t want to give. You did nothing wrong, Zeke. But where are that woman and her kid now?" Sylvester inquired, as that was the crucial evidence for proving Zeke''s innocence.


    "I¡­ I don''t know, my lord."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin in frustration. ''I must find the mother and son before someone tries to put this mess under the rug. But I need something for tomorrow''s initial trial too.''


    "Sir Zeke, here, eat more Srium Crystals and be healthy here. Just wait for me, and I will fix everything. Don''t start a fight with the guards either, and if they try to hurt you, just tell them about me. Also, when you are presented to the judge tomorrow, you must tell the truth. All that you saw." Sylvester ordered him.


    Zeke diligently nodded and vowed to do so.


    Sylvester then stood up and decided to go out and look for clues.


    ¡­


    The Next Day


    In the early morning, Zeke was taken to the judge in the Administrative building of the Holy Land. There, an Archbishop was presiding over the case and scrutinising all the details.


    As many of Sylvester''s supporters hade to see the trial, the small hall was packed. The judge''s table was at one end, while Sylvester''s was opposite the judge''s. The spectators could also watch from farther behind. But what caught Sylvester''s eye was that two Cardinals from the Supreme Council were also among the spectators.


    ''Hmm¡­ What''s their connection to this case? Could it be that Bishop was their underling?'' Sylvester wondered and silently listened to the Judge.


    "The case is clear. Sir Zeke has also confessed to killing the three clergymen. So what''s there to defend, Lord Bard? Why waste the Holy Court''s time?" The old, white-bearded Judge asked Sylvester.


    Sylvester stood up. "Your Grace, I understand your sense of urgency as the caseload has increased significantly. But we should not take this matter lightly. What Sir Zeke spoke about, if the assault on a pilgrim did happen¡ªDone by a Bishop and two Archpriests under the false pretence of help¡ªWe must get to the bottom.


    "Because it''s not the demons or the non-believers who hurt the faith the most. No, it''s these heathens who sit in the house of god andmit the sin of the devil. So, I request the court to allow me to investigate and look for the woman and her son. Give me a few days, and I shall present them in the court." Sylvester requested after a short speech.


    The Judge sighed and tiredly wrote. "Fine, I''ll give you one week. Sir Zeke will be held under house arrest until then. Since you are already a Sanctum Inspector, I see no problem in appointing you to investigate and bring me non-biased facts. As you said, I may seem impatient, but if what Sir Zeke said is true, then be it ten, hundred or a thousand¡ªI shall sign the death certificates of all the heathens!"


    Sylvester bowed his head. "May the holy light enlighten us!"


    With that, the first hearing came to an end. But Sylvester had a massive grin on his face. He walked over to Zeke and patted his shoulder. "You are to live in my house for theing seven days, understood?"


    "What about you? How will you find the woman in the huge Holy Land?" Felix asked him, as he was also a Sanctum Inspector.


    The grin on Sylvester''s face only intensified as he nced at the two Cardinals who voted against him in the council. "That''s the easy part. But, my friend¡­ With this Holy Court''s permission, I can freely investigate nearly all locations in the Holy Land¡­ I wouldn''t be surprised if I were to ''mistakenly'' find something incriminating against a few ''important'' people. I also have a hunch that someone very high, right in this room, is rted to this."


    Felix''s jaw well as he noticed the two Cardinals. "D-Did you n all this?"


    Sylvester denied it immediately. "Zeek''s actions? Not at all. But when the heads of my enemies are falling on my sword, why should I remove the de? On the contrary, I''d rather utilise that opportunity and sharpen the edges."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 293 293. Buying Slaves

    Something was happening in the dark, and there was no denying it. Someone was trying to exploit the poor pilgrims, and they were not just simple soldiers but ranked Bishops with power and pull.


    Sylvester only had the words of Zeke to focus on, and he believed in Zeke wholeheartedly. But, others didn''t give the case much importance and merely brushed it off, considering Zeke mentally unstable.


    Meanwhile, for the woman and the child who were victims, nobody was even bothering to look for them, as the Administration ignored Zeke''s statement.


    ''This isn''t normal. A crime as heinous as such urred in the Holy Land, and nobody is reacting? This makes no sense, considering how angry the Pope is these days. Someone is suppressing what''s going on here¡­ Someone is trying to brush this incident aside as something insignificant.'' Sylvester thought to himself as he rested in his moving stagecoach.


    But the fact someone was scared of somethinging out of his investigation was enough proof for Sylvester to keep going and investigating. He aimed to turn the tides in his direction. He wanted to remove a majority of the decision-makers that held opposing thoughts towards him.


    The logic was simple. Why should he stand behind when his enemies were ying the game of chess? They could have easily made him a Bishop and lived carefreely, but they decided to go after him. So now it was his time to retaliate.


    "What are you thinking, Sylvester?"


    Sylvester looked at the blonde girl sitting beside him. Isabe wasing with him to the ve auction outside the Holy Land for the day. He was going to use her as his cover to save the kids from the vers. Sure, he knew what he was doing was just a dent in the humongous pile of garbage that was very. But, he could at least have some mental peace in the fact that he did something when the sad faces of the innocent children appeared in front of him.


    "Nothing. I was just thinking about how rotten things are. I told you about Zeke''s case, but I can''t help but think about the woman, and child Zeke talked about. I''m afraid¡­ If someone is trying to hide the crime, then their chances of being alive are non-existent. I hope Elyon can use his primal hunting ability to find their bodies or ashes." Sylvester replied, sharing things with her because he wanted her to be more loyal to him than the faith.


    Isabe sighed and agreed with Sylvester. "I¡­ I don''t even know what to think. Of course, I knew there were bad apples in the clergy outside. But, this is my first time knowing there are things like this within the Holy Land as well."


    "It''s worse inside the Holy Land." Sylvester started. "Outside, it''s often very easy to know good and bad through actions. But here, each Clergyman has ten different faces, and we only see one of them the whole time."


    ''Hmm¡­ The scent of disgust, doubt, and fear. Well, she''s feeling the same emotions that most of themoners do when they get troubled by the church''s men. So go on, little princess, see the ugly that you unknowingly ignored in your castles.''


    Sylvester didn''t share any more things with her and waited to arrive at the location. It was not a long journey, as he had already met with Baron Lovnd to finish thend purchase deal. But, sadly, he was now too busy to get his portrait made by the man.


    For now, he was more interested in finding out the address of the two Cardinals he had seen inside the court hall the day before. He wanted to infiltrate their homes and see if they had anything of ''interest''.


    "We''re here, Lord Bard." The reinsman announced.


    Sylvester quickly fixed his robes and helped Isabe do the same. She wore a heavy, expensive gown that only a noble could afford. It didn''t take much to make her appear like a princess, as her mannerisms and beauty were impable.


    "Your highness." Sylvester acted formally with her and gave her his hand.


    She blushed and followed him to the venue. It was a medium-sized, double-mast ship on the riverside, docked there. A staircase was set that descended from the Ship''s deck onto a small wooden stage set on the shore.


    On the stage, a fat, rotten-toothed man shouted at the crowd of three dozen buyers. But no auction was being done at the moment as Sylvester had ordered them a day earlier.


    So, acting like a typical aristocrat, Sylvester led Isabe onboard the Ship. But, of course, he was not dumb enough toe alone. He had brought a unit of inquisitors as well, the men most loyal to him. They were supposed to wait outside.


    "Y-Your highness, and holy Clergyman. I''m honoured to be in your presence." The nasty-looking man greeted them. He was likely the Ship''s captain and the primary overseer of the current consignment of ves.


    Sylvester took the helm. "Where is the merchandise?"


    "Yes, yes¡­ Pleasee with me. We keep them on the first level below the deck."


    Sylvester followed him down the deck and arrived to see the abomination the humans could inflict on their own species. There were at least two dozen jail cells. A single one of them was used to keep all the kids tightly cramped inside. At the same time, the rest were held ording to ve grades.


    "Your highness, please select whoever you want to buy." The man spoke.


    Sylvester felt Isabe was mentally disturbed after seeing the condition. It was all wet, and the clothes of ves were dirty, torn and sometimes even missing.


    "Why are these few ves so clean?" She asked after reaching the two cells harbouring men and women, graded A.


    Sylvester answered. "These women are the prettiest, hence the sex ves. These men are the strongest, hence prime merchandise."


    Isabe reeked of disgust. Her worldview was shattering further as she saw the reality of the world. She was fed lies all her life in her imprable castle walls.


    "A-And the kids¡­ Why are they kept like that? They are sitting in their own urine and faeces?" She questioned.


    The kids in question didn''t even seem alive. They were just silently watching everything with their big hopeless open eyes. They made no sound, not even a cough. Of course, they had been beaten and forced into such submission to appear¡ªgood merchandise.


    This time, the ve owner spoke. "These kids are useless. They don''t fetch us a good price. Even selling them is hard."


    Sniff!


    Just then, a small faint cry resounded from the women''s cell, graded as B. Following the snivelling came a small cry. "M-My baby¡­ He''s just five. Please spare him¡­ Let him go. I-I will do anything you want for the rest of my life."


    Bam!


    The ve owner mmed his hand on the jail cell. "Shut up, Wench! It wasn''t I who borrowed more than I could repay. Now shut your mouth, or I will chop that tongue. You''ll be an E-grade whore then."


    Sylvester, meanwhile, was looking at the various ves when he saw the woman crying for her child. He decided to keep her, as he could always use the child as leverage forplete loyalty.


    "I''ll take this woman and her child." He requested.


    The ve owner rubbed his hands and tried offering a better deal. "Ah¡­ Sure, respected Clergyman. But what about these A-grade women? I assure you, they have been trained in the finest whorehouses before being brought for sale. For you, I will give them for half-price¡ªboth of them."


    Sylvester sneered and walked to the men''s section. "No need, I''m not looking for any bed ves. I need respectable people who can work for me in the respectful upation of running an eatery."


    Sylvester tried to look for more ves in the kid''s cell. He noticed there was a fourteen-year-old girl in the ranks, the oldest of the lot from the looks of it. ''Young minds are easy to mould to be loyal.''


    "I''ll take that girl as well. No need to be scared, young one. Just think of me as an elder brother now. As for the rest of the children, Princess Isabe wishes to purchase them all." Sylvester announced.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Instantly, all the little ones looked up, showing a change of expression for the first time. And Sylvester smelled a strong scent of hope.


    The ve owner was as happy as he could be. "That''s brilliant! I won''t have to worry about these little useless things anymore. Please take them for a hundred Gold Graces each."


    Isabe walked over to the jail cell of the kids and softly spoke to them. "Don''t worry, dears. I will make sure you find your home, and if you have none, then I will make sure you reach a good orphanage."


    "Please! Take him too!" All of a sudden, a woman cried from a Grade D cell.


    Sylvester looked and noticed something that turned his heart colder. The woman who pleaded had a little baby in her arms, draped in dirty cloth. The baby was likely no older than six months.


    Sylvester pointed at her. "I''m buying her as well."


    The ve owner was just rubbing his hands in silence as he felt his pockets getting heavier. He did not hide his ugly grin from anyone. The truth was, like any veowner, he had kept the price of his goods inted by a lot. This was because people often haggled. But now, without going through any haggling, he was able to sell them. It was a big win for him.


    Paaa!


    Thud!


    Thud!


    "What in the¡­" The ve owner cursed as suddenly the loud sound of a horn and drums came from outside.


    Bam!


    A sailor barged in. "Captain! R-Raiders! Raiders are here!"


    "Good lord! Why now? My princess and respected Clergyman, all the ves you selected will reach you tomorrow. Please get off the Ship; I must move quickly.."


    However, Sylvester slowly walked towards the man. His right fist suddenly showed a short de made of solid light. "I don''t think I will."


    "What¡­ Ghk!... Why~"


    Thud!


    The ugly sack of human meat fell on the wooden deck, dead with his throat slit open.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester then threw a small spear made of light at the sailor who hade and killed him too. Meanwhile, Isabe had begun to open all the cells, while the ves appeared confused.


    Sylvester stayed alert, though. He did not trust these ves either. "Be at ease, and none of you shall be harmed. I am Lord''s Bard, Sylvester Maxmilian, the God''s Favoured. Once I take off your cors, you may go wherever you want, as I do not wish for you to die at the raider''s hands."


    nk!


    He could hear the nking swords and shouts above on the deck already and had to work fast and ensure the ves obeyed hismand to ensure their survival.


    The best solution for that was a hymn with a halo. A proof that he was the apostle of god and his promises were not shallow.


    ?Cry if you want, as your misery ends.


    Grab the strength that my voice lends.


    Hold the hand that freedom extends.


    This is fate¡ªMortal minds it transcends.?


    ?So let your hearts be at ease.


    Feel the soothing holy breeze.


    For you stand before the holy bard.


    Hear me; I sing sermon of the lord!?


    "G-God?!"


    "Bless us!"


    "The Sage!"


    "Solis?"


    The reactions varied, but they meant the same. Without knowing, they chanted Sylvester''s many unofficial names.


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 294 294. The Bad And The Ugly!

    By the time everyone was freed, they were crying while holding their palms together, praying to Sylvester for his heavenly grace.


    Yes, Sylvester knew he had the best cheat that always worked, especially on the poor and underprivileged. And he had no shame in using it. After all, the world was already scamming each other, so why shouldn''t he?


    "Stand behind me, children of Solis. I shall protect you from vile raiders. Today, they shall not take any of you." Sylvester roared and created two long shining light des on his fists.


    With that, he walked out of the lower deck. All the vers were dead on the deck, and around their dead bodies were a few men draped in ck cotton clothes. They even hid their faces with cloth.


    The few inquisitors Sylvester had brought were also fighting them but not hurting them enough to kill them.


    "Heathens who sin near thend of God! Die, for that''s what wills the lord!" Sylvester didn''t give the enemies a chance and lunged towards them.


    Woosh!


    With a single swing of his arm, he beheaded one of the raiders. The light de was an excellent tool as it was not just sharp but scorching as well. To chop flesh was like cutting butter. As for the bones, well, Sylvester had decent strength.


    "You shan''t run from the wrath of the god!" Sylvester presented a great show to all the liberated ves as he also used magic on the fleeing raiders.


    Spears made of solid lightunched towards all the runners and pierced their chests, nting them onto the ground like skewers.


    It was an absolute one-sided massacre as Sylvester killed all ten raiders. As for the crowd of buyers, they had run away long ago.


    Sylvester then looked back at the ves. "You can go now since you have no ve cors. As long as you don''t reveal you were a ve, no one will try to catch you. Where to go? That I don''t know, perhaps go west towards the northern duchies of Gracia, or maybe into Riveria."


    Of course, they were all scared and didn''t waste a moment to make a run for it. They took the horses that were left behind, and others who didn''t know how to ride simply ran. A minority of them also headed to the Holy Land¡ªmostly the old ones.


    That left only the young children, the two women and the fourteen-year-old girl he had decided to keep. Why was he keeping women? Well, that was because two of them had children who could be leveraged, and the girl was young enough to be easily brainwashed. He didn''t keep any single men, or any men to say, as they were wild stallions with no guaranteed leash attached to them.


    "Sylvester!"


    Just then, Felix arrived with a dozen more soldiers. He stopped near the ship and climbed over to him. "Ah, I see you''ve killed these fools."


    Sylvester shook his head softly, telling him not to reveal anything yet. He didn''t want the ves to know everything that he was doing.


    "Felix, get the soldiers to bring the horses onboard. We shall take the whole ship to the Holy Land." He ordered.


    The men Felix had brought were precisely the men needed to sail arge ship. So, after throwing away the bodies of the vers and the raiders, they headed downstream towards the open sea.


    During the same time, Sylvester was busy removing the ve cors from the kids. He also checked each kid using a testing orb to see how talented each of them was. Even if one had the lowest level of talent in wizardry or knightly magic, they would be taken in by the church. As for the normal ones, there were normal orphanages to go too.


    All the while, Isabe spoke with the two mothers and the fourteen-year-old who Sylvester was going to keep in his house/shop.


    "That''s so horrible! Why would they do such a thing?" Isabe was listening to their sad stories.


    Apparently, the fourteen-year-old girl was sold by her own parents to a noble lord in return for food. Under the Lord''s ownership, she lived for one week and finally ran away after being unable to tolerate the pain every single night. But she was caught by vers instead and waited to face the same fate again.


    "Please tell me the name of that lord. I will have his house razed to the ground." Isabe angrily asked.


    Sylvester sighed as he walked beside her. "How many houses will you raze to the ground, Isabe? Even your own family owns thousands of ves, even a few Dwarves if the rumours are correct."


    "..."


    "What?!"


    She appeared to be disgusted by the revtion. "Why? I never saw¡­ Wait! Were those female servants ves all along? But they were so happy and friendly."


    Sylvester decided to give her a crash course on very. He didn''t know much about the system or how it was operated, but he knew what ves were used for. "Hmm, your family servants may have had a decent life, I guess. But usually, it''s for money. You don''t have to pay ves; they don''t eat much. So you get infinite cheapbour to increase productivity and get rich. Or, in the case of dwarves, you get free master weapon smiths. In the case of Orcs, you get monsters with unimaginable strength¡ªbest for mindless tasks. With elven women, you get forever young, beautiful bed-ves that willst not just the lord but his great-grandsons too.


    "This is the truth of the world we live in, dear princess. But, this is nothingpared to the Tower of Godless that lies adjacent to the Duchy of Normani."


    "Tower of what? When did that happen? I''ve seen countless maps of Sol and never noticed such a thing in them." She did not know anything.


    "Of course, you didn''t. They are the openly kept secret that all just ignore. Run by ve Imperia Council, made of five self-proimed ve-Gods¡ªThree being Grand Wizards and two being Diamond Knights. It''s thergest ve market in the world, divided into a hundred floors, each varying in ve variety.


    "Consider it like the Holy Land of very. It''s the centre of all ve trade, where you can obtain anything you can imagine. There, at the right price, you can buy anything, from a human to Dwarves, Giants, Trolls, Elves, Beastkins, Merkins, Vampires, Goblins, Centaurs or perhaps even a Dragon."


    Hearing Sylvester, Isabe''s jaw was left hung wide open. She was never told about this by any teacher ever. "If¡­ If we do such an evil thing to them, then why do we call them the heathens? Isn''t it us who are on the bad side?"


    Sylvester warned her quickly. "Now you''re entering dangerous territory, Isabe. When did I say they are good? You''ll be surprised to learn that various raiding groups of Beastaria regrly capture humans. Heck, even human pirates raid coastal viges and towns to sell the people to Beastaria¡ªAnything goes for a bit of gold."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "What? Why? What can us short-lived humans be of use? They have so many more powerful species." She asked.


    Sylvester was unsure about this one but still exined it in detail. "I''m not sure, but I''ve recently read this in a book. Apparently, Interspecies non-human very is banned in Beastaria by the agreement of all major species. So, they only enve goblins because nobody likes them, and they breed like rabbits¡ªnot to mention, dumb. Then there are trolls, even dumber than goblins, only useful for hardbour. But trolls are not high in numbers.


    "Then enter humans. Dragons consider us as fine cuisine and eat us at celebrations. Goblins are fond of human women for breeding. Giants use us in tasks their giant fingers can''t reach. Vampires love our blood. Orcs use us in varying ways¡ªsometimes for sex and sometimes for entertainment by torture. Merkins don''t care about us, just like Dwarves, who are happy doing digging and forging¡ªseriously, the most decent folks in Beastaria.


    "And Elves¡­ Although Elves loath us on a deep level, they keep the highest number of human ves in their Kingdom in all of Beastaria. This is because there are not many Elves since breeding is very hard among them. Due to their low number, each Elf is entitled to a life of great luxury.


    "They don''t use each other for menial tasks. They need ves to serve them for everything, from cooking, cleaning, entertainment, fighting pits, farming and such. Since we look somewhat like them, we are slightly pleasing to their eyes. The only forbidden thing among them is sex with non-elves. Though humans are forced to breed and keep growing in number¡ªto have more servants."


    By the time Sylvester finished giving his short crash course in very, the three ves he had purchased were sitting on the floor, somewhat thankful they were not sent to Beastaria.


    Meanwhile, Isabe was shivering in frustration and anger, a rare emotion for her. "T-This is so evil¡­ I can''t imagine what all the ves must feel each day¡ªthe hopelessness. There must be millions of them around the world right now, crying somewhere, pleading, or being eaten."


    Felix, who was standing nearby, shrugged. "It''s evil, but we''re too small to make a difference. Even if Max bes a Supreme Wizard one day, he can still be killed if all of Beastaria''s elders unite."


    Isabe looked Sylvester in his eyes at that moment. There was a raging confidence oozing from her being. "Sylvester¡­ When I be the queen, I will abolish very in my Kingdom."


    ''Talking so much today yielded a great result. The Holy Father will be happy to hear this as well.'' He thought inside.


    "They won''t allow you¡ªyour vassals," Sylvester argued, already knowing what she would ask.


    "Can you help me ''convince'' them?''


    Sylvester bellowed inughter. "Hahaha, do I like to beat nobles? Absolutely! Do I hate very? Thoroughly! Am I going to help you? Certainly!"


    Bam!


    "Thank you!"


    Suddenly, Isabe jumped in to hug Sylvester, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You''re the best friend I could ever hope for!"


    "What about me?" Felix asked from the side.


    This time, Isabe extended one arm toward Felix and caught his neck too. "Both of you! All of you! Thank you for being my friends."


    Felix chuckled and patted the back of her head. "Well, considering I''m the son of a Count of Gracia, I''mwfully obliged to help you. Ah, by the way, Max, give me a hundred gold gracester¡ªhiring those fool assassins to act as raiders was expensive."


    "..."


    Isabe left the hug and looked at their scheming faces. "Y-You were behind it all?"


    Sylvester shrugged. "We secured everyone for free this way. And Felix, I took the gold you gave them after killing them. So don''t worry."


    "Excuse me¡­"


    All three looked down at the three female and two child ves. The women were crying, as their ve cors had not been removed yet. Hence, they were still ves.


    "W-What will happen to us, m-master?" Asked the mother of a five-year-old.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester moved abruptly as the light de appeared in his hand. He moved so fast that the three women could only yelp and close their eyes.


    "P-Please don''t kil¨C"


    Sylvester stepped back. "You''re free."


    "..."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 295 295. A Spy At Work

    "We''re free?" The women ves asked.


    Sylvester knelt to their level as he understood the bnce required between anger andpassion. "Of course. As a man of faith, I abhor very. But it''s the darkness of our world that can''t be so easily vanquished. So, tell me now, do you have a home to go to? If not, then I would like to employ you in my food shop just outside the Holy Land beside the Gold Road."


    "Are we going to be your ves?"


    "Not at all. As I said before, I am freeing you. You can decide to work for me if you wish to do so. At the same time, you will be paid, and your children will be sent to a school inside the Holy Landter. As for you, young girl. You can earn and save money here before starting a new life elsewhere. You''re still too young and ripe for exploitation by vers or nobles.


    "Since I live in the Holy Land, you three will be running my shop and living in that same building. In essence, you shall be living the coveted dream of being so close to the Holy Land." Sylvester exined to them.


    He could already smell that they didn''t hold that many negative thoughts about him. So he wasn''t that worried about it. But, the problem was that he had to find them a different ce to rest as the plot ofnd he bought didn''t have anything on it.


    He had to design a house and build it. But, before he could even think about that, he had to go and save Zeke from death as he only had seven days.


    ''I hope Aurora can easily find out those Cardinals'' homes.'' Sylvester thought.


    "What are we supposed to do in the shop, m-master?" The fourteen-year-old asked with a faint hint of fear in her voice. She didn''t know her fate yet. And life had already taught her not to trust men through the worst kind of lesson.


    Sylvester smiled warmly. "Don''t call me master. You can call me big brother. As for the other twodies, you may call me Lord Bard, as the rest of the world does. Please tell me your names before I tell you about your duties."


    "I''m Gemma, and this is my five-year-old son, Tommy." Gemma introduced herself. She had ck hair, ck eyes, pale skin and a thin body.


    "I''m Flora, and this is my six-month-old son, Fenrir. My husband was a member of the Crusade, but sadly he passed away recently. Our vige was then raided, and I couldn''t pay my ransom." The second, dirty blonde haired, short woman exined.


    Atst, ck haired blue eyed fourteen-year-old spoke. "I... I''m Ava, and I was sold by my parents. We came from Sorrow Kingdom and didn''t have anything to eat for ten days. I also have two younger brothers. Please don''t hate my parents... I agreed with their decisions--that was the only way to protect my little brothers. I really love them."


    Sylvester didn''t know what to say to her. She was clearly a very strong girl, albeit a little scared now as she had seen the ugly side of the world.


    "Worry not. You may work for me for one year, and the following year you can go wherever you want with all the money you will save--even back to your family. Now,ing back to work. I have developed a few new food items that are quick to cook and heavenly to eat. I will teach you to make them, and you will be cooking and selling them."


    There was a sudden silence for a long time after he finished speaking. The three women were looking at each other in confusion.


    Eventually, the youngest, Ava, asked. "M-My Lord, is that it? I thought we''d have to do hardbour such as farming or something. You only want us to cook?"


    Sylvesterughed and further exined. "Haha, that only sounds easy, Ava. Your job will be to run the establishment, which includes tasks such as preparing ingredients, cooking, cleaning, ounting the money, and at the end of the day, preparing for the next day. It will be a tough job. But, at the end of the month, I will be giving you bonuses ording to the number of sales."


    "I can do it!" Gemma proimed.


    Flora also agreed. "Me too... I used to work on farms before being captured. I just kept little Fenrir tied on my back. How hard can cooking be?"


    ''Oh, you poor women, I hope you''re as strong as you think you are.'' Sylvester thought as he knew that soon their self-confidence was going to break.


    But he was hopeful of it as his ns were big for the establishment. He was going to streamline the preparation process like a modern fast-food chain. His main target was not money or the restaurant''s sess but the crowd.


    Why? Well, he wanted to create an boratebyrinth under the house, from where he was nning on conducting his various activities, such as printing the books, experiments on Duke Daemon''s eyes--or perhaps, experiments on himself.


    The big crowd would give him the perfect cover to do everything he needed and bring in whoever he wanted. No matter what raw materials he''d need, he''d be able to get them openly--For the restaurant, of course.


    ''I hope people of this world like pizzas. Perhaps I can add french fries as well... And maybe ice cream, along with the soda lemonade? It should be easy to make with ice elemental crystals. And all of it shall fall under my overall brand name... But perhaps this time, I will add a mascot--Chonky.''


    Sylvester silently made his ns while the ship moved into the Holy Land''s harbour. They were granted entrance after a lengthy check was done by the dock managers, which alone took them a few hours. But thankfully, the kids were saved as church officials sent people from various orphanages. Unfortunately, out of a dozen or so kids, only three had knightly talent, while none had wizard skills. Still, the three got into a better orphanage where their future was shining already.


    As for Sylvester, he had to first get the three women rooms in the Guild Penins. He appointed one of the men under hismand to look after them while he dealt with Zeke''s matter.


    But he had to go alone this time as he didn''t trust anybody else''s spying abilities. Though first, he had to meet Lady Aurora and Elyon in the Inquisitor''s camp.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Please tell me it''s good news." He asked as soon as he entered Lady Aurora''s tent.


    She smiled and put parchment in front of him before reporting what she knew about the two Cardinals. "Here it is. Both of them are brothers, apparently. Cardinal Cohn and Cardinal Kenny. Both of them are higher-level Archwizards and hold a significant pull in the Holy Land. Other than being a member of the Supreme Council, Cardinal Cohn is the head of Darkwatch Penins which oversees exorcism, and Cardinal Kenny is the head of Industrial Penins which houses all the core production facilities of the Holy Land.


    "They have oversight and control over hundreds and thousands of clergymen--And yes, the Bishop who Sir Zeke killed was an assistant of Cardinal Cohn."


    Sylvester grunted at the information. It was the worst-case scenario for him. All his hope was Elyon now. "Please tell me you found the woman."


    Sadly, the tiger beastkin''s ears fell as he shook his head. "I have failed you, my lord. I couldn''t find them, but I followed the woman''s scent--She was bleeding, it appeared. And, you may be delighted to know that my hunt ended once I arrived in front of a small private pce--Belonging to the Cardinal brothers."


    Sylvester took a seat by the table and silently looked at the letter. "Can you show me exactly where the pce is?"


    "It''s at the northern edge of the Pope''s penins. All high-ranking clergy members have their private vis and pces there." Lady Aurora revealed.


    Sylvester closed his eyes and tried to remember the area. ''Hmm... I''ve been to a few Cardinals'' homes, and the mostmon theme among them was the abundant use of seawater in their fountains and pools.''


    "It''ll be a mess if I were to enter their home using the court''s permission. They could stall my search by a few hours at least, which would be enough to clear any evidence left... In the worst case, kill the mother and child if they are still alive." Sylvesterid out the situation.


    Lady Aurora had been with Sylvester long enough to know there was something brewing in his scheming mind. "What''s your n? I canmand a ten thousand-strong Inquisitor Army toe with you if you want."


    Sylvester smiled fondly at that suggestion. He had felt long ago how much loyalty Aurora had towards him. Unfortunately, though, he knew if someday she were to find out about his bloodline, everything might change.


    "No, I don''t want to bring you into this, Aurora. You''re a Guardian of Light, and you must remain unbiased. As for me, I have a n. Just know that I will be entering their home, and if you don''t hear from me by tomorrow''s sunset, bring forth the army and find me inside." He didn''tmand her, just advised.


    Lady Aurora merely sighed. "I know I can''t change your mind, so go ahead. I will be on alert the whole time."


    "Thank you. I will treat you to a pizzater for this trouble." Sylvester got up to leave as he was already prepared.


    With that, he left the Inquisitor''s camp and headed to the Northernmost edge of the Pope''s Penins. It was full of buildings but had the least poption density. Hence, he had no problem being undetected.


    Although he was sneaking around, his entry approach was unlike a burr. He didn''t jump the wall as that ce could have a lot of runes to detect intruders. Instead, his goal was to enter from the sea.


    He assessed thendscape by walking around the castle from various angles to take a nce inside. ''As far as I can see, the pce has arge water fountain in the backyard with many fish. Hmm... But where is the entrance for water?''


    Eventually, he gave up looking for the entrance from thend and decided to dive into the seawater.


    "Chonky, I''m afraid I can''t take you from the underwater route. So you probably know the way, right?" Sylvester said after taking off everything other than the tight pants and preparing to jump into the sea not far from the pce.


    Miraj''s body shuddered, but once he looked at the deep blue open sea, his heart nearly came to his mouth. "Y-Yes, Maxy... This kitty shall fly... Again!"


    Sylvester caught Miraj in one hand and pulled his arm back to create momentum. "Alright... One... Two... Three! Fly, my boy! Fly!"


    Woosh!


    "Meowthafu~"


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 296 296. Heathens In Disguise

    Thud!


    Miraj fell inside the small pce, in the backyard, on the green grass. His stubby little fluffy legs absorbed all the shock and left him unharmed. But, at that instant, Miraj''s eyes had hearts in them as he remained standing in one ce--flustered.


    "B-B-Banana!"


    Yes, it turns out that the pce''s backyard had a few banana trees nted here and there, and currently, they had ripe yellow bananas, ready for the taking of one fluffy boy.


    Pa!


    But Miraj pped himself with his paw to focus on the task at hand. ''You can''t do this to Maxy, Chonky. I must help him. He will give me more bananaster.''


    So, Miraj started to look around to find any clues about the crime that wasmitted.


    ...


    At the same time, Sylvester was looking for a way inside the pce from under the water. It was not too hard for him to stay underwater as he could easily create an air bubble around his head with the help of Air Elemental magic. The only thing to worry about underwater was the depth and the pressure.


    So eventually, he found the entrance from where the water and fish were entering the castle. There were two points, one for entry and one for exit. Thankfully, there was no strong flow that stopped him from moving.


    The only obstacles were a few metal bars he dealt with easily and entered the property. The sizeable deep fish fountain was truly deep, going more than ten metres in depth. It was like a smallke in the backyard of the pce.


    So, he went to the shore and stayed afloat there. The ce was too big, and there were no guards inside the pce, so he was clear to go. But first, he whistled at a high pitch and low volume.


    After a few minutes, Miraj came running as he heard the signal.


    "Maxy! I looked everywhere and didn''t smell or find thedy. The Cardinal is not here either... But they are cooking food for someone." Miraj reported.


    Sylvester stayed in the water. "Hmm... Then the Cardinals must be returning soon. Let''s wait here until then, Chonky."


    Miraj nodded and sat near the edge beside Sylvester. But his head was constantly looking in a certain direction at a few particr trees.


    "Fine, go and get a few bananas secretly. I''m hungry too." Sylvester permitted him as there was nothing else to do.


    Sadly, they had no idea how long they''d have to wait. Soon, the sun had set, and the night dawned over them. Sylvester remained in the water while looking around. Miraj would go inside the pce every few hours and check. The Cardinals did not return to the pce for some reason.


    "Maxy~"


    Just then, an increasing call of Miraj came as the chubby cat ran up to Sylvester. "They areing here! I heard they like to drink morning tea by the water. Quick, hide."


    Sylvester looked at the sky. "It''s still an hour early until sunrise. I guess you heard the servants preparing breakfast for them. Alright, let''s wait."


    So he waited patiently until the sky started to turn bright again. And soon, the two Cardinals came and took a seat in the backyard garden near the water.


    As for Sylvester, he remained in the water very close to the two Cardinals and listened to them.


    "I hope you were able to meet the judge." Cardinal Cohn said as he sipped some tea.


    "I did, but the man won''t budge. I offered him a hundred thousand Gold Graces. But he refused and warned me not to interfere. That so-called bard has turned into a headache now." Cardinal Kenny replied annoyedly.


    Cardinal Cohn chortled before speaking. "Hah, he is. But he has too many enemies right now. The poor boy chose the wrong time to arrive in the Holy Land. If it was a few decades ago, he could have had a smooth rise. Now, so many eyes covet the throne.


    "Regardless, I''ve taken care of things from my side. The judge won''t find anything even if he gave the bard a month to investigate."


    "What did you do?"


    "Well, I was able to track down that woman and her cub. She was hiding in one of the monasteries of the Holy Land. I just returned from dealing with the two. As I speak, our men are heading north into the sea to throw their bodies out with stones tied to them. Soon, fish will eat them, and our troubles will be gone." Cardinal Cohn replied with an evil smirk and a satisfied look.


    Cardinal Kenny also rested back in his seat after hearing that. "Thank goodness we found them before others. But we must warn our subordinates now. What that foolish Bishop did could have destroyed our names and, in the worst case--get us removed from our positions."


    "You''re right, my brother. Too many eyes are on us right now. Let''s call them for a meeting here."


    "Agreed."


    ...


    Sylvester had moved away as soon as he heard that the woman and her child were being taken into the sea.


    So, after bringing Miraj a distance away, he took a few srium crystals and minor health potions before writing something on paper. "Boy, take this to Aurora and put the paper on her table. Make sure she sees it without getting notices."


    Miraj diligently put the paper in his mouth and nodded.


    With that, Sylvester again caught Miraj in hand and threw him just high enough tond on the other side of the boundary wall.


    Then, he moved out of the pce and also headed north. But he knew swimming was useless for him as it didn''t allow him to see far. So, he used Light Steps to climb into the air and run as well.


    In no time, he was able to see every single ship and boat nearby. And only one of them appeared to be going straight to the north for no apparent reason. It was too small to be a deep-sea fishing boat, and there was no major ce to dock in the north.


    ''I hope this is the one.''


    He did his best to run as fast as he could. However, it took a lot of mental strength to precisely create a solidified light tile under his foot as he moved at a fast speed. The trick was to conserve the Srium as much as possible tost long.


    Eventually, he became fast enough to catch up to the boat. By that time, he could only notice a faint shadow of the Holy Land in the far distance.


    "No, no, no!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    But as he was approaching the sky above the boat, he noticed a few men on board throwing a metal box into the sea, a chain was tied to the box with a boulder at the end. In an instant, the box also disappeared into the deep blue sea.


    Having no option, Sylvester let himself fall. Not just fall, but he used wind elemental magic on his feet to propel himself faster. At the same time, he created a cone in front of his head, made of solidified light magic. Its job was to reduce air resistance and make him something akin to a missile.


    But his target was not the sea.


    Boom!


    Abruptly, he fell onto the small boat''s deck like a shooting star, ready to st everything to smithereens. The men on the boat only noticed a faint shadow and a deafening roar. By the time they could even react, a hole had formed in the middle of their craft, violently leaking water and drowning them.


    And Sylvester was inside the seawater, diving deeper and deeper to catch onto the sinking box with the dead bodies. He could see the increasing darkness around him as the sunlight became rare.


    He didn''t want to let the box fall too deep as he had read in the geography books about the deep sea horrors of this world. Ignoring the giant sea serpents with no eyes, the mere fact that the ocean''s depth went as deep as twenty thousand metres, and this was just the usual depth and not the deepest part.


    "Aaaargh!"


    He pushed his body to the limit to force himself deeper into the sea.


    Woosh!


    ''W-What was that?''


    He suddenly felt something touch his body. It was long, like a snake, and as thick as three feet. It brushed past his naked back for a good ten three seconds--fast.


    As he had guessed, the deep sea was full of horrors he didn''t want to ever imagine. So, as always, when in time of danger, he did what he knew--he sang.


    The hymnsted only under his breath, but the halo appeared effortlessly as it was just light, lighting up the back of his head.


    Sylvester focused on the sinking box and pushed himself. Eventually, he reached it and used his right fist to cut the chain.


    Shhh...!


    Thankfully, it appeared the box had an air pocket inside it and instantly started rising toward the surface. With Sylvester under it, holding the cut chain, he took a calming look around as he was soon going to run out of breath as the air bubbles couldn''t work so deep underwater.


    Eventually, he saw the light from the sky increasing, and the pleasant colourful fishes came into view. He never saw or felt the snake-like creature again, thankfully.


    Boom!


    In the end, he pushed the container onto the sinking boat and jumped over. The people in it were still trying to get rid of the water and fix the sinking hole.


    "Alright, the game''s over," Sylvester announced and mercilessly moved with his light des on the fist. With precision, he made cuts to the throats of four of the five men. Only one was left to answer some questions.


    But before that, Sylvester lifted one of the dead bodies and pushed it into the hole he made in the boat''s hull. Once it got stuck, the boat was officially repaired with a dead body.


    "You, if you wish to live, start throwing out the water," Sylvester ordered thest remaining sailor.


    Then he focused on the metal container. It was time to check it and ensure the bodies were inside it.


    Bam! Bam! Bam!


    "P-Please... h-help..."


    "..."


    "They''re alive!" Sylvester rushed like a madman as he heard the faint voice.


    Without wasting a moment, he used his monstrous strength to rip apart the lock on it. Then, he opened the lid to look inside.


    "Don''t worry. I will sav--"


    Yet his words of assurity only turned to silence as the horrors he saw inside the box. It didn''t make sense, but it was there.


    "P-Please... my son..."


    Inside the box, a woman was sitting with her knees folded near her chest. She was holding her young son, probably five, above her head. Meanwhile, the container was half filled with some liquid, but it was all red, like blood. The woman seemed to have lost most of her face and body''s skin, and even her bones were visible. It was as if someone had burnt her intensely.


    Sylvester quickly caught the little boy with multiple burn wounds and put him at the side as he was unconscious.


    Sylvester stared at thest sailor of the boat. "What did you do to them?"


    Seeing his shining golden eyes and anger, the man confessed. "I-I was ordered... To dissolve their bodies in acid and leave no clue! Please... I di..."


    "Silence!"


    ________________________


    [A/N: Please tag any mistakes you see. My editor was busy, and I was too sleepy while editing. Will post the next chap after a short nap.]


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 297 297. Sylvesters Offer

    Sylvester had done it before to his spy enemies. Dissolving a body with low pH value acids such as hydrochloric acid was the easiest and the cleanest way to get rid of a body.


    But, if the acid is not strong enough, it could lead to anything but death.


    So, the fact that the woman was sitting in the acid silently meant that she had already screamed all she could. She had cried all she could and had already suffered through all the pain she could. Now, her flesh had been melted off, and the pain receptors were damaged. Or perhaps she was in such a shock that the pain wasn''t even registering in her mind.


    "You inhuman pests! Why do such to apletely innocent person?"


    Sylvester quickly punched a few holes in the bottom of the metal container to let the acid flush out. Then, he used water maniption to pour a soft stream of water all over her body in order to remove any remaining acid that may still be on her.


    All the while, she didn''t react and just kept staring at the sea, at nothingness.


    Once Sylvester was done with cleaning, he took out some healing potions. One vial he forced fed her, and two vials he evenly put on her wounds. It was less effective on flesh wounds but could definitely save her.


    After that, he focused on the little kid.


    ''Every single time, a mother protects her child with her life.'' Sylvester muttered once he began to clean the boy''s wounds. He was reminded of the moment he had found little Shane''s body that time, under the burning rubble, in the melted arms of his mother.


    He handed first aid to both of them butcked clean bandages to cover their wounds. Thankfully, with the advent of advanced magical healing, flesh wounds were nothing to worry about. So the woman was going to get healed physically, though the scars of her mind would probably be hard to heal.


    Still, he took the woman out of the metal container,id her down on a torn sail, and covered her body. He also put the boy beside her and told her the situation to ease her subconscious mind.


    "Don''t worry, sister. I am Sylvester Maximilian, God''s Favoured. You will be healed soon, and the heathens who harmed you shall lose their neck. Don''t worry; your son is also fine, just mentally exhausted¡ªYou''re a strong woman."


    Sylvester didn''t disturb her anymore and focused on the leftover sailor. First, he walked over to him and put one palm on his shoulder. Then, in one smooth move, he pushed him down with enough strength to shatter his weak kneecaps.


    "Aaargh¡­ M-My Lord¡­ Mercy!"


    Sylvester looked into his eyes with utter indifference. "You shall have mercy if you sing the song I demand. Tell me everything about the two Cardinals. Why was this woman targeted, and has this ever happened before?"


    "T-This? Yes, my lord. B-But¡­ I can''t say, or they will¡­ They will kill me."


    Bam!


    "Aaaa¡­!"


    Sylvester showed no mercy and used a light de to cut a chunk of the man''s ear. "I know not your name, nor do I care who you bark for. This sea shall witness your end if you do not answer me."


    "I¡­ It''s a service!" the sailor shouted. "Cardinal Cohn and Kenny need money, a lot of it recently. So they try to lure poor pilgrims, be it a man, woman or child, into serving some clients in various ways. There are a lot of clergymen in the holynd who want the pleasure of women, men and some¡­ In return, the Cardinals get paid handsomely."


    "Has this ever happened before? You throwing the bodies here?" Sylvester questioned.


    "Y-Yes, my lord. I''ve seen it happen five times in the past, once with a young girl, three times with a woman and then with a man. All get thrown down with a stone tied¡­ But in a box like this, never."


    Sylvester smelled no lies, so he continued. "Are there other groups like yours? How many of you are there?"


    "Hundreds, I reckon. But I''m not sure as we can''t meet everyone. Various teams focus on luring, subjugating, and then supplying them to various people. I am part of the group that deals with thest step¡ªerasure. We only target the poorest of the poorest."


    Sylvester clenched his fist and tried his best not to hit the man and kill him. ''I am by no means a saint, but what I do is so I can achieve peace and power to bring peace. While these¡­ they sin for pleasure, to entertain themselves¡ªand y with the lives of such innocent children.''


    "If you want to live, you better say all this in front of the judge. Remember, I am your best way of survival. The closer you stick to me, the higher your chances of survival." Sylvester coldly warned him.


    The man pped his hands and prayed. "I will forever be grateful for your mercy, my lord. I am Mathe¡­"


    "I do not wish to know your name." Sylvester interrupted him and moved away. He looked towards the Holy Land and waited for Aurora to arrive.


    He kept staring while his mind raged with a lot of thoughts. ''Such a huge underground operation was happening, and nobody did anything about it. They must have a lot of high-ranking clients for it to be ignored for so long¡­ And the Pope did nothing? Is he just ipetent or simply ignoring the problem as he already has enough headaches?''


    He walked to the boat''s edge and looked at the blue water. He could see his half-naked body in it. But then he noticed something.


    ''What in the god''s name is this?''


    He looked at his stomach and noticed a huge, long, horizontal redness on his chest as if something brushed past his body and his skin reacted with it. ''Was it due to that creature? What was it?''


    Sylvester, in silence, looked at the mysterious deep water. A part of the world more mysterious than what was on thend. He wasn''t scared of anything, nor was he a wuss, but for a fact, he had learned in School of Dawn that there existed some horrifying creatures in the sea.


    From Hydra to Sea Dragons, from maneater giant squids to a hundred-meter-long eel. Not to mention, some massive sharks and whales could swallow an entire three-mast ship like it was a pebble. Of course, such creatures don''te near the shore, but looking at the water was still somewhat unsettling.


    ''I wonder if a Supreme Wizard also fears the sea. They''re like gods on earth, after all.''


    "Hey! Sylvester!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Max!"


    "Meow!"


    "..."


    Sylvester held hisughter as he saw many heads turn on the iing ship, looking for the cat that had snuck on the ship. But, sadly, Chonky was the sneaky boy, and no one could defeat him.


    Thud!


    Lady Aurora leapt from her ship when it was a hundred metres away andnded beside Sylvester. She noticed the bloody carnage of chopped-up bodies, one alive scared man, and the woman with her child on the deck. "What''s the status?"


    "Worse than you can imagine. The Cardinals are involved, and this isn''t their first victim. Let''s return to the Holy Land. I will brief you all along the way. I''m afraid I will have to speak to the Holy Father directly about this."


    Sylvester waited until the main ship arrived. It belonged to the Inquisitors, so a lot of help was readily avable. The woman and her child were quickly given essential treatment, and for the rest of their time in the Holy Land, they would be kept inside the Inquisitor camp¡ªIn Lady Aurora''s tent, which was one of the most secure spots.


    On the way back, he told Aurora, Felix, Gabriel, Sir Dolorem and Elyon about what had urred. It enraged them, but Sylvester calmed them down as the task was merely half done. Because a big purge was iing, and it was going to cleanse the Holy Land.


    "Keep all three of them in front of your eyes at all times. Remember, if they die, all this will be for nothing." Sylvester ordered his friends.


    Sir Dolorem and Lady Aurora quickly appointed their most loyal soldiers for security and created an encirclement around the protected area. After all, nobody knew if there were inquisitors involved in the dealings too.


    Before taking a horse to the Pope''s Pce, Sylvester fixed his clergyman robes, cleaned his face andbed his hair first. He was tired as he''d been exerting his body for more than twenty hours now, but the prospect of what was about to happen was too exciting.


    ''If the Pope is truly a man who wants the best for the Holy Land and me, then he has to agree with me as the prospect of my sess outweighs doing nothing.'' He muttered to himself and arrived at the giant ethereal pce.


    "Chonky, do not mess around no matter what. Sit on my shoulder and breathe slowly." He ordered Chonky before entering the pce.


    "Aye, Aye, Maxy. But what''s the n?"


    "You''ll know soon," Sylvester replied and arrived outside the Pope''s office.


    Thankfully, he was given instant permission to enter as the old man was in there. They had not met each other since the Pope cried in front of Sylvester in that shack. It must have been very embarrassing, Sylvester reckoned.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us!" Sylvester saluted stiffly.


    But the Pope was not in front of him on the chair. So he turned left and noticed he was standing in front of a painting.


    "Son,e here and tell me what you think about this. A famous Cardinal made this painting in the past. It depicts the murder of Pope Jarl Desmond by those heathens in the Beastaria¡ªThe moment that started the thousand-year war."


    Sylvester stood beside the Pope, proudly as he was nearly the same height now. "Honestly, it means nothing to me."


    "What?!"


    Sylvester borated. "This happened a thousand years ago, and I live in the present. What was the reality of that time is our history. What I do today will decide my tomorrow. I want peace, and I shall have it one day¡ªNo matter what, I won''t let my will sway.


    "So, this story is inspiring, but it''s a mark of shame in my eyes¡ªThe mark of our loss, the lowest point of the faith. Hence, rather than romanticising, I''d look at it as a reminder of what must be done¡ªA reminder of the war that anytime can begin."


    The Pope looked at Sylvester with shining eyes. He was, of course, proud. So he patted his shoulder. "Son, you give me the strength and hope that if I can''t, then you shall truly end the mindless war for good. Now, tell me, why did youe here? Is this for your subordinate Knight?"


    Sylvester smiled schemingly and showed a parchment holder, but he didn''t hand it over first. "Your holiness, as you said that day in Soul Penins, you are worried about the Masan and Beastaria, so you can''t focus on the cancer brewing within our blessed home?"


    "That is correct."


    Sylvester continued. "What if I offered you majority control of the Supreme Council of 32?"


    The Pope was speechless for a moment. "I can''t see how you can do it without causing a mutiny."


    "Oh, but mutiny has already begun. Please read this."


    Sylvester let him read while he nervously awaited a decision. ''Come on, just agree to it, old man. Let me ce my guys on the Council too. Let me taste that sweet honey of that special authority.''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 298 298. Popes Regrets

    Sylvester waited for the Pope to read the whole report that he had written. It had everything in it, from the moment he learned about the crime to the recent findings and how he spied on the two Cardinals.


    He kept a keen eye and nose on the Pope. ''Good, the anger is building up, along with disgust. Hate, sadness, and doubt¡ªCome on, old man. You can do it. I understand you''re more of a politician, but you need not be scared of a few fools.''


    Sylvester had tried his best to understand the Pope all this time. Initially, he saw him as a good man and then as an evil man. But, eventually, he concluded that the Pope was neither because he was a politician.


    A politician who wanted to do good but had to get his hands painted red in blood on that path. The Pope was not just the head of religion but also a keeper of peace. So, the old man had to ensure that he did not go overboard and anger so many sides that they''de after him. After all, if the entire Sol and southern continents came together, they could undoubtedly gather twenty or thirty Grand Wizards necessary to kill a Supreme Wizard.


    Not to mention, if the Pope messes up and starts amoner uprising, and makes people lose their faith, then that would be the end of the church. So, considering all that, he could feel that the Pope''s job was not very easy.


    However, for now, he wished to use the Pope''s shoulder to shoot his arrows and remove as many problems as possible so he won''t have to deal with them once he takes the throne¡ªWhich he shall no matter what.


    "This is madness. They were running a forced prostitution and very business at such a level? I tolerated it for long enough, thinking it wasn''t such a widespread problem¡­"


    Sylvester quickly interrupted him. "Your holiness, if you don''t mind me asking. Shouldn''t you already know all this? After all, how can the master of the Holy Land, the head of the faith of Solis¡ªnot know what''s in his own backyard? Perhaps¡­ your subordinatespsed?"


    For a few seconds, there was silence in the office. The anger only kept rising, and eventually, the old man mmed his fist on the table.


    Boom!


    "This is beyond ipetence! Cardinal Roman Vas Zenim kept such information from me?!" The Pope boomed in anger.


    Then all of a sudden, the Pope put his palm on a rectangr metal sheet on the left side of his table. In an instant, the metal sheet lit up with blue runes, and the Pope ordered. "Call Zenim in¡ªUrgently!"


    Sylvester didn''t say a word and prepared himself to watch the show. He wanted to see Saint Seer''s exact reaction when getting scolded by the Pope. If the Saint showed any adverse reaction, then that would clear everything up, that he was on the rival faction.


    It didn''t take long for Saint Seer toe, as only Saint Medico and Saint Wazir had different office buildings. Saint Seer, Saint Sceptre, Inquisitor High Lord, and Saint Keymaster had their offices in the Pope''s pce due to the immediate need for them by the Pope at any time.


    "Your holiness, you asked for me?"


    "What is this?" The Pope threw the file Sylvester had brought towards the Saint. "You dare hide all this from me? You''re the greatest spymaster we''ve ever had, so don''t say you didn''t know. On the contrary, it''s your duty to know all this."


    Saint Seer read the whole document. He quickly recognised it to be Sylvester''s writing. But when he read the content, his face turned a bit paler.


    Sylvester was keenly watching it all and smelled a whole range of emotions. ''Hmm¡­ There is only fear and no anger. The anxiety is also rising.''


    "Your Holiness, I didn''t tell you because your hands were already full in dealing with the Masan Empire and the Beastaria''s war between elves and dragons. I-I felt I should report once I find something highly incriminating." Saint Wazir replied, epting his intentions immediately, which didn''t reek of lies.


    But the Pope was not happy at all. "This isn''t incriminating enough?"


    "T-This is but¡­ I just found out that the Bard has obtained such evidence¡ªWitnesses even and confessions. With this, we can deal with them for good." Saint Wazir replied, epting everything.


    But Sylvester was not done. He knew he was in a situation much more favourable to himself. So, he decided to push for more. "Respected Saint Seer, if you don''t mind me asking, what else have you kept to yourself from the man who should know everything? I hope you haven''t been doing it for a long time."


    The Pope was visibly angry as the age lines on his forehead creased. "Speak, Saint. What else have you kept from me? Do not mind the bard¡ªJust speak!"


    Saint Seer was definitely cursing Sylvester under his breath. But he also saw Sylvester''s eyes and knew he had fallen into the trap. So there was no escaping but speaking. "Y-Your holiness, perhaps this is not the best time."


    "Speak."


    The Pope gave him no space to breathe, so he had to open his mouth. "I¡­ I sent a few assassins into Masan to kill as many princes and princesses as possible to create distrust among each other."


    "What else? Tell me everything." The Pope nudged.


    "I¡­ I deliberately derailed the peace talks between the four warring kingdoms of the Central Continent in the south to ensure none of them have the ownership of the Soul Tree in the middle of their continent."


    The Pope wasn''t angry as he could see the benefits of doing all that. But the fact that he was kept in the dark and his spymaster had gone somewhat rogue was annoying.


    "Continue speaking."


    Just like that, Saint Seer revealed everything he did without telling the Pope. But, atst, the man''s tongue seemed to have rolled back into his throat as he nced at Sylvester.


    "Your holiness. It''s better if Saint Seer does not hear this."


    The Pope nced at Sylvester, and instantly his heartbeat increased. The Pope was no fool and guessed it already.


    Thud!


    The Pope fell into his chair. "No¡­ You didn''t¡­ Tell me you didn''t. You can''t be such a fool."


    Saint Seer visibly shuddered as he started speaking. "A-As we all know, Lord Bard is bound for greatness, especially after his achievements. So powerful at such a young age that he might as well be the youngest and the strongest Pope in history. So¡­ I-I wished to ensure that he has no distractions or weaknesses. So¡­ I orchestrated an event to¡­ Kill Mo¡­"


    "Enough!" The Pope boomed. "You have shamed me and stripped me of all my dignity. After a century of being allies and working together, you reward me like this? Killing the mother of my protegee?"


    This was the first time Sylvester had seen Saint Seer show such emotions. But he was more amazed by the Pope''s words. ''Hmm¡­ So I was right about this. Even Saint Seer wanted nothing but good for my future but in his twisted ways.''


    Sylvester acted distraught and walked over to the window and opened it to take a calming breath. Then, he turned around and spoke to the Pope sternly. "I expected that much. But, your Holiness, am I allowed to proceed with the n I suggested?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    The Pope appeared visibly ashamed as he couldn''t see Sylvester in the eyes. "Yes, you can proceed. You have the support of the Inquisitors so use them. I shall appoint a special judge to the case so instant judgement can be passed. Do not leave a single sinner alive¡ªYou have my permission."


    Sylvester saluted formally. "May the Holy Light Enlighten us!"


    Then Sylvester silently left, not sharing a nce with anyone. He gently closed the door and walked out of the Pope''s Pce.


    But inside the room, the words escted.


    Bam!


    The Pope punched Saint Seer in the face. "You have no idea of the damage you have caused me. That child will not see me as the same anymore. Just a few days ago, I asked him to take care of his mother, for families are worth cherishing. But it was us trying to kill his family the whole time!


    "Oh Solis, I have sinned¡­ My old man would have been so disappointed in me."


    Saint Seer was also ashamed and kept his head low. "Your holiness, the me is on me. I just hoped to tie him to the church even further like we did with the Shadow Knight''s instance."


    "Hah¡­" The Pope sat back again and took a long exhausted breath.


    "I regret doing that! I regret it enough that I wish I could kill myself for my actions."


    Saint Seer frowned and worriedly got closer to the table. "W-What happened?"


    "Srium Blockage! That''s what we caused to his body! That''s what fighting the Shadow Knight did to him. Since then, he''s been in constant pain, having to rip open his own leg every time to clean the wound. We¡ªCaused¡ªIt!"


    Saint Seer''s tongue got dried, and he got stuck on words. "B-But¡­ H-How can that be¡­ Saint Sceptor was responsible for scaring the Shadow Knight away whenever the Bard was under attack."


    "Don''t! Don''t bring him into this. We were wrong. We sinned against the child blessed by Solis, Roman. Only eternal misery awaits us after we die. Even the Lord Inquisitor has lost respect for us.


    "I shouldn''t have sanctioned you thest time. How could I do this to a little child who grew up ying on myp? I''ve sinned¡ªAnd sullied the faith¡ªHis faith in me." The Pope appeared distraught and held his head between his palms.


    In all essence, he felt like a failed man. He brought peace, but now the thirst for it tost long was costing him too much.


    "If one day, Sylvester decides to leave the faith¡ªIt will be on us. We failed to make this his home. Instead, we tried to kill his only family."


    Saint Seer loved the Holy Father like any child of Solis. He couldn''t see the old man in such self-loathing. "It was my mistake, Holy Father. I sinned, not you¡ªPunish me!"


    But the Pope shook his head. "Son, I am the head of the faith, the church¡ªYour actions are mine, and your mistakes are also mine. You did it without asking me, but you still represent me."


    "Your holiness, I ju¡­"


    "Leave, Saint Seer! Let me be at peace and think about how to appease his anger. Report everything to me from now on. I hope that''s not too much to ask."


    Saint Seer stood up and saluted. This time, however, his shoulders seemed slumped. His confidence in himself was lost as he realised how high would be his blunder''s cost.


    The Pope, alone in his room, talked to a miniature portrait on the table. "Forgive me, old man. It''s only been a few days, and I''ve already disappointed you¡­ In my quest for calm, I let the situation slide off my palm¡ªHe will never trust us again."


    ¡­


    Outside the pce.


    Woosh!


    Thud!


    Miraj fell onto Sylvester''s shoulder from a great height. "He didn''t find me this time, Maxy! Keeping the window open worked."


    "What happened there?"


    "Ow, Popo is sulking. He''s very sad. That baldy was sad too, but for making popo sad. Maxy, will you let that Baldy go now?"


    Sylvester made his way away from the garden outside Pope''s pce. "He''s a loose cannon. So, Chonky, remember this¡ªOnce is a mistake, twice is a decision."


    "What about thrice?" Miraj asked excitedly.


    "A Painful Death!"


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 Chapter 299 299. The Purge Within!

    Sylvester got on his horse and headed towards the Inquisitor''s camp. Though on his way, his mind went into an overdrive of thoughts. Thankfully, Frost, the horse, was an intelligent boy and knew the path.


    ''After doing this, I should not have to worry about a rogue Saint Seer. I can rest slightly easier for mum now. As for the Pope, this is even better. The more guilty he feels, the more he will have to do to appease me. This means more olive branches, which I really need right now.''


    Of course, Sylvester nned things to turn to his advantage if he was taking a risk big enough to expose Saint Seer. But he had to do it quickly as he didn''t want to take any chances with Xavia''s life.


    ''As long as this investigation does well, I should be able to get at least two seats in the Supreme Council. But sadly, out of thirty-two, a big twenty had rejected me. So I will either have to kill them or intimidate them.''


    "Maxy, we''re here!" Miraj notified Sylvester as the fluffy boy steered the horse near the Inquisitor Camp.


    Sylvester quickly got off and walked straight in. He didn''t waste any time talking with the sentries at the entrance, nor did he smile much. Instead, he let the people know that something serious was happening.


    Without any resistance, he arrived outside Lord Inquisitor''s spot and asked the guards outside to announce his arrival as per the protocol.


    After that, he entered and saluted the two overpowered entities. "May the Holy Light enlighten us, Lord Inquisitor and Lord Second?"


    Bloodrain was there too, and Sylvester had asked Aurora to find the man and bring him. Why? Well, he reckoned that having another Guardian who hated corruption and hersey as much as Inquisitor High Lord could help a lot¡ªTo win brownie points. After all, he was going to arrest two Cardinals, and he knew that the two men had a lot of clout. So, the best way to avoid confrontation was to break the other''s will to fight.


    After all, no sane man would see both Lord Inquisitor and Bloodrain side by side and decide to raise his sword.


    "Aurora briefed us about what transpired. Did you meet the Holy Father, young bard?" Lord Inquisitor questioned him.


    "I did, and he has given meplete freedom to arrest the two cardinals and get them to speak out all the names that were either involved with them or those they served. Holy Father has also ordered a special Judge to be assigned to us so he may pass quick judgement and put the heathens on death row." Sylvester briefed everyone.


    Bloodrain''s visor appeared to start bleeding once again from the eyes. Sylvester also smelled the scent of utter sadness. Of course, Bloodrain was known for this, the man who cries tears of blood for the sins of others.


    "Right inside the house of Solis, from the men supposed to be the purest¡ªSuch sphemy¡ªSuch audacity!" Bloodrainmitted.


    Inquisitor High Lord agreed. "Let today be a lesson for the generations toe in the Holy Land. To sin while chanting the name of the lord is a mistake that shall never be ignored. Let their blood write the letter of their apology today, for, in public, their heads will decay!


    "Hans, call for the song of Inquisition. Today, the purge shall begin from within!"


    Orders were given, and folks started to move. The Inquisitors were already prepared for urgent departure.


    Soon, the judge also arrived, and it was none other than one old man who believed in Sylvester before anybody else.


    "Old man Noah! You''re the judge?" Sylvester gave the man a good hug. Archbishop Noah was a religious schr, among the best of the best and wise.


    "It''s good to see you again, God''s Favoured. I am a well-known schr, after all. So I also know all the religiousws." Archbishop warmly said.


    Sylvester honestly liked the man as he helped him initially with the whole vision thing. "It''s good that you''reing with us. We are surely going to need to judge a lot of heathens within."


    ?Marching through the heathennd.


    We are the mighty Lord''s men.


    Second son and orphans, men of such brand.


    We sing to the Lord. All say Amen¡­?


    Just then, the marching song of the Inquisitors began echoing. The long, ten-thousand-man-strong army of Inquisitors kicked the ground together to create an epic blood-pumping rhythm.


    Sylvester quickened his pace, walked to the front, and helped Archbishop Noah sit inside the Inquisitor High Lord''s carriage. Then he mounted his horse and started moving.


    Beside him were Bloodrain, Lady Aurora, Elyon, Bishop Lazark and Felix. Unfortunately, Gabriel didn''te as he was supposed to lead a small team to keep an eye on the Cardinal''s pce.


    Thud! Thud!


    The clergymen on the way moved aside, and the Pilgrims immediately kneeled and started praying, chanting some hymn.


    The marching army soon made its way into the district reserved for the high clergymen. As the Inquisitors had already been briefed, they quickly surrounded the castle from all directions. Heck, even ships had been brought to cover from the seaside.


    Sylvester was in the lead as the Pope permitted him, so nobody tried toe in his way.


    He trotted his horse closer to the pce''s gates and ordered the sentries to open it. "By the order of His Holiness, we are here to arrest Cardinal Cohn and Cardinal Kenny for the heresy of the highest order. Therefore, open the gates or be considered in cahoots with them."


    The sentries only had to take one look at Bloodrain to start moving. They instantly started sweating and clumsily ran around to open the pce gates.


    Sylvester marched in with a small unit of one hundred Inquisitors, with Lord Inquisitors and Bloodrain walking behind him, towering over him easily. Beside him was Lady Aurora, meanwhile. It was madness as three Guardians of Light surrounded him.


    Luckily, seeing the firepower of Sylvester''s side, nobody dared to raise their weapons and attack Sylvester. So they easily arrived at the Pce''s interior.


    Of course, since the Cardinal brothers were proud of themselves as they were higher clergymen, they didn''t run away and instead confronted the crowd in their house.


    "What is the meaning of this?" Cardinal Cohn roared.


    "This is disrespectful and uncalled for. How can you enter the premise of a Car¨C"


    Sylvester raised his hand and stopped them. "You two are under arrest for high hersey. For kidnapping poor pilgrims and selling them as ves or forcing them into prostitution. Surrender yourselves, or you''ll be made to."


    Lady Aurora didn''t waste time, though. She knew that they were going to try and fight. So she walked closer to them.


    Bam!


    Bam!


    She punched both of them in the face, letting them fall unconscious. "There, problem solved. No need to hear their bbering."


    Sylvester had nothing to say. "Let''s take them to the Inquisitor''s camp. We shall interrogate them there and get them to speak. But first, let''s search the pce thoroughly. It''s best if we can find some money stashed here."


    Soon, the entire pce was swarmed with inquisitors, searching every nook and cranny of the building. Everything they could knock on, they did. Everything they could topple, they did.<novelnext></novelnext>


    But, even after an hour, they found nothing. However, it was impossible that there was nothing. Nobody has a cheat like Miraj with them as their personal bank.


    Sylvester was also searching around and trying to notice anything unusual. Eventually, he went to the backyard garden and looked at the pce from a distance, and that''s where he noticed.


    "Wait a minute! Why is there an extra pir?"


    He returned to the building and created a runebining air and earth to throw a projectile at the pir.


    Boom!


    Ting!


    Ting!


    "I can hear it!" Sylvester didn''t even need to have the dust cleared to see what it was. The nking of metallic things.


    Ting!


    "So much gold!" Felix eximed as he arrived.


    The pir in question was about fifteen metres high and two metres in diameter. It was entirely filled with gold coins, artefacts, or anything that could be made of gold.


    "Try the same with other pirs!" Sylvester ordered.


    Sadly, they only ended up destroying the pce, and nothing else was found. But still, from a single pir, they had received nearly a million gold coins. It was an astronomical amount that only a few higher nobles could muster to gather in normal cases.


    So, a clergyman having it was more serious since they don''t really hold vastnds or businesses. How much very, how many sins the two Cardinals hadmitted, it was already terrifying to think. But it was Sylvester''s job to make them speak.


    ¡­


    Soon, night shrouded the sky in darkness. But the Inquisitor camp was full of energy as the screams of the two Cardinals resonated with the songs many Inquisitors sang. For them, it was a night of the feast, for they purged the evil¡ªTo an inquisitor, it was a good day.


    At the same time, Inside a concrete building meant to hold prisoners, the two cardinals were chained, naked in different cells. Their arms and legs were held apart, while their heads were shavedpletely.


    By now, their bodies contained many wounds, some bleeding and some bruises.


    "W-We didn''t do anything! Why are you doing this to us?" They were repeating the same words.


    Sylvester sighed and looked at the butcher beside him. "Chop his cock."


    "Understood, my lord."


    No mercy, no second thoughts. This was not even a percentage of the brutality the Inquisitors could cause.


    sh!


    "Aaaaargh! Fuck! You fucking fuck!"


    Bam!


    Sylvester kicked him in the missing, bleeding groin. "Speak, or I will chop the balls too. How about I feed them to your brother? No? You won''t say anything? Fine, I will feed it to him. Butcher, cut them."


    "Aye, my lord!"


    "Fuck! S-Stay away!" Cardinal Cohn tried to fight back, but he was tightly kept locked.


    sh!


    "Aaaargh¡­!" This time there was just pain. No more words were spoken.


    Sylvester knew he wouldn''t get anything from the man anytime soon. So, he picked the chopped cock and balls with a cloth and walked into the adjacent chamber where Cardinal Kenny was kept. The screams had reached him as he looked terrified.


    Sylvester then ced the chopped materials in front of the man. "If only he had opened his mouth earlier, he could''ve kept these. But, sadly, since he spoke first, you''ll be killed instantly."


    "What? No, I can tell you more. I swear I know more than him. He has his personal secret stash and client list too! Please, hear me out!"


    But Sylvester only kept his spear ready and brought it near the man''s throat. "Anyst words?"


    "Cardinal Fellon, Cardinal McCarthy, and Cardinal Bitwit are also involved in this! I swear¡­ I can tell you more. There are in total nine hundred and twenty members in our organisation, including the lowest level. What did my brother tell you? I can tell you more!"


    Sylvester didn''t move the spear. "Then keep talking. Any name that appears in your mind, I want them all. If any of them mismatch your brother''s, I will stab!"


    "Yes¡­ Archbishop Walker, Archbishop Urik¡­"


    As everyone had guessed, a purge wasing, and finally, it had arrived. Eight Cardinals, twenty-six Archbishops, sixty-nine Bishops, five hundred Archpriests, and many more priests. The list was made, and arrests were not dyed.


    But this time, no pyre was set, for they were heathens. So instead, they were to get publicly executed and shamed like a demon.


    And one name was ensured to echo throughout the Holy Land, the bard of the lord¡ªSylvester Maximilian.


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 Chapter 300 300. Popes Salvation

    Boom!


    Boom!


    ? Drums echoed in therge arena on the Guild Penins. Although it was currently the time for Martial Tourney, the yearlypetition, today it was booked for mass execution.


    A total of nine hundred and forty-six men were involved in the mass scandal. The news didn''t take too long to spread everywhere, and since the surviving mother and daughter gave their testimony and the money was recovered, the guilt was proven beyond any doubt.


    The Judge, Archbishop Noah, didn''t even have to look at the names. He simply signed at the end of the long parchment with the names of all the used.


    On top of the nearly a million collected from Cardinal Cohn and Kenny, almost two million Graces in the form of coins and bricks were recovered from various other ces. In total, the money was enough to feed a town of ten thousand for more than a decade. And all this money was earned from human trafficking.


    But, sadly, not all of the Cardinals among the eight who got caught were members of the Supreme Council. Only four of them were, but still, that made Sylvester happy.


    And now, multiple rows and columns of stone blocks were ced in the open field of the arena. On each stone block was resting a neck belonging to the heathens, and to each of them was assigned a Knight with a sharp sword, ready to fall and end the heresy.


    But Sylvester had to announce to the people what had transpired first, as the stadium was partially filled with people.


    So, while standing in front of the Pope and many more top clergymen, Sylvester spoke through a cone-like device which had air runes in it to amplify the voice.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us! That''s what we all say to each other, but these men you see did the opposite. With the greetings of the lord on their tongue, they hid daggers behind their backs and harmed men and women, old or young.


    "They sinned by forcing the poor and vulnerable pilgrims into very or prostitution. Even the children were not safe and got exploited. All for money, the sin of greed--They fell further than any in their thirst to seed. But no more--No heresy shall be tolerated--Today, history will be created. Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, and many more shall be beheaded!"


    Sylvester then sang a hymn to solidify his image in the minds of everyone. After all, it wasn''t just the crowd ofmoners in the seats but also many essential clergy members. Not to mention, behind him standing were the Pope, Sanctum Council, Supreme Council and many Guardians of Light. The whole decision-making body was there.


    And Sylvester wished for this to be a subtle message to them that messing with him would never end well. Pick any incident in history, from the mentor Bishop in the school to these two Cardinals who voted against him--All eventually fell on the chopping block or were burned.


    For any smart one out there, the message should be clear as a day. But Sylvester had to let the dumb ones know, too, as they were the most prone to mess with him.


    a??O'' Solis, the Light, the Lord.


    To you pleads this young bard.


    These heathens havemitted a sin.


    Only you know when and how they begin.a??


    a??For their sins have umted enough.


    Please ensure your light remains tough.


    For your tolerance, they tried to scuff.


    Please ensure in your fire, their souls engulf.a??


    Sylvester bowed his head towards the sun and then gave the nod to the chief executioner standing on a stage with a bell in his hand.


    The signal was given, and the swords were ready.


    Ting!


    Ting!


    Ting!


    The butcher rang the bell many times. Instantly, a lot of cries and pleadings took over the arena. Some even screamed and tried to stand up, but they received a kick on the back before the de plunged into their necks.


    sh!


    sh!


    Almost at the same time, all des were swung and painted the Arena''s ground red. The heads rolled left and right, and a few bodies twitched for a few seconds. It was mind-numbing to watch, but necessary to be seen, for it was a warning to those who speak the lord''s name to demean.


    Slowly, the blood spread around and felt like a sea of blood. The people in the spectator seats shouted, some in gasps and some in cheer.


    However, the spectacle was not over. The whole point of beheading was denying the sinners a proper death. Hence, there was no need for a pyre either.


    Sylvester looked back. "Respected Lord Inquisitor! Please burn these heathens to ashes so their flesh may not sully ournd anymore."


    Inquisitor High Lord walked forward, reeking of rage as ever. His tall, mighty body and the staff made a scary mix of sounds.


    Thud!


    Then, just once, the Inquisitor High Lord tapped his staff on the ground. Instantly, the earth started to shake slightly, just enough to register as a vibration.


    Woosh!


    Woosh!


    And then, something crazy urred. Out of the ground came hundreds of vertical streams of fire, so strong and fast that it seemed a gas pipeline was underneath.<novelnext></novelnext>


    It burnt the bodies of all the dead, including the skulls, very fast. In no time, the constant fiery streams of fire became as tall as ten metres and turned everything into ash. Even the blood spilt on the sand got cleaned, leaving behind just a few dark spots as a remnant of the justice that was exacted that day.


    With that, Sylvester walked to the side, where a woman was sitting in a wheelchair with her entire body covered in bandages. There was also a little boy beside her, wrapped in fewer bandages.


    Sylvester knelt on one knee in front of the woman and passed on a big silk pouch full of gold coins. "I know this will never heal the scars of the mind. The experience you went through will haunt you for the rest of your life. It will wake you up at night and leave you short of breath.


    "But please know this, those men are not what we stand for. Those men were heathens, and they received a heathen''s end. Still, we apologise for what urred and hope you can apany me to the famed Magna Sanctum on the Golden Penins. I will show you the whole temple myself from within. The Holy Father has agreed to apany us too." Sylvester spoke in a voice as warm as possible.


    He honestly didn''t have to do anything. But he had purposefully left the amplifier cone close to him. So, whatever he said reached the ears of all the spectators, far and wide. Sylvester was, after all, fighting a war of propaganda at this stage, and the more people saw him positively, the better for him.


    The woman nodded her head only since she couldn''t speak. But the little five-year-old boy was very active, although still scared from the trauma.


    So, the boy asked him questions that normal children do. "Big brother, is the Mama Sactus made of gold?"


    "You mean Magna Sanctum? Indeed, it''s mostly made of gold and some other naturally formed golden material. Come, I shall take you there immediately." Sylvester proposed and stood behind the woman''s wheelchair to push it ahead.


    But as he turned around and started leaving the arena, something magnificent happened.


    Tap!


    Woosh!


    Initially, it started with just a few taps and ps. But soon, the entire crowd in the arena, all themoners, started cheering and pping extensively, creating what seemed like the sound of rainfall.


    They screamed, they cried, and they sang the Holy Hymns of Sylvester in unison. It was magical, to say the least, and somewhat jealousy-inducing for other clergymen as this adoration was aimed at Sylvester.


    But Sylvester only waved his hand and kept moving while chanting the same thing. "May the Holy Light enlighten us!"


    As Sylvester walked out, the Pope followed behind as he was going to apany them too. The Pope also waved his hand at the rest to not follow. So, Lady Aurora, Lord Inquisitor and the rest headed back to their positions.


    While the chants of themoners remained echoing well after all had left.


    All of them were moved by Sylvester''s humility and holiness that resonated even when he spoke normally.


    ...


    The path to the Golden Penins was only one. Taking a ship was the only way to reach the extensively protected ind temple, where the Orb of Purity resided.


    Sylvester did everything for the woman and the boy. From getting them checked and processed at the guard post to exining different things about the Holy Land, and also a session inside the Temple--where only a few lucky could ever enter for it was too dangerous to get close to the orb.


    The Orb of Purity was a natural generator of Srium and could heal anyone who''d breathed the same air as it. So, the woman started to have her burn wounds from the acid recover without even knowing.


    But while Sylvester, the mother and child kept their eyes closed to pray.


    The Pope stood behind the three the whole time, watching over everything, with billions of thoughts running through his mind. Of course, the sadness of losing his only family, Grandpa Monk, had left him mentally exhausted.


    Then, he found out about Saint Seer''s betrayal, which devastated him. Furthermore, the fact that Sylvester may never trust him or respect him left a hole in his heart.


    In the Pope''s mind, the memories of the small Sylvester were still fresh, and he cherished them a lot. The candies, the giggles, the pulling of his beard, and all the awing sparkling eyes at his small magical feats--all those made his heart warm in those days.


    So now, when he looked at Sylvester''s back, big, broad and one fitting a strong man, he had a realisation which brought utter shame to his own heart.


    ''I was so blind in chasing peace and power that I neglected the true path of light that sat on myp and yed for years. How can I be so naive? Why couldn''t I see what my old man wanted me to understand?


    ''This boy... I should have tried to be the father figure in his life from day one, and yet I ignored him. Why is he even a clergyman after having gone through so much? After the faith sinned against him so much? His first student--killed by Void Keepers. His mother was nearly killed by what is an extension of me. He has no reason to sing for light, yet here he stands--The Lord''s Bard--shining so bright.''


    The Pope''s eyes shed with a sudden glow as he nced at the orb in the distance, and then at Sylvester again. ''I... I must set things right! I must spend my days and night--however many I have left to live--in training him.''


    He walked forward and stood in front of Sylvester, facing him. He gently patted Sylvester''s shoulder and spoke softly. "Son..."


    Sylvester opened his eyes but didn''t act shocked as he had smelled the intense worship, pain and hope.


    "Your Holiness?"


    The Pope shook his head and stared into Sylvester''s serene golden eyes. "No--Call me Mentor Kreed from today--Until the day you be the Supreme Wizard."


    [A/N: Boom! 300!


    Will post another one after a short nap.]


    ________________________


    700 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 301 301. Sylvester & Boris

    ''Yes! Yes! That''s what I''ve been waiting for! All the nning, all the killing, all the suffering--For this! This Olive Branch! The one that matters the most... Finally!''


    Sylvester was screaming in his mind, but his face only showed a simple, calm expression as if he wasn''t really shocked or excited about it. After all, the guilt trip must never end.


    "Wasn''t I supposed to be under your mentorship for every alternate six months already?" He asked.


    The Pope patted his shoulder. "This is different. Now, I shall teach you all I know about magic, fighting, and faith. I will ensure your great potential is not wasted even an ounce."


    ''Good, good! What else?''


    Sylvester bowed his head with respect. "I will forever be indebted, your holiness."


    "No, don''t call me that. As I said, I will be only a mentor when there is none other around us. And no, you are not indebted. Rather, this is my duty as a Pope. You are a talent found once in a thousand years, and if I don''t develop you, then I deserve not to be called the Pope. But first, let''s get you patched in Graced Vige."


    ''Fuck! No! No! Please no! Don''te with me!'' Sylvester cursed in his heart. After all, his greatest fear was anyone finding out that he had elven blood. And not just any elven blood, but the blood of the damn king of the heathens.


    Of course, he could not say that so openly. "Understood, your holiness."


    Sylvester focused on the mother and child that had apanied him. He then pushed the wheelchair and returned to the Pope''s Penins again to send the woman to the Sick Bay. There, she would be treated free of cost until she returned to good health. As for the kid, he could stay with her, and his food needs will be cared for too.


    The people quickly put everything behind them and focused on their daily lives. The pilgrims were mainly happy as the evil men were killed. But for the Administration department of the Holy Land, it was a gigantic headache as too many positions were now empty. Especially theck of the Cardinals and the Archbishops was going to hurt a lot as they oversaw many vital departments.


    Though, it was a boon in the long term as theymitted corruption in their departments as well.


    Sylvester still needed to finish his nning, however. He wanted two of his guys in the Supreme Council, and he already had two names in mind. So, after sending the Pope away with a n to head out for the Graced vige in two days, he went to meet the two Cardinals in a secluded ce.


    "Cardinal Robert Maxim and Cardinal Cornelius. It''s a pleasure to meet you again." Sylvester shook the hands of the two men and sat down by the chair. They were at an empty eatery''s first floor in the Guild''s Penins.


    Cardinal Robert Maxim was the man Sylvester had recently met. The man who didn''t help his sister due to his misced, overly loyal mind. Of course, that incident had now changed the man, as Sylvester helped him immensely. Not to mention, the man''s senior, the head of the Weapons research and production division, was conveniently among the names of Cardinals who sinned and died.


    Hence, it had opened a position, and Sylvester wanted Cardinal Maxim to take it. With that, by default, he''d be a member of the Supreme Council.


    As for Cardinal Cornelius, the man was previously the Suprima of the Duchy of Ironstone, where he waspromised due to the Witch''s wicked ns. But Sylvester had expanded the role of the Cardinal in his report so out of proportion that the man was invited to Holy Land to work.


    Of course, Sylvester ensured that the man knew it. Furthermore, the Cardinal was a great friend of Sir Dolorem. With that, he had some leverage over him. Moreover, Sylvester knew that the man had sex on many asions with that ugly Witch--Hence, the man didn''t deserve to be a Clergyman anymore. But Sylvester saved him by keeping that fact a secret in the report.


    Sylvester exined his n and asked them if they were willing. "So, give me an answer before I forward your names."


    Cardinal Cornelius was all happy. "Of course, Lord Bard. This is a great opportunity, and I''d love to serve the faith from the highest tform."


    "Good, but I hope you won''t go corrupt or object to my rightful promotion--Only to find your neck on a stone block." Sylvester gently gave the wise words of warning.


    "Of course. I am a man of faith, and I only serve the Lord. I have no love for money or women."


    Sylvester nodded and looked at Cardinal Maxim. "What about you, your eminence?"


    "How much time will the council take from my daily schedule?"


    "Not much. You don''t have to attend any meetings every single day. It''s asional, but the best thing is that you shall be the one running the Weapons research and manufacturing division. This means you can further focus on your projects and ideas--Of course, all in return for doing the ''right thing'' in the Council." Sylvester''s words couldn''t be more indirectly direct than that.


    He was clearly telling them to help him and favour him whenever needed.


    "I ept the offer, Lord Bard." Cardinal Maxim also agreed.


    "Great!" Sylvester stood up. "You two will most likely receive a letter from the Pope''s office soon. Once your background is checked and cleared, you''ll be a Supreme Council Member. This time, I''m sure the Holy Father will not hear anyone''s opinion to stop your appointments."


    Sylvester then headed to his home as he needed to help Xavia in her healing exercise. He hoped to teach a few Bright Mothers in the building how to do it, though, so he could focus on other things from time to time.


    ''I need tomission a builder for my house too. Sadly, I''ll have to dig all the tunnels myselfter.'' He nned.


    He had a lot in mind and little time to focus on everything. He had asked Felix and Gabriel for help as they weren''t given an assignment yet. There were also Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark, but they were Inquisitors and not essible. As for Zeke, his job was fixed already, to protect Xavia and Isabe.


    Of course, the big man was out of the prison, along with boot-licking apologies from the prison''s staff, who only beat Zeke as per the order of the two Cardinals. Sylvester also killed them for being an essory to the Cardinals'' crimes.


    Yes, he didn''t leave anyone. Not a single soul should rot and one day stand against him, he thought. He knew it was brutal, but he also understood that it was the onlynguage the world understood.


    So, the next day, he spent his time at home designing the building he wanted to construct. Furthermore, he also designed the logo he would use in front of the shop.


    "This is so cute. It''s hard to believe you made this." Xavia looked at the giant poster of the logo that Sylvester had drawn.


    It was straightforward but, at the same time, catchy. For the base, it had two circles. The bigger one was orange, and the smaller one was yellow. Then in the yellow circle, a pattern of a happy chubby cat''s face was drawn, along with heart-shaped eyes with bananas in them.


    [A/N: See it here.]


    "Are you sure about the name? Just ''Bard''s''? Isn''t that too simple?" Xavia asked.


    Just then, Isabe jumped over to sit beside Xavia, as if they were mother and daughter. "Sylvester, this is great. Just looking at it, I feel attracted."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sylvester proudly brushed his hair with his hand. "Well, the inspiration was cute, so this had to be good. As for the name, simple is best. It''s memorable, and people can easily associate it with me.


    "I will start its construction after returning in a few days. The Pope wants me to join him this time." But, unfortunately, he couldn''t share the reason as he had never told Xavia about his injury.


    The two women nodded and returned to looking at the poster and discussing the restaurant''s possible future sess.


    As for Sylvester, he went to sleep since he was to leave very early in the morning.


    ''I hope that Healer won''t ask for a price I can''t afford.''


    ...


    The following day, very early, Sylvester heard a knock on his door. It was still two hours before sunrise, so he was very annoyed. But, knowing who he was and where he lived, he didn''t shout as if it could be anyone.


    But, to his surprise, he had never seen this man. "Yes? Who are you?"


    The man, with his blonde hair, beard, tall build and middle-aged face, wasn''t even wearing church robes but a formal tunic, pants, leather boots and thin leather armour.


    The man creased his brows. "You don''t recognise me?"


    "..."


    "Holy Father?"


    "Correct! Let''s go. I''ve brought your horse too. Also, my name for the journey is Boris."


    "..."


    Sylvester was not expecting that. But he relented and quickly picked up the bag he had packed the night before. He also put Miraj in the bag as the fluffy cat would not wake up anytime soon.


    Then, he bid farewell to Xavia and left the house after locking it. He tried not to say too much to the Pope as he was yet to know the full extent of the Pope''s powers. Instead, he wished to analyse the man and create a conclusive character profile about him.


    Soon, the two rode side by side on the dark yet beautiful road withnterns on the side. However, they didn''t hurry as the destination was pretty close.


    "Why so early?" Sylvester asked for the same reason.


    "Because the more people are running around, the higher the chance is that someone will notice that I''m gone--too early." The Pope said.


    "You mean you didn''t tell anyone that you''re going out of the Holy Land?"


    "None at all, son."


    "..."


    "Why? Who can stop you even if you want to go? You''re the top authority in the church." Sylvester questioned.


    But the Pope sighed and looked sad. "You have no idea, young bard. If they knew, Lord Inquisitor and Saint Wazir would have prepared a grand army to escort me like I''m a five-year-old holy virgin. That would have ruined my little vacation."


    ''He does not seem to be lying, and I can smell the frustrations. He also appears more rxed from the manner of his speech.''


    "So this is a vacation for you? Then I hope I won''t be annoying to you, mentor."


    "Haha, not at all." The Popeughed as if this was his first time leaving the Holy Land. "Actually, I decided toe with you because of how weird that healer, Darwin Hendrix, is. I remember the strange request he made to me when I needed him a long time ago."


    Interest piqued, Sylvester couldn''t stop himself from asking. "What was it?"


    "Nothing much, but it was bizarre. He asked me to scratch his back and give him a full-body massage."


    "..."


    "And?"


    The Pope sighed and looked at his palms as if he could feel something on them. "Desperate times call for desperate measures, son. Remember that."


    "..."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 302 302. Sylvester, The Seducer

    "Umm¡­ Was he naked when you massaged him?" Sylvester asked out of curiosity.


    The Pope sighed and kept looking at his palms. "I was very desperate back then¡­ I needed him. But I was sure not to touch any inappropriate ces, for I am a man of faith and vowed to remain chaste."


    "..."


    ''I don''t know if I shouldugh or feel sorry for him. I sure hope that man won''t ask me anything strange. But if he does, I can simply say I''m a minor¡­ Ugh, there is no concept of minors here.'' Sylvester was already praying to god.


    "But why did he ask that from you? Couldn''t he just find a delicate woman to have done it?" Sylvester inquired.


    The Pope again sighed. "It''s the fate of a man who became too strong. A fate that all Grand Wizards and I suffer from. You see, we are too strong for any normal human to scratch our backs or massage us. Even when bathing, we have to use a metal bar with sharp spikes on it, and by the time we''re done scrubbing, even the spikes fade away."


    Sylvester nodded in agreement as he could understand that. He, too, had noticed that his body had be tougher. But he knew that there was still one big weakness that would never go away.


    "Yet our eyes remain the same as the day we were born."


    "Aye, they remain our weakest part. Hence, it''s important to master your own body before mastering anything else. When in a situation where it''s inevitable you''d get hit, you must know how to react so the hitnds on your strongest part only."


    Sylvester knew that the Pope was trying to impart some important knowledge to him. He appreciated it as well.


    "Mentor, if you don''t mind me asking, what''s the point of being a God''s Favoured, and how do you decide which year is the best to find the one?" Sylvester asked something that had bothered him for years. And who better to answer than a God''s Favoured himself?


    "Prophecy is your answer, son. Every Pope receives a prophecy once in their lifetime, a signal that they should start looking for the next in line. It''s not always someone from God''s Favoured ss who seeds, however. Often, the prophecy is aimed at an already adult man who has just not been discovered yet.


    "So, most Popes would take the year the prophecy was made and send out word to find and make a special ss for the God''s Favoured. As for what''s the point? Well, the one to rise to the top, in the end, bes the official candidate for the seat of the next Pope. But, of course, whether they be a Pope or not depends entirely on their own abilities.


    "Because if they couldn''t even win that race, they were never destined to be the Pope. And that''s where you rest now, young Bard. I''m one hundred per cent sure that you will soon be God''s Favoured at the top. But how you prepare to take my seat after me depends on you."


    Sylvester bobbed his head in understanding. "Do I get any perks for being the final God''s Favoured?"


    "Well, you will get one more title attached to your name, but it''s insignificant. What matters is that many clergymen will flock to you to curry favours and hope to join your camp. Since you''re widely recognised as a genius, I''m sure there will be a considerable crowd. But I''d be cautious, as some of them can be double agents." The Pope warned him.


    Sylvester nodded and rubbed his chin in thought, and also somewhat sad for theck of hair on his damn chin.


    ''So the God''s Favoured tag is just to filter out a candidate likely to be the Pope? But I''m unique as I also have the power of a halo and singing. My advantage in terms of visuals is great.''


    Amidst their talk, they soon arrived at the Graced Vige just a little west on the Gold Road. It was small but immacte, and the houses looked well-maintained. The people walking around were also well dressed, and no beggars or poor were in sight.


    It was very early in the morning, and it had only been an hour since the sunrise. But, the people were already hard at work. Many eateries were preparing food and filling the air with mouth-watering aromas. Meanwhile, the farmers were preparing for their workday, and the children went to the monastery to study.


    Seeing the children running around, Sylvester had a thought. "Mentor, have you ever thought about banning child very in general? So that if the parents are enved, the kids are kept free, and if a ve gives birth, their children will not be ves?"


    "I did, but they won''t allow it to pass. The Supreme Council is filled with many who take donations from various lords anddies. Having ves give birth to more ves is profitable for them." The Pope exined.


    But Sylvester shrugged. "You''d be delighted to know that Isabe wants to abolish very once she takes the throne. As for us, you can just tell the Supreme Council members that if they don''t support, then they''d be seen from the same lens we saw the heathen Cardinals recently¡ªOf course, the message should be subtle.


    "Furthermore, let''s spread the name of all the very-favouring Cardinals and shame them to the point that they either kill themselves or kneel to us."


    "Haha, you underestimate how thick-skinned they are, young bard." The Popeughed. "But the idea is good, and it may work on some. But let''s not talk about it. We''ve arrived."


    Sylvester looked ahead and noticed a walled house. The wall was just a metre tall and was made of mud bricks. It was painted with colourful kid''s drawings of trees and the sun.


    Meanwhile, the house was not too big either, probably three or four rooms big, and only had a single storey.


    "He lives very modestly," Sylvester muttered.


    "Knock on the door." The Pope pushed him ahead.


    Sylvester did so and waited. He looked at the surroundings with interest and wondered why the ce was called Graced Vige. Was it just because it was close to the Holy Land?


    nk!


    "Yes?"


    Sylvester looked back up. But, instinctively, he took a step back as there was a woman who had no business being as pretty as she was. Spotless pale face, green eyes, jet ck hair, and a six-foot-tall athletic figure. Her clothes were simple yet seemed like a regal gown on her. Heck, her voice seemed like a song of a cuckoo.


    Sylvester fixed his clergyman robes and spoke in a calm voice. "I am¡­"


    However, when he nced at her face, she had the same reaction that he had not long ago. Her eyes seemed wide, and her little mouth seemed slightly open while she stared at his face.


    "I am Sylvester Maximilian, the Bard of the Lord, a God''s Favoured Candidate. I am from the Holy Land, here to see the respected Healer Darwin Hendrix." He introduced himself.


    The woman kept staring at Sylvester for another good minute before speaking. "Have I seen you before?"


    "No, I''m sure I''d have remembered a graceful face like yours if I had," Sylvester replied with some healthy flirting.


    "Oh¡­" She blushed and stepped back a little. "My husband is inside. Pleasee in, respected¡­"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Who dares flirt with my wife!" Suddenly, a roar resounded from inside the house, and a tall, six-foot-five man with broad shoulders, grey hair and a beard, with nothing on his torso, walked out with a giant axe.


    Sylvester frowned and bowed his head. "May the Holy Light enlighten us, respected healer. Forgive me if my words offended you. I merely appreciated the beauty of nature that your beloved spouse is. You are graced by the Lord, I must say."


    ''Fuck, why is she feeling even more lustful towards me now? What did I do? And¡­ Good, the old man is not angry anymore.''


    "Clergyman? Ah, so it''s one of you virgin lots? Well,e inside. You arrived at just the right time, as I have a task for you to do if you want my help." Healer Hendrix turned around and walked back into his house.


    Sylvester had to slide from the little gap the woman had left for him to enter. She was in a trance-like state for some reason.


    "I''m ine, my lord!" She spoke once he walked past her.


    Sylvester just nodded and followed the Healer inside. The Pope also followed behind him. And soon, they sat on a mat inside the house in front of the Healer.


    The room was full of various cupboards on the walls filled to the brim with multiple jars holding ingredients. The Healer also sat on the ground on the mat, but he had a small, low-height table in front, on which he kept a few parchments to write about various symptoms.


    "So you''re the famed Bard? What can I do for you?"


    Sylvester patted his leg. "I fought with Shadow Knight and sadly, at the same time, had a rank-up to Archwizard rank. Since I had to keep fighting, I had some adverse effects. I''m suffering from a Srium Blockage on my leg."


    The Healer rubbed his beard. "You fought the Shadow Knight? Impossible!"


    "Light Magic works like a charm." Sylvester created a small ball of light on his fingertip. "So, can you help me?"


    The Healer nodded and stood up. He disappeared into a room and returned with a little girl, about five years old.


    "Reeee! Gimme candy! Gimme candy! Reeee¡­!"


    The girl was screeching like a banshee, and there was no end to it. She kicked her legs and arms and pped the poor healer.


    "Here, this is my daughter, Daline. She''s like a demon incarnate, and I need you to calm her down. You make her silent, and I shall heal you." Healer Hendrix said with a frustrated frown on his face.


    "Let me go! Let me go!"


    ''What kind of request is this? How long has she been screaming to break a Grand Wizard''s patience?'' Sylvester wondered.


    But he still gave it a try. "Can I hold her?"


    "Be my guest."


    Sylvester took the spoiled five-year-old from the Pope''s arms and made her sit on hisp, facing his chest. She constantly cried and didn''t look at him, so he had to warm his hands to gain her attention.


    "Daline, look at me." He spoke softly as if singing. "Do you want to see magic?"


    "Hmm?" Soon, her eyes opened, and she looked up.


    Her eyes sparkled, and her mouth went agape, just like her mother. Her tearful eyes instantly turned into eyes of interest.


    Sylvester still proceeded with his trick. He put a small piece of candy on his right palm. "Look here. I can make this disappear right in front of your eyes."


    Daline kept staring at his palm and wondered what would happen.


    Sylvester had signalled Miraj already. So the furry boy quickly jumped, chomped on the candy, and returned to his seat.


    "Woah!" Daline eximed in awe. "How did you do that?"


    Sylvester smiled and caressed her ck hair. Her face was too simr to her mother''s and looked absolutely adorable. "Dear, a good magician never reveals a trick."


    ''Wait, what''s this?'' Sylvester didn''t show any emotions, but when he caressed her hair, he felt something strange near the side of her head.


    "Big brother is the best!" She chirped cutely and hugged his neck to leave a peck on his cheek. "I love big brother! Daddy, I marry big brother now¡ªYou''re old and smelly."


    "..."


    Boom!


    Healer Darwin Hendrix jumped, ran out, and brought his axe again. "You damn scoundrel! First, my wife, and now you dare seduce my daughter! My Daline!"


    "..."


    ________________________


    700 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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 Chapter 303 303. Trouble

    "No!" Daline stood up with her arms extended out, protecting Sylvester behind herself with her eyes full of fire.


    "Daddy, no! It''s not big brother''s fault that you''re old and smelly! But don''t worry, I will visit you once every month."


    "..."


    "Bwahaha¡­" The Popeughed heartily and patted the girl''s head. "Do you want to marry our young bard? But he''s a clergyman. So he can''t marry a woman or have a family."


    "Correct!" Healer Hendrix chirped. "My precious, that boy is a clergyman. He''s devoted to God and can''t marry anyone."


    "B-But¡­" Her eyes became watery once again. "I just¡­ I want big brother¡­"


    Sylvester patted her head and spoke kindly. "We can still be very good friends, Daline. I am also building a small house nearby, so you cane there to see me from time to time. It will also be selling a lot of tasty food."


    "Really? How tasty?" She asked.


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and wondered how to exin a pizza''s taste. "It''s delicious, and there is also a new sweet-ice, and tangy drink. You will love it, I promise. But, if you cry, I''m afraid the shopkeeper there won''t let you in."


    "But I don''t cry that much. I only shout to make daddy do things for me¡­Oh!" She unknowingly spoke too much and looked at her father with worry.


    But, the old man Hendrix didn''t appear angry at all. He was just smiling and doting. "Oho! My little Daline is so smart. She knows how to manipte people. Good girl."


    "..."


    Sylvester was annoyed and shocked to see that the enabler of the girl''s crying was none other than her father. ''Why even ask me to shut her up then?''


    He sighed and ignored the minor inconvenience. He just wanted to get his srium blockage treated as fast as possible.


    "So, can we start with the treatment now?" Sylvester inquired and let the girl go.


    "Sure. Just go there and lie down." Hendrix pointed at a mattress set in the corner of the room.


    "Remove your clothes except for the underwear as well. I will first check your entire body and see if there is any other blockage. Srium Blockage is not amon condition; I have only treated it slightly over a dozen times. Usually, it''s caused by some dumb wizards or knights doing more dumb things. But in your case, it''s different. You had to battle for your life, meaning you spent all your srium. At the same time, you were ranking up to Archwizard rank, which is not a low rank. Hence the damage might be more substantial."


    Sylvester silently digested all the knowledge and asked questions from time to time. "Have you ever been unsessful at treating this?"


    "Once¡ªIt was a mess. It was some dumb prince on the Sand Continent. He didn''t have a high talent but wanted it at all costs. So, he thought it''d be great to inject the blood of an Archwizard into his body just when he was about to rank up to Adept Wizard in the hope it would magically make him the same. It didn''t, and he died miserably as every organ in his body failed over a period of a month. I was sightseeing there, so I went to see him." Hendrix collected his tools as he talked about the story.


    The Pope nodded, as he knew some cases like that too. "Indeed. I know a few buffoons who tried body muttion to raise their Wizard talent. One tried to inject the soul of a lizard into his body to gain regenerative property. Unfortunately, the wizard only died as his body disintegrated itself over a period of a month. The sad part is that the man already had the talent of a Grand Wizard, but his greed killed him."


    "Wait." Hendrix looked at the Pope with a confused face. "Who are you?"


    The Pope smirked and rubbed his chin. "Make a guess."


    Hendrix walked around the Pope a few times. "Hmm¡­ Show me your hands."


    The Pope did, and the healer tapped on the Pope''s palms a few times. "I knew it! You''re the Pope, aren''t you? I can never forget that massage. It was the best of my lifetime."


    "..."


    Sylvester looked at the two tall, old men giggling and touching each other. "You remember him from the hands? And you don''t seem very shocked that the Pope is here."


    "Why would I be shocked by the Pope? Isn''t he just a powerful human? Like any other king or queen, perhaps not as corrupt and spoiled." Hendrix replied and moved to Sylvester.


    ''I don''t smell any fear or anxiety from him. This is¡­ weird. Every time I see someone interacting with the Pope or even the Guardians, the other side reeks of fear.''


    Sylvester removed his robes andy down facing the ceiling without asking any more questions. "The pain usually remains in my leg. Whenever it bes unbearable, I cut open a wound and remove the blood clots."


    "Shh¡­ Don''t speak now." Hendrix started tapping on Sylvester''s body and caressing some parts.


    From his neck to his chest, then his abs, and to the thighs. He even tapped on theher regions over the underwear. But the man was a doctor, and Sylvester knew better than to feel ashamed of your doctor.


    The evaluationsted a whole hour, and Hendrix checked every spot on Sylvester. By the end, Sylvester even felt like sleeping as all the tapping felt like a massage.


    "You''re alright. I noticed a minor blockage on your left shoulder too, but it''s so minor that you never felt it. Other than that, it''s only on the leg. You''re one lucky man. The survival rate against the Shadow Knight is zero, and you not only survived but also ranked up simultaneously. Now, I just need to take a blood sample from the clot on the thigh." Hendrix moved away from Sylvester and fiddled with something in his table drawer.


    Sylvester became slightly nervous in that instant. "What''s the blood for?"


    "To see if your blockage is Srium blockage or some other disease such as cancer. If it''s cancer, then I can''t help much. It''s the one disease that''s hardest to heal since it''s tied to a person''s blood itself."


    Sylvester was still not satisfied. There was no denying that the man could effortlessly know he had Elven blood in him. ''This is bad. He''s a grand wizard. It should be a piece of cake for him to differentiate the blood of various species.''<novelnext></novelnext>


    "How do you find out something like that?" He inquired.


    "Tsk, you''re too intruding, kid. I''m a Grand Wizard, not your little run-of-the-mill healer with shy green hands. My knowledge goes deeper, and even without magic, I can heal most diseases. It''s easy to separate the blood''sponents and see if there is any abnormality. No more questions now, or you can go home."


    Sylvester shut up for good. ''Should I abort? But¡­ Where else can I find someone to heal this? In the Holy Land, too, they will take my blood, and if they test it there, I''m dead. Hmm¡­ Lord Inquisitor did say this man''s tongue can be trusted¡ªBut how religious is he? That''s what matters.''


    Sadly, he had no way of knowing.


    ''What should I do? Taking a leap of faith is something dumb people do, especially in a situation like this. If they find out, mum and I will be killed before we can even think about running away.''


    "Aha! There it is, this little bugger." Hendrix eximed suddenly. "I recently bought this from a travelling healer. He said this little thing is called Syringe, and it''s bloody brilliant! I don''t need to make any cuts to take samples anymore."


    ''A man who was so interested in healing arts that despite having the talent of a Grand Wizard, he didn''t pick a sword or a staff?'' Sylvester had an idea just then, something too risky, but it was better than going in blind.


    ''If he values healing arts more than anything, then perhaps my knowledge can make him interested enough to think twice before revealing my secret.''


    The Pope proudly bellowed just then. "Darwin, do you want to know who the inverter is?"


    "Who?"


    "You''re about to stab him."


    "..."


    Hendrix turned around and stared at Sylvester and then at the syringe in his hand. He did it many times before speaking. "No lies?"


    "I had to make it to healmoners who were injured by the Soul Eater demon," Sylvester answered. "I also created a rehydration potion one can use on sick to keep them from dying. It''s all patented in the Church."


    "Indeed. The bard is a genius." The Pope was acting more like a boasting grandpa than a Pope.


    ''Good, feel the excitement and interest in me.'' Sylvester silently observed everything.


    But Hendrix didn''t say anything and instead proceeded with the extraction. He plunged the needle into Sylvester''s thigh and took out some blood in a small ss vial. It was a rtively short process.


    Then, Hendrix returned to his table and poured the vial''s content onto a small ss te. After that, he hovered his right hand on it and produced a strange red light of multipleyered runes. Neither the Pope nor Sylvester had seen them before.


    Hendrix kept doing it for a good fifteen minutes. By the end, the ss te had a few dots of different colours and textures.


    Sylvester kept his senses high and focused on the emotions. ''Please don''t be a crazy fanatic.''


    "So?" The Pope asked.


    "He''s alright. See these dots? All these areponents of blood. Red blood cells, white blood cells, telets, sma and a few more. The good news is that he does not have any other disease." Hendrix said before pouring some burning oil on the ss te and finishing it there.


    "Why did you burn the blood? Is thatmon practice?" The Pope questioned him.


    Hendrix shrugged and watched as the ss te melted and soon turned into dust. "You want his blood to fall into the hands of someone evil out there? I take no risks with folks as important as him."


    The Pope nodded firmly. "True, he''s the future backbone of the faith."


    Sylvester''s eyes narrowed in that instant. "Really? You didn''t find anything in my blood?"


    "No, you''re good, bard," Hendrix replied.


    Sylvester took a sigh of relief and rubbed his head awkwardly. "Hah, I thought I''d have diabetes or something since I eat so much honey."


    But within the mind, a storm of turmoil was raging.


    ''Fuck! He knows! He bloody knows! What do I do now? There''s no way I can kill a Grand Wizard!''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 304 304. Sylvesters Counter

    Sylvester didn''t know what to do. His mind was nk, and there was nobody he could count on to deal with this situation. He knew that Hendrix likely knew he had elven blood, but not who''s blood. It was impossible to check without the Holy Land''s help.


    He stared into the man''s eyes, and thetter did the same. As if the two were talking through their eyes, they kept looking at each other.


    "Bard, who else do you have in your family?" Hendrix asked.


    Sylvester replied honestly. "Just a mother who birthed me alone in a remote vige of Hignd Kingdom. Sadly, the vigers tried to kill me, and the church adopted me. Just like what Grandpa Monk used to say--One who has nothing, the Church bes their everything."


    Pope at the side agreed with that statement in particr. "Rightly said, young bard. The old man used to say this often."


    "What about your father?" Hendrix inquired.


    Sylvester shrugged. "Mum said he''s no longer with us. I don''t pry too much as I don''t care who my father was. All I care about is my mother and the lord."


    There was silence once again as the two looked at each other''s faces for many seconds. But there was nothing conclusive that came up.


    However, with that short exchange, both learned that thetter was aware of the other''s intentions.


    "I will have to cut open your blockage and first look at it to decide how to treat it. Every srium blockage is different. Some remain fixed to one ce, and some are more spread around and require deeper surgery." Hendrix brought the topic back to healing.


    But that left Sylvester in more worry. ''Is he trying to sabotage me? Cut me open, so I can''t run away while he tells everything to the Pope?''


    He decided to confirm his doubts indirectly. "Is it going to leave me immobile? What if some danger urs while I''m injured? Perhaps we should return to the Holy Land, and youe with us."


    Hendrix grunted annoyedly. "Why would I do that? Bard, no need to be scared. You are with a Grand Wizard and a Supreme Wizard. And I won''t be making a big incision. It will be an inch wide, as I only need to take a look at the blockage."


    ''He''s not lying, nor do I feel any disgust or hatred from him. But I''m one hundred per cent sure he knows.'' Sylvester had a choice to make.


    "Where is the restroom?" He asked suddenly.


    Again, Hendrix looked at Sylvester for a few seconds before speaking. "Out of the room, second door to your left."


    Sylvester nodded and walked out of the room swiftly. He looked around at the house''s structure, decorations and every other minor detail. His mind was in havoc, and he desperately looked for something totch on to.


    Soon, he entered the restroom and shut the door behind him. Of course, he didn''t need to use it. He only wanted to speak with Miraj.


    "Chonky, I have an important task for you. I need you to search the entire house and find anything suspicious or strange. Perhaps some sort of an evil medical experimentation practice. Human remains or something rted to heathens. The man travelled the world. There is no way he''s normal." He ordered Miraj.


    Miraj saluted with his paw. "Aye, aye, Maxy. But why do I need to search? Did something happen?"


    "That healer knows, Chonky." Sylvester got closer to Miraj''s ear. "You know, about my father. If he tells the Pope, then I will be killed. So I need leverage to counter-ckmail Hendrix."


    Miraj nodded his head intensely. "Got it! Find dirty stuff about the healer."


    "Good." Sylvester walked out of the restroom and let Miraj run away to search the house.


    But Sylvester didn''t go to the healer instantly. Instead, he went to find the healer''s family and see if he could leverage something through them. So he arrived at the kitchen of the house, where various utensils were on multiple furnaces, cooking dinner.


    At the same time, Daline, the little girl, was sitting on a chair beside ine, the wife of Hendrix. She was reciting some words from a book and remembering various things.


    "Daline, you need to memorise all this, or your dad won''t buy you the pony you wanted," ine warned the little girl.


    Daline grunted. "Ugh... But this is so boring. I wanna dance, I wanna y and talk to big brother."


    Sylvester walked in and made his presence known. "Daline, if you memorise this, I will sing you a song and y my special musical instrument."


    "Really?"


    "Promise."


    Daline''s big eyes quickly focused on the book and started reading with focus this time.


    ''She''s too innocent and adorable. There is no way I''d find anything from her. But the mother, she''s too pretty to be married to an old man, and the way she said she had seen me before was not natural.''


    So Sylvester focused on her. "Thank you for epting us in the house, mydy."


    ine blushed and waved her hand. "No, no, it''s fine. You''re very famous and respected by all. It''s an honour to meet you, Lord Bard. I''ve heard a lot about you, and honestly, I hope Daline will memorise so I can hear your famous hymns."


    Sylvester smiled warmly. "Don''t worry, even if Daline fails, I can always sing a few hymns for you privately. By the way, I wanted to ask something. Why did you say you''ve seen me before?"


    "I still stand by those words, Lord Bard. When I saw you, I felt as if I had met you before. I can''t remember when and where, but you look very familiar."


    ''No lies, no confusion, but a lot of romantic interest. It seems I won''t find anything here either, and harming them would be the most foolish option. I hope Chonky finds something now.''


    "That''s very strange, but if you remember it, then do tell me. I shall return to the other room now. But, again, thank you for your hospitality, mydy."


    Rubbing his head in frustration, he returned to the healing room andid down on the mattress on the side. By then, Hendrix was ready to do the minor surgery with his heated, sanitised des.


    The method of surgery was not very popr in the world, even among good healers, as it leaves too much uncertainty. So, only a few master healers do such things.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "It will hurt a little, but if you''ve been cutting yourself open, then I believe you''ll be fine." Hendrix started working on his leg.


    He used a sharp de to cut the skin of his thigh. He then ced a surgical retractor that stretched open the small incision and allowed Hendrix to look inside. Of course, blood wasing out profusely, but it was all fixed with magic.


    Hendrix then used a small pair of forceps to remove a small chunk of a blood clot. After that, he quickly removed the Surgical Retractor and proceeded to pour some sort of molten wax on the incision without stitching it up.


    "I might have to open it again, so I will not stitch it yet. Let me check the blood clot first." Hendrix said and walked to the side to take out another ss te. He put the sample on it and used his special magical runes.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester only stared at the man, fearing that he''d reveal his secret at any moment. ''If he wants, he can easily kill me right now. I won''t even be able to run or fight back in the slightest.''


    "As I guessed." Hendrix didn''t look delighted with whatever he saw. "This is not good, Bard. You havee toote to me. The clot has started to spread, and it''s a worse version of a clot that strengthens itself by consuming srium in that part of the body. So, I will have to open you up and burn the Srium from that whole region. However, we will need to go to a srium hotspot for the surgery to ensure a better recovery."


    At this point, anything that Hendrix was saying felt like a lie, even though Sylvester didn''t smell anything like that. The paranoia that the two overly powerful men could kill them no matter how much he may struggle was not very calming.


    "The Soul Penins!" The Pope eximed. "You won''t find a better ce than that. There is also the old man''s shack for us to use."


    "Are you sure? Won''t that be against the rules of the Church?" Hendrix inquired.


    The Popeughed proudly. "Yes, and I am the Supreme Pontiff of the church. Don''t worry. As long as the young bard is healed, nothing matters."


    "Good, then I shall pack the luggage with my family. I hope you don''t mind my daughter and wifeing along. I never leave them behind anywhere, for I am the one who ensures they remain safe."


    "Dear, the dinner is ready." ine''s call came from the kitchen.


    Hendrix stood up instantly. "Well, my beautiful wife has prepared food. Let''s go and appreciate it. "Bard, you stay here for a few more minutes and let the wound heal."


    Sylvester nodded diligently. He didn''t have ns to go anyway, as Miraj had returned and was waiting for a chance to tell him something.


    "I will join you in a minute." He muttered while showing a pained face.


    With that, the two old men left the room. Miraj then started to whisper in his ear. "Maxy, there is something strange on the top floor''sst room. There is a strange shrine in that room."


    "Are you sure it''s not Solis'' shrine?"


    Miraj shook his chubby head firmly. "No, no, I know Solis. Solis is shiny, and this one was not."


    Sylvester didn''t waste a moment as he had a tiny window of opportunity. "Good, then you stay here and do anything you can to stop anyone froming to the upper floor. I will go and take a look."


    "Aye, Aye, Maxy!"


    Sylvester didn''t feel much pain as he had abnormal healing. But still, he was slightly limped in one leg. However, it wasn''t big enough of a problem. So he arrived in the room Chonky talked about in no time.


    As soon as he entered, there wasplete darkness. So he created light from his magic, and there it was, at the end of the empty room.


    "Hmm... This is definitely not Solis'' shrine."


    He got close to it and checked it carefully. There were real idols ced in the shrine, opposite to what''s usually in Solis'' shrine. But, he could not remember who the idol belonged to.


    ''The decorations here only point in one direction. If it''s true, it''ll exin everything.''


    He had many thoughts but no time. So, he walked back and, without any mishap, arrived at the dining room. He also took a seat and silently started to eat. But he also nced at Hendrix and his family the whole time.


    ''Only one way of clearing the doubt.''


    "This is very tasty, mydy." He praised the woman and ate fast.


    A surge of tension was looming in the room, but only Sylvester and Hendrix knew it. They shared a look at one another from time to time but never spoke.


    Then thirty minutes passed, and everyone was done eating. ine and Daline were working to get the tes washed. And the Pope also went to wash his hands and take a leak.


    ''This is the moment. I think I have a decent idea of what that idol is.''''


    "Respected Healer Darwin Hendrix, you never told me about your family correctly. I never knew you were an admirer of Remira Goddess. No wonderdy ine felt close to me for some reason." Sylvester started pressing him and instantly sensed the rising anxiety from the man.


    "How did this evene to be? A Grand Wizard, so close to the Holy Land--Married to an elf and has a half-elf daughter.''


    Thud!


    A ss of water fell from Hendrix''s hands as both men red into each other''s raging eyes.


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 305 305. Mutual Benefits

    Tensions red up. Sylvester and Hendrix waited to see which side would make its move first.


    "That was good food, Hendrix. Give my thanks to your wife." The Pope returned.


    Sylvester quickly changed the topic. "Indeed, mentor. Give my thanks to Lady ine as well, respected healer. But we should now rest as we leave early in the morning."


    Hendrix nodded and picked up the fallen ss. "Yes, let''s do that. My wife has set up a room for you at the end of the hallway. There are two separate mattresses on the ground. You can sleep on them. In the meantime, I will go and get myself a small carriage from the vige chief for the travel."


    Sylvester stood up. "I will help you. The least I can do for healing me."


    Hendrix didn''t spare any words and silently walked away. Sylvester kept a good eye on everyone at the same time and especially focused on the emotions of the Pope. He was worried that the old man would sense something was wrong. After all, he was the Pope.


    "Good, go and help him. I shall do my evening prayers." The Pope walked towards the assigned room.


    ''Hmm, I wonder what''s the daily schedule of the Pope. Does he do anything special? Are his prayers special?'' Sylvester interestedly looked at him go.


    Then once clear, he walked out of the house and noticed Hendrix standing near the gate of the property''s boundary wall. ''I hope he knows he can''t kill me.''


    "Follow me."


    Sylvester did so and soon arrived in a small barn where the cows were sleeping. There, Hendrix closed the door and turnedpletely serious while speaking. "Who else knows about you?"


    "None," Sylvester replied. "What about you?"


    "I, my wife, daughter, and now you," Hendrix answered. His hands seemed to be twitching, perhaps preparing an attack.


    Sylvester didn''t let his guard down either. He knew he couldn''t fight a Grand Wizard, but all he had to do was make a loud enough sound to alert the Pope. For a Supreme Wizard, killing a Grand Wizard was as easy as stepping over a cat.


    Sylvester chose his words carefully. "How did ite to be?"


    "Does love need a ce and time to flourish? She was kidnapped by vers from Beastaria, and I saved her in Masan by buying her in an auction. She was about to be sold to a high noble infamous for killing his ves. I protected her and promised to help her reach the eastern coast from where she could return home.


    "Over the journey, we fell in love, and by the grace of god, our union was sessful, and we were gifted with a lovely daughter. So, what now, Bard? She has taken the faith of Solis, so this shouldn''t be a problem."


    Sylvester countered him. "I saw the shrine of the elven goddess, so it''s no use lying."


    "It is to teach Daline about her other home. I wish for her to one day visit her homnd and see where her mother came from."


    Sylvester scoffed strongly at that statement, although he smelled no lies. "You should know this better than most. Elves hate anything that''s not pure elven. Half-bloods are loathed and only considered one step above ves. So, if you want Daline to be a slightly higher ve but a ve nheless, then you''re wee to go."


    "Is that why you remain here? Disguising as a clergyman?" Hendrix asked.


    Sylvester sighed and walked closer to the man. He wanted to remove the tension as he knew that both of them held each other''s secrets that could result in disasters. "Let''s take a seat."


    Sylvester dragged two wooden crates and passed one to the man while he sat on one. "No, I am not disguising. For the majority of my life, I didn''t even know about my bloodline. So, I see myself as human, and that''s it.


    "I pray to Solis, I preach Solis, and I love helping followers of Solis. I sing the hymns of the lord as his bard. As a Sanctum Inspector, I fight for the goodness of the world, defeat bloodlings and demons, and uncover heathen plots that spread chaos or even general crimes. Well, can a disguised man do something like this?"


    Sylvester sang a very short hymn to show his halo to ensure that Hendrix didn''t see him as just a half-elf but as a genuinely blessed child.


    a??Heathens, Bloodlings, Demons or so.


    Not in blood, but minds, it may grow.


    Humans or not, it''s true for all.


    You''re blessed if you hear Solis'' call.a??


    a??So praise the Lord, and open your heart.


    Let the worries of the future depart.


    Blessed healer, I hope you''re smart.


    If not praying yet, it''s not toote to start.a??


    As he stopped singing and the halo disappeared from behind him, he faced Hendrix and tried to smell the scents.


    Indeed, the result pleased him. ''I don''t smell it much, but the sense of worship is in there. He does not appear angry or anxious anymore, either. Good, this is going great.''


    "Isn''t it against the faith to allow worship of a different god?" Hendrix asked him.


    Sylvester warmly smiled like he was saying the words of God. "I see the world differently. Solis is the supreme god, the creator of the universe, space and time. Whatever we see around us is his creation, including elves, dwarves and even their gods.


    "In a sense, the elven gods or any god or spirit are also children of Solis. Hence, we all belong to Solis, and as long as we have the Supreme Father in our hearts, we can worship his children too. And I firmly believe this path is what shall unite this world someday."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Hendrix nodded in silence, likely weighing his options. But a small thought still lingered, telling him to kill Sylvester. After all, the best way to hide a secret was to erase anyone who knew it.


    Sylvester sensed it and warned him. "I don''t want to harm your family, for they are innocents. Nor can I kill you as you are too strong. But you can not kill me either, as that would doom your family. The Pope will kill you easily, and your wife and daughter will be caught and sold as elven bed ves at a high price. And if you somehow run, you still won''t ever live in peace as the Church of Solis sees all--everywhere."


    Hendrix obviously didn''t like that. Of course, nobody likes it when someone threatens their family, be it Sylvester or him.


    Bam!


    Hendrix jumped to Sylvester suddenly, faster than Sylvester could react and lifted him by his throat. "Speak again about hurting them, and I will..."


    "Yes, they will be harmed if you proceed to clench my throat." Sylvester didn''t stop speaking. "Don''t let the rage cloud your judgement, respected healer. Both of us are in the same boat, just in different circumstances. In fact, I have more to lose than you because you live away from the Holy Land, and nobody is after you to kill you.


    "While I have enemies all around me, trying to find an opportunity to end me, like the Shadow Knight. Someone even tried to kill my mother just a few months ago. You may feel you are cursed, but I am cursed once and then again and again. Not only do I have to worry about my mother, but also my blood, about work, about surviving on every mission I go to. I have no option but to rise... But you have the option to live wherever you want--However you want. I am envious, truly."


    Hendrix let Sylvester down gently and sat back, reeking of guilt. "Forgive me. I didn''t know... It must be exhausting to manoeuvre while living in the lion''s den itself."


    "It''s tough, but good folks do exist. Anyway, if we have an understanding, we should return." Sylvester extended his hand to shake.


    Hendrix wasted no time responding. "As you said, we are in the same boat. I have no hatred or animosity towards you, so I have no reason to harm you."


    "Likewise. In fact, I believe we can partner with each other to create a better world. I have recently acquired two eyes that belonged to Duke Daemon of Gracia. I could use some help researching it." Sylvester offered him.


    Hendrix wasn''t interested. "Why would I be interested in eyes?"


    "Because Duke Daemon had the ability of Futuresight. Just imagine if we''re able to crack the secrets of futuresight. Then, we will be able to protect our families from any harm yet toe." Sylvester added and made the deal much sweeter.


    "..."


    "Are you serious? Do you have any idea how rare Futuresight is? I have never met anyone in my long life who had such an ability."


    Sylvester smirked proudly. "I not only found him but defeated him as well. So, are you interested?"


    "Absolutely, Bard. I will be delighted to even check the eyes, let alone research them. But where and how? I''m sure many eyes are on you, and I''d rather not have them focusing on me." Hendrix said, exining his well-deserved fears.


    But Sylvester had already started working on this aspect. "Worry not, respected healer. As I told Daline, I am building a house with an extensivebyrinth underground nearby. On the surface, it will be an eatery. You can visit it to eat, and do the researchter. But it''s better if you remove the elven goddess''s shrine and trim your daughter''s ears. I could easily feel them when patting her."


    Hendrix took a long breath and nodded. It was reasonable, even more so, after having been caught by Sylvester so easily. "I will, Bard. I should now go and get the carriage. You should return, or the Pope may get suspicious."


    Sylvester agreed. "See you in the morning."


    "Likewise. And... I hope I won''t be betrayed."


    "I feel the same," Sylvester responded and left. He knew it was impossible to be one hundred per cent trusting towards each other with such a short meeting.


    ''Who knew this misfortune would bring me a fortune? With him, the research of those eyes will be easier. Then, if I can crack the secret--Perhaps I will be able to see the future. This is quite exciting.''


    He silently went to his room and rested down on the mattress to sleep. But, to his surprise, the Pope was already snoring by then.


    ...


    The next day, they woke up early, just an hour before the sun rose.


    They prepared all the luggage and filled the carriage. But, for some reason, the Pope decided to tie his and Sylvester''s horses to the carriage as well and travel on the carriage itself.


    Sylvester had noticed the weirdness in the Pope since early morning. ''Why do I smell so much anxiety in him today?''


    "All ready. Let''s move." Hendrix locked his house''s door and took the reinsman''s seat. The Pope sat beside him while Sylvester, ine and Daline sat behind under the arched cloth roof of the carriage.


    "Big Brother! Sing me a song, please. I remembered my homework yesterday." Daline jumped onto Sylvester''sp and requested.


    But Sylvester was only focused on Pope addressing him and Hendrix in a low voice.


    "You two, keep your senses open. I had an ominous feeling while praying this morning. If I shout, protect ine and Daline."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 306 306. Declaration Of Darkness

    ''What? What can tense him up?'' Sylvester was left in confusion. But sadly, the Pope didn''t borate any further and silently watched the road the whole way.


    "Big brother, the song, please!" Daline nudged him continuously.


    He sighed and relented. "Fine."


    He took out his violin from the luggage. It was something he always carried along in a hard case. It was small and didn''t take up too much space, and carrying it with a horse was easy.


    "Alright, now close your eyes and just listen to the music." He instructed her and held the instrument carefully. "The song''s name is ''Where the two worlds meet''."


    a??So many names, it''s so hard to count.


    Some lost, and some gloriously surmount.


    Many shing fates--impossible to ount.


    Yet it''s our responsibility to be history''s fount.a??


    a??From here, from there, or across the ocean.


    God built us all to feel the same emotion.


    We''re yet to find the unity''s real notion.


    To live, we all share the same devotion.a??


    a??But a warm world is a creation yet toplete.


    So work hard, count the days and dream sweet.


    When love shall prevail and forms a crowded street.


    Rejoice, for that will be where the two worlds meet.a??


    Nobody disturbed Sylvester while he sang and yed his violin slowly and melodiously. He kept the tone heavy as that was best to make the people feel emotions.


    Sniff!


    Sylvester handed a small handkerchief to ine as she cried silent tears. He could understand her feelings as his words likely resonated with her the most. The song was about joining the two worlds, after all.


    "That was beautiful." She spoke in praise.


    "Indeed." The Popemented. "I reckon you talked about the two words? Us and Beastaria? True, we''re yet to find unity''s true notion."


    "That was a great song, Lord Bard." Even Hendrix praised it. But the change was evident as the man called him the ''Lord'' Bard instead of just Bard.


    "Thank you. Now, I won''t sing anymore, but I will y the violin. It should make our short journey more calming." Sylvester rxed in his seat again and held the violin close.


    Hendrix chuckled. "Thank god that Daline is asleep. Or else she''d have chewed your brains out, asking questions about anything she''d have seen."


    Sylvester nced at the half-elf girl. Her cute chubby sleeping face was too adorable. She didn''t seem to be worried about anything, as she slept like a king, extending each limb as far as possible.


    ''Poor girl. She has no idea her blood could cause her demise for no reason. I wish you luck, that you grow strong and smart, so you may get to live centuries.''


    Sylvester was only soft with kids most of the time. Perhaps it was the guilt of being unable to protect his unborn child and wife in the past life or the simple fact that kids were too innocent to be good or evil.


    Soon, he started ying an old ssic from his past. It was something that always activated his mind, as the piece could be used for both happy and sad moments, and all resonated with it. It was called ''Pachelbel''s Canon.''


    [A/N: Search on Youtube - Pachelbel Canon - Stringspace - Solo Violin]


    The whole way, they travelled on the busy Holy Road in the warm breeze and the light of the sun. The Pilgrims were still on their way to the Holy Land. But it was somewhat sad to see the Pope going past them, and they had no way of knowing it.


    Still, as Sylvester yed his music with closed eyes, he also fell deep into memoryne. But surprisingly, he didn''t reminisce about his past life much now. Instead, it was mostly about his mother, friends, hardships and future dreams. Chonky, too, as the boy was sleeping on hisp itself.


    Even the birds seemed to like his music as many of them slowly came to sit near the edge of the carriage''s back. They tweeted along and sometimes just listened while waving their cute little feather tails.


    The whole time, ine kept staring at his face and sometimes closed her eyes to enjoy the melody.


    Though, to Sylvester''s amazement, he didn''t smell any lust from the woman anymore. Instead, it was just pure worship and love--Akin to love for a god.


    It was clear from it that ine had epted the fact that Sylvester was someone too different, too high level and perhaps, a man with a purpose far more significant than she or anyone could ever imagine. So, it was best not to hold lustful thoughts about him.


    ''I wonder how long I will live.'' Sylvester wondered in silence while looking at the back, at the road and people. ''I should be able to live for more than three hundred years once I reach Supreme Wizard rank. If I''m able to achieve that by the age of twenty-five and also be the Pope, then I''d have two hundred and seventy-five years to develop the world. Considering the stark difference between two centuries in my past world, I should be able to do much more here as long as I rule the world.


    ''But Beastaria won''t ever submit to me. Is it even worth conquering? Can''t there be peace? Sure, I will likely eradicate the filthy rapist goblins to extinction, but the rest of the species should be reasonable in due cases. Hmm... I will have to make up my mind after attaining power. Perhaps, my fath... No, I shouldn''t even try looking in that direction. That man will probably live for thousands of years if he''s not already that old. A lovechild with a human is probably nothing in his eyes--A dead body, probably.''


    Soon after, they reached the location Sylvester had bought thend. For now, there was nothing, but he hoped to start andplete the construction of the building in a month.


    "Can you pass me the water pouch?" Sylvester asked ine.


    "Yes, Lord Bard." She stiffly handed it over, with respect now.


    Sylvester suddenly didn''t feel very good, so he felt like drinking water to clear his throat. But, even after emptying half the pouch, he felt no change in the taste.


    He closed his eyes and tried to iste everything he felt. ''Hmm... There is hatred, anger, and... Fuck! Death!''<novelnext></novelnext>


    Woosh!


    He abruptly stood up, poked his head out of the top of the carriage and looked left and right. For as far as he could see, there was nothing. In the north was a treeline, and in the south was the river. In front and the back was just a road full of people.


    But he could tell that the smell was noting from there. ''Good god! It''s continuously increasing so fast!''


    He had to act. He knew it. He tried to look everywhere, but there was no way to confirm it visually. So, he decided to rely on his senses. ''Alright... Let''s see... Wait... Wait... Wait... There!"


    "QUICK! The attack ising from above!" Sylvester roared louder than he had ever before in his life.


    The Pope was startled, but in less than a second, the man kicked his feet so hard that it broke the part keeping the horses joined together. The Pope wasunched into the air, however.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester stared at the sky, shocked and wondering who and what it was. But, all he saw next was a show of power--A power that every being in the world coveted.


    Boom!


    The explosion was so loud that even Sylvester had to cover his ears, and the light was so bright that he even had to close his eyes. It was as if two equally powerful forces struck each other and cancelled out each other. A giant, ck-and-white shockwave spread out in a disc shape and went as far as Sylvester could see in all directions.


    Woosh!


    A few secondster, winds erupted, so strong that the trees in the vicinity started getting uprooted, and the water in the nearby river birthed a few vortexes. The Pilgrims nearby were washed away by the wind, away from the spot. Everything turned hellish in a few seconds.


    Sylvester nced down and saw Hendrix keeping his wife and daughter safe, holding them in his arms. The carriage was a destroyed mess by then, so they couldn''t move either. Even the horses had run away.


    ''Who the hell attacked? To be this strong... Is this the Supreme Wizard that ranked up a few years ago that day? When the golden rain fell?''


    Boom!


    Woosh!


    As if multiple punches were exchanged in the air, many more giant disk-like shockwaves appeared, along with the sting sound and wind.


    The sky had no clouds for miles, and the sun shined brighter than ever. At that point, Sylvester noticed two figures hovering in the sky. One was, of course, the Pope, and the second figure was a man with dark grey hair, a tall body, and all-ck robes. The face was not visible, however, but the man''s skin was too pale--Like Bishop Lazark''s.


    "Healer Hendrix, do you know who it could be?" Sylvester inquired.


    "No idea, Lord Bard. But stay down--This isn''t normal. Even a wave of their hand can crush us!" Hendrix warned Sylvester.


    But Sylvester kept staring in more amusement. ''Who could have the confidence to strike the Pope merely a few hundred metres away from the Holy Land? Such audacity, it''s either someone powerful or too stupid.''


    Boom!


    Grrr...!


    Yet again, a crazy strong st echoed. But this time, it was not in the air. Instead, the Popended just beside Sylvester. But the attackernded on the plot Sylvester owned and turned it into a deep crater.


    "Sylvester, keep your head down!" The Pope ordered and raised both his arms to the sky. Instantly, a red light emitted out of it, creating a translucent dome around it. It covered Sylvester, Hendrix and his family, with the Pope in the middle.


    "Who is he, your holiness?" Sylvester asked the Pope, as the man didn''t even appear to break a sweat.


    The Pope gritted his teeth. "A man the Holy Land has been hunting for decades--But it seems we''re toote."


    "Correct, Axel Tar Kreed, you arete." The person outside the dome spoke in a ridiculing manner.


    "What do you want? Why have youe here? Do you want me dead? If so, then I will surrender myself, but don''t harm the people. If we fight here, the entire Kingdom of Gracia and the Holy Land will be uprooted!" The Pope bargained.


    The person on the other side shook his head. But the face was not clearly visible as the shield was translucent. "Axel, my battle is not with you nor the people, for the sins against me weremitted by the man before you. No--My war is with the faith of Solis--The false god--The sham!


    "Nearly three hundred years ago, I vowed to erase the faith of Solis, and today I havee to dere it openly!"


    Boom!


    Just then, multiple figures appeared from the Holy Land and reached behind the shield the Pope had made.


    "Stop!" The Pope roared. "Guardians! You can''t battle him. He''s a Supreme Wizard!"


    "Haha, a wise decision, Axel." The man chuckled menacingly. "As I was saying, this is my deration of official war against you, your church, and everything you stand for."


    He roared louder, so loud that his voice perhaps echoed for miles. "Remember my words today--I, Julius Aurelius Alexander, will bring your god to heel! Your faith shall fail!--And only Anti-Light shall prevail!"


    Boom!


    And, the man vanished the same way he appeared, bullishly, mockingly, right at the gates of the Holy Land--Leaving behind minds to bear the despair.


    ________________________


    700 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 307 307. Pain

    Who could have guessed that such a big storm was going to appear out of nowhere? The head of Anti-Light was there, right in front of the Holy Land, and they couldn''t do anything. It wasn''t just a challenge but also a mockery.


    For Sylvester, this was something that ached his heart. He looked as the shining red translucent dome shield vanished, and the various Guardians came closer.


    But his mind was a mess. ''God, why? Why now? At least let me get stronger first. I already have so much to deal with. The Supreme Council, other contenders for Pope''s seat, Masan, Bounty Hunters and assassins, and now Anti-Light. When will this cycle ever end? And why did he smell so rageful? I''ve never seen anyone being so angry before. And if he hates the faith, why did he help me back then disguised as Jax?''


    There were more questions than anyone could ever answer. He could only train and hope to be stronger before all the mess started crashing down.


    "Your holiness, why did you leave without telling us?" Aurora asked frustratingly.


    "What if he hade to attack?" Inquisitor High Lord added.


    "True, you should not have left like that." Another voice came. It was a person who shouldn''t be there, as he was the Headmaster of the School of Dawn, Cardinal Geralt Brightson.


    Sylvester heard them from the side and looked at each face carefully. ''Headmaster? Did he finally rank up to be a Grand Wizard? Then, that would make him a level ten¡ªSo he''s the new Tenth Guardian?"


    But then, Sylvester noticed another person. This was someone he had fought for his survival. It was the uncle of Duke Daemon, the first Grand Wizard of the Gracia Kingdom, one who got his arms ripped apart by the Second Guardian, Bloodrain.


    ''Why is Sir Maximus here?''


    But he kept quiet and let the big people do the talking. The event must have quite shaken them all, as the implications were enormous.


    "Why are you frowning? We all knew from the start that he''de after the faith." The Pope reprimanded the Guardians. "He''s a Supreme Wizard, which is an issue, but do you truly believe his Anti-Light is as vast and strong as the Faith? No? So calm down and do your duty. We shall discuss thister in my office. Head back now."


    The Guardians dared not question the Pope again. But only Aurora stayed behind as Sylvester was there.


    "I shall fix the destruction that madman caused." The Pope said and started moving around. The man physically went to every uprooted tree and forced them into the ground as if he was ying with little sticks.


    ''He''s trying to act calm, but his frustration and anxiety can''t stay hidden from me.'' Sylvester saw through the Pope''s actions clearly. ''I''d be afraid too. He was the only openly known Supreme Wizard before, and now he knows there''s another one.''


    "Your holiness!" He decided to change Pope''s mind, as Grandpa Monk had asked in the letter, to help the Pope sometimes.


    "Don''t fill the crater, please. It''s right on the plot ofnd I own. I would dig it anyway toy down a stone foundation." He requested.


    The Pope looked at the plot ofnd and then back at Sylvester. "Young bard, do you need money? Is that why you are doing this? Why do you waste your precious time on useless activities when you should train?"


    ''Tsk¡­ This turned into a lecture from a senior, it seems.''


    "I won''t be wasting time here, your holiness. This will just be a little side project run by others. Just like the helpful clothing I made for the Bright Mothers, the syringe for saving lives, and the spring suspension. My focus is still on studies and training." He rified.


    Sylvester also knew that he had beencking in training recently, as his mind was always upied with other things. Trying to y a game of politics was easy, but now he knew he''d have enough time.


    For starters, he was finally getting his injury healed. On the other hand, he had inducted two Cardinals to join the Supreme Council for him. And he was going to let them handle some of the political maniptions. The main goal was to create his own faction that would support him for the Pope''s seat.


    His reply satisfied the old man, and the Pope moved away from the crater to put the trees back in their ces. It took them a few minutes, and the Pope''s carriage soon arrived from the Holy Land.


    It was massive, to say the least. In width, it was as wide as five metres, and in length, triple that. It was pulled by eight horses, all looking tall and strong with muscles on their backs. It was ornate with gold in some ces, but mostly it remained modest, with an abundance of red silk used to decorate the wooden frame from the outside.


    "Come in." The Pope went inside.


    Sylvester first oversaw Hendrix and his family entering, and then he and Aurora entered.


    Sylvester was somewhat surprised to see the insides as it seemed more like an office than a carriage. Its ceiling height was tall enough for all of them to stand. Then, at one end of the carriage, there was a table with many books, amp, a quill, ink and cushioned chair. While on the other end of the carriage was an oversized curved couch.


    The Pope took his seat and started writing on nk parchments quickly. "Don''t be surprised. Whenever I travel, I use the carriage, as I can work in it as well. I''m afraid dark times are ahead, and all stakeholders should know about this."


    Hendrix nced at his family and asked the Pope. "My old friend, should I move away from the Holy Land?"


    "No need. They won''te directly at us. From how he behaved, it was clear he cared about ordinary people. You''re ordinary too¡ªJust stronger. But, if you ever wish to, my doors are always open. You can live inside the Holy Land, in my pce." The Pope offered him.


    But it was obvious that Hendrix would never ept such a thing. "Thank you, but I must decline. The moment I live in the Holy Land, I will be considered one of you. I shall heal Sylvester and return¡ªThat''s all."


    "You''re the healer! The legendary man?" Aurora eximed all of a sudden and stared at the old man. "Then, can you also heal my good sister Xavia? She''s Sylvester''s mother."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Hendrix nced at Sylvester and saw a glimpse of himself in him. Just a man trying to survive and protect his family. How could he deny it when he was already there? "What happened to her, Lord Bard?"


    "Something rted to her muscles. She was stabbed in the neck recently and lost the ability to walk and move. Healers said her muscles had forgotten how to move, so I''m teaching her slowly." Sylvester exined, hoping the man could do something.


    "Then I will take a look once I''m done with you. Let''s head straight to the Soul Tree for now. I do not want to dy your treatment by one bit, as it''s a disaster waiting to happen."


    Sylvester appreciated that. "Aurora, please go to mum and tell her I''ve returned. But I will likely return home tomorrow due to some emergency work."


    "Young bard!" The Pope interrupted. "Once you get better, report to me in my office. You are to spend four days a week with me in training both mind and body. The Supreme Council rejected your promotion due to ack of administrative experience. As unfair as that meeting was, they did not lie in this aspect. A Bishop is the rank of the higher clergy. You are expected to fight and operate monasteries, noble regions and such. For that, you need to know more about certain regtions,ws and documentation."


    Sylvester was more than happy to obey. "Understood, your holiness. I will report to you."


    He could feel that the Pope didn''t want to talk anymore. His mood was spoiled, and perhaps, the sense of emergency increased manifolds. So, Sylvester stayed silent and soon got off the carriage at the port of Pope''s Penins.


    From there, Sylvester caught a small boat to reach the Soul Penins. This time, Hendrix''s wife and daughter wereing along as Hendrix refused to let his family be alone anywhere. In the end, the Pope wrote permissions for all of them.


    The guards at the Penins asked no questions. So Sylvester brought them to the small shack of Grandpa Monk. It was as clean as Sylvester had left it thest time.


    "Fifth Guardian used to live here before his death. Will this be alright?" Sylvester asked.


    But Hendrix and his family didn''t reply as they were lost in the moment. The mesmerising breeze from the Soul Tree was something to get lost in. However, ine had the most visible reaction as her eyes sparkled at the sight.


    "Fitting to the name¡ªSoul tree does soothe one''s soul. This will be a great ce for your treatment. So let''s get started." Hendrix wasted no time to start unpacking his bag. It was full of various instruments to operate on Sylvester and dozens of potions or materials.


    "ine, I will need you to assist me with this. Daline, will you be a good girl and sit here silently?" Hendrix asked his family.


    The little girl firmly nodded. "Yes, daddy! You can count on me. I will watch and learn."


    "Good. Now, Lord Bard, please remove your upper robes and tear apart the right leg of your pants. Theny down on the table."


    Sylvester obeyed and quickly removed everything. However, he kept his senses high to ensure he could smell if there was any malicious intent between the two.


    Soon, Hendrix put a cloth mask over his face and used water to clean his hands. "Lord Bard, this will hurt a lot, but I believe you can tolerate it. Or do you want to take any sedatives?"


    ''Like hell would I knock myself out.''


    "I can tolerate it."


    Hendrix didn''t ask anything else and started working. Like a master in his craft, he moved his hands and opened a long, six centimetre long cut on the side of Sylvester''s thigh. Then ine came to use a retractor to keep his wounds wide open.


    "Alright, it''s going to hurt now."


    ''What!''


    Sylvester gritted his teeth as he was already feeling a lot of pain. But it was just the trailer, as the real pain was to start when Srium was to be drained.


    "Ugh!"


    ''Fucking fuck you, Shadow Knight!'' He cursed in mind, for he didn''t want to lose dignity in front of ine and Daline.


    "Alright, now it will hurt real bad."


    ''What in the¡­''


    ________________________


    700 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 308 308. Vision Of Solis

    Sylvester had underestimated how much it was going to hurt. Up until then, he had only felt the physical pain. But this was different. It was unexinable in words. It felt as if something was being pulled out from his veins in the leg--forcibly.


    "Yes, it pains a lot to remove srium from the veins forcibly. But, it''s much different from burning it all in a fight." Hendrixmented while continuing to operate on him. He was using some potion to make the veins lose all their magic.


    Sylvester just kept himself stable while gritting his teeth. He knew that some curses would naturally leave his mouth if he tried to speak.


    "Just a bit more, and we''ll be done with this part. ine, keep draining the blood." Hendrix ordered.


    Slowly, three more minutes passed, although, to Sylvester, it felt like an eternity. Then soon, the pain started to disappear, and he eased his clenching jaw.


    "Ugh! Fuck!"


    But he suddenly eximed as the pain returned, as now it was the opposite. He felt something entering his veins forcibly, and surprisingly, this was a pain he knew very well from when he was near his Srium depletion.


    "What in God''s name is happening?" Hendrix eximed in shock, and his arms remained up.


    ine, responsible for draining the blood, also stepped back in shock. "How is this possible, dear? What''s happening to his blood?"


    Sylvester smelled the confusion and panic. Finally, he forced his head to rise and look. There, to his utter shock, all the blood in his wound, and the ss jar nearby, had started to disappear into nothingness.


    Hendrix looked at Sylvester''s face. "Do you know what this is?"


    Sylvester shook his head.


    "Do you... By any chance, have you ever been in a life and death situation where you should have run out of srium, but for some reason never did and always persisted?" Hendrix asked quickly after guessing some cases.


    Sylvester nodded and, in a growling manner, coughed out some words. "Y-Yesss... N-not die... Only thin, weak... and p-pale..."


    "I will make a new cut near the wound to confirm my hypothesis. Bear with me." Hendrix said, and wasted no time.


    Woosh!


    Instantly, all the new blood that started toe out got disappeared. Heck, not a single drop could slide outside as all the blood vanished right at the surface.


    "Lord Bard, I think... Your body is somehow turning your own blood into Srium. It''s a boon and a bane in itself. You can survive for as long as there is blood in your body. But at the same time, where srium depletion would have only made you unconscious in extreme cases--With no blood, you would die!" Hendrix revealed his findings.


    Sylvester couldn''t give a fuck about it at the moment as he reeled in pain. "J-Just... Fix it!"


    "I don''t know how! I need your veins to be empty of the Srium before trying anything. If I do it anyway, the pain will be unimaginable and might kill you."


    "Do it!"


    Sylvester had no other option anymore. If the greatest healer in the world was helpless, then there was no other option but to take any chance he could get.


    "Please...!"


    He gritted his teeth and red at the old man with his reddened eyes. His face was also red by now, and veins had popped up all around.


    "Fine... ine, prepare the tools. I will try to be as quick as possible." Hendrix ordered. However, the shocking part was that he was also sweating despite the cool, calming breeze of the Soul Tree.


    "Here." ine handed over the forceps.


    "Keep an eye on him. If his head starts twitching, you tell me."


    Woosh!


    "Dear... Look at his head!"


    Hendrix looked and remained captivated. There, all of a sudden, Sylvester''s eyes got shut, and a halo appeared behind his head despite not singing anything. It was dark golden and massive.


    "He is so... Full of miracles. Let''s work quickly... Who knows for how long he will remain this stable."


    ...


    Sylvester didn''t even know when his mind drifted into sleep. All he remembered was the feeling of helplessness, pain, and fear for his life. He had died enough already, and finally, he had made up his mind to live and chase strength--dying now would have been truly disappointing.


    "Perhaps I should just meditate." He thought in his lucid dreamlike state and started mimicking what he used to do for meditation.


    He cleared his mind of all thoughts and let the Srium guide his heart and breath. Thest time he tried, he didn''t see any vision, no matter what. So, he didn''t have much hope this time either.


    Sylvester remained in that condition and waited. Thankfully, he didn''t feel any pain, so he kept at it.


    ''Ah! I feel something.'' Finally, he felt like he was somehow being squeezed out of a thin pipe. It became evident to him that a vision was going to present itself.


    So he became attentive and kept looking. But, no matter what, all he saw was darkness. Finally, however, he could hear some sounds akin to rain and breathing.


    Sniff!


    ''Crying?'' Sylvester didn''t even know if he was seeing something, but he still tried to look left and right in darkness.


    "M-Mum... Dad... Uncle Bran... Why did you leave me? I''m hungry... Help, please... someone..."


    Sylvester recognised that voice, but it sounded so weak and meek. There was a lot of pain in it, and from the sound, the girl seemed to be somewhere outside.


    Bam!


    "Wake up! The break''s over. It''s time to clean the dishes."


    Suddenly, the darkness faded slightly, and the view became clearer. The little girl seemed to have covered herself under a nket soaked in the rain. The location appeared to be a dark alley between buildings, and there was a lot of garbage around.


    She didn''t look good. Her eyes had sunken, and her face had thinned out to the point her cheekbones seemed more like elbows. Her body overall was extremely malnourished, and her skin was paler than before. Zye was the name he had learnt all these years--a little ashen-haired girl with teal eyes--perhaps six or seven years old.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Yes, sir." She stood up after some struggles and followed the tall, fat, bald man inside the building.


    "There! For each broken te, I will break a bone of your body inpensation; remember that. Good for nothing, girl. Now, work!" The man shouted at her for no apparent reason.


    "Yes, sir."


    She dragged herself to therge cleaning area on the ground. A ce was made there to clean utensils on the floor. There were a few buckets full of water and two giant tubs full of dirty tes. It was a tavern she worked in, after all.


    In silence, she worked and worked. Tears would fall from her eyes every now and then. But she had learned her lessons long ago. Crying and asking for help only brought more trouble.


    She brushed the tes, cleaned them spotless and stacked them on the side. This was her life for the past month. She was allowed to sleep in the Pigpen in return for the service. For food, she was allowed to eat the leftovers.


    Sadly, the leftovers were never from the kitchen. Her single meal of the day, the dinner, only came from the tes she was tasked to clean. On good days, she could find something to fill her stomach, but usually, it was nothing but some rare snippets of vegetables and soup.


    Long ago, she had stopped feeling disgusted by such actions. After all, staying alive was the only goal.


    She often wondered why her life was like that. She often shouted at the sky, at the sun--There was no sun god in her eyes. For no matter what, she couldn''t outrun the darkness.


    By midnight, she finished her work and decided to go and sleep. It was the only time of the day she looked forward to, for she could at least dream of the happy days in them.


    Sylvester, who saw it all, couldn''t help but feel sad for her. Being an orphan, he knew that if he had been there, he''d have given her a big hug and a lot of food.


    Eventually, the morning came. However, this time it brought a change. A man from the Monastery was there, calling himself Bishop Monarthy Reed.


    "Girl, you''re going with him to the Monastery now. You will live there and study with other children your age. No need to work. They will feed you." The owner of the tavern rudely ordered her.


    The Bishop was all smiles. The man appeared so kind as if the god had sent him. His short, dirty blonde hair and tall and thin build were all too normal.


    Zye hated her life, and the lure of better days was enticing. "Really? Thank you, Bishop."


    "Haha,e." The Bishop brought her along into his carriage.


    Zye was happy and excited about the future. For the first time, the warmth of the summer day didn''t feel as annoying to her that day.


    Sylvester was happy, too, watching her face finally show a hint of a smile.


    ''I should focus on this route. Perhaps I can pinpoint her location with this.'' Sylvester decided while he watched everything like an invisible all-seeing eye.


    Soon, Sylvester saw the Wall of Void and the Desert Road. The carriage seemed to be going North. And to his joy, the carriage finally appeared to pass through the Fort Sunflower, a ce Sylvester knew very intimately.


    But, the carriage kept on moving. And soon, it took a turn on the dirt road.


    Then finally, the carriage halted in the middle of nowhere. On the opposite side were three more carriages, looking rundown and ugly. The men inside it were equally dirty--Appearing like savages than humans.


    Bam!


    "Here''s the money as promised." The savage men threw a pouch full of gold at the Bishop.


    "Haha, pleasure doing business with you. Take her." The Bishop drooled on the golden coins inside the bag.


    Zye just stood there, slowly processing what just happened. Her smile instantly turned to horror. The fate she had been running from for so long had finally reached her. She discovered that the cursed fate was gifted to her by one of the men the world trusted.


    "No! Leave me! Help! Help!" She tried to fight as the men came to catch her.


    nk!


    In an instant, steel chains were locked on her thin wrists and neck. Free life was gone. very was there. But she didn''t know that a fate worse than very awaited her.


    "Hehe... Don''t worry, little one. We''re just simple men from the Desert Cannibal tribe. You will be our tribute to the Supreme Chief--He likes eating young ones like you."


    The Bishop was gone, and Zye''s heart was shattered. All her efforts had been in vain. Life seemed to be hellbent on killing her.


    ''Fuck! I should do something!'' Sylvester cursed and shouted. He tried to sing, but nothing happened.


    Slowly, the vision started to disappear, and the ck screen returned. But he didn''t want to go. He wanted to see her more--The sad little girl.


    ''Haaa! Who is she? Why am I seeing her?''


    "Aaaaa!" Sylvester shouted, trying to use his magic. But nothing happened.


    Woosh!


    "Weakness disgusts me!"


    Abruptly the scenes changed. Sylvester saw something again. This time, it sent a sense of dread down his spine, as if he were standing in death''s jaws.


    He turned around in his lucid dream, and there it was. A colossal being sitting on a throne, donning white robes, golden ornaments and a halo behind the head. The face was not visible, but the divinity was enough to leave Sylvester out of breath and down on his knees.


    "S-Solis?"


    [A/N: See here]


    ________________________


    700 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.

 Chapter 309 309. Level-Up

    ''Solis? Why me? Who is she? Why did you bring me into this world?'' Sylvester shouted in his dream-like world. ''What do you want from me?''


    But he received only angry insults. ''Weak!'' Pathetically weak! You are a fish living in a pond, not knowing there is an ocean outside. Don''t make me regret it, my bard. Until now, I''ve kept you in my best regards!''


    ''Tell me who that girl is, at least.'' Sylvester asked.


    ''She is your destiny. She is your key to the future. She is the nexus of your entire life. But only when the time is right shall fate prevail. You are naive, child¡ªYou have no idea about the world''s scale¡ªSo mend your ways and mind, or be prepared to painfully fail.''


    The vision started to be blurry again.


    Sylvester couldn''t ept that. ''Are you really Solis? Why bring me here? What''s so special about me? Why can I create a halo?''


    ''When the timees, everyone, to the truth, sumbs.''


    ''No! No! No! Don''t go! Give me answers!'' Sylvester shouted, but not a single word was heard from him. The giant, overwhelming imagery disappeared. Sylvester once again felt like hovering in the void with nothing to do.


    He didn''t wake up, however. He tried to meditate more and see what had happened to the girl. But, no matter what, he didn''t find anything.


    ''I hope she survives.''


    ¡­


    "It''s gone! His entire body isn''t shining now, so we can continue the work." ine muttered.


    "The fact that it happened, that''s strange in the first ce. This kid¡­ He''s too abnormal for his own good. Let''s just keep whatever happened here to ourselves. His life is already a mess." Hendrix said and finished working on Sylvester''s leg.


    He was just stitching the wound as the rest of the work was done. As for the shoulder blockage, he cleared that up without much need for surgery as it was minor.


    That was also the time when Sylvester''s eyes slowly opened. But he didn''t move and just stared above at the dense cover of the Soul Tree.


    ''The world is so full of mysteries and challenges. I wonder if I can ever uncover all of them in one lifetime. But, at least now I know Solis is real¡­ Probably.''


    "You took a good long nap, Lord Bard. It''s been six hours already." Hendrix notified him.


    Sylvester was not too surprised as he had even spent days in meditation before. "Tell me, healer. If God was to order you to do something personally, would you do it? If yes, then how far are you willing to obey?"


    Hendrix rubbed his beard and looked at his wife and sleeping daughter. "If the orders go against my ideals, then he''s no god to me. If God wanted us to be servants, mindless sheep, he would have never given us free will and the ability to think."


    Sylvester groaned while getting up. "Wisely said. Well, this was one hell of a session. I hope I won''t get any more Srium Blockages in the future. But, that Shadow Knight, I will have to be careful with it."


    Pat!


    Hendrix tapped on Sylvester''s back. "You''re a strong boy. You will manage. I have some faith in you."


    "True. I hope you rightfully be the Pope one day and change the world for good and join the two sides fighting for no reason." ine added, though in her voice, there was longing for her homnd. Sadly, she knew she couldn''t ever go there as the Elven society was messed up too.


    They would never ept her and call her a human-whore for spreading her legs to a human. They would never ept her husband, no matter how powerful he was, and her daughter would never live a respectable life there.


    However, knowing that Sylvester was also a half-elf, she hoped that he could change the world with his gifts, power, and authority.


    "That''s the n, mydy."


    Hendrix asked him then. "The path you talked about. Will you walk on it? Or was it just a word game?"


    Sylvester sighed and brushed his hair with his left hand. "Who knows? My journey is not even half done yet. I don''t know what might kill me someday. It could be a spy, a heathen or perhaps, the one who caused this injury to me, the Shadow Knight.


    "The world is not ck and white. A good man can turn bad; an ally can stab me in the back given the right concocted recipe of mind-breaking mess. Nothing is uniform, and everything is permitted, for this is a shadow war. But as long as I have the support of a few good folks, I will push forward."


    "Lord Bard." ine patted his shoulder softly. "I don''t know why, but I feel very close to you. Perhaps, it''s the subtle way of God to tell me that you will be the one to unite the two worlds. Just believe in yourself, my lord. With your reputation, I''m sure you shall find many arms of support on your shoulder when the timees, pushing you forward."


    Sylvester nced at Hendrix and received a nod. ''Her feelings smell so genuine¡­"


    "I can only try. But let''s return to the maind now. It''s better if you have some rest." Sylvester stood up.


    In no time, they all cleaned themselves and collected all the garbage. Sylvester, in particr, was careful with his blood. So, he burned all the waste instead.


    Once done, he picked Miraj since the boy was asleep. Meanwhile, Hendrix picked up his daughter as she was sleeping too.


    "Where will you be staying?" He asked them.


    "In the Guild Penins."


    Sylvester quickly shook his head and suggested a better option. "That won''t do. It''s unsafe, especially in the Season of Solis. I have a better ce instead. It''s a small Pce of a Cardinal who is an¡­ ''ally'' of mine. He lives alone and rarelyes home. So you can live there for as long as you want."


    Hendrix was smart enough to understand what ''ally'' meant. It was another term for servant orckey. But he was more impressed by the fact that Sylvester, an Archpriest, had a Cardinal under his thumb.


    "Are you sure? It won''t be an inconvenience to him?" Hendrix asked.


    Sylvesterughed instead. "Haha, that man lived as a ve to an evil witch for an entire year. There is nothing in the world that can make him ufortable anymore. Come, I will take you to that ce."<novelnext></novelnext>


    So, they took the boat back to the Pope''s Penins. There, Sylvester hired arge stagecoach, and they made their way into the High Clergy''s housing district. They even passed by the pce he destroyed a short time ago. "That''s where those heathen ving Cardinals lived. They and nine hundred of their allies are now dead."


    "It was big news, and the travelling bards sang about it. Your name oftenes in it." ine spoke in amazement.


    ''Ugh, I seriously should start paying these bards in non-mary ways. Perhaps, I can make pizza for free for them in my shop.'' Sylvester had started plotting already.


    Soon, they easily arrived at the small pce with a fantastic sea view. It was huge, with well-armoured guards, and the insides of the castle were modest but luxurious at the same time.


    "Lord Bard!"


    To Sylvester''s surprise, Cardinal Cornelius was there. "You didn''t go to work, your eminence?"


    "I took a holiday today. Today was the day my family passed away in a tragic fire ident more than a century ago, leaving me orphaned. I wanted to pay my respects today and remember some fond memories." Cardinal said, although he didn''t appear very sad.


    ''Why does every high clergyman have a sad story?'' Sylvester often wondered.


    "May their souls rest in peace. Your eminence, this is the famed, legendary healer Darwin Hendrix, a Grand Wizard and the Pope''s personal guest. This is his wife, ine, and daughter, Daline. They shall stay in your pce for a few days if you don''t mind."


    Cardinal Cornelius glowed like a sunflower with smiles. "Of course, they can. The Pope''s guests are Holy Land''s guests. Besides, I''m going for a week-long inspection of Broken Bay in the Duchy of Zon tomorrow. So just treat this ce as a home, respected great healer."


    "Thank you for the generosity, Cardinal," Hendrix muttered. But he didn''t bother much with him, as he was used to meeting high nobles.


    Cardinal Cornelius then left, and Sylvester guided the family into the pce.


    "There are many empty rooms on the first floor. For food, there are many servants in the house. They are not ves but just lower-ranked forever Deacons. If you need anything, just order the¡ªUgh!"


    Thud!


    "Bard!" Hendrix rushed to Sylvester''s side and tried to help him stand up.


    But Sylvester couldn''t, as his body felt powerless. "Argh¡­ It''s not painful¡­ It''s a sensation of burning throughout the body, in all my veins. Did you use any special potion?"


    Hendrix quickly checked Sylvester''s pulse and heartbeat with a tap on the wrist. With that, his frowning face turned into a smile. "Haha, worry not, young man. This is normal. It seems you are¡­"


    Sylvester deduced that much. "Moving to a higher Archwizard level?"


    Thud!


    "Ah, the sensation is so much stronger than ever before!" He frowned.


    Hendrix stayed beside him. "It''s expected, Lord Bard. Your Srium Blockage has blocked your body from taking in the Srium that your body should normally be able to. However, with you now healed, your body is reaching its full potential¡ªEspecially since you fought so many battles after your initial Ranking-up to Archwizard."


    True, it made sense to Sylvester as well. He had hisst rank-up during the battle with the Shadow Knight, which happened even before the events of the Raftel and Jartel Counties. Since then, Sylvester had fought a bloodling, war, sparred with Lady Aurora, fought a Soul Eater, another war, an Archwizard and a Grand Wizard.


    "But¡­"


    Sylvester gritted his teeth. His body started sweating all over, and veins popped up on his forehead.


    "Meow!"


    "Why did you meow?" Hendrix eximed.


    Sylvester red at worried Chonky, looking at his face. "Ahaha¡­ It''s nothing¡­"


    Sylvester''s skin glowed paler, and his golden eyes seemed to shine. The process was taking longer than usual. But, eventually, it came to pass, and Sylvester''s strong breaths calmed down.


    "Gah! Finally¡­ It''s over. It seems I have levelled to Archwizard Ni¡­ Wait!"


    Hendrix seriously frowned and cursed. "Good God''s Grace! Another level-up?"


    Bam!


    Sylvester just fell face first in pain and tiring sweat.


    _______________________


    [A/N: Merry Christmas!!! 2 more chaps will be posted before tomorrow''s reset.]


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 310 310. Stronger Than Before

    "Ugh¡­ This is very ufortable," he muttered as he rolled on the floor.


    Hendrix tried to help him and put him on the bed. ine took his shoes off and let his body cool down. "Breath, Lord Bard. Breathe longer and deeper."


    Sylvester did so, but he felt his insides burning. Every vein in his body felt like molten iron was being pushed through them. It continued for so long that he likely sweated a bucket already.


    "I-It''s slowing down¡­" He muttered and started to feel rxed.


    "Wait! It''s back!"


    This time, Hendrix also panicked and started using his magic. Nobody knew what it was, but he created arge, metre-wide rune made of water element on the bed. With its intricate designs, words, and patterns, it remained underneath Sylvester.


    "Son, this is my first time seeing someone level up this many times. This is your third time¡­ I will try to regte your body temperature to ensure your brain does not melt." Hendrix exined and used the magical rune.


    Sylvester writhed in pain and awaited the misery to go away.


    One long hour, that''s how long Sylvester gritted his teeth and tolerated the pain. Then finally, the pain started to subside and slowly went awaypletely. But, unfortunately, his body waspletely drenched in sweat and smelled terrible.


    Usually, ranking up from one Wizard rank to another brings this much pain. But, in his case, even levelling up brought this much misery. It was understandable, however. Levelling up and ranking was basically all about having one''s body strengthened to hold more srium. That meant many organs in the body would get stronger, and the veins would be thicker.


    He breathed heavily by the end as his chest rose and fell. "It seems I''m now a Level Three Archwizard."


    "That''s a big jump in power level, I must say. This makes you merely seven levels away from bing a Grand Wizard¡­ And you''re merely eighteen? This is madness in my eyes." Hendrixmitted in awe.


    Sylvester sighed and sat up. ''This is better. I still have seven years to at least reach the higher Grand Wizard rank. Then, even if the Pope doesn''t resign and let me rise, I can simply inflict my will on the world through my pawns running the various kingdoms.''


    He got out of bed and prepared to leave. "I will leave you to it then. This room became smelly, so use a different one. Remember to use the servants if you need anything. Or if you wish to contact me, then tell a servant. I live in the Bright Mother''s building."


    "Do you want me toe with you? Can you walk?" Hendrix asked him.


    By now, Hendrix had his whole mind changed about Sylvester. Who wouldn''t after seeing a young boy growing so fast and facing so much trouble masterfully? It wasn''t that hard to see talent or who is bound for greatness. And in his eyes, too, Sylvester was no ordinary man.


    As for Sylvester, he appreciated the concern as he smelled them. The worry was genuine. "Thank you, but I can manage. And I am deeply grateful for treating me, respected healer and Lady ine. I will still return to y with Daline; see youter."


    "You''re always wee, Lord Bard." ine bowed her head.


    Sylvester wasted no further time and left the Pce silently. The carriage was still waiting for him outside. So he took it and headed straight to his home.


    "I''m back." He opened the door with the key and walked in. It was just evening right now, and the sun had not setpletely.


    "Max?" Xavia''s voice came for him.


    Sylvester followed and found Xavia in the big pool on the open balcony. Isabe was there, too, helping Xavia train her muscles. The contraption was very simple. Sylvester had created a metal frame around the wooden pool of three metres in diameter.


    The metal frame also held a metal ring in the air, and from the ring was attached a small metal wheel along with a wire. Xavia would put on a harness around her body, and the wire would hold her up. The wire could then slowly be released to allow more pressure on her muscles. This way, Xavia could quickly increase her muscle strength with time.


    "Wait, I will jump in to help," Sylvester said and first ran into the bathroom to take off his robe. Then he poured a lot of water on himself to get rid of the sweat and then returned to jump into the pool.


    With his upper bodypletely exposed, he entered the pool and stood in front of Xavia. Isabe just walked to the side and silently watched with a blush.


    "Mum, hold my hand." He extended both his arms to her.


    Xavia smiled and did as her dear son asked. "Aurora said it would take a long time."


    "Things went faster than I expected. So I decided to return, as I missed my dear mum." He said to cheer her up. "So, how is your progress?"


    "Much better. I can now raise my knees much higher. But, it takes a lot of time." She showed him by doing it.


    Sylvester silently watched and made a few mental notes. ''I should create a special supplementary diet for her as well. I can''t let her bones deteriorate from theck of activity.''


    "Good. If it goes this way for longer, you will be walking like before by the end of this year. But, mum, we must focus on your strength as well. I need you to get stronger so no further attacks can ur."


    Sylvester knew very well that Xavia was his weakness. But he was not coldhearted enough to leave her or just kill her. She was his mother, after all, and he was genuinely fond of her. She had fed him, cared for him and tolerated his shenanigans all the years, after all.


    Xavia nodded firmly. "I understand, Max. I will work hard and reach my full potential in magic. I can be a Master Wizard. But, since I''m a healer, I never got the chance to focus on increasing my magic. I''m also amidst making a list of all the Bright Mothers around the world that we can count on for that web you wanted me to establish.


    "I have already made it in the Gracia Kingdom." She revealed.


    Sylvester had even forgotten about this. He had asked her to make a spywork using the Bright Mothers long ago. He never had any hopes, as he didn''t consider that Xavia''s reach could ever go that far.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "You have? That''s brilliant. Let''s talk about thatter. But, for now, I must report at the Pope''s Pce. He will be teaching me directly in theing days." Sylvester changed the topic as he didn''t want to discuss it with Isabe being so close. He didn''t trust her entirely at the moment.


    So Sylvester helped Xavia exercise all the way. Itsted an entire hour. After that, Sylvester cooked a simple dinner consisting of rice, gravy of meat, vegetables and spices.


    Although he liked that the world had decent cuisine, and most of the ingredients were avable. He was still bored by theck of variety that was offered. For example, there was no such thing as noodles or some other dishes from Asia in his past life.


    ''Perhaps, slowly, I can bring new things into this world, and maybe a thousand years from now, they will all remember my name as the man who influenced the world the most. Hah, that doesn''t sound too bad.''


    "Why are you smiling?" Isabe asked him as they all ate dinner.


    Sylvester coughed and focused on the meal. "Nothing. How about you? How is your School of Dawn going? I hope nobody is bullying you."


    She scoffed. "How could they bully me? On the first day of introduction, I announced that I am best friends with Lord Bard, and if they ever want to meet you, they must act good."


    "..."


    Sylvester didn''t mind and just chuckled. "Ah, the evils of capitalism are spreading. But I didn''t know that people think so highly of me there."


    "You have no idea," Isabe eximed. "You are a legend in the School of Dawn. You fought a Bloodling in your first year of school! You are famous for all thepetitions you won while in school. There are so many portraits of you all around."


    Sylvester was genuinely taken aback by that knowledge. "What? I''m ttered, I guess. Perhaps I can go to school and give a few speeches to cheer them up."


    ''If what she says is true, then the School of Dawn can be a budding ground for my cult.''


    He soon put the spoon down and went to wash the tes. "I will meet the Pope after this, so go to sleepter. No need to wait for me."


    "Be safe outside," Xaiva muttered before she was helped to her bed.


    Sylvester then headed outside in the night. Most of the activities had stopped, and the roads were empty. Only his horse''s trotting echoed as he made his way to the Pope''s Pce.


    But, as he arrived at the Pce, he noticed a lot more activity than usual. The guards were there, even more than before. Some clergymen of high ranks also walked in and out of the building.


    But he had a special order from the Pope, so he entered without waiting.


    "Ah! You''re here! Please follow me." The clergyman at the entrance called him.


    ''Pope is waiting for me?'' Sylvester was confused, but he entered without asking any questions.


    Soon, the clergyman brought him outside the entrance of the Sanctum Council chambers.


    "Please, enter."


    Sylvester did so with little thought. He guessed the Pope wanted him to tell the council members about what transpired. Or perhaps something else.


    "You''re here!"


    As soon as Sylvester entered, his feet froze. He looked at the big hall, which was full of many new faces. This was not a regr Sanctum Council meeting. That was clear.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us!" He saluted everyone.


    "Young bard,e and sit at that chair." The Pope ordered while pointing at a stone chair just behind his, on the right.


    ''Fuck! Why is he doing this? Does he want to convey to all that he''s now officially supporting me? But¡­ I don''t want that! This will create a bigger mark on my back.''


    But could he even reject the order? So, he silently walked over and took a seat. But, he noticed all the eyes on him, and many were filled with jealousy. The scents varied, but they terrified him as the negative scents belonged to men who could easily kill him.


    The room was filled with the Sanctum Council members and the Guardians, ranging from the first, second, third, fifth, tenth, Aurora and a few more faces he had never seen before.


    ''This is not good¡­ A little sapling can not survive the desert heat¡­ At least wait for me to turn into a cactus, old man! This is too much heat for me.''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 311 311. Story Of A Woman

    Sylvester felt like he was the odd one out among all of them. There were so many strange characters in the room, especially the Guardians. Most of them looked too weird. Two men with big conical hats and visors, a man with no arms, and a man with a hidden face under his hood. Only Aurora and the school''s headmaster were seemingly normal-looking people.


    "Let''s start this meeting then. I will not reiterate what urred this morning, so let''s discuss how we will deal with this." The Pope started, sounding serious, but there was something different in him.


    Not just Sylvester, but everyone had noticed it. Ever since the death of Grandpa Monk, the Pope''s attitude had changed slightly. This time, he didn''t sound as scary as before.


    "The Anti-Light is a primarily unknown organisation, but thankfully, this time, we know something. That man, Julius Aurelius Alexander, talked about a sinmitted three hundred years ago. I need you to find out what it is. But what else did we see? He''s not an evil man who''d harm the innocent.


    "For whatever reason, his war is entirely against us. So, before we counter him, we must learn about his reasoning. Wazir, did you find anything about him?" The Pope asked his spymaster.


    "Your holiness, it''s hard to learn about him, as even his name sounds fabricated. But we have learned that Anti-Light has infiltrated nearly every single noble house in the East of Sol. We don''t know how high their reach goes, but it''s clear that the Anti-Light knows about everything that happens in the continent." The Wazir revealed.


    That shot Sylvester''s mind to the sky. ''Wait, does that mean he also knows about my Kaecilius n? It''s possible that the ves he''d recruit would be some of Anti-Light''s men too.''


    The Pope smiled, appreciative of Saint Wazir. "Good, at least we know how far our enemy is willing to go. But, it''s also a fact that there is no way to confront them directly without causing many deaths. So, I have an alternative way. Since Anti-Light feels that the faith is corrupt and we do no good¡ªIt''s time we clean the clergy entirely and showcase to all how far the grace of the Holy Land goes. Lord Inquisitor, if you may."


    Inquisitor High Lord stood up from his chair. "Your holiness, the Crusade is slow and futile. Our fight started against the Bloodlings, but sadly, most of the Crusaders are too inexperienced and afraid of the vile creatures¡ªThey are merely money seekers.


    "I''m saddened to inform you that while the Crusade went on, more Bloodlings have been found or suspected to have been found than the number of those killed."


    There wasplete silence in the room. Sylvester looked at the Pope from the back, wondering what decision he''d make.


    "Suspend the Crusade. I''m aware of what has transpired in many locations. The Crusaders harmed the locals. Even the first Beastkin clergyman in the Holy Land is here because the Crusade killed his family. Therefore, Lord Inquisitor, I''m handing over the task of hunting and killing the Bloodlings to you and your Inquisitors. At the same time, you are to hang all Crusaders whomitted any sins above stealing."


    The Pope then looked at other Guardians. "I also order all of you to help the Inquisitors. Whenever you''re near a camp while doing your work, ask them if they need help. Remember, with Anti-Light, Beastaria and even Masan creating problems for us. We cannot have a fourth front. We must slowly lose some burden off our shoulders. Understood?"


    "It is an honour to erase the vile bloodlings, your holiness." Lord Inquisitor said and retook his seat.


    The Pope then addressed the whole room. "What recently happened with the two Cardinals who were performing the ve trade, I hope such an activity does not ur again. I advise you all to keep your eyes open, or else don''te crying when I take the form of Pope Atrox, the mad, and start purging the church from within.


    "Anyone, be it a clergyman, amoner, a king, or you¡ªIf anyone dares do something that may reduce the people''s faith, then I will kill you myself. I have tolerated it for long enough, but no more¡ªThe water has crossed the shore. I will not stand for anything that can cause a setback for theing great war."


    The Pope gave a good thrashing to all of them. But his words were only directed at a few as everyone knew that there were a few Guardians and other clergymen who were eyeing the Pope''s seat and had formed factions.


    "Dismissed."


    The Guardians stood up, bowed their heads and left silently. After that, the Council members went. Sylvester was thest to move.


    "Not you, young bard. Your training starts from this very moment." The Pope voiced and walked past Sylvester. "Follow me. Today I shall teach you the art of a true warrior. It''s not always magic you should rely on."


    ''But¡­ Isn''t it nearly midnight?'' Sylvester was very tired, honestly.


    "Understood, your holiness."


    "How is your injury? I presume Hendrix was sessful with the treatment? I also sense a change in you. Your skin looks younger, somehow. Did you level up?" The Pope bombarded him with questions.


    Sylvester didn''t hide anything from the man. "I did, your holiness. I''ve levelled up three times and now sit at level three of Archwizard rank. It was utterly painful, but in the end, everything worked."


    "Marvellous." The Pope praised him. "When I was your age, I was clueless about the world. It amazes me to see how mentally grown you are. It is one of the reasons why us old ones don''t feel annoyed by your age."


    ''Of course, because I''m one of you old men.'' Sylvester thought in mind.


    The Pope soon brought him towards the basement of the pce. This was the first time Sylvester had seen such depths of the pce. It was still decorated but felt much emptier.


    "My personal training grounds are here, and that''s where I shall train you." The Pope exined and finally opened the door.


    Woosh!


    A soft gust of wind hit Sylvester in the face, and he looked around. It appeared to be a giant arena with no ce to sit. It was at least two hundred metres in diameter, and its ceiling was high. At the same time, half of the ground was covered with dry sand and the other half with short grass.


    "Come, young bard. I will show you how to manipte Srium to create invisible armour all over your body. If you''re good enough, it may even be visible." The Pope instructed him while he slowly untied his robes.


    Thud!<novelnext></novelnext>


    Wasting no time, the old man let his robes go and showcased his old but absolutely chiselled body. Every muscle on him was well-defined, and every part of him was spotless.


    Sylvester did the same. But he had noticed something in the middle of the arena. "Your holiness, why is there a statue in the middle?"


    The Pope exined as they walked closer to it. "This woman was the founder of this small arena nearly three thousand years ago for her good friend, the Pope of that time. There is a very sad story rted to this statue."


    Sylvester was instantly interested as this event pertained to History. "I would like to know more, your holiness."


    "Her name is Lady Linda, and they say this stone statue is actually her body, just trapped inside. The legend goes way back to when she was married to a man of faith¡ªA General of the Holy Army¡ªA Grand Wizard.


    "There were so many stories about the love of the two and how they were meant for each other. But there were many jealous eyes, too, as Lady Linda was a famed beauty who was coveted by many.


    "Sadly, something happened on a day when her husband was away on an assignment. She was alone at home and waiting for her dear lover. That was when the rival of her husband, another great talented wizard, came to her house.


    "He disguised himself as Lady Linda''s husband, seduced her and had intercourse with her. All the while, she didn''t even know that it wasn''t her husband. So when her real husband returned, and she told him about that night, he became furious.


    "Angered by his wife''s foolishness, he cursed her to remain a stone for five thousand years. Then, he died along with his rival in a battle to regain his honour. ording to records, this stone statue is supposed to be Lady Linda."


    Sylvester was amused, as well as doubtful if the story was real. "Let me guess. You are not saying her husband''s name because there is no record of it? Hence the doubt?"


    "True. Although Lady Linda is historically real, her having a husband is not written in any text. Furthermore, the curse said that only a man who would not judge her virtue could free her from this stone cage by touching it." The Pope added.


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and looked at the statue closely. "What''s there to judge? She was sexually assaulted with magical deception. It was a rape, and she''s the victim here."


    The Pope shrugged. "That''s the majority belief, yet nothing happens no matter who touches it.


    Sylvester hummed and moved closer. "Can I?"


    "Go ahead."


    Sylvester took a long breath and touched the shoulder of the human-sized statue of a distraught woman as if she was calling someone¡ªpleading.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester also used his light magic on the touching hand. ''Hmm¡­ Is this really possible? Three thousand years in a stone¡­ Even if this were real, she''d be dead.''


    "Nothing happens, young bard. That''s why it''s a legend." The Pope said and decided to continue the training. "Let''s move."


    Sylvester looked at the statue''s face. Especially the eyes, as they seemed so real.


    "I guess such stories are universal, no matter which world." He muttered in a shallow voice.


    Crack!


    Crack!


    "..."


    "Y-Your Holiness¡­ Please take a look¡­"


    Crack!


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 312 312. Mysterious Statue

    The Pope stared at the cracks appearing on the figure. It was a darkened grey statue with smooth finishings. Its various features were not visible because it had remained in that same Arena for nearly three thousand years.


    But now, long and tiny cracks appeared all over it as if something was revealing itself.


    "Step back." The Pope warned Sylvester and pulled him back. "We don''t know if the legends are true."


    So the two semi-nude, shredded men waited calmly as the cracks deepened and patches of stone started falling off. It was a prolonged process, and Sylvester wanted to train seriously, not waste time there.


    "Perhaps I should use some magic from here? The egg has already cracked, after all. We just need to push it to break." Sylvester suggested.


    The Pope agreed with him. "True, we don''t have so much time to waste here."


    Bam!


    The Pope mmed his foot once, and the ground shook. It instantly caused many more parts of the statue to chip off and reveal the skin underneath. It was light blue and somewhat shining.


    "I see it... It''s certainly not a woman." Sylvester muttered as he focused on the little parts.


    Bam!


    The Pope again stomped his foot and made the statue lose more crust.


    Slowly, things started to be apparent. The body turned out to be too muscr for it to be anything but a beautiful woman. But then, what was it?


    "Just the upper body is left now." Sylvester focused.


    Soon, thest remaining parts started to be clear. But, the more they could see, the more their shoulders began to fall.


    "This isn''t a man... or a woman... or a human." The Pope eximed.


    "..."


    "This is a..."


    Sylvesterpleted. "Demon!"


    There, the body of the creature appeared, standing tall and mighty. It was of a normal human height, but everything else about it was demonic. It had smooth, shining, bluish skin. It had a lot of muscles and even many patterns on the body. Its face was the most striking conclusive feature, however.


    Its bald head, two broken horns, scowling angry face, and sharp teeth. All of it was visible, but from the looks of it, the creature didn''t seem alive.


    [A/N: See here.]


    The Pope became alert and took a fighting stance. "A demon was kept here? For three thousand years? Who propagated the rumours of the love story then?"


    Sylvester was more shocked by the fact that the Pope was not shocked. "You''re not surprised by this?"


    The Pope chuckled and slowly walked closer to it. "Hah, son, if you live long enough, nothing ever surprises you. I''ve seen things much more shocking than this in my life. You should look at the underground storage. It''s full of the strangest things you can imagine. But, let''s check this for now."


    Sylvester stayed behind the Pope and moved closer. The Demon''s body was still standing somehow, but he could not smell anything from him, so the being was likely dead. But it brought another question. ''Why did my touch break the statue open? I''m sure over the past thousands of years, many wizards with light magic must have touched it too.''


    Pa!


    "It''s dead." The Pope said after suddenly pping the dead Demon. "But this is rare. We generally don''t get living demons in our world, as they are exorcised. So then, why was this kept here by whoever put it here... Perhaps it was the Pope himself."


    ''Why is he not taking this seriously?'' Sylvester wondered silently.


    "I''ve seen clergymen take bloodlings seriously, so why don''t we take the Demons seriously as well?" He asked.


    "We do, but not always. Yes, some of them can be extremely strong, like Soul Eater, but most are weak. Freaks of a world trying to enter ours, but they can''t survive here without the help of a medium." The Pope exined.


    But that made this demon even more important as Sylvester realised the same. "Then, does this mean that whoever left behind this dead Demon wanted us to learn about it? Perhaps this Demon is different?"


    "I think the same, young bard. This Demon could be a rare one, a warning from someone in the past. Its body is too real, not like any human''s possessed body. The horns as well; they show a tale of a battle as they are broken." The Pope added and checked the Demon from all sides. "Only surgical dissection can help us understand it. Wait here, son. I will go and call the necessary department."


    As the Pope left, an eerie silence took over the Arena. Sylvester kept staring at the Demon''s body, trying to ask himself why he could free it. It instantly brought his mind to that vision of Solis not long ago.


    ''What mystery is this now? There has to be some special reason why I could do it.''


    He walked up to the dead body and touched it.


    Bam!


    "Fuck!


    Sylvester tried to jump back. But the Demon suddenly moved, and its arms grasped Sylvester''s neck. It was strong, more than Sylvester. To the point that it easily kept Sylvester right in front of its face.


    "L-Loo...k!"


    Sylvester was in a slight panic but not fear. He had not smelled death or any other emotion from the Demon this whole time. So, he did look into the Demon''s eyes, as asked.


    In the Demon''s big white eyes, he noticed some images forming. The images seemed like a city full of lights and buildings. Of course, the first thing that Sylvester remembered from that was Aurora''s vision while being stuck inside the Soul Eater demon.


    "What? Are you trying to show me the demon world?" He asked the creature.


    But, all he saw was the view of the city from the Demon''s eyes. The view was moving, and thendscape was huge. It was like a megacity from modern times, but the buildings had strange architecture.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "L-Loo...k... Beyond..." The creature sounded without moving its mouth.


    Sylvester did so and noticed something. ''A reflection? So this is not a vision, but a memory of someone standing in front of a building''s ss panel?--Is this a memory of this Demon?''


    Soon, the scene changed, and Sylvester noticed a different person. It was also a tall demon with its whole body covered in loose robes, and even its face was veiled. Only itsrge horns were visible.


    "O-Order... Meet J-Ja...arl Desmond...'' the Demon in front of Sylvester muttered in its voice as if it was tranting what was inside the vision. "T-Two worlds... meet... war... win...!"


    Thud!


    The body of the Demon finally fell back onto the ground. Its strange, muffled voice stopped and left Sylvester more confused than sorted. "War? Does the demon world want war?"


    He went closer to the dead body and tried to touch it again. But nothing happened this time, and even the eyes got closed.


    "The scene in its eyes. Was that other Demon the ruler of the Demon world? And how did this body end up here? And what does Pope Jarl Desmond have to do with this?"


    Sylvester scratched his head, but there was nothing he could do. ''I will have to spend some time in the library, it seems. I have an ominous feeling about this."


    But before Sylvester could check anything else, the Pope returned with some men. "There! That''s the body!"


    There were five men in tight robes and leather aprons. They were likely from some alchemy or biological studies department.


    They didn''t speak and just wrapped the body in a piece of silk, ced it on a stretcher and took it away.


    "Don''t worry, son. They will get to the bottom of this. Now, let''s continue with the training." The Pope focused on Sylvester again.


    ''Why do I smell a sense of doubt and anxiety from him?'' Sylvester was alerted by the Pope''s inner emotions.


    "Was that demon really not important, your holiness?" He asked.


    The Pope smiled and waved his hand. "It''s not a big deal, son. We find demons around the world all the time. The only thing that made it special was that it was kept here. Worry not. We shall soon find the reason behind it, it shouldn''t be too hard to find, so there is no need to mind."


    ''Lies! Even if I could not smell it, I easily see it. Whenever you be serious, you start speaking in rhymes.'' Sylvester noticed the underlying things. But he decided not to pursue them.


    He just smiled and formed a fighting stance. "Understood, your holiness. Let''s start the training then."


    The Pope rxed his arms and stood in a crude boxing stance. "See me how I will cover the Srium over my upper body. I will do the advanced version for now since it''s easier to see."


    Sylvester nodded and silently watched everything. On Pope''s torso, over the skin, a strange white glow started to appear. In the beginning, it was very light, but slowly it became stronger and appeared like a solid item. It covered the Pope''s body like it was spandex fabric.


    "See this, young bard? Nowe and try to punch me with all you''ve got." The Pope ordered him.


    Sylvester took a more urate boxing position and walked closer to the Pope while doing the footwork. Of course, he knew about imbuing Srium onto swords and body parts to get stronger in the knight''s ss. But this was his first time seeing someone turn it into something akin to a solid object.


    Sylvester didn''t waste a second and sent a left jab at the Pope''s chest.


    Bam!


    Then he sent a right hook to the head.


    Boom!


    The Pope, however, remained standing, not even flinching. "See that? You can likely not even feel my skin. It''s like hitting a metal sheet. But now, it''s my turn to show you the advantage of mastering the body."


    Sylvester prepared himself the best he could for theing punch. He knew it was going to hurt. Sadly, he miscalcted.


    "Here I go, son!"


    Woosh!


    Too fast, that was the first word Sylvester''s mind could think of. The Pope seemed like a hungry giant bear wing his enemy. The old man''s punch went right to Sylvester''s head, just above the nose.


    Boom!--Itnded loud and clear and sounded like something metallic shed.


    ''Hm? What''s happening to me?'' Sylvester was confused as he was already falling before he could even feel the pain. ''I''m losing consciousness? Am I falling? How?''


    Ever since Sylvester started fighting outside, working--Not once did he fall unconscious in the middle of anything.


    ''Ugh... I don''t think I canst against this monster...''


    Thud!


    Sylvester fell, knocked out of his senses. His head, where the punchnded, swelled up instantly, like the horn of the magical unicorn that he was definitely seeing in dreand now.


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 313 313. Void Anomaly

    Sylvester opened his eyes slowly and looked around. He realised that he was on a bed in some extremely minimalistic room with nothing but a bed.


    ''I feel surprisingly fresh after that beating.''


    "You woke up? Good, I was wondering what I should tell your mother about your absence." The Pope''s voice came from the side as he sat by the study table and wrote something. The man was still shirtless.


    Sylvester looked down, and he, too, was shirtless. ''This Pope would have been in so much trouble if this were to happen in my previous world.''


    "How long was I unconscious, your holiness?" He asked and stood up to stretch.


    "Address me as mentor for you in private, and you''ve been asleep for an hour. It''s nearly morning now, so you should head home. Take a nap, do your personal work by evening tomorrow, and then return here. This will be your schedule from now on. We shall train from evening to sunrise." The Pope instructed him before he left.


    Sylvester truly needed some rest, though he felt it was somewhat of a waste of time. Sleep was overrated, and he was jealous that beings like the Pope and Guardians were strong enough to avoid sleeping for days at a stretch.


    He put on his robes and prepared to leave. Thankfully, he had decided not to bring Chonky along, fearing the Pope might easily sense him.


    "Understood, mentor. I will report back in the evening." He saluted and proceeded towards the door.


    The Pope didn''t even acknowledge his leaving and just kept writing something on the parchment while keeping multiple books open on his side.


    ''He reeks of anxiety and doubt. It seems the demon has brought a lot of trouble to his mind. But what could that demon be trying to show me?'' Sylvester wondered as he walked out.


    Bam!


    "Ugh¡­" Sylvester groaned as he bumped into someone just outside.


    He looked up and apologised as he recognised the man from the Sanctum Council. It was likely one of the Guardians that he didn''t know about. The man was as tall as him and had broad shoulders and a muscr body hidden under oversized yet neat-looking ck robes with white outlines. The man was also wearing a lot of silver ornaments over himself, and a hood covered his head. From his face, he seemed to be a stoic person.


    [A/N: See here]


    But Sylvester smelled something more. ''Ah, sweet old jealousy.''


    "Watch where you''re going¡­ Bard!"


    He shoved Sylvester to the side, walked into the Pope''s room, and shut the door loudly. Sylvester was just left in wonder and confusion as to why there was so much anger.


    "Old enough to be a grandfather and act like a toddler. Great, the Church is in good hands." Sylvester mocked and walked away.


    But another Guardian was standing there, an old man that Sylvester knew very well. "Headmaster, it''s a pleasure to see you again. Congrattions on your promotion to Grand Wizard rank."


    The old man was as incredible as he was years ago. Lost beard and long white hair, smoking a pipe in his red wizard''s robes. The man oozed the aurora of a rxed but wise old man. "Good to see you again, Lord Bard. I''ve kept an eye on your career, and I must say you have exceeded my highest expectations. I suggest you go to the school from time to time and give a few lectures¡ªBoost the kids'' morals. The new generation is growing too soft otherwise."


    Sylvester bowed his head with respect. "I will, headmaster. But are you still the ruling headmaster of the School?"


    "Of course! Headmasters of the School of Dawn serve for life. I may have be a Guardian, but my duties remain the same. Ah, I should go now. His Holiness wishes to learn about some demons. You know about it, I presume?"


    ''This old fox, he''s trying to interrogate me without interrogating me.'' Sylvester caught the man''s intentions without even smelling them.


    "I do, but it''s not much different from any other demon. Although, perhaps, this one seemed too ordinary to the eyes. But in the circumstances it was found, it is certainly a topic of debate. Who was that man, though?" He asked nonchntly.


    The headmaster chuckled and patted Sylvester''s shoulder. "Don''t mind him, Lord Bard. He''s just a bit¡­ Jealous. You see, he''s the first student of his Holiness. He''s the Eighth Guardian of Light, codenamed Faithwalker. So he''s slightly jealous of you since you became the priority of his Holiness."


    ''It''s fine if his jealousy only remains limited to this petty arrogance and not outright heresy, an attack on me.'' Sylvester thought and nced at the door.


    "I will take my leave now, headmaster. It was nice meeting you again. Perhaps I wille to the school next week." Sylvester bowed his head and paid respect.


    "Come anytime, Lord Bard. My office will always wee you with open doors."


    Sylvester didn''t hurry while leaving the building. Instead, he kept an eye on every room, every pathway and intricate detail to see what security measures were installed in there. He wasn''t nning anything for now, but his upation had taught him to be ready for anything.


    The living quarters of the Pope were on the first floor of the Pope''s Pce, overlooking the sea. So, he had to traverse long corridors and find his way down to leave. Finally, outside, he got his horse from the stables and headed home.


    It was still early morning. The sun had barely started to rise. So, he silently entered the house without making a noise. Miraj was sleeping near Xavia''s feet, like a good guarding son, so he went to his room and dropped dead as well.


    ''What a long and tiresome day.''


    He muttered and, within minutes, drifted off into sleep.


    ¡­


    However, while Sylvester slept, the entire Pope''s Pce and the higher clergy were finding it hard to smile. The Pope had downyed the importance of finding a demon inside the Pope''s Pce, but in reality, it was perilous and troubling.


    "I want to know which Pope in the past dared put a demon right in the home of the Lord? This is sphemy of the highest level!" The Pope roared at the group of old chief historians from the Library.


    Nobody could tell anything about how and when the statue was put there or who put it there; since the story of the woman and her lover was so famous, it was hard to believe anything from just words.


    The Headmaster of the School of Dawn spoke respectfully. "Your Holiness, I''m afraid there was only one man who could have answered us, but sadly, he has passed away. The fifth Guardian was the oldest Grand Wizard in the Holy Land and had served under multiple Popes¡ªThe word of mouth that he must have known¡­"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "The old man is gone, and we''re left with this mess. I want answers. Saint Medico, where is the report of the autopsy?" The Pope demanded.


    Saint Medico frowned, as he didn''t have the report ready. "It will take some more time, your Holiness. But I have some news, the demon''s body ispletely natural. Meaning it did not possess any humans. It''s one hundred per cent demonic. What''s worse is that it''s made of elements we don''t even know about."


    The Pope sighed and clenched his fist. "So you mean this demon didn''t just arrive in our world through its consciousness, but rather its whole body was transferred."


    "Perhaps, it''s rumoured and theorised Void Anomaly." Spoke the First Guardian of Light, the Silver Mist. "I think that''s a strong possibility, as history says the demonic activity increases during the appearance of Void Anomaly."


    "It''s just a rumour." Saint Wazir eximed. "Nobody has ever seen it, nor has anyone ever ventured into it. The records define it as nothing but ''The day the sun turns dark like a bottomless well in the sea of sky.'' Most of us here are older than two hundred years, and we remember no such event."


    The Pope remained silent, however. He couldn''t afford to dismiss a threat just based on absurdity. "If the rumour exists, then some truth must be there. Perhaps, this demon was caught by the Pope of some era when this Void Anomaly did ur. However, the anomaly has only been mentioned twice in the recorded church history of five thousand years. Once in the rule of the first Pope, the second never mentioned the date."


    "But why keep it inside the Holy Land?" Saint Seer wondered.


    "A message!" The Inquisitor High Lord spoke. "You sow the seed today so your children can eat the fruit. The Pope in the past likely could not do anything about the demon, so he kept it here¡ªTo warn the future."


    "What now?" Saint Wazir asked, looking at the Pope, looking for instructions.


    "Scour the libraries of the world. We need to find any information we can about this Void Anomaly. Search the ancient records of the sky and the stars. Find me clues, anything. If there is a world out there somewhere trying to take over us. Then we better prepare ourselves. Lest they attack us at our lowest." The Pope''s voice rang firmly and loudly. The words were absolute, and ipetence was not wee.


    Pat!


    Everyone crossed their arms at the chest and saluted the Pope. "May the Holy Light enlighten us!"


    With that, all left the Pope''s chambers, leaving him alone to ponder what just transpired. ''This is not good. The Demons know more about us than we know about them. Oh Lord Solis, guide me to the righteous path¡ªBless me, so those heathens kneel to my wrath.''


    ¡­


    Pa!


    Pa!


    "Maxy!"


    "W-What? Where am I?" Sylvester''s eyes slowly opened. His sleep was more like deep unconsciousness for the whole six hours he slept. He didn''t even move in his bed and remained in the same position.


    The first thing he saw was Miraj pping him while sitting on his chest. "Maxy! I''m hungry. Where is my banana."


    "Hmm? I gave you two dozen bananas to keep in that belly. Where are they?"


    "I ate them. Gimme more now, please."


    Sylvester groaned and slowly got up from the bed. He nced out the window and noticed the sun was at its peak. ''With this sleep, I should be able to function for two or three days without needing rest.''


    Knock Knock!


    "Sylvester, are you there?"


    Sylvester recognised that voice and opened the door. "Felix? What brings you here?"


    "Hehe, look at this!" Felix threw a few parchments at Sylvester. "My first assignment. It''s about investigating heresy in the northern Duchy of Iceling."


    Sylvester''s face turned into a frown, however. "North? You do know that the Masan Empire is still likely doing something coercive there? This could be dangerous, my brother."


    "I know. That''s why I came to you. I am leaving next week, and I was hoping you could guide me with ways to get out of certain situations. I will have the team with me, but it can still be dangerous. Gabriel is useless, Elyon is helpful in natural instincts-rted work, and Bishop Lazark is not as strong in face-to-face battles." Felix requested.


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and turned around. He walked to his study table and opened the drawer. "Hmm¡­ I did n all possible events and oues I could imagine a while ago¡ªJust in case I had to go north. Here, these fifty pages hold all the possible problems, solutions and alternate oues."


    "..."


    "What? This many?" Felix was bbergasted.


    Sylvester just shrugged and donned his clothes. "Of course, there are sixty thousand unique situations, with two hundred thousand varied branches. I spent eight nights working on this."


    "..."


    ________________________


    700 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 314 314. Eliminating Competition

    Felix was disheartened, but Sylvester was strict with him. He genuinely liked Felix as a friend and didn''t want him to die an untimely death as a virgin. So, he forced him to sit down and memorise everything possible there.


    This way, as long as someone didn''tpletely overpower him, he''d always have a way out of a situation.


    "This will be the death of me. How do you expect me to remember all these?" Felix asked as he flipped through the pages.


    "It''s easy, Felix. Most of these are not evenplex. Some are as simple as ''You stepped on an ice sheet that covered a deep ravine.'' The scenario is simple, but it can have various implications. For example, are you fit, are you injured, what magic to use, and as such."


    "Fine, I will try," Felix grumbled. He sat down by Sylvester''s study table and started reading the pages silently.


    Sylvester went out to see how his mother was doing since Isabe had gone to her sses to study magic and a unique course on administrative theory.


    "How are you? You want me to move you back to your room?" He asked Xavia while she sat in her wheelchair on the open balcony. She was looking outside at the sun and basking in its warmth. So he also dragged a chair and sat beside her.


    Her arms had thankfully be strong enough to push the chair, so her daily schedule was mainly about waking up, getting fresh, eating food, and then staying in the wheelchair to move around the house. Of course, the trainee Bright Mother, Anya, would alsoe from time to time.


    "I''m fine, Max. But I wanted to ask you something. When do you think we will be able to live without fear?"


    ''Is the pressure getting to her head? Or perhaps it''s the boring nature of staying tied to a chair.'' Sylvester felt worried for Xavia''s mental health.


    "I think the day I be the strongest being in the world; we will have some peace. After all, then there will be nobody who could trouble us. But why are you asking this, mum? Did you have a nightmare or something?" He asked and took her hand in his.


    She looked down at his hand and caressed it slowly. "Dear, I am just wondering how long I can live naturally. You will likely live for hundreds of years, but I¡­ I''m afraid I will never get to see that peace or live in it."


    Honestly, Sylvester had no idea what to say. He didn''t want to promise anything, no matter how much he wanted things to go his way. Heck, he didn''t even know if he''d see the light of the next day, let alone the future.


    "Mum, I don''t know what to say. The fact is that, as of now, I''m extremely weak in terms of the real powerful people''s scale. There are thousands of people in the world who can easily stomp me, kill me. Anything could happen in an instant. Everything can blow to smithereens."


    He clenched her hand tighter and looked at the distant sun. "What we can do is live this moment to the best of our ability. After all, no one can see tomorrow. No one can ever know what''s toe. Who knows, it''ll be you who outlives me¡­ Anything is possible."


    She sighed and shook her head firmly. "No, don''t say that. I don''t want to imagine that. The greatest pain a parent can feel is performing thest rites of their child. It''s a curse I don''t wish upon even my enemies."


    Sylvester chuckled and stood up to push her chair inside as he had to cook dinner in advance. "Hah, then you better give your all to get stronger. I will write down a training n for you. Zeke can be a great training partner for you."


    Knock! Knock!


    "Speak of the devil!" Sylvester opened the door and found Isabe and Zeke there.


    But, there was a third person behind Zeke, standing silently and respectfully, bowing his head to Sylvester. "It''s a pleasure to see you, Lord Bard."


    "Come on. We''re brothers for life! Come here and give me a hug. Also, call me Sylvester." Sylvester rushed up and hugged the man nearly the same age as him. "So, what brought Augustus Steel, the famed exorcist, to this humble bard?"


    Augustus Steel was a good friend of Sylvester from the days of School of Dawn. Augustus was a boy who was talented enough to be a Grand Wizard one day in the future. But he did not care about any sides. He stayed neutral and rarely spoke with anyone. Still, Sylvester struck up a friendship with him. And now, Augustus was one of the only graduates of the ss of God''s Favoured.


    The brown-haired, ck-eyed, and stoic-faced boy had grown into a fine man by now, as he appeared taller and stronger.


    "I brought some fruits for Mother Xavia." Augustus forwarded a basket of fruits. "I heard what happened."


    Seeing that, Sylvester felt much more optimistic about the man since even though he was a loner, Augustus had the decency to know how to act in different cases.


    "Thank you, Augustus. She''s getting better, albeit slowly. Come in. Felix is here as well." Sylvester called him in and shouted for Felix toe and greet him.


    Soon, they all sat in the living room while Isabe and Xavia went to the kitchen to make some snacks. It was mostly Xavia teaching Isabe about everyday chores. Although destined to be queen, Isabe wanted to learn all that to stay humble and know the struggles ofmoners. Though the truth was, in the Holy Land, she lived in more luxury than many nobles.


    Outside, Sylvester spoke with his good friend. He had already smelled his emotions. It was full of hope and doubt. But about what? That was the real question.


    "So, how can I help you?" He asked.


    Augustus was not a man who smiled very much. Although he was only a year older than Sylvester, his demeanour had stayed that of a grown, traumatised adult from the day he joined the school. But the strange thing was, Augustus'' family was quite normal¡ªa simple family of traders, well off in any way possible.


    Augustus forwarded a file. "I know as God''s Favoured candidates, we are meant topete with each other. But you''re the best expert in bloodlings I know of, so I hope you can help."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Nonsense!" Sylvester eximed. "Who even cares about that? We''re friends, and friends always help each other. Let me read this report, and you tell me what''s the problem at the same time."


    Sylvester tried to stay good to people like Augustus for one reason only¡ªTalent. Like the rest of God''s Favoured candidates, Augustus had high possible talent. That meant that even if they didn''t be true God''s Favoured, they were destined to be a Guardian of Light. And Sylvester knew that he''d need the support of these Guardians in the future.


    Sylvester read the report diligently and listened to Augustus as well. "How are you sure it''s a bloodling?"


    "Because they are known to hold enough mental capacity to n something like this. What else can it be if not it? It''s a case of a single vige in the middle of nowhere that decided to pray to the evil bloodling for protection. Baroness Martha of that area had requested the church to deal with it. Initially, the job was to check on it only. But then my entire team got killed, and I could not exorcise the evil." Augustus revealed.


    Sylvester hummed and thought about it. "Well, if it''s a bloodling, then the Light Magic is its bane."


    "That''s why I''vee to you, Sylvester. You''re the strongest Light Wizard that I know. Do you think there is any way to kill this thing?" Augustus asked politely.


    But what Sylvester couldn''t understand was why Augustus was even taking such a tough job. "This is likely an S-Grade assignment. So why are you taking it?"


    "To improve myself. I''ve been stuck in my Master Wizard rank''s fifth level for a while now, and I need to push myself."


    ''Lies! Why is he lying? But I don''t smell any hatred or negative emotions towards me, so this isn''t a plot. But why is he lying to himself then?'' Sylvester sensed a great many things.


    "Well, that''s good. But there is no one universal way to kill a bloodling. Every Bloodling is unique and has different powers and weaknesses. For example, some could be restricted to water, or some could be afraid of fire. So the best way to kill a bloodling is first to analyse it and then improvise the attack to kill it. Or, if you''re as strong as a Grand Wizard, then you can just wave your hand," Sylvester advised truthfully.


    But simultaneously, he kept a keen eye on Augustus'' expressions. ''Confusion, but he has no fear. This is amazing.''


    "Thank you for the advice, Sylvester. I will return to gather more information." Augustus stood up to leave.


    "Wait!" Sylvester had other, more selfish, ns. "I wille with you. I enjoy killing bloodlings; they are good boosters to one''s abilities."


    Of course, Sylvester''s main goal was to push Augustus to take his name out of the race to be God''s Favoured. That was Sylvester''s only way to clear the hurdle for his promotion. Because once he''s finalised as God''s Favoured, nobody in the world would be able to object to his achievements and promotion.


    ''I only have to make him feel how insignificant he is in front of my power. I believe he''s smart enough to know when to back down.''


    "You would? But why?"


    Sylvester walked closer to him and patted his shoulder. "For the glory of the lord, of course. I am still a Grand Crusader, although the Crusade will soon be called off. So, it''s my duty to hunt down the bloodlings. But I will have to take permission from the Pope first, so I hope you can wait a week."


    Augustus showed a rare smile and agreed. "I think I can wait that long, Sylvester. I will see you in a week then."


    Sylvester didn''t ask him to stay and let him leave. By then, Felix also decided to head to his dorm room and study the documents in peace.


    After that, Sylvester quickly went to do his cooking and returned to the room to pack his items for the day''s training with the Pope. Sadly, Sylvester couldn''t take Miraj with him.


    "Chonky, you stay a good boy and keep mum safe, understood?"


    Miraj stood on his hind legs and saluted. "Aye, Aye, Maxy! Big mum is my duty. But I''m bored¡­ When do we go on another adventure?"


    Sylvester caressed Miraj''s head and grinned. "In a week, we will go on bloodling hunting again. Though I hope I find some sparse skygems this time as well. Like when we killed the bloodling near¡­ Sphynx Town."


    "Why? Are they tasty?"


    "You don''t remember? We even vomited after licking it. But they are extremely durable and even better absorbers of srium. Just imagine if I can create a magical armour out of it¡ªI will be invincible."


    [A/N: Skygem was first mentioned in chapter 124.]


    ________________________


    700 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 315 315. A Place Called Home

    A week was enough for Sylvester to try out a few things. The best thing about training with the Pope was that he could go all out. No matter how powerful or destructive, the Pope had nothing to fear against him.


    In doing so, Sylvester wished topare his level. Before, he was just a little Archwizard, unable to exert himself fully due to the injury. Now, he was a level three Archwizard, and the difference was supposed to be stark.


    Boom!


    "Good one, son. But you are still too wide open for me." The Pope appeared beside Sylvester and pped his shoulder. "Your move was very destructive but also very slow. Both the Wrath of Heavens and the Hellfire Purge are great attacks, but they can easily be neutered with enough speed. And the fact that you can not use them repeatedly leaves your chances of survival to luck. In this one minute of the spar, I found three hundred openings tond a killing blow and three thousand two hundred and six openings tond a permanently crippling move."


    "Then what should I do?" Sylvester asked, asing up with another signature move that fast was impossible.


    "That''s a tough question. Even tougher because you have an affinity to all elements but the darkness. That makes you eligible for learning all sorts of attacks. Perhaps, you can copy this move of mine and turn it into a Light Magic version."


    The Pope stepped back and picked up a spear from the weapon''s rack. "Watch me. This is abination of knightly and wizard magic. It''s the best form of martial arts anyone can use in a fight, be in close proximity or a ranged fight."


    Woosh!


    The Pope swung his left arm, and instantly, a long arc of fire appeared from the tip of the spear.


    Boom!


    Then, he punched with his free hand, and a gust of fire came out from his fist. Simrly, he did acrobatics at such a breakneck speed that Sylvester only saw afterimages of arms and feet throwing fire all around. It was like a well-choreographed dance of death being performed by the Pope.


    Soon, the fire changed into des of air and then into sharp des made of water.


    ''He''s imbuing elemental magic in his fast martial art movements. But this is useless for a fight of wizards.'' Sylvester muttered to himself.


    "You must think this is useless against a wizard, right?" The Pope seemed to have read his mind. "Now watch this!"


    Boom!


    Woosh!


    As the Pope swung the spear this time, a difference in the attack became apparent. It wasn''t simple elemental magic now, but aplex mixture of elements. Fire and Earth magicbined, and a physical ball of burning dirt flew and mmed into the wall at the arena''s edge.


    But that wasn''t all. The Pope again moved around doing acrobatics; each time his leg or arms swung, a ranged attack came out. The thing to note was that it was all diverse, and it was swift.


    ''This is¡­ Good? If any normal wizard were to fight him, the Pope would have an absolute advantage.''


    "Keep an eye on me, son!" The Pope''s voice resounded.


    The ground started to shake this time. The Pope seemed to be moving normally, however. But Sylvester could sense that something wasing.


    Boom!


    "What!" Sylvester jumped up as a big, tall, sharp spike of stone erupted from the ground. It was at least three metres tall.


    Boom!


    Then, multiple spikes came out all around Sylvester. So he quickly used light steps and walked a few metres in the air to protect himself.


    Boom!


    This time, the entire arena, except where the Pope stood, got covered in long, sharp spikes of stone. But that wasn''t all.


    Woosh!


    Each spike caught fire, and between each spike appeared boiling water.


    "See this, young Bard? If there had been an army around me, all of them would have died. If I were fighting a wizard, he would''ve been so preupied with avoiding my regr bombardment of attacks that he would''ve never found a chance to jump.


    "And, even if he had jumped, I would have done this."


    Sh¡­.!


    The steam that came out of the boiling water turned solid all of a sudden¡ªSolid balls of ice, to be precise, and they had small spikes all around.


    "I could use these to mark my enemy with wounds. This is one of the ways you can fight, and it works even if you''re against multiple opponents. But the only downside is that this style requires monstrous srium reserves. Hence normal wizard-knights don''t even try. But you, I believe you can do it." The Pope sounded resolute and confident about Sylvester.


    He then waved his hand briefly, and a giant rune appeared on the entire arena ground.


    Bam!


    All the destruction the Pope had caused to the field vanished, and everything returned to how it was. This was why it was called Pope''s personal arena. It was full of enchantments and runes to help one train.


    But Sylvester wasn''t much bothered by that magic. He only thought about the Pope''s suggestion. ''I do have great srium reserves. But this still has a downside.''


    "But this is useless for a Wizard who has not mastered the elements or isn''t good at casting magic fast. Not to mention, if their affinity with an element isn''t strong, then the attack will only brush past the enemy." Sylvester argued as he returned to the ground.


    "But you are not a weak wizard, are you? You know spells, runes, incantations, and above all, you have good control over elements. So, you should try to use that Wrath of Heaven''s sma beam of Light and embed it into your fighting moves. Remember, the trick is not to give the enemy a chance.


    "Even I have some kingdom-destroying abilities. They take hours to prepare¡ªImagine if I were to remain dormant and open for attacks in that time." The Pope advised Sylvester wholeheartedly.


    Sylvester smelled no double meanings or lies. On top of that, he realised something. ''This is right. I need to learn how to cast the Wrath of Heavens and the Hellfire Purge while moving around. After all, themon thing is that I must be singing a hymn¡ªThat still leaves at least one hand free.''


    "Thank you for the advice, mentor. I will definitely look into this ability." Sylvester bowed his head in respect as it was time to leave.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The Pope patted Sylvester''s shoulder and cheered him on. "You''re alright, son. I am going hard on you in this training because I believe if you train with me, you will be immensely stronger when you be a Supreme Wizard one day. Perhaps avoid the mistakes Imitted.


    "Now, go on. I wish you good luck with the assignment. Deal with that vile bloodling and return fast. Your training has only begun."


    Sylvester went to the side and wore the robes again. "Thank you for teaching me, mentor. May the Holy Light enlighten us."


    The Pope saw him leave. His eyes were full of pride at his student, and hope for a better future was apparent. ''I should have done this years ago. O'' Lord, I''m sometimes so dense. May your holy Light enlighten me.''


    ¡­


    A week was a long time, and Chonky was not a boy who would ever back down from a challenge. And now, he had decided to challenge himself.


    ''I must do this! If I want to protect my Maxy and Big mum, I must get stronger.'' So he told himself again and again.


    "What are you doing?"


    "Maxy, don''t speak to me. I am busy exercising!" Miraj shouted and continued to exercise.


    He was resting on the bed and his back, doing crunches to strengthen his belly. He did about a dozen repetitions and then started to do push-ups. Of course, he was copying Sylvester.


    "One"


    "Two"


    Sylvester stood there with folded arms, staring at the cat. It was bizarre and also cute to see Miraj doing all that. "How will you ever know that you got muscles? You''re too fluffy."


    Thud!


    Miraj fell on his belly and looked at Sylvester. "Oh, Nyo! I didn''t think about that. Should I shave?"


    "But then your fat belly will be exposed."


    "..."


    Sylvesterughed and picked him up. "Let''s go, Chonky. If you really want to train, then the best thing to do is run. You''re a cat, so jump around and exhaust yourself. Your real power won''te from copying me. But, if you want, I willter make an obstacle course for you to train on."


    "Really? I will cherish it!" Miraj bloomed instantly and jumped onto Sylvester''s shoulder to sit.


    Sylvester picked up his luggage and headed out. He gave Xavia a hug and provided all the instructions to Bright Mother trainee Anya Moller.


    "Don''t worry. I will be back in a week. I''m not going too far, just near the Broken Bay." He informed her as he left.


    Xavia didn''t like it whenever her son left the Holy Land. It always filled her heart with anxiety and uncertainty, thinking this could very well be thest time she''d see him, as all knew the world they lived in was very unforgiving. But she also knew Sylvester had some duties he could never run away from.


    "Be careful, dear. Eat healthily, and don''t put yourself in unnecessary danger." She waved at him until he climbed down the stairs.


    ''You must live longer than me, Max. Or I''m afraid I''d lose my only reason to live.''


    ¡­


    Sylvester didn''t need a carriage on this trip. He just took his loyal, horny stallion, Frost, and rode to the Inquisitor''s camp. From there, he took Sir Dolorem along.


    Sir Dolorem was, in a theoretical sense, not blind anymore. He had be so good at manoeuvring around using his other senses that he was even better at fighting now. He was now able to sense things that he would otherwise ignore. Still, he had his limitations. Such as an attacking from the sky.


    But Sylvester kept Sir Dolorem along as he wished to test thetter''s limitations. Moreover, he was hoping to one day give him the eyes of Duke Daemon, that was if he and Healer Hendrix could study it sessfully.


    "Good morning, Sir Dolorem." He greeted the man.


    Sir Dolorem was as loyal and overzealous as ever. "As long as you are well, I shall be too, Lord Bard."


    "Hah, good. Let''s move on, then. Augustus must be waiting for us at the Bard''s." Sylvester trotted the horse away. Surprisingly, Sir Dolorem moved his horse easily behind him.


    ''What a brilliant and hard-working man.'' He mumbled and moved on.


    Eventually, they arrived outside the Holy Land, just to the left of the entrance. There, on Sylvester''s plot ofnd, now stood a structure. A week was enough for the architects to use magic and finish it.


    It was nothing too revolutionary and blended well with the current era''s architecture. Just a simple three-storey building with a stone base, brick walls and various wood pirs as main structures. It looked great with the greenery all around it and the constant soothing breeze.


    "All that''s left now is the interior. Hopefully, when we return, we can use it." He muttered proudly. This was, after all, one of his dreams from the day he was born in this world.


    ''Finally¡­ A ce of my own¡ªA home.''


    [A/N: See it here.]


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 316 316. The Womaniser

    Sylvester enjoyed the view of his new house that would be an essential part of history for theing thousands of years if everything went well.


    "I wish I could see. Moments like these are the only times I feel sorrow for theck of my eyes." Sir Dolorem said.


    Sylvester looked back and cheered the man up. "Don''t worry. I promised you that time, and I still remember it. I will one day get your eyes fixed, no matter what."


    "Sylvester!"


    Just then, Felix''s shout came. Along with Felix was a small carriage driven by Gabriel and Bishop Lazark, while Elyon rode a horse. The four were going to the assignment in the Northern Duchy of Iceling to check the heathen activities.


    Augustus was with them, too, on his dark stallion with a lot of luggage hanging on the side and back. Most of it was exorcism-rted equipment.


    "I still don''t understand what you do for a living." Felix was, as expected, bickering with Augustus. "Sylvester and I also deal with all sorts of evil entities, and we don''t need any of those exorcism things."


    Augustus was patiently replying to him. "That''s because the darkness you deal with is physical, such as demons or bloodlings. Meanwhile, my work involves exorcising souls that couldn''t cross over, effects of curses, or people possessed by some dark soul. There is evil outside that normal eyes can not see, and I deal with that."


    "Ah, that''s sweet then. I think I have a curse on myself, too. Can you look at it? I can''t seem to be able to attract any decent sexy women despite being this big manly hunk." Felix sounded as narcissistic as possible.


    "..."


    Of course, not only Augustus but everyone else was also speechless.


    Bam!


    Sylvester knocked on Felix''s head as he rode to his side. "Don''t bring his wits down to your retardedness. Let''s not waste any time here. The ship at the Happy Vige must be waiting for us there."


    "Max, you will never understand the aspirations of a true man." Felix patted Sylvester''s shoulder as he moved. "A virgin can never understand the taste of the forbidden fruit."


    "You''re also a virgin," Gabriel muttered from behind.


    "Not for long, boy," Felix eximed with a big grin.


    Sylvester just sighed and let others move too. "Ignore him¡­ A man can always dream. It requires no tax, after all."


    "..."


    "Do you always belittle each other like this?" Augustus asked Sylvester, unable to see how Sylvester and Felix could ept being disrespected like that.


    For that, Gabriel had a fitting reply. "Of course we do, Augustus. Because we''re not friends¡ªWe''re brothers. To us, our little bickerings are a sign that everything is alright, that we ept each other''s good and bad and are not afraid of pointing them out. For example, Sylvester is too damn pretty, which sometimes causes us trouble, or Felix is too dumb."


    "I heard that, Gab." Felix barked from ahead.


    Gabriel ignored him. "See that, Augustus? A donkey is usually so thick-skinned that you must repeatedly beat it, so it works harder."


    "Pfft¡­"


    For the first time, Sylvester, Felix and Gabriel saw Augustus showing anything more than a dry smile. That was enough to make the three happy.


    Just like that, talking and joking about various things, they all arrived at the Happy Vige, a ce that got the name due to its proximity to everything amazing. It was beside the White River, just opposite the Green City, and Holy Land was not far away.


    The vige was known for its fantastic wax crafting, famous worldwide. The people created candles of all sorts of shapes and sizes, and designs. There were even some as big as a tower.


    A ship was waiting for them there. It was supposed to take Sylvester, Sir Dolorem and Augustus to the north, not far away. After that, they needed to enter the Duchy of Zon, and make their way on the t farnds farther east, to Broken Bay. Meanwhile, the same ship was supposed to take Felix and the rest to the Duchy of Iceling into the Duke Iceling''s keep.


    On the way, Sylvester spoke with Felix, Gabriel, Bishop Lazark and Elyon. He was worried for all four of them as they were his staunch supporters and greatest allies. He knew that if something were to happen to Felix and Gabriel, the world would undoubtedly be much more depressing and worthless.


    "I believe the list I gave Felix was read by the rest of you too? It had most of the scenarios, but I''m not god. I can''t predict the future. So, please be careful and fall back at the first sign of a problem you can''t fix. If it''s a bloodling, don''t even attempt to touch it. Remember, I won''t be with you¡ªI''m the torch that''s the bane of dark entities. Without me, even if you use a lot of Srium and Light Crystals, it will be useless.


    "And if you found yourself in a human mess, or perhaps a political mess, then immediately contact the Holy Land, especially in case you sense a conspiracy. By default, I think that Masan is behind it."


    Sylvester briefed all four of them withplete seriousness. He honestly felt desperate and frustrated due to theck of longmunication tools.


    "Max, don''t worry. I will be careful with this. I know I can bezy and yful most of the time, but when my life depends on it. Trust me; I don''t want to die." Felix assured Sylvester.


    "Likewise," Gabriel added.


    Sylvester nced at Elyon and Bishop Lazark. "If these two fools start taking an unnecessary risk, please drag them back to safety. Here, I have prepared these four pouches for you. They contain more than a dozen Srium, Light and Explosion crystals. And take this bigger pouch as well. It contains many medicines and healing potions."


    "How are you this rich?" Felix stared at Sylvester''s face. After all, the money they had extorted back in Ironstone Duchy had already been divided among themselves.


    "Stop thinking about that. May the Holy Light enlighten you four and always show you the right path." Sylvester prayed for them.


    "Amen!"


    With that, the preparations were over. The ship soon arrived at the small docks for little boats. There, Sylvester got off and made his way to Baroness Martha''s castle.


    The road was non-existent as they rode on the farnds. The only reason they took the ship was that if they were to go through thend, they''d have to cross the vast fields of small and big hills, some full of mud and some full of trees. It would have taken too much time.


    "Sir Dolorem, do you have any knowledge about Baroness Martha?" Sylvester asked. "Or perhaps you, Augustus?"


    "My knowledgees from years ago." Sir Dolorem spoke. "Thest time I heard about her was when the Baron died, leaving behind a ten-year-old boy. But it became a topic of discussion as the Baron''s wife turned out to be extremely greedy, and instead of letting the child take over, she crowned herself the Baroness."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "And nobody rioted orined? What about the minor nobles in hernds or her loyal soldiers?" Sylvester questioned.


    "That I can not tell."


    "I can." Augustus chimed in. "From myst visit, I could gather that the Baroness is likely warming the bed of her master of arms. Through him, she controls the military of her region."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin, wondering what approach to take with this, as his experience had taught him to treat every noble differently to maximise returns. "What would you say are her character traits?"


    "She''s not gifted in Knight''s or Wizard''s talent and is likely in herte forties. Yet she''s a beauty to behold, with a body that almost all her subjects lust for. But her beauty is overshadowed by her obnoxious attitude. She''s narcissistic, greedy, petty and hateful." Augustus exined.


    ''So she fits the archetype of a spoiled noble. This can be easy as long as I hit the right spots.''


    "How would you define her lover?" He asked further.


    "He''s younger than the Baroness, likely in his thirties. He''s tall, strong, and a Golden Knight. I don''t know what he hides under his handsome face, but he acts warmly and respectfully to all. He even trains the Baroness'' son every single morning."


    ''Hmm¡­ I think I know what she likes now. It seems Sylvester, the womaniser, will have to get to work again.''


    "I will try to act like I''m attracted to her and seduce her to get to the truth and make the cooperation healthy. So don''t react negatively to anything I will do." Sylvester warned his twopanions.


    "I should change clothes. It''s better I wear something that reveals my muscles¡ªWhich is impossible in these baggy clothes."


    So they took a short rest on the way, and Sylvester quickly donned the light armour that he usually wore under the main golden armour. It was made of leather and showed his torso''s shape very well.


    After that, they moved fast and soon arrived outside the Baroness'' castle. It was small but picturesque, appearing nestled not far from the shore. Opennds surrounded it at the front, and dense forest behind it stretched as far as the boundaries of the Holy Land.


    It stood tall with a small moat surrounding it and guards appearing to patrol it. The small town in front of the entrance was also clean and well-nned, and the people didn''t seem poor.


    Pa!


    But Sylvester didn''t have to wait too long as the castle''s gates opened, and the guards lowered the drawbridge. Following that, a small group of horses moved out, with one white horse in the lead, ridden by a woman.


    Sylvester waited and noticed the woman''s features. It easily captured his attention. Perhaps it was her striking red hair or piercing blue eyes. But even more enticing was her fantastic figure, which was toned and slender with arge bust, despite her age.


    ''Is that¡­ Why is she wearing light armour?''


    Eventually, they met face to face. Sylvester dismounted his horse and walked towards the white mare. But before she dismounted the horse, she seemed to savour Sylvester''s form with her eyes, from head to toe, before watering her lips with a lick from her tongue.


    ''And that''s a hook!''


    She forwarded the back of her hand towards him, which Sylvester graciously caught and kissed. "So the rumours were true. The beautiful rose of Rosewood Barony is far more gorgeous than my highest expectations. Please, ept these lowly tulips from this lowly bard."


    ''Yes! The scent of rose and sweat¡ªSo much lust. A good hint of jealousy, worship and excitement too.''


    She took the small bouquet and smelled it. "Famed Bard of Solis, you humble yourself with such words. Lowly is fit for these putrid peasants, not for a fine¡­ exquisite man like you."


    Sylvester, however, didn''t let her hand go and kept it clenched tight. He used magic to make it warm while utilising his thumb to caress the back of her hand lightly.


    Sylvester smiled and used his other hand to brush his hair back with his fingers. It was a move that always made women go weak on their knees. "As soon as I heard thesends were troubled by a bloodling, I rushed here. I hope my uninvited visit is not bothersome."


    "Oh¡­ Haha¡­" She blushed a little and used her free hand to cover her mouth. "Lord Bard, there is no woman in this entire world who would be bothered by your visit¡ªMust I say, even if you hade here for no reason, I''d have weed you with¡­ my open arms."


    Sylvester bowed his head to ept herpliment. "Then, shall we move to tackle the bloodling, or head to your castle?"


    "Bloodling, please. Those lowly filthy barbarians in the forest are praying to evil¡ªI hope they can be stopped quickly, as I''m afraid for mynds. It''s hard being a single woman and running a Barony, my lord. So I came prepared with my best knights and armour to help you."


    Sylvester nodded and looked back. "Sir Dolorem and Archpriest Augustus, prepare to move. And mydy¡­ Can you please¡­"


    "What is it, my lord? Anything! Just tell me what you need?" She fanatically asked.


    Sylvester kept warmly smiling and looked down. Somehow, instead of him, the Baroness was holding his hand now. "Can you¡­ Let my hand go?"


    "..."


    "Oh¡­ Of course!" She blushed and stepped back.


    ''Haha¡­ This is so easy! But¡­''


    Sylvester was not foolish enough not to notice the scent of hardcore jealousy and rage from a certain Knight behind the woman.


    ''Should I kill him and keep the woman dependent on me? A Baroness in my pocket¡­ I will never get another easy chance like this.''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 317 317. Mirnor Village

    Sylvester eyed the man. With his ck hair, tall build and confident face, he could already feel that this was a defiant man with his own ns.


    ''Does he wish to marry her and be the Baron one day?'' He wondered and seriously contemted what to do with him.


    "Let''s move then, my lord," Baroness called him with much lust in her voice.


    Sylvester kept his game going and moved his horse to her side as close as possible. "The town in front of your castle is so clean, mydy. It''s often rare to find such fine ces."


    She smiled proudly. "That''s because of my management, Lord Bard. I love cleanliness more than anything, and the punishment for littering in the town is getting their hands chopped. After one or two cases, all the people strictly follow the rules."


    Sylvester didn''t like her policy, but he had to praise her for winning her over. Though he kept his senses high to ensure that he always knew she was telling the truth.


    "That''s remarkable, mydy. A woman ruling with an iron fist is always a lovely sight to behold. It''s rare to find brave warrior beauties with brains like you." Sylvesterplimented her as he knew what a noblewoman liked the most. It''s to stand out and be the best among her peers.


    He gave her that validation and kept seducing her.


    "Seeing you, I thought of a hymn. If you''re not against it, may I sing it?" He asked her.


    Instantly, the baroness'' eyes sparkled as if they were stars at night. She blushed and covered her mouth with one hand. "T-That would be the greatest honour, Lord Bard. What woman does not wish to be the recipient of your words? Please, sing¡ªI will ensure all remain quiet."


    She fiercely stared back at her soldiers. The look was enough to warn all that silence was their only sce.


    Sylvester moved his horse close enough to regrly brush his leg past hers. That kept the Baroness lustful about him and aware of him.


    ''Who would have thought having eleven blood would help me this way? But if I''m considered this handsome, what does my father look like?'' Sylvester wondered as he took the violin out of the saddle bag.


    Soon, he started to y the violin slowly, producing a melody to move the hearts of even demons. At the same time, with the utterance of his words, the glow behind his head appeared in a halo.


    Instantly, gasps left the mouth of the Baroness, and the scent of lust she released increased manifold. But she was not alone, as the soldiers gasped the same, but instead of lust, jealousy was their main game.


    ?By the blessing of the lord, I have been graced,


    To feel this incredible scent and its taste.


    I hope not to ruin this serenity due to haste.


    So I move now; in my eyes, her beauty embraced.?


    ?She rides through the forest, so graceful and fair.


    Her beauty shines bright like the sun in the air.


    Her steed moves with ease, as if in a dance.


    Their movements in sync, in a beautiful trance.?


    ?Her long fiery hair flows in the breeze.


    Her face aglow with a sense of peace.


    She rides through the woods, a true wonder to see.


    A goddess on earth, wild and free.?


    ?As she rides on through the green and the gold.


    She leaves behind a story yet untold.


    But one thing is clear in this world so grand.


    She is a woman of beauty¡ªstrength¡ªandmand.?


    The song was long, but Sylvester sang it whole as the road was decently long, and they didn''t move very fast. However, he was also slow and ensured the Baroness knew he was singing it to her.


    By the end, he knew that she had fallen into his arms already, enough that she''d do it no matter what or how personal if he asked. But he knew better than to be the one to initiate the talks.


    "Magnificent! Breathtaking! I don''t have enough words to describe how I feel. I wish to have my back tattooed with your hymn, Lord Bard. How did you think of such lovely words so fast?" She was all praises for him.


    ''Good god! The scent of sweat overshadows the roses¡ªShe''s so damn horny right now.'' Sylvester was well aware of what was happening.


    So he decided to tone things down for now. "I am called Bard for a reason, mydy. Now, let''s focus on the battle at hand, or I''m afraid I''ll be too lost if I start singing about your beauty again."


    "Uhm¡­ Yes¡­ Let''s focus on the work. Please, follow me." She finally increased her speed, and they started galloping.


    At the far back of the group were Sir Dolrome and Augustus following them.


    Seeing Sylvester''s actions, Augustus felt second-hand embarrassment. "This was so¡­ Cringeworthy."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sir Dolorem chuckled. "Indeed, and he knows it. But the reality is that such cringe-worthy actions work for these women. They appreciate being appreciated, and above all, let''s not forget Lord Bard has his charm."


    Augustus took a glimpse at Sylvester and agreed with that. "You are right, Sir Dolorem. Solis certainly blesses him. But I wonder what his father looked like if he''s like this."


    "I wonder the same, Archpriest." Sir Dolorem muttered.


    This time, nobody slowed down, and Sylvester was able to make good progress. Finally, they headed into the forest that started behind the castle of the Baroness. It was dense and massive as it spread from the seashore to back into the Imperial Land, adjacent to the boundary of the Holy Land.


    Being in a very fertile and warm region, the trees were plentiful, all sorts of species covered the ground, and vines also created many dead ends. As for the wildlife, it was also full of life and variety, going from small monkeys to giant tigers and bears. As a result, flora and fauna flourished as one would expect.


    "Look at this forest. The Barbarians refuse toe out of here and live in the vige I specifically built for them, where they could do agriculture. But, they refuse and stay here, sullying this forest by chopping trees and causing fire idents." Baroness tried to exin as they moved.


    ''Half-lies and half-truths. What is she trying to hide from me?'' Sylvester had already seen through her intentions.


    "Why do they worship the Bloodling?" He asked.


    "I have no idea. They seemed to have gotten the idea that the Bloodling is their protector and the incarnation of the soul of this forest. These barbarians don''t even pray to Solis and keep strange idols in their temple. Nearly a thousand of them¡ªAll useless wastrels." She didn''t even try to hide her contempt anymore as she grew toofortable around Sylvester.


    ''A Bloodling based on nature? This can be bad¡­ Can it control the forest as well?'' Sylvester wondered and didn''t feelfortable as they were surrounded by dense forest, the home turf of the enemy,


    "How big is their settlement, and what''s their vige called?" Sylvester asked.


    "As I said, nearly a thousand of them live there. It''s called Mirnor Vige, named after their false goddess¡ªThe name they gave to the Bloodling."


    ''Interesting, this is my first time seeing a Bloodling being named. Are the people somehow ensnared by the dark creature?''


    Sylvester tried to think of all the situations he could as his experience warned him to be wary. Bloodlings were some of the most unexpected and unpredictable creatures he could think of, and he wasn''t sure about the effect of his increased strength either.


    "There it is, the entrance." Baroness pointed forward as she slowed down her horse.


    Right in front of them, on the vague trail they travelled on, two tall trees stood as if they were gates, with dense vines making an arch between them, giving it a more gate-like look. There were even flowers near the entrance as if weing the visitors.


    "Halt!" Sylvester raised his fist to signal the back.


    He then unmounted the horse and took his spear out. Immediately, he called Sir Dolorem and Augustus to his side since he didn''t trust the soldiers.


    "Mydy, please stay under the protection of your knights. I will spearhead into this vige." Sylvestermanded them and started moving in.


    All of them brandished their swords openly, ready to fight. Sylvester also expected some pushback, especially since there were supposed to be a thousand of them in there.


    ''I smell¡­ Fear, Anxiety and¡­ Sadness. No scent of death yet.'' Sylvester kept his nose sharp as the smell was the best indicator of a Bloodling.


    "Sylvester, look." Augustus pointed to the left.


    Sylvester noticed a child, probably eight years old, standing near the entrance of the vige, inside. He appeared to be wearing a simple sheet of cloth tied to his waist, and his torso was utterly exposed.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester flicked as he noticed a change in the kid. But, while he aimed his spear at the boy''s face, the boy raised his palms and pped them together prayingly.


    ''What the¡­''


    Sylvester ignored him and walked into the vige. He noticed a cluster of thatched huts on both sides of the muddy, grassy road leading to the circrmunity square at the end of the vige.


    "They don''t seem to have any weapons." Sir Doloremmented.


    Sylvester agreed as he only smelled sadness and fear from them. Yes, then, there were hundreds of people, men and women, that he could see. They all appeared to be wearing simple clothes.


    Men had tied a sheet of cloth on their waist, with their torso remaining naked; the women had tied a smaller sheet of cloth to cover only their breasts as well. In skinplexion, they all were white, but the notable thing about them was that their hair was slightly greenish, the same as their eyes.


    "They look like a tribe. But why are they praying for me?" Sylvester asked.


    Every single viger in the vicinity was standing just like the kid at the entrance. A in face, eyes staring at them, and palms held together. They all remained quiet and just watched.


    Baroness came forward and cursed at them openly. "These filthy creatures¡ªThat''s what they do every time. They are not praying. They are pleading! Pleading for mercy¡ªWhich I have none."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 318 318. Curse Of Broken Promises

    Sylvester was confused by the people''s behaviour, but he decided not to take any drastic measures from the get-go.


    "Archpriest Augustus, you said your team was murdered. Who killed them? These people?" He questioned.


    "It was the Bloodling, Lord Bard. We couldn''t even enter this vige and were attacked by a giant blob of vines that caught them one by one and strangled or ripped their limbs apart."


    Sylvester looked at the crowd of people and decided to speak with them. So, he walked over to one wrinkled old man who appeared to be wearing different clothes than the rest. He had wrapped a sheet of cloth below and had one draped over his left shoulder, falling down to the right side of the waist. Other than that, he also had a few chains around his neck made of gold and some strange stones.


    "Can you understand what I am saying?" Sylvester asked him. "Nod your head if you can."


    Soon, the man nodded but dared not look Sylvester in the eyes.


    "You number in the hundreds. You can easily overpower a few of us and perhaps even kill the Baroness, then why do you stand here with heads held low weakly?" Sylvester asked them the main question directly, no matter how hurtful it was to the Baroness.


    However, the people remained silent, and the man Sylvester spoke to dug his head deeper.


    "Speak, or I will initiate my actions, which will destroy your home. Speak and put forward your side of the story, for this is thest and only chance to decide whether you be history."


    In front of his authoritative tone and mighty form, the man finally squealed a few words. "W-We are mere dwellers of thends you own, my lord. Who are we to deny you ess and will over this piece of dirt? All we can do is plead for mercy¡ªTo you, the overlord, the owner, the demi-god of thisnd."


    ''Ugh, why do I feel like I''m the bad guy here?'' Sylvester grunted internally and looked around.


    He soon noticed the building at the end of the street in the distance. "Is that your temple?"


    "Y-Yes, my esteemed lord."


    Sylvester corrected him. "I am no lord, for I am a mere servant of Solis. Call me Sire or Archpriest instead. Now,e with me and show me the temple from the inside. The rest of you, stay here and do not move an inch. Do not harm anyone, or I will write down your names and hand it to the Holy Land."


    Sylvester looked at Augustus and shook his head to make him not follow. He wanted to see the temple on his own and ask the man a few questions. Since he smelled no danger, he was fine with this.


    "Y-Yes, sire."


    The man guided Sylvester to the temple and then into it. The building was not too tall and seemed to use the trunk of a few trees as a base. The entire structure was built of bricks, however.


    Sylvester looked around in awe at the site. It was all just a big round hall inside, but what made it strange was that the thin vine had created symmetrical patterns that seemed more like a magical rune over the entire ceiling.


    Then, in the end, just in front of the gate, a tform of bricks was set, and on the brick was an idol of something. He couldn''t call it a human, as the thing had no natural features. It was just a standing object made of vines. It did have two legs, but above that, it was all a mess.


    "Why do you pray to a Bloodling?" Sylvester questioned him.


    The man kept his palms in a praying position while replying. "Bloodling? I do not understand what it is, sire."


    "It''s an evil dark creature that takes birth in a ce where many people had died and didn''t get cremated. A bloodling is extremely strong and kills anything close to it." Sylvester exined to him shortly. "So, why do you pray to a bloodling?"


    "We don''t! If what you describe is a bloodling, then our Mirnor is the opposite. She is the beauty incarnate, the mother of nature and all that lies within it. She protects us and helps us live here. She never harms anyone, sire."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and thought of something. "So you''re worshipping a nymph? The spirit of nature imagined as a beautiful maiden inhabiting a river, woods, or other locations."


    The old man turned angry. "No, she''s not a Nymph. We know what that creature is. Goddess Mirnor is the protector of this forest, and she is all-powerful and all-knowing. One thousand years ago, when the son of Baron Rosewood of that time fell extremely sick, the Baron brought him to our tribe in hopes of finding some herbal medicine. But here, he witnessed the goddess Mirnor in her true form.


    "So the Baron pleaded to her, and in the end, Mirnor agreed to heal the boy if the Baron agreed to give away the forestnd to my tribe. He was warned, however, that if his descendants ever dared to take thend back, then the doom of House Rosewood would surmise. Sadly, the recent death of Baron Rosewood urred because of this. He tried to force us out of here. Now, his wife tries to do the same."


    Sylvester breathed in silence and contemted the events. Again, he smelled no lies from the man, but if someone does not know the truth, then their lies would also smell like the truth.


    "It''s hard to imagine that an all-powerful goddess lives here. I''m more inclined to believe it is a nymph who can cast curses. But what now? Will you leave this forest or not? Because the Baroness wishes to have this forest emptied." Sylvester asked him.


    The man turned rageful instantly. "Never! The Baroness wishes to harm the forest, and as the loyal worshipers of Mirnor, we will never leave her! Burn us with the forest if you want to."


    ''This is not good. But why is the Baroness so adamant about taking this region over? Why mess with a tribe just living in peace?'' Sylvester wondered.


    "Can I speak to your ''goddess?''. I desire to hear her wishes directly. If she is indeed a goddess, you aremitting heresy, punishable by death."


    Although his words couldn''t be more precise, the man smelled of nothing but worship and anxiety. "We¡­ We can not decide it, sire. She only speaks through the medium, which is the young child you saw near the gate. He''s an orphan, as his parents were killed by the Baron."


    ''Ugh¡­ Then I will have to do my own investigation. But first, I need to find the reason for Baroness'' infatuation with this ce. Still, if these people keep praying to a nymph, I''ll have to kill them too.''


    He stood up and headed to the door. "I will leave for now, but I will return soon. I am the servant of Solis, and I can''t allow a false god to disturb the harmony so close to the Holy Land. Still, you can expect fairness from me."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "M-Mercy is all we ask¡­ That''s all we ever asked for." The man prayed to Sylvester''s leaving back. His head held low, and his eyes were full of helpless tears.


    Sylvester ignored all the curious eyes and reached the Baroness. "I''m afraid the Bloodling is more dangerous than we expected. The Bloodling can move around anywhere in the forest, mydy. So we should leave for now and return with a better n to kill it."


    "What!" She jumped over near Sylvester and held his arm tight over her chest. "It''s free to move around? Then¡­ What if it''s waiting for us?"


    "Don''t worry. I am a light wizard. I will remain at the front. You sit with me on my horse, mydy." He offered her, knowing she''d jump at the chance.


    So, soon they all rode out of the small vige. The Baroness sat in front of Sylvester, making sure as many parts of her body touched him as possible. The scent of lust had not left her, after all, and Sylvester knew what was going toe next eventually.


    But he remained focused on the task for now. Carefully, he brought the Baroness out of the forest. However, he only dropped her at the castle and didn''t follow in.


    "Please allow me to show my hospitality, my lord." The Baroness voiced while looking at him from the ground.


    Sylvester got down and reached her. Then he kissed the back of her hand and kept the game going. "Mydy, my heart tells me to ept this offer, but my mind forces me to first ensure your safety. So please give me some time as I shall prepare for the Bloodling hunt outside."


    She turned red from his direct words. "I will be waiting then, my lord."


    Sylvester turned around and left with his team in triumph. However, Sir Dolorem and Augustus were focused on him the whole time.


    "What?"


    Augustus iterated his doubts. "Your actions with the Baroness don''t seem fake to me."


    "That means I''m a great actor. But don''t worry, I try to keep her as flustered as possible since it clouds her judgement and allows us to do anything we want in hernd. Let''s move now. The same procedure follows. Interview people and try to find out what''s special in the forest. Sir Dolorem, you can go with Augustus." Sylvester ordered them.


    "Understood." Sir Dolorem was used to this intel-gathering phase in past assignments, so he left with Augustus.


    As for Sylvester, he had a special ce to go and finally test the fruits of thebour of his dear mother.


    He went directly to the small monastery in the town. It was small, and an Archpriest was supposed to man it. But at that moment, it was mostly empty as people went to work at that hour. The Archpriest and his assistant priests had to perform various duties in the town.


    But the Bright Mothers remained there for medical aid in the monastery.


    So, Sylvester wrote down something on parchment and dropped it in front of a Bright Mother who was passing by. Of course, it was not a random woman but a face he recognised.


    After giving the paper, he went to the empty prayer hall to wait silently.


    "O'' Solis, prays to you, your bard.


    Bless this quest to not be hard¡­"


    Pat!


    "Solis is the sun, and stars are the sun. Solis is infinite."


    Sylvester looked to his side after he recognised one of the ten initiation keys. A Bright Mother stood by him, wearing the usual pale golden robes, with a book and a dagger tied to the sides of her waist. She was smiling widely through her headscarf.


    Sylvester bowed his head. "We are stardust. We are children of Solis."


    She bowed to her as well and left without saying a word. But, she dropped a small parchment behind while leaving.


    Sylvester quickly opened it to discover why the Baroness wanted the forest back after so many years.


    And the parchment didn''t disappoint him.


    ''So it''s gold veins.''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 319 319. Feelings Of Hearts

    Sylvester burned the small parchment and walked out of the Monastery. He headed into the town to find Sir Dolorem and Augustus to discuss the next steps. He couldn''t really harm a Baroness for some tribes who were heathens, after all.


    "Chonky, what do you think? Kill the heathens, or investigate more?" He asked the loyal cat resting on his shoulder.


    Miraj yawned and rubbed his face with his paws. "I don''t know¡­ Are they baddies?"


    "I don''t think so."


    "Then, killing them is not a sin? That ck Knight will get angry?" Miraj asked, not knowing how big of a point he made.


    ''I didn''t think like that. What politics does the Shadow Knight follow? Does killing heathens also constitute sin in its eyes? It definitely does in mine since I can see the world through a non-church lens. Does Shadow Knight do the same?'' Sylvester wondered in silence as he walked down the town''s road.


    "Lord Bard!... Lord Bard, please wait!"


    Sylvester stopped as an old man with a long white beard appeared behind him. He had seen the man before, a good while back during the war between Count Raftel and Jartel.


    "Prima Leopold?" He called the name precisely. The man was the Prima to the Duke of Zon Duchy, Zephyr Vas Zon.


    "So you remember me? This is better, as I havee here by order of the Duke. He wishes to speak with you, Lord Bard. It''s not too far away, just a few hundred metres to the north, where Broken Bay''s town starts. Ites under the Duke''s territory." Prima Leopold invited him.


    ''Hmm¡­ I sense no schemes, and Broken Bay is close too. But why does the Duke want to see me?'' Sylvester was absolutely interested as he was out of options.


    "Lead the way, Prima." He followed the man behind.


    They didn''t even need to take horses, as Broken Bay was just a short walk away. The geography of the ce was bizarre as Baroness Rosewood''s castle was so close to the border that the town outside her castle usually appeared to be a part of the Broken Bay itself.


    So, crossing various streets, the old man brought Sylvester to a big vi in fifteen minutes. "This is the harbour master''s vi, Lord Bard. Duke is waiting for you inside."


    Sylvester nodded and entered. He didn''t mind meeting the man as he had decent rtions with him. In fact, it was better to say that Sylvester had saved the man''s duchy from being implicated in Masan''s evil plot to destroy Northern Gracia.


    ''Alright, let''s hope it''s not a big mess this time too.'' Sylvester muttered and arrived at the top floor of the building.


    There was a big hall, and it was mostly empty. Only a table and two chairs were set beside the balcony, and some food was on the table. The Prima let Sylvester walk in and then left.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you again, Lord Bard. You seem to have grown taller and stronger, it seems." The red-haired, ck-eyed, pale-skinned Duke came to greet him.


    Sylvester used the usual church greeting. "May the Holy Light enlighten us, your grace."


    Sylvester keenly kept an eye on everything. He ensured to see the surrounding that no weapons were in the vicinity. Moreover, he ensured to smell and determine all the emotions running through there.


    "Lord Bard,e and take a seat. Let''s have some tea. It''s fresh and just arrived at the port from the depths of Riveria." The Duke invited him to the seat and poured him a cup himself.


    ''Hmm¡­ From what I remember since thest time, he''s a mix of warrior and diplomat, the worstbination for his enemies. Why is he being so polite?''


    "What made you interested in this lowly Archpriest, your grace? I''m sure you know that I''m on official business." Sylvester got to the point.


    The Duke smiled and drank a sip of his tea. "I love this about you. Right to the point and concise in everything. Well, I wanted to warn you about Baroness Rosewood. You see, the Baroness is in an exceptional position as she lives on the edge of the Imperial Land. That means she has no oversight of a Viscount, Count or Duke. Instead, she falls directly under the King''s rule and enjoys a lot of autonomy as long as she pays the taxes."


    Sylvester drank the tea and asked. "Why does that bother you?"


    "You see this whole town of Broken Bay? The people of Rosewood Barony created it. Under her and her husband''s rule, the people were tortured and harassed to the point that they ran and took asylum in my territory. I''m afraid, if she''s not stopped, more refugees will keeping." The Duke exined.


    "Isn''t the Broken Bay a highly flourishing port of yournd? So why don''t you want more people to live here?" Sylvester asked him the question differently so he could assess better.


    "Of course. But she''s unhinged and does not take any of my warnings seriously. She even sends her assassins to kill some escapees. Not to mention, she isn''t supposed to be the Baroness. The title was to be passed down to her son. I''m sure Lord Bard will sympathise with the poor of thatnd as I do."


    ''So this is the case. He wants hernd once I deal with her. I''m sure he knows about the gold vein in the forest too. If even a Bright Mother could tell me, I''m sure others would know it too.'' Sylvester didn''t have to try hard toe to that conclusion as he smelled lies in thest statement.


    "I''m still investigating the events, your grace. I am here to kill the Bloodling in the forest, not investigate the Baroness. But, if she were to show some heretic tendencies, then I''m sure King Harold would have to take action." Sylvester replied while standing up to leave.


    Sylvester had decided to avoid falling into the two nobles'' political mess this time, as it always ends up bing bigger. He wished to maintain the ties with the Duke but also wanted to make the Baroness his pawn. For that, taking no sides openly was the way to go.


    The Duke saw him to the door. "I hope you consider investigating her, Lord Bard. Exchanging goodwill is always appreciated."<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''Goodwill?'' Sylvester nced back as he wondered what the Duke could even offer him.


    The Duke borated in puzzles. "The world is brutal, Lord Bard. Sometimes those who deserve the best get the worst, all because of someone else''s jealousy. But, there are always friends in high ces, and I assure you they leave no traces."


    Sylvester nodded and left silently. He got the message that the Duke was probably offering to do something about someone in the Supreme Council that rejected his promotion.


    But the Duke didn''t realise that he revealed something he shouldn''t have. He failed to understand that Sylvester didn''t need help manipting them; instead, he needed help killing them.


    ''I should look into the family histories of all the council members.''


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in the town outside the Baroness'' castle, Sir Dolorem and Augustus went around talking to the people and asking general questions. It was mostly Sir Dolorem doing all the speaking, though, as Augustus was never trained or experienced in investigative work like that.


    "Never ask what you want to know directly. Did you see how I led that woman to tell me what I needed without mentioning it? People are very gullible as long as you hit their soft spot. That''s how you do it." So Sir Dolorem taught the young Archpriest.


    Augustus nodded firmly and wrote it all down in a small booklet. "Understood, Sir Dolorem."


    "Good, now you try next."


    Augustus nodded and walked over to the rundown mini-shop. He followed all the steps provided by his temporary mentor. "May the Holy Light enlighten us, my fellow brother in faith. I am from the Holy Land, here to ask a few questions."


    The old shopkeeper became alert and respectfully bowed. "Of course, respected clergymen. How can I help you?"


    "How are you, my brother? How is life?"


    The old shopkeeper looked at the two''s faces as his eyes became wet. "I never thought anyone would ask such questions to one another. I''m good, despite the shrinking business."


    "Shrinking business? I hope this can help." Augustus took out a few silver crowns from his pocket and handed them to the man. "God is testing you, be strong."


    The shopkeeper became so emotional that he kissed Augustus'' hands. "T-Thank you¡­ I don''t even know you and¡­"


    Augustus patted the man''s shoulder. "It''s alright. We are already brothers in faith, and nothing more needs to be said. You can tell me all your problems."


    "That wench! The tax¡­ She takes eighty per cent of our monthly earnings. She throws us in jail for a week if we don''t pay. Living has be hard, and everyone who can run leaves for the Duchy of Zon. I¡­ I have no money to start a new life there, and I''m old¡­ I will die here." The old shopkeeper cried all his pain. "But, I fear for my wife and daughter."


    "Don''t worry. I Thin¡­"


    Sir Dolorem took over as Augustus wasn''t used to dealing with crying, emotional people. "My friend, calm down. I''m sure the lord will bring a solution. Stay strong and stay honest."


    After that, Sir Dolorem dragged the young Archpriest away. "You did well, but it will take some more time. Let''s go and wait for Lord Bard at the tavern now¡ªIt''s also a great ce to hear what''s going around."


    Augustus was moved and inspired by that short interaction. "Did you teach this to Sylvester?"


    That made the old, blind Inquisitor chuckle. "Haha, it would be wrong to say that, Archpriest. From the start, Lord Bard has always been better than me in such investigative work. I''m sure if he had been here, he could''ve gotten further details from that shopkeeper, or perhaps, even made the shopkeeper sell his life away for peanuts. I must say that Lord Bard''s power of persuasion, speech and charm is unmatched."


    Augustus bobbed his head while looking at Sir Dolorem''s face. A strange feeling appeared in his heart for the first time, one he had never expected to feel. Jealousy, longing, sadness and loneliness, it varied. "You and him¡­ I¡­ I''m quite envious."


    Sir Dolorem, sadly, misinterpreted him. "It''s understandable. Even I am envious of his mind sometimes."


    "Indeed¡­ He is meant for greatness." Augustus muttered in a low voice and followed Sir Dolorem.


    ''Perhaps¡­ He''s the true God''s Favoured, and I''m just a lowly imposter.''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 320 320. A Womans Need

    Sylvester returned to the Barony and looked around the town more to find anything against the Baroness. But in the end, he decided to go to the castle.


    On the way, he also found Sir Dolorem and Augustus.


    "Did you find anything?"


    "Nothing much, just a lot of anger and depression among the people. Everyone is angry and sad. Taxes are high, and quality of life is declining." Augustus reported.


    Sylvester knew that much so he led them towards the castle. "We won''t find anything here, but I already know why she wants that vige emptied. A major gold vein was found under that region."


    "Greed is the root of evil no matter a thousand years in the past or a thousand years in the future." Sir Dolorem sighed as he spoke. "It''s a non-stop, ever-growing societal tumour."


    "Agreed, but that''s not our problem, is it?" Sylvester asked. He was honestly stuck in a moral dilemma at the moment.


    His faith told him to do what the Baroness wanted and kill the tribesmen for being heathens, but at the same time, the tribe had made a deal with the noble family.


    "This is not the time to go easy on heathens, Lord Bard." Sir Dolorem seemingly sensed the doubts. "Faith reigns supreme. It''s thew, no matter how extreme."


    "So massacre it is."


    As they arrived, a nobleman was waiting at the gate¡ªan old, wrinkly, hunched-back man who already had one step in the grave.


    "Esteemed Lord Bard, please follow me. I am Prima of the Baroness, Sir Mormon."


    Sylvester followed the man in. It was turning night, and dinnertime had dawned, so the Prima took them all to the dining hall. It was arge room but empty in terms of people. It was well decorated with red silk curtains on the walls, and the chandeliers on the ceiling were all brightly lit, along with various beautiful murals catalysing the beauty.


    Only a single, long rectangr table rested in its middle, with ten chairs at its sides. On the table were many tes and expensive candle holders made of silver and gold.


    "The Baroness will join you shortly, Lord Bard," Prima said and left shortly after.


    Sylvester took a seat at one edge of the table and waited. ''It seems she does not want anyone but us to be here. But why? I was hoping to formte a n.''


    "Oh! You must be the great famous Lord Bard!"


    Sylvester looked towards the big entrance door. A boy stood there, probably ten years old. He had simr red hair to his mother and a face somewhat identical too. At one nce, it was clear this was the Baroness'' son.


    Sylvester stood up to greet him. "You must be the young master of this castle."


    "Show me light magic! Can you sing for me? Please, can you show me that once? Mother said you were amazing!"


    ''Ugh, not good, but at least he''s not like the typical young masters.''


    Sylvester raised his right hand to show an orb of light magic. "You see this carefully now as the light is extremely sacred for us children of Solis. It gives us our power and keeps us alive."


    "Woah!"


    As soon as the light appeared on his palm, the boy gasped like it was the most magical thing ever. It was understandable, however, as light wizards were notmon. And if one wished to find someone like Sylvester, they won''t find anyone in the entire history because he was the strongest Light Wizard to have ever been born, as imed by many high-ranking church members.


    "I want to be a light wizard too!" The boy dreamed with his eyes open.


    Sylvester didn''t drown his dreams and ruffled his hair. "What''s your name?"


    "James Rosewood, Lord Bard."


    "Take your seat, dear."


    Just then, the baroness'' stern yet melodious voice rang. She appeared, walking into the hall with a tray in her hands. However, she seemed much different now, with her hair loosely resting on her shoulders. She wore a beautiful long gown, but the corset on it was tied tight and increased the allure of her mature figure.


    Sadly, she was wasting her time as Sylvester and Augustus would rather chop their cocks than break their oath, while Sir Dolorem, who could indulge, was blind.


    Sylvester stood up to help her as the tray in her hand contained three whole chickens. "Mydy, why did you bother with such work?"


    She smiled gently and kept her demeanour. "You will one day be an important man for the whole world, my lord. I merely wish to ensure you remember the visit to this lowly Barony for the rest of your life."


    ''I don''t smell much lust anymore. She''s really good at controlling herself, it seems.''


    Heughed and helped the Baroness to her seat by pulling her chair back a little. She was sitting to his right, at the shorter side of the table. "Mydy, I am not a man who easily forgets beautiful, mesmerising scenery."


    ''Haha, there it is, the lust strikes back.'' Sylvester smelled some predictable fragrances.


    But then he took his seat as more servants entered the hall and put various trays on the table. There was a lot of food, from soups to meat, from vegetables to fruits.


    "Try the chicken cream gravy, that''s my personal invention, and my son loves it the most." The Baroness pointed at the container. "I made it myself today."


    Sylvester didn''t wait and poured some for himself. It was a thick gravy with lots of onion, spices and chicken pieces.


    He poured some rice as well and ate it together. ''Good god! This is actually good!''


    He took another spoonful of the delight and nodded repeatedly. "Mydy, if everything you cook tastes like this, I''m ready to give everything up and be a simple priest at the monastery here."


    She chuckled happily and fed food to her son. "I''m d you liked it, Lord Bard. I hope to put all the problems behind me in mynd soon and live peacefully with my son here."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "You will, mydy. We will initiate the n tomorrow. With your soldiers, we shall push the tribe out of the forest and end it for praying to a false god. Hersey must never be tolerated. The rules are clear." Sylvester assured her and ate merrily.


    But the Baroness pressed his hand at that and looked into his eyes. "C-Can you really kill that Bloodling? I''m terrified of it and can''t sleep at night these days."


    He patted her hand with his. "Don''t worry, mydy. We can talk about thister if you want."


    So Sylvester steered the discussion away from the woman as he felt too many wild emotions from her. But the food was delicious, so he focused on it. He also had one furry boy to feed, after all, and nobody was going to notice a few leg pieces going missing.


    Two hourster, all of them had full bellies and tired eyes. Sir Dolorem, Augustus and Sylvester were shown rooms in the castle.


    "Lord Bard, the Baroness wishes to speak with you." Just as Sylvester was about to enter his room, a servant called him.


    ''Here ites. But how far is she ready to go? Does she have a n?'' He wondered and agreed to go in a heartbeat.


    He arrived outside the Baroness'' room and knocked.


    "Please enter."


    He did and looked around. It was a big bed chamber, and currently, it had dim lighting. It was well-decorated, as one would expect from a Baroness. Even the fragrance in the room was induced to mimic roses.


    But what took his breath away was the woman. Now, Sylvester was a celibate by choice, but that didn''t mean he didn''t get aroused by fine beauties like the one standing in front of him in her thin, silk nightgown, tied tightly around her waist. It clearly showed off all the features of her body.


    "Mydy, you wished to speak with me?" He asked, keeping a respectful demeanour.


    "I did." She yfully closed in on him and grabbed his hand to drag him to the bed. But she only made him sit beside herself. "My Lord, I have a request from you. It''s extremely embarrassing for me to talk about, but I have to, for it means my life and death."


    Sylvester smelled the genuine fear in her emotions, but lust was always present. "What is it, mydy? As long as it is within my control, I will help you, for faithpels me."


    She held both his hands first and then caressed her fingers on his cheek. "Lord Bard, I''ve seen you look at me in ways I never allow any man to. I know I am old, but you still find me appetising¡ªI don''t mind your gaze, I really don''t."


    She suddenly stood up and faced Sylvester while he remained seated. There was a gap of merely half a metre between them, but that didn''t stop the woman. She instantly untied her silk nightgown and let it fall to the ground to pile up around her feet.


    She hid nothing and brandished every part of her body openly, seductively, for she was wearing nothing underneath. She was old, but not a single mark of age was apparent. Her skin seemed smooth as silk, her curves ungodly, and her peaks firm. She was neither thin nor fat and maintained just the right amount of meat. It went without saying that if it weren''t Sylvester, any man would have pounced on her by now.


    Heck, even Miraj in the back was covering his mouth with his paw.


    She still acted shy, however, and yed with the stands of her long red hair. However, her eyes were firmly staring into Sylvester''s. "I swear in the name of the lord. I will never let the word of this ever reach anyone. Please let me bear your seed¡ªI know it''s a lot to ask, but this is my only way. If I can''t produce a strong offspring, then me¡ªA woman¡ªwill eventually be deposed from the position of Baroness."


    Sylvester stood up, inched closer to her, and soon looked down at her face.


    The Baroness felt conscious and crossed her legs to hide the most vulnerable part of her body. "I¡­ I''m not a whore, my lord¡ªI''m just a mother trying to survive."


    ''How scheming can she be?'' Sylvester sighed.


    He took off his cape and put it around her shoulder. "Mydy, as tempting as it may be to taste the forbidden fruit, I can''t. My duty and oath can only be broken by my death. So forgive me. I can''t give you what you need."


    Bam!


    She looked at his face defiantly one moment and jumped at him the other. She cared no longer, for he was the perfect man in her eyes. If not him, then no one could give her what she needed.


    "How dare you! After all I did for you¡­ I won''t allow you! You shall give me what I want tonight!"


    Thud!


    Sylvester easily overpowered her and pushed her away, so she fell on her bed. "I''m leaving, mydy. Please control yourself."


    Pa!


    "You can''t! Hahaha¡­ You never can!"


    Pa!


    "Never!"


    Pa!


    She pped herself repeatedly, leaving marks on her own face. "I won''t allow you! I will scream rape if you don''t fuck me! Think about it, Lord Bard¡­ Your name, your fame, and your reputation¡ªAll will be gone."


    "..."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 321 321. Jealousy Kills

    "..."


    Sylvester stared at the audacity of the woman. Yes, she was beautiful. Yes, her bust was gigantic, and yes, she was arousing--But she was nothingpared to him when it came to authority. Gracia Kingdom was now his yfield.


    Bam!


    Sylvester shut her up first with a solid gender-neutral p. She fell back hard from it but got back soon enough.


    "H-How dare you attack a woman... ghk!..."


    She swallowed her words as Sylvester caught her by the neck and lifted her to her feet. He brought her face close to his while looking like an uncaring maniac. "Do you know what I do for a living, mydy? I kill heathens and preach the name of the Lord. I am the direct student of His Holiness, the Supreme Pontiff.


    "Sure, go ahead and shout rape, but do know that you, your son, and every living thing in your barony, from a peasant to thest speck of grass, will be burnt down. Your son, your name, your legacy--All will be remembered as a family of heathens."


    He clenched her neck tighter. "Woman, I came here to kill the Bloodling, and I shall leave after doing that job. But, if you daree in my way, I will spread the word that you, too, pray to the devil. After all, your ancestor did make that promise to whoever lived in the forest. You thought I wouldn''t know about it?"


    The baroness'' face started to turn blue as she couldn''t breathe. But more than that, Sylvester''s changed attitude scared her to the core. He was cold and calm, and his perfect looks only made him more threatening.


    "So, tell me, what will it be? Death and destruction of your name and house, or getting to live?" Sylvester asked.


    She stuttered while forcing the words out. "L-Live..."


    "Good night."


    Thud!


    Sylvester didn''t let her go immediately and ensured she passed out first. Then, he used healing magic to fix all the marks over her body, then robbed her and left her room peacefully.


    ''The test has failed. She''s a wild woman, an uncontroble and untrustable asset. I will have to look through another lens, it seems.''


    "Maxy, she had big pom-poms!" Miraj spoke from his shoulder.


    Sylvester chuckled and agreed. "I wholeheartedly agree, Chonky. She did have some great, big personalities. Felix would have killed to touch them. But, personalities can be deceiving."


    Miraj jumped on his shoulder and rubbed his cheeks on Sylvester''s. "How about my personality?"


    "..."


    ''D-Did he not realise what I meant by personality?''


    "Well, you''re a good boy. Let''s go to sleep na€""


    But he stopped and looked at the terrace of the castle from the window. He noticed Augustus sitting at the edge alone as if lost in thoughts in the near darkness of the summer night.


    ''What''s he doing thiste at night there?''


    Sylvester knew something was going on with Augustus, and he had kept himself at a distance the whole time to not seem too intruding. But he decided to go and talk to him now.


    He also arrived at the terrace and then simrly sat beside him. "Couldn''t sleep?"


    ''The same sorrow and peace, but what''s this new strange scent... It smells like nothing... Weird.''


    Augustus nodded and stared at the sky. "Sylvester, everyone says you''re extremely wise. Of course, it''s illogical to ask, but can you guess what happens when one dies?"


    Sylvester was secretly a master on that topic. But he couldn''t tell others. So, he had to make things up. "Life is... Tooplex to be over so easily. I''m sure there is something in the next frontier. Perhaps a new life? Who knows."


    "Have you?" Augustus looked at Sylvester''s face. "Ever wished you were born under different circumstances?"


    ''Has the work-rted frustration finally caught up to him?''


    Sylvester tried his best to support the man and answer. "Honestly, yes. I sometimes wish I had been born differently. Maybe rich and with some hope for inherited power. But I do not care anymore as my mum is dear to me. What about you? My story is famous, but how did you be God''s Favoured candidate?"


    Augustus fell silent for a few minutes and kept staring at the distant sea. It was only faintly visible as the high waves asionally shone under the twin moon''s lights.


    "Lord Bard, my journey started as any small wave in the sea, which only bes bigger and more violent as it travels forward and grows. I still remember that day my life changed entirely.


    "I was merely five years old when it happened. I was ying with my little, one-year-old sister at home. My mother saw me talking to the air that day. Eventually, it became the norm, and I''d asionally be found somewhere around the house speaking to the air.


    "When asked, I''d say a name and what the person looked like. It was all good until I took my grandfather''s name, who had died even before I was born, and I even described his appearance. It scared them, and they took me to the nearbyrge Monastery.


    "They tested me there and found out I could see the souls of the dead who did not cross over and other ghosts. In addition, when they tested my talent, it was apt for a Grand Wizard.


    "From there, my life changed for the worse as they called me in God''s Favoured. I trained every single day in the Monastery, away from home. Mastering fighting, praying and exorcising. Years passed, and I eventually arrived at the School of Dawn in the Holy Land."


    Sylvester could sympathise with him. The church stole the man''s childhood. "I can understand. I was brought to Holy Land when I was merely a month old. Holy Land is all I''ve known for most of my life."


    Augustus sighed and backed up from the terrace edge to stand up. "That is why I am not the God''s Favoured, Lord Bard. I see it clearly now. I was stuck in a race where only I was running because you had long passed me and had finished it. So I will be taking my name back from this race now."


    Sylvester stood up as he sensed a lot of negative emotions. ''What''s happening to him? Why is he so depressed?''


    "You can still be a Guardian of Light in time. You are meant for greatness." Sylvester tried to cheer him up.


    But Augustus shook his head and left. "None of us are special, Sylvester. We''re just worker ants of a colony of millions. Good night, we have a battle to fight tomorrow."


    Sylvester watched as Augustus left with his head held low. He wanted to call him out but held himself back. They were friends but not that great of friends.


    ''I should get him to join my team after speaking with the Pope. He''s far too depressed for some reason.''


    Sylvester decided and went to sleep as well.


    ...


    Knock! Knock!<novelnext></novelnext>


    Knock! Knock!


    "Lord Bard, please open the door!"


    The next morning, Sylvester was already awake and getting ready for the battle by putting on his armour when the hurried knocks came. He rushed to open the door and found a soldier standing there. "What?"


    "I-It''s the Baroness! She has asked for your presence at the castle gates in your armour. She said it''s an emergency."


    Sylvester picked up his spear and put Chonky on the shoulder. "Move on then. Did you inform Sir Dolorem and Archpriest Augustus?"


    "Yes, Lord Bard. They are already present at the gates."


    So Sylvester rushed out too. But he noticed something was different about the castle that morning. ''There used to be so many soldiers all around. Where are they?''


    "Chonky, be careful. Throw explosive crystals if something dangerouses at us." Sylvester ordered.


    Soon, he reached the castle gates and found Baroness in her steel armour, looking majestic. She was sitting atop her horse and ncing at Sylvester. A hint of fear and shame was visible in her eyes.


    But Sylvester acted like nothing had happened the previous night and mounted his horse that Sir Dolorem held.


    "What happened?" He asked.


    "The battle, my Lord. They have found the Bloodling. It''s at the forest''s edge, near the beach in the east." The Baroness notified him.


    Sylvester turned to Sir Dolorem. "Are you two ready?"


    "This is what we came here for." Sir Dolorem affirmed. While Augustus merely nodded.


    "Good, let''s move then, mydy."


    With that, the Baroness and her army of a thousand galloped towards the beach. They were to pass through the forest, however, so they remained on edge with swords brandished.


    This time Sylvester didn''t remain close to the Baroness to seduce her. He had already decided not to go after her since her mind was too messed up.


    ''Strange, where is the Master of arms?'' He wondered as the hatred and jealousy scent was not there like thest time.


    Paaa...!


    The soldiers at the front blew a horn and signalled the army to slow down. Sylvester also moved forward to the front of the army to see where they were.


    As he moved, he noticed the light was increasing, and the trees were bing less dense. The beach had arrived, he reckoned. Even the breeze of the sea became strong soon.


    Woosh!


    He came out of the treeline in one go and saw the wide, open sandy beach. It was slightly cloudy that day, and the sea seemed to be a little violent. But, the scene he saw in front was more savage than anything else.


    "Aaaa..."


    "Mama!"


    "It hurts!"


    "Please! Let us go!"


    "My children!"


    "Don''t kill us!"


    Screams of nearly thirty children echoed simultaneously as they were all forced onto their knees in a line. Behind each child was a soldier with a sword, holding it at the necks of the kids.


    Sylvester frowned and moved closer. "What is the meaning of this? Why do you have the tribal kids?"


    "Haha, you thought you could outdo me, Lord Bard?" Spoke the Master of arms, Sir Anthony, while reeking heavily of jealousy. "I won! I have utterly won!"


    "My children! Please don''t kill them!"


    Sylvester looked to the side and found more and more people from the tribeing out of the forest, pleading with Sir Anthony. But they only got caught by soldiers instead.


    Sylvester stared at his other side, at the Baroness. "Did you sanction this?"


    "No, I did not. But, isn''t this for the best?" She asked and started praising the knight. "Sir Anthony! You are brilliant! With the cubs out, all those barbarians will soone chasing. You have made me proud, and I will ensure you''re rewarded wellter. Soldiers, round up all the tribesmen!"


    At the Baroness'' order, the soldiers started to move and catch whatever came out of the forest.


    "Mydy! This one''s for you!" Sir Anthony suddenly, ecstatically, erupted again and raised his sword high. The aim was at the small neck of a child, who sat on his knees with no expressions on his face. "I tribute this victory to the great name of House Rosewood... To my heavenly Baroness!"


    "Stop! You fool!" Sylvester cursed as he recognised the child. He leapt to stop Sir Anthony for the doom he was about to bring.


    "That''s the medium! It will unleash the Bloodling!"


    Thud!


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 322 322. Price Of Broken Vows

    To the eyes of others, it seemed as if the world had slowed down. As Sylvester leapt, the sword started to arch down towards the neck. The words that Sylvester shouted had registered the dread in the minds of all, but the one who needed to hear it was too blinded by rage and jealousy.


    But Sylvester was no novice. As he leapt, his extended arms showered an intense beam of light. It was extremely bright--Enough to slow down Sir Anthony.


    "Haaaa!" Sir Anthony roared as he continued the attack and swung the sword.


    But the de did not fall on the child''s neck. Sylvester jumped right beside the child and shielded him with his own arm.


    Being an Archwizard and a high-ranking Knight, his body was way stronger than what the likes of Sir Anthony could harm. But still, some light wounds appeared, and blood oozed out.


    Everyone stopped, and many hearts skipped a beat in fright. First blood was spilt, and it belonged to an influential man from the Holy Land.


    "Y-You... Why did youe in front of me?" Sir Anthony stuttered as the graveness of his actions dawned on him. What was he? A little knight in the service of a small Baroness. Sylvester was famous for killing a bloody Duke with his own hands.


    Sir Dolorem quickly ran towards Sylvester. "Heathens! How dare you raise your de against God''s Favoured?"


    "Stop!"


    But Sylvester''s roar implied something else. There was urgency and fear in his voice as beads of sweat formed on his forehead.


    ''Good god! What''s this madness? The scent of death parallels that of when Anti-Light''s chief attacked! What is this thing? Not even Bloodlings are this strong!''


    "Fall back! Run as far as you can! We''re toote!"


    "What do you mea..." Sir Anthony didn''tplete his words as the ground started to shake.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester stood up and jumped back, pushing Sir Anthony away so he could run in time. The child Sylvester protected had started to change, as many vines began to grow all over his body, and the beach sand underneath him miraculously grew grass.


    Quickly, Sylvester moved far back to Sir Dolorem and Augustus. "Get ready to fight for your lives. The Bloodling, or whatever it is, has awoken."


    "Wraaaa!"


    A blood-curdling scream bellowed out of the little child. It was humanly impossible for it to be natural. Soon enough, all the questions were answered as the child''s entire body got covered with vines, and it took the form of some monster, but with two thick legs made of multiple vines joined together.


    [A/N: See Here]


    "Demon! Demon!"


    The people shouted in fright. But Sylvester recognised it. "Sir Dolorem, Augustus... Don''t attack it. This looks simr to the idol I saw in the heathen temple. Slowly take steps back."


    "But we came here to kill that thing." Augustus reminded him.


    "I know. I have not forgotten it. But look around. There are nearly a thousand soldiers. That demon, or whatever it is, will first go after them. We don''t want to be stuck in that mess." Sylvester exined and strategically retreated.


    Then, they watched the carnage as it erupted. The little boy''s body was nowhere to be seen now, as the creature had taken over it. It was at least five metres tall, and nts and flowers grew wherever it stepped. But it was still growing and getting stronger as slowly tree trunks started to grow all over it.


    "Wraaaa!"


    The same mind-numbing screams of the creatures turned many feet cold. It was sharp and high-pitched. Not only that, as if the heavens reacted to it, the weather started turning stormy, dark clouds covered the sunlight, and the sea started raging.


    But then, surprisingly, the creature spoke in a somewhat normal, muffled feminine voice. "Rosewoods have broken their vow! Killed my children! Harmed mynd! Price is eradication through decapitation!"


    Woosh!


    "Argh! Help!"


    Boom!


    Suddenly, a thorny vine erupted out of the ground and caught one of the soldiers. The vine wrapped itself around the man and squeezed him.


    Poof!


    And soon, the soldier''s entire body exploded as if it were a silent balloon filled with blood and meat. It was a gory mess that worked as a reminder to all there that this could be thest day of their life.


    "Wraaaa! Blood for blood!" The creature screamed in its strange feminine voice and continued to wreak havoc.


    Boom!


    Woosh!


    Multiple vines started toe out of the ground, and caught soldiers left and right, making them explode. The beach eventually turned red, and the number of soldiers in the Baroness'' army decreased to half.


    "Mother Mirnor! Mother Mirnor!" Meanwhile, the people from the tribe were chanting the name of their goddess. They had already collected the kidnapped kids but refused to leave as their goddess was present.


    "Lord Bard! What are you doing there? Help me!" Baroness shouted as she saw her men dying one after another.


    Sylvester just shrugged and replied aloud. "I am nning something from here, mydy. Pray in the name of the lord until then."


    "Are you really nning something?" Sir Dolorem asked in concern for Sylvester.


    "Not really, but now she at least has some false sense of security. Let''s wait for this rampage to stop before doing something. I feel we''re not dealing with a Bloodling or a demon."


    As time passed, more and more gory mess piled up. The beautiful beach was now just a memory, as it appeared like hell.


    Boom!


    The thunder started to roar as well. Combined with the screams of the men, followed by them bursting like a bubble, it became too ominous.


    "Blood!" The creature roared again and continued to kill the soldiers.


    However, the attacks were nowing too close to the people of the tribe, and they refused to move from their ce.


    "What if it has gone out of control?" Augustus suggested. "That would exin why it is going close to the people it wishes to protect."


    "It''s a possibility," Sylvester muttered, keeping his spear ready to move at any time.


    Shh...!


    Ting!


    "Duck!"


    Sylvester''s roar resounded suddenly as he swung the spear in front of himself. A mysterious arrow collided with the de and fell down.


    Ting!


    Following that, a dozen more arrows came out of nowhere, falling straight from the sky.


    "Who is attacking me?" He questioned aloud. But Baroness was scared for her life while her soldiers got ughtered. The Tribesmen were busy praying. That meant there was a third party.


    "Get ready for battle," hemanded.


    ''This isn''t good! The sky is also dark, so the Srium won''t replenish as fast. The creature can kill me with one move as well--And now this attack?''


    Woosh!


    Ting!<novelnext></novelnext>


    He could almost always feel and hear theing volley of arrows, so he easily defended himself.


    ''Where are they? The arrow has a maximum range of a few hundred feet. So the enemy has to be here on the beach.'' Sylvester muttered and looked around to find the attackers.


    "Sir Dolorem--Can you sense any new presence in the area?" He asked.


    "It''s hard to feel, Lord Bard. There are too many people and too much chaos."


    "No problem, but please stay behind. Don''t react unnecessarily." He ordered.


    Sylvester gritted his teeth and decided to go closer to the creature as he could feel he wasn''t its primary target. At the same time, he whispered into Miraj''s ears. "Chonky, I want you to throw around unactivated explosion crystals."


    "Aye, Aye, Maxy!" Miraj jumped off the shoulder and got to work. He had no fear of any monster at that point after facing multiple bloodlings with Sylvester.


    ''Alright... Who are you? I can smell the scent of excitement.'' Sylvester carefully looked around and kept an eye on the sky and the ground.


    Woosh!


    "Blood!" The creature screamed again as it exploded a soldier.


    "Got you!" Sylvester eximed at the same time and made a run for it while maintaining a distance from the mad creature. "Show yourself!"


    He leapt vigorously at the hovering stain of blood. It was clear that, somehow, someone was staying invisible through magic or an object. It kept moving around, not knowing that the blood of the exploding soldier had fallen on them.


    Bam!


    "Here you go!" Sylvester finally made contact and tackled the invisible man to the ground.


    "Blood!"


    Bam!


    "Ugh! Why me?" Sylvester grunted in pain as the creature caught him with a vine. Though luckily, he had his spear to cut it fast and fall back.


    However, he could nce at the invisible man since the spell seemed to break. It was a tall, slender person in grey robes, and even the face was covered with a cloth.


    "Assassins?" Sylvester wondered for a moment before another attack from the creature came. But the attacks were seemingly not as strong as what others were facing.


    "Blood!"


    Bam!


    The creature tried to m its huge branch on him. But Sylvester rolled to the side in the nick of time.


    ''Fuck! It has gone berserk!''


    "Blood!"


    Woosh!


    This time, the ones to get hit were the people from the tribe itself. But even as they got beaten around, they kept chanting the name.


    "Blood!"


    ''What''s even going on here? Is everything connected? Who are those invisible people? Why is it berserk? What can I do against a creature like this? Why is it repeating ''blood?''''


    Sylvester tried to take a deep breath and think.


    Ting!


    But just as he tried that, a few arrows came from the invisible men. That annoyed Sylvester to no limit as he felt he was again pulled into a mess that wasn''t his own.


    "Blood!"


    Sylvester felt helpless. There was no way he could stop the maddened creature by fighting.


    ''Blood? Does it mean Bloodline?''


    "Maxy! I''m done!" Miraj finally returned.


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and nced at the Baroness, who was helplessly huddled behind a dozen soldiers and the Master at arms. The creature was slowly making its way towards the Baroness, and there was nowhere to escape since the vines from the ground had surrounded her group.


    Ting!


    ''Fuck! Just stop with these fucking arrows!'' Sylvester annoyedly looked left and right to find the invisible men.


    ''Fine! If this is how you want to y!''


    "Chonky, close your eyes."


    Boom!


    The explosions erupted in their majestic crimson form as if the ground split apart. They not only turned the air red but also melted the desert sand. In total, there were thirty-six explosions all across the beach.


    "Wraaaa!"


    Sylvester saw the creature stopping and roaring for a few seconds. ''This is my chance!''


    He ran as fast as he could with his spear ready in hand. There were a few rogue veins, but he cut them or dodged them.


    In no time, he reached the men surrounding the Baroness and pushed Sir Anthony aside to get to her.


    She was ecstatic that he was there and tried to jump at him to hug him. "Lord Bard! Thank you! Thank you... Please take me out of here! Ple--Ugh!"


    sh!


    Sylvester''s spear only left an afterimage of a shining arc, and his voice echoed in whispers. "Now I know why it was screaming ''Blood'', mydy!"


    Thud!


    Almost instantly, every noise died down on the battlefield--the tribesmen with their chants, the soldiers with their roars, and the creature with its cries.


    "You bastard!" Sir Anthony was the first to move as he aimed his de at Sylvester''s neck.


    His eyes turned red, seemingly popping out, while his mouth spewed saliva. His voice also shivered in a mad rage as he bellowed.


    "Y-You b-beheaded her!"


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 323 323. When Two Worlds Meet

    The head of the beautiful Baroness now rested on the dirt beside Sylvester''s feet as it rolled towards him. The eyes were still open, and the blood was still oozing, but the face showed thest expression of the woman¡ªconfusion.


    ''If only you were a viable pawn, I''d have done everything in my power to save you.'' Sylvester sighed at the sight of the severed head.


    "You mad fuck!" Sir Anthony tried to attack Sylvester and swung his sword as firmly as possible.


    nk!


    But Sylvester easily avoided it by putting his shoulder in the way, which was d in armour.


    However, he didn''t stop there as he caught the de with his hand and stood solid. "It was you in the first ce who caused this. You killed her, Sir Anthony! If you had not so foolishly tried to kill that child, that creature wouldn''t havee out."


    "Shut up!"


    nk!


    Sir Anthony went into a wild rage and started barraging attack after attack. No other soldier had the audacity to do the same, so they watched in silence. As for the invisible attackers, Sylvester believed he had temporarily stopped them with the explosive crystals. As for the creature¡ªhe could only hope that the death of the Baroness satisfied it.


    "Your jealousy brought your doom¡ªyour mind, you let the lust consume it. I hate heathens and sinners. But I hate even more the ipetent men like you who put others in danger with their false sense of justice and power!" Sylvester overpowered the Knight easily and tried to take the sword away.


    Sir Anthony gritted his teeth and cursed aloud. "Ten years! I worked for her for ten fucking years!"


    Bam!


    Sylvester punched him in the face and took the sword. After that, he turned its direction and thrust the de into Sir Anthony''s chest like a hot knife on butter. "And I don''t care, Sir Anthony. The moment your de touched my skin, your life was over."


    "Argh!¡­"


    Sylvester let the body of Sir Anthony slide back down with ease. The man''s heart was punctured, and he died a slow death while twitching violently. In an instant, Sylvester had ended the entire leadership of the Barony of Rosewood.


    So, he turned around and faced the creature. "Whatever you are, please leave now! The vow that was broken has been avenged now."


    "Wraaaaa!"


    But, the creature only roared towards the sky and started to grow bigger. All the dead bodies of the soldiers around it got dragged and assimted into the giant blob of vines, leaves and tree trunks that formed the creature''s body.


    "Mother Mirnor! Please calm down!" The man Sylvester had talked to in the tribal vige appeared and tried to calm the creature down. "The price has been paid in blood!"


    "Wraaaa! Blood!"


    Boom!


    But, the creature only turned more violent and started to kill all the remaining men of the Baroness'' army. Heck, even the Baroness'' body got destroyed in the process.


    It was all madness as people exploded and left behind showers of blood. There was nowhere to escape either, as the vines covered everything. And it all happened too fast. Within ten minutes, every man left from the Baroness'' army was gone with the wind as droplets of blood.


    "Blood!"


    But the creature kept screaming and raging around while growing bigger. It was clear that it had gonepletely berserk.


    "BLOOOOOD!"


    Boom!


    It started to m its huge branches all around randomly. Sadly, in the crossfire, the people from the tribe were caught as well.


    Bam!


    One thick tree trunk fell on a man and a little child, and they instantly died with their bodies crushed. Then a thick, thorny branch fell on a woman, beheading her immediately.


    "Fools! Run away!" Sylvester bellowed when he noticed the people from the tribe started to pray instead of running away. "Your god won''t hear you today! All of you will be killed, even the kids!"


    Sylvester reached the people, a group of a few hundred. "Please leave as fast as possible. I will remain here and fight it!"


    The man Sylvester knew rejected his plea. "Why would our goddess go berserk? She''s all-knowing and all-powerful."


    Sylvester had toe up with something, so he gave a hypothesis. "It''s not the goddess that''s the problem. It''s the boy who she possesses. The boy is a small child with an underdeveloped brain. He can notprehend nor aid the goddess'' powers fully. Hence, because of the child, anger and rage have taken over. She can''t differentiate between an ally and you now."


    The man looked at the creature and eventually nodded. "You are likely correct, priest of Solis. I have never seen her this angry before in my life. But¡­ If we run away, how can we trust that you won''t harm her? You are the famed bard, after all."


    Sylvester went closer to the man and whispered something for a while. Then, slowly, the man''s face changed from fright to delight, and in the end, he nodded fervently. "U-Understood, Sire¡­ I will take the people!"


    Everyone was confused about what was happening, but as the man ordered his people, they started to leave. In no time, all that was left was a lot of blood, the creature, Sylvester and his friends.


    "Alright, now let''s deal with you¡­ Spirit of the Forest." Sylvester vocally called it something other than ''creature'' this time.


    Thud!


    He let go of his spear and made it fall with a loud sound. Then, he walked closer to the creature he had just called spirit. At the same time, he kept one palm facing the spirit and the other touching his chest.


    He didn''t sing but sent a normal beam of light magic at it. "Calm down¡­ I now understand who you are. I thought you were a myth, but it turns out you''re real. There can only be a few things as threatening as a Supreme Wizard, and I know you are that¡ªSpirit of the Forest!"


    "Wraaa!"


    The spirit still roared and threw its tentacles at Sylvester. They were full of thorns, so they easily ripped apart his armour and tunic, leaving behind some wounds on his bare chest.


    Yet Sylvester continued to walk forward and speak. "A Spirit of Forest that has lived on thesends for thousands of years and saw humans encroach. But, one tribe learnt to live with nature. You adopted it. Am I right?


    "Spirit Mirnor! Please stop, for we both are servants of the same light¡ªThe lord that shines so bright!" Sylvester''sst words were loud and clear. They echoed far and wide throughout the forest.


    "Lord Bard! Stop! Don''t go closer!" Sir Dolorem shouted for him in worry.


    But, to Sylvester, nothing was audible or visible except the spirit that had gone berserk. He wasn''t sure previously, but now he was certain this was a spirit. "You are no god, but just an elevated consciousness of nature, am I correct?"


    Five metres.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Two metres.


    Sylvester walked as close as a metre since the spirit had started to calm down, albeit with asional roars and grunts.


    Thud!


    Sylvester fell to his knees and finally started singing a hymn with his eyes closed. With that, the beam of light from his palm turned purer, and the halo behind his head increased the majesty of the bard.


    ?O'' pure nature''s spirit of the wild.


    To the same father, we''re a child.


    Memories of centuries you havepiled.


    Bows this bard, as against you, I''m so mild.?


    ?O'' nature''s delight, we feed on the same food.


    By his grace, light and Srium it includes.


    Sides of the same coin we are, it concludes.


    For the same belief, sweet prayers we exude.?


    ?I hope it''s not too hard to determine.


    I serve the lord by singing his sermon.


    So please, end this mindless bloodshed.


    With me, sing the name of the lord instead.?


    Sylvester stopped singing and pped his hands together before opening his eyes. However, before the visuals, a sweet, kind, and motherly voice entered his ears.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us¡ªBlessed Bard."


    Sylvester''s heart skipped a beat, for he felt a warm connection with that voice. It was akin to being held by Xavia herself.


    So he looked and saw the child''s body also kneeling towards him with hands pped together. The boy was not himself, that was for sure, as his eyes shone in bright green, and vines still covered his green body.


    "You speak the truth, blessed bard. The bringer of light is the real lord. They call me goddess, but I''m anything but that. I am a mere spirit, the mother of this forest that once used to span the entire Gracia. Now, I live in this confident space with my children¡ªThe tribe that I cared for over ten thousand years." A feminine, motherly voice came out of the boy.


    Sylvester bowed his head with respect. He''d be lying if he said he wasn''t excited or overwhelmed. His heart was racing at the moment, and he knew why.


    ''Who would have thought Spirits of nature were real? One this strong out of all. She can easily crush a Grand Wizard if she ever wishes to.''


    "Forgive me, respected spirit. Humans have forgotten their roots. That it''s nature that was our first mother. So I have stopped the Rosewood family, and I will ensure that no attempt to tarnish this forest takes ce again," he assured her.


    Woosh!


    The child''s body raised its right hand, and a small vine came out of it with its tip mimicking the shape of a tiny hand. It travelled towards Sylvester''s face and caressed his cheek.


    "Forgive me, Blessed Bard. I spilt your blood needlessly. The bloodlust had taken over me, a side effect that urs to all Spirits if we try to take over a human body beyond a certain point. This body, too, is now dead."


    Sylvester was slightly taken aback. "This young boy is no more?"


    "The human body can''t withstand the amount of mutation I inflicted, blessed bard. I weep for centuries for each life of my children I take. I will weep for hundreds more now."


    Sylvester, this time, gathered some courage and caressed the head of the kid. "This is the life we lead, respected Mirnor. Sometimes we must make decisions that our hearts don''t like but stand logically sound. Of course, after that, regret is always found."


    "Wise! As expected from the child of Solis." She praised, spreading much pride in Sylvester''s heart.


    Shh¡­!


    "Sylvester!" Augustus roared all of a sudden and shielded Sylvester''s back. "I got you!"


    Augustus easily parried an iing arrow from nowhere, but the next one plunged into his shoulder. However, he didn''t appear fazed and prepared to defend Sylvester.


    nk!


    All of a sudden, dozens of more arrows appeared out of nowhere. Augustus calmly swung his sword and blocked them.


    Eventually, Sylvester grunted and stood up. "Show yourself! Why attack me like a coward!"


    "As you wish." An unrecognisable male voice resonated with the wind, and a cloaked man appeared ten metres from Sylvester. "As the rumours said, you are more marvellous than my wildest dream."


    "Stand back!" Sir Dolorem stood alongside Augustus to protect Sylvester. "State your name!"


    The eyes of the cloaked man narrowed as if disgusted. "Ugh¡­ Filthy creatures should not speak when beings of higher nobility exchange words."


    Sylvester reiterated. "Show your face, speak your name and reason. Or take the wrath of my spear."


    The man immediately removed the veil from his head, revealing his pale white face, bright blue eyes, and particrly interesting ears. "Of course, your royal highness! I havee to bring you back to your father¡ªHis royal highness, Rathagun Xeek Eldaron¡ªThe Supreme King of Elves!"


    ________________________


    [A/N: Some Fan Service]


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 324 324. Price Of Secrets

    Sylvester remained silent, trying to think how his secret hade out. ''Did Xavia send him the word? No, she''s not that foolish, not anymore.''


    "Who sent you?" He asked.


    "Your father, your highness. I am Zhoron Gilgwyn. I work as a Royal aide to your family. We are ordered to bring you back with respect and care." Zhoron bowed his head with respect.


    But Sylvester could see further than what was on the surface. ''He may be obliged to act respectfully with me, but his innate disgust towards my ''tainted'' blood is clear. The sharp smell of rotten eggs is strong with this one.''


    Sylvester tapped the shoulders of Sir Dolorem and Augustus as they stood in front of him, trying to shield him from any attacks. Then, he turned around and whispered at the Spirit of the Forest, Mirnor.


    ''Alright! Let''s do this.''


    "Don''t you despise me? A half-blood like me must infuriate you." Sylvester asked the elven man.


    Zhoron nodded his head truthfully. "I shall not lie, for that''s beneath me. I do despise you and feel disgusted by your mere existence. But, my orderse from the royal authority--Good soldiers follow orders, your highness."


    "Then why should Ie with you? When I know that I will be hated by all of you, except maybe my father?" Sylvester countered with another question.


    "That I can''t answer, your highness. But I know about you and your talents. Your power alone can easily make you an elder among us, and the High Elves will revere your light magic. You will be hated but certainly won''t be harmed. What do you even have here? They are merely using you for their own good. Join us, your highness." Zhoron sounded genuine, and he was too honest for his own good.


    "Thank you for your honesty," Sylvester replied and started walking forward.


    He pushed Sir Dolorem and Augustus to the side and made his way closer to the elf. "To be honest, they tried to kill my mother recently. Just so they can ensure that I don''t have any weaknesses."


    "It does sound like an average clergyman from the faith of Solis. They are always too fanatic." Zhoron said.


    Sylvester nodded and made a sad face while continuing to walk. "That truly disturbed me. They even y petty politics and stop me from rising."


    "Not surprising."


    Soon, Sylvester reached as close as an arm''s length to him. "Let''s go then. I''m utterly disappointed in the church anyway."


    Zhoron stared into Sylvester''s eyes. Of course, Sylvester just finished singing a hymn for Solis not long ago. It was hard to think he would change his mind so fast ande with them.


    ? "Don''t you wish to bring your mother with us?" Zhoron asked.


    Sylvester sighed and brushed his hair tiredly. "I would have loved to, but I know what happens to humans in the Elven kingdom. I do not wish for her to live a life of very. So, it''s better she remains here as a Bright Mother."


    "Wise decision, Your Highna€""


    Bam!


    Sylvester''s right hand punched the elven man''s gut. A strong, sharp, bright de made of solidified light was on his fist.


    "You thought I''d be so naive?" Zhoron easily blocked his strike by putting his small dagger in the way.


    Sylvester smiled. "You didn''t, but your dumb subordinates did! Kill them all!"


    Boom!


    Miraj had already done his work to throw around all the remaining explosive crystals. Spirit Mirnor had also done her work by nting her vines in a circle around them, effectively blocking off the escape route.


    So, when the explosions erupted, six more elves got thrown around, and their invisibility magic gave up. The disoriented elves could not return to their feet immediately and got their throats stabbed by the vines or swords of Sir Dolorem and Augustus.


    But there were six of them. Mirnor could not go overboard either, as she didn''t want to go berserk again.


    So, in the end, two elves got back to their feet and began battling Sir Dolorem and Augustus.


    sh!


    Sylvester also got into a fight with Zhoron and picked up his spear from behind. "Surrender, Zhoron. You will die anyway!"


    "I should have known! Tainted blood can never be loyal! You''re filth and shall remain so for eternity!" Zhoron roared and unsheathed both his swords, dual wielding them easily.


    But Sylvester was a better wizard, so he used his magic from the get-go. He kicked the ground and used Earth magic to turn thend into quicksand underneath the elf.


    "Petty tricks!" Zhoron scowled and jumped in the air. Not once, but thrice, kicking the air to attain a higher altitude.


    Sylvester knew that the elven fighting style must be different, so he prepared himself for everything.


    "Sadly, I''d have killed you if not for the royal order." Zhoron angrily stated and did something strange. He joined the hilts of his two swords and somehow turned them into a unified bow.


    Afterwards, Zhoron pulled the invisible string and created magical arrows made of various spells and runes. As multiple rune circles appeared before the bright green arrow, Zhoron chanted something silently.


    "You have forced me to do this, your highness. I''m sure his majesty shall forgive me for one or two lost limbs!"


    Boom!


    Thunder burst in the sky, and Zhoron released his arrow. It travelled faster than normal eyes could see, so Sylvester instantly created a shield of light above his head.


    Just then, rain also started, and it was a heavy downpour. The storm seemed to have taken its final form as the wind, the rain and the sea violently showed their wrath. The thunder boomed every other second and illuminated the violent battlefield.


    Crack!


    ''Fuck! How strong is he? It has to be somewhere high in the Archwizard ranks! If it were a Grand Wizard, I''d be dead.'' Sylvester gritted his teeth and pushed against the arrow.


    "If one does not suffice, then let''s make it twice!" Zhoron mockingly spoke andunched one more arrow of magic, but this time it was bright red as if made of fire.


    Crack!


    Sylvester knelt down as his feet could not support the pressure. ''Of course, they''d send a strong team to kidnap me! I guess I will have to try this then--Old man Pope, I hope your martial arts training was not nonsense.''


    Sylvester tried pushing himself up as he needed to escape the current predicament.


    "I''ll help!"


    "What? What about..."


    "Killed him," Augustus blurted as he lowered himself under the shield and helped Sylvester push it up.


    Impressed, Sylvester nced to the side and saw the dead body of one elf, and the other wasn''t in good shape either. Sir Dolorem was being a badass, dodging every single sword struck by the elf, and replying with a perfect counter.


    "Thank you, my brother." Sylvester gratefully replied and pushed the shield up. "He will keep sending more arrows if we do this. So I will turn the shield opaque, so let''s slowly move towards the shield''s edge and jump out simultaneously."


    "Understood." Augustus obeyed the suggestion despite knowing Sylvester was a half-elf.


    Even Sylvester was confused about what was going on in Augustus'' head since this was the best time to kill him.


    But, to Sylvester''s delight, Augustus did as asked, and they reached the edge of the shield. Then, at Sylvester''s word, they jumped at the same time.


    "Go!"


    Woosh!<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sylvester crouched and rolled a reasonable distance from the shield as it shattered apart and the arrows above it touched the ground.


    Boom!


    A deadly explosion erupted and revealed the destructive power behind the arrows. If not before, now Sylvester was sure that this man was also an Archwizard.


    ''Alright! Let''s try this now.'' Sylvester started doing acrobats to confuse his enemy.


    Woosh!


    Then as he kicked the air, a de made of solid light in the shape of an arch got released towards Zhoron. It was fast and precise.


    nk!


    Zhoron easily defended against it with his bow by simply mming it on the attack.


    "Is that all?"


    Sylvester was merely starting, however. "Not at all, Zhoron."


    Woosh!


    Woosh!


    Sylvester picked up his pace. Both his hands and legs continuously sent a de made of light magic toward him. asionally, he''d also send streams of fire, invisible des of air.


    But his endgame was something else as he also created light tiles underneath himself to gain altitude and reach Zhoron in the sky. Meanwhile, the elven man kept himself in the air by jumping on something invisible now and then. So, in a way, he was not flying but just avoiding falling.


    Bam!


    sh!


    Zhoron, as expected, got busy trying to avoid the barrage of attacks from Sylvester and didn''t get time to shoot an arrow.


    Sylvester kept climbing slowly, one step at a time. ''Alright, keeping the enemy wizard busy is done. I even got the element of surprise. So the next phase is...''


    Sylvester took a long breath and raised his right palm towards Zhoron. He didn''t stop climbing up and kicking or punching des of light, though, as they were his insurance.


    Then, he started singing a hymn and turned into a shining beacon of light on that stormy day that had turned into a night.


    a??The sky may be dark, but he sees it all.


    Through us, he watches your soon-to-arrive fall.


    I am his harbinger, his hymn''s singer.


    I vow not to allow your breath to linger.a??


    a??O'' Lord of Light, strengthen me in this fight.


    For I stand here by your grace and might.


    Despite all the odds, I shall remain bright.


    My destiny, I leave it to you to write!a??


    Boom!


    ''Fuck!''


    He cursed inside as he miscalcted something. As the mini-version of the Wrath of Heavens left his palm, he lost his bnce from the recoil. Then, since he was already in the air, a dozen metres up, he started to fall.


    But he cared not about falling and only focused his palm on Zhoron.


    Bam!


    The beam of deadly sma of light made contact with Zhoron. The elven man tried to parry it with his strange bow again, thinking it was light. But he miscalcted, and the sma overflowed around the bow and hit him.


    Shh...!


    "Aaargh! Mother Remira! Give me streng--" Zhoron cried in pain and prayed to the elven goddess.


    But Sylvester had no wish to let him go. He infused more srium in his move and made the beam bigger and deadlier.


    "Say hello to your god!" Sylvester bellowed and gave it his all.


    He was still falling, however. But as he got closer to the ground, the screams of the elf diminished as well.


    But Sylvester was not happy, for he knew what a huge mess this event had brought to him.


    Thud!


    Finally, he fell hard onto the wet ground on his back. Fortunately, besides a few gasps, he wasn''t hurt by it. He only focused on Zhoron and aimed his palm at him.


    Sh...!


    Eventually, the beam of light also started to diminish and ultimately doused down. The body of Zhoron was nowhere to be seen, as the man died from his own naivety of underestimating Sylvester''s light.


    Sylvester stayed resting and looked at the sky. The drops of water looked beautiful under the thundering bolts of lightning. But the thought that elves knew about him now was also frightening.


    "Sylvester!" Sir Dolorem ran close to him, worried he was hurt.


    But the blind knight only felt sadness in Sylvester''s silence. "Are you hurt?"


    Sylvester shook his head. "A-Augustus... He now knows."


    Sir Dolorem used his senses to feel the surroundings. He perceived Augustus a distance away, sitting and resting as he was injured.


    Then, he patted Sylvester''s forehead and spoke with a sad but firm voice.


    "What has to be done--Must be done."


    ________________________


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 325 325. Augustus Steel, A Broken Man

    Looking at Sir Dolorem''s face, Sylvester felt utterly confused and conflicted. He had nothing to say.


    ''What about Sir Dolorem? He knows it, too, now. This is far bigger than killing Romel and Gabriel seeing it. This can get me killed. Then, must I kill...''


    He tried not to think about it immediately and recuperated under the calming rain. But, once again, he was at the crossroads of something that could kill him if he didn''t make the right choice.


    He had known that this day woulde eventually, but not so soon.


    "It makes sense now." Sir Dolorem eximed all of a sudden as he sat beside Sylvester on the muddy grounds, drenched in the rain. "You being half-elf and the son of the Elven king makes every sense!"


    Sylvester tiredly looked at him. "What do you mean?"


    "You are God''s Favoured! The Lord''s Bard! Now it all makes sense!" Sir Dolorem showed his excitement. His face turned happy, and his voice got louder. "Fate has yed its game, and we''re all merely the witnesses! You are destined to unite our two worlds! If not someone like you, then who?--A man destined to take the highest seat in both worlds!"


    Sylvester sighed and dismissed the man''s enthusiasm. "I have no wish to be anybody''s King, Sir Dolorem. Even surviving is getting hard at this point."


    But Sir Dolorem shook his head and took to one knee like a knight. "Lord Bard, you don''t understand this. Fate works in mysterious ways. I do not doubt your devotion or your heart. I know you stand for the faith, and nothing will change that. But, what you told the Forest Spirit, that everything in the world that exists is the creation of Solis, the Supreme Lord--that theory changes everything.


    "We don''t need the Beastaria to convert to the Faith of Solis, we just need them to acknowledge that Solis is the father of all, and hence, in essence, they are rted to Solis as well. They will start praying to Solis on their own after that."


    Sylvester knew that already, as this was his n from the start.


    "You don''t understand, Sir Dolorem. The elves are after me now and won''t stop until I''m their ve or dead. They will never allow a man with royal elven blood and the talent of the Supreme Wizard to stand with the Church. And once my secret is out, the Church will kill me first. So for me, one side is a cliff, and the other is a seaa€"Both lead to imminent death or very."


    Silence ensued after his words. The Church was unpredictable, and what the elves would do next was also unknown.


    Boom!


    The thunder still raged in the sky, and without even knowing, the night was peeking at them. It went without any question that everyone''s mind was as raging and chaotic as the storm.


    "Sir Dolorem is right, Lord Bard." Even the spirit possessing the dead body of the child spoke. "I fought you, heard you and felt you--You are the bridge between the two worlds."


    Sylvester shook his head while getting up. "Don''t! Don''t put more burden on my shoulders. I''m already tired."


    Spirit Mirnor made some soft vinese out from the ground and form a chair under him. "The fate has already been decided, Lord Bard. Whether you like it or not, you will have to fight, or they will end you."


    Sylvester could smell the feeling of excitement, hope and even worship from the spirit of the forest. It was a strange thing that a being like her was revering him. But he also agreed with her conclusion.


    Yes, it was either do or die for him.


    "You''re not alone, Lord Bard." Sir Dolorem added. "As long as we keep this matter a secret, everything will be fine."


    Sylvester noticed Sir Dolorem''s gaze darting towards Augustus. "Let''s move. Spirit Mirnor, I''m sure you wish to discard this child''s body so I can hand it to the tribe."


    "Indeed. This body is already withering away--poor child. Please bid him farewell by burning him and burying his ashes in the earth.


    "One more thing. After I leave this body, I won''t be able to speak with you. So, if you ever wish to talk, merely go to my temple with that priest. I can use him as a short-term medium." Spirit Mirnor bid her farewell.


    Sylvester bowed his head. "Thank you for being understanding. I will teach the tribesmen how to avoid any future conflict with the Church."


    "Thank you." The feminine, motherly voice echoed as the child''s body slowly regained its normal human skin colour, and the eyes turned blue from green.


    Thud!


    Sylvester caught the body of the child and picked it up. "Augustus, put all the elven bodies on fire."


    "Lord Bard, you must kia€""


    Sylvester patted Sir Dolorem''s shoulder. "Everything has a time and ce, Sir Dolorem. So please be calm for now."


    So, they focused on getting rid of all the elven bodies and only left the few remaining intact bodies of other soldiers. With the elves, they didn''t even leave the ashes behind and took them along to throw in a river.


    After dealing with that, in the heavy rain, they made their way back towards the vige named Mirnor. It was hard to move around in the night and wet mud, but they had no other choice.


    "When did you find out about your bloodline?" Augustus walked beside Sylvester and talked calmly.


    Sylvester ensured to read Augustus'' emotions, yet again, he was confused. Again, going against what he expected, there was no hate or disgust. Instead, the same old sadness with the strange sense of emptiness was overpowering everything.


    "After we graduated from the School of Dawn," Sylvester answered. "I never really bothered with it since the Church does not discriminate based on species but faith. To the Church of Solis, even an elf is wee as long as they sing the song of the true lord."


    Augustus remained silent for a while. Then, he stopped and stayed until Sylvester turned around.


    "Sylvester, I need you toe with me," Augustus asked while staring into Sylvester''s eyes.


    ''What does he want now? I smell no hostility, not even the slightest hate or jealousy.'' Sylvester was extremely alert at the moment.


    But he also noticed the sincerity. "Alright. Sir Dolorem, can you take this child''s body to the vige."


    Sir Dolorem agreed instantly. "Take care, Lord Bard. I''ll see you in the vige. Same for you, Archpriest Augustus."


    "I thank you for your guidance, Sir Dolorem. However short while itsted, I enjoyed it." Augustus bowed his head while saluting ceremoniously.


    With that, Sir Dolorem left, and Sylvester watched Augustus. "So, where to?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "There is a hill nearby, and I wish to see the view from its top and perhaps have some private words with you." Augustus started leading Sylvester.


    Boom!


    The thunder only became louder, and the storm became wilder. The trees started to get uprooted and fall here and there, but being powerful wizards, they had nothing to worry about.


    On their way, Augustus didn''t stop talking and asking questions. "Are you sure you will be the Pope one day?"


    "I have no other choice, my friend. Either I reach the top or die trying. The faith will never let a possible Supreme Wizard go." Sylvester argued with a deep sense of hopelessness.


    "So we''re all stuck in the same endless swamp? I spoke with Louis and Griffin a few months back. Both wished to leave the Inquisitors and return to their noble families by renouncing the oath."


    Sylvester self-deprecatingly chuckled and chimed in. "Let me guess. Were they denied every request? It''s a waste to even try, Augustus. You all have the talent to be Grand Wizard someday. You all hold the potential to be a Guardian of Light."


    "I feel the same, Sylvester," Augustus muttered and went silent again.


    After a few minutes, he asked something else. "What will you do once you be the Pope?"


    "That''s a tough one. First of all, I will eradicate very and destroy the Tower of Godless. After that, I will reorganise the entire governance system of the Church so no senseless vige burning or murders take ce. I will also make education free for all kids below fourteen. I will bring peace to the life of amon person." Sylvester told him all his ns, some too big and some too small.


    The whole time, Augustus'' face had a smile, and he kept nodding.


    "I will try to broker longsting peace with the Beastaria and connect the two worlds through trade. I will unite the Sol Continent under the banner of the Church, so no inter-kingdom mass violence happens. But first, even the Church will need to be cleaned. It''s hard to do, but achievable as long as I have the proper support--Your support." Sylvester finished speaking just as they started to walk uphill towards the peak where no trees were present, and one could look at the entire treeline under the small bursts of lightning.


    Augustus shook his head while still smiling. "Sylvester, I''m afraid I can''t support you."


    "Why? Due to my tainted blood? If you''re worried that I doubt you, then please don''t. We all took a vow in school to be brothers for life. And I''m leaving Sir Dolorem alive too."


    "That''s not it, Sylvester. Sir Dolorem sees you as his son. While I... I don''t even trust myself. But worry not, this is not because of you. The truth is, I''ve been contemting how to end myself for weeks now."


    Sylvester stopped in his tracks, and instantly it hit his mind what that strange emptiness sensation was.


    "Why kill yourself?"


    "What''s there to live for?" Augustus blurted.


    "Family? Don''t you love them?"


    Even to that, Augustus replied while continuing to walk. "They''re dead, Sylvester--Been dead for two years now, just after our graduation. The Church did it--So I won''t have any strings attached that could weaken my resolve when I''d one day take a Guardian''s seat."


    Sylvester was horrified by the revtion, and it instantly dawned on him that Saint Seer''s actions affected so many people that the aftershocks were still echoing.


    Augustus continued. "You said your mother was attacked? I''m afraid you were not the only one, and I wasn''t lucky like you either.


    "It''s strange. We are the best of the best, so we got selected for God''s Favoured ss. But they seem to keep forgetting we''re meant to be smart."


    Sylvester silently kept following him. ''This emptiness--So this is the scent of a man who is alive and yet dead.''


    "Do you want to enact your vengeance? I know who did it." Sylvester offered.


    Thud!


    Augustus sat down on his knees and started to open his robes as soon as they reached the clear hilltop. "Only fools chase vengeance, Sylvester, for it''s the first step towards bing what you hate. But, don''t worry, I have no requests or second thoughts as I had died long ago--Killed by the faith because I had been too blessed."


    Sylvester knelt beside him and saw Augustus removing all clothes from his torso, then taking out a sword that was not his own.


    "Don''t, Augustus. I need strong men like you at the top level. Men I can trust."


    Augustus merely turned his face to Sylvester, still smiling, but tears covered his eyes and slid down. "I''m sorry, Sylvester, my friend. I''m tired--I feel suffocated and disgusted to be a part of this organisation. Since I can''t leave, I''d rather be with my family--My little sister. So please don''t stop me..."


    Augustus held his sword perpendicr to the middle of his chest in a way that it pointed at his heart.


    Then, as he looked at the sky and felt the rain touch his skin, even more tears fell. "Even though I never got to live the life I wanted, I wish to leave this world on my terms. Still, I can''t help but wonder what life could have been if I didn''t have this curse of a blessing."


    Bam!


    Fast and effortless--Augustus'' palms pushed the hilt of the sword, and the de prated deep into the chest in one go. His face still smiled, yet the eyes were riled. With the diminishing echoes of thunder, the beating heart was torn asunder.


    The face slowly turned pale, and Augustus''st words came out as a low wail. "M-May the h-holy light e-enlighten y-you... S-Sylvest--"


    The valiant head finally fell, lifeless and powerless, but not in cowardice.


    To Sylvester''s eyes, this was no suicide--This was a premeditated murder.


    ________________________


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 326 326. Spirits Favoured

    The clouds crackled, the thunder erupted, and the rain showered, yet the world seemed so silent at that moment.


    "How far must a mind be pushed for it to be so hopeless? That one can think of no other way of liberation but to kill oneself?" Sylvester wondered vocally and pushed back Augustus'' body so it could rest.


    "Augustus, I understand why the church has been getting weaker since its inception. It turns out, the church itself is its own biggest enemy."


    "Maxy, why didn''t you save him?" Miraj asked in a low, sad voice from underneath Sylvester''s robes, near the chest.


    Sylvester sighed and brushed Miraj''s hair with his palms. "I know a broken man when I see one. He had made up his mind, and sometimes, you should respect a man''s choice no matter what. Even if I had saved him, he''d have been like an empty husk with no emotions."


    Sylvester then picked Augustus'' body in his arms and started walking towards the vige of the tribe. "That Saint Seer sure likes to dig his own grave, it seems."


    So, he sauntered into the darkness of the night. The pale face of Augustus would always attract Sylvester''s attention from time to time and put him in deep thought. The sword was still nted in the chest, as Sylvester refused to touch it until he had shown it to those who needed to see it.


    Eventually, he arrived at the tribal vige and found someone waiting for him.


    "Priest of Solis, I was ordered by the Priest to bring you to the temple. You will be staying the night there." The tribesman informed him with his head held low and a voice full of fear.


    Sylvester passed by him. "Thank you. You can leave and rest now, my brother in faith."


    He spent no time climbing the short stairs and entered the building at the end of the vige. Inside, a small fire was lit, and two mattresses were ced near the walls, while near the idol of Spirit Mirnor, a few candles were kept lit.


    "So you knew only one of us would be returning alive?" Sylvester asked after seeing the two mattresses.


    Only Sir Dolorem was there, sitting. "Was it a fight?"


    "Worse. He took his own life, Sir Dolorem. But it wasn''t because of me or the secret he had learnt. It was because of what the church tried to do to my mother; they did it to him and seeded. Augustus knew who did it and was only looking for a reason to kill himself. Today, I gave him one." Sylvester exined in the least words possible and ced Augustus'' body near the idol of the spirit.


    Sir Dolorem moved and sat beside the dead body. Then, he took out two silver coins from his pocket and put them on Augustus'' closed eyes. "May the holy light enlighten your path in the life after, Archpriest. Forgive us if you can. We failed you."


    Then, Sir Dolorem sat beside Sylvester and patted his shoulder. "Lord Inquisitor only hinted that it was the church that tried to harm Mother Xavia. Do you know who it was? D-Did the Holy Father sanction it?"


    Sir Dolorem''s voice cracked from time to time. Understandably so, as he was a man who gave his all to the faith, and now that he slowly noticed all the wrong things, he saw the Pope as thest beacon of purity. So, if even the Pope was evil, he didn''t know what to do.


    "It is Saint Seer, Sir Dolorem. He''s been behind everything from the start to the end. He is the reason why the Shadow Knight is after me. He tried to kill mum so that I wouldn''t have any weakness. He did many more things in the name of the good of faith. But, sadly, he did all this without the Pope''s permission." Sylvester revealed everything to Sir Dolorem as he was still unsure if he could trust the man with the secret that had just got exposed.


    Thud!


    Sir Dolorem punched the wall in anger. "How is that man still alive?"


    "Because he''s not easy to rece. That man is said to be the best spy we''ve had in a long time. His devotion is unquestionable. Only his means are problematic. So the Pope has to tolerate him, albeit with some strings attached now." Sylvester replied as he understood the matter.


    Still, he''d be lying if he said he didn''t want to kill that man. For that reason, he needed to work on his own spywork. For now, it only included Bright Mothers. But, even Bright Mothers were not always allowed to enter every ce. So, he needed something else, awork that existed everywhere.


    "Let''s go to sleep, Sir Dolorem. I''m honestly tired tonight. We still have a whole mess to deal with. How will we exin Baroness and her entire army''s death to the people? And the bigger question is, how do we save this tribe?" Sylvester didn''t change his clothes or take off his armour. He simply rested down.


    Sir Dolorem sighed and did the same. "Good night, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester didn''t reply and fell asleep with Miraj tucked near his chest. But, in all honesty, Augustus'' death was something that affected him deeply.


    As he wondered if he''d have been in the same condition if¡­ Xavia wasn''t so lucky.


    ¡­


    That night, the storm raged as if the heavens wept. The heavens that blessed a boy with so much power and talent died because of the same blessing.


    But the world never stops. Time waits for none.


    Eventually, the storm passed, and the sun shined its warm rays of light on the forest again. The scared birds came out of their nests, flew around, and tweeted again. The animals also went out to hunt or just to see their territory.


    But Sylvester didn''t sleep the entire night as the face of his friend and hisst words echoed in his mind again and again. When morning came, he still sat by the temple wall and watched the sword nted in Augustus'' chest.


    ''I will make your death count, Augustus. I won''t let this whole campaign go to waste.'' He told himself and stood up to stretch his back.


    "Priest of Solis, good morning!" The temple''s Priest arrived, the same man Sylvester had spoken to initially.


    "Come, sit here with me. We have a lot to talk about and n for the survival of you and your tribe. I talked to Mirnor for a long time yesterday, and she told me much about your history." Sylvester invited the man to sit beside himself.


    Sir Dolorem also got up and came closer. Of course, the man had not slept the entire night either.


    "What did Mirnor tell you, Priest of Solis?" The Priest asked excitedly.


    "Tell me your name first."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "I am the Priest of Mirnor, Maligard. I''ve been a priest all my life, and before me, it was my father."


    Sylvester saluted the man like he would in the church. "May the holy light enlighten us. So, I spoke with Mirnor, and she informed me that Solis is a god that you can worship too. As Mirnor herself believes that she is the daughter of Solis."


    "What! That''s sphemy! How dar¨C"


    Bam!


    A vine came out of the ground. It knocked on the priest''s bald head and forced him to sit down.


    Sylvester nodded. "See that? She''s talking to you, Priest. Do me a favour and stay down, and then close your eyes. She will speak to you in your mind."


    "She is sacred and never speaks to us lowl¡ª"


    Bam!


    This time, the vines knocked on his head so hard that he fell unconscious. After that, two vines touched his temples and made his body twitch.


    "Wah!" The Priest jumped back to his feet within five seconds and started dancing.


    "S-She talked to me? Holy mother Mirnor! She spoke to me¡­ And you¡­" He stared at Sylvester with fanatic eyes. "You are her chosen one! Favoured by the goddess Mirnor!"


    "..."


    Sylvester was speechless. ''That spirit, she yed with me. I didn''t sign up to be Spirit''s Favoured.''


    "Indeed, Priest Maligard. Please sit down and listen to my words. My n is the only way to ensure this forest and your people''s safety." Sylvester still yed along. "All you have to do is pray to Solis alongside Mirnor. From now on, in this temple, you must add the symbol of Solis too.


    "You must memorise the various hymns I have written and other religious prayers. This way, whenever someone from outside wille to visit you, be it a noble or clergyman, you ensure they see your faith in Solis."


    Priest Maligard bobbed his head repeatedly with a big smile on his face. "Understood, favoured one. I will convey the word to every man, woman and child. From now on, we shall pray to Solis as much as to Mirnor¡ªFor she showed me how without Solis, none of us would be alive."


    The Priest crawled to the idol of Mirnor and prayed. "Who knew this misery would be a blessing? Thank you for your grace, mother Mirnor."


    Sylvester agreed. "Go and inform all the members of your vige and gather them outside the temple. I shall speak with them before leaving."


    "Understood, favoured one!" Maligard excitedly ran away, defying his old age.


    After that, once again, the silence took over. Sylvester took a long breath and started wrapping Augustus'' body in cotton sheets from the bedding.


    "What are you thinking?" Sir Dolorem questioned.


    Sylvester looked over in wonder. "Sir Dolorem, why are you not appalled by my bloodline? By all means, I am a heathen in your eyes. You being an Inquisitor, I''m sure you''d have beheaded me in normal circumstances."


    "I would have killed you, Lord Bard." Sir Dolorem softly replied. "But, I''m not that man anymore. Ever since I started being your guardian and mentor, I''ve seen more miracles with my eyes in a few years than most men do in their entire lives.


    "From day one, I knew you were different. I knew you were made for greatness. Then, slowly, I saw you grow up and be the man you are today. While being cruel and harsh on enemies and heathens, you help people and show genuine warmth.


    "I''m not ashamed to say that I received that warmth, too, when you went beyond reason to save me and avenge me. Now, I don''t see you as a stranger or a mere clergyman. To me, you are much more¡ªA Family. Sadly, I couldn''t stand by my wife and son when they needed me, but I sure hope to take myst breath beside you.


    "Because no matter what happens¡ªI believe in you and your path."


    Sylvester had stopped moving long ago and just watched the blind knight. He smelled all the emotions, and they couldn''t be more precise¡ªWorship, hope, and a lot of familial love.


    ''I guess, even if I turn out to be a demon tomorrow, this man will still stand by my side. It seems, in a rush to find gold, I''ve found a diamond.''


    "Thank you for your trust, Sir Dolorem."


    "What is the n now, Lord Bard?" Sir Dolorem changed the topic consciously, tensed that he spoke too much.


    "We still have a Barony to make ours¡ªFor good."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 327 327. Conquering—One Barony At A Time

    The vigers had gathered outside the temple, and the priest came to call them.


    But Sylvester didn''t leave immediately as he remembered the Spirit Mirnor''s words. Something that could gravely help him in solving a mystery.


    "Priest Maligard, for how long have your people upied these forestnds?" He inquired.


    "For as far as I can remember, Priest of Solis. I remember my grandfather telling me that his grandfather and even his grandfather lived here. It ought to be thousands of years."


    Sylvester took out a small parchment and showed it. "This crescent moon symbol. I found it in many locations across the Sol. Even inside the Broken Mangroves, in a ruin. Do you know what this means?"


    Priest Maligard looked at it carefully. "Hmm¡­ I don''t remember it clearly, but I think I have seen this before¡­ Ah! I know! My grandfather once showed this to me. This is the symbol of Goddess Luna, the Moon Goddess."


    The reply instantly piqued Sylvester''s interest. "Can you tell me more? Does this religion still exist?"


    "It''s an extinct religion. I know not when it went out of fashion, but I do know that it was abysmally powerful. The people were so fanatic that every brick they''d put in their buildings would have a symbol of Luna." Maligard exined.


    ''Why was the first Pope researching Goddess Luna? What did he find out?'' Sylvester wondered.


    "Tell me, has a Pope ever visited this ce in the past? Perhaps he left something here?" He asked further. Hoping that the First Pope left behind something there.


    The priest rubbed his chin in wonder. "For all this time, we have tried to stay away from the others, and Mirnor protected us. I don''t remember learning about a Pope visiting us. If he did, I reckon it would have been a major thing, or we''d all be extinct."


    ''Makes sense. All this time, I only found the first Pope''s words in ces inessible tomon folks. If he were a good man, he''d have known that by implicating this tribe, he''d be putting their lives in danger.''


    Sylvester reasoned and epted the little help he got. At least now he knew what those crescent moon engravings meant.


    "Thank you, Priest Maligard. Let''s move out now. I shall address the people."


    Sir Dolorem picked up Augustus'' body, and they walked out behind the Priest. As they arrived outside on the high steps, the horde of people was diligently waiting there, confused and scared.


    Sylvester raised his palm and let it shine some light before he started singing to ensure that every single man, woman and child in the crowd would remember him for generations toe.


    ?The trees, the leaves, the grass.


    Its beauty nothing can surpass.


    For all of you are nature''s blessed.


    You lived long despite being oppressed.?


    ?So raise your heads now, for I''m no enemy.


    Merely Solis'' bard, creating a sweet melody.


    Ie as your pain''s ultimate remedy.


    The light that shall bring you rity.?


    ?Spoke to me, the goddess Mirnor.


    Taught me your history and much more.


    I learnt a fact that I now can''t ignore.


    Solis and Mirnor¡ªThey are none to abhor.?


    ?The light feeds the earth with magic.


    To hate Solis, it''s utterly tragic.


    Just like nature, the sun is static.


    Without both, we all would panic.?


    ?So let your hearts ept the two.


    For the sky is full of warm blue.


    And thend moist with morning dew.


    Solis and Mirnor¡ªLet their blessing through.?


    Sylvester stopped singing and bowed his head towards the crowd from the height. Everyone looked at him with wide eyes and confused faces. They heard him loud and clear, but his meaning was not easy to grasp.


    So, Priest Maligard came forward and revealed the true meaning of the hymn. "My brothers and sisters, Mirnor has graced us, for she spoke to mest night. She has revealed who her father is¡ªThe one who rules the nature of existence itself¡ªThe supreme one who loved us despite our cruel words.


    "As the bard said, the light feeds the earth¡ªWithout daylight, can any of you imagine living? Goddess Mirnor and God Solis belong to the same family. They are the gods that rule our world; without their blessing, we are nothing. Therefore, from today, all of us shall also sing the name of Solis. We are no heathens! We are the beloved of Solis and Mirnor!"


    Sylvester appreciatively looked at the Priest. He was impressed. Because Priest Maligard easily swayed the crowd through the careful use of words. He noticed how the man did not try to show Mirnor as anything less than Solis by calling them one family instead of father and child.


    "Speak with me!" Priest Maligard raised his hands towards the sky. "O'' father Solis! Grace us with your warmth! O'' Mother Minor! Grace us with your love!"


    Sylvester repeated the same with the rest. The people seemed to honestly believe in what he and the Priest said.


    "I must take my leave now, Priest Maligard. I must deal with the storm raging inside the Baroness'' castle. But I hope you remember my words and ensure your tribe''s survival."


    Sylvester reminded the man about the ways to save the tribe. He wished the people would remain safe so he could one day utilise the powerful ally, Mirnor, he had just made.


    "It was a pleasure to meet you, blessed bard. On behalf of this vige, I thank you for protecting the children from that vile Baroness. We will never forget this boon you have bestowed upon us." Priest, along with the people of the tribe, lowered their heads. But this time, not from fear but rather respect.


    Sylvester moved and crossed the narrow path between the crowd. "May the Holy Light enlighten us! May Mirnor''s motherly magic keep you protected!"


    Soon, he crossed the boundary of the tribe. Although they didn''t have horses, as they had gotten lost during the storm and the battle, one mad horse always somehow found his master.


    "Good job, Frost.


    "Sir Dolorem, you should sit on it with the body of Augustus." Sylvester offered.


    However, the blind knight rejected it. "Both of us shall walk. Let the body be carried."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sylvester didn''t object, and they started their long trek on foot. It was primarily in forest, and only wild animals inhabited it. Nevertheless, it was extremely lively, with various sounds of birds and others.


    They didn''t talk the whole way and walked for six hours without stopping to reach the Rosewood castle. It was all empty by now, as most of the fighting-age men had gone to battle the previous morning and, as expected, had not returned since they were dead.


    "Open the gates!"


    The guards shouted and got to work in a frenzy once they recognised Sylvester.


    Soon, the drawbridge fell, and the Prima of the Baroness came running. The man saw the dead body draped in cloth and fell to his knees. "I-Is that¡­ Mydy?"


    "No," Sylvester responded nonchntly.


    "Then where is she? Is sheing with the soldiers?" Prima stood up again and asked.


    Sir Dolorem came forward and patted Prima''s shoulder. "She and her entire army perished in the battle. This is the body of Archpriest Augustus¡ªWho also lost his life."


    Thud!


    The man fell to his knees again and cried. "No¡­! How can this be? The whole army? How?"


    Sylvester looked at the man with indifference as he smelled the inner emotions of excitement and hope, going against what was appearing outside. "That''s what happens when you fight a Bloodling unprepared. Your master-at-arms foolishly trapped us all into a fight. I killed the Bloodling, but the price was too high."


    "W-What will happen to the young Master now? He''s a child with the burden of the entire Barony. He''s so naive and inexperienced." Prima, Sir Mormor, mourned openly and ensured he shouted loud enough that the soldiers could hear him.


    The man continued shamelessly. "I swear in the name of Solis that I will guide him well, Lord Bard. You can count on me¡ªI won''t disappoint the Barony."


    Sylvester, however, unsheathed his sword. "But you already have, Sir Mormon. Your greed knows no bounds. You nned all this, didn''t you? You were the one who lured master-at-arms to feel more jealous and go against me. You were the one who pushed him to kidnap the tribal kids. You are the reason behind the death of Baroness, Sir Mormon."


    "What? What ar¡ª"


    "Silence!" Sylvester roared and aimed his sword at the neck.


    Woosh!


    Without any wait, he severed the Prima''s head, throwing it down from the drawbridge. Inside the moat, the crocodiles happily feasted on it.


    ''Forgive me, Sir Mormon, you didn''t deserve this, albeit being a smaller crook. But you needed to die for Augustus'' sacrifice to not go to waste. You needed to die so I could take this Barony for myself.''


    Sylvester had no regrets. He lived in a jungle world where the stronger stepped over the weaker all the time.


    "Guards! Throw the rest of the body to the crocodiles! I''m sure you don''t want to pay respect to a traitor!" Sylvester ordered the mere dozen soldiers standing nearby.


    "Understood, Lord Bard!"


    Ssh!


    With that, Sylvester killed thest one who could go after thend of the Mirnor tribe. That only left him the ten-year-old son of Baroness.


    "Come, Sir Dolorem. We must prepare Augustus'' carcass and write a few important letters. We can''t leave the Barony without a regent, after all. We may even have to spend a week here."


    ¡­


    Holy Land.


    Sylvester had direct ess to the Holy Father for being his private student. So, Sylvester wrote the letter to the big man directly and asked for something.


    "When did this happen?" The Pope asked while being in his ceremonial attire as he attended the asional public gathering to bless themon folks.


    Saint Wazir stood beside the throne as the administrative head. "Your holiness, it likely took two days for the letter to reach us. So, the demise of the Baroness urred on a stormy night."


    The Pope nodded while patting a woman''s head who held a baby in her arms. Instantly, his hand shined, and the woman''s eyes widened.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us! Thank you for the blessing." She cheerfully walked away as her minor back injury got healed instantly.


    The Pope wasn''t even focused on her. "ept the request and tell the Young Bard to hurry back. His training can''t be held back longer."


    "Understood, your holiness."


    ¡­


    After six days, a carriage from the Holy Land arrived at Rosewood castle. In it was a man ordered to be the Barony''s regent for theing years until the young heir became eligible.


    Thud!


    The carriage door opened before the inner castle gate, and a brown-haired, too-short, thin man walked out in church robes.


    "Sylvester! You bastard! How can you put me on such a huge task!"


    Sylvester chuckled and went ahead to hug his friend. "I see¡ªYou''re still a toddler, ''Archpriest'' Henry Rockwell."


    "..."


    "Fuck you, Sylvester. But I thought you had forgotten me after I dropped out of God''s Favoured ss. You''ve surprised me."


    Sylvester chuckled and patted thetter''s shoulder. "They may have called you average in God''s Favoured ss, but that automatically put you at the top rank of the normal ss. I remember you and everyone else just fine¡ªAlong with the oath of brotherhood we took. Come, let me show you around before I give you an unfortunate news."


    "Ugh¡­ I feel overworked already." Henry joked and walked with Sylvester.


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 328 328. A Gift

    Sylvester had friends, a lot of them, and they were all talented kids. From the day he entered the School of Dawn, he had decided to start his cult. That included even the kids who were at the bottom of the ss of God''s Favoured.


    The reason was simple. If a kid was talented or intelligent enough to enter God''s Favoured ss, then he was already among the top talents of the Church. So, Sylvester evaluated every single kid and made a character profile on them.


    He looked into their past, their motivations, and their future aspirations. Themon theme among most was that they came from poor financial backgrounds. So, from the start, he began giving them money to send home to help their family. In addition, he used Sir Dolorem''s contacts in the Inquisitors to help many kids by providing aid to their parents.


    And when it came to the kids of nobles, the game was somewhat different. He didn''t try to win them over money but rather a dream. Brainwashing kids of nobles took a lot of time and subjugation. He had to show those kids that they were far inferior to him, and one day, he will be reaching the seat of someone near the Pope, if not the Pope himself.


    Slowly, over eight years, he developed a few friends he could trust to some degree, and he wished to use them to take over the many regions around the Sol Continent.


    But he ensured never to reveal his secret spywork of Bright Mothers, as the women were supposed to be his insurance who''d tell him if any of his friends were backstabbing.


    "I can''t believe he''s dead. He was such a good man. May the Holy Light enlighten his blessed soul." Henry Rockwell prayed beside the dead body of Augustus.


    By now, it was neatly kept inside a rectangr box inside the small temple in the castle. Sylvester had nned to take the coffin along and give a fitting farewell to Augustus.


    "Life is very unpredictable, Henry. One moment you''re looking forward to good times, and the next, you''re taking yourst breath." Sylvester muttered.


    "It''s sad, but who can fight what fate has already nned? Anyway, what''s the order, boss? You called me here to be the regent of the Barony. But I''ve never done something like this before. Heck, I haven''t even left the Holy Land in years. So how do you expect me to run an area with thousands of people?" Henry asked him, sounding a bit scared.


    Sylvester put one arm on thetter''s shoulder and dragged him along. "You were one of the best when it came to mathematics. I was hoping you could use that talent. I have a n for this Barony that can turn this little ce into one of the richest regions of the entire Gracia Kingdom."


    Henry became alert as he knew about Sylvester''s nning skills. "I''m listening."


    Sylvester brought him to the underground treasury of the castle. "You see all this gold and silver neatly stacked? I spent the past few days calcting all this. Baroness Rosewood was famous for being cruel and extracting as much as eighty per cent tax from her people. Sadly, she and her husband had no idea what to do with all that money and only seemed interested in hoarding it.


    "So, now we have this huge stash of treasure¡ªa total of five hundred thousand gold and two million silver. Let''s not even talk about the other forms of mary items here. We have all this to turn the Barony of Rosewood into the Barony of Goldwood."


    "How? As far as what I studied before arriving, the Barony of Rosewood has no natural resources to exploit. It has an average fishing industry¡ªThat''s it." Henry smartly asked.


    Sylvester chuckled. "So you did your research. I knew you were the right man for this job. Well, the n is simple. With this much gold, we shall turn the Barony into an institutionalised money lender whose army will also work as recovery agents.


    "You will give out small and big loans. Someone needs money to build a factory? Go ahead! Some nobleman wishes to expand their castle? Go ahead! Someone wants to open a shop? Go ahead! Your job will be to keep a ledger about all the money given, the time period, the interest and the coteral. If the borrower cannot return the money with interest at the designated time, then you shall have the right to keep the coteral, and if that''s not enough, take more property from the borrower.


    "However, you must keep a team of small agents who shall travel and do things for you. For example, you must know if the borrower is genuine and not a man who''d run away. Is his n viable? We don''t want bad debt, after all. Though when ites to nobles, just give them all the money they want. If they fail to return¡ªWe shall have a lot of fun."


    By the end, Sylvester had a scheming smile on his face. But that didn''t scare Henry as he was used to it.


    "Sylvester, that''s all good and nice. But what if the borrower is someone too big? A Viscount or a Count? Or a violent mercenary leader? This small Barony had already lost a thousand soldiers. We don''t have much left, and restoring things to normal will take years." Henry stated his well-thought-out doubts.


    But the smile didn''t fade away from Sylvester''s face, and he just patted Henry''s shoulder. "My friend, you underestimate me. Since you''re a man of faith, and we will register the business under my name, I get to dictate a few things. So don''t worry, if need be, I will ask the Inquisitors to help, and you know¡­"


    Henrypleted it. "Everybody fears the Holy Inquisition!"


    "Indeed! I will spend the next two days here and teach you the details¡ªespecially things about reading people. I will also ask the Church to send some Holy Army soldiers here to protect you and the Barony under you. But first, I will show you how to prepare the ledger for efficiency."


    Sylvester guided him out of the treasury. He closed the door, ced the magical protection runes again, and brought Henry to the office of the Baroness and taught him how to maintain the ledger and protect it from water and fire. Henry may have had medium wizard and knight talent, but the man was good enough to have already reached his peak strength of Master Wizard and Silver Knight.


    "What about the young heir?" Henry asked in the middle.


    Sylvester shook his head with a long sigh. "I''m afraid he won''tst long. He''s a spoiled, entitled and untrained brat. His mother pampered him a bit too much¡ªTo the point he''s now a monster in human skin. Tasty food is all he desires, and I''m sure he''ll ask for women once he''s an adult. So cut off all his expenses and tell one of the Holy Knights to train him and send him to the Holy Land for further education¡ªHe shall be taking the vows."


    "What about the Barony then?"


    Sylvester smiled. "Don''t you want to be a Bishop or perhaps a Cardinal someday? Henry, use this opportunity to prove your money-managing skills to the Holy Land. Maybe, if I be the Pope one day, I''ll hire your old ass to be my economist."


    Henry breathed tiredly and looked at the office. "I guess¡ªIf I don''t die from overwork."


    "Hah, I won''t let you. Now, focus here and learn everything. I only got two days."


    ¡­


    Two days was all he could afford to give Henry as he needed to take Augustus'' body back to the Holy Land. He kept it frozen through magic, but nature''s effects were still overpowering.


    He hoped Henry would do a good job, though he gave him a direct way to contact him whenever needed. So, after two days, he took a ship from Broken Bay as thend journey would have taken too long on a carriage with a dead body.


    The journey back was fast and smooth. Since it was the open ocean, and the winds were strong near the coast, they arrived at the Holy Land by the evening of the same day.


    But Sylvester didn''t go home straight away.


    "Let''s go, Sir Dolorem."


    Sylvester at the front and Sir Dolorem at the back. They picked Augustus''s long and tall coffin on their shoulders and walked towards the Pope''s Pce. They could''ve taken the carriage, but they didn''t.


    "Are you sure about this?" Sir Dolorem asked on the way.


    "There is nothing to think about. We''re just doing our duty." Sylvester replied and silently walked.


    In half an hour, they arrived at the Pope''s Pce. There, Sir Dolorem wasn''t allowed entry, so Sylvester had to lift the coffin on his head and take it inside.


    Of course, the guards asked questions. But Sylvester had be so familiar to them that saying ''gift for pope'' was enough. They still used their magic, though, and found nothing magical inside the box without opening it.


    So Sylvester reached the Pope''s personal office. As always, the assistant of the Pope, Gunthar, greeted him. "May the Holy Light enlighten us, Lord Bard. The Pope is free at the moment. You can enter."


    Sylvester didn''t speak and walked inside with a sombre face. He didn''t greet him and went ahead to put the huge box on an even bigger table of the Pope.


    "Wee back, son. I hope the assignment was a sess. Is this a gift for me?" The Pope was enthusiastic, as always.


    Sylvester nodded and started opening it slowly. As he pulled the nails out, he talked. "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction¡ªSadly, sometimes the reaction takes a lot of time to surface. Often, it''s devastating."


    The Pope didn''tugh or smile. He knew how to read a room and was too old to be a fool. "Speak clearly, Young Bard."


    Sylvester did. "I called him brother without knowing how much inmon we had. We suffered the same fate, but I was lucky, and he was not. Over the years, sleepless nights and tears¡ªHis mind continued to rot."


    The Pope didn''t have the power of Sylvester. He came closer and helped open the box hurriedly. "What''s in this?"


    "The reaction!"


    As soon as Sylvester took off thest nail holding the top, the coffin''s side walls fell apart, revealing the pale body of Augustus¡ªThe sword still intact¡ªplunged into the chest.


    The Pope instinctively took a step back, but soon he erupted in anger. "Who dared? Who killed him?"


    Sylvester looked directly into Pope''s eyes as if reading the soul of the man.


    "You¡­ I¡­ all of us did, your holiness."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 329 329. Good Night

    "You... I... all of us did, your holiness."


    "What sphemy are you speaking of, Young Bard? Why would we kill a prospective Grand Wizard who would have mastered the art of exorcism? He was important to us!" The Pope questioned Sylvester while being a little angry at the usation.


    Sylvester walked to the side and took a seat. "Then I guess he wasn''t important enough. Did you know about what else Saint Seer did? It wasn''t just my mother who was targeted in the name of removing weakness."


    The Pope''s eyes contracted. "No, not him again? What did he do?"


    "What he couldn''t do to me. He killed Augustus'' family. His mother, father, and sister--all of them. Augustus was contemting suicide for a long time and finally found his end in the battle recently." Sylvesterid out the details while keeping a nose on all the emotions.


    ''Feel the anger, the disappointment, your holiness. The more you hate the current establishment, the more vulnerable you will be to my plots.''


    Crack!


    The ground underneath the Pope cracked all of a sudden. The whole white marble floor shattered into small pieces.


    Sylvester stood up, not wanting to involve himself any further. "I shall take my leave, your holiness. I will return tomorrow evening for the training as nned. May the Holy Light enlighten us."


    "Good night, young bard."


    Sylvester closed the door behind him and headed home. He knew that the Pope would not kill Saint Seer as the man was hard to rece at such short notice. But something was surely going to happen.


    Saint Seer needed a leash around his head to ensure he did not bite the allies in his thirst for doing something for the greater good.


    "Maxy!" Miraj jumped on Sylvester''s shoulder as the cat diligently waited outside the Pope''s pce. "I got bored."


    "I was only gone for twenty minutes, Chonky. But I have a n so you don''t get bored when I will be training with the Pope in theing days. I will introduce you to mum tomorrow. But, I will tell her that you''re my little guardian angel and that if she tells anyone about you, then you''d disappear. Don''t try to talk to her, either. Just be a good, invisible cat that meows. And if she needs something, you pick it up and bring it to her," Sylvester started instructing Miraj. "Also, never use your tummy ability. Remember, Chonky, if the world learns your secret, they will go to any length to capture you and cut you open to see how you''re so special."


    Miraj tucked his tail between his legs in fear. "Don''t worry, Maxy. I will never tell our secret. I will be the good secret boy of big mum."


    Sylvester still repeated himself multiple times so Miraj would never forget the lessons. After all, his greatest power was not the halo or the light magic but Miraj and his bottomless magical belly.


    Knock Knock!


    Since it was evening, Sylvester could smell the tasty scent of cooking from inside the house. It was mouthwatering.


    "Open up!" He called them and knocked again.


    "Who the hec... Ah! Sylvester, you''re back?" Aurora opened the door, appearing slightly drunk by the look on her face.


    "You took the Sunshine Nectar from my cupboard, didn''t you?" Sylvester recognised the scent immediately.


    "What are you talking about, my dear little brother? Come in. Xavia is telling Isabe, Zeke and me the stories about you. She said you were one heck of a farter when you were little."


    "..."


    "She also told how you saved her from that maggot vige chief that night. You''ve been a good boy since the start, it seems." Aurora patted his head and dragged him in after closing the door.


    "Sylvester!" Xavia chirped at his sight and moved her wheelchair to him.


    He hugged her before pressing her shoulders and arms. "You appear better than before, mum. Have you been training every day?"


    "Of course, dear. Isabe and Aurora were always here to help me. Zeke also kept me safe the whole time."


    "Protect mydy. My duty!" Zeke spoke sternly from the side, standing like a statue with his swords.


    Sylvester chuckled. "At ease, Knight. For the evening, you are relieved from duty. Come here and sit on the couch."


    Zeke first looked at Sylvester as if contemting. "Ugh... Forgive Zeke. I am dumb. Does my lord want me to sit with him?"


    Sylvester walked up to him and patted his shoulder. "You are not dumb, Zeke. You''re just pure; there is a big difference. Now, you have done your duty, so it''s time to rest. Come and sit with me."


    "Understood, my lord."


    Sylvester then patted Isabe''s head. "I hope you''re studying well in the School of Dawn."


    "..."


    Bam!


    She pped his hand away. "I''m not a little girl, Sylvester."


    "Yes! Treat Isabe like a gooddy. Look how pretty she is, aww." Aurora, being drunk, sat beside Isabe and started squishing her cheeks. "Look, she''s a chipmunk."


    "Pfft..." Sylvester chuckled and sat beside Xavia. "So, I heard you were sharing stories about me? Did you tell them how you made me a honey addict?"


    "But you liked it," Xavia protested.


    "That''s why I am going to the kitchen to look for it."


    Sylvester acted normal, as he had decided not to tell Xavia about Augustus or what had happened at work. But he had to tell her about elves finding him out, so she could stay prepared in case of some unfortunate event.


    "Any news about Felix and Gabriel?" Isabe asked from her seat.


    ''I hope they''re fine.'' Sylvester prayed silently.


    "Not yet. But they should be hard at work right now. I told them to send me weekly updates, so the letter should be arriving soon. Why? Are you worried about them?"


    "I am," Isabe frowned. "They are my good friends, and I know that every time you''ve been on an assignment, it always went bad. So I just hope that they don''t get caught up in something, as we won''t even know about it."


    That thought did cross Sylvester''s mind many times over the days. "Don''t worry. They also have Elyon and Bishop Lazark with them. Elyon can easily sniff out any danger around them. So don''t get depressed now. Anyway, I''m going to sleep. See you in the morning."


    Aurora also stood up and looked outside from the balcony. "It''ste at night. I should head home now, or father will be angry again."


    "Why not just stay? I have enough space on my bed." Xavia offered.


    "I have a lot of space in my room, too," Isabe added.


    Aurora looked at the two of them for a few seconds and then grinned ear to ear. "You know what! Let''s all sleep together. I will tell you stories from my life."


    "Fine by me." Xavia was always longing forpany.


    Isabe also agreed. "Please don''t pull my cheeks again."


    "Such sphemy! Of course, I will!"


    Aurora, the friendly, lovable bully, genuinely enjoyed her life with new friends. Sylvester heard and saw everything, but he never interfered and let Aurora assimte with his family. He had a few reasons, some selfish and some not.


    On the one hand, he believed that the closer Aurora was to him and Xavia, the more inclined she''d be to take his side if something happened in the future. But, on the other hand, Inquisitor High Lord had spoken about Aurora''s lonely childhood that repressed her feelings. So, this was an outlet for her to live the time she lost.


    As for Sylvester, he heard theughs and giggles of the women from the other room. He justy on his bed, looking at the ceiling with the back of his hand on his forehead.


    His mouth was curved into a smile, but his eyes told a different story--a story of fear, frustration and tiredness.


    ''With the elvesing after me, I must hasten my rise. I can''t give them any time to destroy whatever ounce of a peaceful life I have right now. I must be a Bishop as quickly as possible.''


    "Meow Meow Meow Meow~"


    ''I should utilise the training with the Pope. His lessons are clearly effective, as I killed that elf without much injury.''


    "Meow Meow Meow Meow~"


    "..."


    Bam!


    "Come on, Chonky! Don''t snore like that." Sylvester pushed the cat from his chest and tucked him under the thick nket.


    "M-Maxy best..." Miraj muttered in sleep.


    Instantly, Sylvester melted and closed his eyes. "I guess you''re the anchor that is keeping me sane with your sheer chonky cuteness. Goodnight, my friend."


    ...


    Duchy of Zon.


    In the Duke''s Keep, Duke Zephyr Vas Zon sat in the sr and looked at a report given to him by the Prima.


    "So the Baroness is dead, and the new regent is a clergyman?"


    "Not just any clergyman, but a close friend of Lord Bard." The Prima added.


    Duke Zon smirked. "So he rejected my offer and instead chose a third path. Does he wish to y the big game now?"


    "What should we do, your grace? There was a lot of Gold in the forest of the Barony."


    Duke Zon put the report aside and started writing on a different parchment. "It''s alright, Lord Prima. The little boy wants to y the big man''s game; let him y. But that does not mean we have to treat him in kind. I''m writing a letter to the master of Broken Bay.


    "Since Rosewood Barony uses Broken Bay for all their trade, I am increasing the cost of renting our docks for them by a hundred per cent. Not only that. Send back all the homeless and poor workers who originate from Rosewood Barony. Let''s see how long they can survive before going bankrupt."


    Prima had some words of caution, however. "Your grace, please be careful. All those who ever went against Lord Bard have only suffered ill fate. Therefore, we should avoid trouble with him."


    "I know, Lord Prima. But I am not going against him. This is strictly business. No harm ising to any person."


    "What if he decides toe after us?"


    "Hahaha! Let him," Duke of Zonughed madly. "Then we shall hurt him where it pains. We have influence in the Supreme Council. Perhaps an investigation might beunched against him. After all, what he''s doing to Rosewood Barony is not very--bardlike."


    "Understood." The Prima saluted and took the letter. "I shall pass the orders. Anything else?"


    "Ah, yes. What happened to the Mountain Barbarian invasion that was being talked about recently? Are the tribes really nning toe south? What did the intelligence report say?"


    The man replied from the door. "I believe even if they attack, the Duchy of Iceling will be the first to fall. It will give us enough time to react."


    "Duchy of Iceling?" Duke''s face turned diabolical, and he looked towards the north from the window. "Aren''t Lord Bard''s friends there?"


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 330 330. Era Of Inventions—Begins!

    Sylvester attended thest rites of Augustus in the morning. Augustus'' pyre was burned at the Golden Penins, the holiest ce, as a sign of respect and apology.


    Sylvester had no idea what had transpired after he leftst night. He couldn''t find Saint Seer there. Only the Pope, a few higher clergymen, and Guardians were present.


    But he didn''t care about that and went on to do his usual work, which included going to the entry gate of the Holy Land and checking everything. At the end of Season of Solis, a rush is usually observed as people be agitated to enter.


    The biggest danger at this time was a stampede due to increased desperation. After all, they''d have to wait for an entire year if they missed entering the Holy Land.


    He checked the register of the guards at the entrance. They had scaled up his given model of entry checking. That effectively decreased the needed time to merely five minutes per person.


    "Good job. Just one more week and your hard days wille to an end. I shall rmend all your names to the Administration." Sylvester praised the men at work and crossed the gates.


    He headed left and arrived at the construction site of his house. Thest time he saw it, the structure was erected, and interior work was left. Now that all work waspleted, he freely entered the building and checked the furniture.


    On the ground floor were the living quarters for the staff and the whole restaurant itself. The kitchen was huge, and all the cooking stations were made ording to his demand. He had also installed normal indoor plumbing in the house using expensive pipes he had some cksmiths make.


    The indoor plumbing ensured that the restaurant kitchen could work at all times. There was arge water tank on the terrace that helped with everything. Not to mention, his restaurant would be different as he''d be using a lot of magical runes and crystals that he could buy cheaply from the Holy Land.


    Both indoor and outdoor areas had a seating capacity of fifty people each. Sylvester''s three ex-ves were going to be the only main cooks, while waitresses would be hired from the nearby Graced Vige, which was merely half an hour''s walk away.


    The menu was kept small, but Sylvester knew it''d be enough to create a buzz. Starting with pizza, there were fish and chips, burgers, crispy fried chicken, french fries, ice cream, sandwiches, and all kinds of sauces.


    For drinks, Sylvester decided not to serve any alcohol as that would go against the faith, and it could annoy some higher clergymen. So, he decided to sell soda, lemonade, tea, and milkshakes with ice cream.


    Of course, he was mostly experimenting at the start to see how the process would work. He carefully nned things and the menu so that items could be prepared in advance in bulk. For example, various sauces could be made once a week, as Sylvester had built a metal, walk-in refrigerator that could hold many ice-magic crystals. It would keep all the vegetables, meat, ice cream, and sauces from going bad.


    Besides that, buns for Burgers would be outsourced to Graced Vige nearby, where old Healer Hendrix lived. Chopped potatoes for French fries were also outsourced, and fish would arrive fresh from local fishermen.


    His three cooks would only have to do small preparations in harmony. Not to mention, if the workload became too much for them, he was ready to make the menu smaller so that it could be alternated. His main goal was not money but the crowd.


    ''I should call those women and start training them. But first, let''s have a look at the office.''


    He climbed the stairs to the top floor. The room''s steel door was painted to look like wood. It was going to be his unofficial office for all work unrted to the faith.


    For now, it only had multiple empty bookshelves at the side and a table beside the closed window.


    He took a seat and started writing something in his booklet with a charcoal pencil. ''Alright. Since the upper structure is done, I need to make the basement. Thanks to the head of Anti-Light, a big enough hole was left behind.''


    He had already drawn most of the design and had decided to create a normal basement first. From there, some hidden entrances would lead to others. There were going to be three long corridors with around twenty rooms of various sizes.


    And the first room''s usage was for his printing press since he had finished his book.


    ''Alright, this is the best I could remember the Gutenberg''s press.'' Sylvester drew a crude model of the contraption, as it couldn''t really be called a machine.


    Sylvester knew his limitations. He was not God who knew everything. Although he had a mechanical engineering degree, that didn''t mean he knew how to makeplex automatic machines.


    At best, he could conceptualise them and make a cruder version, hoping that someone would build upon it and make a better version. For now, he just needed to get by.


    ''This still won''t be enough to print inrge numbers. Hmm... How can I use magic in this?''


    Sylvester tried to brainstorm how to improve the design of Gutenberg''s press. ''Perhaps using Babcock Printing Press would be better as its sliding type-form and cylindrical paper movers are much more automation friendly.


    ''I have fire crystals. Maybe I can make a single-piston steam-powered system and connect it to the printing press through a closedtex belt. This is certainly within my capabilities. But what if my enemies find such inventions?''


    Sylvester knew that if he wanted, he could change the whole world within a year using all his knowledge. But knowledge was one of his greatest assets. So giving it away before taking over the world was foolish.


    He nced at the good furry boy sleeping near the window where the sunlight hit. ''I guess I will use Chonky and always keep these inventions in his belly, only letting them out when I have their use. With this automated printing press, I can easily print a few dozen books every week. I won''t need it daily.''


    Thus he decided on the n and started drawing the blueprint for the machines. He needed to get the cksmiths to make things to his strange demands. But he was friends with a few of them, so it was no problem.


    ''I''ll have to arrangerge sheets of paper too.''


    "Lord Bard! Are you there?!"


    Sylvester quickly folded therge sheet of paper he was designing on and went to the window. Outside, he saw arge stagecoach and six knights on horses.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Lord Raftel? Pleasee up here!" Sylvester called them.


    He quickly ced two cushioned chairs in front of the table and waited for the Count and his wife to arrive. He had asked the Count to visit him before leaving months ago.


    Soon, the tall, thin Count and his beautiful blonde wife reached him. But the Count took Sylvester by surprise, and instead of a normal greeting, he went for a hug. Not just him, but once the Count was done, the Countess hugged him tightly.


    Sylvester embarrassingly stepped back after he felt the woman''s bust. "What was that fo... Wait!"


    He just remembered that the woman''s breasts were chopped by the Shadow of Masan during that plot he unearthed.


    Countess Melinda smiled and softly spoke. "Thank you, Lord Bard. Due to your rmendation, we were swiftly provided with the best care in the specialist sick bay. There, my treatmentsted for two months."


    Count Raftel, who had stopped smiling long ago, now had a huge happy grin. "They were able to heal herpletely. Not only that, when it became clear she''d be fine, we decided to conceive."


    "I''m one month pregnant!" Countess chirped excitedly as if she was waiting to shout that for a while.


    Sylvester felt good for her as he remembered how she cried when her breast was chopped. She was hoping to have a child, and her dreams were crushed.


    "Congrattions, mydy. I''m happy for you." He raised his palm towards her belly and made it shine. "I bless that your child is born healthy, smart and strong."


    Sylvester was like a legend in the minds of the Count and Countess by now, so his blessing meant a lot to them.


    So much so that they wanted something more from him.


    Countess Melinda reached for Sylvester''s hand and held it in her palms. "Lord Bard, I wish for you to be my child''s godfather. Without you, me, my husband, and the County--nothing would have survived. You blessed us, so I hope you can also forward it to the next generation."


    Sylvester would have stabbed his own throat if he had even thought of ignoring such an opportunity. Being able to influence a future Count or Countess was huge.


    "Of course, I will be happy to do so. Nowe, take seats. It''s not wise to stress mydy too much." He guided them to their seats.


    "Why are you outside the Holy Land all alone, Lord Bard? Isn''t it dangerous?" Count Raftel asked him in worry.


    As Sylvester took his seat, he nearlyughed. "What difference does it make? Inside or outside of the Holy Land, people try to kill me all the time. Anyway, I wanted to meet you to discuss the possibility of a business partnership. You see, I have invented a few things that can help healers around the world. I want you to manufacture it and be its distributor. Of course, I will take the royalties as the patent holder."


    Raftel became alert quickly. The Northern Duchies of Gracia were suffering after the madness left by Masan''s plot. Poverty was rising, and it was getting hard for everyone. So, he wasn''t going to leave such an opportunity.


    "May I know what those things are?"


    Sylvester opened the drawer and showed them. One was a physical item, and the other two were parchments. "This is an injection and a needle for intravenous fluid insertion."


    "What! You invented these?" Countess Melinda eximed loudly. "I saw this every day at the sick bay. No wonder they prayed to this instrument every time they used it. It''s a blessing from you!"


    ''What the hell, do they pray to this thing?'' Sylvester knew it was popr, but not this fact.


    "There are two more things I am making. One is a heartbeat and pulse hearing aid called Stethoscope. The second thing is an instrument for measuring body temperature, called a Thermometer. Making a Thermometer takes some level of expertise in alchemy, however. But, all these instruments can fetch a reasonable price as they can help even non-magical healers.


    "Here, read this agreement. I will take a forty-five per cent share of the profit for theing ten years. In return, you secure the right to research these instruments, make them better and sell them. After ten years, I will take a share of fifteen per cent." Sylvester forwarded the agreement.


    There was a major reason why Sylvester added the ten-year limit for his higher profits. The reason was that he''d either be the Pope by then or dead.


    "I will read it, but I have something for you too." The Count passed on a folded parchment.


    "I hope you don''t mind, but to help you, over the past few weeks, I decided to ask my men to keep an eye on all information rted to you. This is the list of all Assassin guilds with an ongoing bounty against you and Mother Xavia."


    "What?!" Sylvester''s smiling face turned cold. "They also put a bounty on mum?"


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 331 331. Chonky Meets Big Mum

    Sylvester read the document with a raging frown on his face. The content was infuriating and frustrating since it was so threatening.


    ''They... They purposefully put mum''s bounty higher than mine. So they want to kill her, knowing it would mess with my mind and ability to work?''


    "There is no way to know who ced the bounty, I presume," Sylvester asked as he folded the document and ced it in his pocket.


    "Impossible unless you''re close to the leader of one of the strongest guilds, such as Weeping Ghosts or Red Knights." Count Raftel replied while still reading the agreement.


    Sylvester sighed and thought about a way out. "Do these guilds ept bounty on one another?"


    Countess Melinda replied, leaving her husband to read the important paper. "No, they never attack each other, no matter the money. Infighting is bad for businesses, and they know it."


    ''So there''s no way to get to them?''


    "I''ve read it, Lord Bard." The Count interrupted. "The deal sounds good, but I have a request. I do not want to ept the agreement right now, as I have no idea what the cost of producing all this will be. If it''s too high, then nobody will buy it, and I will lose money from having a small margin. So, I wish to return and set up warehouses for these and see how fast and cost-effective we can make them."


    ''I don''t smell any lies or jealousy. He should know very well the price of messing with me.''


    "I can understand your concern, and I agree. You should go ahead and first see the production cost. Here, this is my initial investment in your business--Ten thousand Gold Graces!" Sylvester pointed to a small chest at the side.


    Sylvester honestly had too much money at the moment. The money he got from looting Duke Daemon''s castle was so much that he couldn''t even count. Chonky had no idea either, as all he ever said was that the treasury was enormous, and he emptied half of it.


    "The agreement did not mention this." Count Raftel asked. He was a seasoned politician, after all. He knew that nobody is ever kind for no reason.


    But how could he ever imagine that there was a madman who just wanted to burn money?


    "It''s alright. I know Northern Duchies are facing problems right now, and it''ll be hard for you to set up a factory for production on arge scale. So use this money for it and go all out. Don''t worry about me. I earn a lot from other business endeavours,"


    Sylvester nced at Countess. "You should also use the innerwear I invented called ''Bra.'' It might help in your healing."


    "You invented that too?! My Lord, so many Bright Mothers told me about it during my time." She eximed as excitedly as before. "I even bought it, and it has truly made my life better. It helps with the pain from recent medical processes, and I feel more confident while walking fast now."


    "..."


    ''She''ll die in the future when my other inventions go mainstream,'' Sylvester thought.


    Still, he felt proud and happy that his actions affected the people for good. The more his name spread amongmon people and nobles, the better it was for him.


    "Thank you for your words, mydy. Make sure you tell the Duchess Colorwood about it."


    She smiled big and showed her thumb. "Don''t worry, Lord Bard. I shall convert them to the cult of the bra."


    Sylvester chuckled. ''Felix would have loved to see her again. He used to talk so much about her beauty and antics.''


    He got up after that. "Then, I shall await your response, my Lord. Tell me the numbers after you produce the test batch."


    "I will, Lord Bard."


    Pleasantries were exchanged, hugs from Lady Melinda were received, and soon, they moved their separate ways.


    Sylvester rushed home as Isabe left for the School of Dawn at that time, leaving Xavia alone for a brief moment before the trainee Bright Mother came to take care of her. Sylvester had set up the whole system to ensure that Xavia was never alone for more than fifteen minutes.


    "Mum, I''m back!" He voiced as he entered the house and locked the door.


    Xavia was knitting a sweater on the balcony under the bright sunlight. She had nothing else to do, so she decided to make a sweater for her beloved Max.


    "Mum, I have something extremely important to show you. Come with me." He didn''t wait for an answer and pushed her chair inside.


    He brought her to his room and shut the door. Then he also put the blinds on the window to ensure no possibility of anybody hearing them.


    "W-What happened, dear? You''re scaring me." Xavia asked worriedly.


    Sadly, Sylvester had to tell her this. "Mum, don''t be shocked by what I''m about to tell you. I expected this to happen one day anyway."


    "What happened? Are you alright? Are your friends fine?"


    "I was attacked by elves in thest assignment. They said they hade to take the prince back home. I killed them all, but still, Sir Dolorem was there, and he heard them. So, I believe that father knows." Sylvester told her the worst part first.


    She reacted by suddenly stopping breathing as her eyes widened in shock.


    "Breathe, mum. Take long breaths. I''m still alive and fine. Sir Dolorem was ted, and he now firmly believes I''m some special god''s gift meant to unite the two worlds."


    "What should we do now?" She asked in panic while clenching her hands.


    Sylvester put his hand on her shoulder. "Nothing. Holy Land is still the safest ce for uspared to anywhere else. I will only have to ensure I get stronger and rise in clergy before the elven problems truly reach our doors. As for you, there is a need to get stronger. But also spreading the intelligence web further.


    "I have another thing to tell you. This concerns your safety directly. Someone has put a bounty on you, and it''s more than mine."


    "They want to hurt you through me?" She instantly grasped the situation.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "That''s right. They want to kill you, as that would definitely affect me negatively. I don''t know how I can make this mess go away, but I will ask the Holy Father about this in the evening. I only ask you to stay alert and never go to ces you know attacks on you can ur." He warned her while moving to clean the table near his bed.


    Xavia got teary-eyed as she felt helpless. "I''m sorry, Max. I didn''t know things would devolve into this."


    "Why are you ming yourself? I am thankful that you brought me into this world. I exist because of you. Sure, the situation with my father is problematic, but why me something that''s out of our control? As for this bounty thing, they are purely political problems that can be solved as I grow more powerful.


    "Anyway, cheer up. I want to introduce you to someone extremely important to me, someone who has saved my life many times."


    He put Miraj on the table. The good furry fluff was excited and eagerly waiting to be introduced to Xavia. Unable to hold himself from tapping his little front paws.


    "Mum, be mindful of this. If you reveal this secret to anybody, he will disappear, and I will again be left without divine protection. He is my little guardian angel, and only I can see him. But he is sitting right here, waiting for you to pat him." Sylvester kept a serious tone the whole time.


    Xavia gulped and moved her wheelchair closer. "W-What does he look like?


    "Meow!"


    Sylvester chuckled. "He''s a cat, mum. A very strong and magical cat that can understand us. He has fluffy white fur and is fat... No, he''s just too furry."


    He then held Xavia''s hand and brought it to Miraj''s forehead. "Touch him; he won''t mind."


    "Ah!" At first, Xavia snatched her hand back in shock. She could see nothing there, but her hand was touching something. But then she tried again and, this time, caressed Miraj''s head. "H-He''s so soft and... Fluffy. What''s his name? How long have you known him?"


    Sylvester saw Miraj purring under the soft scratches on the head.


    "His official name is Miraj, but I call him Chonky. He''s been with me since we arrived in the Holy Land. Over the years, he has protected me more times than I can count. He''s been our invisible member of the family, mum. I hope you''ll keep him a secret so he can be with us forever."


    Thud!


    Xavia mmed her head on the table instead, near Miraj''s paws. "Oh, holy guardian angel! This mother thanks you for protecting my son. I vow to never reveal your secret until I die."


    Tap!


    Miraj patted Xavia''s head. "Mew Meow!"


    "Haha, he blessed you too, mum. By the way, his favourite food is banana, so you can always give him some."


    "Ah! So now I understand why you were obsessed with bananas!" Xavia realised something as dots connected, and it all made sense. "So it was Lord Chonky?"


    ''Lord Chonky? Hah, he''s already gloating over it.'' Sylvester held himself fromughing.


    "Indeed. So, from now on, Chonky will remain beside you whenever I go for training with the Pope. He can understand you and likes cuddles. So keep him beside you, and if you ever need something in the house, just tell him."


    Bam!


    Miraj jumped onto Xavia''sp and hugged her tummy with wide arms. "Meow!"


    "He''s calling you big mum. He already loves you for being my mother." Sylvester ensured that Xavia felt attached to Chonky.


    "Lord Chonky calls me mum? T-That''s so... Heartwarming. Okay, let''s go to the Kitchen. We have some bananas. Do you also like banana pie? I can make it for you."


    Miraj grinned and rubbed his face on her, gesturing his nods. "Meow!"


    ''This greedy boy! I hope she won''t spoil him too much.''


    "I will head out for training now, mum. Remember, keep him a secret. Never call him in front of someone else." Sylvester warned her while packing his small bag.


    Xavia didn''t even reply and enjoyed squishing the fluffy boy. So Sylvester silently left and locked the door carefully.


    But, with a step out, his face changed, and the forced smile turned into coldness. Seeing Xavia happy and giggling increased his worries for her safety. The sad truth was that the stooges of many nobles were inside the Holy Land as clergymen. He always wondered when one of them might attack Xavia for the big prize.


    He nced back at the door onest time and moved out. The whole way to the Pope''s pce, he thought about the bounty and the elves that attacked him.


    ''I solve one problem, a worse one arises. It''s as if fate has decided to push me to rise no matter what. But, there is no way to find out who put the bounty. Could it be Saint Seer? I can never know. As I grow stronger, the bounty will only increase.''


    He stared at his hand in the darkness of night and made it shine. "If the divine will wishes me to suffer, then my divine light must react tougher."


    He looked ahead at the Pope''s pce as he clenched his fist so tight that veins popped into sight. ''They left me with no choice. I will kill them--I will kill them all.''


    ________________________


    [A/N: The following two chaps contain kingdom and world-building aspects.]


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 332 332. Above Supreme Wizard?

    Sylvester soon arrived at the Pope''s Pce and went directly to therge underground arena. He had five more months to train with the Pope and wanted to make the best of it. Currently, being Archwizard level three, he wished to push himself to the next level by the end of the year.


    He still didn''t understand how and why he could level up so fast and reckoned it had something to do with his body''s ability to turn the blood into srium, but he didn''t have the time to research.


    His next five months were thoroughly nned and packed with things to do. Focusing on training, printing the book, inventing more things, and expanding his influence in and outside the Holy Land.


    "Good, you''re on time."


    The Pope entered the arena. He seemed prepared already, as there was nothing on the torso but shredded muscles and a few scars of his might. He didn''t even greet Sylvester and right away picked dual longswords from the weapons rack.


    "Today, I shall teach you how to fight ten wizards simultaneously. Because even if you''re a Supreme Wizard, twenty or so Grand Wizards can kill you." The Pope got right to it.


    Sylvester didn''t waste time in greeting either and held his spear up. "Thank you for the lessons, mentor. They really helped me fight the Bloodling recently."


    A small smile leaked from the old man''s face. "That''s good, now focus on my movements and try to imitate them. Slowly, I will move close, and we will sh the swords and spears. At the same time, I willunch a few basic elemental runes, which I want you to predict and copy simultaneously."


    Sylvester nodded and prepared to move.


    Woosh!


    Soon, the Pope started to fight an imaginary enemy, swinging swords masterfully. He would sometimes throw one sword in the air and use an elemental rune, projecting it on the ground. Sometimes it would create fire on the ground, sometimes a ditch, or sometimes quicksand.


    All the while, the Pope moved closer to Sylvester slowly, giving him enough time to adapt and n the fight.


    "Start!" the Pope roared and finally him.


    Boom!


    Thud!


    Sylvester fell back on his butt in one sh. The Pope was going especially hard this time for some reason, and the man seemed to have no reservations even now.


    "Stand up! Your enemy will never wait! Once you fall, your head is gone!" The Pope bellowed and cast a fire rune right underneath Sylvester.


    But Sylvester saw it and copied it. He cast a fire rune under the Pope as well. Not only that, but when the Pope countered it by cing a water rune on it, Sylvester did the same and jumped to his feet.


    ''He''s particrly serious today. What happened? Did Saint Seer finally get on his nerves?'' Sylvester wondered and waited to sh again.


    This time, Sylvester used Knight''s magic and reinforced his body by imbuing magic in his arms, back and leg. But that also started eating up more of his srium reserves.


    sh!


    This time Sylvester did not fall but still got pushed back a little.


    Woosh!


    Following the sh, three runes came at the same time. One created a ditch, the other made mud, and the third put the mud on fire.


    "Argh!" Sylvester could only see two of theme out and react as quickly as possible, only to get burnt by thest one. The Pope was not pulling himself back much. His speed, power, and magic were at least that of a top-level Archwizard.


    sh!


    Bam!


    Following the runes, multiple strikes from the duel swords came. Sylvester sessfully blocked them using the deflecting style instead of a head-on collision.


    "Faster, son! Fire, Earth, Wind, Water, Light, Dark and many more hybrids! There are masters around the world, masters of magic you can''t even fathom. Some have harnessed the power of time, while some have mind or poison! You can do it! Use all your strength. I am not even using five per cent of my power, so worry not about hurting me!" The Pope lectured him at the same time.


    ''I-I smell¡­ Fear and anxiety? Is he worried about my well-being? Why?'' Sylvester smelled strange emotions from the man. This time, he was more taken aback as this was too intense. It wasn''t like before when the Pope worried for him because he was the future of the faith. No, this was more personal for some reason.


    Boom!


    Sylvester jumped back while copying the Pope''s runes that made ice spikes. "Mentor, you said, fighting ten wizards at the same time. How can I do that?"


    The Pope didn''t stop and continued to speak. "I never said you would learn it in one day. This is likely going to take theing five months. Knowing the trick to fight multiple wizards and warriors at once is the same as knowing how to fight masters of all basic elements.


    "Statistically, most wizards you will meet outside are masters in one of the elements. So, as long as you have a great presence of mind and know how to fight these masters, you can win against multiple of them. It bes even easier as you are proficient in all elements, and few know."


    sh!


    The Pope kept sparring with Sylvester, increasing his powers every time they''d sh.


    "I will push you to exhaustion every single day! That''s the only way to grow stronger fast. You are special, my son. When I was your age, I was still a mere priest trying to master the runes. While you, at seventeen, are proficient in much of magic and mind. We must not let your talent go to waste. We must ensure you can grow to the Supreme Wizard rank at the earliest." The Pope sounded desperate at the end.


    Sylvester tried to get the Pope to speak more. "May I ask why this sudden change?"


    The Pope''s eyes contracted, and the smell of anger came. "Because mistakes were made. I should have never let you be a Sanctum Inspector. I should have taken you as my personal student the day you graduated."


    Sylvester didn''t me him, however. "Don''t misdirect your anger at yourself, mentor. I am thankful that I got to be a Sanctum Inspector. Because of this, I got to see the world, the sinners, and the nature of humanity. After all, it''s not just power, but also experiences that make one stronger."


    "Spoken like the famed wise bard. Well, I also wish to see you be Supreme Wizard fast because then¡ªmaybe¡ªyou can be the first person to go even higher to whatever rank exists beyond."


    Now that took Sylvester by surprise. He was so focused on bing the Pope and getting stronger that he never even considered that if he became a Supreme Wizard in his twenties, he''d still have centuries of life left to grow.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "But, the testing orb¡ª"


    The Pope interrupted. "Ignore that. Those things can not see beyond Supreme Wizard as they are not designed to sense more srium than what a Supreme Wizard has. Even sensing a Supreme Wizard ruins the lifetime of those crystals. When I was tested, my testing orb got cracked."


    ''Alright, this is interesting. I now have another reason to work hard.''


    Boom!


    The training continued, but they also talked in the middle. It was also a part of the training as talking distracts too.


    "Mentor, I need a favour. I have a list of some assassin guilds that I want to track. I want to know all the updates on their movements and locations." Sylvester asked.


    "Why?"


    "Because they put a bounty on my mum, a hundred thousand more than mine. They have crossed a line, and I only see one way to end it."


    The Pope struck him more intensely. "You want to kill them?"


    "Yes, all of them. I envision no ce for assassin guilds in the world ofw and peace." Sylvester answered and held on.


    Thud!


    Sylvester got pressed to his knees while stopping the two swords with his spear. "One at a time, they will die for their sins."


    Woosh!


    A sudden halo of light appeared behind Sylvester''s head and blinded the Pope for a microsecond. At that time, Sylvester lowered himself and struck Pope''s feet, and then jumped away.


    ?Thew that Solis stiptes.


    There are many who manipte.


    These sinners, it''s up to us to regte.


    With our arms of holy justice¡ªEradicate!?


    Sylvester''s hymn was short but impactful, as even the Pope stopped moving after hearing it and just looked at Sylvester.


    The silence remained for more than a minute, but Sylvester kept himself on guard, knowing the Pope could strike at any moment.


    However, that strike never came as the old man threw the swords to the side, and the scent of worship overpowered everything. "I will order Saint Seer to spy on them. The lesson is over for today, go and sleep. I will see you again in the evening."


    ''Good! These alone times with the Pope are the best for indoctrinating him slowly.'' Sylvester was delighted to smell worship from the man who usually received prayer.


    "I will see you tomorrow, mentor." Sylvester paid his respects and left swiftly.


    The word ''busy'' was an understatement for his life at the moment. He reached his home and tippy-toed towards his room as it was early morning and all were sleeping. He also checked Xavia''s room and found Miraj snoring in Xavia''s arms, hugging tightly.


    He tucked them under the nket properly and entered his room. He locked the door and threw away his sweaty clothes to sit butt-naked beside his table.


    ''Alright, let''s start designing the printing machine.'' Sylvester got to work.


    Sleep? What was that? Hunger? What was that?


    Sylvester had less time and more things to do. First, he had to spread his name far and wide. He had to ensure people saw him in a positive light too. For that, the books were going to help. He was even nning to write a book called ''How to Write, for Dummies¡ªIf you can''t even do this, you''re a donkey.''


    Along with the printing machine, he also had to develop a simple steam engine that could power the machine. But, in the middle of nning, he had an idea of using magic runes to make the piston run instead of steam.


    He termed such runes as Industrial Runes, which could be etched onto the material''s surface and run by magic provided by srium crystals. But, eventually, he gave up. The idea was good, but he realised that the world had so few wizards that maintaining runes would be a problem. No normal wizard would do such a small,bour-intensive task of maintaining and reinforcing runes. Perhaps in bigger projects, they could, but not everywhere.


    Hence, Sylvester went with the steam power. Because one day, he hoped to hire some disowned, homeless, mentally slow people like Zeke and make them run his underground factory and print propaganda.


    ''Maybe I should draw a simple sewing machine too. That should increase the output of the undergarments by manifolds and increase my profits.''


    Sylvester''s life, over theing few months, was going to be all about invention, production and fighting. And, of course, healing Xavia.


    Thankfully, being busy has its benefits, as one never realises when time passes.


    But Sylvester had no idea how peaceful his life was, aspared to the distant storm that was approaching. To the dark fate, would he submit? Or will he rise and cross the deadly summit?


    Only time would tell what would prevail, for much was left in Sylvester''s tale.


    ________________________


    [A/N: Events of the next chap happen over a period of six months.]


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 333 333. An Ominous Bird

    In theing months, Sylvester''s life was just¡ªwork, invent, train and sleep¡ªas hepletely drowned himself in work.


    Finally, in three months, he finished making the printing press, but then he realised that if he arranged the letter moulds by hand, it would take him a week to set a single page on a printing press.


    So, he had to create another smaller machine, which was controlled by magic runes. The principle was simple. By putting a lot of moulded letters in a keyboard-like container, Sylvester created a sort of typesetter.


    Using runes and small trapdoors, he made a keyboard table with small, long empty spots for putting stacks of each led-tin moulded letter. Then, with magic, he''d open the trapdoor, and his desired letters would fall to create words and lines.


    It was not easy, but it fastened the work. He knew if he had Felix and Gabrial with him, he could have asked them for help as he trusted them enough. Not to mention, he''d have put them under oath.


    By the sixth month, as thest month of the year started and the winter gently touched the Holy Land, Sylvester was mostly done with his book. He aimed to print fifty books at the start and kept the moulded pages forter use.


    [A/N: Search YT-Steam Powered printing press #2]


    Making them was not cheap as the moulded letters used tin and lead, while the ink also used many chemicals. But, thankfully, alchemy was a thing in the world, and he could find whatever he needed in the Holy Land at a price.


    "I just semi-invented the thing that can change the whole world, yet nobody will ever know about it for a good while. It makes me feel somewhat¡­ disappointed. Sadly, right now, it can be used against me." Sylvester talked to himself in the secret underground basement.


    Digging tunnels was extremely easy using magic, but the main problem was setting it up, reinforcing its walls, and other things. He was still only half done with his secretbyrinth.


    "Maxy! How long do I have to keep looking?" Miraj voiced from the other side of the printing press, as his job was to keep an eye on every new printed page and tell if the ink started fading.


    "Just ten minutes more. We''re nearly done for today."


    "I''m hungry. I should have stayed with my big mum. She gave me so many bananas." Miraj grumpily replied.


    Sylvester chuckled and walked over to him. "My big mum? You''re getting toofortable with her. Did you start training on the running wheel I made?"


    Miraj swiftly looked away at the papers. "Oh, they look fine. Hmm¡­ Let me see, this is good¡­ This one too¡­"


    "Good boy, keep working." Sylvester patted him and walked back to his seat. "Let''s see what Felix wrote this week."


    It had been six months since Felix and Gabriel left for their assignment. It hadsted surprisingly long, but Sylvester was happy as the weekly reports suggested they were doing a good job.


    [Things have been going well, and Duke Iceling has cooperated with us. We found no conspiracy done by Masan spies, though the rumours of the Mountain Tribesing down south to attack were authentic.


    We recently helped the Duke fend off one such attack. It''s unknown why they areing down, but my job is done here, and I have no aspiration to go further north. So I, with the rest, will be returning to the Holy Land in a week.


    Also, the food here is atrocious, so please get someone to make a delightful meal for us. I will bless your next ten generat¡ªAh! I forgot you''re going to stay a pure maiden. Well, anyway, May the Holy Light enlighten us.


    Give my best wishes to Mother Xavia, and of course, Isabe¡ªMaybe give her a rose in my name¡ªWait! No! Don''t go near her. She will think you gave her the rose, you devilishly handsome womaniser fiend.


    I repeat, don''t do anything, Sylvester. Or I will¡­ I will hire bards to sing nonsense about you.


    Regards,


    Your father.


    Sorry, I just realised saying that thest line was inappropriate. Let me fix it.


    Regards,


    Your Daddy.]


    "Hah!" Sylvesterughed heartily and folded the letter to put it in the case. Over the past few weeks, he hade to enjoy Felix''s letters as they most often didn''t just contain information but entertainment as well.


    "They will love this shop and the food. I can already tell." He muttered and walked over to the steam engine to power it down and disengage the printing press.


    "Chonky, eat up all the machinery here and let''s go."


    "Aye, Aye, Maxy!" Miraj was happy to finally leave the noisy ce.


    Woosh!


    Miraj opened his jaws, and the magic happened. Everything in the room got sucked into his bottomless belly without any damage.


    "Done!" Miraj jumped onto his shoulder. "Get me a banana from above, please. You even used my pretty face on the shop sign."


    "Sure, you deserve it for the hard work."


    He locked the room up and checked the tunnels he had made. He was working in another room, a healer''sb, where Healer Hendrix and Sylvester wished to research Duke Daemon''s eyes and find secrets to Futuresight.


    ''So much work to do. But my time to go on field mission hase again.''


    He felt slightly dejected as he hade to like this calm and periodic lifestyle. But he knew he had to go and implement all he had learned from the Pope outside to master it all.


    He went upstairs to the ground floor. The restaurant had finished serving for the night, and the cleaning was being done. The three ex-vedies were hard workers but also loved their job as the people loved the cuisine, and every time a customer thanked them for the food, they felt pride.


    It had been three months since the ''Bard''s'' opened. The most liked food there were pizza, lemon soda and ice cream. In just the first month, the restaurant had shown four times returns in profitability, and it was only increasing.


    As the fame of the food spread in the Holy Land, many wealthy clergymen started ordering food too. Just for that, Sylvester had to hire some talentless deacons to be delivery boys on horses. Heck, he even hired a group of four mercenaries from the Guild Penins as security since break-ins were happening, not for money, but by people trying to steal recipes.


    Though, he made the four mercenaries minor helpers too, who had to clean the restaurant every night. They lived in a wooden outhouse Sylvester constructed for them. It was well paying, a regr, easy-money job for them, and they loved it.


    But tonight was different as it was the eighth night before the end of the year. As the three chef women locked the ''Bard''s'' to rest in their rooms, two mercenaries were ordered to take a big carriage filled with tasty food and ice cream inside the Holy Land to various orphanages.<novelnext></novelnext>


    It was Sylvester''s gift to all the little kids. However, with the food, there were sheets of paper. All of them held some challenging puzzles, identical to one another. At the bottom of the page was written, ''Any child whopletes this puzzle shall get a month''s supply of ice cream for free.''


    "Drive carefully, and don''t spoil the food," Sylvester ordered the mercenaries as he parted ways with them inside the Holy Land.


    "Understood, Lord Bard. Have a good night."


    Sylvester saw them go in the orphanages'' direction. ''I hope this little activity will benefit me. If I can find a few natural geniuses, perhaps I can train and teach them to be great future inventors and thinkers.''


    He didn''t have huge aspirations, but he did want to remove things such as very from the world once he became the Pope. Sadly, the only way to peacefully do it was by reducing dependence on human resources and making keeping ves more expensive than machines.


    But he was, after all, a single man. He had limited time, so he wished to cultivate talents from the start. It would take him a decade or more to make them fantastic and loyal. Fortunately, he had no wish to bring any significant changes to the world anything soon.


    ''They can be my golden goslings who shall one day grow toy golden eggs for me.''


    Hopeful of a bright future, he made his way to the Pope''s pce as his day was just starting. Training with the Pope until morning was his usual routine now. It had certainly made him stronger and increased his stamina.


    "You looked particrly happy." The Pope saw his face and asked.


    By now, the Pope and Sylvester had grown much friendlier as they met each other daily. Although there was still an air of formality as, in the end, the Pope was the Pope.


    "I read Felix''s letter. He will be returning soon."


    "Hah, and he shall cry soon." The Popeughed. "I heard you asked Saint Wazir to find you an assignment somewhere in the south this time, in the Sorrow Kingdom that no longer exists. May I know the reasoning? It''s barrennd full of poverty, refugees and disease."


    "One reason is that I want to see the south and get experience, and the second reason is that I want to meet Viscount Gordon, who knows metal maniption. I wish to unlock the potential of my spear." Sylvester was honest, as the Pope wanted him to get stronger too.


    The Pope agreed, and they started the training. "That''s understandable, son. You''ve had the spear for years, and it''s about time you be its master. With its unlocked potential, you can be deadlier and faster."


    Boom!


    Sylvester attacked first this time. In six months, he had learned to fight all the elements. He was still no master but well ustomed now.


    Bam!


    The Pope replied by creating small bullets made of stone and throwing them at Sylvester at top speed. In response, Sylvester created a light shield and kicked the ground, creating a long line of protruding spikes of stones towards the Pope.


    Of course, the Pope held himself back by a lot, only fighting with the power of an Archwizard just a few levels above Sylvester. That ensured Sylvester got pushed to match the higher power and did not end up going down in one go.


    Thud!


    "You''ve gotten better. A few more months, and you''d be a master in fighting multiple opponents." The Pope praised him.


    "What if I''m against a Grand Wizard or a Supreme Wizard?" Sylvester asked.


    A ridiculingughter left the old man''s mouth. "Hah, son, unless you reach level eight, thest level of Archwizard rank, don''t even think. If you sense a Grand Wizard or a Supreme Wizard¡ªRun!"


    ''If they let me run.'' Sylvester thought, knowing that if a Grand Wizard or Supreme Wizard really decided to kill him, he had nothing to defend himself with.


    They continued to fight till morning. But once Sylvester dropped to the ground in exhaustion, the training was over.


    "See you in the evening." The Pope left, not even breaking a sweat.


    Panting, Sylvester gathered his items, picked up his spear and left the Pope''s Pce for a four-hour sleep. Indeed, he was living a life of self-induced very.


    ''Mum said she''d cook dinner tonight. I hope Aurora doesn''te today, that annoying goofy woman.''


    On his loyal horse, he trotted towards the Bright Mother''s housing. The road was mostly empty, some winter fog was there, and the air was incredibly soothing.


    Tap!


    Tap!


    "Hmm?"


    He nced at his shoulder as something abruptly touched it.


    "What the¡­"


    To his shock, it was¡­


    "Undead bird?!"


    ________________________


    [A/N: Now begins the next major arc]


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 334 334. Missive From North

    Sylvester stopped and looked at the undead bird with interest. He had seen undead animals before, but this was the first time seeing a bird.


    "Did Bishop Lazark send you?" He asked and quickly caught it in his palm.


    The bird was like a zombie, with a rotting body and deadly red eyes. Yet it made no noise the whole time and calmly remained in Sylvester''s grasp without even wriggling.


    "A missive?" He noticed a small piece of rolled paper tied to the bird''s ws.


    He quickly untied it and read in a low breath so Miraj could hear it too. "The North calls, for the trouble brews. Will you respond or let your allies lose? Time is of the essence, react, or see them fade into obsolescence."


    "What? Why did Bishop Lazark write th¡­ He didn''t write it!"


    Sylvester nced at the undead bird a second time and clenched the missive in the other hand. A deep frown quickly overtook him as the meaning behind the words was clear. It was a message telling him there was some issue in the north and his friends were in danger.


    "Chonky! Change of ns. Our break ends now! Hold tight!" He ordered and pped the horse on the back.


    In no time, at full speed, Frost rode in the winter mist. Sylvester slouched forward to reduce the air resistance and approached the Inquisitor camp.


    He waved at the guards and entered with no hassle, and got off the horse right in front of Lady Aurora''s abode in no time.


    "Lady Aurora!" He called her out.


    The wooden door of therge tent opened, and she came out rubbing her tired eyes. She was not wearing her regr armour at the moment. It was just a in long oversized nightgown.


    "Sylvester? Why are you here so early?"


    "May I?" He gestured to enter.


    "Well,e in."


    Sylvester did so and closed the door behind him. "An urgent matter hase, Aur¡ª"


    Aurora went back to her bed tiredly, mumbling something. "I haven''t found any mention of a girl named Zye or a Bishop named Monarthy Reed. I will look further tomorrow¡­ Good night¡­"


    Sylvester had asked Aurora to use her ways to look for the two names that he had heard in his visions over the years. He had finally decided to do something as the little girl in the visions was truly too pitiful and needed help.


    Though his visions were the least of his problems now.


    He showed the undead bird to her and extended the little piece of paper. "Wake up! It''s urgent! Look at this. An undead bird delivered me this message from the north."


    "What?!" Aurora quickly lost her sleep and looked at the dead bird. "How did an undead enter the Holy Land?"


    She picked up the paper and read it immediately. Soon, she shared the same frowning look on her face as Sylvester. Then she got up and started putting on her armour.


    "Good lord, Sylvester. Why can''t you just be a normal boy? Why is your luck so rotten?" She genuinely asked, as anyone would, after seeing how everything rted to Sylvester devolves into something worse and deadlier every single time.


    Sylvester wanted to rebuke her, but he knew there was some truth in her words. He often wondered about it too, and usually dismissed it as something he had to deal with for being so highly talented and unique.


    "Let''s go!" She finally picked up her sword and walked out. "We''re going to see my father first and then go meet the Pope. If something bad is happening in the northern mountains, then we will need some strong backing."


    "How strong are Mountain Barbarians? The books always portray them as dumb fiends, but I know there is more to it." Sylvester asked her.


    "The Mountain Barbarians are very strong¡ªEnough to scare multiple duchies in one go. However, it''s unknown how strong they are internally as infiltrating them is nigh impossible."


    Soon, they arrived at the Inquisitor High Lord''s tent. The big man was not sleeping, as expected. So, they were given an audience immediately.


    "Lord inquisitor, Sylvester here got this missive from an undead bird." She cut to the chase and handed over the two things.


    Inquisitor High Lord nced at Sylvester and read the paper. He, as expected, didn''t react very strongly and only stood up. "You did the right thinging to me, young bard. It''s always best to escte such things to the higher clergy in a levelled manner. For many hyenas are sitting, ready to mour."


    Sylvester understood what the man said. It was true that over the past six months, as Sylvester and the Pope appeared friendly with each other, many jealous eyes piled up their anger and hatred. They were all waiting for Sylvester to slip and do something wrong, so they could cry about how pathetic he was.


    "Lord Inquisitor, I wish to leave for the Northern Duchies and ensure the safety of Felix, Gabriel and the rest of the team." Sylvester requested. "I have a n prepared already, and I know an expert in the mountains of the north who can help me."


    "First, we must meet His Holiness." Inquisitor High Lord headed to the door instead.


    There was nothing anyone could do once the big man had spoken. So Sylvester and Aurora followed behind the colossal body and entered Lord Inquisitor''s giant carriage.


    As they made their way to the Pope''s Pce, Inquisitor High Lord kept looking at Sylvester with his shining red eyes under the visor.


    ''What does he want now? I only smell the usual rage in him. Why is he always in rage?'' Sylvester wondered and tried to avoid awkwardly looking back.


    "Young Bard, I heard about your progress under the training with the Pope. How confident are you at defeating a top-ranked Arch Wizard?" Lord Inquisitor asked suddenly.


    ''Is this a test?''<novelnext></novelnext>


    "I can not defeat a top-level Archwizard outright, but I sure can oust one in Srium reserves and defeat him as long as I don''t get injured too much." He answered.


    The Inquisitor High Lord''s eyes shined, and the man nodded. "So you are a horse of a long race. As long as the feet canst, you may win the race. But they are not enough, for your enemies are cruel and tough. Assassins, spies, beings of otherworldly filth¡ªthey are out to consume you to zilch."


    ''What the¡­ Why the sudden overdose of worship now? Did I do something recently?'' Sylvester wondered confusedly.


    "I will level up to Archwizard level four soon, Lord Inquisitor." He replied respectfully.


    Pat! Pat!


    Aurora patted his shoulder. "That''s my little brother! I knew you were special when I saw you for the first time in the School of Dawn."


    ''Lies! I smell such clear and loud lies!''


    "Thank you, Lady Aurora." He was, sadly, not in the mood to joke around. Instead, he was worried about his friends, as they were the only people in the world he could count on other than Xavia and Sir Dolorem.


    "Where is Sir Dolorem?" He asked.


    "He went to train with the Second Guardian. Worry not. I''ve sent an Inquisitor to fetch him." Lady Aurora replied.


    ''Good, I will need some trustworthy people on this mission. Northern Duchies¡­ Could Shadow of Masan be involved in this too? That man did plot his schemes over ten years, so him being gone shouldn''t mean all his schemes are over.''


    He had no idea what to do this time. Felix''s dozens of letters from the past few months had clearly revealed that no conspiracy was found in the Duchy of Iceling. He would have doubted it if it was a report just by Felix, but Bishop Lazark was there too, who was an experienced Santcum Inspector. Not to mention, Elyon, the Beastkin, was a trader, hence experienced in catching lies.


    "Follow me." Lord Inquisitors'' soft but loud order broke him out of his thoughts.


    He exited the carriage and followed the man to climb the long stairs. Once again, just like the first time, all the golden armoured guards of the faith started kneeling one after another.


    ''Strange, I never saw them kneeling when Aurora used to walk with me. They must respect this old man from the bottom of their heart.''


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us!" Sir Dolorem was awaiting at the top. "I came as quickly as possible."


    Sylvester went ahead and shook hands with the blind knight. "Sir Dolorem, we are headed to the Pope''s office. Please follow us."


    "Understood, Lord Bard."


    So, Inquisitor High Lord led them inside. Though, even he had to get checked by the entry guards with magical items to ensure he was not an imposter or holding some dangerous material. The Pope was, after all, like a half-god for the faith, and his security was of utmost importance¡ªUnless the Pope decided to mess around alone.


    In no time, they arrived at the Pope''s office. A meeting was going on inside from the looks of it as the Pope''s assistant tried to stop them. But the Inquisitor High Lord opened the door and entered.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us, Holy Father. An urgent matter hase to my attention that is best shared at the earliest."


    The Pope was somewhat surprised by all of them appearing simultaneously. But he sensed the urgency and dismissed the two old Cardinals sitting in the visitor''s seat beside the table.


    "What is it, Lord Inquisitor."


    "The young bard was approached by this. So, I wish to travel with him to the Northern Duchies and get to the bottom of this." Inquisitor High Lord forwarded the items and surprised Sylvester with the request.


    Silence lingered in the room for a few minutes as the Pope inspected everything. First, the parchment was read, and then, the Pope used some strange magic from his hands to assess the rotting bird.


    "Undead¡­ But recently made. If the words of the missive are true, then it''s not just the Young Bard''s allies that are in danger." The Pope remained silent for a few seconds after that.


    "Fine! I shall authorise a special mission to the north. Young Bard, I am giving you themand of the Holy Army division in the Duchy of Iceling. You have proven yourself to be a marvellous battlemander against Duke Daemon." The Popemanded and started writing something.


    "I-I am going with him, your holiness." Aurora meekly announced.


    The Pope nodded. "Sure, you are his good elder sister. But I can''t have you leave the station, Lord Inquisitor. The north is thend of winter, where your powers are not as fierce."


    "But it is my duty, your holiness. Be it fire, cold or water¡ªI vowed to Solis to never falter." Lord Inquisitor insisted.


    "Declined! I can''t take risks after losing so many strong talents in the clergy recently." The Pope spoke with genuine concern.


    He then handed Sylvester a folded letter with his seal. "Young Bard, you need not worry. I am calling forth someone who mans the only monastery in the entire Pentapeak mountain range¡ªThe sixth Guardian, Winter Ghost."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 335 335. The Grind

    Fort Sunflower, Riveria kingdom.


    The Northern Duchy of Riveria was previously the seat of Count Conrad, who was now the King. But still, the Duchy was ruled by him directly. The reason was simple¡ªhe had killed all his siblings. He had nobody trustworthy left to lead the duchies. He only had one younger brother, who was already ruling the more important Duchy in the south.


    Of course, ruling a whole Duchy from a castle outside the Duchy was not easy. It became nigh impossible to keep an eye on all the nobles and governing officials, and corruption became rampant on the lower levels.


    When corruption came, many opportunities arose for activities usually considered treason. And taking advantage of that, many opportunistic men saw their own rise.


    "Kaecilius, you are going to fight five men today. Do you want to take them all together or one by one?" A guard knocked on the small underground room of the longtime ve champion.


    The tall, muscr man grabbed his shield and sword before opening the door. "Are they refugees again? How many refugees are you going to ept?"


    The guard sighed and spoke frankly, as most men did with Kaecilius since the man had been a ve for so long. "What can I do? Those fools at the border keep letting the southern refugees in. We are forced to catch them and eventually put them here. At least they make money from the entertainment."


    "That''s quite unfortunate. How many such ves are here now?" Kaecilius asked.


    "Probably two thousand. But most of them won''t survive this year, as most battle ves are destined to die. Let''s go now. Your turn ising up. The bets have been ced on you, like always."


    Kaecilius nodded. "Make it ten! I will fight ten of those refugees together. They are not much of a challenge otherwise."


    The guard was overjoyed and eximed happily. "Of course! You''re great, Kaecilius! With this, the profits will increase."


    Kaecilius didn''t speak anymore as he was not used to doing so. But his mind was set and prepared to go to any length and have what he wanted. With Sylvester''s help, he was going to make King Conrad Riveria pay for ying with his life.


    At least, for now, he had thefort of knowing that his wife and remaining daughter were living a free life in the Holy Land thanks to the kind clergyman¡ªthe bard.


    ''I will not disappoint you, Lord Bard. These ves¡ªThis fate¡ªIt shall be King Conrad''s reckoning!"


    Every single night before he slept and every morning after he woke up, such were the words he told himself.


    He was no longer fighting for independence. His only desire was vengeance.


    ¡­


    At the same time, hundreds of miles apart, Sylvester was preparing for the emergency campaign to the north. He did have thoughts about what was happening in Riveria. But sadly, hiswork of spies was not strong enough to know precise details. So he could only hope that things would go his way.


    "Max, please take some thick clothes. It will be a lot colder up north since it''s winter." Xavia requested him as she helped him pack his luggage.


    Thankfully, she was able to walk now, albeit slowly and unstably. It was enough to get by and not need the help of others at all times. So Sylvester felt a lot more at peace leaving this time.


    "Zeke will remain here at all times and guard you and Isabe. If you need anything else, speak with the Great Mother or reach out to the Inquisitor camp. They will do everything in their power to ensure your safety." Sylvester instructed his mother while frantically putting everything he needed in a bag.


    Then, he donned his old golden armour as he was not going to investigate or preach. The raid by the Mountain Tribes was inevitable, and the battle could start at any moment.


    "As for the food, you need not worry. I have ordered one of the mercenaries at the Bard''s to deliver vegetables and fruits here regrly,"


    Bam!


    Xavia suddenly tapped on his chest te. "Calm down, Max. Stop thinking about me. I will be safe here. It''s you who is going out there to fight. I understand that you must go to save your friends, but please be safe. I feel too anxious whenever you go out."


    Sylvester took a calming breath and hugged her, patting her head as if she was the young one. "I''m sorry, mum. If I could, I would have wished for a life of no hardships and peace where we could live calmly. But, sadly, we are right in the middle of the most active battleground in the world, and if we don''t fight, we shall perish."


    She nodded and looked up at his face since he was much taller than her. She caressed his cheeks softly, "I know¡­ We all have our battles to fight and win. After this many years, I''ve long epted that I can''t stop you from going out in the hope of rising. But I''m still a mother."


    "That''s why you must work hard, get stronger and spread your web of spies far and wide. You are the only person in the world I can trust blindly, mum. You have the power to be my greatest strength," he said, hoping this would energise her and make her work harder.


    But her eyes only teared up. "And I am your biggest weakness too."


    There was no denying it, and Sylvester epted it. "All the more reason for us mother and son duo to rise."


    "Meow!"


    Sylvester chuckled as he felt a paw tapping on his head. "Ah, Chonky too. He is our cute guardian angel."


    Xavia wiped her eyes and smiled, although she could not see the cat. "Take care, Lord Chonky. I will have many bananas for you when you return.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Miraj jumped, wrapped his furry paws around her neck and pecked her forehead. "Meow!"


    "Haha, he gave you the lucky kiss, mum." Sylvesterughed and picked up his luggage to leave.


    Thanks to Miraj, the air of depression quickly cleared up. So he walked downstairs.


    When Sylvester came outside, he found Lady Aurora''s carriage waiting for him. However, Isabe was also there.


    "Sylvester, be safe and bring them back safely too." Isabe wished him luck.


    He patted her shoulder. "I will, Isabe. Let''s hope the northern parts of your kingdom survive. Or, I''m afraid you''ll be ruling over a kingdom of barbarians and poor."


    She looked down in disappointment. "You''re going to save my kingdom¡­ I wish I coulde."


    "You will be doing a better service to the realm by learning here with all your focus. How you ruleter will define the future of your kingdom. On another note, your brother, the King, will likely dispatch the army this time. So I will have enough support." He lifted her spirit and walked to the side.


    Cardinal Cornelius was there, as he had called the man. The man was one of the core members of his cult since thetter was now a member of the Supreme Council of thirty-two.


    "Your eminence, I will be troubling you this time. I need you to make sure that this letter reaches Theodore Sandwall. He''s Felix''s uncle and serves as the General of the 5th regiment of the Headless Order.


    "This letter contains a job letter for them. I need all of them to report to the Duchy of Iceling in the North. We will need as many abled bodies as possible to fight the Barbarians." Sylvester spoke respectfully, but at a nce, anyone could see that Sylvester held the authority.


    Cardinal Cornelius took the letter. "I will ensure this gets done at the earliest, Lord Bard. But a singlepany of Headless Orders won''t do much."


    Sylvester shook his head and looked the Cardinal in the eye with utter seriousness. "You''re mistaken, your eminence. The letter is a job offer for the entire Headless Order¡ªTheir entire Field Army of ten regiments¡ªI want all seventy thousand of them if possible."


    Let alone the Cardinal, even Aurora and Sir Dolorem at the side gulped their saliva. It was a huge army, andbined with the army of ten thousand from King Gracia, the Holy Army stationed in the Duchy of Iceling, and the armying from Sandwall County¡ªThe number of soldiers was likely to reach a hundred thousand.


    "Lord Bard," Sir Dolorem advised Sylvester, "The Headless Order may possess a big army, but their regiment is always operating from different locations and nevere together unless something serious happens."


    "I know, that''s why I said ''if possible''. We are going to save Felix and the rest, but we can not take the risk. If the Mountain Barbarians do attack, we will be vastly outnumbered. So, your eminence, I will wait for the good news." Sylvester saluted the Cardinal and entered Aurora''s carriage.


    Soon, the giant carriage moved as two low-ranked Inquisitors came along as reinsmen. This way, Sylvester and Aurora could rest in the back and n their approach.


    "Why are you doing all this? Aren''t we just going there to save Felix, Gabriel and the rest? Also, where will you find the money and the logistics to maintain such a huge mercenary army?" Aurora questioned him in the carriage.


    Sylvester kept a solemn expression. "Of course, our first aim is to save the four. But, after that, we must stay prepared for the possibility of an attack. Because whether we like it or not, it''s now the Church and Gracia''s problem. If the Duchy of Iceling and Duchy of Normani also fall, the entire Gracia will suffer."


    "But why worry when even the Holy Father isn''t? It''s not the Church''s ce to meddle in the kingdom''s affairs," being a staunch worker of the faith, Aurora questioned him.


    "Because it''s too small in Pope''s eyes and not a religious conflict. Yes, if the Barbarianse down south and upy, the Church will eventually send Inquisition to either convert them or kill them. Until then, this is an issue for the kingdom," Sylvester reasoned.


    Sir Dolorem agreed with him. "That''s how we operate. The Church does not meddle in the kingdom''s issues. But, since you are so close to Princess Isabe, keeping the kingdom strong is beneficial to you, Lord Bard."


    "Exactly, Sir Dolorem. Gracia is my stronghold, and we can''t let it grow weak. As for the money and supplies, that''s not an issue. We shall stop in every town and city on the way to empty their clothes and grain shops. Transporting will not be an issue either. I have everything nned, so trust me." He assured them until they felt at ease with his decision.


    Sadly, Sylvester could not share everything with them. Yes, his main objective was to save his friends, but he also had more things to worry about.


    With the huge mercenary and holy armies under him, he hoped to have a higher say when King Gracia and Count Sandwall''s troops would arrive. His desire was to be regarded as themanding general. Because if that happens, in the end, all the credit would be his for taking.


    And he had only one reason for entering such a major conflict.


    ''Rank of the Bishop, here Ie!''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 336 336. Slave By Choice

    As the wheels of the magical carriage turned, the air became colder, for it was north where they were headed. The crowd on the road became far and few, while the grass and the farnds at the sides seemed empty.


    The miserable winter was going to wreak havoc harder this year as the northern region of Gracia suffered financially from the plots of the Masan Empire. After the whole Raftel and Jartel county debacle, the artificially created high economic activity by traders from Masan vanished. The shops, the farmers, the artisans--All were left waiting, but no traders from Masan came this time.


    As Sylvester stopped in every vige or town to buy food and clothes supplies for his campaign, he noticed the state of the people. So he didn''t act heartlessly and only bought things they did not need.


    For example, if a vige or town had more grain than clothes, he''d buy grains, and vice-versa.


    Thankfully, their path passed through the Green City, where Sylvester could buy almost seventy per cent of all his needed material. After that, he passed through the small city under Duke Grimton''s rule.


    But one would wonder where Sylvester stored all that material. Hiring a trader to deliver the material took more time and effort. So he used his portable magic cat and discreetly emptied all the warehouses full of items he bought.


    It was a cheat that he used after a lot of consideration. He didn''t have the luxury of time or geography, so he had to give himself some leverage. Using Miraj was risky in itself, but he was sure that if anything happened, he could always use God''s name to exin the miracle. After all, he was the blessed Bard.


    "Take the carriage to Baron Strongarm''s keep directly," Sylvester ordered the two reinsmen at the front.


    "So you want him to help," Aurora remembered the Baron.


    Sylvester had nned everything and had sent a man to inform the Baron about his arrival beforehand. "Baron Strongarm was abducted by the Barbarians when he was small, and he lived with them for years. As a result, he knows more about them than anybody else. With his help, understanding the geography of those unforgiving mountains will be easier."


    However, Sir Dolorem had not met the man before as he was going through the mess in Green City at that time. "If he still prays to Solis, then he should help."


    "He will." Sylvester was sure about it. "I gave him an offer he can''t refuse."


    Soon, the Baron''s castle gates opened, and the carriage stopped.


    Sylvester got down and saw the Baron. The man looked the same as before, six and a half feet tall, burly, looking more like a caveman with a long beard and hair. But, there was cleanliness and more wisdom in the eyes.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us, Lord Bard." Baron Strongarm greeted Sylvester.


    ''Good, he seems prepared toe along.'' Sylvester saw bags of luggage behind the Baron.


    He saluted back and shook hands. "Good to see you again, my lord. I hope Baroness had healthybour and that your child was born well."


    The Baron appeared amused that Sylvester knew such a thing. He didn''t expect to be of great significance in the eyes of someone as high and mighty as Sylvester, the famed Bard.


    "She did, Lord Bard. By the grace of Solis, everyone is healthy... Except for the barony."


    Sylvester bobbed his head in agreement. He was no god. He could not wave his magic staff and make the world lovely. He had to ept the ugly side of the world too.


    "Thank you for joining. Let''s move now, as the mountain tribes might attack anytime. We must stop them, or else the misery of this entire region will only increase manifold. Come, join me in the carriage."


    Sylvester helped pick up the man''s luggage and threw it atop the carriage. The reinsmen then climbed and tied everything with a rope.


    Soon, the Baron greeted Sir Dolorem and Aurora inside, and they moved on to their destination. This was the first time Sylvester was going so far in the north, so he was busy studying all the maps he had. And now, with Baron Strongarm''s help, he could understand the region better.


    "My lord, I will be the battlemander if the battle does start, but I will need you to be my right hand and guide me this time. I do not speak or understand theirnguage, so you will be my mouth, eyes and ears." Sylvester respectfully asked and kept a keen nose on all the emotions the man showed.


    "I am blessed to be of help, Lord Bard."


    ''Good, he smells like tulips... The worship is re--''


    But Sylvester''s thoughts were disturbed when a loud shout sounded outside. They were still in the region of the Baron, so this was surprising.


    "ves! Cheap ves! Buy some ves!"


    "..."


    "Stop the carriage!" Sylvester ordered the reinsmen and got off to look. Following him, Aurora and Sir Dolorem came too.


    They were just outside the Baron''s small town, and a long line of carriages was stationed beside the road. A small stage was set on which ves were being auctioned.


    Sylvester nced at the Baron and noticed the man had shame in his eyes, but at the same time, he smelled of anger and disgust.


    So he asked, "Did you allow them?"


    "I hate very, Lord Bard. But the times are hard, and my duty is to the citizens of my barony. Therefore, I must find ways to earn from anywhere possible. These ve sellers give me a small fee for holding their business here." The Baron replied in a low voice, opposite of the usually proud manner.


    Sylvester could not be angry at the man. He had no right, nor did he have any moral high ground. "The business offer I have you will ensure you don''t have to sell your self-respect, my lord."


    Just then, the auctioneer started shouting. "Take this family of three with you. A man, woman and their ripe daughter--Fresh from the harshnds of the south in the Sorrow Kingdom. I assure you, they are used to working hard as long as one meal a day is provided--Come, the price starts at five hundred copper muds for all three."


    "One silver crown!"


    "One silver and five hundred mud!"


    "Two silver!"


    The people started bidding.


    "Five silver!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Just then, a new voice came, full of authority and might. Heads turned and saw the tall man with the face of a saint.


    Sylvester extended five silver coins forward and reached the stage. As everyone saw Sylvester''s golden armour and the massive carriage behind him, nobody dared to bid anymore.


    "Sold to this gentleman!"


    Sylvester looked at the family of three as someone pushed them off the stage and brought them to Sylvester.


    The three looked utterly malnourished. Their faces were pale, and their eyes were baggy and devoid of happiness. The man seemed to be in his thirties, as was the woman, while their daughter was in herte teens. They had hunched back, untidy torn clothes, and messy hair.


    Sylvester walked up to them and broke open their metal ve cors.


    Thud!


    "You''re free." He told them. "Go wherever you want, live however you want."


    "No!"


    "Please!"


    "Don''t do this!"


    The three almost instantly crouched down, picked the cors, and tried to put them around their necks again. They were frantic about it and almost out of breath.


    Sylvester looked up at the auctioneer. "Where did you find them?"


    The fat-bellied, short, bald man rubbed his hands nervously. "T-They... Sire, they came to me on their own and asked to be sold. Honestly, they are too weak and unsightly to be ves, but I felt pity for them."


    Sylvester looked down at the three with a sigh. He understood why they were like this now. ''Of course, their origin is not poverty but theck of a way out. Even if freed, there is no work or way to feed oneself. Hoping to be bought by someone and fed once a day is perhaps the best life in their minds.''


    "Stand up! If you do so, I shall give you a golden grace!" He ordered them in a stern voice.


    Finally, the man looked up and fearfully stood up. But he kept his head down and didn''t dare look at him again.


    "Speak your name, and what are you doing here? I don''t suppose it was an easy journey from the far south to the far north." He questioned as he did feel confused by their current location.


    "I-I''m Corlis... My Lord... I just..."


    "Be at ease, my brother in faith. I am not a lord nor a noble. I am a man of faith from the Holy Land. So speak your mind and tell me your pain." Sylvester asked, wanting to understand the current state of the southern part of Sol.


    "W-We lived in a vige of farmers, r-respected clergyman. Then the Grand Duke of Patch came with his armies and burned our fields, killed many of us and left us to die of hunger. We became one of the refugees after that and headed north.


    "We served a high noble in the Hignd Kingdom for a few months. Hisnds border the Sorrow Kingdom, so he takes many of us as workers. But he is cruel, Bradley the Butcher, everyone calls him.


    "He is famous for his battle strategies of using brute force, torturing his enemies, and being overbearing on his people. He lends money at high-interest rates, and if people can''t pay it back, he kills them or sells the women of the house to vers, along with the kids, if any.


    "He made us work eighteen hours for one meal every day. He gave us no ces to sleep, and we lived on open grounds. Many died there from the desert cold. It was a garden of death, so we ran away."


    The man cried silent tears by then, along with his family.


    "Later, we were allowed inside Riveria, but then they threw us to the north as we were lowly farmers, and they only wanted craftsmen, cksmiths and such. We kept walking for two months, hungry, on the verge of death, until we met the ve seller."


    Sylvester took a long tired breath. ''The south seems to be in more turmoil than the north. Sol is so weak right now. I wonder if Beastaria will attack--I would if I were them.''


    "Go to my castle." Baron Strongarm talked and passed on a piece of paper. "I am the Baron, and you may find work there, along with food twice a day. But don''t expect money."


    Sylvester also took out a gold coin from his pocket and handed it over. "As I promised. Keep your faith high, my friend. Solis is testing you, and good days are ahead."


    The man fell to his knees and prayed while crying.


    "Thank you! You are God''s angels... Thank you!"


    Sylvester moved away and returned to the carriage with a thousand thoughts in his head. But soon, he was once again attracted to the stage, but this time the shouting man was the ve.


    "Outrageous, this is nder! How dare you sell me for ten copper muds? I shall not allow this! Never! I will protest until someone buys me for at least ten gold!"


    ''What a strange man. He doesn''t even look impoverished... Is he a spoiled young master of some family?''


    Sylvester was interested in him but moved on as he couldn''t save all ves. There was not enough money in the world for that.


    ''It seems I should tour the south after this campaign. Perhaps I can aplish something there that can grant me the title of Saint.''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 337 337. Worst Fear Comes True

    They stopped for a short time in Pitfall town to pick up some more supplies. After that, they turned east and headed to Frozen Town, which spanned around Duke Iceling''s castle.


    As they crossed Pitfall town, the air became much colder, and sheets of snow covered everything. The animals nestled in their little homes, some hibernated, and some greeted it as their death domes.


    "Wear something thicker. Let''s not waste our srium reserves just to keep ourselves warm." Sylvester suggested to them, putting on a thick fur cloak over his armour-d shoulders.


    "This year, the winter is harsher than before, Lord Bard. Simr to how the previous year was colder than the year before." Baron Strongarm informed.


    Sylvester helped Sir Dolorem get the fur cloak and put it on while talking. "How long has this cycle been going on?"


    "It has been five years now. The winter is getting stronger every year."


    Thud!


    All of a sudden, the carriage halted and shook them all up. Soon, a call from the front came. "Lord Bard, the snow is too deep! The carriage can''t move any further."


    The road they were travelling on couldn''t even be called a road as it was now hidden underneath the vast in fields of snow. So there was no telling what path to take to keep the carriage on the road.


    Baron Strongarm picked up his bags. "We will have to walk from here. If we take the shorter path, the Duke''s castle should not be more than an hour away."


    Sylvester could have tried to turn the carriage into a sleigh-like vehicle, but that would have taken much time. So, he decided to go on foot.


    "Take the carriage to Baron Strongarm''s castle and keep it there. Do not let anyone enter. Am I clear?" Lady Aurora ordered the two reinsmen; threatening was a better word. She really loved her handmade carriage.


    Soon, they all held massive luggage on their backs and started walking north directly. The snow went as high as their thighs, but for their battle-hardened bodies, it was nothing. They didn''t talk, as even that consumed some of their energies. Even Miraj, with his fur, felt cold and tucked himself in Sylvester''s fur cloak, only keeping his head out to look around.


    For the first time, Sylvester felt the effects of nature actually disturbing him. Before he could always shrug it off, be it winter or summer, but now, in the true north, he felt it just fine.


    It took them more than an hour, but eventually, they saw the snow-covered town in the distance and a tall castle ahead of the town. Smoke wasing from hundreds of chimneys, which already spread warmth to all of them.


    "Lady Aurora, you take charge. You are the highest clergyman in the entire Duchy right now, no matter who the battlemander is." Sylvester suggested, knowing that his pretty face was sometimes not enough to establish authority.


    So they changed their formation, and Aurora went in the middle. The entire town was brick walled, so there were only two entrances. Soon, they arrived at the southern entrance, where at least ten soldiers stood guard in their heavy armour, and fur cloaks much thicker than Sylvester''s.


    Skrrr!


    In an instant, all swords were unsheathed by the guards, and one of them ran to the alerting bell beside the gate inside, ready to ring it.


    "Give me a reason not to sever your heads, strangers!" one guard questioned.


    Lady Aurora proudly, with her chin up, ordered them in return. "Stand down, sons of Solis. I am Aurora Foxtron, Ninth Guardian of Light, here by the holy order of the Supreme Pontiff. Step aside and guide us to the Duke."


    Sylvester also raised his right palm and shined some light on them. "This bard of the Lordes in peace to help against the mountain barbarians, my brother. The man to my right is Sir Dolorem of the Inquisitors, and the one behind me is Baron Strongarm."


    Of course, nothing does the job better than a good dose of light magic. Since it was so rare and automatically perceived as something blessed by Solis, nobody doubted him.


    "Apologies, Lady Ninth and famed blessed bard. We have been ordered not to allow any to enter since the mountain barbarians have been trying to enter the town and start fires to create chaos covertly. They wish to stop us from gathering our armies." The guard exined and gave way to them. "Please, proceed. I will guide you to the castle."


    Sylvester kept his senses open, the same as Sir Dolorem and Lady Aurora. They looked around at the town folks. They all seemed extremely busy, as everybody appeared to be working. People were either running or nearly running.


    The anvils were being hit overtime as the entire town became a warzone. Swords, armour, food rations and clothing, everything was being prepared in mass numbers. Men, women, and even kids, anybody with hands, were at work.


    ''They seem quite experienced with this, and I sense not an ounce of fear from them. On the contrary, it seems the cold, harsh north and the constant threat from barbarians has strengthened their minds and bodies.'' Sylvester observed in silence.


    "This way, please." The guard finally brought them to the final gate that led them into the castle. The building was majestic, as all castles are. But this one seemed slightly different due to its nearly ck colour. The stone used to make the building seemed to have gone through some chemical process.


    The castle was one giant unit with various towers at the front and the back, with one tall, enormous pointy roof in the middle. It didn''t have many widows, however, and it was understandable. Meanwhile, the town around it was so well connected and integrated with the castle that one might think the castle extended into the town.


    Then in no time, they were allowed entry and brought to the Duke''s office in one of the tallest towers of the castle, from where a ranged view of all sides could be taken from the windows on all walls.


    Sylvester took the lead from there as words became much more meaningful. However, he couldn''t seem to find the Duke, as there was just one old, grey-eyed woman with ashen-ck hair sitting behind the majestic oak table in her chest armour.


    ''Sadness, hopelessness, pain, fear, anger, and so much more... What happened to this woman?''


    Sylvester smelled her emotions and bowed his head while taking a wild guess. "May the holy light enlighten us, Duchess Melina."


    She stared at him with a gaze full of annoyance. "Take your light somewhere else, clergyman. They already stole mine,"


    ''Fuck! Great luck, Sylvester'' He cursed himself.


    "When did it happen, your grace?" He asked respectfully, having realised that the Duke was dead.


    "This morning. Ten thousand went, half returned, without the love of my life." She clenched her fist at the end.


    "Forgive me for intruding at such a troubling time, your grace. I am Sylvester Maximilian, widely called the Bard of Solis. This is Lady Aurora, the ninth Guardian of Light. We are here to help you. As I speak, an army of at least fifty thousand is headed this way. The snow may slow them down, but they shall arrive soon enough." He revealed his support loud and clear.


    The Duchess stood up, being six feet tall. She appeared old, but her ferociousness didn''t stop screaming, ''I''m a warrior''.


    "You came all the way here to help the Duchy of Iceling? Why? Not even the King cares about us." She snarled.


    "You''re right. I have one more reason foring here. My friends Felix, Gabriel, Elyon and Bishop Lazark came to this Duchy months ago to investigate something. I wish to know where they are." He inquired.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Hmph!" She scoffed. "I knew it. Nobody in this world is selfless. Nobody risks their life for someone else for no reason. I know you will leave once you have your friends. I know it. But I will not stop you either, for this is my battle to win--That''s what my husband would have wanted. Go to the infirmary. Your friends came back with the returning soldiers this morning."


    But instead of leaving, Sylvester raised his palm and sang a short hymn to reassure her that he was there to fight, not flee. Instantly, the halo appeared and changed the Duchess'' expression.


    a??The northern heart is strong.


    Here, only the mighty belong.


    By Lord''s will, you''vested this long.


    For centuries more, this will prolong.a??


    a??Generals have fallen across history.


    Solis embraces them. That''s no mystery.


    Now the mantle is yours, mydy.


    You are the general to lead us to victory.a??


    a??So sharpen your de, and warm your fist.


    Under your wrath, heathens shall not exist.


    For you are blessed with iron guts.


    I pray only once. May Solis bless us.


    May the holy light enlighten us!a??


    "Amen!" Sir Dolorem bowed his head, as did Baron Strongarm and Lady Aurora.


    Soon enough, even the Duchess did the same and finally appeared somewhat energised. The scent of hopelessness turned into hope itself.


    "How are we to fight them? They number more than fifty thousand?" She asked him.


    "I have hired the entire Headless Order, your grace. They shall arrive here soon."


    That rmed the woman. "I do not have much money to hire mercenaries, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester smiled warmly and softly spoke. "I never asked you for money, your grace. The army is paid by me--I shall manage even the grains and clothing. All I ask is that you allow me to lead the army beside you."


    She walked closer to Sylvester and nced into his golden eyes, only to receive a stronger gaze from Sylvester.


    "Lord Bard, who has not heard of your exploits? The bards sing your stories here too, and the battle of three fingers, where you defeated Duke Daemon Gracia, is a legend among all soldiers. But why? What''s in this for you? I know the church. They never involve themselves unless we fail."


    Sylvester pressed his hands together and closed his eyes. "Your grace, every man is born with a purpose. If you realise it, you can forever be free of the mad circus we call society. I, too, have found my calling. I hear words,mands... I follow them with no question."


    ? He didn''t lie outright but made sure that he implied it. Sylvester knew he could even prove a dead man alive by invoking the name of Solis.


    She also sped her hands together and deeply bowed her head to Sylvester, this time with worship and respect. "If only all men and women were like you. I shall start preparing for the arrival of armies, Lord Bard. You may go meet your friends."


    Sylvester nodded and turned around, feeling satisfied with the meeting as he secured a leadership position for himself. But still, the restlessness was not gone.


    Soon enough, he arrived at the giant sick bay where beds upon beds were ced. Soldiers rested on them, some crying in pain, some crying for the lost limbs.


    Amidst that, he finally found Gabriel, also resting on a bed, but fortunately with no limb missing. Instead, he was just covered in bandages from head to toe, bloodied still.


    "Gab!" Sylvester eximed.


    Gabriel''s eyes instantly teared up after hearing his voice. He tried to get up but failed. But still, he spoke with much effort, in a broken voice.


    "F-Forgive me, Max... We couldn''t..."


    "What happened?" Sylvester questioned in a rush.


    "H-He... He stayed behind for us... They captured Felix!"


    ________________________


    [A/N: Check this for the map of the northern region.]


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 338 338. Felixs Regret

    "H-He... He stayed behind for us... They captured Felix!"


    Sylvester sat down beside Gabriel and started using basic healing magic on him. He tried to keep himself as calm as possible to ensure he would make the best decision. "Tell me everything. And where are Bishop Lazark and Elyon?"


    "Bishop Lazark is safe. He went to the monastery to inform the Cardinal Suprima of the Duchy. Elyon got separated from us when we tried to rush back. He''s probably somewhere in the mountains. But Felix... He stayed behind to ensure I could escape, but thest glimpse of him I saw was him being caught by the enemies," Gabriel said.


    Sylvester did not know why Felix would take such a drastic measure. He knew Felix was a great friend, one who could be trusted. But, giving his own life... that was new. "Why were you in there? Why didn''t Felix use the Duchy''s men as shields?"


    "We went with the Duke. We heard that an army of barbarians wasing towards the Duchy. To check and set traps, we went into the mountains. But it was a nned ambush, and the news about the barbarian army was fake.


    "It was madness everywhere as the Barbarians had the home advantage. They were hidden in the snow, the trees and everywhere. Just at the start of their ambush, most of our soldiers died or got injured. From there, it became evident that retreat was the only option.


    "The Duke, thankfully, ordered a retreat before an arrow came and pierced his heart. But unfortunately, even more barbarians came to reinforce their numbers at that time. They caught me, and without mercy, they stabbed me left and right, blindly, all over my body.


    "However, Felix came and got me freed. But then he stayed back, buying me time to run. I tried my best to get him to run as well, but all he said was, ''I can''t have you die too... I couldn''t do anything about Markus. I was foolish to see it. Not again.'' I was then dragged by some other soldiers and Bishop Lazark. Thest thing I saw in those mountains was Felix''s back as he fought and eventually fell."


    There was only regret and sadness in Gabriel''s voice. His emotions reeked of anger with himself. After all, who wishes to be the reason for their friend''s death?


    Sylvester felt somewhat conflicted. ''Felix mes himself for Markus'' death? But it was Markus'' own decision to join the secret spy work.''


    He looked at Gabriel and remembered the days they had just graduated from the School of Dawn. And at that moment, it struck him. ''Felix was Markus'' dorm neighbour. Could that be the reason?''


    There was no way to be sure of anything, but one thing Sylvester knew was that the mental scars inflicted by oneself on themselves go much deeper.


    "Baron Strongarm, what are the chances they''d keep Felix alive?" Sylvester asked.


    The Baron rubbed his long wild beard and started interrogating Gabriel. "The men who attacked you, what did they look like?"


    Gabriel groaned in pain but did his best to stay alert and answer. "They were not... all alike. But the majority of them wore ck, furry turbans on their heads, matching their cloaks. They were ferocious and fought as if mimicking animals. Some even had metal ws made of steel. The whole time, I heard their chants ''Glory to Pentis'' or ''Glory to Quaris,'' as they fought."


    "This is not good," Baron Strongarm frowned and exined. "Lord Bard, on a basic level, if we ignore the sixty-eight tribes in total, there exist two factions in the Pentapeak range. Every tribe adds the name of the nearest of the five Pentapeak mountains as their surname.


    "There are seven forts in the mountains that act as the centre of power for them. From what Priest Gabriel described, the attackers were from the Borzol faction, whose headquarter is Grand Fort Borzol right up the White River, beyond the Thunder Pass. They are the most violent and cruellest of tribes. When I was abducted, I was taken by the Storst faction, which is much more peaceful and abhors everything the Borzol faction stands for."


    Sylvester''s shoulder fell, and he asked directly. "Can Felix survive? Yes or no?"


    "It depends," Baron replied. "It depends on what the Borzol faction wants. The Borzol faction believes in taking what they want instead of earning it. They are violent people with violent traditions. If they want this Duchy, then I''m sure they won''t hurt Archpriest Felix as long as he tells them about his church background.


    "Church should be thest thing the Borzol faction would wish to fight against at the moment. So, keeping Archpriest Felix alive should be in their best interest. But I don''t know how long he willst. Borzol faction is full of insanity. I remember hearing about it when I lived at Grand Fort Storst. Any Storst faction man abducted by the Borzol faction never returns alive. Almost always, it was death due to cold." The Baron warned him at the end.


    Sylvester''s mind fired up instantly. ''They must keep their prisoners naked. A good prisoner is a weak prisoner, after all. But Felix won''t survive long if he''s injured as well.''


    "Forgive me, Sylvester. Because of me, Felix--"


    Bam!


    Sylvester knocked on Gabriel''s shoulder. "Now, don''t be a brooding fellow like Felix. He showed his brotherhood by sacrificing himself. The best you can do is get stronger and make him proud. As for that fool, I will bring him back."


    "No!" Aurora caught Sylvester''s arm. "I won''t let you. I know you''re stupidly risk-taking, but this is insanity. You won''t survive there if you''re caught."


    Sylvester patted her hand and pushed it away. "My sister, if you were in Felix''s ce, I''d do the same."


    Those words took Aurora by surprise. There was nothing she could argue with to stop him. Who was she to stop him from saving his best friend, who was more like a brother by now? Who was she to stop him when she was the recipient of the same love and loyalty as Felix?


    "If you go, then I shall go with you." She announced.


    "No." Sylvester rejected her instantly. "You are not used to the art of spying or covert assignment. You have enjoyed great power for so long that you are now not used to being subtle. So I will be taking Lord Strongarm as my guide and return with Felix."


    "You can''t possibly expect me to let you take such a risk."


    "You must." Sylvester resolutely spoke and stood up. "I remember the lessons from the Pope. The more I push myself, no matter the odds, the faster my rise will be. Since I took my first assignment, I have fought for my life. Many times I felt like giving up and epting death, but I always came out stronger. My death has already been written by fate, Aurora. It''s useless to fear it anymore."


    Sylvester hated it, but he knew that the only way to rise faster and be the Pope was to keep pushing himself to the point of insanity. After all, there were already so many people trying to kill him. There was no point in fearing death anymore.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Sir Dolorem, pleasee along too. Your heightened senses can help us greatly. I''d have taken Elyon, but who knows where he is in the mountains." He ordered.


    "As you wish, Lord Bard." Sir Dolorem was a man who''d follow him to death, so asking him wasn''t even necessary.


    "G-Good luck..." Gabriel groaned.


    Sylvester nodded and walked away. He headed to the Duchess'' office once again. The woman was having a meeting with the Prima, and it appeared the Prima was shouting at her for some reason, disrespecting her.


    "Shh..." Sylvester stopped Sir Dolorem and the Baron from knocking on the door and started listening to the chatter from inside. It was muffled, and only a few words were audible, but they were enough to get an idea.


    "...How can you! -- This isn''t right -- You will ruin us -- Church -- enve us -- selling us? -- False aid --"


    Sylvester nced at Sir Dolorem, who likely heard it all clearly. "Is the Prima trying to persuade her not to take the church''s help?"


    "You in particr, Lord Bard. From his voice, it appears he''s scared of you."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and hypothesised. "That means he''s up to no good. Perhaps he''s eying the Duchy since the Duke is dead, and a ''woman'' now rules the ce. Let''s think about thister."


    Knock! Knock!


    Sylvester waited, and soon, the door opened. It was a tall man, six-foot-seven, strong, with ck hair and a clean face. But the man didn''t appear much ted after seeing Sylvester.


    "Good day, Lord Bard." The man greeted them and rushed away.


    ''Of course, these dumb nobles. They always fall victim to their own Prima if they''re not careful.'' Sylvester was astounded at how nobles didn''t see the pattern.


    "How can I help, Lord Bard?" The Duchess'' tired voice called him.


    He carefully observed her emotions. ''Sadness, fear, anger, jealousy and hope? It seems the Prima is a headache.''


    "Your grace, my friend Archpriest Felix Sandwall was taken by the Barbarians. I am heading into the mountains to retrieve him as we believe he''s alive," Sylvester announced, allowing her to digest his crazy n. "I would have waited until the armies arrived, but I''m sure the heavy snow will greatly slow them down. My friend will be dead from the cold by the time they arrive."


    She was speechless. Her own armycked morale at the moment and didn''t wish to return to the mountains. Now here were three men, knowingly going into valleys of death.


    "I have no right to stop you, Lord Bard. But you must have a reason foring here?" She questioned, as in the end, she was a seasoned noble.


    Sylvester took a seat by the table. "Your grace, I will be entering the Grand Fort Borzol. If Ie across your husband''s body, I shall bring it back. He was a man who died in battle, so he must receive a warrior''s farewell."


    The Duchess'' eyes teared up at his proposal, but she held them back. "You need not take such a risk, Lord Bard. If you die, I won''t be able to exin it to the Holy Land."


    Sylvester silently chuckled. ''Hah, you can act strong with me, woman, but nothing stays hidden.''


    The nose-tingling sweet aroma of boiling caramel clearly showed the Duchess'' excitement. Of course, there was sadness too, but he knew that at least giving a proper funeral to the Duke would calm her heart.


    So he stood up and bid farewell. "I serve the light, and the children of Solis, your grace. I shall do my duty as I took an oath. But until I return, I hope you can keep my disappearance to yourself only."


    Sylvester, after all, suspected there being Barbarian spies in the Duchy too.


    "May the holy light enlighten you on your journey, Lord Bard. May your light triumph." The Duchess stood up and saluted Sylvester with her arms crossed over her chest.


    It was an official salute and a subtle deration of her faith in him and the church. A gesture telling Sylvester that his words meant a lot to the Duchy now.


    ________________________


    [A/N: Adding the map again just in case you missed it.]


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 339 339. Felix Sandwall

    Thanks to Baron Strongarm, Sylvester didn''t have to prepare to enter the mountains. The man was clearly born to do this, as he listed all the items they had to bring along, from clothes to food and magical tools that could help them.


    In no time, they left the Iceling castle and went up north. Sadly, they could not take the shortest route through the White River. Instead, they had to hike from the mountains to reach Grand Fort Borzol.


    "If I remember correctly, aren''t the mountain tribes the people who became heretics after the violent policies of the twenty-first Pope, Atrox the mad?" Sylvester recalled. "So these mountain tribes used to be preachers of Solis once?"


    "They still are, but in a different way," Baron revealed. "I learnt about everything when I lived with them. After they became heretics and entered the Pentapeak mountain range to escape Pope Atrox, they started praying to the five highest peaks of the Pentapeak mountain range itself.


    "There are Primis, Sekis, the tallest one called Dimos, Quaris and Pentis. They call them mothers, and you''d be shocked to learn that they still pray to Solis... But only on a few specific asions. They know that magic and life exist because of Srium thates from Solis in the sky.


    "To the tribes, the sun is the progenitor of life, and so, all tribesmen and their wives who expect a child soon pray to Solis until the day the child is born. After that, they only pray to the five mothers their entire life."


    Sylvester was amazed by that information. "I thought they were heathens. But, sadly, they have lived for far too long away from the maind and the main culture. With their own culture, they might be impossible to deal with."


    "Indeed, Lord Bard. They have their own culture now, which can be borderline evil in our eyes. They believe in vile sacrifices. Especially the Borzol faction, which believes in child sacrifice. You will never find an orphan in their vige as all are sacrificed as a tribute to the mountains." Baron Strongarm further added.


    Sir Dolorem sighed and prayed to Solis. "May the holy light enlighten their lost minds."


    Woosh!


    "Stop!" Sylvester suddenly warned everyone and crouched down.


    They were in a valley at the moment, covered with waist-high snow, and the trees around them were also restricting their view. So it was hard to see if someone was nearby aiming at them. So Sylvester relied on his nose to try to sense any extra source of the scent.


    ''Rage... Just pure rage...'' Sylvester smelled the extreme spiciness in his mouth. He was well aware of what it was, as he had seen it from many wild animals defending their territory.


    "Be alert. Someone is nearby."


    Sylvester held his spear carefully, and the other two unsheathed their swords. They backed up to each other and made sure to keep an eye on everything all around them. Sir Dolorem, of course, didn''t need an eye as he could sense things much better.


    "Lord Bard, there is something right in front of you, hiding behind the trees." Sir Dolorem informed him.


    Sylvester raised his right hand and sent a strong gust of magical wind, washing away all the snow and getting a clear view.


    "Wraaaaa!"


    But just as he did that, someone humanoid and giant jumped out from behind the trees and pounced on Sylvester.


    nk!


    Sylvester held his spear in front of himself and stopped the attack. Though he saw who it was now, a man with lots of snow-covered fur and eyes ferociously red.


    "Priest Elyon! Wake up! It''s I, Sylvester." He shouted at the man.


    "Wraaa!"


    Sylvester did not know how strong Elyon was physically. But he struggled slightly with the ws. "Elyon! Remember your daughter! Remember Amy! You vowed to her soul to be happy. So step out of your rage. You''re safe."


    Miraj, just then, jumped from Sylvester''s shoulder andnded on Elyon''s. Then, the little furry cat whispered something in Elyon''s ears, though it only sounded like a faint meowing.


    Almost instantly, the shining red eyes of Elyon calmed down, and his ferocious expressions changed. He looked at Sylvester under his ws and retreated.


    "Forgive me, Lord Bard... I was..."


    "It''s alright." Sylvester quickly took off his fur cloak and put it on Elyon. "Rest here now. I have something to eat as well."


    He took some dried meat from his bag and gave it to him. "What happened to you? Why didn''t you return to the castle?"


    Elyon was quickly handed some food and hot water. In a few minutes, he calmed down and stopped shivering. "I was... I saw Archpriest Felix being taken away, so I decided to remain in the mountains. I then went where they kept him, inside the fort. But they had hounds all around, and they caught me. So I had to run for three days to get them off the trail. But I got lost after that."


    ''Why are these people so loyal to me?'' Sylvester was more amazed that Elyon went to such lengths when he wasn''t even ordered to do so. Why would a man forget the basic instinct of protecting oneself?


    One thing was clear. He had struck gold with a follower like Elyon. "Thank you, my friend. We came here to save you and Felix. Just tell us where they are keeping him. Rest we will handle."


    Quickly, Elyon finished eating and energised himself. "I will lead the way, Lord Bard."


    "You may, but you must remain at the back. We are not going there to fight." Sylvester trusted him enough since Elyon was a tiger beastkin, a natural hunter. Being covert was in his blood.


    So, they made their way towards the Grand Fort Borzol. It was quite a distance away from their location, and it took them three days to even reach it. The colossal fortress was made of dark brown mud bricks and a lot of wood. It had many gable roofs and high watchtowers scattered all around.


    Thankfully, it was sitting in the middle of high mountains, at thep of the holy mountain Pentis. So Sylvester and the rest could easily blend with the surroundings and keep an eye on everything from a good distance.


    Sylvester then took out a strange, pipe-like thing from his bag. He extended it longer and looked through it. "It''s sprawling with barbarians, and it''s heavily guarded. People patrol its border every fifteen minutes, and the watchtower is equipped with long ropes to travel from one tower to another."


    "W-What are you using, Lord Bard?" Baron Strongarm asked in amazement.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "This? I''ve named it a monocr, just something I made in my free time. Go ahead, look through it."


    Baron Strongarm took it and copied Sylvester. He put one eye on the thinner side and looked at the fortress in the distance. And in no time, his awe was vocalised. "This is... I can see the people so clearly! Holy Solis, what magic did you use, Lord Bard?"


    Elyon also took it and looked through it. "This is amazing, Lord Bard. One can use this for so many things, especially in spying."


    Elyon then passed it to Sir Dolorem, but then they realised that Sir Dolorem was blind.


    "..."


    "Haha, I can''t use it." Sir Dolorem passed it back to Sylvester. "But I would like to know what it is."


    "It''s nothing much, just some specially made sses ced in the right ces. It''s not too hard to make. Forget it for now. Let''s focus on the task at hand. We should wait until the night before trying to enter the fort. We don''t even know where they are keeping him yet." Sylvester steered the discussion back and looked at the fortress.


    "I know, it''s at the backside of the castle, in the open fields. I don''t know what kind of prison exists there, but they did take him there before I was found out." Elyon revealed.


    ''If that''s the case, then they are probably keeping him in the open, torturing him with the cold.''


    rmed, Sylvester looked at the sky with a frown. "Still three hours before night. Let''s pray that Felix is fine."


    ''I hope I''m not toote, my brother.''


    ...


    At that same time, somewhere in a deep dark location, a man sat in the corner, naked and cold. He rolled himself into a ball, putting his head between his knees and closing the knees by wrapping his arms around them.


    His eyes remained closed, but they still moved violently, for the mind never stops--mind never forgets--and at the worst of times, reminds of the days gone.


    Years ago, when he was just a child, merely five years old. His father took him to the burning hot desert south of Sandwall castle to train.


    "Felix, my boy, I expect greatness from you. Cross this desert on foot and return home. You have a week! If you survive this test, you may live in my castle. If you fail, you shall live on the streets like those maggot orphans and learn. Here, nobody will help you; nobody will save you."


    With that, the Count of Sandwall threw the little boy from the horse, leaving him with nothing but a bag of food, water, and a sword.


    Alone, scared, and weak. He tried his best. The food was only enough for two days, which he reckoned to be one of his father''s other sick tactics to make him ''stronger''.


    He cried. He fought to survive. Desert wolves chased him for days. Some he killed painstakingly. He ate snakes--drank his own piss--He was in the open desert, yet it seemed like a dark, endless abyss.


    He broke his hand, falling from a boulder. In a week, his body and mind grew years older. It was pure misery, as the home seemed impossible to reach. For some calm, only Solis and his mother could preach. Both he loved with heart, thetter more than thest.


    But a weekter, soldiers came and took him home, no words spoken. He reckoned he failed, but he cared not, for he just wished to hug his mother. But when he returned, there was no warmth of his mother''s embrace. Instead, there were just her ashes in her ce.


    Worrying for her little son, she had a fever for a week and died merely two days prior. They didn''t even bring him to see her for thest time. Her body was burnt away, and her ashes were all he had.


    The little five-year-old boy lost the one person he loved the most.


    He cried--He cried for days. Each tear brought hatred for the man who tormented him. Hatred for thest name he inherited. He cursed god, asking what he did for such fate to be merited.


    It was just him and her memories. He sat alone in his room with the vessel of his mum''s ashes and cried. None entered to help. None even pried. His pain, she was all with whom he could ever confide.


    "I... Forgive me, mum. You said not to hate him... but I can''t keep that promise. I want to kill him--I want to make him scream--I want him to beg me for mercy..."


    Tears fell in the tiny, dark, cold space as the memory ran its course.


    "Felix!"


    He looked up. "Mum? Is that you?"


    "Felix! Wake up! It''s Sylvester!"


    "Max?!" Felix forced himself to jump up at the small metal cage door on the ceiling, the only point of entry to the deep dark pit.


    Finally, the shining moonlight fell on his pale face, and the dark eyes appeared grey. It was bloodied enough to even make Sylvester silent in shock--He forgot how to even talk.


    [A/N: See Felix here.]


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 340 340. The Scheming Begins

    Sylvester was horrified to see the deep gashes on Felix''s face. He quickly took out a healing potion and poured it on Felix''s face. "What the hell did they do to you?"


    Felix kept staring at him for a few seconds. Understandably so, since as far as he knew, Sylvester was in the Holy Land, so far away that it would have taken him more than a week to even arrive at the Duchy, let alone to save him. He was taken aback and felt as if he was hallucinating.


    "Is that really you, Sylvester?" Felix asked in his weak voice.


    Sylvester kept pouring more and more healing potions on him and shoved some Srium crystals in his mouth. "Yes, it''s me. Now quickly chew that crystal. They sure did a number on you, my brother. Even gave you nice nail care."


    Felix chuckled painfully. "Yeah, they pulled them out. Fuckers tried to make me renounce Solis. I killed a bunch of them... No regrets."


    "What''s the condition under there?" Sylvester asked and avoided using light as that could alert the watchtower.


    The ce Felix was kept was a pit in the open grounds. It had one small entrance at the surface with a small metal gate. But how deep it was or how big it was from the inside was unknown.


    "It''s bad." Felix started. "I can only sit. There is not even enough space to spread my arms out. It''s ten metres deep, and I''m hanging on this gate right now. They even took all my clothes, so it''s freezing. No food or water, but I''m eating some snow that falls in. Anyway, is everyone else fine? Gab, Elyon and Bishop?"


    "Yes, all but you. Let me remove the gate now." Sylvester went ahead to pull it.


    "Stop!" Felix eximed. "Don''t pull it! Look closely at the gates. They may be barbarians, but they also know magic. They have put runes and some other magic. The whole gate will explode if you try to open or pull it without keys. Trust me. I tried once."


    Sylvester paused and studied the gate closely. However, he could not see any runes. "Are they on the inside?"


    "Yes. You can''t dig it either, since it''s made of metal--The entire inner pit." Felix added with a voice that showed he had epted his fate. "Just go, Max. Don''t put your life in danger needlessly."


    Sylvester extended his hand through the gaps in the rods and smacked Felix''s head. "You''re going to tell your father to leave now?"


    Sylvester used the same jokes that Felix used in his various letters. That prompted the ck-haired wizard-knight tough and cry in pain.


    "Fuck you. Don''t make meugh! It hurts in my chest."


    "Anyway, tell me what the runes look like," Sylvester asked, as there was no other way to get Felix out. "Describe its patterns. Is it triangles, squares, and rectangles inside a circle?"


    Felix looked closely and answered. "There are many, some in circles, some outside circles. But most have triangles superimposed on each other to create stars."


    Sylvester frowned as the thing seemed to be tooplex. He looked around himself. In the distance, he could also see the watchtower and the fortress. He could see many heads protruding out on the walls.


    "What if we let the explosion happen and sprint? Can you make it?" He inquired.


    Felix creased his face. "They broke my knees, Max. I don''t think I can run before they''re healed."


    "Then I will pick you up."


    Ting!


    Ting!


    Ting!


    "Woof!"


    "Grrr...!"


    "Fuck!" Sylvester cursed and looked around. Suddenly, activity increased everywhere as the bells started resounding and the dogs'' barks intensified.


    "Maxy!"


    Miraj came running and climbed Sylvester''s shoulder. "I ate five dogs, but there were too many! They areing here."


    Sylvester looked towards the fortress boundary. "How did they find out so fast?"


    Ting! Ting!


    The bells kept ringing, and the barks of the dogs intensified.


    "Grrraaa!"


    Just then, one of the big dogs, no less than a wolf, came and pounced on Sylvester. But, of course, he overpowered it easily and swung it by the leg before throwing it away.


    "Felix! Blow up the--"


    Sylvester stopped speaking as he saw crowds of mening from a distance. There was not enough time. "Felix, listen to me. I will get you out of here, no matter what. I promise.


    "Chonky."


    Miraj quickly vomited out various items from his belly. Sylvester proceeded to throw all that into the prison pit. "Here, take these nkets, clothes, food, water,tex bag for pissing, and these fire and water crystals. Keep yourself warm and well-fed inside. Here, keep these healing potions as well, and this sword. Do not let them take you out of here. I will return very soon with a n."


    Felix stared at Sylvester, frantically giving him items that appeared out of nowhere. But he asked no questions and only watched him with his hopeless eyes. "Go, do your things, plot your schemes. I''ve survived this long--I can survive more--this won''t be the first time, nor thest."


    Sylvester, atst, threw some Srium crystals inside and stood up. "I will see you soon, Felix. Take care--Wait for the day toe. We will make them all pay with blood."<novelnext></novelnext>


    In Felix''s ears, that threat seemed more threatening than anything those barbarians had thrown at him. Because he knew that Sylvester never fails when ites to schemes and vengeance. Whoever messes with him dies miserably.


    "Go now, Max. I have all this and a few cherishing memories to keep myself warm now. Be safe." Felix finally loosened his grip from the metal rods and fell back deeper into the pit. Thankfully, this time he won''t shiver in the cold.


    Sylvester caught Miraj tight in his arms and made a run. He had entered through an underground tunnel he had dug using magic, so he took the same route. Just as he escaped, Sir Dolorem, Baron Strongarm and Elyon threw a lot of mud back in the ce so the dogs could not chase them.


    After that, they all ran away while randomly throwing pieces of meat around the area. This way, even if the dogse out, they''d get confused by the smells.


    They didn''t stop, though. Elyon knew very well how great the hunting abilities of barbarians were. So they kept going for a whole day until they reached the ce called Last Turn. It was the endpoint of the North Road. If they took it, they could easily return to the south.


    "Why didn''t you bring Archpriest Felix?" Elyon asked.


    "They are keeping him well secured. There is no way to get him out without alerting them. They also broke his legs. I gave him clothes, food and some crystals so he won''t die anytime soon. What we need now is a n to get him out." Sylvester briefed them.


    Baron Strongarm could only think of one way. "Then... Must we go to war with them? The whole Duchy''s army might not survive."


    Sylvester stayed silent and thought about it. He looked at the shining snow on the many distant mountain peaks. He looked to the east, where Felix was, and then stared to the west, where he could see the tallest peak, Mount Dimos.


    "Lord Strongarm, do you still have contact with the people you lived with? We need to learn more about the Borzol faction. What powerhouses do they have, and what are their numbers? We need to know all we can before we get into a fight." Sylvester suggested.


    Baron quickly agreed. "I have not met anyone from that tribe for a year now. But I know the leader, who is, in our terms, would be called a Diamond Knight. He should still be alive. Are you sure you wish to meet them? After all, they are also trying to enter the Duchy of Normani."


    "If what you say is urate, and they are indeed a friendly version of the barbarians. Then I''m sure we can win them over with something. I will only have to talk to them first. Lord Strongarm, lead the way. But, Priest Elyon, you must return to the Duchy and inform Gabriel and the Duchess about what happened.


    "Moreover, I need you to send a letter to the Holy Land. Let me write it first." He moved to the side and sat down on the snow to write.


    A few minutester, he handed Elyon a letter, some food and moreyers of clothes. He didn''t want him to go, but the man was also injured.


    "Tell the Duchess not to attack no matter what happens. Say that Lord Bard is trying to earn the Duchy a few higher grounds in the inevitable battle."


    Elyon saluted formally. "Understood, Lord Bard. May the Holy Light enlighten us!"


    "Likewise, Priest Elyon. Be careful on your way out. Stay out of the clear road, and be mindful of the Great Chasms near the start of the mountains." Sylvester warned and watched him leave silently.


    Just then, they all noticed soft white dots falling from the sky. The snow had graced them, though it was thest thing they wanted.


    "Let''s hurry and reach the fortress. We don''t know if this snowfall will turn into a storm." Sylvester covered himself neatly and walked with the Baron.


    "It will take us two days at least to reach the base of Mount Dimos. We can only hope nothinges our way. Those parts of the mountain are filled with creatures you don''t want to meet, including those of darkness." Baron Strongarm warned, and they started the long journey.


    ...


    Back in the pit where Felix was held captive, the soldiers came to check whether he was there.


    "Did theye to save you? Don''t worry. You will die here." The guards tried to mock him in whatever skill they had for speaking the maindnguage.


    "Fall on your wife''s cock and die, heathen!" Felix barked.


    "..."


    "So you still have the strength to move and use that ugly mouth." The second guard scoffed.


    "Of course, ask your wife."


    "..."


    "That''s it. I will shit on you, maggot!" The guard started to take off his pants.


    "Ah, you must be experienced in dropping your pants and bending for others."


    The guards confusedly looked at each other''s faces, having been outwitted in mocking. Finally, they could only ept defeat and leave since they didn''t know thenguage well.


    "Enjoy dying of cold."


    Felix didn''t mock anymore, as that would defeat the purpose of sending them away.


    ''I hope my bloody mouth can keep them from prying too close. But, God damn, where did Max get these sweet honey buns? They are good! Did mother Xavia make these? No wonder it''s heavenly!''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 341 341. Finding Meatshields

    The long journey was tiresome and painful too. The further north they went, the coldness increased. Even with their clothes on, they had to use magic to keep their bodies warm. Many wild animals came on their way, from mountain wolves to lions, all bigger than thest.


    But, the actual threats were the creatures of the night who only came out after the sunset. From a creature called Snow-giant, which Sylvester named Yeti in mind, to Ice-shifters, a creature that could change its shape and size to the whim.


    To fight the creature of the night, using light crystals was enough. That way, they could rest beside a small fire and close their eyes for a few hours one by one. After that, they''d start the journey again.


    Thankfully, Baron Strongarm knew the way even at night. He had learnt the ways of the wild, and even as a Baron, he constantly went into the woods to keep his senses and teachings sharp.


    So eventually, they arrived at the base of the tallest mountain in Sol, or perhaps the world, Mount Dimos, with its height of more than twenty thousand metres. It was unknown how much higher it went since no wizard or knight ever climbed higher in history. No matter the power, theck of air was an issue for all.


    Though more than the mountain, Sylvester was in awe of the Grand Fortress Storst. It was in thep of Mount Dimos at the back and was surrounded by three smaller mountains in the front. It looked more like a city than a fortress, as he saw the brick and wooden d walls spanned farther than his eyes could see.


    "They have made it bigger, it seems." Bishop Strongarmmented. "When I left, it was half this size."


    "Should we approach them directly? Will they attack us on sight?" Sylvester inquired while looking at the fort with his monocr. "It''s swarming with people all over its boundary wall. They all have bows and spears."


    "Let''s go, but I shall remain at the front as I can speak their tongue. Let''s also wave a white g on a stick." Baron suggested.


    They didn''t have any other choice, so they quickly put a white g on a stick, hid their church lockets in their armours and started walking down the dirt path between the rows of tall trees.


    They waved the white g to ensure the guards saw that first and didn''t shoot their arrows. Meanwhile, Baron Strongarm stayed at the front and kept himself prepared to shout in the barbarian tongue.


    Eventually, they started to approach the closed wooden gates of the great fortress. The guards had also gone into alert mode, apparent by the many bells that rang simultaneously. The spears, and the bows, all pointed at them as they waited for the strange party to reach the gates.


    Soon, Baron Strongarm spoke loudly. "Jgor iisg reatj Sylvester, Sir Dolorem, jkowal Stronarm!"


    The reply came from the top of the wall, and Baron tranted it. "He went to call for the leader of the Storst. Only he can verify my identity."


    So they waited for a whole hour outside. They even lit a fire to keep warm and cook some rabbits they had hunted a while back.


    Heck, even the guards at the top of the wall started to drool at the scent of the tasty meat. Sylvester even offered them some, but they rejected it as if it was poison.


    "They will never trust you, Lord Bard. You are an enemy by default in their eyes. You are nothing but a preacher of Solis to them." Exined the Baron.


    ''Well, they aren''t wrong about that.'' Sylvester thought and continued to eat.


    Boom!


    But soon, the wall gates opened, and a single man walked out in strange barbarian armour. The bearded man was covered with leather armour and fur all around, and on his head was a helmet made of a wild cat.


    "Strongarm! Hban anaist hebest jkh!"


    Baron Strongarm hugged the barbarian man, who was even taller than the Baron, who was six foot five.


    Soon, the barbarian man looked at Sylvester and the rest before greeting them. "I am Elder Chief Koruk Mi''nar. Wee to the Grand Fort Storst, preachers of Solis. You need not fear me, for I am quite tolerant. I even trade with you folks sometimes."


    Sylvester appreciated that the man was using amon tongue. It meant a lot since the man was a Diamond Knight and surely in thetter stages of his rank. For him to lower himself to speak to them was a grand gesture.


    ''I sense no fear or any negative emotions. He doesn''t feel threatened by any of us.'' Sylvester smelled the exchange of emotions.


    "Thank you for meeting us, your majesty." Sylvester greeted him.


    "Bwahaha! Majesty? Hear that, Strongarm! I''m a majesty now, like those fat, pompous brats sitting on thrones who eat and fuck all day!" Elder Chief Korukughed and sarcastically joked about the southern kings.


    Baron Strongarm embarrassingly smiled and bowed his head towards Sylvester in apology. However, Sylvester didn''t even care.


    "Just call me Chief Koruk, like the rest of the people. Come, you must be tired from your long journey. Our gods may be different, but the fact you made the journey here safely, it''s a grace from Mother Dimos herself, for nothing happens in these mountains without her will." Chief Koruk turned around and walked inside the fortress walls.


    Sylvester and Sir Dolorem quickly followed behind. As soon as they entered, they were greeted by the sight of a flourishing walled city, a fortress just in the name.


    The fortress was just a part of the walled city, as the giant fort sat in the middle. The rest of the area was upied by streets and tiny houses, some made of bricks, some mud, and some thatched huts.


    The people seemed to be well-dressed for the harsh winter, albeit thin. All had thick animal fur coats on themselves, and some even had gloves. The little kids looked at Sylvester and the rest with interest while staying hidden behind the adults.


    ? While Sylvester did the same, he noticed something strange. ''Fuck! I stick out like a sore thumb among them. There are no blonde people, as far as I can see. It''s only redheads and ckheads.''<novelnext></novelnext>


    He reckoned some gic coincidences happened among them for generations, and now there were no blondes.


    ''I''m the default bad guy in their eyes, I think¡ªOr not? I smell no deep-seated hatred. At most, they are curious, and some¡ªLustful? Ugh, my elven blood.''


    "These are my lovely folks. They are curious about you, preacher." Chief Koruk boomed. The man, even when talking usually, seemed to be shouting. A true barbarian through and through.


    Sylvester picked up the pace. "How many of you are there?"


    "Why? Trying to gauge how many you''ll need to kill?"


    Sylvester''s brows twitched, and he rified. "Chief Koruk, I preach to Solis, and my beliefs tell me that everything that walks on this earth and all that exists is because of Solis. All of you are a piece of Solis in my eyes. Of course, except those cannibal desert dwellers."


    "Hah, that''s my first time hearing such words from a preacher. Well, we also believe Solis is the progenitor of life. And to yourst question, eighty thousand men, women and children live here in this fortress city. So we are quite thriving if I must say." The chief revealed with no reservations.


    ''That''s a lot, but surely not the final number. I remember there being three smaller fortresses farther into the west. Their numbers should exceed two hundred thousand.'' Sylvester calcted in mind.


    He just looked around and walked silently behind. Baron Strongarm meanwhile revealed to the chief who Sylvester was and what an important person he was as a blessed child of Solis.


    ''How do I win over these people? Perhaps I should first find out why they are even trying to enter southernnds after so many years.''


    Soon, Chief Koruk took them inside the giant fortress made of bricks and mud. It was the seat of the Elder Chief''s power, from where he ruled over more than half of the barbarian tribes.


    The man took them to his private chambers at the top floor of the giant, tall fort in one of its towers. The fort was empty inside, and the onlymon thing was carpet everywhere¡ªgood, high-quality furry carpets.


    Finally, Chief Koruk took his seat behind an ordinary table. "So, what brings you here, Bard of Solis? Strongarm told me about your great deeds just now."


    Sylvester spoke respectfully and carefully. "Chief Koruk, we are just returning from Grand Fort Borzol. A friend, akin to my brother, has been kept there locked. Not to mention, the Borzol faction is attacking the Duchy of Iceling with full might. So I hoped to learn about the Borzol faction so I could counter them better."


    Silence took over for a few minutes as Chief Koruk stared at Sylvester with a somewhat angered gaze. "Why do you think I will help?"


    "Because you''re not them," Sylvester replied diplomatically, since he knew what the man wanted. "Baron Strongarm informed me about your faction, which does not believe in extreme violence. You wish to only live down south with the rules andws of thend, in peace. But know this, if the Borzol faction is not stopped, they will sessfully destroy the Duchy of Iceling and take thend.


    "Then the Holy Inquisition will be triggered. Trust me. You don''t want to face the Inquisition. An Army of over two hundred thousand will besiege you, burn you, your vige and your people. If you don''t pray to Solis, you''re dead in their eyes.


    "If the Inquisition begins against the Borzol faction, then the next number will be the Storst faction, no matter how peaceful you are. So, your best way to a peaceful life is to help me deal with the Borzol faction before it bes a matter of the church. In return, I shall put some good words for you and your people right in the ears of the Pope, as I am Pope''s closest disciple."


    ''Go on, take the bait! Take it! This is the olive branch of a lifetime!''


    Sylvester kept a calm face, but his heart was in turmoil. He needed able bodies to fight for him, bodies that didn''t belong to the Duchy or any follower of Solis. Because his main goal was to achieve something great, so the death of thousands of followers of Solis would be a failure in the eyes of all otherwise.


    Chief Koruk brushed his beard calmly. But the anxiety in his heart was evident in the smell. Nevertheless, he knew this was a chance of a lifetime, and he trusted Strongarm enough not to lie about Sylvester''s background.


    "What do you want in return? Be precise."


    ''And it''s a catch!''


    Sylvester straightened up in the chair. "First, I hope you can tell me why you are suddenly trying to head south. Is it due to the increased cold?"


    "Hah!" Chief Koruk scoffed, but soon his face turned pale. "As if the cold scares us. No, it''s something far too problematic. You see, the northern coast of the Pentapeak range has most of our farms¡ªBut It''s swarming with undead now! Countless in number."


    Sylvester''s train of thought halted in an instant.


    ''That undead bird! Did ite from further north? By whom? A dark wizard?''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 342 342. Sylvester & The Legend Of His Rotten Luck

    "Undeads? What kind of undead?" Sylvester asked and nearly cursed himself for not bringing Bishop Lazark along.


    "All sorts of the undead. Skeletons, zombies, humanoids, and animals. There are also some creatures of darkness in the ranks. They swarm the entire northern coast beyond the mountain range. I tried to take back thends once, but they kept spawning more and more. Eventually, they return to their previous numbers when I stop to rest." Chief Koruk revealed, appearing in mental anguish as he clenched his fist.


    "When did this start?" Sylvester questioned.


    Chief Koruk started telling them, while his eyes seemed rattled as if he saw everything right there. "Five years ago, when the winter started intensifying. Initially, we thought it was due to some bloodling or a creature of the night. But we found nothing while searching. So I, along with the two elders of the Borzol faction, looked around the entire northern coast. Eventually, we had to give up our farnds as they became polluted with darkness. Nothing grew there, and soon undead came. We have good clothes and only survive on hunting now. But soon, we might end up eradicating all animals from the mountains."


    ''There are only a few creatures that can spawn undead, and I hope I''m wrong about this.'' Sylvester tried to keep himself positive, although he knew that his rotten luck always brought him the worst of the possibilities.


    "So that''s why you wish to go south? You have no food?" Sylvester asked, trying to learn what other weaknesses they had that he could exploit.


    "Yes, we have no food anymore. We can''t survive with just meat for too long. Thend south of here is fertile, and the part beside the mountains is also uncultivated. You southerners don''t know how to cultivate the harsh coldnd, but we do. So we will live there."


    Saying that, Chief Koruk stood up and went to arge chest at the side of the room. He opened it, revealing countless crude coins and bricks of gold, diamonds, and much more. "I wish to offer this to the Duke of Normani in return for permission to live on hisnds. But, of course, we shall abide by all hisnd''sws and rules too. All we need is a ce to survive."


    "That''s impossible." Sylvester poured water on the man''s dreams. "You think money can solve anything? Then you are mistaken about the south. In the short term, sure, the Duke might allow you. But, once the money runs out, you will be dispensable. Don''t forget what your cousins in the east are doing. They areying siege to a Duchy! A Duchy sworn to King Gracia, who is sworn to the faith of Solis.


    "You will never be seen as a normal person. You will always be barbarians in people''s eyes. Not to mention, currently, the Northern Duchies of Gracia are reeling from a manufactured economic copse orchestrated by the Masan Empire. Do you think they have the means to support you?"


    Chief Koruk looked down in some defeat. Whatever Sylvester said was true, and he knew it.


    Sylvester didn''t stop, however. "I can, of course, help you. I believe in give and take. Please tell me about the strength of the Borzol faction first so I may propose a n that can benefit all of us."


    Chief Koruk looked up at Sylvester''s face. He saw no ridicule or scheming. He wondered if Sylvester was just naive or too good at his trade.


    Then he looked outside at the city in the fortress. The snow-covered rooftops of the tiny houses reminded him daily of all the lives he was responsible for.


    "They are stronger than us despite being lower in number. This is because they focus more on warrior tendencies than farming and peace. Borzol faction has two leaders who are brothers, and they rule like kings. In your southern ranking terms, one is as strong as me, a Diamond Knight, and his name is Frn Borzol. Meanwhile, his elder brother is the most dangerous, a tinum Knight, Zelfim Borzol."


    Boom!


    Sylvester stood up abruptly and asked again just to be sure. "Did you say tinum Knight? Are you sure? That''s a rank on the same level as the Supreme Wizard!"


    Chief Koruk stared into Sylvester''s eyes, his own being simrly devoid of vigour. "There was no mistake, preacher. Chief Zelfim is a tinum knight, the first in all of our history."


    "What''s his level?" Sir Dolorem questioned. After all, a tinum knight in his initial levels can still be beaten by a high-ranking Grand Wizard, as Wizards are inherently stronger.


    "That I don''t know, knight. We don''t meet, nor do we like each other. His faction is vile and goes against all we stand for. We left the south to escape the tyrant Pope, not to be ruled by violent tyrants here again."


    Sylvester used all the curses he knew in his mind. The situation turned from hard to impossible. He could have hoped to tackle a Diamond Knight, but a tinum Knight was a god on earth, much weaker than a Supreme Wizard like the Pope, but still, a tinum Knight could easily conquer a duchy or two.


    "What''s their army strength?" Sylvester inquired.


    "Not a lot, as their poption is smaller than us. At most, the Borzol faction has thirty thousand soldiers. But, that one tinum knight equals a hundred thousand men alone."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and wondered how to go about it. He had Aurora, and she was a level two Grand Wizard, which was not enough if the tinum Knight was level five or above. So that only left him the other man the Pope had asked him to contact. ''If the Sixth Guardian, Winter Ghost, can join us, then we can definitely kill Chief Zelfim. But, even then, I will need meatshields, so the Duchy does not suffer too much.''


    He looked up at Chief Koruk''s face. The man was at his wits. He could see it no matter how much the man tried to act strong. The scent of emotions never lied, after all.


    ''I do want to help these people, or whoever survives. But I can not allow them to upynd while being heathens. That would only start a religious war, and that''s bad for stability.''


    "Elder Chief, I will say it once. I can defeat the Borzol faction if you agree to help me do it. In return, once we win, I will personally see to it that you are granted winternds in the Duchy of Iceling and Duchy of Normani¡ªBut there is only one condition." Sylvester paused for a second to ensure the man had all his focus.


    "You must start praying to Solis as the supreme god and show your devotion to all the southern people and the church."


    Thud!


    "How dare you! Get out!" Chief Koruk stood up, grasped Sylvester by his cor, and lifted him up easily. "You want us to forgo our five mothers who protected us for centuries? For a god whose supreme preacher pushed us away?"


    Sylvester didn''t react much. "You can still pray to your five mothers, but only if Solis is epted as the supreme lord! Only if you pray in the church monasteries¡ªIt''s either this or hunger. No matter what, you must ept Solis in the supreme position or be prepared for the song of the Holy Inquisition.


    "I shall remain in your fort for one whole day. You have time to think about my proposal and about the well-being of your people. Food, wealth, and work await you, but are you willing to do what''s necessary for it?" Sylvester pushed the Chief away and walked out. "May the Holy Light enlighten us."


    Following Sylvester, Sir Dolorem proudly exited the fort. Baron Strongarm remained behind, however, as Sylvester had asked him to speak with the Chief and help him make up his mind.


    Outside, Sir Dolorem inquired what he wished to do next. "You can''t fight a tinum Knight alone, Lord Bard."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "I know, Sir Dolorem. I will be sending the word to the church once we return. But for now, we must gather some allies, for this battle won''t just be about the powerhouses. Perhaps you can help;e with me as I exin my n."


    So Sylvester brought the blind inquisitor to the fortress city''s centralmunity square, where many small marketces were set up for selling meat and clothes. Most of the people were doing nothing, and the kids were ying around.


    Sir Dolorem sensed the crowd and nodded. "The preaching might work here. But are you sure you can do the miracle? Has the guardian angel agreed?"


    Sylvester nced at Miraj sitting on his shoulder, who showed a big feral smile and a thumbs up with his cute paw.


    "I think he''s ready. Let''s do this, Sir Dolorem." Sylvester proceeded to arrive at the centre of themunity ground.


    There, he quickly used elemental earth magic to make a small block rise so he could sit on it. Then, he straightened his back, raised one palm to face the people, and started singing a hymn.


    ?Born from the light of the sun.


    Divided bynd, but we''re one.


    Your hardships are seen by this Solis'' son.


    It''s time to have the hunger undone.?


    "What?!" Sir Dolorem eximed. "You know theirnguage."


    Shocking not just Sir Dolorem but also the people. Sylvester spoke in thenguage of the barbarians fluently. After all, he was a spy, and he''d be dumb not to try and learn thenguage of mountain barbarians and desert cannibals.


    As the halo of light appeared behind Sylvester''s head, his right hand also started spewing bright light magic, warming anyone who came in contact with it. But not just that, he also lifted his left hand so that his palm faced the ground.


    ?For so long, you have been brave.


    With the new wind, greet the new wave.


    No more shall you be hunger''s ve.


    Path to brighter days, this bard shall pave.?


    Miraj, who sat on Sylvester''s left hand and faced the ground, started vomiting the items out.


    Thud!


    Soon enough, a big bag of rice and grains fell, and Sir Dolorem handed it to the nearest barbarian woman. With it, Sir Dolorem also took the name of Solis. "Bard of Solis has blessed you, respected sister."


    ?Ask not¡ªTake what is necessary.


    Rich, poor or folks ordinary.


    Come forward¡ªno need to be wary.


    This is a blessing by God''s emissary.?


    Sylvester made it appear like he was bringing bags of grains and clothes out of thin air. One after another, he created more. In no time, each bag would get taken. At the start, Sir Dolorem had to pick it up and give it. But soon enough, people started moving on their own.


    They''de in front of Sylvester, feel the warmth of his light, sp their hands together to pray to the sitting, close-eyed apostle of Solis, and take the food as a blessing.


    Sylvester did not move, nor did the diligent furry boy. Until midnight, Sylvester''s light remained shining as he chanted old and new hymns.


    The blessings in the form of food and clothes made many wonder and ask, ''Are southerners really bad people?''


    But they didn''t know the fox that had taken home in their fortress. Sylvester knew how to defeat them. After all, why conquer bodies when one can conquer minds?


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 343 343. Keeps Getting Worse

    The words of the shining bard of Solis spread around the entire Fort Storst like wildfire, and people came out of their homes to get the blessing in light and food. No oneined or tried to fight.


    To them, Solis was already a god, just not as important. On top of that, seeing Sylvester shining like the sun itself was highly captivating. Some people who came to take the food from him didn''t even leave afterwards as his light was warm, and his singing voice was soothing.


    The entire night, Sylvester didn''t stop either. It was as if he had conveyed a religious gathering, and people hade to listen to his words. So he utilised the opportunity to sing about Solis, the creation, time, space, world, equality, and how meaningless the differences are since all are born from the same blessing.


    Eventually, Elder Chief Koruk also came to look and decided to stay. He knew what Sylvester was doing. Many others knew it too. But they had never seen such a style of preaching, and since it was so peaceful, they didn''t dare to do anything.


    Eventually, the first rays of the sun fell on thergemunity square, and Sylvester stopped singing while looking up at the sky.


    "May the holy light enlighten us!"


    The people stayed silent, and only the sound of the wind passing through the many streets of the city was audible. People just watched the sunrise and felt how the cold winter night started to lose its frightening chill.


    Sylvester stood up and bowed his head toward all the people. "I shall be leaving soon, but it was nice meeting you. I shall leave behind many more tonnes of grains in the care of Chief Koruk so all of you may not feel the hunger. Remember, we''re all one big family, for our supreme creator is the same."


    He started walking away, and the crowd split apart to give him the way. But as he moved, the people bowed their heads while sitting on the ground. No one shouted the name of Solis. No one chanted the greeting. But they still respected Sylvester for the amazing miracles he just showed. They knew enough that Sylvester''s feats were not ordinary. Light magic and space magic were separate magical styles anyway, and here was a man with both. If he wasn''t favoured by Solis, then who?


    Soon, Sylvester met with the Chief in the fortress again, and the air was much different this time. Gone was the brute and barbarian Chief Koruk. Instead, the man reeked of doubt and a lot of confusion.


    "So, what have you nned, Chief?" Sylvester inquired as he drank some warm water.


    The Chief rubbed his temples and nodded his head. "I saw the smiles on their faces. I can''t see them go thin from hunger and die a slow, painful death. My faith in five mothers is unwavering, but even they won''t want their followers to suffer.


    "I ept, Lord Bard. In return for helping you stop the Borzol faction, you shall help us settle down south. Furthermore, we shall take the faith of Solis once we settle down."


    Sylvester knew that the Chief would be a tough nut to crack. The man had just the right amount of brains and worship. But he was confident of luring him to the Solis'' side soon enough.


    "You will not regret it, Elder Chief."


    "But!" Chief Koruk eximed. "I will not involve myself in getting my people to leave the religion. I can never do such a thing. It is akin to going against what I learned since young. My faith is unwavering, so if you want my people to follow the faith of Solis naturally, then you must influence them on your own¡­ with peace!"


    ''I started doing that before you even said that, my naive friend.'' Sylvester muttered to himself.


    Just as they talked in the fort, a rumour spread like wildfire in the entire city. Nobody knew where they started or why, but it made much sense. The rumour said that since all the people would soon be moving to the southernnds, out of the mountains, they would have to start praying to Solis first and foremost because the Soils is the protector of the people in the south. Being so far away, their mountain goddesses won''t be of any help.


    The rumours at the start were dismissed with ridicule, but they became believable with the proper nudging and spread. As it spread to every home in the city, the people started to remember Sylvester, a man blessed by Solis to such a high degree. So, there was no doubt that Solis was a powerful god, as they were yet to see something simr from the five mountain goddesses.


    "Of course, I understand you, Chief. It''s best if the people naturally change to ensure longsting peace prevails." He assured the former.


    "Then, how shall we prepare to tackle the Borzol tribe?" The Chief asked. "You need something good to go against a tinum knight."


    Though Sylvester had his priorities set elsewhere. "I have sent the words to someone nearby. Once he arrives, we will have enough power to tackle the tinum knight. But, before we do that, I need your help to go to the north side and check the undead situation with my own eyes. You must understand that there are undead on Sol and so many that they threaten all life on the continent.


    "This undead issue is a church matter, and I must send a detailed report. But I must confirm things myself first."


    Chief Koruk frowned for a few seconds but nodded in understanding. "I can understand your fears. With the speed at which their numbers are increasing, it''s a matter of time before they start appearing south of the mountains. Fine, I shall personally guide you if this is what you need. Unfortunately, we can not climb Mount Dimos, so we must walk around it, which is a week-long tiresome dangerous journey."


    ''A week? I hope Felix won''t eat all the food in one go. He has enough water and fire crystals to survive otherwise.''


    "When can we leave?" Sylvester got up.


    "Right now." Chief also stood up to move.


    So they started making their preparations without wasting any time. Since it was still very early in the morning, they had time to leave. But before leaving, Sylvester left a lot of grain in the city''s storage and left Sir Dolorem behind to keep preaching and using Baron Strongarm to trante.


    Only Sylvester and the Chief were going, as they were strong enough for the hellish north. With their strength, they could cover more ground, and Sylvester could help cross various deep ravines with his light tiles.


    In no time, they wore thick furry clothes and started their long journey. Since Sylvester had shown his miracles, he decided to utilise that and not take any heavy luggage. They couldn''t even bring any steeds since the terrain was very unfriendly.


    It was peak winter season, so they had to be careful since all the previous manmade trails were now covered with snow. Only a master of the region could tell which way to move.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Be careful. There can be a lot of snow snakes hidden in the deep snow. They are extremely venomous and hard to spot." Chief Koruk advised him.


    ''Snakes in this inhuman winter climate?'' Sylvester was amazed to learn that.


    But Miraj was quick to hide in his thick coat, whispering. "I hate snakes. Those sneaky slimy worms."


    "Well, we have a bigger problem if what I think is behind the undeades true." Sylvester spoke in a low voice and continued to follow.


    It was an extremely long and exhausting journey. Even Chief Koruk had to take some breaks, but overall they walked twenty hours a day. However, with Sylvester''s help crossing many tough spots, they reduce the travel time to just four days.


    But in the end, they arrived at the field of small mountains that were higher vertically and less spread out on the base. Combined, they created a vast field of deep and narrow pathways.


    "Be careful and stay close. This region is called Changing-hills. As the name suggests, these hills can change their positions. One moment you''d have an opening, and the next, there''d be nothing. If one isn''t well versed, they can be stuck here for years, that is unless they don''t die of hunger and cold first." Chief Koruk exined to him while masterfully making turns now and then.


    Sylvester noted that in his mind too. "Why not just jump to the top and move from there? The hilltops are so close that we can simply jump from one to another."


    "That''s normally how we do it, but only in the summer. In the winter, if you stand above these hills, you''d bepletely open to the cold winds that can even freeze me to death. Trust me. This is the best way."


    Sylvester wasn''t too shocked as he knew there must be great dangers in the north that always made the church disinterested in the region.


    "Just a little more. Once we exit the changing hills, we will get a clear view of the northern coast since it''s all downhill from there." Chief Koruk continued to lead the way diligently. It was in his best interest that the church came to eradicate the darkness, after all.


    Woosh!


    The cold winter wind increased slowly as they reached thest stretch. Sylvester had not seen any map showing the northern waters, so he was clueless about whaty ahead.


    "Behold!" Chief Koruk eximed and finally took thest turn.


    Sylvester followed and came out of the dense, tall hills. It was pure wild nature everywhere, thousands of miles away from civilisation. He found himself on a snow-filled hill with a cliff at the edge. In the distance, beneath, he could see the ocean, though most of it was frozen.


    "I-Is that an ind?" Sylvester saw a faint figure of something tall in the great distance, although most of it was covered by fog.


    "We believe so, but no one dared ever to go there. Beyond this point, no man, even I, can''t survive the winter. Nothing grows beyond this point. Even this coastal region is cold, but sadly, this was the only ce with mineral-rich soil." Chief Koruk exined and continued to move. "I shall bring you to a great viewpoint. The undead will be visible from there."


    Sylvester continued to look around. He could see Mount Dimos in the back, standing tall as an endless peak since it went way above the clouds. It was more terrifying as he realised the mountain was too steep from the north side.


    "Here it is." Chief Koruk crouched down and brought Sylvester to the cliff''s edge, beyond which was beach-like fertilend and frozen sea.


    Sylvester quickly took out the monocr and looked. At first, he could not see them, but soon, he realised that what he guessed to be snow earlier was just the skulls of the undead.


    "God! There are so many of them!" He eximed as the entire beach seemed to swarm with a sea of undead. "They seem to be doing something specific¡­ They are pulling chunks of ice."


    Sylvester decided to take the lead, move further west on the cliff, and look.


    Eventually, his gasp resounded. "Good god Solis!"


    Chief Koruk took the monocr and looked at it too. "But why?"


    Sylvester felt sweat form on his forehead even though they were in freezing winter. "They are making a castle of ice¡ªI''ve learned in Holy Land that only one creature canmand so many undead and likes to live in a castle.


    "It''s an Emperor Lich!"


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 344 344. Price The Innocent Pays

    ''Why did an Emperor Lich try to contact me?''


    "What''s that, preacher of Solis?" Chief Koruk asked as he heard of this creature for the first time.


    Sylvester recollected what he had read in the books. "This is an extremely strong dark creature that can vary in strength. They have multiple levels, Lich, Elder Lich, King Lich and Emperor Lich. This level of power, control over undead and the size of the castle¡ªonly Emperor Lich can have."


    "What is a Lich? How are they made? And in terms of power, how strong is this one?"


    "A wizard bes a lich using necromancy and some other dark magic. This one is an Emperor Lich. They can be as strong as a Grand Wizard or Supreme Wizard if they''re extremely aged. This is not good, Chief Koruk. This changes everything!"


    Hearing Sylvester''s words of doom, Chief Koruk breathed loudly and stared at the giant castle in the distance. "If the Holy Land sends their warriors, will they attack us tribes first or the undead?"


    Now that was a question worth billions. After all, in the eyes of the church, Barbarians and the undead were all heathens and deserved to be killed. So, why would the church care about them? Why not kill them alongside the undead if they were going to send a vast army anyway.


    Sylvester couldn''t answer that, as it was not up to him to decide. "I honestly don''t know, Chief. I''d have tried to reason with you if I were the Pope. But, I''m a mere Archpriest, who has enemies all around. So my values and the values of the current administration are bound to be different."


    Instantly, Sylvester smelled a strong scent of sadness, anxiety, hopelessness and anger. It was understandable, as Chief Koruk knew what kind of a terrifying entity the church was in the world. They were only alive because the church simply didn''t care enough to waste resources in the mountains.


    Sylvester patted the tall man''s shoulder. "I don''t go back on my words, Chief Koruk. I said I would help you and your people settle, and it shall happen. I can''t say anything about the Borzol faction, however. We might have to ''utilise'' them in ways that can assure that both this Emperor Lich and they are dealt with."


    Chief Koruk clearly understood what Sylvester meant by ''utilise''. So he asked directly while taking a leap of faith since all roads already led to death. "You wish to use them against the undead? How?"


    Sylvester smiled and took out a neatly cut, square parchment from his pocket. He then started to write something on it while talking. "I just need you to y a game alongside me. I need you to attack Duchy of Normani with small raiding parties as if you want to take it for yourself. Make sure to only burn viges. But DO NOT harm the people!"


    "What will that aplish? The Duke of Normani will not let us live on hisndter. This is contrary to my goal."


    Sylvester finished writing and started folding the parchment into a paper ne. "Don''t you have a lot of gold? Burned viges can be rebuilt. So just do as I ask you, fight when I need you to, and your people will never have to sleep hungry again."


    Chief Koruk frowned. "That''s not very¡­ reassuring. So you want me to trust you blindly when we met merely a week ago?"


    Sylvester swiftly threw the paper ne from the cliff. He also used elemental wind magic from the palm of his right hand and ensured the stream of air brought it as close to the castle as possible.


    He then smiled at the man beside him. "That''s exactly what I''m asking you to do, Chief Koruk. In any case, what other choices do you have? Not to mention, I am the blessed son of Solis, and to lie like this is against my faith. Believe me. I do not wish for Solis'' retaliation."


    Sylvester, a spy, was used to creating the most fooling expressions. He yed with the Chief using words. Although his promise was not a lie, he didn''t know how many of them would survive.


    Chief Koruk neither agreed nor denied. Instead, he simply went with the n and changed the topic. "What did you write on that parchment? Undead can''t read, in case you don''t know."


    "But an Emperor Lich can. If he''s in control, it shouldn''t be hard to sense when one of the undead picks up the parchment. As for the rest, only time will tell. We should return now, or else many anxious thoughts will rise." He briefly exined and prepared to move.


    Swiftly, Chief Koruk took the leading position and guided the way back. Through the changing hills, they crossed the vast ins and mountains of untamed wild. Snow lions, wolves, snakes and many more. It was understandable why no one would wish to live there. The ce seemed to be designed to kill humans.


    But soon enough, they circled Mount Dimos and came closer to the Grand Fort Storst. Their journey time was reduced by a few hours this time as they already knew the clear path.


    Thud!


    But just then, something fell from the sky right before them. Sylvester''s spear came up, as did Chief Koruk''s longsword.


    "It''s a frozen bird." Chief Koruk checked what fell. "Poor thing."


    Sylvester checked it, too, and soon felt all the hair on his body stand. "This¡­ It has no ice on its body, yet it''s frozen."


    Quickly, Sylvester looked left and right. Eventually, his eyes rested on Mount Dimos in the distance at a great height. He noticed a ck figure as tiny as a speck of dust. With his monocr, he saw it clearly and felt his feet turn colder and his forehead sweat in nervousness.


    ''Don''t, buddy. I''m trying to save lives here.''


    "What''s that?" Chief Koruk also noticed the floating dot of ckness at a great height on Mount Dimos.


    Sylvester sighed and put the monocr away. "Nothing, just a haunting shadow of my sins. Let''s move faster, Chief Koruk. I wish to leave for the Duchy today."


    Chief Koruk stared at the ck floating dot and soon dismissed it to walk away. His te was already full, and he didn''t wish to enter any of Sylvester''s mess.


    In a few hours, they arrived at the fort and had a decent meal in warmth. Sylvester there finalised everything and decided to return. With him came an advisor of the Chief, along with a dozen men. They were going to be Sylvester''s contact points with the Grand Fort Storst.


    "I wish good luck on youring raids, Chief Koruk." Sylvester bid his farewell at the gates of the fortress.


    The Chief nodded, albeit hesitantly. "I hope I''m right in trusting you, preacher of Solis."


    Sylvester smiled and waved back at the plethora of people waving at him from the fort walls or the gate. They were all now half-step into Sylvester''s brainwashing.


    ''It seems I will have to y a big game of chess with not two, but six yers. Thankfully, I''m the board setter.''


    From there, they made their way to the Duchy of Iceling. Since an advisor of the Chief named Bajin Hawk was travelling with them, they found their way quickly this time.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The return journey was uneventful, and other than minor animals, they travelled without any storms. In three days, they reached the Last Turn. From there, they used the North Road to go south, cross the Great Chasm, and then east to the Frozen Town of the Duchy of Iceling.


    Sylvester was careful, so he didn''t tell Sir Dolorem or Baron Strongarm about what he saw in the north as others could hear. Nor did he ask them what they did in his absence. He had to tread carefully as the road he walked was thinner than paper.


    Ting! Ting! Ting!


    "What''s happening there?" Advisor Bajin inquired in fright. "Are they going to attack us?"


    Sylvester took the lead, frowning and wondering what it was. It was still evening, so the gates shouldn''t be closed. "Stay back, and don''t talk unless I tell you to."


    Sylvester reached the entrances. The guards on the wall recognised him by his golden eyes & blonde hair and opened it only enough to let him enter.


    "What''s happening?" He questioned.


    "I don''t know, respected bard. I only heard the bells and closed the gates as per protocol. I can only allow you to enter, and the rest must wait outside until the order to openes."


    Sylvester sighed and looked back at Sir Dolorem, the Baron and the rest. He informed them to wait while he sorted out whatever was happening inside.


    As he made his way deeper into the town, towards the castle, he noticed the people were running in a particr direction. So he caught one of them and asked what was going on.


    "I don''t know, but everyone is going to the orphanage, so I''m going too," the man replied and ran away.


    Sighing, Sylvester also rushed to the location and found arge building surrounded by armoured soldiers of the Duchy while the Duchess was speaking to a few of her knights and Elyon.


    "What''s the matter, your grace?" Sylvester interrupted.


    The Duchess looked at him with some silent delight in her heart. "Just on time, Lord Bard. A suspected barbarian spy somehow entered and took the orphanage as a hostage. We''re trying to negotiate, but he stopped talking."


    Sylvester didn''t react much and rubbed his chin while looking at the building. "How many kids?"


    "Two hundred at most," she eximed. "Such beastly people, don''t they worry about their soul?"


    "I will enter the building from the roof. You keep trying to talk to him. Elyon, with me," Sylvester suggested. Then, without waiting for a reply, he went a distance away and used light steps to arrive at the roof of the double-storey building.


    From the roof, he and Elyon entered using simple earth magic. Then, remainingpletely silent, they went to the ground floor.


    ''Strange, I don''t feel any fear, sadness or anger¡­ It''s all just de¡ª''


    He swallowed his words as he reached the ground floor''srge hall.


    "This is madness!" Elyon eximed, enraged and eyes bloodshot.


    Sylvester gulped his saliva and agreed. There, right in front of him, all the children and ten caretakers were sitting neatly in a row against the orphanage wall, each with their throats slit and hands chopped off. There was just blood everywhere, like a river of death converged.


    On their faces were dried tears, reminiscent of the terror they must have lived through merely minutes ago.


    Thud!


    Sylvester took a long breath and leaned against a wall, as the horror was a lot, even for him. There were tiny few-day-old babies and seven-year-old toddlers¡ªhundreds of them.


    He looked to the side and noticed a dead man sitting by the wall with a knife nted in his heart¡ªthe likely culprit.


    "A man who could do this can have no soul," he muttered.


    Yet, Sylvester moved close to the little, doll-like dead bodies, drenched his hand in the warm blood and wrote something on the wall with it.


    ''Only the mountain mothers reign supreme.''


    Elyon firmly questioned him. "What are you doing, Lord Bard?"


    Sylvester, with a gloomy expression, cleaned his hands, dried the blood on the wall with magic, and walked to the culprit''s body to taint its hands.


    "I''m ensuring the sacrifices of these young ones don''t go to waste. Go and open the gates. Let theme in and see the horror."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 345 345. Go Left To Go Right

    The gates opened. Under the Duchess'' leadership, many entered and soon ran away to vomit.


    It was not a sight that most could digest. The poor little lifeless bodies would induce nightmares for years toe for many. And many might never ever forget it. This was much different from a simple murder or wartime violence. This was a sin, no matter which god you prayed to.


    After the bodies, they saw the words on the wall. The advisor of Chief Koruk also saw it and gasped in fear and anger. After all, such an act was sphemy to the name of five mother goddesses in his eyes.


    The Duchess walked beside Sylvester and looked at the dead body of the culprit. "Did you kill him?"


    "No, he was dead when I got in. You should have barged into the building from the start. It seems he never wished to leave or let these children go. He came here to do exactly this. How did he enter the town, however?" Sylvester inquired.


    She was clueless and called a knight. "Sir Nimor, I need you to find out this man''s name, where he lived, and how he entered."


    The knight, however, didn''t even need to go and look. "I¡­ I think I''ve seen him before, your grace. Let me call someone."


    The knight went out quickly and soon brought three soldiers from the town and showed them the man''s dead body. "This man used to work with you, correct?"


    The three soldiers had to stop themselves from vomiting at first sight of the little dead bodies. But they forced themselves to stay strong. And when they looked at the man''s body, they eximed together.


    "What? Why is Ronald here? He didn''t report to the guard duty the previous night. We looked for him, but he was nowhere to be found."


    Sylvester understood everything from that and asked. "How long has he been working as a soldier in the town?"


    "I''ve known him for three years¡­ sir?"


    Sylvester turned to the Duchess. "It seems your Duchy has beenpromised from within. For years the Borzol faction has aimed its fangs at you. They have probably installed their spies in your Duchy, who live normal lives for the most part and only act when ordered. I call them Sleeper Agents. They are also impossible to find and deal with."


    The Duchess was a strong old woman and didn''t show much negative reaction. Her face remained stoic as she looked at the dead body. Though the storm in her heart did not stay hidden from Sylvester. She had just lost her husband, and now her Duchy was under an existential threat.


    Sylvester offered reassurance. "I have many things to discuss, your grace. Why don''t you return to the castle? I shall find you there in an hour if you don''t mind."


    "That will be for the best, Lord Bard. I shall see you in an hour." She walked to the Prima, who was also there. "Ensure thest rites of the innocents are performed well. As for the heathen¡ªfeed the body to the wolves."


    The Prima didn''t instantly ept her order. "Your grace, but their customs demand to be buried."


    Duchess Melina red into Prima''s eyes and ordered him again. "Must I reiterate my order? That man deserves no peace!"


    Sylvester watched it all and knew a silent power struggle was going on at the moment. The Prima was trying to exert his power and take control of the Duchess, while the Duchess was trying her best to counter him.


    ''Bloody politics. Be it the Holy Land or here. It''s all the same.'' Sylvester rubbed his eyes in annoyance and went to Advisor Bajin.


    The man looked rattled by the fact that followers of his religion did this. The words on the wall made it all clear.


    "I hope you write to Chief Koruk and tell him what your cousin''s tribe did. He must know that the Borzol faction has left the ways of the five mother goddesses. There is no hope for them anymore, only the sword of justice." Sylvester kept one hand on the short barbarian man''s shoulder, pressing him down firmly.


    "He will, preacher. I will send one of the men back tomorrow morning."


    Sylvester nodded and asked him to follow. After all, he could not leave them alone since they were also Barbarians and could be arrested and killed for being there. It didn''t help that only the advisor could speak the southernnguage fluently.


    Along the way, he called Gabriel, Bishop Lazark, and Aurora to present themselves at the castle. The second phase of his n needed to start as quickly as possible.


    So at the castle, he first got the advisor and the other men a few rooms to rest. Then, he found his team and led them to the Duchess'' office in the tower.


    "How did it go?" Aurora asked. "Why didn''t you bring the sixth guardian along?"


    "He didn''t reply to the letter yet, but he should be reporting soon since the Pope ordered him. As for my visit, I should exin in front of the Duchess once and for all."


    Knock! Knock!


    "Come in."


    Sylvester looked at Lady Aurora as confusion dawned on his face. The voice from inside belonged to a man.


    He opened the door and looked. There, at the edge, behind the table, sat a man. Tall, strong, ck-haired man. It was the Prima, and he was seated on the Duke''s seat while the Duchess stood on the right side of the table with a frown.


    ''This fool will mess everything up if he keeps interfering.'' Sylvester felt annoyed, but he didn''t show it.


    "Your grace, Lord Prima, I have something important to talk about in private about the mountain barbarians and an even bigger danger in the north. My journey was eventful but depressing, for I learned things I wish were just a dream." Sylvester respectfully started.


    The Duchess invited them all to sit. "Please, take a sea¡ª"


    But Prima interrupted her. "Take a seat, Lord Bard, Lady Ninth, and all of you. I''m sure together we can ovee this problem."<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''Burning pungent smell, bitter, chills and tangerines¡ªShe''s angry, scared and anxious. Better use this opportunity.''


    Sylvester was quick to put water on Prima''s dreams. "Sorry, but I wish to speak with the Duchess alone, for she is the true and only absolute decision maker. Can you please wait outside, Lord Prima?"


    Inside the dimly lit decorated room, silence loomed. What Sylvester said was a p on the face of the man, and it was all too satisfying for everyone other than Prima.


    "But¡­ I am the Prima, Lord Bard. I am the second-inmand of the Duchy, and I can help you learn many details if needed."


    Sylvester remained unwavering. "Ah, I just remembered something that Pope Atrox said centuries ago. ''Men who y games in times of need must have their souls from their bodies freed.'' I wonder what he truly meant by that."


    Thud!


    Sir Dolorem thumped his sword on the floor once while standing behind Sylvester''s seat. "This is a church matter, and Lord Bard''s words are the final words, Lord Prima."


    Aurora backed him too. "Lord Bard derives his authority from his holiness. Therefore, please be respectful of the Pope''s authority, Lord Prima."


    "Very well." The Prima stood up and silently left. The scent of anger and frustration was radiating from him.


    ''Troublesome¡ªHe needs to die.'' Sylvester muttered under his breath.


    When the Duchess retook her seat, Sylvester questioned her directly. "Don''t you have children, your grace?"


    "I have two sons. Both are wizards and are currently training at the Yggdrasil School of Magic." she fondly answered. "The oldest has the talent of an Arch Wizard, while the youngest is a Wizard-Knight with the talent of rank Silver Knight and Master Wizard. They must be on their way here as of now."


    With stern eyes and a heavy voice, Sylvester warned her. "Then you must get rid of the Prima. He will kill your sons one day and take the Duchy. I see the greed in his eyes and how he tries to demean you."


    She neither acted shocked nor appalled by the idea. "I thought about it, but he''s far too influential. He has friends in the military and among the traders. Getting rid of him will hurt us more."


    "Just give me the names of all those he''s friends with. Then, nobody will mind if some ''unfortunate'' idents happen." He advised.


    Even Aurora chirped. "We live in times of war, after all. Anything can happen in the war."


    Sylvester knew he was taking a long shot with this one. But he found this to be the quickest way to induct the Duchess into his personality cult. If she remains grateful to him, she will teach the same to her children. His image in their minds would be etched forever.


    "What do you wish for in return?" The Duchess asked, knowing the world runs onws of exchange.


    "Nothing." He waved his hand. "I want nothing but peace in the Gracia Kingdom, your grace. I want peace, prosperity, and happiness for all, so the Church can grow stronger and focus on the bigger enemies. Furthermore, Princess Isabe, the next ruler of the Kingdom, is like a sister to me."


    It wasn''t wrong to say he wanted peace for his selfish reasons. He needed time to grow influence and his wealth in order to seriously pose a challenge to other clergymen lusting for the seat of the Pope.


    Duchess Melina felt doubtful but soon agreed with his suggestion. Prima needed to be dealt with, or there would never be peace in the Duchy. That was clear.


    "You shall have the names by tomorrow, Lord Bard. But if the Duchy does not survive, all this will be meaningless. You mentioned a greater danger in the north. Can you borate?" She steered the conversation back to the main topic.


    Sylvester agreed and put a map of the northern region of the continent on the table. He then pointed them to the location of the Grand Forts of the Barbarians, telling them their differences, and who they were to target. Then, he pointed at the north part and revealed the news.


    "It''s probably an Emperor Lich by the description." Bishop Lazark confirmed. "In this case, it poses a bigger danger than the Barbarians."


    The Duchess was frightened at this point. They could kill barbarians, but the undead could multiply forever.


    "How are we going to fight all this?" She asked. "I only have ten thousand soldiers as troops."


    Sylvester put forward a parchment and pushed it to the Duchess. "I need you to sign and put your seal on it, your grace. After that, we shall be using the barbarians for our own benefit. But, first, I must put on a disguise and go to meet the leaders of the Borzol faction."


    "To do what?" Gabriel nervously asked, not wanting to lose another friend.


    Thud!


    The Duchess mmed her hand on the table and stood up in rage. Her old eyes turned red as she bellowed and threw the parchment away.


    "You want me to surrender the Duchy?!"


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 346 346. A Blind Mans Story

    "Calm down, your grace. Hear my proposal first. Do you really think a barbarian could ever be recognised as a Duke? The King and the Church will never agree. But we need the Borzol faction to believe it. Frn Borzol and Zelfim Borzol rule like kings, and their greed will be their downfall." Sylvester rified and got the parchment back.


    The Duchess didn''t sit and demanded further exnation. "Tell me in detail."


    "As I said, we have a huge battleing soon. But, I''d rather have Barbarian blood spilt than the blood of believers of Solis. To do that, we must create certain situations where the mountain tribes be destabilised and infighting starts. Then, when the timees, we need them to fight each other and create a situation where the undead attack simultaneously. We ought to use the Barbarian leaders to fight against Emperor Lich, but at the same time, we shall kill and weaken the Barbarians.


    "By the end, our goal is to kill the Elder Lich and weaken the Barbarians to the point that destroying them bes easy. We shall soon haverge armies arriving here, so it''s time I start nning the next phase. For that, I need your grace to sign the fake surrender. After that, I shall be the one to take the paper to the Borzol faction as your close aide."


    Sylvester revealed some of his ns and silently awaited any input. Everyone thought about it, and the idea he painted in their heads was too good to be true. Using one enemy against another was brilliant.


    "Are you sure you''re not taking them for fools? They are bound to be old folks and should know how to smell schemes." Duchess questioned.


    There was some doubt, but Sylvester was sure about his n. "That''s why it must be subtle. I will not be outrightly telling them to fight. The fight shall be the consequence of the information I will tell them. Of course, they are smart, but they have also kept themselves cut from the South and have some sort of blood pride situation going on among themselves."


    "And you wish to go alone? Why?" Lady Aurora was worried about him.


    "I should go with you." Sir Dolorem suggested.


    But Sylvester didn''t budge. He had his own reasonings, as he had learned from Chief Koruk that the Borzol siblings were madmen, sick in mind. Meeting them with a crowd would only be like giving more leverage to the Borzol faction¡ªLeverage to do something crazy.


    "No, only I will go. I don''t doubt you all, but it is possible that they might say, ''Leave your partner here until the end of the deal,'' and that will ruin the n. We have already lost Felix, but no more."


    "What if he tries to kill you?" Bishop Lazark asked.


    Sylvester smiled and raised his right hand and made it shine. "Then I will simply reveal my identity and invoke the name of the Pope. Whatever the mountain tribes may think how strong they are, their leaders know that fighting with the Church is suicide. So, if they try to kill me, I only have to tell them about the consequences. But, I hope this situation does not ur, as it will ruin the n."


    Sadly, smiling was easy. He knew the mountainous task ahead was dangerous, and entering the lions'' den was a significant risk. But nothing came without risks. Felix was still there, and he had to get thetter out somehow.


    He got up to prepare since it was already night. "I shall go and have some rest, your grace. You have until morning to decide whether to sign on this or not. Please do not share what we discussed here with anyone. Who knows who holds treacherous hearts. I will prepare for my journey in the meantime."


    "Wait! What if I reject? What are you preparing for then?" The Duchess asked as he was about to leave.


    Sylvester nced at everyone''s faces, especially Gabriel, who was utterly broken by the guilt that Felix was caught due to him.


    "Well, I still have a friend captured. So if you don''t want my help in this fight, I''d rather save my friend and return to the Holy Land. Good night, your grace."


    As Sylvester left, Duchess Melina Iceling stared at his back and realised something that increased the stature of Sylvester in her eyes manifold. Who was Sylvester? A simple clergyman, not even of a high rank. He was the golden child of the faith and, in theory, had no reason to go out of his way to even talk to her, let alone help her.


    Yet, he went to Grand Fort Storst, looked into the undead, and now offered to save her Duchy. Why? She could not imagine a big enough reason that would exin it. He was too young to be worried about anything other than growing strong, as even bing the Pope was something to worry about after the age of one hundred and fifty, as most Popes in the past.


    But, as far as she could see, he actively took risks for the sake of others.


    All that did make her doubt her past prejudice that God''s Favoured, Lord''s Bard and such were merely tricks of the Church to appear holier than thou.


    ''The way he talks and thinks, it''s nothing like a boy his age. Could it be that he is indeed the chosen one by Solis¡­ Could h¡­''


    She could notplete her thoughts, however. Her sons were Sylvester''s age, and she considered them prodigies, too, as they were exceptional in studies and martial arts. But if they were prodigies, then what was Sylvester?


    Eventually, the night fell, and everyone retreated to their rooms to rest. Theing days were going to be harsh, and all needed to conserve as much energy as possible. So some sharpened their swords, while some spent time with their families.


    Alone in his room, Sylvester wrote a few letters for the Church and other nobles. He wrote to Duke Grimton and Duke Zon, asking them to send men to battle the undead, or else their duchies would never see peace. He also wrote to the Duke of Normani, a man he had never met before.


    Ultimately, he wrote to the Pope directly, informing him about Emperor Lich and telling him his borate n to end the mountain tribal menace once and for all.


    Bam!


    "Maxy! Look what I caught!" Miraj came running in from the open window, covered in snow. "See, I caught another undead bird."


    Sylvester quickly took a towel and wrapped Miraj like a doll first. "I told you not to y in the snow. Aren''t you feeling cold?"


    Miraj giggled, loving the attention and rubs. "Hehe, my fur is very thick, so no worries."


    Finally, after cleaning Miraj, he took the undead bird. "Alright, let''s see what our mighty Chonky caught."


    Sylvester read the parchment tied to the undead bird''s w. "Fifteen virgins, tongue of an orc, testicles of a vampire, saliva of an elf, the heart of a centaur and the eye of a goblin¡ªWhat the fuck am I reading?"


    Sylvester was confused beyond words and read the whole thing again and again. He knew these were probably ingredients for something. "Does he want all this? I should consult the Pope directly."


    So he added the ingredients to the letter to the Pope before sleeping.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ¡­


    In another room, a blind Inquisitor sat by the table and wrote something in a book. He could not see but was still a master of senses and easily did what any other man could. He poured his heart and soul into what he wrote, a habit he had not let go of in the past seventeen years.


    [Memoirs Of Sir Dolorem


    Cold, harsh snow-capped mountains rise majestically from the rugged wilderness. Jagged peaks glisten in the bright sunlight, casting long shadows across the pristine valleys. The snow-covered slopes are dotted with evergreens, their branches heavy with snow. The air is crisp and clear, and the silence is broken only by the asional call of a distant bird.


    I can no longer see, but I can imagine what I feel. The cold, harsh north can test a man''s body and patience. Yet here I see the blessed bard of the lord taking risks that could result in his demise. But I do not stop him anymore, for I know that the greater the risk, the greater the reward.


    I have seen him grow from a child to an adult. I could never be a good father to my actual child, but I hope I didn''t fail to be a guide to Lord Bard. He has outgrown me and no longer needs my advice.


    So I merely hope I can continue to be of use and serve him till myst breath. In that hope, I have decided topile aplete recollection of the life of Sylvester Maximilian, a man born for greatness.


    I suppose history will remember me for this more than anything else. As my devotion to Solis is unwavering, no matter howbouring.


    I''ve been blessed, Solis. So may your Holy Light enlighten Lord Bard, for his journey has only begun.]


    He closed the journal and opened a nk book. Then, he started writing everything he knew about the life of Sylvester while omitting a few personal details. From the day he saw the little bard singing by the pyre until now.


    It was going to be a long, arduous task, but he hoped to live long enough to end it when the bard shall take the rightful throne.


    ¡­


    Oblivious to the self-deprecating thoughts of the blind inquisitor, Sylvester rested for the night. In his dreams, he continuously saw the visions of the little girl. He wondered how she was. Was she even alive?


    Ting! Ting! Ting!


    But, he was forced to wake up at the first light of the morning. The bells were ringing around the whole town and castle yet again. Shouts of people were loud outside, and the nking of swords was audible.


    "Argh! What now?" Sylvester rose from his bed and put on the golden armour quickly. Miraj was still asleep, so he put him around his shoulder and ran out with the spear.


    "What happened?" He saw a servant sprinting.


    "Demon! Demon snake has attacked, Lord Bard! Run!"


    "..."


    "Demon snake?" Sylvester had never heard of this before. So he continued and eventually found Lady Aurora, Sir Dolorem and the rest of the team preparing to go out.


    Soon, they all got on a few borrowed horses and rushed to the southern boundary wall of the Frozen Town. The people had locked themselves in their houses by then, and all the soldiers had crowded the south wall with spears, bows and swords.


    "What happened?" Lady Aurora took the leading position and questioned.


    Lord Prima was there in his armour, looking horrified. "D-Demon snake!"


    Annoyed, Lady Aurora pushed the soldiers aside and looked outside. But, surprisingly, she also froze.


    Sylvester made way too and nced at the snow-coveredndscape. His shoulders, too, fell. "What monstrosity is this?"


    Right there was a giant white aggressive snake, at least two hundred feet long. Purple feathers were protruding out of its head, and gold ornaments covered its front and the tail''s tip. It was huge enough to swallow an entire carriage, making it appear demonic.


    "Wait!" Sylvester eximed as he took out his telescope.


    "Is that someone standing on its head?"


    ________________________


    [A/N: See the snake and the man above it here.]


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 347 347. A Messed-Up Family

    Someone was standing on the head of the giant white snake. Neither the snake nor the man moved and stayed a safe distance away. As for the scents, Sylvester smelled a lot of rage from the snake. In contrast, the man above it was so small that his emotion got overridden by the snake''s scent.


    Sylvester put one palm towards the snake and prepared to shoot the wrath of heavens beam. But, simultaneously, he kept his second strongest attack, the Holyfire Purge, ready.


    "State your name and purpose for being here!" The knightmander shouted aloud.


    "Hissss!" The snake slithered and red at the man with its huge eyes.


    Slowly, the air started to feel heavy as the man above the snake didn''t utter a word and began tomand the snake toe closer to the wall.


    Sylvester started chanting a hymn under his breath, and instantly the halo appeared. Those who knew Sylvester knew what was about to happen.


    "Stop!"


    Lady Aurora abruptly pushed his raised palm down. "That''s the Sixth Guardian of Light! I didn''t know he had such a pet, but it''s definitely him¡ªThe famed Winter Ghost."


    But Sylvester didn''t stop until he had confirmation. So he asked the man by incorporating the question in his hymn.


    ?...My words echo the will of the lord.


    I stand against the evil damned by god.


    Do not force us to raise our blessed sword.


    Speak, stranger, are you his light''s guard??


    The man on the snake''s head also sounded like a snake. He spoke in long hissing breaths by prolonging the ''s'' sounds in his words. "I am what you say~"


    "Prove it!" Sir Dolorem boomed. The man feared nothing at this point.


    The man on the snake took out a parchment from his robes and showed it. "Yours, thisss isss~"


    ''We have another lunatic freak among the ranks of Guardians now. Why are they not normal like Lady Aurora?''


    "Forgive me, Lord Winter Ghost. Recently the town was infiltrated by a heathen who killed two hundred innocent children. What might you do with that snake? We can''t let it move inside the town as people will be frightened." Sylvester respectfully apologised and asked.


    Winter Ghost knelt on the snake''s head and patted it. "Ashra, be a good girl. Go to the nearby valley and sleep. Do not attack anyone unlesss they attack you. Eat the Giant wolvesss and lionsss when hungry~"


    While that happened, Sylvester spoke to Miraj in whispers. "Can you kill that white snake?"


    Miraj sleepily looked while yawning. Soon, his hair stood up, and he hissed. "So big! But I think I can still eat it. Don''t mind its size, Maxy. My throat is very deep, and I can swallow anything, no matter how long."


    "..."


    "A yes or no would have sufficed, but alright."


    Sylvester watched as Winter Ghost sent the snake named Ashra away and walked towards the closed gates. The man wore loose white clothing, from pants to long tunics and the furred cloak above with protruding shoulders¡ªall white. There was also a strange furry cap on his head, and his mouth was covered with a white cloth.


    The man looked as goofy as possible, but Sylvester was used to it now after seeing Inquisitor High Lord and Lord Bloodrain with their visors and long pointy hats.


    The gates were swiftly opened, and Sylvester greeted the man with some reservations. He never trusted any clergyman at the first meeting, as that was a rule of thumb he had adopted since school.


    "Respected Sixth Guardian, wee to Frozen Town. I am grateful to you for providing us with your assistance." Sylvester stayed humble.


    Though Lady Aurora didn''t need to act reserved at all. "Senior Guardian, it''s a pleasure to meet you. I had only heard about you before, and now, I finally get to see you. You look as mysterious as the legends say."


    Winter Ghost bowed his head lightly, not being much of a talker, as he soon exined in his hissing voice. "Winter is my home, and it is only I who mansss The Last Church, east of Mount Primisss. Forgive me for myck of enthusiasm inmunication. Istion is my bliss~"


    ''So he lives alone without any regr supervision from the Holy Land? The smells are strange too. Peace, admiration, doubt, and what''s this new smell of a¡­ Durian?''


    The new scent alone made Sylvester interested in investigating the man first.


    "I am Duchess Melina Iceling. Thank you for epting the call for help, Lord Sixth." The Duchess came forward to greet the man.


    But Winter Ghost didn''t react much to her words and only looked at Sylvester. "I wasss told you are the battlemander? Where isss the army?"


    "On their way, Lord Winter. The snow covers the roads, so they are required to shovel the roads clean before moving. Right now, it''s thest month of the year, so by the middle of the first month of next year, we shall have at least a hundred thousand soldiers here. If the gods grace us, then perhaps fifty thousand more. So we have until then to n our actions." Sylvester didn''t reveal too much, such as information about Emperor Lich.


    Since they were among the soldiers of the Duchy, he revealed the number of soldiersing to fight to boost their morale. After all, what good was a soldier who had no will to fight?


    "That isss good," Winter Ghost replied and went silent again.


    Since the man was so hard to talk to, Sylvester decided to retreat into the castle and prepare to leave for Grand Fort Borzol.


    As they turned around, he walked beside Sir Dolorem and started tapping on the blind Inquisitor''s shoulder. They were uneven taps, but not without meaning. Sometimes short taps and sometimes long ones.


    Sir Dolorem didn''t speak and merely nodded the entire time. In the end, he affirmed. "Understood, Lord Bard. My senses shall remain sharp."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sylvester warned his most loyal subordinate about his doubts about the Sixth Guardian. Sylvester reckoned it was better to share his suspicions with a man as faithful as Sir Dolorem.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    However, just as the gates of the town were closing again, the earth started to shake a little. The soldiers hurriedly closed the gates and took their positions on the wall again with their weapons aimed out.


    The sound of the thuds only increased and soon cleared up enough to make out that this was the sound of a marching army. They knew that Barbarians didn''t use any military formation, but they still stayed alert.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    ?From thend of sand, wee. We have the blood of warriors.


    Wherever we go, home it bes. We lust for the blood of foreigners.


    Our battles are glorious. Our swords and shields are strong.


    We''re always victorious, for we nevermit any wrong!?


    The marching song resounded, and it became clear where the men hade from. Thend of sand was another name for Sandwall County, as it was extraordinarily sandy and bordered the Masan Empire and crude entrance to the Divine Desert.


    Eventually, the army arrived outside the town walls and stopped in a neat and clean formation. The man in fine golden armour and a red feathered cloak at the front came forward on the horse and saluted.


    "I am Sir Regulus Sandwall, the eldest son of Count Sandwall. I havee to aid in securing my younger brother''s release. Please allow me and my disciplined soldiers to take refuge." shouted the tall, ck-haired, ck-eyed and bearded man with much etiquette.


    But Sylvester frowned at the scene. ''At most, there''s just a thousand men in his army. And they think of getting Felix released with this?''


    Duchess Melina ordered to open the gates quickly as she knew Regulus very well. The Sandwall family was a famous and well-respected family, after all. Furthermore, they were the protectors of the west and the famed strongest noble house in Gracia when it came to individual strength of soldiers.


    "Sir Regulus, please follow us to my castle. There is much to discuss as many new revtions havee about. Sixth Guardian arrived here mere minutes before you." She stoically led the way to the ck-bricked castle.


    Sylvester had nned to leave to meet the barbarians, but he postponed for a few hours as he needed to clear something with the new arrivals. They were likely still under the illusion that they were in charge, especially Felix''s brother.


    As they arrived at the Duchess'' office, they sat around arge table to discuss the matter. First of all, the major bombs were dropped. The news about Emperor Lich was shared, instantly rattling Sir Regulus.


    Sylvester''s eyes were fixated on Sixth Guardian, however. "Lord Winter Ghost, you''ve lived in the mountains for so long. Did you not notice the arrival of the undead?"


    "I do not venture into thends of Barbariansss, as it usually leads to senselessss bloodshed~"


    ''Smells like lies, but it''s not as strong. Which part is true and which is false?''


    "What about my brother?" Sir Regulus asked. "He''s been under captivity for so long. Is he even alive?"


    "Yes, he is. I infiltrated the enemy fort once and checked him. They have kept him secure, but I was able to hand him a lot of food and other resources to survive inside the deep pit prisons. In fact, I was nning on going there and getting him released." Sylvester knew what wasing next.


    So before Sir Regulus could speak, he added. "Sir Regulus, Felix is like a brother to me. While your army of a thousand can do nothing to the army of tens of thousands that belong to the Borzol faction. I''m grateful you came, but now this situation has evolved into a much grander mess. So please be patient and let me take the helm, asmanded by the Pope and agreed by the Duchess."


    Sir Regulus looked down at his own hands. "How big is the enemy army?"


    "Barbarians will likely number in the tens of thousands. As for the undead, they can be millions. The real danger is from Emperor Lich, as it could very well be of Supreme Wizard Rank."


    Sir Regulus sipped in some cold air as his face contorted into an ugly mess. He looked around and questioned genuinely. "How are we going to fight something like this?"


    "I have everything nned, Sir. Lady Aurora and Sir Dolorem will exinter. By the way, why did you only bring a thousand men, Sir?"


    Sir Regulus shamefully looked away, the guilt being evident in his eyes. He scoffed and sneered as he took the name of his own father. "Our father is¡­ He''s not the best man. He considers Felix a disappointment because he got caught by the barbarians. Father believes that if Felix can''t even survive this, he isn''t worth supporting at all. I had to fight him, and this is the number I could gather."


    Sylvester genuinely felt sorry for Felix. The boy lost his mum at a young age and had a father like Count Sandwall. It was amazing that Felix even grew to be so goofy and kind in ways.


    ''What a mad, obsessed man with power and prestige. Felix is already better than most other knights and is bound to be a tinum Knight. What''s there not to be proud of?''


    Sylvester felt conflicted by the family.


    _______________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 348 348. Chonkys Worry & Sylvesters Game

    "Be prepared for arge number of soldiers. Start setting up locations and level the ground outside your town walls. Stock up on grains, advise the townspeople to behave and take advantage of this opportunity. The soldiers who shall being will be from the south. They will have money to spend, so it''s a good time for the townspeople." Sylvester advised the Duchess of Iceling as he stood by the small river port.


    "I will, Lord Bard. But, you be careful, please. This entire n is standing on your shoulder. If something happens to you, we all will fall."


    Sylvester agreed and moved into the small boat with a strange design. The boat had a roof since it would pass through a location called Thunder Pass. It was the part of the river valley where clouds always remained. Furthermore, the clouds strike thunder every second as if rain.


    The boat''s roof was made of ss, and above the ss was a thin sheet of metal. The sheets were also connected with thin rods that fell into the water on the side. It was supposed to protect the boat''s rider from lightning.


    "Keep thisss¡­ Call Ashra when in need of escape~" Winter Ghost handed Sylvester a wooden whistle.


    Sylvester took it and bid his farewell. "I will return soon. Pray for me."


    Aurora gave his boat a push. "I will give Felix a good beating when you''re back."


    Woosh!


    Sylvester moved the boat with the oars and headed upstream. Alone, in the cold, he wore an attire he usually never did. Donning fine clothes made of silk, multipleyers of fur, and a feather hat, he looked like a refined nobleman.


    With some other tricks and makeup, he had also changed his hair to brown and his eyes ck. He also put on a fake stubble beard to make himself look older, and for now, his name was Wilson Woods, the assistant of Duchess Melina Iceling.


    "Maxy, what''s the n?" Miraj asked while being tucked into Sylvester''s coat near the chest.


    "To make them fight each other and also get Felix back. I don''t know how this will go, so we''ll have to develop this on the go. The Borzol brothers are said to be very entric, and such people are very hard to deal with." Sylvester continued to row the boat to the River Pass. From there, tall mountains and cliffs appeared on both sides, telling them they were entering the barbarian territory.


    "What if they are too dumb and still fight?" Miraj inquired. "I don''t want you to die, Maxy."


    "Hah, I won''t die so easily. Though, someone is following us who might kill me before we even reach the destination."


    Sylvester looked at the mountain on his right and noticed a tall ck figure in cloaks. It seemed like a shadow, and that was precisely what it was. The Shadow Knight had not left Sylvester''s side the whole time since the encounter near Fort Storst days ago.


    Miraj noticed the figure and shouted angrily. "Leave my son alone, you filthy ck cloth! I will devour you!"


    ''Ah, I had forgotten Chonky thinks he adopted me.''


    He chuckled and patted Miraj''s head. "Calm down, my little lion. I''m sure there is a reason why it''s only following us. Because if it wanted, I''d be dead by now."


    Boom!


    Just then, thunder fell as they entered the region where the sky was covered with clouds, and the river was covered with dense mist. It was tough to see where they were going, and Sylvester relied on the river''s flow to steer.


    "Maxy, I thought of something." Miraj voiced again while turning around to hug Sylvester''s neck.


    "What?"


    "Umm¡­ I''m very, very old. I don''t grow old, either. So, will I be alone again after you''re old and die like Grandpa Monk?"


    Sylvester was a strong man, but his heart did feel the pain of Miraj. The cat had lived for centuries in istion while waiting for his caretaker to return. He sat in the same ce, ignored, alone, and sad. The fear was understandable and genuine.


    "I don''t know when I will die, Chonky. Considering I''m half elf, and I''m going to be a Supreme Wizard, living for at least half a millennia should not be too hard. Even then, I will ensure you have many good friends whenever I die. I don''t n on keeping you a secret forever, Chonky. One day, I will ensure the world prays to you for being my little guardian angel. Furthermore, both of us should worry about Mum. If we can''t find some sort of elixir, she will die in a few decades."


    Sylvester''s words made Miraj even sadder as he loved Xavia a lot. Over time, he had seen her kind nature in silence and came to respect her.


    "We must save our big mum!" Miraj resolutely imed.


    "Of course, but let''s focus on saving our dear horny friend for now."


    The mist started to fade away slowly, and thendscape became clear. Right at the front, Sylvester could see some huge shadows. The river was turning to the right, towards theke of origin. But, before the turn, there was the Grand Fort Borzol, the fortress overlooking the river.


    "Alright, nowe and arrest me." He muttered and slowed down, knowing he was most likely under the enemy''s gaze.


    In no time, he started to get the scents of anger and hate. It was clear that someone wasing closer to him, so he stopped moving entirely once the mist cleared offpletely.


    Bam!


    An arrow came flying and dug a hole into his boat''s roof.


    Bam!


    Multiple arrows fell and made holes. It angered Sylvester as this was his ticket home as well, but he stayed calm and kept his arms held up while standing in the clear for all to see.


    He waved a white cloth towards the oing distant boats. There were at least four of them, each with five barbarians. These barbarians actually looked barbarians as they were hairy, wearing animal hides and other such animal-rted ornaments. Their heads were also covered with skull headdresses of animals.


    "P-Peace! I-I am here on behalf of Duchess Melina Iceling! I''m here to speak with your Chiefs!" Sylvester kept the persona of a scared statesman.


    Bam!


    The arrows continued to fall on his boat and soon ruined the entire rooftop of it. They were trying to ensure Sylvester did not turn around and run away.<novelnext></novelnext>


    A few minutester, the boats surrounded him and spears were pointed at his head. Then one man at the head of a boat addressed him angrily. "Name?"


    "W-Wilson Woods, the assistant of Duchess Melina Iceling. Here to give the letter of surrender to your chief. I am here toplete the handover." Sylvester threw the bait. At least for a low-level Barbarian, hearing that the Duchy surrendered was bound to bring excitement.


    As expected, the man appeared cheerful and roared as his fellow. "Bukaka Ugori mi sans exyhk!"


    "Wraaaa!"


    The men started cheering and dancing on their boats. Though they didn''t move away, they instead tied Sylvester''s boat with theirs and pulled it towards the port of the Fort.


    As they docked, many Barbarian soldiers came with their spears and surrounded Sylvester from all sides. Then, he was paraded through the city-like Fort.


    Sylvester looked all around at the condition of the people. Themon difference from Fort Storst was that the people here didn''t dress in anything other than animal hide. They also looked dirty, with frozen hair. There were no shops, and women were nowhere to be seen. The children even appeared malnourished, while only the Soldiers looked strong.


    ''The state of this Fort appears worse than Fort Storst. But they have the entire river to fish, so how are they worse off?''


    Sylvester tried to micro-analyze everything he could. The houses were also smaller, as none went above a single storey. There were no brick houses, and all were made of wood and thatched roofs. Even the snow was not shovelled, and mud was all around.


    Only therge Fort in the middle was worth looking at, as it mimicked the style and structure of the Grand Fort Storst. However, when Sylvester was pushed inside the Fort, he realised something.


    The interior of the fortresses was much different from Fort Storst. Here, it looked luxurious. There were torches, portraits on the wall, and gold showpieces. The ground had carpet as well, not to mention many chandeliers.


    ''It appears the Borzol brothers are the mightiest leeches in the area. So people suffer from hunger, and the two rulers fill their pockets.''


    "Envoy, enter the hall and kneel before the two Kings of Borzol!" A soldier ordered Sylvester.


    Woosh!


    Big, twin doors were opened, and a hall appeared in view. Sylvester silently walked in and saw it was like a throne room. Large, decorated with wall engravings, curtains, heads of animals and much more.


    At the hall''s end were five stairs leading to the tform on which the two Kings took their thrones. There were also many people in the hall, all wearing the fine clothing of barbarians. From what he saw, this was like any other noble lord or the King''s court.


    Sylvester, as per the protocol, walked to the bottom and kneeled. "T-This envoy of the Duchess gives the best regard."


    The two Borzol brothers wore matching outfits. On their heads were lion headdresses, and on their torsos were white-furred clothes with a red furry cape on the shoulders. The man on the left throne looked younger with his shorter beard and better face, while the right one seemed older with his long beard and a more explosive aura. Both of them were white and had blue eyes. They were at least six foot eight inches tall and appeared muscr.


    Sylvester took out the folded, sealed parchment and extended it towards the two men on the throne, who stared at him withplete hatred and rage.


    "Hmm." The man on the right throne ordered.


    Soon, the two kings read the whole document and showed a small smile. However, they were never going to trust Sylvester blindly.


    "I am King Frn. Why did the Duchy decide to surrender so suddenly?" The Diamond Knight barbarian asked.


    "Indeed. Why now? Why risk your life toe here?" The tinum Knight barbarian added to the question.


    Sylvester faked his flustered and sweating expression to appear like a truly weak statesman. "Y-Your highnesses, the Duchess is aware of your army and her army''s disparity. She has no wish to see her people die and wishes to surrender her Duchy and go live in peace elsewhere."


    Zelfim, the tinum wizard, scoffed. "You think your tricks will work? What scheme are you nning? Your Solis preaching king will never ept us without bloodshed."


    Sylvester bowed his head and took out another folded letter,plete with king Gracia''s seal. "But he already has given the permission."


    As the Borzol brothers read the new letter, Sylvester continued in a fearful voice. "I-I came to get the letter of secession signed t-to make your im legal. S-so, which one of you will be taking the Duchy of Iceling, your highnesses?"


    The two brothers looked at each other''s faces. Then Zelfim angrily barked. "What do you mean? I shall take this Duchy, and my brother shall take the Duchy of Normani."


    Sylvester started sweating profusely and wiped his forehead. "I¡­ I¡­ Y-Your Highnesses¡­ I don''t¡­"


    "Speak quickly, or my de shall kiss your neck!" Frn Borzol roared, jumping from his throne.


    Sylvesterpletely kowtowed while hiding his wicked smile underneath. "B-But, your highnesses! Storst faction has already invaded the Duchy of Normani andid their im to it!"


    Boom!


    Both brothers clenched their weapons in rage and jumped to their feet.


    _______________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 349 349. A Price Sylvester Must Pay

    Sylvester didn''t dare to look up, as he could smell the emotions, and that was enough to check everything. They were enraged and particrly smelled of death. Sylvester knew the brute-looking men could easily kill him if they wanted to, but he was more valuable alive now.


    Bam!


    "Argh!" Sylvester was suddenly kicked in the ribs out of nowhere, instantly fracturing two of them.


    "You think we are buffoons? We live in the mountains, so we won''t see through your schemes? There is no way the King would agree. He has the church sitting above his head, and we are heathens in the eyes of you sunfuckers. Chief Koruk and I had an agreement beforehand. He gets to live in the Duchy of Normani, and my younger brother bes its King. Why would he break the oath when he knows I can kill him instantly--Just like this!"


    "Argh!" Sylvester cried in genuine pain and unloaded a thousand curses in his head in English and Russian.


    Zelfim stepped on Sylvester''s ribs, which had just been broken. He looked down at Sylvester''s creased face with much delight, as apparent by a smile. "We shall attack the Duchy as nned and kill every single one of you sunfuckers!"


    Sylvester gritted and replied. "Then you''d be ying in the hands of the church. This is an official... argh!... peace offer that you are rejecting. Once you take the Duchy, the Holy Inquisition will be automatically triggered. There are nearly a million soldiers in the Inquisitor Army and two million in the Holy Army, not counting the other millions of staff members who know how to cast magic or battle. Y-Your highnesses, I do not lie... Ugh..."


    A vein popped on Zelfin''s forehead, and he pressed Sylvester harder.


    Crack!


    More ribs broke apart, cracking into small pieces. But Sylvester tolerated and gritted his teeth, letting his saliva fall out and turn him into an ugly mess.


    "I feel you are not telling me the real story. Perhaps, I should give you our famous Barbarian hospitality treatment. Frn! Chop all his limbs... Including the fifth one." Zelfim ordered his younger brother.


    Sylvester quickly tried to stand up, albeit faltering. "I... I came here as an envoy for peace, your hi... highnesses. There is a profound reason behind the sudden movement of the Storst faction and the Duchy! I reckon you know about the undead in the North?"


    "What of it?"


    Sylvester coughed up blood profusely and took long breaths. "We found out who the mastermind is. It''s an Emperor Lich, your highnesses! Rumoured to be a Supreme Wizard. The Duchy stands no chance against it, nor does the Storst faction. Everyone wishes to go as far away from the North as possible. So that when the Holy Land sends their millions of troops, no innocent shall die!"


    Cough!


    Saying hisst few words, he fell into a puddle of his own bloody mess.


    The two barbarian brothers looked at each other''s faces, knowing very well what Emperor Lich meant. Were they confident enough to fight an undying Supreme Wizard, likely a few centuries-old, if not a millennia-old Lich?


    Sylvester still yelled a few words. "I-It can not be beaten! If we battle, the more of us will die, and the more undead the Lich will acquire."


    "Guards!" Zelfim roared. "Throw this pathetic weakling into a pit. Don''t take his clothes. We need him alive while we crosscheck everything he said. Frn,e with me to the North. We shall ensure the state of the undead. Captain Maddok, you head to the Duke''s castle and confirm everything directly with the Duchess."


    Then, the tall, six-foot-eight wild barbarian looked at Sylvester near his feet. "Let''s see how blessed you are by your so-called Solis! If anything proves to be a lie, you die."


    Sylvester nodded his head only and let himself be dragged away by the soldiers. He smelled many emotionsing from the two brothers. Doubt, fear and, above all, anxiety. This was enough to reveal that they did believe in his words.


    ''As long as the Duchess does as I''ve advised, this shouldn''t be a problem. That foolish Prima won''t be able to exert any pressure either, as Aurora is now the Duchess'' guardian. But, if these two fools went to see Chief Koruk, then... Fuck! I didn''t instruct him about this... I hope they attack sight.''


    Sylvester was soon brought out of the fort and dragged to the back nd where the snow had ravaged the grass. There were many closed pits in the ground, all with metal doors at the surface.


    Sylvester looked towards the one where Felix was kept and wondered how he was. But he didn''t cause anymotions as he''d have plenty of timeter on.


    "Hjms dumba saka puta lod!"


    Sylvester understood their curses but didn''t react and let himself be thrown inside an open pit. After that, the soldiers closed it and left.


    Thud!


    He touched the ground. It was wet, almost as if it was all mud. It was utterly dark, and the only light was the small window in the gate ten metres above. The sun was also setting, and soon it would get pitch dark.


    ''They should be gone by now.'' He thought and made a tiny source of light on the tip of his index finger.


    He looked around. The hole was merely a metre wide, not even enough to spread his arms wide or lie down. Moreover, the ground was muddy and filthy. But his gaze soon fell on a dposing body half turned into a skeleton.


    He checked it closely since the clothes were still on it. He looked and reckoned it was an old man, tall and strong like a warrior. The man appeared rich from the clothes, as silk was present with golden embroidery.


    ''Wait a second!''


    He quickly looked at the button on the tunic underneath the robes.


    ''Ah... So this is what happened to him. I finally found Duke Iceling''s body. I should take it along. The Duchess will be more faithful with this.


    Sylvester kept himself silent during that time. He didn''t even dare to speak with Chonky as he knew that the whole inner part of the pit was filled with various magical runes. He didn''t know if one of them was some sort of a spy rune. So it was better to be quiet.


    There was nothing to do for him the entire time. Thanks to Chonky, he had food, and with magic, he solidified the ground to make it livable. He just sat and slept while consuming healing potions and eating Srium crystals. His ribs were broken, and he had to get them automatically healed before anything significant happened.


    So just like that, he spent three days inside the cold and harsh pit. At night, the temperature went dozens of degrees below zero, and even during the day, it didn''t change much.


    He had no regrets until now, though. Getting beaten was a part of the n, so hisst revtion seemed more realistic. After all, easily attainable intel is usually fake, something he had learned the hard way as a spy.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Thankfully, when the morning light shrouded the sky on the fourth day, the guards returned to his pit and opened the gates.


    They said no words and threw a ropedder down. He climbed up and was again escorted to the throne room.


    ''The moment of truth is here. Solis, bless me!''


    Sylvester kept his senses sharp and tried to smell the emotions when he entered the throne room. The two Borzol brothers were sitting in their seats as usual, but there was no proud or rageful expression on their faces anymore.


    ''Yes! The fear has intensified by many degrees. This is good. But I sense a lot of hope too, so did they verify the Duchess too?''


    "Kneel! You little insec--"


    As Frn tried to shout at Sylvester, Zelfim raised his hand and spoke calmly. "We have confirmed everything, envoy. As you said, the Undead Lich, the Duchy, the Storst--All of it was true. Here, I have ced my royal seal on the letter you brought."


    "B-But! What about me, brother?" Frnined. "Are we going to let that Koruk keep the whole Duchy of Normani? You promised me! You said you wo--"


    "Enough!" Zelfim angrily erupted. "Sacrifices have to be made, Frn. Don''t forget what we saw in the North. We may dislike Koruk, but he''s keeping his people safe--Our people safe. We can always kill Koruk, but we must only strive to absorb all the tribes of the Storst faction into our faction."


    Sylvester''s heart bloomed and released all the gloom. He saw the cracks appear between the two. As told by many, the two brothers were entric, prideful and greedy. There was no way the little brother would just ept the status quo after being shown the juicy candy.


    Acting timidly, Sylvester bowed his head and took the letter back. "I-I thank your royal highnesses. I shall return and give the news to the Duchess."


    "Wait!" Zelfim stopped him and asked in a somewhat nervous tone. "When will the Holy Land send an army to deal with the undead?"


    ''And that''s a hook! Hell yes! He''s scared!''


    Cough!


    Sylvester made the ugliest face possible. His brows furrowed, eyes narrow, and face contorted. He rubbed his fake bearded chin and mumbled to himself. "I believe that the holy army should be on the way already. But it will likely enter the North through shipping routes or the North Road. As for the Duchy, it shall be emptied after I return, perhaps in three days. But the faraway towns will take at least a month."


    ''Fear! Anxiety! Death, rage, hope and doubt! Hah, is his mind broken?''


    Sylvester knew what was going on in the other man''s head. The barbarian King was confused and unsure if his actions were right. But he felt there was no other choice since Emperor Lich woulde after them at any cost.


    "Then... We shall move our entire poption and storage to the Duke''s Keep and the surrounding town. We won''t be kind if we find any of you Solis preachers there." Zelfim warned him, regaining his rageful look and deadly aura.


    Sylvester bowed his head.


    "Still standing here? Move, pest! Run back to your Duchess!" Frn roared whileughing madly. The man seemed crazier than his elder brother.


    Sylvester had a reason, however. "Your highnesses, I''m afraid you forget something. If you truly want the church not to harm you, you need to return what''s precious to them."


    Zelfim seemed confused, and his eyes turned red in anger. "What in the Mother Dimos'' name are you bberi... Ah! That preacher we caught? Felix was his name?"


    Sylvester nodded, kneeling. As disgusted as he felt, he knew he had to keep the persona of a weakling going on. He had nothing to worry about either, for he knew his day woulde soon.


    "Yes, your highness. Felix is an important clergyman, close to the Pope and many Guardians of Light... Please show mercy."


    "Fine!" Zelfim instantly replied and sat cross-legged, proudly looking down at him with a big smirk.


    "Brother! No! He''s our col--"


    Zelfim shut his brother again with a hand. "I will free him, envoy, but I must see your sincerity first. You wish to take my goods, so you must pay the price."


    ''Ugh! I don''t like the feeling of this.''


    Sylvester rubbed his palms to show nervousness. "Of course, we can provide as much gold as you desire."


    "Hehe! Gold is useless. What I need is more symbolic. But I am benevolent, so I am letting you choose." Zelfim grinned.


    This time Sylvester genuinely sweated. "W-What may it be?"


    "Envoy, give me one of your fingers as a tribute!"


    _______________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 350 350. Sylvester & Felix

    Sylvester remained silent for a few seconds, trying to think of a way out of the situation. What else could he offer?


    "I will count till ten. If you still don''t give me what I asked for, you must return alone." Zelfim started counting loud, keeping a mocking grin on his face.


    ''They''re too entric to argue.'' Sylvester felt the rush to do something.


    "Three!"


    ''There''s no way I can fight my way out of here and keep Felix with me. I don''t even know what his current condition is. If he''s too weak, I''ll have to carry him.''


    "Seven!"


    Sylvester looked up. "I will do it, your highness."


    nk!


    Zelfim threw a small sharp dagger at Sylvester. "Eight!"


    Sylvester hurried as the madman didn''t stop counting even then. He put his left hand on the ground, spreading his palm. He held the dagger with his right hand and positioned it correctly.


    "May the lord grant me strength!" Sylvester continued to act the way any weak-minded statesman would.


    sh!


    Crunch!


    "Gah!" Sylvester exaggerated the pain and grunted aloud. "Argh!"


    The index finger of his left hand nowy on the ground, severed. The wound on his hand bled continuously. Sylvester kept a frowning face and let the blood tarnish the fine carpet below.


    "Bring that finger to me, envoy," Zelfim ordered sternly.


    Sylvester did as asked and picked up his severed finger. Then, he slowly walked, acting as if he''d faint at any moment, and handed the finger to the man.


    "Ah¡­ Quite warm," Zelfim muttered and showed it to his younger brother. "Want to eat?"


    "Hah! Why would I taste the blood of a damn sunfucker? Throw it in the fire," Frn scoffed and rejected the offer.


    So Zelfim threw the finger into a fire pot near his throne. "The tribute has been paid. The deal has been brokered. You may collect the preacher and leave instantly. Any dy, and I might ask for another tribute."


    Sylvester kept the wound covered with a small cloth from his noble attire and bowed his head while retreating slowly, hoping the two men, already dead in his eyes, wouldn''t say anything more.


    He could smell the doubt in Zelfim''s mind. The man was cautious and not entirely on board with the situation. But, Zelfim did believe what he had seen with his eyes, which was Emperor Lich''s castle in the north. So, it didn''t matter to him if the Duchy surrendered or not. He was going to take it anyway. Right now, he justtched on to a small string of hope.


    To Sylvester''s peace of mind, no more strange demands came, and he arrived at the port of the fort city. He repaired his boat while the soldiers went to bring Felix to him.


    ''They have messed up the ss structure of the boat. It will be troublesome to go through the Thunder pass now.''


    He did his best to ensure the boat wouldn''t sink before reaching halfway. But, sadly, he could not use any magic as that would alert the soldiers and, perhaps, the two rulers.


    "Take him! We do not wish to see you here for another minute."


    Sylvester quickly turned around and found Felix in loose grey robes. He looked confused as well but dared not speak about something that could lead to trouble. Nevertheless, he appeared healthy, his eyes energised, and his body unharmed. It was a great relief, one that Sylvester felt was well worth losing a finger.


    "Ah, yes¡­ Thank you, respected men." Sylvester acted timidly and grabbed Felix by the shoulder, shoved him onto the boat, and then pushed the boat into the river from the shore. He rowed the boat like there was no tomorrow, wanting to get out of the fort''s sight quickly.


    Eventually, he lost the scent of all the rage and hatred from the fort. There were no enemy boats nearby either. So he rxed a little and let the gentle river current sway the boat.


    "Who are you?" Felix finally voiced while sitting on the front edge of the boat.


    Sylvester smirked and proudly folded his arms. "You hurt me, boy. How could you forget I, your father!"


    "..."


    "Max? What the¡­ Is that really you?"


    Sylvester chuckled and changed back the colour of his eyes only. "Who else would endanger his own life to save your unholy arse?"


    "..."


    "Max!"


    Felix jumped, intensely swivelling the boat, and hugged Sylvester. Felix''s heart raced as if it''d jump out of his body. His eyes turned somewhat watery, as he had given up hope long ago, believing there was no way anyone could fight the Barbarians and save him. Not even the church would take such a risk without months of nning¡ªMonths that he didn''t have.


    "You mad man! How did you do it? Aren''t the two kings Diamond and tinum Knights?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sylvester patted Felix''s back and made him sit under the boat''s roof. "I met them as an envoy of the Duchess. A lot has happened, Felix, some good and some extremely bad. But, thankfully, I was able to convince those two mad heretics."


    "Hey! What happened to your finger?" Felix noticed the missing space on Sylvester''s left hand.


    Sylvester decided not to lie as he didn''t have any foolish illusion of silent righteousness. So he truthfully answered Felix, and all he wished for in return was eternal loyalty.


    "The cost of your freedom, my friend. That mad Zelfim asked for it, and I gave it."


    The sound of the river overtook the silence. Felix didn''t say anything and kept looking at their missing finger of Sylvester. His heart felt wrenched, and his mouth went so dry he felt it could never be quenched.


    "I¡­"


    Sylvester smelled an extreme mix of sadness and self-hate. It was pure guilt. So he patted Felix''s shoulder and got back to fixing the boat. "It''s alright. I''d have done the same if it was Gab, Sir Dolorem or anyone I consider close enough. Furthermore, losing an index finger is nothing, as our brains are good enough to quickly substitute our middle finger for it."


    Sylvester knew it from experience. He had cut many fingers, even his own, in his past life. Most inexperienced folks think the best finger to cut is the little finger. But in reality, it''s particrly important for a firm grip. So the best finger to cut was the index finger, as it sits at the top and functions the same as the middle and ring fingers.


    Felix abruptly turned around and sat down cross-legged. His shoulders shivered from time to time. Of course, the eyes had finally gone out of control¡ªThe tears came out from his soul. He stayed seated the whole time. God knows what he was thinking.


    Soon, the dense mist surrounded everything, and the thunder started falling. Sylvester used solidified light magic to create an invisible shining shelter around himself and Felix, saving themselves from the raging rain of thunder.


    Sylvester also kept his focus on the boat, ensuring they didn''t end up swimming. But thankfully, his light magic was strong enough to stay stable.


    After that, it was calm and soft downstream, and a certain Shadow Knight kept a watch from a distance. Sylvester always knew when the man was near. He could feel the sudden increase in the coldness.


    ''What does it even want from me? It''s been weeks now. Does it wish to talk with me?''


    He had no idea, nor could he spare time to think. The next phase of his grand n was about to start soon, and he had to rush before the Borzol faction started moving out.


    "Sylvester, did my father send soldiers to save me?" Felix suddenly asked.


    "No, but your brother came with a thousand men. And even that number was only after fighting your father. That old count had forsaken you. If not for your brother..."


    Sylvester could smell the myriad of emotionsing from Felix. He just decided to answer everything truthfully, as Felix deserved that if he expected thetter to give his undying loyalty.


    "Hah!" Felix chuckled. "So you did more for me than even my father. What a fucked up family I have; mum dead, father alive but dead, and a brother trying hard to fill that dead father''s shoes."


    "Who doesn''t have a fucked up family at this point, Felix? If you have a normal family, then it''s strange. Sir Dolorem''s child and wife died, and Gabriel''s mum & dad are dead. Bishop Lazark is an orphan, Crusaders massacred Elyon''s whole family, Lady Aurora was a ve, and let''s not even talk about Isabe''s messed up royal family," Sylvester replied in a ridiculing manner.


    Felix had to agree. Nearly every single person in the Holy Land had a messed up history. He was just another victim of the messed up fate.


    "You know, Sylvester. I had given up back there. I was ready to meet my maker and see my mother again." Felix spoke softly while looking at the sky above. "I knew it was impossible for someone toe and save me, and I could very well not fight them. Then, you appeared¡­ I''ve questioned this for so long in silence, but you¡­ Your intelligence, your ns and strategies¡­ It''s impossible for a seventeen-year-old. What are you, man?"


    Sylvester sighed and sat beside Felix, crossed-legged and looking at the sky. "I am what you be after having to fight to survive from the moment you are born. God merely blessed me with a more-than-average brain, and now I''m merely utilising it. The man you are today is because of all the experiences you faced, good or bad. Likewise, my sadness is locked deep within my heart, for no one to ever know¡ªfor none to ever see."


    Felix scoffed. "What? I know everything about you. Since you lived in the Holy Land since you were young, your life is like a book at this point."


    Sylvester shook his head, letting out some of his genuine frustrations. "You''re wrong, Felix. You don''t know me, none do, and none ever will. My demons are my own to devour since we have enough to hunt outside. Did you know; Augustusmitted suicide back on that mission? Right beside me, he stabbed his heart."


    Felix jumped to his feet, shocked and unable to digest. "W-What?! Why? How¡­ What the fuck!"


    "Just like how an attempt on life was made on my mum, Augustus'' family faced it too. The only difference is that they were able to kill Augustus'' entire family. But Augustus found out who killed them, which ultimately broke him. He no longer had any reason left to live, Felix. "


    Felix clenched his fist, as losing loved ones was a pain he understood very well. Not to mention, Augustus was one of the kindest people during their school days, who never misbehaved. He was a friend.


    "Who was it?"


    Sylvester didn''t answer him. "Trust me. You don''t want to know. It will break your mind, shatter your heart and ruin your will to fight."


    "Argh! Just say it, Max! Don''t keep me blinded any longer!" Felix turned rageful, and veins popped on his forehead. He grabbed Sylvester''s cor and shook him.


    Sylvester red Felix in the eyes, finally deciding to pull Felix to his camp for good. "It''s the same people who created the circumstances in which the Shadow Knight attacked me. It''s the same people due to whom I received a srium-blockage life-threatening injury."


    Felix''s eyes narrowed at the revtion as he roared. "Just say it! Who was it?"


    "Saint Seer, the Pope and the entire Sanctum Council!"


    _______________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 351 351. General Sylvester

    Felix stopped reacting to everything and let go of Sylvester''s cor.


    "What? Are you drunk? Do you have a fever?"


    Sylvester''s expression didn''t change, however. Instead, he continued to look at Felix with creased brows. Today he had decided not to leave any stones unturned to ensure Felix was on his side.


    "You think an all-almighty organisation like the Church of Solis won''t have its own dark secrets? We''re merely thepromise that this world has to deal with. People ept us because they know that without us, all the nobles we''ve punished until now would be roaming free, doing whatever they want. Murdering, raping, piging, and all sorts of sins.


    "We are the check and bnce to the power of nobles. That does not mean we are pure as virgins. The faith sometimes does things it feels will benefit the church. This time, they were wrong, and Saint Seer went rogue. The Holy Father has apologised to me, but the damage was already done. We''re tools, Felix--Expensive tools, but tools nheless."


    "Then... Fuck! How much of our lives were natural, and how much of it was manipted?" Felix asked frustratingly. One of the many questions one asks when one realises they are not a chess yer but a pawn.


    Sylvester shrugged. "Who knows? Actually, we were forced into the Sanctum Inspector job, so in a way, we have been manipted from the start."


    There was silence after that as Felix tried to remember his entire life and wondered what was true and what was false. All the suffering they went through, was it real or manufactured? All the joys they faced, what about that?


    Thud!


    Felix sat down again and held his head. "Fuck! This gave me a headache."


    "I told you, Felix. This burden isn''t easy to carry. Knowing the people you work for can backstab you at any moment. It can break your mind. But again, life is a mystery. One moment, everything''s great, and another moment all your happiness bes history."


    Felix breathed heavily and looked left and right.


    Then he shouted at the top of his lungs. "Aaaaaaa! Why are we so cursed?! Why couldn''t we just be normal?"


    Sylvester chuckled and rowed the boat to go faster. "Trust me. I''ve asked that question many times. Even Augustusined in hisst moments. It''s a breath of fresh air to even think, ''what if I wasn''t here?'' Perhaps, I''d have been adopted by King Hignd."


    Felix''s shoulders fell. "Argh, if I wasn''t special, I think my father would have killed me while I was a baby. So I guess I''m living the bloody dream right now. But!"


    Bam!


    Felix suddenly punched Sylvester right in the face. "Damn you! Why didn''t you tell me all this before? You call me a brother and act like my illicit lover."


    "..."


    "That''s not a very good analogy," Sylvester muttered while rowing. "But I keep secrets to protect you because sometimes just knowing some things can attract certain unwanted attention."


    Felix scoffed, took one oar from Sylvester, and rowed the boat with him. "It''s useless. Believe it or not, we''re stuck together. I may one day get married and have a family, but I will forever be a Holy Knight, as I have no interest in returning home and bing a Count or something."


    Sylvester smelled some sadness and reckoned Felix felt chained by the oath. "Don''t worry, if and when I be the Pope, I will change the rules. You can do whatever you want after that."


    "What about you? I know you will be the Pope one day, but what about your contentment?"


    Sylvester chuckled as he dismissed Felix''s words. "You think as a Pope I can ever live a happy life? Perhaps, I can have some peace, but I''m sure plenty of people will try to dethrone me."


    "Then I''m not leaving your side, ever!" Felix proimed proudly. "I will be the Sword of Solis and help you while you sit on the holy throne. But... I also realised something grave recently, Max."


    "What?"


    Felix took a long breath and tiredly looked up at the clear sky, his face full of seriousness. "As I came close to death this time, I realised that... I need to find a hot, busty, tall blonde wife because I don''t want to die a virgin."


    "..."


    Sylvester rubbed his face while groaning. "I should''ve left you..."


    ...


    The journey back to the Duke''s keep was full of talks. Sylvester and Felix gotfortable telling each other about themselves. Sylvester shared some of the church''s secrets, and Felix revealed his life story and why he hates his father to the extreme.


    For the duration of the whole day, they found their brotherly bond grow. Sylvester was careful, though. He was no man to be swept away in the heat of feelings. So his mouth was always sealed tight and never leaked any unwanted information.


    By the end of the day, they arrived at the small port of the Iceing Duchy''s castle. The watchtowers had already seen them, so a few notable people hade to greet them.


    "Felix!"


    Gabriel was the first to jump forward and hug Felix, as his regret was too immense. "Forgive me, Felix. Because of me, you were caught and suffered."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Felix smiled and hugged him back. "I have no regrets, Gab. If I had not done that, you''d have died immediately. Now, we all get to live. If anything, thank Sylvester foring for me and saving me."


    Sylvester didn''t waste a moment and spoke with the Duchess as the real mess was yet to be untangled. "They took the bait, and now it''s up to us how we utilise it. Start the evacuation process. Have the other armies arrived? Any word from the Holy Land?"


    Aurora came up to him and patted his shoulder. "Don''t worry, Sylvester. I have overseen everything. Let''s go to the castle and discuss everything there. The armymanders have gathered there already."


    He agreed and followed them behind. As he looked at the town, he noticed that the people had already started to pack all their belongings on various carriages. Sylvester ensured people didn''t suffer too much because of the urgent evacuation. Be they poor or rich, the Duchy''s army helped all.


    ''As long as I time everything right, this incident might just be one of the most important events in the future history.'' Sylvester talked to himself.


    They all moved into the castle and entered the Duchess'' office. It was a huge room with lots of decoration, though now it had been changed, and there was only a giant, rectangr table in the middle without any seats. On the table was a massive map of the entire North-Eastern region of Sol Continent.


    Thud!


    As soon as Sylvester entered, a few men, wearing neat and mighty shining silver and golden armour, saluted him. They wore golden capes on the backs with Church insignia on them embroidered. They were the Holy Army''s leaders that were stationed in the Duchy of Iceling, numbering ten thousand or slightly more.


    "May the Holy Light Enlighten us, General. I am Holy Marshal Elijah Markson, a Wizard-Knight of rank Golden Knight and Master Wizard. These two men are my subordinatemanders, Holy Commander Wilson and Holy Commander Jackmund," a wrinkled old man, white short-haired and bearded, tall as six foot and muscr, spoke with Sylvester. He wore beautiful, polished golden armour and looked as majestic as a man of his rank should.


    But Sylvester felt somewhat weird being called a General by the man. Although there was no official rank called General in the Holy army, and in theory, his rank would have been of a Grand Marshal if it was official. However, if it were Inquisitor Army, it would have made sense as Inquisitor General was a rank in it.


    "Thank you for arriving here quickly, Lord Marshal. The battle about to ensue here will define the future of this whole region for centuries toe. So let''s work together and win." Sylvester shook hands with all three of them.


    "Of course." Holy Marshal Elijah smiled proudly. "It''s an honour to fight alongside you, Lord Bard. The legend of the battle of three fingers against the Duke Daemon has spread far and wide. None of us has any doubt in your ability as a General. Mymanders and I will obey yourmand. Just give us the instructions."


    Sylvester kept everything formal and looked at other new faces. "I reckon you are themanders of the Headless Order?"


    A man with somewhat simr features to Felix saluted. "Aye, Lord Bard. I am Theodore Sandwall, General of the fifth regiment. Along with me are the Generals of the second, third, seventh, eighth and ninth regiments. The rest could note as they were stationed too far away. It would have taken us until the end of the month, but thankfully, the Duchy''s army had cleared the snow for us."


    Sylvester was shocked. Surpassing his expectations that they''d only arrive at the end of the first month of the new year, they came on time. "How many troops do you have in total?"


    "There are fifty thousand of us in total, Lord Bard. We shall obey yourmand as long as we''re not asked to jump into death''s jaws willingly." Theodore Sandwall reported.


    Sylvester nodded and faced another man, who wore a mighty green armour and looked old, yet oozing with power. "I presume you are themander of Gracia''s army?"


    "I am the first Guardian of Gracia, Grand Wizard, Prince Gideon Gracia. I havee with forty thousand soldiers. We shall attack the heathens in the morning."


    Sylvester knew this was going to happen, so he was prepared. "The Duchess has handed me her army, the Headless Order follows me, the Holy Army and the small army of Sandwall County also follows me. Seventy-one thousand troops follow me, your highness. It''s better you don''t make any unteral decisions because that would ruin my nning. And if I fail, you will have to answer to the Pope himself. I''m sure the Gracia Kingdom does not wish to ruin its name any further."


    Prince Gideon scowled. "Then what is your n?"


    Sylvester pointed to the map. "My main goal is to ensure that there are the least number of casualties among the believers of Solis. So our best option is to make the mountain tribes fight each other and the Emperor Lich of the undead.


    "However, I have found a way to stop Emperor Lich, so all you have to do is focus on the Barbarians. Our goal is to kill the two heads of the Borzol faction, Frn and Zelfim. One is a Diamond Knight, and the other a tinum. Thankfully, with the three Grand Wizards, and many Arch Wizards, we can do it."


    Duchess voiced her worry. "What about this town?"


    With a heavy heart, Sylvester put a cross mark on the town on the map. "When the Borzol faction moves in, all their soldiers will be out to fight the undead and us. During that time, only the non-fighting age people will be left."


    Everyone gulped their saliva as they thought about it.


    Sir Dolorem even finished Sylvester''s words. "Kill all heathens except any under the age of seven?"


    Sylvester affirmed. "Yes, all above the age of seven must die. Borzol faction is beyond saving, not even worth enving. Any questions?"


    "What about the Storst faction?" Duchess asked.


    "Oh, I have a n."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 352 352. Battle Of River Pass - The Game Begins

    Two days passed, and the Grand Fort Borzol was in chaos as the news of the undead advancing towards them came. The horde of millions of undead was scary to look at as it crossed valley after valley, sweeping thends like a flood of whiteness.


    In the middle was a giant pnquin, as big as an entire room, surrounded from all sides with wooden walls and blue crystals of magic. Big strong undead coordinated while holding it on their shoulders, making as few jerks as possible.


    "At this rate, they will reach us by the end of tomorrow, elder brother."


    Zelfim agreed with him as they hid in the snow on a distant mountain and looked at the horde of undead moving slowly. "We must begin going south immediately. Even if I engage them in a fight, I''m not sure I can defeat that Emperor Lich without help. Nor can our people survive fighting the horde of undead."


    Frn, the madman, started shivering suddenly. "What''s the guarantee that going to the Duchy will save us? I¡­ It tingles my scalp seeing this madness. How can such a strong undead grow so much without being caught?"


    Zelfim gloomed at sight too. "Whatever it is, we can not fight it alone. I hate to say this, but we might have to take the help of the church for this one. To kill a Supreme Wizard, it takes dozens of Grand Wizards. Only the church can mobilise such force."


    "Why not go south? We can live there in peace until the church solves their issue." Frn suggested.


    It was a foolish idea, sadly, as Zelfim saw it. "Then what? Do you want to be hated by people forever? Be on the run forever? Our pride is useless if it gets us killed. I am a tinum Knight, so we should be able to broker a better deal with the southerners in return for defeating this creature."


    Frn didn''t speak, but his face looked ugly. Veins popped all over his forehead, and he gritted his teeth. But, he wasn''t looking at the undead army anymore, but rather at his elder brother.


    "Let''s return to the fort and move out."


    ¡­


    While panic spread among the barbarians, the evacuation of the Frozen Town in the Duchy of Iceling went smoothly. The people were being moved to a southern location near Pitfall town of the Duchy of Colorwood.


    By that time, more armies started to pour in, some as small as a thousand men, while others as big as ten thousand. Dukes, Counts, Barons and all sorts of nobles sent their men to deal with the menace of Emperor Lich. At the same time, the church sent the whole Inquisitor Army of the Ironwood Duchy, which had the experience of beingmanded by Sylvester before.


    Just like that, the number of soldiers on Sylvester''s side slowly grew to one hundred and ny thousand troops. This vast army was rarely seen before, even in all-out wars between kingdoms.


    But, now it happened because the picture Sylvester painted in the minds of the nobles through the letters was so bleak that everyone felt an existential crisis. And thankfully, all the soldiers weremanded by their lords to follow Sylvester''smand as long as it was not outright suicide.


    Though Sylvester found his work bing much easier with the arrival of the Inquisitor Army, since the men knew how to serve under Sylvester and had received basic training in discipline and battle tactics. Sylvester made them smaller unitmanders of therger army, which was now named¡ªthe Winter Army.


    "So, what''s the n? You kept us in the dark this whole time." Duchess asked as they all gathered in her office for thest time. The Duchess was now even more trustful of Sylvester ever since she got to perform her husband''sst rites.


    Sylvester pointed to the map as they all stood around therge table. "It has been confirmed that the Barbarians have started to move. Borzol faction will reach here to upy the castle and the town in a few hours.


    "The n is simple. We must first quench all of their doubts about the safety of this town, that it''s safe for the taking. Once they settle in, we will wait until the arrival of the enemies. Then, once the undeade, and the Borzol faction goes out, through the secret passages under the prison cells in the town, our soldiers will enter and kill all the heathens.


    "Since the battle will take ce on the north side of the castle, the south side will be open for us. Our armies will simultaneously enter the city from the southern gates, regroup, and attack the Borzol faction from behind and the undead. Just at that time, the Storst faction wille from the left and help us.


    "Our goal is to kill all of the Borzol faction. To you, it may sound easy, as we have huge numbers, but do not forget that it will take me time to neutralise Emperor Lich. I will need Lord Winter Ghost to help me reach the Lich, so I can utilise my special attack. During that time, Lady Aurora, Grand Wizard Gideon Gracia, Elder Chief of Storst, who is a Diamond Knight, and a dozen more Arch Wizards will focus their attack on the Chiefs of Borzol faction."


    Sylvester put various blocks of cubes on the map to depict the simtion. "Now, I know that Grand Wizards fighting a tinum Knight will be devastating. You all can easily destroy the entire Gracia Kingdom if you''re not careful. So you must also drag him away, towards the north, into the White River between the mountains. There, you can go all out."


    Sylvester knew he was already taking a huge risk with his life and pushing himself by going after possibly the strongest entity in the scenario, Emperor Lich. So, he could only hope that his side wins against Zelfim Borzol too.


    "When do we start?" Felix asked.


    Sylvester looked outside from the window and noticed the sun was merely two hours away from setting. "All of you go and hold your ces. Stay hidden until I give you the signal. It will appear like a red light in the sky."


    "What about you?" Sir Dolorem questioned, as he disliked seeing Sylvester make ns alone. Sylvester lost his finger thest time he did something alone.


    Sylvester smiled evilly and folded the map. "Someone has to stay behind and set the traps. Furthermore, we still have a thousand barbarian prisoners that the Duchess captured in the previous skirmish. I will free themter so they can act as proof to the iing Barbarians that the city is theirs."


    Everyone took a cold breath as they learned that. Sylvester was about to give thousands of people a false hope of safety and then massacre them. Of course, they were not against it but felt somewhat scared of Sylvester. It was understandable because not even in fairy tales do you hear about a seventeen-year-old sage. Heck, even the prince charming in girls'' stories was always in their twenties.


    So, a schemer and apetent leader like Sylvester at such a young age was a sight to behold, and one could only be forced to wonder what would happen when he grows older.


    Sylvester burned the map he used to n the campaign and put a hand towards everyone, shining the light upon them while singing a hymn to ensure their faith in him was as high as their faith in Solis, for he was the blessed bard.


    When the halo appeared, those who saw it for the first time kept their eyes wide open to mesmerise themselves with the divine moment¡ªthose who were used to it bowed their heads and prayed in their hearts.


    ?With hearts full of bravery and faith in our lord,


    We march to the battlefield to face the foe.<novelnext></novelnext>


    With strength in our souls and courage outpoured,


    We''ll fight for ournd and make our foes know.?


    ?We are the soldiers of Solis, on a mission divine,


    The powers he bestowed in hands of you and mine.


    We''ll face our fears, and with valour, we''ll shine,


    For we are soldiers of Solis. Victory is ours this time.?


    As Sylvester reached the end, his voice suddenly changed to something much heavier, as ifing from an entirely different person¡ªso majestic yet warming. Sylvester''s eyes, too, wentpletely shut, yet they appeared to be moving rapidly under the eyelid.


    ?So let us go forth, with hearts full of pride,


    And trust in our lord to be by our side.


    I bless you, my children. To victory, you''re tied,


    I spoke through this bard, your divine guide.?


    ?May your heroic legends spread wide and far,


    May the Holy Light enlighten you through this war!?


    Woosh!


    Suddenly, everyone in the room felt their bodies being swept by warmth like never before. Their armours and swords shined in gold, and their hearts felt full of confidence and pride.


    All their eyes centred on Sylvester as he went silent, yet the halo never vanished. His mouth kept moving as if talking with someone, but no voice came.


    No one dared to speak or shake him, scared they might face the divine punishment of Solis. So they just watched with hearts pounding fast and hoping this warmth would foreverst.


    A few minutester, he looked up and nodded. Nobody spoke again and left silently to fulfil their duties faithfully.


    ''Things I have to do to keep these fanatics from disobeying me.'' Sylvester sighed and moved on to do his side of the work.


    Yes, everything he did was a performance to spread his little cult as a little father. After all, many powerful men with decision-making powers were present in that room.


    Eventually, after ensuring everyone had left the town, he walked around and ced the small explosives with sunlight-based activated runes. The trick was to put them in spots where the sunlight hits at a predicted time of the day.


    After that, he changed his hair colour to what he had when visiting the Barbarians. Then, he walked down to the underground prison. There, the cells were full of Barbarian prisoners growling and shouting at him. They had not been fed for three days now.


    Sylvester acted timid, walking with small footsteps. "Ah¡­ P-Please don''t harm me. I-I havee to free all of you. King Zelfim and Frn have struck a deal with the Duchess. So everyone has left the town except me, as I must free you all."


    "Come here! I will eat your flesh!" Someone tried to grab him from the gap in prison cells.


    "I''m hungry!"


    "Give me food, sunfucker!"


    Sylvester made the best-terrified face and threw the whole keyholder into one cell. Then, he quickly sprinted out of prison, got on a horse, and sped out of the town, but he didn''t go too far.


    ''These fools will look for food now and conclude the town is truly empty. So now I just need to wait.''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 353 353. Battle Of River Pass - Invisible Hand

    As Sylvester left, just the next day in the evening, rows upon rows of boats, small and big, appeared in the White River. There were hundreds, all filled with luggage and people.


    In turns, they all stopped at the small port of the former Duke''s castle and unloaded. The soldiers had already taken positions across the town, manning various streets and watchtowers. The people were slowly guided through the streets and shown ces to live for the time being.


    As the people went further, they came across a magnificent town square. The paving stones were smooth and even, and the area was bathed in ethereal beauty. They stood in awe, marvelling at the picturesque scene before them. The square was full of vendors'' carts spread about, and the empty storefronts stood as silent sentinels, testifying to the town''s prosperity.


    The ordinary people of the Borzol faction, men, women and children, looked at each other, smiling and soon broke out into cheers andughter. They found a new, better ce to call home and were overjoyed at the prospect of living in such a vibrant andforting ce.


    With time, the night came, and the town streets got covered with scenes of people eating, talking and just being happy. They danced, sang, yed their tribal flutes and weed the new life.


    Sadly, the same feelings were not shared by the two kings of the Borzol faction in the giant castle, for they knew how temporary the peace was.


    "Hraaagh!"


    Frn angrily threw a small stone candleholder in the Duchess'' office. He breathed very fast, and his eyes were bloodshot red. "Why is it still following us? Why not the rest of the Duchy? Why not the Storst faction?"


    Zelfim kept his madness in check and tried to be the real elder brother. "It seems Emperor Lich has gotten a smell of us, and he came after us because we''re the first thing it sensed. It won''t stop unless it has made each one of us its undead ve."


    "What now? We go further south? The southerners will attack us on sight there." Frn asked.


    Sadly, Zelfim had no answer to this question. There was no other ce for them to go because the undead was after them. How far would they have to run to be safe?


    Bam!


    "Chief!" A soldier entered abruptly. "We found an undead roaming in the nearby woods outside!"


    "What?!" Zelfim''s eyes widened in pure horror. "How is that possible? They are still supposed to be a good two days behind us. So how did they cross the whole mountain range?"


    "We''re doomed!" Frnd cried, finally sensing the deadly mess they were in. It was the time for flight or flight. But, sadly, he could not run away either, as the tribe was his seat of power.


    Bam!


    Another guard entered and reported. "Chief! Many giant skeleton undead were reported. They are taller than the trees, and their heads reach as high as our boundary walls."


    There was just silence in the room. They had to make a choice and stand by it. Either retreat or stand their ground to save the southernnd they had finally found.


    "Start manning the walls. All the fighting-age people must report to the northern wall and prepare the projectile weapons. All the wizards must report to me directly, and all the warriors must report to Frn. Failure to do so will be considered treason! Go, announce it." Zelfim ordered, leaving no room for Frn to chime in.


    "Understood, chief!"


    Soon, the entire town that was busy cheering now started to cry as the men and women had to go and fight. Sadly, many of them were drunk and in no condition to fight, but they still went ahead and reported as not doing so was treason.


    Small bells rang around the city, ensuring all the non-fighting-age people huddled in variousrge halls. The old and the young ones helplessly looked at each other''s faces and prayed to the five mothers.


    In an hour, the sunpletely set and spread the eerie darkness. The whole northern wall of the town and the castle got filled with barbarian soldiers. There were bows and countless arrows with burning buckets beside them.


    Dealing with the undead wasn''t easy, after all. To destabilise them entirely, one needed to destroy them fully.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    In the middle of the darkness, far away at the front of the north wall, many nks of bones and metal started toe as if raindrops. Just from the sound, it was clear that the horde was humongous.


    Every Barbarian felt goosebumps all over their bodies, and their tongues went dry. Most of them had never seen an undead, let alone fight it. Still, their barbarian blood and lifestyle didn''t allow them to cower and run away.


    "If they start advancing, I want all of you to start striking indiscriminately. Throw any type of fire magic or projectile at them." Zelfimmanded the men while standing at the front.


    They could not see too far, so they had no idea how many undead there were or what type of undead they were. Furthermore, the night had only begun, and they could only pray to the five mothers to postpone the battle until the morning.


    ''Only if we had a light wizard among us.'' Zelfim cursed internally and stood at the castle wall with a big frown. His blood was rushing and telling him to jump and deal with it himself like always. But sadly, this was a different situation, and he could die.


    nk!


    nk!


    His worst fears came true at midnight as a wave of small, undead skeletons rattled their bones and tiny swords. There were countless, so many that even the snow under them got covered.


    "Attack at will!"


    Boom!


    The wizards shot their fire spells.


    Woosh!


    The archers sent their arrows of fire.


    sh!


    The knights sent shes of their swords using magic.


    However, to the horror of all, it did nothing other than slow them down a little. The skeleton on fire kept moving. Those with chopped legs kept dragging themselves, and the same happened with those without arms.<novelnext></novelnext>


    An unstoppable army of undead kept walking and slowly piled up beside the castle wall. The horde slowly started to turn into a hill that increased with every new skeleton.


    ''Fuck! If these low-level ones are this tough to kill, what about the rest?'' Zelfim cursed and stood up on the edge of the castle.


    Woosh!


    Just a little wave of a sword was all it took him to crush the whole pile of skeletons into bone powder. The power was so strong that it even left a small hole in the ground. He was, after all, a tinum Knight, the peak knightly talent known to the world.


    ''As long as they don''t open multiple fronts, I can tackle them alone.'' Zelfim assured himself.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    But then thousands of giant skeletons came into view, as tall as the castle wall itself. Zelfim didn''t budge and knew he must deal with them before they could damage the walls and leave the old and children vulnerable.


    "O'' Five Mothers of the mountains, guide your son to glory!" Zelfim chanted and held his sword in a striking position. The long, curly-shaped de shone inplete red soon enough, revealing the knightly magic imbued in it. It was his limitation as a knight that his ranged attacks were weak. So he had to wait for the enemy toe close.


    ''Just a little more.''


    ''Some more¡­''


    "Got you!"


    Woosh!


    Zelfim made a long horizontal swing with his sword, and the de sang a deadly song as it cut the air and spewed a giant arc of pure fire. It was not only hot but also sharp and headed to destroy all the giant skeletons.


    In the darkness of the night, as the arc travelled, it illuminated everything, even the far end of the enemy side. That was when everyone saw a glimpse of the extent of the undead army. It was enough to make their scalp tingle as their numbers left them speechless.


    Boom!


    "What!" Zelfim eximed as his attack was stopped by hundreds of giant, ck rune shields that came out of nowhere to protect the skeletons. It was maddening as he knew his de strike was strong enough to cut a whole mountain in two. He was expecting to see pure devastation on the enemy side.


    With that, long beads of sweat started to fall from Zelfim''s forehead. He finally knew how strong the enemy was, and to his rotten luck¡ªhe stood no chance.


    ¡­


    Sylvester saw everything from a reasonable distance in the south. He saw the various lights in the town and the excessive activity at the northern walls. He could vaguely guess what was happening and just waited for his time.


    "Chonky, are you ready? Just eat the undead into your belly, as many as you can. They are already dead, so there is no need to be scared."


    Miraj also wore special leather mini armour around his body and looked cute. He was a furry cat, but still, the north was making him cold. "Aye, Aye, Maxy! You can count on me. I''m no doggy, but I will devour those bones."


    Sylvester chuckled and kept watching the town. The scenes were scary and somewhat awe-inspiring. He had seen many paranormal things before, but nothing came close to the horde of undead mess before him.


    Luckily for the Barbarians, the morning came, and Emperor Lich had still not attacked personally. So the town stood tall, as did the castle and all the walls. However, even when morning came, the attacks of the undead never stopped. The fight had gone on long enough that all men and women were tired.


    "This won''t help us. We can''t stay here for too long." Frnmented tiredly. "We are warriors and must engage them."


    For once, Zelfim agreed with him. "You''re right. I''m a tinum Knight and should fully use my abilities. Perhaps the Emperor Lich has no physical prowess, so it''s staying away?"


    With that, the shouting order came. "Open the gates! Army, charge ahead!"


    The northern gates opened, and the barbarian army with no real discipline ran out to fight whatever they saw first, with no sense of what to target. They spread around and attacked any undead they found.


    Paaaa!


    Just then, a loud sound of the old tribal bugle came from the west, and lots of horse riders appeared, all wearing barbarian armour. They were fast and strong and joined the disgruntled army of the Borzol faction.


    As all this was happening, the sun illuminated the sky a little. So Sylvester decided to do his side of the work.


    He put a firecracker with special chemicals in it and set it afire.


    Boom!


    A long, red streak of light glistened in the sky for a few seconds. The signal hade. The massive Winter Army of nearly two hundred thousand moved fast.


    As the soldiers utilised the ndestine passageways within the prison to infiltrate the unsuspecting town, theirrgerpatriots stood ready at the southern gate, awaiting the signal from the infiltrators tounch their surprise attack. Each step was taken with the utmost stealth and precision, ensuring that not a soul within the town would be alerted to the impending doom that awaited them.


    Tragically, the innocent inhabitants of the town, both young and old, remained ignorant of the massacre that was to befall them. They feared the undead, not realising that the true creeping despair was much closer than they could have ever imagined.


    For Sylvester, this was not a matter of personal animosity towards the inhabitants of the town but simply the ruthless reality of war, where In the lord''s name¡ªall is fair game.


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 354 354. Battle Of River Pass - Sylvesters Lapse

    As Sylvester gave his order, the south gates of the Frozen Town were opened. The massive army of nearly two hundred thousand rushed in. But they didn''t even need the gates as most could simply jump over the walls. The good thing about the Holy Army was that most of them were at least Knights, and there were many wizards of low level too.


    The Holy Land enjoyed a great position of power in the world where every wizard or knight wished to work for the Holy Land. Since there were no crazy feudal lords above their heads, they received respect and the pride of being a part of an extremely powerful faction.


    "Gather near the north wall, but do not cross under any circumstances!" Themanders passed the loud orders under General Sylvester''s n.


    It was daytime, so they were cautious not to lose the element of surprise. The trick behind killing Zelfim Borzol was to first make him believe that they were his saviour and then strike the killing blow on him instead of the undead.


    "Commanders, remind your men not to attack the Barbarians with red cloth wrapped around their arms. They are the Storst faction who have decided to ally with us. Furthermore, remind everyone that they can never win against the undead horde, so only focus on keeping them at bay while I deal with the rest.


    "Lastly, Lady Aurora and Lord Gideon Gracia¡ªyou are to only focus on Zelfim Borzol. Command the ten Arch Wizards and Diamond Knights under you well, do not let them die for no reason, or the Holy Land will be irritated."


    Sylvester didn''t even bother acting timid just because of his age. He didn''t care if anyone didn''t respect him for being young, as that would only get them killed first.


    "Why didn''t you just call the Holy Father?" Guardian of Gracia Kingdom asked displeasingly. "We are dealing with the highest-ranked Knight and Undead Wizard. This is a suicide, no matter how big our army is."


    "Because calling the Holy Father would have meant inviting the Anti-Light faction, whose head is also a Supreme Wizard. The vile man is waiting for a chance to fight against the Holy Father. Do you want that to happen? If they did fight, this whole kingdom would be incinerated." Sylvester revealed.


    It was only half the truth, however. He simply didn''t call the Pope because then his importance would have been reduced to that of a side character. After all, he aimed to make a name for himself.


    "Have faith in the Bard of Solisss~" Winter Ghost interjected.


    Sylvester didn''t reply, as the man always gave him the creeps. He was still smelling the scent of durians, and he had no idea what it meant.


    "Keep watching. When they appear cornered, that is when we shall move out." Sylvester ordered them.


    "Commander Belmont!" Sylvester called the Commander of Inquisitors that were there. "Go ahead with your work inside the town. Remember, no one younger than seven should be killed."


    Inquisitor Commander Belmont saluted seriously. "Understood, Lord Bard. We shall swiftly end all the heathens. But, if I may ask, why not finish all of them?"


    Sylvester walked closer to the man, taking him a little away so no one could hear them. "Commander, I heard you''re celibate and follow the church''s strict rules. You must be aware of the concept that no person is ever away from the embrace of Solis. Borzol faction may have been radicalised beyond fixing, but those little kids are young and naive. Most of them won''t remember what will happen today as they grow up.


    "That means there is enough room for us to work and bring them into the embrace of the lord and make them a follower of the church."


    Commander Belmont beamed with pride and positivity as he clenched his fist, being too gullible with Sylvester''s words. "You are right, Lord Bard. We can not hurt the little ones as they are too naive. I will fulfil the duty with precision. Rest assured."


    "I have faith in you."


    With that, the Inquisitors quietly left, and Sylvester only focused on the battle ahead, with Bishop Lazark evaluating the undead. The number of undead was only increasing with time, and they had already outnumbered the Barbarians by twenty to one.


    "Why did you tell the Inquisitors to do that? They should have fought here. Their overzealousness could have helped us." Sir Dolorem walked beside Sylvester and asked.


    Sylvester put away the monocr. "Sir Dolorem, do you think the Holy Army or any other army would have been able to do what I asked them? To kill unarmed people mercilessly, old or young, that''s a great scarring memory to hold. Most would cower before lifting their sword on a ten-year-old."


    Sir Dolorem stayed silent for a while before sighing. "The Inquisitors are notmon people, Lord Bard. We¡­ We are trained to be monsters. There is a reason why the world fears us and loathes us."


    "But for some reason, you all cherish me."


    "You are the miracle child, after all. The Inquisitors found you, and we take pride in that fact." Sir Dolorem chuckled as he said that.


    Boom!


    Suddenly a loud explosive sound came, and a change appeared on the battlefield. Unlike the skeletons, some strange ck-robed humanoid creatures appeared. They were like wizards, spewing spells of fire, ice and airy destruction.


    "This is bad!" Bishop Lazark eximed. "Emperor Lich has too many minor Liches under control! That''s akin to having wizards in the army."


    Sylvester gleefully smiled. "That''s¡­ Even better!"


    "What?!"


    "..."


    ¡­


    Like wraiths in the night, the inquisitors crept into the town. Their presence was known only by the faint rustle of cloth and the soft steps. They encircled the sprawling warehouses where the nonbatants of the Borzol faction had sought refuge, seeking safety in numbers. But s, their security was illusory, for they each had only two men armed with spears to protect them and not a single practitioner of magic among them.


    Boom!


    And then, with a thunderous st, the explosives that Sylvester had so cunningly ced beforehand detonated in a deafening roar, the echoes of which reverberated throughout the town. The people were roused from their slumber, and in their confusion and rm, the guards of each warehouse came out to investigate themotion. However, it was a fatal mistake, for they were met with a merciless barrage of des and magic.<novelnext></novelnext>


    sh!


    The guards, their eyes still hazy with sleep, were cut down with ruthless efficiency, their throats slit open with ease, and their blood pooled on the ground. Their bodies were then unceremoniously dragged away, to be cast into the waiting mes of a pyre.


    Why burn them? Well, this was the greatest punishment to them since the Mountain Tribes worshipped the mountains and believed in burial. But to inquisitors, burning their bodies was a means of asserting the supremacy of Solis over the beliefs of the "heathens.


    After the hindrances of the guards were removed, the people inside the halls were as vulnerable as sheep. Sadly, for them, the Inquisitors were like wolves in bloodlust.


    "Kill everyone but children of seven or younger!" Themander ordered.


    With ruthless efficiency, the inquisitors descended upon the halls like a swarm of voracious predators. In the face of their onught, mothers desperately sought to protect their children, only to be met with the cold, merciless des of the inquisitors. Elderly couples, bewildered and confused, clung to one another in a futile effort to shield themselves from the carnage, but to no avail. For the inquisitors, this was simply another day on the job, and taking human life was as effortless and insignificant as crushing an insect beneath their boots.


    The halls resounded with children''s anguished cries, but not all were to be spared. Those under the age of seven were swiftly ushered into a separate hall, where tables were full of tasty delicacies. Meanwhile, the older children were killed with merciful beheadings, their screams of terror and pain abruptly silenced. The inquisitors swept through the ten halls ruthlessly, and the massacre was over within a quarter of an hour. The once-resonant halls fell silent, save for the distant cries andmands of the barbarians outside the walls fighting the undead.


    "Commander, do we have to keep an eye on kids now?" The Inquisitors had nothing to do after finishing their task inside the town.


    "This is an order from Lord Bard, so do not question him. Our job is to keep these children safe until the battle outside is over. I believe they will soon be singing the name of the true lord, ending the menace of these mountain heathens." Commander Belmont replied while looking at little children with fatherly love in his eyes.


    "Really? Can they be educated?"


    The Commander chuckled and watched a five-year-old boy gobbling on some tasty treats. "They are kids, Sir Hunter. What can they even do? Their minds are simple and gentle. But, with Lord Bard''s nourishing voice and care of Bright Mothers, they will soon be educated."


    sh!


    "Gah! Aaaa! She stabbed me!"


    In a sudden and shocking turn of events, a piercing scream erupted from a corner of the hall as one of the inquisitors fell back in horror, his hands clutching desperately at his throat, from which a gush of blood spewed forth, revealing a deep, fatal knife wound.


    Thud!


    With a thud, the inquisitor fell to the ground, his lifeless eyes staring nkly into the distance. Hisrades stood frozen in shock and disbelief, their gaze fixed upon the small, barbarian girl who stood before them, her knife still clutched tightly in her hand.


    "Aaaa! Y-You killed m-my mommy!" She growled like a wild cat, not understanding her situation.


    But her fate was sealed, for her transgression would be met with merciless retribution.


    "S-She killed L-Lloyd!" one of the inquisitors eximed in horror.


    Woosh!


    Before anyone could react, the fierce girl''s head flew, and the enraged inquisitors were unleashed upon her, their bloodlust now uncontroble. They were all men who had seen nothing but violence from the day they picked up the de.


    To them, the blood of sinners and heathens was more beloved than water. They had nomon sense nor any kindness in their hearts. They were the des of the church purposefully made to create bloody sparks.


    To them¡ªcalmness was an otherworldly concept.


    "S-Stop! Don''t kill the kids! Lord Bard''s orders are absolute!" The Commander roared in panic as the children, who had finally stopped crying and were eating food, were again subjected to mindless horror.


    "Kill them all!"


    "They killed Lloyd!"


    "Heathen spawns!"


    "Demons!"


    The incident thatsted a few minutes inside that hall made the attack of the undead seem like a pleasant, friendly spar. What was supposed to be a bitter-sweet end to the Borzol faction turned into the young bard''s deep dark mental scar.


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 355 355. Battle Of River Pass - An Overpowered Snake

    Unaware of the folly that transpired inside the town, his eyes remained steadfastly focused on the impending battlefield. He searched for the ominous presence of Emperor Lich, for it was his primary objective. To y Zelfim Borzol was feasible, but to vanquish the Emperor Lich seemed impossible, even with theirbined might. Thus, the conflict would remain inconclusive unless the Lich was brought to heel.


    ''Where are you?'' he muttered while looking at the battlefield through the monocr.


    He noticed that the Barbarians were already cornered, and the undead were overwhelming them with sheer numbers. After all, the undead had no sense of fear or pain and hence didn''t care to be hit. Meanwhile, the barbarians were humans with flesh who felt fear and pain both.


    As the Barbarians tried to be careful, they slowly got engulfed in the crowds of the undead. The whole time, Zelfim tried to use many of hisrge-scale, city-destroying moves, but they were all quashed by ck rune shields that would appear out of nowhere.


    Frustrated, the tinum Knight was forced to use his physical sword and arms to fight instead of using ranged Knightley magic. Still, his strikes were strong enough to leave a trail of destruction, likes of which never been seen before. Each time he swung his arm, a long arch of pure destruction would expand for miles. But, the undead seemed infinite, and no matter how many Zelfim killed, more took their ce.


    "The lich under themand of the Emperor Lich will be a problem." Bishop Lazark warned him.


    Sylvester saw it too. "We will have to n our attack better. We can''t go in mindlessly like the barbarians. The ranged attacks are the best against the undead. Use as many light and explosion crystals as I ordered. Let the archers use the explosives and keep the wizards at a good distance. We will let the knights and Wizardspliment each other."


    "We can just trap them." Said Gracia''s Grand Wizard, Gideon Gracia. "I am an expert in Earth magic, and I can see that the only thing that can stop the undead is eitherplete annihtion through the fire or we do something that stops them from moving."


    Sylvester hummed in agreement. "We can turn the whole area into a swamp with boiling water. But we can''t, as we still have to fight the Barbarians and Emperor Lich. Perhaps we can create lines of quicksand that can slow the undead down."


    "What about your light magic?" Felix inquired.


    For this, Sylvester had no answer. "I don''t know. I have never fought an undead. Furthermore, the light magic is effective against the creatures of the night, but these undead are more like the summons of an undead wizard. So, do all these ssify as creatures of the night? Furthermore, it''s daylight, and they haven''t stopped."


    This was undoubtedly a matter of worry. Usually, the dark creatures don''te out or fight in daylight. But the undead here were only getting stronger and winning.


    "Let''s just wait for the Emperor Lich to show itself."


    Sylvester kept watching the battlefield through a secret little hole in the boundary wall of the castle. The footsteps of the undead and barbarians had created a dust storm on the battlefield.


    ''The Emperor Lich is clearly using magic from somewhere as he''s defending his undead from Zelfim.'' Sylvester muttered and tried to find it.


    As he focused, he noticed that the undead wereing from the west, from a path that seemed to be adjacent to the base of the mountains.


    ''Did they find out some sort of a shortcut?'' He wondered.


    He tried to gauge the strength of the undead. There were normal undead, undead that looked to be made of ice, zombies, normal Lich and even some undead animals. The enemy had as much diversity as the Winter Army itself.


    ''I can''t allow too many from my side to die, or this campaign will be a failure.''


    "Prepare!" Sylvester roared. It didn''t make any difference how loud he was since the battle was too noisy outside.


    ''Is that you? Sitting in the pnquin like some king?'' Sylvester wondered as he noticed a shadow of a big box far back behind the army of the undead and the clouds of dust. He decided to take the risk and move on, or he feared that the Storst faction would suffer too much otherwise.


    "General! Look! The Borzol brothers are cornered!" Theodore Sandwall, Felix''s uncle, eximed.


    Sylvester took a long deep breath and closed his eyes for a second. Was he nervous? Absolutely! He was not originally a militarymander but a spy. Still, slowly, he had learnt how tomand an army over the years. But, this time, the army''s size was too big, and with that, the pressure intensified to ensure his strategy was perfect.


    ''Alright, this will define my future. If I fail today, my ns to be the Pope will be pushed back by at least a decade. If I seed¡­ I shouldn''t jinx myself with my rotten tongue.''


    "I will create a strong beam of light from my right hand! When you see it, rush out in the formation as per themand. Archers and Wizards at the back, Knights at the front! Do not fight the undead. Just keep them at bay. Kill the barbarians without a red armband!"


    Everyone, in their finely donned armours, watched Sylvester intently. Many mouths went dry, and hearts beat like drums. War was a bloody business, and all of them knew that they most likely wouldn''t live to see another day. It was an honour for the church''s men to die for their faith. For the rest, they simply had no option since failure would mean the destruction of their peaceful lives.


    Not even a slight cough echoed now, and as if the world had frozen, everyone stayed put.


    Sylvester kept looking at the battlefield and waited for the perfect moment. He watched the Borzol brothers and Chief Koruk slowly being pushed towards the White River. The undead surrounded them from all sides,unching a barrage of physical and magical attacks on them.


    He could see that if Zelfim wanted, he could easily jump away with ease and be in safety. But that would beat the whole purpose of the fight.


    ''I hope Aurora and Gideon can strike a killing blow.''


    Slowly, he raised his right hand in the air but waited to lighten it up. One minute passed, then two minutes. Soldiers felt their breath stuck in their throats and their guts contracting.


    Woosh!


    "Attack!"


    Felix roared the instant Sylvester''s hand lit up.


    "Wraaa!"


    "Kill the filth!"


    "Glory to Solis!"


    "Long Live The Bard!"


    Different war cries exploded, along with shouts of valour. The men sted through the castle''s door while others jumped over the boundary wall. Their footsteps were enough to shake the very ground and their wrath enough to scare any man.


    They were noticed by all, the Barbarians and the undead, who seemed to stand still for a few minutes, just digesting the fact that such a colossal army appeared out of nowhere.<novelnext></novelnext>


    nk!


    Boom!


    Woosh!


    As nned before, Grand Wizard Gideon Gracia first moved into the enemy undead and created a long line of quicksand to ensure the undead could not move very fast. After that, he changed his direction and went to ''help'' the Borzol brothers and Chief Koruk.


    Sylvester didn''t personally take charge of the war this time and let the individualmanders do as per hismands. His focus was on Emperor Lich instead.


    "Felix, Gab, don''t die." Sylvester patted their shoulders and let them move away with Elyon and Bishop Lazark.


    They had learned how to fight as a team over the previous months. Elyon was a great hunter, and his senses ensured nobody came too close to their group. Bishop Lazark, as a necromancer, was great at making sacrificial undead to keep the team safe. Gabriel was a light wizard, so he was great at making enemies blind. Meanwhile, Felix was a great knight, and his sword never missed a throat.


    It took little time for the effects of the Winter army to be apparent. The undead started to get pushed back and eventually could not inch closer. At the same time, the Borzol brothers were saved by Lady Aurora and Gideon Gracia.


    "Thank you." Chief Koruk spoke. His words instantly dispelled the hostility from the Borzol brothers, making them think that the Holy Land sent the Winter Army.


    So, Zelfim offered them. "For this battle, let''s fight together. I''m sure you understand that they are the bigger enemies."


    Lady Aurora agreed. "You are right, King Zelfim. The Holy Land wishes to deal with the Emperor Lich first."


    Woosh!


    They stopped speaking when a new wave of undead attacked, but this time led by a dozen liches. Hence the attack seemed much more organised and deadly.


    "Let''s talkter and make our way to the Emperor Lich." Gideon Gracia suggested and shared a silent nce with Aurora. Their n was simple: find a chance and stab Zelfim through his heart.


    Boom!


    Magic sts, explosive arrows and much more kept flying throughout the battlefield. The undead skeletons were weak against the overwhelming force as they were not physically strong. As for the zombies, they were easy to deal with fire, and the giant skeleton undead were the only challenge.


    Sylvester kept an eye on the whole battlefield to ensure everything went smoothly. He saw Lady Aurora and Gideon going with the n, so he focused on the pnquin far behind the enemy lines.


    "This won''t be easy, Lord Winter Ghost. We have to cross this sea of undead to reach it." Sylvester was running with the Sixth Guardian of Light, Winter Ghost.


    The man spoke rarely, but his ability was undefeated. His ice magic was too strong in the cold weather as he froze any undead that came in the way. Heck, every time he stepped on the ground, it turned into hard ice, so no undead coulde too close to them.


    "To reach the Emperor Lich, easy it isss~" Winter Ghost hissed and started to whistle.


    Grrr¡­!


    Suddenly, the ground began to vibrate, and a loud noise came. But, it wasn''ting from outside but from the earth itself.


    "Jump!" Winter Ghost whispered.


    Sylvester quickly understood what was happening, so he did as asked and kicked his feet firmly to jump fifty feet in the air.


    Boom!


    Piercing through the ground, throwing the snow all around, Ashra, the giant two-hundred-metre-long white snake, appeared slithering.


    Thud!


    Sylvester and Winter Ghostnded on Ashra''s head, and with that, they made their way towards the pnquin behind the shadows.


    "Sssss¡­"


    The snake was overwhelming for the undead. She slithered gracefully and smoothly, trampling over skeletons, zombies and lich alike. Her skin was so strong that nothing harmed her, and she moved like an empress in her court.


    "How is she so strong?" He asked in awe of her strength.


    Proudly, Winter Ghost patted the head of the snake. "Ashra isss a Mythril Snake~"


    "..."


    "Myth what?"


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 356 356. Battle Of River Pass - Murphys First Law

    "How did I never see her species in the books at the School of Dawn or even the higher clergy''s special library?" Sylvester asked, as he had already read nearly all books about animals and nts in the world because he wanted to know about everything that could help him in his various inventions.


    "Because it isss omitted from those cesss. Eonsss ago, they were relentlessly pursued because of the coveted scalesss that adorned their bodiesss, thusss leading to their near extinction. Only certain special booksss contain knowledge about them~"


    "Did you find her in the mountains here? Is that why you live here?"


    Winter Ghost nodded. "A mere foot-long baby she wasss¡­ Alone, miserable in a cave. She''s my child, now more than a century old."


    Sylvester nced at the snake underneath his feet. All the ornaments on her clearly showed she was showered with fatherly love. It was strange to him how a snake could be someone''s family, but again when he thought about an invisible magic cat adopting a baby, it wasn''t that absurd.


    "She looks very¡­ pretty." Sylvester praised Ashra.


    "I know, bard of Solisss~"


    ''What the!'' Sylvester finally got a clue about the new smell. Thepliment he gave was a means to see if the new scent of durians was something negative.


    ''I couldn''t smell it for a few seconds!''


    Crunch!


    Boom!


    Sylvester didn''t speak anymore and focused on the mission ahead. Ashra crushed the bodies of the skeletons and the zombies effortlessly and ignored the attacks of the normal Liches, as they were useless against her. Even the giant skeletons were nothing, so it was an easy ride.


    "The sky!!" Winter Ghost eximed.


    Sylvester gazed up, his face marred by a furrowed brow. The heavens had taken a sudden, ominous turn as the clouds darkened with an unnatural speed. It was the afternoon peak, yet the sky had transformed from serene to stormy in mere minutes.


    ''Is this the doing of Emperor Lich?''


    It was sadly a question that no one could answer. So, he just watched the sky turn darker as he approached the pnquin. The distance between the castle and the pnquin was not a lot, but with the increasing horde of undead, even Ashra had to take some time to plough them over.


    He nced to the right and saw the state of battle. Lady Aurora and Gideon Gracia were masterfully fooling the Borzol brothers, swiftly destroying the heaps of undead and saving themselves while also making their way towards the pnquin, though slowly.


    The Borzol brothers failed to notice a silent change happening on the battlefield. The Winter Army was slowly encircling the Borzol barbarians without anyone even knowing. Now, the massacre of an entire part of a civilisation was just a single roar away.


    ''If this does not go well, I will have to think about contingencies an¡ª''


    He swallowed his words back as he noticed something far away on the opposite shore of the White River. A faint form of an ominous ck-robed being, eyes shining with white, and the body seemed floating in the air.


    ''Why now?! If it attacks me in the middle of the battle, my death is guaranteed. Why has it been following me for so long now?''


    He was already nervous about the fight against Emperor Lich, and now he was doubting himself. But he had alreadye this far, so he had to keep going. Nothing ever came without losing blood and sweat, something he had learnt the hard way.


    "Ashra, it seems it''s getting harder to move through them now." Sylvester walked closer to the edge of the snake''s face. The situation was currently akin to trying to scoop mud with a shovel but never letting the mud fall to the side. So, slowly the mud umtes and makes it hard to push more.


    Simrly, a massive pile of undead was now in front of Ashra, so he decided to help and simultaneously see if his powers were useful.


    Sylvester calmed himself down to stay in focus. He ignored the sky. He ignored the looming presence of the Shadow Knight watching him and only focused on the front.


    He raised his right palm towards the undead horde at the front and kept his other palm on the chest. There were at least a few hundred thousand undead in a straight line, all the way until the pnquin.


    A momentter, he started singing a hymn and brought forth a halo of bright light behind his head. Following that, the Wrath of Heaven''s beam shot through his palm towards the horde. The beam was tens of metres in diameter and incinerated the existence out of everything in its way.


    ?O'' Solis, Lord of the Light,


    Empower me in this fight!


    Let me burn these heathens away,


    And vanquish this filthy heresy!?


    Boom!


    The explosive beam of light in sma form shined so bright that it acted like the sun in the stormy sky. It illuminated everything, attracting the attention of every undead and fighter, snatching their focus away.


    Woosh!


    The undead, the snow, the ground underneath, everything the light touched melted away as if nothing but air. This was the full power of his move, and the greatest part was that he did not feel tired. Having levelled up previously after being healed had increased his srium reserves.


    "Ashra! Move fast!" He told the snake a secondter, not caring whether she understood him or not.


    "Get ready!" Sylvester advised the Guardian he didn''t trust.


    Hisss¡­!


    Ashra knocked everything that came her way with her slithering movement and soon reached close enough to the pnquin that they could see it easily. It was big and regal from the looks, and the magic crystals on it proved it belonged to the main creature behind the undead mess.


    Boom!


    Thunder started to fall just then, and as it fell in Aurora''s direction, too, it was clear that this wasn''t her doing. The Emperor Undead was behind the sudden gloom.


    "Hisss!"


    Ashra slowed down abruptly and hissed loudly as if speaking in rage.


    "Stop then!" Winter Ghost ordered. "If you feel the invisible pressure is too much, just go away~"


    Sylvester noticed that too. Ashra''s snake eyes appeared distraught, and the hisses seemed more like grunts.


    "Of course, if not a Supreme Wizard, then who else can do such a thing?" Sylvestermented aloud. This was his first time going fully against a Supreme Wizard, and he had prepared himself to expect the unexpected.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sylvester faced Winter Ghost and reminded him what the task was. He didn''t trust the man, but he was the strongest member of their army, and he needed his prowess. "Guardian, all you need to do is ensure that I reach that filth safely and touch it with my bare hands."


    Winter Ghost nodded and created a lotus made of ice on his palm. "Worry not, Lord Bard. You will reach it, I promisss~"


    ''Alive, I hope.''


    Sylvester took out a small ss bottle from his pocket with a transparent liquid. He quickly spread its contents on his two palms while looking at the pnquin. ''From the size of that thing, the Emperor Lich must be at least as big as Lord Inquisitor.''


    "When you''re ready, tell me, Sixth Guardian."


    Winter Ghost spoke with Ashra in whispers before jumping down from her head. Sylvester followed him and stayed behind the man. Meanwhile, Miraj sat on Sylvester''s shoulder while staring at the back with his jaws open. His job was to devour anything that came from behind.


    Crack!


    As Winter Ghost made his way forward, all the undead around them turned into ice and shattered into pieces. But as they got closer to the pnquin, they felt the air getting thicker, and walking required more exertion. With each step, it only increased.


    ''If this only increases, then how am I supposed to even touch it?''


    "Graaa!"


    Undead kepting towards them, and eventually, they got surrounded by the undead as they crowded around the protective ice circle of Winter Ghost. There were hundreds of thousands of vile undead. From skeletons to rotten flesh zombies, some even held swords and bows.


    ''The Emperor Lich must be able to see and hear everything from these undead.''


    "Lord Bard, what isss your strategy?" Winter Ghost asked as he appeared to be struggling too.


    Sylvester didn''t want to tell him, however. "Trust me, I only have to touch that thing once, and it will be dealt with. Just get me close to it."


    Winter Ghost''s mouth was covered under a veil, so his gritting teeth were not visible. He was also unsure of fighting the beast that had not yet shown itself and was already winning.


    "If that isss the will of the lord."


    Shhh¡­!


    The white ice lotus on Winter Ghost''s palm started to bloom and spread its petals. With that, a sudden cold air started resonating around them. Eventually, it took the form of a white stormy wind. It circled around Sylvester and Winter Ghost, cutting apart any undead that came close.


    Sylvester knew that the man was trying to reduce the air resistance while moving towards the pnquin.


    ''Ugh¡­ Even reaching it is so hard.'' Sylvester gritted his teeth when his whole body ached, telling him to stop. His muscles were under tremendous stress to keep standing, but he continued. He wasn''t as strong as Winter Ghost, but his body had self-healing better than any.


    Thud!


    "Guardian!" Sylvester eximed and rushed forward as Winter Ghost fell to one knee.


    "H-How do you stay on foot, Lord Bard?" Winter Ghost questioned in confusion.


    ''He''s unable to withstand the pressure? But¡­ He''s stronger than me.''


    The future appeared dark at that instant. Sylvester had no idea how he was going to proceed now. Winter Ghost, the strongest Grand Wizard among them, was on the ground. This likely meant that Emperor Lich was a Supreme Wizard of a higher order, perhaps level five or six.


    ''Should I retreat? The Emperor Lich can destroy kingdoms if it so wishes.''


    But he didn''t want to do that either. Some men of the Winter Army had already died, and to go back was akin to saying their deaths were meaningless.


    Out of options and desperate, he looked towards Borzol Brothers.


    "You traitors! Backstabbers! You came to kill me?!"


    Just as Sylvester looked to the right, the voice of Zelfim Borzol echoed as a loud, raging roar.


    "You killed my brother!"


    Sylvester''s heart sank as the scene told the story itself. Instead of Zelfim, Frn Borzol''s lifeless form dangled from the sword of Lady Aurora, his heart pierced with a savage ferocity, evident by the expression of shock and disbelief fixed upon Frn''s face.


    nk!


    nk!


    nk!


    As if that was not enough, a dreadful, unnatural sound also came from Sylvester''s front.


    With a dangerously fast beating heart, Sylvester nced and prayed instantly. "Oh lord¡­ Have mercy on me."


    The horror that befell was beyond measure, nay, beyond reckoning. Under the ominous dark sky, the door of the ornate pnquin was thrust open, revealing a ghastly spectacle. A dozen skeletons arranged themselves in a grotesque staircase. And then emerged a fiendish entity, towering at an inconceivable height of fifteen feet, draped in ominous ck robes.


    Its face was akin to that of a demon with no eyes and ice-white skin, as nk as a te, save for the gruesome grin that stretched from ear to ear, revealing a mouth filled with razor-sharp fangs. And in its hand, it held a burning blue me, and behind its shoulder was a hooded ghostly figure of a child with a stone head.


    "So we meet, child of Solis!"


    [A/N: See the Emperor Lich here]


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 357 357. Battle Of River Pass - Unwavering Sylvester

    "So we meet, child of Solis!"


    Sylvester felt hopelessness, powerlessness, and many more varied emotions. Everything that could go wrong had gone wrong. Zelfim didn''t die, nor was he able to approach Emperor Lich.


    He looked back at the battlefield. The Winter Army had already started to massacre the barbarians from the Borzol faction. But it was all meaningless if the major problems could not be solved.


    Boom!


    "Fuck!" A sudden curse left Sylvester''s mouth, and he fell hard. Not only he but the entire army, be it human or undead, all fell, for the earth shook as if the world was ending.


    The sounds of shing steel and the eruptions of elemental energies echoed through the mountain passes, as Lady Aurora and Gideon Gracia locked in a fierce battle with the formidable Zelfim Borzol. Each impact of their respective weapons was like a cataclysm, causing the very earth to tremble and mountains to crumble into dust.


    With fierce determination, Lady Aurora harnessed the power of thunder to its utmost limit, while Gideon Gracia utilised his unparalleled mastery over the elements of the earth to ensure their continued survival in the face of Zelfim''s relentless barrage. Thankfully, Zelfim was a Knight, and the other two were Wizards.


    The deafening roars ofbat resounded through the air like the ominous scythe of the reaper, filling the hearts of all who witnessed the conflict with a sense of dread and foreboding. The fear of the unknown loomed over them all, for none could predict when a stray blow from one of the Grand Wizards or tinum Knight would fall upon them and snuff out their lives without warning.


    However, as the battle raged on, a realisation dawned upon all that there was an entity present on the battlefield whose might surpassed even thebined strength of the three. Many hearts sank at that moment.


    Sylvester was one of them, as this was his first time seeing top-level fighters going all out. The damage to the mountain range was proof enough that these beings could easily destroy kingdoms if nobody were there to stop them.


    ''If I don''t stop this Emperor Lich, nothing matters.''


    There was no going back, only forward. So he gritted his teeth and stared at Winter Ghost. "Can you stand up and continue, Guardian? Perhaps my light magic is what''s keeping me standing."


    Sylvester didn''t wait and used his right hand to shed light on him. At the same time, he handed over a few light crystals from his pockets between his armour. "Try to move now."


    Winter Ghost tried to stand up and appeared strained. It felt like the ground was pulling them down against their wishes. But eventually, he was able to stand straightpletely and even walk. "Your light doesss appear to have some effect, Lord Bard. But I''m unsure if this will be enough~"


    Sylvester knew it, so he made apromise. "Let''s move as close as we can. If you can''t move, you can support me remotely from behind. We''re lucky that this Emperor Undead does not seem interested in a direct battle."


    Graaa!


    The skeleton undead started to surround them again and blocked the path.


    Boom!


    But, all of a sudden, one of the undead in the middle of the crowd exploded and took many of them along with itself.


    Boom!


    Then another simr explosion came, and a great many undead got ruined. Clearly, this was sabotage, and Sylvester knew who did it. ''Exploding undead, that''s Bishop Lazark''s work.''


    As expected, when he nced back, the necromancer showed a thumb. Strangely, the man helped Sylvester even when he was so far away.


    ''Good, they haven''t quit this battle yet. I can''t either.''


    Sylvester spoke with Chonky to n for any contingencies if he gets stuck. "Miraj, you can''t move either, so you better ensure that if something happens, you unload the massive amount of dirt from your mouth on Emperor Lich."


    "Y-Yes, Maxy¡­" Miraj stammered.


    Sylvester silenced down as well and focused only on going forward. It was hard and bone-breaking. He felt his veins popping all over his body and his face getting red. Physical exertion for even a single step was enough to kill an ordinary man.


    "You can not kill me, bard." Emperor Lich mocked Sylvester and raised his palm with blue mes higher. "This is the darkness of the dead, where only death shall spread!"


    Woosh!


    Boom!


    Thunder fell from the stormy sky right on top of Sylvester and Winter Ghost. But it stopped as the Winter Ghost created an ice dome above. Though it still got cracked a little.


    ''Fuck! He started to get involved in the battle now.'' Sylvester cursed.


    He didn''t even know what mental strategy to use against an undead because normal human logic did not apply to it. On top of that, there was only one smell he felt¡ªdeath!


    Boom!


    nk!


    Again a bolt of lightning fell on them. But this time, Sylvester reinforced Winter Ghost''s ice shield with the solidified light shield he had developed long ago.


    Crack!


    But this one also got cracked. They looked at each other''s faces and realised their defences were useless. Yet, they continued to move.


    "You are an abomination in the eyes of Solis. Your demise is my only prize!" Sylvester boomed and started chanting a hymn to make a halo. He needed as much light magic as possible, and the halo didn''t consume much of his srium reserves.


    ?O'' filth from the eternal darkness,


    Your time hase to leave as a carcass.


    My light shall be yourst memory.


    Nameless filth, you''ll vanish in history.?


    Sylvester''s voice turned from singing to growling as he continued to take steps forward. The pressure on his body tried its best to crush his bones and m him onto the ground, but he persisted.


    Thud!


    Just as Sylvester reached fifty metres from Emperor Lich, Winter Ghost fell to his knees. Sylvester looked, and his heart sank as the eyes, ears, and perhaps the nose of the Winter Ghost were bleeding. Even the clothes all looked drenched in blood. How and when it happened was all he could wonder.


    "G-Go¡­ I will s-support!"


    Boom!


    Crack!


    Thunder fell from the sky, sting through the heavens and shattering the ears. It was stronger than before, and Sylvester or Winter Ghost''s shield could not stop.


    "Aaargh!" It reached Sylvester and burned away a hole in his back, revealing his charred skin.


    "The closer we get to it, the deadlier his attacks are bing." Sylvester realised and started taking out all the Light Crystals and Srium Crystals he had. First, he gave some to the Winter Ghost and took the rest himself.


    "Support me, Guardian¡­ I''m counting on you."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sylvester started the journey again. To even take a single step required five minutes. But, slowly, the time taken was also increasing, and he''d been at it for the past four hours. He was exhausted, he was angry and, above all, weak.


    ''It''s getting colder¡­ The night ising.'' Sylvester gritted his teeth.


    He didn''t like the feeling of being so vulnerable. He moved in slow motion and didn''t even have enough powers to protect himself from the enemy. The raging thunder from the sky was as loud as the destruction of the mountains in the distance, and he stood wide in the open.


    ?I am the Vanquisher of all things unholy.


    Gloat as you wish, for death creeps slowly.


    You stand no chance, O'' filth so lowly.


    I vow to rece this gloomy mncholy.?


    Shhh¡­!


    Suddenly, the ground started to shake, and Sylvester looked up at Emperor Lich, wondering if this was his doing.


    "You can never win, bard. Give up and join the ranks of my ve liches." Emperor Lich ordered him.


    Sylvester sneered and continued to walk ahead.


    ?May the lord''s enemies eat the dust.


    I will win, for my cause is holy and just.


    Believe me. We share mutual disgust.


    You will lose, for In Solis, I trust!?


    Sylvester activated all his light crystals, along with the Srium crystals. His body started to shine like a beacon of light on a dark night. Under the stormy, unnatural dark sky, he shined and shined.


    Woosh!


    Only ten metres and the real test began. The moment he stepped forward to the ninth step, he felt a strong gust of invisible winding from Emperor Lich.


    Boom!


    The echoes in the sky still resounded from a distance. Sylvester wanted to see or ask what happened to the battle against Zelfim Borzol, but he had his own ground to stand first.


    "Uuuuugh! Damn you!" Sylvester struggled to gain an inch, and his body tilted forward, revealing his fight against the air. He used Earth elemental magic to make his feet stick to the ground.


    sh!


    sh!


    As he took his eighth step, the invisible air became deadlier and started cutting him. The first small cut appeared on his cheek, but then more came. In his mad pursuit, Sylvester cared not about his body any longer. His clothes and skin started chipping away, revealing the red under his skin. He bled profusely but never stopped.


    Finally, he took the seventh step. This time, the pressure in the air increased as if the gravity had been turned up a notch.


    Bam!


    Sylvester fell on all fours since he could not stand anymore. But that didn''t dampen his will, and he continued to move, even if it meant crawling. His face turned as ferocious as an injured lion, and his chants became roars.


    The sixth step arrived, leaving Sylvester devastated as the Emperor Lich shook his head. "You can never win, bard."


    Sylvester gritted his teeth and tried his best to keep moving. Already, Sylvester was feeling his bones slowly crushing into themselves and his veins about to burst simultaneously. This was the power of a Supreme Wizard, who was he, a mere Archwizard.


    "Aaaaargh!" He screamed in pain as, simr to Winter Ghost, blood started oozing out of Sylvester''s eyes, mouth, nose and ears. All the while, the veins on his hands and legs burst open, bleeding him dry and turning him pale.


    ''I¡­ I can''t move like this!'' Sylvester grunted and felt helpless. ''But I have to! I must!''


    "Haaaaa!" Sylvester let out a deafening roar and forced himself to keep crawling despite his veins being burst open. He left behind a trail of blood in his path as he took the fifth, fourth and third steps, each bringing more devastation to him.


    Sylvester felt his bones cracking up under the invisible gravity pressure. His knees, elbows, ribs and much more all cracked apart and caused immense pain.


    "I¡­ Must¡­ Stop¡­ You!"


    His growling, mixed with blood and saliva, left the Winter Army in tears in the distance. They couldn''t imagine what it was like standing against a Supreme Wizard, let alone fight it.


    Boom!


    "Aaaaah!" A bolt of lightning fell from the sky, right on top of Sylvester''s back and pierced right through his body and left a hole in his stomach.


    Thud!


    Finally, Sylvester fell onto his belly, his face touching the snow. His eyes felt heavy, but he didn''t give up and pushed his feet.


    And finally, thest step was taken.


    nk!


    Sylvester''s hands grabbed onto the tall Emperor Lich''s ankles.


    To which the undead Supreme Wizard sneered with voice. "Tsk¡­ You can not win, bard. Now please die for me!"


    Boom!


    Emperor Lich kicked Sylvester in the face with monstrous power. The subsequent sound at contact made many squirm in fear as Sylvester''s body flew high in the air and fell a hundred metres away, leaving his face unrecognisable, dismembered beyond reason¡ªteeth knocked, nose broken, jaw left hanging and swollen eyes.


    Yet there was a grin on Sylvester''s face, no matter the pain, as he dered.


    "Haha¡­! But I''ve already won!"


    ________________________


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 358 358. Battle Of River Pass - Conclusion

    The battle in the mountains raged on simultaneously and brought pure mindless destruction. Many mountains ceased to exist, and many animals died without even feeling an ounce of pain.


    Worse than any earthquake, worse than any flood, worse than any storm¡ªit was the wrath of wizards and knights that brought the most annihtion.


    "You killed my brother!" Zelfim roared and swung his zing red sword toward Aurora, who dodged the de instead of trying to fight the iing sh.


    But she also mocked him, as mindless Zelfim was much more predictable. "Foolish barbarian, it''s not just your brother we killed! Don''t you remember where we came out of?"


    For a few seconds, Zelfim stayed standing on a frozenke. His face slowly turned ck as he realised what Aurora truly meant. His fist clenched on the hilt of his long rare sword, and his breath became rapid. "Y-You killed my people?"


    "Not the children. But the rest? Yes!" Aurora replied and prepared for the rapid mindless strikes. After all, a barbarian is a barbarian, no matter how strong they get. Without the training of the mind provided to fighters in the Holy Church, a man can never harness the full potential of their skills.


    "You sick monsters! You are worse than those undead!" Zelfim roared in anger.


    Aurora didn''t stop there. "Says the animal who kills people for fun. You have no moral high ground, filth! You attacked and killed innocents. Your spy killed two hundred children in the town. Your only rightful ce is a pyre!"


    "Haaaa!"


    Zelfim moved to attack, but this time he was more focused on his instincts and less on his skills. His sword sh was amateurish and easy to predict, not to mention he was repeating the same strike again and again. It was immensely strong and destructive but avoidable with ease.


    Lady Aurora and Gideon Gracia took advantage of it and coborated to confuse Zelfim with their strikes. Zelfim didn''t have the mindfulness to be able to read the situation around and easily fell victim to the strikes from the two. But worse for him were the ten Archwizards standing far away and focusing a joint magic spell attack on him.


    "I will kill you all!" Zelfim raged, his mouth salivating like a hungry bear. He lunged at Aurora but only received a strike from a spike that came out of Earth, thanks to Gideon. Then, slowly but eventually, bruises and wounds started appearing on him and slowed him down.


    Seeing him returning to his senses, Aurora decided to add fuel to the fire and break the man''s mind. "It''s been a few hours since we started. Lord Gideon, I think the Winter Army should have massacred the heretic barbarians on the battlefield by now."


    Gideon, the old man, looked towards the direction where the undead battle was going on."At least an hour ago, I believe. Our army is too overwhelming for these skillless barbarians."


    ck!


    ck!


    It was no sword but the sound of Zelfim''s teeth gritting. His eyes had gone bloodshot red, and veins had taken over his forehead. Most of his clothes had been torn apart by now, and the man, in the true sense, looked like a Barbarian.


    "Wraaaa!"


    Everything was gone, his people, his brother, his army¡ªZelfim had lost everything. His power, being a tinum knight, none of it helped him.


    "Gaaa!"


    Zelfim just raged like a wild beast, having lost his ability to say anything or even think. He just mindlessly jumped around, waved his sword and tried to hurt Aurora or Gideon. But he fell short as the two Grand Wizards were far superior in skills, and in response to each attempt by Zelfim, the man received ten wounds.


    "I¡­ I will.. D-Drink your blood!"


    Aurora scoffed and raised her sword towards the sky. "Solis, the watcher of the world, I summon your blessing to incinerate this heathen! Let the heavens strike, so may his head be adorned on a pike!"


    Boom!


    Thick thunderbolts fell on Zelfim''s body, one after another, nonstop. Thanks to Emperor Lich, the weather had be stormy on its own. So Aurora''s power of wielding thunder was greatly intensified.


    Boom!


    Along with Aurora''s thunder that created giant, hundred-meter-wide craters, Gideon used his Earth magic to keep Zelfim trapped with stone cuffs. Zelfim could only rage, cry and twist around in that situation.


    "Archwizards! Strike him!" Aurora ordered the ten men in the distance, preparing a unique spear for a long time now.


    With low chants of magic, the ten wizards came forward carefully with a spear shining in bright golden light. They didn''t touch it and only kept it hovering in the air with magic.


    "Is this¡­" Gideon recognised it.


    Aurora proudly nodded. "Of course, this is the spear of subjugation, a thing to fear for anyone who holds magic, be it a wizard or knight. Made of Darkstone, the same as Darkstone Cuffs that block one''s ability to use Srium, or absorb it from nature."


    "Cuffs don''t work on him?" Gideon inquired, as the church held a monopoly on Darkstone, and it was impossible to get outside.


    "They don''t work on people of his and our calibre, Lord Gideon. That''s why he must be stabbed!"


    Boom!


    Aurora didn''t stop using her lightning from a reasonable distance, as they had to keep Zelfim down for the spear to be stabbed.


    Gideon used everything he had to just keep the barbarian locked in the ce, in the middle of the crater, with his arms and legs spread wide.


    "Aaaa!"


    Zelfim''s muscles started to burst apart, and he summoned all the strength he had left. "I¡­ Will¡­ KILL YOU ALL!"


    Crack!


    "I can''t! He''s physically too strong!" Gideon eximed. He was panting and had many wounds all over his body. The battle was not easy even for him, same with Aurora, as she had many flesh wounds and a few broken bones here and there. They were barely standing at the moment, but seeing the victory in sight boosted them up.


    "Just a little more, Lord Gideon!"


    Boom!


    Thunder after thunder, on the same spot as thest one. Zelfim''s body had gonepletely dark as he got burned. But a tinum Knight''s body is stronger than even Mythril, so killing him with thunder was impossible.


    "Wraaaaaa!"


    Crack!


    Bam!


    "His hand is freed!" Gideon cursed and used more magic to hold the feet.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "DIE!!!"


    Crack!


    Zelfim broke his own ankles with no care and pulled his feet out. Then, mindlessly, just using his hands, he dragged himself towards Lady Aurora and Gideon. But even then, he was faster than a man on his feet. Zelfim, the crazy man, even picked his sword with his jaws.


    Boom!


    Thunder fell again, but Zelfim didn''t react.


    "He''s gone insane. He feels no pain!" Aurora eximed and grabbed her sword to prepare.


    "Aaaaaaa~"


    Cough!


    The moment Zelfim threw himself in the air with his arms, he coughed out blood, and his eyes went nk.


    Thud!


    As he fell down on his face, a spear appeared on his back, plunged right into his stomach, and its tip crossed over to the other side. Zelfim didn''t move after that.


    "Yes!" Aurora wasted no time and rushed to Zelfim''s body and plunged the spear deeper so it was impossible to pull out. "We won¡­ Finally!"


    Gideon sat down on his knees and took a calming breath. "Lord Bard''s side seems too quiet."


    Aurora quickly dragged Zelfim''s body. "That''s why we should hurry and hope he won too."


    ¡­


    A strange silence had dawned on the battlefield of Winter Army against the undead. The undead stopped moving suddenly, and the Winter Army also stepped back to safety, ording to Sylvester''smand of not going on offence.


    "Sylvester!" Felix had no care and rushed to Sylvester''s body, which had been kicked and knocked a hundred metres away.


    Sylvester''s body was a bloody, mangled mess, with his arms, legs, backbone, ribs, shoulders, knees, and elbows broken. The flesh wounds were more than he could count, and he had lost almost all his teeth. His face was disfigured beyond recognition.


    "M-Maxy! Just wait. I will pour lots of potions in your mouth!" Miraj cried near his head.


    But, the truth was, all of the blood that oozed out of Sylvester''s wounds evaporated quickly and fed his body with more srium so he could stay strong magically.


    "M-Miraj¡­ Y-You saved me¡­!" Sylvester whispered without moving his broken jaw.


    It was the truth. Just as Emperor Lich was about to kick Sylvester in the face, Miraj somehow jumped in front and acted as a cushion. If not for Miraj, Sylvester knew that the kick would have severed his whole head.


    "H-How are yuh?"


    Miraj frantically took out the bag of potions and crystals from his belly and poured it all into Sylvester''s mouth. "I''m good, Maxy! My body is very strong¡ªPlease don''t leave me¡­"


    Blood replenishing potions, Srium potions, healing potions¡ªMiraj poured everything down and helped Sylvester. But, the truth was, he could not even move an inch as everything in his body was broken. And, unless all that was broken was fixed, there was no way to fully heal.


    Cough!


    "Fuck!" He cursed in whispers as the bloody coughs made his body hurt.


    "Max!" Felix reached him and knelt. He was appalled by the horror that was Sylvester''s body, and it was a miracle that he was even alive. "Don''t worry. I have ordered all the healers toe and patch you up. Lady Aurora has also won, and Zelfim has been defeated! They areing here as fast as they can."


    "S-So we won?" Sylvester whispered and felt rejuvenated. "But, it''s useless."


    "What do you mean? The undead army has stopped!" Felix asked, not even bothering with the strange invisible magic that kept pouring vials of potions into Sylvester''s mouth. Sir Dolorem had ordered him to ignore any anomalies that were helping Sylvester.


    "The shadow of the past still haunts¡­ F-Felix." Sylvester whispered a whole sentence as the potions started to help.


    "Shadow?" Felix was well aware of what that meant.


    He quickly stood up and looked all around. Eventually, he noticed the faint figure of the ck robes far away on the other side of the White river in the east.


    "Fuck!" Felix cursed. "But we have three Grand Wizards, don''t worry!"


    Sylvester spoke no more as he had no way to ensure his safety. He had no idea what was the condition of other Guardians, so hoping for help was naive.


    ck!


    ck!


    "Stay back!" Felix jumped to his feet, brandished his sword at Emperor Lich, and covered Sylvester. He was ready to defend Sylvester with his life, as evident by the strong scent of anger.


    But Emperor Lich ignored Felix and stopped after reaching Sylvester''s field of vision. The tall, giant undead with a strange face was as menacing as before, and reeked of death.


    Sylvester coughed up more blood and uttered. "So?..."


    The Emperor Lich got closer and clenched his palm, which held the blue me. Instantly, the whole undead army started to retreat after that.


    "I''m grateful for your help, bard of Solis¡ªI am Raz Mi''ul Naseer."


    ________________________


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 359 359. A Ground Breaking Discovery

    "I''m grateful for your help, bard of Solis¡ªI am Raz Mi''ul Naseer."


    Sylvester groaned and asked. "W-What now?"


    The giant Emperor Lich raised his right hand and removed the gloves, revealing his skeleton fingers. He initiated some sort of magic as his palm started to shine in green. "Forgive me, but I held back as much as I could. I can not heal your wounds, for the flesh does not concern me. But I can heal your broken bones."


    "Thank you." Sylvester silently waited for the treatment. He reckoned that since Emperor Lich was a master of undead and skeletons, so healing bone should not be too hard.


    "Argh!" Sylvester grunted as his jaw was healed at first. Magically, it ced itself back in its original ce. But Sylvester knew why his jaw was fixed first. It was so he could clench his teeth for the pain that was to greet him soon.


    ck!


    Tap!


    Tick!


    With a series of crackling, almost audible snaps, the bones started to knit themselves together one by one. Sylvester only kept his teeth gritted and jaw clenched as it hurt like hell. With each ck and tap of his bones, he felt a mind-numbing pain.


    But sadly, he knew that this torment was the only way to heal himself fast, as the normal method would have taken him weeks to heal fully. So he endured everything without moving.


    "Aargh!"


    Sylvester closed his eyes and tried to divert his mind by thinking about something else. He thought about home, Xavia and Chonky. He thought about his past life, his wife, and the happiness that still lingered as memories.


    Snap!


    Atst, his spine was mended, increasing the pain manifolds. After that, the minor bones were slowly put to their original ces, and by the thirtieth minute, Sylvester''s whole bone structure was healed to normal. This was the power of a Supreme Wizard. This was the greatness of a man standing at the pinnacle.


    If any other healer had seen Sylvester''s mangled body, they''d have cried that it was impossible to fix, but here, without even touching him, the undead Emperor lich did it.


    Sylvester still had many deep and bloody flesh wounds, however. But at least he now knew that he wasn''t going to die, albeit he felt low on energy, to the point that his eyes were getting heavy.


    "Thank you, Lord Naseer." Sylvester thanked the Emperor Lich, shocking Felix, and others who had just arrived, including Aurora and Gideon.


    The Emperor Lich nodded its terrifying face with nothing but a giant grin. The being was unsettling to stand beside, but no one dared to fight him. So all just listened to the conversation.


    "What''s going on here? How do you know each other?" Felix asked aloud.


    Sylvester sat up slowly, looked Felix in the eye and dropped a heavy bomb. "Felix, this being here is the one who actually saved you from the Borzol brothers. He sent me a missive through undead birds long before you were even caught. Because of him, by the time you got caught, I had already arrived in the north. If this being here had not informed me, you would have died in that cold dark pit prison."


    "What?" Felix was so taken aback that he sat down on the snowy ground. "But, he''s a lich. He''s supposed to be evil."


    "Says who?" Emperor Lich, Naseer asked. "I have lived my entire life as a devotee to the supreme god Solis, so how am I evil?"


    "What?!" Aurora eximed this time. "You''re lying! How can a dark being be the receiver of the lord''s bright blessings?"


    Sylvester chuckled, raised his right hand in pain, and spewed a lot of light on the lich. "See, nothing happens to him. I don''t know who or how he was made, but he''s not a dark creature."


    Emperor Lich folded his arms and looked at all of them with nonchnce. "I wish no harm to you or the Sol. What transpired today was involuntary, for I was under someone else''s control, and the bard of Solis here freed me."


    "Then, who are you? How did you get so strong? Where have you been all this time?" Aurora asked him, knowing that for someone to be a Supreme wizard, it requires nearly two hundred years of hard work.


    Emperor Lich looked towards the sky, which had started to clear up slowly. "My real name is what I revealed, Raz Mi''ul Naseer. Nearly four thousand years ago, I was a simple farmer in the region you call the Hignd Kingdom. Back then,wlessness was at its peak. This was before Pope Pollux Ragthon, the warrior pope, consolidated the church and spread the rule of faith of Solis across the continent.


    "Back then, death from hunger was moremon than a robbery. I was one of the unlucky ones, being the eldest of six brothers, with my wife and two children. So I had a lot of responsibility to bear."


    The Emperor Lich paused for a few seconds as if feeling emotional from remembering the distant past. The man kept looking at the sky while Sylvester smelled the deep scent of sadness, misery and utter brokenness.


    Soon, the man continued his story. "We had a severe draught that year, and even after spending all our spare money, we found no respite. We stayed hungry for sixty days and grew as thin as my skeletons. I couldn''t see my little siblings and daughters die, but sadly, there was no work to find either.


    "Left alone in the misery of madness that was our reality, I tried my best. We ate grass; we ate tree bark; we filled our bellies with water. But that only made us sick. Thankfully, that was when I met a dark wizard passing by, who offered me money in return for allowing him to experiment on me."


    Sylvester and the rest already knew where this was going now. Automatically, they felt nothing but sympathy for this ancient victim of what millions ofmoners suffer through even now.


    Nobody interrupted the Emperor Lich, so the man continued. "He kept me magically enved for two hundred years, attempted all sorts of magical horror on me, and eventually turned me into a lich. But, even he didn''t know the true discovery he had made. By turning me into a lich, he unknowingly removed the blockers that kept my human body from growing stronger.


    "So, I grew strong, wise and old. Eventually, I plotted and freed myself by killing my tormentor. But, I was no longer a human by then, a mere shadow of the man I used to be. I knew I''d be hunted down in Sol, so I took all the research of the Dark Wizard and moved to the deste north, eventually finding the ind beyond the sea. It was so uninhabitable that nobody ever came there. So, I lived and grew stronger there in peace while watching over my descendants in Sol from afar, gifting them wealth and protection."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sylvester interrupted at that point and asked. "How did you get controlled by someone? You''re a Supreme Wizard."


    It was unknown if the Emperor Lich breathed, but the man made a sound of a sigh. "It''s pitiful. Over the past thousands of years, a few strong Popes have visited me and befriended me. But, this time, I lost. My castle on my ind, where I lived in peace, was attacked by twenty-five Grand Wizards.


    "They destroyed everything, razed my castle to the ground, burned myboratory, and all my means of entertainment. They came with an agenda to enve me again and unleash me upon Sol¡ªThose animals! I was unprepared and overconfident. That was my downfall.


    "I was forced to do their bidding. Ruin the crops of the innocent mountain tribes, forced to inflict harm to innocents, a sin I ask for forgiveness to Solis every day. With their strange and powerful magic, they ensured that I could not defend myself or ask someone to free me. But they forgot my ability to use my undead.


    "I used them to write the missive and send it to you, bard of Solis. With the ingredients I wrote, you found out its use and freed me today¡ªI am forever grateful."


    Sylvester remembered the strange undead bird letter he had received that detailed all the weird ingredients that disgusted him. It took him a lot of time, but he eventually discovered its real use.


    "So this was a mess of someone else''s making?" Felix muttered annoyedly. "I nearly died because of someone''s scheme, and we were all pawns?"


    Thud!


    Sylvester fell on his back again, lying in the snow.


    "Hahaha¡­!"


    Everyone stared at him, worried that Sylvester finally broke down.


    "M-Max¡­ You good?" Gabriel asked in worry.


    "Hahaha¡­I knew it!" Sylvester bellowed.


    He faced the Emperor Lich and asked just a few questions. "When did they attack you?"


    "Twenty years ago."


    Sylvester sighed and slowly tried to stand up. Felix was quick and gave him the support of his shoulder. Everyone was waiting to learn what he was trying to point to.


    "Lord Naseer, were the attackers from Masan Empire?"


    "They were, considering their darkerplexion and attire." Emperor Lich replied.


    Sylvester, with a big smile, asked onest question. "Was there a man among them named Shadow of Masan?"


    "Yes."


    Boom!


    That was all it took to shake the earth from beneath everyone who had been with Sylvester over the years. Butdy Aurora, in particr, was shocked by something much more worrying.


    "T-Then¡­ Does this mean that Masan has twenty-five Grand Wizards? Holy Solis! That''s more than what the entire East side of Sol has afterbining those in the church!"


    Sylvester shook his head. "Lady Aurora, they were strong enough to subdue Lord Naseer. That means some of them were at the extreme end of the Grand Wizard ranks, likely level eight or nine."


    Thud!


    Lady Aurora stopped herself from falling by nting her sword on the ground. Her eyes shook, and her breath became fast.


    "T-This¡­ We must inform the Holy Land! What if some of their Grand Wizards ascend to the Supreme Wizard rank? Knowing Masan Empire, they would try to¡­"


    Sylvester finished her words.


    "Take over the world!"


    ________________________


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 360 360. A Betrayal?

    Sylvester''sst words sent a chill down the collective spine. Masan empire, albeit followed by Solis, was slightly different as their way of practising was slightly different, which was at odds with the ways of the eastern portion of the Sol continent where the Holy Landy enshrined.


    Such differences bred disdain in the hearts of the Masan rulers, who would spare no effort in their quest for conquest, even if it meant turning against the very fabric of the continent. The inevitable target, of course, would be the Church, which they sought to subjugate and reshape to their own designs. Yet the Holy Land remained passive, resigned to its fate, for the sheer magnitude of the Masan behemoth made any form of resistance seem foolhardy and futile.


    Now, if Masan got even two Supreme Wizards, the ramifications for the world atrge would be catastrophic. The Church, already grappling with the Anti-Light and its Supreme Wizard leader, as well as the vexing conundrum of Beastaria, found itself overwhelmed with troubles andcking solutions. In such dire difficulties, thest thing they could afford was a hostile Masan Empire, a prospect that filled them with trepidation and dread.


    Sylvester looked at Emperor Lich. "Let''s proceed as per our deal."


    "Let''s proceed then, bard of Solis. I shall retreat to my castle, but one million undead will still remain here and do what you nned."


    "What are you nning?" Sylvester asked further, as he couldn''t just let an Emperor Lich reside in Sol.


    "I shallplete my castle and move it to my ind in the north. Then, if the pests of Masane to annoy me again, this time, I''d be prepared to face them and ruin their so-called Empire." Emperor Lich Naseer replied with some dangerous scents oozing out of him.


    There was no doubt that Sylvester still smelled death from the lich. It was not because the Lich was hostile to Sylvester, but because he was so strong that for it, killing Sylvester and everyone else was as easy as swinging an arm.


    ''If I y my cards right, then one day I will be able to use him if a war against Masan ever breaks out.'' Sylvester thought and decided to stay on good terms with Emperor Lich.


    "Thank you, Lord Naseer. I will inform the Holy Father about your existence and that you are no threat to us. If everything goes well, he might visit you to clear his doubts." Sylvester ensured him, as he was supposed to kill the creature initially.


    The Lich didn''t speak further and started walking towards his pnquin. The strange ghostly figure of a child with a stone face still lingered on his shoulder. It was creepy and terrifying, so nobody asked him what it was. They were just happy by the fact that the creature wasn''t hostile and was now leaving.


    Sylvester took out a few healing potions from the bag that Chonky had taken out before and started pouring the contents on his wounds. "Lady Aurora, Sir Dolorem, Lord Gideon, please do what I had nned. Remember, only themanders need to know the n. The rest of the soldiers must get tired authentically."


    He then faced his team and ordered. "Bishop Lazark, once Emperor Lich is gone, you take over the control of the undead and fulfil the needs. Felix, Gab and Elyon, you remain beside me and fight the undead."


    "Got it, Max." Felix unsheathed his sword quickly and stood beside Sylvester. "Just point to which throat you want slit."


    "Not throats, just the undead. Our goal now is to struggle with the undead until our entire army is utterly tired and unable to fight. The n is simple, but I can''t reveal too much, as the Holy Land is directly involved in this part. If everything goes well, I''m quite sure all of you are going to receive a big bonus, if not a promotion." Sylvester cheered them up and held his spear up, although his armour was broken and caved in from all around, and his entire body was bloodied.


    The same was the case with all others. They were dirty, bloodied and injured, all the more convincing for what Sylvester had in mind.


    Boom!


    Just then, the battle started again as the undead who had stopped fighting began to move again. The Winter Army had already killed all the soldiers of the Borzol faction, so they had less fighting power now, which was a problem whenbined with their early fatigue.


    Adding insult to injury, the Borzol men they had killed started to rise up as undead zombies, spreading fear in the ranks. It made them think about their own death and their bodies ending up as zombies too.


    "Keep fighting!" Sylvester roared aloud as he charged into the enemy undead horde with his spear out and a halo behind his head as he sang a hymn silently. He ensured that every single eye in the army etched his mighty blessed form for eternity, so when asked, they''d sing the praise in his name.


    "Do not waver! Do not falter! Your destiny is yours to make and yours to alter!" Sylvester continued to energise the soldiers with his words.


    At the same time, massive strikes were being inflicted by Lady Aurora, Winter Ghost and Gideon Gracia, destroying thousands of undead with each move. They were fast and swift, but they also openly appeared tired and wounded from the previous battle.


    Boom!


    Furthermore, the undead had started to explode asionally, bringing down soldiers in the armies and knocking out many. The battlested for hours, and evening dawned upon them, but there was no end to the horde as even after killing hundreds of thousands, more were taking their ce.


    Thud!


    One after another, the soldiers of Winter Army started to fall down, not due to injury, but due to fatigue or running low in Srium. The wizards used all their spells. The knights used all their knightly magic. As the sun started setting, their powers began to weaken as well.


    Cough!


    Sylvester, still injured, couched out some blood as his internal organs were yet to be fully healed. He was not acting and was indeed in pain and extreme exhaustion. Heck, even Lady Aurora, Gideon Gracia and Winter Ghost were growling and panting as they had also been injured in the previous battles.


    "Do not spare any of them! We must win. We must conquer! We are the Winter Army that shall vanquish these monsters!"


    Sylvester had to focus twice as much because he had to maintain his halo. He avoided using anyrge-scale magic, however, as he was already tired and injured.


    Slowly, the Winter Army started to dwindle in numbers. The two hundred thousand were eventually reduced to less than a hundred thousand¡ªThey were not dead, but just unconscious.


    They fought from morning till evening. As the night started to touch upon, even seeing the undead around became burdensome, and fighting became impossible. The undead slowly began to gain the upper hand.


    Sylvester bellowed as he walked to the middle of the battlefield and started shouting around,manding the army. "Sons of Solis, Imand you to stand behind me! For long enough, you have fought, and now it''s my duty to protect you with the blessing endowed to me by the Lord Himself. So move, and stand behind¡ªMove, and let peace be upon your mind!"


    Slowly, the entire Winter Army started to shift their position and gather behind Sylvester as the focal point. After that, Sylvester stood at the forefront, with the Guardians on his sides and all the Undead at the front, and he started singing.


    He kept one palm raised towards the enemy and one on the chest. Then his words echoed like the sermon of god, warm and strong, instilling confidence in all. Then as the halo became bright, a beam started to form on his raised palm¡ªIt was the wrath of the heavens!<novelnext></novelnext>


    ?Begone, the plight of this blessednd,


    Burn in my light is all I solemnly demand.


    As filthy scourge of the living, you, I brand,


    With this purging fire, fall apart like sand!?


    Boom!


    The beam of sma of light came out of Sylvester''s hand. It was wide and bright, basking everything in miles around in the holy light. The undead raged and growled as they got touched by the warmth. Those at the front got burnt away, and those at the back fell down.


    Woosh!


    The beam raged for a whole minute, melting the snow around the army in a wide radius. The coldness of the winter vanished, and warmth arrived as if all of them rested in the embrace of Solis himself.


    The Winter Army only saw Sylvester''s back. A man so young but like a god, his halo shined. He only appeared as a shadow in the backdrop of the enormous light beam, but even that looked so profound that many eyes teared up, for they felt blessed.


    Thud!


    "Lord Bard!"


    "My Lord!"


    The soldiers cried as Sylvester suddenly fell to his knees. But the raging beam of light did not vanish, and the echoing hymns did not go silent. Instead, the voice only became louder, and the undead enemies turned into thin charcoal powder.


    Finally, when the beam of light started to dim and eventually vanished, the Soldiers cheered for there was no undead to be found anymore. In one single move, Lord Bard, the blessed son of Solis, God''s Favored¡ªWon!


    Thud!


    But Sylvester''s body fell forward afterwards, spreading panic in the hearts of all believers.


    "Lord Bard!"


    "Healers! Quick!"


    "He won against Emperor Lich!!!"


    "Blessed Bard!"


    Many shouts resounded, and the crowd gathered around Sylvester''s body on the ground.


    Paaaa!


    The night had fallen upon thend. But the nightmare had not ended yet.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    All of a sudden, the Winter Army got alerted as the earth shook. All swords rose in the air, and panic spread in hearts.


    "W-what''s happening?" Felix questioned and tried to look left and right in the darkness.


    Woosh!


    An arrow came out of nowhere and fell near a soldier''s feet. Just one look at it, and it was clear who the attacker was, as he roared to alert everyone.


    "Protect the Bard! The Barbarians are upon us! They betrayed! The Storst¡ªbetrayed!"


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 361 361. Wilful Prisoners

    The earth beneath their feet shook as the thunderous hooves of the Barbarian horses approached the Winter Army with malevolent intent. There were nearly a hundred thousand of them, and all were fit, clean and full of energy. It was clear the leader of the Storst faction had not brought his entire army before and was awaiting an opportunity to strike.


    "Lay down your weapons and surrender! We wish you no harm unless you dare attack us!" The heavy voice of Elder Chief Koruk bellowed in the darkness of the night.


    The barbarian soldiers surrounded the Winter Army from all sides and brandished their swords or spears. This was different, the Winter Army knew. Fighting the undead was easier as their attacks were predictable. But here, fighting a human army that had greater numbers while they were tired, it was suicide.


    Sylvester was not really unconscious, but he acted like that. He feared that if he stayed awake, then the soldiers would have a false sense of security that he could deal with this too, since he dealt with the Emperor Lich.


    "I will not repeat. This is thest warning. Surrender, or die!" Again, Elder Chief Koruk roared, this time his voice full of rage.


    Thud!


    Quickly, Lady Aurora put her sword down. "We surrender. No need for bloodshed. But do remember that if any of us are harmed, the Holy Land will send every fighter of the Holy Army and Inquisitors to kill you all!"


    "As I stated, we wish you no harm," Koruk repeated and nodded towards the other Grand Wizards, ensuring them that he was sticking to Sylvester''s n.


    "I surrender. My soldiers are not fit to fight anymore." Gideon Gracia lowered his weapon as well.


    Following them, Winter Ghost also rxed and bobbed his head. He had no real sword or spear, so he had nothing to put down. But, seeing the three surrender, the Winter Army also put their swords, shields, spears and daggers down.


    ? Chief Koruk signalled to his soldiers to start moving and pushing the Winter Army. "Turn around and enter the Frozen City. Do not fight, do not resist, and I promise respectable treatment!"


    Lady Aurora took charge and walked to the front. "Do not be afraid, soldiers! You will return home soon, I assure you."


    One of the reasons she walked at the front was because the Inquisitors currently upied the Frozen Town, so they had to be first dealt with, or else they might attack and ruin the whole n.


    The Winter Army moved, picked up their unconsciousrades on the way too, and slowly the small town got overcrowded. Eventually, the underground prison started to fill up to the brim and ran out of space. So Gideon Gracia had to use Earth magic discreetly to expand the underground prison.


    As the midnight hour approached, a tally was taken. It was determined that of the two hundred thousand soldiers whoprised the Winter Army, amendable one hundred and eighty thousand had emerged victorious from the Battle of River Pass. It was a magnificent victory under Sylvester''s leadership.


    As per the promise, the prisoners were also provided with a modestbination of meat stew, rice, boiled potato, boiled eggs, and some bread. Even medical aid and fire for warmth were provided.


    Sylvester soon woke up from his false slumber and tested the surroundings to see the soldiers'' mood. He smelled not much sorrow, and instead, there was hope. The food had clearly cheered them up.


    "So, can you tell us the n now? Why are we locked in here?" Felix asked him without prying too much.


    The other Guardians were simrly looking confused and hoping for some answers.


    Sadly, he still could not tell them anything as what he had nned needed more than a week to show results. So, he kept his answer vague. "It''s a n to heal the wounds inflicted on Gracia Kingdom. Along with the Pope and his Sanctum Council, we are currently underway in a massive operation that, if sessful, will secure the region from further deterioration."


    Sighing, Sir Dolorem spoke while sitting near a wall. "It is understandable if the matter is important to the Holy Father. As long as soldiers here get their meal and warmth, I believe they will obey yourmand."


    Sylvester appreciatively smiled towards the blind Inquisitor. He knew that Sir Dolorem had said those words to indirectly tell the other Grand Wizards to shut up and sit down silently, for the Bard was at work.


    "Correct, Sir Dolorem." Sylvester respectfully spoke with them as the Grand Wizards were all stronger and higher ranked than him. "I ask you all to be patient and rx. Try to recuperate the lost energy and heal yourself for anything unexpected. I estimate that our stay here willst a week."


    ck!


    Thud!


    Suddenly, the prison cell''s door opened, and a man was thrown inside. The man, old and tall, was wearing the Inquisitor''s uniform.


    "Commander Belmont!" Sylvester recognised the man as the head of the Inquisitors.


    But, the man didn''t appear well, as his clothes were torn and dirty, his face devoid of all emotions and his eyes red as blood.


    Sylvester helped him stand up quickly. "Commander, what happened to you? Felix! Bring water, quick!"


    "No! I deserve to be killed, Lord Bard. I could not fulfil your order. I failed in my duty. I failed as amander and servant of Solis." Commander Belmont eximed and knelt before Sylvester.


    ''Smell of rotten flesh and the same emptiness as Augustus¡­ What the fuck happened to him?''


    Sylvester knelt and forced the man to look up at him. "Tell me in detail what happened?"


    "I¡­ I failed, Lord Bard. We killed the Barbarians and separated the children below the age of seven. But, one child stabbed an Inquisitor, and the wild rage took over the minds of my soldiers. They¡­ They killed all the innocent little children. Nobody survived, my lord¡­ Everyone in the town died." Commander Belmont confessed with a heavy heart and a broken voice.


    He lowered his head further and demanded punishment. "I have no words to defend myself, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester took a long breath and rubbed his face with one palm, tired of the mess that kept piling up. On the one hand, he had thought the Inquisitors were the best formitting a controlled genocide, but he forgot how overzealous they be and hard to control.


    ''This is on me¡­''


    "Rise, Commander. It was not your fault. To protect oneself and one''s allies is a basic instinct. What happened was an ident, and let it remain as that. Learn from this mistake and move on, for there are many ces left where your services are required." Sylvester patted the Commander''s shoulders and cheered him up.


    ''I can''t kill him even if I wish to. He''s a Commander, and to kill him for murdering some kids who were not believers of Solis¡ªI''d be negatively criticised.''


    "B-But my lord, you said those children would be believers of Solis in the future. By killing them, I have harmed the faith itself. How can I be forgiven?" The Commander insisted on being punished with death.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''Ugh! These morons and their overzealous, brainwashed minds. The best and the worst soldiers of the Church at the same time.'' Sylvester felt a headache develop.


    He raised his palm, poured some light magic on the Commander, and ordered him in a severe tone. "Commander Belmont, you dare question my words? Do you dare run away from your responsibilities? Your demise will naturallye when Solis feels you have fulfilled your duty. Until then, you, me and all of us are ves to our unknown destiny."


    Commander Belmont looked up with a purpose in his eyes. He then slowly rose to his feet and saluted Sylvester. "Understood, Lord Bard."


    "You should have some rest now." Sylvester dismissed him and sent him to a hard stone bed beside a wall.


    After that, Sylvester sat beside Sir Dolorem on the ground and closed his eyes too. There was nothing to do except wait and hope that everything outside was going well. However, the prison was never silent, as there were too many soldiers, and they talked all the time.


    ''If my n works well, then the rank of Bishop should not be beyond my grasp. This time, I will have two Supreme Council members speaking for me and convincing others. Perhaps the Pope will support me as well.''


    He sighed and hugged Chonky to his chest before drifting into a fragile sleep. His body still ached and bled in a few ces. But he was thankful that his bones were fixed.


    Living for so many years with so many things going wrong at any moment, he had learnt to appreciate the little graces. It didn''t matter if they came from Solis or other ces.


    ¡­


    Sylvester''s n was vast and spanned not just the Gracia Kingdom but Riveria and Hignd Kingdoms as well. For months, ever since Sylvester stepped foot in the North, the n had taken shape, and the preparations were made over time.


    Money was spent like water, and no resources were left unused. In secrecy, everything was conducted, and soon enough, in random locations, many throats started to be slit open.


    Sometimes on a busy city street, sometimes inside an alleyway, and sometimes in homes. Men came like shadows and killed other men as swiftly as a spring breeze. All murders urred as nned, on the same day, at the same hour¡ªacross the three kingdoms, in every duchy, county and barony.


    Bodies fell, and with that, days passed, and two weeks psed. Then, in the North, at the Frozen Town, the soldiers in the dungeon grew tired to the point that even the stone-hearted Inquisitors had a change of heart.


    ?She''s got a smile that could light up the room,


    And augh that makes me forget my doom.


    With a twinkle in her eye and a sway in her hips,


    She''s got a charm that just can''t be missed.?


    Sylvester somehow got a violin out of ''nowhere'' and started ying it and singing, entertaining the Winter Army. But, contrary to the prayers, he sang for fun this time and made the menugh or sing along. This was his way of getting close to his soldiers as a General.


    ?O'' my tigress, you walk by, rocking your blonde hair.


    Merely seeing you makes it hard to breathe air.


    Oh! My mistake, she actually walking over my body.


    I know many here secretly hold such a hobby.?


    The soldiersughed, and the ones who knew a friend with such masochist hobbies called them out, only tough further in friendly joking jabs. Of course, in Sylvester''s cell, it was Felix, the man who was by default seen as the filthiest desperate bastard when it came to love.


    ?She walks above, with a face looking disgusted.


    Even she didn''t know that such men existed.


    But if the man has money, and name, and fame.


    With a show of gold, even the tigress bes tame.?


    The soldiers nodded, knowing very well that women were easy to win over in their harsh world as long as they had deep pockets. After all, how else do those filthy fat lords get beautiful wives?


    Ting!


    "Archpriest Sylvester¡­"


    Suddenly, Sylvester stopped ying the violin and looked at the cell wall with metal bars. There now stood a man with a bright glowingntern under oversized hooded robes. But his face was clear, expressionless and bald.


    Sylvester walked over. "Saint Seer."


    The master spy nodded and passed over a little parchment, which Sylvester wasted no time opening and reading.


    "The filth has been washed¡ªThe greedy demons have been quashed."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 362 362. Felix The Fearless

    "The filth has been washed. The greedy demons have been quashed."


    The words echoed in Sylverster''s head again and again. Finally, after some long few months, he sighed in relief. His hard work and mental juggling had finally worked out to his benefit. There came many hindrances along the way and unforeseen situations, but the result was as savoury as possible.


    "How many did we get?" Sylvester asked.


    Saint Seer finally showed a faint smile. "Four hundred and sixty, Archpriest. It was tough, but with your help, my ears heard even the faintest of the disturbance. I assure you, we are now free of all termites that were hollowing us down."


    Sylvester sat down and looked at the rest in his cell. "Thank you for being patient all this time."


    "B-But¡­ What did you n?" Lady Aurora questioned.


    Saint Seer looked at Sylvester. "Archpriest, you didn''t tell the sixth and the ninth Guardian of Light the n?!"


    Sylvester nonchntly replied. "You can never be more careful. The walls have ears. You should know better than me."


    "..."


    Saint Seer lowered his voice and entered the prison cell to speak with the Guardians, Gideon Gracia and the others. "What Archpriest did was¡­"


    ¡­


    2 Weeks ago.


    As soon as the Winter Army was captured and pushed inside the dungeon, the news spread that the Barbarians had taken over the Duchy of Iceling. The spread was organic as spies from around the Sol closely monitored the situation as it involved an Emperor Lich.


    After the news spread, some strange characters appeared in the Duchy of Iceling, trying to meet Elder Chief Koruk for various reasons. At first, the visitors called themselves envoys of some lord. Then they called themselves envoys from the Holy Land.


    But, when nothing worked, they spoke the name of their original master, a nation so strong that none dare even look at it.


    "Why do youe here now?" Elder Chief Koruk questioned each visitor in an angered voice.


    Each time, the answer was the same¡ªa demand. "We shall give you fifty million Gold Graces for the head of Sylvester Maximilian."


    In response, Elder Chief Koruk raged and kicked the envoy out each time. But then, another woulde with only one difference in their word and different attire: some thin, some fat, some short and some tall.


    "We shall give you one hundred million Gold Graces for the head of the bard."


    Koruk kept on denying, and they kept oning.


    "Two hundred million."


    "Five hundred million."


    "Seven hundred million."


    "One billion Gold Graces."


    The money was not small. Koruk wondered if that humongous amount of gold even existed in any king or emperor''s treasury. He could imagine if it was the Holy Land as they had too many ways of earning, but could a mere noble have that?


    But, despite all his greediness that tried to take over his mind, he vanquished the unholy thoughts. A deal had already been made, and he decided to stick by it for the sake of his people, for he trusted in the promise of Sylvester.


    "Soldiers! Throw this buffoon out!" Koruk roared in seething anger.


    After that, for a few days, there was peace for Koruk. He focused on maintaining the health of his people, keeping the town safe and ensuring the Winter Army in the dungeons wasn''t suffering.


    But, the peacested only a few days as a man came in the middle of the second week. This time there was something different, as this man didn''t use any flowery words or appear weak. Instead, he wore armour made of fine steel with engravings that only a general could afford.


    He talked nothing but business with his sword unsheathed. "Bring me the head of Sylvester Maximilian, and in return, take Gold Graces¡ªTHREE BILLION!"


    There was a long silence in the duke''s hall that Elder Chief Koruk was upying. The enticing amount of money clearly shook Koruk. Three billion was enough to survive for decades, not just him but his entire Storst Faction.


    Sadly, what Koruk desired was something that only Sylvester could grant¡ªand to call home. So, he politely declined while unsheathing his sword. "The holynd has sent many envoys like you over the past few days. Do you truly believe I would give you the only leverage that''s keeping the Holy Land fromunching an all-out war against me? Thank you for the offer, but gold is worth nothing to me."


    "Then you leave me with no choice, filth. You barbarians should be exterminated." The man roared and attacked.


    Woosh!


    But, before he could even reach Koruk, out of nowhere, a spear made of Darkstone rushed out of a wall and plunged right into the unruly visitor''s leg, instantly rendering him useless with his magic.


    "Ugh!" He groaned and tried to take the spear out.


    Thud!


    But Koruk gave no chance and plunged the spear even deeper, looking at his visitor with a wide grin. "I was waiting for the leader of all those who came before to show up."


    "You think you won? They will return and tell our master to send an expert after you!"


    Koruk crossed his arms and shook his head, showing false pity. "Preacher of Solis didn''t leave any way out for you men, did he? Yourckeys are currently facing the same fate as you. But worry not, this is merely the beginning."


    "Indeed. We haven''t given you our special wee treatment yet." A third person walked in from a hidden door, bald and hooded.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Will you speak, or must I wee you properly¡­ spy of Masan." Saint Seer, with no expressions, stared into the man''s eyes. "Archpriest concocted this grand scheme for months, so I can''t give him subpar results now. Speak, so-called James Parkson, the ''trader''."


    The more Saint Seer walked closer to the man, the scarier he seemed. The coldness in his voice and the uncaring gaze were unsettling.


    But, the spy was brave, for he was the leader of those stationed in the East. "My offer also extends to you, famed spymaster, Saint Seer. Five billion Gold Graces for the head of Sylvester Maximilian. You don''t need him, for you already have a candidate who shall soon be Supreme Wizard, perfect for the seat of the Pope."


    Saint Seer knelt and grabbed the spy''s throat. "Then why do you wish to kill him if he''s not worth anything?"


    "He¡­ Because he¡­"


    "No answers?" Saint Seer stood back up. "The reason your Emperor wants him dead is not because of his light or mind but because of his age. In all our history, there has never been a man born with the potential to go beyond Supreme Wizard¡ªThat scares you, doesn''t it?"


    The spy had nothing to say. Just thinking about the power scale of a Supreme Wizard, his mind could notprehend how strong someone beyond that rank would be¡ªA god?


    "Now, tell me the name of all your spies and their location, or you will experience the church''s hospitality." Saint Seer, in his monotonous voice, demanded.


    Sadly, no replies came, and the spy remained mute. Minutes passed, and nobody moved.


    "You leave me with no choice then. Soldiers, lock him in the castle''s lowest dungeon. Prepare a cloth, a steel pipe, an unsharpened handsaw, bells, and a sharp knife. Sleep he shall receive none, the food he''ll have plenty but from the bottom¡ªAnd air¡­he will cry to acquire."


    Just to name a few, waterboarding, rectal feeding, sleep deprivation, body muttion, forced healing of bones in the wrong ways, and burning. Such methods became part of the life of spy James Parkson for the wholeing week.


    The truth was, they didn''t even need the man to open his mouth. Over the past few months, Saint Seer had activated all his resources to monitor even the slightest suspicious movement. With that, he had marked all Masan spies in the east, and on the day James Parkson was caught, all other spies were killed at the same time in sync as they tried to rush to Duchy of Iceling.


    The only reason James Parkson received the guest''s treatment was to double-check with the names to ensure they had gotten all the spies.


    ¡­


    At present,


    The cell was shrouded in silence as all eyes, one by one, swivelled to rest upon Sylvester. It both astounded and intimidated them to contemte that, as they marched with a unified objective of vanquishing the undead, Sylvester''s machinations were operating on an entirely different ne, transcending their own ambitions and goals.


    "How did you even think about this? And when did you start working on it?" Felix asked.


    Sylvester stretched his arms while slowly standing straight. His body had been healed, and he was stronger than ever after exerting so much. "I knew from the moment I heard about Felix''s mission that Masan had something to do with this. After all, the Shadow of Masan had stayed in these parts for more than a decade. He nned many things, and we were just waiting for them to formalise.


    "So, I never let my guard down and nned this operation. Now, I can happily say that we have ruined Ghost of Masan''s decades of work. Now we don''t need to fear some massive scheme or crisis erupting out of nowhere."


    Gideon Gracia, whose kingdom was to benefit from Sylvester''s hard work the most, couldn''t help but feel utterly grateful and, at the same time, regretful. So he spoke his mind when it mattered the most while saluting Sylvester with his arms crossed on his chest, as they did in the church.


    "Lord Bard, we never apologised to you for when the third Grand Wizard of Gracia, Sir Maximus, tried to kill you in the Duchy of Ironstone. You have singlehandedly benefited the kingdom more than any of us, and yet we saw you with eyes of hostility." Gideon said in a remorseful voice. He didn''t look Sylvester in the eye as he felt shame.


    Because while he was a Grand Wizard of level five, he proved to be useless, while an Archpriest showed the true meaning of being a leader and a ruler.


    Sylvester patted Lord Gideon''s shoulder. "Let the bygones be bygones, my lord. The future queen of Gracia, Princess Isabe, is like a sister to me. If not for my duty, then for my friendship with her, I''d do this work anytime."


    Gideon felt warmth in his heart to learn Princess Isabe had such strong allies. But s, he sighed. "Only if you were a civilian, I''d have married you into the royal family."


    "..."


    "Ah!" Felix eximed suddenly. "I forgot to write my weekly letter to Isabe."


    Sylvester looked at his friend as he heard of this for the first time. "You''ve been sending her letters?"


    "Of course, she asked for them so she could worry less about our safety." Felix blurted.


    But, unbeknownst to him, he garnered the attention of an overprotective old man who happens to be the strongest man in the Gracia family.


    Lord Gideon Gracia walked up to Felix and stood before him with crossed arms. "What is your rtionship with my grand-niece?"


    "Oh, I like her."


    "..."


    Heads turned to look at Felix. That day, respect for Felix instantly grew manifold in everyone''s mind. The mad Sword of Solis feared absolutely nothing.


    Gideon Gracia''s brows twitched. "Haha, of course, you''re friends. All friends like each other."


    "No, I meant romantically."


    "..."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 363 363. Thirst For Wealth

    Sensing the impending doom for Felix, Sylvester decided to shift the topic. "Let''s start moving out now. It''s better to begin writing a detailed report of the events here."


    "What should we do with Zelfim Borzol, Archpriest? He''s still held in the dungeon." Saint Seer asked. "You are the general, so it''s your decision."


    ''Death is the only way for him. With nobody remaining alive from his tribe or faction, he has no reason to live but revenge.''


    "Bring him to the hall of the Duke''s castle," Sylvester ordered as he realised he could do only one thing.


    With that, everyone started to move out in an orderly fashion. The Winter Army was released in segments. Thankfully, Chief Koruk was clever, so he took his Storst faction out of the town early to ensure no shes happened. It was going to take time to spread the word about Sylvester''s n to the soldiers, after all. At that time, due to animosity, fights could have erupted.


    So eventually, freed and well-fed, Sylvester and the rest arrived in the Duke''s hall. There, the Duchess was present as the true ruler of the Duchy. She had not participated in the battles as her survival was necessary for the region''s future. Hence, she was sent away to the Duchy of Zon for protection.


    As the hall became crowded, Zelfim Borzol was brought there in chains of Darkstone. The man had nothing on his upper body, and marks of ''special treatment'' were visible on him. But his eyes showed defiance and rage.


    Thud!


    He was made to kneel in the middle of the hall, where Sylvester approached him. "Looks like the tables have turned, King Zelfim."


    However, despite defiance in his eyes, Zelfim lowered his head. "M-Mercy¡­ Please¡­"


    ''Ah, he thinks I''m foolish enough not to smell his rage, anger and hatred? He only wants to buy some time.''


    But Sylvester decided to entertain.


    nk!


    He threw a dagger in front of the man. "I will free you, King Zelfim. But I must see your sincerity first. You wish to receive my leniency, so you must pay the price."


    Zelfim nodded strongly. "Y-Yes¡­ I-I still have a lot of gold in the mountains!"


    Sylvester smirked and shook his head. "Gold is useless. What I need is more symbolic. But I am benevolent, so I am letting you choose. King Zelfim, use this dagger and give me all your ten fingers or die."


    Zelfim''s eyes turned bloodshot red as he clenched his jaw. He realised this small exchange was precisely the same as what he did to the envoy of the Duchess who asked for the release of Felix.


    Only now he realised it was Sylvester.


    Only now he realised the game he was ying, he was merely a small piece in it, while the yground was owned by someone else. He was trapped within a spider''s web, with no hope of escape, everything a fabrication, every move a meticulously crafted n devised by his adversary.


    "I will count to ten, King Zelfim."


    "Aaargh!"


    sh!


    Zelfim didn''t waste a second and used the dagger to chop all his fingers in the left hand, instantly dirtying the floor with his blood. Sadly, his magical strength was gone, and his physical strength was vastly reduced after days of special treatment.


    So, as he tried to cut his fingers, the bones got in the way, and he had to rub the de on his bones to truly sever them. That, in turn, made the mess even bigger, but surprisingly he did not scream in pain.


    Sylvester didn''t stop counting. "Seven!"


    "Eight!"


    Zelfim finished and cut all fingers on his left hand. But soon, he realised there was no way to hold the knife and cut his right-hand finger. "Please! Just cut them yourself! I beg you!"


    "Nine!"


    "Aaaaa!" Zelfim tried to hold the knife in his jaw, but it wasted too much time. Eventually, he tried to chew his right-hand fingers and sever them. But, again, that took too much time, and he was only able to chew three fingers off.


    "Ten!"


    Woosh!


    Sylvester picked up his spear and ced its de under King Zelfim''s chin to make him look up into his eyes. "No more tribute, no more mercy¡ªNow you die for your heresy!"


    sh!


    A sudden arch of shining bright light emerged from the tip of the spear and plunged into King Zelfim''s neck. Smoothly, Sylvester beheaded Zelfim right there, and his head rolled off to Felix''s feet, not too far.


    Nobody cheered, and nobody made a sound. With that head rolling, the entire Borzol faction, which consisted of hundreds of thousands of people, was eradicated. Sylvester, on his own with his leadership and nning, solved one of the greatest crises faced by the Church. Barbarians were no more¡ªone faction dead, and the other had epted the faith of Solis.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sylvester looked around at the crowd. There were many armymanders, the three Grand Wizards, the Inquisitors, the uncle of Felix, and the Duchess with her two sons who had finally arrived home.


    "I believe the work here is done. The original people of the Frozen town will be rehabilitated back here. So, Inquisitors, you may return to Ironstone Duchy. For the Headless Order, I willplete your payment so you may also return. Armies from other noble houses, too, please retreat. Only the Holy Army of this duchy, and the army under Lord Gideon shall stay here."


    "Understood, Lord Bard!" the Commanders of the Holy Army and Inquisitors reacted to his orders. At the same time, the rest started to leave in silence.


    Theodore Sandwall, Felix''s brother, came forward to talk about the Headless Order''s payment. Although he wasn''t the top member of the Headless Order, since he was close to Felix, he enjoyed a leadershipmand over the vast seventy-thousand-strong army there.


    "It was a pleasure to fight alongside you, Lord Bard. With your leadership, we only lost a few hundred soldiers of the Headless Order.


    "We had estimated it to be in the thousands, so this is a great relief. We shall move outside the Frozen Town now and start going back. Please use the Demand Invoice to make the payment. Quad Bank of Solis will do good."


    Sylvester shook hands with the man and thanked him foring. "If the Headless order needs something in the future, do tell me. I will try to assist to the best of my ability."


    Sylvester knew by now that he could not always rely on the soldiers of the Holy Land. There was no telling when his secret mighte to light. When that happens, he''d have no soldiers tomand, and the only hopeful respite would be the mercenary groups who work for gold.


    After the Headless Order left, the hall became nearly empty. Then, the Duchess approached Sylvester and, to his shock, hugged him like he was her child.


    "Thank you for the help. Because of you, my husband was avenged, hisst rites could be performed, and his legacy was saved."


    Sylvester awkwardly got out of the hug. "It was my duty, your grace. The north must remain safe if we in the Holy Land wish to live peacefully. But I must say, after staying here for these past few months, my respect for all those who live here in the north has increased. Thend here is unforgiving."


    Duchess Melina Iceling was an old woman with a face that showed she was likely a beauty when young. But she looked more like a stern warrior over the past few months after her husband''s demise. But now, she smiled again and looked like a real nobledy.


    She pulled forward her two sons and introduced them. "It''s quite embarrassing since they are older than you and have not achieved even a fraction of what you have. This is my eldest, Carlos Iceling and the youngest, Lance Iceling."


    Sylvester sized up two strong ck-haired men, most likely in their twenties. Their eyes had the fire of wanting to prove themselves. At the same time, he smelled some jealousy, but he didn''t mind as there was a lot of worship too.


    He shook hands with them. "Your mother is quite a strong-minded nobledy. I hope you will take good care of her and the Duchy."


    "Thank you for going beyond your way to help the Duchy, Lord Bard." The eldest, who was meant to be the new Duke, spoke diplomatically with a smile on his face.


    Sylvester made some small talk and walked out of the castle to go outside the town. He wanted to meet and speak with Elder Chief Koruk of the Storst Faction. He could guess that the man must be distraught at the moment, knowing that if Sylvester decides to go back on his words and fight him, then he will lose.


    Sylvester brought only Sir Dolorm with him as he trusted the man with nearly everything. He arrived at the makeshift camp built near the river a little south of the town. The people didn''t look very happy, however. They had believed their lives would improve after moving into the town, but now they were again nomads.


    That was about to change for the good.


    Sylvester was weed inside therge tent where Elder Chief Koruk rested and worked. Inside, a modest woollen mattress was ced, and ap-height table.


    "I see a lot of anxiety on your face, Chief Koruk." Sylvester greeted the man.


    Chief Koruk smiled and gestured for him to sit. "That''s all I can do, Preacher of Solis. If the Holy Land does not ept your proposal, then I''m sure the next order of action would be to exterminate all of us."


    Sylvester didn''t sugarcoat his words and epted the analysis. "You''re right, Chief. But I have already received the letter from the Pope''s Office. As long as you stay true to the deal of praying to Solis, then we are ready to grant yound to build your own brick town."


    Sylvester ced an unsealed letter on the table and forwarded it. It had the Pope''s seal on it, as well as King Gracia''s seal. It was the highest form of approval Chief Koruk could hope to achieve.


    Sir Dolorem chimed in at that point. "But, this is merely the beginning of the partnership. The great Bard is forgiving and merciful but not naive. The world runs on thew of equivalent exchange. For every favour you receive, you must give one back."


    Chief Koruk clenched his jaw and faced Sylvester. "Haven''t we done enough already? I know what you did on the battlefield. You pushed my people to the front, so your losses are low. What else can I give you beyond this?"


    "A lot!" Sylvestermented and opened a leather bag he had brought. From inside, he took out a folded piece of a map depicting the entire Pentapeak mountain range.


    He pointed at the map with a sly smile and confidence in his eyes. "You are old, Elder Chief Koruk. You must know the whole mountain range like it''s your backyard."


    "What do you desire?" Elder Chief asked with a look of conflict.


    "Point on the map all the locations where I can find gold, silver, diamonds, mithril, coal and any resources you can think of."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 364 364. Face-To-Face With Death

    Sylvester knew he had a lot of gold in Chonky bank. He knew it was more than what he could spend on his own. But, for his ns for the near future, he felt that even his hidden wealth was insufficient.


    So, in the cold, harsh north, he saw a lot of hidden wealth in natural resources, from veins of precious minerals to rare nts. The best part was that he was close to the barbarians, the only people who could traverse the mountains and the various unique locations.


    So, by being a middleman, he wished to earn money without even doing much.


    Elder Chief Koruk knew that the best way to earn a ce among the southerners was to offer something that only they could provide. So, without much protest, he started to mark the various locations on the map.


    It took the man an hour to finish putting all the markings, but he didn''t sound sure even then. "I''m sure there are more undiscovered resources in the mountains. But, this is the extent of my knowledge."


    Sylvester took a look at it and felt reasonably satisfied. There were many gold and precious stone mines. This was a treasure trove just waiting to be opened and taken.


    "What''s this cloud-like part?" Sylvester noticed something strange.


    Chief Koruk turned serious and added a cross to the cloudy marking. "No one should ever enter this ce. It''s a deep cave that starts as a small pit. Thest Elder Chief of the Storst went in there to search for new minerals. It was exciting for him, but none of us were prepared to face what was toe.


    "He returned abruptly merely a few hours after entering the pit. He started to vomit, felt sick, and revealed having trouble breathing. Then, he got better, as if healed, but that was the silence before the storm. Merely a dayter, his skin started to rot and fall off, his body colour changed, and his internal organs started to melt away, eventually leading to his death.


    "We tried to find out how and why it happened. So we sent some people into the cave, and when they returned, they suffered the same fate. We have no idea what''s inside there, but it''s life-threatening, regardless of your rank. So we have sealed off this entrance with a boulder."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and tried to think what it could be. Since it was found in a cave, it was a naturally urring substance, and the side effects of the exposure were severe, which narrowed down the search.


    ''Could it be¡­ Radioactive element? Uranium? If that''s the case, then the cave is better sealed off. I can''t think of uranium being used anytime soon. Perhaps a few centuries after I bring peace and force humans and other species to innovate with the mind rather than des?''


    "Agreed, this ce should remain closed. Now, what about this little marking? Is this an animal?" Sylvester pointed to a spot west of Mount Dimos on the map.


    Chief Koruk smiled fondly this time. "This is the region of the Snow Goris. They are utterly strong animals and highly territorial. But we have an understanding with them to respect boundaries."


    Sylvester was delighted with this knowledge too. "Goris with white fur? I would like to meet them. Are they friendly?"


    "..."


    "Preacher of Solis, they are strong enough to easily kill a ck Knight. They are masters of warfare in their home grounds. They are anything but friendly."


    "Such fascinating beasts." Sylvester was still in awe of the animal. "I will dere their region as protectednd, so no humans enter it and get killed or harm them."


    Sir Dolorem nodded from the back. "Great decision, Lord Bard. Respect the nature, and the nature shall guide you like a mother."


    Sylvester looked at the blind knight with a sigh. ''He''s overanalysing again. I just like Goris, nothing else.''


    He continued to evaluate the whole map and saw many great points of interest from where the extraction would be easy. For example, the area near Fort Borzol had two gold mines, three gems and diamond mines, and some other precious stones. The best part was that all the locations were close to the White River.


    "Will this be enough? What''s your n, Lord Bard? I do not wish for my people to suffer any longer. We have been on the move for months and feel tired now." Chief Koruk asked in an exhausted tone. He smelled of sadness, too, with some anxiety and hope mixed in.


    Sylvester stood up instead and proceeded to move towards the exit of the tent. "Chief Koruk, worry not. First, choose where you want to set up your new town. Meanwhile, Sir Dolorem here will tell you the n for your people''s prosperity. Forgive me. I must move as I must oversee many other matters."


    Sylvester then walked out and looked around. There were more than a thousand conical leather, cloth and fur tents. Many small bonfires were in the middle of the tents where men, women, children, dogs and cats huddled together for warmth.


    "Chonky, you know what to do?"


    Miraj waszily hanging on Sylvester''s shoulder like a piece of loose cloth. "Meow Meow is ready for magic, Maxy."


    "Hah, alright." He chuckled and started the usual theatrics. Then, he raised his right palm towards the people and started walking while singing a hymn and producing a halo behind his head.


    ?The embrace of Solis wees you all.


    Let the old thoughts go and shatter that wall.


    ept this warmth while this light falls.


    Respond to my hymns for the Solis calls.?


    Thud!


    With Chonky''s help, Sylvester showed his miracle. Instantly, a small hill of supplies appeared where Sylvester pointed his palm. Piles upon piles of clothes and food grains. This was all that the people required.


    ?The light of day does chase away the night,


    And so, with Solis'' grace, all shadows might.


    Embrace his warmth, and let it guide the way,


    As in his arms, you shall find a ce to stay.?


    Sylvester''s words echoed and made everything clear to those with some brain. This was thend of Solis. Here, Solis reigned supreme as the greatest god.


    But Sylvester didn''t impose anything and simply walked out of the forest of tents after dropping another heap of supplies. He went towards the river to check how the bridge wasing along that he hadmissioned a while back. The bridge was supposed to help connect the Duchy''s capital with the sea on the other side of the White River.


    "Chonky, what do you think? Will I get a promotion to Bishop?" He asked, just to rx his mind.


    Miraj was yawning and beingzy like always. "Bishop? I don''t know what that means, but you deserve the best, Maxy."


    "Why?"


    Miraj gave a simple-minded reply that one could expect, but simultaneously, it was heartwarming.


    "Because you''re the best!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sylvester let out a chuckle and moved along. The second month of the year 5118 had begun, and the winter was still at its peak. The white sheets of snow still covered the entirety of the region, and not much was to be seen.


    "Bard of Solisss~"


    "Winter Ghost?!" Sylvester eximed and looked left and right in an alert state. He never liked the Guardian as the man always kept him on edge.


    "Hisss¡­!"


    Immediately, to Sylvester''s great horror, he didn''t even realise there was Ashra, the giant snake hiding beneath the snow on the ground. Her white scales had neatly blended with the environment. Only now, as she moved, was she visible.


    But the more horrifying part was how she opened her jaws, and from there came out Winter Ghost in his usual attire. It was creepy and somewhat of a power move at the same time.


    "Let usss speak~" Winter Ghost invited Sylvester over to the riverside.


    Sylvester was careful and had already plotted escape ns. He ordered Miraj in whispers for the same. "Chonky, if she moves, then eat her."


    Soon, Winter Ghost stopped beside the river and created a bench made of hard ice. As he sat down, he took out a parchment and called Sylvester. "Read thisss¡­"


    ''What is this now?''


    Sylvester carefully took a seat and unfolded the parchment. He noticed the texture of the paper was old, and it was likely written years ago. But, the most peculiar thing he noticed even before reading was the blood print of all ten fingers of the hands at the bottom.


    "This is¡­?"


    Winter Ghost started speaking in his strange and eerie hissing voice. "The air isss getting warmer. Just like the earth beneath the Holy Land.~"


    Sylvester was only listening to the man while he read the document. With each new line he read, his brows creased, and his eyes turned red in silent rage.


    Winter Ghost continued. "You truly are the true bard¡ªThe true God''sss Favoured, the truly worthy of being a Pope. You saved believersss; you defeated the undead; you conquered the barbariansss. I see it clearly, yet I can not help you on this frontier~"


    Sylvester held the parchment so tight that its edges started to crumble. "Since when?"


    "Decadesss~"


    Sylvester sighed, and his head plummeted down. A dangerous aura spread around him as his hands clenched tighter to prepare for what would happen. "So what now? We fight?"


    Winter Ghost didn''t move, but the scent that oozed from him was strong and bitter¡ªdeath it meant. But the smell of durians also increased, confusing Sylvester.


    Crack!


    Sylvester took out dozens of srium crystals. He knew there wouldn''t be enough time to do anything since they sat merely three feet apart.


    "Thisss isss not what I want, Bard~" Winter Ghost spoke in a threatening tone as he finally turned his face and looked into Sylvester''s eyes. "Let thisss be a warning. Only the Brightest of light reachesss the throne, young bard¡ªyour golden halo isss too small¡ªfor the great silver outshinesss all~"


    The piece of paper in Sylvester''s hands finally burnt away in his palm. It clearly stated where Winter Ghost''s loyaltyy. But what angered Sylvester more was that the words Winter Ghost said were the same as the Void Keepers who killed little Shane Kolt.


    As if stuck in time, they didn''t react or start a fight. But Sylvester was clearly the more tense person as he didn''t know if he could fight Winter Ghost on his home turf.


    ''I can''t defeat him. How do I run? I must call forth Lady Aurora and Gideon Gracia.''


    "Don''t move¡ªYou were dead the moment you sat beside me." Winter Ghost''s chilling warning echoed.


    Sylvester felt his breath going faster, which he tried to control. He thought of all his options, ways out and other tricks. But how could anything survive against absolute power? A seventh-level Archwizard against a Sixth-level Grand Wizard¡ªIt was a dream.


    "You will be hunted by the Pope." Sylvester reasoned.


    However, no reply came from Winter Ghost.


    Shhhh¡­.!


    "What the¡­!" Sylvester gulped his saliva once his eyes fell on a strange event that urred around him. "Everything''s frozen! Even Winter Ghost!"


    Shhh¡­!


    ''I-I can''t move!''


    Everything became slow and extremely cold. The world felt to be devoid of any light and happiness. The sky had be dark and stormy, the wind hadpletely died down, and even the river water seemed to flow in slow motion.


    Sylvester started chanting old hymns to create a halo and forced himself to look up. It took him a few minutes, but soon he saw the figure of the floating body of the Shadow Knight, with its tattered ck robes, and me-like white eyes¡ªDeath had arrived.


    "S-Shadow K¡­ Knig¡­" He struggled.


    But the Shadow Knight didn''t, as its muffled, low-pitched whispering spread.


    "Now you see the filth that you serve?..."


    ________________________


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 365 365. Laugh Of Victory

    The air was cold, so much so that Sylvester found it hard to breathe. His body froze from the strange magic that the Shadow Knight used, and to even move an inch, he had to spend almost all of his strength.


    He clenched his teeth in desperation. He already had an enemy sitting on his side. Now another one appeared, and both could kill him easily. But he still had a way out just for situations like these, although it was also self-destructive.


    ''Should I use myst resort?''


    "Why have you been following me?" He asked in a low roar.


    The Shadow Knight approached Sylvester,ing to a halt a mere two feet away. The temperature plummeted to such an extent that Sylvester could feel his saliva solidifying, his body straining to preserve warmth in his bloodstream.


    "A Half-elf, a preacher of Solis, a pretender."


    Sylvester panicked and did all he could to look to his left. Just because the bodies stopped moving didn''t mean they could not hear words.


    However, the sight that greeted him was most unsettling, for the Winter Ghost seemed to be frozen solid, unlike himself. Even the eyes were frozen over, with a residual dusting of snow coating the face.


    "He can not listen."


    Sylvester again pushed himself to look at the Shadow Knight carefully. His heart raced with frenzied beats. He was uncertain about the creature''s intent, whether it sought to take his life as it had previously done.


    "What do you want from me?"


    The Shadow Knight remained silent for a long time, and Sylvester could only gaze upon the enigmatic floating figure, unspeaking and unmoved.


    "What you see is true, and what you do not see is also true. To learn the reality, heaven and hell, you must walk through. Seek the tree bluer than the sea¡ªthe crescent is the key, and discover why this world came to be like this¡ªWho made it like this?"


    Abruptly, the Shadow Knight turned around and started to leave the same way it came. The Shadow Knight''s sudden departure only served to leave Sylvester in a state of bemused dilemma. He was left with a multitude of questions, his mind awhirling with spection as to the motivations behind the creature''s actions and the reason for its unspoken pursuit.


    Nevertheless, despite theck of rity, Sylvester could not help but feel a sense of relief at having narrowly escaped a potential confrontation with the mysterious being. But he still dared to ask questions.


    "Why are you chasing me? Why do you hunt me? I do what I do for my and others'' survival, not because I take sadist pleasure." Sylvester tried to ask the creature, as he desperately wanted to eliminate the Shadow Knight as an enemy. "Which side do you serve?"


    But, the Shadow Knight kept floating away and, instead of answering, gave another riddle in its whispering voice. "I serve life¡ªWe shall meet again soon, for I see a horde of darkness shroud your future."


    Eventually, the Shadow Knight glided effortlessly over the tranquil waters of the river before resuming its journey without pause. It appeared that the enigmatic creature had no further interest in pursuing Sylvester, leaving thetter to ponder his motivations in solitude.


    Perhaps it was his recent valorous deeds in saving the Storst faction that had earned him a reprieve, but then, what of the horrific massacre he had inflicted upon the Borzol tribe?


    The other theory was that it had something to do with him being a half-elf. But then, did that mean the Shadow Knight was an elf? The conundrum persisted, leaving Sylvester with but one more mystery to unravel.


    "Meow!" Miraj''s call alerted Sylvester to his feet, and he jumped away as far as possible from the Winter Ghost.


    Words came out of Sylvester''s mount on their own. "You need not do this, Guardian!"


    "Maxy, he''s dead," Miraj muttered on his shoulder again.


    "What?!" Sylvester kept his senses sharp and smelled the fleeting scent of death. The bitterness from the Shadow Knight slowly vanished and revealed no new scent.


    He walked close to the still-frozen body of Winter Ghost and noticed the man had turned into ice entirely. His eyes were open but frozen and seemed like orbs of ss. The white robes and the veil on the mouth were also frozen like a sheet of iron.


    ''While I was expecting to fight for my life here, the opposite happened. But this isn''t good either. The death of the Winter Ghost means thest monastery in the west will not be manned. This also means the Church has be even weaker. Why did the Shadow Knight kill him? I thought he never takes any action against higher clergy.''


    Sylvester didn''t react much to the man''s sudden demise. He had merely met him some time ago and never liked him or established a good rtionship with him. Winter Ghost''s life and death were meaningless to him personally.


    He sat down on the ground and clutched his head in his palms. In his past life, he had people helping him keep track of things when he was a spy, but here, he needed to traverse through a scheme, an attempt to his life, and giant conspiracies at every step. It was impossible to always keep track of everything.


    ''Find the tree bluer than the ocean. The crescent is the key? Where could this ce be? I don''t remember seeing anything crescent shaped on the map of Sol.''


    Boom!


    Abruptly, the earth shook, and two craters appeared behind Sylvester.


    "Sylvester! Are you alright?" Lady Aurora rushed to his side. "I felt the temperature dropping and knew who it was."


    She wasn''t wearing armour or even proper clothes. On her body was just a long grey sleeping gown, and in her hand was the sword.


    Gideon Gracia was there too. "What happened?"


    Sylvester decided not to share what Shadow Knight said to him and pointed at Winter Ghost. "I-It came and tried to harm me, but Guardian Winter Ghost protected me. In reply, enraged, the Shadow Knight froze him to death. It wasn''t even a fight¡­ That creature¡­ It was too strong!"


    Being a master spy, Sylvester orchestrated false emotions and made a story. It was best not to drag the situation as revealing anything would harm the image of the Church and expose its sickening infighting. Only the Pope deserved to know the truth, and he nned to do itter.


    Gideon Gracia walked over to the body of Winter Ghost and tapped on it. "How can something be so strong? What is that thing?"


    Nobody had an answer to it. To most, the Shadow Knight was just a story that put children to sleep, but the few who had seen it never joked about it.


    Lady Aurora continuously eyed Sylvester, ring at him. In response, Sylvester winked and calmed her down without saying anything. Aurora knew there was more to the story, but after being with Sylvester for so long, she had an idea of when to speak and when to let go.


    "Let us bring his body back to the castle and transport it to the Holy Land," Sylvester suggested.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "What about his snake?" Gideon Gracia asked. "That snake alone is a doom bringer."


    Sylvester looked towards the south, where he could see the head of the snake poking out of the snow in the distance. There was a strange sense of intelligence in the big eyes of Ashra, as if she knew her master had died, and there was nothing that could be done as she was frozen too.


    "Let me go and talk to her," Sylvester said and slowly walked to her without creating any hostility.


    ''If anything, she''s a real victim in this. From what Winter Ghost said, Ashra had lived with him since she was small. This is akin to me losing Xavia¡­ I wonder if she''s as smart as a human and feels the same pain.''


    "Chonky, can you talk to her?" Sylvester inquired.


    Intently, Miraj stared at the huge snake. "She didn''t see me thest time. But maybe she can hear me."


    "Then I want you to tell her that you are her friend, and if she ever needs help, she cane to the Frozen Town and knock on the gates gently and then wait." He instructed. "She''s an apex predator, so there won''t be any problem as long as she understands the situation."


    "B-But¡­ Why don''t we keep her?" Miraj asked.


    "Where will we keep her? She''s too big for southern regions, and you can''t store her in your belly, either."


    With a sad face, Miraj looked at the giant snake with pity. "Then¡­ She will be just like me. Alone and sad."


    Sylvester felt it too but in terms of scent. As he got closer to the snake, the more he smelled rotten flesh, a sign of sadness.


    "I know how you feel," Sylvester said in the snake''s direction.


    "HISS!"


    A raging, angry-looking hiss left the snake''s wide-open jaw. Her focus turned to Sylvester, and she watched hime closer. The more he got closer, the farther the snake moved back.


    ''She''s scared of me?''


    Sylvester stopped moving and let Miraj leave his shoulder. Jumping around, Miraj didn''t take much time to climb the snake''s back and reach her ear, which, unlike typical snakes, she had.


    Soon, Ashra''s big ferocious eyes turned into confusion as she turned her head around to look for the origin of the voice. But the voice continued, and eventually, she nodded her head as if agreeing with something.


    Sylvester was too far away, so he could not hear the exchange, but he could smell some surprise, hope rising and sadness decreasing.


    ''I would have loved to take her along. But sadly, this is not a fairy tale. She will only be an oversized target for the many overpowered beings after my life.''


    Tap!


    Tap!


    "Hmm?"


    Sylvester was shocked to find another undead birdnding on his shoulder. He instantly knew it was from Emperor Lich, so he quickly caught the bird and took the parchment tied to its ws.


    Woosh!


    Unlike before, the undead bird flew away without taking a reply back. So believing it was one-waymunication, he opened the parchment and read it. There were two parts.


    "Bard of Solis, I am moving my castle away to the north. This little parchment was given to me a few months ago, meant to be handed over to you¡ªMay Solis reign supreme."


    ''How is he going to move that giant castle?'' Sylvester wondered and looked at the other side of the parchment, where a long passage was written. Just from the first three words, he knew who sent it, so he read it under his breath.


    ''Dear Lord Bard, you are likely devastated by the time you read this. Losing the Duchy of Iceling, the Barbarians taking over, and your armies turning into undead¡ªI pity your fate and openly ept your hate.


    ''After years of nning and work, I''ve had Emperor Lich under me and the mountain barbarians agitated. As I said before, in this grand scheme, you''re a mere reactionary at the moment, chasing the shadow of a dream¡ªtoote to be in the game.


    ''With this, I suggest you prepare yourself for the tough days ahead ore and join me as my right hand. I still very much desire a meeting with you. It''s quite dull at our high stage¡ªSince it requires a brain topete, not the talent of a mage.


    ''Regards¡ªShadow of Masan, the mastermind behind your misery.''


    Sylvester clenched the parchment and looked up at the cloudy sky. A deep frown adorned his face. Eyebrows so creased that even a lion would fear. But, the very next moment, something even stranger happened.


    Sylvester bellowed inughter.


    "Hahaha¡­! I can imagine his rage."


    ________________________


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    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 366 366. Bors Might Ritual

    Everything in the letter was false, as good as hoping the sun explodes and rain sugar around the world. The predictions were abysmally wrong, and Shadow of Masan had lost this time because Sylvester was not just another fanatic soldier.


    ''You couldn''t have been more wrong with your prediction.''


    "Maxy! Look!"


    Miraj''s voice shook Sylvester out of his thoughts. He looked at the snake and found Miraj sitting on the top of her nose. Ashra didn''t seem as sad now as before, and a newfound scent of hope was there.


    "So, what did you decide?" Sylvester asked.


    Miraj patted the snake''s nose, not scared at all by the giant. "Hehe, she says she will go with us."


    "..."


    "But that''s not possible, and what did you tell her?"


    Miraj proudly folded his paws and sat back. "I said Maxy is the best, and I was sad and lonely once. Then you came, and I became very happy. I said you give me lots of treats, and y with me."


    ''What the hell am I even going to feed this snake if I keep her?''


    "Is she friendly? Does she understand what I''m saying?" Sylvester asked further.


    Miraj spoke something to Ashra''s ears, and soon, the snake hissed softly with her big tongue and nodded.


    "Maxy, she says she''s a good girl, and Winter Ghost taught her well. She prays to god too. Ash, show him." Miraj patted the snake''s nose.


    Ashra bobbed her head and closed her giant eyes. Then she started hissing, and soon, her body began to shine. Her skin was made of Mythril, so it had crystal-like properties. The light shined all around her body and made her appear much prettier as the patterns on her skin shined differently.


    Sylvester''s jaw went agape in awe of the scene. "That is beautiful¡­You can use light magic?"


    Ashra tilted her head as if confused. Then, she looked up with her eyes at Miraj and said something to him.


    "Maxy! She says she makes the sunlight spread on her body, making her shine. She''s very good at earth magic only."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and thought about what to do with Ashra. He knew that soon the Pentapeak mountain range would be a hotspot for economic activity as the Holy Land would start giving licences for the extraction of resources. That would mean the mountains won''t be as calm and safe for Ashra either.


    ''I can''t leave her with the Barbarians either, as that would only make them stronger and, in return, be able to exert pressure on the Duchy.''


    He nced at Ashra, expectantly looking at him. She was definitely cute, despite looking ferocious. She was also smart enough to understand the human tongue, which was great.


    "Fine!" He relented in the end. "You will be the Holy Land''s mascot. Since you are a familiar of the Winter Ghost, the church will have to respect you and provide you with a home. Perhaps you can be sent to live on the Soul Penins and be its protector."


    Ashra happily slithered near Sylvester and lowered her head to his tiny form.


    Slurp!


    With her tongue, she licked his face. In return, Sylvester patted her nose, albeit being slightly terrified of her size. She could swallow him whole without much effort if she wished to.


    "Stay near the town from now on. I will call you when I prepare to return to the Holy Land with the body of the Winter Ghost." Sylvester instructed her.


    Her eyes showed sadness again as she lowered her head to the snow.


    "I will see youter." Sylvester got Miraj back and returned to where Winter Ghost''s body remained.


    Lady Aurora and Gideon Gracia had wrapped the dead Guardian''s body in a piece of cloth. Then they picked it up and brought it to the Frozen town''s castle, where a cold room was used to keep the body safe.


    After that, Sylvester called for an emergency meeting to discuss what had just happened and what to do next. He wished to end things in the North and return to the Holy Land, as he had much left to learn from the Pope.


    "It''s a great loss to the church. He died for no reason, so suddenly and unexpectedly." Sir Doloremmented as they all sat around arge round table.


    "Indeed. I can not believe a man as strong as the Sixth Guardian could be killed so easily. That Shadow Knight is too strong." Gideon added.


    Sylvester changed the topic soon as he didn''t care about Winter Ghost anymore. The man smelled of durians all that time, and Sylvester had realised what that meant. The smell signified that someone was good and bad at the same time. That Winter Ghost was not an evil man and a true believer in Solis, but simultaneously, thetter wanted to kill Sylvester for personal gain.


    "I received this from Emperor Lich." Sylvester passed around the piece of parchment and let all read it individually.


    There was silence in the room for a few minutes, and everyone let the words sink in. At first, there was horror that, yet again, this mess was part of arger conspiracy, but then they felt relief.


    "His words don''t match with the reality at all. You are alive, the Duchy is safe, and the Barbarians are now believers¡ªIt seems the so-called spy, Shadow of Masan, failed." Felixmented after reading it.


    Sylvester saw it differently, however. In his view, if he had beente and Emperor Lich had not warned him on time, then the conspiracy would have sessfully run its course. "He was close to winning, sadly. His confidence hinged on his belief that the church would neverpromise with the Barbarians or I would be able to converse with Emperor Lich. He lost not because of his miscalctions but because an anomaly had appeared."


    "You?" Gabriel eximed.


    Sir Dolorem interjected. "Who else but him? If it were any other holy man from the church, they would have never even spoken to Chief Koruk, let alone ally with them. So we won because Lord Bard saw things from a neutral perspective."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "He also lost all his spy assets in the East now." Sylvester sounded a bit tense. "But, I''m afraid he will be more destructive in desperation. We must ensure our des are sharp and shield strong."


    "Why does the Masan even want to expand? Don''t they have enough already? They are in a centuries-long war with Warsong Kingdom regardless, so why us too?" Gideon Gracia asked, hoping to receive some enlightenment from many members of various influential organisations present.


    At that, Chief Koruk, who sat all that time quietly, replied, "It''s quite simple, Lord Gideon. The answer is¡­Religion."


    "What do you mean? We follow the same religion." Lady Aurora asked.


    Elder Chief Koruk sighed and exined everything in detail. "Since I led a more peaceful faction, my people rarely came in contact with traders of Masan in the past, and we exchanged goods. During those days, we learned many things.


    "I remember hearing this from my grandfather, who was the Chief before thest chief. During that era, the newly crowned Masan Emperor wished to prove his might to the realm, so he decided to perform an ancient ritual that the past rulers had abandoned. Although the ritual was done in the name of Solis, we all know the West has different ways of worship than the east¡ªThe name of the ritual was Bors Might Ritual."


    Bam!


    Sylvester facepalmed himself. "Don''t tell me the ritual was unsessful? Why did that Emperor even try it when it was abandoned for the sole reason that it created senseless hostility and wars."


    "What is this ritual?" Felix questioned.


    Sylvester exined as he had read in the books. "It''s a royal ritual of the Masan Empire, in which a bull and a horse are tied together and left to run around, with a massive Masan royal army behind them.


    "Whichever territory the bull and horse enter will have to either bow and ept the emperor as their sovereign or fight the army apanying the horse and the bull. This ritual is a means of projecting one''s power, mostly done by weak-willed emperors¡ªIt''s supposed to dere that the Solis has blessed the Emperor to rule."


    Everyone looked at Chief Koruk, and Aurora asked. "He lost?"


    "That''s correct. He not only lost, but the soldiers of the King of Warsong Kingdom beheaded his bull and horse. So, to save face, the Emperor of Masan had to enter a war with the Warsong Kingdom, and now it''s been centuries, and the war is still going on."


    Everyone rubbed their heads in frustration. It was a dumb situation that got blown out of proportion.


    "Why haven''t I found any written records of this?" Gideon Gracia asked. "The royal Gracia library should have it."


    "It was a matterpletely suppressed and erased from being spoken about. It was a matter of great shame to the Emperor of Masan." Chief Koruk added. "Only a few know about it now as word of mouth."


    Sylvester looked at the unfolded map on the table and pointed to a few ces. "The Warsong Kingdom can not be conquered, and the Emperor of Masan is likely losing confidence. So he wishes to take over northern Gracia to show he still has Solis'' blessing?"


    "That''s the only sensible reasoning." Sir Dolorem muttered. "What should we do next? Masan has twenty-five Grand Wizards."


    Sylvester felt some strings pulled in his heart as the number was too big. "Let''s return to the Holy Land first. Chief Koruk, have you decided where to set your town?"


    "I have, preacher of Solis. We wish to create a town south of this Frozen Town, so we can ess the river waters, which will help with the trade." Chief Koruk pointed to the same map. "For now, we shall make a nomad camp here and start building."


    Sylvester looked at Duchess Milena. "Do you have any objection, mydy?"


    Thankfully, she didn''t deny it, and Sylvester nned the rest of the things for the barbarians. The town''s map and nning were going to be done by a southerner architect since the barbarianscked skills. In the middle of the town was going to be arge Monastery, which the Holy Land would fund.


    Besides that, the new town was going to be a focal point for future resource extraction in the mountains. So, a big port was also nned. Sylvester hoped that as the people would get rich and enjoy life, they''d forget their roots and assimtepletely.


    Eventually, the meeting ended, and only Sylvester''s team remained behind. Sylvester carefully locked the door and showed the agreement papers of Winter Ghost, which revealed the man had pledged loyalty to someone else.


    Varied emotions soon ornate the faces of all. Anger, disgust and disappointment weremon.


    But Sylvester was all smiles, which irked Felix. "What''s there to be happy?"


    Sylvester took the paper back and pointed at the bloody fingerprints. "Do you know what this is?"


    "A contract?" Lady Aurora asked.


    Sylvester smirked. "A blood contract!"


    Felix noticed the evil hidden smile on Sylvester''s face and asked. "What are you nning?"


    "Nothing," Sylvester replied.


    ''It seems the time hase to build my shadow organisation¡ªOroborus.''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 367 367. Creating Strong Allies

    "Wee back, Saint Seer," Sylvester greeted the bald spymaster of the church, the man he despised the most and yet, could not do anything against. "I hope your visit to the nearby duchies was fruitful."


    The Saint Seer, with his keen perception, could not help but detect the air of indifference in Sylvester''s voice, an unmistakable sign that any shred of respect he may have oncemanded had been forever lost.


    Saint Seer knew that the only way to regain Sylvester''s respect was through doing a good job whenever he was involved and a tenacious belief that, in due course, such deeds would bring about a meaningful change.


    "All matters have been resolved, Archpriest. All spies have been killed. And if anyone is left out, then they are either on the run orying low. I will keep my ears open for any noise for the next few years. Furthermore, I must say you have outdone yourself yet again. I''m sure any voice of opposition will subside now."


    Sylvester didn''t react much to the man. Saint Seer was a man who said one thing and did the opposite in secrecy. The only respite for Sylvester was that he could smell the emotions of the Saint Seer.


    "Thank you. You can return to the Holy Land if you wish to, Saint. I will remain here to ensure the barbarians settle down and their loyalties lie to the true god. I hope you can reassure his holiness about the situation. I will write a detailed reportter and hand it over." Sylvester spoke in the most formal manner.


    As awkwardness ensued, Saint Seer bid his farewell. "I do have much to do in the Holy Land. I wish you good luck and hope to see you at the Holy Land soon, Bishop Sylvester Maximilian."


    Sylvester didn''t even blink and just nkly looked as Saint Seer turned around and left. He had heard people call him Bishop after he had defeated the Duke of Ironstone too, and in the end, he was denied his rightful promotion.


    ''I should just focus on getting strong and building a reliable backbone for the future.''


    He headed out of the Duchess'' castle and found the streets busy with thousands of people. The previous upants of the Frozen city had returned.


    "Lord Bard, the horses have been prepared," Elyon informed him.


    Sylvester smiled at the tiger beastkin. The man has been loyal to him since the beginning and even risked his own life to save Felix. "You should receive your official designation as Priest now."


    "I am satisfied with what I have, Lord Bard. I chased too much in the past and lost everything in that pursuit," Elyon replied with no particr ring negative emotions.


    ''Poor man! It''s not easy getting over losing one''s entire family. I hope he can start a new one soon.''


    Sylvester patted the tiger man and walked towards the exit of the town. The destination was set as the new town currently being built by the barbarians down south. It had been a week since the decision was made, and at Sylvester''s request ¡ª Grand Wizard, Elder of the Gracia family, Gideon Gracia ¡ª had epted to help the people with his mastery over earth magic.


    But, before even the town was constructed, arge monastery had already been erected right in the middle of the preparednd. The church was rtively fast, and the Cardinal Suprima of the Duchy had sent the builders urgently. Since the monasteries have a standardised design, it was built in no time.


    "That snake is following us," Felix alerted with an unsettled voice.


    Sylvester chuckled and waved at the snake in the distance, away from the road, following. "Her name is Ashra, so call her that. She''s smart enough to understand what we say, and she''sing with us to the Holy Land."


    "You''re insane!" Lady Aurora added. "How did you even befriend such a being? The world thought her species was extinct, so there are no documented instructions to deal with her kind."


    Sylvester looked at Mirajzily sitting on the head of Frost, his loyal horse. ''I had expert help, I guess.''


    "She''s quite marvellous," Bishop Lazarkmented. "She is more precious than any mine in the world. But, unfortunately, her Mythril body might attract some unwanted eyes who''d wish to hunt her down, so bringing her under the protection of the Holy Land is better."


    Sylvester agreed, as that was one of the reasons he decided to take her along. The mountains were not going to be safe for her anymore, not with the demise of Winter Ghost and barbarians leaving the area.


    Eventually, the whole team under Sylvester arrived at the location down south. The foundation of the entire town had been dug, and the workers had started to build the various districts in the town. The nning for the town was done by a southern architect, as the Barbarians had no experience building modern towns.


    "The boundary walls havee out well. Lord Gideon should be an architect instead of remaining a retired elder of Gracia." Sylvester joked with the old Grand Wizard as they hade to respect each other after the long battle.


    "Hah, I''m too old to travel around all the time, Lord Bard. This was a rare asion, and I had toe for the survival of my Kingdom. So now I only wish to return home and have some rest," Lord Gideon said.


    Felix bobbed his head in agreement. "Nothing beats some wine and women so fine, right?"


    "That''s righ-"


    "..."


    Gideon looked back at Felix and made an ugly face. "Boy, you do that again, and I will have a talk with your father."


    "I''m an adult," Felix scoffed, "Archpriest of the Holy Land, and he can''t do anything to me."


    "You won''t receive any money." Gideon threatened.


    Felixughed as he patted Sylvester''s shoulder. "He never gave me money anyway, but I don''t even need it. I have my living, walking bank right beside me,"


    Bam!<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sylvester pped his hand away. "Stay back, gold digger dunderhead. Focus on the task at hand. We can not appear like jesters to them. Preach the faith of Solis to the best and show them the weing, warm face of the faith of Solis."


    The only reason Sylvester had brought everyone along was to influence the people of the new town better. The people had still not taken an oath in the name of Solis, and the time was running short. If the Holy Land did not feel satisfied and assured, the Storst faction would eventually be dealt with.


    "Get in line behind me." He ordered.


    With that, Sylvester started speaking a hymn under his breath, making the back of his head shine with a halo. He said nothing to anyone, nor did he give any food or clothing anymore. He just made his presence known to all; that the blessed bard of Solis had arrived.


    The people paid their respects and bowed to him on his way. Some even tried to touch him to feel blessed. His poprity rose among the people, and with the well-ced rumours that Sylvester had spread, the stories of his might and blessing were well known, some blown out of proportion.


    Soon enough, he arrived at the only two buildings that had been builtpletely. One was the monastery, and the other was the housing and administrative building of Elder Chief Koruk. Since the poption of the Storst faction was made of dozens of tribesing together, there were many small elders too.


    But the small elders were no problem for Sylvester as they were easily won over with enticing money. That only left Elder Chief Koruk ¡ª the man who refused to force others or himself to ept a new religion.


    Sylvester visited the chief first. "I gave you what I promised, Chief Koruk."


    "And I am grateful for this. Thends are fertile, the river is full of life, and the climate is much more weing. The people of Storst Town will never forget this."


    "I hope they don''t. When the church decides to show kindness, they go overboard. And when they decide to antagonise someone, they do the same. So I hope the new citizens of the Gracia Kingdom will ept and respect Solis. That''s the only way for a longsting, prosperous life," said Sylvester, giving a veiled warning as advice.


    Chief Koruk sighed and nced into Sylvester''s eyes. "I know that, preacher. After thinking a lot, I decided to join your side when I had an invitation from another."


    Sylvester smelled no lies, which meant Koruk was not faking. "Which other side?"


    "The Anti-Light," Chief Koruk dropped the bomb. "Since we are considered heathens by the church, the Anti-Light believed we''d be interested in bringing down the Church of Solis. But, I knew where the wind was blowing and rejected the proposal given by their chief."


    Sylvester rubbed his face with his palm and looked tired. In every direction he looked, an enemy was waiting for him. Masan, Elves, Anti-Light, and even inside the church, someone always wanted to kill or enve him.


    "I hope you won''t betray me now and ruin my name along with the lives of all your people. I shall conduct preaching and healing camps in your newfound town over theing few weeks and try to make everyone ept Solis. I came here to remind you not to interrupt. Once all the people have epted Solis, I will return to the Holy Land, and you will be the official leader of the town under the Duchess."


    Chief Koruk bobbed his head in agreement. There was no tion or disgust in emotions. For Koruk, this was a small sacrifice for the prosperity of the people. "Worry not, preacher. Our fates are now tied together. It is in my best interest to see you reach great heights in the church."


    ''I smell hope and excitement¡­ What is he cooking now?''


    "Are you saying you wish to lend me your strength?" Sylvester asked straightforwardly.


    But Chief Koruk stood up and walked over to a window that overlooked the town under construction and replied in riddles.


    "Preacher, it requires much for a budding tree to grow to its full might. Sometimes, it''s not enough to just have light,"


    ''An increasing amount of hope and admiration, but also a little bit of worship. It seems he has started to doubt his own ideals. I should push for more.''


    "Then what do you offer me, Elder Chief? I hope we can make a mutually beneficial trade."


    Woosh!


    Koruk unsheathed his sword and ced it on the table. "I offer you not my life, for it belongs to my people. Instead, I offer you my de."


    Sylvester looked intently into Chief Koruk''s eyes for a few minutes as silence lingered in the room. It was just the two of them, yet it felt suffocating as both tried to gain as much as possible from the other.


    After a long silence, Sylvester ced a dagger on the table as he didn''t have his spear out. Then he picked Chief Koruk''s sword while thetter picked the dagger.


    "Elder Chief Koruk Mi''nar, I ept this trade."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 368 368. Barbarians To Belivers

    The time hade, the day Sylvester achieved the unachievable. A month passed, and the town''s construction had finished its first phase.


    Sylvester had done everything so subtly that no one could realise what even happened. He purposefully only donated clothes that were simr in fashion to the south. Since the skin and facial features were no problem, there was no difference between the people of the south and the north beside thenguage barrier.


    Since learning a newnguage takes a lot of time, it was impossible to fix it in a month. So the best Sylvester could do was make priests and Bright Mothers from the monastery teach them.


    But then there was another problem. The Barbarians were still Barbarians and did not understand strict rules such as ''you never harm a Bright Mother''.


    Sylvester tried his best to make the ceremony as grand as possible to make all the Storst Town dwellers feel wee and needed. So the entire town was decorated with flowers and various coloured walls. The Barbarians were allowed to make multiple ornaments as long as they didn''t depict their old gods.


    After that, Sylvester called for nearby travelling bards to create small events all across the town over the week to make the people feel joy. He also gave a replica of the violin to some of the barbarians who knew how to y music.


    Boom!


    The fireworks also took to the sky as the morning came, and the sun showered its warmth on the world. The people dressed well, and a lot of food was cooked to be distributed for free. It was more like a festival, likes of which had never been seen before for a simple faith eptance ceremony.


    Lady Aurora being present there was already a blessing for many, but the barbarians didn''t even know about her, so Sylvester was all they looked forward to. But even then, the entire Holy Army stationed in the Duchy, along with the soldiers of the Duchess, hade in their ceremonial armour and silky shining capes to show a magnificent parade.


    The barbarians didn''t even know they were being brainwashed, and they cheered the parade with shouts and showers of flowers. It was understandable that they were gullible because an ordinary barbarian didn''t have to worry about politics and learn how the world works.


    For them, living in the mountains meant they had a predefined job. Some had to chop wood, some had to go on the hunt, some were builders, and some were farmers. There was no need for anyone to worry about anything other than their job.


    "Today! On this auspicious day, when the Season of Solis is just two months away from us, I am delighted to part you with the hymns of Solis and the wisdom that makes us so superior to any other!"


    Felix spoke from the stage as a crowd of thousands remained below him. The scent of worship was at its peak as the people, with their shining eyes, expected to see another miracle of the famed Bard of the Lord.


    "Repeat after me as the sun shines its warmth upon us. May the Holy Light enlighten us! May the Lord bless us with a great harvest and a gentle river. Hear the sermon as he stands before you, the holy Bard!"


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us! May the holy light enlighten us!" The crowd repeated after Felix''s loud shouts. Chief Koruk''s face appeared visibly pained as the man saw his people change sides so fast.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester suddenly appeared on the well-lit stage with the help of light crystals. It was extremely awkward for Sylvester, but he knew he had to do this. ''Why do I feel like a superstar from my previous world doing a concert? Just I''m preaching a cult here.''


    "Lord Bard!"


    "Son of Solis!"


    The people shouted and cheered as Sylvester''s magnificent form appeared with a mighty halo behind his head as he sang in the barbarian tongue. Sylvester wore extravagant robes that day instead of the faith''s traditional light golden yellow robes. Today, he wore white silk robes. On top of that was a red scarf with golden embroidery draped on both sides of his shoulders and falling towards his knees. On his head was a mitre of an archpriest, but it was different as gold and gems decorated it.


    His right hand was raised to show an immense amount of light. At the same time, with his left hand, he utilised Miraj by making him throw up lots of gold and silver coins towards the people now and then.


    a??Wee to the arms of the true one.


    For the days of misery and hunger are gone.


    Plenty of harvests and warmth now await all.


    All you must do is reply to the Solis'' call.a??


    a??We''re all the same, albeit with differences.


    Red is in our veins, varied only in senses.


    Let this soothing light enter you and set you free.


    Hold each other''s hands and sing with me.a??


    Sylvester raised his left hand towards the crowd, and Miraj vomited the showering gold on all. It was disgusting for Sylvester as he saw and heard everything, but the people cheered and caught the golden rain.


    Not only the barbarians but Sylvester''s allies were also shocked. Felix, Gabriel, Lady Aurora or Sir Dolorem, none of them knew that Sylvester had space-magic-rted abilities. So, their jaws also remained hung open.


    a??O'' Solis, God of Light, so divine,


    Your radiance shines so bright and fine,


    With every beam, you bring us peace,


    And grant usfort and release.a??


    a??O'' Solis, how your light doth shine,


    With every beam, you make us thine,


    And though the shadows maye near,


    With you, our hearts have nought to fear.a??


    a??O'' Solis, you are our steadfast guide,


    Your light illuminates both far and wide,


    And though the storms of life may rage,<novelnext></novelnext>


    With you, we are forever safe.a??


    As Sylvester came to the end of his long hymn, the people had entered a trance-like state and sang alongside him with no care. Months of light brainwashing, followed by months of direct propaganda and then the many gifts. Sylvester, the master spy of his time, knew very well how to bring down a nation, or win over one.


    a??So let us sing and raise our voices.


    In honour of the God of Light,


    O'' Solis, we praise your name,


    For Your blessings will forever remain.a??


    More than two hundred thousand people of the Storst faction, all barbarians, converted to the faith of Solis. In a few months, Sylvester solved one of the two greatest problems for the Church for the past few centuries. All he had to do was use the disadvantage to his advantage -- Brain instead of muscles -- food instead of a de.


    As the ceremony slowly ended, the people were no longer barbarians. They were just people. Every household was given arge symbol of the church to hang in their house, as well as a book about Solis written in the Barbariannguage. Sylvester had asked someone to trante it a long time ago. But, using magical means, only a hundred books could be copied.


    Still, that was enough for the town as they would hear the book recital every week in the town''s square. Even the traders who will eventually enter the town will be secretly tasked with spreading the faith of Solis.


    In his whole song or speech, Sylvester never denounced the five mountain goddesses. On the contrary, he reckoned the five would eventually be forgotten as the people moved on.


    "Lord Bard!"


    "Lord Bard!"


    The crowd cheered as Sylvester walked down the stage and poured some light on the people with his palm. The warm sensation it always left behind made the people tear up, as they felt a miracle touch them. In their eyes, Sylvester was no less than a demi-god.


    From early morning tote evening, Sylvester went to everyone who had just epted Solis and spoke personally, reassuring them that good days were ahead. It meant a lot for the ordinary people who used to think that the southern people were pompous and too prideful.


    Eventually, as the sunpletely hid away and the night fell, Sylvester felt tired from speaking all day. So he retreated to the new monastery in Storst Town. There, he found all of the prominent guests of the day eating and talking with smiles all over them.


    ''I guess I''ve seeded this time. But only time will tell if my actions will bring longsting benefits to me or doom to my future ns.''


    He walked over to Chief Koruk. "So, what''s our decision now? Will you continue to be a believer in mountain goddesses?"


    "I will." The man instantly replied. "But, I will also ept Solis, for my people believe in him. I live for my people, so their goodwill is important to me."


    Sylvester didn''t say anything as he sensed some conflicted scents from the man. So, he shifted to meeting with the big team that helped him over the months.


    Bam!


    But Felix clenched Sylvester''s arm and dragged him to a corner where Aurora and Gabriel were waiting.


    "Since when? How?" Felix questioned hastily.


    "What?"


    "The space magic! How did you learn it? When?" Gabriel added, looking as excited as Felix.


    Aurora didn''t even wait and caught both of Sylvester''s shoulders and looked him in the eye. "Light Magic, a perfect harmony of all elements, good head, supreme talent, and now space magic? How? When did you learn it?"


    Sylvester awkwardly looked away toward Miraj, who waszily sitting under a table and devouring a banana.


    "I... I just found out about this when I went to save Felix. I was very desperate, and in that moment of need, I found this ability. I can store things in an invisible ce and retrieve them whenever I want." Sylvester confessed as he knew this revtion would make his life easier in the future.


    Aurora''s eyes shined bright. "How much can you store?"


    Sylvester shrugged and lied. "I don''t know. I''ve only stored food, gold and clothes until now. So there has got to be some upper limit to it."


    Bam!


    Gabriel pped his back. "My brother, can you store some items for me?"


    Felix did the same. "Max, I need you toe with me to my family castle and take everything valuable. I''m going to bankrupt my father."


    "..."


    Sylvester knew there was more, so he nced at Lady Aurora.


    She smugly smiled and let him go. "Do you have any idea how rare space magic is? As I respect this magic, my request isn''t big -- I just want you to store my carriage."


    "..."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 369 369. Son Of None

    Eventually, the day finally came when Sylvester had to return to his home, the Holy Land. The newly built Storst Town had developed very well, and the basic industries, such as fishing, had already been set. Nevertheless, it was essential to ensure that the people of the town didn''t feel hopeless and were forced to take the wrong and destructive paths.


    After a major event in which Sylvester organised to officially dere the people of the town as believers of Solis and ensuring that any voice of opposition was swiftly silenced, the situation was very much favourable to him.


    Furthermore, the inspectors from the Holy Land had alreadye and seen everything. The Sanctum Inspectors ensured that the people were in the right camp and didn''t hold any negative thoughts about the Holy Land.


    Sylvester also met with the Duchess for thest time as she came to see him. He knew she would need to train her children well for the task of ruling the Duchy, or else everything would fall apart.


    "Thanks to the battle, the Prima of your Duchy had an ''ident'' and died, along with all his supporters. So now, you are in a unique situation with absolute power, and I will only pray to the lord that you seed in everything, your grace."


    Duchess saluted him back formally. "Lord Bard, I, my sons and their next generations will never forget your blessing. I am indebted to you and forever will be. If there is ever something you require, please inform me. I will do everything in my power to help you."


    ''Good, that''s what I wanted to hear.'' Sylvester smelled the sincerity in her words and ensured to remember her.


    "Then, I will take my leave, your grace. I will meet with Chief Koruk onest time so he remembers not to overreach his authority and end up fighting you." He cleared away thest of her worries and moved away.


    He went to Chief Koruk''s house and workspace and found the man sitting in his office room alone, writing something in the barbariannguage. But there were also many books in the southernnguage, which made it clear that the man was trying his best to assimte his people.


    "From now on, this town is your responsibility, chief. I hope you make sure that your people don''t do something unknowingly to the point that all of you have to pay the price." Sylvester straightforwardly advised Chief Koruk.


    The old man, the chief, looked somewhat sad from what had transpired. His grandfather''s grandfather had been the chief of Storst, and they never surrendered to the southerners. But he did, and he now felt ashamed to say he was one of them. But, in the end, all he wanted was the safety of his people.


    Sylvester raised his voice gently and looked at the man intently. "Chief Koruk, you made the right decision. You are old anyway, so at least you have now ensured that the next generations of your people get to live and remember you."


    "As thest chief, I''m afraid." Chief Koruk replied. "I''m quite sure there will never be another chief of Storst, as the rank is associated with ''barbarians''. You people only agreed to let me keep it due to my strength."


    "That is why you must give your best to ensure that your people grow as fast as possible and as strong as possible while you''re still alive. Because, remember, I have limited time and attention. The real hyenas will be unleashed once you''re gone." Sylvester warned him, giving him another reason to keep on striving for a better future.


    Chief Koruk spoke no more words, and he merely bobbed his head. It was impossible to know what the man was thinking, but the scents told he was sad and somewhat worried. Was he worried about his people or concerned that he made the wrong choice?


    It was a conundrum that Sylvester had no time to explore anymore.


    ¡­


    The very next day, a long convoy of soldiers prepared to move out quickly. The people of the Storst town gathered near the newly built walls of their town and waved their hands to bid farewell.


    Sylvester stood atop Lady Aurora''s carriage, waved his hand too, and shouted some graces for all.


    "May you see nothing but peace and harmony for centuries toe."


    A few faces seemed to be weeping from the fact that Sylvester was leaving them all. While some smiled because he visited them and showed them his miracles, some were lost, and some won; that was the story of Storst town.


    "Let''s move out now, Lady Aurora. Tell the soldiers at the front there is no need to escort us. Have them return to the Duchess and prepare for the mountain expeditions." Sylvester ordered firmly as the leader, although Lady Aurora was much higher in rank.


    Lady Aurora did just that and sent all the soldiers away that blocked the road of her carriage. Then, she took the reins and gently whipped the horse to make them go fast. The snow had already melted for the most part, and the roads were once again open, so they moved quite fast.


    Inside the cabin of the carriage, Sir Dolorem, Elyon, Bishop Lazark, Felix, and Gabriel sat talking and messing around. Meanwhile, Sylvester and Aurora sat together to be able to speak with each other privately.


    "You certainly overachieved this time, Sylvester." Lady Aurora said while driving the carriage.


    Sylvester scoffed and took the reins from her. "But now we have a bigger headache. We now know that Masan has twenty-five Grand Wizards, and now we know that Shadow of Masan wille out against us with all his might while utilising his main cards. We don''t even know about his cards, which makes it so unpredictable."


    Lady Aurora sighed and nodded in agreement. "You''re right. The Masan having so many experts does pose a challenge for us. But, simultaneously, you fixed the problem of Mountain Barbarians for us and possibly made a new ally in the form of that mighty Emperor Lich. You were the brightest light that cleansed this whole region. If that''s not overachieving, then what is?"


    "Sadly, that is for the Supreme Council to decide," Sylvester replied in a somewhat mocking tone. "Will they allow me to rise to the rank of Bishop this time?"


    "They must! Because by now, your name has spread everywhere, and the news of what transpired in the north is making its way through to the south. If they still don''t promote you, they should be dealt with."


    Sylvester didn''t say anything about that. "I''d rather not jinx it. Let''s move now. We should be reaching home faster with no snow on the road."


    So without stopping, they travelled the whole way to the south and eventually circled around Pitfall Town, the home of Zeke once. Even now, it was a flourishing little town blessed with plentiful harvests every single year.


    After the Pitfall town, the long lines of trees covered the sides of the road and announced that thends of Baron Strongarm had started. The forest was losing the snow and showing its withered branches now. The road was empty, and still, a little bit of cold air was passing by.<novelnext></novelnext>


    But, when Sylvester looked to his left, at a great distance, he saw a mountain-like figure hidden in the clouds of mist. It was something he despised. He often wondered about the misery of those chained there. The Tower of Godless was the one ce he was sure needed a Crusade and an Inquisition at the same time.


    "ve! Buy some ves! Get yourselves some nice ves!"


    Sylvester looked ahead at the noise. The scenes appeared simr to what he had seen months ago. The same old roadside crowd was gathered before a stage on which a vemaster was selling ves. This was the same as thest time, the same old fat man selling ves, some men, some women, some naked and some well dressed.


    "Get the best ves!"


    "Unhand me, you buffoons! I shall not allow myself to be sold like this for a mere gold grace!"


    Sylvester was attracted by that voice as he recognised it from thest time. It belonged to the ve who refused to be sold for a low price because he believed he was too valuable to be sold so cheaply.


    "What''s going on here?" Sylvester bellowed while sitting in the reinsman seat of the carriage. Following his voice, Felix and the rest also got out to see.


    "Ah¡­ Lord Bard, the saviour of the north, the bane of the undead and the evil!" The fat ve seller recognised Sylvester, and from what he said, it was apparent that the news of Sylvester''s deeds had reached far and wide.


    "You still haven''t sold him?" Sylvester asked in a somewhat surprised voice.


    The ve trader tried to make the most pitiful face while he sweated and rubbed his hands. "He just won''t go, Lord Bard. What should I do with him? He attacks anyone that tries to buy him, and nobody wishes to own a ve that might one day slit their throats."


    Sylvester nced at the man and asked him directly. "Why do you think you should not be sold so cheaply? Are you a noble?"


    "Aye! I am a high noble, for I am the youngest son of Viscount Lezworth. But I do not ask for a higher price due to my golden blood, but rather my mind, which is stronger than these primitive creatures." The ve proudly replied with his chin raised high.


    Sylvester sighed as he smelled no lies. "What''s so special about your brain?"


    "I can memorise anything within the blink of an eye! I remember everything in great detail. I even remember the first time I peed or the first time I got sick and got injured. I remember everything!"


    ''This seems like an extreme version of eidetic memory. But why would such a man be sold? Won''t he be brilliant at all sorts of banking work?''


    "If you''re a noble, then why are you being sold?" Sylvester questioned.


    The brown-haired ve''s face turned sad, and he looked down. "I¡­ I saw the book of mary records of my father. He¡­ He had written down the names and money paid to women he had bastard children with."


    "..."


    "So your father sold you?" Felix questioned, feeling somewhat sad for him.


    "Aye, he knew of my abilities and sold me for it. He feared I''d tell my mother, who''s the daughter of a Count, and that would have likely gotten my father killed."


    "Didn''t your mother protect you?" Sylvester inquired.


    The ve looked even more depressed. "No¡­ M-My father falsely fabricated a crime in my name, that I¡­ I vited children. My mother didn''t believe in my innocence and let my father banish me, andter his knights sold me to this fucker!"


    Sylvester had no idea how to even feel for this man. The ve was somewhat like himself, a man blessed with talents, but they became his curse.


    ''Should I buy him? His ability can be helpful, but I don''t know much about his character.''


    "What''s your name?" He asked.


    "I am Darius Vulcan Marcellus, son of none."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 370 370. Assassins Came To Assassinate, Got Assassinated

    "I am Darius Vulcan Marcellus, son of none."


    Sylvester could understand what thest part of his name meant. He had been thrown out of his house, which meant he could no longer use his family name.


    He looked at the man intently to understand what he was thinking through the various smells he induced. There were too many for it to make any clear sense, sadly. There was a pungent smell, spiciness and a burning sensation ¡ª hate, anger and rage. But, not only that, there was sadness that borderlines brokenness. However, one scent made him feel the most pity, as it was something he was well aware of.


    The sense of emptiness, as if there existed no happiness in the world, no hope and no will to live. ¡ª This was precisely what Augustus used to smell like before hemitted the act. Darius was feeling the same, and he could understand why.


    So, he asked only once. "If you want a new purpose, then follow me. If you want to be enved again, do whatever you want."


    nk!


    Sylvester threw a small pouch of money at the ve trader. The fat man initially seemed sad, but once he opened the pouch and found five golden coins, his grin couldn''t be contained on his ugly face. He just bowed and thanked him. "Thank you, my lord. You are as gracious as the legends say."


    Hearing this, Sylvester remembered something. "What happened to the family of three that you were selling before?"


    "Oh, they passed away from the winter, my lord. They died from the winter in the Baron''s keep. Sadly, by the time they were saved, they had be too weak already and passed away." The ve master revealed.


    It was saddening as Sylvester tried to help the family run from the south. He sighed and put that thought at the back of his mind since there was nothing he could do now. very was an evil, perhaps even bigger than demons and bloodlings.


    As Sylvester awaited an answer from Darius, he looked around for more ves to buy for his shop. He needed more since he would soon be releasing the older freed ves from their duty. However, he had no idea if they would stay with him and keep working, so he had to prepare for contingencies.


    He looked at many men and women, some with hunched backs, some old and some young. But he smelled many conflicting emotions from many, which gave away information about their character. For example, many ves were not forced into very, but because theymitted a crime or took a loan they could not repay.


    He avoided such kind as most of them only want the freedom to return to their normal lives. But, at the same time, the ves he wanted were those cursed with ill fates and had nowhere to go, even if freed.


    "What''s her story?" He asked as he noticed a ck-haired, white woman, likely in her 30s. She looked like a simpleton, probably in her thirties and looked quite decent. Not a beauty, but not a malnourished woman either. But, her eyes had a strange naivety in them, as if she never grew older.


    "There is no story, my lord." The ve master showed the woman with much enthusiasm, trying to sell her as well. "She''s been a ve since she was two years old and abducted. She was sold at the tower of god, and since then, she has lived in servitude under several masters. It''s astounding to me how she does not look broken."


    Sylvester was taken aback to a degree. ''ve since two?''


    He faced her and asked. "Do you want to be free?"


    She shook her head quickly and spoke in the most docile manner possible. "No, respected master. I only live to serve others.''


    ''Ugh¡­ The emotions show no hate or sadness. She really believes what she''s saying.''


    "Why? Don''t you want to be able to do whatever you want to do? Eat whatever you want, and work wherever you want. I can give you work too." He questioned further.


    The woman held her head down while replying. "My family will find me. I know it. Everyone has a family, right? What if theye looking for me, and I''m not a ve anymore? How will they get me?"


    Sylvester and Lady Aurora looked at each other''s faces. Even she showed some expressions as they realised that the woman had lived her entire life in a foolish hope that her family would find her, that her days of misery would end. She took a smile and stered it on her face permanently, for the hope of good days went beyond the ongoing suffering.


    "Do you know where your family lives?" He asked her.


    The woman smilingly replied. "I¡­ I don''t know."


    Sylvester tried to shatter her reality with a few well-ced questions. "Then, how will they find you? You''ve changed masters so many times. They won''t know where to look for you."


    Still smiling, her face showed no hint of any doubt. But he could smell the anxiety in her heart. She was searching for answers within and failed to find one.


    Sylvester continued to ask. "Why not be free and slowly look for your family instead? Why live on someone else''s grace when you can hold your destiny on your own?"


    "B-But¡­ My family."


    "What''s your name?" He asked further.


    "Name? Everyone calls me You. All my masters call me You." She replied.


    Sylvester looked at the vemaster and asked him the same question. "Didn''t her seller tell you her name?"


    "Oh, she never had a name, my lord. Since she was sold at the age of two, she didn''t remember her name, nor was she ever given a new name, for she didn''t matter to anyone. I got her for a low price as she only knows how to do minor housework."


    ''If she knows how to do housework, then she can certainly be useful.''


    "Fine, I will buy her for a silver Crown. Woman, if you wish to find your family someday,e with me. I won''t promise you anything, but with me, you have higher chances than being here and working for lords anddies, fulfilling all their desires, good or twisted." His offer to the vemaster was final, but for the girl, it all depended on her wish.<novelnext></novelnext>


    After sharing one nce with Darius, Sylvester didn''t wait and returned to his carriage. "I''m leaving, so this is yourst chance."


    Darius didn''t waste a moment and ran towards Sylvester. "Your name and fame mean nothing to me. But you''re worth following if you can show kindness to a random person."


    Sylvester internally chuckled. ''Hah¡­ And you fell for the trick.''


    But he wasn''t lying when he offered to take the woman as well. He needed these people to work for him, especially Darius, as Sylvester had too much money that needed ounting, but it would beundered through the Bard''s.


    "Get in." He opened the door to the back of the carriage.


    However, Darius grabbed the woman''s hand and dragged her along too. "You fool, you don''t know when god is showing mercy to you and when he''s cursing you. Come with me if you want to live."


    The woman seemed to know him well as she didn''t object to him and epted hismand as if he were her master. "But¡­ What if¡­"


    "No, but and ifs, I will not see you keeping that dumb smile on your face at all times. You are not meant to be a ve. You''re too kind." Darius eximed and dragged her along to the carriage.


    Sylvester saw through what happened. He noticed the aroma of rose and springbined, a calming scent of love from Darius. Although the woman did not reciprocate it, it was clear that she valued him too.


    In no time, everyone got on the carriage, and they resumed their journey. They didn''t stop anymore, not even at Baron Strongarm''s keep. They crossed it to go towards Duke Colorwood and arrived at the open fields adorning the roadsides.


    "You''re too unpredictable." Lady Aurora eximed as they continued to steer the carriage. "One movement, you''re fine with killing an entire civilisation, and the next, you go and save some ves."


    Sylvester chuckled. "Don''t they say, never let them know your next move?"


    She sighed and agreed with him. "Yes, you''re right. But please tell us about your moves from now on. You can trust us, and I''m sure we''ve all done enough by now to make that feeling mutual."


    Boom!


    Thud!


    "Ugh! What now?"


    All of a sudden, the carriage''s wheel broke apart for no reason and sent it dragging down. It toppled everyone inside it and spooked the horses enough they ran away, except for the loyal Frost, which belonged to Sylvester.


    "Kill the Bard!"


    The ground shook, and multiple holes appeared on the surface all around. From each came dozens of men and soon surrounded the carriage. They all wore simr clothes, grey robes with hoods. But they didn''t bother hiding their faces and tantly announced their names.


    "We are the Sons of Fire, and in ashes, you shall retire!" Shouted the lone tall man at the front.


    Shhh¡­!


    Instantly, out of nearly two hundred men, over half took out their swords or spears and lit them all on fire with fire crystals. It instantly turned the surroundings into a sea of fire, and soon the wizards wielded their fire magic too.


    With no change in expression on his face, Sylvester picked up his spear and stood up. He looked at the head of the group as if he were a dead man.


    "You came to im the bounty on my head. That means you also wish to im the bounty on my mother." Sylvester got down from the carriage and stepped a little forward.


    The head of the assassin group scoffed. "Dead men should not be telling tales, Bard. Cry all you want. We shall show no mercy. We are master wizards and higher, or knights of higher rank. The runes we ced on the ground will also keep that Guardian at bay. You killed the King Badgers, but we''re different!"


    Sylvester looked at the ground and quickly noticed the runes made from earth magic using tiny rock formations. He recognised it was a suppressing rune that required a magical source of immense size, which meant they came prepared.


    But Sylvester had something that none knew yet ¡ª something destructive that the world overlooked over the years.


    "Felix, Sir Dolorem, Gab, Elyon, Bishop Lazark and Lady Aurora! Do not let a single one of them escape! Kill all of them! I want their blood, and I want it NOW!"


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 371 371. Dangerous Jealousy

    Sylvester only wore a rank te that showed his rank as a wizard, but nobody knew his knight wizard rank. So this was the day the world shall know, the day the world learnt that he was not just a wizard and a bard, but a ruthless knight too.


    His spear shined bright, and crystal-like edges appeared at its tip. He didn''t walk towards the enemy as that was foolish, though he used all his knightly magic knowledge to strengthen his body.


    His arms and legs, all the joints, appeared to have a vaguely invisible light shrouding them as if it was armour over his armour. His red cape stopped fluttering as if it had be heavy, and the ground beneath his feet started to crack.


    "The rune you made has a w." Sylvester started. "And that w is¡­"


    The Sons of Fire were somewhat scared of him as Sylvester''s reputation was too big and too legendary. But they only came after him because no other A-ranked bounty paid five hundred thousand Gold Graces. With that much money, they all could live forever in peace, or so they believed.


    "All attack at once! Don''t give him a chance to react! Don''t take him lightly; keep your distance from the rest." The leader of the group shouted and ordered.


    Immediately, all the knights in the group rushed up to kill Sylvester. They made various forms of fire from the edges of their des, and at the same time, the wizards from the back threw balls of fire with their secondary magical talent imbued in them.


    Sylvester sidestepped easily, so fast that with each step, he made a small crater in the ground. His form was untraceable for the most part, and before anyone could even notice, he had reached behind the enemy lines, where the wizards stood, for they were his greatest foe first.


    "The biggest w of your runes is¡­ It only suppresses the srium in the air, not within! Which means¡­!"


    Woosh!


    Sylvester easily lifted one of the wizards off the ground by the robes and threw him towards the carriage where Lady Aurora was waiting.


    "Wizards are weak inside the rune, but a knight still reigns supreme!"


    Woosh!


    Sylvester started pushing and throwing the wizards into the rune circle as they all strategically stayed out of it. Once inside, their magic got suppressed, and they became an easy target for the rest.


    Sir Dolorem easily sliced them up with his sword, Elyon used his ws to rip throats out, Felix beheaded a few, Gabriel took the lord''s name while stabbing hearts, and Lady Aurora cut them into pieces. Meanwhile, Bishop Lazark turned the dead into undead and sent them back towards the other enemy knights that had circled them around.


    Chaos and conundrums spread wide in an instant. The enemies didn''t know that most of the allies of Sylvester were wizard-knights, which meant they could fight in any circumstances, like the one now.


    "Do not fear them! They are still suppressed magically! Attack at the same time!" The leadermanded.


    Sylvester went all out once that announcement came. He targeted the knights and used his spear as if he was dancing. He pivoted on his feet, letting the tip of his spear reach the many necks around him.


    He threw the spear or used its butt to break many legs. He did feel regret for not knowing how to use the spear to the fullest by expanding it, but he didn''t mind as he could already masterfully use it.


    Not only the spear, he also used his entire body.


    Bam!


    A fist to the jaw, and he easily broke a man''s entire face, throwing his teeth metres away and knocking him out. But no mercy was shown even then. When enemies fell from passing out, Sylvester stepped over their necks and killed them in a gory mess.


    "Weak! You came here to kill me? Then why do I only see your blood?" Sylvester asked them in a roar.


    "Aaargh!"


    A knight cried as Sylvester ripped out the throat of one and stabbed the spear in the eye of another. There were more than a hundred knights, and they could not stand against him at all. He ploughed through them with ease and left a trail of blood left and right.


    "M-Mercy!"


    "No!"


    Suddenly, Sylvester looked away towards the left, far in the distance and shook his head as if signalling someone to stoping closer. After that, he went on a killing spree again.


    But the biggest fear for the enemies was behind Sylvester, as Bishop Lazark turned every fallen knight into an undead, effectively flipping the numbers.


    Sylvester didn''t use any wizardry the whole time and still easily kept winning every single battle. Eventually, an hour passed, and the number of knights became lower than the number of undead.


    "How are you this strong? You killed my golden Knights with ease!" The leader of the group asked in a panic.


    Sylvester started walking towards him, looking bloodied. His face, hair, and armour had bits of pieces of the men he yed. It was just gore and blood, and he was the god of death.


    He looked towards the carriage, where Felix and the rest had finished killing all the wizards long ago and now worked on fixing the carriage''s wheel. Only Sir Dolorem and Gabriel watched the remaining fight and ensured no knight could leave.


    "W-We will leave! Let us leave, please!" the leader pleaded. "We haven''t hurt any of you yet."


    Sylvester didn''t stop. He had vowed to kill all assassin organisations that darede after him and his mother. If he let them live now, they''d onlye after himter with a vendetta. He could not afford that with his hands full already.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester threw his spear. It plunged into the assassin leader''s leg and firmly nted him down on the ground. Now scared for his life, the man did everything he could to escape. "What do you want? You''ve already killed all my men!"


    Sylvester reached him, slowly knelt down to the man''s level, and grabbed the throat. "Youmitted a grave mistake."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "What mistake?"


    Sylvester clenched his hand a little. "Your mistake? You''re still breathing!"


    "Aaaargh!"


    Sylvester clenched his fist into the throat and easily plunged his fingers into the flesh. He caught the throat firmly and started to pull it out, ever so slowly, so the man suffered through the pain.


    "Aaaaa!"


    The maddening screams echoed all around, making the birds sitting in the distance fly away in fright. Eventually, Sylvester pulled the throat out entirely and let the man die in pain and gore. Not once did he ask the man for his name, for he was just another useless hindrance meant to be stepped on.


    "Felix and Gabriel! Come and help me burn all these bodies. But we will put the leader''s body on the roadside for disy. Let this be a reminder for any A-ranked assassin group not toe after me." Sylvester called his friends for help.


    "What if an S-rankedes after you?" Felix asked.


    Sylvester sighed and jerked his arms to get rid of the blood. "They wille after me anyway, Felix. At least I can avoid these small ones with this."


    "You need a bath," Gabriel added.


    Sylvester chuckled wryly. He knew he had gone a little overboard this time. There was no need to make all the men die so painfully and brutally, but he still did so in anger. Although he had no regrets, he hoped not to lose his touch with humanity.


    Then he proceeded to destroy the rune circle made underneath them. "True, I need a bath. Let''s hurry home after this. We wasted too much time on these buffoons."


    "Why didn''t Lady Aurora help you out? She''s a knight too. Or use Ashra; she''s a giant snake." Felix asked him while ncing at the carriage.


    "I asked Lady Aurora not to. She''s too strong for most, Felix. If we always take her help, we will never grow up. So while we still have to exert ourselves, she does not have to. Killing these ants is useless for her. Meanwhile, Ashra is better kept in secrecy for her own safety. Come now, burn these bodies."


    Sylvester ced all the bodies in a small pit and lit them on fire. It didn''t matter if they were believers of Solis or not. The moment they attacked Sylvester, they went against the church, which, by default, made them heathens ¡ª deserving of death.


    After burning the bodies with magic, Sylvester created a gpole with a tree trunk from nearby and hung the body of the assassin leader on it with a que around his neck. "I am an unholy assassin. I deserve this.''


    Once done, he poured a lot of water on himself using elemental water magic and cleaned himself quickly. Then he entered the back of the carriage and decided to have some rest while Felix and Bishop Lazark drove the carriage this time.


    With there being so many of them, they did not need to stop and drove the whole day and night in turns. They stopped only for food in a few locations and then continued. A few dayster, the Holy Land finally came into view.


    "Ugh! What happened to this ce?" Lady Aurora grunted alongside Sylvester as they sat in the front seats to steer.


    Sylvester rubbed his head in joy and worry. "I-It appears¡­ All the people there are standing in line for the Bard''s."


    "Your shop?"


    Sylvester wanted to stop there and check out the shop, as it seemed it had be too popr. He was worried for the safety of his staff and didn''t want them to overwork.


    "Let''s continue. I must report to the Holy Father directly. The matter we dealt with was too important and cannot be kept as a mere report." Sylvester continued.


    They crossed the tunnel and entered the Holy Land. After that, they all headed to the Pope''s penins, but only Lady Aurora and Sir Dolorem joined Sylvester at the Pope''s Pce.


    "I will see you tomorrow. Felix, take Darius and thisdy along and let them live at your house. You have two extra rooms. Bishop Lazark, give your analysis of Emperor Lich as well. I''m sure the Holy Land will wish to have more information about such a powerful undead creature." Sylvestermanded everyone swiftly.


    Once all left, they climbed the tall stairs of the Pope''s Pce. They entered and moved straight towards the Pope''s office without asking anyone.


    "Ah, Lord Bard!" The assistant to the pope, Gunther, saluted. "Only the Eighth guardian is with His Holiness. You may enter."


    Sylvester nodded and opened the door to walk in. He had not even changed his clothes, and his armour reeked of blood, sweat and rotten meat.


    "May the holy light enlighten us, your holiness. I am delighted to announce that the Barbarian issue from the north has been rectified. All the remaining barbarians have epted the faith of Solis wholeheartedly." Sylvester formally saluted and gave a summary of the report.


    Thud!


    "Haha! There you are!" The Pope, however, was too excited and easily pushed his giant table aside, cing Sylvester in a fatherly hug, even picking him up a foot. "Just what I expected from my greatest protegee!"


    Sylvester didn''t like this closeness, but he epted it as it was beneficial. But, as always, it also brings problems that, in time, could grow into cancer.


    ''Ugh! The Eighth Guardian reeks of jealousy and all things negative.''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 372 372. The Food Devourer

    Sylvester tried to ignore the eighth guardian and spoke with the Pope. "Your Holiness, as you may have learnt from the initial report, the Sixth Guardian was martyred in a battle against the Shadow Knight. But his pet, a Mythril Snake named Ashra, is still alive. She''s thest of her species, intelligent enough to understand humans and friendly. I wish for her to be allowed to live in the Soul Penins as the Soul Tree''s protector."


    The Pope instantly agreed and started writing something on paper. "Of course. I know about Ashra. Winter Ghost told me about her thest time when he was here. You did well bringing the snake here. I will send the best gentle beast tamer to guide her to the Soul Penins."


    "No need, your holiness. I will guide her there myself. She''s quite shaken up by the death of her parent figure. But I also have something else to talk about." Sylvester signalled that he needed to speak alone.


    The Pope nced at Faithwalker, the Eighth Guardian and sent him away without saying anything. Following him, Lady Aurora and Sir Dolorem also left. After that, the Pope poured Sylvester a ss of water and pushed him onto a seat.


    "Be at ease, young Bard. You are at home now, and I don''t mind informality at the moment." The Pope said as he took his seat. He was all smiles and appeared happier than ever.


    Sylvester noticed it and decided to change his tactics a little. ''Clearing and rectifying the menace in the northern mountains appears to have brought pleasure to him. Perhaps bringing him some more guilt will do well.''


    "Your Holiness, Winter Ghost tried to kill me once we were done with our battle. His words were precise, and he proimed his loyalty to someone else in the church, someone high in the ranks." Sylvester dropped the biggest earth-shattering bomb.


    The smile vanished from the Pope''s face as he looked into Sylvester''s eyes to discern if he was telling the truth. But, sadly for him, even if Sylvester was lying, there was no way his facial expressions would reveal anything.


    "So he was one of them too. Their thirst for power and authority is only increasing with time. I have many years of life ahead of me, yet they have already begun to extend their sharp talons far and wide, leaving no corner untouched. This is an intolerable state of affairs, yet to vanquish them would entail the destruction of the very bastion that protects us and, in so doing, render us weakened and vulnerable to the vile forces that seek to snuff out our light." The Pope said emotionlessly, although his face showed great pain.


    ''It''s working.'' Sylvester smelled the disappointment.


    "Your Holiness, I wonder if my achievements will again fall on deaf ears?"


    The Pope shook his head immediately. "Not this time, young Bard. Thest time I was in grief about losing the old man. But now, I shall not falter. They must heed the truth or face my wrath. Son, let not the shadows of despair cloud your faith in Solis, for I, too, have battled with the darkness that sought to undermine the very foundations. Believe in yourself and yourrades, and I am confident you shall triumph over all obstacles that lie before you."


    "But, your holiness, what of the many evils our ranksmit outside? I¡­ I had a vision¡­ A Bishop of the faith sold a human girl child to the Desert Cannibals ¡ª It''s hard to tolerate sometimes." Sylvester made a conflicted face as if he was struggling with the status quo of the church.


    The Pope walked over to Sylvester and ced a hand on Sylvester''s armoured shoulder. "Don''t! Never tolerate evil, son! You are the Bard, and you have the power to judge! But worry not; I have something in mind for your next task to help you be a fantastic punisher.


    "But, the present state of affairs is dire; regrettably, I can offer no solution. The church, vast and far-reaching as it is, cannot be easily kept in check. With no swift means ofmunication, we often go years without a word from far-flung monasteries, only toter hear of the atrocitiesmitted by the faithless brethren dwelling within. Yet, we are the necessary buffer, the essential mediator. In the past few years, you have given justice to many vile nobles, but would anyone have halted their misdeeds had the church, you, not stood up? Would the cries of the oppressed have ever been heard? We are the vital safeguards, but make no mistake, we, too, have our share of venomous serpents slithering within our ranks."


    Sylvester felt satisfied with the answer and proposed something that could help him in the long run. Something that could ensure that no clergyman attains too much power while sitting in one location for the rest of his life, and be richer than the nobles of that region, or worse, collude with nobles to do evil.


    "Your holiness, why not implement a time-basedpulsory transfer system for all Non-Holy Land clergymen?" Sylvester suggested. "This way, you can ensure that the clergymen don''t be too corrupt and powerful while living like kings in one monastery for their entire life. At the same time, the feedback of the people they served will determine future promotions."


    "You mean, transfer all clergymen to other locations periodically? That would require quite a lot of work to be done by the administration department. The number of clergymen out there is in the millions." Pope said while considering the feasibility of the proposal.


    ''Come on, just agree. As long as these clergymen don''t get to attain power and wealth, they will have nothing to offer to my enemies. Making them easier for me to entice.''


    "It''s doable with the proper management department. All they need to do is maintain registers with all clergymen''s names, ranks, locations and titles on each register with the year they should be transferred. Then, when the yeares, you take those registers and move them to a different cab that denotes a new location. The n offers more to gain than lose, but ultimately, it''s up to you and Saint Wazir, your holiness." Sylvester suggested.


    After his words, there was silence in the room. The Pope rubbed his beard as he retook his seat and thought about the proposal in depth. If he went with it, it would be a significant structural change. But, on the other hand, there were more advantages and fewer things to lose.


    "I will think about this in-depth with Saint Wazir, young Bard. I thank you for the suggestion, and I also thank you for your service. You have no work to do for the next few months, so you may go to get your wounds dressed and take some well-deserving rest." The Pope ended the discussion.


    Sylvester stood up and saluted. "Understood, your holiness. I will submit the detailed report in a few days. May the Holy Light enlighten us."


    Sylvester turned around and walked slowly, with a slumped shoulder, as if tired or injured.


    ''Good¡­ I smell the sadness.''


    Bam!


    As the Pope''s office door closed, the Pope looked at the sofa near the entrance, away from the table. "What do you think? Did he lie?"


    "No."


    As the new voice came, a form of a white robbed human came into existence from invisibility: the masked face, hooded head with golden embroidery and the long sceptre in one hand. The man was an enigma to all, and no one dared offend him.


    "The bard did not lie, Axel."


    The Pope rubbed his chin and tiredly slouched on his table. "So he was able to recruit even the sixth guardian. What do you think about his transfer idea?"


    "It may work to reduce all the evil that resides within."


    "If you think so, then I will speak with Wazir. You may keep an eye on ''him'', Saint Scepter." The Pope ordered.


    With that, the white robbed man stood up and left by phasing through the wall instead of opening the door.


    ¡­<novelnext></novelnext>


    Outside, Sylvester bid his farewell to Sir Dolorem and took Lady Aurora to take Ashra, the giant snake, to the Soul Penins.


    "Where is she?" Aurora asked.


    "I told her to wait for us near Bard''s food house outside the Holy Land. She likely dug herself inside the ground there and hid."


    "Lord Bard! Lord Bard!" A call came from behind suddenly.


    Sylvester stopped mounting his horse and looked back at a Knighting on a galloping horse.


    "Lord Bard¡­ Y-You are needed at the Bard''s¡­ Urgently!"


    Sylvester''s brows furrowed. "What? Did a giant snake attack?"


    "No, Lord Bard¡­ It''s something else¡­ The workers at Bard''s are crying and are out of food¡­ A big angry crowd has gathered around there now."


    ''Out of food? How can they run out? The inventory is supposed tost a week at once, and it''s just the first day of the week.''


    "Understood. We shall head to there quickly." Sylvester got on Frost and rushed fast with Lady Aurora, all the while wondering what the hell even happened.


    ¡­


    At the Bard''s, five hours ago.


    A noble decorated carriage stopped in front of the already crowded building. From the carriage came out three people. A man, six foot five, with white hair and tanned skin. He was not old, had brown eyes, and a short but dense beard. The face was as handsome as a man could be with a muscr body of a warrior.


    Then there was a woman of unmatched beauty and grace, but there was an everpresent sharpness in her eyes, akin to a battle-hardened warrior. She had ashen blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin while being as tall as six feet.


    In the woman''s arms was a little baby, possibly a few months old, tucked in a soft nket.


    The couple wore modest clothes, but from their demeanour, all could determine they were nobles. Moreover, as the nobles had a reserved ce on the first floor to sit, they did not have to wait to enter the famed shop.


    "Bwahaha¡­ So this is Lord Bard''s shop." The man bellowed with his voice, oozing power and might.


    The woman sighed and rubbed her face. "Please don''t be so loud, dear. This is embarrassing. This is why I don''t travel with you anymore."


    The man chuckled and held the woman''s hand while leading her to afortable, cushioned seat beside the balcony on the first floor. "Just be free, my love. Like we used to be when young, wild and happy, for the people will never stop talking ¡ª which I call barking. We now have a little boy, and we must show him the true joy of life."


    The woman relented and gave a heart-stopping graceful smile. "Alright, let''s have fun then. Don''t mind me if I look ugly."


    "You never look ugly, my dear wife!" the man took his seat and ordered. "Now! Bring me one te of everything you have, young ones! The Bard should be on his way, so I shall taste his creations in the meantime."


    A few minutes passed.


    "This is delicious! Bring me all of this again!"


    "Again!"


    "More!"


    "Bring me all you have!"


    "..."


    [A/N: Guess the character.]


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 373 373. Eye Transplant?

    Sylvester hurried to the Bard''s as he didn''t want his workers to quit. He had a long n for the Bard''s, and for that, he needed skilled cooks and workers to train others for the future.


    "If it''s not the snake, then who else could it be? Who can eat so much food in one go?" Lady Aurora asked as she understood how much food was sold daily in the Bard''s, and since it was just morning, there should have been a lot of food.


    "I don''t know, probably a madman or perhaps someone who wanted to pique my interest. But, the way the knight refused to borate on who he was, I''m guessing it was someone who wanted to surprise me or attack me. So, do watch my back."


    Sylvester galloped forward and soon reached the gates of the Holy Land and called for some knights toe along as escorts. Since he used to be the overseer of the gates not long ago, many guards knew him and had a favourable impression, so many of them willingly came along, hoping they''d get to eat something too.


    In no time, a huge angry crowd outside the Bard''s came into view. They were shouting and hurling insults at the building and were trying to pick up some stones from nearby to throw.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester pulled out his spear and shot a bright light beam into the sky. It instantly earned the attention of all, and they turned silent in fright in no time.


    "Soldiers, move them away. If any of them decides to create any ruckus or fight, you can use non-lethal means to stop them." Sylvestermanded them and trotted down the path split between the crowd.


    As he arrived outside the Bard''s, he saw the five mercenaries he had hired for protection, trying to keep the angry customers at bay.


    "What happened?" Sylvester asked.


    "M-My lord¡­ It''s¡­ Inside he ate everything and demanded more. He also said he''d give them a thousand gold for it, but we have nothing left, and the crowd got angry."


    Sylvester noticed one of the workers, the youngest of them, fourteen-year-old Ava, sitting near the stairs and crying her eyes out. So he quickly walked over and patted her shoulder. "What happened?"


    "Nothing¡­ The customer is very kind and sweet, but I''m tired, my lord. Every day so many customerse, and we don''t even get time to breathe during the whole shift. Today, the people said they''d burn this ce down¡­ I won''t have a ce to live then. I''m sorry, my lord."


    ''Did I overwork them? Or did the Bard''s get too popr while I was gone?'' Sylvester wondered.


    "It''s okay, dear. I have brought some help, and they will be here soon. So you won''t have to work as much. Consider the shift over for today, so go and have some rest. Also, your home is where your heart is, so as long as you''re well, you will always have a home wherever I am." Sylvester tried to calm her down.


    He knew that it was likely hard on her mind. Being an ex-ve, she probably had more traumas and fears than he could imagine.


    So after sending her to rest, Sylvester walked into the building and went to the first floor directly to see this mad customer.


    Bam!


    "Sylvester! Young Bard! My boy, my greatest benefactor!"


    Sylvester stopped as soon as he reached the top of the stairs and saw the man who had caused so much ruckus. Sadly, the man held such a background that he could not even get angry at him.


    Woosh!


    The tall, muscr man hugged Sylvester as if they were long-lost family. "Haha¡­ Come, Lord Bard! Let me show you my son! The medicine you gave me worked."


    "..."


    Sylvester was even more shocked as he had shot an arrow in the dark with no hope. "King Hignd¡­ You had a child?"


    The King nodded proudly and went to the Queen to take the baby out of her hand and show it to Sylvester as if he were a puppy. "Bwahaha¡­ Not just a baby, but a strong boy! Look, he already has strong muscles in his arms and legs! He''s going to be a fine king."


    "Ah! Don''t hold the baby like that, your majesty!" Sylvester quickly took the baby in their arms and looked at his face intently.


    The little one had ashen blonde hair and a round chubby face. The eyes were big and blue, showing Sylvester''s reflection in them as the baby stared at him intently.


    Tap!


    "Aya!"


    A momentter, the baby suddenly raised his palm and tapped on Sylvester''s nose, instantly melting the strong and ruthless man he had be. The baby made noises as if he was talking, although it was just cute gibberish.


    Sylvester didn''t want to, but his eyes went a little wet as he remembered the loss of his own child in his past life. All the hopes and dreams that were quashed, all the memories that broke him, resurfaced for a split second.


    He controlled himself and caressed the baby''s chubby face. "Hehe¡­ Forgive me, little one. My body and armour probably stink a lot¡­ I caught a lot of bad people, you see. You must do the same when you grow up."


    "It''s fine. He''s used to stinky people. His father ys with him after his daily exercise." The absurdly beautiful woman stood up and walked over to Sylvester.


    ''S-She¡­ Isn''t she also a Grand Wizard? Good lord, not only is she blessed in beauty but also might¡ªWhat a perfect power couple.''


    Woosh!


    But, shocking Sylvester, she didn''t raise her hand to shake it. Instead, she hugged him with the baby in between. It wasn''t anything lustful but just a hug from a delighted mother. It was evident as she raised her hand and caressed Sylvester''s hair.


    "Your mother must feel so much pride to know she brought a son like you into this world. Lord Bard, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the healing blessing you bestowed upon us. So, we want you to be the Godfather of my son and name him." The Queen stepped back, leaving Sylvester in a strange storm of emotions.


    He looked down at the baby and intently poured a little of his own srium to see if he got any pushback.


    ''Ah! I can sense it. The magic is surging through his veins¡­ He will one day be an utterly strong wizard, it appears¡­ To be his Godfather, I must do a genuinely good job.''


    Sylvester didn''t have any spy-like dark motives behind his thoughts. He just wanted the baby to grow up to be a good man who uses his blessing for good. But, first, he needed to give a good name.<novelnext></novelnext>


    So, he silently looked at the baby while thinking intently.


    "Rex Magnus¡­ Meaning Great King¡­ Rex Magnus Hignd!" Sylvester murmured in a low breath, enough that King Atrox and Queen Trinity could hear him.


    Both royals looked at each other with big smiles and eventually nodded to agree with the name given by Sylvester. It was beautiful and mighty as they hoped it to be.


    "This was sudden, and I heard you made my staff cry, your majesty?" Sylvester gently handed the baby back to the Queen and turned to the King.


    King Hignd tried to steal his gaze and give an excuse. "Well, the thing is¡­ The food was great, Lord Bard¡­ Better than any I have ever tasted, and I could not control myself. You know, I''m a Grand Wizard, and our apatites are big."


    "We''re sorry, Lord Bard. I should have stopped him earlier." Queen Trinity apologised.


    "It''s alright. I''ve sent the people away. The staff will need some mental healing and rest, that''s for sure. But what brought you here, your royal majesties? The baby is still too small for you to be travelling." Sylvester questioned them as if he was their elder.


    Queen Trinity answered him in her soft voice. "We wished to see you and let the baby have the grace of the Holy Father and the Magna Sanctum temple. As the temple can heal anyone with any ailments, we hope that little Rex here can be cleared of any problems before he starts to grow big."


    ''Amazing¡­ Does this mean these nobles can use the Magna Sanctum like a vine?'' Sylvester was amazed by the usage.


    "Then¡­ I believe we will see each other in theing few days. Sadly, I cannot apany you as I must first fix the issue here.


    "Of course, Lord Bard¡­ I have much to discuss with you, as does my beautiful wife. We shall meet you soon inside the Holy Landter." King Hignd picked his items from the seat and proceeded down the stairs.


    But then he stopped and looked back at Sylvester. "Oh, one more thing¡­ I heard the Bard''s also deliver inside the Holy Land?"


    Bam!


    Queen Trinity smacked her husband''s back and dragged him out of the building. She mumbled some scolding while pushing him into the carriage and then entering.


    "What an amazing couple." Lady Aurora spoke finally. "I felt like I had lost my breath in the presence of those two. How did you manage yourself, Sylvester?"


    "Hmm? What do you mean?" Sylvester looked back. "Wait¡­ What happened?"


    He noticed the guards he had brought and the mercenaries he had hired had pale faces and appeared stuck in one position with eyes wide open.


    "M-My lord¡­ King Hignd''s aura¡­ It''s scary!" One of the soldiers said.


    "Scary? I felt nothing." Sylvester blurted.


    "Ah! Of course, you''re the Bard, after all!" Another soldier said as he returned to normal.


    Sylvester tried to wonder what had just happened. King Hignd did not affect anyone thest time he visited Bright Mother''s housing. Then, this was either purposeful, done to gauge him, or it was King''s natural aura.


    ''He didn''t smell of anything but positivity. Could it be because of¡­''


    "Lady Aurora, send the people away that are crowding outside. I will meet with the staff in the meantime. They are probably shaken up by such a high-ranked person appearing here." Sylvester requested her.


    "Sure, it won''t take any time." She agreed and took all the soldiers and mercenaries along.


    However, Sylvester''s goal was something else. He went straight down to the ground floor, then to the basement, and then entered the hidden entrance to the vastbyrinth he had constructed. There, many rooms were visible now that had beenpleted. But the one that mattered was at the end of the long corridor.


    Knock Knock!


    He knocked on the door before opening it to enter. Instantly, the form of a man came into his vision, and everything made sense.


    ''Did King Hignd sense Healer Hendrix here? Both are Grand Wizards, after all.''


    Boom!


    "Right on time! Come here, boy! A BLOODY BREAKTHROUGH!"


    Healer Hendrix suddenly boomed andughed like an evil mad alchemist.


    "I''ve done it! I''ve separated the eye and the nerves! Now I know how to nt another man''s eyes into someone else!"


    Sylvester''s ears stood up. "Do you mean¡­"


    "YES! We can nt Duke Daemon''s eyes with the future sight on someone else!!!"


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 374 374. Sylvesters Promotion!

    Sylvester had to stop for a few minutes before he could say anything. He had lost all hope that something like this could be achieved, and he had spent money like it was water on the past hundreds of experiments that Healer Hendrix did.


    "Are you sure? Have you tried testing it?" Sylvester asked again, just to be sure.


    Hunter Hendrix, usually calm and rxed, showed a big smile and gave a thumbs-up. "Of course! I tested the treatment on a blind cat, giving that cat the eyes of another cat that had just died. The test was sessful!"


    "Hisss!"


    All of a sudden, Miraj, on Sylvester''s shoulder, stood up and hissed in anger. Miraj was likely an experimented cat and knowing another cat was suffering probably triggered the usually good boy.


    Sylvester rified everything. "So you used an already blind cat instead of turning a cat blind?"


    "I''m not a monster, Bard. I can''t ever hurt those pesky little cute creatures. I gave this cat a new life by giving her new eyes. I''m adopting her now, however." Hunter Hendrix said as he walked over to a covered cage and removed the quilt. Inside it was a pretty ginger cat sleeping finely.


    Sylvester patted Miraj discreetly to calm him down and let him go to check on the sleeping cat.


    "So, you are ready to try human experiments now?" Sylvester asked, interestedly, already trying to think of where he''d bring subjects for testing from. "And how confident are you?"


    Hunter Hendrix scoffed in anger, being easy to annoy. "Boy, I''ve given my life and high talent to the art of healing instead of fighting. So be mindful of what you ask. Yes! I am confident in healing any man''s eyes now as long as I have spare eyes. So if you bring me the human eye, I will test it out."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and thought about it. "We should be testing on normal eyes first, as we can''t afford to waste the eyes with Future Sight. Come with me."


    Sylvester walked out of the room. Thebyrinth was well made at that point with cemented smooth walls, lights and a floor, along with various runes for air, heating and locking doors. There were even many alerting runes for anti-intrusion.


    He opened one of the rooms he had ess to and allowed Healer Hendrix to enter.


    Blink!


    As soon as they stepped inside, the various light crystals on the ceiling activated through the numerous runes, revealing the vast walls of dozens of wooden racks with multiple levels. On each shelf were jars of ss with some water inside and... eyes.


    "T-This!" Healer Hendrix eximed in shock. "So many eyes... There are at least a few thousand. Where did you get them, Bard?"


    Sylvester shrugged and walked over to pick a few eyes. "It wasn''t just Duke Daemon whose eyes I took back then, Healer. I was angry back then because Daemon had caused someone close to me to lose his eyes."


    Healer Hendrix said nothing about it, however. The man had likely seen many other atrocities in his long lifetime, so this was nothing. "What about humans to experiment on?"


    "I will speak with the Inquisitors to lend us some blind prisoners. Once we know the treatment works, we will help a few blind people from nearby viges to earn some goodwill. When we haveplete confidence, we shall give the Future Sight eyes to Sir Dolorem." Sylvester nned.


    Healer Hendrix looked at Sylvester with eyes of confusion. "I thought you''d be interested in attaining them."


    Sadly, Sylvester could not. "I wish to, but Daemon''s eyes are not golden, and you should know that golden eyes are important to my image. So, I shall give those eyes to the man I trust the most."


    "Are you certain he won''t backstab you? The promise you gave me and my wife that you will create a world for all to exist in peace -- I don''t want you to die before you fulfil that, Bard."


    Sylvester chuckled and felt a strange weight on his shoulders. He was but a single man, but the expectations from him were such that any sane man would simply quit and live in seclusion. But he had to do this because he wanted to be the Pope. To earn his peace, just sitting at the top was not enough, as the top seat was just the tool to initiate real peace.


    "That man nearly gave his life for me twice, Healer. Anyway, let''s get back to the discussion. When do you need these human subjects?"


    "As soon as possible, even today if you can. But I reckon it''ll take at least a week, so I shall prepare for a mass experiment in the meantime. So, if you have nothing to ask, I shall return to my research room."


    Sylvester followed the man and locked the eye room behind him. But he did ask the man something. "Healer Hendrix, do you know how Blood Contracts work?"


    The old Healer stopped and looked back. "Why do you wish to know that?"


    "In times like these, loyalty is sold and bought for nothing. It''s hard to check who''s real and who is bluffing." Sylvester replied.


    A few secondster, the old Healer sighed and entered hisboratory. "Come with me if you wish to learn it. Contrary to what people believe, a blood contract has nothing to do with a piece of paper. But it has everything to do with one''s blood.


    "There are a few limitations to this sort of contract too. For example, a blood contract can only be put on someone weaker than you. That means you can not make a Supreme Wizard your ve just because you tricked them into the contract. They can easily overpower and break the contract magic with their stronger magic."


    "How is a blood contract ced?" Sylvester inquired while keeping a portable notepad in his hand.


    Healer Hendrix took a parchment and started drawing on it with a charcoal stick. "First, it requires the blood of both parties. Next, mix that blood and draw this specific rune on any piece of paper. After that, the stronger party shall imbue their srium in the rune and activate it.


    "If the rune scheme disappears, it was sessful. After that, you can use normal ink to write the terms on the paper and then get the weaker party to sign with a blood print of all their hand''s fingers to finish the contract."


    Sylvester''s mind raced with many ideas. He could use the contract on his servants working in his shop or future subordinates. He could make a contract with most of them except Lady Aurora and perhaps Bishop Lazark if the man was stronger.


    "What about the penalty for breaking the contract?" He inquired.


    "You write that down too." Healer Hendrix said. "Ites out as a curse instead of something too magical. The curse activates once the contract signer breaks the contract. The penalties can range from death to memory loss."<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''This is even better than what I expected. But it does have some limitations, it appears.''


    "Can a third party break the contract? Perhaps a wizard that is even stronger than the contract creator?"


    Healer Hendrix nodded. "Of course, it''s possible. That''s why one of the most important parts of the terms is the use of secrecy."


    ''Then, Winter Ghost''s contract didn''t have the secrecy use as he told me about it.''


    There were still a few doubts, so he needed to research it more before trying to implement it.


    "Thank you for the help, Healer. I will inform you when I get the test subjects ready." Sylvester bid his farewell and went out to meet with the shop''s staff and boost their morale.


    ...


    At the same time, inside the Holy Land, an important meeting was called forth in urgency.


    In the Administrative Building, inside the arena, thirty-two cardinals and the Pope sat around arge round table. All had confused faces besides a few, as they didn''t know why the urgent meeting was called.


    "I called the Supreme Council today." The Pope spoke once everyone had arrived and had taken their seats. "We have convened to discuss the future of the faith, as one of the biggest diseases that gued our continent has been solved. The barbarians, once so savage and untamed, have been tamed by the hand of the Favoured Child, Bard of Solis, Sylvester Maximilian."


    This time, the Pope took an active approach and spoke as a matter of fact instead of a suggestion. His voice alone made most of the Cardinals move in their seats ufortably.


    "Then, is this meeting about what to do with the northern mountains?" One of the Cardinals asked.


    "No, you need to worry about that." The Pope didn''t even look at the man. "We are here to vote on the promotion of Sylvester Maximilian -- officially."


    Murmurs from some protests came out but didn''t be loud as the Cardinals started speaking to the other Cardinals on their sides.


    "Ehm!" Suddenly a Cardinal stood up. "Your holiness, if I may have the permission to speak."


    "Go ahead, Cardinal Cornelius." The Pope allowed it.


    Cardinal Cornelius cleared his throat and started speaking. "Among all of you here, perhaps I spent the most time with the Bard. He was there when I was the Cardinal Suprima of Ironstone. His wits, his magic, his grace and his versatility are unmatched. There has not been a single mission in which he failed as a Sanctum Inspector.


    "Not only did he do his tasks, but he also invented things that saved lives and continue to do so. Go to the sick bay in the Holy Land and ask the name of the Bard to anyone. All the healers will speak with joy, for the invention of injection needles and intravenous saline has made saving lives much easier. He has alone saved a vige in the desert with new ways of farming -- He solved a gue at the age of five, for Solis'' sake.


    "If that man, Sylvester Maximilian, does not deserve the promotion, then none of us deserve to sit here. If we object to his young age, then I say this... It''s better that a genius be young than old, for the young shall invent for years toe. Lord Bard''s young age is advantageous for the church, not the other way!"


    p!


    p!


    Cardinal Robert Smith, a Cardinal Sylvester ced on the supreme council, started pping, and many followed suit, including the Pope and the entire Sanctum Council. That move instantly put pressure on all of the Cardinals who were against Sylvester.


    "Let us vote then!" The Pope said.


    "I vote in favour of promotion!" Cardinal Cornelius raised his hand first, followed by Cardinal Smith.


    "I approve!" Saint Seer responded. With him, the rest of the Sanctum Council approved it too.


    One after another, even those who hated Sylvester to the core raised their hands and voted to promote him. That way, in a few minutes, all thirty-two votes were cast, and all said yes.


    At that moment, one of the Cardinals that disliked Sylvester spoke. "I believe Cardinal Cornelius is right. He has achieved so much. We should encourage him by making him a Bishop."


    Thud!


    The Pope suddenly mmed his fist on the table, gaining everyone''s attention. His face had a big sly smile, but the gaze was deadly.


    His voice was heavy and hoarse, and he cleared his throat before speaking. "Wait a moment. I never said I wish to promote young Bard to the rank of Bishop -- I wish to make him an Archbishop!"


    And chaos erupted.


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 375 375. Love Blossoms?

    Chaos erupted in the meeting hall. Most of the cardinals stood up from their seats and started talking simultaneously.


    "This is impossible!"


    "An Archbishop at the age of eighteen?"


    "Bishop rank was already pushing the boundary of what was eptable."


    "This can''t be allowed! This will set the wrong precedent!"


    "SILENCE!" The Pope bellowed and stood up. "I hear all of you judging the young Bard by his age, forgetting to see beyond his achievements! Fine, if age is the case, then tell me, you''re all old. Have any of you converted two hundred thousand barbarians to the faith of Solis? If yes, then I will ept the refusal to vote. If not¡ª"


    The Pope didn''t finish speaking as the threat would have gone too far. But he did make the message clear.


    "The future of the faith lies in young men like the Bard. Talents like hime once in millennia, and we are bothered by his age here? It sometimes makes me wonder if age is even the case or if perhaps the problem is something else. I am adjourning this Supreme Council, and we shall meet again tomorrow. You all better show up and cast a vote, but if you vote no, be sure to have a convincing reason to do so."


    The Pope turned around and left without saying the church''s greeting. The Cardinals also left one by one, but many remained.


    It surely was going to be a sleepless night for many of them.


    ¡­


    It was a long day, and Sylvester finished everything in the Bards and got Ashra to the Soul Penins. He had to take many measures and teach the guards to avoid hurting her if they didn''t want to be attacked.


    He had to teach Ashra about the boundary of the whole area and where she could and could not go. At the same time, he had to make the guards learn how to advise the new visitors to the Soul Penins so everything ran smoothly.


    "Ashra, this is where you will be living from now on. Look, isn''t this amazing? It''s all green, not a lot of heat from the sky, and the big tree has so many ces for you to explore. What do you think?" He asked the giant snake.


    Ashra looked up, turning her head around and tasting the air asionally. Her eyes showed a strange innocence and excitement, albeit somewhat suppressed since she still remembered the death of Winter Ghost.


    "Hisss¡­"


    "Do you like it?" Sylvester reacted after Miraj deciphered her words in his ears. "Then, I will be seeing you here from time to time. If you need something, just visit the guards and ring the bell I''ve installed there. They will notify me or someone else who might be able to understand you."


    She lowered her head and snuggled near his chest. To say she was huge was an understatement. Sylvester was an ant in front of her head size, but still, he patted her, and she closed her eyes in joy.


    ''She likely never had close contact with anyone other than Winter Ghost.''


    "Alright, I will be going now. By the way, do you remember the bear you saw near the entrance? His name is Yogi, and you should befriend him. He''s a kind boy." Sylvester added and let Miraj borate correctly.


    Ashra then watched him leave, intently looking at his vanishing back. The further Sylvester went, the narrower her eyes got, and the sadness seeped in. She had always lived with Winter Ghost, so living alone was new to her.


    "Bye now. I will see youter!" Sylvester turned around once before the entry gates and waved at her.


    That instantly cheered Ashra''s mood and made her bob her head fast. A reassurance entered her mind that Sylvester wasn''t abandoning her; she could have more friends.


    ¡­


    After a long day, Sylvester finally had time to return home. However, it was already nighttime, and he was exhausted, so he bid farewell to Lady Aurora and climbed the Bright Mother''s housing stairs.


    "Ah, you''re back?"


    "Good evening, Lord Bard!"


    He greeted many Bright Mothers on the way and finally reached the door to his home.


    "Maxy! I smell tasty honey banana pie!" Miraj suddenly eximed before Sylvester could knock on the door.


    Sylvester also sniffed and smiled widely. "It seems mum knows what we both want, Chonky. Let''s go then."


    Knock! Knock!


    Instantly, the door opened. "Finally, you''re back. Mother Xavia was getting worried for you.


    Sylvester silently stared at the man in front of him. "Didn''t you go home, Felix? So what are you doing here?"


    ''Ah! I smell something strange¡­ The scent of rose and spring? Love?'' Sylvester looked behind Felix and noticed Isabe standing there, grumpy with narrow eyes and frowned brows. But he noticed the same scent from her, just a little fainter.


    "Sylvester! How could you forget to send me any letters? I asked Felix to send me letters every week, and he did until they suddenly stopped¡­ Then you left so suddenly to save him. Mother Xavia and I had no idea if you were even alive!" Isabe protested angrily, but it was a different kind of anger¡­ As if she was more worried than just angry.


    Sylvester gently apologised. "Well¡­ A lot happened there, the Barbarians, Shadow Knight, the betrayal and Emperor Lich ¡ª Honestly, we didn''t even have time to eat, forget writing a letter. But I will ask someone in the Administration Department to forward an edited summary of my mission reports to you while I''m away."


    Bam!


    Isabe hugged him suddenly and, surprisingly, smelled of no lust or the scent from the past that revealed her interest in him.


    "Thank you for all what you did. I received a letter from Grandpa Gideon. He told me you fought against the undead and the barbarians to keep the Kingdom safe until I took the throne. But please don''t take such risks for something so intangible from now on. I will never be able to forgive myself if something were to happen to you. How will Mother Xavia feel?"


    Sylvester just nodded, as telling more was useless. ''I''m doing this for mum and myself, Isabe. But sadly, such secrets can never be revealed.''


    After meeting them, Sylvester entered the house and went to the kitchen, where Xavia was cooking. She lookedpletely healthy and swiftly walked and worked around with her hands.


    "I can smell the honey." Hemented.


    Xavia looked behind and rushed over to embrace him. Her face was, as always, full of smiles and the warmth of a mother.


    Seeing her, Sylvester felt he was truly at home with the person that mattered to him so much. A mother he never had in his first life, but here he was blessed with the best one.


    "I''m sorry, it took longer than expected." He released her from the hug.


    However, Xavia was a mother, and when it came to her son, her eyes were very sharp. "What happened to your index finger?!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Oh¡­ It''s nothing. I just had an ident. I couldn''t keep the finger intact, so I lost it. It was a useless finger anyway, so no worries, mum."


    "What do you mean useless?!" She eximed and looked at the healed wound closely, trying to use her healer''s knowledge to see if she could do something.


    Just then, Felix entered the kitchen and told everything inly. "He lost it because of me, Mother Xavia. The Barbarians took me hostage, and Sylvester came to save me, but the cruel leader of the heathens asked for a toll, and it was Sylvester''s finger."


    Xavia''s expression changed instantly, and she caressed Sylvester''s face while looking up. "Max¡­ You are so¡­"


    "They are dead, mum. All the sinful heathens, along with their leader. Ah! I''m hungry now. Let''s eat." Sylvester quickly changed the topic and got closer to Xavia''s ears to whisper.


    ''Greet the fluffy boy too, mum.''


    Bam!


    Suddenly, Xavia felt a furry softball jumping into her arms and hugging her around the neck. Nothing was visible, but Xavia knew what it was, and she hugged back while whispering.


    ''Thank you for helping my son, Lord Chonky¡­ I made your favourite sweet bananas today.''


    Miraj was on cloud nine, leaving a dozen kisses on Xavia''s hand. Only Sylvester could see it, and it was heartwarming.


    After the small greeting, Sylvester and the rest ced all the food pots on the table and prepared to eat.


    However, Sylvester noticed something new. ''Felix and Isabe are sitting together? They seem to be so talkative as well, and the scents¡­ When did all this happen? What the hell did he write in his letters to Isabe?''


    Sylvester silently ate while talking with Xavia and keeping an eye on the two. He noticed the little movements, the facial expressions, the movement of eyes. Whenever Felix and Isabe talked, they stared into each other''s eyes for too long. Smiles were always present on their faces, and they even put food on each other''s tes.


    ''Hmm¡­ I don''t smell the full-blown scent of love, however. Is this the first stage? What''s going on between these two?''


    "Ehm! Mum, I will be in the Holy Land for theing few months, but I will spend most of my time in the Bard''s or training grounds. If everything goes well, I might be able to get Sir Dolorem a new set of working eyes."


    "What?! Did Healer Hendrix do it? Why didn''t he tell me in my weekly sses with him?" Isabe eximed suddenly.


    ''Ah, so Healer Hendrix did ept my offer to teach her. I''ll have to pay him more, it seems.''


    "Nothing is a guarantee yet, sadly. We must do some tests first and then decide whether to work on Sir Dolorem''s eyes. I will be going to Inquisitor Camp in the morning for this."


    "I''ll go with you," Felix reacted.


    Sylvester scoffed and focused on the food. "No, you should stay here¡­ You clearly want to."


    "..."


    Felix turned red instantly, and Isabe seemed clueless for a while before realising Sylvester had caught onto their change of attitude.


    "Ah, I should go now. The ves you freed are at my home, Max. Good night." Felix got up quickly and left.


    Sylvester chuckled and ate in silence while wondering.


    ''What made Isabe give up trying to woo me?''


    ¡­


    The morning came, and the sun rose from the West, hiding the twin moons of the night. The Holy Land that never slept became even busier.


    Sylvester left his home on the horse and headed to the Inquisitor Camp. The road leading there was the only path that didn''t have much traffic, as Inquisitors were not bothered unless there was a need for burning, beheading or cleansing.


    "You slept with mumst night." Sylvester spoke with Chonky. "I hope she didn''t spoil you with treats."


    Miraj merrily licked himself clean while sitting on the horse''s head. "Big mum is kind. She gave me a banana but no candies."


    "Hah, you and your sweet tooth. You will die from diabetes someday, boy."


    Miraj suddenly looked back, "But¡­ You like honey too, Maxy."


    "..."


    Speechless from Miraj''s honest words, Sylvester focused on the road.


    Paaaaa!


    "Move aside!"


    Suddenly, a shout came from behind, and Sylvester quickly moved the horse down from the road.


    Woosh!


    Thud!


    Thousands of horses donned in Inquisitor garbs, with Inquisitors mounted, appeared. The Inquisitors looked bloodied, and their armours broken from ces. Their eyes were tried and yet fierce, telling the tale of their battle wherever it was.


    ''What happened to them? Wait¡­ Is that the Lord Inquisitor''s carriage?''


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 376 376. Finally!!!

    Sylvester watched as the long convoy of soldiers went past him towards the Inquisitor Camp. Though he also hurried as he saw Inquisitor High Lord''s carriage battered for some reason.


    ''What happened to them? I don''t remember there being news of any big war.''


    He waited until the convoy had moved and then rushed to the camp. He saw all the Inquisitors running into the camp and disappearing, so he waited a little before approaching the gates.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us!" He greeted the guards at the gates and entered swiftly.


    He went directly to find Sir Dolorem in the man''s tent. But he was stopped as some Inquisitors saw him and requested him toe over to help the wounded as there were too many of them and few healers.


    Sylvester relented and went to help. It was an open area where many Inquisitors rested on the ground on many makeshift beds. They all had wounds and blood-covered bodies. It all appeared more clear now as the armours were taken off. Some had lost arms and legs, and some had burn wounds on their bodies.


    "Sylvester, thank you foring." Lady Aurora was there too, as she tried to help a few senior Inquisitors.


    Sylvester came over to help with his healing magic, which was very basic but appreciable. "What happened? Was there a war?"


    "No." Lady Aurora sighed before replying. "It''s a bloodling, Sylvester. Lord Inquisitor and his army of Inquisitors have been running around the entire Sol for the past few months, killing all reported Bloodlings. However, it''s being observed that the number of bloodlings is increasing exponentially. From just a little over a thousand, it has reached the astronomical number of over twelve thousand. All these Inquisitors and Lord Inquisitors fought them non-stop for too long, resulting in this."


    Sylvester wondered something. "But, if they are all so bloodied, did they meet some bloodling that''s too strong?"


    "Yes, this time it was a mind-manipting bloodling whose size was norger than a rat. It made all the Inquisitors fight each other, and only Lord Inquisitor was unharmed enough to look for the little filth."


    Sylvester was not surprised that such a thing could exist. He knew there were worse horrors out there, perhaps in the sea that he had not yet seen.


    "How is the Lord Inquisitor?" He asked.


    "Angry, enraged and perhaps tired. He may look invincible, but there is still a human behind that mask." Aurora sounded a bit sad, worried for her father.


    ''What''s the most effective way of killing a Bloodling?'' Sylvester wondered. ''It will be a huge problem if this isn''t solved fast. The Bloodlings are all too strong, and we don''t have enough experts to handle them all. And if they keep increasing like this...''


    "Light magic is the most effective against the Bloodlings, but we don''t have enough Light Wizards," Sylvestermented. "Why not make a weapon that uses Light Crystals? Like a cannon, perhaps. The real issue in dealing with a bloodling is that going close to it is often too dangerous. So why not look for a ranged attack."


    Aurora bobbed her head and moved on to the other patient. "Who said they have not tried? They just don''t know how to make the light strong enough that it hurts the creature. Just putting the light crystals in the cannon does not work."


    ''Sadly, I can''t help in this department.'' Sylvester backed off and let the experts do their job.


    Stopping their discussion, Sylvester focused on helping the Inquisitors for a few hours. However, there was not much he could do, so he finally went to find Sir Dolorem. The man was blind but still helped around as much as he could.


    So Sylvester took him to the side and revealed the great news. "Sir Dolorem, it''s time I kept the promise I made to you. I have found a way to get your eyes back, even better eyes, in fact."


    Sir Dolorem appeared taken aback. "I... This is too soon, I thought I''d take years, and I''ve gotten used to not having eyes."


    Sylvester smiled, knowing the man would have said this. "Well, how could I let my most loyal Knight have any kind of a handicap? We have a long way to go and much to do. With the new eyes and your current abilities to sense things, you will be unstoppable -- Not to mention, the eyes I''m giving you are special."


    Sir Dolorem, being an intelligent man, knew what Sylvester was talking about. "Duke''s eyes? But don''t you want them? They are too precious."


    "My golden eyes are more precious to me than those. Anyway, I just came here to inform you about this and speak with the Lord Inquisitor about something. But it seems he is too busy right now and tired. So I will go and meet the Pope instead."


    "I can speak with Sir Hans. He may be able to get you to the Lord Inquisitor quickly." Sir Dolorem offered.


    Sylvester got up to leave. "No, let him rest. I will speak with the Holy Father and get what I need. I will notify you when everything is ready.


    After that, Sylvester left the Inquisitor Camp and headed to the Pope''s Pce. It was not too far away, nor was there anything eventful on the way. He climbed the tall stairs, met with the guards, and headed to the Pope''s office directly.


    "Lord Bard! Please wait for a few minutes. His Holiness is currently busy meeting envoy from The Patch," Gunter, the Pope''s assistant, informed him.


    Sylvester''s interest was piqued. He did not know much about The Patch as it was not an old creation. All he knew was that the Grand Duke of The Patch rebelled against the King of Sorrow Kingdom and cut a big chunk of the Sorrow Kingdom for himself. Sadly, that small chunk also held all of Sorrow Kingdom''s cultivablend and natural resources.


    "Why are they here?" Sylvester inquired.


    Assistant Gunter rxed in his chair. "I''m not sure, but they likely want His Holiness'' support to their official im for the Sorrow Kingdom so the Grand Duke could officially appoint himself as the King."


    ''Hah, they can only dream of having that. Grandpa Monk died while trying to stop The Patch from plundering the Sorrow Kingdom any further and hurtingmon people. I''m sure the Pope would rather destroy The Patch than bless it.''


    "What about you, Gunther? How are you these days?" Sylvester asked, having gotten close to the assistant on many asions.


    "Ah, too much work these days. After you cleared off the Northern Mountains, a new issue arose. Nobody knows who owns thatnd, and the Duke of Normani and the Duchess of Iceling nowy im to the east side, while Masan ims the west side. There is too much paperwork and record keeping." Gunter answered as he pointed to a huge metal locker behind his chair.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and thought about the prospects. "The Holy Land should im the entire region since it was I who freed it, and it was Winter Ghost who kept the west side safe, with the Last Monastery. We have upied the region longer than any kingdom or Duke. Perhaps, offering a deal to these nobles for the natural resources while we keep thend is better."


    Gunter started scratching his head and wondered if that was possible. "Hmm... perhaps if his Holiness does it, we can have this oue. The Duchess of Iceling is willing to give up if the Duke of Normani does the same. Ugh... The politics gives me a headache."


    Sylvester chuckled. "I share the same feeling, Gunther."


    ck!


    The door to the Pope''s office opened just then, and came out two old men in regal gowns that only a wealthy noble could wear.


    ''Hah, I smell the anger, sadness, anxiety and hatred... It seems they have failed, but we must be careful about their hatred.''


    "You may go in, Lord Bard." Gunter alerted him.


    Sylvester quickly fixed his robes and entered the office. He saw the Pope sitting behind the table with a big smile on his face.


    The man greeted Sylvester enthusiastically. "Young Bard,e here and take a seat. I have much to speak to you about. But first, let''s hear about your business -- What new miracle will you show me to heal some filthy sickness?"


    Sylvester held back his chuckle as he dide to talk about healing an illness. So he put forth a folder of papers and showed the ns.


    "Your Holiness, Ie here today concerning something I''ve been doing for a while. With Healer Hendrix, I was researching eyes, and finally, we have found a way to transnt eyes. Meaning we can give a blind man the eyes of someone else. However, we need to conduct some human experiments now, and for that, we need some test subjects." Sylvester exined everything.


    The Pope seriously looked at the documents as he rubbed his long beard. "You have filed for a patent? I don''t think this will be good for humanity."


    "It''s an open patent, Your Holiness. I only wish Healer Hendrix and I could get the credit for our work. There is no gatekeeping or price if someone else wishes to learn and perform it." He rified.


    Satisfied with his words, the Pope started writing on parchment and finally stamped his seal. "I''m allowing you to take as many heathens as you need that currently wait for a death sentence in our prison. This should be enough?"


    "More than enough, Your Holiness."


    After that, the Pope stood up and walked toward the door. "Now, for the part that I wished to discuss. Follow me, Young Bard. We have somewhere important to be."


    Without asking any questions, Sylvester followed the Pope out of the Pce and joined him in the modest carriage to the Administrative Building. There, they went to the lower floors and arrived outside the gates of a giant arena.


    ''Wait, isn''t this the Council room?'' Sylvester recognised the ce, and some hope rose in his heart.


    The Pope led the way, and soon Sylvester saw the entire Supreme Council gathered inside around the huge round table with a hollow middle part. Most had conflicted faces, and the scent told Sylvester that he was not wee there.


    Yet, the Pope took his seat, and Sylvester silently stood in the middle, empty part of the table so all Cardinals could see him and ask him questions.


    ''Alright, herees the questions. Let''s hope I can be a Bishop.'' Sylvester was prepared.


    But what happened was beyond belief as he silently watched the face of the Pope and the other Cardinals in confusion.


    The Pope voiced aloud. "The time hase to cast a vote. We shall start where we left off yesterday. All in favour of Young Bard''s promotion, raise your hands."


    The Pope, the Sanctum Council and the two Cardinals that Sylvester supported raised their hands instantly. Following them, the somewhat neutral ones raised their arms, and finally, those against Sylvester also raised their hands while clenching their jaws.


    Bam!


    The Pope cheerfully pped the table and announced. "With Thirty-Two to zero, the proposal is passed, and Archpriest Sylvester Maximilian is granted the double promotion to the Rank of Archbishop!"


    "..."


    "What?"


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 377 377. Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention

    Sylvester was speechless, to say the least. He expected to be made a Bishop, but this was way higher than he had hoped for. He wasn''tining, but it sure dide as a surprise.


    ''What happened? Is double promotion even a thing? Did the Pope pull some strings this time?'' Sylvester wondered in silence and digested the great news. He tried to keep himself as calm as possible, though, as that was expected from him.


    "This is a surprise to me, respected Holy Father and the Cardinals." He saluted all of the Supreme Council members. "But if you believe I''m worthy of this position, then I shall continue to give my all to the continued hegemony of the church, so the Light of Solis may keep drenching the world in the holy warmth, and leave the sinful as nothing but swarth."


    "As we expect from you, Archbishop." The Pope voiced. "But before your official promotion ceremony, you must attend a month-long course that ispulsory for all clergymen rising above the rank of Archpriest."


    ''Fair deal, I guess. A small price to pay for the long-awaited promotion. And the wait was worth every second.''


    "Are there any strings attached? Do I get the authority of an Archbishop too, your holiness?" He asked, just to be sure.


    "No hidden strings. You have been promoted to a fully-fledged Archbishop rank. You may move your residence to a bigger ce in the Higher Clergy housing district." The Pope offered him.


    Sylvester silently thought about the meaning behind his new rank. Being an Archbishop was huge, as the rank meant he was as high in nobility as a Count now, perhaps even higher. On top of that, now he couldmand any unit of Inquisitors or Holy Army in case of emergency without needing permission from the Holy Land.


    His words will carry a lot more weight now, and his decisions hold power over entire towns and counties. Moreover, he was just one rank below the Cardinal and two before the Pope. So bing an Archbishop at the age of eighteen was a great boon to his n, and he couldn''t be happier.


    The Pope looked around at the other Cardinals. "If there is nothing more you wish to ask, let''s dismiss the Supreme Council. We shall convene again at the previously set schedule."


    All the Cardinals who didn''t like Sylvester stood up and walked away begrudgingly. But on their faces were nothing but smiles, hiding their vileness inside. Thankfully, Sylvester and the Pope knew their true nature, so none were fooled.


    "Congrattions, Lord Bard." Cardinal Cornelius came over to thank him.


    "Thank you, Cardinal. This wouldn''t have been possible without your support. I''m quite shocked at this, but I wee it."


    The Pope bobbed his head in agreement. "Your name has spread far and wide as you solved the barbarian issue. This is the least you should be getting, if not Sainthood. I hope you continue showing us miracles, working hard, and spreading your name further as the Bard."


    When the Pope said that, a question arose in Sylvester''s mind. ''If I wish to be the Pope at twenty-five, then what of him? Where will the current Pope go? The position is meant for life, so he can''t retire.''


    He nodded at the Pope''s words with some conflict in his heart. He had seen so much from the Pope that he didn''t even know what to think about the man. The man was the personification of chaotic neutral when it came to him. But then again, Sylvester knew that he was also chaotic neutral. He kills people for his own needs and plots to kill more for his goal.


    ''But if there is only one way to make the seat empty, then I''m afraid he will need to go.''


    "Go and tell your family and friends the great news, son. I''m sure they''ll be happy to hear it." The Pope patted his shoulder.


    Sylvester saluted all the Cardinals in the room and silently left the Administrative building. Outside, he found Miraj, as he avoided taking the magical cat inside in fear of being sensed by the Pope or some other powerful being or security rune.


    "Maxy, what happened in there? Why is your heart going boom boom?" Miraj asked as he sat in Sylvester''s arms, looking at his face.


    "I got promoted, Chonky¡­ twice! I''m now an Archbishop." Sylvester replied, knowing very well that Miraj had no understanding of the church hierarchy, nor did he care about it. All humans were just humans to him. The only difference was are they bad or good.


    "Yay! Maxy will be a big man now!" Miraj wrapped his paws around Sylvester''s head as he shifted on his back.


    Sylvester chuckled, "You don''t even know what my rank means."


    "But if it''s enough to make your heart go boom boom, then it''s a big thing, isn''t it?" Miraj asked smartly.


    "You are absolutely correct, Chonky. Let''s go home now and tell this great news to everyone. Actually, let''s invite everyone to dinner at my home first. I will reveal it to all at the same time."


    With the n ready, Sylvester first went to the Guild Penins to order a few things. He bought a lot of fruit juice, meat, vegetables, and eggs of Dragon Bird, an extremely expensive item from an animal said to be rted to dragons, but Sylvester had seen it, and it only seemed like an ostrich with some dragon-like scales.


    He bought a lot of butter, honey and bananas, along with all sorts of spices, and atst, he bought a man ¡ª not as a ve, but just for the evening to be a cook at his home, as Sylvester didn''t want to bother Xavia and wanted her to enjoy the evening too. Heck, he was throwing the party for the whole Bright Mother''s housing on the building''s terrace.


    "Alright, let''s hire a decoration shop to prepare the building roof for the evening, and then we''re done." So Sylvester finally entered thest shop on his list.<novelnext></novelnext>


    After finishing everything up, he saw something as he was heading toward the docks to return to the Pope''s penins. There was a poster, handmade, on a wall nearby. The poster had a face and some words written on it.


    The face belonged to the Pope, and the words were. "I want you ¡ª Join us in the battle against Bloodlings. Open Recruitment for the Holy Army."


    Sylvester sighed as he remembered something simr from his past life, where simr posters were used to recruit cannon fodder for the war.


    ''It seems the church is really desperate.''


    But today was the day to celebrate. So he let everything go and returned home. He did not say anything to Xavia or Isabe as he awaited for the evening. There were still many hours until the party, so he decided to head to work in the Bard''s.


    He still had to finish his book, after all. He also needed to work on a few other things to make a name for himself and earn a lot of money for his future adventures. For now, Count Raftel''s workshops were doing tremendous work in churning out the medical equipment he had shown the man. Beyond that, Riveria Kingdom had decided to adopt Sylvester''s spring suspension in all their carriage designs, thanks to King Conrad''s preference.


    Sylvester had a lot of ideas. He knew he could make things that could change the whole world, but he refused to make those anytime soon for one reason only.


    Enemies! He had too many of those and had no idea what the future held for himself. For example, if he tried to create canned food now, wouldn''t that only help his enemy''s armies fight against him?


    If he gave the world better steel processing methods without a way to monopolise them, wouldn''t his enemies use them to make weapons against him? If he were to introduce the steam engine, wouldn''t the world use it against him too? If he revealed the printing press, wouldn''t his enemies use it to spread propaganda against him?


    Sylvester never believed that he was the smartest man in the world. He knew that if he gave the people a clue, there would always be someone smart enough to innovate on it and implement it in something way better than him.


    So, he had to force himself to push all his innovative ideas back until he sat on the highest throne.


    But, at the same time, he tried to use smaller innovations to make his allies rich and gain their strong support and loyalty so they may support him in the future.


    "Let''s get to work now." He reached the hidden basement and got Miraj to release the printing press from his belly.


    Soon, the steam engine started to make noise, and the machine moved efficiently, printing thest few batches of pages and, atst, the cover.


    ''With these, I should be able to raise awareness among the masses. I have to start the public brainwashing from now if I wish to have good results in a few years.''


    "Maxy, I''m hungry." Miraj voiced whilezily sitting on a table at the side, ying with something.


    Ssh!


    "Oh, nyo!" Miraj jumped up in fright.


    Sylvester stopped the machine quickly and rushed to Miraj. "Argh! Why were you ying with the ink bottle? You spoiled so many pages."


    Miraj''s lowered his head, ears and tail. "Sorry, Maxy¡­ I was just bored."


    Sylvester wasn''t even angry at him, however. Instead, he just rubbed his face in frustration. "That''s it! I''m going to make it now! I''ve grown tired of this backward way of writing."


    Miraj looked up expectantly. "Make something?"


    "Yes! It''s time I make a ballpoint pen!"


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 378 378. A King In Distress

    With haste and determination, Sylvester set to work, setting the printing press to one side and directing his energy towards creating the ballpoint pen. It was aborious task but one that posed little difficulty for a seasoned wizard such as him. The most criticalponent of the pen was the tiny ball tip, which required a wless ink that could flow seamlessly through the minuscule gaps surrounding the ball and dry at a moment''s notice.


    It was no easy feat, but he overcame it because Sylvester had already spent a long time researching and experimenting with inks for the printing press. Yet the mechanical aspect of the pen was rtively simple for one skilled in the ways of alchemy and runes. The greatest challengey in the precise cement of all the variousponents, but even for that, Sylvester devised a miniature assembly contraption to aid him in his task.


    After several hours of toiling away, Sylvester hadpleted his task. As thest page of the book was printed, he held in his hand the first of its kind, the ballpoint pen. Though the design was rudimentary,cking the beauty of a master craftsman, it served its purpose as a prototype, a symbol of hope for the future of writing instruments.


    "Behold! The moment of truth!" eximed Sylvester, cing a fresh sheet of paper before him and taking hold of the pen firmly. The design was modern, not the initial patent from his past world, which featured arger ball.


    Soon, he dragged his hand on the paper and wrote the letters of the current world. It felt smooth, and he could easily make the letters more cursive and beautiful. He also checked the angles and the pressure.


    "Woah! Magic!" Miraj eximed and looked closely at the pen move.


    Sylvester chuckled and made Miraj hold the pen between his little fluffy fingers. "Try to move your paw now."


    Fully focused, Miraj moved the pen and soon gasped. "I can do magic!"


    "Haha, this is not magic, Chonky, at least nothingpared to what you already possess. This is just science and inspiration I took from another great man. Now, I just need to create a detailed n to mass-produce them and then file for a patent. After that, I will get one of the nobles I''m close with to produce them and share profits." Sylvester rubbed his hand while keeping a big grin on his face.


    Yes, he was the evil capitalist at the moment.


    Miraj agreed with Sylvester. "Yes, Chonky bank must remain full. Let''s make big money."


    So Sylvester made a few more prototypes but tried to improve them over the various turns. Ultimately, he created an eptable and mass-producible version after ten creations.


    But Sylvester thought about something that could have made his life much better in inventing all sorts of machines quickly.


    ''No matter what happens, I have to go to Viscount Mineworth and learn Metal maniption from him.''


    With fierce determination, Sylvester focused his mind and set on the task at hand. He had a few more pages to print, pages that were not for the book but held a particr purpose. They were the key to a grand design, a n to create a spywork unlike any other. Because his spywork won''t just spy but also work as a propaganda or misinformation tool.


    Finally, after hours of tireless effort and finishing printing, he had to bind the books, which also took a few good hours. When the sun began to dip below the horizon, hepleted everything and decided to head home.


    "Chonky, eat all of this."


    Woosh!


    The good, friendly neighbourhood invisible cat cleaned everything and jumped onto Sylvester''s shoulder. His stomach growled, clearly showing how much he looked forward to the night''s feast.


    Hurrying, Sylvester exited the hidden basement and went to the staff of his shop. "All of you areing with me to the Holy Land. No need to open the shop tomorrow. Just keep the closed sign on."


    The three female workers showed a face of joy and asked no questions. This was precisely what they needed, a single day of rest. Yet they never cared about overwork because they got paid well, and all the money was only piling up so they could start a new lifeter on.


    Knock Knock!


    As they were finishing up, a sudden knock came on the door. Upon looking, it turned out to be the mighty, the one and only.


    "King Hignd, what brought you here today?" Sylvester asked, and instantly his words sent shivers down the three women''s spines.


    "Oh, don''t mind me. I''m not here to eat today, but just talk. I was hoping you could help me, Lord Bard. I asked His Holiness, and he referred me to you." the modestly robbed King Hignd asked in a much more calm and noble manner than usual.


    Sylvester guessed it must be important, or else the king rarely called him ''Lord'' bard. "I''m afraid I was closing the shop and returning home as I''ve organised a feast there. Why don''t you and her majesty the queen also join me?"


    "That would be marvellous, Lord Bard. We can talk while on the horse as well."


    Sylvester agreed and waited for the women to get on the carriage while one of them drove. Sylvester and King Hignd lead the way on horses, meanwhile.


    "So, how can I be of help, your majesty?" Sylvester got to the point as he didn''t want to spoil his eveningter.


    Instantly, a strong scent of sadness, anxiety and hope hit Sylvester and made him alert to what the King was going to ask.


    The old king looked upon Sylvester with a weary gaze, his voice quivering with emotion. "Lord Bard, I fear my kingdom is on the verge of copse. I have exhausted all my efforts to save it but to no avail. My mistake was that I have taken in as many refugees as possible from the Sorrow Kingdom, hoping to help some. But they continued to arrive in droves. So now, my coffers are empty, and the food reserves are dwindling."


    He paused, his eyes filled with a deep sadness. "To make matters worse, a drought has hit the Hignd Kingdom, which was already a harsh and unforgiving ce. I don''t have enough food to feed my people, let alone the refugees, and I fear that if we don''t act soon, we will lose them all. His Holiness spoke of your deeds in the north where you helped a vige grow crops in the desert. So, I implore you, Lord Bard, to lend us your aid."


    Sylvester took to silence and merely gave a nod. The King also remained quiet as he knew what a man deep in thought looked like.


    ''So this is why I saw those refugees in Riveria Kingdom in thest year. I was curious as to why a man so righteous and kind as King Hignd would turn down refugees. But¡­posting only works on a small scale unless it''s highly organised, and I am not foolish enough to try and produce artificial fertilisers, as it''s too hard and not socially and personally profitable yet.''


    "Your majesty, I do have something in mind. But it will require me to do some calctions and drawings before I can present it to you. It will be patented by me, and only I can authorise its use. But, this year, you must borrow food from other kingdoms. I''m sure I can ask King Riviera and King Gracia to help you give food or take refugees from you."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Haha!" King Higndughed. "Oh, you''re too smart, Lord Bard. They will do anything but take the refugees."


    Sylvester smirked. "That''s the n."


    Eventually, they stopped talking as they reached Bright Mother''s housing area. The ce was crowded already, and Bright Mothers walked in and out of the buildings, but most were headed to the terrace.


    "Your majesty, why don''t you bring the queen and the prince? The party here will be a good ce for her majesty to get to know some powerful Bright Mothers." Sylvester offered.


    ''And she will get brainwashed by the same bright mothers to always keep me in the highest regard.''


    "Of course, I will return with them soon. Have a good evening, Lord Bard."


    With the King gone, Sylvester first went to the top floor and entered his home. He then changed his clothes into traditional white church robes with a short red cape around his neck that held his rank te.


    "Maxy, can I go crazy?" Miraj asked on the way to the terrace.


    "You can, as long as you don''t swallow all the food with your powers and only eat them normally. Remember, there are a lot of people here to eat." So Sylvester put Miraj on the ground and let him roam freely.


    "Aye, aye, Maxy!" Miraj didn''t even wait a moment and zoomed away.


    Alone, Sylvester greeted all the Bright Mothers on the way. The old ones hugged him, and the young ones held his arms and talked sweetly. He was the only man in their lives they could openly tell anything. The only man who''d help them without asking anything in return.


    Eventually, Sylvester found Isabe standing alone near the short wooden stage he had asked to be constructed. "What''s with the grumpy face? Still angry at me?"


    "Not you, but Felix." She barked, her cheeks pouted, and her brows furrowed. She still looked absolutely stunning, however.


    [A/N: Look at Isabe]


    Sylvester chuckled and took a ss of orange juice in hand. "Already angry at him? You haven''t even started yet. Anyway, what happened?"


    She looked at his face and asked. "He wishes to kill his father. I told him not to, as Count Sandwall is extremely important to the Gracia."


    Sylvester shook his head and patted Isabe''s head. "Girl, you''re a rookie. The first rule of romance is never to be controlling. So try to find out about Felix''s past and why he hates his father so much. Once you learn everything, you might kill Count Sandwall as the first thing after your coronation."


    From Isabe''s expression, it was clear she knew nothing about Felix. So she asked him directly. "Can''t you tell me? He never tells me anything."


    Sylvester shrugged and got onto the stage. "Forgive me, but it''s an unspoken rule between us brothers. We never share our personal stories with a third party without permission. If he''s not telling you, then it''s your job to make himfortable enough to do so. Love and trust go hand in hand, Isabe. Love is what you explore, and trust is what you earn."


    "But how? He''s so unpredictable." Isabe asked.


    Sylvester chuckled and prepared to speak to the crowd. "Felix is a free spirit and has very thin skin. To win him, you just need to look within and ask¡­ Am I willing to take his secrets to my grave? If not, then your rtionship will only eventually die as a stormy wave."


    Isabe was taken aback by his words, and a strange worry appeared in her eyes. "W-Why do you seem to know so much about this? You''ve been in love in the past?"


    Sylvester smiled and looked at the crowd. "Isabe, some waves don''t die¡ªthey are murdered."


    "What do you mea¨C"


    But she was interrupted by Sylvester''s loud call.


    "EVERYONE! I have been promoted to the rank of Archbishop!"


    nk!


    Shhh!


    Thud!


    sses, tes, and even some Bright Mothers fell to the floor in shock.


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 379 379. A Unique Spy Organisation

    Sylvester''s voice boomed across the hall, making everyone turn their heads to him. He got the exact reaction he was expecting. The look of disbelief and shock as an eighteen-year-old bing an Archbishop was unheard of. On top of that, many of the Bright Mothers there had seen him grow from a baby, so the news hit them like a cargo carriage.


    "What?! When?" Great Mother Grace asked in amazement, losing her usual serious aura for a split second.


    "This morning, I was called by the council, and they voted on it." He revealed cheekily and looked around to find someone.


    "Mum!" He saw Xavia standing in shock at the back. "Come here."


    He also rushed to her and stopped in front. He looked at her pride-filled eyes as she struggled to say something to him.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us." He saluted her with crossed arms on his chest.


    Xavia did the same quickly. "Ah¡­ Yes, your grace!" She used the official title used to address Archbishops.


    Sylvester chuckled and gave her a firm hug. He was truly happy since the promotion was a sign that his hard work was paying off. To be the Pope as quickly as possible, he first needed to climb all the stairs.


    "Stop with that. I''m still just Sylvester for you," Sylvester said, releasing her from the hug. "How is it? Now you can brag about me even more."


    She blushed and punched his chest softly. "I never did that, Max. Everyone already knows you and feels pride."


    "Ehm¡­ Your grace."


    Sylvester looked back with a big wide grin. "Ah, Archpriest Felix, you came in time. You too, Archpriest Gabriel. I have decided to hire you as assistants now since I''m allowed to keep two."


    "..."


    "Like hell! I want to be a Bishop too, man." Felix barked and grabbed Sylvester''s neck under his elbow. "You think you''re a big shot now? You want me to tell everyone the story of the time you¡­"


    Sylvester put his palm on Felix''s mouth while shaking his head. "Let there be peace, young one. Pulling one another down does good for none."


    Felix nodded and stepped back. "Understood, Archbishop. Congrattions, by the way. Your promotion was long due. No matter how much it burns me, I feel proud."


    "Same here, Archbishop." Gabriel started. "Now I can leech off your authority and get things done for myself faster."


    "..."


    Sylvester chuckled after hearing the two. He was happy that nothing had changed with his promotion.


    "What about me? Did you forget your big sister? Come here and give me a hug." Aurora appeared behind Sylvester like a gust of wind and patted his head. She was still in her armour, as she was an Inquisitor.


    Sylvester was very thankful to the woman for her continuous help over the past many months. So he shared a brotherly hug for a split second and whispered in her ear. "Thank you, Aurora. Whatever you did, it worked. Isabe now sees Felix as a romantic interest, not me."


    "What?!" She eximed. "But I did nothing!"


    She looked at Felix and grabbed his shoulder. "What did you do to Isabe? How did she get attracted to a goofball like you."


    Felix smirked. "Well, I''m quite handsome, and since I can make herugh, I had to win eventually."


    Sylvester looked at him in pity. "But she''s currently angry at you, and you probably don''t even know. So go and speak with her. Try to spend as much time with her as possible."


    Sylvester knew he had to get the two together for the greater good. Felix was loyal to him, although it was unclear if his loyalty went as absolute as Sir Dolorem, but it was still next to none. So, having Isabe under Felix''s influence was akin to indirectly brainwashing her.


    But what worried Sylvester the most was Gabriel. Although the whole case of King Riveria and Romel had been wholly buried now, it didn''t change the fact that there were likely some doubts and fears in Gabriel''s heart.


    ''I must keep him close forever and ensure he stands on the same footing as me.''


    "What?! She''s angry?" Felix eximed and looked all around to find Isabe. "There she is¡­ I''ll be back, Max."


    They watched as Felix rushed to Isabe and started talking very artictely, using his hands. Even Aurora cringed at that, as she never seriously thought about love and romance.


    "Is he going to leave the clergy now?" Gabriel wondered.


    "If something doese out of their rtionship, then yes. But he will only lose the clergy rank and gain a military rank. Come now, let''s eat something." Sylvester decided to enjoy the evening for now.


    There were too many Bright Mothers, and Sylvester met and spoke with all those who wished to. He heard their problems andints and assured them he''d solve them. The Bright Mothers don''t really face many big issues, and their problems were usually rted to some clergyman harassing them, their workce being bad, or their own health problems.


    Of course, the clergymen who harass Bright Mothers face the holy union of their throats and the de of a sword, while other issues get slowly solved by Great Mother Grace. Thankfully, ever since Sylvester had given the business of undergarments to the Bright Mothers, they had enough money to not worry about buying resources.


    But it was still not enough, as there were millions of Bright Mothers out there, far in the west and south on the other continents too. So, there was a need for much more money, which Sylvester wished to fulfil.


    So he went to speak with Great Mother Grace, who was drinking some beverages with Queen Trinity Hignd, who had just arrived.


    "Great Mother, let''s talk business." Sylvester started with an unusual choice of words. Nor did he take the older woman to the side and let Queen Trinity hear him, all ording to his n.


    The head of Bright Mother and one of the great five heroes of the thousand-year war, Great Mother Grace, looked at him interestedly. "How may I be of help, Archbishop?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Oh,e on, Great Mother. Just call me Sylvester like always. I''ve yed on yourp as a baby before." Sylvester talked frankly and eased the mood.


    Great Mother, however, kept the same old serious expression, although the smells told Sylvester how happy she was.


    "Of course, Sylvester. How can I forget the time you wet my robes on myp."


    "..."


    "I was merely one-year-old back then and had drunk too much water." Sylvester rified and quickly changed the topic. "I was wondering if Bright Mothers wish to produce more new goods rted to personal care and garments that can bring in more funds."


    ''Hah! Got you, you old witch! I smell the hope and excitement clear as Chonky''s silent farts.''


    "What is it that you made now?" Great mother inquired curiously.


    "For starters, this thing." Sylvester took out a small leather pouch from his pocket, but different from the norm; this one had a zipper. "See this way of closing the pouch? We can use this on coats, boots, and so much more. This can revolutionise the way we wear clothes."


    "Interesting."


    ''Try all you want. I smell everything.'' Sylvester thanked god in silence that he could smell emotions. His ability had made his life much easier.


    After that, Sylvester raised his robes a little and showed off his boots. "See these? These are new boots I made with certain new methods. They are far morefortable to wear, and I hope they can help Bright Mothers as you all stand and walk for long durations."


    Great Mother Grace noticed the zipper used on the boots and nodded her head. She didn''t say much, as the boots could only be evaluated after personal use. So she just asked, "What else?"


    "Well, I have made something to help everyone maintain their teeth. It''s called a Toothbrush and Toothpaste. Here, try themter in the morning and before you sleep. Your majesty, you take a pair as well." Sylvester handed them small bottles and brushes.


    "Other than this, the sewing machine production will soon start, so you will have that for sewing. I''m also introducing a measuring tape for ease of work. All thisbined is bound to increase the profits of the Bright Mothers manifolds." Sylvester ended his short pitch meeting.


    Great Mother Grace bobbed her head in agreement. Undoubtedly, undergarments were already hotmodities for even lowborn women because working in the fields became much easier with a bra. So, these new products were bound to be a sess.


    "I will discuss it with the managingmitteeter and show the products. Do you wish to speak with them?" She inquired.


    Sylvester shrugged and stepped back. "Making money is more important for you than me, so I will leave it to you. I don''t care as long as I get my dividends on time. Now, I must see other guests. Have a good night."


    Leaving Great Mother in a mental storm and the Hignd Queen in amusement, Sylvester finally saw Bishop Lazark arrive. The man was always serious, but Sylvester tried to break that introverted shell all the time.


    So, with a head held high, chin raised in pride, he met the man. "Bishop, it appears I outrank you now."


    Bishop Lazark showed a rare smile and bowed his head. "It''s an honour to be working with you, Archbishop. I was confused before, but now I''m confident that my decision to follow you was right."


    "I feel the same, your grace." Priest Elyon, the only beastkin clergyman in the Holy Land, interjected. "You showed me the way when I could not see a path ahead."


    ''These two¡­ My hard work has finally paid off.''


    nk!


    Sir Dolorem approached Sylvester with haste, his armour nging with each step he took. He lowered himself before the young Archbishop, holding out his sword before him. "My Lord," he said, his voice deep and respectful. "Once more, you have shown me your valour and skill. I have never doubted your abilities, but even still, you have surpassed my every expectation. Congrattions on your well-deserved promotion, and know that I will continue to stand by your side as your unwavering aide."


    Sylvester hurriedly pulled Sir Dolorem up to make him stand. The fanatic but loyal inquisitor was someone Sylvester cherished a lot. Not to mention, the man with a blindfold kneeling diminished how hard-core he looked.


    "I trust you, Sir Dolorem. I trust all of you and know I can count on you when in need." Sylvester reciprocated the trust, albeit with some reservations in his heart. As, of course, he didn''t trust them all.


    ''I think it''s time to make the final move.'' Sylvester thought and looked around.


    "Gabriel, can you do something?" Sylvester suddenly called his friend, who stood nearby and spoke with his sister.


    "Sure, what is it?"


    Sylvester took out a stack of thin envelopes, at least two hundred, from his small shoulder bag. "When you return home, I need you to drop these at the Running Men postal service. The office is beside your house."


    "Sure, but who are they for? This many¡­" Gabriel inquired, as did all others with curious eyes.


    In reply, a slight sly smirk left Sylvester''s mouth. "Nothing much, but just an invitation for all the major bards around the Sol. They are invited to the new festival I shall organise at the Bard''s¡­ It will be called ¡ª Week of the Bards."


    ________________________


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 380 380. The Fate Changer

    The letters were not the only things getting mailed around Sol. Over theing week, Sylvester also shipped his book ''Devil''s Manifesto'' to a few selected people. The book did not carry his name, but it did imply that the church had something to do with it.


    So, over time, a few people around Sol received a strange parcel from the Running Men. Confusion and shock were stered on everyone''s face because books were expensive in that era, as making copies was done with hand and magic, which was time-consuming and took a lot of money.


    On a sunny day just a month before the Season of Solis, in Goldstown, situated in the Duchy of Ironstone, the town chief received a package.


    "Chief Marigold, a package for you." The Running Man found the chief and handed him the brick-like object. "It''s probably a book."


    Marigold Roger wasn''t expecting anything, and neither did he buy it. "Do I have to pay something?"


    The Running Man chuckled before galloping away on the horse. "You can pay me for doing such a fine job as a Running Man, chief."


    "..."


    "Your brat! Go and do your job." Marigold scolded and returned to his office to check the box.


    As he opened it, he found a book with an interesting title. ''Devil''s Manifesto: How To Fight Evil''. The name instantly piqued his interest, and without waiting, he started reading it, being one of the few people in the town who could read and write.


    The book was divided into seven long chapters, called seven deadly sins of the devil. Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride. All chapters were divided into subchapters, detailing how a man can fall to them from external and internal mental influence. It also showed some ways to tackle them and that once oveing all seven deadly sins, a man could be called enlightened.


    It was an intriguing concept, one that made people wonder what sins they have beenmitting. Usually, people remained so busy that nobody had the time to think about mundane things such as human emotions and actions. But now... One was forced to ponder.


    ''Spread the word so the wise words may be heard far and wide. Help make the world a better ce, do your duty. Share the wisdom with others, tell them to share it with three more, and continue the chain. When we all can fight the inner demon, we will be, in a true sense, free men.''


    The words were simple, yet made Marigold seriously consider sharing the knowledge. It was, after all, an expensive book from the looks of the quality. So he automatically reckoned it was either from the church or the Duke.


    ''Perhaps evening reading sessions will do fine for this.'' He decided.


    Along with him, many others around Sol experienced simr things. The book reached Baron Leo Da Lovnd in his castle and Commander Sir Arnold of the Inquisitors, Bishop Moris, who admired Sylvester since the time he caught the Butcher of Bright Mothers.


    King Conrad also received one, along with King Hignd and King Gracia. ve leader Kaecilius Silvanus also received one, along with the Archpriest of Fallshoot Vige, where Markus was born.


    Count Raftel, Baron Strongarm, Chief cksmith of Strongarm named Yazukoto, Duke of Zon, Duke of Colorwood, Bishop Charlie White received a copy. In addition, healer Darwin Hendrix, Duchess of Iceling, Duke of Normani, Elder Chief Koruk and all of Sylvester''s team and some Guardians of Light received copies of the books.


    Even the girl Sylvester helped years ago by paying her dowry and marrying her to someone received a copy. He didn''t spare anyone who he knew was deep in worship.


    In a week, the book spread around far and wide, and in theing weeks, it would be the talk of the people all around.


    Sadly, Sylvester had no time to notice that, as he rushed toplete his work before his month-longpulsory course for promotion. At the moment, he was busy nning a few things for King Hignd to help the man feed his kingdom.


    Knock! Knock!


    Sylvester opened the door and greeted the man. "You''re on time, your majesty. I''m just finalising a few things."


    King Hignd walked into Sylvester''s office with much curiosity. He looked at the walls where multiplerge pieces of paper were attached, all with different drawings of fields of crops. Some strange contraptions were also drawn on them that he could not make sense of.


    He kept quiet, sat down, and watched Sylvester move around to do his job. He saw Sylvester draw some things on a sheet on the table now and then, or do some calctions. There was also a miniature model of something. It looked like a web of thin metal pipes spread around and connected with one another.


    Finally, an hourter, Sylvester sat down beside his table and addressed the king. "Thank you for being patient, your majesty."


    ''Forgive me, but I had to act like this for an hour, or you would have never given my work the respect it deserves.''


    "I think I have the solution to your problem, but you will have to construct something for it, which will take a lot of manpower. You will have to do a lot of work, too, if you wish to do it quickly." Sylvester warned.


    "Me? Even my wife will join me in the fields if we can help solve the hunger." King Hignd eximed.


    "Then, listen to me carefully. I will exin everything multiple times so you may never forget it. First of all, you still need fertilizers since the Hignd Kingdom is mostly desert andcks nutrients in the soil. For this, you must regte and organise what I did in Fallshoot vige. Not just human waste but the waste of cattle can also be used for this. You can even use bone meal for this." Sylvester handed the King a paper which told him how much fertiliser was needed on a piece ofnd.


    Then, he picked another paper. "Here, you see the map of Hignd Kingdom. All you need to do here is flood the Snake River and drench yournds with its water. Since the river originates from the Northern mountains, it carries a lot of minerals. Once the flood dries up, you will have fertile soil."


    King Hignd looked at the map and frowned. "To flood mynd, I will have to create a temporary dam. That would mean less water down south. Sorrow Kingdom is in ruins, but The Patch will suffer from my actions."


    ''That is exactly what I want.'' Sylvester kept the hidden plot to himself.


    "It''s alright. You won''t be holding the water for too long. The dam will be temporary. Anyway, now we havee to thest method to help you grow food even in harsh desertnds. The food will grow with this as long as it''s not a field of loose sand." Sylvester said and walked to the miniature model of a web of pipes on the table.


    Tip!


    Tap!<novelnext></novelnext>


    As soon as Sylvester loosened a small valve, tiny drops of water started to drop from the little pipes. The small holes were at equal distances from one another, and the water fell at nearly the same interval.


    "This is called Drip Irrigation, your majesty." Sylvester started, "It is a method where water is dripped directly onto the roots of the nts, using awork of pipes. This allows for a controlled and efficient water distribution, reducing water waste and improving crop yield. You can go for metal pipes, but I suggest you hire the best alchemist possible to develop a flexible pipe using some other material. But one thing is clear, with this method, you won''t need too much water to grow food in the desert."


    King Hignd saw a glimmer of hope in everything Sylvester suggested. "I won''t lie, Lord Bard. I don''t understand the concepts behind everything you said, but I''ve got an idea. If these work, the entire Hignd Kingdom will forever be indebted to you."


    ''Don''t go back on your words, old king.'' Sylvester spoke with himself.


    "It''s understandable. I will exin everything again. You can grow special high-tolerance crops on the desert side, such as okra, cowpeas, sorghum, sweet potatoes, peanuts, cactus fruits and dates. I would have gone with you if not for my work here, but I have something more that can make farming even easier -- a wheelbarrow."


    Sylvester went on to exin everything about farming in harsh climates, as he had experienced it in his previous life.


    From the morning till noon, King Hignd remained with Sylvester and studied whatever he was shown. In addition, they shared many other discussions simultaneously, mainly involving politics and the current situations around the world.


    But only in the end did Sylvester ask the most crucial question. "I heard there lives a certain Viscount Mineworth in your Kingdom. He knows how to manipte metal? I wish to visit him and learn from him."


    "Old Gordan?" King Hignd eximed. "I haven''t heard from him in a long time. Last I was informed by my prima, his two sons were physically battling each other for the right to take over the vast iron mines of the family."


    ''An infighting? No wonder he never epted my offer toe and teach me.''


    "I will likelye and visit him after my promotion ceremony. Learning mental maniption is crucial for me." Sylvester said. "Maybe I will visit you at that time and check the work on the fields ording to my methods, your majesty."


    King Hignd nodded and patted Sylvester''s shoulder as they approached the exit. "To this day, I regret not finding you in time, young bard. How I wish fate had brought you to me sooner. Even if you had never acknowledged me as a father, I would have bequeathed you my entire kingdom, for I can sense in you the qualities of a true leader, a ruler of great wisdom and strength. The church, indeed, has been blessed with your presence.


    "But know this. You were born in Hignd and will forever have a home there, right in my castle." Then, with a gentle pat on Sylvester''s shoulder, King Hignd bid farewell.


    Sylvester tiredly brushed his hair back and looked at the sky. "Ugh, I hope those old men at the higher clergymen course won''t bother me this time."


    ...


    While Sylvester hoped to one day see the noble lord of Mineworth to study metals, the Viscount had his own troubles, mental and physical.


    When the discussion urred between King Atrox and Sylvester, in Hignd Kingdom''s south, in a high, dusty castle that overlooked the in fields around, a man sat on the terrace, unguarded.


    Old, in a crude wheelchair, he looked thin and frail, his eyes hollow with no emotions. In his hands, he held a portrait of his family from years ago, as regrets of life broke him into silent tears.


    "W-Where did I go wrong? My own sons wish I were dead... For mere wealth, they pray for my demise, that I join you in the heavens, my Frigga -- I can''t anymore... It''s hard to live."


    He looked at the surroundings, at the ground many a dozen feet below. Having made up his mind, he pushed his wheelchair to the edge with no emotions on his face.


    "Let me join yoa€""


    Woosh!


    All of a sudden, he realised he could not move. As if the time had stopped, even the birds near him had frozen. He wondered if he had died, but it made no sense as he still felt extremely cold in the desert heat. It was like a miracle.


    But the miracle turned to horror as he noticed arge figure of a ck robbed man hovering in the air before him. Its eyes were made of streaks of white light, and it had no arms or legs.


    "W-What are y..." Viscount tried to speak.


    In reply, the strange, hazy, robbed figure shook its head and uttered in a muffled voice of many people simultaneously. "Noble human, this is not your time. But, before you go, you mustplete a hymn."


    Boom!


    A sudden gust of cold wind knocked Viscount Gordan back, and in an instant, everything returned to normal. The birds chirped again, and the breeze was warm.


    But in his mind, there was anything but calm.


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 381 381. The Promotion Test

    The year was 5118 of the Lord, and a momentous event was unfolding across the Blood Sea in thends of the heathens. The interminable, bloody war between the proud and fierce Elves and the mighty Dragons had reached a new level of intensity as the monarchs of both sides joined the fray. With the very existence of their civilisations at stake, the damage brought by the conflict was nothing short of catastrophic.


    Yet, to the Dragons'' great dismay, the Elves had begun to gain the upper hand. Despite starting the war, the Dragons now found themselves facing the genuine possibility of defeat, of bing subservient to their arch-rivals, the Elves.


    But for Rathagun Xeek Eldaron, the Elven King, the war was nothing but an uninvited and distasteful distraction as he had to put his focus away from finding ways to get his son home.


    To end the war as soon as possible, the King went all out, and without Sylvester ever knowing, he became one of the reasons for the elves'' greater, bullish performance against the dragons.


    The Elven King just wanted to finish the war fast, no matter the cost.


    ...


    In the same year, a strange gathering was being organised. Typically, bards were people who had no home, no permanent workce, or a family. They travelled all year long and were generally loved by most because they brought free entertainment to the people.


    Along with entertainment, there were stories of great men and news of what was happening in other parts of the world. The Bards could change the mood of an entire vige in times of sadness, such as a drought or a flood.


    But, in a strange urrence, all the significant bards from across the Sol were on horses and carriages headed to the Holy Land. They all met on their way and joined each other, they sang, and they praised the one true lord and his one true bard.


    In no time, as the travelling bards never stopped signing, the people became aware of the strange gathering organised by Sylvester. Naturally, they felt envious, and some tried to join, but the Bards knew better than not to take anyone uninvited along.


    Among the travellers was the most famous Bard in Sol, of course, after Sylvester. He was an old retired knight in his sixties. His long beard and hair had turned white, but his body was still strong and full of might, his voice firm, and his mastery over the single-string t board instrument as great as in his prime.


    His name was Elvis Van Marston, the unofficial leader of the bards of Sol. He was one of the few truly rich bards, thanks to his previous sessful career as a knight. He organised a long convoy of fifty carriages, all reserved for bards to reach the Holy Land.


    "I wonder if Lord''s Bard is as magnificent as the legends say." Elvis wondered in his luxurious personal carriage, decorated from outside to inside with silk curtains, soft cushions and, of course, the finest wine readily avable.


    Inside the carriage were his two assistants, responsible for ying the drum and a simple trumpet in the background and providing voices for elevated effects.


    "Elder Elvis, I''m more interested in finding out why Lord Bard called us all." Mark Wesley, the first assistant, spoke.


    The old bard caressed his beard to brush and hummed in agreement. "It''ll be quite a disappointment if he isn''t stupendously fabulous. We''re all going there just to see him, so it does not matter what he wishes."


    At that, his other assistant chimed in while filling the ss of wine. "This new carriage we ride in is said to be inspired by Lord Bard''s designs. I barely sense the uneven road underneath. He certainly has a brilliant mind. There is no doubt."


    "So it seems." Elvis hummed and drank in silence.


    Nobody had any idea what to expect, but they were just interested in knowing more about Sylvester, and this was a rare opportunity to meet him personally.


    ...


    Holy Land


    "Good morning, Bishops... Or should I say trainee Bishops." Cardinal Geralt Brightson, the new tenth Guardian of Light and the Headmaster of the School of Dawn, shouted at the old bearded men standing in a neat square formation.


    There were thirty in total, and they were all previously Archpriests, now promoted to the rank of Bishop. But, among them, in the middle was the only young boy with eye-catching shining blonde hair and not a single speck of hair as the beard.


    "I will be your instructor and examiner for the whole month. If you fail any test, you lose the chance to be a Bishop... Ah, I forgot to mention, there is an Archbishop among you as well. So be respectful to him because he''s your senior."


    Sylvester looked at the headmaster and nodded with a smile. The old man was watching his back from the looks of it.


    "Now! The first test for today is simple. It''s an hour before sunrise, and by the time the sun fully appears, I want you all at the top of that mountain peak! This is the training penins, and it was built to train new Holy Army soldiers. So if you can''t climb a mere five thousand metre high peak, I will consider you a failure because this is the lowest criterion for a new Holy Army soldier." Tenth Guardian Geralt shouted.


    The old Bishop trainees made faces as they appeared to struggle with the fact they''d have to walk such a long distance physically. After all, they were all old men and had many physical ailments.


    "What are you waiting for? MOVE!"


    Quickly, everyone ran away at speed. The oldest of the members were quick to start crying and cursing themselves as they felt their back pain intensify. But they wanted the promotion, so they never gave up.


    The uphill climb was harsh and treacherous. The mere five thousand metres high mountain required a path of twenty metres to reach the peak, and it was filled with many staircases, small water streams, and such.


    Among them, Sylvester had it the easiest, however. He jogged with ease and passed by all the others. He movedically, swaying his arms sidewise more than usual as if mocking the old men.


    "Give way!" Sylvester shouted and got in front of everyone.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Eventually, Sylvester gained a lead of five kilometres from the rest of the crowd. But there was one more reason why Sylvester moved faster than the rest.


    No, his aim was not to mock the future Bishops but rather make them his friends. The best way to do that was to leave behind a longsting impression in their minds. For that, he created a faintly wrong impression as it was the hardest to forget.


    Now, he aimed to change that impression into a good one. So, he set up a table where he stood and ced a few sses full of water and rejuvenation potion mixed.


    Soon, the first trainee Bishop appeared and felt surprised that Sylvester was still there. Then, he saw the sses, and his thirst for water intensified.


    Gulp!


    He drank it fast and felt the instant effects of the potion. "This... You added a rejuvenation potion to this, Lord Bard? It must have cost a fortune!"


    Sylvester chuckled and refilled the ss. "Don''t mind it, Bishop. We are, after all, servants of Solis. If we don''t watch each other''s back, how do we expectmoners of Sol to trust us?"


    His words were heard by some other Bishops drinking the water in silence. They all silently smiled upon hearing him and soon continued their journey.


    Sylvester repeated the same tactics by making small talk. One by all, they passed by and easily got impressed by the famed Lord Bard.


    But Sylvester noticed something at the end. He had counted to twenty-eight, which meant there was one old man left behind. And the man was nowhere to be seen for as far as Sylvester could see.


    ''Hmm...'' Sylvester sprinted backwards to find the old man.


    He was fast, as his knightly talent was high. Effortlessly, he crossed a kilometre of distance and finally arrived at a tree. The old man was sitting beside it, his back resting on it. There was a lot of sweat, and the breath was still fast.


    ''He looks too old... probably in his nies? If he''s bing a Bishop now, then this is probably hisst promotion and thest chance to be promoted.''


    "Senior," Sylvester called him as he didn''t know the name.


    The old man opened his eyes and seemed shocked to find Sylvester waiting there. But, surprisingly, he smiled. "Ah, did the race end? Forgive me, Lord Bard. I''m too old for such physically exerting tasks."


    Sylvester was taken aback by the scents. ''Ah... Worship towards me, and so much gentle happiness in him. He doesn''t seem to care about his promotion.''


    "No, the race is not over. We still have half an hour. Come, I will carry you to the finish line." Sylvester turned around and knelt to let the old man climb on his back.


    "W-What?" The Bishop-trainee stuttered. "I can''t, Lord Bard... You''re an Archbishop. This is disrespectful."


    Sylvester smirked and insisted. "Ranks mean nothing, Bishop. We''re all sons of Solis. Our power is in our unity, and I firmly believe this is the true aim of this test. Do you honestly believe the church does not know how old you are?


    "They would never let all of you climb a mountain at such an age, Bishop. All of this is a test to see our harmony because there is no such thing as individuality in the faith of Solis -- Our unity defines ourmunity."


    The old Bishop moved and climbed Sylvester''s back in silence. His heart pounded fast, and his emotions reeked of utmost fanatic worship towards Sylvester.


    "Lord Bard... You are wiser than the rumours."


    Sylvester chuckled and started running much faster as if there was nothing on his back.


    "You''re not the first one to say that, Bishop. I have the Solis to thank for this blessing -- May his holy light enlighten us."


    The bishop repeated. "May his holy light enlighten us."


    ''Ah, another fanatic follower -- It was certainly a good day today.''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 382 382. Archbishop Sylvester Maximilian

    Sylvester''s actions during the race reaped him the sweetest fruits he could expect. Before thepetition, the old Bishops had some jealousy, and once Sylvester made fun of them, there was annoyance. But after the recent events, all Sylvester could smell was the scent of worship, hope and happiness.


    Sylvester had sessfully nted his image in their minds as the true Bard of the Lord, who should be respected and followed around. After all, no matter what, Sylvester was higher ranked than all of the old men, so they had to ept that there was a lot of merit behind Sylvester''s rank.


    Not to mention, it was no secret that Sylvester was denied a justified promotion by the council. So, the umtion of all that resulted in the perfect situation that Sylvester exploited now.


    "Lord Bard, do you have any understanding of the ''Article 5A'' of the Holy Law of Light? It says, ''Creating hindrance in the work of a clergyman is a punishable offence.'' But it never implied what crime is seen as a hindrance, or what punishment is to be given for a level of hindrance." Bishop Tobias Smith, a fellow trainee, asked.


    It had been more than a week since the training started, and it was less physical and had more to do withws, regtions and understanding the duties of a higher clergyman.


    As Sylvester was someone who had forced himself to learn all he could about the church since he arrived in the Holy Land as a baby, he had an edge in theoretical knowledge, which he exploited to appear sagely.


    "I do remember the entire Holy Law of Light book and all the precedence-setting cases. As far as I understand, thisw is purposefully kept vague because the definition of hindrance can change from time to time. A hindrance may not always be an act with negative intentions, after all. As for the punishment, it''s left to the Judge''s discretion, but the silent rule is to only charge some minor fine unless the crime is too severe." Sylvester exined in detail through his personal experiences.


    "What about the Law of Non-Interference? That the church will not interfere in day to day work of nobility? Where do we draw the line and intervene?" Bishop Anderson Willis asked.


    Sylvester responded much more confidently in that regard, as he had plenty of experience. "I''ve personally revoked thisw many times under the orders of Saint Wazir. Recently, I went to help the Duchy of Iceling, which was, in a way, us meddling in noble affairs. However, thew was automatically revoked since the danger was not limited to the Duchy only.


    "Simrly, on my first assignment, I was ordered to initiate Article sixty-six on Count Ranthburg and given temporarymand as Cardinal Suprima. Because the Count''s crimes against Bright Mothers were so heinous, thew was automatically revoked." Sylvester exined.


    Many heads bobbed around him as they all remembered the news from that time.


    "The memory is still fresh. It''s rare to find a Count facing Article sixty-six." A Bishop said.


    Sadly for Sylvester, that action was his life''s turning point, as he was tricked into presiding over the crimes there so he may attract Shadow Knight''s interest, which did happen and left him injured and in pain.


    ''Saint Seer... I need to get rid of him.'' Sylvester reminded himself of the goal again.


    Eventually, Sylvester ended up being someone akin to a mentor to all the Bishops there. Of course, he didn''t know everything, but his real world, physical experiences in battles and unravelling plots were a treasure trove for others.


    Sylvester was the man who uncovered the dangerous plots of the famed greatest spy in the world, the Shadow of Masan. So in that sense, Sylvester was no less impressive than that famous spy.


    In a one month period, Sylvester formed a great bond with all the newly appointed Bishops. He was able to bring them under his fold with all sorts of underhanded, enticing offers. He showed them that there was a lot of value in staying on his good side, as he enjoyed close rtionships with the kings Gracia, Riveria and Hignd; above that, he was a personal student of the Pope.


    Sylvester was, in a way, one of the most influential men in Sol, but nobody knew it, and that was Sylvester''s advantage.


    Once everyone got used to working, their time passed much more quickly, and before they even knew it, all the Bishops stood in arge hall in the Administration building taking their oath and getting their Bishop Mitre to put on their heads.


    But Sylvester didn''t get to participate in that ceremony as his rank was much higher, and his promotion was much more special. So, it was organised inside the Pope''s Pce, right inside the Pope''s office.


    Too many influential people were invited to the ceremony. The Pope, the entire Sanctum Council; Tenth Guardian of Light, the headmaster; Inquisitor High Lord; Aurora; Second Guardian Bloodrain and Eighth Guardian Faithwalker, were present.


    Of course, Sylvester''s close aide and Xavia were present too, and they couldn''t be more proud of him. Especially Sir Dolorem, as the man felt extreme pride develop in his chest. He remembered the promise Sylverster had made to be the Pope as early as possible. Now, that promise had started to truly seem like a possibility.


    "Sylvester Maximilian!" The Pope called Sylvester''s name.


    "May the Holy Light Enlighten us." Sylvester stepped towards the Pope in a militaristic manner, stiffly and formally.


    While the rest of the crowd witnessed the ceremony from the side, the Pope stood in the open area of his office. Pope''s assistant, Gunter, was beside the Pope with a tray holding the majestic mitre of an Archbishop.


    The mitre was a simple piece of cloth, but the power behind it was immense. Made of fine silk and cotton, its insides were red velvet, while the outer parts were white, with many embroideries done over it with threads made of gold to give beautiful patterns.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester''s gowns were a little different this time. Now, he was allowed to wear more regal gowns fitting for his standing. However, Sylvester decided only to change it slightly.


    He kept the gown white, while the small cape around his shoulders was red as usual. The difference was in the embroidery over his white robes, which now consisted of golden threads woven in ways to form patterns. It was subtle, but the nobles would appreciate it, knowing the cost of such embroidery.


    The Pope called Sylvester closer. "Salute to Solis and repeat the oath after me."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sylvester crossed his arms on his chest and repeated. "I, Sylvester Maxmilian, take the oath in the name of Solis in front of all those who witness. I will, to the best of my ability, work towards the upkeep of the faith of Solis.


    "I will, even if death calls upon me, maintain the honour of the faith of Solis and fight those who dishonour the true lord. I swear to protect the weak, to preach the faith, and bring sinners the wrath -- I swear to be the beacon of light and show the misguided ones the proper path.


    "ept my vow, the true lord, may you keep my words in your heavenly record. If I sin, I ask not to be ignored, and if I hold myself to virtue, bless all around me with reward -- Amen!"


    The vows were meant to establish that one had given up their personal desires and that their life was devoted to the service to the church.


    All heads bowed for a second following the vows, and then the Pope moved while announcing. "Sylvester Maximilian, I officially appoint you as Archbishop of the Church of Solis. You are the youngest in history to attain this rank, but your deeds are such that to ignore you became a sin in itself. Congrattions and may the Holy Light enlighten you."


    Sylvester lowered himself and let the Pope ce the Mitre on his head. After that, he saluted the Pope respectfully and then all the witnesses who hade to see the ceremony.


    ''Finally! Things will be much bigger now, but much riskier simultaneously. I smell increased jealousy from Faithwalker, while Inquisitor High Lord smells of utter rage and worship. These people, I must win them all over, or else, I will not only be ruling over a mere shadow of the church.''


    Sylvester diligently sensed the emotions of all those present. The headmaster of the School of Dawn was proud, and Lady Aurora was utterly excited. The most shocking, however, was the Second Guardian of Light, the Bloodrain.


    ''Why is he inducing so much scent of worship and hope towards me? And... Is this love I faintly smell?''


    The people in the room were a mystery, for sure. Sylvester could solve most of them with the scents, but some were hard to decode.


    ''Saint Seer seems to be feeling good about me, but his days are numbered. Saint Wazir is fine... The Sanctum Council appears to hold no negative thoughts about me.'' Sylvester analysed everyone because the asion served as the best opportunity.


    Pat!


    The Pope pped Sylvester''s shoulder. "Young Bard, I heard you have called for a congregation of Bards. It''s a good step, and I approve of it. They have started gathering near your house outside the Holy Land, so organise them. I shall pay a visit tomorrow evening -- personally."


    ''Yes!!!'' Sylvester roared in tion inside. ''With the Popeing, all those Bards will hold me in an even higher position. My words will be Faith''s words!''


    Sylvester bowed his head. "Thank you, your holiness. I will rush there and manage the situation."


    With that, the ceremony came to an end. There was no tradition of holding any feasts after a promotion as that cost money and would send the wrong message. So instead, a clergyman was expected to donate money to the poor after the promotion.


    "Your grace, shall we go?" Felix cheekily asked once the room became devoid of any Guardian or Cardinal.


    "Assistant Felix, go and prepare my carriage, please." Sylvester acted the part and annoyed Felix.


    "Max..." Xavia whispered in a low breath and looked at the majestic tall mitre on Sylvester''s head. "You look... handsome with it."


    Sylvester chuckled and took the mitre off to put it on Xavia''s head. "Oh... You look even better."


    "No!" Xavia panicked and pushed the mitre back. "Women are not allowed to hold such ranks."


    ''One day, I will change that too, mum.'' Sylvester thought and started to devise a n for the bards.


    ''I should do something for them. With them in my palm, I will have the greatest spy and sabotage organisation. But I hope there are no grumpy old dunces among them.''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 383 383. Conquering Through Music

    Sylvester needed something impressive to pull the bards to his side. He required them to respect him, to be in awe of him.


    His expectations from the Bards were great, and he knewpletely brainwashing them would take time. So, the first impression was the most important one.


    But after thinking a lot about it, he came to the conclusion that there was only one thing that he could show the bards to lure them.


    ''I just need to sing like I usually do and shine like a torch. Isn''t this why they came here in the first ce?''


    "Stop the carriage once you exit the Holy Land. I will be moving on my horse instead. Felix, Gabriel, Sir Dolorem, Bishop Lazark and Priest Elyon, you all remain behind me in a neat formation and loudly sing after me." Sylvester gave quick orders.


    The carriage soon came to a halt, and Sylvester got out to mount his horse. Then, he fixed his robes and slowly moved while keeping the violin in his arms. He produced a calm and soothing melody with the instrument. It being made from the wood of Soul Tree added some effects that made the sound even more calming.


    He continued to y the violin and soon started to sing a hymn. His voice sounded particrly soothing that night as he looked more majestic in the new robes with the mitre of an Archbishop on his head.


    As the halo formed behind his head and illuminated the surroundings, the scene looked otherworldly. And when Sir Doloren, Felix and the rest sang after his words in unison, it was worthy of inducing goosebumps.


    ?Blessed sons of Solis all around,


    Hear my voice. Hear this sound.


    The meaning is deeply profound,


    Ponder on it, and peace shall be found.?


    ?Oh, travelling troubadour, you bring a gift so rare,


    Your melodies fill the air with hope, with love, with care.


    From distant shores, you journeyed far, to bring your gift so bright,


    To light up every heart and chase away the cold dark night.?


    As Sylvester finished the second verse, he arrived at therge camp he hadmissioned to be made. It was a magnificent area on the riverside opposite the Bard''s, across the Golden Road. Hundreds of white,rge tents covered the field, with many small bonfires lit in the middle with many thick carpets and cushions to sit on.


    It was a very cosy and weing setup, but once Sylvester''s violin started to resound, all the travelling bards left their ces to arrive at the Golden Road to see the famed Bard for themselves.


    In no time, they were hit by the melodious musical instrument and the soothing voice of Sylvester. The words he said were about Soilis and them, and they felt as if God himself was weing them.


    ?Your voice can soothe the restless soul and ease the troubled mind,


    It carries all to distantnds and leaves our cares behind.


    Youe here with open heart, and share your songs so true,


    And with each note, you lift us up, to skies so clear and blue.?


    ?So let your voice be heard, oh travelling minstrel dear.


    And let your songs inspire all, and calm their every fear.


    For youe from across thends, cold and warm.


    Making no demands, arrived here to perform.


    Your varied voices help the troubled transform.?


    The bards surrounded the small entourage, staring at the shining Lord''s Bard, Sylvester, with focus and reverence. They all looked different, in clothes from around the world, with facial features differing from one another.


    Sylvester watched them with interest and started to smell a lot of scent of worshiping from the Bards. His singing and the magic of light were working. ''Alright, to thest part now.''


    ?By the will of Solis, here we have all gathered.


    I thank you foring, and I feel much ttered.


    Come, let us heal with our songs, this world so battered.


    Let us not wait any more and share the joyous bad.?


    All the bards around Sylvester lowered their heads, and some knelt to show respect. On the white horse, with the halo, the melody and the voice, Sylvester''s majesty was more than what most of them had expected. He also looked inhumanly handsome at the same time, and that helped a lot.


    ?O'' Bards, your songs and stories are heavenly records.


    Your contribution to the realm can no longer be ignored.


    So wees you to the Holy Land this Bard.


    Amen ¡ª Amen ¡ª Amen ¡ª let there be ord.


    May the Holy Light enlighten us, so I pray to the Lord.?


    Silence echoed once Sylvester uttered thest word of his hymn. Not a single bard remained standing. Instead, they all knelt and bowed their heads in respect. The crackling sound of the wood burning and the sounds of the owls and insects created a serene song of nature, refreshing all hearts and minds.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Thud!


    Sylvester got off the horse and saluted them all with a church greeting. "May the Holy Light enlighten us all, my fellow Bards. Please arise."


    Orderly and calm, the Bards stood up, but they started moving apart and making way for someone, it seemed.


    "I am Elvis Van Marston, the oldest bard present here." A tall old man came sauntering.


    Sylvester nodded and weed. "I''ve heard about you, wise bard."


    ''Who the hell is he?'' Sylvester silently wondered and let the man reach him first before trying to smell the emotions and discern what to do. This was the sort of man he wanted to avoid, old and sly, the hardest to manipte.


    Eventually, the old bard reached Sylvester and crossed his arms on the chest to give a proper church salute. "I used to be a knight, a time perhaps even before your mother was born, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester showed no change of expression but cursed the old man in his head. ''He''s trying to assert dominance by using his old age.''


    Sylvester raised his right hand in reply.


    Pat!


    He ced the palm on the old bard''s forehead and shone some holy light upon the man. "A thousand-year-old or born just yesterday, all are the same in the eyes of Solis. I bless you too, Bard Elvis. May you find sce."


    ''Oh, interesting. The emotions instantly turned into worship and surprise. Was he trying to test me?'' Sylvester wondered.


    Thud!


    Elvis suddenly knelt before Sylvester and prayed. "Your Grace, it is a tremendous honour to make your acquaintance. I had heard a lot about you, but now I must confess that all those rumours were unfounded ¡ª for you are truly a figure of magnificence, surpassing even the loftiest of expectations."


    Sylvester held the man''s shoulders and pulled him up. "You are a senior, Bard Elvis. Please do not kneel. The Lord made all men equal, and only we created the divide. In the eyes of the church, we''re all the same, for we eventually end up in the same ce ¡ª in the embrace of the earth as ashes."


    ''These flowery words, they''re tiresome.'' Finally, Sylvester looked to change the atmosphere.


    "Let''s return to the camp and start the first congregation of the Bards. I had a very specific and important reason for calling you here, but we have a week to discuss that, so let''s feast first and share some songs." Sylvester loudly announced.


    The bards made way for Sylvester, Elvis and the rest of the entourage to enter the camp area first. A special tent was reserved there for Sylvester, with Inquisitors standing as guards. But in looks, the tent wasn''t much different from the rest.


    Sylvester sat down beside a bonfire near his tent, as it was thergest sitting area in the entire campsite. Moreover, the river was just five metres away from there, so the soothing breeze was highly refreshing even after hundreds of men took seats there.


    Once all had taken seats, Sylvester pped his hands loudly. "Please start!"


    Woosh!


    Instantly, dozens of tents around the camp that were reserved for non-bards showed some activity. The ps opened, and from inside walked out men and women in neat and clean clothes. They hadrge trays in their arms, and the aroma of delicious meals spread from them.


    Not only that, a stagecoach was brought to the middle of the camp. But, the coach was strange as it opened up from all sides and turned into a three-foot-high wooden stage. On it, four men appeared holding strange musical instruments, which they started to y.


    "Marvelous!"


    "This is God''s melody!"


    "So much warmth!"


    "I feel peace!"


    The Bards, one after another, reacted to the sounds the instruments made. One of the instruments was like a trumpet, producing a sultry and smoky sound with rich, full-bodied quality. Its deep, mellow tones conveyed a sense of sensuality and nostalgia.


    Another instrument that seemed like a bigger violin but was yed by hand had an even more soothing sound. It was warm and inviting, with a resonant, earthy quality. Its strumming created a sense of intimacy and connection with the listeners.


    Andstly, a strange squeezable instrument with buttons on the sides that needed to be pressed by both hands while the instrument hung in front of the chest. It produced a distinct and unique sound that felt more traditional and folk. Its wheezing, breathy tones were both yful and mournful.


    p!


    Sylvester stood up at that and announced something that left all the hundreds of bards in excitement.


    "Gentlemen! By the end of this week, you may take any one of the copies of these instruments. First, there are violins which I y. Guitars that have six strings. The Saxophone that looks like a trumpet. And finally, the ordion."


    Woosh!


    Sylvester smelled a strong scent instantaneously. It was the scent of utter and extreme worship.


    ''Who said bribes can only be rted to gold and silver.''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 384 384. Bards? More Like Spies

    The Week of Bards was supposed to be the first of its kind gathering out of many nned. Sylvester wanted to gauge them first and filter out some prospective bards for the job he had nned.


    So, that whole evening as the food was served and the music was yed, he checked all of them through their emotions. But their physical features told a story too.


    ''Strange, why are there so many fat bards? Don''t they have to travel a lot? Or perhaps their jobs are too lucrative already?''


    It was a problem for Sylvester since the method of brainwashing was different for the rich and the poor. For the poor, Sylvester only had to appear like a beacon of hope for a better future while looking like a sage that they must never offend. But when it came to the rich ones, their loyalty would be hard to gain.


    Since money was a driving factor, nothing was stopping them from taking money from someone else in the future and bing a double spy. Or worse, join the enemy outright.


    ''I need to show them some sort of a consequence for harming my interests. They must fear me as much as they adore and respect me,'' Sylvester thought as he remembered the words of Nolo Machiavelli, ''It is better to be feared than to be loved if one cannot be both.''


    Sylvester understood, however, that fear did not equate to hatred, so he had to be careful. He just needed to show the bards that something terrible could happen if his interests were harmed. Not only that, he needed to somehow make them willingly be his spy without asking or revealing his intentions.


    "Lord Bard, this night was one of the most joyous and eventful dinners I had in my long life. Thank you for showing your new creations in the form of those melodious miracles," Elvis said. The dinner was finally over, and all the bards were returning to their tents to sleep.


    Sylvester did the same while walking with the old bard. "I''m d you liked it, Bard Elvis. But I have nned something for tomorrow that will leave you even more bbergasted."


    "Oh, I can''t wait!" Elvis clenched his hands like an excited child. "Have a good night, my lord."


    Sylvester waved and entered his well-guarded tent. It was private, so he removed his robes and quickly entered the thick nket as the nights were still cold.


    "Maxy! I sleep with you!" Miraj proimed and quickly tucked himself inside the nket, pushing his back on Sylvester''s chest.


    Sylvester chuckled and slept sideways while hugging the fluffy cat, his partner in crime and his greatest strength.


    ''Perhaps I can use the Pope to entice these men. Or I can show some other miracle to like me even more.''


    "Ugh¡­ Maxy!" Miraj suddenly woke up as he rubbed his back on Sylvester. "Maxy, can you scratch my back? It''s very itchy these days."


    "Itchy? I bathed you yesterday,"


    "It''s been itchy since before then."


    Hearing Miraj''s innocent and sleepy words, Sylvester felt a sh of worry cross his mind, as Miraj was too important to him as a personal friend. The cat was family already.


    ''I don''t remember Miraj ever suffering medically before.''


    As Sylvester scratched Miraj''s back, he also fell asleep once his eyes became too heavy to keep open.


    The next day, as the morning breeze hit the area and woke everyone up, the Bards enthusiastically went to a strange new carriage that had been ced in the middle of the camp. The carriage was open, and there were various copies of the instruments that they had heard the previous night.


    All of them went to pick something out of it, wanting to try. Though Saxophone was the most neglected instrument there since it required one to blow air, so it was useless for a bard who also had to sing. Meanwhile, Violin and Guitar were the most loved, and the ordion was more of an acquired taste.


    Sylvester also woke up and saw the scenes as a crowd surrounded the carriage in the distance. "I hope they have enough artistic and musical sense to learn it quickly."


    "They should know how to y it soon. After all, you provided the little pages with all the notes and chords." Sir Doloremmented as he came to report to his boss, Archbishop Sylvester.


    Sylvester smiled and patted Sir Dolorem''s shoulder. "Sir Doloren, the experiments were sessful. How do you feel about getting your eyes back soon?"


    Sir Dolorem''s face remained unchanged, and the seriousness still eclipsed. "Lord Bard, I neverined about being blind. We are mere mortals, and our lives are tests. What we lose, what we gain, in Solis'' palms, our fate rests. We can merely improvise and keep preaching the name and never me."


    "Even after learning everything that the church has done against me?" Sylvester asked.


    Sir Dolorem shook his head. "You are the future of the church, Lord Bard. I ept that the current iteration is corrupt and vile, but isn''t that why I have put all my faith, life and loyalty in you?"


    Sylvester smiled, knowing the man had put almost all his cards on him, and the scent of worship never faded.


    "Let''s go now. The Bards need to be entertained and educated about what we do." Sylvester proceeded with his usual n.


    That day, Sylvester spent his time with a few small groups of Bards. It was clear from the looks that some sort of factionalism was going on among them. It wasn''t regted and had onlye into existence there. It was based on poprity and wealth, like any other society.


    So Sylvester gave each one some time and shared some hymns with them or helped them form some new melodies. He also taught them how to y musical instruments, and in just a day grew closer to all of them. He tried his best to memorise the name of every person there, so whenever he''d call someone by their name, the other side would bloom with a huge smile and a spike in the scent of worship.


    Eventually, the evening came, and Sylvester started preparing for the main event. He had nned to pull the bards to his side entirely with it.


    A stage was set in the middle of the camp, a bigger one this time. The bards were told to wait around it, although they didn''t know for what, as Sylvester had left on his horse before the sun vanished and the darkness took over.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Pa!


    Eventually, a loud trumpet resounded in the distance, and all eyes looked towards the direction, heads popping up to look farther.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    As if the ground had started to shake, all the bards heard the sound and knew very well what it was. The resounding hooves of the horses of an army were something they had seen and felt many times in the past.


    Soon, with a small cloud of dust, a huge entourage approached the camp. There were a thousand soldiers in the most beautiful, intricate armour, all golden and red-caped, covered from head to toe ¡ª even the horses.


    "His Holiness, the seventy-ninth Pope, Axel Tar Kreed, the wise, is here!" The tall giant knight on a massive stallion roared. "Make way to the stage!"


    The bards quickly moved aside and made a long narrow path for the horses to reach the stage in the middle of the camp. As the entourage moved, the bards saw the Pope in all his grace and power, looking old and yet so mighty.


    In the majestic yet simple robes, with the tall, crystal-jaded Pope''s mitre adorned on the head, the Pope unmounted the horse and walked up the stairs of the stage. Behind him, Sylvester in his Archbishop garbs followed.


    But he wasn''t alone. There were also Ninth Guardian Lady Aurora, Eight Guardian Faithwalker and Tenth Guardian Geralt Brightson, the headmaster. All of them in their ceremonial clothes looked absolutely majestic and made the evening look more regal than it already was.


    The Pope raised his right hand, and his palm shined with hazy blue light for five seconds. "May the Holy Light enlighten us, Bards of Sol. Before Archbishop Sylvester, a Bard was just an entertainer. But after his arrival, I learned the majesty of music and the power of hymns; and truly learned to appreciate the magic that Bards can spread. For that, I bless you all for an evesting serene voice and sound mind."


    "Long live his holiness!" One of the ''bards'' randomly shouted.


    "Long live his holiness!" A second man followed.


    Beyond that, the entire camp ushered in loud cheers and chants for the Pope. They tried to show their devotion not by singing this time but by shouting until their throats went sore.


    "Be at ease, my children." The Pope waved his palm to signal them. "Bard of Solis, Archbishop, Invited me here to bless you, so it is him you should thank."


    "Long live Lord Bard!" Another ''bard'' shouted.


    Once again, the waves spread, and the entire camp got engulfed in chants. It was magnificent, all ording to Sylvester''s grand n.


    ''Alright, my time to speak.'' Sylvester stepped forward on the stage.


    "My partners of the same profession! I must inform you why I called you here now." Sylvester bellowed, silencing them all. "For years, I have realised that we do not know anything about the world. We have books on geography, politics and history, but they only detail the significant moments.


    "So, I desire topile a series of books that will detail thetest stories, legends, and interesting events that may happen around the world ¡ª around you. As you write new songs based on the stories, and interesting people, I wish for the world to know it too."


    Sylvester dropped the news, but it was confusing for most, as evident by the looks of their eyes. However, he was only starting.


    "That is why I offer you something. I shallpile the books for free, and they shall hold your beautiful songs and hymns in them. But along with your hymns, it shall have exciting stories and legends reported by you.


    "I shall be hiring hundreds of writers and copy makers, so we will have many books released every single month. Any news, great event, heartful or wholesome stories, or sinful acts; all shall be written down alongside your magnificent hymns.


    "Not only that, every month, the readers will choose one song or hymn from the book that they felt was the finest, and the winning bard shall receive a prize of one thousand Gold Graces from me."


    Boom!


    Loud discussions erupted among the hundreds of bards. They looked at each other''s faces with much excitement and hope. Of course, most of them were nameless bards, so the prospect of having their songs and stories written in a book with their names was highly enticing. Not to mention, the possible reward for the songs.


    "Well done, young bard." The Pope muttered in a low voice that only Sylvester could hear. "Using them to report crimes of nobles since the bards are regr in their courts¡­ It''s magnificent."


    Sylvester graciously nodded, even though his goal was different.


    ''This is just the beginning. Once they befortable, I will move to step two. Until then, I must make do with a bastardised version of a newspaper as my cover for gathering intelligence. Ah~ so much work.''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 385 385. Sylvesters Specialisation In Magic.

    Sylvester''s announcement didn''t go unquestioned, as the world was not made of stupid men. The bards were not fools and knew that Sylvester would likely be making the books something akin to a tool for reporting to the masses about what was happening around Sol. That would mean it will be quite popr since it''s human nature to thirst for information and gossip.


    Hence, the richest of the Bards smelled a lot of moneying to Sylvester and not flowing down to them. Money reigns supreme, no matter how great Sylvester may be. Praying to him could not feed or ornate their bodies with the finest silk.


    But as the Pope was there, all the voices of ''suggestions'' and eptance remained silent. The feast went on as usual, and the Pope ate right there alongside Sylvester.


    "I see greed in the eyes of some." The Pope whispered as Sylvester sat around the reserved bonfire for the clergy. "You will need my help."


    Sylvester smiled as he sensed something from the Pope. ''Ah, I smell admiration but, at the same time, jealousy. Is he jealous because he didn''t think of this n before?''


    Sylvester wished to keep his ns a secret. There was no way he could keep his strategy of using the bards as a secret in any case, so it was better to feed chunks while withholding the real fruit.


    "I have limited money, so I can certainly not make all of them happy, no matter how much I wish to. This means I will have to make do with what I have and think about them once I have everything set up," Sylvester replied.


    The Pope nced at some of the fattest bards, who were most likely rich due to their services to some nobles or, perhaps, doing certain things for the rich. "Ignorance is truly bliss. Theyugh, yet have no idea what they are ready to miss."


    "A man who remains hungry even with limitless food can never free oneself from his mental prison, for his hunger has him subdued," Sylvester answered.


    The pope chuckled as he poured himself some good old Sunshine nectar from a tiny secret bottle. "So wait until only bones are left since that''s when their greed shall be at the peak, and then, for even a drop of water, they''d merrily speak."


    Sylvester also poured a tiny drink of sunshine nectar from his own secret little bottle, prompting the Pope to go into a momentous shock followed by bellowingughter.


    nk!


    Both clinked their sses and downed the ''juice'' in one go.


    "Ah, the food is fine, young bard! If I had known your Bard''s shop has such marvellous dishes, I''d have allottednd inside the Holy Land itself for it."


    Sylvester smirked and repeated the old Pope''s words. "When their greed is at peak, they merely speak ¡ª Absolutely correct, whoever said it."


    "..."


    "Haha, got a sharp tongue, don''t you? I like it. You need a sharp tongue and mind to tackle politics inside the Holy Land, which is now Holy in name only, sadly." The Pope patted Sylvester''s shoulder and stood up.


    "There is still so much work left to do, so I must return. Have a good time with these bards, young bard. But remember to report to me at my office by this week''s end. I shall have your next assignment ready."


    Sylvester''s brows rose up. "Which is?"


    "As you requested, I''m sending you to the south but with a special task and designation. One that shall prepare you for¡­ the inevitable." The Pope waved at his subordinates and walked back to his horse.


    Only Lady Aurora remained behind since she was a part of Sylvester''s inner group. Though, her interest was in something else as she whispered. "That was the nectar, wasn''t it? Give me a little shot too. I want to feel lightheaded."


    Sylvester obliged. "You have too much faith in me, Aurora. To knowingly get drunk while you sit in the middle of so many men."


    She downed the ss while smirking seductively, or at least attempting to do so, as she failed miserably due to her smile looking more like a creepy, sadistic grin. "Why, my dear brother? Won''t you protect this maiden?"


    Sylvester, deadpan, sighed. "Knowing this maiden, I''m worried for their lives, not yours."


    "..."


    "Ugh¡­ You''re such an old man, destroying my yful mood."


    "It''s called a reality check," Sylvester blurted.


    She scoffed and returned to eating a nice slice of pizza from Bard''s shop. "Anyway, are you prepared for our week-long Duel Cultivation training? Since Winter Ghost died, the seventh position for a Guardian is empty. So I''m aiming for a promotion again, even though it will take time."


    ''I wonder what Healer Hendrix discovered from the blood samples of Winter Ghost I stole.'' Sylvester''s mind dozed off to another thought. ''I need to milk Hendrix''s knowledge as much as possible since his wife and daughter''s fates depend on my sess.''


    "Sylvester, are you listening? Old man, did you go to sleep?"


    "What?" Sylvester returned to reality with a shake of his head. "Ah, yes, let''s Duel Cultivate for the weekter. I will try to use the highest versions of my magic and attempt to create some other magical and knightly attacks. I also need to pick a specialisation in magic since I finally got promoted now."


    "Oh! Yes!" Aurora eximed excitedly. "You have to pick a good one. With specialised books now, you can learn anything. I had taken Lightning magic during my time, and it made me utterly powerful."


    "Wait!" Felix finally interrupted as he got out of his deep sorrow of seeing his best friend exceeding him in career. "Didn''t you already decide what you''d learn?"


    "I did," Sylvester started telling Lady Aurora his n. "I''m going for multiple specialisations instead of one. Since I will learn metal maniption anyway, I also wish to try maism. But, unfortunately, it''s rare and hard to learn."


    "Ugh! What''s so good about being a ma?" Aurora made an ugly face.


    Sylvester didn''t borate on how overpowering that ability was. ''Of course, she won''t understand it. Maism can perhaps be one of the strongest of all magics to learn. Maic fields will allow me to control metal, levitate myself and others, create force fields, use telepathic mind control possibly, and generate electromaic pulses. This is too great for this world.''<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sylvester continued with his answer. "I was also interested in Elder magic, but it''s impossible to learn since it''s lost. So I''ve decided to go for Illusion magic, as it requires the use of some degree of light elements along with air and earth."


    "Fuck!" Felix cursed suddenly. "You already have space magic! So¡­ Does this mean you will have metal maniption, maism, illusion, space magic, and your strange shining powers ¡ª Five special talents! Good Lord Solis!"


    ''I don''t even know if my elven blood can help me gain some other elven branch of magic yet,'' Sylvester thought as he felt hopeful about the future.


    "Don''t worry, Felix. I will be an old man by the time I master these."


    "Hah, you''re already an old man," Aurora eximed to ridicule him and returned to eating.


    Sadly, Sylvester didn''t feel ridiculed, but something worse. ''Ugh¡­ I feel like I''m standing naked with all my secrets out whenever she calls me an old man.''


    Like that, the evening slowly came to an end, too. But not for Sylvester, as the greedy fat Bards came to his tent to discuss the ''terms'' of cooperation. They came in a group of fifteen, believing they''d be able to make their voice heard.


    Sylvester invited them inside with respect and sat around with them. "What can I do for you, fellow bards?"


    Elvis Van Marston spoke up for the others since he was the oldest man there. At least he was not fat. "Lord Bard, we are interested in the new venture you have decided to embark upon. The monthly books that you wish to produce seem like an interesting idea. But we wonder how the profits will be split."


    Sylvester nonchntly replied. "No profits will be split. The books are for the bards only and are meant to serve as a repository for their songs and poems. The news and stories are there so people may buy them, and I can use that money to fund the writers and the prize money for the winning bards."


    "But, won''t you be making more money from it than spending?" Another older fat Bard spoke up. "Even if the peasants and themon vigers don''t buy it, I''m quite sure traders & minor nobles will enjoy reading about what is happening around Sol. You can sell them for fifty silver crowns each and still earn a lot."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and nodded, acting like he was deep in thought, but in reality, he was only leading them. He didn''t want to share anything with them or let them invest in his business since that would have given them the right to interfere in his secret operations.


    In time, he knew they would alle to him running as their poprity would decrease and the ''selected'' bards from the book would be more famous.


    "Then¡­ I''m afraid I cannot contribute, Lord Bard. My hands are tied with work, as I have been called by nobles for months toe." A bard said and left respectfully.


    One by one, all of them left with somewhat disappointed faces. But Elvis remained behind and only stared at Sylvester. "You have something nned, don''t you, Lord Bard? They are unable to see beyond their greed, but I can. The fact that you are ready to invest the resources and money it takes to write and copy something, it certainly can''t be just for goodwill services for bards."


    "Only time will tell what awaits us in the near future, Bard Elvis. What about you? Will you be joining me or leaving?" Sylvester inquired.


    There was silence for a while. The sound of the water flowing in the river nearby was all they could hear.


    "To do what you asked for does not take much effort." Bard Elvis said while standing up. "I came here to see you with the faith that you will be as majestic as the rumours said. You are much more than those rumours, and I believe you are worth following."


    Sylvester walked up to the exit of his tent to see the man off. "Your faith is wee."


    "Such opportunitiese seldom," Elvis added.


    Bard Elvis smiled back and left with a satisfied look. It was evident; for the scents told the stories that expressions could not.


    ''Good thing he''s a religious man, or else he''d have acted the same way.''


    Bam!


    "Maxy! Help!"


    "What happened?" Sylvester rushed back inside his tent.


    "My back is itchy! It''s annoying." Miraj cried as he wriggled on the floor mat and rubbed his back.


    Sylvester didn''t dare shrug over the problem anymore. "Come here! I will shave some fur from your back and check. You probably have fleas or ticks."


    Miraj was so desperate for relief that he didn''t object to the idea and jumped into Sylvester''sp. "Quick¡­ I hate this!!! This has never happened before."


    ''That''s why I''m worried, Chonky.'' Sylvester remained silent and used a metal de to shave the fur.


    He held Miraj firmly and slowly exposed the skin on the back, near the joints of the front legs. The skin was bright pink, seemingly Miraj''s natural skin tone. But there was something strange he noticed. Something hard and white protruded from Miraj''s back at the shoulder joints.


    "What the¡­ Bones?"


    ________________________


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 386 386. Worlds First Franchise

    Sylvester checked Miraj to the best of his abilities. He knew the anatomy of a cat thanks to having one cute furry friend in his past life. But the strange bones on Miraj''s back didn''t make any sense.


    ''Are this world''s cats supposed to be different? No, Chonky is no ordinary cat. That was clear from the first day. Even if he was experimented on, how can he grow so intelligent? It''s impossible unless he''s born smart.'' Sylvester reasoned.


    But, unable to find a problem, he decided to let Xavia touch Mirajter and see if she could sense anything or heal him. For now, he used a simple trick.


    "Chonky, I am going to apply some ice on your back. It will give you relief for the night." He warned so Miraj wouldn''t jump up in surprise.


    "Meow! Do anything."


    Miraj instantly melted into Sylvester''s arms and slid onto the mattress like a dead body. "I take a nap now."


    "Wait, let me draw a tiny rune circle on the floor. If you feel itchy again, you can rest on it to ease the itch. I will ask mum to check on youter."


    Miraj didn''t reply, though. He soundly snored and fell asleep, perhaps tired from all the intense scratching he did all day in silence, trying not to disturb Sylvester.


    ''I can ask Healer Hendrix for help too. He did experiments on a lot of cats and gave blind one''s new eyes. So he should know what can cause such strange bone structures¡­ But, could it be that, like me, Miraj is ranking up t¡­ Ah, let''s not theorise too much.''


    Sylvester also slept after that. Of course, he didn''t need to, but he decided to rest as much as possible, as the times were peaceful, and he didn''t have too much to worry about. After all, he had no idea what assignment the Pope had prepared for him this time.


    ¡­


    In the following days, the crowd started to thin down as the rich bards who didn''t want to join Sylvester''s proposal left with their followers. That left behind only the lower and middle-tier bards, who depended solely on donations by random people from towns and viges. The only rich one left was Elvis.


    Sylvester spent time with all of them. He taught them musical instruments and held some freestyle songs and hymnpetitions. Over time, they all became used to one another, and familiarity grew. Sylvester remembered all their names, which was nothing less than a reward for all the Bards.


    Before they knew it, the week ended, and on thest day was an openpetition for all the bards. The people from nearby towns, viges or travellers coulde and witness the various bards.


    Sylvester didn''t participate as he''d be the default winner thanks to his halo and majesty, so he kept himself as a guest performer.


    It was a great night, and everyone enjoyed themselves. The feast was much grander on thest day to make the memory unforgettable. The bards were all happy and excited to participate in Sylvester''s n.


    When the morning came, all the Bards bid Sylvester farewell personally with a church salute. Then, slowly, the entire area became empty again, and all the tents and preparations were removed, returning the site to its natural condition.


    With that, Sylvester breathed a sigh of relief and headed to the Bard''s, as he had some things to sort out. The two new ves he had freed and brought, the nobleman, and the woman enved since childhood, had taken their training and were helping in the business.


    "Good morning, all of you. I see, the special menu has an ice cream sandwich today?" Sylvester entered after taking a look at the menu for the day.


    "Lord Bard, good morning. May the holy light enlighten us." The young girl, Ava, chirped from the kitchen counter as she prepared for the day.


    The work at the Bard''s had be much more streamlined over the past year. Sylvester tried to make as many production-line-styled cooking counters as possible, where much of the work could be done in advance. In a way, he tried to make fast food, just a lot healthier and moreplex.


    "My lord." Gemma, the mother of a five-year-old, came out of the kitchen and bowed her head in respect. "My lord, my one year of work has beenpleted here. I wish to find a home and live with my son peacefully."


    ''Here ites.'' Sylvester was already expecting this much.


    "Have you nned anything? Where will you be going? How will you make a living? How will you educate your son?" He inquired.


    Gemma stared into Slvester''s eyes firmly. "I have, my lord. I have saved all the money I earned over the past year. I have decided to buy a small plot in Happy vige, near Trident Lake, not far from here. I will work in the Green City just across the river as a cook in a small inn."


    While talking, Sylvester sighed and walked to the kitchen counter to make a strawberry milkshake. "You certainly have everything figured. What about you, Darius? Do you also wish to leave after some time?"


    The noble, freed ve with the ability to remember everything appeared resolute. "I am not a worker under you, Lord Bard. I am your follower. You''ve be an Archbishop now, and I believe you can keep my father''s killers away from me."


    "What about the rest of you? Do you wish to leave?" Sylvester shared a nce with all the others.


    Woosh!


    Fifteen-year-old Ava jumped to hug Sylvester. "I am never leaving. You said I''m like a little sister, so how can I go? I¡­ I don''t have any family either."


    Flora, the blonde-haired wife of a deceased crusader, spoke up then. "My vige was raided and destroyed. I have nowhere to go where I can guarantee my and my child''s safety. So I will stay here until you wish to send me away, my lord."


    Sylvester nced at thest woman, Emma. She was abducted in childhood and still hoped to find her family. "What about you?"


    Emma grabbed Darius'' arm, as he was the one who brought her along. "I will stay."<novelnext></novelnext>


    p!


    "Good! Then let''s move on to phase two of conquering the world of food!" Sylvester jumped to his feet, erasing the air of mncholy. "Gemma, you wish to leave? Fine, but you will still be working for me, and I will still be providing you with security. Now listen to my n."


    Sylvester took out a nk parchment and started writing on it with his ballpoint pen. "Thanks to massive orders from the Holy Land, the monthly ie of Bard''s is two hundred thousand Gold Graces, and if we reduce the one hundred and twelve thousand expenses for materials and wages, this ce earns a staggering profit of eighty-eight thousand Gold Graces. Everyone, this money is more than what some Barons make.


    "Our business is clearly loved by all, and the food is unique. The prices are neither low nor high, and we tend to create regr customers. So I have decided to branch out and make more Bard''s around Sol. The first one shall be in Green City, Gracia''s capital.


    "The shop will open in the prime merchant district and look exactly like the building we are in. Gemma, you know all the methods and the process of work here. You shall be the new branch manager and oversee the training and operations. New talents will be hired from Green City itself to work on a long-term contract basis. Flora, you too can venture out and be a manager of one of the branches when you arefortable. It will likely be established in River City, the capital of Riveria."


    Jaws went agape; that was the first reaction. But when they realised the total extent of the profits, they felt excited.


    Sylvester continued. "For the good work, Flora, Gemma and Ava, you three get a bonus of one hundred Gold Graces each."


    "What?! B-But¡­ Is that fine? That''s so much money!" Flora eximed in stutters. The money was massive for someone of her standing.


    A loaf of bread costs three copper muds. A thousand copper muds made one silver crown, and a hundred silver crowns made one gold grace. So she was getting one hundred gold graces, which was enough to buy a house and farm in a vige.


    "This is what you deserve. My instructions were harsh, and the work was new. Yet you all did amazing¡ªso no more discussion regarding this. Darius, you are a man who remembers everything. Therefore, I am appointing you as the Financial overseer of the Bard''s. If you do a good job, I will perhaps let you manage all my business ventures."


    Darius heard that for the first time. "Business ventures? W-What else do you do, my lord?"


    "I am an inventor, Darius. I create things and allow nobles close to me to mass produce my inventions, earning a part of the profit. I am also entering book publishing, so a lot of money wille in every month. I expect it to be somewhere near, if not above, a million gold." Sylvester dropped the heaviest revtion.


    Sylvester knowingly did it so his workers understood that Sylvester was not only a strong clergyman with power but also a wealthy man who could influence everything around him, even if it wasn''t rted to the clergy. He expected the revtion to raise confidence and loyalty in them.


    Darius was ecstatic and knelt down like a knight, albeit sloppily. "I swear in the name of Solis, to be honest and serve the Bard''s well. You can trust me, my lord."


    Sylvester nodded and got up to return. He had to visit the Pope first. "Be at ease, and get back to work. I will send better detailster, so don''t ck off. One more thing, call me Your Grace in public from now on. That''s what an Archbishop is called¡­ ''Lord'' might create some misunderstanding."


    "Yes, my lord! I mean Grace!" Darius rushed to hold the door of the shop.


    Sylvester fixed his robes and headed out. He ced Miraj on the horse''s head, as the goofy cat had stolen some bananas from the shop earlier and was currently in the middle of devouring them.


    "Ha!"


    In no time, he galloped into the Holy Land and reached the Pope''s pce. One thing he noticed was how respectable everyone was, and everyone saluted him withplete worship. Even the Bishops saluted him, some begrudgingly.


    "Good morning, Gunther. Is his holiness inside?" Sylvester greeted the Pope''s assistant and handed the man a strawberry milkshake he had made earlier. "For you, my hard-working friend."


    Gunther noticed the stamped mark of Bard''s on the pottery ss. "Thank you, I needed this after the morning meeting. The lower clergymen made a blunder this time and misced some gold. His holiness was furious about it. Ah, you can go in, he''s alone¡­ Try to calm him down, please, that would be a great help."


    Sylvester did so after knocking. "May the holy light enlighten us."


    The Pope was busy with some papers and waved at him to sit. "Pick the file with your name on it and give it a read while I finish analysing this financial report of those dunderheads."


    ''I''d kill to get a look at that report.'' Sylvester thought, having always been curious about Holy Land''s finances.


    Sylvester obeyed and picked the thin file. He opened it and saw the title, ''Assignment for Archbishop Sylvester Maximilian''.


    But when he looked down at the next heading, he nced back at the Pope.


    "You''re making me a Special Judge?"


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 387 387. One Weapon To Kill All

    "You''re making me a Special Judge?" Sylvester asked directly and opened his senses to all scents.


    The Pope didn''t put his documents down and read them with seriousness. "Keep reading, young bard. Everything is in that report."


    Sylvester did so and focused on each word to ensure he didn''t leave any hidden meanings behind.


    ''Sorrow Kingdom has be a headache that can''t be ignored anymore.'' Sylvester read some parts of it and focused.


    ''The pleas of the people and theck of rule-based order in the region have made everything miserable. The worst of the worst crimes one can imagine is taking ce. The copse has brought into existence countless unhygienic refugee camps that pose a risk of a gue. Ack of food is also bringing in reports of cannibalism. Some reports of a gue have already reached the Holy Land, but nothing for sure yet.''


    Sylvester summarised everything for himself and closed the file to put it back on the table. ''So things are worse than I thought. It seems The Patch has still not given up on the Sorrow Kingdom. As I suggested, King Hignd''s dam to flood his riverside regions should being up soon. Maybe I can time it with negotiations with The Patch? But what exactly is my role?''


    He waited while deep in thought. The Pope finished his work soon enough and stamped his seal on the document with a grunt. "It seems we will need two audits this year instead of just one. Too much corruption is happening."


    "What happened, your holiness?" Sylvester tried his luck.


    "A few low-ranking clergymen of Archpriest rank banded together and built a secretwork for themselves, which they used to sell church possessions, sold information about talented individuals yet to join the church, forcedmoners to pay money for salvation, and much more. They were all in it and created a proof of innocence for one another. As per tradition, they will be beheaded in the Holy Land soon." The Pope summarised and took Sylvester''s file.


    "So, Archbishop Sylvester, as stated here, I am appointing you as a Special Judge. Currently, only two more Special Judges are in service to the Holy Land, as the rank wields too much power. One currently serves in the West, and the other is in the Sand Continent. You will be the third one." Pope said and read the file while turning the pages and shaking his head. "Pitiful what''s happening in the south."


    Sylvester was interested in his rank. "How powerful is this rank?"


    ? "Directly under me. A special judge is akin to a soldier, prosecutor, judge and executionerbined. Only men who know every word of the Holy Law of light can be qualified to hold such an office."


    "Who can I punish? Let''s say¡­ A Cardinal Suprima?" Sylvester asked.


    "Son, not only a Cardinal Suprima but even Dukes. However, in Duke''s case, you can only first arrest them, as Dukes are often princes. You can not touch the kings and queens, either. Not without my permission. You are allowed to punish anyone under them with death, as long as their sin qualifies for it."


    ''Isn''t this akin to the powers Inquisitor High Lord possesses?''


    The Pope continued. "You have two goals for going there. The first is to investigate what is happening in the Sorrow Kingdom, as I have received some encrypted letters directly addressed to my office. You are to lessen the people''s misery by punishing the bad elements. Your second goal is to meet that Viscount you spoke about and learn metal maniption from him. I gifted you the Spear of Infinity, and I see it''s not well utilised. It''s an insult to that great tool."


    Sylvester nodded and rubbed his temples as if trying to think calmly. "If I am to do this, I can not go there as Sylvester Maximilian. Too many people know my name and features now, and no corrupt noble or clergyman will show their true colours to me."


    "You wish to go undercover?" The Pope easily deduced


    Sylvester nodded and nned. "I will dye my hair and change the colour of my eyes with some magic. Amon priest sent to the South sounds like a good motivation. I will first conduct my investigation and then reveal myself before killing them."


    The Pope gave Sylvester the file back. "Do what you deem necessary, young bard. The South is not rich, nor are the people as civilised. But that does not mean their faith in Solis differs from ours. So go and spread your light. I bless you and pray for your sess. May you have smooth progress. Show the heathens their rightful ce. Let them be aware they have fallen out of my grace."


    Sylvester stood up and saluted before heading out of the office.


    "One more thing!" The Pope called him suddenly. "Take this letter as well. I don''t know why, but King Gracia has formally invited you to his court as a guest of the highest honour. So make sure to visit Green City on your way. It''s under our ''administration''"


    Sylvester took the letter and finally left the office. As soon as he arrived outside, Miraj jumped onto his shoulder.


    Eventually, he headed home while nning his subsequent actions for his southern adventure. ''Many sick people will be there, so I need to stock up on as much healing material as possible. Since it''s a poverty-stricken area with no hygiene, the chances of cholera are also high, so an oral rehydration solution will do. I will also need to buy a lot of equipment from Count Raftel.


    ''After the eye surgery, Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark seem like the best options to bring along this time as they have abundant experience. Felix and Gabriel should focus on their own training in the Holy Land this time. Elyon can focus on attaining the rank of Archpriest, perhaps¡­ But I hope Aurora will not follow me this time.''


    "Maxy, what are you thinking?" Miraj asked.


    "I was wondering what mum must have made for breakfast today. It could be a banana honey milkshake. What do you think, Chonky?"


    Miraj rubbed one paw on his chubby face and wondered. "Ah¡­ Banana and honey? So thick and slimy¡­ I always like drinking it, but it bes sticky. It bes hard to swallow sometimes."


    "..."


    "Chonky, let''s start your phrasing sses once again."


    "What?!" Miraj stood on his hind legs on Sylvester''s shoulder. "What did I say wrong now? Isn''t banana shake white, thick and slimy? Is it not sticky?"


    Sylvester just patted the furry cat and calmed him down. "Buddy, you have a long way to go."


    Eventually, he arrived home and found it was empty. Xavia had gone to work in the Guild Penins as the Superintendent Healer. Isabe was studying in the School of Dawn, and Zeek was either training or guarding Xavia.


    nk!


    "Maxy! It''s chicken and rice!" Miraj shouted from the kitchen countertop.


    "Good, I feel relieved now. Let''s eat and start preparing. Sir Dolorem''s eye surgery is scheduled for the evening, so we will be busy at night. Eat all you want."


    "Huzza!" Miraj cheered and, like a human, used a spat to pour out food for himself, albeit very clumsily. He set himself a nice te and even put some sd for himself, a banana.


    As for Sylvester, he had a lot to do before going out. First, he had to set up the whole underground printing for the books. For that, he first needed someone topile all the letters and set up the initial copy. On the other hand, he had a week-long training with Aurora nned.


    ''I''ve be an Archbishop now. My next hurdle is twice as high, as I must be a Grand Wizard and a Cardinal.'' He was lost in his thoughts while eating. ''I need a significant achievement that affects the entire world. Something even bigger than mountain barbarians.''


    "Maxy, I want to train too. I will be stronger and protect you everywhere." Miraj proimed while eating like a baby, spreading food around the table.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''I don''t even know what you are, Chonky.'' Sylvester thought.


    "Perhaps you can devour a lot of acid and strategically throw it on some enemies? They will never know what hit them." He suggested.


    Miraj''s two ears perked up as he grinned. "Hehe¡­ Should I melt my enemies slowly and make them scream as they die? It will be so much fun, Maxy!"


    ''He sure has the spirit to be one dangerous creature.''


    "Yes, but be careful not to burn yourself. Anyway, let''s finish and go find Sir Dolorem next." Sylvester devoured his food quickly, starting apetition with Miraj.


    Woosh!


    Like a vacuum cleaner, Miraj ate it all. "I want more!"


    "You used your power. That''s cheating." Sylvester used.


    Miraj slumped down on the table as if hurt. "I didn''t¡­ I really ate the food. Big mum''s food is the best. Here, I will show you again."


    Woosh!


    Miraj set himself a te and again ate it all in one go. "See¡­ Hehe, you can''t do thi¨C"


    Sniff! Sniff!


    Suddenly, Miraj stopped speaking, and his nose began to move violently. "I smell something! It''s¡­ing from our room, Maxy."


    "Our room?" Sylvester looked to the side in wonder. Everything seemed perfectly fine, and he smelled nothing.


    But that calmness only remained until he found a slight hint of smokeing from underneath the door. It was too little and appeared to be white smoke.


    "Fire? How?!" Sylvester rushed to open the door with a water spell ready to be shot.


    Thud!


    A strong wave of heat emanated when he looked inside the room. It revealed the smoky view. The entire bed was on fire, and its legs had already given up, hence the loud sound. But thankfully, the fire had not spread yet.


    "How?"


    Woosh!


    Sylvester used basic water elemental magic and doused the mes with ease. But, unfortunately, it left his room drenched in waterpletely, turning the ground and walls ck with ashes.


    Shhhh¡­!


    Instead of stopping, he used elemental air magic and tried to dry the room first, which took him fifteen minutes.


    "What could have caused this?" Sylvester mumbled and looked carefully to find any clues. As far as he remembered, he didn''t do any dangerous experiments in the room, let alone something that could burn the building down.


    He looked around and noticed sunlighting from the window directly parallel to the bed. Furthermore, on the window frame, Sylvester had ced a colour-changing ss orb he had brought a while back as a showpiece.


    "Sr ignition caused this?" he eximed, checking the ss orb.


    At the touch, he found it to be quite warm. Then he moved the ss orb to another window where the sunlight was still striking.


    "It did cause the fire." Soon enough, he noticed a dense beam of light falling on a wall inside. It was warm and strong, enough to cause a fire if concentrated on one spot for too long.


    "Woah¡­ Can I eat this beam and shoot it back?" Miraj wondered aloud.


    "Wait!"


    "Yes!"


    Sylvester looked at the orb, the sunlight and Miraj alternatively. His expressions changed with each different look, and slowly the confident smile grew more prominent.


    "You''re a genius, Chonky!"


    Miraj blushed and rubbed his face with a paw. "Hehe¡­ Thank you."


    Sylvester rushed to take out a bag and started packing a few things, including the orb. "This is it! Archimedes used it. Why can''t I? This is the answer to the problems of Inquisitors. We don''t need a cannon to kill bloodlings ¡ª We need a beam!"


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 388 388. The Eye Surgery

    C9 Workshop of the Holy Land. It was where the new weapons and ballistic technologies were researched for mass production to ensure the hegemony of the faith of Solis.


    The one who oversaw the Holy Land''s entire manufacturing sector was Sylvester''s loyal Cardinal, Robert Maxim.


    Sylvester met the man directly at the workshop as his idea needed to be implemented immediately since he had to leave for Sorrow Kingdom soon and could not spare any time for ''inventions''.


    "Lord Bard." Cardinal Robert Maxim arrived in the private chamber soon after.


    "Your eminence," Sylvester spoke, his voice low and urgent. "I havee to speak of a n, a means by which we might vanquish bloodlings without risking the lives of our soldiers or relying on the might of our powerhouses."


    Cardinal Robert shifted into his seat, knowing very well that Sylvester never joked about such matters. The prospect of winning against Bloodlings easily was too great, and it scared him to even think of what Sylvester had in mind.


    "Just a moment, Lord Bard." Cardinal Robert got up and ensured the private chamber was tightly shut and nobody could hear them talk. "What''s the n?"


    Sylvester took out the orb from his bag and a sheet of paper. He drew some diagrams on it and showed them. "The C9 department was wrong when it came to research. We didn''t need a canon; we required a beam. This lens in the diagramprises neatly and precisely ced prism sses. Together, they can work in two ways.


    "One is to concentrate the light rays on one point. In this case, you hold the side with the pattern towards the light source, and then on the other side, all that light will concentrate on one spot. The other usage is the opposite, as you can use a small light source to magnify its light ¡ª perfect for usage in lighthouses. What we need is the first type, as we can use light crystals to emit a strong beam and Srium crystals to ensure the beam carries the extra punch."


    [A/N: Search on YT - Fresnel Lens Melting Rock.]


    Cardinal Robert silently heard the simple exnation while observing the drawn diagram of the small contraption. He could see from the image how the light would be bent.


    "What about the size?" Robert asked.


    "It needs to be big if we want the focal point of the light to be distant. So the bigger it is, the farther its focal point will be. If we make it right, I believe it can easily melt stone, and if we add the right punch, it might just harm a Bloodling. Get multiple of these, and the Bloodling might die." Sylvester finished his little pitch meeting.


    Robert looked at the diagram with focus and did all the calctions in mind. "To make a ss two metres wide, it''d take ten Gold Graces, if not more. Making a frame will be easy, while the crystals will be the biggest expense."


    "It shouldn''t be a problem." Sylvester interrupted. "We are the Church of Solis. We are rich. Furthermore, it''s a small price to pay for peace from Bloodlings."


    "How will you test it? We will need a Bloodling."


    Sylvester chuckled. "Last I heard, more than twelve thousand bloodlings had been reported. So we have enough targets to practice, your eminence. I just wish you could provide me with a timeframe until the first prototype."


    Cardinal Robert rubbed his thin, stubble beard as he pondered. He was, after all, a scientist before anything else. He was a simple human with no wizardry or knightly magic talents, yet he attained the high rank of Cardinal.


    Sylvester hadplete faith in thetter''s intelligence.


    "Lord Bard, the calctions are the easy part. I can do that in my mind itself. The problem will appear when creating the ss. It needs to be clear and effective, which will take multiple attempts. At best, I can provide you with a prototype in a month''s time."


    Sylvester pped in satisfaction and got up. "Fabulous! You are doing a great service to the faith, your eminence. I will be outside on an assignment next month, so you may speak directly with the Lord Inquisitor. I will inform him before leaving."


    Cardinal Robert felt his feet go cold at the mention of the scary lord of the Inquisition. He wished to never meet that man, but how could he disobey Sylvester''s advice?


    "Understood, Lord Bard."


    "Ah! How is your sister¡­ Helga Maxim? What about her two kids? I hope she''s living merrily in the Guild Penins. Here, give this Gold Grace to the kids. Tell them to eat something nice." Sylvester extended a small gold coin.


    Cardinal Robert was taken aback and stupidly stared into Sylvester''s sincere eyes. "Y-You remember her name?"


    "Why would I not? She''s the sister of the most talented alchemist I know. Alright, good luck with work. May the Holy Light enlighten us." Sylvester waved his hand and left the small private room.


    In silence, Robert felt Sylvester''s words echo in his head. Yes, he never thought that Sylvester saw him as someone important. Instead, he felt he was just another pawn, being used by someone decent this time.


    But talking to Sylvester made him feel needed and valued. He was not there just to take orders. He didn''t have to prove himself for not having any magic.


    ''Archbishop at eighteen years¡­ I wonder how old he will be when he bes the Pope.''


    He had a few doubts in the past, but now he believed it. Sylvester was destined for the highest seat, and it was a mere matter of time.


    ¡­


    Sylvester galloped out of the Holy Land and headed to Bard''s. The time for Sir Dolorem''s eye surgery hade. Yes, Sylvester felt nervous as he had no idea if it would be sessful, as the eyes he wanted to give to the loyal knight were unique. He feared they could create some sort ofplication.


    ''Sadly, I don''t know enough aboutplex medical equipment other than simple concepts.''


    In no time, he arrived at Bard''s. It was full of customers, as always. Many outdoor tables had been set, and people enjoyed eating ice cream on the warm, breezy morning.


    He greeted the staff and moved to his room on the upper floor. Then, he sneaked to the basement and entered the hiddenbyrinth carefully. The moment he stepped inside, the light stones on the ceiling activated through aplex rune scheme.


    "Chonky, be on your best behaviour today. I cannot take you inside the operation room since your fur might fly around and infect Sir Dolorem''s open wounds."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Miraj didn''t argue this time. "Got it, Maxy. Go make Dol-Dol good again. He''s very kind. He even gives me fruits as tributes. But tell him only to give bananas next time."


    ''He used to do that?'' Sylvester heard that for the first time.


    "Alright, I will. Now sit here and wait for me. Take a long nap if you want," Sylvester ced Miraj outside the final door that led to Healer Hendrix''sb.


    Inside, there was a tiny lobby where one had to disinfect oneself. Sylvester designed it after teaching Healer Hendrix about particles that cannot be seen by the naked eye, including microbial germs. It took the man a lot of time to confirm Sylvester''s words personally, but eventually, Hendrix became a better-learned man.


    In that small lobby, he first changed his clothes to a white gown meant for the operation room. He also put on a cap and a mask on his face. Then he used an alcohol-based simple disinfectant to clean his hands and the clothes he had worn.


    Once done, he had to magically activate a small rune that opened the door, allowing him to not touch anything.


    Inside, he bypassed the many small corridors between rows of tables. It was the mainb where all the research was done. The operation room was further inside, isted from everything else. It had a unique sprinkler system to spew disinfectant steam after every use.


    Sylvester had tried his best to create a safe environment for the operation.


    "Healer, good morning." Sylvester finally entered the operation room. It was brightly lit with many light crystals on the ceiling that were changed regrly. There in the middle was a steel table, beside which were high trolley tables with all the needed equipment. There was even a ss bottle hanging by the bed with a thin tube connected to it. It was the IV and injection system Sylvester had developed.


    "You''rete," Hendrix grunted and continued cleaning Sir Dolorem''s face with a cotton piece and some special solution. The loyal Inquisitor knight was still awake, albeit with heavy eyes. He was being put to unconsciousness with the help of a medicinal nt.


    "Forgive me, but I had to meet with someone. If my new invention works, we might have a ranged weapon to kill Bloodlings without engaging them."


    At Sylvester''s deration, even Healer Hendrix stopped moving and looked at him in shock, amazement, and a lot of worship scent.


    But Hendrix was Hendrix, a man who liked to act tough from the outside. "Good, nowe and start the preparation. Just hand me whatever I ask for."


    Sylvester diligently acted as the assistant and prepared all the tools for his side. But they had to wait an hour more before Sir Dolorem fell unconscious. Once that happened, the instrument was ced to keep the eyelids open the whole time.


    Contrary to themon surgery that Sylvester knew, where just the eye''s cornea was transnted, here, the entire eye needed to be transnted since the whole eye was special. Thankfully, Healer Hendrix had learned to do just that, but with the use of a lot of magic.


    "Empty jar."


    Sylvester forwarded the empty jar with a special liquid. In it, Sir Dolorem''s old eyes were ced neatly.


    "New one, the left eye first."


    Sylvester picked a different jar with the word ''left'' written on it. He opened it and presented it to Healer Hendrix.


    After that, what happened was nothing but magic. Without even touching the eye, Healer Hendrix used his strange magical power to hover the eyeball out of the jar and slowlynded it down on Sir Dolorem''s left socket. Once ced, Healer Hendrix covered the socket with his palm, which started to shine bright green.


    Sixyers of runes appeared underneath the healer''s palm, and he chanted something with it. It was the highest and the mostplex feat of healing magic being performed by the best healer in the world.


    "Right eye."


    The exact process was repeated, and the two eyes were soon ced in the correct sockets. The bright green light treatment continued for four hours constantly, and even Healer Hendrix started to sweat, revealing how taxing the magic was on Srium reserves.


    But eventually, it all came to an end, and a bandage was tied around Sir Dolorem''s head, covering the eyes. But the special part was that two Srium crystals were ced on the bandage where the eyes were.


    "This is for?" Sylvester inquired.


    Healer Hendrix took a long tired breath. "Huh¡­ It is to ensure noplication urs. Those eyes have Future Sight, which means they eat a person''s Srium reserves. I merely ensured Sir Dolorem did not run out of srium. But those two were myst Srium crystals ¡ª they are too expensive."


    "Don''t worry. I got a few hundred outside in my bag." Sylvester blurted.


    "..."


    "A few hundred? That''s worth nearly a thousand times your current sry. Did you find a secret mine or something?" Hendrix mocked.


    "I did find a mine, actually."


    "..."


    ________________________


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 389 389. Eyes And A Serious Spar

    "How rich are you?" Healer Hendrix asked him.


    Sylvester hummed and changed the topic. "How long until Sir Dolorem wakes up?"


    A short silenceter, Hendrix took out a vial of some strange potion and floated it near Sir Dolorem''s nose. "With this, he should be waking up in an hour. Since I used healing magic, he will feel no pain if everything went right."


    "Will his mind be in confusion?" Sylvester asked seriously.


    "It will be for a short duration. This ismon among patients who wake up."


    "Oh! Strap him! Quick!" Sylvester rushed quickly and started tying Sir Dolorem''s arms to the operating table.


    Healer Hendrix asked no questions and tied Sir Dolorem''s legs, followed by the head. Only after everything was done he nced at Sylvester for answers.


    "Never wake up an Inquisitor out of their slumber without tying them up," Sylvester responded in a warning tone. "They are all broken humans, having caused nothing but violence from the day they took the Inquisitor''s oath. Their dreams are always filled with blood and cries, and their sleep is rarely soothing, so when they wake up, they react violently. Especially from a slumber like this."


    "Nics!"


    Sir Dolorem woke up just then with a loud shout and jolt. His teeth gritted together, but a soft piece of cloth protected him from harming himself.


    ''So he still hasn''t ovee the memory of losing his son and wife?'' Sylvester realised and walked closer to the operating table to put a hand on Sir Dolorem''s shoulder.


    "It''s me, Sylvester Maximilian. You are here for your eye surgery. You were made unconscious for the duration of the surgery." Sylvester tried to assure Sir Dolorem.


    The knight took the shock much better than expected and stopped trying to fight off the harnesses. "Lord Bard? Did my surgery go well? I still can''t see."


    "Your eyes are tied with a bandage, Sir Dolorem. You need to rest a little bit before we take the bandages off. I will remove the harnesses now, so take long breaths and be calm." Sylvester began to free him.


    Then eventually, Hendrix instructed him as he removed the bandages. "Do not open your eyes abruptly. Slowly they will adjust to the light. You might feel slight pain for a while, but do not panic."


    Slowly, Sir Dolorem began to open his eyes. At first, he felt a sharp piercing pain at the back of his eyes as if something was strained. Then an overpowering ir of white light entered his eyes, and he unconsciously shut them close quickly.


    A few secondster, he opened them again slowly, and this time he could sense various shapes and colours. Furthermore, thanks to his previous training, he could sense everything around him in the room, even if he didn''t see it.


    "How is it?" Sylvester asked.


    Sir Dolorem raised his hands and looked at them. "I¡­ I see¡­ a lot more than I expected. These eyes are not simple¡­ They are too clear, more than before."


    Healer Hendrix wrote the findings down on a piece of paper on the side. "This is likely the first time a man has been given eyes with Future Sight. So this is new to all of us. Try to observe more and attempt to use the ability. But let me warn you, the Duke who had these eyes was an Archwizard, so you will suffer from Srium depletion if you use the Future Sight too much."


    Sylvester felt strange at that time. He knew he wasn''t the one to do the surgery or find the miracle cure. But knowing he had profoundly changed the world, it felt strange.


    "Wee back to the world of colours, Sir Dolorem." Sylvester lifted the mood.


    "I¡­ I wish to keep the blindfold on, Lord Bard."


    Taken aback, Sylvester asked. "Why?"


    "Through tireless training and discipline, I have honed my senses to an acute level. While many rely solely on their eyes in battle, I havee to understand that one''s senses hold greater value. I refuse to dull them with theforts of sight, for when the timees to unsheathe my de, and remove the blindfold, I will have much better control of my surroundings." Sir Dolorem exined as he looked at Sylveste''s face.


    A strange smile grew on Sir Dolorem. "You have changed a lot, Lord Bard¡­ You look more mature."


    "I am eighteen now, so yes, I am much more mature. But I just can''t seem to be able to grow a beard." Sylvester frustratingly rubbed his chin. It was smooth like butter.


    Healer Hendrix scoffed and proudly caressed his long white full beard. "It seems the Bard is not that blessed after all."


    "So it seems¡­ Like a certain old man whose daughter likes a certain bard a bit too much." Sylvester retorted with an equally crushingeback.


    Healer Hendrix''s face fell, and he looked at Sylvester, then Sir Dolorem alternatively. "Did he just¡­ Did he berate me?"


    "I believe he did, respected healer." Sir Dolorem affirmed.


    "You fiendish womanising brat! I don''t care about your fancy titles and ranks! Do not evere close to my house." Hendrix bellowed.


    Sylvester chuckled. "But I was thinking of having dinner at your ce, Healer. I''m sure ine and Daline would love to see me again."


    Sir Doloremughed seeing the two quarrel like that. It amazed him how Sylvester was able to get so close to a Grand Wizard. In fact, now that he thought about it, he realised Sylvester was close with so many immensely powerful people. Lady Aurora, Inquisitor High Lord, the Pope and many more. With all of them, he was as close as family.


    Thud!


    "You are permanently barred from evering near my house, or I will castrate you! You''re a preacher anyway, so you do not need the tool." Healer Hendrix proimed.


    ''Hah, I smell genuine jealousy from him.'' Sylvester sensed.


    "Don''t worry, I only see them as my sisters. I have no interest in women¡­ or men. I''m only working toward one goal: to do my duty to the best of my ability." Sylvester replied and got Sir Dolorme his blindfold back.


    "Good." Healer Hendrix blurted.


    "This is why you are destined for greatness." Sir Dolorem added.


    "Now, since the work here is done, I must meet Lady Aurora and train with her. Sir Dolorem, I will see youter. Healer Hendrix, all the best for your future research." Sylvester headed out to change his clothes.


    He quickly cleaned his surgery robes, then wore his church robes. Coming out, he found Miraj sleeping near the door, though he looked more like a dead body. So Sylvester picked him up on his shoulder and left.


    After checking out the shop, Sylvester headed to meet with Lady Aurora in the training grounds on a deste penins reserved for training strong wizards.


    "You''rete." Lady Aurora was waiting alone, nearly dozing off.


    "I was busy giving Sir Dolorem his eyes back," Sylvester replied, showing a thumbs up.


    That instantly got the woman excited, and she jumped to her feet. "What? How? You found a cure?"


    "No, I just gave him someone else''s eyes. Let''s start the training now. I only have a week before I have to leave for Sorrow Kingdom. I will be going without you, Felix and Gabriel this time." Sylvester donned his armour and held the spear out.


    "I will go all out from the start,"


    Lady Aurora chuckled and held her sword up. "Young one, I will try to hold back."


    Sylvester confidently twirled his spear in his hand, calling forth the elements to aid him in his battle. He shifted his stance, eyes alight with the power of the magical elements as he prepared to face Aurora.


    Aurora stood before him, her long sword crackling with energy as she called forth lightning bolts to dance around her. She moved with the grace of a predator, her eyes never leaving him. Then abruptly, she sent a bolt of lighting.


    He deftly sidestepped the attack, causing the lightning to strike the earth and explode in a shower of sparks.


    Quickly, Sylvester conjured a ball of solidified light and sent it hurtling towards Aurora, but she was, yet again, prepared. She used her lightning magic to ground the attack, causing the light orb to fizzle and die out.


    The battle raged on, the power of magic tearing apart thendscape around them.


    Finally, after what felt like hours of intensebat, Sylvester saw his opening. He summoned a massive boulder and hurled it towards Aurora.


    Boom!


    She shattered it with lightning.


    Sylvester was nning for precisely that, as he had vanished from the spot, leaving behind nothing but a Light Clone of himself.


    "Wrath of Heavens!" He boomed behind Aurora as a beam of solidified, sma of light came out of his right palm facing her.


    His hymn strongly echoed at the same time while the halo shined.


    ?Here I fight to vanquish my foes,


    Wherever I am, this holy light flows.


    Elegant, yet deadly, burn those who are close.


    My light hurts, almighty like a thorny rose.?


    Woosh!


    Lady Aurora knew that Sylvester had gotten much stronger since theirst spar, so she was careful about the light attacks. So taking no chances, she held her sword upfront while activating all the lightning runes she had etched.


    The air cracked with shining light. Lightning met the beam of light. It shed instantly and created a sparkling spectacle that none other witnessed.


    "Ugh!" Lady Aurora grunted as she dug her feet to push against Sylvester''s beam of light. "You''ve grown strong."


    Sylvester was unfazed as Aurora was many feet away from him. "This isn''t even my full power, Lady Aurora. It is not I who is too strong, but the nature of Light is meant to reign supreme."


    Boom!


    Sylvester went all out, and the beam of light from his palm intensified, broadening to double its size.


    It immediately pushed Lady Aurora back, tumbling, but she held on with her sword at the front and lightning crackling. She felt Sylvester''s terrifying prospect of a ranged battle.


    "I''m still a Grand Wizard." She proimed as her feet started to illuminate with lightning sparks. "I am more than a century old ¡ª my experience speaks more!"


    Sylvester''s hymn only got louder.


    ?Ally, enemy or none, the end has alreadye.


    As the sun rises, the inevitable has begun.?


    Sylvester, in a shocking move, for the first time, initiated his second strongest move at the same time.


    ?Holyfire Purge shall leave you undone,


    Open your eyes; there is nowhere to run.?


    Boom!


    Earth shattered all around them in arge radius. The cracks erged and revealed bright, burning light, which came out like a sharp zing de.


    There was nowhere to go as every step was burning, and the ground was broken, ready to engulf her. But with Sylvester''s beam of light already hitting and pushing Lady Aurora back, falling into the cracks was unavoidable.


    Crack! Crack!


    "Impressive, Sylvester." A muffled voice echoed from Aurora. "But not enough. You pushed me this far; I am grateful."


    ''What is she do¨C'' Sylvester tried to wonder, but his words sank back into his mount the moment he saw the scene.


    Lady Aurora rose from the ground as if she was floating. Her entire body looked like a shadow of lightning, throwing sparks of thunder all around, illuminating everything so much that the rest looked pitch ck.


    Her body shined in bright blue, her eyes glowing white, and her red hair appeared like bolts of white lighting.


    "Thank you for pushing me this far~" Her voice was muffled, oozing power and confidence.


    Sylvester knew this was it. He had never seen Lady Auror go all out before, and this was the moment to ept that.


    "Oh¡­ I think I''m in danger."


    [A/N: See Lady Aurora]


    ________________________


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.

 Chapter 390 390. Seven More Years

    Sylvester smelled too many things, but the one scent that overcame all the others was the scent of death ¡ª absolute andplete bitterness. The bolts of thunder that surrounded her looked dangerous and, for sure, could harm a man of Sylvester''s level.


    "Calm down, woman! I was supposed to go full power, not you!" Sylvester shouted as he stopped wasting srium on his attack and focused everything on the defence.


    Aurora didn''t seem out of control and sounded fully coherent, albeit her voice seemed muffled due to the lightning bolts surrounding her. "This is a serious spar, Sylvester. You pushed me to get serious, so now prepare to defend. Here Ie!"


    Woosh!


    She disappeared from the spot.


    Bam!


    Sylvester didn''t even see anything and only felt something make contact with his left side ribs. It was intense, like a punch that hit his liver.


    He got thrown away like a ragdoll while feeling absolute agony. He gasped for breath since a liver punch was quite deadly.


    Zzzz!


    Zzzz!


    He could not see Lady Aurora, and all he noticed were lightning sparks travelling quite fast around him. He only heard the sound, but since sound travelled slower than light, he knew his ears were useless in the battle.


    Sylvester was no match for the lightning-fast Aurora. He could barely keep up with her movements as she dashed around him, striking him with lightning bolts.


    Sylvester raised his arms, using his light magic to create a barrier around him to defend himself against Aurora''s attacks.


    Crack!


    But the barrier onlysted for a moment before she easily broke through it. She physically punched the barrier with her electric body. The strength alone was enough to smash the barrier and his face, which threw him tens of feet away in the air.


    He tried to use his elemental magic, summoning pirs of the earth to slow her down, creating walls of fire to block her path, and whipping up fierce winds to throw her off bnce. But Aurora''s lightning simply sliced through his spells like they were nothing.


    He tried his all, as evident by his robes, which were now torn from the constant barrage of attacks. He could feel the searing pain coursing through his body as Aurora relentlessly attacked him.


    ''I need to devise a good defensive move, or my attacks are useless.'' He felt urgency running through his veins and started brainstorming while trying to jump around to protect himself.


    ''I have used my smic light magic to create a beam. Then Ibined the same magic with Earth magic to create the destructive Hellfire Purge. How about Ibine Earth, Water and Light?''


    Sylvester instantly put the n in motion. At first, he raised his left hand in the air above his head. A huge, tens-of-metre-wide blue rune circle appeared on his palm, full of runes and strange magical patterns. It was a simple singleyered magic, but it was all he needed.


    Woosh!


    Like a waterfall, Sylvester flooded the entire area in three-inch deep water. He maintained the water rune for fifteen minutes and ensured the water covered as many areas as possible.


    Once done, he prepared himself for battle with his spear ready. "Now,e at me!"


    Shhh¡­!


    A strange stream of steam appeared in the distance on the flooded ground. The steam trail was easily noticeable and predictable.


    "Haha! Found you!" Sylvester roared and threw his spear with full power. The tip of the spear shined bright, and threeyers of runes appeared on it: one light, one fire and one air.


    Boom!


    The spear broke the sound barrier and travelled towards the predicted trajectory path. It hummed as it cut the air smoothly and shined under the bright radiance of Lady Aurora and the sun above.


    "Argh!" Soon, a pain-filled cry resounded.


    Sylvester smirked and sat down on the ground. "Water conducts electricity, Aurora! Yes, you are powerful and more experienced than me. But, I know science, which you don''t."


    "Fine! I will go all out!" Aurora roared, even though blood oozed out of her body, although it was unknown which part as she only looked like a figure made of lightning.


    "Try me!" Sylvester challenged her.


    But he wasn''t foolish, as his aim wasn''t to fight her in the first ce. So he just sat down on the flooded ground and raised his arms in the air. His palms started to shine, his halo reappeared, and the hymn reverberated.


    ?You may shine bright, but my light is brighter.


    You shall not win today, for I''m also a fighter.?


    Ting!


    Lady Aurora tried to punch Sylvester, but her fist was stopped. All she saw was Sylvester inside the opaque Shield of Light. He smiled and continued to activate his magic further.


    The shield of light turned thicker and soon looked like a liquid ¡ª sma, in reality. On the outside of the sma appeared another shield covering everything; it was made of Earth. Then there was an ice shield beyond the Earth shield ¡ª as thick as seven inches. It all appeared like a dome on the ground, and nothing could be heard or seen from outside.


    Lady Aurora furiously punched it with all her might and used as much thunder as possible. She created the thunder from her body and even summed it from the sky. But, no matter what she did, at best, she could dig through the iceyer and reach the earthyer, but then the iceyer would replenish itself.


    Soon, as her breath started to run out, she stopped and deduced what was happening. "You smart boy. Using Water and Earth to conduct my electricity and spread it all over the ground with the flood you caused earlier while insting yourself with the shield made of light magic."


    Inside, Sylvester heard everything and chuckled. He knew he was outmatched and could feel his strength beginning to wane. Blood trickled down his arms, and his breath came in ragged gasps.


    He knew there was no hope of winning, but he used it to boost himself. Even when he used his defensive magic, his body was being pushed as the Srium exhaustion had already hit him. The speed at which he spent up his reserves was much slower than what his body created on itself.


    Hence, he could already feel the boost in his archwizard level. Still, he knew he was not at the point of a level-up.


    ''She wounded me a lot, and it''s just day one. Theing week is going to be interesting, it seems.''


    epting his defeat, Sylvester proceeded to take off the shield slowly. Aurora also stopped her assault and returned to normal. She waited to see him emerge out of the dome.


    But as the final shield of light vanished, she gasped in worry and nearly lunged at him to check his wounds. "I''m so sorry. I didn''t realise I hurt you so badly."


    Sylvester noticed her shoulder; it was still bleeding. Likely the spear had struck her there. "I should say the same.


    "But, Sylvester. You look so thin now as if you have aged a century. Your cheekbones are so clear¡­ What happened?" She worriedly asked.


    Sylvester smiled and proceeded to take out a few tiny srium crystals from his pocket he had kept for emergency. "It''s alright. I depleted more srium than what I had in my body. After tonight''s rest and mum''s healing magic, I will return to normal. This is the fastest way to get stronger, after all."


    Like an older sister, she started to tend to his many open wounds by tying a piece of cloth from her own robes. "If I didn''t know you, I''d deem you suicidal. To harm oneself to get stronger is borderline evil, simr to those vile dark wizards who self-mutte for strength. I worry that¡­ One day you will miscalcte and end up getting killed."


    ''She¡­ The scent of roses and tangerines, anxiety and love¡­ She genuinely sees me as a brother?'' Sylvester was slightly taken aback, as he wasn''t used to thinking of anyone other than Xavia as his family.


    "I''ve be an Archiwizard and an Archbishop already, so it''d be a shame if I don''t push to be the youngest Cardinal and Grand Wizard in history."


    Tap!


    Aurora knocked on his forehead softly. "My little brother, I know very well what you want. You won''t be satisfied by just being the youngest Cardinal ¡ª you want more. But, honestly, I don''t even want to say it, as I fear I''d jinx it. It''s mind-blowingly insane to even imagine you bing a Pope so quickly. Seventeen years to be an Archwizard, and how long before Supreme Wizard? Five? Ten? That''s still too young."


    ''Seven, to be precise.'' Sylvester thought in silence. He had set a goal for himself, and to achieve it, he was willing to do everything. Yes, even body muttion that the dark wizards use.


    But there was one thing that Sylvester was highly interested in. ''Since I have royal blood of the elven King, I wonder if I can master the elven magic too. If I can¡­ How strong would I be?''


    "Let''s go and eat something at your house. I''m starving." Lady Aurora stood up and helped him too.


    "Whye to my ce? We can go to your ce too." Sylvester proposed, though he instantly regretted it.


    She grinned. "Oh, wanting to go to a lone woman''s home? Fine, I shall cook you a tasty meal."


    "Actually, let''s go to my home. It''s evening already, so dinner should be nearly made." Sylvester changed his direction and headed to the small port on the penins.


    Both of them took the boat, rowed it to the Pope''s penins, got on their horses and headed to Bright Mother''s residence.


    "You have improved a lot since thest time." Lady Aurora struck up a conversation.


    "I know. Thest time I fought a Grand Wizard, I onlysted a few minutes, and even then, I was on the verge of losing. Today, I fought against you for hours and survived easily. If this goes on, I might be able to defeat you soon, Aurora."


    She rubbed her face with a sigh. "Only if I had your innate talent, I''d have be the first Guardian already."


    "Cheer up. We''ve still got a long way ahead. For now, let''s eat and prepare for tomorrow''s spar. Though I hope my time in the Sorrow Kingdom won''t be too bad. Or I''d regret not sleeping this week when I had the time."


    Auroraughed loudly. "Sylvester, you hold the mighty rotten luck of the Bard. With you going there, there will be anything but good things."


    "..."


    "Don''t jinx it."


    ¡­


    Indeed, Sylvester had no idea what awaited him down south, in thend ofwlessness, where the humans went out of their way to be demons for one another¡ªthend where the worst of humanity was at gross disy.


    But among the despair of the poor, even the tiniest light shone brighter than the sun, for the hope of a better life eclipsed any worship or faith.


    Sometimes, the light that shines does not even need to have brightness. As the hope, this time, came from utter, destructive darkness.


    ________________________


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 391 391. Brothers Forever

    Days passed, and Sylvester sparred with Aurora from morning to evening the entire week. He ended up more beaten and bloodied every time, but the unspoken rule was not to go easy. Aurora helped Sylvester more, as she overpowered him too much. Meanwhile, only his strongest moves could make Aurora react thoughtfully.


    Over time, his strength increased, making him crawl ever so close to advancing to Archwizard level four. But he was still not quite there and required an even bigger push, which he could sadly not find. So he decided to call it a good week and prepared to head down south.


    "Are you sure you don''t want me toe along?" Felix asked with a heavy heart as he arrived at Sylvester''s house. "I thought we were a team."


    "We still are, Felix. But I need you to grow as well. Train while you are in the Holy Land; focus on getting stronger and getting promoted. The world only respects the strong, and I want you to get stronger. If you stay with me, most of the time will be spent serving the people or plotting some military action. I don''t want that," Sylvester inly replied.


    Felix sighed and nodded. "I knew this day woulde. The speed at which you are advancing is too fast. I just¡­ can''t keep up. But I will try to do my best while staying here and working for Oroborus."


    "Good, but never use that name outside, even if you are sure of being alone. The world can never learn about Oroborus. You, me, Sir Dolorem, Gabriel, and my mum are the only members, and each has a different task to fulfil. So focus on your role, and never discuss anything with others." Sylvester warned Felix sternly.


    "Go it. What''s Gabriel''s job, though? I don''t remember him having any speciality besides light magic." Felix inquired.


    "Preaching, Felix. Gabriel has a great prospect of bing a preacher, a wise master of all knowledge rted to the faith. He can be another Archbishop Noah, the head of religious studies. He will be the mouthpiece of the faith if he ys his cards right, as he has light magic."


    Felix became silent after hearing that and just saw Sylvester packing his luggage. For the first time, when he saw Sylvester''s back, he felt overwhelmed. He felt small, like an ant in front of an elephant.


    He often wondered what went on in Sylvester''s head, but sadly, Sylvester was an enigma that could not be understood.


    "Sylvester." He spoke again after some time.


    Sylvester looked back as he suddenly sensed a strong scent of tulips and cloves ¡ª Absolute worship and admiration.


    "Sylvester¡­ I owe you my life, and I will follow you even if it''s the gates of hell we stand upon." Felix resolutely proimed while staring sharply into Sylvester''s golden eyes. "I don''t know what you have nned, what your aim is, or even if you are right. I don''t care about anything, any faith or any ideology. You are my brother and forever will remain my brother. Nothing will ever change that."


    "What if someday you find out I''m secretly a demon?" Sylvester asked in a joking manner.


    Felix shrugged and replied. "That would mean the rest of the world is a worse demon than you."


    Sylvester chuckled at that reply since he expected that. He moved and sat beside Felix on the second chair and rested back. "Tell me, have you ever wondered why we were born? And why are our lives like this? I sure do."


    "Honestly, I never had time to think like this since all my free time was spent hating my father. But does it matter? We''re here, and we do what we have to do. Didn''t Archbishop Noah say? ''Our life has already been written. We''re merely characters filling the role until the final full-stop appears.''"


    Sylvester fiddled with his hand on the armrest of the chair. "If that''s the case, I really need to find whoever wrote my life and kick his ass. Someone has tried to kill me from the time I was born, and now I sometimes feel tired¡­ I question why I''m doing all this."


    "Why¡­ are you doing all this, then? Just break the oath and live as a non-clergy." Felix retorted as if stating the obvious.


    Sylvester''s golden eyes shined with a hint of anger, but that vanished quickly. "I do this because every time I think of quitting, I remember the face of Shane¡­ Then I wonder how many more Shanes there were?"


    Felix''s eyes lowered as he remembered the cheerful kid. "Shane¡­ He didn''t deserve that."


    Sylvester stopped resting and got back to packing his bag. "Since we''ve been damned to live this life, I might as well save a few Shanes along the journey."


    "So we''re going to live for others?"


    Sylvester chuckled. "Aren''t we already living for others? We''re men of faith, Felix. Of course, you are free to leave anytime. I heard things are going smoothly between you and Isabe."


    Felix showed the rare sight of blush and rubbed the back of his head. His face turned full of smiles, and the scent of love bloomed. "She''s very caring and attentive to details. Though she warned that her family will never agree to us being together."


    "You need not be afraid; I will pull the right strings. If the Pope orders, they are nothing to stop you two. So go wild and enjoy the life of a cringy teenage lover. I will cheer from a distance, and if someone asks, I don''t know you."


    Felix felt confused if he should be happy or angry at the ridicule. "It''s not cringy. You will know it when you fall for someone."


    "My youngling brother, my time for love and cringe has passed long ago. Now, if you will excuse me, I must visit mum before heading out." Sylvester lifted his three enormous bags, one in each hand and one hanging on his back. While Chonky proudly sat on Sylvester''s head like the king he was.


    Sylvester kicked Felix out of the house first, then locked the door and proceeded out. On the way, many Bright mothers wished him good luck for whatever he was doing. Then he arrived at the stables and took out the old rotting carriage from days gone.


    "Aren''t you going to meet Isabe, Lady Aurora, and Gab before leaving?" Felix asked as he helped prepare the carriage.


    "I met them yesterday already, so no need." Sylvester climbed into the reinsman seat and bid Felix farewell. "You better be close to bing an Archwizard by the time I return, Archpriest Felix."


    Felix saluted clumsily. "Understood, your esteemed grace. I will just invent a magic pill that will instantly make me as strong as someone who took a century to reach that level."


    Sylvester knew Felix was joking. Everyone believed that it was impossible to be an Archwizard so quickly. Sylvester was an exception. Why and how; nobody knew.


    "Anything is possible, Felix. Take care now, and don''t get her pregnant."


    After all, how could Sylvester leave his age-old habit of embarrassing the young ones with words? Even as he went, he left Felix blushing.


    Felix stayed standing in the spot until the carriage vanished on the road. His cheerful smile disappeared soon after as he rubbed his face. "Damn you, Sylvester. You forgot that we, God''s favoured candidates, are supposed to be smart. I see it all¡­ I see your tired shoulders. I will give my all to growing stronger¡­ I will share the burden with yo¡­ Achooo~!"


    He quickly cleaned his nose and groaned. "Is he cursing me again?"


    ¡­


    Sylvester quickly took a ferry to Guild Penins and arrived at the biggest sick bay to find Xavia. She was the big boss of the healers of the entire penins, so she had all sorts of benefits in her office, including her own big private office space.


    Bam!


    "Meow meow!"


    Xavia felt Miraj hug her on the chest, so she hugged him back. "Did you eat the breakfast I made, Lord Chonky?"


    "Meow meow," Miraj replied cutely while enjoying the head pats from his dear big mum.


    Xavia lovingly looked at her son, now much taller and mature-looking. "Every time you go, you return so changed. It aches my heart, but I''m a mother stuck between duty and motherhood. So please be safe, dear. Eat healthy, and stay away from trouble. Did you take all the honey and banana cookies I made for you two?"


    "I have taken everything, mum. Though I must say, it''s you who must stay safe. Keep Zeke close by, and let the Inquisitors stand guard. I can only work freely if you''re safe. As for my safety, I''m taking Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark along, and they should already be waiting for me in Green City. Not to mention, your son is now an Archbishop." He proudly raised his chin.


    He didn''t like acting that way with Xavia and Felix. He was not a young boy. But he had to do it to keep the act going as it reassured the others easily.


    Xavia got up and handed him a book. "I was able to find this after asking a Cardinal healer here. This book is from the higher clergy library, and it supposedly teaches internal healing through manipted Srium cirction. Try to learn it and be safe."


    He epted the book and bid farewell to Xavia with a hug. "I will send a letter whenever I get time."


    He left the building and climbed the cargo carriage. Since the roads were good, he moved fast on Green road. He passed by Bard''s shop and noticed the long line as always. He eventually crossed Baron Lovnd''s castle and the bridge.


    The wind was calm and cheering, and the Season of Solis was just around the corner, which meant the peak of summer was starting soon. It was pleasant and soothing for the north, but where he was going soon, the summer was hell.


    "Aawoooo¡­" Miraj tried to eat air while sitting beside Sylvester. "Maxy, how are human babies born?"


    Sylvester looked at the furry cat in wonder. "Why are you interested in knowing that?"


    "You told Felix not to get pregnant. Will he give birth?" Miraj questioned, understandably so, since he lived his entire life inside Holy Land, in the Bright Mother''s housing. He had never seen childbirth.


    "Haha, he''s a boy, Chonky."


    Miraj tilted his head in amusement. "Boys don''t give birth?"


    "You will learn the answer yourself one day, Chonky. Let''s focus on the road now." Sylvester whipped the horses softly and zoomed past the many other carriages on the road.


    Eventually, he arrived near the southern gates of Green City. It was crowded like always, as people went in and out regrly while the guards checked those entering.


    "Halt!"


    Sylvester stopped his carriage and greeted the guards. "I am Archbishop Sylvester Maxmilian, here by invitation from the King." ''


    Thud!


    Abruptly, the metal door was dropped down.


    Shhh¡­!


    All ten soldiers there unsheathed their swords and rushed towards Sylvester. But, for some strange reason, Sylvester didn''t react at all. ''What the¡­ They smell full of worship, yet brandish swords?''


    nk!


    "Lord Bard!"


    "Your Grace!"


    "Savior of Gracia!"


    "My Lord!"


    Surprising Sylvester, one after another, all ten soldiers plunged their swords to the ground while kneeling like a knight.


    "C-Can we shake your hand, your grace?... Please?!"


    "..."


    ________________________


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 392 392. Gracia Will Not Forget

    The city gates opened again just then with a loud noise. Five heavily armoured knights came out on armoured horses and respectfully bowed their heads towards Sylvester.


    "Your Grace, I am Sir Portugas. Pleasee with us. We shall escort you to the Royal pce." The knight in the leading position spoke.


    ''I smell no lies.''


    Sylvester gestured for the men to move along as he steered the carriage. Still, as he passed by the gate guards who made a scene, he shined some light from his palm on them to make them feel blessed.


    ''This should leave an evesting memory.'' He reckoned.


    Eventually, he crossed the thick border walls as bells echoed throughout Green City. The moment he nced inside, he saw a crowd.


    Sylvester''s carriage slowly descended the main road, nked by knights in shining armour on horseback. The people of Green City lined the streets, cheering and waving, as Sylvester smiled and waved back at them in confusion.


    Tap!


    "Hmm?" He looked at his shoulder. "A flower petal?"


    "LORD BARD!"


    "LORD BARD!"


    "SON OF SOLIS!"


    As if a dark world got filled with colour, the instantaneous change in atmosphere shocked Sylvester. The drums started resounding, and the muffled echoes of hundreds and thousands of people shouting the same thing reached him.


    One look and everything became clear. He noticed the people had gathered at the sides of the road the whole way. They all cheered, smiled and jumped to catch a glimpse of him. And whenever he passed by, the people threw flower petals at him.


    "SAVIOUR OF GRACIA!"


    Many monikers were given to Sylvester, and the people shouted all of them. The kids jumped joyfully and ran on the sides to follow the carriage. The old and young, everyone cheered, and it seemed genuine since no negative scents were there.


    ''When did I be so famous?'' Sylvester wondered. After all, he knew information travels very slowly in the current world. There was no way for so many people to hear about his deeds in the Northern mountains so fast.


    A hypothesis developed in his mind right there. ''Did the bards I impressed spread the word while they headed in various directions?''


    He put that thought away and waved at the people while making his hand shine and muttering an old hymn to create a halo behind his head. Of course, he would never ruin the unique chance to show his magical holy majesty. This was an opportunity to leave asting image in everyone''s mind.


    The people simply knelt after seeing his enlightened form, something he had named it. The rain of flowers didn''t stop, nor did the crowd vanish until he arrived at the tall gates that led to King''s Castle.


    The drawbridge came down, and the gates were opened. Even inside, Sylvester noticed hundreds of Gracia soldiers in neat armour lined up on the sides of the road. They were all on their horses and held a spear on their sides.


    Thud!


    As Sylvester moved his rundown, hideous carriage inside, the soldiers tapped their spears on the ground and tilted them forward a little to salute. Then, they all lowered their helmet-covered heads, and even the horses lowered their heads.


    ''Isn''t this overdoing it?'' Sylvester thought and awkwardly moved the carriage towards the tall castle.


    Sensing the situation was much more official than what he guessed, he quickly took out his Archbishop mitre and donned it on his head. He then patted his robes clean and put some fragrant oil on Miraj.


    Then, he reached the enormous tens of metres tall main door of the King''s castle. The knights escorting him stopped and lined up at the side of his carriage.


    "Your grace, we will take care of the carriage. Please proceed inside the castle as the masses await you." The chief knight respectfully informed him.


    Sylvester kept an air of superiority and got off. Then, with a proud face, he walked into the castle and found Sir Dolorem with Bishop Lazark waiting for him.


    "May the holy light enlighten us. What is happening here?" Sylvester asked the two like a superior. There were other guards and some servants around, so Sylvester ensured he maintained his image.


    Sir Dolorem saluted back and, in a formal manner, responded. "Lord Bard, the various nobles from across the Gracia have gathered in the great hall of the King. The feast is ready to begin, and all but your presence is being awaited."


    Sylvester nodded and gestured to them to proceed ahead. Meanwhile, he spoke with Miraj in low whispers. "Many lords anddies will be here with various jewellery. But don''t try to take anything shiny this time, Chonky. "


    Miraj melted on Sylvester''s head in defeat. "This is no fun. What if somedy is wearing a one-of-a-kind precious stone?"


    "In that case, I will tell you to target the woman. Remember, do not steal anything without my permission." He sternly warned the greedy cat. "We will have enough fools to steal from in the Sorrow Kingdom."


    "Oh! Hehe¡­" Miraj grinned instantly and patted his belly. "Happy days areing for Chonky bank?"


    "Certainly."


    Sir Dolorem looked back. "You said something, Lord Bard?"


    "No, nothing. What is the reason for this feast? Were you able to find out?" Sylvester asked the two.


    Sadly, they merely shrugged and denied knowing anything. So eventually, they arrived at the grand entrance to the Throne room. The sentries standing guard at the gates hurried to open it on Sylvester''s arrival.


    Sylvester stepped into the imperial hall of King Gracia. As he made his way through the grand entrance, he couldn''t help but marvel at the opulence of the surroundings. The high vaulted ceiling soared overhead, supported by tall, elegant polished marble pirs. The walls were adorned with intricate tapestries depicting scenes of great battles and heroic deeds.


    The hall was illuminated by myriad candles, their flickering mes casting a warm glow across the room. The floor was made of polished stone, with intricate patterns etched into its surface. The air was perfumed with the scent of exotic oils and burning incense, creating a heady and intoxicating atmosphere.


    At the far end of the hall stood the King''s throne, a magnificent structure of gilded gold, steel and precious stones.


    While all around Sylvester, noble lords anddies in their finest attire mingled and chatted. Their eyes soon darted towards him as he entered the room. Some gasped in awe, while others bowed respectfully in his direction.


    Right after the entrance, Sylvester stopped as the head steward, the Lord Prima of the King, Count Harvard Zeelif, loudly announced the arrival. "Archbishop Sylvester Maximilian, Lord''s Bard, the God''s Favoured and the saviour of Gracia."


    Sylvester smiled graciously, his eyes scanning the room. He noticed the King standing at the far end of the hall, near the stairs that led to the throne. What didn''t surprise him was how he was surrounded by old men in church robes.


    It was no big secret to Sylvester that the current King was merely a pawn of the church ever since the case of Duke Daemon came to light. Hence, the church influenced every decision the King made and the Kingdom''s working.


    "Lord Bard! It''s an honour to see you here."


    Sylvester looked to the side and noticed Count Raftel with his wife, Lady Melinda. Who had lost her breasts from the incident in the past and was eventually healed in the Holy Land. Sylvester had also permitted the Count to mass-produce the medical equipment he invented.


    "Good evening, my lord anddy. Any idea what''s going on here?" He asked them.


    Raftel smiled and pointed towards the throne. "You are to be honoured by the King for your selfless service to the Kingdom. I don''t know what it is, but it should be something significant, considering all of us lords were invited. Why don''t I introduce you to some of the Lords that have a pleasant mindset?"


    Sylvester quickly discerned that Raftel was trying to introduce him to other nobles he could influence for some exchange of benefits.


    "That will be appreciated."


    So Sylvester spent the next hour or so meeting with many nobles. Most of them were Counts, as Sylvester already knew nearly all Dukes. He made sure to memorise the names of all the Counts there.


    Count Martin, Count Seasnake, Count Lowtide, Count Hillington, Count wman, Count Greenhill, Count Folksire, Count Newman, Count An, Count Baltimov, Count Krazan and Count Shortwood ¡ª they were some of the Counts that ruled the Gracia Kingdom under the various Dukes.


    Furthermore, Sylvester found it easier to remember them as their names were derived from the location they lived. For example, the Count that lived in green hills was named Greenhill. They were old families that were minor warlords before the consolidation of the entire Gracia, thenceforth bing Counts.


    However, thest Count made Sylvester interested, making him ask Count Raftel. "Why is he named Shortwood?"


    Count Raftel chuckled. "Hah, I can imagine what you are thinking, Lord Bard. We often tease him about it, but he proved us wrong by making kids after kids. By now, he has fathered fifteen kids, all boys, from a single woman."


    Sylvester nced at the balding but middle-aged Count in the distance. "I''m more impressed by his wife than him."


    "Trust me, we all are, Lord Bard." Count Raftel said, sounding somewhat envious.


    "Ehm¡­! The official ceremony shall begin now. Therefore, all respected lords anddies, please empty the walkway to the throne." Lord Prima bellowed suddenly.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    Knights marched into the hall in two lines and stopped on the carpet leading to the throne. They all faced each other, creating a path between them.


    The Prima then waited until King Harold Gracia took his seat. Then, he read a long scroll detailing everything Sylvester had ever done and how he fought for the Kingdom''s well-being.


    "His miracles are more than one can count. Of his graciousness, there are countless ounts. Lord Bard, we call him, Archbishop some, and for us mere mortals, a warrior he was forced to be." The Prima spoke loud. His voice echoed in the enormous hall.


    "The vile schemes of the Masan, or the threats of Barbarians, each time he came to our aid when we didn''t even see the threat that wasing. He shielded us from danger and, in return, asked for nothing. A sage he is, the wisest of all¡ªHe defeated our enemies until they couldn''t even crawl.


    "O'' King of Bards, you are above mortal wealth and desires, but please ept our puny gesture to show respect, for we merely desire to show our faith as Lord''s subject."


    Silence delved into the hall as the Prima closed the scroll and looked at Sylvester, who had appeared at the end of the long pathway between the knights.


    He continued once again. "For the highest service of self-sacrifice, you graced us when none of us expected. For neutralising the threat of Emperor Lich and Barbarians, we are in your utmost debt¡ªand this, Gracia will never forget!"


    "For this!" King Harold Gracia stood up abruptly in all his noble majesty with the shining crown on his head.


    "I, King Harold Gracia, have decided to confer upon his grace, Archbishop Sylvester Maximilian, the highest martial honour in the Gracia Kingdom, the rank of...


    "Grand Field Marshal, The Overlord Of Armies!"


    ________________________


    [A/N: See the map of Gracia with named Counties. Also, read the Author''s note below.]


    ________________________


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 393 393. An Interesting Woman

    "...Grand Field Marshal, The Overlord Of Armies!"


    Sylvester did not act shocked, nor did he appear happy. He just kept thinking about why such an honour was bestowed upon him. As he knew already, the Gracia Kingdom only had a figurehead as a king. The real ruler was the Church, which decided what the King must do and what policies needed to be epted. The Pope was directly controlling the King.


    ''Why does the Pope wish to give me such a rank? Grand Field Marshal is the second highest rank in the Kingdom''s military, second only to the King himself. Knowing the King''s authority is nonexistent here, I am now indirectly the ruler of Gracia''s military. But why?'' Sylvester wondered in silence.


    He liked the Pope, but he didn''t trust the manpletely. Thetter was one of the strongest beings in the entire world. There were bound to be grand secrets behind the back and likely many secret plots going on as per themand.


    ''Am I a part of one of his plots? Or is this his genuine attempt to make me powerful?'' Sylvester wondered about his predicament.


    Still, he had to act like he was happy with the honour. So he walked forward on the pathway between the knights. As he stepped forward, the knights raised their swords at an angle to salute him and create a roof of swords over his head.


    ''All these soldiers are my subordinates now? Can I order them around?'' Sylvester realised the extent of the power behind the military rank. But he was yet to know if he was given the liberty to derive the power behind the rank. Or if it was only a cosmetic rank?


    Sylvester finally reached the stairs that led to the King''s throne. He stopped there and waited for King Gracia to walk down a few steps and hand him whatever ornament made him a Grand Field Marshal.


    King Harold soon reached out and picked something from a tray that the Prima brought. It appeared to be a short staff with a sharp green shining crystal at the top and a sharp de-like finish at the end. It looked ancient by the look.


    King Gracia then extended it to Sylvester. "Lord Bard, it''s an honour to present this to you. You saved this kingdom not once but countless times. Gracia will forever remember your hard work."


    Sylvester took the short staff and lowered his hand before saluting him. "Thank you, your majesty. May the Holy Light enlighten the people and thends of Gracia."


    The silence in therge hall ended after that, as the Prima announced. "The feast now begins! Please enjoy the food and, of course, our fine wine!"


    Immediately, some musical instruments started to resound in the hall. Sylvester looked on with interest and realised it was a team of three Bards that had been at his camp not long ago. They held two guitars and one ordion. They were all singing simultaneously, and the song was about Sylvester.


    ?Oh, this boy born on a stormy night


    Golden eyes and hair, shining so bright


    Strong and talented, with a heart of gold


    He sings hymns about the sun, so bold¡­?


    Sylvester walked over to them and put three gold coins in the donation pot they had set in front of themselves. He didn''t disturb them further and walked around to speak with some noble lords regarding the businesses he had set up.


    "Lord Raftel, how is the business going? Unfortunately, I couldn''t look at the sales report this month." Sylvester asked the Count while eating an apple.


    Count Raftel glowed like a star while detailing his work with much pleasure. There was no hint of lies in the scent; instead, there was worship and pride. "Lord Bard, the business has been sessful beyond my expectation.


    "The monthly sales are more than ever, since this time, the Masan traders are genuinely interested in our product. They want the medical equipment there and are ready to pay a high price. However, taking heed of your advice, I have invested in advancing the production capacity and research work. As a result, we are working on better, more easily productive versions of syringes and ss bottles with tubes for intravenous treatment. So I expect the sales to increase from the current five hundred thousand Gold Graces to triple."


    Sylvester was pleased with the developments. "This is good. Never stop innovating and trying to improve on what I made. After all, I am just a bard. I can not be perfect with each creation."


    "You ''are'' perfect, Lord Bard."


    A third voice came all of a sudden. On looking, it turned out to be Baron Strongarm, the man once kidnapped by Barbarians. He was the person Sylvester gave the stationery business to. Baron Strongarm was tasked with manufacturing Ball Point Pens, staplers, pencils, sharpeners and erasers.


    The Baron had his entire life changed because of Sylvester now, and he, too, saw sess and ease from the economic copse of Northern Gracia. The joy was evident in his voice, albeit being a man who speaks less. "Lord Bard, it started slow, but the sale is rising. This month, I registered a profit of fifty thousand Gold Graces for the first time. As the word spreads, I expect it to increase, so I am focusing on increasing production. In addition, I have decided to hire some ex-barbarians as they currently suffer from unemployment."


    Sylvester sighed when he thought about the Barbarians. "As expected, Chief Koruk and the Duchess of Iceling didn''te. I will write a letter to themter. I gave the Duchess permission to mass-produce my designed sewing machines. If she works with ex-barbarians with superior fur and cloth-making skills, the Iceling Duchy can easily be a hub for clothes."


    Just then, Sylvester had another idea and turned to look at Count Raftel. "My Lord, why don''t you build a major sick bay near the river? It can be a privately funded sick bay called a Hospital. You can hire healers from across Sol and charge money to people for treatment. Let the sicke to you directly."


    Count Raftel thought about it and asked. "Will the peasants have such money?"


    "Life is invaluable, my lord. As long as you keep the prices earnest, people will not onlye in numbers but will love you for building the Hospital. In fact, you can create an internal economy with such a venture. The Iceling Duchy can provide all the clothes needed for the Hospital. Lord Strongarm can provide all stationery needs, and you have all the equipment. It''s certainly food for thought." Sylvester proposed the idea.


    He could only suggest things, and it was the other''s job to think about it and decide whether they wished to proceed.


    Tap!


    "My lords."


    Someone touched Sylvester''s shoulder. He looked, and it turned out to be a tall, curvy, and stunning young woman. Her skin was a light golden tan, smooth and wless. Her features were sharp and striking, with high cheekbones and a defined jawline that framed full lips the colour of strawberries.


    Her long, brown hair cascaded down in waves, framing her face like a midnight veil. She was dressed in a flowing, ornate robe of richly embroidered red silk, adorned with intricate gold patterns that seemed to shimmer in the light, just like her unusual jewellery.


    [A/N: See her here]


    Sylvester wasn''t a man so easily moved, but seeing her was like appreciating an exotic art.


    The other two lords seemed to know her as they bowed their heads and greeted her. Count Raftel first, as he was senior. "Lady Bethany, it''s a pleasure to see you here. Lord Bard, this is Bethany Normani, the eldest of Duke Normani''s children. Unlike the rest of the Kingdom, Duke Normani does not believe in usual inheritance rights. So, Lady Bethany here is set to inherit the Duchy soon."


    ''She looks quite young, in herte twenties perhaps? She certainly is apelling beauty, but does she have brains? I don''t smell anything negative or lustful like usual.'' Sylvester evaluated her.


    "Haha, Lord Raftel, nothing has been decided yet. Besides, I came here today only to see the famed blessed bard of the lord. So, Lord Bard, may I have a dance with you?" Lady Bethany extended her hand.


    Sylvester wasted no time and took her, wanting to leave a good impression on a future Duchess.


    They moved to a designated dancing area where the bards yed slow music, and couples danced while holding each other. Sylvester, too, put his hand on her waist while she put both her hands on his shoulders and stared into his golden eyes.


    She talked first, not acting shy in the least. "You know how to dance?"


    "Had to learn it in school. So, does the bard meet your expectations, mydy?"


    She shrugged and tried to take control of the rhythm of their dancing. But Sylvester didn''t allow her and kept control of the motion.


    A smile formed on her face as she spoke. "I only believe what I have witnessed, your grace. But, sadly, I have not seen enough of you yet. I''ve heard the rumours, and if they are true, which likely is the case, then you are a man I''d have dly raised my sword to win over."


    Sylvester was taken aback as her demeanour was the opposite of how graceful she looked. Her blue eyes held a strange ferociousness, and her hands that held his shoulder were much stronger than any ordinary woman, especially a noble highborndy.


    "Are you going to ask me to make babies with you now? Because that''s what the wife of a Count in Riveria did once, right in front of the crowd in Duke''s court." Sylvester asked her in a joking manner.


    yfully, Lady Bethany got closer to Sylvester until only an inch of the gap remained between their chests. "To seduce you and have your children? That is certainly a very challenging undertaking, your grace. One that I''d have loved to partake in, but sadly, I have no desire to be Church''s enemy. After all, you are not virtuous by choice but by duty."


    Sylvester truly enjoyed the conversation with the woman as she didn''t smell of any sort of lust. On top of that, she was smart, as evident by how she talked. Although, he still smelled something that made him interested, and it was sunflowers.


    "Not in my case, mydy. I made the choice to stay faithful to my oath. After all, if a man can''t even stand by his words, how can he stand for a woman? My life, my soul, all belong to Solis." Sylvester added, showing some of his religious fanaticism, albeit fake.


    She chuckled and suddenly pushed herself on him, closing thest gap between them. Their chests touched, and she raised herself a little up. Being six feet tall herself, she easily reached over his shoulder and lightly pecked his cheek before whispering into his ears.


    "Let''s not jape around, your grace. I know what you want ¡ª I will support you for the Holy Throne if you help me ovee my brothers and be the Duchess."


    Sylvester continued to smile and whispered back. "What can a mere Duchy offer me?"


    Lady Bethany left another kiss on his cheek and whispered even lower.


    "Your grace, the looks can be deceiving. I''m quite old and on the verge of a breakthrough to the rank you desire to attain expeditiously."


    "Grand Wizard?!" Sylvester eximed in a low voice.


    Not adding any more details, Lady Bethany stepped back and saluted him with arms crossed on her chest. "May the Holy Light Enlighten us, your grace."


    ________________________


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


    1 Super Gift = 1 Bonus chapter.


    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 394 394. Grand Conspiracy In Riveria

    Sylvester silently saw Lady Bethany go, leaving him with a myriad of thoughts.


    ''The scent of hope is too strong. She needs me more than I need her. But I must say, she''s quite good at acting. If I didn''t have my past experiences, I''d have been easily fooled by her.''


    "That was quite strange." Sylvester returned to Lord Raftel, showing a face of confusion. "I thought she was young."


    "Hah! So you were also fooled." Raftel chuckled. "She''s older than most of the folks in this hall. That''s why both of us bowed to her, even when she''s a mere daughter of a Duke. So what did she say to you so intimately?"


    Sylvester shrugged and gave a reasonably usible excuse. "Nothing, she just invited me to the Duchy of Normani to enlighten the masses. Since the Duchy borders the Masan Empire, the Duchy has a very strange cultural hotchpotch going on. Both sides mingle, make babies, and the process continues. Normani has people performing the rituals of the West and the East, at the same time to pray to Solis."


    "That would be the correct description of Normani. It''smendable that there has been no ethical violence in history," Baron Strongarm added.


    ''Because the ss is not full yet.'' Sylvester thought in his head. ''If I were Masan''s chief spy, the legendary man, I''d let themunity mingle and let the tensions slowly boil until I see the best opportunity to unleash the divide-and-rule game. The only question is, when will the tipping point arrive?''


    Considering there was so much to do, Sylvester decided to move on to his work. After all, his destination was the Sorrow Kingdom, not Green City.


    "I''m afraid I must head out now, my lords. I have much work to do and the word of the lord to spread. I will stay in touch regarding the new inventions." Sylvester put away his fine ss of orange juice and gestured at Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark standing in the distance, speaking with other clergymen.


    Sylvester bid the two farewell and moved on to speak with the King. He didn''t bother much with the man as he was just a figurehead. But he did pass by Lady Bethany and said a few words.


    "I must take my leave now, mydy. But, as per your invitation, I will dly visit Normani in the near future." He cryptically gave her the answer, that he''d help her.


    With a gentle smile, she bowed her head and thanked him. "My father will be overjoyed to hear this, Lord Bard. Please be safe; many depend on your warm light and soothing voice."


    Sylvester nodded and walked away while quoting. "It''s sad how often people are so centred on dousing the ze in their house that they can''t evenprehend when the world around them gets swept away in mes."


    Leaving behind Lady Bethany to contemte, he exited the castle and found his small, rundown carriage waiting for him. Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark had their own horses they would ride separately.


    "Where to, your grace?" Sir Dolorem asked, always being so formal.


    Sylvester looked at the sky and calcted. "It''s better if we take the ferry upstream the Gold River and then downstream, the Snake River. It will be faster this way. We shall rest at Fort Sunflower before entering the Hignd Kingdom. Remember to change your appearance enough that you appear as mere priests, not highly trained and experienced clergymen andmanders."


    "Understood, Lord Bard." Bishop Lazark responded and hid his little skeleton cat inside the robes.


    So they moved as nned. They went to the port down south in the city and hired a ferry for their private purpose only. It was expensive, as it used Wind elemental crystals to go upstream fast.


    But it saved much of Sylvester''s time as the ferry easily took a turn on the Gold River and entered the main Snake River. After the left turn, it was a fast ride since the river was going downstream. In a single day, they arrived near their destination.


    The difference between Gracia and Riveria was stark. Although Gracia was full of fertile soil and greenery, it never came as close as Riveria. Thend was so fertile that it was magical to an extent. The grass was richly green. The sunflower fields and the vast, dense fields of grains were brightly glowing.


    "I wonder if Green City was called as such because once Riveria was a part of the Gracia Empire," Sylvester muttered while looking at the scenic view. "What was the rank of the Riveria family before the breaking of the Empire?"


    "King, Lord Bard." Bishop Lazark spoke. "Gracia family rulers were called Emperors, while the rest were smaller Kings."


    "Which eventually led to the downfall of the Empire, as too much power was in the hands of Kings. Lack ofmunication and help to the Kings led to a slow rise of hatred." Sir Dolorem added.


    ''Just like a certain Union in my past.''


    "How are you feeling, Sir Dolorem? Are the new eyes doing well?" Sylvester changed the topic.


    Sir Dolorem was wearing an eyepatch on one eye and rarely took it off. "Better than before, Lord Bard. Having the reassurance that I can see, if need be, is soothing to my mind. But, they are tiring."


    "That is why you must keep the Srium Crystals with you at all tim-"


    "FIRE!"


    "Help them!"


    Sylvester looked ahead at the noise and noticed a small boathouse on the riverbanks had caught fire, and there were a few people in the water, swimming away in fear.


    "Do not move. Remember, we are simple, lowly priests from the Holy Land." Sylvester stopped Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark from reacting and helping out of the goodness of their hearts.


    Currently, all three of them were well disguised. Sylvester''s hair was ck now, along with his eyes. He had a fake beard, along with a few scars here and there, to make himself look older. Meanwhile, Sir Dolorem was acting as the lowest-ranked priest among them, acting as a mere helper and donning an eyepatch. He also had a beard over his ck skin.


    Bishop Lazark needed the most work. The man was white as snow since he always covered himself with oversized robes. This time, Sylvester had to put some skin-coloured makeup on his face and give him a stubble beard to make him look ordinary. He still wore oversized hooded robes, though.


    They had already been backed by the administration department, as a letter was already sent to an Archbishop in the Sorrow Kingdom, intimating the clergyman about Sylvester''s arrival.


    Of course, their names were now different. Sylvester was called Johnathan, a name from his past. Sir Dolorem was called Charles, and Bishop Lazark was called Leonardo. All three of them were supposed to be weak as wizards and with no knightly talents. Their job was to work as additional helping staff in the South.


    "We are merely helping staff to this¡­ Archbishop Nelson Paul." Sylvester reminded them about their role.


    "What if this Archbishop turns out to be less than anything we expected?" Bishop Lazark asked.


    Sylvester shrugged. "Then I''m the Judge, the Jury, and Executioner."


    They didn''t talk about anything that could reveal their identity anymore and silently watched the scenes pass by. Soon, they saw the Great Cliff waterfall on the left, the biggest waterfall in the world, with a height going as high as 3 kilometres and a width going twelve kilometres wide in a straight line.


    From the Snake River, it looked magnificent. Sylvester felt if he didn''t have his magical powers, he''d be pretty terrified by such a behemoth of natural urrence.


    "The world sure never ceases from shouting at us, ''You''re puny and nothing.''" Bishop Lazark said in a moment of awe.


    The waterfall also marked that their destination hade close. They got off on the southern shore of the Snake River, directly arriving in the sunflower fields around Fort Sunflower. From there, they rode their carriage and eventually reached the Fort.


    It was as bustling as thest time Sylvester was there. In fact, it seemed more crowded for some reason. Duke Conrad had be King now. The Fort Sunflower was still controlled by the King but from a long distance. That meant there was much more corruption in Fort City since the ruler was away.


    "Stay low. Remember, we''re only here to rest." Sylvester reminded them as they stood in the long line leading into the city.


    "Reason for visit?"


    Sylvester showed a document. "Passing through to down south."


    "Ah! Sorrow Kingdom? Who did you offend in the Holy Land?" The guards at the Fort''s gate mocked the three. "It''s rare to see clergymen heading down south. Well, good luck."


    With that, Sylvester and the rest got easy ess to the city. The wide, bustling streets ate up another hour before they arrived at the cheap inn. They didn''t go to the Monastery since questions could be asked there.


    Not to mention, Sylvester had a specific meeting with his favourite ve.


    "Priest Charles and Priest Leonardo, I will be going out for a while to gather some information," Sylvester informed Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark.


    They merely nodded and let him go. Sir Dolorem now had enough confidence in Sylvester''s abilities that he didn''t worry about his safety.


    With that, Sylvester took Miraj and travelled around the market. His looks were so ordinary that nobody even nced at him. With his ability as a spy, he knew how to keep such a low profile that even if he stood in front of shops, the shopkeepers didn''t bother with him.


    Once he ascertained nobody was following him, he moved towards the Fighting Pits. The vast arena and its undergroundplex''s design were memorised by Sylvester. So he quickly arrived at the entrance to the underground rooms where fighting ves were kept.


    "Meow Meow!"


    Miraj made loud cat noises near the guards to distract them so Sylvester could quickly enter. Heck! If some guards were too serious, Miraj would simply go and smack them with his fluffy paw. It always worked.


    Sylvester easily made his way in and entered the room of Kaecilius Silvanus. The man was inside, sleeping on the bed. Sylvester, being a spy, didn''t make any noise, so the man didn''t even sense him.


    ''He needs to learn how to deal with folks like me if he wishes to fight Riveria. Conrad will send many assassins after him when he starts a revolt.''


    "Wake up, Kaecilius." Sylvester called the man.


    Woosh!


    nk!


    At a raging speed, like the thunder falling from the sky, Kaecilius woke up fast and jumped on Sylvester with a sword he had taken out from under his pillow. "Who sent you!?"


    Sylvester easily blocked it. "It''s me, the Bard. May the Holy Light enlighten us."


    Sylvester made his palm shine, and the halo appeared well-defined. That was the easiest and quickest way to clear his identity. "Why did you contact me through the secret letter?"


    Kaecilius knelt down instantly and saluted back. "Lord Bard, I had to. Do not worry. The man I sent to deliver the missive is dead. I have sessfully gathered a shadow army of fellow ves, Lord Bard. We number three thousand and hope to take over Fort Sunflower. But Riveria will cut off our ess to the North. That''s why I was hoping you could open a path for us to the Hignd Kingdom so that the Fort can be self-sufficient under me; as I increase our numbers."


    ''I smell no lies, and there''s confidence. Let''s give it a try then.''


    "What do you require?"


    Kaecilius looked up at Sylvester''s disguised face. "Food and weapons¡­ A lot of weapons."


    Sylvester raised his palm, and out of nowhere, a set of swords, shields and armour popped out of thin air.


    "Amen!"

 Chapter 395 395. A Desire For Chaos

    Kaecilus looked at the sword and the shield that fell out of nowhere. He then nced at Sylvester in shock. "M-My Lord¡­ This¡­"


    Sylvester expected such a reaction. Even the most stone-faced man would fall back in shock from the view.


    Sylvester proposed an offer. "You desire weapons. You shall have them. You swore to serve for the greater purpose, and it''s my duty to give you the tools. I will dig arge pit underground here and ce the tools in it. After that, you may use them whenever you desire."


    Kaecilus nodded. "How many, my lord?"


    "Five thousand units of each. Will that suffice?" Sylvester inquired.


    "It will, Lord Bard. But how are you doing this? This sorcery¡­ This is¡­" Kaecilius was confused, as any other man would be. The knowledge of Space Magic was so umon that people didn''t even know that something like Space magic existed.


    Sylvester revealed a few other things at the same time to ensure the man always saw him in a greater light. "Kaecilius, now I have be an Archbishop. I will be able to do many more things, but at the same time, the eyes on me will be many. So, I will have to be discreet about helping you."


    Sylvester twisted his words to unconsciously make Kaecilius feel that he needed Sylvester and not the other way around.


    Kaecilius looked at Sylvester in amazement and smelled of pure worship. "Lord Bard, how old are you?"


    "Eighteen."


    "Then¡­ You''ve be an Archbishop this early, then you¡­"


    Sylvester noticed that the ve man had be more talkative. But he didn''t like the fact that Kaecilus became so inquisitive. The man smelled of something different now. There seemed to be an ambition, something different from just wanting revenge. The man wanted to know more about the world and who runs it.


    ''Is he finally realising he can be king if he does well? This sure does go ording to my n. But it''s better to ensure he doesn''t try to bite the hand that feeds him.''


    "Kaecilius, your daughter and wife are safe in the Holy Land. They will live a generous life, and your daughter is already studying in a school. She will one day be a schr. But to ensure she can remain free and happy, you must also rise. You should have understood by now that without power, this world is ruthless to honest men.


    "Yes, you can be kind, generous and honest. But that does not mean you have to be weak, that you have to forgive everyone. On the contrary, the true strength is to be able to do whatever one must to fulfil their goal. In your case, you must remove a few thorns before you prepare for the bigger purpose." Sylvester vaguely tried to guide him to be a King.


    Kaecilius stood up and asked. "Lord Bard, what do you mean by that? Are you suggesting I be the very thing I swore to destroy?"


    "No, I suggest you be better than him at what he does. We don''t need ipetent men in positions of power. We do not need nobles who understand nothing about amoner''s struggles. Break the chains, break the shackles, and create a new era." Sylvester added.


    As he said that, he prepared a vast array of runes underneath his feet. There were two runes superimposed on one another. They were all brown in colour, revealing they were earth-rted runes. The magic zed through them as if raging fire.


    "Now, wait and watch, Kaecilius. I do this not because I like you. This is because I can''t stand very. I wish to abolish it but to do that, one needs enough shocks to wake up the sleeping minds. So it can remind them of all the bad aspects of very. You are supposed to be that shock, Kaecilius." Sylvester finished speaking and activated the two runes.


    Shh¡­!''


    It was prolonged and calm. The sound of something humming in the air was menacing. But it didn''t go out of the room, nor did the ground shake while the magic was being used up.


    "This is not a pit of darkness, Kaecilius. This is the door to a new world, a new era that you can bring upon." Sylvester announced.


    Woosh!


    Woosh!


    More and more ground disappeared and made clearance for Sylvester. Then, slowly, the hole went big, as wide as ten metres from inside and as deep as thirty metres. It was like a bottle, with a tiny mouth and arge volume size.


    "Nowes the blessings," Sylvester repeated the process from before and put his hand over the meter-wide hole. Then, he started to sing a hymn and let Chonky stand on his palm.


    ?Let this be a blessing for the future.


    Pray that the opportunity arrives sooner.


    May this blessing quash away all the rumours.


    O'' Solis, cure this world''s vile mental tumour.?


    Chonky''s mouth invisibly opened, letting out all the swords, armour and shields into the pit. Where did they alle from? The answer was straightforward. Over the past few years, Sylvester had participated in many campaigns of small andrge battles.


    Every single time, a strange phenomenon was reported after the battles were over. All the equipment of the enemies would vanish with no trace. Even some bodies disappeared with no trace.


    In that way, Sylvester and Miraj managed to gather so much battle equipment that he could easily raise an army for himself. An army of more than a hundred thousand strong.


    nk!


    nk!


    The sound of the metal armour, swords and shields came from the pit until the sound became too close, revealing the pit was full. After that, Sylvester simply used Earth magic again and put the lid on the hole. Only Kecilius would ever know how to reach it.


    "As long as you y your cards right, you will win this revolt, Kaecilius. Use these tools wisely while I will try to ensure support from the Hignd Kingdom, unofficially, of course. I must take my leave now, so wait for my confirmation before you take any drastic steps. Be confident in your own abilities. But also, always see the other side as someone smarter than you. This way, you will never find yourselfcking.


    "If you win this time, you might as well have just changed the world entirely, Kaecilius." Sylvester finished his work there and proceeded towards the gate.


    Seeing Sylvester in all his majesty, Kaecilus was in awe and worship. He saw Sylvester as something more than a human from the beginning, hence why he epted Sylvester''s offer.


    "I will free thesends from very, my lord. No more shall I allow them to use us for mere entertainment."


    ''The brainwashing from my books has seemed to work on him. I can already see some words repeated from the book.'' Sylvester was amazed by the effects of his creation.


    "Farewell, Kaecilius."


    Kaecilius, for just a split second, looked at the pit full of weapons. But when he looked back at Sylvester again, the man had vanished with no trace. That left him amazed and in even more awe.


    Outside, Sylvester made his way out of the undergroundplex. It was reasonably easy, as Miraj dealt with all the careful guards by tricking them away.


    "I shouldn''t stay here in the city anymore." Sylvester thought and decided to move into the Hignd Kingdom at night. His goal was to reach the Sorrow Kingdom before getting spotted.


    So Sylvester returned to the small inn and found Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark. They had rested already and were ready to move out at the moment''smand.


    "We must move past the Hignd Kingdom and enter the Sorrow Kingdom fast. There is something that we need to take care of fast. A major storm is brewing, and this time we will not only ride that storm but also direct it towards the enemies of the faith." Sylvester revealed his n with few details.


    Sir Dolorem asked quickly. "What do you aim to do this time, Lord Bard?"


    "I wish to change thendscape a little. For far too long, we''ve had kingdoms that have let go of their holy duties. They now openly go against our policies, and up until now, there have been no repercussions. It''s time a new King appears who is deeply into worship ¡ª that I preach." Sylvester carefully added thest few words.


    Bishop Lazark felt he understood everything. He was, after all, a Bishop and hence, smart enough. "You want to establish a new King in the Sorrow Kingdom?"


    Sylvester smirked. "Nothing like that with Sorrow Kingdom, Bishop. Perhaps something else could happen somewhere with a little spark."


    Sir Dolorem looked at Sylvester''s face in confusion. "I will not ask you what it is, Lord Bard. I understand that there are some things better left unspoken. Nevertheless, I believe in you."


    ''I never had any doubts.'' Sylvester thought and proceeded with instructions.


    "This is what we are going to do next. With our disguise, we shall find all the corrupt men from the faith and the Grand Duchy of the Patch. We will be executing them all. At that same time, a certain situation will arise that will make the Patch wage a war with the Hignd Kingdom. When that happens, I need not tell you how many cards we can y."


    Bishop Lazark hummed in agreement and wondered. "But, what''s the final aim?"


    "Chaos! ¡ª Endless Chaos, for it brings endless opportunities,"


    ________________________


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 Chapter 396 396. The Plague

    Sylvester wanted chaos, and the best way to do that was to create disarray among organisations. Doing that was easy for him, as rumours had the strength to bring down kingdoms, let alone cause chaos.


    Sylvester as Johnathan, Sir Dolorem as Charles and Bishop Lazark as Leonardo, they made their way down south. This time they didn''t stop in any big city and simply spent some time in a few monasteries in disguise.


    They tried to find out how the clergy in the Hignd Kingdom was doing. To their surprise, King Hignd was a genuinely great ruler. The man had not only established some sort of police order but also kept an eye on the monasteries through various reporting mechanisms where even themoners could report some wrongdoings to the King directly.


    The only thing Higndcked was wealth, and if they had the same resources as Riveria, Sylvester believed King Hignd could have changed the entirendscape of Sol.


    s, they traversed through thends and reached the border of the Sorrow Kingdom. It was heavily fortified now, and the roads had many checkpoints. King Hignd was trying to manage the refugee issue by stopping them froming in hordes.


    They moved across the Mineworth town, where the Viscount Mineworth lived. Sylvester wanted to go there and study metal maniption from him, but it was not the right time.


    So they skipped staying there and entered the Sorrow Kingdom. It took them no time since almost nobody was going into the Sorrow Kingdom. To say the condition was abysmal was an understatement.


    Just as they entered the Sorrow Kingdom, right near the boundary, thousands of makeshift tents were erected close to one another. They were small and untidy. In a cluster, they looked like a slum. There were kids roaming around without clothes, most of them with dirty bodies.


    Open sewers were flowing between the tents, spreading the horrendous smell of faeces and much more. The quality of life was absent from there, and hygiene was perhaps not even a topic of discussion.


    "This ce is the perfect breeding ground for disease and gues," Sylvester muttered.


    "This is what war and destruction do. Most here likely used to have a vige or a town where they lived." Sir Dolorem added.


    They felt pity, but there was no instant solution to the people''s misery. The kids who watched them pass by on the carriage could only hope that one of those carriages would someday stop and give them something to eat.


    With heavy hearts, they went deeper into the wretchednds. It was all barren and desert-like. Only some short yellow grass was visible here and there. The rest was just dirt and the heat of the summer.


    "That''s The Burning Mountain." Sir Dolorem pointed to the distance, where they could see a massive mountain on the horizon. But, strangely, there was a fire on top of it, raging like a volcano.


    Sylvester had heard about it but saw it for the first time. "Do you know about its origin? I had read that one of its kind forges was supposed to be here. Supposed to be the best in Sol."


    "The Wild Forge. This was its name, Lord Bard. The mountain has been burning for as long as books have been written about it. There used to be a famed Wild Forge here with humans producing fine products on par with the Dwarves. But, the smiths became greedy.


    "They wanted to expand the forge, but for that, they needed more pathways under the mountain from where the fire could reach them in the forge. The only problem was the old forge had natural pathways for fire. This time, they destabilised the mountain as they tried to make it artificially. As a result, the fire expanded and melted everything. The smiths ran away, but the forge was rendered useless.


    "Now, there is no saving it as the mountain resides in a pit, and no natural pathways are left for the mountain fire. The forge is now just a leftover building with many ghost stories attached to it." Sir Dolorem ended the tale of how greed cost the Sol the finest forge.


    "Such a pity," Sylvester muttered with a long sigh.


    They slowly made their way forward and passed by the Burning Mountain. The heat radiated from the mountain, making breathing around it problematic. However, there was something that Sylvester smelled that others likely ignored.


    ''So that''s why the mountain is burning. I can smell some gaseous substance in the air. The mountain probably sits on a giant gas reserve of sorts.'' He reckoned.


    "Has nobody gone into the forge recently?" Sylvester inquired.


    "There is no reason to. The heat is unbearable for most. The wizards have no interest in it either, so it''s merely a leftover building, a piece of history." Sir Dolorem answered.


    ''If gases are involved, then isn''t it easy to regte the flow towards the specific locations? With wizards'' help, it should be possible.''


    But Sylvester remained quiet for the time being. He had a more significant task at hand than starting a gaspany.


    They soon arrived in a deste field of hay. It was not good either, as the quality of it was evident to the naked eye. But it was also their first time seeing something other than dead grass growing there.


    "We are supposed to report to Archbishop Nelson Paul in the Last Hay vige." Sir Dolorem spoke. "This vige is the onlynd in the current Sorrow Kingdom that can grow something."


    "All of the cultivablends have been upied by the Grand Duke of Patch, hence this misery." Bishop Lazark added.


    Sylvester had a different overview of the situation, however. "It''s not Grand Duke''s fault. The world is the survival of the fittest; sometimes, this is true for even the nobles. I''m more disappointed in the King of Sorrow for not seeing through the schemes of the Grand Duke. This tells the tale of nothing but an ipetent king."


    "Agreed." Sir Dolorem said. "Mostmoners think a King only eats and enjoys himself all day. But, sadly, when some Kings think that''s what Kings do, the downfall is all but fated."


    "Does the King not have a family? Where is the rest of the family?" Sylvester inquired.


    Sadly, nobody had any answers. So much has happened in the Sorrow Kingdom for the past few years that the whereabouts of even the extended family were unknown. Some said they ran away, while others believe they were killed.


    "Quite tragic," Sylvester muttered and steered the carriage in silence.


    In an hour more, they finally began to reach a vige in the distance. It looked small and poor from the looks. It was full of thatched roofed houses with mud walls. The streets were clean, and surprisingly, there was nobody outside either.


    "Are wete? Where is everyone?" Sir Dolorem wondered.


    "No, they are watching us," Sylvester replied as he could smell the various emotions. Above all, he smelled sadness the most there. "Let''s move to the Monastery and meet the Archbishop first."


    So they steered to the end of the vige and arrived in a rundown monastery. Thankfully, it was still in a better state than the rest of the buildings.


    They got off and knocked on the door. The sun was about to set down, and the darkness was slowly seeping in. So it was hard to see everything clearly.


    "Archbishop, we are from the Holy Land." Sylvester voiced from outside as the door didn''t open.


    Knock!


    Knock!


    Thud!


    Finally, a loud sound of locks being removed came. When the door opened, something appeared that made Sylvester jump back, and the other two raised their hands to cast magic as well.


    There, at the gates, stood a wild old man with a long beard and white hair. His eyes seemed dead and sunken, his body was pale, and the veins were clearly visible. The man was tall and looked like an evil wizard.


    "Did they finally send help?"


    "Help?" Sylvester muttered in response. "Are you the Archbishop?"


    The old man came out of the house and appeared in the faint light. Instantly, the scene changed as the old man stopped looking evil. He had a very kind face and only appeared dangerous in the shadows due to his frail body.


    "Yes, I am the Archbishop of this region. We need help quickly, or the people here won''t survive. If that happens, the gue will only spread. What are your names? Are you healers?"


    Sylvester reported. "I am Johnathan. This is priest Charles, and that is priest Leonardo. We were sent by the Holy Land to aid you, your grace."


    Thud!


    "We''re doomed. They are not taking this seriously." Archbishop Nelson fell to the side of the door frame and muttered in despair. "This gue can spread so fast and quickly, and the mortality rate is so high. The world will not survive this¡­"


    ''gue is spreading?'' Sylvester became alert and asked for more details.


    "What happened, your grace? I do know some healing magic. Maybe I can help you?" He offered.


    The Archbishop smiled wryly and looked at Sylvester with pity. "Son, I appreciate your kindness. But I''m afraid that only those in the high ranks can stop this gue. It''s too dangerous, even if it does not affect us wizards."


    "Can you show me a patient?" Sylvester further asked. "We''re also wizards."


    "Come with me, but keep your hearts strong." The Archbishop tiredly stood up and walked into the monastery.


    Eventually, they arrived in a small hall with fifty beds, all full of patients. Some cried in pain, and some were asleep. But one thing wasmon among them ¡ª the dots on their faces and bodies.


    Sylvester''s heart sank to the bottom at that very moment.


    ''T-This¡­ Looks like Smallpox.''


    ________________________


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 Chapter 397 397. A Magical Plague & A Mystery Unfolded

    More than three hundred million people died from Smallpox, as far as Sylvester remembered. He didn''t know what this disease was, but it looked simr. The small pimples all over the body were not very pleasing to the eye, and death was inevitable once it was contracted.


    There were mothers beside their little children. Both inflicted the same misery. There were orphans, and old people, without anybody to care for them. Bright mothers were kept away, for they, too, were at risk. Only the wizards could go close to them. But, sadly, there were not enough wizards in the Sorrow Kingdom.


    The entire hall where the praying for Solis was held now was a hall of death. Those who came there were damned to die a horribly painful death.


    Sylvester felt his heart beat fast as he realised the predicament. If the disease were to spread, and if it was indeed Smallpox, then forget ever winning against the Beastaria. The Sol would implode in itself. With ack ofmoners to grow crops and serve the rich, wars will break out.


    "How contagious is it, your grace?" Sylvester asked with legitimate fear in his voice.


    Archbishop Nelson looked around and, with a sad face, answered. "Priest, they are the fifteenth batch of people toe here. All those who came before have passed away, five thousand in total in this small vige of eight thousand."


    Sylvester nced at the weak form of the Archbishop. The man may have looked scary before, but on a different look, the condition was pitiful. Archbishop Nelson''s clothes were dirty, patched in a few ces. His body was utterly frail, and he had baggy dark circles under his eyes. His brows were naturally fallen due to age, while his back was slightly hunched. He didn''t look like he''d survive too long.


    "Have you sent anyone from this vige to get help?" Sylvester inquired.


    Archbishop looked down and mumbled something unintelligent. He red up soon after in anger, just like any old man would. "I had written everything in my letters to the Holy Land. Some families have run out of the vige to save themselves. I tried to keep them here, but they didn''t listen. I couldn''t chase them."


    ''The virus is spreading already. I don''t think it''s usible to find the escapees and stop them now. But, can the church stop the transmission?''


    "Do all of them fall sick and die the same way?" Sir Dolorem inquired.


    The Archbishop nodded, his shoulders plummeting in defeat. "It starts with a sudden fever. Then rashes all over the skin ¡ª t spots that change into raised bumps, then firm fluid-filled blisters, which then scab. Severe headache is alsomon, along with back pain, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea. It''s too much for any human body."


    ''That''s just like smallpox.''


    "But then, for a day, they''d suddenly get entirely well. You''d think it''s a blessing, but in reality, it''s a curse. Everyone dies after that one day of wellness.


    "It''s mentally exhausting as all those sick here now don''t want to get healthy for a day, for it means doom."


    ''Alright, I have no idea what this gue is.''


    "Your Grace, what can we do to ease their pain?" Sylvester asked and kept the acting going.


    "Make the Holy Land take this gue seriously. Without them, we can''t do anything else other than reduce their pain. I''m too old. My magic is weak now. I can use strong men like you. But before that, tell me why they sent you here. No clergyman gets transferred to thesends." The Archbishop stared into Sylvester, Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark''s eyes.


    "We didn''t agree with some things, and they had too much power," Sylvester replied.


    Silence ensued, and Archbishop Nelson looked at them for a long time. A sense of strange tension red up.


    "Haha!" The old manughed instead. "Then you''re just like me. I was banished to here fifty years ago for ''offending'' someone."


    "Who?" Sylvester inquired.


    "The Pope."


    "..."


    ''The Pope did this to him?'' Sylvester wondered what such a selfless man did to offend the Pope.


    After all, Archbishop Nelson had been working in the Sorrow Kingdom for five decades now, and working in such a poor region where there was nothing to gain wasmendable. That meant he wasn''t a bad man.


    "Saint Paul¡­ Please look at my son! He''s not breathing!"


    Suddenly a woman shouted and called for the Archbishop. In response, the old man rushed quickly, albeit having a weak body. His long hair and beard fluttered wild, and a sense of worry shed in his eyes.


    Seeing that, Sylvester felt somewhat bad for the old man since the scents were genuine. ''There is¡­ nothing but love, worship, and worry in his heart. That''s all I can smell¡­ How is he still so positive after all this? Shouldn''t he be angered at the church?''


    "Priest Charles," Sylvester spoke with Sir Dolorem. "Please write a letter to our friends in the Inquisition in the Holy Land. Perhaps they will help us. We need more manpower here. But tell them only to bring wizards."


    "Understood, Priest." Sir Dolorem quickly walked back out to the carriage.


    Sylvester then looked at Bishop Lazark. "Priest Leonardo, didn''t we have a few health potions? Let''s dilute them in a water tank and feed these people. It ought to help them. I will go and check the patients around with the Archbishop."


    Bishop Lazark nodded and left in silence. They didn''t really have much in their carriage. It was all Chonky''s magic. But to the others, it was Sylvester''s space magic.


    So Sylvester went after the Archbishop and found him standing beside a woman covered with pimples on her body, filled with nasty fluid. In her arms was an unresponsive boy, likely three years old, in the same condition as the mother.<novelsnext>please visit </novelsnext>


    Archbishop finished checking the boy and shook his head. "I''m afraid¡­ He''s no more, Julie. He was too small and lost the battle before even the one day of wellness phase."


    "No! Please do something! Please!" She cried frantically.


    Sylvester sighed and looked around. He noticed there were many other mothers like Julie. The hall wasn''t big, and it was overcrowded with patients.


    ''I am no physician, but I should be able to discern if there is magic involved in this strange smallpox. If it does have magic in it, then¡­ Will the cure work on it?''


    Sylvester, of course, knew how the vine for smallpox was made. The only reason was that it was too easy to produce and could be found in nature itself. Not only that, since he had already invented injections, he knew he could stop the spread before it wreaked havoc.


    "Saint Paul! Look at my wife! Why isn''t she breathing? Please wake her up¡­ We just got marriedst month¡­" Another cry echoed in the hall.


    Sylvester didn''t have to go there to check what had happened. Another minute, yet another casualty.


    ''They call him Saint even though he never received Sainthood. He must be loved here.''


    Sylvester proceeded with his previous n and went to meet the patients. He looked at their conditions and finally took a sample of the pus from one of them. After that, he moved on to the private room of the Archbishop and found an empty corner to check something.


    ''Since my Srium levels are quite high, I should be able to absorb all Srium from this sample, and if there is Srium in it, then it means the virus has magical nature.''


    Sylvester ced his palm on the sample and closed his eyes. He cut himself off from all other senses and only focused on his palm. Trying to absorb the Srium around him, he tried to sense any extra Srium from his palm.


    Slowly, time went by, and thirty minutes passed. Sylvester didn''t move an inch and stood there like in a trance. As if the time had stopped, even his chest didn''t rise from breathing.


    During that time, Archbishop entered the room and found Sylvester. But he didn''t disturb him and silently watched, trying to discern what he was doing.


    "Ah! It''s magical in nature." Sylvester suddenly eximed with a big frown on his face.


    "As I suspected." Archbishop Nelson added from the back.


    Sylvester knew the man was there from the scents already, and even Miraj was keeping an eye on the old man, so nobody did anything wrong to Sylvester.


    He turned around and exined. "I felt Srium from this thing, your grace. How did a gue be magical in nature?"


    The Archbishop shrugged and took his seat. He took out a small box from the table drawer and ate some pills. "I wonder that too, young priest. You''re quite talented to be able to sense such minute Srium fluctuations. The Holy Land must have degraded further to have sent you here as punishment."


    ''He''s trying to avert the topic, but why?''


    Sylvester didn''t pry too much either since the other side was his senior in the situation. "I¡­ I like to study Srium, your grace. Oh, I wanted to ask, aren''t there any nobles left in the Kingdom who can help us?"


    "In this Kingdom? None. The Grand Duke of the Patch is a Grand Wizard, and he has two more Grand Wizards as his subordinates. He wreaked havoc here and destroyed and looted whatever he could. A few nobles ran away to the South, to the Sand Continent. Most were killed until thest man of the bloodline. Even the royal family wasn''t saved ¡ª The little princess was merely eight years old."


    Out of curiosity, Sylvester inquired further. "What did they do to the royal family?"


    "Butchered them. King Sorrow was duped as the two Grand Wizards from the Patch came to sign an armistice by invoking the name of Solis. But, it was a sham to enter the royal castle ¡ª Those heathens! They killed the King and Queen, and the crown prince was publicly abused, castrated, skinned alive and then boiled in oil. As for my little student¡­ Poor Xylena¡­ I don''t know where they buried her or burned her."


    "Wait!" Sylvester eximed and jumped up from his seat. "Did she have a nickname?"


    Archbishop looked at Sylvester strangely. "She did¡­ We used to call her Zye¡­ Little Zye, the ever so bubbly and curious girl."


    Sylvester froze upon hearing that, his breath became stronger, and his heart skipped a few beats. After more than a decade of looking around and finally.


    ''Atst¡­ The mystery is solved¡­ I found you!''


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 398 398. Widowmakers

    The memory of all the past visions surfaced in Sylvester''s mind. The time he saw the little girl being born. The first time he saw her walk, the first time he saw her get hurt and cry, or the first time she used a magical spell. He knew about the girl named Zye more than probably even her parents.


    In a way, he came to care for her mentally and hoped to see her again in his visions, just to ensure she was fine. But, sadly, nothing was fine, and she ended up belonging to Sol''s most cursed royal family.


    ''So¡­ Zye is thest of her bloodline, and she was sold by an Archbishop. Wait, when did this happen? I saw that vision more than a year ago.''


    "When was the Royal Family killed?" He inquired.


    With a look of doubt and curiosity, the old Archpriest replied. "Three weeks ago. Why do you seem so interested in them, young priest? Did you perhaps know them?"


    Sylvester didn''t deny nor ept. "I¡­ I was merely curious, your grace. I will return to work now and tend to the weak. I may not be the best, but I know some healing."


    ''So¡­ The visions were showing me the future, not the present. I saw her being sold a year ago, but it only happened nearly a month ago.''


    The realisation made him wonder if he could use the visions to see the future. But then he dismissed such thoughts as visions were too erratic and couldn''t be willingly induced.


    Sylvester quickly walked out of the room and started caring for the sick. But he knew he could not stay there as his task was to travel around the Sorrow Kingdom and investigate. Just one vige, and he had already seen the misery that was left behind after the inhumane war initiated by The Patch.


    Paaa!


    Bam!


    Bam!


    All of a sudden, horns and drums started to resound outside the monastery. They became loud and faster with each passing second.


    "Move!" Archbishop appeared out of his room all of a sudden. "We''re being raided again. These heathens! They never stop and only bring more misery."


    The entire hall erupted in cries and murmurs while some nkly sat, having already epted their fate. Indeed, this was not the first time the raid was happening, and certainly, it wouldn''t be thest.


    Sylvester followed the old man and reached the entrance of the monastery. Outside, a few dozen of metres away, they could see a small group of men draped in red clothes from head to toe with faces covered. They were all on horses, a total of fifty-nine to be exact. They just watched the monastery in silence.


    "Who are they?" Sylvester asked.


    The Archbishop sneered and grumpily replied. "They are known as Windowmakers. They are a special unit under the directmand of one of the Grand Wizards of The Patch. They are the scum of the earth, the worst of the worst. First, they kill all the males of any vige or town theye across, then take the women they fancy, and pass them around until they get bored or women simply die.


    "They are here to do the same, toy waste to anything that still stands on thisnd ¡ª Even if it''s the house of God."


    Sylvester nced at the supposed heathens and automatically started to create a profile on them. He didn''t need to sit down and think, as the judgement was clear. Death was the only answer.


    "What do they get by doing this? They have already won the war." Sylvester asked.


    Archbishop shook his head. "Mindless thirst for blood can make humansmit crimes worse than anything you can imagine, young priest. When put in an absolute position of power, the true nature of man is eventually shown. More often than not, the hidden nature is demonic. Now, we fight them and try to protect the poor behind us. We took an oath, and I intend to uphold it till myst breath."


    Woosh!


    The Archbishop took out a magical book from his robes and started raising it over his palm magically. Then, it began to shine, and gusts of wind came out of it, making his long beard and hair flutter.


    He oozed power and wisdombined. His strength was enough to move Sylvester a bit as he felt the change in the srium in his surroundings. He felt amused as to why such a strong man, likely an Archbishop, was thrown into the backwaters.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    "I will take care of these pests!"


    But before the Archbishop could do something, a tall, bald man appeared from one of the buildings in the vige, which was nearby the monastery. He was as tall as seven feet, strong as a bull, but his eyes appeared enraged and reddened as if they''d burst at any moment.


    "Bradley, stand back. I ordered you not to exert yourself!" The Archbishop roared at the man.


    "I shall die a righteous death, your grace. Don''t take this from me!" The man named Bradley roared back.


    "You have not done enough yet to reach the heavens, Bradley. Serve for as long as you can with that abled body. I''m old, so let this be my final stand." Archbishop argued and stood his ground.


    Sylvester, however, had other ns. He looked at Sir Dolorem not far away. "Priest Charles, please take care of them."


    "Understood."<novelsnext>please visit </novelsnext>


    Sir Dolorem replied with a low nod and a response before starting to walk towards the raiders. Sir Dolorem took out a thin piece of cloth from his pocket and tied it around his eyes. Then, he started drawing a long horizontal line on the dirt road with his sword.


    After finishing, he stood near the middle of the line and nted the sword on the ground before himself. "To harm the innocents is against the basicws of humanity and the teachings of Solis. Therefore, by thew of light, anyone who dares cross, dies."


    Silence ensued after that, and the dusty air zoomed past around. It was nearly night, and the sun had almost set. But, the little hue of the light created enough grandeur to show the courageous might of the knight.


    "Hah, a mere priest wishes to stand against us?" One of the raiders mockingly joked as they all brought their horses closer and brandished their swords like barbarians.


    Sir Dolorem didn''t move and waited the entire time. Then, slowly, the raiders crept closer and eventually crossed the line in the dirt and started circling Sir Dolorem.


    "Death looms over you now, my fanatic friend." A raider said.


    Woosh!


    It was a big mistake as the head rolled down, and the lifeless torso fell back, blood spraying the entire time. After that, it was just gore, and there was no running for anyone anymore.


    "Do not insult the faith, heathens!"


    Woosh!


    Sir Dolorem moved fast with precision. He swiftly dodged every strike or the horse''s kick and stabbed at the right parts every time. He moved like waves, turning and twisting his body with ease as if he were dancing.


    Before any strike couldnd on him, he''d always react and move within the nick of time. It was magical as if he could see the future.


    That was precisely what Sylvester thought. ''I-Is he using the eyes?''


    Thud!


    One after another, bodies started falling from the horses, some headless, some armless and some without legs. It was magnificent, but Sir Dolorem held back and didn''t use magic to defeat the raiders.


    Crunch!


    Atst, Sir Dolorem stopped after stomping on a man''s skull, crushing it with ease, spraying all the brain matter around, and drenching thend in heathen blood.


    Sir Dolorem sheathed his sword after that and took off the blindfold. "The will of Solis punishes the sinners. For evil can never forever be winners."


    Archbishop Nelson, who saw the dance of death, was in amazement and joy seeing the raiders die like that.


    "Perhaps we can find some good work for you three. It''s Church''s loss they sent you here as a punishment." Archbishop eximed with joy.


    Sylvester was only interested in the seven-feet-tall bald man, however. "Your Grace, if I''m not wrong, is this Count Bradley? The infamous Bradley The Brute?"


    Archbishop stopped and looked at Sylvester. "What if he is?"


    "He killed poor refugees, used them as cheapbour until they died. I saw many ves who ran from him and sold themselves to anyone in the north. What made the infamous Brute turn into something like this?" Sylvester questioned openly.


    The Archbishop nced at the big man and answered. "Priest Johnathan, oftentimes, the god has his own mysterious ways of teaching us mortals. But ultimately, no matter how cruel or kind you are, you are subjected to the Lord''s will. You and I were lucky, for we were embraced by the Solis early, but some arete."


    Count Bradley looked at Sylvester nonchntly as if the man had no emotions. Then, finally, he addressed with a light bow of the head. "Priest, thank you for arriving here to help these poor, sickened brothers and sisters. I chose the wrong path for years, but I intend to make it right now. I hope we can save as many of them as possible."


    Sylvester bowed his head too, but his mind was in a predicament as the emotions he smelled told him a different story.


    ''T-This man¡­ He has lost his will to live. I feel the strange emptiness in my mouth, as if there is no air, no smell, nothing in the air. It''s just dryness all around ¡ª Just like with Augustus.''


    "Saint Paul! Saint Paul! Come back, please! Look what''s happening! They all stopped breathing!"


    Suddenly, a man came out of the monastery, running and shouting.


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 399 399. I Like Reading Books

    Sylvester followed the shouting man to the monastery not far behind Archbishop Nelson. There they soon realised what had transpired. The people inside the monastery had died from heart attacks or some other sudden mental trauma. Their bodies were already frail, and their minds had already given up.


    "They fought for long, but they are not us. With no way out of their misery, there can be no positivity." Archbishop Nelson muttered.


    Besides him, Sylvester agreed with him. "Your Grace, is there really no way to do anything about this gue."


    Sylvester, of course, knew a lot, many things about how to solve the gue, but he had to ensure that his cover was not blown. After all, a mere priest could not know all that Sylvester wished to reveal.


    As for the sudden deaths of all the patients, it was unfortunate but not surprising. Sylvester already saw all of them as dead people since there was no cure for Smallpox at the time. Even if he tried to create the cure, it''d take a lot of time.


    "We do not know its name yet, so to dream about a cure is wishful thinking. Unless the Holy Land takes it seriously and tries to find a cure, there is nothing we can do other than protect these poor people," Archbishop replied.


    Sylvester sighed and decided to leave the vige as soon as possible. "If we want the Holy Land to respond well to this, we must give them what they want."


    "What do they want?"


    "Influence!" Sylvester blurted. "This was one of the reasons why I was punished. Because I suggested the idea of using misery to spread the faith. There are countless people around the Sol who are suffering through various ailments or misfortune. I suggested using the Church''s funds to help these people and, in return, gain their eternal worship."


    "We have no funds to help these refugees, Priest," Archbishop replied. "There is nothing we can do to elevate thesends. Once the gue spreads, the world shall suffer and face the fate of death."


    "What do you need? I shall use my gold." Count Bradley chimed in. "I have no use for it, for I father no children nor any lovers."


    ''Wait, Bradley the Brute is supposed to be the bad guy, then why does he seem so charity-loving now?'' Sylvester wondered in silence as he was yet to find out about the true intentions of the Count. Why would a man supposedly infamous for abusing people suddenly be charitable? It made no sense.


    "Count Bradley, I appreciate the offer, but I''m sure if you use your county''s money to save some poor people, your people will revolt against you," Sylvester advised him.


    But Count Bradley sneered. "What else can they do? They still love a head over their shoulders, don''t they?"


    ''So he has only changed his purpose but not the ways. He still is a brute.'' Sylvester added a few more details to the mental file he made on the Count.


    "In that case, Count Bradley, we should get some grains and start a free food kitchen. Nothing luxurious, just a simple porridge in the name of the Lord." Sylvester suggested, but quickly passed the torch to the Archbishop. "If his Grace agrees, we can do this right away."


    "What good will that bring us? Once we stop giving them food, they will again starve. There has to be a permanent solution to the mess we are in, young priest."


    ''I smell despair. How long has he been doing this public service?'' Sylvester wondered and exined everything.


    "Your Grace, isn''t one of the most essential pirs of a good societywfulness? How can there bewfulness without fear? The people need to fear the wrath of the Lord, for there is no forgiveness for those who sin knowingly. The Widowmakers shall go to hell. There is no doubt about it. But we can''t have even themoners take the path of violence.


    "With food, we will not just be feeding them, but removing a thing they must worry about daily. Removing hunger would allow them to work harder and find more work. Feeding them will keep reminding them that when there was nothing, nobody to help them, there was the Faith of Solis."


    Sylvester had read nearly every scripture about religious studies in the Holy Land. So, of course, he knew how to efficiently use the same scriptures to convince other clergymen to do something. He did precisely that.


    Archbishop Nelson smiled and agreed with Sylvester. "It seems the future of the faith is in the right hands. You clearly know the ins and outs of the faith, young priest. Indeed, one must fear god to not sin. One must believe in god to first fear him. But first, we make pyres for these poor souls. Only the Lord knows how many more of these will need to be made before this gue shall end."


    Sadly, the Archbishop didn''t know how right his words would be soon. In theing days, no new raids appeared, but eventually, the entire vige fell victim to the gue, and all started to fall sick.


    There was nothing they could do but watch them die slowly. The entire vige, one person at a time, became deste and lost all its previous charm. The fields around the vige started drying up due to no manpower avable. In no time, the Last Hay Vige had itsst hay.


    The entire grounds around the vige were full of dead bodies, not buried, but they had some residue left from the burning of the pyres. The animals had already died long ago from the owners'' inability to take care of them.


    There was nothing alive in the entire vige other than the four clergymen and one noble in the vige monastery. They all sat with sunken hearts and tired bodies as the day marked thest day of burning the pyres, as thest man had finally passed away.


    "Where do we go now? The vige is dead. The gue is spreading. The heathens still roam thends ¡ª Let me bring my armies. I will handle them." Count Bradley roared from his seat, his face reddened in rage and his eyes as enraged as always. The veins on his bald forehead popped over, and he didn''t shy away from showing anger.


    Archbishop shook his head. "It''s useless, my son. I appreciate your willingness to protect people through violence, and I''m not against violence. But what I need right now is peace in thends because if the gue truly spreads around, it will ruin the entire Sol, not just the Sorrow Kingdom. Let us try and meet with the Grand Wizard from the Patch in charge of this region."


    Thud!


    Count Bradley stood up. "Don''t act so weak now, Archbishop. Do you have any idea how easily I used to trample over peasants and ves? They are nothing. Theyck the spines to do anything against their overlords."


    The Archbishop red at the Count and reminded him of the oath. "Is that it? You couldn''t keep your bloodthirst in check for more than a year. How do you expect to achieve eternal peace? Calm down, son. There is nothing good about war. Only misery for both sideses from it."


    "Then what do we do? I followed you because I wanted to help those I oppressed. But right in front of our eyes, the Patch is growing stronger. At the same time, this gue that came out of nowhere and¡ª"


    Sylvester stood up. "Did you say it came out of nowhere?"<novelsnext>please visit </novelsnext>


    "Priest, do not meddle in the matters of older men. Sit on the side and le¡ª"


    Before Count Bradley could say another word, Sir Dolorem appeared behind Bradley and put a dagger on the throat, even creating a thin cut. "Say anything more to demean the clergymen, and you shan''t get the chance to clear your name."


    Count Bradley gulped as he felt genuinely threatened by Sir Dolorem. However, he could not even react, and the one-eyed eyepatched priest had easily appeared behind him.


    Sylvester continued. "Your Grace, I had some questions about the gue, if you don''t mind me asking. This curiosity won''t be quenched unless someone as wise as you can help me."


    The Archbishop looked at Sylvester strangely, as always. Of course, it was hard to imagine that a priest knew as much as Sylvester did. Sylvester knew that the Archbishop was suspicious, but he also knew that there was the benefit of young age on his side.


    "Go ahead, Priest."


    Sylvester put a theory ahead. "Your grace, when did the gue appear?


    "It appeared two months ago, before the fall of the royal house of the Sorrow Kingdom. Why do you ask that, young priest?"


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and thought about something that was equally ingenious and terrifying to him. It was something that could destroy the world, but if used correctly, it could win a war without raising a sword.


    "Your grace, as we know, we found there to be remains of Srium in the samples we collected. I have never seen such a gue contain magic like it was unnatural."


    ''Go on, take the lead, old man.''


    Sylvester nudged on even more. "If I was someone trying to take over a kingdom, I''d first defeat the people instead of the armies. Because the people are the backbone of the kingdom."


    Archbishop''s eyes widened, and brows red up. "Are you suggesting this gue is not natural?"


    Sylvester shrugged. "I''m just a priest, your grace. I''m merely connecting the dots. Won''t causing this be better than anything else? No armies, no money wasted, just one infected human and the entire Kingdom can be destroyed. Isn''t this ¡ª Biological Warfare?"


    "Biological Warfare? That''s quite a terrifying idea, young priest."


    ''That is why it terrifies me too, Archbishop. If this virus is made by the Patch, then there is no way they didn''t have contingency ns. They probably have much worse viruses. The Grand Duchy of Patch needs to be destroyed soon.''


    "How can such a thing be done? How can you create a gue? You can''t even see it." Count Bradley eximed.


    Sylvester coughed. "Didn''t you read the book called Devil''s Manifesto? It spoke about there being infinite invisible particles around us. They are so small that eyes can''t see them. Imagine if you could learn to use these particles to your own advantage. The possibilities are endless."


    "But, what do they have to gain from this? The gue will kill their people too." Count asked.


    To that, Archbishop had an even worse premonition. "Not unless they have the cure ready for it. Toe to think of it, the war had nearly ended since the royal family died and the Pope personally asked the Grand Duke to calm down. However, I know the Grand Duke, and his greed goes deeper than the deepest of depths of the ocean."


    ''And it may just be my chance to attain the Sainthood.''


    Sylvester, as always, despite all the misery around him and the scheming going on, didn''t forget to chime in with his own plots and ns. The difference was, he knew about the others, while he remained anonymous.


    "If they can make the cure, then we can do it too." Sylvester blurted, raising the brows of even Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark.


    "We don''t know who concocted it, so how are you so sure?" Archbishop asked.


    Sylvester maintained the act of nativity going on. "I just like reading books."


    ________________________


    [A/N: Sorry for the mistakes if there are some. Got jetg. Will re-edit in the morning.]


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 400 400. A Doomed New Kingdom

    Sylvester got the reaction he expected to get. The Archbishop was immediately interested in Sylvester''s n since every other way seemed close to him. But at the same time, Sylvester wanted to bring the Archbishop along on his travels as it would make things more convenient.


    "I must gather the details on how the virus acts. For that, we will have to travel around the Sorrow Kingdom and find more people inflicted with the gue. The more information we collect, the better for us." Sylvester proposed his condition.


    There was nothing left to do in the vige anyway. So after a bit of contemtion, Archbishop Nelson decided to travel with Sylvester. It would help them regardless since they''d be able to understand how far and wide the gue had been spread while they waited for the Church''s official reply.


    Sadly, they did not know the reply was already walking with them.


    ''I can sense he has so many doubts about me, but he''s being reserved.'' Sylvester amusedly sensed the emotions the old Archbishop was feeling. Of course, he wouldn''t mind if thetter found out about his identity, but he kept the mystery going for now.


    "If so, I shall prepare the carts of grains to travel with us. This way, we can feed the poor as wee across them. If we encounter a thief or any such fiend, we kill." Count Bradley eximed, standing true to his moniker of the brute.


    "That I can get behind." Sir Dolorem chimed in with equal fanaticism.


    "Likewise." Ever so silent, Bishop Lazark also added.


    Amused, the Archbishop agreed with that. "If the consensus has been made, who am I to stop you? Let''s start moving. The more we dy, the more intensely the gue will spread."


    So they all started their journey to the nearest town. It was more of a refugee town where the refugees were well off since they used to be rich in the past. Using their sneaky methods, they could hold on to some of their wealth and start as ''rich'' again.


    As Sylvester steered his small carriage with the Archbishop beside him, they encountered many small refugee camps. They were all the same for the most part, rotting, poor, filled with hungry men, women and kids, all with their malnutritioned bodies.


    "Ah, what have they done to deserve such ill-graced fate?" the Archbishop began in a wise and aged voice: "These poor souls you see before you, they are broken beyond words can describe. They were but refugees who remained loyal to the Patch and stayed behind. As for those who did not share the same sentiment, they were permitted to leave before the soldiers arrived. Yet, the cruellest fate was reserved for those who surrendered. Promises of a better life were broken, and they were cast into very without a master, without work, and without food. s, they are trapped, unable to leave or take control of their own destinies."


    ''The cost of betraying their own people. I reckon they would have felt guilty if not for their constant fight for food and survival.''


    On the way, Sylvester didn''t stop but did hand out some bags of grains and rice to the people. It wasn''t a lot, but enough to remind them which god they needed to pray to.


    After a few days of travelling on the destroyed road, they arrived at the Dying City, and the name couldn''t be more suited for it. It was dying. The buildings were all rundown, the roads were full of dirt, and the dogs roamed around eating whatever they could find, even human bodies belonging to those unfortunate.


    As they entered the Dying City, all they saw were ruins of what used to be a bustling city.


    "There is only one part of the city that''s still inhabited. It used to be a housing district for the wealthy. Now, it''s the housing for the poor who used to be wealthy." Archbishop said. Having been an Archbishop in the Sorrow Kingdom for so long, it made sense that he knew everything.


    Slowly, as they came near the city centre, they found some activity. It was nearly nighttime, so the desert cold was sweeping through the streets, and a few people lit a small fire and sat around it.


    They all looked dirty and poor in their patched-up clothes. But they were still alive and fat, which meant they were wealthy once. Although now, they were merely living on borrowed time.


    "Greetings. Where can I find Baron Clofield?" The Archbishop asked politely with a grandfatherly smile.


    The men scoffed, five in total. Then, finally, one of them came up to them with a proud face. "What do you want with him? He''s a lowly baron. I used to be a Viscount. Give me the work if you want to give him some. I know how to work on the wood, for I once owned thergest woodworks business in the Kingdom."


    Sylvester had never in his life thought a day like this woulde. It didn''t shock him that the man was a noble, but what surprised him was that a noble was ready to beg, albeit with a lot of pride.


    ''Even now, they stoop low enough to divide themselves based on rank and ss. They will never be free. They can never fight for freedom.'' Sylvester already had a shallow opinion of the man.


    "Thank you, but we are here to meet him specifically. Now, can you?" The Archbishop insisted with an elderly aura and some shing magic in the palm of his hand.


    "Uhh¡­ Yes, he''s in his shop."


    Nodding, they got on the carriage again and moved into the city without speaking further.


    But, as they entered, Sylvester threw a silver coin at the Viscount. "Keep it."


    The Archbishop proudly nodded. "Such charity towards those who speak rotten towards us. The future of the church is bright."


    "¡­"


    ''Well, I was just trying to make him feel bad. But this is good too, I guess.'' Sylvester didn''t borate.


    So after silently humiliating the previous nobles, they entered the central part of the city. As it turned out, the street where they met the nobles was just the outer part of the central district. The real section was guarded from all entrances, creating a city within itself.


    It looked like a castle as the two roads leading to the inner city were shut with metal walls and doors. Some guards were standing by, too, looking mean and dangerous with their swords and spears.


    "Halt!"


    The Archbishop ordered directly. "Open the gates, children of Solis. I am Archbishop Nelson Paul."


    "Saint Paul?!" One of the guards frantically shouted. "You''vee to save us from the gue? Please,e quick!"


    Sylvester, the Archbishop and the rest looked at each other''s faces as they realised the gue had also entered the city. But, what didn''t make sense was that no outsider was allowed to enter the city unless they were utterly wealthy or talented in something. So, how did the gue spread there?


    ''This only reinforces my theory that it''s a manmade gue.''<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "How far has it spread?" The Archbishop asked.


    "Ten people have already died, your grace. Please, my wife and mother, are also sick. Please save them. You are the saint. You can do anything!" The guard cried at Nelson''s feet.


    "Rise, young one. You still have your entire life ahead of you. As for the gue, we are trying to do anything we can do. That is why there are so many of us here. Now let''s go inside to see the sick and speak with Baron Clofield."


    The Guard shot up and shouted at his colleagues to open the gates. Then, he personally ran in front of the carriage to guide them to the Baron immediately. But it was both Nelson and Sylvester''s decision to first look around the city and what they saw made their eyes bleed out.


    "This sort of luxury!" Count Bradley eximed while gritting his teeth. "While their entire Kingdom is dying a slow and painful death."


    "Wee to the real world." Sir Dolorem muttered. "Nobles are hated for a reason, and this is one of them."


    "Suchck of empathy."


    Even Chonky on Sylvester''s shoulder eximed in Sylvester''s ears. "Maxy, I think we can find a banana here. Everything is so shiny here."


    Sylvester couldn''t help but nod. There, right in front of them, was a city so decorated and refined that it looked like a well-polished doll house. There, the roads were made of fine stones, polished until light could reflect from them.


    The buildings were all neatly painted with matching colours, the roofs were all tiled, and various shops were full of meat, fruits and all the other things. Small carriages were moving around too, and the people wore expensive clothes made of the finest silk and cotton, fashioned to match the era. They allughed and spoke with each other as if everything outside was fine.


    ''This¡­ It''s like some sort of a social experiment. Are they just delusional? Or are they willfully avoiding facing the inevitable?'' Sylvester wondered while scratching his head.


    Bam!


    "Aaaa! Move these peasants out of my way!"


    Suddenly, a stagecoach hit Sylvester''s carriage from the side and broke the wheel. It created a loud noise.


    From inside the stagecoach came out a noblewoman screeching like a banshee. Her flowery silky, draped white body was stout and as hideous as it could be.


    "Take them away!"


    "Kill them!"


    She kept shouting for no apparent reason. Even though her carriage hit Sylvester''s, she attracted quite the crowd and eventually got the guards'' attention.


    "Take them! I want their heads!"


    Sylvester sighed and cursed his rotten luck, for nothing can ever go normally when it involves him. He nced at Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark.


    Woosh!


    Both the men took out their swords and shielded the Archbishop instead. Sir Dolorem roared. "Do not move forward, or we shall cut you for your heathenous activity. To dare threaten or harm an Archbishop of the Clergy is a sin unworthy of forgiveness!"


    "We have no Clergymen in our Nend Kingdom! We follow ourws, and none dare break them! I want their heads! Guards~"


    Sylvester''s brows creased as he instantly realised something. ''Good heavens, these fools didn''t just establish a new city but call it a country with self-governing rights. They''re just asking to be massacred by the church.''


    Thud!


    Thud!


    "Surrender, or die!" The soldiers followed the orders and started to surround Sylvester and the rest.


    At that, Sylvester nced back at the Archbishop and asked. "Your Grace, what should we do?"


    Archbishop Nelson raised his voice loudly. "For this is a newly found Kingdom, they have not ratified and signed the Holy Law of Light with the Holy Land. This means they do not fall under the Law of Non-interference. Not only that, they are viting Article 5A: Creating hindrance in the working of a clergyman.


    "But, above all, they forgot that the Sorrow Kingdom is in the State of Emergency. Hence applies, the State of Emergency Article 19 C, which gives power to any high-ranked clergyman the ability to decide the fate of any town-sized dwelling. Here, since they are also heathens, I am contemting enforcing a purge ¡ª Article 66!"


    [ANNOUNCEMENT: Thanks to all your support, this book has won the WSA 2022 Nomination Award. It''s not much, but it''s honest work tbh. Again, thank you all for your awesome support.]


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 Chapter 401 401. When Earth Breathes

    Sylvester took a second nce at the Archbishop after hearing him. Article 66 implied killing every living creature inside the town-sized city, including the kids and anyone innocent because they witnessed something sphemous.


    ''Let''s see. I can smell anger, rage and worship. But at the same time, I can smell lies, so something must be happening here.''


    As he looked at the Archbishop, he noticed the man was discreetly trying to wink at him. Sadly, it appeared the Archbishop had no idea how to wink, so he was just blinking both his eyes at the same time. At first, Sylvester subconsciously thought it was morse code since he had used it before, but then he remembered only he and Sir Dolorem knew it.


    ''Ah, so he wants me to fake it and get along.''


    He quickly raised his small sword sheathed on his waist and raised it high. "His grace, the Archbishop has given the orders. Article 66 is initiated, and everything near the city is to be killed ¡ª No mercy, for all of you havemented heresy! Priest Charles and Priest Leonardo, you may proceed by killing that filthy woman!"


    Panic instantly spread, and it became evident from the faces. There were not enough soldiers to take on someone of Sylvester and the rest''s rank. Not to mention, there was Count Bradley, who was also a powerhouse. While the nobles residing in the city were weak-minded people with no fighting experiences.


    Woosh!


    Sir Dolorem went ahead and swung his sword so fast the sound of the air cutting echoed aloud.


    Thud!


    The noblewoman''s head fell to the ground while her torso stood erect for a few seconds, spraying a fountain of blood. Then, it also fell down a little away from the head.


    That was it, the message was clear, and the rest of the nobles around them started to run away for their life. They screamed, trampled over themselves, and some well-ced runes by Sylvester ensured they tripped repeatedly.


    That way, even after five minutes, nobody had escaped, and they just epted their rotten luck and impending fate. Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark took their sweet time to move forward towards the rest of the crowd.


    Woosh!


    Another nobleman was beheaded. This was a man who shouted alongside the previous woman. It was clear that they were initially targeting only those who only called for the Archbishop''s murder. It was, after all, heresy.


    One after another, five nobles were killed. Only after that did a voice of reason resound from the crowd as a man pried his way to the front. The man was old, tall and looked quite strong with a heavy build.


    He fell beside the Archbishop''s feet and asked for forgiveness. "Forgive these fools, your grace. I, as the administrator of this city, apologise for the foolishness. I never wished to make this a separate nation, but to give these nobles a reason to stay, I had to do it. It was to give them a sense of individuality, that they were in control. They wished to live in willful ignorance. I merely provided the means. We are still servants of Solis, your grace."


    Archbishop Nelson coldly looked down at the man. "Then why should I not kill you as well? You are the source of heresy here, not them."


    "I¡­ I am Baron Clofield, and if my sacrifice saves them, please kill me, your grace." The man lowered his head to show his neck clearly.


    The Archbishop sneered and stepped back. "Then prove to me you''re not a heathen. Sing me any of the songs that the great Archbishop, the legendary Bard Sylvester Maximilian, wrote."


    "O'' mortal, basking in my warmth. The time hase to make an oath. I shall test your loyalty henceforth. Make the vow here; never will your faith waiver. I am him, I am you, I am everywhere¡­ I¡­ I am¡­" The Baron started to mumble as he couldn''t remember what came next.


    The Archbishop angrilypleted the hymn. "I am earth; I am the sky, I am air. My light reaches all, yet there remain heathens, Ruffians¡ªsinners no less than demons. Help condemn the godless to the dark abyss. It''s your pathway to eternal bliss. In your mind, etch this, for I am Solis."


    The Baron looked down in shame and didn''t speak any further. "I can try another one."


    "Silence! I expect nothing else from you if you can''t even remember this brilliant hymn. Now rise and lead me to your ce. I came here to see you specifically." The Archbishop ordered the Baron around like he was a child.


    "Y-Yes, your grace."


    The crowd was allowed to be dispersed after that, and they didn''t ask any more questions about it. They just ran away without asking any questions.


    The Baron brought the Archbishop and Sylvester to his house. It was not big, but not too small either. And it appeared to be a shop, not just a home. There were some nobles sitting outside the house by the various tables. They all had a ss of juice and some bread in front of them.


    "What is it that you do?" Sylvester asked the man.


    "I am not rich anymore, respected holy men. I used to own arge-scale transportation business for fruits and vegetables. But, now, I have nothing but this ship. I had to pay everything in bribes to the wretched men from the Patch for what I have now." The Baron Clofield exined as he led them inside the three-storey building.


    There, the Baron brought them to a balcony on the second floor and led them to sit by a table. Then the big man shouted some orders. "Amy! Bring the orange juices here!"


    nk!


    The sounds of some utensils being dropped echoed in the distance. A minuteter, a little ck-haired girl appeared, not more than nine years old. She carried a big tray with five sses and some tes on it. Of course, it was clear from her face that she was having difficulty doing it.


    Her sparkling blue eyes, full of life, and her struggling expressions gave the story of her life away clearly. She was certainly not the daughter of the Baron, so that meant she was some sort of a ve.


    "H-Here¡­ My Lord." She put the tray on the table with much effort since the table was nearly as high as her shoulder. She was short for her age, and her tiny hands were too small to hold the sses easily.


    Sylvester quickly took the tray and helped her. He was always soft on kids ever since he lost his own. "Hello there, little one. What''s your full name?"


    The girl looked at Sylvester''s face and seemed shocked. A blush appeared on her face since, after all, Sylvester carried the charm of an elf. She flustered, bowed her head and spoke in stutters. "I-I''m Amy Bemy¡­ I am nine years old and work here as a house help. It''s nice to meet you, sir."


    "Good girl." The Archbishop started to fawn at her already and patted her head. "Such a well-behaved girl. Where are your parents, little one?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    She nced at the Baron and lowered her head again, her eyes turning full of sorrow at the same time. "I¡­ They died when we came running here."


    Baron chimed in. "Her parents were close friends of mine, another Baron family. I was able to save her only."


    Sylvester nced back at the girl and felt something was off there. ''Why do I smell fear and anxiety? The Baron also smells of lies and fear.''


    Sylvester didn''t believe a word from the Baron''s mouth following that. He just waited to find out why the Archbishop wanted to find the Baron. What could the man have since there was nothing special about him?


    "Dear, I brought some snacks. Here, eat these and sit there." The Archbishop took out a small bag of cookies from his robes and handed it to the little girl.


    Then, the old man turned serious. The grandfatherly aura disappeared, and he stared into the Baron''s eyes. "Let''s get to the point. I know you have the most extensive spywork in the Sorrow Kingdom. I need some information, or else the gue that has just entered your Kingdom will swallow everything. You will die, along with your loved ones, this entire city ¡ª all of it. There is no cure, Baron."


    ''He has the biggest spywork?'' Sylvester was taken aback. The man looked so ordinary and useless, but at another thought, it made sense a man like that would hold such a secret identity.


    The Baron also turned serious. "What do you need? I heard about the gue and what happened in the Last Hay. I will help you at no cost."


    The Archbishop put forward a box. "This has the samples of the gue in it. We have learned that it holds Srium in it. This means the gue could be created by a wizard for some specific use. You do understand who would wish to spread such a gue here?"


    Baron Clofield looked at the box dangerously. "The Patch would not be foolish enough to do something like this. It''s too much, your grace. If they are found, it will bring the wrath of the Holy Land, Hignd, Riveria and Masan."


    Archbishop Nn put the box away and asked. "That is why I need you to find out if The Patch has anything to do with this gue. If they do, they likely have also created the cure."


    "I will use all my resources, your grace. If I find anything, I will send a word to you. Until then, I suggest you go to the Wailing City. It''s in ruins, but some royal family loyalists have gathered there. If you need allies, you''ll find them." Baron suggested.


    The Archbishop stood up just then. "Thank you, Baron. This will help us greatly. I will be visiting again in the future, so until then, be a good boy and don''t make any mistakes that might earn you a warm pyre."


    The Baron nearly sweated and looked down. "Y-Yes, your grace."


    The Baron knew how powerful the Archbishop was in the current situation as the emergency was imposed. So, he kept his head low and didn''t make problems with him.


    With that, their visit ended, and they all decided to leave.


    "Bye-bye." The little girl, Amy, waved her hand cutely while smiling widely.


    Sylvester did the same, but then he noticed something. "She''s limping on one side. Is her leg injured?''


    Ting!


    "YOU! You broke another te!" The Baron roared as the sound of a te falling came.


    Amy cried and defended herself. "I didn''t touch it, my lord."


    "Then h¡ª!"


    Words returned to everyone''s mouths as they all noticed something. It became hard to stay standing, the whole house started shaking, and things started to fall down left and right. Cracks appeared on the walls, and the roof slowly started to fall apart.


    Bam!


    Thud!


    Things fell all around them, and the mess only increased as the earth shook more violently.


    Sylvester and the rest were near the house door, so they picked Amy up and ran out to the open area quickly. As they reached there, they saw the destruction. Houses had fallen apart as if they were made of ss. Roads were cracked as if there were ravines for eons.


    The Archbishop cursed and teared up for the people. "The hell just became an inferno. Where will the poor go? Where will the poor live? Why such hardships has the Lord decided to give?"


    Sir Dolorem also felt sorrowful. "None can fight nature. And when earth breaths¨C"


    Sylvester finished. "The world shatters!"


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 402 402. Sylvester Makes A Move

    It was a massive earthquake, the likes of which had never been seen before by anyone. There were only ancient records of the old times telling the stories of ruinous earthquakes that created valleys instantly and easily devoured entire cities.


    Rivers were created, and some were stopped. That was the power of nature, and nobody could do anything about it. A Supreme Wizard could, in theory, but why would they? Even the old and wise Supreme Wizards understand the repercussions of disturbing a process of nature.


    If it''s something good, it''s inevitable. And if it''s something destructive, it''s inevitable too. One may be able to dy it, but the inevitable always happens.


    The cries and screams of the scared and the injured spread around the Dying City. The rich, the powerful and the nobles who felt fulfilled in life not long ago were dying left and right. It was yet again a reminder that one''s worldly possessions do not matter, for you can die at any time, and in the end, you are meant to be one with the very nature itself as your body burns on the pyre.


    "This is disastrous. There were already so many refugees, and after this, I don''t think there will be any monastery left to serve as a free kitchen or a house to shelter people. This might have destroyed even the refugee camps. Oh, Solis, have mercy on these poor souls," Archbishop Nelson prayed while looking at the sky.


    The even worse part was that it was already night, so the rescue efforts needed a lot of time to begin, even if someone was interested in rescuing the people. At the moment, no powerful nobles were left in the Sorrow Kingdom. It was just swarming with the goons and soldiers from The Patch.


    Sylvester nced at Count Bradley. "My lord, this is the time to call in your troops if you truly want to help these people."


    The Count nodded instantly and nced at the Archbishop to ask for permission. "Your Grace, permit me to lead the rescue work. In such situations, the first three days are the most important; so many people can be stuck in rubble."


    "No, you will cause bloodshed. Your bloodthirst will make you use your army at any inconvenience. You will start a major war instead of saving anyone." The Archbishop denied it instantly.


    "I give you my word, your grace. I will keep my bloodlust in check. I will report to you bi-weekly. Let me use my soldiers for this noble task. This is what I wish for. This is what I require." The Count nearly pleaded with the old Archbishop.


    There were not many options for any of them, and they needed manpower if they desired to help the people. They could not rely on The Patch''s forces, for they were the transgressors.


    Eventually, Archbishop Nelson had to relent and allow it. "How many soldiers do you have?"


    "I can muster an army of five thousand in an instant. Just give me the word and the permission to fly the Holy Land''s g on my forces." The Count asked.


    The Archbishop looked conflictingly at the prospect of someone as uncontroble as the Count flying the g of the Church. "You are not your men. You may be able to control yourself, but if they do something and make a mess, the name of the Holy Land will be tarnished. No, only you may fly the g of the Church, but not your armies. If theymit any heresy, they shall be judged as heretics."


    Thud!


    The Count saluted stiffly. "Understood, your grace. I shall return to the county and gather the men. Please be safe until then."


    In no time, the mean and strong-looking Count galloped away on his horse amidst the rubble lying here and there. The houses were still slowly falling apart, however, as the aftershocks were many and varied in strength.


    Sylvester nned for a few things from his point of view as well. He was, after all, the most influential clergyman in the entire Sorrow Kingdom at the moment. Although nobody knew him, he knew a single signed letter from him could do a lot of change.


    "Your grace, I, Priest Charles and Priest Leonardo, will try to rescue people still stuck in the rubble. We will bring them here and set up a field hospital." Sylvester told the old man in a way that seemed like a suggestion.


    "Go, I''m too old to do something here actively. Instead, I will try to heal the wounded." The Archbishop quickly sent them away and returned to the most inflicted area.


    Alone, Sylvester nced at the two clergymen with a severe face. "I will go to some secluded ce and write a few letters. I suspect the earthquake has ravaged thends from here to far in the south. This is quite a tragedy, but at the same time, an opportunity. If we y the cards right, we can surely take over the entire Kingdom and kick out any influence of the Patch with one move. But first, I must contact his Holiness."


    "You may go, Priest Johnathan. We will find you again in an hour." Sir Dolorem affirmed and left with Bishop Lazark.


    Sylvester moved into a secluded district and found a house still standing. The house was empty since the residents had most likely run away, so he entered and sat by a table to write the two letters.


    He dedicated the first letter to the top Inquisitor in the region, the Inquisitor General. The man was themander of the Inquisitor forces that were still left in the region. Meanwhile, there was no remaining Holy Army anymore, as they had no work to do.


    Sylvester stamped his seal on it and started to write. "This is Archbishop Sylvester Maximilian of the Holy Land, famously called the Bard of the Lord. I am the Special Judge for the Sorrow Kingdom and responsible for administering justice. I am giving a holy order to the Inquisition to spread around the Sorrow Kingdom and carry out relief work. In times of Emergency, we must ensure people get our help, so they remember to pray to the Lord.


    "Keep your men in check. Ensure they refrain from doing something that would force me to judge them. If any issue arises, address the letter in my name and hand it to the Holy Land''s special running men. May the Holy Light Enlighten us!"


    Sylvester stamped the letter close with the wax seal and put it in another envelope. Then, he started writing another letter, but this one was in the name of the Pope.


    [Letter]


    Your Holiness, I am saddened and pained to inform you that the situation in the Sorrow Kingdom is beyond dire. The people live in misery, and the heathens of The Patch are killing, raping and piging to their heart''s content. It''s all happening under the supervision of one of the Grand Wizards of the Patch.


    A strong earthquake has ravaged thends here, worsening the situation. The people lost whatever was left; many dead stilly under the rubble. Be it children, the old or the youngsters; all have suffered immensely. So, in this state of Emergency, for the first time in history, I demand to use the Special Powers Act under the Emergency Powers of the Holy Land. With it, we shall have the entire Kingdom under the Holy Land''s administration.


    Once that happens, I will be legally allowed to kick out and kill all the heathens and the attackers from The Patch openly. They shall be unable to fight us, for our cause for initiating the Special Powers Act will be justified in the name of a natural cmity from an act of God.


    I also suspect a gue is spreading in the Sorrow Kingdom, and it''s magical in nature. It could be manmade or not. That is yet to be confirmed. However, I need wizard healers in numbers here, and at the same time, I hope that you shall ponder on the possibility of granting me the temporary rank of Cardinal Suprima of this entire Kingdom.


    May the Holy Light Enlighten us.


    Archbishop Sylvester Maximilian.


    [Letter End]


    Sylvester finished the letter and put a few gue samples in a small strong ss box in the package. He sealed everything and then handed it over to the special running men for the Holy Land.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Unfortunately, Sylvester knew that getting a reply would likely take nearly a month. So, he had no way but to make decisions on his own for the time being.


    ¡­


    Sylvester and the rest travelled around the city and helped whoever they could. They healed anyone they found and helped the local soldiers to establish order. Sadly, sensing the opportunity, a gang of Widowmakers tried to enter the city, but Sylvester and the rest quickly killed them all.


    The open-field hospital was full and focused on healing as many people as possible.


    "Miraj, how much grain do you still have?" Sylvester asked his best cat friend on his shoulder.


    Miraj thought about it for a long time. "Umm¡­ I have big bags, many of them."


    "How many?"


    Miraj started to use his paw to count, but sadly his paw could only count to six. "Ummm¡­ I have eight thousand bags!"


    "..."


    "Why did you count on the paw?"


    Miraj shyly looked away. "I just tried to act like you. Isn''t this how people count every time?"


    Sylvester sighed and patted Chonky before moving to the field kitchen. Yes, he sometimes felt that Mirajcked empathy towards humans, but when he thought about it, he understood that Miraj had no real reason to be empathetic toward a human. After all, he lived in istion his whole life.


    So with the n ready, Sylvester dumped a thousand bags of grains and decided to make a water porridge and some bread for the townspeople. Since even more refugees kepting from outside, the city soon had a poption of twelve thousand, jumping from two thousand.


    "Priest Charles, use this," Sylvester said, speaking with Sir Dolorem and handing over a bag of grains.


    "Where did you bring all of that from?" The Archbishop asked in amazement.


    Sylvester merely smiled and showed a tiny sample of his space ability. It was the best way to make his strange ability to make things appear legitimate. On top of that, the news was yet to spread that he could use space magic.


    Thud!


    Another sack of rice fell on the floor. "Like this, your grace. I can luckily use this sort of magic."


    The Archbishop, with an agape jaw, looked at Sylvester''s hands. "T-That''s brilliant! This is God''s gift! You ca¡ª"


    Boom!


    Thud!


    "Duck down! Fast! It''s another earthquake!" Sylvester and the rest shouted instantly as the earth shook.


    Woosh!


    But, no more shaking of the ground came, and at the entry to the field hospital, a man appeared in ck robes. His face was clear, white as the snow. His eyes were glowing red, and his nails were long, curving into a w. His ck hair was long, falling far back to his waist.


    The man did not stop, no matter how much the guards tried to stop him. Every step he took oozed strength, absolute power and overwhelming pride.


    "I''m back, Archbishop!"


    Archbishop Nelson''s face went pale and blue simultaneously as if he had forgotten how to breathe. "W-Why are you here? Haven''t you already ruined thisnd enough? Have some mercy on them!"


    The man in the ck robes scoffed and spoke menacingly. "To show mercy is a sign of weakness. Strong eats the weak. That''s thew of the world."


    The Archbishop secretly winked at Sylvester and tried to announce the enemy''s status.


    "Then why have youe here, Vind Markinson, Grand Wizard of The Patch?"


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 403 403. The Dark Side

    With a mind alert and a body primed for action, Sylvester stood at the ready, poised to engage in battle if the situation necessitated it. Yet, he maintained hisposure, refraining from initiating any action that might provoke his adversary.


    Despite being cognizant that his actions were pushing the limits of tolerance, he hoped that the Grand Wizard would exhibit the intelligence toprehend the consequences of causing harm to a clergy member who held the exalted position of Archbishop. Such an act would be akin to stirring up a ho''s nest.


    Vind Markinson, with an air of disdain, dismissed Archbishop Nelson''s concerns with a dismissive wave of his hand, conjuring in an instant a throne of sturdy stone behind him, upon which he crossed his legs and assumed a calm and collected demeanour. "I harbour no ill intentions towards you, Archbishop Nelson. On the contrary, my sole purpose here today is to inform you of our decision to cease all of our strategic activities within the confines of the Sorrow Kingdom in the aftermath of the turbulent storm wrought by the recent earthquake," he stated, his voice measured andposed.


    Archbishop sneered at the man''s calm words. "You have no shame, that I always knew. Youck every speck of humanity, now I''ve seen. You call your spree of destruction ''strategic'' actions? Just say what you want and leave, heathen!"


    The Grand Wizard looked annoyed, evident by the frown on his face.


    Woosh!


    Abruptly, he stood up and walked closer to the Archbishop slowly. "You have a loud mouth for someone so weak. You were banished by the church to here, so I suggest you remain within your limits."


    Archbishop Nelson didn''t act scared and stared into Vind''s eyes coldly. "It appears your age and strength did not bring wisdom with it. I may have been sent here as repercussions, but don''t forget they can always use my death to bring their fury upon you and your people¡­ Argh!"


    Vind was tall, more than six feet tall. He didn''t look old either, so he was likely in his prime. Meanwhile, Archbishop Nelson was an old man in thest leg of his life.


    Vind vanished from his spot and appeared right in front of the Archbishop. He clutched Nelson''s throat and raised him in the air easily. "Don''t push it, old fool. Is dying really worth it?"


    "Is killing me worth losing your entire Duchy?" Archbishop retorted.


    Vind''s hand trembled, and his brows twitched involuntarily. Without dy, he gently ced the esteemed Archbishop back on the ground and proceeded to depart with an air of haughty dignity. "Let it be known that the Grand Duchy of the Patch shall not meddle in this affair for a span of one month. We shall neither offer aid nor obstruct your noble endeavours. After all, you have a gue to fight, too," he dered with measured solemnity.


    Sylvester stepped forward at that moment and asked brazenly. "You caused it, didn''t you? The gue was made and started by the Patch?"


    Boom!


    With a short sh of dark luminescence emanating from his palm, Vind unleashed a forceful blow upon Sylvester, propelling him several inches away. Seething with fury, Vind strode forward towards him.


    "You insipid scoundrel," he spat venomously. "How dare you besmirch the noble reputation of my homnd! If I were to terminate your miserable existence at this very moment, it would be well-deserved retribution. No one would raise a finger for a mere priest."


    Vind''s eyes glimmered with a malevolent gleam as he towered over Sylvester. The air was thick with tension as if a storm was brewing. Sylvester felt his heart pounding in his chest as he struggled to regain his bearings.


    He knew that he had to be cautious in his next move. He could not let Vind''s words get to him, nor could he let his guard down.


    Sylvester held himself back and kept his light magic at bay. He could feel that the strange dark-coloured magic that Vind used was the Darkness element. He had nevere face to face with the element before, but now, he realised the advantage he had over darkness. He felt no pain from Vinnd''s attack, just a simple push.


    ''Was that a strong attack? Or did he not intentionally hurt me?'' Sylvester wondered.


    But he didn''t push it as he didn''t want to risk exposing himself. He needed to make a list of all the heathens first to kill them all in one go.


    "Are you sure about that?" Sylvester asked while looking at Vind. He was not interested in anything with him, however. He had already gotten the answers through the scents. "I may not be a higher clergyman, but you should know that the Church is merely looking for one excuse toe after you. So tell me, can you fight off the entire Inquisition, the entire Guardians of Light order, the Pope, and the Saint Sceptre? I don''t think you can."


    Vind gnashed his dentition; his cranium suffused with veins, and his irises aze with an unprecedented crimson hue. ck spheres of fire suddenly manifested in his palms as he simmered with incensed animosity and fixed his scorching gaze unwaveringly upon Sylvester.


    "You¡­ Archbishop Nelson, you sure did attract an insect simr to you. Young priest, you just made an enemy out of me. Be sure to watch your back from now on." Vind threatened him before moving away and walking the same path he had arrived.


    Sylvester didn''t speak it loud but did think of something. ''Ah, wee to the club then.''


    The menacing, overwhelming sense in the air vanished after a few minutes, and Sylvester felt much more rxed. He nced at the Archbishop and tried to check on the old man. "Are you alright, your grace?"


    "Yes, I am fine, young priest. But I must say, you should not have said that to him. Now, he will make it his life''s mission to send all the Widowmakers against you. He is a very petty man and won''t forget what just happened." Archbishop warned him.


    Sylvester shrugged. "There are people in the Holy Land who wish that I did not live, so I don''t believe this will be that much of a hindrance. Let''s just do our work in the name of the Lord, Your Grace. If our worship is true, the lord will never let any scoundrel harm us."


    "Spoken like a true faithful. Come, we have many to heal."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Following the short meeting with the Grand Wizard of the Patch, everyone returned to work. In two days, as per Sylvester''s orders, the Inquisitor General made his moves and sent the Inquisitors all around the Sorrow Kingdom. Since Sylvester never revealed where he was or what he was looking like in disguise, the old Inquisitor general could not find him specifically.


    With the arrival of Inquisitors, Sylvester and the Archbishop became free to travel down south to the Wailing City. They wished to find the remaining royal family loyalists, and since Sylvester knew that the princess was alive somewhere, he wanted to startying the foundation already.


    Sadly, while they moved along the way to the South, they had to stop in every vige, sometimes in the middle of nowhere. Where used to be roads, now were many deep ravines. It was dangerous to travel at night, and it was excruciatingly hot during the day.


    "Sir, please! Anything will do!"


    As they passed by one of the many little viges, men, women and kids ran after their small carriage with hope in their eyes. Dirt on their bodies had dried, their skin was cracked, and some traces of dried blood were spread all over them.


    All viges were refugee camps at that point in time. Where Sylvester and the rest arrived was the closest to Wailing City, but that also meant they were too close to Mount Eternal, which was a volcano that spewedva out at all times but slowly like a river.


    It was inhumanly warm in the region; hence the state of the refugees was even worse. They were not only thin but suffering from many skin diseases.


    "Let''s rest in this vige." Sylvester decided, seeing the state of the people. Because as far as he remembered, it made no sense to open a camp there. So there was bound to be something going on in the background.


    When he got off, he spoke with Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark. "I want you two to investigate. Change into ordinary clothes and look around. Be careful; there could be some undercover agents of the Patch. Kill them if you find any. The Grand Wizard threatened me; that''s a sin in itself. I''m justified to take any and every action against them now."


    Thud!


    Thud!


    "Look! It''s here!"


    "Come quick!"


    Just as they were getting off their carriage, suddenly, all the refugees started running towards the entrance of what used to be their vige. The entire vige, crowds of hundreds, ran at the same time.


    "What''s going on?" Sylvester wondered and looked.


    "Trade convoy." Archbishop Nelson muttered. "Observe everything carefully if you wish to see the true depth of how rotten humanity can be."


    Sylvester, interestedly, silently watched everything from the carriage. He saw it all from a higher point of view and noticed the crowds surrounding not the dozens of carriagesing there but the mening out of the convoy.


    All the iing men wore decent clothes and looked clean. It was evident they had the money and the pull to be trading in that region.


    "Wait¡­!" Sylvester held back what he was about to say.


    Right before his eyes, he saw men from trade convoys pulling women of their choice away and entering a small house or shack in the camp. Some even took two women, and some didn''t spare the young ones. The men also sold themselves to whoever they could, or simply worked to entertain the guests by wrestling in front of them or juggling something.


    Slowly, some minutes passed, and the men who entered the small shacks started toe out tying their clothes back. Behind them came out women with dishevelled clothes, counting a few bronze coins.


    As they appeared outside, their kids ran up to them to hug them. Meanwhile, the men from the trade convoy simply went to rest or find another woman. It was sickening and disgusting, but it was the dark side of humanity.


    Sylvester sighed and rxed back on the carriage seat. Beside him, Archbishop had the same reaction as he spoke. "This is the truth, young priest. This world is full of darkness, and humans have a high innate desire to survive no matter what.


    "Here, in the Sorrow Kingdom, everything sells, be it bodies, flesh or dignity. Mothers sell themselves for their children. Men sell themselves for their families, and children are not children here but mindless weak tools. This is cancer, this is malignity and here exists nothing such as human dignity."


    ________________________


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 404 404. Lets Collect Donations

    Sylvester did not react shocked. He already knew that he''d find situations like these. He had seen simr things in his previous life as well. Any wartorn country had such conditions. Humanity had the ability to do the worst and, at the same time, be the kindest. But, thetter was rarer than the first.


    "In our case, there isn''t much we can do to help them either," Sylvester concluded and just saw the filthy transactions take ce. There was now; there was no god. All that was there was a facade.


    Archbishop Nelson sighed and got down from the carriage, and started walking towards a group of kids that were too young to partake in anything that was going on there. They simply saw their parents go around.


    They were wary of the Archbishop at first, but when the old man took out what looked like sweet candies, they all swarmed him like bees. They gathered around him and held onto his leg. Some tried to climb him up as well since the old man was too tall.


    "Hoho, strong ones, aren''t you?" The Archbishop rested down on the ground and started to distribute the candies to all of them. They were all malnourished, and their heads looked bigger than their bodies. It was not a sight that any man would want to see, but it was something they had to ept.


    Sylvester also arrived near the kids and, with Miraj''s help, took out many bananas because that was what Miraj kept with him most of the time in huge numbers. He did it begrudgingly, but since it was for the kids, Miraj did it.


    "Who wants the bananas?" Sylvester asked and started handing one to each of them.


    The kids didn''t have much strength to peel it all though, so Sylvester had to help them as well. They were on the verge of dying, and there was not enough medicine to help them. What they needed was food and care, and sadly, that was thest thing they could find there.


    "What do you want to do, your grace?" Sylvester asked the old man who allowed the kids to y with his long white beard and hair. He was having too much fun and seemed like a genuine grandfatherly man.


    Nelson nced back at Sylvester, his eyes slightly watery and his voice turned hoarse. "This isn''t why I joined the Holy Land, Priest. I desired peace, love and kindness everywhere. I desired equality and quality of life, a world without wars¡­ This shatters my heart."


    "For how long have you tried to make things better here?" Sylvester inquired as he smelled an intense scent of foul rotten meat, signifying sadness.


    The old man, showing not an ounce of disgust, wiped the faces of the kids as they were dirty. He used his magic and his own church robes as towels. "Half a century ago, I made my way to this despondent domain known as the Sorrow Kingdom. Initially, my aspirations were lofty, but as time progressed, I began to acknowledge the stark reality. After the Duke of the Patch''s insurrection, the situation in the Sorrow Kingdom plummeted sharply. The Patch annexed all the arablend, and widespread famine became amonce urrence."


    The venerable Archbishop heaved a deep sigh and continued to tend to the children under his care. "I did everything in my power to handle the situation. But what could a mere banished Archbishop achieve against entire kingdoms? I endeavoured to alleviate suffering and cure those afflicted, but ultimately, my efforts depleted me of all vitality due to Srium exhaustion. Despite my abundant talent, I could never rise above the rank of Archwizard. I attempted to gain the trust of King Sorrow and provide him with sound counsel, but the insatiable thirst of the Patch was too much for me to appease. Now, we witness the grim dance of death consuming the young ones.


    "I cannot help but feel that I have failed, young man. I failed in my duty, and I failed Solis, as I could not spread his message of peace and harmony. If only I could receive a sign or some indication that I have followed the correct path, I could depart this life in a state of tranquillity."


    Sylvester rested in silence for a few minutes. He could feel what the old man was going through. Chasing a goal without knowing if you were on the right path to achieve it was something that could make people go mentally unstable. And there was the Archbishop still with all the love and warmth, trying to help those he could.


    ''What did he do to be ignored and sent to the Sorrow Kingdom?'' He wondered.


    Thud!


    "Priest Johnathan, we found him."


    Suddenly, Bishop Lazark and Sir Dolorem arrived in their disguised forms and threw a man beside Sylvester''s feet. The man was tall with a big belly, bald on the head, white-skinned and with a face that only a mother could love, for his teeth were rotten, his nose was half chopped away, and many scars were as hideous as they could be.


    Sylvester didn''t let the man get up and stomped his foot on his chest. "Who is he?"


    "He is the administrator of this camp here appointed by the Patch. Heathen! Speak of your crimes, or we shall skin you alive and feed it to you." Sir Dolorem introduced the man and threatened him at the same time.


    Interested, Sylvester pressed on the man''s chest harder. "What did you do? Speak, or the Archbishop here shall execute you immediately, for he holds the authority."


    The man rambled everything out before Sylvester could even press his feet more. Loyalty didn''t run very strong among the men of the Patch, it appeared.


    "I am a mere administrator of this little camp. I am to run this ce. That was all the instructions I was given. I get no money to run this ce, as the money sent towards me gets taken and distributed among the seniors. I have to make money here, so I use whatever means I have. Since the vige sits on the trading route, I let these people earn money."


    Crunch!


    Sylvester pressed further on the chest, creating the sound of bones breaking. "Is that so? Then why are they still poor? Why are these children still starving?"


    nk!


    Sir Dolorem inched the de of his sword closer to the man''s neck. "Say it!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "I¡­ I take eighty percent of the money they earn¡­ and they must buy their own food, which is so costly that they have to earn for two months to afford one week''s ration. T-That is why they are like t-t¡­ Argh! Please! I was jus¨C"


    Before Sylvester could do anything else, Archbishop Nelson pulled Sylvester away and stomped on the man''s neck in his stead. The man''s eyes turned red in rage, and his voice shattered in seething anger. "You are nothing but a lowly, insolent heathen! Even in the midst of this dire crisis, you prioritise your own interests over the lives of innocent souls. Do you not possess an iota of fear for the divine? Can you not feel their immense suffering?"


    Blood oozed out of the man''s mouth as his ribs punctured into his lungs from the immense force. The Archbishop, who seemed like a sage not a while back, now seemed like a god of war.


    Thud!


    In no time, his entire foot caved into the man''s chest and burst through the chest, spreading a sight of gore. There were kids, men and women around too, but they didn''t react, for the blood was a sight all toomon for them.


    "Such heathens deserve not a single more breath in our realm. Priest Johnathan, go and find all the money he had and buy food for these poor souls. I shall call forth an Inquisitor Commander to oversee the camp from now on." Archbishop Nelson ordered.


    Sylvester yed his part and went ahead with the orders. Furthermore, he added the name of the entire Grand Duchy of Patch''s administration to his kill list. After all, he had seen many such refugee camps, and they were all under Patch''s control.


    He looked inside thevish house and office of the dead man and found all the money he could. On top of the money he found, he put a few more Gold Graces out of his own pocket in the same bag.


    Tap!


    As Sylvester was tying up the bag of money, a tiny fluffy paw stopped him. "Maxy, I also give some from my pocket money. Kiddies need help, so I help."


    Sylvester nced at Miraj sitting on his arm. "Are you sure, Chonky?"


    "Aye Aye, Maxy. I got enough to buy more bananas. They need this money more than me." Miraj replied, looking saner than ever before. "I didn''t like those kiddies. They looked like skeletons. I thought they were Laz-Laz''s undead."


    Sylvester took ten Gold Graces from Miraj and put them in the bag too. "You don''t need to do this, Chonky. But now that you are, I appreciate it. I may not be a good person and do believe in conquering at all costs, but even I draw the line here. Killing the poption of an entire kingdom for my selfish greed is not my cup of tea. Spies have no honour, but I am more than a spy now."


    Tap!


    Miraj climbed near Sylvester''s face and patted his cheeks. "Of course, you''re also my son. I adopted you. Did you forget?"


    Sylvester chuckled and walked out of thevish office. "Well, I guess you did adopt me. Without you, growing up in that ce would have been boring. Anyway, let''s finish our plotting soon and start reaping the benefits. Once we''re done with this kingdom, I will go and learn metal maniption."


    "Aye aye¡­ But can''t we just feed everyone in this kingdom?" Miraj asked. "How much money do we need for that? I got lots of it."


    Sylvester hummed and calcted the numbers. "Let me see¡­ Since the Sorrow Kingdom has a poption of around sixty-eight million, we need to provide at least two loaves of bread daily to feed all of them. One loaf of bread costs three Copper Muds, which makes it four hundred and eight million copper muds. That''s almost four hundred and eight thousand Silver Crowns or Four thousand and eighty Gold Graces. This is just for one day, so multiplying it by a month makes it one hundred and twenty-two thousand Gold Graces. That''s a lot of money, Chonky."


    Thud!


    All of a sudden, the sound of something falling resounded. Sylvester looked behind, and there was Chonky fallen from his shoulder on the hard stone floor of thevish house. Chonky''s eyes seemed hazy, and he remained on his back.


    "Hah, was that too much calction for you?" He asked and picked his fluffy friend up.


    Miraj grumpily nodded. "Maxy, let''s just go and steal it!"


    Sylvester smirked, somewhat evilly. "Oh, my dear Chonky. You meant to say ''Donation'' in the name of the lord?"


    Miraj''s eyes sparkled. "YES! Donation!"


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 Chapter 405 405. The Ebony City

    Sylester''s n to collect the donations was good, but it needed much work toe to fruition. Firstly, he needed to find the whales and check how to ess their coffers. That required time and some intelligence gathering. Thankfully, he knew their next destination would provide him with all the needed intel.


    With the money, Sylvester went to the Archbishop again. But to his amazement, the man was without his robes. He just wore pants and was cooking something on a giant fire in a huge pot.


    He roared various hymns that Sylvester wrote, and his beard and hair fluttered like a madman, but surprisingly the people jumped around the fire and cheered him on. It was like some barbarian festival was going on.


    The old man stood tall in front of a massive fire pit, his long white beard swaying in the heat of the mes. The colossal container he was cooking porridge in was just as impressive, standing as tall as two men and wide enough to fit a whole horse inside.


    The old man smiled at people, his eyes twinkling with excitement. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he stirred the bubbling mixture inside the container, the steam rising to his face. He took a deep breath, inhaling the delicious scent mixed with the rich aroma of fresh milk and honey. The crowd gasped in anticipation, their mouths watering at the thought of tasting the magical porridge.


    As he continued stirring, the old man began to chant in anguage none other than wizards could understand: runes. His voice echoed through the air, and suddenly, the mes grew higher, dancing wildly around him. The crowd stepped back in awe, watching the porridge glow in a soft golden sheen.


    Woosh!


    With one final stir, the old man turned off the fire, and the container began to cool down. He beckoned the crowd forward, and they gathered around him eagerly, each holding a bowl out in anticipation. He scooped out generous portions of the porridge and handed it to the people. Everyone got plenty, and the kids got a little extra with some chunks of meat.


    They all took a spoonful and closed their eyes in delight, savouring the delicious vours that danced on their tongues.


    Atst, Sylvester also came with a bowl and took a bite. It was a simple vegetable, rice and meat porridge. There were also some spices since the people of the south loved spices more. Of course, it was nothing magical, but after a long day of work, and in the case of the people, after long months of starvation, the simple porridge was like god''s gift.


    "Where did you get all these ingredients from, your grace?" Sylvester asked the old man.


    Archbishop Nelson showed his thumb and winked with both eyes as that was all he knew. "I bought it all from the traders."


    "Bought? You had that much money?" Sylvester inquired in wonder. Because, as far as he knew, the Archbishop was poor to the point he could not even get new robes.


    Nelson chuckled as he replied. "I''m not wealthy, but Count Bradley is. He permitted me to use his noble seal to settle the bills. Truly, a great man he is."


    "What''s his story? All the way in the Duchy of Colorwood in the north, I have heard of his devilish deeds. The story of his inhumane treatment of the refugees and his abuse of ves to the point they die ¡ª such stories are far toomon." Sylvester asked him.


    The Archbishop wagged his head reluctantly and declined to expound excessively on the matter. "The rumours, I must confess, were not entirely without merit. However, it is crucial to remember that circumstances alter cases, and this particr individual has undergone a profound transformation. Time has brought a sea change in his desires, aspirations, and outlook. No longer does he covet the vanities of this world; his heart is now consumed with a desire to alleviate the suffering of his fellow beings and spread joy and goodwill wherever he goes. If you seek a more detailed ount, then I''m afraid you must consult the man himself, as it is a deeply personal matter that I am not at liberty to divulge."


    ''What is it that they''re not sharing?'' Sylvester was deeply interested as he wished to gather as much information as possible before going along with one of his many ns. He needed to count any variables or issues that could ariseter.


    "S-Sir¡­"


    Suddenly, a young little boy came to Sylvester and pulled his sleeves. They had finished eating their food, so all the kids were sitting and watching Sylvester and Archbishop Nelson talking.


    "Yes, you need something?" Sylvester politely asked the kid.


    Hesitantly but slowly, gathering the courage, the boy looked left and right at his friends first. All of them were nodding at him, clearly revealing they had made the boye forward to ask whatever they wanted.


    "C-Can¡­ Sir, can we have more food?" The chubby-faced, likely five-year-old boy with dirty brown hair and patched clothes asked.


    Sylvester looked at the big bowls of food they had already eaten. "Are you still hungry? But you just ate so much."


    The boy looked down and clutched his hands on his shirt. "We¡­ We want to keep the food for tomorrow. Just a little will do, sir."


    Sylvester''s shoulder instantly rxed, and a sigh left his mouth. He ruffled the boy''s hair and sent him away. "Don''t worry. You will have food every day from now on. The bad people will note to hurt you anymore."


    "Really?" The boy chirped. It meant the world to him. Not having to sleep with a hungry stomach was something no less than a grace from god.


    "Look at their faces. They should explore life, study, and learn new things at this age. But here they are, having to worry about getting food." The Archbishop mumbled, displeasure and disappointment evident in his voice.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Sylvester tried to ignore the old man''s charitable rambling. He felt terrible for the people but could not lose his focus on the target. He had too much at stake as Kaecilius prepared to start his ve rebellion in Riveria. He had to first douse the mes in the Sorrow Kingdom and then meet with King Hignd.


    "There is no instant solution to this, your grace. We can only move on and try to find one, but there is always uncertainty. That''s what life is. I''m no sage, but I know what''s urring here is wrong, and one day, they will have to answer to a judge, be it in the world of the living or the dead, but one thing is certain, all their deeds matter, and all their sins count." Sylvester tried to cheer up the man and finished eating up. It was time to head to the Wailing City next.


    The Archbishop sighed and stood up to leave as well. "You speak well, priest. We must fight this darkness and never allow it to reign over our blessed minds. The path of Solis is the one eternal true path. As Lord Bard once said in his hymns, ''Rise not your swords but your voice. To help one or to hurt it''s always a choice. For every action, there is a price. So strive to do what shall make the Lord rejoice.''"


    Sylvester felt somewhat awkward since he had never met someone so overzealous about his hymns. The man randomly starts chanting them and even uses them in his speeches.


    ''It''s hard to assess him. He smells of worship at all times, but on the other hand, he has rage suppressed inside his mind. He has extreme anger outbursts, and that''s not the sort of person I want following me.''


    "Indeed, your grace. I like his hymns. They spread the message so well in a ptable fashion. His hymns are memorable, and I''m sure all those who read them remember them, no matter the means." Sylvester replied, a bit narcissistically, however. "Let''s proceed to the Wailing City now."


    "Let''s do that."


    With that, they got in their carriage in the middle of the afternoon, when the sun was at its peak, and the heat was ready to burn everything in sight. Thankfully, being wizards, they had a plethora of magical means to keep themselves and their horses cool.


    So they bid farewell to the vige once the Inquisitor Commander arrived to oversee the refugees. Of course, one hundred strong Inquisitor soldiers also came to ensure order was maintained.


    The Inquisitors knew the price of corruption and that they''d always get the harsher punishment for betraying the church''s trust. So they were the least likely to harm the people.


    Soon, with Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark having gone ahead on the path on separate horses to check the road conditions, Sylvester and the Archbishop left the small vige. Sadly, it was not thest vige on their path, as there were some more refugee camps that hade into existence, one worse than the other. Unfortunately, it was impossible to help them all, so with a heavy heart, they kept on moving.


    Soon enough, the carriage rattled along the dusty path, its wooden wheels creaking with each jolt. As they rounded a bend, a dark and foreboding sight greeted them. In the distance, a volcano towered above thendscape, its fiery mouth spewing molten rock and ash. The sky above was a deep crimson, the setting sun''s light filtered through the thick smoke and haze.


    As they made their way, it slowly turned darker, and the night dawned upon them. They rushed their horses, as the location, the darkness and the deadly volcano were bound to spawn some nasty creatures of the night. But they still could not look away from the volcano. Its presence was overwhelming, and the heat radiating from its mouth was suffocating.


    As they drew nearer, they could see the devastation brought by the volcano''s fury. ckened treesy strewn across thendscape, their twisted branches reaching out like skeletal hands. The ground was scorched and cracked, and the air smelled of sulphur and ash.


    Eventually, Mount Eternal got left behind as Sylvester and the Archbishop arrived near Wailing City, thest actual city in the Sorrow Kingdom where some sense could still be made, albeit in its rundown condition.


    "Where to, your grace?" Sylvester asked before they reached the gates of the city. It was apletely walled city, though the walls were all ck as if burned.


    "To the monastery," the Archbishop ordered.


    So Sylvester moved the carriage into the city. Only two guards were at the gates, and they seemed toozy to check them after they saw their clergy robes.


    "Was there a fire?" Sylvester inquired as he noticed the buildings in the city were all ck too.


    "No, this is its original form, the reason why this city is also called Ebony City. The buildings here are made of Volcano stones, which are ck and durable, as they don''t melt inva. In fact, the royal pce is surrounded by a moat made ofva. We''re heading there, as the monastery is inside the castle."


    Sylvester''s interest reached cloud nine as he expected to see a Bright Mother soon and utilise his months of hard work.


    However, when they reached the castle, Sylvester felt a strange deja-vu.


    ''Wait¡­ I''ve seen this ce before.''


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 Chapter 406 406. In The Vipers Nest

    p¦Á§ád¦Á`no¦Í?1`§ão§® ''I''ve seen this ce before in my vision! That little girl, this was the ce she was trying to escape and pleaded with me to help her. So she really was the princess of the Sorrow Kingdom. Is she even alive now? I must go back and try to see her in the visions.''


    "Young priest? Priest! Wake up!"


    Sylvester shook his head and came back to his senses. "Ah, forgive me, your grace. I merely fell into some deep thoughts. We should be arriving now."


    Sylvester noticed the crowds were getting less on the city''s wide roads, and more soldiers were appearing. The streets were cleaner, and the giant castle was very close, just behind thest wall from where the bridge on theva moat was to be crossed.


    "Halt! State your identity!"


    The guards at the gates were especially armed with neat and clean armour. Their swords were already unsheathed, and their visors were down. There were four with swords, four with spears, and two were horse riders.


    The Archbishop took out something that looked like a stone medallion. It was ck and had strange silver engravings on it.


    "May the sorrow fade, and the traitors embrace the de." Archbishop Nelson said in a low voice.


    Reacting to the words, the guard took the ck medallion and put it on another medallion that he owned. Instantly, a spark of sh came when the two medallions touched, and a humming sound came.


    "Wee back, Archbishop." The guard respectfully returned the medallion and signalled his men to drop the drawbridge.


    Sylvester silently followed the old man''s lead since he knew that the Archbishop had lived and fought for the Sorrow Kingdom for years. He was bound to have various connections in all the high ces and, above all, be a part of a few secret orders. The best course of action was to observe and join in the game, so he couldter be the master of the same y.


    Thud!


    The drawbridge itself was made of volcano stone. It was heavy and took over a hundred iron chains to pull and drop the bridge. On top of that, even on the other side of the drawbridge, there was a security checkpoint.


    "Let''s move." The Archbishop pointed ahead.


    Sylvester carefully steered the carriage onto the thick stone road and began to move. However, the moment they touched the bridge, they felt the heat emanating from underneath. Surrounding the castle was a moat filled not with water but with moltenva that spewed forth from deep within the earth. Theva glowed an eerie orange-red, casting a sinister light upon the castle''s walls and towers.


    Soon, the castle also came into view, the famed Castle Ashstone, entirely ck, so much so that it shined during the day and the night. Sadly, it was in ruins now.


    "This is..." Sylvestercked words to describe the behemoth in front of them.


    The castle stood tall and ominous, looming over the surroundingndscape with its dark, foreboding presence. Built entirely of ck stone, the castle was massive in size and was dotted with numerous towers that reached up into the sky like jagged teeth. The castle''s walls were impossibly thick and imprable, radiating a palpable sense of malevolence.


    "Marvellous, isn''t it? It used to be even more majestic when the King lived here." the Archbishop spoke of the old days. "Back in those days, the security was not as strict, and the city was always bustling, despite the poor status of the Kingdom. The people were kind, as they all knew each other''s hardships. Food was hard toe by, but people managed and stayed happy with the name of the Lord always on their lips."


    Sylvester merely nodded the entire way as they went further into the castle. They crossed the moat, and the guards there didn''t stop them again. So they went directly to the castle''s main entrance.


    Sadly, the many walls and locations were in ruins, and men were at work trying to fix them. As majestic as the castle looked from a distance, it was ugly from close. The dirt was all over the ground, and the horse shit covered the roads. The workers were fixing the castle walls in dirty, patched clothes, and there was no sense of order anymore.


    Eventually, Sylvester stopped the carriage at the gates of the Castle, where Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark were already waiting for them on their horses.


    "Priest Johnathan, you may visit the monastery at the back of the castle while I meet the nobles gathered inside. They might doubt you since you are a new face here, so please don''t mind this."


    "Understood, your grace." Sylvester smelled no lies from the man, so he saluted and moved the carriage.


    Even the monastery was made of volcano stones, so it was also ck. But the windows were made of colourful stained ss, so there was some strange beauty to it.


    Sylvester led inside first, with Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark behind him. The monastery was a giant hall with beautiful carvings and paintings inside. It was made of white marble, so the sense of gloom was absent.


    However, he had another reason for willingly entering the monastery and not trying to spy on the Archbishop.


    ''Ah, there she is.''


    Sylvester looked back. "Go to the gates outside and keep an eye. If someonees, warn me."


    "Understood, Priest." Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark asked no questions and stood guard.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester walked towards a woman in pale yellow nun robes, with a dagger on one side of the waist and a book on the other. She was old, as evident by her arched back and facial wrinkles. But her blue eyes seemed more profound than anything.


    She was cleaning the end part of the monastery where the giant symbol of the church was kept. So he walked beside her and spoke cryptically. "Only one way to defeat the darkness."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The woman, without even looking, replied. "Light of the Lord you must harness."


    Sylvester smiled, took a small bronze coin from his pocket, and ced it beside the woman. "May the holy light enlighten us, respected mother."


    The woman took the coin, looked at it carefully, and then gave a different coin back to Sylvester. She smiled while doing so and finally looked at Sylvester''s face. "It''s an honour to be meeting you, my lord."


    Sylvester kept the coin and rxedly sat down on the floor beside her. "The honour is all mine, mother Thena. But first, please tell me about yourself. How are you? Do you eat well? Do you get to have some rest? Is anyone troubling you?"


    The old woman''s eyes welled up a little, and she immediately went for the hug. She embraced Sylvester in a motherly hug and caressed the back of his head, whispering in his ears. "After meeting you, all hardships were worth you, my lord. You are, as they say -- a son to us mothers sworn to be childless. Are you hungry? The journey must have been tiring. Come with me. I will cook something for you."


    Sylvester felt the genuine feelings of the woman. Love, excitement, some sadness, and a lot of worship. It was all Sylvester ever wanted from his secret spywork of Bright Mothers. All he gave them was love as a son, and in return, they also showered him with love. He was, after all, the only man they could be so close to without worrying about any unholy consequences. In Bright Mothers'' eyes, Sylvester was too holy to hold any impure thoughts -- he was perfection.


    Sylvester held the old woman''s palms on his own and used some healing magic, as her hands appeared to have skin damage. "I am fine, mother. I am sent by his Holiness to judge the heathens of the Sorrow Kingdom. But, to relieve the pain of the poor, I need money. For that, I need information about the wealth numbers and locations of all those still rich that reside in this kingdom."


    Thena bobbed her head vigorously and started telling him everything she knew. "There are still a few noble lords in the Sorrow Kingdom. They are the ones who switched to the Patch''s side before or after the fall of the royal family. They are no less than the heathens of the Patch, my lord. In total, fifteen such noble families are left, and their names are House Larkaster, House Harmund, House Ma..."


    She gave the names of all the houses she knew about. On top of that, there was something more she could provide.


    "My lord, end these heathen families, for they have brought nothing but misery to the innocents. When the King Sorrow was fighting the Patch, these heathens backstabbed him... That poor princess, we don''t even know what happened to her... She was so full of life..." She began to tear up a little but held herself strong even then.


    Sylvester stood up again. "Mother, can you use your contacts to at least get me the maps of the castles of these families? They have stolen money from the poor. It''s time I give that money back."


    "Of course, my lord. It will take all but seven days for me topile everything. We have a few maps in the Royal Castle''s library too. I can gather them for you if you wish." She instantly prepared herself to move around, despite her age.


    Sylvester didn''t like that, so he first handed her a small pouch filled with gold coins. "Use this to escape this region in case of an emergency. All of you are like mothers to me, and even one of you in trouble will bring me nightmares. As for the maps, I will look for them myself. Archbishop Nelson is already inside, meeting with the nobles gathered there."


    "What?!" The Bright Mother eximed all of a sudden, her face going pale. "Why didn''t you stop him?!"


    Sylvester rubbed his face in frustration. "Don''t tell me... All those nobles are the ones you named."


    "Yes! They are gathered here to divide the Kingdom among themselves as Dukes."


    Sylvester took a long breath and tried to contemte his options. The Archbishop was strong, but a single Archwizard could not fight so many nobles who likely had strong subordinates, if not personally strong.


    ''Of course, my rotten luck will ensure they are strong and too many.''


    "Why didn''t Archbishop know all this?" Sylvester asked her.


    "That I don''t know, as all of us clergypeople know what''s happening for a month now. Could it be that he..."


    She didn''t finish her words, but Sylvester knew what they were. ''Is he one of them? A vile man hidden behind a grandfatherly face? But I smelled nothing of that sort from him.''


    Knock Knock!


    "Priest Johnathan." Sir Dolorem entered the monastery hall with a nobleman in armour behind. "This is the Prima of House Harmund. Archbishop calls us inside."


    Sylvester started blinking morse code instantly to speak with Sir Dolorem. At the same time, he talked with the Prima.


    "Thank you foring here to call us, my lord. Let''s go in then." Sylvester greeted, all the while smelling an intense scent of fear and hate emanating from the man.


    Just then, Sylvester also finished warning Sir Dolorem with the code.


    ''It''s a trap. Prepare for battle. All limits are hereby lifted.''


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 Chapter 407 407. Wolf In Sheeps Clothing

    Sylvester also warned Miraj, who slept on his shoulder. He discreetly ate some srium crystals to recuperate any lost energy to return to his utmost peak strength. His spells sat on his tongue''s tip, and his fist prepared itself to react.


    Sylvester had already warned Sir Dolorem, and in return, the man had warned Bishop Lazark. So all of them were prepared to make a move. But, unfortunately, there was nowhere to run anyway since they quickly realised the castle''s strongest protection was also their confine. The giant, wide moat ofva was the boundary they could not cross, for they could not fly.


    ''As long as there are no Grand Wizards, I should be fine.'' Sylvester calmed himself down to mentally prepare himself.


    Slowly but surely, they all slowly came closer to the enormous castle. Finally, the Prima of the Harmund Family gradually changed his pace and came behind them to ensure they had nowhere to escape.


    Sylvester talked in morse code with Sir Dolorem as they formted a n to escape if needed. They didn''t want to lose their lives over some petty politics.


    ''I saw arge vent near the entrance of the castle,'' Sylvester informed Sir Dolorem.


    In response, Sir Dolorem also blinked in morse code. ''I noticed a separate entrance for the servants. They likely have different entries and exits. We can use that if need be.''


    ''Yes, if the need arises. Let''s try and kill them all for now. They have tried toy hands on two men of Archbishop ranks, one Bishop and one Inquisitor General. This alone deems them worthy of facing article 66.''


    ''Understood, lord bard. We shall try and turn their trap into their own deadly prison.''


    Sylvester nodded and continued to walk slowly, trying to earn as much time as possible. If the fight were to happen inside, he could already see the beautiful castle being destroyed soon.


    But one more possibility came to his mind, one that he could use to his advantage. ''They likely don''t know who I am yet. This means they likely think I''m just some random weak priest. If that''s the case, I can use a surprise attack and wound a majority of them in one go.''


    He quickly spoke in morse code with Sir Dolorem and asked them to prepare their surprise attacks to reap the best benefits from their disguised looks.


    "In there, priests." The Prima voiced from behind.


    They soon arrived in front of a giant, ten metres high twin door. The door was made of some ck material, and a red volcano was painted on it, likely depicting Mount Eternal. The colours were fading, however, telling the sorry story of what transpired in the castle.


    Woosh!


    A gust of wind came as the twin doors started to open on their own. As the other side came into view, Sylvester felt mesmerised. As he entered the castle''s grand hall, he was immediately struck by the sheer size of the space. The hall was colossal, with soaring arches stretching high overhead and massive stone columns made of ck or white marble stones. The floor was also made of polished marble, but ck in colour with golden patterns. It reflected the light of the massive chandeliers that hung from the ceiling, casting a warm glow throughout the room.


    At the far end of the hall sat a throne adorned with glittering jewels and intricate carvings of mythical beasts, the mount eternal and much more. The throne was set atop a dais of pure white marble, reached by a grand staircase that curved elegantly up from the floor. The walls of the hall were decorated with tapestries depicting epic battles, heroic deeds and the rich history of the Kingdom.


    ''Is that the Archbishop on the throne?'' Sylvester noticed the figure sitting on the intricate majestic seat.


    At the base of the throne, below the grand staircase, there stood fifteen men, all either old or in theirte forties. They wore fine shining armour with capes and helmets while their swords were unsheathed. Some of them were also wizards, as evident by their staff. They all had different features, some blonde, some redheaded and some even bald. But none of them were fat, and that alone told the story of their strength.


    Sylvester only focused on the figure on the throne. ''Why isn''t he moving?''


    "You called for us, your grace?" Sylvester asked the Archbishop.


    There was an eerie silence in the hall. Albeit its majesty, there was nothing majestic about it. On the contrary, it all felt gloomy since Sylvester knew about its history and that the men standing before him were the traitors who brought darkness to the Kingdom.


    "He won''t be speaking anymore, priest." One of the men in armour spoke. He had ck hair, brown eyes and a brownplexion. He stood among the men as if he were their leader.


    Sylvester didn''t appear too shocked and asked back in calmness. "What do you mean? Who are you?"


    The man walked forward, his long sword with a golden hilt and green jade raised forward. "I am the new Duke of Wailing City, Duke Larkaster, the head of United Duchies of Sorrow. If you still can''t understand what happened to your ''grace'', then you are too stupid to be even alive. Now, which one are you? Stupid? Or smart? Because if you''re smart, you might not share the same fate as that old man."


    Sylvester falsely flinched, showing some fear. "Y-You killed Archbishop? Why? What do you want?"


    "What do we want? This kingdom, of course. Not the Patch, nor the Holy Land. We shall rule thesends on our own. Now, I feel gracious today, just for once, so I will allow you to return to the Holy Land. But, before that, you must also kill your two partner priests." Larkaster replied while keeping a big smug smile on his face. His teeth appeared wide open, his eyes narrowing a little. He truly enjoyed tormenting others. That was clear.


    Sylvester used all his acting skills to sit down and crawl towards the ''Duke''. His eyes became watery, and his nose runny. He made himself look like a man pleading for his life. So as he crawled, he cried to the Duke.


    "Please, don''t make me do this, your highness. My oath will be broken then... I can''t harm my brothers.''


    Sylvester inched closer to the man, one step at a time, all the while crawling. His face remained contorted, as if in a lot of pain and misery.


    "Haha, it''s always a delight to see you all almighty holy men plead for life." Duke Larkaster mockingly stated and waited for Sylvester to reach him. "Fine, I will let them go if youe here and lick my boot once."


    Cough~


    "STOP! Don''t lower your...self...to their level! You are a preacher of Solis!"


    Shocking everyone, Archbishop from the throne shouted as his body moved a few inches, announcing to all that he was still alive. His voice, however, was feeble and hoarse.


    "Rise, priest... Don''t do it. It''s better to die here..."


    Sylvester continued to crawl towards the Duke. "I-I don''t want to die... I want to live... Forgive me, your grace."


    "Hah... See this, Nelson? Not everyone is like you. Some do hold a sane mind. Duke Harmund, go and silence him. I do not wish for this moment to be spoiled by his rambling. Nowe here, dog, lick my foot."


    Sylvester did so, keeping the act of a scared lowly man going on. In a minute, he reached the Duke on all fours and stopped.


    "Wait!" The Duke ordered. "Let me make it better."


    Ptui!<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Now lick it." Duke spat on his boot and ordered again. "Clean it as if it was polished yesterday. I want the gold to shine enough that you can see yourself on it."


    Sylvester nodded and lowered himself slowly. All eyes focused on him. The hand of Sir Dolorem stayed clutched to his sword''s hilt while Bishop Lazark stayed prepared tounch as many undead as he could summon.


    On the side, Duke Harmund went and knocked Archbishop Nelson to sleep again. "Go to sleep, old man."


    With that, all eyes returned to focus on Sylvester. But something was off as he had stopped lowering his face to the boot. Instead, he looked up with his bloodshot eyes, right into the eyes of Duke Larkaster.


    Woosh!


    A blinding light glowed all of a sudden, and a halo appeared behind Sylvester''s head. His voice echoed with it, loud, strong and menacing to those who had sinned, and warming to those hurt.


    a??Listen, for here speaks the Son of Solis, the Bard.


    You dare tarnish his name; you angered the lord.


    So prepare for the light to incinerate you now.


    Enough, no more sphemy shall I allow.a??


    Woosh!


    "Aaargh!"


    The Duke suddenly screamed in agony and took a few steps back.


    "Y-You! Argh!"


    Sylvester was too fast, and before the Duke had even known, a sword had suddenly plunged into him. Sylvester had thrust the de from below, piercing the Duke''s groin and entering his guts, puncturing everything apart.


    His strength was enough to ignore the strong armour, so he also twisted the de a little to ensure maximum pain and damage was inflicted.


    Sylvester then stood up while still chanting the hymn. He stretched his arms and cracked his neck. His face was fully serious, annoyed to the peak. He still sang the hymn as his attack had not stopped yet.


    a??This is where the battle for justice merely begins.


    The time hase to pay for your sins


    For that, I shall cut away your proud wings.


    So rejoice, for you die in the presence of my hymns.a??


    Boom!


    The entire ground started to shake, and cracks began to appear. It was like an earthquake. But soon, it became evident it wasn''t natural, for light magic hotter than theva started to bloom out of the cracks.


    Thud!


    Duke Larkaster stumbled back, trying to maintain bnce. But he only fell to his knees, which in return pierced the stuck sword further in, puncturing his lungs and heart as well. His death was imminent, and the rest could only feel their knees weakening.


    a??Witness my wrath! Witness my Fury!


    Now, I am the Judge, and I am the Jury!a??


    Boom!


    The very foundations of the earth trembled and quaked as if seized by a primal fury. With a sound akin to thunder, the ground shattered into thousands of pieces, the pirs that once stood so tall and proud crumbled into dust, and the beautiful ceiling that adorned the art and chandeliers fell down in a shower of debris. The destruction brought upon the structure was just the beginning, for the screams of those caught in the chaos had already begun to fill the air.


    The very ground beneath their feet seemed to writhe and contort as if seeking to devour those who dared to stand upon it. The cracks that appeared without warning swallowed the weak, dragging them down into the unknown depths below. And as some were swallowed whole, others were consumed by the raging light that burst forth from the same cracks, scorching flesh and bones alike, amputating limbs and leaving nothing but devastation in its wake.


    All the while, the halo shined, the loud and proud hymns continued -- the song of death never stopped.


    a??Lives of so many that you made so hard.


    This is their reply, in the worst regard.


    I am lord''s shield, the innocent''s guard.


    I am Sylvester Maximin, Lord''s Bard!a??


    ________________________


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 Chapter 408 408. Reaction To Action

    Once a magnificent fortress towering over thendscape, the giant castle Ashtone nowy in ruins, its walls crumbling and its towers copsing. The once proud g that flew atop the highest tower nowy tattered and torn on the ground.


    The destruction began slowly as small cracks appeared in the castle''s foundation. But soon, the cracks spread, growing broader and deeper with each passing second. The walls began to shift and sway, groaning under the weight of the castle''s massive stone blocks.


    As Sylvester''s destructive magic took its final form, nothing could save the ancient structure. Everything came down, crumbling like a house of ss.


    As the dust cleared, the destruction became clear. The castley in ruins, its stones scattered about like a child''s toys. The once-mighty towers were now mere piles of rubble, and the moat full ofva was raging with fire since much of the wreckage fell into it.


    But the destruction didn''t end there. The falling stones and debris had spread out from the castle, wreaking havoc on the surroundingnds. Trees were uprooted, buildings were destroyed, and the earth was torn apart.


    In the same spot as before, Sylvester stayed still, and his hymn continued to echo until thest wall fell. His control over the Hellfire Purge move was enough to ensure he didn''t harm his allies.


    "Don''t let your guard down!" Sylvester roared. "If you see something moving ¡ª Kill!"


    From there, the hunt began. Sylvester, Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark kept out their des and started to look around. But Sir Dolorem was the most helpful as he removed his eyepatch and used his heightened hearing to find any activity in the rubble.


    "Someone is here!" Sir Dolorem voiced to alert everyone.


    Boom!


    Without waiting, Sir Dolorem used simple fire and earth magic. First, he created a tiny tunnel to the voice''s origin and then sent fire zing down into the tunnel.


    "Aaarg~"


    Soon enough, the screams came, and they only increased with time. But eventually, they started to die down, and once there were no screams, Sir Dolorem stopped. Then he continued his search for the next target.


    Meanwhile, Bishop Lazark had an even better way. He simply tried to summon the undead who had just died. That way, he instantly discovered that only five of the fifteen nobles had been killed in the rubble. So, the search continued as Bishop Lazark, this time, sent undead rats to look for the living.


    As for Sylvester, he didn''t have undead or heightened senses. What he did have was an excellent fluffy friend, Miraj. Miraj just roamed around and sniffed as much as he could.


    "Maxy! Come,e!" Miraj whispered as loud as he could to get Sylvester''s attention. "Something''s here."


    Sylvester knew Miraj wasn''t joking, so he wasted no time thrusting his spear directly into the rubble.


    "Ah!"


    The cry came, and following that, Sylvester stabbed as many times as possible until he couldn''t hear any more cries. But he also poured some fire in just to be sure.


    The process continued for a while, and one by one, they confirmed the death of fourteen of the nobles. They got their bodies out with Bishop Lazark''s help. But still, thest one was missing, and it appeared they had survived the fall and had hidden somewhere.


    "Don''t stop! We must find him and kill him. It''s Lord Harmund, if I remember correctly." Sylvester ordered the two.


    The search continued, and the night slowly dawned upon the Wailing city. Thankfully, all the paths to leave the castle were blocked since Sylvester''s magic had also broken the drawbridge. There was onlyva waiting for whoever tried to escape.


    Eventually, they broadened their search and started to look around near the edges of thend the castle was built upon. They went close to theva moat to see if the man had already fallen in and died.


    Sadly, hours passed, and they found nothing. Finally, the entire night went by in search, and the sun started to bask the destroyednd in warmth.


    "It seems he has somehow escaped." Sir Dolorem mumbled as they all took some rest finally.


    Sylvester didn''t sit, however. He walked back and forth in frustration as his n was in jeopardy. "This won''t do. We need to find that man, or everything will go to waste. The Patch does not know I''m here yet, so we have the best window to catch them unaware of anything. He will likely head to his noblends to gather the armies if he has escaped. I will disguise as him and arrive there earlier. If my ns work, we might be able to feed the Sorrow Kingdom for months toe."


    "What are you nning, my lord?" Bishop Lazark asked curiously.


    "Nothing but charity, Bishop Lazark. For long enough, the nobles of this kingdom have looted the people. Now they shall pay them back, willingly or unwillingly; it''s up to them. I will leave immediately, so you two must remain beside the Archbishop while he''s being healed. Send a missive to Count Bradley and tell him to bring his forces to the Wailing City directly. We shall make this city our home base for now. Then, since the Patch will not interfere for a month, we''ll have enough time to move." Sylvester prepared himself mentally for the task at hand.


    Sir Dolorem sighed and agreed with the n. But he had some advice for Sylvester. "Find a few men from Lord Harmund''s entourage and take them along when you return, Lord Bard. Try to find as much as possible about Lord Harmund, his family and thends. If you and Lord Harmund arrived in the noblends simultaneously, you might have to answer a few questions to prove yourself to be the real one."


    "Thank you for the advice, Sir Dolorem. And Bishop Lazark, can you give me one of the undead birds? So that I can contact you if needed."


    Bishop Lazark nodded and looked at the sky. Instantly, one live bird came down and sat on his extended palm. In a second, the bird sat down and slowly started to dpose. A minuteter, only the skeleton remained, and the bird still seemed as alive as before.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    After that, Bishop Lazark whispered something to the bird, and in response, the bird automatically flew and sat on Sylvester''s shoulder.


    "It shall remain with you until the destruction of its body, Lord Bard." Bishop Lazark informed.


    Fascinated, Sylvester held the little bird in hand. "Your necromancy is so¡­ Bizarre and interesting at the same time. It''s too rare to find necromancers in the first ce."


    Bishop Lazark chuckled, a raritying from the man. "It''s not that there are not enough of us. It''s just that most of us like to live in seclusion, in dark and isted ces. There is a social stigma attached to our branch of magic, so we avoid crowds. I am a member of the church, so my case is slightly different."


    Sylvester stood up at that and decided to leave immediately. "Well, I''m delighted that you are one of us, Bishop. Having you as an enemy would have been a pain. I shall take my leave now, be safe and don''t take any unnecessary actions. Try to regroup and wait for the Inquisitors to arrive. If any responsees from the Holy Land, please forward it to me."


    "May the Holy Light enlighten your path, my lord." Sir Dolorem stood up and saluted.


    "Be safe, my lord." Bishop Lazark added.


    Sylvester gave a light nod and left silently, disappearing somewhere beyond the rubble of the fallen castle.


    "I wonder how spectacrly he will win this time." Sir Dolorem muttered with not an ounce of worry on his face.


    "You seem quite confident, Sir Dolorem." Bishop Lazark looked at the man.


    "Hah, after years of looking at Lord Bard''s majesty, I''d be foolish not to have confidence in him."


    Bishop Lazark bobbed his head in agreement. "He did get you your eyes back."


    "And his inventions!" Sir Dolorem eximed like a proud man.


    ¡­


    At the same time, thousands of kilometres to the north, in the Holy Land, an urgent meeting of the Sanctum Council was called by the Pope. In the secret chambers, the faces were serious, and the breaths were controlled as all heard the report from Saint Medico, Pope''s chief healer, Cardinal Charles Nos Leeds.


    "...After extensive research and testing, I have determined that the gue sample Lord Bard sent does indeed consist of Srium. But what amazed me was that it''s not a new gue, but just abination of thest five most deadliest gue and srium. Therefore, it''s impossible toe into existence naturally."


    Faces turned darker at that revtion. Inquisitor High Lord, the head of all of the Holynd''s military and the Inquisitor rose up and coldly stated his wishes. "Your Holiness, for far too long, the Patch has gone unchecked. Like all, they, too, are Solis'' subject and yet show no respect. Therefore, permit me to lead the Armies and the Inquisitor and bring the Grand Duke to heels ¡ª I shall make them bleed until each one of them kneels."


    The Pope raised his palm and silenced the giant Lord of Inquisiton. "Calm down, Lord Inquisitor. Do not forget the proposal sent by Sylvester. As he noticed, the Sorrow Kingdom is reeling with the after-effects of an unprecedented destructive earthquake. To win the people, it''s easy. But we must win thend. If Sylvester''s n works, we may be able to win over everything withoutying a finger."


    "But¡­" Saint Wazir spoke. "To give the money, it''s easy and understandable. To give the manpower, it''s doable. But, to make him Cardinal Suprima, even a temporary one, it will raise many fingers from the Council of Thirty-Two."


    "I will handle them." Saint Seer, the spymaster, spoke, a rare thing as he had only harmed Sylvester over the past many years. "Lord Bard has been a Cardinal Suprima before and did a splendid job. We can use that achievement. We must give him all the help we can before the gue spreads too far."


    Inquisitor High Lord nced at the Saint Seer with his ring red eyes behind the visor. "Thest time you made him Cardinal Suprima, he was ordered to execute Article 66 on Count Ranthburg, which brought the ire of Shadow Knight on him. So what is your true desire? Is it to spread the fire?"


    Saint Seer visibly sweated as he did remember all those ''mistakes''. So he lowered his head and reassured. "Worry not, Lord Inquisitor. I have no hidden desires anymore."


    The Pope nodded, stamped on a sheet, and quickly wrote down the appointment. "It''s decided then. Sylvester shall be temporarily made the Cardinal Suprima of the Sorrow Kingdom and the Patch. He''s already the Special Judge, so this will only make his work easier. But, as for the gue, I need you to go there personally, Saint Medico. Take some of the Void Keepers with you, and you shall have suprememand of them. If you tell them to die, they shall die."


    "Understood, your grace."


    The Pope faced the Lord Inquisitor then. "Visit the monasteries, Inquisitors and Holy Army camps near The Patch''s border. Prepare for an invasion, if ites to that ¡ª A quick, overwhelming operation. Use all Guardians if you must."


    Lord Inquisitor stood up and thumped his chest. His enraged voice echoed in the room before he left.


    "Understood, your holiness. For each tear of innocents they have forced to be spilled. With their blood, the payback shall be fulfilled."


    ________________________


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 Chapter 409 409. Chonky, The Sneaky Boy

    As Sylvester had nned, he arrived at the noblends of Lord Harmund. The region the noble lord lived in was one of the most coveted and still somewhat livable regions as it was close to where the previous tributary river of the Snake River used to flow before The Patch diverted the river waters.


    Harmund County had rtive peace from what Sylvester noticed. But that was only from the outside, as the moment he entered thends, he saw nothing but misery. There were poor refugees working in the fields under direct sunlight with no clothes but pants on their bodies. They had dried skin and thin bodies. Their eyes were devoid of any hope.


    All that when some guards roamed around them on horses and whipped them for slowing down even for a second. The same was the fate for all, be it men, women or children. All were beaten and forced to work.


    ''Now I don''t feel bad at all. The whole family is cancer to the region.'' Sylvester passed his judgement, for he was the Special Judge and had the power to do so. The lord was just a Count, which was well within Sylvester''s authority.


    Soon, Sylvester''s small entourage of ten horsemen arrived at the small castle made of sandy yellow walls. It was nothing special, just a simple castle on a hill. A small town was around it, but it was crowded with more ves and workers than the original people.


    "My lord!"


    The people started to bow to Sylvester as he inched closer to the castle gates beyond the moat. The guards didn''t stop him and merely saluted to show respect.


    Sylvester spoke with the Prima behind him, the man who should know the most about the Count. But, even he could not realise that Sylvester was an imposter and the entire way, he gave all the information to Sylvester willingly.


    Slowly, Sylvester formed himself into the exact replica image of the Count. Of course, he didn''t see the man walk around and speak too much, but he could read a lot from how someone walked, talked and generally acted.


    Eventually, they entered the castle, and the drawbridge got lifted. Sylvester carried himself regally and got off his horse. A middle-aged, regal-looking, beautiful blonde woman was waiting at the entrance to the castle, looking anxious.


    Sylvester went to her straight away and pulled her in his arms. He hugged her and whispered something in her ears that made her blush instantly.


    ''I could already smell the worry, the love and the lust. Harmund was a strong, handsome wizard warrior, and he had a love marriage with this woman. I must keep her senses flooded with lust so she can''t sense anything else about me.''


    Sylvester discreetly touched her neck with his hand and spread the ointment on the skin that could increase her lust to some degree. In response, she hugged him tighter, so much so that Sylvester had to push her to be free.


    "Let''s get inside, Duchess," Sylvester said.


    "What?!" The woman eximed and jumped in excitement. "You''re not lying? You''re serious?"


    Sylvester nodded. "Of course, my love. The n was sessful, and now you are a proud Duchess, the keeper of my heart."


    She blushed and tucked her hand around his arm to walk with him inside. The castle was magnificent and well-decorated, like all other castles. But, it was evident by looking that the region was not as rich as those in the north. In the Sorrow Kingdom, a Count''s wealth was not even equal to a Viscount in Gracia and Riveria.


    "It''s nearly nighttime, so I shall move to my bed chambers and rest." Sylvester authoritatively ordered.


    No one dared to say anything, and he let the Count''s wife drag him to the bed chambers. She was in a hurry, however, and Sylvester was prepared for everything.


    Soon, they climbed the stairs and arrived at the tower''s top floor. There, the sses covered the wall in all directions, giving a magnificent view of the entirendscape. Under the moonlight and the dimly candlelit room, the view was beautiful.


    "My lord husband, you were gone for so long." The woman muttered and started to take off her clothes in a rush.


    Sylvester sighed and did the same. ''Why do I put myself in such situations?''


    Eventually, the woman unclothed herpletely and lunged at Sylvester. She tried to pin him down and shower his neck with wet kisses.


    ''What kind of sexual life were they living? A good one, it seems.''


    But Sylvester had no interest in the woman, so he just pushed his index finger into her mouth. At first, she licked it, thinking it was some sort of forey. But soon, her eyes started to get heavy, and she instantly fell unconscious.


    After that, Sylvester tucked her in the sheets, and then left after dressing up ¡ª His oath and purity still intact.


    "Chonky, did you find anything?" Sylvester asked as he found the chubby furry cat dozing outside the room.


    Miraj jolted up and jumped to sit on Sylvester''s shoulder. "Aye, aye, Maxy! I found a big secret vault underground. It has a big door, but I easily ate it and took the money. Nothing can stop the Chonky bank from taking the taxes."


    Sylvester patted him and handed him a banana. "Good job. Let''s just burn the castle down and leave. If they die, they die ¡ª they are all heathens who abuse themoners. Their death shall not bring me any sin."


    With the n in mind, Sylvester strategically poured some special fire alchemical solution around the castle. He walked around and greeted the servants, the knights and the rest of the staff. The Count only had a mother and wife, so he didn''t see them again.


    Three hours past midnight, Sylvster was done and exited the castle in the name of inspecting the town.


    "Stop there!"


    However, as soon as he exited the drawbridge, he noticed a man trying to run into the castle. He looked dirty, with his face burned, his clothes dirty ck.


    "I-I am your Count! What are you doing? Unhand me!" The man screamed.


    The guards caught him and made him kneel quickly. One of them ridiculed him while smacking the hilt of his sword on the head. "Filth! The Count is already in the castle. Do you think we are fools?"


    "I¡­ I am your Count! I was married to Lady Maria ten years ago, in this castle. I have a mole on my back, and when I was a kid, I killed a lion with a small knife! I am your lord!"


    Sylvester arrived near just then. "What is going on here? Who is this pest?"


    The Guards saluted. "Nothing, my lord. Just another maniac trying to enter the castle."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The real Count, with his burned face, looked at Sylvester in shock and fear. He had no idea what was happening, but he understood he had no chance to prove himself as real.


    "I will kill you!" The real Count got up and tried to run away while shouting.


    Sylvester scoffed and grabbed the sword from the guard''s waist. He aimed it at the fleeting Count. "You dared put my woman and mother in danger! It''s you who must die!"


    Woosh!


    Sylvester threw the sword masterfully. It swung fast, cutting the air smoothly. In a moment, the de struck the back of Count''s head, instantly throwing him down and cutting open his skull in two.


    "Burn his body and throw his ashes into the moat," Sylvester ordered haughtily and continued to walk out. This time, he felt much better as he killed thest witness of the massacre in Wailing City.


    Ting!


    Ting!


    "Fire in the castle!"


    Just three minutes after he left the castle, the shouts resounded across the town outside. The people rushed to quench the fire. But it was too big and strong for anyone to control.


    On top of that, they couldn''t find the Count anywhere. People feared that the fire took him. But the guards at the drawbridge revealed the Count had already left. In absolute pandemonium, the castle burned down slowly.


    The morning sun came hourster, and Sylvester watched the fire in the distance as he made his way to another County with a different disguised face.


    ¡­


    Over theing weeks, Sylvester received the words from the Holy Land as he went from one castle to another and emptied their vaults with Miraj''s sneaky skills. Only once was he caught by someone, but even then, he quickly solved the situation with a de to the throat.


    Just¡­ that there were more than one throat, fifteen to be precise. Yes, he killed an entire bloodline to keep the secret and then burned the castles. But he didn''t kill the kids as that would umte sin and enrage the Shadow Knight.


    For some reason, the being had stopped chasing him, and he wanted to keep it that way.


    "Maxy! Where to go next? I want more blood¡­ I mean money!" Miraj roared like a lion while sitting on the head of Sylvester''s horse.


    Sylvester chuckled and rubbed the little white lion on the back. "Calm down now, Chonky. There are no lords left to loot. Anyway, how''s your back? Is it still itchy?"


    Miraj, as if suddenly remembering, began to scratch his back again with his legs. "I forgot I was itchy there. I think I got used to it."


    ''I hope it''s nothing dangerous.'' Sylvester still felt somewhat worried for him.


    "Well, I''ll give you a bath then. It''ll heal you up."


    "No!" Miraj jumped on his hind legs, his hair erect. "Maxy, don''t worry. My tongue is very good. I can reach anywhere and make myself wet easily."


    "..."


    Seeing Sylvester so silent and with a nk face, Miraj realised his folly. "Did I say something suspicious again?"


    Sylvester merely nodded. "You did. Just remember not to say those words in that order again. Let''s return to the Wailing City now. Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark must be waiting for us."


    "Aye, Aye!"


    And so, their journey picked the pace, and they rushed to the South.


    The effects of the earthquake that devastated the region a month ago had only started to surface properly now. Still, sadly, the one-month time limit that The Patch imposed on themselves for non-interference had already passed. The Widowmakers had once again be active, and the cycle of misery yet again continued.


    Along the way, Sylvester found a few viges full of nothing but dead bodies. He reckoned they were the viges that got hit with the gue, and there was nobody to warn them that a gue had taken hold.


    There were just hundreds of rotten bodies of men, women and children being eaten by birds and dogs alike. The smell of filth and death overwhelmed his senses, but Sylvester could not stop. He knew that good days were ahead as King Hignd was nearly done with his dam construction.


    In three days, he finally arrived at the Wailing City. But it looked much different now. The Inquisitor Army had arrived in full, so their g was everywhere. Count Bradley and his army had also arrived but flew the Church''s g.


    The site where Sylvester destroyed the castle was cleaned, and it was now merely an empty field with the monastery still intact. Above all, it appeared someone from the Holy Land had also arrived as Sylvester saw a carriage.


    "How is the Archbishop?" Sylvester asked the first thing after arriving at the monastery.


    Sir Dolorem, with a heavy heart and sorrowful face, shook his head. "Saint Medico is here ¡ª He believes the Archbishop won''t survive this week."


    ________________________


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 Chapter 410 410. Enemies From Past

    "Saint Medico is here ¡ª He believes the Archbishop won''t survive this week."


    Sylvester''s shoulder fell, for he hade to like the old man. Archbishop Nelson was an honest man who had worked too hard for too long, and that was the reason for his undoing. His weak body was caused by his selfless service and desire to bring peace to the people.


    "You said Saint Medico is here? For the gue, correct? Did he bring any helpers?" Sylvester inquired.


    Sir Dolorem''s expressions didn''t get better, however. His eyes were covered, but the rest of the face was enough for Sylvester to discern something was wrong.


    "He did¡­ He brought two Void Keepers. He brought Spine and EX10 with him. Yes, you guessed it right, both of them were present in the Sphinx vige. They are one of those who killed little Shane.


    "Furthermore, EX10 is Bishop Lazark''s elder brother. He''s not too happy about EX10 being here with us." Sir Dolorem exined everything.


    Sylvester sighed and decided to first meet the Archbishop. "Let''s go inside. I wish to meet and give the Archbishop news that may revitalise him."


    Sylvester moved into the monastery and headed to the sick bay. It was not crowded at all, and only some Bright Mothers were working there. There was also Mother Thena tending to the Archbishop.


    "How are you, your grace?" Sylvester sat beside the Archbishop''s bed.


    The old man looked withered now, and his face had lost its colour. The cheerful side of his personality seemed lost, and even his smile appeared dead. He was so weak that he couldn''t even speak.


    The old man looked at Sylvester and raised his palm slowly. "Y-You h¡­have returned."


    Sylvester held his hands. "I did it, your grace. The fifteen counts are dead. I received the word from the Holy Land as well. They have be serious about the Sorrow Kingdom and the gue. They sent Saint Medico here, and the Sorrow Kingdom will soon be under Holy Land''s administration. I have also secured enough funds to feed the people for six months."


    "D-Do not lie¡­ Solis will p-punish."


    Sylvester could understand why the man would not believe him. "Your Grace, I do not lie. Here, I have the letter with me. Look at this. It''s the seal of the Pope. And you were unconscious, so you didn''t see Saint Medico."


    The Archbishop tried to get up from the bed, this time with a newfound strength. Feeling his dream so close that he could grasp it, he wanted to see it be a reality.


    Sylvester helped the old man. "Be at ease, your grace. Your body is still too weak. The poison those heretics gave you tried to attack your nervous system. Thankfully, we had the cure here, but it still damaged your body."


    The Archbishop still stood upright on his feet. "Don''t waste time with such words, priest Johnathan. Please do not waste our time with such plebeian chatter. Our purpose is far too urgent for such trifles. The Holy Land is in dire need of our assistance, and as fate would have it, I am best suited for the task at hand. I possess an intimate knowledge of every inch of this cursed ground, and my web of contacts extends far and wide. Moreover, it was only those Nobles that I oversaw, for we stood on the same side while they plotted against me.


    "But enough of that,e now, let us make haste and meet with Saint Medico. The fate of the Holy Land hangs in the bnce, and it is up to us to ensure that the scales tip in our favour."


    Sylvester''s disguise was still up, so he silently followed the old man. Though he knew he''d soon be revealing his real identity as the main game was about to begin. Sorrow Kingdom, Hignd Kingdom and all the way to Riveria, a fire was soon going to spread. A fire that shall burn many, but in the end, the one true puppet master would benefit the most. The hard work of years was soon going to show results finally.


    Soon, Sylvester and the Archbishop arrived in the temporary office of Saint Medico. It was the biggest room in the monastery, and it was already filled with ceiling-high stacks of papers. Saint Medico was hard at work, writing something with both of his hands somehow. He''d dip the quill every few seconds and continue to write.


    "Cardinal Charles." Archbishop Nelson weakly called.


    Immediately, Saint Medico stood up and rushed to get the Archbishop to a seat. "Why did you get up, Nelson? You won''t live even a day if you push yourself."


    "Hah!" The old manughed. "I''ve been prepared for death for years, Cardinal. I am now merely hopeful of seeing the Sorrow Kingdom free and flourishing before I take myst breath."


    Saint Sceptre, Cardinal Charles Nos Leeds, knew that the old Archbishop would not give up. The man had spent his entire life working for the people of the Sorrow Kingdom, and the least he could do was show the man what he desired the most.


    "Understood. Let''s get to work then. I will start with the terrible news first. The gue is manufactured by someone, and it has already crossed over into the Hignd Kingdom. We received the news of the first death there. I have alerted all monasteries in the Sol, so we shall receive updates regrly. The good thing is that making a cure is possible, even though it will take much time to develop."


    Sylvester frowned, as the time was something they didn''t have. "Saint, I wrote in my letter that The Patch might be behind this."


    Of course, Saint Medico knew Sylvester was in disguise, so he respected his opinion. "I read that, but sadly, the matter is too political. We cannot simply use a quasi-Kingdom. We need proof, something we don''t have. But, I still desire to meet with the Grand Wizard of The Patch, Vind Markinson."


    "He won''t." Archbishop Nelson spoke. "He''s a vile sadistic man. He''d rather watch the world burn than do something to quench the fire. His men are the people responsible for the misery in the Kingdom ¡ª Widowmakers, they call themselves. The Patch will ask for something in return for helping us, and we all know what they want."


    Saint Medico sighed and nodded. "Of course, the Grand Duke of The Patch wishes to be crowned as the King of Sorrow."


    Sylvester had the n to tackle that, but he didn''t want to reveal it to anyone yet as the walls had ears. So he stayed silent the entire duration of their conversation, whichsted a few hours. Ultimately, they decided to at least try and meet with Grand Wizard Vind.


    Sylvester''s work was done, however. What he needed now was some time, and a few letters delivered.


    He walked the long corridor of the monastery to go to his personal room, a very small one in size as his rank was ''low''.


    "There he is!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    All of a sudden, Sylvester heard a feminine, cheerful voice. He turned around and saw a woman. The mere sight of her made him frown as a few veins popped up on his forehead. His fist clenched in itself, and his raging aura radiated as a sh of light on his fist.


    "Hehe, he''s angry. Come on, that was so long ago. We''re friends now, aren''t we?" She said. She was a slender woman, bright red-haired with two ponytails, wearing a pink noble gown too big for her size. She had red eyes and a cheerful personality, but all knew about her sadistic habits.


    Sylvester scoffed. "Spine, the filthy one of the five Void Keepers responsible for Little Shane''s death. I had taken him as my student, but you killed him. I only believe in an eye for an eye, and I shall have much more than a mere eye from you."


    "Oh! I''m so scared¡­ Save me, this beautiful princess. Ah, wait, I can probably help you! Here, let me show you your dear student."


    Woosh!


    Spine was her codename, and her mastery was in illusion magic. So she created a scene around herself and Sylvester.


    Sylvester''s shoulder fell, for the scene Spine showed him was the moment he decided to actively work to be the Pope. Right before him, he saw yet again the crouched form of Shane''s mother as she held Shane in her arms while the building around her burned. Her skin melted into Shane''s as they both burned away in agony. The cries of pain, the mindless screams and the fading sobs¡­ they rang in Sylvester''s ears.


    His fist tightened hard enough that his nails dug into his skin, making him bleed. His eyes rested on the melted blob of flesh that was Shane''s mother, and the faint form of the little boy in the woman''s arms.


    Not wanting to see it more, Sylvester closed his eyes abruptly and started walking forward. Soon, he passed by the illusion of Shane and reached Spine.


    Bam!


    "Argh! Don''t you dar¡ª"


    She tried to curse, but Sylvester clutched her neck tightly. She was a thin short woman, so he easily lifted her off in the air. She tried to kick her feet, but Sylvester only tightened his grip.


    "You think you have the power over me?" Sylvester''s eyes abruptly opened and shined in a dangerous red glow. "You think I don''t know your little pesty games? I am an Archbishop of the Holy Land, the Cardinal Suprima here, and the Judge. Should I hereby dere you a heathen? I''d love to hear your screams. I wonder if you''d melt the same way as them."


    "L-Let me go!"


    Pa!


    Sylvester used his other hand and pped her hard on her face. Her right cheek instantly swole up in red, and she stopped fighting him.


    "You little pest, by showing me that illusion, you revealed that you were there when he died ¡ª All of you actively killed that poor child. It was not an ident. It was an ungodly, shameful massacre."


    "Ugk¡­ I¡­ I can''t¡­ Br¡ª"


    "I wonder how many said those same words to you, and you showed no mercy."


    Thud!


    Sylvester finally let her go by throwing her on the ground hard. He looked down at her, staring into her eyes with an inferno in his own eyes.


    ?No longer your sins shall go unpunished.


    It''s the name of faith, you have diminished.?


    Against the norms, as his eyes stayed wide open while shining red, a simr red halo appeared behind his head. But, not warm; it was colder than the ice. It was the messenger of their sin''s price.


    Then abruptly, Sylvester turned around and proceeded to leave, but the halo remained.


    ?In the name of Solis, I am the judge.


    Your sins, I shall openly divulge.


    Count your days and your breaths.


    For none shalle to mourn your deaths.?


    ________________________


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 Chapter 411 411. Bugles Of War

    For the following day, Sylvester''s mood was spoiled. He saw Spine and EX10 every now and then, and he could not do anything to them for the time being as they were under the official service of the church.


    But it was not just him who felt frustrated. Bishop Lazark felt the same for EX10, his elder brother that he hated so much as thetter tried to secretly experiment on him by attempting to mutate him with a chameleon''s blood. Of course, the experiment failed, but the rtionship turned utterly sour following that.


    With nothing else to do but wait, Sylvester decided to look for the cure for the gue. He knew what to look for. He just needed to seek it. So, after getting permission from Saint Medico, Sylvester ventured out into the Sorrow Kingdom with Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark. However, they changed their disguise again so no one could track their origin in the Wailing City.


    "What do you feel about EX10?" Sylvester asked Bishop Lazark. "Would you mind if I killed him?"


    "I''d rather kill him with my own hands." Bishop Lazark replied coldly. "He''s a bane to society and stands against all the holy charters of the Church. He''s only alive because he''s useful, and I don''t want him to remain useful."


    "We have amon goal then," Sylvester responded, a sense of a dangerous aura looming over him. "I n on killing him and Spine by the end of our current assignment. They are currently on official duty, and to stop them is akin to breaking the Holy Law. So once we solve this mess in Sorrow Kingdom, we will have a window"


    "But¡­ The Pope will not be happy." Sir Dolorem warned.


    Sylvester mocked. "And I''m supposed to be happy when the church tries to kill my mother, get Shadow Knight chasing after me and kill my first student? They must ept my terms because there is only one me, while the Void Keepers can be reced."


    "And you''re an Archbishop. Your words and demands carry a lot of weight. Just like how those other old men in the Council of Thirty-Two influence things with their power, you must do it too." Bishop Lazark suggested with an air of wisdom. "My old teacher used to say, ''It''s foolish to let a fruit wither when you can eat it, even if you''re not hungry.'' Selfishness, far from being a vice, is oftentimes the very wheel that drives our ambition to greater heights."


    Sylvester couldn''t help but let out a small chuckle. "I never thought you''d be such a wise talker, Bishop. I don''t see you often joining such conversations with us."


    Bishop Lazark scratched his face under the ck oversized hooded robes. "I¡­ I merely wish for my brother to die. The longer he lives, the longer my family name gets spoiled."


    Talking about family reminded Sylvester of something. He faced Sir Dolorem and, in all seriousness, offered something. "While we''re at it, let''s go to Foxholm vige and kill the vige Elders and the Baron responsible for the death of your wife and son, Sir Dolorem. I''m an Archbishop now, a Judge on top of that. Since a crime wasmitted, I can dere them heathens."


    Sir Dolorem went silent for a good ten minutes. His eyes were covered, so there was no way of saying if he was shocked, hopeful or sad. Sylvester still smelled it, and Sir Dolorem induced nothing but the scent of pure rage.


    However, what he spoke went against what he felt. "That¡­ Feels like a misuse of your authority, Lord Bard."


    "Don''t worry about such little things, Sir Dolorem. Every story needs an ending, and your story of vengeance is still iplete. Don''t you want to bring them to justice?" Sylvester insisted, as he wasn''t scared of anyone anymore. He had a lot of pull in the Holy Land, and since Foxholm town was in the Hignd Kingdom, Sylvester could just tell his wishes to King Hignd, and the King would personally serve the heads of the vige chiefs and the Baron on a golden tter.


    Bishop Lazark moved his horse a bit closer to Sir Dolorem''s and patted the willfully blind knight''s back. "There is no harm in seeking vengeance, Sir Dolorem. The sin starts when you let the vengeance control you."


    "Besides, we''re the Church. We are the bringer of justice, the yer of heathens. They harmed the family of an Inquisitor. That''s a heresy in itself." Sylvester added, and whipped the horse lightly to move faster.


    Sir Dolorem sensed Sylvester''s fleeting back and felt a strange pull of string in heart. "H-He¡­ He grew so fast."


    Bishop Lazark sighed and looked ahead. "Let''s be honest. He never had a childhood. Assassinations, duels, magic, praying and pain ¡ª that''s all he has seen in his life."


    Sir Dolorem bobbed his head in agreement, though his mind stayed turbulent. ''I hope he finds the peace he''s searching for.''


    "Ha!"


    They, too, whipped the horses and rushed to catch up with Sylvester. They headed Northeast, where most cases of the gue were detected. Their destination was between The Last Hay vige, where they had met Archbishop Nelson and Dying City, where they had met with the ex-baron Clofield.


    Soon, they arrived in a small ce called Jharl vige. Boasting a poption of nearly three thousand, and almost all of them were currently infected with the gue.


    "What are we looking for in this ce?" Sir Dolorem asked.


    Sylvester kept looking left and right. "Anomalies! We must find a family that is still safe from the gue."


    "And that will lead us to?" Bishop Lazark asked further.


    "Cows!" Sylvester eximed. "Cow tits, to be precise."


    "..."


    Sir Dolorem, Bishop Lazark, and even Miraj stopped and just watched Sylvester. They wondered if all the pressure and the scorching heat of the Sorrow Kingdom got to Sylvester''s head.


    Sir Dolorem asked him. "Lord Bard, we wish to understand your whole n first¡­ please."


    Sylvester turned around and noticed the two''s faces, the scent of confusion and disgust. ''Ah! I made the Chonky mistake, it seems.''


    "Well, it is exactly as I said. The cow tits are the solution to our gue." Sylvester added further but had no way of exining the immunology, bacteriology, and virology to them.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "How can cow tits solve a gue?" Bishop Lazark inquired.


    "Is it in the milk?" Sir Dolorem wondered.


    Honestly, Sylvester didn''t have it in himself to tell them what he was looking for. It was too disgusting for someone who had no idea about medicine.


    "No, but close. Let''s go now. Just ask around for any family that ispletely fine. If we don''t find one, we go to another vige."


    "Understood!"


    ¡­


    While Sylvester tried to fight a gue, someone was facing much bigger battles. But it was a mess of his own concoction, and the consequences had finally caught up.


    Inside the Grand Duchy of Patch, the massive, majestic castle stood mightily beside the Tame river. It was enormous, with two walls and moats around, and no town or vige was nearby. It was constructed with the sole purpose of being imprable and safe.


    But, as the schemes of the Grand Duke went on, the echoes of danger started to ring between the walls. After all, with enough strength, no walls were imprable.


    Thud!


    "Hypocrites!"


    Thud!


    "Bastards!"


    Thud!


    "Those sun fuckers! I asked them one thing ¡ª make me the King of Sorrow, and they still refuse!"


    White-haired, blue-eyed, seven-foot-tall and clean-shaven ¡ª It was the Grand Duke of the Patch, mming his fist on the table in his majestic sr in the castle. Victor Zee Maverick was the name of the man who brought the Sorrow Kingdom to ruins. The man who backstabbed his liege and left behind a trail of blood ¡ª Men, women and children, none were spared. He always struck when they were not prepared.


    "Your majesty, even King Hignd has begun to look our way." Spoke another man, young-looking this time¡ªmiddle-aged, ck stubbled bearded, short-haired, muscr, and a head shorter than the Grand Duke. "The river dam is nearly done. Once it''splete, he will stop our water supply, and we can''t do anything for the dam rests within his territory."


    Thud!


    Rage was evident in the roars of the Grand Duke. "Then do something, you two! Einarr, you''re a Grand Wizard and a Diamond Knight, and you, Vind, you too. What are you two doing all this time? We''re losing control over the Sorrow Kingdom now that the Holy Land has begun to act."


    Vind lowered his gaze as he was young and a mere nephew of the Grand Duke, a Grand Wizard himself. "Your majesty¡­ I am trying to assess the situation. The Holy Land has sent Inquisitor High Lord to our northern borders. As we speak, the Inquisitors and the Holy Army are surrounding us from the north. Meanwhile, if the King Hignd stops our water, then we will suffer from a mass drought."


    "Haa!"


    Boom!


    Finally, Grand Duke Victor mmed his fist on the table hard enough and shattered it in pieces. His voice rumbled throughout the castle, and a strange red aura surrounded his body.


    "I earned what I have! I didn''t get the golden spoon passed down because of my blood ¡ª And I will not allow anyone to take what is mine. We still have many unfulfilled ns left, so set them in motion. The Hignd Kingdom has been able to deal with refugees fairly well all this time, so let''s show them what a real refugee crisis is.


    "And Vind, sound the bugle, ring the bells and let all know ¡ª It''s time for war!"


    "What about the Sorrow Kingdom, your majesty?" Einarr asked with his head held low and voice soft.


    "Haha!" The Grand Dukeughed menacingly. "Send all those civilians who contract the gue here to the Sorrow Kingdom ¡ª Let them all rot together!"


    ________________________


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 Chapter 412 412. A Sad Sad World

    Sand City, the Capital of the Hignd Kingdom.


    King Atrox Hignd stood beside the river where a massive stone dam was constructed. It was the second of the two dams that he nned to build. One was already finished, and it rested in the middle segment of the river that passed through hisnd.


    His reason for building the dam was not political but economical. As per Sylvester''s suggestion, he nned to submerge some parts of thends in his Kingdom that rested beside the river.


    "dius, tell the builders to go with the n. We need not wait for any permissions. Down south, only The Patch will be affected, for the Sorrow Kingdom has nothing left to lose now." King Hignd ordered while proudly looking at his realm from a high tower.


    dius Hignd, the Prima of the King and the younger brother, seemed a bit worried. "My king, The Patch will wage war against us if we follow the n. They have three Grand Wizards, while we have only you and the Queen."


    "Hah! Don''t worry about that, my little brother. Sylvester has promised that I will have to deal with only one of them, and he will take care of the rest. I am already at my peak, and no single Grand Wizard can truly defeat me, let alone me and my lovely wifebined." King Hignd proimed.


    dius sighed and shook his head. His face, full of worry, didn''t change and only turned uglier. "Your Majesty, why do you trust that boy so much? He has no reason to be kind to us; in fact, he has every reason to resent what happened in Deserte Vige after his birth. If not for Inquisitors, he would have been thrown in the fire and his mother rap¡ª"


    "Enough!" King Hignd interjected with a forceful voice. "To this day, I still have nightmares pondering over what might have urred. What if the Lord Inquisitor had not been there? ¡­ What if¡­ We did a folly and allowed a vile heretic as Chief Deserte to rule. But now, I perceive young Sylvester as a son, even if he doesn''t regard me as his father. Thanks to his remedy today, the kingdom possesses a young prince, and because of his deeds, we may well transform our desert kingdom, grappling with agricultural growth, into a realm of plenty.


    "Do not worry too much, my brother. ce some faith in my capacity to gauge character. Young Bard is a person who honours and trusts those who reciprocate the same. Thus far, he has always kept his word, and I believe that the trust shall not be broken this time as well."


    dius took a long breath and nodded. "I understand, your majesty. I shall go and inform the builders to block the river."


    Soon, the King stood alone atop the tower and looked towards the South, at the Sorrow Kingdom. His face adorned with a big smile as he brushed his white beard. "Let''s see what interesting miracles you show this time, Archbishop Sylvester. Will it be a quick step towards Cardinal rank, or perhaps¡­ Saint? Ah, I feel excited now!"


    ¡­


    Sylvester kept his search for the rare family going on for an entire week. He went from one vige and town to another, looking for an anomaly. Sadly, it was hard to find in a world where information was not gathered anywhere. There was no registry that he could look at, and he had to go and ask around a lot.


    Still, eventually, he found some leads, so, with newfound hope, he arrived at a new town called Magnuslia, named after its founder, Magnus the kind, a Baron who inherited hisnd at the age of thirteen but died a yearter from a disease. He donated all his wealth and created the once-flourishing town of Magnuslia.


    It was a town with a poption of eight thousand, but only one thousand survived after the hunger and gue. But, even among thest thousand, nearly eight hundred were sick from the gue, and there was no hope of saving.


    "Let''s keep the disguise of clergymen here. I shall be an Archpriest, and you two shall be the same. We are here under the order of Saint Medico, who came to Sorrow Kingdom to help with the gue." Sylvester ordered Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark, who were officials of lower rank than him.


    With the n ready, they entered the town and started asking questions door to door. Since they were wizards, they had nothing to be afraid of. Sadly, it was hard to tell which homes were abandoned and which still had someone living in them. So oftentimes, they had to wait for a few good minutes before moving on. And sometimes, they''d find someone utterly weak and dying opening the door. They''d just sing a prayer to them and then move on.


    They started in the morning, and eventually, it turned to night. But even by then, they had only searched one-fourth of the total houses. Tired, and somewhat bored, they tried to find a ce to stay the night and continue the next day. After all, nobody was going to open the door at night for three strange men.


    "That house has lights still on." Sylvester pointed at a much bigger house than usual and proceeded towards it.


    Knock! Knock!


    They waited for a minute.


    Bam!


    Sir Dolorem kicked the door this time to wake up the residents.


    "Argh! Who in the holy Solis'' name is disturbing this Baron!"


    The door opened with a man grunting and shouting at them. However, as soon as the man nced at Sylvester, he recognised them as he had seen their disguise previously.


    Sylvester, too, was taken aback. "Ah, you''re Baron Clofield! What are you doing here? You never replied again to Archbishop''s orders."


    ''Fear? I smell too much of it. Is he hiding here from the Archbishop? But why?'' Sylvester smelled a plethora of things, but the fear struck him the most.


    The old Baron tried to control himself the best, but even Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark could see there was something wrong with his sweaty face.


    "We shall rest here tonight." Sylvester didn''t wait and barged into the house, shoving the old man to the side.


    They went and took seats in the living room of the house. Sir Dolorem went to the kitchen and got water. They asked for nothing and took everything as if they owned it. All of them knew exactly what needed to be done ¡ª they were pressuring the old baron.


    "W-What are you here for, priests?" Baron Clofield asked them as he rubbed his hands.


    Sylvester told him the truth. "We''re looking for a family that lives in a gue-hit region and is stillpletely fine. They might be the key to solving the gue."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Baron rubbed his chin and tried to think of someone like that. "There are still a few families left, but I believe most of them have someone in their family die from the gue. There could be someone fitting your description."


    Sylvester looked left and right. "Where is little Amy? I hope she is fine if you brought that little bundle of joy to such a dangerous town."


    "S-She is fine, my lord, just sleeping. I shall go and change into my normal robes. Then, I shall cook something for your humble selves." The Baron walked away quickly to his room.


    Sylvester nced at Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark and nodded. "Something isn''t right. Start looking around, but don''t act suspicious."


    The other two nodded and stood up to look at things in the room. Then, they went to the kitchen in the name of cooking and started looking around. They looked for any clues, anything that could be rted to sphemy or some crime.


    "Ah! Why are you troubling yourselves, priests? I shall cook for you. Please take a seat." The Baron soon returned in his usual robes and started putting things around frantically.


    Sylvester nodded and stepped back to take his seat again. He started to talk, trying to scare the man. "The Holy Land has be serious about the Sorrow Kingdom. They might send the Holy Army and Inquisitors our way to control the situation."


    ''Ah, the fear increased. What the hell is he doing here?''


    "I believe you shoulde with us to the Wailing City. It''s our stronghold now." Sylvester offered.


    "Ah, Priest Johnathan, I still have much work to do here and¡­"


    "Umh¡­"


    "Mister priest?"


    Sylvester, Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark''s heads turned to the side. There, they noticed Amying out in her sleeping gown, rubbing her eyes and looking at them with interest.


    Sylvester abruptly stood up, his eyes narrowing and veins appearing on his fist. He walked over towards Amy and knelt down to caress her head.


    Then he faced the Baron, "Clofield, why is sheing out of the same room you went in?"


    "Ah¡­ I-I''m like a father to her, so¡­"


    Woosh!


    Sir Dolorem stood up, walked over to the Baron, and stayed beside him with one hand on the hilt of his sword. "Answer him¡­ Honestly!"


    "I-I am like her father¡­"


    Sylvester continued to caress Amy''s head while using magic to make his palm warm. He closed his eyes and tried to think with focus. He knew he wasn''t going to like it, and he also knew that it was a crime toomon in the world and time he lived in. But that didn''t make it justifiable.


    ''Now I know why she was limping back then, and even now she¡­''


    His eyes opened abruptly, wide and big. With no expression on his face, he uttered. "You had everything amoner could envy, and yet, for no reason, you chose the path of a heathen."


    "M-My¡­ respected priests¡­ There is a misunderstanding."


    Sylvester shook his head and nodded towards Sir Dolorem. Then he sat in front of Amy, blocking the view and put his hands on her ears while she just stared at his face, tears automatically welling in her eyes, for the moment she had been waiting for had finally arrived.


    Sylvester uttered his final words.


    "Farewell ¡ª May the Holy Light guide you to hell!"


    [A/N: See Amy on my Discord. I''d upload it here but I''m on a flight and only my mac has wifi.]


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 Chapter 413 413. Cow Where?

    No more words were spoken, for they all knew their tasks. Sir Dolorem swung the de like the scythe of the death itself. No time wasted, no questions asked, the sharp edges of the sword touched and pierced through the crying baron.


    "No! Please... You are mistak--"


    Thud!


    Words had no meaninging out of a man like him. The severed head fell on the floor with a sound, and the torso sprayed blood before taking a few steps back and dropping as well.


    "I wish such heathens could be detected and terminated in their mother''s wombs itself." Sir Doloremmented, cursing nearly.


    Sylvester didn''t respond, as his priority was the girl who silently wailed. Her eyes watered down non-stop as she continued to stare at Sylvester''s face.


    Hoping to help, Sylvester decided to use his hymns and halo to soothe her heart. After all, most people consider him a god after seeing his halo. In Amy''s case, she needed the confidence that God genuinely was there to help her.


    a??Let those tears fall once and for all.


    Life awaits you, for you''re still very small.


    Hope for joy and love, for you''re no longer a thrall.


    Worry not; if evil returns, I shall be your wall.a??


    The warm halo behind Sylvester''s head gave Amy much-needed warmth. Without embracing, she felt embraced. Without speaking to him, she felt she had known him her entire life. He was the one she waited for -- He was the one she prayed to -- He was God.


    Sylvester stood up and held her small hands that were hardened from rough work. Then, without letting her see the bloodied floor and the baron''s body, Sylvester brought her out of the house.


    "You need not worry about anything from now on, Amy. You wille with me to the Holy Land and live happily. But first, let me ask, do you have any family? Parents or siblings?" He asked because the story the count gave before was too doubtful now. ording to the Baron, Amy was the daughter of another Baron.


    As he intently looked at her for a reply, he smelled her emotions. There was hope, fear, pain and worship. But, slowly, the sadness overcame all, and from that, Sylvester knew what her answer was going to be.


    "They died, mister priest."


    "Was he a baron as well?" Sylvester inquired.


    The little girl nodded and continued to walk with Sylvester to what used to be the monastery in the town. It was now a rundown building with nothing but some dogs living inside.


    Sylvester stopped asking her more questions as he didn''t want her to remember the horrors again and again. He just requested Miraj if he had anything to make her feel better. Surprisingly, Miraj took out a lot of candies from his belly.


    Soon, Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark finished chopping the Baron into pieces and throwing them out in the desert for animal food. That was the highest amount of disrespect one could face after their death. Not being burned in the fire meant the soul would never reach Solis. At least, that was what the faith believed in.


    "What will you do with her, Priest?" Sir Dolorem asked him.


    Sylvester nced at the girl who was eating a candy silently. He remembered her face from thest meeting. It was so joyful. s, it was all a farce, and the current her was the real her.


    "She''s too young to walk this world alone. So she will live in the Bard''s and get trained there while studying. I will pay for her education." Sylvester proimed.


    Of course, Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark didn''t object to the decision. They were men of the faith, and that was what they were supposed to do. Kids were too pure for the vileness that existed in the world and should be protected if seen in harm.


    Seeing Amy''s condition, Sylvester was reminded of the little girl from his visions, the princess of the Sorrow Kingdom. He wondered what sort of hellish torture she was facing. Not only that, the girl from the visions was even younger and weaker.


    ''Just for the sake of my mental peace, I should look for her at least.''


    "Rest now. We will look for the cure tomorrow morning. Amy, you can sleep here. Nobody wille to hurt you anymore." Sylvester set up a small makeshift bed near the fire they had started for the little girl.


    The little girl just nodded and followed hismands. She rested down on the small mattress and quickly fell asleep. She had cried too much, so her eyes were already tired. Combined with the fact that Sylvester seemed genuinely kind. She felt some peace of mind.


    "Don''t get too attached to her, Lord Bard." Sir Dolorem warned Sylvester as they sat around the fire.


    Sylvester bobbed his head. He knew what Sir Dolorem meant. There were far too many kids out there possibly suffering from fates even worse than Amy''s. He could not afford to be worried for all of them, as it''d take away all his time.


    "I understand, Sir Dolorem. Child very is not yet ouwed, and there is nothing we can do about it. But to feel sad about these children means we are not yet so mentally unhinged. It''s proof of our own humanity." Sylvester argued.


    The old wizard knight agreed with him. "Certainly, you can look at it from this aspect."


    Following the short discussion, Sylvester went to sleep. Amy slept the closest to the fire with the three clergymen surrounding her. She was the safest she could ever hope to be.


    It waste in the night when they went to sleep, so the morning came too quickly. But they were strong men and required not much rest. With the bright light dawning over them, they rose, cleaned themselves and prepared to fulfil the rest of their task.


    This time, Sylvester kept Amy beside him. She was nine years old or so, so that meant she could be tested for magic. But he didn''t have any means for that yet. However, the fact that she travelled with the Baron to such a gue-hit area and yet remained safe meant she did have magic in her.


    Knock! Knock!


    Sylvester knocked on one door and waited until someone came. Eventually, five minutes passed, and finally, an old woman appeared, dragging herself to the door and opening it. She had blisters all over her face and hands. She seemed disoriented, her eyes red and her body thin.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Sylvester pped his hands together and sang a short prayer to her before turning around and leaving in silence.


    Amy ran behind him and quickly held onto his hand. "Why didn''t we help her, mister priest?"


    "She is infected with the gue. No cure can help her, so we don''t trouble such people." He said and continued to another house.


    Slowly, they covered most of the Magnuslia town, but then the night returned, and they had to rest again. That night, Sylvester sang a song for Amy and yed his violin. He just wanted to make her forget everything that went bad in her past.


    By the end of his song, her eyes shone, and her arms extended. "Can I y it? It was so beautiful!"


    "Hah!" Sir Dolorem chuckled suddenly, for he knew what was toe next.


    Sylvester gave her the instrument and taught her how to hold it. "Go ahead, give it a try."


    "Yes!" She excitedly took a long breath, hoping to make a melodic sound by mimicking Sylvester from before.


    Bzzzz!


    Kzzzz!


    She started sweating instantly, and an angry frown formed on her forehead. But she didn''t stop and kept going, trying to copy what Sylvester did. Surprisingly, she was able to make it less ear-shattering, but it remained ear-shattering nheless.


    "Why it sounds so bad?" She asked after finally giving up.


    Sylvester took the violin back and taught her. "There are a few reasons why it sounded bad. First, you tried to mimic what you saw me doing but didn''t have the same experience. Second, you press too hard on the strings, making a screeching sound. Third, you don''t press hard enough, and it makes a squeaky sound. Even your bow, if incorrectly held, can make it sound bad. You master all these. Then you can y like me."


    "C-Can I try again?"


    "No, now you go to sleep. But you can practice it tomorrow." Sylvester, like a caring elder, made her go to sleep.


    Slowly, the night passed again, and their boring day began. They had checked most of the houses in the central districts, and only those far-fetched homes were left. So they headed to meet the people there one by one. More people were alive there than in the central part of the town since the density was less in the outskirts.


    Sylvester found the doors opening fast in the outskirts, but the disappointment was all he received. They were all either gued or had someone in their family die from it already.


    "Be safe, and here, keep some of these grains." Sylvester bid farewell yet again and handed a bag of grains. That was the least he could do as a clergyman.


    "Let''s go, Amy. To the next house."


    Utterly tired and bored, they arrived at thest sector of the town. Their hopes were low, so not much enthusiasm was left in their eyes. They just automatically moved and knocked again.


    "Priest! I found one!"


    All of a sudden, just as Sylvester was about to knock on a door, Sir Dolorem appeared running and shouting.


    "A house where all members survived!"


    Sylvester''s tired eyes opened wide in an instant. He didn''t even stop Sir Dolorem and just picked Amy before running towards Sir Dolorem and past him.


    In no time, they arrived at the distant farmhouse. Bishop Lazark was already there, speaking with the whole family. There were three old grandparents, an adult man and a woman, along with three children aged five, ten and thirteen.


    Sylvester calmed down as he approached them. "May the Holy Light Enlighten us!"


    The man of the house stood at the front as if shielding his family. "Yes, what can I do for you, clergymen?"


    Sylvester stared into the man''s eyes and kept his senses sharp. "Do you, by chance, own a cow?"


    "Of course, I''m a farmer."


    Sylvester''s hopes skyrocketed. "Can I see it?"


    "Oh, but we ate it."


    "..."


    ________________________


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 Chapter 414 414. The Cure

    "You ate it?!"


    The man of the family stepped back in fright from Sylvester''s sudden reaction. He tried to rify himself. "T-That¡­ We had nothing else to eat back then, respected clergyman. Forgive us¡­"


    Sylvester quickly calmed down and took a few steps back. "Don''t be afraid, my brother in faith. I am not here to steal your food or such. Ie in peace, looking for a cure to the gue by the orders of Saint Medico of the Holy Land. A few unique cows may have a naturally urring substance that may cure the gue. Isn''t that the case with your family? None of you has fallen to the gue yet."


    The man and his family looked at each other''s faces in confusion and some hope. They hoped Sylvester was right, which would mean they need not worry about the gue anymore.


    "Clergymen, if you are fine, I have more cows in my barn. I am Benjamin, once the biggest dairy farmer in this region¡­ before the invasion. You may look at them if you wish to."


    Like a light bulb lit up on Sylvester''s head, he walked straight into the poor family''s house. "Show me the cows."


    The family frantically led the way to the backside of the house, where arge wooden fenced field was situated. Benjamin opened the barn doors and led them all inside.


    "Moo!"


    Instantly, the cows looked at the noise. Yes, cows, as there were nearly five of them. But they all looked weak.


    "We haven''t been able to feed them well since the gue started. Before, we used to take them near the riverside so they could eat whatever was left of the grass there. We were nning on surviving on their meat thising winter." Benjamin said, sorrow and fear evident in his voice.


    Sylvester didn''t reply as he was too busy inspecting the cows. He made a quick move and started to fondle the udder. He turned it and looked at all its sides one by one.


    "W-What is he doing?" Benjamin asked Sir Dolorem in confusion. After all, the first thing Sylvester did was go for the cow''s teats.


    "Please be patient." Sir Dolorem had no idea either.


    They watched Sylvester go from one cow to another and inspect their udder. He eventually did the same with all five of them and returned to the family with some questions.


    "What I am going to ask you is utterly important. It is in the best interest of humanity that you answer me honestly. Did the cow you ate also have those blisters on the udder? Did you also eat the udder?"


    "Y-Yes¡­ We could not afford to waste any part of the body, not even the bones, for they could be used to make soup." Benjamin answered.


    Sylvester rubbed his beardless chin and nodded. "Did any of you suffer from symptoms simr to the current gue in the past? Simr, but much less deadly."


    The whole family silently thought about it. That was when the woman of the house eximed aloud. "Ah! Didn''t Lareck have that a few months ago? Before the gue? He had a fever and blisters."


    Sylvester faced the oldest of the children, thirteen merely. "I presume he is Lareck?"


    "Yes, my oldest is Lareck. What is the matter, clergyman? Is everything alright? Did we do something wrong?" Benjamin felt tense and asked.


    "Did you feel any symptoms resembling the current gue recently?" Sylvester asked further.


    "We did for a few days, but it all disappeared. We thought we were going to die, but we survived. Since then, we have never gone out of the house." Benjamin replied truthfully, as he was still a believer and dared not lie with clergymen.


    ''Ah, so it''s not as strong yet. But if I infuse some srium in it, the trick should work.'' Sylvester''s mind raced with ideas.


    Eventually, he decided to go on with the findings and report them back to Saint Medico. "You all are lucky. The blisters on that cow''s udder are also a disease simr to the current gue. I call that Cowpox. It''s a less violent version of the gue, so when you get infected with Cowpox, you develop immunity to the more extreme and dangerous gue."


    Benjamin looked at his arm, where some small spots from the cowpox were still left. "The disease from the cow saved me? One disease saved me from another?"


    "That''s the magic of the human body, my friend. One''s poison can be another''s elixir. Now, we know that we have a cure. But we need to get it around the world to everyone. This will take a lot of effort and expertise. So here is my offer, you and your family cane with me to Wailing City, the current headquarters of the Holy Land inside the Sorrow Kingdom. There, you will find employment and food. Just bring your five cows along." Sylvester offered the man. He wished to show the cows and the family to Saint Medico as proof of the cure.


    "We wille!" Benjamin responded in a split second. There was nothing left for them in the dyingnds anyway. The prospect of work, safety and food was too enticing.


    "Good, then start packing. We leave at dawn."


    Sylvester left the family and proceeded to find a ce to rest nearby. He felt much better, however, as he had found what he was looking for.


    "Are you sure those ugly blisters will stop the gue?" Sir Dolorem inquired.


    It was nobody''s fault that they could not believe it. The world did not possess much knowledge about virology and immunology. To them, what they could not see with their eyes did not exist.


    "It will, trust me. Let''s just hope the Holy Land can mass immunise people because this isn''t a cure but mere prevention. Once someone gets infected, there is no saving." Sylvester added, before finally closing his eyes.


    However, he didn''t sleep, for there was much to think about, much to plot and consider for his next steps.


    ¡­


    For some, the gue was the greatest threat. For some, the discovery of its cure would have been the greatest news. But the talk of the town and wide around the Sol was something else.


    King Hignd finally finished building the twin dams on the Snake River, and without wasting any time, he deployed them to stop the river water. Effectively, he started submerging hisnds in the water.


    That effectively reduced the water levels further downstream on the Snake and the Tame rivers, both of which were important for The Patch. The entire reason The Patch used to be the bread and basket of the Sorrow Kingdom in the past was the river water. Without water, The Patch was no different from the Sorrow Kingdom.


    Following the blocking of water by King Hignd, The Patch sent many envoys to the Sand City to negotiate a deal with the wise, mighty King. But the King didn''t budge and banned any more envoys from entering the Hignd Kingdom.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Following that, slow esctions began to ur. Fishermen from the Hignd Kingdom started getting attacked and killed, and cargo ships headed to the Hignd Kingdom were looted. But none of that had any effect on King Hignd.


    Thanks to Sylvester, King Hignd was able to form favorable and respectable rtions with Riveria and Gracia, so the wounds The Patch tried to inflict didn''t do much harm but rather only showed The Patch as the bigger aggressor.


    The fact that the Holy Land was using information warfare to spread negative propaganda towards The Patch didn''t help the Grand Duke either.


    So, with no more ways out, there was only one thing remaining.


    In the year 5118 of the Lord, on the seventh month, Grand Duke Victor Zee Maverick, publicly made the call for full-scale war against the Hignd Kingdom. Letters were sent, the coffers were checked, and the des were sharpened.


    Three Grand Wizards of The Patch to Two Grand Wizards of the Hignd Kingdom. That was where all the confidence of the Grand Duke rested. However, neither he nor any other could realise that they were mere pawns in a great game that was being yed out by someone they couldn''t even imagine.


    With pieces in ce and the waves high, it was time to make the final moves.


    ¡­


    Sylvester left for the Wailing City at dawn, just as nned. With multiple carts behind him, he escorted the family of eight carefully to the city in the south.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    "Iing!" Sir Dolorem roared.


    Sylvester took out a sword and prepared to make contact with the enemies. Soon, he noticed an enormous horde of men approaching them on horses. All were wearing the red robes of Windowmakers, the scums who deserved to die.


    ''An ambush?''


    "Prepare to strike! Benjamin, bring your family behind me!" Sylvestermanded and prepared to use his Wrath of Heaven''s beam.


    There were hundreds, and with their fluttering red capes, they appeared like a sea of blood. At the galloping speed of their horses, they charged forward.


    "Ready!" Sylvester roared.


    He tried to smell the scent, and all he sensed was rage. But then he noticed something strange.


    ''None of them have their swords out.''


    Woosh!


    Soon, the crowd of men reached them and, without reacting, just passed by as if they were in a rush. In no time, they left Sylvester and the rest confused and in a little cloud of dust.


    "What was that?" Benjamin questioned in fright.


    "They are retreating to The Patch." Sir Dolorem interjected. "It seems the war has begun."


    Sylvester, however, could smell something elseing from a distance ¡ª the scent of death. It was so overwhelming that he could smell it from far away. That meant something tragic had happened.


    "Move! Fast!"


    Sylvestermanded and galloped his horse ahead, leaving behind Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark to escort the family.


    He rushed closer towards the scent of death. Eventually, he saw smoke rising in the distance, so he knew what to expect.


    "Maxy, I see something!" Miraj shouted while standing on Sylvester''s head. "There is a lot of fire¡­ So much fire."


    Sylvester expected that already, but he needed to see it himself. So finally, after crossing thest few sandy hills, he appeared on the higher ground to see the view.


    At the top of that hill, he stayed still on his horse, not saying another word or thinking. All there was to see was fire engulfing the entire Dying City and the towns surrounding it in the distance. From the beginning to the end, each and every structure was covered in fire, with the exits sealed shut.


    "W-What is going on here?!" Sir Dolorem eventually arrived beside Sylvester and saw the scene.


    Sylvester sighed and looked to the far distance, and simrly, he could see faint smoke rising in many directions.


    "All troops of The Patch are returning to their homes, Sir Dolorem. But not before showing their true evil ¡ª they have opted to utilise scorched-earth ¡ª destroying all they find on their way back."


    ________________________


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 Chapter 415 415. Some Setbacks

    Bishop Lazark also reached the hill and saw the burning city and the surrounding viges. "Why would the Grand Duke burn the verynd he wants to rule? It contradicts all that he has done so far."


    Sylvester deprecatingly chuckled and rubbed his eyes in tiredness. "Grand Duke knows there is no such thing as taking over the Sorrow Kingdom after waging war against King Hignd. But, I''m sure Grand Duke is hiding some secret moves even now."


    "Let''s go. We must reach the Wailing City before we find any major hurdle in our way." Sylvester could not do anything for the burning towns and viges as he was just a single man.


    Having no time to waste, they passed by many more burning towns and viges. Some had already been turned into a pile of ash. Those who survived were on the streets, waiting for death toe. Just a look in the eyes of the people revealed many of them had given up already.


    Their lives just don''t seem to be getting better. Every single time something happens, it''s something terrible. First the attack by The Patch, then the earthquake, then the gue and now The Patch using scorched earth. People had nothing already, and now they lost even the will to survive.


    ''Perhaps it''s time to y my game. But, ah¡­ I feel so tired already.''


    "All those who hope for a cure, all those who desire food, and all those who finally wish to fight the evil Grand Duke ¡ª Follow me to the Wailing City. We will gather there for thest time." Sylvester shouted all of a sudden, shocking Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark.


    "W-What are you doing? If they alle, the bnce in the city will be broken. We don''t have enough food for them all." Bishop Lazark reminded Sylvester in a warning tone.


    "We do have the money, so it''s better if they alle to us. We need to vinate them at the same time. Once we have done that, I shall arm them and march them to the borders to nk the Grand Duke while he''d be busy fighting the Hignd Kingdom." Sylvester revealed his rather crude n.


    "They will all be butchered." Sir Dolorem eximed. "Look at them; they can''t even walk straight."


    "They are dying already, so why not die while fighting? Have faith in me, priests. We shall ovee this situation. It''s better if all the people gather at Wailing City so that we can manage them better. In fact, I hope you two can use your means to spread the word to all the people somehow ¡ª Come to Wailing City for a better life." Sylvester decided to double down on his n.


    Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark shook their heads simultaneously, worried for Sylvester and his ns. They understood why he never divulged the entire thing to them, but sometimes they wish he did.


    After two more nights, they finally came closer to Wailing City. By then, a crowd of fifteen thousand was already following Sylvester in search of a better future. Thankfully, Bishop Lazark had already used his undead birds to send the missive to Saint Medico, suggesting that food be prepared in mass.


    With preparations already done, as Sylvester arrived, makeshift tents were set up outside the city so people could stay. Efforts were made to keep things as hygienic as possible, and outpost towers were set up every few blocks to maintain high security.


    Sylvester, meanwhile, took the cows and the family of eight into the city, beyond theva moat and into the monastery to show to Saint Medico. He had already sent one letter with the bird, but it only revealed that a cure had been found.


    "Where is it? What is the cure?" Saint Medico jumped from his seat the moment Sylvester entered his office. "How did you find it?"


    Sylvester let the old master of medicine be anxious for a while as he sat calmly, then poured himself a ss of water and drank it slowly. "I found it through observation, Saint. I saw that in a gued town, one family didn''t get infected, not even a single member. Upon inspection, I found that they had eaten a cow recently infected with a disease simr to the current gue, but milder. The family revealed they had already suffered from the same illness the cow had. That made me realise that the disease they got from the cow made them immune to the gue.


    "Saint Medico, to fight this gue, all we need to do is mass immunise people with this cow disease. I have already invented the needles, so we can easily use them in mass. We just need to find more cows infected with the same disease, extract the puss in the blisters, and expose the people to it. We must also infuse srium in the extracted substance to make it potent."


    Sylvester had already written everything down on a few sheets of paper, so he forwarded it. He then waited for Saint Medico to read it and give his answers.


    "Grrr¡­!"


    "Ah, you must be hungry after the long travel." Saint Medico looked at him after hearing his stomach grumble.


    "It''s alright. I can eatter. This matter is more important." Sylvester denied it, as the one with a grumbling stomach was Miraj, not him.


    Saint Medico continued to turn the pages and think. "I see some reason in what you have discovered. But I must confirm the findings before investing vast amounts of church resources. If this works, then I believe you have saved the world from a miserable and deadly gue that would have likelysted years and killed nearly half of our poption."


    ''That was the n from the start.'' Sylvester thought and gave an invisible pat on his own back.


    "Thank you, Saint."


    "But!" Saint Medico put the papers away, and his face turned furious. "You have brought hordes of people to our doorstep without prior notification, yet more continue to arrive unabated. We are simply not equipped to handle this unprecedented influx, young bard."


    Sylvester knew this wasing. So he put another bunch of papers on the table. "I know, Saint. That is why I am nning on arming these people and marching them to The Patch as soon as they are immunised from the gue. They have lost everything to the Grand Duke, and it''s about time they get it back."


    "They will all die, young bard. Sorrow Kingdom has already lost more than half its poption. You want total extinction now?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Look at the n first, Saint." Sylvester insisted.


    Following that, the Saint silently read every single word with much care and worry. His face constantly had a frown, and from time to time, he shared a nce with Sylvester. asionally, his brows rose in amazement, and sometimes they fell in doubt.


    "Are you sure? You seem to be underestimating The Patch."


    "I am not, Saint. But I did promise King Hignd that he would not have to fight more than one Grand Wizard at a time. I intend to keep my word, for it was I who suggested he makes the dam in the first ce. Not for politics, of course, but to make hisnds fertile again." Sylvester rified his position. "This war with The Patch was inevitable, and now that the Grand Duke is cornered, it''s time we end this mess and bring order to the Sorrow Kingdom once again ¡ª under the direct administration of the Holy Land."


    Sylvester''s words were too big and echoed in Saint Medico''s ears. He was no spymaster or a politician, but being a member of the Sanctum Council, he knew exactly what Sylvester was offering. "Did you discuss your ideas with anyone? His Holiness, perhaps?"


    "There was no n until I arrived in the Sorrow Kingdom and saw the situation first-hand. King Hignd''s actions are his own, but we can''t allow a good King like him to suffer at the hands of someone vile like the Grand Duke. If the Holy Land does not intervene today, it will be toote tomorrow. I do not ask anyone toe to fight, Saint. I just wish to lead these people and fight alongside them." Sylvester stood up and gave a formal salute. "We havee this far already. It''d be sad to retreat now."


    Saint Medico stayed silent in his seat for a good while. "I am nobody to stop you from doing whatever you desire, young bard. You are an Archbishop and a Special Judge in thesends. Your word is thew, so you may decide matters yourself. I will not step in your way. You have my word."


    "Thank you, Saint. I will be on my way now. I hope the cure can be utilised in numbers soon."


    Sylvester bid his farewell and left the office room. Outside, he took a sigh of relief and proceeded towards his room. The first thing he did there was write a letter to Kaecilius, the ve in Riveria. Sadly, he could not send him the words directly, so he was going to have to wait.


    Then the second letter he wrote was addressed to King Hignd. It detailed Sylvester''s n and reassured the King that Sylvester would keep his end of the deal.


    ''If everything goes well, not only the Sorrow Kingdom and the Patch will be united, the whole region will be the Church''s second home ground. If I y my cards right, I might just be allowed to be its first official administrator, nothing short of a king.''


    Many ideas lingered in his mind, as there was a lot he needed to achieve before walking the more dangerous path.


    ''Ah, I feel too sleepy all of a sudden.'' Sylvester moved the light crystal a little closer to his work desk and rubbed his eyes. ''Maybe I should go and just eat something first.''


    Sylvester looked at the two beds in his room. On one, Amy was sleeping soundly. "Get up. It''s time to eat dinner."


    As if she rose from the dead, she got up instantly and rubbed clean her mouth from the drool. "Where?"


    "Come with me." Sylvester put his things away and proceeded out of his room. He carefully locked the door with not just keys but also magic.


    Amy quickly caught Sylvester''s hand and started walking alongside him. Her world had changed a lot, although there remained much uncertainty. She still enjoyed time with Sylvester as he never harmed her, yelled at her or made her do tiring chores.


    "What are we going to eat, mister priest?" She asked jovially.


    "Oh, we will eat some e¡ª Ugh~"


    Thud!


    Sylvester suddenly stopped in the middle of speaking and fell to his knees. "I¡­ My vision is so blurry!"


    Amy frantically held onto him and supported him. "Mister priest! What happened?"


    Sylvester raised his arms a little, but soon theycked energy. His eyes got heavier, and eventually, he fell to the floorpletely.


    ''Fuckers! When did they poison me?''


    ________________________


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 Chapter 416 416. Army Of The Peasants

    Sylvester did not dare to lose consciousness in the middle of nowhere. He could not afford to allow anyone to ess his blood.


    "A-Amy¡­ Can you please help me reach my room?" He asked the little girl beside him.


    The young girl, fraught with worry and fear, bobbed her head with great effort as she assisted Sylvester to his feet, which he managed after several attempts. The sensation he felt was not pain but rather one of weakness, brought on by a peculiar poison that weakened his physical functions.


    As the toxin persisted in his body, its effects would only continue to worsen. Thus, Sylvester hastened his way down the lengthy corridor of the monastery, determined to reach his room before he was forced to crawl on all fours.


    Fortunately, the monastery was not a fortress, and Sylvester made it to his chamber just in time. Upon mming the door open, he rushed to the washing sink with all the energy he could muster. "Close the door and bar it tight!" he implored.


    Woosh!


    Wasting no time, he seized a sharp knife and proceeded to make a deep incision on each wrist, causing a crimson stream to flow forth and into the water basin in the room. As the pool of blood gradually swelled, Sylvester''s face grew increasingly ashen and wan, his life force inching away with each passing moment. Such a gruesome sight was not for the faint of heart, in that case, Amy.


    "Chonky! Feed my srium crystals and blood-replenishing potions." Sylvester ordered, much to the confusion of Amy, for she knew not who he spoke with.


    In no time, out of thin air, strange crystals flew into Sylvester''s mouth. Amy just saw everything unfold from a distance, shocked and in awe, as she simply thought it was Sylvester''s amazing magic or something.


    He felt no pain and let the blood spill out so new blood could replenish his body and reduce the toxicity in his body. The crystals and the potion vials ensured that his body didn''tck the necessary minerals required, nor would he face anyck of magic.


    Throughout the process, he was mindful not to fall unconscious, as he didn''t know what Amy would do after that. She may just call someone, and that would have resulted in a bigger problem. Furthermore, he felt he didn''t even have the energy to speak to her.


    All he had was his mind to himself, free to think about when and who poisoned him. ''I drank water in Saint Medico''s room. Did he poison me? But I''ve been feeling tired and sleepy since before I arrived in Wailing City. Could it be that the poison was a slow burner and was introduced in my body days prior?''


    He remembered what happened to Archbishop Nelson. ''Could it be that I was given the same poison, but because it''s my body, it worked slowly? But then Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark should be equally afflicted, for the poison would have contaminated all within reach. What is that only I touche¡ª Spine! That wench!''


    The sudden epiphany struck him, and everything became clear in that instant. He knew there was something wrong as he was able to grab Spine''s throat too easily back then. It all made sense now why, as it was her n from the start.


    "Mister priest, will you be fine?" Amy sat beside him nervously.


    Sylvester cast his gaze upon her face and imparted a gentle smile, albeitcking the vitality to utter a single word. s, he could only offer his reassuring look as sce to her in this moment of distress.


    All he could do was wait until the toxins left his body. It was a slow process, and the entire night went by for it. He healed his wounds on the wrists after three hours of letting his blood out, and then he focused on replenishing the lost blood.


    Somewhere along the way, fatigue overtook him, and he sumbed to the sweet embrace of slumber. By his side, little Amyy in rest, sping onto the hem of his robes with her fingers, fearful that he would suddenly disappear.


    When the morning came, Miraj woke up first and walked on Sylvester to reach his face. "Maxy, wake up."


    Bam!


    He pped softly with his paw. "Wake up, Maxy. It''s morning already."


    Sylvester slowly tried opening his eyes despite them feeling too heavy. "Oh¡­ I can speak again¡­ My head still feels light, but the effects of the poison are gone, it appears."


    He sat up on the bed and proceeded to get rid of the blood that was still in the basin. However, when he looked, there was nothing in it. "Did it turn into Srium this fast?"


    "Maxy, I''m hungry. We haven''t eaten anything since yesterday." Mirajined and slumped on Sylvester''sp. "Even Amy didn''t eat anythingst night."


    Sylvester sighed andbed his flowing locks of blonde hair, cascading like a waterfall down his back. With his fingers, he brushed them to the back of his head. A dangerous smile remained ever present as a look while he stood up. "Now I have all the more reasons to kill Spine and EX10. Let''s go now."


    ¡­


    Holy Land, Pope''s Office.


    In a modest room covered with red carpet, the Pope sat behind an ornate wooden desk, carved with intricate designs and polished to shine. He read scrolls of paper while two more men sat in the visitor''s seat.


    "Your Holiness, Saint Medico himself has attested to the authenticity of these findings. Therefore, it would appear that Lord Bard has, once again, disyed the benevolence of the Almighty upon us," Uttered Saint Wazir, his face filled with an air of beaming joy. "We must make haste to spread the treatment of the gue."


    Saint Seer, the chief spymaster, sat there too. "Your Holiness, what do you wish to do with Lord Bard''s n? He did not ask for permission from any higher authority before meddling in the matters of Kingdoms."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The Pope just sat there, reading something on a scroll. He didn''t reply and just bobbed his head the whole time as if he was listening.


    "Your holiness?" Saint Seer tried to get attention again.


    The Pope only looked up after finishing reading. "What a marvellous book this Devil''s Manifesto is. Who wrote it?"


    "..."


    Saint Seer embarrassingly replied as he realised the Pope was probably not listening. "Nobody knows who wrote it, your grace. It was randomly sent around the Sol, and now many copies of it have appeared."


    "How utterly intriguing," mused the Pope as he stroked his beard thoughtfully. "The author of this book certainly seems to possess a remarkable facility withnguage. But let us set that aside for the moment and address your concerns. Saint Wazir, without dy, release the funds from our coffers andmence with the vination efforts. We shall begin with the Sorrow Kingdom and Gracia."


    Turning to address another matter, he continued, "And as for you, Saint Seer, I must insist that you leave Archbishop Sylvester to his own devices. He has been appointed to his position precisely because of his abilities and experience. I have full confidence in his ability toplete his mission of investigating the Sorrow Kingdom and restoring peace to thend. So let me be clear: if you can not be of help, don''t be a hindrance."


    Saint Seer lowered his head, for he remembered his spree of follies in the past. He now had to think a million times before ever speaking about Sylvester. In fact, he often felt fear in information the Pope about Sylveser''s actions on some days.


    The Pope stood up following his little threatening instructions and put his mitre on the head. "Get to work, you two. I have to go and meet with Grand Cardinal Bison now. He has personally arrived from Beastaria to inform me about the current Dragon-Elf war. If things are going well, it may just be us whounch the first strike, not the other way around."


    Saint Wazir and Saint Seer stiffly stood up upon hearing that and crossed their arms to salute.


    "May the Holy Light Enlighten Us!"


    "May the Holy Light Enlighten Us, your holiness!"


    ¡­


    Once the Holy Land decides something, things happen very fast. As the religious hegemon of the Sol with a lot of money, their orders were epted by all nobles as long as they didn''t harm the interests of the said nobles.


    Thanks to Sylvester''s discovery, Count Raftel was approached by the Church to expand the mass production of injections, IVs and many other medical equipments. Since the Church was directly involved, Cardinals travelled all around the Sol like sand in the desert. They were everywhere doing something, gathering some materials or preparing something.


    Count Raftel, Baron Strongarm, Baron Lovnd and even Duchess Iceling benefited as they were all part of Sylvester''s manufacturing group. They all made something on an industrial scale that Sylvester invented and was now in high demand due to the gue.


    So, they all made a lot of money, and by that extension, Sylvester received a lot of royalties straight in his bank ount in the Holy Land.


    In one week''s time, the first batch of ss-bottled vines started to appear in the Sorrow Kingdom, and the first ones to receive them were those in the Wailing City, as Sylvester needed them prepared.


    Over the one week, Sylvester had spread the word through rumours and then with some painted posters that all those who wished to fight the Grand Duke of The Patch maye and register their name in the Sorrow Kingdom''s army, which shall be led by Holy Land''s Archbishop Nelson, and a victory was guaranteed in written words.


    At first, there was confusion, but then some brave hearts registered their names and received armour, swords and clothes. After that, the names poured in, and in one week, an army of thirty thousand soldiers stood firm outside the Wailing City, training in the basic discipline.


    "Are you sure about this? You even guaranteed them a victory." Saint Medico asked as Sylvester appeared ready to leave in his regr armour, albeit still in facial disguise.


    Sylvester, with no doubt in his voice, saluted the Saint. "I assure them victory because I know it''s inevitable. Right now, the future may seem clouded to you, but soon, everything will be clear. This army is just an army in name, and their real purpose is not to fight the enemy with the sword, but rather to fight the enemy that resides within them ¡ª cowardice is its name. May the Holy Light Enlighten us, Saint. I''ll see you soon."


    Saint Medico felt somewhat speechless as his interaction with Sylvester was minimal over the years. "How do you n on fighting then? The Grand Duke''s army is greater than you in numbers and skills."


    Sylvester kept walking and just raised a thumb.


    "Watch me."


    ________________________


    1000 GT = 1 Bonus chapter.


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    Ape Together Strong

 Chapter 417 417. Friends Or Foes

    Sylvester rode his horse with Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark at his side. He arrived before the army of thirty thousand soldiers, all looking healthier with their clean armour and shining des.


    Their eyes were filled with the hope of a better future and victory over The Patch. They had no idea how they would do it, but whatever the rumours and the posters told them, they believed it.


    Sylvester raised his longsword in the air and addressed the crowd. "Prepare to march to the east! We go beyond the Barrier mountain range ¡ª We shall enter the enemynds and take what is ours. As we speak, the Grand Duke is busy fighting a war with the Hignd Kingdom, so this is the best time for us to strike. Remember ¡ª we either win today or die trying. So raise your des and chant the name of the Lord, for we have cried enough, and no more tears we can afford!"


    Thump!


    Thump!


    The marching drums started to resound simultaneously, and in neat rows of five, all the soldiers began to walk on the well-paved Holy Road that started at the Holy Land and ended at the Wailing city.


    Sylvester spent little time on his own horse. Instead, he entered Archbishop Nelson''s carriage as he had much to discuss with the dying old man. The Archbishop was still bedridden as the poison had done too much damage to his body. But still, the man had wished toe along as he wanted to see the brave people of the Sorrow Kingdom finally stand up for themselves.


    "Your Grace, we shall be arriving in The Patch in ten days at best," Sylvester spoke with the old man resting on the bed. It was a special carriage made for him and had a bigger size for that reason.


    Count Bradley was also there, having incorporated his military into the army of peasants. Thankfully to Count''s army, the peasants could hold order within the ranks and knew how to act to specificmands.


    "Old man, don''t die so soon. At least see the Sorrow Kingdom bing free again first." Bradley said while cutting an apple for the Archbishop.


    Cough!


    "You brat! Do you think I will be dying anytime soon? You are mistaken, for I only wish to die after seeing the end of this battle and listening to Lord Bard''s hymn once." Archbishop said from his bed. His body was the most affected, after all, not his voice.


    Sylvester chuckled and reassured him. "I shall pray to the lord that all your dreamse true."


    "What''s so special about that bard of yours? When has singing helped someone? Can his singing feed the hungry?" Count Bradley questioned in a doubtful voice. "It''s just the theatrics of the church to lure the masses."


    Sylvester smiled upon hearing that. Count was not wrong about enticing the masses, but he was wrong in thinking the church was involved in it.


    Bam!


    Archbishop Nelson somehow used all his power in his body and utilised magic to make a small container of tea fall on Count''s head from the shelf. "You ungrateful boy. Lord Bard isn''t just a bard but also an inventor. He brought about a medical revolution and showed new ways of making the soil fertile. His legends are so many that it''s impossible to know them all unless you are prepared to travel and seek each one.


    "His eminence transcends our mortal limitations. He converses with Solis, and the Almighty''smands direct him to lead us towards a brighter future. Moreover, Lord Bard is a brilliant military strategist, having recently been appointed Grand Field Marshal of Gracia - the highest military rank within any kingdom."


    Count Bradley scratched his head in annoyance. "You know who you remind of right now, old man?"


    "Who?"


    Bradley smirked. "Those flowery women who lust for their knight in shining armour and remain prepared to spread their legs at a moment''s notice."


    Cough!


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us." The Archbishop started praying instantly. "Give this filthy-mouthed man some guidance."


    Sylvester silently listened to the two men bickering and finally asked when he could. "Why are you spending so much on the Sorrow Kingdom, Count? You''re not even from this Kingdom."


    Bradley sighed and lowered his head. "I am merely redeeming myself here, priest."


    "What do you mean?" Sylvester asked further as he finally smelled the opportunity to learn more about the strange strong man.


    Bradley nced at the Archbishop for a second as if asking for advice. Then, after getting a faint nod, Bradley started to rub his face with a piece of cloth.


    A minuteter, Bradley finished and showed his face again. Now, everything seemed different and horrifying to some degree. His eyes seemed sunken in with deep ck circles around them. There were ck spots on his face, his lips were utterly dry, and age lines were more abundant on him than the old dying Archbishop.


    "I''m dying," Bradley revealed. "I got a lung disease¡­ I got it while beating a farm ve¡­ to death¡­ Just because he took a minute of rest."


    Sylvester straightened up in his seat as the carriage ran down the bumpy road. The sunlighting inside from the white-curtained window gave quite a pitiful view of the Count. The man''s eyes were full of sorrow and regret.


    ''I''ve never experienced such a strong mix of sadness and hate scents.''


    Sylvester said what he knew, for he, too, was like Bradley once, full of regret and rage. "It never goes away. The regret and the thought of ''what-if?'' will always remain with you, no matter what. You can just try to be a decent person. The rest is in Lord''s hand."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Bradley nodded at his statement and looked at his wrinkled palm while continuing. "I''ve been a monster all my life. I''ve killed people, tortured people, sold them, bought them, and whatnot.


    "My wife died during childbirth, leaving behind a son. I was too strict with him and soon watched him pass away from illness. My mother died when I was a kid, and my father¡­ I watched him kill himself after failing in his plot against the King ¡ª I got nothing in my life, priest."


    "So that''s why you are helping people now? To change yourself?" Sylvester inquired while being a good listener.


    Bradley, seven feet tall, mighty strong man. He never looked as vulnerable as he did at that moment. He lifted his face and looked Sylvester in the eyes. "I''m afraid¡­ Or was afraid of what wille next after I die ¡ª Hell? Then I met the Archbishop, who suggested I just start helping people for no reason."


    "Hah, I remember it." Archbishop Nelson butted in. "You were scared of me because you didn''t believe in Solis. Honestly, even I''m sometimes doubtful about it. Anyone would be after seeing so much madness around us."


    Bradleyughed at that instant. "Hah, you were too smart for a brute like me, old man. But I guess I should be thankful to you the most. For the first time in my life, I have a reason to exist, for however long it may be."


    "And for the first time, you have rity on your future," Sylvester added. "But what about yournd and wealth?"


    Bradley shrugged. "I never cared for it. My wealth is useless. I have no heir. I have sent a message to King Hignd. After my demise, thend shall return to the crown. But, what I wonder these days is¡­ Will anyonee to myst rites to mourn? Will there even be someone to light my pyre on fire?"


    "I wille," Sylvester promised. "I''m just a lowly priest with too much time on my hand."


    "Hah! Of course, lowly pries¡ª"


    Thud!


    Just as Archbishop Nelson was about to say something, the carriage suddenly halted, shaking them all.


    Ting!


    Swords out, Sylvester and Count Bradley jumped out of the carriage and rushed to the front where Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark were. The entire marching army hade to a halt, as evident by the different sounds of the drums.


    "What happened?" Sylvester questioned aloud.


    Sir Dolorem faced Sylvester in seriousness. His blindfolds were entirely removed. "Ten men and women have blocked our path, priest. We are going to speak with them."


    "Let''s go." Sylvester wasted no time and walked beyond the first column of the marching army.


    He looked ahead at the road in the middle of the desertndscape. There, ten people of varying heights could be seen standing with their arms folded over their chests. They all wore simr clothes; long-ck leather coats, boots and gloves. Their faces were clear to be seen, despite there being hoods on their backs.


    Sylvester patiently walked a few steps forward and loudly questioned. "Who are you? Why do you stop the army?"


    Pat!


    The short man in the middle of the ten walked forward and mmed his right fist over his chest in a salute. He then bowed his head a little and spoke withplete respect.


    "We mean no harm and hold no malice towards you. In fact, we wish to join your noble cause and fight against the Grand Duke alongside."


    Sylvester didn''t buy it, as he smelled ulterior motives in the form of lies. So he confronted the ten straightforwardly. "Tell me who you are first, then I might allow you to join our fight."


    The short man looked towards his allies on the left and the right before answering while smiling gently.


    "We live in the shadows, away from sight ¡ª We are the men and women of the Anti-Light!"


    ________________________


    Hello, my fellow apes!


    If you have any spare Golden Tickets, please give them to my book. For the month of April, I will be doing as many releases as possible every day.


    I hope to hit the Top 25 at least once in this book''s lifetime.


    Thank you.

 Chapter 418 418. Creator Of Plague

    Sylvester hated one thing the most. It was uncertainty that arose during his ns. The appearance of the ten Anti-Light followers was one such uncertainty, as he didn''t know what they would do if he rejected their help.


    ''I see what they''re doing. Just like me, they wish to win over the hearts of these people by showing how caring they are.'' Sylvester ascertained from the scents he felt.


    "Why is Anti-Light so gracious today? Aren''t we your mortal enemies?" Sylvester asked them.


    The short Anti-Light follower nodded in agreement, not hiding his hostilities. "Yes, you are correct in that assumption, priest. But we see the people''s misery here as a more pressing matter than our animosity. The Grand Duke of the Patch has inflicted unspeakable harm on these people, and we wish to stop it."


    Sylvester saw through the wordy by the man. He was trying to influence the army ofmoners behind him. Now, if he were to tell the Anti-Light followers to go away, he''d be seen as the intolerant one.


    "Isn''t it too convenient that you have appeared when we are already on our way to fight? Where were you when the Widowmakers inflicted harm on the people and burned towns to viges? Where were you when I called for these honest, brave men to raise their arms in the Wailing City? You appear here and dere support. I can''t help but wonder if your heart desires something else¡­ something evil. Are you working for the Grand Duke?" Sylvester turned the tides instantly. Even a speck of doubt in any mind was worth it. Not to mention, the Church had ensured that the name of Anti-Light was seen in the wrong light.


    Sir Dolorem smelled the tension and chimed in. "If you truly want good for the people, then go away and serve themoners still stuck in the towns and viges. Help the healers vinate them with the new medicine. Do not waste our time here."


    The Anti-Light man frowned a little. "Do you not wish to have more fighting power by your side? Each of us here is a Master Wizard. How will you justify their deaths after rejecting our help?"


    ''He''s good.'' Sylvester would have chuckled if not for the game he was ying.


    Sylvester walked forward from the crowd and then turned around to face the army. "Soldiers of the army! Did the posters not promise you a victory?"


    "It did!"


    "We have faith in church!"


    "To victory!"


    The men shouted back. That prompted Sylvester to turn around and face the Anti-Light followers again. "As you heard, the promise made to them was of total victory! Today, in front of you and all the others, I give them another promise ¡ª Not a single one of them shall die in the battle!"


    "What?!"


    "Really?"


    The loud murmurs from the peasant soldiers started to mour together. They could not believe what Sylvester said, a mere priest.


    Sylvester knew that he was a nobody in his disguise, so he conveniently used the name of the Archbishop. "It is not I who promises, but the wise Archbishop Nelson, for he holds the special decree from the Holy Land. You, followers of vile Anti-Light. You onlye here to dy us, doubt ourselves and weaken our minds ¡ª You serve nothing but the filth as disgusting as the Grand Duke."


    "Go away!" Bishop Lazark asked, looking like a regr priest.


    That started a chain reaction, and the army of thirty thousand started shouting the same. Since there were so many of them, those at the back of the march only learned about what happened through words from those in front of them. And often, those words were overloaded.


    The ten Anti-Light followers stepped back a little, their faces turning into ugly frowns. Their leader, the short man, red into Sylvester''s eyes.


    "We merely wished to help."


    Sylvester mockingly waved his hand. "And now I am shooing you away like the nasty opportunistic unholy dogs you are. Go now."


    ''They thought they could use their words in front of me.'' Sylvester thought and kept his senses high. ''The scent of their anger is so¡­ Wait¡­ Why do I smell death?''


    Sylvester began to look left and right around thendscape. It was all just desert, but he could see the mountains in the vast distance. They were so far away that they were not clearly visible and only seemed like distant low clouds.


    ''Is the Anti-Light''s head there? Is he looking at us?'' Sylvester wondered and silently decided to stop ying.


    "Men and Women of Anti-Light, please walk to the side now so we may continue our march. I can not bring myself to trust you, so if you truly wish to help the people, then go to local viges and towns." Sylvester respectfully addressed them onest time and then gestured for the army to continue.


    In no time, the marching drums started to resound again, and the soldiers prepared themselves in neat lines. Thankfully, hearing the drums, the Anti-Light followers left the road and stood to watch at the side.


    Sylvester was prepared, however. If they were to attack, he''d kill them instantly, even if the head of Anti-Light was watching. After all, he had so many witnesses, and one thing he had learned about Anti-Light was that it was fighting an ideological war against the Church. And in such wars, public support was all that mattered.


    Thud! Thud! Thud!<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The marching continued, and in a few days, they arrived at the border of the Sorrow Kingdom and The Patch. Unfortunately, the bridge had been destroyed long ago, so the only way was to cross the river on foot. Thankfully, as per Sylvester''s extended n, with the constriction of the dams in the Hignd Kingdom, the water in the Snake River had reduced by a lot.


    Now, it was easy to cross on foot and fast. Precisely because of that, there were many significant refugeemunities set up around the border, as the traders still travelled through there.


    For the night, Sylvester and his army decided to camp around the refugee camp, as the next day, they''dunch the official attack into The Patch. They were expected to face resistance as the first thing after entering since they had not kept their long march a secret.


    "The refugees here have built an official monastery. We can rest there." Sylvester brought Archbishop Nelson to the small monastery building.


    He had built a wooden wheelchair for the old man, so he could see around whenever they''d stop.


    It was nearly evening, and the time to pray had arrived. The refugees there were very religious and always crowded at the monastery there. That night, the crowd was bigger as the peasant soldiers had alsoe.


    For Sylvester, it was the perfect disguise to move around and gather some vital intel. So, when Archbishop Nelson was addressing the people and giving his sermon, Sylvester went to the back of the monastery.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us, Bright Mother. The world is an egg."


    The middle-aged, ck-haired, dark-skinned woman in bright mother robes smiled and bowed her head. "We are inside it, and we are its creators."


    After validating each other''s identity with the coded words, the woman leapt to hug Sylvester. "I only saw you once in the Holy Land before I was sent here. I am blessed to see you again, your grace."


    Sylvester chuckled and hugged her back. "Call me Sylvester, mother. Just like my real mother, all of you are my mothers."


    The Bright Mother bobbed her head and quickly took out a parchment from her robes. "This is what I received from a travelling preaching team yesterday. They came from The Patch after serving inside the Duke''s castle."


    Sylvester took the parchment, put it in his pocket and then handed the Bright mother a small pouch filled with gold. "Please use this to bring yourself to safety if something uneventful happens. I''d never be able to forget myself if any one of my mothers were to suffer any ill fate."


    "Oh, you!" She hugged him again tightly, caressing his head. "I truly feel like a mother today."


    "That is because you are my mother. But I must make haste, as I am undercover as of now. I shall meet you again on my way back if everything goes ording to the n." Sylvester released himself from the hug and carefully retreated, ensuring no one saw him.


    He entered his room immediately, which he shared with Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark. "Gentlemen, I have it ¡ª The name of the wizard who made the gue and spread it!"


    Bishop Lazark, who was polishing the skeleton of his skeleton cat, and Sir Dolorem, who was polishing his de, stopped moving and silently stared at Sylvester.


    With haste, Sylvester opened the parchment and read it loudly. "The Grand Duke of The Patch hired a Dark Wizard to revive the skeleton of the King of Sorrow Kingdom to extract some important information. But, over time, the Dark Wizard stopped appearing in the open and remained hidden underneath the Duke''s castle. He created the gue for a reason unknown. His name is ¡ª Azor Al Romana."


    Thud!


    "T-That''s impossible!"


    Sylvester looked up and found his favourite necromancer fallen back on the chair, his eyes nkly wide open, staring into nothingness.


    "He''s dead¡­ How can it be him? Why would he?"


    ''Scent of confusion and sadness? Who is this man?'' Sylvester was intrigued.


    He asked Bishop Lazark directly. "Bishop, you know this man?"


    "H-He is my teacher!"


    ________________________


    Please send all your Golden Tickets! Help this Gori reach the top 25!


    Thank you!

 Chapter 419 419. The Moment Of Truth

    "How did he die, exactly?" Sylvester inquired.


    Bishop Lazark started speaking in detail. "Our mentor was a brilliant necromancer, as he taught it to me and EX10. He was too old by the time I was an adult, but his power was still in his prime. His demise was not sudden, as he had been sick for a long time. He spent hisst few days in bed. That''s all I know. This has to be another man with the same name, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester understood that Bishop Lazark was not a very talkative man. What he said about his teacher was not very helpful, but it was enough to raise some doubts.


    "Did you see his dead body?" Sylvester asked.


    "No, I had to leave for my church examination when he was too sick. It was my brother who gave himpany during hisst days. I don''t like my brother, but even he won''t lie to me about our teacher."


    "Unless he was a part of the n." Sir Dolorem interjected.


    Bishop Lazark fell into silence. He could see his brother joining his mentor if something sinister was under development. "Should I speak with my brother?"


    "I don''t trust him to speak the truth." Sylvester started. "We should look for your mentor instead. He is likely inside the royal castle of the Grand Duke of Patch. Since we are already headed there, we will eventually confront him."


    "From that, I remembered something." Sir Dolorem stood up and walked over to Sylvester. Since the times were too dangerous, the old knight had removed his eyepatch so he could be at his peak. "You promised the men a victory with no casualties. We want to know how you will achieve that, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester burned away the parchment from the Bright Mother and walked over to his bag. He took out two sheets of paper and handed them to Sir Dolorem. "I was about to get to it, Sir Dolorem. I have a special assignment that will determine whether we are victorious or not."


    Interest piqued, Sir Dolorem read the two pages in calmness. However, by the end of it, his heart refused to remain the same. "Is this true? If it is, then¡­ This could change not just the current battle but the course of the future for the Sorrow Kingdom."


    "Exactly, Sir Dolorem. That is why you must leave immediately, for I have no idea what the future holds. Or if the Grand Duke has any secret hands in the y." Sylvester took out a pouch filled with gold. "Use it all, do all you must, but fulfil the assignment."


    "Understood, Lord Bard." Sir Dolorem saluted Sylvester. "May the Holy Light Enlighten us."


    Wasting no more time, the old wizard-knight packed his luggage and left immediately in the middle of the night. He secretly left the camp, took his horse and rushed into The Patch''s territory from a secret location.


    Bishop Lazark was not informed about where Sir Dolorem went, nor did the man ask. He was still curious about Sylvester''s n, however. "How do you n on fighting without suffering a casualty?"


    Sylvester merely smiled and pped his hands together. "The Lord shall guide us. Worry not."


    "Meow Meow!"


    Bishop Lazark looked at his undead cat. "Yes? What happened, Harpy?"


    But it was Miraj who made the noise. So Sylvester picked up the fluffy white boy and left the room to speak with him since he was being too noisy.


    "What happened?" he brought Miraj to Monastery''s rooftop.


    "Ah! Itchy, Maxy! I feel so itchy on my back. I can''t reach it either¡­ Please help!" Miraj frantically rolled on the brick roof, trying to scratch his back.


    Sylvester quickly picked Miraj in his arms and began to scratch. However, just as he brushed his palm over him, he felt something. ''What the¡­ those strange bone spurs have increased in size. Is this cancer?''


    "Chonky, do you feel pain when I touch your back or press it?" Sylvester asked while doing so.


    Miraj shook his chubby head. "No, I only feel itchy. Why? Is there something strange?"


    Sylvester scratched his head with one hand. "My friend, you are either going to die¡­ Or grow wings."


    "..."


    Miraj''s pretty blue eyes opened wide, and his jaw fell in shock. "W-What? But I''m immortal¡­ That makes no sense. I feel no pain, so how can I die? It''s like seeing a pimple and saying you will die¡­ You have so many pimples on your back, Maxy! Will you die?"


    Sylvester shrugged. "Well, who knows? I might just die tomorrow. I''m not immortal, after all."


    "..."


    Bam!


    Miraj suddenly jumped and hugged Sylvester on his neck at the front. "I''m sad now."


    "Well, I''m sure a banana will cheer you up. As for the itchiness, I will apply that ice magic again since it rxed you thest time." So Sylvester sat down and spent quality time with his first friend in the new world.


    Lately, he didn''t get much time to talk with Miraj, as people always surrounded him. But he missed sharing time with him since Miraj was pure in mind and too loyal in the heart.


    Both didn''t sleep that night and just talked about anything and everything. One moment they''d talk about looting the entire world, and the second, Miraj would ask what the moon tastes like. It was bizarre and funny, but it was their moment.


    The night went by like that, and the morning sun showered them with scorching heat. Of course, it was the south, and the heat was usually unbearable. But the people had grown used to it. After all, what was mere heat when the question was about the life and death of one''s child and wife?


    "Soldiers! Stand in formation!" The marchingmander roared at the front.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Thirty thousand strong peasant army prepared to make their final march right into the hearnd of the enemy territory. Their journey was going to be hard as they were to cross The Barrier mountain range, a cold and harsh range that divided the Sorrow Kingdom and The Patch. It was the first wall of protection for The Patch.


    Thump! Thump!


    Soon, the marching drums began, and the soldiers''bined footsteps echoed throughout the camp. The refugees all saw the mighty army, some felt pride, some felt fear and some longed to join.


    Thump! Thump!


    Sylvester remained at the front and rode his horse beside Archbishop Nelson''s carriage. "Just a little more, and soon you will witness the downfall of the Grand Duke."


    "You seem too confident, ''priest'' Jonathan," Archbishop said from inside the carriage. His voice held a hint of ridicule.


    ''So he is now certain that I''m not a mere priest?'' Sylvester saw through him.


    "Of course, I''m never confident about something unless I''m certain about the oue. Furthermore, I never leave all eggs in one basket," Sylvester replied cryptically.


    "Those are quite big words for a priest; I must say," Archbishop added.


    Sylvester simply chuckled and picked up the pace. He didn''t want to show his true identity before ensuring something.


    Slowly, the army crossed the Snake River and then entered the mountain range. They didn''t face any trouble crossing it, as the terrain was such that even the defending army would dare not battle there.


    So the peasant army moved unabated and, in 2 days, crossed The Barrier range. But, beyond, all they could see was greenery, which made the peasant army tear up. They longed for thatnd ¡ª it was taken from them forcibly by the evil Duke.


    The sight of green fields only made their resolve stronger. They didn''t care about Sylvester''s guarantee of an easy victory anymore. If they had to spill their blood, they were ready to do it.


    Paa!


    A trumpet resounded from a few kilometres ahead. The scouts had found something, and it was the signal. In response, the entire army slowed their pace and spread around a bit for better management.


    At the front, Sylvester began to prepare himself for the inevitable. He ate a few srium crystals, donned his helmet and picked up his spear. It was his real spear, not his disguised weapon.


    Paa! Paa!


    Soon, two loud sounds of trumpets came, and the signal was clear. An enemy army was spotted, and it was time to prepare.


    Thud! Thud! Thud!


    The drummers conveyed the message through drum patterns. The army slowly came to a halt and began to set up a camp for the preparation on the grasnd. It was going to be the backwards camp where the healers, the cooks, and some other support staff would stay.


    After three more hours, opposite to Sylvester and his army, another army appeared in the distance, also making its camps. Their numbers were significantly higher than what Sylvester had, sadly. Not only that, they had a bigger headache to offer.


    In therge tent, Sylvester, Bishop Lazark, Archbishop Nelson, Count Bradley, and a few moremanders gathered. Count Bradley had sent his spies ahead on the road to gather intelligence about the enemy''s army.


    "The odds are stacked against us." Count Bradley notified all men. "We are merely thirty-five thousand, but they number nearly a hundred thousand. Furthermore, they seem to have ten-thousand heavy cavalry and¡­ five hundred war elephants."


    Faces turned pale in that room, and morale dropped to the floor. Heavy cavalry was already a pain in the back, but the elephants were a menace. They were war machines not easily controble, and each one of them could do extensive damage to the peasant army.


    The Count continued. "That is not our only problem. The intelligence specifically mentions that themanders of the enemy army are the Grand Wizard-Knight Einarr and the Grand Duke Victor Zee Maverick, himself ¡ª who is also a Grand Wizard."


    Breaths became faster, and the armymanders felt their knees going weak. One of them was particrly vocal. "W-We should have taken the help of those Anti-Light followers. Now we are doomed¡­ How many Grand Wizards do we have? NONE!"


    "Calm down, Karlson, or I will make you." Count Bradley threatened hismander, and his mere gazes were enough.


    Archbishop Nelson, in his wheelchair, looked at the area map and then nced at Sylvester. "I''m sure the man who brought us here is the most eligible to speak."


    Sylvester nodded. "As I said, not a single man will die tomorrow. Everything will be taken care of, as god wills so."


    "That''s not enough, priest." Count Bradley erupted. "I know you are not what we see. Tell us, who are you truly? Why should we put our trust in you?"


    Sylvester pped his hands and prayed before heading out of the tent.


    "You will know tomorrow what is hidden ¡ª Worry not; fate has already been written. May the Holy Light enlighten us."


    ________________________


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 Chapter 420 420. The Puppet Master

    Riveria Kingdom, Fort Sunflower.


    "Warriors! The time hase to unleash the fire within! Today, we rise up against tyranny and oppression! We fight not only for our freedom but for the freedom of generations toe! We will tear down the walls of very and exploitation! No longer will we stand idly by while our brothers and sisters suffer! We will take this kingdom, make it ours, and establish a new order of justice and righteousness! Let the battle cry, and let our enemies tremble in fear! For we fight not only for ourselves but for the very soul of humanity! May our Lord bless us!"


    Kaecilius Silvanus, the ve entrusted with taking over the strongest kingdom in Sol¡ªRiveria, roared. After years of dedication and nning, the time had finallye as the iron was hot, and the hammer was ready.


    Kaecilius raised his arm while holding a sword. "Say it with me! Let''s carve a new world! Death to the King! Death to the old ways! The Lord has paved the path, and we merely have to walk¡ªMay the holy light enlighten us!"


    "May the holy light enlighten us!"


    "May the holy light enlighten us!"


    In unison, the ves raised their voices and joined in a solemn chant with Kaecilius.


    "But who shall be the king once we win?" a loud, questioning voice came from the back of the crowd. "Who will be the ruler of this vast kingdom?"


    "Kaecilius, of course! He''s our General. He''s the one who showed us the path!" Another ve blurted, wasting no time. "If not for him, many of us would have been dead. Furthermore, didn''t he help so many of us? Sent money to our families while we served as ves? Who else but Kaecilius the gentle be our new King?"


    "True!"


    "Who, if not him?"


    "Kaecilius is my king!"


    "King Kaecilius!"


    "King Kaecilius!"


    The ves had chosen their King with a slight push at the right time from a certain ve in the crowd. After that, everything went ording to n, just as intended.


    ...


    While the situation boiled up in Riveria under the King''s nose, things were much more open in the Hignd Kingdom after the war deration.


    But the real battle only began when Vind Markinson, the Darkness elemental Grand Wizard, entered the Hignd Kingdom to battle. He came alone despite knowing the King Hignd and Queen Hignd were both Grand Wizards.


    His reason for confidence was the element that he had mastered. Darkness was an element that could only be defeated using the Light element.


    However, what Vind should have ounted for was that Sylvester was a close ally of King Hignd. Hence, all the ways to deal with the darkness were already given to the King. All that was left now was to see how effective they were.


    The two Grand Wizards met on the battlefield near the border of the Hignd Kingdom and The Patch. King Atrox Hignd, in his majestic shining gold armour, red cape, and magic staff, appeared much stronger than the dark-robbed Vind.


    "You shouldn''t have blocked the river." Vind roared.


    King Hignd stood in front of his soldiers with folded arms. "But the same rules don''t apply to you? You diverted the water from Snake River and made a new tributary so you could have water. Where is justice in that?"


    Vind''s eyes turned red in anger. "That is not the same! That is a matter between the Sorrow Kingdom and us. We won the war, so we hold the rights over the water that flows within that kingdom."


    King Hignd chuckled and prepared to fight. "In that case, I have the right to do whatever I desire since the dam was built inside my territory."


    Vind gritted his teeth and, in low grunts, prepared to attack. "You brought this upon yourself, King Atrox. I did not want to make the queen a widow, but if you desire it, so be it!"


    p!


    Vind pped his palms together, tapping into his massive reserves of Darkness elemental magic. As he met the gaze of the King, he unleashed a strange dark light that expanded like a ball.


    But it didn''t do anything to anyone as it eclipsed all those around Vind inside the ball of Darkness. The ball kept growing and, eventually, grew so big that it swallowed the whole Hignd Army and The Patch''s army ¡ª of course, King Hignd as well.


    "Wee to the Domain of Darkness, King Hignd!" Vind roared.


    Inside the giant orb of Darkness, nothing was visible as Darkness took all over. However, contrary to The Patch''s somewhat scared soldiers, the soldiers of the Hignd kept a constant, confident grin.


    "Haha, so this is the famed Domain of Darkness. I heard you could create a Domain without reaching the rank of Supreme Wizard. What a waste of talent, honestly." King Hignd pped and praised Vind.


    "But, I came prepared! Boys, do it!"


    Boom!


    All of a sudden, multiple cannonball shots resounded in the dark field. A momentter, borate and beautiful fireworks appeared in the sky. They burned slowly and illuminated the entire dark field. All could see each other with that development.


    "Sons of Hignd! Attack!" King Hignd roared and sent the army to fight.


    Meanwhile, King Hignd walked towards Vind while cracking his fingers. "Let''s begin!"


    Vind gritted his teeth, seeing his domain not being as effective. But still, it was his domain, granting him a few special privileges.


    Woosh!


    With a sh, Vind vanished from his spot and reappeared beside King Hignd. In one swift motion, he threw a punch enveloped in an aura of darkness thatnded squarely on the King''s chest.


    The impact shook the earth with a thunderous boom, sending Hignd hurtling through the air. But the King simplyughed and waved his hand, conjuring a massive wall of earth that halted his fall.


    Unfazed by the attack, Hignd emerged from the rubble unscathed and strode forward, his cape fluttering in the wind.


    "Strong, but not enough," he taunted.


    Suddenly, like a sh of lightning, Hignd charged toward Vind with astonishing speed. But Vind was ready, raising his palms and summoning a horde of shadowy creatures to protect him.


    "Foolish move!" Hignd''s voice boomed through the air.


    He shattered Vind''s defence with a single strike and sent him reeling backward. But before he could recover, two small crystals fell at his feet and exploded in a blinding sh of light.


    Vind gasped in shock, realizing toote that his opponent hade prepared.


    Then,ughing triumphantly, Hignd closed in and engaged him in a brutal sh of strength and skill.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The earth trembled with each blow, and the sh of their powers echoed across thend.


    The two wizards shed with opposing powers, sending shockwaves through the air and destroying thendscape. Vind conjured up tendrils of Darkness that snaked toward King Atrox, but Atrox used his Earth magic, creating a rock barrier to shield himself.


    Again, using the light crystals and inching closer, King Hignd got a hold of Vind''s long ck hair and swung him in the air as if he were a mere weightless child.


    Thud!


    Vind fell a few meters apart, growling like an injured lion. He then rose, sneered, and raised his arms, summoning the dark energy surrounding him, concentrating the entire domain onto his palm like a small orb of ck energy.


    The soldiers stood in the old destroyed terrain again under the bright sky. But the fight was far from over.


    "No one has ever survived this, Hignd. It was nice meeting you!" Vind roared and gently pushed the ck orb of energy.


    At first, the ck orb just hovered in its ce. But a momentter, it shot off into the air, straight up to the sky.


    Intrigued, King Hignd waited for the attack toe. However, a minute passed, and nothing happened. Then, ten minutes passed, and even then, nothing happened.


    Bzzz¡­!


    However, in the eleventh minute, the ground began to shake. Everyone looked towards the sky and felt their feet turn cold. The Hignd army and even Patch''s army had the same reaction.


    "Haha! Fight this, Hignd!" Vind mockingly shouted and stepped away.


    Right above in the sky, thousands of giant meteors covered in dark energy had appeared, all burning with a zing inferno. There was nowhere to run, for each meteor was the size of a castle.


    The earth shook violently. King Hignd, on the ground, at the epicentre, saw his soldiers were within the range of the falling meteors, and if he didn''t do something, Hignd''s entire army would be gone.


    But, to Vind''s dismay, he didn''t get the reaction from the former he hoped for.


    "Hahah! You buffoon! It seems you forgot which element I mastered!"


    ¡­


    At the same time, in The Patch, the first face-to-face confrontation took ce as the two armies prepared to battle.


    The Peasant Army looked tiny in front of the massive enemy forces, but still, without any fear, Sylvester stood at the front in his armor with no helmet. His hand held the spear of infinity, and on his face was a strange confidence.


    "W-We won''t survive this." Count Bradley muttered.


    Sylvester chuckled and began to walk forward toward the enemy army. "Worry not, Count. Stay here and manage your soldiers, please. Archbishop Nelson, watch me. I kept my disguise only to ensure The Patch didn''t feel too threatened by my real identity and brought all their might here."


    All eyes focused on Sylvester as he continued to walk toward the enemy lines. With each step, something began to happen to Sylvester''s body. His dark hair slowly began to turn bright blonde and much longer. His skin tone became lighter, and his eyes turned golden once again.


    The Grand Duke of The Patch and Grand Wizard Einarr sat atop an elephant and saw Sylvester''s true form approaching.


    The Grand Wizard stood up and shouted, "Who are you, boy? Do note closer, or I will end this war before it begins. You puny peasants dared toy your filthy feet on mynd! Uneptable!"


    Sylvester, however, stopped after reaching the middle of the field. He then bowed his head, gave a church salute, and sang a hymn.


    ?O'' foolish mortal who refuses to see reality.


    Why do you desire to test your mortality?


    This battle is merely a puny formality.


    For the Lord has already seen your immorality.?


    ?Raise your arms if you desire doom.


    Your defeat, you should already assume.


    For peace and forgiveness, there is left no room.


    Come, raise your arm if you long for your tomb.?


    Blonde hair and a halo behind the head. That was all the proof anyone needed to guess Sylvester''s true identity. While the peasant army knelt in prayer, along with Archbishop Nelson, the enemy side mored in confusion and fear.


    "This is a vition of Article 12B!" Grand Duke Victor Zee Maverick roared. "The Church cannot meddle in noble matters!"


    Sylvester bobbed his head in agreement and pointed the tip of his spear at the Grand Duke. "I understand, Grand Duke. That is why, under the light of Solis, I invoke the Holy Law and make a formal challenge for Duel Under Faith! The one to lose shall die, and the one to win shall face no repercussions, for the duel is holy and approved by the Lord!"


    Silence ensued after Sylvester''s words. In response, the Grand Duke of Patch jumped off his elephant and walked over to Sylvester while pping.


    "Haha! You are Sylvester Maximilian, the bard? You are as brave as I heard, foolishly brave, if I must say. You wish to challenge me? A grand wizard? Do you not understand why the Duel Under Faith is so rarely invoked? Not even the Pope can interfere, and if you die, it will be epted under the holyw!"


    Sylvester stood motionless. He loosely held his spear in his hand like a simple walking stick. His red cape billowed in the wind, and his blonde hair danced around his face, but his expression remained calm and collected.


    "Grand Duke, I believe you are mistaken about my challenge!"


    "Hah! I knew it. You can''t be serious about challenging me! Just leave, and I will forget this happened." The Grand Duke turned around to return to his elephant.


    But Sylvester was not done.


    "I invoke Duel Under Faith against both of you, Grand Duke Victor Zee Maverick and Grand Wizard Einarr!"


    ________________________


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 Chapter 421 421. Duel Under Faith

    The Grand Duke stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Sylvester in disbelief. As far asmon knowledge goes, Sylvester was an Archwizard at best, so fighting two Grand Wizards at the same time was no less than asking for death.


    "Can you repeat that?" the Grand Duke asked incredulously.


    Sylvester repeated his challenge. "I propose a Duel Under Faith with both of you. If you win, you face no consequences, and the Sorrow Kingdom will be yours. But if I win, well...you die."


    Grand Duke Victor Zee Maverick turned to Grand Wizard Einarr with a bewildered expression. "Am I hearing things? Is this mere Archwizard challenging both of us to a fight? I cannot make any sense of this."


    Thud!


    Sylvester began to take off his armor one by one since it was useless and a mere hindrance when it came to battles of higher levels. The armor was going to shatter away anyway.


    "Do you ept the duel?" Sylvester asked again.


    "Yes! I ept. I have no reason to be scared of the likes of you. The battle will be over in a minute this way, and then I shally aplete siege on the Hignd Kingdom. I must thank you in advance, bard." The Grand Duke said mockingly.


    But Sylvester was chuckling too. "Foolish is the man who believes the world is foolish. Do you truly think I would fight two Grand Wizards while being a simple Archwizard? Every single time, you pests seem to forget that I''m not just a wizard."


    The Grand Duke''s eyes widened in surprise. "What is your Knight rank?"


    Sylvester smirked and shrugged. "Who knows."


    "You''re bluffing! To challenge both of us, you must be at least a level-five Diamond Knight. That would mean you''re only one step away from the legendary tinum Knight rank. It''s impossible for someone as young as you," the Grand Duke eximed.


    Sylvester shrugged. "Whatever lets you sleep at night."


    The Grand Duke bared his teeth and raised his right arm as if summoning forth power from the heavens. It wasn''t long before his gesture was answered, and a long staff with a zing top flew from the back of the elephant andnded squarely in the Duke''s hand.


    Woosh!


    "I will kill you!" The Grand Duke roared as the fire zed out of his ears, nostrils, and mouth. "So-called blessed son of Solis, let''s see how much fire you can take. Einarr,e and teach this boy a lesson!"


    Zap!


    Einarr appeared out of nowhere right beside the Grand Duke. The man looked as ordinary as possible, ck-haired, short ck beard, and six foot tall¡ªa far cry from the Grand Duke, who was a seven-foot tall, white-haired behemoth.


    Sylvester soon got rid of everything on his upper body and held the spear under his arm on the side, ready to battle.


    With his other hand, he mockingly waved at them toe and fight. "Let''s fight. I don''t have time to waste here."


    Grand Duke Victor was a rageful man with too much pride and ego. So, of course, the taunts were going to work on him just fine. But the man was also a great schemer, so Sylvester remained vignt against all his moves.


    "Taste my fury!"


    The Grand Duke''s eyes zed with fury as he began to spin, faster and faster, until he transformed into a colossal tornado of mes. The wind around him picked up, creating a deafening roar that echoed throughout the battlefield.


    As the tornado drew closer, Sylvester stuck to his spot and dug his feet into the dirt ground while holding his spear to the front. Fiveyered rune circles emerged at the top of the spear, each a meter wide and shining in a different light.


    BOOM!!


    The two forces collided with a thunderous boom that shook the ground beneath them, sending waves of heat and mes in all directions. As a result, all the grass and greenery that was near them got burned to ashes.


    Sylvester gritted his teeth and pushed forward quite easily, determined to hold his ground against the raging inferno. He plunged his spear into the vortex, using all his strength to keep it steady and avoid being caught in the zing winds.


    Meanwhile, the Grand Duke continued to unleash his fury, the mes of his tornado growing hotter and more intense with each passing moment.


    However, at that point, Sylvester smirked. "May the lord have mercy on your soul!"


    Shwooo!


    Even as the mes raged around him, Sylvester remained focused, his mind calcting the perfect angle for his next move. Then with a sudden burst of energy, he thrust his spear forward, the tip of the weapon glowing with a brilliant sma light that shone like a miniature sun in the midst of the inferno.


    The tip of Sylvester''s spear sent a thin beam of sma light toward the center of the vortex where the Grand Duke was. It was just another version of the legendary Wrath of Heavens technique. The only difference was that he could concentrate the beam on a much smaller area with the spear.


    But the destructiveness remained unchanged, and that was where his trademark move became deadly. That was how he battled, by upgrading or creating new techniques, as techniques were all hecked since he was pretty young aspared to people of his rank.


    Sylvester knew that many folks who see him every day think he never trains to get stronger.


    But the truth was, after every battle where he ends up on the verge of death, he grows leaps and bounds. Every time he heals himself from his broken state, he gets better. Like the fist of a boxer, he built his body and his muscles with repeated pain and victory.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    He didn''t need to train to make his body stronger but to learn new techniques. The body would automatically get stronger with more battles, like the one he faced currently.


    "Agh!" the Grand Duke''s guttural cry echoed forth from the zing inferno. It appeared that Sylvester''s beam of light had indeed found its mark.


    However, Sylvester was not yet done. In a moment of sheer bravado, he leaped headlong into the scorching mes, seizing the Grand Duke by his flowing, white hair and plucking him out of the fiery vortex.


    "Why hide your miserable face behind the fire? Let the world see how pathetic you look as you die!" Sylvester bellowed before throwing the Grand Duke onto the hard, unyielding ground.


    Cough!


    The Grand Duke spluttered and coughed up blood, his eyes filled with disbelief at the sight before him. "H-How... how is this possible? What kind of Knight rank do you hold? Are you already a tinum Knight?"


    Sylvester, nonchnt, shrugged and prostrated himself beside the Grand Duke. "Who knows?"


    "No, y¨C"


    Wham!


    Sylvester''s punch stopped the Grand Duke from finishing his words.


    Bam!


    After a flurry of punches, Sylvester leaped back as the Grand Duke collected himself, and his body started to ze again. This time, his entire body was covered in mes, making him a humanoid heap of fire.


    Whoosh!


    The Grand Wizard soared abruptly, not too high from the ground, capturing Sylvester by the midriff and dragging him into the ze. "Perish in my eternal mes!"


    Sylvester, chortling, remained trapped in the Grand Duke''s hold, both gliding together through the fire. "You overestimate yourself."


    Boom!


    Sylvester sped his hands and pounded on the Grand Duke''s back. Immediately, the old man plummeted onto the soil, apanied by Sylvester, creating a small, dusty crater.


    In total disbelief, the Grand Duke stared at Sylvester once more as the young Archbishop unleashed a volley of blows upon his face, swelling it to a pulp. However, it was at this moment that the Grand Duke perceived something that spread fear in his heart. "Y-You¡­ Fire does not affect you?"


    Sylvester abruptly rose to his feet and thrust his spear toward the chest of the Grand Duke. s, the man was quick and was able to evade the full brunt of the blow, but the spear did find its mark on the man''s shoulder, leaving him in a state of shock and pain.


    Sylvester pulled the spear back and aimed it at the head this time. "Foolish noble, you forgot. Fire creates light ¡ª I am light!"


    The Grand Duke''s heart raced with panic as he struggled to rise, but his injured shoulder and the weight of Sylvester''s foot kept him pinned to the ground. Despite being a Grand Wizard, he realized that Sylvester was a Knight of equal mettle, and in close quarters, a Knight of equal rank always prevailed.


    "Ugh! Einarr! What are you doing? FIGHT HIM!" the Grand Duke finally roared, ordering his subordinate, the other Grand Wizard, for aid.


    But Sylvester was ready for that moment.


    Stab!


    Sylvester plunged his spear deep into the Grand Duke''s shoulder once more, causing him to cry out in agony as he was pinned to the ground. Then, with a swift leap to his right, Sylvester faced the oing Grand Wizard, whose mastery of elemental magic remained a mystery to him.


    ''I smell no hate or anger from him.'' He looked towards Einarr, standing in the distance.


    "Come, let''s fi¡ª"


    Before Sylvester could finish his words, a sudden gust of wind struck his face. In the blink of an eye, Einarr was upon him, sword aimed straight for his heart.


    Sylvester''s eyes widened in horror, for the man seemed to have mastered an element he had never before encountered.


    "Y-You¡­ You stopped time?!"


    ________________________


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 Chapter 422 422. Light Vs Time

    "Y-You¡­ You stopped time?!" Sylvester eximed in bewilderment.


    It was an ability that he had only heard about before and had never seen it. Moreover, it was even rarer than Light magic, which made it all the more dangerous. In times of danger, this ability allowed no protection against its attack, leaving one vulnerable and defenseless.


    nk!


    Sylvester quickly countered Grand Wizard Einarr''s sword with his sword, deftly blocking the strike. He then leaped backward, putting some distance between himself and Einarr. This was a necessary precaution as the Grand Wizard had the ability to manipte time, making it dangerous to be in close proximity to him. By increasing the distance between them, Sylvester could buy himself more time and force Einarr to take longer to close the gap between them.


    "Chonky, I will need your help this time," Sylvester spoke with his best friend on the shoulder. "Whenever I will raise my palm towards him, you need to release all the mud that you ate years ago during our battle with the Bloodling."


    "Finally! My time to shine!" Miraj proudly and firmly sat on Sylvester''s shoulder, facing his head towards the foe.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester prepared his mind to battle a man who could stop time. ''Trust the ears more than eyes ¡ª Trust the ears more than eyes ¡ª Let''s see if your lessons will help me, Sir Dolorem.''


    "Surrender. I do not wish to sin by ying a clergyman." Einarr finally spoke. His voice had a single tone, as if the mancked all emotions.


    Sylvester smiled and prepared for another strike. "There is no backing down in Duel Under Faith. Let''s just fight."


    "Then forgive me." Einarr blurted and disappeared from his spot.


    He stopped the time, and in that duration, he moved extremely fast enough to reach Sylvester and hit him.


    Stab!


    This time, Einarr''s sword pierced into Sylvester''s shoulder, and right then, time flowed again. When time resumed, Sylvester was thrown to the ground, blood spraying all around him, covering the scorchednd with crimson stains.


    "Gah!" Sylvester grunted in pain.


    But he had no time to waste and quickly kicked the ground to jump back, creating even more distance between them this time. On the way, he promptly sprinkled some healing potion on his open wounds to give himself some first aid.


    But the wounds didn''t look good as Sylvester realized something. "The sword was poisoned¡­ This is not good."


    He spat on the ground and again faced Einarr, waiting for him to strike. This time, he also kept his sword prepared to shoot a Wrath of Heavens. For that, he began to sing a hymn under his breath. But the halo always gave him away.


    Woosh!


    Once again, Einarr disappeared from his spot, stopping the time.


    "Hah! Three seconds?!" Sylvester''s roar resounded abruptly. Einarr appeared just a meter away from hitting Sylvester right in the middle of the chest this time.


    nk!


    Sylvester blocked the sword attack, but Miraj was also in the game this time. So as Sylvester raised his other palm, a swarm of mud and dirt flew out of nowhere and covered Einarr from head to toe.


    Following that, Sylvester once again jumped the same distance, having discovered Einarr''s limitations. After all, no matter how strong one gets, one can''t be a god and stop time indefinitely. There was a limit that none could cross. It applied to even a Supreme Wizard.


    "Come on now," Sylvester shouted, knowing very well that Einarr didn''t have the infinite time-stopping ability.


    Woosh!


    This time, Einarr used his normal abilities. After all, he was also a wizard, and time was not his only element. He kicked the ground with one leg so hard that it shattered the earth in a fifty-meter radius.


    As he shot himself toward Sylvester, he also waved his hand and created an Earth Elemental wall behind Sylvester, trying to stop him from moving.


    But Sylvester was strong and smart too. The moment Einarr kicked the ground, Sylvester did the same and created an Earth Elemental wall in front of Einarr, hoping to hinder his speed and trajectory.


    Boom!


    But Einarr was a Grand Wizard, after all. He easily shattered through the wall and continued on his path toward Sylvester. However, since Sylvester''s Knight rank was high, too, he burst through the wall behind him and continued to move away.


    ''Running won''t do¡­ I need to find a way to fight him.'' Sylvester felt the urgency as he had limited energy, and at the same time, he had to deal with the poison he received from Einarr''s de.


    ''Does he not have a cool down time? Even using the Future Eye takes a great toll on the body, and cannot be used infinitely. There should be some limitations to time stop, as well. Perhaps I can test him ¡ª But to truly end this battle¡­ Where are you, old knight?''


    As Sylvester ran and kept his distance, he suddenly began to chant a hymn, preparing for his next move. The hymn he recited was explicitly rted to Einarr.


    ?O'' Son of Solis, awaiting the arrival of light.


    Why must you rebel when help is in sight?


    You serve the wrong and hope for the right.


    Use your might; only that can ease your plight!?


    Woosh!


    Sylvester''s entire body began to shine, and soon, he was shrouded in it. But that was where the main game began, as he slowed down and waited for Einar toe. The only difference was the other twenty humanized clones of Light that emerged from nowhere.


    The clones jumped around and confused Einarr. Who was the real Sylvester, he had no idea. But still, he went closer and swung his sword at one of the light clones. The sword phased through the body like it was water.


    "Stop this senseless battle, Einarr! My fight is with the Grand Duke, not you!" Sylvester''s voice echoed from all around Einarr.


    The light clones kept running randomly around him, some getting stabbed by Einarr. He frantically tried to cut all of them by stopping time too, but to no avail, as the number of clones only kept on increasing with time.


    "I do not decide where my sword aims at, Bard. I am a mere servant to the Grand Duke." Einarr spoke in a rather monotone voice.


    Sylvester liked where it was going as he got to talk. "I know why you betrayed the King Sorrow at thest moment. I understand your pain and fears. I can solve that and give you what you desire!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Empty words are as valuable as dirt in Sorrow Kingdom, Bard."


    "Then wait and watch," Sylvester added and decided to start making moves.


    Sylvester''s clones began to move fast; every now and then, they''d go close to Einarr''s body. The clones numbered fifty-eight by then, and it was impossible to keep an eye on even for him.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester used the mayhem to leave long, deep cuts on Einarr, aiming immediately at the face and neck. Everything happened so fast that before Einarr could reply, Sylvester had left already.


    "Aaaargh! This mongrel!"


    Boom!


    Suddenly, the Grand Duke returned to the battlefield with Sylvester''s spear, which he finally took out of the shoulder. He roared and lunged at Sylvester while his body remained burning in mes.


    Thud!


    But the Grand Duke jumped on the wrong clone and, as a result, fell face-first on the dirty ground.


    "Thank you for bringing me my spear." Sylvester''s voice echoed in the vicinity, and the spear vanished from the Grand Duke''s hold.


    Woosh!


    Continuing his attack with his clones, Sylvester left little wounds on Einarr, and now the Grand Duke. Both men could do nothing but watch, as no magic helped them. The fire didn''t harm the clones. The des were useless, and the same was the case with water and air.


    But Earth elemental was what could disrupt the entire movement, and that was precisely what Einarr tried.


    "Not so fast!" Sylvester countered by using the opposite of Einarr''s magic and stopping any changes from appearing on the ground.


    "You! Stop and fight like a man!" The Grand Duke roared.


    Sylvesterughed and stabbed the Grand Duke in the back while moving among his own clones. "You are the one who brought external help in our fight, and somehow my manhood is in question?"


    "If this is what you wish, then so be it." The Grand Duke shouted furiously and looked towards his army. "Azor Al Romana! What are you waiting for? Send your damn undead here!"


    Sylvester became alert in that instant. "So you are the one behind the gue!"


    "W-What? I did not spread any gue, for my ownnds are reeling with the disease." Grand Duke rified, knowing too well that such an usation could lead to his whole Kingdom''s total destruction.


    Sylvester moved closer and hit the Grand Duke on his stomach, creating a gaping wound. "So it seems even you don''t know, Grand Duke. Your dear resident Dark Wizard, Azor Al Romana, is the one who made it and spread it!"


    "Grrr¡­!"


    Sylvester had to change his strategy again as the undead rose in the field. There were too many of them crawling out of the scorched ground. There were skeletons, zombies, and even some golems.


    The Grand Duke was panicking the entire time. "No! You are mistaken! Why would he?"


    Sylvester shrugged and allowed one of his light clones to go and hug a skeleton. Since it was Holy Light, the creature instantly got burned away after the hug.


    "Grr¡­!"


    Even more undead began to rise from the ground at that time. But, instead of attacking Sylvester''s clones, they went to fight with the other undead sent by Azor.


    Sylvester nced at his army''s side and noticed Bishop Lazark raising his right palm toward the battlefield. His face was frozen like a statue as he nodded toward Sylvester.


    "I will take care of this, Lord Bard!" Bishop Lazark announced, sending his own strong undead. The issue of the Dark Wizard Azor was too personal for him, and he wanted closure.


    Sylvester, still among his clones, bobbed his head in agreement and turned to look east, where he could notice a faint hint of a horse ridering in.


    Smiling, Sylvester nced at Einarr. "May the Holy Light Enlighten us! Your wish has been granted."


    Einarr also looked in that direction. "Who is that?"


    Sylvester finally began to stop and made his clones disappear. Then, he walked closer to Einarr while keeping a halo behind his head.


    "What you longed for! The reason you betrayed your king! The reason you remained a ve to this filth of a Duke ¡ª Einarr, your daughter is now safe!"


    nk!


    Einarr lost the grip on his sword and let it fall. His mind went nk, having forgotten the will to fight.


    "Einarr! This is the time! Kill him!" The Grand Duke shouted as Sylvester stood so close to Einarr at that moment.


    But Einarr didn''t respond and just kept looking at the oing figure of Sir Dolorem and the horse.


    "Bard¡­ If what you say is the truth ¡ª I give you my life."


    ________________________


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 Chapter 423 423. Light That Does Not Burn

    Nobody moved, not even the Grand Duke, for he knew that if what Sylvester said turned out to be true, he''d lose one of his greatest weapons, Einarr. But he was a man with a devious mind, and there was no way he''d ever let something ruin his ns.


    The mes continued to consume Einarr''s body as he gazed toward the approaching horse. His hand remained clenched in a fist.


    Not far from the Duke, Sylvester saw through everything as he smelled the feelings that the Grand Duke was entertaining. But he didn''t do anything as there was someone better equipped to do so.


    Standing, Sylvester shouted towards Sir Dolorem. "Were you sessful, Sir Dolorem?"


    The aged knight lifted his hand and clenched his fingers, finally revealing his thumb as a sign of affirmation.


    Sylvester chuckled, knowing very well that the man was likely tired beyond words and didn''t have the energy to shout. But, Sir Dolorem being Sir Dolorem, the man would rather die than return withoutpleting his mission.


    Meanwhile, Einarr just watched expectantly, his eyes hazy and on the verge of tearing up. It was unknown what kind of life the man lived or what his story was. Even Sylvester only knew what wasmon knowledge among the top brass of The Patch.


    Sadly, for the bad luck of the Patch and, to that extent, all of Sol continent, the nobles open their mouths too freely in the presence of the benign and affable Bright Mothers. However, that was where Sylvester thrived, as his secret intelligence operation grew at a formidable speed.


    "Lord Bard here is the package." Just then, Sir Dolorem reached them and stopped the galloping horse.


    As Sir Dolorem turned the horse slightly, a person was seen sitting behind him. Much shorter than Sir Dolorem, covered with a piece of cloth from head to toe.


    "Lady Hilda, you''re safe now." Sir Dolorem voiced and removed the piece of cloth, revealing a red-headed, middle-aged woman with blue eyes and a face worth turning one''s head. She looked around in confusion and some fright.


    "F-Father?" She noticed Grand Wizard Einarr and chirped excitedly. Her face lost all worry, and excitement took over her.


    Sir Dolorem helped her get off the horse, and she jumped into the arms of the deadly Grand Wizard. And just as the man held his daughter in his arms, tears silently slid down his eyes.


    "Hilda¡­ For fifteen years, I waited for this day¡­ I missed you." Einarr mumbled in a low voice. "Thank you for being strong all this while."


    Hilda hugged him tighter and cried her eyes out. "I only saw you once when I was young, but I made sure never to forget you. Mother used to tell me what you were doing to get to us¡­ But she could not make it."


    Sylvester decided to ask them right away to increase Einarr''s fury. "What did the Grand Duke do to you?"


    Einarr let Hilda go and nced at the Grand Duke. "That demon! While I fought for my beloved King of Sorrow, he sent men to kidnap my daughter and wife. He held them in secrecy, threatening to kill them if I didn''t do what he desired. I¡­ I sinned¡­ I betrayed my king! Yet, he refused to free my family and me and forced me to join his side."


    Sylvester sighed and looked at the Grand Duke behind him, zing in fire and anger. "You sure are one evil man. Holding Einarr hostage and now starting a gue on the world."


    Woosh!


    The Grand Duke tried to send a st of fire toward Sylvester in rage. "I did no such thing! I''m no fool to start a gue and be an enemy of the entire Sol!"


    Sylvester easily swung his spear fast and dissipated the fire. "Oh, but you did exactly that. I know it, so don''t you dare lie again. Nobody in your ''kingdom'', not even Grand Wizard Vind or Einarr, knew that youmissioned that Dark Wizard for this specific task."


    "Those are baseless usations." The Grand Duke argued, not jumping to attack anymore.


    Sylvester continued hitting the Grand Duke with facts he had uncovered through the help of wonderful Bright Mothers. "You did it, so you could use the chaos to climb the socialdder and be a king. Why is it that none of themoners and ves that serve in your castle have fallen sick, even when they go outside the castle every single day? Why is it that The Patch, even after being the closest to the Sorrow Kingdom, has less average casualties than Riveria or Gracia? How is it that nomoner noble in yournd perished from the gue?"


    Questions hit the Grand Duke stronger than Sylvester''s spear. He backed up a few steps, showing signs of anxiety. Furthermore, Sylvester smelled the scent of fear and much more.


    "You had the cure, and only then did you start the gue. I saw the reports from Saint Medico. The gue had no single origin point. It came into existence simultaneously in different regions of Sol, as if nted. And what do you know, each of those viges was raided by the Widowmakers some days ago." Sylvester finished revealing his findings and raised his spear up.


    "As the appointed Cardinal Suprima of the Sorrow Kingdom and The Patch, I judge you guilty. Therefore, the sentence shall be death ¡ª now!"


    Boom!


    Sylvester lunged and struck his spear down from the air toward the Grand Duke''s head. But the man jumped back in the nick of time, letting Sylvester''s spear fall to the ground and creating a deep dark ravine.


    Sylvester didn''t waste a moment and kicked the ground to rush towards the Grand Duke. He was faster than the ambitious noble, and on top of that, the fire didn''t affect him much.


    Before, he was held back by the fear that Einarr would attack. But now, he could go all out and focus on one target.


    "If I kill you right now, I still win!" The Grand Duke shouted. "The Duel is still ongoing!"


    "I never said it isn''t!" Sylvester promptly replied and paused chasing the Duke and began to prepare tounch his Holyfire Purge technique, a destructive ability that could cause wide-scale destruction.


    Slowly, the ground started to shake, and cracks began to appear as the halo behind Sylvester''s head formed. Thend was already scorched after their battle, and now it was breaking apart with streaks of lighting out as if sharp walls of des.


    Sir Dolorem, Einarr, and Hilda were quick to get away from the area under the effect of Sylvester''s magic, so he went all out.


    "Hah! You think you can kill me with this?" The Grand Dukeughed and flew a metre in the air and made his way towards Sylvester at full speed, aiming to tackle him down.


    Sylvester smirked. "No, I was just warming up for what is toe!"


    The Grand Duke didn''t bother listening to Sylvester''s warnings seriously. He just mmed himself onto Sylvester''s chest and dragged him along while still flying through the constantly changingndscape under Sylvester''s magic.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    The Grand Duke purposefully mmed himself into numerous blocks of earth that rose due to the Hellfire purge. He intentionally hit Sylvester on the ground too, dragging him close to the surface.


    As a result, Sylvester turned into a bloody mess as his skin was chipped off, and several wounds covered his front, from his face to his feet.


    But Sylvester didn''t utter a word and stared into the Duke''s eyes. Then, he proceeded to hold the Duke''s skull, locking it in his arms. "It''s not me who is stuck with you!"


    Suddenly, Sylvester''s eyes turned crimson, and the halo turned red behind his head while his chants began to echo aloud. His both palms caught the Grand Duke''s skull in between.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ?Enemy of mankind, this is my answer.


    Today, I purge you for being world''s cancer!?


    "W-What?" The Grand Duke eximed and suddenly stopped flying.


    Thud!


    Both of them fell onto the ground in a crashnding, but even then, Sylvester didn''t let the man go and kept the Grand Duke''s head stuck between his palms. He held the man tight, pressing hard enough that any ordinary man''s skull would have busted open by then.


    "What are you doing?" The Grand Duke panicked a little and extinguished the magical fire surrounding him since it did not affect Sylvester.


    Sylvester didn''t answer in words but in his hymns.


    ?Betrayals, murders, and crimes many more.


    God has watched over your sinful rotten core.


    You live in a sea of sins with no nearby shore.


    Committed crimes are such that I can''t ignore.?


    Crack!


    "Aaargh! It''s cold!" The Grand Duke roared in extreme pain as the veins in his eyes turned bright blue. He kicked his feet to be released, but his physical strength was less than his foe.


    Sylvester kept staring at the man''s face with his emotionless crimson eyes. The halo behind his head spewed such coldness that even the ground underneath them began to freeze with ice.


    ?O'' Grand Duke, flows in your veins rotten mud.


    You should''ve died in the womb as a little bud.


    But you dared to live and bring upon evil''s flood.


    So face now, my Song Of Ice And Blood.?


    "Aaa¡­ Argh! Don''t!... Noooo~"


    The Grand Duke of the Patch, Victor Zee Maverick, seethed in pain as every single drop of blood in his veins began to freeze solid. He could feel the sensation of losing control over his limbs as they frozepletely.


    "I-I won''t allow this!" The Grand Duke covered himself in mes once again.


    But it didn''t help, and he continued to kick his feet for freedom. However, that was one thing he could not have that day.


    Coldness apparent in his voice, Sylvester whispered in the Grand Duke''s ears.


    "My lord, You may possess fire, but my light possesses the lord''s true ire. For I can not only burn hotter ¡ª but turn you into ice and shatter!"


    Crack!


    The entire body of the Grand Duke froze, and cracks appeared,rge and deep. They continued to grow and left the man in more agony.


    "S-Stop this! Make it stop!"


    Sylvester stood up instead and began to walk away while the Grand Duke continued to scream in pain.


    "Aaargh! Please!"


    Poof!


    The cries fell on deaf ears, and before another cry could be uttered, the Grand Duke''s body exploded into fine particles of snow with varying colors: some red, some white, and some yellow.


    The man disappeared from existence, turning into ice finer than ashes. He didn''t get burned, and in the church''s book, that meant the soul was headed to hell. So the Grand Duke received a fate worse from Sylvester''s hand than he would have gotten from the Church.


    However, Sylvester''s crimson halo didn''t disappear and instead intensified, nor did his eyes change color. His previously stoic expression vanished, reced by a face of intense fury as his brows furrowed and his eyes narrowed.


    He began to walk towards his army, towards the Dark Wizard who battled with Bishop Lazark.


    But, to the surprise of all, Sylvester passed by the Dark Wizard and continued on his way to the Peasant Army.


    "Where are you going, Lord Bard?!" Sir Dolorem questioned from a distance.


    Sylvester''s eyes remained focused on a slender woman with red eyes among the peasant army, wearing a pink noble gown too big for her size.


    "It is my utter shame ¡ª that still lives the killers of Shane!"


    ________________________


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 Chapter 424 424. Bards Revenge

    [WARNING: Gore]


    "Don''t!" Sir Dolorem shouted. "You will get into trouble if you kill them!"


    Sylvester shrugged. "Oh, I forgot to inform you people about my other status. I am the special Judge appointed to this region, and ording to that, everything that steps on thisnd can be judged by me ¡ª including these heathens!"


    "Are you sure?" The woman in question finally spoke and walked forward. Her twin bright red ponytails swayed with her exaggerated motion. She skipped forward as if in a park and was not worried about Sylvester at all.


    Sylvester red into the woman''s eyes. "You made me sure the moment you poisoned me."


    She started chuckling loudly. "Hehe¡­ So you found out? Oh shoots, I should have been more discreet. Maybe this time, I won''t have to be discreet at all."


    Sylvester didn''t bother talking with her and raised his spear while walking towards her. The crimson halo continued along, a sign that he was deadly serious about killing her.


    "Oh, my dear Sylvi¡­ You should have kept your head down. We could have been amazing partners¡­ You could have served the true light of the church." She continued to speak like an excited little girl.


    "Spine!" Suddenly EX10 shouted. "Do not speak more than what is necessary."


    "Oopsie, I''m sorry." Spine pouted and put her hand on her mouth.


    Her theatrics clearly showed something was wrong with her mind, which was something to worry about all the more because that meant she had no moralpass or care for her own life.


    Seeing that, Sylvester remembered the words of someone from the past, that the Void Keepers were faithful dogs of the Church, meant to do what usually the Church could not do openly. The Void Keepers were purposefully chosen because of their broken mental state, something that could be further broken and controlled.


    "I know who you speak of." Sylvester acknowledged. "You spoke of that filth before. To think a man like that desires to be the Pope, it''s utterly shameful."


    Spine scoffed and crossed her arms on her chest while closing her eyes. She began to caress her shoulders and chest as if in heat. "Oh¡­ You have no idea how amazing he is. That is why you speak of such. If you did¡­ O'' Lord Solis, give this foolish boy some intellect."


    Sylvester grunted and spat on the ground. "You make me sick."


    "Hehe, thank you for thepliment. Now, shall we start?" She raised both her palms towards Sylvester. "I will show you beautiful dreams. I had the chance to see your mother once. I wonder if you''d enjoy seeing her in¡­ certain situations."


    Veins on Sylvester''s head popped up, as he knew he could not stop Spine from creating illusions. Nor could he close his eyes for the moment, as his entire n rested on his ability to see.


    "Maxy! What did she say about my big mum?" Miraj suddenly asked aloud on Sylvester''s shoulder, his white fur standing straight.


    Sylvester noticed Miraj shivering, but on a closer look, he saw a ferocious look on his face with his fangs out, and his ws were also visible.


    "Miraj, she will show us a few things that will enrage us now. Don''t let that rage down. Kill her, chop her to pieces, make her scream in agony." Sylvester did not hold back his words and continued to walk towards Spine.


    As he took his next steps, the scene changed from their surroundings, and something utterly disturbing appeared. At first, it simply started with Xavia dying in many ways, over and over again, as gruesomely as possible. But then the illusions showed things worse than death that were best left unspoken.


    But one thing they sure did was enrage Sylvester and Miraj to the extent that no battle or foe in the past did.


    However, Sylvester still did not stop and moved past the imagery. From the eyes of those outside, there were no illusions, as only Sylvester and those in his immediate vicinity could see them.


    Where Spine expected Sylvester to stop moving after the visions, he stayed on the trajectory to her. So she increased the speed of illusions, yet it did nothing to deter the halo from getting bigger and bigger.


    As Sylvester reached arm''s length distance to Spine, he uttered. "I never enter battles I know I have zero chance of winning. Here, I have zero chance of losing!"


    Bam!


    Sylvester raised his hand and grabbed Spine''s throat, even though the illusions continued to emerge around him and now Spine. He could see her clearly as she became a part of his extended body.


    She gasped for breath, but Sylvester didn''t allow her to breathe, resulting in the illusions slowly fading.


    "Chonky, do it."


    "Wraaaa!" Miraj growled like never before and jumped on Spine''s head. He used his ws and jaws to bite her, scratch her, and do anything else he could. He was no ordinary cat, so his attack was also intense.


    In no time, Miraj easily ripped off Spine''s nose and ears, then pulled out her eyes with his ws, making it as painful and slow as possible. But he didn''t stop and shoved those eyeballs into Spine''s mouth,


    "I hate you!" Miraj, who rarely showed negative emotions, growled and continued his barrage of attacks, ripping her scalp in ces and even reaching down and destroying her clothes apart, not to leave any part of her unhurt.


    Sylvester kept holding her in the air, her throat in his palm. Spine had a small body, so she didn''t weigh much either.


    "It''s enough. She stopped breathing." Sylvester ordered. Miraj immediately pulled back and sat down on Sylvester''s shoulder.


    "But I''m not done." Sylvester was free of all illusions, but what he saw lingered in his head. "The illusions were the sickness of your brain. For that, you may be forgiven, but for killing Shane, there is no forgiveness."


    Thump!


    Sylvester threw Spine down and stomped on her chest to revive her.


    Thump!


    Crunch!


    Her ribs broke apart as she was never one to fight physical battles. All she ever relied on was illusions, as her team protected her from other threats. But this time, her only teammate himself had cold feet.


    "Wake up, you heathen!" Sylvester kept on stomping until he could sense her heartbeat. Although by then, her body was a hideous mess. Her face was gone, her hair was gone, her clothes were gone, and now her body was deformed from the kicks.


    "You burned an entire town just because of a suspicion! You killed my student for nothing!" The halo behind Sylvester''s head turned bigger, growing the size of a chariot wheel. But the frightening part was it being crimson red and the coldness emitted by it.


    However, Sylvester was not out of control. He chose his words carefully and ensured the peasants knew what crimes the womanmitted, so they didn''t sympathize with her and instead hated her.


    "You are just like that Grand Duke and his filthy Widowmakers!" Sylvester added, striking the iron while it was hot.


    "H-He¡­"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Spine still had the energy to say something somehow.


    "H-He¡­ w-wi¡­ ki-i-ll¡­ yo¡­"


    Sylvester shook his head and pointed his palm toward her. "Let''s see if you melt, just like Shane and his mother."


    A bright red rune circle appeared before Sylvester''s palm.


    Woosh!


    A violent stream of fire emerged out of it and engulfed Spine entirely. She may have been calm and crushed before, but with the fire, she writhed in pain, screamed, and cried while rolling on the ground.


    "Consider this a trial by fire!" Sylvester continued to spew the mes.


    In no time, Spine stopped struggling and stayed stuck in one ce, curled into a ball of slimy flesh that had melted. Parts of her skeleton were still visible, while most of her skin was burnt. However, she was still not dead, for Sylvester wanted her to suffer as Shane did.


    He stopped and nced at EX10. "Sir Dolorem and Count Bradley, bring that heathen here! He was a part of the group that massacred the Sphinx town!"


    Bradley, for some reason, was happy to oblige and quickly rushed to EX10 before the man could respond by summoning the undead. Sir Dolorem followed suit and grabbed the man from the other side since he was seven-foot.


    "You are making a grave mistake, bard! The Pope will not forgive you!"


    Sylvester shook his head in disappointment. "You are foolish to think the Pope still blesses you! You are heathens! You''ve been that for a long time!"


    Following that, Sylvester nced at Bishop Lazark, who was still fighting the other Dark Wizard who created the gue. "Bishop! I am going to kill EX10!"


    Bishop Lazark didn''t even share a nce. "You need not ask, lord bard. Heathens deserve to pay¡ªhe''s no brother of mine. Nor is this man I''m fighting a mentor of mine! This disgusting thing made a contract with a demon to live longer! But he''s too weak."


    Sylvester stared at the Dark Wizard with newfound interest. His interest in demons had always been high since he saw the demon world through the ancient demon stuck under the Pope''s pce.


    "You hear that, EX10?" Sylvester focused on the task at hand. "Kneel down and hold Spine''s molten body in your arms, just as Shane''s mother held him."


    EX10 looked around and found no way to escape as powerful wizards surrounded him. "You are doing wrong, bard. You are no god to judge people."


    Sylvester spread his arms and brought everyone''s focus to his halo. "Yet I have his mandate!"


    "Stop with your false acts. There is no such thing as Solis! You, me, we all are tools for the church." EX10 blurted, as he was already a dead man counting hisst breaths.


    Sylvester refuted his words. "But he is real, and I have seen him in visions under the Soul Tree."


    "You lie!"


    Sylvester raised his palm toward EX10 as the man held the molten body of Spine in his arms. "Yet, my light begs to differ ¡ª die now."


    Woosh!


    "Aaargh! Haaa!"


    EX10 screamed loudly, and his wails turned demonic towards the end while he, too, melted apart into a messy blob of flesh and bones along with Spine. There existed no means left to differentiate one body from the other.


    After a few seconds, Sylvester stopped and walked back. ''Two dead, three more to go.''


    Sylvester did not burn the two bodies to ashes as that was too respectful for them. No, they were to be fed to animals.


    "May the holy light enlighten us!" Sylvester faced the peasant army as his halo turned bright golden again, and the soothing warmth spread around. "Those who wish to stay and watch the trials of The Patch''s heathens may remain, and those who wish to rest may retreat to backward camp."


    "Sir Dolorem." He called the man next. "Arrest all the Widowmakers and line them here to be beheaded."


    "Lord Bard, there are likely tens of thousands of Windowmakers among them! Almost half of their army is made of them." Count Bradley informed.


    Sylvester took out his mitre from the bag that Miraj handed him. He knew that he was no good man and absolutely not someone in a position to talk about justice.


    But the moment he put that mitre on his head, he was the Archbishop, Cardinal Suprima of the region, and the next Pope. For that, he had to act the part.


    "I speak not from personal opinion, but thews are written in the Holy Law of Light. Those Widowmakers piged towns, cities, and viges. They killed mercilessly, and raped women, men, and children. Under the eyes of the church, war of conquest is eptable, for that is a matter between nobles.


    "But heresy shall not be tolerated, be itmitted by amoner, a soldier, or a king. It matters not if the sinners number a thousand or ten thousand or a million ¡ª They consciously chose to sin, so now they die.


    "Sir Dolorem, under Articles 4, 4A, 4B, 5A, 19C and the Crimes Against Humanity Act, continue with beheadings. Only chop one leg of those who agree to testify against their brethren and superiors."


    Thud!


    Sir Dolorem, being a veteran Inquisitor, saluted seriously and took Count Bradley''s army along to gather the Widowmakers.


    "Lord Bard!"


    Just then, Grand Wizard Einarr came closer to Sylvester. His palms pped together as if praying. Einarr kept staring at Sylvester''s face in awe of the bright golden halo behind his head.


    He knelt down in front of Sylvester on one knee and dug his sword in front of himself as he kept his head low.


    "Your grace, I value my word with my life. As long as my daughter is safe, I ept to be your ve for eternity."


    ________________________


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 Chapter 425 425. The Last Hymn

    "Your grace, I value my word with my life. As long as my daughter is safe, I ept to be your ve for eternity."


    Sylvester looked down upon the Grand Wizard, who could stop time, an ability coveted by many but achievable by a few in millennia. A man of such talent wished to be his ve for eternity.


    ''epting the offer is enticing, but damaging to my name. Perhaps a better route can be taken to assure loyalty.''


    "Are you sure?" Sylvester asked him, his bright golden halo having returned to normal size by then.


    "I never go back on my words," Einarr responded.


    Sylvester nodded and raised his right palm to shine some warm light upon the man. At the same time, soothing hymns in his confident voice resonated.


    a??You are a ve no more, freed atst.


    This is a blessing of Solis that''s been cast.


    Savour this new life instead of living fast.


    The time hase to get over the broken past.a??


    a??Sing the name of the Lord and be praised.


    Bask in his miracles and be amazed.


    The world, at times, may seem crazed.


    Do not falter, for the sinners shall be zed.a??


    a??Rise, Einarr, of thend of Sorrow.


    As long as the words of the Lord you follow.


    You shall never feel your mind be hollow.


    Look up, it''s time to build a merrier tomorrow.a??


    Sylvester stopped his chant, but the halo remained as it always left asting effect on the people.


    Einarr looked up while kneeling, his eyes filled with confusion. "W-What do you mean, your grace?"


    Sylvester bobbed his head and plucked the spear from the ground he had ced beside himself. Then, he turned it upside down and...


    Bonk!


    The spear''s butt struck Einarr on the head, creating a small bump. It was painful, however, and Einarr rubbed it in even more confusion.


    Finally, Sylvester spoke. "You foolish man! Here I am, granting you freedom, and you take it for granted. After living for so many years away from your family, being a ve, you wish to return to that life again?"


    "But, my wor..."


    Bonk!


    Sylvester again hit him on the head. "I order you to live as a free man and care for your daughter. Cherish the time you have left before you turn too old. Besides, don''t you have a kingdom to rebuild before your monarch returns?"


    Further confusion seeped into Einarr''s mind, evident by his face. "What do you mean, your grace? The entire royal family is dead."


    Sylvester smiled and proceeded to walk away. "Who knows? Just in case. I''m sure you would not want to offer them a seat in their broken castle -- if they were to return. And even if they don''t, the Sorrow Kingdom needs someone strong to manage it, and who better for that role than you?"


    Einarr lowered his head in shame at that moment. "But I betrayed my king! I betrayed this kingdom!"


    Sylvester softly talked back. "And that is why you must serve the same kingdom with your blood, sweat, and tears -- Fix the destruction you feel responsible for instead of running behind me."


    "People will never ept me," Einarr said.


    "I do not ask you to be the king but a mere caretaker. They have no reason to refuse you when you are the one providing them with food, safety, and shelter. Rise now, and serve!" Sylvester was done talking with him and focused more on other tasks, such as the ongoing battle between Bishop Lazark and Azor Al Romana, the Dark Wizard.


    Azor was clearly losing the battle. Bishop Lazark was able to easily overpower Azor no matter which moves the evil Dark Wizard made. It appeared the man had the knowledge to make the gue but not the power to back his evil endeavors.


    "Why is he so weak?" Sylvester asked his favorite necromancer. "Isn''t he supposed to be your mentor?"


    "He is," Bishop Lazark answered while remaining standing in calm. "He made a contract with a demon for a prolonged life. But, as with all demon contracts, there were hidden tricks. Azor did receive a long life, but that didn''t mean his magic would not deteriorate. Due to that, he''s magically weaker than an Archwizard."


    "Then why are you still fighting him? Just arrest him."


    Bishop Lazark lowered his gaze. "I held no attachment to my brother, but this man... He was like a father to me. I do not have it in me to kill him."


    ''A father figure? Then... With his death, Lazark will truly be without a family.''


    Sylvester wondered if it bothered the man, but he didn''t pry too much. It was not the time to sit, drink and talk. For that, they''d have enough moments in the Holy Land.


    "Then, let''s arrest him and get theplete cure for the gue. If it''s mass-producible, it will help us a lot. Use your undead to bring him down and put the Darkstone cuffs on him." Sylvester ordered.


    Following that, Sylvester decided to follow Sir Dolorem and ensure everything was going well with arresting the Widowmakers.


    Everything had gone smoothly, but the anxiety still didn''t vanish from his heart as he worried about the events he didn''t see with his own eyes.


    "I hope King Hignd was able to defeat Vind easily."


    ''And Kaecilius didn''t get killed.'' Sylvester didn''t say the second part out loud.


    Cough!


    "L-Lord Bard!"


    Just then, a weak voice called Sylvester''s name. Upon looking, it turned out to be Archbishop Nelson sitting in his wheelchair, looking old and on the verge of death, but still with a broad smile on his face.


    "I... I wish to speak with you... I don''t have l-long."


    Thud!<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The Archbishop dragged himself out of the wheelchair, letting himself drop on the dirt. He then proceeded to crawl towards Sylvester.


    But Sylvester rushed to him and stopped him quickly. "What are you doing, your grace? Please sit in the wheelchair."


    "I... I just wanted to..." Archbishop breathed heavily as if he was having trouble doing so.


    Sylvester sat down and helped the Archbishop sit up beside himself. But, the old man, instead of sitting straight, proceeded to raise his shivering hand slowly and touch Sylvester''s face. Soon, tears slid down the Archbishop''s eyes.


    "I heard so much about you and your hymns, yet damned be my blind eyes to not notice you in your disguise," Archbishop said. "L-Lord Bard... I-Is Solis real?"


    Sylvester bobbed his head. "If he wasn''t, do you think I''d exist?"


    Even more tears welled up in the old man''s eyes. "Then... I am blessed by your presence. T-Thank you for saving the Sorrow... K-Kingdom."


    Sylvester let the old man rest his head down a bit. "I did what my dutypelled me to do, Archbishop. Now, please stay calm, as I will try and heal you."


    "No." Archbishop held Sylvester''s hand. "My time hase. I-I waited for this moment for decades."


    "Old man!" Count Bradley arrived then. "Don''t die! Or I will die too."


    Archbishop frowned. "I will haunt you as a vengeful spirit of you dare kill yourself, Count. You still have strength in you! You can still do a lot of good! Your disease, it''s a mere test, and you have not passed it yet."


    Cough!


    The Archbishop''s breath became heavier, and he focused back on Sylvester. "M-My Lord... Once, can I hear your hymn? For thest time?"


    Sylvester took a long breath, seeing clearly that the old man had a few minutes left at best. So Sylvester entertained the man''sst wish. He had already seen that the Archbishop had memorized his older hymns.


    "Saint Paul! Please don''t die!"


    By then, the crowd of peasant soldiers had gathered around, and many faces had tears. The legend of Saint Paul was known all around the Sorrow Kingdom, after all--a strange selfless clergyman helping folks for no reason.


    Sylvester decided to make the dying man happy, so he let Count Bradley help the Archbishop sit while he took out the violin to y. Then, the halo returned abruptly, though this time much warmer and more soothing than ever.


    a??O'' wandering man of faith, the Saint of hearts.


    You are the bane of wraith, master of sacred arts.


    Wherever you stand, the holy blessing starts.


    With your mere presence, the knowledge departs.a??


    a??A long journey you traveled to this forgottennd.


    Diligent, honest, and kind, you made no demand.


    In the face of evil, forever, you continued to stand.


    Words can''t describe it, for your story is so grand.a??


    "Hah..." Archbishop Nelson''s chest rose and fell faster. His eyes slowly closed down, yet his smile remained ever so big.


    Tears became all toomon among all those who saw the scene. Archbishop Nelson was too loved, and his demise wasing too soon.


    a??May your legacy never lose its trace.


    For you, my friend, are impossible to rece.


    I bow my head, thankful for your warm grace.


    May the Holy Light guide you to Lord''s embrace.a??


    Silence fell following Sylvester''sst words. The Archbishop''s chest never rose again, and the breath was never regained. The man was gone from the world after decades of serving those who never asked for it -- in the name of a church that never cared for him.


    Sylvester put his violin away and ced a silk cloth on the Archbishop''s face, a man he truly respected.


    "Thank you for blessing this world with your kind soul."


    ...


    "May you rest in peace, good man."


    Many miles away, on a mountain, a man stood and watched the kind Archbishop take hisst breaths. Despite being so far away, he saw it with ease. What was impossible to mortals was a slight inconvenience to him, a Supreme Wizard.


    Dark grey hair, a tall body, and all-ck robes -- He was Julius Aurelius Alexander, the Chief of Anti-light.


    "Night Commander, the report is here." A woman eximed and stood still in her spot stiffly.


    Julius gestured with a wave of his hand for her to continue.


    "Commander, at the age of eighteen, Sylvester Maximilian is likely an Archwizard and a tinum Knight already. His mother is a Bright Mother, for whom he''d burn the church if it ever came to it.


    "He is a scheming monster, but he does it for good. We are yet to find any of his actions going against humanity. So we have no reason to chase him or harm him." The woman finished summarizing the report.


    Julius smiled as if he already knew of that oue. "Then you have no need here. Convey my orders -- disperse from here and continue humanitarian work. Earn the trust of the people in this kingdom."


    "Understood, Night Commander. May the dusk prevail!"


    Now alone, Julius Aurelius Alexander continued watching the scenes unfold, fascinated by everything he saw.


    "Hmmm... Sylvester Maximilian... The more I see you, the more I admire you. But will you be my blessing? Or my bane?"


    ________________________


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 Chapter 426 426. Fruit Of Labour

    River City, Riveria.


    In the River Castle, despite the abundance of rxing fountains and its greenery, the King didn''t find sce, for his kingdom was burning, and nobody could see the mes.


    In the King''s court, King Conrad Fitz Riveria sat on his high throne and looked at his ministers with a face full of frowns. "Ipetent, all of you! Fort Sunflower was my seat of power! I flourished it, and you razed it to ruins! You can''t even suppress a mere ve rebellion! Why do I even pay you? Look at all of you, fat and filthy! Where is your warrior spirit? Where is your prowess? Is boasting about money all that you can do?"


    The nobles lowered their heads in shame, and none dared to speak as they knew they had failed. On top of that, they knew their King''s anger. The man didn''t blink an eye in killing his three hundred brothers, one hundred sisters, and their mothers. Who were they then?


    "Your Majesty, the messengers have returned from the Fort Sunflower. May I invite them inside?" Just then, Jeremiah Freeman, the King''s Prima, spoke.


    King Conrad satfortably on his throne and nodded. "Finally, somepetence. Bring them in."


    Following that, a single man entered the throne room with a wooden crate in his arms. The man was just a low-ranking soldier, but at the moment, he looked worse than the lowest of the lowest peasants. His clothes were torn, his face dirty, and his body so thin.


    "Y-Your majesty," the messenger spoke in stutters. "Only I was able to return, as my partner was killed, and his head was sent with me in this box."


    The messenger put the wooden crate down and opened the lid, showing the bloodied, severed head of the other man.


    The messenger continued. "Their leader, Kaecilius Silvanus, has proimed himself the Lord of Fort Sunflower and demands that he be officially recognized, or else he will continue with his conquest and enter further deeper into the Riveria''s regions. He revealed that all the soldiers and officials of Riveria are still alive and live in the dungeons as prisoners."


    King Conrad frowned. "If he wished for peace with me, then why did he kill the messenger?"


    Prima interjected just then. "Messenger, speak with honesty. Did your partner try to berate Kaecilius?"


    The messenger nodded. "H-He was my senior, my lord. He repeatedly called them ves, filth, and lowly humans. It was only on the second day he was beheaded as he began to curse the families of the ves."


    King Conrad rubbed his face in tiredness. "Yet again, ipetence shows. He deserved to be killed if he did such. His task was to hand over the missive and return, not be the broker of peace. You are dismissed ¡ª All of you except the Prima!"


    No one wasted any time and exited the throne room swiftly. Then, in silence, King Conrad rose from his throne and walked closer to his most trusted advisor and subordinate.


    "What do you think? Why is Kaecilius doing this?" Conrad asked.


    Jeremiah Freeman, brown-skinned, tall, and strong. He rubbed his thin beard and looked into his king''s eyes. "We know why he''s doing this. He waited for years for freedom. Now, ording to the deal, he has to fight for ten years again and win each battle. Every man has a breaking point, your majesty. I think we touched that."


    King Conrad sighed and looked down, thinking deeply. "I do not wish to use the Grand Wizard, for I do not trust them yet. They were too loyal to my father. As for sending an army, I am not very hopeful about it.


    "Riveria has seen nothing but peace for so long. Seeing the ipetence in this hall, I''m afraid our armies are useless, too. If too much bloodshed urs, the ves will have an even higher bargaining point."


    It was quite a predicament where Conrad felt stuck. He wanted to solve the mess, but at the same time, he didn''t want to lose too much solving it.


    "What you say makes sense, your majesty," Freeman added. "We don''t know their strengths yet. Do they have wizards? Or some other weapon? The way Kaecilius is making demands, he does not appear too worried about our retaliation."


    "Then¡­ We need to negotiate better¡­ Bring me paper and quill."


    ¡­


    Back in The Patch, Sylvester organized a funeral for Archbishop Nelson. The entire peasant army was present during the ceremony and poured a small stick into the pyre of the old man as a sign of respect and gratitude for all he had done in his years of service.


    Then, Sylvester stored the ashes in two containers. One container was to be ced inside the new royal castle that would be constructed in the Wailing City. The second container would be taken to the Holy Land, where the Archbishop''s ashes would be respectfully ced beside the ash containers of other great clergymen.


    Then the next day was spent beheading the thousands of Widowmakers. At first, most of the Widowmakers and the pleasant army thought Sylvester was joking, but when the heads began to fall, cries and pleadings resounded.


    Sadly, mercy was only shown to those who were first to give away the names of their superiors and other hidden members of the Widowmakers.


    However, one day was enough to kill all of them, and burning them in a huge ditch was even easier as they had magic to utilize. They just wanted to be done with the work there, as they still had much to do.


    Eventually, on the third day, they began their march to the supposed imprable castle of the now-dead Grand Duke. It was still upied by a tiny number of soldiers and the Duke''s family, however.


    Infiltrating it was not an issue, however, as the soldiers inside the castle were few and easily scared. They voluntarily dropped open the drawbridge and let Sylvester''s army enter.


    Quickly, everyone inside the castle, from ves to nobles, from soldiers to clergy, all were gathered in the grand hall and lined up. After that, the youngest children were separated and sent away with the clergy members. The ves were interviewed, and the soldiers were checked if they were members of the Widowmakers.


    As for Grand Duke''s family. Other than children, everyone was put to the sword as standard procedure. The children would instead be sent to the Holy Land for ''re-education''. So they never harbor any ambitions too big for them.


    Later, the coffers of The Patch were also emptied, and in long, protected convoys, the money was slowly sent to the Wailing City, as that was the capital of the Kingdom. The money was to be used to restore the kingdom to normalcy. Beyond that, with Sylvester''s contacts, the cooperation between all the four Kingdoms of the East Sol was bound to increase.


    "Finally!" On the fifth day of arriving at the Grand Duke''s castle, Sylvester took a seat on the terrace of the castle that overlooked the vast fields in all directions. Beside him sat Sir Dolorem, his closest ally.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "The gue has taken nearly seven million lives already across the Sol," Sylvester mumbled. "I wonder how much longer it will take before things return to normal."


    "Not too long." Sir Dolorem cheered him up. "With the timely cure you found, the treatment for the gue is avable in every single kingdom. Not just the Holy Land, but many nobles have stepped up to hasten the immunization."


    Sylvester bobbed his head, restedzily in the wooden chair, and enjoyed the fresh air. "So much running around this time. Thankfully, I didn''t end up on the brink of death this time."


    Sir Dolorem stared at Sylvester''s face and asked seriously. "If you don''t mind asking me¡­ What is your Knight rank? You were able to deal with two Grand Wizards so¡­ efficiently."


    "It was hard, Sir Dolorem. I did get heavily injured at the end. But, I came with preparation and nning this time, so it went better." Sylvester beat around the bush at the start, knowing very well what the old man wanted to hear.


    "I know what you want to hear, and I''m sorry to disappoint you. No, I am not at the peak of Knighthood yet ¡ª I''m not a tinum Knight. But, I am half step into it."


    Sir Dolorem stood up abruptly. "Then¡­ Level Five Diamond Knight?"


    Sylvester bobbed his head. "Indeed¡­ And that''s why I''m considering making a special request to the Pope. I wish to be the chief administrator of the unified Sorrow Kingdom. I wish to turn thisnd into my stronghold¡­ for future use."


    Sir Dolorem rested down again and calmed himself. He was baffled by Sylvester already, being merely eighteen and a peak Diamond Knight. He could not remember anyone in entire human history having achieved that.


    "Seeing your sess with the assignment this time. I believe you deserve to be promoted again. If what you promised me that year was true, to be the Pope at a young age, then you need this promotion."


    Sylvester chuckled, knowing very well he was not getting the promotion. "It''s not even been a year since I became Archbishop, Sir Dolorem. And I only graduated from the School of Dawn three years ago. The moment I reach the position of Cardinal, even those far away clergymen in Masan or Southern continents, who ignored me until now, will start raising their fingers."


    "Fingers will be raised no matter whether you do it now or tomorrow, Lord Bard."


    "But I wish to have a stronghold before truly entering the world stage, Sir Dolorem. After all, my rise to the highest se¡ª"


    Thud!


    Suddenly, a soldier came and saluted stiffly. "Your Grace, a letter has arrived for you. The messenger asked me to rush it."


    Sylvester looked at the letter with raised brows. "The letter didn''te through a running man?"


    "No, your grace. It''s a wizard from Riveria who brought it." The soldier answered.


    Sylvester nodded and took the letter, dismissing the soldier too. Then he opened it and read it under his breath first.


    "Hah!"


    A sudden chuckle left his mouth. But he didn''t allow anyone else to read it and simply burned it away.


    "Finally, themb walks into the lion''s mouth." He muttered and silently watched the refreshing sunset with newfound excitement in his heart. After all, one of his greatest plots hade to a critical point.


    The letter, albeit with few words, had said a lot to him.


    [Letter]


    Your most esteemed grace, Archbishop Sylvester Maximilian.


    With deep regret and profound apologies, I must impose upon your precious time, whilst you are upied with your noble and sacred duties. But s, I find myself with no other option.


    A year ago, I had the honour and privilege of appointing you as my esteemed advisor. And now, I humbly request you to be my guiding light, my voice of wisdom in a time of dire need. I find myself in a quagmire, unable to navigate the intricacies of diplomacy with ease. Thus, I implore you to grant me the privilege of your presence, that I may seek sce in your enlightened counsel.


    I will forever be grateful.


    Conrad Fitz Riveria


    King of Riveria


    [Letter End]


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 Chapter 427 427. The Folly Goes Deeper

    Holy Land, Pope''s Pce.


    "What a fine day, such a rxing morning. Feels so pleasant to see the world rightfully transforming. The limbs of the church so perfectly performing ¡ª Ah, this is revitalizing¡­ Hmmm¡­"


    The Supreme Pontiff of the Church of Solis, Pope Axel Tar Kreed, His Holiness, walked through the many hallways toward his office chambers. His deep, fatherly voice rang out through the corridors, singing spontaneous melodies, the lyrics pouring forth from the depths of his soul.


    A broad smile graced his face, and he warmly greeted any clergyman he encountered, wishing them the best of luck.


    Confused, the clergymen would go flustered and just bob their heads as fast as possible, greeting the old Pope back.


    Soon, the Pope entered his chambers and closed the door behind him. Immediately, a dozen or so high-ranking clergymen poured into the waiting area of the Pope''s office where the Pope''s assistant, Bishop Gunther, sat.


    "What''s happening?" One Cardinal asked. "I''ve never seen him in such a great mood."


    Gunther walked over to the notice board and fixed the parchment to it. The assembled clergymen gathered around the board to read the heading and apanying details. "Here is the answer."


    All the Cardinals and Archbishops huddled around the wall and looked. The parchment had a big heading, and underneath were some details.


    "Unbelievable!"


    "This is lord''s blessing!"


    "Finally, their misery ends!"


    "The Church is blessed."


    On the side, Gunther bobbed his head in agreement. "Indeed. Archbishop Sylvester Maximilian has vanquished the evil Grand Duke of The Patch in a masterfully nned standoff with the armies. No casualties on Lord Bard''s side; meanwhile, the enemy suffered greatly. Now, the Sorrow Kingdom is no longer Sorrowful, for it is reunited ¡ª Once again, it is the ckhart Kingdom!"


    The clergymen read the report on the wall with focus, taking in every single detail on it. It revealed the brilliant actions of Sylvester, but that was not all. There was a second headline near the end of the article.


    Gunther proudly spoke further. "As you can see, Archbishop Sylvester also found the cure to the ongoing gue that has imed millions of lives and still spreads westward. It is because of Lord Bard''s grace that the holy realm remains this safe."


    The Cardinals and Archbishops gathered there, took long sighs, and walked back from the notice board. Their faces brimmed with smiles and a hint of jealousy as they were all bested by a young boy.


    "Now, if you may excuse me. I need to sort out the Holy Father''s schedule. May the holy light enlighten us." Gunther returned to his seat and indirectly told all of the members to return to their workces.


    In no time, the crowd dispersed, but it wasn''t going to take long before the word would spread. The legendary actions of Sylvester Maximilian were not something meant to be kept a secret.


    That''s why, right inside the Pope''s office, beyond the closed room, the Pope had stered himself beside the entrance with his ear on the door.


    With a huge grin, he listened to all the clergymen showing their delight in Sylvester''s work. In fact, it filled the Pope''s heart with great pride, as Sylvester was his student and, quite possibly, his sessor.


    "Hah, go on, my gossip bees ¡ª spread the word! Tell the world about Sylvester." The Pope, of course, had nned everything from the start. Singing and patting the clergymen, it was all to grab their attention.


    However, in his pure delight, the Pope didn''t notice the door knob turning and the door opening. His carelessness left him in an awkward spot in front of his assistant.


    "Ah! Your holiness, do you need something?" Gunther got flustered seeing the Pope awkwardly standing beside the door.


    The Pope coughed and straightened his mitre on the head. "Ah, nothing¡­ I mistakenly dropped a Gold Grace. Don''t worry, I found it."


    "..."


    Of course, Gunter was doubtful. But, he didn''t speak his doubts, for he loved his neck a bit too much.


    "Your Holiness, another letter came from the bard. He is req¡­"


    ¡­


    Thousands of miles down South, contrary to the cheerfulness of the clergymen in the Holy Land, faces were often tired in the Sorrow Kingdom.


    A month passed, and then another, but the work seemed never-ending as the Sorrow Kingdom had suffered much destruction. Most of the citiesy in ruins, and almost all the viges and towns were destroyed. Rebuilding all of them was a daunting task, but Sylvester had bigger ns. He aimed to turn the Sorrow Kingdom into his base and rebuild it better than before.


    After returning to the Wailing City, he spent most of his time singing hymns for the people, teaching arriving clergymen, and designing blueprints for cities, towns, and viges. His primary focus was hygiene, and he made sure that all the viges and towns had good sewage.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Additionally, since the Sorrow Kingdom was mostly desert, the soil was not very fertile, so he emphasized dung harvesting from farm animals and designated specific locations to store it.


    Clean water systems and good homes that can stay cool during the day and warm at night, such small things were introduced through detailed exnations. He also imparted valuable knowledge on how toy stronger building foundations and construct taller, safer structures, a skill much in demand in the Sorrow Kingdom, where earthquakes were an all-toomon urrence.


    For the present, the Sorrow Kingdom was to be governed as a temporary theocracy. Nevertheless, the long-term goal was to find a rightful ruler, even if that individual bore only the faintest resemnce to the royal bloodline. This was because the Holy Land was unwilling to hold ruling power, as it meant taking responsibility for the welfare of the popce, and any mishaps that urred would reflect poorly on the church.


    Nobles, Kings, and Queens were shields for the church that they didn''t want to lose.


    "Your grace, Azor the Dark Wizard is prepared for your interrogation." Count Bradley came to Sylvester''s room in the monastery.


    After the death of Archbishop Nelson, Count Bradley had attached himself to the guidance of Sylvester, as he was the famed wise Bard. Initially, the Count held a lot of doubt as he could not believe a young man could be so wise.


    But, after seeing another legend being made right before him, his devotion went through the roof, and he became yet another staunch supporter of Sylvester Maximilian, the Lord''s Bard.


    "Thank you for informing, my lord. Did you tell Saint Medico too?" Sylvester asked as he closed all the documents on his table.


    "I am yet to."


    "Good, no need to tell him." Sylvester moved ahead of the Count. "I want to interrogate him in private."


    Count Bradley asked no further questions, not letting his curiosity get the better of him. Instead, he showed Sylvester the path to the underground dungeons where the Dark Wizard was held, chained in the Darkstone cuffs.


    It was all too dark and warm and dry since the sandcked much moisture in the Wailing City with Mount Eternal nearby.


    "I will stand guard, your grace." Count Bradley volunteered to stand outside the entrance to the dungeons.


    Sylvester appreciated it and proceeded to move closer to the Dark Wizard. "I can understand the reason behind your pact. The thought of growing old and weak is indeed daunting, and epting one''s fate is not an easy feat. But, you not only made the contract, but you also turned evil. Enough to create a gue that has already killed millions. For you, there is no forgiveness, but the way you die is something in your control."


    Azor Al Romana faced up weakly to see Sylvester. Fear of death was evident in the old wrinkled man''s eyes. He knew he was tricked by the demon.


    "What do you want?"


    "Information about the demon. How did you make the contract? How did youe across it? Did it tell you anything?" Sylvester asked everything in one go.


    Azor responded candidly, harboring no fondness for the demon in question. "His name is Zama''tar. He has existed in our realm for centuries, but solely as a demon key, a cursed and immobile object hidden in an isted location. In his instance, the object took the form of a book located in the library of an ancient fortress on the Central Continent.


    "Over a century ago, I came across this book and sensed the presence of a demon within it. Yet, I held onto it for my own research, never anticipating that it would serve any other purpose. As a Dark Wizard, my knowledge extended to various spheres, so I summoned the demon and proposed a contract."


    Sylvester listened to the story with focus. There was nothing out of the ordinary until then. "Where is the demon now?"


    Azor looked down in shame. "I¡­ ording to the contract, in return for my eternal life, I granted him a human body¡­ Onepatible with him."


    Sylvester''s eyes widened, and hair all over his body rose.


    Bam!


    He grabbed Azor''s mouth and made him face up. "You freed a demon into our world? How strong is he in terms of us wizards?"


    Azor''s eyes shed with a hint of regret, and the scent of fear poured out. "I¡­ Iprehended the magnitude of my mistake and endeavored to y it before it could flee. But¡­ it overpowered me and stripped me of my magical abilities¡­ Reducing me to a mere Master Wizard from my prior status as an esteemed Arch Wizard."


    Sylvester breathed long and heavy, understanding very well what a significant threat this was.


    "You mean he is at least equal to a Grand Wizard?"


    Azor nodded. "He was¡­ Fifty years prior¡­ At present, I do not know."


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 Chapter 428 428. Time To Master The Spear

    Silence loomed inside the dark dungeon. Sylvester didn''t speak any further, nor did Azor have the will to say anything in his defense. The truth was that out there was a demon as strong as a Grand Wizard, at least, doing gods knew what.


    Considering how anxious they all appear when ites to invading the human world, Sylvester liked to believe that the demon was somehow working to bring more of his kind back.


    "You might have very well caused the doom of our world," Sylvester stepped back. "I am not high enough to judge a sinner like you. The Holy Father must hear what you have spoken. Only then you may be judged."


    Sylvester left the dungeon and locked the door with magical curses and runes ced all over it. He then found Count Bradley. "Make sure nobody enters this dungeon without my permission, not even Bishop Lazark. I need this man alive until he reaches the Holy Land for judgment"


    "Understood, your grace." Bradley saluted and headed to find someonepetent to stand guard.


    Sylvester, meanwhile, went on to speak with Saint Medico, the official highest-ranking clergyman in the entire Kingdom at the time. Although the man was no martial wizard or battlemander, he deserved to know about the demon as it concerned mankind.


    So Sylvester revealed everything to the man. "I cannot return to the Holy Land yet as my work is not done. His Holiness had tasked me with one more thing before I returned. But Azor must be brought to the Holy Land so all the concerned high clergymen and the Pope listen about this directly."


    Saint Medico was not pleased with the information either. "In this case, I must hurry. The Holy Land will likely send someone else to watch over the immunization of the Sorrow Kingdom after I''m gone. So I will bring Azor with me."


    "That will be very helpful, Saint. Please bring that little girl Amy along with you. She has magic in her, but I do not know about her talent yet."


    Amy was the girl that Sylvester saved from the vile Baron a while back. She had grown very attached to Sylvester, and her mind was also, to some degree, healed.


    "A new talent for the Holy Land? I will dly bring her along, Lord Bard."


    With that done, Sylvester headed to find Sir Dolorem to finally start the second stretch of his assignment. The time hade to focus on increasing his fighting prowess as the foes kept on increasing in number and strength.


    Sylvester found Sir Dolorem near the building site for the new castle, speaking with Grand Wizard Einarr, who was now the official overseer of the Kingdom as he was the only highest-ranking nobleman left.


    "You arrived at the right time, your grace." Sir Dolorem turned to Sylvester. "Lord Einarr worries about the old nobles who escapeding back and demanding their previousnds and positions."


    Sylvester scoffed and stood with them, watching over the construction. "The answer to your worry is simple, Lord Einarr. They are no longer nobles but deserters who stole the money of the Sorrow Kingdom. As soon as they return, you put them to the sword."


    "But, how will I run the kingdom without them?" Einarr asked. "I''m but a single man."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and thought about a way for him. The kingdom was in ruins, so he reckoned it was also time to revamp the administration.


    "The solution is simple, Lord Einarr. You will work as the head of the Kingdom and employ hundreds of administrators. You must conduct a kingdom-wide examination and find out all the educated and intelligent members of the society.


    "Then, you teach them how to administer a region, implement policies you make, and collect taxes. After that, you shall send them to their defined territory, where they must rule as public servants, not lords anddies. They all report to you, and you will give them their monthly sry. If they acquire any money illegally by stealing from taxes or extortion, they will be put to the sword for corruption.


    "Every three years, you may also transfer each individual from their work area. This way, if you keep interchanging them across the Kingdom, no single person will be able to umte too much wealth or power to pose a threat. Remember, the Grand Duke of The Patch was able to divide the Kingdom because he got too strong."


    Sylvester pitched Einarr something akin to a modern administration system. The only difference was that death was the default punishment for misuse of power and corruption.


    Einarr seemed enlightened and excited. "If this works, then the coffers of the royal pce will fill up and go beyond much faster. But I am no politician or statesman. I know not how to n suchplex mechanisms."


    Sylvester patted Einarr''s back. "It is easier said than done, but it''s worth trying. I will help you for as long as I live. You can appoint me as an advisor if you wish to. But remember, if the Royal Castle earns more tax, that does not mean all that money is yours.


    "Since you will be recing the nobles, it will also be your job to provide public welfare. For example, running orphanages and constructing bridges and roads. All these departments will be working under you, and your job is to review their work and ensure no corruption urs."


    Einarr bobbed his head, having changed from being silent to somewhat cheerful. Having met his daughter after so many years had changed the man''s heart.


    "Then, will you be staying here for a long time? I can arrange a better ce for your living." Einarr offered.


    Sylvester had other ns, however. "Thank you for the offer, but I must head to the Hignd Kingdom now. One matter is to meet with King Hignd and ask him to open the dams. The other matter is¡­ I must meet with Viscount Gordan Mineworth and learn metal maniption from him."


    Sir Dolorem smiled faintly. "Finally, the time hase."


    "Viscount Gordan?" Einarr mumbled. "I heard about him while in Grand Duke''s court. His Viscounty was dying the deliveries of the important iron ore that we required. Later we were informed that the Viscount had fallen gravely ill, and his sons were too ipetent to handle the work."


    Sylvester''s shoulder fell, and he rubbed his tired face. "Of course; how can things go smoothly with me? But it''s alright. As long as he is alive and not terminally ill, we can heal him."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "But how will I rebuild the kingdom without you, your grace?" Einarr asked. "I know none other to ask for help."


    "Worry not, Lord Einarr. I will merely be a border across the Sorrow Kingdom. You can visit me at any time in the Mineworth Viscounty. I will also be inviting a few talented clergymen from the Holy Land who will help you with construction. The people of the Sorrow Kingdom shall not starve anymore; that''s guaranteed." Sylvester guaranteed and wished to leave quickly.


    He felt the urgency, as he didn''t want the Viscount to die before imparting him the metal maniption knowledge. The Spear of Infinity was a fantastic instrument of war, and Sylvester wanted to use it to the fullest now.


    "Then, I bid you farewell, Lord Einarr. May the Holy Light enlighten this kingdom."


    With that, Sylvester and Sir Dolorem headed to gather their luggage and find Bishop Lazark.


    On their way, everyone bowed their heads or directly prostrated at the sight of Sylvester. He was no less than a god by that point, as the army of thirty thousand peasants had mostly been disassembled. As the men returned to their families across the Sorrow Kingdom, words about Sylvester''s work spread.


    And as expected, every time the story was retold, something more was added to it, more absurd than before. At the moment, the story told the tale of Sylvester ying not only the Grand Duke, but also the demon army of the Grand Duke and a Dragon for some god-forsaken reason.


    Not only that, Sylvester had apparently flown into the sky like a reverse shooting star and had taken his muti-armed, multi-headed, giant godly form, depicting him as the true son of Solis.


    "Your grace, please bless me! I am about to be a father." A man came andid down t on his face beside Sylvester''s feet.


    Having no other choice, Sylvester shined some light on the man''s head and made him stand up. "May the lord bless you, my fellow brother in faith."


    The man, ted, jumped and excitedly ran away. It was an urrence all toomon, and for some reason, he met men like that every day. Somehow, despite all the poverty, hunger, and destruction, a baby boom was going on.


    But Sylvester understood very well that many of those babies were, sadly, born from some inhuman atrocities inflicted upon innocent women by Widowmakers.


    "Did you receive a reply from the Holy Land, Lord Bard?" Sir Dolorem asked as they neared the monastery.


    With a sight, Sylvester denied. "Sadly, not yet. It''s been months, so the reply should be on¡­ Ah! Look, a Running Man ising this way. Let me ask him if a letter came."


    Sylvester stopped the inly dressed man on a galloping horse. "My friend, is there any letter for Archbishop Sylvester Maximilian?"


    "You are Lord Bard?" The Running Man asked, jumping from the horse with excitement.


    Sylvester made a small halo behind his head for a few seconds with a hymn under his breath. "I am."


    "O'' great Solis, I am blessed. Ie from the head branch in the Hignd Kingdom to deliver a letter specifically to you, your grace. Here, it''s with the golden Holy Land seal." The man excitedly handed the letter.


    Sylvester knew the golden seal meant the Pope had spoken. So he quickly sent the Running Man away and opened it, wishing to see what he desired the most. "About time this cam¡ª"


    He stopped speaking in the middle and lowered his head, frustration evident on his visage. "It seems we''re returning home after our time in the Hignd Kingdom."


    Sir Dolorem took the letter from Sylvester and read it under his breath. ''Imend your concern for the Sorrow Kingdom. However, you must not forget your responsibilities to the church and the entire realm. Your abilities are too valuable to be limited to just one ce.


    ''You are required to spread the word of the Lord to other kingdoms, and furthermore, there is yet much to learn under my tutge. You need training in warfare and governance, as well as knowledge of magic spells and prohibited curses.


    ''Thus, with great regret and deep disappointment, I must decline your request to be appointed as the Chief Administrator of the Sorrow Kingdom. I humbly suggest that you direct your attention towards honing your skills under the wise tutge of Viscount Mineworth and hasten your return. Until then, may you be well, and may the holy light enlighten you.''


    Sir Dolorem sighed and patted Sylvester''s shoulder. "He is not wrong. You are more important as a clergyman in the Holy Land than as an administrator of some kingdom."


    Sylvester agreed, as much as he didn''t want to. "Of course, for years, it''s been clear. My fate is not my own to steer."


    ________________________


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 Chapter 429 429. The Scent Of Absolute Death

    Sylvester was powerless to alter what had transpired. The Pope''s decision was final, and as a member of the church, it was his obligation toply with the decrees.


    So he watched with a somewhat heavy heart as Saint Medico departed for the Holy Land with an extensive entourage of inquisitors. Seated beside the saint in thevishly adorned carriage was Amy, who, understanding that she was being taken to Sylvester''s abode, did not show any signs of irritation. Instead, she excitedly yelled and waved her hand as the carriage departed from the Wailing City.


    "Bye-bye! Please find me in the Holy Land! Bye Bye!"


    Sylvester reciprocated the wave. "Of course, I will bring you to my shopter for tasty treats!"


    "Meow!"


    Suddenly, Miraj, perched atop Sylvester''s head, looked down at him. "Maxy, do I get treats too? I assisted you good this time, didn''t I?"


    Suppressing hisughter, Sylvester caught the adorable furry boy in his arms, squeezing him tightly, and continued to wave at Amy. "Of course, Chonky. I will ask Mum to prepare your favorite banana pie."


    "Really?" Miraj beamed, hisrge jaw parting and his tongue lolling out. "I can''t wait... Big Mum is the best!"


    "Now, it is our turn to depart," Sylvester stated as he strode towards the monastery. There, a modest wooden carriage awaited them, preloaded with their luggage. They had opted to forgo any additional security detail.


    "Your departure leaves me with a sense of unease, Lord Bard. Nheless, we must each forge our own paths and strive for the best oue. I bid you farewell and good fortune." Einarr embraced Sylvester as one would a brother. "Should you ever require my aid, do not hesitate to summon me. I will stand by your side, even if it means sacrificing my own life."


    ''That''s what I wanted to hear, buddy.'' Sylvester thought and reciprocated the warm brotherly hug.


    "I hope that day never arrives, Lord Einarr," Sylvester said as he climbed the carriage and took the reins. "Take care, and speak to me if you ever need counsel regarding administration or, perhaps, some other issue."


    "HA!"


    Sylvester whipped the horses, and the carriage began to move. Beside him, Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark rode on their separate horses. It was just three of them, as Count Bradley, who was from the Hignd Kingdom, decided to remain in the Sorrow Kingdom and help as many people as possible.


    They all wore civilian clothing to keep a low profile since Sylvester had gotten too popr inside the Sorrow Kingdom.


    Their journey this time was very smooth when it came to dangers on the way. There were no more Widowmakers or other soldiers of The Patch. But still, there were a few bandits that happily offered their throats to Sylvester''s spear, Sir Dolorem''s Sword, and Miraj''s ws. Ultimately, they also graciously offered to be Bishop Lazark''s undead.


    But, still, the Sorrow Kingdom was in shambles from the massive earthquake. Most of the kingdomy in ruins, requiring extensive rebuilding. Luckily, Sylvester had overseen the nning for new towns, cities, and viges.


    Meanwhile, the few remaining structures became havens for the disced, who were grateful for a ce to call home once again without beingbeled as mere refugees.


    Folks from the Holy Land had begun to arrive and offer their assistance in the immunization of the kingdom. The people now received food and had clean clothes to wear. The kids were taught basic numbers, calctions, and reading since the kingdom required bright minds after the devastation.


    Eventually, they journeyed north in the scorching heat, following a side road after leaving the Holy Road highway. They passed through the Dying City, Jharl vige, and finally arrived at Last Hay vige, where Sylvester first met Bishop Nelson.


    From there, they saw the massive Burning Mountain, the ce that used to be the home of the Wild Forge, the greatest forge in Sols, until the smiths got greedy and ended up destroying the forge by increasing the fire on the mountain.


    As they traversed the unnaturally hot pathway, Sylvester proposed, "Sir Dolorem, the Wild Forge entrance remains open. Shall we explore it for any ''useful'' discoveries?"


    ncing skyward, Sir Dolorem replied, "We have a dozen hours until dusk. A brief expedition should be feasible."


    Even Bishop Lazark was interested. "Not often do I get toe this far south."


    Sylvester directed the horses onto a dirt road and halted near Wild Forge''s dpidated structure. He secured the carriage in the shade and provided water for the overheated horses. Sorrow Kingdom''s heat was already unbearable, but with Burning Mountain beside, it was inhumane.


    "Let''s go." Sylvester retrieved his spear and a bag of essential battle crystals and potions.


    Wild Forge was subterranean, and the structure above served as an entrance, living quarters, and storage facility. Unfortunately, it was mostly in ruins, and they had to clear a considerable amount of debris.


    "I see signs of a campfire here. Someone was here before...quite some time ago," Bishop Lazark cautioned upon noticing the marks.


    Sylvester''s gaze was fixed upon the copsed ceiling, where he noticed a sword half-buried in the rubble. "We''ve found our way,"


    With a wave of his hand, he summoned minor Earth magic, manifesting brown runes that materialized into pirs. They lifted the copsed roof, forging a path ahead.


    However, none of them moved further, for they had finally found the main entrance into the forge¡ªa three-meter by three-meter square entry into the ground, with a somewhat broken stone staircase leading downstairs.


    Nothing was visible as everything appeared pitch ck. They had no idea how deep the stairway went either.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester was about to take the first step when he stopped. He found himself frozen in ce, his muscles locked in a state of tense rigidity. His face, normallyposed and calm, now paled to a ghostly shade of white, his eyes bulging in rm.


    "R-RUN BACK!" he bellowed, his voice a booming thunderp that echoed across the surroundingndscape. "As fast as you can!"


    Without hesitation, Sylvester hurled himself backward, heedless of the consequences, and shoved Sir Dolorem behind him, the two men tumbling back in a chaotic tangle of limbs and armor.


    Boom!


    Without warning, Sylvester shattered the pirs he had erected and allowed the roof to fall back into ce at the entrance. As the debris rained down upon them, they caught sight of a peculiar rune circle engraved with shining molten gold. It was a pattern none of them had ever seen before in their lives.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "W-What happened, Lord Bard?" Bishop Lazark inquired.


    Sylvester''s eyes flickered erratically, and his hands trembled with fear. "I¡­ I had an epiphany¡­ If we had entered it, none of us would have survived¡­ No matter what! That roof¡­ was not there by ident. It''s keeping something inside. Something I don''t wish to encounter."


    Sylvester rubbed his nose as he had never experienced such an intense odor of death, surpassing even his confrontation with the Anti-Light Chief near the Holy Land or any other deadly situation he had faced.


    This time, it was the scent of absolute death ¡ª nothing, absolutely nothing, could have saved him if he had entered the ce.


    "I-Is there any ancient legend attached to this ce? Regarding the formation of this mountain?" Sylvester asked them while calming himself.


    "Ick knowledge regarding this." Sir Dolorem denied.


    "I know an absurd story my¡­ mentor told me once." Bishop Lazark started. "The Legend says that thousands of years ago, even before the formation of the church, an Elder Dragon was in right on this spot. From the corpse of that Dragon, the Burning Mountain came into existence."


    Sylvester nced back at the covered entrance. "Then¡­ There is either an inhumanly strong demon inside or¡­ Considering Bloodlings are born from corpses, how strong would a blooding from an Elder Dragon''s corpse be?"


    Bishop Lazark and Sir Dolorem also nced at the spot in silence. Their hearts beat fast and loud, their breath heavy from the extreme heat. They imagined what monstrosity was awaiting inside them.


    p!


    Sylvester patted his clothes clean off the desert dust and headed out. "Let''s inform this to the Holy Land in a report after reaching the Viscount''s castle. Let''s move now."


    Sylvester made quick strides as he still could not shake off the feeling. Even then, he felt as if two giant eyes were watching him, taunting him toe and try fighting.


    ''I should tell the Pope to put a secondary seal over it¡­ I don''t know if even the Pope can beat this thing.''


    Sylvester didn''t dare speak those words aloud, as no one could imagine someone stronger than the Holy Father, the famed strongest Pope.


    The rest of the journey was spent in silence. None of them were in the mood to discuss about the Wild Forge, but that was all they could think of. Though thankfully, the heat became bearable as they went farther from Burning Mountain.


    Once they crossed the border and entered the mountains of Mineworth Viscounty in the Hignd Kingdom, the climate became even milder as the heat was blocked through the shorter mountains.


    As Sylvester and hispanions approached Mineworth, the mining town surrounding the Viscount''s castle, they observed a curious absence of men during the daylight hours. The women of the town busied themselves with domestic chores or small shops, while the men presumably worked in the nearby mines. Despite this, the town exuded a certain charm and vitality, with most buildings standing three stories tall and constructed of mud bricks painted inplementary shades and adorned with decorations.


    Soon, their journey brought them to the Viscount''s castle, a medium-sized fortressplete with four imposing guard towers and pointed, red-roofed turrets. A moat encircled the stronghold, fed by a nearby river.


    The guards at the entrance were all d in sandy gray armor with no helmets. Nevertheless, they were polite, as any man entering the castle was, in most cases, a prospective customer.


    Sylvester showed the seal of King Hignd, which allowed him to travel anywhere inside the Hignd Kingdom. He further bolstered his credentials by disying his mitre and a golden coin, symbols of his position as an Archbishop. Finally, to dispel any lingering doubts, Sylvester sang a few lines of a hymn, leaving no doubt about his identity and intentions.


    Thud!


    In no time, the soldiers knelt on their knees with their arms on their chests, saluting in church style. "We are blessed, your holy grace."


    Without dy, the gates were opened, the drawbridge lowered, and Sylvester and his entourage were escorted with utmost reverence to the castle of the Viscount. Then the Prima, with an air of importance, directed them to the Viscount''s chambers, for the ailing nobleman could not receive guests elsewhere.


    ''Finally!'' Sylvester couldn''t help but feel excited. ''After more than a decade.''


    "This way, please." Prima led them to the bedside of the Viscount.


    The Viscounty in his bed, visibly frail and weak, but still dignified. Sylvester saw the old man''s arm tremble as he attempted to raise it in greeting. "W-wee," the Viscount stuttered, struggling to form his words. "Y-your grace...forgive m-me for m¡ª"


    BAM!


    The sudden sound of a loud bang interrupted Viscount''s words, and the chamber''s doors flung open with force. Sylvester, ever alert, rushed to the Viscount''s side, ready to defend him from any potential threat.


    Two middle-aged, chubby men strode in. Their faces contorted with rage and eyes full of fury.


    Their eyes fell upon Sylvester, and they both shouted in unison. "Who is this kid?"


    "Get back!" Sylvester retreated as one of them charged, wishing to push him.


    The man then stopped beside his bedridden father, pointing a trembling finger at him.


    "Father, did you adopt him now? Just because you don''t want us to inherit you?"


    "..."


    ________________________


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 Chapter 430 430. Weight Of The World

    Sylvester was dumbfounded, to say the least. He had only sought to gain mastery over metal maniption, yet he now found himself entangled in the intricacies of noble politics.


    However, an even greater surprise awaited him as the Viscount began to stir from his bed. With long, ashen hair cascading over his shoulders, the man''s thin and wrinkled face revealed his advanced age.


    But then, in a sudden shift of energy, the Viscount rose himself with the help of his arms and pulled himself onto the crude, wooden chair with wheels beside the bed, his entire demeanor transforming before Sylvester''s eyes.


    The Viscount''s dark gaze shifted to his two sons, and his expression contorted with sudden disappointment. "I can''t even say I''m disappointed, for I never expected anything from you two wastrels. YES! Hear me loud and clear. I am giving the entire Viscounty, from thend to thest speck of bronze, to His Grace, Archbishop Sylvester Maximilian, the Bard of the Lord, the holiest man alive, purger of sins, vanquisher of demons, the yer of dragons, the son of Solis!"


    "..."


    Sylvester couldn''t keep track of all the titles the man had rattled off. ''Wait¡­ I never yed a dragon¡­ Yet.''


    The two middle-aged men standing before him stared in disbelief, their faces contorting into expressions of shock and horror.


    Thud!


    After a long moment of silence, both men copsed to their knees, hands sped in surrender. Tears streamed down their faces as they begged for forgiveness, aware that offending a higher clergyman could be a death sentence. Throughout their lives, they had been taught that it was better to offend a higher noble than a higher clergyman, for thetter could destroy them with a mere usation of heresy.


    "Please, your grace, forgive us," they implored, "We didn''t realize who you were. We are foolish to have offended you. We are deeply regretful and will donate clothes to ten thousand poor. Please forgive us." The noble sons wept, one after the other, their voices choked with emotion.


    This was the rule number two they had remembered since they were young: If you do end up offending a higher clergyman, do anything and everything to ask for forgiveness ¡ª even if you have to lick their feet or kiss their ass ¡ª do it.


    Sylvester, however, was not interested in getting licked or kissed anywhere. He just wanted to learn his damn metal maniption and be on his way.


    ''Good Solis! Why does everyone insist on giving me their responsibility? First that King Hignd, now this¡­ I''m already the bloody Grand Field Marshal of Gracia, folks¡­ And I will own you all eventually anyway.''


    Sylvester wanted to scream those words, but for the sake of his own neck, he had to act frugal with his ambitions. Of course, everyone with an ounce of a brain knew Sylvester was a contender for the seat of Pope, but nobody ever dared to speak their thought loud.


    "I refuse!" Viscount Gordan Mineworth roared. "You two wastrels, whose money will you use to give out the clothes? You two have not earned a single bronze mud in your lifetime¡­ Ugh! Prima Nn, bring me my noble robes!"


    The Viscount''s two sons stared at him with a mixture of shock and confusion. One of them finally voiced the question that gued them both.


    "Father¡­ You are not sick?"


    The Viscount''s face twisted in anger, his brows furrowed, and his lips twitched. "Disappointed that I am not sick?" he spat. "I knew you two had begun to add poison to my food and water. I knew you wished to kill me before my time. I was also made aware of my destiny to meet His Grace and that I could not die before the fateful meeting. So I had to fake my illness to protect myself¡­ But not anymore¡­ You two, I''m ashamed to call you sons. If your mother finds out, she will kill you two first, and then herself ¡ª for giving birth to demons."


    Prima soon brought the clothes for the Viscount, and the man donned them right there. The whole time, silence loomed over them as the two sons could not even keep their heads high. Meanwhile, Sylvester just wanted to stay out of the messy family.


    ''So much family drama.'' Sylvester mumbled to himself. ''Let''s just focus on training.''


    "Your Grace, pleasee with me to my Sr. Let us not waste our time with these two; they are dead to me. Their only lifeline is their mother, who I cannot bear to see upset." The Viscount sneered as he passed his kneeling sons. "If I could return in time, I would have drowned them as infants. But perhaps I am suffering for a sin Imitted in another life."


    Sylvester''s keen senses detected the twitching bodies of the two men on the ground and theplex blend of emotions emanating from them. Anger, shame, and regret suffused their scent, but the presence of anger confirmed theirck of redemption. Even if they had seeded in assassinating the Viscount, their greed would have driven them to fight each other for morend.


    Sylvester followed the Viscount to the Sr, a room located at the topmost level of the tower. To ess it, the Viscount had constructed a ve-powered elevator, which relied on a simple pulley mechanism and locking brakes for sudden drops.


    "So, how may I assist you?" inquired the Viscount as he settled into his customary position next to his work table. Remarkably, he was able to propel his wheelchair without using his hands, a feat made possible by manipting the metal on the wheels - a skill that Sylvester coveted.


    Sylvester felt a bit conflicted. "My Lord, do you not recall the letter I sent to you several years ago? I implored you to travel to the Holy Land and teach me the art of metal maniption."


    The Viscount frowned, casting a questioning nce at his Prima. "Nn, did we ever receive such a request? Even if Lord Bard was not yet renowned back then, I cannot imagine refusing such an opportunity. Merely living in the Holy Land is a blessing in and of itself."


    Nelson closed his eyes, endeavoring to recall the incident, but to no avail. "Your grace, could you provide the year in question?"


    "Of course, it was in the holy year of 1509,"


    Nelson furrowed his brow, but he brightened after a moment''s contemtion. "I remember now! Your eldest son, Mike, was responsible for sorting the post that year, my Lord."


    Bam!<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The realization struck Viscount Gordan like a bolt of lightning, and he pped his hand on his forehead. "It appears that I am the architect of my own downfall. I wonder what my life could have been if I had met His holy grace years before. Perhaps, with his blessing, my sons could have grown a brain."


    Sylvester interjected awkwardly. "It is never toote to make amends, my Lord. We meet now, not years ago, this was the fate decided by the Lord, and none of us mortals could have changed this."


    The Viscount let out a resigned sigh and cast his gaze downward. "You speak the truth, your grace. But regret is a burden that never fades, and I fear that learning to live with it may be too saintly a task for me."


    ''Hmm¡­ I smell the feeling of emptiness same as Augustus from him. Is he suicidal?'' Sylvester instantly became alert as the man began to talk self-depreciatingly.


    "My Lord, I would like to learn the art of metal maniption from you. This is not my personal wish but a directive from His Holiness, the Pope." Sylvester extended a one-page letter bearing the Pope''s blessing.


    "May I keep this?" Viscount Gordan inquired, clutching the letter as if it were a treasure.


    "Of course."


    The Viscount reverently opened his desk drawer and retrieved a velvet box, cing the letter inside as if it were a precious artifact. "I pray that this will act as a good luck charm."


    Sylvester could not help but note the subtle hints that told the man''s story to him. ''He seems too desperate. I can understand why. Having lost his legs and then slowly realizing his sons are up to no good¡­ It must be a burden to his mind.''


    "Your grace," Viscount warned, "I will teach you metal maniption, but whether or not you can learn it is up to your talents. There is a reason why it is so rare. But let''s begin training tomorrow. For now, join me for a dinner feast on the terrace. The double sunset view from there is always remarkable."


    Sylvester agreed, grateful for the opportunity to rest after all the traveling. His clothes were soaked in sweat.


    However, he had underestimated the beauty of the double sunset view that the Viscount had mentioned.


    After dinner, Sylvester was so captivated that even after the Viscount and staff left the terrace, he stood by the edge, looking southeast. He could see two orange hues on the horizon, but in reality, only one was the sun, while the other was the radiating fire from the Burning Mountain.


    Yes, the fire was visible even with such a great distance and shorter mountains in between. Eventually, the dark night came, but the hue from the burning mountain remained, appearing like a strange yet frightening illumination.


    "Can''t sleep?" Sir Dolorem found him at that time. "Thinking too much?"


    "Can''t help at this point, Sir Dolorem. The closer I get to my goal, the farther it feels." Sylvester paused for a moment to take a frustrated breath. "At this stage, I must defeat the Pope, the other contenders, the spy from Masan, and possibly Masan itself. I must also fight the Shadow Knight, that demon Bishop Lazark''s mentor let out, and now...this strange unknown entity under the Burning Mountain. It''s frustrating."


    Sir Dolorem chuckled. "The road to glory is filled with hurdles, but oveing them is what makes the victory sweet. You knew the road would be broken, dangerous, and life-threatening at times, but as long as you stay on your feet, I believe you will never face defeat."


    "I just hope my hair isn''t white by the time I finally ovee all these challenges," Sylvester mumbled.


    "Besides, aren''t you forgetting one more challenge?" Sir Dolorem gave a mischievous smile and patted Sylvester''s back. "You must ovee the Elves too."


    Pa!


    Sylvester pped his own forehead. "Ah! Of course, how did I forget the finest blessing the Lord has bestowed upon me ¡ª my bloodline."


    Sir Dolorem chuckled. "That''s why, let''s go one at a time."


    "Aaaa¡­" Sylvester brushed his hair with his hands frustratingly. "I feel even more annoyed now. Let''s just go to sleep, old friend."


    Sir Dolorem followed behind Sylvester, looking at his shoulders that seemed to grow wider with each passing month.


    ''The price of bing the Pope is the weight of the world that you must bear on your shoulder, your grace.''


    "Indeed, let''s go to sleep, Lord Bard."


    ________________________


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 Chapter 431 431. Adventures Of Lord Chonky

    [A/N: Rejoice the fluff while you may. For you will crave this when the next arc is on disy.]


    Miraj, the lovable fluffy cat, the proud father of the strongest kitten in the whole world. But despite his many blessings, Miraj was not always content. Much of his time was spent in a state of boredom, especially when he was traveling with Sylvester. While the journey was exciting, most of their time was spent traversing from one destination to another, leaving Miraj little to do but perch upon Sylvester''s shoulder and nap.


    However, their arrival at Viscount Mineworth''s castle signaled a new adventure, one that promised to uncover long-buried secrets within the ancientnd. It was time to unlock the doors and reveal precious riches for donating to the Chonky Bank of Commerce ¡ª Exclusive to Sylvester.


    As the morning sun cast its radiant light upon the mortal realm, the immortal cat leaped nimbly out of the window without disturbing Sylvester''s slumber.


    Miraj strolled leisurely through the castle, exploring every nook and cranny. He began his tour at the lowest level, where he stumbled upon the guards'' quarters. Peering in through a window, he observed a man who had ced a steaming te of mashed potatoes on the windowsill to cool.


    Viewing the dish as a generous offering, Miraj lingered there, basking in the warm sunlight and eavesdropping on the soldiers'' idle chatter as they prepared for duty or rested from their previous shift.


    "Argh! I am on Guard Duty to young master Mike today, that spoiled bastard." grumbled one Knight.


    "Correction, it''s fat master, not young master. And your duty isn''t to protect him but rather to prevent him from doing anything foolish, as Lord Gordan fears. The two fat oafs offended His Grace yesterday if you didn''t know." retorted the other.


    The first Knight gasped in horror. "What? I saw His Grace this morning. He''s¡­ more magnificent in person than any rumor could do justice. How could anyone offend a perfect being like Lord Bard?"


    "Stupidity, my friend. There is no cure to it." The other Knight blurted and went to pick up his te. "What the¡­ Who ate my potatoes?!"


    Miraj was quick on his feet, for his third name was Speed. He dodged the sudden hand that grasped for the te and darted away, having grown tired of the mundane conversation.


    ''Hmm¡­ Maxy is training in the fields¡­ Where should I go next? Ah! I''m so stupid. I need to look for bank donations.'' Miraj strolled into another room. This time there were servants and ves, cooking or cleaning, doing the daily chores of the castle.


    Of course, since it was near the kitchen, Miraj again found some snacks. This time it was an apple pie. Now, he didn''t really like any other fruit but banana, but he sometimes makes do with whatever is avable.


    So, he sat down on a fine wooden table and ate the offerings to the God Chonky.


    "Are you taking the candles again? You will get caught, Rimmi."


    Rimmi red at him, her eyes brimming with defiance. "You take the spices from the kitchen, too, so just worry about yourself. We all take something. We must earn as much as we can while Lord Gordan still reigns, for we will see nothing but poverty once his two dunderhead sons take over."


    The other ve shivered at the thought, his mind conjuring images of a bleak future. "Y-You are right¡­ We should utilize this opportunity. I saw Lord Bard this morning. Perhaps we''re blessed today. Let''s steal extra!"


    Rimmi agreed, nodding eagerly. "Of course, we are blessed. But I must deliver the apple pie to Viscountess¡­ Wait! Where is the Apple pie? YOU ATE IT?!" Her voice rose in fury as she turned on herpanion.


    ''Bad humans,'' thought Miraj as he silently watched the scene unfold. He shook his head and quietly slipped out of the room, disgusted by the greed and pettiness of humans.


    Miraj proceeded to explore a different section of the castle and noticed faint murmurs emanating from behind a door. Intrigued, he ventured outside to peer through a window. "Is someone eating a tasty dish? Their moans suggest so."


    Miraj scaled the castle wall and perched on a closed window. The open curtains afforded him an unobstructed view. However, his excitement was swiftly reced with disappointment.


    ''Wait, she''s not eating tasty food¡­ She''s¡­ She''s eating the fat Lord''s¡ª!'' Miraj eximed.


    "Ah! My Lord, what if your brother discovers our affair?" the woman fretted.


    "So what? I wedded your sister and married you to my younger sibling for this precise purpose! I wanted both of you. You''re identical twins, and no one will ever find out," the man nonchntly replied.


    Miraj, outside the window, had his jaw agape. "Woah! He''s not dumb. But¡­ This is boring."


    So, Miraj again moved around, this time walking from outside. However, yet again, he heard some moans and got excited to see someone eating tasty treats.


    Yet again, only sadness got to him.


    ''She''s eating Lord''s youngest son now¡­ Where is the food?''


    "My lord, why didn''t you wed me instead if you fancied me so fervently?" the woman queried.


    "Ugh, my brother coerced me into marrying your sister. But I''ve always preferred you, Ca," the man confessed.


    "But my lord, we''re identical in every way," Ca protested. "We look the same."


    "No, Ca, you are superior in everything. Hush now," the manmanded.


    Miraj''s fluffy shoulders slumped as he massaged his head with his paws. ''My head hurts¡­ What is going on? I should tell Maxyter. Maybe he can make sense.''


    Again, Miraj moved on and, this time, headed to the higher floor, eventually reaching a terrace garden he had never seen before. The garden was a sight to behold, filled with vibrant flowers and the melodic songs of birds.


    As he approached, he spotted an elderly woman tending to the nts with great care and love. A few younger women stood behind her, holding tools and wearing expressions of worry.


    ''Who is that Grandma?'' Miraj wondered.


    "Give me the pruner." the olddy ordered.


    "Mydy, please let us do the work. Viscount will be enraged at us if he finds out. We are mere ves. We can''t face his ire."


    The old woman, likely the wife of Viscount Gordan, smiled and continued to work. "Who is going to tell him? Certainly not me. Just calm down and go do your work, dears, and let this old woman enjoy the little things in life. With Lord Bard''s arrival, my husband is finally smiling ¡ª I have never seen him this excited before. We are truly blessed."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The two ve women bobbed their heads and put the tools beside the olddy to go and work somewhere else.


    Miraj, seeing his chance, went to taste those juicy tomatoes on the nt near the woman. He was fast and, in a blur, jumped, grabbed one in his jaw, and vanished in the bushes.


    However, the woman didn''t respond and continued to work on the crops. That bolstered Miraj to get another tomato, for they were too sweet.


    Woosh!


    Yet again, he grabbed one and ate it.


    "Haha, no need to be the shy, holy spirit. You may take as much as you desire." Shocking Miraj, the woman addressed him. "Ever since I was a child, I''ve been blessed to have met many kind spirits, so please don''t be wary. I''m a mere mortal. What can I even do?"


    Miraj was shocked and walked beside the woman. As he gazed at her face intently, a wave of emotion washed over him, causing his eyes to fill with tears. For he recognized in the Viscountess'' face the familiar look of his former owner, whom he deeply cared for.


    "The garden flourishes despite being in the heart of the desert," the woman spoke in a gentle voice, her fingers deftly working the soil around the vibrant flowers. "It is said that a benevolent spirit blessed this ce long ago, and so it continues to thrive. Do you not find it beautiful?"


    Miraj silently stood there and watched the olddy work. "You are sad?"


    "Oh! A high spirit that can speak?" The woman lowered her head towards the voice. "I pay my deepest respect to you."


    Miraj continued to look into the woman''s old gray eyes. "Why are you sad?"


    The woman''s voice held a hint of self-deprecation as she spoke. "What mother wouldn''t feel sadness for having given birth to demons? Because of their life of luxury and easy ess to every desire, my sons have be debaucherous, corrupted beings. They believe I am unaware of their actions, but I see and hear everything."


    Pat!


    Suddenly, Miraj patted his fluffy paw on the old woman''s head. "Don''t worry. I fix them."


    Although taken aback, she responded. "They are beyond salvation."


    Miraj receded while speaking. "I know of someone who fought for survival from the moment he was born. Despite having every reason to hate those around him, he continued to grow stronger and sought to better the world. Your sons never fought for life, so they grew up like this."


    "Then? Will you punish them?"


    Miraj jumped from the edge of the building without replying. He was no longer a hungry cat¡ªbut a cat on a mission.


    ¡­


    In the castle''s training grounds, Sylvester and Viscount Gordan were fully immersed in their metal maniption training. The first aspect of metal maniption was to sense the metal around you. For that, Sylvester had to lift a small piece of metal from the ground by using just magic.


    "Lord Solis, be gracious! You did it in three hours! It took me five years to master this simple thing." Viscount bellowed as he sat in his wheelchair.


    Right there, Sylvester was not only hovering the piece of metal in the air, but he was also throwing it around so fast that it created small sonic booms. Even he was shocked by the fact that he learned it so fast.


    But then, when he remembered that he had a high affinity with every single element and his talent was that of a Supreme Wizard, it wasn''t as shocking. In fact, he felt disappointed that it took him three hours.


    "Now, onto the next stage!" Sylvester announced as he drew his Spear of Infinity and attempted to activate its ancient magic.


    "Lord Bard, I believe it''s too early for that," Viscount Gordan cautioned.


    Sylvester still gave it a try. "I know, my lord, but if we don''t try, we''ll never know if we''re on the right path."


    He used the little bit of metal maniption he had learned on the spear.


    Woosh!


    Suddenly, a bright golden rune circle appeared around the top of the spear with the de tip in the center. The rune spun rapidly, appearing like a shrinking halo of light.


    Boom!


    Then, with a sonic boom, the spear jolted, and the golden rune disappeared. However, nothing had changed.


    "Oh, I see it!" Viscount Gordan eximed with excitement. "It grew by half an inch!"


    Sylvester remained silent, unsure if half an inch was a significant enough improvement. It sure felt like nothing to boast about.


    "..."


    ________________________


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 Chapter 432 432. Mines Of Mineworth

    After the pitiful half-an-inch growth of the spear, Sylvester remained unwavering in his determination to master the art of metal maniption. What began with lifting a small fragment of metal slowly evolved into hoisting a massive pieceparable in size to a horse. With the passage of time, Sylvester''s proficiency in the craft only grew, and it appeared as though he would achieve mastery before the arrival of winter''s peak.


    During his time in the Viscounty, he had to attend to numerous other obligations, which required a lot of letter exchanges. So he called for a team of special Running Men who would be responsible for all his letters.


    One of his regr correspondents was King Conrad of Riveria, who was struggling to quell a ve uprising. Sylvester made sure to leverage every situation to his advantage while subtly working to further his own ends. He harbored no remorse for double-crossing the king, as thetter had previously used him to conspire against and kill Duke Daemon of Ironstone Duchy.


    It was just business and politics, as usual. He just happened to be somewhat better than most.


    Additionally, he exchanged a significant amount of correspondence with Lord Einarr, who was toiling to rebuild the Sorrow Kingdom one step at a time. Despite all that, Sylvester still had to devise a n to move forward, as his objective of making the Sorrow Kingdom his base had been foiled by the Pope''s order.


    Boom!


    "Marvelous as always, Lord Bard. Impable technique, and must I say, you have already gone beyond my capacity of lifting metal." Viscount Gordan pped and cheered from the sidelines while sitting under the shade of an umbre that Sylvester had made for the man.


    Sylvester, having spent countless hours training in the blistering sun, had developed a deep tan. He had be something of a local celebrity, attracting both the admiration of women and the envy of men. Nevertheless, the men knew better than to resent Sylvester for his physical prowess; they were also well aware of his lifelong vow of celibacy.


    Sylvester took a long breath and came to the Viscount to sit down under the shade for rest and rehydrate his body. The old Viscountess has made fine lemonade for them ¡ª a drum full of it.


    "Where are Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark?" Sylvester asked the noble Lord.


    "Sir Dolorem, on my humble request, epted to train my knights to be a little morepetent. As for Bishop Lazark, I believe he only leaves his room for breakfast, lunch, and dinner." Viscount answered. "Truly a strange crowd you have gathered around, your grace."


    Sylvester chuckled. "Don''t mind the Bishop. He does not like to be under direct sunlight for a long duration. But I must agree, I do have some unique personalities around me. You should visit me in the Holy Land sometime. I will show you the ce and introduce you to some good, interesting folks."


    The Viscount let out a sigh and nced at his feeble legs. "s, traversing such a great distance is a formidable undertaking. I am but a burden to my people if I am unable to oversee the management of our mines."


    Sylvester refrained from speaking further on the matter, knowing that he could not aid the man''s damaged legs. The wounds had gone unhealed for too long, leaving the limbs beyond repair with nerve damage. However, Sylvester was aware that Healer Hendrix had the necessary skills to at least alleviate the man''s suffering. Despite this knowledge, Sylvester was hesitant to suggest the Viscount seek Hendrix''s assistance, as they were not particrly close yet.


    "Your Grace, I invite you to apany me to the mines tomorrow," the Viscount proposed. "Immersing yourself in an environment abundant in iron and other metal elements will aid in your mastery of the spear. You must first fullyprehend the element before mastering the weapon."


    Sylvester agreed as he had not been able to increase the spear''s length despite rigorous training. There was a more profound mystery to its use, which he was determined to uncover.


    Just as they were about to end the training, Sylvester broached the subject. It was regarding the request Miraj had made to him, which he had epted since Miraj rarely asks for anything other than bananas.


    "My Lord, if I may be so bold, could you entrust your two sons to my care? I shall endeavor to reform them, for the love, word, and wrath of the Lord can work wonders. Perhaps there is still hope for your legacy." Sylvester offered bluntly.


    The Viscount was in the midst of turning his wheelchair when he abruptly halted. He didn''t look back, but his shoulders quivered uncontrobly.


    ''I knew it! The scent of sadness and hope spiked astronomically. He''s been holding himself from asking for my help. Now he''s weeping because I offered it?'' Sylvester saw the reactioning from a mile away.


    The Viscount maintained a stoic facade, despite the cracking in his voice. "If... If you can fix them, my bloodline will be indebted to you forever."


    "I can merely try, for I can not rewrite their minds. I''m only a human, after all." Sylvester responded.


    The Viscount proceeded to leave. "That hope¡­ is enough. You may do as you please with them, your grace."


    Soon, it was only Sylvester and Miraj.


    "What is the n, Maxy?" the ball of fluff asked.


    Sylvester shrugged and also headed to the castle. "They are weak-minded men, so the usual will work. We first destroy their pride, personality, sense of security and break their minds apart. Then, once they are nk tes, we rewrite them ¡ª the good old MK-Ultra style."


    "Makultra? Is it something tasty?" Miraj inquired while perched on Sylvester''s head.


    Sylvester chuckled. "No, but it sure is painful ¡ª I can personally vouch."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ¡­


    That evening, deep within the castle dungeons, where no one ever ventured, two torches flickered. The dim light illuminated only a portion of the ground, leaving the surrounding area shrouded in darkness.


    The rats made squeaking noises all around the vicinity, along with some strange and menacing sounds of insects. It was unnerving to be there.


    "Father! Forgive us!"


    "Please don''t do this!"


    Two voices resounded, screaming and growling. They alternated from curses to pleadings. Their shouts remained constant the entire night. Sadly for the two, it was eternal night in the dungeons as the torches ran out of their fuel and soon extinguished, leaving the two men inplete darkness.


    They were not loved or liked by any, so none felt their disappearance. On the contrary, the knights and staff rejoiced.


    ¡­


    The next day dawned swiftly, and Sylvester readied himself for the excursion into the mines with the Viscount. Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark, aware of the dangers that Sylvester might encounter, decided to apany him.


    Though they knew they were weaker than Sylvester, but as long as they could watch the Lord''s Bard''s back, they were content with their roles.


    Viscount Gordan, along with his entourage of knights, led Sylvester and his group towards the mountain stronghold, which had been constructed within a cavity in the mountain and was fortified by a wall.


    "This is the entrance to all my mines," the Viscount proimed, gesturing towards the stronghold.


    Sylvester took note of the numerous armed men guarding the entrance, stationed at strategic points with bows and arrows at various heights. The rest of the stronghold was upied by miners, who were clothed in tattered and dusty clothes and covered in grime and sweat., going about doing their work with their darkened faces from the dust and tan.


    The crowd was vast, and Sylvester estimated that there were at least five thousand men working on the surface alone. He could only imagine how many more were inside the mines and how deep the mines even went.


    "Come, your grace. I will take you inside one of them." Viscount suggested.


    Following that, four tall and muscr men appeared with a small, roofless pnquin on their shoulders. Then the Viscount sat down in it, and the four men began to carry him on the path ahead.


    Sylvester, along with Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark, followed behind while the Viscount talked about his work with much pride, exining the little details about each location.


    "At first, we encountered difficulty in reaching the depths of the mine," the Viscount revealed, "But then I decided to utilize air magic crystals to create a pleasant air cirction within the mines. Now, we can easily reach depths of up to five miles."


    Sylvester observed a steady stream of muscr men emerging from the mine, each bearing aden basket on their backs. Their expressions were stoic, and their gaze remained fixed on the path ahead. "How many miners are there?" he inquired.


    "Six thousand," Viscount replied, his hand absently stroking his chin. "And four thousand transporters, who bring the iron ore to the surface for processing."


    Sylvester frowned. "How long does it take to mine, transport, and process the ore?"


    "If it''s from the deepest part of the mine, it takes half a day to bring it out, then a day for processing, as we work in batches. So, all in all, it takes around three days," Viscount replied, his tone proud. "This is the finest mine in all of South Sol."


    But Sylvester held a different opinion.


    ''Good God,'' he muttered to himself. ''No wheelbarrows or tracks for transportation? This mine is more inefficient and inconsistent than Felix''s love life.''


    ________________________


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 Chapter 433 433. Sylvester, The Monkey King

    "Your grace, what are your orders?"


    Sylvester stood before the two sons of Viscount, Mike, and Phil, who had been locked up for a month under his watchful eye. They had been reduced to mere shells of their former selves, their bodies weakened, and their minds broken through a slow and calcted process. But they were far from dying as they were forced to eat nutrients filled food ¡ª very nasty in taste, but food nheless.


    The process of breaking their minds was very slow. But eventually, it began to show its effects. First, the two sons of Viscount stopped talking about bribing their way out as they initially thought they had been kidnapped. They then stopped talking about their privileges. Soon, they had also forgotten about their wives.


    Sylvester made sure to turn them intopletely nk tes, making sure they forgot how to even think properly. Initially, they tried to lie their way through, acting as if they had been broken. But nothing worked on Sylvester, as he could smell their lies easily.


    Slowly, with pain, hunger, fear, and a lot of repetitive recitals of a few rules they must abide by in their life, they changed. Sylvester ensured that the only thing they remembered was their duty. And the duty was to serve the Viscounty, its people, and their noble parents.


    The only tricky part Sylvester felt was their wives. The two women were sleeping with both men, and the men had no idea. The men thought they were the winners, but in reality, they were the fools. Sylvester feared that the brainwashing might get undone slowly if the two women tried to continue their past activities.


    ''What to do now? I don''t have time to work on them since my training is in the advanced stages. Forcing them to straighten themselves won''t work either. Perhaps I should leave this to Viscount and his wife. My help ends with fixing these two.''


    "You will remain here and chant the rules until I return," Sylvester ordered the two brothers and let them sit under the faint light of a single torch.


    ¡­


    Soon, Sylvestermenced his daily spear training in the open fields outside the town and castle. In just a month, he had unlocked some of the weapon''s most guarded secrets. There were a few rules and tricks he''d discovered that governed its use.


    The spear required an enormous amount of srium to operate, something Sylvester was fortunate enough to possess. The reason behind the demand for so much srium was that the spear relied on magical particles twice during a single strike. The first time was to activate it to the desired length, and the second time was to maintain that length. Without sufficient srium, the spear would revert to its original size.


    But Sylvester couldn''t help but think that his spear''s unique feature was, in fact, an advantage. It saved him the trouble of using Srium to reduce the spear''s size. The weapon acted like a spring that required force to extend, but it would always return to its original position once the force was removed. It was a convenient feature that gave Sylvester an edge inbat.


    On the other hand, metal maniption was a skill that Sylvester struggled with at first. However, he had Viscount Gordan to thank for showing him the way. The Viscount had allowed Sylvester to channel his srium through his body, enabling Sylvester to experience the sensation of metal maniption. From that moment on, it became a lot easier.


    Not to mention, what Viscount Gordan did was a massive deal because to allow someone else to channel their Srium into your body was akin to surrendering oneself to the other person''s whims. If Sylvester wanted, he could have moved the Viscount like a puppet.


    But, of course, everything went smoothly, and Sylvester achieved a better understanding of the maniption. The trick was in separating the sense of fire and earth elements while trying tobine both. He had to train his subconscious mind to understand metal.


    With all that in his mind, Sylvester began to test himself with various spear lengths and incorporated them into his fighting style.


    ''Alright, let''s try this.''


    Of course, he had read about the Eastern legend of the Monkey King and the way it fought with its magical stick. So he thought about trying something simr.


    ''Here goes the jump.''


    He firmly nted the butt of his spear on the ground and leaped, imbuing the weapon with an ample dose of Srium to increase its length.


    Woosh!


    Instantly, the spear soared upward at lightning-fast speed, Sylvester gripping it firmly just below the de. As he ascended, he tapped into his vast reserves of srium and continued to climb, maintaining his bnce with ease.


    Bam!


    "Maxy! I caught a pigeon!" Miraj shouted while still sitting on Sylvester''s back. "Can we cook itter?"


    Sylvester was dumbfounded. He expected Miraj to be scared, but he seemed to be unbothered by it and instead enjoyed the wind and the view¡­ of course, pigeon now.


    "If you can hold onto it, then sure." Sylvester agreed and continued to rise higher.


    Eventually, they reached the lower clouds but didn''t go above them. They were at a staggering height of fifteen hundred meters, perched up on a single, thin spear pole. It was too magical to be true, and unbelievable unless one were to see it themselves.


    "The view from here is magnificent," Sylvester murmured, his gaze sweeping over the sprawlingndscape before him.


    Then, without warning, Sylvester halted the flow of Srium to the spear, causing it to revert to its natural shape in an instant. However, Sylvester was still suspended mid-air. So he began his descent, gaining momentum with each passing second.


    Shhh¡­!


    The wind whipped against his face, but the thrill of the moment was too great for him to care. He was confident that if his new technique seeded, it would surpass even the highest SSS ranking moves in his arsenal.


    Sylvester plummeted toward the ground like a projectile. He held his spear out in front of himself as he activated the runes for his attack. The light rune, the fire rune, and the air rune, in hopes they would help his body absorb the impact of the fall.


    Woosh!


    As he hurtled towards the earth, the fire rune ignited, causing mes to burst forth from Sylvester. He transformed into a living, breathing fire arrow with a streak of light trailing behind him, thanks to the power of the light rune.


    "I''ll either break my arms or seed!" he eximed, bracing himself for impact. "Hold on tight, Chonky!"


    "MEOWWWWW!" Miraj cried out, his fur flying back as he clung tightly to Sylvester.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Just there!"


    Sylvester counted down mentally as his speed, and the fire only increased.


    ¡­


    Inside the Mineworth Town.


    "I TOLD YOU! But none of you listened!" A man with long unkempt untidy hair and tattered clothes shouted, pointing to the sky. "THE WORLD IS ENDING!"


    "Run!" The people screamed in fright.


    "Hide inside home!"


    "Pray to the Lord!"


    "NO! Pray to Lord Bard!"


    ¡­


    "THREE!"


    "TWO!"


    "ONE!"


    BOOM!


    The earth shook, and the sky darkened as Sylvester''s spear made contact with the mountain valley. A roar erupted from the ground, and a cloud of dust rose into the air, obscuring the once-blue sky. The destruction spread in all directions, cracks spider-webbing across the earth''s surface as the spear''s fiery power surged through them, sting everything into smithereens.


    The damage wrought in those first moments was only the beginning, for the spear plunged deep into the earth, carving a crater and sending mes and light radiating out in all directions. The destruction was relentless, consuming everything in its path.


    Though the eventsted a mere two seconds, the devastation was immeasurable. Mountains crumbled, and high peaks were reduced to rubble, the earth groaning and shaking as if in the throes of an earthquake.


    As for Sylvester, he discovered himself in the depths of the earth, his spear boring through the ground long after the catastrophic energy had dispersed. In the center of the crater, he had burrowed a narrow, elongated tunnel.


    Thud!


    As the spear drilled deeper, Sylvester stumbled upon a peculiar cavity hidden beneath the earth. Without warning, he plunged headlong into the unknown abyss. The darkness was all-epassing, yet he sensed that the size of the chamber was colossal.


    "Argh! It actually hurt¡­ I think I broke my corbone. How deep are we, though? Wait! Chonky, are you alright?" he quickly looked behind him with a tiny sparkle of light emanating from his spear still.


    Miraj was there, thankfully, but all his hair was now disheveled, looking as if someonebed all of them backward, leaving only the face clean to be looked at.


    "Maxy!" Miraj voiced aloud.


    "I''m sorry if it scared you." Sylvester apologized.


    "Let''s do it again! It was so much fun! We went with shwoo, and then boom! I loved it!"


    "..."


    Sylvester was not expecting that. Thest he remembered, Miraj was scared whenever he tried to throw him onto some castle to spy. But this time, they fell from the bloody heavens, and the cat was happy instead.


    ''Is this because of his strange wing bones on the back?'' he wondered.


    "But where are we?" he muttered as he rose to his feet, his shoulder hunched in difort. He lifted his other hand and summoned a simple light spell to illuminate their surroundings.


    Ting!


    With a resounding ting, the spark illuminated the entire underground cavern with countless reflections, leaving Sylvester utterly bbergasted. His jaw dropped, and his other shoulder slumped as he took in the unbelievable sight before him.


    "W-What the¡­ Diamonds?!"


    ________________________


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 Chapter 434 434. Homesick

    Miraj''s eyes shined with excitement at the scenes. "Maxy, does this mean¡­Chonky Bank of Commerce?"


    Sylvester gave a confirming nod. "Indeed, my friend. It''s time to stockpile the bank with exquisite diamonds. But let''s not be greedy and leave some for the Viscount. Winning the support of the nobility is crucial for our Young Pope''s sess. Come, I will break them, and you can devour them."


    "Aye, Aye!" Miraj chirped with delight.


    And so, the duo got rich¡­ again. Sadly, the same could not be said for a certain king in the northernnds.


    ¡­


    Riveria,


    The past few months had not been kind to the King of Rivers. Riveria had suffered deeply, its coffers already showing the effects of the ve rebellion clearly. However, the Fort Sunflower was situated beyond the treacherous Snake River, giving the entire region natural defense. Meanwhile, the Wall of Void loomed ominously to the west and the Hignd Kingdom to the south.


    Laying siege to Fort Sunflower was a fool''s errand, a gamble that King Conrad dared not take. The only options left were either to wage a bloody war or ept the ve''s terms. Pressure was mounting by the day as news of the ve Rebellion spread across thend, inspiring more minor uprisings in other regions of Riveria, particrly in the south, where the Trade Corridor was located, housing thergest poption of ves.


    Although the Southern rebellion was swiftly quelled by the soldiers, it proved to be a double-edged sword. The killing of the rebel ves had only served to infuriate the remaining ves, who began a silent rebellion by reducing their productivity, no matter how manyshes they received.


    As a result, the kingdom''s treasury slowly dwindled, while expenses continued to soar. The once-grand halls of the King''s castle were now gued with worry and panic. If the ve Rebellion continued, the kingdom was looking at its downfall.


    "Your majesty, the messenger has returned¡­ alive!" The Prima announced, emphasizing thest part.


    King Conrad refused to allow anyone to read the messages aloud, distrustful of the nobles'' ability to think practically.


    "Everyone except the Prima, leave!" the King ordered, taking the letter to read with his trusted assistant.


    "This is madness! These preposterous conditions are uneptable!" Conrad soon fumed. "I had been willing to grant him freedom and lordship over Fort Sunflower, but now he desires the end of very throughout the kingdom. Without ves, our economy will crumble!"


    Prima remained level-headed, "Your Majesty, they possess the strategic advantage to demand such requests. It''s imperative to remember they have nothing to lose and everything to gain, whereas we have much at stake. If the insurrection persists, I fear the nobility may rise up against you, particrly if their treasuries continue to dwindle."


    "They will also rebel if I abolish very!" The King argued. "I have no love for very, but I think from the eyes of a King. very is crucial to maintaining our kingdom''s operations. If we liberate them, we mustpensate them, which will decrease our revenues. The nobles will mor for my downfall."


    The situation appeared to be inescapable, with death looming no matter which way King Conrad considered moving. One side was the cliff, and the other side was the viper''s pit. There was no way to please both sides, as one wished to be freed from the other, and the other wanted to maintain the status quo.


    Prima Jeremiah sought rification. "What did Lord Bard suggest, Your Majesty?"


    King Conrad let out a deep sigh before taking his seat once more. "He proposed that I verbally confront Kaecilius face to face on neutral ground at King Hignd''s castle. Lord Bard will preside over the meeting and assist me in achieving the best possible oue."


    Prima Jeremiah pressed on. "Do you intend to go, Your Majesty?"


    King Conrad''s expression darkened with anger. "What other options do I have? That wretched Kaecilius... If only I had known... that treacherous swine has robbed me of my peace, my rest, and my sanity. But did you find out which traitor supplied them weapons?"


    Prima Jeremiah gazed down at the ground with a deep sense of disappointment etched upon her face. "Unfortunately, your majesty, it is not yet possible to spy on the Fort Sunflower. The current conditions are such that it is nigh impossible."


    The King could only clench his fist.


    ¡­


    Back in Mineworth Viscounty.


    "Oh, this is quite a sulent steak, my lord," Sylvester eximed, seatedfortably outside the massive crater he had created. Beneath the shelter of an umbre, he savored the tender meat alongside generous helpings of mashed potatoes, french fries, and lemonade.


    The scorching summer day was made even sweeter by the discovery of a treasure. His destructive move had pierced the earth''s crust to a depth of nearly a mile, triggering a massive earthquake that toppled mud-brick homes and mine walls alike. But by some miracle, no one was harmed.


    Initially, Viscount was somewhat annoyed, but upon hearing of the diamond mine that Sylvester had discovered, his mood underwent an abrupt transformation. Suddenly, he was the most contented man alive.


    "Thank you, your grace. Fine food and drinks are the least I can do for the blessing you just bestowed upon my family."


    Sylvester paused in his meal, eyeing the man before him. "I did note by this discovery for naught, my lord. As we agreed upon, I am entitled to thirty percent of the profits generated by this diamond mine."


    Without hesitation, the Viscount assented. "Certainly, your grace. I am well aware that you utilize the profits to aid those in need, so I am more than willing to share in the profits. After all, you were the one who unearthed the precious gems."


    Sylvester nodded in satisfaction and continued to eat his steak. Though, there was a certain drooling cat on his shoulder, sitting and looking at meat disappear from the te.


    "Maxy," Miraj whispered in his ears. "You''re so scheming. But I don''t want more diamonds. I want that juicy, sulent piece of meat¡­ Gimme a bite, please."


    Sylvester had to secretly feed Miraj after that, while he continued to talk with the Viscount, this time with much seriousness in his voice.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Since my training ising to an end soon, and my work with your two sons will be over in a few days, I thought of warning you for the first and final time." He started, looking into the nobleman''s eyes. "Do not! I repeat, do not ever let your men dig tunnels towards the south, particrly towards the Burning Mountain."


    "W-Why, your grace?" Viscount asked, somewhat frightened by Sylvester''s serious demeanor.


    "Whileing here, we investigated the Wild Forge and discovered that an evil entity has been sealed within the Forge. The entity''s power is so immense that not even a Grand Wizard or a group of them can defeat it. So if you do not wish to see your Viscounty destroyed, I advise caution," Sylvester warned.


    As the Viscount contemted the ominous implications, a feeling of dread crept over him. He couldn''t help but nce towards the glowing, distant light in the south. "So close? What if there already exists the pathways in the mines that lead to the Wild Forge?"


    "Then you and your people would already be dead," Sylvester replied, his words blunt and final.


    "Understood, your grace. I will strictly order my men to convey the message. Is there any other advice you can give?" The man asked.


    Sylvester stroked his chin, contemting his next move. "I suggest you gradually transition your ves into free workers in batches," he began, revealing one of his primary objectives. "With the ve Rebellion in Riveria gaining traction, I anticipate other uprisings across Sol. If the nobles aren''t careful, they''ll face the ire of the rebels."


    Viscount Gordan gulped, understanding what Sylvester meant by ire. He knew all too well that ves harbored deep-seated animosity towards their masters and would not hesitate to seek retribution.


    "In addition, I rmend forging long-term business partnerships with the Duchess of Iceling, Count Raftel, and Baron Strongarm," Sylvester yed another hidden move, one that would make the Viscount dependent on his loyal nobles'' businesses. "They are my trusted allies and have assisted me in bringing my inventions to the masses."


    ''I can also make the iron mines a thousand times more efficient. But now is not the time for such a great blessing or invention.'' Sylvester needed folks to depend on him, so he never wished to help anyone get too rich.


    "Lord Bard! I brought your letters."


    Just then, a special Running Man arrived with a few letters in his hands. He handed them over and left without speaking.


    Sylvester''s face grew to a big smile once he saw who the letters were from. ''Mum, Felix, and Gab sent letters. Even other bright mothers have sent a joint letter to cheer ¡ª Today is truly a great day, it appears.''


    Sylvester eagerly tore open the first letter, which was from Xavia. He read it under his breath while letting Miraj read it too.


    ''...Max, are you eating well? Are you sleeping well? I heard the news of how you subjugated The Patch and united the kingdom again. I also learned that you are the inventor of the gue''s cure. I can''t describe how proud, my dear. Pleasee home quickly. I miss you¡­Love¡­Mom.''


    Sylvester bobbed his head, also wanting to go and see her quickly. He felt slightly homesick after the long mission.


    He then opened Gabriel''s letter.


    ''...I have be an official preacher and risen to Master Wizard rank finally. Archbishop Noah helps me a lot, and I appreciate it. But don''t worry, I won''t forget you since almost everyone talks about you all day¡­ I''m happy you discovered the cure. It saved my sister and many others¡­ Take care¡­Gab.''


    Sylvester felt true joy knowing Gabriel had also risen. It had been long overdue, as Gabriel''s progress was the slowest among the three of them.


    Then next, he proceeded to open Felix''s letter. It was written on finely crafted old paper in an envelope that looked toovish with its golden color.


    Sylvester read it. ''....I hope the women down south are pretty. Bring me souvenirs too, please. I''ve never been there. Oh, also, my father invited you to the North. I think he wants to use your reputation to gain personal fame. So please reject him¡­ Anyway, take care and eat healthily¡­Your best friend in the whole world¡­Felix.''


    "Waaah!" Miraj gasped. "I thought I was the best friend."


    Sylvester chuckled and put the letter away. "You''re more than a friend, Chonky. You''re family."


    After that, he read a few more letters and finally opened thest letter, which was surprisingly from Healer Hendrix.


    ''How are you, young bard? My little daughter, Daline, cries to see you again. But remember, if you evere near my house, or my wife and daughter ¡ª I will strangle you with your own intestines¡­With Love¡­Hendrix.''


    "..."


    Sylvester put the letter away and sighed while gazing at the sky. "You know what, South isn''t so bad after all."


    ________________________


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 Chapter 435 435. Letting The Past Go

    Pockets brimming with wealth and having acquired mastery in using the spear, Sylvester was content with his extended voyage towards the south. After refining his skills and supervising the indoctrination and mining operations for both diamond and iron, several more weeks psed.


    Sylvester had ced a substantial order for fifteen tons of processed iron. It was indeed an enormous demand, but he desired to maintain it in reserve for the future. He was gradually preparing for the inevitable, and if the situation necessitated raising an army, he aspired to be self-reliant without depending on external aid.


    In addition, Sylvester had notified the Viscount and his spouse regarding the participation of their daughters-inw in certain activities. It was vital that they be dealt with, so one day, they simply disappeared.


    Sylvester had no clue what had urred to them. All he knew was that they were neither dead nor subjected to any harm or very. Therefore, he did not probe too deeply and focused on rehabilitating and re-educating the two men.


    Finally, the graduation ceremony arrived, and the Viscount and his wife eagerly awaited outside the castle''s verdant gardens, anticipating the appearance of their reformed sons. It was a pleasant day, with the clouds providing some shade in the sky, making it not too hot. Since winter was also approaching, the temperature had started to decline.


    Soon Sylvester arrived in a stagecoach.


    "Good morning, my Lord and Lady," he greeted them as he walked over to them and stood by their side.


    After that, the doors of the stagecoach opened, and two figures emerged. The first person to disembark was the second son, Phil. Unlike before, Phil now looked tall and physically fit, with an attractive face unting his impable jawline and stubble beard. His ck hair was trimmed, and his attire was very formal, as if he had prepared for an official event.


    "Father, Mother¡­" Phil embraced his parents one after the other. "I apologize for my conduct all these years. I vow in the name of Solis that such days will never recur."


    Viscount had a look of disbelief. "I-Is this really my son? He had never talked so respectfully before or shown respect to Solis."


    Sylvester chuckled and let the eldest son, Mike, present himself. Although Mike was slightly shorter than Phil, he still had a fit and immacte physique. His brown hair confirmed that he was his mother''s offspring, and his ck eyes were simr to the Viscount''s.


    He, too, embraced the two and nted a kiss on their foreheads. "Mother, Father... You need not concern yourselves with the Viscounty any longer. Phil and I may be inexperienced, but we are nowmitted to learning everything we can from father."


    The Viscount''s jaw dropped. He had not anticipated such a transformation. At most, he had hoped his offspring would cease being foolish and take an interest in their duties. But here, he witnessed them metamorphosing into entirely different people.


    Your grace! How?" the Viscount inquired from Sylvester.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us." Sylvester blurted, to which the two sons also lowered their heads and repeated the same chant.


    "I didn''t do anything other than show them the true enlightened path to Solis, my lord." Sylvester made things up on the spot. "They had been led astray. Their hearts harbored too many worldly vices. I purified them and revealed the light. Now they have the path; all they need to do is fight," Sylvester responded like a sage.


    Then, suddenly, to silence them all, he lifted his palm and emanated light upon them, apanied by a hymn and a halo.


    ?Solis is among us, everywhere, and all around.


    Aim for the sky, but keep yourself on the ground.


    When in fear, close your eyes and hear the sound.


    Sometimes, even the silence can be so profound.?


    ?All are equal, for the lord made us the same.


    To fall for the vices and hate, it''s the devil''s game.


    So find peace, love, and calm. Come and proim.


    Solis, Lord, God ¡ª It''s in the hymn, in his name.?


    Sylvester concluded his hymn, and the Viscount, his spouse, and their son responded by bowing their heads toward him. This was the first time they had seen him with the famed halo, so they felt particrly blessed.


    "Viscount Gordan, I regret to inform you that the hour has arrived for me to proceed with my journey. However, before heading to the Holy Land, I must visit King Hignd," Sylvester dered his decision to depart. "We shall leave tomorrow morning."


    The Viscount had no cause or means to detain him any longer. "I understand that the realm requires your blessing, so I cannot keep you upied here for too long, your grace. I shall direct some of my soldiers to escort you to the castle."


    This time, Sylvester did not refuse, for a guarded escort entailed fewer problems on the road and swifter passage through the various checkpoints of other nobles.


    With that, Sylvester''s time in the Mineworth Viscounty concluded. At first, he had hoped to aplish much, such as making the mines significantly more productive and introducing superior forging techniques. However, he restrained himself since he did not get to make the Sorrow Kingdom his base. Moreover, he felt that introducing improved technology there might aid his adversaries when the final contest for the thronemences.


    With a heavy heart, he packed his luggage that night. But, to his astonishment, a visitor arrived urgently to meet him that night.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Sylvester, apanied by Sir Dolorem, departed in the middle of the night and found Lord Einarr from the Sorrow Kingdom waiting for him in an inn. He hade along with his daughter.


    "What happened, Lord Einarr? I hope no one has attacked the Sorrow Kingdom this time," Sylvester inquired as he took a seat at the table.


    Einarr looked much improved, thanks to the newfound joy of being reunited with his family. He saluted Sylvester in the manner of the church and spoke.


    "Your Grace, the kingdom is secure, and everything is proceeding well. But I am afraid I have a bad message for the Holy Land. I have investigated and discovered that the Anti-Light has extended its reach too far in the Sorrow Kingdom. They have been assisting people and gradually making them ept their ways," Einarr revealed.


    Sylvester acted shocked. He had to since he had never publicly revealed to any what he had seen already. The fact that the Anti-Light''s people had appeared during the peasant army march was enough proof for him.


    Einarr continued. "I do not know how to confront this, your grace. But I only wish to assure you that I am not one of them."


    ''If he felt likeing here just to tell me this, then it means the roots of Anti-Light have spread too far and too much. But this is the result of the Church''s ignorant policies towards the Sorrow Kingdom. People in miserytch onto the closest hand that is willing to help them. This time it was Anti-Light.''


    "I shall ry your message to His Holiness, my lord. As for the Anti-Light, they are pagans who serve the darkness. When ites to the conflict between darkness and light, the light always prevails as long as our hearts are in the right ce. Have faith in yourself, Lord Einarr." Sylvester had nothing better to say. He was not high enough in authority to make any decisions about how to deal with the Anti-Light. It was, for the moment, the headache of the current Pope.


    "Thank you, your grace. I wished to make it clear, knowing how much dislike the Holy Land holds for the Anti-Light. Furthermore, I wished to bid you farewell since I am uncertain when we will meet again." Einarr reached out his hand to shake Sylvester''s. "It has been a great honor to meet you."


    Sylvester shook his hand. "Thank you for choosing light over darkness, my lord. I had the opportunity to witness the power of time with you. I truly hope there are no other individuals like you out there."


    Einarr chuckled. "Oh, I am confident there are, my lord. East Sol pales inparison to the West. Masan alone has a greater popce than all four of our kingdomsbined on this side. Then there is also the Warsong Kingdom in the West?"


    "Let the poor man live, my lord." Sylvester japed and got up to leave. "I''m leaving for Sand City tomorrow morning, so I should go and prepare."


    "Sir Dolorem, let''s go." Sylvester headed towards the exit.


    But then he stopped as he noticed Sir Dolorem being slightly dyed. He nced back and witnessed a strange sight. Einarr''s daughter, Hilda, and Sir Dolorem were locked in each other''s gazes, seemingly oblivious to the world around them.


    "Sir Dolorem?" Sylvester raised his voice a bit.


    "Ah...Yes, let us proceed, Lord Bard." The veteran inquisitor shook his head and hurried over to Sylvester. "Let us not waste any more time."


    Sylvester refrained from discussing what he had just witnessed and stepped outside of the inn. Given that a grand wizard was nearby, he decided to wait until they reached the castle gates before speaking up.


    "What was that, Sir Dolorem?" he inquired. "I have never seen you act in such a manner before."


    Somewhat ashamed, Sir Dolorem averted his gaze. "It was nothing, Lord Bard. Just a fleeting moment of infatuation. We endured many hardships together during my mission to rescue her and bring her to you."


    "Are you certain you don''t want to explore those emotions further? They appear to be reciprocated," Sylvester pressed.


    Shaking his head, Sir Dolorem continued on towards the castle. "That would be a betrayal to the memory of myte wife and son, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and recalled something crucial.


    "Ah! Sir Dolorem, we have a change of ns. We will be heading to Foxholm town first. I promised you vengeance, and now is the time to exact it."


    "But you have an important meeting with the rebel ve and King Conrad in Sand City, Lord Bard," Sir Dolorem reminded him.


    Sylvester shrugged and pressed forward. He desired to help the man move on from his tragic past. After all, who better than him couldprehend the agony of being trapped in the despair of sorrow?


    "That can wait, old friend. But, first, we burn some heathens."


    ________________________


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 Chapter 436 436. Sir Dolorems Closure

    Sylvester''s resolve was set. He knew what he had to do to bring an end to Sir Dolorem''s torment. The man had lived for far too long without closure, haunted by the tragedy that befell him years ago. It was time to put an end to Sir Dolorem''s revenge chapter, and Sylvester was determined to see it through.


    However, to reach Foxholm town, they would have to navigate the Tame River. There was a road too, but it was a slow journey, adding two extra days to their travel. Unfortunately, the Tame River was not often used for ferry service, mainly for transporting goods.


    So, Sylvester had to pay extra to someone for the journey. But in the end, they got one and went downstream. The Tame River was truly tame, with its flow so gentle that it was hard to even see the river moving. Even when going downstream, one needed the help of sails or oars to move the boats and ships. Otherwise, the journey would be too slow.


    "We don''t have to do this." Sir Dolorem tried to dissuade Sylvester from going any further.


    But Sylvester knew how to read people and easily saw the true reason Sir Dolorem didn''t want to go there. ''It seems he is scared of visiting that ce again.''


    "Sir Dolorem, when was thest time you visited Foxholm town?" Sylvester asked, knowing the answer.


    "I have never returned to that cursed ce since the day I lost everything," Sir Dolorem replied solemnly. "The ce held no meaning for me. That is why, we do not need to go there. The fate that was written by the Lord has run its course."


    Sylvester didn''t budge. "Today, the Lord has decided to punish the heretics who dared harm the family of a church member. Above all¡­ They dared act against my closest, most loyal friend. So, of course, I''m angry."


    Sir Dolorem watched Sylvester in silence and didn''t reject the proposal anymore. He was no fool and clearly saw that Sylvester was doing all that because he cared for him. But, no matter what, as they approached the town, his heart grew heavy. This was the ce where he was born, where he fell in love, and where he weed his son into the world. Now, it was tainted by the memory of the tragedy that struck him out of nowhere.


    Slowly, despite his attempts to suppress his emotions, a fiery rage began to rise within him. Yes, he was angry at those who took everything he loved away. He tried his best to suppress it, but it was hard to control it.


    ¡­


    Sylvester was not alone; he was apanied by knights from the Viscount, who served as his escort. When they disembarked at the port of Foxholm town, the people made way for the armed knights to pass by.


    There were twenty knights in total, all d in fine armor and donned with beautiful light-khaki cloaks. They hailed from a Viscounty abundant in iron and thus possessed the best and mostvish armors.


    "Make way!" A knight shouted at the front as they rode their horses straight towards the town chief''s house.


    Though there were some town soldiers present, they were all unarmed andcked the courage to stand up against the armed soldiers. So the town instantly submitted to the new arrivals, and those with some sense quickly retreated into their homes and locked the doors.


    Eventually, they arrived in front of the chief''s house. It was the biggest home in the entire town, and the mostvish as well, evidenced by the blooming garden outside the house. There were even some ves tending to the garden.


    Sylvester stopped outside and ordered the knights, "Go and drag the chief of the town out - be heavy-handed."


    The knights knew exactly what Sylvester wanted, and they barged into the private property, kicking the door open and shouting for the chief. Loud screams and cries of women were heard from inside soon.


    However, Sylvester felt no remorse for the women or anyone else in the house ¡ª the sinner had to be punished, no matter what.


    "LET ME GO!"


    Soon, roars came as an old man was dragged out of the house. The town''s chief had white hair, a short height, and a somewhat fat body; he was in no way poor, and his whiter-than-normal skin told the story of how much hard work he did outside his house.


    "Who are you? Do you know who my wife''s brother is? He''s the Baron! I will have all your heads!" The chief roared with all his might, trying to free himself.


    Despite his threats, the knights onlyughed, as they knew very well that Sylvester was the god there, and his word was thew at that point. The Archbishop''s authority was hard to challenge, after all.


    "Who sent you?" interrogated the chief.


    Bam!


    The chief was forced to kneel. Then, Sylvester approached and gazed down at the man''s face with arge, yet intimidating, grin.


    "God sent us! Tell me, do you recognize that man?" Sylvester gestured towards Sir Dolorem behind him.


    The town chief, scared, stuttering, and somewhat irate, looked. He first squinted, trying to see clearly and recollect the face. He remained silent for a while, understandably so, as thest time Sir Dolorem visited the town was for the funeral of his family.


    "Adrik? Is that you?" the chief blurted.


    The smile vanished from Sylvester''s face. "Knights, sever his left arm! A damned heathen dare call a noble Inquisitor Commander by his name."


    "What?!" the chief panicked. "Stop! No no¡­ I have known him since he was a child, that''s why. I didn''t mean any disrespect."


    Sylvester looked back. "Sir Dolorem, do you feel disrespected?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Sir Dolorem nodded his head in silence.


    "See! Knights, proceed," Sylvestermanded them again.


    This time, the knights lent by the Viscount were quick and precise. They made the chief bow forward by pushing his head while another knight grasped the man''s arm to keep it raised. Then a third knight wielded his sword and swung it urately at the bicep.


    Woosh!


    Thud!


    The severed arm fell, and blood sprayed. The man screamed in agony and cursed anything and everything he could. Then he copsed onto the floor and writhed.


    Despite being a celebrated clergyman, he could not simply y anyone, for that would disgrace the Holy Land. Hence, he had to rify everything and remind the people of who their leader was.


    "I am Archbishop Sylvester Maximilian, renowned as the Bard of the Lord! I am present here to meet out the punishment that you ought to have received years ago. Eighteen years ago, when you aspired to be the chief, you set fire to a house and murdered a family. Do you recollect?" Sylvester dered resonantly while ring at the chief, imposing his authority on the masses.


    "Aaa¡­ I¡­ I didn''t do it!" The chief replied while in pain.


    Sylvester nced back and received a nod from Sir Dolorem once more. "For lying to an Archbishop, viting Article 5A, impeding the work of a clergyman, I order the knights to sever your other arm."


    "N-n-noooo! Hold on! I was exonerated of all charges after the investigation! The actual perpetrator, Abe... he received his penalty!" Fueled by adrenaline, the chief implored and attempted to rify, ignoring his pain.


    Sylvester gestured to the knights with a nod. "Investigated by whom? The Baron? Your wife''s brother? You ughtered the wife and son of Inquisitor Commander Sir Dolorem on that day ¡ª Plead as much as you want, but you will pay for your sins today!"


    Woosh!


    The sword descended once more, and this time, it severed the second arm. The man shrieked in agony, and then the zing hot sword was ced on the wound again to seal it shut. With that, more screams ensued.


    However, Sylvester noticed something peculiar. He gazed at the house the man had emerged from and observed a few heads peering out of a window. This instantaneously prompted him to chortle in ridicule.


    "Your own kin has forsaken you since they refuse toe forward. If they genuinely cared for you, they would have begged me to release you," he remarked. "It appears that nobody here would mind if I were to... terminate you."


    "It was an ident! We did not intend to harm Sir Dolorem''s family. The fire spread too quickly." the man bawled.


    "That does not absolve you of the burden of your crime. The one who releases the arrow bears responsibility for where itnds. Sir Dolorem, let us conclude this matter and proceed to our next destination," said Sylvester, stepping back in readiness to order the beheading.


    Sir Dolorem kept his gaze fixed on the chief''s face. A tempest raged within his mind, yet he remained rational. What had transpired was in the past, and now he knew he owed his life to Sylvester, the one he had pledged to serve for eternity.


    "Let us take him to Sand City for trial. I do not wish for King Hignd to be irritated by thister. If anything, this will only dy his punishment," suggested Sir Dolorem.


    "BEHEAD HIM!"


    Out of nowhere, a third voice resounded all across the town and the skies. Everyone tried to look around themselves to find the source of the voice.


    Sylvester, however, looked up and noticed a tiny ck dot in the sky that gradually grewrger andrger. In no time, he recognized who it was.


    Boom!


    A man descended from the sky andnded wlessly, without causing any damage to the surroundings. There was no dust, no crater, and no disorder. He wore majestic, shining golden armor adorned with ancient runes and crystals. The khaki-colored cape bore the royal family''s insignia.


    "As the King of this Kingdom, I condemn this man and the baron to death!"


    ________________________


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 Chapter 437 437. Sylvester Maximilian & Sir Adrik Dolorem

    "Your Majesty?"


    King Hignd turned to Sylvester and leaped forward, embracing the bard in a hearty tight hug. "Wee to the Hignd Kingdom, Young Bard! When I heard you had taken a detour, I came to collect you myself! My Queen consort has ordered the finest amodations and cuisine to be prepared in your honor!"


    "..."


    Sylvester was not too shocked by the way the King acted. The cheerful and energetic aura was the trademark of probably the happiest king in the realm. After all, why should he not be happy when he and his wife were both Grand Wizards? That meant they were powerful enough to solve all their own problems and did not have to rely on so-called elders.


    Thud!


    All themoners and knights knelt down to show their reverence to the mighty King. Although the Hignd Kingdom may not have been the wealthiest, it was undoubtedly the most peaceful over the past few decades. Gracia was always preupied with Riveria, and the Sorrow Kingdom was immersed in its own sorrows. This left the Hignd Kingdom to its own devices, and the King was a significant factor in that.


    "Rise, my people! Prepare for a feast. Today, the illustrious Lord''s Bard and I shall dine here." The King ordered themoners and then turned to Sir Dolorem. "It appears I must conduct a thorough purge throughout my realm. Both you and Lord''s Bard call my Kingdom home, yet both of you have been wronged by the nobles and the powerful here -- I apologize."


    Sir Dolorem swiftly prevented the King from lowering his head any further. "No, your Majesty. A man who oversees the entire Kingdom cannot be concerned with what urs in a small town."


    "I''m afraid you are correct! That is why I have ordered my Royal Knights to bring Baron Nightwood here! He will be beheaded here as well." The King eximed.


    With nothing else to do, Sylvester allowed Sir Dolorem to do whatever he wanted. However, he remained by the veteran inquisitor''s side. He did not want to be absent if emotions were to ovee him. Meanwhile, the King decided to mingle with themoners and went to cook with his people. He was genuinely a man of the people and demonstrated why his people held him in such high esteem.


    "This is where we used to reside." Sir Dolorem escorted Sylvester to a two-story building. It was no longer charred, as the reconstruction had been carried out years prior. Nevertheless, from the outside, it still looked the same.


    For a good while, Sir Dolorem didn''t move and remained standing in ce. His blue eyes gleamed with a hint of sorrow and longing. His brows remained low, revealing the sadness was apparent on his face.


    "Let us enter and see," Sylvester suggested and knocked on the door. As soon as the door opened, he handed a gold coin to the middle-aged woman. "I am Archbishop Sylvester from the Holy Land, and this is Sir Dolorem, the former owner of this building who lived here as a child. He wishes to revisit his home and reminisce about some old memories. I would be grateful if you allowed us to enter."


    The woman nced at Sylvester''s face and was instantly charmed. "Y-Yes... Please..."


    Sylvester nced back at Sir Dolorem and followed him inside. Since the King was in town, the house was empty, and they were not disturbed by anyone.


    ''He''s being too silent. The smell of rotten meat and tangerines is so clear, his sadness and anxiety are rising.'' Sylvester made observations and remained close to the Inquisitor.


    "This was my room," Sir Dolorem paused at the door and looked at the walls. "My brother and I shared this room for years. He was older than me but not wiser. We often joked about bing great men in the future, outdoing each other."


    Sir Dolorem turned around and stopped near the cooking area, a room that could be called a kitchen, but it was toorge, as it had a traditional hearth for cooking. "My mother, aunts, and grandmother were always here... They often gave us children secret treats. Every dinner, we would all sit on the floor and eat together,ugh, and share our worries."


    Sylvester listened intently to Sir Dolorem''s life story. A faint smile of sadness yed on his face. After all, Sylvester had never experienced such a family life in either of his two lives. In his previous life, he was orphaned, and in the new one, it was just his mother and him on the run, trying to survive.


    Sir Dolorem slowly ascended to the first floor and paused in a vast room that was more like a hall. "This was my wife''s workroom, a big one as she loved painting and had canvases scattered around. She was... amazing and gentle. She filled this house with joy andughter that I had forgotten for years."


    ''I can understand, my friend.'' Sylvester suddenly imagined an illusion of his belovedte wife from the past. He wasn''t sad, however, for he had gotten over it. But he loved her truly, and that wasn''t something he wanted to forget. She had made his painfully boring life colorful, just as Sir Dolorem experienced in his life.


    "And this..." They finally came to a smaller room, and a big smile formed on Sir Dolorem''s face as he brushed his hand on the walls. "This was my Nics'' yroom. My wife, Livia, delighted in creating new toys for him with her artistry and craftsmanship. She made sure he never felt my absence... and in this very room."


    Sir Dolorem choked up and stared at the floor, where a small ck blemish was visible. Veins formed on his forehead, and his fists clenched. "This is where they drew theirst breaths."


    Sylvester approached him and rested his palm on Sir Dolorem''s shoulder.


    "I always wonder what theirst moments were like. The dread they must have felt... My son, I could not be his hero that day, no matter how much he may have called for me... I failed them as a father and a husband."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Sylvester did not walk around to face Sir Dolorem, as he knew those eyes had tears in them. He knew better than any that a man tries his best to never cry, and if they ever do, they never show the tears.


    "Yet another Shane and his mother," Sylvester muttered with low breath. "Burned away by the madness of another. Isn''t this why we are fighting our way forward, Sir Dolorem?"


    Sir Dolorem nodded his head but didn''t look back. "I often wonder... Of all the evil men we fight, how many of them suffered through the same fate as we -- and opposite to us, chose the path of evil?"


    "Evil is not born. It''s made." Sylvester quoted and asked a follow-up question. "Do you have no other family left?"


    Sir Dolorem shook his head. "When I was eighteen and became a squire in the Inquisition, my whole family perished due to a gue. I survived because I was a wizard and was training in the encampment."


    ''An orphan then... Like me.'' Sylvester found so many simrities between Sir Dolorem and his own life.


    He could not help but appreciate him for being sane even after losing so much. "Well, I never said this but... Without you, I would not be here. You taught me the basics of magic and cared for me until I could walk and protect myself. Even now, you''ve been shown nothing by loyalty."


    Sylvester walked a step forward to Sir Dolorem''s side and put one arm around the man''s shoulder. He walked and pulled Sir Dolorem to the window, from where they could see the sun and distantnds with grass and farnd.


    "Sir Dolorem, must I confess, I was born with more brains and brawns than kids usually are. I understood some things around me, but the world still felt too dangerous. Mother looked frightened all the time, and due to that, I felt scared all the time... That was until you joined mypany and never left."


    Sir Dolorem looked at Sylvester, who was a head taller than him and much more muscr. "It was my duty, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester smiled and shook his head. He turned to Sir Dolorem and noticed the remnants of tears in the man''s eyes. He vigorously patted Sir Dolorem''s shoulder as if cleaning the armor while speaking.


    "If it was duty, then I must say, you went far and beyond your duty. Sir Dolorem, I should have said this before, but I will correct my mistake now."


    After a pause, with gratitude from the bottom of his heart, Sylvester pulled the old and likely tired knight into a warm brotherly embrace.


    "Thank you for being such an amazing father to me."


    "Hah..." A strong gasp escaped Sir Dolorem''s mouth as Sylvester''s words hit him hard and unexpectedly.


    Sir Dolorem''s shoulder drooped as if all the weight and sorrow were lifted from them. His eyes, yet again, felt heavy and watery, so he hugged Sylvester back, not wanting to disy those tears and seem feeble.


    Sylvester didn''t release the old man either and just closed his eyes as all the old memories shed in his mind. The days of youth when he yed around with the man, the days when he faced death with him by his side -- He never knew what it felt like to have a father before, but now he knew.


    ''Thank you, Sir Adrik Dolorem.''


    ________________________


    [A/N: Sorry if the two chaps felt slow and too dramatic for you guys. I just wished to give this scene a proper end. Thank you for reading.]


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 Chapter 438 438. Dance & Regret

    "Meow!"


    Bam!


    As soon as Sir Dolorem backed up, he felt something m onto his chest, knocking the air out of him and sticking to him. He heard a lot of cat noises, too, as if someone was crying.


    Sylvester chuckled and exined. "My guardian angel is trying tofort you by hugging you. You can hug him back. He''s very soft and furry."


    Sir Dolorem''s mind raced as he looked down at his chest, seeing nothing but empty air. Yet, he could feel the weight and warmth of something there. With trembling hands, he reached out and squeezed the invisible creature, feeling the soft fluffiness melt his heart.


    "He''s very¡­"


    Sylvester interrupted, bobbing his head vigorously. "Spoiled, I know."


    "Meow!" Miraj growled in protest, showing his teeth and raising his paws in a warning. Though that only made him look cuter.


    Sir Dolorem chuckled. "I was going to say fluffy. Only you can see him? Since when?"


    Sylvester, of course, could not tell everything. So, he kept things vague. "Indeed, only I can see him, as he''s my guardian angel. He''s been with me since I was born and, on many asions, protected me."


    Sir Dolorem looked down at the ball of invisible soft air. "Thank you, Lord Guardian Angel. Lord Bard is a man of utmost importance for the future of this world. Please continue protecting him."


    Pa!


    Suddenly, Miraj stamped his paw on Sir Dolorem''s forehead, giving his affirmation. "Meow."


    "Umm¡­ Your grace, I baked some pastries. Would you like to eat some?" The woman in the house came and asked them meekly while rubbing her hands together. After all, she was a resident of a simple town, and the likelihood of her seeing anyone above the rank of Archpriest was as high as the Sun rising from the East.


    Sylvester smiled and graciously agreed to taste the food. That was the least he could do for allowing them, two stranger men, into her house.


    So, they spent some time there and tasted the pastries after ensuring she didn''t mix any poison in them. Then, as the night came and the town got illuminated withnterns everywhere, they went out on their way to find the King.


    To their utter astonishment, they discovered the King dancing with children and other townsfolk while traveling bards yed lively music on instruments that Sylvester had distributed some time ago. Some were drunk, couples danced together, and the King swung children on his strong arms, bellowing withughter. Even the young women participated, though they remained in their designated spot. Some of the older folks were already on the ground after tiring themselves from dancing.


    "I have never seen a king like him," muttered Sir Dolorem.


    Sylvester chuckled and walked towards the traveling bards. He enjoyed the town''s energy and appreciated seeing the King''s down-to-earth personality. "Isn''t that how kings should be? Regal when required, but grounded when necessary? Come, let me cheer them up even more now."


    The two bards were busy ying medieval European-style rhythms, and they were impressive butcked the energy expected on a dance night. The two bards recognized Sylvester quickly and bowed their heads.


    Sylvester extended his hand to the one holding the guitar. "Let me show you another way to y the guitar. You don''t always have to be slow and gentle. You can also go wild and incorporate the p strumming style. But for now, I need you to start pping in unison, with a thick and heavy p, as if the hooves of horses, understood?"


    The music stopped for a minute, and all heads turned to look at the Bards. Then, as everyone noticed it was Sylvester sitting down, they expectantly waited.


    The King was energized. "Great! Now the real night begins! Get ready,ds anddies. Throw your boots away and let your bodies sway! Follow your King!"


    Sylvester quickly tuned the guitar and took a deep breath to recall the feeling of ying music. The piece he wanted to y was used for a rhythmic dance called Rumba in his past life. The song he was about to y was called Tormenta de Fuego.


    [A/N: Search on YT - Tormenta de fuego (RUMBA)]


    Then, atst, Sylvester began with firm ps and knocks on the guitar to establish the rapid tempo of the song andmunicate his intentions. The knocks themselves produced a pleasing melody.


    And then, hemenced by strumming the strings. The first second was unhurried, but in the next moment, everything escted to a rapid pace, and the music resounded in the spacious area. As Bards were professionals, they carried with them specially engraved items that utilized air element magic to amplify their sound and voices. Thanks to it, everyone could hear the music loudly and clearly.


    Nevertheless, everyone was left speechless for a few moments as they had never encountered something like it before.


    "YEAAAAH! This is music!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Soon the King bellowed and began soaring with the children. Everyone emerged from their daze and began to dance. For some reason, the melody appeared romantic for couples and, at the same time, joyous for those enjoying themselves and tapping their feet.


    With the ps of the other two bards, the rhythm for footwork was established, and the crowd unconsciously began to follow it. It was a pleasant experience, with cheerful faces all around, having forgotten their struggles. Any resentment towards Sylvester''s arrest of the town''s chief also dissipated.


    Sylvester continued ying for an hour until the strings snapped, and afterward, with gentle, melodic music, food was served. Sylvester sat beside King Hignd and ate more than he desired because the energetic King shoved every dish on the table onto Sylvester''s te.


    Finally, night descended, and Sylvester and Sir Dolorem retired to a sheltered tent outside the town. They remained within the encampment established by the King''s Royal Knights, so safety was not a concern.


    "Release me!"


    However, the morning arrived very early as the Royal Knights, whom the King had dispatched, returned with the Baron captive in a steel cage with spiked bars. Every jostle of the cage caused the Baron to injure himself on the spikes, leaving him bloodied from top to bottom by the time they arrived.


    It was early morning, and the dew had not yet settled. The town''s inhabitants were yet to awaken, but the camp outside the town bustled with activity.


    King Hignd emerged from his tent dressed in his usual armor and wielding his sword. "Bring the town''s chief and the Baron here, and set up the chopping block."


    Thud!


    The boots hit the gravel. The swords nged as the soldiers gathered around to watch the execution. It was not every day that you see a Baron being punished so heavily.


    "Y-Your Majesty!" Baron Nightwood implored. "Why? I''m a Baron! You''d execute me for a mere Inquisitor? I''ve been faithful to you for so long!"


    The King looked at the kneeling Baron with disdain. "Your loyalty means nothing if you aremitting crimes in my name. If you believe your noble status will save you, you are mistaken. Furthermore, I suggest you ept this judgment, for Sir Dolorem is a man close to the Inquisitor High Lord. If you push your luck, you might get your bloodline exterminated."


    The Baron shut his mouth at the mention of the legendary man. Most of the folks in Sol had not seen Inquisitor High Lord, but everyone had heard about the man''s fury and his overarching love for justice and Church.


    "I ept the judgment." the Baron said calmly, willingly resting his neck on the stone block.


    The town''s chief, on the other hand, was foolish. Despite his age, he wanted to survive. "What are you doing, Nightwood? You assured me that I didn''t need to worry about anything!"


    The Baron remained motionless. "Be silent and ept your fate if you wish for your family to survive. The Church is warm and merciful, but it is ruthless toward its adversaries. What is a Baron when even Counts are not spared?"


    King Hignd nced at Sir Dolorem. "Do you wish to swing the sword, Sir Dolorem?"


    The old Inquisitor shook his head and looked at Sylvester for a split second. "I havee to terms with my sorrow, Your Majesty. But sins must not go unpunished, though I leave the judgment to the King''s de."


    "Very well." King Hignd positioned himself mercilessly to the side and raised his long sword. "In the name of Solis, I judge you. As King Atrox Hignd, I punish you ¡ª May your souls be guided to the gates of salvation!"


    Woosh!


    The de swung, cutting through the air. Two thuds resounded as the heads fell. Instantly, a knight approached and poured holy water on King Hignd''s sword, cleaning it with a cloth, for the blood of sinners should not taint the noble de for long.


    "Burn their bodies and give their ashes to their families. The Knightwood family is no longer authorized to govern the Barony. There will be no more Barons¡­ As I have done in the past, the bureaucracy shall rece the nobility. Let this serve as a warning to the remaining nobles.".


    The King then turned to Sylvester, his face adorned with a smile. "Now, shall we move to Sand City? My dear queen consort must be feeling anxious at ourte arrival. She wishes to spoil you like a child, for she had epted you as a son a long time ago when we requested the Holy Land to adopt you."


    Sylvester''s heart instantly screamed and cried internally. ''Why must you remind me of what my life could have been? Perhaps, I could have made the Hignd Kingdom the strongest and the richest in the world with my intellect ¨C But no! I''m a bloody religious fanatic at this stage¡­ Talk about a life story.''


    Shoulders drooped, and Sylvester nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty, let''s go."


    ________________________


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 Chapter 439 439. The Arbitrator

    Once again, they took the Tame River, but this time they rode a grandiose ship that belonged to the King. It used multiple wizards to move fast upstream. The Sand City was not too far away, so by evening, they neared the majestic walled city situated beside the point where the Tame River and Snake River intersected.


    Using elemental earth wizards, an artificial moat was formed from the Tame River to the Snake River behind the Sand City, which instantly gave the city protection from all around. But, Sand City had limited area, so a new city was made on the other side of the moat, called Gravel City, and on the other side of the Snake River, there was the Blessed School Of All Arts, where people of all social rankings were taught a talent.


    Wizards honed their craft, knights trained in swordsmanship, andmoners were schooled in various trades such as carpentry, art, sculpture, iron and goldsmithing, and more. While the affluent paid tuition, the less fortunate received a free education.


    This unconventional and revolutionary education model proved advantageous for the Hignd Kingdom, allowing them to produce exceptional craftsmen despite limited natural resources. Additionally, proximity to Riveria''s Trade Corridor facilitated the Kingdom''s ability to sell their products at a lucrative price, further enhanced by King Hignd and King Conrad''s sessful trade agreement with Sylvester as themon link.


    "Such a stunning city," Sylvester remarked as the ship docked at the harbor. The entire Sand City was fashioned from strong mud bricks, imparting a sandy texture, yet ample greenery flourished on the numerous balconies and walkways in the form of nters. The locals dressed in light, loose attire, a sensible choice given the sweltering climate.


    King Hignd proudly nodded. "Of course! This city was founded by an ancestor many generations ago ¡ª thest man from the Oathkeeper bloodline. The kingdom even celebrates Phoenix Day in his name, the day of lovers, as everyone calls it. Most marriages and marriage proposals are made on that day."


    ''I should pick a book about the Kingdom''s history to learn its own history. Books in the Holy Land tend to tell the history on a world scale, without giving the finer details about these kingdoms.'' Sylvester reminded himself as he felt ignorant about the pasts of all the kingdoms.


    Soon, they disembarked from the ship and began their walk toward the royal castle, which was the biggest structure in the city. The city appeared to have a mountain-like topography. The streets constantly went up in a slight slope, and the buildings appeared towering over one another.


    "There is not a single building in my city that stands less than five stories tall," dered King Hignd as he proudly introduced Sylvester to his kingdom. "Through the aqueducts, I have brought running water to the Royal Castle. The water cascades down from the highest point of the city, splitting into distinct channels for drinking and sewer use. This ensures that my city remains spotless and free of any repugnant odors."


    Sylvester was genuinely impressed. Having visited numerous cities in the East Sol, he was all too familiar with their foul smells.


    Then, as they continued to walk upwards towards the castle, they crossed a section that seemed like a vast wall that circled the entire city and separated the lower part from the upper. And the moment they crossed over to the other side of therge arching gates, loud firecrackers resounded.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    And before Sylvester knew it, hoards of people appeared on the windows and balconies of the tall buildings on the sides of the road. They began showering flower petals on Sylvester, King Hignd, Sir Dolorem, and Bishop Lazark.


    Woosh!


    Another explosive firecracker echoed, but this time it was different as it prompted something. In an instant, themps at the sides of the streets lit up with tall fire, and loud beats of drums began.


    Sylvester looked at the King. "Is this for¡­ me?"


    King Hignd folded his arms and nodded, "Indeed! Wee home, Young Bard. Deserte Vige is just a short distance away, and since you were born in this kingdom, this rightfully is your true home."


    Sylvester looked ahead at the castle not far away and felt a hint of disappointment with himself.


    ''Perhaps, if I was born here in this castle, I could have had my peace from the beginning. But then, I''d have only turned a blind eye toward the storm that was brewing outside. Now, from the highest seat of humanity, I shall achieve my true peace¡­ I guess no one can fight fate, and this is the only way."


    They continued their walk, and soon the entire street was filled with flower petals as they walked over them. To Sylvester, it felt like a waste of money and resources, but he didn''t object to it.


    Eventually, they reached the top and walked through the heavily guarded gates of the castle.


    "Wee back, your majesty." A middle-aged man with looks simr to King Hignd spoke.


    "This is the Prima of this kingdom, dius Hignd, my younger brother," introduced King Hignd. "dius, meet Archbishop Sylvester Maximilian, Sir Dolorem, and Bishop Lazark."


    Sylvester shook hands with the man. ''What''s this? He''s trying to evaluate me and assess my character. But I don''t smell any animosity, so that''s good.''


    "Your Grace!"


    Just then, an ashen-blonde-haired, six-foot-tall woman with unparalleled beauty strived closer. She had a young boy, no more than one year old, in her arms.


    Sylvester bowed his head. "May the Holy Light enlighten us, Your Majesty."


    Queen Trinity smiled warmly and politely embraced Sylvester while still holding the little boy. "Wee to Sand City, Your Grace."


    "It''s Sylvester for you, Your Majesty." Sylvester corrected her. "We discussed this thest time."


    "But this is an official meeting...for now," replied the Queen, stepping aside. "Let''s go inside. You must be tired from your journey, havinge all the way from the Sorrow Kingdom. I''ve heard about your aplishments and can''t help but feel proud. You saved those poor people, and I''m sure they will never forget it."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ''They have already begun to forget by epting Anti-Light.'' Sylvester thought in their head.


    "I''m d you hold me in such high regard, Your Majesty. But I believe I should have the first round of talks with the rebel ve Kaecilius and King Conrad Riveria before doing anything else. I''ve already dyed their business for days due to my selfish desires, and I don''t want to further dy it," spoke Sylvester in an entirely official tone.


    King Hignd appreciated it, as King Conrad had be increasingly grumpy with his kingdom suffering economic setbacks from the ve rebellion. "Then I will lead you to them. dius, bring the rebel and King Conrad to the private chambers in the roof garden."


    Sylvester nced at Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark. "The two of you may go and rest. King Conrad will likely desire a private discussion."


    With that, Sylvester also sent Miraj away with a gesture. His job was to follow dius and find Kacelius. Miraj had a letter for the ve that needed to be read before the meeting. It would define the next step of the strategy.


    "I hope you can bring an end to the troubles of both. I spoke with Kaecilius. What a brilliant, honest man who fought for his freedom until it finally broke him. But their war is bringing losses to me as well since the northern border to Fort Sunflower remains closed as a route to the rest of Riveria. As a result, the traveling convoys of traders have been unable to move," King Hignd said as they climbed the fifteen floors to the top of the castle.


    Sylvester agreed with him. "I understand. It is not in the interest of the Holy Land either. The longer this rebellion persists, the further the fire will spread. If the ves revolt throughout Sol, it will lead to the instant downfall of many nobles due to low productivity."


    "We''re here," King Hignd announced as they reached the roof garden of the pce,plete with tall trees that provided shade on warm days.


    "That is the private chamber. I hold my meetings there sometimes, but today you may use it. I will not being inside as King Conrad may feel offended." King Hignd stopped and patted Sylvester''s back. "I wish you good luck, and I will see you at the feast!"


    With that, Sylvester proceeded alone into therge, finely adorned room that resembled a king''s court, with onerger cushioned seat. However, no one intended to sit in that room.


    "Lord Bard!" Blonde-haired, King Conrad was inside there in his regal attire. "It is my greatest pleasure to see you again. Already an Archbishop, I''m afraid I''m witnessing the making of the youngest Pope."


    Sylvester knew the king could afford to joke around like that due to his status. "Thank you, your grace. I am simply doing my duty. It is the Holy Land that acknowledged my abilities."


    Knock!


    Just then, the door opened again, and Kaecilius walked in, followed by Miraj. His short ck hair, beard, and stern face looked as serious as ever. His clothes, though not torn or poor, were nothing noteworthy.


    "I pay my respects to his grace." Kaecilius bowed his head, as everyone knew Sylvester had helped the man settle his kid and wife in the Holy Land¡ªanother reason why he was epted as an arbitrator.


    King Conrad''s eyes turned red, and he angrily pointed at Kaecilius. "You damned ve! I gave your family a happy life¡­ Enough! His Grace is impartial, and he will show you the true word of the lord. Men of your station should not stray from their lowly lives, and yet, you have influenced others to follow!"


    Sylvester nodded. "Let us not waste time using each other and shouting. Kaecilius, why did you do it? What do you hope to gain?"


    Kaecilius nced at the King hatefully. "I''m fed up with the exploitative system. Our lives are mere games for these men. We are thrown to kill each other for their entertainment! I want an end to very throughout the kingdom, and I wish to be the Lord of Fort Sunflower!"


    "I agreed to thetter request!" King Conrad roared. "I offered you ¡ª swear fealty to me, and you shall have the lordship! Then you demanded the end of very! Without ves, the kingdom will be ruined! No better than the Sorrow Kingdom!"


    Sylvester interjected at that point. "So we agree on one thing? Your majesty, are you willing to make him a lord?"


    "I am! Not only that, I will free all his fellow ves! As long as he allows my auditors to monitor the revenue at the Fort, he can be a Viscount," King Conrad eximed quickly. "But he wishes to bite more than he can chew."


    Sylvester sighed and rubbed his chin as if deep in thought. "Hmm¡­ So the problem lies with very? But I can understand His Majesty''s argument. Without ves, all of the industries in Riveria will copse."


    "That''s right! But this fool cannotprehend that!"


    Sylvester raised his palm to ease them. "Calm down, Your Majesty. I believe I have a suggestion that may be a suitablepromise for both of you."


    The two men looked at his face intently.


    So Sylvester continued, regretfully so, as he wanted to end very. But, he understood that a mountain could not be climbed in a single day. If he were to end the entire ve system so fast, it would lead to an instant recession as industries and farms won''t have workers, while the owners would be repulsive to pay them for what they used to do for free.


    "I suggest turning the ves into Serfs."


    ________________________


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 Chapter 440 440. One More Headache

    "Serfs? What is that?" Kaecilius questioned with no eloquence in his manner.


    While King Conrad was interested in any viable solution. "Your grace, can you borate?"


    Sylvester provided a brief exnation of the changes that would ur for both of them if they agreed to ept his suggestions.


    "A serf is an individual who enters into the service of a noble due to reasons such as bankruptcy, inability to pay a debt, or simply needing a way to survive. Unlike ves, serfs possess rights and are considered humans, not property. They can love, marry, and form families as they please. If a noble harms them, the King or the Church can directly punish the noble for viting thews that bind humankind.


    "Serfs are bound to thend that the lord owns. They work thend in exchange for protection, housing, and a share of the harvest to sustain themselves. Since they are tied to thend, they cannot leave without their Lord''s permission. However, they cannot be sold by their lord, nor can they be harmed in any way, whether mentally or physically.


    "In a typical scenario, a serf can have a family consisting of a wife, daughter, and sons. They all work in the same field, andter, the next generation will do the same. As the serf''s family grows, the lord can utilize them better and increase his productivity."


    Sylvester finished speaking and looked at Kaecilius and King Conrad for their responses. But both of them had their heads down, deep in their thoughts. For Conrad, it was a matter of giving some concessions and making the lives of the ves better. For the most part, nothing would change, just the nobles would not be able to abuse the ves as if they were their property.


    Meanwhile, for Kaecilius, it was a matter of epting something less than freedom. It was not what he desired, not even remotely close, for the serfs would still be bound to their lord through an invisible leash. What prevented the lord from threatening the family, revoking their serfdom, and sending them away?


    "So, do you agree?" Sylvester asked them.


    "I agree to disagree," Kaecilius retorted, his voice filled with loathing. "I will ept nothing less than total freedom. What you have described is nothing but very with a few extra steps. Still, nothing will stop the lord from viting a serf''s daughter or wife, which is the mostmon crime these mongrel nobles inflict upon us! They don''t even spare children. If the serf denies it, the Lord can simply cast the family out."


    King Conrad lowered his head in exhaustion. "I was about to agree with His Grace''s idea, and here you go again, mumbling nonsense. If you do not ept this, then war it is."


    Sylvester interjected, "Calm down, gentlemen. Both of you have managed to avoid war thus far, so engaging in it now would be meaningless. Riveria stands to lose far more than it stands to gain. Kaecilius, I implore you to consider the offer or propose a reasonable use to my idea to make it usible."


    "I am willing to entertain that," King Conrad acquiesced. "As long as it is reasonable."


    Kaecilius fell silent, thinking hard about what to demand to make things work and secure the rights of the innocents. He had to make it count so he could show the oue as his victory to his followers.


    "use one," Kaecilius began, "I must be granted the exclusive right to represent all the serfs and safeguard their interests. If any of them are harmed or vited in any way, they must be heard by me. In such cases, I should be authorized to investigate the noble in question and present the evidence directly to you. If no action is taken against the noble, the rebellion will resume.".


    "use two: during winters, droughts, or any natural cmities where it may be impossible for serfs to survive outside, they cannot be abandoned. Furthermore, when serfs are sent away in normal circumstances, the lord must provide one silver crown per person so that they may survive until they find more work."


    "use three: the Holy Land must intervene in case of a false witch-burning, often perpetrated by nobles to burn their female ves aftermitting heinous acts against them."


    "use four: any noble found viting a child aged thirteen or younger shall be deemed a heretic and punished with death! These are my terms, and if you do not ept them, I shall prepare for war!"


    Sylvester nodded silently, the final use being his own proposal. For some time now, he had been disgusted and outraged by the church''s failure to implement strictws against pedophiles. So, with his own hands, he had to take action, and this was the only way.


    King Conrad frowned. "Why introduce suchws? It is widely epted that even if a girl is married at twelve, she does not engage in sexual intercourse until she is physically mature. Nobody wants their spouse to die during childbirth."


    Kaecilius scoffed. "To think you would defend this! Do you believe that only marriage is the path to exploiting a child''s body? What about ves, the poor, and many others? Do not bargain with me, King. ept my conditions or prepare for war."


    King Conrad turned red in embarrassment and anger. He had never met someone like Kaecilius before who didn''t show him any respect no matter what.


    "I require time to consider your demands. Your grace, I shall retire to my chambers," King Conrad replied, turning his back on Kaecilius without providing any indication of agreement.


    Sylvester felt uneasy, but his sense of smell suggested that the king was not upset with the terms, but rather with the way Kaecilius was addressing him. Being born into nobility as a Duke, Conrad had never felt such humiliation, after all.


    With that, Sylvester and Kaecilius were the only ones left in the room. However, both of them didn''t speak, for they knew better that magic could be used in many ways. But thankfully, Sylvester had sent the man a guide to learn Morse code a long time ago.


    Through blinking their eyes, theymunicated with each other. Though it appeared absurd, fortunately, no one else was present to witness their exchange.


    ''Thank you for your assistance, Your Grace. Without you, we would not have made it this far,'' Kaecilius dered, lowering his head in respect and utmost reverence, as evident from the aroma of tulips.


    Sylvester smiled and replied. ''The battle is not won yet, my friend. Unless total freedom is achieved, we must continue to stay cautious. For now, we have to make this concession, for we can''t afford for the kingdom to fall into ruins. So, if the King agrees, you must utilize all your time to gather as much money as possible. Use my roadmap to utilize the industries that will fall within your viscounty.


    ''You must gather enough money to hire S and SS-ranked assassins, mercenaries, or adventurer guilds. They are your sole means of battling the four Grand Wizards that Riveria possesses.''


    Everything Sylvester had suggested and done thus far had been sessful, and Kaecilius hadplete faith in Sylvester''s vision. This was especially true after he read Sylvester''s demand to execute all individuals who exploit children.


    ''Your Grace, please send a clergyman to my Viscounty that won''t interfere with my work. The church is too powerful, and I''d rather not incur their wrath.'' Kaecilius requested.


    ''I will see what I can do. Until then, be prepared. I will leave behind more gold, crystals, and battle equipment while passing Fort Sunflowerter. Use them well, and remember, we don''t know each other.'' Sylvester reminded the man and stepped back.


    He exited the chambers with Miraj and headed to find the banquet hall where King Hignd had asked him to gather.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Maxy, when are we going home? I want to see big mum, Aurora, Felix, and Gabby."


    Sylvester rubbed Miraj''s head and tucked him in his arm. "Soon, Chonky. Mum must be missing us to¡ª"


    Sylvester suddenly ceased speaking and leaped a few steps away from the wall as he descended the staircase.


    "SHOW YOURSELF!"


    Woosh!


    Out of nowhere, the beautifully painted sandy wall underwent a transformation in texture, and a tall man emerged. He held an unusual piece of fabric that camouged him so well with the wall that he was indiscernible. Sadly for him, Sylvester''s nose was sharper.


    The man donned brown robes from head to toe, tightly fastened around his legs, waist, and arms. His head and face were also covered, with only his eyes visible. Yet even those eyes told a story that astonished Sylvester.


    ''His eyes are narrower? Is this man from the West?'' Sylvester cautiously backed up.


    "How did you enter the royal castle?" Sylvester questioned. "A spy? Assassin?"


    Thud!


    But instead, the man knelt down, exuding the fragrance of tulips and nothing else. "Just as the legends foretold and my master warned, you detected me with ease. I am not an assassin, Your Grace. I am simply a messenger, and Dagorith Ling is my name."


    "Who is your master?" Sylvester questioned him, as he didn''t know any Dagorith Ling. "Who sent you?"


    Dagority reached for his robes, prompting Sylvester to be on alert.


    Consequently, he slowly removed a parchment from his pocket. "I am not at liberty to disclose that, your grace. My mission was to deliver this message, and I have fulfilled it."


    Sylvester received the small rolled piece of paper with caution, ensuring it was not a trap. "You cannot e¡ª"


    "Where did he go?" Sylvester looked left and right, not finding him anywhere. "Chonky, did you see him leave?"


    "No, I was looking at the paper, Maxy," Miraj replied, also appearing confused. "I don''t smell him either."


    "Me too."


    Sylvester scowled and looked around. There was no window, so the only escape was upwards or downwards. But nobody could move so quickly that even he could not detect it. To make sure, he sprinted to the terrace once again but found nothing there.


    ''How did he escape? That technique he used to conceal himself on the wall¡­ I''ve never seen anything like it.''


    Quickly, he focused on the letter and opened it. Sadly, a single line was written on it, one that he didn''t appreciate.


    ''Bard of the Lord. The Masan moves again, unknown what they have to gain. Be careful on your feet, for it''s our loss in your defeat ¡ªRegards, Queen Mother, Warsong Kingdom''.


    Sylvester wiped the frown from his forehead and calmed his heart. He was always concerned about Masan, so it was not unexpected news.


    "Ugh¡­ Another bloody headache, from a regent queen this time."


    "What''s that?" Miraj wondered.


    "When the king is too young, they have someone else rule in their name. In Warsong''s case, the king''s mother, the Queen Dowager, is the regent¡­ But forget her; we have a bigger problem."


    Miraj tilted his head to hear him. "What?"


    "Was that man a fucking ninja?"


    ________________________


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 Chapter 441 441. Sylvesters Web Of Schemes

    "What''s a ninja, Maxy?" Miraj asked with much excitement, since Sylvester was excited.


    Sylvester smiled, somewhat looking forward to meeting the strange man again. "They are remarkable individuals with incredible stealth techniques. If that man was able to elude my senses and infiltrate the castle where multiple Grand Wizards reside, he must be of equal rank."


    Sylvester then continued to descend the staircase, maintaining hisposure despite the recent events. However, it was also a wake-up call for him as he began to understand how the Warsong Kingdom had been able to hold off the Masan Empire in a stalemate for so long ¡ª how a small kingdom was able to withstand the might of an empire.


    If theirbat and infiltration abilities were so highly developed, then there was no chance for an easy victory for Masan, he reckoned.


    "Now Iprehend how those Masan forwardmanders keep getting assassinated. There is simply no way to avoid that level of skill. If not for my sense of smell, I would have missed him as well."


    Sylvester began to grasp many things about the West, but he also realized how much he still didn''t know.


    "I suppose I now know what my priority will be in the Holy Land. I must read about the history, geography, and politics of every kingdom in the world."


    With a new focus, he arrived at the banquet hall. It was immense, with a white marble floor and golden chandeliers hanging from the ornate ceiling full of tapestries. However, the hall was empty, with only the King, Queen, the Prince, their family, and Sylvester''s team seated at the long table.


    "Perfect timing, Young Bard." King Hignd voiced after noticing him. "Did they reach any resolution?"


    "King Conrad has requested some time. If everything goes well, I believe the conflict will be resolved soon. But let us not discuss such matters while eating. Instead, I hoped to inquire about the agricultural suggestion I made. Was your dam sessful?" Sylvester changed the subject.


    King Hignd nodded. "Thend is currently being dried. The chief alchemist spoke highly of the nutrients he detected in the soil after conducting some experiments. Additionally, ever since I returned from the Holy Land after meeting you, I ordered animal manure to be collected and stored ording to your rmended methods. Hopefully, this sowing season, we will have enough fertilizer for our main farnd."


    ''I anticipated as much. The Snake Rivercks floods, resulting in the washing away of many minerals. However, only time will reveal if their crops will flourish.''


    "It''s delightful to hear, your majesty. With the end of the crisis in the Sorrow Kingdom, I believe the Hignd Kingdom will soon have a food surplus. Please sell it to the Sorrow Kingdom at a fair price. Lord Einarr is doing his best, but rebuilding an entire Kingdom from nothing will require the assistance of neighbors and the Holy Land simultaneously," Sylvester requested earnestly since prosperity was one of the factors that could reduce the influence of Anti-Light in the area.


    "Additionally, I must caution you beforehand. Keep a watchful eye on all your viges bordering the Sorrow Kingdom. Anti-Light is very active in that region and continues to turn minds against the warmth of Solis," Sylvester added.


    "Outrageous!" Hignd stood up, angered. "After your life-threatening battle for freedom, they still choose those preachers of darkness? Have they gone blind?"


    "Not blind, but hungry," Sylvester corrected. "A hungry stomach does not care whether the foodes from the palm of a Solis preacher or otherwise."


    "Indeed," Queen Trinity finished feeding Prince Rex Magnus. The child was almost a year old and had begun to consume regr milk and other stomach-soothing food solutions. "When there is ack of leadership and chaos reigns, the values of society hold little significance. To satisfy one''s hunger, one may go to any extent."


    Sir Dolorem interjected, "That was the situation before the Fifth Pope, Pollux Ragthon, The Warrior, spread the faith across Sol and consolidated the church."


    "But then Atrox, the Mad, brought madness, making the Church more militant, and from his reign began the Witch Burnings, which still gue us," the Queen added. "There have been good Popes and bad Popes. Fortunately, we are living in a good period currently. Pope Axel stopped the war, and now His Grace, Sylvester, has brought order to the entire East Sol. Before, Gracia and Riveria were constantly on the brink of war, and now they have flourishing trade rtions. With the Sorrow Kingdom restored, the four Kingdoms of the East have the prospect of bing stronger than ever before."


    King Hignd grinned gleefully and raised his ss to Sylvester. "Let''s toast to ''Saint'' Sylvester Maximilian!"


    Sylvester chortled and gestured his hand. "Attaining sainthood is a more formidable feat than earning the rank of Cardinal, Your Majesty. The elderly gentlemen in the Council of Thirty-Two would rather perish than see a neen-year-old bestowed with the title of Saint."


    The King sneered. "Nonsense! In just four years, you have aplished more for the betterment of our realm than the Church has in four centuries, I regret to say."


    Sylvester ufortably sat in his seat as he never liked to talk about his future with anyone, simply because he knew that his future was as unexpected as Miraj''s hunger. Especially his life, which had more secrets, schemes, and mysteries hidden than clergymen in the realm.


    "I will leave the decision up to them, Your Majesty. If they find me deserving, then it would be a great honor. If they deem me too young, then I must ept the reality. Being an Archbishop is already pushing the limits, and I would prefer not to seek more. By the way, this mutton is exceedingly tender and savory. I truly adore Southern cuisine for its generous use of spices. In the North, the dishes are generally nd."


    The King and Queen sensed his reluctance to discuss the topic further, and they refrained from pushing the matter. Instead, they immersed themselves in food and talked of all the mundane things around the world, from the rising modern industries to the hopeful future.


    From time to time, Sylvester offered a few ideas about governance and how vital it was to curb corruption. He did not propose anything revolutionary, for he was always wary of introducing too much industrial change. He understood it was not the time, for he wasn''t in an absolute ruling position from where he could dictate how his technology could be used.


    Amidst theughter, japing, and some serious conversations, the night fell, and bedtime arrived. Sylvester retreated to his private chambers, which were more of a hall than a simple bedroom. It was decorated with aromatic flowers, light crystals, and much more. It overlooked the city from its tenth-floor balcony, and since the city was situated on a hill, the air also brushed into the room naturally.


    Sylvester sat down cross-legend on the balcony to meditate. He did it not to calm himself but to remember all the schemes, future ns, and dangers he needed to be careful about. He didn''t have a perfect memory, after all, so he had to remember everything every single day to not forget something crucial.


    ''I do hope to be a Saint, but it won''t be feasible until more council members are reced. However, I fear that with another promotion, the others will perceive me as a threat to the papacy.''


    "Haaa¡­ mumumumu¡­ Ha¡­ mumumum¡­"


    Sylvester snorted while holding hisughter suddenly. He looked back and found Miraj sleeping on the floor, on his back, while weirdly snoring.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "M-maxy¡­banana¡­hehe¡­"


    ''What is he dreaming about?'' Sylvester wondered and picked his furry best friend to tuck him into the bed.


    "Hmm¡­" He touched Miraj''s back and noticed the bone spurs had increased in size. "They are definitely wings. What the hell are you, Chonky? I''m yet toe across anyone as amazing as you."


    "Mehehe¡­"


    Sylvester noticed a grin on Miraj''s face. ''Did he hear me?''


    "Well, I should sleep too. If Conrad does not ept the proposal, it''ll be utterly messy tomorrow."


    Finally, he dimmed the light crystals in the room from the designated runes and went to sleep¡ªa luxury he could rarely afford.


    ¡­


    The morning came, and Sylvester cleaned his robes with some water, fire, and air ¡ª a great blessing he considered to have all elemental affinity.


    Then, he donned his Archbishop''s mitre and walked out with a sacred book in hand. Once again, he climbed the stairs and reached the rooftop. However, King Conrad and Kaecilius did not enter the chambers and remained under the open skies.


    "I have made my decision, your grace," King Conrad dered as soon as Sylvester arrived.


    Sylvester nodded and presented the holy book. "State your terms, Your Majesty. Then, if Kaecilius agrees, I will bind the terms in the name of the Lord."


    "use one is epted, but Kaecilius will not have the right to kill any noble above the rank of Knight without my order. use two is eptable, but the sum of money cannot exceed five hundred copper Mud. As for the third use, that is a matter for the Holy Land alone to decide. But I ept the fourth one wholeheartedly." King Conrad''s voice softened a bit. "I am no monster who epts the vition of children. Noble or not, none have the right tomit such atrocities."


    Sylvester nced at Kaecilius. "Do you ept these terms of the agreement, Kaecilius Silvanus?"


    The burly ve nodded without hesitation. "I ept the terms. I will be made Lord of Fort Sunflower with Viscount''s authority. His Majesty will be allowed to audit to ensure proper taxation. Meanwhile, I will be allowed to hear out the serfs and assist them as per the agreed-upon terms."


    Sylvester walked between them. "Please step forward and touch this Holy book. Then repeat after me, using your name after ''I'' at the beginning."


    Soon, the two men stood face to face, a few feet apart. But King Conrad was no longer angry, as Kaecilius had just referred to him as ''His Majesty,'' officially granting the recognition he sought.


    "I vow, with my palm on the words of Solis, to abide by the proposed terms, word for word..."


    Sylvester knew the entire ceremony was pointless, as there was no binding magic involved. It was merely a church gimmick to convince nobles that their vows were overseen by Solis.


    Therefore, the book shone briefly to indicate that the ceremony wasplete and the vow was bonded to Solis'' magic.


    "May the Holy Light Enlighten us. Let us go downstairs and break the fast together." Sylvester suggested, as it was necessary for them to break the ice and be closer.


    For that was step two of Sylvester''s master n. After all, where better to bring down a castle than from within?


    "Let''s go, Your Majesty." Kaecilius yed his part, as advised by Sylvester.


    King Conrad, clueless, smiled warmly. "Let''s go, my lord."


    Sylvester walked behind them, silently and with hope in his heart.


    ''And the game continues ¡ª a ve has be a lord, but only time shall tell if we can reap the ultimate reward.''


    ________________________


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 Chapter 442 442. Lets Go Home

    [A/N: Check the updated map of Sol here. The 2K version is on Discord.]


    It was a great relief that King Conrad had eded to the demands of Kaecilius. The rebellion that hadsted for months and the constant pressure on the entire industry of Riveria had finally shown their effects. It was another testament to Sylvester''s technique of conquering through propaganda. Spreading certain ideas and propagating them did more harm than any sword or arrow could have.


    But the following day, instead of returning to Riveria, both King Conrad and the newly appointed Viscount Kaecilius were summoned by King Hignd to visit his recently developed farnd that was built using Sylvester''s drip irrigation method.


    "The entirendscape of my kingdom is changing slowly. Where once there was no grass or crops, now we see food growing. The previously infertilend is gradually turning cultivable," King Hignd dered as they arrived near Lake Elixir, which was quite a distance from Sand City andy on the path to Riveria.


    King Conrad marveled at the sight of people toiling in the fields and strange apparatuses of pipes sprawling all over the fields, with sprinklers throwing water all around in some ces. The fields were well constructed and maintained, evident from their appearance.


    "I constructed a few canals all over the region, an effortless task for us wizards," King Hignd added. "With all that I have done this year, I am optimistic that the next year''s harvest will be the most abundant in the kingdom''s history."


    King Conrad had spent his life in Riveria, the wealthiest kingdom in the East, with the most fertilend in the continent, making it the breadbasket of Sol. Hence, he could not fullyprehend what a significant achievement it was.


    However, for those who had witnessed the hunger and poverty while living in that region, what was happening was nothing short of a miracle of Solis.


    "This fills my heart with satisfaction," Sylvester murmured. "It appears that the idea worked."


    Sylvester had only suggested the irrigation style to the King as a fleeting thought. He did not expect the man to have so much faith in his words and go so overboard with irrigation.


    Like before, the King''s Prima and younger brother, dius, gazed dubiously at Sylvester, just like before. "Lord Bard, where do you get all your ideas from? I have read about all the things that you have invented, and none of them seem to have any predecessors from which you could have taken inspiration."


    Sylvester chuckled, finally finding a man who didn''t just bow to him while fearing Solis.


    "Undoubtedly, Lord Prima. There were no preceding innovations to draw inspiration from," Sylvester rified.


    "However, finding inspiration isn''t difficult. We can find it in nature itself. Don''t mosquitoes suck our blood with their sharp, slender needles? So why can''t we create something simr to inject medicine into our bloodstream? Thus, I created the injection. I was tired from constantly dipping my quill in ink and wasting precious moments, so I invented the pen. And concerning this irrigation system, I simply thought of an effective way to provide water to crops without wasting too much of it, an apt approach for a water-scarce region like Hignd and Sorrow Kingdom."


    "What about the musical instruments?" dius inquired further.


    Sylvesterughed at that. "That? Hah, that''s just an inspiration from the heart, my lord. I wanted to hear beautiful melodies, so I made them. I tried repeatedly until I perfected it, as simple as that."


    "Let''s not overlook the fact that he is God''s Favored," King Conrad chimed in. "Regardless of what the Holy Land asserts, the decision is evident. There are only two more God''s Favored candidates remaining, and they are merely Archpriests at Master Wizard ranks. None of them have aplished anything significant like Lord Bard."


    Kaecilius agreed, trying to act like a nobleman. "He''s blessed. That''s why thends he travels to are blessed. Gracia was saved from Masan''s invasion, and Riveria is at peace." Kaecilius nced at King Conrad and nodded. "Hignd won''t starve, and Sorrow Kingdom knows no sorrow anymore."


    "Are we forgetting the cure to the gue?" King Hignd pridefully interjected. King Hignd interjected with pride. "It is possibly the most significant contribution any clergyman has made to humanity in centuries. Lord Bard has single-handedly saved millions!"


    Sylvester sighed, getting bored and frustrated as the same topics came up whenever he met someone. They all start praising him and crying about the seconding of Solis or something.


    ''Now I understand why Kings and Princes often be overconfident and end up ruining everything. Constant praise can be a temptation akin to the lure of the devil. Sumbing to it will only lead to degradation.''


    "I am merely doing my duty, your majesties," Sylvester replied, remaining humble and calm. After all, the duty he had set up for himself was taking over the Church. So every single action he took was for one goal.


    Eventually, their short tour came to an end, and they all decided to go their separate ways. Sylvester, Sir Dolorem, and Bishop Lazark intended to travel with Kaecilius and King Conrad as they were headed in the same direction.


    Pat!


    King Hignd impulsively pulled Sylvester into an embrace. "Although your stay was brief, I am grateful that you came. I will keep you informed of our progress with farming through letters. Please take care of yourself, and I will pray to Solis to clear any obstacles in your path."


    Sylvester reciprocated by patting the King''s back. "I will do my best, your majesty. Give my regards to the Queen and the Prince. Remember, humility is the most valuable lesson for any future monarch. Please do not spoil the Prince, as I have witnessed too many downfalls that stem from such indulgence."


    King Hignd thumped his chest. "Do not fret, Sylvester. If he makes any foolish decisions, I will send him to the Holy Land to be mentored by you, his Godfather!"


    "..."


    Sylvester felt as if he had dug his own grave, thinking, ''Damn it, I do not want any more responsibilities, my friend.''


    "I hope it does note to that. Oh, one more thing." Sylvester remembered something and took out a small pouch containing fifty gold coins. "There is a family in Gravel City. The woman''s name is Gianna Lionis. She has a daughter named Elis Lionis and a son named Moris Lionis. They are the family of my deceased friend Markus. Please give this money to them."


    King Hignd received the pouch respectfully. "Do not worry. It shall reach its destination."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    With that, they bid farewell again and finally went on their separate paths.


    Soon, they passed by the Governor''s Keep and crossed The Rich Wall, which demarcated Riveria and Hignd with a tall, well-defined wall.


    Just beyond the wall was Fort Sunflower, the seat of Kaecilius. The gates swung open, and King Conrad briskly strode in, encircled by his soldiers. It was a hostile terrain for him, as the message of the truce had only just been conveyed.


    "It''s best you don''t stay here for long, your majesty. Although we have peace now, some of our men may not have yet received the news. You are wee to visit again soon, and I will receive you openly," Kaecilius suggested, aware of the hostile re of his soldiers.


    King Conrad didn''t take his chances. "Then, I will not hold you back. However, I expect you to visit the River Cityter and pledge your loyalty before all the other nobles so that your status may be permanent."


    "I will do so once things have normalized here, Your Majesty."


    King Conrad then turned his attention to Sylvester. "Will you be apanying me, Your Grace?"


    Of course, Sylvester could not, as he had to provide weapons to Kaecilius. "Not yet, Your Majesty. I intend to visit the monastery and assess the conditions there. Furthermore, I must alleviate the Holy Land''s concerns regarding the clergymen here, as no report has been able to leave these towering walls in the past few months."


    "Yes, yes! Please do so." Conrad replied hastily, wanting to avoid the church meddling in his kingdom at all costs.


    Once it was confirmed that the King and his men had departed, Sylvester headed to the monastery. However, he had to be cautious, for he knew there were spies from Riveria within the fort. Thus, he changed his appearance multiple times after visiting several shops. Once he was certain he wasn''t being followed, he proceeded to the Fighting Arena, which was now unused.


    He entered the same underground room where Kaecilius used to live and opened the underground hole through the runes. Then he raised Miraj on his wrist.


    "Go ahead."


    Woosh!


    Miraj threw out tons of armor, sacks of crystal, and some money as well. It was a quick job, and no one else was present when they did it. Even Kaecilius had gone in a different direction to lure any potential spies.


    ''I hope all this works out. I have no idea where my next assignment will take me, but no matter where I go, my ns should not stop.'' Sylvester muttered to himself, feeling mentally taxed. Having to deal with so many things alone was not easy. But, he had no other choice, as he had made up his mind long ago.


    "Maxy, why are you sad?" Miraj suddenly asked, having sensed a change in emotions of Sylvester.


    "Not sad, Chonky, just tired. Let''s head home now and rx while feasting on Mum''s special baked banana pie and honey cake." Sylvester closed the underground chamber and headed back to the monastery.


    Miraj melted on Sylvester''s head, rxing while gleaming and giggling, already thinking about reaching home.


    "We''ve been away for eight months this time," Miraj muttered. "I can''t wait."


    Sylvester remembered the bone spurs on Miraj''s back. "Ah, I need mum to check you too. I believe you are growing wings, Chonky."


    "What?" Miraj''s ears perked up, twitching. "I can fly?!"


    "Hold your horses, my fluffy falcon. Let''s keep our expectations low in case it''s something else."


    Miraj had none of it. "No, Maxy. Now I know why I hated those pesky eagles so much. I''m one of them! Now I know¡­ I''m certain! I believe I can fly¡­!"


    "You''re a cat." Sylvester corrected him.


    "Hehe¡­ A flying cat!"


    ________________________


    [A/N: One more chap iing!]


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 Chapter 443 443. Bright Mothers Worry

    The roadway cleaved through the farms on both sides, nked by walls of trees, rendering a pleasant shade and gust. With abundant fruit trees in the vicinity, the travelers could pause and relish in the fruity delicacies.


    Yet, the serene beauty was often disturbed by a few screams and subsequent bloodbaths. Attackers came to kill Sylvester from time to time, but to no avail, as Sylvester had grown much stronger.


    But the fateful meetings with the gentlemen who gave their necks as offerings turned out to be fruitful, as Sylvester found out his bounty had been increased.


    "One million Gold Graces? Someone has too much money." Sylvester mumbled after finding a small piece of paper from one of his victims.


    "This indicates that S-ranked assassins may begin to pursue you, Lord Bard," Sir Dolorem reminded him in a worrying tone. "While you have grown powerful, you cannot defeat them if multiple S-ranked groups decide to converge on you."


    Sylvester agreed with that assessment. After all, even the Pope could die if two dozen Grand Wizards attacked him simultaneously. "Let us concentrate on our training after returning until the next assignment. I willmence my specialization in maism while you may focus on the capability of your eyes, Sir Dolorem. Bishop Lazark, you must try to attain the pinnacle of the Archwizard rank. If you require funds for any particr experimental materials, just inform me.


    "Let''s hope that Felix, Gabriel, and Elyon are also asmitted to training as we are. As I rise in power, my adversaries will also be more formidable and dangerous for all of us. We cannot tolerate any weak links."


    The two men contemted his words and rode the remaining way in peace. As they drew nearer to the Holy Land, the attacks became fewer and eventually ceased. Ultimately, they crossed the Gold River and advanced straight towards the entrance to the Holy Land through the cavern.


    Sylvester did not wish to halt at Bard''s restaurant at the moment as he merely wanted to see the familiar faces of his family and friends as soon as possible.


    As they neared the guarded gates, Sylvester donned his mitre on his head. Then, the moment he halted the carriage before the sealed gates, the soldiers saluted him with reverence.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us, Your Grace."


    "May you be graced," Sylvester replied, and the gates soon opened. He didn''t need to present any identification, as there were plenty of other magical means inside to catch intruders.


    Thus, they continued on their path, heading toward their respective residences. Sir Dolorem resided in the Inquisitor Camp, while Bishop Lazark had his private house, befitting his rank.


    "This is the splendor of the Holy Land. The world may burn, but the Holy Land remains," Sir Dolorem murmured, gazing at the bustling clergymen walking on the sides and the beautiful flora covering the roadsides. "This is why almost all nobles yearn to live here. But, unable to renounce their luxuries, they stay away."


    "It''s for the better. We don''t want their greed spreading around her." Sylvester interjected. "We already have enough grumpy old men to deal with in the council."


    "When will you be reporting?" Bishop Lazark inquired upon hearing the mention of the council. "I''m sure they are eager to hear the detailed report from your mouth. We discovered a lot on this trip, from the demon on the loose to the monstrosity lurking beneath the Wild Forge."


    Sylvester''s shoulder slumped, and he grunted. "I have no energy to meet them right now. I will report to the Pope in the morning. It''s already evening, so there isn''t enough time to tell them everything."


    "Then I will see you in the morning, Lord Bard. I must report to the Inquisitor High Lord at the earliest," Sir Dolorem saluted Sylvester. "Please convey my respects to Mother Xavia."


    "Be well, Lord Bard." Bishop Lazark also left after that.


    Alone, Sylvester steered his carriage towards Bright Mother''s housing, which had been his home for neen years. He ced the horses in the stable and the carriage away before heading to his home on the top floor.


    "Oh, let me help," Sylvester noticed an elderly Bright Mother lifting a heavy sack of something and slowly walking towards the building.


    The old woman was astounded to see the young man lift the big sack of cloth with ease. For a few moments, she was bbergasted, as she didn''t expect to see Sylvester there. He had been gone for so long, and no one knew when he''d return.


    "Your Grace?"


    Sylvester snorted. "Grace who? I thought my name was Sylvester."


    The aged Bright Mother chuckled and addressed him by his name, as he preferred from the Bright Mothers. "Are you well, Sylvester? Did everything go well? I heard the asional word that appears as gossip, but you can never trust them."


    "I am well, and my work went off without a hitch. I had just arrived and was on my way home. Come, I will take your luggage to your residence first. But what is in this? Rations?"


    The elderly woman nodded. "We have experienced an unexpected surge of orphan girlstely, and as a result, the number of Bright Mother trainees has increased. These provisions are intended for those girls, as I am their caretaker."


    Sylvester walked beside her and climbed the stairs to the first flood. "About time this building at an elevator for at least transporting goods¡­ Fine, I will do it myself."


    Before long, he ced the sack in a housing unit. "I will see youter, Brighter Mother."


    The woman waved. "I''m happy for you, Lord Bard. I will pray that you be well wherever you live."


    Only after Sylvester had begun to climb the stairs did he feel the strangeness of the woman''s farewell. It was too unusual.


    "Ah! Lord Bard!" At that moment, another Bright Mother appeared, a very young one whom Sylvester recognized as the person who had tended to Xavia when she was injured.


    "Anya? Hello there. How are you?"


    "L-Lord Bard!" She suddenly started to tear up. "I wish you the best of luck and happiness. It was a pleasure to know you!"


    "What?"


    Woosh!


    She ran away before answering anything, confusing Sylvester even more.


    Scratching his head, Sylvester climbed the stairs further and eventually reached the fifth floor ¡ª home.


    Scrrr¡­.!


    "Open up, big mum dearest!" Miraj scratched at the door, eager to see Xavia.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Finally, Sylvester knocked and called out to his mother, "Mum, it is I, the greatest, most loyal, perfect, strongest, and most handsome son in the universe!"


    Bam!


    The door opened, but Xavia was not there. Instead, a tall, beautiful woman with brown hair and gray eyes stood before him. She wore amoner''s white tunic refined with a brown cloth corset that entuated her well-developed body.


    Sylvester jumped back and drew a small dagger from his pocket. "Who are you, wench?"


    "..."


    The woman grunted, her smile fading away. "Bastard! I am Aurora, your elder sister!"


    Skeptically, Sylvester scrutinized her from head to toe. "Impossible! You cannot be her! You are too pretty! Aurora looks hideous ¡ª unrefined, like a smelly brute man!"


    The woman turned furious and jumped with her fist, aiming at Sylvester''s face. "You miscreant brat! Staying away from home has made you vulgar, it seems."


    Pa!


    "What the!"


    To the woman''s shock, her fist was firmly caught by Sylvester''s palm. Furthermore, she tried to pull her fist back, and only after utilizing higher strength could she do so.


    "Also, stronger, Aurora," Sylvester cheekily smiled. "I am home."


    Aurora''s face remained in a state of shock. "Y-You¡­ How did you... make such a big jump in rank?! How?"


    "You folks never inquired about my Knight rank and only focused on magic," Sylvester chuckled as he walked into his home. Miraj had already run inside to find Xavia.


    "Wait! You called me ugly."


    Sylvester patted Aurora''s head, irritating her. "But I also called you pretty in this attire. So what is with this new look?"


    "This ''is'' my normal look. You just never saw me without my armor. I remain like this most of the time when I''m home ¡ª Ah, I moved in here to live with Xavia since she felt quite lonely without you. So now, me, Xavia and Isabe have our girl''s night every single day. We sing, y cards and many more games. I even picked up some skills on one of your violins."


    "So, while I was battling two Grand Wizards to unite a Kingdom that I waster denied the right to administer, you''ve been idling around? How wonderful. What about Zeke? I hope you haven''t thrown out the poor simpleton," Sylvester sarcastically replied.


    "We are not barbarians, Sylvester. He serves as my sparring partner and referee during our girls'' games," Aurora retorted.


    Sylvester shuddered at the thought of training with Aurora. "I can''t help but feel sorry for poor Zeke. Anyway, where is Mum?"


    "She''s cooking something for you," Aurora replied, strolling inside as if she owned the ce.


    Sylvester took off his shoes and went to the kitchen area. At one nce, he noticed Xavia hugging Miraj tightly to her chest and caressing his furry head. All the while, Miraj giggled uncontrobly, and his tail wagged like a tornado.


    When he realized that Miraj was not letting go of Xavia, he took charge and grabbed Miraj by the nape. "Now it''s my turn, Chonky."


    Woosh!


    And with that, Sylvester hugged his dear mother. She was shorter and tinier than him, and he had grown even taller and stronger during his travels. Despite that, he felt like a little kid when Xavia rubbed his hair the whole time.


    "I missed you, Max," she said, beaming with a smile. "I''m so proud of you that I can''t find the words to express myself. The Bright Mothers tell me about your adventures and aplishments."


    She was, of course, Sylvester''s spymaster for the secretwork of the Bright Mother.


    Sylvester tightened his embrace. "Forget about me, Mum. How are you? Did anyone trouble you? Did anyone say anything bad about you? Your son has grown much stronger now. Just give me the name."


    "Oh¡­ there''s nothing to worry about," she reassured him.


    "Hah! Why would there be?" Aurora interjected as she entered. "The Inquisitor High Lord makes regr visits to inquire about Xavia''s well-being. Everyone got the message from that. She''s not just a Bright Mother of the Church but also a revered member of the Inquisitors. With the current state of affairs, I''m sure the Inquisitors would willingly sacrifice their lives for her protection."


    Sylvester was speechless. He expected loyalty from the Inquisitors towards himself, but learning that it extended to Xavia made his heart calm down. Despite their craziness, the Inquisitors were an exceedingly loyal group that could be counted on. After all, they acted with rage, even when it came to defending someone.


    "Ah, one more thing." Sylvester released Xavia from his embrace. "Why are the Bright Mothers in the building bidding me farewell of sorts?"


    Xavia gazed up at him with concern and stroked his cheek. "My dear, you are the closest thing they have to a son and a trustworthy malepanion. They are merely saddened that you''ll be relocating to the Higher-Clergy housing district now that you''re a mighty Archbishop. They are disheartened to lose you but happy for your rise at the same time."


    "..."


    "Wait¡­ When did I decide that?"


    [A/N: See Aurora in normal clothes.]


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 Chapter 444 444. A Lonely Night

    Sylvester had never mentioned leaving his current residence. He didn''t spend much time there anyway, as he had his own secluded spot under Bard''s restaurant. So there was no reason for him to move, particrly since Xavia would feel lonely in therger house.


    Xavia rejoiced silently. "You''re not leaving then?"


    "Leave? Mother, I n on breathing myst breath here," Sylvester dered. "Don''t worry, and please convey my message to all the Bright Mothers. It''s touching how concerned they are for me. Maybe I should organize a grand terrace barbecue again, with the excellent food from the Bards this time."


    Aurora chirped quickly, "That''s a splendid idea. We never properly celebrated your promotions. You might even be dered a Saint soon."


    "Don''t get your hopes up," Sylvester cautioned. "Throughout history, Saints have been people with long beards, destined to waste away on their deathbeds. Do you think the council would make a neen-year-old boy a Saint? Let''s be realistic; they''ll do everything in their power to prevent it."


    "Ugh... politics," Aurora grumbled. "Why can''t they just die?"


    "Please don''t say that, Aurora," Xavia interjected. "Come, try my banana pie and honey cake. You be feisty when hungry."


    Aurora jumped to hug Xavia. "Ah, my pretty little sister, you know me the best."


    Sylvester smiled, happy to see the two women getting along. But he also felt an odd emptiness in his heart, as he had missed witnessing how they had be such close friends. That made him wonder what else he had missed.


    "I''ll go and turn on my room''s lights. That should signal Felix about my arrival."


    In the meantime, Xavia discreetly ced a slice of banana pie on a te and stashed it away in a corner where Miraj could enjoy it. Then she put the rest of the dessert on the table and sat down.


    Soon, Sylvester also returned and began to relish his meal. "This is amazing! Nothing beats home. The southern food was excellent, but this is the real deal."


    He noticed Aurora also devouring the honey cake, as they both had a fondness for honey. It was another reason why Xavia had made so much of it.


    "Aurora, you will grow fat if you eat too much cake. Give your half to me." Sylvester politely suggested.


    Aurora knew very well about his tactics, however. "Buzz off, Sylvester. I will not fall for your tricks. I''ll simply run ten miles after eating this, and everything will be alright."


    Bam! Bam!


    "Sylvester, you have returned?"


    Suddenly, loud knocks resonated on the door as if someone was vigorously kicking it. With Felix''s voice, it became evident who it was.


    "That was not very long." Sylvester was astonished. "Did he camp outside the building?"


    Woosh!


    Xavia went to open the door. Without greeting, Felix ran into the house and jumped to hug Sylvester, his brother from another mother.


    "My brother!"


    Sylvester retreated quickly with his te in hand. It was a treasure, after all.


    Bam!


    Felix received Sylvester''s foot to his face, halting him mid-air. However, the man seemed unfazed. After eight months, Felix appeared even taller and more muscr than before, much more so than Sylvester. It was apparent that he had focused on his training.


    Sylvester put his te away and then hugged Felix. "Are you trying to grow into a giant or something? And I hope it''s not just for the looks."


    "Shut up!" Felix blurted. "Stop talking about me. Tell me about yourself. How was your journey? I heard you defeated two Grand Wizards and killed one of them. How did you do it? Did you learn metal maniption? What about Sorrow Kingdom? Do the people pray to you like a god now? Oh, and why is there a rumor about you ying a dragon?"


    "..."


    Sylvester was speechless as he had already lost count of the questions that Felix excitedly asked. "Breath, my friend. We have all night to talk and exchange our experiences. But, first, tell me, where is Isabe? Are things proceeding well between you two?"


    Felix sighed. "She is at the School of Dawn, and things are nearly perfect. I have decided to relinquish my position in the clergy and join the Holy Army to be with her. Nevertheless, her brother discovered our rtionship, and he is opposed to it."


    "Opposed? Why?" Sylvester inquired. "Your father is a Count. You hail from a long lineage of Gracia''s most illustrious warriors who defended the kingdom against Western invaders. House Sandwall is held in high regard throughout the Sol too. Moreover, you possess the best gic traits to produce a strong future generation for the royal family."


    Felix sighed and rified some matters. "The issue is, King Harold is indifferent to my bloodline or my house''s history. He desires political advantages, and that is thest thing my family can offer. We are warriors, and throughout our house''s history, when we attempted to y political games, we failed miserably. Hence, we do not engage in politics and power struggles, which also implies we hold no political power to offer."


    "Indeed." Isabe arrived at that moment, looking as stunning as ever, even more mature if one looked beyond her face.


    She smiled and closed in to hug Sylvester. "Wee back to thend of the insane, Sylvester."


    He chuckled. "Alright, no need tobel thend insane solely because of Felix."


    Sheughed and left the embrace to stand beside Felix and hold his hand. "My brother is foolish, forgetting who my good friend is! The great Sylvester Maximilian, youngest Archbishop, and the future Saint!"


    "Haha, you''re right about that." Sylvester had to agree. "You have my blessing."


    Tap! Tap!


    Felix scoffed and knocked on Sylvester''s head. "Oh no, what have you done, Isabe! His head is growing big. Quickly curse him, or he''ll explode with too much arrogance!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Enough jesting. What have you been up to these past eight months? Have you grown stronger?" Sylvester got straight to the point. "And what about Gab?"


    Felix took a seat at the dining table with Isabe. "I requested to be sent on Church bounty missions since all the individuals on the Church''s wanted list are powerful and wicked. Ipleted nearly sixteen bounty assignments and gradually progressed. I am now a level four Golden Knight and a level three Master Wizard. Just a little more and I will reach Diamond Knight status."


    Sylvester was pleased with the update. ''He''s on the right path considering his age. Since Golden Knight has only five levels, he''s already near the peak. Same for his Master Wizard level, being on level three out of five is great.''


    "What about Gabriel? Where is he?" he inquired.


    "Oh, he''s probably somewhere with Archbishop Noah, performing some religious rituals. He has delved deep into learning the art of rituals. He wants to be a religious schr," Felix revealed. "But he''s also been training."


    ''A religious schr? Well, given his talents limiting him to the rank of Master Wizard and Diamond Knight, it''s not a bad profession. He could potentially be my left-hand man when I ascend.''


    Sylvester then turned to Lady Aurora. "And what about you? Is the Inquisitor High Lord doing well?"


    She was busy stuffing her mouth with cake for a few seconds. "I''m doing well, as usual. The old man is also doing well, though he''s a bit frustrated as his oath to kill all Bloodlings remains unfulfilled. He''s been trying, but it''s difficult since each Bloodling is unique and requires different army expertise."


    As she spoke, Sylvester remembered the project he hadmissioned with Cardinal Robert Maxim, a young and gifted alchemist with no magical or knightly abilities. He was currently heading the Science and Weapons division of the Church.


    ''The apparatus should have been constructed by now. All I need to do is test it on a Bloodling, and if it works, I''ll have the Inquisitors'' eternal gratitude.''


    They spent the rest of the evening conversing about their past few months. A few jokes andughs made the night enjoyable, and with food ordered from the Bard''s, the night became a small celebration. Miraj quietly enjoyed sitting in Xavia''s embrace, while Sylvester and Felix asionally teased each other, with Aurora asionally joining in and losing since the boys would join forces against her. Brotherhood was eternal, after all.


    Eventually, it was time for sleep, and since Felix had to return, Sylvester decided to let him share his room and sleep on the floor.


    But as Sylvestery in his bed, contemting his future ns, he noticed something. The room was mostly dark, with only faint moonlight filtering in from the window. It was afortably calm and cold night, but someone was certainly looking for a bit more warmth.


    "Where are you going?" Sylvester suddenly voiced.


    Felix stopped crouching and stood straight. "T-To drink water."


    Sylvester gestured towards his table. "I have water here."


    "I need fresh water¡­ Be right back." Felix proceeded to the door.


    Sylvester chuckled, aware of where the neen-year-old was truly headed. After all, Isabe was only a few rooms away in the same house.


    "Be careful, buddy. Unless you want to be called dad this early." Sylvester teasingly replied.


    Flushed and red-faced, Felix quickly opened the door. "I''m not dumb, nor a heathen. I am still bound by the vow of celibacy, so we merely cuddle."


    "Sure. Close the door properly when you leave for ''cuddles''."


    Gently, Felix closed the door and vanished. Shortly after, the faint sound of another door opening and closing came, and with it, silence once again filled the air.


    Alone, Sylvester gazed at the ceiling and sighed. "Dammit, now I miss her."


    There, there." Miraj abruptly woke from his slumber on the table and moved to sit beside Sylvester''s chest beneath the nket. "I cuddle here."


    Then, Miraj used his paws to rub the bed a few times to make a warm, cozy spot and then nestled close to Sylvester''s chest.


    Sylvester chuckled and closed his eyes, patting Miraj''s head, who seemed more like a child at that moment. "Thank you, my little anti-depressant."


    Miraj giggled and soon began to snore. Sylvester, although didn''t sleep, felt much more calm and carefree as at least he had the sce of knowing there was someone he could share his secrets with.


    ''Why do I not feel attracted to another human anymore? Does one only fall in love once?''


    Despite being an old man in his mind, some questions remained unanswered even for him.


    ''Constant fighting and scheming will be the death of me. What should I do, Diana?''


    He pondered while gazing at the twin moon through his window.


    ''Are you also alive somewhere out there? Or is it only me, cursed to relive the life we both loathed so much?''


    "Unnn¡­ Meowxy tiny¡­ Meow big¡­ mumumu¡­"


    ''And there goes Chonky sleep-talking again. What on earth does he dream about?''


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 Chapter 445 445. Sylvesters Final Move

    The following day, Sylvester awoke to find Miraj sleeping on his forehead, drooling and snoring to his heart''s content. Sylvester learned a valuable lesson and decided never to let him sleep so close again.


    After washing his face, donning his clergyman robes, and cing his mitre on his head, he headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Everyone was already seated around therge table, chatting and looking ready to start their respective workdays.


    "Good morning," Sylvester greeted Felix as he sat beside him. "How was your night? I hope sleeping on the hard floor wasn''t too bothersome."


    Felix coughed out his tea. "What? No, no¡­ It was actually quitefortable. I wish I could sleep on your floor forever."


    Sylvester scoffed. "I would have allowed it if you didn''t get up so often to drink water."


    "Pfft! Stop teasing them now," Aurora interjected suddenly. "Look at them getting red like tomatoes."


    Sylvester was more focused on Aurora. "How did you know?"


    "I am a Grand Wizard, and I can even sense it in my sleep when doors open and close around me. This isn''t the first time either, as the window is also used sometimes. Felix is quite a scandalous boy," Aurora divulged a secret no one knew.


    "What are you talking about?" Xavia asked, looking puzzled. "Did something happenst night?"


    "I need to go and train!" Felix eximed as he leaped to his feet.


    "I must get to my sses on time," Isabe added as she rushed out with Felix.


    "Oh!" Xavia realized their behavior just then. "Heh¡­ Youngsters."


    Chuckling, Sylvester rose to his feet and headed towards the door. "I must report to the Sanctum Council, so I must depart. Mum, please return early this evening. I will be holding a gathering on the terrace."


    After he left, Xavia muttered something to herself and stood up. "He has grown so much in the past eight months."


    "Anyone would after staying in the Sorrow Kingdom," Aurora added. "The misery and poverty of the people there can change one''s outlook on life merely by looking at it. But he''s been remarkably wise for his age from the start."


    "That''s why I worry for him. I''m¡­ I''m an ordinary woman with little magic in me, Aurora. Meanwhile, he will be a Supreme Wizard and live for centuries toe. I fear for his sanity after I''m gone. I''m his only family, and thews of the Church prohibit him from¡­"


    Aurora concurred. "He has no choice but to remain in the clergy."


    Xavia turned to her, perplexed. "Can''t he remain as a soldier of the Holy Army or Inquisitor? Must he be a celibate clergyman?"


    "Xavia, consider the Church''s standpoint. Is there a more suitable candidate than him for the position of the Pope? Someone more powerful, blessed, and beloved than him? No, there isn''t."


    Xavia slumped her shoulders and sat back down on her chair, feeling anguished. "Then, he will have to fight constantly for the position and ''maybe'' be the Pope in old age? This means he''s damned to eternal solitude."


    "I don''t know, Xavia. Everything is so uncertain with Sylvester¡­ His ascent is too swift¡­ Unnaturally quick¡­ Ah, I must depart as well¡­"


    ¡­


    As Sylvester rode his horse towards the Pope''s Pce, he noticed something peculiar. Clergymen, from the lowest ranks to even Cardinals, stopped in their tracks to greet him with their heads bowed low. It was an unusual greeting that almost felt like they were saluting their superior.


    The scene didn''t change even as he arrived at the Pope''s Pce. There, the Cardinals and everyone else stopped to greet him.


    ''They all seem to worship me. I can sense it through the scents. I can sense it through their mannerisms. It appears my actions and the subsequent propaganda spread by my loyal bards have borne fruit. The paradigm shift is clear, and they are now beginning to believe that taking my side can help them in the long run.''


    "Your Grace, the Council is in session. Please wait here. They will summon you shortly." Gunther, the Pope''s secretary, behaved more formally than ever before.


    Sylvester waited silently. He had not brought Miraj with him, as the Pope could detect him in the enclosed room. So, he gazed at the walls and ceiling.


    "Wait! Is that my portrait on the wall?" Sylvester pointed to a framed painting just outside the Pope''s office door on the left. "Why am I depicted ying a dragon?"


    Gunther chuckled. "His Holiness painted it himself, saying it was only a matter of time before it became a reality. He was too proud of your aplishments, so he hung it on the wall as a disy."


    ''So that''s where all those rumors of me ying a dragon came from? Why is the Pope doing all of this? I''m too young, and he''s nowhere near his retirement age. Why is he helping me win over people?'' Sylvester pondered silently. He knew the Pope was aplex man with many hidden motives that he couldn''t fathom.


    He also knew that the man would likely kill him instantly if he proved to be more of a liability than an asset. Thus, the love and care he received were merely superficial.


    ''Is his support for me only because he dislikes the other options?'' Sylvester pondered.


    Bzzz!


    Suddenly, a small bell chimed on Gunther''s desk. "You may enter, Lord Bard," he announced.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Sylvester adjusted his miter and strode in with a tall posture. He opened the door, took a final nce at the portrait, and stepped inside.


    p!


    p!


    As soon as he entered, he was met by all seven members of the Sanctum Council, standing and apuding him. Their faces wore smiles, and an air of pride emanated from them.


    "You have made us proud, young bard," spoke the Pope. "From the Sorrow Kingdom to Gracia, we have heard nothing but praise for you. From knights to barons, from Dukes to Kings, all have expressed a desire for your presence in theirnds, for they wish to be graced by your presence."


    "Indeed," added Saint Seer, the Chief Spymaster. "Even themoners invoke your name for good fortune now that you have invented a cure for the gue. Meanwhile, the ves of Riveria appear to have made you their patron saint."


    Lastly, the Inquisitor High Lord, concealed behind a red visor, spoke in his typical fanatic tone. "Sinners, whether noble or not, you have vanquished them all in your travels. You have crushed all heathens as if they were nothing but tiny pebbles. The word ''pride'' does not do justice to your name. But I pray, may the heathens forever burn in your me!"


    "Amen," said Saint Wazir. "Please take a seat, Lord Bard. We have a lot to discuss, and we may even have to have lunch and dinner here as well."


    "Proceed, my boy," chirped the Pope, his excitement evident on his face. "Tell us everything about your travels from beginning to end."


    Thankfully, Sylvester had prepared a sheet of bullet points to ensure he wouldn''t forget any details. However, he had to recount it all orally, as there was no way he could have written the thousands of pages-long reports.


    Sylvester began his report. "Until we arrived in the Sorrow Kingdom, we saw nothing of note. But when we reached the vige called Last Hay, we met thete Archbishop Nelson, and from then on, everything came to our attention. The gue..."


    Sylvester revealed everything, omitting only a few personal details. He recounted the first case of the gue, the first encounter with the Widowmakers, and their arrival in the Wailing City.


    He also recounted his journey to the Hignd Kingdom to mediate the ve Rebellion and y Sir Dolorem''s family''s killers.


    In the midst of the meeting, Sylvester was sometimes asked to provide further boration on certain situations. Nheless, he spoke continuously for the most part. Eventually, they took their lunch in the same room, and things resumed until dinnertime, also held in the council room.


    Finally, when midnight arrived, Sylvesterpleted his lengthy report. At that point, many faces exhibited contentment, concern, and shock.


    "This was not an easy assignment," the Pope eximed aloud. "I dispatched you to aid the poor and evaluate the situation, yet you were drawn into something much more substantial. Despite the odds being stacked against you, you attained victory. It is disrespectful to call it a miracle when it is your hard work earned from blood, sweat, and tears. However, why did you kill the two Void Keepers?"


    Sylvester anticipated this question, so he had previously omitted some details. "Your Holiness, would you not be angered if someone killed me? Your disciple?"


    "I would be furious," replied the Pope.


    Sylvester nodded. "Then they had every right to be dead. Spine poisoned me while we were staying there and urged me to step down and flee. She disclosed that there was another person within the clergy who was more qualified to be the next Pope. Not only she, but her entire group seems to have pledged allegiance to that person.


    "Additionally, she showed me an illusion of what she did in Sphinx Town. She revealed how she and her aplices burned my disciple while he cried out in agony! They do not serve the Church! They serve someone else within the walls of this Holy Land. Together, they continue to spread their filth and mock our genuine worship! They deserve to be kill¡ª"


    "Enough!" The Pope interrupted him. "We understand. We will investigate the matterter, and whoever is plotting to be the next Pope while I am still alive will be dealt with."


    Sylvester observed the Pope''s expressions and emotions. He had deliberately disyed an outburst of anger earlier to get a reaction.


    "He appears surprisingly silent about my revtion. It''s as if...he already knows who is the mastermind behind these Void Keepers...But then, why isn''t he doing something?"


    "Young Bard," the Pope addressed him as he stood up. "It''ste at night, so we should conclude this meeting. But before that, for your exceptional service, I have decided to grant you whatever you desire. So speak, and make a wish."


    Sylvester already knew what he wanted.


    "Your Holiness and respected Council, firstly, I want a six-month leave to train with my team. Then I wish to be given what I was refused in the Sorrow Kingdom. I wish to be made a Cardinal Suprima of one Duchy in Gracia." Sylvester requested. "I want to govern the Duchy of Normani, reinforce its defenses against Masan, and aid their resources search in the North. Furthermore, I want to assist them inbating Desert Cannibals, as I have heard those heathens have be increasingly daring now."


    Saint Wazir provided rification on the status of Normani to the Pope. "Your Holiness, the once-in-a-century festival of Desert Cannibals is approaching, which exins the increased activity. Therefore, sending Lord Bard may be the best option to prepare the Duchy for the grander invasions."


    The Pope nodded and walked over to Sylvester, patting his shoulder. "I hoped you would be selfish with your wish, yet you proved me wrong. Very well, I shall grant it."


    With that, the Pope left the office, and Sylvester rejoiced silently. After all, his final n for securing another strong ally was supposed to be in the Duchy of Normani. He remembered the daughter of Duke Normani, the tanned beauty Lady Bethany. She wanted his help in her battle of session in return for her unwavering support for him, given that she was on the verge of bing a Grand Wizard.


    ''With her, I will have a total of six Grand Wizards and one Supreme Wizard aligned with me ¡ª This should be more than enough to begin my final battle for the throne.''


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 Chapter 446 446. Won… But At What Cost?

    ''Help¡­ Anyone¡­ Please!''


    Sylvester abruptly sat up on his bed, his breathing heavy and his body drenched in sweat. The sunlight streaming in through the window illuminated the room brightly, while the birds chirped outside.


    "That girl from my visions¡­ The dreams are growing too frequent." He muttered and brushed his golden locks away from his face, taking a deep breath to calm down.


    It had been three days since his return, and he had fully enjoyed his holiday, as he had nned at the beginning of his six-month leave. He had done nothing but sleep, stayed at home, cooked his own food, and yed music while contemting his next moves.


    He simply wanted to recharge his social battery, as he felt tired of acting holy and blessed in front of the people. Coming up with hymns on the spot was difficult for him. But, he could only afford one day of rest, as he knew his adversaries were active while he wasted time.


    "Chonky, let''s go. I wish to meditate on Soul Tree and try to see a vision." Sylvester got up and dressed in his usual robes.


    Miraj grumbled as he sat by the window. "How could you deceive me into taking a bath? I thought you said Mom needed me, but you trapped me in the bath!"


    Sylvester chuckled and walked near Miraj to stroke his furry head. "Buddy, look how soft you are now. It''s all thanks to the bath. Besides, don''t you want to see Ashra, the Mythril snake?"


    "Ashra? Let''s go then!" Miraj leaped onto Sylvester''s shoulder. "She must be missing us."


    Sylvester felt the same way and set off quickly. He was thest one to awaken that morning, so he was the only one remaining in the house. After breakfast, he rushed out while greeting all the Happy Bright Mothers who now knew their "son" was staying with them.


    He mounted his loyal horse, Frost, and rode to the port. From there, he took a private ferry and soon arrived at the Soul Penins. Since he had permanent permission to enter the location, he simply gave his palm prints to the guards and entered the main forest region.


    "Ashra! Where are you, girl?"


    Boom!


    In a moment, loud booming sounds echoed, followed by the earth shaking as if an earthquake were imminent. Soon, a cloud of dust appeared in the distance, and from the dust emerged the colossal head of an excited snake. If one were not familiar with Ashra, they would be terrified, but for Sylvester, she looked as cute and harmless as a pup.


    Her big eyes opened wide with excitement, and her mouth pressed into a big excited smile. She certainly missed him. That was clear.


    "There''s my girl!" Sylvester treated her like a child and allowed her to approach him. He was no longer afraid of her since his Knight Rank was high enough to avoid being crushed by her.


    Bam!


    Ashra mmed her massive snout into Sylvester''s chest. In response, Sylvester was struck back so hard that his feet dug into the soil. Nheless, he continued tough and pat the excited serpent while his feet prevented him from being pushed back.


    "Haha! Forgive me, dear. I could note to see you sooner. I was far away for the past months." He apologized, knowing that she could understand human speech perfectly. Meanwhile, Miraj acted as Ashra''s trantor, interpreting her simple words.


    "Maxy, she says it''s fine. She was afraid that you forgot about her, so now she''s very happy." Miraj conveyed Ashra''s silent hisses.


    Sylvester shook and hopped onto her head. Then, he patted her between the eyes. "How can I forget about our gigantic Snake Queen? Aren''t we the best of friends?"


    Upon being called her best friend, Ashra wriggled her lengthy tail in excitement, causing a storm of dust and grass. Then, she just closed her eyes and enjoyed Sylvester''s words and pats.


    ''So strange that I get along with these dangerous beasts more than humans.'' Sylvester pondered. ''Perhaps it''s because these creatures are usually simple-minded. Good is good, and bad is bad for them. They don''t scheme. You show them love, and they love you back, it''s that simple.''


    Sylvester spent a few hours ying hide and seek with Ashra. He was possibly one of the only visitors who could y with her and genuinely hide, as she was too overpowering for others. Although during their time, Sylvester discovered that the Pope and Aurora often also came to y with her.


    "Ashra, now you rest here and talk with my invisible guardian angel. I need to go and meditate." He finally finished ying and got serious.


    He climbed a few big branches and sat cross-legged on one of them. Wasting no time, he closed his eyes and attempted to clear his mind while assimting the Srium in the air into his body. He tried to repeat what he used to do before getting a vision.


    Breath in¡­ Breath out¡­ Breath in¡­


    He sat like a statue for an hour. Over time, three more hours passed, and it became hard to keep the mind clear as the doubts rose from the heart.


    ''Did she die? Why can''t I see her in the visions anymore? Thest time I saw her, she was Sold to the Desert Cannibals ¡ª But has it already happened? Or is it about to happen? I should alert all the Bright Mothers to be on the lookout.''


    Having no sess, he opened his eyes and climbed down the branches. He also tried to find more carvings done by the debaucherous Knight, but even with them, he had no luck.


    "Where did Ashra and Chonky go?" He didn''t find the two where he had left them.


    So, he followed the giant marks on the ground. Soon, he arrived at the small shack where once lived the old man. Looking at it made Sylvester miss him. ''Grandpa Monk was too good for this world.''


    "Chonky?" He found Miraj sitting between Ashra''s head and Yogi, the bearpanion of Grandpa Monk.


    "Maxy! I was telling them about our adventures." Miraj chirped excitedly. "I showed them my shiny pebble collection as well."


    ''Only if the world could be as happy as you with just shiny pebbles, the world would have been a much better ce, my friend.'' Sylvester couldn''t help but shake his head at the thought.


    "Come now. We need to visit the Weapons factory and see our Bloodling destroyer," Sylvester called. "I will be back to meet you soon, Ashra."


    The giant snake nodded her head and silently watched Sylvester and Miraj depart. Nheless, she continued conversing with Yogi. They seemed to have formed a good friendship, no matter how strange it seemed.


    ¡­<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Sylvester took the ferry to Pope''s Penins and rode his horse to the C9 Workshop, where they developed weapons. It was one of the departments under the jurisdiction of Cardinal Robert Maxim, who oversaw weapons manufacturing.


    As always, Sylvester underwent numerous security checks before gaining entry to the colossal warehouse. Additional security personnel screened him as he made his way to meet Robert in a small cabin office in the warehouse.


    Hushed whispers spread as he passed other clergymen. He had be too recognizable, and his distinctive golden hair and eyes were unmistakable.


    "Your Grace, good afternoon."


    "Bless me, Your Grace!"


    Some men greeted him, while others remained silent. Understandably so, as they were all researchers or engineers, and their social skills were not their forte. Nevertheless, Sylvester smiled and waved as he passed by.


    He eventually reached his destination. "I hope I am not disturbing you, Your Eminence."


    Cardinal Robert rose to his feet and rushed to greet Sylvester. "Lord Bard! Wee back!"


    Sylvester thanked him and entered, closing the door behind him. He had learned by now that high-ranking clergymen who deeply respected or regarded him as a superior being never addressed him by his rank, which was lower than theirs. Instead, they called him Lord Bard. However, if they wished to convey that they saw him as someone lower than themselves, they called him Lord''s Bard. The difference was small, but the meaning behind it was significant.


    "Thank you, Cardinal. I wanted to inquire about the Srium Light Beam, as the Bloodling menace has be too big of a problem."


    Cardinal Robert quickly moved. "Of course, it has been sitting in the warehouse for the past two months. I was able toplete it rtively quickly after a few trials and tests. Currently, the beam is powerful enough to engulf a bull in its light, but at the same time, the device is small enough to be loaded onto a carriage. I will demonstrate how it works."


    Sylvester asked the most critical question, "Do you think it can work on a Bloodling?"


    The Cardinal shrugged and seemed confused in his response. "I''m not sure, Lord Bard. I tried to direct the beam at all the strongest metals I could find, and the beam melted them all away within a single, one-second strike. I don''t have any stronger materials to test it on."


    Sylvester stroked his smooth, painfully beardless chin as an idea came to his mind. "Perhaps I can be of assistance, Cardinal. I possess a small, fist-sized block of the most potent metal known to humankind¡ªSkygem! I procured it from the nest of a Bloodling after ying it."


    "Are you certain, Lord Bard? Isn''t it too valuable?"


    Sylvester dismissed the concern with a shrug. "It''s fine. Even if the beam only leaves a slight mark on the stone, I''ll deem it a triumph."


    "Understood."


    They arrived at a vast warehouse where the machine stood at one end of the expansive area while the target table was positioned at the other. The contraption was enormous andprised numerous shining lenses. It was indeed magnificent to behold, resembling a flower made of ss and lenses. However, the real enchantmenty beyond the ss, as they were adorned with runes.


    "Lord Bard, please ce the Skygem in that designated area."


    Sylvester walked over to the target slowly, conversing with Miraj to pass the stone. Initially, Miraj objected, as he cherished his stones, but eventually, he gave up after receiving some assurances.


    Sylvester ced the Skygem and returned to stand behind the machine. Operating it was straightforward; one needed only to ce light crystals and srium crystals together. Then, one had to remove the obstruction to allow light to reach the lenses.


    "Close your eyes!" Cardinal advised. "Or you might be blind."


    Sylvesterplied and nced downwards, even forcing Miraj to do the same.


    "Three!"


    "Two!"


    "One!"


    Woosh!


    Sylvester did not hear any sound, but he sensed the warmth in the air and the shift in the air''s flow. He knew the beam had been discharged. He could perceive it as the Srium in the air appeared to react to it.


    However, the sensationsted only three seconds, as the lenses were too weak for extended usage. But the hope was that even a few seconds would suffice against Bloodlings.


    "Lord Bard! You can look now."


    Sylvester did so and gazed at the target area. His jaw dropped as he observed the aftermath of the experiment.


    He hurried to the target area and looked closely¡ªspecifically, the ground.


    "What the! W-Where the hell is my Skygem?"


    "Maxy! Pebble, where?"


    ________________________


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 Chapter 447 447. Money! More Money!

    Pain¡­Loss¡­Grief ¡ª Words were not enough to describe Sylvester''s mood. Yes, he was overjoyed by the effects of the beam as he doubted any Bloodling could survive being hit by it unless they were above Grand Wizard rank. But at the same time, Sylvester painstakingly collected the Skygems in the hopes of one day meeting the Dwarves and getting himself a nice armor forged from it.


    Now, he had one less rock of Skygem. But there was someone even sadder than him, a certain furryd who was promised that his shiny pebble would be safe.


    Depressed, Sylvester shook Cardinal Robert''s hand. "Excellent work, Cardinal. Please construct nine more units like this one, and I will bring the Pope, the Sanctum Council, and especially the Inquisitor High Lord to witness the demonstration once again. I believe this should be more than enough to exterminate those vile creatures."


    "I will put the men to work, Lord Bard. Is there anything else you would like to have built?" The Cardinal inquired.


    ''Well, I know of many things that could be constructed, but regrettably, now is not the time,'' Sylvester told himself and denied it.


    "Not at the moment, Cardinal. I must depart now, as I have much work to do. Take care, and remember to visit your sister from time to time," Sylvester reminded the man, as he always did, to focus on his personal responsibilities too.


    Sylvester then left and rode his horse back to the port. This time, he made his way to the Guild Penins as he desired to purchase a few items before nightfall. He had a particr ce in mind that he wished to visit.


    "Cheer up, Miraj. I will find you another nice pebble," Sylvester consoled the unresponsive cat slumped on his shoulder. "We will be meeting someone special this evening, and you will adore that ce. So prepare yourself."


    "Oh, my pebble¡­"


    Sylvester knew Miraj would not perk up until they reached their destination. Hence, he ceased speaking and focused on shopping. His first stop was a stuffed toy shop.


    "How much for this?" he inquired, selecting a small pig-like plushie.


    The shop owner recognized Sylvester by his eyes and hair instantly. "Y-You are the!"


    "Shh¡­ Do not cause amotion, my friend. Now, how much for this toy?"


    "T-Thirty Bronze Muds, Your Grace¡ªShould I pack it?"


    Sylvester closed his eyes and pondered. "Hmmm¡­ It''s better to be safe. Please pack all of your stock."


    "Understood, Your Grace, I wil¡­ All of them?" The man realized the reality slowly. "There are more than five hundred."


    Sylvester nodded. "Yes, I want all of them as gifts for the children at the orphanage. Those little ones may not have families left, but the church is their family. We are their family. And it''s customary for the family to give gifts."


    The man beamed with a big smile. "In that case, I will give you a ten percent discount on all of them. But I will need to call my wife and daughter to help me pack all this. If you have anything else to purchase in the market, then you may do that instead of waiting here, Your Grace."


    Sylvester showed his thumb and moved ahead. His next destination was a shop that sold sweet dumplings and other snacks. Once again, he ordered six hundred items, as the orphanage staff also deserved some love.


    Then, he went to a clothing store and instructed the owner to measure each child and staff at the orphanage and sew two sets of clothing for them. Furthermore, he repeated the same process with the cobbler.


    He then went to the carpenter and asked him to inspect the orphanage and fix any structural or visual problems. Finally, he also purchased many books, coloring sticks, and other stationery supplies.


    ''I bought so much, and yet this will still only cost me a little over ten thousand Gold Graces. Money well spent, I suppose.''


    Sylvester waited for some of the gifts to be prepared, with the toys and sweets being the most important ones. Then, once he had everything loaded onto long lines of carts, he headed to the vast orphanage on the same Guild Penins.


    The orphanage was named the First Child Orphanage, as it implied all children were equal. It was erected by the twenty-fourth Pope, Brayden Octavian Brook, the Builder. It housed nearly five hundred children and was situated within a secured, highpound wall.


    It was an expansive open area with gardens, ponds, and many buildings, so the children didn''t feel trapped. They studied, yed, and slowly grew into fine individuals.


    Sylvester had sent Amy from the Sorrow Kingdom to reside there. Even a few more children he knew lived there, such as the boy and girl with golden eyes who tried to kill him years ago.


    "Shiny big brother!" The children eximed as soon as Sylvester came into sight.


    He let the children surround him and embrace him, as if they were little puppies. They shouted, jumped, and rejoiced upon seeing him.


    But when carts filled with sweets rolled in, their noses were activated. Their stomachs growled, and excitement grew stronger.


    ''Who said money can''t buy happiness? If not for oneself, it can certainly make these little ones happy.'' Sylvester thought and entered the main building.


    ¡­


    Sylvester spent the entire night at the orphanage, singing melodies for the children, telling them stories of the world, and uplifting their spirits to excel in their studies. Later, they indulged in a nighttime barbecue and enjoyed ice cream before retiring for the night.


    The following morning, Sylvester taught the children the benefits of light exercise and meditation, which they followed attentively, cherishing every moment.


    However, the time for farewell had arrived, and many saddened faces and teary eyes met him. Nevertheless, Sylvester promised to return and meet them soon and even arranged a monthly ice cream night for them, believing it was the least he could do. After all, he saw his own reflection in their plight.


    "Where to now, Maxy? Home?"


    "First, to Bard''s. I need to evaluate if Darius managed everything well," replied Sylvester as he rode out of the Holy Land.


    Darius Vulcan Marcellus was a ve nobleman whom Sylvester purchased and freed. Banished by his father, Darius possessed an exceptional memory, making him the ideal executive assistant to manage all of Sylvester''s financial affairs under a Blood Contract.


    Pa!


    Pa!


    As Sylvester approached thest corner, he heard a loud explosion of noiseing from his restaurant, causing him to hurry.


    "You can do it, Bok! You are the champion!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Not today! Mobin shall win today!"


    To Sylvester''s shock, he witnessed arge crowd gathered around a long table, where five people werepeting to devour the most chicken wings, evident by the stacks of tes before them.


    Pa!


    Firecrackers were also being lit every few minutes to excite the crowd''s enthusiasm. Even the spectators were gobbling down food, holding tes in one hand and drinks in the other.


    "Ten!"


    "Nine!"


    A countdown began, and thepetitors went berserk, devouring chicken wings as fast as possible.


    Ting! Ting!


    The bell rang loudly, prompting all five to cease eating. Darius then approached the table to evaluate the contenders'' progress.


    "Neither Bok nor Mobin! Today''s winner is¡­ Lady Bell!"


    The crowd erupted into cheers, hailing the sole female participant in the eatingpetition. In due time, Darius presented the victorious woman with a golden trophy and a mary prize of five Gold Graces.


    Sylvester was taken aback by the spectacle since he had not nned nor suggested any of it. He rode his horse closer to the establishment, dismounted, and entered. The people and Darius noticed him, causing him to hurry inside.


    Inside the building, Sylvester noticed that all the seats were full and tables were huddled with tes and food; clearly, the people were letting themselves go. He also saw a few new faces among those serving the food and cleaning the floor. Meanwhile, the Kitchen also had a bigger staff of ten cooks.


    "Your Grace! You''re back!" Darius saluted in church style.


    Sylvester nodded and headed to the stairs. On the way to his office on the second floor, he noticed the first floor''s seating reserved for nobles and the rich was also full. The business was booming quite evidently.


    ''Did I just find my diamond in the rough?''


    "What was happening outside?" Sylvester demanded sternly upon sitting behind his office desk.


    Darius stood before the desk, nervous. "Your Grace¡­ I thought it would be beneficial to host specialpetitions once a month to promote our establishment and offer small discounts to attract crowds. F-Forgive me. I did this without asking¡­ I will stop it."


    "..."


    Sylvester was silent for a few seconds, increasing the poor man''s anxiety. Then Sylvester suddenly stood up and walked over to him. "You will stop it now, will you?"


    "I''m sorry, Your G¡­"


    Pat!


    "Haha! I''m extremely proud of you, Darius! You''re a brilliant mind, my friend!" Sylvester bellowed in praise. "The lively atmosphere outside was exactly what I envisioned for the Bard''s. Happy faces mean happy coffers! You''re a marketing genius, Darius! Tell me, what else did you do? I truly wish to know."


    Darius was unsure if Sylvester was genuinely pleased or sarcastically furious. "Are you really happy, Your Grace?"


    "Happy? I''m ecstatic!"


    Darius felt the weight lift off from his shoulder, and he informed everything. "Your Grace, two new branches of Bard''s have opened in Green City, and it''s the most popr food destination in there. I have already ordered two more branches to be opened, as the crowd is too big. I have created a standardized contract and training method for all our employees. The cooks, however, are forced to sign a magical contract that would inform us if they broke the secrecy vow of the recipes."


    Sylvester felt content. "How much total revenue have we generated from all our ie streams? Including the royalties I received from the nobility and the money-lending business in the Rosewood Barony?"


    "In the past eight months, we''ve amassed three million Gold Graces. Presently, our monthly ie stands at six hundred thousand. Given that the continent is rtively peaceful and business is thriving, it will increase."


    Sylvester sucked in a cold breath. It was an astronomical sum of money, but it still wasn''t enough for his grand ambitions.


    "Open two branches in Sand City, three in the Trade Corridor of Riveria, one in Gravel City, one in Fort Sunflower, one in each School of Magic and Knighthood, and finally, one branch inside the Holy Land, right in the Pope''s Penins," Sylvestermanded.


    It was too much, Darius thought. "So many, Your Grace? Shouldn''t we focus on gradual growth?"


    Sylvester shook his head. "No, exponential growth is the path to true wealth. I want our monthly revenue to reach at least one million. But, even then, we must continue expanding throughout the Sol ¡ª maybe even try Masan."


    Darius felt a bit dizzy, unable toprehend the scale already. Being an ex-son of a simple Viscount, he had never seen so much money. But again, he was arrogant and ignorant before, much different from now.


    "What will you do with all this money, Your Grace? More business?" he asked.


    Sylvester agreed. "Yes, business, of course."


    ''Along with raising an army and toppling a few governments ¡ª good old CIA style,''


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 Chapter 448 448. A Conspiracy?

    Sylvester, content and optimistic about the future, made his way to thebyrinth below Bard''s establishment, which was constantly under construction to amodate new rooms. At the time, approximately thirty grand hall-like rooms had been erected, some even resembling small amphitheaters.


    The concrete floor was wellid, while the walls were made up of clean bricks covered with concrete. The corridors were illuminated by light crystals that were triggered by motion, saving energy stored in the Srium crystals.


    Thebyrinth was so deep underground that although loud noises could be heard from many rooms, no sound escaped the undergroundplex. The secret was safe and secured behind many blood contracts. Sylvester didn''t like it but had to do it to maintain the secrecy.


    Sylvester had obligations with the many bards about writing down their hymns and the various exciting news they''de across. So, there was a need for constant use of the printing press and also paper making.


    Sylvester''s forte was building things, and as long as it didn''t require electricity or software, he could make mechanical items. With the printing press already in hand, he designed a paper-making machine called The Fourdrinier. It was a single-unit, big machine that used steam to move various rollers, presses, and dryers.


    Sylvester had only provided the designs, and the rest of the job was up to ves. Yes, ves, a total of sixty of them that permanently lived inside thebyrinth. Having signed the Blood Contracts, they were barred from leaving the facility, speaking about their work, location, or Sylvester to anyone.


    They were promised freedom after five years of good service, but in reality, Sylvester had chosen them because they were murderers and rapists, already considered dead by churchws. Hence, their freedom was their death.


    The ves were under the leadership of a learned man who could read and write better than the others. He was responsible for printing, and his keen eye helped identify any errors.


    "How many copies of Devil''s Manifesto have been made?" asked Sylvester sternly, without bothering to recall their names since they would eventually be reced.


    "We spent an entire week working solely on the book, Your Grace. Since we already had the typeset for the pages, it was fast. Right now, we have six thousand copies of Devil''s Manifesto. We could have done more, but we ran out of space." The head ve informed subserviently, head held low, not daring to look in the eyes.


    Being the Head ve, he enjoyed a slightly better life than the rest. He had his own room and better food. Although none of the ves were genuinely suffering, he still preferred his current status.


    "No, that will suffice. Focus on your monthly Bard''s booklet issue," Sylvester stated, uncertain of where to distribute so many copies of his books. "Do you have any requests?"


    The Head ve shook his head. "We are content, Your Grace. If we were sold elsewhere, we''d endure a much worse fate: beatings, starvation, and forcedbor. This is more than we could ever hope for ¡ª sustenance, lodging, clean attire, and baths ¡ª we are grateful."


    ''Well, you were being taken to your death sentence.''


    Sylvester got up to leave. "In that case, I will leave. Make sure you hand over the monthly booklets to Darius on time. Any dy will result in extra work."


    "Understood, your grace!"


    Sylvester exited thebyrinth and departed from the Bards. Since everything was progressing smoothly, he decided to allow the money-making machine to function independently and not attempt to fix something that was not broken.


    He mounted his horse and rode into the Holy Land with a multitude of thoughts swimming in his mind. ''My training begins tomorrow. However, I must keep my metal maniption a secret for now and attempt maic maniption covertly. Normal people do notprehend how the Spear of Infinity operates, so they will never connect the dots."


    Along the way, he gazed about and contemted what he could invent next to spread his name further among themoners. He wanted people to riot on his behalf if he were to be refused the seat of the Pope in the future.


    Bam!


    As Sylvester nced ahead, he witnessed a man attempting to cross the street and falling after stepping into horse manure. It was the most frequent source of fall injury across the continent. Yet, at the same time, it was impossible to prevent as horses were necessary.


    "Argh¡­ Not again!"


    Sylvester continued on his way, observing the man groan and curse the horses. Fortunately, Sylvester''s horse did not take offense to that, and they eventually arrived at Bright Mother''s housing.


    ''Hmm¡­ What can I make that is easy and only requires mechanical engineering?''


    As he climbed the stairs of his building, he thought of the elevator. However, it was simple to create with magic and runes. Moreover, it could only be used in the Holy Land or castles where floors were excessively high.


    "Wait a minute¡­ Why don''t I build a bicycle? It can be highly popr amongmoners residing in cities as an inexpensive means of transportation within the city. It can be useful even in the Holy Land since clergymen are always on the move. I also have Viscount Mineworth sitting in Hignd with no industry other than mining. He can be the biggest manufacturer of bicycles!''


    He liked the n a lot. So with fire in his eyes, he shut himself in his house and drew the designs on a clean piece of paper. Since he already understood its structure, it was simple to make. The only sophisticated item he included in the design was two metallic springs beneath the seat for a smoother ride.


    ''Perhaps I should ask the Duchess of Iceling to utilize her abundant forest resources to gather rubber and process it for the tire-making process. It may start slowly, but the industry will surely growrge soon.''


    By the end of the day, Sylvester was done with the paper designs, and all that remained was making a working product. He was even excited to make it as he wished to test his metal maniption abilities. If it worked well, he could imagine making greater things in the distant future.


    "Let''s go and purchase some steel first. Miraj, are youing?"


    "Nyo¡­ Let me sleep." Miraj sleepily replied while resting by the window and getting his beauty sunbath since the winter wasing.


    "Alright, I''ll be back in an hour."


    Sylvester put a tiny thin quilt on Miraj and left soon after. He knew he was not doing what he should focus on ¡ª training. But simultaneously, he wished to rx a little and enjoy the mundane things.


    ''Constant killing and fighting can easily lead to a decline in my morality and conscience ¡ª I can''t stop interacting withmon folks. Otherwise, I''ll be like those inquisitors.''


    ¡­


    Just like that, a few days passed. Sylvester resumed his training, opting to do it in the enormous arena beneath the Pope''s Pce. He obtained special permission to bring his entire team there so that they could train and develop a synchronized fighting style.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Sylvester didn''t want to encounter a situation like when Felix was captured by the Mountain Barbarians. Therefore, he needed to ensure that each team memberplimented the others'' weaknesses so that none of them would be a liability.


    However, he halted his training as an important day had arrived. Sylvester headed to the weapon''s warehouse once more. It was a momentous day since the Pope, the entire Sanctum Council and the whole Council of Thirty-two would witness the Srium Light Beam in action. It was crucial to satisfy them as constructing the beam machine was expensive, and outfitting the entire Inquisition with it required spending tens of millions of Gold Graces.


    However, that day, he didn''t travel on his usual horse and rather used his fabulous, freshly built bicycle with a basket at the front for the good boy Miraj to sit and eat the wind. The tires moved smoothly on the well-built road of the Holy Land. The springs under the seats absorbed any small bumps.


    He first stopped at the gates and shocked the guards with his strange ride. Then, he surprised the guards at the warehouse gates again. But, since he was an Archbishop, none stopped him.


    Tring! Tring!


    Sylvester rang the bell on his bicycle handle as he entered the warehouse and approached the crowd of elderly, white-haired men. He attempted to gain their attention with the noise and eventually seeded.


    As the Pope and Inquisitor High Lord rose, the rest of the men stood up and watched Sylvester draw nearer. Their expressions were nk, and their eyes widened with confusion. They tried to think what the hell Sylvester was riding. They were not fools, though, and could easily perceive the mechanical process. The chain connected with the pedals that propelled the rear wheel, and the front wheel was steered with a handle. It was an ingenious design, many thought.


    Sylvester finally came to a stop in front of the Pope, beaming with the confidence of a young entrepreneur, industrialist, millionaire religious fanatic.


    Tring! Tring!


    "What do you think about my ride, Your Holiness? No longer will the streets be soiled with horse excrement, nor will my fellow clergymen slip and fall upon it."


    "..."


    "Hmph... What in the name of humor is thi¡ª"


    "THIS IS BRILLIANT!" The Pope bellowed, silencing the anti-Sylvester Cardinal. "Did you invent this, young bard?"


    "I did. It''s called a bicycle."


    The Pope approached the bicycle and inspected it closely while stroking his lustrous white beard. He appraised the mechanics and nodded approvingly. "How much does it cost?"


    Sylvester pondered for a moment. "I created it in a single day, but given enough time, even non-magicalmoners can construct one within a day. They just need to streamline the production of all theponents. I believe Two hundred Bronze Mud should suffice for a normal-grade iron bicycle, which they canter paint. As for a steel-made bicycle, I think a Silver will do."


    Considering one thousand bronze made one silver, and one hundred silver made one gold, the bicycle was genuinely cheap.


    "This is brilliant, young bard. I detested the smell of horse manure in the Holy Land. I willmission one for each low-ranked clergyman this¡­"


    "Bicycle!" Sylvester interjected, overjoyed that he had already secured a buyer. "But let''s focus on our main objective for now."


    Sylvester dismounted, lowered the side stand, and let the bicycle stand on its own. He moved towards the Srium-Light Beam, where Cardinal Robert stood, prepared to demonstrate.


    "I have already informed them of its functionality and effects, as well as your... Skygem pulverizing."


    Sylvester and Miraj''s eyes flickered with a hint of sadness upon hearing the mention. Nevertheless, they shook their heads and concentrated on the task at hand.


    "Thank you, Your Eminence. Today we will test it with Mythril." Sylvester produced arge rock with a silver color and faint blue tint. It was shed from Ashra''s skin.


    He quickly ced it at the target spot and returned. "Please bring out the crystals."


    He then addressed the others. "Please close your eyes, or you may risk going blind."


    Momentarily, Cardinal Robert initiated the customary countdown. "Three¡­ Two¡­ One!"


    .


    .


    .


    "Ah, I don''t see anything happening." A Cardinal spoke up, a hint of mockery in his voice present.


    Sylvester opened his eyes and immediately fixed his gaze on a group of Cardinals.


    ''They didn''t close their eyes... As if...''


    ________________________


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 Chapter 449 449. The Shadow Of Roars

    Sylvester had a keen sense for detecting conspiracies, both figuratively and literally. He smelled the confusion and doubts among them, but some smelled of sweet aroma, showing their joy in his failure.


    ''These fools are digging their own graves.''


    He proceeded to examine the apparatus, opening the crystal holder box to inspect its contents. "The Light Crystal has no Srium remaining, Your Eminence," he informed Cardinal Robert.


    The Cardinal furrowed his brow, feeling uncertain. "But they were freshly taken out of storage. Let me examine the others."


    Cardinal Robert opened a small wooden box beside him and peered inside. The crystals sparkled brilliantly within, but as soon as he removed them, he noticed them slowly fading away.


    In a frenzy, he scrutinized the remaining crystals and discovered something peculiar. "Strange...The bottom row of stacked crystals isposed of empty Srium crystals that have seemingly absorbed the Srium from the Light crystals."


    Sylvester was well aware that this was likely sabotaged by the Council. "Do you not have more?"


    "Crystals are costly, Lord Bard. This crate was our only supply of Light Crystals," Cardinal Robert responded, disappointed in himself as he, too, suspected sabotage.


    "In that case, our visit here was a waste of time," a Cardinal remarked. "Lord Bard, please be more attentive in the future. We put aside our work to witness this demonstration."


    ''What''s this? Office politics? How are they so dumb and yet so smart?''


    "You need help, Sylvester?" Aurora came to him and offered. Being a Guardian and member of Inquisiton, she had the right to be there. "I can quickly go and bring some."


    "No need. We have the greatest light source right here," Sylvester replied, stretching his shoulders. "Stay put and prepare to be astonished."


    Sylvester advanced toward the apparatus and ced his palm on the area where the light was supposed to enter and propagate through the lenses and mirrors.


    Sylvester red at the group of five Cardinals who failed toplyst time. "Do not cry in agonyter if you cannot follow a simple instruction!... Esteemed Clergymen."


    "Three!"


    "Two!"


    "One!"


    Woosh!


    Sylvester also shut his eyes and conjured a bright spot of light on his palm, touching the contraption. In an instant, the enchantment took effect, and the wide beam of light struck the designated area. However, unlike the previous attempt, Sylvester maintained the beam for the full five-second limit.


    The scorching heat in the atmosphere was palpable, and the aroma of something burning wafted in the air. It was frightening to some, considering a mechanical device was the source of such power. Nevertheless, it was also agonizing for Sylvester as his palm started to blister from the scorching hot apparatus.


    Then, he abruptly ceased and stepped back, gazing at the charred flesh on his palm. "You may open your eyes."


    Immediately, the Pope stood up. "The wall is gone!"


    Saint Wazir ecstatically cheered. "As always, we can rely on Lord Bard''s inventions! The Mythril is gone; even the concrete wall behind it has a hole. However, there is one question, Lord Bard. How do you suppose the Inquisitors use such an instrument if they can''t see and aim at the Bloodling?"


    Sylvester looked at Cardinal Robert. "Your Eminence, let His Holiness try the prototype."


    The Cardinal handed Sylvester a small metallic box. He opened it and retrieved what appeared to be sunsses with metallic rectangr frames and ck lenses.


    "Your Holiness, please put these on." He requested and then conjured a bright orb of light over his hand.


    "Ah!" eximed the Pope. "I see the light clearly, but the rest is very faint! I understand how this can function, Young Bard. The Inquisitors can first throw ordinary light crystals inside the Bloodling Lair and then direct this magnificent weapon at them. Have you considered a name for this cannon?"


    Sylvester shrugged. "I simply call it Srium-Light Beam, Your Holiness."


    "That won''t suffice," objected the Pope, returning the sses. "This remarkable weapon is the Bard''s Blessing ¡ª a manifestation of Solis'' grace upon us. With the eradication of Bloodlings, uninhabitable, resource-rich areas will be avable once again, and the lives of many Inquisitors and Holy Army Soldiers will be spared. Furthermore, I believe that manyrger and smaller versions of this ingenious tool can be employed against the Dark creatures of Beastaria. Therefore, at the very least, we must name the category of this weapon. I propose the name¡­Maximilian Cannon."


    "A brilliant choice." Saint Wazir, Saint Seer, and the rest of the Sanctum Council agreed.


    However, it was a different story for the Council of Thirty-two. They wanted to speak but dared not do so, as the heavyweights of the Church had already reached a consensus.


    "Young Bard." Suddenly, the Inquisitor High Lord strode closer to Sylvester, towering over him with his colossal height further elevated by his iconic conical red steel hat. But the man never appearedical with it; instead, it was frightening, as his visor always remained on, with his eyes shining red.


    Sylvester smiled and greeted him. "Lord Inquisitor, I hope you are satisfied with this cannon. With this, thousands of holy men will no longer have to perish fighting evil."


    The Inquisitor High Lord patted Sylvester''s shoulder, his hand sorge that it did not even fit on his shoulder. "Times may change, but you have remained the same. With your blessed inventions, you put all our worship to shame. This weapon that you have gifted to the Inquisition, we shall never forget. If you ever require assistance, ask, for we are in your eternal debt."


    Sylvester''s heart raced as he felt the words of the Lord Inquisitor carried a different weight when spoken in front of the Pope and the entire Elders Council. It was no simple promise, but a vow of personal help, and that personal help could be anything.


    "Hah!" The Popeughed and patted Sylvester''s other shoulder. "Indeed, we are all in your debt, young bard. Everything you have aplished these past months has brought immense peace and purity to the realm. Unlike some people who know nothing better than to sit in their luxurious offices and ''work,'' you have actually gone out and made a difference. The light of the Lord has never shone this bright on Sol before."


    "Pfft..." Saint Wazir couldn''t help but emit a small snort, holding back hisughter. Clearly, verbal arrows were shot at unsuspecting targets, and they pierced the hearts, as evident by the ugly faces.


    Saint Medico, Saint Keymaster, and Aurora also struggled to contain theirughter.


    "Enough talk!" The Pope stepped back. "Return to your workstations. Lord Inquisitor, take some of the cannons and use them to train the Inquisitors on weaker Bloodlings. Once they are proficient, send them out in teams!"


    Lord Inquisitor lowered his head before leaving. "It shall be done, Your Holiness."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The Pope then turned to Sylvester. "Come with me, Young Bard. I have something important to discuss with you. Join me in my carriage."


    Sylvester wasted no time as he sensed another promising opportunity or possible misfortune heading his way. He handed his bicycle to Aurora, cradled Miraj in his arms, and followed the Pope.


    Of course, being a proud woman, Aurora also tried to ride the vehicle like Sylvester. But soon enough, she made a new friend that day ¡ª her face and the road.


    ¡­


    In no time, the carriage arrived at the Pope''s Pce.


    As Sylvester followed the man, he found himself climbing the stairs with no end in sight. He had never been to higher floors before and didn''t even know what existed there, making it quite exciting.


    He nced fleetingly at the long corridors as he passed each floor''s entrance. He could see words written on some doors, along with the upant''s name.


    ''Cardinal Marnd, Head of Poption Census. Cardinal Woundy, Head of Agriculture Oversight... This seems like a government building from my time. So organized and nned. No wonder the Church has remained the continent''s hegemon for so long. They have kept the best governance model a secret to themselves. But how will things change as the new Sorrow Kingdom applies the same method?''


    "We are going to the roof to sit and talk, Young Bard," the Pope said. "Also, I know it''s your holiday, but I hope you can visit the Sanctum Investigator''s headquarters asionally. What can I say? You have spoiled me by being the greatest investigator. If I may say so, I want you to train the other investigators to be... better."


    Sylvester had no reason to deny it. "I''ll do it, Your Holiness."


    "That will be great, and we have arrived."


    The Pope ced his palm on the massive twin doors, which shone for a moment and automatically opened, instantly filling the area with a soothing breeze and the calming chirping of birds.


    Sylvester was awestruck as he walked out. As far as he could see, it was all greenery and animals, as if he had entered a new dimension.


    "Hah, I love the first reactions." the Pope eximed as he led Sylvester. "The entire pce terrace is covered with small forests, grasnds,kes, fountains, and gardens. There is even a hot spring for bathing. This area is reserved for me and the Sanctum council to rx and contemte peacefully. Come, let us sit in the grasnd and talk."


    Sylvester followed behind, taking in the plethora of animals, from ducks in theke to healthy deer walking around the trees.


    "Sit," the Pope said, finally settling down on the green grass under the bright sky. In no time, a cute young fawn also came and sat on the Pope''sp.


    Sylvester sat beside him. ''What does he want from me? Isn''t this ce restricted for me?''


    "Did you see those floors on your way here?" the Pope began. "All these floors belong to various departments under each Saint of the Sanctum Council. I am considering giving you the top floor."


    Sylvester''s head turned abruptly. "The top floor?"


    "Indeed! You have excelled in dealing with all sorts of crises, be they political, humanitarian, natural, or supernatural. So I wish to create a new position in the Sanctum Council ¡ª Saint Light, the overseer of Common Affairs. Your task will be to uplift the peasant ss in mind, body, etiquette, and ie through various human development ns while ensuring their loyalty to Solis."


    Sylvester saw the underlying meaning. "You will make me a Saint?"


    "I will try to."


    ''This is even worse than bing a Cardinal. I will be painting a target on my back, but can I even refuse?''


    "Your Holiness, what ab¡­"


    Woosh!


    "Ugh!" The Pope grunted and looked up. "Where did these cloudse from so sudde¡ª"


    Sylvester looked up as well since the entire rooftop forest suddenly darkened under a strong shadow.


    "W-What the!"


    Neither Sylvester nor the Pope spoke. Their faces turned pale in an instant as if they had stopped breathing. The birds and animals cried out in reaction. In a moment, the distant bells of distress rang throughout the Holy Land, and every single penins activated the shining distress beacons, casting a vertical beam of light into the sky.


    The warm, soothing aura ceased to exist, and only strong gusts of stormy wind came directly from the sky, for the shade was not cast by a cloud. The scent of death overwhelmed everything as if the world hade to its final end, and there was no escaping.


    Sylvester gathered himself and jumped to his feet. "S-So many¡­Dragons! Attack?"


    WRAAAAAAAAAAA!


    Deafening, sky-shattering, and earth-shaking ¡ª The united roars of countless dragons in the sky shook the hearts of every being across thousands of miles.


    The Pope, however, appeared unnaturally calm. But his eyes revealed a hint of tears and horror.


    "Y-Young Bard¡­ This is¡­ an omen¡­ T-The Thousand-Year War is about to resume!"


    ________________________


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 Chapter 450 450. Future In Haze

    Sylvester''s heart sank at the words. He was unprepared for it. His ns had not even reached the final stage, let alonepletion. Nor was he strong enough to participate in the war and survive until the end.


    WRAAA!


    A deafening roar echoed through the air, as the Dragons circled above the Holy Land. Unfortunately, the mere sound caused many weak-hearted individuals to copse, never to awaken again.


    "Y-Your Holiness! Won''t they attack?" Sylvester asked, struggling to speak coherently as he felt such fear after a long time. A single dragon in the sky wasrger than a five-story building. Its scales shimmered as if imbued with magic, and its eyes sparkled with an all-knowing gaze.


    nk!


    Sylvester took his spear in his hands. "Why so sudden?"


    "Calm down, Young Bard," the Pope finally spoke, kneeling while gazing upward. "They won''t attack, for they are noble beings ¡ª at least this sect is. These are the Divine Dragons from the ancient sect of Dragons that have remained peaceful for thousands of years. They have mastered the art of divination and, thus, appear to warn us before every ominous grand asion ¡ª like now! Thest time they were seen, Pope Desmond Jarl was murdered in Beastaria, marking the beginning of the Thousand Years War!"


    Sylvester''s hands loosened his grip on the spear and looked at the sky. The Dragons were magnificent, looking ancient and full of magic, so frightening and yet beautifully soaring in the skies.


    "Look at their scales," the Pope directed. "Divine Dragons can be recognized by their deep shining green scales and red scales on their limbs. In addition, their wings bear naturally forming patterns of moon and sun on each side."


    Sylvester focused on the Dragons and noticed the patterns on their wings. "Why did theye here to warn us? Isn''t this akin to betraying their own kind?"


    "They are outcasts," the Pope exined. "Millennia ago, they were chased away by the rest of their kind. Since then, they have lived in the Wishkeypeak Mountains, home of the dwarves. They provide the Dwarves security in return for peaceful istion within the mountain caves."


    "Wraaaa!"


    Soon, just as the dragons appeared, with their echoing distant roars, they vanished back to the East, returning to their homnd of Beastaria. However, many ears still rang with the growls, and eyes could not forget the frames of the flying fire-breathing fortresses.


    For the elder clergymen, it was a moment of sorrow, as they had witnessed the devastating effects of war after having fought in them. But, on the other hand, the younger clergymen were fearful, as they had never encountered such a threat before.


    As for Sylvester, he felt nothing but dissatisfaction, for he had always known that war would inevitably resume. Nevertheless, he had hoped to be prepared before it did. The swift return of the war meant he would have to rush his ns.


    ''I should stop my training here and instead focus on honing my skills while on the move, fighting stronger foes. The more I endure... The more I grow.'' His eyes brimmed with determination. Although there was a risk of death, it was now necessary.


    "What now, Your Holiness?" He asked, extending his hand to help the Pope to his feet.


    Sighing, the old man slowly rose to his feet. "Now, we must alter our ns. When I agreed to the peace treaty, I knew this day woulde. Hence, I devised a n, and it is time to implement it. Of course, I would appreciate your input if you have any suggestions, as you appear to be adept at managing crises."


    Sylvester did not perceive any mockery or detect any negative emotions. The Pope seemed to have genuine faith in his abilities. Nevertheless, Sylvester was at a loss. ''Perhaps I could have done something if I had a few more years to prepare. After all, my father is the Elven King. I am unsure what kind of person he is, but I should have been able to manipte him given that he loved Mum enough to protect her and allow her to escape.''


    "Pray, I guess."


    "Haha!" The Pope burst intoughter. "Indeed, we shall require an abundance of blessings. However, thanks to you, we have our affairs under control. The Riveria-Gracia issue is resolved, Hignd is producing food, and the Sorrow Kingdom is restored. Now, our only concern is our borders with Masan, as they may be ambitious while supporting us in the war. Come, we cannot remain idle while the realm is in turmoil."


    Sylvester followed the Pope and descended the stairs to the ground floor, where the Pope''s office was situated. As anticipated, it was in disarray, with high-ranking clergymen, from Archbishops to Cardinals, rushing to the Pce seeking answers and guidance. Confusion was rampant as there was no defined protocol for dealing with dragons.


    It was so loud in the corridors and hallways that Sylvester could not even hear his own voice. But he stayed beside the Pope, who was bing furious with each passing moment, as evidenced by the scents Sylvester detected.


    ''All of these old clergymen¡­ I don''t see any of the warrior ones. All of these are so-called administrative workers who supposedly hold power over those who work in the field ¡ª spineless bunch."'' Sylvester noticed.


    "SILENCE!" The Pope bellowed. "I saw the Dragons, and they didn''te to attack us. But in response, the Holy Land shallmence its war preparations. Return to your workstations and await instructions! You served Solis in peace; now it''s time to fight in plight! Any deserters shall be deemed heathens and executed ¡ª Move!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The words could not be more swift and imposing. All knew if they still caused trouble, they''d have to worry about the Pope''s fury before ever facing the Dragons. So they slowly began to leave the Pope''s Pce.


    "Gunther!" The Pope called for his assistant, who was nearby overseeing the departure of all the clergymen. "Summon the Sanctum Council to the chamber."


    Afterward, the Pope strode toward the council meeting room. "Follow me, Young Bard. You should get ustomed to sitting on the Council from now on."


    Sylvester was thinking of going home and seeing Xavia, as he knew she was likely frightened by the dragons. But he couldn''t forsake his duty and trailed the Pope into the windowless room, constructed of white stone from the walls to the tables and chairs.


    "Sit beside me and learn. The Sanctum Council, although serving the realm under my guidance, can be challenging to deal with in some circumstances, particrly if you are not strong enough. In the past, before I took over, a majority of the Popes were mere Grand Wizards. That meant they were on the same power level as their Council. This sometimes resulted in the Council attempting to impose their will on some Popes, and in many instances, they seeded. But remember, Young Bard, absolute power is always respected, and weakness is always trampled!"


    ''Why does this feel like training for assuming his position instead of simple council work?'' Sylvester wondered, pondering whether the Pope was skeptical about his own survival in the impending war.


    "Understood, Your Holiness." He replied.


    Knock Knock!


    Soon enough, council members arrived one after the other, filling up the seats. The final arrival was Lord Inquisitor, who was preparing for the bloodling eradication expedition. However, their ns were about to change.


    "I trust you have all seen the dragons," began the Pope. "War is imminent, and the bugle has been sounded. Saint Seer, be vignt for any whispers. Infiltrate even the most remote locations. Saint Wazir, dere a continental emergency, and all military forces are now under mymand. Furthermore, send out the red letters to all the nobles and inform them of what''s toe."


    The Pope then turned to Saint Medico. "Prepare for mass casualties. This time ensure the dead are burned, not buried in a ditch. We cannot risk more Bloodlings. And Saint Keymaster, it''s time to be wiser with our expenditures. Redirect funds to weapon production.


    "Atst, Inquisitor High Lord, you are to takemand of both the Holy Army and the Inquisitors. Bring them all to eradicate the Bloodlings and let it serve as their initial training for what''s toe. Remember, my fellow believers! The moment we lose the war is the moment we lose our faith! Therefore, to protect it, be prepared for anything you can imagine¡ªeven if it means making sacrifices."


    It was clear that the Pope was referring to the fact that they could all die in the war. So they had toe to terms with that stark reality.


    However, one man in the room remained silent, neither speaking nor being spoken to. This mysterious man was Saint Scepter, the right-hand man of the Pope and the only Shield of Solis. His face was concealed under a shining white mask and robes, yet his eyes showed his sharp intellect.


    "Saint Scepter," the Pope finally addressed him. "As the second most powerful man in the Holy Land, I need you to gather all the Grand Wizards avable in Sol¡ªfrom east to west!"


    Saint Scepter bowed his head. "Understood, Your Holiness."


    After giving instructions to the others, the Pope turned to Sylvester. His voice and expressions had an uneasy sense of tension and restlessness. Nevertheless, he spoke quickly and gave orders quickly. "I am appointing Archbishop Sylvester as the Saint Light, the overseer of Common Affairs. His expertise in handling crises will be invaluable. Above all, he will help us manage themoners to prevent riots.


    "However, Archbishop Sylvester, I have an assignment for you first. As we know, our only threat in our backyard is now from the West. So, I need you to head to the Duchy of Normani earlier than nned. Ensure the borders are secure and make any necessary changes, but make sure that Sandwall County never falls. For if it does, Masan will stop at nothing!"


    Sylvester stood up and saluted. "I understand, Your Holiness. I will leave immediately."


    ''And there strikes the legendary luck of Sylvester Maximilian.'' Sylvester mumbled to himself while receiving orders. ''At least it''s Felix''s homnd.''


    "Tomorrow evening, I shall convene a Grand Council. Inform all Cardinals that I require a report about their respective departments. If they cannot provide it, they will be demoted to Acolyte!" ordered the Pope. "Dismissed!


    ________________________


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 Chapter 451 451. The Popes Fury

    Sylvester did not feel like sitting or even wasting time eating. He had limited time and a lot to aplish. Tying up loose ends, dispatching letters to all his subordinates across the kingdoms, and providing them with directives for the future ¡ª he needed to do everything on the go since the Pope''s instructions were to depart for the Duchy of Normani immediately.


    However, he was determined to postpone it for at least one night, so he could spend some time with Xavia and tell her some important things for her own safety. He needed to address everything from whom to contact in case of an emergency to where to hide if something happened.


    Quickly, he arrived home and, as expected, found Felix, Gabriel, Isabe, Zeke, and Xavia there, appearing anxious and terrified. None of them were sitting, and as soon as Sylvester entered, they all spoke at once.


    "What happened? Is everything all right?"


    Sylvester sighed and informed them of his recent appointment to the Sanctum Council. Then he began to assign them their next tasks. "The war is approaching, so we must prepare. Gab, you will stay here in case any danger arises for your sister and my mother. Zeke, you will stay as my mother''s guardian. Sir Dolorem will likely be sent to deal with the Bloodlings with the Inquisition, and Bishop Lazark is a Bishop and a Sanctum Inspector in his own right, so he won''t be joining us either since there are other crucial tasks to be performed."


    Gabriel epted the task. "I will keep them safe, Sylvester. You can count on me."


    Sylvester then turned to his good burly friend. "That leaves you, Felix, and you areing with me. I have been ordered to proceed to the Duchy of Normani and reinforce the border between Masan and Sandwall County to ensure no Masan invasion happens when we are busy with Beastaria."


    "What about me?" Isabe inquired. "Am I staying here?"


    "No, you will be returning to the Green City and remaining inside the royal castle in safety. You are the future of the kingdom, and we cannot jeopardize your safety," Sylvester replied, leaving the princess a bit disheartened.


    "Will they invade Sol?" Xavia came to Sylvester''s side and held his arm tightly.


    ''The scent of fear and anxiety. She''s worried about the elves appearing?'' Sylvester easily discerned through his mother''s concerns.


    "Not anytime soon, Mum. Remember, Sol is not weak. We possess our own monstrous talents that can alter the course of the war. In Beastaria, the Elves and the Dragons have been at war for a while now, and they have undoubtedly suffered at each other''s hands. So they are not at peak either. Trust in His Holiness. He is not a foolish man to rush into battle. He will try to broker peace at all costs before raising his sword."


    "Gab, pick your sister and start living here with my mother and Zeke. Felix, go to your home and pack the luggage. You too, Isabe, pack to return home." Sylvester firmly ordered them. "We leave at the first light of dawn."


    "I''lle and assist you," Isabe quickly rushed to Felix''s side as he left. It was understandable since she would not have an opportunity to meet Felix as easily again. Their love story was finally entering the trial phase, and if it withstood the test, they were meant to be.


    Sylvester nced at Xavia then. "Mother, pleasee with me to the terrace. There are a few things I must tell you."


    She was frightened in an instant. "Is everything alright? Did they try to f¡­"


    "No, everything is fine. It''s not what you think it is." Sylvester took her hand and led her to the terrace.


    First, he made sure that nobody could overhear them from anywhere, then spoke close to her face. "Mother, anything can happen in the Holy Land in theing months. But please remember, you matter to me more than anything else, so please ensure your safety first and foremost. If you find the Holy Land bing dangerous, you must go to Bard''s building and enter the basement. There you will find a wall covered with ck paw marks. You must press the bricks in the sequence I am telling you ¡ª Row 1 Column 2, Row 5 Column 4, Row 3 Column 9, Row 8 Column 5¡­"


    Sylvester then handed her a piece of paper. "Remember it and then burn it. You will find a man named Healer Hendrix either in the same dungeon or in the Graced vige. Tell him your identity, and he will protect you. He w¡­"


    Xavia''s eyes welled up slightly, but she did not cry. She knew she would be safe as a Bright Mother since her work was not on the front lines. But her son, she worried for him.


    "Shhh¡­" Xavia caressed Sylvester''s face. "You are so afraid for me, but what about my fears? Dragons, Elves, Giants, Vampires, Werewolves, and all sorts of magical creatures will be against you. How can I ever take a breath in peace and assurance that you will be safe? I am scared to death, Max¡­ Let''s just run away."


    Sylvester did not say anything more and gently pulled her into a tight embrace. He had never thought about it from her perspective, and now that he did, he could sense her frustration. Not knowing if her son was alive or dead for months, and living in constant fear that the strange knock on the door would bring terrible news ¡ª it must not be easy on the mind.


    "We attempted to flee once, and what happened?" He spoke while stroking Xavia''s red hair. "Mother, when I was born, my path was already carved out to be one of hardship and pain. It began in Deserte vige and never stopped. I must continue to move forward, and hopefully, one day ¡ª we will find our pace."


    Damn! Now I don''t feel like going away from her¡­ She''s the only mother I have ever known. What if something happens to her? What will I do then?''


    Sylvester gazed up at the sky, which was gradually growing darker. A strange wave of unease took his heart by surprise, making him somewhat mncholic.


    "I won''t die, Mum. So, you must do your utmost to keep yourself safe too. It...It would be rather boring and pointless to live in this world without you."


    ''I don''t want to be the orphan Johnathan again.''


    As Sylvester pondered his past life and the hardships he was about to confront, he already felt tired.


    "Let''s go. It''s getting cold now. And can make me my favorite honey cookies for the journey. They always cheer me up." He requested, knowing very well Xavia loved to spoil him asionally.


    "Meow!" Miraj suddenly voiced, appearing not far from them. "What about my banana cookies?"


    Xavia could not see Miraj, but her face always lit up with a smile upon hearing his sweet voice. "Certainly, Lord Miraj, and my filial son. I''ll get right to it."


    Xavia quickly rushed downstairs with the newfound purpose. But Sylvester didn''t follow, wanting to have a moment for himself alone.


    "Maxy! Did you see those big roaring birds? They were so pretty. I tried to shout hello to them, but they didn''t listen."


    Sylvester chuckled as he sat down cross-legged and took Chonky onto hisp. "Those were powerful dragons, buddy. They came to warn us about the resumption of the Thousand Year War."


    "War? Good, I will eat all the enemies and protect Maxy, my dearest son." Miraj spontaneously remembered he had adopted Sylvester.


    "Haha, thank you." Sylvester chuckled, although there was not much delight in his voice. "Chonky, may I ask you something? It''s very important."


    "Of course, Maxy."


    Sylvester looked down into Miraj''s eyes, while his own looked a bit hazy. "Miraj, let''s say If died in the uing war. Can you please look after Mum?"


    Miraj''s happy tail stopped wagging, and his ears drooped. "You won''t die, Maxy."


    "Everyone dies someday, Miraj. Humans are not immortal."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Miraj drew near and pressed his face against Sylvester''s chest, not looking anywhere else. "But...I don''t want to be alone again."


    ''I''m sorry, Miraj. I don''t know how to solve your situation without knowing what you are.''


    Sylvester stroked Miraj''s head. "If I pass away...You may reveal yourself to Felix, Isabe, Sir Dolorem, Bishop Lazark, or Gabriel. They will cherish you as much as I."


    Miraj still remained sad. "But I want Maxy."


    Sylvester could no longer speak as words would note out. In silence, he stayed there, holding Miraj in his arms. After all, nobody knew the future, and he could only prepare for the worst.


    ''I don''t want to die ¡ª I just want peace.''


    ¡­


    Sylvester departed from the Holy Land early in the morning with Felix and Isabe, bidding farewell to the others. Sir Dolorem was also leaving to hunt Bloodlings, so they exchanged only a brief goodbye. Meanwhile, Bishop Lazark had been sent to a nearby vige to assess a demon situation.


    With a heavy heart, Sylvester continued his journey and decided to stop at Bard''s to speak with Darius. He then visited Graced Vige and spoke with Healer Hendrix about the uing war and the need to ensure the safety of ine and Daline, who possessed elven blood.


    Afterward, they rode in silence to Green City, where Felix had to bid a heart-wrenching farewell to Isabe. However, they shared a longst kiss before parting ways, promising to write letters and reunite soon.


    Sylvester, in silence, could only feel homesick. ''Why won''t this uneasiness go away? I hope Mum will be alright.''


    ¡­


    That same evening, an urgent Supreme Council convened in the Holy Land''s giant round arena beneath the Administration building.


    With serious faces and fearful hearts, the Cardinals remained silent and listened to the Pope''s instructions as he read each Cardinal''s report.


    "We have approximately one week to prepare. The Holy Land must transform into an unstoppable war machine. Weapons, crystals, and potions must be adequately supplied without stopping. We shall have kingdoms deliver the raw materials," the Pope ordered. "Gentlemen, wee back to the old days!"


    Indeed, devoid of any smiles or joys, the old days had returned with more depression and fear than ever. The promising peace they had taken for granted had ended too quickly.


    "Coming to the final proposal." the Pope began, and the Cardinals straightened their backs at his words. "As per my decision, I have appointed a new member to the Sanctum Council, and thenceforth, he must be given Sainthood¡ªHis name is Sylvester Maximilian!"


    "BUT! Your Holiness, he''s too young!" a Cardinal protested loudly. "This won''t be epted!"


    "This is too much!"


    "He''s inexperienced!"


    Boom!


    "SILENCE!" The Pope''s voice resounded in the ears of each clergyman as if a thousand explosions had gone off. It was the first time any had witnessed the Pope''s true wrath, fitting of his high rank.


    Crack!


    His roar was so deafening that cracks appeared in the stone walls of the hall.


    "Inexperienced? Too young? Fine. If any of you wise elders have aplished even one of the feats the Bard has ¡ª Unification of Sorrow Kingdom, Quenching ve rebellion, Forming a truce between Riveria and Gracia, Uncovering Masan''s decades-long plot! ¡ª I will retract my proposal. Anything?"


    No words were uttered, and the protesting Cardinals shrank their necks while looking down in shame.


    The Pope''s fist tightened in a fury, and his usually calm face seemed ferocious like a raging lion. "You call yourselves men of faith? HEATHENS! BLOODY HEATHENS! ¡ª All of you were put in your rightful ce by a neen-year-old boy. Did that rile you up and unite you to ensure he doesn''t ascend? Why? Because he surpasses all of youbined?


    "Sitting in your cushy chambers has degraded your brains. But what an excellent opportunity, as we have a war on the horizon. All of you shall be at the forefront, right by my side! Any desertion shall result in execution!"


    "B-But, Your Holiness, we''re old!"


    The Pope red at the Cardinal in a rage. "Oh? How convenient of you to use your age as an excuse to avoid responsibilities. Meanwhile, that boy whom you refuse to grant what he deserves ventures out there and fights the enemies of humanity, risking his life each time!"


    Crack!


    The arena began to crumble under the constant roar of a Supreme Wizard. The Pope was too powerful, and he had lost his cool after seeing the unending greed in the eyes of those he sat with.


    "You dare weaken my worship ¡ª impede the progress of my beloved Faith of Solis! I have tolerated enough! Those who still wish to protest may do so... But!"


    The Pope raised his right hand in the air, exhibiting it to all as if it were a w.


    "For those still foolish enough to ignore the signs ¡ª it will be my w and your spines!"


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 Chapter 452 452. A Great Temptation

    Sylvester was unaware of the events that had unfolded in the Holy Land during his journey to the north. If he had known, he would have weed the bestowal of Sainthood before departing the Holy Land, as it would have helped his work in the Duchy of Normani.


    "Let us take a break at the fortress of Baron Strongarm for the night and inform him of the impending war. I suspect his timber business is about to soar, but I cannot allow him to exhaust all hisnd to meet the demand, as that would mean depleting his only natural resource," Sylvester said as he directed his horse towards the town adjacent to the Baron''s fortress.


    Soon, they arrived at the Baron''s keep safely. Since winter wasing, many folks had begun to fix their roofs and windows to tackle the harsh cold of the north. The town was full of activity, and just by looking, it was evident that the Baron''s businesses had brought a lot of prosperity to the region.


    ''It''s great to see my ideas have such a direct impact on people''s lives.'' Sylvester thought to himself.


    He had given the entire stationery industry to the Baron, who produced everything from pencils, erasers, sharpeners, and even paper, given his abundance of trees. The Baron also manufactured a few other items as a supplier for several other businesses. For example, he crafted furniture for Count Riveria''s hospital business. Additionally, many factories established by other nobles within Sylvester''s sphere of influence purchased furniture from him.


    Sylvester had created an outstanding ecosystem where various lords anddies supported one another through exclusive contracts at a reasonable price.


    "My lord, it is a pleasure to see you," Sylvester greeted the brawny Baron Strongarm inside the castle. The Baron now had a son and couldn''t be happier since the Barony was no longer reeling in poverty. "It is satisfying to witness people flourishing here."


    "But not for long, I''m afraid," the Baron responded as he ushered Sylvester and Felix into the castle. "I heard the roars of the dragons from the East."


    "Yes, they were the Divine Dragons. They appeared over the Holy Land and prophesied the imminent war. The Holy Land has begun its preparations, and you will soon receive your instructions. Since you are now a pioneer in a crucial industry, I anticipate that you will receive substantial demands for the production of chariots and other war tools. So be prepared," Sylvester advised him, well aware of how to profit from wars.


    The Baron bowed his head in respect. "I understand, Your Grace. I will also inform the ex-Barbarian Chief Koruk Mi''nar. Will you be visiting the Duchy of Iceling?"


    "No, I''m headed to Normani. I have been appointed as a member of the Pope''s Sanctum Council as Saint Light. My task is to fortify the Western border with Masan for future security," Sylvester revealed, subtly hinting that he held the status of a Saint.


    The Baron fell silent as he absorbed the fact that a neen-year-old was not only perhaps the wealthiest person he knew but also the youngest Saint in history.


    "Congrattions, Your Grace."


    Sylvester chuckled self-deprecatingly. "If only I could spare a moment to rx, I would have appreciated the well wishes more. Unfortunately, we are currently at war."


    After the meeting, they had a generous dinner with the Baron and Baroness. Later, they retired to their rooms to rest. However, Sylvester did not need to sleep as he had much to n. He had to write dozens of letters to Kaecilius, Lord Einarr of Sorrow, King Hignd, and many others.


    He also wrote a few letters for Isabe, instructing her to transition slowly into a Queen loved by the masses and gradually take over the throne from her brother. The Church had already blessed her, so there was no stopping her, especially when King Harold could not produce an heir to the throne.


    He wrote nonstop the entire night, and before he realized it, the sun began to rise. It was time to move and reach the Duchy of Normani before sunset.


    But before he left, he handed the letters to the Bright Mother of the town so she could send them letters covertly. They were coded, so he didn''t worry about any random bloke reading them.


    Through Pitfalls Town, Sylvester and Felix reached the final turn and turned left onto the Desert Road that led straight into the Masan Empire through the Duchy of Normani. Unlike the Eastern part of the north, the Duchy of Normani had a dry winter, meaning there was almost no snowfall, but the temperature still dropped significantly.


    The Duchy of Normani was neither rich nor poor. It was a desertnd with little food grown, but it was known for its exotic nts such as opium, dates, and more. Masan was their primary trading partner as these products were poprly consumed in the West.


    "There it is!" Sylvester finally saw the colossal walls of Kinman City, the capital of the Duchy, and the seat of Duke Normani. It was a magnificent city with high walls that obstructed the view from outside, but a few domes of the tallest towers inside the city were visible.


    Although the city was located on barrennd, there were beautiful cherry blossoms and some all-season trees near the walls, giving the city a more majestic appearance.


    "Halt!"


    The soldiers atop the castle battlement shouted from the gaps in the wall as they looked down. There were dozens of them, each holding an arrow already aimed.


    Sylvester greeted them with church blessings and spoke. "I am Archbishop Sylvester Maximilian, and this is Archpriest Felix Sandwall, son of Count Sandwall. I am here on the Pope''s orders to meet with His Highness, the Duke."


    The soldiers didn''t reply and stepped back. They likely discussed something as the gates soon began to slowly pull up with the nking noise of metal chains.


    Sylvester moved his horse inside at a slow pace, and the gate quickly closed behind him. He wondered why such heavy safety measures were being taken.


    "Greetings, Your Grace." A tanned man on a horse appeared. "I am themander of the wall defense. Due to the increased Desert Cannibal activity, we are keeping our gates closed, so I apologize for not opening the door swiftly. Please, follow me to the Duke''s castle."


    Sylvester thanked themander and followed him while looking at the city. He could see that it was not very big, but it was undoubtedly beautiful. Surrounded by tall buildings, the walls were sandy in color and made of mud bricks. They were refined and clean, with many of them holding domes at the top. Some even had colored domes made of marble or tiles.


    ''I didn''t see any poor folks yet.'' Sylvester noticed another thing. ''No children on the streets either.''


    "Where are the children? Usually, they are running around the roads." Sylvester inquired.


    With some pride, themander pointed at a building a distance in the front. "The Duke tried to assess his heirs to find the most promising one to carry his legacy. Lady Bethany was the one who decided to open free schools for children where they''d study and receive one healthy meal a day. That''s why you don''t see any children on the streets."


    ''I''m bing increasingly impressed by this woman.'' Sylvester was pleasantly surprised.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "That''s brilliant. With more literate people, the Duchy can use those talents in trade and high-skilled workspaces. Even the Church desires to develop society in that direction. I believe Lady Bethany was chosen as the sessor then?"


    "No." Themander yelled out, angry. "The Duke selected his second son. Lady Bethany was furiously criticized as she made the children of ves, peasants, and the wealthy sit in the same room for study."


    ''A noble idea, but not a very smart one.'' Sylvester thought when he heard the oue. ''Her schools were deemed to fail.''


    "Then her school failed?" Sylvester asked.


    "To some degree, yes. The wealthy and nobles took their children away. But themoners and ves'' parents had to ept the circumstances as it was the only way their child could receive an education without spending an exorbitant amount of money."


    ''In that case, the future peasant ss of this Duchy will be better learned and trained than the rich and nobles. The whole social hierarchy will be a mess. Interesting, I should observe this experiment further.''


    Amidst their talk, they arrived at the castle. Surprisingly, this one didn''t have a moat, but simple walls all around and heavy guards. And as they entered, some guards began to trail them as well.


    The castle was as grand as Sylvester anticipated. It felt like something straight out of an Arabian dream, with its vast structure and numerous blue domes at the top, making it a breathtaking sight. Even the ambiance was terrific, with water fountains nearby, and people''s chatter filling the air as they went about their business.


    ''It''s frightening to consider that a single generation of a bad ruler can ruin all this prosperity. Indeed, dictatorship can be a double-edged sword.''


    "This way, Your Grace," themander said, leading them towards the entrance to the main hall, where several sentries stood. "I am apanied by Archbishop Sylvester, the Lord''s Bard."


    "Forgive me,mander. His Highness has gone to sleep." The sentries replied.


    Sylvester sighed and gazed out of arge window. It was still daylight, although it was now evening. "It appears that old age has not been kind to His Highness. No problem, let him rest. It''s best to discuss important matters when he''s fully rested."


    With bad luck already hindering their ns, Sylvester soon followed themander to meet the Prima. Afterward, he and Felix were shown luxurious private quarters in a tower with a vast open balcony overlooking the city. However, Sylvester only wished to write letters, not rest.


    Not leaving his room, he firmly closed the doors and sat beside a window to write while observing the starry sky. "Should I try writing to Emperor Lich, Raz Mi''ul Naseer? He should at least know what is happening down south."


    Eventually, he decided to contact the magnificent undead ruler. Although contacting him was challenging, Sylvester hoped to find an opportunity soon.


    ''Who else?''


    "Ehm! Does Lord Bard need somepany?"


    Woosh!


    Sylvester''s body moved instinctively, and the spear he had ced beside the table rose in his hand, aimed towards the sound.


    But the spear lowered as quickly as it rose, for Lady Bethany stood there. However, what she wore made Sylvester stutter. After all, he was a man, and it was impossible to ignore such temptations.


    "W-What are you wearing, mydy? Please leave!"


    "Hehe..." She chuckled and walked sultrily towards him with a face full of smiles. Her high heel sandals emphasized her posture. In her silky red, nearly see-through negligee, she seemed scarcely covered. Her bust was barely hidden by a matching tight red bra.


    Tall, tanned, and strong, she strode confidently towards Sylvester. "Oh, forgive me, I had to sneak out of my room to meet you in secret. The spies my brother stationed outside my room think I''m asleep."


    "You could have changed your attire," Sylvester said, well aware that there was not much age difference between them since she was about to be a Grand Wizard.


    "Strange, I thought clergymen were not affected by women. Could it be..." She smirked and stood with one thigh slightly out of her negligee.


    [A/N: See here.]


    ''Alright, she''s making me feel things.''


    Sylvester took a deep breath and firmly locked his eyes on her face before firmly speaking.


    "Mydy, I don''t have time for games. Please tell me why you came here, or leave. I have much work to do."


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 Chapter 453 453. The Mystery Is Solved

    "..."


    In front of Sylvester''s serious gaze, devoid of any lust, Lady Bethany felt slightly ashamed of her theatrics, prompting her to stand firmly upright.


    "Hah, I was merely teasing you, Your Grace. I believe you are the only man who would not pounce on me in such attire. Yourmitment to duty and faith is something Bards sing of, and I would have been utterly disappointed if they were wrong." She spoke and unceremoniously walked over to sit on the bed, not even bothering to keep her attire modestly covering her body.


    ''Why are all these powerful women so carefree with their modesty? First Aurora, and now this.'' Sylvester wondered, as he had not seen any man do anything simr. ''Is it the sense of freedom thates with power?''


    "Many women have tried much worse in the past, mydy," Sylvester turned his chair around to face her.


    Lady Bethany''s eyes shone. "Oh, who was it? Any high nobles?"


    "The wife of Duke Daemon of Ironstone. She was a witch, and her true form was much more hideous. She''s dead now, thankfully." Sylvester remembered the old assignment with distaste. "In any case, I suppose you are here to discuss your struggle for winning the inheritance."


    "Aren''t you here for that too?" She inquired.


    Sylvester sighed and took out a letter from his table drawer. It was in a red envelope with the Church''s seal on it. He did not open it, however. "I came to deliver this and announce something. It appears you were not informed of this by your Duchy''s spymaster. A few days ago, Divine Dragons came as omens. The war is returning, Lady Bethany. All of us will be fighting the Beastaria soon."


    Lady Bethany lost any semnce of calmness and rose to her feet. "I heard a faint roar a few days ago, but never thought it could mean something so horrifying. Your Grace, if this is the case, then taking this Duchy is even more important to me. I have no faith in my brothers'' ability to run this ce well in times of war. Too many families cease to exist during long wars, and I do not wish for my family name to be added to that list."


    "That is the second reason why I am here," Sylvester replied. "I need you to rise to the rank of Grand Wizard and, at the same time, be the Duchess. You will not be called to war this time and will be kept here in case Masan bes too ambitious."


    She agreed almost immediately. "I am aware of Masan''s machinations. I''ve been vignt and, in the past, have caught many of their spies."


    ''So, that''s why Masan''s decades-long conspiracy had no impact on Normani?'' Sylvester realized it then.


    "Mydy, ascending to the rank of Duchess is not a hard task for you. Since you already enjoy public support, a few carefully-crafted rumors could do wonders for your bid for the seat. Moreover, if you were to attain the status of Grand Wizard, it would be the cherry on top. And, if I were to publicly endorse you by blessing you, I cannot imagine the kind of praiseful words that would circte throughout the Duchy."


    Lady Bethany chuckled as she discovered a new side of Sylvester. "Certainly, behind that name and fame was a wise and cunning man. How else could you have endured all the tribtions?"


    Sylvester stood up and walked toward the balcony door. "Now that we have a n, it is time for you to depart. It is inappropriate for a woman of your stature to be in a man''s room at this hour...in such attire."


    "What if I wish to sleep here?" She asked in a yful tone.


    Sylvester rolled his eyes, feigning boredom. "Then I shall go into town and rent a room at some shabby tavern."


    "What if Ie chasing you?"


    ''What is the matter with her?''


    Sylvester sighed, pped his hands, and chanted a hymn. But it was not holy, so there was no halo.


    ?O'' Lord of Light, rescue me from this plight.


    This woman tries to lure me with all her might.


    Her beauty is alluring, but I take no delight.


    BEGONE, woman!¡ªout of my sight!?


    "..."


    Lady Bethany''s shoulders sagged, and the thin straps of her negligee slid down a bit. She was stunned and bewildered by Sylvester''s quick wit.


    Finally, with a sigh, she stood up and passed by him. "Such harsh words for a beautiful maiden. Oh, Lord, when will I find the one meant for me?"


    p¦Ánd¦Á---no¦Í?1,§ão§® "I can rmend someone, a Grand Wizard. He''s a widow and has a daughter, however. But, he''s not an old man." Sylvester suggested. "He''s Lord Einarr in the Sorrow Kingdom, and he''s trying to rebuild the entire Kingdom from scratch."


    Lady Bethany''s eyes had a sh of hope. "Then I pity that man more than anything else. This war hase at the worst time for him. But thank you for the suggestion, as I might just consider it. He will certainly be better than all the rich fat oafs my father keeps finding for me. Anyways, good night."


    Woosh!


    With no care, she jumped off the balcony. It was very high in the tower, but for a powerful wizard, there was no need to worry.


    "What a strange woman¡­But quite interesting and beautiful." Sylvester mumbled and headed back to the table.


    ''Let''s write a letter to Inquisitor High Lord next.''


    ¡­


    Bam! Bam! Bam!<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Sylvester did not sleep, so he quickly responded to the door. To his surprise, there was Felix, who never woke up early unless it was a battle.


    "What happened?"


    Felix strode into the room. "Sylvester, can I ask you something?"


    "What?" Sylvester had a bad feeling. "I hope it''s not something stupid."


    "No, no. I have a query I need your help resolving. I''ve had an epiphany that kissing your girl is gay. What do you think?" Felix inquired with apletely serious, unreadable expression.


    Sylvester frowned as he saw the strange questioning from a mile away. He loved his great friend, but sometimes Felix was a bit too curious for his own good. "How is that possible? She''s a woman."


    Felix shook his head, standing his ground. "Consider this, Max. When you kiss your girl, you''re essentially kissing what used to be another man''s seed."


    "..."


    "Get out!"


    "No, I mean, think about it¡­ The sper¡­"


    "If you continue talking about that...the thing, I''ll break your arms!" Sylvester pressed on Felix''s shoulder with considerable force to shut him up.


    He then returned to his desk as the PTSD kicked in. Yes, years had gone by, but the memory remained fresh.


    Thankfully, after that, Felix remained silent and soon dozed off on Sylvester''s bed. The sun hadn''t risen yet, so it was given.


    But Sylvester was left scratching his hair. "Argh! I can''t concentrate on writing letters now! Alright, let''s find Lady Bethany and train with her. I need a hard exercise."


    But before leaving, he patted Miraj, waking him up. "Chonky, I''m annoyed with Felix. So, go and sleep on his face, suffocate him."


    Miraj allowed Sylvester to carry him and set him on Felix''s face. In no time, the fluffy ball of fur began to snore.


    "Fe-Fe bad¡­" Miraj mumbled in sleep.


    ¡­


    Having fought multiple Grand Wizards and trained with Lady Aurora countless times, Sylvester knew what to expect from a Level One Grand Wizard. As a result, he was able to assess Lady Bethany''s strength and calcte how much more she needed to rank up.


    "As you said, you''re truly close to bing a Grand Wizard. However, you need one final push, a life-and-death situation that would force you to give everything and more," Sylvester advised Lady Bethany. They hadpleted their five-hour-long training, and Sylvester was exhausted, just as he desired.


    But, considering Lady Bethany was level ten Archwizard, and he was level five. It was not a huge difference that he could not ovee with his experience in warfare, which he had a lot more than the nobledy.


    She panted whileying on the ground on her back, exhausted as Sylvester made her run around for her dear life from his Wrath of Heavens and Hellfire Purge. "H-How¡­ Are you¡­ Hah¡­ So strong while being lower ranked than me?"


    Sylvester answered her sternly, "Mydy, I have faced death countless times, and each time my will to live has helped me ovee. Therefore, unless you possess the necessary skills and the intention to kill me, you cannot pose a threat to me."


    Lady Bethany blew hot air from her mouth and sighed. "My father sheltered me for years, and despite my talent being checked by the Archbishop, I never got the chance to train with a mentor. Instead, my mother forced me to learn women''s skills, such as praying, singing, dancing, sewing, and courting potential husbands. I''m afraid I''ve wasted precious years."


    Sylvester sat down beside her and conjured a blob of water for himself and Lady Bethany to sip slowly. "Then how did you be so strong, mydy?"


    "Ugh¡­ Just call me Beth since we''re partners in crime at this point. As for my strength, it was all due to my luck. You see, my mum died, and my father went into depression, unable to look after the realm, let alone me.


    "During that time, I found myself a trainer at the nearby Holy Army camp. I learned everything from that person in a single year and grew stronger, making leaps in my rank and level each month," Lady Bethany said excitedly, reminiscing about her past.


    "What was your mentor''s name?" he inquired, wondering if he knew the person.


    Lady Bethany fondly smiled. "She''s like a sister to me. Her name is Lady Aurora Foxtron."


    "..."


    ''It all makes bloody sense now!''


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 Chapter 454 454. A New Clue

    "Aurora is your mentor? Now I understand why you behave in such a manner," Sylvester eximed. "Everything now makes sense."


    Lady Bethany narrowed her gaze at him. "What do you mean by that? And do you know Lady Aurora?"


    "Know? She''s a headache. But she''s like a sister to me, and I cherish our japing jabs at each other." Sylvester truthfully answered.


    Lady Bethany silently smiled, reminiscing about the good old days. She was likely going to live for at least two hundred more years, so it was better that she maintained a calm and lighthearted demeanor, as it made life more enjoyable.


    As for Sylvester, who hoped to break records for the longest-reigning Pope and longest-living human, he knew his life was going to be filled with tedious monotony. After all, nothing could top the legendary Sylvester''s rotten luck.


    "Enough chatting, stand up and resume training. We will train for at least twelve hours every day since we don''t need to sleep for weeks. Try to limate yourself to my fighting style and ovee challenges. Your power will be useless if you are only going to perish at the hands of a simple Archwizard."


    Groaning, Lady Bethany stood up. "But you''re so unpredictable. One moment I anticipate you''ll shoot your light beam, and the next moment I end up sinking into the ground. You don''t even use incantation, and you are capable of concealing the color of your magic rune circles."


    Sylvester scoffed and stepped back a few paces. "That''s the entire purpose of this training. You need to be pushed beyond what your body can fathom. And if you find it difficult, fine¡ªI will also use my Spear of Infinity."


    "Argh!" Lady Bethany cursed herself. "Damn my loose tongue."


    "Iing!"


    Woosh!


    Out of nowhere, Sylvester''s spear appeared in his hand and rapidly expanded, growing twenty meters in length and striking Lady Bethany''s hair, cutting some of it.


    "Be cautious, mydy¡ªor you might perish as a three-hundred-year-old virgin today!" He joked, well aware that she was, in fact, a virgin.


    "I''m just one hundred and ten!" She turned red in shame and jumped forward.


    Bonk!


    Sylvester''s spear''s t side hit her on the head, causing a small bump. "Do not lose your temper. n your move before executing it, and anticipate my counter. Keep your counter ready for my response," he instructed.


    Lady Bethany blew air from her mouth, pushing away the hair falling on her face. Then she took a fighting stance and looked at Sylvester firmly. "Alright¡­ Now I''m serious! Come at me, kid."


    Smile vanished from Sylvester''s face. ''She''s just like Aurora, but weaker.''


    "Fine, I won''t go easy!"


    Boom!


    ¡­


    Swollen-faced and humiliated, Lady Bethany, in the end, had to be carried like a sack of potatoes on Sylvester''s shoulder. She hid her face with a cloth and silently heard the people gasping and wondering what was going on.


    "Halt!" the guards at the castle gates shouted, pointing their swords at Sylvester as he approached with Lady Bethany.


    "Stand back, lunatic!"


    Woosh!


    Lady Bethany could not help herself and jumped to stand. But her legs gave up as if they were rice noodles, and she fell down. Thankfully, Sylvester caught her and held her up.


    "Open the gates. Do you not recognize your Lady? I was training my magic with Lord Bard," she ordered, albeit looking nothing like a noble.


    Sylvester chuckled. "Do you want to call me ''kid'' again?"


    Bethany looked horrified. "Not even in death."


    Over the period of their long training day, they had developed quite a good friendship as they found amon person to trash talk about ¡ª Aurora. After all, no matter how great a friendship or sisterhood may be, one always has something bad to say about the other.


    "Ehm¡­ Your Grace, and Lady Bethany, the Duke wishes to speak with you in his noble chambers. He is retiring for the evening," the Prima informed them.


    Sylvester had spent the entire day training Lady Bethany, so he had once again postponed meeting with the Duke. But, since the summon came, he followed the Prima without changing clothes.


    As they climbed the stairs to the main building of the castle, they were met by multiple knights standing guard in their shy armor.


    "Inside here." The Prima opened the door for them.


    Sylvester entered after Lady Bethany. But he was not prepared to see the view inside, as he didn''t expect the Duke to be that kind of person.


    The heavily decorated room was adorned with wall engravings, tapestries, paintings, and gold showpieces, and even the bed appeared to be gold-ted.


    The bed wasrge, and the Dukey in the middle, nked by two beautiful women with blonde hair, pale white wless skin, and striking blue and green eyes. Both women appeared to be naked under the quilt, as evidenced by their visible shoulders, and the Duke was likely the same, evident by his thin, bare chest.


    As Sylvester''s eyes fell on the women, they straightened up in the bed and moved their gaze away from him, seemingly ashamed.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Your Grace, I am grateful that you came here to bless my Duchy. I thank you for guiding my daughter as well, for she seemed to be getting ahead of herself," the Duke spoke in a weak voice.


    Lady Bethany protested, "Father, I merely sought to do what was best for the Duchy."


    Duke''s gaze softened. "My daughter, I''m not tough on you because I hate you. I''m tough because I expect a lot from you. When was thest time our family produced a Grand Wizard? I cannot even recall. Yes, I was short-sighted at the beginning, but you proved me wrong within a year."


    "Then why didn''t you choose me as your sessor?" Lady Bethany confronted him directly.


    "Because of your progressive mindset. You desire to challenge tradition and implement new changes that may not be embraced by all the lords. Your brother, despite his many ws, grasped this concept. However, since war is imminent, I cannot allow mediocrity to govern the Duchy."


    "As my end approaches, I have decided to entrust you with the Duchy''s leadership. With Lord Bard''s endorsement, you will soon be a Grand Wizard and wield more influence with the Holy Land than a mere old and weak Duke." The Baron made the unexpected announcement.


    ''I didn''t even need to persuade him. The fear of war was sufficient.'' Sylvester was pleasantly surprised.


    "Your Grace, please advise my daughter on the intricacies of politics and faith. Although she is advanced in age, she is as innocent as a child. I regret keeping her sheltered for so long, but I have no regrets, as I loved my family too dearly... Once again, thank you."


    Sylvester noticed the Duke sumbing to sleep. So he retreated towards the exit with Lady Bethany following him. The Prima was outside, awaiting them with some documents to sign for Lady Bethany''s appointment as the heiress and Sylvester as a witness.


    With that, Lady Bethany invited Sylvester and Felix for a small celebration in her room. Some unholy drinks were involved, but Sylvester and Felix only drank juice.


    e¦Áglesn?¦Íel "How did he change his behavior all of a sudden?" She inquired. "He never spoke to me with such courtesy before."


    Sylvester rified. "As I mentioned earlier, a few strategically ced rumors can topple an empire, let alone a Duchy. Your father''s spymaster must have informed him about the gossip circting in town regarding their ''affection'' for you."


    Lady Bethany appeared saddened upon learning this. "And I thought he had a change of heart. But how did you spread the rumors so rapidly? Even the spymaster could not have aplished it."


    "If I tell you, I''ll have to kill you. So let''s focus on the matter at hand. Who were the two women besides your father?" Sylvester questioned her. "ves?"


    "Yes, they are ves bought from Riveria."


    "Did they have families? They seemed old enough to have a family," he inquired further. "Were they war ves or kidnapped?"


    "They certainly had families. They either fell into debt or were kidnapped," Bethany replied.


    Sylvester shook his head, holding no grudges. "Have you ever considered the sons and daughters of those women? Their husbands? Let''s say one of them had a husband with the potential to be a Grand Wizard, or maybe her son had the potential to be a Supreme Wizard. By enving them, you''ve given them the perfect reason to destroy your bloodline in the future. If I were in their shoes, I would have done it."


    "Me too," Felix agreed. "If my mother was still alive, I''d end bloodlines if someone dared to even raise their voice at her."


    "That''s how hatred is born. That''s how viins are created," Sylvester added. "Hatred begets hatred, and very only serves to intensify that hatred. In my opinion, only murderers and rapists are deserving of being made harshbor ves."


    Lady Bethany nodded the whole time as she understood the underlying problem. "Then¡­ I will ban veryter."


    "Perhaps wait until the war''s status is determined," Sylvester suggested as he stood up with his ss of juice in hand. "Now, if you''ll excuse me, I need to go write some letters."


    Lady Bethany was drunk, so she didn''t take long to drop on the bed either. Only Felix was left there, though he, too, fell asleep right in his chair.


    ¡­


    Sylvester didn''t have any letters to write that night. Nor did he go to his room, but rather to the monastery.


    "Respected Bright Mother, the Lake Fertile is an ocean," Sylvester greeted with a smile.


    "And sharks are lions," she replied as she hugged Sylvester. "It''s good to see you, Sylvester, my dear. How is the Holy Land?"


    Sylvester sat down with the woman inside the prayer hall. "The Holy Land is in disarray due to the war, but we''ll manage. We have no other choice. But forget about that. How are you?"


    "Oh, I''m just fine. There isn''t much work to do anyway. But I received a letter for you from the monastery in Sandwall County. Here it is," the Bright Mother said as she handed him the letter.


    "I''m headed there, so what''s the rush?" Sylvester wondered as he quickly opened the letter.


    Sure enough, his body froze at the contents.


    [Your Grace, I am writing this letter to inform you about the girl who matches the description you provided. Unfortunately, I was unable to find the Bishop who took her, but I discovered the details of a tavern where she used to work and where a Bishop picked her up. Thest sighting of her was in the Duchy of Normani with the Bishop. I believe she''s a victim of human trafficking. I hope you are able to find her ¡ª May the holy light enlighten us.]


    Sylvester burned the letter in his palm and rose to his feet. "Forgive my short stay, Bright Mother. But I must rush to Sandwall County."


    ''So she is already sold? Or are those events yet to transpire?''


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 Chapter 455 455. Sandwall County

    Sylvester decided to hurry to Sandwall County as the girl''s whereabouts were nearby. Although uncertain of her current location, he was determined to use all his resources to locate her.


    However, this meant an early departure from Kinman City, leaving Lady Bethany''s rise to the Grand Wizard rank unfinished.


    "You can still do your training with the soldiers, perhaps train them at the same time. Remember, you must push yourself to the limit." Sylvester reminded the woman as they stood near the exit gates of the city.


    Lady Bethany went for a hug and grabbed Sylvester. "Thank you foring here, Your Grace. I extended my hand to you for help when we met in Green City thest time. I didn''t expect you''d take it seriously. But, here we are, with me officially bing the heir."


    Sylvester patted her back before mounting his horse. "Beware of your brother, the Duke''s Council, and the Prima. Women in power face opposition, as was the case with Duchess Iceling and her Prima revolt."


    Bethany took his words to heart. "What became of the Prima in that instance?"


    Sylvester smiled and looked up to the sky. "May the Holy Light enlighten us¡ªand the souls of the dead. Farewell, mydy. I shall pray for your sess in finding a match."


    She giggled and waved. "And I will pray that you see sess in all your endeavors¡­kid!"


    "..."


    Sylvester shot an angry look for a split second, but he didn''t stop and rode the horse fast. The pair galloped along the Desert Road, which had be nearly deserted due to the spreading news of the war.


    Other than a few daring traders, no civilians traversed the arid desert road. Sylvester even stopped the traders and always checked their goods in case they were carrying something or someone illegal.


    "Why the haste?" Felix inquired. "Are you searching for something?"


    "Not something. It''s someone. I once told you about my visions since I was young. I used to see a small child in them, and mytest vision indicated that she was somewhere near Sandwall County. If we don''t hurry, she will be sold to the Desert Cannibals if she hasn''t already been." Sylvester disclosed the information, as it was pointless to keep the vision a secret anymore. What was going to happen had already urred, after all.


    Felix still couldn''t be bothered. "Who is she that you''re so concerned about?"


    "She''s thest surviving royalty of the Sorrow Kingdom! Princess Xylena Sor ckheart. And even if she weren''t a princess, I''d still attempt to save her."


    "..."


    "Why didn''t you say that earlier?! Ugh, let''s hurry to the County then." Felix also rushed now, realizing the significance of the Sorrow Kingdom having a remaining royal member. It would aid Sylvester tremendously, after all.


    They made strides and eventually began to see the distant walled city. But surprisingly, the road had ended a long way back, and they rode their horses on strange red sandy terrain. They could see the high and mighty Wall of Void standing tall and firm on the left. At the same time, they could perceive the distant Tower of Godless hidden behind some mist.


    "The ground is red because of blood," Felix revealed. "Since we''ve had so many Desert Cannibal invasions, their blood has stained thend surrounding Sandwall City. You can even find their bones scattered here."


    "You get invasions on both sides of the city? If I remember correctly, Sandwall City is on the edge of a cliff." Sylvester questioned, as he had believed that the invasions only came from the other side.


    "Of course." Felix pointed to the West, towards the Snake River. "We get invasions during winters. Since the mountain ciers don''t melt much, and there''s not much rain, the river bes shallow enough for them to cross. So we get hit on our southern border. But when that urs, we also summon Duke''s forces and annihte them from both sides."


    Soon, Felix began to recount his life spent in Sandwall County. "I used to watch the battles from the city wall. I remember vomiting the first time I saw it, feeling disgusted. But gradually, it got better. I killed my first cannibal when I was five, and since then, I never stopped."


    ''What a savage ce.'' Sylvester thought. ''No wonder he never gets bothered, no matter how many people I kill in whatever ways.''


    "Oh! Look at that contraption on the tower of the city wall. I used to make the guards haul me up from it instead of going through the city gates." Felix pointed at the pulley system. Then he gestured towards the right side of the walls. "Behind there is a tomb. My mum''s ashes are kept there. Let''s go and pay our respects to her; I''ll introduce you."


    "Let''s do that." Sylvester quickly epted the suggestion, knowing how much Felix loved her.


    Soon they approached the walls of the fortified city. The gates remained closed for them since Felix had not been home in a long time and was unrecognizable.


    "Oye, Tucker! It''s me! Remember how I beat your ass in arm wrestlingst time?" Felix shouted at the top of his lungs.


    Instantly, a young man''s head emerged from the gap between the walls at the top. "Felix? Is that you?"


    Felix grinned and disyed his thumb. "Aye, it is I, your handsome young master. Now open the gates, for I bring with me the renowned Sylvester Maximilian!"


    "Who?" The man questioned abruptly.


    "..."


    It was then that Sylvester realized a significant predicament. ''Oh! People only know me as Lord Bard, but not by my real name.''


    "Bard of the Lord, the Archbishop! How can you not recognize him? Look at his face and hair," Felix roared back. "Now open the gate before the heavens strike you for disgracing Solis'' blessed."


    Woosh!


    Immediately, the gates began to open with a loud noise of stones grinding. The gate seemed to be made of five-inch thick steel andprised two parts. One had twin steel doors that opened conventionally, while the other was a drop-down gate.


    "Follow me," Felix rode in speedily and turned right towards the tomb. It was arge, cubical structure with a single massive dome at the top, constructed entirely of dark gray stone and marble. It was neat, well-preserved, and depressing.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Felix hastily dismounted, tethered the horse nearby, and then ran past the guards into the building. Sylvester also followed him briskly.


    It was a massive building with many corridors. So after a few turns, they finally arrived at a spacious opening, a hall of sorts, with nothing but a marble block in the middle of the room, inscribed with words. On top of the block was a ss case in which the ashes were kept in a gold container.


    Felix sat down next to the marble block and spoke cheerfully, "Mum, this is Sylvester. I told you about him thest time I came back. Don''t be fooled by his handsome face. He''s a really shrewd man. But he''s kind at heart. After all, I chose him as a friend."


    Sylvester smiled and listened to Felix''s monolog in silence, all the while gazing at the jar containing the ashes. Felix had told him about his life story and why he hated his father so much. So he understood why Felix was so emotional about his mother.


    ''I feel a strange warmth in this hall that was absent in the rest of the building.'' Sylvester felt and wondered what it was.


    "Mum, I must go now. I will returnter and tell you about my days in the Holy Land. Unfortunately, the great war has resumed, and I will probably fight in it too. So please wish me luck."


    With that, Felix stopped speaking and stood up, appearing much more refreshed than before, as his face beamed with a broad smile.


    "Let''s go, Max. I''ll show you the Western border wall. The view from the top is splendid, and you can even see the first vige in Masan from there," Felix suggested and once again led the way enthusiastically.


    But Sylvester stayed behind momentarily as he heard a strange murmur emanating from the ash container.


    "Thank¡­youuu~"


    ''Am I hearing things?'' Sylvester wondered and talked to Miraj.


    "Did you hear that?"


    Miraj bobbed his head. "What do you mean? Isn''t there a prettydy standing there? She''s waving at me."


    Sylvester looked ahead and saw nobody. But, unlike before, when he could see ghosts by touching Miraj, he couldn''t see the figure that way either.


    ''What the hell are you, Chonky?''


    Confused, but sure who the woman was. Sylvester bowed his head and replied. "You raised a good son."


    Then he turned around and hurried to meet Felix outside the tomb building and head to the western wall. He was not in a rush to meet with the Count, as Sylvester outranked the man on many levels. If anything, the Count was supposed to chase after him to meet him.


    "The breeze is incredibly refreshing on the western wall since it''s so high and overlooks the farnds of the Masan," Felix informed him. "We used to practice shooting arrows from there and try to kill small animals below."


    ''So many folks with brown and darker skin here. It''s hard to know who is from Masan and who isn''t. There could be many spies and assassins here.'' Sylvester was focused on something else in the meantime. ''I need to be careful here.''


    Soon, they reached the tall western walls without any obstacle. There Felix led the way after greeting themander and stood by the wall''s edge.


    As Sylvester climbed the stairs, a strong breeze hit his face. He took off his mitre to be careful and walked beside Felix. But he was not prepared for the truly breathtaking view.


    The Western Wall was situated on a huge cliff that bordered Masan and Sandwall County. On top of the cliff, the wall''s height added more grandeur. Just looking down could make people feel dread, as the height meant certain death for any ordinary man or knight.


    "How tall is this cliff?" Sylvester inquired.


    e¦Áglesn?¦Íel "Slightly more than three hundred feet. This is the difference between East and West Sol. The East is situated on elevatednd. But, this is also our misfortune, as this means we are close to the top of the Wall of Void, even though it''s unreachable for us. From Masan''s side, climbing is impossible. But due to the same reason, barbarians attack here," Felix exined.


    ''This makes sense.''


    "Look there, that''s the vil¡­ Wait a second, I think I see something!" Felix stopped speaking abruptly and noticed something on the left of the wall, near the Wall of Void. "Is that¡­"


    Bam! Bam!


    Ting! Ting!


    "YES! The drums and bells ring!" Felix roared. "Bring out your spear, Sylvester! It''s a Cannibal attack! Let''s go and cut them up. Experience the fighting style of cannibals right from the source.


    Sylvester gazed upon the base of the Wall of Void once more, and lo and behold, there stood a few thousand cannibals.


    ''How big is their poption to be able to invade so much? Didn''t Saint Wazir say their special festival ising? Then how massive will that horde be?''


    ________________________


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 Chapter 456 456. A Grand Revelation

    Sylvester and Felix hastened towards the East gate, drawn by the sound of bells ringing from that direction. Upon their arrival, Sylvester caught sight of the famed army of Sandwall County, equipped and armed to depart from the gates.


    They didn''t use any horses, nor did they keep any shields on them. Instead, most of them carried a single sword, but some had twin axes or swords. Some were even wearing light leather armor. It was a strange mixture, but at the same time, Sylvester smelled something much more peculiar.


    ''Scent of love and lust¡ªDo they really crave violence this much?'' Sylvester wondered and followed Felix to fight as well.


    As they emerged outside the gates onto an already bloodied field of sand, Sylvester witnessed the well-ordered and disciplined fury of the army, despite their frenzied appearance. Not one soldier broke ranks, rapidly forming their formation upon reaching the open field.


    Sylvester stayed at the back and noticed everything. He wanted to see how the Sandwall soldiers fought, and what made them so famous across the continent. How did they defend against the Cannibals and Barbarians for so many centuries?


    "Wraaaaa!"


    In the heart of a vast sandy expanse, the sun burned mercilessly upon the aridnd. Two forces soon stood ready to sh: a disciplined, valiant army of five hundred and a horde of two thousand savage barbarians. The air was thick with tension, as the wind carried the scent of sweat and anticipation.


    "Prepare!" Sir Gavric, the armymander, raised his sword high, signaling the men to form ranks.


    Instantly, all Sandwall knights unsheathed their swords and stood firm. Arrayed in gleaming armor, the knights and archers at the rear drew their longbows. The air shimmered with a barely noticeable hum as the enchantments cast by the army''s wizards took effect.


    "Haaaaaa!"


    "Aooo! Aooo!"


    Roaring and howling, the barbarians surged forward like a raging tide of fury. Their leather, fur, and iron equipment stood in stark contrast to the shining armor of their adversaries. But every cannibal bore a grim, bloodthirsty expression, their eyes brimming with lust for plunder.


    "Loose!"


    As the distance between the two forces closed, the sky darkened with the flight of arrows as Sir Gavric ordered the archers to release the burning arrows.


    The hail of arrows quickly hit their targets, and each one erupted in a brilliant sh of light upon impact. The barbarians, dazed and disoriented, stumbled and fell to the ground. The arrows had pierced their eyes, heads, chests, and legs, enveloping them in mes.


    Weak and undisciplined, they writhed in agony, reaching out to their nearestrade for help or simply rolling on the ground, only to perish in mes.


    Seizing the opportunity, the army''s wizards raised their arms to the heavens. A sudden gust of wind swept through the battlefield, and giant white rune circles appeared above each wizard. A fierce gale of wind began to spread, gradually taking the shape of sandy tornadoes, which advanced toward the horde of cannibals.


    But that was not all; the second group of wizards utilized Earth magic. The sand beneath the barbarians'' feet shifted and churned, and the once-solid ground became treacherous and unstable.


    Sir Gavric then moved forward, his voice booming across the battlefield. "Charge!"


    With a thunderous roar, the Sandwall army surged forward, brandishing their swords, spears, and axes at the forefront. When they were close enough, theyunched their weapons at the cannibals, effectively destroying the enemy''s first line of offense.


    Afterward, the soldiers drew their secondary weapons and rushed in, leaving a trail of blood as they moved to retrieve their previous weapons. Each man in the Sandwall army was like a killing machine with heightened senses. They instinctively knew where the enemy''s strike wasing from and parried it with ease.


    Cannibals had no chance of doing anything. Heads rolled, limbs severed, and blood sprayed the ground with even more crimson. As if rejoicing in the blood sacrifice, the sand glowed further red.


    "The one who collects the most Cannibal scraps will receive ten Gold Graces from the Lord!" Sir Gavric bellowed as he cut down a few barbarians. It was a ssic case of quality versus quantity, as the cannibals, despite their superior numbers, could not make a dent.


    Boom!


    e¦Áglesn?¦Íel But just then, a giant golden beam of blinding light appeared out of nowhere and tunneled through the raging crowd of more cannibals in the distance, instantly pulverizing them into thin air.


    The knights turned their heads and saw Sylvester''s illuminated figure with a halo behind his head. Instantly, as if reinvigorated, they began to roar and kill even more ferociously.


    "SOLIS IS WITH US!" They screamed.


    Sylvester chuckled and stopped. "How could I best in theirpetition?"


    Felix scoffed and ran into the battlefield. "I will win. Mark my words!"


    And so, the chaos further increased since Felix''s knight rank was quite high. The Cannibals, although having some wizards among them, could do nothing but die.


    In the carnage thatsted just twenty minutes, all two thousand cannibals were killed, and all five hundred Knights of the Sandwall survived with minor injuries. Not even tired, they began to count the barbarian scalps they had collected and showed them to theirmander to be recorded.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ''They have certainly mastered the way of dealing with cannibals.'' Sylvester felt astonished. ''With rewards, they will dly fight and give their all.''


    "Sylvester! Look, I killed twenty of them even when I joined thest!" Felix came back shouting and cheering.


    ''This makes no sense.'' Sylvester mumbled to himself.


    "Has this always been the case? How are they so easy to kill?" Sylvester asked him. "How are there so many of them living in the Divine Desert?"


    "Oh, there are hundreds of different tribes of cannibals," Felix exined. "The biggest tribes, called the Big Three, are extremely hard to deal with, and we lost many of our soldiers in battles with them. The likes of what we saw today are from smaller and weaker tribes. The thing is, since the Divine Desert is vast and living conditions are so harsh, all the tribes keep moving as per the weather patterns. So, we never know which tribe is attacking us."


    ''Interesting. The tomes in the Holy Land only talk about their culture, but Sandwall County seems to hold deeper knowledge of them.''


    "Who are the biggest tribes, and how formidable are they?" Sylvester asked him for more information.


    Felix put one arm around Sylvester''s shoulder and began to walk. "Let''s head to the castle while I exin. You see, the Big Three consists of the Red Foot Tribe, consisting of nearly three hundred thousand people. Flying Scaps is another one and has around two hundred thousand people. As for the biggest one, the ck Blood, they number somewhere around four hundred thousand. Yes, they are massive, and that''s why Sandwall County is respected, for we have fended off against them in the past."


    "Why do they even attack? What is there to gain? They can simply move further south into Gracia or other kingdoms," Sylvester asked.


    "Hah, they tried once. I think this happened nearly a thousand years ago when a cannibal tribe snaked into Gracia. They tried to blend in, but old habits die hard. They ended up eating an entire town, which angered the Holy Land. So a decently-sized campaign wasunched in which they not only killed all the members of the tribe but also went into the outskirts of the Divine Desert and ughtered any tribe they found, massacring tens of thousands of them but leaving a few alive to tell the warning tale."


    ''But this still doesn''t exin their huge poption.'' Sylvester could not simply believe there was nothing more to the game than what meets the eye. He had been warned by the Warsong Queen regent already, so he tried to keep his mind open to all possibilities.


    "We''re here. Don''t bother with what my father says if he says something offensive. Consider him a fool." Felix reminded Sylvester as they walked into the castle grounds.


    ''Is he a fool?'' Sylvester disagreed with Felix''s statement, knowing it was fueled by personal hatred. ''A man who can manage such a strong army and defenses can be anything but a fool. But I hope he''s not too prideful.''


    "Let''s get everything done here quickly. I must return to the Holy Landter and participate in the war nning." Sylvester reminded his friend in case he became toofortable.


    ¡­


    War was not only a heated topic in Sol but also in Beastaria, as it was the other concerned party involved. The Dragons, the Dwarves, and especially the Elves were all deeply concerned about it.


    A meeting of all the elders was called in High Ragnum, the seat of the Elven King in the Kingdom of Alfia. With stoic and frowning faces, the ten elders gathered in the King''s pce. All the Elves had different features: some had long hair, some had short hair, some had white skin, and some had brown skin. A few had particrly long ears, while some had short ones. But they were all old and yet looked nothing more than their prime.


    "Elders, I believe you have already heard about the situation," Rathagun Xeek Eldaron, the King, spoke to his council with respect and a sense of urgency. His deep gray eyes flickered with a hint of worry as he articted while gesturing with his hands.


    "We have," an elder from the Fire Elves said. "Your Majesty, what is the response from the Dragons of the Greenpeaks?"


    Rathagun shook his head. "Same as us. They, too, have no ns tounch a war with Sol. Both of us are reeling with the aftereffects of our war and have no resources to spare to spend on Sol."


    The Elder of the Tree Elves started. "Then why did the noble Divine Dragons go there? What kind of cmity could befall Sol that would prompt such a reaction from them? It ought to be on a scale simr to the thousand-year war."


    Rathagun agreed. "I have the same questions, Elder. That is why I have decided to visit the Whiskeypeak Mountains and meet with the Divine Dragons. We must know what threatens to doom Sol."


    "Knowing this can be beneficial to us," a Water Elf Elder added, smiling wickedly. "If Sol faces a cmity and weakens, we can spare some resources to deliver the death blow."


    "Agreed."


    "For this, all species shall willingly join us."


    All the elders agreed to the n immediately, but they failed to notice the hidden worries that consumed their King from within. All he could do was smile while his mind swiveled with thoughts and prayers to Goddess Remira.


    ''Please be careful, my son.''


    ________________________


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 Chapter 457 457. A Demand

    As the fate of the realm remained uncertain, the heavens seemed to drench thends as a reminder of the suddenness of nature. Umon to the barrennds, the rain began and never ceased.


    "I''ve never seen this much rain here in my life before," Felix muttered as he brought Sylvester to the Count''s castle. "And father has gone to meet some traders at this hour. That fool, an Archbishop from the Holy Land, hase, and he dares not show respect. Max, you should just y him for his insolence."


    "..."


    "He''s your father, Felix."


    "So what? I do not want to be called a kinyer, so I would prefer you kill that worthless waste." Felix never restrained his tongue.


    Knock! Knock!


    The door opened, and a knight entered. "Your Grace, a few people havee to the castle to see you and ask for your blessing. They say the Holy Land is too distant for them to afford a pilgrimage, so they wish to be blessed by you."


    Sylvester sighed, his shoulders sagging. "Can you arrange a small hall for them to gather so I can hold a brief sermon?"


    "Of course!" The Knight cheered up and left excitedly.


    Sylvester looked back at his friend. "Felix, do as I instructed you. Do not care about money; hire as many soldiers, spies, and civilians as possible. Look for any information rted to the girl."


    Felix, thankfully, did notck the ability to be serious when required. "I will get it done. You go and bless the people. The County may seem to be flourishing, but they are also suffering under a tyrant''s rule. Do not forget why you do not see any beggars or elderly people in the city."


    Sylvester recalled the details that Felix had told him in the past, how the Count fed all the disabled and elderly to the lions that he kept as pets. It was inhumane and unnecessary as it went against the church''s teaching ofpassion towards another man of faith.


    "I will not forget it, Felix."


    With that, Sylvester made his way to a spacious hall on the ground floor. It was a modest yet elegant room with arge wooden throne at the center, nked by two armored knights who stood watch to protect Sylvester from overzealous devotees.


    eaglesnov?1,§ão§® "Woah! Lord Bard!"


    "His Grace is here!"


    "I''m blessed!"


    As soon as Sylvester stepped into the hall and walked towards his seat, the crowd of men and women rose to their feet to catch a glimpse of him. They gasped and prayed fervently, for it was not every day that a holy man of Sylvester''s stature visited their border location.


    Sylvester dressed in his finest attire and demeanor, ensuring maximum charisma to influence themoners'' minds for generations toe. The magnificent mitre on his head and the shining, immacte robes embroidered with fine, faint silver linings were a sight to behold. At the same time, he kept his spear at his side, sending a message that he also possessed the martial prowess to enforce justice.


    "Please be at ease, my fellow brothers and sisters of the faith!" Sylvester raised his right hand and waved at them, casting warm light magic to set the mood.


    Nearly a hundred people were present; some were drenched in water due to the nonstop rain outside. Nevertheless, even more slowly made their way into the spacious hall.


    ''I will take this opportunity as practice for when I be Pope. Doesn''t the Pope hold this type of gathering every Season of Solis?'' Sylvester reminded himself and prepared to act.


    Sylvester began by singing one of his old hymns and exhibiting his enlightened form with a halo. Once he sensed only devotion from them, in the form of the scent of tulips, he gestured for them toe forward one by one.


    A young man of about twenty, with a well-built body and an average face, stepped forward. "Your Grace, please grant me a wife!"


    "..."


    Heads turned to look at the man, for his request was truly ridiculous. Even the people felt embarrassed as they did not want to tarnish their County''s reputation.


    "Moris! Come back here! What in the name of Solis are you asking for?" A man from the crowd shouted.


    Sylvester smiled, for that was all he could do. However, he did raise his palm to cast light on the poor man. "May you be blessed with a lovely and kind wife."


    "Thank you, Your Grace!" The man bowed his head and left excitedly, running out of the room.


    Then Sylvester''s gaze swept across the room, and a tacit understanding seemed to form among the people. A sense of shame was evident in the crowd.


    "Ah, I think I forgot something."


    "Me too."


    Slowly, a few men rose and exited the hall, offering a few excuses. It bewildered Sylvester, so he signaled the Knight beside him and inquired about the situation.


    "Your Grace, they likely came to ask for a wife as well. You see, Sandwall County only has six hundred women for every thousand men. So thepetition is tough when ites to wooing a finedy."


    ''So the sex ratio is problematic. Ah, and it''s probably hard to bring wives from other locations in the Gracia since most women would dly decline to leave theirfortable lives only to live in the wretched Sandwall County under constant fear of cannibals. Rather, I believe women from here would dly marry outside.'' Sylvester urately hypothesized from limited knowledge.


    "Next, please." He called.


    This time a man arrived, middle-aged but with a hunched back. "Your Grace, please cure my hunched back. I was a soldier and injured my lower back. Since then, I''ve never been able to stand straight."


    Sylvester didn''t speak and gestured for him toe closer. Then, he ced his palm on the man''s forehead to sense the body with Srium infusion.


    "You are in luck, my friend. I can heal it, but it will be painful." Sylvester warned the man.


    "Anything is better than this."


    "Sir Denis," Sylvester called the Knight. "Press the back of this brother in faith until he''s straight. Don''t stop until he''s cured."


    "Understood!"


    Bam!


    "Aaaaaa¡­!"


    As expected, the man screamed but didn''t fight back. Soon, sounds of something breaking could be heard, and the back turned straight.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Sylvester stood up. "Hold him like this."


    Sylvester employed his palm to use healing magic. He was no expert, but simple injuries were easy to heal since they weren''t deep flesh wounds but simple muscle issues.


    In fifteen minutes, Sylvester was finished and allowed the man to stand.


    "Oh! I can stand straight? I can¡­ MIRACLE!" The former soldier prostrated himself near Sylvester''s feet, thanking him.


    Just like that, Sylvester''s legend began to form in the far north. The murmurs of the people were the proof, and the subsequent miracles that Sylvester performed were the nail in the coffin to establish the legend.


    He remained in the hall, listening to everyone''s problems. Some required mental aid, and some physical. He assisted everyone as long as they didn''t ask him for money. He had a lot of money, but he knew helping one was like opening a dam of a thousand more money seekers.


    Like that, he spent almost all of his day, and only when the castle''s gates closed in the evening did the long gathering end. Sylvester didn''t mind, though, as it was all for his future.


    "Your Grace, the Count has returned and is ready to meet you." The Knight escorting Sylvester informed him.


    A Count defining the terms of our meeting despite being of a lower rank than me? Is he trying to act arrogantly?'' Sylvester wondered, as his past experience had taught him that even kings showed him deep respect.


    "He is in the sr," the Knight guided him to the Count''s tower and then to the room.


    Sylvester entered and heard the door closing behind him, followed by the sound of locks being ced. ''I don''t have a good feeling about this,''


    "Your Grace." The Count finally spoke, appearing from behind a bookshelf.


    It was the first time Sylvester had seen him. Just like Felix, Count Edward Sandwall had ck hair and ck eyes, with a muscr build taller than Sylvester. He had amanding presence and spoke in a heavy voice with a strange ent that was a mix of Masan and Gracia.


    "My Lord, it''s a pleasure to finally meet the renowned Count of Sandwall," Sylvester epted the greeting.


    The Countughed, showing no trace of hostility. "Please don''t belittle me by calling me renowned, Your Grace. In front of you, I am just an ant before an elephant."


    ''Is that a threat? Ants can scare elephants, after all,'' Sylvester tried to read every micro expression of the man while familiarizing himself with the scents. ''He certainly isn''t a waste of a man as Felix suggests. I sense a lot of cunning behind that face.''


    "I''m just doing my duty, my lord. I believe you have heard of the Divine Dragons and their warnings by now."


    ''Say something. Give me more data to analyze.''


    The Count nodded. "That is why I went to meet with the traders today to secure supplies for the tough times ahead."


    ''Scent of lie is clear, but why?''


    Sylvester moved closer to the man, walking by his side and taking a seat. ''I detected the scent ofvender, but it was not in the air. Is it genuinevender perfume? It seems to be unevenly applied.''


    "What did the traders say? Perhaps I can help if you can''t secure enough." he offered.


    The Count strode towards his seat, passing by Sylvester, giving him the opportunity to notice something on the Count''s tunic sleeves.


    ''Is that¡­lipstick? Is he involved in an illicit affair? Or perhaps a whorehouse?''


    Sylvester looked at the man''s face and couldn''t help but feel uneasy. He didn''t expect such a proud man to have that sort of behavior.


    ''Perhaps Felix was correct. He is a waste of a man.''


    "No, Your Grace. I have secured ample provisions tost three years. Now, tell me how I can assist you. I''m confident that the Holy Land sent you for a reason," the Count inquired.


    ''No lies now? Did he meet the traders as well?''


    "Yes, I heard that the once-in-a-century Cannibal festival is approaching, and they willunch an attack with a vast horde. The Holy Land has dispatched me to ensure that Sandwall''s defenses remain strong to prevent Masan''s ambitions in case they take action."


    "Don''t fret over those pitiable cannibals, Your Grace," the Count replied, dismissive of Sylvester. "We have defeated them before and will again. Sandwall has endured for a thousand years and will continue to do so for thousands more. In fact, I extend an invitation to you to join the training sessions that I am supervising to prepare my soldiers. It will be an excellentpetition to collect cannibal scalps. The grand prize is a thousand Gold Graces!"


    ''Confident, domineering, with a hint of secrecy and cunning. This will not be an easy man to handle.''


    "I will happily ept, my lord. Now, if I may be excused to rest," Sylvester said, standing up to leave.


    Bam!


    "Wait a moment!" Count Sandwall suddenly mmed his table with his fist. "Your Grace, aren''t you forgetting something?"


    "..."


    ''Forgetting? I didn''t even know his full name before arriving here.''


    "That is?"


    The Count rose from his seat and stopped a foot away from Sylvester''s face.


    "You have inflicted immense harm upon my County, Your Grace. I demandpensation!"


    "..."


    ________________________


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 Chapter 458 458. We Meet Again

    Sylvester furrowed his brows. ''Is this why the doors were locked from the outside? What does he even think he can do to me?''


    "I don''t understand your meaning, my lord. Can you be more specific?" Sylvester inquired directly, sensing authentic anger emanating as a burning, pungent scent from the man.


    The Count''s eyes reddened as if he might burst any moment. "Do you know how much Sandwall County used to earn before Count Jartel''s downfall and the end of preferred trade with Western merchants? Ten thousand Gold Graces a week!"


    Sylvester''s mind went into shback mode and remembered all the things. Jartel was the Count to whose County he had originally gone to investigate for the death of the Countess. Ultimately, the big conspiracy was revealed, and the Count killed himself.


    ''If I recollect correctly, Masan utilized fake merchants and devised a fake economy to make Northern Gracia reliant on them. But my actions disrupted that trade route and exposed the plot. Moreover, since Sandwall County served as the gatekeeper of that trade route, it appears my actions significantly reduced their profits.''


    "You want me to reimburse you for revealing Masan''s conspiracy to destroy the whole of North Gracia? That money was a lie, my lord. Instead, I would say you are guilty for the anguish of other duchies for failing to recognize the plot," Sylvester used the man.


    "How dare you! After guarding the border for so long, is this what we deserve? Nothing grows here, and we rely on trade! And you use me of this heresy for trying to better the lives of my people?"


    Sylvester sighed and calmed the man. "That''s what the Holy Land would like to believe, my lord. Even King Gracia is dissatisfied. However, if you seek money, then I may have some entrepreneurial proposals that could potentially be a major moneymaking opportunity for you in the future. Perhaps mining in the Pentapeak mountain range could assist you."


    "It''s impossible to discover mines in that snow-coverednd!" The Count objected.


    "Not if I pinpoint to you the exact location of some of them." Sylvester offered. He had already informed the Sanctum Council that he intended to do so, as the Holy Land required more funds and taxes for the war.


    The Count''s gaze softened, and he retreated. "Gold mines?"


    "Indeed."


    The Count''s demeanor shifted abruptly, and he settled back onto his chair. "I knew I could rely on you. I will await your guidance. Have a pleasant night."


    Sylvester nodded and departed, having outwitted the man who considered himself the winner. It was true that Sylvester was going to offer the mine. However, the Count failed to realize that the mid-east side of the Pentapeak range belonged to the Duchy of Normani. Currently, Sylvester held a strong rtionship with the new Duchess.


    Therefore, any deal would require her approval. And when that agreement happens, an appropriate percentage shall go to the Duchy and then to the Holy Land since it was Sylvester who liberated the entire mountain region and converted the barbarians.


    He returned to the room allotted to him and rested on the bed, but didn''t sleep. Instead, the sound of rain outside and the strange dull atmosphere spread a sense of mncholy, and Sylvester felt it.


    Still, he gazed at the ceiling while Miraj sat beside him, lying on his back with his head resting on Sylvester''s arm.


    "Will there be another life after this one? What do you think, Chonky?"


    "Another life?" Miraj looked puzzledly at Sylvester. "But we have not even lived this one yet."


    "Haha." A brief chuckle escaped his lips. "You are too wise, my friend. Indeed, why worry when we have not even experienced this one fully."


    Gradually, the sound of the rain filled the room, and finding sce in it, Sylvester shut his eyes. He did not intend to sleep but merely sought a brief moment of tranquility to calm his mind.


    ¡­


    Riveria, Fort Sunflower


    Kaecilius received Sylvester''s letter through the monastery and read it in private with great focus as the details were encrypted.


    ''Lord Bard wants me to wait and let King Conrad be weakened from the oing divine war?''


    Kaecilius read the message carefully. ''Do not put too many resources into it, and conserve energy. Then, when the time is right, we''ll strike.''


    He sighed and incinerated the letter to ashes. He had nned to seize the Kingdom swiftly, but after reading Lord Bard''s suggestion, he grasped the situation better. If he took over the Kingdom now, then he would be obligated to assist the Holy Land in the war. But, unfortunately, hecked any subordinate Grand Wizards waiting to fight for him.


    ''Let the fools dance to their deaths while I savor the aftermath? Sounds like a n.''


    ¡­


    Gracia Kingdom, Green City.


    Isabe had returned to her home, the oppressive castle of Gracia''s capital. However, she felt suffocated no matter how extensive the castle was. She desired to meet Felix and join Xavia in the Holy Land.


    "Your Highness, a letter for you." A Bright Mother dropped the letter to the princess without adding any further words.


    Initially, Isabe was perplexed about why a Bright Mother would do so, but she carefully opened it and realized it was Sylvester''s handwriting and encoded words.


    She quickly shut her door closed and read it carefully. ''Dear Isabe, I hope you are well. I understand that losing your freedom must be frustrating, but you must remain safe for a prosperous Gracia in the future.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ''For now, I want you to gradually assume control of the Kingdom''s administration. Be cautious and identify which noble is corrupt or cheating the Kingdom. I have a few trustworthy clergymen serving in the King''s court, and they will assist you. You must not ascend to the throne during this war because the people will feel the most devastation.


    ''When people are enraged, they revolt and rise against their monarch. In your case, their anger will be directed at King Harold. That would be the ideal time for you to assume the throne. The people will ept a kind ruling queen graciously.''


    She sighed and burnt the paper. "You are too intelligent, Sylvester. It is no wonder you always have your goals in mind, never wavering for anyone."


    Isabe rested in her room, reminiscing about when she attempted to impress Sylvester, causing her secondhand embarrassment and prompting a few kicks on the floor.


    ''I was such a fool, trying to make the next Pope break his celibacy. O'' Solis, forgive me. I was too naive!''


    ¡­


    Sorrow Kingdom, Wailing City.


    Lord Einarr, the man with the power to stop time, had all his time consumed by his duties. Rebuilding an entire kingdom from scratch took a lot more work than he had initially presumed.


    Fortunately, he found sce in the magnificent and easy-to-follow ns for building cities, bridges, and dams that Sylvester had left behind. The Administration without nobles was also much more pleasing to the people, as they felt they finally had power over their destiny, not some unountable noble.


    Knock! Knock!


    In the newly-built grand pce, surrounded by ava moat, Einarr received a letter from a Bright Mother. No words were exchanged.


    In a single nce, Einarr knew it was a letter from Sylvester. However, he had only just mastered the codednguage, so he had trouble deciphering it initially.


    ''H-Hello, my dear friend, I hope you are dying well¡­Ah! Doing well. The Divine Dragons have made the divination. The doom is returning. I want you to refuse to join the Holy Land in the war against Beastaria. The Sorrow Kingdom has suffered enough, so just focus on rebuilding and creating an industry.


    ''Pray to Solis that I am able to aplish what I have decided to do. If everything goes well, the Sorrow Kingdom may have thest of its royal bloodline returning to Castle Ashstone. I can''t reveal many details, but a certain princess may be out there.''


    Einarr''s hands trembled as tears of joy welled up in his eyes. He crushed the paper in his hand and burned it away while remembering the name of the little girl who used to lovingly call him grandpa and y on hisp.


    ''Zye¡­my princess¡­are you alive? O'' Solis, please bless Lord Bard!''


    ¡­


    Back in Sandwall County, Sylvester woke up in the morning. He had not even realized when he fell asleep. It was a strange slumber to him.


    "Ugh¡­ It''s still raining outside." He walked to the room''s balcony and looked at the small city. The sun hade up, but it was still shrouded by dark clouds, blocking the warmth of Solis and reducing the precious Srium supply.


    Woosh!


    A sudden cold breeze flew past him. For the first time in many years, Sylvester felt his body shudder despite having light magic.


    Immediately, he looked toward the direction of the air current.


    "Is that?...No, no, no! Why now?"


    His scalp tingled the moment he witnessed the distant hovering figure of a ck cloak with sharp, white, shining eyes. It was directly staring at Sylvester.


    The scent of death also made itself aware, and Sylvester prepared himself for do or die.


    ''What does the Shadow Knight want now? He''s left me alone all this time.''


    Sylvester picked up his spear from the bedside in case he had to escape. Then he locked his gaze on the creature, and both seemed to stare at each other constantly for minutes, which passed to be an hour.


    But after noticing no reaction, a thought came to his mind.


    ''Is it not here for me?''


    ________________________


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 Chapter 459 459. A Monster In Human Skin

    Sylvester stood frozen, contemting what to do with the Shadow Knight. He had the confidence to confront the being, just as he had done years ago when he was a mere Master Wizard. However, he questioned why the creature had note after him for the past year. Thest time he saw the creature was in the Duchy of Iceling when the Shadow Knight killed the 6th Guardian of Light.


    Boom!


    Lightning struck down from the heavens, hitting the castle walls and sting a chunk of it. The Shadow Knight, unfazed and unbothered, continued to stare at Sylvester.


    ''If you''re here for the Count, this isn''t the time, buddy.'' Sylvester prayed to himself that the creature wasn''t there for the Count, at least not for the moment.


    The lightning roared with each strike, and the rain intensified. It was the first time Sandwall County had received so much rainfall.


    But even then, the Shadow Knight did not move. A few hours passed, and Sylvester gave up, believing that the Shadow Knight was there for someone else and not him. He went to wake Miraj up instead, feeling bored without his daily dose of cuteness.


    "Banana!" Sylvester voiced.


    Woosh!


    "Where?" Miraj''s eyes shot open in an instant, and his body rose while the tail swung like a de. "Banana where?"


    Sylvester chuckled and gave the daily treats. "Chonky, we will be overseeing the training of the knights now. The festival of the cannibals begins in two days, and that''s when they are likely to send theirrge horde."


    "We fight?" Miraj asked while feasting on the banana.


    "We may if the horde is too big. Count Sandwall does not have a Grand Wizard or Diamond Knight rank fighter, so it would be up to me if the horde somehow brings out a stronger warrior," Sylvester reasoned. "But if there is no danger, I will not bloody my hands."


    Miraj melted in the bed with the banana in hand. "I was looking forward to killing enemies. It''s boring otherwise. I want to battle too."


    ''Chonky wants to fight?''


    "Your time will alsoe one day, buddy. Until then, let''s just get stronger and grow your wings."


    After Miraj''s modest breakfast, Sylvester verified that the Shadow Knight was still aloft and stationed in the same spot. Then he simply went to see the training of the knights and wizards of the Sandwall Army.


    ¡­


    It was a vast underground arena where thousands of knights drilled in warfare and crossed swords with one another. The participants were divided into various groups based on their ranks and levels. A pyramidal structure was established, with the person one level higher than the other battling the one below.


    Thus, everyone except the individual at the pinnacle was driven to strengthen themselves and advance to the next tier. Sylvester employed this strategy himself to push himself.


    He also saw Felix helping the best Knight since the one at the top had nobody to help him push himself to the edge of his limit. Felix was unquestionably the mightiest knight present after Sylvester.


    ''Where is the Count now?'' Sylvester pondered as he strolled through the training grounds. He didn''t particrly have the urge to train them, but he desired to uncover any information on the Count or possible spies among the soldiers.


    He looked around the entire arena that whole day and found nothing but rage among the men as they all wished to kill the most cannibals and win the big prize from the County. To them, it wasn''t a battle for survival but merely another day.


    Sylvester didn''t object since the cannibals were legally required to be executed and eradicated. Furthermore, unlike the Mountain Barbarians, Sylvester had no qualms about exterminating the Cannibals for good.


    "Lord Bard, the Count wishes to see you in the town. He also advised you to don your armor in case of any unforeseen circumstances." A knight informed Sylvester at that moment.


    Sylvester cursed the Count internally, recognizing the man''s attempt to demonstrate his dominance. ''I wouldn''t mind if the Shadow Knight killed him now.''


    Nevertheless, he followed the Knight outside after changing into his armor. Using a bamboo umbre, they arrived in the town and entered a small building that led to the underground. It was a giant empty cavity and a naturally formed one from the looks of it.


    As Sylvester descended the stairs and passed through the heavily guarded gate, his eyes widened at the sight.


    "W-What is this? Why hasn''t the Holy Land been notified of this?" Sylvester inquired of the Knight.


    "I wasn''t aware that the Holy Land was unaware, Your Grace. We refer to this ce as Devil''s Vige." The Knight responded, his voice trembling with fear.


    It was not merely an empty underground cavity but a colossal subterranean slum with almost no natural light. Lanterns illuminated thendscape outside each small shanty, and people thronged the narrow streets.


    The air was thick with the stench of filth and litter, and as Sylvester walked, he observed the pitiable state of the people; poor, thin, and weak. Childreny on the sides of the road as if lifeless, while some sat and begged, naked and destitute. There was no social order, and the sound of distant street fights mixed with the screams of women seeking aid echoed everywhere.


    Unclean, unhygienic, and inhumane were the only words Sylvester could use to describe the slum. However, the scent of pain, sorrow, and death overpowered everything, causing Sylvester to falter momentarily.


    Looking around, he noticed that the ceiling was very high and supported by natural rock pirs. The pirs had vertical shacks built into them. The area was norger than the Frozen town of Iceling Duchy, but the poption density seemed much greater than any city.


    As he walked by, the people fell to their knees and lowered their heads, not daring to look at him. Men, women, and children, clothed or naked, all were as miserable as the next one. At the same time, many appeared to be suffering from skin diseases, one more horrible than the next.


    ''This is madness!'' <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "There, the Count is in that tower, Your Grace." The Knight pointed to the brightly lit and most opulent-looking building in the entire underground slum.


    Sylvester silently followed, trying his best to ignore all the odors that assaulted his senses. But, sadly, he could not close his eyes, and he saw misery only increasing as he arrived at the supposed center of the slum. The density was greater, the streets narrower, and beyond the scents of misery, hate also made itself known.


    "Inside."


    Finally, they arrived at the guarded tower, and Sylvester entered. It was a simple tower, not too wide, so the moment he entered, he arrived at a vast hall with a staircase going up.


    In front of the staircase, however, stood a beautiful, well-toned, brown-haired woman with not a single article of clothing on her body.


    She disyed no shame and concealed no part of her body; rather, she invited him with a smile. "This way, Your Grace. Lord Sandwall is waiting upstairs."


    ''Fear, sorrow, and hatred. No matter how well she hides it on her face, I sense it all.'' Sylvester walked towards the woman as he removed his cloak. He ced the cloak on her and patted her shoulder.


    "I don''t know what is happening, but today is thest day you stand here naked. I will go up by myself. You may rest." Sylvester began to ascend the stairs.


    "No! Your Grace, please don''t do this." The woman cried and threw the cloak away. "I have a child to feed. This is the only way."


    Sylvester looked back and handed her a Gold Grace. "Nobody will be hungry again."


    ''I may be a monster myself, but even I draw the line at mass genocide and envement of so manymoners.'' Sylvester told himself and went up.


    The spiral staircase led him to the top of the tower, where the open terrace was. He passed the guard and saw the luxurious decorations, from a soft feathered mattress on a bed to intricate wooden carved chairs and tables. The tables wereden with fruit baskets, cooked meat, and drinks.


    Near the edge of the terrace sat a grandiose throne-like chair, on which the armor-d Count resided. Beside him were two more beautiful women, also naked. One served him fruits while the other swung a feather fan to keep the Count cool and keep the stench of the underground at bay.


    ''So this is his true face. But why show this to me now?'' Sylvester wondered as he guessed even Felix had no idea, or he would have told him.


    "Lord Bard,e and sit with me. This is the best vantage point to view the entire Devil''s Vige," the Count beckoned, not even bothering to look at Sylvester. "Ugh¡­ Woman, fetch another chair."


    Sylvester waved his hand at her and dragged it himself. They may be smiling, but he knew their anger within.


    "Leave us alone," Sylvester ordered the two women. "It''s an order."


    "They aren''t going anywhere. I own them!" the Count protested.


    Sylvester took a seat beside the Count and tapped his spear on the ground once. "Perhaps exmunication is in order, along with the deration of heresy."


    The Count''s eyes boiled red as he red at Sylvester. "You dare threaten me in my ownnd? Have you gone insane? You won''t survive if I give the order."


    Sylvester didn''t even look at him. "You can try if you''re confident fighting someone who defeated two Grand Wizards simultaneously."


    "You¡­" The Count gritted his teeth and growled at the women. "Leave us, vile little whores. I don''t want to see your faces again."


    Sylvester shook his head, disappointed. "Remarkable. A Count preying on the vulnerable. I wonder where I''ve seen this before? Ah! Wasn''t it Count Ranthburg? Poor chap got his bloodline eradicated with Article sixty-six."


    Bam!


    The Count hurled his wine ss. "I summoned you here for some private talks, and all you do is insult me. I keep Gracia safe! I deserve respect."


    "Respect is not demanded. It''s earned." Sylvester retorted. "Now, answer me truthfully. Who are they? Why are they here? What do you intend to do?"


    Still seething with anger, the Count leaned back in his chair and responded with a smirk. "They are all refugees from the Sorrow Kingdom and a few other ces. Fools keep migrating north searching for a home, so I took them in and sheltered them."


    "You call this living?"


    "It''s better than nothing," the Count replied. "Besides, they won''t be here for too long. They are part of my master n that will keep Sandwall and East Sol secure."


    Sylvester narrowed his gaze, detecting the Count''s nefarious intentions. "And what is that?"


    "Haha! The Cannibals'' festival is approaching, and their horde will number in the millions. These worthless leeches will be my first line of defense, each equipped with an exploding crystal. The moment the Cannibals capture and y them¡­ Boom! Blood, gore, and their defeat!" the Count chuckled, ncing at the vast slums.


    ________________________


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 Chapter 460 460. Chaotic Chain Of Command

    Sylvester was left speechless by the brutal confession of the man. Not only that, he now had a clue as to why the Shadow Knight had appeared. The creature likely knew about the horrifying crime that was about to bemitted by the Count.


    "How many people are here?" He questioned.


    "Thest Count was conducted six months ago, so it''s more than two hundred thousand. Nasty folks can''t even keep their homes clean after I graciously provide them with livable sustenance free of cost." The Count had nothing but scorn for them.


    Sylvester rose to his feet and strode to the edge of the terrace to survey the area. As far as he could see, there was only sorrow and despair. But, if he wished to protect them, a new difficulty arose that he had just realized.


    ''This scoundrel! The horde is merely a day away. Now I do not have enough time to summon reinforcements. He nned this from the start and knew I would object.''


    "Why did you not inform me earlier? I could have summoned the Inquisitors and the Holy Army." Sylvester asked him sternly. "Your n amounts to genocide, which breaks allws of the church."


    "Huh!" The Count scoffed. "As if I would allow anyone else to bask in the glory of my great house Sandwall. This battle is mine, and by winning it, I shall once again immortalize the name of Sandwall. So stay out of this, Bard! That is unless you have a different strategy to halt the millions of cannibals."


    For that very reason, Sylvester loathed sly, powerful, and evil men like Count Sandwall. But regrettably, he had no secret weapons at his disposal anymore.


    ''I should emunicate him and let his eldest son assume the mantle after this crisis is over. But can I allow these people to perish?'' Sylvester gazed at the slums once again. ''What if the Shadow Knight is not here to y the Count but to observe what decision I will make?''


    Left pondering, Sylvester wished for nothing more than to impale his spear through the Count''s chest. The man had made a straightforward situation overlyplicated.


    "You possess no right to decide the fate of these innocents. Therefore, I am revoking your authority over the people from this moment on. Failure toply with the order will result in your exmunication and possibly the end of your illustrious bloodline." Sylvester coldlymanded before heading for the exit.


    "By what authority?" the Count questioned. "Article Twelve B? The clergy cannot meddle in the Kingdom''s internal affairs."


    Sylvester promptly replied, "The same article contains another line at the end, ''Unless it''s harmful to the church.'' Moreover, Articles Four, Four A, and C stipte that no children of Solis shall be killed or harmed unless theymit a crime."


    "The end justifies the means, Bard. By the time you bring your reinforcements and orders, I will be done. After all, you still need permission from Cardinal Suprima of the Duchy. You cannot remove me with mere words," the Count retorted, fighting him with legality.


    However, Sylvester was not a regr person. "You are mistaken, Count. I was appointed Cardinal Suprima of Sorrow Kingdom, and my promotion was never revoked. I have also been added to the Pope''s Sanctum Council. At the same time, I still hold the title of Grand Crusader, which enables me to deal with any noble. Not only that, you are forgetting that I was made the Grand Field Marshal of Gracia. That means all your army must follow my orders if I say so!"


    Sylvester''s voice was full of certainty, confidence, and authority. He spoke only the facts, and it was a reality that Sylvester''s status was much grander than a mere Count.


    Count Sandwall could only watch as Sylvester left. Meanwhile, he gritted his teeth and seethed in rage. But he still knew he had permission to go ahead unless Sylvester came up with a better n.


    ¡­


    Sylvester exited the underground city that held more poption than many cities outside. He immediately went to the Running Men post office and wrote an urgent letter to Lady Bethany Normani, the new Duchess of the Duchy. Then he wrote different letters to the localmanders of the Inquisition and the Holy Army, instructing them to rush to Sandwall County and help battle the horde of cannibals.


    Finally, Sylvester wrote a letter to the Cardinal Suprima of the Duchy, who also resided in the Duchy''s capital, ordering the man to appear in a single day or face actions ranging from execution to demotion. At the same time, he ordered them to bring massive amounts of grains while exining the crisis.


    Lastly, he wrote a letter to the Pope directly. He knew it wouldn''t reach the man in time, but Sylvester merely wanted the Pope to learn about the situation so he wouldn''t face any bacsh for ying a Count.


    "Chonky, how much grain do you have right now?" Sylvester asked his friend, patting his shoulder.


    "I think¡­" Miraj rubbed his head with his fluffy paw. "Ummm¡­ I think I have ten bags and ten boxes."


    Sylvester felt disheartened. "Each weighs a ton?"


    "I don''t know. I took them as tax when we raided nobles. Each bag has one written on it, and the boxes have ten written on it."


    "Ten? Then they weigh ten tons? Ten boxes means a hundred tons of grain. If I calcte my calories, then a ton should be able to feed at least two thousand people to some degree so they don''t starve. Making it into a soupy porridge would mean a ton can feed even more people, perhaps three thousand. That means a hundred tons can feed three hundred thousand people. If I ration it better, it canst for a few days until suppliese."


    Waaah!" Mirajmented as he yawned. "You count too fast. My head is spinning, Maxy."


    Sylvester grabbed Miraj in front of him and massaged his chubby face. "That''s why I was teaching you mathst time. You may be old, but you haven''t studied anything."


    "Nooo¡­ I hate books." Miraj kicked his legs like a spoiled child. "I can count bananas, though. Perhaps they can inspire me."


    "..."


    "You just want bananas, don''t you?"


    "Meow."


    Sylvester chuckled and went to the monastery to seek assistance from people. He needed to establish a mega kitchen and hire cooks to prepare food. He couldn''t use those from the underground as they might be carrying some disease, so he employed some men from the town.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The bright mother there was a member of Sylvester''s cult, so she was more than willing to assist. She appeared to be aware of the underground city but was unable to do anything about it because the Archbishop of the County refused to take action.


    Sylvester delved deeper and discovered that the Archbishop''s life was threatened. Nevertheless, Sylvester decided to transfer himter, as it was uneptable for the clergyman to sumb to a noble''s pressure. After all, killing an Archbishop brought doom upon oneself.


    As time passed, they were able to produce arge amount of rice porridge by the end of the day.


    "Mother Merissa, take this light crystal with you. Before distributing the food, ensure they know that the Holy Land is providing it. Ensure that they are not abandoned and inform them that the Sorrow Kingdom is once again free and united. They may return if they wish, as the reconstruction efforts require workers." Sylvester instructed the head Bright Mother in the monastery.


    "Your Grace, we will be mobbed if we go there with this much food." Mother Merissa, the old and kind-looking Bright Mother said. "Can we have some soldiers for protection?"


    "Of course, I am the Grand Field Marshal. I will order two battalions to escort you and the team. They will organize the people into lines to receive the food."


    With that, Sylvester spent the entire night sending food to the so-called Devil''s Vige and feeding the people. At the same time, he prevented the Count from entering the area using a small team of Holy Army soldiers stationed at the monastery.


    Slowly, the day passed, and the rain did not stop. But fortunately, Lady Bethany''s response came in the form of a small army that was instructed to obey only Sylvester. With them, Sylvester could at least ensure that the people underground were not fed exploding crystals.


    But, as anticipated, that presented a bigger challenge, and Count Sandwall confronted him in front of everyone. Although Sylvester had informed Felix about everything by then, he stood by his best friend''s side.


    "Have youe up with a n, or will you mindlessly obstruct my path?!" Count Sandwall shouted.


    "Father, do not raise your voice before Saint Sylvester Maximilian! Lest you be condemned with heresy and burned!" Felix shouted back.


    Sylvester didn''t flinch and stood in the midst of the Count''s army in the training arena. "My brothers of faith and children of Solis. Lord Edward Sandwall was about tomit genocide and kill two hundred thousand people, poor refugees from the Sorrow Kingdom, by using them as bait for the cannibal horde tomorrow."


    Sylvester allowed his words to be digested by all of them first. They red at the Count, and some whispered to each other. Of course, they were ustomed to violence, but killing a mindless Caniball was different from killing a civilized believer of Solis.


    "As per the Holy Law of Light, he is a heathen. However, it will be up to you to decide whether you will be a heathen as well or remain a believer. Please make your decision. Do you want to ughter the two hundred thousand poor, impoverished, and sick men, women, and children living under the city? Answer me loudly, because if you agree with him, I will have to return to the Holy Land and call forth the Inquisition."


    After a moment of silence, Sylvester continued. "In that case, sharpen your des and raise your shields. I will join you all on the battlefield."


    "I will join too," Felix interjected. "It''s about time I fulfill my duty as a Sandwall and protect people¡ªnot conspire tomit genocide."


    Felix''s gaze was fixed on his father, conveying nothing butplete disappointment.


    "In that case, I will also enter the battlefield," Count Sandwall dered. "But if we perish, remember, you will be the cause of cannibals ravaging the north!"


    Sylvester had to make a decision. ''If I don''t do this, the Shadow Knight won''t let me go. I have no choice. I hope everything goes well.''


    "Listen to me!" hemanded the troops. "It has been raining for days, so the ground will be muddy. So remove your heavy armor and boots. We shall fight barefoot, as boots will cause slipping."


    "Understood, Your Grace!" The men replied in unison.


    "I will provide you with healing potions and various crystals for tomorrow''s battle. Remember, the best way to fight is to conserve energy while inflicting maximum damage. If there really will be millions of them, we must conserve our energy!"


    "Understood, Your Grace!" They roared together, eyes twinkling with excitement.


    Then finally, Sylvester hammered the final nail.


    "The one with the most cannibal scalps will receive a thousand Gold Graces from the Count and ten thousand from me. The second-ce winner will receive five thousand, and the third-ce winner will receive two thousand!"


    That was it. The arena resounded with roaring chants in the name of the lord and Solis.


    Sylvester merely smirked at the Count, having gained the loyalty of his soldiers with such ease.


    ''Let''s see how this ys out now.''


    ________________________


    [A/N: Lads anddies, the volume is nearing its end.]


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 Chapter 461 461. Million Scalp War: Against The Odds

    In the distance, ominous dark clouds gathered and churned, their foreboding shadows stretching across thend like the fingers of a colossal hand. A deep rumble echoed through the air, heralding the intensifying storm. Amidst the deluge, the sky was illuminated by irregr forks of lightning, their stark white brilliance painting the world in a harsh light. Each sh was followed by a deafening crack of thunder, a mighty roar that shook the very foundations of thend.


    The knights of the Sandwall waited near the Western wall, atop the cliff, anticipating an attack from the western side. Adorned in lightweight armor and wielding nimble des, they were eager for the battle.


    However, the stormy rain had reduced visibility to such an extent that they could not see the bottom of the cliff, let alone the distantnds from where the cannibal army could emerge andunch an attack.


    Yet, as seasoned warriors of the Sandwall, they knew how to handle such situations. They had encountered low visibility during winter fogs before, and for that very situation, they had installed bells all over the wall and lower gates.


    d in fine armor and helmet, Sylvester kept his eyes shut and his senses alert. He tried to detect the scents and sounds emanating from his surroundings. Considering the cannibals would be inrge numbers, he reckoned he could sense their emotions.


    "Chonky, prepare to devour as many of them as possible. Then, after devouring them, throw them back at the enemies to disorient them. You will be my greatest defender today." Sylvester whispered to Miraj.


    Miraj was already excited about the battle as his eyes shined with bloodlust. "I will kill them all, Maxy. Don''t worry."


    Ting! Ting!


    "Two bells!" Felix eximed. "It means they saw something but are uncertain. If they ring it five times, we all leap with the ropes and attack. The lower gates won''t be opened today until we return."


    Soon the bells rang four times, signaling them to remain prepared as the watchmen were almost certain that the enemy wasing.


    Sylvester focused his gaze on the coldnds hundreds of feet below the cliff. The rain hindered his vision, but he detected a deep and strong bitterness. It was thebined animosity emanating from the cannibals. He was sure of it.


    Ting! Ting!...


    This time, every ear listened intently to the bells, and when the fifth one came, rage consumed them.


    "DEATH TO CANNIBALS!"


    "I shall win!"


    "The prize is mine!"


    The Sandwall soldiers appeared more fanatical than even the Inquisitors, jumping fearlessly off the towering wall that stood over two hundred feet tall. They clung to hundreds of long robes hanging from the wall and ran down with the support of the rope.


    "They are crazy," Sylvester muttered, stepping to the edge of the wall. "I''ll see you at the bottom, Felix."


    "I aming as well, my friend." Felix didn''t wait for Sylvester and leaped off the wall without taking the rope.


    Sylvester followed suit, diving headfirst down the cliff, his arms tucked close to his body for optimal aerodynamics. Felix was inexperienced and didn''t know much about aerodynamics, so Sylvester easily passed him by.


    The first Knights of Sandwall had yet to reach the ground when Sylvester arrived. He conjured powerful elemental air magic, creating a downward thrust to slow his descent andnd safely on the ground.


    Bam!


    On the other hand, Felixnded safely but clumsily on his butt. "Ouch! I need to practice this more."


    "Haaaa! Kill the heathens!"


    The knights soon joined them and charged toward the oing cannibals, their faint footsteps and shouts growing louder as they approached. The soldiers maintained their squad formations and moved with precision.


    Sylvester nced up and could not see the top of the cliff. "Aurora could have helped us a lot with her lightning maniption. Still, let''s utilize the rain and turn them into sharp spears against the horde."


    Sylvester was responsible formanding the knights and wizards from Normani Duchess'' army, so he had a good enough force to coborate and inflict heavy damage.


    "Let us not rush; we must wait for the initial contact report. We need to know the enemy''s numbers," Sylvester spoke, walking instead of running like the others.


    "Haha! Why are you cowardly standing back, Your Grace?" The Count finally climbed down and mockingly walked past Sylvester. "Could it be you''re regretting your decision?"


    Sylvester ignored him. ''Count yourst breaths. Win or lose; your death is inevitable.''


    "Ah!" Felix eximed then. "Why do I smell something rotten? Oh, it''s just you, Father."


    Count Sandwall stared daggers at Felix and ran away with his elite squad of knights and wizards. Clearly, Felix was itching to see his father die.


    "Knights, you must protect the wizards," Sylvestermanded the men under hismand.


    They slowly walked, carefully listening to the sounds at the front. The shes of des had already begun to resound, along with various explosions, as Sylvester had handed the men various crystals to be used in the battle.


    "We should rush," Felix suggested.


    "Not before we know how many there are. Remember, never go into a battle before knowing your enemy''s strength." Sylvester warned.


    Fortunately, they soon received a field report as a knight with blood oozing from his wounds came running back. "Your Grace! There are at least three hundred thousand of them. However, they are weak andck knowledge of warfare."


    Sylvester nodded and looked toward the Wall of Void in the distance. "Let us be cautious in case they have reinforcements."


    Then he nced at the soldiers with him. "Remember, secure the wizards, and allow them to castrge-scale destructive spells. You all have plenty of Srium crystals, so you won''t run out of magic."


    "What about you?" Felix asked.


    "I will fight separately, as my attack area will be too wide. I don''t want to harm our own." Sylvester said, holding his spear firmly.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Understood," Felix acknowledged his limitations and decided to apany the Duchy soldiers and wizards. Although he had some impressive moves, they were not nearly as powerful as Sylvester''s.


    With that, Sylvester moved first and disappeared into the crowded battlefield. Count''s thirty thousand soldiers versus three hundred thousand of the Cannibals. They were outnumbered by ten to one ratio, but it was still a winnable battle as the cannibals were not the most intelligent beings.


    The knights effortlessly wielded their swords and spears, slicing through the unarmored cannibals who barely covered theirher regions and brandished crude weapons. Despite having extremely dry skin and little fat, the cannibals appeared tall and ferocious with their hideous, rotten teeth and bearded faces.


    "There are men, women, and even children," Sylvester observed in awe as he charged ahead of the frontlines.


    However, he had no time to ponder the morality of the situation. Instead, he simply twirled his spear skillfully, leaving behind a trail of death with every swing. Tens of cannibals were beheaded or cut in half with each strike.


    "Maxy, I start now?" Miraj asked for permission.


    Sylvester was too focused on decimating the cannibals to reply with a lengthy response. "Kill."


    "Okay," Miraj acknowledged as he stayed close to Sylvester''s shoulder and scanned the approaching horde of cannibals. Then, instead of having Sylvester take care of them, Miraj opened his jaw wide and unleashed his power.


    Woosh!


    In an instant, the horde began to be sucked into Miraj''s mouth as if it was a ck hole. The beings were pulled in and distorted, shrinking to fit into the tiny jaw.


    Sylvester noticed it and felt confident about defeating the horde. "This is too easy, and I feel this isn''t the best they have to offer. It''s as if I''m an adult and killing newborns."


    Theck of challenge and the inability of some cannibals to wield their swords properly made Sylvester suspect that there were more waves of cannibals toe, and the current wave was just a test to exhaust them.


    "Don''t tire yourself out, Chonky. I''m afraid this is going to go on for too long." Sylvester warned the feisty cat.


    Miraj paused devouring, and replied. "I''m not even doing anything. Just keeping my jaw open is very easy."


    ''So his power doesn''t rely on Srium?'' Sylvester wondered. ''It''s a passive ability that is linked to his body. But where does all the devoured material go?''


    Sadly, being far too busy fighting, he focused on butchering the cannibals and slowly began to create a hill of corpses on which he stood proudly like a god of war. Around him, the Knights of Sandwall slowly made their way forward and left behind a ground covered with corpses, as if they were sheets of blood and gore.


    "It appears they have all realized it," Sylvester noticed that not many of the knights were using big moves or any explosion crystals. Like him, they only swung their des.


    "Keep going!" Sylvester roared to encourage them. "Solis sees it all! Let''s make him proud!"


    The name of Solis undoubtedly pumped them, as evidenced by their chants. But then, one of the nearby knights shouted and requested something from Sylvester.


    "Your Grace, this battle is quite boring! Can you bless us with one of your hymns that we can all sing together.?" said the man as he beheaded five cannibals without even looking at them.


    ''Such marvelous knights of Sandwall. Even Inquisitors would feel ashamed before them,'' Sylvester felt satisfied with their performances and prepared to sing.


    This time, while one of his hands continued to swing the de, and the other hand faked using space magic to devour the bodies, he sang and created the halo behind the head.


    ?Our arms are strong, and our will is firm,


    It''s our holy duty to ughter these worms.


    It is a lesson that they must keenly learn,


    ept Solis, or wait for the fire to burn.?


    ?O'' brothers and sisters, fear not, for we stand tall.


    The smiles on your faces, we shan''t let it stall,


    Our bodies are shields, and we defend one and all.


    For we are the mighty knights of ancient Sandwall,?


    Sylvester incorporated the name of the county into the hymn to make it closer to the hearts of the men. And as expected, upon hearing it, they began to repeat the words in a united chant. However, they added two more lines at the end.


    ?Fear we relinquish, for beside us stands the mighty bard,


    Bestowing grace upon us, he is the cherished son of the lord.?


    ''As always, my hymns are the most excellent tool of propaganda,'' Sylvester approached his strange blessing of the halo and focused on the cannibals.


    "Wait a min¡ª"


    But just then, he realized something. He had stopped fighting the cannibals in the middle of his hymn, and yet no attack hade.


    "What?! Why are they kneeling?"


    ________________________


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 Chapter 462 462. Million Scalp War: All Out

    Sylvester felt his tongue freeze. The cannibals knelt before him as he stood atop a hill of lifeless bodies. There were few cannibals remaining, and they all gazed at Sylvester''s halo.


    "Jasaka! Jasaka! Jasaka!"


    The cannibals chanted the same word repeatedly. Only those who understood the cannibal tongue could interpret it. Sylvester was one of them, for he had studied the fundamentals of theirnguage, hoping to find simrities with thenguages he knew.


    ''Jasaka? The Fire God?'' Sylvester understood that they were addressing him as their fire God, the deity to whom the cannibals prayed. They resided in the desert, embracing the heat, which became an integral part of their culture. Their faith originated from the period when they discovered fire, which saved them from the cold and wild beasts. They regarded it as a divine boon.


    Thud! Thud!


    But before he could think about using the opportunity to his advantage, he heard the earth rumble, and far in the distance, a faint shadow of another horde appeared.


    "Prepare yourselves! The second wave ising, and it''s massive!" Sylvester eximed.


    The cannibals near Sylvester instantly turned around and began to shout in theirnguage.


    "Wari neo selka nabo Jasaka!"


    "We found Jakasa." That was what the cannibals meant.


    ''They are willing to go to such extremes?'' Sylvester realized he had found a useful tool. ''Since only those at the front line can see me, I should be able to sow chaos in their ranks by exhibiting my halo. If more of them believe I am truly Jasaka, they may turn on those at the back.''


    Sylvester swiftly created the halo behind his head by humming a hymn under his breath. Then, he added the finishing touch by using fire elemental magic and spewing mes around himself to incinerate the corpses.


    "Stop the ungrateful children or learn the wrath of fire!" Sylvester warned in the cannibal tongue.


    The cannibals close to him trembled in fear and sprinted toward the iing horde. But the horde had no intention of halting as it was impossible to do so.


    However, those at the forefront of the massive horde only heard the words as they trampled the screaming cannibals beneath their feet.


    "Jasaka! Jasaka is here!"


    Of course, once those at the front heard those words and spotted Sylvester, the idea became embedded in their minds. Indeed, Jasaka was present. Their deity hade to lead them to the promisednd.


    In a frenzy, the forefront attempted to alert those behind about the turn of events. However, the instant they stopped, they were crushed. In a sh, a colossal stampede formed, and everyone fell over one another.


    They transformed into a colossal heap of bodies, entwined with each other, screaming to escape the weight pressing them down. Some died instantly, crushed under the weight, while those in the middle iled their arms, struggling to breathe as they turned blue.


    As even more cannibals from the back fell, the stampede only worsened with moreyers added. Only a handful of cannibals managed to escape and run forward, but the knights quickly killed them.


    Sylvester''s halo remained suspended behind his head as he approached the massive pile of the stampede. It was somewhat terrifying, but it was also a massive victory at the same time.


    "Jasaka wishes to meet you all." Sylvester voiced and pointed his arms at the crowd.


    Shhh¡­!


    Instantly, great streams of fire spewed forth and engulfed the stampede of cannibals. Not only Sylvester, but other knights also joined in, mercilessly burning the cannibals while asionally battling those that fought back.


    "Aaaaa¡­!"


    "Great Jasaka!"


    "I''m blessed!"


    The foolish cannibals believed they had been given the blessing of their God as Sylvester set the crowd aze. It was perhaps the biggest incident in the history of people being burned alive.


    "At least a few hundred thousand should be here. But the horde was muchrger entirely. More should be stuck behind the stampede and trying to make their way," Sylvester guessed.


    He was right. Soon, the cannibals at the back began making their way over the corpses of burning cannibals. They did not hesitate to walk on the burning ze, crazily attacking the knights. Fortunately, Sylvester''s actions had given the Knights enough time to catch their breath and recover.


    The battle resumed soon after, with Sylvester remaining at the forefront with his halo. He confused his enemies, making some think he was their God. In turn, absolute mayhem began as the Knights of Sandwall killed every cannibal in sight, while the cannibals turned on their own in the name of Jasaka.


    ''I am truly blessed.'' Sylvester muttered to himself.


    The battle continued non-stop for three hours. Yet, the knights refused to use their special abilities, fearing that something worse was waiting for them. Unfortunately, casualties were rising, with a hundred Knights dead already.


    But overall, Sandwall County proved its might by ying the entire remaining cannibal army. However, they did not let their guard down and remained vignt, knowing more wasing.


    "The cannibals attack in waves during arger raid. Each wave is stronger than thest, and we never know how many waves there may be. The most we''ve faced in the past hundred years was three," a Knight informed Sylvester.


    ''At this rate, we may face more than five. How the hell do they have such a massive poption?'' Sylvester wondered aloud.


    "Maxy, I''m not tired yet." Miraj notified calmly. "Is it over?"


    "No, there''s moreing. Stronger than thest time," Sylvester replied, focusing on the distant battlefield.


    Boom!


    Thud!


    As expected, loud sounds reverberated, and the ground shook. However, this time the sounds came from three sides: front, left, and right. Not only that, the loud thuds indicated that there was something more than just humans in the mist.


    "Gather around!" Count Sandwall finally appeared to have takenmand of his soldiers, slowly making his way to Sylvester. "What is your n? You stopped me, so now it is up to you to bring us out of this dilemma. We cannot fight them off if they attack us from all sides, along with their wild giant lizards."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Sylvester knew very well that the man only wanted him to ept that he was wrong. "Don''t worry, Count. I will deal with all the giant lizards. The front and the left sides of the battlefield as well."


    "Haha, you n to fight on two fronts alone? Do not overestimate yourself, bard." The Count mocked him. "I still have a unit of sacrifices at the ready. Just say the word, and they shall be deployed."


    ''This bastard went ahead without my permission.'' Sylvester red at the man''s face. After all, the Count was responsible for their outnumbered position.


    If the Count had informed Sylvester earlier, he could have called heavy forces from nearby Duchies, Inquisition, and Holy Army.


    "Follow my lead and focus on the right." Sylvester ignored the Count and prepared to fight the next wave.


    "Hah, in that case, let''s see how long youst."


    He quickly ingested some Srium crystals to return to his peak form. Then, he securely fastened his helmet and readied his spear. Finally, it was time for the world to witness the power of the Spear of Infinity, the legendary weapon that terrorized Beastaria during the Thousand Year War.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    A faint,rge shadow emerged from the mist, soon bing clear in the open. A giant lizard,rger than elephants, moved on two legs with tiny arms.


    "A T-Rex?" Sylvester eximed. "They tamed T-Rex?"


    "Wraaaa!"


    s, there was no other option but mindless violence. The air grew thick with the bloodthirsty screams of cannibals as they approached, this time in an evenrger horde with fiercer fighters than before.


    ''How many are there? A million? Have the cannibal factions joined together for this?'' Sylvester wondered.


    He took a long, tiresome breath and prepared to secure the front and left sides. It was going to be a long day, and he would need all of his strength, but he could not back down. It meant saving two hundred thousand innocent refugees and perhaps avoiding persecution by the Shadow Knight.


    "Chonky, cover my back, will you."


    "I got it, Maxy."


    Sylvester infused the Spear of Infinity with a heavy dose of Srium, extending it greatly. It moved faster than a cannonball and pierced straight into the eyes, then the brain of the lizard creature, which slowly fell after the hit.


    Sylvester then retracted the spear and turned around on his feet, slowly extending the spear. He aimed it precisely at the faces and necks of the cannibals while initiating a few magical runes to make the spear''s tip hotter.


    Woosh!


    The tip melted into flesh with ease, cutting apart throats, faces, and chests. As Sylvester spun on his feet, his speed increased, as did the spear''s length, extending from ten meters to a hundred. However, keeping it extended consumed a lot of Srium.


    ''This won''t do.'' Sylvester realized that he was only slowing the horde, not ending it.


    "Very well,e and fetch me!"


    Sylvester swiftly retracted the spear, then pointed it towards the heavens. He extended it again, grasping the neck of the weapon near the tip as he did. As the spear lengthened, Sylvester''s body rose with it until he disappeared into the low-hanging clouds.


    "It''s time to unleash the destructive power of the Piercing Hell," thought Sylvester, preparing for histest ultimate move, which he was certain would be ranked SSS.


    With the spear extended, Sylvester ascended higher than before, soaring above the storm clouds and into the clear, captivating sky. It was a sight he would have appreciated if he had the time, but he had to focus on the task at hand.


    "Hold on tight, Chonky," he cautioned, waiting for the cannibals to gather beneath him.


    "Let''s do it!"


    Woosh!


    Sylvester retracted the spear instantly as he began his descent toward the ground again, diving like a sparrow. He held his spear at the front, the tip shining with fire rune circles and the tail of the spear shining with a light rune, giving intense propulsion downward.


    His velocity increased significantly, and soon air and earth runes appeared beneath the fire rune. Within moments, Sylvester''s entire body resembled a massive spear of scorching mes illuminating the stormy sky.


    Breaking the sound barrier, the sonic boom resounded. Sylvester emerged from the thick clouds, revealing a massive, bloodied field below. Fortunately, the cannibals had gathered where Sylvester had been standing moments earlier, looking up in amazement and horror.


    Sylvester gritted his teeth and prepared himself for the opposing force from the intense strike. A few bones may break, and he was prepared.


    "Three!"


    "Two!"


    "One!"


    Boom!


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 Chapter 463 463. When The Heavens Wept [VOLUME END]

    The absolute destruction that a human is capable of was disyed to all that day as Sylvester''s spear made contact with the earth. Like a streak of lightning, he descended rapidly, and before the Cannibals could evenprehend it, they were obliterated by the frenzied heat emanating from the spear.


    However, that was merely the initial effect, as the spear gradually descended into the ground and dispersed the earth-shattering energy in a radius wider than two hundred meters. The earth disintegrated in an instant intorge blocks, and from each crack erupted raging light and fire that engulfed the cannibals.


    In a sh, hundreds and thousands of cannibals bore witness to hell on earth, while Sylvester''s spear descended deeper and deeper, expanding the crater further and burning more fiercely. The very rocks and sand began to liquefy into a magma-like substance, destroying even those untouched by the mes.


    BOOM!


    The ground quaked as though an earthquake had struck. The Piercing Hell had been executed wlessly. The aftermath of the attack was awe-inspiring. As per Sylvester''s vow, the front and right nk of the Sandwall army were free of all cannibals.


    Not even corpses were left behind, as everything burned away in the unimaginable heat. As for Sylvester, he soon emerged from the ground after removing the debris obstructing his path.


    His breath was heavy, and his whole body was covered in mud and blood. It was undoubtedly one of his strongest attacks, akin to a nuke. However, it also took a toll on his body.


    "That was brilliant!" Felix hurried over to check on Sylvester. "Are you injured?"


    "No, I''m just exhausted," Sylvester replied, consuming more Srium crystals, for the battle was far from over. More cannibals were streaming onto the field. It seemed as if the entire cannibal poption hade to attack, which could have been the case as they had just celebrated their most revered festival.


    "Get back to fighting. I will fulfill my promise and keep this area clear." Sylvester instructed him. "Be cautious."


    Once Felix had departed, Sylvester readied himself for another round. As expected, the cannibals appeared stronger this time, and their numbers had also grown. The strategy was understandable and straightforward¡ªwear out the enemy.


    ''How many waves are there? Do they have Grand Wizards as well?'' Sylvester wondered in silence.


    Soon, he began to chant a hymn and raised his palm toward the cannibal horde.


    ?In the name of the Lord of Light


    Cannibals be damned out of sight.


    ept my curse; a might you can''t fight.


    Burn in the fire!¡ªBegone from my sight.?


    Sylvester''s palm facing the horde began to shine in a blinding white light. The Wrath of Heavens beam began to form itself in no time and, at his will, shot at the horde.


    Sylvester kept chanting the hymn, moving his hand and burning the horde with his beam in two directions. Being powerful enough to melt stones, the beam easily pulverized human bodies and giant lizards alike.


    But he was not done. After maintaining the beam of sma of light for nearly a minute, he decided to use the Hellfire Purge as well.


    ?The fury never ends, for heathens are countless.


    My light is eternal, for Lord''s blessing is boundless.


    No mercy to you even if you plead and confess.


    Death and hell¡ªhave finallye to bless.?


    Crack!


    Boom!


    The earth uprooted, and the cracks grew into ravines. The allies were safe, while the cannibals got swallowed by the ground, and others burned by the lightsing from the dark gaps. They screamed and sometimesughed with joy. Even while dying, to them, Sylvester seemed like their god.


    "Haha! Marvelous!" Count Sandlwallughed and approached Sylvester after jumping over ravines and cracks. "I never doubted your abilities, Your Grace."


    Sylvester didn''t have the energy to retort. ''Almost seventy percent of my reserves are gone. I''m trying to punch above my weight by bringing Grand Wizard-level destruction while being an Archwizard. I can''t keep this going for long.''


    He felt out of breath and stood with the help of the spear. "How many more waves do you suspect wille?"


    "I don''t know, Your Grace. My soldiers are also tired by now, as they had never faced more than three waves before, and now four have already passed." The Count replied. "Can you still fight, Your Grace?"


    Sylvester was aware of the madness lurking in the Count''s heart, waiting to be unleashed, so he reluctantly agreed. "I can do it."


    "Of course, how could I forget that you are the great bard that can''t be killed?" The Count said, remaining beside Sylvester. "But I cannot permit you to fight alone. The church might hold me ountable for any unfortunate events."


    Sylvester paused to regain hisposure and attempted to ignore the man. He felt the vibrations on the ground intensify, as he expected.


    ''I don''t feelfortable here anymore. Something isn''t right.''


    "How can there be so many of them?" He asked the Count.


    "All the tribes gather for their celebrations. These are all the cannibal tribes," The Count replied. "They have breeding viges near each tribe, and some have more than one. These viges have cannibal and trafficked women purchased with gold, who are used to increasing their poption."


    ''As expected.'' Sylvester had already guessed as much about the breeding farms. ''I hope that girl is safe. I''ll go and look for her inside the Divine Desert after this.''


    Thud!


    Thud!


    The heavy footsteps of a lizard beast grew closer, and arger horde appeared. This time, they wore stronger armor and wielded sturdier swords. A few robed men were also present, suspected to be magic users.


    ''I must kill the wizards first. Sandwall is vulnerable to magical attacks,'' Sylvester thought, stabbing the wizards with his spear. However, he refrained from using anyrge-scale magic as there was no guarantee when the battle would end.


    "Maxy! Look at the back!" Miraj suddenly shouted.


    Sylvester quickly looked and stopped abruptly. His spear retracted as he stared at the cliff wall behind him.


    "W-Why are the knights retreating?"


    Thud!


    "Maxy, be careful!" Miraj warned.


    Quickly, Sylvester leaped and killed the giant lizard beast. Then, he focused on the hideous cannibals around him. He felt their hatred and rage and moved his spear non-stop, striking and retracting. But, unfortunately, the cannibals also began to surround him from his left side as the Knights retreated and gave an opening.


    "Count Sandwall, why are your soldiers retreating?" Sylvester questioned as the man also fought the cannibals beside him.


    "We cannot fight them alone, Count! You need to call back the knigh¡ª"


    Woosh!


    Sylvester stopped mid-sentence as the intense scent of death abruptly came from behind him. He attempted to jump as a reaction, but s, toote.


    "Argh! W-What are you d¡­"


    Sylvester had no idea what had happened. Then, finally, he looked down and saw a spearhead protruding from his chest. The pain cameter as his knees buckled and his body copsed.


    "C-Count?" He tried to utter words.


    "So you can sense one''s emotions?" An unfamiliar voice echoed from behind Sylvester. He tried to turn his head, but the man pushed the spear deeper, nting its tip into the ground.


    Sylvester''s face glistened with sweat as he wondered what had urred. He had not detected any irregrities or dangers nearby. The attack hade out of nowhere.


    The voice continued, "Now I understand how you foiled all my ns - Jartle County, Ironstone Duchy, Iceling Duchy, and the Northern Mountains. It all makes sense now."


    The man finally stood in front of Sylvester. "It''s been a while since west met, my greatest adversary."


    In agonizing pain, Sylvester looked up, but it was just the Count without the usual voice. "S-Shadow of Masan?"


    "Perfect!" The man rejoiced and knelt beside Sylvester. "My ten-year nning¡ªmy ultimate move in Iceling to seize Gracia¡ªyou ruined it. You humiliated me, my dear bard, and this is my payback."


    "Gah!" Sylvester groaned in pain while trying to remove the spear from his chest or manipte the metal with magic.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Tsk...Not so easy, Bard. That spear is made of Darkstone. So you can''t use magic anymore."


    Sylvester looked back at him. "H-How? Since when?"


    "Haha!" The Count sat down and waved his hand at the cannibals, who abruptly stopped inching closer and killed themselves by slitting their own throats.


    "My amazing bard. Ever since you arrived in this County, the only Count you ever met was me. I admit it was harsh to trick your strange ability to sense emotions. But a simple self-hypnotization ensured I fooled my mind into believing I was the Count. Now, when the hypnosis ended, you sensed my emotions. But I was quick!"


    "MAX! What happened? Damn it!" Felix noticed Sylvester and frantically tried to reach him, cutting any cannibal in the way or jumping over them.


    The Count scoffed and stood up. "Knights! Retreat to the wall! The cannibals have surrendered! Follow my orders!"


    nk!


    Out of nowhere, ten elite knights emerged and cuffed Felix with Darkstone chains. They were stronger whenbined, and Felix was exhausted beyond belief. He tried to fight, but he got overpowered easily.


    "Sylvester! What''s going on?" Felix asked so loudly that his throat tore apart from within. "FATHER! Bring him to safety!"


    "Throw him in the dungeon!" Shadow of Masan in Count Sandwall''s guise and voice shouted at his son.


    Sylvester red at the Shadow of Masan. "So it was all your n? Deceiving me by showing false anger forpensation and that underground sacrificial city! All just to ensure I don''t have time to think about you?"


    "Hah, you''re correct. But I''m sure you still had doubts. You are...were, my greatest adversary, after all...ah." he sighed. "If only we were on the same side, we could have ruled the world."


    "What did you do to the Count?"


    The Shadow of Masan smiled wickedly. "His fate is what''s about to be your fate."


    The Shadow of Masan began walking back. "You were too good for your own good, my young rival. It was fun while itsted, but now I must continue with my ns and conquer the east for my beloved Emperor, the Sand Lord."


    Sylvester''s breathing grew heavier, and his voice turned hoarse. "L-Let Felix go!"


    "I shall, but the church may not¡ªFarewell, bard."


    The Shadow of Masan snapped his fingers, and the cannibals regained their senses. They all rushed towards Sylvester, who found himself trapped in the middle of them.


    ''No, no, no¡­I cannot die here¡­What will be of Xavia?''


    Sylvester gritted his teeth and summoned all the strength remaining in his body. "C-Chonky! Devour them!"


    Miraj was already teary-eyed, struggling to extract the spear from Sylvester''s chest. However, hecked the strength to do so. He felt hopeless and useless, even cursing himself. "Max¡­Please don''t die!"


    Sylvester did not have the energy to respond, finding it difficult to stand. His body had already depleted all its Srium, and the Darkstone spear had reduced the meager supply to nothing.


    "I will not die today! Haaaa!" He swung the Spear of Infinity to the best of his ability, cutting through the cannibals. Then, he attempted to make his way back towards the wall.


    However, the rain impeded his progress, and he began to lose his footing on the bloodied corpses. He fell many times but quickly rose to his feet.


    "I cannot!" His grunting breaths were audible. "I cannot leave Mum alone!"


    Woosh!


    He decapitated a group of cannibals before him and took a step forward. His eyes grew heavy, and hatred for himself began to build. His inability to see through the Shadow of Masan''s schemes was his own fault.


    ''How did he discover my ability?'' He pondered.


    ''How did he counter it with mere hypnotism?''


    Regret, rage, and refusal to ept the situation drove him to the brink of insanity. With his tired arms and body, he fought like an animal.


    "I won''t die!"


    Woosh!


    Thud!


    Just as he saw an opening to reach the wall, a giant crossbow ballista came shooting at him. They fell randomly around him, but each of them was bigger than his own body.


    ''He''s doomed the County! Nobody knows he''s a spy! The Holy Land''s wrath¡­''


    Boom!


    Following Ballista, the same exploding crystals he had given the knights began to rain down from above and fall around him.


    On hisst breath, Sylvester looked up at the sky where the Shadow Knight hovered, likely watching everything.


    "Help me! I saved those people!" he requested as his body fell down, without any energy left.


    "Maxy! Wake up, please!" Miraj pleaded, attempting to drag Sylvester by cing him on his back. But with the spear impaled in his chest, it proved impossible.


    "R-Run away, Chonky¡­Go back to m-mum¡­Pro-te-tect her¡­" His voice faltered as his shining golden eyes lost their luster.


    He kept his gaze fixed on the sky, hoping for a response.


    "Embrace your destiny~"


    A faint whisper was the only reply, crushing any remaining hope he held.


    "I can''t die...not now!" he repeated, as the growls of the cannibals grew louder.


    Thud!


    Fate had already taken its course. Sylvester knelt with a stopped heart, his body cold and his face pale and lifeless. The spear propped him up, allowing him to remain seated, and his helmeted head drooped forward.


    "Wraaaa!"


    "Eat!"


    "Kill!''


    The cannibals quickly overtook the area, and Sylvester''s body vanished beneath their massive horde, his fate unknown.


    Only time will tell¡ªcan the damage be restored?


    Or was it the beginning of the realm''s downfall¡ªforsaken by the Lord?


    No one could answer that, for the divine prophecy of the dragons had been misinterpreted. As the realm prepared for the bloody war, the true tragedy fell upon Gracia''s shore.


    Without anyone knowing, the cmity crept¡ªSo gloomy that even the heavens wept.


    ____________________________


    [END OF VOLUME]


    [NEXT VOLUME - The Grassroots]


    [A/N: Thank you for all your support, fellow monke,ds, anddies. We consistently remained in the top 25 this whole month. It''s crazy, honestly.


    Thank you again, and if you haven''t, be sure to leave a review.]

 Chapter 464 464. Words Reach Home

    The dark clouds surrounded the sky; some rained, and some roared as if screaming their pain and spreading gloom. Why? The question arose, yet there were no answers, for there was none to answer, as the news had yet to spread throughout the realm.


    The glimmer of hope for millions vanished. Even without the news, a few hearts shuddered, confusing them. From Gracia to the Sorrow Kingdom, enough eyes were ready to weep.


    Chaos ensued in Sandwall County, even after the cannibals left. The soldiers felt confused and wronged, as their actions were undoubtedly ungodly. Meanwhile, the Count was nowhere to be seen, and Felix was locked in the dungeon.


    However, the monastery sprang into action as per themonws. First, the monastery bells were rung five times, signifying an urrence of something devastating. Following that, dozens of letters were written and handed over to Running men or other clergymen to be sent throughout the Sol continent.


    Unaware, Duchess Bethany Normani, the local Inquisitors, and Holy Army arrived as per Sylvester''s call for help. As they entered the city, they were confused by theck of people. All doors and windows appeared shut, and not a single voice was heard. Not even the wild dogs or cats made a noise as if everything was dead.


    But as they reached the Sandwall castle, they saw guards standing at the gates.


    "What happened? Why is the town empty?" Duchess Bethany inquired while atop a horse, nked by Inquisitor and Holy Army Commanders.


    The Knight guarding the entrance bowed his head stiffly. "Mydy¡­ T-The cannibal attack was too massive. We tried to fight, but in the end, His Grace traded his life for us."


    "Stop lying!" The other knight shouted, anger seething in his voice. "Count killed him! We all saw him stabbing the Darkstone spear! My Lady, the Count killed Lord Bard and let the cannibals take his body!"


    There was a long, empty silence and ufortable shifting on their saddles. Nobody coulde to believe what was being said.


    Duchess Bethany chuckled. "Enough jesting, now open the gates. I havee with reinforcements."


    The two knights, however, fell to their knees as if hopeless. Their shoulders plummeted in defeat, and their eyes grew wet. They knew what they had seen, and it was hard to believe it.


    "Why would the Countmit such a heinous act? How could he y the Bard¡­The County is now damned for eternity,"


    She ceased to think of it as a mere jest and swung her de at the metal gates, shattering it open. She galloped in and dismounted near the castle gates before rushing inside.


    "Sandwall! Where are you?" She bellowed, searching for the Count. "Where is Lord Bard?"


    However, only servants were present in the castle. Thus, she stopped one of them and interrogated, "Where is everyone?"


    The servant woman lowered her gaze in fear. "C-Count is absent. Young master Felix is imprisoned in the dungeons. Pardon us, mydy¡­We know not why the Count would harm the famed Bard¡­We know nothing more."


    Duchess Bethany''s heart continued to sink as the ambiance in the castle suggested that something was amiss. Behind her, the twomanders held the same view and constantly kept one hand on the hilt of their sheathed swords.


    "Bring me to the dungeons then!" She ordered the servant sternly.


    In no time, she was standing beneath the castle where the dark cells were constructed to hold important prisoners. It was damp and mostly deserted; even when she called Felix''s name, no response was heard.


    "This way." The servant guided Bethany to the correct cell. "He''s held there by the Count''s decree. He is bound with Darkstone shackles."


    It was pitch ck, so it was impossible to see inside. They halted in front of a locked cell, and Lady Bethany ignited a me on her palm. "Felix, what ha¡ª"


    She swallowed her words as the sight inside the cell left her petrified. There, in the left corner, sat Felix, with his eyes wide open and his body seemingly lifeless. Meanwhile, in the right corner, hung a human body from the ceiling, dead from the noose locked around its neck.


    "M-Master Regulus?!" The servant woman eximed. "Open the gates! Soldiers!"


    Bethany recognized the name. It was the eldest son and heir to the County. Felix''s elder brother. She broke the lock on the gate with her palm and strode inside to wake Felix. "Felix! Wake up!"


    Felix turned his face and gazed nkly at Bethany. "S-Sylvester¡­He''s dead¡­My father killed him."


    Bethany''s heart sank. "What happened? Tell me everything."


    Felix was still out of his mind, unfortunately. "He''s dead¡­Sylvester is dead¡­What will I tell Mother Xavia? How could he die?"


    It was hard for Bethany to believe it, but seeing Felix''s condition, it was impossible not to consider the possibility that it was indeed reality.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "All of you, go and search for the Count. I want him in front of me at all costs!" shemanded her own army as well as themanders of the Holy Land. "And interview other knights to discover what urred on the battlefield. I cannot believe that a man like Sylvester could be killed so easily. He has defeated far stronger adversaries. A mere Count should not even be able to touch him."


    Although her reasoning was sound, she could not imagine who Sylvester''s true foe was, even in her wildest dreams.


    ¡­


    Holy Land,


    The dark clouds appeared in the sky, but they had yet to rain. With winter approaching, the air felt particrly chilly. Nheless, much work was to be done, and the clergymenbored as usual.


    The Sanctum Council convened every day instead of every week. As it was a time of war, they had to closely manage the supply lines and storage to ensure that their prolonged battle would not face any setbacks. This was especially critical as they entered Beastaria, bringing the war to the enemy''snds, unlike before when the battle urred on Sol.


    In the white stone chamber, each member of the Council read their reports with serious expressions. Each had a stack of papers in front of them, and their faces appeared tired from overwork.


    "Lord Inquisitor, how did the light beam cannons that Lord Bard invented perform? Did they work on the Bloodlings?" The Pope inquired.


    Inquisitor High Lord took out multiple sheets of paper from his booklet and handed it to all the council members. "It was wrong to have doubted the bard in the first ce. Everything he makes is god''s grace. We sessfully killed over a hundred bloodlings with the weapon, and the operating teams learned their training lessons. Once we receive the next batch of canons, we shallunch a continent-wide hunt."


    The Pope apuded. "That''s wonderful, Lord Inquisitor. We needed this victory to ensure that our backyard is safe. With this, I can rest easy. What is the report on the gue, Saint Medico? We cannot focus on the war until we are sure that our farmers can grow our food and fulfill the supply."


    The man in question handed his reports to the Pope. "Your Holiness, the gue is under control. The number of deaths has decreased significantly, and nearly all the children have been immunized. Lord Bard''s timely cure has allowed us to focus solely on the war now."


    "Brilliant!" The Pope rejoiced. "Saint Wazir, what did the kings and lords reply with? I have invoked emergency powers over their armies. Did any of them exhibit hostility toward our cause?"


    "All but two, Your Holiness." Saint Wazir reported. "Grand Wizard Lord Einarr has refused the call and ims that his duty is to the Sorrow Kingdom first. Therefore, he must focus on rebuilding the fallen Kingdom. However, he remains open to assisting us in case of an extreme emergency."


    The Pope stroked his beard while contemting the man. "The Sorrow Kingdom has suffered greatly. They require a strong leader. Let him be; we will do fine without him. Who is the second dissenter?"


    "Newly elevated Viscount Kaecilius at Fort Sunflower. He is the man who initiated the ve Rebellion against King Riveria. However, he ims that his soldiers are not his private army, but rather freed ves who are mere vigntes."


    "Let them be." The Pope responded immediately. "As you all know, I abhor very. Kaecilius likely believes that Riveria will attack if we take his army, weakening him enough for our cause. I cannot allow this small step toward a better future to be quashed so soon."


    Saint Wazir wrote down the orders."No one else dissented from the decree, Your Holiness. Even the mine owners have agreed to sell to us in sizable quantities, granting us priority."


    "But the financial situation is dire." Saint Keymaster, the chief economist, spoke up. "We are spending more than we earn. This cannot continue, Your Holiness, or the church will face bankruptcy soon."


    "Fret not." The Pope reassured them. "This is a war for our very existence. Let us not forget that they also enve humans in Beastaria. If they prevail in this conflict, all of humanity will be enved. So we must focus on quality and expansion¡ª"


    BAM!


    The chamber door suddenly burst open without prior notice. Gunther, the Pope''s assistant, barged in. "Your Holiness! Urgent dispatch from Sandwall!"


    The Pope rose from his seat and took the small parchment from Gunther. He read it and eximed, "Ah, what amazing news the young bard sends us no¡ª"


    In a moment, his hands shook, and the parchment fell from his hold. His body froze as if he just saw death facing him.


    Saint Wazir quickly picked it up and read it to others. "I deeply regret it with wet eyes. Count Sandwall backstabbed Lord Bard during the battle against Cannibals. Lord Bard is believed to be¡­dead?!"


    Thud!


    Saint Wazir fell onto the ground. His eyes widened in horror, and his hands trembled.


    "T-This can''t be real¡­It''s impossible!"

 Chapter 465 465. The Ripple Effect

    "Is this a joke?" Even Saint Seer could not believe it.


    Knock! Knock!


    Suddenly, another subordinate assistant arrived at the door. "Bishop Gunther, another missive from Sandwall!"


    "Ah, one more here!" Another assistant appeared.


    The Popeposed himself and stood up. "I am departing for Sandwall. I will fly there!"


    "You must not," Saint Wazir advised. "The Anti-Light Chief could be awaiting you. He is a Supreme Wizard, and this could be his ploy!"


    The Pope did not wish to hear any excuses at that moment. He rushed to leave the chamber. "No, the letter bore the Archbishop of Sandwall''s seal. I must verify it, even if it''s a lie. Sylvester was thest hope for a prosperous future for the church. There is no other man in the world who has exhibited as much talent as him in politics and power! We must retrieve him..."


    Bam!


    This time a third assistant arrived, out of breath. "Your Holiness! B-beastkins! Five ships of Beastkins appeared, heading towards the Holy Land''s port! The Bear, Panda, Fox, Cow, and Cat tribes fly their gs on them!"


    Everyone nced at one another, feeling the development could not have arrived at a worse time. But the Pope still wished to go and find Sylvester.


    "Wazir, attend to them. I will depart no matter what. I must confirm the news myself, or I will never be able to forgive myself." The Popemanded. "The council is adjourned until I return, hopefully with Young Bard."


    At that point, no one had the will to stop the Pope from departing. They all wanted to go, too. From Saint Medico to Inquisitor High Lord, Sylvester was cherished by them all, for he had demonstrated hispetency in managing everything they were ountable for. He was the perfect candidate for the future Pope¡ªmaybe even surpassing all the Popes in the past.


    "Your Holiness, should we inform Mother Xavia about this?" Saint Wazir inquired. "It is better that she hears it from us than other Bright Mothers."


    "No need." Inquisitor High Lord replied, his voice seeming colder than ever before. "Only a woman can understand the agony of another woman''s heart. I will send Guardian Aurora to deliver the details."


    The Pope lowered his head and rubbed his face with his palm. Of course, he was terrified and anguished, but he could not show it to others. After losing Grandpa Monk, he was too frightened of losing Sylvester as well.


    "Keep it obscure, and prevent rumors from spreading before I return." The Pope ordered and departed. "Pray to Solis that he is alive. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the church to continue to survive¡ªespecially in these uncertain times!"


    And everyone returned to their respective workstations. Regrettably, work was thest thing they could concentrate on.


    ¡­


    By evening, the Inquisitor High Lord summoned Lady Aurora to deliver the dire news. As expected, she couldn''t believe it initially, for she had fought alongside Sylvester against adversaries much stronger than a mere count.


    Nevertheless, the Lord Inquisitor couldn''t simply alter reality. Despite his sorrowful voice, he remained as steadfast and wrathful as ever. "Three separate letters from different sources have verified the information, Aurora. You must go andfort Mother Xavia, for we are warriors, and our minds are tough. But for a mother, the revtions may be too rough."


    Aurora nodded nkly and departed from the Inquisitor High Lord''s chamber in the encampment. Her breath was heavy, and her heart was pounding rapidly. It was almost impossible to believe such news.


    "H-How can he die so suddenly? It''s impossible¡­He even stopped the Shadow Knight and that demon and¡­How?"


    Thud!


    The instant she entered her tent in the encampment, she fell to her knees. Being a mighty warrior didn''t mean the loss of a loved one didn''t hurt just as much. As an orphan, Sylvester was like a true brother, and the news of his demise was as painful as any.


    Small tears trickled down her cheeks. After years of forgetting how to, she once again learned to cry.


    "You can''t be dead, Max...This is impossible! How could you abandon Xavia? You are her only support...She must be devastated!" Worried for her friend, Aurora rose and rushed off to find Xavia.


    She rode her horse hastily and arrived at the Guild Penins''s infirmary. There, she entered Xavia''s private office, as she was the Superintendent Healer there.


    "Xavia!" She walked in.


    Sadly, to her dismay, she found Xavia sitting on the floor in a daze. Her eyes were unblinking, and her face appeared paler than ever before. She didn''t respond, no matter how loud Aurora called her.


    "Leave us,"manded Aurora to the Bright Mother, who had likelye to inform Xavia. "Do not allow anyone to enter."


    Aurora then knelt down and embraced Xavia in a hug. She, too, had no words to speak, as her own trauma had not subsided. There was nothing that could be said to alleviate Xavia''s pain.


    After all, what could calm a mother who had just lost the only thing she deemed worth living for?


    ¡­


    As time passed, missives spread throughout Sol, from the north to the southern regions. The monasteries were well-connected, especially when it came to disseminating important information. Thus, like a chain reaction, the word spread, and the nobility learned of the incident from the clergymen in the monasteries.


    In the lush city of Gracia, Isabe read the letter. Her mind went numb, and darkness enveloped her vision. She fainted right there in her room.


    ¡­


    In the meantime, Count Riveria, Duchess Iceling, and Baron Strongarm were apprehensive about the future of the world and their own territories. Sylvester was the link that connected them all and gave them direction to progress.


    Without him, they were like a headless serpent. All they could see was darkness in the future, followed by excruciating misery.


    However, one thing was universal: the hatred for House Sandwall.


    ¡­


    In Riveria, King Conrad looked somewhat disappointed as he learned the news. He considered Sylvester a great ally who could solve issues he could not. However, he did not feel as sad.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    On the other hand, Kaecilius had a much more devastating look, as Sylvester was at the center of his n to overthrow King Riveria. The weapons, money, and everything else required for sess were all supposed toe from Sylvester.


    ''The n Lord Bard provided me only concerns the next few years. But what after that?" Kaecilius wondered in silence.


    ¡­


    High Ragnum, Alfia Kingdom


    "NO!"


    Jolted awake, the elven King rose from his bed. Using his Worldsight, he tried to look for his family, a sce he found in istion. The mere knowledge of seeing his beloved family safe brought immense joy to his heart that made him keep moving ahead.


    But scenes he never wished to see appeared in his vision, stealing his breath away. Fury and difort filled his body, causing him to clench his fist so hard that his palms bled. The veins on his head protruded with the gravity of the situation he just realized.


    "You can''t die like this¡­My son¡­"


    His throat was dry, and he thought about his next actions. He wanted to do something to protect his family, but all he ever achieved was failure.


    "First Elder! Bring me the First Elder!" He roared to the servants outside his chambers, calling for his prime minister.


    In no time, a tall, long-blonde-haired elf entered and knelt. "Your Majesty."


    "Prepare the armies!" The elven Kingmanded. "Prepare to attack humans! We go for their Holy Land this time!"


    "W-What? But Your Majesty, we have not yet recovered fro¡ª"


    "Do as Imand! I order you as the King!"


    With no choice, the First Elder left with a frowning face, confused as to why the King would take such an abrupt step, especially when the recent elder meeting was about dying the war.


    Sadly, no one could ever guess what was going on in the elven King''s mind. The fear of losing thest remaining piece of what he held dear to his heart was so great that he was willing to do anything to protect it.


    ''Xavia¡ªI could not protect Sylvester. But I can''t lose you too¡ªI must bring you to safety!''


    ¡­


    Unbeknownst to them, the Holy Land was already in the midst of nning for war. But, by the dawn of the following day, the news of Lord Bard''s demise had already spread throughout the Holy Land. Faces lost smiles, and weeping Bright Mothers became a sight inmon.


    The Sanctum Council was called once again, but this time, not for discussion, but for a revtion. The Pope had returned from his quick flight to the Sandwall.


    From the Pope''s face, all the Council members knew what to expect and prepared their minds ordingly.


    "What did you find, Your Holiness?" asked the Inquisitor High Lord, still maintaining a calm demeanor.


    The Pope could not bring himself to look up. "The missives were true¡­ The Count killed Young Bard and allowed the cannibals to take his body."


    Thud!


    Inquisitor High Lord stood up, finally allowing his rage to show as the chambers became noticeably warmer. "What of the Count?"


    "He hanged his eldest son to death andmitted suicide. Only Felix Sandwall remains, who saw the unholy crime with his own eyes. Young Bard is... no more." The Pope''s voice broke at the end, as years of fond memories resurfaced in his mind, and many moments of shared joy pinched his heart.


    nk!


    Suddenly, the Inquisitor High Lord removed his Rank te and ced it on the stone table, followed by his authority seal and identification token.


    "What are you doing?" The Pope asked.


    "I quit!" The Lord Inquisitor answered in a fuming, loud voice. "For years, we tormented that child, knowing from the first day that he was blessed. We made himmit crimes so the Shadow Knight could pursue him and attempted to kill his mother¡ªall in the name of tests!"


    "You are mistaken!" Saint Seer interrupted. "We did everything to ensure he is the right candidate for the next Pope. We made him a Cardinal when he was merely neen. We took risks by supporting his ri¡ª"


    "SILENCE!" Roared Lord Inquisitor, his palms suddenly engulfed in mes. "Not even a day has passed, and you shamelessly address him in the past. He had proven himself the day he cured Pitfall Town of a gue at the age of five. ept it; you never valued him when he was alive!"


    Thud!


    Inquisitor High Lord furiously tore off his heavy red cape and ced it on the table as well before walking towards the exit.


    "Are you forsaking your faith in Solis?" The Pope inquired in a soft, weak voice full of sorrow.


    The Lord Inquisitor looked back at the Pope''s face. His zing red eyes behind the visor met the Pope''s gaze.


    "My faith does not allow me to serve you any longer¡ªan administration corrupted by the lust for power. Find a recement for the position where I stand¡ªI quit, not my faith, but the Holy Land."


    ________________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 466 466. Sylvester

    In sorrow and silence, the people of the Holy Land resumed their tasks. The Pope, grieving over the loss of Sylvester and Lord Inquisitor, proceeded to confront the Beastkins, who had recently arrived at the port of the Holy Land.


    Had the Beastkins not flown the banner of the church, they would have been obliterated by the cannons prior to their arrival at the port. Despite the Holy Land being essible to all those who embraced Solis, they were unwilling to take any chances with sabotage attempts from Beastaria.


    Following the arrival of the assorted ships, a few elderly beastkin disembarked. As previously indicated, they belonged to the Bear, Panda, Fox, Cow, and Cat tribes. Theycked any warriors or weapons and instead donned attire resembling that of the Holy Land''s acolytes.


    They were hastily taken to the Administration building, rather than the Pope''s Pce, where they were secured and guarded in a room to await the Pope''s arrival to discuss any matters at hand.


    The Beastkins were evidently anxious upon seeing the high level of security, yet they remained patient. In due course, the Pope entered the guarded chambers. The Beastkins sat on one side of the table while the Pope sat on the other.


    "We pay our respects to the Holy Father," the five Beastkins lowered their heads with reverence.


    The Pope nced at their different faces. Some resembled humans, while others were entirely bestial. "What can I do for the sons of Solis from across the sea?" he inquired.


    The Bear Beastkin spoke. "Your Holiness, I am Kobo Gozira, the head of the faith leaders in the Beastkin region. Your Holiness, we havee here to see my patron, the great Sylvester Maximilian."


    [A/N: Kobo Gozira first appeared in Chapter 75.]


    "Bard?" The Pope fumbled with his words. "How do you know him?"


    Kobo Gozira responded with reverence in his voice. "Three years ago, my wife, children, and I were abducted by a group of Half-Goblins. We were shackled, caged, and brought here to be sold to a human noble. Concurrently, those Goblins were also abducting Bright Mothers.


    "Back then, it was Lord Bard who saved us. Even when the Inquisitors sought to y me and my family, Lord Bards halted them and recited his holy sermon before setting us free. He asked for nothing in return and graced us with his presence. I epted the light of Solis after that and spread the word. Over time, more of us united.


    "Today, we gather once again to behold Lord Bard''s sermon with all our eyes and invite him to our n grounds. So the other tribes may witness the truth in Lord Bard''s light and voice," the speaker announced in a formal tone.


    The Pope cast a nce at Saint Wazir, who stood behind him, and let out a sigh. "I am¡­ pleased to learn that you have epted the way of Solis. However, I regret to inform you of grave news. Lord Bard, Sylvester Maximilian, returned to Solis'' embrace two nights ago while battling the Cannibals."


    "What!" The Beastkins reacted together.


    Kobo Gozira could not believe it. "But...He vanquished two Grand Wizards! Even in Libertia, his legend has be renowned. How can this be? Are you sure, Your Holiness?"


    The Pope nodded solemnly. "Regrettably, that is the case. I cannot aid you further. Please take respite in the guest house as the realm mourns the loss of its greatest son. Saint Wazir, please escort them."


    With low-hanging heads, the five delegates from Beastaria left the chamber, leaving the Pope alone to his thoughts. But, sadly, alone time was also when most regretse to haunt one deeply.


    The Pope''s eyes shimmered with faint tears as he walked to the window and gazed at the distant sea and the sunset.


    "I failed you, son¡­What have I done¡­What have I done."


    ¡­


    "Xavia, you must eat something," Aurora coaxed, attempting to calm Xavia down after bringing her to Bright Mother''s quarters to rest. However, Xavia refused to sleep or eat and hadn''t uttered a single word since the news was disclosed.


    Other Bright Mothers also offered assistance, but Xavia remained unresponsive. Even Great Mother Grace had given up. They understood Xavia''s grief, as they felt saddened, speechless, and hopeless when Sylvester wasn''t even rted to them by blood. Therefore, they could only imagine how devastating it must be for Xavia, who was Sylvester''s biological mother.


    Knock! Knock!


    Sir Dolorem entered the house. His eyes were dark and bloodshot beyond humanly possible, and his armor appeared unkempt, his expressions hollow. The man walked with a slumped posture to sit beside Xavia.


    "I should have apanied him, Mother Xavia," he apologized. "I failed you...I failed Sylvester...Once again, I failed to keep my vows."


    Having vowed to fight alongside Sylvester until he sat on the high throne, ready to die for that goal¡ªhe felt like a failure. Sylvester was not supposed to die; he was.


    Xavia remained seated on the bed, motionless like a lifeless doll. Her eyes nkly stared at the wall while silent tears trickled down her cheeks from time to time.


    "Sir Dolorem, pleasepose yourself," Aurora ordered, her own voice breaking. "We need to be the shoulder Xavia can rely on. Sylvester...His body was never found! I refuse to believe he is dead."


    Yes, even Aurora refused to ept reality, even after the Pope confirmed it. She had been with Sylvester for months on end and knew he was the most intelligent man she had ever met. To her, there was no way that he would die so unremarkably.


    Sir Dolorem nodded and ced his hand on Xavia''s shoulder. "Mother Xavia, Lady Aurora speaks the truth. He is not a man so feeble as to die from such an attack."


    No matter what the truth was. In that moment of sorrow, one could only try to look away from reality.


    ¡­


    The sun disappeared behind the horizon as usual and then rose again. Time never stops for anyone, regardless of wealth, poverty, weakness, or power. The world learned of the devastating news, and a few mourned for days. Eventually, the world had to return to business.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    While mourning was still quietly observed in the Holy Land, most of the kingdoms returned to normal. A few even rejoiced, finding sce in Sylvester''s passing. Finally, the Council of Thirty-Two no longer had to worry about the upstart Cardinal rising from nowhere and sweeping away all their power.


    Nobles who were once afraid ofmitting folly before now regained their courage. The many Article Sixty-Six that Sylvester had executed became a thing of the past. With the war drawing close, it was thest chance to make significant profits.


    However, beyond where eyes could see and people could reach, inside The Divine Desert, there was a certain encampment. It was the gathering ce of the cannibal tribes, from where theyunched invasions.


    It was a time of celebration for the tribes, as their massive campaign was a sess. Sessfully, they weakened the Sandwall to a degree that no one in history had. But, nevertheless, above all else, there was the greatest prize.


    Night had fallen, and the harsh cold was only lessened by the giant bonfire in the center of the encampment. The cannibals danced around it, prayed to it, and ate beside it. The leaders of the tribes sat together to discuss and drink blood.


    Not too far from them, a thick wooden mast was anchored into the ground. Tied to it was the body of a hairless man, with not a single article of clothing on him. His body was thin and pale, as if he was already dead.


    "Haha, eat! Eat preacher. You are our blessing!"


    Food was forcibly stuffed into Sylvester''s mouth as he weakly awakened from his deadly slumber. His eyes faintly opened, revealing hazy golden irises. Confusion was evident in the situation as he gazed at the grotesque face of the cannibal before him.


    "Eat!"


    "Where am I?" Sylvester wondered. "Am I not dead?"


    Just as his mind cleared, he felt a sharp pain in both his arms. He quickly nced and noticed they were tightly bound on two sticks, with his wrists facing downward and his arms remaining straight. Thin, sharp metal pipes were inserted into both his wrists, and his blood was slowly dripping into two containers.


    "What are they doing?" He gasped internally, troubled even to keep his eyes open and breathe. "Why am I not dead?"


    "Eat!"


    Again, the cannibal shoved food into his mouth while mumbling something.


    He looked around and saw only desert sand on the ground. "Is this the Divine Desert? Why did they bring me here?"


    "Eat!"


    He ate the foot, knowing that he needed the energy to n an escape. He had no idea why the cannibals had kept him alive, but he intended to use the opportunity to the best of his ability.


    ''I presume this is not too far into the Divine Desert.'' He began to hatch a n for himself.


    "Hah! Look at the famed preacher!"


    Suddenly, a few cannibals approached him, eyeing him like a specimen. Theyughed at his misery and enviously gazed at the jars filled with his blood, which umted with small drops over time.


    "Does he not realize it yet?"


    Sylvester stayed silent, not wanting to attract attention. He listened to them talking, hoping to gather some intel about his location.


    "I don''t think so. The fool is eating his own leg, and he does not even know."


    ''What?!''


    Sylvester gasped and looked below, forcing thest of his strength to move his head.


    "No, no, no¡­"


    He could not see his left leg. In its ce was just a tied piece of cloth to close the wound.


    "Haha, now he knows."


    Sylvester frantically tried to free himself, wriggling with the ropes and contraption around his arms. But to no avail. His body was too weak. The more he struggled, the more blood he lost from his wrists.


    ''W-Why¡­am¡­I¡­not dead?''


    Was all he could think. At least it would have been better than his current fate.


    "J-Just¡­kill me."

 Chapter 467 467. No Matter The Price

    How much time had passed? There was no way to know, for his eyes had remained shut the entire time. Constantly drained of his blood, there was nothing he could do. He felt nothing, no pain, nor fear. Waiting for death toe, he remained still.


    "Let me go! Please!"


    But, yet again, he rose from his deep, deadly slumber as the sharp, high-pitched voice crazily shouted on his left, too close to his ears. Constantly crying and pleading, only to die down for a few minutes.


    He looked towards the shrill with his blurry vision. He noticed a form of a young child, also bound with a mast dug into the ground. But unlike him, she was not being bled out but was only bound. Still, he could see the faint redness of blood on her.


    The next moment, his attention was grabbed by the Cannibals talking to each other as they sat near them, supposedly keeping watch. Sylvester understood their speech just fine.


    "Why doesn''t the chief do something? Those damn Moonwatchers are annoying. They are always watching us." said the cannibal with a helmet made of a horse skull on his head.


    The other cannibal had nothing on his head other than giant, rotten blisters. "There are only two of them left, so why bother?"


    "They are terrifying, and they speak to the Dragon Worms. Isn''t that a big enough threat? We should hunt those two down and end their kind for good." The first cannibal shuddered at the thought.


    "It''s for the elders to decide, not us. We finally have an infinite source of nourishing blood from this man now, so enjoy the time," the second cannibal pointed at Sylvester. "No matter what, he keeps healing up and giving us more blood. Even I will have my chance to drink some tomorrow."


    "Lucky you. I will get it in five days. While those elders get to taste it every day. This isn''t fair. We fought and died in the battle while they sat here. But they get to reap the benefits." The first cannibalined.


    "Shhh! Are you crazy? Don''t say that if you want to live. That''s why I hate working with rookies. Now be silent and watch over. If that girl cries again, knock her out." The second cannibal angrily ordered. "We don''t need her well, just alive for the sacrifice to Jasaka."


    "No! Please¡­Don''t kill me!" The girl cried out in terror.


    Sylvester looked at her carefully as his vision cleared up. She seemed to be eight or nine years old at best, with dark ashen hair and white skin. She appeared to be wearing ordinary clothes, but they were bloodstained.


    The girl saw Sylvester and begged him instead. "Please do something! You can do anything, I know¡­I saw you so many times in my dream."


    Sylvester''s eyes shot wide open at her words. The memories refreshed themselves, and Sylvester felt his brain be active again. ''S-She¡­She''s the girl from my vision, the princess of the Sorrow Kingdom!''


    "I recognize you... bald and terrifying," she cried.


    Sylvester, however, ceased looking at her and closed his eyes. He had no energy remaining in his body, nor a leg to move. There was nothing he could do, no way he could assist.


    "All this running around, fighting, scheming¡­I''ve had enough for two lifetimes¡­I tried¡­I really tried¡­Now¡­I''m just¡­Tired." he muttered in a defeated, low voice.


    His shoulders had never seemed so fallen and weighed. His head stayed down, looking at the dirt, for that was what his life had been all this time. Every time he sought peace, it brought chaos, and seeking love brought agony.


    "Why even bother living anymore? What is there to gain?"


    Gradually, his eyes grew heavy and closed once again. With blood continuously draining out, causing a permanent srium deficiency, he had no energy left in his body, not even enough to stay awake.


    While the girl silently sulked, Sylvester lost consciousness.


    However, this time, the slumber was not going to be ordinary. Enough time had passed, and even the heavens, which saw all in silence, refused to remain still. Every man had a purpose for which they were born, and without fulfilling it, they could not die, for it was their destiny toplete it.


    In the dark consciousness of Sylvester, a spark of light appeared, first warming him, then burning him. His burdened mind grew wary, and he looked around in his dream. A view he had seen before appeared before him, which had left him perplexed.


    Right in front of him appeared a colossal man sitting on a throne-like seat. He wore strange white cloud-like robes, and his face was not visible as the enormous bright halo behind his head resembled a genuine sun, casting a shadow on his head.


    "Pathetic! Strong in body, yet weak in mind! A spineless coward scared of utilizing the blessing I bestowed!"


    "S-Solis?" Sylvester muttered, but the next moment, he lost his mind in a rage. "Just let me die... I had epted my end in the previous life, and I ept it now."


    The shining form of the giant man bellowed in response, his voice containing power unlike anything Sylvester had ever experienced before. Such a dense aura that even breathing felt impossible. Not even a man like the Pope came close to that power level.


    "KILL¡ªas many as you must, hurt as many as you need to. Fulfill your journey, and you shall have your eternal peace."


    Sylvester fell forward onto his chest, but his eyes remained fixed on the entity before him. His own voice erupted in anger and helplessness at the overwhelming and perplexing being. "Why? You''re all slowly strangling me... killing any semnce of my humanity! Why?"


    "You feeble-minded fool!" The towering, mountain-like giant rose from his throne and approached Sylvester, his halo radiating a blinding, scorching light that seared Sylvester''s skin. "You were not born to be human. You are a tool for a greater purpose. Stop being weak! Stand up and ignite with my fire that zes through you! Incinerate the heathens, the opponents, the imposters! Your path leads through their sea of blood."


    Sylvester shook his head in defeat. "Where does this end? Am I nothing but a ve?"


    "You are a ve not to me, but to fate¡ªWe all are. Rise, Sylvester Maximilian¡ªRemove that veil, for you were never a gentle man. Unleash your ruthlessness, reveal your fangs, and burn all who oppose you. Use all the power and magic I have blessed you with and ascend to the pinnacle. Only then will your true destiny be revealed."


    "What if I refuse?" Sylvester growled like a raging beast. "What if I resist?"


    "Hahaha!" The giant beingughed and returned to his throne. "Fate is an unending cycle, Sylvester. You will fulfill your destiny now, tomorrow, orter. There is no escape."


    "Then, at least tell me what you desire from me," Sylvester asked, this time in a calm voice as he realized there was no way out. He was trapped unless he did as he was expected.


    Bzzz¡­!<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    All of a sudden, everything in his view began to burn. He also felt pain as his skin burned. The figure of the man started to turn into ash, but with each passing moment, it shined brighter.


    "Your path is paved; your destiny is engraved. To weakness, it is your mind that is enved. Just walk and burn, for that is why you were made¡ªFarewell, Sylvester Maximilian. May you scorch the realm with your fiery ze."


    Boom!


    The giant being exploded in a dazzling, fiery burst. Sylvester''s vision was flooded with light, and before he knew it, he found himself awake and looking at the cannibal camp. The sun was setting, and the vige-like camp was bustling with activity.


    The little girl from before was now tied even closer to the center of the bonfire. She was covered in some sort of crimson paint all over her body and then covered with fine sand. She sulked in silence, hopeless and helpless, having resigned herself to her fate.


    Her eyes held confusion and a faint glimmer of innocence. She did not understand what was happening or why her life had be so sad and harsh.


    "Jasaka! He''s on fire!"


    Suddenly, a few cannibals came running toward Sylvester. At the same time, Sylvester realized that a strange red light flickered in front of his eyes. When he looked down, he saw mes covering his body. He also felt a strange, soft sensation on his head and noticed thin golden strands of hair reappearing on his bald scalp.


    ''I¡­I don''t feel pain.''


    His mind clearedpletely, and a strange, revitalizing energy consumed him. Without any movement, he unconsciously used metal maniption to break the metal chains that bound him to the mast and then removed the thin metal pipes that had been drawing his blood.


    He then rose to his singr leg and gazed at his zing palms. It was confusing, yet at the same time, pacifying. The words of Solis reverberated in his mind, shouting again and again¡ªBurn! Burn! Burn!


    He nced at the girl again, knowing well she was going to be sacrificed to fire ordion to some cannibal rituals as an offering to Jasaka, their god.


    "Jasaka!" The cannibals prostrated before Sylvester, praying.


    Sylvester remembered the scenes from the battlefield. They prayed to the fire god, and since he was covered with fire, he was a god. But he couldn''t help the fury that slowly surged within him. The words of the Shadow of Masan before abandoning him to perish petrified him.


    What had befallen Felix? Was he held responsible for the schemes of Masan? What was Xavia''s state of mind after learning of his demise? Sylvester was more concerned for them than himself.


    But more than anything, the rage was directed at his own frailty. For being deceived by Shadow of Masan, for bing feeble-minded and epting death so easily. For forgetting that he was not alone in the world. He lived to find peace. He lived for Xavia¡ªhe lived for the oath he made at Shane''s grave.


    ''Burn everything?'' he muttered the words of Solis. ''So be it!''


    Woosh!


    Originating from Sylvester''s body, mes burgeoned like a gust of wind. They caught the cannibals nearby and incinerated them, causing them to writhe in agony and terror as they iled their limbs or tumbled on the ground.


    Shhh¡­!


    The zing mes only grew stronger, and as Sylvester''s anger rose, they reached farther, catching the camp on fire.


    Without intending to, the words of a hymn escaped his lips. But unlike before, not only was the halo crimson, it erupted in mes¡ªwhile his voice reverberated in echoes.


    ?This magical world that should be the Garden of Eden.


    It''s filled with creatures like you and a myriad of heathens.


    I searched far and wide, but nowhere did I find my freedom.


    Every time, my peace is shattered by you impious demons.?


    ?Enough! For my peace, no longer will I wander.


    No matter the price, gold or blood, I will pay to conquer.


    I tried, but this world chose to make me its monster.


    May my light surmount as your generations I will ughter!?


    Boom!


    An endless sea of mes surged beneath Sylvester''s feet, scorching the sand, melting it into crude ss for as far as the eye could see.


    The mes consumed all, whether dead or alive, man or woman, child or not. The crimson hue covered thend, for the price in life was its demand.


    ________________________


    [A/N: See Sylvester here]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 468 468. A Forgotten Name

    Everything in sight burned away as the fire spread rapidly. The sand melted into ss, and those who stood on it were fused to it while slowly incinerating. Screams and cries of men, women, and children reverberated throughout.


    Was it just to ughter them all? Was killing the young ones the optimal decision? Such questions did not enter Sylvester''s thoughts, for they were unnecessary. The children were fated to be cannibals and perish in a fire he''d create one day. It was the decree of destiny to which they and Sylvester were bound.


    The fateful meeting with Solis had made it clear. Every sinner is born with the fate to aplish that sin. And if he kills that sinner, it''s his fate to kill. Everything is decided before one even takes their first breath¡ªeven death.


    The odor of burning flesh, death, and blood permeated the scorching field. It was a slow demise for them as they shrieked, copsed, incinerated, their skin liquefied, and their eyes fell from their sockets. Unable to breathe, scream, or stand, there was nothing to do but die.


    Woosh!


    Like a god of fire, Sylvester watched thend burn all around him with him in the center. Unbothered, every time he gestured in a direction, a powerful gust of fire spewed forth, reducing to ashes anything in its path.


    Like the conductor of an orchestra, Sylvester''s arms swung in various directions, causing fiery pandemonium in a radius of hundreds of meters. If someone cried out, they were given the mercy of a swifter death.


    The firestorm raged for an hour, and in the end, nothing remained standing on the ground. From the camp structures to various tools, everything was incinerated. The bodies hadpletely vanished, turned to ashes.


    Finally, Sylvester took a deep breath of serenity. The halo subsided, and the fire vanished from his body. But he stillcked a leg, so he had to hop toward the little girl he made certain not to burn. She was sitting in a daze, looking around.


    "Xylena Sor ckhart, that is your name, isn''t it?" Sylvester asked as he sat down beside her.


    She had an innocent, thin face, dark ashen hair, teal eyes, and a delicate frame. Having witnessed the hardships she had faced, Sylvester knew the trauma she held in her young mind. Thus, he tried to be gentle with her.


    "Princess of the Sorrow Kingdom," Sylvester continued. "But it''s not sorrowful anymore. I killed the Grand Duke of Patch and unified your Kingdom. People are now happy and are gradually rebuilding your Kingdom."


    Xylena moved her head and looked at his face. Her eyes had tears that slowly dripped down her cheeks. Her body was still smeared with strange red paint and sand, however.


    "Let''s get you cle¡ª"


    Bam!


    She lunged at him and hugged his neck tightly before bursting into loud wails. Then, she mumbled incoherently while letting her tears flow.


    Hearing her cry, Sylvester remembered all the visions he had seen about her. Being merely seven during her escape from the Sorrow Kingdom, she had endured mental and physical abuse and hunger for two years. She had worked for chump change cleaning dishes in taverns and had been betrayed by a holy man and sold to cannibals.


    Considering she was a pampered princess before, the fact that she survived that long was a testament to her strong will to live.


    And it was something Sylvester respected immensely.


    He softly hugged her tiny frame back and caressed the back of her head. In response, she cried even louder, as if finally finding some warmth andfort with someone she knew wouldn''t abuse her.


    "I¡­I saw you in my dreams¡­I saw you so many times," she finally spoke with some control. "I was scared¡­"


    He patted her back. "Easy now. Everything will be alright."


    She sniveled on his shoulder and bobbed her head. It was a strange understanding between them, which made themfort each other even though they had never met before. Through years of visions and dreams, they hade to know much about each other.


    "Why didn''t you help earlier?" She stepped back and asked him.


    Sylvester sighed and gazed down at his absent limb. "I was lost. But now, I am back on the righteous path. So do not fret."


    ''Burn it all for the greater purpose¡ªthat is the only way.'' he remembered the worlds of Solis.


    He had learned his lesson. Merely scheming and plotting would not be enough. Overwhelming strength was also required to back his ims¡ªenough power to crush any opposition under his thumb.


    "Let us clean you first," Sylvester said, conjuring water in his palm using magic. Although he still felt weak, it was nowhere near as weak as before.


    ''I must also find clothing. And where is Chonky? Did he escape during the conflict?'' Sylvester pondered silently while helping Xylena clean her face and body. It was hard to remove the peculiar red pigment, but they eventually managed to almost remove it.


    "You are not bald anymore?" she inquired after her lengthy bath.


    Sylvester touched his hair with the same bewilderment. ''I do not understand what happened either. Why did I not burn? How did I control that fire so adeptly?''


    "It appears to be the case."


    nk!


    Woosh!


    Sylvester suddenly heard a sound and hastily pulled the girl closer. He raised his arm towards the noise, ready to st whoever or whatever it was.


    "Maxyyyyyy!"


    "Chonky?!" <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Sylvester looked around, but there was no chubby white cat in sight. "Where are you?"


    "Look up!"


    Sylvester did as he was told, and his jaw dropped to the scorched floor. Like an angel from heaven, the ball of fur was hovering in the sky. Two white wings protruded from its back, fluttering smoothly and gracefully.


    "Y-You¡­Grew wings!"


    "Maxyyy!"


    Bam!


    Miraj dove straight at Sylvester and mmed into his chest. "You''re alive! I was so scared, Maxy¡­I thought they would eat you¡­I went to find help and¡­"


    "Shhh¡­" Sylvester stroked Miraj''s fluffy head and soothed him. Though he could not help but notice the peculiar golden ornaments on Miraj''s wings. "Are you hurt, Chonky?"


    Miraj shook his head cutely and looked up while hugging Sylvester''s chest. "I''m sorry¡­I could not bring help earlier. T-They¡­Bad people took your leg."


    "It''s alright. People without eyes have be Grand Wizards, so I can manage without a leg too. Now, can you please give me a few pieces of clothes, Chonky? It''s a bit cold here." Sylvester requested, noticing confused Xylena shivering.


    She could not see Miraj, after all. But she remained silent and did not ask anything. Questions things used to get her in trouble in the past when she worked for other people.


    "Uwaaa!"


    Miraj vomited and threw out a bunch of clothes. They were all too big for Xylena, but Sylvester made them work. He tore them from a few ces to shorten them for her.


    "Here, wear these." He handed Xylena the clothes.


    Then Sylvester looked back at Miraj, wanting to hug him more. "So, how far did you fly? Did you find someone to help?"


    "Yes!" Miraj bobbed his head and looked back. "Come out, you two! Maxy won''t hurt you!"


    At Miraj''smand, the sand in the distance moved, and from under it came two figures. One was an older man with shoulder-length white hair and a full beard. He had a stern look on his face, further entuated by the age lines. He wore full-body leather armor with a shoulder steel te. On his chest, he had a few throwing knives, while on his back were a bow and arrow. He also held onto a sword.


    Then there was the little girl, likely the same age as Xylena. But she looked far from innocent. With ashen hair, she had hazy blue eyes that seemed tock any emotion. Her face was also spotless, with no age lines or pimples. Wearing brown clothes and a shawl, she had a small dagger around her waist.


    Sylvester felt strange about them, especially the girl. The way she looked at him was not normal.


    "You don''t appear like the cannibals." Sylvester indirectly asked for introductions.


    The older man spoke in a hoarse majestic voice. But his ent was something Sylvester had never heard before. "I am Hozin Suez, and this little one is Kimino Suez. We are thest of the Moonwatchers who still walk this ancientnd."


    ''Moonwatchers? The cannibals were talking about these two.'' Sylvester remembered.


    "So it''s you who those cannibals feared. You can speak and tame Dragon Snakes?" Sylvester asked them, trying to gauge their minds through scents.


    The man, Hozin, spoke, his voice rather monotonous as before. "We can speak with Dragon Snakes. It is the reason Moonwatchers went extinct, respected apostle of light."


    ''They know me already. I sense no fluctuation in their mood either.''


    "Can you see Miraj?" Sylvester asked them. He reckoned it was impossible toe to aid unless they could see Miraj.


    "Meow!" Miraj voiced while sitting in the Moonwatcher girl''s arms. "Only she can see me, Maxy. But she never speaks to me."


    ''I knew there was something different about her.'' Sylvester had all his focus on her from that point on.


    "Thank you foring here. I will be returning to the Holy Land, so you may join me and start a new life in the convenience of greennds. I shall also reward you with gold for your service." Sylvester offered them graciously.


    "Cannot," the Moonwatcher girl suddenly uttered, striding up to Sylvester before reaching out to grasp his hand.


    Then, she lifted her gaze to meet Sylvester''s and locked eyes with him. She continued to stare for a few moments, her expression as nk as a nk of wood.


    However, when she spoke again, Sylvester felt the earth tremble beneath his feet.


    "The stars are aligned. The time hase. The Core Temple awaits us, Johnathan Colt Westerling."


    ________________________


    [A/N: See Chonky with Wings and the Moonwatcher duo here or on Discord.]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 469 469. The Real Dangers Of Divine Desert

    "The stars are aligned. The time hase. The Core awaits us, Johnathan Colt Westerling."


    Proimed a voice that Sylvester had long forgotten, causing his heart to skip a beat.


    A memory from a time he cherished and wished to forget flooded Sylvester''s mind at the mention of the name. His first thought was that she might havee from Earth as well, but he quickly dismissed it, as he had lived most of his life as an agent. Unless she was in close contact with him, there was no way she could know his name.


    "How do you know that name?" he asked her, while keeping his body ready to strike.


    The girl monotonously answered while looking towards the sky, "He speaks to me. He sees the past and the future. He sees realms both this and others. He knows all, when one shall rise and fall."


    "What?" Sylvester confusedly blurted.


    The older man chimed in, "Kimino has been blessed by the God, dear Apostle of Solis. She has seen you in her cryptic dreams, your past and the future. Wee here not to save you but to guide you to the Core Temple, for that is our heavenly duty."


    Sylvester stared at the girl''s face, sensing no emotions from her. She spoke cryptically as well.


    "Where are her parents?" He asked.


    "They and all our people were killed by cannibals. She is my granddaughter, and we are thest of Moonwatchers," Hozin answered. "Kimino was one year old when the cryptic dreams began to show. They hindered her ability to do day-to-day tasks and live a normal life. For that, she was exiled at the age of two, and I joined to care for her."


    Sylvester moved closer to Kimino and sat down. "Can you tell me more about your dreams? And why do you wish to take me to the Core Temple?"


    "I must. God ordered. Answers for Apostle," she replied in short sentences and pauses.


    ''From my experience after living in this world for neen years, I should definitely follow her. But what about Xavia? What if she kills herself in hopelessness?'' Sylvester pondered.


    "The Core Temple holds Elder magic. Apostle learns. Talk to Mother," Kimino said, as if she knew what Sylvester was thinking.


    "Will I be the Pope soon?" Sylvester asked her jokingly. "Will I unite the two continents?"


    After a few seconds of silence, the girl responded, "Yes. Yes."


    "..."


    ''I didn''t expect her to answer me.''


    He patted her head and apologized, surprisingly. "Forgive me for ruining your life. Whoever sits up there has a knack for ruining lives for the ''greater purpose.'' If what you say is the truth, then lead the way. However, I have a request."


    Sylvester stood up on one leg and looked at the older man. "I demand that you lead me to all the Cannibal camps you are aware of. I can no longer tolerate their filthy presence on thesends."


    ''Not while I''m destined to rule them in the future,''


    Hozin responded to him quickly. "They are scattered throughout our journey, Apostle. Our path will be long and arduous. This ce is called the First Camp, used as a base for Cannibal attacks on your kingdoms. But, first, we must head south on the elevated teau along East Cliff as we cannot climb down the western cliff onto the middle of the desert.


    "From the south, we will enter the Death Sea and navigate our way to the north through a volcano, Tribtion Path, and arrive at the Core Temple. If we move quickly, the journey will take six months."


    As there was no known map of the Divine Desert in the Holy Land, Sylvester let the Moonwatchers be his guides.


    "Let''s do that. But first, Chonky, give me a block of wood." Sylvester requested from Miraj, who flew above their heads and meowed in delight.


    "Got it."


    Thud!


    Miraj threw up a thick and big log of tree from his mouth.


    Sylvester cut the log into pieces to make an elbow crutch for himself. Although he felt the loss of his leg heavily, he tried to remain positive, believing that a solution would present itself eventually.


    "Let''s go, then." He adjusted the crutch on his arm and prepared to walk. Thankfully, they did not have to carry heavy luggage, as Miraj took care of that.


    "Bring her." Kimono pointed at the back, where little Xylena was resting on the sand, sleeping soundly after God knew how long.


    "Is she significant to my future?" Sylvester inquired, recalling Solis''s words from their first meeting about her being the key to his destiny.


    Kimono nodded. "She is path to your destiny."


    ''I wouldn''t expect anything less after seeing her vision for almost two decades,'' Sylvester murmured to himself as he went to wake her up from her slumber. Xylena had curled herself into a ball and hugged a sheet of cloth while sleeping.


    Seeing her face, Sylvester remembered his own childhood as an orphan. Furthermore, he understood that out there in the rotten world, there were many more kids facing a much worse fate than even Xylena. And no matter how much they''d shout, no help would evere.


    ''I hope my legacy will correct that.''


    "Let''s go," he said.


    Rather than waking Xylena, he tied her on his back with the cloth sheet so she could continue sleeping. She was in such a deep slumber that she barely stirred, apart from a few mumbling sounds.


    "Apostle, I can hold her." Hozin offered.


    Sylvester quickly refused. "After what she has been through, I can imagine that she would be frightened if she woke up in the arms of an unknown man. Let her be. I don''t even feel her weight."


    After all, he was still a man with the body of a Diamond Knight. At most, he only had a slight limp from not being used to walking with a crutch.


    "Lead the way, please." <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Weee...look at me!" Miraj flew around, meowing.


    "Miraj! Stop flying around andnd on my shoulder. I don''t want you captured by some giant eagle or such!" Sylvester scolded him.


    "Maxy! You don''t get it! I AM THE EAGLE!"


    Woosh!


    Miraj attempted to swoop down at Sylvester like an eagle. However, his chunky build made it impossible for him to be as agile as an eagle. His bodycked the necessary aerodynamics and flexibility.


    Thud!


    Miraj fell face-first onto the soft sand, embarrassing himself in front of the only other human who could see him.


    "I''ll sit down," mumbled Miraj, quickly jumping onto Sylvester''s shoulder. "I intended to do that."


    "Sure, buddy."


    ¡­


    Following that, in the middle of the night, their long journey began. It was an unusual route as they were situated in the northernmost region of the Divine Desert. Still, since they were on a steep cliff-like elevation, they had to walk to the extreme south to descend onto the real middle desert.


    There were no trees or mountains, only dry, rugged terrain. On top of that, they could only travel at night because during daylight hours, they had to take refuge in a cave to avoid the skin-melting heat.


    Fortunately for Sylvester, that heat meant more srium, resulting in a full recovery of Srium Reserves. With that, they didn''t have to worry about water or shelter.


    Hozin, the old man, also possessed some magic, but it was primarily limited to strange runes that were not elemental in nature, preventing him from conjuring water. Meanwhile, Kimino was simply the living, breathing map.


    "Have either of you ever left the Divine Desert?" he asked them while they waited in a chilly cave they had constructed.


    "We couldn''t even if we wanted to. The only exit out of the Divine Desert was seized by the First Camp, which you burned down. Nor did we have the desire to leave since the dreams Kimino saw predicted your arrival here years ago," Hozin replied as he cooked some meat on the charcoal fire.


    Sylvester marveled at their ability to survive in such extreme conditions. "You would have been awed by the Holy Land. Can you tell me about the Moonwatchers? How did you acquire this name? How are you distinct from the cannibals?"


    "Once, there was also us," Hozin began. "We were all referred to as Moonwatchers before some of us transformed into cannibals and chose a different god. Our presence on this desertnd predates the birth of your Faith of Solis by thousands of years. ording to the stories, this was not a desert back then, but a lush green tropical and istednd. We thrived here as a civilization, but then things began to change."


    "Are you familiar with the Faith of Luna? I found ruins in the East where people used to worship the Moon Goddess Luna," Sylvester inquired.


    Hozin shook his head. "If they worshiped the moon, they were probably like us. However, I am unfamiliar with the Faith of Luna. Apostle, your Faith of Solis isn''t the first religion to emerge in this world either. The world had a history before that, one that we have forgotten."


    ''Exactly!'' Sylvester concurred with that statement. ''I did note across a single reference to any history preceding the Faith of Solis in the Holy Land or any other library. What was the world like before? Why hide such details?''


    "One day you will learn. Truth is out there." Kimono suddenly spoke. "It is your fate."


    Sylvester stared at the girl''s nk face, amazed that she knew his future without any personal connection. However, a few interesting queries emerged in his heart that he wanted to ask.


    "Have you seen all my life? Even my death?"


    She nodded quickly. "You will die wh¡ª"


    "Stop! Don''t tell me that," Sylvester interrupted her hastily. "It is dangerous to know about one''s own death. Forget my question, here, eat this."


    He handed her a small candy from Miraj''s stash. She had never tasted something sweet in her life, so finally seeing a change of expression was much wee.


    Just like that, Sylvester strategically forged a connection with the man and girl, attempting to discover more about them and their motivations.


    As for Xylena, she rarely awakened from her slumber during the travel. So Sylvester carried her throughout the entire journey. It was a tiresome and tedious trek with little to do. So he also trained himself from time to time.


    It was a three-month-long journey before they finally reached the southern edge of the Divine Desert, from where they descended onto the actual desert terrain with yellow sand.


    "That is the guide tower!" Hozin pointed to a distant stone tower on the horizon, casting a lengthy shadow towards the northwest. "Only at a specific time of the day does its shadow indicate the true direction one must take. But, we do not require the shadow to cross the Death Sea."


    "Death Sea?" Sylvester felt alert. "Why is it named that?"


    "Because Dragon Snakes inhabit this vast desert expanse. They are colossal beasts, hundreds of meters long, concealed beneath the sand. They are attracted to heartbeats. So people living here learn to regte their heartbeats to traverse thisnd." Hozin exined proudly. "There are hundreds of them, and they are the reason why it is nearly impossible for most to reach the Core Temple."


    Sylvester took a long warm breath. "How strong are they?"


    "In your terms, each one is at leastparable to a Grand Wizard level five."


    "..."


    Hozin was not finished, however. "We will be riding one of them!"


    ________________________


    [A/N: See the map of Divine Desert here. 4K Avable on Discord]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 470 470. The Tribulation Path

    "We are going to ride a beast?" Xylena eximed, standing beside Sylvester and holding his hand.


    Hozin looked at Kimino. "She has the ability tomunicate with the beasts and befriend them."


    Sylvester watched Kimino stride forward onto the loose sand and kneel down to ce her palms on it. Then she began to tap the sand gently while muttering something under her breath. She continued doing it for several minutes while the sun slowly ascended.


    Eventually, the ground began to shake, evident by the vibrating sand. Then the sound of the earth moving reverberated throughout, overtaking the silent, dusty desert.


    ''I can sense an extreme amount of excitement. What kind of creature is it?'' Sylvester wondered and attentively stood in ce. He kept Miraj close to his shoulder, not wanting him to be hunted by the Dragon Snake.


    "Grrr¡­!"


    A growling sound arose while the sand slowly lifted up, forming a hill. It continued to rise with the increasing sound. But Kimono didn''t budge an inch, even when the hill was directly beneath her; clearly, it was the body of the Dragon Snake.


    "She tamed her first Dragon Snake when she was five years old. If only our n had known earlier, she would''ve been revered as a goddess," Hozin said, sounding a bit dejected.


    Sylvester silently watched the colossal Dragon Snake emerge from the ground. At first, he observed its gray scales and then its massive body. Its head was at least fifty meters wide. Then, as it slowly appeared in its full grandeur, its head rose so high that even the birds had to dodge it.


    "Wait!" Sylvester eximed as he caught sight of it. "This is just an oversized snake."


    "Oversized?" Hozin amusedly muttered. "There are smaller Dragon Snakes in the East?"


    "There are, and they are not even a tenth of this snake''s size. Can it breathe fire like a Dragon?" Sylvester inquired. "If not, then this is just a snake."


    "It cannot spew fire, but it can melt sand in its mouth and blow magma out. While the acids in its body are strong enough to melt stones and steel easily, its body is robust enough to ignore the strikes of most foes," Hozin introduced the creature to Sylvester. "They reside under the sand to feel the moisture and feed on desert elephants or simply sand."


    "Interesting," Sylvester remarked as he looked in awe at the enormous creature before him. The snake''s face was surprisingly cute and not at all intimidating, although its sheer size was overwhelming.


    Eventually, the snake lowered its head to the ground level in an attempt to allow them to climb over. Kimono was already there, gesturing to them.


    Instead of jumping up, Sylvester approached the snake''s face. Its big, ck eyes shifted to him, and its smile remained unchanged. The nostrils alone wererge enough to swallow him whole.


    "What a colossal creature you are," he muttered. "You seem so thrilled to meet that girl. Chonky, try flying near its eyes."


    Woosh!


    With a woosh, Miraj took flight around the snake''s eyes, making noise and taunting it. "Look at me, big friend! I can fly, unlike you, who''s called a Dragon...Hehe."


    ''It''s tracking Miraj''s movements. It can see him then?'' Sylvester confirmed his hypothesis. There was something magical and historic about thend that connected Miraj to it, but he had no idea what it was.


    "Stop bullying him, Chonky. Go and sit with Kimono," Sylvester ordered before jumping onto the creature''s head. To his surprise, he found a strange, gray growth of scales shaped like a small hill. It was hollow, with an entrance inside where Kimono sat.


    "It will protect us when the Dragon Snake travels under the sand," Hozin exined as he invited Sylvester inside. The shelter was like a closed tent, but the scales could grow more and close the opening as well.


    "How do youmand it?" Sylvester asked.


    Kimono replied, "Mind connected. We are friends."


    "She is the one who made this shelter of scales, Apostle. Even I do not understand the extent of Kimino''s blessings," Hozin added.


    ''Hundreds of Grand Wizard rank beasts. If I can control them like her, perhaps even taking over the world won''t be out of option,'' Sylvester wondered silently.


    Thud!


    The shelter shook heavily, signaling the Dragon Snake had dived into the sand again. It moved smoothly, with minimal jolts felt by any of them. Except for Kimino, none of them had any idea what direction they were heading. But thankfully, Hozin exined the route in great detail.


    It turned out that the Death Sea was only thirty percent of the Divine Desert. After reaching the volcano mountains, they would have to continue on foot and fight creatures such as Giant Lizards and spiders.


    It was clear why not many humans in history had been able to reach the Core Temple. Even if one were to somehow survive through the Death Sea, they would be too weak or wounded to continue battling the creatures ahead.


    It was an arduous expanse ofnd that was impossible to traverse without expert guidance, simr to the assistance he received. As for the Desert Cannibals, they steered clear of the Death Sea and only traveled on the perimeters of the teaued terrain.


    Consequently, it took Desert Cannibals more than a year to journey from one end to the other. Of course, it didn''t help that they had to keep moving to search for food based on the seasons.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Still, it took them a week to cross the Death Sea, even with the help of the Dragon Snake. When they emerged, they found themselves near a colossal volcano and another Guide Tower.


    After bidding farewell to the snake, they resumed their journey. Walking along the edges of the continuously spewing volcano, they battled a few dinosaur-like creatures. They were then confronted by a horde of hundreds of giant spiders, as tall as a three-story building.


    It would have been challenging for them to fight the spiders, but with Sylvester''s fiery abilities, all the webs were burned away, and the spiders were reduced to ashes. He didn''t go easy on any adversary as he wanted to reach the ruins quickly and learn the way tomunicate with Xavia.


    Finally, after five months of traveling, they arrived at the third and final Guiding Tower. Again, checking the shadow''s direction at the right time of day, they knew where to go.


    And eventually, they arrived at a site of massive ruins.


    "This is where Moonwatchers used to reside," Hozin revealed emotionally. "This is our first time returning here since learning about the genocide."


    By then, sand had overtaken the broken stone and mud buildings. Roofs had copsed, and nature had taken over. All that remained was an eerie silence of what used to be a flourishing civilization.


    "How many were there?" He asked.


    "Tens of thousands were killed due to constant raids from the Cannibals within a single year. The only exit from thendscape was blocked, so there was no escape," Hozin exined. "Come, we must hurry before the sun sets. It is best to cross the Tribtion Path during daylight."


    Sylvester followed behind the pair with Xylena''s hand in his grip. They traversed through the ruins and soon arrived under a gigantic stone arch that had formed naturally. It was constructed of Redstone and looked oddly out of ce.


    "People rarely attempt to go farther than here," Hozin stated. "But today, that shall change."


    They finally arrived in front of a vast, deep ravine with a sheer vertical drop. It was so terrifyingly deep that only a dark ck void could be seen inside. The extent of its depth was unknown.


    Sylvester looked ahead, and his jaw dropped. The ravine was endless in length. Furthermore, he could discern a faint hint of a distant structure beyond the mist.


    "Do you want me to fly over this?" he asked them. "Perhaps we can go around?"


    "The Core Temple is guarded by ancient magic, Apostle. To enter, you must cross this Tribtion Path. All you must do is walk right over the deep, dark ravine. If you possess a pure and kind heart and pass the trials, you will not fall into the abyss. You will walk right over nothingness and reach the temple," Hozin exined to him in detail.


    Sylvester peered into the dark ravine, then back at the older man. "You want me to walk straight onto the possibly bottomless ravine?"


    "Yes, Apostle."


    "..."


    "You can do it. I have seen you go through," Kimino added to reassure him.


    Sylvester sighed and nced at his own absent limb. "You people are harassing a poor cripple at this point. Chonky, remain on my shoulder and rescue me if I fall."


    "Don''t worry, Maxy," Miraj perched on Sylvester''s shoulder tightly.


    "All you need to do is walk straight. Once you reach the Core Temple, a path will be created for us to follow you inside," Hozin added.


    Sylvester, sadly, was questioning his own heart. ''Do I possess a kind and pure heart? I do not believe so. Does that imply I will fail?''


    "I wille with you!" Xylena suddenly eximed.


    "She cannot go," Hozin was quick to protest. "Having multiple humans on the path can have an adverse effect on the oue."


    Sylvester sighed and took a leap of faith. "If you say so, I will walk."


    Hesitantly, he stepped forward over the steep cliff and tried to find the ground beneath his foot. It was terrifying to stare at the endless darkness before him, but he could not step back after spending so much time on the journey.


    ''Here goes¡­"


    ________________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 471 471. The Core Temple

    Sylvester, at first, didn''t feel anything under his crutch as he tried to measure the dark ravine while keeping his foot behind. To his luck, he felt nothing, and the crutch continued to fall deeper and deeper.


    "God! I almost fell!" he eximed.


    Hozin interrupted him just then. "Apostle, you must use both legs, or the ancient magic will not appear. This tribtion is a test for those who dare to cross. Withoutplete faith in oneself, this ravine will never allow passage."


    Sylvester withdrew his crutch and red at Hozin. "First of all, I only have one foot. Second, how do you know all these rules when nobody has crossed in hundreds of years?"


    Hozin pointed to the girl beside him. "Kimino saw you do it. That''s how we know the rules."


    "I saw you ovee. Don''t be afraid," Kimino monotonously added. "Good luck."


    ''She''s cheering me on? Or mocking me?'' Sylvester wondered. He couldn''t read Kimino''s emotions as her face remained unchanged, and her heart seemed dead. She was difficult to read unless something shocking happened.


    "Alright, I''ll use my foot as well. Chonky, be ready to save me," he decided and simply walked over without a second thought. Darkness was no match for him, as he was the embodiment of light. He believed he''d eventually live ande out even if he fell into the ravine.


    ''Sylvester, you can do it, buddy.''


    "Don''t die, bald mister!" Xylena shouted from behind, still calling him bald despite him not being bald for very long.


    Finally, he let go of thend behind him and let fate decide his future. With Miraj on his back, ready to fly up, he had nothing to worry about.


    "Oh! I can walk on air!"


    Rather than falling, he felt an invisible floor under his feet. It felt airy, yet there was something there.


    ''Ancient magic is¡­incredible.''


    With that, he strode quickly toward the Core Temple. From his viewpoint, he estimated the temple to be at least eight kilometers away from his current location. And all of those eight kilometers was a dark and deep ravine.


    He walked continuously without resting, using the crutch. At first, it felt easy, but once he crossed the one-kilometer mark, he began to understand why it was called the Tribtion path.


    "I feel the gravity increasing at least fivefold," Sylvester muttered as he felt the force on his wooden crutch intensify. "Miraj, do you feel anything different?"


    "Different? I feel nothing," Miraj replied, perched on Sylvester''s shoulder.


    ''So the magic isn''t affecting him?'' Sylvester was taken aback, and the mystery behind Miraj''s existence deepened. ''What is he?''


    "I hope it''s just gravity and no other test waiting for us."


    Crack!


    As he crossed the second-kilometer mark, the pressure grew so much that the crutch began to shatter. It wasn''t going tost long; that was clear.


    "Chonky, give me my spear. I will use it for support instead."


    Then, he continued to walk. However, he felt a strange difort rising in his body, and especially his mind bing hazy, unable to think straight. With each step, the effects only increased and made him slightly dizzy.


    "Maxy, what happened? Why are you slowing down?" Miraj asked in concern. "Do you want to rest?"


    Sylvester did not stop, for he was afraid of being unable to wake up. "No, Chonky. But ancient magic is ying tricks on my head. If you see me losing my mind, it''s your job to steer me toward the destination. I will try to keep my feet moving."


    "Understood! You can count on me!" Miraj prepared to fly before Sylvester''s body and pull him towards the Core Temple.


    ''What the hell are these visions?'' Sylvester wondered as he began to see strange images in his head. They were not his own, for the names, voices, and faces were such that he had never seen before.


    Soon, he crossed four kilometers, reaching the halfway mark. That was when everything intensified many times over. The gravity felt as if it were a hundred times stronger than usual, and the visions became so evident in his mind that the barrier between reality and the vision vanished.


    The voice was as clear as day, and it belonged to someone from whose perspective he saw the vision in his head. He found himself in a strange body standing in an unknown ce. It was a barren grasnd with mountains in the distance.


    While he stood on a tall rock, there were tens of thousands of people around him, watching him with reverent eyes.


    And then Sylvester spoke, or rather the body spoke. "Please be at rest, my beloved people. I am a mere mortal, much like yourselves. I beg you not to revere me as a god. Rather, I am but an instrument, a conduit through which the divine speaks to you. Through me, you may attain salvation!


    "Thends that lie beyond us shall one day witness the grandeur of towering buildings, which will house the most devoted adherents of God, those cherished by his loving embrace¡ªToday! I deem this ce¡ªHoly Land!"


    The scene changed suddenly, and the world appeared much darker, but it was not nighttime. Instead, everything felt dusty, as if a cloud had enveloped the surroundings.


    "Who are you?!" demanded the body possessed by Sylvester. "Why have youe to desecrate this holy sanctum?"


    No reply was given, but instead, a bright light flickered in the distance, transforming the ck dust into a white sparkle. It was a colossal, blinding orb more powerful than any light Sylvester had ever seen before.


    And judging from the reaction of the possessed body, the man felt the same. "Why destroy thisnd I cultivated with such care? Who are you?"


    However, only beams of warm light attacked, so intense that even the sun would cower. Yet, the man did not waver and fought back against the light.


    "I will never allow you to ruin thend that has finally joined the world as one!"


    With that, the battle between a man and the light began. It went on for a long time, and Sylvester witnessed every moment of it. However, no conclusion seemed to arise from it, regardless of how much the man tried to push through.


    "MAXY! WAKE UP!"


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t see the end of it as he felt his mind awakening to reality, and Miraj''s voice reaching him. He felt his vision returning to normal and a warm, wet sensation surrounding his face. He also realized his body was lying on his back on the ground.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ''Ah? Am I in the water? Did I fall into the abyss?''


    However, as his vision normalized, he saw the daylight emerging. But soon enough, he also noticed a big, cloudy face and a pink tongue licking him all over.


    "What are you doing, Chonky?"


    Miraj finally stopped and hugged Sylvester''s neck. "I brought you to the other end, Maxy! You stopped talking and became like the undead Bishop Lazy makes. But I dragged you along."


    Sylvester rested and regained his lost energy. He found that the intense gravity no longer affected him, and instead, there was an abundance of Srium that revitalized him quickly.


    A few minutester, he slowly rose to sit and surveyed his surroundings. As expected, he found a colossal structure towering in front of him. It resembled a grand temple with simple walls and pirs, but its sheer size was unimaginable. The pirs supporting the walls and roof were each fifty meters thick and went hundreds of meters into the sky.


    Surprisingly, there was grass all around, andrge ponds filled with water and fish surrounded the entire temple.


    The building was primarily constructed of bricks made of dirt, with some gold used as highlights here and there. But the entrance door was small, reminding him that no matter what, he was still the size of an antpared to the structure.


    "Let''s go inside, then." He stood up with the help of his spear. Miraj assisted him, excited to see what was inside the massive structure they had struggled so much to reach.


    The atmosphere in the vicinity felt much more refreshing, and the aura had a calming effect on his heart and mind. It was Srium, but also much more than that. There was a peculiar positive energy that uplifted his spirits.


    With high hopes of discovering something remarkable, he entered the small door that led to the temple. He expected to be astonished and perplexed by the sight, but instead¡­


    "Is this it?" he eximed, finding nothing but vast emptiness inside.


    The colossal structure was entirely hollow from within. From one end to the other, from the floor to the distant ceiling far above, there was no obstruction of any kind. Furthermore, at the top, there were a few enormous light crystals that illuminated the interior.


    "The walls have ancient elder runes carved all over them." After examining it closely, Sylvester noticed ancient elder runes carved all over the walls. Even the floor had intricate patterns resembling rune circles. However, they made no sense to him as he had never seen anything soplex before.


    "How am I supposed to study this without any guidance?" he wondered and cautiously studied the walls and floor.


    "Maxy, look! Isn''t this a button?" Miraj suddenly eximed, having reached the center of the floor, right in the middle of the rune circle.


    "Button? No, this is a mini-rune circle inside a rune circle." Sylvester examined it closely. "Let''s try activating it. But be ready to attack, Chonky."


    Miraj quickly picked up Sylvester''s spear and hovered mid-air, ready for swift action. Meanwhile, Sylvester knelt down and ced his palm on the rune circle.


    "Here we go!"


    Woosh!


    He infused a small amount of srium into the rune circle. In response, he sensed the srium expanding into therger Rune circle and spreading throughout the floor, reaching the colossal walls.


    The srium continued to rise, eventually reaching the giant crystals on the ceiling. But that was just the beginning of the magic, as the light crystals seemed to lose their radiance, getting drained by the walls.


    In an instant, every single Elder Rune text on the walls began to shine. All four walls of the building were covered with small lines of text consisting of who knows what.


    Boom!


    The ground shook, and Sylvester rushed to the door to look outside. As he expected, the enormous ravine was filled up, creating a in dirt path, allowing Hozin and Kimino to cross over.


    ''How much magic did it take to achieve this?'' he wondered and turned back to try and decipher the runes.


    "So a scheming murderer is my heir?!"


    "WHO''S THERE!" Sylvester roared nervously in response to the sudden voice.


    "A lowly imposter is my heir?!"


    Sylvester readied himself to battle due to the increasing animosity in the voice. "Reveal yourself!"


    "Now, you have beheld!" Out of the floor, from where Sylvester activated the small rune circle, a ghostly golden shining figure of a middle-aged man emerged.


    Sylvester took his spear from Miraj. "Enemy? Or mistaken identity?"


    The ghostly figure drew near Sylvester. "I have witnessed it all, Sylvester Maximilian, or must I say Johnathan Colt Westerling?"


    Sylvester''s jaw tightened as the confrontation seemed imminent. "Who are you?"


    "I am Luther Vas Hermington, the¡ª"


    "Wait!"


    Sylvester interrupted with a much louder voice.


    "The first Pope?!"


    ________________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 472 472. Secrets Uncovered, Yet Mystery Intensifies

    "The first Pope?!" eximed Sylvester, his voice echoing through the temple. "Your soul is trapped here?"


    The ghostly figure stopped in front of Sylvester, gazing silently at him as if considering something. No words were spoken for a long while.


    "An ambitious killer, a deceiver¡ªs, I believe that is what it takes to achieve what I could not. Sylvester Maximilian, you have been chosen by the heavens, fate, and destiny to inherit my will and knowledge!" dered the ghost of the first Pope.


    Sylvester was smart enough to deduce that already, given that he had crossed the Tribtion Path. However, what he didn''t understand was why the Pope''s ghost was present. Moreover, he recalled the various strange clues that the First Pope had left behind in various ces, such as the carvings on the Soul Tree in the Holy Land and the underground castle beneath Sphinx Town.


    "Why are you a ghost? And why did you conceal your inheritance in such a ce? What do you specifically desire?" Sylvester interrogated.


    "Sit," the Pope''s ghost said, crossing its legs and sitting down on the temple floor. "I am no ghost, Sylvester. I am merely a projection of my true self, which is barred from entering this realm. What do you know about the Church''s history?"


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and contemted. "Not much. You founded the faith after achieving enlightenment. There are no written records of the world before the formation of faith. It is said that the world was too barbaric in those days."


    "Lies!" the ghost eximed abruptly, anger seeping through. "Sylvester, the faith is five thousand years old, but not the world. Many faiths came and went in tens of thousands of years of this world''s past."


    Naturally, Sylvester knew the world was much more ancient than what wasmonly known. He had seen the ruins of the temples of the Faith of Luna.


    "If you say you''re a mere projection of your true self, then what are you?" he asked directly.


    The ghost sighed as if it were a real living thing. "I am an enigma to myself, Sylvester. A long time ago, I was born in a small vige near where the now Holy Land exists. I yed on the branches of the Soul Tree and meditated beneath its warmth.


    "I trained and grew stronger under the blessed presence of the Soul Trees. My initial quest was to find more of these trees, but over time, my research expanded. Yearster, I gained enlightenment from Solis, established the Church of Solis, andid the foundation of the Holy Land. Initially, everything went smoothly. I was able to spread the word of Solis and bring order and peace to warring kingdoms and ns.


    "I encouragednguage, learning, and the arts to help people elevate themselves intellectually. However, when I became the Supreme Wizard, and no one could challenge my faith, a mysterious orb of light fell from the sky."


    Sylvester''s eyes widened. "The Orb of Purity!"


    The Pope nodded. "That is what you call it, but I considered it the Orb of the Devil. The moment the orb appeared, the entire Holy Land and its surrounding region were covered in extreme levels of Srium. The Srium was so thick that no air could exist within it. I was able to hold it back with my body so that the people could escape. But in doing so, the Orb began to crush me under its ever-increasing weight.


    "What followed was a years-long battle between me and the orb. I tried to get close to it and destroy its core, but I was naive to think it had one. I got trapped inside the center, where the force around me was so great that all my strength went into surviving. For years, I remained inside it."


    "Who is that?!" Hozin, Kimino, and Xylena arrived at the temple.


    Sylvester quickly silenced them. "He''s the First Pope. Sit behind me in silence and listen to his life story. All your lives are connected to this man. He is the reason why we''re here."


    The First Pope started again. "I believe whoever ced that orb there wanted to kill me. They likely never imagined I''d ascend after years of battle. As I ascended above the rank of Supreme Wizard, I found myself able to overpower the orb. However, I had limited time as the realm rejected my soul and magic for being too powerful.


    "The dangers were clear to me. If I had forced my existence, the would have shattered. So I did my best and contained the orb inside what you now call Magna Sanctum Temple.


    "Furthermore, I built this temple and established the Tribtion Path. I left behind more clues around the world because I knew that one day, a man woulde who would not care for good or evil. He would be born to break the chain!"


    Sylvester rose to his feet abruptly. "So it was you who summoned me?!"


    "Yes and no," the First Pope replied. "I am merely a being who ascended the mortal ne. I have no body or form. I exist as mere consciousness in a dimension I do not understand. So I searched for a capable person from the infinite cosmos to save the world¡ªmy home.


    "Throughout history, many capable individuals havee to exist due to my desire, but they allcked the will or were too vile," stated the ghostly Pope.


    Sylvester grasped the significance behind the words. "Are you suggesting that there were more reincarnated people in this world like me?"


    "Yes, a few. The twenty-fourth Pope, Bryden Octavian Brooks, the man renowned for erecting the most magnificent structures for the Holy Land, was simr to you. His true name was Leonardo Da Vinci, a man of extraordinary abilities."


    Sylvester''s feet stumbled back involuntarily. "B-But...That man... lived over five hundred years before the era I was born in."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The Pope''s ghost shrugged. "As I mentioned, I do not control fate. It is not my decision who or what emerges from the infinite cosmos. However, it is a risk I willingly take, for the peril that looms over my home is too great."


    "Then, are all Popes reincarnated individuals? Are there any other reincarnators currently out there?" Sylvester inquired, feeling extremely anxious about his own safety. After all, a person who reincarnated from a thousand years in the future could be devastating to him.


    "Only a small minority. The majority of reincarnators die before they even reach puberty because the world is merciless towards anomalies. Sadly, after the twenty-fourth Pope''s death, my consciousness was severed by other powerful higher beings I do not know orprehend.


    "It took me centuries to break free from that restraint, and once I did, I attempted to summon another reincarnator¡ªthis time, you came. But those higher beings discovered me and blocked me again. So I know not what happened to my primary consciousness, and only I, as a projection, remained behind."


    Sylvester nodded and pondered everything. He had learned too much in a single day. There were dangerous, mighty beings out there that were stronger than a Supreme Wizard. There were other reincarnators in the past. And history had been distorted by someone with a motive.


    "So, you are not your true self, but a recorded memory of the real Pope? Are you, by any chance, a god? Do you know Solis?" Sylvester inquired.


    "Haha,"ughed the Pope. "I am no god; I am sure of this because I am too feeble to be one. As for Solis, I am sure he exists, but I do not know if he is a true deity. To me, a god is someone who controls and owns space, time, past, present, and the infinite cosmos. It is an existence we cannotprehend, for they are so superior to us that we cannot perceive them."


    Sylvester agreed with that assessment. However, concurrently, he felt a peculiar suffocation in his heart. "So, I have been your ve since the beginning? A pawn meant to be exploited?"


    "No, Sylvester. You are a free man with free will, but your destiny has been predetermined since your birth. You can live as you wish, but the manner in which you die has already been written. You chose to love your mother. You chose to make friends. You chose to be the man you are today¡ªdid you not?"


    Sylvester exhaled in exhaustion andy back on the ground. "Then what am I supposed to do? Who am I battling? I''m certain that bing the Pope is not your intention for me."


    The Pope nodded, and his ghostly form walked back to the center rune. He ced his palm on it, and a small, thin tform arose. As the marble tile opened up magically on it, a white crystal was revealed.


    "It is true that bing the Pope is a stepping stone for you. Your true destiny is to discover who brought the Orb of the Devil. You locate them, and you shall learn who truly governs the world and controls its destiny," the Pope said, gesturing for Sylvester toe closer.


    "Once you be the Pope, travel to the tenth underground level of the Pope''s Pce. You will discover the secrets of the world there. But first, to ascend to the highest peak, you will require the assistance of Elder Magic."


    Sylvester halted near the tform and gazed at the sparkling crystal. "Where does all of this end? How do you expect me to battle beings even you cannot perceive?"


    "You can, for it is the destiny you were born to fulfill. Jonathan Colt Westerling, you were not born to live in misery but to liberate the world from the clutches of its covert master. You are Sylvester Maximilian, not to be cursed, but to assist this world in defeating the concealed, wicked hand¡ªisn''t that what you did in your past life?"


    Instantly, Sylvester recalled his old memories and couldn''t help but draw parallels. As in his previous life, he has no idea who the real hidden master maniptor is here. Yet, he is expected to defeat that person.


    "What if I fail?" he inquired.


    "Then another shall be born."


    "For how long will this go on?" Sylvester asked. "How do I walk on the path that does not exist?"


    The Pope raised his hand and pointed to Xylena.


    "She is your path, Sylvester Maximilian¡ªThe key to the realm that has remained hidden from you. Vilified and despised, but it is not what meets the eye. Seek it, and you shall hear their cry."


    Sylvester quickly connected the dots, recalling the incident under the Pope''s Pce in the arena, and made a wild guess, for that was the only other realm he knew about.


    "Demon Realm?!"


    ________________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 473 473. Chonky, The Enigma

    "The Demon Realm?"


    The ghost of the Pope neither agreed nor denied it. "Knowing one''s own future may hinder the flow of destiny. I shall teach you Elder Magic, and with that, my legacy and my role shall beplete."


    Sylvester pondered deeply at that point. "If you are doing all this because it is your destiny, then aren''t you just a pawn like me? Is there someone controlling you like a puppet? How can you be sure that this is the right path?"


    The Pope''s ghost fell silent abruptly. Undoubtedly, Sylvester''s words had provoked a profound self-reflection.


    Eventually, the man sighed and shook his head. "There is no way for us to confirm who is pulling the strings of the world. The true God? Or some impostor? The truth is, we are all pawns of our own fate. Nevertheless, what is meant to happen will happen, so let us focus on the present and ensure that you learn Elder Magic as quickly as possible."


    "I agree, but I must first learn how to contact my mother in the Holy Land. I do not wish for her to weep over my supposed death. Her tears are¡­too precious to me." Sylvester spoke resolutely, almost as if making it a condition for epting the man''s inheritance.


    Kimino interjected at that point. "The future is clear. This is the way."


    The Ghost of the Pope immediately agreed. "Understandable. Even if you wish to do this, you must start by learning the Elder Runenguage first. Thenes the use of magic, and the Srium Web is a part of that Elder Magic. It allows the user to use Srium throughout the world itself tomunicate with the other person. It is extremely difficult to aplish, and the receiver must also possess Srium in their body. At the same time, you must know their Srium signature, which can only be done if you have ever imbued your Srium into their body."


    ''I have healed Mum and Sir Dolorem many times in the past. So it shouldn''t be a problem then.'' Sylvester recalled the times he infused his magic into their bodies.


    "She''s a wizard, and I have healed her in the past, Your Holiness."


    "Good, let us begin your training then. Xylena, you must also learn the magic if you wish to truly harness your great powers." The Pope addressed the confused girl, who sat silently behind Kimino.


    "Me?" Xylena eximed. "I do not have special powers, Y-Your Holiness. I tried to master magic but failed."


    "You failed not because youcked magic but because your true talent was never explored." The Pope responded. "You have been seeing Sylvester in your dreams not only by mere chance, but also because of your ability¡ªan advanced version of mutation called Future Sight."


    Sylvester was instantly intrigued by the conversation. "She possesses Future Sight?"


    "More than that. She not only sees her own future, but also saw you through her visions. Moreover, her ability allowed her to see you for years, transcending time and space. But, unfortunately, her power consumed most of her Srium, making her redundant in other forms of magic. In a true sense, she possesses the Eyes of Omniscience, which is merely a fraction of her true capabilities, lying dormant," the Pope exined. This made sense to Sylvester but only served to confuse Xylena.


    Sylvester stared at Xylena''s face and saw an opportunity. He walked over to her using his spear as a staff and sat down. "Xylena, do you wish to return to your Kingdom one day and rule it as a Queen? A formidable queen who cannot be defeated by anyone?"


    ''I need to ensure she remains loyal to me. Her abilities can threaten my ns too.'' Sylvester decided to handle her with care. Still, he wasn''t going to treat her as an object meant to be used. She was an orphan with deep mental trauma. Hurting her was thest thing Sylvester could imagine.


    Xylena nodded firmly in response. "Can I be the Queen?"


    He stroked her dark ashen hair. "Certainly. In fact, as I mentioned earlier, the Sorrow Kingdom is now liberated and on a path to recovery. The people of the Kingdom await their rightful queen, but..."


    She frowned and stood up to look Sylvester in the eyes. "But?"


    "You are too weak, my dear. You must train alongside me and prepare yourself for the role of being the Queen. You are blessed with a unique ability, and once you master it, you will be unbeatable," he said, sweetening the deal and raising her hopes.


    Of course, he did not disclose that her omniscience would not be of use in the face of absolute strength. It did not matter if she could see the future, as she still had the body of a mortal that could be crushed.


    She excitedly leapt over and embraced Sylvester, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I will work hard and do my best! I will never cry orin! Please help me, Mister Baldy."


    Sylvester felt his heart melt, and he cursed himself internally. ''What kind of monster am I bing, manipting this child like this? She has nothing to start with. Without me, she would be killed before taking her first step¡ªI am herst hope.''


    Unconsciously, he raised his hands and caressed her back. "Sylvester is fine, dear. I''m not bald anymore."


    However, Kimino interrupted abruptly from the side. "Baldness will return!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "..."


    ¡­


    With baldness looming over his head, it became a point of discussion. However, Sylvester paid no attention to it and immersed himself in the study of Ancient Elder Runes, a knowledge lost in time and secret history. Thest man known to possess the Elder Magic was the first Pope himself, and he was learning it from that very man.


    Thews of Elder Magic were not too different, but they were based on an entirely different magic, and in front of it, the modern runes used in magic seemed to be bastardized versions of their true forms.


    More intricate, more potent, and more profound, the Elder Magic was the true means to harness Srium as intended. Unlike normal magic, there was no elemental division in the Elder Magic, for it controlled the base nature of Srium particles itself.


    Itsck of division was also the reason why no one could ever learn it through the remaining recorded texts. As most wizards possess only one or two elements, it bes impossible for them to understand magic without any element.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester mastered all elements except Darkness, so it was easy for him to learn it. At the same time, Xylena was never able to harness an element, so her body was as if made to learn the Elder Magic.


    At first, their training began with learning the written script of thenguage, and then how to speak it. That alone took them five months to learn, which was a great aplishment in itself.


    After that, they began to learn how to harness the Elder Magic. Using spells created in the Eldernguage, and Rune circles consisting of the Elder Runes, they trained day and night every single day.


    The progress was slow as they had to change their entire mindset and preconceived notion about all things magic. It was not easy, but not impossible.


    With the desire to speak with Xavia firmly in his mind, Sylvester pushed himself the most and showed the most results. Unfortunately, it was hard for Xylena, as she was a mere nine-year-old child.


    But by the end of the sixth month, Sylvester was ready to try the magic he had been longing to use.


    "I am prepared, Your Holiness," Sylvester proimed after a whole night of training. "I wish to try speaking with my mother."


    The ghost of the Pope sat beside Sylvester at the center of the temple ground. However, instead of replying to his request, the ancient man watched Miraj, who was happily resting in the distance and licking himself clean, from the tail to the wings.


    "Where did you find him?" The Pope asked.


    Sylvester also watched as Miraj began to clean himself in the spot better left unspoken. Once again, he was reminded that, in the end, Miraj was still a cat.


    "In the Holy Land, alone and sad as none could see him for centuries. Do you know what he is, Your Holiness? I''ve been trying to look for clues, but there are no records of such a feline species."


    The Pope silently watched the cat finish cleaning himself and then pulled out a banana out of nowhere to munch on. "My friend Sylvester, I have no idea what he is. Perhaps...a fallen god? His abilities are too extreme for this mortal world."


    Sylvester looked at his best friend and found himself nodding. "I think...You might be right, Your Holiness. A god of cats, perhaps?"


    "He''s an enigma," the Popemented. "But leave him be. Let us return to the main topic. Do as I instruct and try to think about the Srium signature of your mother. Let the natural Srium flow in your body and speak the magical incantation I will iterate."


    Sylvester promptly sat up with a straight back and closed his eyes.


    "I''m ready, Your Holiness."


    ________________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 474 474. Five Year Plan

    Chapter 474 474. Five Year n


    Sylvester tried replicating the same sensation he experienced while meditating beneath the Soul Tree. He cleared his mind, allowing the Srium in his surroundings to permeate his body and rejuvenate him. Meanwhile, gradually, he directed hisplete focus toward the sensation he felt when healing Xavia.


    Her Srium signature was like a memory. It was a sentiment that varied from person to person. Describing it in words was challenging, yet it evoked an instant recollection of the other person.


    Sylvester felt the same and saw Xavia''s face appear in his mind without even trying. Her charming motherly smile, a never changing kind face, and her worrying voice. He cherished her deeply, havinge to feel that way after years of living. But, in the beginning, it was hard to separate the past life from the new one.


    But gradually, Xavia grew on him, and her motherly nature allowed him to let go of the past and fully embrace the present. Naturally, the yearning for peace drew strength from this notion. Bing the Pope and attaining power was all in pursuit of one thing¡ªa peaceful life.


    "Repeat after me, Sylvester. ''?????? ? ??? ??? ???? ???? ????? ??? ??????? ??? ???? ?? ?????, ? ???? ?????? ??????.''"


    It was a different sound of anguage. It didn''t seem simr to any othernguage from both worlds he knew. But he followed the lead and chanted the same.


    In a fleeting moment, Sylvester perceived a flicker of life despite his tightly closed eyes. As if being drawn toward something, he involuntarily pursued it earnestly amidst the surrounding void.


    With the target fixed in his mind and Xavia''s Srium essence firmly etched in his memory, he refused to let anything divert his attention. Throughout, the ancient incantations spilled from his lips, while the radiance within his eyes appeared to intensify.


    Then, gradually, he sensed muffled voices reaching his senses. At first, they were indistinguishable, a blend of several voices merging into one. This caused his focus to falter slightly, but he fought to remain fixated on Xavia''s Srium essence. Amidst the cacophony, the voices began to separate, and within that chaos, he discerned the faint cries of Xavia.


    It was a feeble voice, brimming only with sorrow. Apanied by sniffles, Sylvester knew that Xavia was crying and remembering him.


    "W-Why did you leave me, Max? You promised to be with me forever¡­How could you go before me?"


    Xavia''s sniffling subsided, but she did not respond. Sylvester imagined she was likely shocked and attempting to ept the situation.


    The words became clear, and the voice unmistakably belonged to Xavia. Sylvester''s heart pounded anxiously upon hearing her feeble voice. He could understand her, as the demise of one''s child before them was one of the greatest pains for any parent.


    "Mum¡­" He tried to call her. "I''m alive."


    Xavia''s crying intensified, and she wept louder. "I-I can still hear your voice in my mind¡­"


    "..."


    Sylvester tried to speak calmly without stopping. "I''m sorry, Mum. I couldn''t speak to you sooner. It was Shadow of Masan posing as Count Sandwall in Sandwall County. He fooled us all and backstabbed me. I was caught by the Cannibals but survived by the miracle of the lord. I am currently in the Divine Desert, training to be stronger. I am speaking with you through ancient Elder magic that I recently learned."


    Xavia''s sniffling subsided, but she did not respond. Sylvester imagined she was likely shocked and attempting to ept the situation.


    "Please don''t act shocked or react to my voice if someone is near you. Nobody should know I am alive except for you and Sir Dolorem! I will speak with himter, but for now, I wish to hear your voice."


    "I am at home, alone." Xavia suddenly spoke, happiness resonating in her words. "Is that truly you, Max? Are you safe? Are you injured? How are you¡ª"


    Sylvester interrupted her and tried to calm her down. "It''s a really long story, Mum. However, you must know about the rumors of a concealed temple in the Divine Desert. I have reached it and have received a divine blessing. It is truly I, Mum¡ªyour honey-loving son, with fluffy Lord Chonky by my side."


    She silently wept and smiled in her room. Sadly, Sylvester could not see her, as his ability did not allow him to. It was something Xylena could do, but she was not yet prepared.


    "How is Lord Chonky?" She asked.


    "Lord Chonky remains Lord Chonky. Apparently, he has grown wings and has be addicted to soaring through the skies. Nheless, he is still a greatpanion and helps me maintain my sanity. And what about you? I know you haven''t eaten much in the past six months."


    She stuttered while replying, which was proof enough for Sylvester.


    "Mum, I am safe and growing stronger. I do not know when I will return, but I willmunicate with you regrly from now on. So please take care of your health, because when Ie back, a others from going after Xavia.


    Following all the serious discussions, they conversed about a few mundane matters, expressing massive storm will engulf the Holy Land. You must prepare yourself for it¡ªrise in the ranks and gain as much influence as possible. Expand thework of Bright Mothers across the world, from East to West, from the Sol Continent to Sand and the Central Continent. I will speak with Sir Dolorem, who will provide you with sufficient funds to sustain the operations."


    Sensing the gravity in his words, she asked in worry, "What are you nning, Max? Please do not jeopardize your life any further."


    "Mum, it is not merely a matter of existing in peace now. It is either them or me. There can only be one man at the pinnacle. They will not rest until I am dead, no matter what," he replied.


    "Who?"


    "I cannot disclose that information yet, as it would unnecessarily put you in danger. Simply continue to act as if you are still grieving and gradually transform your demeanor into that of a cold-hearted woman who desires to fulfill her son''s wish and aid as many people as possible. Be watchful and trust nobody," he warned her in good faith, as he knew that after his death, there was nothing stopping others from going after Xavia.


    Following all the serious discussions, they conversed about a few mundane matters, expressing concern for each other''s well-being. They spoke incessantly for over an hour, and Sylvester ceased only when he sensed an improvement in Xavia''s state of mind.


    Finally, he bid his farewell for the day.


    "Love you too, mum. I will speak with you again tomorrow."


    With that, he withdrew his consciousness from her Srium Signature but wasted no time redirecting his attention to Sir Dolorem''s Srium Signature. The man was not too distant, and Sylvester swiftly began to hear his voice.


    Sir Dolorem muttered to himself, presumably standing on the terrace of the Bright Mother''s abode. "I refused to shed a single tear, for I believe your demise to be impossible. You swore to ascend to the peak, and my pledge to you remains unfulfilled¡ªYet...It has been six months. I am losing hope... Where are you, Lord Bard?"


    Sylvester loved the man as his own family and felt great pride that Sir Dolorem had such confidence in him.


    "Indeed, I am not deceased, Sir Dolorem." Sylvester promptly addressed him. "I speak with you through ancient magic I just learned."


    Thud!


    The sudden sound resounded as if Sir Dolorem had fallen down. Sylvester confusedly tried to speak again.


    "You there, old friend?"


    "...I am¡­I am here, Lord Bard! I am¡­" Sir Dolorem was filled up with emotions ranging from happiness to exhaustion. "I knew you can''t be dead."


    "Thank you for your unwavering belief in me, Sir Dolorem. I am in good health, presently situated within an ancient temple at the heart of the Divine Desert. Guided by an ancient entity, I am mastering Elder Magic. So, do not expect me to return to the Holy Land for several years. However, during this time, I have significant tasks for you." Sylvester got to the business because they knew each other too well.


    Sir Doloremposed himself and responded resolutely. "Just give the instructions, Lord Bard."


    "I''ve spoken with Mum. Help her expand her secret spy group of Bright Mothers. Provide her with all the money she may require. Furthermore, keep an eye on all the Kingdoms, particrly Riveria. Kaecilius is under my influence, so assist him in amassing more power and wealth. He shall be the instrument for eradicating very from the world in due course. Lastly, maintainmunication with all the Lords and Ladies close to me. Ensure the preservation of their businesses and facilitate further expansion for increased profits." He instructed.


    Sir Dolorem promptly epted all the orders. "Is there anything else, Lord Bard?"


    "Yes, one more thing. Please clear the name of Sandwall County. It was the Shadow of Masan who orchestrated everything, not them." Sylvester implored, his concern for Felix evident.


    However, an eerie silence from Sir Dolorem ensued before the man finally spoke. "I-I''m afraid it is toote. His Holiness dispatched the Holy Army and eradicated the entire County. Felix''s father and brother were discovered deceased, making it impossible to clear their names."


    "What about Felix? I hope he was not held responsible."


    "He''s missing, Lord Bard. I tried to use all my informants to look for him, but hisst sighting was entering the Pope''s Pce. Furthermore, in response to your demise, the Inquisitor High Lord departed the Holy Land, renouncing his position and status."


    Sylvester was aware that the response to his demise would be immense, but he hadn''t anticipated it to be of such magnitude. He felt concerned for Felix, yet at the same time, he pondered why the High Lord Inquisitor disyed such unwavering loyalty toward him without any apparent reason.


    "Continue the search for Felix, and as for Lord Inquisitor, try to find his whereabouts. Perhaps I can enlist him to support my cause in the future. Besides this, please take care of yourself and prepare for the inevitable." Sylvester cautioned him at the end, just like Xavia.


    Sir Dolorem, even though he didn''t see Sylvester, saluted and responded. "Understood! May the Holy Light enlighten you, Lord Bard."


    With that, Sylvester retracted his senses and allowed the magic''s effects to reverse. It took some time, but eventually, he felt his eyes gradually open, and the sunlight from within the Core Temple pierced through them.


    "Congrattions, you have taken the first step to mastering Elder Magic." Pope''s ghost cheered him on, despite the frown on Sylvester''s face.


    "Your Holiness, please teach me everything!" Sylvester abruptly rose to his single leg and looked at the temple''s exit. "I find myself in the most exceptional training ground in the entire world, with an abundance of beasts ranked as Grand Wizards for training purposes. I can''t let this opportunity go to waste."


    "When do we return home?" Xylena walked beside him, lending support by holding his hand.


    Sylvester shook his head. "Not until both of us possess sufficient strength to be the hunters, rather than the hunted! For five years! We shall remain here and master Ancient Magic¡ªThen, we shall journey westward and ultimately seize control of the entire continent from the shadows."


    "West? But our home lies in the East," Xylena interjected.


    Sylvester cracked his knuckles, and a zing me of vengeance flickered in his eyes.


    "The time hase for the Masan Empire to be the Masan Kingdom!"


    ________________________


    [A/N: Last time-skip of the story iing.]


    Thank you. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 475 475. A Spy—A Priest—A Slave

    Chapter 475 475. A Spy¡ªA Priest¡ªA ve


    [A/N: Time Skip]


    ______________________


    ''Time stopped for none, even for those who could halt time.


    ves,moners, nobles, and priests¡ªfrom apprentices to Supreme Wizards, squires to tinum Knights¡ªTime never ceased. Youthful bodies aged, and lifeless ones decayed to return to the earth itself.


    Destinies fulfilled, a few dreams killed¡ªafter destruction, therees an era to rebuild. Years it may take, and many minds and bones it one may break, but with due time, even the dullest of minds are forced to be awake.''


    "Waoh! Did you write that?"


    The soothing breeze caressed his face, and the distant calls of the birds in the sky reverberated. Sitting beneath the hay storage in the heart of an expansive field, Sylvester gazed up at his exasperatingly loudpanion.


    "I never knew you could write, Jack." The loud man rambled uncontrobly. "Can you teach me too? I may be born a ve, but my mother always said I''m a brightd."


    Sylvester, presently known as Jack, sighed and turned to another page. He sketched a few fruits and inscribed the letters used to pronounce each fruit. Then he handed him the page, all the while maintaining silence.


    "You''re my best friend. With this, I shall one day write poems and woo that beautiful Amilda¡­Ah, her smile brightens my day."


    Sylvester sighed andid down on the hay to sleep. "You do realize she serves as the master''s bed warmer ve, right?"


    The loud man turned gloomy instantly andid down, curling into a ball to find warmth in himself. "I¡­I know. But that doesn''t mean she can''t have happiness or make a family. That old oaf, who can ever be happy with him¡­my mother never was."


    "Go to sleep," Sylvester replied and closed his eyes. "The Royal Prince will be inspecting thend tomorrow. So we need to rise early."


    "Good night, my bald friend."


    "..."


    Sylvester clenched his teeth, for the baldness had returned as prophesied. But this time, it was for work, rather than misfortune. He closed his eyes and simply awaited the sun''s return the following day.


    ''Years have passed. Just a few more months before everything falls into ce. Ugh... This darn overpowering physique, why can''t I sleep?''


    Sylvester, blessed with power, also cursed the side effects that came with the blessing. That was all he could do during the cold nights in Masan¡ªA vast empire that extended from the icy and unforgiving mountains of the north to the desert-likends of the northeast and the arid grasnds of the south.


    Thankfully, that same monstrous body allowed him to remainfortable even in that harsh cold. And amid a plethora of thoughts, the morning sun ascended to the sky swiftly.


    It was the life of a ve that didn''t allow them to stay asleep beyond sunrise. So quickly, Sylvester and hispanion washed their faces, ate a watery stew with some bread, and headed to the fields to start working.


    "It''s been a year since you came." The loudmouth started yet again. "You never told me how you became a ve? From your scarred body, you were definitely not somed in debt. What battle did you lose?"


    Sylvester grunted and used the plow to prepare thend for cultivation. He disregarded his partner, a tall and robust individual with brown hair and tanned skin, assigned to tend to their designated plot ofnd.


    "Come on, speak up sometimes. Working alongside you is too boring."


    "Concentrate on the task, Keilib," Sylvester finally uttered. "We must clear this field before the inspection. If the Princeins, the Master will starve us."


    "To hell with that fat oaf!" Keilib barked. "T-That¡­I wish to someday kill him with my own hands. The bastard killed my father, made my mother his bed warmer, and when I was born, he even discarded me despite being his own blood! No matter how kind he treats me now, I will avenge my mother and father''s deaths!"


    Sylvester merely nodded. In the past year, he had heard Keilib utter those exact words nearly a thousand times. He believed it was more of Keilib''s method to remind himself of his vendetta and maintainposure.


    "I will pray to Solis for your vengeance," Sylvestermented, moving past him to work.


    Keilib remained silent after the brief outburst, and both of thempleted their work on time. Afterward, they hurriedly cleaned up and prepared themselves for the so-called inspection.


    The Masan Empire had so many princes and princesses that just to keep them upied, they were given jobs that didn''t even exist usually. Farnd inspection was one of them, and all that the princes and princesses had to do was show their faces once a month. It kept them from scheming against each other and creating instability.


    "Hey, Jack." Keilib voiced as they both walked to the main keep of thend''s Master. In the Masan Empire, allndowners were referred to as masters. Only the Prince and Princesses, as well as the King and Queen, held special titles.


    A Land Master''s status was defined by the amount of wealth they kept. The Master they served, Garn Ke''l Mazak, was the equivalent of a Count in the East Sol. And simrly, he held a vast region ofnd beside the Primal River near the Iceking Lake.


    "Do you think this world can run without very?" Keilib suddenly asked. "I often wondered what wrong did Imit to deserve this life? Do I not pray to Solis just like the Master or the Emperor?"


    Sylvester nced at the man with a depreciating smile. "Why? You want to abolish very?"


    "I''d love to. But I can''t even stand up to master, forget standing against all the lords anddies. I''d be dead before uttering my first word. But what do you think? Will the world be free of very one day?"


    Sylvester could sense the anguish in the man''s voice. Especially after having lived as a ve himself, he could empathize with the experiences.


    "The change has already begun. I heard a Kingdom in the East freed their ves and granted themnds to cultivate in exchange for a portion of the harvest going to their lord ordy." Sylvester didn''t exin serfdom in too much detail, as it was merely a stepping stone. "Perhaps, one day, it will spread to here as well."


    Keilib beamed with joy upon hearing that. "Then, if Amilda and I were born in the East, could we have started a family? Ah, I envy those from the East. They have everything good with them¡ªthe Holy Land and no very."


    "We have arrived." Sylvester interrupted as they reached the outer walls of their Master''s medium-sized stronghold. Of course, as lowly ves, they were not allowed to go inside as they''d make the ce ''impure''.


    They waited near the towering gates set into the high stone wall that encircled the stronghold. It was the only means of defense there, as moats were ineffective due to theck of water in the area.


    "JACK!" A feminine voice suddenly called out, and a young woman emerged from the stronghold''s gates running towards them. She was slender, about five feet two inches tall, adorned in loose, lightweight garments suitable for the desert heat. She also wore clothing on her head, while her golden earrings entuated her wless brown skin and brown eyes.


    She smiled and leaped onto Sylvester, embracing him. However, Sylvester didn''t react and instead quickly stepped back once she released him, then knelt down on one knee.


    "My Princess, how have you been?" Sylvester inquired, keeping his gaze lowered.


    The woman pouted and tried to pull Sylvester up and make him stand. "Stop treating me like that. I''m just the third princess, not the Crown Prince. And aren''t we friends?"


    Sylvester nodded and stood up. "It''s delightful to see you, Princess Fernis. Did you master the dagger?"


    She radiated with a wide grin and drew a dagger from the scabbard fastened to her side. Then, with pride, she lifted it toward Sylvester. "What do you take me for? Of course, I have acquired the skill!"


    ''Scents of sweetness, roses, and sweat. Ever since I saved her from the assassins I sent and the following poems I wrote to her, her interest in me has only risen. s, it''s time to put the final nail in the coffin and finally enter the Eternal Castle of the capital.''


    Sylvester maintained his calm demeanor and epted the dagger from her, examining its de.


    "The edges are worn," he observed. "I will sharpen it for you and return itter."


    She nodded firmly. "I wille to check on it every day. I adore yo¡ªerr, I mean, I deeply cherish my dagger."


    Cough!


    Just then, a small entourage came from within the keep. At the forefront was a ck-bearded, brown-skinned man adorned in regal attire from the West, wearing an exotic turban embellished with feathers. His stern expression was enough evidence of his disdain for Sylvester.


    "My Prince," Sylvester knelt again, as this was the real inspector. The eighteenth Prince of the Empire, older than Fernis by a decade, as female heirs were a rarity in the royal family of Mirmasan.


    "Tsk¡­I warned you to stand ten meters away from my keep''s walls!" Just then, the Master of thend, a fat, almost balled old man, shouted. "Now go and bring the horses here, fucking useless ves!"


    Sylvester and Keilib hurried to the stables upon hearing themand.


    "Not you, Keilib, my son!" The Master stopped them. "Let the bald fool do it. You stand beside me today."


    Keilib clenched his fist in anger upon hearing those words. However, he did not rebel, as he noticed Amilda standing behind the fat Master, shaking her head while holding a jar of water. She was a fair-skinned woman with blonde hair, captured from the Easternnds. Unfortunately, her appearance was deemed exquisite and sought after by the wealthy inhabitants of Masan as objects of sexual ves and bed warmers.


    Sylvester proceeded alone to the stables and fetched three horses. He took his time to ensure all his ns were in order and executed smoothly.


    He ensured the fat Master could say everything Keilib, as he had nned. Having the Prince and Princess as witnesses was a crucial aspect, as no one would dare oppose what was about to unfold.


    Upon returning, Sylvester aided the Prince and princess in mounting their horses first. Then, he moved to assist the corpulent ruler. The man was so obese that it took an entire day''s worth of effort to hoist him onto the horse.


    "Hold the horse still! You want to kill me?" The Master shouted at Sylvester.


    Internally, Sylvester smiled. ''Indeed, I do.''


    Suddenly, Sylvester began to subtly move the index finger of one hand. It was a slight motion that went unnoticed by all, but the ramifications of it were such that merely being aware of it would instill fear in many.


    ''Six years of training¡ªlet us see how refined my control has be.''


    Being a man of science, Sylvester knew theponents of the human body very well. Thus, with full knowledge that an average male body consisted of four grams of iron, a great possibility of fatal magic had kept him restless for years.


    ''What would happen if a ball of concentrated iron from one''s own body was to travel to the heart?''


    It was time to witness.


    ________________________


    Thank you. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 476 476. Breaking An Empire

    Chapter 476 476. Breaking An Empire


    Sylvester''s finger moved slowly, ever so, while his mind had already epted the oue that was soon to appear.


    Thud!


    The body of the fat Master of thends fell from the horseback. It fell with such force and in such a position that the man instantly broke his neck under his own weight. For a few seconds, he remained alive, even then clutching his chest as if in agony.


    Sylvester was quick to paint the narrative with his masterful acting. "Master! Help! His heart is failing!"


    The Prince swiftly dismounted his horse and attempted to use basic healing magic. However, as Sylvester''s finger continued its movement, the tiny iron sphere within the man''s heart continued to wreak havoc. There was no chance of survival, and no one could fathom why and how it urred.


    To the outside world, it appeared to be a heart attack. And that was precisely why Sylvester adored his secret technique, as it served him perfectly as an assassin and spy.


    "H-He''s dead." the Prince dered after examining the pulse. "I advised him to shed his excess weight."


    Sylvester sighed and proceeded to lift the lifeless body. "We should bring him inside the Keep and notify the family. They may wish to select the heir."


    "It has already been predetermined," the Prince interjected. "He announced it in my presence and that of my sister. He deems his legitimate sons wastrels. Therefore, Keilib shall ascend as the new Master of thesends, in ordance with the final wish of Master Yarik."


    "B-But!" Keilib couldn''t believe what he was hearing. Yes, the elderly obese fool had mentioned his wish just moments ago, but he never anticipated it woulde to fruition on the very same day. "I know nothing about governing."


    At that moment, Princess Fernis interceded. "But you''re a farmer, aren''t you? The Empire needs skilled farmers more than anything else. In contrast, your half-brothers have been raised in utmost luxury. So I canprehend the source of Master Yarik''s concerns. Believe in yourself, Master Keilib


    ¡ªyou are capable."


    Keilib felt the world spin before his eyes. He felt disoriented and stumbled backward a few paces. Thankfully, Amilda came to his aid.


    "T-Then, does that mean I can free a few ves?" Keilib inquired. "I understand I can''t free everyone, but¡­"


    The Prince scoffed and turned to make his way back to the castle, with Sylvester carrying the corpse on a horse. "They belong to you. Do as you please."


    Keilib did not understand which god had graced him all so suddenly. He woke up as a ve that morning, and now he was the Master.


    "I¡­I decree that Jack be set free!" Keilib blurted out.


    Sylvester abruptly halted and nced back. "Why? I have nowhere else to go."


    Keilib shrugged. "I''m sure you can find a better job than being a ve. After all, nobody bes a ve by their choice."


    Sylvester was an exception to that rule, of course. But he yed along, as his long year of hard work was finallying to fruition.


    "I know nothing but farming and fighting," Sylvester argued. "Nobody in this part of the world will hire a white man like me."


    "I will!" Princess Fernis eximed, smiling cheekily. "I am in need of a bodyguard."


    The Prince swiftly responded to that. "You cannot do that, Fernis. You cannot trust Easterners! If you require additional bodyguards, then I will get them for you."


    She pouted and threw a tantrum. "Fine, I will sit here and not move unless I get to have Jack as my bodyguard. He has already saved me once, so why can we not trust him this time?"


    The Prince red at Sylvester, feeling powerless. "All royal guards must undergo scrutiny and approval by the Royal Knight Commander. We cannot select a random rat from the streets and permit them to be near us. Father would be furious if something were to ur."


    "All I hear are excuses!" Fernis remained seated on the ground.


    ''Did I go too far with manipting her?'' Sylvester wondered after witnessing her stern reaction. He understood that if the Princess disyed excessive interest in him, it could raise suspicions and prove detrimental to him.


    The Prince, sadly, loved his sister far too much. There were only three princesses to begin with, and they were cherished more than any treasure in the Empire.


    "Very well, but he must pass the examination by the Royal Knight Commander. It is pointless to make him a bodyguard if he cannot fight¡ªStill, you may retain him as a eunuch, perhaps."


    "..."


    Sylvester cursed inwardly as the shbacks from his first day at the School of Dawn resurfaced. He may not be interested in women, love, or lust, but that didn''t mean he wanted to lose the cannon.


    Princess Fernis leaped to her feet and hurried to stand behind Sylvester. She proudly patted his muscr arms and boasted. "Hehe, I know Jack is a strong man. He will easily beat everyone at the academy!"


    ''Why is she so confident in me?'' Sylvester wondered and felt slightly apprehensive about his future ns.


    Fortunately, no more time was wasted there, and everyone decided to enter the Keep. With the Prince advocating for Keilib, the wife of Master Yarik and his sons had no choice but to ept Keilib''s appointment. He did share their bloodline, and he had a much better rtionship with the Keep''s soldiers than the entitled sons, so the transfer was smooth.


    Naturally, a funeral ceremony for Master Yarik ensuedter. The family shed a few crocodile tears, while themon folk and ves could only offer curses. Nevertheless, more people rejoiced to witness the pyre burn than shed tears.


    That same night, Keilib freed Amilda from very and offered her a position as his personal maid. She essentially had no duties as Keilib did not require much. Nheless, the man possessed enough sense not to force her to like him.


    It was also Sylvester''s final day on thatnd, so Keilib came to share a drink with Sylvester and bid him farewell.


    "I hope you make it big in the capital. Find some nicedy and get settled maybe, or perhaps, the Princess¡­" Keilib yfully raised his eyebrows. "She seems quite interested in you."


    Sylvester maintained his stoic demeanor and spoke, "You have done nothing but move me from one servitude to another. My life now rests in the Princess''s hands, and she can do anything she desires with me."


    Keilib''s joyful smile vanished. "Jack, I''ve witnessed you decimate trees with your fist. I''ve seen you battle a lion and defeat it with a single punch. I may not know who you are or what your story is, but I do know that this is not where you belong¡ªcall it my intuition if you prefer."


    A peculiar silence hung in the room for a solid minute before Sylvester responded. "I have no choice but to go. I suggest you watch your back more than your front from now on. Yarik''s wife and sons will not allow you to possess what they deem as theirs."


    "I understand. That''s why I intend to leave with Amilda. With some money, both of us can lead content lives as ordinary farm owners," Keilib revealed.


    Being the Master was something he detested. After all, it was the same social rank that had caused him the most anguish throughout his existence.


    ''I don''t think you have a choice, buddy,'' Sylvester thought.


    "Who knows what destiny holds for both of us? Let''s meet again in the future," Sylvester extended his hand. "May the Holy Light Enlighten you."


    Keilib sped his hand. "You too, my brother. Stay safe and ascend through the ranks so I can boast about knowing the great Jack one day."


    ''I wonder how he will react once everything is revealed?''


    Keilib didn''t leave that night until he was drunk enough to fall like a wooden log. Meanwhile, Sylvester packed his bags and made preparations to depart the following day with the Princess.


    However, there was still one task left to aplish. So he locked the door and sat down cross-legged on the bed. Then, he employed Elder magic tomunicate with his allies through Srium, using the Srium Signature.


    Having grown ustomed to it, he swiftly identified the radiant orb of light within his closed vision, guiding him toward the target. In no time, a voice came from the other side.


    "How may I be of service, Apostle?"


    It was Moonwatcher Hozin. The man had chosen to apany Sylvester, along with Kimino, as there was nothing else for them to do in the Divine Desert.


    "Hozin, I am journeying to the capital as the third Princess''s bodyguard. I will attempt to get closer to the King and uncover clues regarding the Shadow of Masan. Simultaneously, I will initiate a killing spree and sow chaos throughout the Empire.


    "So prepare yourself. I will eliminate Saint Cardinal of the West first andpel the Holy Land to be more involved in the West. The more Masan is distracted, the more advantageous it will be for me."


    On the other side, Hozid gave his own status report. "The n is moving smoothly from my side as well, Apostle. Kimino is nearly finished training Princess Xylena. Once she masters the ability, she will be able to locate the Shadow of Masan with her Eye of Omniscience. As for the recruitment of the suicide order, it''s alreadypleted."


    Sylvester was content with everything. However, there was still one task remaining.


    "Once Masan crumbles, I will require faithful men and women to assume the roles of Kings and Queens in the dividednd. So I have a mission for you¡ªKill Master Yarik''s wives, concubines, sons, and daughters¡ªlegitimate or otherwise. Only spare Keilib and Amilda."


    "It will be done, Apostle." Hozin promptly epted the orders. To him, there was nothing in his destiny but to follow Sylvester. "Will he be one of the Generation Zero?"


    "Yes, he will soon ascend to the position of a King." Sylvester briefly replied and proceeded to terminate the magicalmunication.


    "Be well. See you in the capital."


    ________________________

 Chapter 477 477. Princess Bodyguard

    Chapter 477 477. Princess'' Bodyguard


    The journey to the capital city of Masan went without any trouble. Sylvester was provided a horse and ordered to remain beside the Princess''s carriage to protect it.


    Marashia City Region was the capital''s official name, as it was just too massive, or perhaps calling it massive was also an understatement. It was a mega-city built on the western shore of the Masan Empire. The city was exceedingly protected with the ocean on the west, the Primal River on the east, and the south being cut off by the river meeting the ocean.


    It was divided into three major parts. The central part was called the Hundred Castle City. It was a colossalndmass covered with towering and exquisite castles, all close to one another. If looked at from the city walls, it would appear the entire area was one colossal castle.


    Made of sandy bricks, domes and pirs rose all around, with some lush vegetation adorning the ce. The roads were clean and well-paved with stones; nomoners or shops were allowed there. It was the ce where the Emperor, his concubines, and his children lived.


    With castles named ording to their purpose, there were many solely for housing the Concubines. While thergest castle at the center, near the artificial canal, was the true Royal Castle.


    Then, beyond the strong and protected walls that guarded the Hundred Castle City from the north and southy the rest of Marashia. The south was the most densely popted area, with closely built, tall, and robust houses, amodating a vast poption. At the same time, north of the Hundred Castle City was the administrative city, hosting the housing for the affluent and influential.


    The two regions were also ultimately guarded by gigantic thick walls at the edges. The massive Marashia could be called a small Kingdom in itself, as it was just a colossal amalgamation of three cities. With a total poption of nearly two million, it was by far the world''s most populous and densely popted mega-city.


    Of course, that also meant it was the epicenter of world trade and art as the city boasted the finest school of studies, specialized workers from painters to engineers, and, of course, wizards.


    Sylvester was baffled and amazed at the sheer size of the mega-city when he arrived in Marashia. Entering from the Northern gates, he first saw the administrative city with its clean and beautiful buildings. But that was merely a tease for the main course¡ªthe Hundred Castle City.


    "Amazing, isn''t it?" Princess Fernis proudly poked her head out of the carriage. "Do you know why this city is so big? It''s because the construction never stopped since the day the first stone numbers are ever-changing. Thest I heard, Father had six hundred concubines, and most, if not all of them, had borne at least one offspring."


    foundation wasid. Even to this day, expansion and maintenance continue, and the city growsrger. With the increasing poption, I even heard the eldest brother is nning a new fourth-walled city north of the administrative city."


    ''Good God! The Holy Land may be vast and magnificent, but it still primarily retains its natural beauty. But this...this is an astounding feat of engineering!'' Sylvester was truly in awe of the sheer magnitude.


    "Eldest? Crown Prince?" Sylvester asked, his voice filled with confusion.


    "Big brother Zedd? Oh yes, he is the Crown Prince. I, Brother Zedd, and Brother Jinn are all legitimate children of the Emperor and Empress. The others are my half-siblings." She passionately exined everything, her hands gesturing animatedly. Clearly, she enjoyed the role of Sylvester''s teacher.


    "How big is your family, Princess?" He nonchntly inquired.


    Princess Fenris pouted and gazed at the sky, rubbing her chin. "Hmm...It''s difficult to count, as the numbers are ever-changing. Thest I heard, Father had six hundred concubines, and most, if not all of them, had borne at least one offspring."


    ''All the Eastern Kings pale inparison to this level of debauchery.''


    "How many siblings do you have in total?" He asked.


    "I don''t know. Probably more than a thousand."


    Sylvester, based on his knowledge of history, knew for a fact, ''Considering there are so many concubines, and the King is not exactly a handsome figure in his prime, it''s hard to believe that all the concubines truly gave birth to a royal prince. Instead, soldiers, merchants, or even ves might have been their heat quenchers.''


    "HALT!"


    Just as they entered the Hundred Castle City, the entourage was halted for a thorough inspection.


    "You! Who allowed you to enter?" The gatekeepers asked Sylvester, their spears pointing at him.


    "I did!" Princess Fernis dered from the carriage window. "He is my new bodyguard, named Jack. He will be examined by the Royal Knight Commander and join the noble service."


    "But hecks the necessary written permission or token to enter. Therefore, we cannot permit him unless he receives permission from within the city. Please forgive us, Princess. We cannot break the rules," the gatekeepers humbly exined.


    Of course, Fernis wasn''t just some random princess. "Then I will take responsibility for him. This man saved my life at the risk of his own. I believe that is sufficient proof. But if you still insist on keeping him here, then I shall remain as well."


    Her assertiveness left the two gatekeepers flustered, rendering them unable to argue. They simply retreated to fetch a senior official.


    However, when the senior official arrived, he faced the same outburst from the Princess. Consequently, he went to summon his own superior. Yet, the cycle continued endlessly.


    "What is happening here?"


    Without hesitation, the man dismounted and joyfully embraced Fernis in his arms. He carefully examined her and nodded approvingly after ensuring her well-being. "Good, no injuries this time. Suddenly, a new voice resonated through the deste road. Another group was departing from the City of Hundred Castles, led by a man exuding an air of authority. He was tall and strong, dressed simrly to the previous prince. With a beard and a stern countenance, the man exuded an aura of power.


    "Big brother!" Fernis leaped out of her carriage and rushed towards the man''s horse.


    Without hesitation, the man dismounted and joyfully embraced Fernis in his arms. He carefully examined her and nodded approvingly after ensuring her well-being. "Good, no injuries this time. You gave me quite a fright when you arrived all bruised thest time."


    Fernis giggled and hooked her arm with the man''s, leading him towards Sylvester. Then, she introduced them to each other.


    "Jack, this is my eldest brother, Zedd Ha''ul Mirmasan, the Crown Prince of Masan. Big brother, remember when I informed you about assassins tracking me? Jack was the one who saved me and even sustained injuries. Thus, I decided to bring him here and appoint him as my fabulous permanent bodyguard."


    Sylvester stole a quick nce at the man''s face. He sensed it¡ªThe man was far from being as simple and affectionate as he appeared at that moment. He was destined to be the next Emperor. If anything, he had to possess extraordinary qualities.


    Thud!


    Sylvester knelt down on one knee and bowed his head, paying his respects. "I am honored to be in your presence, Your Highness."


    Crown Prince Zedd chuckled softly, approving of Sylvester''s proper etiquette. "At least he possesses proper manners. Where do you hail from, my bald friend?"


    Sylvester weaved a story that could not be verified. "Ie from Sandwall County, Your Highness."


    "Ah! You must be a formidable warrior, then. Great Sandwall County, truly a tragic fate they suffered. You must be one of the survivors," the Crown Prince murmured, seemingly admiring the County.


    ''I smell lies and joy¡ªSo he knows what caused the County''s destruction. Being the next Emperor, he''s either close to the Shadow of Masan or learned it from the Emperor.'' Sylvester immediately got to work and created a character profile of the man.


    "Fine, you may keep him, Fernis. But take him to the Royal Knight Commander first and let him test his abilities. I won''t allow ipetent soldiers with you." Zedd ordered.


    However, this time, surprising Sylvester, the man didn''t emit the scent of lies. Additionally, there was an aroma of familial affection and worry.


    ''He truly adores his sister.''


    "Understood!" Fernis saluted her brother and jumped into the carriage again before pping the door. "Let''s go! Let''s go! Jack, you must defeat the Royal Knight Commander quickly for two reasons: I''m hungry, and I dislike him."


    Sylvester silently nodded his head and mounted his horse, following the Princess into the castle city. Once again, he was overwhelmed by the city''s beauty and cleanliness. The thought of ensuring the city''s survival in the event of war crossed his mind at that moment.


    He followed until they stopped at the entrance of the grandest castle. Heavily armored knights and even some men in wizards'' robes stood guard there, appearing serious and imposing.


    Fernis was not stopped or questioned as she skipped her way into the castle. They made their way to the terrace of one section of the castle, which served as the training ground for knights and the residence for the Royal Guards.


    Thud!


    "Princess!"


    "Your Highness!"


    The moment Fernis strolled into the hall where shirtless muscr men were training, everyone knelt down to show respect.


    She ignored them and approached an elderly knight with a bald head, brown skin, and a long, white bushy beard. The man was tall and muscr, as evident from the shape of his leather armor and thick arms.


    "Commander Tarnak, this is Jack, my new bodyguard. Please evaluate him and provide him with an identity token and armor." She requested, although it sounded more like an order.


    The elderly knight red at Sylvester''s face and bald head before giving a firm nod. "Only if he passes the tests. Come with me, fair-skinned boy."


    Sylvester followed the bald man to a massive wall with metal cases containing peculiar items. There was even an attendant next to the wall, meticulously cleaning everything.


    "Give me a grip checker."


    Immediately, the attendant handed a metal rod the size of an average arm. Then Commander Tarnak passed it on to Sylvester. "Bend it with your hands."


    Sylvester casually took it with one hand and applied some pressure.


    Creek!


    The rod was smoothly bent with just a single hand. However, it was not a simple rod; it had some runes on it.


    ''This Commander is, at best, a Diamond Knight. I need to show abilities at least of that level to rise in the ranks faster.''


    Following that, themander led Sylvester to select some dumbbells that had gravity runes on them. Once again, Sylvester easily cleared the challenge, regardless of how much the weight was increased.


    Finally, it was time for a practical test. One bald man stood against another, although one was cursed to be unable to grow a beard, while the other had a big, bushy, majestic one.


    "Kid,e and strike me with all your might," Commander Tarik confidently ordered, assuming a battle pose. "I need to assess your strength first."


    Sylvester swiftly walked forward and swung his right hand while holding back.


    Pa!


    Boom!


    The hand connected, but the result was unexpected. Many jaws dropped, and eyes widened in shock. Instantly, all the soldiers rushed to the copsed wall to check on the unconsciousmander.


    Furious, they turned around and red at Sylvester.


    "Y-You! You pped him!"


    Sylvester was quick to shrug off responsibility.


    "It was Princess'' order."


    "..."


    ________________________


    [A/N: See the Crown Prince and the Marashia City Region map]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 478 478. Childish & Crazy

    Chapter 478 478. Childish & Crazy


    "Haha, why didn''t you tell me you were from Sandwall? I wouldn''t have challenged you," Commander Tarnak chuckled as he shook Sylvester''s hand, his face visibly swollen on one side.


    Sylvester remained silent, maintaining his chosen attitude for his disguise. However, the Princess always spoke on his behalf.


    "So, can he be my bodyguard?" She asked proudly while standing by Sylvester. "Isn''t he a strong man? I knew I had great eyes to find talents."


    The Royal Knight Commander wholeheartedly agreed with her and promptly handed Sylvester the identity token, granting him the authority to enter the Royal Pce without any issues.


    With the round stone token in his hand, Sylvester let out a disguised sigh of relief. ''Finally, after a year, I have this token.''


    Additionally, he received a metal case containing the specialized royal knight''s armor designated for personal bodyguards of the royal family.


    "Come, Jack. I will show you where I live. Your room will be beside mine in case someone attacks me." Princess Fernis said, clutching his arm and pulling him along. "From now on, you must be loyal to me and never reveal my private matters to others. Especially the matters of boys that I like."


    "What if His Great Majesty insists that I speak?" Sylvester nonchntly queried.


    She scoffed. "Then you must embrace death and still safeguard my secrets."


    "..."


    "Hah! I was just kidding, Jack. My father knows everything already with his nosey sneaky spies everywhere. They are creepy as hell, but they keep us safe." She babbled non-stop, giving Sylvester the necessary intel without even knowing.


    The Princess was merely eighteen years old and had a bubbly personality. Unlike most other girls, she was far more outgoing, outspoken, and frank. She wasn''t girly and liked to y men''s sports and training with swords.


    Of course, it was a concern for many as she was supposed to be a royal princess from the main family. However, being spoiled by the Emperor and her two brothers, the Empress Consort couldn''t influence the Princess to do things she didn''t want to.


    "I should bring you to see my mother. She enjoys hearing about the happenings in the East," Fernis murmured. "However, she might pester me to be more feminine. Forget it. We''ll visit herter. First, I want you to try on your new armor and show me your appearance."


    Sylvester was honestly having a hard time making a decision about the girl. On the one hand, she was excessively kind and adorable, but on the other hand, she was annoying. He knew she was attracted to him, as he had charmed her, but her affection for him was illogically high. He could sense that she wasn''t what she seemed, but her constantly excited mind made it nearly impossible to discern finer details about her through scents.


    They strolled through the immense corridors with towering ceilings. The walls were painted white, while the pirs and carvings boasted a golden hue. Every few meters, there were small tables adorned with decorations, ranging from vases to pieces of armor encased in ss. The walls were adorned with paintings, stretching as far as the eye could see, regardless of the corridor they chose.


    Sylvester knew very well the reason behind such grandeur of the castle. Unlike the East Sol, which was devastated by the thousand-year war, the West mostly remained untouched. They didn''t face any raids, nor did the Masan Empire break and fall apart like Gracia Empire.


    With a legacy spanning five thousand years, the Masan Empire had amassed wealth throughout those years within that colossal castle, or perhaps scattered across the castles of the Hundred Castle City.


    ''The castle is too vast to track on foot. I will need to start cing the Elder Runes all around.'' Sylvester nned in his head.


    Before long, their lengthy walk concluded as they reached an unfamiliar floor in an unknown section of the castle. They traversed a lengthy corridor with a wall on one side and windows on the other, ultimately arriving at massive wooden doors.


    "This is my royal chamber," Fernis announced, tapping the twin doors softly. They were enormous, yet they opened silently on their own. Sylvester could clearly see the visible use of runes on them.


    However, he wasn''t prepared for whaty inside. It was nearly as spacious as an Eastern king''s throne room. The room brimmed with hundreds of exquisite objects, including massive flower pots and even a tree. The word ''luxury'' reverberated throughout the space.


    In the center of the room stood a swimming pool, while at the far end, there was arge bed adorned with gold and other precious stones. The windows were colossal, reaching the height of the ceiling. Regal curtains in red and gold added to the allure.


    "This whole ce has runes everywhere. Let me show you something amazing." She boastfully said and pped her hands three times.


    Pa! Pa! Pa!


    Woosh!


    All the curtains on the windows moved and opened on their own. Warm, strong light from the setting sun instantly draped the room in bright light and made the many treasures shine in its glow. Heck, even the thick red carpet that covered the flooring had golden lines made of a strange material that shone brightly.


    "My second brother designed this ce for me with his own hands and ced all the runes. I can control the entire room with ps and whistles. Want to see something more?"


    She pped again, but this time five times. In response, walls began to rise all over the room, converting it into aplex apartment instead of a single room.


    Then, she whistled and pointed at the swimming pool. "The water can be heated and cooled as well. I also have strange enchanted musical instruments from the East that can y on their own. I love the sound of violin and piano; wait, I''ll y it."


    She used whistles and ps simultaneously this time. In an instant, in a corner of the room, the musical instruments began to y on their own. Sylvester recognized them easily as he had invented them with his own hands. But the advancement made to them with runes was unique to him.


    "Did the Prince do it too?" He inquired.


    "Of course! Second, Brother Jinn is considered to have godly talent in Runes. At the same time, he''s deeply interested in music and arts since he has no ambition to fight for the Throne. So, he uses all his time to create runes that can make our lives easier or strengthen our military¡ªAmazing, isn''t it?"


    "It certainly is, Princess." Sylvester wasn''t even lying.


    "Now go and wear that armor in that room." She demanded.


    Sylvester picked up the armor case and walked into a new room made from the runes. There were no doors, though, not that he needed any.


    He quickly checked the armor for any strange runes and magic before putting it on. It was a simple polished golden armor with the emblem of the Masan Empire, which was an eagle. There was also a bright red cape that he draped on his back.


    However, the most peculiar part was the helmet, which was more of abination of a face shield and a helmet. It was golden and sturdy, with the pattern of curly hair carved on the head and the back, while the front depicted a stoic male face with a well-defined nose, lips, and eye sockets.


    ''Ah! There are surveince runes on it.'' Sylvester checked it carefully. ''I should suppress them instead of destroying them. These wille in handy to create false leads and alibis once I start killing.''


    Then he put the helmet on and walked out to show it to the Princess.


    "Woah! You look so scary and handsome at the same time!" She gasped and rushed over to see him from all around. She patted his chest te, the back, touched the cape, and finally, the facete.


    "Although I don''t want your pretty face to be covered, I can''t help it as it''s an important protocol. All personal Knights acting as bodyguards must cover their faces. They all have a different facete, and it protects them from being hounded by civilians or some schemer."


    Sylvester nodded and showed her his sword. "My Princess, may I be given a different sword? This one is too short for what I am ustomed to."


    Fernis tried to take Sylvester''s sword and lift it. Sadly, her thin arms were too weak, and she only ended up tiring herself. "Jack, are you a brute? This is already so heavy."


    "The sword must be at least one hundred and fifty centimeters long and thirteen centimeters wide. Its weight does not matter, but it must be sharp and sturdy," Sylvester softly demanded. "I can protect you better with it, Princess."


    "Aaaa!" She excitedly screamed like a fan girl and jumped to hug Sylvester''s neck. "You''re so badass! I love it when you''re so cold and ruthless. I knew you''re the best when I saw you cutting those assassins in half with a lumberjack''s ax"


    Sylvester remained standing silently while the girl used him as a human tree branch. ''She''s either childish or crazy.''


    Soon enough, the Princess yawned and got off Sylvester. "I''m sleepy now. I will order the servants to bring dinner to my room. Eat with me, Jack."


    "Forgive me, Princess, I cannot. I am a lowlymoner, not even a Knight. Dining with you could woman dressed in a brown maid''s gown entered, her head bowed low. "Bring me my dinner¡ªmake it a generous portion tonight. I am famished after the long journey."


    "Right away, princess." The servant swiftly left and closed the door.


    Cheekily, the Princess walked over to the dining table near the window and sat down. "Do not worry; nobody will discover our secret. Even if they do, I will simply cry and threaten them with suicide if they dared toy a hand on you¡ªhehe¡ªclever, isn''t it?"


    "..."


    ''Fuck! She''s childish and crazy at the same time.'' Sylvester evaluated quickly. ''Her kind are the hardest to control. The moment she loses interest in me, she will dispose of me.''


    He obeyed hermand and joined her for the subsequent dinner. Throughout the meal, he listened to the princess babble incessantly, recounting tales from her childhood and such. It was a treasure trove for Sylvester as he gleaned insights into the royal family.


    Fortunately, when night descended, he was permitted to retire to the adjacent room outside and sleep there. Even if crazy, she was not dumb enough to have him, a man, sleep in her room.


    Thus, Sylvester soon found himself in a smaller room adjacent to the princess''. Nevertheless, it was spacious enough to befit a King''s chamber in sheer size. It was also adorned with runes and various artifacts all around.


    First and foremost, Sylvester meticulously examined every nook and cranny for spy runes before finally removing his helmet.


    "I should quickly start with Srium Mapping of the castle and find the King''s residence." he decided and, without taking off his armor, settled down cross-legged on the floor.


    Knock! Knock!


    However, as he sat down, he heard a knock on the closed window ss. Alert, he picked up his sword and walked over.


    "Spies?" he wondered.


    "MAXYYYYY!"


    Indeed, it was the greatest spy in the universe. Soaring above the window, as fluffy and plump as ever, hisrge circr eyes cuter than ever.


    "Chonky? What are you doing here?"


    Bam!


    Miraj dived in once the window was open and mmed himself on Sylvester''s face.


    "Maxy! It''s been one year! I missed you...muah-muah-muah!"


    Miraj attacked Sylvester''s head, choosing violence¡ªwith kisses


    ________________________


    [A/N: See the Armor''s facete.]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 479 479. Sylvester & His Luck

    Chapter 479 479. Sylvester & His Luck


    Sylvester closed the window and sat down with Miraj on hisp. "So, what happened? Why did you leave Xylena alone?"


    "I missed you, Maxy. And I thought you might need my help in this dangerous ce." Miraj muttered in a low and worried voice. "Did I do wrong?"


    Sylvester looked down while Miraj looked up at his face withrge eyes. His plump face appeared even plumper than usual, and the cuteness was off the charts. Gleaming moonlight flickered in Miraj''s eyes, making him resemble some kind of celestial being.


    "Ugh! I can never be mad at you, Chonky. Now stop attacking me with your cute big eyes. Have you eaten? How were your days?" Sylvester couldn''t resist and ended up embracing his dearpanion.


    Miraj giggled as he replied. "I ate a banana on the way. And I yed with Xylena and acted as her mentor, like a good grandpa."


    "..."


    "Grandpa? When did you be that?" Sylvester asked in confusion. "Can Xylena even see you?"


    "She can see me when she uses her magical eyes. Also, you''re my son, so isn''t little Zye my granddaughter?" Miraj used logic as a matter of fact. "She''s so well-behaved and adorable. Always bringing me treats and giving massages."


    ''Isn''t that very?''


    Sylvester sighed and put Miraj on the side. "Well, I am nobody''s father. I''m just twenty-four years old, buddy. It''s too early, and besides, I''m a holy man who can never be tainted."


    "She''s not blood-rted and is an orphan. You can easily adopt her and be a father figure to a future Queen of a Kingdom." Miraj argued, showing superior mental skills than a few years ago.


    Sylvester honestly gave that idea a thought. "You are certainly right about it, Chonky. Since I will be the Pope one day, it''s better to be her father figure and ensure a firm grasp on the Sorrow Kingdom''s internal politics. With Isabe in Gracia, King Hignd in Hignd, and Xylena in Sorrow, I will have almost all of the East in my palm. With Kaecilius soon to take over, I will have it all.


    "But let''s focus on Masan first. We cannot take any wrong steps on this side of the world. Masan alone possesses twenty-three Grand Wizards, and some of them are on the brink of bing Supreme Wizards. I must kill or break their minds before they turn into a threat."


    Miraj bobbed his head and sat down like a furry blob. "Yes, yes, and that''s why I came here. I will devour all who dare stand in your path, Maxy. Their skulls, bones, or blood¡ªI will consume it all!"


    Sylvester closed his eyes and began to concentrate again. "Thank you, my powerful magical lion. Now let me map the nearby area of the castle."


    With that, Sylvester cleared his mind and tried to sense the Srium in the air around him. It was akin to the Srium Web that he used formunication, but instead of focusing on the Srium Signature of someone, he solely focused on the mass of Srium around him in the air.


    Since Elder Magic was the advanced level of study concerning the fundamental structure of magic¡ª


    Srium¡ªit was an achievable feat for him.


    colored image but rather a ck, dark sheet of paper with white lines. The white lines represented 22:42


    the Srium particles upying the open space, and anything that remained ck represented the Woosh!


    In an instant, Sylvester felt multiple images entering his mind. Of course, it was not a real-time colored image but rather a ck, dark sheet of paper with white lines. The white lines represented the Srium particles upying the open space, and anything that remained ck represented the walls.


    With that, Sylvester mapped the surroundings, distinguishing between living beings and inanimate objects as they had different Srium presence.


    Throughout the night, Sylvester remained seated while the fluffy cat beside him snored. His current range spanned one kilometer of space in all directions, with him at the center. Unfortunately, the castle exceeded that size in all directions except upwards, so he couldn''t map everything.


    Soon, as the morning sun flooded the room with light and birds chirped outside the window, Sylvester opened his eyes with an unwavering determination to map everything.


    ''Good thing Chonky has arrived. I can use his help in cing the Elder Runes on the edges of my senses so I can expand my Srium Mapping. But with so many powerful characters around, I better not make him take needless risks.''


    He gazed at sleeping Miraj and felt his heart stir. ''He means much more to me than these royals. But if pushes to shove, I better be prepared for mass ughter using poison and other elements.''


    Knock Knock!


    Strong thumps on the door suddenly reverberated. Sylvester used magic to clean his face and teeth before donning the helmet with an eerie facete. Then he once again checked his armor meticulously before proceeding to open the door.


    Bam!


    Princess Fernis leaped and hugged Sylvester. "Good morning, my knight in shining armor! I was so excited about our awesome adventures toe that I only slept for three hours. So let''s go! I want to go and catch some thieves in Southern City today!"


    "..."


    "Princess, do you have permission to go there?" he asked, because as far as he knew, the south side was where the poor, ves, andmoners lived. It was a densely popted and crime-ridden area.


    Princess Fernis scoffed and stepped back. She wore different attire that day, as if matching Sylvester''s armor. Wearing dark red robes and a golden vest, along with a simrly colored scarf, her young form looked regal and beautiful at the same time.


    "Who dares to stop this pretty princess?" she asked. "Jack, let''s march!"


    ''What''s the point of this mask if she''s going to use my name anyway?'' Sylvester wondered.


    "Perhaps the Emperor might stop you. We must obtain permission from the Grand Premier at least before venturing out into the dangerous south," Sylvester advised, as he had already read about the basic authority structure of Masan.


    At the top sat the Emperor, and his right-hand man was called the Grand Premier, who acted like a Prima in the East. The Grand Premier was responsible for the overall policy-making of the Empire and advising the Emperor. Meanwhile, the left-hand man was called the Magistrate General, who was the head of all the Magistrates of the Empire. Magistrates were like Dukes in the East, but in the case of Masan, it was not a hereditary title. It was that extreme centralization of power that ensured the existence of the Empire for so long.


    Of course, Princess Fernis didn''t like that fact. She pouted and turned around. "I hate those old farts¡­except Father. Fine, let''s go to Father''s Imperial Court and ask for permission right away."


    "..."


    ''What the¡­! I didn''t think I''d be able to meet the Emperor so soon.'' Sylvester was honestly doubting his luck, as he was so used to everything going sideways.


    "As you wish, Princess." Sylvester wasn''t going to deny her from doing what she wanted.


    She gleamed with joy and marched out of the room. "Follow me then, my handsome bodyguard."


    Just before Sylvester left, he nced back at Miraj and sent a small smack of air elemental magic to wake him up. Then, he gestured for him to remain there, as he was too worried that there could be some hidden monsters in the Emperor''s court who might see him.


    With that, he silently marched behind the Princess. His tall, six-foot-three body in the armor seemed at least six-foot-five. Inparison, the Princess was like a tiny child with her five-foot-two height. Yet, her energy was no less than that of a giant.


    Mumbling to herself, she stormed all the way to the giant majestic twin doors on the castle''s ground floor. The doors were at least twenty meters tall and seemed to be made of steel and gold, with countless runes all over, creating a beautiful pattern of an eagle''s face.


    "Doormen, open the gates. I wish to see my dear father," she ordered a dozen fully armored knights guarding the gates.


    They murmured among themselves in confusion and fear. This was likely not the first time the Princess had stormed into the court like that.


    "Princess, the Full Imperial Court is in session. The discussion on the Thousand Year War is currently taking ce. We were ordered not to allow anyone to disturb," the leading knight softly said. "Please wait a little."


    Fernis sneered and sat down, crossed legs. "Fine! I will not move until you open this door. If I catch a cold and die from this freezing marble floor, you will be held responsible!"


    ''You go, girl!'' Sylvester silently cheered the girl. After all, he wanted to see the Emperor and hear the discussion as well.


    "Please refrain from such actions, Princess. We will bepelled to remove yo¡ª"


    Princess Fernis raised her hand and silenced them while ordering Sylvester. "Jack, if any of them dare touch my noble body¡ªBehead them!"


    nk!


    Sylvester unsheathed his sword and responded nonchntly, "Understood, your highness."


    The dozen or so knights stepped back, well aware that the Imperial bodyguards were not to be trifled with. Helpless, they had no choice but to permit her entry.


    "We shall open the gate, Princess. Kindly proceed calmly and make your way to the throne from behind the seats of the Magistrates without causing any disturbance."


    "Hmph! You''re trying to teach me?" She scoffed and stood up with the help of Sylvester''s extended hand. "Now be quick."


    A dozen knights exerted abined effort to slightly push open one of the twin doors, allowing the two of them to enter.


    Without wasting a moment, Princess Fernis entered, with Sylvester trailing behind her. He was very curious about the true appearance of an Emperor''s court and whether it could rival that of the Pope''s court.


    ''Fuck! What in the world is this?!''


    Sylvester had forgotten that unlike the Church, which couldn''t openly indulge in extravagance, the Emperor faced no such constraints.


    ''So bloody massive! Everyone looks like an ant!''


    At that moment, Sylvester found himself gazing upon an expansive space constructed of bricks and sandy marble, spanning at least two hundred meters in length and fifty meters in breadth. And this was merely the central area where the prominent ministers and the Emperor were seated. As for the height of the ceiling, it was towering enough to have a peculiar haze.


    Upon entering the court, a long, broad ramp stretched towards the opposite end, where the Emperor''s throne sat atop a raised tform essible only by a long flight of stairs. Beneath the Emperor''s tform, a smaller, substantial tform housed two lesser thrones upied by the two Princes.


    Meanwhile, on both sides of the leading ramp were smaller tforms adorned withvish sandy marble seats, with several others positioned behind them. They belonged to the Magistrates or their representatives.


    Furthermore, beyond the seats of the magistrates on both sides, crowds of individuals in noble ormon attire stood, resembling spectators on elevated stages. With hundreds of soldiers guarding the entire scene, it was an iprehensibly well-guarded and gigantic affair.


    ''T-This is too grand! Better not gather any attention here.''


    "FATHER!"


    ''Oh fuck my rotten luck! Why, Princess? Why?''


    Sylvester found himself hastily following the Princess, who was relentlessly racing toward the Emperor''s throne.


    All heads turned towards them, and those who had been conversing fell into silence, eagerly awaiting the ensuing drama.


    ''This brat!''


    "Father! Let me go to the south and catch thieves!"


    ___________________


    [A/N: See Chonky and Emperor''s Court]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 480 480. Church Of The West

    Chapter 480 480. Church Of The West


    The Emperor, sitting on his throne, watched as his daughter came over to the bottom of the stairs. His stern expression, long white hair, and the crown on his head conveyed a clear message about his authority and mood. However, the Princess disregarded it all and proceeded to climb the stairs.


    The Emperor continued to gaze at the Princess without addressing anything. His face, adorned with a ck beard, remained stoic as ever. It was more daunting for Sylvester as it became difficult to decipher the man, especially when there was so much distance between them that he didn''t dare ascend the stairs.


    "Father! I wish to go to the south city and catch thieves with Jack." She demanded sweetly. "I''ve trained all my life, and it''s time I test my abilities."


    The Emperor sighed and rubbed his face with his palm. Right then, the Princess also reached the throne and stopped in front of the Emperor.


    ''Is he going to scold her?'' Sylvester wondered. ''I hope I don''t get med for not restraining her.''


    "Father, for years, I have trained under the tutge of all the magical and knightly masters you brought. Now, I wish to apply my knowledge to a practical cause," she requested.


    ''I don''t like this.'' Sylvester, along with all the other individuals in the grand hall, watched the Emperor with anticipation. The Magistrate General and the Grand Premier standing beside the throne shared the same reaction.


    "Oh, my dear Fernis," the Emperor uttered, his deep voice resounding. "Three long months! Only now do you find time to visit your father? How heartless of you, knowing well that you are my sunshine!"


    "..."


    ''What kind of weird family dynamic is going on here?'' Sylvester felt his body shiver with the cringe-inducing energy emanating from the Emperor and the Princess.


    Princess Fernis knelt by the side of the throne and grasped the Emperor''s hand. "Father, I was focused on my duties. I journeyed to inspect the northernnds and train. Only now, I have broken through and be an Arch Wizard!"


    ''What in the world!'' Sylvester silently eximed. ''She''s an Arch Wizard? At such a young age? Does Masan possess some artificial means to enhance strength? She''s merely seventeen or eighteen!''


    The Emperor''s eyes shined, and he caressed Fernis''s face. "I am so proud of you, my child. Perhaps Jinn should learn from you and focus more on his training. Merely being a weak Runemaster won''t take him far."


    Instantly, Sylvester became aware of the silent internal family conflict going on. It seemed that the second Prince was not considered magically powerful, nor was he interested in power. Clearly, the Emperor didn''t like that.


    Fernis pointed. "Big brother is the best. He made our lives so much better with his runes. One day he will be renowned in the world for his creations¡ªAh! I forgot what I came for! Can I please go and catch thieves?"


    She attacked her father with puppy eyes. "Jack will be there to protect me!"


    Sylvester did not appreciate his name being mentioned as all heads turned towards him, including the Emperor. The man immediately red at him with interrogative eyes, which made sense as Sylvester had only arrived the day before.


    "Oh, he''s my new bodyguard. He saved my life from assassins and even put his own life in danger. Since he had no ce to go, I took him." Fernis exined to the Emperor. "He''s really skilled. Even one punched the Royal Knight Commander."


    "Oh, is that so?" The Emperor gazed at him with interest. "Where do youe from, soldier?"


    Thud!


    Sylvester knelt down on one knee like a knight. "Ie from Sandwall County, your Imperial Majesty. I was a ve on Master Yarik''snd not long ago."


    "SLAVE?!"


    "How dare you defile the sanctity of this supreme hall!" The man on the Emperor''s left suddenly roared. Old, hunchbacked, and bald, dressed in ordinary gray robes¡ªhe was the Magistrate General.


    "STOP!" Fernis roared like a lioness. "He''s not a ve anymore! He was freed and released. Since he had nowhere to go, I made him my bodyguard. He has been tested, and his loyalty is unquestioned!"


    "B-But! He''s still an east¡ª"


    "Silence." The Emperor waved his hand and focused on Sylvester''s masked face. "Masan had deep rtions with Sandwall for millennia. Intermarriage between people of Sandwall and Masan wasmon as sand in the desert in the past. I am saddened by what happened to your homnd, and I offer you a home in Masan."


    ''I can''t judge the scent from this distance.'' Sylvester was conflicted about the man.


    "Thank you, your Imperial Majesty!" Sylvester lowered his head.


    "But!" The Emperor continued. "Fernis is someone I hold dear. Her safety is of utmost importance, so I cannot allow any other Knight to be her bodyguard. Tell me, what is your wizard or knight rank."


    Sylvester immediately answered. "I am a peak Diamond Knight and a peak Master Wizard, your Imperial Majesty."


    "Oh!"


    "Amazing!"


    The crowd murmured in awe of his mighty talents. Of course, it wasn''t something otherworldly high, but the fact that he was already so strong, and now a servant of the royal family, meant they now gained another formidable talent effortlessly.


    "Whoa!" Fernis also eximed in delight. "I didn''t know you were a wizard as well, Jack. Can you teach me spells from the East?"


    Sylvester cursed the girl in his heart and wished she would stay silent. "If that is yourmand, I will, Your Highness."


    Meanwhile, the Emperor stroked his beard with a conflicted expression. "With that strength, I can see how you were one of the survivors from Sandwall. Son, the duty of an Imperial Bodyguard is to prioritize the life of the royal. If a situation arises, can you sacrifice your life to protect her?"


    "I can!" Sylvester wasted no time in answering. "The Princess is¡­a benevolent person. Any harm directed towards her must first face me. I would have done this even before bing her bodyguard. Now¡ªmy sword and life belong to her and Mirmasan."


    "Hah!" the Emperor chuckled fondly. Clearly, he liked the answer as he nodded continuously. "I had no doubt about the loyalty of a Sandwall. Very well, you shall serve as her de and shield and lead her to train in the Southern City. Let her gain some experience in killing and apprehending a few scoundrels."


    "Yes!" Fernis jumped and hugged the Emperor, wrapping her arm around the old yet dignified-looking man''s neck. She even nted a few kisses on the man''s cheeks, making himugh heartily. "I''ll be going then."


    Happily skipping, she descended the stairs and patted Sylvester''s shoulder te of armor. "Let''s go, Jack."


    Sylvester bowed his head to the Emperor once and then followed the Princess closely to the exit. He just wanted to leave the vast yet crowded space as he felt uneasy there. Everything was so grand that the distance between him and the people rendered his abilities useless.


    However, his ears were sharp, and he heard the exchange between the Emperor and the Magistrate General.


    "Your Majesty, you spoil her too much," the man said in a low voice.


    "Magistrate General¡ªSay that again about my Fernis, and I will tear out your throat with my own hands."


    Cold! Absolutely cold. That was the true nature of the Emperor. Sure, he may transform into a cheerful and gentle old man in front of his daughter, but that was expected from a loving father. But, an Emperor, on the other hand¡ªruthlessness was all that befitted him.


    ''Of course, everyone is carrying double faces in this castle.'' Sylvester thought and nced at the Princess'' back. ''I wonder what her other, true face is like.''


    ¡­


    In no time, they set off for the Southern City. Princess Fernis also wore feminine armor concealed beneath her loose robes. As for Sylvester, he could not remove his armor as per the protocol. He was meant to appear imposing and silently convey the message¡ªdo not mess with me.


    After mounting their steeds, they set off, traversing the artificial canal until they arrived at the southern gates of Hundred Castle City. A single nce beyond the gates revealed the nature of their expedition.


    The main road leading to the impoverished city''s extreme southern boundary was wide and well-paved. However, the structures nking it were tightly packed, almost slum-like in appearance.


    However, it was not a slum as the buildings all went at least five stories high. They were made so close to one another that it was hard to notice the gaps leading between them. Regrettably, their condition was deplorable. Most exhibited signs of neglect, with ck mold on the walls, chipped paint, and even exposed bricks. The inhabitants, though not naked or d in tattered garments, appeared unclean and unsanitary. Meanwhile, the side streets harbored open sewer lines, thankfully not connected to public toilets, instead serving various shops and industries.


    ''That must be the monastery.'' Sylvester noticed the imposing structure to their right, a short distance beyond the gates. It likely stood as thergest building in the southern city, perhaps even the grandest monastery throughout the westernnds.


    "Let''s go to the monastery and see the names and sketches of all the recorded criminals in the city," Fernis suggested, steering her horse toward the big building.


    Intrigued, Sylvester silently trailed behind, dissuading any troublemakers who obstructed their path. Being rich just from the looks of it, there were enough men and women with guts to try and sell them their goods, from beautiful carpets to pottery and clothes.


    Eventually, they arrived at the monastery and ventured inside the colossal structure. Unlike the monasteries in the East, which adhered to a uniform architectural style, those in the West embraced the Western esthetic, characterized by sandy brick walls, towers, and magnificent domes crowning their summits.


    ''Shouldn''t the Saint Cardinal of the West be in this building?'' Sylvester pondered, cautiously entering the premises.


    The clergymen at work there recognized Fernis right away and gave way to let her enter. Only the higher clergymen of Bishop or above rank dared greet her.


    However, Sylvester noticed a troubling sight. These clergymen did not don the traditional pale-golden robes with red capes associated with the Church. Instead, they wore matching sandy-colored robes,plete with sandy capes. Their mitres mirrored the same hue, and to his further concern, bore the emblem of an eagle.


    ''Did¡­Masan seeds in making the clergymen loyal to them before being loyal to the Church or the faith. If so, thisplicates matters significantly. The division between the Eastern and Western branches of the Church is merely a question of time.''


    "Ah! Saint Cardinal!" Fernis suddenly eximed, hastening her pace.


    Sylvester also quickened his stride, eager to see the man he sought to eliminate. He contemted what the Cardinal would be like and whether killing him would prove simple or not. Yet, despite his attempts to suppress astonishment, he was taken aback by what he saw.


    ''This is the saint Cardinal?!''


    Before him stood an elderly, frail figure with a sickly physique. He was d in silky sandy robes from head to toe, adorned with multiple gold chains around his neck.


    However, the most striking aspect was the feeble, tormented ve before the Cardinal, moving while remaining on his knees, which continuously bled. On the ve''s back was a marble podium that held a thick book and a few candles.


    The Saint Cardinal recited from the tome, scowling and scrutinizing his surroundings, bestowing blessings or curses upon those who passed by.


    ''And then there is the eagle emblem on his mitre¡ªIt seems the western branch of the Church has beenpromised! This is bad¡­ truly, utterly bad!''


    ___________________


    [A/N: See The Emperor and Saint Cardinal]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 481 481. Desperate Times

    Chapter 481 481. Desperate Times


    ''This is the highest clergyman in the West?'' Sylvester found it hard to believe. ''How can the Church endorse someone like him to toil here? And this ve¡­Is he even alive?''


    "Saint Cardinal Joseph, I''m going to catch thieves today." Fernis voiced as if she was used to seeing the man.


    The Cardinal nced up at her and forced a smile upon his face. However, his sunken, ghastly eyes did not reflect the same reaction, revealing that he performed his duties out of obligation rather than genuine benevolence.


    "Princess! Wee to the house of the lord. Apprehending transgressors is a divine task in itself, so I bestow my blessings upon you to prosper in alleviating the burdens of the people," the Cardinal uttered in a shaky voice. "If you require anything, you may speak with my adjutant. Now, I shall depart and walk the streets to bless the poor souls!"


    Fernis lowered her head to pay respect. "Thank you, Cardinal. I will go now."


    She hastened to the notice board, where sketches of criminals were disyed, apanied by their names and offenses. Among them were thieves, murderers, and rapists. However, the matter of handling heathens rested within the purview of the Church''s internal forces and thus remained undisclosed.


    "Let us select one of each. Today, we shall capture a thief, a murderer, and a rapist!" Fernis dered and plucked three sheets of paper from the board.


    Then she headed out with much fervor and hope. "Let''s go where the crime took ce."


    Silently, Sylvester trailed behind, his mind brimming with countless questions. But there was one he couldn''t resist asking. "Why does the Saint Cardinal...appear so peculiar?"


    She shrugged and mounted the horse. "I don''t know. He only appeared three years ago as the previous Saint Cardinal suddenly went missing. Even the Grand Wizard that came with him is nowhere to be found. So, Saint Cardinal Joseph took over the task of running the monastery."


    Sylvester smelled no lies from the princess, but he easily sensed a conspiracy unfolding. Beneathyers of secrecy, he knew all too well that something was afoot, likely orchestrated either by the Shadow of Masan or the Emperor.


    ''Have they been captured? Are they even alive? If I can rescue them, I will have a Saint Cardinal in my debt and gain the support of the Fifth Guardian of Light, Soulbreaker.''


    Sylvester didn''t dare ask any more questions as he was yet to discover Fernis'' true character. Instead, asking questions would reveal his curiosities and provide her with information about himself.


    He followed the princess to her humble endeavor and assisted her here and there in uncovering clues and apprehending the criminals. Unfortunately, capturing the thief proved to be the most challenging task, as the man was constantly on the move. Meanwhile, the murderer was found and killed when he fought back, while the rapist had already met his demise at the hands of his victim seeking revenge.


    In fact, only three hours were dedicated to apprehending the criminals, while the rest of the time was spent by Princess Fernis indulging in exploring the bustling city, relishing unfamiliar food, and experiencing new things.


    Sylvester remained vignt about her safety, constantly sensing that someone was watching them. However, he chose not to act on it as he believed it to be the royal spies ensuring the princess'' well-being.


    As evening descended, the weary princess desired to return and sleep soundly. Sylvester happily obliged, as he had much work to attend to. It was finally time to sow chaos and investigate the Church simultaneously.


    ¡­


    As the sun set and darkness enveloped the city, the streets became deserted. Only the guards and evil forces lurked, but arger and far more perilous entity roamed silently that night.


    Sylvester altered his appearance, donned different attire, and even changed his scent using special items. But escaping the heavily guarded and rune-enchanted Hundered Castle City proved to be a challenge in itself.


    However, Elder Runes represented the pinnacle of magic, which he had mastered. Capable of circumventing minor runes created with ordinary magic, he ventured into the Southern City with a well-thought-out n to spread chaos.


    "Maxy, I will fly in the sky and alert you of anything dangerous." Miraj graciously volunteered, leaping off Sylvester''s shoulders.


    Sylvester agreed and continued to venture deeper into the slum-like narrow alleys. Disgusting smells and suspicious noises were all over the ce while the wild street dogs growled here and there.


    ''There needs to be a distrust of the monarchy among the people first. I need to ensure that Masan remains internally unstable, granting me the freedom to execute my grand ns,'' Sylvester pondered as he moved from one street to another, cross-marking several houses with red paint.


    No, he didn''t do it randomly. He had a list of many informants of the royal family and the city guards. These individuals appeared to be ordinary citizens, and to some extent, they were. However, in addition to their regr lives, they also served as undercover informants, responsible for reporting any brewing schemes or propagating positive propaganda for the Royal Family.


    They were Sylvester''s first enemies as he needed to spread his own propaganda freely.


    Thankfully, for his help, Moonwatchers Hozin and Kimino had resided in the city for years while he was training and subsequently serving as a ve. They had been gathering information for a prolonged period, and it was now time to utilize it.


    ''Now to spread the word.'' Sylvesterpleted painting crosses and proceeded to slip a few messages under certain doors. The messages were inscribed with charcoal on tree leaves.


    The message was a riddle, but it was simple enough for everyone to decipher andprehend its meaning.


    ''Think from your own mind, not words of another. The spies of the nobles dwell behind doors marked with bloody color.''


    Sylvester pushed the message, especially under the doors where mostly crooks lived, the people who had a personal vendetta against snitches and spies of the nobles. Simultaneously, the impoverished popce generally held a negative sentiment toward the affluent, so that worked too.


    Once the people identified who the spies were and realized they were all individuals who had suddenly acquired wealth, there''d be no stopping. With a few strategically nted rumors, the mes could be further kindled.


    Bam!


    "Psst!"


    Suddenly, a banana fell from the sky on his head. He looked up, and sure enough, Miraj was hovering like an eagle. "What happened?"


    "A big crowd is standing outside the monastery, Maxy." Miraj notified him.


    Intrigued, he swiftly made his way toward the monastery. As morning approached, he had to hurry, given the princess''s erratic nature, where everything concerning her was unpredictable.


    "Take me!"


    "I want to join!"


    "Write my name too!"


    "Telm Vars and Kaan Vars! We wille!"


    As Sylvester approached the monastery, casting his gaze upon the entrance from a distant shadow, he saw a crowd of men shouting their names or expressing their eagerness to be added to what seemed to be a list.


    Three clergymen of Priest rank stood at the gate, attempting to manage the crowd of at least five thousand men. They recorded names and addresses for documentation. However, instead of allowing those men inside the monastery, they instructed them to step aside and form arge group at a distance.


    Every few minutes, an armed knight would arrive and escort the group away. The process was repeated time and time again, heightening Sylvester''s curiosity as he witnessed elderly men and children actively being turned away.


    ''This can''t be rted to somebor work, or else they would have epted the children. But what are they up to then?''


    In the end, Sylvester decided to go and join the crowd. In his disguise, he was also a simple brown man with a ck beard. He even mimicked the movements and jumped like the crowd, waving his hand.


    However, he dared not directly inquire about the situation from anyone. Instead, he encouraged the people to speak of their own ord.


    "Oh! When will they record my name so that I can also go?" he uttered with a weary voice.


    As expected, the man immediately before Sylvester responded. "I feel you, brother. Can you believe even recruit the entire city at this rate!"


    Sylvester felt his shoulders slump upon hearing the news. He had spoken with Xavia and Sir Dolorem it! They are offering a monthly wage of three silver coins for simply enlisting as a soldier. I can hardly wait to prove myself and earn more."


    ''This is a recruitment drive?'' Sylvester realized. ''But for what? A war against Warsong?''


    "I hope they don''t stop taking names. There are too many of us." Sylvester added.


    The guy before himughed at it. "Haha! It''s the great war against Beastaria, my friend¡ªThey might even recruit the entire city at this rate!"


    Sylvester felt his shoulders slump upon hearing the news. He had spoken with Xavia and Sir Dolorem just a few days ago, and there had been no mention of such developments.


    "So they have finallyunched an attack. I wonder how severe it will be this time," Sylvester continued. "But in any case, our beloved Masan shall remain secure by the grace of the lord."


    Many men beside him agreed with his words and joined the conversation. Particrly, a middle-aged man with a towering physique participated fervently.


    "Those heathen bastards! The word came just yesterday. Dragons and Elves have attacked the entire Eastern coastline. But, this time, they seek to focus on the Holy Land directly¡ªPropostropus!"


    Sylvester''s heart skipped a beat in worry for Xavia, yet he remained focused on gathering more information.


    "I want to go and battle for the glory of the lord! I wonder when we can join the battlefield." He sounded dejected purposefully.


    Pat!


    The burly man patted his back and grinned. "Soon, my brother. As long as you know how to wield a sword, they will dispatch you immediately! By the end of next month, we could be ying those wretched elves!"


    ''This fast? How bad is the situation for even Masan to be this desperate?''


    However, before taking any action, he decided to speak with Xavia and ensure her safety.


    ___________________


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 Chapter 482 482. Empire Of Schemers

    Chapter 482 482.Empire Of Schemers


    Sylvester found a chance and returned to the royal castle before the first rays of the sun fell on the Southern city. Sadly, although he wanted to, he could not remain behind to see the fruits of hisbor in the morning.


    So, while he stood in his armor outside the princess'' room and silently waited for the Princess to wake up, havoc wrecked the Southern City.


    ¡­


    The people of the poverty-stricken city woke up as usual and followed their usual routines. But there was a significant difference between the houses Sylvester marked with crosses and those he informed. The marked houses belonged to spies who amassed wealth through spying, and for that reason, the working men of the house did not need to wake up early and go to work.


    Meanwhile, the ones Sylvester passed the riddles to were all low-ie families who had to get to work at the earliest. Due to that, they saw the leaves with riddles first. At first, they were confused, but once they headed out and noticed some houses having red marks, it all made sense.


    In a matter of minutes, the same thing happened all around, andrge mobs formed. Jealousy and hatred reigned over the minds of all as they hurried to find each marked house and investigate.


    In a few cases, the neighbors themselves took action as they knew about the sudden increasing wealth of the supposed spies. Without asking questions, the neighbors set the houses on fire and burned everyone inside.


    In other cases, the people were dragged out and then killed. Sadly, avoiding coteral damage was impossible, and most of the spies had their families killed too, regardless of age or gender. It didn''t take much time for utter chaos to spread all around in the narrow streets.


    Fires spread, and some riots took ce. With the absence of spies, the soldiers had no information on where to go or if someone was nning a riot in a particr location. Mimunication urred, and things got out of hand.


    The people took to the streets in an instant. Why? For no reason!


    They had no demands to make and just wanted to release the fury they had kept suppressed within. Seeing that, eventually, even the soldiers were ordered to step back and let the fools burn themselves.


    Thankfully, in that precise moment of freedom, hidden hands moved. Moonwatcher Hozin was a man with many talents and had mastered the art of hunting or in killing. While remaining safe and hidden, he targeted ten city administrators'' homes and burned them as well.


    With that, step one of spreading chaos was finallypleted, and as an aftermath, all that remained were ashes¡ªvisible so clearly as if deep, painful gashes.


    ¡­


    The day came to pass, and Sylvester had nothing to do but follow the Princess around. Watch her meet her noble friends, eat, and guard her at all times. Many times, she''d try inviting him to activities, and every single time he''d refuse firmly.


    "You''re not fun," Princess Fernisined. "I thought you''d be entertaining to be around."


    ''What made her think that?'' Sylvester wondered and walked a step behind, by her side.


    "I''m sorry to disappoint you, Princess. I am merely your bodyguard, and I can''t indulge in intimate activities." He gave an excuse in a very gentlemanly and proper manner.


    "Wait!" She abruptly stopped and looked at him with her big, innocent eyes. "Then, would you treat me differently if you were not my bodyguard?"


    Sylvester felt as if he dropped an ax on his foot. "Maybe. But no matter what, the social difference between us remains. I do not see myself sharing the same table with you no matter what profession I take."


    She rubbed her chin as if some wise old elder and thought about her options. With narrowed eyes, she also stared at Sylvester''s facete.


    "Hmmm¡­" She mumbled. "Hmmmmmmm¡­YES! I''ll make you my royal advisor. Then you will be a civil servant and hence, allowed to sit beside me."


    "..."


    ''But why?'' Sylvester asked himself. ''I smell nothing but love, lust, and happiness from her. What the hell is her true agenda?''


    "Princess, in all honesty. I only arrived in this castle four days ago. I don''t believe anyone will allow you to do that. Nobody knows me, and I don''t look like the majority of the people either. With this mask, at least I am treated the same as anyone. Without it, I''ll be standing out like a sore thumb." Sylvester honestly answered her. "This is the truth of the world we live in. People are not born equal."


    She looked down as if sad. "But¡­I want you to show your face around. You''re pretty."


    He chuckled, a rare sight for people. "All the more reason to hide myself. You don''t want your bodyguard to be stolen by some other noble now, do you, princess?"


    "Heh." She giggled. "I guess it''s impossible to join the two worlds. But I don''t like this. Why do I get to enjoy all this luxury? Just because I lucked out and was born in this castle? Then what did the kids born in poverty do to deserve their misery? We''re all born the same, aren''t we? We made this divide, not god."


    Sylvester honestly never thought she was such a profound thinker. But, somewhere in his heart, he appreciated what she said as it aligned with his beliefs. It at least indicated that the princess'' mind was in the right ce.


    "You''re being too wise, Princess. I think you''re sleepy." He decided to get closer to her and joked.


    Evident from her astonished eyes, she wasn''t anticipating it from him. "W-Wait... Did you joke? And was that an insult?"


    Sylvester silently moved forward and opened the door to the Princess''s chamber to let her in. "If you require anything, please notify me."


    She entered her chamber in disbelief, never having seen Sylvester behave so casually before. It almost made her pause, desiring more of such informal conversation.


    "Just call me Fernis from now on¡ªwhen in private. That will make me very happy." She requested. "And remove your facete when it''s just the two of us. Yes, I''m afraid other women will try and snatch you, but don''t you ever worry¡­"


    She growled and pretended her hands were ws while waving them at Sylvester. "I''ll protect what''s mine like the fierce lioness I am!"


    Thud!


    Sylvester closed the door and proceeded toward his room just a few meters away.


    ''What''s ''mine''? So she regards me as her possession or individual?'' Sylvester pondered over what the Princess had said. ''She speaks so wisely and acts so naively...She''s an enigma.''


    Eventually, Sylvester firmly closed his door and removed the helmet. He noticed Miraj soundly sleeping on the bed with his bloated belly, most likely from consuming bananas.


    "Better talk with Sir Dolorem about the situation." He muttered and sat down crosslegged by the window.


    In no time, he essed the Srium in his surroundings and made his way to the East. Despite the considerable distance, it only took several minutes. Having done it a few times before, he easily reached his most loyal knight.


    "Sir Dolorem, it''s me. I heard Beastaria has attacked." Sylvester straightaway got to the point.


    Sir Dolorem promptly responded, "Lord Bard?! I was awaiting yourmunication. Yes, Beastaria guard and seize control."


    "That will be a tragedy if it happens," Sir Dolorem warned. "We are currently fighting well against has attacked all our coastlines. The Elves and Dragons are leading their assault, but it doesn''t seem as formidable as we expected. Furthermore, we didn''t observe any unity among their forces. Dragons and Elves fight as if they are two distinct armies."


    Sylvester hummed in agreement and wondered why they even initiated the war if that was the case. However, he then remembered a more urgent matter.


    "Sir Dolorem, Masan hasmenced recruiting soldiers from the masses. They will likely amass a standing army of over a million soon. Did the Holy Landmand them to do so?" He inquired.


    Sir Dolorem fell silent for a good while before responding. "T-That''s unusual. No such order was issued, nor do we require Masan to take any action. The Beastaria army is too feeble, and we consider Masan the final line of defense. If the Holy Land falls, our n is to retreat to Masan!"


    Sylvester frowned upon hearing that information. Both of them understood what Masan desired if their recruitment wasn''t rted tobating Beastaria.


    "It seems they wish to strike while the iron is hot," Sylvester added. "They aim to catch the East off guard and seize control."


    "That will be a tragedy if it happens," Sir Dolorem warned. "We are currently fighting well against Beastaria and aspire to push the war into Beastaria directly this time. The Pope is busy devising a strategy as we speak. However, all this will be wasted if Masan acts against us."


    Sylvester mumbled to himself the whole time, formting a n on the go to help safeguard East Sol, as it was supposed to be his stronghold. He couldn''t afford to lose it and, with that, lose all the influence he had acquired.


    "Sir Dolorem, I have a n. I will do something significant in Masan. Be on standby, and when you learn about it, swiftly dispatch Lady Aurora as an investigator alongside a few formidable, loyal clergymen. Don''t disclose my involvement¡ªI have a suspicion that the Church ispromised in Masan. They serve the royals, not the lord," Sylvester ordered sternly.


    "Understood, Lord Bard," Sir Dolorem immediately agreed. "I shall locate Lady Aurora promptly. When should I expect the news?"


    Sylvester remembered the position of the moon beforemunicating with Sir Dolorem and guessed how much time there was to sunrise.


    "Expect the word to reach the Holy Land by tomorrow night."


    With that, Sylvester terminated themunication and promptly rose to his feet. He wasted no time removing his entire suit of armor and went to awaken Miraj.


    "Chonky! It''s time for the hunt."


    Woosh!


    Miraj sprang up on his paws instantly. "I''m ready! Who shall I devour today?"


    Sylvester quickly changed into peasant clothing with a turban on the head and a disguised face.


    "Saint Cardinal of the West."


    ___________________


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 Chapter 483: Source Of Masans Might

    A hazy stream of air blew from terrace to terrace in the southern city of Marashia region. The dark, moonless night made everything seem pitch ck, and after the day of violence, the city had been overtaken by soldiers, maintaining a curfew.


    But Sylvester had a mission, and he was the wind that blew silently that night. In his ck, tightly tied robes, he made his way towards the monastery while setting up a few traps around the city to ensure nobody came to disturb him while executing his n.


    "Chonky, how''s the view?"


    "Clear! Go!" Miraj kept watch from the sky and informed Sylvester every time there was any movement nearby him.


    After all, the traps Sylvester was setting were based on Elder Runes, a knowledge lost to the world, with him being its sole master. Moreover, his knowledge was elevated as he also knew about the ordinary runes that utilizedmon magic.


    With his mastery over both, he effortlessly constructed runes that could immediately render people unconscious if they were to step on his designated area. Not only that, by using surveince runes, he was able to keep a watch over the surroundings. If anyone were to approach them, one of the many invisible rune markings he had ced on his own body would vibrate, revealing the direction and proximity of the other party.


    Havingpleted the preparations, he finally reached the rooftop of the monastery. Since it was the tallest building in its vicinity, it was being utilized by the soldiers to maintain surveince. So he quickly incapacitated them¡ªall sixty in total.


    Sadly, by the end, arge pile of bodies had formed, and Sylvester worried about any of them waking up.


    "I eat them?" Chonky masterfully suggested.


    "No! They are just soldiers following orders," Sylvester denied and instead drew a rune around the pile that would keep them asleep unless someone were to break the rune circle.


    With that, he made his way into the building. Miraj always remained ahead of Sylvester, scouting the area by flying swiftly. Any clergymen who stood in their way were simply rendered unconscious. It was part of his n to ensure all potential obstacles were dealt with beforehand.


    However, Sylvester was not so merciful towards the higher-ranked clergymen of the monastery. After realizing that the church in the West had beenpromised, he understood that most of the higher leadership was alsopromised.


    Hence, a swift death was gifted to the slumbering men right in their beds. As for the lower-ranked clergymen, Sylvester believed they had no inkling that they were not serving the church but the royal family, as they were unlikely to possess knowledge about the functioning of genuine churches in the East.


    Crack!


    "Chonky, devour him." Sylvester snapped the neck of the third Cardinal of the night. There were three Cardinals in the entire Masan to begin with.


    "Okey-dokey!"


    With that, Sylvester descended from one floor to another, ying everyone up to the rank of Bishop, the official position denoting a high-clergyman. Of course, Miraj ate them, too, as it was better to spread chaos by confusing the authorities about their whereaboutster.


    "Maxy, where is Joe?"


    "Do you mean Saint Cardinal Joseph?" Sylvester corrected him. "After encountering him, he struck me as a basement dweller. I believe he''s somewhere beneath the monastery." Sylvester carefully observed and proceeded to a different floor after thoroughly inspecting each one.


    Eventually, as the stroke of midnight approached, Sylvester finally reached the staircase leading to the basement. He was confident that the Saint Cardinal was at least a Grand Wizard, so he treaded each step with caution.


    "Do not make any noise now, and stay by my side," Sylvester ordered Miraj while channeling Srium through his own body by inhaling deeply and employing the training he had received over the years. It was a technique known only to Moonwatchers, called Moon Breath, enabling them to traverse the regions of the Divine Desert without attracting Dragon Snakes.


    For Sylvester, it served a different purpose. Since the presence of Srium in the air was minimal during nighttime, using Moon Breath allowed him to harness the natural Srium more rapidly and effectively.


    ''Where are you?'' Sylvester cautiously arrived on the first level of the basement floor. ''I see a few intruder rune traps but no clergymen or soldiers.''


    With skillful precision, he deactivated all the traps and pressed on, discovering only stored food items on that level. In no time, he cleared the second level as well, yet even then, he found no signs of upancy. Instead, only a few books and decaying furniture remained.


    And so he continued his descent, yet apart from emptiness and an abundance of rune traps, there was nothing. Heck, there was so much dust that it was impossible to believe someone was living there. However, only one thing made him continue to go.


    "If nobody resides here, then why are the rune traps increasing in number and intensity?" He queried himself upon reaching the sixth subterranean floor. No natural light entered the surroundings, with his shining palm being the sole source of warmth.


    "Maxy, there is no clear ceiling." Miraj noticed as he was flying. "This floor is more badly made than thest."


    Sylvester pondered silently and drew a conclusion based on his experience. "If that is the case, then I surmise that the deeper we go, the more crude the floors will be. Chonky, do you not understand? We are not in a basement! This is a pathway leading to some hidden underground location."


    "Hidden? Where?"


    Sylvester had no definitive answer, but he had heard rumors in the East. "There is a saying that as vast as Hundred Castle City is above ground, it is even more expansive below."


    "Woah! Hundred Castle City is so huge! Then¡­There is an underground city?"


    Sylvester, however, was more worried than happy. "I... I hope that''s not the case, Chonky. Things will be tooplicated in that situation."


    Sadly, Sylvester could feel it already. He was going to receive a headache soon. But killing Saint Cardinal was the most important objective at the moment.


    So he continued his way down, floor by floor. The levels began to turn into real caverns dug purposefully through rock and sand. The rune traps increased in power with each level, and by level thirty, hordes of giant bats appeared to protect the way to further levels.


    Although killing them was easy, they only marked the beginning of more hurdles. Each floor had a different creature guarding it, and by level fifty, Sylvester found a horde of metal snakes. They were not naturally ced there, as their fangs were made of red fire crystals, allowing them to spew fire¡ªit was not something they had naturally.


    Sylvester was too powerful for all the hurdles, however. A single swing of his hand was enough at all times. But what concerned him was the time, as he only had the night to kill the Saint since he had already killed the rest of the higher clergymen.


    "The air feels much warmer. God knows how deep we are by now," Sylvester mumbled as he cooled himself off. Even Miraj had perched upon Sylvester''s shoulder after getting tired.


    "Whatever it is, this better be worth it."


    So he continued his long descent and cleared level after level. As he reached the one-hundred-and-second level, he began to feel the presence of strong airing from ahead. It was a sign of arger opening, likely the end.


    Immediately, he covered his face again and took out his spear. It was not the spear of infinity, as that would be as good as screaming his identity.


    "Chonky, go and take a look. If you feel threatened, return. Never go beyond my eyesight."


    Miraj immediately flew ahead but stayed within view. For the time being, they encountered no new defensive creature upon arriving on the level. However, there was no exit anywhere, nor any ce to go deeper.


    Still, the air circted in the big dark cavern. Confused, Sylvester licked his fingertip and raised it to check the direction of the air.


    "Maxy! I feel something! Air ising from this wall!" Miraj eximed suddenly.


    Sylvester rushed and examined the cavern wall. It was like any ordinary wall of hard rock, but for some reason, there were a few thin cracks from which strong wind entered.


    "This has to be the exit," he muttered and looked for any rune-based mechanism to open the door. However, all he noticed was dust everywhere, so much that everything was covered in it, and even if there was a rune circuit, it wasn''t visible.


    "It seems there is another way to enter and reach this depth from the monastery. I can''t imagine Saint Cardinal walking down this distance on any day," Sylvester mumbled and tried to find a way out.


    Sylvester closed his eyes and tried to sense the flow of Srium there. If there was a rune circuit, it was bound to have higher Srium than anything else.


    "Got it!"


    Woosh!


    As soon as Sylvester noticed the Rune circuit and employed his magic to override it, the wall abruptly shifted aside, unleashing a gust of wind so potent that Sylvester and Miraj both got pushed back, colliding with the wall with a thud.


    "Ugh¡­Such a strong airflow this deep?" Sylvester mumbled and picked Miraj before standing.


    Cough!


    "Maxy, I''m dirty now!" Mirajined as the forceful wind had also generated a small dust storm in the cavern. Miraj''s white fur had turned into a dusty gray by it.


    Sylvester didn''t appreciate it either and walked towards the exit through the dust. He couldn''t see the view ahead but, by instinct, knew the way.


    In no time, he felt the strong wind caress his body, and gradually, as he emerged into the open area, the sensation dissipated. By then, he also noticed the dust dissipating and the view growing clearer.


    "I can sense it''s a colossal empty area," he muttered and hastened his pace to survey everything. "I see something red ahead."


    Woosh!


    "Ah!" Sylvester came to an abrupt halt and coughed. "The air burns now!"


    "Maxy! Look!"


    Sylvester promptly lifted his head and, first and foremost, observed the absence of dust. However, beyond that haze, he beheld something that made his heart nearly falter. Yes, the magnitude of the cavern was immense, unlike anything he had ever witnessed before.


    Yet, what upied that cavern made him sweat even more than the heat emanating from theke of moltenva before him.


    "T-This city is¡­!"


    He felt his tongue freeze even at the mere thought of knowing what the city was. But as he pondered, he realized everything now made sense¡ªwhy Masan was so bullish on East¡ªwhy Masan even dared to oppose the Church of Solis.


    "This architecture¡ªThat statue¡­"


    Bam!


    Miraj flew to Sylvester and smacked his face. "What is it, Maxy? Why are you sweating? Who is that beardy statue?"


    "Chonky¡­ This is¡­ a ve city of Dwarves!"


    [A/N: See the city.]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 484: A Possible Ally

    Before Sylvester was a colossal city with towering structures crafted from dark stone. Cascades ofva flowed from its openings like waterfalls, generating a powerful heat that merged with frigid gusts from vents connected to the outside.


    nk!


    Bam!


    Ting!


    nk!


    As Sylvester cleared his mind and focused on his surroundings, he noticed the echoes of metalwork emanating from within the city and the massive walls of the cavern, which were also adorned with cave-like structures, their entrances visible all around.


    Sylvester murmured, swiftly shutting the door he hade through. Then he lowered himself to crawl and concealed himself from any vignt gazes. "Chonky, you shall be my eyes and ears from this moment onward. However, under no circumstances are you to soar over the moltenva."


    "Maxy, why do you fear?" Miraj inquired with confusion. "You easily defeated so many Dragon Snakes before. You are very strong now."


    "Power is not the point, Chonky. My aim was to secretly kill the Saint Cardinal, but how do we find that man in such a gigantic ce? Let alone kill him? A secretive ce of such importance is likely to house many powerful guardians as well. After all, we didn''t see any Grand Wizard in the Hundred Castle City above in the past few days."


    Both of them gazed at the city, pondering ways to infiltrate it. Sylvester contemted altering his appearance, but even then, he could not change his height. Sadly, he had not mastered the art of illusion magic either.


    "I will try and ce a few elder runes on myself that will suppress all the noise and my presence. But, even then, if someone were to look at me, I''ll be instantly caught. You will need to lead away any prying eyes, Chonky." Sylvester tried to make a n.


    Miraj was ready anytime. "Let''s go."


    Thus, Sylvester removed his garments and etched a series of rune circles on his chest using a knife. He bled profusely but allowed the wounds to heal only to the point of a clot.


    "Let''s go." he urged, aware that time was fleeting as the night waned.


    He raced towards thergest mountain-like structure with a swiftness matching the air itself. Leaping across small rocks amidst thevake, he swiftly arrived at the side of the colossal building.


    Sylvester remained close to the wall, ensuring he remained unseen from above. Meanwhile, Miraj advanced to inspect the nearest entrance for any soldiers or sentinels.


    "Maxy, there is no one. I can only hear the sound of a hammer," Miraj reported.


    With that, Sylvester wasted no time and entered the dark entrance. It was low in height and featured a curved ceiling, yet to his astonishment, he realized the entire structure was made from a single gargantuan rock, with no visible joints on the walls or ceiling.


    nk!


    nk!


    He only heard the sound of metalwork ahead, so he made his way slowly and carefully. He kept himself ready to jump and cling to the ceiling, considering the dwarves were short.


    "Chonky, go and check," Sylvester ordered.


    ''If it''s a dwarf, how will they react to me?'' Sylvester wondered and approached the noise.


    "Argh! Bloody humans!"


    nk!


    "Die!"


    nk!


    "All of you!"


    nk!


    Sylvester heard a deep voice growling ahead. But, to his surprise, although the ent was new, thenguage was themon tongue of Masan. The fact that the Dwarf was cursing in a foreignnguage presented a significant psychological problem that Sylvester realized.


    Woosh!


    "Maxy, it''s just one person."


    Sylvester gained confidence with that revtion and walked faster. The tunnel-like path soon seemed toe to an end as he saw a bright red lighting from therge opening ahead. He reckoned he was somewhere near the middle of the mountain-like building.


    "At least give us good ale!...Ha!"


    Bam!


    Sylvester stopped near the edge of the tunnel, from where therger room started. He assessed the area first and understood it was likely a workshop with a forge that operated through a small canal ofva. The ceiling was at least twice the height of the tunnel, and the hall was as big as his own room in the Royal Castle above.


    There was only one more door he noticed, and it remained closed with a few metal boxes in front of it, indicating that it wasn''t frequently used. Other than that, there were numerous tools scattered around, along with scraps.


    Once he felt confident, he peeked and nced at the man. He only saw the side profile as the Dwarf hammered a de on therge anvil. He had a muscr build, evident as there was no clothing above the waist. His height was around four and a half feet, and he had pointed ears that grew upwards. He had long white hair and a beard¡ªan old dwarf, clearly.


    ''Let''s see what I can find. Or else I''ll just knock him out.'' Sylvester walked out of the tunnel and approached the Dwarf cautiously.


    "Bastards! Ha!"


    Bam!


    "Filthy humans! Ha!"


    Bam!


    Sylvester voiced just then. "Indeed."


    Woosh!


    Abruptly, the Dwarf stopped and turned to face him. Instantly, his body began to shiver, and he knelt down while sping his hands together as if pleading. "F-Forgive me! I didn''t know the inspection was today! I didn''t mean what I said... I was merely motivating myself."


    ''He thinks I''m one of Masan''s men?'' Sylvester understood and pondered a new strategy. He, of course, wanted to learn more about man and why his species was there, but at the same time, he didn''t want to create long-term trouble for himself.


    ''Since my face is hidden, I should keep it that way.'' He decided.


    Sylvester made up his mind and suddenly spoke in anguage he never thought he''d have to use. "Hakra koji jiuo sing ouh kalnika hiwari motan heki imlea!"


    Thud!


    The Dwarf fell on his buttocks in shock and wiped his face clean from the sweat. He stammered after that but spoke with a hint of deep reverence and hope. "B-Believer of Rimira? My elven friend, did youe here to rescue that child?"


    ''What child?'' It was Sylvester''s turn to be dumbfounded. But he yed along.


    "And more." He replied. "I came here to kill Saint Cardinal. We and the Dragons haveunched an attack on the East. But this time, we wish to bring down the West as well. I did not know of your existence, my dwarven friend."


    The Dwarf''s eyes widened, and he crawled to Sylvester''s feet. He still shivered and held Sylvester''s feet so tightly as if he was scared of being left behind and losing thest hope of freedom. "Save us, I beg you. We do not wish to remain enved here... We want freedom!"


    Sylvester patted the man''s shoulder after confirming he wasn''t lying through his emotional scents. "Everything changes with this, my friend. But first, tell me about yourself, and who was the child you spoke of?"


    The Dwarf stood up on his short legs and dragged a chair for Sylvester and himself. "I am Elrog, and I bear no family name, for it was forgotten in history. I am nearly two hundred years old, and I''ve seen nothing but this forge all my life. A thousand years ago, when the Great War had barely begun, our ancestors were captured by Masan''s raiding party and brought here. There were only a hundred of them, but forced to breed and work, we carved this city of our own envement. There are eight thousand of us now, and most don''t even know the dwarvennguage anymore."


    Sylvester smelled an extreme amount of fear, sadness, anxiety, and some suicidal tendencies. The dwarven man was utterly broken. It was clear.


    "No outsider has entered this pce since the city''s inception. My friend, I don''t know your name, but please help us. If you can''t save us, at least inform the Dwarf King of our existence¡ªI beg you for this alone." Elrog knelt down again and lowered his head to Sylvester''s feet.


    ''A thousand years of generational very. No wonder Masan has remained strong despite losing its political strength. With dwarven weapons, nothing can defeat their army.'' Sylvester understood the terrifying secret behind Masan''s power.


    It was all the more reason to bring them down now and divide the Empire. Otherwise, it was only a matter of time before the Holy Land also fell under Masan''s subjugation.


    "What about the child?" He questioned.


    "The child! Yes! A hundred years ago, an elven child was brought to this city and imprisoned in dark cells. We know not who he is or why he is kept here, but he must be important to be kept alive for this long." Elrog said, adding more. "I will help you! I will show you where the elven boy is."


    ''An important elven boy?'' Sylvester pondered deeply. ''Is this why Masan is so confident about attacking the East to take over the region instead of fighting the Beastaria invasion? Could this be a bargaining chip they hope to use to stop the invasion and emerge as rulers of the entire Sol continent in the end?''


    "No, first you must lead me to where Saint Cardinal is. His death will bring chaos to Masan that is necessary to weaken the entire human Empire and create the perfect opportunity for our forces to attack it," Sylvester bluffed with a few lies and a few truths. "Once I kill him, I will take the elven boy with me."


    The Dwarf shook his head firmly. "How will you do it? Hisir is at the bottom of this mountain forge. His army of experimented ves guards it, and they are incredibly powerful. To kill him is impossible."


    Sylvester resolutely looked into the Dwarf''s eyes. "Elrog, I infiltrated this far. Do you think I can''t handle a single formidable wizard? Just tell me the way."


    Elrog looked down, averting his gaze. After years of very, it had be a habit to avoid looking into eyes, lest he may end up offending someone and receive punishment.


    "Understood. I will draw it for you." Elrog walked to his work desk and drew on some rough paper using charcoal. "The path is simple, but once you enter their, it''s madness. I''ve only seen it once, and I pray to the Iron Gods to never see it again."


    Sylvester took the paper, memorized it quickly, and then burned it right away. "I''ll be back, Elrog."


    However, just as Sylvester was leaving, the old Dwarf muttered in response in a low voice while watching Sylvester''s fleeting back. His heart pounding, and his eyes hopeful.


    "It''s fine if you don''t¡ªJust get the word out¡ªWe''re here, we''re alive, and we want freedom¡­ someday."


    Sylvester abruptly paused to look back as he heard the man.


    "We may be from a different species, Elrog, but our hatred for this establishment is the same. So worry not, I shall get you out soon. Spread the word to your closest, most trusted friends¡ªit''s time to prepare."


    Elrog lowered his head in gratitude. "We will be in your debt forever!"


    ''I know, for I will need you to bring a new era of peace between the two realms.''


    Of course, those words were not spoken aloud. For his schemes were not always worth feeling proud.


    ''Once I be the Pope...all of you shall be a chess piece to win my eternal peace.''


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 485: Murder In Masan

    In the depths of the mountain forge in the Dwarven ve city, their of Saint Cardinal existed as an boratebyrinth of corridors and halls. Serving as an experimental site for the old monster of a man, it was filled with all sorts of horrors.


    "A few more years, and the secrets of immortality shall be within my grasp," the voice echoed as it seemingly talked to itself. "The Sand Lord will be pleased."


    In the dark, endlesslyrgeboratory, Saint Cardinal Joseph worked on one of his new ves to try and unlock the secrets of immortality. Using runes, crystals, or even dwarven creations to attempt to achieve the goal of forcefully infusing Srium from another''s body into oneself¡ªobtaining the youth of the other person as well.


    However, an issue with blood perplexed him and hindered his work. It was extremely challenging to match the blood to a level that the living body would ept and incorporate. Thousands of ves died in the experiments, but experimental ves were something he had in abundance.


    Time, however, was of the essence.


    Thud!


    Out of nowhere, a sudden thud resounded in the dark hall. Cardinal Joseph turned around abruptly and looked as the sound felt too distinct. Unlike something falling, it was definitely the sound of someone''s footsteps.


    "Who''s there? ve Ten?" he called. "Guards!"


    Thud!


    But instead of guards entering theb immediately and helping him, all he heard was another loud thud of someone''s footsteps. But this time, there was an additional sound of a grunt, simr to someone coughing.


    "Who''s there? Prince Zedd? I swear I will give you the results within this year. You don''t need to dismantle my work!" Cardinal Joseph assumed and cried out in his hoarse old voice.


    However, when the reply came, it belonged to an entirely new voice.


    "Oh, but I want to dismantle you."


    Woosh!


    Right then, before Cardinal''s stunned eyes, ten strange beings entered the giant hall. All of them were humanoid, and their bodies seemed to be made entirely of light as they shone in golden radiance bright enough to illuminate everything in the vicinity.


    "S-S¡­" Cardinal Joseph''s face turned pale, and his knees weakened. "S-Solis?!"


    Bzzz!


    The air buzzed with lightning, and the radiant forms moved faster than the Cardinal''s eyes could track. They encircled him, spreading all around. The heat was tangible, scorching his lungs and igniting his very breath.


    "No! Please!" Saint Cardinal implored, moving to pick up his staff near the workstation, a concrete b that held a human body tightly with metal restraints. The body, alive and sane, twitched in fear.


    Woosh!


    One of the luminous beings darted with such speed that before Cardinal Joseph could reach his staff, it shattered into pieces with a mere touch from the being. Ancient wood and the precious giant crystal adorning it vanished.


    Joseph''s eyes widened, and tears of terror streamed down his face. His legs quivered, and visible wet stains appeared on his robes.


    "Supreme God¡ªGod of Gods¡ªLord of Light... I beg for your forgiveness! I shall be your most devoted servant... grant me another chance! Bestow upon me a new youthful life to serve you!"


    All the radiant beings spoke in unison, their voices muffled and demonic, undoubtedly frightful enough to bring the Cardinal to his knees. "Mortal is your heart, from morality so far apart. Hold sinful gaze, yet ask for a new life of youth in craze¡ªdeath is your only salvation, heretic!"


    Boom!


    A sonic boom reverberated, and all the light humanoid figures vanished. However, Joseph sensed a presence behind him, emitting a searing warmth. It was no longer just light but a zing crimson fire, fiercely scorching his back.


    "Agk¡­N-no¡­please¡­I worked so hard for this! You can''t kill me, God."


    Yet, all Joseph felt was a firm palm seizing his skull from behind, inflicting excruciating pain. With each passing second, the pain intensified, apanied by cracking sounds.


    "Confess!"


    "I killed the Saint Cardinal! I serve the Emperor! I murdered the Crown Prince''s wife!..."


    "What about the Guardian?! Confess!"


    Joseph''s face resembled that of a zombie, his eyes nearly bulging out, tears saturating his visage, and his nose repulsively distorted.


    "Confess!"


    "He escaped... I-I... There is so much! Spare me, please!... I killed on behalf of the Princess!"


    "..."


    "For what?! Confess!"


    Crack¡­!


    Joseph neared the final breath of his existence and voice. "She wanted preserved and clean faces of dead people! Ones she could wear on her face!"


    Poof!


    That was enough¡ªthe skull exploded in a sickening wet st of brain matter, blood, and vile substances. Headless, the body twitched momentarily before copsing with a thud.


    nk!


    The ve''s body on the experiment table became liberated on its own. The iron restraints melted away without scorching the man''s skin.


    "SOLIS! SOLIS, HELP!"


    The ve cried out and knelt. However, just as God emerged in the light, he vanished, leaving darkness to linger.


    Yet this time, it was not as menacing as before.


    ¡­


    "Gah! That was intense!"


    Sylvester took off the cloth covering his face to take a fresh breath of air in the already scorching underground ve City. His body stopped shining by the time he exited the undergroundir and headed to meet the Dwarf again.


    "Maxy! That was so cool!" Miraj eximed while flying around Sylvester''s head. "Just one bam, and then boom and woosh! Death has arrived! I wanna do it too."


    Sylvester smiled and ate a few srium crystals to replenish his srium reserves. "Yes, but using that level of Elder Magic is too straining on the body. I felt like fainting back there¡­ Let''s just get out now."


    "Got it!" Miraj chirped and kept a firm watch ahead of Sylvester to protect him.


    Knowing their way, they took the right turn and soon arrived back at Elrog''s forge. The man was not alone there, however, and three more Dwarves had gathered. They were simrly old-looking as Elrog.


    "How did it go?!" Elrog asked the moment Sylvester appeared. "Did you get inside?"


    Sylvester used a slightly changed voice under the disguise. "He''s dead, but morning is upon us. I don''t have too much time, so lead me to the elven boy."


    "We have already killed the guards outside the dark cell," one of the other Dwarves voiced. "Follow us!"


    ''Aren''t you being a bit too friendly?'' Sylvester thought, but he remained silent as there was no malice in the scents.


    Swiftly, all five of them exited the mountain forge and headed to a different forge that looked simr. Inside, they went down to the dungeons. Unsurprisingly, as the dwarves had imed, they had killed the soldiers there. Hence the ce was only littered with dead bodies.


    "This one." Elrog pointed at a steel door fixed into the stone wall. "We can''t open it with force. A rune key is required for this."


    Sylvester nodded and ced his palm on the door to feel the etched runes on it. They were human runes, to his luck, something he could decipher and counter himself.


    "When does the shift change?" Sylvester asked them.


    "Within an hour," Elrog blurted. "Be quick."


    ''Ugh¡­ the rune scheme is too vast. I can break it with elder runes, but it may trigger an rm of sorts,'' Sylvester mumbled to himself and thought about a way around it. ''Wait!''


    Sylvester''s face turned to Miraj as the cat merrily sat on his shoulder. As their eyes met each other, without words, they understood each other.


    Miraj nodded his head and walked over to sit on Sylvester''s raised palm towards the dark cell''s metal gate.


    ''Don''t end up eating the elf too, buddy.''


    "Step back." He warned the dwarves and focused as if he was using magic. In reality, Miraj simply opened his mouth and activated his godly devouring ability.


    Grrr¡­!


    The metal door creaked under the negative pressure from Miraj''s mouth. All the dirt around had already been sucked away, cleaning the entire corridor.


    ck!


    As if a hinge broke, a loud noise rang. Miraj took it as an affirmation of it working and somehow increased the negative pressure while holding Sylvester''s arm tighter.


    Boom!


    "STOP!" Sylvester shouted with instinct once he saw the doore loose. Any further usage of Miraj''s ability would have also sucked the contents of the cell into the dark belly void too.


    With that, Miraj returned to sit on Sylvester''s shoulder in triumph, awaiting to be praised, petted, and given a lot of treats.


    "H-How did you...Such spatial magic!" The Dwarves were in disbelief, as expected.


    Sylvester had no time to waste, sadly. So he quickly conjured a ball of fire on his palm and looked inside the dark cell. At best, it was not even a meter wide and a meter long. The ceiling, too, was merely half a meter high. The cell appeared to be designed to break one''s will by restricting movement.


    "Boy." Sylvester shed some light on the left corner at the end of the cell. There, a naked, long-eared, ck-haired elven boy sat in fright. His body was covered with gashes, and his eyes held utter fear.


    Sylvester decided to speak in the elven tongue instead. "Hile mauhk oilwa nikari yorifo hame hi."


    "Hjwmi kiawra ni makofo?!" The elven boy instantly responded, a newfound hope shining in his eyes. The scent of sunflowers and a gentle breeze were so intense that Sylvester didn''t even notice the filthy stench from the cell anymore.


    "Let''s go." He extended his hand to the boy. "We must hurry, Vanss."


    The darkstone chains holding the elven boy broke apart under Sylvester''s magic, and the boy grabbed Sylvester''s hand toe out.


    Sylvester immediately wrapped him in a sheet of cloth that the dwarves brought and carried him on his back, as Vanss''s body was too weak.


    He nced at the Dwarves before rushing out. "Elrog...You will not be forgotten. Next time we meet, it shall be under the warmth of the sun."


    "Go away! Do not waste time here!" Elrog shouted in reply, worried that Sylvester would be unable to get the word out.


    ''He still does not realize I''m their only chance of freedom.''


    "Farewell."


    Woosh!


    Sylvester dashed out at maximum speed, which was enough to make him appear as a mere blur. Then, back through the way he came out, Sylvester headed to climb the stairs to the monastery above.


    ¡­


    Ding!


    Ding!


    Ding!


    As soon as the morning sun washed the Empire in sunlight, the guard shift changed, along with clergymen working around the city. Immediately, dead bodies were found, and the giant emergency bells rang all over the city simultaneously, echoing as a gloomy, depressing menace.


    But when themanders arrived and the situation was investigated, the bells never stopped ringing that entire day, the streets never got crowded, and soldiers overtook every nook and cranny of thend.


    Deep underground, the Crown Prince gathered with the Elder Grand Wizards of the Empire to inspect the crime scene, for only they knew of the secret existence of the city.


    "Such a gruesome death!" Prince Zedd covered his mouth in disgust at the smashed skull of the Cardinal. "Joseph was a level-five Grand Wizard, and the two guards outside were level-two Grand Wizards. To kill them in such a manner...What do you think, Grand Uncle?"


    Crack!


    An almost seven-foot-tall, masked, domineering figure adorned in armor crafted from peculiar fragments andponents strode across the lifeless body of the Cardinal, mercilessly crushing the chest beneath his weight.


    With a swift swing of his unique sword, the man cut open the experiment stone block table.


    Boom!


    A man appeared from inside, scared and shivering in fright.


    "IT WAS SOLIS! IT WAS SOLIS!"


    The domineering tall armored man turned around to look at his grand nephew.


    "Now we have the answer, my prince."


    [A/N: See the Elven boy and Prince''s Grand Uncle]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 486: Depressed Pope

    "Grand Uncle, please don''t joke at such a time. Solis is a hoax of the poor, a farce of the church. Who do you think did this? Gracia?" Prince Zedd earnestly inquired. "I must provide an answer to my father."


    The imposing man paced around the room and observed no signs of a struggle. "Neither as the Grand Wizard of the highest level, nor as the Supreme General of Masan¡ªhave I ever witnessed a Grand Wizard''s death without a fight. Unless the opponent was so overwhelmingly powerful that... there wasn''t even a chance to resist."


    Prince Zedd dreaded such a possibility. "A Supreme Wizard then? Who could it be? The Church? Anti-Light? Or perhaps the elves themselves, considering the elven boy is missing?"


    "Not the church. The Pope is preupied with the war against Beastaria. Anti-Light only concerns itself with undermining the church''s authority. It could either be the Elves or a concealed master that the world failed to notice¡ªa being with secret powers capable of... aplishing this."


    "But how is that possible? When someone attains Supreme Wizardhood, the heavens bestow golden rain. Thest time it urred was when the leader of Anti-Light ascended," Prince inquired.


    "It doesn''t necessarily have to be a new Supreme Wizard, Prince. Maybe an ancient monster has survived the test of time. Nevertheless, it appears that interesting times lie ahead. I shall apany you when you meet His Majesty. Masan has lost the elf, two Grand Wizards, and a cardinal of the church. I''m afraid this matter won''t conclude here."


    ¡­


    Royal Castle,


    "Hoh, the city seems to be in celebrations," Sylvester murmured from his chamber in the royal castle as he heard the distant chiming of bells, echoing from morning till nightfall.


    Sylvester sat down, cross-legged on the floor, and established a connection with Sir Dolorem in the East using Srium Web.


    "Sir Dolorem, the West''s Saint Cardinal has perished. Send Lady Aurora to thoroughly investigate everything. Inform her that she will be contacted by someone of importance upon reaching the southern city of Marashia," Sylvestermunicated to the loyal knight.


    Sir Dolorem frowned on the other end. "How do I justify my knowledge of the death prior to the official letter?"


    "Make a story, weave mysteries. By the time she is ready to depart, the official letter will have arrived as well. This is of utmost importance, Sir Dolorem. Everything hinges on her arrival here. I cannot handle it all alone¡ªMasan conceals a bloody ve city of six thousand dwarves beneath its surface!


    "The Empire possesses dwarven weapons. They will be unstoppable if we don''t act swiftly. Moreover, I have rescued an elven boy from their secret prison. I believe this boy holds some significance in brokering peace with elves. His name is Avanss. Please utilize all avable channels to gather more information about this name."


    Hearing Sylvester''s revtions, Sir Dolorem clearly felt the urgency. Masan had to be stopped, no matter what. "So this is why Masan has started to gather the army. We were able to fend off the first wave of attacks by Beastaria and are preparing to attack on their coast now. We have reached a peace deal with Beastkins to spare their vige, as most of their ns have taken the faith of Solis because of your deeds in the past.


    "But if Masan attacks from behind, our attack on Beastaria will be worthless. Only if we could reveal all this to the Pope as well."


    "Don''t even think about that," Sylvester warned sternly. "The church has many doom lovers sitting in high ces. As for the attack, I believe Masan will not do it anymore as they have lost their bargaining elf against Beastaria''s elves. Even if Masan takes the continent, they will have to inherit the headache that is a thousand-year war.


    "So do as I say. If my work goes as nned, I will not only be the Pope but also end the long war for good. Of course, the path to that goes through a field of death, a price we must pay. Anyhow, how is my mother?"


    Sylvester received a detailed update from the man about everything going on in the East, from each and every Kingdom. But, sadly, Felix was still nowhere to be found, and even when he tried to use Srium Web, he could not find his best friend.


    In the end, he disconnected the contact and rested down on the bed in the room for the first time. The battle under the monastery was quick, but it took a heavy toll on his body.


    ''''Ugh¡­ Better let my leg breathe." Sylvester removed the armor from his right leg, lowered the pants, and removed the right leg as well. It was a prosthetic that appeared like a real leg but was moved with the help of runes and a constant flow of magic, another reason behind Sylvester''s fatigue.


    He thoroughly checked the limb. "Good, the leg has grown back almost seventy percent. With this speed, just a few more weeks before it''s fully regenerated."


    It was the wonder of higher magic he learned from the first Pope''s ghost. In the end, each branch of magic was based on the Srium. So what happens when one maniptes the Srium itself?


    The result is an overpowered, but heavily taxing magic superior to anything else. From magic to a simple fire, with Elder Magic, everything intensifies manifold¡ªincluding healing.


    "Chonky, I will go to sleep. If anyone knocks, p me to wake me up." Sylvester requested and closed his eyes. "We must be careful of the princess¡ªshe turned out to be a hidden monster too."


    ¡­


    Holy Land,


    The Pope rarely appeared outside his battle armor anymore, and the smile from his face had disappeared since the day of Sylvester''s death. Having lost all hope for the great future of the church, he tried his best to salvage what was left and not let his legacy end in ruins with a defeat at the hands of heathens.


    Either at the Sanctum Council meeting or the battlefield, he spent his time in only those two ces, nning for the attacks and defenses.


    "The naval fleet is prepared. We shall move on to attack Beastaria in two days," the Pope informed the Sanctum Council. "Five of the Grand Wizards shall go with me, and the rest will be armies of the Eastern Kingdoms."


    "Are we truly going to spare the Beastkins? A majority of them have epted the lord, but not all," Saint Wazir questioned, also sitting in battle armor.


    With a sigh, the Pope shook his head. "In this war, only the Dragons and Elves have been the major force of opposition. Dwarves are missing, the Giants haven''t appeared, same with Werewolves, Vampires, and a plethora of other species. They are not united this time, and that is where we strike¡ªon their weak links."


    Knock! Knock!


    "Your Holiness, an urgent letter has arrived from¡­some priest in the West. A letter is here for you as well, Saint Seer," the Pope''s assistant notified from the other side of the door.


    "Bring it." The Pope ordered.


    In no time, Saint Seer read his letter, and the Pope read his. The contents of both were somewhat simr, but at the same time differently detailed.


    The Pope eximed after reading it. "Those filths of humanity in Masan! Saint Cardinal is dead, along with three Cardinals, eight Archbishops, and fifteen Bishops in the head monastery. Furthermore, the Saint Cardinal was conducting human experiments for longevity on ves."


    "There is more," Saint Seer interjected. "My sources have spoken too. Masan has stopped recruiting their civilians into the army now. It seems something grave has urred there. Your Holiness, this is the time we should increase our oversight of Masan using this opportunity. Let''s send someone to investigate the situation in the West."


    The Pope rubbed his beard in annoyance as his hands were already full with the war. "We have no experts to spare for this effort, Saint Seer... Only if Sylvester was still..."


    Indeed, Sylvester''s amazing ability to get the job done with the best oue every single time was gravely missed by all of the Council members. They all mourned for him, as he was finalized to be a Council member just like them.


    "Headmaster Geralt can''t be sent, for he maintains the School of Dawn. That leaves us with Aurora among the Grand Wizards." The Pope made the decision. "I shall also give her the task of finding the Fourth Guardian, Soulbreaker, and bring him back. We need Zackmund''s expertise in this war. Wazir, write down the letter of appointment for Aurora as the Church''s Special Investigator. Give her the temporary rank of Saint Cardinal of the West to supersede all clergymen in the West."


    Saint Wazir quickly wrote down the letter and passed it to the Pope, who then stamped it with his seal and folded it into an envelope, and ced the church''s golden wax seal on it.


    "Gunther, send this to Aurora urgently," Pope ordered his assistant. "Tell her to leave immediately."


    With the quick decision and actions, the Sanctum Council chamber again fell into a discussion of war and nning. The Pope felt great pain seeing one more seat empty around the table.


    "Any sightings of the Lord Inquisitor?" the Pope inquired.


    Saint Seer shook his head. "He was seen three years ago in the Hignd Kingdom. Since then, he''s be a ghost."


    A long sigh left the old Pope, who seemed to have aged a century in merely a few years.


    "This darkness that looms seems impossible to fight. Losing the light that used to be so bright. Dark days are ahead, my sons of faith, darker than your most feared night."


    At the Pope''s words, all heads fell low.


    The future had never been that uncertain to their eyes before. What will happen, they know not what destiny for the church was in fate''s store.


    ¡­


    "What!" Lady Aurora eximed while sitting before Sir Dolorem in his tent at the Inquisitor camp. "How did you...When did you be a spymaster?"


    The letter arrived from the Pope''s Pce just when Aurora was done preparing to head to Masan after Sir Dolorem''s stern instructions. She outranked the man but respected him enough to believe his words.


    "I don''t lie, Lady Aurora. The situation is more dire than you can imagine in the West. Things the Holy Land can''t see are transpiring, and my ally there requires your help to ensure the downfall of their sand castles," Sir Dolorem cryptically voiced. "And a pleasant surprise awaits you in Masan."


    Aurora squinted her eyes as she donned her armored helmet. "You''ve said that so many times before. It better be good..."


    Sir Dolorem chuckled and helped her with the armor.


    "Believe me, Lady Aurora¡ªthe surprise is so shocking that it will dazzle your eyes."


    [A/N: See the Elven boy and Prince''s Grand Uncle]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 487: My Dear Sister

    Chaos ensued, and a few days passed. Sylvestery low for the next two weeks as the entire Marashia was on high alert. The Emperor was furious, as many grand ns had been abruptly ruined. Several scapegoat knights and wizards were executed, but the investigation remained fruitless.


    "Today, we will go to the northern administrative city. They have the finest tavern and parks for rxation," Princess Fernis chirped excitedly while adjusting her headscarf, as the previous one had be sweaty.


    In the days they spent together, she had be more open and daring with Sylvester. She cared not about his identity or social status, attempting to be overly friendly. She made him remove his helmet, held his arm, and even surprised him by climbing on his back. It was difficult to determine if she genuinely behaved that way or if it was all an act.


    "No helmet today. The administrative city is very secure, and it''s primarily inhabited by nobles," she insisted openly. "I will introduce you to my friends today. Let them be envious, hehe! They all have elderly guards."


    "..."


    ''If Cardinal hadn''t confessed, I would never have doubted her to such an extent. She''s definitely something.''


    For the time being, Sylvester followed her orders as he needed to get closer to her in order to eventually approach the Emperor. Furthermore, he often wondered if Princess Fernis was the Shadow of Masan, but ultimately dismissed the notion.


    The Shadow of Masan had resided in Jartel County of Gracia for ten years, plotting the downfall of the Gracia Kingdom. However, the princess was merely sixteen years old at present, making it impossible for her to be the Shadow of Masan¡ªshe hadn''t even been born during that time.


    With little enthusiasm, he apanied her to the administrative city. Miraj, as always, perched on top of his head. The loyal fluffy cat had a purpose this time¡ªto shield Sylvester''s bald head from the scorching desert heat.


    Thus, the two watched the princess jump around, purchasing items she would never use and dumping them in her carriage. Clothes, daggers, paintings¡ªanything she could find, she feltpelled to buy.


    "Maxy, pleeeease..." Miraj suddenly whispered, fixated on a clothing shop disying a ball of yarn.


    ''He never makes any demands normally. No harm in spoiling him a little for his amazing help.'' Sylvester reckoned and stopped the princess.


    "Your Highness, may I purchase something?" he asked her politely.


    Princess Fernis'' eyes shined with stars. "Finally! What do you want? I will buy you anything you want. Do you want a new armor? Or perhaps a sword? Maybe a leather bag would suit you nicely... No! Let''s buy a silky new cape."


    "Princess, I''m buying a ball of yarn, that''s all," Sylvester informed her and wasted no time flipping a coin to the shop owner and picking the ball of yarn.


    Fernis watched Sylvester with her shoulders slowly falling. "Why? Are you interested in sewing? You can tell the royal tailor to do anything you want."


    He shrugged. "It''s merely a hobby, princess. Let''s continue on your journey."


    She sighed and headed to meet her friends in the park. It was an enclosed area with a vast area decorated with green grass, smallkes, and many trees with flower beds. There were also a few deer and adorable dogs roaming around, living their best lives.


    "We call this the garden of new life," Princess Fernis said. "A few of us nobledies gather here to get some fresh air and talk about our mundane, boring lives. Daughters of the Magistrate General and Grand Premier will also be here. But, those conniving foxes¡ªbe careful of them, Jack.


    "And don''t be so stiff," she added. "Show me some of your charm and charisma. Let them know you''re the best. Maybe challenge their bodyguards to a duel and humiliate them¡ªyes, I''d like that very much."


    That was the disguised form of saying she wanted him to do that. Being with her, Sylvester had understood that the princess had some controlling and possessive tendencies that were hard to notice ordinarily.


    In silence, he followed her to the middle of the park. There was a white table beside theke, under the shade of a big tree. A few women sat around it, looking posh in their expensive clothes and jewelry. They drank something while talking andughing.


    The moment Princess Fernis arrived there, they all stood up and bowed from their waists while lifting the hem of their dresses. They were all wives of aristocrats of the highest level, their husbands being men around the Emperor. Likewise, powerful men chose beautiful women, so all five women were great middle-aged brown or dark-skinned beauties.


    "Your Highness!"


    "How are you, princess?"


    One of the women ran to help Fernis sit by pulling her chair back. "Please¡­"


    Thud!


    The woman didn''t properly push the chair, and Fernis nearly fell from her seat if not for her holding the table for support. She looked back with ring eyes but said nothing.


    "You must be tired. Please have this drink." Another woman passed a ss filled with wine. "And princess, is this the ve everyone''s talking about in the castle these days?"


    Fernis nearly barked in anger. "He''s not a ve! His name is Jack, and he''s my most loyal bodyguard. We go into the southern city and frequently apprehend murderers, thieves, and rapists. How about you, Lady Siri? The Magistrate General seems so angry all the time these days. I hope you take good care of Grandpa."


    The woman named Siri looked as if she stepped on a dead body. Her face turned ugly with the insult clearly understood. Calling her husband grandpa, while she was still a beauty, hurt all the women present. They were all the same, after all.


    "I heard His Imperial Majesty is looking for a suitor for you." Lady Kaeli, the Grand Premier''s wife,mented. "I hope they will select a good-looking suitor for you."


    "There are many." Lady Siri interrupted. "There are so many princes. Marrying half-siblings is not frowned upon in ournds. What do you think, ve Jack? What are the customs in the East?"


    Sylvester could see Fernis''s sweaty palms and ufortable demeanor. She was being bullied by all of them, and there was nothing she could do as it was her duty to mingle with them. Being the youngest, she could not go against them either, for their husbands held too much power in the Empirebined. All she could afford was a little retort, but even then, she could not take on five experienced vixens.


    Sylvester nodded his head. "In the East, only distant cousins are allowed to marry. Brother and sister copting, even if half-siblings, is frowned upon."


    "What about you? Were you married before being enved?" The woman asked, and even Fernis looked at his face upon that question.


    Sylvester found the proof he was looking for. ''She is actually romantically interested in me! But why? We only met a few times! Who falls for a bald ve?''


    "No, I had taken a vow of celibacy as a Knight to serve my oath with a pure heart," Sylvester answered.


    "Oh!" Lady Siri smirked. "So you''re a virgin? My, we can''t have an untamed bull walking so close to the princess. We should find you a suitable wife."


    Sylvester looked down, ncing at the princess once. "I''m afraid my oath as a Royal Bodyguard does not allow me to marry or have a family, mydy."


    "Hmph, this is getting boring," the woman scoffed at his answer.


    "Perhaps a friendly duel between us knights will entertain mydies," Sylvester offered, much to Fernis''s delight, as it was what she desired the most.


    "Yes! Let''s do that," Fernis eximed, beaming with a big smile. "Ladies, instruct your personal knights to step forward without swords."


    But to the rich, the lives of anyone lower meant nothing. The women refused to let them go unarmed and instead ordered them to use their swords only. The duels would only end when one drops their sword.


    Sylvesterplied and faced the other knights. They were all either middle-aged or old-aged knights with decades of experience under their belts.


    nk!


    Woosh!


    Thud!


    Three distinct sounds resounded in the garden before each duel ended. The swords shed, and the knight lost his sword and fell on his back. Each time, Sylvester emerged as the victor, while Princess Fernis enthusiastically pped and taunted how feeble the knights of other women were.


    But from Sylvester''s perspective, he didn''t take pleasure in defeating the men. They were merely fulfilling their duties, and they would likely be reced after their defeat.


    "Ah! I must return for dinner with my brothers!" Fenris suddenly leapt to her feet as the hourss on the table appeared nearly empty. "I will see youter,dies. Let''s go, Jack!"


    ''This girl¡­ she truly is a little girl seeking eptance from other women. But why did she demand human faces from the Cardinal then?'' Sylvester felt nothing but increased confusion.


    After their long day of activity, they returned to the castle. Sylvester trailed behind her until midnight, by which time she had finished her dinner with her two brothers. Naturally, Sylvester was not allowed inside that room, so he remained standing outside, idle.


    However, it was not going to be a simple night. Once he returned to his room after sending the princess to sleep, he changed his clothes, donned tightly bound robes, concealed his face, and hurried out of the castle, heading south.


    "I can''t wait to meet Rawra again!" Miraj chirped. "I miss everyone! Felix, Big Mum, Dol Dol!"


    "Me too, Chonky." Sylvester broke through the reconstructed boundary runes between the city walls. The city was still on high alert, but things had started to normalize by then.


    He made his way to the poorest section of the southern city. The buildings there were so crowded that only two people could walk side by side on the streets. With the extremely high poption density, it was easier to live there in disguise.


    That was where Hozin, Kimino, and Xylena resided together. From there, they carried out Sylvester''s ns of public propaganda, sowing chaos throughout the entire city and provoking the poption against the royal family. They even ced the me for the attack on the Monastery on the nobles, distorting a few facts.


    Knock Knock!


    Atst, Sylvester reached the unsuspecting ordinary building and knocked. Soon, Hozin opened the door and bowed his head. The man looked the same as before, with pale skin, white hair, and an impassive face.


    But Sylvester was more eager to see his sister, Aurora. So he strode in with great enthusiasm and turned to the living room, almost sprinting through the door... only to halt at the sight.


    A broad, wistful smile spread across his face the moment he caught sight of the same free-minded woman¡ªthe same chestnut hair, gray eyes, and a tall figure dressed in disguisedmoner''s garments.


    "Been a while, my dear sister."


    As his voice echoed in the room, the pottery ss slipped from her hand and shattered. Her gaze met his and remained fixed on Sylvester''s face. Her mouth trembled in wordless astonishment, her eyes flickered with welling tears, and deep emotions poured forth from cherished memories of the past.


    "I-Impossible¡­S-Syl¡­"


    She hesitated to utter that name, fearing it would prove to be a mere illusion. Her world had been turned upside down since Sylvester''s demise. The Lord Inquisitor had departed, the church had fallen apart, corruption had risen, and internal strife had reached its peak¡ªshe felt utterly lost as never before.


    But no matter how strong she was, she could not contain the tears cascading down her cheeks.


    "Sylvester?... Is that really you?"


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 488: Family

    Sylvester didn''t say anything and just went ahead and embraced Aurora in his arms. For the first time in so long, he once again felt the warmth of family. The same was the case with Aurora as her eyes teared up uncontrobly.


    "I...I thought you had left us all!"


    "I thought that too, Aurora. But so much has happened in six years. It was not easy, but somehow." He nced at Hozin and Kimino. "Solis sent me help."


    Pat!


    While hugging, she suddenly patted his head. "Bald?"


    Sylvester stepped back with a chuckle and sat beside her. "Sacrifices we all have to make to remain unnoticed. Tell me about yourself, how are you? Did you grow stronger? Did you find a good lover? I''m telling you, you should break the vows. I wanna be called uncle, dammit."


    Bam!


    "Shut up."


    She wiped away her tears and punched his arm while smiling. She just stared at his face as if trying to make her mind believe it was really him. She had seen him grow from a little boy to now¡ªa strong, tall man.


    But she noticed one grave thing. "You still can''t grow a beard."


    A sigh left Sylvester''s mouth. "Certainly, there are a few things no amount of magic can bring. Perhaps I''ll have it when I''m an old man. But before we continue our talks, let me ce the runes to hinder any listeners."


    Sylvester stood up and walked around to each corner of the room to draw some rune circles with symbols that Aurora had never seen before. In amazement, she saw himplete the rune drawings and then activate them.


    "What was that?"


    "Istion rune," Sylvester replied. "It''s Elder Magic, Aurora. I can control the very particles of Srium now, instead of deriving elemental power through it. I know you have a hundred questions, so let''s sit down and talk. Xylena, can you bring us some fruit juice?"


    The ashen-ck-haired girl, now fourteen years old, moved swiftly. "Father, we don''t have apple juice. Only water."


    "That will suffice as well," Sylvester replied.


    However, as he nced back at Aurora, he noticed her jaw hanging open and her eyes widening. He sighed; the reason was predictable. "She''s fourteen, not my biological daughter. When I found her, she was merely nine years old in the same camp where Cannibals had held me. Since then, we have journeyed together, and for some reason, she hase to call me father."


    "Who is she?" Aurora inquired, her nostrils ring. "Can she call me aunt?"


    "..."


    "She''s thest surviving member of her bloodline, the Princess of the Sorrow Kingdom, now known as the ckhart Kingdom," Sylvester revealed. "Remember when I told you about the visions I have been experiencing since my youth? She was the girl I saw in those visions."


    "Wait, what? But you have been seeing her since you were a child. She wasn''t even born then."


    Sylvester knew it was going to be a long night. "Alright, listen carefully..."


    Sylvester recounted his journey, starting from the moment he left the Holy Land six years ago to investigate Sandwall County. He told her about the Shadow of Masan, disguised as Count Sandwall. How he was captured and mutted by the Cannibals. He described how he killed them all and met the two Moonwatchers.


    He shared details of his arduous journey, his subsequent encounter with the first Pope, and the inheritance he received. But, naturally, he omitted certain details that could pose problems for him in the future and only revealed the necessary information.


    "I underwent four years of training with the Dragon Snakes in the desert, absorbing all the knowledge I could. Then I entered Masan and lived as a ve in a distant noblend until the opportune moment arrived. Since then, I have been residing here as Princess Fernis'' bodyguard, gradually gaining the Emperor''s trust. However, the reason I summoned you here is far more significant than the task assigned to you by the Holy Land," Sylvester concluded, moving on to the main part.


    "Now, my dear sister, we are here to n the next phase. The Church is corrupt and weakened from within due to parasitic elements. Even if I eliminate them and be the Pope, the West will continue to pose a problem. So we are here to dismantle the Masan Empire, breaking it into smaller kingdoms, Aurora¡ªand you will y a crucial role in all of this."


    Aurora became serious, and her words shocked everyone in the room. "How can I believe that you are truly Sylvester? You im to have been deceived by the Shadow of Masan. What''s to stop him from deceiving me? Prove me that you are the Sylvester I know."


    Sylvester smiled appreciatively. "That is the right mindset to adopt from now on, my honey-lovingrade. As for my identity, I am still the Son of Solis."


    ?Years may go by but remains eternal our righteous heart.


    A thousand kilometers away, but the blessings will still depart.


    Anytime you wake up from ignorant slumber, it''s a new start.


    Wee to the warmth of Solis; time''se to do your part.?


    With the hymn, the halo shined bright behind Sylvester''s head. It had been a long, long time since he had done it, but knowing it still worked was a relief.


    "When did we meet for the first time?" Lady Aurora was still interrogated.


    Sylvester responded swiftly. "During the knight''s training in School of Dawn."


    "How many times have we conducted Duel Cultivation?"


    "Two times," Sylvester replied.


    "What was your official rank before you disappeared?"


    "I was an Archbishop who was given Sainthood. But the Pope had invited me to join his Sanctum Council, so I was to be a Cardinal in a few days."


    She smiled at that point. "You still are, Sylvester. They officially made you a Cardinal posthumously. No Elder Cardinal from the Council of Thirty-two was against it. There are even statues of you all across the East, from towns to viges and cities. You are on every major street crossing, in noble castles, and even in the Holy Land. Roads are named after you. Monasteries are named after you¡ªthousands of songs are sung by bards remembering you. Each Kingdom even celebrates Bard''s Day on your Birthday, the fourteenth day of the seventh month."


    "The Holy Landmissioned a hundred-meter-tall statue of you near the harbor. It''s made of bronze steel, showing you in a Cardinal''s attire with a halo behind your head, a book in one hand, and a spear in the other. For some reason, Sir Dolorem ordered that there should also be a cat secretly made, hiding beneath your robes and peeking its head out near the chest¡ªsince he paid for it, the smiths made it."


    ''That old man. Despite his firm belief, it seems he too felt I had died somewhere in his heart.'' Sylvester smiled, remembering Sir Dolorem.


    But there was no denying the ufortable feeling in his heart. "Isn''t that a bit too much? Once I return out in the open, people will feel cheated."


    "Pfft! Cheated?" Aurora snorted while holding backughter. "Max, they will kiss the dirt beneath your feet. They will pray to Solis for months to thank the lord for your return. It''s amon consensus among allmon folks, clergymen, and ves that the downfall of the Church, the resumption of war, and slowed economic prosperity is a curse that Solis put on humanity for harming his son¡ªyou!"


    Sylvester rubbed his head awkwardly, not liking it. He knew that his return now had to be in the direst moment when all hope was lost.


    "Let''s focus on the task now. Aurora, do you know where the Lord Inquisitor is? I would like to bring him into the fold. The First Pope warned me that something dirty is going on behind the scenes in the name of the Church. I don''t know what, but I will need Lord Inquisitor''s insight regarding it, as he has served the faith for centuries."


    Aurora helplessly raised her shoulders. "I don''t know, Max. I''ve tried finding him, but he has disappeared. I think... Only your return can bring him out of seclusion now."


    Sylvester sighed in defeat and epted the setback. "Alright, no need to rush. Just bing the Pope isn''t the goal anymore. Our aim is to end the war permanently and gainplete control of the continent. The Saint Cardinal is dead¡ªthe next target is Crown Prince Zedd Hu''ul Mirmasan."


    Aurora nearly gasped. "Are you sure?!"


    "More than ever, Aurora. The final enemy in Masan isn''t the prince or the Emperor. It''s the Shadow of Masan. Topel him toe out, we must ruin the bloodline he serves." Sylvester rose after uttering those words. "For now, you should return to the monastery. You''re here as a Saint Cardinal, an investigator. I will provide you with further details through mindmunication."


    "You can do that?!" She eximed.


    "And much more, my sister." He teased, revealing no additional information. "With time, you will witness everything."


    However, before departing, she gazed at Sylvester earnestly. "How powerful are you now? Can you defeat me?"


    Sylvester folded his arms and smugly raised his chin. "With ease."


    "Hmph! We''ll see." She walked to the door. "Take care now¡­and¡­"


    Bam!


    She hugged him again. "It''s good to have you back."


    Embarrassed, she opened the door and vanished away into the narrow streets. However, Sylvester didn''t leave and closed the door again.


    "Take me to him." He ordered.


    Hozin nodded and guided Sylvester into a concealed room within the building. The room appeared to be a storage area, but there was a concealed passage leading to a dark staircase. The stairs descended tens of meters, ending with a solitary metal door.


    Sylvester unlocked it and entered, leaving Hozin outside. He desired to speak with the elven boy alone.


    However, the room where the elf was confined was not a dungeon or a prison. It was a spacious,fortable room with a cozy bed, a study table, and an abundance of books on a wall shelf. Numerous sheets of paper and pens were also avable for writing, should the boy ever wish.


    His injuries had now healed, and hisplexion had returned to normal. His body had regained its muscles, and he appeared like an eighteen-year-old adult human. The elf harbored no animosity, easily discernible to Sylvester.


    "Hello, Avanss." Sylvester disturbed him.


    The ck-haired elf nced at Sylvester and smiled before speaking in a peculiar ent of the human tongue. "To encounter a fellow elf in this distantnd is a delight. Thank you for rescuing me."


    ''So he can sense it?'' Sylvester realized. He wasn''t donning his previous attire, nor was his face concealed, yet the elf knew who he was.


    "What brought you here? How did they capture you?" Sylvester inquired. "And can you exin why they have kept you alive for so many years?"


    The elven boy closed the book he was reading and focused solely on Sylvester. He approached and touched Sylvester''s ears as if examining them.


    "Human-like, but the bones belong to an elf. Well, I am an avid adventurer, historian, and writer. I was captivated by the human world, your culture, and your religion. So I ventured here in the name of embracing the faith of Solis¡ªmerely for the sake of its name, as I do not believe in any god. But, unfortunately, I was abducted before I could set foot on the shores of your Holy Land," Avanss summarized his story.


    "And the reason?" Sylvester questioned.


    "My name, of course," Avanss replied, with a sudden surge of anxiety and fear emanating from him. "I wouldn''t be surprised if you turn out to be like them upon hearing my name. I am Avanss Xeek Eldaron, the younger brother of Rathagun Xeek Eldaron, King of Elves."


    "..."


    ''My uncle?''


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 Chapter 489: Revolution Is Coming

    Sylvester looked at the elven man with care as the man appeared not a day older than eighteen. Heck, the man looked younger than him. But then again, Avanss was aplete, and ording to his ancestry, royal-blooded elf. Years pass differently for elves, likely.


    "Prince of Elves?" Sylvester muttered. "How old are you?"


    Avanss seemed astonished by Sylvester''s nonchnt reaction. Throughout the years, whenever someone had seen him, they had appeared shocked. Even the dwarves were taken aback by his presence.


    "May I know what year of Solis this is?"


    "The twenty-fifth year of the second century," Sylvester replied.


    "Then I''m one hundred and sixty-nine years old. But you do not seem surprised by my status, friend," Avanss said in a surprised tone. "Most people at least show wide eyes."


    "Why? Do you feel disappointed?" Sylvester asked jokingly, then sat down beside the elf on a chair. Then, face to face, he spoke directly. "How did you know I''m a half-elf? Can all elves detect such things?"


    "Not all, but most can. We live in nature and are connected with it. To us, the aura and presence of an elf are much different from any other species. But you, if I wasn''t aware of the natural human aura, I would have thought you were a pure-bloodedplete elf¡ªelven blood is strong in you, my nameless friend."


    ''I have more elven blood? Well, my father is indeed the King,'' Sylvester thought, wondering what to do with the man. Yes, he was a valuable pawn that he could utilize, but he felt conflicted about how to keep him bound to himself.


    He had finally found a connection to the core group of elves. He finally had someone he could use to convey his words to the King and perhaps bring about peace. But was Avanss trustworthy? Would he reveal that he is half-elf to everyone?


    However, one question surely arose. "If you are the elven King''s brother, then why hasn''t hee looking for you? Are you not close as a family? Does he not care about your well-being?"


    Avanss chuckled suddenly. "Quite interested in my life, aren''t you? Well, let''s just say he has no idea what happened to me, and since we elves perceive time differently due to our long lifespan, enough time hasn''t passed for him to worry yet."


    ''Makes sense¡ªelves can live for thousands of years in their prime, and royal-blooded elves can probably live even longer. But if this is the case, then¡­''


    Sylvester finally felt a glimmer of hope. "Do you have any elves in your kingdom who are more than five thousand years old? Or do you have any documented history of the Sol Continent from five thousand years ago?"


    "Oh!" Avanss eximed excitedly. "I see, you''re like me¡ªanother man in search of answers. Yes and no! In the year the Church was established, a sudden and strange fire burned down our Core Library that held historical documents dating back ten thousand years. A few yearster, all elves older than two hundred years slowly began to die from an unknown disease¡ªso, we have elves as old as nearly five thousand years, but not older than that."


    ''No lies, but I smell a great deal of frustration and hope,'' Sylvester sensed and felt the mystery deepen. Everything peculiar began with the establishment of the Church, and it seemed to have impacted the entire. Just as the first Pope had cautioned, there was certainly something going on.


    "I suppose you came to Sol to uncover the truth about it?" Sylvester guessed. "It would make sense why you were headed to the Holy Land in the first ce."


    "Yes and no," Avanss replied. "I was intrigued by everything about the Western continent of humans¡ªgoverned by a fanatic religion. I wanted to learn about your traditions, culture, songs, and inventions. Well, all I witnessed during these years was a metal wall."


    "Don''t you harbor hatred for those who captured you? Injured you?" Sylvester inquired, as he sensed no hatred in the man¡ªonly excitement and hope.


    "I do, but as I mentioned, for us elves, the perception of time is different. Those hundred years felt like two decades to me mentally. However, I won''t deny that I would relish seeing those responsible burned¡ªas per your ritual," Avanss confessed.


    Sylvester was grateful that the elf felt that way. Yet, he still couldn''t bring himself to trust the man based on mere words. Not to the extent of revealing his true name and divulging his greatest secret.


    He stood up to leave. "Avanss, I will return soon. You can rest assured, you are safe here. I have no reason or desire to harm you. You will receive books, food, and drinks while residing here. Currently, I am upied with aiding the dwarves, and once I set them free, we will depart."


    As Sylvester was leaving, Avanss interjected. "At least tell me your name, my friend."


    Sylvester looked back and answered. "Johnathan is my name. To the world, I''m just a human, and I wish to keep it that way."


    "I don''t even know what you''re talking about, ''Johnathan''," Avanss yfully teased, clearly skeptical of Sylvester''s name.


    Sylvester sighed and moved along. ''Ugh, elves will be hard to deal with.''


    As he had spent too much time in the city, he finished briefing Hozin about the next course of action and quickly returned to the royal castle to don his armor again and prepare to walk around the princess.


    But one thing was certain¡ªthat the days ahead were going to be exceptionally interesting.


    ¡­


    Indeed, the days grew remarkably eventful. The city had be consumed by strange rumors that were spreading rapidly. Moreover, hatred towards the nobles continued to escte to the point where any noble found walking the streets for any reason would be attacked and killed if not rescued by guards.


    Of course, Sylvester yed a significant role in fueling that anger among the people as he ventured into the city with Miraj for a few nights, depleting the city''s food reserves to less than half. Simultaneously, he tampered with the water sources, primarily the wells, to hasten their drying up.


    The aftereffects only needed three days to appear as the people began to notice the empty wells and inting price of food. A loaf of bread that used to sell for three copper coins now costs as much as fifteen copper coins, if not more. And the price continued to rise each day.


    It wasn''t that the administration didn''t attempt to resolve the issue by sending additional supplies. They did make an effort, but Sylvester thwarted every n by either eliminating a few more administrators or causing the food supply to vanish.


    When that happened, Sylvester ordered Lady Aurora to open a free food kitchen that served each person two hot, nutritious meals a day by buying grains at exorbitant prices, showing how much love the faith held for the believers.


    Aurora wore a beautiful gown befitting a clergywoman, with the usual light golden robes, but on top of them, she wore her golden armor as well. Appearing like a goddess of war while also being a caring mother¡ªshe instantly became a celebrity.


    Sylvester had many ns to fulfill in the West. One was to reignite the true worship of Solis and foster love for the faith. To cast off the Empire''s influence, and with that one move, he achieved it. Of course, the Empire was vast, and there were many monasteries scattered about, but the change had started from the heart of the Empire, and soon it was expected to spread.


    But as good as that might be, not everything was peaceful everywhere. While Sylvester achieved some victories slowly, the situation in the East was worrisome.


    A weekter, Sylvester sat down in his room to get updates from Sir Dolorem about the situation, and the things he learned made his heart rush with blood and aim to resolve the Western matters faster.


    "Lord Bard, the Church was able tounch an effective attack into the Beastaria Land. They sessfullynded on their shores and are currently in the process of securing a few bases. However, the Pope will be returning to the Holy Land as an emergency has arisen.


    "A series of murders has shaken the Holy Land. All the victims are Cardinals from the camp loyal to the Pope. Your loyal Cardinals, Robert, and Cornelius, were also injured but were saved by the protection of the inquisitors I provided them." Sir Dolorem informed Sylvester.


    Sylvester immediately grasped what was happening. "It seems the hidden hands have started to move. They know the Pope will likely not survive fighting Dragons and Elves personally in the enemynds."


    "We all believe the same thing. That''s why the Pope is returning to handle the situation. He might decide to directly confront the hidden forces this time¡ªhis temper is not calming these days."


    Sylvester sighed, realizing there was nothing he could do. "When snakes are disguised as faith''s greatest guards, I don''t believe defeating them will be possible without being scarred. Inform Isabe, King Hignd, and Lord Einarr to keep their kingdoms prepared.


    "If news of the Pope''s death reaches them, tell them to cooperate with the new administration until I return. As for Riveria, instruct Kaecilius to appear as a religious fanatic. If an opportunity arises, the Church will support him in taking over Riveria, as the current King and his family have a history of opposing the Church."


    Sir Dolorem almost chuckled on the other side as he admired Sylvester. "You haven''t changed at all. Despite being so far away, you have a strong grasp of the situation."


    "I don''t want to repeat past mistakes, Sir Dolorem," Sylvester replied seriously. "The Shadow of Masan got the better of me once¡ªnever again. That''s all for now. I will contact you again once I''ve dealt with the Prince here."


    "P-Please stay safe, Lord Bard¡ªdon''t get caught."


    "Haha!" Sylvesterughed heartily. "No need to worry, my old friend¡ªI won''t be the one killing him."


    With that, Sylvester ended the connection and woke up in the room. A mischievous smile yed on his face as he gazed out of the window at the moon.


    ''Crown Prince¡ªLet''s draw your blood in the French style.''


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 490: Taste of Metal

    Sylvester''s ns didn''t end with killing the Crown Prince, however. Killing the man was just the beginning, a means to an end. More than that, what he wanted was to lure the second prince, the genius in runes automation, to his side. He could imagine how much the man would impact the world by incorporating runes in Sylvester''s ideas for various machines.


    He had seen the spark between the Emperor and the second prince, Jinn. The Prince wanted nothing to do with battles, fighting, or politics and was sort of a researcher. So, Sylvester decided to throw the bait.


    On a usual outing with the Princess, through the use of subconscious maniption, Sylvester made Fernis ask her second brother to join along. So, with him as a guard, he escorted them to the pce gardens, where the two were to sit, talk, and eat.


    With nothing to do, Sylvester decided to do some painting with the Princess''s permission. Of course, she was all too excited to see him do it, as he had never shown her that talent before.


    "I will be drawing a town I saw in the East once," Sylvester stoically said and got to work.


    While the Prince and Princess chatted about the happenings of their lives, they saw Sylvester masterfully make a scenic portrait with great details. But, of course, Sylvester''s ears were also focused on what they spoke.


    "Father will only rest after killing me. He has enrolled me in the Royal Magic Academy to be a warrior," Prince Jinn said. Being a mere twenty-two-year-old man, he looks far younger and thinner than most men his age.


    Fenris also shared her anger regarding their father. "I hate Father too! He''s looking for a groom for me. I don''t want to marry some fat ugly sob to be his broodmare. I want to fall in love with someone and experience the joys of life and romance!"


    "Oh, do you have someone in mind?" Jinn asked.


    "Yes, but he''s too dense to see my feelings. Or perhaps he''s scared of loving a princess. Maybe I should just ignore such a spineless man¡ªso weak."


    ''Haha... She''s trying to taunt me.'' Sylvester could feel Fernis'' burning gaze on his back.


    "I''m finished," Sylvester interrupted them and stepped away from the canvas.


    Jinn and Ferniss stood up to see it closely. It was the scenery of a bustling town that didn''t exist. It was colorful, and a few parts were more detailed than the others.


    "Woah! I never knew you were so talented at painting," Fenris fawned over the painting. "I''m keeping it."


    Meanwhile, Prince Jinn saw what Sylvester wanted him to see¡ªthe bait!


    "What are these strange towers with lines? And why do some of these stone towers have smokeing out?"


    Sylvester acted surprised. "These? They are water tanks, your highness. In the East, the greatte Son of Solis, Sylvester Maximilian, invented this method to bring water to each house. With metalworks bing cheaper using water-powered st furnaces, long metal pipes were used to bring water to houses using gravity. Some of the rich homeowners installed water towers with chimneys below, so water through the pipes can be hot, while the pipe in walls subsequently made the house warm inside."


    After hearing that, Prince Jinn looked at the painting with great interest and found many greater details. "What is that person riding?"


    Sylvester acted as if he were trying to remember the details. "This... I believe the great Lord Bard invented it as well. Is it called... boylicker? Bicide? Bys... Ah, it''s called Bicycle. A two-wheeled instrument that can be powered by our legs to go around on smooth roads. It was a sess in cities."


    "What about this building with a cross on it?" Jinn pointed.


    "This is called a hospital, your grace. It''s a type of ce where sick people cane and receive cures for their medical ailments. The first Hospital was made by Count Raftel on the advice of Lord Bard of Solis. Because of this, instead of medical practitioners going from ce to ce, they get to remain in one ce and heal people in peace. Even Sandwall County had two hospitals, and it was perhaps the most sessful business."


    "Fascinating!" Jinn eximed while checking for any more details, but not finding any. "Jack, was your name? Can youter tell me more about these great inventions in the East? And why is this Lord Bard behind everything?"


    ''So he doesn''t know about my death?'' Sylvester found it amusing but, at the same time,forting.


    "He was the greatest talent the Holy Land had found in millennia, your holiness," Sylvester replied.


    "Was?"


    Fernis scoffed. "You don''t even know that? Count Sandwall backstabbed the great Lord Bard and killed him using the invasion of cannibals. That is why the county was destroyed by the church, and Jack came to Masan."


    Jinn looked saddened by the news. "Such a great inventor... killed for petty politics. This is why the world is stagnant in scientific progress."


    ''Interesting boy.'' Sylvester amusedly thought and stepped back to return to his guard duty.


    Pat!


    Fernis patted her elder brother''s back. "Don''t be sad, big brother. Let''s go and eat dinner with Father''s favorite son. He wants to show me the details of a few prospective grooms for my wedding. So please take my side and judge them negatively."


    Jinn smiled and held Fernis'' hand. "Anything for my little sister. Let''s go then."


    Sylvester silently followed behind after donning his facemask. However, a smile was stered on his hidden face as the night''s final event was to begin. The one that would define the fate of the Prince soon.


    They walked into the castle and went to a royal dining hall with just one giant table. As always, Sylvester was ordered to stay outside, but he was happy with it, for his n didn''t require him to be face-to-face with them.


    Outside the gates of the dining hall, it was just him and the Crown Prince''s bodyguard, who was also a Grand Wizard. The man had his face concealed just like him and appeared like a statue.


    "Dinner."


    At that moment, a line of fifteen servants arrived, pushing trolleys with food. The Crown Prince''s bodyguard halted them and visually inspected each dish.


    ''This is my chance.''


    No one noticed, but Sylvester''s index fingers twitched subtly. And as he did so, minute particles of metal, smaller than a grain of the finest sand, floated in the air and descended into the soup bowls and any gravyden food.


    He solely focused on the dishes that the other bodyguard had finished checking. This way, there was no chance of discovery. Then, after a few minutes, the servants began entering the chamber to set the grand table.


    Silently, Sylvester remained standing outside, resembling a statue. His mind, however, was fully engaged in utilizing elder magic to detect Srium in the air. It aided him in perceiving what was transpiring inside the chamber and hearing the voices.


    ''With this, I won''t have to gather metal from his blood anymore. I can now keep him alive with the metal within him, always ready to strike his heart.'' Sylvester plotted right then, as he had no intention of keeping the Prince alive anyway.


    "Big brother, I will select my own suitor!" Fernis'' voice reached Sylvester as he overheard everything within.


    "But Fernis, how can I permit that? What if you end up marrying some lowly scoundrel?"


    "Hmph! As if the men you''d choose would be handsome men of virtue? I have witnessed you people scheme,mit murder, and lust after money my entire life¡ªall of you are the same! I would rather marry Jack than any of these nobles¡ªand what''s this? This one is merely a four-year-old child!"


    "So this is the matter? That lowly bodyguard of yours has seduced you?" The Crown Prince focused on the name only.


    Fenris gasped and covered her mouth, realizing she had spoken too much in anger. "That''s not what I meant. It was an example, brother. Because Jack is the most virtuous man I have seen in my life. He is prepared to die for his duty and oath. So if you can assure me that the man I will marry will also be willing to die for me, then I will agree to that marriage."


    "Fine¡­let''s eat now."


    Meanwhile, outside, Sylvester was seething in his mind. ''You foolish girl! Why did you use my name? He will surelye after me now¡ªUgh... she is too dim-witted to be used as a pawn. At this rate, she''ll bring my downfall ahead of time.''


    But Sylvester quicklyposed himself and recollected who the Princess truly was. ''As long as it was her who bought human faces from the Cardinal¡ªthere is a strong possibility that she is doing all this as a disguise. Her entire persona could be an act to conceal her true desires.''


    He sighed and resolved to proceed with the n the following day. The Crown Prince had to perish. There was no doubt about it.


    ¡­


    The next day, as the anger of the poor in Southern City escted to an intolerable level, action had to be taken from the royal family''s side.


    Sylvester, aided by Hozin, directed the enraged mob in the city to demand a meeting with at least the Crown Prince, so they could voice their grievances. These included issues such as scarcity of food and water, as well as rampant corruption among administrators and soldiers.


    "Jack, you will apany the Crown Prince today," ordered the Royal Knight Commander to Sylvester, as additional manpower was required since the Prince had agreed to meet the poor.


    Sylvester was already prepared for this, as he had made all the necessary arrangements. He donned his facete and followed the elder knight.


    "Princess Ferniss will be confined to the castle today, so you need not worry about her," the man assured Sylvester. "You have done an admirable job. Most other bodyguards assigned to her in the past were either reced or coerced into leaving. Only you have endured this long."


    ''That is what unsettles me, my friend. Why is she interested in me? It''s highly unlikely for someone to fall in love after only a few encounters, particrly when there is such a vast ss divide.''


    Sylvester thought to himself and silently followed the entire Royal Knight''s division to mount their horses and follow the Prince''s carriage.


    nking the Crown Prince''s carriage were five Grand Wizards, serving as its guardians. Meanwhile, Sylvester upied the foremost row of knights positioned behind the carriage, being a Diamond Knight and one of the organization''s most formidable members.


    ''Alright then, let''s see how much metal you have in you.'' Sylvester silently began to use magic on the man inside the carriage ahead. ''Oh, it''s quite a l¡ª''


    Sylvester''s thoughts abruptly vanished. He noticed the Crown Prince turning his head inside the enclosed stagecoach, peering at him through the rearview window.


    Goosebumps rose on Sylvester''s body, and he realized something just then.


    ''Oh? He wants to y with me in my own game?¡ªAlright, let''s y then. Let''s see how long Shadow of Masan can ignore all this.''''


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 491: The Day Masan Fell

    Pope Axel Tar Kreed knew he had considerably changed in the past few years. His anger was uncontroble, and his patience was constantly waning. He wanted to ensure his legacy, at least, didn''t go to waste as he lost the most trustworthy future Pope candidate.


    His fury knew no bounds, and he never held back his strength anymore. No matter whom he battled, whether an army of minor soldiers or masters of Grand Wizard rank, he killed them in a single strike. Every time he raised his arm, mountains, and forests were uprooted.


    One of the reasons behind it was his anxiety, for he could not remain patient and take any chances anymore. Knowing that even an ant can harm an elephant, he dared not underestimate anyone.


    "Your Holiness, the Council awaits." The moment the Popended on the terrace of Pope Pce, he was greeted by Saint Wazir, who had stayed behind in the Holy Land to manage things.


    The Pope didn''t change his bloodied armor, nor did he clean his white beard with drops of enemy blood sprinkled on it. His eyes were bloodshot. He proceeded down the staircase and then to the underground area where the special session of the Council of Thirty-Two was being held.


    "Your Holiness, they will wait. You can clean yourself if you wish to," Saint Wazir suggested meekly.


    The Pope shook his head, and a grunting voice escaped his mouth. "While our men die on foreignnd¡ªwhile we exhaust every ounce of Srium in our bodies to win battles¡­ THESE LOWLIVES! They have the audacity to scheme."


    Saint Wazir lowered his head in fear, as he had never seen the Pope that angry before. "The investigation has¡­"


    "You can eat your investigation, Cardinal Ethias Lovecraft! I do not have time to engage in petty politics. As per thews, during an emergency, I am the investigator, I am the judge, and executioner. They have already irreparably harmed the faith¡ªif they had not rejected my n for that young boy¡­ he¡­" The Pope stopped midway. "It''s futile to dwell on the dead."


    Bam!


    Finally, upon reaching the lower levels, he kicked the door open of the Arena. There, arge table had been set with chairs around it. They were all upied by the most powerful Cardinals of the church. Old, conniving men with nothing better to do.


    The Pope, however, did not take his seat. "I shall call the names of a few Cardinals. You are toe and stand before me. Cardinal Emos, Cardinal Leonel, Cardinal Yornwood, Cardinal Pinkton¡­"


    One after another, the Pope spoke eight names. The eight men also responded by standing up and reporting to the Pope with salutes.


    The Pope did not allow them to speak. "For harming the interests of the faith andpromising the integrity of the Holy Land, I invoke Article sixty-six against eight of you. Therefore, by the powers vested in me by the grace of the lord, you are to obediently present your necks to me and be executed immediately!"


    "Your Hol¡ª!"


    Woosh!


    Words left unspoken, the Pope didn''t move an inch, yet a de of air elemental magic appeared out of nowhere and struck the necks of all eight men. The eight heads flew in the air with a look of disbelief stered on them.


    The Pope didn''t wait for their bodies to fall and proceeded to take a seat. "Cardinal Joseph, Cardinal Shanket, Cardinal Boris, Cardinal Moris¡­"


    Once again, ten cardinals had their names called this time. With three of the council cardinals murdered long ago, and the recently killed one, there were only twenty-one left to begin with. With ten more, only eleven would be left, and if one were to count out the six Saint Cardinals, only five would be real council members.


    "All of you are hereby demoted to the rank of Archpriest temporarily. As it is a time of emergency, your authority is in direct collision with mine. Therefore, all of you shall be sent to Beastaria to battle, and if you prove yourselves by returning alive, I will not only restore your rank as Cardinals but also grant you the title of Saint."


    The ten Cardinals could do nothing but keep their heads low, for they cherished their lives too much. They dared not even nce at the furious Pope''s face.


    "What are you waiting for then? This council is for Cardinals only!" the Pope roared.


    Like scared cats, the ten old men hurried out of the underground arena. They actually ran with all their might, even if their legs were on the verge of giving up.


    Finally, with only a few Cardinals left, the Pope addressed them. "I am disappointed in you, my sons. From this day forth, I am appointing King Hignd as a special administrator of the Holy Land. With his experience running a Kingdom and ying the game of politics, he shall be a good temporary substitute. He shall salvage whatever remains of this holy institute."


    "Your Holiness, but he has a family!" Saint Wazir reminded. "Some may object."


    "He won''t be granted any clergy rank, Wazir. His sole responsibility will be to efficiently govern the Holy Land as a war machine. Eliminate any clergyman who dares to harm the interests of the faith¡ªand at this moment, our interest is to turn those heathens of Beastaria into lifeless wraiths."


    "Understood, Your Holiness. But what of the source of the troubles?" Saint Wazir inquired finally. "Nothing will end unless he quits."


    "He will not quit¡­We will have to break him. By hook or by crook."


    ¡­


    By hook or by crook. It was an ideology Sylvester had adopted thousands of kilometers away from the Holy Land.


    The day was sunny, beaming with the lively warmth of Srium. The Prince''s entourage left the Hundred Castle City unhindered and entered thend of the impoverished. Their destination was the Monastery, where a meeting withmoners was supposed to take ce.


    As they proceeded, the roads appeared to be surrounded by people, held back by therge number of soldiers deployed there to maintain order.


    Sylvester noticed the anger in the eyes of the people. Using a luxurious royal stagecoach for the ride was certainly not the best idea. A simple horse would have sufficed, but s, royals were just like wealthy politicians of his past life¡ªout of touch with reality.


    Slowly, the procession reached the Monastery, and the Crown Prince walked out. He entered the Monastery''s wide-open gates but didn''t go all the way inside, as a wooden table and a softly cushioned chair awaited him there.


    "Let''s hear them." The Crown Prince dered.


    Immediately, the five Grand Wizard guardians of the Prince, and then the Royal Knights, formed a semi-circle around the Prince''s table, from wall to wall. With that, the crowds ofmoners were allowed toe and gather before the Monastery.


    Sylvester silently stood there as the main line of defense for the Prince. He and the other Royal Knights had their faces covered and looked highly menacing. Thanks to that, themoners didn''t daree too close to them.


    ''The scent of hatred and madness surpasses everything else. All this crowd now needs is a simple push. With that, even the strongest foundation shall shake.''


    Sylvester looked carefully and noticed Hozin in the crowd, as expected. Meanwhile, Lady Aurora had emerged from the Monastery in her armor, as she was the Saint Cardinal, the beloveddy of the people.


    People respected Lady Aurora, so they listened to her instructions. Then, in no time, the firstmoner was called over to stand before the Prince and ry his problems.


    "My Prince, I am a poor man with a daughter and a son. My wife died while working in the ss factory. Buying food has be impossible these days. How will I feed my children? Please help me."


    The Crown Prince nodded and waved at a knight on his left. The knight quickly brought out a small sack of grains.


    "Have this and feel no worry, my friend. The royal family is keenly observing the situation. We wille up with a solution very soon."


    The poormoner nced at the pitifully tiny bag of grains and returned with a sullen face. Of course, the Prince didn''t even know how long that sack would serve a person and his family. So the help felt more like a mockery than a true gift.


    One by one, names were called continuously. Then, once one hundred names were cleared, the Crown Prince stood up to leave. "We are done here."


    It was, after all, a mere stunt to make him popr among the masses. Distributing free food was the easiest way. But he misjudged the people''s anger. They no longer wanted gifts. They wanted solutions, and considering the crowd of tens of thousands that had gathered there, just talking with a hundred was uneptable.


    "Die, prince!" One shouted.


    "Rot in hell!"


    "Die with your family!"


    "Off with the head! Off with the head!"


    The people began to shout nonstop, cursing the royal family, the nobles, and the soldiers.


    Sylvester looked at Hozin secretly and nodded his head. With that, the first n was initiated. The rumors had already spread that the Prince had onlye to silence them, not help them. In addition, rumors such as ns to increase taxes were also spread around, making everyone restless.


    They wanted to ask questions, but the Prince didn''t allow them. They wanted to speak about food and water, but they were instead pushed back by the soldiers.


    Bam!


    "You animals!" Amoner suddenly shouted and threw an egg at the Prince, which hit the Prince''s armor.


    "Down with Mirmasan! Death to Mirmasan!" The people began chanting against the name of the royal family.


    The situation began to turn for the worse slowly. The crowd only increased as every second passed, and from the raised tform of the Monastery, only a sea of angry heads and faces could be seen. Finally, they all began to push forward to reach the Prince amidst the random flying eggs.


    Sylvester smiled behind his mask. Once again, ever so secretly, his finger twitched. Magic did its wonder, and the human wall made by soldiers copsed as one of the soldiers fainted. The dam broke, and the sea of people rushed ahead.


    "DEATH TO MIRMASAN!"


    "KILL HIM!"


    Sylvester, being in the first line of the main defense against the dangers, rushed back to the Prince, shouting to protect him. "Take the Prince away!"


    Bam!


    The moment he shouted, a stone came and hit the Prince in the face. The five Grand Wizard bodyguards became enraged and shielded the Prince. However, when tens of thousands of people threw rocks and eggs, it felt like rain.


    Woosh!


    "Aaargh! Help!"


    But just then, one of the soldiers near the crowd used his sword and openly beheaded one of themoners. The head flew in the air and fell into the big crowd. Everyone saw it and felt terrified, but soon it only enraged them more than anything.


    ''Good Job, Hozin¡­now go back and watch the game.'' Sylvester smiled. Of course, the soldier who beheaded the man was his guy.


    The chain reaction began. The soldiers retaliated immediately, stabbing and shing their swords at the unarmed people. But there was nowhere to go for the soldiers as the crowd surrounded the Monastery.


    Bam!


    Thud!


    Stones continued to fall on the Prince, only a few touching. However, that was enough for Sylvester as he finally began to move all the metal he had fed the man the previous night.


    ''Let the revolution begin, Prince Zedd!''


    The metal ball moved fast, damaging the Prince''s stomach and then the heart, puncturing holes in organs. But, the damage was not enough to kill him immediately and only wound him so he would cough out blood.


    "PRINCE!" Sylvester shouted and rushed over. Since the Grand Wizards were busy watching the crowd of more than a hundred thousand, they didn''t notice the price falling from his seat in a pool of blood that came from his mouth.


    "Death to Mirmasan!"


    Tensions, violence, and uneasiness red up. And with the Prince''s downfall, their options were clear. They could not fly, so they had to make their way.


    Sylvester hurried to act before anyone and picked the Prince into his arms. "Respected Wizards, please make way for us to return to the royal castle immediately! P-Prince¡­or else he won''t survive!"


    The five Grand Wizards had no time to think. They had to act, and they only knew one way to react.


    Sylvester satisfyingly watched it all unfold behind his mask. ''Go on¡­kickstart the real revolution. Let their blood be the markings of your end. Use your mighty magic on the poor and weak who can''t even defend.''


    BOOM!


    Five Grand Wizards against hundreds of thousands ofmoners? The result: a mass massacre!


    Tornadoes of fire, waves of icy shards, colossal gusts of air¡ªelemental magic was wielded by the five Grand Wizards. It required no effort, and in a mere minute, sliced, battered, and scorched bodies littered the ground around the Monastery, resembling a hellish sea of the deceased.


    A handful managed to survive, but they teetered on the brink of death, cursing and wailing. Children wept in front of their parents'' headless or charred remains.


    Sylvester, witnessing it all, paid no heed to the dead. What he did was something Solis wanted from him.


    ''Fulfill my purpose, no matter the price. Solis, for you, I hope this madness will suffice.'' Sylvester walked between the dead bodies, blood sshing under his footsteps. Behind him were the rest of the Royal Knights, and before him were the five Grand Wizards, having no idea how much they had helped Sylvester.


    ''As the message of this massacre shall spread, the rest of Masan will feel nothing but dread¡ªThis execution is my solution, for the looming revolution.''


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 492: A Spys Greatest Weapon!

    How many were vanquished, how many survived, that was not a concern for anyone. As Sylvester carried the Prince in his arms at an inhuman speed, the other Grand Wizards simply made way. The entire city had been consumed by madness. Witnessing the massacre had agitated everyone.


    What were they? Were they not humans? What right do the wizards and nobles have to kill them at their whim and starve them as they desire? The questions were plentiful among the desperate souls ofmoners, but sadly, before Supreme Strength, no amount of words or thoughts could help.


    The mighty trample the weak. It had been thew of the world since the inception of time, and it shall be thew until the end.


    Boom!


    Grand Wizards cleared the path, obliterating anyone or anything that stood in their way. They made way for Sylvester to increase his speed and smoothly enter the heavily guarded gates of the Hundred Castle City. Once inside, Sylvester quickened his pace to reach the royal castle.


    From there, they hastened to the hall of healers, where he ced the Prince on a bed. Naturally, he also inflicted further harm upon the man during that time, ensuring he remained on the edge of death. Once satisfied, he also retrieved the excessive metal he had inserted into the man''s body.


    It was a perfect crime, and Sylvester knew only one person could solve it. And if that person were to appear, it would be Sylvester''s victory.


    "What has happened to the Prince?" The tall and imposing Supreme General of Masan arrived. A level ten Grand Wizard, he exuded an imposing aura even when standing several feet away. "Who has done this to my grand nephew?!"


    Sylvester immediately stepped back from the bed and allowed the other Grand Wizards to respond to the man.


    "We were in the Southern City. The peasants attacked us inrge numbers and pelted us with stones. Some of them struck His Highness. It was a minor injury, General, but the Prince fell from his seat afterward." A Grand Wizard exined. "We promptly brought him back after defending ourselves."


    "Defending yourselves?!" Supreme General Manzax sternly confronted his subordinate. "Why did you feel the need to retaliate against peasants?"


    Immediately, the five Grand Wizards lowered their heads, and only one replied with stutters. "G-Generals... There w-were hundreds of thousands of them. W-We used wide-scale magic to defend ourselves."


    The General''s hands trembled with fury, and his eyes behind the mask burned red. "You, as a Grand Wizard possessing the ability to decimate cities, used wide-area magic against a crowd of unarmed citizens?"


    "A-All of us did¡­General."


    "You... scoundrels!" the General roared. "How many did you kill? I want an estimation... NOW!"


    "T-Tens of thousands, General. We had to fight on our way back as well."


    The medical hall went silent at the reply. It was unimaginable what kind of damage five Grand Wizards could bring on weak civilians.


    "You have ruined us! You went there to talk and negotiate, notmit genocide! They will never forget this now¡ªwe just gave birth to a city full of enemies to the crown!" General Manzax muttered with great concern in his voice. "I shall go and overlook the situation until normalcy."


    "General!" The chief Healer abruptly called the man. "The Prince... His internal body is a mess. His stomach is punctured, his veins connected to his heart are broken, his lungs are damaged, as well as his entire liver¡ªI''m afraid... we must prepare for the worst!"


    THUD!


    All five Grand Wizards and Royal Knights fell to their knees. Sylvester also mimicked them, showing grief in the situation. Meanwhile, General Manzax was frozen on the spot.


    "Healer, have you gone senile? How can a mere stone thrown by a peasant cause such damage?"


    "I do not know, but what I say is what my examination revealed. He was destroyed from inside somehow." The old-looking, bald, brown-skinned Healer replied. His hunched back and scared eyes could not be more noticeable at that moment.


    The General walked closer to the bed. "So it was an attack on my grand nephew?"


    "General, I noticed no signs of an attack or poisoning. It could just be an unknown disorder." The Healer clearly stated. "The world is filled with diseases we are yet to discover."


    "Do not start your education seminars here, Healer! Save the Crown Prince, no matter what. Call any healer you need from the world¡ªhe is the future of our Empire¡ªHe can''t die!"


    It was chaos outside the castle, as well as inside the castle. It didn''t take anyone special to spread the news. The moment the Healer imed the Crown Prince was incurable, the various ves and workers began to run around, forwarding the news.


    In no time, the entire top administration of the Empire and the Royal Family learned about it. The Emperor, Empress, and the two direct siblings quickly rushed to the Healer''s hall. Unfortunately, the Emperor was already a withering old man, so he was brought in a pnquin. The same was the case with the Empress.


    Due to their slow speed, the first to arrive was Princess Fernis. She lunged near the bed and cried her heart out, seeing her beloved brother unconscious, his mouth crimson with blood.


    "Who did this? Who hurt my brother?" she shouted at the Healer and the Supreme General.


    Amidst the crowd of soldiers was Sylvester. He silently assessed the reactions and emotions of everyone who came to see the dying Prince. To his luck, he was not disappointed with the revtions.


    ''Got you!'' Sylvester smelled the scent of lies from the princess. ''No love for your dear brother, princess?''


    As he smelled it, he sensed the scent of jealousy, excitement, surprise, and peace¡ªa mixture far from someone grieving the loss of their loved one.


    "My son!"


    Just then, Emperor Zenith arrived. He got out of the pnquin while rushing to the bed, despite being frail. This time, Sylvester smelled genuine fear and sadness, worry like never before. Understandably so, as the Crown Prince was the Emperor''s favorite to be the ruler next.


    ''Let''s get to work, then,'' Sylvester thought, once again beginning to move his index finger ever so slightly. Using metal maniption, he controlled a small amount of peculiar metal he had concealed beneath the Prince''s body.


    Tiny particles, smaller than one could see, slowly flew into the Emperor''s mouth while the mighty Emperor shouted curses filled with worry and fear. He didn''t feel it at all, and eventually, the particles reached their destination in the stomach and formed a small ball, about an inch in size.


    Soon enough, the Empress arrived, and once again, Sylvester did the same. He followed the same procedure with the Grand Premier and Magistrate General. The body of the Crown Prince had effectively be Sylvester''s trap, as he always knew he would never get to approach those people so closely by other means.


    Cough!


    The Prince finally woke up with a mouthful of blood. He looked at his family with eyes filled with pain, his throat so damaged that no words came out.


    "F-Fa¡­"


    "Be at ease..." the Emperor weakly voiced as he saw the hope of the Empire crumbling before his eyes. "You will be healed soon, Zedd. Do not worry. We have the best healers in the realm here."


    "F-Fa¡­Iz¡­painsss~" the Crown Prince was able to utter a few words, revealing his misery.


    "Quick! Put him to sleep!" the Emperor roared at the Healer. "Stop his pain and begin the healing. Do whatever you must do; call wizards from anywhere you can¡ªlight wizards, dark wizards, I don''t care!"


    Sadly, the Chief Healer had already given his verdict. But how could he tell the truth to the Emperor? He simply nodded his head and proceeded to put the Prince to sleep.


    The crowds were then dispersed, and only a few soldiers were kept to be interviewed in order to understand the situation. The massacre they hadmitted outside wasn''t going to bring about anything positive, and they knew it.


    Tough times for Masan had just begun.


    ¡­


    Southern City,


    Saint Cardinal Aurora knew what was about to happen, and she knew it was a necessary sacrifice to bring about a change. Being an Inquisitor, she had seen death before. However, seeing the mangled, chopped, or burned bodies of innocent civilians, men, women, and children, was a different experience.


    She walked around the Southern City, heading in the direction of Hundred Castle City. Along the way, all she saw were corpses in conditions where no one could recognize who they once were.


    "Saint Cardinal, the report has arrived!" Aurora''s adjutant appeared and handed a file to her. It only contained a single sheet, and on the paper were the names of each district of the city along with the number of deaths.


    Aurora gasped as she read the total numbers. "Are you sure? Three hundred thousand? That''s¡­fifteen percent of the total city''s poption!"


    The adjutant, a young and strong clergyman, lowered his head in shame. "T-The situation got out of control. The soldiers didn''t stop killing, and the people only became more agitated to retaliate against the injustice. Even as we speak, some districts are facing violence."


    Aurora sighed and headed to the Royal Castle in the protected city. It was crucial that the nobles understood what a mess they had created. Because once the people start leaving the city again, the entire Empire would hear the news of the massacre.


    ¡­


    Sadly, the Empire was the least of the Emperor''s worries. It had been two days, and the Crown Prince still remained in aa. The healers came and went to aid his son, but none ever returned with joyful faces and good news.


    In just two days, the Emperor seemed to have aged a few more years. His typically strong and lively face appeared darker than before, his eyes were always red now, and the ck bags underneath his eyes swelled even more.


    "Bring me some wine!" Emperor Zenith bellowed from his small court chamber while he sat on the throne. "Ah! G-Grandfather? You''re here? Why are you here?"


    At the Emperor''s words, all the court members looked around in confusion. There was nobody standing before the Emperor, certainly not the Emperor''s Grandfather, as the man had been dead for centuries.


    "I will make you proud, Grandfather...Long Live the Empire!"


    The rambling continued as if the Emperor had gone insane. Randomly shouting, seeing things, and talking to imaginary entities were enough signs.


    However, the court continued its proceedings. The gates opened, and the herald announced the arrival.


    "The personal guard of the Princess, Jack of the Sandwall, has arrived!"


    Sylvester walked in, d in his full armor. Having been specifically summoned, he was certainly on edge. But he understood that if someone had discovered his plots, they would have sent soldiers to apprehend him, not invite him.


    "Ah! Jack! The valiant knight of Sandwall! You did well by saving my son!" the Emperor eximed excitedly, behaving unlike himself as he stood up to approach Sylvester. The Grand Primer attempted to stop him, but the elderly monarch did not listen.


    Pat!


    The Emperor ced his hand on Sylvester''s shoulder, unknowinglying so close to his greatest adversary. "Come, I shall introduce you to my grandfather! He was the greatest Emperor of Masan, who led us to our peak..."


    Unceasing chatter and nonsensical rambling. That was the condition in which the Emperor was left.


    ''So it worked,'' Sylvester felt nothing but delight in his heart. ''The Trojan horse that was Prince''s body worked like a charm.''


    Sylvester followed the man all the way to the throne. Finally, the Emperor sat down, and Sylvester stood beside the throne. He could not believe it was happening so soon¡ªhe was within arm''s reach of the Emperor.


    ''Oh, Mercury, such a great neurotoxic element¡ªtwo lives, and still so elegant.''


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 493: The Time Has Come

    "My Grandfather, Hathim Hu''ul Mirmasan, the great¡ªhe defeated all the foolish separatist tribes, killing every single one of them. See there, that''s my grandfather standing there. He''s here to bless me!" the Emperor of Masan talked with Sylvester as if they were long-lost friends.


    But as the Emperor talked, the difort among the crowds in the court increased. There was nobody standing before the Emperor. It was a clear case of hallucination. However, more people got interested in Sylvester''s dilemma at that moment, wondering how the strange Eastern Knight would react.


    Sylvester sighed internally behind his mask and acknowledged the Emperor''s words. He could sense the man''s emotions, so he decided to tread carefully, maintaining positive scents. "He looks mighty, Your Imperial Majesty."


    "Haha! Indeed, he was very majestic." the Emperor bellowed in delight. "But he wasn''t a good man."


    Mood swings, hallucinations, and loss of a sense of ce. The effects of mercury slowly dissolving in the man''s body were clear. It wasn''t enough to cause deadly poisoning, but sufficient to cause madness.


    "He was a man who relished in worldly affairs¡­oh, grandfather¡­why?" the Emperor resumed. "He loved women and food the most and had plenty of both. In his life, he married sixteen hundred women, and he killed them all after marrying and spending the night. Only my Grandmother survived and produced an offspring, which earned her mercy and the title of Empress Consort. What do you think, boy? Should I execute this man now? Hemitted sins against thew, religion, and our culture¡­I''ve made up my mind¡­ Boy, Imand you to kill my grandfather! Behead him!"


    ''How do I kill an imaginary ghost?'' Sylvester found himself in deep trouble.


    Shhh¡­!


    Sylvester unsheathed his sword and stepped forward. For a moment, the lucrative idea of just beheading the Emperor crossed his mind. But, it was an impossible thought, as just killing the Emperor would not ensure his victory. He had to defeat the entire Mirmasan family and its administration.


    "Kill him!" the Emperor raged. "Imand you!"


    Thud! Thud!


    Just then, Sylvester''s saving grace appeared in the form of a beautiful woman d in armor and the garb of a clergywoman. The door opened, and the Herald announced the arrival.


    "Saint Cardinal of the West, Ninth Guardian of Light, Aurora Foxtron has arrived!"


    Aurora, with her long, cascading brown hair, entered with a stern face. As the sole individual within the Empire who held an equal social standing to the Emperor, she had no need to bow or pay respect to the man on the throne.


    "Your Imperial Majesty, it has been two days since the incident in the Southern City. The death toll of the citizens now sits at nearly four hundred thousand! I respectfully implore you to send additional forces, for the riots are yet to be fully quenched." Aurora got straight to the point and spoke with absolute authority.


    With her so close, Sylvester immediately closed his eyes and tried to speak with her in his mind. He knew her Sirum Signature very well, and easily connected.


    ''Aurora, the n was too sessful. He is seeing the ghost of his grandfather and wishes for me to execute the ghost. Do something and get me out of here.''


    ''Oh my, the great master schemer Sylvester Maximilian has finally found himself in a tight corner? Fine, this big sister shall graciously help you. But you better treat me to something goodter.'' She, as always, appeared more solemn than anyone else in the room, but inside, she was the same old mischievous fox. Her heart had finally found happiness again after seeing Sylvester alive and well.


    "If this goes, I''m afraid the numbers will soon cross half a million!" Aurora painted a dark picture for everyone.


    "LET THEM DIE! KILL THEM ALL!" Emperor Zenith suddenly roared and leaped up from his throne. His weak frame tried to walk down the stairs toward Aurora. "They dared to harm my son¡ªhe has yet to open his eyes! Woman, when giants fall, the ants are quashed¡­let them suffer until my son wakes up!"


    Aurora locked eyes with the Emperor and retorted, "Man, when the giant falls, another giant takes its ce. Do not let your emotions be the reason for the death of millions¡ªOr I will be forced to impose Article Four, Four A, and Four B of Holy Law!"


    ''Good job, girl.'' Sylvester was delighted to see her talk back. She had to maintain her image as the Saint Cardinal because if anyone undermined her, it would be the end of her authority. On top of that, it was the perfect way to agitate the Emperor even more and show the court''s crowd that the man had be unfit to rule.


    "Are you threatening my Masan?" the Emperor asked.


    "No, I''m informing Masan''s ruler. The world operates onws, and no mortal has the right to vite them. That includes me and you, as well as the Pope," she replied.


    Insulted¡ªthe Emperor was utterly outraged. He began to gasp for air loudly and paced in circles. From time to time, he rubbed his face and looked at Aurora as well.


    "Guards!" he suddenly shouted. "Behead her!"


    "Waaah!"


    "No!"


    "What?"


    That drew reactions from people in an instant. Nheless, the Imperial Guards also entered with their swords unsheathed. Even Sylvester had his hand on the hilt, but his aim was at the Emperor''s neck if he dared to actually order the beheading.


    Aurora didn''t even flinch and looked into the Emperor''s eyes. "You think I fear death? That would only send me into Solis''s embrace faster. But remember what you are doing, for what you are about tomit is the highest level of heresy¡ªArticle Sixty-Six."


    The Emperor bellowed inughter, "Haha¡­Do you think you can purge the Masan Empire? Do you think your Pope wille here when he''s already fighting in Beastaria? Or perhaps you believe your Solis will appear?"


    For a split second, Aurora looked at Sylvester before smiling. "Solis is already with me! Solis is everywhere!"


    Tensions grew in the room. No one had the courage to intervene and stop the Emperor, not even the Grand Premier. The other men could only maintain silence, lest they incur the Emperor''s wrath.


    "Guards! Be¡ª"


    Tap!


    Woosh!


    "Hahaha! This naive boy."


    Ting!


    Sylvester, by pure instinct, unleashed his sword and struck forward with full power. His mind went into automatic reaction, and a storm of questions took him over.


    ''I didn''t even sense this maning!''


    "Leave His Majesty alone!" Sylvester swung his sword with enough strength to kill an Archwizard in a single blow.


    nk!


    "Haha, I appreciate your loyalty, young one."


    ''WHAT! Stopped with a single dagger?!'' Sylvester stepped back instantly, sensing extreme danger from the white-bearded man with a turban. His face was full of wrinkles, and even his belly was a little round¡ªyet the massive strength. With a single tap on the neck, he had made the Emperor fall asleep.


    ''Who is he?''


    "Gentlemen, the court is dismissed. It appears that the Emperor is exhausted after the recent events." The old man in ordinary western desert clothes imed. He nced at Aurora as well and lowered his head. "Esteemed Saint Cardinal, I apologize for my little brother''s rudeness. Please forgive this incident as the ramblings of a drunk man."


    Aurora was simrly on edge with the appearance of the old and mysterious man. He appeared out of nowhere. "If that is the official stance of Masan, then I ept the arrangement. But I will need more soldiers to restore peace in the city."


    "Of course. Why not take this young man with you?" the old man gestured at Sylvester. "He saved the Prince masterfully. I''m sure he will lead the additional troops well."


    Aurora nodded. "Thank you¡­"


    "Oh, where are my manners? I am Killim Hu''ul Mirmasan, the old man of Masan. I will take my little brother now." The old man dragged the Emperor away with one arm over his shoulder. Nobody in court uttered a word, and the Grand Premier even fell to his knees, his body shivering in fright.


    Sylvester stared at the retreating figure of the peculiar old man, his breath held in suspense. ''It''s him! This is him! I can feel it¡­the way he looked, theck of scent¡­this has to be him!''


    Out of nowhere, an expert never heard of before, the older brother of the Emperor of all people, appeared. Nothing about it could be considered normal.


    ''Was he following me this entire time? No, he wouldn''t have let the massacre happen¡­unless he had some gain from it! But¡­the dust on his clothes wasn''t yellow; it was red. The Warsong Kingdom? Red dust is in abundance there¡­did he travel from there in an instant?''


    "You! What''s your name? Hey, have you gone deaf?"


    "What?" Sylvester returned to his senses at Aurora''s voice. "I''m Jack, Your Eminence."


    Aurora scoffed and turned to leave. "Follow me. We have much work to do."


    Sylvester did so, but his mind remained preupied. ''Is that even his real name and face? Is he really the Emperor''s elder brother? And his strength, perhaps a Supreme Wizard?''


    He felt like scratching his head. But he remained calm and collected for the task ahead. It was time to fix the mess that was Southern City.


    "Your Eminence, may I have a brief moment to retrieve something from my room?" Sylvester respectfully asked. "I came here without my primary weapon."


    "Make it swift!"


    Sylvester wasted no time and rushed to fetch Chonky as the n was to distribute food to the people¡ªall in the name of the Holy Land and Solis to raise the image of the church. And he had to do it before the word started to spread around the Empire.


    Click!


    "Jack?"


    Just as Sylvester was opening the door to his room, the door to the Princess''s chamber opened. She appeared disheveled, with crumpled clothes, messy hair, and smudged eye makeup from crying. She wore a simple blue nightgown with a low neckline and no head covering.


    "Can I talk to you?" She softly asked, making a pitiful face.


    Sylvester, knowing it was his duty to be with her, had to agree. "You can, Princess."


    He removed his helmet and facete as per the deal between them from before and entered her royal chambers. The chambers were currently organized as interconnected rooms, and upon entering, there was a couch to sit on.


    "Come." Fernis caught his hand and led him to the seat. Not acting conservative in the slightest, she kept his hand in hers and sat close enough that their shoulders touched.


    "Jack, my brother is going to die, right?" She asked with a sad look. "I overheard the healer talking. I don''t want him to die¡­"


    Suddenly, she lunged and straddled hisp, facing him. Not caring for his armored body, she wrapped her arms around his neck and cried on his shoulder.


    ''No scent of sadness, yet the tears falling on my shoulder are real. Well practiced, Princess. But what do you want from me?''


    Sylvester patted her back to calm her down. "Life and death is the natural order of this world, Princess Fernis. One day, even I will die. It could be on a battlefield or from old age, but no matter where, it''s merely our predetermined fate."


    She sniffled on his shoulder and hugged his neck tighter. Her petite frame resting on him felt as light as a cat on hisp, and Sylvester didn''t mind. His entire attention was on sensing the scents and her heartbeat.


    ''Roses and sweat¡ªlust is there. But why does ite with a hint of jealousy?''


    "Jack, can you call me Fernis? Just Fernis?" She lifted her head and asked, still straddling hisp and facing him.


    ''Oh, the scent of hope?''


    "As youmand¡­Fernis."


    Instantly, a huge, warm smile graced her face. It was a genuine smile, evident from both the scent and looks. Her eyes squinted, her teeth on disy, and her heart thumped as if she was in a race.


    "I must return to my duties now, Fernis." He tried to stand up.


    But she didn''t release her arms from his neck and continued to gaze into his eyes. Then, slowly, she moved her hand and caressed his face, as if she was adoring a treasure.


    "Your face is so¡­perfect." She muttered longingly. "Jack, I have just one small request, then you can go. It will take just a second."


    ''Girl, calm down. Your heart is about to explode!'' Sylvester sensed her heightened state.


    Remaining stoic, Sylvester nodded. "I serve you, and fulfilling your request is my duty, Fernis."


    Pa!


    She firmly ced her palms on his cheeks.


    "Then¡ªLet me kiss you once!"


    "..."


    [A/N: See Killim Hu''ul Mirmasan]


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 Chapter 494: Dark Clouds Over Holy Land

    "Then¡ªLet me kiss you once!"


    Fernis'' eyes glittered under the sunlight streaming through the windows. She was fixated on his face, particrly his lips. Her legs, straddling hisp, tightened as she awaited Sylvester''s response.


    ''This does not seem like a honeytrap,'' Sylvester concluded, having executed many honeytraps in his previous life on the wives of generals and politicians. ''Does she genuinely desire this? But why?''


    Sylvester pondered his options. His work in Masan was far fromplete. The Princess supported him and was the reason he resided within the castle. If she stopped fantasizing about him, he might be expelled.


    ''She is too impulsive for me to predict her reaction to rejection. Perhaps allowing her to indulge in her fantasies will be helpful.''


    Sylvester remained silent but nodded slightly. He felt no attraction towards her, yet she was an important pawn in therger scheme.


    Fenris took his slight nod as approval and pressed her face on Sylvester. She attempted to be intimate, but all she received in return was a stoic Sylvester with his lips firmly sealed like a wall of concrete.


    Her heart sank instantly, and she pulled her lips away. She moved off hisp and sat on the couch. "So you feel nothing for me? Nothing at all? Am I¡­not pretty enough?"


    Sylvester gazed at her and, for the first time, willingly took her hand in his. He looked at her face with a slightly softened expression before speaking. "Princess, you are incredibly beautiful, and any man would be fortunate to win your affection. However, look at me¡ªa nameless ve turned knight. I possess nond, wealth, or power, unlike you, a princess of a mighty Empire. We are not destined to have any rtionship beyond that of a master and associate."


    She didn''t cry and just pulled her knees up to her chest, burying her face between them, concealing her expression. "I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have touched you like that¡­ I''m just¡­ frustrated."


    ''She is smarter than what she lets out. The downfall of the empire must be clear to her eyes.'' Sylvester theorized and inched closer to her. Yes, he couldn''t offer her love, but he could provide her warmth and perhaps leave a stronger impression in her mind, one that would ensure her loyalty.


    He held her by his shoulder, almost embracing her and yet refraining. He said nothing and allowed her to shed tears slowly. It was confusing because he knew she wasn''t sad about her brother dying. Instead, there was something more to her, something much deeper and greater weighing on her mind.


    She sniffled. "Y-You should leave. You have work, you mentioned."


    Gently, he distanced himself from her and wore his helmet and facete again. "Untilter, Princess."


    Resuming his role as her personal guard, he saluted her and departed from the chamber. He entered his own quarters and discovered Miraj sitting on the bed, ying. Clutched between his paws were a few of his beloved shiny pebbles and a ball of yarn.


    "Chonky, let''s go. We have work today." He called him.


    "Really?!" Miraj leapt up and eagerly perched on Sylvester''s shoulder. "I was getting so bored here. You never take me along. I want to see the grand castle too."


    Sylvester squished Miraj''s face and took him along. "You''re too adorable for this world to handle, Chonky. I don''t want to destroy the world now."


    "Hehe¡­" Miraj giggled shyly and settled on Sylvester''s helmet.


    ¡­


    The Crown Prince had fulfilled his destined role. Sessfully, Sylvester had used him to poison the Emperor, Empress, Magistrate General, and Grand Primer. Although, only the Emperor had begun to show clear signs of madness.


    Three days after the massacre in the Southern City, the Crown Prince took hisst breath. Unable to heal his extremely wounded body from the inside, the healers were helpless.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    One hundred cannon shots reverberated throughout Marashia as the Crown Prince''s body rested upon the pyre. Saint Cardinal Aurora herself conducted the final rituals, reciting prayers and igniting the pyre.


    Amidst hundreds of tearful faces, genuine tears were shed by only a few. The Emperor was a shattered, deranged wreck, while the Empress had simply be empty in her mind. Fernis also disyed a few tears, while Jinn, the second prince, remained stoic. As for the concubines and their children, their hearts were filled with happiness. After all, in Masan, each deceased prince meant reducedpetition for resources and wealth.


    After the cremation, the ashes were collected in a vessel for remembrance and handed over to the Emperor.


    Just like that, the future of Masan was ruined, but only time would tell what the long-term effects would be.


    ¡­


    Holy Land,


    Amidst the internal turmoil that finally slowed down after Pope''s personal meddling, the war continued to get bloodier and stretched. The supply lines to the soldiers in Beastaria were constantly under pressure from pirates and enemy navies. The Dragons were formidable flying fortresses of destruction, and they proved to be the most challenging adversaries.


    However, with all the Church''s Grand Wizards engaged in war, they somehow managed. The Pope''s strategy was not to engage in direct warfare but to make it a slow and long process. They aimed to take over one vige or town at a time, showing kindness and brainwashing the people to ept the faith of Solis as their own.


    After all, their ultimate goal was not only to achieve victory but also to spread the Faith of Solis throughout the entire heathennd.


    However, in thend of grand schemes and politics, hidden plots were everpresent. Sometimes, those plots came from outside, and sometimes from the backyard itself.


    "Act natural, and if anyone stops you, simply greet them in their customary manner. Remember, we''re heading to the administration building to report to King Hignd. My name is no longer Elgun. I am Hans. You are Kenny, James, and Orion. If caught, you know what to do."


    "Understood,mander."


    "Yes, priest."


    "That''s right. We''re all priest now. Let''s go."


    Four men, all standing tall at six feet with lean builds, walked towards the Guild Penins of the Holy Land. Their hair was short, and it was either ck or blonde. They appeared like any other members of the Clergy.


    Although security had been tightened, the war had caused a shortage of manpower for street patrols. This made it easier for the four of them to reach the small port and board a ferry to the Guild Penins.


    The Guild Penins was now more bustling than ever. Since the church was unable to take on many of the quests that arrived there, frencers were allowed to do the job. All sorts of shops and guilds were thriving in the war economy. With war production at its peak, the internal economy was never better in the past.


    Even though they had to sell their products to the Holy Land at low prices, the Holy Land was not cruel enough to make them suffer losses. So, even though small, thebined profits were substantial.


    Soon, the four men reached the Guild Penins and made their way to thergest sick bay on the penins. Wearing their Clergymen uniforms, none questioned them. However, going further was not going to be easy.


    "You three, keep staff busy. I will go inside." The leader among them ordered and confidently walked into the administrative wing of the sick bay.


    Other than a few healers and Bright Mothers, there was no soldier present. Even the clergymen were all of the priest levels, and they were all office staffers.


    "Stop, you can''t enter there!" Suddenly, a Bright Mother called out to the man. "I am the Superintendent''s assistant. Who are you? Do you have an appointment?"


    "I don''t need any."


    Woosh!


    Out of nowhere, a root emerged from the ground where the Bright Mother stood and pierced into her ankle. Instantly, she fell to the floor, her eyes wide and rolling back into her head.


    With that, he had free ess to enter the door before him. He straightened his clothes and calmly walked inside.


    It was arge room; half of it was divided into an informal sitting area with a low-height table and couches around, while the other half was a proper office with arge, polished table topped with files, books, and more. Adjacent to the walls were bookshelves that stretched from floor to ceiling, holding thousands of books.


    "Yes? What can I do for you?"


    Just then, a warm, soft voice echoed in the room. The man nced at the woman seated behind the table. Wearing the clothes of the Bright Mother, she appeared unimpressive, but her face exuded vitality, and her beauty was unmistakable, entuated by her red, silky hair and blue eyes.


    "Bright Mother Xavia Maximilian?" The man interrogated.


    "Yes, and who might you be?"


    The man hurriedly approached the table. "I am Elgun Skrilon¡ªCommander of the stealth warriors of Alfia. We are here under the order of King Rathagun Xeek Eldaron!"


    Thud!


    Xavia abruptly stood up, causing her chair to fall back with a sound. She took a few steps backward, retreating towards the bookshelves. Fear filled her eyes as she wondered why the elves hade.


    "W-What do you want?"


    "You, Bright Mother. We want to take y¡ª"


    BOOM!


    Not even able to finish his sentence, a sudden boom reverberated throughout the vast room. Both Xavia and the elf were taken aback as the windows on the wall began to shatter.


    Thud!


    Simultaneously, the bookshelves toppled forward, creating a massive storm of dust that obscured visibility.


    However, it didn''t take long for everything to be clear. An ambush had arrived¡ªmighty, towering men armed to the teeth with the finest armor, red capes, and razor-sharp des. They poured in through the windows and from behind the bookshelves, their eyes shining red with rage.


    "You elven filth!" they roared in unison, shaking the very ground beneath them. "You dare plot against our beloved Bright Mother! To allow you to leave alive would be a sin against the blessed soul of the great bard!"


    Woosh!


    All the des aimed at the elf''s head while a few men rushed forward to shield Xavia with their bodies. Then themander of the men bellowed.


    "My brothers, my finest Inquisitors¡ªLet''s give a perfect wee to these unholy visitors!"


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 495: 9 Years Later, Face To Face

    ''Try to find out more about this new man in Masan''s chapter. He ims to be the Emperor''s elder brother, but I don''t remember any such records in my research. He could be the Shadow of Masan, but I am not sure yet. He''s not a man who woulde out into the open like that.'' Sylvester conversed with Aurora through the Srium Web, speaking mentally.


    She was simrly perplexed as Sylvester. No records in any document suggested there was an elder brother of the Emperor. However, the reactions of the court members implied that they knew who that man was.


    ''I will try, Sylvester. But don''t keep your hopes up. If he truly is that man, then I will likely not find anything. Meanwhile, be cautious there. You''re in the enemy''s den.''


    ''I will, Aurora. I will contact you again for my next n. Keep searching for the missing Grand Wizard as well. If we locate and rescue him, he might join us.'' Sylvester ordered before ending the connection.


    Aurora had already acknowledged Sylvester as the de facto next Pope since there was nobody else she could think of being worthy in terms of physical, magical, or mental might. At the same time, Sylvester possessed the blessings and fame necessary to truly unite the world.


    ''I should speak with Mum before she starts worrying about me.''


    Sylvester had to focus more this time, as the distance was too great. His conscious mind traveled through the Srium particles, establishing a connection as his thoughts went past the Divine Desert and across the East until he reached the coast.


    ''Mum, are you there?'' He called her name after sensing the connection.


    ''Max? It took you a week to contact me again! I was so worried for you.'' Xavia''s soft voice came through soon enough. Her worry-filled words soothed Sylvester''s heart. After all, he had one assurance that even if the world was ending, Xavia was a person who''d worry about him more than herself.


    ''I was extremely busy here, Mum. A lot of things have happened; the Crown Prince of Masan has died. But, don''t worry, Aurora is here, and we''ve met each other. If everything goes ording to the n, I will be back with you by this time next year. Now, enough about me. How are you?''


    After a brief silence, Xavia truthfully responded, having learned her lessons years ago not to hide things from Sylvester. ''Max, four elves tried to kidnap me from my workce. Fortunately, nearly a hundred Inquisitors were always stationed near my office and came to my rescue.''


    Immediately, Sylvester''s fist clenched, and veins popped over his head. His voice became much colder. ''I suspected they''d do something like this. Previously they attacked me, and since I''m officially dead, they now attacked you. Mum, remember the underground location I told you about? Please go there and remain hidden. Healer Hendrix''s wife and daughter also live there in secrecy. His wife is an elf, and their daughter is a half-elf. He knows about my blood status as well, so rest easy. He will protect you against all dangers.''


    ''But there are so many injured people arriving at the Holy Land every day. If I don''t help, how will I¡­''


    Sylvester interrupted her. ''Mum, please understand that the only reason I continue to fight for a better tomorrow is you. I don''t want to work this hard only to live alone¡ªI have no family in this world but you. So please, prioritize your safety above all else. The Holy Land has survived for five thousand years and will continue to do so for many more.''


    Xavia had lived with Sylvester for so long, and having seen his inhuman intelligence when it came to predicting problems and scheming, she could not ignore his words. After all, she wanted to live a happy, normal life with him someday. Perhaps with a few cute grandchildren if Solis blessed her.


    ''I understand, Max. I will go there.'' She responded.


    Taking a calming breath, Sylvester decided to speak with Sir Dolorem about her relocation next. So he soon bid Xavia farewell in order to talk with the man.


    ''I hope she''s not lying and actually goes there.'' Even then, Sylvester could not help but worry for her.


    ¡­


    Xavia did as Sylvester instructed her. She owed her life to her son, as she had once surrendered herself to the harsh fate back in Deserte Vige. All that she had now¡ªrespect, authority, happiness¡ªcame from Sylvester''s blessings.


    With the help of Sir Dolorem, she was able to take leave from the Holy Land. Since the Pope and the entire administration were too busy, there were no problems for her. In fact, since Sylvester was supposedly dead, nobody cared who she was except for the Inquisitors. The men of the Inquisition were so attached to Sylvester that Xavia was like a mother to them as well¡ªa pure woman who gave birth to the son of Solis.


    "Don''te out of there no matter what. Lord Bard will contact you from time to time and update you with the information, Mother Xavia." Sir Dolorem led Xavia to the Bard''s restaurant on the outskirts of the Holy Land at night.


    With suppressed footsteps and hasty speed, they soon entered the building with their special master key. The staff was asleep, so Sir Dolorem brought Xavia to the basement and then showed her way to the secret Labyrinth.


    Grrr¡­!


    With the sound of stones grinding against each other, the floor opened into a small, square, dark entrance with stairs leading downward.


    "Be well, Sir Dolorem." Xavia bid her farewell and entered. Soon, the gate closed, and the basement returned to its normal form.


    Xavia used the map Sir Dolorem gave her to keep walking. Thebyrinth was massive, with corridors seemingly stretching infinitely. It was all well-paved floors, bricked walls, and even light crystals as torches.


    ''....Straight from here?''


    Eventually, she arrived at one of the corridor''s ends and knocked on the door before her. To her knowledge, there were also a few ves working in some location, doing something she had no idea about.


    ''He built so much here?'' Awe and pride were clear in her eyes.


    Crack!


    The door opened, and a white-bearded, tall man appeared. He looked smart but, at the same time, had a dangerous aura. "Who are you?"


    "I am Xavia Maximilian, Healer Hendrix. I believe Sir Dolorem informed you about the arrangement." She respectfully said.


    Healer Hendrix, the world''s only known Grand Wizard healer, smiled widely and invited Xavia inside. "Ah, I remember. Who would have thought that the little devil was still alive somewhere out there? Come, I will introduce you to my family."


    With pride, Hendrix brought Xavia to the homely living room of the secret livingplex he had created. In the room were two females. One looked mature, with long, pointy ears and otherworldly beauty. While the other was a young girl, utterly cute.


    "As you know, I am Darwin Hendrix, and this is my wife ine and my daughter Daline. You two, this is Xavia Maximilian, mother of Sylvester." Hendrix introduced them to each other.


    Woosh!


    It was Daline who excitedly jumped over and, like a little monkey, hugged and hung onto Xavia by wrapping her arms around her neck. "When will Sylvi be back? I miss him?"


    "Ugh!" Hendrix gritted his teeth in frustration. "Ah, Mother Xavia,e and sit. The food will be ready soon, so let''s talk until then. How about the time when Sylvester tried to seduce my wife and daughter?"


    "..."


    Xavia was speechless. "Max did that?"


    ¡­


    Back in Masan Empire.


    Getting outside the Hundred Castle City was getting more and more difficult with each new orchestrated incident. But, no matter what, he tried his best to get through the security measures ced there.


    He made his way to the poorest district where Hozin lived. After arriving, he entered the underground room where his uncle was kept as a ''guest.''


    "Avanss." Sylvester shut the door behind himself after entering. "I will ask you only one thing today, and please answer me honestly."


    Avanss, ever so calm, closed the book he was reading and smiled. "I will try my best."


    "Who do you support in the war between two continents? What are your thoughts about it? And where do you see the future going?" Sylvester questioned him, or rather interrogated him.


    Avanss thought about it for a long time, almost a few minutes. "Since I''m an elf, I would naturally support my homnd. As for my thoughts¡ªI believe it''s a senseless war. There is nothing to gain and so much to lose. Lives, nature, and money¡ªall of it gets disturbed by the war.


    "However, neither side is ready to ept defeat. So, I don''t see this war stopping anytime soon. That is, unless, someone forces them to stop."


    Sylvester smelled no lies from him nor any negative feelings. On the contrary, the elf was truly anti-war but, simultaneously, a patriotic person of his species and kingdom.


    "Then, if you''re asked tomorrow to help stop this war, would you do it?" Sylvester continued to grill him with questions.


    "If there is a way to do it, I would definitely help. After all, If there is peace, I can travel anywhere without worry." Avanss answered swiftly.


    Sylvester felt satisfied with the answers and retreated to leave the room. He shut the door carefully, ced all the locks, and went to the first floor.


    His reason for meeting Avanss was not to talk but to put an idea in his head. Now, he expected the elf to keep pondering what Sylvester was going to do and what he exactly meant. That was the initial stage of mind maniption without the other person knowing. Imnting ideas was a hard process that took a lot of time.


    "Hozin, from now on¡ª"


    Knock Knock!


    Sylvester went to the living room above and suddenly heard a knock on the door. Sylvester gazed at Hozin, Kimino, and Xylena, who looked back at him.


    "Were you expecting someone?" Sylvester inquired.


    "No¡­Nobodyes to our house." Hozin eximed and took out his poisoned dagger while walking to the door. Sylvester also unsheathed his sword and covered his face with a piece of cloth before following.


    ck!


    Hozin removed the locks slowly, and the tension rose very quickly. "Yes?"


    Thud!


    The moment Hozin opened the door slightly, an arm pushed inside from the gap and forced the door open. The arm belonged to someone muscr, draped in tight, sandy-colored, dirty clothes.


    Bam!


    The chained lock broke apart, and the doorpletely opened. Sylvester wasted no time and swung his sword forward.


    Woosh!


    "What?!" Sylvester only found his sword slicing the air. But the unknown man had vanished and appeared behind him.


    Sylvester immediately turned around, wondering which old monster he had attracted now. However, after just one look, a sense of nostalgia overtook him.


    The face, blonde hair, and golden eyes¡ªthey all belonged to a man he had met many years ago.


    Just like what he saw on his first mission outside the Holy Land back then, the man had a warm, smiling face, a broad-shouldered body, and a giant sword on his back.


    "J-Jax?!" Sylvester eximed.


    "Haha! You remember?!"


    Sylvester didn''t share the same enthusiasm, as under his in confident face, there was dread from knowing the fact he could not win against this man no matter what.


    "How can I forget the first time I met you¡­Julius Aurelius Alexander!"


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 496: Only One Year

    Sylvester activated a few emergency elder runes tattooed on his lower body to give himself a physical buff. Unfortunately, using it was dangerous as it was strong enough to shatter his bones. But, to even get away from the man in front of him was nearly an impossible task, so everything he could do was on the table.


    "What do you want?" Sylvester asked the man.


    "I''m only here to talk, young man. You certainly have the whole world fooled about your death. While you may have deceived the Holy Land, you could not fool me." Jax said and went to take a seat on the wooden chair. "So I thought, why not give a visit to the famed bard."


    Sylvester silently assessed the man, wondering what he actually wanted from him. But, in the end, Sylvester could only smell the scent of doubt from him. There didn''t seem to be any hostility in him.


    "You traveled quite a distance to meet a small man like me." Sylvester sat facing the man. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"


    "A few questions, that''s all," Jax said. "Just some small talk to quench my curiosity. Tell me, why are you doing all that you do? All the scheming, plotting, and more? What do you truly desire in the end? Power?"


    "No, I desire peace," Sylvester answered, for there was no point in lying to a Supreme Wizard. "Since I was born, I''ve been running and fighting for my life to get stronger. Why is that? It''s not a fault that lies with me but a fault with the world that continues toe after me. The mighty are revered as gods, and the feeble are regarded as pests. That''s thew that we''re taught.


    "But I see no such thing. We are born with flesh and die, leaving our ashes. Whether rich, poor, noble, or holy, our fates are the same. Therefore, to me, everything is equal, and my quest is to create a world where these ideas flourish. A world where peace and prosperity of all species is the only focus, and for that, the world must unite as one."


    Jax stroked his beard for a while, humming in agreement with Sylvester''s statements. "Hmm¡­You are quite different from others in the Holy Land. They tend to have a near-sighted view of the world, and end upmitting great atrocities."


    "I answered you. Now it''s your turn. Why do all of this? What do you want?" Sylvester turned the question around.


    Jax rested back in his seat with a sigh. "I''m over three hundred years old, young one. I''ve lived a long life and seen many things in the name of justice and injustice. When a thiefmits a crime, there are soldiers of the kingdom to apprehend them. When a noblemits a crime, there is the King to bring them to justice. When a Kingmits a heinous crime, there is the Church to hold them ountable. But¡ªwho holds the Church responsible for the sins theymit? I''m sure you must have seen your fair share of injustice, some inflicted directly upon you as well. Isn''t that why the Shadow Knight pursued you?"


    The smile, or perhaps, the smirk, made all the hair on Sylvester''s body stand. ''H-He¡­How does he even know this? Has he infiltrated the Holy Land to such a degree? Good God, he''s ying the game on a different level altogether!''


    "Which side do you stand on?" Sylvester asked.


    "Justice."


    "Hmph!" Sylvester scoffed. "How does that make you any better? Who holds you responsible then?"


    Jax smiled widely at that. "Haha. Perhaps, I''m merely doing this for personal vengeance. The downfall of the faith that has inflicted deep wounds upon me."


    "It has also brought order," Sylvester argued.


    "With a monopoly on chaos in their hands," Jax countered.


    Sylvester quickly responded. "That''s the description of all ruling governments in the world."


    "Then destroy them all."


    "So you monopolize the chaos then?" Sylvester turned Jax''s words around on him. "You say the Holy Land has a problem, and I agree with it. That is why I wish to bring change by sitting at the top. That is why I''m here in Masan, to prepare the world for the next step."


    "The songs of bards were true," Jax muttered, and his shoulders plummeted. "You are wise and powerful beyond your peers or age. I hold great influence in regions across the East, and my men reported to me about your status in the hearts ofmoners. Their love for you, their worship of you¡ªyour name is taken by people as a lucky charm, ''May the bard bless us'', they say.


    "In my long life, I have never seen such worship, and unlike other clergymen, you have aplished things to back that worship. Your discoveries continue to help people; the bards continue to sing legendary songs about you. Young one, I''m almost inclined to put my faith in you¡ªbut my vengeance cannot be left unfinished, for I have devoted my entire life to it."


    Jax stood up abruptly and began to walk towards the exit. "I may be a monster in the eyes of all, but I have no animosity with themon people. And if their heart is with you, then I am inclined to give them a chance. Young one, one year¡ªI give you this time to take the Holy throne. Fail, and I will unleash my ultimate wrath on the Holy Land itself. I will raze it to the ground, from the mountain peaks to those castles."


    Sylvester followed him, ignoring the words for the time being. "What is your story? Why do you want vengeance?"


    Atst, Jax turned around near the door. His entire body began to change, and in contrast to his current appearance with blonde hair and golden eyes, he began to turn gloomy with dark robes, ck hair, a beard with white highlights, and a face telling the story of a man who had been through hell.


    "I was a weakmoner in the cruel world, who dared to create a small happy family. This is my true face, young one¡ªremember it."


    Shhh¡­!


    Like a gust of wind, the man disappeared in ck smoke, leaving through the tiny gaps in the doorframe. It was too magical to see but understandable, as it was a feat performed by a Supreme Wizard.


    "Oh¡­I can feel my heart inching towards my mouth." Sylvester abruptly sat down on the floor, gasping for air. He had no escape n in mind if the man had decided to fight him. "He turned out to be more reasonable than most other men I''ve met¡­But will one year be enough?"


    "Who was he, respected apostle?" Hozin asked as he brought over a ss of water.


    "He''s the Chief of Anti-Light, a faction that wishes to destroy the Church. He''s a Supreme Wizard."


    Hozin remained confused. Of course, he was from the Divine Desert. He had no idea what happened in the East or the West. Only recently did he see the world beyond the mighty desert.


    "Get strong; you will soon." Kimino came closer to Sylvester and patted his bald head.


    The expressionless girl had grown up just like Xylena. Her height reached almost five feet, and her age was around sixteen. Kimino still acted as the usual self with an icy face, but through scents, Sylvester knew she was now happy and content with everything, enjoying the new life. Even the neighborhood hadbeled her Ice-beauty.


    "Father, are you alright?!" Just then, Xylena also came from another room and hugged Sylvester. At fifteen years old, she was the same height as Kimino. But she had grown to be even more beautiful than Sylvester had ever imagined, and her ashen-ck hair, paired with teal eyes, was a sight to behold.


    Adding to it the physical and mental training she was receiving, she was growing to be a fine Queen of the ckhart Kingdom(Sorrow Kingdom) one day.


    "Zye, I told you not to call me that. People might take it the wrong way. I''m supposed to be a forever-pure Pope." Sylvester caressed her head, alleviating her concerns.


    She scoffed and hugged Sylvester tighter. "Who is a father? One who protects you, guides you, feeds you, and scolds you¡ªthat makes you my father. Not by blood but through actions, undoubtedly. Don''t you agree, Kimino?"


    Kimino looked at Sylvester''s face. "Bald man makes good father."


    "..."


    "Kimino, if you can see my future, tell me if I will be the Pope in a year." He directly asked her.


    Kimino stared at his face and soon bobbed her head. "You will. There is no other choice."


    ''I know that, dear. But I should look more into this man now. With his age confirmed, and a fragment of information about his family revealed. I know his vengeance is rted to something the Church did to his family. If I can find the finer details, perhaps I can form some sort of an alliance with him.''


    There was much to n and much to do. But, unfortunately, the night was nearly over, and he had to return. However, one thing was clear to him for now, that he was not as securely hidden as he believed.


    "Hozin, we are relocating. Our location has beenpromised." He ordered.


    "Understood, Apostle."


    With that, Sylvester quickly made his way back into the Royal Castle and donned his regr armor to return to duty. It was a special morning that day since an official event was scheduled to take ce in the Emperor''s giant court.


    The moment the sun''s rays fell upon the castle, the nobles from across the Empire entered the Grand Court of the Emperor. Lady Aurora also arrived there as the highest religious authority there, but the man Sylvester believed to be Shadow of Masan was nowhere to be seen.


    "Today, we are gathered here for the official ceremony!" Lady Aurora soon began to proim from the elevated tform near the deranged Emperor''s throne. "Now, wemence the ceremony to officiate Prince Jinn Hu''ul Mirmasan as the Crown Prince of the Empire."


    Not far from the spot, Sylvester stood with Fernis before him. She was now the second princess, officially entering the Grand Court to take the third smaller throne that once belonged to Jinn.


    Behind the wicked metal mask, Sylvester satisfyingly smiled. ''Despite what urredst night, this soothes my heart. Everything is going ording to my n¡ªJinn, you better not disappoint me, kid.''


    "All hail the Crown Prince, the rightful heir to the throne¡ªJinn Hu''ul Mirmasan!"


    Drums and trumpets echoed that instant and petals of flowers rained from the high ceiling. The small crown was ced on Jinn''s head, followed by him epting blessings from the Emperor.


    The event was grand and majestic. The ps and shouts of the crowd were loud. But the faces of all the statesmen held the look of greed. In their eyes, Jinn was dumber than the first Prince, hence, easy to manipte.


    ''Haha, go on, make mistakes.'' Sylvester chuckled after seeing them. ''Make my job easier by donating your throats.''


    It had finally begun, thest stage of an Empire''s downfall. But none had the eyes that could notice what was toe.


    With songs, trumpets, and thunderous apuse, the Empire inched closer to death''s jaws.


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 497: The Greatest Heist

    Sylvester had, for the most part, ruined the Empire. But the powerhouses of the Empire were still intact. He had only killed two Grand Wizards in the underground city before, and that only brought down the number of Grand Wizards from twenty-five to twenty-three. He knew he had to hasten his killing spree, but the problem with going after the Grand Wizards was that they were quite strong, and required him to extensively use Elder Magic.


    At the same time, he feared that if he killed them one by one, it would alert all the others that someone was targeting them. That could result in them either hiding away or choosing to stay in groups, making it hard for him.


    ''The death of the Grand Wizards should happen all at once. But I can''t kill them all, as it would be a true waste of their talents. Sol needs as many experts as possible. Perhaps killing the peak Grand Wizards should be better, as it will terrify the lower level Grand Wizards, making them easily manipted with fear.''


    Sylvester meticulously nned each of his moves while sitting in his room. The news from across the Empire continued to pour in as the word of the massacre in the Southern City spread. Some ces saw riots; some saw mutiny against the administrations.


    "Chonky, I only have one year to be the Pope now." Sylvester talked to Miraj, who sat beside him on the bed, ying with a few insects he had found somewhere.


    "Then, we meet big Mum in one year? I can''t wait!" Miraj had his priorities clearly set.


    "We will, but how do I hasten the downfall of the Empire? Hmm¡­" Sylvester wondered and watched Chonky torment the poor insects with his paws. "Wait! Chonky, we haven''t filled your bank in a while now. What if we were to empty the treasury of the Empire? But their secret money holes must be well guarded."


    Miraj''s eyes shined with excitement. Finally, he was going to see some action. "Let''s do it, Maxy. Let''s invade their holes!"


    "..."


    "Ah yes, let''s see what we can do. Finding the vaults and their safety mechanisms won''t be easy, but we can do it. Until then, you should start training too, and not y around all the time."


    Woosh!


    Miraj rolled on the bed. "But¡­I get bored here. I wanna go out, and y with Kimino¡­She can see me, and she feeds me tasty treats."


    "You''re too easy to lure, buddy. One day, someone might catch you like a fish." Sylvester said and finally settled down to sleep a little. He hadn''t rested for the past six days and needed to replenish his energy.


    ¡­


    Alfia, High Ragnum


    Within the chambers of the elven castle, the King of Elves rested alone, his heart in miserable agony. The news of the failed mission by the elves he sent to bring Xavia, devastated him.


    The regrets from the past and the sorrow of not standing by her when she was pregnant weighed heavily on his mind. He wanted to be with her now in times of sorrow and loneliness. He wanted to be there when Sylvester was gone.


    However, no matter what, as if the heavens had decided to keep her away from him, he could not reach her. In his pursuit to bring her over, the war had spilled over to Beastaria itself, and now, for the first time, the threaty upon theirnds.


    Knock!


    With an abrupt knock, a woman entered the King''s personal chambers. Graceful, alluring, with long ears, pale skin, and blonde hair, her eyes were as blue as the ocean. But, her face held a mocking grin instead of a loving smile.


    "Why have you locked yourself here again? I don''t understand you anymore, Rathagun," she said and approached the King.


    "You need not know, Nyana."


    "As your wife, it is my duty to know what troubles your mind, my King." She insisted, trying to take his hand in hers.


    King Rathagun pulled his hand back. "There is no love between us; you said that on the first day of our marriage. So why have youe now with a face of sympathy? Has your father not done enough already?"


    "Don''t bring my father into this! You know very well, ours was a political marriage. I said those words on the first day as a warning to you, not to treat me like your ve whore of yours. I had hoped to fall in love with time, but you never even tried. Is that whore still on you min¡ª"


    Clench!


    King Rathagun''s hand abruptly flew to rest on Nyana''s throat. "Don''t you dare call her that again!"


    "Hmph!" Nyana scoffed. "Or else what? Will you resurrect her? My King, you have brooded enough¡­please understand me. We must produce an offspring to further the bloodline, especially in these times of great war! If something were to happen to you... it would be the end..."


    "Leave," Rathagun ordered. "My brother is still alive. He will safeguard my bloodline if I die. As for you, I''d rather drink poison than conceive a child with a wicked woman like you. I may look calm and uncaring, but I know of your dirty schemes that have spread throughout Alfia. Your father was the reason peace talks in Deca Impeia failed¡ªresulting in war with Dragons."


    "My father''s actions do not define me." She argued, shedding a few tears.


    "Your words are as hollow as your tears, Nyana. Just leave, and don''t show me your face unless I summon you." King Rathagunmanded her.


    Grumpily, Nyana stood up to leave. However, just as she reached the door, the King spoke again.


    "One more thing. You seem to keep forgetting that I am still the most powerful man in Alfia, both politically and physically."


    "Are you threatening me?" She asked.


    "No, merely reminding you where you stand in this realm. Be a good Queen, smile, and take care of orphan children. That is your duty. That''s all I expect from you."


    She didn''t wait to listen anymore and swiftly left, closing the door behind with a loud thud.


    Once again, alone, the King decided to use his Worldsight and see Xavia to soothe his mind.


    ¡­


    Back in Masan, Sylvester spent a week trying to map out the castle of the Emperor. He wrote some special rune markings on some gold coins and let them flow through the market, eventually making their way into the castle and heading toward the treasury.


    He followed the marked coins to see where all the money was kept. To his shock, the money was kept in a different castle, andpletely upied by soldiers, from top to bottom. While the vaults were underground, they were not as deep as the Dwarven city.


    There were nearly a dozen vaults, each likely as big as the giant hall where the Emperor held his court. Sylvester could only sense one of the vaults, and he could tell it was filled to the brim with gold and various other treasures. From statues to art pieces, there was everything.


    ''Alright, so there are almost five thousand soldiers in that castle. Five Grand Wizards stand on guard duty the whole time, without sleeping. Every ten days, the five Grand Wizards are reced with other Grand Wizards. That means theirst day is when they''re most exhausted.''


    Sylvester observed everything from a distance and tried to discern the patterns of movements of the soldiers. To his delight, there was a brief, three-minute window between each shift change. That would be his opportunity, but of course, those minutes could only help him enter, not exit.


    "Chonky, are you ready?" He asked on the tenth night when the shift was to be changed. He donned tight ck robes and covered his face as well.


    "Aye, Aye, Maxy¡­I''m very hungry for gold."


    "Hah, good, my little crow. The n is simple, we go in, steal, ande out. It''s going to be a short twenty-minute adventure." Sylvester briefed Miraj about their time limit.


    With everything in order, and the darkness of the night sweeping the street, they both headed out. It was easy enough for Sylvester, since he didn''t have to leave the city that night, so he easily went to the castle that housed the treasury.


    As expected, it was teeming with soldiers, and the five Grand Wizards sat at a corner each, with one in the middle. But as the time for the shift change came closer, the five would leave their positions to greet the Grand Wizards taking their ce.


    Now, it was a tricky move. If he wasn''t careful, he could face the wrath of ten Grand Wizards instead. So, he carefully used Elder Runes to conceal his presencepletely. Even if there was a Grand Wizard with some sort of sensory abilities, they''d only perceive it as if there were some nt or tree, not human.


    As for Miraj, the boy was, by default, the greatest sneaky cat in the world. He was responsible for scouting the path ahead and checking all turns and corners. The step was crucial as Sylvester couldn''t afford to beat anyone there, not even themoner soldiers.


    ''There!'' Sylvester finally saw the central room of the castle, where an open staircase descended into the hidden door leading to the underground chambers. One Grand Wizard usually sat there, but with the shift change, he had a window to enter.


    "Maxy! Guardsing!" Miaj suddenly returned from a corner and warned.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester, like a spider, jumped up and stuck himself to the ceiling. In a moment, two soldiers walked past beneath him, armed to their teeth with long spears as they talked to each other.


    "Thanks, Chonky. That was a quick save." Sylvester took a calming breath and pressed on. He made his way down the stairs, evaded the guards, and eventually arrived at what he could only describe as a colossal bank.


    ''What the hell is this ce?''


    It was immense, so much so that he couldn''t see the end of it. There were light crystals hanging from the ceiling, illuminating the ce. Scores of men and women were there, each standing before a table. They tallied coins on the tables and wrote down the amount and its source in a ledger. The sound of clinking coins was like music to the ears but also posed a significant issue.


    ''This seems like an¡­audit or something?''


    "Maxy, how do we steal now?" Miraj asked.


    Sylvester wondered the same. He had no idea if the vaults were empty now, with everything being counted, or if the money being counted was intended to be deposited into the vault.


    "Let''s observe first."


    ''How much is there? More than a few billion? The Pope''s bounty was three hundred million¡­this would make sense!''

 Chapter 498: Gold—Economy—Peace

    "Meow?" Miraj voiced beside Sylvester''s ears as if asking him what to do next.


    Sylvester closely watched what was happening to the money. A few people walked around with trolleys, cing or collecting coins on the table. Intrigued, Sylvester decided to follow them and see where they were heading.


    ''What are they doing? Is this a normal night in the vaults or something special?'' Sylvester wondered silently.


    "Chonky, I need you to go and follow that cart. Find out if it leads to arger vault. If it does, thene back and guide me there. But if it doesn''t, search for any other vaults. But never enter any of the vaults¡ªthey likely have strong protective measures in ce." Sylvester ordered Miraj, his most trusted partner in crime.


    "Aye, Aye!" Miraj wasted no time and flew into the air beforending on the trolley. It was being pushed by a woman dressed simrly to the other workers there. It was definitely some sort of an organized workgroup and not a simple one-night operation.


    Soon, Miraj disappeared from view, and Sylvester silently awaited. He used his heightened senses to ensure no one approached him too closely. His main concern was the Grand Wizards guarding the ce, and if they decided to make their rounds, it could spell trouble.


    Woosh!


    "Maxy!" Miraj came flying like a rocket and perched on Sylvester''s head. "They are taking a lot of money out. I heard them talking¡­they said it was the biggest purchase the Empire ever made."


    "A purchase? What kind of purchase?" Sylvester grew even more troubled. What could be so incredibly expensive?


    "Any clue what it is?" Sylvester asked. "Did you notice anything out of the ordinary? Someone new, weird, or any strange words?"


    Miraj mumbled under his breath, his eyes clenched in deep thought. "Hmm¡­I think¡­Ummm¡­I only saw a very pale man with tiny eyes, and¡­he said, Queen Mother¡­That''s it."


    "Warsong?!" Sylvester suddenly recalled the name of the Kingdom situated south of Masan, which had been at war with Masan for over a century. The ruler of that Kingdom was a young boy, and his mother ruled as the Regent, who had taken a liking to the title of Queen Mother.


    "Buying peace with money?" Sylvester wondered. "Masan couldn''t defeat Warsong in over a hundred years."


    As he pondered, he remembered the scene from the Emperor''s court. "That man I suspected of being the Shadow of Masan had red sand from Warsong on him. So then...do they intend to establish peace in their own territory before attempting to attack the East?"


    "Maxy, isn''t Warsong good? They sent that nig¡ª"


    "It''s Ninja!" Sylvester corrected him. "Yes, they sent that Ninja. Technically, Warsong survived this long because the Church had been fighting a proxy war with Masan by sending supplies to Warsong. But now, with the Church preupied with Beastaria and the East weakened, it''s in their best interest to make a deal¡­ But this isn''t in my best interest."


    "Then we steal?"


    "Yes." Sylvester fixed his gaze firmly on the gold. "Tonight, we sabotage Masan''s peace n. With no money, not only will the peace deal crumble, but the internal economy of Masan will also implode¡­Allowing the Church to appear as a savior, spending gold on the people."


    But the issue was how they were going to do it. The money wasn''t concentrated in one ce but spread throughout the expansive hall. Some of it was in multiple vaults as well, and it was going to be a challenge to retrieve it quickly. Not only that, if Miraj was to vanish it, it would be quickly noticed.


    A minute passed, and Sylvester was busying up with a n. He had a wide range of abilities, and along with Elder magic, he had a plethora of options at his disposal. But, at the moment, he could only think of one ability to use, but it was still in the experimental stage.


    "Chonky, I''m going out. I need you to keep your mouth open the entire time." Sylvester made up his mind. "The money will automatically enter your mouth."


    "What about the people?" Miraj asked.


    "I''ll take care of that," Sylvester replied, changing the look of his clothes to blend in with the crowd. Then he altered his face a bit to avoid being remembered by anyone.


    Then, he took a deep breath and walked out of the corner. A few nces from the workers fell on him, and confusion was evident. However, they refrained from raising any rms as Sylvester silently walked away, looking like one of them.


    The tables were set in long rows and columns with ample space to walk between them. Each table had two trollies beside it, one containing the money to be counted and the other meant for the counted money to be ced.


    Most of them were gold coins, with a few silver and even fewer bronze ones. The total value was also unknown, considering the vastness of the Empire.


    "Chonky, get ready." Sylvester soon arrived somewhere in the middle of the rows and columns of workers. He closed his eyes there after stopping and raised his arms sideways, disying his palms in each direction.


    ''This was always the intended goal for Metal Maniption...Don''t fail me now¡­Sylvester,'' he told himself.


    "What''s happening to the lights?!"


    Immediately after Sylvester raised his palms, the light crystals on the ceiling started to flicker. The men and women working nearby grew annoyed and sensed that something was wrong. Finally, their eyes rested on Sylvester.


    "Why are you standing like that?"


    "Who are you? Which sector?"


    Not only did the lights flicker faster, but the range of the effect also began to expand, eventually taking over the whole underground hall. Work came to a halt in response to the darkness taking over.


    Bzzz¡­!


    Amidst that darkness, a strange, short burst of lightning appeared on Sylvester''s raised palms. However, they didn''t grow bigger or touch anyone, for creating lightning wasn''t his intention.


    Thud!


    "Kayleen!" A man suddenly shouted as the woman working on the table beside him fell to the ground, eyes closed, unconscious.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    As if a ripple spread out with Sylvester in the middle, every man and woman began to fall to the floor simrly. Like dominos, the effect spread out, eventually reaching the far end of the hall.


    Sylvester''s breathing turned heavy, and he finally opened his eyes to look around. The lights were immediately restored, but his breathing remained strained. "Aah¡­Good¡­It worked!"


    "What worked?" Miraj asked, confused.


    "Sweet Maism Maniption!" Sylvester revealed, but it was not the time to discuss his ability. "Keep your mouth open, Chonky. I''ll use metal maniption to fly all the gold here into your belly. Then we rush to the vaults!"


    Finally, Sylvester started swinging his arms like the conductor of an orchestra. Like a stream of water, the gold began to fly into Miraj''s mouth. Sylvester didn''t leave silver and bronze coins either; he made them join the stream of metal.


    Miraj was like a giant drinking the ocean. Everything vanished into his abyss called mouth the moment it touched his jaw.


    The speed was rapid, and within three minutes, Sylvester stole all of the money that was there. So he wasted no time and picked Miraj up before heading towards the vaults. There were also a few workers, but they were on the ground with closed eyes.


    Since the money was being transferred, the vaults were left open, making it easier for Sylvester to carry out his n. It was even more delightful as the vaults were not only filled with coins but also diamonds, precious stones, gold statues adorned with precious stones, art, and much more.


    Woosh!


    A storm sucked everything away into Miraj''s dimensional belly. One vault, then two, and eventually, they emptied all five of the colossal spaces. But by the end, thirty minutes had passed, and the shifts had changed.


    "How do we escape, Maxy?" Miraj asked after the tiring day of work. "Do we fight?"


    Sylvester smirked as he approached the stairs that led to the surface. As per his knowledge, a Grand Wizard was supposed to be sitting there.


    "We won''t fight, Chonky¡­We''ll make them move." Sylvester schemingly smiled and shut his eyes, preparing to use the Srium Web to contact Aurora, who was also in the city for some ''official'' business.


    Since she was nearby, he quickly spoke with her. "I''m done here... Do it."


    "Understood."


    It was a brief exchange but held profound meaning behind it.


    Sylvester raised his hand and showed Miraj the countdown with his fingers, starting from five. Eventually, thest finger closed, and time ran out.


    Boom!


    At that instant, a resounding st came from outside the castle. The effect was such that the whole castle began to shake and scare all the soldiers outside. Following the st were more noises of some nearby buildings turning into rubble.


    Boom!


    But then, another st resounded, and one more nearby castle fell apart like a house of cards. It was impossible not to react, as nobody ever expected that to happen in the most protected city.


    "Run! Run for your life!" The soldiers panicked and ran around.


    Sylvester, from underground, kept watching the reaction of the Grand Wizard sitting outside. From the looks of it, the man seemed uninterested in the mayhem.


    Boom!


    But then another st came, and this time the Grand Wizard stood up with a frown and raced to the exit. After all, thetest explosion sounded too close.


    "This is it!" Sylvester found a small window of opportunity and jumped out of the underground stairway''s door. He changed his disguise to match the soldiers and hurriedly left the building grounds. This time it was easy since all minds were upied with looking at the rubble of the building.


    Once outside, without stopping, he ran towards the royal castle to find his usual refuge. He had the confidence that nobody, even in their wildest dream, could imagine how that much gold could be stolen in a single night, especially without many thieves.


    So, Sylvester knew he was well in the clear for the time being. And that made the night feel quite fruitful. Once again, he had proved that it didn''t take an army or a bloody battle to destroy a Kingdom or an Empire.


    Woosh!


    Thud!


    Some more buildings had exploded in his way as Aurora activated the sts she had ced before. The heist hepleted required a lot of nning, studying routes, guard posts, and their jurisdictions. They had even prepared detonations for an escape route in case they were caught.


    "That was fast!" Aurora met Sylvester halfway. "How much were you able to take?"


    Sylvester smirked boastfully.


    "Everything! Their gold, their economy, and¡ªtheir peace!"


    "..."


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 499: A Delightful Possibility

    Ding!


    Ding!


    Back in his armor, Sylvester stood in front of the open window of his room, which overlooked the distant city walls. He could hear the sounds of bells ringing all around, and this time they were ringing from within the Hundred Castle City.


    The sound of hooves of horses running around in a rush was akin to music to his ears. He could imagine the chaos and confusion after the administration found an empty treasury. How did the thief steal it? How many thieves were there? How did they carry it all?


    The questions were simple, but answering them was nearly impossible. They could never, in their wildest dream, imagine that all their wealth was now sitting inside the belly of a little cat.


    "Wake up, Miraj. We have work to do." Sylvester shook Chonky, who snored happily on the bed without a care for the world. He had gone to sleep the moment they returned from their little heist.


    "Nyoo¡­Let me sleep more¡­Chonky is tired, belly too full."


    Sylvester chuckled and sat down on the bed beside Miraj. He began to slowly tickle his belly to wake him up. "Who are you fooling? I know that dimensional space does not affect your hunger or physical body. You''re just beingzy."


    "Nyooooo~" Miraj meowed. "Using the power makes me tired. I''m just a little kitty."


    "Fine, I''ll go and get my breakfast alone. I think I''ll get a banana shake today." Sylvester stood up and headed to the door.


    Thud!


    Before he reached the doorknob, Mirajnded on his shoulder, perching himself there with full attention. "Make it two!"


    "You''re too easy."


    ¡­


    Sylvester left his room, grabbed his breakfast, and returned to wait outside the Princess''s room as he had nothing to do. He wasn''t assigned to any special duty, nor had the Princess told him about any major n for the day.


    Bam!


    "Let''s go!"


    Princess Fernis suddenly emerged from her chamber in ordinary clothes. Her face wore a slight frown, and her brows cutely shot up. Unfortunately, she was too beautiful to look aggressive.


    Silently, Sylvester followed behind, this time with Chonky perched on his shoulder. He didn''t ask her any questions, as it wasn''t his ce to do so. Moreover, he knew she was going to tell him soon enough, as he knew her personality very well.


    "Can you believe it?!"


    ''Here she goes.''


    "That bitch! Lady Neris is spreading rumors about me, iming I am sleeping with you," Fernis said, resembling a hissing cat rather than an enraged maiden.


    ''You did try that.'' Sylvester thought to himself.


    "How can she say that? I haven''t done that yet. She''s so proud of her long silky hair¡ªI''ll shave her head today!" Fernis started to stretch her shoulders.


    ''Princess, what do you mean by "yet"?'' Sylvester silently wondered.


    Soon enough, they reached the vicinity of the castle exit. It was extremely crowded that day as knights of various ranks roamed about. The administration workers also scurried around with documents in hand.


    "What happened here?" Sylvester asked the Princess.


    "Nothing. Someone stole all the money from the treasury, and now everyone is panicking. Father and big brother went to check the situation themselves. I suppose they didn''t find any clues." Fernis replied, sounding unusually calm for someone whose entire fortune had been stolen.


    Sylvester drew closer to her. "Aren''t you worried? Without money, how will the Empire function?"


    She shrugged. "The treasury outside only housed the main vaults, but they were not the only ones. We have some here, too, enough for the family to survive and tackle any emergencies. Besides, we have so many gold statues and other valuables all around. Even without gold, we''re very rich. But, if the worst were to happen¡­" She looked at him with a seductive grin, which only looked childish to Sylvester''s eyes. "Won''t you protect me, my dear personal guard?"


    Sylvester nodded only. ''Those women spreading rumors aren''t really wrong.''


    "Stop! No one is allowed to leave the Royal Castle."


    Just as they tried to exit, a senior Royal Knight prevented them from leaving. A hundred more knights stood behind him, blocking the exit.


    Fernis scoffed and pushed the Knights aside. "I''m the Princess! Have you gone blind to not recognizing me? I am going to the garden in the backyard. Now move, or I won''t be merciful."


    "The orders are to¡ª"


    "I can also order someone to remove your rank and positionter. Will that suffice?" Fernis was the real hidden lioness in the castle. That was evident.


    With a sigh and a looming fear for his job, the Knight stepped aside. "Please don''t leave the vicinity of the castle."


    Without uttering another word, Fernis and Sylvester exited the castle and went to the gardens in the backyard. It was a simple, usual green field with trees and some small ponds for birds. Flowers surrounded the area, and, of course, there were friendly dogs and cats to soothe one''s mind.


    "There she is!" Fernis stomped her foot and walked faster towards a table under a big tree. "Hey! Lady Neris! How dare yo¡ª"


    "Princess!" The beautiful woman, middle-aged, brown-skinned, and apparently crying, leaped from her seat and rushed towards Fernis instead.


    In an instant, Fernis'' attack misfired, and she stopped rushing. She turned around and ran to hide behind Sylvester. "Jack! Save me. She''sing to attack me."


    ''What am I doing with my life?'' Sylvester couldn''t help but wonder. ''I should be training or destroying the Empire. I only have one bloody year.''


    He sighed, unsheathed his sword, and pointed it at the oingdy. "Halt, woman! Any attack on the Princess will earn you this de on that neck!"


    Thud!


    The woman dropped to her knees, her face looking like an ugly mess from the tears and ruined makeup. She almost prostrated herself and cried out, "Princess Fernis¡­Please speak with His Majesty¡­Please save Lord Puzsi! My husband is innocent."


    "..."


    "..."


    Sylvester and Fernis both remained speechless for a few seconds. First of all, the name was not something they feltfortable speaking aloud, and secondly, they had no idea who the woman''s husband was.


    Fernis walked out from behind Sylvester. "Who is your husband?"


    "My Puzsi! My dear husband, the renowned Knight of the olden days, the Golden Tiger was his famed name. He was the overseer of the treasury where the theft happened!" She cried out the exnation.


    "Golden Tiger? He''s the Fifteenth Grand Wizard of the Empire, isn''t he? Woah, I didn''t know you were married to such a famous man. But why are you crying here? Did he steal the money?" Fernis asked.


    "No!" Lady Neris shouted. "He didn''t¡­But all the other Grand Wizards there used him, iming he was the only one near the money when others went to check the explosions. How can he move so much gold alone, Princess?"


    All Sylvester heard was soothing music to his ears. ''Internal politics among the Grand Wizards? I suppose it''s possible.''


    Sylvester understood that in the East, each Kingdom had, at best, two or three Grand Wizards, ranked by their power. In the Holy Land, it depended on one''s faith, strength, and experiences. But here, they had twenty-five Grand Wizards, and with only ten power levels to the hierarchy, some of them were likely the same level, yet ranked differently.


    ''Perhaps it''s time to divide and conquer the backbone of Masan''s power. With thempromised, I can go on to kill the Emperor!''


    Finding fortune in another''s misfortune was a part of his spy work, and he was going to exploit it with all his heart. But first, it was necessary to implicate all the Grand Wizards from that night.


    "Sorry, I can''t help him if the crimesbeled against him are so big. If he truly had nothing to do with it, he will be released. Jack, let''s go. I''m done here." Fernis coldly stated and walked away.


    "No! Please, Princess¡­!"


    Sylvester blocked the woman from approaching Fernis and followed her back into the castle. The rest of the day, since they could not leave the castle, they spent time in Fernis''s chamber. She painted, took a bath, told Sylvester stories while trying to make advances, and ate Eastern Cuisine in an attempt to impress Sylvester.


    Eventually, night fell, and Sylvester found himself alone in his room. The city was under intense lockdown, so he had no ns of going out. After all, that night, his target was within the castle itself.


    "Chonky, vomit up ten thousand gold coins we tookst night."


    "Uwaaa!" Miraj vomited gold right then. "Donated, Maxy¡­They donated it."


    "Hah, indeed." Sylvester chuckled and sorted the money in various pouches. Each held a different amount of gold.


    After that, Sylvester started to make his way to the training hall, where the Grand Wizards stayed most of the time. It was only for the Grand Wizards ranked above number ten, as the first ten had their personal chambers.


    Of course, Sylvester didn''t dare enter there or go close to it. Instead, he sent Miraj inside.


    "ce one of each pouch in random rooms with beds. Hide them under their beds if you can, and if you can find who it belongs to ording to their number, make sure you go for number fifteen or higher." He briefed Miraj.


    "Got it," Miraj whispered and quickly flew away. It was a blessing that he could fly since it meant no paw marks anywhere.


    ''Perhaps by the end of this month, I''ll break the Empire in four. I have the candidates for the new Kingdoms ready¡­Just need to make it official.''


    Sylvester waited a distance away from the Grand Wizard''s resting area. It was night, so there wasn''t much movement anyway, and most of the knights were outside, searching for the money, so the castle was mostly empty.


    ''But Shadow of Masan, who are you?'' Sadly, Sylvester felt no joy in his aplishment as the biggest thorn was still stuck in his throat.


    ''Sylvester¡­!''


    ''Are you there? It''s me¡­!''


    "Hmm?" Sylvester turned his head left and right to look, but there was nobody there. Yet the voice calling his name felt so close.


    ''Father, I''m using your technique¡­''


    Sylvester immediately closed his eyes behind the mask and allowed the piercing sensation to enter his mind. He finally knew what it was like to be on the receiving end of the Srium Web.


    ''Xylena? Have you mastered it? When?'' He asked without physically speaking.


    ''Hardly¡­I can''t keep this up for long¡­Lady Aurora asked me to do this¡­Pleasee to the house quickly. She found the fourth Guardian of Light. He''s h¡ª''


    The words got abruptly cut off midway. ''Xylena? Are you there?''


    Sylvester sighed and opened his eyes once again. He couldn''t attempt to speak to her while standing in the hallway, so he could only wait for Miraj.


    ''She found Lord Soulbreaker? But the bigger question is, which camp does he belong to?''

 Chapter 500: People Are…Complicated

    "Maxy! I''m back!" Miraj came flying andnded in Sylvester''s head. "I put the money in the rooms."


    Sylvester wasted no time and rushed back to his room. He had to speak with Aurora immediately, and for that, he needed to be alone. "Good, everything else will slowly happen on its own. For now, we have a more urgent matter."


    They arrived back in the room and locked the door. Miraj went to sleep on the bed while Sylvester sat cross-legged to concentrate and establish a connection with Aurora''s mind.


    ''Aurora¡­I got the message. Have you found Soulbreaker?'' He spoke the moment he felt a connection.


    ''Hmm? Ugh, I was sleeping. Yes, I found him, and he''s currently hiding in the Monastery. Why don''t youe and meet him yourself? He''s a bit¡­paranoid about everything. Perhaps your golden halo and hymns will calm his nerves.'' Aurora sleepily answered.


    ''Where did you find him?'' He was curious to know.


    ''In the sewer slums. He lived there like a beggar for the past few years, trying to keep himself hidden from prying eyes. I recognized him because I had seen him many times when I was young. Something grave must have happened to him, to have left him in such a vulnerable and broken state, but he won''t tell me anything. He doesn''t even remember who he is, his powers, or me.'' She sounded worried. ''Try to win him over, Sylvester. His Soul Magic is the strongest in the entire realm.''


    Sylvester gritted his teeth while in the room, knowing it was hard to leave the city. ''I''ll try to get there tonight.''


    With that, he stopped talking and stood up from his spot. He looked around the room, contemting how to exit and re-enter the city while staying perfectly hidden. The disappearance of the money was likely something big enough to draw out the Shadow of Masan. Even if the person didn''te out, Sylvester believed they were watching everything.


    "Chonky, how much weight can you carry while flying?" He asked Miraj, who was ying with a yarn ball on the bed sleepily. "How high can you take me?"


    "I don''t know. I never tried to carry you fully," Miraj replied.


    Sylvester sighed and looked at his palms. "To be able to fly, I need to fully master Maism. But it will take at least a year or two¡­And I''m only on the verge of bing a Grand Wizard at the moment."


    "Chonky, let''s go. Try to fly with me this time." Sylvester made up his mind as meeting Soulbreaker was very important. He needed as many experts on his side as possible.


    Miraj willingly got up and flew behind Sylvester''s back. With his mighty little paws, he grabbed Sylvester''s cor and tried to lift him. He pped his wings rapidly, creating a minor storm around them.


    "Nyaaaaaa!" Miraj gave it his all.


    Woosh!


    Soon enough, Sylvester''s body rose into the air, though Miraj struggled while doing so. His wings were not big enough to lift something so heavy, even though his paws were strong enough.


    "I will try to use elemental air magic through my feet and hands to generate a thrust. It should help you." Sylvester suggested, as he only needed Miraj to steer him through the air.


    Gradually, Sylvester created a downward thrust of invisible air. It instantly turned the room upside down as strong gusts of wind violently swirled around.


    "Yes! It''s easier now." Miraj mumbled triumphantly.


    Sylvester opened the window of the room and sat with his legs hanging outside the frame. Miraj didn''t stop flying the entire time, and slowly, Sylvester used his magic to lower himself out. He increased the air intensity as the height was considerable.


    "We''ll go above the city walls," Sylvester said, and with a leap, he fully propelled himself out of the window.


    Woosh!


    Instantly, they experienced a momentary descent, but soon Sylvester stabilized himself. Miraj found it manageable then and pulled him towards the boundary walls. Their aim was not just to go over it but to reach a height where no guards could spot them.


    "This is exhausting," Mirajined.


    "That''s why I told you to train. You''ll be azy fatty, Chonky." Sylvester scolded. "Now give your best to this."


    Eventually, with clenched fangs and a red face, Miraj pulled Sylvester higher and led him above the boundary wall of the Hundred Castle City. There were no security measures that high in the air as nobody worried about someone flying so high.


    Considering that the number of people that could fly in the world was less than the fingers on one hand, Sylvester found himself upon the Monastery soon enough.


    Thud!


    Gasping and panting, Miraj finally dropped Sylvester on the Monastery''s terrace. "Haaah¡­I''m dying."


    Miraj sat down on the ground, spreading his paws and lying like a dead body. His eyes slowly closed, but he didn''t fall asleep.


    Sylvester picked Miraj up and ced him on his shoulder before making his way down to the Monastery. He remained careful and avoided any contact. The Monastery wasn''t as dangerous anymore since the clergymen he had killed before were not reced yet.


    As informed by Aurora, he went to the underground chambers that initially led to the secret passage into the Dwarven city. However, the secret pathway had been blocked by now, an attempt by the Emperor to keep it hidden from Aurora.


    "You arrived faster than I expected." Aurora also appeared in the dark underground chamber with antern. She had also donned her regr armor and kept her sword at the ready. "He''s kept chained in the second level. Since he doesn''t remember anything, his abilities are dangerous."


    Sylvester nodded and followed her to the lower second level. It was a damp, dark chamber with a few torches on the walls. At the far end of the hall, a man was restrained, his arms and legs shackled to the wall. However, the man didn''t fight or appear to struggle.


    "This is him?" Sylvester asked. "I didn''t expect him to look like this."


    The Fourth Guardian, Soulbreaker, looked like a homeless beggar. With a long unkempt ck beard and hair, with visibly unhealthy skin on his face and body, disying signs of dehydration. Despite standing over six feet tall, he appeared as thin as a walking stick.


    "Zackmund Koff Xerxes," Sylvester addressed him by name. "Do you remember that name? It''s yours¡­"


    "NO!" The man yelped suddenly and pulled himself closer to the wall as if he feared Sylvester. "Don''te close¡­I didn''t do anything!"


    Sylvester smelled all the emotions seeping through him. ''Sadness to the point of being broken. The hollowness of a suicidal man as well¡­What the hell broke him to this extent?''


    "I am Sylvester Maximilian." Sylvester used his real name. "I''m known as Lord''s Bard, the Son of Solis. Hear my sermon, and perhaps it will bring you sce."


    Cross-legged, Sylvester sat down before the man. He raised one palm towards Zackmund while keeping the other ced on his chest. Then, as he began to speak, the blissful warm halo appeared once again, captivating not only the man but also Aurora, as she genuinely missed the warmth.


    ?Holding much fame, Zackmund is your name.


    Years of worship, Guardian you became.


    Orders Solis once again, musty im.


    Purging the heathens is your sole aim.?


    ?Soulbreaker is your title, powerful and grand.


    Diminishing is his light; so we must save thisnd.


    I speak his words; for they are holymands.


    Rise¡ªfor it was a test you were able to withstand.?


    ?O'' Lord of Light, remind him of his holy duty.


    Recall what was the faith''s radiant beauty.


    May his light enlighten your path forever.


    May you triumph in our holy endeavor.?


    Sylvester finished reciting the hymn and looked at Zackmund''s face. The radiant blue eyes were overflowing with water. The tears became uncontroble. But even then, there seemed to be no change in his memory.


    "T-That was so¡­beautiful¡­What are you?" Zackmund asked him.


    Sylvester sighed and stood up. "Aurora, his mind seems to be in a state of shock. His memories seem to be blocked by his own unconscious mind. I can''t do much about this, so you must try to find clues about what exactly happened to him in the past.


    "The only way to rid him of the trauma is to teach him how to ovee it. Before we know what it is, we can''t do anything."


    Aurora rubbed her forehead in frustration. "Even finding him was a stroke of luck. How do I find people who would know what happened to him? They are either dead or have been promoted to higher positions."


    "Follow the money," Sylvester replied. "Check how they handled finances during the previous church administration. Since the former Saint Cardinal was corrupt, there must be some leftover traces."


    "What about him in the meantime?" She pointed at Zackmund.


    ''Will my old technique work on this sort of hysteria? It did work on the people of Sphinx Town back then.'' Sylvester wondered about what treatment to give him.


    "For now, keep him here. I''ll return tomorrow and try to find a healing method. I don''t know much about mind magic, but I know healing." Sylvester said, approaching Zackmund. The man wasn''t scared of him anymore. "Do you not remember anything about your old life?"


    Zackmund looked at him. "Solis bless me?"


    ''I don''t see any signs of injury on him. How did he manage to remain hidden?'' Sylvester asked himself.


    But, s, there wasn''t anything he could do for the night. He was content in meeting the man and ensuring nothing was hidden behind the scenes.


    "I should return before the castle''s inspection starts. Aurora, do what I asked and feed him well. Even if he doesn''t remember everything, his body still holds the secrets of his abilities. We''ll train him to harness them," he instructed her and headed out of the underground chamber.


    They made their way to the terrace once again, where Miraj attempted to fly while carrying him. Once more, Sylvester created the thrust and pushed himself into the night sky.


    "Until we meet again."


    Woosh!


    This time their flight went smoother, as the first practice came in handy. Sylvester adjusted the thrust ordingly, depending on the desired altitude.


    They made their way to his room''s window. It remained open, just as before, and Sylvester simply dived from the height, crashing into the room since Miraj was unstable after getting tired.


    Thud!


    Like a projectile, he rolled into his dark room after thending and stood up. Soon after, Miraj also dived and mmed himself on Sylvester''s back.


    "Maxy, I''m so ti¡ª"


    "Who''s there!" Sylvester sensed someone and immediately took a defensive stance.


    "So it was you all along?"


    Sylvester''s head turned toward the door that instant. In the dark room withnterns turned off, the area where the entrance was looked pitch ck. "Princess?"


    "So you are doing all these things?"


    The voice approached, and Fernis emerged from the dark shadow, allowing the moonlight from the window to illuminate her cold face. She was in her night robes, with her long hair freely flowing.


    "Why, Jack? Why would you do it?"


    "Princess." Sylvester greeted her with no fear or doubt in his heart. The sword on his waist was clenched tightly in his right palm. "You shouldn''t havee here at this time."


    Sniff~!


    Fernis began to cry without any change in her cold expression. The tears trickled down her brown skin to her chin.


    "I knew, that''s why I came¡­Jack, will you please promise me something tonight."


    She softly uttered while ncing at his hand on the hilt of the sword. Her eyes held a look of defiance but also eptance of the situation.


    "What promise?" Sylvester inquired, just a moment away from unsheathing his de.


    "Two thousand three hundred and one¡ªIncluding me, that''s the number of the Mirmasan royal family members, legitimate or not."


    "And?" Sylvester snapped the sword up a little with his thumb.


    Instantly her expression changed to that of rage. Veins on her forehead protruded, and she scowled ferociously. Her next words held such vicious growling anger that Sylvester almost struck her.


    "This Empire! Please destroy it, and kill everyone from my family¡ªincluding the concubines and their offspring!"


    [500 CHAPTERS YO!!! 5000 More to go...Just kidding.]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 501: The Birth Of Kingdoms

    "This Empire! Please destroy it, and kill everyone from my family¡ªincluding the concubines and their offspring!"


    Sylvester lowered his sword and silently gazed at her face. He smelled nothing but hatred, anger, and pure rage. There was a story behind it, and he was interested in hearing it.


    "What''s your story, Princess?"


    "You will know eventually, Jack. Please, can you promise me that?" She repeated.


    Sylvester shrugged and agreed since he was already doing it, "I promise."


    "Thank you."


    Without uttering another word, she withdrew from the room, vanishing into the darkness beyond the door. Sylvester didn''t follow her either, as she seemed unstable at that moment.


    "What do you think, Chonky? What happened to her?"


    Miraj ceased hiding behind Sylvester and jumped onto the bed. "Maybe she''s hungry, Maxy. I also get angry when I''m hungry."


    "But you''re always hungry," Sylvester argued.


    "That''s right! What''s for dinner, Maxy?"


    "..."


    "I''ll cook a steak in the room. Stay here; I''ll go and get the ingredients." Sylvester left Miraj sitting in the room. It was the mundane life that he had to get used to.


    Sylvester had to do nothing but sit in his room for theing days and wait for the storm to sweep across the Empire. The entire castle, including his room, was soon searched, and sure enough, nothing was found. The money was nowhere in the entire Marashia city region, as if it had simply vanished into thin air. The Grand Wizards who were implicated were also caught and tortured for answers.


    As the days passed, the annoyance and frustration were easily noticeable in every administration worker passing by. Meanwhile, soldiers, knights, and wizards constantly flocked to the castle to discuss their unpaid sries.


    The waves had begun to shake the foundation of Masan, and they were only destined to growrger while Sylvester and Miraj enjoyed the show. And apparently, Princess Fernis as well.


    ¡­


    The Masan Empire was vast and densely popted in certain regions while nearly deserted in others. Yet, it was a well-oiled machine that never failed to fulfill its day-to-day operations. The soldier outposts were well-funded, and the cities were well-administered by Magistrates and other overseers. The borders were safe and sound, while the trade routes were well-paved, and the ports were regted.


    However, something problematic was observed as a new morning dawned over Shill City in the North. The city administrator and the soldiers all protested against the overseer of the city, appointed by the Royal Capital.


    "We will not work without receiving our wages!"


    "Where is our money?!"


    "Why do you hide? Did you keep it?"


    The voices of rebellion grew outside the overseer''s house. Regrettably, he could only hide in the safety of his house and address the people from the second-floor window. "I haven''t received my sry either. No money came to Shill City this morning. Go and ask the Magistrate in Lakeview City. That new bastard son of thest Magistrate probably kept it all!"


    The soldiers, wizards, and other workers talked among themselves and decided to pursue that idea. Lakeview City was nearby anyway, and indeed, a new Magistrate had taken charge after the previous one died from a heart attack.


    Keilib was the name, a bastard-born devious schemer who had risen to power by killing the wife of the former Magistrate, along with his sons.


    However, as soon as they arrived at Lakeview City, they were weed by soldiers and given food and wine to consume. A dance and music festival was held in their honor, and they felt valued.


    At that moment, the Magistrate appeared¡ªa young and handsome man with an equally alluring beauty by his side. The famed ex-ve was now the wife of the wealthy lord.


    "Strong and wise men of mynds, I wee you to Lakeview City. Indeed, I kept the money from you. I didn''t do it out of greed but because I discovered the overseer of Shill City wasmitting theft. I had to do it to ensure he couldn''t escape or use you to save himself.


    "Tomorrow morning, you will receive your wages, as well as your new designations. Furthermore, I am officially revealing something that wille as devastating news to many¡ªthe Empire has gone bankrupt. The wages I pay you nowe from my own coffers, and you are no longer working for the Empire but for me."


    As expected, chaos broke out. But, in the end, the one who feeds the cat bes the owner. Keilib was a wealthy lord with money, and if the Empire had truly gone bankrupt, there was none better than the young lord to serve.


    However, what most failed to see was the subtle shift that happened. Unofficially, the first Kingdom within the Empire was born, with overwhelming power resting within one noble''s grasp.


    ¡­


    Not all were fortunate, sadly. While the region in the North stabilized under the leadership and money of the Magistrate of Lakeview city, the Magistrate of Rivep city was lynched by the people as the shortage of food and funds resulted in a small famine that imed fifty thousand lives.


    After the death of the Magistrate, an ambitious merchant rose to power with the help of mercenaries hired and paid by him. Then, he used his ''own'' wealth to stabilize the region and earn the love of the people. Along with it, he gained the loyalty of soldiers, unofficially establishing a private army.


    And in Shieldwatch city, which sat in thep of the Wall of Void, the Magistrate willingly gave his seat to a local Clergyman, who then used church funds to manage everything.


    Finally, in Lowhide City, near the border of Warsong Kingdom, a massacre took ce. It was orchestrated by the Magistrate, who seemingly sumbed to madness out of nowhere. He was then defeated by a heroic knight, who took control of the region to be its lord. He dered the discovery of the Magistrate''s hidden wealth and became a beloved figure by distributing the money.


    Four different ces, four different situations, but the oues were the same¡ªnew Kingdoms were born. Without any name, without any proimed Kings, yet they were a reality none could deny.


    [A/N: See full map of Western Sol]


    ¡­


    "Fifteen days," Sylvester mumbled. "That''s all it took to ruin all things that appeared beautiful."


    Sylvester murmured while he strolled in a garden with the Princess. The garden was no longer clean since the caretakers were dismissed from their jobs as there was no money to pay them. The Hundred Castle City no longer looked as noble, with dust and dirt piled up inside the city, on the roads and corners.


    The knights and wizards working for the royal family slowly began to leave for the newly established self-proimed Free-cities, where they heard was sufficient money and food. Some who stayed became indifferent toward their work as they waited for their promised wages.


    "This is music to my ears," Fernis said and jumped to look back at Sylvester. "You brought me so much joy, Jack. Tell me, what do you want as a reward? I still have some gold if you want it."


    He smiled behind his mask. "No need, Princess. As long as you remain safe, I am fulfilled."


    She had not spoken about what had happened that night ever again, nor had she repeated those words. Sylvester ignored it as well, uncertain of where it might lead him to. It could have been a trap for all he cared.


    "Oh, if not gold¡­" She stopped and gazed at him seductively, slowly sliding her robes from her neck to reveal her skin and the beginning of her curves. "How about my maidenhood?"


    "..."


    ''Why is she so crazy?''


    "Princess, please cover yourself. To speak with such crudeness with me, I''m afraid I''ll be beheaded if anyone were to hear you." Sylvester replied like a chivalrous knight.


    "Uh." Fernis sighed in defeat. "O'' Solis, are you really not attracted to me? Not even a bit? Look at my body, sure I may be short, and my breasts are slightly small, but I''m a pure untamed maiden¡ªOr¡­Oh lord, are you not interested in women at all?"


    "..."


    ''And here I thought she''d act more serious after that night.''


    "Princess, I took a vow of celibacy," he truthfully answered.


    She scoffed. "Who cares? Nobody is watching us. They''re too worried about saving the Empire."


    "God is watching us," Sylvester answered.


    Amused and puzzled, Fernis looked at the sky and pointed her finger at the sun. "Such a peeping God, then. Well, all this will soon be over anyway. Where will you go next, Jack? I certainly won''t be able to afford you."


    Sylvester constantly observed her emotions. ''Sadness and peace? What a strange mixture.''


    "I don''t serve you for money, Princess." He replied, staying in character. "I serve you as long as you live."


    "Haha!" She abruptlyughed. "Good, that''s amazing then. I think you''ll go East, back to your homnd. Maybe win some glory in the war in Beastaria¡­start a family down the line? How does that sound?"


    "Like an unattainable dream," Sylvester said, not lying either. Starting a family wasn''t even on his to-do list.


    "Dream? I suppose so." She mumbled and walked closer to his right side. Her short stature forced her to look up at him. "Can I hold your hand?"


    Sylvester didn''t reject it and even held it himself to sense her pulse to evaluate her body''s situation. In his palm, her hand was so small that it almost vanished, and surprisingly, it was cold.


    "All this is so beautiful¡­The trees, the animals, the flowers, and this breeze¡­To think all this was created by nature, a construct of God. I feel so tiny when I think of that¡­as if I don''t matter. What about you?" She questioned and pulled him to sit down with her on the short, raised hill. She kept holding his hand the entire time while looking at the sunset.


    Sylvester felt there was something wrong with her and decided to implore. So he took off his facete first. "As a matter of fact, Fernis. We ARE tiny inparison. But, it''s useless to overthink, or you''ll go insane."


    "Is God even real?"


    Sylvester nodded emphatically. "Of course, or else the holy rituals wouldn''t have made any sense. Exorcizing the demons and banishing the evil¡­there has to be a God if there is evil."


    "I feel like cursing God then." She blurted. "He''s evil himself¡­to bring so much sadness."


    Pat!


    Fernis let her head fall to her right and rested it on Sylvester''s shoulder. She tried to clench Sylvester''s hand even tighter as her eyes slowly welled with tears.


    "Jack¡­I wish I had found you earlier."


    Sylvester looked at her raised face, into her watery brown eyes. "Why?"


    "Then¡­I wouldn''t have died."


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 502: The Curse Of Sylvester Maximilian

    "Then¡­I wouldn''t have died."


    What she said made no sense. "What do you mean? Are you sick?"


    She smiled softly as the sun slowly hid beneath the horizon and darkness started to take over. "I would have preferred if it was a disease, Jack. But, I''m already dead¡­a walking corpse with limited time."


    Sylvester touched her shoulder, "But I sense your beating heart, Princess."


    "I''m no undead, Jack. What am I, even if I don''t know... But, I know that once this Empire finally breaks apart, this heart will also cease to beat, freeing me from this prison of my body." Fernis replied rather emotionally. She looked at his face and chuckled. "You don''t believe me?"


    "It''s hard to believe you. You''ve lived normally, you''ve eaten normally, and¡­you feel things normally. You can be anything but dying, Princess. Why do you even desire the destruction of Masan? It''s your homnd." Sylvester directly confronted her since nothing she was saying made any sense.


    She let go of Sylvester''s hand andid back on the grass. "Because I hate what it stands for. So many concubines, so many princes, and so much infighting. When I was small, not a single day went by without someone trying to assassinate me. My elder brothers had suffered the same fate, as did my father¡­their debauchery is the cause of the Empire''s downfall.


    "Why do you think the war with the Warsong Kingdom began? It was my grandfather who wanted to bed the Queen of Warsong at that time. To do it, he evoked the Eternal Bull Ritual in the name of Solis. A wild bull was released free with an army following it. Wherever the Bull went was proimed as the Empire''snd. Eventually, it entered the Warsong Kingdom and was in by its King. But my grandfather''s lust knew no limits, and he dered war¡­which we never won. My elder brother was the same¡­I must be the worst sister for feeling peace on his death instead of sorrow."


    Sylvester was hearing all that for the first time. The tale of an Empire that grew so strong that its Emperor couldn''t ept someone rejecting his wishes.


    "You still haven''t answered me. Why do you hate the Empire?" Sylvester asked her once again.


    "Because it killed me¡­" She blurted instantly. "I just wanted to live a normal life¡­fall in love, get married, and live happily till my death. But their scheming hearts could not ept my happiness. Jack, our meeting on that farm wasn''t a coincidence. epting you as a personal guard was not a coincidence¡­It happened because not only you, I also wanted it too."


    ''That''s impossible unless she had seen the future. If she had, she would have known my real name as well.''


    "You are circling around the answer, Princess. Why do you think you''re not alive?"


    "Because I''m not! My own family¡­my cousins! They killed me the night before we met for the first time!" She burst aloud with the answer. "I bled to my death in that room¡­in that inn. Then, when we arrived at your farm the next day, they saw me still alive, and attacked me, only for you to save me."


    ''What the hell is she saying? She died and still reached the farm the next day? What is she? Not a Zombie or a Lich, that''s for sure.'' Sylvester was confused and frustrated beyond words.


    "How?" He asked one word.


    "Because of you¡­" Fernis answered.


    "I was full of rage, pain, and vengeance, and knew what caused my death. I had a little sister once, whom I loved dearly¡ªshe was also murdered. I had so many friends among my cousins, and they all disappeared one after another, leaving me to wait for my eventual end as well. My elder brother Zedd also killed our real eldest brother with poison. Murders among concubines and their children are asmon as dogs dying in the streets.


    "And what did my father have to say? ''Good job, you are the true blood of Mirmasan''. He encouraged it¡ªSo, I wanted an end, and the only way was the end of the Mirmasan family."


    "Then how ar¡ª"


    She interrupted Sylvester''s words and continued. "As Iy in that room, bleeding to death, I heard a voice calling my name. At first, I felt relieved that it was my brother¡­But then the golden shining orb appeared before my eyes. The voice became clear, so majestic that it made me fear. ''You can''t die yet!'' the voice said."


    Sylvester could already see where it was all going and couldn''t help but clench his teeth. He hated the meddling hand as it was too unpredictable.


    "Let me guess. It was Solis?" He questioned.


    "Yes! Solis ordered me to meet a ve named Jack. Revealed to me that the ve would fulfill myst wish before dying¡ªthe destruction of the Empire and the Mirmasan family. I was doubtful, but not anymore¡­you''ve already fulfilled my wish."


    ''Is this the end then? But it still doesn''t answer onest question.''


    "If you were merely using me for your vengeance, why were you so obsessed with me? Why did you try to sleep with me? I barely knew you."


    To his question, Fernis only smiled and closed her eyes. She took a long breath and abruptly began to sing something, starting with a long hum.


    ?The love of Solis knows no bounds,


    For he nourishes you with everything around.


    The water, the air, and nature''s melodious sounds.


    Lord has his ways to expound.?


    Sylvester''s jaw went slightly agape as he quickly recognized the lyrics. Following that, a short smile grew on his face as well, and he sang the second part of the hymn.


    ?So pray with me in the name of the Lord.


    Your voices shall be kept in the blessed record.


    From his grace, none is ignored.


    Yournd has been blessed again, wholly restored.?


    She opened her eyes and looked at him. "I was three years old when big brother Jinn began to tell me stories about a blessed boy in the distantnds of the East. Who sings like a cuckoo and shines like Solis himself¡­Years went by, and the stories only grew numerous and grander.


    "Defeating demons, Bloodlings, unearthing secret plots, punishing evil nobles, and blessing the innocent¡ªthe tales of Lord Bard were something I looked forward to every day. The merchants became my greatest friends, bringing me stories from the East. Then they brought the peculiar instrument to y music¡­Unfortunately, I couldn''t master them." Sheughed at herself.


    "I yearned to meet the blessed, famed man one day, wondering maybe¡­just maybe¡­he could be my knight in shining armor."


    ''She knew all along.'' Sylvester silently listened to her.


    "I¡­I tried to run away to the East to find you in the Holy Land. All of my fifty or so attempts failed. I tried to pray to Solis for help, but nothing happened. I longed for you, as my heart felt wronged¡ªbefore I knew it, the adoration wasn''t a simple desire to meet anymore, but something more."


    She stopped speaking and took a long breath. "Then the grave news came six years ago¡­the man I longed for was no more. Unable to even see him, I was devastated and shattered to the core. I reread the stories, the hymns, until I remembered them all¡­I prayed to Solis, asking what was my fault.


    "Time went by, but my heart never healed. I often asked my mother why Solis never replied when I pleaded. Even she, the mighty shade, had no answer¡ªI could only sulk over the unfortunate disaster."


    Sylvester moved slightly closer to her and caressed her face. It looked thinner than a minute ago, much more frail. "You could have written to me."


    "I did¡­But father never allowed them to reach you. I¡­Just once, can I hear the song?" She asked weakly, weing the touch of his hand on her face.


    ''Here I was suspecting her of being evil or conspiring against me. People are tooplicated, and even their love is the same.''


    He made his palm warmer and touched her forehead. "Such a foolish little girl¡­Who falls in love like that?"


    "Hehe¡­" She smiled, showing her teeth. "It''s your fault."


    "How?"


    "Fairytale heroes are supposed to be fictional¡­not like you¡­real."


    Sylvester almost felt his heart sink as he felt bad for her. During the days he spent with her, even after being dead all along, she remained so cheerful and happy. Her personality was so fierce and adventurous¡­She didn''t deserve to die like that.


    "I''ll sing now." He told her.


    "Hold me, please."


    Sylvester obeyed her wish and pulled her onto his arms so she''d sit between his legs while her back rested on his left arm. She held his right hand, a face full of smiles and eyes revealing a strange glimmering shine.


    "Finally, I always wanted this¡­Sylvester!"


    Sylvester started, allowing the halo to appear behind his head, and his body spread the warm radiance all around. It engulfed her as well, letting her feel the warmth.


    ?In a distantnd lived a princess.


    Short and pretty but a little bit dense.


    She waited for her prince, losing all sense.


    Her heart was pure, and her love was immense.?


    "Heh¡­True¡­" She breathed out near his ear weakly.


    ?Pure in her body, the kindest soul she held.


    To take her back in the embrace, God feltpelled.


    When the time finally came and a wish was fulfilled.


    The kind soul was betrayed¡ªher body was killed.?


    ?O'' Lord of Light, why gift her innocence such plight?


    Why only now, when she finally reached that light?


    Crestfallen, I am, holding her in my arms tight.


    I wager my shine¡ªlet herst breath be filled with delight.?


    Her body began to feel heavier in his arms. Sylvester nced at her thinning face. The radiant shine in her eyes had almost diminished. But the smile remained the same, big and cheerful.


    He caressed her head with the hand behind her, hoping for a reaction¡ªwhich never came.


    ?May you find an easy road to salvation.


    May you find warmth in your next incarnation.


    Be blessed, Fernis, have faith in God''s creation.


    Goodbye¡ªshort it was, but I cherished our rtion.?


    The hymn ended, but the halo never left. Fernis'' body, as if it had lost the divine blessing, began to be thinner and slowly vanish with tiny sparkles of shining ashes. Starting from her hands and feet, gradually flowing into the sky.


    "Fernis Hu''ul Mirmasan¡­Only if a little earlier, I could have saved you¡­Yet again, I''m cursed to hold the dying body of the one who loved me¡­I hope you find all you desire in the next life."


    Under the moonlit cloudy sky and the intense summer breeze, the shining ashes slowly assimted with the air itself. Finally, Sylvester put his palm on her still-open eyes¡ªand prayed for her soul to effortlessly rise.


    ''Revealing the identity of the Shadow of Masan to me¡­I will not forget this debt¡ªFarewell, Fernis."


    Atst, nothing of her remained¡ªand as if the heavens wept for taking yet another kind soul¡ªit rained.


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 503: A Hunter In The Castle

    Drenched in the rain, Sylvester returned to his room through the window. He knew questions were going to be raised against him about the whereabouts of the Princess, and before that happened, he had to deal with many things.


    "Chonky, wake up. The end game has arrived." He woke up the snoring cat. "It''s going to be a long and tiring night full of battles, so prepare yourself."


    "Hm? What happened? Did you take a bath?" Miraj woke up.


    "Princess Fernis was not the enemy we thought she was. Instead, she was the secret helper, giving us clues every so silently, allowing me opportunities to get close to her brothers and father. Let''s go; we need to check her chamber first. I have a feeling I''ll find what I''m looking for there." Sylvester cleared all his luggage from the room and moved out.


    Miraj ate up all his toys, which were mainly pebbles and yarn balls. Then, he jumped onto Sylvester''s shoulder, ready to head out.


    "We go back home now?" He asked excitedly.


    "Yes, once we have Masan under control, we will be heading to the Holy Land. Tonight, let''s try to breakthrough as well, Chonky. But I will need your help in distracting the enemies if they attack me together." Sylvester, this time, took out his Spear of Infinity, his ultimate weapon.


    Then, atst, before leaving, he sat down on the bed and took off the hollowed prosthetic that was covering the part of his missing leg. Now, there was a new leg, fully grown to its size withplete mobility.


    Atst, he also used a small de to etch a few Elder Runes on his own body, mainly to help him heal in case of any injury or Srium depletion. He needed all he could tonight, and falling unconscious wasn''t in his ns.


    "Let''s go."


    Finally, he moved out and, without making any noise, entered Fernis'' chamber. It was as grand as ever, yet an overwhelming emptiness permeated the air. After learning about Fernis'' true nature, he did think about the tears she must have shed in the room, all alone.


    "Miraj, try to look for any secret trapdoor or a vault. Try to chase the scent of human flesh." Sylvester ordered and began to look around himself. Thankfully, with the help of his control of Srium Particles, he could sense when particles took extra time to pass through a wall, telling him if there was something hidden behind them.


    They were quick and first aimed for any possible ce for the hidden storage to be. In the ceiling, on the roof, and then finally, they came to the walls with paintings on them. Sylvester was careful not to touch anything stupidly, as it could trigger some sort of an rm.


    Sniff! Sniff!


    "Maxy, I smell leather here!" Miraj timely eximed and called. "Something under this tile."


    Sylvester rushed over and looked at the white marble with care. He checked if it had some sort of rune-based modr locker that Prince Jinn had made.


    "There''s certainly something inside here, but I see no runes. It looks like the Princess made this herself." Sylvester knelt down and used a dagger to pluck up the marble piece.


    Tick!


    A clicking sound came, and the entire marble tile popped up like a nned mechanism. Sylvester then easily took it off and looked, finding a small half-a-meter by half-a-meter cubical hole. A wooden box was inside it with no locks on it. However, over the box was a sheet of paper with only a few lines written on it.


    ''My amazing bard, you are not alone in this journey. I was ordered to get these human faces ready for you so that you may use them for¡­something? Long ago, I came to realize that I am merely a pawn for greater things, and I stopped questioning it¡ªI hope you know the answers¡ªwith love, your Fenris.''


    Sylvester sighed and burned the paper away. "The masks are for me?"


    He opened the box and checked closely. Other than another letter, there were dozens of folded preserved faces of people spanning across genders, ages, and diverse ethnicities. He chose one and scrutinized it closely. "This can certainly help me tonight¡­Did she n for this even before she met me? But she only met Solis after dying¡­"


    There was too much confusion involved in the situation. A lot of questions remained unanswered, and even guessing about them was futile. Whenever he thought about Solis pulling the strings from somewhere, he just felt frustrated as he could feel all his ns were naked to the supposed God''s eyes.


    ''My peace won''t be mine without freedom from maniption. It seems, In the end¡­All roads lead to the inevitable fallout between us.''


    Finally, he opened the letter left in the box. "It''s for Prince Jinn?"


    Still, for his own safety, he read the contents of the letter. He did feel pity for the girl, but he didn''t know her long enough to feel blindpassion. He still had to prioritize his own life above everyone else.


    As Sylvester read the letter, he realized the reason why Fernis tried to introduce him to Jinn before. She genuinely loved this one brother of hers, as the man held no ambition to enter politics or fight for the throne. Just studying runes was enough for him, and of course, treating Fernis with affection.


    "Chonky, do you still have my Archbishop''s mitre?" He asked his furry friend. "I think I will be anointing someone as a Clergyman tonight."


    "Jinn? He''s not the bad guy?" Miraj asked with interest. "We should kill everyone, Maxy¡­We can''t trust anyone. I don''t want to lose you again."


    Sylvester hummed in agreement. Indeed, the best option was to kill them all, but Jinn''s talents were too great to be wasted. "Let''s judge that when we meet him. For now, we have to go and deal with the Grand Wizards. We only have this night."


    After spending a few more minutes scouring the chamber for more things, they decided to leave. But Sylvester needed to reach the underground dungeons for his next task.


    "Time to try the human faces." Sylvester took out one human face belonging to a middle-aged man with brown skin, an unremarkable appearance. It felt slightly disgusting, but once he put it on, it felt like an extension of his own body.


    He checked himself in the mirror carefully and changed his clothes to look like an ordinary servant in the castle. Regrettably, the new face he wore also belonged to a bald man, albeit with a beard, fortunately.


    "How do I look?"


    Miraj stared carefully. "Older, brown, and bald¡­Will you look like this when you get older, Maxy?"


    "..."


    Sylvester nced at himself in the mirror with terror in his eyes. "I hope not, Chonky¡­I sincerely hope not."


    Once Chonky stored his armor and other belongings, they finally set out to the underground dungeon. Given the vast size of the castle, the dungeon was also expected to be massive. Fortunately, Sylvester had already mapped out most of the passageways within the structure.


    On his way, he changed his entire demeanor, from walking to speaking, to that of a servant of the castle. He had already met many of the servants and had seen their identification tokens. So it didn''t take him long to fabricate one that could allow him into the dungeon.


    "You!" a Knight suddenly called him. "Come here¡­Clean this floor here."


    Sylvester went close to the man, his head held low like a good servant. Someone had vomited on the floor, and he had to clean it.


    "I don''t have time for this."


    "What d¡ªArgh!"


    Within a second, Sylvester stabbed the man in the heart and didn''t take the dagger out, preventing blood from sttering. With disbelief and confusion, the man fell down.


    "Chonky, quick!" He ordered.


    Within a few seconds, the body vanished into Miraj''s belly, and Sylvester again made his way toward the dungeon. Of course, he was stopped a few more times by some random Knight tripping on power, and he graciously took their lives as a sacrifice.


    By the time he reached the gates to the dungeon, he had killed about a dozen men, and the next target was the two men guarding the entrance.


    "Halt! Who are you? Never seen you here before." One of the two asked.


    Sylvester didn''t look up and acted cowardly. "Ah, Sir, forgive me¡­ mypanions have left work, so I was assigned to care for the respected Grand Wizards held inside."


    "Grand Wizards?" One of the knights eximed.


    "Yes, Sirs¡­I am to bring them food as per their choice." Sylvester answered. It was a fact that although five Grand Wizards had been imprisoned under the suspicion of theft from the royal treasury, they were still well cared for as the investigation yielded no results. They were only interrogated once; after that, they lived in the dungeon as if they were on vacation.


    "Fine, go and ask¡­bloody thieves." One of the knights disdainfully scoffed and opened the gate.


    Sylvester proceeded inside and waited until the door closed behind him with a loud bang. "Chonky, map the area."


    "Aye, aye!"


    Meanwhile, Sylvester began to draw circr,yered runes on the gate so no one may enter and no sound could escape. To confront five Grand Wizards in one night would require his full power and element of surprise.


    ''Six years of training¡­let''s see where I stand.''


    Atst, he turned around and walked right in. It was called a dungeon but was reserved to detain high-ranking political prisoners. Hence, it resembled any other giant hall and chamber in the castle. Marble floor, tiled walls, curtains, torches all around, and a pleasant atmosphere altogether.


    "Maxy! They''re all ying table games." Miraj flew back and announced.


    Sylvester chuckled. "So much for being prisoners. Are they injured?"


    "Only bruised a little, and some had bandages," Miraj answered.


    Sighing, Sylvester changed into his armor and held the spear in hand. He lowered his helmet as well and began walking in while tapping the spear''s butt on the ground.


    nk!


    nk!


    Soon enough, drawn to the sound, the five Grand Wizards emerged from a room. Some were bare-chested, and some were clothed, but none of them carried any weapons.


    "Oh, did His Majesty send you? So we can leave now?" One of them asked, mistaking Sylvester for one of their Imperial Knights.


    "What''s with the spear?"


    "What''s your name?"


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us!" Sylvester assumed a fighting stance. "And yes, you can leave¡­this world."


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 504: Sylvester—Fighter, Singer, Actor

    "Buddy, are you drunk?"


    The five Grand Wizards, who had never been talked down to in years and never had to fight someone overwhelmingly stronger, took Sylvester''s words as a mere joke. A man they knew wasn''t a Grand Wizard making threats to them didn''t seem very menacing.


    "Just fetch us more wine and food, boy. You still have a long way to go before challenging us." said the eldest member of the five. He was five foot tall, brown-skinned, and with short white hair. He had nothing on his body besides pants, but his torso was covered in scars, telling the tales of his adventures.


    Sylvester had no time to waste, so he made his move. "As you wish."


    Boom!


    Sylvester''s feet dug into the marble floor and shattered it into a wide crater. Like a spear, heunched himself forward. His trajectory was fixed on the oldest Grand Wizard, aiming directly for the center of his chest.


    In less than a second, faster than their eyes could even react, Sylvester had done his magic. The loud boom echoed, and the next thing they knew, the old Grand Wizard was gone.


    "Wait!"


    But they were wrong. Only the torso of the Grand Wizard was gone, while the legs were still standing there, leaving behind a gruesome sight of blood, flesh, and a few dangling intestines.


    "One down!"


    The remaining four men turned around and saw Sylvester taking a fighting stance once again. The torso of the previous Grand Wizardy on the ground, sttered with blood all around, and eyes rolled back into his skull¡ªdead.


    Woosh!


    Yet again, a crater appeared on the ground, and the four men frantically looked left and right to locate Sylvester''s figure.


    "Behind you!"


    "NOO¡ªAh!"


    Thud!


    A severed head, separated from its body, fell to the ground, rolling right before Sylvester''s feet. Sowing no mercy, Sylvester mmed his heel on it, crushing it into a mess of brain matter and bones.


    It was at that moment the remaining three realized they were vastly outssed and unprepared. They made a run to the exit and tried to open it¡ªfailing miserably.


    "Open the gates!"


    Bang!


    Their faces turned pale, and their eyes were full of terror. They kicked, punched, and tried to make a hole in the wall just to escape. They didn''t even have weapons to fight against Sylvester.


    "Three more to go!" Sylvester menacingly began walking towards the three. "Don''t you have any questions to ask?"


    "Fuck off! I''m Helingad the Scorcher! I won''t die without a fight!" The tallest, six-foot-five Grand Wizard roared and finally used his magic. After all, a Grand Wizard was a city-destroying entity, and having a few special moves was the norm.


    "Eat my Rage of Solis¡ªHaaaa!" Helingad punched his right hand toward Sylvester, creating a massive red rune circle dozens of meters wide. On top of it, an air rune circle also appeared, and soon from its center appeared a swift and pointed gust of fire resembling a dragon''s mouth.


    Sylvester didn''t even flinch and continued to walk forward, taking the devastating blow with ease directly to the center of his chest.


    Boom!


    The fire collided with Sylvester''s te armor, instantly melting it away. Then the mes spread and burned away all of the armor on Sylvester''s torso, including the helmet. As expected, the fake face also melted and revealed Sylvester''s natural appearance¡ªwhite skin and fierce golden eyes.


    ''Ugh, what a waste of a mask. I should enchant themter.''


    Shhh¡­!


    However, the effects of the fire stopped after that. Contrary to Helingad''s expectations, Sylvester''s body seemed to absorb all the fire, even if he looked like he was burning.


    "W-Who are you?!" The three men asked simultaneously.


    Sylvester thumped the spear on the floor and began speaking in rhymes. The halo appeared behind his head once again, but reciprocating the fury, crimson was its color.


    ?Dare oppose the might of the lord.


    Don''t test me, my fury you can''t afford.


    All your sins can no longer be ignored.


    I am Solis¡ªI am light¡ªI am the God!?


    Woosh!


    With the halo still shining behind him, Sylvester leaped into the air. The men were bbergasted, too scared to react to him, and easily fell victim to the strike.


    The Spear of Infinity elongated slightly and descended upon Helingad''s head with a vertical strike. The de easily connected and cut the man right through the middle, like a hot knife through butter. Split into two, the sides gaped wide, oozing blood and organs, and the remaining two men shuddered at the sight.


    "No! Forgive us, God¡­We are servants of your benevolence! My generations have prayed only to you¡­Solis¡­Give us a chance for redemption¡­" The two remaining men were Grand Wizards, ranked sixteen and eighteen in the Empire¡ªat best. They were Grand Wizards of level three or four.


    Sylvester looked down at them, his golden eyes shining with a heavenly ze. His entire body was enveloped in the mes. The crimson halo behind his head grew bigger and bigger as the amount of Srium in his body increased with the help of Elder Magic¡ªthe only way to fight these men.


    They weren''t very old Grand Wizards, hence easily susceptible to giving up their free will for the safety of their lives. Sylvester knew this was just the first and the easiest of his battles as the enemies were unprepared, so he attempted to conserve as much energy as possible.


    ?The filth of Masan, you dared kill my blessed son.


    Where he tried uniting the sinful realm as one.


    You schemed against light¡ªnow, nowhere left to run.


    Now burn, for you have awakened the fury of the sun!?


    Sylvester''s theatrics knew no limit. Portraying himself as Solis incarnate, he forced his hair to regrow, as it was much simpler than growing a limb. At a visible speed, the long golden-blonde silky hair draped over his shoulder, bringing back his iconic look.


    "No! Please¡­It was the Emperor''s sin!" The two Grand Wizards kneeled as they recognized the famed bard''s look. There was only one man famous for his golden eyes, halo, and golden-blonde hair, after all.


    ?Why must I forgive you for the sinmitted?


    For your crimes, you yourself have admitted.


    My son is no more; how can that be omitted?


    Disease should be cleansed before it''s transmitted!?


    "No! Please¡­! I''m Sir Wajir, God of Poisons¡­Please allow me to serve you, Great Lord!" Wajir pleaded, ck-haired, brown-skinned, and green-eyed.


    "And I''m Warlock Ellum, Master of Summonings!" Ellum, with simr features except for his ck eyes, added.


    Sylvester felt pleased with the names of their powers. Grand Wizard-ranked talents in poisons and summonings were brilliant. But he couldn''t trust them that easily. After all, they were seasoned veterans as well.


    ''But, will the Elder Blood Contract even work? It''s only theoretical. Officially, I''m ranked below these two in magic, but my Elder Magic surpasses everything else¡­Will it work?''


    ?Nothing can save the downfall of this Empire.


    It invited ruin in pursuit of power to go higher.


    Speak, do you still serve the Emperor of heathen?


    Or will you fight against sin as a soldier of my legion??


    "You! You, Solis¡­You are the supreme master of all mankind. We serve you in life and death!" Ellum proimed. "We were born from your blessing and die for it too¡ªMy sword and magic are yours!"


    "As are mine," Wajir added, bowing his head while still on one knee.


    ?Empty words with no heart are all I hear.


    Prove it, with blood, you must swear!


    Write it, your submission, and your prayer.


    For I own all¡ªyour mind, body, and the air!?


    Thud!


    Sylvester forcefully mmed the butt of his spear to the floor. "Hesitation, I feel, as expected from a human''s pride even when they kneel. Death, I award you¡ªfor stopped has your life''s wheel!"


    Ellum and Wajir frantically ran into their room and brought out two sheets of paper. Without even writing anything, they poured their blood on the sheet and extended it to Sylvester.


    "We serve you, Solis!" Ellum cried.


    "Our lives are yours!" Wajir added.


    Sylvester took both pages with his hands and ced the Blood Contract runes on them using his own blood instead of ink. The difference was that he used Eldernguage to make those runes. And the only term on the papers was¡ª"I submit with my mind, body, and life."


    Atst, Sylvester nervously waited for the Blood Contract to work. He had only theorized the thing before, as there was nobody to try it even once.


    Woosh!


    As soon as the contract waspleted, it shined in bright golden light for a split second. Then, before they knew it, the papers burned away, but shockingly, no ashes were left behind.


    Thud!


    Ellum and Wajir threw their heads at Sylvester''s feet and prayed to him. They truly believed he was Solis himself, and why wouldn''t they, after seeing the one-sided massacre, which still smelled fresh?


    ?Sons of light, it''s time your worship is proved.


    My wrath is eternal, for Masan stays unmoved.


    Rise¡ªEllum and Wajir¡ªgo and fulfill the creed.


    To here, your purest brothers, you must lead.?


    "May your holy light enlighten us!" The two quickly rose to their feet and headed to the gates. Their eyes appeared clear with a fanatical rage. Solis was there; Solis was reality. Finally, they could see what all men desire¡ªa path to immortality.


    Thud!


    Ellum and Wajir easily killed the two guards standing outside the gates and rushed off into thebyrinth of corridors.


    Left behind, Sylvester didn''t move or even blink. To seem like a god, he had to appear far from a mortal. But his mind raged in worry as well as delight.


    ''Yes! The Elder Blood Contract works¡ªBut who they will bring now is something I can''t control.''


    Thud!¡ªThe door suddenly swung open once again. Ellum and Wajir returned while dragging an armored and masked man along. He was tall, with only half his face covered with a fearsome mask, but that was enough for Sylvester to recognize him¡ªthanks to his cursed luck.


    "O'' Supreme One, God of Gods, the master of life and death¡ªWe bring your most loyal servant. By your grace, he was already on his way here.!" Ellum, Master of Summonings, proimed.


    God of Poisons, Wajir''s green eyes shined with excitement as he announced the arrival. "He prays to the Supreme One six times a day, provides food to the orphans, and maintains all the broken monasteries in the realm with his own money¡ªThis is the Supreme General of Masan, Manzax K''al Mirmasan!"


    [A/N: This guy.]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 506 505. The Master Manipulator

    Sylvester hadn''t nned to fight a level ten Grand Wizard, who was most likely half-a-step into bing a Supreme Wizard. Even with his Elder Magic, there was no way for him to overpower that kind of person. But fooling him with his theatrics was also challenging.


    ''Will he believe in Solis if he truly is such a big believer?'' Sylvester wondered and tried his best to look imposing and godly. His crimson halo alluded a dangerous energy, and his long golden blonde hair fluttered without any need for wind.


    "My strongest believer, the greatest one? Prove it¡ªWhat is the name of my son?" Sylvester made his voice slightly echoey and muffled this time.


    The Supreme General of Masan, Manzax K''al Mirmasan, was at least three hundred years old, filled with great wisdom and power within his body. With his exceptional talent to be a Supreme Wizard, he navigated his way all those years with great precision, cing all the bets in the right ces and ensuring his niece became the one and only Empress Consort of the Empire.


    But, even with all that influence and power, there was one thing he desperately craved, and for it, he prayed to Solis day and night and became the greatest worshiper among all. What he desired the most was¡ªa family.


    After a harsh childhood where physical and mental torture wasmon in order to make him a great warrior, he lost something of value. He could never conceive a child, no matter how much he tried or how strong the women were. In the end, the reason was apparent. It was he whocked something.


    "Solis?" Manzax voiced, sounding furious even. He raised his unique long de and pointed it at Sylvester. "In the body of a mere boy? Before I prove myself¡ªyou prove your own divinity. Tell me, as your greatest worshiper, what is it that I desire the most?"


    Sylvester looked at Manzax''s face emotionlessly, preparing a hymn to reply with. ''Thank you, Fernis¡­You will not be forgotten in the Holy Land. Forever remembered as the silent pathmaker.''


    ?Standing before the divine, you choose to be blind.


    Anger and pent-up frustration have shut your mind.


    Look again, not ahead in the future, but far behind.


    Whose fault is your lost blessing that I had designed??


    ?Desire a son, a daughter¡ªbut lives in them, my essence.


    I''m earth, sky, and air¡ªyet you ignored my presence.


    For centuries my children were killed; grave is your offense.


    Yet you pray as a devotee, maintaining your false pretense??


    Thud!


    Manzax fell to his knees; his eyes widened in shock, and his mouth dried up due to theck of words. It wasn''t hard to discern the meaning of the rhyming hymns. Indeed, he desired a son or a daughter.


    "But I merely fulfilled my duty, my fate expected of me. Why am I punished for something that, if not I, another would have fulfilled?"


    ''Oh, the scent of tulips is rising. The worship in his heart is increasing. But the scent can be deceiving.'' Sylvester observed the positive impact of his words.


    So, he continued, cing the me on the man again.


    ?I built humanity with intelligence, made your minds free.


    Permitted to choose, when to reject, and when to agree.


    Yet, madness you chose¡ªfrom peace, you cowardly flee.


    To the sins of the devil, you blithely bent the knee.?


    Manzax trembled upon hearing Sylvester''s chilling words. "What can a pawn do in the world of Kings and Emperors? I''m a mere soldier who dies if he follows the order, who dies even if he rejects the order."


    Sylvester widened his eyes slightly and extended his palm toward the man. His halo expanded, emitting an icy sensation. It was time to strike while the iron was hot.


    ?I blessed you with the talent to sit at the peak.


    Yet, gold, power, and influence are all you seek.


    Countless dreams and hopes you made bleak.


    Piles of the dead, feel what their bodies reek!?


    Woosh!


    The space distorted before Sylvester''s palm, and an utterly repugnant odor permeated the surroundings, churning the stomachs of all present.


    First came drops of blood, followed by cascades forming a river of crimson. Then joining the blood, dead bodies began to appear out of thin air¡ªbeheaded, chopped apart, limbless, putrefied, or even rotten¡ªmen, women, and children of all races.


    A small mountain of tens of corpses piled up in an instant and filled the room with blood beneath their feet. Most of the bodies had eyes still open, reflecting the sudden death that they had received. Some bore contorted faces, revealing the pain before their deaths.


    Even Wajir and Ellum had their knees go weak while Manzax stood transfixed, his mind empty. His chest rose and fell with deep breaths, and the eyes blinked behind his mask.


    Atst, Manzax took off his mask, revealing a face that bore certain resemnces to Fernis. The man was just confused as he asked, "A-Are these my¡­"


    Sylvester bellowed hisst hymn, pushing the man into the void of regrets of his life''s choices. Into a sense of realization that he wasted his life doing the wrong thing.


    ?Open your eyes, see the fates you defiled.


    From your true sins, this is still too mild.


    See their faces¡ªOnce, they also smiled.


    Boys and girls, one could''ve been your child.?


    "I¡­I killed them?" Manzax asked with a trembling voice. "But I never raised a de against a child nor let my men do so."


    Sylvester responded. "You strike the river dam, starting the chain of decay. A yearter, the dam breaks and kills viges¡ªin whom the fault theny?"


    "I did not wish for this to happen." Manzax broke down. "But I can''t see you destroy my home!"


    Sylvester nearly flinched at the sudden re of anger in the man. Loyalty to the Empire was still deeply ingrained in him.


    "The sin youmitted, your Empire made it greater. Millions died in your city, do you not remember? The servants from my house¡ªyou killed them in my temple. Priests, Bishops, Cardinals¡ªfor such heresy, why shouldn''t Masan tremble?" Sylvester questioned him, reminding him of the massacre in the Southern City.


    Manzax was perplexed. "But¡­My duty is to Masan!"


    "I only created life. But Kingdoms, Empires, Borders, Species, and Races are what YOU made. Your duty lies with life, not the construct that only leads to eternal strife!" <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Manzax prostrated himself, letting his head touch the bloodied ground. "Then how do I receive salvation? How can I be blessed? Where does the destruction end?"


    Sylvester replied. "When the Empire of heathens ends!"


    Manzax looked up. "Can I ever be a father?"


    "The path of salvation is the answer to your bloodline''s continuation!"


    Thud!


    "Then Masan will live through me." Manzax rose to his feet. "How do I serve, Supreme One?"


    "Surrender! Submit!"


    Sylvester''s eyes darted at Sir Wajir for a moment. Getting the cue, the man ran into the rooms and brought out another sheet of paper for the Blood Contract.


    Manzax swiped his thumb on his de and stamped the blood on the paper, before extending it toward Sylvester.


    "My de is now yours!"


    ''Ugh¡­This was tough. My srium is depleting too rapidly in this state¡­I need to end this show quickly and leave.''


    "Rise, my serva¡ª"


    BOOM!¡ªThe door to the dungeon suddenly sted open with a powerful kick. A man in dirty ck armor and a helmet appeared, shouting like a madman.


    "Where are they? Bring those five traitors to the Emperor! They stole the gold!"


    Manzax bellowed in response. "Sheelisk! Bow down to the Supreme One, you mindless heretic! Confess your sins and serve!"


    Sylvester watched the scene and cursed silently, especially since he was no longer at his peak strength. ''No, no, no¡­Why is the second-ranked man here now? He''s also half-a-step into the Supreme Wizard rank¡­and this one''s mentally unstable! There''s no way to stop him except killing!''


    "What? Solis? This kid?!" Sheelisk walked in. "Wah! So many dead bodies. Is this some kind of feast? Did you fools dabble in human sacrifice? What demon did you summon?"


    "Sheelisk! Mind your tongue! You cannot afford to enrage God!" Warlock Ellum roared. "Kneel immediately!"


    ''Earn me some time!'' Sylvester prayed to God also and tried to form the Elder Blood contract with Manzax as he had the paper in hand.


    "Hahaha!" Sheeliskughed. "Did you three sell your souls to this demon? Have you forgotten what the Emperor taught us? There is no God; there is no Solis¡ªonly absolute power reigns supreme!"


    Sylvester bought time by replying. "All humans think there is no God¡ªthen they meet me."


    "It speaks! Never seen a demon so wisely spoken!" Sheelisk walked closer to Sylvester while mocking him.


    ''I don''t smell anything but excitement from him¡­My words won''t work here.''


    Sylvester acted swiftly,pleting the contract first. However, even then, he couldn''t afford a battle inside the castle as it would alert and draw the attention of the remaining Grand Wizards. Once that happened, his entire n was going to fail.


    "I wonder if I can touch you?" Sheelisk raised his hand towards Sylvester''s face.


    "STOP THERE!" Manzax raised his sword.


    "Do not move!" Ellum and Wajir followed. "Don''t tarnish Solis with your rotten tongue!"


    Sheelisk merely chuckled. "Hehe¡­Are my own brothers ready to betray me? Quite a powerful demon we have here. He has bewitched you all."


    ''He''s going to attack! I can smell it!''


    "In that case, my de shouldn''t be able to harm a Go¡ª!"


    Shhhhhh¡­!


    "Hoh?" Sheelisk froze mid-motion. "I-I can''t move? Did you do it?"


    Woosh!¡ªAll the torches in the dungeon extinguished as if a gust of wind passed through. Pitch-ck darkness engulfed the ce, except for Sylvester''s radiant halo.


    "What''s happening?" Manzax questioned, also stuck in one ce. "Supreme One, we ask for forgiveness!"


    ''I''m not doing this, you fools¡­I can''t move either!'' Sylvester felt dread in his heart. The invisible force was affecting him as well. ''Who is it now?''


    "Look outside! In the hallway!" Ellum eximed from his spot.


    They looked at the hallway outside the dungeon as the door was sted open earlier. It was also pitch ck, but now there was a strange figure in the middle, radiating a brighter glow with each passing moment.


    "What is that?!" Warjir questioned in dread. "Solis, please forgive us!"


    ''Who in God''s name is that?'' Sylvester was the same as them.


    The tall figure, adorned with an unfamiliar mask, hovered closer to them. It held a strange contraption in one hand, emitting smoke from incense and sparks of light. Wrapped in garments from head to toe and grasping a sword in its other hand, not even the Empire''s Grand Wizards knew him.


    "Atst!" the iing figure spoke. "O'' Solis, the greatest grace, please recall me to your embrace!"


    "Who are you, fellow faithful?" Manzax asked while trying to keep his voice calm.


    The figure entered the dungeon and came into full view. It then spoke with an echoing voice while its hand swung the incense faster.


    "Betrayed, tortured, escaped, and lost¡ªI am nature¡ªI am Soulbreaker."


    [A/N: See Soulbreaker]


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 507 506. A Brothers Grief

    ''Soulbreaker?'' Sylvester felt delighted in his heart. ''Does he remember everything now?''


    "Soulbreaker?" Manzax recognized that name, having heard it for many years. After all, being the Supreme General of the Empire, he was one of the creators of the n to kill the Saint Cardinal and establish their own order.


    Soulbreaker came closer to Sylvester and knelt to surrender his authority. "God of Gods, what is yourmand?"


    ''He doesn''t realize I''m affected by his magic.'' Sylvester understood and replied with the same aura.


    "Manzax, Wajir, and Ellum are servants of fate. They have surrendered, albeitte. Raise your de at the only heathen left here. Sheelisk is his name, and he must disappear!" Sylvester replied with a muffled voice.


    Soulbreaker stood up and ced his crude sword on Sheelisk''s neck where the joint of his armor and helmet met, the Grand Wizard of level ten. No one had any idea how Soulbreaker was doing it, how he was binding a Grand Wizard many levels stronger than himself.


    "Your Supremeness, please show mercy to this foolish man." Manzax interrupted, "Sheelisk is misguided. He can be of use to you."


    Sylvester showed a false expression of anger with his widened eyes. "Once is a mistake, twice is ignorance, and thrice is a habit¡ªFoolishness is no justification for sins to bemitted."


    Soulbreaker had all the needed permissions to go ahead, and there was nobody who could stop him. His sword released a strange green mist that smelled of incense that one lights to remember the dead.


    "Your mightes from the body. But your soul reveals the true story. Weakness fills you, warrior." Soulbreaker didn''t sh or stab his sword at Sheelisk''s neck but instead swiped the de slowly while chanting something strange that even Sylvester had not heard in the Holy Land.


    ''What kind of magic is Soul Magic? What are the limits of his power?'' Sylvester wondered as he saw the scene unfold.


    "Haha, your sword won''t cut me, fool," Sheelisk mocked,ughing. "Do you not remember how I cut your Saint Cardinal back then? You couldn''t save him, even with your abilities¡ªMy darkness is supreme, for darkness is the natural state of the world without a source of light!"


    Sylvester understood that the man likely had a darkness element. It was a very powerful element against most others, but in front of light, it was nothing. So Sylvester began to expand his halo as much as possible since the man was right in front of him. Meanwhile, Soulbreaker stood by his side.


    "Darkness is evil; that is why my light exists. This, you can never resist!" Sylvester gave it his all to produce as much light as possible.


    ''He''s using the Dark element to create a shield on his skin.'' Sylvester realized and attempted to weaken it with his light. Because in the end, even if Soulbreaker could use his soul powers on them, he still couldn''t just sh through someone many levels above him.


    Crack!


    Finally, Soulbreaker''s sword made a crack as the de slowly scraped the skin of Sheelisk''s neck. Soulbreaker continued to chant while swinging his incense burner. It was a prolonged process, but time was not an issue since everyone was frozen.


    Crack!


    "You will not kill me!" Sheelish''s face turned red as he tried to move with all his power. "I am Sheelisk¡­I never lose!"


    "Your soul has already lost." Manzax suddenly voiced from behind. "Soulbreaker is someone even I feared. When we nned to kill the Saint Cardinal, it took all of us to finish the job, yet he survived somehow¡ªto this day. ept your fate, Sheelisk, and kneel."


    "I kneel to none but my Emperor!"


    Crack!


    "Aaargh!"


    Sheelisk''s cry resounded. The de finally broke through theyer of dark energy on his skin. As if an infection was spreading, the green mist from Soulbreaker''s sword began to enter Sheelisk''s body.


    "No¡­Stop this!" Sheelisk cried, although his face was still covered with the helmet. He couldn''t move, so only the helpless shouts wereing out. "Stay away from me¡­No! I didn''t do anything!"


    "Nightmares," Manzax added with a pitiful tone. "Nightmare of all those who he killed¡ªhe sees it, and his soul feels the damage he brought on others. There is no escaping Soul Magic."


    ''Inflicting damage to the soul?'' Sylvester was frightfully shocked to learn that. He knew that once he mastered maism to its peak, he''d be like a real God, capable of destroying the entire world. But the thought that his soul could still be vulnerable annoyed him. ''There must be a means to avoid this. The Pope must have it, or else, no Supreme Wizard could ever be safe from this broken power.''


    "NOOO! Please!" Sheelisk roared.


    Crack!


    Sheelisk''s armor broke apart and fell into pieces. His entire body was covered with wounds, some shes, some stabs, and some magically open gashes. The man was suffering the same fate he had inflicted on others.


    Thud!


    The armor fell entirely apart, and soon more blood covered the floor. The sword Soulbreaker scraped into Sheelisk''s neck eventually dug halfway in, reaching for crucial veins and organs. Once those began to get wounded, death was already around the corner.


    ''Scent of fear? I think even I''d feel that if someone used this ability on me. How many have I killed, and how many more will I kill to fulfill my goal?'' Sylvester wondered and silently watched the screams slowly subside as the sword reached the end.


    Thud!


    The head was severed, and the body fell to the ground. With that, finally, Soulbreaker stopped using his magic, and everyone was freed from the invisible soul binds. The dungeon hall returned to light with rekindled torches, and the sight of Sheelisk''s naked body came into view.


    "The body is broken, and so is the soul¡ªWhat is the nextmand? What shall be my goal?" Soulbreaker turned to Sylvester again.


    "You''ve grown stronger," Manzaxmented after being freed but dared not cast any magic against him.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Soulbreaker turned to Manzax and remained stoic. "Who are you? Where am I?"


    "..."


    ''So he still has no memory?'' Sylvester understood. ''Did Aurora send him here? He clearly knows he''s a Clergyman and serves the Faith of Solis.''


    "Manzax, Ellum, and Wajir, the time hase for you three to fulfill your vows. Go and capture the rest of the Grand Wizards in one ce, so they may as well receive my grace. Soulbreaker, you may also follow, and if any of their hearts appear to inflict sorrow¡ªensure they go soulless, bodies hollow." Sylvester ordered them right away as he needed to take a calming breath.


    Thud!


    Soulbreaker crossed his arms over his chest to salute. "May your light enlighten us."


    "Bless us." Manzax followed. "Yourmand shall be fulfilled."


    The other two also saluted and knelt to Sylvester, and then finally left simultaneously. Soulbreaker remained behind them the entire time, as he was to judge the three as well, not just the other Grand Wizards.


    Atst, Sylvester let out a sigh of relief and stopped emitting his halo. He refrained from using any magic in his body, allowing it to recuperate. "That was too tough, buddy¡­Things nearly got out of hand. Aurora reacted on time, but thankfully, the n is still intact."


    "Maxy, I''m not taking these bodies back in," Miraj spoke up. His mouth was bloodied from spewing out so many corpses.


    "No need, let''s leave them here as proof that Solis was here. Eventually, I will have to act like Solis left my possessed body, but until then, I''m not Sylvester, but his corpse."


    Sylvester calcted that he had already killed nine Grand Wizards, and three had joined his service. With twelve out of the game, thirteen were left. Most of them were the middle ones, but the first ten were still very powerful. Thankfully, he had killed one who was about to be a Supreme Wizard, and the other was now his servant.


    Hoping the four he sent would bring him the good news, Sylvester made his way to Crown Prince Jinn''s chambers, as he had to give him the letter and convince him to be a Clergyman, relinquishing all his responsibilities to Masan.


    "Chonky, hand me my Archbishop gown and the miter. This time, I''ll have to act like Sylvester Maximilian since Fernis'' letter mentions me," he ordered, striding towards the top floor of the castle. That was where Jinn''srgest chamber resided, where he not only lived but also nned his many creations.


    There were also a few guards on the way, and Sylvester killed them before stashing their bodies in his Chonky Bank. It wasn''t a mindless massacre either, as he also had a lengthy n for the morning.


    Eventually, he reached Jinn''s chambers and knocked on the door. Some strange vibrations of heavy machinery were alreadying from inside, so it was clear the man was awake.


    Thud!


    Eventually, the door opened with a loud noise, revealing how heavy it was. Then a head peeked out, belonging to the ck-haired Prince Jinn.


    "An Archbishop? What happened?"


    Sylvester greeted him in a church manner. "May the Holy Light enlighten us, Prince. I am Sylvester Maximilian. You might have seen me without any hair for the past few months."


    "..."


    Speechless, Jinn took a few seconds to imagine Sylvester without hair and recognize him. "Sir Jack?... You''re an Archbishop?¡­I''ve heard that name before, and where is Fernis? You are to protect her!"


    ''He really loved her.'' Sylvester smelled the sincere worry for Fernis when the man spoke of her name.


    "We should talk inside, Prince," Sylvester said, walking inside himself, pushing the Prince to the side effortlessly. However, as soon as he stepped in, his eyes froze at the view of the room.


    ''W-What is this? Steam turbine?'' His heart skipped a few beats at the sight of rotating gears and an exhaust that spewed steam. However, there was no fire anywhere, or smoke¡­just pure steam. ''Using runes?''


    "What is this about?" Jinn questioned again as he closed the door.


    ''Can I still make him loyal to me after he reads this?''


    Sylvester turned to him and handed him the letter. "Please read this before we can continue¡­Prince.''


    "What is th¡­It''s Fernis'' writing! What is she up to now? Is she ying some kind of prank?" Jinn smiled while opening the letter.


    As expected, the smile didn''tst very long. Jinn abruptly fell to the floor and continued to read the letter beyond the initial words. He looked at Sylvester asionally and then back at the letter.


    Jinn scratched his head with frustration, sadness, and anger that surged in his heart while his eyes turned teary. His hands trembled the entire time, and at the end, only a growl escaped his tightly clenched mouth.


    "Why? Why her?"


    ____________________


    [A/N: The chapter got a bit too dyed today. Had to take my dog to an emergency hospital.]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 508 507. Beginning Of The End

    [Big brother, if you''re reading this letter, that means I''m long gone from this world. I hope the one to bring this letter to you is Sylvester Maximilian, the Bard of Solis.


    I remember the stories you told me about the East, about a boy who was bringing miracles to the people with his knowledge blessed to him by Solis. I remember you telling me stories of his valor and the hardships he faced. I always wondered what kind of man he was¡­then I met him, and he was more spectacr than any.


    Sorry, big brother, when I was small, I used to say I''ll only marry you¡ªbut I fell madly, deeply for this one man that no woman could ever have.


    Yet, I was not blessed. A few months ago, when I went to the north to check the fields, I was murdered¡­


    Masan is in ruins, Brother Jinn¡­there is nothing that can save it now. Our family is rightfully doomed, but please, I beg you, join Sylvester and be his loyal follower. He is the only one who can lead this world to a greater future¡ªI trust him, and so you should.


    Let the Mirmasan family live through you. Use your knowledge to create inventions to change the world and clear the sins that cloud the name of our family.


    Goodbye, I love you.]


    Jinn was a tearful mess as he concluded reading the letter. He sped the page to his chest, near his heart, while his other hand ruffled his hair in frustration. Throughout, he remained silent and wept.


    Sylvester knelt down and patted his shoulder, not saying anything either. He smelled the intense scents of sorrow and pain. Perhaps, in the entire Mirmasan family, Fernis and Jinn were the only ones who considered each other family.


    For nearly half an hour, Jinn was a shattered wreck. Finally, when he wiped his reddened eyes clean, he gazed at Sylvester''s face. "Jac¡­I mean, Your Grace¡­Where is Fernis'' remains?"


    "She left no such thing behind. Her body faded away as an essence of this world, bing one with the very earth itself. I apologize, Jinn. Had I known, I could have saved her before any harm befell her. She was truly faithful, honorable, and pure in heart and mind." Sylvester tried to console him.


    He resorted to the second-best means he knew to calm people. He sang a hymn under his breath and created the halo. The warmth radiated from it always soothed the tormented or devastated souls, taking his light as an embrace of tranquilizing peace.


    An hourter, Jinn regainedposure and stood up. He conjured a handful of water on his palm with magic and cleansed his face. Once he feltposed, he stared resolutely at Sylvester.


    "If Fernis said you are the only path to a better future of this world, then I would like to be an observer¡ªso I may be able to tell her if she was right or not when we meet again in the afterlife. What do you need me to do, Your Grace?"


    Sylvester sighed and looked at the machinery. "Jinn, I don''t need you to raise your sword for me, nor be my shield. All I ask you to do is further your horizon and be a greater inventor. Make inventions that can change the entire world, how we live, and how we earn¡ªI want you to make more machines like these and even greater ones."


    With a heavy heart and expressionless face, Jinn walked towards the steam turbine machine. "You know what this is?"


    Sylvester decided to dazzle the man with his twenty-first-century knowledge. "It''s a steam-powered turbine that rotates the gears, which in turn can be used to operate various types of machinery, such as a mill or a furnace."


    Jinn stood there in shock. Never in his life had anyone correctly guessed what he was building. Each time, people considered his inventions useless toys with no practical purpose.


    Quickly, Jinn rushed to stop the machine and then headed towards what seemed to be a storeroom. From inside, he retrieved a peculiar box with a gear attached to its outer side, and the box had two protruding rods on top.


    Jinn swiftly used a cotton belt to connect the gear of the new box with the gear of the steam turbine. After that, he restarted the turbine at full power.


    "Then, can you tell me what this is?" Jin asked.


    Sylvester first observed the machine. In a moment, when the turbine reached high speed, the strange box began to make a buzzing noise.


    Bzzz!


    With that, a peculiar thing happened. The two rods on the box started to sparkle with lightning, and eventually, the two rods, as if synchronized, maintained a bright bluish-white light.


    "That''s... lightning?" Sylvester eximed, delighted that the man had developed something like that. "Did you use coils? That''s what is hidden beneath the box, right? You probably used copper wires and mas."


    "..."


    Jinn''s jaw dropped, and he looked towards the ceiling. Then, he pped his hands together and closed his eyes, praying. "O'' Solis, you have truly blessed this man. Fernis, it seems you were not wrong!"


    Jinn then looked at Sylvester with newfound interest. "How do you know this?"


    "Because I''ve attempted to create it before, along with many other things. But the world was not prepared for such revolutions, for insanity runs rampant, and there is no societal order. Any change in society requires unity and peace first¡ªwe have none." Sylvester answered and walked closer to the electric motor. "I envisioned creating a way to illuminate streets and houses with this, instead of smoky torches. Imagine constructing a dam on a river with a controlled outlet. The water falling due to gravity would work to move a turbine, and that would generate this lightning on a massive scale¡ªI call this energy ''electricity.''"


    James'' excitement, despite the depression, couldn''t remain hidden. "Then... When do you think the world will be ready?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Sylvester, with unwavering determination in his words, replied, "When I be the Pope... in one year. But that cannot happen unless Masan is divided into smaller kingdoms, eliminating any threat to the Church''s absolute rule. For all this to ur, I must first defeat the Shadow of Masan."


    "Shadow of Masan? Though most believe that individual to be a legend, I hold enough authority to know that they rule from the shadows, dictating the direction Masan should take. But I do not know their true identity, and I believe only the Emperor does." Jinn answered.


    Sylvester had no issue with that, as his question had already been answered by Fernis. "Jinn, tomorrow is the final day... Only you and the Supreme General will remain after I''m finished. If you cherish your mother, you may spend the night with her."


    "I don''t," Jinn replied instantly. "I don''t have many memories of them, particrly of my mother. She gave birth to me, and beyond that, only the nannies cared for me. The same was true for Fernis and Zedd. But I will go and be with her... for thest time.


    "Don''t tell her anything about Fernis, and act natural. It''s the best for all of us," Sylvester advised him.


    Jinn agreed and quickly shut down all the machinery in hisrge workshop. After that, he bid his farewell and silently left. He looked left and right at the walls of the corridor as he walked, reliving the old memories.


    "Finally, it''s over." Sylvester took a seat on the chair and removed his miter. "He''s talented and very intelligent. I don''t know if he will remain loyal to me or stab me in the back. Chonky, be cautious with him."


    "Aye, Aye!"


    With that taskpleted, Sylvester gazed out of the window to calcte the time until sunrise by observing the moon''s position. "Still three hours before sunrise. I hope Manzax and Soulbreaker are sessful."


    With some time remaining, he decided to speak with Aurora and inquire about her preparations. He sat down and focused on her Srium signature.


    "I''m almost done here," Sylvester reported. "What''s your status?"


    "Sylvester? Yes, I''vepleted my work here. Just finishing the morning''s preparations. I will be present on time in the Emperor''s court. Hozin and Kimino have also finalized everything."


    Sylvester took note and ended themunication quickly. It was a blessing to be able to remotely connect with so many people and n things. It was a great tool, as even the Shadow of Masan could not track hismunications.


    Finally, he proceeded to connect with Sir Dolorem in the Holy Land and inform him about the big day. He wanted to get an update on everything as well since his main objective was to go there soon.


    "Argh! Fall back! Don''t fight them!"


    Sylvester heard Sir Dolorem''s shouts once he connected with the man''s mind. He could feel the rush and the surging thoughts of the old Knight. Something was happening, and Sylvester could not see it, which made him tense.


    "Sylvester here! What''s happening?!" Sylvester abruptly spoke, starting with his name first to immediately put Sir Dolorem at ease.


    "Sylvester! We were fooled!" Sir Dolorem spoke, but midway stopped, and only grunts came as if there was a fight. "The Holy Land has fallen!"


    "What?! To whom? Did Beastaria attack again?" Sylvester nearly lost his focus due to the news. "Who did it? And where are you right now?"


    "Sylvester... w-we lost to our own! While we had the Inquisitors under our control, the entire Holy Army waspromised! They haveid siege to all factions opposing the First Guardian of Light¡ªNiel Grey has dered himself the Pope!"


    Sylvester went silent for a few minutes and allowed Sir Dolorem to continue with his battle. He thought about the whole situation; the more he thought, the less sense it made. Yes, he knew very well for years that the First Guardian was rebellious and held significant influence throughout the Holy Land. But the man was, at best, a Grand Wizard of level ten¡ªhow could he be the Pope?


    "Sylvester... I am trying to retreat from the Holy Land with the few Inquisitors we have here! We are surrounded... Only the Headmaster, the tenth Guardian Geralt, is with me! The rest¡ªall except Bloodrain¡ªhave surrendered themselves to the heathen!"


    Sylvester felt a shockwave go down his spine, and his body sweated. He expected the mutiny of the First Guardian at most, but the rest was not supposed to happen.


    "What do you mean? Why would someone like Faithwalker surrender? He''s the Pope''s protege! And where is the Pope? He can effortlessly handle a few Grand Wizards!" Sylvester inquired with a gasping voice.


    Sir Dolorem took a moment to respond as he battled alongside talking. It was incredibly frustrating for Sylvester, as he couldn''t see anything and felt powerless to assist his most devoted and belovedpanion.


    "Sylvester¡­The Pope has gone missing!"


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 509 508. Bard & Blood

    "Sylvester¡­The Pope is missing!"


    It felt as though the earth vanished from under his feet. Sylvester lost his focus entirely and woke up in Prince Jinn''s chamber. But he wasted no time reestablishing themunication and speaking again. "How? When did this happen? Is he alive?"


    "We don''t know¡­Something happened to him after he returned from Beastaria to deal with Niel''s supporters. We haven''t seen him since the day he made the announcement to emunicate fifty thousand Clergymen and hang them for heresy." Sir Dolorem answered.


    Sylvester thought about what could have happened, but there was no way to understand how a Supreme Wizard could be defeated without causing a kingdom-destroying level of damage to the environment.


    "Who among the Sanctum Council remains?" He asked.


    "All of them." Sir Dolorem replied. "The Sanctum Council said they will remain in their ce to prevent Beastaria from gaining an advantage. At the same time, they said that Niel must obtain the support of all the Cardinals of the Holy Land to be the Pope first officially."


    "But he won''t care!" Sylvester argued. "He''ll kill them anyway."


    "He won''t¡ªSaint Scepter won''t allow it. But the presence of Saint Scepter also raises questions, Lord Bard. He''s supposed to be the Pope''s shield, so why is he here while the Pope is missing? I also smell something wrong there¡ªthis attack on the inquisitors is uncalled for¡­Ugh!"


    "Saint Scepter?!" Sylvester eximed all of a sudden. "Wait¡­Sir Dolorem, why did I just forget about him? I didn''t even name him when counting the powerhouses of the church¡­I can''t even remember his real name."


    "So you noticed?" Sir Dolorem responded, pausing briefly to contemte. "Not just me, but I asked the same questions to my Inquisitor squad. When asked to name members of the Sanctum Council, each one of them forgot to mention Saint Scepter until I reminded them. I experimented with the Bright Mothers as well, and the results were the same¡ªeveryone seemed to forget Saint Scepter unless they heard or read the name or saw him."


    There was a long silence on Sylvester''s side. The matter was highly suspicious as he couldn''t remember much about the man despite being so close to the Pope and regrly visiting the Pope''s Pce and the Sanctum Council chamber.


    "You think he''s with the First Guardian?" He asked.


    "It''s possible, but I''m not entirely certain. For now, I''m only trying to reach safety and regroup. They had sent most of the Inquisitors to Beastaria for war, leaving us without the means to counter the Holy Army for now." Sir Dolorem continued, gasping heavily as the time went on. "Lord Bard¡­You need to make your move before it''s toote."


    Sylvester resolutely answered. "Tomorrow, Sir Dolorem¡ªMasan falls. I''vepleted all the nning. The Empire has been divided into four Kingdoms. Once I''m done here, I''ll make my way to the Holy Land, as we only have one year.


    "The Chief of Anti-Light visited me here before. He gave me a year to either be the Pope, or watch him raze the Holy Land to the ground."


    Sylvester''s revtion both excited and worried Sir Dolorem. After all, if the Chief of Anti-Light had given Sylvester time, it meant the man wanted Sylvester to be the Pope. The man saw something good in him.


    "But how? The war in Beastaria has ravaged the economy, and the enemy is too strong with the Holy Army. We can''t fight a two-front war and hope to win, Lord Bard."


    Atst, Sylvester decided to cease talking and proceed with his work. "Sir Dolorem, for now, your only task is to ensure the safety of yourself. Take Mum, Healer Hendrix, and his family from the Bard''s, head to the Hignd Kingdom, and settle in the castle. Spread the word to Einarr, Princess Isabe, and Viscount Kaecilius about my return¡ªtell them to stay ready.


    "As for the Thousand Year War, don''t worry about it. I will arrange for a temporary truce, so we can focus on my goal."


    "How?" Sir Dolorem questioned, finding it unbelievable to stop the war while being thousands of kilometers away. A war that only one Pope was able to stop before.


    Sylvester chuckled as he answered. "Old man, did you forget whose blood courses through my veins?"


    "..."


    A prolonged silence ensued, marking the end of their discussion.


    "In that case, Lord Bard¡­May the holy light enlighten us!"


    Sylvester opened his eyes and took a few long breaths to calm his raging heart. The disappearance of the Pope, the ascent of Niel, and the enigma surrounding the Saint Scepter didn''t feel like one single mess, but rather a melting pot of intertwined troubles.


    Bam!


    "Maxy?" Miraj noticed Sylvester''s rapid breathing and pressed his plump ears against Sylvester''s chest. "Your heart is going boom boom¡­what happened?"


    "A lot, Chonky. The Pope is missing, a new guy is trying to be the Pope, and the Pope''s best friend is inexplicably forgotten by everyone. Let''s go; we need to end this fast." Sylvester ced Miraj on his shoulder and walked out.


    He first went to his room and started to prepare for the final battle. Without wasting any time, he threw all his clothes away and stood in front of the mirror naked. With a small knife, he began to draw Elder Runes all over his body, from his neck to his chest, legs to his feet.


    Intricate patterns, circles, triangles, and unknown letters of a long-forgottennguage. Runes to protect from poison, fire, water, cold, cutting, and so much more. Being at the edge of bing an official Grand Wizard, he could already feel the Ranking Uping very soon.


    Once he was finished with his body, he painted runes on the inner side of his armor, granting himself double protection. He still utilized the armor of Imperial Knights, as it allowed him entry everywhere.


    Finally, he also gave Miraj a lot of explosive crystals to provide him with backup. "Six years, Chonky¡ªall for this day. We have to kill the Shadow of Masan today. If they manage to escape, it''ll be the end for us."


    "Aye, aye!" Miraj, with his furrowed fluffy brows, saluted with one paw. "I''ll eat anyone that stands in your way today."


    Knock! Knock!


    "Your Supremeness! We''ve killed eight Grand Wizards among those who remained. They refused to bow down to your holy light, or heed the words of General Manzax." Soulbreaker''s voice emanated from behind the door.


    Sylvester swiftly donned his armor, wore his helmet, and emerged with his spear in hand. "And what of the remaining eight?"


    "They surrender and await your blessing."


    Sylvester made a simple, faint halo appear behind his helmeted head. "Lead the way¡ªthe sunrise is upon us."


    ¡­


    In the holy year 5125 of Solis, on the fifteenth day of the sixth month, Masan summoned its full court to assemble in the colossal hall with ceilings as high as the glory the Empire once held.


    Magistrates from all regions across the Empire gathered, apanied by both minor and major administrators who came as onlookers. The guards received extra ie for the day, so they''d do their best. Meanwhile, even themoners were allowed to attend and watch the gathering in small numbers.


    Jesters were called for entertainment and music, and the ves filled wine sses of all the nobles, from the Emperor to the lowest-ranking administrator.


    Loud murmurs filled the massive Emperor''s court, as the ruler sat on his golden throne, with his wife beside him on a smaller throne. On the tform below, the Crown Prince sat on a seat, yet the Princess''s seat remained empty.


    Thud!


    The herald bellowed to make the announcement once the gates opened. "Hear! Hear! The traitors of Masan, the four self-proimed Kings of Masan¡ªhave arrived¡ªas prisoners!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Bam!


    Bam!


    All the knights that stood inside the court began to m the butts of their spears on the floor, producing a resounding metallic thud audible to all. The murmurs of the people quickly died down, and only the thumps, as if they were the beatings of everyone''s hearts, remained.


    Four men were then marched into court, all four wearing nothing but jute sacks on their bodies. Their bodies were covered with scars that still bled, and their heads remained low in defeat.


    "Move!"


    The knights showed no mercy, pushing the four forward with jabs from their spears. The four stumbled, rose, and continued all the way until they reached the beginning of the stairs that led to the Emperor''s seat.


    "SWINES!" Emperor Zenith leaped up from his throne. His eyes were bloodshot and lifeless, and his face was so thin, all his bones were protruding like tumors. His body had grown so thin and frail that even to call him alive was an overstatement¡ªclearly, recent days had been harsh, with his madness ever so increasing.


    "Kill them! These thieves! These traitors¡­kill them all¡­burn them in fire!" Zenith rambled uncontrobly as he descended the stairs slowly to reach the first tform. "T-These¡­four¡­You ruined my Empire¡­my bloodline!"


    Cough~!


    The Emperor began to cough profusely, each echoing cough apanied by stters of blood. It sprayed all over his own clothes and stained the steps. The sight did little to inspire confidence, especially among the administrators and themoners.


    "What are their names?!" Zenith demanded to know.


    Bowing his head, Manzax, the Supreme General of Masan, stepped forward from behind the four prisoners and detailed. "Your Imperial Majesty, the one on the left is Keilib from Lakeview City. The one behind him is Okaris from Rivep City. The one on the right is Archbishop Hathem of Shieldwatch City, and thest one is Elmond of Lowhide City¡ªthey all im to have spent their own money to support the regions they call themselves kings of."


    Ting!


    Ting!


    Heads turned towards an abrupt sound that came from the right side of the court, below the Emperor''s stairs. The jesters sat there with their borate musical instruments¡ªwhich they suddenly began ying for no reason.


    [A/N: y ?Antonio Vivaldi - Concerto No.4?]


    "Hah! Kings!" Zenith ignored the sound; his focus fixated on his rage as he kicked his foot against the marble steps. "How dare you use my gold!"


    "WE DID NOT!" Keilib roared. "It was our money, from our own treasury! When YOU, Your Majesty, were unable to provide money to the soldiers and administrators, we used our own gold to avoid riots that could have killed millions¡ªmuch like the one in Southern City here!"


    Themoners among the crowd reacted strongly to that, voicing their opinions.


    "Silence!" Zenith shouted, though his voice faltered. "Kill them! Put their heads on pikes at the entrances of Marashia! Let the world know this Emperor still rules¡ªwith might!"


    "Haha¡­!"


    Zenith looked down and noticed Kailib chuckling. He nced and found the other threeughing as well. "Fine! Skin them right here! Bring a few cannibals from the desert¡ªI shall see them eaten alive from my throne! How dare youugh at your Emperor! I have the divine will to rule¡ªI am the onlyw¡ª"


    Cough~!


    "S-Stop! Stop this¡­music¡­cough~!...STOP IT!"


    However, the intensity of the music only increased. As if the jesters had gone wild, closing their eyes and swaying their heads while ying the instruments.


    CLACK!


    Keilib and the three other Kings abruptly stood up, their strong restraints rendered useless.


    "Guards!"


    The Emperor panicked and tried to rush back for safety, only to fall on his hips. But to his shock, the four men didn''t run at him with a knife.


    Instead, the four men sat down on their knees again, keeping their bodies upright. They crossed their arms on their chests in a salute and looked at the Emperor''s throne with pure worship in their hearts.


    "May the Holy Bard enlighten us!"


    "What?!" Emperor Zenith swung his head back while the music deafened him. Right there, beside his Empress, on the throne rightfully his, sat another man¡ªa bright crimson halo illuminating the smiling face, sending shivers down his spine.


    "N-No¡­Impossible, you are dead¡­No, no, no¡­This ca~"


    The figure on the throne raised his right hand, and the music stopped for a split second, letting him roar like a golden-maned lion.


    "EXECUTE!"


    The music resumed, the cries echoed, and the expressions turned to horror.


    In the court, every single knight that stood with their sharp spears moved like a wave of flood¡ªaiming at the nobles, painting the delicate marble with blood.


    The crimson halo shined ever so brightly on the golden throne while the Bard smiled at the view. Bloodbath took over everything, showing the Emperor the greatest y along with the music.


    Meanwhile, the Empress beside the beard remained idle in her heavy gown with ck fur. Her short ck hair covered some of her sharp eyes. But the scents never lied; they clearly showed her anger rise.


    The Bard smiled and gazed at her face until she looked at him.


    "How do you like the music and my n¡ªMy Empress¡­ Shadow of Masan?"


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 510 509. Battle Of Spies I

    As the music continued to buzz in their ears, all the administrators in the court were killed swiftly. The Emperor, meanwhile, watched it all happen with his fallen shoulders and shocked eyes. His empire of thousands of years was copsing right before his eyes, and he felt more powerless than ever in his life.


    Each head that fell felt like a pir of the castle itself, undoing all the work he had done in his entire life.


    "G-Generals! D-Do something!" He noticed the Grand Wizards standing idle andmanded them. "Where are the rest?"


    Supreme General Manzax nodded and positioned himself behind the chairs of the Magistrates that sprawled beside the walkway leading to the Emperor''s throne. Although all the regr administrators had been killed, only the magistrates remained.


    "What are you doing? Attack that lunatic on my throne?!" Emperor Zenith shouted.


    Woosh!


    General Manzax and the other remaining Grand Wizards swung their des and beheaded the Magistrates of the Empire. With that, thest backbone broke apart, and the Emperor fell down to his knees in disbelief.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us!" The Grand Wizards saluted Sylvester.


    Sylvester nodded from the throne and rose to his feet. He moved behind the Emperor and ced his spear against the man''s neck. "I had no qualms with you. I had no reason to fight you, nor did you have any reason to do so. Today''s events are a result of your greed¡ªbecause you decided to attack the Holy Land."


    "A man without ambition is a ve to ipetence." Zenith blurted.


    "Blind ambition is the perfect recipe for disaster. I will make it quick, Emperor." Sylvester pulled the spear back a little. "May your soul repent in the life beyond!"


    "There is no go¡ª"


    Woosh!


    Before Zenith could finish speaking, Sylvester''s spear dug into the nape of the Emperor with such force that the entire head was ripped off at the neck and stayed stuck to the spear''s de. A fountain of blood spewed from the body, and with that, the Emperor of the strongest Empire in the world was no more.


    "Nothing special about your blood either," Sylvester mumbled and shook the spear to throw the head away. The game was far from over, sadly, and he was prepared for whatever was toe, for he had more surprises up his sleeve.


    He looked back at the Empress. "So, Shadow of Masan, what will you do now? There is nowhere to run and no scheme left to carry out. Your eldest son is dead, your husband is dead, and¡­regrettably, your daughter lost her life to her own cousin¡ªas they say, if you y with a snake, you''re bound to get bitten¡ªyour husband''s debauchery was your Empire''s greatest serpent."


    She didn''t react with much emotion while slowly getting up from the Empress''s throne. Her eyes remained stuck on Sylvester, and she began to remove the heavy fur robes over her shoulder that concealed her entire form.


    Woosh!


    Suddenly, she cast them aside, revealing her ordinary cotton clothes, more suitable for a man than a woman. Her short hair swept away from her eyes, revealing a shining silver hue in them.


    Tick!


    She snapped her fingers towards the ceiling.


    Screech!


    An eagle flew from the ceiling, flying onto her extended hand. She caressed it softly and removed the falconry-hood from its eyes.


    Screech!


    The Eagle abruptly began to cry toward Sylvester, its head seemingly focused on his shoulder. It greatly rmed Sylvester. ''Can the eagle see Chonky?''


    Atst, the Empress spoke. "So we meet again, Sylvester Maximilian. I truly thought you were dead, but it appears you are actually blessed by Solis."


    Her voice was feminine, yet not overly so. Her words held strange magic, as if they were trying to affect Sylvester''s mind. He keenly felt it.


    "I did nearly die¡ªand Solis did save me¡­personally!" Sylvester honestly replied.


    The Empress''s brows rose as if shocked. It appeared that Sylvester wasn''t the only one who could discern lies through voice and facial expressions. She genuinely believed there was no Solis until that point.


    "But it changes nothing," she said.


    "Yes¡ªyour final day has arrived. Nothing will change that." Sylvester raised his spear toward her. "Are you going to battle me or surrender to death?"


    "Hahaha¡­!"


    A true viinousughter escaped her lips, resonating throughout the court. She looked at the dead bodies and themoners who were running out in the visitors'' tform at the far sides and the back.


    "I wonder if you''re delusional or a man with a n. Why would you think that I''m oblivious to what you were up to in my home all this time? I wanted Zenith to die¡­I wanted all those administrators to die, I wanted those loyalist Grand Wizards to die, and you killed them for me, now bing an enemy of the people!" She asked him with genuine curiosity in her tone. "Do you think that capturing the Southern City with Dwarves alone would be enough to defeat me?"


    Sylvester acted shocked, being the greatest actor in Sol. "H-How do you know that? Since w-when¡­"


    "Hmph¡­since the beginning," she proudly imed.


    "Hahaha!" This time Sylvesterughed like a viin. "I don''t make the same mistake twice, whatever your name is. It''s your naivety to think you know everything¡ªwhen in truth, you know nothing. The Dwarves aren''t there to conquer, but to win hearts¡ªas the first Dwarven n to be the faithful believer of the Light, bowing to Solis'' might!"


    Thud!


    "ENOUGH!"


    Sylvester and the Shadow of Masan both turned their heads. Jinn stood there, ring at the Empress with anger in his eyes.


    "Mother¡ªdid you n all this? All this death and misery¡­Fernis died because of you!" Jinn questioned her aloud. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Yet the woman remained unyielding, even sneering. "I''m not your mother, foolish child. She died long ago, and I took her ce. To deal with your insufferable father was the most annoying task of my life!"


    Jinn stepped back from the shock. "T-Then, who are you?"


    "His wife!" The Empress pointed away towards the entrance of the court. "Killim Hu''ul Mirmasan, my husband, the love of my life¡ªElder brother of the Emperor, yet forced into exile due to your father''s jealousy! Because Killim is much greater than Zenith, in mind and body!"


    "Pay no mind to her strong words." Killim walked up to them and climbed the stairs to stand beside the Empress, holding her hand with such love that even Sylvester could smell. "Lyra is quite emotional when ites to me."


    "It was all a lie, then? For how long have we been ensnared in this trap?" Jinn questioned them with anger. "You betrayed your own homnd!"


    "I did not." Killim defended himself. "Let me tell you a story, my dear nephew¡­"


    "I wish to hear nothing!"


    Killim persisted nheless. "Slightly over a century ago, when I was a boy, I was sent to war with the Warsong Kingdom, together with Zenith, by our father''s orders. We were young and strong, burning with the desire to prove ourselves.


    "However, our campaign didn''t go well, and a majority of our forces were killed by Warsong''s Vanishing Knights. Zenith was mortally wounded, and we found ourselves surrounded. So, I instructed thest of our men to take Zenith to safety while I held off the enemy. The n was for them to return with reinforcements for me¡ªbut they never came!


    "I was wounded and captured, thrown into their dark dungeon to meet my death or be used as a bargaining chip in political dealings. But, inside the dungeon, I found another person, a woman even more grievously wounded than I was.


    "She was on the verge of death from blood loss, so I used what remained of my magic to heal her. I fell unconscious, and when I woke up three dayster, my head was on the warmestp that reminded me of mother¡ªher eyes peered down at me, and it was the most beautiful face I had ever seen.


    "She expressed gratitude, she apologized, and she revealed her origins. A woman from Libertia, thend of the free. From that point onward, we remained in those dungeons for a year. I never heard from my brother or Masan, as if I was forgotten. With time, I recuperated and nned my escape with Lyra, my only love.


    "Yet, after fighting for survival, spending almost a year to escape from Warsong and arrive here¡ªwhat do I find? My little brother was sitting on the throne as the Emperor, our father dead, poisoned by Zenith himself. But, as if that wasn''t enough, he dered that I was unfit to rule, questioned my loyalty, used me of being Warsong''s spy, iming there was no other way I could have survived¡ªhe banished me!"


    At this point, Killim looked angry, but the grip of the woman''s hand calmed him down greatly. Though this time, she continued the story from there, as there wasn''t much left.


    "For something so horrible to happen to Killim, I vowed to myself¡ªI vowed to grant him not only Masan, but the entire Sol¡ªfor that is what my love deserves¡ªthe true Emperor of Masan," she concluded, gripping the neck of the Eagle now perched on her shoulder.


    Low, metallic noises echoed after that, and the eagle''s form began to dissolve, transforming into golden shards of metal that fused together, forming armor on her body. It spread around her entire body, covering her legs, arms, and shoulders, and even shaping a helmet on her head that covered her entirely, leaving space only for eyes.


    ''A sentient suit of armor? Some sort of a treasure?'' Sylvester was interested in it now.


    Sylvester wore his helmet as well. "So you and Killim suffered a little, and you decided to massacre millions and destroy the world order? Because you felt you deserved it? If that''s how this works¡ªI deserve the entire gxy for the pain I''ve suffered!"


    She scoffed and materialized a ball of fire in one hand and a sharp, slender long sword in the other. "Sacrifices have to be made for greater rewards!"


    "Indeed," Sylvester agreed. "That''s why you two must die."


    "How?" She asked, ridiculing him. "Are you counting on the loyal believers you earnedst night? Grand Wizards, prepare for battle¡ªSylvester must not escape alive today!"


    Thud!


    Supreme General Manzax, Grand Wizard Wajir, Ellum, and all the other Grand Wizards saluted her by thumping their chest tes. Naturally, they spoke with each other andughed among themselves, proud that they fooled the Bard.


    "Why? You thought they truly submitted to you? I ordered them to do it¡­And now you stand here facing your absolute death," she added proudly. "You aren''t as wise as you believe, Sylvester Maximilian."


    Sylvester looked behind at all the powerful men, his face under the helmet smiling. Indeed, he expected as much since thest night. Blood Contract with Elder Magic was just a hypothesis to him, which finally proved to be wrong. A less powerful man can''t enve a more powerful man using Blood Contract, even with Elder Magic¡ªbecause the basis of the contract is Srium, which is the base of Elder and Non-Elder magic.


    "Thank you for helping me kill most of your other brothers. Without you, I wouldn''t have been able to invite him to help me today¡­Truly, you should have epted my blessing."


    As expected, the Shadow of Masan, Killim, and all the Grand Wizards were taken aback by his reaction.


    Sylvesterughed at their faces. "Surprised? Let me tell you a secret¡ªyou can hide all your emotions or even fake them with enough practice, but there is one emotion that you can never fake, for it does note from the mind but the heart¡ªWorship!"


    "KILL HIM!" The Shadow of Masan ordered.


    Sylvester shook his head toward the men. "There is a man out there who desires order, peace, and love, who detests the chaos that you wish to spread¡ªalthough my enemy, today he''s my friend!"


    BOOM!


    All heads looked up. A massive ck sword, two meters long and more than ten centimeters wide, fell and plunged into the ground with a loud sound.


    Hearts sank at the sight of a dark-haired man in ck robes hovering in the air, without any armor on him, looking at all the people with a smile.


    "The Bard said it right¡ªchaos and death, I deeply abhor. And I despise you for creating countless nonsensical wars. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to cleanse thisnd!"


    Sylvester nodded, "I get to kill the Shadow of Masan."


    "Of course, that was the deal." The man flew down andnded beside Sylvester, then easily took out the sword with one hand as if it was weightless. He then turned to the nine Grand Wizards that were left and put down a small hourss on the floor. "Fifteen minutes at best."


    "W-Who are you?" Supreme General Manzax questioned. He clearly felt the tension.


    "Ah, forgive me for not introducing myself." The man in ck robes apologized. "I''m Julius Aurelius Alexander¡ªyou probably better know me as the Chief of Anti-Light."


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 511 510. Battle Of Spies II

    A Supreme Wizard, especially one so infamous for his powers and prowess, happened to appear out of nowhere and in support of their enemy. The Shadow of Masan, her husband, and the remaining nine Grand Wizards were filled with fear from the depths of their hearts.


    How could they possiblybat a man who single-handedly defied the Church of Solis so sessfully? A man whom even the Pope dreaded facing. A Supreme Wizard of unknown level¡ªhow could victory be attainable?


    "Will you fight me all at once or one by one?" Julius asked as he dragged his giant sword toward the nine enemies. "You, Manzax, you''re about to be a Supreme Wizard, aren''t you? It''s a pity you chose the wrong side¡ªso much potential squandered."


    Manzax felt his feet stepping back on their own. "I¡­I didn''t mean to fight you¡­My Lord."


    "Ugh¡­And there you go, offending me. I hate being called Lord." Julius lifted his sword and aimed it toward Manzax. "You saw Sylvester Maximilianst night. You understood who he was and were well aware of what he stood for. Yet, you chose to take the side of the scheming, disguised Empress. I may be old fashioned, but the era I''m from¡ªactions have consequences, and yours is¡ªdeath!"


    Woosh!


    The giant two-meter-long sword swung with a resonating hum. It created a storm of wind that manifested as countless de-like gusts, possessing such immense power that it left nothing but utter destruction in its path.


    BOOM!


    The des of air surged forth and struck the walls of the castle. The force was so tremendous that the enchanted walls were thrust aside, bricks fell apart, and the destruction continued until the impact of the sword spilled out of the castle¡ªleaving behind a giant hole all the way from the court hall to thewn.


    "One down," Julius murmured.


    Manzax was blown to smithereens, reduced to minuscule particles, not even a trace of blood or hair remaining. The only evidence that a man named Manzax existed was the pair of feet that remained where the man once stood.


    Just like that, a level ten Grand Wizard met his death. So easily and without exerting himself, Julius already dered the battle''s oue.


    "I suggest you alle together. You will not win, but your hearts will momentarily be ted in the hope it''ll work." Julius called the rest.


    Thud!


    With cold feet, none of the Grand Wizards moved. Some cast aside their swords, while the others were just frozen.


    Julius sighed. "Fine, I wille to you."


    ¡­


    While Julius was massacring the Grand Wizards, Sylvester was busy fighting the Shadow of Masan and her husband at the same time. Judging from their abilities, he had deduced that Killim was at least a peak-level tinum Knight, and the Shadow of Masan was a Grand Wizard of at least level five, but her abilities were too mysterious.


    "You should have stayed dead!" she bellowed as her defeat seemed imminent. Even if they killed Sylvester, how would they handle the Anti-Light Chief?


    Sylvester smirked and masterfully used his spear to maintain distance from the woman, while he went all out on Killim, as Sylvester was also a peak-level tinum Knight. Which meant he held the same explosive power to cancel out Killim''s moves.


    However, what Killimcked was Elder Magic and magic in general. Sylvester gradually intensified his attacks, incorporating runes to make his spear even deadlier. Poison, fire, and ice¡­he used everything.


    nk!


    Killim''s sword shed with Sylvester''s spear. Sylvester smiled and instantly shortened his spear, evading Killim''s block. He then knelt down to get a better view of the man''s neck.


    "Wrath of Heavens!" Sylvester roared and grabbed Killim''s neck with his palm as a halo appeared behind his head. A shining light also began to appear in his hand, and the burning sensation caused the ambitious man to writhe in pain, desperate to break free.


    ?Hear, hear¡ªthe light shall now burn.


    For the worse, your fate has decided to turn.


    Lord has no mercy for those who never learn.


    From this realm of the living, you are spurn!?


    The Wrath of Heaven''s beam, Elder Magic, and Sylvester''s wizard level, which was higher than ever before¡ªa fusion of all those elements ensured that the ensuing attack was the most formidable ever. Its effects out of proportion, and its range far more than ever before.


    BOOM!


    A bright, golden beam of light emanated from the palm that gripped Killim''s throat. It shot off with such brilliance that everything disappeared in its enveloping warmth and light¡ªnone could see what happened except for Sylvester.


    The beam shot up towards the court''s ceiling and left behind a giant hole. But the beam of light didn''t stop and extended into the sky as far away as possible¡ªvisible even from distantnds like the Warsong Kingdom or the Pentapeak range in the North.


    Thud!


    Once the light subsided and Sylvester retracted his palm, Killim''s lifeless body copsed to the ground. The head was missing, nor was there any blood wound, for the light burned it close as well.


    "One down," Sylvester mumbled and looked at the Shadow of Masan. Her body trembled at the sight of her husband''s death. The man for whom she did it all¡ªfought the world¡ªfought the faith.


    "NO! No, no¡­!" The continuous chants of disbelief gued her tongue. Her face was likely contracted and pale behind the helmet of her armor. Her rage surged, overwhelming any remnants of control left in her.


    Sylvester aimed at her next. "You dug this grave. Now you shouldn''t leave it empty¡ªlet''s fight."


    The Shadow of Masan shifted her gaze toward Sylvester and calmly lifted her thin sword toward him. "Today¡­None of us will win!"


    Bam!


    With a single stomp of her foot, she sent forth a wave of dirt that rippled in all directions. But, there was something more to it; once the wave passed, Sylvester found himself submerged in absolute darkness. He couldn''t hear, see, or feel, and even the ability to discern his direction was lost.


    ''She''s bing suicidal¡­Good, the more unstable she is, the less coherent her thoughts will be.'' Sylvester wagered on her anger.


    "Illusion magic?" He said as if mocking it. "I''ve faced this before."


    No words came from her. Clearly, she knew speaking could reveal her position.


    Sylvester felt his Elder magic depleting rapidly, so he had to take action swiftly. "Hiding now? Still sulking for your husband? Perhaps I should have killed you first."


    CLASH!<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Sylvester abruptly raised his spear behind his head and blocked a sword strike aimed at him. A small curse echoed before he felt the Shadow of Masan retreat again into the darkness she created.


    "Foolish of you to think I can''t sense you." Sylvester continued to taunt her the whole time. "Perhaps this will help!"


    Thud!


    Halo-d Sylvester mmed his foot on the ground and once again activated one of his most powerful techniques, the Holyfire Purge.


    ?Good deeds are rewarded, and sins are suffered.


    You may try to hide, but soon you''ll be discovered.


    Nothing runs from Solis. No veil remains covered.


    Against the dark, my light will be ushered!?


    Crack!


    The ground beneath Sylvester''s feet began to shake and create giantva-filled cracks. Walls of light formed through each crack, creating small pockets of obstruction. Furthermore, each wall was the same as the sma beam of his Wrath of Heavens¡ªdraining magic for sure but effective in slowing the enemy.


    But he couldn''t see, so he had no idea about the range and the effects of his magic. Still, he went all out, as killing the Shadow of Masan was of utmost importance.


    sh!


    Yet again, she appeared near him, he blocked her, and she fled.


    "Even after blinding me, you can''t win¡ªyou overestimated yourself," Sylvester said, something simr to what she had told him recently.


    ''I need to exit this darkness.'' He understood and tried to focus more on the Srium signatures around him. He could sense the Anti-Light Chief clearly, as the man had an extremely strong signature.


    But, Shadow of Masan was somehow still hidden, as if she was a phantom, not a living creature.


    "Not only illusion, there are many more secrets to my decades of sess¡ªthe mind is one." Atst, the Shadow of Masan''s voice reverberated. She snapped her fingers, and abruptly the darkness vanished from around him.


    Sylvester looked around himself clearly. But the view made him frown heavily.


    "Haha¡ªWhat do you think?" She maniacallyughed. "Let''s fight now."


    ''What the¡­I sense equal Srium in each of them.'' Sylvester didn''t rush forward this time, for there stood more than a hundred replicas of the Shadow of Masan, indistinguishable from one another.


    ''Shadows, scent, the Srium¡ªthis isn''t possible. Her strength hasn''t decreased at all, even if she divided her own Srium.'' Sylvester fell into a dilemma.


    "Scared?" Her taunts came. "Attack!"


    With abined warcry, all of the clones of the Shadow of Masan rushed to attack Sylvester simultaneously. They were each Grand Wizard level five at least, and Sylvester exerted all his effort tobat them. He stabbed some of their faces with his long spear, but soon they hoarded close to him.


    sh!


    Cut!


    Sylvester groaned in pain once the gashes appeared on him, and his blood spread all around. They all pounced on him at the same time, forming a sort of shell all over him, stabbing him or punching him to keep him down.


    The Hellfire Purge did little to deter them as they leaped over the walls of burning light.


    ''Ugh! It bloody hurts!... What''s going on? It''s scientifically impossible to make clones without losing power. This goes against thew of conservation of mass; how is she doing this?'' Sylvester asked himself, trying to find a way out of the dilemma. The gashes on his body continued to multiply, and his blood painted the ground red.


    "CHONKY!" He roared, calling for him.


    ''Wait¡­Miraj was on my shoulder¡­I didn''t see him the entire time!'' He realized something and remembered the fact that Miraj was typically immune to certain forms of magic.


    Finally, Sylvester stopped fighting and remained motionless with his eyes closed. Instead of sensing the external world, he focused on examining his own body. In no time, he realized something startling.


    ''There''s only one de that''s attacking me¡ªit''s just too fast. Then¡­this means I''m still stuck in an illusion! But this time, my mind is also being manipted. She couldn''t see Chonky, so he was left out!''


    Armed with this newfound insight, he kept himself calm with the Spear of Infinity clenched in his hand. He didn''t fight and only tried to feel where the des were striking him, at what interval, and the distance of each de''s strikes. Only one was real, and all the clones he was seeing were fake.


    The pain was excruciating as the stabs were real and bled him dry like never before. But, he knew that the oue of his battle had already been determined¡ªvictory was the only oue.


    ''Five inches difference between each wound, from left to right, from top to bottom.'' He began to calcte. ''She''s right-handed, so her body should be a foot to the left of¡­''


    Suddenly, his mind went nk for a few seconds.


    ''God! I''ve lost too much blood¡­I''m on the brink of copse!'' He cursed and hastened his calction. ''Her body is a foot left of the de¡ªher height is six feet, the trajectory of the de is downward at a thirty-degree angle, but the stabs are under her shoulder instead of over the shoulder¡ªshe''s crouching a little, so her head is at four¡­''


    "GOT YOU!"


    CLANK!


    With precise calctions, Sylvester activated the Spear of Infinity with lightning speed, channeling all the Srium in his body into the weapon. As a trusted partner, it responded with a snap and left his line of sight, piercing through the bodies of the fake clones and, atst, hit something metallic¡ªher helmet, at a perfectly nned spot¡ªright in the eye!


    Thud!


    The stabs abruptly stopped, apanied by a resounding thump.


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 512 511. A Humble Request

    Sylvester''s heart returned to its normal rhythm as the illusion the Shadow of Masan had created vanished. He could now see everything clearly. Chonky was sitting on hisp, crying and calling his name, while Julius was sitting in the distance with his sword nted firmly on the ground.


    ''So much destruction?'' he muttered and looked up. The sky was in view, and the entire roof of the castle had vanished. Heck, the entire castle wasn''t around him anymore. ''Did my Hellfire Purge do this?''


    Cough!


    Sylvester looked down again in front of him. Right there was Shadow of Masan''s body, coughing and gurgling. The Spear of Infinity was plunged deep into her helmet as it pierced through her skull and even came out from the back of her head.


    "Only¡­" She tried to speak herst words. "If only we were partners¡­we could have taken the w-world."


    Sylvester was bleeding profusely, so he first tended his wounds with Miraj''s help. He ate a mouthful of Srium crystals and poured potions on his wounds. Only then did he approach the Shadow of Masan''s body while groaning in pain.


    He pulled the spear out of her head, making her cry in pain. However, instead of showing mercy, he plunged the spear into her chest, piercing through her armor and striking her heart. This time, death came instantly.


    "I don''t hate you. For we''re all born with a purpose, and your journey was destined only until this moment. May you find your path in the afterlife." Sylvester addressed her before copsing on his back to catch his breath.


    "Maxy~ Are you okay?" Miraj leaped onto his neck, worrying for him. "I tried to throw explosives on her, but she was fast."


    "I''ll live¡­"


    Atst, Masan was conquered. Five years in the desert and then over a year in Masan. He outdid the Shadow of Masan in everything, considering she had schemed for almost a decade to bring down the Gracia Kingdom, only to fail.


    In the end, Sylvester was just the better spy. His significant defeats against the Shadow of Masan were only because he was never fully focused on fighting her.


    "That was one of the strangest battles I''ve seen in my life." Julius'' voice came, drawing nearer.


    Sylvester chuckled. He could imagine how it appeared for someone watching the fight outside the illusion magic. "Thank you, Julian¡­I almost thought you wouldn''te."


    The old, serious-looking man came closer to Sylvester''s head and peered down at him. "I was hesitant¡­But then I remembered that you are the only man who is truly trying to change the faith from within. Against all odds, with enemies all around who are far stronger than you. I wouldn''t have been able to face my family in the afterlife if I hadn''te."


    "Haha!" Sylvesterughed suddenly and coughed out some blood. "Afterlife? So you do believe in god."


    Julian sighed and knelt down to heal Sylvester''s most severe injuries. He hovered his hand on the deep gashes and used healing magic. "I do believe there is a God¡ªbut it''s not Solis. There has to be an afterlife¡­or else, all my life''s work would mean nothing."


    Sylvester was instantly reminded of Diana and the fact he was technically living in an afterlife. "Indeed, it''d be unfortunate if there was nothing after death¡­I wish to meet someone too."


    Momentster, Julian got up, ready to leave. "Remember. One year¡ªonly eight months left now."


    Sylvester felt too exhausted to speak and merely raised his thumb a little. Afterward, all alone with Miraj, he rested on the blood-soaked floor. Above, he gazed at the sky, asionally spotting birds in flight.


    "It is mine now¡ªMasan is mine."


    Seeing Sylvester fine, Miraj also rested on his chest. "Maxy, when do we go home? I miss Big Mum."


    "Next month, we''ll head home. But¡­it''s going to be a continuous fight from now until I win the seat of the Pope." Sylvester had grown tired of fighting. But he had fought for so many years already, and victory was within reach, albeit posing the most difficult challenge yet.


    ¡¤?¦Èm "Maxy, why are you shining?"


    "Shining?" Sylvester quickly raised his head and looked at his own body. "I¡­I''m Ranking Up!"


    Sylvester sat up and felt the heat surging through his body. He knew it would be a painful process, but he had forgotten how it felt since hisst Ranking Up was years ago during the first battle with the Shadow Knight.


    "Finally after so long¡­Or perhaps earlier than expected ording to normal folks." Sylvester even took delight in the pain, as it meant he was getting stronger. He allowed the Srium in the air to enter his body and help in the process.


    ''Wait! What if I use the Elder Magic to force more Srium into my body?''


    No pain, no gain. He had lived by that saying for years already. So he closed his eyes and sat cross-legged as if he was meditating.


    ''Okay, the pain and burning are intensifying now.''


    "Woah! Maxy! You''re on fire!"


    Sylvester opened his eyes and noticed a red hue enveloping him. Indeed, he was clearly on fire. But he didn''t feel his skin burning, but his insides were.


    ''Ugh¡­It''s excruciating.''


    But he persevered, as Ranking Up involved a transformation of the entire body. The veins were enhanced, and his capacity to carry Srium was upgraded. The body became more refined, extending his lifespan.


    He panted and clenched his teeth, suppressing the urge to scream in agony. He tightened his fist to control himself and stop himself from halting the process. For two hours, the fire on Sylvester''s body only grew more intense and scorching. To the point that even Miraj had to jump back to avoid being burned.


    "Come on! Just a little more!"


    He felt the ground shaking beneath him again. The influx of extra Srium was having troublebining with the body. The veins, the srium reserves that were in the process of expanding, got stretched even more with Elder Magic.


    Woosh!


    Thud!


    Two hourster, suddenly, the fire vanished from his entire being, and he fell back again. Breathless, his heart seemed to race. Yet, his face bloomed with an excited smile of satisfaction.


    "YES!" He eximed excitedly. "YES! YES!" <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "What happened?" Miraj jumped onto his face and stared into his eyes.


    Sylvester giggled like a little boy who found candy. "Hah¡ªI''m now a Grand Wizard¡­Level Two! A double rank-up, buddy!"


    With his peak Archwizard power, he was capable of killing Grand Wizards with Elder Magic. However, now¡­he was eager to find out. Although the chances were slim that he would encounter many Grand Wizards to battle anytime soon. Most were in the Holy Land, and the rest were his allies. But what intrigued him more was...


    ''How will I fare against a Supreme Wizard now?''


    But he set aside those thoughts for the time being and stood up, albeit limping on one side as the Shadow of Masan had punctured his liver, and it took some time to fully heal. He first burned all the bodies there and then left.


    "Let''s go find Aurora and meet with Avanss. I hope their work outside was sessful."


    ¡­


    When the battle inside the Imperial Castle was happening, a different struggle took ce outside the Thousand Castle city.


    In the Southern City, all of a sudden, thousands of armed Imperial Knights appeared and began attacking anyone they saw, harassing the people and subjecting them to unwarranted interrogations. They even killed a few people, and it was all done in the open for everyone to see.


    At first, the people were scared, adhering to their sheep mentality. But, once the Imperial Knights killed a child and burned down a family''s home with them still inside, anger surged. With a single stone thrown at the right time, the already tense city erupted in a fury against the nobles.


    Just then, for the protection of the people, the famed beloved goddess of the city, Saint Cardinal Lady Aurora appeared and fought against the knights, defeating them with ease. From there, word spread around that the famed Sylvester Maximilian, the Son of Solis, the Lord''s Bard was inside the Imperial Castle and fighting against the tyrannical mad Emperor.


    The enraged crowd attacked the ordinary soldiers, prompting the soldiers to send all their manpower to respond. Within a few hours, the city turned into a battlefield. It''s safe to say that themoners were of no match against the soldiers with magical items and sharp swords.


    A massacre began to take ce, and the anger continued to rise. At that moment, the strangest thing happened. A lot of midgets began to appear throughout the city. No one questioned them, for they fought the soldiers remarkably well and protected the people.


    Through Aurora''s ount and a few well-ced men by Hozin and Kimino, rumors began to spread. The midgets were Dwarves that had been held captive by the tyrannical Emperor for the past few centuries, underground inside the darkness, forced to forge.


    The fact was emphasized that they were all followers of Solis, and yet the Emperor enved them. Hence, the Church of Solis was now furious with Emperor Zenith, and simrly, the wrath of Solis had brought back Lord Bard to protect the people.


    Of course, the story seemed far-fetched. But backed by violence and physical proof of the Dwarves speaking themonnguage perfectly and saving them¡ªeveryone believed the beloved Aurora.


    In reality, the Imperial Knights were nted there by Aurora and Sylvester. The soldiers attacking the people were also part of their n. The entire chaos was organized by Sylvester''s master n from beginning to end.


    After all, without destruction, they couldn''t build something new. Simrly, for the people to ept the Dwarves and Sylvester''s new leadership, chaos had to ur.


    At the fifth hour, the battle finally came to an end, and Sylvester arrived at the Southern City. His halo shone, and his armor gleamed golden. He raised his palm towards the kneeling people, casting brilliant light magic upon them.


    ''It appears she seeded.''


    "The heretic Emperor and his heathenous followers have been killed! Masan is liberated, and soon prosperity shall return. Forgive this Bard, for I waste to your pain-filled concerns!" Sylvester apologized in his majestic voice. "But from this point forward. Happiness shall flourish throughout. From the southern borders to the northern mountains¡ªmy light shall spread wherever lives the devout!


    "Furthermore, I shall bring peace to your south and stop the nonsensical war with Warsong, fought because of the greed and ego of your past Emperor!"


    A nted man in the crowd roared abruptly in response. "All hail the Bard! Long live the Bard!"


    In no time, the chants reverberated, and the entire city echoed with the same words. It was easy to manipte people as long as they held the narrative. And that was something Sylvester excelled in.


    He continued to walk amidst the crowd while people tried to at least touch him once for good fortune. It was important for Sylvester to impress them as the West had only heard his story, and had neverid eyes on him before.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us." He kept saying until he finally entered the monastery, which was surrounded by the Church''s guards.


    He found Aurora seated in Saint Cardina''s chamber. "Any problems?"


    "None. And you?" she asked wearily.


    Sylvester took a seat. "Emperor, Magistrates, Shadow of Masan¡ªall dead."


    "Who was the Shadow of Masan?" She asked, something the world wanted to know.


    "The wife of the Emperor''s exiled elder brother. It''s a long story, and I''ll tell you on our way back home. Right now, I need to see Avanss as soon as possible. He has a great task to fulfill for me." Sylvester got to work quickly and stood up. "Where is he?"


    "In the room above. I''ll take you there."


    Without wasting time, they swiftly arrived at the modest room, but only Sylvester entered as the topic was extremely important. Rather, he asked Aurora to stand guard outside so none may hear him.


    "You feel different¡ªCongrattions." Avanss saw Sylvester and instantly noticed the change in his Wizard rank.


    ''Ugh¡­These elves and their senses.''


    "Avanss, will you do me a great favor?" Sylvester settled into a chair, facing the elven man. "It''s of great importance to Sol and Beastaria."


    "Sylvester, or should I say Bard¡­Although I like you, I have no reason to do anything for you. So before asking me a favor, tell me what it is."


    ''Of course¡­'' Sylvester sighed and took out a sealed letter with his personal stamp on it. "Avanss, I want you to return to Alfia and give this to¡­King Rathagun."


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 513 512. Setting The Stage

    With Avanss leaving for Alfia, it was crucial to establish a new power structure in the Empire and restore order swiftly. The remaining Imperial Knights and Army soldiers were forced to undergo a mental assessment by Kimino and Hozin. If they were to pass, they would receive their pay.


    Should they be revealed as loyalists, they were to be promptly executed and their bodies incinerated, leaving no trace behind. He had to ensure the safety of the freed Dwarves as well. Sylvester couldn''t simply stand idly by, hoping that things would progress smoothly at their own pace. The hunt for loyalists had to persist until the entire Empire was clensed.


    However, the empire no longer existed. The four Kings were formally acknowledged by Saint Cardinal Aurora, while Sylvester bestowed his blessings upon them in front of the people. Themoners were perplexed about how things would proceed from there, but Sylvester assured them that their money and economy were in capable hands.


    Sylvester already had a n, and he proceeded to discuss it with the four newly crowned Kings and the leader of a prominent merchant group, who was also a loyalist to Sylvester.


    Sylvester presented them with documents with new maps and borders. Keilib became King of Nond in the North, Okaris became King of the Masan Kingdom, and Archbishop Hathem governed the Kingdom of Marcia. Each had specific territories and resources.


    Upon hearing this, a few eyebrows were raised¡ªnot out of anger or greed, but concern. Therefore, Okaris rightfully sought rification. "Your Grace, should I not receive the Marashia region?"


    Sylvester swiftly dealt with their worries. "I understand what you are all thinking. Marashia region is the economic carriage of the previous Empire. Fear not, I have a n for it. Okaris, Masan Kingdom is rich in goldmines, so you won''t find too much trouble. Moving on, Archbishop Hathem, you have a lot of coal mines and veins of magic crystals.


    "Andstly, Elmond, you shall rule the Kingdom of Sond, bordering the Warsong Kingdom. Your Kingdom upies a perfect location for trade with Warsong¡ª"


    "Your Grace, I have no agriculturalnd or natural resources. The region has been destroyed from hundreds of years of war." Elmond interjected abruptly. "Moreover, there is the menace of Pirate''s Bliss. The ind is strewn with caves that make it impossible to hunt them down. The entire West Coast of Sond is and shall remain in ruins forever."


    Sylvester agreed with him. "I know. That is why I shall personally venture to Pirate''s Bliss and kill them all. Afterward, I shall proceed to broker peace with Warsong. Once that is aplished, Sond will have the foremost right among all kingdoms to send their traders there.


    "But, let me tell you the part that shall enrich all of you. Marashia region shall not fall under any of your dominions and shall serve as a Combined Economic Zone. This entails that it shall be governed by a council of seven members, with each Kingdom sending two.


    "You shall establish trade regtions and court systems to ensure that the region remains a prosperous source of wealth for years toe. In the event of a tie, the Saint Cardinal shall possess one vote as well¡ªremember, gentlemen, I selected you as Kings not due to your lineage, but for your loyalty and integrity¡ªdo not disappoint me."


    Sylvester concluded his speech and handed everyone papers documenting the basic structure of the Economic Zone and how trade will happen among them all. There were provisions to aid each Kingdom in the event of natural disasters such as droughts, floods, or earthquakes. The Holy Land would also serve as an overseer against corruption¡ªand should greed overpowermon sense, the example of Emperor Zenith would be repeated.


    Finally, Sylvester rose from his seat, his eyes ring ominously at everyone. "I presume you allprehend the events unfolding in the East. I anticipate unwavering support in every conceivable manner because if we fail, an unjust church administration, more fanatical, more corrupt, and more power-hungry, shall prevail."


    All the newly appointed Kings shifted ufortably in their seats. But they knew it was Sylvester''s hand on their heads that was going to keep their Kinghood secured.


    "We ept no other Pope but you, Your Grace." Archbishop Hathem dered. "Those heathens in the East have gone too far."


    "Aye¡ªWe stand with you, Your Grace," Keilib eximed, the most excited of the lot. After all, he was a ve beside Sylvester not long ago.


    Sylvester nodded and decided to withdraw. "In that case, I will proceed to Warsong. Meanwhile, I require the four of you to formalize a trade treaty."


    "May the Holy Light Enlighten us!" The four Kings saluted Sylvester instead of the other way around. Already, he was the Pope in their minds.


    ¡­


    Sylvester took a long sigh after he left the meeting. He was truly tired, but there was no time to waste. At best, he could spend one month in the West and then proceed with attacking the Holy Land and take it over. But before that, he had to find out who he was going to fight. Just the first Guardian, or the Sanctum Council as well?


    "Are you ready?" Aurora approached him just as Sylvester emerged from the castle. "You look like an undead¡­The dark circles don''t suit the blessed bard, my little brother."


    Sylvester wearily ced his hands on Aurora''s shoulder and rested his chin on her head before closing his eyes. He had grown significantly since they hadst met. "I was unaware that another female Dwarf resided in the city."


    "..."


    Bam!


    "Hey!" She punched his chest, but it did nothing to Sylvester, much to her annoyance. "Ugh... You''re growing too rapidly. Not even a minor dent."


    Sylvester smirked and strolled past her. "Let''s go. We have a few pirates to kill and then meet a fake queen."


    Both of them had already finished their work and exited the city. They traversed the Southern City and arrived at the nearby forest to head west towards the Pirate''s Bliss.


    "Follow my steps fast. I will use Light Tiles to walk in the air. I don''t have time to waste on the Pirates. We will end them en route to Warsong." Sylvester ordered.


    Aurora silently trailed behind him. Before she even realized it, she found herself walking on invisible tiles crafted from light magic. They were sprinting at their maximum speed, and even then, Sylvester effortlessly kept pace with the magic.


    ''He''s changed so much¡­The church robbed him of his true smile.'' She sensed his state of mind and felt disappointed with herself for being incapable of doing anything. Having witnessed his growth from childhood, he was indeed her younger brother, even if he became the Pope.


    An hourter, they finally arrived in the sky above the ind known as Pirate''s Bliss. It was an exceedingly rocky region with no trees or grass in sight. Multiple three-mast pirate ships were docked near the shores, and some activity was clearly visible.


    "On your mark," Aurora unsheathed her sword.


    Sylvester shook his head. "No need; I will y them all from this very spot. Just watch."


    Sylvester raised his palm towards the ind beneath him. "I need not employ my main attack against them. A mere spark of Elder Magic can enhance anything beyond your wildest imagination."


    Small sparks materialized before Sylvester''s palm. However, this time, they were not light but rather mes. The air grew dense and difficult to breathe due to the fiery presence, yet the two Grand Wizards remained unaffected.


    Woosh!


    A colossal storm of raging fire burst forth from Sylvester''s palm, striking the rocky ind. The mes were so immense that they devoured everything in their path, including the ships anchored nearby, reducing them to smoldering heaps apanied by agonized human wails.


    Boom!


    Explosives detonated on the ind, further exposing the caverns. The fire infiltrated the crevices, consuming everything hidden and causing the stones to liquefy. As a magical me, its temperature and destructive power surpassed that of ordinary fires¡ªElder Magic provided the finishing touch.


    ¡¤?¦Èm For fifteen minutes, Sylvester unleashed an unbroken barrage of fire upon the ind. No smoke billowed forth, nor did cries for help emerge. Anything within the ind sumbed to the ze, with flesh melting upon the rocks.


    "I think this will suffice." Sylvester stopped atst. "Let''s continue to Warsong."


    Sylvester departed, leaving Aurora several paces behind, bewildered. She was astounded by Sylvester''s magical destruction. True, she possessed the capability to emte his actions, but generating such an extensive ze for several minutes would deplete a significant portion of her srium reserves.


    Yet she saw Sylvester moving away with ease.


    ''A Grand Wizard level two is this strong¡ªwhat will be of him when he attains the rank of Supreme Wizard?'' Aurora pondered, feeling both relieved and concerned. After all, extreme power was something that also corrupts minds, and makes one overconfident.


    She quickly began following him silently. ''But he''s too wise to fall like that.''


    Ultimately, her faith in him remained unshakable, forged through years of genuine friendship.


    ¡­


    The Warsong Kingdom was unsuspecting of the abrupt visit by someone as powerful as Sylvester. The Kingdom may also possess three Grand Wizards at best, but even then, it was no secret how much chaos two Grand Wizards from the Holy Land could wreak.


    As Sylvester and Aurora crossed the excessively militarized boundary, with its dirt soaked in blood on both sides, they were greeted by lush greenery. Truly, Warsong was more blessed than Masan.


    Giant forests of trees and dozens of castles appeared on their way. Their architecture was far different from any Sylvester had seen before, at least in his current world. The buildings had a pagoda structure, and the tiled roofs with pointy edges were particrly beautiful.


    The people as well, although they had different skin tones, held a simr appearance with narrow eyes.


    ''They seem like¡ªAsians.''


    Soon enough, they followed the main road and arrived above a giantke with tall rocky cliff-like peaks. They held a few castles too, but from the Srium in the air itself, Sylvester could feel at least one Grand Wizard was living there.


    "That''s one massive castle," Aurora eximed.


    Sylvester agreed, overlooking the Thunder God City, the capital of Warsong Kingdom. It was made up of multiple castles, with one giant one being in the center, acting as the base for the King.


    "The word of my return must have reached her by now. From my experience and information, the Queen Mother will not kneel easily," he guessed. "But we don''t need to be subtle with our approach. I am here to make them surrender and scare¡ªnot sightsee."


    Abruptly, Sylvester began to descend, creating his Light Tiles as a staircase. Over the city walls and the buildings, they directly appeared in therge courtyard where a lot of Imperial soldiers were training in formation¡ªswinging longnces and shouting.


    Thud!


    Sylvester was not subtle, and being a fair-skinned man with golden hair easily caught everyone''s attention. The soldiers turned their swords toward Sylvester and immediately surrounded him.


    But they dared not attack, for the garb on Sylvester showed that he was a high Clergyman, and the rank te on his chest showed a diamond color¡ªrevealing he was a Grand Wizard.


    Sylvester raised his palms to emit light and created a halo behind his head before speaking in a booming voice without straining his throat or appearing to be shouting.


    "Bring forth your queen and prepare to hear my sermon¡ªSylvester Maximilian, Bard of Solis, is here¡ªTime hase for you to decide to prosper or face despair!"


    ____________________


    [A/N: See theplete map of Sol Continent here.]


    [A/N: The next chapter will be thest in this volume. And the name of the next volume will surely excite you.]


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 514 513. A Fathers Love [END OF VOLUME]

    Sylvester''s resounding voice reverberated throughout the entire castle, echoing off the towering walls. The soldiers grew restless as Sylvester''s halo materialized, and the legendary tales they had always heard seemed toe to life before their eyes.


    Thud!


    "Never has anyone dared raise their voice within a thousand miles of this castle!" A man descended from the sky,nding with a powerful thump. His body was d in simple ck robes, tightly wrapped around him. Possessing the same features of small eyes, he boldly confronted Sylvester. "Then why do youmit such a transgression?"


    Sylvester continued emitting the halo without pause and responded with a brief and simple hymn.


    ?Conquering your foes in the North,


    Ie with a heart full of warmth.


    Bard, I''m called, ready to hear your oath.


    To bless thisnd, bring your King forth.?


    The man, unmistakably a Grand Wizard and one of the primary guardians of the Kingdom, advanced toward Sylvester. His eyes burned with fury, but Sylvester remained unwavering.


    Only when the man stood a hand''s distance away from Sylvester did he speak.


    "I am known as Tanza Ken, Your Holiness." He promptly knelt down, extending his hands forward in prayer. "Your presence graces thisnd. No other day can ever be this grand. Please, apany me to the Royal Court."


    ''Of course, Warsong is more faithful than Masan. They''ve been battling against Masan for so long solely with the aid of the Church. Otherwise, Masan would have long ago conquered the entire West.''


    Sylvester ced his hand upon Tanza Ken''s head. "Lead the way, my brother in faith. I have pressing matters to discuss."


    The man turned around and bellowed at the people. "Go! Sound the bugles! Raise the drums of celebration! The Descendant of Solis has blessed ournd! Warsong shall revel in three days of festivities!"


    The wee Sylvester received was beyond his expectations. He had anticipated some level of doubt, mistrust, and perhaps even hostility. However, he found himself unable to question the man, for the aura of worship was stronger than ever.


    ''Did Niel not contact them?''


    He maintained the decorum and followed Tanza into the buildings through the various winding hallways. It was splendid, as one would expect from a royal castle. However, it was distinct from other ces. Unlike in the East, where most of the decorations were done through chandeliers, marbles, portraits, and ornaments, in Warsong, it was done using various written scrolls, scrolls of battles, and even battle armor ced in many locations.


    The ce did not boast expensive carpets either and featured finely polished wooden floors, despite the outer structure of the building being made of stones.


    Soon enough, they arrived at arge sliding door guarded by two men. The two saluted Tanza and let them enter swiftly.


    "First Father!" Tanza entered and knelt down before a small throne at the center of the reasonablyrge hall. It wasn''t anything overpowering like Masan, and even the throne was simply perched on a tiny single-step staircase. Though the entire throne appeared to be made of gold, including the entire floor on which the throne sat. It had thick armrests and arge round backrest with thousands of tiny rune letters inscribed.


    The King or Queen in Warsong was addressed as First Father or First Mother by the subjects, as the King was supposed to be the protector and provider of the people¡ªmaking him the father of everyone. Of course, the Church was not expected to call him that, as to them, the first father is Solis.


    "First Father, I present to you¡ªGod''s Favored, Son of Solis, Lord''s Bard, Grand Crusader, yer of Dragons, Destroyer of Empires, and the descendant of Solis¡ªSaint Sylvester Maximilian of the Holy Land."


    The hall was empty besides the soldiers and the royals. Sylvester looked ahead while standing on the red carpet leading to the throne. To his astonishment, there were two people sitting on the throne. On the left was sitting a boy no older than thirteen, in Warsong''s royal attire and a peculiar seven-pointed hat.


    Meanwhile, beside him was a woman in simr purple robes, but she was wearing a triangr hat with a ck that covered her face just enough to allow her to see or be seen slightly.


    ''And that''s the Queen Mother.'' Sylvester knew the woman held the power. But for official reasons, he had to address only the boy.


    Sylvester lowered his head for a brief moment to show respect, for he had no need to kneel. "I heard much about the Warsong, the mighty Kingdom that defended against Masan and emerged victorious every time. But no longer do you need to sh, for Masan exists no more¡ªthe Mirmasan bloodline has been extinguished, and each of their Grand Wizards has turned into ash."


    "Then why do you grace us here, Your Holiness?" The woman spoke.


    "To see with whom you stand. The Holy Land has been taken by a heathen. The Pope is missing¡ªtraitors ravage the holiest of sites in our world as the long-hidden plots are unveiled. Tell me, Warsong, will you stand to protect the faith¡ª" Sylvester didn''t finish as the message had been delivered.


    "Did youe here to threaten me?" The woman suddenly stood up.


    "Inform is a better-suited word, Your Majesty. The battle lines can be removed; I''ve destroyed Pirate''s Bliss on my way here. A new Golden Age is upon us with trade, peace, and friendship among all¡ªthe question is, will you ept? Or reject?" Sylvester did not sing any hymns in front of her as she was well aware of the Holy Land after years of cooperation. No amount of Holiness would work on her.


    She began walking toward Sylvester with short strides. "My son, Omshi Warsong, is growing rapidly and gaining respect. In two years, he wille of age and assume responsibility for the Kingdom. I cannot make a decision that will jeopardize thend he is destined to govern."


    Silently, she halted three feet in front of him and extended a folded parchment. Sylvester took it and unfolded it, only to be stunned.


    He looked at her face and then back at the paper to read it under his breath. ''My little sister in all but blood, I''m afraid my time hase. If you discover this letter and I have departed from the light of this world, I implore you to lend your support to Sylvester Maximilian, my chosen and trusted sessor. I have faith that he will initiate a Golden Age of the Faith, propelling our world forward with great strides. A more serene and prosperous future awaits us. Trust me, Nia¡ªYour brother, Axel Tar Kreed.''


    His eyes perused it again and again, searching for hidden clues, but found none. ''Pope and this woman share a bond akin to mine with Aurora? Now I understand how Warsong endured for so long¡ªWhat I am to Princess Xylena, Pope was to this¡­ Nia? But... he can''t be dead¡­ it''s impossible for him to vanish without making any noise.''


    Sylvester set fire to the letter in his hand and gazed at the woman before him. She had been staring at his face for several moments.


    She turned around and summoned her son. "King Omshi, pleasee."


    Like a happy little boy, the kid rushed to stand beside his mother. The woman took his hand and once again looked at Sylvester. "Your Holiness... I desire my son to inherit a thriving kingdom in a harmonious world¡ªBless us, I request you."


    Suddenly, she began to kneel down, even making her son kneel before Sylvester. The two sank to their knees, sping their hands in prayer.


    "You are the blessed bard of the lord¡ªthere can be no other Pope but you in the kingdom of god." She spoke softly.


    The guards in the room and the Grand Wizard also swiftly knelt down, equally astonished by their ruler''s actions.


    ''I smell a tremendous amount of fear, anxiety, and hope with worship.'' Sylvester attempted to gauge her sincerity. ''It makes sense. With the Pope gone, I am herst hope. The centuries of war must have taken a toll on them, both in terms of poption and finances¡ªall their grand appearances from the outside were a facade.''


    Sylvester ced his hands upon their heads, imbuing them with light magic. "Rise, both of you. I am moved by your gesture. This devotion to the faith shall be forever remembered in the annals of history for generations toe."


    Nia stood up, tears of relief welling in her eyes. "I will mobilize the army, Your Holiness."


    ''Ah! I just realized I''ve been called Holiness from the time Inded. So they already ept me as the Pope?''


    "No need," Sylvester declined. "Remove the war front set with Sond, the new Kingdom situated at your North. A new trade highway shall be constructed, and new shipping routes willmence operation. Warsong can ess the markets of Marashia, and they can ess the markets of Warsong. Arrange marriages between retired soldiers and widows¡ªthe greatest duty Warsong can perform for me is by prospering."


    She sped her hands and expressed gratitude repeatedly. "Thank you, Your Holiness. Warsong will forever be indebted. If there is anything you require for your battles, please never hesitate."


    "Give me your hand." Sylvester extended her palm.


    Without hesitation, sheplied, although confusion filled her eyes. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Sylvester infused some of his magic into her body and examined her Srium Signature. "Henceforth, I will be able tomunicate with you even if I am situated ten thousand kilometers away. However, there is one thing I desire¡ªYou have a Grand Wizard named Dagorith Ling. I wish to bring him along."


    The man was the ninja who warned Sylvester about a conspiracy against him when he was in King Hignd''s castle.


    Why did he want him? The answer was very simple.


    ''Ninjas are fascinating. Once I learn their techniques, I wonder what I will be able to do with my elder magic.''


    "Dagorith? Of course, Your Holiness."


    With that, Sylvester prepared to live. "Then, I must retreat and prepare for war. May the Holy Light enlighten Warsong¡ªMay we all stand against the evil, forever strong."


    "Amen!"


    Heads bowed in reverence.


    With that came an end to Sylvester''s adventure in the West. Sadly, one after another, his life was such that continuous were fate''s test.


    ¡­


    During a time when friendships and faith were being tested in the Sol Continent, a ship hastily docked at the Royal Port of High Regnum, the imperial city of the Elven Kingdom of Alfia.


    A ck-haired, slender elf emerged from the ship, wearing a broad smile on his face. He strode proudly toward the Imperial castle, and the soldiers never stopped him. Visiting a few of his favorite food shops on his way, he swiftly entered the castle and found his elder brother.


    Knock! Knock!


    "Why are you in your room in the middle of the day?" Like a spoiled younger brother, Avanss entered after knocking twice. "Won''t you even greet your little brother?"


    "Avanss?!" A startled voice reverberated from within as the Elf King rose from his bed, his face appearing flushed as if he was out of breath.


    Avanss smirked. "Still trying to find them? Well, I have better news for you. To make a long story short, I was captured by the Masan Empire and endured nearly a century in a cage there. That was until someone arrived and destroyed the Empire, liberating me with this very important letter that I definitely didn''t read out of deadly curiosity.


    King Rathagun was in no mood to smile, though he was undoubtedly horrified to learn what happened to his little brother. Still, he took the letter out of curiosity and noticed its broken seal.


    "Haven''t you read it? I don''t have time. Why don''t you summarize what''s in it?"


    Evans shrugged and walked over to a table with fruits. "Because it''s better if you read it. As it directly concerns you¡ªquite literally."


    Sighing, King Rathagun opened it and unfolded the sheet of paper before reading it under his breath.


    ''Dear Father,''


    Thud!


    Just the first two words, and he fell to the bed, much to the amusement of Avanss, whoughed at it. "Continue reading, my brother. It''s a letter from my savior¡ªah, such a beautifuld. No wonder he''s one of us."


    Rathagun noticed his hands shaking, but despite all attempts, he could not control it. So he just continued.


    [Dear Father,


    I am Sylvester Maximilian, son of Xavia Maximilian. I was informed years ago that I am half-elf and that I am the son of THE elven King. For years we lived in fear of someone finding out, yet we thrived somehow.


    Years we spent in the most powerful organization, ascending in the ranks and gaining respect. Yet, a few schemers got the best of me for once¡ªShadow of Masan was the one who defeated me in Sandwall. Now, the Shadow of Masan is dead, and the Masan Empire is fragmented into four. Many such adversaries emerged in the past, and all perished before me.


    But thisst time, my foe resides in the Holy Land, proiming to be the Pope. Misguided he is, for there can only be one true Pope¡ªI, Sylvester Maximilian.


    I do not ask for your help, nor do I request your backing. All I hope is that you can halt the Great War for one year, which will suffice for me to im the highest throne. Once that urs, perhaps there can be evesting peace between our two realms¡ªperhaps we can meet.


    I don''t know what kind of man you are, but as a monarch, I respect you and hope I can have that respect reciprocated.


    Mum once said, ''Your father may be utterly dazzlingly handsome, but he''s not the brightest.'' So, Father, I hope you are as bright as my light for this once.


    Your Son.]


    Drip¡­!


    Drip¡­!


    Big, heavy tears fell on the sheet of paper, dampening it. The handsome King''s face turned ugly as he unleashed all his concealed emotions. His eyes squeezed shut, nose held high, and mouth trembling, he clenched the paper and pressed it against his chest.


    "Hehe¡­" He chuckled, looking like an unsightly mess. "Right, only Xavia would say that¡­my son."


    Avanss, at the sight, smiled. "She''s not wrong. Sylvester is leaps and bounds more blessed than you in beauty, brain, and brawn."


    Letting go of his shame, King Rathagun continued to cry, but proudly now. "Of course¡­he''s my son."


    "So? What will you do?"


    King Rathagun looked at his brother, determination returning to his face. "I wasn''t there when Sylvester was born. I wasn''t there when they were almost killed. I have let them down countless times¡ªI won''t lose them again."


    Rathagun stood up and walked over to his study table to write.


    "One year is nothing¡ªeven if the entire world is what he wants, I will help him take it."


    ____________________


    [Next Volume - I Became The Pope]


    [A/N: See King and Mother Queen of Warsong.]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 515 514. Sylvester Lives!

    The moon, the sun, and the stars seemed to align in ways some considered to be the most fortunate, while some considered it the omen of the worst misfortune.


    A new day began in the Eastern region of the Sol continent as word swept through the kingdoms. The reappearance of Sylvester Maximilian was not a matter of doubt but a certainty, as the diverse spies and clergy in the Westernnds reached out to their counterparts in the East.


    ¡­


    Hignd Kingdom,


    Ever since Sylvester''s demise, everything had started to decline. The Church, the faith, the people, and thends¡ªall were struck by droughts and storms as if Solis was punishing the mortal realm.


    Having considered Sylvester as their own son, King Hignd was devastated during the initial two years, unable to fathom how such a cmity could arise unexpectedly. His anger erupted towards the Church for sending him alone and then towards Sandwall, but the County had already been decimated, for a man far mightier and more wrathful than him felt the same sorrow.


    Consumed by anguish, he could only strive to maintain his kingdom and give a prosperous life to the people. For over five years, he dedicated himself to bolstering his realm¡ªsoldiers, food, and magic. He focused on all of them. Subsequently, he served as the Holy Land administrator for six months, where he detected the presence of a conspiracy. Before any harm could befall him, he returned home and began preparing Hignd for the worst yet toe.


    "Atrox!" Queen Trinity called her husband''s name as she rushed into their bedchamber at night. "Word has arrived from the west¡ªSylvester lives!"


    King Atrox remained despondent; his head hung low as he read the treasury reports. "Do not joke about such matters, Trinity."


    "No! Look! It is a missive from Sir Dolorem bearing his seal, and our merchants in the West said the same words." She insisted and ced the letter before her husband. "He not only lives but has grown stronger than ever. He brought down the Masan Empire and shattered it into four kingdoms¡ªIt was the Shadow of Masan who slew him at Sandwall; the Count was meless!"


    Upon hearing such intricate details, he could not dismiss it as a mere rumor. Thus, he read the letter, and as the lines unfolded, his shoulders broadened, and his head lifted. The gloom in the room began to dissipate, reced by a newfound sense of rejuvenation.


    "...He killed all of Masan''s Grand Wizards, the Emperor, and the Shadow of Masan... He''s now on his way to the Holy Land to receive blessings of Pope Axel Tar Kreed..." King Atrox Hignd murmured, his eyes almost welling up with tears. "Pope Axel? But he''s... he''s gone."


    "Who saw his body?" Queen Trinity questioned. "There is something amiss, Atrox. Read Sir Dolorem''s letter. It says we must remain prepared toy siege to the Holy Land."


    Thud!


    "He''s going for it then?!" King Atrox had a moment of realization. "He''s going for the seat of the Pope!"


    Both their hearts skipped a beat at the thought of Sylvester bing the Pope.


    "What do you wish to do?" Queen Trinity inquired.


    King Atrox smiled widely. "My beautiful queen. After so long, I finally feel rejuvenated¡ªas if I can finally breathe freely. You know what I want to do, my queen."


    The queen smiled, and at the same time, both of them spoke.


    "Attack!"


    ''Sexss-Sixty thousand soldiers! All of them are to be deployed. Yes, we attack!"


    "..."


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in the Gracia Kingdom, Queen Isabe had assumed rulership of the Kingdom. Having worked from the sidelines, she had focused on everything Sylvester had told her. She utilized the expertise of Count Riveria, Baron Strongarm, Duchess Melina Iceling, and Duchess Bethany, along with the Tribal chief Koruk to fortify her kingdom and enhance industrial output.


    Wealth, power, and connections were all she yearned to attain, leading her to forge a close friendship with King Hignd and Lord Einarr of the ckhart Kingdom (formerly Sorrow Kingdom).


    With constant guidance from Sir Dolorem, she always found herself making the right decisions as if the ideas emanating from Sir Dolorem were in harmony with everything Sylvester had nned.


    However, what devastated her the most was the loss of her beloved. Felix was yet to be found anywhere. Last seen in the Holy Land, no one knew if he was even alive, and that slim possibility and the flicker of hope that he remained alive ate away at her slowly.


    Thankfully, at her side were Tempus Gracia and Olympus Gracia, her two uncles who always supported her. Then there was Gideon Gracia and Sir Bob, the only remaining Grand Wizard powerhouses of the Kingdom.


    "What do you wish to do, Your Majesty? We cannot continue to give refuge to Bard''s mother and risk being attacked by the Holy Land. Their army''s first division is already upon us." Gideon Gracia attempted to offer counsel to Isabe.


    She, d in her white gown, remained seated on her throne. Her long blonde hair and pale face were as gorgeous as before, but her expressions were akin to the northern ice¡ªnever changing, frozen in time. Her gray eyescked any semnce of joy, for the world had stripped away from her everyone she ever loved.


    "I will not betray Mother Xavia. She treated me like a true mother when I resided under her care. Gracia shall never kneel; we shall never engage in acts of betrayal. The Holy Land has fallen to heathens, evident enough by their demand to y an innocent woman." Isabe replied coldly, her voice low yet brimming with regality.


    Gideon Gracia, sadly, found himself without alternatives. "Then, we must prepare for war. I do not believe other kingdoms will aid us in this¡ªit is a transgression against faith."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "Your Majesty!" Just then, Isabe''s loyal personal guard, Sir Morphus, came running. "A letter from King Hignd has arrived. It arrived on an undead bird!"


    Isabe''s eyes widened, and she rose from the throne. Ignoring the heavy gown, she descended the high stairs and snatched the letter, tearing it open and reading it.


    ''Sylvester lives! He''sing to take the Holy Land. I am assembling my army. You should do the same, young queen. ¡ª King Atrox Hignd.''


    A brief smile finally appeared on her face before she looked up. "Guardians! Ready the armies. The Hignd stands with us! Sir Morphus, you are to protect Mother Xavia with your life. Don''t let anyone near her¡­we now know why that heathen wanted her.


    "Raise the banners of war! Let us greet them with our sharp des¡ªthis is no longer just a war, this is a crusade!"


    ¡­


    ckhart Kingdom(Sorrow previously), was devastated by the catastrophic earthquake and the atrocitiesmitted by the Grand Duke of the Patch. Six years ago, Sylvester killed the evil Duke and entrusted the Kingdom to the time-stopping Grand Wizard for reconstruction.


    With a steady flow of funds even after Sylvester''s demise, the Kingdom once again stood proudly, with thriving viges, towns, and cities. The people once again smiled and began to forget the horrors of the past.


    With the assistance of alliances with Hignd and Gracia, ckhart never experienced hunger again. And above all, Lord Einarr eagerly awaited the arrival of the Princess¡ªthe new Queen Zylena.


    "I knew you would return, Lord Bard. Solis can never abandon his own son¡ªwee back." Einarr murmured while sitting in the nearly empty throne room. However, he never dared to upy the throne and instead sat in the small chair beside it.


    "Assemble the army! It''s time for the holy war!" He bellowed. "And tell me, what is happening in Riveria? Why is King Riveria so silent? Has he betrayed the one who ced him on the throne?"


    ¡­


    While the Kingdoms and noble lords anddies rallied to gather their soldiers, a lone tall man strolled along the dry trails in the forest surrounding Eden Mountain of Riveria. Bursting with lush greenery and natural beauty, he found sce away from the tense life of the past.


    Pluck!


    Being tall enough, he effortlessly plucked an apple from a tree and took a bite. Satisfied, he broke off a piece and offered it to friendly squirrels who had grown ustomed to the gentle giant dwelling among them.


    The deer, the wolves, the tigers, and even the little rabbits, all respected him and held their ground against him no better than docile puppies.


    A small, single-room shack made of branches, leaves, and other materials acted as his resting ground. Besides eating, all he did was meditate and pray in the name of the Solis, for he may have left thend of the lord, but he never abandoned his faith.


    "Hmm..." A slight smile appeared on his kind face, evident for all animals to see. "Atst, you return, my Young Bard¡ªI almost feared my de rusting in my yard. So the time hase for you to rise¡ªatst, the true sun shall arise."


    Before he slowly rose, his eyes opened from the meditative state, and a zing crimson fire overcame them, making them shine bright as if a predator on the hunt.


    "I will wait, no need for you to be rushed¡ªNo matter today or tomorrow, enemies of the faith are destined to have their skulls crushed!"


    BOOM!


    Fire erupted from his feet and spread around him, consuming the small shack, the humble ce he called home for six years. Finally, a reason to live and fight had appeared, and it was his duty to stand, for his sole existence was to be feared.


    He kicked the ground beneath him and retrieved arge chest. Opening it, he gazed at the garments for a moment and began to put them on.


    Crimson red robes, the same colors as the armor, and the pointed helmet. He covered himself in red from head to toe, and even the eyes had the same color to show.


    Thud!


    Finally, a gentle tap from his heavy staff extinguished the red mes behind him, and he took a step forward.


    "Pope Sylvester, your loyal Inquisitor¡ªstill lives!"


    ____________________


    [A/N: I was initially going to write Sylvester''s part as well. But decided to hold it as it would have ruined the vibe of the ending scene.]


    [Fun Fact: Sylvester''s title of Grand Crusader was never taken back from him.]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 516 515. Return To Sandwall

    The journey from the West to the East was much easier this time than ever before. With the newfound control over the four kingdoms, Sylvester effortlessly rode the horses northward, heading toward the Nond Kingdom.


    He had spent a month in the Marashia region, overseeing various oath-takings and treaty signings. He tried his utmost to establish an eptable economic order that could benefit all four Kingdoms.


    Fortunately, it didn''t take much time to restore the lives of the people back to normal. Since Sylvester''s master n preventedrge-scale war, there was minimal loss of life andbor. This ensured that the crops were harvested on time and the fields were sown again. He also gave ways to increase crop yields, such as creating manure and implementing other irrigation methods.


    After all, famines were one of the primary causes of economic and social devastation in the world, especially in such a primitive era. Therefore, ensuring food security became the foremost priority for a flourishing and resilient economy.


    However, one unexpected development for Sylvester was the Dwarves choosing to apany him and fight against the Holy Land. They held no grudges against the faith and were devout followers of Solis. They simply wished to follow Sylvester and serve under his leadership, as they believed he was a man blessed by the heavens.


    As Sylvester couldn''t promise them a safe refuge in the West, he ultimately decided to lead them and settle them near the Holy Land instead. Of course, winning the war was the initial prerequisite.


    Though he had to admit, the Dwarves were exceptional builders. Following Sylvester''s designs that incorporated the spring suspension, they swiftly crafted splendid new carriages for themselves. Within a week, they produced nearly eighty carriages, sufficient to transport their poption of just over a thousand.


    "I won''t deploy them in battle," Sylvester announced his decision to the others. "They have already endured enough, and as the first Dwarven people to embrace Solis, I want them to be treated well so they can one day spread the faith among other dwarves on the maind."


    Apanying Sylvester were Aurora, Soulbreaker, and Dagorith, all of whom were Grand Wizards. Following behind them were Hozin and Kimino, both formidable in their own right. As for Zylena, she was unustomed to horses and traveled in a carriage.


    "But you will make use of their expertise in smithing, won''t you?" inquired Aurora. "Otherwise, it would be a missed opportunity."


    "I have already ordered them to build Srium cannons, so they will help in the production aspect. But I''ve been preparing for this moment for years. Gracia and the Hignd Kingdom await us with their army prepared. As for Riveria, I always expected it to betray me, so I have something nned for it. Our n is to overwhelm the enemy with such force that they can do nothing but perish.


    "As of now, I believe we have Guardian Bloodrain, Soulbreaker, you, and Geralt alongside me. But at the same time, I have King and Queen Hignd, Lady Bethany Normani, Elder Chief Koruk, Lord Einarr, and Dagorith with me. That makes us eleven Grand Wizards, against First Guardian Niel''s four, including him." Sylvester calcted the odds meticulously.


    "Then why are you still concerned?" Aurora asked.


    "Because I feel that things are moreplex than they appear. Pope''s vanishing, sudden takeover by Niel, and¡­ Saint Scepter remaining idle in the Holy Land. I''m afraid a greater conspiracy is at y, and my suspicion falls on Saint Scepter. The man possesses strange magic that causes one to forget him unless directly in sight or forced to remember." Sylvester said, suddenly reminding Aurora and Soulbreaker about the man as they had also forgotten him.


    Aurora was astounded. "WHAT! I¡­I just remembered him all of a sudden¡­how?"


    Sylvester pulled his sleeves over his wrist and showed a tattoo of the words ''Saint Scepter.'' "I only recall him because of this. I may forget him, but I can make it a habit to look at this every few hours."


    "How is he doing this?" She questioned.


    Regrettably, Sylvester had no idea about that. "Perhaps, it''s something akin to my blessing of light. But who does he serve, that''s therger question."


    Soulbreaker interjected at that moment. "Lord Bard, then does this mean he serves another deity?"


    ''I don''t kno¡­'' Sylvester didn''t dare voice his thoughts. ''First Pope did say there is some presence that tries to suppress him. Who are they? Gods?''


    "We will only find out when we confront him. But, I''m inclined to believe he is also a Supreme Wizard." Sylvester said, painting a terrifying situation.


    Especially for Sylvester, it was far more terrifying as he had witnessed the Anti-Light Chief effortlessly ying the Grand Wizards. His Grand Wizard level two strength, even with Elder Magic, would never stand against a Supreme Wizard for long.


    After his suggestion, none of them spoke further. It was crucial to mentally prepare themselves for the battle, which was destined to only be more challenging the further they advanced.


    ¡­


    Their long entourage of carriages and horses soon turned right and crossed the boundary wall separating the East and the West. They arrived at the high ridge over which the Sandwall County sat.


    But, as they expected, the boundary wall was destroyed, and the entrance to Sandwall County was wide open with no guards standing there. So they entered the long inclined tunnels and moved up, as the entire East of Sol sat on a higher leveled ground than the West.


    "Look at all this," Aurora eximed emotionally. "After word of your demise reached the Holy Land, the Pope himself came here and razed everything to the ground."


    Sylvester sighed and looked around, only to witness heaps of debris, some adorned with withered vegetation. The ce was once the abode of the formidable Sandwall house, but it had been reduced to ruins by schemes of a single woman from Masan.


    ''Where are you, Felix?'' He missed his good friend the most, and a hint of sadness entered his mind.


    "Wait¡­Are those people?" Aurora suddenly eximed and urged her horse forward.


    In a moment, they arrived at what appeared to be arge slum, or perhaps even worse than that. There were hundreds of conical tents made of tattered garments of dirt color. They were small, and the people around them were also malnourished, barely wearing anything.


    The crowd of poverty-stricken people slowly gathered as they noticed the noisy arrival of Sylvester''s entourage. With fearful and hopeless eyes, they remained voiceless all the way.


    "Who are you, people?" Sylvester questioned them. "Sandwall was destroyed¡ªWhy do you still reside here?"


    A man stepped forward to speak, and surprisingly, he wore clergyman robes. "Because Sandwall is their only home. For the crimesmitted by the Count, the people are also enduring suffering. They have been shunned by any other County, Duchy, or Barony¡ªthese are the outcasts of Sol."


    Sylvester looked at the sizable assemge with pity. This was yet another unforeseen long-term consequence of Shadow of Masan''s ns.


    "Who are you?" the clergyman asked. "You are not brown."


    Aurora dismounted her horse. "I am the Ninth Guardian, Aurora Foxtron, and that is the Fourth Guardian, Soulbreaker. The man you address is Sylvester Maximilian¡ªback from the clutches of death, after uncovering the plots of the Masan Empire, which schemed and destroyed Sandwall. Count Sandwall was innocent, Priest."


    "What?" <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "We''re innocent?"


    The people murmured, looking left and right. Their feeble bodies didn''t even have enough strength to shout or cheer. Only confusion could they afford.


    At that, Sylvester stepped forward and conjured a halo behind his head, but he didn''t sing, for it wasn''t the time. "I am Lord''s Bard, Sylvester Maximilian. Do not fret, my people. Today, your suffering ends. Food, water, and shelter will all be taken care of, and soon the Sandwall will be rebuilt¡ªhave faith."


    Sylvester then looked at the priest. "Bring me to your monastery outpost."


    The priest just stared at Sylvester''s face with his jaw agape. Nobody could miss recognizing that shining halo.


    "Y-You''re truly the Lord Bard? But¡­he''s meant to be nine feet tall, and his voice as heavy as the thunder from the sky!"


    "..."


    Sylvester looked at Aurora''s face. He had no damn clue what had urred in the East during his absence, or what kind of propaganda had been spread by the various loyal bards across the continent.


    Bonk!


    Aurora chopped on the priest''s head. "Fool, those are just exaggerated words. Lord Bard doesn''t need to be nine feet tall to destroy mountains. It''s something he can aplish even in his sleep."


    The priest bobbed his head stupidly. "T-That makes sense¡­Pleasee with me. We have set up a walled camp for the monastery work."


    Together with the dwarves, they followed to the rear of the downtrodden camp. There, a guarded encampment came into view, enclosed by wooden fences at least two meters high. It wasn''trge, with an area of approximately fifty square meters.


    "After what transpired in the Holy Land, some of us who refused to ept the new Pope came here and began taking care of the people." The priest briefed them. "Initially, we intended to head West, but upon finding so many people in misery, we decided to help."


    "What''s the current situation?" Sylvester inquired.


    "Not good," the priest replied. "The church has dispatched their army to attack the Green City of Gracia. They seek to take Mother Xavia from there and kill her¡­ That''s what I''ve heard."


    Sylvester nearly killed his poor horse as his body jerked from the news. ''If she dies, all of this will be meaningless¡­Niel, I will make sure you experience pain unlike any human in history.''


    "But why?" Dagorith questioned. Hailing from the West, he wasn''t well-versed in Eastern politics.


    Aurora nced at Sylvester to see his reaction before answering. "Because¡­ Mother Xavia is Lord Bard''s mother, and she is his source of strength¡ªif something happens to her, the faith will lose their true Pope."


    "Why woul¡ª" Dagorith wanted to ask further but shut his mouth abruptly once he noticed Sylvester''s cold face. Indeed, the world would lose its true Pope if Xavia perished, for she was the reason Sylvester worked so hard¡ªto make a peaceful life with her.


    Amidst the silence, the priest led them to thergest tent in the center of the encampment. Everyone dismounted their horses and entered the dpidated dwelling.


    Sylvester took the lead and proceeded to find the person in charge, a Bishop, as the priest had mentioned.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us." Sylvester greeted and surveyed his surroundings. The space was cramped, with several tables positioned near the tent walls. Priests sat there, engrossed in writing and stamping documents.


    Meanwhile, right at the center of the room was a single table upied by a man wearing a Bishop''s mitre.


    "May the Holy Light Enlight¡ª" The Bishop found his tongue frozen once he nced up and noticed the long blonde hair, face better than any noble prince, and eyes more golden than gold itself. "You¡­"


    The Bishop rose to his feet, removing his headdress, his eyes brimming with tears. "Y-You¡­Y-You fucking retard!"


    "..."


    All the priests dropped their quills and looked up, startled by their typically gentle, red-haired leader resorting to such foulnguage.


    Sylvester erupted intoughter. "Haha! Those are the first words you utter to your best friend who returned from death¡­Gab? I''m hurt."


    Gabriel vaulted over the table and, in a single bound, embraced Sylvester in a brotherly hug, tears streaming down his face. "Wee back¡ªmy brother. You have grown taller¡­and regrettably, more handsome."


    Sylvester chuckled and released himself from the embrace to see his friend''s face. Gabriel bore no resemnce to his former self. Now, he possessed short, red hair, a weathered face adorned with age lines, and weary eyes marked by dark circles.


    "You look old, Gab. What happened to you?"


    Gabriel sighed and looked down. "I¡­I was lost after your ''demise.'' After I reached the pinnacle of my magical and knightly strength¡­only books were my sce."


    Gabriel stepped back and picked a book from his table. "This is what bes of you after reading every single book in the church''s advance library¡ªover and over."


    ____________________


    [A/N: See Gabriel Maxwell.]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 517 516. Propaganda War

    "All of them?" Sylvester was amazed, to say the least. "And how is your sister?"


    At that, Gabriel smiled fondly. "She got married to the son of the cksmith Guild''s chief. Apparently, they fell in love at some point in the past, and I only found out when they decided to marry. I''ve relocated them outside the Holy Land to Sand City."


    "That was the right decision, Gab. I don''t know how desperate Niel is and how far he may go in his pursuit to bring us down. Mum is¡­in Green City, and I want to quickly make my way there and defend the ce." Sylvester seriously said, getting back to the important topic since time was of the essence.


    Gab agreed, "Then you''ll appreciate Bishop Lazark and Elyon being here."


    "They''re here?" Sylvester looked around. "I can use Bishop Lazark''s abilities for something utterly important. I have a letter that needs to be delivered up north, beyond the Pentapeak mountain range."


    "You mean¡­ the undead lich?" Gab realized. Although he wasn''t present during the events that unfolded in the north, he was aware of the Supreme Wizard Undead Emperor Lich residing there.


    Thud!


    "Lord Bard?!"


    Just then, another voice called out his name, but Sylvester recognized it. He looked at the entrance, and as expected, it was his favorite necromancer, still d in his oversized ck robes and hood over his head. The little skeleton undead cat was also there, looking around cutely.


    Sylvester went ahead and gave the man a hug. "Thank you for not losing faith, my friend."


    Lazark returned the embrace, disying a rare moment of emotion. "Wee back, Lord Bard. I had been receiving word of a strange urrence in the West for almost a year, but I never knew you were behind it."


    "To be honest with you, I nearly died in Sandwall that day. But, by the blessing of Solis, who directly saved me and ushered me forward to continue my battle, I survived. No matter what happens, just know that Solis is with us¡ªwe stand on the right side of history." Sylvester reassured them, just in case they harbored any doubts.


    After that, Sylvester looked past Bishop Lazark and noticed the Tiger Beastkin, Elyon. He respected the man a lot and trusted him more ever since Felix''s kidnapping case.


    So, he gave Elyon a hug as well. "You look great in that armor, Elyon."


    "Thank you, Lord Bard." Elyon smiled, his voice as majestic as ever. "Mother Xavia gifted this to me a year ago."


    ''Of course, she would. To her, everyone close to me is like a child meant to be spoiled.'' Sylvester chuckled in his heart and stepped back.


    "Thank you for being here. Don''t worry about the people. They will receive food and shelter from me. For now, our first priority is to secure Green City and make ns to take the Holy Land. Do we have any verified information about the enemy''s strength?"


    "We do," Gabriel uttered. "Niel has ten Cardinals by his side and nearly all of Holy Land, albeit unwillingly. After the departure of those who disagreed, the Holy Army''s strength amounts to six million. Additionally, with the other wizards, staff, and more, their total strength reaches ten million. But we believe there are a few Counties and Baronies that will support the Church, potentially pushing their numbers beyond fifteen million in total."


    "And they have been recruitingmoners for a year." Bishop Lazark added. "I wouldn''t be surprised if they managed to lure in a few millionmoners, desperate for money or just food."


    Sylvester sighed and took a seat at the side. He looked at the Priests toiling at desks and smelled their doubts. "Leave us¡­We have matters to discuss."


    Gabriel nodded and swiftly sent them away, knowing that any one of them could be a spy or simply ckmailed to be one. "What are you thinking, Max? What''s the n?"


    Sylvester thought about it for a while. "There are only five million Inquisitors at best, and if webined the forces of Gracia and the Hignd Kingdom, we might reach a total of fifteen million. But we can''t risk that since Riveria might attack Hignd and Gracia when they''re distracted. So I need to at least send the Hignd Kingdom to subdue Riveria first¡ªthat brings our number to almost ten million. Sure, we may have eleven Grand Wizards on our side, but the Holy Land possesses a significantly greater number of Masters and Arch Wizards."


    "We''re greatly outnumbered," Aurora interjected. "The Holy Land also possesses a remarkable Navy."


    Sylvester was already aware of that. "Then we have to start with information warfare. The realm is yet to learn of my return. The many soldiers and Clergymen in the Holy Land serve Niel solely because they know no better. Once they learn that Lord''s Bard is back, opposing Niel''s despotic rise to power, doubts will rise, and cracks will appear within their ranks. Know one thing, the most important thing for us right now is public support. As long as we have the mandate of the people, we have the blessings of the heavens."


    "But we can''t win with that alone," Gabriel said. "How do you n to weaken them?"


    "By poaching soldiers and Clergymen from them. Let''s establish a Church-In-Exile first andbel the Holy Land as corrupt and under the sway of demons. Furthermore, years ago, I built a machine called a printing press. I''ll have the Dwarves make it¡ªwith it, we shall generate propaganda posters at a rate of tens of thousands per hour. Bishop Lazark, I''ll need you to createrger flying undead and use them to spread the posters around the realm. We shall use artwork instead of just words, so the illiterate can understand."


    Sylvester knew he already had a lot of goodwill throughout the East Sol, and he just had to rekindle the memories to make them remember him.


    But he didn''t stop there. "We''ll make special posters for those currently serving the Holy Land. Pressure them, make them question Niel, and give them instructions on where to go and how to serve the right side of history. Even if they refuse, it will weaken their morale.


    "At the same time, block all supply lines to the Holy Land, destroy any way for them to stockpile food. Before we face each other on the battlefield, we must weaken their minds and bodies while we ourselves thrive in will and might."


    Gabriel, Bishop Lazark, Elyon, Aurora, Soulbreaker, and Dagorith listened to him with great interest. For some, it offered a rare glimpse into Sylvester''s mind, while others merely missed that aspect of him.


    "I will also use other holy means to reach out to the people." He assured them, after all, Elder Magic was a pathway to abilities deemed impossible. "But we must not forget our first goal¡ªprotecting Green City."


    "When do we leave?" Gabriel inquired.


    "Tonight. So go and rest," Sylvester ordered, officially as the most senior Clergymen among them¡ªa Saint as well as a Sanctum Council member, a Cardinal. His words held authority.


    After the long discussion, they all retreated to their personal small tents to get some rest. Sylvester did the same, settling down with Miraj in hisp.


    "Chonky, I will need you to do something for me. It''s dangerous, but only you can do it." Sylvester looked the fluffy furball right in the eye. "How fast can you fly?"


    Miraj resolutely stood on his hind legs. "I can go woosh! I''m very fast, Maxy. I flew over the Divine Desert in a single day searching for you."


    "..."


    Sylvester was taken aback. "That''s¡­Indeed very fast. Alright then, listen closely. I want you to take special explosives I''ll make and throw them over the weapons and food reserves in the Holy Land."


    "That''s it? It''s easy peasy for me, Maxy!" Miraj thumbed his chest with a paw. "When do I go?"


    "Tomorrow. It will create a great distraction for us to defend Green City and protect Mum."


    Miraj was very emotional when it came to Xavia, so he was extra excited to do it. "Don''t worry, Maxy. We''ll protect Big Mum and squish her with a thousand, no a million¡­no infinite hugs!"


    "Hah¡­we will." Sylvester caressed Miraj''s head. "I''m going to close my eyes and try to speak with someone. You can sleep if you want to." <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Taking a long, calming breath, Sylvester closed his eyes tightly. He became one with his surroundings, and his breath seemed so slow that one could mistake his body for dead. However, within his mind, there was chaos and unfiltered noise, for what he attempted to do was something he had never tried before.


    What Sylvester was trying could be called the true Srium Web. Previously, he only established a one-on-one connection, and in true essence, that was nowhere near a web. But the true Srium Web was something that could spread all around and connect him to not just with one person, but with everyone within range.


    He had never tried it before due to his lower Wizard rank, but now it was an entirely different thing. He was a Kingdom destroying threat against whom no Grand Wizard could stand.


    ''Alright¡­It''s working. I hear the voices, but there are too many all at once¡­I have to filter them out, gradually silence them, and restrict the web to outgoing only.''


    Sylvester focused slowly, cutting off some of the Srium Connections and silencing the voices. Gradually, as they became increasingly scarce, he began to hear them clearly.


    ''Does Kiki love me?''


    ''I want candy.''


    ''Come back, dear¡­where are you?''


    ''Oh Solis, what sin have Imitted?''


    ''Is eating someone already dead a sin?''


    ''May the Holy Light enlighten us¡ªplease bless my business, Solis.''


    ''Ah¡­Ah¡­Slow down¡­''


    ''Who is this new Pope? Never heard of him before¡­''


    Sylvester finally silenced thest of the voices and was met withplete silence. However, he could sense that the connection still lingered, and now his voice could reach them. As for the range, he guessed it was reaching as far as Kinman City, the capital of Duchy of Normani, which he considered good already.


    ''Alright, Sylvester¡­ you can do this.'' He told himself. Starting with a whisper and gradually increasing the voice. At the same time, he ensured his voice carried weight and echoed magnificently.


    ?Such disappointment, what became of the world I created.


    Humans, elves, giants, dwarves, or dragons¡ªare all rted.


    I gave free will and a heart full of love, yet it all was negated.


    Pains my essence¡ªthis world loses to make me feel ted.?


    Sylvester then allowed a few voices toe back to him, so he could see if it worked.


    ''What? What was that¡­I feel so much warmth in my head¡­God?''


    ''Devil?''


    ''Am I going crazy? Who''s talking?''


    ''Show yourself!''


    ''Oh, Solis¡­We have failed you¡­''


    Sylvester nodded, confirming that it was working. So he continued with the message, ensuring they knew which side to follow.


    ?Tiny humans make war to protect me¡ªwho built the world.


    I am Light; I am Land; I am Solis¡ªI hear all curses ever hurled.


    Now sits a demon in my home, ruling as if a blessed man.


    But regardless, Light shall defeat evil¡ªnever shall seed his n.?


    ?O'' my children, hear my words of the blessed Light.


    You killed my son once, but he still remains bright.


    As he is eternal, his radiance is the supreme might.


    Rise¡ªtime hase, light or dark, who shall you fight??


    Thud!


    The connection broke, and the minds of the people felt overwhelmed by the sudden heavenly experience.


    Their knees went weak, and they fell to the ground. But, when they looked around themselves, just like them, they noticed many more.


    It was evident to all that god had spoken, and this was an experience they could not ignore.


    ____________________


    [A/N: See Elyon here]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 518 517. Ten Thousand Millennia

    Sylvester woke up early in the morning. He hadpelled himself to sleep the previous night as he believed the entire uing month was going to be full of tireless and sleepless nights for him. He awakened Miraj on time andmenced nning for the day. If they were all to go using horses and gallop at full speed, they could arrive at the Green City in two days.


    But he didn''t have that much time to squander, so he had decided to take the Grand Wizards along and secure the city before anything dire could happen. However, Miraj''s mission was also significant, and for that, Sylvester started making the explosives.


    They were simple bombs made of exploding crystals, fire crystals, and air crystals, but this time he was inscribing elder runes in them to supercharge them with Srium just the moment they were to explode. The ensuing explosion was going to amplify the intensity of the st by at least six-fold.


    ''At least a few hundred such explosives will suffice since Chonky can fly rapidly. But just to be certain, I should make them time-based so that Chonk has time to escape in case Saint Scepter is there.'' Sylvester schemed, and from the morning before the sun rose, until the entire camp became bustling with activity, he made explosives.


    "Ready to go?" Aurora entered his ce and saw him cleaning things up.


    "Yes, just let me speak with Sir Dolorem and Mum first. I need to get information on their whereabouts before we make a move. Inform Gabriel and others that we Grand Wizards will be departing first through my light tiles." Sylvestermanded her.


    "Got it."


    Once again alone, Sylvester fastened all the explosives and handed them to Miraj. "Chonky, this singr red crystal is the trigger. Once you''re done hurling all the explosives, simply shatter this crystal. All explosives will detonate simultaneously then."


    Miraj listened attentively. "Aye, aye, Maxy. Anything else?"


    "Just stay safe... I''ve already lost too much." He simply embraced his lifelong friend. "And thank you for doing this."


    "Hehe... Why thank me? Just give me a few bananas, and I''m good." Miraj cheekily retorted.


    That was what made him treasure Miraj the most. His ability to uplift him even in the darkest of moments was something that kept him sane even when all hope was lost.


    "Rx now. I will speak with Mum and Sir Dolorem simultaneously." Sylvester closed his eyes and focused on the two Srium Signatures.


    At his present level, establishing a connection with someone so close was utterly effortless, so he felt the connection seed within a few seconds.


    "Mum? Sir Dolorem? It''s me... I''m back in the East." Sylvester initiated contact.


    "Max?" Xavia''s soothing voice echoed. "I knew it was you... you spoke to all of us at night!"


    Sylvester''s brows furrowed. "What do you mean? Where are you right now?"


    "Lord Bard, we''re on the move." Sir Dolorem responded this time. "Her Majesty Isabe knew about the ns of the Holy Land to capture and employ Mother Xavia as a bargaining tool to lure you over. Queen Isabe and I decided it''s better we depart for the Hignd Kingdom, so right now, we''re crossing Lake Elixir in the Hignd Kingdom, not far from Sand City."


    "..."


    Sylvester went speechless quickly. The Hignd Kingdom was beyond Riveria, far in the south from where he sat. "Did you hear my hymnsst night? Where were you then?"


    "We were at Fort Sunflower under Viscount Kaecilius'' care," Sir Dolorem answered.


    Sylvester blew hot air from his mouth, his focus remaining steadfast. "This is not what I expected. At best, I believed my telepathicmunication through Srium Web would reach Kinman City within the Duchy where I resided. But it turns out¡­ it also reached the extreme boundaries of Riveria."


    "I think you are mistaken, Lord Bard," Sir Dolorem interjected. "We were at Fort Sunflower at night, but even today, no matter which vige or town wee across, everyone speaks of a peculiar heavenly voice calling for them. I have a feeling that your magic is more powerful than what you believe, Lord Bard."


    "..."


    Complete speechlessness, confusion, and a sudden realization. It was a flurry of emotions that Sylvester was never ustomed to since things rarely ever went his way so perfectly.


    ''Is this the work of Solis from behind the scenes? Aiding my efforts? Or is this my true innate ability?'' Sylvester questioned himself, albeit remaining doubtful.


    "This means my words were heard as far as the Holy Land, and, if possible, the edge of ckhart Kingdom," Sylvester mumbled.


    "Or perhaps the entire Sol... Or the world," Sir Dolorem painted a much grander picture. "Lord Bard, what urredst night was not mere magic. It was a celestial experience for anyone touched by your words. Theforting warm feeling I felt after you finished your words rejuvenated me and cleared my mind from all the worry and negativity¡ªit was as if I was purified. Your Elder Magic is... something... divine!"<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Agreeing, Mother Xavia chimed in. "Max, I heard what happened. You defeated Masan. You are now stronger than before. But please take care of yourself. What''s happening in the Holy Land is far worse than what you can imagine. As you had requested, I expanded my Bright Mother''s group throughout the world and discovered these strange missives being exchanged between the Holy Land and the rest of the realm. They spoke of some Divine Will...and all the letters were in the name of someone called Cosmo."


    Sylvester heeded her advice seriously. "Where did theye from?"


    "I don''t know. I was never able to find their origin. Max, Niel isn''t the true mastermind behind all this... I have a feeling this is much worse." Xavia warned him, and a mother''s intuition was seldom incorrect.


    Sylvester sighed helplessly. Yet again, a bloody grand conspiracy. "What about Healer Hendrix and his family? Keep them safe in King Hignd''s castle. That man is vital for the future development of the realm. And Sir Dolorem, remain with mother... Keep her safe while I attempt to first uncover what''s going on."


    "Wait!" Sir Dolorem interjected just as Sylvester was about to end the magic. "Lord Bard, Lady ine, the elven wife of Healer Hendrix, asked me to tell you something."


    ''ine? I''ve spoken with her only once.'' Sylvester remained silently perplexed, listening intently.


    Sir Dolorem continued, "I don''t know precisely what it means, and it appeared more like a prophecy, and her precise words were, ''Golden is the color of Solis, and the same is the color of nature''s soul. You are born as two halves but together, they make you a whole. Sylvester Maximilian, gaze beyond what you view¡ªfor your eyes, I pity you.''


    "This is what she said, Lord Bard. Wha¡­ Lord Bard? Are you there?"


    But no voice returned to Sir Dolorem.


    Thud!


    Back inside the tent in Sandwall, Sylvester had fallen onto his back. His eyes rolled up into his head. His body twitched as if experiencing a seizure, but when Miraj tried to touch him, all he felt was an extreme fever.


    "Maxy! Wake up! What happened to you?" Miraj tried to help him but to no avail. Seeing no choice, he ran out to get Aurora. "Help! Help, Max!"


    But beyond the veil of reality, Sylvester was fine. His mind and body froze, and the Srium Web connection broke. Suddenly, he found himself standing in front of jail bars in a deep, dark dungeon. It was damp, and the scent was something he remembered from a long, long time ago when he was merely five or so years old.


    It felt too real to be a memory, as there, beyond the jail bars, was the naked form of an elven woman, beaten to a pulp, bleeding from all her parts, and even there. Her legs were bound to the wall with metal chains so she could not run, while her hands were free.


    Her hazy, lifeless eyes continued to stare at Sylvester''s face as if peering into his soul. The scent of a broken mind¡ªthe scent of rotting flesh¡ªpermeated the air.


    "What is your name?" Sylvester inquired, his young, childlike voice clear, confirming it was a memory.


    "L-Lixiss¡­ W-Why? Why did you steal me from my home? Why did you enve me? What did I do to you?" She cried, releasing all her frustration, for there was nothing left to fear. The worst had already happened, and death was drawing near.


    She suddenly reached out and caressed Sylvester''s face. But there was no anger or hatred in her gesture, scent, or eyes. Instead, there was only maternal love, pure and untainted, as if she saw through his two lives and all he had experienced.


    "Your eyes¡­ I pity you... Cursed to carry the will of two worlds, your golden eyes are more than mere beautiful pearls. There was another one long before you, ten thousand millennia ago¡ªwild, jubnt, a beauty with a destiny ursed¡ªYou share the same; she only went first. So open your heart, let the blessing flow through your mind¡ªyou are the rebirth, goddess Remira of elf kind!"


    Boom!


    As if thrown into a void and through the universe, the dark dungeon he stood in vanished, reced by passing stars and gxies. The sensation of burning spread throughout him, and his mind once again faded to darkness.


    "Gah!" With a loud gasp, he awakened. His eyes shot open wide, shimmering with a golden hue and red fire. "WHAT! What was that?!"


    He attempted to sit up but fell back again. A piercing headache left him writhing in pain, yet simultaneously, he looked for answers that his mind contained.


    "I¡­ I don''t remember her saying those words¡­ Nor did that voice belong to that elven ve¡­ Two worlds? Remira? Me?"


    ____________________


    [A/N: The elf ve scene happened in Chapter 17.]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 519 518. A God In Sky

    "What happened?!" Aurora came rushing into the tent, Chonky perched on her shoulder. "Why are you panting and¡­ sweating?"


    Sylvester sat holding his forehead, trying to get rid of his headache. "I don''t know¡­ I remembered something from the time I was five. It''s like a hidden memory¡­ I don''t have any recollection of it."


    Aurora settled beside him and helped him stand. However, the moment she touched his shoulder, her hand recoiled back. "You''re burning!"


    "That''s alright. Fire and heat don''t affect me." He straightened himself. "Let''s move. Mum and Sir Dolorem had escaped to the Hignd Kingdom and will reach Sand City today. But Isabe stayed in Green City, fighting the Holy Army and creating a long enough distraction for Mum to reach the castle."


    "But what about you? Are you alright?" Aurora asked him in concern. "You don''t look like you''re ready for battle."


    "I''m fine. I''ve fought in worse conditions before." Sylvester put all the stuff away and walked out to meet with the Dwarves, who had begun to set up their own encampment using timber and digging the ground. They were masters of construction, and their speed was unparalleled.


    "Erlog." Sylvester tried to ignore the seething headache and met with the old dwarf he had initially encountered in Masan. "You wanted to meet me before I left. Do you need something?"


    "Yes and no, Lord Bard." Elrog remained highly respectful of Sylvester. After all, Sylvester had done precisely as he had promised them¡ªhe freed them. "Lord Bard, we saw all the diagrams of your light cannon as well as the other weapons you conceptualized for us. We will require iron ore and plenty of magic crystals for them, but at the same time, we have something to give to you. We have been working on it since you liberated us."


    Sylvester had plenty of iron ore in Chonky Bank, so that wasn''t an issue at all. As for the magic crystals, he had even more than iron, as the spoils from Masan were too much. He was still in the process of separating and organizing everything.


    But what the Dwarves wanted to give him piqued his interest. "What is it?"


    "Pleasee with me." Elrog excitedly said and led Sylvester and Aurora into their small camp that was still under construction. They had already built one central warehouse out of mud bricks, and a few dwarves stood guard.


    Elrog entered effortlessly and guided him through the stash of items stored to their left and right. Finally, they stopped in front of a tall vertical cupboard made of simple wood.


    "Lord Bard, us dwarves wish to gift you this as a tribute." Elrog snapped his finger, and the cupboard gleamed with intricate tiny lines on it. The twin doors swung open slowly, revealing its contents.


    "When we learned that you''re a master at metal maniption, we wondered how we could aid you in bing even more formidable in battles. We wanted the Son of Solis to always win and be able to vanquish hundreds or thousands of foes at the same time. So, we came up with this new armor. Unlike our Masan''s armor, intentionally produced with inferior quality, this one possesses the finest craftsmanship we can offer. Forged from Mythril and gold ted¡ªit will harmonize perfectly with your magic." Elrog exined at length with excitement in his words. "We''ve named it¡ªThousand Piercer."


    Sylvester approached the cupboard, momentarily forgetting his headache. The armor was beautiful. It had a golden chest te, shoulder tes, gauntlets, and leg guards going from waist to foot. Beneath it all, chainmail covered most of the body, and behind the armor was an off-white colored cape.


    "Why Thousand Piercer as a name?" Sylvester inquired.


    "Heh¡­ Because of that!" Elrog cheerfully pointed toward the two more boxes. They were horizontally long and not very wide. "Behold, the Golden Wings of Thousand Piercer."


    Thud!


    The lids fell off the two boxes, revealing giant wingsprised of sharp golden swords and des. They were meticulously crafted and, when brought together, seemed like real wings.


    "Lord Bard, while they may not grant you the ability to fly, these wings are made of des forged with dwarven magic and engraved with our runes. Being a metal maniptor, you can easily disassemble each of the des in the wings and make use of them like a hailstorm of des. Whenever you are done, the des shall fly back to your armor''s back and form themselves into wings again!" Elrog exined. "Even now, you merely need to tap the armor''s chest after wearing it, and all the des will fly onto your back."


    Sylvester was delighted by it. ''Wings? An armor like this could raise my public image as long as I use it wisely.''


    "I''ll try it." He said and proceeded to don the armor. Mythril was a highly conductive material for magic, posing a challenge even for his metal maniption abilities. However, using maic maniption was somewhat different. He could at least make things hover in the air, although he felt the need to master levitation with it now.


    "Aurora, can you help?" He asked her to hasten the process.


    First, he donned the chainmail and then the intricate golden armor. He fastened the shoulder tes and the leg guards and finally wore the gauntlets.


    Pat! Pat!


    Finally, he tapped the chest te to make the wings fly and attach themselves to his back. To make it an even greater challenge, instead of aiming his back toward the wings, he faced them.


    nk!


    nk!


    "Amazing!" Sylvester eximed.


    Right before his eyes, with astonishing speed, the two wings disintegrated into small des and flew around Sylvester, only to attach themselves to his back with a resounding ng. Each de knew its ce, and within three seconds, the two wings, each at least two meters wide, appeared behind him in all its majesty.


    To top it off, Sylvester also took out the Spear of Infinity and held it in his hand.


    "How do I look?" He asked, feeling a few hundred kilograms of weight on his back, but negligible for his rank.


    Aurora''s jaw dropped to the floor. "I¡­I think If I tell people you''re Solis¡­ they''ll believe me, no questions about it. Your golden hair, the armor, and the wings¡­ along with the halo! I''m jealous! Hey, Elrog, aren''t we good friends now? Please make an armor for me too. It doesn''t need to have wings. My special power is thunder¡­ so something like that, please?"


    Elrog smiled, reveling in the admiration. "For allies of Lord Bard and us Dwarves, we''re always ready to help. But give us some time, My Lady."


    Meanwhile, Sylvester explored the capabilities of the wings. He could retract them on his back so they took less space and hid behind him. He could also make them spread wider, and if needed, he could easily use metal maniption to turn them into a shield for himself.


    ''I can throw all of them out and control each one with ease¡ªthis is simr to having overly powerful mind-controlled arrows.'' Sylvester was thoroughly satisfied.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "By the way," he interjected, interrupting their conversation. "Elrog, I have a few Skygems I''ve collected over the years. I heard only Dwarves can forge them, so I was wondering if you could add them to this armor?"


    "Skygem?!" Elrog''s face lit up. But in the next second, it fell. "I''ve only ever heard of them but¡­ Forgive me, Lord Bard, we don''t have the means. To forge them, we need either Dragonfire or the fire from the home of Dwarves."


    ''I guessed that much. But can elder magic recreate such a fire? Surely something to think ofter. I have enough on my te for now¡­ This Elven Goddess mess¡­''


    "Perhaps one day, both our dreams will be a reality, Elrog. But for now, we must part ways. Aurora, let''s go. Elrog, Beastkin Elyon and Bishop Gabriel will remain behind. Speak with them if you need anything."


    Since the mission had changed, Sylvester decided to let Gabriel focus on establishing the Church-In-Exile in Sandwall County itself.


    Within minutes, they all gathered outside. Sylvester wasted no time making Light Tiles in the air for them to step on and ascend.


    Aurora, Soulbreaker, Dagorith, and Bishop Lazark were going with him. He had decided to leave Hozin and Kimino behind as well since theycked familiarity with East Sol, and in Princess Zylena''s case, she had to be protected, as the future of the ckhart Kingdom rested upon her shoulders.


    "If any of you feel tired, just tell me. You don''t have to catch up to my speed and exhaust yourselves before the battle." Sylvester cautioned everyone while creating Light Tiles to reach the clouds to remain hidden.


    "Understood." Bishop Lazark responded. He was a peak Archwizard, merely a level away from being a Grand Wizard.


    "Let''s go!"


    Woosh!


    Faster than any horse or carriage, the group of superhuman monsters dashed towards the East, akin to a powerful gust of wind in the midst of the fiercest storm.


    ¡­


    Green City, in the Gracia Kingdom,


    During the same time, Green City fell under siege by the Holy Army of the Faith. On a cloudy day, all the negotiations failed, and the Commander of the Holy Army continued to demand the handover of Xavia Maximilian. Isabe denied it each time, continuously insisting that there was no such person in the city.


    But, it wasmon knowledge that she was in the city. So, when all patience broke, the battle began. Gracia''s Army halted the enemy strikes from their high city walls, using arrows and spears.


    Boom!


    However, when both sides involved Grand Wizards, the situation turned tricky. Within an hour, the City Wall fell to Faithwalker, the eighth Guardian of Light. Apanying him was ckfire, the seventh Guardian of Light.


    The Kingdom and the Holy Land shed under the lead of the Grand Wizards, two from each side. Once the powerhouses reached a stalemate, the Holy Army infiltrated the city, intending to raze it, loot it, and advance toward the Royal Castle.


    With Holy Land''s superior number of Archwizards, Master Wizards, and Golden Knights, it quickly turned into a slow massacre of Gracia''s soldiers. Better equipped, better trained, and battle-hardened¡ªthe Holy Army was trained to be the finest since its main enemy was supposed to be Beastaria.


    Yet the swords were now aimed at fellow humans instead.


    "Your Majesty, please return to the castle. It''s not safe here!" Sir Morphus implored.


    Isabe grunted and watched the city from her castle estate''s boundary walls. There was smoke and fire in any direction she turned to. The thought of innocents screaming, crying, and dying filled her with anger. Sadly, she possessed the skills of a healer, not a warrior.


    "If the Kingdom falls, I fall with it." She muttered and looked toward the East, in the direction of the Holy Land. Her hand clutched onto the locket on her neck, a precious gift from someone special.


    Fond memories abruptly brought a smile to her face. The faces of her friends, theughter, and the romantic vows exchanged with Felix almost brought her to tears. It was all lost¡ªthere was no longer a ce to call home.


    Atst, the towering structures in the city began to crumble from the damage, and the Holy Army started approaching the drawbridge of the Royal Castle estate while marching. Their beautiful golden armor were now stained with the blood of innocents.


    ''So this is how Gracia meets its end¡­''


    "Not today!"


    Boom!


    A bright beam of scorching light fell from the sky onto the marching ranks of the Holy Army, apanied by the resonating voice of a man. The sky seemed to be overtaken by blinding light as the dense dark clouds parted, clearing the sky above the city.


    Then, a majestic being descended gracefully from the sky with wide, gleaming wings and a tall figure. The halo simmered over everything. His light reached all beings in the city, leaving nothing.


    "Children of God! Hear the words of his Bard! Throw away your weapons, for my wrath you cannot afford to disregard!"


    ____________________


    [A/N: See Sylvester in his new armor]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 520 519. A Little Too Easy

    For a moment, the battle ceased within the city. All heads peered toward the sky and watched as the heavenly being descended onto the wall around the Royal Castle. His booming voice shook the hearts of every man, woman, warrior, ormoner, and thosecking resolve crumbled to their knees in submission.


    ?In the embrace of Solis, there is love and forgiveness.


    Don''t let the demon seduce you, fight against that sickness.


    It is yet not toote; there is still a pathway to sce.


    Come, children of Solis, you are wee to my embrace.?


    The warm, soothing, yet threatening words shook the cores of every soldier of the Holy Army. They were simple men, ordered to fight, but in front of Sylvester''s radiance, could they say they were right?


    "I shall wait until the sun sets. Any man still found holding a weapon in this bleeding city shall face the might of my light, and damnation to eternal suffering of your soul. Forget the warmth of the Lord. You won''t even receive thest words from his Bard!" Sylvester concluded his resounding speech andnded.


    His wings retracted behind his back, but his halo remained vibrant. Lost in his magnificence, people even forgot to see thending of four other figures.


    "Aurora and Lord Dagorith, you go and deal with Faithwalker. Beat him down and ce the Darkstone Cuffs on him. Guardian Soulbreaker, I believe dealing with ckfire will be easy for you. Please capture him alive. I shall pass judgmentter. And Bishop Lazark, send your undead around the city and help the people. Douse the mes where there is fire, and free the people trapped under the rubble. Keep an eye on the city to see the focal points of violence."


    A flurry of orders left Sylvester''s lips as he sent them out to fulfill their tasks. Capturing the two Grand Wizards of the Holy Land would prove easy, given that Gracia''s Grand Wizards were also there. Moreover, Sylvester had the element of surprise, as most were oblivious to the extent of his true power.


    But first, he had to greet a certain Queen.


    "You have grown even prettier, Isabe." Sylvester greeted her. "But what''s with the long face? Seen a ghost?"


    Sniff!


    "SYLVESTAAA!" She roared and leaped toward him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight enough to snap his neck if he was an ordinary man. "I was¡­ I was so scared! I thought I''d die before seeing you ever again."


    Sylvester chuckled and returned her embrace, patting her back and caressing her head over his shoulder. "Shh¡­ I''m here now. You can rx and leave all the fighting to me. And we''ll soon find Felix too, so don''t ruin these beautiful eyes with tears."


    He pulled her back and wiped away the tears from her face. "Go back inside and prepare to evacuate the castle. It''s too close to the Holy Land and at risk of sudden attacks. Tell your people to join us if they wish to fight against the demon residing in the Holy Land."


    "But where will we go?" She asked. "The poption of Green City is at least half a million."


    Sylvester pointed towards the West. "Sandwall County, I''m establishing a Church-In-Exile there. A n of a thousand Solis believing Dwarves are constructing a walled city for people to reside. As for food and supplies, I have plenty, and more are secured from the West."


    She nodded resolutely. "I''ll follow your ns."


    "Then go. One more thing, leave the doors of your treasury open¡ªI will use space magic to store all of it."


    With that, Isabe rushed into the city. Meanwhile, Sylvester spoke with Miraj on his shoulder. "Chonky, you go first and drop the explosives on the Holy Land. We need to keep them preupied so they don''t send reinforcements too soon. But please, be safe."


    Miraj nodded his head and pecked Sylvester''s cheek affectionately. "You be safe first¡­ You always scare me, Maxy. How can this father have a peaceful mind with such a bad son."


    ''Haha¡­ Ah, I nearly forgot he ''adopted'' me.'' Sylvester nearly burst intoughter.


    "This time, I''ll be safe, don''t worry. Go now, so you cane back sooner."


    Miraj flew up. "Bye-Bye then!"


    Woosh!


    Indeed, the furry boy was utterly fast. He vanished with a blur of white streaking across the sky.


    ¡­


    Miraj understood how important and dangerous his task was. He recalled how the Pope once sensed his presence because of his breath. So he knew venturing into the Holy Land alone carried a risk. But, seeing Sylvester doing so much already, he could never refuse and do any less.


    "I''ll show you, Maxy¡­ Ugh! But why are my wings itchy again?" Miraj muttered to himself as he made his way to the Holy Land.


    He knew the way. Simply follow the Green Road and turn left when the path diverges. He arrived at the crossroads in an hour since the Holy Land was very close. From there, he went north and soared over the entrance of the blessednds.


    The gates were closed and guarded by numerous armored knights. The ce felt much more gloomy now, with very few Clergymen seen walking around on the streets. Heck, even the port looked deserted in the distance, and the Guild Penins, with its big markets, seemed nearly abandoned.


    "Okie¡­ Maxy wanted me to st the weapons manufacturing division, research division, all the ten granaries, and the crystal deposits. Here I go¡­!"


    He dived down; his wings outstretched wide. No one could see him, so he easily ced the crystals in critical locations. One after another, within an hour, he was done, yet a few remained unused.


    "Hmm¡­ Naughty Pope, I should throw these over Pope''s home." He decided, and flew past the Pope''s Pce and randomly dropped the explosives without batting an eye. He refrained fromnding or going near the building, not wanting to cause trouble for Sylvester.


    However, just as he thought of returning home, he saw a distant penins with a giant tree and immediately remembered someone.


    "Wait! Big Ashra lives there!" Miraj remembered the giant Mythril snake. "She must be lonely. Let''s take her to Maxy too."


    And so, he soared like the wind andnded inside the Soul Penins, under the shade of a giant Soul tree. Just a few shouts from him were enough to call the giant snake over.


    Boom!


    With incredible speed, Ashra tore through the tree roots, sted apart small hills, and appeared before Miraj. "Hiss?!"


    "Ashra, can you swim? Bad people live in the Holy Land now. So I''ll take you to Maxy. Wannae?" Miraj asked.


    The giant happy snake bobbed her head. Of course, she was exceedingly bored there and missed Sylvester. It had been so many years already.


    "Then, follow me. Bring Yogi too" Miraj, this time, flew slower, so Ashra could st through the wall of the Soul Penins and enter the water. She also scooped up the unsuspecting Yogi, the bear, and ced him on her back before making her way toward the maind.


    By the time they exited the Holy Land, Miraj flew high in the air again with a big grin. He took out the small red crystal that Sylvester talked about.


    Crack!


    He broke it in his soft paws.


    BOOM!


    And with that, the chaosmenced. Gigantic mushroom clouds engulfed the Holy Land. Buildings blew apart, leaving behind craters, and the scent of scorched grains wafted through the air.


    The fiery red mes reflected in Miraj''s eyes as he watched with delight.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "Meowahahaha! That''s what you get for messing with my son!"


    ¡­


    Back in Green City, Sylvester had no idea about Miraj''s exceptional work, surpassing his expectations.


    After all, his focus was solely on the city. He looked at the two Guardians of Light. As the odds were heavily against them, it wasn''t too hard to capture them, and it wasn''t even a challenge for Soulbreaker. The man brought ckfire to his knees without even touching him.


    "Why have you betrayed the faith?" Sylvester questioned the two Guardians. "Faithwalker, aren''t you the adopted son of the Pope? How can you betray the order he gave his all to strengthen?"


    Puh!


    Faithwalker, draped in his ck robes, spat at Sylvester''s feet. "Don''t you dare utter father''s name! He taught you everything, he stood for you every single time¡­ and you killed him!"


    "..."


    Sylvester almost punched the man for bbering nonsense. "Killed? I don''t possess such abilities, Faithwalker."


    "Then where is he? If not for Niel, the Holy Land would have fallen into chaos after the Pope''s disappearance. And now you return to destroy what remains standing." Faithwalker continued shouting. "Niel was right¡­ You''re doing this to weaken us, aren''t you? You''re one of them¡­"


    Sylvester knelt down. His heart nearly shook. ''Them? Elves? Does Niel know?''


    "Tell me, Faithwalker, can you name all Sanctum Council members? Say it, and I will prove that the true enemy of the faith sits in the Holy Land," Sylvester asked him. "You too, ckfire, say it."


    ckfire was a very old Grand Wizard Sylvester had never met before. He was a man with no arms and instead had strange thick ck tentacles made of dark magical energy, which he used to battle.


    "Pope, Saint Wazir, Saint Seer¡­" Faithwalker started. "Saint Keymaster, Inquisitor High Lord, and Saint Medico."


    "What about Saint Scepter?" Sylvester added.


    "..."


    "What?! H-How¡­ How did I forget his name? Wait, why didn''t he protect father?"


    Sylvester smiled. "Tell me, do you serve Niel knowing he''s evil? Knowing he does not deserve to be the Pope?"


    "What? What are you saying? I only serve the faith, and Niel is stronger than you." Faithwalker confidently defended.


    "Such a pity." Sylvester heaved a sigh and stood up, taking a few steps back from the kneeling Faithwalker. "You don''t even know how to lie. You may have nothing to do with Saint Scepter, but you did serve Niel knowingly. You volunteered toe here to kill my mother¡ªI see all that hatred and jealousy within you. Lord Soulbreaker¡ªKill both of them."


    "What?! No¡­ You''re mistaken. How can you be so sure?!"


    ''Because scents don''t lie. And I had seen your jealousy long before.''


    "If the Pope was here, he''d be very disappointed in you¡ªa talented boy, yet a massive failure, all because of a weak mind," Sylvester muttered. "I have no ce for traitors. I have no time to worry about your backstabbing every second moment¡ªit''s better if you''re dead."


    "I can help fight Beastaria! Don''t kill me!" Faithwalker pleaded. "Or will you let them win¡­ you traitor of blo¡ª"


    ''He knows!'' Sylvester was now certain. ''How?¡­''


    Shhh¡­!


    "NO!"


    Soulbreaker did his magic and began destroying Faithwalker''s soul and body. The man disintegrated with pure agony, fear in his eyes. But the scent of hatred towards Sylvester never vanished until the man himself disappeared.


    ''I can''t afford mercy at this stage.''


    "What about you? Anyst words?" He nced at ckfire. "Why did you follow Niel?"


    ckfire shrugged with his eyes, his wrinkled old face containing a smile. "To me, both you and First Guardian are the Church. I serve the faith, and you both represent it. You''ve caught me, and if you order me to attack the Holy Land, I will. If he orders me to attack you, I will¡ªI''m merely a soldier, Lord Bard, and a good soldier follow orders."


    Sylvester looked down, saddened by another loss. "Then you''re a liability. But I respect your honesty. Aurora, behead him¡ªand give his body the faithful treatment with proper rights on a pyre."


    ckfire nodded, expressing gratitude towards Sylvester. "Thank you, Lord Bard. I was too old for this war to begin with."


    Woosh!


    Thud!


    Swift and clean, the head fell. In an instant, Sylvester weakened the Holy Land by two Grand Wizards. Yet, it felt too effortless for his liking, and he couldn''t help but smell a conspiracy.


    "Lord Bard!" Bishop Lazark abruptly voiced. "All fifty thousand Holy Army soldiers surrendered¡ªthey have been confined in the dungeon for you to judge."


    "Good." Sylvester gazed toward the sky. "We will wait for three hours before marching back towards Sandwall."


    "LORD BARD! LORD BARD!"


    Suddenly, a city soldier came running beneath the castle wall. "Someone''s approaching the city gates! I saw it with my own eyes!"


    "Who?"


    "It''s¡­He''s a giant man!" The soldiers stuttered. "E-Each step he takes ignites mes on the ground. He''s wearing red robes and a sharp-pointed helmet!"


    Sylvester''s eyes widened, and a broad grin appeared on his face. But he wasn''t alone; Aurora was the same.


    "Old man?!"


    ____________________


    [A/N: See Queen Isabe]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 521 520. Road To Revelations

    Sylvester and Aurora rushed to the city''s entrance. The gates had been sted open as the war concluded. Rubbley scattered everywhere, along with the dead bodies of the city soldiers and the Holy Army soldiers.


    The surviving city soldiers stood on the walls. Their bows pointed at the iing giant figure. It was hazy outside due to the smoke billowing from the burning houses in the city, and the giant man''s fiery footsteps made it even harder to see clearly.


    "Lord Inquisitor!" eximed the few injured Holy Army soldiers whoy outside the walls, awaiting healers. They watched with delight.


    Woosh!


    However, the moment the giant man walked past them, the fire oozed out of his footsteps and burned those soldiers to ashes.


    "Even with eyes, you chose ignorance. The moment you raised your des at Lord Bard, you lost all innocence." The heavy rageful voice echoed, slowly killing the remaining Holy Army soldiers.


    Sylvester watched it all with a faint smile. The old man remained the same, upromising towards enemies and strict in his treatment of his own men. In his eyes, all wrongdoers were sinners, and that was why Sylvester liked him; because there were no hidden motives.


    Finally, the man draped in red and pointy helmet stopped before Sylvester, gazing silently, his eyes burning in red just as before.


    "Wee back to the light." Sylvester greeted him.


    "Because of you, Your Holiness, I never lost my way," Lord Inquisitor replied with the same scent of rage in his words but now tinged with an abyssal amount of worship.


    ''Holiness? So he also considers me the Pope.'' Sylvester noticed the wordy.


    Thud!


    The giant man suddenly knelt down, his arms on his chest in salute. "What is your order, Your Holiness? When do you wish to squash the demons in the Holy Land? I shall be your sword and spear, just give me themand."


    Sylvester approached and gently patted Lord Inquisitor''s shoulder. There was no gap in their rank or power anymore. Sylvester was strong enough to battle against Lord Inquisitor and win, and at the same time, he had officially be a Saint and a Cardinal already.


    "The time wille, Lord Inquisitor. But I do not wish to rule over a realm of ashes. Our first priority is to protect the people and enlighten them about my return¡ªwhich side is truly holy, and which side is a demon''s trap. Moreover, I have discovered a great many things on my long journey, and I would like to discuss a few things so we can n a perfect offensive." Sylvester responded, implying that there was a lot more to it than just a battle of faith.


    The Inquisitor High Lord nodded lightly and stood once more. "As you wish, Lord Bard."


    "FATHER!"


    Bam!


    Abruptly, Aurora leaped forward and embraced the Inquisitor High Lord. She wrapped her arms around the big man''s neck and nted kisses on his facete.


    Jaws dropped among the onlookers. A man whose mere presence sent shivers down everyone''s spine was now showered with affection. Kisses, hugs, and joyful cries.


    But, the Inquisitor High Lord was not a heartless man. He didn''t push Aurora away but rather patted her back and head with handsrge enough to crush a human skull. "You did well, Aurora. To stand by the Bard, this is the greatest service to the Lord. I am proud of what you became, child¡­ albeit wild."


    "Hehe¡­" Aurora giggled like a child. "I was worried for you. Where were you? I searched everywhere."


    "I was¡­ waiting for the right time. Lived among the innocent, waiting for the revtion of heathens'' crimes." Lord Inquisitor said and lowered Aurora back to the ground.


    Boom!


    Suddenly, an explosive sound reverberated in the distance, far from the city gates. Arge cloud of smoke loomed, getting bigger with each passing moment.


    The city guards swiftly beat the drums and rang the bells to alert everyone, assuming battle positions. However, none of them could see anything.


    "Another foe?" Lord Inquisitor turned to face the distant disturbance, wielding his weapon of choice, his simple metallic staff. "So many holy men, heathens they have be. But we are ready¡ªlet theme."


    Sylvester smiled and walked past the big man. "No need, Lord Inquisitor. They are friendlies."


    He continued walking a considerable distance away from the city walls to avoid causing harm to the pitiful city.


    "Hisss¡­!"


    Sylvester chuckled. "She sure is excited. Well, it''s been six years."


    "Calm down," Sylvester said, his voice booming even though he didn''t shout. "I''m not going anywhere now."


    "Wraaa!"


    "..."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Sylvester heard another voice. "Yogi as well? Poor bear, he''s too normal to be with these two."


    Finally, Sylvester raised his palm towards the approaching cloud of dust and summoned a powerful gust of wind. It instantly cleared all the dirt, revealing the approaching creatures to everyone. A giant 200-foot-long snake, gleaming with white Mythril scales. Her venom was powerful enough to melt steel and kill a human within a minute.


    However, while others felt terrified, Sylvester saw something different. The majestic creature had a cute smile on her massive face, her eyes were squinted with excitement, and her tail swished in anticipation of reaching him.


    Sylvester used Light Tiles to elevate himself from the ground and reach her head''s height.


    BOOM!


    Finally, they were reunited. Ashra, the giant snake, mmed her big snout on Sylvester''s chest. But he wasn''t pushed back at all and immediately began to pat her as if he was yfully wrestling with her.


    "You''ve grown even bigger, girl. How have you been? Did you miss me?" He asked.


    "Hiss!"


    Chonky descended from the sky and also hugged Sylvester''s head, wrapping his paws around his hair and gazing down into his eyes. "Maxy! She says she missed you lots and lots¡­ And Maxy! I sted the Holy Land¡­ Everything went boom-boom, and big smoke even touched the clouds."


    "Wraaa!"


    Then the big brown bear, Yogi, also appeared, jumping down from Ashra''s head and clinging onto Sylvester''s back, shivering in fright.


    "Yogi says he nearly died." Miraj tranted.


    Sylvesterughed heartily and yed with Ashra until she was calm enough to listen to him. She coiled around him while he asionally lifted her into the air. She hissed cheerfully, which were, in reality, her giggles from all the ticking she received under her chin.


    "Good, now calm down, you three. Ashra, you''lle with us to Sandwall and live with the Dwarves. They will treat you like a goddess because of the Mythril scales you shed. Keep Yogi with you. He''s too weak to fight alongside us. Chonky, you''re responsible for them from now on." Sylvester ordered and led them toward the city.


    "Aye, Ay¡­" Chonky swallowed his words abruptly. "Is that Injector Cry Lord?!"


    "Inquisitor High Lord, Chonky. Yes, it''s him." Sylvester corrected him. "Come, I need you to fill your bank with Gracia''s treasury. Then we leave the city with its people."


    "YES!" Miraj was always happy to fill the Chonky Bank.


    Sylvester then brought them into the city. It took some talking and halo to convince the city folks that Ashra was friendly. But in the end, they saw how she behaved with Sylvester and just epted it as another miracle.


    Sylvester brought Ashra and Lord Inquisitor to the Royal Castle, as there was much to discuss while the people prepared to vacate their homes.


    Upon their return, Sylvester and Inquisitor High Lord went to the highest terrace of the Royal Pce and discussed their next move in peace.


    "Thank you for returning, Lord Inquisitor." Sylvester stood near the edge, gazing at the distant tnds around the city, while the big man stood beside him, doing the same.


    The sky was still sunny, but the air was quite somber. Although they tried their best, numerous lives had been lost in the city, a majority of the casualties being the innocent. Their pyres could be seen near the river from the castle.


    "Lord Bard." Inquisitor High Lord started. His voice was heavy and hoarse, "During myst days in the Holy Land, I heard a few whispers about you and your bloodline. As a man of faith, I know all that happens is God''s design. But, I yearn to know the truth, for what you stand for¡ªhow will you define?"


    Sylvester felt his heart beating fast. He knew there was no danger to him, but he didn''t want to lose the Inquisitor High Lord. The man was too respected, to the point that just having him in his ranks was going to attract a lot of Holy Army men, and the Inquisitors would remain loyal to him till theirst breath.


    "Before I speak, may I know what those words were? Faithwalker said the same thing before he died¡­ I must know who is spreading them to understand who is pulling the strings of the grand scheme." Sylvester asked him as seriously as possible.


    Inquisitor High Lord''s gaze brightened, and his next words followed with some rare doubt in himself. "To the best of my attempts, I cannot recall how I came across these revtions. It''s as if a memory of a dream, a mere sensation."


    Sylvester smiled, exhaling audibly through his nose. "Then I believe I have the answer, Lord Inquisitor. Tell me, can you name all Sanctum Council members?"


    "His Holiness, Seer, Wazir, Medico, I, and Keymaster."


    "You missed one." Sylvester stared at the man''s facete and revealed the tattoo on his wrist. "Saint Scepter¡ªThe Shield of Solis!"


    ____________________


    [A/N: A slightly shorter chapter today as this Gori is celebrating his birthday.]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 522 521. The Most Important Revelation

    Inquisitor High Lord felt speechless, as he should be. Amongst everyone Sylvester has asked that question, they were just another Clergyman or woman. But, in Lord Inquisitor''s case, he was a Sanctum Council member. He sat in the same room as Saint Scepter for decades and even conversed with the man on many asions.


    "Visible and yet hidden from our eyes. Such strange ability, allmon sense it defies. Lord Bard, I remember it vividly now¡ªbefore I left the Holy Land, it was he who spoke to me about your heritage. That half-human and half-elven is your parentage."


    Sylvester understood that much from the reaction, but once again, he found himself at square one. He had no idea how Lord Inquisitor would react to the truth.


    "Yes, that''s right." There was no point in hiding it when Saint Scepter was going around revealing it. "I''ve known since I graduated from the School of Dawn."


    Inquisitor High Lord didn''t move, but the sound of his breath behind the visor grew louder. "It matters not how deep and dark is the abyss. What matters is the answer, do you believe in Solis?"


    "I didn''t as a child," Sylvester replied, speaking honestly. "To have suffered through so much pain and hardships from the day I was born, I refused to believe a God would n such a fate for me. But then, time passed, and the Lord''s n revealed itself to my eyes. We are all born with a destiny, and fulfilling it is not a question of if but when and how.


    "I''ve met Solis and conversed with the supreme. I know where I must go or where to lead this realm¡ªnot just ours but also theirs."


    Inquisitor High Lord followed with more questions. "Why should the realm follow you?"


    Sylvester responded swiftly with his ideas. "Because the Faith of Solis does not discriminate amongst species. A human, elf, dwarf, giant, or even a dragon¡ªas long as they believed in Solis, are wee. Regardless of what flows in my veins, I remain blessed by Solis. And I shall create a world, an ideal world devoid of wars, with abundant peace. Solis shall reign supreme, and the faith will spread not through violence but through gentle deeds.


    "With my rise, a new faith shall be born. Solis shall be the father of all other gods¡ªso if they believe in any, they believe in Solis¡ªAll united under the Faith of Light."


    The sad reality was that converting the entire world to the faith of Solis was impossible. There would always be someone who would take offense or retaliate. The better option was to absorb all religions and make a unified faith, with Solis holding the highest position. Faith of Light bing the nket term for all, it would unite the world; Not today, not tomorrow, nor in ten years¡ªbut someday, without a doubt.


    The gentle breeze caressed them both, drawing their attention back to the vastndscape. They ceased their conversation, yet their hearts were filled with unanswered questions.


    "Max, Lord Inquisitor!" Aurora climbed up to them. "The people are ready to depart."


    Sylvester nodded and approached her. "Then let''s make haste."


    "I will follow you, Young Bard." Inquisitor High Lord dered before he left. "We stand here due to the grand scheme of the Lord. The day I arrived at that small vige to find you. It was my blessing, Solis'' reward¡ªa pathway revealed to me to be explored."


    Sylvester smiled and continued to leave. "May the Holy Light enlighten the realm. May it prosper with us at the helm."


    While Inquisitor High Lord remained on the terrace, Sylvester took Miraj and went to the underground vaults of the castle. Being the second richest kingdom in the East, as Sylvester had expected, there was a lot to be stored.


    Furthermore, since the Gracia Kingdom once used to be an Empire, they still held on to a few precious remnants of ancient times. However, it mattered not to Sylvester; he emptied it all. There were ten vaults in total, each one of the same size, as big as the interior of a modern cargo ship''s hull¡ªmassive was an understatement.


    But Chonky''s banking didn''t end there, as the people of Green City were wealthy too. There weren''t enough carriages in the city to transport all the people, as well as their belongings. So Sylvester offered to carry their belongings for the time being and return them at their destination¡ªthey just had to write their name, address, and identifying mark on their sacks.


    They initially nned for three hours, but it took ten hours before the people were ready to leave. The numbers had also swelled up since people from nearby towns had alsoe to escape, as being in close proximity to the Holy Land was dangerous.


    It was a massive march to the north. The entire Green Road looked packed for miles upon miles. Horses, carts, and people on foot covered every inch. Thankfully, the oldest and the youngest weren''t there, as they had been sent through Snake River using all the resting ships in the city''s port.


    But it was a blessing to have so many powerful wizards follow along. Aurora used her abilities and made the sky rain asionally, as the Season of Solis was currently at its peak, and the heat was enough to cook eggs on t stones.


    Slightly over half a million people¡ªall sang hymns while Sylvester led them all at the forefront. His shining halo remained radiant the entire time, as a guiding light motivating them to stay strong.


    They crossed Duke Grimton''s region, and many people joined from there, including the Duke and his family. Then they crossed Baron Strongarm''snds, and as expected, the Baron also joined the fray, being Sylvester''s loyalist for a long time.


    Slowly, the numbers continued to increase as more nobles came to join. From Dukes to Counts and Barons¡ªCount Raftel and the likes came merrily with open arms,ying themselves at Sylvester''s feet, for the light to lead them had returned.


    They surrendered all their wealth to Sylvester, letting him swallow their treasuries. The only things they left behind were broken bridges and empty towns and viges. Sylvester didn''t go full scorched earth as he was going to rule the region soon, but he did create conditions where Niel would have toe out and battle him openly.


    Woosh!


    On the 7th day of their long march, an event urred that shocked the entire East Sol. In the middle of the day, peculiar gigantic birds appeared flying, and as they passed by, they dropped hundreds and thousands of sheets of paper with artwork and words.


    Some depicted Sylvester with his halo vanquishing a Demon wearing the Pope''s mitre, while others called for the people toe and join the fight against the Demon with the Pope''s mitre. The message was very clear, the man ruling in the Holy Land was a Demon¡ªeven a child could understand from the art.


    "This art is beautiful." Inquisitor High Lordmented, holding the poster in his hand while walking beside Sylvester. "Yet again, you show me another miraculous creation. I do wonder how this came to formation."


    Sylvester chuckled. "It''s a machine I created a long time ago to gather the bards. A contraption capable of producing books by the thousands each day, and it runs on simple fire and water. Lord Inquisitor, over the years, I thought of many revolutionary inventions that could have changed the world¡ªsadly, our society wasn''t ready, as we witness now."


    The Inquisitor High Lord simply marveled at the ideas. "The realm is in safe hands. Blessed days await thesends."


    "And you shall be there to witness it all alongside me," Sylvester assured him. "The sky''s the limit when ites to innovations."


    It took them fifteen days to reach Sandwall County. On almost a daily basis, they witnessed the posters falling from the sky, each time it was something different with a different message. They weren''t always strictly rted to Sylvester, often serving to instill hope in the people for brighter days. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "Who was responsible for creating all those posters?" Sylvester asked upon their return to Sandwall County.


    "It was Bishop Gabriel, Your Holiness," Elyon replied, holding the reins of Sylvester''s horse. "He''s waiting for you inside the newly built fortress¡ªthe Church-In-Exile."


    Indeed, a fortress. Sylvester couldn''t believe his eyes when he arrived at the destination. The Dwarves were miracle workers who knew how to use not only a hammer but also magic. They used Earth-rted runes to raise walls and built an borate city with wide walls andrge shelters formunity housing. Each ce was to hold a thousand people. Men and women were to be separated for safety reasons, with ten male or female guards taking an oath to protect each shelter.


    Managing so many people wasn''t an easy feat, but now that they were there, the dwarves had drawn a n to build a massive city, using the people as cheapbor. By providing them with employment, the n aimed to keep their minds upied and prevent any troublesome ideas from surfacing.


    ''Rebuilding Sandwall?'' Sylvester thought as he looked at the borate diagram of the n. ''I guess this will be where Sandwall House will be reborn in the future.''


    "I''ll fund it. Proceed ordingly. But always keep some Clergymen with you. The new arrivals aren''t used to seeing dwarves." Sylvester ordered Elrog.


    "Understood, Lord Bard."


    With that, Sylvester sat in the spacious room of the fortress. It was built on the site where Sandwall Castle once stood, at the edge of the ridge.


    Inquisitor High Lord sat in the same room, along with Lady Aurora, Soulbreaker, Gabriel, and Lazark. It was time to devise a n.


    "Lord Bard." Gabriel suddenly stood up. "We had no time to say it before, but now that we''re all gathered, I have something to reveal. I came across something strange while reading books in the Holy Land. It felt insignificant earlier, but now that Saint Scepter''s issue hase to light, I have a theory."


    Sylvester gazed intently at his dear friend. "Speak freely, Gab."


    Gabriel picked up a booklet he had brought. "I was interested in the history of the Holy Land and all the past Popes, so I tried to make a list of all of them andpile their journeys. At first, I found the information regarding the Popes with ease, but then I noticed that on a few asions, the names were incorrect."


    "Be precise," Inquisitor High Lord interrupted.


    Gabriel unfolded arge piece of paper and disyed the names. "For example, in one book, I found the 5th Pope''s name written as Pope Pollux ''Genghis'' Rathgon, The Warrior Pope¡ªthe man who spread the faith of Solis across the continent."


    Thud!


    Sylvester abruptly rose to his feet, his brows furrowed. "Continue."


    "Then, there was the case of the 10th Pope, Pope Varus Da Sntia, The Cursed, the one who died after two hundred poison attempts. Strangely, instead of his name as the Pope, I found the name of Saint Scepter of his era, Irwin ''Caesar'' Ozaris. Once again, his name was written strangely.


    "Then there was Pope Atrox, his name written as Pope Atrox ''d'' The Mad. He purged the Church of all infighting and power struggles but made the Church less tolerant, and more militaristic. He brought us the Dark Ages of Demon Burnings."


    Sylvester''s hand, tightly clutching the edge of his table, exerted immense force and crushed the wood into fine dust. Veins popped on his head as he guessed the full names. "Who else?"


    Gabriel saw the seriousness in Sylvester''s reaction and continued. "There are also some great names written strangely. Pope Bryden ''Leonardo'' Octavian Brooks. While in the case of Pope Jarl Desmond, upon whose death the Thousand Year War began, his name was reced with the Saint Scepter of that era.


    "There are many such instances, and almost thirty out of the past seventy-nine Popes had their names tampered with. Each name had something added to it or reced with the strange name of their Saint Scepter¡ªPericles, Ramses, Akbar, Qin, Nero, Henry, Ivan, Timur, Hippocrates, and other such words were added."


    Atst, when Gabriel lowered the sheet of paper and looked around the room, only confused silence lingered in the air. Except for Sylvester, none knew the gravity of those insignificant name additions.


    "What of Pope Axel and the current Saint Scepter?" Sylvester questioned further.


    "They weren''t included in any of the books I was reading at that time," Gabriel said.


    At that, Sylvester exchanged a meaningful nce with Inquisitor High Lord, and both came to the same conclusions.


    "Can I have a moment in silence?" Sylvester asked, his hands clenching the table still. "Leave the paper, Gab."


    None of them said anything, having noticed Sylvester''s expression. It was an order, not a request.


    Thest one to leave was Inquisitor High Lord. Before taking his leave, he spoke, "It appears we have been fooled throughout history. We have been led to this mystery. Who we believed were the Popes were puppets. And those who were true rulers¡ªwere perhaps intruders."


    Sylvester, regrettably, felt even more distressed. He allowed the man to leave and contemted in silence. He took a seat and pressed his fingers against his throbbing temples, sensing the return of a piercing headache.


    ''I''m afraid¡­ they were more than mere intruders.''


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 523 522. New Holy Land

    Sylvester sat there in the room, his face resting on his palm. His eyes remained closed, but his mind raged on with ideas, suspicions, and theories. He detested it because hecked the information toe to any conclusion.


    Considering the fact that the names Gabriel suggested were all either famous monarchs, genocidal rulers, or great thinkers. It terrified him to even imagine who Saint Scepter was. Sylvester asked himself, who was he against? Which mastermind from history was he up to? And the biggest question was, what was all that for? Who was the Saint Scepter serving?


    Sylvester held no delusion that he was the greatest spy and thinker in the world. The Shadow of Masan had already proved it once. He didn''t need to learn the same lesson twice.


    "This would mean Niel has no idea what he''s doing. He may believe he''s in control, but in reality¡ªhe''s a pawn." Sylvester mumbled one thing he was sure of. "This would also mean I need to prepare for battle not with Niel but Saint Scepter¡­ a likely Supreme Wizard."


    He felt his headache intensify but walked out to see the rest. It was important to delegate tasks to each person and prepare for the grand battle. The first goal was to take back the Holy Land, and for that, he had to lure Niel to himself.


    "The more frustrated he bes, the better for me. Perhaps it''s time to introduce a few remarkable inventions from the Great Lord Bard." Sylvester made up his mind.


    He left the room and found everyone waiting outside. He was the key that was holding them all together in the holy war, and he had to act like a leader. In a sense, it was a test for him before he became the Pope.


    "Lord Inquisitor, you''re more respected than any other Clergyman. I need you to use your ways and lure as many Holy Army men to our side as possible. Inform them that the side they serve belongs to the Demons. Lord Dagorith and Lord Soulbreaker, please keep a keen eye on the city. Our poption will likely increase with time, and there could be a few spies." He assigned the tasks. "In the meantime, I''ll speak with King Hignd and the other supporters of our cause¡ªwe shall build a formidable army here to face the Holy Land."


    "When do we attack?" Aurora asked. "We can''t dy too much. If Niel growsfortable, he may be even more dangerous."


    "Our battle is not with Niel but the one pulling his strings. All of you must understand that this isn''t a war of strength anymore. It''s a war of ideologies. We must convince the entire Sol that I am the rightful heir to Pope Axel. At the same time, I wish to find out what happened to him. I refuse to believe he died just like that." Sylvester sternly said, his body oozing with a tense aura.


    The Inquisitor High Lord agreed with him on that matter. "It is indeed hard to believe Pope Axel is gone. In all the years I''ve known him, he''s not a man without a n. At first nce, he may seem kind and simple, but he ascended to the highest throne by battling and rendering his rivals politically crippled. There is a possibility that he may be¡­"


    "Alive?" Sylvester finished. "I would love for that to be the case. But first, let''s fulfill the tasks I have assigned to you."


    "What about Beastaria, Lord Bard?" Soulbreaker questioned. "If this battle were to happen, we might lose a significant portion of Sol''s military. How will we defend against the heathens of the east?"


    Sylvester responded firmly. "I''ll deal with that¡ªa new peace treaty shall be signed. I will say it once, and for the final time, do not worry about Beastaria for the time being. They are secondary enemies because they are worn out after the war between elves and dragons, and then our campaign into theirnds."


    "Understood," Soulbreaker replied and departed to carry out his assigned duty.


    Sylvester, with Aurora, made their way to the dwarves. There were many things that needed to be built, ranging from weapons to propaganda machinery. Furthermore, it wasn''t easy to find trustworthy people who''d do the work of manning the printing presses.


    He entered the enclosure that the dwarves had built for themselves. It seemed they preferred building beneath the surface rather than above, so most of their buildings were tiny, while the underground area was akin to a vastbyrinth.


    "Elrog, I need to have a word with you." He beckoned the current head dwarf to the private room to discuss a few of his ns. "I have an idea to increase your productivity. What if you could automate the hammering process? Perhaps, you will be able to automate many other tasks, such as polishing."


    "How, Lord Bard?" Elrog inquired.


    "What I am suggesting to you is called a steam turbine and steam engine."


    "Turbine? Engine?" Elrog repeated the new words. "What are they, Lord Bard?"


    Sylvester took out the diagrams that Jinn from Masan had made. He would have preferred it if the man hade along, but since he wanted to spend some time in Masan and observe a month of mourning for his family, Sylvester let him be.


    "It''s a machine that''s powered by steam and magic crystals. Using the pressure of the steam, we can set a turbine in motion¡ªa circr winged instrument that turns on its axis. The axis, in turn, drives gears, and if you connect the gears with a circr belt, you can create a mechanism to automatically lift a hammer high and let it fall with great force. With a controlled mechanism, you can even control the speed. Look at this diagram and try to imagine it. If you have any questions, feel free to ask."


    Sylvester could have also provided the dwarves withplete theoretical knowledge with forms and proof of theorems. Sadly, to understand something like that, one needed pre-existing knowledge ranging from elementary to advanced levels.


    Elrog examined all the diagrams silently, stroking his ample white beard asionally. "I can see how the steam will turn the things and raise the hammer or help in polishing. We can certainly use this in many ways."


    Sylvester then presented another sheet with a diagram of his own creation. "At the same time, I want you to prioritize the creation of these weapons. They''re long-range cannons and mortars. They use a chemical concoction for propulsion and shall carry exploding crystals to our enemies many kilometers away."


    Elrog assessed the diagrams in depth. "What is this strange wheeled tform? You wish to carry them around?"


    "Yes, they will be field artillery. Since each cannon will be eight meters in length and have considerable weight, they must be easily movable, using horses to pull them around. At the same time, the tforms will be made in a way that allows the user to turn the cannon on its axis, and at the same time, the tform will be able to turn into support legs when the cannon is in use." Sylvester briefed the elder dwarf in detail.


    He could have easily made guns or such contraptions, but knowing most knights and wizards had armor and protections to stop such projectiles, it was a waste of time. But when it came to explosives, it was a different story.


    With the help of cannons, even newly recruited soldiers from the masses would be able to operate the machines; while the fully trained army engaged in mainbat.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "Lord Bard, we can make these. It''s quite simple. Once we assess theunching force of the projectile, we can calcte the necessary thickness of the materials. You''ll have the first test cannon ready in three days." Elrog confidently said. "But first, I wish to try this steam turbine. If it works, perhaps we can even use our inexperienced members."


    ''Of course, industrialization is all about maximizing productivity.'' Sylvester was satisfied with the thought process.


    "I have countless more ideas, but they can wait until the darkness looming over our heads disappears. I''ll await your call when the cannon is made." Sylvester got up to leave. "And I must thank you for the new armor. Without a doubt, it was truly brilliant."


    Elrog''s wide grin showcased his toothy smile. "I''m honored."


    "The faith will not forget your contribution." Sylvester left, not in the mood to talk about trivial matters. The weight of the revtions and the mystery that clouded his ability to make long-term ns burdened his heart with unease.


    After meeting with the dwarves, Sylvester went to find Gabriel in his work tent, where he managed the priests and devised propaganda posters.


    "Lord Bard!" All the staff members stood up at his arrival.


    "No need, carry on with your work. Gabriel,e with me." Sylvester dragged his friend away from prying ears to speak privately.


    "What happened? Did you find anything about the strange names?" Gabriel asked hastily.


    At best, Sylvester could only shake his head. The matter of his reincarnation was something he wasn''tfortable sharing with anyone. "I''m afraid not. However, the battle must continue. I need you to intensify the propaganda. Instead of once every two days, start sending flyers every single day.


    "Not just propaganda, make posters revealing thetest happenings, painting the Niel administration in a negative light. Such as their attack on Green City and how they murdered so many innocents. Use artwork that evokes tears, draw dead bodies of children being devoured by a Demon with mitre, start taking names directly now¡ªruin Niel''s name before he does something." Sylvester issued a stern order.


    Sylvester, drawing from the experiences of his past life, clearly understood how important propaganda was in shaping public sentiment. It was necessary to foster an environment where mass casualties in war from their own side were epted while nurturing hatred towards the opposing side.


    "Create a new underground department to run as many printing presses as needed. Put people in limited termed Blood Contracts for secrecy. I''ll also instruct our allies to start gathering their armies here." Sylvester added.


    Gabriel silently listened to everything, making mental notes. There were no more jokes exchanged amongst them like before. He couldn''t help but feel that growing up wasn''t all that fun as he had thought.


    "I''ll do it, Lord Bard."


    Bam!


    All of a sudden, Sylvester smacked the back of Gabriel''s head. "Max or Sylvester..."


    "..."


    ''Ugh¡­ I was too quick to judge.'' Gabriel smiled widely, relishing the lightheartedness.


    "Got it, Max."


    Following that, the two walked between the newly built crude form of the city, to assess the distribution of work and safety. From the fortress toward the gate near the boundary wall with a ditch outside, they inspected everything.


    "What''s thatmotion?" Gabriel muttered, noticing a big crowd gathered near the entry gate of the New Holy Land. "Let''s check."


    Sylvester quickly sang a hymn under his breath to make a halo. That sessfully parted the crowd, allowing them to pass through.


    "Halt! Identify yourself!"


    Sylvester heard the guards who were pointing their spears at the tall, dark-robed man. But the peculiar pointy metal helmet on his head, a facete with eye sockets constantly bleeding, and the thorny sword, revealed the man''s identity to Sylvester.


    "Stop!" Sylvester rushed forward and gently pushed the spears away. "Stand back! That''s the Second Guardian of Light¡ªLord Bloodrain!"


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 524 523. A Reminder From Shadows

    Sir Dolorem had informed Sylvester that Bloodrain was not in Niel''s camp. However, Sylvester faced another significant problem. He had no idea where Bloodrain even stood. The man had been missing from the Holy Land for as long as he could remember, and even Sir Dolorem hadn''t seen him in the past few years.


    But Sylvester had seen the same worship in Bloodrain as Lord Inquisitor, so he weed the man within the walls of the New Holy Land. In the worst-case scenario, he''d have to kill him, that''s all. Even against Blood Magic, Sylvester was confident he could kill him, as his maism and metal maniption were far superior.


    "Return to your posts!" Sylvester ordered the soldiers and greeted Bloodrain. "May the Holy Light enlighten us!"


    Bloodrain lowered his head lightly. "May we be enlightened, Lord Bard. I have returned upon learning the fate of the Holy Land."


    Sylvester knew Bloodrain was a man of fewer words, just like Inquisitor High Lord. Most of the things he said were left open to interpretation and guessing. Like in the current case, where the man just assumed that Sylvester would know everything.


    "For the same reason, Inquisitor High Lord returned to the light, Lord Bloodrain. Pleasee with me to the fortress. Much has happened that you should learn about." Sylvester led him through the wide streets to the fortress at the edge. It was tall and still under construction, to ensure a sense of grandeur befitting the title of Holy Land.


    "Bloodrain." Inquisitor High Lord stood at the entrance of the fortress.


    "Lord Inquisitor," Bloodrain replied, acknowledging each other''s presence without any unneeded words.


    Sylvester proceeded inside and returned to therge office reserved for him. This time, however, Sylvester only allowed the Guardians of Light to speak with him, as they now represented the highest ranks of the faith. Soon, Aurora and Soulbreaker also joined them.


    "Where were you all these years, Lord Bloodrain?" Sylvester respectfully asked. "Sir Dolorem tried to contact you to protect the Holy Land from Niel."


    Bloodrain apologized with a short nod. "I was carrying out Pope Atrox''smand, Lord Bard. I am grateful to you for defeating the Mountain Barbarians. It remained my greatest failure¡ªbut after you conquered them, I was ordered to investigate the Chief of Anti-Light and deal with him if possible."


    Sylvester''s interest was thoroughly piqued. "I''ve encountered him before, and he gave me one year to seize control of the Holy Land and be the Pope. Otherwise, he would raze it to the ground."


    "He is capable of that," Bloodrain replied. "Over the past several years, I have searched for information regarding his origin and the scope of his might. Indeed, he has infiltrated all walks of life, including the previous Sanctum Council¡ªSaint Seer was a spy for both sides, who somehow hid under our noses for so long."


    Crack!


    The floor underneath Lord Inquisitor''s feet cracked, yet he remained silent. Only the mes in his visor-d eyes burned even fiercer.


    Sylvester wasn''t even surprised about it anymore. He had long realized that the Anti-Light Chief had someone in the Sanctum Council. How else would he know it was the Sanctum Council that ced the Shadow Knight behind him?


    "What else did you find? Is he stronger than the Holy Land?" Sylvester inquired. "How much damage can he do to us?"


    "Enough to eradicate the faith," Bloodrain answered. "Lord Bard, he does not have to win, as that is not his intention. He has no demands. His only desire is the annihtion of the faith."


    Sylvester sighed but didn''t let the word get to him. "We have five months remaining. If we win and take back the Holy Land, the threat of Anti-Light will be postponed."


    "But it will linger forever," Bloodrain interjected. "Lord Bard, give me permission to continue my investigation. I''m close to discovering his roots and what caused him to hate the faith this deeply. If we can answer his dissatisfaction, perhaps we can end this unneeded fraction."


    ''Even if he remains here, it won''t help me much. At least not until the beginning of the battle. Moreover, it''s better to de-escte tensions with Anti-Light to ensure a smooth and prosperous future after my ascension.'' Sylvester made up his mind.


    "You can continue, but let me memorize your Srium Signature first so that, if needed, I can speak with you through my mental abilities," Sylvester suggested, withholding his knowledge of Elder Magic for now.


    Following that, Sylvester held Bloodrain''s hand, allowing his Srium to enter the body and sense the signature. He also briefed him about Saint Scepter and the strange names from the books. Once done, the man wasted no time and left searching for the Anti-Light Chief.


    But Sylvester smelled something strange on Bloodrain. While the man always carried the scent of sorrow, there was now a hint of regret.


    ''How much can I trust these scents anymore?'' He wondered silently and watched Bloodrain leave.


    Then finally, Sylvester rose from his chair and picked up his spear resting beside him. "Lord Inquisitor, Aurora, you''ll be the rulers in my absence. There''s an abundance of food and gold in the treasury under the fortress. Ashra is there as the guardian of the gold."


    "Where are you going?" Aurora also stood up.


    Sylvester looked toward an open window facing the south. "Riveria is the only Kingdom that can revolt against us, and they possess four Grand Wizards. The Hignd Kingdom alone can''t deal with them, so it is time for a change in leadership."


    "You can''t go alone!" Aurora eximed, her voice filled with worry, just as the scents. "We can''t lose you again."


    "I was weak before, yet brought down Masan and its twenty-five Grand Wizards," Sylvester responded. A tinge of sadness emanated from him as the loss of so many experts was disheartening. "Moreover, I prepared for Riveria''s mutiny a long time ago with Kaecilius'' help. The traps have been set. I''m merely going to bring the Grand Wizards to our side."


    "But¡­"


    "If I go alone, it will be easier for me to remain in disguise," Sylvester assured her. "Don''t worry. I will be back in a week. Just hold down the fort for me, please."


    "Understood, Lord Bard." The Inquisitor High Lord responded.


    Aurora looked at her adoptive father in defeat and eventually agreed. "Fine¡­ just be safe and inform us about anything new."


    "See you in a week." Sylvester confidently said and left. It may seem preposterous to think he was iming he''d bring down a Kingdom within a week. But then, considering who he was, a week seemed too long. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    ¡­


    There was no need for horses or carriages. Sylvester was going to walk in the sky to reach Riveria and use Miraj to fly asionally. He wasted no time and left immediately from the rooftop of the fortress. Aurora helped him greatly by bringing in a brief storm and clouds to conceal his departure.


    "Maxy, I brought treats. Want some?" Miraj asked while chewing some strange candy and perched on Sylvester''s shoulder, enjoying the breeze hitting his fluffy face.


    "No." Sylvester was focused on running as fast as possible.


    "Hehe¡­" Miraj giggled. "They''re honey-vored¡­"


    Sylvester abruptly stopped. "Where are they?"


    Miraj giggled and reached for the small, leather pouch on his back. He kept it in his belly most of the time, but while traveling in situations where no one could see him, he kept it out for easy ess to treats.


    "Here." Miraj gave him long, sugarcoated, hard candies with honey filled in the middle. It was simply exquisite.


    Sylvester took a bite with delight. "Who gave them to you?"


    "Awrawra did. She started praying to the guardian angel who protects Maxy, so I took the offerings she had ced." Miraj exined as if it was just another day in his mundane life.


    Sylvester was speechless because it seemed like d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Miraj and Sir Dolorem''s interactions had started like that too. "Of course, who, if not a fellow honey addict, would have such candy."


    They resumed their journey. It was the ease of traveling by running in the air, unhindered by the twists and turns of roads. They just watched the ever-changingndscape beneath them and made a straight line toward Fort Sunflower, where Kaecilius resided.


    "So much has changed," Sylvester muttered. "It seems King Hignd spread my agricultural ideas. Sunflower fields are reduced by half, making way for food crops."


    Slowly, he began to descend toward Fort Sunflower after crossing the Snake River. The sky was clear and sunny that day, with the summer heat particrly intense. Not many people were out working in that condition, granting them a clear passage.


    "We meet again."


    "..."


    Woosh!


    Sylvester abruptly stopped and turned to look behind himself. The moment his gaze fell on the figure, he felt the air grow chillingly cold.


    It was the same old ck robes, hazy, vague figure, and long white slits for eyes. If he wasn''t strong now, he''d have panicked just at the mere sight of the being.


    "Shadow Knight," Sylvester responded, though he didn''t raise his spear at him. "What mystery do you bring me now? I no longer fear you. Fight, if that is what you want."


    It was perhaps the first time someone had challenged the Shadow Knight to a battle.


    Yet the haunting creature remained motionless, its shadowy robes fluttering in the wind. "Where you stand now, I am not your match, Bard of Solis."


    ''I can hear him clearly now, weird. Are his abilities ineffective on me now?''


    "Then to what do I owe this pleasure of meeting you? What is your agenda? What is it that you seek?" Sylvester inquired seriously.


    The Shadow Knight immediately answered. "You have already won, Sylvester Maximilian, Niel is not capable of standing before you. You will be victorious in your campaign, albeit with a few casualties, but that will not be the final victory of the sun! For the real battle is yet to begin."


    ''Kimino has already foretold my victory.'' Sylvester remembered. He was only trying to minimize the casualties at the current stage.


    "Saint Scepter? I know."


    The Shadow Knight shook his head and began to retreat, still facing Sylvester. "It goes beyond your limitations of understanding. You must let your mind continue expanding."


    The fluttering ck robes gradually faded into the distance. "I came to remind you, Bard of Solis¡ªWhat you see is true, and what you do not see is also true. To learn the reality, heaven, and hell, you must walk through. Seek the tree bluer than the sea¡ªthe crescent is the key, and find out why this world came to be like this¡ªWho made it into this¡­ abyss."


    Shh¡­!


    With a gust of wind, the dark creature vanished as abruptly as it appeared.


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 525 524. The Imposter

    Sylvester stood in his ce in the sky and watched the Shadow Knight vanish from the spot. He wondered what the crescent key he was talking about was. And a tree bluer than the sea; he couldn''t remember any species of a tree that was as such.


    "Was he talking about the Moon Lake in Beastaria? It is in the shape of a crescent. But it''s surrounded by Deca Imperia City, a blue tree would have been too famous if that was the case." Sylvester wondered, talking to himself.


    "Maxy, people are looking!" Miraj interjected.


    That brought Sylvester''s focus back to the task at hand, and he began his descent to Fort Sunflower. He aimed tond on the terrace of the fort itself and reach Kaecilius directly. Having been in the building before, he knew about the various pathways.


    Thud!


    He didn''t hide his presence, but there were no guards on the main terrace, as ess was fully restricted. Only a few vigers outside the fortress city had caught a glimpse of him, while those inside remained unaware.


    "Chonky, I might try to give Kaecilius some more weapons, so be ready," Sylvester instructed his partner in crime, forcefully opening the gates leading downstairs.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us!" Sylvester greeted a guard passing by.


    "Ah, may the¡­ WAIT! Who are you?" The guard realized Sylvester hade from upstairs, and his armor was something he had never seen before, nor had he ever seen the man before.


    Sylvester smiled and created a halo behind his head. "Must I say my name for you to recognize me, my brother in faith? I came here in the name of the Lord to meet your Viscount."


    The guard''s jaw dropped, and he stumbled backward but managed to keep his footing. "Y-You¡­ You''re the¡­ IMPOSTER!"


    "..."


    Sylvester''s face fell. "My head is shining with a halo. How does that make me an imposter?"


    "You imposter! Do you think you can fool us?! We have Lord Bard living on ournds for days! Lay down your weapon!" The guardmanded, brandishing his spear toward Sylvester''s head.


    ''What? Someone''s going around pretending to be me?'' Sylvester rubbed his smooth chin in amusement.


    "What does he look like, this true Lord Bard?" Sylvester asked the man.


    The guard scoffed, "You can never match his majesty! Tall and mighty, his short golden beard and hair¡ªhis beautiful shining trident and that mesmerizing halo!"


    ''Beard? Is this a personal attack?'' Sylvester clenched his fist, cursing his elven lineage for theck of facial hair.


    "Bring me to your Viscount to seek justice. I am the real Sylvester Maximilian, the Bard of the Lord. If that man says he is me, then he must prove it with his knowledge. He should know all the hymns I have ever sung, shouldn''t he?" Sylvester argued and grabbed the guard by the back of his armor and lifted him effortlessly before walking toward the Viscount''s court.


    "L-Let me go¡­ You will regret this! Lord Bard will be here today! He will burn you to ashes!"


    "We''ll see whose fire will burn whom," Sylvester remarked and finally arrived at the main floor of the castle and made his way toward the grand hall.


    Although Sylvester was annoyed, Miraj sure was having the time of his life, bursting intoughter or attempting to suppress his giggles.


    Bam!


    Sylvester kicked the door of the court open, ignoring the guards, and walked in. "I heard the real Lord Bard will be arriving here today!"


    The Viscount''s courtcked the grandeur of a royal court, yet it still exudes opulence. The hall was made of white marble, high ceilings, and intricate engravings adorning the walls, and the golden silky curtains rather than green ones marked the color of the Viscount''s allegiance¡ªthe faith.


    There were a few dozen men and women present, and they looked toward Sylvester once he burst in and threw aside the guard he held. Some frowned, while others observed with interest, but Kaecilius sitting on the Lord''s seat at the end of the hall, appeared more than delighted.


    "Your Holiness!" Kaecilius eximed, jumping off his seat. "You''re back!"


    Kaeculius looked almost the same as before and perhaps in an even better shape. Being a lord, he was able to focus on his well-being, giving his body the proper nutrients to grow in strength as well as his rank. His ck hair was now longer, and the stubble beard was now full and covered his face. The sad look with the scars was gone, reced with a cheerful and hopeful demeanor.


    "You''re doing well, Kaecilius," Sylvester eximed, allowing the man to approach and receive a bear hug.


    "Everything is because of you, Your Holiness. Even after your departure, you provided us with the instructions to thrive and prepare for this moment. Sir Dolorem briefed me on the details when I hosted him and Mother Xavia a few days ago." Kaecilius said, beaming with pride for standing by Sylvester so faithfully.


    "How is your family?" Sylvester asked.


    "Perfectly healthy, Your Holiness. My daughter has grown well and is currently preparing to seed me. Meanwhile, my wife and I were blessed with twin sons¡ªby the grace of Solis." Kaecilius revealed with excitement.


    Who would have thought a former ve turned noble would go so far? And now, the time hade to go beyond any ve in history had gone¡ªit was time to be a King.


    "The time hase, Kaecilius. Riveria has decided to stand with the demons of the Holy Lan¡ª"


    BAM!


    The doors of the hall swung open once again, and the herald announced aloud. "Hear, hear! Sylvester Maximilian, Bard of the Lord, the Son of Solis, has arrived!"


    The herald began to sweat immediately and looked at Sylvester helplessly, as if saying he was just doing his job. ''Please forgive me.''


    Thud!


    "Ho ho hooo¡­!"


    Amusedly, Sylvester observed as a new figure entered the hall. But almost instantly, he felt his jaw falling to the floor and his eyes popping out. Meanwhile, perched on his shoulder, Miraj mewed inughter, not caring if anyone would hear anymore¡ªfor the scene was just too damn funny.


    "Y-You''re Lord Bard?" Kaecilius fumed and roaringly questioned, pointing his finger at the new man. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "Ha, indeed I am, Viscount of Fort Sunflower. Ie to shower thesends with my warm light, blessed by the very essence of Solis¡ªWith me. The sunflowers shall bloom again and thrive, as do the people. But the ritual won''t be easy¡ªhardships of body, mind, and wealth you shall face." Said ''the bard'' with a big smile on his giant chubby face and a goatee beard.


    "Mewahahaha¡­!" Miraj boomed withughter.


    Kaecilius looked around. "Where is this cat crying from? Soldiers, find it! And you, heretic!"


    "Me?!" The ''bard'' turned angry and pointed his trident at Kaecilius. "You dare call the Son of Solis a heretic! Now watch my zing halo! In my wrath, your entire Viscounty I shall swallow!"


    "That''s not even a trident! You''re using lit candles as des. And why are you half naked?! Nobody wishes to see your bloated swine-like body!" Kaecilius shouted back. "Soldiers! Throw this heathen into the dungeon!"


    Sylvester amusedly watched the spectacle unfold. ''What in God''s name is this? How did people even fall for him? He looks nothing like me.''


    Indeed, the so-called ''true'' Bard was a seven-foot-tall man with fatness that would put elephants to shame. To pour salt on the wound, the man wore strange clothes, keeping most of the body above his belly naked, which meant his fat breast-like chest was exposed, along with his hairy torso. Furthermore, the halo behind the man''s head was clearly artificial, made from a few light crystals.


    [A/N: See the fake Sylvester here.]


    Sylvester walked closer toward the man. "Hmm¡­ What''s your real name?"


    "I am Sylvester Maximilian, son of the holiest Mother Xavi¡ª"


    BOOM!


    Sylvester abruptly vanished from his ce and appeared right next to the man. With a powerful blow, his fist connected with the fake Bard''s plump face, shattering his nosepletely, causing it to copse, crushed into small pieces.


    "I was in the mood for joking until you took my mother''s name." Sylvester softly spoke, but the seriousness in his words was terrifying. "Now, I won''t ask again¡ªwho are you? And where did you get the contraption to make the halo?"


    "I¡­I can''t breathe!" The fake Bard cried, his nose destroyed.


    Sylvester raised his hand and snapped his finger. Out of nowhere, a dozen meter-long swords made of solidified light appeared in the air, all aimed at the fake Bard''s head.


    "If you don''t speak, you shall lose far more than your nose. Who sent you? How many more of you are there?" Sylvester interrogated him. His questions made everyone else realize there was more to it than just a simple scam.


    The fake Bard looked at Sylvester''s face. He noticed the golden hair and the golden eyes. That was enough to tell him who he was against. The height matched, the aura matched, and the might also matched¡ªit was the real deal.


    "I¡­I was given money and the halo ring!" The man cried. "I-I am just a poor man¡­ Richie is my name¡­ the Cardinal Suprima of River City recruited one hundred of us to travel and ruin your name. We''re paid monthly¡­ one gold a month! I only did it to feed my family¡­ please forgive me¡­"


    Sylvester shook his head with a sigh. "Feeding your family? Looking at your size, it seems far from the truth."


    "It''s just my Ma¡­" the man replied. "She lives in River City''s slums."


    Sylvester knelt down and ced his palm on Richie''s face, healing him only until he was able to breathe, but the nose remained broken. "So they''ve begun to spread their propaganda to defame my name this way? Exploiting the desperate¡­"


    "I''ll send a garrison of soldiers to hunt these imposters down." Kaecilius quickly proposed. "The poor are the first to fall to these imposters. We know where to find them."


    Sylvester shook his head and walked up to Kaecilius, cing his hand on the man''s shoulder. "No need¡­ Prepare your entire army. The time hase for you to take the throne that was promised to you."


    "But¡­ Rivieria still has four Grand Wizards. We have none," Kaecilius said in a worried tone. "I will not question yourmand to battle, Your Holiness. But I fear the fate of these people if I were to fail. Will they be forced into very again?"


    "A mere four or five Grand Wizards are no challenge to me now, Kaecilius," Sylvester revealed, his grip on Kaecilius'' shoulder firm. "Moreover, not all of Rivieria''s Grand Wizards are from the Rivieria family. Some of them serve the Kingdom solely for a life of luxury¡ªwe only need to make them realize their misunderstandings."


    Sylvester then looked around at the entire court. All the men and women standing there were ves at one point. It filled his heart with great satisfaction to see his actions had brought such a profound change to so many lives.


    ?Once we win, there shall be a new holy sunrise.


    Everyone shall be equal in all rights, in faith''s eyes.


    We shall be reborn, respecting the fallen''s bravery.


    No more shall exist the unholy sin of very.?


    Sylvester''s halo radiated a brilliant glow within the court, and the warmth touched the hearts of many. Who, if not the former ves, would understand the meaning behind his words?


    "Amen!"


    "Amen!"


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us!"


    "Long live His Holiness!"


    Atst, Sylvester raised his hand to cheer them on.


    "Tomorrow! Riveria falls!"


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 526 525. Changing Demographics

    The entire reason behind Viscount Kaecilius'' existence was to oppose Riveria when the time was right. Being the leader of the first ve rebellion, his name was popr amongst the masses throughout the Kingdom.


    All Sylvester had to do was spread the word before his armies started marching. The serfs would, on their own,e out and shower the procession of the army with flowers. With the previous rebellion, the ves were made serfs. Now it was time for total freedom. Years had already passed, and the blunt effects of suddenly freeing all the serfs were going to be manageable.


    So the Viscount''s three-thousand-strong army prepared to march out of the city and make way to River City. Of course, they were against the odds, as Riveria had hundreds of thousands in its official army. However, Kaecilius had what King Conrad did not¡ªfriends in high ces.


    Sylvester was not the only oneing to take part in the battle. King Hignd also approached the Fort Sunflower with an army of a hundred thousand and two hundred thousand soldiers more on the way. Mobilizing such arge army on the go was no easy task. Only the Holy Land could do that since even the reserves kept themselves ready in battle armor each day.


    "I knew you couldn''t be defeated so easily." King Hignd arrived inside the fort and rushed to squeeze Sylvester in a bear hug. "I knew you''d be back!"


    Sylvester wondered why everyone kept saying that. He had shown no proof of his survival over the years, yet they waited.


    "Thank you for your faith in me, Your Majesty. And thank you foring all the way here. Once Riveria falls, we''ll be free to go after the Holy Land and conquer it once and for all¡ªeven they can''t withstand the entire forces of East Sol." Sylvester briefed the mighty King in his equally mighty armor.


    King Hignd nodded, his face beaming with smiles. "Indeed, and once you take the throne, we shall have thesting peace and prosperity that we all long for. The entire Sol shall be united as one¡ªI cannot wait."


    Sylvester wasn''t that idealistic, though. He understood that anything could happen over time. So he steered the conversation away. "How are Her Majesty and the Prince?"


    "She''s as amazing as ever. I was quite devastated after hearing the word of your demise, but she became my pir of strength. As for Rex, he''s growing strong and clever and speaks like a singing bard. You shoulde and visit my castle soon, Mother Xavia is there too." King Atrox said, luring Sylvester to visit his home. "Thankfully, Trinity will finally have someone close to talk to."


    ''If I could, I''d have gone straight to meet her, buddy.'' Sylvester sighed and prepared his mind for the task at hand.


    "I will when the time is right. First, let''s n for the battle ahead. Your Majesty, and Lord Kaecilius, you two should march your armies toward River City while raising my g along with the Holy Land''s g. I shall go first and enter River City to speak with the Grand Wizards there.


    "Understand that my purpose is not to destroy River City nor to cripple the manpower. Our actions should be quick and swift, allowing us to ce Kaecilius as the new King without any major setbacks. If there are any rebelling lords anddies, we can deal with themter." Sylvester briefed them.


    "Can you take on four Grand Wizards together?" King Hignd asked with worry.


    "Two¡­ I''ll kill two Grand Wizards who are connected to the Riveria bloodline and then recruit the remaining two. Conrad, his brother, their wives, and the two Grand Wizards¡ªthey shall all die today." Sylvester said.


    To some, it may seem excessive to kill the entire bloodline, but as a spy, Sylvester couldn''t bring himself to leave such a risk behind to fester and one day return to cause trouble. The best way to resolve the conflict was to ensure that no Riveria remained.


    "We will follow you." Kaecilius saluted with his arms crossed over his chest. "I will go and prepare the soldiers to march."


    "I shall do the same." King Hignd added, and walked closer to pat Sylvester''s shoulder. "I also have something to show you¡­ something that will shock your eyes. Come with me."


    Intrigued, Sylvester followed him. They walked all the way out of the fortress to where the Hignd Kingdom''s army was resting in their makeshift camps for the time being.


    King Hignd walked between the tents and brought Sylvester to a central area with more space. And there, the King greeted twomanders. "These are two of fivemanders in my army¡ªtheir names are Hambi Boz and Pe Boz. They are brothers and¡­"


    Sylvester was indeed in shock. "They''re¡­ Gori Beastkins!"


    "They are." King Hignd proudly nodded. "You may not know this, but almost all of the Beastkins of Beastaria have epted the faith of Solis, from the small tribes of gentle Cow and Bull Beastkins to the ferocious warriors of Lion Beastkins. They have started to arrive at our shores and spread around, joining monasteries or beginning a new life.


    "I, Queen Isabe of Gracia, and Lord Einarr of ckhart Kingdom, jointly passed newws that ept the Beastkins who believe in the faith. Granting them the same protection and rights under thew as any other being. There were initially some cases of violence and riots, but with the help of Bards around Sol, we were able to spread the sermon of love and kindness that you imparted to them years ago."


    Sylvester was taken aback. His only reason for recruiting the Bards was to spread propaganda, and he never thought something so nice woulde out of it in the future without even trying.


    "This does make me feel excited," Sylvester muttered. "Are they strong?"


    "Of course, they are some of the best warriors we''ve got. Rose in the ranks quickly, true men of God¡ªthey visit the monastery weekly and cook food for the needy there." King Hignd spoke highly of them. "After seeing so many Beastkins, I''vee to realize it''s just our appearances that make us different. The rest is the same¡­ we all experience the same emotions."


    ''And that''s the right mindset,'' Sylvester thought and looked around. He noticed a few more Beastkins roaming around.


    "I see some of your men don''t have heavy armor, just like Kaecilius'' soldiers. Bring me to an open area, Your Majesty. I''ll provide it." Sylvester offered.


    Even Sylvester had no idea how much material he had gathered over the years. He had participated in so many wars, bothrge and small-scale conflicts, that the armors he had gathered were beyond count. The same was the case with weapons, crystals, and gold¡ªhe was wealthier than many Kingdomsbined.


    So, King Hignd heeded the advice and brought Sylvester to a guarded armory area. It was arge tent surrounded by wooden walls.


    The two men walked in, and Sylvester raised his palm toward the open area. Miraj silently came over and sat down on his hand, opening his mighty jaw.


    Woosh!


    nk!


    The sound of metallic armor and weapons mming onto each other echoed greatly. A small hill of war supplies quickly formed before them, and continued to increase in numbers. From chest tes to boots and shoulder armor, there was something for everyone.


    "Use them as needed, Your Majesty. Let Kaecilius have a look too." Sylvester was now ready to head out again.


    King Hignd was taken aback for a moment. He had seen Sylvester do various things, but the space magic was too otherworldly because it broke the fundamentalws of reality. Where was all the material stored? How does one even think of essing that ce? It all felt iprehensible.


    "You''re as talented as ever." The King muttered. "Good luck."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "I will head out now, Your Majesty." Sylvester prepared. "I''ll see you at River City. Do noty siege to the city. Just surround its exits and guard them. King Conrad will surrender to Kaecilius himself¡ªMay the Holy Light enlighten us."


    "May we be enlightened."


    Sylvester walked out of the fortress city casually, and once he was in a secluded area, he took to the sky again and began his fast strides toward River City. It wasn''t too far, sitting just across the Snake River.


    Since the River Castle was also by the flowing water, Sylvester found no difficulties in entering through whatever safety measures were ced there. No matter what, no Kingdom could be more fortified than the old Masan, and Sylvester had never been stuck there.


    The castle, filled with greenery, small ponds, andkes, was a beautiful sight to behold, just as great as thest time he was there to make Conrad the new King.


    Sylvester kept himself hidden and first tried to find the two non-blood-rted Grand Wizards in service to Riveria. The two men were called Karlson Markson and Timothy Lorenzo. Both were at least level five Grand Wizards.


    ''Hmm¡­ From the intelligence, they were said to bezy, spending most of their time in leisurely activities and eating.'' Sylvester mumbled while looking around the vast castle, even sending Miraj to look around.


    ''Conrad is in court, that''s clear from the movements.'' Sylvester used his Elder Magic to sense the Srium through the walls and check people''s presence.


    "Maxy! They''re on the terrace!" Miraj suddenly returned, flying with excitement. "They''re watching the bigdy dance while eating andughing."


    Sylvester wasted no time and headed to the terrace of the castle. It was a giant garden with trees, smallkes, and ponds all around. There were also a few small pavilions to enjoy the smooth breeze during the day.


    Bam!


    Ting!


    He began to hear a few instruments being yed, so he rushed to one of the round pavilions in the garden. There, he noticed it clearly, two men lying on their backs on recliners. Two beautiful women sat at their sides and fed them fruits, while two more yed a violin and drums, and another danced sensually.


    "Bigdy? All of them are normal." Sylvester muttered, asking Miraj.


    Miraj pointed his paw at the dancingdy. "Look, Maxy, big pom poms on her chest¡ªshe''s a bigdy."


    "..."


    Sylvester sighed and simply walked forward uninvited. There was nothing he could do to change Miraj. His way of speaking was just too unique and developed over a thousand years of self-learning.


    p!


    Sylvester pped his hand and gained everyone''s attention. "Celebration is over. All the sisters, please leave the castle quickly if you don''t want to get hurt in our battle."


    The music stopped, the dance halted, and the women looked at Sylvester in curiosity and, of course, lust. His elven blood was quite prevalent when it came to his face.


    "I am Sylvester Maximilian of the Holy Land¡ªLeave, or I will consider you the same as these heathens!" Sylvester sternly added, this time ring a bit of Srium in the air to feel warm.


    "Forgive us." The women were wise and quickly ran away.


    Sylvester walked over between the recliners of the two men. They were struck with fear, and the fact they were only covered with towels on their groins didn''t help boost their confidence.


    "How are y¡ª"


    Bam!


    "Shhh¡­!"


    Sylvester ced his palms on the two men''s chests. A simple act that sent shivers down their spines as they felt utterly immobilized. The difference in strength was too much; that was clear.


    "L-Lord Bard¡­"


    Sylvester smiled big, almost creepily. A halo appeared behind his head, dering he was the real deal, and soon followed the words.


    ?I was here at the throning day''s splendor.


    You saw me as your King''s mighty defender.


    Now that King has be the faith''s offender.


    What will you choose¡ªughter or surrender??


    ____________________


    [A/N: We just hit 1 Million Words!!!]


    [A/N: See the Gori Beastkins here.]

 Chapter 527 526. The United Kingdoms Of Sol

    Sylvester''s halo wasn''t warming golden anymore but instead burned with a fierce red hue. It made the two Grand Wizards shudder and feel the chilling coldness more damaging than fire. With fear and helplessness, they stared into Sylvester''s shining golden eyes.


    Yes, this was the real Sylvester Maximilian. They had seen him years ago, but now he looked terrifying, not just a smart kid. At the same time, the wide shining wings on Sylvester''s back exuded a strange majestic aura that made them want to surrender¡ªas if it were the righteous path.


    "Speak! What will you choose? To serve the Lord? Or die at the hands of his Bard?" Sylvester pressed against their chests.


    BAM!


    The recliners they were sitting on broke down, and the two fell to the floor with enough force to make them grunt. But Sylvester only increased the pressure, making it harder for them to breathe.


    "We ept! We ept your rule, Your Holiness! The Demons who sit in thend of Solis are our enemies¡ªwe serve you!" Karlson said, his brown eyes full of terror.


    "He''s right¡­ We shall serve you, the right side of history!" Timothy followed. "May the Holy Light enlighten us!"


    Sylvester nodded and released his hold on the two. But he made sure to tell them who they served and what were the consequences of betraying him. "Thirteen Grand Wizards, one Supreme Wizard, and countless men pledged allegiance to me¡ªThe four new Kingdoms of Masan, Warsong, Gracia, Hignd, and ckhart¡ªall of them serve me! I hope you''ll make the right decision because if you betray me, there will be no mercy, only death, for your heresy!"


    Karlson and Timothy were Grand Wizards, not fools. After hearing Sylvester list out the people that serve him, they feared him even more. Having known about Sylvester''s disappearance for the past six years, and the downfall of Masan, they quickly connected the dots and understood it was Sylvester who orchestrated it¡ªjust like how he made Conrad the King of Riveria.


    "We dare not betray the faith," Karlson responded.


    "Never," Timothy added.


    Sylvester felt satisfied by the scent of utter fear and anxiety developed in their hearts. "Then you two shall behave as usual. When the armies arrive outside the city, do not fight, and do not obey Conrad''s orders¡ªyou serve me and the faith from now on."


    "W-Will you destroy River City, Your Holiness?" Timothy timidly asked.


    Sylvester stepped back, releasing them. "No, it will simply be ced under new management. Now leave, and remember¡­ I''m watching."


    The two men quickly got up while covering their crotches with towels and rushed away. They didn''t dare to nce back even once, fearing that Sylvester would change his mind.


    "That was easy," Sylvester muttered and took a seat on one of the recliners. "Now I just need to kill the remaining two Grand Wizards, but not now¡­ let''s wait for the army to surround the city."


    "What do we do until then?" Miraj asked while also lying on Sylvester''s chest and resting.


    Sylvester suddenly grinned. "Nothing much¡­ but since we have nice ponds here, I think¡­ it''s time the cat takes a bath."


    "Nyooooo¡­!"


    Bam!


    Before Miraj could fly away to freedom, Sylvester grabbed him and hugged him tightly against his chest. "Chonky, you''re one smelly boy. I haven''t given you a bath in months. What will Mum say when you meet her? That Lord Chonky became Lord Smelly?"


    "..."


    Miraj calmed down, letting his paws droop in defeat. "Fine¡­ this one for big mum."


    Sylvester chuckled, carried Miraj to a small pond, and gave him aplete wash, from shampoo to massage to a magical air dry. By the end, he looked even more fluffy than before, and of course, that made it even more satisfying to hold him.


    "Maxy, I wanna do something after you be Poopy." Miraj started, using his usual funny words. "I wanna go to Beastaria and try finding others like me. I can''t be the only one¡­ right?" Miraj asked while resting under a tree shade with Sylvester.


    ''I''m sure you''re one of a kind, buddy.'' Sylvester hade up with many theories over the years, and in none of them was Miraj just a normal cat. ''You were probably experimented on by some sick wizard in the past.''


    But he couldn''t tell him that just yet, not before he had concrete proof for everything.


    "Of course, we''ll go to Beastaria very soon, Chonky. We will travel the entire world and explore every nook and cranny. There are the Sand Continent, Central Continent, and many more ces out there." Sylvester cheered him on. "We''ll make many new friends, and, perhaps, find you a wife."


    "Wify?" Miraj tilted his head. "But I don''t want any¡­ I want Maxy to have wify though. Then I will always have someone to y with."


    "Haha¡­" Sylvesterughed. "Not going to happen in this life, my friend. I''ve made peace with my life. I just want longsting peace¡­ live alone on some secluded farnd, grow my own food, and just¡­ be happy."


    "Me?"


    "Of course, you and Mum will live with me. Just the three of us." Sylvester replied, and in an instant, they both found themselves daydreaming about such a day. For Sylvester, the thought of not having to worry about his life, the world, and others'' schemes, was like heaven.


    For Miraj, the ideal life was sitting on the porch of a house on big mum''sp and seeing Sylvester chop wood, carve something, build something¡ªwith only the sound of insects in the summer and asional noise from Sylvester''s work, along with Xavia''s soothing voice.


    "Ah¡­ I wish it''lle soon." Miraj and Sylvester said the same thing at the same time.


    BOOM!


    Ting!


    Ting!


    "They''re here!" Sylvester sprang to his feet. The sound of bells and the single shot of the cannon was the message to citizens¡ªthe war was upon them, prepare themselves for the worse.


    Sylvester picked up his spear and cracked his knuckles before making his way down towards the King''s Royal Court.


    He reckoned that in the future, if a history chapter was written about him, Conrad would be named thest King to fall. But he didn''t fall because of his strength, but because he was an ignorant pawn.


    "Halt!"


    Sylvester didn''t stop and walked past the group of four guards patrolling the corridors.


    "I said halt!"


    The guards raised their swords at him. Sylvester just shook his head and pushed them aside, "You don''t want this, buddy. Trust me." <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Sylvester ignored them again and walked downstairs toward the main ground floor of the castle. The guards kept following him behind while shouting, but never physically attacking since Sylvester''s armor looked very expensive, meaning he was not someone ordinary.


    "Halt!"


    Once again, the guards standing at the Royal Court''s gates shouted. But Sylvester went past them and gently kicked the door open.


    Woosh!


    A small gust of wind came out and brushed against Sylvester''s face, fluttering his hair. He looked inside. The Royal Court lookedpletely packed with all sorts of minor and major lords of Riveria. Everyone had a frown on their face, and Sylvester could guess what they were talking about.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us." Sylvester bowed his head a little. "It''s been a while, Your Majesty."


    "Sylvester?!" King Conrad jumped to his feet, his ashen blonde hair flowing. "How did y¡­ You''re back¡­ wee back! I heard murmurs about your return from the jaws of death! I''m delighted and blessed!"


    ''ying innocent?'' Sylvester yed along and walked forward.


    "Yes, it was tough six years. So many backstab, so many enemies, but in the end, I vanquished them all. From simple nobles to Emperor Mirmasan''s bloodline, atst, they all fell." Sylvester spoke, delivering veiled threats to the open ears.


    Conrad understood it. He was also a good schemer, after all, just not as good as Sylvester. "Sylvester, I''m afraid I must implore you to help me again. Riveria is in danger, and Kaecilius has yet again begun a rebellion, this time with King Hignd¡ªif Riveria falls, the food shortage will destroy Sol."


    Sylvester made a worried face. "Indeed, with the mutiny in the Holy Land, who knows which noble stands on the side of the Demon, and who stands on my side¡ªwith the Lord. Come, Your Majesty. I will broker peace between you two. It is safe to speak with them from the city walls."


    Conrad looked at his younger brother and the Grand Wizards.


    "No harm in talking," Timothy said.


    "Agreed," Karlson added.


    Conrad found some confidence in their words and stood up. "Then I will once again be a burden to you, Sylvester. As my chief advisor, I hope you can help me settle this dispute. I will then see to it that my armies and the elders stand with you in the Holy Land."


    ''Changing sides now?'' Sylvester hated men like Conrad. At best, he could tolerate someone changing sides once, but Conrad was a sly man who''d constantly change sides whenever it benefited him.


    "Let''s go."


    So, Sylvester and Conrad, along with the Grand Wizards and the council of ministers, rode their horses through the empty streets of the city and arrived at the boundary wall, which was currentlyden with soldiers of Riveria trying to protect the gates.


    "Step aside! You King is here!" The royal guards pushed the ordinary soldiers aside and made their way to the edge of the wall.


    "Good Solis!" Conrad eximed at the sight. The enemy army was massive, and was busy creating a camp at a safe distance. "It''s King Hignd who I''m battling this time¡­ Not Kaecilius."


    Sylvester agreed. "We must end this before more of Hignd''s soldiers arrive, Your Majesty."


    Conrad agreed. "I have sent the summons to my vessels as well. However, their armies won''t arrive soon enough."


    BOOM!


    Suddenly, a thundering sound reverberated, and King Higndnded very close to the city wall. "Long time, Conrad¡ªI see you''ve grown to be just like your father."


    Conrad clenched his hands. He despised his father more than anything, enough to have killed him and the entire harem of concubines and their offspring¡ªhe despised beingpared to the old man. But he tried to stay calm as too much was at stake.


    "How did I offend Hignd for you to take such an action?" King Conrad questioned.


    "Hah!" King Higndughed aloud. "Action? Boy, youmitted utter heresy! Despite knowing the Holy Land has been taken over by a heathen, you continue to support him¡ªsend resources and pledge your army to the heathen! How dare you betray my faith? How dare you betray the trust of His Holiness¡ªSylvester Maximilian?!"


    King Conrad''s heart sank. He knew Sylvester was close to Hignd, but not this close. To him, it was a simple rtionship akin to his, based on mutual benefits.


    "His Holiness?" Conrad muttered those words and turned to look at Sylvester. "Y-You¡­"


    Sylvester was looking at Conrad too, and moreover, the Spear of Infinity''s de was pointed at Conrad''s throat.


    Conrad panicked. "Kill him! Elders! Attack!... What are you doing?"


    To Conrad''s growing fear, he didn''t see his loyal Grand Wizards taking any action. So he tried to look behind to the best of his abilities. Sadly, his heart only sank further, and weakness took over his bones.


    "NO! Why?"


    Right there, Grand Wizard Timothy and Karlson had ced their swords on the throats of Grand Wizard Ritviz Riveria and Nnd Riveria¡ªinstantly crippling the powerhouses.


    Sylvester pressed the spear further, gaining Conrad''s attention. "You betrayed me, Conrad¡­ You stood with a heathen."


    "I¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I shall pledge my loyalty to you! Make a Blood Contract with you. I only did it to protect my Kingdom, Sylvester¡­ Understand me." Conrad pleaded, seeing no way out. He was a prideful man, but that was before he became a King. Once he tasted the luxuries of the throne¡ªthe fear of losing it surpassed the fear of anything else.


    "No mercy," Sylvester replied. "You''ve fulfilled what I needed from you, Conrad. You kept Riveria peaceful and off my back. But I never trusted you¡­ nor your father¡­ nor your brother Romel."


    Conrad tried to step back, but his legs seemed frozen in ce. "Kill me¡­ But l-let my wife go¡­ she''s pregnant."


    Sylvester took a long breath, for he knew he was no angel on this day. He was a demon of Solis. He had to do whatever it took to attain absolute, unquestionable power¡ªno matter the sacrifice.


    "I''m sorry, Conrad¡ªIn the house of God, heresy finds no mercy."


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 528 527. Absolute Power Corrupts

    Sylvester''s words took King Conrad by surprise. He looked at him in confusion and feared for his life like never before. "You¡­ For how long have you been nning this?"


    "From the day you revealed your plot to use me to kill your sister. I don''t take kindly to those who try to stab me in the back, especially not if they''re Kings or lords." Sylvester replied and got closer to Conrad, grabbing him by the neck. The man may be an Archwizard, but he was nothingpared to Sylvester now.


    "Step away from my brother!" Conrad''s younger brother, Rainer, came forward to plead. "He did what all monarchs do. That''s how one rules their kingdom."


    Sylvester gestured toward King Hignd, standing near the wall. "Look at him. Do you see him rebelling against me? Instead, he stands by my side and serves the faith better than any of you. I made Conrad the King, cleared all the paths for him, brokered peace between you and Kaecilius, and yet you dared betray me¡ªeven after learning that I was alive? Indeed, monarchs rule by scheming and backstabbing, but you forgot that you reap what you sow. For one treachery, you receive the same in return."


    "Nobody will ept this. The lords anddies will revolt against you." King Conrad argued. "They support me because I fill their vaults."


    Sylvester shrugged. "Then they are heathens to have supported you. Article Sixty-Six shall apply to all of them. Their bloodlines will be erased, and their wealth seized. Do you think you, a single Kingdom, can oppose the entire Sol?"


    No, they could not, and every single man there knew it.


    "But I won''t kill you and your brother¡­ yet" Sylvester lifted Conrad off the floor and brought him over the edge of the city wall. "King Hignd, catch!"


    Woosh!


    Like a ragdoll, Sylvester threw Conrad down right into Hignd''s grasp. It wasn''t a softnding, nor did they care. Then Sylvester scooped up Rainer the same way and threw him off the wall.


    With the two brothers of the Riveria family gone, only the Grand Wizards remained. One of them was a level seven Grand Wizard, and the other was a level one Grand Wizard.


    "Lord Ritviz, you''re level one, and I can spare your life if you agree to form a Blood Contract with me. Refuse, and I''ll grant you a dignified death." Sylvester offered the man.


    "How can this¡­" Ritviz gestured at Karlson, who held a de to his neck. "...be dignified?"


    Sylvester pointed his spear at them. "We will battle, and I''ll kill you with my spear."


    Ritviz looked at his elder brother, Nnd, and made a decision. "You want me to see my bloodline die before me and remain a ve to you? Never able to make a new family, and serve unquestionably? Forgive me, Lord Bard, I will choose death over such fate."


    "And I respect that." Sylvester agreed and looked at Nnd. "You can join your brother and attack me at the same time. But we battle outside the city, for I bear no animosity towards the innocent people."


    It was how things were supposed to be. Most Grand Wizards were old men with more than a century of life behind them. With age, almost all minds learn to be mature, wise, and patient. The Grand Wizards were expected to possess eloquence and reason, with a sense of pride.


    So Sylvester tried to do the same. But more than anything, he wished to use the battle as a show of might to all of Riveria, King Hignd, and his armies. Once they witnessed him win, word would spread much quicker and genuinely.


    "We agree." Nnd agreed as he was released from Timothy''s hold and walked forward. "Lead the way."


    Sylvester nodded and jumped down from the wall. Close behind him, Ritviz and Nnd followed. They all went a distance away, enough to keep the city safe, but at the same, they remained visible to the people.


    Soon, they stood facing each other. Sylvester held his spear firmly, while the other two men were pure wizards and didn''t have any physical weapons with them. As far as Sylvester knew, one of them was a master in water magic and the other in earth magic.


    However, the two Grand Wizards clearly didn''t underestimate Sylvester. They looked serious and even smelled the same. It was a real death match, so they had to give it their all.


    "Start whenever you want to," Sylvester said.


    The two Grand Wizards nodded and walked to each side of Sylvester in order to attack him at the same time and stop him from reacting or focusing on just one of them.


    "May the best of us win." Sylvester prepared himself.


    Boom!


    The two Riveria Grand Wizards seemed to have great experience working together, made clear with their first move. Ritviz kicked the ground and made a wall all around them, spanning hundreds of meters in all directions and more than ten meters high.


    Woosh!


    Then the older and more powerful Nnd took a long breath and began spewing an immense amount of water from his mouth and both palms. It came with such intensity that in a matter of a few seconds, Ritviz''s enclosure was filled up with water.


    Sylvester simply made Light Tiles to walk upward and stand on the surface of the water. He remained ready for any surprise attack simultaneously, but he wasn''t afraid, as his affinity allowed him to manipte everything but darkness.


    p!


    Ritviz, who had made himself a tform on water, pped his hands and did something. At the same time, Nnd walked on the water without doing anything weird, but there was something happening for sure.


    "Haha¡­" Sylvester suddenly chuckled and jumped into the air. The moment he left the surface, hundreds of razor-sharp spikes made of ice and earth came up.


    Boom!


    "You can''t win against the two of us." Nnd showed a hint of confidence and began to surf the water waves, getting closer to Sylvester. "We control the basic elements that are everywhere around us."


    Sylvester smiled. "And I control what surrounds us all!"


    Responding to the battle, Sylvester remained a few meters above the water surface and raised his right palm. A huge, sharp disk of golden shining light formed over his palm, steadily expanding with each passing moment.


    Soon, its radius reached one meter.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester threw the disk toward Ritviz with remarkable speed. The strange disk of light left a long wave in the water as it aimed toward the man on the tform. It flew fast enough to create a horrifying hum, and at the same time, it was hot enough to make a tail of mist in its wake.


    Shhh¡­!


    Ritviz had little time to dodge. Without a second thought, he jumped and dived into the water, letting the disk of light fly past him.


    "And you." Sylvester turned to Nnd, who was close enough to him. The Grand Wizard had giant dragons made of water circling him, keeping him safe from any long-range attack.


    Pa!<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    As if a cannon shot roared, Nnd sent frozen, spiky balls of ice toward Sylvester. Each of them came out of the water dragons, and there were dozens of them.


    Crack!


    Sylvester didn''t even move and used his spear to stab the oing ice balls and shattered them into pieces. He had a physical advantage against both Grand Wizards. Because, unlike a regr Wizard, he didn''t need to use magic to defend himself on every asion.


    Finally, Sylvester decided to get serious, as he felt the two Grand Wizards were taking it slow and easy.


    "I can do that too!" Sylvester roared and dashed toward Nnd. As he stepped forward, the water under his feet began to rise, and in no time, a simr water dragon appeared behind him, but it was much bigger and more detailed, revealing Sylvester''s control over the element.


    Nnd sent out his water dragons to collide with Sylvester''s.


    BOOM!


    In the blink of an eye, the two sides collided, and rain poured down. However, before Nnd could conjure some other magical move, Sylvester had already moved past him and stood behind him.


    "Nnd, isn''t your brother taking too long in the water?" Sylvester pointed out with a grim smile on his face.


    Panicked, Nnd looked left and right. Ritviz was nowhere to be found. However, he eventually noticed a vivid red spot on the water''s surface, and his heart sank.


    "No!"


    "It was naive of you to think that I couldn''t control a simple disk made of light to turn around and attack," Sylvester said, gradually closing in on Nnd. "It''s not that you''re not strong or that you''re not fast¡ªI''m sure you could have defeated most of the Grand Wizards of the Holy Land."


    Bzzzzz¡­!


    Abruptly, the same disk of light Sylvester had made earlier came out of the water, but this time on its surface was the severed head of Ritviz, slowly burning, melting away the flesh. As the disk came closer toward Nnd, Sylvester also closed in.


    "I won''t go down so eas¡ª" Nnd''s words were caught in his throat.


    "Can''t move?" Sylvester said. "Maism and metal maniption is one frightening magic."


    Nnd''s heart sank, and he realized he was doomed to death before the battle even started. "H-How are you so strong? Your level is lower than mine."


    "Because our magic is different," Sylvester answered. "I reached the holy temple in the middle of Divine Desert and got that rumored blessing."


    "Haha." Nnd suddenlyughed. "Then, I''m afraid no one can stand against you, Your Holiness¡ªCongrattions on being the new Pope."


    ''Respectable.'' Sylvester felt for the man who had epted his death.


    "Anyst wish?" Sylvester asked.


    Nnd looked toward the city. "Don''t let it fall apart¡­ Riveria is more than just a kingdom ruled by a naive King."


    Sylvester nodded and softly moved his finger, making the hovering disk of light move back a little to gain speed and strike Nnd.


    "Nnd Riveria, you lost not because you''re weak¡ªYou lost because you''re fighting me. May the Holy Light enlighten you¡ªin the Lord''s embrace, may you find a better view." Sylvester, atst, snapped his finger.


    Woosh!


    At a zing speed, the disk flew straight through Nnd''s neck. It took a few seconds for the blood toe out and the head to fall.


    By then, Sylvester raised his palm and created a ball of fire so hot that it flickered like the sun itself, making all the distant watchers close their eyes.


    Shhh¡­!


    Sylvester threw the ball of fire into the water, and in an instant, the entire mass vaporized.


    Boom!


    A gigantic explosion formed from the vaporization, so loud and vast that the entire ground quaked, the city felt a massive earthquake, and the Snake River churned violently. The sound and shockwaves swept the city wall, throwing the soldiers to the ground or even hurled from the wall back into the city.


    Eventually, the big cloud of steam disappeared and revealed the effects of the battle to all.


    Sylvester remained standing alone, the bright halo shining radiantly behind his head. The metallic angel wings extended wide on his back, and the spear in his right hand stood firmly¡ªall around him was a gigantic crater, so massive that it could soon be called ake.


    "So quick a kingdom fell. What I used to see as unimaginable, now feels too easy. Is this the frightening feeling that corrupts the mind of the powerful? This feeling¡ªthis power to decide the fates of even Grand Wizards with ease¡­ and soon, with my Elder Magic, not even top-level Supreme Wizards will be my match. I have to keep this in check, I can''t lose my humility." Sylvester looked toward the sky and clenched his free hand.


    "Maxy? Why is your heart going boom boom again? Are you okay?" Miraj suddenly asked as hended on Sylvester''s shoulder. He had remained in the sky during the battle as Sylvester worried for his safety.


    Sylvester smiled and patted the furry head. "Chonky, after this, let''s go and see Mum and Sir Dolorem. It''s been six years."


    "Yes! Big Mum and Dol Dol, let''s get them presents too."


    ''Others may envy me or fear me, but at least I know two people who will always see me as I was twenty years ago.''


    "Let''s do that¡­ but a few more heads need to fall first." Sylvester began walking back toward the city.


    "Yes!" Miraj chirped in agreement, too excited to meet Xavia. "Chop Chop¡ªmore heads to drop!"


    "..."


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 529 528. Reverse Psychology

    Sylvester ended the battle with ease and arrived at the city wall. The soldiers had lost their will to fight against him and stared nkly at his face as he went ahead and opened the city gates. After that, a few men of the Hignd Kingdom''s army entered calmly without causing a ruckus or frightening anyone.


    However, the one leading the army wasn''t King Hignd himself, but rather a man with ck hair and mighty armor riding a tall stallion.


    "I am Kaecilius Silvanus!" the ck-haired man roared. "Iy im to the throne of Riveria, and if anyone here wishes to oppose me ory im themselves, I''m prepared to battle!"


    Silence echoed throughout the streets. Even the nking of soldiers'' armor faded away. The city had been taken over without a war, and they felt confused about what would happen next. What will happen to them?


    "I''m not here to pige thisnd, nor here to take your wealth away! Years ago, the Riveria family killed my son, and today, I im my revenge¡ªas your new King, you can either follow me and live in peace or leave if that is what you wish! Soldiers shall remain soldiers, and merchants shall remain merchants¡ªonly the head under the crown has changed!"


    Once Kaecilius stopped speaking, the Hignd Kingdom''s army began to chant in a united roaring voice.


    "Long Live King Kaecilius!"


    "Long Live King Kaecilius!"


    "All Hail The King!"


    The soldiers of Riveria didn''t know what to do. Who were they even supposed to fight against? Kaecilius was a Viscount already, meaning he was one of them¡ªit was utter confusion for them.


    And in the midst of that confusion, a well-ced and well-paid group of Riveria soldiers began chanting with Hignd''s Soldiers. In no time, almost the entire Riveria army on the walls started to shout.


    "Today marks the end of the foolish pride of the Riveria family! No more shall we have enemies but allies and blessings! Riveria will soon establish economic alliances with Gracia, Hignd, ckhart, and even further West with the new rich kingdoms¡ªRiveria shall flourish like never before, and our produce shall reach the entire Sol!" Kaecilius continued to spread the propaganda, making sure that those who listened from the cracks of their doors would know what their new King was like.


    In the meantime, Sylvester sent a few men to encircle the city monastery, as heathens also lived there. However, the Bright Mothers living there were members of Xavia''s intelligence-gathering group. So Sylvester handed them the task of spreading the word that King Conrad had taken the side of the Demons.


    Nobody ever questioned the words of a kind and loving Bright Mother, and that was the key to a swift power change.


    "That was brilliantly done, Sylvester." King Hignd praised while walking beside Sylvester, as the long procession headed toward River Castle. "We didn''t have to raise a single sword."


    "Of course, I was nning for this for almost a decade," Sylvester replied, ncing at the houses lining the sides. He made his halo appear clear at that moment so that themoners would perceive their new King as divinely blessed.


    "I pity the first Guardian of Light in the Holy Land." King Hignd jokingly said. "He chose the wrong time and the wrong opponent."


    Sadly, Sylvester found no joy in that thought. "Let''s discuss this once we reach the Hignd Kingdom, Your Majesty. I''m afraid Niel is not our final opponent, and there''s something that you should know about the history of our world."


    King Hignd turned serious and didn''t mention the topic anymore. "So you areing."


    "We''re so close already and I''d rather not be scolded by Mum for noting to see her. At the same time, we should give Niel some time to breathe. We must force him toe out of the Holy Land and fight us outside¡ªanywhere." Sylvester said, but refused to borate on his entire n. There were too many ears listening.


    Tap! Tap!


    Just as they crossed therge moat to enter River Castle, Sylvester felt something poke on his shoulder. He looked and found it to be an undead bird from Bishop Lazark.


    Worried, he quickly took it and unstrapped the letter.


    ''Lord Bard, Duchy of Ironstone has rebelled against Gracia and has joined the Holy Land. Ironstone was the wealthiest and the most popted region, Lord Bard¡­ What are your orders? Queen Isabe is quite anxious ¡ª Bishop Lazark.''


    Sylvester sighed and brushed his hair back with one hand. "Of course. They must still be dissatisfied with me since I killed Prince Daemon Gracia and his Witch wife. The lords had to pay a lot of ransom to gain their freedom."


    "Why not attack them? The army is already prepared." King Hignd asked, cracking his knuckles. The man was likely itching for some action.


    But Sylvester had different ns. "No need. The lives of all the lords of Ironstone Duchy are already in my grasp. At any moment, at mymand¡ªI can kill every single one of them. Let''s prepare for our main battle for now."


    King Hignd''s shoulder fell. "Sylvester, I envy your sharp wits, but sometimes, all a man wants is tond a few strong blows."


    "The time wille soon enough, Your Majesty."


    "I''m afraid all the experts would have fallen to your great ns by then." King Hignd said. "I''m delighted that we stand on the same side."


    Sylvester chuckled inwardly, slowly understanding what kind of a terrifying entity he had be for those who knew him. And it was for good, asmoners saw him with love and warmth, and the lords saw him with fear¡ªjust as he wanted.


    ¡­


    No battle took ce, and the people were left unharmed. In fact, King Hignd''s soldiers diligently patrolled the streets to ensure no crime took ce and slowly won the trust of the people.


    Since they carried Sylvester''s g, the people felt some assurance that it was all happening for the greater good. Soon, rumors spread in no time from the mouths of Bright Mothers.


    By the eve of the second day, after their upation of the royal castle, a vast number ofmoners were called to gather before the moat of the royal castle. The drawbridge was then lowered, and three men were brought forward, stripped naked except for their underwear, their hands locked with darkstone cuffs.


    "Traitors!"


    "Demons!"


    Themoners were simple, and Sylvester''s propaganda ensured that any side he stood on would appear righteous. He was the guiding figure for the moralpass of themoners now¡ªif he pointed at someone and called for death, themoners wouldply.


    Kaecilius appeared in his regal robes and a crown on his head. He made Conrad, his brother Rainer and the Archbishop of the City kneel before the crowd. "These three men, together, conspired with the Demon who now sits in the Holy Land. They betrayed both faith and humanity for the allure of power and morend¡ªtheir greed was too great!"


    "Heathens!"


    The people shouted, and some threw rotten eggs and tomatoes. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "They were ready to sacrifice all of you and condemn the entire city as heathens! What happens to suchnds? You must have heard of Article Sixty-six!" Kaecilius continued, spreading more fear into the hearts of the people. "But I found out on time, and with the help of the Son of Solis, and my brother in faith, King Hignd¡ªwe stopped them! But I will not judge them, for that is something only the supreme could do¡ªYour Holiness, please give your judgment."


    Sylvester nodded and stood behind the three kneeling men. Their tongues had already been cut so that they couldn''t speak. They were only putting on a show to make Kaecilius more legitimate.


    Sylvester made a halo behind his head and allowed the metal wings to spread wide. Gasps left the mouths of tens of thousands, and soonplete silence spread.


    ?Spoken so often, heresy has no mercy.


    For my forgiveness, you are unworthy.


    Cry not now, for the sins you havemitted.


    Embrace the Lord; there, you may be acquitted.?


    Kaecilius unsheathed his de and stood behind the Archbishop. "May the Holy Light enlighten us!"


    Woosh!


    Thud!


    Kaecilius then went behind Prince Rainer and did the same. Finally, he stood behind the teary-eyed King Conrad. To some extent, he felt bad for the man, but at the same time, he understood that to build a new world, some things needed to be destroyed first.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us, Conrad¡­"


    Thud!


    The dirty-blond-haired head rolled on the ground, bloodying the surface. Themoners who saw from a distance simply cheered at the sight. It was terrifying in Kaecilius'' eyes because he saw how easily people came to hate the man who had been their King just a few days ago.


    He felt it could be him if he wasn''t careful in the future. The only man who was immune from such a fate was Lord Bard, but then again, the Bard had foes far more worrisome than meremoners.


    "Glory to Riveria!" King Kaecilius roared with his sword aimed at the sky.


    "Glory!"


    "Long live the King!"


    Commoners echoed in unison for their new King.


    Soon enough, the bodies of the dead were taken back inside the royal castle and burned on a pyre. The people were allowed to hold a one-day festival to celebrate their new King. As for Sylvester, he decided to finish his mission.


    "Kaecilius, the wives of Conrad and Rainer, have locked themselves inside their rooms. Don''t harm them physically. Just give them some sleeping poison for a painless death." Sylvester ordered the new King. "And refrain from taking any drastic measures, such as abolishing very. First, hold a fealty ceremony, summon all the lords to pledge allegiance to you¡ªand kill all who reject."


    "Understood, Your Holiness." Kaecilius saluted. "I will refrain from any drastic actions before the end of the War of the Popes."


    "War of the Popes?" Sylvester repeated the term he had never heard of before.


    "A word themoners use to describe the Holy Land''s situation," Kaecilius answered.


    ''This isn''t good¡­ I don''t want them to see Niel as a Pope.'' Sylvester felt the urgency to spread more propaganda.


    "I''ll be going to Hignd tomorrow, Kaecilius. But I will speak with you mentally every six hours. In case a significant opposition arises, I will return." Sylvester assured him. "And use the two leftover Grand Wizards, but don''t trust them blindly. Lastly, conduct an audit of the kingdom''s military. Be ready to move if needed."


    Thud!


    "Understood, Your Holiness." Kaecilius saluted seriously.


    Satisfied, Sylvester left the man to sit alone and think about his own future. Sylvester had too much to do anyway, and the first thing to do was to speak with Gabriel to increase the propaganda.


    "Maxy! Look, another rain of papers!" Miraj flew down from the sky andnded on Sylvester''s shoulder. "Look, it has your face on it."


    "Mine?" Sylvester took the propaganda poster and examined it. "This is¡­ brilliantly done reverse psychology! People will hesitate to believe Niel now."


    This time, the poster held a long message, directly addressing Sylvester''s worries about the near future. There was a painting of Sylveser with a halo, and behind him stood an ugly-faced Demon with a dark crown, trying to grab Sylvester''s mitre. The message was¡­


    ''The Demons are divisive. They lie as effortlessly as they breathe. Tomorrow, they may im the Son of Solis has the blood of an Elf, Dwarf, or Dragon¡ªas if that makes any difference. Is he still not the Son of Solis? Is he still not the mightiest Bard? Is he still not the rightful Pope?''


    Then, at the bottom, three words were written in big letters.


    ''Beware of Lies!''


    Sylvester tried to think who must havee up with it. Gabriel had no clue about his blood, and Sir Dolorem was away in Hignd.


    "Then... It must be the Lord Inquisitor, that magnificent raging man."


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 530 529. Home

    Amidst the happenings in the Riveria, there was a sole man on a journey to uncover a mystery. The origins of the Chief of Anti-Light were shrouded in mystery. Never in the past had there been a man with so much hatred for the faith of Solis, at least not a human.


    Never in the Church''s history had there been a man at the level of Supreme Wizard standing against the Church while living right in the backyard. What caused it? What gave birth to such rage? There had to be something, as monsters weren''t born, they were made.


    His name was Magnus Constantine, and the world knew him by his Guardian name, Bloodrain. The masses feared him, and friends steered clear. His faith in Solis was unwavering, and that was why he couldn''t ept anything but victory in the task at hand.


    He traveled thends of East Sol to find clues. To find the initial home of the Anti-Light Chief. In his recent journey, he went north of what used to be Sandwall County, where he met Sylvester.


    Towards the freezing slopes of the Pentapeak mountain range, there rested a small and poor county called Mountstart. It held a town that acted as the starting point for anyone venturing into the Pentapeak mountain range through the officially paved road. In the past, the town didn''t earn much due to Mountain Barbarians, but now, a gold rush had taken hold in the mountains, so the travelers were numerous.


    Without changing his attire, for he was too proud of it, he arrived at the small winter town of Mountstart. The Blind Guardian made his way into the biggest tavern to make his presence known and reveal to the people that there was money to be made if they cooperated with him.


    All the music from the Bards'' guitars and pianos stopped, the dancing paused, and the voices of all men and women in the tavern died down.


    Bloodrain''s heavy footsteps left dents on the wooden floor, and his imposing figure even intimidated the strongest and the drunkest of men in the vicinity. But he strode to the bar and ced a rolled sheet of paper on it.


    "Have you seen him?"


    The bartender, an old man with a balding head, looked at the piece of paper while shivering. "I¡­ I¡­ I''ve seen this poster¡­ before."


    "The man?" Bloodrain asked clearly. "Look closely. Anyone who gives me a clue about him shall receive one thousand Gold Graces."


    Mouths gulped, and some went dry. A thousand Gold Graces was an amount none of the folks there had seen in their entire lives.


    "Who is it?" A few daring ones came forward to take a nce.


    But the moment they looked at the face, they gasped and stepped back. Like hell, they would go against the Anti-Light. They were everywhere, and people knew it.


    Bloodrain noticed the hesitations. "Ten thousand Gold Graces, if anyone provides me information about this man."


    That was an unimaginable amount of money. But it was something that could make people take all kinds of risks.


    Bam!


    "Get lost!"


    A drunkard suddenly threw his ss mug at Bloodrain, spilling the alcohol on the holy man and shattering the ss.


    "Your kind is not wee here¡­ You¡­ Beasts¡­!"


    Bloodrain looked back and stood up, eventually walking to stand before the drunkard. The man was frail, in tattered clothes, and looked utterly aged.


    "His Holiness, Lord Bard defeated the Mountain Barbarians. He blessed thisnd with wealth. How does that make us beasts?" Bloodrain asked, holding himself back from ending the man before him.


    "Errr¡­" The old man grumbled. "A good deed doesn''t justify decades and centuries of neglect, murder, and rapes done by your kind. We used to think the nobles were the worst breed, but you people proved us wrong¡ªAll of us here have heard about the Rape of ckrock!"


    The crowd began to murmur among themselves.


    "Old Rocky! Those are just myths and legends made to tarnish the name of Solis!" The bartender bellowed, scolding the drunkard. "Apologize to the Lord Guardian."


    Phu!


    However, the drunkard named Rocky spat on Bloodrain''s boots. "Not unless the Holy Land apologizes! And it''s not a myth! My grand aunt''s family lived there¡­ Where are they now? None of you will have an answer. Look back; someone from your ancestors must have been lost too¡ªOpen your e¡ª"


    Bam!


    Bloodrain, finally enraged, grabbed Rocky''s head with his gauntlet-d hand. He raised the drunk man into the air, close to his visor with bleeding eye sockets. "You curse me, I shall ept. But I will not tolerate your vile words for my Lord¡ªnor any disrespect!"


    "Go ahead!" Rocky sneered. "Kill me¡­ that''s what you pests do! Rather than opening your eyes, you''d kill any voice of rightful dissent¡­ But I¡­ DO NOT¡­ Fear you¡­!"


    Bloodrain remained motionless for a few seconds before gently lowering the man and leaving the tavern. The people all around him knelt and apologized, scared their entire county was going to be destroyed that day.


    However, Bloodrain silently left on the snowy road, disappearing into the distance. He moved further north, almost to the edge of the mountains. There, he looked at the broken walls and the remnants of what used to be a thriving vige.


    "ckrock vige¡­" Bloodrain softly muttered and knelt where the vige hall once stood, the spot where he once stood two centuries ago as an Inquisitor General¡ªwhen he still had eyes and witnessed the fiendish madness of the Inquisition.


    He dug his ws into the snow and touched the earth underneath. He picked up a handful of mud. "Still red¡­ their blood still lingers."


    The man with weeping eyes of blood, Bloodrain, looked around, and his ears felt the echoes of the many screams, pleadings of women, the wails of children¡­ andughs of Inquisitors, as vivid as the day it happened.


    He rose and walked toward another spot ofnd. It was entirely in, and all the buildings surrounding it were now rubble.


    Woosh!


    Bloodrain swung his sword gently and removed all the snow, revealing the scorched ground as if an explosion had erupted there.


    "That night¡­ that Archwizard¡­ But they look nothing alike¡­ He had blonde hair and¡­ golden eyes! He was killed by themander¡­"


    Bloodrain sat down with a tense look under the visor.


    He looked at his palm. "With these hands, Iid his body to rest on the pyre¡ªA mere Archwizard, might of a Supreme, how did he acquire?"


    nk!


    Finally, wanting to take a calming breath, Bloodrain removed his visor. His closed eyelids contained nothing within, and the blood continued to ooze out, staining his entire face with crimson. But it was far from his concern as he remembered his greatest disgrace.


    "It can''t be him¡­ A mere vige chief¡­"


    ¡­


    Far far away from Bloodrain''s dilemma, in the Kingdom of Hignd, Sylvester made his way down toward Sand City, the capital of the Kingdom, where Xavia and Sir Dolorem remained safe and hidden.


    "This is exciting!" King Hignd eximed as he walked beside Sylvester, hundreds of meters in the air on Light Tiles. The man had left his army under the care of hismanders for a short while and had decided to apany Sylvester to Hignd.


    "I can''t wait to fly someday," Sylvester said, sharing the joy of looking at the scenery from such height. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "Oh?" King Hignd''s brows rose. "Is this a deration of attaining Supreme Wizardhood soon?"


    "I wish I could," Sylvester replied. "The road before me is still long and arduous, and I''m still learning. But I know a new trick, and if I seed, perhaps I''ll be able to fly without attaining the rank."


    "In that case, I haven''t chosen the wrong Godfather for my son. That brat, Trinity spoils him too much. I must ensure he doesn''t turn out like those spoiled lecherous lords." King Hignd clenched his fist.


    Sylvester chuckled. The scene reminded him of his own past life. The bickerings with Diana were annoying, but at the same time endearing, watching her get angry over small things, even when they were both spies with bigger things to deal with.


    After all, who argues about wet towels on the bed when you''ve got a General to assassinate? But they did it, and he enjoyed it, so he never fixed his mistakes.


    Soon, as they began to descend over Sand City, Sylvester felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him. He looked further south from the sky, toward the horizon. There rested the Deserte Vige, where his story had begun twenty-five years ago.


    From day one, the only person who had been by his side was Xavia, and at that moment, he felt a deep sense of longing to quickly see her and embrace her. So many times, they had bothe close to death, but finally, the end goal seemed within their grasp.


    "AIM!"


    Just as the two approached the roof gardens of the Royal Castle, the soldiers became alert and aimed their bows and spears at the two.


    "It''s your King, you runts!" King Hignd boomed. "Fiveps of the Castle terrace, now!"


    "Fuck!" The curses reverberated from among the soldiers.


    Sylvester was amused by how King Hignd treated the soldiers, and yet he only smelled love, adoration, and respect oozing from them. It seemed like King Hignd was indeed a father figure to all.


    Thud!


    Atst, theynded. The knights quickly knelt to wee them, and some tried to steal nces at Sylvester, the mysterious man they had never seen before. However, some surely recognized him as they offered a Church salute instead.


    "Riveria is now an ally. The campaign was a sess. Go and spread the word, boys." King Higndmanded the men. "And where is your Queen?"


    "You''re back!" Prima of Hignd, dius arrived swiftly. "Her Majesty is in the Throne Room, Your Majesty. She''s addressing the court in your absence. A matter regarding the farmers has arisen. There was ack of rain in the ind regions, and the farmers sought tax relief."


    "What about Bright Mother Xavia?" Sylvester asked.


    dius easily recognized Sylvester and respectfully lowered his head. "She is at the Monastery within the castle, Your Holiness. She spends most of her time there."


    ''Praying for me; I know her too well.'' Sylvester smiled and headed to see her right away. "I''ll see youter, Your Majesty."


    "Join us in the dining hall. We shall have a feast!"


    Initially, Sylvester acted calm, but once he was out of sight, he ran faster than any eye could see. On his shoulder, Miraj excitedly howled like a wolf for some reason.


    "Yes! Let''s goooooo¡­ Big Mum! Awoooo¡­!"


    Sylvester smiled and wanted to say the same thing as the fluffy ancient cat. But he focused on the path and quickly arrived at the gates of the Monastery. He didn''t waste a single extra second and pushed the beautifully carved doors open.


    Woosh!


    His speed was so great that the door generated a powerful gust of wind, sweeping over the entire Monastery hall, dowsing all the candles that were there, and drowning the hall into darkness. That caused Sylvester''s form to appear like a dark shadow standing in front of a radiant source of light¡ªhis features weren''t visible.


    Sylvester remained smiling, as he had already gotten a glimpse of a woman praying before the sigil of Solis.


    ?Thousands of miles I have traveled.


    Hundreds of mysteries I have unraveled.


    I fought and swiftly won whenever I battled.


    But the sense of yearning kept me rattled.?


    ?s, I did what I had to and ran back.


    Years passed, but I never lost track.


    Marvelous skills I have tried to hone.


    Surrounded by many, but I still felt alone.?


    There was no halo, no theatrics. Sylvester spoke from his heart. He noticed the soft sniffles from ahead, and no longer was he able to leave the room in the shade.


    Snap!


    His fingers made a sound, and all the candles sprung back to the fire, stronger than before, warmer than ever, and brighter than forever.


    "Sylvester! S-Sylvester¡­ My¡­ Sylvester¡­" Gasping for breath, Xavia, with teary eyes and a worn-out face, ran toward him.


    He wasted no time and did the same, but faster. The distance between them instantly inched to an end, and the boy finally found the warm embrace of his mother. Clenched tight into each other''s arms, Xavia''s eyes left his shoulder drenched. Sylvester, albeit his best attempts, couldn''t help but shed a few drops as well.


    She caressed his golden hair, his back, and then his face. She looked at his eyes, at his nose, and at his arms¡ªThis was indeed Sylvester. This was not a dream. He had grown up into a magnificent man¡ªher Sylvester, her handsome son.


    Sylvester wiped the tears from Xavia''s eyes and smiled to cheer her up. But in the end, a soft peck of assurance on her forehead did the job, making her smile and chuckle.


    "I missed you, Max," Xavia repeated, embracing him again.


    Sylvester agreed, feeling the same.


    "Forgive me, mum. It took me a long time¡ªBut finally, I''m back home¡­ My home."


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 531 530. Godfather & Godson

    Sylvester pulled Xavia to sit aside so they could talk in peace. The Monastery hall was empty, so they did not worry about someone disturbing them.


    Bam!


    "I hug too!"


    Xavia felt something jump on her and wrap around her neck. It was a very warm and soft fluffy feeling. It brought big smiles to her face as she recognized who it was. "Lord Chonky, are you well?"


    "Very well." Miraj chirped and hugged her tighter. "I missed Big Mum."


    She chuckled and caressed Miraj''s soft fur, even though she couldn''t see him. "Thank you for taking care of Max. I''m sure you helped him a lot all these years and kept himpany¡ªI''ll make you your favorite dish to repay your kindness."


    "Really? Yes! I helped a lot. Maxy always needs me to fly this or fly that¡­ Oh! I can also fly now, Big Mum. I''ll show you!" Miraj retreated from Xavia''s hug and began flying around. But the poor boy forgot that only Sylvester could see him, and Xavia could only hear the excited voice.


    "He did keep me sane," Sylvester muttered. "So I guess he deserves some treats. But enough about me, how are you? How have you been?"


    "I''m well," Xavia responded, unwilling to release his hand. "His Holiness ensured I was never troubled by anyone, and the Inquisitors kept me safe. They protected me from all kinds of attacks, direct or indirect¡ªOther than loneliness; I didn''t face any problems, Max."


    It was a relief, but Sylvester remembered the incident of the elves trying to kidnap her. "I sent a letter to him beyond the sea¡ªI needed his help to stop the Thousand Year War for one year so I could focus on the battle here. I hope you don''t mind."


    Xavia was taken aback but managed to ept the reality. "I¡­ I understand your situation, dear. You don''t have to apologize for that¡­ He''s not a bad man, and I''m well aware of that. He sent those men to get me because he worried about my safety with you gone¡­ I believe so."


    "And now the secret is out in the open," Sylvester revealed abruptly. "The Inquisitor High Lord has returned, and he found out. But I managed to make him understand that I still stand for Solis. I believe many others in the Holy Land know it too now but are too afraid to do something openly. The men father probably sent to attack you didn''t die instantly¡ªI think some of them were interrogated by Saint Scepter, and they spoke more than necessary."


    Xavia gasped in horror, her hands covering her mouth. Her wide eyes anxiously scanned the surroundings as she inched closer to Sylvester. "What will you do now?"


    "Prove that the Holy Land is lying. That''s the best bet. I''ve already started to work in that direction, but it will be hard. That''s why I have to take the throne as quickly as possible, to control the damage. Until then, I want you to remain here in this castle under Sir Dolorem''s protection." He sternly said, not as a son''s suggestion but orders as a Clergyman.


    "But¡ª"


    "No buts." Sylvester interrupted her. "I know you want to be by my side, Mum. But we can''t ignore the fact that Neil''s and our other enemies'' first target would be you. Because they know once they have you, they can influence me easily. The same goes for Sir Dolorem¡ªSo keep safe while I win this war."


    Xavia sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "It''s been six years already. If a few more months is the cost of a better life, I will abide by your words, Max. I know you''ve never been wrong¡­ I trust you."


    "Thank you." Sylvester stood up, extending his hand toward her. "Let''s go to the dining hall. But I''ll go and speak with Sir Dolorem first."


    "Then I''ll leave you to it¡­ Let''s talk again at night." Xavia released his hand and headed out of the Monastery. She wanted to remain but understood there were many more important things to do first.


    ¡­


    Sylvester made his way to the training grounds after meeting Xavia and found Sir Dolorem there. The man was instructing the kids on how to hold a sword better. There were young ones ranging from three years old to ten¡ªof course, the Crown Prince of the Hignd Kingdom, Rex, was also there.


    Sylvester grabbed a spare real sword from the weapons rack and walked onto the open ground. His face holding a big smile, he taunted Sir Dolorem cheekily. "Ah, who can spar with this small priest? All I see are children around me."


    Ting!


    Instantly, a sword was unsheathed from Sir Dolorem''s waist. The bald Knight with Eyes of Futuresight aimed his sword at Sylvester, smiling brightly. "Wee back."


    Sylvester nodded and took a fighting stance before the man, a smirk on his face. "Greetings, Sir Dolorem. I reckon you also grew stronger over the past six years. Why don''t we put that to the test?"


    Sir Dolorem''s heart raced. His expression revealed all the excitement he felt. Even though he hadmunicated with Sylvester for the past six years, it always left him with a sense of worry. But finally, seeing him face to face brought him peace.


    "Very well, I will go first." Sir Dolorem swung his de fiercely.


    sh!


    Sparks flew around them as the metal made contact. The sound spread around, terrifying the young trainees. But boys were boys, and apparently a few girls, too, watched everything from the side with excitement.


    "Sir Dolorem! Beat that, brat!" Prince Rex roared. "Who does he think he is?"


    "..."


    Sir Dolorem chuckled. "He hasn''t recognized you."


    Sylvester nced at the six-year-old, blonde-haired, naive-looking young prince¡ªa spitting image of a blend of King Hignd and Queen Trinity.


    Ting!


    They shed again, Sylvester going very easy as both of them knew he was far too strong for Sir Dolorem. He had surpassed him already, long before he was captured by the cannibals.


    "YES!" Prince Rex cheered for Sir Dolorem. "Stab that blondie¡­ Who does he think he is to challenge my awesome teacher!"


    "..."


    Sylvester felt more and more amused by his godson. However, he didn''t say anything, wanting to see his reactionter.


    Instead, Sylvester focused on seeing how far Sir Dolorem hade. The man didn''t possess a very high peak in talent, but with Eyes of Futuresight, he had the potential to be a perfect swordsman.


    Sylvester increased his speed, striking so fast that the kids on the side couldn''t see where the des were moving. Sir Dolorem also started to feel overwhelmed as he tried to counter each hit by parrying.


    sh!


    sh!


    With each strike, just in the nick of time, Sir Dolorem positioned his sword to block Sylvester''s de. However, when Sylvester began to go even faster, it became hard for the old Inquisitor Wizard-Knight. Even if Sir Dolorem could see the future and know where the strike wasing from, his body wasn''t strong enough to move at the same pace.


    "I''m amazed." Sylvester was satisfied nheless, as he had exerted the speed of a Diamond Knight, the second-highest rank among the Knights.


    Sir Dolorem felt the same, even more so, with a sense of pride. "I see it clearly now. The time hase. You''re strong enough to be what you wanted to be."


    Thud!


    Sylvester released the sword from his hand, making it seem like it had slipped by mistake. He didn''t want to belittle Sir Dolorem in front of the kids. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "YEAAAAA!" Prince Rex roared in that instant, brimming with excitement. He rushed and picked up his wooden sword and began to hit the wooden practice block. "That''s what fighting is! That''s what I''m talking about! Ha! Ha! I''ll be the greatest warrior in the world soon! All the maidens shall call me big brother, and boys shall bow! Haaaa!"


    "..."


    Sylvester cast a serious nce at Sir Dolorem. "What happened to¡­ his head?"


    Sir Dolorem''s one eye twitched, feeling embarrassed. "He¡­ He is as entric as King Hignd but as smart and gentle as the Queen. Apparently, he looks up to his idol a bit too much and wants to be even greater than him one day."


    "Who''s his idol?" Sylvester inquired.


    "You, of course¡ªHis godfather, the Son of Solis." Sir Dolorem replied, making the incident even more amusing.


    Sylvester restrained himself from bellowing inughter. "Oh, I can''t wait for dinner now."


    ¡­


    Soon, darkness took over the world outside, and the entire Royal Castle lit up with torches or Light Crystals. High-intensity, wide-range lights were also installed, ced on key points at the towers of the castle boundary¡ªit was made with the technology used by Sylvester in making the Sriumsers to kill Bloodlings.


    Inside the castle, servants scurried about in a frenzy, some working to decorate the dining table, and others secretly looking into the dining hall. The crowd mainly consisted of female servants, as most of them had never seen Sylvester before, not in his prime. He was handsome, like no man they had ever seen, and when they realized he was practically the next Pope, the allure intensified beyond measure, for a romantic entanglement with a handsome Holyman was akin to an exciting forbidden fruit.


    "Bwahaha¡­ I heard about what happened in the training field." King Hignd boomed inughter. "Let that brate with his mum. I''ll introduce him to you¡ªofficially."


    It was just Sir Dolorem, Sylvester, King Hignd, and the King''s younger brother, dius, sitting at the table, waiting for the others to arrive.


    "Let''s meet at your sr after dinner, Your Majesty." Sylvester seriously suggested, changing the topic for a little while. "With the Queen, Sir Dolorem, and Mum. And if possible, Lord Einarr of ckhart as well. I have some things to share and a few matters about the future to discuss."


    "In that case, I won''t drink anything tonight¡­ except one ss." King Hignd filled his wine ss to the brim and set the jug aside.


    Just then, the doors opened, and Queen Trinity arrived. By her side were Xavia, and Prince Rex walking between them, keeping a huge smile on his face while holding Xavia and the Queen''s hand.


    "Hehe¡­ Sir Dolorem is amazing¡­ He''s the best teacher, mu¡ª"


    Abruptly, Prince Rex stopped speaking and noticed Sylvester sitting beside Sir Dolorem at the table. He left the hands and rushed forward, pointing his finger. "W-Who¡­ Who let you sit here? Sir Dolorem defeated you!"


    BAM!


    King Hignd wasted no time before knocking his knuckle on Rex''s head. "Brat, I never taught you to act like that! Do you have any idea who this man is?"


    "This blondie?"


    BAM!


    Poor Rex gained one more swollen lump on his head from the King. "You''re a blondie too¡­ I''m a blondie too! And that blondie is Sylvester Maximilian, Lord''s Bard, Son of Solis¡ªYour godfather!"


    "..."


    "W-W-What¡­ N-no way¡­" Rex''s small legs began to shiver.


    Thud!


    Rex fell on his butt, eyes widened, and lips twitching. "W-What have I done!"


    Sylvester went along with the y, acting angrily. "Boy, for your heresy against me and the faith of Solis, I pronounce you¡­"


    "No! I''m sorry!" Rex leaped to stand and grabbed Sylvester''s hand. "Don''t emunist me¡­ My life will be ruined¡­ I will¡­"


    Sylvester made a halo appear behind his head and grabbed Rex''s cheeks in a pinch with both hands. "I pronounce you¡­ ex¡­"


    "No!" Rex nearly cried.


    Sylvester began pulling his cheeks. "Extremely cute!"


    "..."


    "Pfft¡­!" Queen Trinity couldn''t hold it anymore and softlyughed.


    Rex looked left and right, confused and shocked.


    "Bwahaha!" King Hignd bellowed.


    "I''m not emunist?" Rex cleared his tears and held Sylvester''s hand.


    "Hah¡­ No, and it''s emunicate, not emunist."


    Rex bloomed with a bright smile. "Then¡­ Will you teach me how to fight?"


    Sylvester ruffled the boy''s head. "Only if you can answer one question."


    "Yes! I prepared for this day!" Rex puffed up his chest, confidence brimming in his scent. "Ask me anything, Godfather."


    Sylvester turned serious and looked into the boy''s blue eyes. "Do you like honey?"


    "..."


    "Godfather¡­ I-Is this a trick question?"


    ____________________


    [A/N: See Prince Rex Magnus Hignd]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 532 531. An Adventurous Love Story

    Rex looked left and right at his father and mother for any clues. But he only found the same confusion as his own. What kind of question was that?


    "Honey? I¡­ I like it. It''s sweet and smooth." Rex replied. It was simply what he thought about the nectar.


    Pat!


    Sylvester patted Rex''s head and invited him to sit in the chair beside himself. "Good boy, that was the right answer. If you had said you hated honey, I might have considered it heresy."


    Xavia embarrassingly rubbed her forehead. "Oh dear, it was all my mistake. I shouldn''t have let you taste it back then."


    "I sense an interesting story." Queen Trinity spoke. "I believe this dinner will be among the most enjoyable I''ve ever had."


    Xavia chuckled and began telling everyone about the first few days after Sylvester''s birth. "Back when we lived in Deserte Vige, and I knew no better, I used to feel guilty for not being near him all the time because of work. So, I once gave him a taste of honey to make him happy¡ªnow he''s an addict."


    "At least I''m not addicted to poppy dust. Honey is good for one''s health." Sylvester defended his addiction.


    Xavia chuckled lovingly, and slowly they began their dinner. Sylvester showed Rex a few tricks to making food more tasty, bringing out some of his special spices from the Chonky Bank, who sneakily sat underneath the table to get treats.


    "See, this is what I call Honey Spice Magnum sauce¡ªtry it; you''ll never be able to eat fried chicken without it in the future." Sylvester poured some golden sauce on the excited boy''s te. It was Rex''s greatest dreame true, after all. His godfather, his idol, was teaching him things.


    Rex looked at his te with stars in his blue eyes. Wasting no time, he dipped the fried chicken leg piece in it and took a bite.


    "Woah! It''s sweet and spicy at the same time! I love this!" Rex chirped and began to stuff his mouth with more of the tasty delight.


    Sylvester chuckled and poured some more sauce and then a new one. "This one is called Peri Peri Sauce and Sprinkle. Try it."


    "Yes, sir!" Rex was excited, and even if Sylvester gave him poison, he''d try it. So he dipped some meat in the spice and took a bite.


    "Ooh¡­ Spicy but¡­ so AWESOME!" Rex boomed excitedly. "Father, try it. This is amazing. You love spicy food, don''t you?"


    "And hate it in the morning." Trinity jestingly remarked on the side.


    But King Hignd was an adventurous man and tasted the same sauce and spices. He didn''t react but kept eating more and more. He clearly loved it.


    Finally, the King looked at Sylvester sternly. "Sylvester¡­ Sell it to me! I''ll make this a globally traded spice! The world must know of this magical delicacy."


    Sylvester chuckled, "Perhaps I''ll start the business on my own. The Holy Land''s venture into the spice trade will bring profits."


    "YES!" Rex chimed in. "Godfather, can I be your Saint Scepter after you be the Pope? I''ll be loyal and take the oath¡ªI''ll¡­"


    "No." Sylvester instantly rejected him. "Your first duty is to the faith, and second duty is to the kingdom. You''re the only child of King Hignd¡ªYou must strive to be a great, respected, and resourceful king. That will be the greatest thing you can do for me."


    Rex''s expression fell, and he looked down. "But¡­ I wanted to go to the Holy Land."


    "You can still do that," Sylvester added. "I''ll personally show you around the Holy Land after the war is over. But you have to study and train diligently until then. Be a respected King, as loved by the people as your father."


    Sylvester then looked up at the royal couple. Both were delighted to see Sylvester imparting some essential lessons to Rex. It was clear that Sylvester''s words impacted the young prince''s mind more than his parents''.


    "Anyway, Your Majesties, I wanted to ask you something." Sylvester steered the topic away.


    "Ask anything." Queen Trinity said.


    "To see a husband and wife couple Grand Wizards is as rare as finding a new Srium Crystal mine. How did the two of you find each other and fall in love?" Sylvester asked, since looking at the two reminded him much of himself and Diana from a life almost forgotten.


    King Atrox and Queen Trinity weren''t only strong but also extremely good-looking. But at the same time, their characters and attitudes were far from simr to each other.


    "Bwahaha!" King Atrox roared and held his wife''s hand. "Well, the story is quite interesting. You see, Trinity and I have been lovers since we were kids. I was thirteen, and she was sixteen when we met each other for the first time¡ªboth of us were deemed the greatest talents of the kingdom back then, when my father was the ruler, and Trinity''s father was the Governor of provinces.


    "Our fathers decided that it was best we trained together in the Royal Castle with the greatest instructors. At first, we were rivals, and then friends, then eventually lovers. However, when she turned eighteen, her father called for a marriage tourney to let her choose a husband for herself."


    She nodded, remembering the events that happened more than two centuries ago. "I still vividly remember the anxiousness in my heart that day. But then, my dear Atrox here came up with a n."


    King Atrox chuckled, staring into Trinity''s eyes, clearly still as much in love with her as the day they fell for one another. "Oh, I had to. So, the tourney began, and men from all over the Hignd Kingdom came. They were all topete against each other and perform spectacr feats in an attempt to impress Trinity. It was a grand event, and in the end, there were duels.


    "I was also a participant but kept myself shrouded under heavy robes and my face covered. I easilypleted all the tasks and faced my opponents in the duels. I defeated them one after another¡ª"


    "And you won!" Rex interrupted excitedly. "You won, and Mum chose you?!"


    King Atrox chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh, no, no, my son. I was a mere fifteen-year-old boy, and my opponents at the end of the duels were hundred-year-old men of Archwizard, or Golden Knight ranks. I lost against one of them, and atst, the decision fell upon Trinity to choose."


    Queen Trinity scoffed at that moment. "My father wanted me to select the winner of the duels, a one hundred and fifty-year-old Archwizard, son of some wealthy trader."


    "And?" Sylvester inquired, knowing the twist wasing.


    She smirked. "I chose the fifteen-year-old, heavily robbed boy with his face covered. After all, the choice was up to me." <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "Oh, the drama that unfolded after that." King Atrox barked. "Her father was furious, fully aware that the tournament was rigged. He nullified the marriage tourney and sent all the annoyed guests away, then dragged us to the Royal Pce to face my father''s reprimand."


    "Wait!" Sylvester interrupted him. "You were the Prince. Any father would haveid the red carpet for you to marry their daughter. What made your parents deny the union between the two most talented people of the kingdom?"


    King Atrox sighed. "Superstitions¡ªOur fathers were told by some dumbass, pardon mynguage, Cardinal¡ªthat I can only marry a woman younger than me, and she can only marry a man older than her."


    Sylvester scowled but understood the anger of the King. "I hope that Cardinal is dead now."


    "He died in an ''ident''." King Atrox replied and continued. "Our fathers then decided to lock us away in the castles until I was married off to someone after I turned eighteen."


    "Let me guess. You ran away?" Sylvester guessed.


    "Haha! And much more." King Hignd relished the story tremendously. "I escaped the Royal Castle and then helped Trinity flee from her family castle. Then we ran away and lived in hiding for two years, always on the run¡ªit was the best time of our lives. We fought vile monsters, Bloodlings, corrupt holy men, pirates, thieves, and anything that could help us grow.


    "Once I turned eighteen, we decided it was time to return home¡ªas husband and wife. However, the marriage couldn''t be officiated without a royal seal, so we hatched a n. Since we were much stronger, Trinity and I abducted over a dozen lords from all over Hignd and openly threatened to kill them if our marriage wasn''t officiated.


    "We killed a few corrupt ones to scare them, and in no time, our fathers signed the decree and officiated our marriage. With that, we released the prisoners."


    Trinity affectionately held her husband''s hand tighter. "But we didn''t foresee the consequences that followed our actions. Years passed, and the entire nobility of Hignd protested and demanded money aspensation for the mess we created. In truth, they wanted money because of theirckluster harvest and low tax collections."


    Sir Dolorem nodded, "I vaguely recall the incident. It must have been tough to resolve."


    "Not at all." King Hignd replied. "My father and Trinity''s father came up with a great idea, and decided to abolish most hereditary nobility, and changed the system to merit-based administration. The nobles who stood with us retained theirnds and titles. Those who went against it were eradicatedpletely."


    Sylvester sighed as the atmosphere of the story suddenly grew intense. He was honestly too engrossed in their love story as it reminded him of his time with Diana.


    "But then word about the curse spread," Trinity added, her eyes looking down sorrowfully. "Years passed, and yet Atrox and I couldn''t conceive a child. Eventually, the warnings of that Cardinal came to haunt us. Our fathers med us until their dying breath¡ªwe thought we had ruined our bloodlines by not heeding their words."


    Thud!


    King Hignd suddenly mmed his hand on the table and stood up. The Queen also rose to her feet beside him. Both kept their hands locked.


    "Sylvester¡­ No, Lord Bard." King Atrox Hignd spoke, the scent of worship, respect, hope, and love emanating from him. "Our lives were miserable. The walls of this castle felt gloomy and dark no matter how many bright curtains and lights we added. Our hearts felt cold even when the sun scorched thends¡ªWe saw our lives going to ruins and dying future ns."


    "But then, you came into our lives." Queen Trinity spoke lovingly like a mother, but full of worship and all the positive emotions one could imagine. "Because of you, the curse was broken¡ªto a new delightful era, our Kingdom was awoken."


    "Your Holiness."


    The King and Queen of Hignd bowed their heads in reverence and respect as they spoke in unison.


    "For blessing us with a chance to experience parenthood, we are forever indebted. For giving us this new life, we are forever indebted."


    Sylvester stood up, epting their gratitude with a somewhat heavy heart. ''For such life, I wasn''t fated. I''m d that for these two, such blessings could be created.''


    "No need to feel indebted, Your Majesty." Sylvester used light magic from his palm to make them feel warmth and raise their heads. "Let''s rejoice together that we could ovee the tragedy."


    No words were needed to dere the end of the dinner. So, Sylvester decided to begin a serious meeting regarding the war and mysteries of the Church.


    "I believe we should head to your sr, Your Majesty,"


    "Indeed." King Hignd looked at Rex. "Go to your room and rest."


    "But! I wanna talk seriously too."


    Sylvester patted the boy''s shoulder. "Rex, there are things that can get you killed just for knowing them. Unless you''re strong enough to protect yourself and the kingdom, don''t involve yourself in anything serious¡ªlike today."


    Heeding his idol''s words, Rex dejectedly nodded. "Understood, Godfather."


    "Let''s go." King Hignd led the way.


    Knock! Knock!


    However, a Royal Knight appeared right as they left the dining hall. "Your Majesty! Lord Einarr of ckhart has arrived."


    King Hignd looked at Sylvester for a response.


    "Let him join us¡ªI have a surprise for him."


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 533 532. Boon Of Blood

    Quickly, everyone gathered in King Hignd''s sr. Along with newly arrived Einarr, Healer Hendrix and his elven wife ine also joined since their fates were connected to Sylvester''s victory.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us." Lord Einarr entered the King''s sr and saluted Sylvester. "I can see the days ahead are much brighter with your return, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester nodded and gave the man a brotherly hug. "I have something for you, Lord Einarr. A certain princess gave it to me."


    Sylvester took out a locket from his pocket and dangled it before the time-stopping Grand Wizard. "She is safe and will return home soon."


    Lord Einarr quickly took the locket and looked at it intently. He recognized it easily, one belonging to Princess Zylena. He nearly teared up if not for the hardened heart he had forged after years of misery. "This¡­ How did she survive all these years? Is she healthy?"


    "By the will of Solis, we found each other when captured by Desert Cannibals. Since then, I have trained her in various abilities, and she has grown into a fine, strong girl. Don''t worry, Lord Einarr, the future of ckhart Kingdom is in safe hands. But, I would rather keep her under my protection until the end of this Holy war." Sylvester replied, showing as much concern in his words as possible.


    There was no reason for Lord Einarr to go against Sylvester. The man stood there with his head held high because of Lord Bard. If anything, he trusted Sylvester blindly.


    "Understood, Lord Bard. It''s for the better. But may I know why I was called? You said it was urgent, and I did my best to arrive as early as possible." Lord Einarr asked, a little out of breath.


    Sylvester nodded and looked around. He quickly went over to the doors and windows around the room and ced small Elder Runes on them that no one understood. It was to ensure the words within that room didn''t reach any prying ears.


    "In this room, you are all among those I trust the most. So I will reveal to you a few of my doubts and facts that I havee across throughout my travels. First of all, we have been betrayed in the Holy Land, not by Niel Grey, but rather by Saint Scepter¡ª He is responsible for most of the madness spreading throughout thends right now." Sylvester divulged, dropping the name of the man.


    At that moment, all the people in the room looked left and right, wide-eyed as they suddenly recalled Saint Scepter, as if a lock was opened and their heads were flooded with memories.


    "I know¡ªSaint Scepter has some strange ability that makes it hard to perceive him unless his name is spoken or he''s standing before you. He even fooled the Inquisitor High Lord and the others with this." Sylvester briefed them, trying to be as quick as possible.


    "Then, you''re saying that our enemy is the second most powerful man in the realm?" King Hignd asked.


    "The first most powerful," Sylvester blurted out the contrary. "My friend, Gabriel, studied in the Holy Land for the past few years and found a strange urrence¡ªthe names of the Popes and Saint Scepters were tampered with¡­"


    Sylvester revealed the mystery of tampered names to them. He didn''t tell them who they were or that they came from a different world, but he did warn them that the entire recorded or known history of the Holy Land might be wed or, worse, purposefully created in such a way for an unknown ulterior motive.


    "So we are not merely dealing with Saint Scepter, but perhaps a millennia-long conspiracy with an unknown goal," Sylvester revealed, casting a dark look on everyone''s face. "We''re fighting a ghost at this point, so I hope that all of you can change your outlook on this war. This isn''t just about me bing the Pope and taking back the Holy Land¡ªthis is about ending this hidden devil that''s guiding our reality."


    Sir Dolorem knew there was something wrong with Saint Scepter, but what Sylvester said made it a lot worse. "How do you n on dealing with him, Lord Bard?"


    "We can''t¡ªnot yet. Saint Scepter is likely a Supreme Wizard; at best, I have fifteen Grand Wizards in total. We would all die going against him, but I do have a trump card sitting in the North, beyond the cold mountains, but I don''t know if he will ever return¡­ Furthermore, we have something else to worry about that goes beyond just this conspiracy and Saint Scepter."


    Faces fell at that revtion. What could be worse than learning their faith was manipted by some evil men throughout history?


    "I met the First Pope." Sylvester resumed, shocking everyone further. "It happened when I reached the hidden temple in the Divine Desert. He didn''t die, but ascended to another realm. However, his death urred because of the Orb of Purity¡ªwhich he believes was ced by some unknown entity. His body died while sheltering the orb to end its effects on the surroundingnds¡ªin doing so, he ascended.


    "He enlightened me to the existence of a world beyond the past five thousand years¡ªthere used to be other faiths spanning tens of thousands of years. But the strange thing is, I met an elf, and he revealed to me that all their elders had mysteriously died four thousand years ago¡ªall these elders were beings who knew about the world before the establishment of the Faith of Solis."


    When Sylvester revealed so much, there were bound to be doubts about the Faith itself. Everyone''s minds struggled to make sense of everything Sylvester was saying.


    "Then, is the faith even real?" Queen Trinity asked.


    "Yes, Solis is real¡ªI met him when he saved me from the cannibals. He ordered me and showed me the path and my destiny¡ªI want all of you to know that we stand on the right side of history. The entire realm shall flourish as long as we win, including those beyond the sea." Sylvester concluded, at least bringing their doubts to an end. However, not all questions could be answered, as Sylvester himself remained unaware.


    "That''s a lot to digest." Lord Einarr said. "What you said makes sense if we think about it deeply, but at the same time, it makes me feel afraid. We have no idea what we''re up against¡ªording to you; we''re facing creatures beyond our level of understanding."


    "That is why we must give our best and unite." Sylvester tried to motivate them. "I believe I was born for a reason, and so were you¡ª we are all destined for a fate that was written even before our birth. So all we can do is stay true to ourselves and continue to live righteously, fight for what is right."


    King Hignd settled into his chair and rubbed his face. "I want to leave a world free of this madness for my son."


    Healer Hendrix clenched his fist, and his long, white beard fluttered. "I always had a feeling there was something uncanny about the Holy Land. Now I know why¡­ Lord Bard, you have my support. If you do this, we do it all the way."


    Sylvester gave a nod of appreciation. "Thank you. I believe we all have much thinking to do tonight, so let''s meet again in the morning. If you have any ideas, I will be delighted to hear them."


    "Let''s end this meeting then." King Hignd rose. "I will discuss it with Trinity."


    Sylvester expressed his gratitude. "Mum and Sir Dolorem, you two should rest too. I have something to discuss with Lady ine for now."


    "You can use my sr for it." King Hignd said and left with his wife. Following that, Lord Einarr followed suit. In the end, Sir Dolorem and Xavia took their leave. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    However, Healer Hendrix didn''t go as ine was his wife, and he was always worried for her due to her elven heritage.


    "What do you want from her?" Healer Hendrix asked.


    Sylvester chuckled a bit. "Calm down, Hendrix. I''m no wife-snatcher."


    "Like you can ever do that." Hendrix scoffed and folded his arms. "I will not leave this room. Talk about whatever you want right in front of me."


    Sylvester knew Hendrix wasn''t at all worried about him wooing her. The man just loved his wife deeply and worried for her safety a little too much. Furthermore, considering Sylvester had only met her once before, it made no sense why they''d talk alone.


    "Fine." Sylvester began. "Lady ine and little Daline''s lives are connected to mine. If I fall, we all shall fall."


    Hendrix nodded. It was a sad reality.


    Sylvester walked closer to her and spoke in broken elvennguage instead. "What did you mean by the words you told Sir Dolorem? Why did you say you pity me because of my eyes?"


    ine replied in Elven tongue as well. "Because I thought about it for years. The first time we met, I was instantly attracted to you, but it wasn''t a sexual or physical attraction¡ªit was as if my soul told me to be close to you. I felt safe near you. I had never felt such a feeling from any other elf in my life.


    "I tried to think, and eventually, I remembered the old tales from Alfia, which our elders used to tell us when we were young. These were stories of a princess born with golden eyes who grew to be stronger than any could imagine¡ªbut the same golden eyes were coveted by an evil devil, and she perished fighting against it. The story has variations, where the protagonist sometimes bes a prince, a King, or a Queen, but in the end, they all die¡ªthey all had golden eyes.


    "It''s an old saying among the elves¡ª''Your eyes, I pity you''¡ªwe say it whenever we wish to warn someone about a risk to their life. It''s used so often that the meaning is lost¡ªbut when youbine it with golden eyes and elven blood¡ªit bes a frightening tale."


    Sylvester''s brows rose as he took in the information. "Could this story be about Remira?"


    "Mother Goddess?" ine eximed. "Why do you think that?"


    "Will it be too much if I say she spoke to me? Called me her rebirth?" Sylvester asked her.


    Thud!


    ine suddenly stumbled back and collided with Hendrix''s chest. "T-Then¡­ It would all make sense! Your strength, your eyes, your songs, and¡­ the attraction I felt¡­ Yes!"


    Sylvester smelled the emotions of both. He felt extreme worship from ine and confusion from Hendrix, but there was no hostility.


    "ine, can you teach me elven magic?"


    "Yes! I would be honored to, Your Holiness!" She blurted back, almost fanatically.


    "No, she won''t." Suddenly, Hendrix interrupted and quickly ced his hand on ine''s mouth before she could protest. "I won''t allow her to teach you until you tell us who your father is¡ªfor all we know, it could be an enemy faction of the elves, one desperate to kill ine''s tribe."


    Sylvester gazed at ine''s face to see what her emotional reaction was going to be. He didn''t fear the two. If anything were to happen, there were ways to deal with them, though he desperately hoped it never came to that since he was fond of them.


    "My father is King Rathagun Xeek Eldaron." He revealed without any suspense.


    Thud!


    ine fell to her knees, her eyes reddened, and teary. The scentsing from her went beyond religious fanaticism.


    "O'' my Holy Mother! I pay respects!"


    "..."


    _______________


    [A/N: My dear readers and apes, a new month starts, perhaps the most important one for this book.


    I will be sticking to a Two Chapter Schedule for the month, and the Privilege Prices have been reduced by more than 50% + Chapter discounts.


    I hope this new month can be a great one for all of us and we can break some small-small records.]

 Chapter 534 533. Game Of Minds

    Hendrix just blinked his eyes with sheer confusion and shock. "How? When?"


    But ine was ecstatic. "Royal Blood! They are closest to the bloodline of the Goddess¡­ Everything is connected¡­.!"


    "When did Mother Xavia go there? And isn''t the Elven king married? It makes no sense." Hendrix questioned, still not believing it.


    "No!" ine interjected. "Dear, it makes perfect sense! His Holiness was born to inherit the will of the Mother Goddess."


    Sylvester didn''t borate more on his background or how Xavia conceived him. But he watched as ine disyed even more fanaticism than he expected. However, he understood that this was a rare case and that the other elves would never believe that he was their God or the reincarnation of Remira.


    In truth, the faith of the elves was even more tightly woven than the faith of Solis. After all, humans were epting of all species as long as they believed in Solis. Meanwhile, the elves only epted elves within theirmunity and faith.


    There was no way a radical paradigm shift could be brought to thatmunity. And Sylvester had no such expectations.


    "That is what you feel about me, Lady ine. I''m merely a simple man possessing some degree of power. As for golden eyes, they aren''t that rare. I know two kids who have them." Sylvester told her. "For now, all I wish to do is prepare ourselves for whatever conspiracy that is going on. That includes getting stronger, and if elven magic can help, I want to learn it from you."


    ine lowered her head with respect. "If that is what you desire, then that is the duty fate has ced upon me. I would be honored to be able to help you master Elven Magic."


    "Then let''s start it right away." Sylvester prepared. "I don''t have much time, Lady ine. I''ll be returning to Sandwall County tomorrow, as it is my new base. I have to prepare for the war."


    Hendrix sighed and sat down a distance away. "It''s not that hard if you have already acquired Elder Magic. You know how to master ancient magic, which no one can. You know how to manipte the Srium, which none other do."


    Sylvester nced back at Hendrix. "It seems like you did plenty of research in Elder Magic."


    "Once you be a Grand Wizard, you know you have plenty of time to pursue different things. Otherwise, insanity creeps in," Hendrix replied, not borating further. But a hint of jealousy was evident.


    Sylvester, no matter what, wasn''t going to spread Elder Magic around anytime soon. It was too overpowered, and if it were to fall into the wrong hands, it could bring about the world''s destruction.


    "Then, what''s the fundamental concept of Elven Magic? How is it different from normal magic? And what are the basics of mastering it?" Sylvester asked ine and Hendrix.


    "First of all, you have to be an elf," ine replied. "There is no Elven Magic if you don''t have the blood. Because our magic is tied to it."


    At that, Hendrix spoke as he knew of the more intricate details. "Lord Bard, elves have evolved with nature around them and even worship it. Despite their source of magic being Srium, whiches from the Sun, their special magic is connected to the trees, the nts, and nature."


    "So it''s like Green Magic?" Sylvester asked. "Don''t the Holy men despise those with Green Magic?"


    "Despise my old beard!" Hendrix cursed. "They are fools¡ªthere is no corrtion between elves and Green Magic. Only the most pathetic of the Holy men hold that view, which happens to be most of them."


    Sylvester''s brows twitched, but he refrained from saying anything. He hadn''t forgotten the tale of the Pope who lifted a mountain and died to protect the innocents¡ªonly for his name to be forgotten because he possessed Green Magic.


    "Then how is it different?"


    Hendrix smiled. "It''s the same as when you used Srium Crystals, Lord Bard. What is nature around us? What is this entire? It''s a giant Srium Crystal."


    "Then¡­ Wait¡­" Sylvester stammered and stepped back to his chair, his mind filled with various thoughts. "You are telling me that elves can squeeze out Srium from the very nature around us?"


    "nts mostly." ine blurted as if it was the mostmon thing. "But it''s also our curse. You see, the reason elves live for so long is that our ancestors absorbed too much Srium, and slowly as we evolved from generation to generation, our lifespan only increased. However, absorbing too much Srium also disrupted the equilibrium within our bodies. Eventually, making it extremely hard to procreate. On average, an elven male and female can produce one offspring every five hundred years."


    Sylvester nodded his head, understanding the concept behind it. "But¡­ I''ve been feeling the Srium in my surroundings since I was young."


    "..."


    "..."


    ine and Hendrix had simr faces. Then, they nced at each other and nodded, reaching a mutual understanding.


    "If that''s the case, then it would make sense how you were able to be so strong so fast," Hendrix said. "It''s not normal to see a twenty-five-year-old Grand Wizard. You have to understand, Lord Bard, that no matter how talented you are, there is a physical limit to how many mutations your body can handle at a time. Ranking up is a slow process where your veins grow bigger, Srium reserves increase, and your body''s overall structure strengthens, from bones to muscles. The fact that you did it means you either suffered too much, or there''s a secret."


    "Both, I''d say," Sylvester replied. "This may answer why I''m so strong, but the abilities I learn depend on my intellect as well."


    "I never called you dumb, Lord Bard," Hendrix interjected.


    "..."


    "I never said you did¡­" Sylvester focused back on ine. "How do I master it? I can feel it, but I can''t absorb it on my own."


    ine thought about it. "The way we learn it is slow and takes years. We simply be aware of it slowly and start mastering it through official training after that. However, for you, the key to mastery is through practice draining Srium from a nt."


    Sylvester nodded and walked over to a nt set by the window. "So¡­ If I can drain the Srium in it, I''m using Elven Magic?"


    Sylvester closed his eyes and tried to sense the presence of srium within the room. It was a simple part of his Elder Magic, so he easily saw the flow of Srium in the nt''s body. It was stagnant at the moment since there was no sunlight.


    "I should take it¡­" Sylvester ced his palm near it.


    "You don''t need to do such things, Your Holiness," ine interjected. "It should be a passive ability."


    Sylvester nodded and lowered his hand. ''How can I take the Srium distantly like that? Wait, how does my body absorb it from the sun? Pores? Photosynthesis?''


    He tried to feel the same sensation as he did when sunbathing or eating a Srium Crystal. It was a sensation that one could easily overlook because it was a daily part of one''s life.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "Take the Srium¡­"


    Sylvester furrowed his brows and concentrated. He didn''t raise his hands, but his face constantly scowled as he made the effort.


    Soon, ten minutes passed.


    "Nothing¡­ I don''t understand how to initiate it. Should I perhaps eat the nt?" Sylvester wondered vocally. "But then, it won''t be a passive thing."


    "It''s not easy, Your Holiness," ine said. "It takes decades for us Elves to acquire such knowledge. But as long as you practice, I''m sure you will understand it."


    Sylvester sighed and decided to call it a day. "Thank you, I will keep that in mind and continue practicing it. I''m sorry I kept you from resting. Let''s meet again in the morning."


    "Finally!" Hendrix instantly stood up and pulled ine along. "Good night."


    Sylvester also exited the room and made his way toward Xavia''s chambers. He wanted to spend more time with her before leaving.


    However, when Sylvester arrived outside the room, he found a certain blond-haired boy drowsily standing in ce, clutching a pillow and nket.


    Sylvester nced at the sky from arge window. "It''s past midnight, Rex. Why are you still awake?"


    "Godfather?!" Rex''s drowsiness disappeared in an instant, and he chirped. "I wanted to hear stories from you. I''ve heard about so many of your adventures and the songs¡­ Please¡­ tell me some takes."


    Sylvester chuckled. A kid was a kid, after all. So what if he was a prince, his heart was still young and naive.


    "Hmm¡­ Perhaps the story of a little boy and his lion friend will excite you." Sylvester muttered.


    "Lion? But that''s so ordinary."


    "The lion was magical and had wings," Sylvester added.


    "Yes, Sir!" Rex eximed, brimming with excitement. "I wanna hear that."


    "Come right in then. I''m sure my Mum won''t mind." Sylvester invited him in.


    He was supposed to be the boy''s godfather and teach him things. Why not start that very night, he reckoned.


    ¡­


    Holy Land


    Sanctum Council Chambers


    Nights had be sleepless, and days had be restless. Niel Grey, the First Guardian of Light and the self-proimed Pope of faith found himself cornered by Sylvester''s strange methods of swaying the people.


    "How is he making those parchments?" Niel questioned the room coldly. Before him sat the Sanctum Council, consisting of the same members as the ones before. "If this continues, the pilgrimage shall be made to Sandwall County, not here¡ªthe true Holy Land."


    "Saint Sylvester is popr and loved by the people." Saint Wazir voiced. "He spent all his life helping them."


    Niel looked furious at those words. "Don''t! I ordered you not to address him as Saint."


    "But he is." Saint Seer, the spymaster, spoke. "It''s a fact that Saint Sylvester defeated the Mountain Barbarians, united the Sorrow Kingdom, and cured the gue before it killed millions. He may be your enemy, Pope Niel, but he still remains a man of the clergy."


    Niel gnashed his teeth and looked at his newly appointed General of all Armies. "Sir Maxim, you may belong to Gracia, but you are a ve due to your heathen actions¡ªyou are bound to carry out my orders."


    Sir Maxim, a Grand Wizard from Gracia, who once opposed Sylvester and was defeated by Bloodrain, softly nodded his head, avoiding eye contact with themanding voice. "Your order is my duty."


    Niel folded his arms and looked at the map of Gracia on the table. "I need you to go out with a garrison of the Holy Army. Go to every single vige, town, or city that lies along the Green Road, all the way to Pitfall Town."


    The other Sanctum members straightened their backs, curious about what the so-called Pope had in mind.


    "To do what?" Saint Wazir questioned.


    "Sylvester Maximilian wants to lure me out of the Holy Land¡ªbut what if he''s forced toe out instead? Sir Maxim, I want you to go and massacre half of the poption of each ce I mentioned¡ªleave the other half to tell the tale. Let the word spread; what happens if they dare defy me¡ªtheir Pope¡ªtheir only faith!"


    rmed, Saint Wazir couldn''t bear it any longer. "Your Holiness¡­ That will grievously weaken humanity''s strength! We need people! Faith exists because of their belief in us."


    Niel ignored him and strode toward the door. "They breed like filthy rabbits; no harm if a few die. Sir Maxim, I want this done this instant."


    "Understood." Sir Maxim stood up. "It will be done, Your Holiness."


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us." Niel still had the audacity to say it.


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 535 534. A Veteran At Work

    Sylvester did not need to sleep anymore, at least not for a month. He spent his time training in Elven Magic in his room while Miraj snored beside him, half on hisp and half on the bed. Sadly, without seeing any progress, the sun appeared outside the window and bathed the room with warmth.


    "Mwah." Miraj yawned big and looked around with his sleepy eyes. "That was the best sleep. I''ll go and wake up big mum now."


    Miraj being the free spirit, wasted no time and flew out of the window to go to the adjacent room. That left the young Prince Rex with Sylvester. The boy had refused to go to his room the previous night and only fell asleep after listening to ten stories from Sylvester. Regrettably, Sylvester knew he couldn''t tell him all his adventures since they were too gruesome, so he copied and pasted some stories from hisst world. After all, every kid loves dwarves, princesses, a prince in the desert, and a ghost who fulfills all wishes.


    He sighed and walked over to the window to look around. Since Sand City was situated on a hill and the castle was at the top, with his room in a tower, he could look far into the distance. He saw the bustling city streets, the waterways, and the farnds outside.


    "Hmm¡­ Last time the farnds weren''t this thriving and big." Sylvester noted, realizing his suggestions to King Hignd about fertilizers, drip farming, and more had worked wonders. The Kingdom was now not only self-sufficient to a degree but also exported goods. However, life for farmers in the ind still remainedborious.


    Knock! Knock!


    "Your Holiness, It''s me, Queen Trinity. Is Rex with you?"


    Sylvester moved his finger slightly and easily opened the door''s metal hinges. "Good morning, Your Majesty. He came to hear stories and refused to return."


    Queen Trinity entered and looked at her son happily sleeping, hugging the life out of the pillow and drooling on it. "Forgive him. He''s too excited to¡ª"


    "It''s alright. I don''t require sleep in any case. By the way, may I know what you grow in your fields these days?" He asked instead, weing the Queen to stand beside him near the window to look.


    She was still in her modest nightgown but looked like a regal and graceful queen. She watched and described everything to Sylvester. "Initially, we only grew wheat and rice. But now we also grow corn, potatoes, sugarcane, and various fruits. Atrox came up with the idea a few years back to allow farmers to get loans if they wished to start any new farming ventures. Many didn''t seed, but a few who did, created a new farming environment."


    "What happened to those who didn''t seed?" Sylvester inquired.


    "They were forgiven but barred from taking any more loans unless they repaid the previous loan. However, they can still work normally. But we don''t give such loans anymore. It was just a three-year n to increase agricultural yield." She exined, a bit proudly.


    Sylvester also agreed. Atrox was one fine king. Despite being so easygoing and funny, the man had a good head on his shoulders. With might, he also had a sharp mind, all while maintaining apassionate heart.


    "I see a lot of children ying in the farm fields," he remarked.


    "They are the children of farm workers. Since leaving them at home could be problematic, they bring them along. Sometimes to be taught how to farm." Queen Trinity answered. "Sadly, there are too many children for us to consider taking care of them. Furthermore, the poor parents are often unwilling to send their children to schools, even if it is made free."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and thought about it. "If we don''t educate these young minds, the future will never bloom. Perhaps when I take the throne, I can do something about this. Educate them not only in matters of life, science, and economy¡ªbut also Solis."


    "If you do it, I''m sure it will be much easier. People trust you more than their kings and lords," she said. "And yes, I meant ''you'' not the faith."


    "Me? I don''t remember walking down the streets of Sand City that often. I''d understand if it was Fort Sunflower or Green City, but here?" Sylvester asked, struggling to understand how that could happen. He knew his propaganda was good, but it shouldn''t bring this kind of result so quickly.


    "Hah." Queen Trinity gracefully chuckled. "Atrox is extremely honorable. After you helped him revolutionize agriculture, he never forgot to attribute it all to you. Over time, as more of your stories spread and Bards became amon sight here¡ªtheir adoration for ''Saint Sylvester'' only increased."


    ''It seems like I owe King Hignd big time.'' Sylvester silently smiled. Thankful that the man was doing that much without coercion or maniption. He showed kindness, and it was reciprocated in kind.


    "All the more reason for me to help these peopleter. But now I shall take my leave, Your Majesty. I only have five months to take the Holy Land back¡­ or else I''m afraid destruction of unimaginable proportions will be witnessed by us all, and we won''t be able to do anything about it."


    The Queen nodded and went to pick Rex up. "Breakfast will be ready shortly. Please eat before heading back, Your Holiness."


    Sylvester looked at the sky onest time, seeing the sun and estimating the time. "I think I will."


    ¡­


    Soon, morning breakfast was served in the same dining hall as before. Sylvester sat beside Xavia and Sir Dolorem as he was leaving the two behind for their safety. He wanted to have a moment with them as he had no idea when he''d be back again.


    "Sir Dolorem, you can sheathe your sword after all this is over. Perhaps settle down with ady. You''re not that bad looking, you know." Sylvester casually said.


    The bald, faithful knight choked on his food. "What do you mean ''not that bad''? Do I look bad?"


    Sylvesterughed. "Haha¡­ I thought you didn''t care about looks."


    "Max, don''t annoy Sir Dolorem." Xavia interrupted him. "He has helped us a lot for so many years."


    "My daughter still fancies Sir Dolorem since he saved her." Suddenly Lord Einarr of ckhart interjected. "She sent you letters, but you never replied."


    "..."


    Sylvester stared at the knight on his side. "That''s not very¡­ gentlemanly of you, Sir Dolorem. At least give her an answer. Alright, I''ll write it for you then."


    "No¡­" Sir Dolorem almost jumped from his seat. "Lord Bard, I''mpletely devoted to serving the faith. I can''t think about my future until my duty is over, which will only happen when I take myst breath."


    Bam!


    King Hignd smacked the table. "That''s what I call a real man! See, Rex. You should be like him." <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Rex''s eyes lightened up. "Yes! I''ll quickly join the Church, Father!"


    "..."


    King Hignd realized his mistake. "No, I mean you should be a man like him¡­ forget about the Church. This Kingdom can''t afford to let you lead a life of chastity."


    "What''s chastity?'' Rex curiously inquired, his head tilted like a puppy.


    "Cough!" King Hignd looked left and right. "I¡­ I¡­ Sir Dolorem will answer that."


    "Only Healer Hendrix can answer that." Sir Dolorem pointed at the man. "He has to know such fine details."


    Healer Hendrix threw the blessed bard under the carriage in return. "His Holiness is the wisest here, so just ask him about virginity."


    Sylvester red at the two men for a few seconds before speaking. "You see¡­ chastity is when¡­ when a woman and a man make a baby; they are no longer chaste, or a virgin. So, a Clergyman can''t make babies, which means he''s to stay a virgin. In your case, if you stay a virgin, your bloodline and the Kingdom will end."


    Rex nodded his head sternly. "Hmm¡­ then are you a virgin, Godfather?"


    "Pfft¡­" King Hignd tried to hold hisughter. "Son, he''s not just the greatest virgin¡ªbut will soon be the god-emperor of all virgins."


    "Hah¡­" Lord Einarr controlled himself with a snort and quickly began praying. "May the Holy Light enlighten us¡­ O'' Solis, I have sinned¡­"


    Sylvester finished his food as quickly as possible and steered the discussion away. "What are your decisions afterst night?"


    "What''s there to decide? We''re standing with you." Queen Trinity responded, busying Rex by putting more food on his te. "Whoever it is, we shall fight to the end because losing means letting ourselves be enved by the hidden forces."


    "I agree with Her Majesty." Lord Einarr added. "ckhart Kingdom exists today because of you. To betray you would be the greatest sin in my eyes."


    "Then be prepared in case I need your individual help." Sylvester firmly stated. "I don''t need your armies as much as I need powerful friends¡­"


    Pat! Pat!


    Just as Sylvester was speaking, an undead bird flew into the castle andnded on Sylvester''s te, ruining the soup. But no one dared to harm it as they knew who it belonged to.


    Sylvester hastily untied the paper from the bird''s foot and read it. It took him only a minute to react, and he stood up, prepared to leave. "Everyone, I must return to Sandwall County."


    "What happened?" King Hignd inquired.


    Sylvester looked around. "Word from the Holy Land. False Pope Niel has decided to massacre half the poption in each vige, town, or city on the Green Road until Pitfall town¡ªto lure me out."


    Thud!


    King Hignd swiftly stood up, "I shall prepare my armor and sword. We can''t allow such heresy by the Holy Land. It will tarnish the name of the faith for eternity."


    "No need." Sylvester waved his hand. "I''ve studied Niel for years through various means¡ª"


    "But¡­ we must save the people." Lord Einarr interrupted. "Faith exists because of the people. I''lle with you."


    Sylvester burned the message away and ced the chair back under the table to leave. "If he wants tomit heresy, let him do it."


    "What?!" Sir Dolorem rose.


    "It''s a farce!" Sylvester rified quickly. "Niel has spent decades micromanaging his schemes, taking over Void Keepers, Holy Army, and the Council of Thirty-two. He created enough political leeway for himself that even Pope Axel could do nothing. He''s not stupid enough to ruin his only chance for Popehood like that. He knows I have people there who inform me of his every move. He wants to lure me out with this¡­ and kill me."


    The silence broke in the room, and everyone took their seats again, finally realizing what game they were ying. They would have been lured into a trap if not for Sylvester. They took their enemy too lightly.


    "Then¡­ what do you n on doing, Your Holiness?" Queen Trinity inquired.


    Sylvester smirked. "Well, he wants a massacre, so we''ll give it to him, all credited to his proud name. But first, I need something from both your kingdoms."


    "Anything you need." Lord Einarr and King Hignd instantly agreed. "Take whatever you want."


    Sylvester graciously epted their offer.


    "I need all your imprisoned criminals awaiting execution."


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 536 535. A Letter From Distant Lands

    "I''ll see youter, Mum. This time once the whole ordeal is over, we will finally have longsting peace." Sylvester hugged Xavia onest time before heading back to Sandwall County. "And don''t cry¡­ it''ll be hard to leave."


    Xavia nodded her head and hugged him back. "Be safe, Max. You''re too careless sometimes. Aurora has told me many times about your almost failed adventures."


    Atst, Xavia felt Miraj hug her, too, so she whispered to him. "Thank you, Lord Chonky. Please keep Max safe."


    "Maxy is my duty, don''t worry, Big Mum." Miraj chirped and jumped back to sit on Sylvester''s shoulder.


    With that, Sylvester shared a nce with Sir Dolorem, acknowledging the unspoken understanding between them.


    "Please send the prisoners immediately. I''m sure Niel will enact his schemes faster this time since he knows I know everything." Sylvester bid everyone farewell. "Rex, be good and train diligently if you wish for me to train you one day."


    Rex raised his fist up. "You got it, Godfather! I''ll be very strong very quickly."


    Finally, Sylvester began making his way into the air, walking as if in a park. He climbed higher and touched the clouds. Then he started his fast sprint towards River City, where King Kaecilius now ruled. There were a few things the man needed to be warned about before he officially left.


    Thankfully, although not as fast as flying, it only took Sylvester two hours to arrive at River City. He descended onto the rooftop terrace and walked down without any hindrance since the soldiers easily recognized him.


    "Where is King Kaecilius?" he questioned a random servant.


    "H-He''s in his sr¡­"


    Sylvester nodded and hastily made his way into the King''s private tower. He arrived at the top floor, where therge circr room upied the space as the King''s working room. It provided a beautiful view of the surroundings.


    Knock!


    Sylvester entered without receiving any acknowledgment. "How is everything going, Kaecilius?"


    The burly man immediately stood up. "May the Holy Light enlighten us, Your Holiness. The administration of the city has been swift, and all the dissenting lords anddies are being listed out. Soon, we will go after them. The fealty ceremony is to take ce in six days."


    "That''s good. Remember, Kaecilius, they may appear pleasant and weing on the surface, but deep down, they harbor discontent. They will try their best to find an opportunity to get rid of you or harm your interest, because you''re not born into wealth through generations." Sylvester warned the man. "Keep your family and children safe, and wee to the vile world of nobility. There are no friends, only personal interests."


    Kaecilius looked into Sylvester''s eyes and questioned back. "What about you, Your Holiness?"


    "For me as well, I have personal interests with you. As long as you remain a just king who supports humanity''s advancement on all fronts¡ªbe it health, food, education, or social hierarchy, we are friends. If you turn into Conrad or his father, then I will have a problem with you and will make it my life''s goal to remove you," Sylvester honestly and quite brutally gave Kaecilius a reality check.


    The burley ex-ve nodded. "Are you threatening me, Your Holiness?"


    Sylvester feared nothing. "Yes¡ªConsider this a warning. I won''t mince my words; I''ll be clear with you. I''m your friend only as long as you''re not an enemy of the faith and society. Don''t let greed and wealth corrupt you; do not disappoint me."


    Sylvester''s unfiltered words set rm bells ringing in Kaecilius'' head. The realization he came to was necessary, and he rejoiced that it came on time. Indeed, Sylvester wasn''t doing charity. He had his own goals, and if he were to stand between them, he would face the same fate as Conrad before him.


    "Kaecilius, just be a good king and human being. That''s the bare minimum requirement I expect from you. For the rest, you can run the Kingdom with the help of mentally sound advisors. As for the ongoing war, I don''t need anything from Riveria. Just keep your Kingdom out of it¡ªas well as your armies." Sylvester sternlymanded him for thest time and prepared to leave again. "I won''t stay; there''s work to be done in Sandwall. If there is anything important to discuss, you can send a missive, and I shall speak to you directly."


    Sylvester walked over to therge window and jumped out with no care, walking away on the invisible floor created by his magic.


    Kaecilius simply stood in ce, watching Sylvester''s fleeting back. He reminded himself a dozen times to never mess with this one man, no matter what happens.


    ''Nobody who stood against him survived for long¡ªhistory is the witness.''


    ¡­


    It took two days for Sylvester to journey across the vastnds and reach Sandwall County. He had been gone for almost a week, and in that short time, the dwarves had built so much that it was hard for Sylvester to recognize the ce.


    He saw the New Holy Land from the sky. It was a vast city divided by three giant circr walls. The outermost wall was two meters thick and at least fifteen meters high, made of strong stones and strange ck cement. Complete with watchtowers and cannons, already manned by soldiers.


    Beyond the high wall was a clean city with wide roads and small canals. The towering houses, reaching up to five floors, were wide as well, amodating a significant number of people.


    Then came the middle circr wall. It was one meter wide and ten meters tall, armed with cannons and soldiers. Inside the walls were tall mansions, parks under construction, small ponds, and taller buildings going as high as eight floors.


    Atst, there was the final circle, the smallest yet most important. The wall was also ten meters tall and two meters wide. In the middle was the colossal sky-high castle with its mighty towers and pointy roofs. Made to look different with some white material and gold coatings at the tops, it befittingly earned the name New Holy Land.


    Surrounding the castle were smaller structures designed in the style of church monasteries, with wide roads, some greenery, and a focus on efficiency. Almost the entire city, excluding the central castle, had a solid sandy color, with some white paint used here and there, creating intricate patterns on the walls.


    It was unique, and Sylvester loved it.


    "How did they make all this in such a short time? It was just a slumst week." Sylvester wondered as hended on the grounds outside the middle castle.


    "You''re back!"


    Boom!


    Right from the top of the castle, Aurora jumped andnded before Sylvester, shattering a good chunk of the ground and leaving a small cloud of dust. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "Darn you, woman!" Just as Auroranded, Dwarf Chief Elrog emerged from the ground like a fairy. "How many times do I have to tell you? Stop destroying the flooring. You will pay for this one¡ªAh, may the Holy Light enlighten us, Your Holiness."


    Sylvester nodded and looked at Aurora. "What''s going on? How did you make all this?"


    She smirked. "Well, we have a thousand dwarves, almost half a million people, and seven Grand Wizards. Making a city was somewhat easy when we all knew some level of Earth Magic."


    Sylvester had to agree. It made a huge difference. Just having that many Grand Wizards to help was overwhelming, and the fact it took them a week to make the city meant they weren''t even rushing it.


    "That is¡­ wonderful. Let''s go inside now. Riveria has fallen, and now only the Holy Land remains. The loyalists stand with us, but Niel''s ns have taken a more sinister turn." Sylvester ordered her and strode into the castle.


    Aurora briefed Sylvester about the events in the meantime. "...By the way, an elf hade to see you. It''s the same one we saw in Masan."


    Sylvester abruptly halted. "Where is he?"


    "In the dungeon. I didn''t know if I should trust him since he openly said he wasn''t a Solis believer. I feared he was sent for something nefarious, so I took precautions. But don''t worry, we didn''t torture him and gave him good food." Aurora exined and changed her course toward the dungeon already.


    "Postpone everything. I''ll meet with him first." Sylvester changed his mind and hastened his steps. "Don''t let anyone in. Understand this, Aurora. If my ns work, we might just secure a new temporary peace agreement with the Beastaria."


    Aurora silently hummed in response. She couldn''t help but feel it was strange, as Sylvester never kept her away before and openly divulged his ns. However, just like in Masan, when it came to elves, she was kept away. Curiosity was a tricky beast to contain, and it was gradually piquing her interest in his affairs.


    ''She''s doubtful.'' Sylvester smelled her emotions right away. ''I''m sure she won''t leave me even if she knows. But¡­ this isn''t the right time.''


    Soon enough, they arrived at the newly constructed floor of the dungeon. It wasn''t damp or dark as they usually were. There were plenty of torches, and the walls were all dry.


    "He''s in there." Aurora pointed.


    "Thank you. Please stand guard here." Sylvester entered the enclosed room and closed the gate behind himself, cing elder runes for secrecy.


    Then he turned around and saw the same, young-looking elven man, smiling while sitting by a table and reading a book.


    "I must say, I''m slowly getting used to living in dungeons now." Avanss jokingly remarked.


    Sylvester grabbed a chair and dragged it to sit opposite to the elven man. "Thousands of years of animosity can''t be erased within a year. And people fear those who suddenly appear."


    Avance chuckled. "You and your rhymes. So, how have you been, my dear nephew?"


    Sylvester didn''t react to it since he expected that much. What he did focus on was the scents of emotions, which included delight, surprise, and peace. "I''m doing fine. Has there been a reply from His Majesty?"


    "You mean your father?" Avanss tried to gauge Sylvester''s reaction but saw nothing. "He wrote a letter. Here, you can read it."


    Sylvester took the folded parchment from Avanss and broke the seal before reading it silently.


    [To Sylvester,


    My dear son, I had almost believed I had lost you. I worried for Xavia and sent men to retrieve her, but s, I was too short-sighted and uncaring, only bringing you harm. But your letter has filled my heart with overwhelming joy, and hope to one day meet you personally and¡ªapologize.


    It must have been difficult. It must have been frustrating. The hard life you led is my fault, but how you conquered your challenges fills me with a father''s pride. You may have never met me, or perhaps even despise me, but you have upied my thoughts for years¡ªI''ve missed Xavia from the moment I lost her.


    I do hope my next actions can help me redeem myself. I will cease the war for a year from my side. The dragons will have to do the same, as theyck the strength to battle alone. You can call back your Inquisitors if you deem fit¡ªIf needed, just ask, and I will also be there.


    This small parchment is not enough to convey my feelings and words in full. I hope one day, we can meet¡ªso our family can beplete.


    And please tell your mum that I''m still ''utterly dazzlingly handsome'' and have grown wiser. I''m sure she must have a lot of frustrations and curses to unleash upon me¡ªso trust me, to once again be with my family, I''m ready to relinquish all and cross the sea.


    Your loving father,


    Rathagun Xeed Eldaron.]


    Sylvester felt a surge of excitement in his rapidly beating heart. Of course, he was excited to see that his father wasn''t an unreasonable man.


    "Thank you, Avanss."


    The elven man smiled. "Oh, my dear nephew. You spoke too soon¡ªI''m sure you''ll repeat that after seeing the gift your father sent."


    Sylvester straightened his back. "Which is?"


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 537 536. Deadly—Past, Present & Future

    Sylvester watched as Avanss moved toward his small bag and took out a book. It looked old, and its pages were made of something that was certainly not paper. Its leather-like cover was intricate, made with numerous patterns that Sylvester easily recognized.


    "What is this?"


    "Since you''re quite capable of fighting already, I reckoned you''d appreciate something simpler yet interesting. This, my nephew, is the Book of Ancients. It has remained a cherished heirloom of the Eldaron family. The book dates back tens of thousands of years, and this is the sole surviving piece that stood the fire that burned down our library right around the time the faith of Solis came into existence." Avanss ced the book on the table and pushed it towards Sylvester.


    Sylvester looked and corrected Avanss. "You seem to have the wrong idea. The title on the cover says, Tome of Ancient Gods, not just Book of Ancients."


    Avanss'' face lit up with delight. "So that''s what the strange characters mean!"


    However, Sylvester hesitated to touch the book. It might be some cursed object. "What is this about? Why give this to me?"


    "Because this tome has remained undeciphered throughout our elven history. It''s said to hold vast knowledge, yet we haven''t been able to read it¡ªthe characters used in the writing are Elder Runes. After I learned about your familiarity with ancient magic back in Masan, I thought about it and told my brother. He suggested you keep this tome and perhaps find some answers." Avanss exined. Without wasting a single moment, he opened the first page of the tome. "So, can you read it? Can you tell me what it says?"


    ''He''s more excited than I am.'' Sylvester noticed before ncing at the pages.


    It was easy for him to read it, as thenguage used was the same as what he had learned from the ghost of the first Pope. The characters were strangely shaped in a few ces, but the structure was the same.


    "...It''s like a journal of sorts. Can you turn the page?"


    "Of course," Avanss quicklyplied.


    Sylvester confirmed his guess. "It seems that every few pages contain testimonies from different people. I think this isn''t a tome of magic, Avanss¡ªit''s a tome of history."


    The revtion excited Sylvester more than anything else, however. He was looking for many answers, especially those dating back over five thousand years. But he wondered how much help a seemingly random tome could give and if he could actually call it a gift.


    Before telling Avanss anything, Sylvester read the first page in silence.


    ''I am the God of Dark Dwellers, and my name is Jka. The sky has one moon and one sun, and the stars'' positions are¡­ The year is eight thousand in my name. We live ten kilometers under the ground and onlye above when the is farthest from the sun. Otherwise, the scorching heat would instantly consume us.


    ''Our numbers once thrived in the millions, but now we dwindle. The sudden war with the Narakas and his people has decimated our food sources and shattered any semnce of civility. If this continues, and we, two gods battle¡ªI''m afraid nothing will remain.


    ''Let this serve as a warning to those whoe after¡ªIn unity, there is opportunity. In disunity, there shall be nothing but lunacy.''


    Sylvester looked up at Avanss and told him the story as he read it. "...It says only one moon. What does that mean?"


    Avanss rubbed his chin. "Hmm¡­ I think I know¡­ Have you heard about the faith of Luna?"


    "I have seen their ruins spread around the continent. What of it?" Sylvester remembered the location in the Vine Forest. "They''re extinct, aren''t they?"


    "Yes, but do you remember their sigil?" Avanss said. "It was a crescent moon, and they''re almost fanatical about it. We also have ruins of the faith of Luna in Beastaria. The folklores say that initially there was only one moon, and the second moon gradually formed over time¡ªthat means the faith of Luna existed during an era when the second moon appeared as a crescent, not a fully rounded object."


    "Then this God of Dark Dwellers lived before the faith of Luna." Sylvester deduced.


    Avanss felt excited. The tome before him was genuine and revealed the past beyond five thousand years. "Quick, see if there is an ount by the Goddess Luna as well."


    Sylvester turned the pages and eventually found the inscriptions. "There is¡­"


    "Read it."


    Sylvester obliged. "I am Goddess of the Moon Preachers, and Luna is my name. The tome has existed for eons despite the harsh times it has witnessed. From the words in it, it appears many gods have lived before me, and many shalle beyond¡ªif I can speak to you with this, I hope you continue to respond.


    "The full moon and the crescent adorn the sky. Why the new one exists and continues to grow remains a mystery. The position of the stars are¡­ The poption of this world is perhaps in the hundreds of millions. I have traveled all over the Grand Continent, but I alone remain at the pinnacle of power¡ªgoddess, they call me.


    "The cataclysm has begun, and I fear we shall be eradicated within this century¡ªif there is a world after, be careful of the world''s eye¡ªbut do not try, for it you cannot defy."


    Sylvester stopped reading at that point as he scratched his head. "If the first ones died, and then the Luna Preachers too¡­ How did the next iteratione into existence? How are there still humans and other species? And it seems like this happened a long time ago when there was only one continent."


    Avanss rubbed his chin as well, curious to know the answers. "Look at thest page. If this is in chronological order, then thest page should have the most recent ount of whatever existed before the faith of Solis."


    Sylvester did so and turned to the end. "There are no gods, only powerful creatures who like to act as gods¡ªI used to be one, and my name was Jasaka. My fire was eternal, more supreme, and infernal.


    "Yet, I find myself at a loss for the invaders of light I have to fight. My people have been gradually pushed into the Divine Desert,pelled to feed upon each other. They call me God, yet I remain helpless¡ªmy fire in this scorching heat rendered useless.


    "I shall pray to the one whoes after me. Be safe, be kind¡ªand find the evil one hiding behind."


    Sylvester was taken aback. "Jasaka¡­ is the name of the God of Cannibals of the Divine Desert. He was alive when the faith of Solis appeared?"


    Avanss mumbled to himself. "...But how did all these people write in this tome? It has remained in my family for over five thousand years." <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "Perhaps, there is something special about this book¡­ that allows people to write in it remotely?" Sylvester wondered, now interested in other pages as well since he had only checked three of them.


    Unfortunately, there wasn''t enough time for that. "I''ll read itter. For now, I have matters of great concern to deal with. Themon thing we''ve seen in this is that each God and their followers perished in either a conflict or a cataclysm. This seems to suggest that it will happen with us too."


    "And we must stop it," Avanss eximed.


    "Which is only possible if there is peace and we''re not jumping at each other''s throats with des. Anyway, I need to sort out the chaos at my home first." Sylvester got up to leave. "Where will you go?"


    "Can''t I stay here?"


    "In this dungeon?" Sylvester had no problem with that. "Are you sure?"


    "As long as I have some books and food, I don''t mind. I would like to see how things will go for you and, if necessary, keep my brother informed of the developments here. He''s very keen on giving you any help that you may need, dear nephew." Avanss offered.


    He had a few reasons toe to Sylvester. The first was to give the letter, and the second was to try and see if the rtionship could be mended somehow. Rathagun yearned for his family, and he was just trying to reunite it.


    Sylvester shrugged and left. "You can stay. As for help¡ªthe best he can do is stay out of it. Thest thing I want is to bebeled as a traitor to the faith. I have fought and won my battles in the past on my terms, and I will continue to do so."


    Sylvester mmed the dungeon door shut and strode away to reach his meeting room. "Aurora, gather the most elite of the troops and get me a list of all the deserted viges and towns that sit alongside the Green Road."


    "What are we going to do?" She asked.


    "Orchestrate a massacre."


    ¡­


    During that same time, under the leadership of the new General of the Holy Army, Sir Maximus, a garrison of the Holy Army left the Holy Land. They swiftly made their way to the first vige on their route, known as Grace Vige.


    "Round up all the vigers, and separate the men and women¡ªkill half of them." Sir Maximus ordered the soldiers without a hint of emotions.


    Thud!


    "Noooo¡­ Leave my wife!"


    "Mama!"


    Chaos, cries, and tears engulfed the once-beautiful little vige. It had been named Grace because of its proximity to the Holy Land. Sadly, that grace became a curse on that day.


    Within a few minutes, the entire poption of the vige was gathered in the open public square. Fear-stricken faces and helpless whimpers were slowly dying down as the hopelessness slowly sank into their minds. They could do nothing in the face of such brutality. It was the grim reality.


    "Prepare! Raise your swords!" Sir Maximus boomed.


    Holy Army men unsheathed their swords and aimed their des at the heads of the vigers. However, not all of them were the same. Some kept their des sheathed, unable to bring themselves to murder the innocent.


    "Kill!"


    sh!


    nk!


    With a unified grunt, the thousands of soldiers swung their des with precision. Within seconds, bodies fell with loud thuds. Within seconds, the garrison of ten thousand Holy Men was reduced to mere seven thousand.


    "Step back! Bring the rations and distribute them." Sir Maximus issued the nextmands.


    Utter confusion spread among the frightened vigers. What happened? Why did the Holy Army suddenly kill their own soldiers? Why did the soldiers step away to deliver them sacks of grains?


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us." Sir Maximus bowed his head toward the people. "Forgive me, my brothers and sisters of faith. This minor exercise was done to weed out the traitors among our ranks¡ªI am grateful for your cooperation, and by the grace of Pope Niel, we bestow upon each of you a Gold Grace and grains."


    "Traitors?" Vigers murmured.


    Sir Maximus smiled cunningly. "Indeed, the Holy Land is full of them. Heathens who worship the imposter¡ªelven blooded Sylvester Maximilian."


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 538 537. Too Much Honor Is A Liability

    The n was put into motion. Sylvester waited a week before the arrival of the prisoners from Hignd and even Riveria since Kaecilius followed his orders to the letter. The prisoners consisted of the usual¡ªmultiple murders, serial rapists, or dark craft experimenters who tormented innocent children.


    They were all dead men and women walking, yet with Sylvester''s n, their deaths would mean something for the future of mankind.


    Without wasting time, Sylvester organized the caravan of closed wagons and took the prisoners to a few viges and towns along the Green Road. He tried to maintain a safe distance from the Holy Land and managed toe as close as possible, which was a vige near the deste Green City.


    ¡­


    Sylvester didn''t apany the men disguised as Holy Army knights who went ahead. Since the n was divided into two parts, the first team was tasked with cing the prisoners in the viges and towns and executing them¡ªgiving them a quick death.


    The second stage was an act of heroism, where Sylvester would proceed to the sites of the massacres with much fanfare, creating a spectacle and defeating the vile Holy Army of the Holy Land. Afterward, the n was to perform thest rites and cremate the bodies, leaving no evidence behind that all those who died were primarily men. However, by then, all the travelers and the nearby or distant vigers would have heard about the massacre.


    "Aurora, send the men to act near the still upied viges and towns. Pique people''s interest and lure them to witness the massacre." Sylvester ordered while slowly marching toward the Holy Land on the Green Road.


    "Understood, Your Holiness." Aurora acted her part and moved to the rear of their procession, sending the most loyal men on the secret mission.


    They didn''t have that many powerful people among their ranks. Sylvester, Aurora, and the Inquisitor High Lord were the only Grand Wizards. Meanwhile, Lady Bethany was entrusted with managing the New Holy Land since she was a Duchess with experience in ruling.


    Slowly, they passed by Pitfall Town but didn''t stop, as it was still upied by people. They went straight to Baron Strongarm''s keep and the surrounding town. It was left abandoned when Sylvesterst led the masses to establish the New Holy Land.


    "Your Holiness! T-The town¡­ IT''S ON FIRE!" Gabriel shouted from his horse.


    ''Isn''t he overacting?'' Sylvester didn''t like the excessive dramatics.


    "Oh lord!" Aurora also chimed in. "Soldiers! Prepare to battle! May the Holy Light enlighten us¡ªIn the name of Pope Sylvester!"


    "..."


    ''I feel the hair standing all over my body.'' Sylvester felt a strange shiver coursing through his body. It was all his n, but hearing them cry his name, which he had nned in the first ce, was awkward.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    The army under Sylvester wasn''t called the Holy Army but rather the Inquisitors. They all wore different armor due to their varying origins, but the red scarf around their necks signified their allegiance to Sylvester.


    "Attack!"


    With resounding shouts and a touch of theatrics, the army of six thousand men stormed into the town surrounding the castle. The houses were on fire, and dead bodies littered the streets. There were also a few soldiers in Holy Army''s uniform, perfectly caught in action.


    "Kill the heathens!"


    The short sh of swords echoed through the burning streets. All the Holy Army soldiers were in, but even when they ''died,'' they shouted the name of their master.


    "Long Live Pope Niel!"


    "Love Live the Silver Mist!"


    Within an hour, the fires were quenched, and the bodies were gathered and set aze in a massive pyre. Sylvester stood beside it, his hands sped in prayer for the dead.


    "They''re here¡­ watching us. Start it." Aurora whispered into Sylvester''s ears.


    Taking the cue, Sylvester raised his hand toward the burning pyre, creating a stream of light. Then, he sang a hymn with the halo behind his head and his wings wide¡ªhis voice magically amplified.


    ?O'' Lord of Light, for what do we fight?


    Why do you turn away from the innocent''s plight?


    The heathen Niel took your realm, such slight!


    How much brighter? How far must I spread my light??


    ?Speak to us. We are your faithful children.


    Under your warmth, we have be one.


    We can''t lose. We can''t continue to run.


    Tell us a cure for Holy Land¡ªso filth-ridden.?


    BOOM!


    Aurora did her magic and made thunder appear in the clear sky with a few scattered clouds around. The resounding bolt crashed down upon the earth, shattering it to pieces.


    Sylvester shouted again. "Must I? Must I seize the Holy Land with might? What of the deaths that shall arise?"


    However, this time the sky cleared up, letting the sunlight cascade much better and brighter.


    "Understood¡­ If that is yourmand, so be it." Sylvester awkwardly gave a church salute and watched the pyres burn away for a few more minutes.


    "That was cringeworthy," Gabrielmented from behind, whispering it very lightly.


    Sylvester''s nose wrinkled. "I''m cringe? Care to tell me who wrote letters to his sister and cries each time, even to this day?¡ªMy dear Raven, my heart wrenches to imagine how lonely you must feel. Always know your big brother is there¡­"


    "Stop!" Gabriel almost cursed. "You read them?!"


    Sylvester scoffed. "All outgoing and iing letters are filtered."


    "What?!" Aurora eximed.


    Sylvester smirked. "Yes, I know about your letters with my Mum and Isabe¡ªdiscussing the most handsome men you''ve seen that month. Control your heart, woman¡ªI''m not the Pope yet."


    Aurora embarrassingly scoffed and pointed at Sylvester. "As if you''re the one to talk. You''re considered so pure in the realm''s eyes that women havee to believe you have no means of procreation."


    "..." <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "But I do." Sylvester defended himself, clearly offended.


    "Prove it," Gabriel demanded.


    Sylvester red at his friend. "Buddy, have you forgotten all our missions? Us brothers have seen each other naked plenty of times."


    Gabriel remained unmoved, arms folded. "Well¡­ who knows¡­ what if it went back into your stomach?"


    "..."


    "I''m not going to be a part of this conversation anymore. Prepare to head out, we''re going to Duke Grimton''s keep now. There will be more bodies and ''Holy Knights.''" Sylvester walked away to oversee other matters.


    Pa!


    Gabriel and Aurora high-fived behind Sylvester''s back.


    ¡­


    After the Strongarm Barony, the procession headed to Druke Grimton''s Castle and the town. It was filled with ughtered bodies, and streets were stained red since the massacre happened a while ago.


    Sylvester chose to use the same n and ''killed'' the soldiers of the Holy Army, burned the bodies on the pyre, and sang a hymn. They kept an eye on any nearby civilians who wanted to see what was going on. Moreover, by luring in traveling traders, they ensured the news would spread far and wide.


    However, the night had descended upon them by then, and they decided to rest in the same city. Yet the task remained unending as they turned the ce into a camp for travelers. Soldiers mingled with resting travelers and traders, telling them stories of the atrocitiesmitted by the evil new Pope Niel.


    Nothing was done out in the open, but rather subtly. Two soldiers could be talking with each other, and a few outsiders just happened to hear about it. It was a perfect way to spread rumors and tarnish Niel''s reputation.


    Then, once morning came, they made their way to Count Martin''snds and repeated the act. Afterward, they entered Green City once again. It was mostly deserted, but a massacre took ce there as well¡ªthe biggest one yet.


    Sylvester seized control of the city and raised his own g. Then set up a camp for the night and entertained the travelers or civilians from nearby small unnamed viges. Free food, blessings, and stories were exchanged.


    However, that was when Sylvester found out what Niel was up to.


    "He''s smart." Sylvester gathered Aurora, Lord Inquisitor, and Gabriel in a private chamber. "He''s using the same scheme as us but in a different way. He''s trying to find and kill anyone who supports me or disobeys his authority. I also received word that Saint Wazir had been thrown into the dungeon."


    "Do you want to continue?" Lady Aurora asked.


    "Of course. The first paintings of the massacres have already been sent to the New Holy Land. Soon, they will scatter the leaflets far and wide. I need to see how Niel will react. It will show us if he has the guts toe out and fight me, or if we will have toy a true siege on the Holy Land." Sylvester reaffirmed his n. "A siege is thest resort, as it will cost us the most lives."


    "What of the Emperor Lich? If he joins us, perhaps we can have an easy campaign?" Gabriel questioned.


    Sadly, Sylvester couldn''t express confidence in that n. "First of all, Raz Mi''ul Naseer hasn''t replied to my letter. Secondly, even if hees, he will only be used to neutralize the Saint Scepter. Even then, I fear Raz alone won''t be enough."


    "What about the Chief of Anti-Light?" Aurora suggested. "He''s against the Holy Land."


    "He opposes the current faith," Sylvester corrected her. "He only helped me back in Masan because I told him about my future ns if I were to be the Pope. But the condition is that I be the Pope¡ªin one year and on my own. He''s alreadypromising by dying his siege. He won''t give us any more help."


    Frustration filled the room. Despite having so many Grand Wizards, they felt cornered by a single Saint Scepter. Especially since there was a deeply concealed secret connected to the man. In no way, Saint Scepter would go down with a simple fight.


    Knock! Knock!


    "Your Holiness, a messenger has arrived from the Holy Land."


    Everyone grew alert, and Gabriel went over to open the door. He didn''t allow the messenger to enter but took the folded parchment before shutting the door.


    "It bears Niel''s seal." Gabriel recognized it.


    Sylvester didn''t react just yet and opened the letter to read it under his breath first. Unfortunately, the more he read, the more confused he felt. There was no reason for the man to give such a benefit to him, that was unless there was something hidden.


    "What does it say?" Aurora questioned.


    Sylvester allowed them all to read the letter on their own, just in case he missed something hidden. Sadly, it appeared he did not.


    "Holy Bard." The Lord Inquisitor''s furious voice reverberated with raging warmth. "A fox only bites when there are no paths to escape. The heathen appears to have noticed his naked nape. But I suggest caution, for this could be a scheme to make your resolve soften."


    Aurora agreed. "We have no reason to ept his duel challenge."


    "But." Gabriel opposed. "If Sylvester refuses, he will lose the trust of the Clergymen in the Holy Land."


    Sylvester sighed and looked at the small letter once again.


    [To Sylvester Maximilian,


    For years, we have known each other''s intentions but remained distant. You knitted your schemes, and I did mine¡ªfor amon yet conflicting aim. I would have rejoiced if you had chosen to be my right hand, but I respect your choice.


    However, I also respect the sanctity of the Holy Land and thews of the faith. I hold no desire to rule over a realm of ashes. So, let''s meet in the morning at the deste hills of Imperial Lands, for I, under the light of Solis, invoke the Holy Law and make a formal challenge for Duel Under Faith!


    May the mighty win.


    Pope Niel Gray]


    Sylvester crushed the letter in his palm. "I have no faith that he will silently ept the oue of our duel. There could be a scheme, an ambush¡ªor worse, a ploy by Saint Scepter."


    "So you won''t go?" Aurora asked.


    "He will undoubtedly spread the word around to the Clergymen and Bright Mothers. If I don''t go, I will be branded a coward¡ªgiving them an opportunity to strike me where they haven''t been able to¡ªraise their fingers at my untainted character and honor." Sylvester spoke with a heavy heart.


    He turned to the Lord Inquisitor and nodded. "I don''t want to, yet I must go¡ªbut not alone."


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 539 538. Battle Of Popes I - A Divine Duel

    Duel Under Faith was a sacred battle that could be invoked by any noble knight in the presence of the sun or a high-ranking Clergyman. The duel, also called the duel of fates¡ªwas a death match. The winner takes it all, and the loser loses it all.


    With honor at stake, those who refused the duel would lose respect afterward. However, considering the seriousness of the duel, it was rarely invoked to begin with. However, when invoked, it caught the attention of even the distant folks.


    Sylvester, a man who upheld his honor and word in the highest regard since his youth, could never say no to such a challenge. It was something his enemies knew all too well. However, by now, his strengths had been gauged by many who died under his foot¡ªyet, Niel initiating the duel meant the false Pope was confident in winning.


    "What is Niel''s power?" Sylvester asked the Inquisitor High Lord and Lady Aurora while his small entourage headed toward the designated dueling site. The rest of the army was asked to return since their n of staged massacres for propaganda had already been sessfully executed.


    Despite his best efforts, Sylvester felt nervous about the battle. He epted the fact that Niel was very clever, but to what extent was beyond his grasp. For all he knew, the man could have predicted his moves even in hypothetical situations. In that case, there wasn''t much room to plot.


    "He''s called the Silver Mist. So it likely has something to do with silver-colored mist?" Aurora spected. "But I''ve never seen him fight on his own."


    "Such guesses can be dangerous, Holy Bard." Inquisitor High Lord spoke from his chariot, as a single horse couldn''t bear his weight. "Such mistakes you cannot afford. Even though I have never seen him fight, word of it has been spread. It is said his power is undefeatable and leaves all enemies in dread."


    Sylvester chuckled self-depreciatingly. "Great, now I''m brimming with confidence."


    "But fear not, for he must not be above a level ten Grand Wizard. For I don''t remember any other golden rain that a Supreme wizardhood triggered." Lord Inquisitor added, trying to bolster his confidence.


    Sylvester sighed and looked down, wondering how he should tackle the situation. After all, it wasn''t just Niel he was worried about. ''If Saint Scepter decides to do something, I won''t be able to react. But why has he remained silent all this time? He must be smart enough to know how to counter my propaganda¡ªor why didn''t he deal with me before if he disagreed with my rise?''


    "Don''t worry," Gabriel said. "Solis has blessed you. You''re the strongest and the smartest man I''ve ever known. The moment we sense any hint of a scheme from him, we''ll nullify the duel. We can always use them of cheating on our flyers."


    Sylvester chuckled. ''Ah, I think I''ve found my future public rtions expert.''


    Indeed, Gabriel had done a great job over the past week in establishing the propaganda division. He knew what best to add to the posters and what not to. When to focus on Niel and when to share positive stories.


    "I suppose¡­ you''re right." Sylvester calmed down and stayed silent, plotting his moves. He checked his spear, his armor, and Miraj on his shoulder as they finally reached the green deste hill of the Imperialnd. It was and with pristine pastures, untouched since the Gracia royal family owned it and wanted to preserve it in case they wanted to build something new.


    They proceeded to the middle, where nothing existed for a hundred miles in all directions. It was perfect forbat without harming anyone. But still, since it was a sunny clear day, one could see the faint shadow of the peaks of castles in the Holy Land to the East and Green City''s royal castle to the West.


    "There he is," Aurora eximed, pointing her finger toward a hilltop. "He didn''te alone."


    Sylvester saw Sir Maximus and a few others standing a distance away from Niel. So he sped up his horse. "You should keep the same distance from me while I meet him."


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us." Aurora prayed before he left.


    "May your victory create history." Lord Inquisitor added.


    Sylvester simply nodded and approached Niel. He dismounted near the hilltop and calmly walked towards the man as if taking a leisurely stroll. Though in reality, he micromanaged every muscle on his face, concealing any trace of emotion. At the same time, he tried to read the man.


    ''I only smell pride, jealousy, and doubt¡ªwhy is there no hate or rage?'' Sylvester knew he couldn''t fully believe in the scents, but still, they helped him understand something about the man. ''No expressions, just like me.''


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us." Sylvester greeted him.


    "May he enlighten us." Niel replied stoically, his voice melodious and calm, as if chanting a ritual. "Do you ept the duel?"


    Sylvester gazed at the sunrise on the horizon and then at the man. The only previous encounter he had with Niel was during his youth, as they passed each other in the Administration building. Since then, the animosity was apparent to him.


    Tall, thin, yet well-built, Niel had gray eyes and long silver hair. But surprisingly, he bore no armor nor carried a sword or spear. He just wore white, high-cored robes with golden embroidery on them.


    "In the presence of the light of the Lord, I ept the duel of faiths¡ªlet this be in his record." Sylvester officially epted the challenge, face to face.


    Niel remained silent and nced behind at his subordinates. He gave a nod, and quickly, the tiny entourage retreated far back in the distance.


    "When people of our rank battle, the aftereffects can leave many lives rattled. I suggest you allow your allies to retreat." Niel proposed.


    ''Still no expressions. But I smell admiration when he looked at Lord Inquisitor.'' Sylvester noticed that much and gestured at his friends to retreat as well.


    With that, as if nature itself recognized the tension in the air, everything calmed down. No sound of birds or insects came, and the breeze whispered gently. The sun rose above the horizon, casting long shadows across the battlefield. Sylvester, his golden eyes gleaming with determination, gripped his spear tightly as he faced Niel.


    Niel, his flowing silver hair billowing in the wind, emanated an aura of icy coldness. d in white robes, he exuded an air of calcted power.


    Anticipation crackled in the air as the two locked eyes, ready to react if one were to move.


    Boom!


    Sylvester acted first and extended his spear with a surge of Srium. At the end of the spear contained a few fire runes that emitted bone-melting heat. The strike was to gauge his enemy''s response.


    As the spear whizzed through the air, Niel effortlessly tilted his head sideways and dodged the strike. But the silver-haired man wasted no time and reacted lightning fast, sending back a small orb of bright light toward Sylvester.


    ''He also has light magic?'' Sylvester realized. ''Is this why he''s called Silver Mist?''


    Sylvester hesitated to test the strange orb and hit it with his spear''s tip instead, maintaining a safe distance.


    Pop!


    ''It vanished?''


    BOOM!


    A fraction of a secondter, the vanished orb of light reappeared and grew rapidly outwards, swallowing anything in its path with burning hisses and destructive force. The ground was uprooted, and the moisture in the earth vaporized¡ªthe orb expanded a hundred meters wide before again exploding like a nuclear fury.


    Shhh¡­!


    The echoing sound and piercing light vanished in the distance, but the smoke cloud in the sky covered the sunlight, revealing the high stakes of the battle.


    ''Is that his full power?'' Sylvester wondered, preparing to unleash one of his own primary attacks. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    cing one hand over his chest and extending the other towards the man, he sang a quick hymn under his breath and let out the Wrath of Heaven''s beam at Niel. Since he was much more powerful now, the move had also grown with him.


    A sonic boom echoed from his palm, and a grand, five-meter-wide beam of sma light emerged. It raced forward with a thunderous roar, its heat so strong that the smoke and clouds in the sky vanished, carving a deep ravine in the ground along its path.


    Sylvester reacted quickly, almost instantaneously, in response to Niel. On top of that, he kept his next move ready as well.


    ''It connected!''


    Finally, he noticed Niel facing the beam head-on with his palm outstretched. Within his grasp was a ck book. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the ground, shattering nearby hills and causing the earth to tremble as the beam''s energy leaked into the surroundings while Niel was pushed back.


    Sylvester cursed under their breath and quickly sent out another simr beam to reinforce the previous one. "Haaaa¡­!"


    Once again, it connected and enveloped Niel in the scorching light. This time Sylvester didn''t stop. "Chonky, fly and see what he''s doing."


    ''He''s too strong if I fight conventionally. It''s time to add some serious Elder Magic.'' Sylvester mumbled under his breath and continued with his next move¡ªHolyfire Purge.


    Crack!


    The ground beneath Sylvester''s feet began to crack apart in all directions like a spider''s web. Below his feet were also gigantic elder runes formed through the fractured ground itself¡ªtheva erupting from the gaps formed the inscriptions of Elder Magic.


    "Maxy! He''s not hurt!" Miraj''s call came from the sky.


    "What?!" Sylvester eximed.


    Woosh!


    Abruptly, everything stopped¡ªthe beam of sma light vanished, and the elder runes he created on the ground were desecrated. ''How?'' Sylvester had no idea, but he felt a piercing pain in that very instant.


    "Argh!"


    His eyes opened wide in confusion. He nced down and noticed his right shoulder hideously dislocated, the right arm twisted as if something had struck it at an incredible speed.


    "Too slow, bard."


    Sylvester hastily turned back, and there stood Niel, as calm and collected as before but just two meters away. The book in hand remained open as he watched Sylvester.


    ''How did he move past me so fast? Did he hit my shoulder¡­ Wait¡­ why isn''t my shoulder healing?'' Sylvester quickly looked down and found nothing. But then he looked at the sky and noticed a strange streak of light traveling in various directions. ''Is that a rune?''


    "You could have be the Emperor of Masan, and yet you chose to return," Niel spoke. "You could have gone to Beastaria and lived like a Prince, yet you chose to stay. You''re too confident in your abilities¡ª"


    Bam!


    Niel vanished from his spot and instantly appeared before Sylvester, grabbing his left arm before it could cast magic.


    ''Teleportation?'' Sylvester tried to guess, his defiant eyes never leaving Niel''s face.


    "Too slow, bard¡ªfor my eyes perceive the world slower than a turtle."


    Sylvester began to chant, forming a halo behind his head, for he didn''t need hands to cast all magic. "You may hold the light as I do mine. But only its master dictates its design¡ª"


    Boom!


    "Too slow."


    Thud!


    Sylvester fell to the ground, his nose crushed t, without even sensing or seeing the source of the impact. Niel was nowhere to be seen once again.


    "You are strong, wise, and blessed, young bard, but the differences remain vast. Tell me, do you know how fast light can travel?"


    Sylvester turned around once more, blood dripping down his face, and listened to the man.


    Niel didn''t spare a nce at Sylvester and read something from his book. "You may be able to create light with your ''tricks,''¡ªBut only I can be called the true personification of light. Now prepare to die¡ªfor death wille too swiftly for you to even cry."


    "Haha." Sylvester suddenly smiled. His bloodied teeth and crushed nose looked hideous.


    Niel seemed annoyed by it as he looked up. "And yet you smile like a fool."


    "Why not? Being a fool can be one''s greatest tool." Sylvester blurted and vanished from his spot abruptly, just as Niel had done before.


    Niel, clearly shocked and confused, looked left and right to find him. "You can never be faster than lig¡ª"


    Shhh¡­!


    Air brushed past Niel''s nape, and he turned around at lightning speed. Only to hear the words he used to mock Sylvester some seconds ago.


    "Too Slow."


    BOOM!


    ____________________


    [A/N: See Niel Grey]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 540 539. Battle Of Popes II - Powers Unknown

    "Too slow!"


    BOOM!


    The moment Niel looked behind himself, Sylvester was already standing there. His hand turned into a bright white w made of light as it hit him right in the face. It was strong¡ªstronger than Niel had expected from a Grand Wizard.


    Thud!


    Wooosh!


    Niel''s body was thrown away like a ragdoll, tumbling on the destroyed ground, hitting the rocks, and his clothes chipping away. Blood sttered from his visage as half of his face''s flesh remained stuck in Sylvester''s w.


    "Hmm¡­ ny kilos. You are too confident in your abilities," Sylvester repeated what Niel had said to him. "But I thank you for revealing your abilities to me. Being able to turn into light must be a marvelous power."


    "Ugh¡­" Niel grunted and struggled to rise from the ground. Half of his face bled profusely; the sight was hideous as his facial muscles were visible and his eyeball bare.


    However, when Niel looked at Sylvester and his unharmed body, he halted, confused because he remembered hitting Sylvester on the shoulder and the nose. Yet there were no signs of an injury.


    "Confused?" Sylvester spoke with a smile. "Don''t be. You are about to witness the true power of light."


    Poof!


    Sylvester vanished yet again, spreading panic through Niel''s heart. He didn''t dare look around and decided to continue moving ceaselessly all around at an incredible speed, enough to vaporize the air itself and leave behind a trail of mist. However, soon that mist also vanished as he reached an incredible speed at which the world appeared slow to him.


    "Too slow!"


    Yet, to Niel''s utter horror, he sensed Sylvester''s voice erupt out of nowhere, and him appearing before him, merely an arm''s length away. It was impossible to stop instantly at such great speed.


    Boom!


    Sylvester''s fist simply extended, aimed at Niel''s stomach. He didn''t even have to do anything, and Niel crumpled onto his fist, impaling himself badly, crushing his own ribs, and destroying his intestines.


    Thud!


    "Argh!" Niel coughed out some blood and fell down.


    Sylvester backed away and created some distance between them. ''Ugh¡­ My arm¡­ all my bones are crushed¡­''


    But he didn''t show any weakness and taunted Niel even further. "You spoke about the speed of light; of course, I know its speed. But do you know the impact force of that punch just now? It was two hundred and seventy million newtons! And I didn''t even have to do anything¡ªthanks fornding on my punch."


    Niel gnashed his teeth, clueless about this "Newton" Sylvester was talking about. All he could think about were questions. How was Sylvester keeping up with him at the speed of light? How could he endure a strike at such speed?


    "Pfooo!" Niel spat more blood. His grey eyes remained as sharp as before, but now desperation flickered within them. "Too naive to know when to surrender. Still believe fate will have you usher? Forget those dreams, for only misery awaits. The same wretched destiny as all the other foolish ones dictate our fates."


    Sylvester shrugged, not having a clue what Niel was even talking about. "Are you going to fight or continue whimpering like a donkey?"


    "Uncivilized," Niel cursed and raised his right palm toward the sky. "I know your arm is hurt, and it shall not heal as long as I exist. My light is the sole truth this world must know. And the likes of you must only know how to keep your head low."


    Bzzz¡­!


    Light in the surroundings began to distort somehow as if the sky was folding toward Niel''s raised hand. The darkness seemed to slowly shroud the surroundings, defying logic.


    "Yield, and I shall allow you to live as a ve of the faith." Niel voiced while his body surprisingly started to ascend higher into the sky.


    ''Ah, finally, the rage is here. But how is he bending the light? The sun''s light should be limitless.'' Sylvester looked around himself and then noticed the rune made of light in the sky. ''Could this be some sort of an area limiter? Am I trapped? It''s light, it can''t be destroyed unless the source is dealt with. But this is also an opportunity.''


    Sylvester looked around, and his gaze fell on the men Niel had brought. So Sylvester wasted no time and vanished from his spot, leaving behind a light clone of himself to momentarily fool everyone.


    In a moment, he erupted out of the very ground in front of Sir Maximum. "I remembered your arms were ripped apart¡ªHow did you get them back?"


    "You¡ª"


    "Yes, me." Sylvester grabbed Maximus'' neck and once again vanished, reappearing back in his ce. He further created Light Tiles for himself to gain altitude and stand face-to-face with Niel in the sky. "Should I kill him?"


    Niel scoffed. "He''s a ve to the faith¡ªhis life has no worth."


    Sylvester sighed and held Maximus'' throat tighter. "I pity you, but in the world I am trying to create, I can''t afford enemies scheming against me¡ªespecially ones as strong as you. I can feel the burning rage within your heart. You want vengeance. You wish to kill me."


    "N-No¡­ Your Hol¡ª"


    Sylvester sighed. "I detest those who switch sides so easily. You were never loyal to anyone in your entire life¡ªmercy on you is heresy to me."


    Snap!


    Without mercy, Sylvester snapped Sir Maximus'' neck with ease. The man couldn''t even fight back as his oath of envement kept him from physically harming any Clergyman¡ªand when the oath was taken, Sylvester was an official Clergyman.


    "You''re no better than those desert savages." Niel sneered from a distance.


    Sylvester then began walking toward Niel, aiming to end the battle before losing function in another arm. "The things we do for peace..."


    Sylvester grasped his spear once again, activating the elder runes on it and turning it into a zing white spear as if it was entirely made of light. Then the wings on his back expanded wide, granting him resistance against the air.


    He continued to climb higher into the air, well above Neil and his strange light-folding magic. Sylvester had no idea what the magic was, but he knew it was dangerous and had to be stopped before it could bepleted.


    ''Piercing Hell should do the job.'' he decided on the final move.


    After gaining a reasonable altitude, he dived down, freefalling. The spear of light, covered with elder magic and light, remained extended. The tail of the spear formed multiple fire runes, which gave him incredible thrust. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Woosh!


    Sylvester''s entire body got covered in mes, and he looked like a shooting star falling from the sky.


    However, before Sylvester could reach Niel, the sky abruptly turned dark. Pitch-ck darkness spread all around, and Sylvester had no idea where he was headed anymore. Only his spear provided illumination, but its reach was limited.


    "My magic is more ancient than yours¡ªbard!"


    Sylvester heard Niel''s echoing voice. ''Where is he? The voice ising from all directions.''


    "I never intended to use this magic, but you forced my hand. There can only be one Pope, and you¡ªbard¡ªare not needed."


    Ting!


    ''Ground?'' Sylvester felt the tip of his spear touch something, and his fall stopped. Then he realized that gravity seemed to have shifted, and his feet automatically touched something. He easily stood up on it.


    "Let there be light¡ªunder my might¡ªfacing my sight!"


    Woosh!


    The moment Niel''s voice sounded once more, the surroundings abruptly returned to light. However, the light didn''t dispel the darkness entirely, and rather an ominous, disgusting aura seemed to surround everything.


    Sylvester adjusted his gaze and surveyed his area as the light became enough to see. "What the¡­ What is this ce?"


    It wasn''t thend Sylvester knew, but a strange unknown reality. The ground appeared gooey dark red with red mist over it. A fewrge, dark, crude pirs littered the field as far as he could see, and he stood over one of them. In the distance, there were clouds that rained yellow thunder every now and then.


    "Look above, and prepare to face judgment. If you have sinned, pay the price with your blood." Niel spoke again.


    With all his senses on high alert, Sylvester gazed upward, and his heart almost skipped a few beats. It was otherworldly, almost like a hellish reality. A giant eye lingered in the night sky, bigger than the clouds, as if suspended in the rift of space. Its huge red iris looked as deep as the ocean, while the ck pupil seemed like a ck hole.


    [A/N: See the strange reality]


    Sylvester felt clueless since he could feel this wasn''t an advanced illusion. This was a power he had never heard of before. Was he even in his world anymore?


    "What are you?" Sylvester questioned.


    "Truth¡ªAll I seek is truth." Neil''s muffled voice reverberated from all directions. "Speak, what are your origins? Who is your father? Whose tainted elven blood do you carry?"


    ''Hmm?'' Sylvester sensed something was amiss. ''Why isn''t he directly trying to kill me? Why does he want a confession from me¡­ is there a possibility he can show what''s happening here to those outside?''


    Sylvester looked at the colossal eye. ''This entire reality has an abundance of Srium¡ªjust a little less than the Holy Land.''


    "Speak, or suffer!"


    Sylvester chose to see what would happen. "No, I am merely a human¡ªblessed by the Lord, our supreme God, since I was a month old. Ask those of the Deserte Vige where I was born."


    "LIES!"


    Crack!


    The pir Sylvester stood on instantly splintered, and the gravity in the vicinity increased. He managed to leap to another pir just in the nick of time, but the increased gravity slightly hindered his movement.


    Shhh¡­!


    ncing back, he saw the broken pieces of pir melting in the gooey red substance, vaporizing into nothingness.


    "I shall ask again¡ªconfess your tainted blood." Niel''s voice spoke again.


    But Sylvester paid no heed. ''Chonky isn''t here, or he''d have found me. The pirs here are limited, so I believe the game is to crack each one and increase the gravity to throw me into this substance until I confess.''


    "I''m human. That''s it."


    Crack!


    Sylvester''s theory was correct. The gravity increased again. But he was able to jump onto another pir. ''At the rate the gravity is increasing, I have twenty more jumps left.''


    Despite being in such a strange ce, he surprisingly felt no sense of fear for his life. Otherwise, he could easily smell death. ''What magic is this? How do I escape?''


    "You killed Romel Riveria and started the conflict between Riveria and Gracia¡ªdid you not?"


    ''So they know everything.'' Sylvester almost cursed but didn''t reply immediately, buying himself time to think. ''The base of magic is Srium¡­ that means Srium is what''s keeping this ce stable¡ªunless this is an entirely new reality. In that case¡­''


    Sylvester remembered ine''s words, the elven wife of Healer Hedrix, echoing in his mind.


    ''...What is nature around us? What is this entire? It''s a giant Srium Crystal.''


    Sylvester smirked and lied through his teeth, "My answer is no."


    Crack!


    ____________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 541 540. Battle Of Popes III - A Divine Realization

    Outside,


    "What is that dark thing?!" Aurora''s face contorted in worry, and she attempted to leap toward it.


    "Stop there." the Inquisitor High Lord ced his heavy hand on her shoulder. "Do not meddle in a duel of the holy¡ªyou will only be proving the bard of being lowly."


    "But!" She fretted for her brother in all but name. "What is that? Sylvester isn''ting out of it."


    "That''s a Supreme Void," Gabriel revealed, sounding somewhat hesitant. "I''ve only ever read about it, but seeing it for the first time... However, this should be impossible to create for someone of Niel''s caliber."


    "What do you mean? Is he concealing his strength?" She inquired.


    "Could be, or perhaps not¡ªall I know is that this ability is only possible for someone who possesses the physique and magic of a Supreme Wizard. To create a Void of your own, you need an immense amount of srium andplete control over a few magical elements," Gabriel exined to her, confident that Sylvester was also pondering this inside the Void.


    The Inquisitor High Lord wasn''t concerned about it, however. "Numerous strong men and women have stood before the bard, only to have their lives discarded. Have faith in your next Pope¡ªit''s not so simple to break this world''sst hope."


    So, they did what they could and just watched the strange ck space in the sky.


    ¡­


    Back inside the dark space,


    ''Ugh¡­ Focus, Sylvester. You can do it¡­ this is no challenge to you.'' Sylvester attempted to sense the srium around him and passively absorb it, as ine had instructed him. To passively absorb the srium within his body, he had to first be ustomed to the sensation of drawing it in.


    But it was easier said than done. Consuming the srium crystals was a matter of ingesting or holding them. However, how does one consume srium from nature itself? He had pondered this extensively over the past few days and attempted to find the answer. He wondered how the human body absorbed srium from the sun and why a wizard was weakest at night.


    "Confess to your sins¡ªYou killed the monarchs of Gracia and Riveria." Niel''s voice persisted with the questions. The enormous eerie eye in the sky never blinked and just continued to watch. Its purpose remained unknown.


    ''So he does not know it was Lord Inquisitor who killed Queen Rexina?'' Sylvester realized that Niel''s facts were not in order. ''I need to earn more time¡­ let''s bait him.''


    "Indeed, I killed the King of Riveria for cing a bounty on the Pope''s head. Then I killed Conrad for standing with you¡ªthe devil! But I did not touch the Queen of Gracia." Sylvester threw Niel into a discussion.


    ''The eye could be the means he''s using to look at me in this strange ce? Or I could be wrong¡­ the srium is equally distributed everywhere. The ground, the pirs, and the eye have a uniform consistency¡ªthis means this ce is certainly artificial.'' Sylvester theorized and continued his attempts to consume or assimte the srium.


    The gravity had increased significantly, but Sylvester remained focused and unbothered. Every chance he got, he tried to pick something to sniff or touch to see if he could crack the secret. From what he knew, the secret was simr to a long-forgotten knowledge that you know you have forgotten, and no matter how much you try, you can''t remember. However, once you get a clue, the knowledge returns as if it was never lost.


    ''My Elder magic allows me to absorb more srium in the air. But how do I divert the absorption to nts andnd?'' Sylvester pondered aloud and leaped again as the tenth pir cracked and crumbled.


    It was a futile endeavor, and only his body continued to be crushed under the escting gravity. There was no escape to be found. But he still didn''t smell the death creeping in.


    "Evil always loses¡ªby repentance or by testing your body''s tolerance¡ªyou chose thetter, bard!" Niel''s voice sounded enraged this time, and the eye in the sky finally began to react. There was something new about it¡ªthe sclera started turning bloody, and the pupil, resembling a ck hole, began to shimmer in a red glow.


    ''Is it going to shoot aser from the ey¡ª''


    BOOM!


    ''Holy¡­ Solis! It''s shooting aser from the eye!''


    The red beam of light, spanning over a hundred meters in width, descended directly from the sky with Sylvester at its epicenter. With such a wide area of impact, Sylvester had to exert great effort to leap and protect himself, especially with gravity which seemed to be over fifty times stronger already.


    "Confess to your sins!" Niel''s voice roared.


    Sylvester was all too focused on protecting himself as he continued to jump. The beams were also regr without any long intervals. However, Sylvester felt something strange at that point. ''Weird, I still don''t smell death. But this isn''t an illusion¡­ what''s happening?''


    Boom!


    Much less terrified of the imposing beam, Sylvester, this time, tried to check how hot it was. Since the fire was unable to burn him, he reckoned it would not harm him much. Just to be certain, he used only his fractured arm, which refused to heal due to the light runes in the sky.


    Shhh¡­!


    As he leaped to save himself, he allowed the edge of his fingers to graze the light beam. To his astonishment, it merely seared his skin, turning it into smoke, and apart from that, nothing urred. He didn''t even experience pain; it was more of a tickle.


    ''The beam is real¡­ but so weak?'' <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "Confess to your sins!"


    Sylvester no longer bothered to nce at the reddened, blister-like eye. This time, he remained rooted to his spot, his gaze fixed and his mind prepared to endure whatever Niel was about to throw. Considering the beam was made of concentrated srium as well, he knew this was the moment to try to consume it.


    In a split second, the entire crimson beam was upon him. Everything appeared red in his vision due to it, yet he found himself able to move effortlessly, and the heat merely caused a slight pinch on his skin. His armor and hair remained in impable condition.


    Thud!


    Before Sylvester knew it, the pir he stood on also broke apart, and he fell into the gooey pit of red liquid. However, it didn''t burn either, and he found himself to be able to walk on it with ease. The only thing he did feel was the gravity¡ªthe rest was of no consequence.


    ''This is my chance¡­ Niel is wasting too much of his srium on this strange magic. But does he not know how pathetic this is?'' Sylvester wondered, but didn''t bother speaking about it. As a wise man once said¡ªnever interrupt your enemy when they''re making a mistake.


    Sylvester felt the sensation of the beam pinching his skin a little bit. He could feel the srium connecting with his body, and all he had to do was absorb it instead of letting it dissipate. All his answers seemed as if just a single thin wall away.


    "Sylvester Maximilian¡ªConfess to your sin¡­"


    While the raging voice of Niel began to sound more and more desperate with each minute, Sylvester sat down on the liquid ground, cross-legged. His eyes closed as he filtered out all the sounds around him, attaining true peace of mind.


    One breath out and one breath in, he took the srium into the body and felt its sensation. He attempted to replicate what he had done during his meditations on the Soul Tree in the Holy Land.


    ''The world is a srium crystal.'' He repeated.


    And with that, his mind went nk. His entire life shed before his eyes in a matter of seconds, and all the previous visions reemerged. However, there was something different now. In most of the visions of Zyelena, he had only seen her weep. But now, she wore a warm, radiant smile and adorned beautiful, cozy garments.


    But the scenes didn''t take long to turn into a familiar yet frightening scene. The same dark space manifested in his mind, and the enormous golden throne became visible. Seated upon it was the entity with a face concealed in shadow, but the intense warmth emanating from the colossal fire behind its head conveyed only one word¡ªSolis.


    A muffled voice emerged, and to Sylvester''s astonishment, this was no mere memory from the past.


    "An abundance of Gods walked the very earth you live upon. There may be multiple roads, but all end up as one single path¡ªpersevere, Sylvester Maximilian, do not cease, do not waver, show them your zing wrath!"


    BOOM!


    The form of Solis erupted in a fiery implosion and vanished from his sight. In that moment, as all those memories and visions concluded, and darkness returned, Sylvester realized something.


    ''I remember! This sensations¡ªI''ve known it forever¡ªI''ve used elven magic but never knew what it was¡­''


    The sensation of his bodyprehending how to absorb srium felt akin to the creation of the universe, the blossoming of flowers, or the emergence of the sun after a long, frigid night. The srium coursed through his body, imbuing every inch of his being. Each breath he took felt rejuvenating, and, atst, despite the rune in the sky, his injured arm seemed to be healing.


    ''The First Pope perished while absorbing the srium from the Orb of Purity¡ªdid he also master elven magic? How far can I push myself before suffering the same fate?''


    Sylvester opened his eyes and ears to his surroundings once more. He could sense that he was already covered by the red beam for the umpteenth time. However, shining brighter than the beam, his body radiated a golden light emanating from the halo behind his head.


    His hair, too, seemed to emit a glow, and his eyes brimmed with assurance. Magic exuded from his entire being, while the only thing diminishing appeared to be the beam from the sky.


    "I can feel it..." Sylvester murmured to himself and gazed directly into the crimson light above.


    He pressed his legs before kicking the ground and soaring into the sky. His spear remained poised before him as his body spun like an arrow. Within moments, a wide, golden rune circle materialized at the spear''s tip, visibly blocking the beam from the sky and pushing it back toward the eye.


    BOOM!


    "Niel! All your magic is¡ªmine."


    _________________


    [A/N: Tomorrow will be thest chapter of this whole battle. I initially nned to post it all together, but papa gori has heart surgery scheduled for tomorrow. So I could not find time to finish the chapters.]


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 542 541. Battle Of Popes Final - First Contact

    It was an uphill battle to fight against gravity in order to reach the eye. However, Sylvester felt increasingly powerful the further he progressed. His body acted like a sponge, taking in all the srium around him.


    There was nothing that could stop him now. His enemy''s srium, the basic foundation of magic, became his own weapon.


    "I feel good!" Sylvester couldn''t hold back the revitalizing sensation. His fatigue was gone, and his arm healed itself. "Give me all you got!"


    Atst, his spear pushed back the beam and reached the pupil of the giant eye. Without stopping, Sylvester went right into the dark circle. He expected there to be some greater resistance inside the eye, but all he saw was endless darkness as he pressed further inside.


    Bam!


    Atst, he felt the momentum stop and the spear hitting something¡ªresembling a wall. Yet, he didn''t falter and continued to use fire magic in his feet to propel his flight.


    "Hah! I don''t know what magic this is¡­" Sylvester bellowed and drank all the srium around him like it was the sweetest honey in the world. "But it''s too weak."


    As if a colossal tornado had erupted, the strange reality seemed to disintegrate into tiny particles¡ªas if it was being erased from existence. And all those particles came together in sand-like form, entering Sylvester''s body from all directions. He was quite literally devouring the world Niel had created.


    Crack!


    Sylvester felt the unknown ss-like barrier before him started to crack. "Niel¡ªIt was foolish of you to believe you can kill me with this reality you''ve made¡ªWhen it was a mere cosmetic."


    Crack!


    As the ss broke with increasing force, Sylvester devoured whatever srium he could find. In contrast to Niel''s act of constructing a new world, Sylvester stripped it away and brought back the darkness.


    BOOM!


    The ss shattered, and Sylvester burst through, crossing over and finding himself back in the normal world he remembered. The sun bathed the ravaged battlefield in bright light. But when he looked below, all he saw was a dark void converging into a center point.


    It was the unraveling of the magic that Niel had ced.


    Eventually, the darkness vanished, and in its ce, Niel appeared once again. However, he didn''t seem to be doing very well, panting profusely, with blood pouring from his eyes. Hovering in midair, since the magic ended, Niel started to fall. His battered body couldn''t react quickly enough.


    "Not yet."


    Boom!


    Sylvester dove straight toward Niel like a bolt of lightning. His feet propelled him at great speed. His hand grasped the false Pope''s throat with ease and adjusted the trajectory to m him onto the ground with as much force as possible.


    The earth approached rapidly as they plummeted freely. Sylvester didn''t care how far they flew in their freefall either.


    The entire way, Niel''s bloodied, half-ripped face kept staring at Sylvester, mumbling the same thing. "You know nothing¡­ You know nothing¡­"


    "Shut up." Sylvester realized they were already over the abandoned Green City, having traveled almost a hundred kilometers in the freefall.


    Niel smiled, revealing his bloodied teeth. "If you knew the truth, you would have joined me instead of resisting."


    "What truth?" Sylvester questioned. "Your riddles hold no sway now¡ªI will take what I want today."


    "The truth will shatter your life¡ªyour view of the world and your will to serve. Nothing is real¡ªeverything is nned!"


    Not understanding the man, Sylvester took no chances and went straight down in the middle of the Green City. "Whatever it is, I will handle it. My mercy, your words can''t buy¡ªso shut up and just die."


    BOOM!


    Sylvester rocketed down vertically and atst mmed First Guardian of Light, Niel''s body, onto the ground. The st generated from that maneuver was so massive that it created a wave, just like the ocean. The earth was uprooted, and the entire city was reduced to rubble, save for a few keeps.


    Rocks, debris, clothing, and other objects were scattered everywhere. And in the middle of it all was Sylvester, with Niel''s head still in his grasp, which he continued to m onto the ground, deepening the crater.


    Boom!


    With each m, the shockwaves reverberated with an echo. Niel''s body was nothing but a ragdoll by that point since his srium was drained, and his greatest ability had been rendered useless.


    "You imed to be the embodiment of light¡ªYet forgot it is I who rules over it. You can run as fast as light, but I always see and feel it¡ªfor it is my blessing." Sylvester stopped mming him and clutched his face into his palm. "Now, whatever magic is left in you, I''ll be taking it."


    Having remembered the sensation, Sylvester effortlessly attempted to take away the Srium from Niel''s body. He reckoned it wasn''t something the elves could do; Otherwise, they would have already conquered the world by consuming srium from others.


    Nial''s body began to visibly age and shrink, skin clinging onto his bones. The already tattered white robes gradually transformed into a loose gown on his body. The cheekbones protruded, and his eyes started losing their luster as they sank into his skull.


    "Seek the¡­ truth." Niel still tried to utter those words once more. "I found out¡­ I was cursed with¡­ it."


    Sylvester''s raging golden eyes and the crimson halo intensified. "As long as you speak in riddles, there shall be no mercy to your heresy."


    A faint smile appeared on Niel''s dying face. "You broke the void¡­"


    "Is that what it was called?" Sylvester felt tempted to stop and ask the man about the strange ability. Whatever magic Niel used was clearly not in its final form, as he stood unharmed. But on second thought, he decided not to take any risks.


    Niel had already epted his end. "H-Honored to¡­ to lose to one who could b-break the supreme¡­ I couldn''t, you realized my dream¡­"


    Sylvester cared not for Niel''s riddles and stopped holding back from draining the srium. With that, the rate of decay and aging escted. Within seconds, the muscles withered away, leaving behind a skull-like face, and his eyes had almost popped out. The sparkle of life within Niel''s gaze ceased to exist¡ªhis brain was dead, and only his heart remained beating.


    Although Sylvester held disdain for Niel, he respected him as a foe. Although he was killing the man, it didn''t mean he had to curse him. "May your soul find sce in death¡ªIn salvation, may you take another breath."


    "Amen."


    "What?" Sylevster''s head spun to his left, and his eyes shrank at the sight of the man. The voice belonged to someone he had almost forgotten. White robes with golden trim and embroidery, a hooded head, and a mask on half of their face. Golden shoulder armor, gauntlets, and a fancy long staff with the strange sun-like sigil at the head. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Releasing his grip on Niel''s body, Sylvester turned to face the unexpected visitor. However, when he attempted to move toward him, he found his body had frozen¡ªbut on another look, it seemed like the entire area had frozen over, including the birds in the sky. Yet, he knew the time wasn''t being manipted as the subtle shift of the sun''s position was visible.


    "Saint Scepter¡­ I was waiting for you to show up."


    Sylvester sounded calm, but his mind raged with questions. Just like Niel, he had no idea what this man was capable of. On top of that, the gap in strength among them was likely immense.


    Nheless, he didn''t stop defying the magic Saint Scepter had ced upon the surrounding. He tried to move to the best of his ability, going as far as to use Elder Magic to his heart''s content since srium was the one thing he had in abundance.


    ''Ugh¡­ it''s like I''m at the bottom of the ocean. There''s so much pressure.'' Sylvester silently grunted and finally managed to move a few inches.


    Crack!


    ''Hmm? What''s this?''


    Crack!


    As he slowly inched forward while exerting himself, he noticed the space around him cracking like ss.


    "Wonderful thing, isn''t it¡­ this ancient elder magic?" Saint Scepter spoke with an amused tone.


    ''I can''t read any of his emotions.'' Sylvester was alerted to the strange wall between their existences.


    "What do you want?" Sylvester questioned him. "Where is the Pope?"


    Saint Scepter moved suddenly and crossed through Sylvester''s body as if a ghost and gazed at Niel''s body. "He was never a match to you, but every tool has a use¡ªhe served his, and you serve yours."


    Crack!


    Sylvester turned around, breaking the space around his body. He felt slightly worried after seeing the subtle but almost impossible feat of magic by the man. "Did you kill the Pope? I remember he called you his closest friend."


    Saint Scepter raised his right palm, covered with a gauntlet. Then abruptly, a shining yellow dot appeared on it, and it kept growing bigger and bigger. The heat the orb produced was terrifying, the likes of which Sylvester had never felt before.


    The orb grew and flew over Saint Scepter''s head. "Do you know what this is? This is a small sun in the palm of my hands, the same sun you worship as Solis¡ªI can destroy this reality if I wish to."


    Woosh!


    The sun abruptly vanished. "But I won''t¡ªfor I am merely an overseer of the world''s trajectory, a skilled mechanic who corrects its course should it be my duty."


    "Who do you serve?" Sylvester questioned. "There has to be a purpose behind all that you do."


    "You cannot fathom them,"


    ''Them?'' Sylvester saw the hidden meanings. ''Nothing he''s saying is meaningless. Does he n to tell me all this?''


    "Are you going to fight me?" Sylvester questioned.


    "No, for a fight must be on equal footing¡ªbut if it bes my duty, I shall¡ªkill you." Without an ounce of doubt in himself, Saint Scepter spoke as a matter of fact.


    Leaving Sylvester to ponder, the man seized Niel by the back of his cor and began levitating in the air.


    Sylvester, rmed, tried to stop him. "He''s not dead yet¡ªAre you going to break the Holy Duel? The stake was the throne. I earned it."


    Saint Scepter answered. "I merely oversee that the rightful takes the throne¡ªI take no sides. Niel''s mind has left this realm, but his heart remains steady. He may no longer live, but he has a purpose to fulfill while you remain away."


    "Away? I''m not nning on going anywhere." Sylvester stated.


    "You have already won the throne, Sylvester Maximilian, but your time to sit on it has yet to arrive. Many answers remain unknown. Many mysteries remain unsolved¡ªYour goal shall remain unreachable unless, in these ancient secrets, you get involved."


    Saint Scepter began to rise into the sky, flying away. But Sylvester was still not done with his questions since there was a reason why he kept himself so focused and calm during that whole interaction.


    "Where does this all end? You''re so powerful, so why not fight against ''them''?" Sylvester questioned with a shout.


    Saint Scepter shook his head as he flew away. "A man is bound by the duty his fate decides upon. If he ignores doing what he is born to do, is he even alive? To try and bring the heavens down, isn''t that to battle against nature itself?"


    "But everything eventually falls!" Sylvester continued, trying to stop Saint Scepter before he went too far away. "Eventually, the mighty always fall¡ªMasan did, Riveria did, Hitler did, Constantine did, Cleopatra did¡­"


    ''Got you!''


    Saint Scepter suddenly stopped for a split second and then continued to leave, vanishing into the distant sky and eventually freeing Sylvester from the terrifying power that froze him.


    However, despite losing the battle and the annoying meddling, a smile remained on Sylvester''s face.


    ''A man born during or after Cleopatra and before Constantine''s reign¡ªthis means somewhere between 50BCE and 306AD¡­ He has no knowledge of modern technology.'' Sylvester deduced from that little flinch he saw in Saint Scepter''s demeanor.


    ''Thank you for the clues, Saint Scepter.''


    _________________


    [A/N: Yes, Sylvester is aware that this was a double-edged sword.]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 543 542. Journey To The East

    The clouds of dust in the destroyed city settled down. The sky slowly began to show a red hue as the sunset drew near. The battle hadsted a good chunk of the day, and it was better to say that their minds were more tired than their physical bodies.


    However, Sylvester had long understood that the little trick he pulled with Saint Scepter also meant trouble for himself. ''Now he also knows where I''m from. This can go two ways¡ªHe''ll eithere after me to kill me or take an interest in me in a more familial way. Based on what Gab found, I don''t think there ever existed more than two people from Earth in this world at the same time.''


    Thud!


    Tired, Sylvester threw himself onto the ground andy on his back, gazing at the sky. He took a few soothing breaths, attempting to regainposure before getting back to work. There was a lot going on in his head, and the question of what would happen next weighed heavily on his mind.


    "This duel¡­ it wasn''t the final struggle for the throne, was it? I only killed one pawn." He muttered to himself, raising his hand to cast a shadow over his eyes. "The closer I get to my goal, the farther it seems¡ªHow long do I have to keep on fighting? Another lifetime?"


    "Maxyyyy¡­!"


    "Hah." Sylvester chuckled upon hearing Miraj''s voice drawing closer. "And herees my cheerleader."


    Bam!


    Miraj mmed onto Sylvester''s chest with force, nearly making him cough. "Maxy¡­ Where were you? I looked for you everywhere, but it was all dark. I thought¡­ I thought I ate myself and got stuck in my belly."


    Pa!


    Miraj pped his furry, chubby belly. "But then darkness vanished, and you went flying away like I can¡­ Can you fly now?"


    Sylvester smiled and caressed Miraj''s head. He was surprised to know that Miraj was stuck in that void thing too, but his experience was different from his own. The nature of that magical move was a mystery to him.


    Slowly, he sat up. "Miraj, I won the fight, but I lost too."


    Miraj tilted his head, confused. "That makes no sense. It''s like¡­ I ate a banana, but I didn''t eat a banana¡­"


    "What I mean is that Niel is probably not the final enemy that''s holding the fort. I defeated him, but I still can''t see myself taking that throne. Niel was the pawn. The true mastermind is someone else¡­ other than Saint Scepter." Sylvester exined but kept most of theplex details to himself since Miraj didn''t care about anything but those he loved.


    In due time, as the sun almost set, Aurora, Lord Inquisitor, and Gabriel also arrived, looking for him. They dug through the rubble of the city and made a path to him at the center of the crater.


    "What happened? Are you alright?" Aurora rushed to him and supported his back with an arm. "Are you hurt?"


    "He''s alive, which means¡­" Gabriel guessed.


    Sylvester nced at the Inquisitor High Lord, who stood there silently. "Saint Scepter came. He took Niel''s almost lifeless body, said I''ve won but not ready to take the throne yet¡­ and wants me to uncover some secrets."


    Short and concise, Sylvester told them what was necessary.


    The tall Lord Inquisitor nodded his visor-d head. "That man was a forgotten mystery up until a few days. If he wanted, he could have killed us all in many ways. Yet, we stand here and speak¡ªI do not think it''s destruction he seeks."


    Sylvester agreed on that much, but he didn''t rule out the possibility that Saint Scepter''s goals might changeter on. After all, the man had hinted at it himself.


    Sylvester stood up and looked at his palm. "What was that magic Niel used? It wasn''t an illusion."


    "Supreme Void," Gabriel exined to him as he did with others.


    It made sense to Sylvester. "So that''s why it was so weak. It held almost no threat to me¡ªbut it was certainly a tough one to break out of."


    However, learning about it made Sylvester wonder if he could also create a void of his own. ''Unlike Niel, I have an abundance of Srium, and I''ve already reached the peak rank of a Knight. My body should be strong enough for it.''


    "Well, in any case, I believe it''s time I head to Beastaria." Sylvester patted his cape clean. "But first, I need to get this armor fixed."


    "Beastaria?! What''s there?" Aurora asked, rmed. "You want to fight a two-front war?"


    Sylvester didn''t answer her since he was still uncertain himself. "I have something important to take care of there. I have a feeling Saint Scepter hinted for me to go there, as Shadow Knight did a few times before. But first, let''s go; the creation of the New Holy Land must not stop. No matter if the old Holy Land epts me or not, I''ll be crowned as the new Pope, since the faith right now is no different than a headless snake."


    Aurora sighed. "So this battle was pointless?"


    Sylvester smiled. ''Certainly not for me.''


    "Niel is gone. We''ve achieved our goal. It''s a good thing that we''re able to deal with him so soon because of his challenge. Otherwise, we''d have had toy siege to the Holy Land, only to find out Niel wasn''t the real enemy." Sylvester exined and started to walk out of the city.


    "You destroyed the city," Gabriel muttered. "It was so beautiful before. I can see Isabe''s shocked face when she hears about this."


    "Beautiful, but it was too old," Sylvestermented. "I''ll n a new cityter, much bigger and more advanced¡ªa role model for the rest of the world to follow."


    "That''s genius. So you intended to destroy it today?" Aurora was in awe.


    "Not at all. I just crashed on it."


    "..."


    ¡­


    [Duel of Fates: The Bard''s light has the supreme might!]<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Sylvester arrived back in Sandwall County, and by the time he reached home, the next batch of propaganda posters was ready to be sent out all over the realm. He had won the battle with the false Pope, but the people still needed to know that the struggle persisted.


    To instill patience in the people of Sol, and to exin why Sylvester wasn''t taking the throne, they needed an excuse. So the next following titles of the propaganda posters were about Beastaria.


    [Son of Solis Vows: Unless the threat of Beastaria is gone, the Bard shall not deem himself worthy of the Pope''s throne.]


    With such headlines, the story was woven. Along with that, Sylvester finally allowed books to be released and libraries to be set up in the capital cities of each Kingdom. The books coverednguage, elementary mathematics, geography, and home science. The goal was to elevate the general knowledge and intellectual level of the people. By providing the base, the hope was to start a cycle where the more gifted minds with a thirst for more knowledge would seek higher levels of information¡ªofficially bringing them into higher academia.


    "Lord Inquisitor and Gabriel, you two will be the administrators of the New Holy Land while I''m gone. Don''t stop the construction. The city must look like an oasis in the desert. Once the structural construction isplete, focus on beautifying them. Createkes, ponds, and gardens, and decorate the buildings." Sylvester instructed his team in hisrge meeting room.


    "Am Iing with you this time?" Aurora asked excitedly since her name wasn''t called yet.


    "No." Sylvester drowned her hopes. "I would love to bring you along, but we both know what they would do to you if they were to catch you somehow."


    All the men in the room were Grand Wizards or higher-ranked Clergymen with enough experience to know what the Werewolves, Goblins, and Trolls loved to do to their female human ves. Not just physicalbor but physical pleasing was also expected.


    "I''m taking Sir Dolorem with me since his futuresight will help me greatly in navigating thatnd." Sylvester rified her role. "You will take his ce and protect Mother Xavia."


    "No." She refused. "Going to Masan was one thing, but to enter Beastaria like that is uneptable. It''s called the Graveyard of Popes for a reason. Too many species have too many elder experts with iprehensible magic. If you go there ill-prepared, you''ll die."


    Sadly, Sylvester couldn''t tell her about his rtionship with the elven King. But there was still some saving grace. "Don''t worry. Did you forget our friendly rtions with the Beastkins of the West Coast? They''ll provide me with shelter and safety. Besides, I just killed a peak Grand Wizard¡­"


    "What if some Supreme Wizard from among themes after you?" Aurora pointed. Her worry was not without cause either. "You tell me to protect Xavia, but if you die, she''ll kill herself, Sylvester."


    Sylvester sighed and reconsidered. "Fine, the Ninja ising with me then."


    "Me? Why me?" The Warsong man, wrapped in tight ck clothes from head to toe, eximed. He was used to being called Ninja by Sylvester by now.


    "Dagorith, you''re a master of disguise and stealth, aren''t you? I''m sure you can help me greatly and teach me a few tricks too." Sylvester singled out the man whose abilities he desired. "We leave in three days."


    "Take more people," Aurora suggested.


    "I''m not going there for a leisurely trip, Aurora. I need to remain hidden throughout my stay. In any case, this is my decision. Please handle any imminent threats. If the Chief of Anti-Light warns you, tell him Sylvester remembers the deal¡ªthere''s still time before the one year is over." Sylvester concluded and stood up from hismanding seat by the oval table. "I''ll head to prepare for my trip and write a letter to Sir Dolorem. Dagorith, do the same."


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us."


    As Sylvester left, all the members stood up and saluted him with arms crossed on their chests. After all, his position as the Pope had simply be a matter of sitting on the throne now.


    ¡­


    Instead of heading to his chambers, Sylvester went to the dungeon to meet with Avanss. He needed a guide on his mission. And there was also something that he had to ask.


    "Maxy, can we go find cats like me?" Miraj asked while perched on Sylvester''s shoulder.


    Sylvester was almost sure there weren''t any, but he agreed. "Of course, we''ll look for them as well. But don''t get your hopes up¡ªyou''ve been so far away all this time."


    Miraj nodded and lowered his head. "I know¡­ Ah, Maxy, my back is also itching again. Will I grow more wings?"


    ''Again?''


    "Perhaps¡ªmaybe you''ll evolve. Nobody knows about our rare Chonky, after all." Sylvester cheered him on a little as he arrived at the well-lit, dry dungeon.


    Knock! Knock!


    Sylvester knocked on the metal door and strode in without waiting for a reply. "Good evening, Avanss."


    "I sense progress," Avanss mumbled without lifting his head from the book he was reading. "Stronger again? It baffles me how fast you''re growing, my dear nephew."


    Sylvester got straight to the point. "Avanss, do you know where I can find a blue tree in Beastaria? It''s supposed to be beside a crescent."


    "Moon Lake?" Avanss muttered promptly. "The one in Deca Imperia?"


    Sylvester had the same idea. "Maybe. Are there any blue trees there?"


    Avanss hummed and rubbed his hairless chin while reclining back in his chair. "A blue tree¡­ I don''t think¡­ Wait, there is a memorial building called Blue Leaves by the Moon Lake."


    Sylvester''s eyes and ears perked up. "A memorial for what?"


    "It was built to honor the fallen in the First Battle of Bays¡ªthe first official battle between Beastaria and Sol."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 544 543. The World Is Evolving

    "Is it a building or just a monument?" Sylvester questioned Avanss. "Why was it named blue leaves?"


    Avanss stood up, his interest piqued. "Why such sudden curiosity? Is there something I can help you with?"


    "I defeated Niel, but the troubles go deeper than that. I''ve decided to visit Beastaria regarding a mystery that I have to solve. I can''t be the Pope before that happens. To do that, I need to find the blue tree near the crescent." Sylvester briefly exined. "The mystery could be rted to the Shadow Knight and the history of our world."


    "Hmm¡­ Interesting." Avanss, the ever-so-thirsty adventurer elf, felt his senses tingle. "The memorial was built a long time ago before the foundation of Deca Imperia. What lies beneath it is a mystery to me. But, it also serves as the office of the Deca Imperia Council¡ªthe council that houses one governor from each of ten major species in Beastaria."


    The Deca Imperia was and developed as a united city for all the species of Beastaria. It only grew with time and became thergest city in the world,parable to the Marashia region of old Masan. But, Deca Imperia was one giant continuous city without any division between the rich and poor. It was the economic hub of the continent where the major decisions were made.


    Sylvester knew that very well, as the city was finely detailed in many books. It was amazing but far from perfect. For example, the dragons and elves never agreed on anything simultaneously, while the dwarves didn''t care about politics.


    "And why is it called Blue Leaves?" Sylvester inquired.


    "Because each fallen soldier was seen as a leaf of the same tree¡ªBeastaria represents the tree. Blue is probably in the name because Moon Lake is very blue." Avanss answered.


    However, it was enough to set bells ringing in Sylvester''s head. "Then, if Beastaria is the tree¡­ the building is likely the Blue Tree I''m looking for. I must go and see it myself, Avanss. Can you help me?"


    Avanss scratched his head awkwardly. "Nephew, are you sure about that? If they find out about your origins, they''ll send out each and every expert from every region to kill you. They know you will be the next Pope, and to kill a Pope is considered the highest victory to many¡ªespecially the dragons and elves. And I''m not sure if my brother will be able to protect you."


    It was undoubtedly a problem, but far from something that could stop Sylvester. "Then we''ll enter Beastaria secretly. I already look like an elf without long ears, so I can easily disguise myself as one of you. As for Sir Dolorem and Dagorith¡­"


    "ves." Avanss blurted. "Each elf holds at least one ve in Alfia. Rich ones prefer humans due to their likable, human appearance."


    Sylvester nodded his head. Even though he didn''t like the sound of it, he knew it was the only way. "We can get a pirate ship from the Broken Mangroves to smuggle us across the sea."


    "Will they agree?"


    "We won''t be asking." Sylvester menacingly replied, and decided to go with the n. "We leave in two days, so start packing."


    Avanss smiled widely, delighted that perhaps the time hade for father and son to meet atst. "Understood, Your Holiness."


    "Hah." Sylvester chuckled as he left the room. "Don''t get used to it, ''uncle''¡ªor your own people might call you a heathen."


    "Let them¡­ I''ll just run away¡­ again."


    ¡­


    Sylvester left the dungeons and went to the front yard of the new Pope''s Pce. The building was almost done, and he had to give it to the dwarves; they were masters of their craft, even when they weren''t mining and smithing. The building was towering and overbearing to look at, and yet it didn''t feel unweing. Its light sandy marble walls blended well with the geography of the city. The various white-framed windows increased the charm by providing some vor to it.


    On the ground, there was grass all around and a few ponds with trees currently being nted. The Clergymen that had taken his side kept the red scarf with his emblem on their necks as they carried out their duties.


    "There you are! I heard you destroyed my royal capital city! I''m the Queen of rubble now."


    Sylvester chuckled, seeing angry Isabe pouting her lips and puffing her cheeks. "Hear me out first¡­ I have a n for it."


    Isabe still continued to rush toward him with a grumpy look. Though, no matter how much she tried, she didn''t look anything but cute. She was just like Chonky in that manner.


    Bam!


    She punched Sylvester''s chest very gently. "There¡­ I did it. I hit the next Pope and still live. Now I''m the strongest monarch in the realm."


    Sylvester, being much taller than her, chuckled and patted her head. "You''re like an angry puppy."


    "..."


    "By the way¡­ What are these rumors in high society I''m hearing about, you and this Princess Fernis from the old Masan?" Isabe wiggled her brows, gleaming. "Could it be¡­ the diamond isn''t pure anymore?"


    Sylvester smiled wryly, and his expression turned solemn. "She was¡­ a Saintess who remained loyal to me even in her death. She left a burden of great favor on my shoulder, Isabe. Consider her as pure as my Mum."


    Isabe stopped teasing. "I''m sorry¡­ I didn''t mean to disrespect her. But, perhaps a grand statue of her in my new capital city will be a good way to immortalize her name."


    "Thank you." Sylvester patted Isabe''s shoulder and gestured for her to follow along. "Speaking of your city,e with me. I''m going to meet with Elrog, the elder of the dwarves. I have a few modernizing and revolutionary ns for this New Holy Land. If things work out here, I''ll design a new city for you¡ªfar bigger and more advanced than you can imagine."


    Isabe''s eyes flickered with newfound hope. Such little things were all she could focus on to find some sce. Otherwise, the memory of Felix and the worry of where he was kept her awake almost every night.


    "You''ve defeated Niel¡­ Will you find Felix then?" She asked him, lowering her voice a little. Unsure if it was the right time.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Sylvester held her hand in his while walking, giving her some assurance. "He''s like a brother to me, Isabe. I never stopped looking for him. All the adventurer and assassin guilds are offered one billion in gold to find him."


    "What?!" She gasped. "But¡­ Do you have that much money?"


    "Of course I do. But don''t worry, if they were to seed, I''ll tax their prize money by ny percent." Sylvester revealed his evil scheme, the bane of any ordinary man¡ªtax.


    Isabe chuckled and sighed while walking. Talking with Sylvester always made her feel rxed. She trusted hispetitiveness and almost perfect ns more than her own mind.


    Before they knew it, they arrived at the vast undergroundbyrinth the dwarves had upied. It rested beneath the Pope''s Pce and went way deep underground. But even then, they used mirrors to let sunlight enter their dark chambers and workshops.


    A strong scent of steel and ale filled the entirebyrinth. But it wasn''t appalling at all since it meant the dwarves were happy and pouring their hearts out into the work.


    "Elder Elrog." Sylvester arrived at the main,rgest personal workspace of the elder dwarf. It was the old dwarf''s home, bedroom, and working area. The furnace never stopped glowing red there.


    But what Sylvester was delighted to see were the machines he had offered them before. The steam-powered furnace and the automated hammer looked beautiful. Metal pipes were connected there to carry steam out as well¡ªit was magnificent.


    "Your Holiness!" Elrog quickly removed his goggles and wiped his hands clean after taking off the gloves. "We heard about your victory and emptied the entire ale cer to celebrate."


    ''They just needed an excuse to drink.'' Sylvester knew them too well.


    "Then refill them, because I''m about to give you the project of your life. Which, if you construct it as I want, will immortalize your names as the Blessed Dwarves of Solis." Sylvester painted an exciting picture. "You asked me before why I nned the city''s streets so wide. Today you shall receive the answer."


    Elrog couldn''t contain his excitement because thest time Sylvester suggested something, it turned out to be a way to make excellent new roads and bridges. Not to mention the automation machines.


    "W-What is it this time, Your Holiness?" The old dwarf asked.


    Sylvester smiled and unrolled a few sheets of paper on the elder''s table. "ns for better furnaces to create more steel, it''s the first step. Then there''s the steam lotive, but before you appraise the lotive, I need you to create this."


    Elrog looked at the strange long carriage with no horses attached to it. It sat on top of a road with an interesting metal rod protruding on its top. Sadly, it made no sense to Elrog''s keen eyes. "What is this strange carriage, Your Holiness? Is this some sort of traveling machine? Where do the horses go?"


    "Squished below it¡­ if they do appear in front of it." Sylvester jokingly replied. "This contraption is called a tram, Elrog. It runs on steel rails that are meticulously ced on the streets. I exined electricity to you once, didn''t I? A tram is powered by it. A man named Jinn ising here from the new Masan Kingdom, and he''ll help you with all theponents. I''ll only provide you with the designs.


    "The reason why I made all the streets so wide is so these trams can run in the middle, throughout the city''s major locations. It will be this city''s main mode of travel and excellent carrier for small goods."


    Sylvester was a mechanical engineer in his previous life. He could create machines, but when it came to other things, at best, he could design them and leave further nning to others. Of course, his guidance was always there. For example, he had drawn the diagram for a step-up and step-down transformer and arge river dam for electricity generation, as the Snake River flowed right beside the city.


    Unfortunately, he had to let the others experiment ande up with ways to make wires and other smaller required items. The same was the case with the city-wide plumbing he had nned. It wasn''t viable to make all pipes with iron as they''d rust too quickly, and Sylvester only knew chemical forms for making stic, not how to actually make it.


    There were a great many things he needed others to develop. So, he never hoped to achieve everything immediately. Well, at least he took sce in the fact that bicycles were quite famous in the city. Sewage, hospitals, and schools were also a thing now.


    "This is truly a grand undertaking," Elrog mumbled. "We don''t have enough workers."


    "That''s why I propose that you establish a school to teach a group of humans. Train them to work alongside you. I won''t ask you to teach them your secrets, but at least basic work can be done by them." Sylvester proposed a win-win offer to all sides. One that would increase productivity, educate people and decrease unemployment.


    Elrog nodded while stroking his beard. "I like the idea, but I must discuss it with the council first¡ª"


    BAM!


    "Sylvester!" The door to the office was suddenly kicked open, and Gabriel furiously walked in. "Come with me quick. I need you to judge a Clergyman for his heathen activities¡ªthat filth!"


    "..."


    Sylvester had never seen Gabriel so angry before. "What happened?"


    Gabriel took out a thin, folded sheet of paper from his robe''s pocket. "One of the Clergymen working on a printing press secretly printed these and distributed them in the thousands across the city."


    "What is it?" Sylvester took the paper to check.


    Immediately His forehead was covered in creases as his brows rose. "This is¡­ porn!"


    _________________


    [A/N: See the stuff... cough!]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 545 544. Masters & Slaves

    "Ugh! How can one draw such fiendish things?!" Isabe made a disgusted face and stepped back. "Execute that heathen."


    "How much did he charge for it?" Sylvester, instead of looking disguised, seemed interested.


    "One silver!" Gabriel furiously blurted.


    Elder Elrog walked closer and looked at the paper before humming. Sylvester also nodded his head, "Amateur¡­ If he had hired a better artist, it''d have sold for three silver. The body proportions are bad, and the face looks like a dposing corpse. But the pose is quite creative."


    "..."


    Gabriel couldn''t believe his ears. "Sylvester, you¡­ how could you appreciate this?"


    "Why not? This is also art, and with the normalization of my printing press, this thing is bound to happen. I can already see an industry forming around such art." Sylvester, after all, was a man who had lived through the era of madness for yboy magazines. So he could see where things were going. Heck, he believed if he were to develop a camera somehow, some brave folks might start those kinds of magazines too. It was bound to happen with more technology, and restricting it with force meant bing authoritarian. So why not just tax it?


    "Take me to this person. I want to see this artist myself." Sylvester folded the paper. "I don''t condone this, and I won''t tolerate such creations inside this holy dwelling. If he wishes to do it, he can do it outside¡ªbut if he''s willing, I might have a better way he can utilize his creativity."


    Gabriel didn''t ask him too many questions and rushed to pick up the questionable piece of paper before following him.


    "Leave this behind¡­" Elder Elrog suddenly requested. "I¡­ will show it to my friends. It''ll be a nice matter to discuss over some ale."


    "..."


    Gabriel sighed, shook his head, and left with Sylvester. Isabe also followed. They soon arrived on the ground floor, in one of the smaller halls of the Pope''s Pce. It was a room for Gabriel to work in.


    "That''s him!" Gabriel pointed at the scared Clergyman sitting on a chair by the mahogany table. The man was shivering, and his face was pale, likely already believing he was going to die.


    Thud!


    The man jumped from his chair and immediately prostrated at Sylvester''s feet. "Please forgive me, Your Holiness. I couldn''t control my heart¡­ I was corrupted by my sinful desire. I beg for forgiveness; this will never happen again¡­ I vow."


    "Death!" Sylvester blurted, almost killing the poor man with a heart attack. "... Is what you deserve for this heresy, but I''m not a man without mercy. You havemitted a sin, and now goodwill you must also win¡ªthrough your own actions."


    "Anything! I will do whatever you order."


    "Then rise and tell me your name." Sylvester walked aside and took a seat. He then saw the man''s features¡ªwhite-skinned, shot-bearded, and spiky red-haired. The man looked as handsome as an ordinary man could be, but his mind sure was crafty.


    "I''m Archpriest Johnny, Your Holiness." The Clergyman introduced himself. "I work as a printing operator."


    "I know that. Now, tell me, Johnny, what else is going on in that head of yours? I''m quite sure it''s not all mindless, unholy thoughts. What other stories do you concoct? Perhaps something fictional, a story of a strong heroic knight who goes around and saves children¡ªfights world-ending monsters, gue-spreading evil wizards?"


    Johnny nodded his head. "But¡­ those are simple dreams of every man out there. A dream to be a brave knight and fight for good."


    "Yes, and that''s why I want you to draw a book with illustrations that utilizes a mix of art and words. Think about the story in various scenes, and as it progresses, you can ce speech in simple frames above the character''s heads, to give the characters dialogues and expositions. It shall be a form of entertainment for the masses, and with a few tweaks, perhaps we can print them in color too." Sylvester pitched his idea of mass entertainment atst. It was a great thing to distract people from awful things in their lives, keeping them upied in their free time instead of doing crimes or thinking about rebellion.


    Johnny was ready to ve himself to stay alive, so this was a much better deal. "Your Holiness¡­ who will write the story?"


    "You will, of course." Sylvester pointed at him. "But remember¡­ You can draw beautiful men and women, but nothing lustful. The book will be seen by men, women, and children alike."


    "I''ll do it! I''ll make the book, Your Holiness. I will draw the first ten pages and show it to you¡­ I will get better at art too¡­ you can trust me." Johnny said with desperation evident in his voice.


    "Good, you may leave now." Sylvester dismissed him, even letting him keep the money he earned just for the fact that he was so daring and creative.


    Eventually, when it was just Gabriel left in the room, Sylvester got up to leave. "I''ll go and pack my luggage. I''ll be disguised as an elf in the Beastaria."


    "Now that you say it, an elf''s disguise will certainly suit your face and long hair. But still, I hope you take all the precautions and be safe. We''ve all been waiting for six years already, and I don''t think people can wait anymore. If you don''t be the Pope, I can see the Faith of Solis fading into history." Gabriel expressed his worries. Having read all the books and knowing the history, he knew all the ups and downs of the Church.


    In times whenmoners suffer, the people either turn to faith or turn away¡­ especially thetter, if they believe their misfortunes are caused by the faith.


    Pat!


    Sylvester patted Gabriel''s shoulder. "Have faith in me, Gab. I want to end this as quickly as possible too. Moreover, one of my goals on this visit is to secure a peace treaty so we can stabilize ourselves afterward."


    "Then I have nothing but prayers to offer, my friend." Gabriel resolutely replied. "May the Holy Light enlighten you and your path."


    "Amen." Sylvester nodded and left his friend to work. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    ¡­


    Two days was a very short time in the grand scheme of things. The people worked, the Bards sang, and the Clergymen prayed. The criminalsmitted their sins, the corrupt lied through their teeth. The flowers bloomed, and in some ces, dark clouds loomed.


    Before long, the time came to leave for the dangerous expedition. Sir Dolorem donned his armor and prepared to depart from the Sand City of the Hignd Kingdom. The route he had chosen to take to reach the Broken Mangroves was through the Gift River, which would lead him straight to the rendezvous point.


    "Please be safe, and give this to Max." Xavia bid Sir Dolorem farewell from the hidden exit of the pce.


    Sir Dolorem took the bag with cookies for Sylvester¡ªadditionally, some strange pudding with the scent of bananas. "I will, Mother Xavia. I assure you, I will protect His Holiness with my life. Any de or magic raised against him will have to go through me first."


    "He takes too many risks¡­ Please advise him well." Xavia bowed her head in respect. She knew that she and Sylvester owed a lot to Sir Dolorem. Without him, they might not have even survived their initial days in the Holy Land.


    Bam!


    King Hignd was more open with his goodbyes. He mmed his palm over Sir Dolorem''s shoulder. "May the Holy Light bless you with the strength to ovee all trials, Sir Dolorem. You are one fine, honorable knight, and with you by Bard''s side, I feel at ease."


    "Hmph!" Aurora scoffed, still salty that she couldn''t go with Sylvester. "He sure needs someone with brains since he has none."


    "Ehm¡­ But I remember you were praising him all night at the dinner." Queen Trinity interjected, embarrassing Aurora.


    "Well¡­ I can''t lie as a Clergywoman." Aurora mumbled. "He is pretty good. There is no denying it. Anyway, all the best, Sir Dolorem. If you find the head of Inquisitors in Beastaria, give him a beating. He hasn''t replied to my missives yet."


    "Understood, Lady Guardian." With that, Sir Dolorem saluted them with his arms crossed and departed the city on his horse.


    He donned a disguise for the time being, using a fake wig on his head and magic to look like a white man instead. He had to maintain that disguise until he arrived at the Broken Mangroves, where nobody entered.


    He took a boat from the river port after traveling all the way to Lake Fertile and rowed it himself using magic to go downstream. It was a long journey, butpared to the task before him, it felt like nothing.


    ''How many years has it been since Sylvester and I went on a mission together¡­ Once more, I shall pray to the Lord, hoping everything goes well.''


    ¡­


    For Sylvester, going somewhere discreetly was much easier as he could simply stroll through the sky, all the way to the Gift River in Riveria, and row down likemoners.


    "May your des remain the sharpest¡ªmay you have a bountiful harvest." The Inquisitor High Lord prayed for Sylvester before he departed. "Your Holiness, we shall hold this fort until your eventful return¡ªNo heathen shall enter, no schemer shall seed, have no such concern."


    Sylvester saluted the man, who had an undying mysterious fury. "Thank you, Lord Inquisitor. I will speak to you directly if a situation arises. Until then, May the Holy Light enlighten and unite us."


    With that, Sylvester started making Light Tiles to gain altitude until he disappeared into the clouds. After that, he began the quick jog toward the southeast. Behind him were two men¡ªAvanss, under his loose hooded brown robes, hiding his long ears; and Dagorith, in his usual dark ninja robes, covering himself from head to toe.


    It took them a single day to arrive near the River City of Riveria, and from there, they took a boat and rowed all the way to the ancient runes of the Temple of Luna in the Broken Mangroves. It was the same ce where Sylvester had gone for his first-ever task as Sanctum Inspector years ago.


    As they reached it, a single boat was already docked near the ruins. It was very dark in the mangroves, the flesh-eating vines littered the entire area, and the tall trees blocked the sunlight. They nned to leave before nightfall.


    "Your Holiness." Sir Dolorem quickly appeared before the new boat.


    Sylvester chuckled, seeing his favorite knight. But the attire he wore wasn''t something worthy of a knight. A patched, dirty tunic and simrly dirty dark trousers. His face also looked dirty, with some wounds here and there. "You seemed to have mastered the art of disguise."


    "I''m supposed to be a ve, Your Holiness."


    Sylvester frowned at the repeated use of his title by a man he considered a father figure. "Come on, just call me Sylvester. But, anyhow, I''m going to be your elven master from now on¡ªMy name is Master Zhoron, and the man behind me is Master Avanss. The ck-robed man is the Grand Wizard of Warsong, Dagorith. He shall be donning simr clothes as you and will act as a ve."


    "What will be our ve names?" Sir Dolorem inquired. "And the ve cors."


    "I have them." Avanss handed the broken ve cors to the two.


    "As for your names." Sylvester looked at them. "Dagorith, you''ll be called Friday, and Sir Dolorem, you''ll be¡­ Spartacus."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 546 545. Pirate Captain Zohron

    "Change your clothes. I''ll look for a pirate ship outside the mangroves," Sylvester informed them after changing his attire, wearing fake long ears and dressing in brown robes with a hood.


    "Look for a ship with at least three masts. The rest can''t cross the Blood Sea that easily." Avanss advised Sylvester before thetter took to the air.


    Sylvester quickly moved toward the East, walking above the treeline of the Vine Forest. It was a massive expanse of space, almost half as big as what used to be The Patch in the south. The dense trees, deadly vines, and green water that looked likend were the perfect traps for the lost souls.


    Soon, he arrived at the forest''s edge where the mangrove met the Blood Sea. And that was precisely where the pirates docked their ships to rest or to buy supplies. It was the perfect location since Vine Forest had maze-like waterways for the pirates to hide if any Holy Fleet was in sight. At the same time, the Forever Port on the southern coast of Riveria was a pirate''s paradise to buy whatever they needed. Other than ves, they could buy and sell nearly anything there.


    ''Hmm¡­ Three masts?'' Sylvester looked at more than a dozen ships. Most of them were flying different gs. But themon thing was the ck background of all the gs, signifying they were indeed pirates.


    "Maxy, look!" Miraj suddenly chirped while flying around Sylvester, attempting to y with a few pigeons. Sadly, the birds only saw Miraj as an apex predatoring after their lives.


    "What?" Sylvester nced at where Miraj pointed his fluffy paw.


    "That big ship has a cat''s face in front!" Miraj eximed excitedly. "Can we take that ship? Pleaaaaaase?"


    Sylvester looked closely. The ship, indeed, had a strange figurehead of a female cat beastkin. The head belonged to a feminine cat with an almost human-like expression, and the body was also made in the most seductive way possible, which for Sylvester, felt disgusting. Moreover, the g had a skull and swords, but the feline skull had cat ears.


    "But that''s a five-mast ship¡­ It''s too big for us." Sylvester muttered, but soon his keen eyes saw something on the ship. "And they seem to have live captives they haven''t sold¡­ alright, we''re taking it."


    Sylvester knew he wasn''t a righteous hero. But, as he understood his role in the grand scheme of things was about being a role model, he had to leave an impression on those hurt by the messed-upws of the world¡ªgive them hope and a dream of a bright future to look forward to. Otherwise, the goal of uniting the world would remain a dream.


    "Huzza! Huzza!" Miraj cheered and jumped onto Sylvester''s shoulder, tapping his paws on Sylvester''s head.


    ''He''s excited about going to Beastaria and finding others like him¡­ I hope this won''t be a depressing trip for him.'' Sylvester thought to himself and rejoined his team at the ruins.


    The three men had prepared themselves neatly by the time. Dagorith had also changed his clothes to torn tunics and trousers. Furthermore, Avanss had ced ankle chains on the two, restraining them.


    Wasting no time, they quickly got back on the boat and rowed out of the Vine Forest. It was a calming ride, and it gave Sylvester enough time to speak with a few people through the Srium Web, as he had an important task.


    Being able to absorb Srium from nts was the easiest, and being surrounded by them, he felt as if he''d never lose Srium there. So the connection was instantly established, connecting multiple receivers all at once.


    ''Lord Inquisitor, King Hignd, Queen Trinity, King Kaecilius, Isabe, and Lord Einarr¡ªI''m leaving for an important mission and won''t be reachable for a while. In the meantime, I have an important task for all of you.'' Sylvester spoke in his head.


    Quickly, acknowledgment came from the other sides as all the monarchs and powerhouses listened silently.


    So Sylvester continued. ''I want you all to order an unspoken ban on transcontinental very. Furthermore, I need all your nations toe together with your navies and kill all the pirates that dock beside the Vine Forest or those roaming the sea¡ªI repeat¡ªkill all of them!''


    ''The filth shall be cleansed, Your Holiness¡ªNo more will they trouble you with their lowliness.'' Lord Inquisitor''s reply came in an instant.


    But there was more to it than simply killing them. King Hignd, being a great administrator, noticed and asked. ''But, Your Holiness. What about those Beastaria ves already here?''


    Sylvester hummed and told them his n. ''I value them for their expertise, and it''s a fact that they won''t be treated well by their kind if they return to Beastaria. The females will be seen as tainted, and men will be given the lowest of the lowest work in theirmunities. So start taking all the Beastaria ves from ve-holders in yournd and give them a new home, better clothes, and food, but don''t let them leave.''


    ''What are you nning to do with them?'' Isabe questioned.


    Sylvester cryptically answered. ''In time, as the light shall spread, Bard''s warmth shall take home in everyone''s head.''


    ''Amen.''


    ''Amen.''


    Others grasped his meaning easily. With that, Sylvester ended hismunication and focused on exiting the Vine Forest. They were already on the edge, and the open seas were visible in the distance.


    "Which one?" Avanss asked since there were too many big and small ships.


    "The one with a cat figurehead¡ªfive-masted one." Sylvester pointed and made the two ''ves'' row the boat.


    In no time, they arrived near the vast, five-masted ship, with more than a hundred cannons protruding out of each side. However, the cannons didn''t operate on gunpowder but magic¡ªwizards or crystals.


    "HALT!"


    Soon enough, a loud shout came from the top deck while more than three dozen heads looked down at the oing boat. As expected, the pirates didn''t look like a hygienic bunch. They had rotten teeth, skin diseases, and various wounds all over them, some fresh and some old. However, a few were robbed like wizards and looked much better.


    "I wish to hire your mighty ship to travel across the Blood Sea." Sylvester voiced, making himself sound deeper while revealing his facial features and ears. "I wish to reach Hydra Bay¡ªI have gold."


    Clink clink!


    Sylvester shook a decentlyrge cloth sack, making the gold coins inside jingle. "A thousand Gold Graces."


    That amount of money was equal to over fifty ves. It was enticing and exciting for the pirates to even hear about. After all, all crew members got a small portion of any ie they made.


    "Business? Come on right up, my friends." One of the pirates shouted excitedly.


    "Wait!" But then a new voice reverberated, full of authority but feminine.


    Sylvester didn''t flinch and instead took off the hood entirely to reveal his beautiful blonde hair and impable face that seduced women of all ages. He waited and soon noticed a brown-haired woman looking down. She had a pretty face but rotten teeth, her brown hair was short, and her stature was rtively thin.


    "What are two elves doing this far West? I thought you folks don''t dirty your hands with the nasty work." The woman asked, smartly so. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Avanss came forward this time, for he was a handsome man too. And apparently, he was a much better seducer. "Mydy, desperate times call for desperate measures, don''t they? I would love to tell you more about our journey into Sol¡ªwith a good bottle of wine."


    Avanss took out an expensive bottle of alcohol from his bag and dangled it before the woman. Continuously, he smiled, and soon enough, the woman also smiled¡ªshowing her not-so-likable teeth. They weren''t crooked but simply rotten.


    "I''m the Captain''s daughter, Kam Frightworth. Come on up." She seductively invited them onboard.


    "My name is Avanss, and this here is my friend Zohron. Behind are two ves¡ªnames don''t matter."


    The sailors threw down a ropedder in no time, and soon the four were onboard therge ship. From the look of it, it was clear they didn''t own it. It was likely a Holy Navy''s five-masted warship, now repainted and repurposed for pirates¡ªbut from the condition of the paint, it was at least fifty years old.


    "You got a fine ship here, Miss Kam." Avanss never stopped flirting with the female pirate, who was at least in her twenties.


    Thud!


    "Who are these long-eared friends? Buying or selling?"


    Sylvester noticed the long-bearded, white-haired man. His clothes were much better, and his body seemed clean too. His one hand was a prosthetic limb, but he was a tall and sturdy-looking man. At one nce, it was clear this was the Captain.


    ''I smell something¡­ Oh¡­ Amusing.''


    Sylvester saw something that Avanss was unable to notice. So he moved forward and shook the pirate captain''s hand. "I''m Zohron of Alfia. I wish to hire your crew to bring us across the sea. We pay in gold."


    The man raised one hand and twisted his mustache to shape it. "Gold is good, but we don''t leave until the supplies are here and the merchandise is taken¡ªBy the way, Captain Longbeard at your service¡­ my esteemed elven friends."


    Sylvester nced behind the Captain. At least thirty Beastkins of varying species were kept there, wounded from beating, thin, and tired from the long voyage. They were all chained and were likely prepared to be sent to the buyers¡ªCatkins, Dogkins, Wolfkins, Cowkins, Pigkins, Ratkins, Eaglekins, and a few Tigerkins too¡ªa majority were women and children.


    ''This scent¡­ Their eyes have already lost all hope. Theirst chance of being saved had passed long ago.'' Sylvester thought to himself.


    "Supplies? But I saw a supply ship already loading up materials at the back of your ship." Sylvester pointed out. "I would like to leave immediately."


    "My ship, my rules¡ªtake your gold elsewhere if you''re unhappy." Captain Longbeard haughtily said and attempted to walk past Sylvester.


    ''Scent of greed and excitement¡­ the anger is a farce.''


    "Why can''t some pirates be gentlemen?" Sylvester mumbled and summoned his spear, which was simply Chonky opening his mouth and vomiting it out.


    THUD!


    With a single tap on the ship''s deck, the knees of all the men and women onboard went weak. Every single body on deck fell with a thump, and no matter what, they couldn''t stand up. Shock filled their widened and confused eyes.


    Sylvester turned around and ensured Avanss, Dagorith, and Sir Dolorem were unaffected. Then he allowed Captain Longbeard to stand up. "I''m taking over this ship!"


    "What?!" the sailors looked at each other''s faces, confused and terrified at the power Sylvester showcased.


    "But¡­" Kam tried to speak while being pressed down. "Take over? But¡­ that''s what we do!"


    Sylvester scoffed and red into Captain Longbeard''s eyes. "You think I don''t know your pathetic n? Elves fetch thousands of gold per body¡ªYou want to call your people and sell us, don''t you?"


    "Ah¡­ ssic backstabbing," Avanssmented from the side, unbothered. The man was old, and he had seen plenty.


    "N-No¡­ Respected elven friends¡­ I would never. You''re my business partners¡­ I have splendid rtions with Alfia." Captain Longbeard tried to negotiate his way out.


    "Lies. The meaning of that g. You specialize in hunting Beastkins, don''t you?" Sylvester pointed out and tapped his spear on the deck once again.


    nk!


    All the chains holding the Beastkins on the deck got removed. They looked around confusedly and slowly stood up.


    "Prepare to depart, my Beastkin friends," Sylvester ordered the freed ves.


    It was shocking to the Beastkin crowd that an elf was helping them, especially since Beastkins were now being hated for epting Solis. But they took the opportunity; something was better than nothing.


    "Nooo¡­ You can''t do that! We spent six months catching them." Captain Longbeard cried, unable to do anything.


    Pa!


    Sylvester pped the bearded pirate. "Luck favors the mighty."


    "I-I will pay you. Thousand gold? Or T-Two thousand?"


    Sylvester pped him again, ring. "Look me in the eye! Yes¡­ I''m the Captain now."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 547 546. Continent Of Beastaria

    There was nothing Sylvester could do to make the voyage faster. It was a ship, and to force it on the ocean waters was inviting trouble, knowing that formidable creatures lurked in the depths, making even the mightiest castles seem like dwarfs before them.


    So when nothing eventful urred, there was only one thing they could do on the stolen ship, which had been taken from pirates who had themselves stolen it from the Holy Fleet¡ªBarbecue!


    "Haiyaa! This is life." Miraj sat near the ship''s helm while Sylvester learned how to steer a ship from Avanss. The fluffy and ''not fat'' cat had eaten a few tes of tasty meat and was now in the midst of sunbathing.


    Sylvester also ate asionally with Avanss while talking and navigating the ship. The sea was calm, and the weather was sunny, so there was nothing special to care about. Sylvester tried to gather as much information about Beastaria as possible, things that weren''t in the books.


    "What''s with dragons and elves having animosity? As far as I know, the two species live at the extreme edges of the continent." Sylvester questioned.


    Avanss sighed and answered. "There is no particr reason. Elves and dragons are simply the two biggest powerhouses, surpassing any other species in Beastaria. We''re rivals by nature, not choice. Only recently did the rivalry escte into a war."


    Sylvester nodded, silently remembering the discussion he had once heard in the Holy Land. From what he knew, the Holy Land had a Cardinal in Beastaria whose job was to create chaos. The war between elves and dragons was orchestrated by the Church somehow.


    "You shoulde to Alfia with me. My brother will be delighted to see you finally." Avanss invited him. "I was away for almost a century, but I remember him quite well. Thest time I saw him, he didn''t have the same spark in his eyes."


    Sylvester shook his head softly. "I''m not sure, Avanss. He tried to kill me once; sent elven assassins to kill me when I was in Broken Bay."


    "What?!" Avanss eximed, taken aback. "That''s impossible¡­ The way he spoke about you and Xavia¡­ No, I can''t believe that."


    "It is what it is." Sylvester shrugged, not borating any future. Meeting his father was at the bottom of his list of priorities for the time being. The first goal was to be the Pope; everything else would have to wait.


    The smooth wind on the salty sea brushed past their hair. The delightful sunlight shone upon them, not causing any sweat. Avanss fell into contemtion, why would elvese to assassinate Sylvester? However, being away from his home for so long, he couldn''te up with any reason.


    One thing was clear¡ªhe needed to have a long conversation with his brother.


    ¡­


    While the ship sailed on the long voyage, a certain someone, atst, received an important message.


    Far in the North of Sol, past the Pentapeak mountain range, there lived an Emperor Lich, as powerful as a Supreme Wizard. Having lived for over four thousand years, he had yet to lose his sanity and still remained a man with morals¡ªrefusing to terrorize the innocents of the South.


    "Noooo! Why? Why can''t you grow just once?!" Being powerful didn''t mean one didn''t have mundane problems. Poor Emperor Lich also suffered through the harsh, deadly cold of the north. But rather than his body suffering, what suffered was his favorite hobby¡ªgrowing flowers.


    Defeated, the lich, with heavy thick robes on his ancient magical armor, watched his beloved flowers wither away under the intense cold. His golden crown-d skull looked down in gloom.


    "Four thousand years¡ªI''m ashamed to call myself a son of a farmer." He talked to himself, as he was the only sane man in the entire north. His armies of undead were as good as his dead flowers.


    k! k!


    Just then, an undead naked skeleton arrived with a missive in one hand and the other arm missing. The paper looked torn and dirty from any angle he looked.


    "What is this?" Raz Mi''ul Naseer asked.


    The undead were unable to speak, so their method of conveying their thoughts was by either cking their jaws or mentallymunicating with their overlord.


    "For me? This looks quite old," Emperor Lich Raz muttered and walked back into his ice castle with the undead behind. "Why am I only hearing about this now?"


    ck!


    The undead skeleton began speaking by clicking its jaw, telling his tale. Its remaining arm moved to articte the feeling better, and it was enough to express how wild the story was.


    It all began with an awful day almost a month ago. The skeleton undead was working outside the Emperor Lich''s castle to dig the ground since there was nothing else to do in the cold, harsh north.


    Tap!


    Just then, an undead bird came flying from the sky and sat down on his shoulder. It held a paper in its w, so the undead skeleton took it to hand it into the castle. However, something unexpected happened after that, and just as the poor skeleton was walking to the castle, an eagle came from the sky and snatched the skeleton''s arm along with the missive.


    Worried, the skeleton undead followed and dived into the frozen sea. He swam all the way toward the north, nonstop, and finally found the nest of the eagle. Sadly, it was on the ind of the undead dragon.


    As expected, he was captured by the undead dragon and made to participate in a game of life and death with other captured undead. The dragon was bored.


    Injured, battered, and still firm with emotions, he won the game but then was betrayed by the damn dragon. Having no other choice, the skeleton undead opened the special seal ced on him by the Emperor Lich. The seal contained such powerful magic that the undead dragon died, but along with it, the poor skeleton''s chest got cracked.


    Yet, there was a triumph. The undead skeleton got the letter and returned to deliver it.


    ck! ck!<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "Enough!" Emperor Lich vocally cried from his ice throne. "Enough, my child¡­ my good son. You have made this old man feel emotions I never knew still lingered within me¡­ such loyalty, such fervor¡ªthis earns you a promotion! From today, you shall be a General of my one-thousandth brigade¡ªI baptize you as General Bob."


    Woosh!


    Magic emanated from Raz''s w-like hand, and the ck mist enveloped the white body of the damaged skeleton. The undead shined, regrew the missing limb, and also grew bigger. Clothes appeared on his body, along with armor, all in ck. A ck crown also grew on its skull, and its skeleton''s color turned golden with a crimson hue in its eyes¡ªthe ck cape on its back fluttered without the wind.


    "Come, let me see the missive you worked so hard for." Emperor Raz called his newest General.


    The armored General Bob took heavy steps and handed over the paper while kneeling. He didn''t click his jaws again, for it was beneath him now.


    "Let''s see¡­" Emperor Lich looked, and soon enough, a gleam flickered in his own hollow eye sockets. "It''s from the Lord''s Bard. This is¡­ I think I''mte. Did the Bard survive? Perhaps I should confirm before making any moves."


    Quickly, Emperor Lich Raz wrote down a new letter and handed it to his new General. "Go and give this to our friends in Sandwall¡ªThe missive told of a new city being developed there. Wave the g of Solis when you reach it."


    Bam!


    General Bob thumped his chest and rose before leaving the castle. Without wasting a minute, he hastened his trek toward the South on an undead horse.


    Woosh!


    Screech!


    But just as General Bob proceeded under the blue sky, an eagle dived down from above. And before he could react, the bird took away the new missive.


    Thud!


    General Bob fell from his horse in shock since he recognized the bird as the same one from before. For the first time in history¡ªthat day¡ªan undead sweated¡­ profusely.


    It seemed the quick rise of a general was a bit too short-lived.


    But the game was yet to end. For he rose and gave a chase to make amends.


    ¡­


    Two days went by on the long voyage. Sylvester mastered the skill of steering therge vessel. The Beastkins also eventually learned how to fold or set the sails quickly.


    Once they passed by Libertia, the hearts of Beastkins found some sce as the Holy Fleet from Sol didn''t patrol those waters. As for the pirates from before, they were captured, chained, and tied to the lower deck. They were not just humans. Some folks from Beastaria were pirates too.


    "See that green mist? Stay left of it, and we''ll enter Hydra Bay soon enough." Avanss pointed his hand toward the horizon, where they could notice somendforms.


    Sylvester nodded and turned the rudder wheel. "What should I expect after getting off?"


    "Nothing troublesome," Avanss assured. "You''re with me, a nobility of the elves. I can easily reveal my status to them and bypass any safety checkpoints. But if you want to enter Deca Imperia, it''s going to be tough. The city is surrounded by an invisible rune system that alerts the soldiers if anyone tries to enter the city from locations that aren''t main entry gates¡ªwhere everyone is thoroughly checked."


    Sylvester expected that much. "Not even from the sky?"


    "It''s a dome-shaped defense. I believe it goes into thend as well since dwarves helped build the city." Avanss added. "But I''ll find a way to enter, so don''t worry. For now, what do you want to do with the pirates? Do you want to let them go, let them continue piging?"


    Sylvester shook his head. "When I made the n toe to Beastaria, from the start, any pirate ship we were going to take was doomed. Hydra Bay is full of five-headed snakes¡ªit will be enough to hide our steps and any mistakes."


    "Then¡­ do you want to¡ª"


    "Yes." Sylvester finished his words. "Let it sink into the annals of history."


    "I''m relishing the way you think, nephew." Avanss chuckled and smacked Sylvester''s shoulder before going to set the explosives. "I think you might be the greatest addition to the Eldaron family in thousands of years."


    Sylvester merely smiled and looked at thendmass growing closer. After all, to him, it was simply the standard procedure of silencing the witnesses.


    ''Beastaria¡­ let''s see what songs you''ll make me sing.''


    _________________


    [A/N: See the map of Beastaria here.]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 548 547. An Impactful Landfall

    Boom!


    With a not-so-loud bang, the explosions at the hull of the ship were set off. Therge holes quickly began to sink the ship into the sea. The deep blue water was covered with a faint green misting from thend of Orcs, a realm filled with mystical toxins but far from the real danger thaty ahead.


    The water teemed with five-headed snakes, giving the ce its name, Hydra Bay. The snakes were extremely poisonous and grew asrge as fifty meters, with legends speaking of half-a-kilometer-long giant five-headed serpents.


    Blop!


    Blop!


    With a fewst bubbles, the ship fully sank to the bottom of the sea. Meanwhile, Sylvester, apanied by the Beastkins, watched the vessel go down, killing all the pirates onboard.


    Sylvester pped his hands clean and looked at the crowd of freed Beastkins. "What about you all? How will you return to your homes? The Beastkin region is close by, isn''t it?"


    "It''s not," Avanss voiced. "Goblins and Orcs frequent these parts. They are always hungry for more territory and try to enter Beastkinnd through the coastline."


    Sylvester nodded and looked around their location. Beside the sea, he could see the strange tall green mountains in the south, likely the home of Orcs. Then there were some gray mountains to the north, and finally, lush greennd. Further down from thend of Orcs was the dark forest of Goblins and Werewolves, sharing the boundary with Alfia below.


    Where he stood was the shore where Beastkin''s regions started. The trees were dense and colorful there, and the grass was vibrant, with Srium filling the air in abundance.


    "Since the Inquisitors here are also stationed with the Beastkins, it''s better we pay them a visit. They were supposed to be my backup, butmunication with them has increasingly gone silent. There could be an enemy Cardinal stopping them here," Sylvester made up his mind. "Spartacus, where is the Inquisitor camp?"


    Sir Dolorem, acting like a ve, answered with a lowered head. "They are stationed on the western coast in the middle of the coastline, master¡ªthe bull tribe lives there along with other herbivore tribes."


    "Then we have a destination." Sylvester nodded toward Avanss and let him take the lead. It was better if a local man talked with the Beastkins. Otherwise, the chances of his disguise being ineffective were high.


    Sniff!


    "Maxy," Miraj whispered into Sylvester''s ears. "Do you smell it?"


    "I can¡ªsomething is rotting here. The entire area reeks of the scent of hatred. Fly up in the sky and see if there''s anything interesting nearby," Sylvester suggested to him and kept his senses open for any sudden movements.


    Soon enough, they started their trek through the forest. Since the Beastkins were natives of thend, they knew better how to find the right path to reach the Beastkin city. It was mostly all forests around them, and neither farnds nor major roads appeared in view.


    The reasons were quite simple. The Beastaria was a much more divided society aspared to Sol. In Beastaria, the Beastkins never came together with Orcs and Goblins since thetter were too violent. There was no point in making a road. The Dragons were too proud to be kind to any smaller species. The Giants liked to remain isted. The societies on the continent were self-sufficient.


    Meanwhile, in Sol, the Kingdoms all took part in trade and lived as one species. There could be wars or differences, but trade never stops.


    Woosh!


    "Maxy¡­ ugly little people areing toward here." Miraj notified in whispers.


    Sylvester became alert. "What do they look like? Any weapons?"


    "Umm¡­ they are short, fat, dark green, long ears, and ugly. They got big wooden sticks and a few swords."


    "Goblins?" Sylvester stopped walking and looked to his left. His eyes gleamed with light, and finally, he sensed the repugnant scent of hatred in the air. "You know what they say. A good goblin is a dead goblin."


    "HALT!" Sylvester roared, capturing everyone''s attention. "Goblins areing to attack us. Stand back and let Avanss and I deal with them."


    The Beastkins quickly huddled behind each other, while the strongest among them acted as a shield. But they had no need to do anything as Sylvester and Avanss were sufficient.


    ''Here theye.'' Sylvester sensed the scents peaking.


    "Haaaaa!"


    "Kill! Kill!"


    "Cat women!"


    Sylvester shook his head in disappointment. Goblins were half-witted beings whose lives centered around their religion and multiplying. Since theycked women of their own kind, they resorted to abducting other species.


    ''I''d rather have these pests eradicated until thest goblin in the future.'' Sylvester made up his mind, for he could not envision Goblins being a part of a future peaceful world order. The creatures could not be trained, only eliminated.


    "Leave this to me." Avanss gestured to Sylvester and stepped forward.


    From behind the trees, nearly a hundred goblins came running, shouting and screaming. Their tongues were hanging out of their tired mouths, and their eyes looked red. Some held clubs, and some held swords, which they likely stole.


    "Yeyeyeye¡­" Like barbarians, they screamed and inched closer.


    Woosh~!


    Avanss began to wave his hands on either side. In response, the wind started to pick up around him. The leaves on the ground rose in the air and whirled around Avanss'' body. The trees also shook heavily, creating noise and releasing more leaves to fall.


    "I missed you, goblins," Avanss said. "You folks have trained generations of us elves by being our loyal target practice puppets."


    Fwoosh!


    Abruptly, the leaves hovering around Avanss gotunched with rapid speed, and they traveled like a blur toward the Goblins. At first, it remained confusing what actually transpired. But once the small storm of leaves passed by the crowd of goblins, something happened.


    Thud!


    One after another, the goblins fell down, and their throats started to bleed out profusely. It became clear then that their throats were slit by mere leaves.


    "Forests are my home turf¡ªfools always forget this," Avanss shook his head with the job well done. "Let''s not waste more time here, Zohron. This was just a scouting party since there were only a hundred. I reckon a few thousand will soon attack us."


    Sylvester nodded, and soon they started trekking again. However, Sylvester didn''t let his guard down since the peculiar scent and disgusting feeling still didn''t fade away. ''The goblins are dead, then why does the scent still persist? Now there are more negative scents.''<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    However, nothing new happened while they walked down the path. Sylvester and Avanss remained behind the Beastkins to give them protection and also keep an eye out if they chose to have any funny ideas.


    "Later, can you get me religious scriptures of all species of Beastaria?" Sylvester asked his ''uncle.''


    Avanss was intelligent enough to understand what Sylvester wanted to do. After all, he had also spent years reading various scriptures to understand the secrets of the world. "I have them at High Regnum Pce. What are you looking for, in particr?"


    "The book that you gave me mentioned so many gods that existed throughout the times. Yet, they all seem connected by the same fate, and I wish to look for something thatbines us all¡ªthat will be the key to a peaceful future between our worlds," Sylvester stated, revealing an ounce of his wishes.


    Bam! Bam! Bam!


    "Here theye." Avanss stopped again. "It''s Goblin war drums. This time, I won''t stop you from massacring them¡ªthey exist for this."


    Sylvester didn''t shy away at all and faced the iing sound. The drumbeats intensified with time and picked up speed. The ground seemed to shake a little due to the marching goblins. The numbers would likely be in the thousands as even the wild animals seemed to run away.


    "Wraaaa!"


    Woosh!


    "GRAAAA!"


    Abruptly all heads looked up, including Avanss. The previous strong and confident aura of the elven man disappeared, and he grabbed Sylvester''s arm. "Quick! Use the Earth elemental and hide in the ground¡ªit''s a dragon in the sky!"


    ''Dragon?!''


    "No need," Sylvester raised his hand and wielded light magic. It was basic knowledge when it came to turning invisible. He only had to ensure that the light did not reflect on him, and simultaneously, he produced light of the same color as the ground itself to cover.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester and Avanss stood quietly beside a tree trunk while gazing into the sky. The gigantic wings of the dragon were so strong that the trees violently shook, and some dried ones fell apart. Its roars were deafening, and it seemed to circle around in the sky.


    "Stay here," Avanss warned Sylvester. "Whoever it is, he will attack us if he sees us¡ªjust because we''re elves. Considering its loud roar, it''s a fully matured, unmutated dragon."


    "Unmutated?" Sylvester questioned. "What mutation?"


    "Not all dragons have such a huge body. After a dragon reaches the age of one thousand, they can choose to mutate themselves into a smaller humanoid form¡ªthey retain their scales, power, and wings and appear like seven or eight-foot-tall humanoid dragons," Avanss exined to Sylvester. "Those are much harder to deal with... but this too¡­"


    Shhh¡­!


    Sylvester felt intense heat enveloping them all. "It''s spewing fire on the goblins. At this rate, this whole area will burn apart."


    ''I will be perfectly fine against fire, but¡­'' Sylvester noticed the struggling Beastkins. Since most of them were furry beings with no sweat nds, the heat was unbearable to them. ''They won''t survive much longer.''


    Bam!


    "Quick, enter this tunnel," Sylvester tapped his foot on the ground once and created an underground bunker for them. "It''s filled with some water, so keep yourself cool."


    With thankful gazes, the Beastkins hurried into the bunker. Then Sylvester and Avanss also jumped in. After that, Sylvester closed the entrance, plunging everyone into darkness. But not for long, as he took out a light crystal.


    "Thank you, Lord Zohron," a Rabbitkin female thanked Sylvester. She had the face of a human but with rabbit ears, a nose, and a tail. In contrast, some others of her kind had furry faces.


    Shhhh¡­!


    The ground began shaking all of a sudden, and the heat started to rise. The battle on the surface seemed to have intensified.


    "What in Solis did those Goblins do to Elder Krakazan?" a male Tigerkin wondered aloud.


    ''Solis?'' Sylvester felt amazed. ''They have epted the faith?''


    "Do you know this Elder Krakazan?" Sylvester asked them. "How strong is he?"


    "He''s the Lord of the gray mountains north of here, at the edge of Greenpeaks. Of his power, I do not know, Lord Zohron," the man answered.


    ''The heat is rising rapidly. At this rate, there will not be enough oxygen, and... if I open a hole to breathe, fire will enter.''


    Sylvester felt a rush in his body. "Avanss, you know me well¡­ Will I be able to defeat this dragon?"


    "..."


    "What? Why? I mean, yes¡­" Avanss was taken aback. "But it will be a demanding battle. His fire can incinerate stones as though they were mere grass."


    Sylvester smiled, for the fire was like an extension of his very being. "If we stay here, both of us will live, but they won''t."


    Avanss looked at the anxious faces around him. "It''s too dangerous."


    Sylvester nodded, acknowledging the concern. Nheless, deep inside, he also longed to learn how formidable dragons truly were. In Sol, he could defeat top-level Grand Wizards, so he wished to clear that uncertainty swiftly and find out his correct ce in the food chain.


    nk!


    Sylvester''s spear materialized in his grasp, thanks to Miraj. He fixed his gaze on the ceiling above and waited until he sensed the dragon right above them in the sky.


    "Though I do not desire any fatality. I suppose¡­ It''s time the legend bes a reality."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 549 548. O Good Mother Remira

    As if a thunderbolt bellowed, Sylvester arose from the ground, erupting through the muddied, grass-covered patch. His legs propelled him upward, granting him momentum, swift enough to resemble a blinking blur of a shadow.


    The spear of infinity remained firmly sped in his grasp, and with a wave of Srium seeping into it, the length elongated at the speed of a snap. The dragon hovering above in the air, spewing fire at the forest, had no idea of what wasing for him.


    The resounding boom enveloped the area the moment the Spear of Infinity connected with the dragon''s scale, rendering everyone in the vicinity deaf for a few moments. However, a surprising sight awaited them as the dragon remained unharmed.


    The most vulnerable part of a Dragon was the underside of the belly, and it was also the most protected part, as any experienced dragon would never allow his belly to remain undefended. To protect it was akin to an automatic response.


    "Who dares attack this elder like a coward? Present yourself!" The dragon roared, enraged.


    Sylvester used his light step to float in the air. But since the light was invisible, he was able to make it appear as if he was soaring in the sky. The spread wings of his armor gave the illusion that they were some artifact for flying.


    "I did." Sylvester presented himself while scrutinizing the giant dragon. The beast was truly magnificent to look at. With blue scales and a silver belly, the array of horns and spikes on its head and spine looked majestic. Combined with its size, big enough to be called a minor castle, it was nature''s way of dering it was a beast not to be trifled with.


    The dragon red at Sylvester with its bright blue, sharp eyes. Once he noticed the ears, he scoffed. "An elf? Of course, if anyone but your kind would attack from behind¡ªwretched, spineless cowards. Now prepare to die!"


    ''Prideful, rageful, and beautiful¡ªjust like a dragon.'' Sylvester almost chuckled at the stereotypical behavior of the dragon. ''Let''s not go overboard.''


    The mighty dragon opened his mouth and began creating tiny sparks that soon became majestic mes. The fiery red fire erupted out and washed all over Sylvester, appearing like a crimson cloud in the sky.


    Woosh! ¡ª The dragon kept on spewing fire for a good minute before stopping, panting slightly. A grin stered on his face and eyes narrowed in ridicule.


    "You should''ve thought twice before challenging me, Elder Krakazan of the Silver Stone Trib¡ª" Krakazan paused in the middle of his proud speech, his eyes widened in disbelief. "How?!"


    Sylvester stood where he was initially, lookingpletely unaffected by the fire that could melt the mightiest stones. It was not like an ordinary fire, after all. It held a great deal of magic, and it was the perfect fire needed to smelt the Skygems that he had been collecting for his armor.


    ''The fire is mightier than the Lord Inquisitor''s. But I don''t think this dragon is magically stronger than I am.'' Sylvester evaluated since he was now almost certain he could defeat it using ordinary Grand Wizard-level magic, let alonebining it with Elder Magic.


    "I am Zohron, the Elder Krakazan. You see, I rescued a few Beastkins from the wretched pirates and was in the midst of transporting them back to their homes. I wee your fury on the filthy goblins, but the coteral would have been my protectees," Sylvester said in the most noble manner.


    "As if that matters." Elder Krakazan was furious, as expected, and he moved his massive body into the air. He swung his tail like a great whip and struck Sylvester at the speed of sound¡ªcreating a tremendous sonic boom that generated an airwave¡ªuprooting a few trees beneath them.


    Pa!¡ªThe tail connected with Sylvester''s body. The Lord''s Bard initially attempted to halt the tail with his mere palm since he was already at the tinum Knight rank. However, surprises were in store.


    The light tile Sylvester had conjured was strong enough and left behind a deep gash in the dragon''s tail, but he was sent flying. He tried to regain his bnce, but the force was so intense that he ended up falling to the ground.


    With a loud bang and subsequent earthquake, Sylvester collided with the trees. A massive hole formed where he touched down, and the flora and fauna in the area were destroyed, including a good bunch of Goblins who were hiding from the dragon¡ªgood riddance.


    "Ugh¡­ That one hurt." Sylvester stood up, groaning, his entire body covered with mud, and his armor also dented slightly. "Amazing¡­"


    He was indeed quite surprised by the dragon''s sheer raw power. ''So they possess an innate physical buff. He''s an elder, which means he should at least be in the realm of Diamond Knight or Grand Wizard¡ªstill being able to throw me like this is astounding.''


    But the fact was that Sylvester had a sturdy body and bone structure,bined with his higher magical and knightly abilities. He was swatted away like a fly, for sure, but he wasn''t injured. It did feel like a punch in the liver, but he was nowhere near calling it quits.


    p! p!¡ªSylvester cheered the dragon, as he now at least knew something about the species. He now made it a point in his head not to mess with whoever was the Supreme Wizard among the Dragons and also not to mess with mutated dragons who had taken smaller forms. Because, from what Avanss said, the mutated dragons also retained their power. So that sort of explosive strength from a smaller size meant much more damage.


    "That was a brilliant disy of your innate powers, Elder Krakazan. But how about your magic? Care to show that to me?" Sylvester asked him respectfully. The being was a thousand years old, after all.


    "Arrogant!" Krakazan growled, which was very hypocritical. "Thene and face the magic of Silver Stone Tribe!"


    The dragon lowered his hind legs a little and started to bring his front ws together. He held them near his chest and stared at them with open jaws. It all happened very quickly, and in a moment, a silver orb of sand appeared, circting like a tornado between his ws. He then spewed some mes from his mouth, and the turbulent orb turned into a solid silver sphere.


    However, that was not the end. The dragon then hovered it over one hand and stared at Sylvester with pure malice¡ªa hatred the dragons had generated over generations. He then utilized his free hand and created a few runes from spellcasting¡ªcircr fields of texts and shapes formed in the white color of the air elemental and the brown color of the earth elemental.


    "Ancient Silver Arts¡ªSpark of Annihtion!" Krakazan roared. "EAT THIS!"


    Woosh¡ªThe palm-sized orb for the dragon was human for Sylvester¡ªthe strange magic flew toward him as the dragon threw it like a ball.


    ''Who shouts the name of their moves?'' Sylvester felt awkward at the shout. But he reasoned that since Dragons were too proud and arrogant of themselves, it made sense they''d do something like that.


    Sylvester didn''t dare to be naive with the approaching orb. He swiftly constructed shields before himself,posed of multiple elements and reinforced with Elder Runes. A shield of earth, ice, fire, and air, with solidified light concealed within.


    Crash!¡ªThe orb collided with Sylvester, and once again, he felt the pressure. But this time, he didn''t allow himself to be thrown off and used fire magic on the back of his body to propel himself forward.


    ''I feel crushed.'' Sylvester gritted but didn''t lose his footing or focus. ''At best¡­ this is peak Archwizard magic. He''s about to be a Grand Wizard.''


    Crack!


    The shields started to break apart. However, the orb was slowed down to a halt.


    ''Let''s end this the¡ª'' Sylvester, just when he thought of stopping making his shield, saw something crazy happen. ''Space magic? No¡­ it''s something else!''


    Boom!


    The dragon vanished from his spot and switched positions with the orb. That instantly brought the dragon face-to-face with Sylvester. And without wasting any moment, the dragon grasped Sylvester in his w, squeezing him as if he were a toy.


    "Haha!" Krakazanughed, his breath seeming very hot and sulfurous from that close. "You''re quite strong, elf. Which n are you from?"


    ''Ugh¡­ I forgot to ask this to Avanss.'' Sylvester cursed under his breath.


    Bam!<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Just then, a tiny stone came out of nowhere and hit Krakazan''s giant face. "You! Yes, you! Hey, dragon¡­ you slimy old lizard!"


    Krakazan looked down and noticed a ck-haired elf. "Desperate for death?"


    Avanss was trying to rescue Sylvester, and he moved without much thought. So after catching the dragon''s attention, he had no clue what to do. He was weaker than Sylvester, after all.


    "I¡­ I pay respect to the Elder Krakazan¡­" Avanss bowed his head.


    "..."


    That made Krakazan even angrier. "Do you consider me a fool?!"


    "Ah... of course not, elder. I''m but a lowly elf before your mighty, thick, slimy body, seeking to protect these poor Beastkins. If any, I''m sure an esteemed, mighty, thick, slimy being like you would understand our shared hatred for those bastardly humans. They hurt our gentle friends from the Beastkin tribes..." Avanss babbled whatever came to his mind.


    "..."


    Sylvester held hisugh while remaining in the dragon''s grasp.


    Krakazan turned to gaze at Sylvester with confused eyes. "You! Is he respecting me, requesting me, or disgracing me?"


    "Pfft..." Sylvester chuckled and opened his mouth a bit too wide. "You know what would be more shameful?"


    "What?"


    "This! Haaaaa...!" Sylvester opened his mouth as much as he could and roared like there was no tomorrow. His voice amplified with the air elemental magic, and a light golden fire from his jaw oozed out. It was so focused and intense that it seemed like a beam rather than mere fire¡ªbut it was vast.


    Sylvester,pletely unhurt other than his armor getting ruined, aimed at the massive face of the dragon.


    The mighty creature''s own arrogance became his downfall that instant. Not taking the fire attack from Sylvester seriously, he initially ignored it. But when the smoke emanated from his burned and baked flesh, reality sank in.


    "AAAAARGH! MY EYE!"


    The moment the dragon retreated in pain, Sylvester freed himself by physically forcing the dragon''s ws, breaking the big fingers in the process. But he didn''t stop there and jumped swiftly with his fist engulfed in mes.


    BOOM!


    A sucker punch to the right side of the dragon''s face and then an uppercut from down below. Sylvesterunched a barrage of strikes with his fist and spear to teach the dragon that he was not at his physical peak.


    Magic could have easily in the dragon, but Sylvester refrained from doing it. Since Krakazan was an elder, killing him would have likely sparked an investigation, and that was thest thing he wanted.


    Eventually, after various deep gashes appeared on the dragon, his huge body fell to the ground with a loud thud. The dirt flew around, and his cries echoed.


    Sylvester also descended andnded in front of the defeated dragon''s face. At that moment, he couldn''t help but feel the difference in size. Just the size of Krakazan''s eye was bigger than Sylvester''s whole body.


    "Kill it! Quick!" Avanss shouted from behind.


    Sylvester didn''t react and looked at the tired and half-closed eyes of the colossal creature. ''Amazing¡­ there is still so much rage, but the scent of hate is reced with the scent of cloves¡ªof respect.''


    "Avanss, we are enemies by nature, not by choice," Sylvester said loudly enough that the dragon focused on him again, his eyes opening more. "Today, I fought Elder Krakazan because I wanted to test my strength against him. But the fact is that he remains a powerhouse¡ªand against Sol, we will need the help of our Dragon friends."


    The dragon honestly looked cute with his raised eyes, ncing at Sylvester like a puzzled puppy half-asleep.


    Sylvester whispered to the air and used ''space magic'' to produce a few vials of healing potion. "Please apply this on Elder Krakazan''s wounds."


    Avanss wanted to object, as he knew that Krakazan would attack them again. "But, he will fight once he''s healed."


    Sylvester chuckled, "Well, then I shall defeat him once more. It will be excellent practice for me, and I''m certain someone will appreciate the assistance in ascending to the rank of Grand Wizard."


    Elder Krakazan was confused before, and now he was utterly astonished. Sylvester''s behavior contradicted everything he knew about elves¡ªtheir nature, their enmity.


    "W-Who¡­ Who are¡­ you?" Krakazan asked in a groaning voice.


    Sylvester smiled. Being handsome as heck was a boon. "Just an elf who seeks peace¡­ Tell me, elder, what brought you this far south? What have these vile Goblins done?"


    "Grrr¡­" Krakazan''s breath suddenly became violently hot. "They¡­ They are traitors of Beastaria¡ªthey serve the d-demon of the swamp!"


    Sylvester''s brows furrowed, "Demon?"


    "I went to investigate the Divider Swamp by the order of the Council of Dragonlords. Mighty elf, take my words to your King. Beastaria is doomed if the demon is not halted! Before it, we are nothing but tiny ducklings¡ªfor it reigns over a thousand bloodlings. Its name¡­ is Zama''tar¡­ It proudly ims!"


    Breath stopped, face turned pale. Only a few words from his mouth could Sylvester exhale.


    "O'' good mother Remira¡­"


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 550 549. The Greenville City

    Zama''tar¡ªa name Sylvester could never forget no matter how many years pass by. The Demon was a foe that he had to defeat someday, for it represented a threat to the world, perhaps even greater than all the Grand Wizards and Supreme Wizardsbined.


    Slowly, Elder Krakazan started to feel better, and his injuries began to heal. He sat up and spoke with Sylvester, respect emanating from his voice. "It appears you know something about this Demon?"


    Sylvester nodded and pondered how he should reveal the information. He had to weave a believable story that the dragons would find natural. And just then, he remembered the Beastkins he saved and the fact that they had seen him and Avanss emerge from Sol and board the ship.


    "Avanss and I were on an intelligence-gathering mission in Sol, Elder Krakazan. I came across that name when investigating a few monasteries." Sylvester began, portraying himself as a spy. "This Zama''tar is something many powerhouses of Sol are looking for¡ªthe Demon can single-handedly destroy the world if left unchecked."


    The dragon squinted his eyes, taking Sylvester''s words seriously. It was believable that Sylvester was a spy in Sol since elves, unlike dragons, could easily blend in with the crowd. "What is it? I was only able to see it control the Bloodlings. If I had gone closer, my battle would have been inconclusive."


    Sylvester understood that it was the dragon''s subtle way of saying he would have died. Krakazan''s pride was such that he couldn''t openly acknowledge it.


    "It''s fortunate you didn''t approach the Demon." Sylvester grimly said. "From what I''ve learned, this Demon has the power to absorb someone''s magic. I''ve read about a case of an Archwizard being reduced to a mere Master Wizard¡ªand this was over a hundred years ago. Now, I don''t want to imagine how many wizards and knights it has devoured."


    Not just Krakazan, even Avanss was shocked by that information. But Avanss was smart enough not to show it on his face since he was supposed to be a spy alongside Sylvester.


    "If I recall it correctly." Avanss started, "Didn''t one of the Popes of the humans die fighting one of such Demons?"


    "A Pope and multiple Grand Wizards¡ªall died while trying to seal it." Sylvester corrected him. "Many books tell about them in plenty. But this Demon is nothing like the one from before¡­ This one has a perfectlypatible human body. Which means it doesn''t have to roam around looking for a new body to possess."


    The colossal dragon''s nostrils created mes, heating the atmosphere. The magic felt like it consumed the air. "This isn''t good for all of Beastaria. If the Demon decides to unleash its army of Bloodlings, it will bring chaos."


    ''Good thing he can think straight, at least.'' Sylvester let out a sigh of relief. Unlike some fantasy dragons, these seemed to have the traits of pride and rage but also great intelligence.


    "Then I must report this to the Council of Dragonlords." Krakazan spread his wings wide in preparation to fly away. "Mighty elf Zohron¡­ I will remember that name. Next time we meet, I shall be the victor."


    Sylvester chuckled silently. "And I will be waiting, Elder Krakazan¡ªNothing can be better than a great sparring partner like you."


    "I will not show mercy." Elder Krakazan bellowed and pped his enormous wings, creating a storm of wind and dirt. But as he hovered above the trees, he spoke again. "These goblins pledged allegiance to the Demon¡ªit''s better for this disease to be cleansed."


    "Agreed." Sylvester nodded and tapped his spear on the ground. Just as the butt of his weapon touched the dirt, arge red rune circle grew around it¡ªhalf a kilometer in radius. "There is no need for a pyre¡ªfor them, sufficient is my fire."


    BOOM!


    Sylvester tapped his foot once, and the rune circle engulfed in mes. But surprisingly, it didn''t harm the trees, Beastkins, or Avanss, and only burned the goblins hiding all around them in great numbers. Some had dug themselves holes, and some had climbed trees. But nothing could save them.


    They screamed in unison, turning the beautiful lush forest into and of death. Eventually, the screams subsided, and the bodies continued to burn until they turned into ash. After that, a small gust of wind came from the swaying wings of the dragon and spread the ashes around¡ªbing fertilizer for more nts.


    "Hahaha!" Elder Krakazanughed with a resounding roar in the sky. "Mighty elf Zohron¡ªI can''t believe I''m saying this, but I found a likable elf today."


    Sylvester smiled and gently bowed his head. He found it funny how easy it was to deal with the dragon. In a way, he felt like the dragons were a version of the fanatic, rageful Inquisitors. Only strength and majestic abilities could earn their respect¡ªas was the case with dragons.


    With that, the gigantic dragon left them alone and flew toward the gray mountains at the edge of Greenpeaks and the northern border of the Beastkin''s region.


    "Zohron¡ªabout that Demon. Was everything you said real?" Avanss quickly asked, finally finding the time to inquire.


    Sylvester nodded. "You remember seeing Bishop Lazark? The Necromancer? His teacher was the one who made a pact with this Demon for a longer life. The Demon fooled him, gave him immortality but a fragile and old body¡ªwhile taking his Archwizard magic away. Part of the pact was that the Demon gets a perfectlypatible body, which he received before vanishing."


    "This is going to be a big problem then," Avanss mumbled and quickly walked over to a big tree. "I need to inform the King about this. All elves must be¡ª"


    "Wait." Sylvester patted Avanss'' shoulder. "Before giving him a half-baked report, let''s investigate this Demon first. Don''t forget; I''m the bane of everything dark that exists in this world. I want to confirm something before we send missives around the world about this."


    "Confirm what?"


    Sylvester''s voice had never been that grim before. However, the situation called for it. "Avanss¡ªif the Demon can absorb someone''s magic, what''s stopping it from absorbing physical abilities too? What if¡­ the Demon''s body has evolved after taking in the properties of a dragon, goblin, elf, all beastkins, vampires, giants, and whatnot?"


    For a very long moment, there was a nervous silence between the two. Avanss breathed loudly, his nostrils ring. His brows furrowed, creating lines on his forehead, and his eyes only knew dread by merely considering that situation. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "If that''s true¡­ nothing will be able to stop it," Avanss muttered. "When do we go to investigate?"


    Sylvester looked at the Beastkins, scarcely hiding in the distance. "Let''s finish this job first and meet with the Inquisitors. If I''m right, they likely have a few weapons I had developed to deal with Bloodlings."


    "Let''s be quick then." Avanss didn''t waste time and rushed past Sylvester to make the Beastkins walk.


    Sylvester silently gazed toward the northeast, where the Divider Swamp existed. ''So this is why I''ve been sensing this disgusting, sinister scent since Landfall? But¡­ if I can sense it from this far away, I''m afraid¡­''


    ¡­


    Following the battle and interaction with the dragon, their procession didn''t stop, nor did they find any trouble on their way. As they entered deeper into Beastkin territory, the dangers decreased and eventually became nonexistent.


    By the end of the day, they arrived at a muddy road used by the major Beastkins ns, as it connected them. As they walked, they came across a few other traveling Beastkins, most were on foot, and others were using simple carts pulled by non-sentient animals.


    It was truly a sight to behold to see a giant man with an elephant head walking down the road while talking with a humanoid giraffe. And a short man with the features of a chicken steering a small cart pulled by regr bulls.


    Although the procession was clearly the focus of all eyes, especially the two elves, some stopped and asked what happened. Thankfully the Beastkins Sylvester had saved cleared all the misunderstandings with great enthusiasm.


    After all, they had just witnessed him defeating a dragon with little effort. Strength was respected, and thew of the jungle applied everywhere¡ªand they were quite literally in the jungle.


    "There it is!" Avanss eximed, noticing multiple streams of steam wafting up in the distance. "That''s Greenville City, the ce where multiple herbivore ns live. It''s one of the five major ns and cities in the Beastkin region."


    Sylvester nodded and continued to walk. Soon enough, they arrived at the entry gates of the so-called city. In Sylvester''s definition, it looked more like a widely spread camp than a city. The boundary walls were made of wooden stakes, and the buildings were either made of mud or wood or were simple tents of animal skin stitched together. Only a few rare buildings were made of bricks that went at most three floors high.


    But the poption seemed decently big. Creatures of all sorts of species walked around and watched them enter the city. The guards, two dogkin males, initially interrogated them for a short while and then allowed them to enter¡ªguiding them to the building of the n heads.


    It was one of the rare few brick buildingsrge in the sense of its width, but its height was only three floors. It was beautiful, however. There wererge statues of various armored beastkin warriors, and fountains were spread around in the gardens. All the gates were massive, and the ceiling was also high¡ªunderstandably, as Beastkins came in all sizes. However, the most surprising thing was a monastery-like building on the side, built exactly like any other monastery in Sol.


    Quickly, three old men came out of the building¡ªa cowkin, a rabbitkin, and an elephantkin¡ªquite old from how they looked, as they were using big walking sticks. Their loose tunics wrapped around their bodies, hiding their wrinkles and hunched backs.


    "Friends from Alfia, I am Elder Norsmin," The elephantkin spoke, his voice loud and boomy but hoarse, akin to an old man. "Your gracious help will not be forgotten. This we promise in the name of Solis."


    ''Ah, so far away, yet it feels like home.'' Sylvester thought to himself, as he didn''t expect to hear the name of Solis much.


    "Thank you, Elder. I''m Zohron, and this is Avanss. We won''t stay here for long, but before we depart, I wish to meet with the Inquisitors stationed here." Sylvester requested politely. "We have a message to deliver to them."


    The big elephantkin looked at his fellow elders. "Who are we to stop you from meeting them¡­ But I''m afraid you can''t converse with any Inquisitor."


    ''No scent of lies or animosity. King Rathagun must have already sent the letter of truce to them.'' Sylvester reckoned but remained curious.


    "May I know why?" He asked.


    The elephantkin looked down. His big eyes seemed saddened. "A week ago, there was a mutiny among their ranks. More than half of the Inquisitors left Greenville, while those who opposed were killed or greatly injured."


    ''Ugh¡­ Niel''s disease has spread here too.'' Sylvester scowled.


    Sylvester rubbed his chin, finally understanding why Aurora didn''t receive a reply. "Who led this mutiny?"


    "That merciless man¡ªtheir Inquisitor High Lord, Cardinal Darksaber."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 551 550. Old Pals

    "Inquisitor High Lord? Darksaber? Who''s that?" Sylvester questions the elder. "I believe the Inquisitor High Lord of the church had given up his position."


    Elder Norsmin sighed, his long elephant trunk swaying slightly, "We know that, respected Zohron. But he left his position because of the corruption in the Holy Land, for the death of the Lord''s Bard, and the future of the faith. But the Bard lives and thrives¡ªthe Inquisitor High Lord of the old has also returned. The one here is someone else¡­ someone sinister, with intentions unknown."


    ''So they know I''m back and ce their loyalty in me?'' Sylvester subtly found out more details. But it was time to bring them to the center stage.


    "Recent word from Sol revealed that the Bard has killed the new Pope. Whose order is this new Inquisitor High Lord following?" Sylvester asked, while also subtly encouraging them to seek out Sylvester in Sol and join the struggle. It was a lengthy game n for which he ced the foundation stone.


    Elder Norsmin was shocked to find out that the new Pope was already dead. He nced at his fellow elders and answered Sylvester with some uncertainty. "We do not know, respected Zohron. We tried to stay away from the battle, for Darksaber was strong enough to raze this city to the ground. We only know that he marched with his men toward the Northeast, the kingdom of giants."


    ''And in the middle sits the Divider Swamp.'' Sylvester didn''t like the sound of it already.


    "Thank you for the information, elder. May I see the remaining Inquisitors? Perhaps we can use a few of our elixirs to heal them and get answers." Sylvester asked softly, staying true to his character as an elf.


    The Rabbitkin elder stepped forward. "Of course, please follow me¡ªI am Elder Yeegsis, by the way."


    Sylvester nodded and followed the elderly man. Despite his age, Yeegsis was rtively fast on his feet. It was likely due to his species'' traits, which was precisely why he worried about the Demon.


    The elder led Sylvester through the stone-paved road to anotherrge brick building. This one was surrounded by sigils of Solis everywhere. Then as they entered, he noticed the entire building was just abination of multiple big halls with very high ceilings. There were big mattresses on the floor itself, on which all sorts of patients from various species rested. The healers were also from different species.


    "This way." The elder led them toward the farthest edge of the sick bay and, atst, arrived in an area littered with smaller mattresses of equal size. On them rested nearly a hundred bodies, most covered from head to toe with bandages, while others were unconscious. Some had lost their limbs. Some had lost half of their faces. Despite all that, nobody made a sound.


    "This is all that is left of the Inquisitors." Elder Yeegsis said. "The only two people who survived the ordeal were Inquisitor General Louis and Griffin. They regrly go to the port to check any message from the Holy Land or Lord''s Bard. They should be returning shortly."


    ''Griffin and Louis?'' Sylvester instantly felt his mind returning to the days of the School of Dawn. The two boys acted like Prince Romel''sckeys but then changed sides after seeing the reality.


    Sylvester sighed and turned around, "Thank you for bringing me here, elder. If you don''t mind, may I administer some healing elixirs to them?"


    "As long as it can heal them, I see no problem with that."


    Sylvester looked at Avanss and handed him a few bottles of peak-grade healing potions, as well as srium crystals. "Avanss, please heal them while I go out for a bit."


    Avanss didn''t react negatively, understanding Sylvester''s scheming little mind was up to something. "No worries, Zohron. You can go."


    Elder Yeegsis wanted to follow Sylvester, but being ordered to keep an eye on the inquisitors meant that he couldn''t leave. Unfortunately, he couldn''t speak with his fellow elders remotely either. "Where are you going, respected Zohron?"


    "To the Elder''s building." Sylvester lied. "I have something to discuss regarding a threat. Please help Avanss if you can, elder."


    With that, Sylvester silently walked out of the building and headed toward the port. He intended to find Griffin and Louis. It had been so many years since he hadst met them, so he was sure that they wouldn''t be able to recognize him that easily.


    "Maxy, I found them." Miraj, Sylvester''s eagle eye, quickly surveyed the area from the sky and came down to report. "They''re to the left, wearing broken armor and red capes. They don''t look very well."


    Sylvester wasted no time and hurried through the crowds of Beastkin. He was constantly under everyone''s gazes, as elves were rare around these parts. However, he tried his best to seem inconspicuous.


    ''There they are.''


    Sylvester eventually found the two men standing near the docks, observing a ship as it departed. They had removed their helmets, revealing their faces. To Sylvester''s dismay, both had a short beard. However, their faces bore numerous injuries. Louis had an eyepatch on his right eye, while Griffin''s nose was missing¡ªtheir eyes had a grave, battle-hardened look, typical of men who had witnessed all that life had to offer.


    ''These two boys¡­ despite being nobility, they continued to serve as inquisitors. Why didn''t they just leave after Lord Inquisitor left?'' Sylvester wondered and silently walked behind them.


    He sensed their emotions. The scent of hope, anxiety, fear, and worship was evident. It seemed that they hadn''t given up on their duties yet, despite facing such a massive setback.


    Bam!¡ªSylvester sneaked between them from behind and firmly grabbed both their shoulders, then pulled them lower by their necks since both were shorter than him. "Haha¡­ Been a while, boys. Last time we met, you two were still lusting after Mother Jenny."


    At first, Griffin and Louis thought it was an enemy trying to attack them. But when they tried to fight back and break free, they found that their bodies couldn''t push against the grip on their shoulders.


    And when the first words were spoken, their eyes twinkled like stars, and they turned their faces to look. Right there, they saw the same young and handsome face, the long blonde hair, golden eyes, and that old aura they remembered.


    "Hah!" Griffin suddenly scoffed. "Still can''t grow a beard¡ªArgh¡­ Fuuu¡­"


    Sylvester squeezed both their necks tighter. "I never knew you two don''t enjoy breathing."


    "S-Sorry¡­ Sorry¡­" Louis shouted with a groan and quickly got free. "You''ve grown too strong¡­ once again."


    "He''s a monster," Griffin added, coughing and rubbing his neck.


    Sylvester nodded and handed them a small piece of paper. "Can''t talk here. Come to this warehouse, I''ll be waiting. Act like you don''t know me."


    Sylvester turned around and left after apologizing to them. He soon disappeared into the crowd of Beastkin passing by.


    Left behind, Griffin looked at the paper in his hand. "Louis¡­ Did we just see a ghost? Why don''t I remember him moving his mouth while speaking to us?"


    Louis frowned. "I never saw you move your mouth either."


    "What the¡­"


    ¡­


    Sylvester had asked Miraj to look for an empty warehouse nearby where they could talk peacefully away from prying eyes. The furry boy did his job well, informed Sylvester about it, and then flew back into the warehouse to lock it so no one new could enter.


    It was a shelter made of wood and a thatched roof. But it was certainly spacious, and likely used to store grains or something simr. It was mostly empty except for some hay here and there. It was the perfect bed for a little nap. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "Hmm¡­ hm." Miraj hummed to himself while fluffing his bed. After all, he knew the talks were going tost a long while. "Maybe I should write a song too¡­ I''m Maxy''s dad¡­ I should be better than him."


    ck!


    Soon enough, Sylvester entered the warehouse and ignored Miraj sitting in a corner, entertaining himself. He waited for Louis and Griffin to arrive as well, and within a few minutes, they entered.


    Wasting no time, Sylvester began cing elder runes around to ensure nobody outside could hear them talking. It took almost half an hour to do, but it was necessary.


    Afterward, he created a few chairs using Earth''s elemental magic. "So¡­ How are you two doing?"


    Louis and Griffin continued to stare at Sylvester''s face inplete awe. They didn''t speak, and their jaws remained agape until drool started to fall.


    "You died?" Griffin asked.


    "Almost."


    "You defeated Masan?" Louis questioned.


    "That, then united Eastern Sol, and just killed the false Pope Niel beforeing here."


    "..."


    The two Inquisitors abruptly stood up and knelt with a thud, letting their knees make a small dent in the ground. Afterward, they saluted Sylvester with crossed arms.


    "Grand Wizard?" Griffin said in a questioning tone.


    Sylvester nodded. "Grand Wizard and tinum Knight."


    Bam!


    The twods mmed their foreheads to the ground, facing Sylvester. Then, in a united voice, prayed to Sylvester. "May the Holy Light enlighten us all¡ªYour Holiness, may your blessings enter every wall."


    "..."


    Sylvester shook his head. "That was a disappointing attempt at rhyming. But I ept your prayers, Louis and Griffin. Raise your heads and speak to me clearly¡ªwhat happened here? What happened to you two?"


    "Betrayal." Griffin barked. "Cardinal Darksaber was the new Inquisitor High Lord, but we never knew he obeyed the false Pope. Before we knew it, he had established himself well in our ranks. For the past five years, we tried to sway the Inquisitors back to the rightful camp¡ªbut we failed, resulting in what transpired a week ago."


    ''These two lived a rough life for sure.'' Sylvester felt, understanding that while he was battling for his life and future, others were also trying to conquer their demons.


    "Any idea who this Darksaber is? And what is his n?"


    Louis nodded vigorously. "We don''t know who he is; perhaps he''s Cardinal Bison, who oversaw covert operations in Beastaria. But we do know the reason he left."


    "It was because we learned about his secret n to weaken Beastaria." Griffin started, giving more exnation. "He wants to lure the unknown Demon in Divider Swamp out so that it would attack the dragons. At the same time, orchestrate the deaths of a few captive elves held inside the Greenpeaks belonging to the dragons. Knowing how proud the elves are, they''ll have to dere war on dragons due to internal pressure.


    "Once that happens, the n is to call on all of Sol''s military and naval forces to subdue the Beastaria continent¡ªstriking when the powerhouses of Beastaria are the weakest."


    Sylvester sighed. "But Pope Niel is dead, so why follow such a n."


    "We have no idea, Your Holiness," Louis said. "We''ve never heard him talk or seen him sleep. Darksaber is a beast in his own way, his frightening presence no less than our Lord Inquisitor."


    Sylvester sighed and rubbed his chin in wonder. "How much do you know about this Demon?"


    "Only that it''s a Demon who canmand the Bloodlings," Griffin answered.


    Sylvester shook his head and got up. "That and much more. If this Darksaber isn''t stopped, he will doom our entire world. That Demon can absorb one''s magic and grow stronger¡ªyou know what that means."


    "Fuck!" Griffin naturally cursed. "If he is able to lure it to the dragons, then¡­"


    "Chaos." Sylvester finished his words. "I''ll see what I can do. For now, I''m an elf called Zohron, so treat me as if you don''t know me."


    "What''s the n? We can help."


    In reality, Sylvester had no idea how he would deal with that Demon. But he had a n for the Demon''sckeys, at least.


    "Of course, I''ll need your help building something. It''s about time I give an upgrade to my Light Beam cannons with some secret ancient magic¡­"


    Griffin and Louis knew that smirking, scheming smile on Sylvester''s face.


    "W-Will it work?" Griffin asked.


    Sylvester''s eyes gleamed with bright light since he was also excited to use elder runes in his creations.


    "Oh, it will¡­ burn."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 552: The Voice Of Darkness

    Sylvester continued to row his boat. He was the only one on the river, and it seemed like the waterways weren''t well utilized as a means of transportation in the Beastkin''snds. Nature was alsopletely untouched, which sometimes made it hard to traverse the river; overgrown trees or vines sometimes blocked the water''s surface.


    "I''m bored¡­ my mouth is dry," Mirajined while lying on his back near Sylvester. "I sang too much."


    Sylvester gave the furry fellow a few bananas he had bought in the city. It was a good thing that Miraj wasn''t greedy enough to eat them secretly or steal them. He was always a well-behaved boy, except for a few asions.


    "We should be close. The map shows the river will curve almostpletely in the opposite direction. So once we start hearing the sound of more rushing water, we''ll be close." Sylvester said, reminding himself of the details as well.


    Miraj quickly ate the banana and stood up, "I can fly up and look."


    "Don''t." Sylvester hastily eximed, worry-filled his eyes. "No, don''t fly in the sky while we''re in Beastaria. There are some dangerous flying creatures here, and that Demon is too mysterious for us to take such a risk. We can''t see it, but it might be able to sense us."


    As they continued their boat ride, the sun started to set, and the most dangerous time in any forest began to unfold. With an abundance of dark magic practitioners and the ult¡ªit was a time when the most dangerous creatures crept around.


    Unfortunately, they couldn''t reach their destination by the time it turned dark. But to their luck, the sky was illuminated by the two moons; One was full, and the other was a crescent.


    nk!


    Grrr¡­!


    "Someone''s fighting nearby," Sylvester muttered as he heard the sound of metallic things colliding. "Keep your eyes open, Chonky."


    Miraj was quick to jump on Sylvester''s shoulder and looked left and right to locate any iing attackers. On top of that, the night was slowly starting to feel a bit too creepy.


    ''It came from the right. But it''s an uninhabited region; why would someone be fighting here? Why would someone even travel there, since there are threats from all directions.'' Sylvester wondered and kept his ears open for the sounds.


    Gradually, the sounds turned into loud wailings akin to cries of agony. And just then, it abruptly became louder.


    "Help!"


    "Help!"


    Sylvester and Miraj''s heads perked up to the left, and in the distance, under the dark shadows of the tree, they noticed a shadow of a humanoid being. Half of its body was poking out from behind the trees, and its hand was waving.


    In the darkness of the night, it felt too unsightly and nonsensical. Nobody was supposed to be in that region, and if anything was, it certainly wasn''t human or Beastkin.


    "Maxy, someone''s in trouble. Let''s help." Miraj stated the obvious.


    Sylvester ignored it and only paddled faster. "Whatever it is, it''s luring us into a trap, Chonky. I don''t smell any fear, anxiety, or sadness¡­ just the scent of hate and rage mixed together."


    Miraj looked at the distant figure with confusion. "Hmm¡­ it''s very fast too. We''re moving, but it keeps appearing behind a different tree¡­ wait, there''s five of them now¡­ no, ten¡­"


    "I know it, goddammit, that''s why I''m rowing so fast." Sylvester was already at the maximum speed the wooden boat could handle. He could already sense the new presence appearing on his right in significant numbers.


    "Help!"


    "Help!"


    Calls of distress kept oning, growing louder. Now it certainly became clear why the region was uninhabited. The river was possibly the boundary that separated the Beastkin region and the ult region.


    "Here, throw this Light Crystal at them. Let''s see if they react." Sylvester handed Miraj a tiny crystal.


    With his small and mighty paws, Miraj aimed at the trees. "Take this¡­ my ugly whores!"


    "You mean foes¡­"


    "Yes!" Miraj didn''t stop there and took a few more Light Crystals out of his belly bank and threw them all. "Take it¡­ take it all!"


    In no time, the area on their right began to shine brightly due to the light. However, that didn''t affect the unknown creatures negatively but rather revealed their entire form.


    "So ugly!"


    Sylvester felt his scalp tingle a bit. Right there on the right, behind the countless trees, stood numerous weird creatures. Their bodies had no clothes, and their flesh was dark andpletely rotten, oozing blood mixed with pus. However, what horrified him the most were the countless small eyes on their human-like head¡ªit was nothing but countless eyes all over, and each of them blinked at different times and looked in various directions.


    "The fact that Light Crystals didn''t hurt them means they''re not a demon or a ghost, but rather a creature. And¡­" Sylvester noticed something else. "It appears all these figures we see are a part of the same massive creature. It''s only showing part of its body because the lower body is likely connected with each other like the roots of a tree."


    "Help!"


    "Help!


    The voices continued the whole time. The creature also followed them for a few hours, but after a certain point, it abruptly stopped as if it had reached its limit.


    "Could be its determined territory border." Sylvester wasn''t optimistic about his luck.


    Sylvester didn''t decrease his rowing speed and tried to reach the destination as fast as possible. It was the damn river that had too many twists and turns, which asionally led them in near circles within the same area. But, after thest scene, he felt the river was a much better route thannd.


    "WOAH!" Miraj eximed again. "Look, Maxy! Thatdy''s body is made of roses and dust!"


    "What the f¡­" Sylvester couldn''t help but almost curse at that description. He quickly nced up, and sure enough, it was a beautiful white-haireddy with a body made of floating roses and ck dust. She had skin as white as the moon, and her lips were as crimson as blood. "Vampiress? Why didn''t I smell anything?"


    The woman looked down from the sky, staring at Sylvester''s face. She slowly licked her lips, and her eyes carried a strange lustful glint.


    ''Oh boy¡­ I don''t like where this is going.'' Sylvester knew he was probably the woman''s type¡ªa pretty man.


    "Mysterious Elf, where are you going with such haste in this forsakennd?" Spoke the woman from the sky. Her voice felt like that of a mature woman.


    Sylvester tried to understand how the woman was flying. Was it because she was a Supreme Wizard, or was it just an innate ability? He was inclined to believe thetter.


    "A strange creature with many eyes was following me," Sylvester exined. "Who are you?"


    The woman slowly descended towards Sylvester. "I am Rosebeth, and that is my ve, All-Seer."


    Sylvester now wondered if the creature was actually asking for help. ''Did I ignore the poord''s misery?''


    "Is that so¡­ Well, I''ll be on my way then." Sylvester tried to ignore her and move along, hoping to avoid a conflict in the forest at night.


    However, the vampiress'' floating head came closer to his boat. "How long I have been waiting for someone to visit these forsakennds¡ªFinally¡­ Ah, my hunger shall be sated. Would you, beautiful elf¡ªlike to impale me on a hard wooden stake and fill me with holy water?"


    "..."


    Sylvester rowed faster, for the thirst was off the charts. "I suggest you use a tree or something, maybe that ve. Give it multiple¡­ things¡­ instead of just eyes."


    "STOP!" Atst, she showed her true colors and growled. Her face turned fierce, her eyes red, veins popped on her face, and her sharp fangs protruded. "You''re now mine!"


    Sylvester sighed and stood up. "Spear."


    "Spear," Miraj repeated, handing him the Spear of Infinity from his bank.


    Sylvester extended another hand. "Holy water."


    "Holy water," Miraj repeated.


    "Silver coins."


    Miraj, like a surgical nurse, handed all the needed things to Sylvester for the life-ending surgery. "Silver coins!"


    "Light Crystals."


    "Light Crystals!"


    Atst, Sylvester was done preparing. He dipped the spear in Holy Water, stuck the rest of the ingredients at the spear''s tip, and aimed it at the vampiress like it was a javelin.


    "Haha! You think I can''t move fast enough?" She ridiculed.


    WOOSH!


    "Gah!" To her disbelief, Sylvester didn''t throw the spear. Instead, the spear expanded at an unimaginable speed and pierced her head right in the middle. The silver coin, the holy water, and the light enter her body. "W-Who are you¡­ How strong ar¡ª"


    With that, the vampiress disappeared into ck smoke, her body disintegrating into nothingness.


    "Did she die?" Miraj asked.


    Sylvester was also confused. "Likely not, Chonky. If she can turn into ck dust, then physical weapons can''t harm her. Since she''s not a Demon or ghost, the light won''t kill her either¡­ As for this spear, the wounds can be healed. She''s probably just hiding now¡ªbut one thing''s for sure, she''s not strong."


    With that, Sylvester began to row his boat again. This time, they didn''t face any hurdles, and by the time the night was about to end, they heard the sounds of the water getting louder.


    "We''re close," Sylvester muttered and focused on the noise. Once he confirmed it was on his right, he hurried.


    Soon, when he heard the sounding from his left instead, he knew he had turned all the way around in the river, and just to his side beyond the treeline was the deep, dark cliff overlooking the swamp.


    Sylvester dragged the boat on thend and then started trekking a little. He could sense a shift in the air ahead, anticipating the vast expanse of the area thaty before him.


    "Miraj, stay put on my back." Sylvester sternly ordered and kept his spear in hand. "The Demon could have absorbed anything¡­ be prepared to react."


    Ten meters.


    One meter.


    Shhh!


    With the final step, he walked out of the treeline and almost reached the cliff''s edge. Since the sun rose in the West, the sunlight and the high cliff cast a shadow over the Divider Swamp, still covering most of it in a dark shadow.


    "...Comeee clossser~"


    "...Hehe¡­ dad?~"


    Thud!


    Sylvester abruptly fell to his knees and clenched his teeth. He felt his mind suddenly being overtaken by countless voices, each mixing with another, creating a strange sensation of fatigue and grief. Beyond that, the voices felt enticing, clearly trying to lure him closer.


    "Ugh¡­!" Sylvester looked ahead, and finally, the faint sunlight started to illuminate the distant edges of the Divider Swamp. It was a vastnd covered with tall green grass. It had hidden rivers and water bodies. Thend was also unstable, muddy, and simr to quicksand in ces. It was the most remote part of Beastaria, and not even Merkins went there.


    "...Shhh¡­ mama loves you, Sylvester~"


    "...Come closer~"


    The voices seemed to intensify, and it felt as if thousands of heavy carriages were crashing into his body and passing by him, each voice seeming more powerful.


    Sylvester decided it wasn''t safe to go any closer. "S-Supreme Wizard, it has to be¡­ it had enough¡­ y-years to grow. Chonky, retrea¡ª"


    Sylvester looked left and right. Miraj wasn''t on his shoulder. "CHONKY?!"


    "Mewo¡­ Hehe¡­ Big mum~"


    Sylvesterid down on his belly and looked down at the dark, still shadow-covered dept right beyond the cliff. Miraj was in view, slowly descending while making cheerful noises.


    "CHONKY! Come Back!"


    "Nyahaha¡­ let''s y~"


    Sylvester gritted his teeth while it almost became unbearable to fight the voices that struck him physically and mentally simultaneously.


    "It could affect him as well?" Sylvester mumbled and lowered himself further to call for his closest friend. "Chonky! Wake up!"


    "Hehe¡­" But the giggling voice slowly diminished, along with Miraj''s figure.


    Sylvester took a deep breath and clenched the Spear of Infinity, his only tool out of the current predicament that he could think of. Then, he looked down once again at the unending darkness.


    Without a second thought, he jumped. Nothing was more important than saving Miraj. He was, after all, family.


    "No bananas for a month, Chonky!"


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.

 Chapter 553: The Fear Of the Unknown

    "...Come clossser¡­"


    "...Don''t you love mommy¡­"


    The strange voice hitting Sylvester slowly started to get more personal, as if it knew who Sylvester was. Or, more appropriately, it could read Sylvester''s mind. It was an even more terrifying thought to him since a spy''s greatest treasures were his secrets.


    "...Mary, if it''s a girl. Jack, if it''s a boy¡­"


    Sylvester gritted his teeth as he recognized the voice of Diana and the conversation they had when she was pregnant. It became evident that the entity wasn''t just trying to break him mentally, but it was actually inside his head.


    Without care, Sylvester felt the wind hitting his face as he descended into the dark abyss below him. Since the sun was yet to cast its light there, there was no way to find out what was at the bottom. Moreover, he felt something more.


    ''The air is¡­ it''s getting denser. It has more substance to it.'' He realized the more he fell. What worried him more was that the further down he went, the more his speed increased¡ªunnaturally. Which meant that Miraj was descending faster than him as he was already ahead.


    ''What is this? A Supreme Wizard''s Supreme Void they talked about?'' Sylvester wondered since nothing else made sense to him. He had never read about a Demon this strong in any book before, one able to affect andmass as massive as the Divider Swamp. Even the Soul Eater didn''te close.


    "Chonky! Wake up!" Sylvester tried to wake Miraj up.


    But Miraj''s face didn''t even show any reactions anymore. The giggles had gone, and he fell like a lifeless doll. It worried Sylvester to no end, and he decided to use magic to go faster.


    Using simple fire elemental magic from the bottom of his feet, he elerated his dive. It had already been over a few seconds, and he expected the ground to arrive anytime now.


    ''Since my speed is around fifty-five meters per second, and ten seconds have passed¡ªthat means¡­ I''ve already fallen almost half a kilometer! How deep is this abyss?'' Sylvester felt confused and worried at the same time.


    However, he didn''t dare slow down. Before reaching the ground, he had to have Miraj in his arms.


    "...Dear, how do I look?..."


    Sylvester felt the words hitting him much more than before, physically touching him as if they were made of sharp airwaves. Unbeknownst to him, they had indeed injured him, evident by the tiny but sharp scratch marks on his neck and face.


    "...If the war begins, I''ll be dead in months. So give my family all my money, will you¡­"


    "¡­If something happens to me in the future, will you give my life savings to my sister and¡­ ensure she marries a good guy?..."


    "...If I die, I''d just be shamed by my father, and my ashes would be tossed in the gutters, but I promise you two¡­"


    Sylvester remembered those words very well, the small pact they made, the Pact of Brothers they had called. "Markus¡­ Gab¡­ Felix¡­"


    The wordsing to him began to affect his mind atst and brought out emotions. Back then, he had silently shrugged off the pact, only being interested in surviving. But so many yearster, he had epted this to be his real life as well¡ªthose close to him were also precious.


    In a low voice, Sylvester began to mumble unintelligible words, mumbling the names of his friends and precious memories. The regret of being incapable of saving someone, or the hatred for those who tried to control him.


    Amidst the darkness, he slowly began to lose himself, and his eyes started to look hazy. His mind slowly got dizzy, and the focus on Miraj''s body began to wane.


    "...Me, you, Big Mum, Dol Dol¡ªwe''ll be happy forever¡­"


    A slight, faint smile curved on Sylvester''s lips as Miraj''s words from the previous day echoed in his mind due to the unknown entity.


    "Happy forever¡­ Happy forever¡­" Sylvester repeated many times.


    However, his body twitched frantically a momentter, and his eyes opened wide again. As if the focus on saving Miraj returned to his mind, his body began to glow with light magic.


    ?Filth of the swamp, stay away from my mind.


    Your dark aura and ways, I know your kind.


    You are the unholy in this world Solis designed.


    Your ce beneath my feet, must I remind??


    A brilliant, radiant, golden halo sharply formed behind Sylvester''s head. His focus was revived because of the unknown entity''s magic itself, reminding him of Miraj''s words. He had lived so long already, and in no way could he lose now when peace was so close.


    "CHONKY!" Sylvester''s magic erupted behind his feet, leaving a trail of fire. The depth he had descended into was now unknown to him.


    Inch by inch, he fought against the voices that tried to take back his mind, and reached closer to Miraj. The speed at which they fell exceeded what he believed could be normal, but he persevered.


    "Just a little more¡­ Wake up, Chonky!" Sylvester felt Miraj''s form just an arm''s length away, so he called out to him. "Wake up¡­ the voice isn''t real!"


    But Miraj didn''t even flinch, shaking Sylvester''s heart. He gave it his all and leaped forward.


    Bam!


    "Got you!" He bellowed as soon as the soft body pressed against his chest. However, he wasted no time stopping their fall and quickly plunged his the Spear of Infinity into the cliff wall as firmly as possible.


    BOOM!


    The cliff wall copsed a little since Sylvester''s fall was too heavy. The spear dragged down a little. But eventually, the descent stopped since the spear continued to elongate into the rocks.


    In the end, Sylvester coughed amidst the small cloud of dust that surrounded him. He looked below, and there was still utter darkness, and when he looked up, there too, he saw a dark mist, but beyond it was the faint light of the sky.


    "Chonky." He brought his focus back to Miraj. He quickly felt his pulse and the short breaths. But when he noticed the closed eyes, he was taken aback. "Y-You cried? Wake up, buddy, tell me what happened. You''re alright now."


    However, there was no responseing from Miraj, despite there being nothing wrong with his body. On top of that, Sylvester had no idea about Miraj''s biology, which could really help him.


    ''I never saw him ever being affected by anything this badly.'' Sylvester''s heart wrenched; the chirping songs Miraj had sung on their journey rang in his ears.


    "...I can heal him¡­"


    The moment the suspected Demon''s voice came again, veins popped on Sylvester''s head. "Silence!¡­ You will have your end soon!"


    Surprisingly, the voices did stop after his small outburst. Sylvester couldn''t care less, however, and focused entirely on Miraj. "Chonky, do you want a thousand bananas? Or perhaps a banana pie made by Mum?... Move, buddy¡­ don''t be like this."


    However, Miraj didn''t respond at all. But despite all the harrowing thoughts that flooded his mind, he tried to stay level-headed.


    "Let''s get out first."


    Still hanging with one arm from the spear, he quickly tore his armor cape from behind and tied Miraj''s body close to his chest like a baby. Then, he used his other hand to get the extra sword from his waist and use it as a hook to climb up.


    Bam!¡ªHe stepped on the spear and firmly stabbed the normal sword into the rocks. Then, he took out the spear and plunged it further above. He also used Light Steps to go higher or at least find a ce to stand. However, the downward pull from the abyss was such that his body kept cracking the Light Tiles he created, making them only usable for a second.


    Nevertheless, he didn''t give up and kept climbing, no matter how much the voices rang in his head. His thoughts were only focused on ensuring Miraj''s safety. He sweated profusely, and his muscles ached, but the will never broke.


    ''What am I even up against?'' He wondered since light magic also didn''t help too much there.


    Bam!


    "Hmm?" Abruptly, just as he tried to pull himself up on the deeply lodged Spear of Infinity, he felt his body couldn''t pull itself up, and instead, something else was now pulling him down.


    Quickly, Sylvester looked below, although he felt he shouldn''t have a momentter. "What the¡­ what is this?!"


    Multiple dark hands came from the darkness below, as thin as a toddler''s arms, long like infinite tentacles, but they had the firm grip of a man''s hand with its five fingers. The hands grabbed onto Sylvester''s legs and tried to pull him down. With each passing moment, more hands caught onto him, each slowly creeping upward.


    Starting from his feet, then thighs, waist, and gradually his chest¡ªthe hands continued to increase in number, and so did their pull.


    "Ugh¡­" Sylvester held onto the spear of Infinity for dear life, his arm''s muscles being stretched like never before. The weakened blood cirction made his arms eventually numb, but they never released their grip.


    "...Maxy,e down¡­I miss you¡­" The echoing and hissing voices now sounded like Miraj.


    Once again, Sylvester looked down, trying to find what the creature was, so he could think about defeating it quickly. However, once again, he found himself cursing at the decision to look.


    To his shock, he could finally see the bottom of the strange abyss. It was still dark, but no longer fully covered in mist. There was some gooey liquid down below, spread everywhere. But right below him was a small mound of that liquid¡ªand in it was a colossal gaping mouth, at least more than a hundred meters wide. It was round and had multiple dirty teeth growing in rows that went deeper into the creature''s dark void-like throat, from where shining sparks were also emitting.


    Red mist wasing out of it, and the red innards of the mouth highlighted the ck tongue. However, what horrified Sylvester more was a single, big, round eye at the tip of the tongue that stared at him¡ªever so eager and hungry.


    "I¡­ I can smell it now!" Sylvester felt his heart shake. "The bitterness on my tongue, the scent of death!"


    He was strong enough to kill a level ten Grand Wizard by now, and that left only one category of foes who could seriously threaten him. But even then, he had the confidence to at least try and talk his way out of a confrontation.


    But now, what was he even supposed to do to such a creature? It wasn''t the fear of strength¡ªit was the fear of the unknown that he felt.


    Sylvester nced at Miraj in the little baby carry he had made. ''Explosives could have helped to distract it¡­''


    Sadly, he had none on him. He only carried Light and Srium crystals. Heck, even Srium crystals were now bing useless as he had grown too strong, and to fill his own body with Srium, he needed tens of thousands of them.


    Bam!


    The tentacle-like hands grabbed his long hair and pulled him forcefully¡ªthey slowly climbed above and began to cover his entire face as well, but he didn''t let go of his grip.


    At that moment, Sylvester couldn''t help but question his decision since there was nobody but himself to me for his situation. ''W-When did I be this arrogant?''


    Just before his eyes were covered, he took one nce at the sky and the expanse of the swamp.


    ''T-Ten more minutes¡­ I can do it¡­ I have to do it.''


    [A/N: See the monster/demon/entity thing here.]


    Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.


    [A/N: The Pact of Brothers was mentioned in Chapter 51]

 Chapter 554: The Invisible Helping Hand

    Sylvester held on to the spear for dear life, not letting go no matter what. The downward pull was ever so increasing on his body as more and more hands came from below and shrouded him in darkness. They also tried to grab his hands and pull down the spear entirely.


    At one point, the spear began to creak as if it was getting dislodged. A sense of fright ran through his heart, but Sylvester felt more concerned about the unconscious Miraj, and worried that the hands might try to take him away from him.


    ''My halo and light aren''t helping either¡­ Ugh, I should''ve stuck to scheming until I reached the top.'' Sylvester muttered, disappointed in himself that he had gradually relied more on his physical powers than his mental abilities.


    He forgot one simple rule¡ªif you think you''ve got a big stick, there will always be someone with a bigger one. But if you have a bigger brain, you can win even with a small stick.


    Unfortunately, nothing could help him at that moment since he was already deep in the mess. All he could think of for now was to get out of the situation first.


    ''...The spear is sliding out. The weight''s too much.'' Sylvester felt the slight shifts above him. ''Just a little more, buddy¡­ you can do it.''


    He had calcted that the sunlight would hit from above in ten minutes, enveloping the darkness below him with light as well. However, even that was merely an assumption for now. There was no guarantee the creature would let go of him.


    Crack!


    Sylvester felt it, the tremors from above. The spear was almost out of the cliff, about to fall. He prayed to all the gods and merely hoped for the best.


    Bam!


    The crack of the spear wrenching free from the final inches within the rocks came, and Sylvester felt his body bing somewhat weightless, swiftly followed by an intensified downward pull. The weight of the hands that surrounded him dragged him down with all their might, and he could already sense the creature''s delight with the scent of excitement.


    "I¡­ I lost."


    He felt lost but mustered the determination to confront the creature with whatever he had left. As long as falling into the huge mouth wasn''t instant death, he held onto a sliver of expectation.


    "GRAB THIS!"


    "Hm?" Sylvester noticed an unexpected human voiceing from above. "Grab¡­?"


    At that instant, he felt something fall into his hands, and it came from above. It felt like a thick rope made of something that wasn''t normal jute or cotton. But he grabbed onto it since anything was better than nothing.


    Snap!


    The rope stretched under the weight and force of the hands. Sylvester felt that there was someone above the cliff trying to pull him back up. That easily earned him a minute or two, a blessing from the unknown.


    ''The pull from the dark hands is waning.'' Sylvester could feel it.


    Slowly, the hands also began to vanish from his body, starting from the top. His face was soon uncovered, and he took a deep breath to calm himself afterward. The first thing he did was check on Miraj, safely nestled in his baby carrier near his chest and then looked down. The gigantic mouth was nowhere to be seen now, and the darkness had vanished.


    "I-It''s just a swamp." He muttered, noticing the thick green waters with some grass growing around. But what shocked him the most was that the swamp wasn''t too far below him, and once he looked up, he felt even more confused since the clifftop wasn''t that high either. Yet, he knew he had fallen over a kilometer down.


    ''It has to be a Supreme Void. The sense of distance and speed was altered.'' Sylvester thought and quickly started to climb up the rope, leveraging his legs against the rocky wall. He didn''t dare to waste time in that location, as the sun wasn''t going to be there for too long.


    It only took him a few minutes to pull himself up. Once he found his knees resting on the usual hard ground, he crawled away from the cliff and copsed, breathless. His body throbbed with extreme fatigue, as every bone and muscle had been pushed to their limits like never before. Although he hadn''t used too much magic, he still felt exhausted.


    "Chonky¡­" He unwrapped Miraj from the cloak and looked at him. His breath and pulse were normal, but there was no reaction.


    Sylvester then sat up and looked around. The rope that saved him was secured to a nearby tree, but he could confidently say that there was someone actively pulling him back up before.


    He tried to find any clues and noticed some marks on the sandy ground. "A male''s armored boots and a heavy sword were plunged into the ground¡ªsomeone strong and possibly a warrior then."


    It was confusing since he didn''t know anyone but Avanss in Beastaria. "Why would anyone help me here?"


    Regrettably, the bad news didn''t end there. Sylvester once again crawled closer to the edge of the cliff and looked down, "My spear¡­ I lost it¡­ for now."


    He tried to use metal maniption to call his spear back to him, but it seemed to have fallen into the murky green waters of the swamp; It was unknown how deep it had gone or how thick the swamp''s density was. The only option was to go down and get it himself, but he honestly didn''t want to go anymore.


    It was undoubtedly a terrible day for him, and before anything else happened, he immediately rose to his feet, ced Miraj back on his chest, and walked away without wasting time. His next objective was to stop the Inquisitors before they tried to handle the creature and be its food.


    Sylvester didn''t bother taking the boat or the river anymore and directly soared into the sky using the Light Steps. If there were going to be any Dragons, he was ready to kill them instantly without wasting any time.


    He needed the altitude to look around and find the Inquisitors as quickly as possible before another night came. He looked for possible routes the Inquisitors could have taken to reach the area, and since they aimed to lure the creature towards Greenpeaks, the possibility of them trying to enter the Divider Swamps through the river was rtively high since the river originated from Greenpeaks, belonging to the dragons.


    So Sylvester made his way towards the north while remaining close to the cliff''s edge. However, he didn''t dare to walk above the swamp and, at the same time, kept a keen eye on the position of the sun. In case of any shadows growing in the swamp, he had made up his mind to escape.


    ''Hmm¡­ I see some smoke.''


    Sylvester soon noticed what seemed like a tiny camp in the middle of the forest, just before the foot of the hills that led to the region of dragons. With haste, he cautiously descended and approached the camp, proceeding with care.


    ''I don''t smell the usual scent of rage. Could they be away from the camp?'' he wondered, choosing tond a few meters away from the campsite within the forest. From there, he slowly walked in and remained vignt.


    Eventually, he arrived at the boundary of the camp. It was a small opening in the forest, and the base likely belonged to the Inquisitors, considering the abundance of church sigils and the type of tents.


    However, there was an issue. ''It''spletely empty.''


    Still, he carefully walked into the camp with cautious steps. Since he had seen some smokeing out, he headed toward it. In the end, he found a doused fire pit in the middle of the camp, and a pot of soup was suspended over it.


    ''Still pretty warm¡­ someone was here.''


    Sylvester looked left and right. "Come out. I won''t hurt you!"


    Crack!


    The echo of a twig being stepped on reached his ears, and Sylvester immediately jumped around to look. Emerging from one of the tents was an injured man adorned with the unmistakable mitre of a Cardinal, while his body was covered with fine, expensive armor of the gold and white colors of the church. The man was human, tall with broad shoulders and a thick ck beard. Eyes were fierce and had strange, yellow, slit pupils instead of round ones.


    "I''m not your enemy, holy man." Sylvester rified, trying to discern the man''s identity. "I''m Zohron of Alfia¡ªIe to warn the Inquisitors not to go near the Demon in the swamp¡ªIt''s at least on par with a Supreme Wizard."


    The sturdy man scoffed and raised his sword towards Sylvester. "As if I don''t know that¡ªI, who spent his entire life in thesends¡ªI, who¡­ Forget it, elf. Why concern yourself with stopping the Inquisitors?"


    "A truce has been achieved between the elves and Sol, and the false Pope Niel has been in by Sylvester Maximilian. Alfia wants all Inquisitors to return to Sol unharmed¡ªI came here to deliver this message." Sylvester wove apelling yet fabricated story.


    A sudden scent of sadness came from the tall man before he spoke. "I''m afraid you''re toote, elf. The foolish Inquisitors have likely been devoured by the Demon. Only I remain now. They pursued me relentlessly, seeking to kill me, only to meet their own pitiful demise¡ªsuch pathetic fate¡­ that fool Darksaber."


    ''He''s not Darksaber then?'' Sylvester realized, but at the same time, felt confused since this holy man had the mitre of a Cardinal.


    "Then who are you?"


    "I''m Cardinal Bison, a man of true faith." The man answered.


    ''The man who made elves and dragons fight each other?'' Sylvester remembered and felt somewhat impressed by this fellow spy who had given years to his noble work. ''It''s better to treasure such talents.''


    But there was one question he wanted to ask. "Why are you hiding then? Was it you who saved me from the cliff?"


    "Cliff? What are you talking about? I''ve been on the run from Darksaber all this time. I''ve only arrived here." Cardinal Bison answered.


    Sylvester rubbed his chin in confusion. ''Who saved me then?''


    "You should leave while you can. Darksaber is still alive and chasing after me. He didn''t enter the swamp yesterday." Cardinal Bison added while looking distraught. "He won''t stop unless I''m dead."


    "Why does he want to kill you?" Sylvester questioned him. "You serve the same Church."


    Bison shook his head. "He received his orders before Niel''s death, and until the next Pope orders him to stop, he won''t stop. Only His Holiness, Sylvester, can save me now¡ªpossibly."


    "Indeed, only he can save you," Sylvester muttered. "Follow me if you want to live. I''ll help you return to the Holy Land through Alfia. That Darksaber can''t fight an entire kingdom alone."


    Bison stared at Sylvester for a few seconds, unsure if he could trust an elf. Sadly, whenpared to the dark creatures of the forest, the Demon, and Darksaber, the good-looking elf seemed far more weing. Besides, he had been on the run for so long and was yet to find a safe way back home.


    "I¡­ I''ll never forget this kindness, Lord Zohron."


    Meanwhile, Sylvester was still absorbed in finding out who saved him. Since the closest settlement was the Inquisitor camp and Bison, it couldn''t be someone else.


    ''Did this¡­ Darksaber¡­ save me? But why?''

 Chapter 555: The Sin Goes Both Ways

    Since there were Inquisitors at the camp, there were horses as well. Sylvester and Cardinal Bison took two horses and quickly made their way toward the south. But first, they crossed the Bliss River and entered the Beastkins'' region since thend beyond the river was full of monsters and dark creatures that were hard to deal with.


    Sylvester tried his best to find a way and get Cardinal Bison to be more at ease with him and share information. But the man was tightlipped, something to expect from a spy. So, for the most part, their journey took a silent turn.


    The only worry that kept eating at Sylvester was Miraj, tied to his chest since the furry boy was yet to move or even twitch. It was unknown what was wrong with him, as his breath and pulse were normal.


    ''This is the worst-case scenario ying out for me. The Inquisitors numbered in tens of thousands, and now they''re dead. This reduces my hold on the Holy Land.'' Sylvester thought to himself, trying to n for the future. ''The Holy Army must be in shambles too since they were Niel''s before. Their loyalty will always be questionable.''


    Sadly, it was something he couldn''t do anything about while still in Beastaria. For now, the best possible action was to go to Deca Imperia, see what secrets the Shadow Knight was talking about, and be the Pope. With the official Pope''s Mitre on his head, he''d have more wriggle room.


    "Cardinal Bison, which Pope do you follow?" Sylvester asked the man as they traveled on their horses through the forest. It was the territory of the Lionkin, so they were a little more careful.


    Cardinal Bison scoffed. "Only the True Pope¡ªAxel Tar Kreed, may his soul rest in peace. Now, I only follow his official sessor, the Bard. He may be young, but his actions have resulted in the resolution of a thousand-years-long issue."


    ''I smell some pride when he speaks about me. But this could be some sort of misleading ability as well. I can''t forget he''s a spy.'' Sylvester stayed careful.


    Nodding heavily, he began talking. "You mean Sylvester Maximilian? I like that boy¡­ he saved me in Masan once. Those nasty humans had me imprisoned for decades."


    Cardinal Bison visibly flinched a little, not expecting the elf to say such a thing. "You know him? How well? What does he look like?"


    "He looks¡­ great for a human, especially his magnificent hair and voice. Whenever he sang, it mesmerized even me. I remember the hymns to this day¡ªI almost felt like epting Solis as my Lord." Sylvester said, luring the man slowly, grabbing and coiling him tightly like a snake.


    Sylvester ensured he took a few breaks during their discussion, giving the man room to think. He skillfully nted subtle ideas and also kept an eye on the scents.


    "How did Masan capture you?" Cardinal Bison asked.


    "I went there with my master, Prince Avanss of Alfia. The Prince likes to travel and learn new things, so he wished to see the culture of Sol. But we were caught, and while I tried to free him, I failed, and we were imprisoned." Sylvester answered, weaving the story carefully. As a spy, he was confident that Bison would know Avanss'' name and that the Prince hadn''t been seen in decades. After all, Bison started the civil war between elves and dragons, so the man likely knew everything about the two sides.


    ''I sense the scents changing. There''s less doubt and hostility.'' Sylvester felt it.


    Once again, silence brewed between them. They stopped at various locations to rest for the night but rarely slept as they didn''t trust one another. On top of that, their tents were always set apart, riddled with safety runes around them.


    But Sylvester did that for a different reason. He spent his resting time checking Miraj and seeing if he could do something to help the furry cat. Heid Miraj down on the carpet and checked his body carefully.


    "What happened to you? It''s been more than two days already." Sylvester wondered, using all his knowledge he knew of magic. He also tried to enter Miraj''s mind through Srium Web, but he didn''t receive a reply.


    In ast-ditch attempt, he decided to feed Miraj the Srium crystals he had left with him. Since the fundamentalponent of matter in the world was Srium, he reckoned Miraj was made of it as well.


    "Just wake up, boy. I won''t bring you to such dangerous adventures from now on." Sylvester muttered, feeling somewhat guilty for not being more careful. He took Miraj''s existence for granted since he had never faced such difficulty before.


    The whole night, he fed Miraj the crystals one after another. Thankfully, since the crystals could dissolve, it wasn''t hard to feed them to him. Additionally, Sylvester gave Miraj his own Srium, as he could take enough from surrounding trees thanks to elven magic.


    By the time morning came, out of boredom, Sylvester alsoid down and closed his eyes while keeping Miraj tucked to his side.


    Prrr¡­


    Prrr¡­


    As the morning peaked, Sylvester opened his eyes to strange bubbly noises, as if someone was blowing into a ss of water with a straw right beside his ears.


    "C-Chonky?" He abruptly eximed, noticing Miraj''s nose beside his face, snuggled between his chin and chest. He was surprised because he remembered putting him neatly under a warm nket.


    Prrr¡­


    The sound of the bubbles wasing from Miraj''s nose; that much was clear to him. But it wasn''t normal breathing; Sylvester knew for sure.


    "You''re snoring?" Sylvester slowly got up without disturbing Miraj too much. "Can you wake up? Are you okay? Does it hurt somewhere?"


    He showered him with questions, hoping that Miraj would at least move a little.


    "Mh¡­ M-Mmaxy¡­"


    Miraj mumbled, much to Sylvester''s delight. "Chonky, what happened? Do you need anything that can help you?"


    However, without opening his eyes, Miraj only tried to climb up onto Sylvester''sp and curl himself into a tiny ball to sleep again. "S-scared¡­"


    Sylvester clenched his fist as he understood that Miraj was either shown something nightmarish by the Demon or had been dreaming something like that for the past two days. He squeezed Miraj in his arms andforted him. "Nothing to fear, Chonky¡­ You''re safe now, and I''m also safe. We''ll kill that Demon soon¡­ and make it pay."


    Miraj silently used his paws to grab Sylvester''s neck. "M-maxy¡­ don''t go."


    It was at that moment Sylvester understood Miraj''s biggest insecurity and nightmare. It was abandonment, the inability of being able to talk to someone or be seen by someone¡ªthe fear of being alone for thousands and thousands of years like he had been before. Sylvester had no doubt that if he were Miraj, he''d have lost his mind long ago.


    ''After taking the throne, I should start looking into Miraj''s past seriously and find his origins. Perhaps¡­ I can find his home.'' Sylvester mumbled, gently soothing Miraj to sleep.


    "You''re not alone, buddy¡ªwe''re not alone."


    ¡­


    After tucking Miraj back onto his chest, Sylvester folded his tent and drank the watery soup with Cardinal Bison. After that, they both got back on their horses and headed down south. Finally, they arrived at the mountains that marked the beginning of the Orcs'' territory. It was a difficult area, but for men of their caliber, it was a breeze.


    Orcs were smart but, at the same time, brutes. In front of magical means, they couldn''t hold up so well. And Sylvester, as well as Cardinal Bison, were masters of magic. However, neither of them had any idea what the other specialized in.


    ?Mercy is for sin, not for heresy.


    Solis blessed me to leave a legacy¡­?


    Sylvester heard Cardinal Bison sing a hymn that he once sang.


    ''If this is what impresses you, I think I know what to sing.'' Sylvester smirked internally.


    "That''s good, but I particrly liked the one about the Apostle of Light." Sylvester interrupted the holy man. "It goes like this¡­ Kneel before the apostle of light. Warriors and Knights for Solis,e and fight. Feel the warmth of the Lord or burn bright¡ª"


    Cardinal Bison shook his head and interrupted Sylvester. "Lord Zohron, I''m quite surprised and impressed by your interest in the Bard''s hymns. But you said a few words wrong there. In the second line, it''s supposed to be "who fight" and in the third line, there is no "or." Where did you read them?"


    Sylvester made a pitiful face. "I didn''t read them, Cardinal. I only heard a traveling bard sing it and remembered. Since only the monasteries sold theption of Lord Bard''s hymns, I couldn''t buy one."


    ''Impressed.'' Sylvester smelled the scent of admiration, the scent of cloves.


    Cardinal Bison fiddled with the saddle of his horse and took out a book. "I have a copy of the book, Lord Zohron. Perhaps I can lend it to you for the help you''ve provid¡ª"


    PA!


    Roar!


    Sylvester immediately dismounted and made his horse lie down beside him behind a bush. He looked to his side and noticed Cardinal Bison doing the same. They both heard some disturbanceing from the path behind, and it was very different from the noises they had heard from the Orcs. On top of that, they had reached the outskirts of the Orcs'' territory.


    "What is that?" Sylvester asked Bison in whispers.


    Bison seemed angry at that moment, apparent by his gritted teeth. "It''s a ve convoy¡­"


    "ve convoy?" Sylvester peeked out from the bushes and waited.


    Soon, a few rows of carriages appeared in view. The carriages were metallic,rge, and pulled by big lizard-like beasts. But on the sides of the carriages were rows upon rows of men in torn clothes or bare-chested. They all had their hands tied with cuffs, and metal cors around their necks, connected to one another by chains. They looked malnourished, dirty, and exhausted, with no hope left in their eyes.


    Pa!


    The sound of whips echoed every now and then, as the man standing beside the reinsman hit the slow ves. Sometimes even stabbed them with a spear while mocking them for their uselessness.


    Hidden behind the bushes, Sylvester remained silent, but clearly grasped the reason behind Cardinal Bison''s wrathful expression.


    ''These ves are human and¡­'' Sylvester took a deep breath. ''The vers are elves¡­''


    Soon, the convoy passed by, and Cardinal Bison stood up, still angered. "Long-eared bastards¡­ those window-less carriages must hold female ves.''


    Sylvester nced in the direction the convoy went and only thought of one thing.


    ''Years ago, Mum was in one of those? Hopeless and scared¡­?''


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.


    The 2nd chapter is on the way.

 Chapter 556. What It Means To Be Pope

    Chapter556. What It Means To Be Pope


    (A/N: Sorry guys, the chapter''s a bit longer.)


    Sylvester felt conflicted thoughts run through his mind. On the one hand, he waspletely against very and had already decided to ouw very of all kinds in Sol, but how was he going to do the same in Beastaria? Why would the species of Beastaria stop when it''s so easy to just take humans?


    Especially in the case of the elves, ves were a part of their culture. The proud elves considered so many jobs too lowly for themselves, such as cleaning the streets, prostitution, cleaning the sewers, or anything that involved something unsightly.


    The goblins needed human females to increase their poption, though he was already nning to banish them from the face of the. But he couldn''t do the same to all the other species.


    Yet, he had to make a decision at that moment, and he chose to go with what was right.


    "Let''s go and save them." He dered to Cardinal Bison, shocking the old spy.


    "So you can find an opportunity and take me as well?" Bison showed his angry fangs and unsheathed his sword. "I either leave this god-forsaken continent alive or be one with the soil."


    Sylvester bobbed his head as he''d havee to the same conclusion if he were in Bison''s position. But the difference would''ve been that he''d try to be sure first. "When Avanss and I were returning to Beastaria, we took a pirate ship hostage. The pirate ship was full of Beastkins, ready to be sold. We saved them, but do you know what broke my heart the most? There were other Beastkins in the pirate''s crew."


    well." Cardinal Bison said, unwavering from his suspicion.


    "What of it? Human pirates raid and sell humans to Beastaria as well." Cardinal Bison said, unwavering from his suspicion.


    Sylvester sighed and got on his horse. "very is not a disease of a particr race or religion, Cardinal. We either stand against it together or see it flourish forever."


    Without saying anything more, Sylvester left for the ve convoy. With so many years of experience manipting people into doing exactly what he desired, he knew targets were the most vulnerable when facing an emotional dilemma.


    ''Is conquering Beastaria the only way to bring some sense into this world? How many more must die in this violence?'' Sylvester couldn''t help but wonder. Because as far as he understood the elves and dragons, their pride would never allow them to ept a human''s suggestions.


    ¡­


    A good husband with a paying job and his own home, a pair of good kids with talent in their studies, and a cheerful family living in a charming little town by the stunning coast of the Hignd Kingdom.


    It was everything a woman could dream of, something she''d happily strive for¡ªrising early in the morning to prepare food for her dear children and husband before they went out to work or study, or taking care of the household chores, fixing the roof, tending to the sheep and cows. Thebor didn''t feel burdensome with everything so ideal.


    But for Lyanna Baker, it seemed like a distant dream now. The entire town was raided by the pirates, houses destroyed, and people massacred¡ªher children burned inside the monastery, her husband pierced with a spear in the chest, and she¡ªtaken as a ve.


    Respect, modesty, and kindness was a concept of a different realm in the new world she found herself in. Clothes torn apart, made to stand naked before the crowd of buyers. No longer seen as a human being but as merchandise to be inspected¡ªher ck hair, her arms, and much more.


    Thrown into a metal box with a dozen other women and girls, the journey quickly began. Was the sky blue outside? Was it dark outside? Was it a forest? Was it a dessert?¡ªthe box became her entire world, and her future appeared to be imprisoned within it as well.


    But she found herself unable to me fate because, just like her, a dozen more were huddling beside her. Some were as young as ten, and some had just gotten married.


    Thump!


    "What was that? I don''t wanna go with them¡­" The youngest girl clung onto Lyanna for mental support when the sudden sound came from the carriage''s roof.


    Sadly, Lyanna found herself unable to offerforting words to the girl. No matter what she said, their futures were already decided¡ª


    made into prostitutes, entertainers, cleaners, caretakers, or just ythings for others. Wasn''t that why most of the women selected had wless skin and good faces?


    nk!


    "...Traitor!"


    From the outside, a multitude of voices erupted, and the convoy stopped. After that, a few more simr sounds reverberated until, eventually, silence prevailed. Scared and confused, the women kept themselves as quiet as possible, but still, a few sniffles escaped a few lips. It was beyond their control.


    ck!


    The creaking sound of the carriage door''s hinges came, and the women hastily huddled at one end of the box, even stepping on one another.


    Soon enough, the twin doors swung open, and the ring daylight flooded the box, blinding them all for a few seconds. As their eyes adjusted, they noticed the blonde-haired elven man. They felt no fear orfort, as this situation was nothing new.


    "You need clothes. Stay here."


    That was all that the elven man said and left the door open. Soon after, the man returned and threw inside a number of garments, some of which were simple sheets of fabric.


    "Wear them quickly. I''ll wait outside. Be quick or more elves mighte to take you."


    Confused but too scared to speak a word in fear of the whip, they followed the order and wore the clothes within a few minutes. They weren''t much, but covering the parts of their bodies they considered private brought them somefort.


    Afterward, the doors opened again, and the elven man spoke to them.


    "Come out now. We must hurry to the west coast to get you all on a ship."


    This time, Lyanna mustered some courage to ask what was on everyone''s mind. "W-What will¡­ h-happen to us¡­ my Lord?"


    "You''re going home. What else? Be quick now. I''m Zohron of Alfia, by the way. I work with Prince Avanss, the brother of the elf King, Rathagun. Our King is against very, but some sects of elves endorse it and continue doing it."


    Lyanna couldn''t believe what the elf was saying. It almost felt too good to be true. Such miracles never happen in real life, only in fairy tales.


    However, right then, another man appeared, and this one seemed human, and the miter on his head was very recognizable.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us, mydies."


    Once those words reached Lyanna''s ears, tears came out in response.


    ¡­


    Sylvester found no issue killing the elves responsible for transporting the ves. Since it was one of the eptable but still lowly tasks, it didn''t attract high-ranking or powerful elves, leaving the transporters rtively weak.


    He already smelled the fear and hopelessness of the women inside the box carriages and the men chained outside. So he gave them a small lie, which he hoped would turn into reality someday. Turing the elven King against very was possible with a little bit of familial persuasion.


    "So you decided to help." Sylvester noticed Cardinal Bison appear when he gave the women clothes.


    "You killed your own kind." Bison was shocked.


    Sylvester scoffed, "As I said, it''s a disease not bonded by one''s race or religion. A good ver is a dead ver¡ªjust like goblins."


    "But¡­ they weren''t vers. They were mere transporters of Alfia." Bison pointed out, demonstrating his keen observation, an upational habit.


    Sylvester shrugged. "They may have been forced to do it, but nobody forced them to stab the ves or whip them. They enjoyed their work, and I have a problem with that. Anyhow, If you wish to bring these humans back home, we need to move right now."


    They had entered the goblin territory, and the nearest official dock was Hydra Bay. However, since it was brimming with activity, they were very likely to be caught. So they wisely choose an alternate course¡ªto head toward the shoreline of the Goblin region.


    The ves were still in disbelief but followed themands without asking any questions. They quickly changed their direction and moved the carriages.


    They were hasty and, within a single day, were able to reach the shores. The beaches of the region, just like the forest, bore a dark hue. The sand had an unnatural dark green texture, and the waters nearby were very shallow.


    "How many of you know how to steer a ship? From hoisting sails to steering the wheel?" Sylvester questioned the men among the ves.


    Every single one of them raised their hands. It was understandable since they were captured from coastal regions, where most people worked in the fishing industry.


    "Good." Sylvester looked at Cardinal Bison, "Change of ns. You shall depart right away. I''ll bring a ship here, and you will be their captain."


    "Why are you doing this?" Cardinal Bison questioned since Sylvester''s actions made no sense from an elf''s perspective.


    Sylvester chose not to answer and walked back into the forest. However, wasting no time, heunched himself into the sky with Light Steps and, from a reasonable viewpoint, looked for any pirate ships nearby.


    ''Too big, too small¡­ ah! Perfect!''


    Locating a suitable ship wasn''t too difficult, given the highly profitable nature of piracy. So he aimed for a medium-sized ship and quickly approached it.


    Boom!


    Hended on the ship and greeted the dead men walking, "Hello there. From now on, this ship is under new management. Any questions asked will be yourst words."


    "Who the hell are yeh?"


    Bam!


    A tiny spark of fire left Sylvester''s index finger and hit the long-bearded man in the head, exploding the skull like a watermelon.


    "CAPTAIN!" The sailors cried.


    Sylvester smiled. "I''m the captain now. Do your work and let me steer the ship wherever I wish to, or you will all die."


    No words of revolt were uttered, and Sylvester took the wheel. He steered it toward the beach where the ves and Bison waited. It only took him three hours to get the ship and bring it to them, but he couldn''t take it too close to shore.


    "All of you, take the boats and go to shore. The boat that reaches it first might live, and the rest will die." Sylvester ordered.


    A simple trick and the men hurried in panic. They paddled the oars like mad men and raced toward the coast. They even used dirty tricks on their own friends to get ahead, throwing knives to injure each other.


    However, the moment they all reached the shore, Sylvester mercilessly killed them with simple pallets made of metal. Pirates, in his eyes, deserved no mercy. After all, if a person in Sol could get executed for murder or rape, the pirates had done much worse.


    Sylvester looked at the crowd of almost ves, "Get on the boats and prepare the ship. You''re all returning home."


    The men and women didn''t stop to thank him and frantically ran to climb the boats. Their minds could only think about escaping and returning to their homes.


    Atst, only one boat was left behind for Cardinal Bison. The man didn''t rush to go and kept staring at Sylvester''s face with a conflicted look.


    "Hah, you may speak your mind." Sylvesterughingly said.


    Thud!


    Cardinal Bison knelt down on one knee and asked firmly. "My Lord, who are you? How did you get the ship so quickly? How did you move so swiftly? Why show such kindness to your enemies?"


    Sylvester smiled and ced one hand on Bison''s shoulder, and the other was raised to reveal his palm. With that, for the first time in Beastaria, officially, the rhymes of the hymns echoed. And with that, the halo shined, rejuvenating a few minds.


    His voice was soothing to the soul, and the words he spoke made Bison feel whole.


    ?When the time is right and victory''s in sight, We shall rise high, so will shine the brightest my light Do not waver, do not sin, and never be cozy with night,


    For the Lord sees all, you do not want to test his might.? ?Go, and search for the schemes that remain as hidden things,


    Worry not of time, for it passes as a tune that the realm sings.


    Create order and peace in a world so chaotically whirled,


    Decide who we be¡ªCreator of life or destroyer of world.?


    Cardinal Bison smiled as if he had seen the greatest miracle in the universe. His cat-like eyes twinkled so vibrantly that one could mistake them for stars.


    Atst, he lowered his head to Sylvester''s feet and uttered a few words. "I looked into the distance to find the Lord''s light. How foolish of me not to realize he''s already within sight."


    Sylvester made the man stand up and handed him a big pouch of gold, which was his own. "Equally distribute it to them when you reach Sol. Now go, Bison, and take that woman too."


    Bison looked behind and noticed a woman standing beside a tree with tears in her eyes. But her gaze had rage in them, and they shined crimson.


    "Why didn''t youe sooner?!" She screamed all of a sudden. "They took everything from me! My daughter, my son, my husband, my parents, my house¡­ my life! Why must I suffer like this? WHY ME?"


    "Silence, you foo¡ª"


    "No, Bison." Sylvester reprimanded the holy man. "Those tears are important, lest they lead one''s mind discordant."


    Sylvester walked closer to the woman, keeping the halo behind his head as he spoke in hymns. "Forgive this bard; he was too slow. What happened to you makes the realm''s head hang low. Please, can you tell me your name, my sister? I will punish those who hurt you and acted so sinister."


    The woman sniffled and wiped her eyes clean. "I-I''m Lyanna Baker of Oakley town¡­ Your Holiness¡­ I-I''m sorr¡ª"


    Before she could apologize, Sylvester softly embraced her in a light hug and caressed the back of her head with his warm hand to calm her down. That made her cry uncontrobly, wailing loudly, remembering the loss.


    "The order has been given to kill all pirates, but I was toote. What''s lost, I can not bring back, but I promise there won''t be another Lyanna again."


    ''...Or Xavia.''


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 557. Light & Dark

    ?


    Sylvester saw the ship leave his sight on the horizon where stormy clouds were brewing. Since Cardinal Bison was going along with them, he wasn''t worried about some pirates attacking them, even less so with the Holy Land''s g hoisted on it in the second half of the journey.


    "Nya?"


    Sylvester looked down. Miraj''s face was peeking out of the little baby carrier he had made. The cat had woken up by being squished between Sylvester and the woman. His chubby cute face yawned, and his big round eyes blinked in confusion. His whiskers were wrinkly since he had been napping for days.


    "The princess finally awakens." Sylvester jokingly said and straightened Miraj''s whiskers by pinching them between his fingers.


    Miraj again yawned and grabbed his hind legs with his front paws as if he was stretching, curving into a furball. "That was the best sleep ever! Nyaaaah¡­ What are we eating, Maxy?"


    ''Doesn''t he remember what happened?'' Sylvester wondered and sat down. It was goblin territory anyway, nothing to be scared of.


    "You had some nightmares and were asleep for many days. We were stuck in that monster''s void but got saved somehow." Sylvester told Miraj about the happenings and quickly set up a small fire to cook meat and bake a few bananas. "Anyway, how do you feel?"


    "Sleepy." Miraj continued to yawn. "I love sitting in that little bag. It always felt so warm."


    "You mean the baby carry?" Sylvester looked at the pouch he had made from his cloak. "It''s for babies. Aren''t you the one who adopted me?"


    "But I''m so small." Miraj retorted, "Size never tells age. I''m very, very older than yo¡ª"


    Miraj stopped mid-sentence and began sniffing the scent of tasty food being cooked. His salivating mouth pulled him all the way to Sylvester''sp, just a few inches away from the crude pan Sylvester had made with metal maniption.


    "Don''t touch the meat or banana before I tell you to." Sylvester lowered Miraj''s slowly rising, greedy paw. "I need to talk to the Lord Inquisitor and Sir Dolorem first."


    Miraj was still tired, so he just got cozy on Sylvester''sp and closed his eyes again while savoring the tasty scents. Sylvester, meanwhile, closed his eyes and used the Srium Web.


    ''Where is she?...''


    ''Eat flesh, fuck flesh, make more flesh¡­''


    ''Catch them¡­''


    Sylvester''s brows suddenly creased as he heard strange voices entering his ears. He hadn''t even used the Srium Web fully yet and had only tried to consume the srium in the nts near him using elven magic.


    He tried to focus on the sound while using the same technique. He focused on the one talking about eating flesh.


    ''I want more¡­ Give me more of this¡­''


    Sylvester was almost certain about what he was hearing by that point. But, at the same time, he wanted to test what this new discovery was all about. He tried to get as close as possible to the voice. Just as he felt there was no more improvement, he noticed the darkness in his closed eyes changing to a blurry scene that gradually came into focus. The colors were all shades of green and brown, but he could make out what he was seeing.


    ''This¡­ A goblin camp¡­ They''re eating Beastkins men.'' Sylvester correctly guessed and also noticed the feminine voicesing from another side that he couldn''t see. ''I can look through a tree? Then why can''t I jump to another tree to see?''


    No matter how much he tried, he could only stay in that single tree. It made him specte about two possibilities. One that the tree was unique in some way. Two, it wasn''t possible to jump from one tree to another.


    But it was a matter to exploreter on, so he refocused on contacting Lord Inquisitor across the sea. This time it consumed a lot more srium than usual since the distance was so vast. But Sylvester persevered.


    Eventually, he got through the distance and found the Srium Signature of the Inquisitor High Lord somewhere near the Holy Land. "This is Sylvester¡­ Can you hear me, Lord Inquisitor?"


    "As clearly as your melodious wailings decades ago. Convey me your orders, Your Holiness. What must I know?" Lord Inquisitors replied as usual.


    It almost made Sylvester feel a strange, awkward quiver run down his body. But he spoke quickly. "Lord Inquisitor, this is my advice and order to all monarchs and forces of the Holy Land. Do not spare any pirates. Kill them all no matter how big their crew¡ªhuman or not. I just saved a group of humans, men, and women, from an elven ve convoy here and sent them back with Cardinal Bison¡ªThey''ll soon reach the shore."


    "Your demand is mymand. It shall be done, Your Holiness."


    Sylvester continued speaking. "Moreover, do you know about any new Inquisitor High Lord appointed by the Holy Land after you left? Because a man named Darksaber is here, iming to be one."


    "I know not what transpired after my departure. This Darksaber, does he have markings on his armor?" Lord Inquisitor asked, likely trying to match the features with someone in his memory.


    Unfortunately, Sylvester hadn''t seen the man yet. "I''ve yet to exchange blows with this man. Until then, he remains a mystery. I''m afraid he caused a lot of harm to the Inquisitors here. A Demon has taken hold of Beastaria''s Divider Swamp¡ªas strong as a Supreme Wizard. Pass the word to those who must know."


    There was a long silence from the Inquisitor High Lord''s side. "It appears your trials on the divine path are never-ending. But one day before you, the whole realm shall be kneeling and bending. Good luck, Your Holiness, for hardships, your hymns will only be further melodious¡ªto create a world more harmonious."


    "Haha, you should be a bard too, Lord Inquisitor. You have a way with words." Sylvester finally said what had bugged him since he met the old man.


    "Hah¡­" For almost a split second, it felt as if the Inquisitor High Lord chuckled. It was a shocking turn of events for Sylvester, having never seen the man show anything other than anger.


    "I will give you further details once I find something. Take care until then, Lord Inquisitor." Sylvester ended the connection with that.


    But he wasn''t done and immediately connected with Sir Dolorem and Dagorith, who had traveled with him but got separated in Greenville. It was easier to talk with the two men as they were much closer.


    "Sylvester, this side¡ªany updates?" Sylvester said.


    Promptly, Sir Dolorem''s voice replied. "Lord Bard, we''re sitting before one of the elders of the dwarves of Whiskeypeak. They enjoyed our sample ale and wish to purchase more."


    Sylvester smiled and gave further orders. "Tell them it was smuggled from the dwarves of Sol. A pirate crew brought it to Hydra Bay, and you bought it. If they ask who the dwarves of Sol are, then just tell them about the Bard liberating them and settling them in the demolished Sandwall County. The dwarves now live in peace, smithing and mining to their heart''s content at the Pentapeak mountain range."


    Sir Dolorem understood the task well. His main goal was to create an interest among the Whiskeypeak dwarves toward the dwarves of Sol. "Understood, Lord Bard. Anything else?"


    Sylvester paused for a split second before talking. "Stay away from the Divider Swamp. A Supreme Wizard tier Demon is residing there¡ªI almost died there."


    "Please be careful, Lord Bard." Sir Dolorem sounded worried, as expected, but remained as professional as ever. "I must stop speaking with you now, or these dwarves would be suspicious."


    "Go ahead." Sylvester immediately severed the contact and opened his eyes again. He wasted no time in taking the cooked meat off the fire and served them on tes. Then he woke Miraj up and fed the tired cat before eating some himself.


    He didn''t spend much time there and quickly gathered all his luggage in a backpack, ced Miraj back in the baby carrier, and headed toward the east, deeper into the goblin region. "The goblin camp is along the path to Deca Imperia¡­ let''s kill as many as we run into today."


    Miraj, like a happy little spectator, poked his head out of the cloth pouch and looked ahead. "Aye, Aye¡­ Goblin blood will drop-drop, their heads we''ll chop-chop, then stomp them to make pop-pop!"


    "..."


    "That''s the spirit, Chonky." Sylvester marched right into the dark forest. The trees were so dense that they almost concealed the sky and only allowed a few rare rays of light to filter through. The ground was also covered with outgrown roots, and sometimes, they turned out to be snakes. However, Sylvester was so heavy that those snakes always died a painful death.


    "Nom nom nom¡­ we got no calm calm calm¡­" Miraj, back to his happy cheerleader mood, sang to get rid of the boredom, cleansing Sylvester''s lonely heart with his voice.


    Sylvester kept his gaze ahead and his senses sharp to keep the surroundings in check. Other than some minor creatures, he rarely sensed anything. One or two goblins would asionally pass by, but they weren''t worth stopping.


    He walked quickly and eventually came close to his destination. Wanting to kill the goblins all at once, he decided to go with a few explosives and a spare longsword. "Chonky, cough out a high-grade sword and explosives."


    "Aye aye¡­ uwaaa¡­" Miraj opened his mouth and vomited the treasures.


    Sylvester quickly picked them up and jumped ahead. He could already smell the disgusting scent of widespread death, fear, hopelessness, and anything rted to negativity.


    Swoosh!¡ªSylvester jumped beyond the dense bushes andnded in the middle of the goblin camp. He prepared the explosives to throw quickly. But he hastily stopped moving and looked carefully.


    "Wait¡­ They''re dead!"


    From what he could see, all the goblins in the vicinity were dead, chopped into pieces by a strong and sharp sword. Inside the small huts were bodies of dead goblins as well, and some clothless women were alive¡ªbelonging to many species, from human to dwarven or Beastkin. Blood stained every inch of the ground. The goblins'' flesh and innards were gruesomely spread everywhere.


    "Come out!" Sylvester had already sensed someone strong nearby.


    Trrrr¡­!


    A tall figure appeared dragging a long, dark gray sword on the sandy, gravel ground. Dripping with blood, it still had some flesh stuck on its spikes. Meanwhile, the man who held the sword didn''t appear any less imposing. Donning dark robes with gray armor, a cape made of thin ck cloth, a face covered with a visor over chainmail, and reddened gauntlets¡ªthe man''s appearance practically screamed the one name that Sylvester had heard since the moment he had arrived in Beastaria.


    "Darksaber, I assume?"


    _________________


    [A/N: See the man in armor.]


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 559 558. Behind The Mask

    Chapter 559 558. Behind The Mask


    Holy Land,


    Inquisitor High Lord had no desire to enter thends he considered corrupt until Sylvester''s rise, but he found no other choice. The issue of Darksaber that Sylvester spoke about filled his mind with possible theories he hoped would turn out to be false.


    As he rode his two-horse chariot into the old Holy Land, the Holy Army knights dared not stop him or ask questions. Years may have passed, but none had forgotten the fearsome presence of the Lord Inquisitor.


    Donning his usual heavy armor of crimson and ck, with the iconic conical helmet and the visor, his mere presence spread fear and assurance in peoples'' hearts. Currently, there was no Pope in the old Holy Land, and the Council of Thirty-two had been fractured by assassinations done by Niel to secure power. It was a miracle the ce was running without chaos.


    Inquisitor High Lord stopped at the Administrative Building and strode in without asking for anyone''s permission or allowing any searches. He knew every inch of the ce and reached Saint Wazir''s work chamber.


    Knock!


    Just a small tap and the Inquisitor High Lord entered the room unceremoniously. "Wazir, show me your treacherous face! I''ll ensure not to show it any grace!"


    "LORD THIRD?!" excited gasp came in response to Lord Inquisitor''s threat. This wasn''t usually how things went.


    Inquisitor High Lord gazed at the man before him, and couldn''t help but doubt if he had arrived in the wrong ce. The man before him looked very thin, with a hunched back and eyes sunken into his skull, surrounded by dark circles.


    "You came right on time! Save me, Lord Inquisitor! Please share my work. I''m not enough to run Holy Land alone. B-Bring Lord''s Bard as well¡­ he can be the Pope. I''m sure everyone will agree¡ªNiel is dead already¡­"


    Continuous prattle left Saint Wazir''s mouth. It wasn''t his heart speaking, but desperation and exhaustion. Being the Saint Wazir meant he was akin to the Prima of the King. In case the King was absent, it was his duty to run the realm. But, when the entire realm had suffered from internal turmoil, it turned into an impossible task¡ªthat was what running the Holy Land felt like, especially since all the honest Clergymen joined Sylvester''s camp.


    "I came to seek, not to speak. Bring me the Record of Reeducated. The main one, not the one divaricated." Inquisitor High Lordmanded, not showing an ounce of pity. In his eyes, the man was a traitor for serving under Niel. Even if he got thrown in the dungeon in the end, he initially was loyal to the heathen Pope.


    "R-Record of Reeducation? Why that?" Saint Wazir asked and returned to his typical pleading. "Please help me, Lord Inquisitor. Bring back the Clergymen that left this Holy Land."


    Thud!


    Lord Inquisitor mmed his staff on the floor, shaking the foundation. "Bring me the record¡ªthis transgression you cannot afford."


    Saint Wazir sighed and did as asked, very clumsily, however, since his bodycked much strength. At one moment, he was living his days in the dark dungeon, and the next moment he was managing the Holy Land again. The man had received no rest.


    He quickly opened one of the cabs and brought out one of the thick ledgers, and ced it on the table. "This is the main one. Whose name are you looking for?"


    Inquisitor High Lord wasted no time and turned the pages with his big fingers. He went to thest page and looked for the name. Then finally, at thest entry, his finger stopped, and he almost shivered when he read the details written beside the name. "Who sanctioned this reeducation?!"


    Saint Wazir peeked and noticed the name, and it brought sweat to his forehead. "The P-Pope did."


    "Which one?"


    "Pope Axel!"


    Inquisitor High Lord silently read the details again and shook his head. "Why?"


    Saint Wazir almost sank to the ground and dragged himself to sit back in his seat. "After what had happened, His Holiness was enraged and¡­ chose to punish thest of the bloodline. But he tried to rectify¡ªsadly, by the time he understood his mistake, it was toote."


    "Pity." The Inquisitor High Lord closed the book and stepped back. "All of you continue to dig your graves deeper¡ªnow cry not when the time''se for the scythe of the reaper."


    ¡­


    Beastaria, Goblin Region,


    The two men stood face to face, each brandishing the weapon of their choice. The man in the dark armor remained silent, while the one in the light armor questioned his opponent''s motives.


    "Inquisitor High Lord? You''re the Darksaber everyone''s talking about? Haven''t you heard? Your Pope is dead. There''s no need to bring more harm here, so go back to Sol and be with your Bard." Sylvester questioned the man while at the same time giving suggestions.


    However, Darksaber only raised his sword, ready to strike Sylvester. Only emitting low grunts from behind his visor the entire time.


    But before Sylvester could raise his sword, the cloud bursts echoed, and following them, heavy rain poured down from the sky. The storm he had seen from the coast had reached them. Sylvester wasn''t wearing a helmet; he found no difficulty in visibility. But he was sure Darksaber would find it troublesome to see from the small slits in the visor.


    "Mydies," Sylvester nced at the women who had been harmed by the goblins and were still hiding inside the small huts, "Don''t worry. I''ll get you out very soon."


    Bam!


    Sylvester kicked the ground and used Earth elemental magic to coat the huts with hardened mud. He ensured to keep a few holes open for air.


    ''Scent of nothingness¡­ this is like Augustus all over again.'' Sylvester tried to smell the scents and noticed the familiarity. ''Why be this overzealous for a dead Pope?''


    Atst, Sylvester raised his spare sword toward Darksaber. "May the mighty win."


    BOOM!


    Both men kicked the ground simultaneously and rushed at each other. Their speed was so rapid that an afterimage formed in the heavy rain. Their feet left behind a scorching small crater in the ground as well.I think you should take a look at


    In an instant, the sh erupted. The two men swung their des, producing an ear-shattering noise as their movements exceeded the speed of sound. They danced across the field, but Sylvester always steered the fight away from the women. Their exchanges were lightning-fast, faster than one''s eyes could see. For an outsider, their battle seemed like a perfectly choreographed y.


    "Why are you called Darksaber?" Sylvester questioned the man as he found no issue in fighting. Nevertheless, he sensed the gap in power levels between them.


    ''He''s also a tinum Knight like me, but one level above.'' Sylvester understood that this meant Darksaber had slightly more explosive strength, but at the same time, Sylvester boasted magic and near-infinite Srium.


    Bam!


    With a swift strike of his knuckles, Darksaber connected with Sylvester''s jaw. The impact was strong enough to throw Sylvester flying hundreds of meters into the forest, crashing down onto a goblin vige. The impact of his fall turned a few of them into an unrecognizable paste, but nobody cared; Darksaber quickly closed in on Sylvester.


    ''Good, we''re away from thedies now.'' Sylvester had purposefully taken the hit.


    Descending from above with a downward sh, Darksaber didn''t aim directly at Sylvester but struck the ground, setting the trajectory toward his foe.


    Boom!


    The moment the de touched the mud, a crystal-clear, dense beam of ck light trailed toward Sylvester. It emerged from the ground, splitting it open, and went many dozen feet into the sky. It followed Sylvester as he tried to dodge as if the beam had a mind of its own.


    Sylvester scoffed and only led the dark beam of light toward the goblin settlement and killed them mercilessly. He hadn''t even started to fight seriously yet as something else preupied Sylvester''s mind.


    ''These fight movements¡­''


    "HA!" Sylvester took the offensive this time and unleashed a multitude of attacks on Darksaber. Hebined fire elemental magic, and water elements runes asionally to strike at Darksaber and push him back.


    The rain continued to pour over them, turning the ruined grounds into a muddy puddle. They moved swiftly within it, shing des like titans in the middle of amoner''s settlement.


    They went at each other mercilessly, and their battle wreaked havoc on everything around them. Whenever their swords missed the target and struck a tree or the ground, destruction followed.


    A sense of increasing frustration also seemed to leak from Darksaber.


    Sylvester noticed the changing fighting style, going from masterful moves to that of a brute. So he used water and earth elemental runes quickly, freezing the muddy ground Darksaber stood on. "Try dodging now!"


    Woosh!


    Sylvester kicked the ground and hurled himself at Darksaber like a bullet. His feet caught fire, propelling himself even faster, leaving Darksaber with no choice but to block with his de. The edges of Sylvester''s spare sword also burned red, scorching intensely.


    Bam!


    He connected with Darksaber''s long sword. Both of them reached an almost stalemate, but Sylvester still pressed on. But eventually, the difference between a normal weapon and a legendary weapon became clear.


    nk!


    Sylvester''s sword broke in two, and Darksaber''s de swiftly came for his neck this time. Sylvester didn''t flinch. He immediately formed Light ws on his fist and counterattacked.


    He ducked down in the nick of time to avoid the de striking his neck and then leaped like a rabbit, using his w with great precision. Sylvester''s body overshot far above Darksaber''s mighty form and eventuallynded behind.


    It was a battle of nearly equals, but Sylvester could have won a dozen times over by that point. However, there was only one reason he didn''t go overboard; since there remained many unanswered questions.


    Thud!


    Abruptly, the visor resting on Darksaber''s face fell apart andnded on the ground, split apart into two pieces. It was heavy, made of something other than metal.


    Woosh!


    Darksaber turned around and rushed to attack Sylvester again, his cloth hood still on his face. However, he found his feet stuck in a crystal-like substance on the ground, firmly holding him in ce.


    Sylvester refrained from further attacks, withdrew the Light ws, and created some distance. He finally looked at the half-visible face under the hood and felt his heart sink.


    The reddened eyes and those twisted patterns on the skin he had seen before, but only on his wrath''s victims. Furthermore, as the raindrops fell on Darksaber''s face, the water seemed to evaporate in smoke, creating a sizzling sound.


    The man was unrecognizable. The story behind it must be painful; that was undeniable.


    "What did they do to you?!" Sylvester bellowed, getting closer, his voice shaking.


    _________________


    [A/N: See the face behind the mask.]


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 560 559 Two Lads Fighting In Mud

    Chapter 560 559 Two Lads Fighting In Mud


    "What did they do to you?!"


    Only such confused words left Sylvester''s mouth as he looked at the man before him. Someone he considered his brother, someone he considered one of the most loyal allies. Just a mere look at the man clearly showed how greatly in pain he must be, how much anguish the eyes hid.


    "Fight me!"


    Sylvester didn''t react to the mad shouts from the man. "Felix, what happened to you? Who did this to you?"


    "HAAA!" Felix, however, began striking the crystal substance holding his feet. It was hard to undo, but the crystals started chipping away in small chunks. The entire time Felix roared like a madman and furiously stabbed his de.


    Sylvester breathed heavily, unable to watch his brother in all but blood, acting so violently. What was the reason? What happened to him? Why wasn''t he answering him? All those questions raced through his mind in a frenzy.


    "Felix¡ªtell me the problem, and we''ll find a solution. Why are you serving a dead Pope so fervently? You don''t need to do this!" Sylvester slowly tried to get closer to him.


    "Haaaa!" Felix continued to stab the crystal. "Everything¡­ lost! Only you¡­ can¡­ kill me!"


    Sylvester paused in ce. Although Felix spoke those words with a low grunt, he understood them. "Kill you? You know I would never do that."???????????????.??????


    Bam!


    Bam!


    Felix finally freed himself and leaped toward Sylvester, his mouth roaring like a wild lion, his enraged red eyes filled with watery substance. "Only you¡­ I''m allowed to die against!"


    sh!¡ªSylvester created another w and blocked Felix''s sword while continuing to speak. "Be specific, Felix. What are you talking about? Did Niel order you to kill me? Then stop following that order. I''ve killed Niel already!"


    Felix shook his head and continued to strike, changing his stance and finally using some magic. But Sylvester had sparred with Felix so much in the past that he knew almost every move that woulde from Felix. Furthermore, his own mastery overbat was in no waycking.


    With ease, Sylvester dispelled Felix''s evoked magic and made another attempt to restrain him. "You''re just twenty-five, Felix. Your whole future lies ahead of you. Anything they did to you, I can undo it!"


    Woosh!


    Felix tried to deliver a downward sh at Sylvester''s head. "All is lost... fight!"


    Yet, Sylvester didn''t attack, only defended. "Open your damn mind! Think of Isabe¡ªthat girl is still waiting for you! Hoping for your return!"


    At the mention of Isabe''s name, Felix paused, giving Sylvester an opportunity to continue speaking and closing the gap between them.


    Sylvester tightly grasped Felix''s chainmail and shook him with a firm grip, locking eyes with him. He felt deeply pained to see Felix so physically damaged, but he had to fix his mind first. "Everything lost can be earned again! You''re thest Sandwall. You need to keep your bloodline alive¡ªI built a new megacity for you to rule¡ªtake it and be its lord! Be a father! Be a husband¡ªIt''s a blessing not everyone can have, and that''s why you must!"


    "Sylvester¡­" Felix weakly murmured, offering no resistance. His voice remained hoarse as if his throat had suffered damage. "The reeducation¡­ was as much of body as mind¡­ I can''t have a family anymore¡­ I can''t disobey the Church anymore."


    Letting his massive longsword fall to the ground, Felix raised his hands to move his chainmail armor from his chin and lower it to show his neck. A tight, almost choking, metallic tube was surgically infused into his throat, going around his entire neck.


    "I''m not a free man¡­ This is the punishment they gave¡­ I''m an eternal holy ve."


    Sylvester''s hands snapped away from Felix. His eyes fixated on the ve cor. This was different from the ones he had seen. This was too¡­ cruel. A slight hint of guilt rose in Sylvester''s heart since the incident at Sandwall was due to his arrogant foresight, not foreseeing the Shadow of Masan''s plot. Perhaps Count Sandwall deserved to die, but the eldest son didn''t, nor did Felix deserve what happened to him.


    On its own, Sylvester''s one hand rubbed his eyes while his head hung low. How much did Felix suffer? For how long? It was a lot more than what he received at the hands of the Desert Barbarians. And worst of all, the pain inflicted on Felix came from those with the supposed moral higher ground, the supposed good guys¡ªthe Church.


    "After a year of reeducation, I was sent here to fight against the heathens." Felix continued to speak with his struggling, strained voice. "I fought for years until the new Pope came. My new orders came¡ªKill Sylvester Maximilian when found, and I was not to die at the hands of anyone else or take my own life¡ªonly you can end this¡­ pain¡­"


    ''He has lost the will to live.'' Sylvester sensed the emptiness, and it felt haunting. He couldn''t raise his face because the weight of shame was heavy. Where he had hoped for perfection, he had failed already.


    "You''re not dying, not today nor in the next four centuries!" Sylvester dered, without an ounce of doubt, "You die when I tell you to die¡ªand you shall die after reviving your entire bloodline, after giving me a dozen nephews or nieces."


    Felix didn''t react to Sylvester''s attempts to calm the situation. "You cannot decide that, Sylvester. Some things, once broken, can''t be fixed¡­ sometimes it''s better to let go than waste time trying to put the pieces back together."I think you should take a look at ¦Ñ¦Á¦°d¦Ásnovel.c¦Ïm


    Bam!


    Sylvester suddenly lunged forward and threw Felix onto the muddy ground, rain still pouring over them. He punched his face, not caring whether it hurt or not; his intention was to make it count. "Yes, I can decide! Your face, I can heal! Your castration, I can reverse¡ªBecause I''m the Pope!"


    "No, you''re not." Felix retorted, throwing a punch of his own into Sylvester''s face.


    Now, both of them were at the peak rank of their Knightly talents, which was considered inconceivable by the world. Even soft ps from their palms were akin to a vige destroying godly punishment. So when the punchesnded on Sylvester, he, too, got thrown face down on the muddy ground, dirtying his long blonde hair.


    This time Felix got on top and threw another punch. "If you were, yourmand would havepelled me to stop¡ªyet my orders stand, to kill Sylvester Maximilian! And every moment I waste not fighting yo-you¡­ this cor tightens."


    Pa!


    Sylvester pped Felix this time and threw him aside, though Felix didn''t take it kindly, and they both brawled on the dirty field like wild bears. None of them used magic or weapons, just in old punches, ps, and some hair-pulling, which unfortunately worked in favor of Felix since he had none.


    "Not everything can always go your way, Sylvester! You can''t predict everything! You can''t fix everything! You can''t heal everyone! You''re not God¡ªyou''re just another man with a big dream!" Felix gruntled while continuously brawling. "Now that I''ve met you. Either this cor would kill me or you!¡ªThere is no stopping unless you can reach the Holy Land and take the crown in the blink of an eye!"


    ¦Ñ¦Ánd¦Ás¦­¦Ïv¦Ål.c¦Ïm Sylvester responded to Felix with determination, countering his attacks. At least that meant they were engaging inbat, and the cor wasn''t tightening further. "I won''t let you die¡­ just let me examine the cor."


    Felix continued to struggle. "You can''t break it open!"


    "What makes you so sure?" Sylvester asked back while pushing Felix down onto a knee-deep puddle, further soaking the man in the mud like he was already.


    "Argh!" Felix pushed back. "Because it''s abnormal. Reinforced with ancient artifacts of the Church¡ªUnless you can go back in time and learn the Eldernguage, you can''t open it! I''ve already told you, there''s no possible way I can survive this situation! Niel knew what he was doing when giving me themand¡ªdeath is my destiny."


    "..."


    Sylvester abruptly stopped moving, and his face turned nk. He simply stared at Felix''s pained, scarred face.


    Felix also sensed the change and stopped. But the moment he noticed Sylvester''s visage, he remembered many instances when he had seen that exact same expression in his lifetime. And it always meant one thing. "No¡­ you didn''t¡­"


    Sylvester, covered in watery mud from head to toe, stepped back from Felix and sat down. He scratched his hair awkwardly. "I¡­ I found the hidden temple in the Divine Desert, met the ghost of the first Pope, and learned Elder Language."


    "..."


    Felix shook his head rapidly and got up slowly. He looked exactly the same as Sylvester, like a swamp monster covered in mud. But instead of sitting, Felix went aside to pick up his sword and slowly walked away. "Sylvester¡­ It was nice seeing you. I ept my death."


    "..."


    Sylvester, speechless, almost chuckled and allowed his body to fall back into the mud. Of course, he wasn''t trivializing Felix''s pain and knew very well he hadn''t even scratched the surface of what had truly transpired. But he hoped to cheer the man up a little. "Haha¡­ you''re an embarrassment of a man¡­ Why didn''t you tell me that from the start?"


    "You don''t just expect someone to have met the first Pope''s ghost and learned the ancientnguage¡ªit''s beyond wildest imagination. I¡­ I still feel like you''re lying to me¡­" Felix said, not really leaving but instead stopping beside a tree and sitting down by it, seeking support for his back. He was, after all, in a lot of pain.


    Sylvester rushed over. "You should''ve faced me the night you saved me from that cliff. I could''ve removed this ve cor then."


    "What¡­ cliff?" Felix retorted, his voice slowly diminishing to a hardly audible noise.


    Sylvester''s brows creased. "The cliff at the edge of the Divider Swamp. A Supreme Wizard-ranked Demon resides there, I nearly died fighting it, but you saved me."


    "N-No, I didn''t¡­ I never went near that cliff."


    "What?!" Sylvester was baffled. "Then who saved me?"


    _________________


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 Chapter 561 560. The Unholy In Holy

    ?


    "Did you bring someone from Sol¡­?" Felix asked, cut short by a fit of intense coughing.


    Sylvester hastily ced his palm on Felix''s neck to check the material of the ve cor and what sort of artifact was used to make it. "Sir Dolorem and a Grand Wizard named Dagorith came with me, but they''re in Whiskeypeaks. I know no one else in thesends, especially not someone willing to risk their life to save me."


    Felix fell silent, as he felt too much pain and difficulty. Meanwhile, Sylvester focused all his attention on Felix''s ve cor and tried to find a way to open it without any setbacks. He infused his magic into it and tried to read the inscriptions of the ancientnguage on it. The thing was newly made, but he could feel that the Elder Runes were ced on it using some sort of artifact.


    "It''s supposed to dig into the person''s neck if they try to open it forcefully," Sylvester said, his focus unwavering. "The only way to remove it is to replicate the inscription used. Good thing I know. Just give me a few seconds."


    Sylvester immediately picked a rock from the muddy ground and rinsed it with the rainwater still pouring from the sky. He then used basic earth maniption to change the shape of the rock into two semi-circr tubes. With great precision, he delicately etched Elder Runes onto the inner circumference of the tubes, using a tiny scalpel he crafted from solidified light magic at the tip of his index finger.


    "Ahk¡­ I can''t breathe¡­" Felix hissed out with shallow breaths; His scaly and burned face had started to ooze blood from its various cracks.


    Sylvester quickly finished inscribing the runes he copied and rushed to ce the stone tubes he had made. He put them around Felix''s neck, ensuring they ovepped with the metallic cor that had been surgically ced.


    "This might hurt," Sylvester warned, connecting the joints of the semi-circr stone tubes,pleting the rune inscription he had ced.


    The reaction was almost immediate, and the rock began to shine. However, it also started to crack since it wasn''t a material suitable to hold powerful runes. So Sylvester quickly used earth maniption to force the rock to stay intact.


    "Aaaargh!" Felix growled like an injured lion, kicking his feet while pressing his back against the tree. A sizzling sound of burning flesh erupted from his neck area, a clear sign that the trick was working. To remove the ve cor, his skin had to be burned first.


    Sylvester had no idea how long it was going tost, so to ensure Felix could stay alive, he called Miraj toe closer. "Pour some Srium Crystals into his mouth. It won''t help him much, but it will soothe him. Pour some healing potions on his neck as well, near my hands."


    Miraj had stayed in the sky, flying the whole time as he didn''t want to get dirty in the brawl. But there was no doubt he was distraught by Felix''s condition. "Understood, Maxy."


    In the middle of the treatment, Felix also tried to push Sylvester away, as the pain was too much. But Sylvester firmly kept his feet grounded, and Felix pressed against the tree.


    "You can do it, Felix! Think about Isabe, her smiling face¡ªthink about your future. I''ll throw you out of the Holy Land''s service¡ªyou can live the rest of your days as the Duke of Sandwall, King Consort of Queen Isabe Gracia." Sylvester tried to paint a hopeful picture for Felix, diverting his mind from the pain.


    The ordealsted a few long minutes. It wasn''t a lot, but at that moment, it felt as if an hour had passed. Despite the agony, Felix persevered, and finally, a clicking sound came, and the stone with Elder Runes stopped shining.


    Felix was still alive, his breath now heavy, which meant the air was entering his body. So Sylvester removed the stone and looked at the wounds. The ve cor also came off and fell to the ground. It was sizzling hot, even turning some water in the mud to steam.


    Sylvester carefully checked. There were deep scars on Felix''s neck, but overall no major veins were injured. So Sylvester quickly applied healing magic and healing potions. With his Grand Wizard-level magic, it didn''t take long to fully patch Felix up. But the marks remained, and they were going to stay.


    "Can you breathe properly now?" Sylvester asked, worried since Felix had kept his eyes closed the entire time. However, his chest showed breathing movements.


    Felix nodded softly. "I¡­ I just¡­ this peace¡­ after six years."


    Sylvester didn''t disturb Felix and let him rest. This was probably the first time in six years he felt that rxed in mind, body, and of course, breath. There were many things Sylvester wanted to know, but he decided to wait.


    Soon, Felix drifted into sleep, though still covered in mud from head to toe. So Sylvester simply ced his waterproof sheep-skin tent over him and used a spare one to make his tent since the rain wasn''t stopping.


    "Today is a great day, Chonky. Let''s cook a good meal." Sylvester said and prepared a fire, with Miraj merrily sitting inside the tent and watching Sylvester work. Soon, the sun began to set, and the scent of tasty grilled meat, baked vegetables, and fruit juice wafted through the wilderness.


    After cooking, Sylvester went to wake up Felix. Thinking it would be morefortable for Felix to rx, Sylvester attempted to remove his armor. However, a shocking revtion came his way when he tried.


    ''It''s not budging.'' He mumbled and attempted to take off the gauntlet instead of the shoulder te. Yet, once again, he failed. ''Why is it so tight?''


    Just to be safe, he utilized his Elder Magic and scanned Felix''s body by sending a wave of Srium into him. It was simr to a thorough body check, but at that moment, it was something that left Sylvester even more distressed.


    After retracting his Srium, he silently looked at Felix''s sleeping face. It was unrecognizable. The skin looked burned ck, with so many dry cracks and wounds, and even his eyelids were almost non-existent. Moreover, the armor had melded with his skin, as his skin had grown into it, bing one with it. It was impossible to remove it now without skinning Felix''s entire body.


    "How much did you suffer?" Sylvester asked softly, a fleeting image of Felix''s old cheerful face passing through his thoughts.


    What happened to Felix taught Sylvester a great lesson. Although he liked the possibility of instant justice, such as beheading a rapist or a murderer, it was only helpful in his case as he could smell lies. But, in general, instant justice could also lead to unintended victims¡ªFelix was an example. If the Pope had conducted a proper investigation and followed the due process ofw, Felix wouldn''t have suffered such a fate.


    "You look like a worried mother." Felix suddenly spoke, slowly opening his eyes. Atst, there was the scent of hope now.


    Sylvester chuckled and sat down cross-legged before Felix. "Is this armor cursed or something?"


    "This¡­ maybe it is cursed. It was ced onto me years ago, piece by piece, burned and healed into my skin, so I can never take it off. A supposed reminder of my eternal very." Felix raised his gauntlet and looked at his hand. "The Church isn''t really that great, is it, Max?"


    Sylvester sighed and made the metallic tes he had set behind fly over to them, already filled with food. "You don''t need to convince me, brother. I''ve known since I arrived in the Holy Land. And apparently, there''s been a grand conspiracy going on, uncovered by Gab. Popes and Saint Scepters have yed games we can''t even begin to understand. It''s the reason why I''m here; Some clue sits in Deca Imperia¡ªor so said Shadow Knight."


    Felix gobbled down the food with much delight, finally free from worrying about the orders from the Pope. Though things remained utterly bad, he relished these few moments of calm. "I heard you killed the Shadow of Masan. Was the person strong?"


    "Yes and no, it was honestly underwhelming. She turned out to be the wife of the Emperor''s elder brother¡ªlong story short, everyone died. But what about you, a tinum Knight!" Sylvester eximed with delight as he poured more food onto Felix''s te.


    "Hah¡­ And you''re a Grand Wizard as well as tinum Knight!" Felix responded with the same reaction. "It seems our hardships ended up strengthening us rather than breaking us¡­ I''m d I didn''t give up, even though I was almost on the edge of doing so."


    Sylvester nodded vigorously. It was a lesson he had learned a long time ago. Strength only favors the brave, and the basic rule was high risk, high reward. Fighting the Bloodlings, the stronger wizards, and whatnot had helped him immensely. Even if it left him almost dead on asions.


    "You know¡­" Felix started, and suddenly an intense scent of sadness swept around them. "The Church lied about Markus back then."


    The instant that name was spoken, all the memories of their childhood friend flooded Sylvester''s mind. A brown-haired kid with average talent, from a poor family. Very thin, almost malnourished, yet very optimistic and a risk-taker.


    Sylvester''s eyes lost all their radiance and turned sharp. Veins appeared to cover his forehead. "What about him?"


    "He didn''t die back then, just after graduation." Felix continued speaking, his gloomy feelings pouring out through his words. "Remember that blood test they did before handing us our priest mitre? They had found a hint of Snake Beastkins'' bloodline in his blood¡ªThey forced him into very for the Church, and he worked for them as a spy in Beastaria, among the Beastkins. Markus was alive, Sylvester¡­"


    Sylvester''s fists clenched, and his jaw tightened. "What do you mean ''was''?"


    Felix''s eyes turned red with anger, and he mistakenly clenched the metal ss in his gauntlet tightly. "He¡­ He died at the age of twenty, a year after your ''death.'' He died working for the damn Church while digging a tunnel through Greenpeaks to spy on the dragons¡ªthe tunnel copsed, and the entire mountain weighed down on his body. Alone, thousands of feet under the dirt¡ªHE DIED!"


    Felix''s aura of anger made the air heavy, and small tears flowed from his reddened eyes. "He was just trying his best to live, Max¡­ The Church made him a ve, erased his existence, and made him take the vow to never try to reach us or his own family¡ªhe lived without hope for years, in despair!"


    "He didn''t die." Sylvester felt his eyes well up too, but his body felt powerless. "H-He was murdered¡­ by the Church."


    _________________


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 Chapter 562 561. Fortune In Misfortune

    Chapter 562 561. Fortune In Misfortune


    Sylvester felt greatly angry when he heard about what happened with Markus. The tragedy was far more devastating than they had thought, and in the end, just imagining the hopelessness and despair Markus must have felt over the years filled Sylvester and Felix with rage. After spending years in training, living an optimistic life, Marcus had suddenly found the Church bing the greatest evil in his life.


    "The Church has yed with our lives again and again," Sylvester muttered, sounding very disappointed. "Each of us has been betrayed in one way or another. They ced the Shadow Knight behind me, and Saint Seer tried to kill Mum. They were the reason Augustus died, and I just met Louis and Griffin. They also feared for their families after the new Pope came to power."


    Felix wholeheartedly agreed with him and finished eating his food despite losing his appetite. He just did it to get some energy back. "Max¡ªI hope you turn out to be the greatest thing to happen to the Church. I pray you won''t be corrupted by power... I hope you won''t make more Marcuses, Augustuses, or Felixes."


    "I''ve learned my lessons, Felix," Sylvester assured his friend. "I''ve not forgotten my promise to that young Shane¡­ We will make the world safe for young or old, child or not, man or woman. But first, we need to clean the house. Tell me, what did they do to you in this reeducation? How many more victims are there?"


    Felix set the tes aside and leaned his back against the tree trunk. "The reeducation is just a term they use to disguise what they actually do¡ªforced indoctrination and very. Their goal isn''t to educate but to shatter one''s mind and will, and rebuild it anew. For me, it all began after I arrived in the Holy Land with the severed heads of the knights who took part in the conspiracy to murder you.


    "But the Pope was furious, and they immediately subjected me to reeducation. Itsted for a year, and during that time, we endured all kinds of torture. To destroy our self-respect, they ensured we never had clothes to wear. To destroy our hopes of a better future, they castrated us. To destroy our minds, they burned us, stabbed us, skinned us, or forced us to stay awake for days.


    "It was an inhumane and unholy ce to be. Everyone screamed and begged for death, but the tormentors would onlyugh. When it started, I was with nine other men, and by the end of the first month, I was the only one left¡ªIt only got worse from there as I became their sole focus of torture.


    "I was forced to read holy books, your hymns, while standing in fire or stuck in ice. Forced to practice swordsmanship against armored knights while I remained naked. They fed me strange medicines, Srium Crystals, and unknown rations. Never was I Sylvester was taken aback. "All that was just the first three months? You were there for a year; what else did they do?"


    allowed to speak or even grunt, as any sound would result in even more torture. But this only went on for the first three months."


    Sylvester was taken aback. "All that was just the first three months? You were there for a year; what else did they do?"


    "Worse," Felix replied. "Normally, wizards won''t have burn marks like I do on my face, do they, Max?"


    "No, our bodies can heal such wounds," Sylvester affirmed.


    "So they used poisonous acids," Felix revealed and made a small incision on his cheek. "My blood is warm enough to evaporate rainwater. It''s because they experimented on me since it was a rare opportunity; they didn''t usually get subjects with the talent of a tinum Knight. Their goal was to make me physically strong, unlocking the so-called secrets of the body.


    "Subjected to poison, my blood slowly turned poisonous. My skin underwent a change, and I became like this¡­ That''s why I don''t think you can heal me, Max."


    Sylvester scoffed and gently knocked Felix on the head. "I surely can. Don''t take Elder Magic as a joke, and even if I can''t do it now, I can almost guarantee that you can be healed once I be a Supreme Wizard. Be it your face or your balls¡ªit''ll all be reversed."


    "..."


    "I¡­ I''m hopeful for the future, then." Felix muttered, not keen on discussing his lost children. "In any case, after they administered the poison and forced my body to strengthen itself at a higher rate, the pace of my physical progress elerated. I was able to breach through to thest level of Diamond Knight rank by the end of the year. But I still wasn''t ready for their ns¡ªI was meant to be the Church''s mighty sword in Beastaria.


    "So they fitted this armor onto my body, piece by piece, molding it into my skin until it became a part of my body. Any attack on it would also hurt me, and any loss of its pieces would mean a loss of my flesh. I spent weeks on their surgery table as they fitted this Skygem armor¡ª"


    "Wait!" Sylvester suddenly raised his palm. "Did you just say Skygem? You''re wearing Skygem armor?!"


    Felix couldn''t help but smirk a little, knowing Sylvester had been collecting Skygems for years to make armor. "Apparently, the Church has a few of them inplete form in their treasury. The Pope only gave me one because he felt guilty about his hasty decision of putting me through reeducation."


    "Doesn''t absolve him from causing you this pain, or Marcus," Sylvester eximed, having no feelings of warmth for the man anymore. "You suffered a lot, brother¡­ I should''ve done better."


    "I''m to me," Felix said, cing his gauntlet on Sylvester''s shoulder. "After arriving in Beastaria, I realized how spoiled we were. We were mere nameless characters in a story that you were spearheading¡ªevery major mission or task we did was a sess because you led it. If not, I have no doubt I would have died long ago. I waszy back then, taking your presence for granted, and now that I''ve seen the greater world¡ªI understand I was naive, and it would be even more naive of me to me you now."


    Sylvester just shook his head and embraced Felix firmly in a hug. The boy had grown up into a man, not just in body but also mind. The only bitter thing was that tragedy had forced that wisdom to take form, not good memories.


    "Come with me to Deca Imperia. I''ll uncover whatever secret is hidden there, and then we''ll return to the Holy Land." Sylvester informed him, but in his heart, he had a feeling that things weren''t going to be that simple. After all, Saint Scepter wasn''t an ordinary man.


    Felix chuckled all of a sudden. "Yet again, I can''t refuse your suggestions¡ªI trust them too much."


    "It''s worked all this time," Sylvester said, deciding to speak with Sir Dolorem again and get an update from them. It had been almost a whole night since theyst spoke, and he was worried. "I will speak with Sir Dolorem and get his status report. You can close your eyes and rest until morning, Felix."


    Felix nodded but didn''t shut his eyes. He just stared at Sylvester''s face with a look of amusement and tion.


    Sylvester closed his eyes and let his Srium Web spread toward the northeast. He looked for the Srium Signatures and found them soon enough. "...Sir Dolorem?"


    "Lord Bard?!" Sir Dolorem''s voice quickly came through, sounding a bit hasty. "We''re in a rush right now¡ªThe entire Whiskeypeak is in chaos!"


    "What happened?" Sylvester questioned, worried for the man.


    "The entire Sea of Merkins has turned poisonous!" Sir Dolorem revealed. "The whole poption of Merkins is trying to escape the waters and is seeking help from the dwarves. The other species that share their borders with the sea are Orcs and Trolls¡ª


    they can''t go there."


    Sylvester knew the map of the entire Beastaria like the back of his hand. The ind sea of the Merkins was in the middle of Beastaria. To their east was the region of dwarves and the grasnds surrounding Deca Imperia. To their west was thend of orcs, trolls, mountains, and¡­ the Divider Swamp.


    "It''s likely the effect of the demon in the Divider Swamp." Sylvester believed. It was strong enough to affect such a massive area. "What are you doing now?"


    "We''re leaving, as there''s a higher chance of getting caught with so many eyes on us. The dwarves here had a friendly rtionship with the Merkins due to the exchange of natural resources, so the dwarves are taking them in." Sir Dolorem revealed, panting a bit. "We''re on our way south toward Deca Imperia."


    "I will see you there then," Sylvester formted a n to meet Sir Dolorem and Dagorith there. "Don''t try to enter the main city, and find a ce to hide in Old City south of Deca Imperia."


    "Understood, Lord Bard¡­ But what about that Demon? Its effects are spreading too fast. If it''s able to possess other species and bring about a massive war, there would be a catastrophic loss of life. Sol won''t be able to stop it either." Sir Dolorem asked, having imagined the chaos that could ensue.


    Sylvester sighed and calmly replied. "We don''t need to do anything right now, Sir Dolorem. Let''s finish what we came here to do and return home. Until I be the Pope, I''m a nobody."


    "But¡­ Won''t it be toote by then?" Sir Dolorem questioned. "I fear what would happen if the dragons were to be possessed."


    Sylvester remained firm with his decision and hinted at his scheme. "Sir Dolorem, When you wish to build a new castle in ce of an old one, what must you do first?"


    "D-destroy the old castle." The old knight replied.


    "There, you have the answer. I''ll see you in the Old City." With that, Sylvester broke the connection and took a calming breath.


    He had already learned his lesson. There was no need to physically struggle and battle for every inch ofnd. Not when the brain could win against most of the brawn.


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 563 562. Into The Deca Imperia

    ?


    Sylvester had thought a lot about the Demon in the Divider Swamp. As a Grand Wizard, he knew he couldn''t challenge it alone, nor did he have any Supreme Wizard experts at his disposal. If he wanted to deal with it, he was going to need the help of the supreme overlords of the Beastaria, from the dragons, dwarves, Beastkins, giants, vampires, and elves. However, with his current status, the best he could hope for was to rally his father''s support or, in the best-case scenario, a possible Supreme Wizard from the Beastkins, if there was any.


    Hence, the thought of the Demon being a blessing rather than a bane rose in his mind. Currently, he didn''t really need to do anything but pass the information on how powerful the foe was to everyone. Indeed, it was a risk, but it was better than throwing himself into a new mess while the existing ones remained unresolved.


    ''I should prepare Sol as well. Once I be the Pope, I''ll have to move quickly.'' Sylvester nned and, without opening his eyes, tried tomunicate with someone across the sea. It was Gabriel this time since he greatly trusted the man.


    "Busy orzing around?" Sylvester''s voice rang out.


    "W-What? Who''s there?!" Gabriel''s shocked voice replied. "S-Sylvester? Did you die? Did you return as a ghost?"


    ''He forgot I can talk to him through the mind?'' Sylvester realized, and an evil smirk was unleashed on his face.


    "Gab, I lost¡­ I lost against a Supreme Wizard-tiered Demon¡­ But my soul can''t pass away until you confess all the wrongdoings youmitted against me¡­"


    Gabriel stammered heavily. "W-What?! H-How can th-this be¡­ You-u can''t die¡­ And what wrongdoings? I¡­ I only stole a honey cookie jar once¡­ that''s i-it."


    "..."


    ''It was this bastard?'' Sylvester recalled the event from years ago when they were new Sanctum Inspectors. One of his emergency cookie jars had gone missing, and even Miraj had cried for it.


    "How could you¡­ We were brothers¡­ Now my soul is stuck because of you~" Sylvester made ghostly wailing sounds. "Woooo¡­"


    "Come on¡­ J-Just for cookies? I took them for my sister because she loved cookies from Mother Xavia but was always too shy to ask for them," Gabriel confessed and rified.


    "Ah, it''s fine then. She''s like a sister to me as well, after all." Sylvester said in a normal tone. "I''m speaking with you through my mind. I''m alive and with a surprise."


    "A ghost for a cookie?" Gabriel talked back, his tone slightly mocking. "Only a kid would be fooled by that. I knew it was you. I was just a little shocked. But my confession was real, and I ate some of those cookies too. They were tasty. What are you gonna do about it? Fly here?"


    "..."


    "This little¡­ Anyway, I found Felix."


    "..."


    This time Gabriel was left speechless for a few moments, and then he roared like crazy. "Are you serious?! What''s he doing there? How? Is he well? What happened?"


    "Calm down, and no, he''s not well. Not mentally nor physically, and we have Pope Axel and the Church to thank for that," Sylvester quickly calmed him down. "Keep this news to yourself for now; I''ll bring him as a surprise to Isabe soon. I contacted you mainly to inform you about our next strategy to influence Beastaria¡­"


    The discussion went on for almost an hour. Since it was night in Beastaria, Sylvester had nothing to do but spend the night. As he and Felix had caused quite a chaos there, no animal or creature darede closer to them. By the firelight, they kept warm and rested.


    "...Other than eighty thousand stacks for the printing presses, keep some stacks ready for books. I''ll be writing a few. Once I be the Pope, we''ll need to mass-produce everything and flood them into Beastaria." Sylvester exined everything in great detail.


    By the end, Gabriel had gathered a few stacks of paper around him. "This is a lot of work, but we can do it. With the good news you told me, I feel even more motivated. But there is something you should know about. Recently, Lord Inquisitor sent a missive describing strange activity in the Holy Land. The administration is working as if it''s taking someone''s order. But it''s not the Saint Scepter or the Saint Cardinals. He described the air in the Holy Land as¡ªeerie."


    "Silence before a storm?" Sylvester mumbled. He remembered the tattoo of Saint Scepter''s name on his wrist as memories of the man flooded back. "Good work. I will try to finish in Beastaria this week and start my return journey. Take care until then, Gab."


    "You too, Max."


    Sylvester finally cut the connection and opened his eyes. It was still dark out, but distant morning birds had started to chirp, meaning the sunrise wasn''t too far away. But he noticed Felix''s burned eyes were still wide open, ncing at him. There was the scent of hope, happiness, and admiration.


    "What happened?" Sylvester asked, finding Felix''s gaze fixated on him. "Don''t tell me you''re horny for me now."


    "Pfft¡­" Felix almost bellowed inughter. "Damn you, it hurts tough¡­ But no, I wasn''t infatuated with you. I just felt those elven ears suit you so well¡­ a little too well."


    ''He knows.'' Sylvester didn''t react physically or internally. His heart didn''t shoot off with loud beatings, nor did his pupil dte. ''Saint Scepter did tell everyone about me while remaining hidden behind his strange magic.''


    "Saint Scepter?"


    "Argh!" Felix abruptly grabbed his head. "So many memories came¡­ He tortured me a few times too¡­ Yes, it was him¡­ I remember now! Wait, why didn''t I remember him before?"


    ''He remembered the elf revtion but not who revealed it. So this means Saint Scepter has control over what people forget and remember concerning himself.'' Sylvester deduced from that exchange, confirming his doubts.


    "Lord Inquisitor reacted the same way when I spoke of Saint Scepter. In short, Saint Scepter is the big bad guy behind everything¡ªhe''s been the shadow ruler all along," Sylvester rified without wasting too much time, getting straight to the point. "But, let me ask you¡­ Would you hate me if I actually have elf blood in me?"


    "Hah¡­ I''d pity you¡­ to live in fear your entire life. Scared of ending up like Markus¡­ I''d pity you for not having a ce to call home on both continents." Felix replied with worry in his voice. "So I guess it''s true? When did you find out? For how long have you been living in fright?"


    "Always." Sylvester gave a simple one-word answer.


    Felix sighed and finally closed his eyes. "Indeed¡ªThe Church has screwed us over from the start."


    Sylvester was thankful that Felix didn''t ask any more questions or seek any rifications. The man simply epted it as a fact and went to sleep, a quality Sylvester cherished in his closest friend.


    ¡­


    Morning came, and they wasted no time packing their luggage and heading toward the east. Sylvester had spoken with Avanss, and the man was already waiting for him outside the city, making arrangements for his infiltration into the city as well as the Blue Leaves building.


    "So, what do you expect to find in Deca Imperia? Entering the ce won''t be easy. It''s the most guarded city on this continent," Felix asked, trying to advise based on his six years of experience in the region.


    "I don''t know what I''ll find, but an elven prince is helping me get inside. I saved the man from a hundred-year-long imprisonment in Masan," Sylvester revealed as they continued to make strides.


    They came across small viges of goblins and simply swung their arms or swords to wipe them off the face of the continent. They were easy to deal with, but their numbers were too great. It wasparable to wishing to wipe out all ants from the world.


    "I always enjoyed taking out my anger on these." Felix reminisced about his past spent on the continent. "I lost count after killing two hundred thousand of them¡­ they just keep multiplying."


    "That''s goblins for you," Sylvester muttered and remembered the Tome of the Gods that Avanss gave him before, and wondered if it had a testimony of the god of the goblins too.


    But it was something to be exploredter as they neared Deca Imperia. It was a massive city surrounded by grasnds on all sides. Its immense size was due to the need to amodate dragons and giants, as well as centaurs and vampires. The city was a mix of all sorts of architecture that came from various cultures.


    It was once a symbol of unity, but now a hotbed of politics. The city sat on magically elevatednd, which made it a massive teau with cliffs on all its sides. It only had one entry point, which was essible through a river or the road beside it.


    "That''s¡­ beautiful," Sylvester muttered while standing at a distance and looking at the sky-high towers of one of the elven castles of the city. "Avanss said he''d meet us here."


    With Miraj already in the sky surveying the area to find Avanss, Sylvester and Felix did their best to stay hidden despite standing in the middle of a grasnd. For Sylvester, it was easy, but for Felix, it was impossible with his burned face.


    "...Psst¡­"


    At the sound, Sylvester looked left and right. "Avanss?"


    "Down¡­ look down!"


    Sylvester nced down. There, a transparent thick ss appeared, behind which Avanss stood. "When did you dig this?"


    "It''s a tunnel I made from the Old City. Get inside quickly¡­ The elven entourage will pass through anytime now." Avanss quickly removed the ss and allowed them toe inside.


    After Sylvester got Miraj back in his arms, he immediately closed the ss lid on the cave opening and covered it with dirt and grass.


    "Who is this?" Avanss was alerted by Felix''s presence. His armor was so distinct that it screamed at his affiliation with the Church of Solis.


    "Long story, I''ll tell youter. I trust him with my life. That''s what matters." Sylvester remained on the main topic. "Now, what''s the n? How do I enter the city?"


    Avanss smirked widely, almost too excitedly. "Well¡­ I got you some help from a ''friend'' in a very high ce."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 564 563. Step-Mom…?

    ?


    Avanss was gleaming with excitement at the prospect of getting Sylvester to meet the King of Elves. "King Rathagun will be visiting Deca Imperia today to meet with the members of the Council. He''ll be passing right above us with an entourage of his Royal Knights. I have prepared a spare armor for you to wear, allowing you to blend in with the rest of the men and enter the city."


    Sylvester didn''t share the same excitement, however. He was solely focused onpleting his work and returning to Sol. After all, how could he be excited to meet his supposed father, whom he knew nothing about? He wasn''t some neglected child looking for a family.


    "Furthermore, he will also help you gain entry to the Blue Leaves building. He will lure away all the Council members to lunch, which would mean many of the strongest guards would leave to protect their assigned council members." Avanss added.


    "Thank you, Avanss. Where''s the armor I need to wear? And how will the Royal Knights react when they find a new member appearing out of nowhere?" He asked further.


    "Don''t worry. The Royal Knights have been informed that this is a secret special operation. So they should be expecting strange activities and ignore them." Avanss revealed and led Sylvester to a small chest that contained the armor.


    The tunnel they were inside was a meter wide and tall enough for them to stand and stretch their arms. As Avanss had mentioned, he had just dug it from the Old City. So Sylvester wondered if he could also use it as an escape route forter, as Sir Dolorem and Dagorith were supposed to wait for him in the Old City. However, it was going to take them more time to get there.


    Sylvester quickly donned the elven royal knight armor. It was made of precious metal, painted light green, with golden shoulder tes and a simrly golden cape as the highlight. The helmet covered almost his entire face, leaving only his eyes visible.


    "How do I look?"


    "Like family," Avanss muttered. "You will fit right in. Even your aura matches ours, so the other Royal Knights won''t be bothered by you."


    Thud!


    Thud!


    Just then, they felt the ground tremble atmon intervals. Some dust fell from the ceiling of the tunnel.


    "It must be them," Avanss eximed. "The gate of Alfia is very close to here, so the Royal Knights didn''t take the horses. Only the King and Queen, along with his advisors, will be going in carriages. You''ll get out the moment thest of their line passes through and join the empty spot in their march."


    "Queen?" Sylvester''s focus shifted to a different aspect, however. "What''s her power? What''s her name? I need to know everything."


    Avanss found no hate, only worry on Sylvester''s face. "She''s the daughter of the head of the second strongest faction in Alfia. Her name is Delimira Xeek Eldaron, and her abilities are nothing too great¡ªjust a simple mastery in Earth Magic, and there are rumors she canmunicate with nts. No proof has been found. Her greatest strength is perhaps in her beauty¡­ she''s quite famous for it."


    "She can talk with nts, and you''re telling me now?" Sylvester was annoyed because he found a significant variable that could derail his n. "Even if there''s no proof, always consider a rumor to be true unless proven false. Now we need to think about how her ability works since nts aren''t sentient. How does the transfer of information happen, and how much of it can happen? Is she able to spy using nts?"


    Sylvester had every right to be concerned since he had found a way to use nts to snoop around too. Sadly, he hadn''t seen what special nt allowed him to do that, as his and Felix''s duel had destroyed it.


    Avanss frowned and tried to think. "Wait a second, now that you mention it, I think she can use the nts to spy and gather information. On many asions in the past, she had appeared with the knowledge she had no right to hold. Sylvester, about the elven assassins attacking you before¡ªI believe Queen Delimira sent them. She likely learned about you when my brother attempted to send individual spies to Sol to find you. You''re the King''s firstborn son¡ªshe must have felt threatened."


    "You''re the Crown Prince?!" Felix eximed at that part. "Good god¡ªtalk about a pain in the back."


    Sylvester sighed and rubbed his face before cing the helmet on again. "Why don''t the King and Queen have children yet?"


    "They don''t sleep together," Avanss replied awkwardly. "I was locked in Masan when it happened, but from what I''ve heard, it was a political marriage that my brother was against. But to keep the elves strong and united, he agreed to do it. However, he''s never shared a bed with the Queen."


    "A man who can''t let go of his past is headed for failure," Sylvester muttered to himself, remembering his old brooding self, living every moment in the memory of Diana. But, as life went on, especially in the new world, he had long grown to ept the past as the past. Of course, he still cherished Diana''s memories, but they no longer defined him.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    The sound of marching footsteps grew intense as they passed just over them. It was Sylvester''s cue to head out. "Felix, go to the Old City and find Sir Dolorem and Dagorith there."


    Felix clearly couldn''t go with Sylvester since he''d be instantly found out. "Be safe and notify me if something happens."


    Sylvester nodded and prepared to leave. "You won''t being, Avanss?"


    "No, I''ll meet you near the Blue Leaves building. You''ll still need theyout of the building since it''s too big to explore senselessly. I have someone prepared to hand it over inside," Avanss assured Sylvester, trying to be as helpful as possible. "I just hope you''ll tell me what you find there."


    ''In the end, he''s also an explorer.'' Sylvester understood that.


    "I will, don''t worry about that. I''ll go now. The sound and vibrations are diminishing." Sylvester prepared and looked up at the ss-covered exit of the cave. He removed the dirt and gazed at the shining blue sky. "They''ve already passed¡­ See youter."


    Sylvester wasted no time and jumped out of the cave, turning his attention to the west. He noticed the marching army moving away at a fast pace. The elven Royal Knights walked side by side in four lines, keeping the carriages somewhere between them. In thest row, Sylvester spotted an empty position in the third column.


    ''That should be my spot.'' Sylvester muttered and wasted no time in sprinting forward. He used air magic to make his steps feel lighter and soundless as he moved inhumanly fast on the grassynd. Although, he did have to hold Miraj tightly.


    In the blink of an eye, he reached the marching army and imitated the movements of those around him. His elven sword remained firmly sheathed to his side, one hand resting on its hilt while the other hand swayed in unison with the others.


    Sylvester could already sense the elves on his side and front flinch for a moment as they noticed his presence. But as soon as they noticed his stature, armor, and presence, they ignored him¡ªjust as they weremanded to.


    "...Your Majesty! Please don''t poke your head out of the carriage window!..."


    ''What''s going on ahead?'' Sylvester heard the shout from ahead, someone crying and pleading to the King. ''Is he trying to look for me?''


    Sylvester tried to ignore the sounds and march as those around him did. Soon enough, they approached Deca Imperia, and the city was even more magnificent up close. It had massive gates over the river that entered the city to form Moon Lake. Beside the river, a road led to another gate. It was all heavily protected, with soldiers of varying species standing guard.


    ''Do they have any special checking mechanisms?'' Sylvester wondered and followed the lead of the other knights. He allowed the city guards to walk around them and look at them closely, but the guards never touched them.


    ''I can sense the scent of fear from these city soldiers. It seems they don''t want to offend the King of Alfia. Sylvester understood the benefits ofing with the King. After all, elves were considered a highly proud species, so suspecting them of bringing in anything suspicious was out of the question. And even if they did, what could they do?


    Soon enough, the vast gates were opened, and the army started to march in. The streets of the city were wide due to the various sizes of the residents, so they found no problem in moving. Without stopping, they went to the north shore of the massive Moon Lake, where the building Sylvester wanted to enter stood.


    ''Seek the tree bluer than the sea¡ªthe crescent is the key, and find out why this world came to be like this¡ªWho made it like this.'' Sylvester remembered the exact words Shadow Knight had said and looked forward to finding the truth.


    "Halt!"


    At themand, the entourage came to a stop soon after. Sylvester looked around to see if they had already arrived at the destination. ''Avanss said it''s surrounded by towers¡­ Are these the ones?''


    Sylvester looked at the high skyscrapers to his left. They were so high that his helmet prevented him from fully seeing their tops. He reckoned the main building must be somewhere between these towers, at a central location.


    He looked for an opportunity to slip away from the knights. But there were too many eyes on them. The city guards were everywhere.


    "You!" A voice suddenly resounded. "Come here and help lift the bags."


    Sylvester quickly looked to his left, beyond the two other knights. It was Avanss, pointing at him while looking like a spoiled young master.


    He walked out of the line and followed Avanss carefully to the King''s carriage. But the King had already disembarked and went inside to meet with the council members and drag them out to lunch.


    However, that meant only one person was left in the King''s carriage.


    ''The Queen?'' Sylvester realized and looked.


    "Don''t you be clumsy and let these boxes fall. They hold my sister-inw''s precious jewelry." Avanss ordered Sylvester sternly and ced heavy boxes in his hands.


    Though Sylvester''s attention was on the massive, decorated carriage with its golden frame. Its door opened without making a noise, and legs slowly emerged out of it, followed by the person. One look, and sure enough, it was the Queen.


    ''She''s certainly pretty¡­ But more than Mum? I don''t think so.'' Sylvester evaluated her immediately. The Queen had long blonde hair adorned with dark silver ornamental hairclips. Her face was fair, and her eyes shone green. She had a certain charm of maturity on her face, and it stood out a lot. As for her body, it was modestly covered with dark green robes¡ªshe was tall and well-built in all ces.


    "Avanss, don''t annoy the royal knights¡ªthey''re not our porters." The Queen spoke softly, but her voice held a firmness of authority and confidence. "You should carry it instead."


    "..."


    "Oh, Delimira, I''m not a kid anymore. I won''t blindly follow your orders like before just because you''re pretty," Avanss proudly and smugly talked back. "You''re gonna have to set me up with your sister first."


    "Father has found a match for her already." Queen Delimira replied.


    Avanss chuckled and extended his arm to the Queen, which she took gracefully, before walking with him into the building. "Another reason for me to dislike your father. But s, a man can dream."


    She chuckled and took a teasing tone. "Of course, dreams don''t cost gold, after all."


    "..."


    Sylvester followed the two into the building, his mind a little amazed at Avanss'' wits. ''This boy was born to be a spy¡­ With a little training and his natural way with words¡ªhe''d be unstoppable.''


    _________________


    [A/N: See Queen Delimira here]


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 565 564. Tree Bluer Than Sea

    ?


    Sylvester followed the two in while keeping his senses sharp. As he had expected, the Blue Leaves building was in the middle of the towering skyscrapers. The building was not a skyscraper, however. It looked more like a simple block-like structure with over a dozen floors.


    The entrance of the building alone was many meters high, and the moment they walked into it, Sylvester felt the airiness. The ceiling was so high that he could swear he noticed a few birds flying. It was possible, however, as the gigantic hall spanned the entire floor area, and plenty of small ponds, trees, and bushes decorated the marbleden floor. The area bustled with armored city guards, and other staffers busied themselves¡ªfrom Beastkins to dwarves or more.


    They walked over to what seemed like an elevator, a gigantic one at that. And in all likelihood, it was operated by some ves ced somewhere, turning the wheels.


    As they entered, a short rabbit Beastkin was waiting inside, positioned before several levers. Once the Beastkin was informed which floor they needed to go to, the relevant lever was pulled, and the elevator moved.


    ''Electricity can solve this so easily.'' Sylvester greatly felt the need for innovation, even more so when he knew that it was already achievable. Jinn had already discovered a steam turbine and electricity, after all.


    But for now, he focused and silently heard Avanss and Queen Delimira talking. The woman gave off the scent of anxiety, hope, and happiness all together. She certainly seemed like an intelligent person, but not a fake person. Her interaction with Avanss seemed genuine. And after listening to them, Sylvester believed that Avanss had known the woman since childhood. Although, it was unknown how old the woman was.


    After they arrived on the floor, Avanss took the luggage from Sylvester. "You can go back using the stairs."


    Sylvester got a hint from that. The aim was to go below the surface level. The elevators were clearly not going to take him there, so the staircase was the only option.


    He silently watched the two disappear from his view and quickly reached the staircase. He was currently on the tenth floor, so in no time, he arrived at the ground. However, the staircase didn''t lead him further down. There was only a single door to exit and enter the giant hall.


    Bam!


    "Time to clean the staircase¡­ So much work." A young elf entered the staircase area with a broom and a bucket in his hands. He ignored Sylvester and simply started sweeping while whistling. It all looked odd since the work was beneath an elf.


    Pat!


    But just then, a rolled piece of paper fell from the elf''s pocket. The elven man noticed it and merely kicked it aside, dismissing it as trash.


    Sylvester took the cue and immediately picked it up. He unrolled the paper and noticed the designs. ''It''s the blueprint of the building.''


    "Argh¡­ enough cleaning for today." The elven man picked up his stuff and left just as quickly as he appeared.


    Alone, Sylvester looked at the blueprint and found the location to enter the underground levels of the building. Apparently, it was essible by only one of the five elevators, but there was also one hidden pathway from the staircase. It started from the second floor, where, other than the door to exit the stairway area, there was a different smaller door to enter the hiddendder.


    He hurried up and opened the second door. It led to a very tight walkway with nothing but walls on its sides. At the end of it was atch on the floor. Opening it, Sylvester found a deep hole with no end in sight¡ªit wasplete darkness.


    But as he noticed thedder connected on one side of the wall going down, he descended and closed thetch above him. He used his light magic to illuminate one of his hands while climbing down.


    ''Such a tight space¡ªthis was clearly not built for species other than human-sized ones.'' Sylvester deduced from its size.


    He continued to descend no matter what, following the map''s instructions. He didn''t know what he was going to find at the bottom, but at that point, he just wanted to be done with it so Saint Scepter couldn''t raise any objection to him taking the throne.


    It was much easier to go down on the long woodendder. On asions, he simply slid down by holding the sides and removing his feet from individual steps. Deeper and further¡ªhe went down countless floors. His light didn''t help much since it was a very narrow space.


    "...Come to Ka''Zul¡­ Ha ha ha¡­"


    "Ka''Zul?" Sylvester abruptly eximed as a voice brushed past his ears like a breeze. "The God of Goblins?"


    Abruptly, a strange golden sh appeared in Sylvester''s eyes, and his speed increased as he headed down.


    "...Fast¡­e to your death¡­"


    Sylvester went faster. "I''ming, Ka''Zul¡­ I have a lot of goblin-rted things I need to talk to you about¡­ and if you''re somehow alive¡­ unalive you."


    "..."


    The whispering voice of the so-called Goblin God didn''t echo in Sylvester''s ears anymore. But he kept going fast and eventually reached the bottom. He jumped away from thedder and looked behind himself.


    It was utterly dark, so Sylvester illuminated his entire body like a beacon and looked around. The ce seemed massive, to say the least, but also rundown. It felt like an old ruin of some building, as the floor wasden with brick tiles that were now out of ce due to overgrown weeds. There were also pirs lining the sides, reaching as high as the ceiling¡ªwhere his light couldn''t reach either.


    "Where are you, Ka''Zul?" Sylvester called out for the voice to return. However, there was no response. "Did I scare you? I''m going to kill all of your children soon enough¡ªyou abominations, enemies of progress, deniers of evolution!"


    ''Strange, it didn''te back even with provocation.'' Sylvester wondered if the voice was even real.


    So he continued his exploration and walked deeper into the gigantic ruins. There were nothing but broken pieces of walls and debris littering the area; some noises from rats were also audible.


    ''What''s so secretive about this ce?'' Sylvester wondered and remembered the words of the Shadow Knight. ''There should be a tree bluer than the sea.''


    So he walked around, turning into the enormous hallways asionally. Other than stones and blocked pathways, he found nothing. Since the blueprints were new, they revealed nothing about the underground area.


    "Chonky¡­ do you smell anything? I can smell¡­ rotten cabbages¡­ It''s like Ethyl Mercaptan." Sylvester asked his trusted partner, perched on his shoulder.


    Miraj raised his little nose and sniffed. "Yuck¡­ What''s this? It''s like a fart, but ten times worse¡­"


    Sylvester chuckled and followed the scent instead. He sted through blocked passages and simply followed the direction of the smell. He didn''t keep track of how many minutes he spent, but with no care, he just went closer and closer.


    BOOM!


    Atst, Sylvester kicked away another blockage of rubble in the way and emerged from the dust. But this time, instead of finding darkness, he was captivated by the beauty. Right before him was a gigantic hall, and in the middle was what he was looking for¡ªa tree bluer than the sea.


    "So shiny!" Miraj chirped.


    Yes, it was arge tree with leaves that glowed a pale blue, so bright that it illuminated the vicinity. It also emitted the scent that Sylvester had been following all that time. But beyond that, a skeleton of a man sat under the shadow of the three, almost covered in fallen leaves.


    "What''s all this?" Sylvester didn''t dare act carelessly and carefully observed everything. He noticed there was another hint of blue light that emitted from the ground¡ªthe light created a circle around the tree as if it was a protective measure.


    "Chonky, you stay here." Sylvester ced Miraj on the ground. "If this is a protective shield, it can harm us with any kind of magic. You''ll be my backup in case anything happens to me."


    "Understood, Maxy." Miraj seriously nodded.


    Carefully, Sylvester stepped closer to the circle and tried to sense the air. ''No scent of death or anything negative. This skeleton also seems¡­ human?''


    Sensing no issues, Sylvester stepped onto the illuminated blue circle on the ground. His elven armor didn''t seem to react with it, nor did he feel any opposing force trying to repel him. So he took another step in and felt the blue light engulf him.


    ''It''s¡­ soothing despite the rotten smell.'' Sylvester inched closer to the skeleton of the man.


    "I came here for this?" Sylvester couldn''t understand the value of going through all that trouble. "This blue tree? Or this skeleton?"


    He carefully observed the skeleton and found nothing on it. Then he looked at the tree and immediately noticed some words carved on it. But once he read them, he quickly retracted his previousments.


    "Desmond was here." Sylvester read the carved words and connected the dots. "Pope Jarl Desmond? The man whose death started the thousand-year war¡­"


    Crack!


    Abruptly, the air turned freezing, and Sylvester could even feel it in his bones. It was a feeling he had sensed many times, one that used to terrify him before but now only confused him.


    "Yes¡­ This is I." The voice came from beside Sylvester as the ghostly, hovering figure, shrouded in ck robes, appeared there, looking at the skeleton under the tree.


    _________________


    [A/N: See The Tree]


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 566 565. The Key Of Madness

    ?


    Holy Land,


    Somewhere in the depths of the Pope''s Pce, beneath the many floors of the massive structure,y a small room painted all in white, with no door or window to be found. The brightness of the white paint seemed to radiate at all times, illuminating everything.


    It seemed like a prison, but the man who lived there was more than willing as he awaited the right moment to take action. For him, the istion was the time to focus and prepare himself for what was toe¡ªno matter to his liking or not, things had to be done.


    Thud!


    Abruptly, a portion of the white wall moved apart in blocks and created a pathway inside. Through it walked a man in white robes, covered from head to toe, including half of his face. His unusuallyrge golden staff appeared imposing, especially with its emblem of the Solis.


    "It has begun," the fiercely robed man said in an authoritative voice. "Don your armor and fulfill your duty as bestowed upon you by the true gods."


    "Hah, true gods?" The white and long beard of the elderly man fluttered. Having resided in that room for so long, yet remaining mentally sharp, he stood and donned his clothes. "Where does this all end?"


    "When they are satisfied," the white-robed man replied.


    "Five thousand years have passed, and they are still not content¡ªSomething suggests to me they will never be satisfied," the bearded man said and picked up his own staff adorned with precious orbs and crystals. "Tell me¡ªall those years ago, did you befriend me because you wanted to or because they instructed you to?"


    The robed man squeezed his eyes beneath the half-mask. "I am not their ve. I am capable of having personal opinions. My friendship with you was real."


    "Of course." A snarky retort escaped the old man''s mouth. "With strings attached? Let''s be done with this¡ªhe will triumph regardless. If you haven''t grasped that by now, then I must say your years of wisdom have failed you, my friend."


    The white-robed and hooded man followed behind. "Axel, only those prevail whom they permit to prevail."


    "Hah, that''s why I say that he will. He''s not their man, Maur¡ªhe never was. Otherwise, he would have perished long ago." Axel replied almost mockingly.


    "Everything happens because they will it."


    "We''ll see, my friend¡­ We''ll see."


    ¡­


    Beastaria,


    "Yes¡­ This is I."


    Sylvester looked to his side and noticed the floating figure of the ck-robed man, who haunted Sol for centuries and punished countless corrupted clergymen¡ªthe fearsome and enigmatic Shadow Knight.


    Sylvester nced back at the skeleton and then at the figure. "You? But how? I thought your body was destroyed by the assassins from Beastaria."


    "What may appear as truth may be merely an illusion. Sometimes, the purpose of a few actions is to create confusion," Shadow Knight said, his voice echoing. "What''s real is true, and what''s not real is also true."


    Sylvester sighed and removed his helmet to breathe better. "Time for these riddles has long passed, Shadow Knight. Tell me directly why I''m here. Why did Saint Scepter force me toe here before taking the throne?"


    "So he''s one of them too?" The Shadow Knight mumbled, anger ring up from within him in the form of a cold aura. "My soul is unable to leave this realm because it remains trapped within this protection circle. My teacher taught me how to make it¡ªit''s ancient magic, he said. To this day, none of the beings of Beastaria have been able to enter it."


    "So they built a structure over it? To hide the ce where they killed you?" Sylvester asked him.


    The ghostly form of Shadow Knight floated closer to the skeleton and stared at it intently. His strange shining slits for eyes burned brightly white. "The creatures of Beastaria didn''t kill me, Sylvester Maximilian¡ªI was killed by my own¡ªZarmax Tarring, the Saint Scepter of my time."


    Brows furrowed for Sylvester at that colossal revtion. More massive than his parentage, more important than anything else in his life yet. But it made no sense, or perhaps not yet. "W-Why would he? It started the thousand-year war with Beastaria¡ªBillions have perished in this struggle on all sides."


    "Unless he consciously chose to start this war," the Shadow Knight replied.


    "Napoleon." Sylvester abruptly eximed the name. He had suddenly remembered it from the meeting when Gabriel exposed it to them. "The name of the Saint Sceptor during your time was tampered in a few rare history books not easily essible¡ªNapoleon was added to it."


    "Napoleon? Are you familiar with this name?" inquired the Shadow Knight.


    ''I''m afraid I am, and because I am, I know he''s cunning enough to start this massive war, driven by some long-term goal he meticulously plotted on a map,'' Sylvester expressed, feeling suffocated in the underground ruins. ''What is the ultimate purpose of all these Saint Scepters and Popes?''


    "I don''t know him. But many more additions to the names of Popes and Saint Scepters have been made throughout history." Sylvester disclosed, expecting some suggestion from the man since he was also a Pope.


    The Shadow Knight seemed hardly astonished and continued to gaze at his own skeleton. "Considering the negligible progress made in society, the continued rise of evil. It can''t be anything less than evil."


    Sighing, Sylvester sat down on the ground and watched the Shadow Knight interact with his skeleton. A billion questions raced through his mind as he tried to make sense of everything he had heard.


    The world had been deceived, masterfully so, it seemed. Now, if the truth were to surface, the Beastaria would have a moral high ground to me the humans for causing so much death for an unknown scheme. During the peace discussions, the foremost demand would be for substantial reparations from Sol, and currently, Sol could not afford such a burden.


    Weary and frustrated, Sylvester''s head drooped lower than his shoulders as he brushed his long hair back. He knew he was already treading on a thin line, but now, the peace between the two sides felt more distant than ever.


    "Why did you suggest Ie here? Just to tell me something I must take to my grave? You could have done that in Sol¡ªWhat''s here that tempts even the Saint Scepter?" Sylvester asked the Shadow Knight, feeling his head going hot with all the things he had to start nning.


    The Shadow Knight looked back at Sylvester and, with his flowing robes, gestured for him to draw near. "The reason you''re here is not for my revtion, but why I created this protective shield using my remaining life force that night. Saint Scepter Tarring was here that evening, looking at my body slowly bleeding to death¡ªYet he couldn''t get what he desired."


    Sylvester approached him, moving closer to the skeleton. "You hid something here?"


    "For ages, I''ve searched to find someone with enough intelligence to make sense of what I possessed¡ªI only found more corruption, more incivility, and madness. Not perfect, but I found a sensible mind in you, one not beholden to the idea that is corrupt. Beyond this point, you shall be fully on your own¡ªthere shan''t be anyone who will instruct." Shadow Knight''s dark robes pointed toward the jaw of the skeleton.


    Sylvester raised his hand and opened the skeleton''s jaw. It came off entirely as no muscle held it together. It was somewhat ufortable to do so in the presence of the same person''s ghost, but Sylvester didn''t mind.


    "A key?" Sylvester noticed a simple, small, golden key with intricate patterns resembling thin strings. But overall, it looked like any other key.


    "A key to open the gate that must not be opened." Shadow Knight replied. "I know not what lies on its other side, but Saint Scepter Tarring longed for this¡ªKey to iming his godhood, he proimed on many asions. A fool''s rambling, I considered it, one of his senseless theories and equations."


    Sylvester squinted his eyes and thought of something. "Saint Scepter sent me here¡ªCould it be that he wants this key as well? Could it be that all the Popes and Saint Scepters I''ve found with manipted names were after this?"


    The Shadow Knight was left speechless for a good few minutes by that possibility. "It may exin why the current Saint Scepter sent you here, but I cannot speak for those who came before."


    "Can this be a key to a portal to the demon world?" Sylvester asked directly since he was out of wit.


    Regrettably, the Shadow Knight had nothing more to offer him. "Likely not, but whatever it is, it leads to great power. For men of Supreme Wizard rank to be interested¡ªit could only mean the next frontier of power for them¡ªa step above the constraints of this universe''sws. But now you stand at the crossroad to make a choice. I considered you sensible¡ª¡ªI hope your actions won''t be reprehensible. Whatever this key is, keep it safe if you never wish to explore¡ªBe its protector."


    Sylvester looked at the key in his hands and tried to think what was the mostmon thing among all those who possibly wanted to possess it. The answer was very easy to guess¡ªthey were all reincarnators like him. So that only led him to one leading question, what did those reincarnators likely desire the most after attaining peak magical power?


    Something for which they knowingly waged war with an entire continent for a thousand years, something for which they were ready to die again and again?


    Sylvester easily guessed it, and the possibility horrified him.


    ''A way back home?''


    _________________


    [A/N: Just this one for now. Will try to post the next one soon. Need to go for an eye check-up. Somehow, I feel morefortable without sses now¡ªvery confusing.]


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 567 566. Escaping Like A Breeze

    ?


    Sylvester hoped that his spection was wrong because if it was true, he had to find a way to destroy the means of travel to the past world. Of course, unlike other men from history who were often conquerors and rulers who wanted to return home andplete what they had left unfinished¡ªhe had no such dreams.


    Unlike them, he died after fulfilling his vengeance; now his current life was his reality. But at the same time, he knew that even a mere Grand Wizard could unleash devastation upon his former world that not even a thousand nukes would be able to stop.


    "Shadow Knight, Niel kept on crying about my naivety andck of knowledge. Could it be that he was meant to be me but failed? Did you also reveal to him the secrets?" Sylvester abruptly questioned him as he remembered the man''s dying moments.


    The Shadow Knightcked a visible expression, but his words sufficed. "Niel Grey was once a good man, upright and fearful of God. I was misguided to believe he had the mental capacity to carry the burden of this secret. To my disappointment¡ªhe chose the opposite path. He was a weak-minded man who wanted to surround himself with unbreakable walls. Regrettably, no such walls exist."


    Sylvester kept looking at the key as he wearily rose to his feet. "So, if my guess is right, Saint Scepter is in Sol, waiting for me to bring back this key. And if I don''t hand this over, I''ll be in danger, along with all those I hold dear."


    "The possibility is not nil." Shadow Knight replied. "You can leave it here if that is your wish. My soul will keep it safe."


    "That means trusting another being with something so crucial. No, I have better methods of keeping it safely hidden." Sylvester ced his helmet back on, preparing to depart. "I should hurry back home now. Do you want me to bring your skeleton to Sol? If I''m not wrong, your soul can''t find peace otherwise."


    "I''m in no position to make demands of you," the Shadow Knight replied.


    Sylvester shook his head and tickled Miraj sitting on his shoulder. The furry boy quickly opened his sharp jaw and took in the skeleton. Being lifeless, it could be easily stored in the mighty belly.


    Woosh!


    "Don''t ask any questions." Sylvester stopped Shadow Knight before he could speak. "What about this blue tree? It''s not vanishing."


    "Absorb it." Shadow Knight said. "It holds thest remnants of my life force within this reality. Perhaps it will help your magic."


    Sylvester didn''t trust the man at all, and in no way was hefortable consuming someone''s life force, as it could also contain the being''s consciousness. Thest thing he wanted was to be possessed.


    "Chonky, eat the tree." Sylvester vocally ordered since Shadow Knight was already a lifeless creature living on borrowed time.


    Woosh!


    Miraj opened his mouth and once again sucked everything into his infinite belly. Though this time, he looked much more satisfied, wiping his mouth as if he had just finished eating a banana.


    "I''ll be going back now," Sylvester announced, turning around and walking with his right hand magically emanating a brilliant light. "I heard the voice of the Goblin God on my way down. Could it have something to do with this ce?"


    "Goblin God?" The Shadow Knight appeared confused. "No Goblin God existed in my time, nor is there now. However, there was once a Deca Imperia Councilman who happened to be a goblin. But because of his less-than-appropriate mental capacity, he was handled ordingly. Perhaps it''s his leftover soul lingering in these ruins."


    ''I should take a look at the Tome of Godster.'' Sylvester made up his mind and started to climb up the way he hade down. The climb was daunting, but he used air magic to prop himself up through the narrow chimney-like shaft.


    BAM!


    His speed was so intense that he smacked his head against the lid, bursting directly into the narrow corridor. Fully d in armor, his abrupt appearance caught the uninvited guests off guard.


    "Put your sword down!"


    "You will be detained for trespassing!"


    "You thought we wouldn''t notice you sneaking around?!"


    Sylvester was left dumbly staring at the entire corridor before him, full of Deca Imperia city guards. They were all human-sized since the corridor was so small. It was mostly elfs, Beastkins, dwarves, vampires, and werewolves. They were all wearing their species-specific armor and had simr weapons. While Beastkins had swords or daggers, the dwarves only carried two-sided axes, the vampires had ymore swords, and the werewolves had sickle-like swords.


    ''I got caught?'' Sylvester''s heart sank. ''It''s going to be a messy escape.''


    "I don''t wish to kill you." Sylvester talked back. "Put your weapons down."


    "Haha¡­ There are thousands of us against just you. You seemed to have the wrong idea, elf. Surrender yourself, and we may show mercy!" One of the city guards shouted.


    Sylvester sighed and unsheathed his sword. "You leave me no choic¡ª"


    Thud!


    All of a sudden, all city guards ced their weapons on the ground and knelt as if they were frightened beyond measure. They shivered uncontrobly as if they had just seen death.


    "Let''s go¡­ elf¡­" Shadow Knight''s voice came from behind.


    Sylvester looked back, and sure enough, it was the ghostly floating figure of the creature. The Shadow Knight was terrifying to everyone other than Sylvester at that point. One reason was his increased strength; and the other was that he knew the story now.


    ''When one door closes, another opens.'' Sylvester thought and rushed past the corridor full of city guards. Without pause, he stepped over a few heads as they took up too much space, and eventually, he arrived at the end of the corridor.


    ''I can smell the overwhelming scent of anger¡­ But no death yet,'' Sylvester concluded that many more were waiting for him beyond the door. But he felt the urge to leave quickly before some experts arrived.


    Nevertheless, he had to find a window for himself. So he looked back. "All of you! Run out of this door right now, or I''ll start butchering you all, one by one!"


    His killing intent was apparent in his voice and eyes. He stood beside the door with his sword at the ready. "I''ll count to three! If you don''t move, heads will roll!"


    "MOVE!" The Shadow Knight only whispered a bit too loudly, releasing an intense cold that permeated the air.


    That was the cue. Every single one of the city guards tried to rush out of the small door. But Sylvester dragged back one of the elves trying to run. "Not you¡­ I need you to get naked for me first."


    "..."


    Sylvester used his sword masterfully to vite the poor elf right then and there and stole the armor. In a rush, he suited up and joined the crowd in running out. Knowing the trick, he allowed the crowd''s movement to carry him along instead of fighting it, and in no time, he found himself in the small staircase area.


    "Go up!" The Shadow Knight whispered.


    Sylvester jumped from within the crowd and started climbing up the stairs. He saw many other city guards on his way, but as they saw the right insignias on his armor, it took them a few moments before feeling suspicious.


    It was all he needed to create a gap and rush up. Without stopping, he climbed all the floors, and with one final push of his shoulder, he appeared on the open terrace. A myriad of sounds greeted his ears, along with a view of the city''sndscape.


    Ding!


    Ding!


    "Ugh¡­ This is bad!" Sylvester cursed under his breath as he heard the distant chimes of the bells. They were ringing too intensely for them to mean anything but an alert against an intruder. "The sky is my only way out."


    Without wasting a moment, Sylvester went to the edge of the building, prepared to jump. However, his gaze briefly looked down, causing his brows to shoot up in surprise. The entire building was surrounded by city guards of various races, from rhinos to elephants to lion Beastkins. They came in all sizes. They were innumerable since the crowd extended far beyond his line of sight.


    "Chonky, hold tight!"


    Sylvester crouched a little for a split second and then propelled himself with the full force of a tinum Knight. His move created a deafening roar as the building suffered beneath his feet. From the thrust of his legs, almost ten floors of the building caved in from the corner and left the structure tilting toward another skyscraper behind it.


    Boom!


    The st echoed after he had already vanished. The destruction had given Sylvester the desired lift and velocity he wanted. His body, unnoticeable by ordinary eyes, vanished into the skies above the city, headed toward the Old City in the southeast.


    Mid-flight, as the rushing wind forcefully pounded on his face, Sylvester tried to concentrate and speak with Felix. "Felix! It''s me¡­ My cover is blown, but I don''t think they realize I''m not an elf!"


    Felix immediately responded with more maturity than what Sylvester was used to. "Then I''ll meet you at the beach on the Eastern shore¡ªI''ll take a ship and prepare for our return to Sol. Sir Dolorem and Dagorith are already with me¡­ we can make it."


    But Sylvester knew the issue with that. "Felix¡­ The sess rate of a voyage from East Beastaria is less than five percent¡ªDo you think we can make it?"


    "With the two of us¡ªwe sure can," Felix replied confidently.


    Choosing not to disturb Felix further, Sylvester agreed to the n. "Then continue. I''ll see you there."


    After cutting off the connection, Sylvester quickly mentally connected with Louis and Griffin, who were still in the Beastkin region, preparing for the invasion into the Divider Swamp. "Louis! Griffin¡ªIt''s Sylvester¡­"


    The two men weren''t ustomed to hearing someone else speaking in their heads. They needed a few moments to ept it was real at first. But once they recognized the voice, they turned serious.


    "What happened, Your Holiness?"


    "Retreat!" Sylvester ordered them. "Destroy all the Srium-Light cannons, and hijack as many pirate ships as you need. By tonight, leave Beastaria and head to River City in Sol! Deca Imperia might be pursuing us very soon. The Inquisitors have already lost too much, and we can''t lose what''s left¡ªThis is an order."


    "Understood."


    "We''ll see you in Sol."


    Griffin and Louis were soldiers now, not nobles. They were used to taking emergencymands, and this was no different.


    "Good, I''ll speak with you again when I¡ª" Sylvester''s connection was abruptly cut off midway.


    His eyes snapped open while his body was still in the middle of an unguided flight in a single direction. But there was now a change in the air and the scenery as fire engulfed his entire body.


    "WRAAAAA!¡ªYou elven pest¡­ You can''t escape after sullying mynd!"


    This one was gigantic, more than the Elder Krakazan he had fought before. Its body was covered in dark red scales, with ring, fierce yellow eyes. Red mes blew from its nostrils as its wings pped in a furious rage.


    Sylvester was forced to halt and stand on a Light Tile or risk being swallowed. Yet, with just one nce at the colossal creature, he knew he could defeat it. And with that possibility, a quick scheme formed in his mind.


    ''If I kill him now¡­ A new war between elves and dragons will erupt. But to do that after Avanss and¡­ fath¡­ King Rathagun helped me¡­''


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 568 567. Two Men In Black

    ?


    Sylvester gazed at the gigantic creature and fell into a moral dilemma. But eventually, he was able to make sense of it and decided against killing the dragon. Because, at the end of the day, the realm may not know, but Avanss and the King knew that Sylvester was the intruder. They would know he was the one who killed the dragon, and in the long term, it would ruin his goodwill with his father, ruining any hope of peace between the two realms.


    "Why are you inviting death, little dragon!" Sylvester shouted back, maintaining the pride of an elf. "Step aside or die!"


    The dragon seemed to have heard the funniest joke as he stopped his raging roars and started tough. "Bwahaha¡­ You? A little elf will y a dragon? Your kind is only ever good at hiding in the trees. Yet you stand in my territory¡ªthe skies!"


    "Say that again, but slowly," Sylvester responded.


    The dragon took a few seconds toprehend what was just said. But when he did, his face changed, and beads of sweat big enough to fill ponds started to slide down the enormous face. "Y-You''re¡­ How are you standing in the air?"


    Sylvester was using light magic, the invisible kind, to stand in the middle of the void. So it seemed like he was floating to the dragon. At the same time, it was impossible for the weaker dragon to check his wizard rank.


    Sylvester grinned and started walking closer to the dragon. "I think you know the answer. After all, besides you mighty dragons¡ªwho else can fly in the sky? Hmm¡­ I wonder if there''s a certain magical trick that enables such a feat?"


    Yes, he was bluffing being a Supreme Wizard. It seemed to be working well as the dragon slowly flew back, creating more distance between them.


    "Impossible! If that''s the case, then¡­ You''re the Elven King?! How dare you sneak around mynds?" The dragon tried to maintain some semnce of pride.


    Sylvester chuckled. "That King? He''s too spineless to do something like this¡­ That pathetic good-for-nothing. Soon enough, he''ll be reced by a new ruler¡ªmuch stronger and wiser. Until then, I suggest you try and keep your head on your shoulders, dragon."


    He purposefully shamed King Rathagun to create confusion within the Deca Imperia. So all that me wouldn''t fall on King, but rather spark concerns about the mysterious Supreme Wizard.


    "I''ll fly past you now¡ªIf you stop me, you die; if you speak, you die; if you move, you die¡ªeven if you breathe, you will die." Sylvester wasted no time and confidently strode past the gigantic red dragon.


    Acting incredibly proud, he didn''t even take a nce at the creature and continued. Eventually, he reached the other side and shamelessly raised his palm.


    PA!


    A satisfying, resounding pnded on the meaty leg of the dragon, leaving a deep red mark filled with stinging pain. But the giant dragon didn''t squirm as he remembered not to speak, or suffer death.


    ''Even dragons bow before a Supreme Wizard,'' Sylvester couldn''t help but look forward to being one in the future.


    Without further dy, he once again kicked his feet on the Light Tiles, not too hard as they were easy to break. But still, his speed gradually increased, and he eventually headed toward the eastern shoreline.


    Within an hour, he arrived at the coast. It waspletely empty, with no vige or town visible in any direction. He had moved in a straight line from the Old City, so he expected to find Felix, Sir Dolorem, and Dagorith somewhere nearby.


    "Chonky, do you see a ship?" He asked while surveying the ocean.


    "No," Miraj replied, returning to sleep on his shoulder.


    ''He''s grumpy?''


    He noticed it but sadly couldn''t spare the time to sort it out. So he directly spoke with Felix through the Srium Web. "Where are you? I''m at the beach."


    "We already left."


    "..."


    As if he understood the silence, Felix quickly added. "We left just a few minutes ago, and I knew you could still reach us. Head east from your current position, following the path of the sun. We''re on an elven warship."


    ''Avanss and Rathagun are going to have a headache for weeks.'' Sylvester almostughed imagining that. However, a small part of his mind regretted not seeing what King Rathagun looked like, at the very least.


    "Alright, I''ll be right there." Sylvester stopped talking and continued his walk.


    Gazing at the horizon in all directions, all he saw was absolutely nothing, even from that height. The Darkpit Sea was the biggest ocean in the world, stretching without interruption from the northern to the southern poles of the world. But the real frightening thing about the sea was its perpetually changing weather, cycling every fifteen minutes. Its depth plunged to uncharted lows, not to mention the creatures that exist of sizes best left to one''s imagination¡ªthe worst one.


    Combining all those things and instantaneous storms that turned the sea violent, almost nobody could navigate it. Hence, rtive peace reigned over the eastern coast of Beastaria and the western coast of Sol for much of history.


    "Giant steel warships should be able to find passage through these waters in the future." Sylvester considered. But, then again, he had no clue about the monsters in the sea, so it could also be a deciding factor.


    After spending eight minutes walking in the air, he finally saw something in the sea. It was a big three-mast ship sailing toward the east.


    Bam!


    Atst, he descended and loudlynded on the ship''s deck. Felix and Dagorith were busy jumping around the ship and managing the sails while Sir Dolorem was at the wheel.


    "Wee back, Lord Bard." Sir Dolorem smiled, his face showing a look of immense relief. Seeing Sylvester''s safe return was enough for the man, apparently.


    "HOLY!" Felix''s voice abruptly bellowed as hended from the mast, unsheathing his dark sword. "The Shadow Knight is here to kill you, Max!"


    Sylvester looked behind and found the floating figure of the Shadow Knight. The familiar cold air lingered, but there was no hostility in the scent, merely amusement. Perhaps, the creature was enjoying thest few days it had left, as the eternal peace was near atst.


    "Hah! Shadow Knight is just a tale to scare kids¡­" Dagorith also came down while joking, only to fall silent upon seeing the real thing. "I¡­ like his style."


    Of course, a ninja would appreciate a creature draped in ck.


    Sylvester raised his hand. "Calm down. He''s on our side now. He helped me escape Deca Imperia without bloodshed. And one more thing¡­ This man is actua¡ª"


    Suddenly, Sylvester stopped as he sensed the rising annoyance from the Shadow Knight. It seemed like the man didn''t want his identity exposed. And Sylvester chose to respect it.


    "Enough with that. I''m starving. Did you cook anything?" Sylvester changed the topic.


    BOOM!


    Just then, thunder fell from the sky, and almost instantly, a storm appeared. Rain fell with full force, transforming the sea into a churning maelstrom.


    Felix grunted and got ready to jump back to manage the sails. "We''ve dealt with two storms by now. That''s why we haven''t cooked anything."


    Sylvester knew their whole journey home was going to be like that. "Sir Dolorem, I''ll take the helm. Can you quickly cook up some simple stew instead?"


    Sir Dolorem was always ready to cook for Sylvester. "Of course, Lord Bard. The elven ship''s provisions are mainly meat."


    Woosh!


    Without asking, Miraj drowsily opened his mouth and let out some spices and vegetables to be used in the stew. Then, the boy fell asleep again.


    Sylvester knew Miraj was acting, so he directly asked him. "What''s wrong, Chonky?"


    "Nothing," Miraj replied, using his paws to hide his face. "Let''s go home."


    Finally, Sylvester took a long, deep breath and epted his fault. "I''m sorry I failed to take you to look for more of your kind. But I promise, I''ll soon have the entire Beastaria under my control. When that happens, I''ll take you to look in every nook and cranny."


    Miraj kept his face behind his paws. "B-But you always promise and then break it."


    "This time, I promise it on my own life," Sylvester replied because the next few days were indeed a matter of life or death.


    "Pawmiss?" Miraj sat up and raised one paw toward Sylvester on the shoulder.


    Sylvester used one hand and tapped Miraj''s paw with his palm. "Unbreakable pawmiss."


    "Hehe¡­ I''m hungry." Miraj''s mood instantly turned around.


    They didn''t have to wait too long as Sir Dolorem came out with the stew soon enough. Since they just passed a storm, they expected to get calm and some other non-lethal weather cycles for a few minutes. That was their window to eat.


    The bowls wererge, and the meat was in abundance. So without waiting, the four men sat down and gobbled it down like cavemen.


    "Max," Felix called out in the middle of chewing. "Do you think we should give him a bowl?"


    Sylvester looked at the Shadow Knight sitting alone at the ship''s bow, unbothered by any weather. "I don''t know what he is¡­ he''s not a human that I can vouch for. But a ghost shouldn''t be this strong either¡­ Just let him be."


    "You won''t know unless you offer." Dagorith Ling, Sylvester''s favorite Ninja, decided to pour a bowl and approach the Shadow Knight.


    Dagorith still had his entire body covered with ck straps of clothes and then tight robes above, but his mouth area was now open for eating. He sat down beside the Shadow Knight and extended the bowl.


    "Just two men in ck robes sitting in silence and eating¡ªwe''re oddly alike." Dagorith tried to make small talk and nudge the Shadow Knight to take the bowl.


    The Shadow Knight turned its hooded face toward him. There was nothing inside the hood besides iprehensible darkness and two white slits for eyes. "My robes, if you touched¡ªYou''ll crumble to dust, death''s grasp is such."


    "..."


    Speechless, Dagorith quickly distanced himself by three feet. "W-Well¡­ Perhaps not so alike but¡­ but we¡­"


    "Food¡­ It''s been over a thousand years." Shadow Knight abruptly said. "I don''t know what it feels like, same with pain, fear, or tears."


    Dagorith sighed, his gaze fixed on the sky. "I didn''t know the fear of death before¡ªthen Lord Bard dragged me to Beastaria. But I''m d, as I gained a lot of experience. I think I can be Warsong''s top expert now."


    "You''re from Warsong? How is Old Shin Wu''s bloodline?" The Shadow Knight asked as if he was reminiscing old memories, living an ordinary moment after centuries of hunting the corrupt and looking for someone adept.


    Dagorith scratched his covered head. "Shin Wu? That bloodline ended when Masan attacked for the first time. Old Wu''s sister''s son became the new King, and now his Liu bloodline is ruling. You never went to Warsong?"


    "You clean the dust when the house is empty, not when the house is the pig''s pen."


    Dagorith felt speechless. The Shadow Knight just called Warsong corrupt, beyond saving. "Any advice?"


    The Shadow Knight looked ahead as another storm was brewing. "Just know¡­ every man in history who imed to be the strongest died eventually. So, when death is bound to win, why not be good? Why be evil intentionally?"


    BOOM!


    "Argh¡­ I''d love to talk more¡­" Dagorith grunted and got up to work.


    With that, everyone got back to work managing the sails. It was just the fourth of the countless dark storms they were bound to face. But that was only if life was going to be fair to them because, on that day¡ªit certainly wasn''t.


    Bam!


    "MAX!" Felix roared from the top of the sail. "We''re stuck onnd!"


    Sylvester frowned and left the wheel to look down from the side. With one nce, he noticed a lot of rocks, even in the faint light of the sky.


    Boom!¡ªWhile he looked down, lightning cracked, illuminating the sea enough for him to see the shadow of something moving. Its size was big enough for him to wipe his eyes a few times and take another look.


    But when the second sh of lightning illuminated the sea surface, he noticed more than one shadow.


    "It''s a monster! Likely more than one¡ªbigger than ten dragons!" Sylvester shouted back, his tone almost helpless. Could he kill it? He had no clue.


    "Nya¡­ Fish!" Miraj suddenly poked his head on Sylvester''s shoulder to look down. "I eat?"


    "..."


    "Can you?"


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 569 568. Sylvester VS Tentacle Monster

    ?


    Sylvester picked Miraj off of his shoulder and looked at his fluffy chubby face. "Can you eat them? Aren''t they too big?"


    "Fish is still fish, no?" Miraj questioned back.


    Sylvester again looked down amidst the rain. The thundering illuminations from the sky clearly revealed the gigantic and mysterious size of the creatures. And their ship was firmly nted on one creature''s back.


    "If you manage to eat this, I''ll give you ten bananas," Sylvester quickly offered.


    Miraj''s eyes shined with delight. "Understood, Maxy!"


    Without hesitation, Sylvester leaped from the ship andnded on the creature''s stiff, shell-like back. It was like a turtle''s shell, withyers of seashells and natural formations. It looked and felt like a giant rock.


    "Max! What in the world are you doing? Get back here!" Felix''s voice echoed from the ship.


    Sylvester gave a thumbs-up without uttering a reply. Instead, he crouched down and ced Miraj on the ground. But before letting Miraj try and devour it, he attempted to understand what the thing was. And the easiest way to do it was to use Elder Magic and manipte the Srium in his body to enter the creature and check its biology.


    Given the creature''s enormous size, Sylvester held little hope, but there was no harm in at least trying it. He closed his eyes and let his Srium feel through the creature''s body. The invisible particles of magic searched through the parts and reacted to various things.


    "It''s at least on the same physical level as a Diamond Knight," Sylvester concluded. "And it has a magical affinity with the water element, likely on par with an Archwizard."


    Sylvester evaluated the creature''s threat level. From that, it was clear that he could kill the thing with ease without breaking a sweat. However, he allowed Miraj to try his luck. "Chonky, go ahead."


    Miraj nodded and quickly pped his mouth on the creature''s back. Like the trunk of an elephant taking in the water, Miraj opened his mouth wide. He activated his magical ability¡ªthe void of infinite space opened up with its irresistible pull.


    Woosh!


    The creature began to shake violently as if trying to fight the strange pull on its back. Meanwhile, the second creature that was behind it also reacted and pped the sea surface furiously, while also swimming in circles around the creature Sylvester was on.


    "Eeeee¡­"


    The second creature generated a loud sound, simr to whales, but this one had much more base and depth. It was so loud that even the air seemed to vibrate in response.


    Miraj persisted, taking a considerable amount of time. However, his ability seemed to be having an effect, considering the creatures'' reactions.


    "Eeeee¡­!"


    Just then, a third whale-like call sounded, and Sylvester looked behind. This was a third creature, but much smaller than the first two. It reacted the same way as the second one, and swam around while crying, causing massive waves in the ocean with its colossal body.


    "STOP!" Sylvester abruptly pulled Miraj up.


    "Fwooo¡­ Fwooo¡­" Miraj''s mouth was still pouting in an ''O'' shape, but he stopped using his ability. "Maxy, don''t steal my banana¡­ I was just about to gobble it up!"


    Sylvester ced Miraj on his shoulder. "You''ll still get your bananas. I know you can eat it. But Chonky, I think these three creatures are a family. That little one in the back is probably the offspring of these two. You were about to eat one of the parents¡ªLet''s not kill one and leave the other two sad."


    Miraj rubbed his chubby chin with a paw. "Oh, then I eat all three! Nobody will be sad."


    "..."


    "That''s an option, but no." Sylvester tried to impart some important lessons. "When there''s no need for violence, we shouldn''t use violence. That''s rule number one of being too strong. Let''s just move the ship and go. I''m sure these guys were unintentional."


    Miraj looked down, deep in thought. "So no chop-chop heads when talk-talk is good?"


    "Yes, that''s what civilized people do. Talk first, and if things still don''t work out, then you hit them." Sylvester replied and walked toward the ship to push it onto the water.


    It was as easy as moving a feather for Sylvester, so in no time, the three-mast elven ship was on the water again. The storm had passed by, but unfortunately, another one was on the horizon.


    Finally, he patted the creature''s back, jumped over onto the ship, and continued their voyage. There was no need to kill everything they came across. After all, they were the visitors in these waters, not the other way around.


    "Eeee¡­!"


    Just as they moved away, the three giant creatures, capable of swallowing them without a second thought, made happy whale-like noises. The team had no idea what they meant. It was just Chonky who said the creatures were happy¡ªto have escaped him.


    Apparently, in a sea filled with eldritch monsters, the apex predator turned out to be a small cat who loved bananas, naps, Maxy, and his big mum.


    Unfortunately, their peace didn''tst long. Just a few hourster, another monstrosity appeared to take interest in them. This time it was even bigger, on a scale they couldn''t even imagine how it could be alive.


    "Max! It''s a giant octopus!" Felix roared from his post in the ship''s crow''s nest.


    The storm had returned, the sea roiled violently, and the sky was the same. But they were stuck in a massive whirlpool in the ocean, slowly being sucked to the center. However, the whirlpool wasn''t natural. A gigantic octopus with over a hundred tentacles had caused the vortex.


    The octopus was currently upside down in the water and used its massive tentacles, each as high as the Mount Primis, to create a whirlpool. The octopus was spinning inside the water itself, with its gigantic mouth in the center, looking like a dark abyss.


    "This feels¡­ otherworldly," Shadow Knightmented while still calmly sitting at the ship''s bow.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester, Felix, and Dagorith ran around, trying to control the ship. However, they were getting very annoyed by now.


    "It thinks we''re fish! It''s trying to eat us!" Sylvester shouted back, as it made the most logical sense. The creature was just doing what it knew the best. "I''ll deal with it."


    With annoyance, Sylvester jumped in the air, as his next move could destroy the ship. He used Light Tiles to walk over to the center of the whirlpool and then summoned his magic. He rarely had to go all out, but he appreciated the chance to do so now.


    "We''re not enemies!" Sylvester roared as he raised his palm toward the sky. He used the abundant natural element there¡ªwater.


    Water surged from below, merging into liquid masses, and collected itself into a massive sphere over Sylvester''s palm. The sphere continued to grow bigger and bigger until it eclipsed the creature''s entire mouth, which alone had a radius of at least a kilometer.


    Once Sylvester felt satisfied, he turned the water sphere into a massive waterspout on his palm, and at that moment, it looked like a gigantic rod. He stopped and turned it into solid, freezing ice.


    He then used the massive ice rod and swung it down with intense force.


    BOOM!


    Water violently sshed around, and the sound wasparable to thunder. The octopus bore the brunt of several blows until its massive tentacles sank into the ocean, and itpletely disappeared. However, the game wasn''t over, as the octopus resurfaced, its six eyes scanning its surroundings to see what had attacked it.


    Its head was so huge that one could call it a mountain. Its one eye alone was bigger than their whole ship. But Sylvester had an enormous ice stick, and he wasn''t ashamed of using it.


    "Stay down! We''re not food." Sylvester swung it down again, striking the octopus right on top of its blob-like head in the center. The hit was so strong that a massive red mark was left behind, and the blob-head caved in at the middle.


    "WRAAAA!" The octopus seethed in rage and tried to attack Sylvester with its countless tentacles.


    But Sylveste swung the ice stick once again.


    BONK!


    He persisted, relentlessly until every ounce of anger and defiance was gone from the creature''s massive eyes. It took a few minutes, but eventually, the lesson was firmly embedded in the creature''s mind.


    Finally, the octopus slipped back into the sea, watching from a distance as the ship sailed away from the area. It certainly wasn''t a great day for the mighty creature of the sea.


    Sylvesternded back on the ship, releasing the ice rod. He pped his hands clean and took the helm again, "Correct the course¡ªWe need to go East, not Northeast!"


    Felix, Dagorith, Sir Dolorem, and even Shadow Knight stared at Sylvester for a few moments. They had never witnessed such a non-violent and yet so violent battle before. The scale was massive, and the beating was deserved, yet they somehow felt bad for the octopus because of the humiliation.


    "You just smacked it to submission," Felix eximed.


    Sylvester shrugged. "If we start killing every creature we meet on our journey, I''m afraid this ocean will turn red."


    "Wisely spoken. They''re simple-minded creatures, acting on instinct," Sir Dolorem sided with Sylvester.


    "Let''s use air elemental crystals and increase our speed," Sylvester proposed to hasten their journey.


    After all, only two months were left until the Chief of Anti-Light''s deadline. He had to im the throne at all costs now. No more detours, no more traveling around.


    Either he was going to be the Pope, or die trying.


    ______________


    Extra:


    Such humiliation, or so thought the mighty Emperor of the Sea, the giant octopus who got smacked to submission. Just minding his own business, swallowing all the fish in the vicinity, and out of nowhere came the tasteless heap of wood.


    It wasn''t his fault it got caught in the whirlpool, thought the gigantic creature. He watched the ship drift away slowly but also noticed the massive white stick thrown off into the ocean that now sailed with the waves.


    Curious and angered, the Emperor of the Sea went closer and took a look. Using dozens of its tentacles, he tried to pick it up and seeded in doing so. But his noodle arms, albeit massive, weren''t that strong.


    BAM!


    He lost grip, and the stick fell on his head once again, in the same ce.


    "Wreee¡­!"


    It hurt, and he got angry. But then a light bulb lit up, and he realized the massive opportunity. The weapon of the mighty had now fallen into his hands. With it, defeating the other Emperors of the Sea was going to be a breeze¡ªwith it, he could be the God of the Sea instead.


    Bubbles of excitement came from the massive octopus'' mouth, and he took the giant ice stick with him to battle against his first and greatest foe, the giant eel.


    "Wrererere¡­" It giggled along the way, dragging the stick with him.


    Sadly, it was only going to be a momentary happiness, as the ice had already started to melt. While he swam with dreams of triumph, he had no idea the humiliation that was headed his way.


    The giant stick may have hit his body, but the greatest injury was yet to befall him¡ªthe injury to his pride.


    _________________


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 Chapter 570 569. Its A Trap

    ?


    The journey continued. Two weeks had passed just like that. They didn''t sleep since, at their level of power, it was more of a leisurely activity than a natural need. Not to mention the weather that didn''t allow them to sleep.


    "I wonder how anyone else managed to cross this sea. This ship is barely holding, and it''s even an elven warship." Dagorith wondered while taking a few minutes of rest in the sunny weather.


    Sylvester had read the books before. "Most of the adventurers who seeded were either powerful or went in with fleets. Thetter ones barely live through it to tell the tale, as only one or two ships survive until the end."


    "...The nectar of the sea,e and see¡­"


    Out of nowhere, a melodious feminine voice echoed in the air, alerting everyone on deck. Springing to their feet, they were ready to fight yet another monster, as they had done countless times. They hade to ept that they had entered a different realm with creatures beyond theirprehension.


    "Women?" Felix eximed.


    "Don''t drool." Sylvester joked and looked ahead. The voices were indeed very melodious, too melodious¡ªalmost magical.


    ?Whispers on the breeze, entwined in moonlit dance,


    In my embrace, let''s share a stolen, fleeting chance.


    Fingers brush like waves, a slow and tender trance,


    Closer, my ocean''s yearning, let passion''s tide enhance.?


    The four men and one ghost exchanged nces once they heard the song. The words were very suggestive, and tried to lure them in for a good time. It even seemed to have some effect on their minds, but they were just too mentally powerful to be fooled that easily.


    "She sounds desperate," Felix muttered and took out his sword. "Let''s end their misery. This voice can only belong to something unholy."


    Sylvester had no idea, honestly. So, he went closer to the edge of the deck to get a better look. In the distance, he noticed a few figures floating in the calm sea. They were women with exposed breasts, with only half of their bodies visible. They looked extremely beautiful, blonde, redheaded, and ck-haired. They came in all shapes, sizes, and types.


    "Aw¡­" Miraj voiced. "They''re so poor. Let''s donate some clothes for them."


    Sylvester chuckled and shook his head. Intuitively, he felt these were far from actual women. "What do you think, Shadow Knight?"


    The ancient ghostly creature also looked on with curiosity. "It''s a trap."


    BOOM!


    Just then, thunder erupted in the sky, and they all noticed the shadows in the sea. Right beneath the women, there was an enormous figure of a creature. The women were just tentacles connected to the creature''s mouth¡ªand the unknown beast had its jaw open, waiting for its prey.


    ?Embrace my depths, fulfill each whispered plea,


    Eternal sire of mine, let our desires roam free.


    Through rising tides of yearning, let your heart''s fire be,


    Surrender to the sea''s allure, in passion''s ebb and flow, we''ll be.?


    Sylvester felt his scalp tingle. He was sure that this creature most likely had some magical effect on minds. They just didn''t feel anything. The shadows had already shown them that it was some eldritch horror as well, and they had no desire to find out more.


    At that moment, even Sylvester caught a faint scent he wished he hadn''t. The bitterness was very vague, so he refrained from investigating further.


    "Move! Change the course. If it can use humannguage, then it has intelligence¡ªthat means it''s a monster we don''t want to mess with." Sylvester bellowed and used wind magic to change their course quickly.


    They made as much distance between them as possible and hurriedly away from the area. The entire time, they heard the fading song of the creature. Thankfully it seemed to be bound to one spot and didn''t follow them.


    However, that brief encounter made Sylvester consider something. "I don''t think this ever-changing weather is due to nature. The creature we met was perhaps on-par with a Supreme Wizard, and I have no doubt there could be more like it lurking down there somewhere in the uncharted depths. Only a god would know what they''re capable of¡ªperhaps affect the weather?"


    Sir Dolorem, who stood beside him to take the helm in the emergency, agreed with him and recounted his own experiences from his long life. "We haven''t fully explored thend that we walk on yet, so if wepare them to the ocean''s secrets, we know nothing."


    "Indeed. Like that unknown creature hiding under the Wild Forge in the ckhart Kingdom." Sylvester recalled his adventure in the Sorrow Kingdom. "I terminated the exploration because I sensed absolute death there¡ªI do not doubt that I''m still no match for whatever resides there."


    At that, the Shadow Knight spoke. "Consider it a lesson, Sylvester Maximilian. You can never consider yourself the strongest man in the world unless you''ve scoured every inch of ocean andnd. But that task alone may be so dangerous that just to attempt it, most can''t withstand."


    "And I have no such grand dreams. As long as I can create peace, that would be the end of my work and schemes." Sylvester responded.


    "Haha." The Shadow Knightughed instead, an unprecedented urrence. "Then prepare to be a ve to maintain that peace forever. Only absolute power can bring an end to your endeavor. But absolute power absolutely corrupts. Whether you sumb or resist, only time will tell. Until then, you have monumental foes to defeat and grand mysteries to quell."


    Sylvester, unable to answer him at that moment, steered the ship through the waves in silence. Their journey entered thest stretch, atst. But as home came closer, he began to worry about a foe he knew he couldn''t defeat with schemes or might. His eye''s shining light, at that moment, started to seem not as bright.


    ''How can I win against the Saint Scepter?''


    His mind was clearly focused, but he failed to notice the moves had already been made in the grand game of chess. While he yed games many moves ahead, someone had been ying it for centuries already. For him, it was no time to be wary but rather to finish the game he had directed for centuries, hard and steady.


    ¡­


    A total of three weeks¡ªit was the time it took the team to arrive at the shores of Nond Kingdom, in the north of West Sol. It was a new kingdom that Sylvester had built out of the Masan Empire. Sitting at thep of Pentapeak Moutain Range, the kingdom provided Sylvester and his team a direct route toward the New Holy Land.


    By the time they arrived on shore, the ship had taken on an almost ghost-ship-like appearance. Having met with countless monsters and seen years-worth of creepiness in such a short time, theye out stronger than ever before.


    Wasting no time, the four took horses from Lakeview City and headed off to the east. Being onnd was truly the best, and the big smiles on their faces made it very obvious. The people, the noises, and the street dogs, everything seemed so much more charming all of a sudden.


    "I''ve never been to the West," Felix muttered.


    "Much has changed." Dagorith felt it as well, despite being from the West. "It was never this lively, and the roads¡­ they''re now well-paved. I remember Masan only having dirt roads for the most part."


    "That was because wealth was centralized in the capital. The empire was too big for the distribution of funds to be equal. Now with multiple kingdoms, it''s easier to focus on public services. It was my suggestion to the new kings to focus on infrastructure since it can help the people for generations." Sylvester exined, feeling satisfied that his chosen kings were doing well.


    Without stopping, they easily traveled to the Blessed ins, the edge of Nond Kingdom, sharing borders with the New Holy Land. On the way, they stopped a few times to eat, once to help a family of elephants stuck in a ditch and another time to punish a corrupt town chief. Being the highest members of the Church was a permanent job, and they couldn''t ignore injustice.


    Finally, they arrived at the high cliff above which Sandwall County was located, which now housed the New Holy Land. They stopped and waited for the gates to open so that they could enter the cliff''s inclined tunnel.


    The entire time, Sylvester kept an eye on Felix. He could smell the scent of broken emotions, but he didn''t interrupt him from feeling them.


    Soon enough, the gates opened with the sound of heavy metal scraping against the stone. A small crowd appeared on the other side, led by the Inquisitor High Lord. The others stood behind him. It seemed like a congregation of Grand Wizards gathered in one ce.


    Sylvester created a halo behind his head. "May the Holy Light enlighten us. The excursion to Beastaria was fruitful and sessful, despite a few issues."


    "Wee back, Your Holiness." The Inquisitor High Lord spoke. "The preparations have been made as per your demand. We now merely await yourmand."


    Sylvester nodded but didn''t talk about the topic. He sidled over and gently kicked the back of Felix''s armor, nudging him toward Isabe, who stood behind her guards in a fine regal white gown. "Girl, no need to find a shoulder to cry on anymore. Here you go, I found your boy¡ªHe may look like a ballsack right now, but we''ll get him fixed soon."


    "Pff¡­" Dagorith tried to hold in hisugh, while Sir Dolorem smiled. They had seen Felix''s face on their voyage many times.


    Shocked and struggling with disbelief, Isabe stared at Felix''s tall figure, donning his ck armor, looking very imposing with his visor. She walked closer toward him, her hands slowly rising to hold him. "Y-You''re not lying¡­ Are you Sylvester?"


    "I would never," Sylvester replied solemnly and silently watched the two. For Felix, perhaps she was the only person he could actually call family. They were close, but friendship and romantic feelings were different. He had no delusions about them.


    Isabe was slightly more than a head shorter than Felix. She looked up at his visor while standing close enough that her body touched his armor. Her arms made their way up, and she tried to remove the visor.


    "You''ll hate it." Felix stopped her, holding her hands gently in his gauntlet-d hands.


    Unperturbed, she shook her head and persisted. Felix''s resistance waned, and she sessfully pulled the ck visor off. In that instant, a sizzling sound of something burning reached her ears.


    Then, sheid her eyes on him. A gasp left her mouth, and tears welled at the corners of her eyes. But she didn''t cower and raised her palm to touch his cheek, despite having hideous deep red cracks and charred skin.


    "Ah¡­!" She yelped briefly as Felix''s skin was hot enough to vaporize water.


    But then she locked her gray eyes with his and forgot the pain in her palm, continuing to let it rest on his face, even caressing his skin. "D-Does it hurt?"


    Felix, holding back his emotions from pouring out uncontrobly, nodded firmly.


    "A lot¡­"


    _________________


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 Chapter 571 570. A Hopeless Future

    ?


    After the heartfelt reunion of Felix and Isabe, everyone entered the New Holy Land''s Pope''s Pce. The city was almostplete by that point, and all of its major infrastructure had been constructed. What was left now were minor tasks for beautification and modernity, but Sylvester pushed all that to the back of his mind, at least until the end of the current crisis.


    As they entered the Pope''s Pce, Sylvester saw the major wide streets being worked on by many dwarves and humans. It appeared that the tram''s rail lines were being ced, and wooden electricity poles were also being erected to power the machine. It was a glimpse of the future that he saw with his own eyes. But sadly, the task at hand felt so monumental that the future felt utterly uncertain.


    "You crossed the Darkpit Sea?" Gabriel eximed after he met with Felix and heard about the adventures. "Is it really that scary?"


    "Yes." Sylvester, Sir Dolorem, Felix, and Dagorith replied simultaneously. They had no desire ever to go there again because they were sure they hadn''t even met the strongest of the monsters there yet.


    "How was Beastaria?" The Inquisitor High Lord asked. "It''s been ages since I was there. It was mysterious and deadly if one wasn''t always beware."


    "It''s still the same, and perhaps even more dangerous now. The Supreme Wizard tier demon residing in the Divider Swamp is slowly devouring everything nearby. The species there aren''t going to have many pleasant days ahead." Sylvester revealed with considerable annoyance in his tone. It was yet another challenge, yet another headache.


    Sir Dolorem chimed in, as he still considered the Inquisitor High Lord his boss. "Right before we returned, the Demon poisoned the entire Merkin''s Sea. All the Merkins were forced toe out and take refuge with the dwarves."


    "I can see this demonic problem spilling towards us eventually." Bishop Lazak added, who was also there, and walked alongside them toward the main meeting hall.


    Sylvester didn''t speak any further and entered therge hall that was made to look like a royal court. However, Sylvester had ensured the seats didn''t have any difference. Even if he sat in the head seat at the far end of the hall, the others weren''t made to feel a sense of inferiority.


    "So what should we prepare for first?" The Duchess of Normany, Lady Bethany, also a Grand Wizard, asked.


    "We need to start preparing for the Demon. Our history books describe an instance when such a demon killed not only the Pope but also five of the Guardians," Gabriel suggested, being the man who had read the most books there.


    The discussion continued among them. They fervently talked about their next moves or strategies for reiming the Holy Land. Their armies had grown huge by now. However, a Supreme Wizard sat at the helm of the Holy Land. It was a single man, but with enough power to be a deciding factor.


    "Since a battle seems inevitable, why don''t wey siege to the Holy Land?" Felix suggested. "No matter how much we n here, it would be redundant the moment Saint Scepter enters the field."


    "It would be suicide," Dagorith eximed.


    "Better than sitting around and doing nothing," Soulbreaker added, heating up the arguments a little.


    The entire time, Sylvester remained silent, listening to them. His mind waspletely empty, as there was simply no way to defeat something that held supreme power. Their struggle wasparable to an ant trying to oppose a human''s foot set on stepping on it. The ant could run all it wants or scheme all it wants, but at the end of the day, it remained an ant.


    Seeing Sylvester quiet, the Inquisitor High Lord turned his attention to him. "Your Holiness, weeks ago, from the northern cold, an undead brought a letter¡ªEmperor Lich''s words it holds."


    Sylvester shook himself out of the daze and focused. "Where''s the letter?"


    Quickly, Bishop Lazark walked over from his seat, "Lord Inquisitor asked me to check if it had any curses. I haven''t opened it yet."


    Sylvester took it, noticing its somewhat damaged condition. He wondered what sort of adventures the undead went through to bring it there. But with a positive heart and hope, he opened it and read it silently.


    [To Sylvester Maximilian,


    My bones cluttered together in delight to see a missive from another sentient being. The north is harsh, if not on my body, but surely it can affect the mind. Forgive me for responding sote, for the letter was stolen by an eagle, and my undead, General Bob, had to go on a harsh adventure to get it back.


    s, I have read it and heard your call for assistance. But, considering so much time has passed, I believe it''s better to check with you again if you need my help.


    I still haven''t forgotten your help in releasing me from Masan''s vile control. Furthermore, you went ahead and destroyed the entire Masan Empire¡ªmy jaw cackled in excitement for weeks upon learning of this development.


    If you need my assistance, a simple sign will suffice. Perhaps a blinding ray of light from the peak of Mount Quaris will do. With that, I shalle forth with my army of a thousand brigades¡ªI''m also looking into obtaining an undead dragon pet. Perhaps I may even fly to you in such an event.


    Your Friend,


    Raz Mi''ul Naseer]


    Sylvester finished reading and let out a sigh. "Such are the times; an Emperor Lich has more etiquette, honor, and integrity than half of the realm. He''s willing toe and aid us with his millions of undead."


    "Finally, some good news!" Gabriel breathed a sigh of relief. "With a Supreme Wizard Lich with us, our chances of winning are almost certain now. The Holy Land no longer has any Grand Wizards, and most other decent-minded Clergymen have aligned with us."


    Sylvester shook his head and rose from his seat. He paced in the middle of the hall, where all eyes were fixed on him. "It seems none of you understand the situation yet. We''re not fighting the Holy Land. It became mine the moment Niel challenged me to a duel. Saint Sceptor himself told me that I am free to take the throne¡ªSo our battle now is only with Saint Sceptor¡ªa man who''s been pulling the strings in the Church for centuries.


    "Do you think he doesn''t know about our Emperor Lich friend? Do you think he doesn''t know our strengths and weaknesses? That man has powers we have yet toprehend¡ªwe can''t even remember him unless we write his name on walls and our bodies." Sylvester didn''t hold himself back from letting everyonee face-to-face with reality. It was necessary since they were all the strongest and the most important members of his new church administration.


    "But isn''t this better? We only have to defeat one man." Isabe questioned, not as confident, being aware of her ownck of battle experience.


    Sylvester shook his head, "I was overconfident not too long ago, so I went to investigate the Divider Swamp in Beastaria. That Demon, with its mere aura, brought me closer to death than I''d ever been before. My pride and overconfidence in my powers nearly had me killed.


    "So let''s not make the same mistakes, because this Saint Sceptor is, in all likelihood, stronger than that Demon¡ªBecause while that Demon is at best slightly more than a century old, the Saint Sceptor has lived through multiple centuries while holding a position of power."


    Faces turned downward in the hall, taking his words as lessons and calling for some introspection. Of course, none of them had fought against a Supreme Wizard before because there were so few of them in the world, and they usually avoided fighting.


    Sylvester continued with his reality check, "A fight with Saint Scepter is inevitable, just as Felix said. I don''t know what his motives are or who he serves. But I''ll be honest with you all today¡ªWhen I imagine a future, I can''t see myself surviving this battle."


    Instantly, an invisible strong hug tightened around Sylvester''s neck. It was Miraj firmly squeezing Sylvester, worried deeply.


    As for the others, they looked down at their feet, even the Inquisitor High Lord. It stood as a stark truth¡ªthey were no match for Saint Scepter. Even if the Emperor Lich came, they had to take into ount that Saint Scepter lived and ruled the Church for so long¡ªthe man likely had the absolute means to deal with any sort of undead.


    In short, they were simply powerless. They could try, yet many of them would die, and that was a grim certainty. But the thought of Sylvester''s death¡ªthat was the most haunting part, for they saw him as the Church''s future. Their hopes were all tied to his existence.


    "But victory must be achieved with our own hands." Sylvester continued, trying not to shatter their will to fight. "For it will give us the rightful im as the real inheritors of the faith. Forget your tears, forget your families, and forget your pain¡ªI cannot win alone, so if you stand with me, your peak strength you must retain. We cannot quit until only our side remains¡ªwith or without me."


    Of course, Sylvester had no wish to die, but after the incident with the Demon, he epted reality no matter how harsh it may be.


    After all, for an ant, even a heavy drop of rain could be lethal. So he knew his life was also feeble. In front of the supreme might, he was just another tiny needle.


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 572 571. Just The Boys Talking

    ?


    Beastaria, Alfia


    "Why won''t you tell me who that elf was? Why are you hiding such things from me? I''m your queen!"


    "Did your father send you?" Rathagun, without an ounce of love or kindness in his words, scowled at his wife while continuing to write. "My answer has been consistent. I do not know who he was. The court has dismissed the matter; why do you still insist?"


    Delimira looked at her husband''s face. "You know better than I. If another Supreme Wizard exists among elves, then your throne would be in danger. Yet, I see you smile and show joy you''ve never shown before¡ªIt makes me wonder."


    "Wonder about what?" Rathagun asked back."The greatest threat to my throne doesn''te from some unknown elf, but your father. To this day, he continues to try and rally the elders to force me out of the throne if I don''t make an offspring with you."


    "And why don''t you?" She questioned him, having suffered enough. "You''re the King; they wouldn''t dare speak ill of you. Do you have any idea of the rumors those vile court women spread about me? They ce the me for our childlessness on me¡ªI''m ''damaged goods'', they say!"


    Rathagun got up and walked closer to his queen. He pushed her back until she was pressed against a wall, and then he ced his palm on her belly. "I guess we''ll never know."


    Tears welled up in Dalimira''s emerald eyes. "I''ve remained pure all my life, my King¡ªI was isted from the world, confined within apound with only female servants aspanions. It was all in preparation for you, the King."


    King Rathagun pressed his fingers against her stomach. His gaze locked onto Delimira''s eyes. "Again, with those crocodile tears. Your beauty can allure me, but it will never fool me¡ªYou want a child in this womb? Then what? Do anything you can to poison me? Kill me? Make the little child the new ruler while you act as the regent? I''ve been tutored by your father¡ªI know what he''s like. I may one day see you as a woman, and perhaps even love you for some foolish reason¡ªbut he will always see you as a puppet to be used¡ªa thing¡­ ''goods'', as you said."


    King Rathagun stepped back and returned to his table, "Leave. I have work to do."


    "Then why don''t you kill him, my father?" Queen Delimira asked him, staring at him proudly with a mix of hatred and fear.


    "Haha!" Rathagunughed. "And start a civil war? My queen, please leave before you utter even more foolishness. y your petty gossip games with your ves, that suits you well."


    Delimira''s brows furrowed, a flush of anger painting her face. She wanted to jump on her husband and beat him to a pulp, but sadly, she knew the difference in their power was astronomical. With a long sigh, she swallowed her anger and left the room.


    "Close the door!"


    She gritted her teeth and left. Taking long strides outside in the green carpeted corridor, she headed to the gardens to seek sce and solitude. She had done it many times before, so this was just another day.


    ¡­


    Sylvester issued orders to Aurora to travel to the New Holy Land with Xavia. He also ryed the same message to Lord Einarr, King, and Queen Hignd. He decided to gather all the powerhouses andunch the final strike since the date given by the Chief of Anti-Light was drawing near. He already had a headache because of one Supreme Wizard and didn''t want another toe after his life.


    As the evening came closer, some loud noises started to erupt in the city. At the port on the Snake River, a few ships donning the sails of Riveria had arrived, and many Inquisitors disembarked.


    Atst, Griffin and Louis reached the New Holy Land after their voyage from the Beastaria. Initially, they were told to make their way to River City, as it gave direct river ess to the New Holy Land.


    Since the atmosphere was tense, no feast was held. The Inquisitors were shown to their barracks for some rest, while Sylvester took Griffin and Louis with himself to the Pope''s Pce''s terrace. There, Gabriel had arranged a modest barbecue, a table, and some chairs. As the night enveloped the sky, the starry sky and the soothing wind were somewhat refreshing, mixed with the scent of food.


    Out of the few God''s Favored who hadpleted all eight years of their study, only they were the ones left. Felix had already withdrawn from the race, despite finishing the School of Dawn from God''s Favored ss; Augustus had passed away, and Griffin and Louis had no heart to fight for the spot anymore. As for Gabriel, he had left the God''s Favored ss some years before graduation as the risk to his life got too high.


    "You look¡­ like you had quite an adventure." Blonde-haired Louis told Felix.


    "Reeducation," Felix replied.


    "Fuck!" Griffin instantly cursed. He didn''t know what it was exactly but knew enough to fear it. "Must have been painful. Can it be healed?"


    "Max says he can, but only time will tell. Enough about me. What have you two been up to? I see some scars here and there." Felix shifted the topic from his appearance, "Did you two manage to find women and settle down?"


    Griffin sighed and took a sip of tea. "I had one, but she died from an infection. I don''t think I''ll stray from the faith again."


    "Mine got married to someone else," Louis replied. "At the age of sixteen¡ªwho does that? We justpleted our School of Dawn at that age."


    Sylvester helped Gabriel bring over the tes and sat down. "Too convenient, I''d say. Chances are, your rtionships didn''t end because of fate but because of Saint Seer. That vile backstabbing man tried to do it to all of us¡ªhe tried to kill my Mum. He killed Augustus'' family, and Felix already despised his own. His goal was to ensure we couldn''t think of a life away from the faith."


    Griffin and Louis sighed and looked down in annoyance. It had been years since they lost their sweethearts, yet the pain still lingered within them.


    "After we did so much for the faith, this is how they repay us?" Louis muttered angrily. "Do they not fear the wrath of Solis?"


    "They didn''t, and that''s why they''re now suffering there. Left as a mere shadow of the greatness the Holy Land used to be." Sylvester replied, slowly eating his fill. "The whole God''s Favored ideology was wed from the start. To pit us against one another, watch us die over the years. It made us weaker and individualistic rather than strong and united."


    "Amen," Gabriel mumbled. "After I left God''s Favored ss and went to a normal ss for wizards and knights, life greatly changed. We were cared for, stopped from doing anything life-threatening, and bullying was strictly forbidden¡ªwe often pitied you few in the God''s Favored ss. Even now, I can''t fathom the purpose behind those deadly tasks."


    "They wanted to choose a Pope, not a preacher in some monastery," Felix interjected. "They wanted a guy with the best survival and offensive skills. Why do you think our beauty here is now the unofficial Pope?"


    "Pfft¡­!"


    "Haha¡­ beauty indeed."


    The boysughed at Felix''s title for Sylvester. But in a way, it was true since everyone else looked visibly scarred. Even Gabriel looked like he had aged by decades and had dark circles under his eyes. Yet, in Sylvester''s case¡ªhe remained as wless as ever.


    "And he can''t grow a beard," Felix added.


    Sylvester grunted at that; truly a low blow. "Says the man who looks like a ballsack."


    "Bwahaha¡­" Louis bellowed. "Now that you mention it¡­ yes, he looks like it! Oh Lord!"


    Felix scoffed, "You should be thest man tough, boy. Your girl married another¡ªyou got cucked."


    "..."


    Louis frowned, "We were never intimate. So it doesn''t count¡ªI''m still unsullied, after all."


    Felix proudly raised his chin. "Ugh¡­ I''m surrounded by virgins, along with the Emperor of all virgins. Meanwhile, look at me¡­ Do you know who my girl is? She''s so beautiful and loving¡­ O'' Isabe, against the rain of gloom, she''s my umbre!"


    "Ugh, I feel my hair rising." Gabriel made a disgusted face.


    Sylvester chuckled and allowed them to goof around and banter. He had no idea how any of them were going toe out alive in the end or what the future held¡ªIn that fleeting moment that night, he wanted to cherish their camaraderie.


    "Felix, tell me something." Gabriel started. "Is your little brother also like your face?"


    "..."


    "WAIT!" Felix bellowed in anger. "I¡­ I can''t take off this armor! Max, please help your brother out. Rip it off; at least from one region."


    "What if your little brother came off with it?" Sylvester asked back, instantly shutting Felix down.


    "Oh, I''ll wait then..."


    Amidst theughter, sharing stories of pain and kindness, they ate till their hearts were content. After years of struggle, it might have been the first night they hade together to rest like that.


    "By the way, I don''t like the name of this city. The New Holy Land¡ªIt''s too long." Felixined while looking at thendscape. "I don''t want to call it Sandwall either, so suggest some new names for me."


    They all rubbed their chins or heads and thought about names.


    "How about¡­ Snake City, because it''s by the Snake River?" Louis suggested.


    Gabriel rejected. "Too in. How about Nova Sria? Fitting for a city with a Pope''s pce."


    "I like long names¡ªSandingsnow City," Griffin added.


    All faces turned to the Inquisitor Commander in disgust because of his horrible suggestion. But in the end, all eyes settled on Sylvester.


    In deep thought, Sylvester stayed seated and patted the cat who sat on hisp. "Hmm¡­ A city that serves as Sandwall County''s capital, and also a second Holy Land¡ªHow about¡­ Miraj City?"


    "Meaningful name," Felix eximed. "It''s decided then. From now on, the seat of power for the Sandwall family shall be Miraj City!"


    "Meow?!"


    Everyone''s heads looked around, trying to find the cat.


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 573 572. Ones Peace Is Anothers Chaos

    ?


    The night may have passed, eating and talking, but Felix wasn''t satisfied with just the boys. So as the morning came closer, he entered the well-guarded room, protected by two Grand Wizards of the Gracia royal family. But no one stopped him, and he simply walked in and gently closed the door behind him.


    "I''m afraid I can''t remove this armor right now, so you''ll have to wait some more," Felix said as he watched Isabe sheepishly waking up in her bed.


    She shrugged and just waved her arms to call him closer, "I know¡­ I was waiting for you all this time. I wanted to talk."


    "Sylvester invited the other Ex-God''s Favored, and we just talked with no end." Felix didn''t feelfortable taking off his visor when with her, so he sat down by her on therge bed. "What did you want to talk about?"


    Isabe pulled him back so his body wouldy by her side. In armor, he looked like a giant, but she didn''t mind. Though she also removed his visor, locking eyes with him. "About our marriage."


    Felix sighed, lying straight on the bed, focusing on the ceiling above. "Isabe, the Church didn''t just burn me. They also took away my ability to father children. If you marry me, we might never be able to have children. Your bloodline will end, and¡­ Max said he''ll be able to heal mepletely once he bes a Supreme Wizard, but it can take decades or even centuries."


    Isabe nestled closer to him and hugged his side. "Until now, Sylvester has never broken any promise he''s made to anyone. If he''s confident that he can heal you, then I believe him. But in any case, I don''t care if we can have children or not¡ªI just don''t want to be alone anymore. Other than you, I won''t ept anyone else by my side."


    "Even Max? He was your first interest, wasn''t he?" Felix jokingly asked, not insecure at all, since Sylvester was perhaps the only man he knew who was actually devotedly focused on faith and adhering to abstinence for it.


    She chuckled, remembering the old days. "True, he was quite dazzling back then. He still is, but now I understand him better as a person. He never looked at me from the eyes of a lustful man back then. He only saw my stature as the Princess. We became friends, but initially, I was just a tool for him¡ªdon''t take me the wrong way; I can understand his way of thinking. I can only see him as a friend and the Pope now, and I''m certain he''ll stand by us, at the very least."


    "Haha¡­ That''s so Sylvester. To him, everyone''s a pawn until he''s certain of their character. When I was in Beastaria or reeducation, I often wondered about him, having nothing better to do. Sylvester is¡­ weird. I''ve known him since we were eight years old, and his intelligence has remained brilliant since the day I met him. It''s as though he was born already at his peak.


    "I asked others too, who knew him before I did, and they said the same thing. Singing at the age of a month, studying books, casting his first magic spell in front of Sir Dolorem when he was only five months old¡­ Isabe¡­" Felix paused for a few seconds, weighing his words carefully. "What if he has a secret name hidden between Sylvester and Maximillian as well?"


    Isabe gasped, her gaze fixed on Felix''s face. "But¡­ Why would he fight Saint Scepter, then? Shouldn''t they have the same goals?"


    "It''s impossible to understand what goes on in his mind. I''ve asked him before, and he always says he''s doing everything for one thing, and that''s peace. It''s hard to believe such reasoning." Felix replied, sounding confused himself. "I guess we can only hope for the best and continue to put our faith in him as we have until now."


    "Where is he?" Isabe inquired.


    Felix looked toward the window. "He left to climb Mount Quaris and signal Emperor Lich toe."


    "Alone?"


    "Yeah, he said he wants some time to think about the future. He''s not very confident in fighting Saint Scepter."


    Isabe rubbed her head with one hand. "Ugh, I keep forgetting about him."


    Felix felt the same. "We all do, and that''s why he''s so dangerous. He might be here in the castle, moving about, and nobody would know."


    They both silently rested. While Isabe closed her eyes to sleep, Felix''s strength allowed him to stay awake for extended periods of time. Although he found some warmth in Isabe''s embrace, his mind was filled with questions.


    ¡­


    Sylvester withdrew his hands from the wall and opened his eyes. He allowed the Srium he had sent out to return to his body. A sigh left his lips as he prepared to travel north for Mount Quaris.


    ''So Felix has started to question things. After learning about the secret of my heritage, it was inevitable.'' Sylvester pondered silently. ''At least the scents haven''t changed to mistrust yet.''


    "Let''s go, Chonky. It''s going to be a quick trek into the mountains," Sylvester was ready to jump off.


    "WAIT!" Miraj stopped him. "Let''s take Ashra with us. She loves snow, and probably misses it."


    Sylvester remembered the gigantic Mythril snake he had adopted. Indeed, she had lived almost all her life in the Pentapeak Mountain Range. "Good idea. Let''s take her along."


    Sylvester quickly went to the massive treasury of the Pope''s Pce and found Ashra sitting on the big pile of gold, emitting faint snores. She opened her eyes soon enough, and her face lit up upon spotting her favorite human.


    "Let''s go to the mountains, girl," Sylvester treated her like a child since her intelligence didn''t extend beyond that. "Just the three of us."


    Ashra looked left and right, looking for the third person.


    "Meow!"


    The moment she heard Miraj''s voice, she smiled even more. He was the official trantor between them, after all.


    After making preparations and adding protection to the treasury, Sylvester sneaked Ashra out of the city through the tunnels that the dwarves had dug. He soon found himself north of the city, near the entrance to the mountain range.


    Avoiding the Great Chasms, they promptly entered the mountains since it was like a second home to Ashra. She knew all the paths and tricks to find routes. Sylvester only had to sit on her head and chat with her the entire time.


    On their way, they encountered a lot of Southerners mining in some ces. Some were running small individual operations, while others undertook expansive industrial-scale projects. But seeing all the destruction and disregard for nature, Sylvester felt slightly annoyed. He wasn''t against extracting resources, but didn''t want it to be too exploitative toward nature. As it also disturbs the wildlife.


    "Perhaps new regtions for resource extraction could do the job," Sylvester contemted his options and continued going north toward Forth Mundo, which once belonged to the violent faction of the Mountain Barbarians. But now it was a monastery outpost manned by four people, three priests and one Archpriest.


    Miraj and Ashra loved their outing into the mountains, as they got the chance to meet many wild animals.


    "Maxy, look! Big elephant! Or is it a big sheep?" Miraj chirped excitedly, jumping on Sylvester''s head.


    "That''s a wooly mammoth, Chonky." Sylvester corrected him and observed the magnificent creatures from a distance. They were beautiful and numerous. There were even many young ones. Clearly, the wildlife poption had increased after the Mountain Barbarians moved down south.


    Over time, they found various other snow animals. From bears to lions, wolves to other giant snakes. But still, Ashra remained the apex predator there, causing all other creatures to yield to her presence.


    Eventually, they drew closer to Fort Mundo. But just before they proceeded toward it, they saw some smokeing from the west. Considering they were too deep into the mountains, where mining activity was virtually nonexistent, it got Sylvester interested but also worried.


    "Ashra, head towards that smoke on the left," he told the snake.


    Ashra hissed and quickly changed her course. She picked up speed and sted through various small trees since she was too big.


    "Hiss¡­!"


    BAM!


    Finally, she rammed through what seemed like an artificial wall made of wood. As they arrived inside, they noticed arge bonfire and a few people sitting around it. It resembled a makeshift camp, but when Sylvester nced at the cone-shaped tents erected there, he remembered the barbarians.


    Using the barbarian nativenguage, Sylvester questioned their identity. Because, as far as he knew, he had already relocated them all to the Duchy of Iceling. "Bring forth your leader!"


    ''It''s mostly women and children here. Did the men go hunting?'' Sylvester concluded and jumped down from Ashra''s head.


    The women and children were wearing crude garments made from the hide of various animals. They looked exactly like the barbarians from years ago.


    "Speak to me, or I''ll make her destroy your camp," Sylvester threatened without mercy. "Thisndes under the Church''s jurisdiction. What are you doing here? Did Elder Chief Koruk send you here?"


    The women first quickly ushered their children into the biggest tent, then raised their spears. Surprisingly, the spears didn''t seem crude and were likely made in the South.


    At that moment, the eldest of the women came forward and spoke. She had long, white braided hair, an arched back, and walked with the help of a cane. "We are from Elder Koruk''s city."


    "Then what are you doing here? Making a new camp without permission," Sylvester questioned them.


    The woman quickly replied, stuttering in fear of Ashra''s presence. "W-We chose to return to the mountains. We tried our best, but we didn''t like our lives in the South. W-We believe in Solis¡­ Lord¡­ We are good people."


    Sylvester nced around and noticed the ample use of southern items. The utensils were also well made. There were also some sigils of Solis here and there.


    ''To any Southerner, this life would seem full of hardships. But for these barbarians, this is easy.'' Sylvester realized it and took a softer tone with them.


    "What didn''t you like in the South?" He asked.


    The woman answered. "Lord¡­ Everything was too fast in the South, and we felt unease¡­ Everyone was hungry for gold rather than the fulfillment of life¡­ There, we didn''t find any peace."


    Taken aback, Sylvester looked at everyone''s faces. They didn''t seem like they were forced to live there, evident by the scent of determination to protect their home.


    ''Everyone has a different definition of peace¡ªI''m the one who ruined it for them, as is Saint Scepter for me.'' Sylvester thought to himself and withdrew his steps.


    _________________


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 Chapter 574 573. Saint Scepters Web

    Chapter 574 573. Saint Scepter''s Web


    Sylvester didn''t have anyints about them living in the mountains as long as they had already embraced the faith of Solis. So he bid them farewell, fixed their wall, and left additional clothes for their people.


    He continued his way up and soon entered the extremely cold north, where everything was either white as snow or ck as stones. Ashra''s size prevented them from falling into any ravines, and she already knew the pathway to the peak, so they found no trouble in reaching it.


    But still, even at Ashra''s speed, it took them a few hours to climb the summit. The higher they got, the less oxygen Ashra had to sustain herself at her peak. However, she didn''t feel the cold, as her Mythril scales protected her. Meanwhile, Chonky remained hidden inside Sylvester''s robes, inside his chest te, while only poking his head out.


    Once they reached the top, Sylvester began drawing an elder rune circle on the snow itself. He ensured it was big enough so the beam would be visible. The srium was in plenty, as the mountain peaks were closer to the sun, and no trees or animals were around to consume it.


    "Move back, Ashra." Sylvester prepared to activate the Elder Rune after ensuring it had enough srium. "This will be very bright, so you might want to close your eyes."


    Finally, Sylvester ced his palms on the rune circle and activated the magic. He tried to use a version of the Wrath of Heavens, one of his strongest moves. However, this time, the goal was more spectacle than destruction. But still, to activate it, he had to sing a hymn.


    ?In the realm where mighty soar, I summon the sun''s radiant core. A sigil of endings, of battles begun, Evil''s dark deeds shall be overrun.?


    ?By moon, by stars, by fiery sun''s embrace,


    Till the final shadow flees, leaving no trace,


    Let the celestial choir sing and ze,


    May undying light conquer, setting aze.?


    BOOM!


    The big, twenty-meter-wide rune circle that Sylvester had drawn on the snow lit up with magical light, bright red against the cold backdrop, almost taking on a golden hue. It gathered in one spot for a few seconds and then, with a deafening roar, soared into the sky like a beacon.


    It went far into the sky, further than one''s eyes could see. It radiated powerfully, but its heat was negligible. Far and wide, be it Sol or Beastaria, the cold icy home of the undead in the north, or the desert of the ckhart Kingdom¡ªsome saw it as a grand shining pir in the sky, and some saw it as a distant little twig, leaving its actual size to their imagination.


    Never before had Sylvester thought that helping an undead would bring him such a boon in the future. It was something he never used to do before in his past life¡ªhelping. When there was no benefit to oneself, it was foolish to put oneself in danger. That was the lesson he had learned time and time again. But now, going against those beliefs had perhaps gained him his strongest ally.


    For over ten minutes, Sylvester allowed the beacon of light to shine continuously. Once he felt the srium in the air depleting too much, he stopped by breaking the rune circle. Just as the light had appeared, it vanished.


    "Hisss¡­!"


    Sylvester looked back at Ashra, "What happened?"


    "Maxy, she said she wants to slide down the mountain." Miraj tranted.


    "..."


    Sylvester peered at the vast distance below from the peak where he stood. "We''re over ten thousand meters high. Are you sure?"


    Ashra nodded her colossal head. "Hisss Shhhh¡­"


    "She said she''s done it many times," Miraj added.


    Sylvester had no worries and even had a fun idea, "How about a race to see who reaches the bottom first?"


    Ashra turned her head in confusion like a puppy, wondering if Sylvester was also going to slide down.


    To her surprise, Sylvester conjured t boards beneath each of his feet, made out of hardened light magic that Sylvester was a master of. "I''ll ski down¡ªjust like you."


    "Hsssss¡­!" Ashra excitedly hissed and agreed to race him.


    She was his responsibility, after all. So Sylvester was just trying to make Ashra happy. "Whenever you''re ready, you can start. I''ll follow."


    Woosh!


    Without hesitation, Ashra leaped from the cliff and mmed down onto a massive pile of snow. She clearly enjoyed it and slithered down, rolling and sliding.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester followed her closely, keeping a watchful eye just in case she fell somewhere too dangerous. But still, to keep itpetitive, he asionally surged ahead.


    "Meooooow!" Miraj screamed excitedly while stuck on Sylvester''s chest. "I love this! Faster, Maxy¡­ Let''s beat her!"


    They weren''t ordinary people, and that was a fact. Sylvester didn''t care about any descents, no matter how steep they were. Meanwhile, Ashra had to be slightly careful in a few ces where too many stones were piled together.


    It took them hours to climb, but at their speed, they had already crossed the halfway mark by the third minute. And as they came closer to the base, the snow became ideal terrain for skiing, which meant Ashra also picked up speed.


    "Hisss¡­!" She eventually passed Sylvester.


    Of course, he could beat her, but to do that was akin to defeating a child. It meant nothing to him, but for the child, it was everything. Simrly, winning was going to be asting joyous memory for Ashra.


    "No! What are you doing, Maxy? Go faster. We can beat her!" Mirajined.


    Sylvesterughed at their shenanigans. Strangely enough, he enjoyed his time with them more than with other humans. And that got him thinking about his future.


    ''If I survive this. Maybe I should build my retirement ranch somewhere near the mountains¡ªcreating a personal forest sounds interesting.''


    ¡­


    Sylvester arrived back in Miraj City in a single day. As he expected, he was showered with questions about the blinding light in the north. After some exining, he quickly got to work, as he had made a few decisions after doing a bit of pondering in the mountains.


    Gathering everyone in the meeting hall, he gave them his orders. "I won''t be taking the whole army into battle. Only a few powerhouses wille with me. The rest of you must stay behind and protect the city. I have a hunch that whatever Saint Scepter has in mind, it''ll be far beyond our expectations."


    Gabriel immediately stood up in disagreement. "We need everything we can to defeat Saint Scepter. Why divide our strengths? What if you die?"


    Sylvester shook his head. "I can''t bring King and Queen Hignd with me. They''re the backbone of the Hignd Kingdom, and if something happens to them, it would mean ruin to millions. Simrly, I can''t bring Lord Einarr because the ckhart Kingdom will lose its only Grand Wizard if he dies. I''ll only be taking Emperor Lich, Soulbreaker, Felix, and Lord Inquisitor with me. These are the only few names who are ranked above Grand Wizard level five, and to bring anyone below would be suicidal."


    "You''re ranked below that!" Isabe pointed out. "You said it yourself."


    Sylvester shook his head. "But I''m the strongest in this room¡ªDon''t forget that I''m also on the secondst level of tinum Knight rank."


    Everyone calmed down hearing that. It was no Supreme Wizard, but it at least gave Sylvester a slight edge. However, a Supreme Wizard wasbeled supreme for a reason.


    "We will leave to battle in three days. During these days, those going with me must create a single way of fighting that uses our strengths together. We can''t act alone. If I''m right, one of his powers must be rted to either mind magic, or soul magic. Only that could exin his ability to make us forget him." Sylvester briefed them all. "For those remaining behind, maintain the highest vignce at all times. Considering the strangeness surrounding what''s happening in the Holy Land, don''t be surprised if an attackes."


    "But what is Saint Scepter''s goal?" Sir Dolorem asked openly. "We''re going into this blind."


    True, Sylvester didn''t like it. But, there was no way to find anything about Saint Scepter. The man was a ghost. "We''ll have to ask him personally. I also considered bringing Bloodrain, but he spoke of being close to uncovering the mystery of the Chief of Anti-Light."


    Sylvester got up, "Leave and start preparing. We don''t have time."


    Promptly, everyone got up and exited the meeting hall. They all had some things to request from the dwarves for the battle.


    As Sylvester took a deep, weary breath, he noticed Sir Dolorem had stayed behind. "You''ll stay behind and protect Mum. After this is over, I hope for a chance at peace¡ªwith those I care about."


    "Aren''t you being a little too hasty, Lord Bard?" Sir Dolorem asked carefully. He had found it hard to talk with Sylvester ever since he had returned from Masan. Something felt different from before.


    Sylvester shook his head. "I am honestly out of options. Saint Scepter has manipted all of Sol, the faith, and us for far too long. How do we even begin to fight such a man?"


    Sir Dolorem got closer to Sylvester and ced a hand on his shoulder. "The way you''ve won all your battles until now. A little bit of nning, a little bit of strength, and a great deal of belief in oneself. Do what you''re good at, plot things, and n each move¡ª


    consider all possibilities and how to tackle them. Yes, we''re antspared to him, but if we''re smart enough, we can bring down this elephant."


    Sylvester smiled, knowing the old man was trying to encourage him. "Thank you, Sir Dolorem. And¡­ Just call me Sylvester. Otherwise, I''d feel suffocated in this ce. Too many yes-men and ''lord this'', ''your holiness that'' fills the corridor these days."


    "Haha. Tired already?" Sir Dolorem almost chuckled. "This was merely a glimpse, Sylvester. You have centuries ahead¡ªthe boon and bane of being the youngest Pope."


    Sylvester grunted tiredly. "I hate desk jobs."


    Sir Dolorem smiled and took out a folded parchment from his pocket. "I stayed back to hand this over. It came from Beastaria¡­ an elf handed this to me secretly."


    Sylvester opened the letter and skimmed its contents in a fleeting moment. Eventually, he sneered at it and burned it right on his palm. "He said he cane and help me fight Saint Scepter."


    "Isn''t he also a Supreme Wizard?" Sir Dolorem asked, somewhat interested in the offer.


    "He is, but he''s doing this for his own selfish reasons in the end. Besides, he''s thest person we can look to for help. If hees here, it would be the same as announcing to the world that those rumors about me were true." Sylvester predicted the bigger picture in advance. "Saint Scepter masterfully weaved his web¡ªI bet he spread the rumors well in advance to cut off this helping hand."


    Sir Dolorem''s eyebrows arched in amazement. "And we''re up against such a man."


    "That, and much more¡­" Sylvester muttered, wondering what Saint Sceptor''s real name was.


    Only if he had known, he could have predicted the strategy based on historical deeds. Sadly, it was likely a secret the man wanted to take to his grave.


    ''Caesar? Pompey? Arminius?... the possible names are endless.''


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 575 574. A Letter To The Enemy

    ?


    Years had passed, and life had changed so much for him. From the small Pitfall Town to now walking in the corridors of power with his head held high. Being respected and valued by powerful men and women, kings and queens¡ªthe Pope.


    Once known as Dungface, now Zeke, had seen more in his life than any othermoner would have imagined in their entire lifetime. He knew he wasn''t very smart, and certain things were very challenging, such asplex decision-making. Hence, the name Dungface was awarded to him by the people of the town, not only for his usage as themon odd-jobs guy but also for hisck of wit.


    Yet, for some reason, life as a Knight felt as if it was made for him. All he had to do was follow the instructions to the teeth, and for that, he was always praised. If ordered to train and repeat an exercise, he did it until he copsed from exhaustion. If ordered to practice swinging the sword, he did it until no dummies were left.


    Protecting Mother Xavia was the greatest task he had. But he never felt like an outsider, as Mother Xavia treated him like a child, always giving him tasty food, new clothes, and various potions. Even the finest armor he had in his inventory was a gift from Mother Xavia. He cherished her and was prepared to protect her with his life if needed.


    But nothing exciting ever happened. Dangers rarely appeared in Xavia''s life, as for the rest of his time, he could only train to get stronger. However, it had been over six years since he had started his training¡ªhe had mastered almost everything his intellect allowed him to.


    "Zeke, stop swinging your sword and pack your luggage. Max has invited us to the New Holy Land." Xavia''s voice rang in his ears as he stood on the wide balcony and practiced his sword swings.


    He had never thought he would, but he had been living in the Hignd royal family''s royal castle. The luxury he had seen over the years had made him appreciate life even more.


    "Understood, Mother Xavia." Zeke ced his sword down and wiped his face clean with a towel. But still, his mind remained muddled with confused feelings as he nced at the sky in the distance.


    He nced at his palms then and frowned deeply, "What should Zeke do now? There is nothing to learn anymore."


    Atst, when he looked at his cherished sword, he couldn''t help but question, "I have be a Diamond Knight. Now what?"


    ¡­


    The entire Pope''s Pce was in turmoil. Various divisions of Clergymen were at work. The whole focus had been shifted to defense instead of offense, and the weapon that Sylvester had nned was given the green light now. New armors were also going to be built with a more efficient method called production-line.


    Practicality took priority. As for the embellishment of the armors, there were plenty of women without jobs in the city. They did the job of painting, carving, or etching things. With Prince Jinn''s help, steam-powered machines were also built to make chainmail armors. Along with the steam-powered hammer press, the speed of smithing increased manifold.


    Through automated processes, Sylvester managed to lessen the burden on the dwarves and utilize their expertise to create items of greater importance. The Srium-Light cannon was a brilliant tool against Bloodlings, but its destructive power was enough to disintegrate a Skygem¡ªthe strongest known substance. So the idea of strengthening it with Elder Runes, dwarven magic and smithing, and higher-grade Srium Crystals was tempting.


    "I want five hundred of these small cannons ced on the walls of Miraj City. Additionally, build ten bigger versions. I''ll take them with me." Sylvester instructed Elder Elrog and Prince Jinn, his principal designer and student. "Put a halt on every other project until the end of the war."


    "Your Holiness¡ªWhy not create a Srium recharging device for the Srium Crystals? To use them on the cannons will require hundreds of thousands of crystals," Prince Jinn suggested, presenting a design he had already prepared.


    [A/N: Prince Jinn was the second prince of the Masan Royal family. The elder brother of Princess Fernis, the goodest girl.]


    Sylvester assessed the designs and marveled at them in silence. ''Recharging Srium into the crystals using turbine-generated electricity¡ªthis is brilliant. All energy is Srium; electricity should be able to charge emptied crystals.''


    "If this works, we won''t have to depend on the sunlight," Sylvester muttered but held his own doubts. "But this machine is still experimental. We only have six days, so let''s not waste our time. Guardian Aurora will be arriving by tonight. She''s a master of lightning. Experiment with her to charge the crystals first, and measure the efficiency. If it all works, go ahead and make the machines in bulk. But I need the first trial cannon built by morning¡ªwe''ll test it in the mountains."


    Dwarf Elder Elrog agreed with him. "You''ve etched the Elder Runes already, Your Holiness. Half of the work is done. We''ll present the cannon at the first light of the sun."


    Sylvester nodded, allowing them to focus on their tasks. He left the underground dwarven workshop and arrived at the open area outside the pce, to oversee the joint training of thoseing with him.


    "Father!"


    Just as Sylvester was headed to join the training, he noticed a soft call. There was only one girl who''d ever call him father, so he didn''t have to look back. "Xylena¡ªHow have you been? I hope you haven''t been cking off on your studies. Great Mother Grace was a hero of the Thousand Year War, she may be strict, but she knows everything about battle and politics."


    Bright Mothers had joined Sylvester''s side in the past few months, arriving from the Holy Land¡ªAll of them. They had been weed with open arms, and since Sylvester had already expected it, their amodation was already prepared. Of course, he also provided their residence with enough security and istion as he was well aware of their rare, self-entertainment ''activities.''


    Xylena''s ashen-ck hair bobbed as she skipped closer to him. "I''m not cking¡­ I''m just very worried about you. Kimino said you''ll be going to fight the big bad guy."


    Sylvester patted her head. "You''re seventeen already, so use better words than ''big bad guys.'' You''re going to be the Queen of ckhart. You must be prepared to carry yourself regally."


    "Ummm¡­!" She pouted and hummed. "I only actid-back with you."


    Sylvester smiled, ced his arm around her shoulder, and strolled with her over to Kimino and Hozin, the two Moonwatchers from the Divine Desert. "Forgive me. I''m too focused on the task at hand. How about this? After I''m done fighting, I''ll personally crown you Queen in ckhart."


    "In the Holy Land." She chirped back with a big grin. "A Pope doesn''te to kings and queens. They are the ones to visit the Pope. Ah, I can''t wait to rub it in everyone''s faces, the fact that the Pope is my father."


    "Adopted." Sylvester corrected her. "Let''s not start any questionable rumors about my abstinence, girl."


    "I know, I know¡­ Uncle Felix said you''re the God of Virgins. I doubt anyone would ever question that." She replied.


    ''I need to punch his face.'' Sylvester made a mental note.


    Soon, they arrived in a special room Sylvester had assigned to the father and daughter duo. Since they were Moonwatchers, he had given them a room with a ss dome so that they could look at the sky at night. The two rarely left, meditating in the room every day. Xylena was their only distraction.


    Sylvester had some questions for Kimino in particr. So he approached her as she meditated, sitting on the floor near the window. "Can you tell me anything about my future? Rted to this battle? Any clue that might give me an advantage?"


    Kimino opened her eyes and responded as strangely as ever. "I''ve said it before; the victory is yours."


    "But at what cost?" Sylvester questioned. "Who will survive, and who will see their demise?"


    Kimino shook her head. Her mysterious gray eyes rapidly shifted. "Guide you to Core Temple, he ordered. Beyond that, I cannot see forward. My visions and dreams are now disordered."


    Sylvester sighed and patted Kimino''s shoulder. "So you can''t see further in my future¡ªit''s okay. You have done enough."


    "Forgive us for our inability to help, Your Holiness," Hozin spoke for his daughter. "She wants to help you, but the visions have stoppeding."


    "I can''t rely on visions and God''s intervention forever." Sylvester sounded slightly disappointed.


    He got up and left the room to return to the training field. However, he paused halfway and walked into Gabriel''s office. The man was the head of administration for the time being, and had dozens of assistants working for him.


    Sylvester responded to everyone''s greetings as he walked into Gabriel''s personal room. The man was surrounded by stacks of papers around his table, and a monocle adorned one of his eyes. "I think I should make you my Saint Wazir."


    "I want to retire," Gabriel instantly eximed, joking. However, his face was devoid of any smile. The same was the case with everyone else in the pce.


    Sylvester took a seat and picked up a nk sheet of paper to write on. "We''ve set the time for six days from now, but our enemy is still unaware. I reckoned I should write to him."


    Gabriel shrugged. "I''m sure he has spies in this pce too¡ªSaint Scepter is¡­ too good."


    Sylvester knew that as well and started writing. "Then let this be a mere formality."


    [Saint Scepter,


    ???


    Since you''ve allowed yourself toe out of the shadows on such a grand scale, I can''t help but believe that you''re nearing the final arc of your great tale. I know not what you want from me, or what is your goal¡ªAll I know is that in this grand chaos, you''ve yed the leading role.


    We have many simrities, which you are well aware of. Yet, for some reason, you have decided to ignore it and scoff. Your motivations, your decisions, now they matter not. There is nothing left to n, nothing left to plot. If a mindless, pointless battle is what you desire, then to grant it, I aspire.


    But I do not wish for the loss of innocent lives. So I have decided to write this letter and invite you to a fight in six days. I hope you shalle to Colorwood Duchy before the realm further decays.


    For years, you''ve acted perfectly blind,


    I thank your ignorance, for being so kind.


    Even if no sce in his worship you find,


    May the Holy Light enlighten your mind.


    The Lord''s Bard


    ???]


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 576 575. Battle Of Supreme I: Hidden Cards

    ?


    BOOM!


    At the first light of dawn, a deafening roar echoed in the mountains surrounding Miraj City. After the first st, another grander and resonant sound came, followed by the earth slightly shaking. Scared, people came out of their homes, only to be appeased by the patrolling soldiers.


    In the north of the city, Sylvester stood with Prince Jinn, Dwarf Elder Elrog, the Inquisitor High Lord, Felix, and Aurora. They watched as theirtest creation shot its first beam of light in a short burst instead of a continuous beam.


    However, after seeing the oue of the test, they stayed silent with their lips closed and mouths dry. The cloud of dust in the distant mountain showed no signs of dispersing anytime soon, revealing how immense the destruction was.


    "Every single person involved with the creation of this cannon must bind themselves to a Blood Contract with me. The technology must not be leaked to anyone¡ªnot even our allies." Sylvester immediately ordered Jinn and Elrog.


    "This scale of destruction¡­" Aurora, who had arrived just the previous night, found no words to express her feelings. "I don''t think my strongest attack can cause this much damage."


    The Inquisitor High Lord agreed with her, "A mountain of such scale and height¡ªvanished, leaving pure destruction on site. I can replicate this might, but it would take all my srium, leaving me depleted for the further fight."


    "That single shot of the beam depleted ten thousand Srium Crystals and a thousand Light Crystals." Jinn borated. "The power wasparable to a level five Grand Wizard''s full-powered attack, but with that cost, we can''t repeat it too many times."


    Sylvester nearly cursed under his tongue. However, seeing this wasparable to a nuke, minus the radiation, he felt it was worth it. "Only make smaller versions for the city walls without the use of Elder Runes since it was the catalyst. But I''ll take ten of these cannons to fight the Saint Scepter. They say it requires almost twenty-five Grand Wizards to defeat a Supreme Wizard; this can help us greatly."


    But somewhere in his heart, Sylvester cursed himself for his actions in Masan. He regretted not being more political and scheming. If he had somehow gained the loyalty of the Grand Wizards there, he could have defeated Saint Scepter with sheer numbers.


    "I''ming with you," Aurora suddenly eximed. "I''ve been training all these years for this."


    "No, you''re not." Sylvester denied her without a second thought. "You''re a Grand Wizard level three at best. If we''re ants to Saint Scepter, you''d only be dust."


    Aurora insisted, showing minor frustration. "But I control thunder. I can help you with light-based magical attacks. I can even clear the skies for sunlight if needed."


    Sylvester didn''t listen to her any further. "You will stay behind and hold the fort. We still don''t know what that man wants, so I''m trying to take everything into consideration."


    "Ugh¡­ Why do you always assume your n is the best?" She retorted fiercely. "It has failed before, and it can fail again. I''m going with you, and there is nothing you can do about it!"


    Without waiting for Sylvester''s response, she walked back toward the pce. But Sylvester didn''t show any annoyance toward her since he understood what she was feeling. He smelled it loud and clear.


    "Don''t mind her words. She''s extremely worried about my well-being. I''ve ''died'' once before. She does not want to go through that grief again." Sylvester rified.


    "Why don''t you take her along then?" Prince Jinn asked. "Isn''t ''the more, the merrier''?"


    Sylvester shook his head. "All of you, understand one thing. If we''re unable to win with Emperor Lich by our side, then even if we bring all the Grand Wizards, we''ll be defeated¡ªwe do not have the numbers, and that''s a fact."


    "What about Shadow Knight?" Felix asked. "He''s still lingering around, and he was a Supreme Wizard."


    "First of all, he''s not as powerful anymore. He''s slowly diminishing and awaiting theplete dispersion of his consciousness from this world. Second, he''s bound by vows to not hurt the Church, which is why he''s never been seen inside the Holy Land. ording to the official record, Saint Scepter still represents the Church." Sylvester helplessly revealed.


    A weighty silence hung in the air. They just didn''t have any better ideas.


    "What if we lose?" Felix inly asked. "Death? Does our story end? What''s the backup n?"


    Sylvester nced at the destruction they had caused to the mountain and rubbed his face wearily. "No, our story won''t end. If everything fails, I''ll have to use thest leverage¡ªsacrifice a world for a world."


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Felix questioned curiously.


    "I have a backup¡ªthat''s what it means," Sylvester replied, walking back toward the city. However, his inner turmoil deepened more than ever.


    ''This is the real world¡ªthis is where I have something to lose. The past is lost¡­ I have to win, no matter the cost.''


    ¡­


    The training continued for the nexting days. Not a single chuckle orugh echoed in the Pope''s Pce for the next six days. They neither slept nor paused, yet time seemed too little, fleeting by too quickly.


    Before anyone realized, thest day was upon them, and the time hade for them to head out for the battle that mattered. The team heading out gathered at the Pope''s Pce''s gate, bidding a short farewell to everyone.


    Xavia, seeing Sylvester''s serious face, felt her heart quiver with worry. She embraced him firmly. "Please be safe¡­ end this constant source of heartache for us all. My prayers will be with you, Max¡­"


    "Let''s have our peace once this is over." Sylvester patted her back andforted her.


    Sadly, none of them knew about the greater godly plot that the ghost of the first Pope warned him about. It brought incredible frustration to Sylvester, but he tried to find somefort in the hope of victory right now.


    "Believe in yourself; I know you can win," Sir Dolorem saluted Sylvester.


    But Sylvester hugged the knight and whispered into his ears, "Stay sharp, don''t let your guard down. When I''m gone, anything can happen. Expect the unexpected, even from those around you."


    "Understood, Lord Bard."


    Sylvester patted Sir Dolorem''s back, "I will fulfill my vow soon¡ªYou''ll see me on the throne."


    Sylvester then stepped back and bid everyone farewell. "I''ll notify Gabriel if we win, and he''ll ring the bells five times."


    "We shoulde with you." King Hignd said it once again.


    "I''m grateful that you all value me enough to go into such a difficult battle. But I''ve already arranged for everything we may need for victory. Your Majesty, please protect this city while I''m gone¡ªfor everyone''s sake." Sylvester saluted everyone with his arms crossed. "May the Holy Light enlighten us."


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us." Everyone repeated it in unison.


    With that, Sylvester turned around to leave. There were far too many people to greet personally and bid farewell. But since he didn''t n on dying, he chose not to do it with each person.


    "GODFATHER!"


    Abruptly, Sylvester stopped and looked back.


    Making his way from behind his parents, young Rex ran toward Sylvester. "Godfather¡­ wait!"


    Sylvester allowed the boy to approach. "It''s bad manners to stop someone who has started his journey."


    "Sorry, sorry¡­" Rex fiddled with his pocket and took out a little pendant made of wood. It was square-shaped. On one side, Sylvester''s face was carved, and on the other side, Rex''s face was carved. "I made this myself¡ªI learned Wood maniption, Godfather. I trained my hardest¡­ Will you ept me as your student now?"


    ''Wood Magic?'' Sylvester remembered the story of the Pope who sacrificed himself to save people, only to be forgotten by the Church because wood magic was frowned upon.


    But he held no such prejudice. "Wood Magic? That''s wonderful, boy. But this isn''t enough to be my student. We must see if Solis is also with you; a simple coin toss will do."


    Sylvester took out a gold coin and ced it on his thumb. "Heads or tails?"


    "Heads!" Rex chirped.


    Ting!


    Sylvester flipped it in the air, skillfully caught it in his palm, and closed his fist. "Alright, heads you win, tails I lose¡ªAre you sure you want heads?"


    Rex nodded vigorously, his blonde hair whirling. "Open your palm¡­ quick!"


    Sylvester finally did it, and it turned out to be a tail. Rex''s shoulder fell, and Sylvester handed the coin to him before leaving. "Congrattions, kid."


    But once Sylvester disappeared in the distance, Rex looked down at the tail side of the coin and frowned. "Congrattions? Wait a moment¡­!"


    ¡­


    Sylvester, Felix, Inquisitor High Lord, and Soulbreaker left Miraj City in solemn silence, each on their own horse or chariot. The people of the city knew something was happening, and the guards were ordered to remain alert as if an attack was imminent.


    Desert Road and Green Road, once packed and bustling with traders, now seemed utterly deste as all the viges and towns had been evacuated long ago. With the destruction of Green City, the region had nothing to offer, so it was now a barren wastnd with overgrown grass and abandoned farnds.


    Since all four of them were either Grand Wizards or tinum Knights, they found no problem traveling continuously down south. Their destination was the farnd between Baron Strongarm''s keep and Duke Grimton''s keep, as it rested at the heart of the Duchy.


    "Stay alert." Sylvester cautioned everyone as soon as they crossed Pitfall Town. "Saint Scepter may be an honorable man. But when desperate, all honor is lost."


    In no time, they crossed Baron Strongarm''s keep. However, the road was destroyed, as it wasn''t used in a while, and nobody lived nearby to maintain it. The nearby cliff had encroached upon the road, narrowing its path.


    The four left their horses behind and went further on foot. Always alert and ready to fight, their des of choice never returned to their sheaths.


    Shhhhh¡­!


    Shhhhh¡­!


    Sylvester clenched his fist, signaling those behind him, alerting them of the sound. ''Someone''s sharpening their de.''


    They cautiously walked closer to the sound, taking a left from the road and entering the abandoned farnds. They remained at the forest''s edge in case they had to take cover.


    But soon enough, their curiosity was quenched. Sylvester prepared himself. "I see him!"


    Right before them, a few hundred meters ahead, Saint Scepter stood alone, leaning by a tree at the edge of the forest. The man, still donned in his usual white robes, hooded cloak, and masked face, sharpened the de at the lower end of his mysterious staff.


    Sylvester inched closer toward him, knowing there was no possibility of a surprise attack. "May the Holy Light enlighten us."


    Saint Scepter stopped sharpening his de, turning his gaze toward Sylvester. His eyes gleamed in bright white. "May we be enlightened. So you left the others to hold the fort¡ªgood decision. But I don''t see the undead."


    ''I was right! There''s an attacking. But for what?'' Sylvester sighed internally, thankful that he left behind powerhouses, but also confused by the reason.


    "There''s no point in fighting when we stand in the same position." Sylvester tried to cryptically use their status as reincarnators, hoping for a response.


    Continuing to lean against the tree, Saint Scepter kept sharpening his de. "Do you have the key?"


    Sylvester knew it wasing. "What key?"


    Sounding slightly disappointed, Saint Scepter straightened his back and took a fighting stance. "Then we aren''t standing in the same position. But I have no qualms with you, nor am I interested in stopping you. Give me the key, and you can live as you wish."


    "What key?" Sylvester continued with his feigned ignorance.


    Shaking his head, Saint Scepter took down the half-mask that covered his face. Shockingly, there was no muscle or skin there¡ªeverything below his eyes was just bone, also shining in white light.


    "I knew it woulde to this, my young friend¡ªEvery man lives to do his duty, and yours is to oppose me. And if you don''t follow it, can you truly call it living?" Saint Scepter said, confusing Sylvester with his strange analogy.


    ''Who''s going to attack the city?'' Sylvester felt nervous about it as he knew nothing about the man''s ns. ''Who''s even left in his camp tounch an attack? The braindead Niel?''


    "What''s your name?" Sylvester inly asked.


    "Defeat me, and I will say it."


    BOOM!


    Within the blink of an eye, blinding light shrouded everything.


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 577 576. Battle Of Supreme II: Planned Moves

    ?


    Boom!


    The resounding st echoed, and the blinding light engulfed everything. However, Sylvester had already jumped back by then and had regrouped with the rest.


    Boom!


    In an instant, a second st resounded and urately struck the Saint Scepter. These were the Srium-Light cannons being fired from a distance, manned by some soldiers and Aurora, who had followed them.


    "Stay alert!" Sylvester shouted as he unsheathed his dwarven-made sword. "Stay close! If you feel anything strange, shout it. We have to figure out his magical proficiencies."


    The skyline was shimmering with light. The cannons had done their job well, uprooting everything around Saint Scepter in a wide radius¡ªthe forest, nearby viges, or the empty farnds. It was all just a wastnd of dirt now. And the only wait was for the dust to settle to see if their cannons had any effect on Saint Scepter.


    Boom!


    Sylvester had brought ten cannons, so they were still nowhere near done. The moment it seemed the dust was settling, another burning beam of light was shot. Once again, the ground shook, and the earth was scorched, deepening and widening the already massive crater.


    "Nobody can survive this!" Felix muttered.


    Sylvester saw the gigantic mushroom cloud in the sky, soaring several kilometers high. The power of the st wasparable to a nuke, but his heart still couldn''t feel calm. To underestimate an enemy was something he was never going to do again.


    Thud!


    Abruptly, some noise came from the dust cloud. Sylvester and the others held their breaths, waiting to see if Saint Scepter was affected by the attack.


    However, emerging from a cascade of light, Saint Scepter stood tall. His white robes flowed as if they were woven from the very essence of time, and his eyes, an intense white, pierced the gathering darkness of the dust. With every step, the ground beneath him seemed to shiver in anticipation or perhaps fear. He was unaffected, not even by the dust.


    "Such magnificent weapons you''ve created, Sylvester Maximilian. I''m convinced we''re not men of the same eras." Saint Scepter said in a proud yet mocking tone. "Any Grand Wizard would have fallen to this¡ªbut you knew this wouldn''t be enough."


    Sylvester''s golden eyes glinted with defiance as he took a stance beside Felix, whose dark de gleamed menacingly. To their side, the Inquisitor High Lord adjusted his red armor, crimson light reflecting from the eyes behind the visor. Meanwhile, Soulbreaker looked on, an enigmatic expression crossing his visage.


    "I know, but there is no harm in trying," Sylvester replied and waited for the attack from Saint Scepter. He, in no case, wanted to go near the man physically as it would mean instant death.


    With a devious smirk, Saint Scepter raised his staff, its lower de catching fire. A gust of wind swept around, pulling up the roots of obliterated trees and sending them flying like mere twigs. The distant mountains trembled, their peaks starting to crumble, boulders cascading down.


    Saint Scepter''s body lifted into the air, hovering after gaining a bit of altitude. The man then waved his hands and yed with his enemies as if they were toys. A single swing of his staff sent unimaginable destruction toward Sylvester and the rest.


    The earth rumbled, and a deep dark ravine appeared out of nowhere. It extended toward Sylvester and continued to widen. Its depth was unknown, but soon enough, water gushed out of them, rising like fountains.


    ''He''s not even using magic¡ªthis was just a simple wave of his arm.'' Sylvester felt a sense of hopelessness creeping over him, yet he tried to hold on as the main powerhouse was yet to appear.


    Seeing so much watering out, Sylvester decided to go with thebined move they had prepared. He used water elemental magic and tried to form torrents of water to encircle Saint Scepter. As the water spiraled, Inquisitor High Lord used his zing fire magic and ignited the torrents, turning them into massive walls of steam, obscuring Saint Scepter''s vision.


    Having prepared for that beforehand, Felix charged. His long dark sword aimed for Saint Scepter. Being a tinum Knight, only he and Sylvester held enough strength to physically injure the man.


    Woosh!


    "Aaaaa!" Felix roared as his sword shed through the air.


    However, on the ground, Sylvester and the rest watched in confusion as Felix attacked nothing but air. Saint Scepter was somewhere else altogether, still hovering in the air and watching them.


    "Mind magic!" Sylvester announced. "He''s toying with Felix''s mind."


    "He''s attacking me!" Soulbreaker suddenly jumped back and eximed, also fighting the air.


    Sylvester frowned, noticing that Saint Scepter was trying to iste them individually. "It''s all an illusion! Don''t trust what you see!"


    Sylvester shouted, but his words fell on deaf ears. Felix and Soulbreaker remained busy fighting the illusions in their minds. The battle had only begun, and they were on the losing end.


    With no other choice, Sylvester decided to go all out, albeit feeling the absence of his spear lost in Beastaria. "Lord Inquisitor, do you see any ck clouds in the distance?"


    Lord Inquisitor nced around and noticed something in the north, "There is oneing towards us."


    ''It should be him¡ªOnly he can execute a surprise attack.'' Sylvester ran his mind through various scenarios. All he needed to do was ensure that Saint Scepter was fully distracted. ''He still doesn''t have the key. He won''t kill me just yet.''


    "Cover me," Sylvester told the Inquisitor High Lord and made Light Tiles to walk in the air, to be on the same level as Saint Scepter. His strongest attacks were Wrath of Heaven, Piercing Hell, and Blood Bullet. However, he didn''t have the spear for the second one, and for the third one, he had to control the metal in Saint Scepter''s body. As he hadn''t reached such mastery, it was impossible to harm those of higher rank than himself.


    ''I can''t do much right now.'' Sylvester sighed and went with the Wrath of Heavens, but this time with the addition of Elder Magic. And for the first time, even for the hymn, he decided to use Elder Magic.


    ''Ten seconds.'' Sylvester noticed the cloud''s distance and speed, making calctions. ''I''ll try to get closer.''


    "Miraj, at my signal, throw out all the dirt in your stomach on him." Sylvester softly whispered and raised both his palms toward Saint Scepter.


    "Mual Ostonis ab iklonis¡­" Sylvester sang an old hymn in Elder Language. Soon enough, a halo appeared behind his head, revealing that it was working. But the halo was immense this time, its radius exceeding Sylvester''s body. As he stood in the air, the halo expanded until its edges touched the ground.


    And with the backdrop of the blinding light from the halo, Sylvester appeared like a single ck speck, still uttering the unknownnguage.


    "...Paliosis ujaka ni mor yolus!"


    First, faint sparks erupted from Sylvester''s palms. He decided to pour out all he had in his body into that one strike. Knowing Saint Scepter''s overconfidence had formed over the centuries of unopposed might, the man wasn''t going to dodge it.


    Followed by the sparks, dense, white sma formed on his palms, like a hovering orb. For the first time, Sylvester was seeing his magic work so slowly. But it made him wonder if he had just never noticed the orb before because it was too small.


    BOOM!


    Silence fell for a little¡ªSylvester was pushed back from the recoil as if he was hit by the same beam. But the sma of light traveled toward the Saint Scepter while making a sizzling noise, breaking the sound barriers.


    Despite falling, Sylvester tried to keep up with the hymn and his attack, fine-tuning the trajectory to ensure it hit the man. The steam from their actions before had already cleared away.


    But Saint Scepter''s mind games never ended. Before the beam of light could hit him, Saint Scepter made Felix appear in the path, luring him with whatever visions he was showing him through the mind magic.


    "Proceed¡ªI will move him, do not concede!" Inquisitor High Lord roared and tapped his staff on the scorched ground.


    Instantly, mes surged from his boots, and he wasunched into the air at an incredible speed. In the nick of time, he tackled Felix and dragged him away. But just as he did so, Felix inadvertently wounded the side of Lord Inquisitor''s arm.


    Sylvester was only focused on Saint Scepter. "Take this!"


    He desperately and knowingly shouted those words to ensure Saint Scepter didn''t move. Pride is something always in abundance in anyone who considers themselves at the peak. So he tried to take advantage of that.


    And atst, it connected.


    Woosh!


    The wide beam of light, containing everything Sylvester had in a single move, hit Saint Scepter. At first, the Supreme Wizard merely used his staff to stop it, but when the unbelievable force came, and his arm was easily pushed, he got serious.


    The impact propelled both Sylvester and Saint Scepter apart. While Sylvester struggled to keep going, using every ounce of srium in his body, Saint Scepter found himself in disbelief that a Grand Wizard could do such damage.


    "Now!" Sylvester roared.


    "Waaaa¡­" Miraj was already hovering above Saint Scepter. He opened his jaws and let out all the dirt he had eaten over the years on many asions for tactical and fighting reasons.


    As Saint Scepter was busy pushing against Sylvester''s Wrath of Heavens, the mud blinded him. It onlysted a second, but that was all Sylvester hoped for.


    Saint Scepter gritted his bare skeletal jaw and finally halted his backward momentum against the beam. "Elder Magic? I should have destroyed that temple years ago¡­"


    The beam of magic hadn''t harmed him too deeply, so he ignored the melting skin on his hands. Saint Scepter merely smiled and began to force the beam of light topress into his palm. And to Sylvester''s dismay, the man was seeding as he continued to push against the beam while redirecting it to one point into his palm.


    "The difference in our power is unimaginable, Sylvester¡ªGive me the key, and you can go away, be free." Saint Scepter offered Sylvester once again. But this time, he didn''t sound as proud or certain.


    ''Uncertainty?'' Sylvester smiled inwardly, smelling the feelings very strongly.


    "Saint Scepter!" Sylvester shouted, smiling from a distance. He panted uncontrobly and continued to emit the beam from his palm. "The real battle begins now!"


    "Indeed!" A new voice echoed


    Saint Scepter turned his face to look behind.


    Bam!¡ªBefore he could even take a glimpse, a quick sh passed by. The next thing he knew, he felt pain in his chest, originating from his back. He looked down quickly, and there it was¡ªa spear made of unknown bones.


    "Emperor of the undead, Raz Mi''ul Naseer¡ªgreets you, heathen!"


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 578 577. Battle Of Supreme III: The Anomaly

    "Gahh!" Saint Scepter grunted as the tall, regally robbed undead pulled the bone spear out and flew far away to stand beside Sylvester.


    Saint Scepter was left behind, coughing out some blood. However, the wound in his chest immediately healed.


    Due to the sudden attack, Felix and Soulbreaker came out of their fanatical state. They looked around themselves in confusion. Finding their bearings, they quickly gathered around Sylvester and asked for an update.


    "He can use Mind magic. You were both affected by it," Sylvester revealed, bracing for the impending battle. "Now, Emperor Raz will be the main character of this battle, with the rest of us as support. Remember, create as many opportunities as possible for Emperor Raz to strike at Saint Scepter."


    "A brain magic user." Emperor Raz muttered. "Lucky for us, I have no brain left¡ªI''m merely an immortal spirit upying this vessel. He cannot affect me, even if he knows the dark arts. The only way he can defeat me is by being truly stronger than me."


    That was certainly some relief to the rest. So, Sylvester allowed Emperor Lich to take the lead. "You know how battles at such a level are fought better than I do. You''ve faced more than a dozen Grand Wizards alone¡ªtell us what you need."


    After thinking a little, Emperor Raz lifted his right arm. He was wearing nothing but ck, thick regal robes withrge and pointy shoulder armor that made his figure seem big. He also adorned a ck hood on his head, which highlighted the shining eye sockets and skull.


    Emperor Rax formed multiple six-foot-long spears made from his own bones. He handed one to each of them. "If you get a chance, stab him with this. This isn''t just a random spear, but the bone of a Supreme Wizard¡ªif anything, this will injure him. Other than that, as the Bard said, try to distract him¡ªas will I."


    "What do you m¡ª" Felix stopped asking midway when the earth suddenly started to shake.


    "THIS!" Emperor Raz turned around; arms opened wide.


    Right before their eyes, emerging from the deep, dark ravines carved by Saint Scepter, came out millions upon millions of undead, slowly crawling out. Ranging from small skeleton warriors to armored ones, giant ones, ghouls, zombies, animals, and of course¡ªthe undead dragon.


    "WRAAAA!" Blue mes as cold as the extreme north came out of the ravine, but instead of burning the undead, it only made them stronger, as if they had received a buff.


    "I''ve named this Thunderash." Emperor Raz proudly proimed when the dragon came out. "Let''s resume the battle."


    Without hesitation, Emperor Raz flew back toward Saint Scepter, and without stopping, he extended his spear to strike the man once more. "May the mighty win!"


    Saint Scepter responded in kind and firmly held his spear forward to greet the undead. There were no new expressions on the man''s face despite being impaled before. Even at that moment, when millions of undead swarmed, it appeared as if things were under control.


    BOOM!


    When two Supreme Wizards fight, the world can only stand aside and watch. That was the case from the sidelines, as each time the two exchanged blows, the spilled-out energy ruined thendscape even further. From a wastnd, it soon began to look like hell¡ªas their speeds were such that stones began to turn intova.


    "Everyone. Use your most powerful ranged attacks on Saint Scepter." Sylvester ordered and prepared himself for another Wrath of Heavens.


    Boom!


    Just as they had started, they heard a loud noise in the sky and saw Saint Scepter creating a colossal, red orb resembling the sun. He sent it hurtling toward Emperor Raz, who only countered it using a shield made of some green energy.


    ''As expected, Saint Scepter has more battle experience.'' Sylvester bit his lips and tried to consume as much srium from his surroundings as possible. But since there were two Supreme Wizards in the vicinity, not much was left for Sylvester to devour.


    ''Timing is everything.'' Sylvester mumbled and focused on Saint Scepter''s moves to see when he went forward and when he hesitated. Every man has a weakness, so he tried to look for it.


    "Lord Inquisitor, use your strongest fire magic when I tell you to." Sylvester started preparing. "Felix, stand behind me and hold me when I attack. Guardian Soulbreaker, attack Saint Scepter''s soul when I tell you to. We have to overload his senses to confuse him."


    Meanwhile, Emperor Lich was battling the strongest man of the Holy Land in the sky. Their strength seemed almost evenly matched. Nheless, the difference in experience was evident in everyone''s eyes. Saint Scepter was slowly gaining ground and doing more damage to Emperor Raz.


    However, the undead were also helpful. They created towering mountains from their own bodies, scaling the macabre structures in an attempt to reach Saint Scepter. Every time they did that, they clung to Saint Scepter before exploding in a blue light. Furthermore, there was a huge dragon spewing cold, blue fire.


    Every time the two Supreme Wizards moved and shed, be it physically or magically, the destruction spread even further. The sounds of their battle echoed vast distances, in the castles of the south or the east.


    "Hold¡ª" Sylvester kept his feet firm on the ground. "He''ll stop to take a breath. When I say ''go,'' unleash everything you have."


    No verbal agreement was needed, as everyone kept their eyes stered on the battle before them. The two Supreme Wizards were moving so fast that it was getting harder for them to focus as well. But Emperor Raz was trying to slow Saint Scepter down from time to time.


    "GO!"


    Sylvester chanted the elder magic hymn again and extended his palms toward the Saint Scepter. This time he was faster and unleashed all the srium in his body. The burning, white beam of sma erupted and struck Saint Scepter right in the center of his chest, throwing him back in shock.


    Boom!


    Inquisitor High Lord wasn''t too far behind, as the ground beneath Saint Scepter began to erupt like volcanoes, and from each hole came burning redva, along with fire. They urately targeted Saint Scepter whenever he passed over any one of them.


    Emperor Raz didn''t waste any moment and leaped towards Saint Scepter. This time he threw his robes away, revealing his bare undead skeletal body. It wasrge, and his bones were incredibly dense with a peculiar ck luster all over them.


    From the rib cage, arms, head, and spine¡ªall around Emperor Raz''s body, various long spikes came out with needle-like sharpness. They extended in every direction, leaving no room for Saint Scepter to dodge.


    "Got him!" Emperor Raz eximed in delight when multiple bone spears thrust into Saint Scepter''s body. His face, neck, chest¡ªevery part got stabbed to the degree that the bone spears came out from the other side.


    Crack!


    With his job done, Emperor Raz broke the bone spikes from his skeleton, allowing Saint Scepter''s impaled body to plummet. It fell rapidly as the weight of the bones was massive.


    Thud!


    When Saint Scepter''s body met the ground, he was still impaled on the dozens of spikes. He remained suspended a few feet above as the bone spears became his bed. His body was drenched in blood, and he coughed out desperately while trying to breathe. His exposed jaw made cking noises, trying to say something.


    ''This doesn''t feel right.'' Sylvester felt it. He didn''t know why, but his senses were telling him there was something wrong there. ''He wouldn''t die this easily...''


    Wasting no time, Sylvester immediately took out a vial of healing potion from his pocket and threw it on Saint Scepter''s neck so he could speak something. "What do you want to say? That you didn''t expect this loss?"


    "B-B¡­" Saint Scepter stared at Sylvester, trying to raise his hand. "Be¡­"


    Sylvester''s senses now rang like church bells, and he performed healing magic personally. "ept your defeat and die."


    "No!" Finally, Saint Scepter responded. "B-Behind¡­ you!"


    ps!


    Quickly, everyone''s heads turned to look back. To their sunken hearts, Soulbreaker stood there, whose body had started to shapeshift. As his body morphed, the truth behind their grave blunder became clear.


    "Congrattions¡ªYou defeated your own man."


    Sylvester looked at the bed of bone spears, and there rested the impaled, bleeding body of the real Guardian Soulbreaker, not Saint Scepter.


    Bam!


    Completing his shapeshifting, Saint Scepter punched Felix in the guts as he was the closest, knocking the air out of him. With a single, normal swing, he brought the mighty Darksaber to his knees; the Skygem armor cracked around the stomach, as did the bones inside.


    Sylvester immediately jumped away, as did the Inquisitor High Lord and Emperor Raz. They were all confused about what had happened or when the change had happened.


    "This is impossible! You can''t affect my thoughts!" Emperor Raz questioned.


    Saint Scepter sighed and shook his head, looking at Soulbreaker''s dying body. "Such talent¡ªI had no animosity with you, Guardian Soulbreaker. This is merely the consequence of Bard''s decision¡ªMay your soul find the Lord''s embrace."


    From a distance, Sylvester clenched his teeth. He wanted to heal Soulbreaker and save him. "When did you switch bodies?"


    Saint Scepter lifted his staff and prepared to tap it on the ground. "True, I cannot affect the undead''s thoughts¡ªunless..."


    Thud!


    Everything in the surroundings changed with just a single soft tap from the staff. It was as if someone had flipped a switch. Sylvester, Inquisitor High Lord, and Emperor Raz found themselves standing in a void, and everywhere they looked, they just saw a glimmering night sky with countless stars and celestial formations. Even the ground they stood on looked celestial¡ªyet they walked on it.


    "This isn''t good!" Emperor Raz''s skeletal jaw ttered. "We lost before the battle even started."


    Sylvester took a long, deep breath; since he had experienced this before¡ªthe sensation of appearing in a new world suddenly.


    "This is his Supreme Void!" Inquisitor High Lord eximed. "Trapped, we''ve been kept¡ªsince when?"


    ''This is aplete Supreme Void. Unlike Niel¡ªI can''t sense any weakness.'' Sylvester silently gulped. ''Thest resort then?''


    "I''ll give you the key." Sylvester made the logical choice, so he could save Soulbreaker and head back to ensure the city was safe. On top of that, he was exhausted, and Emperor Raz was inexperienced and underpowered. "Take it and leave."


    Saint Scepter remained silent for a very long time after hearing Sylvester''s indirect surrender. The man was hard to read as he had no lower face, and his eyes were always shining bright white, not letting anyone see his pupils.


    "I didn''t expect you would surrender this soon," Saint Scepter spoke with amusement. "Truth be told, the key was going to be mine, regardless of your choice."


    ''As expected, there''s more...''


    "What do you want then?" Sylvester barked, nervously looking at the void-like realm he was in. He feltpletely powerless there.


    Saint Scepter lifted his hand and pointed at him, "You, Sylvester Maximilian¡ªthe anomaly, I want you¡ªCommit to a Blood Contract to me, and you shall have freedom, Popehood, and your people¡ªalive."


    "Don''t do it!" The Inquisitor High Lord immediately advised Sylvester. "It''s eternal envement! For power, it''s too high of a payment."


    Sylvester gritted his teeth and asked. "Is this how¡­ you enved Pope Axel?"


    "He''s a friend from childhood, no ve. He''s loyal to me, as is Darksaber to you." Saint Scepter replied and showed his palm. Magical, realistic imagery formed over it, showing something. "He should be close to your city by now."


    Sylvester frowned, "He''s alive?"


    "Never died¡ªMerely resting. Doing his part in the grand gamble we y." Saint Scepter said and again pointed at Sylvester. "You know why I sent him there, Sylvester Maximilian."


    "Mum!" Sylvester''s gaze turned cold. "Why do you want my servitude?"


    Saint Scepter shook his head, widening his arms.


    "Not I¡ªThey want it."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 579 578. Battle Of Supreme IV: The Terms

    "Not I¡ªThey want it."


    Sylvester had heard it so many times already, from the ghost of the first Pope and now him. His patience wore thin; he wanted to get straight to the point, "Who? The beings whom you''ve sold your freedom to?"


    "The gods who need no prayers." Saint Scepter replied, not offended by Sylvester''s words in the slightest. "Have you not realized it yet? We are not born in this world out of nature¡ªbut because of their will."


    ''So reincarnations weren''t random.'' Sylvester finally found some answers.


    "Who are they? What do they want from me? Why do they want my servitude?" Sylvester questioned him. He knew he wasn''t going to be able to escape from that Supreme Void that easily, so he at least wanted to know all the terms beforehand.


    Saint Scepter extended his staff toward Sylvester, and at the head of the staff, realistic imagery formed once more. In the images, various people appeared with the mitre of the Pope or in various armors, likely the Saint Scepters.


    ''All the reincarnated Popes and Saint Scepters?'' Sylvester deduced from that. ''Isn''t he revealing too much?''


    "All those who arrived before, came because ''they'' willed. Including myself, we worked for all their wishes to be fulfilled." Saint Scepter showed the faces of all the reincarnated in holographic magical imagery. "From the moment we took our first breath, every aspect of our lives was under their control. But then appeared an anomaly, beyond their control, with an unknown role."


    ''I''m the anomaly?'' Sylvester finally understood the meaning. ''Buf, if it''s not ''they'' who brought me, then who? Solis?''


    Bang!


    Saint Scepter mmed the butt of his staff on the infinite void-like floor, creating ripples in the space itself, akin to waves in the water. "The anomaly must be restrained. It''s an unbreakablew in this world ingrained¡ªThey are supreme, to oppose them is impossible, even in your dream."


    ''Why have they allowed me to live until now? Why did the Pope treat me with such kindness and sincerity? Everything that has happened in my life until now has pushed me to grow stronger¡ªthis couldn''t be a coincidence.'' Sylvester tried to reason within his mind.


    Sylvester understood that nothing in life was in and simple for a man of Saint Scepter''s caliber. Behind his wordsy meanings upon meanings, and actions hiding other true intentions.


    "Your Holiness, don''t ept the terms." Inquisitor High Lord sternly voiced, though he didn''t fully grasp the entirety of the conversation between the two. He spected on the talk about ''they,'' but the words about their arrival in the world were mysterious. "Do not yield to the demands of these worms. They are the traitors of the Holy Land¡ªdevil''s spawns; ignore their demands."


    Sylvester appreciated the old man''s concern for him. Truly, the Inquisitor High Lord had ced his heart, mind, soul, and hope in him. "You''re right, Lord Inquisitor. Any god that forces two continents into war can be no god¡ªjust a Demon pretending to be one."


    "You cannot oppose them; you cannot survive if they decide to condemn." Saint Scepter warned him sternly. "Struggle if that is your desire. But don''t hope for victory, for youck what it requires."


    Sylvester tried to discern the meaning behind Saint Scepter''s words. ''Is he scared of them?''


    "Lord Inquisitor, Emperor Raz, if you wish to stand down, I''ll honor your choices. But I wish to continue this fight¡ªeven here." Sylvester dered openly, almost lying to himself, to bolster his own confidence.


    The Inquisitor High Lord stepped forward, standing beside Sylvester. His heavy metallic staff ignited, mes zing a vivid red. His scarlet robes radiate with crimson, and his eyes behind the visor even brighter. "Let there be fire¡ªlet there be fury."


    ck!


    Emperor Raz, who was now bare-chested, revealing his metallic ck skeleton, stepped forward too. "I''m already dead¡ªIf I die again fighting these Demon spawns, it''s worth it."


    "Do you not wish to save your mother?" Saint Scepter asked, reminding Sylvester of the stakes.


    Sylvester was extremely worried for her, but he didn''t show it on his face. "If I ept this servitude, she''d kill herself in grief. Only in my victory can there be relief."


    At that moment, Sylvester was ying the biggest gamble of his life. He knew that just fighting wouldn''t give him a way out, but before he made a decision, he had to be sure of every doubt in his mind.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester kicked the ground andunched himself toward Saint Scepter. He gave no heed to what kind of power Saint Scepter had anymore. All he knew was that the spear in his hands could pierce the man''s skin. But sadly, the Srium depletion was an issue he couldn''t solve in that void as he had done with Niel''s¡ªas this wasn''t imperfect.


    While Sylvesterunched himself forward, Lord Inquisitor also moved, drifting on the ground with mes under his feet. His staff had turned into an enormous fire sword, more than ten meters in length, and a meter in width. The main body of the staff was merely the handle of the de.


    At the same time, Emperor Raz flew since he was a Supreme Wizard. His eye sockets shined green at that moment, and he opened his jaw to release some green gas. Roars of unknown beasts echoed from that dense mist¡ªwhat it was; none had any idea.


    All three went all out with their attacks but remained close enough to work together in the attacks.


    sh¡ªSylvester was the first to reach the man and swung the bone spear. Inquisitor High Lord wasn''t far behind and leaped from down below, thrusting his spear upward with precision.


    ck!


    "Where did he go?" Sylvester eximed as Saint Scepter suddenly vanished. Sylvester and the Inquisitor High Lord''s spears collided instead.


    "Below us!" Emperor Raz shouted.


    Sylvester and Lord Inquisitor looked down. But as soon as they did, their perception ofnd changed, and they began an endless descent. The invisible floor that was supposed to be there was now absent, as Saint Scepter stood below it.


    "This is my Supreme Void¡ªOf yourmon senses of time and space; this ce is devoid." Saint Scepter muttered and vanished again.


    Sylvester and the Inquisitor High Lord experienced yet another change in the direction of their fall, and now went sideways as the sense of gravity shifted once again. It continued to happen, and they couldn''t find ground for themselves.


    Sylvester immediately tried to stop their fall and build cages of Light Tiles around them, in all six directions. As they remained suspended, no matter which sides the gravity changed to, they finally stabilized.


    "His abilities are rted to the mind, so this Void has to be rted to that." Sylvester tried to find some way to gain a hand in the battle. "Do you have any ideas, Lord Inquisitor?"


    "None, but I have questions." Lord Inquisitor replied. "What are his true intentions? He hasn''t killed us when he could without batting an eye. It seems his desperation to have you enved is high."


    Sylvester agreed and decided to follow the rest of the conversation with the man mentally. "Lord Inquisitor, do you remember the meeting when the Shadow Knight was being discussed? Saint Scepter was ordered to ensure my safety¡ªyet I was attacked by Shadow Knight, almost died, and nobody came to help."


    Inquisitor High Lord remembered that day as if it was yesterday. It was the moment when his faith in the Pope began to waver. "I remember the day. Such ipetence is not Saint Scepter''s way."


    Sylvester nodded silently and stopped talking. There was more to Saint Scepter than what meets the eye, but to find out, he didn''t know how high the cost would be.


    Without hesitation, Sylvester dispersed the Light Tiles. Inquisitor High Lord used fire to propel himself through the air, and Sylvester used the tiles again. They directed their gaze to the left, where Emperor Raz was battling Saint Scepter.


    Green mist covered Emperor Raz''s mouth, but from that mist came massive tentacles adorned with sharp spikes. They attacked Saint Scepter, even causing him to dodge.


    "I''m d he''s on our side," Sylvester muttered, seeing the horrors Emperor Raz unleashed. What kind of existence was that man? What would he evolve into if he were to surpass the Supreme Wizard rank? A dark god? They could only wonder.


    Sylvester went ahead to support the undead lich. Utilizing his light magic, he propelled himself toward Saint Scepter. But knowing that only his tinum Knight-level strength could help him fight, he avoided using too much magic.


    He jumped onto one of the tentaclesing out of Emperor Raz''s mouth and followed the Saint Scepter''s movements. Sylvester was faster than the tentacles and Saint Scepter, as thetter was not a knight.


    BOOM!


    Sylvester threw his spear instead of approaching the man himself. The shockwave generated by his throw even pushed the tentacles away, and the spear itself caught fire due to the friction with the air. It zoomed past faster than one could blink.


    But Saint Scepter didn''t budge from his ce and looked at the spear instead. He allowed it to reach him, but the moment it was about to impale him, he caught the spear with his hand as if it was the easiest thing in the world.


    Sylvester cursed under his breath and pressed forward, forming a spear of light magic in his hands instead. ''How strong is he?''


    sh¡ªJust then, Lord Inquisitor swung his humongous fire sword at Saint Scepter, as fast as he could. It was gigantic enough to cover his enemy whole.


    sp!


    However, Saint Scepter stopped the de of fire with his bare hand instead. With no emotions in his eyes, he also anticipated Sylvester''s arrival and used his other hand to catch the spear of light before it stabbed his head.


    In a stalemate, with both hands upied, it gave Emperor Raz the opportunity he was waiting for. No words had to be spoken. They had nned it on the go. Wasting no time, Emperor Raz swung all the sharp tentacles toward Saint Scepter''s body. Its sharp des were covered in ck poison¡ªjust one small scratch was all they needed to win.


    "The Void is supreme." Saint Scepter abruptly muttered, and his eyes started to shine too much. A massive amount of intense heat radiated from him, which Sylvester and Lord Inquisitor could clearly feel. "I knew before you even started your scheme."


    Saint Scepter''s eyes kept shining as the tentacles inched closer to him. The man stood with no worry, like a god toying with children. There was no sense of worry, no sense of hurry.


    "Raz! Get back!" Sylvester roared, sensing the impending doom.


    "Toote." Saint Scepter muttered.


    Shwoo¡ªbeams of white light shot out from Saint Scepter''s eyes. Their heat was so intense that Sylvester felt his skin burn just by being in the vicinity, even though he was immune to fire.


    The twin white beams traveled at the speed of light, and as Saint Scepter moved his head, the beams started to slice the tentacles like hot knives through butter. Emperor Raz''s pained grunts came not long after as the rays reached him and struck his body.


    Sylvester dispelled his light spear and freed himself. He kicked Saint Scepter below the waist, where the man was most vulnerable. He punched him at the same time, right below his jaw.


    Boom!


    The impact threw Saint Scepter back a few meters. Hisser eyes lost their focus. He couldn''t see his surroundings when shooting the beams, Sylvester deduced.


    However, while Sylvester freed himself and saved Emperor Raz, Saint Scepter still caught Lord Inquisitor''s staff. Using his supreme strength, he grabbed Lord Inquisitor''s hands and squeezed them, crushing them into a paste of bones and meat, merging it with the deformed metal staff.


    But without even a grunt, Lord Inquisitor''s body erupted in mes, fully crimson in color. Fearless, he released the spear and used the very crushed hands to grab Saint Scepter''s skull, igniting raging mes, covering the entire head.


    "I am¡­ ashamed to have given you¡­ my loyalty!" Lord Inquisitor roared, sounding truly disappointed and enraged. His heavy voice caused the very air to vibrate with intensity. "When to this world, you''ve only gifted cruelty!"


    Saint Scepter, whose deadly hands were on their way to grab the Lord Inquisitor''s head, stopped and fell back¡ªallowing Lord Inquisitor to unleash more fury on him. But it didn''t seem like he was affected by it in the slightest¡ªa Grand Wizard''s magic wasn''t enough to strike deeper than his skin.


    "Sometimes..." Saint Scepter replied, sounding different for the first time, showing emotions. But his hands began to move again. "...we don''t have a say in situations¡ªDespite repulsion, we have to fulfill certain obligations."


    ''Sadness!'' Sylvester eximed from a distance.


    "Let him go!" Sylvester shouted. He used every ounce of strength in his legs to reach Saint Scepter and save Lord Inquisitor, since he had no idea where those ''obligations'' ended.


    Time seemed to move too slowly at that instant, despite everything happening so fast. Already having achieved great speed, Sylvester reached for Lord Inquisitor to push him away. But before he could do that, Saint Scepter chose to release the man on his own, stretching his arms to embrace Sylvester instead.


    It happened right before his gaze. Sylvester saw Saint Scepter''s eyes shining bright white again, and a beam shot toward him. He tried his best to dodge using air elemental, but he wasn''t faster than the speed of light.


    BAM!


    The next thing he knew, he was in Saint Scepter''s tight embrace, locked between his immovable arms. But there was blood spraying everywhere, drenching both men in crimson.


    Sylvester didn''t feel it but saw it¡ªhis right arm flying past Saint Scepter and falling behind him, destroyed, crushed, and burned, with almost nothing left of it.


    The pain was something he was used to, but this time it felt different. The wounds refused to heal, oozing blood efferent.


    "Do you ept the Blood Contract?" Murmured Saint Scepter into his ear.


    Sylvester looked around himself, at the infinite void. Lord Inquisitor stood aside, worried, his hands crushed. Behind, Emperor Raz sat on the floor, a chunk of his ribcage and shoulder missing.


    Atst, ncing at his own right shoulder and then at Saint Scepter¡ªthe man looked unharmed, except for some torn, dirtied clothes, and burn marks.


    "What are the terms?" He asked in a low voice.


    Saint Scepter didn''t speak verbally but sent the words right into Sylvester''s mind.


    ''With the key, follow me into the hidden tomb''s center¡ªOpen the door, and be the first to enter.''


    _________________


    [A/N: Just this long one today. Don''t want to rush the second chapter. Too many big things are going on.]


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 580 579. Battle Of Miraj City I: The Shooting Stars

    Miraj City,


    Right after Sylvester left, within an hour, the city gates closed down in an emergency, and the bells across the city started to ring. The soldiers were armed with multiple Srium-Light cannons, while the rest of the army took strategic positions in case of an invasion. The civilians were immediately ushered into various underground bunkers, enormous in size, with water and bathrooms readily avable.


    All the powerhouses residing in the city gathered at the city walls to find out who was attacking them. It was suicide since several Grand Wizards were gathered there. Dagorith, Duchess Bethany, King and Queen Hignd, Lord Einarr, two Grand Wizards from Gracia Royal Family, and two more Grand Wizards from the Riveria Royal family. The city was meant to be imprable.


    Thud! Thud!


    The ground suddenly began to shake, making it evident that an army was on the other side of the walls. Gabriel, who saw it clearly, gritted his teeth in annoyance. "It''s the remaining Holy Army from the Holy Land. Who''s leading them?"


    Woosh!


    Suddenly, a single spear came flying from the enemy''s side while they were still a few kilometers away. The spear plunged right into the wall, right beside Gabriel''s head. He couldn''t even respond as it was so fast. If dwarves hadn''t made the walls, they would have copsed already.


    "Such strength!" King Hignd muttered and noticed a piece of paper tied to the spear''s end. He took it and read it to everyone there, "Nobody has to die. You cannot win no matter how much you try. Just hand over Xavia Maximilian. You have until midnight¡ªYour Pope, Axel Tar Kreed."


    Everyone''s heads turned to look at King Hignd. Isabe was the first to snatch the letter and read it herself. Her brows creased together. Confusion was evident on her face, "The Pope is alive?! Why is he doing this?"


    "The Pope and Saint Scepter have been childhood friends¡ªlike Sylvester and me, or Felix," Gabriel said, knowing the smallest things in recorded history. "They nned this together¡­ I don''t know why, but the Pope is no friend of ours."


    "But that''s the Pope¡­" Isabe eximed. "He should be helping us¡­ Helping Sylvester. Why does he want Mother Xavia?"


    "To get to Pope Sylvester, why else?" Queen Trinity Hignd eximed. "Isn''t it clear by now? This is a war of Popes¡ªthey want something from him. Something he would only agree to if he had no other choice."


    "But you can''t be thinking of fighting the Pope," a Grand Wizard from the Riveria interjected. "He''s a Supreme Wizard. We can''t win against him."


    Elyon, the Tiger Beastkin priest, red at the Grand Wizard, "If you dare run away now, His Holiness Sylvester will find you and kill you no matter where you hide. Choose your poison¡ªdie fighting for what is right, or die shamefully after your flight."


    "I never said I''m running." The man shrank his neck and silently waited for their decision.


    Gabriel looked at King Hignd. "Let''s relocate Mother Xavia somewhere more secure."


    "What happened?!" Sir Dolorem arrived in a rush. He was staying inside the Pope''s Pce, standing outside Xavia''s room, keeping it secure as per Sylvester''s request. "Who''s attacking?"


    "Pope Axel," Gabriel replied dejectedly. "He wants Mother Xavia."


    Sir Dolorem immediately unsheathed his sword and tensely looked at the various faces, not knowing what they were going to do when faced with such overwhelming power. "Sylvester always spoke privately that the Pope isn''t dead¡ªthe man is too powerful to perish without a trace. So, what did you all decide?"


    King Hignd firmly reassured Sir Dolorem, "We''re going to fight for what is right. Only in one Pope we have put our trust¡ªNo Axel, only Sylvester Maximilian."


    "Amen," Dagorith responded, his regard for Sylvester having deepened through the duration of their exploits in Beastaria. "If he can stand against Saint Scepter, I''d be ashamed to falter now."


    With all doubts out of the way, King Hignd took charge as he held the most experience inrge-scale warfare. "Lord Gideon Gracia and Sir Bobby Gracia, please take the north edge of the east wall and defend it. "Lord Karlson and Lord Timothy of Riveria, take the south edge of the east wall. We need not fear invasion from the west, there is a cliff, and Duchess Bethany will stand there. Lord Einarr, I and my wife will remain here at the main gates."


    King Hignd immediately ordered the Grand Wizards to ensure the city''s defenses. "This is my order only until five minutes until midnight."


    "What happens after?" Lord Einarr inquired¡ªthe time-stopping Grand Wizard from the ckhart Kingdom.


    King Hignd smiled, "My goal is to decrease the damage to the city as much as possible. If those Holy Army soldiers enter the city, a sacking will ensue¡ªif they somehow find a way into the bunkers, unspeakable horrors await; mass murder, rape, and killing. Remember, all the good men of the faith have already joined Pope Sylvester''s side. Whatever is left, they are the lowest of the lowest scums."


    "They aren''t," Gabriel refuted King Hignd''s words. "They are faithful men to the Holy Land. They merely couldn''t distinguish which Pope to serve. However, in this case¡ªstopping them should be our priority. But attacking under the cover of the night would breach the code of honorable warfare."


    King Hignd scoffed, gazing into the distance. "He broke the code when he gave us until midnight. There are no gentlemen here anymore¡ªonly the faithful and heathens. Bishop Lazark, tell your little undead birds to alert the soldiers and keep the cannons ready. I''ll inform you of the trajectoryter."


    "Understood." Bishop Lazark took the order and used his necromancy tomunicate with the undead birds that each cannon squad had.


    Without dy, everyone got to work and manned their positions. Xavia was immediately taken underground to the treasury, which remained the most protected ce in the entire pce as Sylvester personally ced the Elder Runes for its protection. Moreover, Ashra was there to protect her.


    But the defense was stillcking, and when the hopelessness crept closer, a glimmer of faint hope emerged.


    "I can help." Kimino, the Moonwatcher girl, approached King Hignd and spoke in a monotonous voice.


    King Hignd patted her head, "I appreciate the help, young one. But you must go to the bunker."


    "I''ll call forth Desert Snakes from Divine Desert. Each as strong as a Grand Wizard, master of Earth magic. They can''t stop the Pope but can stall him for you to attack." Kimino tried to speak as clearly as possible and help.


    "..."


    King Hignd stood frozen in shock, "You can do that?"


    "His Holiness is a witness." Hozin, Kimino''s father, assured.


    "Then I will have to ask for your help, dear," King Hignd respectfully patted her shoulder. "But remain inside the pce. It''ll get very bloody here."


    Kimino nodded silently and left without saying a word. That was just her style, but her help was deeply appreciated by all.


    Atst, time passed slowly, and the Holy Army made their camp in the distance. The twin moons of the night cast their eerie light upon the vast in fields beyond the city. From the high city walls, everything was visible.


    "Give the order¡ªadjust the angle at sixty-eight." King Hignd ordered Bishop Lazark.


    Being a Grand Wizard, spending months at a stretch devoid of sleep, he had honed his mental clock enough to know precisely what time it was. He just stood at the edge of Miraj City''s walls with his arms crossed, his white beard and hair swaying in the gentle breeze.


    In his heart, he wondered what was going on with Sylvester. If he was winning, or if they were already fighting a losing battle. Gabriel hadn''t received any messages yet, which worried them beyond tolerance. So many hours had passed, and nobody could survive fighting a Supreme Wizard that long.


    But, he couldn''t show any hesitance, denying himself from being the straw that breaks the camel''s back. The city needed assurance, and he tried to provide it.


    "These fine creations, let''s see how they defeat these heretic abominations¡ªAim!" dered King Hignd.


    King Hignd looked toward the sky, urately seeing how many minutes were left to midnight.


    "Hold¡­ Hold¡­" He counted down the final seconds in his mind. "...FIRE!"


    Across the entire east wall of the city, nearly five hundred Srium-Light cannons were fitted. Each squad leader activated the rune trigger that released the light crystals into the reflective chamber of the cannon. Immediately, powered by Srium crystals, beams of scorching light materialized.


    BOOM!


    Simultaneously, all the cannons opened fire, shaking the foundation of the wall they stood on. Ears were rendered deaf, and eyes were momentarily blinded, as the sensory overload was too much for them.


    Multiple bright white beams of light flew into the sky, covering it with radiance. They were charming, hiding their destructiveness from the awaiting audience.


    In the camp of the Holy Army, soldiers came out of their tents and looked at the sky in awe and confusion. They watched as a radiant shower of shooting stars graced the heavens. Mesmerized and almost charmed, they forgot they hade for war, theirmanders shouted for them to regain their focus, but themands fell on deaf ears since the loud bangs of the cannons finally reached their camp¡ªwaking them from their stupor.


    However, it was toote. With great precision, the first streak of light struck the rearmost section of the camp, and then the subsequent lines gradually fell, covering the entire camp from all sides.


    Henries, Karlsons, Medisons, Benjamins, Harolds¡ªthousands of bodies, now nameless, swiftly imed by death. The luckiest were those who stood the closest to the point of impact as they withered into ashes before the light even struck the ground.


    Still, for those further, death came quickly as well. Each time a projectilended, it first vanished into the ground itself, and then came the unimaginable explosive wave of zing fury¡ªcreating craters of fire. Within a wide radius, nothing remained intact.


    Ten thousand came, but within three seconds, less than a thousand remained.


    BOOM!


    But again, perhaps dyed, death came quickly for them as well¡ªA second spectacr wall of light engulfed the sky, ready to fall on them as if a death god''s spell.


    A thousand were left, but now none remained.


    In a single night, thendscape of warfare changed. Gone were the days of grand armies, swords, and spells to be exchanged. Seen by Grand Wizards from the world that night¡ªhaving learned that Sylvester had a much greater weapon, they knew gone were their days to fight; no longer they held the supreme might.


    "May the Lord embrace their souls." King Hignd coldly muttered to himself, taken aback by the destruction he had just witnessed. "The world shall know peace under his rule, Sylvester Maximilian; I cannot wait to see how this world you will fuel."


    Ding!


    Ding!


    Waking up from his temporary daze, King Hignd heard the bells and looked down. Suddenly, a towering figure materialized not far from the city gates. With fine, priceless armor on his body, a red silky cape around his back¡ªand a magnificent mitre on his head.


    Not an ounce of benevolence was visible on the man who was loved by the world not long ago. With resolute eyes, ready to battle¡ªthere was no stopping the destruction anymore.


    "Children of Solis!" Roared the man outside. "I¡ªYour Pope, Axel Tar Kreed, orders you toy down your weapons. Do not forget your holy lessons¡ªenough blood has been shed, do not take the path of felons."


    nk!


    King Hignd heard the sound from his left and turned his gaze. To his dismay, a cannon squad had ced their swords on the ground. "What are you doing? Your loyalty is to Pope Sylvester, not this heathen!"


    nk!


    Yet, more noises came from his right. Veins popped on his forehead, and he looked down. "Did you n this from the beginning? Axel Tar Kreed, the heathen of the Holy Land?"


    Pope Axel gazed up, staring at King Hignd. "They are the nners, Your Majesty¡ªI''m a mere executioner."


    King Hignd prepared himself for battle as he felt other Grand Wizards reaching his location. "They? Who are they?"


    Pope Axel walked closer to the city gate and touched it with a single finger. In an instant, the gate melted away.


    "They are the gods who need no prayers."


    ¡­


    Inside the Supreme Void,


    ''With the key, follow me into the hidden tomb''s center¡ªOpen the door, and be the first to enter.''


    Sylvester gritted his teeth as Saint Scepter strengthened his hold, crushing his ribs with ease. He tried to speak to the man mentally as well. ''What''s inside it?''


    ''A curse to those of this world, a boon to those into this realm, hurled. Decide now, to die or to make a vow.'' Saint Scepter turned serious, not giving any further chances as he cracked Sylvester''s ribs with each passing second.


    Sylvester coughed up blood. His eyes glowed in a frenzied red hue. The wound on his armless shoulder bled profusely, and Srium remained elusive for absorption. His paleplexion began turning deadly. Not much time had passed, but he felt days had gone by already.


    ''What does he want? He fears ''they,'' but why take me in there? Saving me?'' Sylvester questioned himself, but the pain finally started clouding his judgment. ''Where is Chonky?''


    Searching for healing potions, his gaze darted around. But Miraj was nowhere to be seen. It worried him to no limit, even scaring him.


    "Hurry, Bard¡ªyour city has almost perished. If you''re not quick, nothing will be left to cherish." Saint Scepter spoke vocally.


    "DON''T!" Inquisitor High Lord roared from a distance away. His staff was destroyed, and his crushed hands were still bleeding. It was clear that their wounds were untreatable inside the Void. "The price is too high¡ªyou must defy!"


    But Sylvester didn''t reply to the Lord Inquisitor with as much enthusiasm as before. "But too high are the stakes. If I don''t, nothing will be left; Sol will have unchecked, corrupted, evil human snakes. If I don''t, Mother dies, and with it shall die the dream of millions¡ªForgive me, Lord Inquisitor, if we live, we can oppose these viins!"


    "Don''t submit!" Lord Inquisitor roared and dragged his body to strike Saint Scepter.


    "I ept!" Sylvester epted the contract. "Take the blood."


    Saint Scepter''s staff floated beside him and created a piece of paper out of thin air. Then he released Sylvester from his grip.


    Sylvester tried to read it quickly, but to his surprise, it wasn''t themonnguage of the world. ''This is Koine Greek!''


    He still read the terms quickly and ensured they were what Saint Scepter spoke of. The key, the door, being the first to enter¡ªit all was there. Without hesitation, he raised his left hand, touched the open wound on his right shoulder, and pressed his thumb onto the paper.


    The contract glowed with white light, and thin chains of light came out of it, tying themselves around Saint Scepter and Sylvester''s hearts. Afterward, the paper vanished back into the staff.


    "What have you done? From this, you can never run!" Inquisitor High Lord grieved, reaching close to them in hopes of attacking, but now lost the will to do so.


    Sylvester showed no remorse for his decision, "I have no intention of running¡ªSaint Scepter, please release us from the void and stop Pope Axel."


    Saint Scepter held his staff and gently tapped the floor. Ripples spread out, and darkness blinked before their eyes. In the next moment, they found themselves gazing at the softly illuminated sky. The moons were there, but on the horizon, the sun was also slowly rising high.


    "Axel''s mind is an enigma; I cannot stop him anymore." Saint Scepter spoke, sending chills of despair into Sylvester. "''They''mand us, but his heart desires something else, something more. Return to your city; I''m sure his adopted grandson''s words he won''t ignore."


    _________________


    [A/N: Sorry, longer chapter. Remember, if it costs more coins, it''s because it''s longer.]


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 581 580. Battle Of Miraj City II: Fast Approach

    ?


    Hearing Saint Scepter''s words, Sylvester''s eyes turned bloodshot red. Miraj City was far away, and his body was out of Srium. His shoulder was still bleeding, albeit slower, and his ribs were still broken. Lord Inquisitor''s hands were crushed and couldn''t be automatically healed. Meanwhile, Felix was unconscious, and Emperor Raz could not stand up due to fractures in his bones.


    To reach the city before anything unfortunate happened was near impossible in their state. But Sylvester had no choice. He ced his left hand on his armless shoulder. After that, he used simple fire magic and burned his wound to stop the bleeding. He then wrapped it with a piece of his cape to avoid any infection from the air.


    "We shall meet again, Sylvester Maximilian. After you be the Pope." Saint Scepter started to rise into the air, flying away. "May you find sce in your actions, no matter what happens."


    The man vanished toward the sky, and Sylvester was left to his own devices. He felt relieved that the Saint Scepter didn''t ask him to fulfill the contract right away. There was something about him he still had to find out, and he needed time for it.


    But he did notice the despair and frustration emanating from the Inquisitor High Lord as he stood silently.


    ''He''s probably disappointed in me.'' Sylvester sensed it.


    "The consequences of my actions are my own to bear. Don''t lose hope, Lord Inquisitor, don''t stop chanting that silent prayer. Let''s heal Soulbreaker, Felix, and Emperor Raz. We must hurry back to the city." Sylvester rushed toward Soulbreaker, the one in the direst state. The man was barely holding up, still impaled on multiple bone spears.


    "Chonky!" Sylvester called out for his little friend. "Where are you?"


    Boom!


    Just then, a thunderbolt fell from the sky, and Aurora appeared. Her hair floated, radiating a deep blue light that matched her eyes. "I¡­ I finally found you! Where were you? And¡­ Your arm Sylvester!"


    "We were stuck in the Supreme Void," Sylvester replied and noticed Miraj sitting on Aurora''s shoulder, likely the one who called her over. "We lost, Aurora¡ªbarely survived. Lord Inquisitor''s hands are crushed to paste¡ªthe rest you can see. Miraj City is also under siege by Pope Axel since morning¡ªbe quick and start healing everyone. We must return quickly."


    "Pope Axel? But he was dead." Aurora eximed in shock.


    "No time to exin. Let''s move first." Sylvester hurried.


    Aurora asked no further and rushed to help Soulbreaker. Meanwhile, Sylvester asked Miraj to take out a few hundred bottles of healing potions, blood-replenishing potions, and some bags of Srium Crystals.


    Miraj simply opened his mouth wide and tossed out a few bags. "Maxy¡­ He threw me out of the voidy ce."


    "I guessed that much," Sylvester responded and looked at Lord Inquisitor. "Put this potion on your hands and help Felix. I''ll check Emperor Raz. His injuries might not conform to our norms."


    Sylvester walked over to check on Emperor Raz. The man looked greatly damaged; his skeleton was gone from some ces. "Are you alright? Where does it hurt?"


    "Hurt? I''m incapable of feeling pain, Bard." Emperor Raz replied as if he wasn''t injured at all. "I merely have to wait until the bones grow back, which will happen in a few hours. You did well epting his proposal, Bard. His strength is immeasurable¡ªI refuse to believe he''s a mere Supreme Wizard."


    "How can I help you?" Sylvester asked him, not very keen on talking about the contract. "I need to return to Miraj City quickly. It''s under siege by Pope Axel."


    Emperor Raz apologized, "Forgive me, Bard, but I can''t engage in battle any longer, as I can''t even stand. But we can fly to the city on my undead dragon."


    It was a great offer. So Sylvester quickly gave Emperor Raz some loose robes to cover his body and helped him walk, nearly picking him up by the shoulder. They looked and noticed Felix was awake but sitting while clenching his stomach, a few ribs were likely snapped, and organs ruptured.


    But Soulbreaker was still the most injured. Aurora had taken out the bone spears from his body and slowly healed thergest wounds. However, he had lost a lot of blood, and the blood-replenishing potions didn''t work that swiftly.


    "He''ll die if we don''t bring him to a healer and perform a blood transfusion," Aurora warned them.


    "Get on the undead dragon," Sylvester quickly ordered them. "We might make it to Miraj City in an hour if we''re lucky. On the way, absorb the Srium Crystals. I know they won''t be enough, but they could still help a little. We still have a long battle to fight, and I don''t know how much we''ve lost by now."


    Felix somehow got up, albeit with an arched back, and came to help. "Hurry up then¡ªEveryone we cherish is there."


    Therge undead dragon was made of bones, so some big pieces of clothing had been fitted to its wings to give it some lift. Meanwhile, a saddle-like contraption was made for seating. It was small, but they could all squeeze in somehow.


    Then Emperor Raz gave hismand, and the dragon flew with a strong p of its wings. Sylvester sat alone in the back and closed his eyes, trying to calm himself and speak with Gabiel in the city.


    Using the Srium Web, he looked for Gabriel''s signature and connected with him after a bit of struggle. "What''s the status, Gab?"


    "Max?!" Gabriel''s voice came immediately, slightly tense. "Did you win? What happened?"


    Sylvester could sense the desperation in his voice. "No, but the battle has been nullified with somepromises. I''ming back on an undead dragon, but we''re all greatly injured. What''s the status there, Gab¡­ Is Mum safe?"


    Gab remained silent for a while, and when he spoke again, his voice was hushed. "Max¡­ We''ve lost control over our armies¡­ the Pope''s words swayed them and terrified them enough to obey hismands as he''s still the Pope. They attacked the city itself; the Inquisitors are opposing them, but I don''t know how long they can hold up.


    "The city isn''t destroyed, but Pope Axel is unstoppable. Nobody could stop him, the Dragon Snakes have also been defeated, and only the Shadow Knight has kept the Pope back from entering the Pce and getting to Mother Xavia. But the forces under the Pope''smand areying siege to the Pce¡ªI''m trying to push them back as much as possible, Max¡­"


    That exined the breaks that Gabriel took when speaking. He was busy fighting on the other side, trying to protect the Pope''s Pce from being invaded.


    Sylvester didn''t trouble him any further. "Gab, I''ll be there soon. Just hold on until then¡ªOnce I''m there, the Pope will stop on his own."


    He ended themunication with Gabriel and opened his eyes. Resuming consuming the Srium Crystals, he tried to regain some of the lost energy. But soon, he noticed a bigger issue. His wounds weren''t healing for some reason. He nced at Inquisitor High Lord; his hands still looked crushed, utterly destroyed, and bleeding profusely. Felix wasn''t fine either, having fallen unconscious again, same for Soulbreaker.


    ''Did Saint Scepter do something else to us? Poison?''


    "Give the Lord Inquisitor blood-replenishing potions," Sylvester ordered Aurora. "Losing too much blood will lead to hallucinations."


    Inquisitor High Lord emitted a low grunt and declined the offer from Aurora. "Save this for your battles toe, Bard. To relieve yourself from the blood contract will be hard."


    "Father, please don''t do this. Your hands can be healed once we reach the city." Aurora worriedly tried to convince him.


    Sylvester sighed and moved closer, taking a seat beside Lord Inquisitor. The big man was skilled at conveying much through few words. "Lord Inquisitor, is this where your belief in me ends? Because of a small roadblock on our path to greatness?"


    Inquisitor High Lord shook his head. The burning rageful scent decreased a bit. "I never doubted you before; I don''t doubt you now. To lose my faith, my life''s experiences won''t allow."


    Sylvester noticed that they had entered a sandy area, which meant the city was close. He tried to uplift the Lord Inquisitor''s spirits. "Then take the blood-replenishing potion. There is much for you to aplish in the future as my Inquisitor High Lord."


    "Listen to him, father." Aurora insisted, not liking the mysterious gloom she felt after hearing him. "After this war, we have so much more to do."


    But Lord Inquisitor silently gazed toward the west.


    ''This scent again¡­ Why is thising from him?'' Sylvester noticed something behind Lord Inquisitor''s rage, and it haunted him greatly. ''What''s going on in his mind?''


    _________________


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 Chapter 582 581. Battle Of Miraj City III: Kneel!

    ?


    Lord Inquisitor continued to gaze toward the west; he could also see they were getting closer. But instead of healing himself, he stood up and allowed the wind to flutter his dirtied robes. His crushed hands were engulfed in fire as if he prepared himself for battle.


    "Your Holiness, Lord Bard¡­ Sylvester Maximilian." Inquisitor High Lord started; his voice was heavy and deep, echoing from behind his visor. The man who believed in speaking less spoke the most on that peculiar day. "When I was born, I was cursed. The moment I took my first breath, my body was scorched by sudden mes, suffering the fate of the worst. Left hideous, my body burned and bruised. Called a demon by my own mother; beaten, hated, despised, and abused."


    Taken aback by Lord Inquisitor''s sudden openness, Sylvester listened with focus and senses on alert. ''This is harsh... But I don''t like the timing of this.''


    The Inquisitor High Lord continued. "Then, one day, she took me deep into the forest to pick fruits and wood. She told me to wait while she found a tree to cut, and there I silently stood. I was three years old, and she never returned. Alone, scared, with no power, I was concerned.


    "For three years, I survived there, fought against small animals, and hid from the bigger foes. Ate insects, grass, or whatever I chose. Alone, I waited for what I yearned¡ªbut my mother never returned."


    Sylvester stood up and walked to Lord Inquisitor''s side. He ced his hand on the high shoulder. "But you were saved?"


    The Inquisitor High Lord nodded and continued, "After three years, I was found by the previous Pope before he took the throne. He took me in, taught me about my extreme fire affinity, and treated me like his own. Yet, he wasn''t the one who saved me from solitude. Rather, it was the vision on the seventh night, a little boy with a radiant halo, that I viewed."


    Sylvester found himself at a loss for words and looked at the Lord Inquisitor. "You''ve known me since the age of three?!"


    "The visions of the boy, the songs he sang of joy¡ªthey kept me alive. Despite my hideous face, he strengthened me to thrive." Inquisitor High Lord stepped forward to the edge of the giant saddle on the dragon''s back. "I remember the words, ''Find the boy of miracle in the south; You will know when holy sermons shalle from his mouth.''"


    Sylvester rubbed his forehead, sweat forming from the uneasy feeling. "You came to Deserte vige not by coincidence, but due to a song?"


    Woosh!


    Inquisitor High Lord jumped off from the undead dragon. Sylvester leaped forward and noticed they were already over the walls of Miraj City, where the Srium-Light cannons were being prepared to shoot, aimed at them from the city walls.


    It appeared that the city''s defense was taken by those who surrendered to Pope Axel. Moreover, Sylvester tried to analyze the situation in the entire city. He didn''t notice too much destruction but saw the isted ces where fires were raging.


    "Bring it down!" Sylvester ordered and also jumped from the dragon. Emperor Raz quickly stirred the dragon to the side and soared toward the distant forest tond. Aurora stayed behind for the time being to ensure Soulbreaker''s well-being.


    Thud!


    Sylvesternded beside the Inquisitor High Lord and looked at the destruction before their eyes. The city gates had melted away, and by the gates rested the bleeding, battered body of King Hignd. There was a hole in his stomach. Blood oozed out of his mouth, and his white beard and hair almost looked scarlet. His armor had deep dents, and his right leg appeared broken, and twisted in unnatural ways.


    "Chonky," Sylvester called. He then gave King Hignd numerous healing potions and other supplies. "Your Majesty, drink the potions, pour them on wounds¡ªyou will live. You haven''t lost too much blood yet."


    "F-Forgive me¡­ Sylvester." King Hignd muttered weakly, ashamed of himself for his inability to protect the city.


    Sylvester hastily stopped him and patted his shoulder. "You''ve done enough¡­ I thank you forsting this long and not dying. Rest now; I''ll stop him now."


    However, before he left, he picked up King Hignd''s long sword, which had shining magic stones in its golden hilt. "I''ve lost an arm, but I can use the other. I''ll borrow your sword for a moment, Your Majesty."


    Afterward, Sylvester and Lord Inquisitor entered the city gates despite their battered state. The moment they walked in, they were surrounded by soldiers who had been loyal to them just the previous night. There was fear in their eyes; however, there was also a strange glow as if they weren''t in control.


    "At least ten thousand." Sylvester estimated after noticing the soldiers on the streets, walls, rooftops, all over the ce. They had the finest armor and weapons as well, but thankfully only a few were dwarven-made.


    Boom!¡ªLord Inquisitor kicked the ground and charred it ck with his mes that soon enveloped his entire body. "I wanted to see your journey and find a reason for my own existence. Thanks to you, I was able to find strength for resistance."


    All of a sudden, the colossal man draped in red lifted his right arm. Despite his crushed hands, he moved one and held his visor.


    sp!


    With a little tug, Lord Inquisitor removed his visor and allowed the iconic, conical helmet to fall away. His face, for the first time, appeared in its true form. It was burned, charred, cracked with blood vessels exposed, and eyes that seemed damaged.


    There was a look of pain behind the stoic expression that he donned¡ªhow much had he suffered since his birth?


    "Go forth, Your Holiness. These men, I shall halt¡ªyou must go and stop the heathen Pope''s assault." The Inquisitor High Lordmanded with conviction. When he spoke, fire came from his mouth, finally revealing his extraordinary fire affinity. The secret of why his eyes always seemed shining crimson also came out¡ªit was fire from his breath.


    Boom!


    "Attack!"


    Abruptly, the soldiers charged toward them. The wizards started to throw their elemental spells. Lord Inquisitor and Sylvester blocked a few and awaited the approaching charge.


    Sylvester nced at the soldiers and then back at Inquisitor High Lord. He shook his head firmly. "You''ve lost too much blood; you''ll die here if you fight and use magic any longer."


    "I''ve known the arrival of my death since the moment, as your student, I was reborn¡ªGo, Pope Sylvester, there''s nothing here to mourn."


    Sylvester didn''t budge, albeit his mind was overwhelmed with countless questions. "What do you mean? Who told you of your death?"


    "Fate is such that none can change¡ªWhat''s hidden, only time will tell¡­ farewell."


    Bam!


    The first line of soldiers approached them and attacked them with their swords and spears. Lord Inquisitor stepped ahead of Sylvester and used fire as he had never before, roaring at his enemies and spewing fire from his mouth. His shattered hands stillunched fist-shaped fire sts, and his stomping feet created crimson shockwaves in all directions.


    With each passing second, Lord Inquisitor''s face turned paler, his magic was already depleted, and his blood never stopped dripping.


    Sylvester didn''t stay hidden behind Lord Inquisitor and came out with King Hignd''s sword. He shed with the knights alone, using his leftover strength. Even with srium deficiency, he still held the strength of a tinum Knight in his hands.


    sh!


    Just one swing from Sylvester''s sword, dozens of men were sent flying away. If he wasn''t so fatigued, they would have been chopped to pieces. But he knew he could still stand, as it was no secret to him what magic his blood held. With the ability to turn blood into Srium itself, he was powerful as long as there was crimson in his veins.


    "Leave, Your Holiness! Use this strength against what matters." Inquisitor High Lord roared, spewing fire from his mouth. "If you don''t triumph, this world''s hopes and dreams will shatter."


    Sylvester gritted his teeth and swung his de. He shook his head a few times to stay focused. "Without just men like you, there''s no joyous future for this world. You¡­ must¡­ live!"


    Boom!


    Suddenly, some soldiers on the city walls began firing cannons at them, albeit with lower intensity, as they were likely out of crystals. Sylvester and Lord Inquisitor still jumped aside to dodge and, without speaking, started to make their way deeper into the city, away from the view of the city walls.


    Inquisitor High Lord''s steps swayed at times, his bnce faltering. But, like a drunken man, he fought in that state and incinerated everyone that approached him. "Your Holiness, this is my destiny. I must ept this, for it''s the end of my legacy."


    Sylvester continued to fight toward a city square, where a wider area weed them. But soon, they were surrounded from all sides, trapped within a tightening circle. But Sylvester didn''t frown since he wanted to reach that ce.


    "Destiny, fate, providence¡ªwords of a fool. I am your Pope, and you die when I tell you to die!" Sylvester bellowed and formed a halo behind his head. His frustration came out in the form of words. "This is my life, and I form my own destiny¡ªif you don''t believe me, then watch me carve it!"


    Sylvester plunged King Hignd''s sword into the ground as he needed to use the one arm he was left with. "I am the creator of this damn city, and before me¡ªALL MUST KNEEL!"


    BOOM!


    Sylvester mmed his brightly lit palm on the ground. A deafening st echoed as the aftermath and strange bright lines started to shine all across the streets of the city. With Sylvester at the center, like a spider''s web, the entire city was overtaken by warmth.


    He clenched his teeth, teetering on the edge of losing himself. Blood spewed out from his mouth, nose, ears, and eyes; but he didn''t falter.


    "Misguided souls of this city, open your eyes to what I reveal!" Sylvester bellowed and activated the gigantic city-wide Elder Rune array. "Enough heresy you''vemitted¡ªkneel!"


    _________________


    [A/N: See Inquisitor High Lord''s face]


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 583 582. Battle Of Miraj City IV: Changing Destiny

    ?


    The bright radiance continued. The white light exploded from the Elder Rune array and turned into a glittering white mist. It entered every nook and cranny of the city; no matter how high or how low, none were spared.


    nk!


    Thud!


    The aftermath was immediate. Sylvester looked around and noticed theck of raging voices from the soldiers who had recently swung their swords and spears at them. The bombardment from the wizards had also fallen silent¡ªengulfing the entire city in an eerie stillness.


    The mist took some time to disperse as it ran its course. The sparks it made were beautiful to one''s eye but also held a certain sedative that could calm the nerves of its victims, making them easier to manipte mentally for a short while.


    Sylvester coughed a little blood from his mouth and knelt down weakly. But he didn''t let his knees fully touch the paved tiles as he grabbed King Hignd''s sword and tried to hoist himself up. Bncing with just one arm proved slightly annoying, but he slowly forced his mind to adapt.


    "Sylvester!" Felix''s voice came from above, followed by a strong gust of wind that came from the sky.


    It was Emperor Raz''s dragon, which hovered over the city briefly and returned as swiftly as it came. However, Felix and Aurora leaped down from its back, with their des out and magic at the ready.


    Aurora approached to help Sylvester stand up, "Why is everyone kneeling? What was that light?"


    Sylvester appreciated her helping hand. He held her shoulder for some support and stayed like that. He red at Lord Inquisitor''s face with pride and confidence, "You have no right to die before you see Aurora reach her peak, before she gets married or has children if she desires. Not before you see the new world I''ll make¡ªI''ve had enough of other people talking about my destiny. I''ll choose my own path."


    The Inquisitor High Lord seemed frozen in his ce. His damaged eyes had a look of confusion and guilt. He gazed around himself as countless soldiers knelt before them in all directions, as if they were lifeless. He had epted his death that day, as the vision had foretold, yet he found things going differently from his expectations.


    He nced at Sylvester atst and spoke in a weak yet resolute voice, "Your Holiness¡ª"


    "Sylvester, that''s what you must call me when in private. For a man who''s somehow known me since the age of three, I''m no different from family to you. Aurora does the same; you should too¡ªand this is an order." Sylvester ordered, mouthing his words with much struggle.


    The Inquisitor High Lord''s lips twitched a little as if he was overwhelmed with emotions. Sylvester detected the scent but didn''t respond, as the big man likely didn''t want to show them.


    When he spoke again, a faint wisp of fire escaped his lips. "S¡­ Sylvester¡­ For years I believed the words of those visions. Somewhere down that path, I turned them into ambitions. Blind to realize that your words are the same as those revtions¡ªThat your orders are also fate''s calctions."


    The Inquisitor High Lord grunted and lowered himself to one knee before Sylvester. His face contorted as if he had aches in various ces. "To die when you allow me to, if that is your mandate¡ªTo you I surrender my fate. Until the end of my natural time¡ªI pray that you continue gracing me with your melodious rhymes."


    With that, Inquisitor High Lord''s head slumped forward, and his body froze in that state. Sylvester quickly moved forward, reaching out to feel for a pulse at the man''s neck. The first thing he noticed was the burning temperature of his skin, but thankfully, that meant he was alive.


    "Aurora, take Lord Inquisitor to the sick bay and tell the healers to start working. You only have one hour before the soldiers in the city wake up. ce them all in the dungeons and find the rest of the Grand Wizards. They must be somewhere in the city, injured." Sylvester firmly ordered and stood up straight with some effort.


    "I''m getting married?" Aurora eyed Sylvester just then, referring to what Sylvester had said before.


    Sylvester chuckled and mentally prepared himself for another battle. "I merely said it to provoke the Lord Inquisitor. After all, every old man wants to see grandkids in his life. But if you want to settle down someday, I won''t mind¡ªI''ll make newws that allow clergymen to have families, with some checks and bnces, and exclusion from the highest administrative offices."


    Aurora sighed and proceeded to hoist Lord Inquisitor up by putting herself under one of his massive shoulders. "I know where you''re going next. Do you think you can win?"


    Sylvester sighed and nced toward the Pope''s Pce in the distance, where he felt Pope Axel was. "I can''t afford not to."


    "Then," Aurora prepared to leave, but before that, she handed Sylvester her own sword. "It''s light and quick, and has my thunder imbued in it. Just keep it with you in case the other breaks. And¡­ I''ll kill you if you die."


    "..."


    Sylvester watched her retreat toward the sick bay. Then he nced at his dear friend, Felix. While the man hade to help, he still stood with an arched back, and coughed repeatedly while groaning in pain. "And what will you do, Felix?"


    "I shall fight beside you," Felix replied and raised his Darksaber sword. "I will¡­"


    Felix began coughing uncontrobly and vomited blood onto the poor unconscious soldiers kneeling nearby. "I can still fight, Max¡­ Let''s go and beat that Pope''s ass. I got a score to settle with him."


    "At this rate, the only score you''ll be settling is your decreasing lifespan. Go to the sick bay and get yourself treated. Don''t give Isabe another reason to cry." Sylvester ordered and ced his heavy hand on Felix''s shoulder, making him feel pain in his stomach. It made him realize how weak he was at that moment.


    "You can''t fight him alone!" Felix protested, his concern evident.


    But Sylvester was somewhat confident this time. "I epted the Blood Contract from Saint Scepter. If I die now, that would oppose the man''s interest¡ªhe also ordered the Pope around for years. Pope Axel can''t kill me without inviting the wrath of his childhood friend."


    Felix found some sce in that information. Although he still felt annoyed that Sylvester was now stuck in a ve contract. Truly tired and worried, he inched closer to hug Sylvester, "I won''t go anywhere¡ªI''ll wait close to your battleground. I''ve lost a brother already, and I can''t lose another."


    Sylvester hugged Felix with one arm and patted his back, "Don''t die a pathetic death while waiting for me."


    "Haha," Felixughed. "Take my sword. It''s from the Holy Land''s treasury."


    Sylvester eyed the lengthy Darksaber. "I only have one arm. What would I do with three swords?"


    "Just in case."


    Sylvester sighed and took it as well, only to ce it on his back. With three magnificent des, he turned around and swiftly strode away. "I''ll be at the Pope''s Pce."


    Felix couldn''t walk too fast, so he allowed Sylvester to leave. But before the Holy Bard disappeared from his sight, he shouted onest time, "CHONKY! I don''t know who you are¡­ where you are¡­ Please, protect him."


    Sylvester, slightly amused, silently smiled while walking away. He knew some people would figure it out after he shouted that name so many times.


    "Aye, Aye, horny Felix!" Miraj chirped as loud as he could while flying by Sylvester''s head.


    "..."


    Felix bellowed inughter in the distance. From Miraj''s voice, he already knew he was going to love whoever this invisible being was.


    ¡­


    Sylvester wasn''t feeling well in the least. The guise he showed everyone disappeared once he walked the empty streets. He had no srium left in his body. His blood was being depleted rapidly, to the point where he felt troubled from merely walking. Speaking felt like a waste of energy; his eyelids felt as heavy as lead.


    His vision had turned blurry, and his body waspletely numb. He felt nauseous, and his head ached; while blood trickled out of every hole in his body. But the battle had toe to an end that day.


    He used King Hignd''s sword as if it was a walking stick and talked with Miraj along the way, "You''re going to get a few more friends after this battle is over."


    "Maxy, Dol-Dol, Big Mum, Felix, Fireman, Skele, and Arawra¡ªWe''ll all y together after. Eat tasty treats." Miraj already started to dream. "But¡­"


    "I''ll be fine," Sylvester reassured Miraj, noticing the raised hair of his long eyebrows. "Give me the sack number zero-zero-one."


    Miraj closed his eyes, remembering what it was while humming, "Hmm¡­ The tiny one?"


    "Yes."


    Miraj quickly began to vomit. It took some time as the item was given to Miraj years ago, nearly a week after they had met each other for the first time. "Uwaa¡­ It was almost lost."


    Miraj helped Sylvester by picking up the small sack and handing it to him.


    "Stay at a safe distance away from the Pope. He could sense you before, so he might do that again. Don''t try to save me if you see me falling or injured¡ªmake sure you stay quiet too." Sylvester gave Miraj firm orders while rubbing the unknown substance from the sack to the des of the swords.


    Sensing seriousness in his tone, Miraj nodded his head and hugged Sylvester''s neck tightly. "But if he hurts you too much, I''ll eat him!"


    "Hah¡­" Sylvester chuckled, not really sure if Miraj could do it. "If I die¡ªyou can."


    Finally, they stopped talking as they arrived at the entrance to the Pope''s Pce. Tensions hung in the air as the injured bodies of inquisitors were littered around. But to Sylvester''s surprise, none of them were dead, just severely injured.


    ''He didn''te here to destroy.'' Sylvester had suspected it before, and now he was sure. ''He came here for me.''


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us," Sylvester muttered as soon as he stepped into the massive gates of the Pce.


    "Do you still believe in that?"


    Immediately, as if an answer to his prayer, a familiar voice responded. An old voice he had known since young, since he yed on thep of the very same man. He heard hisughter and sensed his positive emotions. Surprisingly, nothing had changed¡ªno scent of hatred in the air, nor anger, only admiration, hope, and worship.


    Wearily, Sylvester looked ahead, and there, in the grand expanse of the pce corridor, stood the Pope, with his magnificent mitre and armor, his red cape unblemished.


    "Why not? Unlike you¡ªSolice never betrayed me."


    _________________


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 Chapter 584 583. Sylvester Maximilian & Axel Tar Kreed

    <h4>Chapter 584 583. Sylvester Maximilian & Axel Tar Kreed</h4>


    Pope Axel sighed and took off the mitre from the head, "Come with me to the arena you''ve made in this magnificent new city."


    Sylvester followed the man inside, only noticing the positive scents emanating from him. He looked down at the floor and thought about Xavia, who was currently in the treasury below. ''Why is he so calm andposed? He didn''t ask me about what happened with Saint Scepter¡ªMaybe he already knew the oue.''


    "You''re a Supreme Wizard. A battle with you will destroy the Pce." Sylvester said, wanting to take the battle outside as he worried for Xavia.


    "This battle won''t need much magic." Pope Axel replied and continued to stroll forward. "Did you design this Pce? It''s beautiful, the interior, the exterior, and I noticed the metal lines you''re cing on the wider streets¡ªis it for the thing called train?"


    ''What?'' Sylvester internally gasped.


    "How do you know about trains?" Sylvester questioned him since the concept wasn''t a reality yet.


    Pope Axel chuckled softly and finally led Sylvester into the arena. "Trains, steam engines, electric engines, air balloons, steamships, steam carts¡ªI''m no stranger to these terms, Sylvester. Throughout my life, I''ve seen things I can''t exin, albeit Saint Scepter tried to make sense of them. Creations of men from a world different, from eras so magnificent¡ªI feel envy."


    ''Someone invented these things before? But where are they?'' Sylvester wondered and tried to imagine what secrets were in the deepest vaults of the Holy Land.


    But he couldn''t bring himself to question the man any further as he entered the arena. It was a vast area with a sandy field. There were spectator benches at the edges, and the ceiling was shaped like a massive dome withrge windows, letting in light. But at that moment, there was a single square table in the middle of the area with two chairs. And surprisingly, the table was adorned with various types of food.


    "Come, replenish your lost energy before we fight." Pope Axel took a seat. "Give your wounded, armless shoulder some rest."


    ''No deceptions in the scents,'' Sylvester smelled nothing. ''What magic does he specialize in? Light?''


    Sylvester took a seat, finding more time to absorb some srium, a blessing. "What do you want from all this? I know what Saint Scepter wanted; my marred body is proof. But you''ve been a puppet too¡ªwhy be a ve?"


    Pope Axel began eating, cing pieces of meat and vegetables on his te and filling his ss with Sunshine Nectar, a recipe of Grandpa Monk. "I''m proud of you, son."


    Sylvester, taken aback, felt slightly annoyed. The man had betrayed him on every level and caused such harm to the world that it was reversible. "The feeling isn''t mutual."


    Pope Axel smiled oddly. It wasn''t one of joy. "I''m seeing you after so many years, after that incident. How much you have grown, brought down an Empire all alone. What''s your magic level?"


    "Grand Wizard level three and tinum Knight level eight," Sylvester responded as it didn''t matter anymore. The man was far stronger than him.


    "Marvelous," Pope Axel eximed. "At the age of twenty-five, to achieve this feat. Now I''m certain you''ll surpass the Supreme Wizard rank one day. After living this long, I can say you''re the best talent I have seen. If only a good teacher, I had been."


    Sylvester also started eating at that point, feeling devastating hunger. "Did you know about the lies that fueled the thousand-year war?"


    "Why do you think I signed the peace treaty after bing the Pope?" Pope Axel replied. "But I didn''t know the true extent until recently."


    Sylvester''s brows twitched, "Did you know about the truth behind the Orb of Purity?"


    "That it''s a tool of subjugation, which killed the first Pope?" Pope Axel answered immediately. "That there have been questionable Popes and Saint Scepters in the past? Like now?"


    Having finished his meal, Sylvester rose from his seat, "Willful ignorance then? Are you that scared of ''them''?"


    Pope Axel also finished eating and stood up. With a simple push of his hand, he threw the table with all its contents away to the spectator benches. "I have regrets, Sylvester. I should have done better, treated you kinder, and taught you more. But the art of acting requires a bnce of good and evil before ''them'', for they see all, and hear everything.


    "It was a mistake to send Felix to reeducation, a mistake I despise myself for. It was a mistake to allow Saint Wazir to continue to live¡ªI failed in my duties as a man, as the Pope, and as an old grandfather¡­ My face, to Grandpa Monk, I can''t show. He warned me, and now, burdened with shame, I bow my head low."


    The scent of brokenness, despair, and hopelessness emanated from the Pope. His words had grown emotional towards the end, wavering slightly. Was it genuine guilt or a guise? Sylvester didn''t know.


    "It''s useless to grieve now." Sylvester dismissed his outburst of emotions. "The dead are burnt, the lessons were learned¡ªThe damage has already been done."


    "Isn''t that why you''re here? To exact revenge for my actions?" Pope Axel questioned and raised his right arm, summoning his magical staff from a distance.


    Sylvester picked up his sword as well, his eyes only half-open. Thankfully, the bleeding had stopped from his eyes and the rest of his wounds. "No, I''m here to end this long fruitless plot, to find peace atst. I only see the future now; what was in the past has been lost."


    Pope Axel ced his mitre back on his head, "May the mighty win."


    Thud!


    Pope Axel tapped his staff on the ground gently, and immediately a massive, white, shining dome-shaped shield surrounded the two, covering nearly the entire arena. "Sylvester, today, let me show you the true light magic¡ªthe same ability that brought me to the throne."


    Thud!


    Once more, Pope Axel tapped his staff, and instantly, everything inside the dome shield was shrouded in white light. It was as infinite as the void inside the Saint Scepter''s Supreme Void, and Sylvester had no doubt he was inside one once again.


    "This is my Supreme Void." Pope Axel exined and disyed his ability. "Inside this, everything that is not I, or protected by me, will be incinerated to nothingness before one can blink. The heat is so powerful that none have time to think¡ªAh, so that''s what the little sneaky one looks like."


    Abruptly Pope Axel''s head turned and looked above Sylvester. A distinct cat-shaped ck shadow hovered there.


    Sylvester panicked and readied for an attack. "Your fight is with me!"


    "Do not worry. I do not harm animals, unless they wish to fight as well. Do you know how I did that? I excluded light from touching his form but included him inside the Supreme Void¡ªbut calm your little friend in case he''s annoyed." Pope Axel''s demeanor hadn''t changed at all. The aura of a man prepared for a battle to kill was absent.


    Sylvester still warned Miraj, "Chonky, don''te down! Go higher!"


    "Chonky? Hah, a surprisingly adorable name." Pope Axel said as he readied himself to battle. "Since you''re starved of srium, let''s keep our fight physical. I, a Supreme Wizard of level seven, wonder about the strength behind your status as a tinum Knight of level eight¡ªwithout further ado, let''s see whose arms hold more weight."


    Sylvester kicked off the ground and pushed forward with his sword out. He clenched his teeth to pour out all the strength he had in him. ''Just one little cut¡­ just a single one¡­''


    The Pope, being a pure wizard, didn''t have any shy knightly moves. Instead, he harnessed light magic in amazing ways, creating afterimages as he sidestepped and confused Sylvester.


    Boom!


    Out of nowhere, Pope Axel appeared behind Sylvester and swung the magic staff, aiming at the back of the head. But Sylvester used the swords hanging on his back as a shield.


    Sylvester immediately jumped away and did everything to just gauge Pope Axel''s abilities, the limits, and the patterns. The man''s use of his staff as a sword was a little clumsy at their level, but Sylvester knew that magicpensated for it.


    Sylvester''s eyes were bloodshot. The srium he had gained a short while before depleted too quickly. "One of our stories ends today!"


    Sylvester roared as he leaped toward Pope Axel. In mid-air, he ced the hilt of King Hignd''s sword in his mouth, clenching it between his teeth. At the same time, he grabbed Felix''s Darksaber with the remaining hand.


    "Light magic has the potential to be the strongest elemental ability¡ªif used wisely." Pope Axel continued to speak for reasons unknown. He vanished into the bright whiteness of the surroundings, only to appear in a different ce. "Once you learn to manipte the invisible elements of light around us, you can appear and disappear at will."


    Sylvester had learned that technique recently in Beastaria. So he decided to surprise the man with it. With low grunts and a sword in his jaw, he ran toward the Pope. The man disappeared a few times, so Sylvester pushed harder, increasing his speed.


    ''Just one little scratch.'' Sylvester repeated under his breath.


    Eventually, after repeating the same move of trying to catch up to the Pope, bing predictable for the man, Sylvester went for the hit. He rushed toward Pope Axel, but just before the man vanished as usual, it was Sylvester who vanished instead.


    Swish¡­


    The sound of the sword cutting the air resonated. But to Sylvester''s dismay, Pope Axel had already moved, floating in the air as if he was light itself.


    "Once you learn to control light, the next step is to be the light¡ªnavigate space as if you were light." Once again, he appeared behind Sylvester, aiming to strike him with the staff.


    Rageful mucus came out of Sylvester''s mouth with his hard grunts. In a moment of utter desperation, Sylvester forgot any regard for his personal safety and took the risk necessary to defeat a monster.


    ''Just one touch of the de!''


    "HMPH!" With a long muffled grunt, he stabbed himself right through his stomach. The Darksaber''s long de impaled him and passed through to reach the Pope standing just behind him.


    The move was a sess as Sylvester felt some resistance from behind. He gave all the energy he had in his body to ensure it also passed through the Pope''s armor.


    "Such desperation¡­" Pope Axel''s voice came, slightly shocked. "I truly respect your determination."


    "Ungh!" Sylvester jumped forward, expecting an attack from Pope Axel behind him. The sword he had plunged into his stomach remained there, as he took the other one out of his jaw and held it tight in hand. He retorted through clenched teeth, a growl in his voice. "You created me¡­ Only if you had epted King Atrox''s offer to adopt me!"


    Pope Axel stood in his ce. A faint little cut mark was evident on the chest te of his armor, its depth unknown. "I have many regrets throughout my existence¡ªTo keep you in the Holy Land, I''m proud of my persistence. Sylvester, you may see me with derision. But to take you into the Church was my life''s greatest decision. I am su¡ª"


    Abruptly the Pope stopped, and silence took over. A crimsonyer of blood gushed out of his mouth, nose, eyes, and ears simultaneously. Profusely, as if all the blood vessels inside him erupted.


    "Haa!" Sylvester found a chance and rushed forward, sword prepared in hand. "Let me have my peace!"


    He found no resistance and plunged the sword deep into the Pope''s chest until the hilt struck the armor. The de seemed to inflict more than mere flesh wounds as Pope Axel''s face was filled with continuously bloated veins, which eventually exploded, causing a bloody, gory mess.


    "S-Sylvester¡­" Pope Axel, in a sudden and shocking turn, breathed his name in desperation, losing his bnce.


    Sylvester threw his sword away and rushed to the old man. He caught Pope Axel just before falling and allowed him to rest his head on hisp. The Pope''s entire body was bursting apart, all of his veins swelling and exploding. On the verge of going blind, he weakly raised his hand to touch Sylvester''s face.


    "S-Sylvester¡­" He tearfully, weakly whispered, straining his throat. "I miss the days¡­ when things were simpler. You were smaller, a mere crawler¡­ Son¡­ won''t you... give your grandpa another¡­ candy?"


    Hundreds of memories flooded Sylvester''s mind in that instant. All his doubts and theories materialized into reality. Many mysteries of all the ''whys'' that had kept him perplexed for years and weeks were solved on their own. The man before him was the answer.


    Sylvester, having known of such an approaching, unchangeable oue, welled up as well. His eyes, reddened and tired, still had some tears to cry. "You knew I was poisoning you for years, and yet¡­ Thank you for protecting me from afar¡­ You sent the Anti-Light Chief to me in Masan¡­ You sent the Shadow Knight in Iceling¡­ You were there in Beastaria to throw the rope¡­ T-Thank you, Your Holiness¡­"


    Pope Axel''s eyes finally ruptured, plunging his world into darkness. His mouth continuously coughed blood, while his beard and hair had turned scarlet. The scents spoke only of sorrow. Yet, without groaning in pain, he spoke, or tried to. "Fo-Forgive me f-for... the pain... I s-should have done¡­ mo-more¡­"


    "Why? Why not sit back and let the storm pass? Whye out now and¡­ You should have stood with me to watch the dawn of a new world!" Sylvester wept, but spoke with a frustrated rage.


    With faint words, the Pope''s voice finally wavered. "''T-They''¡­ wouldn''t ha-have¡­ allowed me. But f-for the realm to ept... their new¡­ ru-ruler¡ªYou had to be... the one... to k-kill me... lead them to a d-d-divine futur..."


    His words abruptly cut off, and no more came from his lips. But life was still in him; Sylvester could feel it. He just couldn''t speak. Pained, Sylvester held Pope Axel''s head in his arms and hugged him, trying to make him feel respected and... cherished.


    "No¡­ the future won''t forget your sacrifice¡­ as long as I''m alive¡­"


    The endless white light of the Supreme Void began to falter, growing more and more dimmer with each passing moment. As the life from Axel Tar Kreed''s body shifted afar, the void started losing energy and turning bizarre.


    ''~Hehe¡­ Grandpa candy¡­~''


    ''~Bwahaha¡­ such a good kid.~''


    Alerted by the voices, Sylvester looked up and noticed the white dome of the Supreme Void projecting memories of the Pope. In them, he was a little boy, ying on thep of the old man. Giggling, as the old man beamed loudly, his beard fluttered wildly.


    Woosh!


    With that, the Supreme Void faded into nothingness, bringing him back into the arena. In hisp, he gazed back at Pope Axel''s face, now lifeless. Destroyed beyond recognition, but still, he could notice the big final smile.


    The projection was just a small piece from Pope Axel Tar Kreed''s mind''s treasury¡ªIt was his life''s happiest, most cherished memory.

 Chapter 585 584. A Mothers Embrace

    ?


    Sylvester stayed seated, looking at Pope Axel''s disfigured face. He pondered whether he could muster hatred for the man, but when he put himself in Pope Axel''s shoes, he found he couldn''t. If some supreme god was controlling him and making him do things, Sylvester wondered if he could have aplished as much as Pope Axel had.


    ''We both aimed for freedom; our paths made us enemies.'' Sylvester thought and wearily covered Pope''s face with his cape. ''May you findfort in whatever realm lies beyond the living.''


    "Max!" Felix came in, rushing and limping on one side. "I saw that shing light again!"


    Sylvester nced to his side. His body ached like never before as he forced himself to stay awake by sheer willpower. "Felix¡­ The Pope is dead¡­ but keep his body safe. He deserves a proper funeral, with the respect owed to him. He didn''te to the city to kill anyone¡­ he came here to die."


    Felix stared at the lifeless body covered by Sylvester''s golden cape. He had hatred towards the man for all the torture he had faced because of him. But at the same time, after learning that the Pope was also a mere pawn, he didn''t know what to feel. He still hated him, of course, but somehow also respected him. "Where are you going? You''re all bloodied up."


    "Ugh!" Sylvester grunted as he picked himself up with the help of King Hignd''s sword. The Darksaber that he had plunged into his own stomach was still there. The de was protruding out of his back. However, he didn''t take it out, fearing blood loss. "I can''t fall¡­ yet¡­ I''m going down to find Mum."


    Using the sword as a makeshift walking stick, he marched. "Chonky, eat the Pope''s staff and mitre, and follow me."


    Miraj quickly flew down, scooped the staff and mitre, and followed Sylvester. "Maxy, is Popo not bad?"


    "He was, and he wasn''t," Sylvester replied. "People don''te in a single shade, Chonky¡­ Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone has their own demons to fight."


    Sylvester dragged himself toward the lower floors. He didn''t know how much time had passed, but he didn''t notice any soldiers around, giving him hope that he didn''t have to fight anymore since he had no energy left.


    ''Is this the end of the war for the throne?'' He wondered if he could take the Pope''s throne. If he could, it would solve at least some of his worries. ''What''s behind that door that I agreed to enter?''


    A million things swirled in his weary mind. His eyes were almostpletely shut, but his body moved on its own, going down the stairs toward the basement where the treasury was. His feet throbbed, yet he felt no sensation in them. His stomach contracted painfully. Extreme srium and blood loss gued him.


    But somehow, he made it to the tenth underground level. To his panicked heart, he found the magically sealed gate open, and it led into a long, colossal hallway that ended at the doors of the treasury.


    "No, no, no¡­" His closing eyes jolted open, and he rushed forward in panic. But the moment he reached the doors and gazed inside, he was met with a corridor filled with the bloodied corpses of Inquisitors and soldiers from the Holy Army that served the Pope. There were countless of them, forming small hills everywhere. Not an inch of marble flooring was visible as the dead bodies covered every bit of it.


    Sylvester, without caring about the carnage, hastily walked over them. His mind panicked, and his body exhausted¡ªall sorts of worst-case scenarios formed in his mind. Losing Xavia would mean a colossal failure of everything, as that was even worse than the Blood Contract.


    "Mum!" Sylvester called for her.


    He walked the distance in haste, but when he arrived near the end, he noticed the massive golden doors that led into the treasury were still wholly shut. However, in front of the doors was arge heap of dead bodies. Atop this pile knelt a man, sitting with the help of a sword, impaled into the back of one of the dead.


    "Sir Dolorem!" Sylvester shouted with every ounce of strength and threw his sword away. He ran normally, stepping and crawling on the bodies, and reached Sir Dolorem. "Old man¡­ don''t you dare die on me too!"


    Weakly, Sir Dolorem''s head moved and looked up, "S-Sylvester¡­ I was¡­ on time¡­ this time¡­"


    Sylvester quickly checked his vitals. He was covered in blood, there were wounds all over his body, a sword was stuck in his thigh, a dagger was stuck in his shoulder, and his longsword seemed cracked as well. The armor on his body had chipped in some ces, and there were multiple deep wounds on his head, some reaching down to his skull.


    "Pope Axel is defeated, old man¡­ This is over¡­" Sylvester hugged him tightly and felt his vitals gradually fading away. "But you can''t leave me now¡­ not when I''m about to be the Pope¡­"


    ''How many did he fight and win against,'' Sylvester wondered. The bodies littered in the entire corridor and the hill underneath him numbered in thousands. Sir Dolorem was the only surviving man.


    "AURORA!" Sylvester bellowed as loud as he could, amplified by air magic.


    "I didn''t fail this time¡­" Sir Dolorem seemed dazed, his eyes nearly shut. His head fell on Sylvester''s shoulder, and his mouth repeated the same words. "I¡­ kept my¡­ word¡­ protected¡­"


    "Thank you¡­ Just rest now." Sylvester desperately tried to heal him, but he didn''t have much srium either. He knew Sir Dolorem was talking about being unable to save his wife and son; he knew Sir Dolorem didn''t want to fail again. "You''ve done enough¡­"


    "My son¡­" Sir Dolorem murmured, his body going limp.


    "Aurora!" Sylvester shouted again.


    Just then, as if thunder had erupted there, Aurora appeared at full speed, her breath ragged and short. Shended beside Sylvester and saw his body impaled with the Darksaber, and gasped. "You''re going to die, Sylvester¡­ Com¡ª"


    "Take Sir Dolorem¡­ I can manage." Sylvester ordered her. "If he dies¡­ I''ll refuse the throne! If you want me as Pope, keep him alive!"


    Aurora looked at Sir Dolorem and nervously picked him up on her back. "Don''t say dumb things like that¡ªYou''ve already won! Nothing will happen to this old man¡ªhe''s faced worse in his life!"


    Aurora wasted no time and departed just as swiftly as she had arrived, like lightning. Her footsteps even ignited the corpses, but the mes soon subsided.


    Frustrated, Sylvester crawled toward the doors of the treasury and threw his palm on it. The magic reacted to him, and the Elder Runes he had ced opened on their own, unlocking the hidden mechanism that sealed the doors shut. Nobody below the rank of Grand Wizard could break and enter the treasury without facing the wrath of the Elder Runes.


    "C-Chonky." Sylvester stuttered. "I''m l-losing myself¡­ Help m-me move."


    Sylvester had to make sure of everything with his own eyes. Until he had seen Xavia, he couldn''t fully believe that killing Pope Axel and agreeing to the Blood Contract were the right choices.


    "Stay strong." Miraj quickly approached Sylvester''s armor''s cor and grabbed it before pping his wings vigorously to drag Sylvester forward. The armor was very heavy for Miraj''s little wings, but he didn''t falter and pushed on. Sylvester also used his feet to propel himself as soon as the doors started to open, and an opening came into his sight.


    "Mum!" Sylvester uttered in a low voice.


    "Big mum! He''s heavy!" Miraj shouted louder and dragged Sylvester inside. "Help him!"


    Thud!


    "O! Sorry!" Miraj mistakenly slipped, and Sylvester fell right on his face, breaking his nose, his body having gone that weak.


    While lying on the treasury''s floor, Sylvester looked around to find Xavia. "We won¡­ Mum! Come out¡­ Ashra!"


    "Hiss!" Ashra abruptly emerged from a massive pile of gold coins, her head sticking out carefully and checking her surroundings. But once she saw Sylvester, she opened her jaw wide and allowed Xavia toe out.


    "Sylvester!" Xavia cried and ran toward him, swimming through the pile of gold coins, panicked and rushed. "You''re¡­"


    Without a word, she immediately checked his body. Her eyes teared up once she noticed both the loss of blood and srium. A sword was also stuck in his stomach. "You''re¡­ barely alive¡­"


    Sylvester smiled. His mouth oozed out some blood, making his teeth seem red. "S-Sir Dolorem¡­"


    Xavia began using healing magic on him immediately, tears uncontrobly falling from her eyes. "I tried to make him stop, but he refused and fought. I said I would surrender myself¡ªbut he still refused¡­ said his vows will never break¡­ that he will never let his family die again¡­ I''m sorry, Max¡­ I couldn''t do anything."


    Seeing Sylvester''s silence, Miraj exined, "Dol-Dol is alright. Aurawra took him¡­ but please save Maxy, Big Mum."


    Xavia took a steadying breath and stood up to pull the sword out of Sylvester''s stomach. Not acting like a mother but as a healer, she professionally worked. "Bite your teeth!"


    "Aaa!" Xavia used some strength and pulled the sword back in the same trajectory it went in, so no other organs or tissues were ruptured. She pulled it out in a quick, single motion and rushed to seal the wounds with healing magic. "Mum will save you, Max¡­ Don''t worry."


    All his life, Sylvester had said those words to Xavia. But that time, when he heard them, he feltforted, and it warmed his heart. His will to live, which was losing its light, once again started to reignite.


    Xavia finished sealing his wounds, being a high-ranking Bright Mother with years of specialized experience as a healer. "You''ve lost so much Srium¡­"


    "I got many crystals." Miraj quickly chirped and vomited the sacks full of potions and crystals.


    Xavia couldn''t see Miraj, nor was she ustomed to listening to him, but hearing his worried voice was heartwarming, knowing there was always someone by Sylvester''s side who cherished him and cared for him.


    "This is more than enough!" Xavia used the Srium Crystals to save herself from exhaustion, as Sylvester was a Grand Wizard. To heal him, she needed a lot of energy. The blood replenishment was also challenging, but she tried her best.


    Thud!


    However, just as Xavia tried to heal Sylvester''s face, his head fell on her shoulder, and his body lost all strength. Finally, his hands rose and hugged her tightly, and his eyes turned moist. Of course, it hurt like hell; the pain was unbearable¡ªbut seeing her safe, he could finally feel at ease.


    After pushing himself for so long, putting his body through all sorts of deadly tests¡ªhe allowed his mind to have some rest.


    Xavia''s heart ached to see him so hurt, and embraced him back. She slowly healed him while caressing his hair; something he always found soothing when tense.


    "Sleep now¡ªYou did well, my son¡­ you''ve won, and did what was achievable by none."


    _________________


    [A/N: Just this one tonight. I need to pack my stuff. As this gori is moving out to live alone.]


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 586 585. When Things Go Wrong

    <h4>Chapter 586 585. When Things Go Wrong</h4>


    Darkness covered his vision, and he felt his eyelids growing heavier than ever. In the warmth of his mother''s embrace, Sylvester finally allowed his body to fall unconscious. But he didn''t know why he still found his mind active, he knew he was asleep, yet he felt conscious enough to know he was sleeping¡ªlike a lucid dream. But at the same time, it didn''t seem like a dream since he had no control over anything.


    The darkness was haunting. He had neither body nor mobility. He felt no pain, no sensation. Only his eyes were the sole means of interaction.


    "You are on the right path, having shown your wrath." Soon a twinkling spark appeared in his view, and it continued to grow bigger. The spark spread everywhere and gradually started to illuminate the darkness.


    After some time, as the light engulfed almost everything, Sylvester once again found himself face to face with the being many had stopped praying to. Solis was before him, sitting on the same gigantic throne, his whole body seeming colossal, draped in a white gown, a halo behind his head, and his face shrouded in pitch-ck shadows. His voice had a fiery aura in itself, but Sylvester didn''t feel threatened by it.


    However, this time, something was different. Sylvester managed to shift his gaze and noticed there were Solis in each direction, one behind another, a replica of the same. They all began to speak in unison, creating a deafening voice that felt overbearing and threatening.


    "The battles you have won, the sacrifices you have made. But do not let mediocrity and fear taint your de. Still remains a long journey for you to travel, with many mysteries to unravel." Solis bellowed.


    Unfazed, Sylvester showed no surprise as he had witnessed much more already. Instead, he was interested in getting answers. "Who is ''they'' that Saint Scepter and Pope mentioned? What''s behind the door I''m being led to?"


    Solis'' halo expanded, erged, and fiery, the scent of burning flesh and boiling blood emanating in the air. "What lies ahead is for you to find out. Your actions, bloody, murderous, no matter what, do not doubt¡ªStay holy and stay devout."


    Sylvester had no body; if he had, he would have frowned, "Am I your tool to fight against ''them''? Am I to you what Saint Scepter is to ''them''?"


    Solis, seemingly angered, raised his giant hand, "Silence, human, do not question your future. You are free, and it is in your interest to cleanse ''them,'' the tumor. Or else, your dream of serenity will never be a reality."


    Sylvester felt frustrated, getting no answers from the god he served so devotedly. "Then what is the point of this meeting? You remain mysterious to me. How can I believe that from your control, I''m free?"


    Solis raised his hands, disying his open palms, each bearing a box, "The purpose of this assembly is to prepare you for your next journey. Choose one chest, my bard¡ªOne gives you better control over the Srium in your body, while the other is the knowledge that shall make you a master of war."


    ''Is this a test?'' Sylvester thought initially. ''Why not give me both since they would clearly help me?''


    Sylvester pondered deeply about it and nced around. He noticed that all the other Solis weren''t holding anything in their hands, albeit showing it to him. That made him wonder about something. ''Is this Solis I''m talking to, even the main one? What if the test isn''t to pick any of them but¡­''


    "I refuse both." Sylvester dered. "I have reached the rank of Grand Wizard by fighting for my way forward. I can also reach the Supreme Wizard and beyond on my own."


    Solis didn''t react, and took the offered boxes back. "If that is what you desire, so be it. You shall soon sit on the throne of the Pope¡ªDon''t let faith dwindle, and people lose hope. They pray to Solis, untouched, unhurt. The other options would take no time to turn this realm into dirt."


    ''Should I have taken them?'' Sylvester wondered, hoping he didn''t make a mistake.


    Boom!


    Solis pped his palms together, and his clones fainted away. Why they were there in the first ce was confusing. "Sylvester Maximilian¡ªBeware of the flying ones, and be kind to those hurt at heart. If not tread carefully, it can break the world apart."


    "What do you mean?"


    But Sylvester''s questions weren''t answered as Solis started to vanish from his vision amidst the rising sparks. However, as he disappeared, he voiced onest time.


    "We shall meet again soon, bard. Until then, be sharp and honest, for things will turn very hard¡ªMay you be enlightened in my light, and may you have unbridled strength to fight."


    With that, the sparks disappeared, and Sylvester found himself once again in the same dark endless abyss. However, eventually, he lost his focus, and actual slumber finally came to embrace him. His mind, which had remained secretly awake, atst, calmed down.


    ¡­


    Sylvester had no idea how much time had passed. He didn''t know where he was or what condition his body was in. He felt no pain, but his ears were greeted by the chirping of birds and the distant sound of people walking and talking in the city. He could feel the sunlight falling on his skin, providing warmth. The smooth breeze was also very calming.


    He relished the warmth for a moment and tried to open his eyes. They felt remarkably light, as if they required no effort to open.


    At first, the surge of warm sunlight blinded him, but he soon adjusted and looked around. It was a small room, fragrant with the scent of flowers from vases on a table beside his bed. He looked to his right and found Xavia sleeping, sitting on a chair and leaning her head over his bed. And on his other side, Miraj was tucked between his arm and chest, under the nket.


    His right arm was still absent, and it was going to take a long time to grow now. But he tried not to feel dismayed and warmly called his mother. "Mum¡­ wake up."


    "Max?!" Xavia abruptly jolted awake as if she was scared something had happened to him. She quickly touched his face to see if he had a fever.


    Sylvester held her hand and looked at her face. Her worry was evident, even in the scents, "I''m fine, Mum."


    Xavia cried beads of tears from her eyes and lunged to hug Sylvester, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I was¡­ so worried, Max¡­ Hendrix said your nerves that carried Srium were damaged¡­ he said you can''t use magic ever again¡­"


    Sylvester raised his brows in doubt and tried to make an orb of light on his left palm. It came out as easy as breathing, "He was wrong then, look."


    Xavia freed him from the embrace and looked reassured. "He said the same thing. Your body has healed itself in every possible way, and you simply needed to rest."


    Bam!


    Brashly pushing the door open, Healer Hendrix walked into the room. The man was wearing white robes, a uniform code Sylvester had implemented for healers in hospitals. The old man looked furious for some reason. His big white beard fluttered around with twitching lips.


    "You made my daughter cry." Healer Hendrix used Sylvester. "She didn''t stop crying until she fell asleep after seeing your skinny, dry body."


    Sylvester chuckled, having sensed the man was joking. "Tell her I''m well now¡­ Anyway, how is everyone?"


    Healer Hendrix picked a sheet of paper that was attached to Sylvester''s bed, "Except for the arm, you''ve made a full recovery. Your body''s resilience is remarkable; we only had to give you blood; the rest you did on your own. But you should thank Mother Xavia. If she weren''t there, you would have died."


    "If she wasn''t there, I''d have preferred death¡­" Sylvester replied in a low voice. "How are Sir Dolorem, Lord Inquisitor, Soulbreaker, Felix, and the rest?"


    Hendrix looked at Sylvester''s face with a severe expression. "Still injured and healing. Emperor Raz is in the greatest shape, and somehow he''s be the children''s favorite in the city. A kid stole his femur yesterday. Though it was all in good humor, thankfully."


    The thought of kids liking a Supreme Wizard-ranked Emperor Lich was unimaginable, but it was eptable.


    "Yesterday? How long was I out?" Sylvester frowned and asked in haste.


    "Ten years."


    "WHAT!?"


    "Bwahaha¡­ two days, I mean." Healer Hendrix cheekily corrected himself. "Well, you''re good to go. We put you in this room because you suddenly started to shine with that halo in the middle of the night. It never stopped."


    Sylvester sighed and sat sideways on the bed to stand up, "Then I better go out and see the rest. People need to know I''m alive and well."


    Xavia helped him to his feet, helping him into the hospital sandals. "Be careful."


    Sylvester smiled, "I''m as good as ever now, Mum. Bursting with energy¡­ but a few honey-baked cookies would''ve helped."


    Bam!


    Sylvester felt Miraj jumping andnding on his shoulder, his tongue out and eyes shining. He was ready to be fed.


    "Your Holiness¡­" Hendrix suddenly interrupted them. His face seemed gloomy as if he struggled to find the right words. "Sir Dolorem''s condition is the worst."


    "What happened?" Sylvester quickly turned to face him, brows creased. "Speak clearly."


    "He¡­ He exhausted himself and lost blood, almost as much as you did, but didn''t receive treatment fast enough. And he''s not like us Grand Wizards. He''s just a Silver Knight and Adept Wizards¡ªhis age is also quite advanced¡­"


    Sylvester''s heart sank; he knew why healers talk in circles sometimes. "Speak clearly and precisely! What happened to Sir Dolorem?"


    Healer Hendrix lowered his voice. "Sir Dolorem is in aa. There was irreparable damage to his veins. I''m afraid he''ll never be able to wield magic again or continue being a knight¡­"


    _________________


    [A/N: Next one on the way.]


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 587 586. Nothing Lasts Forever

    ?


    "Which room?!" Sylvester asked.


    "Next door."


    Sylvester rushed out and looked left and right. Seeing only one room on his right, he quickly barged in. There was nobody in the room other than Sir Dolorem''s fully bandaged body, silently lying on the bed, eyes closed, and breathing so slow that his chest almost didn''t seem to move.


    "Sir Dolorem." Sylvester walked beside the bed and called his name. "You''re not supposed to be sleeping when I''m about to take the throne. I did it¡­ we did it¡­"


    Sadly, no response came from Sir Dolorem. The man, as if lifeless, justy there with his body covered in wounds. At that moment, Sylvester felt some anger toward Pope Axel. The man had no need to start the battle; he could have personallye to him if he only wanted to die. In his heart, Sylvester knew he couldn''t forgive the man, even if he saved him a few times.


    "Old man, wake up," Sylvester called again, hoping that Sir Dolorem was listening at least. "We''ll head to the Holy Land right now. You have to wake up to see my crowning."


    Xavia and Healer Hendrix entered the room. They tried to calm Sylvester down. Miraj silently rested beside Sir Dolorem''s head and softly tapped his paw to wake the man up.


    "He''s alive, but his body is unresponsive, Your Holiness. It''s better to let him rest." Healer Hendrix advised him.


    But Sylvester refused to give in, "Stand back. I will check his mind and body with Elder Magic. If his body''s healthy now, then there must be something wrong with his mind."


    Sylvester got closer and ced his left palm on Sir Dolorem''s forehead. He used Elder Magic to pour his Srium into Sir Dolorem''s body and run it through every corner to check his condition. He closed his eyes and tried to feel the flow.


    ''You''re perfectly fine in body and Srium¡­'' he deduced quickly. ''Blood flow to the head is also normal, as is the Srium. Sir Dolorem, wake up¡­''


    Sylvester tried everything that he could imagine. He tried using healing magic, using Elder Magic to heal him, or using hismon knowledge from his past life. However, no matter the world, aa was a tricky thing.


    A few minutester, disappointed, he withdrew his senses and silently stared at Sir Dolorem''s face. There, he could see a few short white hairs of beard growing. There were age lines and dark circles under his eyes.


    ''I should have forced him to retire long ago.'' Sylvester muttered and turned around.


    "Keep a guard standing here at all times. If there''s any movement, I want to be notified. Prepare a convoy to return to the Holy Land. Sir Dolorem wille along." He ordered firmly and walked out into the corridor, wanting to go and see the rest.


    But as he walked through the corridor, he noticed something. All the Bright Mothers and healers who walked past him lowered their heads and kept them down until he passed them. The first few instances he ignored, but then he noticed everyone was doing it, even the old Archbishop-ranked men.


    Sylvester strode forward and arrived at arger hall, where multiple sick beds were ced, each near a window, and they were all full of patients. As he surveyed each one, a sigh of relief escaped him; No one seemed to be mortally injured.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us!" Everyone suddenly saluted in unison, "Your Holiness."


    Sylvester didn''t have both arms, so he couldn''t respond to them fully, but he gave a firm nod. "May we be enlightened. Thank you for standing by my side and fighting a foe you knew you couldn''t defeat. This favor I won''t forget, nor shall the faith. I will think of a reward once I officially take the throne."


    "Seeing you as the Pope is reward enough, Your Holiness." Queen Trinity Hignd said, sitting on a patient''s bed as well, her arms bandaged.


    Sylvester felt genuinely indebted to them. They at least dyed Pope Axel until he arrived, but he still couldn''t find the being who likely hindered the Pope the most. "What happened to Shadow Knight?"


    "I was there¡­" Lord Einarr spoke, also injured. "Fighting the Pope, he lost his soul''s leftover essence rapidly¡ªI believe he dissipatedpletely and reached the Lord''s embrace."


    ''A man who sacrificed his life twice for the faith,'' Sylvester sighed, making sure to remember the man and honor his sacrifice correctlyter.


    He looked around and noticed Lord Inquisitor looking healthy, albeit with the visor back on his face. Felix was also fine, currently gobbling down food. King Hignd''s leg was bandaged, and Dagorith''s face was swollen.


    "We leave for the Holy Land immediately. Those with severe injuries will stay behind, and the rest will follow. Felix, you will remain here with Isabe and oversee the city¡ªThis is an official second Holy Land, which shall bring the Western Sol and Eastern Sol closer and stronger¡ªYou''ll be notified when the preparations areplete." Sylvester gave them the orders and turned back to get some fresh air.


    He stepped onto an open deck balcony of the sick bay building and gazed at the city before him. The sounds made it clear that people had gone back to their daily lives as usual. Since they couldn''t afford not to, as the consequences were starvation. Thankfully the infrastructure wasn''t destroyed much, so the restoration work needed was minimal.


    "Sir Dolorem has been a loyal man." The Inquisitor High Lord walked behind him and joined. The man was still wearing his special red clothing. "I''ve seen him grow and rise since his duty began."


    Sylvester took a sharp, deep breath. "Did you visit him?"


    "Every hour." Lord Inquisitor replied, then continued. "But Sir Dolorem has lived beyond his time. Adept Wizards live a decade more than a century at most; he''s long past his old and prime."


    Sylvester looked down sadly, worried for the man who taught him to cast magic. "Yet somehow he still had the willpower and the drive to keep going, to keep fighting¡ªSo he could see me on the throne, before he''s gone."


    Lord Inquisitor agreed and ced a hand on Sylvester''s shoulder, "I''m content that I assigned him to take care of you. After losing his family, it allowed him to make memories anew. In you, he found another family, another son¡ªI''m sure he is content seeing you rise to such height, even if death he can''t outrun."


    Sylvester, feeling terrible for not making the man retire much earlier, sat down on the balcony floor and gazed into the distance. "Will he even wake up from that state?"


    "The Holy Land is your best chance. The Orb of Purity is said to have miraculous healing; perhaps it can bring him out of that trance." Lord Inquisitor suggested, seemingly worried for the Inquisitor as well. Sir Dolorem might not have been a high-ranking man due to his limited talent, but his loyalty was unquestionable.


    Sylvester nodded his head and jumped to his feet, "Let''s prepare to leave then. Before another adventurous clergyman hopes to be the Pope."


    ¡­


    The evening descended rapidly, and a long convoy of carriages and horses was prepared. No foot soldiers were being brought, as they wished to rush. The soldiers who turned against the city on Pope Axel''s orders were pardoned, but some of them were held ountable for harboring ill thoughts toward Sylvester. They saw a quick settlement between their necks and des.


    Once ready, Sylvester took Aurora, Sir Dolorem, Gabriel, Xavia, Lord Inquisitor, Soulbreaker, and anyone rted to the Church with him. He didn''t bring any monarchs along, as they were injured, and he wished to officially invite them into the Holy Land as guests, not as conquerors.


    Thankfully, Aurora''s carriage was there, being the mostfortable ce to be. Sir Dolorem was ced inside with Healer Hendrix, while Lord Inquisitor had his ownrger carriage. However, Sylvester and Xavia remained with Sir Dolorem.


    In no time, the convoy left Miraj City and made its way down south. They moved swiftly but calmly as the roads were destroyed in a few locations. Since they brought enough powerful wizards along, they repaired everything on the journey.


    "This is going to cost a lot," Gab muttered, seeing the state of everything around them.


    Sylvester patted his friend''s shoulder, "It''s going to be your headache soon, my Saint Wazir."


    "..."


    Gabriel sighed and rubbed his eyes wearily, "If that is yourmand, I''ll do it, Your Holiness."


    Sylvester smiled and thanked him. He peered out of the carriage window as they crossed through Kinman City, the capital of the Duchy of Normani. The cold air of the frozen north was chilling even though winter was far away.


    "STOP!" Sylvester suddenly eximed.


    At hismand, the convoy abruptly came to a halt. But Sylvester didn''t wait for any soldiers to guard him and rushed out of the carriage toward a nearby hill at the north of the road. It was dark at night, and the twin moons illuminated the sky. The air was breezy and cold but soothing.


    Sylvester had noticed a lone white horse standing on the hill''s horizon.


    Sylvester waved back to silence the guards and focused on the horse. With the same hooves, white fur, eyes, face, and injuries, Sylvester could recognize the creature, "Is that you, Frost¡­ It''s been a while."


    Because of what happened in Sandwall, Frost, Sylvester''s loyal horse, was abandoned, finding himself masterless. Sylvester had wondered what happened to it and tried to search the region before but to no avail. The memories connected with Frost brought Sylvester back to his younger days, when he had just found the horse in the strange interaction and a little intimidation from Miraj.


    The white stallion neighed at Sylvester and gently came closer.


    Sylvester softly rubbed his palm on Frost''s head and neck while Frost licked his face in joy. "Haha, as always, you found me again¡­ Come, let''s go home, boy."


    But Frost didn''t budge and protested. A momentter, Frost tried to bite onto Sylvester''s tunic and pull him along toward the north, as if inviting him toe along, away from all the hassle and live in peace with him.


    "I can''te with you, buddy..."


    Sylvester stepped back and freed his clothes. Both of them looked into one another''s eyes for a long time. The wind brushed past both of their hair. Eventually, they turned around¡ªboth having made their choices¡ªOne had found its peace in the wild, and the other was still searching among the civilized.


    With a solemn face, Sylvester returned to the carriage and took his original seat aftermanding the convoy to resume its journey.


    "What was that?!" Aurora asked in concern.


    With hazy eyes fixed on the spot where Frost had stood, Sylvester replied. "A lesson¡ªthat nothingsts forever."


    _________________


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 Chapter 588 587. No More God’s Favored

    <h4>Chapter 588 587. No More God''s Favored</h4>


    Sylvester''s convoy was getting closer to the Holy Land. They passed by the massive rubble of what used to be Green City, once the bustling and beautiful capital of the Gracia Kingdom, now deste, overgrown with grass. All the viges and towns nearby were in the same condition.


    As they approached the intersection, Sylvester noticed the restaurant he had opened. The Bard''s building was still standing, but it looked like an abandoned ruin, with the paint and wood having suffered from the elements. But he had ns to reopen everything, as the staff still worked for him as personal cooks, waiting to return to their jobs soon.


    The convoy soon turned left toward the grand tunnel enamored with light crystals that led straight into the Holy Land. As their presence was already noticed, the gates of the Holy Land were kept open, and all the soldiers that were guarding it knelt silently at each side of the road.


    The Holy Land was nearly empty, except for the Guild Penins. The Holy Army that had apanied the Pope had been wiped out by the cannon strike. The Clergymen were almost all on Sylvester''s side, leaving the Holy Land almost deste.


    They made their way directly to the Pope''s Pce. The soldiers that came along surrounded the building and stood guard right away. Sylvester allowed Aurora''s carriage to go to Sick Bay to ce Sir Dolorem in care while he personally headed into the Pce.


    However, right at the foot of the pce stairs, Saint Wazir was waiting, his face tired, body thin, as if he had aged decades in a few years. He seemed delighted and immediately knelt.


    "Wee back to the Holy Land, Your Holiness." Saint Wazir greeted Sylvester. "I rejoice in your victory; the Holy Land and the faith can finally take the right path once more and continue to flourish. I seek your forgiveness and hope to continue serving under your lea¡ª"


    Sylvester ignored him and walked past, shocking the man and frightening him too. Saint Wazir may not be as bad as the others, but he was undoubtedly ill-suited for his position. His days as a Sanctum Council member were numbered.


    Walking inside, Sylvester ignored all the greetings and strode toward the Pope''s office. He was in a rush to ensure nobody could steal anything from there. He figured that since the Pope had sought him with the purpose of dying, he must have left behind some final words or something simr.


    "Stand guard. I''ll go inside alone," Sylvester instructed Aurora and the Inquisitor High Lord.


    He entered and closed the door behind him, locking it. He nced around at the modest office. Theck of any expensive decorations was distinct. A normal table, a bookcase near the walls, and a few portraits of the previous popes and legendary battles hanging on the wall.


    Sylvester searched the table first, opening its drawers to check, looking for any hiddenpartments as well. Any keyholes, any suspicious use of space. But the table had no hidden secrets in the end.


    Not wanting to waste time, Sylvester closed his eyes to map everything around him using Srium. Sensing where the invisible particles traveled, touched, and crossed over, he looked for any space in the walls or hiddenpartments.


    After looking around a bit, he finally noticed something strange about one of the paintings on the wall. It was the painting of Grandpa Monk, and the nose of the bear beside the old monk was too detailed as if it wasn''t a part of the painting.


    Sylvester quickly went toward it and pressed the nose.


    ck!


    A sound came from behind him, and he noticed a ck box appeared out of nowhere on the table. He had no idea what sort of magic it was. The box was small and thin, seemingly made to contain a book.


    It didn''t have a ce to insert a key, so Sylvester ced his palm on it to use magic and force it open. However, with just a touch, the box clicked open.


    ''He left it for me?''


    He opened the box and, as expected, took out a ck diary. It seemed old and heavily used, possibly in the Pope''s possession for centuries. He wasted no time and opened it to read; surprisingly, the first word on it was his name.


    [Sylvester Maximilian, if you''re reading this, it means I''ve departed from this realm. This is not a journal or an attempt to ask you for forgiveness, for I know my actions must have caused you great pain. I wrote this knowing the challenges you will face as the Pope, the youngest one at that.


    You may have many allies right now andmand respect. However, there will inevitably be some foolish old men who will try to belittle you for your youth¡ªbe ruthless to them. There will alsoe kind ones asking for your blessing¡ªbe benign to them. Be the one to control who hates you and who loves you, but above all, be cautious of those closest to you¡ªoften, betrayales from ces you least expect.


    I hope you''ll be able to break this unending cycle of misery. Defeat ''them,'' and forever imprint your name in eternal history.


    The following pages of this diary contain all the information about methods I used to subdue nobles and kingdoms, who my spies are, where they are, and how I keep them under my thumb¡ªMay this little diary be your guide, some aid to you it may provide¡ªfor centuries toe, may you walk this realm with utmost pride.]


    Sylvester sighed, appreciating it but finding it difficult topletely forgive him, no matter what. He turned the pages and nced at the contents. In no time, he epted it as a goldmine, naming various secrets of nobles, names, locations of spies, and what keeps them loyal.


    He ced the diary in his pocket and looked around again. Almost involuntarily, a deep sigh left his mouth, knowing he was going to be sitting there for the foreseeable future. "What do you think, Chonky? Should we expand this ce? I can''t imagine spending centuries here."


    Miraj bobbed his head, standing on Sylvester''s shoulder, "I need my own little table and chair, Maxy. If you''re new Popo, then I''ll be your Child of Solis."


    "You mean Shield of Solis." Sylvester corrected him, and in a way, felt it was true. Miraj was indeed his little guardian and deserved the position. "Perhaps I won''t appoint anyone as Saint Scepter again¡­ it left a bad taste."


    With a conflicted mind, Sylvester turned to head out, but then heard Lord Inquisitor and Aurora talking with each other outside. He didn''t interrupt them and listened while standing by the closed door.


    "His Holiness has great schemes. It''s a waste to forcibly quench your dreams. Since you were little, I''ve seen you dream of having a big family. Know that I, or His Holiness, won''t stop you from making it a reality." Lord Inquisitor said, sounding gentle, albeit his voice was just too heavy and menacing.


    Aurora let out an embarrassed chuckle, "Hehe, father, that was just my naivety talking. I took the oath of chastity, and I won''t break it in this life¡ªI''ve admired you, and I wish to be the Inquisitor High Lord like you one day."


    "I''ve nearly given up on the faith many times before¡ªalmost. But I always remembered that my duty is to Sylvester foremost." The Inquisitor High Lord said, still seeming doubtful about the faith. But trying to be a good father, he patted Aurora''s shoulder, "My daughter, it''s better to live your own destiny imperfectly, than to live an imitation of somebody else''s life wlessly¡ªthere is no honor in suffering as I did."


    "Ehm¡­" Sylvester opened the door, clearing his throat. "Lord Inquisitor, please issue the orders to prepare for the coronation ceremony. I will don the Pope''s mitre tomorrow morning at the first light of the sun¡­ and I have a few announcements to make. Too many powerhouses died; we must ensure talented individuals have more children and produce more talented people."


    With a yful wink at Aurora, Sylvester walked out of the Pope''s Pce. He headed to the School of Dawn, wanting to see if the ce was running smoothly. But to his delight, he found the tenth Guardian of Light, Geralt Brightson, the headmaster of the school. He had refused to take any sides in the conflict to ensure the school was able to run smoothly. The children didn''t feel the heat of the internal power struggle.


    With the headmaster''s permission, he freely walked the school''s hallways. But again, who could stop him at that point?


    Walking down the school corridors he remembered so well; he noticed many ssrooms filled with students, some as young as eight years old and just starting their education, and some with older students about to graduate.


    However, he found one ssroom which appearedpletely empty. Looking at the name on the door, he knew why.


    "ssroom for God''s Favored Ones," he muttered.


    "This was your ssroom?" Aurora asked, being the only one to follow him as his guard, since Lord Inquisitor left to prepare for coronation.


    Sylvester nodded and entered the room. It was full of dust. The windows were covered with curtains, keeping everything under darkness. It felt eerie, as Sylvester remembered their numbers reducing each month. The ssroom that felt full at the start, slowly felt too empty¡ªdeath was moremon there thanughter.


    He went ahead and took a seat at a desk. Aurora sat beside him, seeing he was deep in thought.


    "Aurora, how was your experience as a student here?" He asked.


    She rubbed her chin, remembering, "Hmm¡­ It was fun. I made so many friends. The teachers were friendly, and the food was also amazing."


    "My memories of this ce are quite the opposite¡ªthis was hell; we were enemies of one another. The teachers tried to push us to be more ruthless." Sylvester said, wondering how maddening it must have been to real children who probably dreamt of brilliance, love, and warmth at the Church, but suddenly found themselves in the worst hell imaginable. "God''s Favored ss wasn''t a study room. It was a battlefield for the mind, magic, and might."


    Aurora knew that. She had heard stories about the time Sylvester was in the school. "But it was necessary¡­ It made you this strong."


    Sylvester couldn''t refute her nor agree with her. "Hopefully, by the time I''m done being the Pope, this world or the faith won''t need God''s Favored anymore¡ªin a world without war."


    Aurora struggled to imagine such a perfect world, "How will you aplish that? Beastaria still clings to its heathen ways."


    "By love, by blood¡ªby any means necessary." Sylvester''s face didn''t hold any expression at that moment, "The seeds of victory are spreading in Beastaria as we speak¡ªCall it trickery, but their loss shall be our victory."


    "Are we going to enve them? Crusade? Convert them?" Aurora asked with interest, unable to see Beastaria epting the faith of Solis.


    Sylvester got up to head out. "No, their pride will be their undoing. In a few months, you''ll see them kneeling before me, pleading for help, and I will¡ªbut with my own purpose to fulfill."


    _________________


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 Chapter 589 588. Calm In West & Chaos in East

    <h4>Chapter 589 588. Calm In West & Chaos in East</h4>


    The word of Sylvester''s arrival at the Holy Land spread across the various peninss like wildfires. The Clergymen who had remained behind came to see him, each offering their reasons for not joining him. Some of them were Sylvester''s loyalist Elders of the Council of Thirty-Two, and some were the developers of the new weapons in the weapons research division. Others were the main priests of the Gold Penins, which housed the Magna Sanctum temple.


    Of course, there were still a few who had refused to join Sylvester''s side due to their personal dislike towards him. Being that young and having surpassed them in every possible way was a taste not everyone could digest.


    For them, Sylvester had no mercy. The Church needed a fresh start, and Sylvester wasn''t going to do a half-hearted job.


    In the backdrop of preparations for the ceremony, Sylvester also called forth an unofficial meeting of the Sanctum Council. He arrived before anybody else to check the chamber. It had no wooden furniture inside, and everything was made of in white stone, from tables to chairs. Not a single cupboard or window decorated the room.


    But Sylvester knew that the table in the middle of the room had a few features, such as the creation of maps. There was also a hidden locker in the room, somewhere hidden inside the wall.


    However, before Sylvester could check the walls, he heard the knocks on the door, and soon the members of the council began entering. But there were a few extra people, such as Aurora, Gabriel, and Elyon.


    "Your Holiness." They greeted him.


    Sylvester nodded and took therger seat at the end of the table and watched as others took seats at the sides. He didn''t have the aura of the Pope yet, nor did he have the clothes¡ªhe was still wearing his armor, just armless.


    "Where''s Saint Seer?" Sylvester noted the absence of the spymaster, something he had already anticipated. The man was a rat all along, and he must have sensed his impending doom.


    Saint Wazir lowered his head, "We don''t know, Your Holiness. He ran when the army of the Holy Land left for battle¡­ you."


    Sylvester shrugged and waved his hand, "He''ll get what''sing for him. The reason why I called you all is to announce a shuffle in the Sanctum Council."


    He allowed the words to sink into their minds, making them nervous¡ªmainly the older Sanctum Council members. They constantly feared being med and killed for not standing by the rightful heir to the Popehood.


    Sylvester continued, "Saint Wazir, Cardinal Ethias Lovecraft will be removed from his position, and Gabriel will be taking over the office. Cardinal Lovecraft will be acting as an advisor to Gabriel¡ªonly as an advisor."


    "I ept the proposition." Saint Wazir responded immediately, wanting to get away from the job as quickly as possible. "I will dly advise Bishop Gabriel."


    "Cardinal¡­ Gabriel." Sylvester corrected him and kept going. "Saint Medico, Cardinal Charles Nos Leeds, will be taking an advisor role as well. But let me be clear. I''m not removing you out of spite or any dissatisfaction with your performance. If anything, I am indebted to you for taking my advice during the spread of the gue and acting swiftly."


    Saint Medico looked at Sylvester in confusion. "Then why am I being removed, Your Holiness? I still wish to serve the realm."


    "And you will," Sylvester replied. "I''m cing you as an advisor to a man who even you''d feel honored to assist¡ªThe famed Healer Hendrix will be the next Saint Medico, and will lead this realm to an era of new medicine."


    In reality, Sylvester hadn''t asked the man yet. But he was sure he could get him to agree, as being on the Sanctum Council meant knowing the highest decisions before they were made. As the man had an elven woman as wife and a half-elf daughter, it was the best position to ensure their safety.


    "I-It will be an honor to assist him and learn from him, Your Holiness." Saint Medico epted the proposal with joy.


    Sylvester nodded and looked at Saint Keymaster, Helix Steelworth, the man who took care of the finances of the Church. Sylvester had noints about the man, but he had a better man for the job. An ex-noble man, ex-ve, with perfect memory, one trained in the ways of business management¡ªDarius Vulcan Marcellus.


    "Cardinal Steelworth, the man who helped me run my businesses will take the job of Saint Keymaster. Please assist him and help him whenever needed¡­ As for the position of Inquisitor High Lord. Lord Inquisitor will keep serving me in that position, but at the same time, he will train Lady Aurora to be the next Inquisitor High Lord. Furthermore, I''m creating a new position called Saint Viceman, given to Felix Sandwall, and he will hold signing authority when I''m not in the Holy Land.


    "Another position, Saint Externum, will be made to deal with the Holy Land''s rtions with other kingdoms, and further across the sea¡ªElyon will be taking that role."


    Sylvester concluded the announcement of all the changes, though still keeping a few hidden. The new Saint Seer had also been chosen, but he wanted to keep it a secret for the time being.


    "I will oversee the Department of Education, agriculture, innovation, industries, and war strategies," Sylvester added, drawing boundaries. "A new set ofws will be created called the Constitution, which shall formalizew and order, not only for the Church but also nobles andmoners. This will serve as the foundation for judging criminals within the realm.


    "The Church will conduct recruitment exams for Judges twice a year. Their psychology, knowledge of the Constitution, and wits will be examined. Furthermore, the Holy Army shall have an extra role from now on. We shall be independent investigators of crimes against not only faith but also humanity¡ªrape, murder, very, sacrifices, demon burning, and corruption.


    "Remember, in the new world I''m trying to make, there is no ce for savagery¡ªeither be civilized or die like a savage."


    Sylvester concluded his speech and stood up, wanting to finish their meeting. It was one-sided, as only he spoke and gave orders. But it was expected, as the current condition of the Church demanded someone to step forward and assumemand.


    "Send invitations to monarchs of all kingdoms. Tell them to bring their children, firstborn sons and daughters especially. They will get their education for the new era we''re trying to make. I will personally teach them on asion." Sylvester said, although it was something the Holy Land had done before as well. The only difference was that back in the day, not everyone followed the decree.


    With that, Sylvester walked toward the door and, before exiting, looked at the table. One by one, he stared into the eyes of each. "My brothers and sisters in faith¡ªfor the first time in the Church''s history, we''re free from any hidden hands. Saint Scepter had a hidden agenda and toyed with the Pope, while Saint Scepter himself was also controlled by a higher power, akin to Solis. But this time, let there be light; as far as the world is in our sight, let it shine bright."


    "B-But¡­ Your Holiness!" Saint Wazir stopped him before he left. "What about Beastaria?"


    Sylvester''s brows creased at the man, scaring him. "It is being taken care of¡ªDismissed."


    He opened the door and left the room, leaving everyone to ponder about various things. Sylvester''s words were simple, but they guided everyone to believe that the new Church''s higher structure wouldn''t heavily prioritize diplomacy. Sylvester was going to be an absolute ruler, and the fate of the Council of Thirty-Two seemed in shambles.


    It made them wonder if Sylvester would be a radically strong leader like the first Pope and create a peaceful world, or would he be akin to Atrox the Mad, and usher all into another dark age.


    ¡­


    In Beastaria,? Greenpeaks


    "HE''S DEAD! The damn demon killed King Gargantua, just like his son! We''re doomed; the affliction of the demon is spreading into Greenpeaks¡ªthere''s nothing we can do!" Shouted King Egomorius, panicking, his pale blue scales showing signs of sweat.


    King Malisius calmly sat in his ce, being the strongest of the dragons, "What''s the word from the elves? Did they agree to deal with this jointly?"


    King Egomorius almost shouted but held his breath back, not wanting to anger the stronger being in the room, "No word! They''re ignoring us, King Malisius¡ªwhat better than to see the destruction of dragons? The Beastkins are useless; they have no Supreme Wizard. The giants won''te out of their walled city, and dwarves aren''t a fighting race¡ªThere''s nowhere to go."


    King Malisius stood up, cracking his red-scaled neck, and gazed at the floating globe on the table before him. It disyed the world''s map but divided it into regions of influence. The only thing he could see changing on it was the Holy Land''s influence finally taking over the entire Sol, and the curse of the Demon Zama''tar spreading toward Greenpeaks.


    "I received the word; the elves are not avoiding us¡ªthey simply can''t spare efforts to help us, for they have a far greater Demon to deal with¡ªone silent, invisible, and brings death definitely," King Malisius muttered while looking at Alfia on the globe. "They must be looking for help desperately."


    King Egomorius stared at his fellow king in confusion, "What happened to the elves?"


    ¡­


    Alfia,


    "It''s madness out there¡ªBrother, we''ll be wiped out at this rate," Avanss shouted as he entered King Rathagun''s chambers. His breath was ragged, his face looking pale. He was wearing strange clothing that covered him from head to toe, not even leaving himself some space to breathe.


    King Rathagun, sitting in his royal office, held his face, rubbing it in exhaustion, "How many deaths today?"


    "Ten percent of the poption has fallen. At this rate, all of Deca Imperia City would be gone in a few more months. We must find a cure to this illness, brother¡ªit''s a gue that will ruin us all, no matter the species." Avanss cautioned, his voice straining his throat. "Have the elders found anything?"


    King Rathagun shook his head. "They haven''t. All they''ve found is that the gue also consists of Srium, and is likely unnatural¡ªif we don''t find the one who made it, we won''t obtain the cure."


    Avanss wearily sank into a seat, started taking off the robes, and took a deep breath. "This is madness. The demon, and now the gue. Could it be that the demon created this gue? It''s as powerful as a Supreme Wizard."


    At wit''s end, King Rathagun had no answer. The chaos was too sudden and had gotten so big. They had to close all of Alfia''s borders to ensure the gue didn''t enter the kingdom, but that meant giving up on all elves that were outside.


    He sighed and sped his hands together. "O'' Remira, we are seekers of your affections¡ªplease grant us your protection."


    _________________


    [A/N: Next chapter in Editor''s possession. It will be up soon.]


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 Chapter 590 589. The Squish Ball & The Rituals Begins

    <h4>Chapter 590 589. The Squish Ball & The Rituals Begins</h4>


    The sun approached the horizon with its shining hue, the realm was the same, but there was something new. The air in the Holy Land felt soothing too, and crowds walked to one destination to catch a single view.


    The Holy Land donned its best regalia; decorations adorning every corner, streets were cleaned again, and the scent of fresh paint emanated from the buildings all around. The Pope''s Pce was the focus that day, where the eagerly anticipated anointment of the new Pope was to unfold.


    It was a significant event, as this was no ordinary Pope, but one who would perhaps go down in history as the youngest Pope to ever exist. In the past, in the future¡ªever.


    Sylvester donned robes that were suitable for his position, but didn''t make them toovish. He wore light golden robes simr to a normal Clergyman¡ªbut his had embroidery of various colors, and some inexpensive crystals were sewn on it. The ones to make it were none other than the Bright Mothers, and Sylvester wore it with utmost pride.


    The mitre, however, was the same as the old Pope. Only its colors were changed toplement his robes. However, he didn''t wear it as the ceremony had yet to take ce. The head Cardinal Priest of the Magna Sanctum was toe and perform some rituals.


    Having some time to kill, Sylvester went to the tenth basement floor of the Pope''s Pce to see what had intrigued him for a long time. Someone had told him long ago to see the ce with his own eyes, and the time hade. With Aurora and Gabriel, he went down the elevator and then the staircases.


    "What do you expect to find there?" Gabriel asked him worriedly, as it was now a habit to feel anxious whenever Sylvester was interested in something. "I hope you''re not going to that door Saint Scepter talked about."


    Sylvester denied and strode down the stairs, "I''m not that foolish, Gabriel. No, I want to see the tenth floor for another reason. It''ll prove one of my theories¡ªwhy this world is so backward, despite being so old; Why are there no scientific innovations that could change the world; Why did it take so many years for someone toe up with a steam engine? I''ve seen intelligent people, so the absence of innovations makes no sense."


    He spoke from his own knowledge of human civilization. Because, as far as he knew, humans went from inventing the wheel to reaching the moon in a span of five thousand years. Heck, Sol also had the same conditions as people of his past world. gues and constant warfare should have pushed innovation.


    Sylvester wasted no time and finally reached the tenth underground level of the Pope''s Pce. Before him stood an enormous room, and at its other end were massive ck double doors engraved with all sorts of safety runes and anti-magical unlocking mechanisms. But before Sylvester''s Elder Magic, all runes were as good as nonsensical mutterings.


    He ced his palm on the doors and began breaking through the various protection runes one by one. He wasn''t gentle, inflicting such damage that the runes were slowly destroyed, vanishing from the door''s engravings.


    A loud click resounded in the end, signifying the doors'' unlocking. Sylvester stepped back a few feet and pulled the doors out. They moved with a cacophony of creaks as if they hadn''t been opened in decades. Clouds of dust gushed out from the cracks as the gap widened. Each door was at least two feet thick. Clearly, it was meant to remain closed and hide whatever was within.


    "Stay behind me," Sylvester ordered Gabriel and Aurora, and walked in before the dust could settle. The airflow already made them all sense that the ce was massive, but the chilling feeling made it apparent that it was bigger than their imagination.


    Soon enough, they came out of the dust and saw the view. They halted their steps immediately as the underground chamber felt more like a massive garbage dump than anything else. Turns out, they were just one step away from falling into a colossal pit the size of the Pce''s floor space. It was deep enough that they found it hard to see its bottom. But again, it was filled with so many items that the real base was likely much further down.


    "What in Solis'' name is this ce?" Aurora eximed, her voice filled with pure confusion. "What is all this?"


    "A graveyard of history and innovation," Sylvester eximed, already having noticed a few things in the vast pit. "Look over there. Don''t you find it simr to one of my steam engines? And look there, doesn''t that look like the tram I created in Miraj city, just looking more like¡­ a train? Look further. You''ll see a few bicycles as well."


    Sylvester couldn''t stop himself and jumped forward using Light Tiles. He descended slowly, looking around at the pile of treasure. ''What! Isn''t that the initial design of a helicopter? Leonardo Da Vinci made it¡­ Gabriel mentioned that he was once a Pope.''


    From trebuchets to harpoons, crude ancient muskets, cannons, musical instruments, entire ships fitted with steam turbines, and so much more. As far as he could see, items were all over the ce, but none of them went anywhere close to the modern era, making it clear to him that no reincarnator before him had been from a modern period.


    "Max, what''s this?" Gabriel picked up something small afternding with him. "It looks like a¡­ apass you made?"


    "No!" Sylvester rushed to Gabriel and snatched the item. True, it had a dial and was shaped like apass, but this one had twelve markers, signifying twelve hours. It also had two hands, one for the hour and one for the minutes¡ªno hand for the seconds. "Someone managed to precisely calcte the time and formte the clock with gears tailored to its cycle¡ªthis is a clock, Gabriel. And it makes things so much easier for us now¡ªI won''t have to make precise calctions."


    Sylvester looked at the vast field around him, "This ce is filled with inventions made by great innovators and perhaps our past Popes. Inventions that could''ve changed the world but were held back¡ªbecause ''they'' didn''t want these toe out?"


    "Why would nameless gods be against innovation? Won''t more people mean more prayers?" Aurora asked with amusement, picking up something from the ground that seemed like a blood pressure measuring device to Sylvester.


    Gabriel responded to her before Sylvester could, "They are the gods who don''t ask for prayers, Lady Aurora. I don''t think they care about more or fewer meatbags¡ªtheir intentions ought to be something otherworldly, unholy, and disgusting."


    Sylvester wholeheartedly agreed with him there, "There seem to be a lot of books as well. After the crowning ceremony, let''s alle back and sort this ce out. This huge chamber alone could very well be a massive leap for mankind."


    ''What do the gods want?'' Sylvester kept a solemn face, but in his heart, he felt helpless uncertainty. The reality remained that if ''they'' decide to kill him, he won''t be able to do anything about it.


    "Meow!" Miraj suddenly approached Sylvester, nudging forward what resembled a statue of Anubis.


    Sylvester pocketed it, knowing Miraj wanted to y with it as a toy. "Let''s get back to the surface. Sunrise must be close."


    But Aurora and Gabriel didn''t move and kept staring at Sylvester as if wanting an exnation. Understandably so, since Miraj had stopped bothering with being silent and secretive.


    "At least tell me what it looks like?" Aurora questioned. "We know you have a secret guardian angel, but what is it?"


    "I want to know too," Gabriel added.


    Sylvester sighed and caught Miraj in his hands. "Extend your hand and tap gently."


    Aurora carefully and confusedly brought her hand down, not knowing what to expect. She merely followed Sylvester''s moving head, following his subtle guidance to direct her arm. Her breath almost stopped, wondering what kind of godly, angelic entity this was.


    "Fur?!" she eximed once she felt the hair. "A lot of warmth¡­ squishy and cozy."


    "Meow!" Miraj made some noise and chomped on Aurora''s hand, licking it.


    "..."


    "Cat?" She was not very certain, but continued to ask. "What color?"


    "White," Sylvester replied. "Very cute and smart¡­ as smart as Felix."


    "Not that sharp then," Aurora mumbled and used both hands to touch Miraj. "A¡­ he''s so fluffy and¡­ I feel like squishing him!"


    Sylvester allowed her to do it. Otherwise, she would never stop pestering him, "Go ahead."


    Woosh!


    Without wasting a single second, Aurora grabbed Miraj and hugged him in her arms tightly. She rubbed her face on the poor kitty''s head, "O my squish ball¡­ I wish he had told me earlier¡­ so many squishes missed."


    "Nyoooo¡­" Miraj, who hated squishes unless they were from Big Mum, wriggled in her arms.


    Being very flexible, he quickly got out of Aurora''s hold and jumped back on Sylvester''s shoulder, licking his fir to fix it.


    However, Sylvester didn''t reveal anything else about Miraj. Permitting them to think it was a guardian angel was enough. He didn''t want to let them touch him either, but he allowed it since Miraj had interacted with Aurora before.


    "He''s spoiled by Mum, so try to be careful with him. Let''s go now." Sylvester said and leaped out of the vast pit. They exited the doors and closed them. Sylvester ced Elder Runes to keep it sealed this time. It was too valuable not to be protected¡ªfinally understanding why it was behind such thick doors.


    "Frick!" Gabriel suddenly cursed. "The sunrise ising! Sylvester! Run!"


    Sylvester did so and ran faster than any of them. Rituals were significant in the Holy Land, especially for one about to be the Pope. They legitimize his rule, after all.


    "Meoooow¡­" Miraj almost flew off his shoulder, clutching onto the robes with his front paws.


    Sylvester didn''t stop and quickly leaped out of the first venttion shaft he found and came out into the open. From there, he ran to the Holy Court of the Pope.


    When he climbed the gigantic stairs of the Pce, he reminisced about the first day he arrived there. He went up to the door in the arms of the Inquisitor High Lord.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester arrived on time and started to walk solemnly after reaching the main entry. He fixed his clothes, patted them clean, and stepped inside the massive hall of the Pce. The intricately adorned golden throney before him in the distance, ced on an elevated tform essible by the stairs. Many Clergymen were present there, standing on both sides.


    ''This is where it all started, on Pope Axel''sp¡ªIt took a while, but atst, it''s my time to fill the power gaps.''


    His long golden blond hair fluttered behind him, and his golden eyes gleamed with expectations and some hesitations. But his steps were firm and powerful, unwaveringly moving toward the throne, around which a few Priests stood.


    Thud!


    The instant Sylvester walked in, with his moving steps, the Clergymen nking the halls began to kneel towards him, their hands held together, eyes closed, and prayers on their lips.


    Sylvester had rarely seen the Holy Court, but it felt as overpowering and empty of warmth as ever. The airiness was a reminder of all the sick in the world, a chill that even the feeble torchlights couldn''t burn.


    ''Little Shane, I hope this reduces your pain. Beyond this, I will remove whatever evil remains.'' Sylvester muttered under his breath and walked up the stairs. ''Blood, tears, lives lost¡ªall for this moment.''


    "All hail!" Cardinal Priest of Magna Sanctum, an old bald man with a long white beard, shouted. "Eightieth Pope of the Faith of Solis, the Blessed Bard, the Son of Solis, the God''s Favored, the Grand Crusader, the Judge, the Supreme Healer, the Dragonyer, Bane of Beastaria, the Uniter of realms¡ªSylvester Maximilian¡­ Let the rituals begin!"


    Immediately, thousands of giant drums across the Holy Land began to thump in unison, the same theme and beat. Following them, countless trumpets were added, and atst, the violins were included¡ªeverywhere, in all the peninss.


    The rituals began with loud promations through music.

 Chapter 591 590. I Became The Pope

    <h4>Chapter 591 590. I Became The Pope</h4>


    The air of celebration filled the Holy Court hall; eyes stayed stered on the rituals taking ce. They were tedious and time-wasting, but Sylvester followed them to the teeth, so no old foolish Clergyman couldter raise their finger at his legitimacy.


    The massive drums, trumpets, and violins rang throughout the Holy Land as a sign of the rituals being conducted. Apparently, he was to take a Holy Bath before everyone else, naturally, not without his underwear. It had something to do with being purified, inside and outside¡ªyes, he had to drink Holy Water too, thankfully not the one he bathed in.


    He ced his robes aside and sat down on a massive steel te, which rested on the floor beside the Pope''s throne. As he sat down, the Priests poured Holy Water on his body, figuratively cleansing him from the outside.


    Once done, he dried himself and donned his clothes again. After that, he drank the Holy Water and purified himself from within. But when Sylvester thought it was the end of the rituals, he realized this was merely the beginning. The purification was also for the sake of conducting the following rituals.


    "Your Holiness, please raise your left hand." Cardinal Priest of the Magna Sanctum requested, and tied a golden piece of cloth on his wrist. "Normally, we tie two of them, but due to the unique circumstance of having only one arm, we shall use only one."


    Sylvester allowed them to make the decisions and followed their words while keeping his senses on alert, just in case someone decided to attack him. The various chants echoed in the hall as a small fire was set before him, on an open iron container. Understandably, the rituals involved fire, given that Solis was the god they revered.


    "Your Holiness, please extend your hand over the fire." Said the Cardinal Priest.


    Sylvester, uncaring, ced his hand straight into the fire with a in expression, as if it didn''t hurt him at all. He looked at the Cardinal Priest, waiting for further instructions, but the man''s jaw was agape.


    "Fire doesn''t hurt me as much." Sylvester rified. "What''s next?"


    "I will pour the elements that signify the virtues of the perfect Pope onto your hands. Please don''t let the fire extinguish."


    Sylvester nodded and watched as the man took a small spoon and poured water over his hand.


    "Water¡ªsignifies peace, so the realm may prosper. The essence of the forest, so one would be wise. Light of the Srium, so there would be power¡­"


    Slowly, the man poured everything he had, from various magic crystals to strange items from the unknown¡ªmoonstones to pieces of stars, from the ash of a volcano to the snow of the north.


    "Please extinguish the fire now, Your Holiness."


    Sylvester did so, quenching the fire by taking away all the air around it. It extinguished under his palm, and he stood up.


    "Please take your seat on the throne. We shall proceed with the crowning." Cardinal Priest politely said.


    With a nce behind him, Sylvester gazed at the massive golden throne. It was made of gold, as well as various precious stones that were ced in key locations on it. The throne itself was so high that a few gold steps were made to reach the seat; meanwhile, behind the throne was a massive wall with decorative pieces. Inside the vast hall, it shined like a glimmer of light that would lead the realm to a better future.


    ''All the madness for this little seat.'' Sylvester muttered after seeing the cushioned seat.


    Atst, he sat down on it and looked at the hall before him. From his raised seat, everyone looked small, their faces forced to look up toward him, always in reverence and respect. ''The scent of worship is such; any man would go corrupt.''


    The rituals continued for hours, and the afternoon came closer. Even Sylvester started to lose his patience as the Cardinal Priest just kept on doing strange things. But atst, the time came, and the crowd stood up on their feet. The Cardinal Priest carefully held the Pope''s mitre in his hands and climbed the stairs to reach him.


    "For ages, the keeper of order across the realm." Cardinal Priest spoke while approaching Sylvester. "Not the throne, not the mitre, but the one who sits on it and wears it¡ªPope is merely a title, but honesty, pride, wrath, and justice are what''s truly vital. The one before came and passed. The time hase anew¡ªfrom hardships to the brighter era, may you bring us through¡ªBy the grace of Solis, and the blessings of light, I pronounce the eightieth Pope¡ªSylvester Maximilian, long may he reign!"


    "Long live Pope Sylvester!"


    "Long may he reign!"


    "Long live Pope Sylvester!"


    The chants echoed in the massive hall, with Aurora, Gabriel, and the others shouting the loudest.


    Cardinal Priest gently lowered the mitre on Sylvester''s head and retired without showing his back to Sylvester. He walked backward down the stairs and, at the bottom, bowed his head in reverence and saluted.


    Sylvester felt the mitre on his head, feeling heavier than he expected. He looked at the faces below him, Aurora, Gabriel, and the rest. Their excited and cheering faces motivated him to do better now that his words had immense power.


    Deciding to address the clergymen, he raised his palm toward the assembled crowd and silenced them. To start his first day as the Pope, he decided to do it with a hymn, as his journey to Popehood also began with it.


    He cleared his throat and opened his mouth, the magnificent shining halo formed behind his head. A halo that shimmered in harmony with the golden throne; the bright light radiated on the gold and sent glimmers all around.


    ?In the sacred name of the Lord, I rise to the throne,


    Upon His divine path, his guidance alone I''ve known.


    Battled foes in realms, both seen and yet unknown,


    From humble acolyte to mighty Pope, I''ve grown.?


    ?In an age where hope did falter and wane,


    In yearning for dawn''s first light to break the chain,


    By shadow''s pawn, our souls were nearly in,


    Yet triumphant we rise¡ªWe''ve won in His name!?


    ?In sacred charge, we rise for those oppressed and frightened.


    To realms of joy and hope, our destiny is ever tightened.


    As beacons for the morrow, by the sacred oath, we''re heightened,


    By His divine embrace, in luminous truth, we are enlightened.?


    ?May his ligh¡ª?


    Sylvester abruptly stopped singing, for he found himselfcking words. His lips shivered, and his eyes stuck to the end of the massive hallway, at therge gates. They were open, and one lone man walked in, wearing magnificent white, blood and dirtden armor, with his white cloak looking the same. He held his longsword in hand, using it to stay standing while walking in, faltering in each step.


    His thin face had emotionally red eyes and dark circles underneath. The lips were dry and wounded, and a white stubble beard covered his chin.


    "Sir Dolorem!" Aurora shouted and rushed over to help the man.


    "N-no!" Sir Dolorem stopped her. His voice seemed pained and hoarse.


    All eyes focused on the old knight who emerged from thea. Wounded beyond repair, yet the man stood and walked, his gaze focused on the throne ahead, his lips curved into a proud smile.


    "Y-Your¡­ Holiness¡­" Sir Dolorem saluted Sylvester, approaching the base of the stairs to the throne. "My heart¡­ rejoices to¡­ to see you¡­ there."


    Sylvester''s expression showed no change. His eyes stared at Sir Dolorem''s form. The smile on the man''s face hid the pain and much more. The scents of calm, peace, happiness, hope, and worship were so strong that they overpowered all others.


    "Old man¡­" Sylvester stood up and came down from his throne.


    Thud!


    Sir Dolorem suddenly knelt down on one knee, almost falling, but he held himself steady with the sword and proudly looked at Sylvester. With great effort, he finally crossed his arms on his chest, "L-Long live¡­ Pope¡­ Sylvester¡­"


    Sylvester knelt down before Sir Dolorem. Seeing the condition the man was in, his heart was heavy, since he saw something that none other could. "You should have rested in the sick bay, old man¡­ You''re now officially retired."


    Sir Dolorem smiled and touched Sylvester''s shoulder. "Y-You''re¡­ the supreme ruler now¡­ Don''t be worried for m¡ª"


    He stopped speaking as intense coughing ensued. Sir Dolorem covered his mouth as blood came out, along with some pieces of his insides. He looked at it and dismissed it, cleaning his hand on his own robes.


    Sylvester''s eyes shed with a tearful haze, "It was meaningless¡­"


    Sir Dolorem nced at the throne above. "You-uh¡­ said once¡­ the holy throne w-will be made of bone-s¡­"


    As if knowing what was happening, Sylvester''s eyes silently shed a few drops of tears, since he couldn''t wail in that attire. He shifted forward and hugged Sir Dolorem in his arms. The man reciprocated, but weakly.


    "I remember¡­ But it does not have to be a reality."


    Sir Dolorem eased onto Sylvester''s shoulder, his breath faltering, almost feeling non-existent as he whispered back. "I shall dly b-be a¡­ piece of it¡­"


    Sylvester used healing magic, as much as he knew, while embracing him. "You should see me create a new world¡­ This isn''t your time to go."


    "I was gone¡­ on that pile of d-dead. I returned for this m-moment. Miracles r-rarely happen¡­ I''ve¡­ l-lived one." Sir Dolorem replied into his ears. "D-don''t be sad, son¡­ be proud¡­ be kind¡­ be strong¡­ be happy."


    Sylvester''s eyes met with Aurora''s, who was standing behind them, and he shook his head. The signs were there, he had known this wasing, but nothing could have prepared him. Nothingsts forever¡­ a sad reality but a hard one to ept.


    "Thank you for being like a father to me." Sylvester rushed to speak, feeling the loosening arms on his back. "Thank you for teaching me magic¡ªThank you for being someone I could trust blindly¡­ You are a good man; you kept me from bing them."


    "D-Despite all your¡­ secrets¡­ You were never t-them¡­" Sir Dolorem''s arms fell from Sylvester''s back, and his body lost strength to remain upright. But Sylvester held him and sat back down. Sir Dolorem''s head fell on his chest.


    As Sylvester cradled him, his entire life shed before his eyes, and in almost all of his happiest memories, Sir Dolorem was there. He was the man who dly took risks without caring for his own life¡ªsomeone who was ready to die, so Sylvester could escape that cave that time¡ªa selfless man, too kind in heart, afflicted, and yet strong.


    "I-I''m old¡­" Sir Dolorem gasped, sweat forming on his face. "It was¡­ an honor¡­ to serve you."


    Sylvester''s body rocked back and forth, and his reddened eyes teared up, no matter how much he held them back. "Amidst the realm full of beasts, I was blessed to meet such a priest¡­ The honor is mine, old man¡­ the debt is endless."


    "M-My eyes¡­" Sir Dolorem almost lost his voice, his eyelids slipping. "Growing dim¡­ Y-Your Holiness¡­ onest hymn¡­"


    With burning redness in his eyes, Sylvester felt Sir Dolorem''s heart giving up. So gathering a deep breath, he tried to sing for the old man, ending their shared journey just as it had begun¡ªwith a hymn.


    ?Lost, confused, in a world of the dark and evil,


    Thank you for saving this one from the upheaval.


    Loyalty, justice, and kindness at your teaching''s core,


    You showed me the path and guided me to faith''s shore.?


    Sylvester''s halo brightly shined and warmed Sir Dolorem''s dying body. The man''s lips remained curved in a smile, simmering himself in the voice. His heartbeat fainted ever so slowly; his body twitched with his heart giving in.


    ?May Solis lead you to the warmest realm above.


    May your wife and son greet you with embraces of love.


    Dyed, but this son shall join you too once someday.


    Until then, watch my faith, duty, and justice on disy.?


    The battles were tough, and the roads were rough. But now, when the fruits ofbor had grown, the price was too high, and it was too hard to say goodbye.


    As his breath dissolved into nothingness, Sir Dolorem''s heart stopped beating, and his body lifelessly rested in Sylvester''s arms. Sylvester controlled himself to the utmost, but his eyes didn''t listen to him. They poured out tears as if silent prayers.


    Sylvester lowered his face, grieving until it rested on Sir Dolorem''s head. The halo continued to burn, and hisst words came out as faint whispers.


    ?Despite all hardships, how do I find some relief?


    Where is happiness? Again, I''m left to cope with grief.


    What''s the meaning when I''ve lost despite high hope?


    Should I cry or rejoice that now¡ªI became the Pope??

 Chapter 592 591. Curse Of The Blessed

    <h4>Chapter 592 591. Curse Of The Blessed</h4>


    Sylvester didn''t move; Sir Dolorem''s body rested within his embrace. His eyes had dried up by then, but the grief was still in his heart. After a very long time, he lifted his head and looked at Aurora, calling her closer.


    "Send a missive to Felix and start the preparations for a funeral in Magna Sanctum," Sylvester ordered with a dry, hoarse voice. "Postpone everything for a day."


    Aurora''s eyes were also hazy since she was close to Sir Dolorem, seeing the man like a brother. They had worked together for years and had known each other well, but the friendship grew much more after Sylvester became the focal point. All the missions they had done together for Sylvester were sweet memories.


    "Did he have anyst wish?" Aurora asked him.


    Sylvester nodded softly, "I fulfilled it¡­ with the hymn."


    No more did he feel any joy with the mitre on his head. He had supreme authority, yet he had to surrender himself to the forces of nature. Even at that level, he couldn''t do anything to protect his loved ones.


    Finally, after a few minutes, the healers came with a stretcher. They took Sir Dolorem''s body carefully and ced a white cloth on him, before taking the body to the sick bay for arrangements. Usually, funerals didn''t take ce in the Magna Sanctum; such honors were typically reserved for the Guardians and the Popes, but at that point, who was even going to object? A father figure to the Pope had died. It was all the more reason to honor the man.


    After Sir Dolorem''s body was taken away, Sylvester stood up and looked back at his throne. A feeling of disgust rose up in his heart while he patted Miraj, who was stuck on his chest, crying at the loss of his Dol-Dol.


    ''At the age of a month, and now¡ªit was never my n to achieve this, but this cursed throne pulled me to it with its scheme and evil ploys.'' Sylvester thought to himself. His red eyes burned with fury, and veins popped on his forehead.


    "Sir Dolorem taught me to remain humble throughout my life!" Sylvester''s tone sounded calm, but his voice reverberated with magic and an air of authority. "This luxury contradicts my beliefs; this gold is tainted in blood and sin¡ªSome remedies must be applied before a new era begins."


    Everyone stared at Sylvester in confusion, though some who knew him closely grasped what he was saying and what he meant to do.


    Thud!


    Abruptly, the Inquisitor High Lord knelt to his knees, feeling utmost pride and worship in Sylvester''s thoughts. They aligned with his views perfectly. "You are the father to the blessed souls that Solis made. Crusade, justice, or anything else¡ªyour words shall be obeyed!"


    Sylvester didn''t respond to Lord Inquisitor''s words. He walked up the marble stairs and stopped beside the enormous throne. Slowly, he raised both his palms toward it and a halo appeared behind his head.


    ?When we sin, we try to reflect on the mind inside,


    When there is a disturbance in the sea, there are tides.


    We punished the evil, making the realm shimmer,


    Yet, how did we forget to destroy the greatest sinner??


    BOOM!


    Both of Sylvester''s palms formed a huge, wide beam of light. It was the Wrath of Heavens. It fell on the massive throne and engulfed it entirely, the light forcing everyone to close their eyes. They felt the heat radiating and the scent of burning metal¡ªthey now understood what was happening.


    ?Since ancient eons, battles raged for this sacred throne,


    Through countless ages, betrayal this seat alone has shown.


    Henceforth, in this realm, darkness shall no longer be sown,


    Renounce the seven sins, lest faith cast you from your own.?


    When the crowd felt their eyes grow ustomed to the light, they saw the grand throne melting into a pile of formless gold, its various crystals vaporized or deformed in the heat. The age-old throne of eminence, where Popes of old held reverence, was now undone by the one who had won.


    Sylvester''s fury only ended when all the gold before his eyes had melted away. Once finished, he turned around to leave, his eyes still furiously red. "Cardinal Gabriel, ask the Dwarves of Miraj City to create a new throne for me¡ªmade of wood, humble in its design, in memory of those who fell victim to this grand plot."


    Gabriel wasn''t ustomed to being called Cardinal. It was too much since he officially became the youngest Cardinal after Sylvester now. "It shall be done, Your Holiness."


    "Holy Court is dismissed!" Sylvester bellowed as he strode toward the gates. "Remember one thing, Ipetence, corruption, and sin shall find no refuge under my rule. The punishment shall be worse than death. Go and sleep, eat, or do anything you want while you have time; Once the funerals are over, prepare to work until your final breath."


    There were only two kinds of Clergymen left in the massive hall at that point. The ones who were excited and saluted in the hope of doing some real good for the realm. And others who feared for their well-being, afraid of disappointing the Pope.


    ¡­


    From the loud vibrance of excitement and cheers for the ascension of the new Pope, the atmosphere changed, and gloom spread in the Holy Land. Word of Sir Dolorem''s death spread around, and even those who didn''t know him at first grieved after learning he was like a father to their new Pope.


    In respect and to mourn, all the shops in Guild Penins closed their doors. The adventure and magic guilds lowered their gs for the day. The people burned incense outside their homes to state that they stood by Sylvester¡ªthe miraculous Pope whose deeds had been well announced from the parchments that fell from the sky.


    As the next day''s dawn drew near, a massive crowd of high-ranking clergy gathered on the cliff shore of the Gold Penins near the Magna Sanctum temple, which harbored the Orb of Purity, a vile thing revered by the realm.


    The sky was cloudy. The wind was strong. As if the heavens mourned, the rain also began like a weeping song. The sun was in the distance, slowly rising beyond the horizon. While Sir Dolorem''s body was ced on the pyre. His body was cleaned, his armor repaired, and he was given utmost respect and honor, cing even his long sword over his chest.


    The Cardinal Priest of the temple, who had overseen Sylvester''s crowning, was now reading the farewell for the departed from the Holy Book. Sylvester held the torch, ready to set the pyre on fire.


    "Max." Xavia suddenly voiced, tapping Sylvester''s shoulder and waking him from the daze. Her eyes were swollen, signs of a night spent crying. "The rays of the sun are arriving; go."


    Sylvester emotionlessly walked forward, memories running wild in his mind. The what-ifs were countless. "Farewell, old man¡­ Thank you for the great memories¡­ You won''t be forgotten."


    He torched the pyre from various ces and poured some alchemical power to burn the wood as the rain grew heavier with each passing moment. None of the people there had any protection from it, allowing the rain to soak them to the bone.


    After Sylvester stepped back a little, one by one, everyone approached to pay respect and ce a small stick into the pyre. They said their prayers and left one after another. Felix was there, almost on the verge of tears, as was the case with Gabriel.


    As Magna Sanctum was a very delicate ce, they couldn''t remain there for a long time. Except for Sylvester, everyone had to leave after paying respects.


    Sylvester just stood there in the rain and watched as Sir Dolorem''s body was consumed by the mes, returning to nature. The realization that he would never hear his voice again or see him again struck his heart with sharp pain.


    "Are you alright?" Aurora halted beside him before leaving. "You can cry if you want to¡­ The heavens want you to."


    "It was meaningless. He didn''t deserve to die." Sylvester muttered, his voice pained. "If I had epted Saint Scepter''s demands right away, I could have returned faster, and Sir Dolorem would have¡­ lived."


    Aurora''s tearful eyes silently wept as she embraced Sylvester, "What''s done can''t be undone. Sir Dolorem will forever be immortalized, Sylvester. As the godfather of the youngest and strongest Pope in history¡ªHe lives in your legacy¡ªYou are the proof of his life."


    Sylvester didn''t agree or deny it. He kept his gaze on the pyre. He let Aurora go and then saw Xavia leave as well, weeping and supported by Aurora as well. Atst, only the Lord Inquisitor remained, and he proceeded to ce a stick into the fire. He prayed silently for a few long moments.


    Then the giant man stood beside Sylvester, taking off his visor to breathe more freely. The raindrops vaporized as they touched his skin. "Your Holiness, get used to the tears. Your long life is a boon and a curse from your bloodline and magical talents. It will have you witness the death of all you hold dear¡ªbefore your end nears.


    Sylvester''s lips twitched as if he were imagining the very scenario. There was a truth to the statement; his natural life span was indeed going to be long. But in his heart, he knew he had no reason to cry. "I don''t think I''m the most cursed. There is someone else I know, cursed with a fate far worse."


    The Inquisitor High Lord didn''t know who Sylvester was talking about, but he felt sympathy for that being. "To see your dear ones grow old and wither away. It''s aw of nature that we all must obey. Be strong, blessed one; there are many more battles yet to be won."


    The Inquisitor High Lord patted Sylvester''s shoulder and left as well, cing the visor back on his face.


    Sylvester hugged Miraj on his chest, wondering if his little partner would one day see him on a pyre as well. It broke his heart to know it was inevitable. Moreover, it pained him to imagine who was going to be next.


    "Your Holiness," the Cardinal Priest called out to him. "The fire has run its course. Please gather the ashes in the container."


    Sylvester silently held the steel container in his hand and stepped closer to what remained of the man. From a living, breathing human with countless memories, dreams, and ideas, to a pile of ashes, so delicate and weightless.


    "Maxy, I help." Miraj joined and used his little paws to pour the ash into the container. His eyes were constantly wet since the previous day, but he tried not to cry, to support Sylvester.


    "Will you miss him, Chonky?" Sylvester asked.


    Miraj nodded his head vigorously. "I wanted happy days with Dol-Dol¡­ Can''t have happy days now."


    Sylvester patted Miraj''s head. "Inquisitor High Lord had a point, Chonky. We should get used to these tears¡ªwe''ll see many others grow old and pass away as time goes by."


    Miraj gasped, "Even Big Mum?"


    Sylvester didn''t reply, not wanting to imagine such a scenario. Silently he scooped up the ashes; his eyes remained dry and focused. A seed of resentment against the Pope and the Saint Scepter was sprouting within him, as they were responsible for it all.


    However, he couldn''t help but wonder something as he gazed at the sky and felt the raindrops on his dry lips. He wondered how long this so-called fate would have him feel deprived.


    "What I long for¡ªwhen will my peace arrive?"


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 593 592. Four Part Plan

    <h4>Chapter 593 592. Four Part n</h4>


    Sir Dolorem wouldn''t have wanted him to mourn endlessly and refuse to work on what truly matters. They worked and fought so hard for years to reach that point; now, it was time to work.


    Sylvester woke up in the morning, a day after the funeral. He still lived in the Bright Motherplex and had no desire to move out, no matter his status. One of the reasons was that he wanted to be with Xavia as much as possible, and the other was that all the Bright Mothers were utmost loyal to him, just like the Inquisitors. Even if weak, they''d rather jump in front of an arrow to save him than allow him to get injured.


    He donned his regr robes as usual, just slightly different in embroidery to separate him from the rest. His mitre was the only thing that could convey that he was the Pope. He gazed at the container of Sir Dolorem''s ashes and bid farewell. "See youter, old man."


    He went to the living room, where Xavia had cooked a big meal to cheer everyone''s hearts despite feeling down herself. Zeke was also there, sitting in normal robes, not his armor. Miraj was also neatly seated on a heightened chair made for him and waiting diligently for the meal.


    He walked over to the kitchen and helped Xavia set the table, "Will you be returning to work?"


    Xavia just noticed him and tried to stop him, "What are you doing, Max? You''re the Pope, don''t¡ª"


    Sylvester continued to help, "And that somehow allows me to bezy? I''m your son first, Mum, don''t ever forget that. Let''s eat now. I need to meet with the councilter."


    They all sat around the table and ate in silence. Minds filled with a frenzy of thoughts and some fears for the future, but they kept it to themselves, not wanting to worry the others. Eventually, they all finished eating and got ready to head out. Xavia was returning to work in the sick bay, and Zeke was her full-time bodyguard.


    "I''ll see you in the evening." Sylvester left the house and went down the stairs. He asionally saw a few Bright Mothers and received their official salutes and blessings as their son in all but name.


    At the road in front of the building, an extravagant carriage waited for him, pulled by six horses, and even the reinsman was an Archbishop-ranked man. But Sylvester walked past the carriage into the barn and soon came out with a bicycle. After all, he was the Pope now, and what better advertisement for the bicycle than riding it himself?


    "Your Holiness! Please use the carriage!" The reinsman cried, seeing Sylvester leave, and followed him.


    But he didn''t stop and eventually reached the Pope''s Pce. However, he felt the need to make a small parking space for bicyclester, as he had no ce to leave it. He just saw his carriageing closer, and waved at the reinsman to take care of it.


    As he walked upstairs to the Pce, everyone saluted him, or stopped just to gossip. Sylvester had no time to waste and walked straight into the Sanctum Council chamber. This time, he was holding it officially, and only the true, newly appointed Council members were allowed toe in.


    There was Gabriel as the new Saint Wazir, Inquisitor High Lord with Aurora, the new chief economist¡ªSaint Keymaster, the ex-ve, and Healer Hendrix as the new Saint Medico. Atst, there was Saint Externum, now Elyon, and also Felix as the Saint Viceman. The Spymaster was still kept a secret, as one thing was left to do.


    "Stay seated." Sylvester strode in and took his seat before removing his mitre and cing it aside. "Four things are on the agenda today, and I''ll need you all to help me implement them. Gabriel, the first thing you''ll do after this is issue an announcement to all the royal families and nobles¡ªAll Kingdoms are barred from waging wars on each other. Any dispute will be solved by me as the mediator."


    Gabriel wrote everything down, but didn''t shy away from asking questions, "Your Holiness, if you do this, they''lle to you for the tiniest of problems¡ªdon''t underestimate their pettiness. You will be annoyed by them soon enough."


    Sylvester nodded, having expected that. "That''s why All Kingdoms shalle together and form an organization called the Round Table League. All members will send one representative. Try to solve any disputes, form major economic ns for united growth, and form trade deals with each other. If any deadlock appears, the Pope will intervene."


    In a way, Sylvester created a League of Nations type of system, but since he held supreme power as the mediator, the chances of it breaking apart and failing were much less. He hoped to be the Pope for at least three centuries, so he believed it was enough time to sort things out over time.


    "That''s much better," Gabriel muttered, writing down the basic structure.


    With that, Sylvester looked at Darius, his new chief economist. He had known the man for so long and had taught him the basics of modern economics. "Darius, we''re going to implement the paper currency model I discussed. It won''t be a quick process and could take decades. At first, only phase in paper money into the administrative level of trade between kingdoms. Later, people should be able to exchange their owned gold with paper money¡ªremember to go slow and formalize arger policy. The Holy Land will act as a reserve bank, holding the authority to print money."


    Darius knew what Sylvester was trying to do. By being the controller of the financial system of Sol, no kingdom would be able to stand before his might. It would only be a matter of time before the royal families start losing power over their kingdom''s micro-economy, as the people wouldn''t need them.


    Darius, excited and honored to work there, saluted Sylvester. He had managed Sylvester''s business for years and was aware of most things. "I''ll formte the n and bring it to you, Your Holiness. But I will have to purge my department first¡ªthere are some moles of various nobles."


    "Ask the Lord Inquisitor for help," Sylvester ordered and looked at Aurora next. "From now on, women can also be clergy members. They can also marry and build families, the same for male clergy members. But all those whomit to such a life will be barred from going above the rank of Bishop. However, on a person-to-person basis, we may select a few if their talents suit a position."


    "You''ll face pushback from other old members," Aurora warned him sternly. "They almost tried to remove Father from Lord Inquisitor''s position when he tried to get me epted as a Guardian of Light."


    Sylvester knew it, and he had no mercy for them. "Aurora, you stand as a shining example. You''re a role model for women everywhere in the world that anything is possible. Women can also be Grand Wizards¡ªQueen Trinity has proven it as well. No matter how many old Clergymen oppose my decision, they can either ept it or fade into history''s forgotten pages."


    The Inquisitor High Lord approved of Sylvester''s stern demeanor. "The faith of Solis is fair to all who hold the light within their hearts. Anyone who denies the Lord''s teaching should have their tongue cut in parts."


    ''Back to being fanatic then?'' Sylvester thought in his head.


    "Gabriel." He called his Saint Wazir''s name again. The man was going to be the busiest in the realm after Sylvester. "The world''srgest and first official printing press will be made inside the Holy Land. Its job would be to spread knowledge. Reprint all sorts of books, especially the ones that help teach reading, writing, and all the elementary subjects. Pass the order to all monasteries as well, to teach people; old, young, or children, how to read basic things and write, from word characters to numbers¡ªsubtraction, addition, and multiplication."


    Gabriel gulped and rubbed his forehead, "This is going to be a lot of work, Ma¡­ I mean, Your Holiness."


    "It''s alright. Call me Max or Sylvester in this room¡ªWe''re a family trying to improve this realm, and we can''t do it if we''re only focused on our hierarchies and can''t speak candidly. And Gabriel, you have hundreds of useless assistants who are far from being used fully. Sort them out and make them work¡ªEducating the masses is a top priority."


    Finally, Sylvester turned his attention to his own job, "I''ll formte the Engineering Department, as there''s considerable infrastructure to build. The Capital of Gracia, Green City, needs to be constructed from the ground up¡ªbut much better this time. Of course, all that is only possible if I survive where Saint Scepter wishes to take me."


    Faces fell in the room, and they shifted in their seats. It was an ufortable feeling that they all felt, seeing Sylvester having be the Pope, but also knowing it might just be for a very short time.


    "Don''t¡ªI spoke with Solis and was told I''m on the right path. If the all-knowing Lord does not fear my demise, I shouldn''t worry either. No matter the tests, I''ll try to pass them with all I have." Sylvester reassured them and also himself. "Back to work. Healer Hendrix, as the new Saint Medico, I want you to oversee the construction of a number of hospitals around the continent. They''ll be attached to all our major monasteries¡ªwe shall call them Grace Hospitals. I need you to design theyout, rules, medical processes, and everything a healer may need as structured guidelines¡ªwe''ll print books and start training healers."


    With those simple changes, Sylvester effectively tried to better the financial system, education system, social order, and at least, healthcare. As long as all four parts worked out efficiently, Sylvester had no doubt the economy and quality of life in the realm would significantly improve.


    "If none of you have anything to say, the Sanctum Council is adjourned." Sylvester dismissed them and remained seated to work on some documents.


    One by one, everyone left, but Healer Hendrix remained in the chair beside Sylvester. Only after the two were alone, he spoke seriously. "The gue is spreading faster than the Demon''s grasp in Beastaria. The elves have managed to keep it beyond their kingdom''s borders, but not for long. Countless have died, and millions are afflicted now."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin with one hand. "We expected this reaction. How many doses of cures have we gathered?"


    "Since you nned for this months in advance, I''ve been able to secure fifty million doses," Healer Hendrix answered, his voice slightly uncertain. "When are we going to stop the gue? Millions will die, Your Holiness¡ªThey may stand against us regarding faith, but they''re still living, breathing beings with intelligence."


    "I hold no prejudice based on faith, Hendrix. But I can''t help them until theye to our shores and plead with me¡ªTo ensure their generations remember our helping hand, we must let them experience this." Sylvester sternly replied, reminding the man where his oathsy. They were in the business of long-term peace, not short-term bloated feelings.


    Sighing, Healer Hendrix nodded, "I understand, Your Holiness. I''ll return and get to work."


    Finally, left alone with Miraj, Sylvester sorted the documents. He had written down everything about his future ns, all possibilities that could arise, and how to solve them. It was a guide to whoever may take the throne after him¡ªjust in case he didn''t survive inside that door.


    "Maxy, Ie with you!"


    "No, I''ll go alone. I''ve already lost Sir Dolorem, and I can''t lose you too." Sylvester rejected Miraj''s request.


    Miraj pouted grumpily, "What about me? If you die, my life is useless¡ªIf Ie with you, I can protect you, Maxy. Your magic can fail, but I won''t. You don''t even have two hands."


    "Still a no," Sylvester replied.


    Miraj angrily red at him, "You can''t stop me froming."


    "I''ll give you a hundred bananas if you don''te." Sylvester offered him half-heartedly. "I''m going there tomorrow, so be silent and let me n."


    "Ummm¡­ I don''t care about bananas!" Miraj growled and closed his eyes. In his head, there was no way he could let Sylvester go alone.


    ''I won''t be alone ever again¡ªI''ll sneak in with him.'' Miraj silently nned.


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 594 593. Into The Door Of Darkness

    <h4>Chapter 594 593. Into The Door Of Darkness?</h4>


    [A/N: Sorry, a long one.]


    Forge City was a ce that rested on the long trade corridor within the southern Riveria. It was a wide, sprawling road around which various cities were set up, focusing on producing different items highly coveted throughout the realm. It was the most crowded and the biggest market in the world, generating almost the majority of Riveria''s wealth¡ªalso the reason it was the richest Kingdom in thend.


    However, crowds were often the best ces for some to hide themselves. The dark alleys, which led to some illegal shops, weremon and were usually filled with people best avoided. Needing weapons anonymously, magical crystals, or any poison¡ªeverything was avable for a price.


    "When do we meet him?"


    "You said he''s close¡­ where are we going?"


    Eleven figures, robed in oversized brown hoods, walked through the dark alleys of Forge City. They questioned the one who led them every now and then, their voices filled with anxiety and paranoia. They looked all around, even toward the sky. It was nighttime, but even in the darkness, an unsettling sensation of being observed was felt.


    "I never said he''d meet us here," the man in the lead said. "The Chief of Anti-Light will see us in the Barrier mountain range. We''re here to find a man who can lead us there on a ship¡ªusing the road isn''t safe from here. And let me remind you; You came to me for protection¡ªnot the other way around."


    "Keep your mouth shut, Seer¡ªYou''re a traitor of the Holy Land. While we only offended the new runt who became the Pope." The man behind angrily said, cing his hand on the shoulder of the man ahead.


    "Haha, if he''s a runt, then why are you running away? I can see the fear on your face, Null. Don''t take me for a fool¡ªI know everything about you lot. That was my job as Saint Seer." Saint Seer replied, pushing away Null''s hands from his shoulder. "Void Keepers are despised by all branches of the Holy Land¡ªThe Pope isn''t the only one who wants you dead."


    The Void Keepers made annoyed expressions but, in the end, silently followed the man who could lead them to a new life. They needed a new master to follow, one who could grant them shelter and protection.


    Crunch!


    "Hmm?" Saint Seer looked down as he felt he had stepped on something solid and broke it. "What''s t¡­ a bone?"


    Crunch!


    Just then, eerily simr sounds echoed from behind, and Saint Seer looked to find everyone had stepped on bones. They were all confused, since the bones weren''t there before. Immediately, the bizarre urrence sent them into a panic, and they took out their weapons of choice.


    Boom!


    "It''s an attack!" Null, the leader of the Void Keepers, roared and jumped. Only to see his colleague getting impaled in the head by a bone spear that came out of the wall beside them. Since it was a tight alley, there wasn''t enough room to move around either. "Run for the exit!"


    However, the moment they looked behind, their scalps tingled, and sweat formed on their foreheads. A massive horde of undead creatures blocked their way out. The creatures piled atop one another, the hill going as high as the walls of the alleyway, three stories high. Skeletons, zombies, liches¡ªthey all growled and came close toward them.


    Saint Seer sighed and chuckled wryly, "Well, at least I tried¡­"


    "What do you mean?!" Null asked and looked in the opposite direction, only to notice a simr massive hill of undead. That left them only with the sky above. However, even there, he saw a gigantic undead dragon perched and looking at them with glowing red eye sockets.


    It frightened them. After all, not just any necromancer could reanimate a dragon into an undead. The amount of magic it required was massive, beyond what they believed anyone could wield.


    "Haha¡­"


    "Why are youughing?" Null asked, annoyed by Saint Seer. "We have to fight our way out."


    But Saint Seer continued tough and sat down, "You foolish puppets. Do you not know who that dragon belongs to? If you did, you''d have given up too."


    "Who?!" Null questioned, eyes looking desperate.


    "Emperor Lich, Raz Mi''ul Naseer¡ªNow, do you still believe you can defeat it?" Saint Seer asked in amusement, stillughing. "We''re all dead."


    Woosh!


    Massive spears of undead bones came out of the walls on both sides and the ground as well. They impaled almost all of the Void Keepers to death, formingrge holes in their bodies. It was instant death, and they didn''t even get to use their strange abilities¡ªfear was a terrifying thing.


    "I refuse such death!" Null roared and tried to use his Soul magic on the undead. But, it was useless as the undead had no souls. "I won''t die so easily¡­!"


    Thud!


    Just then, someone dropped from the sky andnded behind Null. "Let me introduce myself¡ª"


    Snap!


    With a simple move of his hands, the new arrival snapped Null''s head, turning it fully around until it looked at him. Robed in ck, his face as pale as the snow, he spoke. "For Shane¡­ Name''s Lazark Kul Mizar."


    Null was wide-eyed, his nose and mouth bleeding; he had instantly died while standing. Quick and efficient, his Soul Magic did nothing.


    Then, Lazark turned to look at Saint Seer, "How would you like to die?"


    Saint Seer shook his head, "He sent you to kill me? I thought at least he''d do it with his own hands¡ªAfter all the harm I''ve done to him."


    Lazark crouched down to Saint Seer''s level and touched the man''s chest, "That you did. But what did the Anti-Light offer you that you changed sides? I was informed that you were not initially a traitor."


    Saint Seer sneered wearily, not for Sylvester but at himself. "I was¡­ too ambitious¡­ But before I realized my foolishness, it was toote to turn around. I tried my best to serve both sides without causing harm to any¡ªbut in the end, I had to follow their order¡­ I had to."


    "Anyst words?"


    Saint Seer looked toward the sky at the moon shining between the undead dragon''s bones. "I wish I had made different choices in life¡­ But the consequences are my own to bear¡ªGive His Holiness my regards."


    "I will." Lazark activated his magic, and a bone spear emerged from his palm. It stabbed Saint Seer right in the chest, straight through the heart. It killed the man on the spot, and with it, his task wasplete.


    p! p!


    "Great execution, but still a lot to learn."


    Lazark rose to his feet and bowed at the seven-foot-tall being behind himself. Donningrge ck robes and a joker mask on his face, Emperor Raz managed to blend into the crowd to some extent.


    "Thank you, Emperor Raz. But I''m afraid I can only resume the training after reaching the Holy Land. His Holiness has appointed me as the new Saint Seer. I cannot disappoint him." Lazark said and removed his hordes of undead.


    "Ah!" Emperor Raz eximed in surprise. "So that''s why you came here to kill the old Saint Seer?"


    Bishop Lazark nodded and focused on preserving the old Saint Seer''s body. "This was a test and a way to tie the loose ends. Now, I only need to use Saint Seer''s body and extract all the information. Using it and my flying undead birds, I will be able to spy anywhere."


    "And with my teachings, you''ll be the greatest spymaster ever to exist." Emperor Raz said with delight, relishing the opportunity to speak with other people instead of being stuck in the frozen north. "I still can''t believe His Holiness wants me to teach necromancy and dark magic at the school¡ªHah, an Emperor Lich within the halls of god, it''ll be chaos."


    Bishop Lazark, who rarely smiled, did so as he remembered Sylvester''s words from a long time ago, "Evil lies in mind, not in magic or body."


    "Can''t agree more."


    Having finished his task, Lazark decided to return to Sylvester and officially start working. Establishing a spywork was a huge undertaking. Although he still felt confused, as Sylvester had told him his job would be easier, as there was another, more expansive, and efficient spy group in Sol.


    ''When did His Holiness make a spywork? Who works for him?''


    Never in his wildest dreams could he imagine how innocent and loved Sylvester''s spies were.


    ¡­


    Back in the Holy Land, a small group gathered outside an underground chamber of the Pope''s Pce when the night fell. It was finally time to fulfill the terms of the contract he had made with the Saint Scepter. He had to; there was no running away from it, as he knew how the Blood Contracts worked.


    "I despise you!" Xavia shouted at Saint Scepter, who stood in the distance beside a small, ck-colored gate. "How can you call yourself the Shield of Solis? You''re a traitor!"


    Sylvester calmed Xavia down and hugged her. "Don''t, Mum¡­ It''s the same as mming your face on a wall. Gather yourself, and don''t waste your tears¡ªI''ll be fine."


    He tried to give her some courage and find some for himself as well. He knew that Xavia was on the verge of a panic attack at that point, especially after having gone through one ''death'' experience. She didn''t want to see him retake such deadly risks. But he was the Pope, and it was his job now.


    Aurora came forward to hold Xavia and help her, "He''s right. Have some faith in His Holiness¡­ Light always wins over darkness, and he is the brightest source we all know of."


    Sylvester nodded gratefully and moved to Felix, as he was the Saint Viceman, meaning the man with the signing authority when the Pope was absent, "I''ve given you the diary, so go by the book. Always take advice from Lord Inquisitor and Gabriel when uncertain. Don''t allow the previous Saints to be anything more than advisors."


    Felix hugged Sylvester. The visor he had ced on his charred face nked against Sylvester''s restored winged armor. "Don''t die, brother¡ªI don''t want to lose any more friends."


    "I''ll try not to." Sylvester stepped back and saluted Lord Inquisitor and the rest. "All of you, please go back. I don''t know what is on the other side of this door, and it''ll be bad if any of you get caught in it."


    Understanding his worries, everyone retreated from the underground chamber, leaving behind Sylvester and the Saint Scepter.


    "Let''s go." Sylvester took out the normal-looking key from his pocket.


    But Saint Scepter didn''t move, "You''re bringing your little friend as well?"


    "Friend?" Sylvester turned around and looked. There, hiding behind a pir, he noticed a furry white head poking out, and when noticed, quickly hid back. "Chonky,e out. I know you''re there."


    Caught, Miraj proudly came out from the shadows and stopped a distance away from Sylvester.


    "Why are you here? I told you to stay at home." Sylvester asked, not angrily, just worried. "I don''t know where I''m going or what will happen inside."


    "No!" Miraj shouted, his eyes narrowing in annoyance and anger. "Ie with you, Maxy¡­ I will protect you¡­ I will never let you die like Dol-Dol!"


    Sylvester sighed and walked toward Miraj. The little cat stepped back in fright, believing Sylvester would scold him. But the opposite happened, and Sylvester scooped him up to his chest and hugged him.


    ''He''s scared of losing me.'' Sylvester could feel it. ''But I''m scared of losing him as well.''


    Miraj licked Sylvester''s face, "Let mee¡­ Chonky Bank can help you lots and lots¡­ I''ll devour all the dangers¡­ I can also fly."


    "Alright." Sylvester relented and tucked him inside his chest te, close to his neck. "Come along, but you must stay tucked inside my robes. If you try to jump around, I''ll never forgive you."


    Miraj nodded his head, his eyes shining bright, "Pawmis!"


    Sylvester sighed, "Your and your pawmises¡­ I always melt over them."


    With that out of the way, Sylvester finally walked over to the door and held the key near the keyhole, "What should I expect after opening it?"


    Saint Scepter stepped behind Sylvester and stood calmly. "Darkness¡­ and other senses. Maintain your calm without exerting any force, and let nature take its course."


    Sylvester didn''t find his words helpful. He took a long, deep breath to calm himself and inserted the key in the hole. Before turning it, all possible scenarios churned through his mind. And the most fearsome one was the possibility of¡­


    ''I hope this doesn''t lead me to Earth.''


    ck!


    He turned the key atst, and the sound of unlocking came. That very instant, he felt something sweep through, a strange aura so fearsome and scary that it almost threw Sylvester to his knees. The scent of absolute death permeated the air, telling him, screaming into his head, that there was absolute death beyond the door¡ªno matter any rank.


    Bam!


    The torches in the chamber quenched as the light crystals inside them also exploded. An immense surge of srium swept the whole chamber, thickening the air to the point of breathlessness.


    "Walk inside." Saint Scepter''s emotionless voice reminded him of his task.


    ''I can''t do this¡­ There is death on the other side! Going in there is idiotic!'' Sylvester told himself again and again. But the fact that the man behind him could kill him and destroy the entire Holy Land posed a greater fear.


    Unwillingly, he brought his hand to hold the knob and slowly started to turn it. With every passing moment, the scent and taste of bitterness increased as if the tiniest cracks were leaking the aura of whatever was within.


    ck!


    The door clicked open, and he only had to pull it now. His breath stopped, and his heart thumped like it would explode at any moment. All the hair on his body stood on end, and his mouth went dry.


    "Open it."


    Sylvester found himself with no other way out. The blood contract would kill him if he didn''t obey it anyway. ''Solis, I hope you weren''t lying.''


    Atst, Sylvester opened the door. An invisible, heavy gust of air passed through him in an instant. Sylvester felt the srium in the air. It was insane, even more than what he felt in the Gold Penins from the Orb of Purity. However, unlike the Orb, he didn''t find any repulsive force in this srium.


    There wasplete darkness before Sylvester. Gathering some courage, he stepped inside, first on one foot and then the other.


    Bam!


    Saint Scepter, behind him, shut the door, depriving Sylvester of any semnce of light. However, he could cast it himself, so he raised his hand.


    "Don''t." Saint Scepter warned. "Let nature take its course."


    "What do you m¡ª"


    Before he could finish speaking, an intense wave of nausea washed over him. The need to vomit overtook him and churned his stomach. However, that was merely the beginning. In the next moment, he felt a suction forceing from ahead, a force so immense that he was powerless against it.


    He got pulled into it, and the speed increased so much that he felt his body twist in unimaginable ways, but surprisingly, there was no pain. The possibility of space magic crossed his mind, and he felt his greatest fear seemingly turning into reality.


    ''This c-can''t be¡­ I can''t go back¡­ no¡­''


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 595 594. Essence Of A God

    <h4>Chapter 595 594. Essence Of A God?</h4>


    Sylvester felt his body twisting and straining through what seemed like space magic for an unknown amount of time. In his heart, he had epted there was nothing he could do but let the natural force take him. In his mind, he could only pray that his worst imagination wouldn''t be a reality.


    "Meow!" Miraj made some noise as well, feeling the same things as Sylvester but even more confused.


    However, there was no noise from behind; Saint Scepter was as calm as ever and moving not far from Sylvester. Sylvester realized there was a possibility that this wasn''t the first time Saint Scepter was experiencing it.


    After an unknown stretch of time, he finally began to feel the suction force decreasing, and his body slowly came towards a halt. The view before his eyes began to change as well, showing him the emptiness of space, full of stars and various colorful celestial clouds.


    Yet, there was another thing that caught him off guard and terrified him in an instant. There, floating in space, was a massive object,rger than a. However, it wasn''t a¡­ it was¡­


    "What is this?!"


    Zap!


    Just as the sight of the massive object appeared, the suction force vanished, and Sylvester found himself floating in the middle of space. He just stared at the thing, the creature,rger than manysbined¡ªIts form shrouded in mystery. Its strange, massive, long limbs spread around like tentacles, its upper body resembling a humanoid, but the head seemed like a deformed skull with a huge tongue¡ªHowever, on its head, there was a bright,-sized blob glowing with purple light.


    Right then, Saint Scepter also arrived and halted beside Sylvester. They were both so tiny before the gigantic creature that calling themselves an ant before an elephant wasn''t enough. They were a speck of invisible particles before it.


    "This is¡­ Nehilius." Saint Scepter revealed.


    As if the creature recognized its name, the huge-sized purple blob on its head flickered with additional light.


    "What is this thing?" Sylvester questioned, trying to control his dread. "A Demon?"


    Saint Scepter shook his head and sternly replied to Sylvester, "This is the carcass of an Elder God. The name is Nehilius¡ªThis entire realm was once his domain, but what brought his demise, I do not know."


    Sylvester looked all around at the endless universe. He was filled with questions. "This entire space is his realm? Are there more of such creatures? How strong was he? If he''s dead, why is he responsive?"


    Saint Scepter looked like he wasn''t sure himself when it came to the creature. "I don''t know what this creature truly was or if there are others. His strength, you must have felt by now¡ªIt''s enough that even after death, his immortal body remains a source of nigh infinite magic."


    Silently ring at the humongous creature, Sylvester had no clue what he was supposed to do. In a way, he felt arriving at Earth would have made more sense than this. "Are the ''they'' you mentioned before simr to this being?"


    "I don''t know, Sylvester Maximilian¡ª"


    At that moment, Sylvester interrupted him, looking at him suspiciously, "I have the key. Before me, the Shadow Knight had it. Then how did you enter this realm before?"


    "Across my life, I''ve seen things and ventured into great dangers. Where you faltered, I did not, and discovered this." Saint Scepter replied, implying that Sylvester indirectly knew the entrance. "Under the Wild Forge, the ruins lead to a natural entrance into this realm. I was young and almost died¡ªbut what didn''t kill me also made me stronger¡­ into what I am now."


    Sylvester recalled the ce he had visited while returning from the Sorrow Kingdom. He wanted to explore the Wild Forge, but the scent of absolute death deterred him greatly, to the point he believed that even a Supreme Wizard wouldn''t be able to survive inside.


    Feeling rmed, Sylvester tried to maintain his senses, "Then why did you bring me here if you had a way in already? What do you want?"


    Saint Scepter flew closer to the massive creature and looked back, "This creature shall be your stepping stone. For the next few years, you''re to eat this Elder God, physically and magically, to grow stronger beyond your imagination¡ªthat''s the only way you can fight ''them.''"


    Sylvester stared at the creature and wondered how he could even eat the giant thing. But at the same time, he could understand how it would help him, as just by being in the creature''s presence, he felt such a massive surge of srium that training there would benefit him on a scale nothing else could.


    But at the same time, that brought up a very important question. "If opposing ''them'' was your target from the beginning, then why didn''t you devour this thing and be strong? Why ce the burden on me?"


    "Because the thread of my life rests in ''their'' hands. I can be an Elder God by consuming this, but the thread will still remain in ''their'' hands. I came to this world, pulled from another, to be their servant. If I do it¡ªI''d only be their strongest weapon to conquer other worlds." Saint Scepter exined with great pain in his voice.


    Sylvester tried his best to understand whether Saint Scepter was telling him the truth. But he knew better than to always rely on his nose. "You seem to know a lot about ''them''."


    Coming back closer to Sylvester, Saint Scepter looked around himself before speaking, "Within this realm, they cannot peek¡ªOne of the many reasons why I brought you here is to speak. You are the anomaly, Sylvester Maximilian. You are free from their control; hence, the only one who I can trust with this inheritance of unimaginable power."


    "What makes you think that?" Sylvester asked back.


    Saint Scepter raised his palm and used his strange ability to show realistic magical projections. The scenes immediately refreshed Sylvester''s memory as they depicted him, but from the days when he was merely crawling. "I had my doubts since the day I saw you on Axel''sp in the Holy Court. Your eyes had a different light; they seemed too bright. Nothing like a newborn child; there was an intention behind your every smile. I saw youmit feats considered impossible, your rise bing unstoppable. Your revolutionizing creations, and you toppling down nations."


    Sylvester wasn''t shocked by his words at all. It had be evident that Saint Scepter knew he was also a reincarnator. "If that was your n, then why did you allow all the devastation to happen? Why did you let Pope Axel attack Miraj City? Sir Dolorem now rests as ashes¡ªA loss that could have been avoided."


    "Not everything is under our control, Sylvester Maximilian. In our limited abilities, I tried to act against ''them,'' but I had to be careful, for even the slightest mistake could have brought doom to all. Deaths had to happen for me and Axel''s actions to appear true." Saint Scepter said, trying to reason with Sylvester. "I ced my focus on ensuring ''they'' do not notice your existence, shrouded you so you can grow. While ensuring you were always pushed to the path of power¡ªSo now is not the time to cower."


    The argument was hard to buy. Sylvester didn''t want to believe that Saint Scepter''s motives were solely so he could someday grow and fight against ''them,'' "Then why did you wait for so long?"


    "Because I know the history." Saint Scepter immediately replied. "It is not a mystery, Sylvester Maximilian. There have been Popes and Saint Scepters in the past, drunk on power, who thought this door led back to their world. While some rejected it, for they were more learned. I couldn''t risk creating a monster that would lead to the ruin of this realm."


    Despite his reluctance to believe in anything the Saint Scepter said, Sylvester couldn''t refute the words. If he was in the man''s position, he would have also taken time to verify everything before making a decision. "What''s in this for you? Why are you doing this?"


    "The same reason as you¡ªpeace," Saint Scepter responded. "I''ve lived my life as a ve to a higher authority. Enough, I cannot lower any further my morality."


    ''Morality?'' Sylvester caught on to that word and felt curious about him. As far as he knew, all the reincarnators had been great inventors or conquerors who were quite ruthless in their lifetime.


    "What''s your real name?" He finally questioned.


    Saint Scepter intently looked at Sylvester as if contemting telling him. "Once upon a time, I was an¡ª"


    "Stop!" Sylvester interrupted him with a shout. "Did you hear that?"


    All three of them silently looked around. There was nothing of interest besides the huge carcass of the Elder God. There was no sound or any change in the srium either.


    "I hear nothing." Saint Scepter said.


    But Sylvester''s brows remained furrowed as he stayed alert and looked around himself. "I can hear it¡­ It''s an echoing, hoarse, and heavy voice¡ªBut I can''t understand what it''s saying."


    Saint Scepter immediately nced at the Elder God''s body. "We''re the only ones in this realm. The Elder God is dead."


    But Sylvester kept hearing the voice and eventually felt it was getting clearer. "It''s changing¡­ adapting to ournguage¡­ It''s saying¡­ My body is dead, but my m-mind remains¡ªever so fading in billions of years, I am your boon or your deepest fears."


    "We have to go!" Sylvester was on high alert and stared at the enormous dead body. "Elder Gods are never kind¡­ No!¡­ It''s speaking again! ''For what is mine you deeply yearn? Then you, yourself, will have to earn.'' We need to get out, Saint Scepter!"


    Saint Scepter looked as confused and rmed as Sylvester. He started creating rune schemes from fire magic in the air. It was tooplex and nothing Sylvester had seen before.


    Woosh!


    "The suction force!" Sylvester eximed the moment he sensed the change. "It''s pulling us towards its head!"


    Saint Scepter tried to finish the rune as fast as he could. "This rune is the only key to escape¡ªI can''t make it with nature going against us!"


    The Elder God was the realm''s overlord, so there was no way to fight against him in his own home. Saint Scepter tried his best, but the fire runes were destroyed by the suction force, time and time again.


    The pull only kept increasing until they felt their bodies swaying and getting sucked towards the colossal creature. The direction of the attraction made it clear that they were being pulled into the skull.


    "Maxy! What do we do?!" Miraj finally spoke since he tried to be a good little silent cat until then. "Should I eat this big thing? I can try!"


    Sylvester didn''t want to know if Miraj could. It was too much of a risk he wasn''t willing to take. No matter how overpowered Miraj''s belly was, he could not imagine it was enough to defeat an Elder God.


    "What is this? How do we get away from this, Saint Scepter?" Sylvester shouted, questioning the man as he kept looking around for something, anything.


    However, Saint Scepter''s floating body was only silent for a long time.


    "Say something! You brought me in here! What is going on?!" Sylvester furiously questioned. "How do we get out?"


    "I''ve been here, but never in this state. If such is the case, let this be decided by fate."


    "..."


    Sylvester felt speechless. "Don''t¡ªDon''t talk of fate in front of me¡­ This is madness!"


    And just like that, darkness and silence enveloped them. Swallowed into the gaping eye socket of the colossal creature, the srium was so intense that their bodies refused to move in the floating dark space.


    "Trial by will¡ªbegins!"


    Sylvester and Saint Scepter both reacted to the voice this time. Confusion was apparent in their eyes, tinged with a hint of panic.


    _________________


    [A/N: See Nehilius.]


    [A/N: Sorry, veryte today. My niece was born, so I was at the hospital.]

 Chapter 596 595. Trial By Will

    Soon, Sylvester realized he couldn''t feel Saint Scepter''s presence anymore. Since it was pitch ck darkness, he had no idea where the man was or where he went. But he felt some sce in the fact that Miraj was still tightly tucked on his chest.


    "Maxy, I can''t see."


    "Me neither," Sylvester replied and tried to sense the srium around himself with the help of Elder Magic. It was a great tool to map the area, so he hoped it would guide him.


    As usual, he tried to broaden his senses. The abundance of srium in the air made using magic feel as simple as flinging his hand. However, to his dismay, he only found emptiness everywhere around him, no matter how far he tried to look.


    "Chonky, don''t you have cat eyes? You should be able to look around." Sylvester asked his little friend.


    Miraj widened his eyes and tried to look, "Umm¡­ I can''t even look at you, Maxy¡­ Am I blind?"


    "Not unless I''m blind too." Sylvester found himself at his wit''s end. However, he remembered the words that echoed in the air not too long ago. "It talked about Trial by Will¡­ I don''t know what that means."


    "Maxy, I see the ground!" Miraj abruptly eximed.


    Sylvester looked down and noticed something too. Dark, gray brick paved floor. But he wasn''t falling towards it. The ground itself wasing to him. It was mostly shrouded in darkness, with a speck of light illuminating it. It seemed as if a world was forming around his body, and he was at the center, as he soon noticed a dark ceiling as well.


    ''What''s this trial about? I didn''t ask for it.'' Sylvester wondered and tried to remain as calm as possible.


    Eventually, he felt his feet rest on the hard surface. But the ceiling kepting down until it almost touched his head. That immediately told Sylvester that he wasn''t in a corridor but likely in a sewage passage of sorts.


    With the appearance of something around him, he lost the feeling of weightlessness, and the world began to feel real, albeit with the same immense srium density. He sensed an airflow in the tunnel and began to walk towards its source, hoping to find a way out into the open.


    But after walking for a few minutes, Miraj''s ears twitched. "Maxy, I hear noises¡ªit''s like people are screaming¡­ a lot of them."


    Sylvester''s ears weren''t that sensitive, so he continued and soon enough began to hear the same things. But there was a slight difference. "No, Chonky, these aren''t screams¡ªthey''re shouting with delight¡­ Like roars of victory."


    Missing his spear, he took out a high-grade sword and held it in one hand. He also had the previous Pope''s staff but avoided using it as its abilities were still unknown to him. With that, he carefully inched closer toward the source of the voices.


    Soon, he also sensed an increasing warmth enveloping him, its temperature rising steadily. It alerted Sylvester, expecting there to be something rted to fire in front. But he wasn''t ready for what truly appeared.


    After walking for an unknown length of time and distance, he finally saw the end of the tunnel. An opening appeared in the dimly lit tunnel, but it was so bright he couldn''t see anything beyond the exit. So he went closer to the exit and, with it, began to hear the loud roars of a massive crowd.


    "Cut cut¡­ burn burn!"


    "Cut cut¡­ burn burn!"


    "Cut cut¡­ burn burn!"


    The same chant echoed.


    Sylvester, holding his heart, cautiously peeked outside. But even that couldn''t steady his tension, as the view resembled a descent into hell itself. Everything was red. There were fountains, waterfalls, andkes ofva everywhere. Thendmass inside what seemed like a massive cavern was full of tall stone houses. There were tens of thousands of goblin-like, almost demonic creatures with red glowing bodies full of cracks, red eyes with no iris, and horns on their heads.


    The space was huge as if he had arrived in a subterranean world. But just then, his eyes noticed something in the middle of the vast demon crowd. There was a cross, and on it was Saint Scepter, caught and tied on. His arms and feet spread apart, his armorpletely removed¡ªnaked, basically.


    He was being continuously stabbed by the demons with long spears, and sometimes drenched in fire, burning patches on his body. Surprisingly, despite being a Supreme Wizard, he sustained wounds.


    Sylvester looked down, and the descent appeared steeper from where he stood. He calcted how long it would take him to go down ande back up with Light Steps. ''Given the abundance of srium, I can go all out¡ªten long jumps per second. But returning will be slower with added weight¡ªeight steps per second¡­ The distance is at least a kilometer from here if each step is a fifty-meter jump. It''ll take two seconds to reach down there and a little more than two to return.''


    "We go and save him?" Miraj asked, taking a stern look. "I can eat the demons."


    ''I don''t think I have a choice. If this is a trial of will, then giving up would mean failing.'' Sylvester tried to guess what the dead Elder God wanted from him.


    "Let''s go." Sylvester didn''t think twice and jumped out. He tried using some air elemental magic to propel himself to lessen the time. However, covering a kilometer was impossible, so at an appropriate height, he began walking on Light Tiles and running the rest of the way until he was right above Saint Scepter.


    "Miraj, get out and fly away from me. Keep watching from a distance." Sylvester ordered, preparing to retrieve Saint Scepter and make a run for it swiftly. He readied his sword and used magic runes to turn the de''s edge into sharp ice, as he reckoned it was a weakness of the fire demons.


    ''Two seconds.'' Sylvester made doing it all in that time a target.


    Taking a deep breath, he leaped down like a rock from space. He didn''t shout at all to avoid alerting the countless demons. With great precision, he aimed right behind the cross Saint Scepter was held on and cut the locks holding him.


    Ten meters¡­


    Five meters¡­


    One meter¡­


    CLASH!


    Finally, hended and swung the de with full force. The maddening sound reverberated in the subterranean dwelling and caught the attention of every demon around.


    "Darn it!" Sylvester vocally cursed as his de broke in half, and the locks remained unaffected. The two-second n had failed miserably, leaving him with no choice but to fight the demons now.


    "More cut cut¡­ burn burn!"


    "More cut cut¡­ burn burn!"


    The demons shouted in a frenzy as if fresh food had arrived. They raised their spears at Sylvester, ready to strike. Sylvester also held up his broken sword to fight them all. He reckoned that since their poption was so massive, the possibility of them having a long lifespan was small, akin to real goblins. That meant their individual strength was probably limited as well.


    So he raised the broken sword, "Let this man go!"


    "Hehe¡­ Cut! Burn!" The demons shouted and thrust their long spears toward Sylvester.


    Sylvester swung the broken sword to deflect each oing strike. However, something crazier happened, as he found the de breaking further. And the next thing he knew¡­ his eyes went dark, and he couldn''t see anything.


    ¡­


    "Cut cut¡­ burn burn!"


    "Cut cut¡­ burn burn!"


    "Cut cut¡­ burn burn!"


    Sylvester''s eyes slowly opened with a sense of heaviness in his head and a sharp pain coursing through his body. Blood oozed out of various spots from his arm, legs, and stomach. Unsurprisingly, he was now tied to another cross right beside Saint Scepter¡ªalso as naked as the day he was born.


    "..."


    "It didn''t turn out as expected," Sylvester mumbled awkwardly while the spears persistently stabbed him, and the mes continued their futile attempts to burn him. "I forgot to consider that these demon goblins are likely the Elder God''s creations¡ªTo think each one of these little pests could be on par with a Grand Wizard¡­ I had no way¡­ There''s almost a million."


    ''What do I do now?'' Sylvester stared at the countless creatures in front of him. ''It''s impossible to defeat them.''


    Bam!


    Stabs continued to pierce their bodies the entire time. It actually hurt as well, and the wounds didn''t heal for some reason. The whole ordealsted for almost an hour until the crowd of demons began to part and allowed a taller demon-like goblin toe forward.


    The demon had a crown on his head, likely being the King of them all¡ªa Supreme Wizard in all likelihood. It also held a spear, but was much more regal and golden in color. It stared at Saint Scepter and Sylvester, revealing his sharp teeth and a growling voice.


    "Only one goes free¡ªdecide," King stated.


    Sylvester and Saint Scepter immediately nced at each other. Considering the human psyche of self-preservation, Sylvester wondered what the man would choose.


    "Let him go." Saint Scepter shouted abruptly. "Let Sylvester leave."


    ''This doesn''t feel right¡ªThe trial of will can''t end like this.'' Sylvester felt his years of experience subconsciously shaping his thoughts. ''That means there''s only one option here¡­''


    "No!" Sylvester roared before they could free him. "We''re going together, or none of us do."


    "Sylvester Maximilian, you are the future of the struggle against ''them''... You must not die in this realm." Saint Scepter argued while bleeding profusely.


    But Sylvester shook his head and looked around, "Saint Scepter, you spoke of fate earlier. But I don''t consider it to be real, and even if it is, I would never allow such a thing to enve me¡ªI choose my own path, and I make my own ns¡ªYou can follow, or watch me¡­"


    ck!


    "RUN!" Sylvester boomed and leaped away from the cross. His hands and feet abruptly came free, as did Saint Scepter''s. He flew in the air and caught up with Sylvester. The demons beneath threw their spears at them, and the King tried to fly as well. However, the creature found the ground beneath him turning into a sweltering pit of mud, keeping him stuck to the bottom for a few seconds.


    It was all Sylvester needed. He ran into one of the many cave openings in the crude walls of the subterranean world. Saint Scepter followed behind at a simr speed. None of them spoke as both attempted to make their way out.


    Sylvester led the charge as he tried to feel the airflow. But this time, he followed the stream out instead of locating its source. Since the subterranean location was full ofva, and hot air would always rise, Sylvester was confident that there would be an exit vent somewhere.


    Taking many twists and turns on what seemed like an infinitebyrinth took them nowhere for hours. But as they felt the air getting colder and colder, they knew they were getting further away from the demons behind.


    "I can feel it!" Sylvester eximed. "We''re near a vent."


    Sylvester picked up his pace and ran like his life depended on it. Shamelessly, since both of them were still naked. He could have gotten clothes from his portable bank, but now wasn''t the time.


    Woosh!


    "STOP!" Just then, Sylvester shouted, and he abruptly halted. He also widened his arm to stop Saint Scepter from going further. "We''re here!"


    Just a few more steps forward, they noticed something frightening. They could sense that they were looking at the world outside, as there was the sky, stars, and a distant moon. But when they looked around and down, all they saw were dark clouds and absolute darkness below.


    It seemed as if they were standing at the edge of an entrance for a towering pir that extended upward into the sky. They were clearly on some, but what sort of, they didn''t know.


    "Catch them! Must cut cut¡­ burn burn!"


    At that moment, faint voices of the demons came from behind. The enemies were getting closer, and they had to make a decision. As far as they could see, there was no other massive tower like theirs, and the only way out was the sky or down below.


    "Leave me, Sylvester Maximilian. I have lived a long life and have seen things most can only dream¡ª"


    Sylvester looked behind himself and smacked Saint Scepter''s shoulder. Theck of flesh on the man''s lower face was almost jarring. "This is a trial of will, Saint Scepter. Do you not understand? We''re not here to die¡ªwe''re here to suffer and flourish, with an unwavering will to live."


    "I know, but we can''t defeat these demon-like creatures." Saint Scepter replied, arguing. "Your little friend can only save us once."


    Miraj grinned proudly, being the one who chewed the locks on the cross before.


    Sylvester shook his head and looked behind them. The sound of approaching footsteps grew heavier by the second. Then, he nced at the open sky and the almost infinite darkness below, "We''re not supposed to fight, Saint Scepter. We''re here to take a leap of faith without feeling frightened."


    Almost speechless, Saint Scepter looked at the view outside, "We can''t predict what''s down there or what this tower is."


    Sylvester nodded but remained unwavering, "I have a vague notion of what this ce is, but we can only confirm it after we jump. Let''s do it in three¡­ One! Two!..."


    "Let''s think aga¡ª"


    Long before, Sylvester had realized that Saint Scepter was very strong and smart, but he wasn''t the best to rely on as he left too many things to fate. So, without warning, Sylvester went ahead and jumped.


    "Three!"


    Woosh!


    With his back to the void below, Sylvester made sure he could see the strange pir-like tower''s peak. His heart skipped a beat when he didn''t notice the top of it. Furthermore, after every few kilometers up on it, there was an opening to enter or exit the ce.


    After seeing Saint Scepter also jumping, Sylvester turned his body and looked below, noticing more openings to enter the tower after some distance. That cleared some doubts and sternly made him believe in his theory.


    ''Seems like a tower meant to test people. But if each level represents its difficulty, how high were we, and whates above the floor we were in?'' He wondered and almost didn''t want to find out. Would there be beings of Supreme Wizard strength only? Or beyond? He could only wonder.


    "Meeeooow!" Miraj kept crying in fright. The dark clouds shrouded them soon enough, so even the smooth-surfaced, ck-colored tower was hidden from their view.


    "Sylvester Maximilian¡ªOur bodies are healing." Saint Scepter dived down closer to Sylvester and informed him. "These dark clouds seem to possess¡­ healing properties."


    Sylvester noticed it, seeing the stab wounds fading away and Saint Scepter also returning to his peak. ''Did we win?''


    To his luck and dismay, he didn''t have to wait for long as the voice reverberated once again.


    "Trial by heart¡ªBegins!"


    _________________


    [A/N: Don''t worry, this isn''t some infinite tower climbing quest.]


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 597 596. Trial By Mind

    <h4>Chapter 597 596. Trial By Mind</h4>


    The plunge through the shadowy clouds persisted unceasingly. In that surreal void, Sylvester seized a moment to have Chonky conjure some clothes, ensuring they preserved some dignity. Yet the absence of their armory and weaponry weighed on them. Chonky possessed only the lesser-grade ones, prompting them to grudgingly settle for such equipment.


    Yet, almost an hour had passed, and they were still plummeting through the dark clouds. It amazed them to think that the tower beside them was probably the same height. But at the same time, they couldn''t even be certain if they were still in the same location. It was a truth that in this realm, everything was subject to the Elder God''s whims.


    "Keep your eyes open," Sylvester whispered and kept his gaze downward. "I have no idea what ''trial by heart'' means."


    Silence lingered for a long while as they felt the air roughly brushing against their faces. It was bewildering; falling so rapidly and for such a duration implied that the was incredibly massive, and its atmosphere extended to such altitudes.


    Bam!


    "Ouch¡­" Sylvester groaned in pain. Suddenly, his back collided with a hard surface. The same happened to Saint Scepter. It all came unexpected as they only focused on the looking downwards, not what was above them. And still, somehow, thend appeared above them, reversing the entire sense of gravity.


    ''Always expect the unexpected¡ªlesson learned.'' Sylvester mentally noted as he tried to sit up, feeling a slight ache in his back. With a second nce, he realized they had arrived in a vividly illuminated world. The sky was blue with scattered clouds, and around themy green grass and small, lush hills with some¡­ goat-like creatures grazing. The only peculiar thing was that these goats were asrge as cows, and they had green skin instead of the usual hue.


    He checked on Saint Scepter and was taken aback. "You''re¡­ red."


    "You''re blue," Saint Scepter retorted, pointing back.


    Immediately, both of them created reflected puddles of water on the ground and examined themselves. Indeed, they had the same facial structure, but now their faces were colored red and blue, and their eyes shone yellow, akin to those of a cat.


    Swiftly, Sylvester scanned the surroundings to assess where they were and what the test might entail. As far as he could observe, they seemed to have appeared near a vige belonging to an unknown species. At that moment, they were likely disguised as the native inhabitants.


    ''Trial by heart? It can''t be the literal word, or else it would have been trial by death instead,'' Sylvester concluded and chose to follow the unpaved dirt road in the distance.


    "What do you think, Saint Scepter? What is this trial about?" Sylvester asked the man for some second-hand advice. He despised him, but unfortunately, the enemy of an enemy was a friend, and at the moment, the Elder God was the enemy. "And don''t mention fate."


    Saint Scepter awkwardly nced around. The absence of a cloth to conceal his exposed lower jaw bones was probably bothering him. "We can think, but ultimately, our fate can be changed in a blink. This is his domain; only what he wills shall remain¡ªPerhaps a few words from those residing can be of assistance¡ªas long as they don''t see us and show resistance."


    "..."


    Sylvester sighed and began walking. "You could have simply said, ''I agree with your n, Sylvester,'' instead of rhyming."


    "..."


    Saint Scepter wasn''t ustomed to being spoken to like that. Usually, this would have angered him, but now, he oddly found it agreeable for some reason. It was akin to a reminder that he wasn''t as wless as everyone portrayed him.


    The two strolled along the muddy road for a few minutes and eventually spotted smoke in the distance. It emanated from a house at the edge of what they presumed was a vige. The shapes of humanoid figures also came into sight.


    "Follow my lead." Sylvester led the charge ahead, considering that Saint Scepter was likely an ancient man without proper know-how of how to be a spy and assimte among people. Sure, he may have had some stints, but the mind of a modern man was still leagues ahead.


    Luckily, they noticed that the vigers wore simr attire to them, and their skin tones matched the rest, disying shades of blue and red. Though, with their armor, the two seemed somewhat out of ce.


    "Something feels amiss." Sylvester immediately alerted Saint Scepter, detecting a strong scent of sorrow among the people. "They''re attempting to avoid us, almost appearing frightened."


    The vigers, avoiding direct eye contact, went about their tasks. Every time someone caught sight of them, the vigers quickened their pace or simply retreated into their homes or shops.


    ''The vige seems to have a sad history.'' Sylvester began to formte a vague hypothesis based on their reactions. ''Only one way to uncover it.''


    "You!" Sylvester called a random passerby man. Thankfully, they knew themon tongue, perhaps a blessing for the Elder God. "Why are you running?"


    "M-m-me?" The man, red-skinned, bald, dressed in peasant clothes, stammered. "I''m not running, sirs¡­ I''m just walking really fast¡­ How can I assist you?"


    Sylvester couldn''t make any mistakes and say something wrong, so he unsheathed his sword. "You think I''m a fool?"


    "N-no, sire¡­ You''re the almighty¡­ Please don''t take my children¡­ I will give the tax to his lordships. Please just give me one more month to sell my harvest." The peasant almost cried while pleading.


    Sylvester gathered some surface-level information from that. ''The ruling lord takes their children if taxes aren''t paid? Am I supposed to help these people? Is this the trial by heart?''


    Boom!


    Boom!


    "Hmm?" Sylvester looked eastward and noticed some fireworks in the daylight sky.


    "Please! I beg you¡­ Please tell his lordship I will pay the tax!" The peasant man knelt down and pleaded with Sylvester.


    ''Their lord ising?'' Sylvester realized and chose to hide away.


    He freed his foot from the man and quickly walked away with Saint Scepter. Sylvester used light-bending magic that turned them invisible to secretly climb one of therger buildings in the vige so they could observe everything.


    In no time, a long procession arrived. Surrounded by warriors on horses, some with red colors, some blue, and a few even green ones. Among them was an open, noble carriage pulled by creatures that seemed like horses but had lizard bodies.


    Quickly after, the show began as the crowd of warriors herded the vigers before the tall, well-built, regally dressed, red-skinned lord. The vigers were all made to kneel, and soon enough, children were pulled out of hidden spots in homes and thrown into a prisoner transport cart. The children cried for their families, and the families cried for their dear little ones¡ªBut no mercy came from the lord.


    "Your vige elder made a deal before dying, so now you must fulfill it. He promised extra tax in return for my knights protecting the vige from thieves and such. It''s not my fault the harvest is less than satisfactory¡ªI never engage in a loss-making business¡ªNever." The feudal lord of thend scornfully spoke, ignoring the wails of pleading.


    From the distance, Saint Scepter and Sylvester heard everything. Slowly, it became clear what the trial by heart was supposed to be. But how they were to approach the matter was still in question.


    "I''m sure he took a piece of the stolen goods by thieves and such." Saint Scepter said with disdain. "I''ve seen this countless times¡ªIt''s impossible for a peasant to escape from a cruel, corrupt noble''s clutches."


    Sylvester agreed with him. "That''s why he''s the Lord. Seeking personal profit, regardless of which side wins or loses, is one of the main things that setsmoners apart from rulers. But this is simply wrong¡ªtaxation is one thing, but abducting children is uneptable."


    "Then we shall attack and kill the lord. No matter where we are, such crimes can''t be ignored." Saint Scepter immediately prepared for battle.


    But Sylvester wasn''t as enthusiastic. "After we kill the lord, what next? This vige will face the lord''s family''s revenge once we''re not here to protect them. By resorting to violence first, we''re pushing the people further into trouble."


    "Then what do you suggest, Sylvester Maximilian? Isn''t that what you learned as a clergyman? Article Sixty-six?" Saint Scepter inquired, narrowing his eyes.


    ''Is he also testing me? Trying to gauge my reactions?'' Sylvester felt some suspicion.


    Sylvester sat down cross-legged. "The same Article Sixty-six you used to put the Shadow Knight behind me? No, I''m not so impulsive. The key to easing this vige''s issues is to change the lord''s mindset. Just a few words spoken directly into his thoughts¡ªand he shall fear the gods."


    He attempted to use the Elder Magic that he had previously employed tomunicate with the masses in Sol. He almost believed that the trial by heart wasn''t supposed to be about being heroic but rather to see how they solved problems¡ªissues that deeply touched their hearts, something that could easily enrage them.


    With abundant srium, Sylvester effortlessly navigated his way into the feudal lord''s mind and spoke with a loud, resonating, and weighty voice that also reverberated. Since he had some control over the man''s senses, he ensured his voice triggered fear, awe, and worship in the man.


    ''Years of sins shall not go unpunished. The price must be paid for destroying what others cherished. Hear my sermons, hear my curse¡ªunless you atone, your life shall continue to get worse!'' Sylvester was a master of hymns and projecting a majestic presence, after all. That''s all he had done for most of his life. ''If with your hands, you haven''t aided a million people, saved a million animals, or freed a million ves¡ªthe unstoppable curse wille in waves. Loss of wealth, loss of family, and loss of life¡ªchoose with what your life shall be rife.''


    Along with words, Sylvester sent such sensory overload into the feudal lord''s brain that the man copsed onto the ground right away. His eyes widened, and his body shivered with sweat. His words stammered as if he had just met god.


    "S-stop this at once!" The man roared. "Release the children¡ªRelease all the children¡­ The tax is forgiven¡­ r-retreat!"


    Confusion spread among the troops and vigers alike. But the soldiers dared not question their lord andplied with his request. Before anyone could ask further, the procession assumed a formal stance and prepared to depart.


    However, just before the feudal lord left, he nced at a viger. "How many live in this vige?"


    "T-Two hundred and six, your lordship."


    The noble lord frowned. "That''s nothing, make more children¡­ argh!"


    A sudden headache made him clutch his forehead. With that, he left the vige.


    From the rooftop in the distance, Sylvester and Saint Scepter watched everything unfold. He exined what he had just done to the noble lord.


    "So it''s a bluff? What if he realizes there is no curse?" Saint Scepter inquired, rightfully so.


    But Sylvester shrugged. "Who said there is no curse? It''s quite the opposite, actually. The lord will never be able to break the curse I''ve ced on him with Elder Magic. Even after hepletes the task, he will die a miserable death¡ªyes, I can be harsh with those I consider unworthy of my kindness."


    Staring at the vige, Saint Scepter bobbed his head. To a degree, he agreed with Sylvester, and since they avoided bloodshed, wasn''t it the greatest victory?


    "The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury." Saint Scepter said, admiring. "You didn''t use the sword before utilizing the mind¡ªan idea I stand behind."


    "Thank y¡ª" Sylvester stopped speaking and looked at the sky; he could almost sense the sudden increase in srium. "It''sing."


    With that, the voice reverberated again. "Trial by mind¡ªbegins!"


    Thud!


    Saint Scepter and Sylvester immediately dropped down onto the rooftop; even Chonky fell while tucked on the chest. All of them were lost in thebyrinth of mind¡ªreliving what they hoped never to experience again.


    ¡­


    Sylvester suddenly found himself in a memory he had thought was forgotten. However, instead of being the main character, he realized he was an invisible observer, watching it all unfold. The same chilly night in Moscow, the same airfield, and the screeching wheels of a car.


    His former self rushed out of the car and assisted a pregnant Diana as they hurried to board the ne. Gunshots echoed from behind as a consequence of their blown cover.


    "No¡­" Sylvester shuddered at the sight of Diana being shot in the back. Yet she ignored it and ran alongside his past self onto the ne. Only to perish momentster once they were airborne¡ªleaving his old self with nothing to live for, yet determined not to give up on life with the vow she made him take.


    However, just a few momentster, Sylvester discovered the entire scenario reset, and his position changed. Once again, he began to see everything from a third-person perspective, unable to interact no matter what he tried.


    But, the element of surprise onlysted for two instances, as the third time, he observed it while pondering deeply about his current situation. ''Trial by mind¡ªwhat''s being tested here? My control over emotions and thoughts?''


    Bang!


    Once more, he witnessed the bullet hitting Diana for the nth time. It saddened him but didn''t elicit a reaction from him.


    ''If this is a memory in my mind, then I must be its controller, not an outsider force.'' Sylvester proceeded to utilize whatever knowledge he had about srium and Elder magic to cut himself from any srium that was entering his body. Since srium was the basic unit of magic, without it connecting to his mind, there was no way of influencing him.


    However, before he could sever the connection, he felt his control over his mind returning, which meant he could alter what he was witnessing, much like a lucid dream.


    Bang!


    Once more, the gunshot echoed, but at Sylvester''s will, the memory changed this time, and it was his past self who timely and precisely shot the man before the bullet aimed at Diana could be fired.


    ''Only if this had been the reality.'' He sighed, recognizing this was merely wishful thinking.


    So, he transformed the recurring memory into something he cherished the most. He saw his own birth as a third person. Seeing Xavia affectionately cradle him as his baby eyes opened and gazed at her for the first time, captivated by her charm.


    ''I thought it was a curse; who knew I''d value it so much.'' He murmured, recalling his initial thoughts after reincarnation.


    Soon, he altered the memory again to his first-ever encounter with Miraj.


    "Little human kitten, mine now¡­"


    The scene of Miraj embracing his little infant body was perhaps the most bewildering yet fortunate moment of his new life. Initially viewing Miraj solely as a tool, the furry cat had now be a cherished family.


    "NO!" Sylvester eximed suddenly, rousing himself from the visions. "Chonky must be experiencing these nightmarish memories too!"


    ________________________


    [A/N: The next one is thest trial.]

 Chapter 598 597. Chonky Does Chonking

    <h4>Chapter 598 597. Chonky Does Chonking</h4>


    Realizing that Miraj was also likely going through the same tormenting experience and probably seeing the memories of his old caretakerdy leaving him repeatedly, Sylvester wanted to get out of the magical visions and help his furry friend.


    Ignoring whatever he witnessed through his senses, he focused entirely on isting his mind from any outside srium influence. As if creating a protective barrier around himself, he tried to negate the outer magical forces with his own, attempting to form an equilibrium.


    ''Elder God may be powerful, but if this is a trial, then he won''t use his absolute strength.'' Sylvester firmly believed it. ''This trick should work¡­ I just need a small moment of istion.''


    With that, he began sending impulsive bursts of srium outward from his body, especially his mind. In doing so, a short resistance was perceived when the magical particles from him and the surroundings collided. This was precisely the window of time Sylvester aimed to extend.


    He pushed his magic further, striving to extend the duration. Slowly, as he sted the magic from his body in pulses, he gauged the duration it took for the srium outside to overpower him.


    It felt like heartbeats, and he eventually pushed back. Amidst this struggle, just for a split second, he felt the connection break, and his attempt seeded. Taking the chance, he sted through whatever controlled his mind and freed himself.


    "Hah!" With a gasp, he woke up, and his eyes snapped open. ncing around, he realized he was still on the rooftop of the strange world. Beside him, Saint Scepter was still unconscious, and so was Miraj.


    "Chonky!" Sylvester rushed for his little friend first and used the same technique. He shrouded Miraj''s body with his srium, severing the Elder God''s control. However, not wanting to wake him up in the middle of a nightmare, he decided to make the furry friend happy first.


    Sylvester induced a different dream in Miraj''s mind, one in which he was eating with him and Xavia, getting spoiled, and ying around. The peak of his happiness, just what he wanted in his life¡ªnothing grand, just some love andughter.


    Soon, he began to wake Miraj from his slumber, poking the chubby face to wake him up. "Chonky, get up, boy. Don''t you want to return home and eat some nice banana pudding from Mum?"


    "Nyahahaha¡­ Just a little longer¡­" Miraj murmured in his sleep, enjoying the dream.


    Sylvester chuckled and picked Miraj up by his underarms, "Good lord, where did these four hundred ka-jillion billion bananase from?"


    Woosh!


    Miraj''s little pebble eyes jolted open and darted around to look, "Where?"


    "Haha!" Sylvesterughed. This was one of the reasons he liked Miraj so much since the boy was his forever depression therapist. "Do you even know how much a ka-jillion is?"


    "Ka¡­ Ka¡­" Miraj had no idea what that word was. "No¡­"


    "Me neither," Sylvester said, cing Miraj back into the snug space between his chest and the te armor. "Let''s wake up Saint Scepter. I wonder what he''s seeing right now."


    "Can we peepee?" Miraj inquired excitedly.


    Sylvester took a moment to understand what Miraj''s slippery tongue was actually saying. "You mean peep into his mind?"


    "Aye, aye."


    Sylvester felt the sin of temptation weighing heavily on his mind. He wanted to see what the man was seeing. What sort of secrets was he hiding all this time? What kind of man he was. Sylvester knew that looking at Saint Scepter''s most heartbreaking memories would give him insight into the man''s true character.


    He went closer to Saint Scepter and did the same thing as before. By creating a field of srium around his body, he severed the Elder God''s control and established his connection to Saint Scepter''s mind. Of course, being a Supreme Wizard, there were protections in the man''s mind, and he was trained enough to protect himself even when asleep. So Sylvester only tried to see the memories on a surface level, like fleeting fragments.


    As Sylvester delved into the memories, he noticed some voices. Thenguage was something akin to Latin, but he couldn''t grasp it quickly enough. The scene rapidly changed, but somehow, there was amon thing in all of them.


    There was a man, sometimes young, other times in his youth, and asionally older¡ªIn all the scenes, the man was crying, sometimes alone, and on asions, with a dead body in his arms¡ªoften children, but on one asion, a beautiful woman. The tears seemed genuine, and the voice wavered with raw emotion.


    Quickly, Sylvester withdrew from those memories, respecting his privacy. It all seemed like the sorrow of losing someone loved, something he was incredibly familiar with. So, he just called out to the man in his head.


    "Saint Scepter, wake up¡­ What you''re experiencing is but a memory, not reality. Follow my voice and open your eyes." He instructed him.


    Eventually, Saint Scepter opened his eyes with a sudden jolt and looked around himself. His eyes clouded with confusion and a tinge of pain. The scent of sadness oozed out of him, and Sylvester noted it, as this was the first time since he met the man.


    "I know¡ªit''s confusing whether to feel sorrow or smile upon waking up here," Sylvestermented and helped him up to his feet. "We''re truly under the Elder God''s grasp. He knows what we fear."


    Saint Scepter nodded appreciatively and stood up, "You broke through the curse of nightmares. Now I understand why never with me, but with you appeared these strange trials and affairs. I''m unworthy, ill-prepared, and perhaps mentally weak to gain recognition. This was never apetition but a mere audition."


    "And yet we live through the same curse, just another victim in a mysterious universe," Sylvester said and looked around, wondering what trial was toe next. In his heart, the more trials that came his way, the more suspicious he felt about the reward.


    "Maxy¡­ I smell fish!" Miraj suddenly eximed, his little nose twitching vigorously.


    Sylvester trusted Miraj''s senses and quickly made himself a Light Tile to stand on. He waited, already anticipating what the next trial might be. Trial by will, heart, and mind had passed, so he wondered if the uing one would be a test of wit or physique.


    "Trial by survival¡ªBegins!"


    Going against his expectations, the trial sounded much more sinister. In the blink of an eye, the entire space before their eyes flickered ck, but in the next moment, the light reappeared. Sylvester and Saint Scepter heard strong winds and waves, the scent of the salty sea shrouding everything.


    "We''re¡­" Sylvester eximed after looking around himself. "We''re on an ocean¡­ But, the water is ck."


    Saint Scepter drew out his sword and formed arge ring of fire around his feet, surrounding Sylvester as well, "We''re surrounded¡ªThey''re watching us from underneath the water."


    Sylvester trusted the Supreme Wizard''s senses and prepared for battle as well, "It''s a trial by survival. I don''t think our opponents will be simple to deal with."


    "No¡­ they will be impossible." Saint Scepter replied and stood in preparation.


    Not even curses could leave Sylvester''s mouth. As they expected the arrival of their enemies, he already felt a massive spike in the scents rted to hatred and death. The realm they had found themselves in didn''t seem that weing either. The ocean was ck, the sky was full of gray clouds, and the sunlight that filtered through was deep red.


    ''The sun in this system seems to be nearing its end¡ªA red giant then. Since the gravity seems out of proportion, the waves are too huge.'' Sylvester assessed his environment and concluded that the species he was going to fight would likely be either very tall and thin or massive and heavy.


    Woosh!


    BAM!


    Saint Scepter flickered from his spot and appeared before Sylvester, blocking what seemed like a ck trident. It came with such speed and force that even Saint Scepter''s arm was pushed back.


    ''I-I didn''t see iting!'' Sylvester felt shaken. ''Trial by survival¡­ But how long do we have to survive?''


    Boom!


    Instantly, a multitude of tridents and spears came out of the ocean surface. Sylvester and Saint Scepter narrowly evaded them. However, Sylvester was having a hard time, as it became hard for him to perceive the attacks. He could only follow Saint Scepter and adjusted himself to his movement.


    "Maxy! Duck! Quick!" Miraj shouted.


    Sylvester ducked by instinct. And just then, a massive, three-meter-long trident flew past above his head.


    "You can see it?" Sylvester eximed.


    Miraj bobbed his head vigorously. "Of course, Maxy! My eyes are very sharp."


    "Then tell me where to move."


    Miraj took his job seriously and quickly caught two locks of Sylvester''s blonde hair, one paw each. Whenever he wanted Sylvester to go left, he tugged on the left locks, and did the same to the right one. To make him duck, he pulled all the hair down, and for the up, he just shouted.


    Sylvester noticed Miraj was happy just because he could participate in the battle. Heck, his eyes were sharp enough to help Saint Scepter, who struggled amidst the chaos. However, they knew that if they were struggling with the projectiles alone, they wouldn''t be able to maintain themselves when the attackers came out of the water.


    "What''s the n?" Sylvester asked Saint Scepter, as he had no winning tricks up his sleeve.


    Saint Scepter kept dodging around, "Survive."


    "..."


    Which basically meant do anything you can and don''t die. Of course, none of them were nning to sumb to that fate just yet.


    "They''reing." Saint Scepter warned him.


    Sylvester fixed his gaze on the water''s surface while letting Miraj guide his movements. It was impossible to anticipate anything since the water was ck, and no shadows could be seen in it. He only relied on the scent of death and hatred to discern the arrival.


    ''Are they on par with Saint Scepter? But why is he struggling to dodge then?'' Sylvester wondered and hoped he was wrong.


    Woosh!


    Some bulges appeared in the water, evidently the heads of the creatures beneath. Slowly, they raised their heads out, only showing their eyes. From just a nce, it was clear they were something akin to Merkins of Beastaria, but the difference was their bodies. There were scales of fish, but their forms were akin to lions, bulls, dogs, or elephants. Eventually, half of their bodies rose from the surface, and sure enough, they were simr to Merkins with the upper bodies of various animals. Their sizes were consistent with one another, however¡ªalmost human.


    No words were exchanged as the creatures attacked. Being the rulers of the water, they began using it to attack Sylvester and Saint Scepter. The waves transformed into colossal des and spears. Meanwhile, the creatures attacked in groups to ensure there was nowhere to escape.


    They were swift, even more than lightning. Even Miraj couldn''t look in every direction, so Sylvester finally started to feel the pain whenever the tridents or spears grazed past his skin. Blood finally sttered the dark ocean.


    With one arm missing, Sylvester had no hope or illusion of winning. He could only use his mind to understand what the trial meant.


    sh!


    Saint Scepter''s sword broke, leaving him defenseless. Even he appeared powerless before the sea creatures. There were hundreds of them, having surrounded the two from all sides. In the end, the two men stood back to back to n what to do. Dodging wasn''t working anymore.


    "At this rate, we won''tst long," Sylvester said. "What if you use your Supreme Void?"


    "They broke through it already."


    "..."


    They were in the endgame now. Sylvester looked around helplessly. He could try going all out with Elder Magic, but he had no idea how efficient it would be nor any confidence. Even thenguage the creatures spoke was new to him, so there was no point in being diplomatic.


    "Haraka maji hono ki¡­ HAAKI HAAKI!"


    Sylvester had no idea what they were saying, but he could guess. He wondered if his light magic and halo could help, so he decided to try it.


    "O'' heathens of the ck sea, hea¡ª"


    Bam!


    A spear came hurtling through the air and impaled Sylvester''s leg. The halo which appeared behind his head for a few seconds seemed to incite the creatures'' anger.


    ''Alright¡ªLooks like Emperor Raz would have been worshiped in this world.'' Sylvester mumbled and tried to take out the spear from his leg. Thankfully, their healing factor wasn''t restricted in this world, which meant he could heal himself quickly with extra srium.


    "Maxy, don''t worry!" Miraj suddenly eximed and leaped out of his ce in Sylvester''s chestte. He flew above Sylvester''s head and roared ferociously, "This pussy shall devour everything! Wraaa¡­"


    "..."


    ''He''s too excited about this fight to remember the lessons¡­'' Sylvester sighed at Miraj''s choice of words.


    "Chonky, don''t y around," Sylvester ordered sternly, worried for his life. "Get back here."


    "No, today, I will help!" Miraj retorted and opened his jaws wide, activating his otherworldly powers of the infinite belly. "Wait and watch!"


    Fuwaaaaa¡­!


    Miraj began to drain the entire ocean as if it were a pot of banana shakes. The speed at which the water started to disappear kept increasing, and eventually, even the enemies started to get sucked in. The creatures frantically tried to escape the invisible void, their faces showing fear for the first time.


    "Meowahaha¡­"


    In the air, the demonic, fearsomeughter echoed, scaring the creatures even more. The entire consisted of water, and at the speed Miraj drained it, mountains gradually began to emerge, which had long ago been swallowed by the rising sea levels.


    Pure horror gripped the creatures. They helplessly watched as their vanished before their eyes.


    "Meowahahaha¡­"


    Miraj rejoiced in his moment of triumph. But he failed to realize that it wasn''t just the world around him that was shrinking. His own size was also increasing.


    While he continuously gloated, the world slowly reverted to its previous state, withndmass appearing around the. The creatures who had evolved to live in the sea found themselves bewildered and troubled by the sudden change.


    "Look at this, Maxy¡­ I ate the whole ne¡­" Miraj abruptly stopped shouting as he noticed something strange. The little odd creatures had somehow grown smaller than ants, but then he realized that he was the one that grew bigger. "Maxy? Where are you?"


    Panic suddenly surged, and a haunting idea spilled into his mind. He looked around himself, his huge whiskers twitching with each motion. Yet Sylvester was nowhere in sight.


    His heart sank, nearly bringing his eyes to tears. "MAXYYY¡­ D-did¡­ Did I¡­ No, no, no¡­ This can''t be¡­ I ATE MAXY!"


    ¡­


    "Ugh¡­ I can''t move." Saint Scepter groaned, his voice muffled as he felt his body pressured from all sides. "Did your little friend devour us?"


    Not far from him, Sylvester was in the same awkward position, lost in thought about what he had just witnessed. Miraj''s increasing size was a new thing, though he knew exactly what had happened to them.


    "No¡­ I believe we''re just¡­ stuck."


    "Where?" Saint Scepter questioned.


    "Under his massive butt."


    "..."


    _________________


    [A/N: Sorry for the ill-timed chapters. My brother is hospitalized, and I''m staying with him. Writing whenever I get time.]


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 599 598. The Elder Gods Lure

    Miraj looked around in panic, wondering what to do. Knowing that anything living that went in his mouth never came out alive scared him. He tried to use his ability to search inside his belly, but it was so vast that he didn''t even know where it ended. It was impossible to find something that he had no idea where he ced.


    "Maxy! I''m looking for you!" Miraj shouted. "Oh¡­ Why is my butt so itchy suddenly¡­ No! Focus on Maxy only¡­"


    However, soon the itchy butt turned into a pinching butt. He felt something prick him, making him jump high in fright. But being so huge, he was like a meteor falling back on the ground. When hended slightly on the side, the ground shook, and the distant mountains trembled.


    But then Miraj looked down in anger, "Who bit me?!"


    "Yara lowa nima¡­!" The creatures shouted, begging Miraj for something.


    "Chonky! You''re fat!"


    Miraj''s huge ears twitched in reaction to the voice, "Maxy? Where are you?"


    "Look down."


    Miraj lowered his huge face closer to the ground and the voice. Hisrge nose sniffed and exhaled gusts of wind as if a storm was brewing. But soon, he noticed two ant-sized creatures and saw the shiny golden head on one of them. Even the scent matched, so he quickly asked.


    "Maxy?" Miraj eximed. "I thought I ate you!"


    Sylvester chuckled. The sight of Miraj looking like a massive monster was cute to him. He knew if anybody else saw him like that, they''d scream like a little girl. "You grew, Chonky. It looks like a new ability has been found. Why don''t you try and let out all the water you took from these people?"


    Miraj looked around himself, raised his chubby arms, and nced at his big belly. He grabbed some of his fat and looked around. "But¡­ That stone is small."


    "That''s a mountain."


    Miraj confusedly hummed in agreement. He was just happy to find he didn''t kill Sylvester. "I''ll be small again if I throw all the ck water out?"


    "That should do the trick." Sylvester nodded, not really sure about it himself.


    With that, Miraj opened his mouth and aimed at the surroundings. "Mewooooooo¡­"


    The monstrously big jet of water erupted from his fluffy face. It was as if a dam had been opened, and wherever the water fell, destruction ensued. But slowly, just as the water was drained, the started to regain its former underwater glory.


    Over time, Miraj''s body slowly began to shrink; Going from a huge world-ending disastrous monster to being a lovable, goofy cat. It took longer for him to throw up the water than to drink it¡ªperhaps fury yed a role in the process.


    ''This discovery can be a massive advantage as well.'' Sylvester thought, wondering where he could use Miraj''s ability. ''Chonky can be my invisible stomper now¡ªa divine wrath of god that could tten any area I point to.''


    Poof!


    Soon enough, Miraj returned to his normal size and jumped onto Sylvester, nestling at his chest and below his chin, asking for some well-deserved head pats after his heroic actions, mixed with a touch of confusion.


    "You''re one puzzling kitty, Chonky," Sylvester muttered and looked around to see if the native creatures would attack them again. They had submerged into the water, so there was no clear oue yet.


    "Saint Scepter, all these ces we''ve seen recently. What are the chances that they''re all simply differents in the realm under the Elder God''s rule?" Sylvester asked in amusement. "We may have just met with alien civilizations of another reality."


    Saint Scepter, still in shock and amazement from the absurdity that he just witnessed, nodded his head firmly while healing himself. "If the Elder God Nehilius still holds power¡ªThen it should not be impossible for him even to create these lifeforms with a mere thought. This could very well be a reality he created to test you, to ensure you have what he sought."


    BOOM!


    A number of creatures emerged from the ck surface of the ocean and stared at Sylvester. Their eyes nowcked previous hostility. The scent of hatred was now gone, and what remained was oddly one particr scent Sylvester never anticipated.


    "Ikano mino bussy loka yono¡­ JOLD!"


    Sylvester awkwardly looked at the creatures with enough strength to kill him as they lowered their heads. The scent of worship emanating from them was persistent.


    "I know not whether to pity them for their foolery or admire them for their bravery. For earning new followers, I apud, even if their understanding may be a little wed." Saint Scepter remarked, still appearing calm and collected on the outside.


    ''To these beings, I''m a god capable of world annihtion. They exhibit remarkable strength as a species. How strong was the Elder God when he was alive to be able to create them?'' Sylvester thought and wondered what was going toe next. ''What''s the next trial? What''s left to test after survival?''


    "I believe we will n¡ª"


    Before Saint Scepter could finish speaking, as before, darkness enveloped their vision. However, this time, it lingered around their eyes for a more extended period of time. They felt like they were being squeezed out of a very long, tight pipeline while the world around them shrank rapidly.


    In the next moment, they found themselves back outside, hovering before the dead body of the Elder God. Right in the very spot they had initially arrived at. There was no difference anywhere, but the voice still reverberated around them, directly in their minds.


    "You have passed the trials of inheritance. Proving your mind is sound, and your thoughts are profound," the heavy, powerful voice said. "I offer you my blood and my energy, for I am doomed to forevernguish in lethargy."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin, thinking about it deeply, "What makes it different from what the Saint Scepter was doing? He gained his strength by consuming you physically and devouring the srium."


    "What he did was eat the fish, but what I am giving you is the method to catch the fish¡ªmy inheritance, my knowledge¡ªyour true wish." The heavy voice said, sounding more and moremitted and inviting.


    Sylvester looked at Saint Scepter and directly asked him some questions, "Is this what you wanted? Is this what your entire life was supposed to be? Why did you even go to such lengths to put all your faith in another person? If you trusted fate so much, then why rebel against it?"


    Saint Scepter looked down. His sharp, shining white eyes lost their glimmer and disyed normal eyes. White in color without pupils, yet brimming with a multitude of emotions, followed by the scents.


    "Fate would have had me enved by the ''them'' for eternity. I have been a soldier all my life, in all my lives, but that does not mean I should abide by their plots. No matter how firm their controlling knots.


    "The threads of control may not rest in these palms of mine. But when the world itself is of their design, I believe some spilled blood in my pursuit is a forgettable crime."


    Sylvester sighed and wondered how he should feel about this man. It was simply tooplicated. On the one hand, he attempted to empathize with the man''s predicament and couldn''t help but sense his helplessness. Having his life in the palms of an unimaginable entity was too much to live with. Meanwhile, hoping to fight against the control secretly was enough to boil minds.


    "I can''t bring myself to forgive you or like you because you took someone I considered dear. But I do acknowledge that the life you lived must have been severe. It''s hard to believe that you''ve plotted all this¡­" Sylvester looked at the massive carcass of the Elder God. "...to defeat ''them.'' Do you even know ''them'' or their true number?"


    Saint Scepter seemed disappointed, reflected in the same scents that apanied his emotions. "Two¡ªThere are two beings. But further than that, I could not find anything, despite my best efforts. How strong they are, I do not know¡ªMust not be less than this Elder God. Sylvester Maximilian, to understand this realm and find this carcass'' name, it took me this entire life. From here, to uncover the whole truth and end ''their'' reign shall be your strife."


    Sylvester heaved a weary sigh, his gaze fixated on the imposing, lifeless creature suspended in the void. He felt overwhelmed by the change of fate. Once again, he stood at the crossroads from where he could either be the strongest being¡ªor fall like a bird with broken wings. He wanted to get rid of ''them'', but how high the cost would be worried him. Sometimes, he even pondered whether it might be wiser to be their puppet and live the remainder of his life silently.


    But, knowing his own pride, he knew it was an idea best left forgotten. Still, he struggled to calm his anxious instincts.


    ''There are no free meals.'' Sylvester remembered the lesson.


    "You want me to be your inheritor?" He asked the Elder God.


    "I utter only what is true. My knowledge and strength await your eptance."


    Those were unmistakable red gs in Sylvester''s mind. "You''re an Elder God, and I''m well aware of what happens whenever an Elder God is involved¡ªI appreciate your offer, but I must decline."


    Taken aback, the Elder God voiced, "There are no hidden motives."


    "Empty words and the lure of power do not entice me, Nehilius," Sylvester confidently bellowed. "Speak something I''ve never heard of before."


    A very long pause ensued after that small exchange. Saint Scepter didn''t meddle and allowed Sylvester to follow his own instincts. He could understand the apprehensions since he didn''t trust the entity either.


    The cold, empty feeling of the endless void remained unchanged. Sylvester didn''t speak and waited for an answer from the dead creature. The fact that it still held such sentience was proof that this was a universally powerful being.


    "Names." Nehilius'' voice reverberated atst, filled with much more pride this time. "I shall tell you the names of those you call ''them''¡ª-the Primordial Gods you wish to condemn."


    _________________


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 Chapter 600 599. An Exchange Of Names

    Chapter 600 599. An Exchange Of Names


    Primordial Gods?


    For the first time, Sylvester and Saint Scepter heard something new about ''them.'' They had heard about Gods, Elder Gods, but the Primordial God was a different entity they never heard of before.


    "Primordial Gods? What''s that? How powerful are they?" Sylvester questioned in a heartbeat.


    The Elder God''s voice soon replied, "They are the rulers of time and space, within and beyond the bounds of their realm. Time is something even I cannot helm. They are a different existence, powers nigh infinite, older than the formation of the time itself¡ª


    There were many before, but as the True-One faded into the dust of existence, infighting ensued. How many remain now is unknown, for domination they pursued."


    "True-One?" Sylvester caught onto the new name. In any case, he knew nothing could shock him as much anymore. Gods above gods, he just hoped there was an end to it all.


    "True-One¡­ The progenitor, the mother of all that is and is not. Beyond the grasp of your mortal minds, or my immortal soul¡ªthe one in control." The Elder God''s voice reverberated. "Beings of my kind have only heard about such existence, but it matters not for the True-One is gone. Leaving us as the Primordial Gods'' pawns."


    Sylvester sighed and nced at Saint Scepter, "Did you have any idea about this? Why are these Primordial Gods meddling with a small if their existence is so far above?"


    "None can understand how they perceive the world and time. Their ns are not something I can easily define. I only know that they are supremely powerful, and now Elder God Nehilius has also affirmed the truth," Saint Scepter replied with some reservations. "In my limited capability, I did what I could to oppose them."


    ''Layers uponyers of confusing mysteries. It''s impossible to find out anything without joining their ranks.'' Sylvester wearily sighed.


    "Then what is Solis?" He questioned.


    "The realms are filled with minors and major gods¡ªSome weave intricate facades. Take heed of where your allegiance lies, for it could either uplift or afflict you," Elder God responded. "Speak now. Do you ept my inheritance?"


    Sylvester calmly thought about it and remembered all the usual tropes about Elder Gods, "Why would you give me such a blessing? I refuse to believe ites without a cost. I refuse to believe there isn''t any self-interest in this for you. You''re an Elder God, capable of trapping me in some magic beyond myprehension and use my body to return to life."


    Elder God Nehilius seemed to have realized that Sylvester needed his inheritance as much as he wanted him as his inheritor. But the ounce of mistrust between them needed to be cleared first.


    "If you seek even the slightest chance to rebel against their rule, you must wield my power. I hold no hidden desires, only a wish for my knowledge and legacy to thrive beyond my lifetime. I have lived through epochs beyond my memory''s reach, and faced hardships that nearly heralded my demise¡ªBut to know that I am now an anonymous fragment destined for eternal oblivion, does not grow fervor within me.


    "My corporal body has died, and this shard of soul, too, shall meld into nothingness. But within you, I shall live forever as a memory, thrive as your power¡ªmy knowledge shall continue to serve a purpose. Something I gained painstakingly throughout the expanse of my existence." The Elder God spoke, maintaining an unwavering, majestic, powerful tone of voice. Even as it almost seemed like a request, it felt like an order.


    Sylvester did not know if the creature was lying, "So you''re relying solely on words to reassure me? A being with powers beyond my understanding wishes to extend an olive branch to me."


    "I understand your suspicions. Had it been my sister upying my stead, she would have attempted to make you her pawn. But I am not her, nor am I interested in returning to life¡ªKnowing that to be among the living is to be inevitably drawn into the tumultuous conflicts among the Primordial Gods," Nehilius stated.


    Sylvester held to his ground, interrogating the being, "Then who brought me into this world? You should know better than any."


    Saint Scepter straightened his back, feeling interested in learning the same thing, "I as well."


    The Elder God was dead, leaving only its resonant voice as a tool to gauge his temperament. "I sense the disparity between your bodies and your souls. However, such actions are not within my or any Elder God''s dominion. Only a Primordial God, a master of time, space, and soul magic, can perform such deeds."


    Sylvester tried to make sense of that statement. In no way he believed that ''they'' were the ones who brought him into the world. Of course, the past Popes and Saint Scepter were likely their work, but he wasn''t. Since he wasn''t bound by the same chains that Saint Scepter was.


    "You said you''ll tell me the names of the two Primordial Gods?" Sylvester continued to question.


    "Do you consent to assume the mantle of my heir?"


    "If I don''t, do I even have a chance of opposing those even you consider unreachable?" Sylvester replied, indirectly agreeing with the Elder God, the frightening entity whose looks screamed evil and untrustworthy. But again, he had an Emperor Lich serving in the Holy Land, so looks weren''t really the deciding factor.


    Sylvester experienced a sudden surge in the srium around him. The massive bulging head of the Elder God suddenly began to shine even brighter. The scent of death gradually faded, reced by a newfound scent of hope and delight. Surprisingly, even the dead Elder God seemed to have feelings.


    The srium engulfed Sylvester from all sides, shredding his clothes and armor and leaving him naked. Despite the pain, Sylvester was shocked; his armless shoulder showed open wounds, and the regenerative process rapidly picked up its pace. Visible to the naked eye, the arm grew to its full length within a second. But that wasn''t the end, as Sylvester''s body seemed to go through a transformation.


    His already muscr and well-built body changed for the better. His height increased by three inches, and his muscles were now even more sharply defined, carrying more explosive power. However, the main changes urred within his body, with his lungs gaining strength and his veins adapted to handle more srium. His reserves massively grew as the Elder God forced a portion of his powers into him to form a connection.


    Sylvester coughed after a while, and his mouth began to bleed. He felt a sharp pain in his chest; clearly, it was his heart''s turn to be stronger. One by one, every single part of him went through an invisible, barely noticeable change.


    "If I grant you all my power now, your body will break, unable to evolve any further," The Elder God Nehilius said. "Visit my realm periodically to inherit fragments of my power¡ªNo more within your realm, at least, you''ll need to cower."


    ''I don''t feel any hidden curse or harmful magic.'' Sylvester checked his body in depth. He had no idea to what extent the improvements would affect him. Or if his magic had received any boons. His sole desire was to exit as swiftly as possible.


    But there was one thing that gnawed at Sylvester''s mind, "What if I surpass the threshold of a Supreme Wizard? Will I be cast out to confront the Primordial Gods?"


    "Aveda and Ashraska are their names." Nehilius promptly added, fulfilling his end of the deal by revealing the names.


    Saint Scepter heaved a long sigh at that sudden revtion and interjected, "Sylvester Maximilian, for you to grow stronger and unite the continents, you will require a magical curtain to keep your presence hidden from ''them'' at all times. I shall use my soul as a sacrifice to cloak your uniting rhymes."


    Sylvester stared at Saint Scepter. Knowing that the man wasn''t as simple as he seemed, and he had his motivations behind everything. He couldn''t help but ask, "What about you? What will you do next? Centuries lived just to die like this? Who are you? What''s your story? Why are you different from others who came before?"


    Saint Scepter resolutely said, having made up his mind already, and nothing would change it any further. "When I was born to a minor "I can''t venture outside in any case. As that would mean I would have to follow ''their'' bidding and oppose you in your just endeavor. Do not feel for me, Sylvester Maximilian. I have lived a long life." Saint Scepter resolutely said, having made up his mind already, and nothing would change it any further. "When I was born to a minor Baron in the Hignd Kingdom, I didn''t know my existence was a curse to those around me. At the age of five, ''they'' came to my thoughts and ordered me¡­ to eradicate my bloodline."


    "Jamesken bloodline?" Sylvester eximed, remembering something from the history books. "It''s been the most famous case of a noble family massacre. Even the newborns were not spared¡ªNo culprit was ever found."


    Saint Scepter continued to speak, "I was akin to you¡ªcalm, collected, and constantly plotting my tenth step ahead. But, in the end, it meant nothing, as they ensured I grasped the fact that my life was never in my control. Anything I held dear, I was ordered to kill¡ªAnything I came to cherish, I was made to destroy. Only Axel survived, for he was a pawn in their grand schemes¡ªI pity him, for he met a demon while looking for a friend. One who eventually led to his end."


    ''Agony.'' Sylvester smelled the scent of a broken mind from Saint Scepter. It seemed like he genuinely cherished Pope Axel.


    "With time, they revealed to me my destiny. I felt the lure at times, but in the end, before the shackles they ced, all the power felt like nothing. I havemitted grave sins in this life, Sylvester Maximilian, and I demand no forgiveness for them. I agreed to do them, knowing very well they were wrong¡ªI was selfish for my own survival and perhaps curious to know what had made me their puppet." A hint of despair emanated from Saint Scepter''s words. "Our life is what our thoughts make it¡ªI believed in such and tried what I could to bring us here. I never knew it would end this way, but now that I stand here, I feel content and gratified."


    It was a strange ce to be having that conversation. With a new piece of cloth draping his body, Sylvester created light steps for himself and moved closer to Saint Scepter in that endless void before the carcass of the Elder God. He gently ced his hand on Saint Scepter''s shoulder.


    "One''s experiences are one''s own; no matter how much I try, I can never feel them firsthand. But I can imagine how desperate and anxious you must have felt against the two Primordial Gods. Taking every step with care, avoiding even a whisper of suspicion. Considering it all, I hate to say it, but you did decent work." Sylvester said appreciatively. "I believe you have earned the right to know it¡ªJohnathan Colt Westerling was my name once in the times I have forgotten."


    Saint Scepter looked at Sylvester''s face. Both of them had a simr shine in their eyes and a sense of familiarity, for they suffered from almost the same fate. Unwittingly thrown or pulled into a world with a task they didn''t understand, nor a desire to fulfill it.


    "Once upon a time, in a world far removed from this one¡ªI was an emperor." Saint Scepter muttered, reminiscing. "They used to call me¡­ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus."


    _________________


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 Chapter 601 600. Saint Scepter, The Man Who Tried

    Chapter 601 600. Saint Scepter, The Man Who Tried


    "The Philosopher Emperor?" Sylvester eximed when he recognized the name. "You''re thest good emperor of Rome?"


    "Was..." Saint Scepter, now Marcus Aurelius, replied. "You know my name, which means youe from a time beyond mine?"


    Sylvester was still digesting the fact that he was fighting against Marcus Aurelius all that time, "I don''t know if I should be disappointed or impressed. The Philosopher Emperor fought, killed, and betrayed his way up all this time. It went against your character. And yes, I doe from a time far in the future from your era."


    "Everything¡ªa horse, a vine¡ªis created for a purpose... For what task, then, were you yourself created?" Saint Scepter replied. "I opposed what I deemed wrong while fulfilling the obligations that were imposed upon me by birth¡ªmy purpose. A king has to destroy, murder, and pige his enemies to retain his position; it is his duty."


    When the man said that, Sylvester immediately recalled all the times he spoke with him as the Saint Scepter. Every single time, there was something spoken that was reminiscent of what Sylvester had read in Marcus Aurelius'' book.


    Sylvester nced at the massive carcass of the Elder God, "Can you ce us in some empty room where we can talk? Being suspended in this void does no good."


    Without any kind of response, darkness flickered before Sylvester''s Sylvester took a seat and waited for Saint Scepter to join him. He stared at the famed emperor, who tried his best to live a stoic life eyes, and in the next moment, he felt solid ground beneath his feet. He found himself in a brightly lit empty room with a table and two chairs in the center.


    Sylvester took a seat and waited for Saint Scepter to join him. He stared at the famed emperor, who tried his best to live a stoic life despite being the most powerful man in the world, a man who could have indulged in anything¡ªyet he didn''t. It was an admirable trait of a strong-willed man. Considering that, it made sense how Saint Scepter was able to n such a long game against ''them.''.


    "You died in the year one hundred and eighty, and I came from over eighteen centuries in the future. Despite you being from an ancient era, even in my time, you remained quite famed across the world." Sylvester openly said, sharing snippets from the modern era with the man. "Especially your book Meditations, it was very popr."


    "Meditations? I don''t remember writing such a book." Saint Scepter muttered.


    Sylvester almost chuckled, focusing on the man''s face to see the reaction to his following words, "It''s the personal journal you wrote about your thoughts¡ªembracing stoicism and focus. Some historians found it and tranted it. In modern times, it became renowned for stoicism."


    Saint Scepter was taken aback. He rubbed what was left of his upper face and sighed. Of course, for a man who practiced stoicism to that degree, he wasn''t easily angered. Instead, he felt a little embarrassed, but in the end, he understood it. "They were not meant as a guide to stoicism."


    "I know, but from the time I came from, humanity has progressed significantly," Sylvester stated, dropping all acts and talking like a fellow man from Earth. "The era of democracies had dawned; there are wars, but not that many. The world had almoste together as one, and people traveled everywhere through flying machines. But, in a modern era where no emperors lived, where greed prevailed more than ever¡ªa glimpse into the mind of a famed ancient Emperor gave some people insight and meaning to their struggles."


    Saint Scepter sighed and rxedly settled into his seat, "I remember my previous life vividly¡ªthe onught of the Antonine gue, the Parthian War, Germanic and Sarmatian Invasions, the economic and religious strains¡ªin my tent, at night, awaiting battle or resting, I wrote in my journal as a confession to my anxieties and wrote little reminders to myself, to be a good stoic. To think my words inspire people, even two thousand years after my time¡ªIt''s a relief to know my thoughts weren''t in vain."


    After taking a few moments to think about his life, Saint Scepter looked at Sylvester and asked in genuine curiosity. "Were you a famed man as well?"


    Sylvester honestly had no idea, "I was no emperor, but I lived a life of fighting and death. Betrayed at times, losing those I loved¡ªI died as an old man, and in the manner I did, perhaps every man, woman, and child learned my name at some point in the future."


    Saint Scepter didn''t ask for details as he noticed the expressions in his eyes. He had seen them many times before, "What of Rome? Did it survive the test of time?"


    ''I can already smell his doubts. Not very optimistic, is he?'' Sylvester sensed it and answered.


    "I believe you know the answer already. Your son, Commodus, is by many considered to be the one to start the downfall of the Roman Empire. His rule was strife with political instability. He ended the Maannic wars that you started, weakening the Empire''s boundaries. He ignored corruption and indulged in favoritism, and I''m sure you knew about his debauchery.


    "He had a godplex, considering himself Hercules. He participated in diator fights, assassinations, and conspiracies, neglected governance, and ignored the senate¡ªIn the end, he was assassinated in his bath." Sylvester didn''t mince his words. "In the year four seventy-six, the Germanic chieftain Odoacer, killed thest Roman Emperor of the west."


    "West?" Saint Scepter eximed.


    "At one point, the Empire was divided into East and West for stability. The western one eventually fell, and the eastern one survived for a long time but became known as the Byzantine Empire


    ¡ªThat is why you''re considered thest of the five good emperors."


    Saint Scepter looked down but didn''t appear too disappointed. Clearly, the man expected nothing good from his son and the future, "Disappointing, but not surprising. I often wondered what happened to Rome after I was gone¡ªthank you for satisfying my curiosities. I hope such a fate won''t befall Sol and the Church of Solis¡ªI hope you will lead the realm to a better ce using your modern knowledge."


    Sylvester nodded, reassuring him, "I nned to do so from the beginning. As long as things y out my way, perhaps the entire will see peace and prosperity. But thisrger conspiracy troubles me as I will have to fight this alone and walk a path unknown."


    Saint Scepter ced his palm on Sylvester''s shoulder and spoke as an equal, "I believe you have suffered enough, my friend. Yet, I must impose this curse upon you, for I believe this is the best chance to bring the ill destiny of the world to an end. You will walk alone, but know that my prayers are with you¡­ As are the hopes of many who came before too."


    Sylvester sounded weary when he spoke, but he knew he had no other choice, "If I don''t, then death will be my penalty. If I do, pain will be my reality. What do you think, Marcus¡ªwhy was I brought into this reality?"


    Saint Scepter could only specte, "I was brought up to be ''their'' ve. But you, I''m sure, are here because a path needed to be paved. What urs among immortals does not matter¡ªonly their control you need to shatter."


    After a moment, Saint Scepter stood up. "I truly desire to know more about how the world developed after my demise. But what is gone matters no more; we have a greater foe we cannot ignore."


    Sylvester knew what wasing next, "Will there be another reincarnator after you are gone?"


    Saint Scepter started to perform a strange magic. He bit his thumb until it bled and began to smear his body with it, creating rune patterns all over himself. "Johnathan¡­ Sylvester¡­ I tried to be precise and calcte everything until this moment. As for whates next, you can only be prudent. Furthermore, you have something that I was denied. You have friends and family by your side."


    ''I''ll have to be careful now. I can''t afford another evil reincarnator.'' Sylvester memorized that warning.


    "I¡­" Saint Scepter suddenly muttered but couldn''t fully speak as he activated the blood runes on his body. It appeared painful as the man squinted his eyes. "Until you ascend above the Supreme Wizard, my remaining life force shall shroud your existence and hide you from ''them.''"


    Saint Scepter''s physical body slowly began to scatter into fine ash and disappear. But wherever his flesh disappeared, a bright, shining white form appeared.


    "I wish you luck and strength to ovee all foes. May you find solutions to all your woes." Saint Scepter''s entire lower body eventually faded away with only his head remaining, slowly disappearing as well. "Forgive me for the pain I caused. Too many lives you cherished that I doused. I know it''s a sin that deserves no amnesty. But know that I speak this with honesty¡ªAxel loved you like his own grandson."


    Seeing Saint Scepter dying, Sylvester wondered about his own end. Will he be able to grow old and pass away naturally, or will he also have to sacrifice himself for the greater good? He found it pitiful that even in two lives, they shared simr fates¡ªstuck in a field of politics, schemes, and treachery.


    "If Sir Dolorem were here, he would have forgiven you," Sylvester said emotionally. "That''s the kind of man he was¡ªpure in his heart. Be well, Marcus¡­ Saint Scepter¡­ I hope you find peace after this."


    Only Saint Scepter''s mouth was left, and before it vanished, thest words came. "Zadkiel¡­ was my name."


    Finally, only a humanoid form made of brilliant white light remained


    ¡ªlikely his soul. Slowly, it began to scatter around and shroud Sylvester, forming a sphere around him. It gave him a sense of warmth and protection as if it was an embrace full of kindness. Eventually, it became translucent and vanished like a hidden shield.


    "Sacrifice," Sylvester muttered, the meaning of Saint Scepter''s real name. "What do you think, Chonky? Can you forgive him and Axel?"


    "Never!" Miraj pouted. "I miss Dol-Dol."


    "Me too, buddy." Sylvester didn''t mind Miraj''s straightforward and unforgiving thoughts. It wasn''t easy to forgive one''s enemies. "Let''s go back¡­ We have a lot to do."


    Sylvester tried to speak with the Elder God, "Can you send me back to the door?"


    There was a moment of silence. "Do you understand what he did for you?"


    Sylvester nodded and took a deep breath to calm his nerves. Of course, he didn''t know the magic, but he understood the cost of doing it.


    "I know¡­ He burned his soul to¡­ give me this shield." Sylvester muttered.


    Elder God sent Sylvester back to the door that led to the Pope''s Pce''s basement. It looked like a small, brightly lit square in the middle of a ck void.


    Sylvester touched the door to push it open. But then, Nehilius'' voice stopped him.


    "He no longer exists in any form," the Elder God spoke monotonously. "No more reincarnation, no heaven nor hell¡ª


    removed from space and time."


    Atst, Sylvester pushed the door open, his face filled with grief. There was nothing waiting for Saint Scepter anywhere beyond. There was no darkness or warmth¡ªhe was gone as if he had never existed in any world.


    "I know¡­ I know¡­ the price he paid."

 Chapter 602 601. Pope Sylvester Maximilian

    Chapter 602 601. Pope Sylvester Maximilian


    Sylvester stepped out of the door and closed it behind him. The eerie and deadly feeling, along with the rushing srium in the air, vanished with it. With a sigh, he scanned his surroundings as the torches on the walls rekindled on their own. Yet, after having learned whaty ahead of him in the struggle, it was hard to find any warmth.


    "Maxy, why is your heart going boom boom?" Miraj inquired as he nestled between the chest armor. "Are you scared?"


    Sylvester clenched his hands, both of them. "What if I say I am? Will that help?"


    Miraj wriggled out of his seat, jumped onto Sylvester''s shoulder, and then hugged his head from the side, enveloping his fluffy paws across his forehead. "I used to be scared too, Maxy. But whenever you''re with me, I feel very strong. Maybe you can find someone who makes you feel strong?"


    Sylvester chuckled wryly and patted Miraj''s head. "I''m afraid that won''t be possible, Chonky. That person has been lost¡­ for a long time now."


    "Umm¡­ Then what about me? I make you feel stronger? Like I ate all the water¡­ Maybe I can eat worlds too." Miraj curiously muttered, unsure of it himself.


    But that immediately led Sylvester to the idea. Indeed, what he witnessed in one of the trials made no sense. Miraj had drained an entire of its water and had grown to the size of a massive mountain. The enigma surrounding Miraj''s existence only continued to growrger, and he had no idea where the evolutions would even stop.


    Squeak!


    Sylvester squished Miraj by the sides and held him up to his face. Gazing at the plump, fluffy, and energizing face instantly lifted his spirits. "Chonky¡­ just as I promised you. I have now be the Pope, so let''s go on a journey to find your origins."


    Miraj''s eyes widened and gleamed brightly. He threw his paws in the air in joy. "Really? Let''s gooo¡­ You''re the best, Maxy."


    "Hah¡­ I know." Sylvester chuckled and walked out of the massive chamber. He kept the key tied around his neck, however. He could not afford anybody else entering the room.


    Thud!


    "Your Holiness," Inquisitor High Lord appeared just outside the chamber''s entrance, saluting with his fist mming on his chest. "I feel growth in your magic. I hope the price was not anything tragic."


    Sylvester nodded his head. Indeed, he felt a surge of srium in his body, much more than ever before. However, he had not grown in his magical rank, and this meant he was once again stronger than what his rank indicated.


    ''Considering my own case, the magical and knightly ranks are obsolete ways to measure one''s power. Perhaps it''s time to revamp this as well.'' Sylvester made a mental note.


    "How long have you been standing here?" Sylvester inquired, knowing the old man stood there to guard his back, worried about him because of the Blood Contract.


    "Merely a few moments, Your Holiness. You entered the door not long ago," Lord Inquisitor answered. "I hope you concluded what you owe."


    ''Time contraction? I''m sure I spent at least a few days inside there.'' Sylvester understood something new about interdimensional travel that day. But it also made him happy since this meant he wouldn''t have to disappear for long periods when training with the Elder God.


    "The current generation of everything that lives in this world is perhaps the luckiest, Lord Inquisitor." Sylvester proimed, a grand statement in itself. "Sacrifices have been made by those the realm will forever consider evil¡ªThe truth the world knows is akin to the tip of a needle."


    "What happened to Saint Scepter?" Inquisitor High Lord asked.


    Sylvester walked forward, allowing the old man to follow. "He¡­ tried what he could. What matters is that his chapter is now over, despite the knowledge he left me, leaving me in more worry than ever. Solis¡­ is not supreme, Lord Inquisitor. There are ''gods'' that can rule time, space, realities¡ªcreate life and destroy it with a mere thought."


    Inquisitor High Lord''s eyes flickered crimson behind his visor. "Are we to battle these beings?"


    "Perhaps one day I might need to," Sylvester replied, indirectly stating he was the only one capable of fighting them. "Enough of this; we must focus on uniting the world first. Summon the entire Sanctum Council. I need an update on all previous orders. Tell Gabriel to get ready to hold the Holy Court. Allowmoners and nobles alike toe and express their grievances."


    Inquisitor High Lord, trailing behind, observed as Sylvester''s shoulders seemed broader and stronger, yet still slightly hunched under the weight of responsibilities. Maybe it was just an illusion to his eyes, but he hoped to share some of that burden¡ªespecially now after his destiny shifted and his end was denied.


    "A letter from Alfia has arrived. They want to send an envoy to the Holy Land to discuss the issue of the gue currently spreading through theirnds. Likewise, the Dragons are thinking about seeking our help as the demon''s influence expands." Lord Inquisitor detailed the recent events.


    But Sylvester wasn''t interested as he already knew this oue was a matter of time. "Any word about Bloodrain? We can''t afford to lose any more powerful members."


    "A search party was dispatched but found no proof of where Bloodrain went. We are attempting to find an anti-Light operative to interrogate. But as things are going, the mystery will only erogate," said the Lord Inquisitor.


    Sylvester was concerned for the man. "Try reaching out to the main branch of the Anti-Light. I became the Pope within a year, just as their leader had wagered. Their organization is no longer necessary since their issues were with the past administration."


    ''I should try and speak with him once again. Leaving a Supreme Wizard unmonitored could spell doom for all my reforms.''


    ¡­


    Within an hour, the Sanctum Council gathered to discuss matters. Sylvester didn''t tell them about the Elder God or even the Primordial Gods, but he did reveal that their battle was far from over. Their only focus for now was the prosperity of life and unity and peace between all continents.


    "What''s the status of the constitutionmittee?" Sylvester inquired, gazing at Gabriel.


    Gabriel nodded and ced a thick stack of papers on the white stone table. "This is a draft, but we are still working on removing some redundancies, loopholes, and more. It will take some time to discuss the division of power with various nobles. We cannot afford them rebelling¡ªthere is one problem, however."


    Everyone straightened their backs once Gabriel said that. It seemed they all knew about it already and understood what bloody affairs were going to be discussed next.


    Sylvester sensed a change in the air. "Speak openly. What happened?"


    "Rebellion in the Ironstone Duchy of Gracia. Looking at history, it''s the area where you spent most of your time as a Sanctum Inspector. From overseeing Article Sixty-six on Duke Ranthburg to defeating Prince Daemon Gracia, who aspired to be the king. The nobles in Ironstone Duchy have been impacted by you the most as your military campaigns hurt them frequently¡ªboth financially and personally.


    "Under the leadership of Count Shortwood, all nobles of Ironstone have united to refuse recognizing you as the new Pope. Simultaneously, they''ve demanded reparations from Queen Isabe, and if not provided, they''re threatening a civil war." Gabriel expounded in detail.


    Bam!


    Felix mmed his fist on the table, looking domineering as he stayed in his armor and visor. "I told Isabe I can go there and bring each of their heads."


    Sylvester raised his hand to halt Felix and then murmured something toward his shoulder where Miraj sat. Swiftly, a cough-like sound reverberated from nowhere, and a cotton bag materialized out of thin air, dropping onto the table.


    Without hesitation, Sylvester opened the bag and retrieved what resembled a child''s doll. He pressed the doll''s head, causing it to deform, and astonishingly, blood emerged despite it just being cloth.


    Next, Sylvester pulled out another doll and repeated the action. Once again, the doll bled. Sensing the bewilderment, he addressed the room, "During my conflict against Prince Daemon Gracia, I also confronted his witch wife. She had crafted these dolls for every noble patriarch of Ironstone, ensuring their loyalty andpliance. You can imagine the oue when I damage these."


    Woosh!


    Sylvester continued to make the dolls ooze blood, deforming their heads. "Ironstone Duchy is a troublesome entity. It resisted me persistently, and the nobles refused to acknowledge their own failings. They stood with the false Pope, defied holy decrees, and even now¡ªdisy heretical tendencies. Truthfully, this action should invoke Article Sixty-six, but I don''t desire that extent of bloodshed. Spread the word¡ªlet this be recognized as the divine intervention, a retribution for their unholy intentions."


    Pluck!


    Sylvester decapitated another doll. There were hundreds of them, and he killed each one with his own hands while continuing the meeting. His hands soon turned crimson with blood, but he cared not and talked about the proposed Innovation Protection Act that he hoped would help progress the world scientifically.


    "Tonight, we shall venture into the underground chamber that holds past inventions. We need to create an inventory and ssify will foreverst."


    Eventually, he finished killing each of the dolls and stood up as it them all. Let''s not miss the chance to utilize the creations of honorable men from the past. Let''s build peace and prosperity that will foreverst."


    Eventually, he finished killing each of the dolls and stood up as it was time to address the first official Holy Court.


    ¡­


    Sylvester arrived at the massive hall in the Pope''s Pce. Clergymen were running around in haste the entire time, trying to manage the people entering the hall. Meanwhile, the scribes took their seats to get ready to record all the events.


    At the far end of the hall, Sylvester spotted the new throne resting on the elevated tform. Less grandiose, yet still potent, those were the words Sylvester pondered. Constructed from wood, adorned with gems and enchanted stones, it was painted in shades of gold and red, matching the royal colors. The craftsmanship of the dwarves wasmendable.


    Sylvester didn''t change into any royal attire. Wearing his usual robes, he simply ced the mitre on his head and ascended the stairs to take his seat. Beside him, Gabriel stood with a booklet in his hand; meanwhile, the other Sanctum Council members sat in regr chairs below the throne tform, on the sides.


    Simplistic and solely focused on efficiency, no ttery was permitted when the Holy Court was in session. Guards remained vignt at the sides of the pathway leading from the gates to the throne. Those wishing to meet the Pope were admitted one at a time only.


    "Let the first one in," Sylvester ordered.


    Gabriel nodded to his assistant stationed near the gates. Soon, the gates parted, and a lone man entered. With ck hair and fair skin, he appeared to be amoner based on his attire, possibly a farmer, considering the state of his skin and hair. His clothes were patched in ces, yet they were clean.


    Fear etched on his face, desperation and anxiety evident in his eyes, the man tentatively walked up to the base of the stairs leading to Sylvester. Immediately, he knelt down on his knees and sped his hands together in pleading.


    "Please help me, my lord¡­ My vige is in ruins, my lord¡­ thirty farmers in my vige havemitted suicide already, my lord¡­ please have mercy."


    Gabriel cleared his throat and corrected the man. "His Holiness¡ª


    That''s how you should address the Pope, my friend."


    Thud!


    The peasant man mmed his face onto the carpet floor. "Forgive me, my l¡­ Your Holiness¡­ I''m just an uneducated small farmer. Most of us go through our lives without meeting even a baron¡­ I-I was flustered to meet the mighty Pope Sylvester¡­ Forgive me."


    Sylvester raised his hand but refrained from singing or giving a lecture. This wasn''t the right moment for it. He signaled the guards, and promptly, a small wooden chair was positioned behind the peasant man. Then, the guards lifted him and settled him onto the chair.


    "Don''t be scared. State your name, and what led to the demise of your fellow vigers?" Sylvester said, his voice projecting loudly and regally. "Tell me everything calmly and in detail."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 603 602. A Daughters Coronation

    Chapter 603 602. A Daughter''s Coronation


    Appreciative of the respect and kindness shown, the peasant spoke while holding back his tears, "I''m Alex Payne, Your Holiness. Ie from Hillington County of the Zon Duchy. Last year, there was no rain in the region, and our crops were ruined. But Count Hillington refused to hear our plea and demanded the tax as usual. When we couldn''t pay, he offered to lend us money so we could pay the tax.


    "This year, our crops yielded less than we hoped, and we could only afford to pay the tax in the form of grains. But the Count demanded we repay the loan as well as the interests¡ªwe have no such money, Your Holiness.


    "The Count would send his soldiers to our vige and harass us from time to time. They sometimes beat our people and openly steal from us. On asion, they even burned down our small homes. We try to hide our wives, mothers, and daughters when theye because¡­ because of rape.


    "Many of us tried to stand against them, but before their mighty swords, what can we do? Some of us chose to run away, and others chose to end their own lives. Ten families havemitted group suicide. Twenty farmers took their own lives. As Green City was destroyed, we had no way of informing Her Majesty, so Ie to plead here¡ªat your feet, Your Holiness."


    Once again, the man rose from his seat and knelt down with tears in his eyes. Certainly, he was on the brink of despair, just an inch away from doing what his fellow vigers had done.


    Sylvester was very aware that in the past few years, corruption, had met him before. "Lady Aurora, go to the County, investigate the ims, and if they hold true, drag him here in an open cage rape, murder, and thievery had increased since wars and other power struggles consumed the realm.


    "Count Hillington?" Sylvester muttered, trying to remember if he had met him before. "Lady Aurora, go to the County, investigate the ims, and if they hold true, drag him here in an open cage carriage. Furthermore, you can manipte the skies, so ask for help from King Hignd. He has mastered farming through various irrigation methods and fertilizers¡ªYou will lead a Food Security Commission and watch over regions with weather patterns that negatively affect agriculture."


    Pat!


    Lady Aurora stepped forward and saluted Sylvester, "Understood, Your Holiness."


    Finally, Sylvester nced at the farmer, "All debts shall be cleared by my decree. You will receive a written letter with my stamp as proof. Furthermore, in the future, if you ever require a loan, go to Rosewood County. A man named Archpriest Henry runs an official, legal loan business there."


    Alex Payne stood up, holding his palms together and praying to Sylvester. Slowly, he stepped backward without turning his back. The entire time, he just cried, overwhelmed to see that there was still someone powerful and willing to listen to them¡ªthe nameless, humble peasants.


    As Aurora left, Sylvester oversaw the next set of matters. They ranged from petty and trivial to something significant, like what Payne had described. A lot of social security matters had been left unattended for too long and were now erupting as they reached their breaking point.


    "Darius, as the Saint Keymaster, I want you to establish a registration system, granting nobles licenses to engage in the money lending businesses in ordance with our rules and regtions. Anybody who does this business without our permission will be deemed a criminal. Furthermore, call forth the Guild Masters of all the adventurer guilds in the Guild Penins. I will officially hire them on quests to solve widespread matters of criminal gangs and prevalent crimes." Sylvester swiftly passed hismands to his new chief economist.


    In excellent, noble robes, Darius looked much more polished and professional. It was a unique sight at the new Sanctum Council, where most members looked youthful. "Understood, Your Holiness."


    However, Sylvester wasn''t done and looked at the Inquisitor High Lord. "Call forth the Guild Masters of major Assassin Guilds. I would like to ask them if they still intend to pursue the bounties that were ced on me."


    With that, Sylvester moved on to thest visitor of the day. This one was special, and for this asion, he had even invited some other nobles, mainly the King and Queen of Hignd, Queen Isabe, King Kaecilius, and many more high nobles.


    Gabriel, standing beside Sylvester, signaled to the staff to fully open the gates, allowing for a grand entrance while announcing the guest''s name.


    The herald at the gates shouted, "In the House of Solis¡ªArrives the Queen-to-be of ckhart Kingdom¡ªZylena Sor ckhart, the undying, the one who lived, the one who triumphed!"


    As Sylvester had promised, the massive gates of the Holy Court opened. Flower petals fell from the ceiling as a lone woman walked in, wearing her regal red gown, looking so beautiful that even the castrated Clergymen felt their hearts move, much to Sylvester''s anger¡ªthe scents were evident to his nose.


    With a radiant, cheerful smile adorning her face, Zylena walked toward Sylvester gracefully, lifting the hem of her gown from the front. Her ashen-ck hair was left trailing down behind her, and a newfound hint of maturity graced her face.


    "Father!" Zylena chirped.


    Sylvester nearly choked at her shameless teasing. Sensing the murmurs, he weed her loudly as well, "Ah, how are you, my adopted daughter, whom I saved in the Divine Desert?"


    "Hehe¡­" Zylena giggled and stopped at the base of the stairs. "I''m well¡­ Elder Einarr spoils me a bit too much, but he''s kind and honest. However, I must thank you for bringing the ckhart Kingdom back to its architectural glory after the ominous earthquake."


    Sylvester smiled, savoring her joy. He had nned the reconstruction a long time ago, and thankfully, it hade to fruition without much corruption. He got up and walked down toward her.


    "Betrayed, harmed, starved, sold, hurt, and so much more." Sylvester addressed her loudly, starting her coronation speech. "She never stopped searching for the bright shore. Never wavered, never faltered. With her own hands, her destiny she altered. Zylena Maximilian Sor ckhart¡ªa daughter in all but blood, I pronounce you the Queen of ckhart. May you rule with justice, bravery, intelligence, and above all¡­ apassionate heart."


    With a small tear in the corner of her eyes, Zylena knelt down on one knee to receive her crown from the Pope himself. There could never be any higher authority to legitimize her inheritance and rule.


    ''I wonder what role you y in the grand scheme of things. The First Pope said you are my door¡ªwhere it leads remains to be explored.'' Sylvester gently lifted up the new crown as Gabriel presented it on a cushion. It gleamed brightly, made of gold, and adorned with various gems¡ªdiamonds, rubies, and even some precious skygems. It was heavy despite looking light. It was magical despite looking ordinary.


    "I pray for your long and just reign. The true peak of growth you may attain."


    Atst, he lowered the crown onto her head. But just to make it more regal, he created a shining light from his palm to make her feel warm. Under his breath, he chanted a hymn, casting a halo of light behind his head.


    The crowds gasped in the radiant glory. It was a rare sight to see Sylvester look so holy. All hands across the assembly instinctively ced their palms together, raised in prayer.


    "Arise¡ªQueen ckhart," Sylvester announced.


    Zylena looked and stood up, her eyes tearful. She wanted to leap forward and hug Sylvester, but she used all the willpower she had to restrain herself.


    "Thank you, Your Holiness." She respectfully stepped away from him. "I am honored to receive this crown from you. In the name of Solis, I vow to uphold the holyw and be a just ruler of ckhart."


    Sylvester smiled and pped his hands once to gain everyone''s attention, "That''s enough for today. I hereby adjourn the Holy Court until tomorrow."


    However, Sylvester walked past Zylena and whispered something to her ears, "The real celebration is starting now. Come to the terrace gardens."


    Instantly, Zylena''s eyes lit up, and she silently stepped all the way back out of the hall. She rushed to her room to change clothes, well aware that the evening was going to be fun and wild.


    ¡­


    As the evening dawned, the terrace of the Pope''s Pce lit up with various magical torches. The entire terrace was a massive garden, which could almost be called a forest. From dense trees to flower gardens andkes, there were even some untamed gentle animals.


    Part of it was reserved for the evening celebrations. It was mainly meant to celebrate not only Zylena''s coronation but also Sylvester''s rise to Popehood. Of course, not all were allowed there. Only Sylvester''s closest, trusted ones were there.


    The new Sanctum Council, various Kings and Queens, some nobles, and some other Clergymen and Bright Mothers joined. Sylvester had also called for some talented bards to y music and make it a dance night. The food was also in plenty, with at least three dishes prepared with Miraj in mind¡ªall inrge quantities.


    Magic flew around everywhere as they all yed some tricks while chatting with one another. They were, after all, some of the strongest and most influential people in the world gathered in one ce. But nobody was the Pope, Inquisitor, or Priest there¡ªthey were just people enjoying their time together.


    "Your Holiness, may I have this dance?" Zylena beckoned Sylvester.


    Sylvester chuckled and grabbed her hand. He allowed her to drag him to the dance floor, and she started to speak yfully, "So¡­ My father in all but blood¡­ What happens next? What''s the grand n?"


    "You get married and bring your bloodline back from extinction." Sylvester shamelessly replied.


    "..."


    Zylena pouted, "I''m only seventeen¡ªI didn''t struggle that long just to lock myself into another form of emotional very. I''m talking about adventures, father¡­ Are we going to conquer Beastaria? Can I join?"


    Sylvester sighed and patted Zylena''s shoulder, "I''m afraid there won''t be any need to conquer them. They will soone to me, pleading for help¡­ Just do a good job running your Kingdom, my dear. Ask Isabe how hard it can be."


    Zylena groaned and hugged Sylvester, cing her head on his chest, "I know. That''s what I''m afraid of¡ªthis power and wealth might change me for the worse."


    Bam!


    Sylvester gently knocked on her head. "That''s what I''m here for. If you ever falter, I''ll be here to guide you back on track."


    "Hehe¡­" She giggled. "I think Einarr does enough of that. He''s practically a nagging grandpa now¡­ But I''m grateful."


    "You should be. He had nothing but the hope that you were alive, and for that hope, he rebuilt the entire ckhart Kingdom," Sylvester said and looked around. "Go now, dance with someone young."


    "You''re young."


    He chuckled. ''In body, yes. In heart¡­?''


    Soon enough, Sylvester found himself standing with the boys¡ªFelix and Gabriel. They talked about the usual things: books, magic, and women, thest being Felix''s forte. Felix hadn''t fully recovered from his trauma, but Isabe was doing a great job rehabilitating him.


    Bam!


    Sylvester snapped his fingers and generated a massive spark of pure magic, "I''ve grown stronger in magic. So I think I can do things I couldn''t before¡­"


    Felix''s eyes, hidden inside the visor, lit up, "You mean¡­"


    Sylvester nodded and ced one hand on Felix''s armor-d shoulder, "Are you ready?"


    "Yes!" Felix was thrilled.


    Sylvester didn''t react and just took outtex gloves from his pocket. He put them on firmly, making squishy, rubbery sounds, and snapped them on his wrists.


    "Alright, drop your pants, boy."


    "..."


    _________________


    [A/N: See Queen Zylena]


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 604 603. Unlikely Place, Unlikely Meeting

    Chapter 604 603. Unlikely ce, Unlikely Meeting


    "..."


    "Drop what?" Felix instinctively stepped back. "Keep your hands away from me."


    Sylvester chuckled and rified himself, "I was merely going to pull out your armor and heal your skin. What did you think? I still can''t bring your testicles back from nothingness."


    Felix calmed down. "Then¡­ I''ll look normal? Just without the tools to procreate?"


    Gabriel knew what Felix wanted, so he butted in, "Yes, you can spend nights holding your woman¡ªNow stop talking about it and sully this Holy Land."


    Felix grinned behind his visor and turned his face to nce at Isabe, "Oh¡­ Let''s get started then, Max. You''re going to do it now?"


    "Only the test first." Sylvester moved closer and grabbed Felix''s arm. Since the entire armor was stuck to his skin, he had no other way but to cut a piece of it and pull the armor off. However, to cut the Skygem, he needed an intense and focused beam of energy, something he hoped to do at the moment.


    Raising his finger to Felix''s arm, he tried to replicate the Wrath of Heaven''s light beam onto his finger alone. The only difference was that he didn''t use the hymns this time. It came far easier this time, and surprisingly, he felt more in harmony with everything around him¡ªthe srium felt like it wanted to enter his body without much effort.


    "Arh¡­" Felix winced a little once Sylvester''s magic sliced into his skin. The beam of light was so hot that it burned easily through the Skygem.


    However, the pain was only the beginning, as Sylvester soon began to pull the small patch of armor he had cut and began to burn away the skin underneath to separate them entirely. He opted to cut it instead of pulling it all out, fearing that the muscles would also be damaged.


    "Grit your teeth," Sylvester warned him and hastily finished the most crucial part.


    Soon, with a disgusting squelching sound and flesh tearing apart, the piece of armor came off. But Sylvester immediately burned the wound, and he started using healing magic to see if he couldpletely bring the skin back to its original form.


    ''Why should I use the srium reserves in my own body?'' Sylvester thought and decided to attempt something new for the first time. He aimed to use the natural srium in the air and channel it on his palm for healing instead.


    It came easier than ever before, causing Sylvester to wonder if this was due to the inheritance he had received from the Elder God. Since he had been in the Elder God''s realm, he couldn''t stop wondering how powerful the creature was, considering its massive magical aura. On top of that, the srium around the creature felt so much more hospitable.


    At that moment, Sylvester''s thoughts went to the nearby Golden Penins. He wondered if the massive Orb of Purity, which killed the first Pope, could someday be nourishment for him.


    ''Seems like the sky''s the limit.'' Sylvester sighed and focused on Felix''s arm.


    "It''s healing." He noticed the reverting skin. "I think we should go inside and try this all over your body. Perhaps I can heal you fully tonight."


    Felix didn''t speak for a long time, but his breath was rushed and trembling. There was a scent of sorrow and hope leaking from him. Felix knew Sylvester felt responsible for what happened to him, although it was never going to be said out loud.


    "Thank you."


    Sylvester smiled and patted Felix''s shoulder, "Go to your bedroom with Isabe. I''ll bring some potions and Healer Hendrix to ensure everything goes smoothly. Let the rest enjoy the evening."


    "You should enjoy it too," Felix said, shaking his arm. "We all have been in a constant battle for life and triumph these past few years. So let''s just celebrate the night and do this tomorrow. I''ve endured years like this. What''s a few more hours?"


    Sylvester knew Felix wanted to be healed as soon as possible and was just saying that to be considerate, "Are you sure?"


    Bam!


    Felix pped his gauntlets, "Honestly, I looked somewhat badass in this armor. Isabe feels warm just seeing me like this¡ªAnd when I tell her about my battles and adventures, shepletely loses herself and uses her fing¡ª"


    nk!


    Gabriel smacked on Felix''s helmet, "Begone! The horny devil of mind, no intelligence here you will find. Begone!"


    "..."


    Sylvester chuckled and decided to go and dance with Xavia, "Felix. You should try not to share intimate things you and Isabe do with anyone else. Women hate finding out their privacy was vited like this¡ªYou will learn that with age, but remember my advice."


    Felix saluted, "Understood, O'' wise old sage Pope."


    ''I ''am'' old.'' Sylvester shook his head and walked away.


    The bards didn''t sing that night; they only yed music. Sylvester had to teach them a few new things, and they eagerly learned. After all, ever since Sylvester had be famous, the status of all bards had increased, and they now received so much more respect and higher prices. So, anything from the big boss bard was basically a gold mine.


    Sylvester danced with Xavia, talking with her about their life and journey from the beginning to now. "...I will transfer you so you can work in the Pope''s Pce soon."


    She sighed and touched Sylvester''s face, "Dear, you don''t need to worry about me. Just be well, that''s all I want."


    "I won''t stay the Pope forever," Sylvester revealed, surprising Xavia. "I''ll likely live for over four centuries, and I''m merely twenty-six right now. Meanwhile, the Popes in the past rarely served even a hundred years. I fear that if I stay in power for too long, the world will turncent and too weak from the prolonged peace¡ªSo I want to allow more Popes toe to power, and I''ll be an overseer during their rule to establish further checks and bnces that will endure even after I''m gone."


    Taken aback but understood the reasoning behind his words, Xavia patted his chest, "I believe in whatever you decide, Max. I always will¡ªThat''s what mothers do."


    ''I sure am blessed in this aspect of life.'' Sylvester told himself and silently enjoyed the evening. Even Miraj enjoyed the squishes from Xavia and all the tasty food.


    However, Sylvester couldn''t spend all his time rxing. Once those who weren''t inhumanly powerful had gone to sleep, he chose to enter the underground secret chamber where all the past inventions were hidden.


    It was time to make an inventory of everything, sort it all out into categories, and n the implementation of some of the technologies. At first, he felt surprised to find some of the machines, as they were impossible to make for someone from ancient Earth.


    However, when he remembered that the creations were likely from great inventors from Earth who gained immense power and lived for centuries here while improving¡ªthe inventions made sense.


    Clocks, books on various engineering methods rted to machines, tools for medical care, for traveling, and even diagrams of what appeared to be a simple, small internalbustion engine powered not by liquid fuel but by fire crystals and controlled by runes to regte the bursts.


    "Maxy, look what I found¡ªAre there treats in this box?" Miraj grabbed something huge in his jaw, a ck box-like thing with a single round opening.


    Sylvester looked at it with interest. However, he wasn''t prepared for the ingenious inventions in his hands, "I-Is this¡­ This is brilliant! Such use of light crystals and trap runes¡­ Who made this¡­!"


    Such reactions weremon. It was a goldmine, and Sylvester knew he would be busy for the next few years. His goals were set¡ª


    train with the Elder God, rule as Pope, implement inventions, and unite the world.


    Sounded simple¡­ But it wasn''t.


    ¡­


    If one were to look throughout history, why do so many kings, queens, emperors, and empresses be inept? If one were to see history in detail, the said monarchs were overachievers throughout their lives¡ªthey fought for the throne and won it. Ipetence only came afterward.


    The reason was simple¡ªack of purpose. After getting the throne, what was next? The monarch grew bored, unable to find another challenge. Some bezy and drown themselves in wine and women. While others be paranoid, trying to find challenges and hidden schemes in their own administrations.


    For Sylvester, life became somewhat regted once he became the Pope. No more traveling, no more urgent mysteries to figure out, no more crimes to solve¡ªnothing to investigate personally.


    His daily schedule was quite simple.


    "I''ll see youter."


    With those words, he left Bright Mothers'' residence each morning, a bowl of food still in his hands sometimes. As usual, his regal carriage awaited him, with the reinsman on his knees pleading, only to get ignored and follow behind Sylvester on his bicycle.


    After reaching the Pope''s Pce, Sylvester entered his office first and looked at the schedule, signed documents, and oversaw the various drafts of ns and reports from his Sanctum Council. Afterward, he got busy with multiple meetings and then held the Holy Court¡ªevery single day. Some sought his blessings, while others came to speak of their grievances. He would always remain avable to them, building a sense of trust and affection among themoners toward Sylvester.


    It was crucial to rebuild people''s trust in the faith of Solis. Therefore, Sylvester tried everything that could help the realm. But his propaganda printing press never rested, churning out new pieces every single day.


    By the time evening came, Sylvester ate dinner and entered the Elder God''s realm to receive further training. It was mainly about receiving the essence of srium left in the huge creature''s body and its knowledge. However, the knowledge remained inessible as it posed the risk of his head exploding.


    Afterward, he always went to the secret old inventions chamber, and worked inside to sort things out, preparing some of them for eventual revtion to the world. There were also plenty of books, and he had to read them all by himself.


    That was his schedule, day in and day out. A week passed, and then a month passed. The realm noticed visible improvements everywhere, but Sylvester appeared increasingly tired, annoyed, and frustrated in response.


    Finally, he began to understand why so many Popes in the past went corrupt. It was the only exciting and interesting thing left to do.


    As usual, a month after Sylvester became the Pope, he took his throne in the Holy Court. However, something was different this previous Pope.


    The entire Holy Court was packed to capacity, and everyone wore time. There was a big smile on Sylvester''s face as he wore incredibly more regal clothes. Multipleyers of holy robes, red, golden, and various formal ornaments adorned him. On his head, the mitre shone, and in one of his hands, he held the magnificent staff of the previous Pope.


    The entire Holy Court was packed to capacity, and everyone wore official, regal clothes reserved for special asions. Furthermore, Xavia, Guardians of Light, and Sanctum Council members stood beside Sylvester''s throne on each side of the tform.


    Loud murmurs had taken over the massive space.


    Thud!


    Right then, the gigantic double doors at the end of the hall began to open with a resounding noise. The herald bellowed at the top of his lungs, ensuring each corner of the hall heard him.


    "In the house of Solis¡ªArrives the King, His Majesty Rathagun Xeek Eldaron, the King of Elves! Apanied by Prince Avanss Xeek Eldaron¡ªBearing tidings of peace!"


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 605 604. Hidden Feelings

    Chapter 605 604. Hidden Feelings


    A few hours earlier,


    "Don''t hold so many expectations; they will only lead to disappointment."


    On the deck of the elven ship, King Rathagun stood, watching the Holy Land''s shore draw nearer. "How can I not be ted when I''m about to see them? You don''t know how much I longed to see them all these years¡­ I''m sure they''ll understand."


    "He''s the Pope," Avanss warned his elder brother. "He won''t roll out the red carpet for you. You''re an enemy in Sol''s eyes¡ªNo matter what, he has to treat you like one."


    King Rathagun sighed, but the smile on his face didn''t disappear, "I still can''t help but feel hopeful. He''s my blood, Avanss¡­ He''s my¡­ son."


    Avanss shook his head and stopped trying to warn his brother. He could only hope that Sylvester wouldn''t be too hard on him.


    ¡­


    The murmurs among the crowd only grew louder as the Clergymen wondered why the King of Elves hade. This was the first time in the history of the Church that the leader of the sworn enemy had set foot on their shores.


    on the person beside him. ''So you do recognize Mum¡ªLet''s see how far you''re willing to go for us.''


    Two figures entered the hall, moving slowly. The two elven men were stripped of any weapons or armor, so they only came in their royal attire, green in color with a hint of gold, their hair tied with knots adorned with green vines. A different, pleasant scent emanated from the two elves, a novel experience for most.


    Sylvester didn''t speak nor greet them, maintaining his higher stance. However, he noticed the eyes of his supposed father stuck on the person beside him. ''So you do recognize Mum¡ªLet''s see how far you''re willing to go for us.''


    "Halt!"


    The sentries at the bottom of the stairs crossed their spears to block the two elven men.


    As the Saint Wazir, Gabriel spoke up, "As you requested, His Holiness granted you a safe passage into the Holy Land. It''s advised you speak before your intentions we misunderstand."


    With long ears, tall, and long ck hair, King Rathagun, who was far from home, still looked like a proper King. But he was in a daze, staring at Xavia first and then at Sylvester, realizing his son had achieved something greater than he had¡ªIt filled him with some sort of pride he couldn''t understand. His mouth constantly held a smile, confusing many as to why the elven king seemed so happy.


    "Speak!" The Inquisitor High Lord thumped his staff.


    Finally, after Avanss nudged, the king spoke, "Ie in peace and hope, Pope Maximilian. You may have been informed through your people and my letter of a gue ravaging Alfia. After intensive research, my people learned that a simr gue urred in the ckhart Kingdom, south of Sol. I was informed that it was you who discovered the cure¡ªIe here in hopes of that same miraculous allure."


    Felix interjected, ording to their previous n, "Youe here and expect us to help you? After you''ve killed countless of our men? After you''ve enved countless humans?"


    "The sins go both ways," King Rathagun said solemnly. "The ways of the old have harmed our two realms equally. For every elven life, a human has fallen. No more!¡ªI hope to establish asting peace with Sol through a written and magically enforced treaty."


    "How dare you make demands!" Felix boomed, his superb acting skills had improved. His skin had been restored, but he still wore his armor. "What''s to stop us from killing you right here and now?"


    "Because you''re not barbarians¡ªPope Maximilian wishes for peace, and so do I." King Rathagun replied.


    "That won''t d¡ª"


    Sylvester abruptly stood up and stopped Felix from speaking. Radiating an aura of holiness, Sylvester sang a hymn and descended the stairs with a proudly raised chin. He only took three steps, setting himself apart from those standing beside him.


    ''You may hate me for this.'' Sylvester had nned so much and could not back away from it now.


    A halo illuminated behind his head, shocking King Rathagun. This was his first time ever seeing Sylvester, let alone his famed, mythical magic.


    <nulli>?Elf from thend beyond¡ªyou desire a bond?


    <nulli>Only in death do you hope for me to respond?


    <nulli>Words, hollow promises¡ªJust a dishonest appeal,


    <nulli>You want my aid¡ªshow resolve¡ªKneel!?


    Gasps left many mouths, and even King Rathagun''s eyes widened. He didn''t expect Sylvester to be so upromising and unwavering, even after knowing the blood they shared. Of course, he couldn''t kneel before the Pope, as that would bring shame to the elves.


    For a long moment, King Rathagun looked into Sylvester''s eyes, trying to find reason in them and hoping to find hints that his son was merely jesting or acting. However, he only found seriousness and honesty. It broke his heart and worried him¡ª''Am I toote?'' he wondered.


    "Pope Maximilian, I cann¡ª"


    Sylvester interrupted him, continuing to sing.


    <nulli>?The more you stall, many more shall die, <nulli>One after another, no elf shall be left to cry. <nulli>Make a choice, king of the elven kind,


    <nulli>What''s at stake, I feel I need not remind.?


    ''He''s not acting.'' King Rathagun realized it in his heart, his breath sinking to its depths. ''He will not give the cure unless I kneel¡­ But I am the king of elves. I can''t.''


    In the hope of finding some reason, he looked at Xavia, who was staring at him in return. He looked for any semnce of love and worry in her eyes, but once again, he found nothing of the sort. She stayed standing without any expressions, eyes firm, not even showing a hint of tears.


    ''After decades, has she forgotten me?'' King Rathatgun felt broken and remembered Avanss'' words. ''My expectations shattered. I shouldn''t have been this naive. Blinded by love, when did I be this obsessed with them? To even ignore my duties to my kingdom.''


    "We don''t have time to waste," Gabriel shouted. "You heard the Pope. If you desire his aid, then you must prove your sincerity."


    Gritting his teeth, King Rathagun nced at his brother. Avanss also looked worried at that moment.


    "I need a few days to decide."


    Thud!


    The Inquisitor High Lord mmed his staff, "In today''s time, you must haste. We do not have days to waste."


    Slightly angered, King Rathagun knew he could overpower everyone in that room. He was a Supreme Wizard, after all. However, he controlled himself since he didn''te there to fight but to find a cure.


    However, instead of speaking or kneeling, King Rathagun sat down right there, cross-legged. He folded his arms and closed his eyes as if he was meditating and thinking. Avanss followed suit and watched his older brother. Meanwhile, Sylvester stood in ce, a few steps above, without a hint of mercy emanating from him.


    The crowd of Clergymen murmured amongst themselves, wondering if the king of elves would agree. At the same time, many wondered if they should just kill the man right then and there, while others debated if they even could. It was a chaotic Holy Court that day, far different from anything they had ever expected.


    Sadly, they failed to realize that when monsters like Sylvester and King Rathagun discuss matters, the stalemates could go on for a long time¡­ a very long time.


    As tensions escted in the hall, time ticked away. An hour went by, and Sylvester remained standing in his ce while the Clergymen were given seats to rest, as was Xavia.


    King Rathagun continued to sit cross-legged, eyes closed and chest unmoving, appearing almost lifeless. What he was thinking was anybody''s guess. But Sylvester could smell the scent of anxiety, along with hints of doubt, confusion and¡­ love.


    ''Just do it.'' Sylvester muttered silently, hoping his tactics would work. ''This is for the future of both our continents.''


    Sylvester could have spoken with King Rathagun in his mind, but he chose not to. Despite sharing blood, he had no idea about the man''s character or how far he was willing to go to protect his people. In a way, he was testing the elven king.


    "Nyaaaa¡­" Miraj yawned while perched on Sylvester''s shoulder, snuggling near his neck and closing her eyes. "Maxy, I sleep here."


    Undoubtedly, many Clergymen in the hall were also dozing off since five hours slowly passed. No changes had urred, and the stalemate persisted. However, since Sylvester hadn''t adjourned the Holy Court, no one could leave.


    Ten hours passed, and night dawned over thends outside, but the Holy Court remained brightly lit with torches. Except for water, nobody was allowed to eat anything or go anywhere. It only made the onlookers feel nervous, wondering if a battle might suddenly erupt at any moment.


    Twenty hours eventually passed. Even the morning sun came close to gracing the realm with its warm light. Sylvester, with eyes firmly opened, stood still the entire time, a halo vibrantly illuminating behind his head.


    ''You should be done calcting all possible scenarios by now.'' Sylvester made his own predictions. ''What will you do next?''


    Slowly, another hour passed, and finally, the sunlight outside began to cascade into the massive hall through itsrge windows and ducts. At that moment, King Rathagun also opened his eyes slowly and looked at Sylvester for a while.


    ''Why are you doing this to me, my son?'' Pained in heart, King Rathagun wondered.


    ''Forgive me, but I must¡ªI have to.'' Sylvester told himself.


    "As the king of Alfia, I cannot kneel while representing the Kingdom." King Rathagun voiced, sounding gentle andposed. "But as a man responsible for the lives of all elves, I must¡ªIf that is the prerequisite for your aid, I''m willing to make this trade."


    Sylvester took another step down, though he didn''t voice his thoughts, allowing King Rathagun''s actions to speak louder than any words. Did he feel bad for the man? Yes, but this was purely politics. He had a soft spot for the man somewhere in the corner of his heart, but it wasn''t enough to hinder his decision-making.


    "I¡­" King Rathagun got onto one knee but couldn''t look up at his own son in the eye. "King Rathagun Xeek Eldraron¡­"


    Murmurs increased, and everyone woke up from their slumber, ready to witness the greatest moment in history.


    "Brother¡­ Don''t!" Avanss tried to stop him.


    But King Rathagun continued, finally revealing some quiver in his voice. "...k-kneels before Pope Maximilian and asks him to provide a cure to the misery, a curse on my people that remains a mystery."


    "Amen." Sylvester raised his right hand, his halo still shining bright. Even his right palm showered the elven king with golden light.


    "One!"


    "Two!"


    "Three!"


    Ka-chick!


    All of a sudden, a massive white light shed, blinding everything for a split second and confusing them. It all happened so suddenly that nobody had any idea what happened¡ªexcept for Sylvester, who smiled ear to ear because of the sessfulpletion of his long scheme.


    "Rise, King Rathagun. The humility you have shown today makes it impossible for me to deny you help. Rest within my pce, and I shall bring you the cure within three days." Sylvester announced. "I pronounce the Holy Court adjourned."


    With that, Sylvester didn''t spare a nce for the elven king and turned around. His eyes focused on Gabriel as he spoke to the Wazir mentally. ''Gab, start printing it. The entire Sol must see it¡ª


    their Pope has made the elven king kneel.''


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 606 605. A Father, A Mother, A Son

    Chapter 606 605. A Father, A Mother, A Son


    What urred in the Holy Court was mind-boggling. The King of the elves knelt. It was history in the making. With the day upon them, Sylvester wasted no time calling the Sanctum Council for an emergency meeting. The iron was hot, and they had to strike it immediately.


    Quickly, despite having been awake and standing the whole night, everyone sat with unwavering focus in the Sanctum Council chambers.


    "Gabriel, when the dragons arrive, stall them as much as possible. Only allow them to meet me once the elves are ready to return¡ªI want the elves and dragons to face each other as they cross paths." Sylvester instructed his Saint Wazir first.


    Afterward, he looked at all the faces in the room and announced his grand n. "Everyone, what I''m doing will define the future of the world. The dream of uniting the two continents can''t happen unless one side emerges as a clear winner. Compromises will only lead to eternal doubts¡ªwho could have won? Who could have ruled the world?


    "I won''t leave any doubt about it this time. The Demon that''s ravaging Beastaria will be the anchor that shall unite it all. The gue that''s ravaging the elves will teach them what gratitude is. But it won''t be easy, especially the dragons. So, I need you all to prepare for covert operations. We have to incite a civil war among the dragons. There are only two Kings left, and one of them will arrive soon. When the picture is taken, it must also reach Greanpeeks¡ªshaming the dragons and turning their popce against the iing King."


    The members of the council didn''t act surprised as they were used to Sylvester''s deep schemes and ability to win battles without raising his own de.


    "What of the Demon?" Felix asked. "If we don''t do something, all of Beastaria will turn to ruin."


    Sylvester sighed and pushed a sheet of paper to each member. "I have a n, and it will require all of Beastaria toe together under my leadership. The Demon draws its power from srium, so we''ll simply drain it away while limiting its ability to absorb more. After that, carnage shall begin¡ªBut I won''t go beyond my duty. The Beastaria has to suffer to learn the lesson that in unity, we are strong."


    "Your Holiness." Bishop Lazark, now Cardinal Lazark, spoke. Being the new Saint Seer, he was the spymaster with his little undead birds everywhere. "I must change the focus of this meeting. I''ve received word that Bloodrain was seen three days ago near Mount Primis in the northwest. The report said he wasn''t alone."


    ''Did he find the Chief of Anti-Light?'' Sylvester silently wondered. He closed his eyes to try and speak with the man mentally. However, he couldn''t find him even when his Srium Web swept through the northwest.


    "Send yourrger undead over. Find out what''s going on. We can''t spare any people to go there at this moment. But if it''s an emergency, I''ll go there myself." Sylvester ordered and moved on with the meeting.


    Other than the major matters, there were several minor things as well. Being the Pope wasn''t only about dealing with existential threats, after all. However, after a few hours, he allowed the council to disperse and rest while he prepared for a one-on-one meeting with King Rathagun.


    When the sun sank into the horizon once again, Sylvester headed up toward the roof of the Pope''s Pce. With Miraj on his shoulder and a bag in one hand, he took the elevator to the top floor and arrived at an openkeside garden with a pavilion-like sitting area. He saw the lone elven man sitting there, looking at the sky in a daze.


    "Dreaming with open eyes?" Sylvester interrupted the man and took a seat in front of him.


    King Rathagun turned to stare at Sylvester for a long while. Devoid of any hatred or any tion, he just inly looked at his son with some confused thoughts. ''He has no reason to see me as his father...''


    "Drink this." Sylvester poured him a ss of liquor. "It''s called Sunshine Nectar. It''s supposed to taste like alcohol, without any alcohol."


    King Rathagun picked up the ss and took a sip without even checking. After a moment, he softly coughed, feeling the harshness of the drink.


    "I know, it''s strong." Sylvester drank some too. "You didn''t think I''d poison you?"


    A smile escaped King Rathagun''s lips as he stared back toward the twin moons, "To be poisoned by my own son? I would ept such a fate rather than living on with the knowledge of it."


    ''Broken, confused, hopeful, sad?'' Sylvester could smell the emotions the elven man was currently feeling. ''Must have woven dreams of a happy family, only to be disappointed...''


    "I had a father¡­" Sylvester replied, his voice somewhat shaking. "His name was Adrik Dolorem¡­ He stood by me since I was a month old¡­ Ready to die for me, ready to fight for me¡­ I had taken him for granted, thinking I could save him¡­ until I failed."


    King Rathagun sensed Sylvester''s feelings, "Did he die with regrets?"


    "None," Sylvester answered. "He died after seeing his dream fulfilled."


    "Then he was a lucky man, Your Holiness. There aren''t many who get to see their dreams be reality." Said King Rathagun, drawing parallels with himself.


    Sylvester sighed and downed an entire ss. He stared at King Rathagun''s face and noticed the man''s ck hair and gray eyes. He clearly understood his blonde hair and golden eyes weren''t from his blood but the work of Solis.


    "If you leave your dreams hidden and suppressed for too long, they often disappear," Sylvester replied and stood up. He walked out into the open and raised his hand toward the sky. Promptly, a few shining shooting stars appeared in the dark moonlit sky. "I have lost too much in my pursuit of this¡­ I can''t rest easy. I can''t stop before I fulfill all my obligations."


    King Rathagun walked to stand beside Sylvester. He, too, raised his hands toward the sky, and even bigger shooting stars appeared, clearly showing his Supreme Wizard ability to draw in the rocks closer. "Why? Don''t you deserve happiness if you have suffered so much?"


    "My fate, my dreams, my goals¡ªin the end, I realized they were mere delusions. What I am doing is far bigger than mere preaching." Sylvester said, deciding to reveal some things. "There are gods greater than Solis and Remira, who rule time, space, past, and future. If not stopped, our world is doomed. I can''t rest until I''ve won, father."


    King Rathagun abruptly looked at Sylvester''s face. His eyes instantly welled up. Atst, hearing the word he had yearned for decades. "Then I will stand by you¡­ We will fight and defeat whoever it is."


    Sylvester sighed and shook his head. He patted King Rathagun''s shoulder, "I''m afraid that won''t be enough¡ªnot even if the entire world came together. But I have a n¡­ If things go well, I may be able to defeat them. Until then, I only hope to unite the two continents."


    "But¡­ What of Xavia? She wouldn''t be happy to see you suffering alone."


    Sylvester chuckled and patted the invisible Miraj on his shoulder, "I''m not alone¡­ But this is a burden I must bear. I was born for it. Too many have died to keep me alive until now. I owe debts that I must repay. Besides, you didn''te here for me; I know that."


    "Max?!"


    Sylvester looked behind them, finding Xavia standing in the distance, having just arrived. He waved his hand while walking away from his father, "But everyone''s peace need not be dyed."


    "Elves won''t change so easily, Sylvester. Nor will the dragons." King Rathagun warned. "What if I''m forced to fight you?"


    Sylvester didn''t look back, "Let me make this clear. From a son to his father¡ªYou can''t afford to make an enemy out of me."


    ''Not when I have your species in the palm of my hands with a mere gue.''


    Sylvester knew he was the greater evil at that moment, but he had made up his mind long ago. Mere feelings had no power to alter his ns.


    With a smile, he reached Xavia and gently tapped her shoulder, "Go on, talk to him. Nobody wille up here."


    Sylvester vanished into the elevator room before she could say anything. However, instead of leaving, he stood there for a while, wanting to see if King Rathagun honestly had sincere feelings for Xavia.


    Using his srium sense from Elder Magic, he perceived his surroundings and listened to what went on. In a moment, he noticed Xavia and King Rathagun embracing each other. Both had tears in their eyes and felt shivers on their lips, losing the ability to speak for a while.


    "I-I longed to hold you for so long, Xavia," King Rathagun hugged her tightly. "Never again¡­ Come with me, Xavia. Together, we''ll live in peace and away from all the chaos."


    Xavia wept but didn''t lose her sense of reason. She stroked King Rathagun''s face, shaking her head, "Your elders will kill us both."


    "They can''t," Rathagun imed. "I''ll step down, make Avanss the King. We can live on the free ind of Libertia together¡ªJust the two of us, away from any prying eyes or responsibilities. A life that could have been ours years ago¡­ Come with me, Xavia."


    Audibly crying, Xavia stepped back from Rathagun''s embrace, "I can''t¡­ All this time, Max fought so we could be together in peace. I can''t leave him now¡­ I won''t betray him now¡­"


    In the elevator room, Sylvester sighed and stepped into the elevator, ''The aroma of rose and spring, foulness of meat, tangerines, and sunflowers. Words may lie, but scents rarely do.''


    Leaving Rathagun and Xavia to speak as husband and wife, Sylvester left the Inquisitor High Lord there, as a guard, so that no one could see the two talking. Then, as usual, he left the Pope''s Pce, but this time in his carriage. He arrived at the Bright Mother''s housing and went to his room in his home.


    Being a Grand Wizard, he did not need sleep. He usually spent his nights reading books, plotting, or drawing blueprints for some machinery. However, that evening, hey down on the bed with eyes open in the dark room.


    A myriad of worries and thoughts haunted him. But at the same time, nothing scared him anymore since his enemies were so powerful that his existence didn''t even matter. No amount of plotting could bring down omniscient gods. Only raw power that matched them could pose a challenge¡ªbut such power was unattainable in a reality under ''their'' control.


    With eyes open, staring at the ceiling, he didn''t even realize it when morning came, and Miraj woke up from his beauty sleep. With that, he also stood up from his bed, not needing to change clothes.


    The scent of a delicious breakfast invaded his nose already. The usual honey pancakes and Miraj''s banana with milk. And, of course, Zeke''s protein-filled meat sd breakfast. They all gathered at the table as usual and finished breakfast.


    Like always, Sylvester got up to head to work. However, this time, he stopped at the door and looked behind him towards Xavia, who appeared somewhat lost, "He''s your husband. I won''t mind if you live with him, Mum. I''m not a kid anymore. You should worry about your own life. Don''t make me the shackles holding you back."


    With that, Sylvester left and rode his bicycle like usual. He had realized that in his pursuit of peace, others were also suffering. It was foolish of him because he had centuries of life ahead, but others did not.


    "Maxy, will Big Mum go away?" Miraj asked, perched on Sylvester''s shoulder as the wind stroked his fur. "Why? We love her a lot."


    "Miraj, no matter how much we love someone, we have no right to hold them back from making their own choices." Sylvester corrected his little friend.


    Miraj, almost on the verge of crying, mumbled. "But¡­ don''t you want her to be with us?"


    "Of course I do." Sylvester didn''t lie. "But this is a chance for her to live with the love of her life again¡­ not everyone gets such a chance. Anyway, you got me, Chonky."


    "And you got me." Miraj sniveled and hugged Sylvester''s neck, nestling beside his chest. "I will miss her if she leaves."


    "Me too."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 607 606. Grand Plans & Grand Changes

    Chapter 607 606. Grand ns & Grand Changes


    Goldstown was a small town across the Gold River, sitting beside the mountains filled with precious minerals, just at the border of the Riveria Kingdom. The ce held a lot of history as it once housed the Pope when he was a young student at school. Bloodling in the nearby goldmine was also partially defeated by the young bard.


    It was a story that every man, woman, and child in town knew, ensuring that any traveler passing through would also hear of it. After all, the living proof was there; the town''s chief, Marigold Roger, was still alive. His granddaughter had also grown into a fine woman who was once saved by the young bard.


    The town had been blessed with gold for some time, but more blessings arrived in the form of books detailing how to read, write, and elementary studies. The town boasted a staggering one hundred percent literacy rate¡ªmeaning everyone could read and write. That boon only helped them as they became better traders and business owners and overall made them more civilized.


    Woosh!


    It was just another day when a strange bird appeared in the sky once again and dropped the papers. It was a magical mystery and the talk of the town, as the images and words on the papers always seemed too finely detailed.


    Yet, as if it was some ritual, the people of Goldstown gathered to pick up the papers and read them. Usually, they contained thetest announcements or words of advice from the Pope. However, that day, they failed to realize how earth-shattering thetest development was.


    "Elves knelt! Pope Sylvester Maximilian agreed to cure the elven gue!" Shouted Chief Marigold Roger. "This artwork¡ªthis is beautiful, as if it came straight from the Holy Court."


    "It ''is'' from the Holy Court." Said Felicia, the granddaughter of the man. "Look at this second paper. It talks about the new inventions by the Holy Land that allow one to capture still images of real life. Grandpa, that''s not art¡ªthat''s the real scene from the Holy Court¡ª


    it''s called a Photograph; the announcement said so."


    "Photograph?" Chief Marigold looked at the paper again. His hands instantly started to tremble. "This is real?"


    Thud!


    He urgently fell to his knees and kowtowed to the paper, "We''re in the presence of His Holiness'' blessing¡­ Quick, kneel down, Felicia!"


    "Brother! Did you see?!" Just then, Marigold''s brother, Lend, arrived. "Why are you kneeling?"


    "Oh, Holy Bard¡­ Forgive the minds of these morons¡­" Marigold prayed toward the sky. "They are fools who see not your glory. Blind to sense the meanings behind your stories."


    "..."


    Certainly, there was no doubt that Marigold Rogers was a staunch supporter and believer of Sylvester. He may have only met the Holy Bard once, but the impression was so profound that he still remembered every minute detail.


    "Brother, get up! A delegation from the Holy Land had arrived. They came with a lot of equipment¡ªThey said they wanted to industrialize our gold extraction and processing with machines built by His Holiness," Lend Roger exined in a hurry. "Come quick!"


    "The Bard''s inventions?" Marigold was immediately sold. The man was ready to give anything to His Holiness if asked for, even his soul.


    However, this scene wasn''t limited to Goldstown alone. Simrly, Pitfall Town, Falshoot Vige, Dying City, Wailing City, and many more ces that had witnessed Sylvester''s presence in the past rejoiced.


    The massive achievement of their Pope, bringing the elves to their knees, was a source of boasting and pride. But the fact that the Pope was willing to graciously heal another gue for the elves provided a sense of humility.


    Interspecies very had been abolished for a while, but the lingering stain in people''s minds had remained the same. Even more so, as the greatest symbol of very, the Tower of Godless was still standing.


    However, everyone knew that it was a matter of time before even that unholy presence would be swept away by the radiance of the new Pope.


    It was a new dawn in Sol, one filled with hope.


    ¡­


    Pope''s Pce,


    Bam!


    Sylvester mmed his forehead on the table before him, "This job is boring¡­ I spoiled myself too much with constant battles and schemes. I need to manage this paperwork better¡­ Chonky, what do y¡ª"


    "Mewmewmew¡­"


    "Already snoring¡­" Sylvester groaned and wearily forced himself to work. Reading papers, signing some, rejecting a few, or burning others. "I can''t possibly do this for centuries."


    Knock! Knock!


    Right then, a knock came, and finally, Sylvester found himself getting excited for something new. "You may enter."


    There, Sylvester saw Cardinal Maxim entering, the young man without magical talent but a mind so great that he was the head of the weapons manufacturing division. One of his biggest supporters in the Holy Land, who remained loyal even during the onught from the false Pope.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us," Cardinal Maxim entered. "I received word that you requested my presence, Your Holiness."


    "Indeed, I did. I need the most innovative minds to achieve what I have envisioned. Something that will revolutionize the world in theing decades, change the way we live as we know it." Sylvester proudly weed him and got to work, "I want you to build the prototypes of a few things and make an estimate of how much it''d cost to make it with a production line."


    "Anything you wish for will be done, Your Holiness. What needs to be made?" Cardinal Maxim asked, always stoic about everything, even when his heart was excited.


    Sylvester took out a few diagrams from his table drawer, "You must have seen the blueprint of the tram I''ve constructed in Miraj City. But that''s only good for short distances, such as city-wide transportation. But what about travel between cities and kingdoms? That''s where these lotivese in. I need you to build one ording to these designs and, if you have any improvements in mind, expand on them. Set up a test track of fifty kilometers outside the Holy Land.


    "Also, I need you to develop giant turbines that can generate electricity from river dams. Prince Jinn will join you in this venture as he''s an expert. I want these two projects to take top priority, as they can be the horses that will power the world''s innovations soon."


    While looking at the various blueprints, Cardinal Maxim noticed a map. It had long lines stretching across Sol, piquing his curiosity. "Are these the routes the loco¡­ lotives will run on?"


    "Trains¡ªThat''s what we''ll call them. They can transport not only people but also a lot of cargo. Now, imagine how easy it would be to trade and send goods from one ce to another. In the future, people will be able to buy grains from Riveria and send them deep down south in the ckhart Kingdom within a day or two.


    "The new era of trade and production-based economy will start¡ª


    lessening the powers of kings and queens over their kingdoms. Trade will be the true ruler," Sylvester exined in detail with much enthusiasm. He was fully aware that he wasn''t an economist but a spy, but still, he understood a few things about business-based society. The easier it was to trade and reach customers, the better it was for everyone.


    "I''ll get to it then." Cardinal Maxim folded the papers back and ced them in his bag. "Anything else, Your Holiness?"


    "No, you''re free to go," Sylvester allowed him to leave as time drew near for his meeting with another man. It was time for the biggest scheme he had in mind¡ªone that would fix an issue that no one was talking about.


    Knock!


    This time, before Sylvester could speak, the door swung open, and a tall man entered. With a white beard, white hair, and a big smile stered on his face. King Hignd was the same as ever, in high spirits.


    "How may I be of service, Your Holiness."


    Sylvester chuckled at the man''s theatrics, "Take a seat, old man. We have an important topic to discuss."


    "Which is?" King Hignd asked with a hint of urgency. "I came as quickly as possible after I heard about the elves. But I must return. My lovely queen is pregnant."


    "Again?!" Sylvester eximed.


    King Hignd''s brows furrowed, "Again? I only have one son, Your Holiness. Besides, Rex needs a sibling to y with and learn responsibility. Though I wish to have a daughter I can dote on this time¡­ Haha, I can''t wait for the birth."


    "..."


    ''He''s as excited as a kid in a candy store.'' Sylvester sighed internally. Understanding that for King Hignd, having kids was a grand affair.


    "I wanted to discuss with you the prospect of reforming the current ranking and leveling system of wizards and knights," Sylvester dropped the news.


    "What''s wrong with the current system?"


    Sylvester pointed his finger toward himself, "I am, Your Majesty. Think about my entire life. I have always been able to punch way above my weight. At the end of my Archwizard rank, I could easily defeat the Grand Wizards up to level three. While at Grand Wizard level one, I could defeat all Grand Wizards up to the final level with ease, and even fight with Supreme Wizards. We need to recognize that each wizard can have different talents and peaks."


    The old king stroked his beard in agreement, "Weren''t you simply better because you''re blessed?"


    ''I often wonder about that.'' Sylvester didn''t say that loud.


    "Not necessarily. Felix has always been a great warrior, able to stand against stronger foes. There are enough examples to prove that the current ssification doesn''t work." He said and began to exin his idea as well. "I suggest a centralized ranking exam. It won''t focus on srium-based rank but rather skill-based rank. This means there will now be two types of ranks.


    "One is an unverified rank, and the second will be a verified rank. If one can punch above their weight, they would receive a hidden certification. This way, we would always know who the talented ones are. Also, I will allow this test to be free in all monasteries. For higher ranks, use Grand Monasteries. For Grand Wizard ranks, send them to the Holy Land, I''ll test them myself."


    King Hignd remained silent for a long while after Sylvester finished speaking. He visualized how the new system would work, cost money to set up the testing grounds."


    "A cost I''m willing to pay. Additionally, I''m going to ce more focus and in the end, he could see it benefiting everyone, "It''s going to cost money to set up the testing grounds."


    "A cost I''m willing to pay. Additionally, I''m going to ce more focus on sub-branches of magic. Thunder, ice, magma, metal, sand, wood, light, mas, and all sorts of imaginable elements that can be harnessed. This world is huge; no need to confine it within a few categories." Sylvester concluded his pitch to the old king. "What do you think?"


    "Seems sensible to me. If we can implement it well, this will certainly be a better way of ranking. The new subjects will broaden the horizon¡ªBut why ask me? You have experts here," asked King Hignd.


    Knock! Knock!


    At that moment, a knock on the door interrupted them, and Sylvester''s assistant, a Bright Mother, peeked inside. "Your Holiness, the dragonkins have arrived at the shore."


    Bam!


    Sylvester smacked the table and stood up, "This is why I called you here. Come, old man. I''ll show you history in the making."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 608 607. A Dragons Compromise

    Chapter 608 607.A Dragon''s Compromise


    Sylvester once again donned his mitre and dressed in more regal clothes. He didn''t dare take the dragons lightly since they were very different from the elves. Furthermore, dealing with elves was easier since the man who led them was his father. There was some room for emotional maniption and negotiations.


    However, when it came to the dragons, they only understood thenguage of strength and straightforwardness. For that, he had to look imposing despite looking young. In moments like these, he really cursed the fact that he didn''t have an imposing beard.


    As per his n, he ensured that the elves and the dragons saw each other, face to face, at least once before they entered his hall. This created conditions where the dragons knew what to expect from Sylvester and what it would cost to ask for his help.


    "What do you want me to do? Fight them?" Asked King Hignd as he walked beside Sylvester and entered the Holy Court.


    Sylvester took his throne and firmly held his magical staff, "Stand beside me as my shield. I honestly have no idea how they would react to my demand. ording to the rumors, there are chances they might just attack me without a word."


    ''That''s why King Rathagun is still waiting outside.'' Sylvester felt a little reassured by the presence of his father. As the Dragon King was also a Supreme Wizard named Malisius.


    Once again, the huge hall, brightly lit with torches and sunlight from outside, was crowded with Clergymen. The Guardians and any powerhouse that Sylvester could muster availed themselves that moment. He even borrowed the Grand Wizards of Gracia for this moment.


    "Don''t make any sudden movements," Sylvester warned those standing beside his throne. "Unless I give a signal, don''t react to any provocation from their side."


    This time, the air felt even more oppressive and suffocating in the massive hall. The crowdscked murmurs, and everyone''s eyes were fixated on therge double doors. It was understandable since elves, despite being a different species, looked almost like humans. Meanwhile, the dragons were just¡ªdragons.


    "In the house of Solis!" The herald began shouting. "A King of the dragons of Greenpeaks, King Malisius, has arrived!"


    The twin doors opened, and a tall humanoid figure entered the halls. The red scales appeared like crimson fury. The aura he had was wrathful, a power akin to none. With confident, purposeful strides, he walked in while staring around at the various faces. His breath fumed with fire, and the low grunts he made were deafening despite his sizepared to the space.


    "Quite the pce you''ve built for yourself, ruler of humans."


    "Pope, that''s what you should refer to His Holiness as," Gabriel quickly spoke up, as his job was to maintain the decorum of the Holy Court.


    King Malisius smirked in ridicule, "I thought the one in the little chair was the Pope. Why are you speaking?"


    It wasn''t easy to read the man, as the scent of fury shrouded everything. The dragon had evene alone, so that raised uncertainties; was he here to seek aid or to provoke a fight? However, following Sylvester''s orders, nobody reacted to the provocative acts of the man.


    "And I expected a king to choose his words more wisely," Sylvester retorted. He had to since he was sitting as the Pope. "I won''t extend a wee since your wordsck the sense that you wish to be weed. So, why have youe?"


    Malisius squinted his eyes in anger. He wasn''t used to people talking to him like that, and since his interaction with other species was non-existent, he didn''t like it. "You know why I''m here."


    "I don''t," Sylvester replied, although it was apparent that he knew it.


    "Ugh¡­" Malisius grunted. "I''m here to warn you humans about a Demon in the Divider Swamp. With the might of a Supreme Wizard, it has spread its tentacles into the Merkinke. If not stopped, it will first devour Beastaria and then your continent."


    Sylvester proudly raised his chin, "So you havee to ask for my aid? The Holy Land is the strongest faction within light magic, so you wanted our help?"


    Malisius'' expression was worth seeing. His strong hands clenched, and his face burned red despite his scales being red. The tension continued to rise in the room, and everyone expected the dragon would attack the Pope anytime now.


    "I spoke no such words," Malisius said.


    Sylvester scoffed, "But you implied it."


    With that, Sylvester abruptly stood up and walked down two steps. Of course, not too close to the dragon. He used the same trick he had done with the elven king and began to sing a hymn to form a halo behind his head.


    <nulli>?Dragon from thend beyond¡ªyou desire my aid?


    <nulli>Only in death, youe here since you''re afraid.


    <nulli>Words, hollow promises¡ªJust a dishonest appeal,


    <nulli>You want my aid¡ªshow resolve and kneel!?


    Yes, it was the same hymn he had spoken to the elven king, just a few minor changes. The Clergymen also noticed it, but they couldn''t help but feel frightened as the Dragon King began to emit steam from his body. Burning in anger and annoyance, it was an expected reaction from someone like him.


    "Pope, do not forget I am a King too¡­ Your suggestion could lead to serious consequences."


    Sylvester continued to sing, gesturing behind himself with a meaningful expression.


    ?Kings, queens, stand plenty behind.


    How puny in death, must I remind?


    Suffering doom, yet you stand blind.


    Dragon, there''s a price for me to be kind.?


    King Malisius gritted his jaws and looked at the crowd behind Sylvester at the sides of the throne. As far as he could discern, there were the Guardians of Light, but also some monarchs. In essence, he was equal to them, and in the eyes of humans, the Pope was above him¡ªa King.


    It was uneptable, annoying, and enraging. His pride wasn''t something to be trifled with, nor was he to kneel to someone he knew was weaker than him. He red at Sylvester in anger and raised his hands toward him.


    "If that''s what you came here to do, I suggest you return, Malisius."


    A voice came from behind. Alerted, Malisius turned to see, "Don''t stand in my way, elf!"


    "He defeated two Supreme Wizards to be the Pope. You believe he''s scared of you?" King Rathagun said, raising his palm toward King Malisius, clearly hinting that he''d attack if any harm came to Sylvester. "I''m here for a cure for my people. I won''t allow you to attack the Pope and ruin it. If you wish for his aid, kneel¡ªor go back to Greenpeaks!"


    Malisius'' instincts felt a twinge of danger, provoking his fight-or-flight response, "That Demon will destroy the elves too!"


    Sylvester interjected right then, "A magically enforced pact has been signed. The elves are now free to trade with us and visit us¡ªall inter-species very is now banned. If that Demon does attack them, I will wee the elves here¡ªI doubt the Demon can cross the ocean."


    "What if it can?"


    "We can only watch and wait," Sylvester replied, indirectly saying he''d watch them die first.


    The Dragon King fell silent after that and silently looked around at everyone. Contemting what to do, he seemed to consider the offer. His kneeling could save Greenpeaks. Personally, he didn''t care, but it was the ancestralnd, and it was his duty to protect it. and once again, we shall witness his majesty through me."


    Malisius felt disgusted by the mention of a human god. However, he The Demon had already fouled most of it, so he found himself walking on thin ice.


    "How would you defeat the Demon?" Malisius asked.


    Sylvester raised one hand and emitted light from it, "With the warmth of the Lord, of course. Solis has never faltered against evil, and once again, we shall witness his majesty through me."


    Malisius felt disgusted by the mention of a human god. However, he didn''t ridicule it, as it was thest hope to save Greenpeaks. His breath grew ragged as he gazed down at the marble floor.


    "As a King, it is my duty to protect Greenpeaks¡ªThe existence of my home is at risk, and for that, I shall do anything, no matter how much I despise you."


    Slowly, Malisius'' giant body lowered to one knee, and he finally fully knelt. But he didn''t look at Sylvester, as shame weighed heavily on his heart.


    "Three!"


    "Two!"


    "One!"


    Ka-Chak!


    An otherworldly, blinding sh of white light enveloped everything and blinded Malisius for a few seconds. Yet he saw no harm to himself, nor did others seem to react. So he ignored it and talked while kneeling.


    "I, King Malisius of Greenpeaks, invite Pope Sylvester toe and help defeat the mighty Demon of Divider Swamp."


    ''I still don''t feel like going closer to him.'' Sylvester stayed put, close to his throne.


    "Arise, King Malisius, no more are we enemies, for we have amon foe. Together, let us prepare to deal the Demon a fatal blow." Sylvester eased his tone of speech and became much more friendly. "When you return to the Greenpeaks, I have a task for you to do before I arrive. I shall give you a special rune that will be used to block srium for the Demon, limiting its magic. I hope the dragons can draw the runes around the borders of the area controlled by the Demon."


    "Such a rune exists?" King Malisius was pleasantly surprised.


    "For me, it does," Sylvester didn''t reveal he knew elder magic. "You will be escorted to a mansion near the sea to rest. My wazir will bring you the rune schemes by tomorrow morning."


    Malisius simply nodded and left the hall without saying a word. Of course, his pride was hurt that day. But at least for Sylvester, it was a day worth celebrating.


    "The Holy Court is adjourned." Sylvester dismissed everyone and walked over to Gabriel to drag him away, for they had much work to do.


    "Fire up the printing press¡ªthis photograph should reach every corner of Sol. Tell Cardinal Lazark to use one of his stronger and faster undead birds to throw a stack of it in Greenpeaks as well¡ª


    Let''s see how King Malisius gets weed back home." Sylvester, with a devious, scheming smile, instructed his good friend.


    Gabriel merely nodded in silence the entire time, used to Sylvester''s calcting smiles. In all honesty, if he didn''t know Sylvester was the Pope, he would''ve considered him as someone evil.


    "Understood, Your Holiness."


    ¡­


    Close to the Holy Land was the Barony of Lovnd. The Baron was called Lee Da Lovnd, and he had an interesting past with Sylvester for being the first man to paint Sylvester and Mother Xavia in the early days.


    He enjoyed rtive peace and wealth since Sylvester shared some inventions with him that helped his clothing business. But, there was another business that he was heavily involved in¡ªthe painting business.


    Woosh!


    It was just another morning as he sipped some exotic tea on the terrace of his castle. Life had never been better, as the new Pope brought great peace and tranquility to the realm. However, the moment a sheet of paper fell from the sky onto his face, he couldn''t help but spew out a mouthful of tea.


    "Pfoooo¡­ He got the dragons too?!" Baron Lovnd eximed and stared at the sheet of paper. "Such impable artwork¡­ If this new invention bes famous, nobody will want my paintings¡­"


    However, at the same time, he couldn''t help but scratch his head in confusion about the future.


    "It''s been what? Three months? He already made the elves and dragons kneel and united Sol¡ªHe''s not even thirty years old and has be the Pope. But now what?"


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 609 608. Sylvesters Fear

    Chapter 609 608. Sylvester''s Fear


    A dayter, the docks of the Holy Land appeared crowded. Two ships left the docks, both heading east, but in appearances, they couldn''t be more different. King Rathagun had a massive elven ship covered with vines, draped in various shades of green. Meanwhile, King Malisius had a small ship, but it was incredibly fast with wing-shaped sails.


    From the docks, Sylvester gently waved his hand. A constant smile was stered on his face. This was perhaps one of his greatest achievements that would be remembered by history.


    "You do understand that he will try to kill you when you visit Beastaria to kill the Demonter?" Felix warned. "I''ve spied on the dragons for a while, and they aren''t the bunch that easily forgets their grudges."


    Sylvester continued to smile and wave, "I know. He will probably wait until I deal with the Demon and then strike. But I''ll be prepared when that happens¡ªDon''t worry, Felix."


    Turning around, Sylvester looked at all the high-ranking Clergymen, "With this historic meeting concluded, now is the time to celebrate! Three days of festivals shall be observed in the Holy Land¡ªSpread the word to the nearby towns and viges. The future is now filled with warmth, hope, and happiness!"


    Surprisingly, the Clergymen didn''t jump in joy or cheers. With solemn smiles on their faces, they looked left and right at each other. What Sylvester had done didn''t seem a lot at first nce since it urred so quickly and smoothly. However, when looked through the lens of a historian, the kneeling of two heathen monarchs was a grand event.


    For a thousand years, they had battled for superiority. After the murder of Pope Desmond, the living conditions in Sol continued to deteriorate as the war ate almost all of the resources that could be used to elevate the people''s lives.


    Now, atst, it seemed that the realm was finally moving in the right direction.


    "Long live His Holiness!"


    "Love live Pope Sylvester!"


    A sudden, unified chant ensued at the docks. From the clergymen of the highest ranks to the normal workers at the docks, everyone shouted together. Unlike in typical circumstances, Sylvester hadn''t nned this one; he hadn''t nted anyone in the crowd to start the chant.


    In truth, this was the greatest badge of honor for him. Proof that his actions were being perceived in the right way, regardless of propaganda. And hopefully, things would continue to develop in that course.


    "Your Holiness," Gabriel arrived behind Sylvester and spoke in his ear. "The Guild Masters of all the major assassin guilds have arrived in the private hall."


    "No need to give them food and drinks; they won''t take it. Did they see the photographs?" Sylvester asked while wondering what to do with the assassin guilds. He obviously didn''t want them to continue existing in the peaceful world he hoped to make. But at the same time, dismantling them would be annoying since the top guilds likely had a few Grand Wizards.


    Of course, he could kill any Grand Wizard with ease, but the issue was about preserving strength at that point, not reducing it.


    "Then let''s go and meet with them," Sylvester waved his hands at the crowd and slowly made his way out of the docks.


    The private meeting hall was on the same floor as his office. Sylvester entered the room with long strides, not bothering to spare a nce at any of the visitors. They all appeared almost the same in any case. ck-robed, and face covered with a mask or cloth. They all sat behind a table, and each had a card ced in front of them stating the name of their guild.


    There were many big names, such as the ones from the Isle of Men.


    But Sylvester didn''t care about their ranks. He just wanted answers from them. "I don''t care about what you did in the past. What I want is an answer¡ªWho put the bounty on my and my mother''s head? Was it the Emperor of Masan? Someone from the Holy Land?"


    "Neither, Your Holiness," a man spoke up, the name of his guild being Weeping Men, an SSS ss assassin guild, some of the best on the continent.


    Sylvester frowned, "Then who was it? I want a name."


    "That we do not have," another man responded. "The bounties ced on the previous Pope''s head were from the Emperor of Masan. However, the bounties on your head came from anonymous sources. The money was deposited in our vault, and the bounties were made open for all¡ªanyone who was toplete it would receive the amount."


    Sylvester sighed and stood up, "So you can''t give me an answer? Is there no way to know who ced the bounty?"


    "No, Your Holiness. In fact, the bounty is still in ce. It can''t be stopped since we don''t know who ced it."


    Sylvester shook his head and proceeded to leave, "All of you have one week to turn into adventure guilds instead of assassin guilds. Failure toply will invoke Article 66¡ªAnd you probably know I''ve never failed to enforce this onew."


    There was no discussion, no negotiation. Sylvester''s decision was final. He was willing to forgive the assassin guilds for their past actions, but they had to change their ways.


    ¡­


    Sylvester spent some more time working in the Pope''s Pce before deciding to return home. Despite the mostly dull, mundane life, home was one thing he looked forward to. The food and peace of mind it offered were iparable.


    On the bicycle, with Miraj singing on his shoulder, the two made their way back home in the night.


    <nulli>?Hello pretty kitty, pleasee here,


    <nulli>Maxy sings the best songs you''ll ever hear. <nulli>Oh, you''re deaf? There''s nothing to fear, <nulli>Maxy can heal you in a jiffy, my dear.?


    "..."


    Sylvester had never heard that one before, "What kind of song is this? A deaf girl?"


    Miraj giggled, "Hehe¡­ I made this new song¡­ It''s about a sad little girl whom Maxy helps. Wanna hear more?"


    "Go ahead," Sylvester didn''t mind hearing Miraj''s cute voice. It was Your life, with my voice, lemme enchant.


    heartwarming, as always.


    ?Nya nyo nya¡ªThis is my lovely chant.


    Your life, with my voice, lemme enchant.


    No matter you be human or a nt¡ª?


    "We''re home." Sylvester interrupted Miraj''s song and entered the home. It was still dark inside, so he ignited the srium crystals he had ced around. In an instant, every corner of the house was bathed in light.


    Miraj jumped from Sylvester''s shoulder and ran to the kitchen with his nose twitching, "Big Mum! I''m home¡­ What''s for tasty dinner?... Big Mum?"


    However, after searching the entire house, Miraj returned empty-handed and confused. He stared at Sylvester in wonder, "Maxy, where is Big Mum?"


    Sylvester, also looking dejected, picked Miraj up. "The elven ship left today. Did you forget?"


    "NO!" Miraj growled. "She left us? Maxy, she''s gone? Why? Where is she? Let''s get her back!"


    "Calm down, Chonky. It''s her choice." Sylvester rubbed Miraj''s head and went to the living room to settle down and calm his mind. "I told you this could happen."


    Bam!


    "What can happen?"


    Sylvester and Miraj''s head turned to look at the door. In the usual golden white clothes of a Bright Mother stood Xavia, with a bag full of vegetables. She entered the house and went to the kitchen to ce the items.


    Sylvester quickly stood up, "You didn''t go? I thought you''d go with King Rathagun."


    Xavia looked surprised but soon continued to work, "I was tempted, and he tried his best to invite me along. To a dreamy life, he talked about, somewhere away from both worlds, somewhere in the middle."


    "Then why stay? Isn''t that what you want?" Sylvester asked.


    She chuckled with a hint of sadness, "I''m not a fool, Max. What is he? An elf. What am I? A human. He loves me right now and finds me attractive. But in a few years, I''ll grow old and ugly. In contrast, he would remain the same for thousands of years. Then what? He''ll find someone new¡­ I have no desire to be a nameless member of his harem.


    "He has a queen already, a beautiful one at that. I told him to focus on her instead of chasing after the past¡ªWhat''s gone is gone. I''ve already chosen to live my life with the person I''ve spent most of my years with¡ªMy dear son, Sylvester Maximilian."


    ''Rotten meat¡ªpain and sadness.'' Sylvester picked up the scent.


    He didn''t say anything, and simply went ahead to hug Xavia tightly in his embrace. Hearing her words, he felt a weird ticklish sensation in his chest and gut. It was an emotion he wasn''t used to.


    ''So I''m not cursed to be alone in this life?'' He muttered, looking toward the night sky through therge window at the side. ''Do you see this, Diana? I didn''t give up¡­''


    Sniff!


    Sylvester hugged Xavia tighter, understanding her broken heart. No words could ease the ache in her heart. He could only hope the warm embrace would help.


    "It''s okay to cry," he muttered.


    She tried to speak, but almost choked, "I-I¡­ I almost¡­ Went with him¡­ I''m not a good mother, Max¡­ I almost left you¡­ for something so¡­ insignificant."


    He emotionally chuckled, "True, you''re not a good mother¡ªyou''re the greatest."


    And with that, she simply wailed without words. A woman who suffered so much, bore a child at a young age, was forced to run for life, and almost raped for merely existing. She had suffered through a lot as a hidden pir of support for him. One rarely talked about, but the one he never dared to forget her contribution.


    ''I have to find a way to make her live longer¡­ I don''t want to be alone in this life.''


    Sylvester reminded himself¡ªone of his deepest insecurities.


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 610 609. When Magic Meets Technology

    Chapter 610 609. When Magic Meets Technology


    "Haaaa! KILL HIM!"


    "Felix! What happened?!" Isabe jumped awake from her sleep and looked at her side. Felix was awake, sitting on the bed, his body sweating and steaming, his eyes bloodshot red, and his body shivering. "Nightmare? Again?"


    Quickly, Isabe slid over to him and pulled his head closer in her embrace. She stroked Felix''s short hair and caressed his chest to calm him down. Thankfully, he had regrown his skin because of Sylvester, but some side effects were yet to fade away.


    Felix rxed in Isabe''s arms, holding her body tightly. She was truly the only family member he had left, "M-More than a nightmare."


    "Why don''t we speak with Sylvester? Maybe he will know something to help you." Isabe suggested him. "You''ve been having these nightmares every week."


    "You think he does not know? Sylvester knows it all too well¡­ he always knows." Felix said, rejecting the idea of seeing Sylvester. "He has enough on his te. I don''t want to be another burden for him."


    "Then¡­ Let''s go to Healer Hendrix. He will surely know something," Isabe said, hoping he would agree this time. "Please, Felix¡­ I want to spend the rest of my life with you¡­ Let''s try to settle anything that can ever stand between us and our happiness."


    It was something he had heard many times before. But hearing Isabe''s worried voice, he nodded his head in agreement before closing his eyes.


    "Forgive me, Isabe¡­ I''m ruining your best years. If they hadn''t¡­ I''d have married you by now." Felix embraced her waist tighter while resting his head on herp. "I really want to start a family with you."


    Almost on the verge of tears, she lowered her face and pecked his lips. "Without setbacks, we wouldn''t appreciate triumph. We will cross these dark nights into a future full of light¡­ I have faith."


    Felix smiled and tried to sleep again. He hated himself for making things hard for Isabe. He desperately wanted the nightmares to stop.


    ¡­


    In the Bright Mother''s housing, Sylvester woke up before anyone else that morning. Sadly, he wasn''t the best when it came to cooking and made a lot of noise. It eventually woke Xavia up, but Sylvester forced her to sit in the living room, exercise, bathe, and read a book.


    Meanwhile, he cooked for his little family. He used to cook by himself for years in his past life, but the memories had gotten a little rusty, so he failed a few times. After all, he was trying to cook things from pasta, hamburgers, pancakes, and even normal cakes. He had also found beans that were simr to coffee, so he attempted to make that as well.


    "You don''t have to do this, dear," Xavia shouted from the living room, unable to stop herself from sneaking a few nces. "At this rate, we''ll bete for work."


    "Haha!" Sylvesterughed out loud. "Mum, I''m the Pope, the boss of everything¡ªWho''s going toin?"


    Xavia raised her brows, unable to reply to that. It was true. There was nobody who could criticize him.


    Soon enough, even Miraj came back from his morning stroll outside and climbed onto Sylvester''s shoulder to take a look, "Smells yummy¡­ Is there a banana in it?"


    "Not everything needs to have banana and honey, Chonky. But I did make a banana smoothie for you," Sylvester couldn''t afford to make Miraj sad. "Go and scare Mum."


    "Hehe¡­ Aye, aye." Miraj jumped away and tiptoed to Xavia. Since Xavia couldn''t see him, she never knew when he was about to jump on her. It always startled her out of breath.


    Looking at everything, Sylvester felt much more rxed. This wasn''t the true peace he desired, but this was at least a strong start. He was now the Pope, and no matter what, he knew he would give his best in the fight to preserve this.


    Soon enough, Sylvester was done cooking. Zeke, his adopted brother, came to help set the table. Afterward, they ate together while discussing various matters¡ªespecially Sylvester, who had something for Xavia.


    well."


    "Mum, I''ll be changing your designation. I want you to focus more on the Bright Mother Association. They are my greatest spy assets, and I want them to be taken care of." Sylvester announced. It didn''t need to be discussed since Xavia''s current position ced too much workload on her.


    "Where will I work from?" Xavia inquired. "Too many Bright Mothers entering the Pope''s Pce will raise questions and doubt on you as well."


    Sylvester understood what she meant. After all, many of the Bright Mothers were otherworldly beautiful; the prime example was sitting right before him. "I''vemissioned a new building. It will be the Bright Mothers'' official administration office building. You will work from there."


    "Me?" Asked Zeke. "Zeke protect Mother more?"


    Sylvester smiled and ced more food on the simple man''s te. "You will be an assistant instructor for the knights in training at School of Dawn. Headmaster Geralt will take care of everything."


    "Zeke will teach?" Zeke stopped eating and looked at his food in a daze. "Can Zeke do it?"


    "Zeke can do anything and everything." Sylvester patted the man''s shoulder. "People doubted you could be a good knight, and you proved them wrong. So, always believe in yourself."


    With that, Sylvester scooped up thest of his food and stood up. "Now, I have to head to the workshops and oversee the development of a few things. I''ll meet you at lunchter."


    "Lunch?" Xavia eximed in surprise.


    Grandma Bright Mothers and learn to make new things."


    Sylvester headed out, grabbed his bicycle, and rushed off toward Sylvester picked up his bag, and Miraj said, "From now on, whenever I''m in the Holy Land, I''ll never miss breakfast, lunch, and dinner with you all."


    Xavia felt sheer happiness, "Then¡­ I should meet with a few of Grandma Bright Mothers and learn to make new things."


    Sylvester headed out, grabbed his bicycle, and rushed off toward the weapon''s manufacturing division. But it wasn''t just manufacturing weapons now, as the inventions he wanted demanded expert minds to work on them. It wasn''t easy to find people who could understand and grasp the modern physics and engineering techniques that he tried to teach. Even dwarves found it challenging.


    But in the end, he decided to let things go naturally. After all, this world had magic, and many things could be solved with a few special runes. For example, he had envisioned an Internal Combustion Engine that didn''t require any fossil fuel. In theory, it was possible, but he left the true creation to the expert. All he knew was that if they were able to make the engine, the world would change a lot.


    "Halt! Show your credentials."


    "..."


    Sylvester hit the brakes on his bicycle. To his shock, the guards at the entry gate of the production region stopped him, "I''m the Pope


    ¡ªBlonde hair, golden eyes, otherworldly handsome¡­?"


    The two guards stared at Sylvester carefully.


    "Why would the Pope use such lowly means of travel when he has a magnificent stagecoach? Are you an imposter?"


    Sylvester sighed and made a ball of light on his hand and a halo behind his head, "See?"


    THUD!


    The two guardsid down on their bellies, hands sped together above their shoulders, and immediately pleaded.


    "Forgive us two blind fools, Your Holiness. We couldn''t recognize your holy presence¡ªPlease enter thisnd of your rule¡ªForgive us lowly servants."


    "..."


    Sylvester scratched his head and dragged his bicycle in. It felt too bizarre since everyone knew what he looked like. So he thought about it deeply and finally came to a conclusion.


    "You two!" He paused and looked back. "Look at my hand and tell me how many fingers I''m holding."


    The two men instantly started sweating.


    "Two."


    "One."


    ''Sweet holy Solis!'' Sylvester nearly cursed. ''Their eyesight is worse than a mole''s. Wait a second, I don''t remember there ever being a mandatory medical examination of any Clergymen. That means¡­''


    The possibility horrified him. Considering what kinds of diseases many Clergymen might be carrying, it was an answer he didn''t really want to know in detail. However, one thing was clear: problems such as bad vision were treatable, and for that, it had to be documented first.


    ''I guess I''ve found work for Healer Hendrix then.''


    Sylvester didn''t bother with the two guards and headed into the warehouse. He then went to the Cardinal''s office. He found Cardinal Maxim and Prince Jinn working on a few blueprints, bickering with each other passionately.


    "Report!" He stormed in as the Pope. "What''s the progress of the machines? I also handed you the telegraph machine. Were you able to replicate it through magic? I need a better way ofmunication for better management over thew and order of the continent."


    The two men silently nodded and quickly took papers from various cabs behind them. It appeared that the two men shared this workspace. But one thing Sylvester liked was the fire in their eyes, especially in the case of Prince Jinn Hu''ul Mirmasan. The man was thest of his bloodline, after all.


    "We have conceptualized something." Prince Jinn said. "The machine you suggested produced a strange wave in the air to travel a distance and be received by someone in the distance. It required towers as well."


    Sylvester felt proud of them already. "It''s called Radio waves. There is a thing called the electromaic spectrum¡ªit is like a range of different kinds of light waves, some of which we can see and some we cannot. These light waves are all around us and can have different energies, lengths, and frequencies. What you just noticed were the Radio waves, which use the lowest energy and are invisible. Simrly, visible light is part of this spectrum, epassing all the colors of a rainbow."


    "Hmm¡­" Cardinal Maxim mumbled, stroking his thin beard. "The higher the energy, the shorter the wave will go?"


    Sylvester felt shocked and looked at the man, "How did you figure that out?"


    "A few years ago, some men found glowing rocks in the Pentapeak mountain range. Surprisingly, everyone but the wizards died when mining it. I was interested and investigated the reason¡ªI found that the rocks were emitting an invisible energy that was prating everything in its path, destroying things on the tiniest scale imaginable."


    ''It''s always great to converse with intelligent people,'' Sylvester truly appreciated it. ''I hope this one doesn''t turn out to be my Oppenheimer.''


    "Yes, that''s Gamma rays¡ªthe heaviest one in the spectrum. It''s dangerous and destructive, as it can destroy a normal human''s body on a cellr level. I''m impressed, Cardinal Maxim. So, what''s the n for long-distancemunication?" Sylvester asked them, waiting to be surprised.


    Prince Jinn ced a small sheet of paper the size of a palm. It had a new rune scheme on it, one based on light magic. "I made this with Cardinal Maxim. The only hurdle in wirelessmunication I found was the towers and their reach.


    "So I wondered if we could rece towers with something magical, and in search of answers, we spoke with Saint Wazir. He informed us that the Pope can utilize srium tomunicate with others. So we created this Connector Rune, a rune design that can be ced inside a modified telegraph machine so the machine can use the srium all around us as a means ofmunication."


    Sylvester stared at the rune scheme, studying it. He could see it wasn''t something tooplex, certainly something smaller than his ability, but it was still amazing. "Does this mean there are no limits?"


    "Yes and no." Cardinal Maxim started. "For this invention to be used by the masses, it needs to be affordable. No matter what, the machine will require srium crystals to operate. If we are to keep this affordable, we can''t exceed the range of a thousand kilometers. But of course, in case of emergencies, additional crystals can be added, though the requirements be exponential at that point."


    "This is genius!" Sylvester only had praise for them. "I''m sure with a few more tweaks, we can make it more efficient. Come to me when you have a working prototype avable. We''ll use this across the monasteries fir¡ª"


    "YOUR HOLINESS!"


    Sylvester abruptly stopped and turned around. Gabriel had arrived, panting and sweating profusely. This was precisely why he wanted wirelessmunication. "What happened?"


    "Elephants!" Gabriel barked. "Five thousand elephants!"


    "What? Where?!"


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 611 610. Memory Of Thoughts

    Chapter 611 610. Memory Of Thoughts


    "Where?" Sylvester hadn''t expected to hear about such a bizarre urrence that day.


    "At the Holy Land''s gates. They want to enter and meet you¡ªElyon tried tomunicate with them by instinct, but they seemed angry." Gabriel quickly exined. "Soldiers have been deployed to stop them from entering."


    "I hope you didn''t hurt them," Sylvester decided to head over and see what was happening.


    "Not at all. I provided them water and sugarcane instead¡ªThey should be in a better mood now." Gabriel followed behind Sylvester and got into his carriage. However, he saw Sylvester had picked up the bicycle instead. "Won''t this be faster?"


    "The horse will get tired eventually. I can reach the gates faster on a bicycle," Sylvester replied and kicked the pedals. His speed was unmatched, and the bicycle creaked under his weight. He was already quite heavy due to his bone density, so he had to be careful, even if the material used to make it was special.


    "Weee¡­!" Miraj enjoyed the breeze while sitting on Sylvester''s head, "Go faster, Maxy! Let''s meet the big sniffers!"


    "Elephants, you mean." Sylvester corrected him and, in no time, reached the Holy Land''s entrance. There was already a crowd gathered as the soldiers tried to guard the entrance and keep the elephants out. The elephants were making loud noises, clearly getting annoyed.


    "Step aside!"


    way. Without any issue, Sylvester arrived at the other side of the 09:40


    crowd and stood before the biggest elephant of the group, which "His Holiness is here!"


    The soldiers recognized Sylvester and quickly moved aside to make way. Without any issue, Sylvester arrived at the other side of the crowd and stood before the biggest elephant of the group, which appeared the calmest as she didn''t eat or drink like the rest. Silently, she stood facing the gates and now him.


    "Hey there," Sylvester waved, letting Miraj act as his trantor. "What''s going on here?"


    Sylvester surveyed the surroundings. There were truly thousands of elephants, from big ones to tiny babies, running around, eating trees, or bathing in the river nearby. Clearly, they hade with a purpose.


    Just then, a loud growl of another elephant came, and she came running toward Sylvester at full speed. The soldiers tensed up, but Sylvester remained calm and allowed the new elephant to approach. Eventually, the elephant wrapped her trunk around his shoulder as if she was hugging him.


    "Haha¡­ It''s you!" Sylvester eximed, recognizing the elephant. "How''s your baby? Did he get stuck in a ditch again?"


    "You know them?" Gabriel finally arrived on the slow carriage.


    humans chopped down the forest and destroyed everything, burned the grass, and dirty the littlekes." Miraj exined. "She Sylvester yfully patted the elephant''s trunk, "Not all of them, but this one I do. When I was returning from the West, we saved a baby elephant from a ditch, and this was his mother. I think she still remembers me."


    Miraj quickly got to work and jumped on top of the biggest elephant there. He began to whisper into the giant ear and talk, bobbing his head from time to time, and kept talking. The conversation seemed to go on for a long while before Miraj flew back to Sylvester''s shoulder.


    "Maxy, she''s angry. She said her home got destroyed, the bad humans chopped down the forest and destroyed everything, burned the grass, and dirty the littlekes." Miraj exined. "She came toin to the boss of humans. She wants your help, Maxy, or else she says she''ll make Holy Land her new home."


    Sylvester hummed in agreement, "I''d have done worse if I was her. Gabriel! Come here, what''s this I''m hearing? Did you give permits to cut down forests? Why are the elephants here toin?"


    "They''re here toin?" Gabriel looked around in shock. "I¡­ I don''t remember giving any permits. The forests near the base of the Pentapeak range are protectednds, and nobody is allowed to do anything there. Even the vigers aren''t allowed to venture too deep to chop wood and hunt. We''ve designated certain animals for both protection and hunting¡ªElephants are protected."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin as he understood the situation, "Then we have an illegal operation at hand. Someone is ruining the wildlife, forcing the animals toe out¡ªeven this far. I''m surprised."


    Gabriel took out a notebook and started writing, "I will quickly dispatch a small army to sweep the forest."


    "That would take too much time," Sylvester had a different n instead. "Ask Emperor Raz to use his undead dragon and check the entire Pentapeak mountain range. While at it, ask him to go to Mount Primis and see if he can sense Bloodrain there. But tell him not to engage in battle, as I fear the Chief of Anti-Light might be there too¡ªHe''s a master of Dark Magic. Emperor Raz won''tst."


    Thud!


    "I''ll go too."


    Felix reached the gates with a single long leap from within the Holy Land. After all, he was now a mighty tinum Knight. Already in his armor, he seemed eager for a battle to sharpen his de.


    "Don''t you think you should rest a bit more?" Sylvester asked. "You aren''t fully healed yet."


    "But I''m getting rusty sitting here and doing nothing. Moreover, Emperor Raz is a Lich and a goofy one at that. He''ll terrorize the viges, causing more problems. Let me go with him as a human touch." Felix respectfully requested, treating Sylvester as the Pope at that moment.


    ''Must be suffocating here¡­ Where your life was ruined.'' Sylvester could understand Felix''s state of mind.


    "Fine, you can go with Emperor Raz. Gabriel, make arrangements to care for these elephants. They won''t leave unless I give them an answer." Sylvester had Miraj convey everything so the elephants could create a path for the passersby.


    With that, the big but adorable crisis was solved, and Sylvester headed back into the Holy Land. It was time to resume his training with the Elder God. Thankfully, due to the time contraction, he could spend more time within the Elder God''s realm without losing too much time in the outside world. He had calcted it already; if he were to spend a month inside the Elder God''s realm, it would amount to an hour outside.


    "I''ll be gone for two hours. Take care of everything," Sylvester bid Gabriel a short farewell and entered the chamber that housed the unique door. It had be a daily routine, so Gabriel never asked questions or acted surprised.


    Once again, Sylvester ced the key in the hole and turned it. A flood of excessive srium immediately drowned the ce, but it didn''t seem as overbearing as before.


    He then opened the door and stepped through. As usual, the door closed, and his body was swept away, sucked into the void to eventually appear near the massive body of the Elder God. Still lifeless but as domineering as ever.


    "Shall we begin?" He asked the omnipresent voice of the Elder God.


    "You appear to be in higher spirits than before. Good, it is necessary for aplete improvement of your body and mind." The Elder God spoke, sounding much friendlier than before.


    "I know, so where am I going to train this time? Surviving a ck hole? Fighting a full of Grand Wizards? Being thrown into the center of a supernova?"


    "Today, you shall temper your mind. Being an Elder God requires might but a simr amount of mental discipline to resist corruption from temptations and boredom. We may be Elder Gods, but there are a fewws that even we must respect¡ªdeath and time." Elder God said as if he was teaching Sylvester a lesson beyond just training. "As an Elder God, you may acquire absolute control over the feeble bodies of the living. But you must not meddle without absolute necessity, or chaos will ensue."


    ''Is he telling me not to make Mum immortal?'' Sylvester read between the lines.


    "Yes, I hope youprehend thew of birth and death," Elder God said.


    But Sylvester had a lot to argue with. "Thew of birth and death was already altered when I was denied my end and brought into this realm. Many others, like me, came and went. The dimension Ie from has been ruined already, Nehilius. There is nothing to salvage¡ªI can only rebuild."


    "Don''t let your love cloud your judgment," the Elder God warned.


    "Let''s think about that when I have the power to make someone immortal. For all we know, I might be apletely different man by then," Sylvester dodged the issue. "What''s the training method this time?"


    "Memory of thoughts," Nehilius eximed. "You must master the art of holding your entire memory as an ever-present thought instead of leaving it as a dormant memory in your mind. That is how I am able to exist despite the death of my physical body."


    Sylvester was in favor of this training, "How do I start?"


    Pop!


    Out of thin air, a nk book appeared before Sylvester.


    "Open it and see a glimpse of your own memory. Remember it, close the book, and imagine what you remembered¡ªthe book shall reveal it as well. Gradually, you''ll be self-aware if you miss any recollections."


    Sylvester stared at the simple-looking book and grabbed it. Coming from an Elder God, this training method seemed too small and simple. But whenparing himself with the entity, he was indeed small. Any more forceful methods could very well break him.


    "By the way, Nehilius. Were you able to find anything about Chonky?" Sylvester questioned something he had previously asked the Elder God to look into.


    "Nya?" Miraj looked around as his name was called. He was in the middle of hovering in the void and eating treats that he himself threw by flying around.


    "An enigma," Elder God started, the voice appearing intrigued. "The abilities he possesses are godly, to say the least. I believe his belly leads to another dimension. He could possibly be another Elder God who hasn''t realized he has his own dimension to rule¡ªA spection at best; for I have never heard of an Elder God who naturally came into existence. For it''s a state, one attains through effort."


    Sylvester stared at Miraj, who was cutely floating and eating, licking himself clean asionally. "Our Chonker? An Elder God?"


    Miraj sensed Sylvester''s gaze and turned to him, "I''m a god?"


    _________________


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 Chapter 612 611. A Troublesome Development

    <h4>Chapter 612 611. A Troublesome Development</h4>


    Sylvester continued to train inside the void realm of the Elder God. The answer to what Chonky was, was something only time would tell. For now, he focused strictly on bing a Supreme Wizard or at least getting closer to bing one. Otherwise, going to Beastaria to deal with the Demon would be too risky.


    At the same time, hecked time, since the elves had already taken the cure for the gue he had spread. If the two Supreme Wizards of their species came together, there was a chance that they''d be able to stop the Demon. However, from what he could see, the Demon was also quite strong since it had already taken over territoriesrger than entire kingdoms.


    ''Birth¡­ School¡­ Sanctum Inspector¡­ Crusader¡­'' Sylvester tried to remember his memories as a singr thought. The best he was able to do waspile memories into various segments. However, it wasn''t enough because, in true essence, the training was supposed to be his second reservoir of memories¡ªrendering him immune from mind and soul attacks. The most dangerous for any budding Elder God.


    ''Family¡­ friends¡­ enemies¡­petitors¡­''


    In various segments, he continued to try and recall everything. He had to do it in order at first. Otherwise, the memories tended to devolve into a mess. It was clearly not something his human brain could achieve that easily.


    "I''m limited by my physical biology," Sylvester told the Elder God. "At this rate, I''ll merely repeat the same memories and mistakes. A human mind can''t suddenly start processing extra information. To do what you''re asking me to, I''ll need to enhance my brain to expand my mental capacity."


    "That is what this preparation is for," Nehilius intoned, his voice echoing unearthly. "The process of physically mutating your mind will be agonizing, a crucible of spirit and flesh. It will fracture your very essence and rend you asunder from the realm of mortality, yet no matter what, you must harbor your entire memory as a fleeting thought. Otherwise, you risk obliterating it all in the mutation process."


    Sylvester''s brows rose, sensing the danger, "I wasn''t informed of this. Mutation? Don''t tell me my entire body will be going through alterations!?"


    "Youck the luxury of time," the Elder God reminded him, a reality check he scarcely needed. "Indeed, the natural path of evolution would demand eons of endurance, tirelessly forging strength from weakness. Yet, if you harbor a desire to expedite this process, embracing a forced mutation is the solitary route. Each grueling training session you undergo here is steering you towards that inevitable transformation."


    Sylvester sighed and remembered something ridiculous, "Physical mutation is one of the banned forms of Dark Magic."


    "For a valid reason, an unchecked mutation can leave behind abominations. Akin to some Elder Gods I know, who appear significantly more grotesque than I, endowed with deranged minds and fractured souls. Despite their status as ancient deities, their insatiable thirst for dominion remains unquenched, perpetually pursuing the perfection that has forever eluded them."


    Sylvester listened to the Elder God''s words carefully and reflected on them. He knew that even if he were to be a Supreme Wizard, he would still be far from being able to oppose ''them.'' Heck, even the Elder God wasn''t sure about fighting them. So, for the monumental task ahead, he had to suffer.


    "Alright then, but I need to be the Supreme Wizard quickly. Otherwise, the golden opportunity to unite the world will slip through my fingers," Sylvester reminded the invisible soul of the powerful god and returned to his training.


    Inside the void, it was hard to keep track of time. Aside from Miraj''s asional reminders of boredom, there was no timer. So, his time spent strengthening his mind went smoothly, and before he knew it, his time to exit the void hade.


    "I''ll see you tomorrow." Sylvester waved and vanished from his spot, reappearing at the door. He opened it and crossed over, returning to the underground chamber, left behind as it was two hours ago.


    Thud!


    He shut the door and went up to his office, "Chonky, I''ll be leaving you with Mum from now on. You distract me from my training too much."


    "No!" Miraj pouted. "What if that Welder God is lying? He''s scared of me. That''s why he never harmed you. What if he harms you when I''m not there?"


    ''It does make a little sense. If Miraj is some sort of Elder God, then there''s a reason for Nehilius to be careful around him.'' Sylvester silently agreed with Miraj''s argument.


    "Then perhaps we need to find a hobby for you to keep busy with when I train. Come on, we''ll figure something out."


    First, Sylvester went to his office and did some usual administrative work. But after that, he decided to do something he had postponed for a while now. Over the years, he had saved a few children as he came across them. Finally, he wanted to see how they were doing.


    So, Sylvester headed to the Guild Penins, where the biggest protected orphanage was located. As usual, he bought carriages full of supplies, from clothes to educational materials, books, and even toys. He didn''t need to, as the orphanages were well-funded now. Too many soldiers had died over the years, leaving families poor and kids orphaned. Various lords anddies understood that issue and regrly donated to orphanages.


    "Pope?!"


    A little kid with buck teeth eximed when Sylvester entered through the gates. The kid was ying with his friends and apparently hade over to pick up a ball.


    "That''s right, young man," Sylvester greeted the kid and walked forward. "What are you ying?"


    "C-C-C¡­ Ca¡­ Cath¡­"


    "Haha. No need to be nervous because of me. I''m just another random man today, here to y with you all. ying catch? Will you let your Pope y as well?" Sylvester acted as kindly and gently as possible with them. The kids had already been dealt a heavy hand in life. It was a sin to not be kind to them.


    "y with¡­ us?" The little boy hesitated. "But the ball is dirty."


    "..."


    "Boy, I''m not some flowery maiden. Now, let''s race to your friends. The loser will have to tell everyone who they like." Sylvester yed along and made a run for it. The boy soon realized it and chased, but he fell behind for the most part.


    "I like Sister Amy, and I''ll marry her one day!" In the end, the boy lost and confessed whom he liked the most with a red face.


    As soon as Sylvester heard that name, it rang bells in his head. He looked around at therge multistory building in the middle of the green grasnd and trees. ''Is this the same Amy? She must be sixteen or seventeen by now¡­ I hope she was able to forget that horrible past."


    "Where is your Sister Amy?" He asked the boy.


    "She''s always in the library¡ªShe''s very smart and kind. I like her a lot¡­"


    Sylvester threw the ball in the air and started the game before heading toward the building. He knew theyout since he was the one who designed the overhaul. So he walked towards the library right away, ignoring the various Bright Mothers who worked there or the matron.


    Amy was the girl he had saved from the beastly-minded Baron back in the Sorrow Kingdom. Sadly, the Baron had already harmed her by the time he saved her. Mentally, she was broken, but still, he was able to heal her a little bit.


    ''I wonder if she still remembers me.''


    Knock! Knock!


    Sylvester entered the library and looked around. It was an immense space with all sorts of books, mostly donated to the orphanage. Education was free and mandatory for all the children there, so there was a use for it.


    He walked around, looking for the ck-haired girl. He had no clue what she looked like now.


    ''Is that her?'' He soon noticed a ck-haired girl sitting by therge window. Around her were multiple heavy books while she wrote down something on sheets of paper. ''Modern Law, Basics of Constitution, ws Of Over Punishment¡­ These are all new books¡­ Is she preparing for the Judge examination?''


    Keeping his steps light, he moved a little closer to get a better look. And sure enough, he understood the girl was trying to be a new Judge as per his advice. He felt proud of Amy but, at the same time, decided not to disturb her.


    ''Her determination to make me proud must be a driving force. Seeing her preparations, I can already imagine myself handing her the appointment certificate¡ªThat should be the day we meet again.''


    In the same way he came in, he retreated his steps and exited the library. There was a big smile on his face, feeling quite hopeful for the future.


    ''Now let''s see where those two golden-eyed assassin kids are.''


    ¡­


    It was a day full of ying with kids, telling them stories, and singing poems with them. Sylvester thoroughly enjoyed his day as much as the kids. Of course, with Miraj''s help, he was able to do some cool magic tricks that earned a lot of awes and gasps.


    But once again, he found himself sitting in his office room just an hour before dinner time. It was an emergency meeting requested by none other than his new Saint Seer, Cardinal Lazark, the necromancer.


    "So, what''s the emergency? Did Beastaria attack us?" Sylvester asked while taking his seat and cing a nk piece of paper in front of himself to write down any orders.


    "Worse," Cardinal Lazark responded bluntly, "The threates from within, Your Holiness. My little birds have begun reporting cases of attacks on Holy Land-rted facilities and convoys across Sol by groups of anti-light faction soldiers. The attacks seem erratic,cking any discernible purpose."


    "Did they attack the southernmost outpost?!" Gabriel jumped to his feet, being a member of the private meeting as well.


    "They obliterated it," Lazark answered.


    "No wonder," Gabriel rubbed his forehead. "I was confused when no weekly report came from the southernmost. Now it makes sense. Why are they doing this? That outpost had nothing there, not even money."


    "You''re right. This isn''t their usual approach. It doesn''t align with what I know about the Chief of Anti-Light." Sylvester stood up and walked to a massive map of Sol on the wall. "I have a suspicion, but I can''t confirm it before Emperor Raz and Felix return."


    "What should we do in the meantime? I don''t want our men to die," Gabriel asked him. "What if they start attacking Bright Mothers too?"


    Sylvester''s eyes shed with a dangerous red hue, "True, we live in unpredictable times. ce all Church assets on high alert, and order all Bright Mothers to leave minor monasteries and gather at Grand Monasteries in cities only."


    "Understood, Your Holiness," Gabriel quickly saluted and left the office.


    With just the two of them left, Sylvester looked at Cardinal Lazark, "What happened? You need to send out a word of caution to all monasteries."


    "Bright Mothers," Lazark spoke. "Quite ingenious of you to use them, Your Holiness. But you seem to have a soft spot for them."


    Sylvester chuckled and poured his favorite necromancer a ss of water, "So you found out? Well, yes, I do have a soft spot for them. I''m emotionally attached¡ªThey''re like my mothers and sisters, a huge family I never had. Even if I don''t know them all, I cherish them equally."


    Cardinal Lazark took a long, deep breath, "Then it makes sense why they are so loyal to you."


    Sylvester''s brows rose, "What happened? Did you find something?"


    "A record in the previous Saint Seer''s books. Near the end of his career, he found out about your secret intelligencework. He¡­ He caught a few Bright Mothers and tortured them to gain more names and name you as their head. But¡­" Lazark nced at Sylvester''s expression first. "The Bright Mothers chose to end their lives by strangtion with the chains that held their arms."


    Sylvester clenched his fist, feeling strange anger full of helplessness. "Give me their names¡­ They shouldn''t be left as nameless martyrs."


    _________________


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 Chapter 613 612. A Fountain & Battle Preparation

    Chapter 613 612. A Fountain & Battle Preparation


    Sylvester worried about the situation but, at the same time, understood that he didn''t have enough information to take any action against the anti-light yet. He spoke with Felix, and it would take them almost another full day to return. So, he decided to wait and focus on other things that mattered.


    One of the main things that he worried about most was the literacy levels of the people. He had read a few entertaining books before where the main character goes back in time and revolutionizes society. It was easier said than done. Because, to revolutionize society, he would need a generational, constantly improving knowledge base.


    Starting from scratch wasn''t easy since everyone would begin learning at the same time on the same level. There were no genius professors or inventors yet. Sure, there were great minds with higher IQs, and Sylvester ced his hopes on them to study faster and innovate on their knowledge.


    Soon, another morning came. Sylvester ate his breakfast as he had decided to do with his family and headed out to work. Miraj waste that day from his morning stroll and missed his breakfast, but once Sylvester reached his bicycle, the fluffball came running and climbed onto his shoulder.


    "Maxy! You won''t believe what I saw! A human fountain!" Miraj started talking with excitement. "The water came out so strong¡­ But the window saved me."


    Creek!


    Sylvester abruptly pulled the brakes, making the tires screech. He lifted Miraj and ced him in front of himself on the handlebar, "What are you talking about, Chonky? What fountain? Where?"


    "Ummm¡­" Miraj looked at the Bright Mother''s building. "On the third floor! I looked inside from the window, and thisdy turned into a big fountain. But I think she wasn''t hurt¡­ She kept saying oh yes, oh yes¡­ Can you be a fountain too, Maxy?"


    "..."


    Sylvester was speechless, wondering if he should ban Miraj from going around the building and invading privacy. He understood that many adult women did that when lonely since they were oath-bound to stay away from men.


    "A fountain? I don''t think so." Sylvester began moving again. "And you should stop peeking inside other people''s homes. Especially in the Bright Mother''s housing."


    Miraj was simply confused and interested, "Maxy, can I be a fountain too?"


    "You already are. Just open your mouth portal and let all the mude out." Sylvester countered, shutting Miraj down and extinguishing his curiosity.


    But Miraj was Miraj, "Wait! Does that mean that woman had a portal like mine? But between her le¡ª"


    "You want bananas, Chonky?"


    "Yes, Sir!" Miraj instantly calmed down.


    It was a strange start to the day, but Sylvester appreciated such small situations as Miraj''s goof-ups usually lifted his spirits.


    He arrived at the Pope''s Pce and began his mundane job that he had grown to almost hate. He wanted to run out and travel to Sol again, fix issues on the ground level, and catch criminals and Demons. But the thing was, even the Bloodlings had almost been eradicated thanks to his Srium Beam invention. It worked like a charm, and without even approaching the creature, the light of Solis prevailed.


    Knock! Knock!


    The Bright Mother Sylvester had appointed as his assistant knocked on the door and peeked her head in. She was a pretty woman in her fifties, very loyal to him, and pure from the heart. However, at the same time, she was sharp and very overbearing to anyone who disrespected her or the Pope.


    "Your Holiness, Saint Externum is here."


    "Elyon? Send him in." Sylvester cleared his table off the documents and waited to see his foreign minister.


    Thud!


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us!" Elyon saluted. "I came to discuss a situation in Beastaria, Your Holiness. The Beastkins have started to notice the shadowy influence of the Demon reaching theirnds. They''re worried since they have nowhere else to go."


    Sylvester invited the Tigerkin man to take a seat, "What percentage of the Beastkins have epted the faith of Solis?"


    "A majority of them have. Only the ns of Lionkins remain since their pride stands in their way. However, I was able to convince the Tigerkins, and they''re now highly religious toward Solis and revere you as well." Elyon briefed and pushed a document forward. "This is a petition from the elders of the Beastkins. They wish to receive your permission, so if the Demon gets too close, they are allowed to journey to Sol and find temporary housing until the Demon is defeated."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin while humming, "I''ll have to ask Lazark to keep an eye on the Beastkins for the foreseeable future. I don''t trust anyone, and there could be a hidden agenda behind it. But I''ll give permission in case something happens. However, ording to what I have nned, things won''t devolve to such a level. Any word from the Dragons? I asked them to build the runes around the Demon''s area."


    Elyon shook his head quite dejectedly, "King Malisius has been kicked out of dragon nobility because the photograph of him kneeling reached Greenpeaks. But Malisius wasn''t ready to leave and fought against his own kind. The issue of the Demon has been put on hold."


    "Wonderful!" Sylvester stood up and stretched his arms and back. "The more they ignore the Demon, the bigger the crisis will be. So when I arrive and solve it¡ªThe general mindset ofmoners in Beastaria is bound to change. Don''t do anything for now, Elyon. Just keep establishing rtions with various species. Any report on that part?"


    Elyon ced more documents before Sylvester. "I was going to start with that. The Giants of Gantis have responded with a neutral letter. They wish to be left alone, but since they depend on the river that originates from Merkin Lake, they''ll be affected soon enough. Simrly, the Vampires are ignorant and hold some hostile ideas about humans.


    "The Goblins, as you said, will be eradicated soon. The Werewolves have been quite friendly, however. They hope for a safe and prosperous life, but the full moon twice a month is their bane. As for the Orcs, they''repletely hostile toward us."


    "What about the elves? How is my cure working out for them?" Sylvester asked, "What about Deca Imperia? It had the most cases of the gue."


    "Deca Imperia almost lost half of its poption, but now things are stabilizing. The cure has worked, but the elves have monopolized it for themselves. They wish to immunize themselves in the Alfia Kingdom and then focus on the rest outside."


    ''Hah, just as expected.'' Sylvester hid his smile since not many knew he had spread the gue in the first ce.


    "Good, the other species must be disgruntled and unhappy with the elves now. Make contact with non-elven species of Deca Imperia and offer them the cure. That will elevate our positionter, more than what it would have if elves shared the cure." Sylvester ordered, giving Elyon the shudders at the realization that Sylvester was always in control, even while sitting a continent away.


    Elyon stood up and stoically saluted, "I will get to it, Your Holiness. May the Holy Light enlighten us."


    "May we be enlightened." Sylvester watched him leave and moved to the window overlooking the outside garden. "Just a little more, and I''ll be able to unite this. After that¡­ the real fight will start."


    "Maxy, can you scratch my back? It''s itchy again."


    Sylvester turned around and retook his seat. Miraj was sitting at his table the entire time, snoring and making noises. It was almostical that the man most people were afraid to even speak to was a backscratcher to a cat. But Sylvester wasn''tining. He loved squishing the furball.


    "Are you growing more wings?" Sylvester checked while scratching, almost massaging Miraj''s back, apparent from the happy purrs he made. "I don''t see any new bone spurs."


    "Maybe my wings are growing big?" Miraj suggested. "I can fly faster now. I feel it."


    ''He''s definitely not a cat.'' Sylvester muttered under his breath and rxed in the office. ''Felix should be back anytime now.''


    Bam!


    "Sylvester! Look what I caught!"


    Sylvester jinxed it, and Felix stormed into his office, his armor looking dirty. He dragged a man by the hair into the room and threw him down.


    "Who''s he?" Sylvester walked over to check.


    "Meet Baron wfort. He''s the one responsible for the illegal activities in the protected region. He hired a few knights with no masters and turned them into an overpowered loggingpany. They were clearing through the patches of forest as if they were children ying with dirt," Felix introduced the man on the ground. "They attacked me, a big mistake. Only the Baron survived."


    Sylvester walked over to the Baron and looked at the man intently.


    "M-Mercy, Your Holiness."


    "Later," Sylvester swung his leg and kicked the man''s head, knocking him out. "I don''t care about the Baron or who you killed. Tell me, did Emperor Raz notice anything on Mount Primal? And¡­ where is he?"


    Right then, the door opened again, and Emperor Raz entered. His body was covered with a white wooly cloak, and there was even a pointy hat over his skull head. "Ho-ho¡­ Who''d have thought mountain people would be this nice? They gifted me such wonderful clothes."


    "..."


    Felix scoffed., "They were scared of you, not happy. They thought you were some evil god and gave you offerings."


    Sylvester was interested in knowing what happened, but he tried to remain focused. "Mount Primis? What happened there?"


    Soon, they all sat down, and Emperor Raz gave hisplete report. "I felt the presence of a Supreme Wizard in the mountains. But it didn''t react to me despite noticing me. I think the man you''re looking for is certainly there."


    Sylvester clenched his fist, causing his knuckles to crack. "Then my prediction was right. The anti-light organization has turned into a headless snake, a dangerous one at that. The Chief of anti-light wanted to kill the Pope, Saint Scepter, and ruin the faith. But he lost the bet with me, and now the enemies he wanted to kill are dead¡ª


    He''s an aimless man who chased power his entire life, but now, he doesn''t know what to use it for."


    Tensions grew in the room, and Felix tried to change that, "What''s the n then? Isn''t it good that the anti-light is self-destructing?"


    "They''re people who hate us, Felix. Without someone to lead them, they''ll spread around and create chaos. I need to go and see what''s happening in Mount Primis," Sylvester made a decision. "What happened to Bloodrain? And what happens to anti-light after this? We need answers."


    "But he''s a Supreme Wizard," Felix warned him. "You won''t always be lucky. He has no reason not to kill you."


    Sadly, Sylvester knew that was the case, "I know. That''s why I''ll bepletely unavable for the next five nights."


    Felix worried for his friend and stood up, "Sylvester, I won''t let you go."


    "I''m not going there, Felix. Just going to train myself¡ªfor the inevitable..."


    ''Five nights should give me almost four years in there¡­ Even if I don''t reach the Supreme Wizard, I should be able toe close to it.''


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 614 613. Sylvester & Chonky Commit A Genocide

    Chapter 614 613. Sylvester & Chonky Commit A Genocide


    Sylvester chose to start with his training right away. So he went home earlier that day and made dinner while waiting for Xavia. He even ordered some good old pizza from The Bard''s restaurant, which had just reopened again. The main branch had relocated inside the Holy Land, near the Pope''s Pce. It became the ce where new dishes were made and tested, and all the ounting and money storing was done.


    "I''ll be eating dinner earlier for the next five nights. I have work waiting at the Pope''s Pce, so I''ll be sleeping there for a while," he informed Xavia once she returned from work. "No need to worry for me; I''ll only be getting stronger from now."


    She apologetically rushed to help Sylvester ce the food on the table, "Then I wille home sooner and prepare dinner. You don''t have to do this, Max. You''re the Pope now. You have better things to do than cook."


    "Haha, but Mum, it''s the mundane things that keep me grounded. Why do you think so many nobles fall into corruption and evil? It''s because they lose touch with reality and forget how to live an ordinary life. I have centuries ahead, and I can''t afford to be that way," he exined, giving her a brief lesson in a way, and finally sat down to eat.


    Xavia sighed and served food onto his te, "Sometimes it feels like you''re my Mum, not the other way. You''re too wise for your age."


    "That''s why I''m the Pope," Sylvester cheekily replied and dug in.


    Soon, Zeke also came back from his job at the School of Dawn and sat down to eat with them. A few minutester, Sylvester picked up his luggage and headed out. He brought Miraj as well, since this time, he was going to train for nine months inside the void of the Elder God. And he hoped to train Miraj as well so the furry otherworldly cat could learn how to fight. After all, he wasn''t going to be there forever.


    The streets were empty, and there was no one to disturb his leisurely bicycle ride. The cool nightly breeze in the brightly lit streets was a treat that he would often miss. The worry for what was toe always kept his mind preupied, causing him to ignore the beauty of nature around him.


    Eventually, he arrived at the Pope''s Pce. It still had staff working to maintain the building, cleaning areas, doing some repairs, and other clerical staff preparing reports for the next day. Being a low-level Priest in the administration department wasn''t an easy job. But it sure was much safer, as the Priests outside manned small monasteries and were likely to be attacked during times of war or a robbery.


    He greeted everyone who crossed his path and silently went downstairs, below the levels only he was allowed. Then, using the key, he entered the mysterious door. Why was it there in the first ce, or who put it there? He had no clue.


    "You have returned early." The majestic voice of the Elder God resonated.


    "Desperation leads to many things, Nehilius," Sylvester replied and began exining everything he needed in the next few nights¡ª


    years he was going to spend there. "...I need to be strong enough to pose a challenge to a Supreme Wizard."


    The Elder God''s voice held a hint of rejoicing and caution, "I never demanded you to spend more time here because excessive exertion here can be life-threatening. Your mortal vessel, crafted of flesh and fluid, may not withstand the harsh training environments."


    Sylvester shrugged, having no other way but to try. "I know, so please be careful with what you allow me to train. You''re an Elder God. You must know something that can help me. Anything¡ªNo matter how painful."


    "Bring the blood of a dragon with you next time youe. I shall instruct you in the first stage of body mutation," The Elder god replied and started with the training. "If you desire to battle a Supreme Wizard whomands the dark elemental energies as his foundation, then you must amplify your light magic. I shall guide you in mastering it ¡ª but whether you can stand against him rests solely upon you."


    Sylvester raised his hands, "I''m fine with that. As long as there''s a chance, I''lltch onto it. Let''s start then."


    "Yes, let us begin."


    Woosh!


    Darkness flickered before Sylvester, and in an instant, he found himself standing on a sandy shore on an unfamiliar. Everything was dark there; the sea before him had ck water, and he saw andmass with massive pces made of dark material in the distance. Even the sky was filled with ashen dark clouds, with soundless white thunder flickering within them, illuminating the world.


    "Where am I?" He asked.


    Elder God''s voice started to exin, "This revolves around a Darkstar, conceived through the adverse fusion of a dying star and a formidable source of dark elemental magic, potent enough to transmute the star¡ªyou find yourself standing. As eons passed, the Darkstar formedary bodies in its vicinity, including the one under your feet at this very moment.


    "The inhabitants of this world are renowned for their mastery over dark elemental powers, reaching pinnacles of prowess as Grand Wizards or perhaps even ascending beyond that prestigious rank. Your mission, should you choose to ept it, involves the annihtion of this realm utilizing solely the force of Light magic, for I have imposed limitations on all other means."


    Sylvester didn''t like it one bit, "How many are there?"


    "The''s poption is six billion."


    "You want me tomit genocide on an entire?"


    With a sense of ridicule, the Elder God rebuked him, "There was no life in this realm until a mere moment ago. I conjured them for your training. From nothing, I forged their civilization, filled with memories of a grand lore. This is the might of an Elder God, mortal


    ¡ªthis is the trajectory you''ve elected."


    Sylvester sighed, eventually prepared to do it, "At least remove all the children from the and make the species look repulsive and repugnant."


    "Begin."


    With that, the Elder God''s voice retreated, leaving Sylvester with nothing but the armor and sword he had brought. Miraj also sat on his shoulder, but he had a task as well.


    "Remember the bullets and cannonballs I made you swallow? Try to throw them precisely at the targets, with as much speed as possible. If you can do that, then I know you''ll be the world''s greatest living weapon," Sylvester instructed Miraj. "Now fly in the sky, don''t let the enemies track you¡ªbut stay close."


    "Aye, aye, Maxy!" Miraj was excited to finally be able to fight. "I will make rivers of their blood and then drink them!"


    ''Where does he learn these lines?'' Sylvester wondered and focused on thendmass ahead.


    He already felt some movement and knew the enemies would undoubtedly attack him, the otherworldly invader.


    "Let''s do this!"


    ¡­


    As Sylvester spilled his blood and sweat, training to be stronger to fight a foe no one knew about, life in the realm continued as usual. As the sunlight approached thends, people woke up throughout East Sol and headed to work. However, life had changed for many since Sylvester had begun to exert influence across the world.


    In the Duchy of Zon, farmers were suffering due to a poor harvest. And since people had less money, the internal economy of the duchy was in shambles. The small traders tried to expand and export their goods, only to be disheartened by the investment required to do so.


    That was when parchments fell from the sky, talking about a money-lending business and its licensing. Quickly, farmers and business owners rushed to Rosewood Barony, where Sylvester''s friend from school, Henry, operated his money-lending business.


    Having done it for almost a decade, he easily managed the outflow of gold as loans. He also handled the barony as the regent, since the heir was yet toe of age. With an army at his disposal, he easily dealt with any runaways who couldn''t pay back the loans.


    However, something strange happened this time. The Duchy of Zon saw a sudden spike in spending, and the farmers paid their taxes, fixed theirnds, bought the newly introduced fertilizers from the Hignd Kingdom, and business owners sealed deals with trade convoys.


    Within a few months, Zon''s economy began to soar. And with that, except for the farmers, everyone else repaid the loan taken from Sylvester''spany, with interest. It was the greatest single big profit. Following that event, Henry wrote books titled ''Economy of Scale'' and ''Economy of Crowd,'' co-authored by Sylvester, who nned to contribute a few things and make improvements.


    "Joice, it appears we need to pay a visit to the Holy Land and personally show our gratitude," Duke of Zon, Zephyr Vas Zon, dered in the noble castle. "He saved us from emptying our coffers in hopes of saving the economy and people."


    The Duke had a different Prima now, as Count Leopold from the old times had passed away, "Have you met the Pope before, Your Highness?"


    Duke Zephyr smiled and gulped the ss of wine in his hand, "Once


    ¡ªI saw him lead the Jartel family''s battle. Against all odds, he won with his wits and light. It was a moment of awakening for me, Count Joice. There are some people you simply cannot afford to offend."


    Count Joice felt shaken enough that he simply turned on his heels, "I shall instruct themanders to prepare the convoy."


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in Raftel County, not far away, stood a distinctive three-story cubical building by a major roadway connected with the waterway. The building was white in color and had strange red cross-shaped signs around it.


    Lines of people walked in, and more walked out. Most with happy faces, but some downhearted. It was a crowded space, evident from the view. But there was order among them, and the building''s guards managed the crowd.


    The men and women with white coats and masks on their faces moved from person to person, jotting down notes and sending a few to special rooms.


    "May the Lord bless His Holiness. Aftering here, my knee doesn''t hurt at all."


    "My back stopped aching."


    "My tumor was removedst month, and I''ve never been healthier."


    "Long may Pope Sylvester live¡ªHe''s the brilliant light of our world."


    Such words were moremon in the building hallway than insects on the ground. Every visitor in that building was a patient, and the official name of the ce was Grace Hospital, a ce opened in partnership with Count Raftel, Sylvester''s close follower.


    "Things are going well. What''s the status of the other two hospitals?" Count Raftel observed the building from a distance while riding a horse, "His Holiness wants all of Sol to be covered with these magnificent buildings."


    Apanying him was Baron Strongarm, another close follower of Sylvester, "The timber from mynd is being processed swiftly, but it''s the dy from your iron processing factories that are dawdling it. The building frames are up, but furnishing them with benches, beds, and instruments is taking time."


    Raftel sighed and rubbed his face, "There''s too much demand. I have noints against His Holiness, but he sure drowned us in work. I haven''t seen my son in three days."


    "Haha." The brawny Baron Strongarm chuckled. "Likewise, my Lord. But, we should be the ones pitying His Holiness. There''s no doubt he''s working even harder than us¡ªthat''s the kind of man he is."


    "Indeed," Raftel replied, smiling from the heart. "I owe him my life, my wealth, and my happiness¡ªIf we can lessen his burden even a bit, I''m more than willing to work harder."


    "I feel bad for Lady Melinda," Strongarm jokingly said.


    But Raftel facepalmed himself, "My friend, who do you think forces me to work this much? More than me, she feels indebted to His the happy facesing from the hospital.


    Truly, the world seemed almost unrecognizable now. When was the Holiness. Because of the Bard''s blessing, she could be a mother."


    "Indeed. We all owe him too much," muttered Strongarm, staring at the happy facesing from the hospital.


    Truly, the world seemed almost unrecognizable now. When was thest time something was done formoners other than forcing them to bow?


    "You know what, Strongarm? When I heard him sing and saw that halo of light for the first time, I felt warmth in my heart and imagined a bright future ahead." Count Raftel muttered dreamily. "I think... we''re living in it."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 615 614. Highland Productivity Experiment

    Chapter 615 614.Hignd Productivity Experiment


    Once the sun illuminated the whole of East Sol, the mysterious door under the Pope''s Pce opened up. Sylvester finally walked out after spending ten months inside the void he had begun to call hell. Dragging himself with the help of a strange sword that wasn''t from this world, his body was bloodied all over.


    But it was dried blood since all his wounds had been healed by the Elder God. However, the soreness in his body couldn''t be removed with a snap. His body needed proper rest to regain its peak condition.


    "Maxy¡­ My jaw hurts." Mirajined while hanging behind Sylvester''s back. The furry boy had also done his best, attempting to fight like a living weapon. He shot bullets through his mouth like a hailstorm. Even explosives were thrown, but after a point, such weapons stopped being effective.


    "You can rx after this. But I still have work to do as the Pope," Sylvester mumbled and went upstairs. He momentarily forgot that he was still covered with a lot of blood.


    "Your Holiness!"


    "Oh, Solis!"


    Panic spread through everyone, seeing his bloodied form. The rms immediately rang, and the whole Pce went into lockdown as healers rushed to his side to check on him. However, by then, Sylvester had already reached his office and taken a seat.


    "What happened?!" Gabriel rushed in, his face filled with panic.


    Felix came running with his dark saber sword drawn, "Who dared harm my br¡ª"


    "Your Holiness, where does it hurt?" Healer Hendrix was also quick on his feet.


    In an instant, his modest, small office was filled with his closest allies. From Sanctum Council members to Guardians and healers. They all talked at once like no tomorrow, and nobody made any sense.


    Bam!


    Sylvester mmed his fist on the table. "Silence! I was training in the underground arena. I''m not injured; in fact, I feel stronger than ever. This blood is dry, and my wounds are healed. Now, let me catch my breath. Why don''t you all head back to work?"


    "But let me check you just to be sure," Healer Hendrix insisted.


    Sylvester shot them all a stern re and shut them up. Without another word, everyone left the office in a rush. However, Felix and Gabriel remained behind because they were now in friend mode, not subordinate mode.


    "What happened? Maybe this time, the truth?" said Felix, crossing his arms and staring at Sylvester.


    Gabriel did the same, "Don''t scare us like this, Sylvester. All of Sol is held together by a fragile thread, and it''s all tied to you. If something happens to you, everything will crumble."


    Sylvester sighed and rubbed his forehead, "I know¡­ I can''t tell you the details, but I really was training to be stronger. I''ll be going to face the Chief of Anti-Light soon, and I can''t afford to lose."


    "Wait¡­ You look older than you did yesterday," Felix suddenly eximed. "I can see it¡ªYour face looks different."


    ''Of course, nine months have passed.''


    "I''m just tired. You two should be on your way now and focus on work. I have a meeting with Darius as well. And Gabriel, keep an eye on the anti-light situation." Sylvester dismissed them by changing the topic and rxing in his chair.


    ''Mum will see the change in my face in a heartbeat.'' Sylvester thought, but there was nothing he could do about it. It was going to be a usual urrence for the next few nights anyway.


    Knock! Knock!


    "Come in, Darius." Sylvester hadn''t even changed his clothes or taken a bath. He dove right into work, as he wished to save as much time as possible for training. "You have the report?"


    Darius, a former ve turned noble, and now Sylvester''s Saint Keymaster, entered and saluted. With his impable memory that never forgets, he presented a folder with stacks of documents. "I have, Your Holiness. The Hignd Productivity Experiment was a sess. The productivity of themoners in the three towns has increased by eighty percent on average."


    Sylvester beamed with joy hearing the news, and opened the folder to read each paper individually. "This is brilliant, Darius. How much did it cost us, and what''s the profit?"


    "It is hard to equate the productivity of the masses with the money spent on welfare, but I do have numbers. In the region where goods worth a hundred thousand gold graces were previously produced, they now generate goods worth nearly double that amount. Hence, the region has grown in wealth as well." Darius presented a page with a pie chart that Sylvester had taught him how to make. It showed the activities in various sectors in the three towns from before and after.


    Sylvester was in simple awe of those statistics. Even more so, since this was from a poor region, and if it was a sess there, it was bound to thrive in other ces.


    The Hignd Productivity Experiment was nothing but a food distribution and education program. Basically, the idea was to increase the workforce and reduce the burden on families.


    Since each town, vige, and city had its own monastery. The monasteries were allocated funds to start schools for children with a curriculum designed by Sylvester and a few others. At the same time, the children were provided with morning meals, lunch, and light snacks in the evening before they returned home. That effectively allowed families to work more freely without worrying about their children''s meals. All the while preparing for Sol''s future with well-educated minds.


    Another part of the experiment was its role as an employment exchange. If there was any shortage of workers in a nearby ce, the monasteries utilized the jobless masses in their region.


    In the end, all that generated more productivity. At the same time, the taxes from regions increased, as well as donations toward the faith. Of course, the whole n also required nobles to pitch in money, but from three experiments, it was clear the taxes made the nobles pleased too.


    "Darius, I want you to use this model and results as examples and implement the experiment in the entire Hignd and ckhart Kingdom. They''re the poorest regions of Sol and need all the help they can get. I''ll write a letter to Queen Zylena. As for King Hignd, he''s currently here." Sylvester gave the orders right away and wrote an authorization letter, ending it with his personal stamp and signature. "Good luck, Darius. What you are doing today will shape our tomorrow."


    Darius nodded and saluted before stepping back, "May the Holy Light enlighten us, Your Holiness. I will report again soon."


    Sylvester kept his back straight till the door was open. Once it thudded shut, he fell back like a spineless cat and closed his eyes. Fatigue gradually took over his mind, and he fell into a slumber right on his chair.


    When his eyes opened again, the sun was setting outside the window, "Time to get back to the grind."


    He lifted Miraj''s limp body and threw his body over his shoulder. The furry cat didn''t even respond beyond a few purrs and kept sleeping. It certainly was a point of envy for Sylvester.


    But he still dragged himself home to take a bath and prepare for another night in hell. But this time, he didn''t have to worry about cooking, as Xavia was already home, and the aroma of delicious food filled the air. The scent of tasty spices, honey, meat, and various sauces. His stomach rumbled like no tomorrow. He missed such good food in the past nine months.


    Thud!


    "I''ll eat everything!" Sylvester immediately sat by the table. Even Miraj woke up and scurried to his secret ce under the table to eat.


    Giggling, Xavia came over to give him some food. But as expected, she gasped, "W-What happened? And why do you look older? Even your body seems different¡ªMore¡­ muscr? What did you do in just one night?"


    "Meow mow?!"


    "Last night?"


    Sylvester and Miraj eximed simultaneously, and their eyes looked at each other. The shbacks of their genocidal rage resurfaced as vivid memories before them. The countless corpses of the four armed humanoid creatures, their guts out, heads chopped, limbs lost, and pure gore scattered everywhere. Their entire civilization was in ruins because of him and Miraj.


    Their dark blue blood had stained most of thendmass in their world. There were rising hills of dead bodies and waves upon waves of enemies to y with Wrath of Heavens and other light magic moves. All the crying and pleading voices from thest night echoed in his ears¡ªhe didn''t understand theirnguage, but he could smell their emotions¡ªhe knew there was fear and misery, and yet he showed no mercy.


    Snap!


    Xavia snapped her fingers in front of Sylvester, "What happened?"


    Sylvester jolted and came back to reality, "Nothing, Mum¡­ I just got lost in my thoughts. I was trainingst night, Mum. So I can be stronger, and no one can defeat me¡ªor harm our little peace."


    She sighed and gently stroked his head before cing more food on his te. "Then I will pray to Solis that you grow stronger quickly."


    ''I think he already heard you.''


    For the next hour, he ate his food, took a long hot bath, and rxed his body. He rested on his bed for a few minutes as well, contemting life and thinking about his general direction. On his chest, Mirajid the same way, thinking about god knows what.


    "Chonky, what do you think? Why did we meet?" He asked. "Considering my origins, it''s impossible to calcte the odds."


    Miran raised his head up so he could look at Sylvester upside down with his eyes, "Maxy¡­ Why think why we met? Isn''t it the best that we met in the first ce?"


    "Wise," Sylvester mumbled and heaved a long sigh. "We should go to The Bard''s on our way and pick up our food order. They should have it ready by now."


    Miraj licked his tongue, "We already ate. Why order more, Maxy?"


    Sylvester got up and headed out after bidding Xavia goodnight. He got on his bicycle while exining why he ordered the food, "I ordered in bulk because we''ll be spending nine months in that void again. So, I''ve ordered two hundred pizzas, three hundred fried chicken buckets, two hundred liters(52 gallons) of banana milkshakes, fifty kilos(110lb) of french fries, fifty kilos of potato chips, and one hundred kilos of grilled and smoked meat."


    "..."


    Miraj''s jaw dropped, shocked and excited already, "C-Can I swim in the shake?"


    "Haha, we can''t drink it if you do that. But we will store it in your Chonky Bank and eat it all slowly over the period," Sylvester revealed his n. "No matter how tough it gets, at least we won''t have to eat that tasteless food Nehilius makes."


    "Yuck!" Miraj almost vomited. "Why can''t he make good food, Maxy? He''s a god,"


    "He can''t make it because he''s a god, Chonky. I don''t think he remembers thest time he ate something, and thus, he can''t make something he doesn''t understand."


    Ting! Ting!


    Sylvester entered The Bard''s shop right away, ringing the bell He stopped mid-sentence as there was utter chaos in the shop. Every corner of it was cluttered with boxes, and the ces without attached to the door, "I thank you for all your hard wor¡ª"


    He stopped mid-sentence as there was utter chaos in the shop. Every corner of it was cluttered with boxes, and the ces without boxes had staff members unconscious on the floor.


    "Maxy¡­ Let''s pray for their sacrifice," Miraj stood up on Sylvester''s shoulder and pped his paws together. "Thank you for feeding my belly, humans¡ªYou''re the best¡­ after Maxy, Dol-Dol, Big Mum, Zekee, Fe-Fe, Gab, Conehat, Aurawra¡­"


    Sylvester sighed, knowing he had probably broken the staff member''s back. ''A great sacrifice indeed¡ªBut I''ve paid them for the same orders for four more days¡­ Perhaps a bonus of gold could cheer them up.''


    Taking out a pouch of money, Sylvester moved closer to a staff member and ced it beside their head.


    Bam!


    The staffer woke up and grabbed Sylvester''s hand. "C-Chicken¡­ Chips¡­ Fish¡­ K-Kill me!"


    "..."


    Sylvester ced his palm on the poor man''s head and made him fall asleep, "Rest well, my child."


    _________________


    [A/N: Training ends tomorrow. Serious stuff begins again.]


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 616 615. Sylvester vs. The Church

    Chapter 616 615. Sylvester vs. The Church


    "Jump, Maxy!"


    Boom!


    A beam of white light escaped Miraj''s mouth and incinerated everything in its path. On a full of giant trees and wildlife, the intelligent species on it were too fierce, given their primitive technology. With their seven-foot-tall purple bodies, they were towering and thin humanoids in perfect harmony with nature. Their strength was enough to pose a challenge to Sylvester, but since they mastered the art of blending in with the surroundings and defensive magic, it was harder to hit them.


    Bloodied and battered, Sylvester moved around instinctively and cut down all the creatures that were stunned by Miraj''s magic. The hidden invisible element of surprise, Miraj, was Sylvester''s biggest strength in that world, and thankfully, Miraj could even swallow his Wrath of Heaven''s beam of light in his void belly. Whenever needed, the furry fluff ball could throw up that beam as well. It was a much better alternative to bullets and bombs since the beam carried Sylvester''s wrath.


    "Ha!" Sylvester roared like a crazed lion, sending his sword shing vertically downward toward thest group of enemies on the. This sword, however, was no ordinary de; it had no molten rocks¡ªTheva field soon consumed the remains of thest creatures.


    physical form. Instead, it was made by Sylvester himself, using his own light magic. It was solidified to the degree that he even changed its color by altering the light spectrum and making it appear like a proper longsword, bright silver with a golden hilt.


    Wooosh!


    It burned anything it touched. And once his de touched the ground, the earth split apart, forming a long and wide river of molten rocks¡ªTheva field soon consumed the remains of thest creatures.


    Thud!


    Sylvester knelt down on one knee and rxed his mind. His eyes, which had shone bright crimson moments ago, returned to their typical gold hue, and the halo behind his head also disappeared. His wounds began to heal on their own, and his senses slowly calmed.


    "Maxy! Are you okay?" Miraj flew down from the sky and checked Sylvester.


    Sighing, Sylvester stood up as if he had never been injured. He looked around at the destruction he had caused over the past nine months. The entire was now left in ruins, half of its vegetation destroyed. "This is what I aplished in just nine months while merely being a peak Grand Wizard and tinum Knight. What can a peak Supreme Wizard do? I don''t want to imagine it¡ªAnd gods? We don''t even stand a chance."


    Miraj sat down on his beloved human''s shoulder, "When you be a big god, you''ll be strong too, Maxy."


    "I like your optimism, Chonky. Let''s try not to die on our journey," Sylvester made his sword vanish as it was made of light. "Five nights have gone by, and I''ve be older by almost four years¡ªIt''s time we head to Mount Primis."


    "B-But¡­ You''re not a Supreme Wizard yet." Miraj worriedly interjected, not wanting to see Sylvester lose any limbs anymore.


    "I know," Sylvester looked at his palms and his almost naked body since his armor and clothes had chipped away. His body was now refined to the degree that every inch of his skin seemed to be coating muscles as hard as skygems. This was the pinnacle of the tinum Knight rank. "Julius Aurelius Alexander is a master of dark magic, and my mastery of light magic reached a point I can''t push past until I elevate in my wizard rank. If I have you, I know we can defeat him, Chonky."


    That instantly cheered Miraj. Enough that he raised his paw in a fist, "Yes!¡ªWe will kill him and crush his skull! We will¡ª"


    "Not kill him," Sylvester interrupted him. "Our goal is to talk and knock some sense into him. When he came to help me in Masan at that time and gave me that offer, I don''t think he came to me out of hatred. It was his cry for help¡ªsince he didn''t want to destroy the Holy Land and kill millions¡ªHe was looking for a way out, but at the same time, for unknown reasons, couldn''t resolve the hate he had for the faith."


    Sylvester''s words went above Miraj''s furry head, "Then we make him a friend?"


    "I don''t know, Chonky. He''s a mystery to me, and I can only make a decision after finding out what his motivations are. What pushed him to use his incredible talents against the Church?"


    Sylvester looked toward the sky and talked with the Elder God, "Nehilius, I''m done here. Please take me to the exit."


    Blink!


    Darkness flickered before his eyes, and in an instant, he found himself standing by the door. But before opening, he nced behind, even though there was nothing there, "The next time we meet, the circumstances might change."


    "I wish you fortitude and valor to ovee this adversary. Remember, you are my heir; you must not lose."


    Sylvester chuckled and turned the doorknob, "That''s the n."


    He crossed over and gazed at the empty hall. Instead of going up, he chose to go to the armory and grab another armor set for himself. But he didn''t bother cleaning himself up as he was still not done preparing for the battle. First, he needed to choose a team to take along.


    "Maxy, we go home and prepare for adventure now?" Miraj asked, wanting to see Xavia again.


    Crack-ck!


    Sylvester cracked his knuckles and stretched his neck and shoulders. "Not yet, Chonky. We have something important to do first. Hold on tight. I''ll be moving very fast."


    Miraj didn''t say anything and hugged Sylvester''s neck tightly with his soft, fluffy paws.


    Sylvester ascended the stairs like a breeze. As if he was gliding on the floor, he didn''t even appear as a blur to most eyes, and only a gust of wind was felt by the staff of the Pce. His speed was enhanced by his pinnacle physical body. He easily went out of the Pope''s Pce and kicked his feet softly, avoiding damage to the ground by using the air itself to propel him into the sky. Only a few sonic booms were heard before he settled on his trajectory.


    Boom!


    Hended in the Training Penins, a massive area with a high mountain, grasnds, and forests. It was empty at that moment, just what he wanted. As hended on the ground, he closed his eyes and used the Srium Web to connect with a few minds that weren''t too far away. However, his words were the same for each.


    "Within five minutes, reach the Training Penins¡ªDrop everything you''re doing, ande prepared for an intense battle."


    With that, Sylvester closed his eyes to rest his mind and waited for everyone to arrive, one by one. Sure enough, the first one to arrive was Felix, as he also kicked the ground and simply jumped to him. But soon after, the Inquisitor High Lord and Aurora came. After them, Soulbreaker and Emperor Raz joined the group.


    All five of them were the strongest assets the Holy Land currently had in its possession¡ªEspecially Emperor Raz, a Supreme Wizard.


    They all looked at Sylvester in confusion but didn''t call out his name, clueless about what was actually going on.


    "Prepare to fight me," Sylvester abruptly said and opened his eyes. His right hand began to form the longsword made of light magic. wless in size and appearance, seeming real. "You should all attack me at the same time. Fight me as if your life depends on it, and the moment I lose my focus and this sword vanishes from my hand, I''ll be the loser. Ultimately, I''ll select two of you to apany me to Mount Primis."


    The Inquisitor High Lord didn''t even question Sylvester and prepared himself to battle, "If that is yourmand, we are obliged to do as you nned."


    Sylvester raised his light de, "All of you¡ªall at once."


    "Hoho¡­ I like the confidence," Felix smirked, pulling down his helmet''s visor before raising his sword. "I''ll start it then."


    Sylvester didn''t react. He remained standing still, upright, with his senses ready to feel any changes around his body. He even tried to feel the subtle shifts in the air, and the biggest helper of all¡ªhe sensed the shadows, as the light was obstructed by people''s bodies. As light traveled faster, he precisely predicted the direction of attack and the speed.


    sh!


    Sylvester didn''t even wave his sword and merely deflected Felix''s strike by tilting his de correctly, "Be more mindful."


    With a slight nudge, Sylvester sent Felix flying far away in the air. Right at that instant, he sensed thunder crackling in the sky and leaped sidewards, avoiding Aurora''s strikes. However, others were already nning their attack against him. Lord Inquisitor mmed his staff to the ground and cracked everything around him, filling everything with fire and magma.


    Boom!


    Sylvester vanished from his spot and appeared behind the Inquisitor High Lord. His body seemed to glide effortlessly along the ground, his speed reducing him to a mere blur, even to them.


    Atst, he swung the de at Lord Inquisitor''s neck.


    nk!


    Lord Inquisitor lowered himself and stopped Sylvester with his helmet. But Sylvester''s de was too powerful, and instantly, the entire visor of Lord Inquisitor and helmet were thrown away, leaving his face visible. His eyes were glowing red, and his mouth was spewing mes.


    However, it was an opportunity. The loyal inquisitor roared at Sylvester, breathing massive mes from his jaws.


    "Haaaaa!"


    _________________


    [A/N: Wrote too much today. Another chapter ising in an hour.]


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 617 616. The Calculated Rage

    Chapter 617 616. The Calcted Rage


    Sylvester quickly ducked to avoid the mes and jumped back to create some space. Right then, Aurora fell from the sky, her entire body shining in bright blue light, thunder crackling around her. She moved as fast as light, but the moment she came closer to Sylvester, she was left shocked.


    Sylvester raised himself instead of dodging Aurora and elerated toward her. She did the same, confident in her abilities.


    "Got you!" She roared.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester vanished from her sight, leaving her confused. "Up!"


    BOOM!


    Sylvester swung his de toward the ground. A massive, curved de made from materialized light magic hurtled toward Aurora at the same speed as her lightning. It was too massive for her to react in time, and she was struck first with it. The scorching magical attack from Sylvester left Aurora burned, her armor tattered, and a deep wound on her shoulder.


    "Argh!" Sylvester suddenly felt immense pain in his body. His eyes red at Soulbreaker, "You can''t do that anymore!"


    Recognizing the threat, Sylvester kicked the ground with destructive force and zoomed toward Soulbreaker. He kept his de pointed at the man, intending to strike a very painful blow.


    sh!


    "Did you forget me?" Emperor Raz appeared before Soulbreaker and threw bone spears.


    Sylvester swung his sword and deflected the bone spears away. He knew they were bad news as they were quite sharp, and even worse was the poison they held. However, he didn''t go forward and stood his ground, "I didn''t¡­ That''s why my one hand is empty."


    Bam!


    Sylvester deflected Felix''s strike again and pushed him far back with a kick. He knew Felix was strong, but the knight was at a disadvantage as Sylvester was a wizard. Sylvester focused on the main threat and raised his palm toward Emperor Raz, the Supreme Wizard Lich.


    Crack!


    Out of nowhere, a sphere of white light formed around Emperor Raz''s body. It kept getting denser and less transparent over time, appearing more solid than light itself.


    Boom!


    Emperor Raz tried to attack the sphere but couldn''t break it. He used his own magic, created hundreds of bone spears around his body, and stabbed the sphere from within. However, each time Raz made a move, the sphere grew smaller and eventually strangled him into a fetal position, rendering him immobile.


    However, from the outside, the sphere looked as big as before. Meaning it was the sphere''s insides that filled up overtime and locked Emperor Raz in one ce.


    "Uh!" Sylvester clenched his teeth. His left hand extended toward from scorching storms of fire in the shape of dragons to pirs of mes that rose from within the ground. The man wasn''t a knight, Emperor Raz and appeared to strain as veins bulged on his arm. His fingers tried to clench tighter as if he were physically squeezing something.


    Right then, Lord Inquisitor sent waves of fire attacks at Sylvester, from scorching storms of fire in the shape of dragons to pirs of mes that rose from within the ground. The man wasn''t a knight, so he tried to fight Sylvester from a distance.


    "Aargh!" Sylvester suddenly felt a surge of pain and nced behind him. Aurora was attacking him with her thunder magic. But with short intervals and unpredictability, it was clear that she was randomly moving around too.


    "He can''t move!" Aurora shouted. "Attack him at the same time!"


    Sylvester kept his left hand focused on Emperor Raz. With his right hand, he wielded the sword. He also gave Chonky the green light, as it was time for thest strike.


    "Wraaaa!" Felix was serious now. Hended beside Sylvester and swung his de at Sylvester''s neck.


    Ting!


    The light de in Sylvester''s hands blocked the strike. After that, he swung the de behind himself and stopped the thunder strike from Aurora while the woman inched closer to him. From a distance, Lord Inquisitor sent fire attacks, albeit mostly being ineffective. Soulbreaker tried to neutralize him, but the mental training Sylvester had done with the Elder God helped him.


    Bam!


    Felix kicked Sylvester''s legs, throwing him down on one knee. But Sylvester didn''t let Emperor Raz go free. He used his sword and exchanged blows with Aurora and Felix at the same time, with just a single hand. It looked like a magical dance as Sylvester moved his arm at a speed unmatched, invisible to the naked eye. One moment, he deflected Felix, and the next, he countered Aurora behind him. His focus remained unchanged, and at times, he pushed back with offensive strikes.


    However, as if a stalemate had been reached, Sylvester effortlessly blocked all the attacks, "I can do this all day."


    Gritting his teeth, Felix decided to change his tactics, "Try this then!"


    Felix activated the runes on his sword. He used air magic to form invisible des and sh at Sylvester. It was soon proven effective since Sylvester''s hands were busy blocking the physical attacks.


    Soon, still on his one knee, Sylvester started to bleed from his shoulder, face, and neck as the des of air struck him.


    "Do it!"


    Suddenly, a beam of light appeared out of nowhere and abruptly struck Felix. Sylvester found a chance in that moment of shock and let his light sword go, allowing it to slowly disappear while blocking Aurora behind him. However, before the sword could disappear and seal his defeat, he threw a punch at Felix''s stomach.


    "Gaaaah!" Felix''s mouth went agape, and he immediately vomited blood and food. His ribs cracked, and his stomach caved in so much that Sylvester''s hand almost touched his spine. It was a painful and enlightening lesson.


    BOOM!


    Felix was sent hurtling, thrown toward a mountain in the distance. The moment his body collided with the rocks, the entire mountain shook and formed a massive hole that went all the way to the other side.


    Sylvester grunted and caught his sword behind him, shaping his light sword back into form. He deflected Aurora''s thunder attacks and rose to his feet.


    Sylvester looked at Lord Inquisitor and Soulbreaker standing in the distance. He roared like a madman. His bloodied face and the swollen veins all over his body was a frightening sight to see. His armor had once again crumbled, revealing his peak body. His long, blonde hair billowed with the wind, and his red eyes glowed, with a halo forming behind the head as well.


    "Haaaaaaa!"


    BOOM!


    He stomped on the ground with one foot. The earth instantly copsed, the loweryers copsing beneath the upper crust. Everything crumbled in deafening chaos as if it turned into dust that flew outward into the sky like a storm. Everyone except Sylvester lost their bnce.


    However, that was merely one move, and the effect was yet toe. The gigantic kilometer-wide crater he made began to fill up with liquid light sma, so bright and shining white that it blinded Lord Inquisitor, Soulbreaker, and Aurora.


    It was clear that falling into the otherworldlyke meant a certain death. The three had nowhere to go except for jumping in the air to save themselves. Even Aurora left Sylvester and tried to save herself, heading toward the shore by creating lightning beneath her feet to gain altitude.


    "We can''t win," Lord Inquisitor voiced aloud. "He''s consumed by rage¡ªHe''s fighting us with mere instincts instead of conscious thoughts within."


    "He''s like a God of War!" Soulbreaker''s voice shivered, showing some fear.


    Sylvester growled ferociously and chased after the three in the sky since they couldn''t change their trajectory. He swung his de from a distance and sent a massive sh of light toward Lord Inquisitor and Soulbreaker. The two men couldn''t dodge it and were quickly struck.


    Woosh!


    Their armor was burned, and their bodies were sent flying through the sky, leaving behind trails of blood. Theynded in the distance, away from the strange, shining whiteke beneath them. They couldn''t imagine the amount of magic required to form something so otherworldly¡ªake filled with magic itself.


    "Aurora! He''s not acting in a blind rage! It''s his nned way to engage!" Lord Inquisitor roared. "Yield to His Holiness! You can''t defeat him¡ªhis mind, magic, and body are inplete harmony! You cannot challenge his magical mastery!"


    Aurora heard those words, and it annoyed her. She had seen Sylveste grow, and he had surpassed her strength now. It was somewhat damaging to her own pride. "Wait! He''s only been using light magic this whole ti¡ª"


    Snap!


    Sylvester appeared in front of Aurora with such speed that she didn''t even notice him move. His de rested on her neck, burning her skin as it was made of light. She was shocked, bloodied, and in pain.


    She stared into Sylvester''s crimson eyes, his face looking terrifying with the backdrop of the halo behind him. His body appeared far more muscr now, and he seemingly looked much older than yesterday. Defeating them all with just one element¡ªshe felt shudders and goosebumps all over. ''Did he be a God of Light?'' she wondered in horror as the pain of his sword burning her skin reached her mind.


    In confusion, she nced at Emperor Raz in the distance, the only being who could challenge Sylvester. But he was still stuck in the sphere. "Y-You¡­ But you can''t move while holding him there."


    Sylvester grabbed Aurora''s neck with his hand while retracting his de. Then, he flew down to the ground and mmed her down with force, making sure she felt the pain¡ªthe powerlessness.


    "Argh¡­ I-I¡­ yield¡­" Aurora coughed up blood andy in ce; her body wracked with pain in the small crater below her.


    Sylvester stood upright and allowed his sword to vanish, but the halo remained, "Yes, you ''believed'' I couldn''t move."


    Aurora''s eyes widened as the realization dawned, "Y-You were fooling us?"


    Sylvester''s eyes slowly returned to normal, and his breath steadied. The massiveke of pure magic behind him also began to dissipate as it was simply srium.


    "The first move of any battle is made here," he tapped one finger on his temple before pouring healing potions on Aurora. "Our minds."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 618 617. Battle Of Mount Primis I: Scent Of Rage

    Chapter 618 617. Battle Of Mount Primis I: Scent Of Rage


    Sylvester helped Felix, Lord Inquisitor, and Soulbreaker. Then, he released Emperor Raz from confinement. He gave them all healing potions while letting them rest. Their battle had onlysted a few minutes, and Sylvester had dominated from the start. The others understood that very well, but Emperor Raz was confused.


    "How did you stop me? I''m a Supreme Wizard. In theory, I''m much stronger than you." Emperor Raz asked, somewhat annoyed since he had lost against Saint Scepter as well.


    Sylvester created a ball of solid light on his palm and threw it at Emperor Raz. "Catch."


    By instinct, the Lich caught it with his skeleton hands. But in an instant, he began to fumble the orb and soon threw it away. "Hot, hot, hot! Ouch!"


    "In other words, my mastery of light magic has reached a higher level. So, now I''m able to hurt you, a being constructed from dark magic. And who else is a master of dark magic? Chief of Anti-Light," Sylvester exined and decided to pick two members from the group to go along with him. "Lord Inquisitor, your vast knowledge will help me deal with that man. Emperor Raz, you can help deal with unforeseen situations, and your undead dragon will help us reach the ce."


    At that moment, Sylvester also saw Felix sitting on the ground, looking angry. He could understand the frustration that must be eating him from inside. Not being able to fight against him, even after bing a tinum Knight had to be irritating.


    "Want to know why you lost?" Sylvester directed his words toward his good friend. "Youck a particr fighting style and its mastery. You''re very young, and I think it''s time you choose one style. Besides, you couldn''t have defeated me because my knight rank had already reached its peak¡ªbeyond this, it''s uncharted territory."


    Felix looked up at Sylvester, shocked, "You''ve hit the peak?"


    "I have," Sylvester nodded and gestured for all of them to stand up. "Return to the Pope''s Penins and rest. We leave in the morning."


    Not wasting time with them, Sylvester kicked the ground and jumped away. Midair, he formed Light Tiles and swiftly crossed the entire waterbody to reach the Pope''s Penins. However, instead of heading to the Pce, hended directly on the roof of the Bright Mother''s buildingplex.


    "Mewaaaa¡­ I''m hungry," Miraj yawned from Sylvester''s shoulder, his eyes seeming heavy and tired.


    Sylvester picked up the fluffball and held him like a baby, "I think I spoil you too much. I''m also tired, but I''m notining."


    "Because you''re big, and I''m small," Miraj argued, making his eyes appear big and cute. "Can I have banana cake today? Just one?"


    "You mean the whole cake and not one slice?"


    "..."


    "Okay, okay! Stop attacking me with those adorable eyes," Sylvester relented and knocked at his home''s door. "You''ll get very fat, so I''m warning you."


    Miraj didn''t care, "I''m a growing boy, Maxy. I need more food."


    "You''re a thousand years old."


    ck!


    Zeke opened the door, and Sylvester went straight to the kitchen. Xavia was cooking there, and the tasty aroma of food filled the entire house.


    "Mum, Chonky wants a banana cake. Can you make a quick one?" He asked and ced Miraj on the table. He attached a bell to Miraj''s body that, although became invisible, rang every time Miraj moved. That helped Xavia interact with the invisible cat.


    "Anything for Lord Chonky," Xavia was happily humming a song. She was in her best mental state in a long time. It was also visible in her eyes since she didn''t appear very tired.


    Before revealing his mission, Sylvester went and took a bath and changed into regr pants and a short tunic, which basically made it seem like a modern t-shirt. He then sat by the balcony and trimmed his hair with scissors, as it was so long that it reached his waist. It was a hindrance during fights.


    "Are you preparing for something?" Xavia noticed and asked.


    "I''ll be heading west tomorrow, Mum," Sylvester replied, trying to be honest with her since she was an essential part of his administration. "I''ve received word that the Chief of Anti-Light is at Mount Primis, and Bloodrain could possibly be there too. I have to put an end to this anti-light matter, so I have to go."


    Sylvester fully expected Xavia to get sad. But instead, she patted his shoulder and started helping him cut his hair.


    "I''m not naive enough to believe that you''ll stay within the walls of the Holy Land forever. As the Pope, it''s your duty to fight when needed, to ensure the safety of the realm. You might even have to fight Beastaria if the need arises, and there''s nothing I can do to stop you. Otherwise, I''d fail as a Bright Mother," Xavia said while massaging his head asionally. "But as your mother, I''m scared to death."


    Sylvester smiled and ced his hand on hers, "I just reached the peak of Grand Wizard rank, Mum. There''s a chance that I''ll be something more by the time I return¡ªsomeone truly qualified to sit on the Pope''s throne."


    Xavia was momentarily taken aback. It broughtfort to her heart, knowing how quickly he was growing. She hugged his neck from behind, "Call me foolish, but as a mother, I don''t think I''ll stop worrying even if you reach the peak of Supreme Wizard."


    "Haha," Sylvesterughed heartily. "And that''s why, no matter what, I will always remember I have a mum worrying for me at home. Giving me a reason to give my all and live¡ªas long as possible."


    Xavia whimpered on his shoulder, getting emotional. But she didn''t want to show her face to him and rushed back to the kitchen, "Wash your hands. Dinner is ready."


    Sylvester stood up and decided to tell her a little more, "Mum¡­ Even after all this is done, and Beastaria has surrendered to me¡­ Things won''t be over. I''ve been warned of a greater evil lurking out there. But this time, I''m terrified and have no clue if I can win¡ªSo please be safe and careful."


    Xavia had no clue what Sylvester was talking about but chose to believe him fully. Trying not to show too much fear, "I''ll remember that, dear. Now cheer up, and let''s eat."


    ''I must get stronger. I don''t want to see her grow old,'' Sylvester told himself, one of his deepest fears affecting him again.


    ¡­


    Early the next morning, he bid a quick goodbye to Xavia and Zeke before heading out to meet with the rest at the Training Penins again. He chose to leave from a secluded ce to keep his mission a secret. Felix was supposed to weave a story of where he was while working as the signing authority after he was gone.


    As he arrived, Emperor Raz was already waiting there with his undead dragon. The giant skeletal creature had been given clothes to give it the appearance of a living dragon. Additionally, there were now leather seats with backrests and safety belts at the back of the dragon. Moreover, arge curved ss was also added to stop the wind from hitting the riders.


    "Let''s get going," Sylvester jumped onto the back of the dragon. Soon, Lord Inquisitor also joined. Without wasting any time, they soared into the sky and vanished behind the clouds to make sure themoners below weren''t frightened.


    "What do you think?" Emperor Raz asked, patting the surface of the dragon''s back. "I designed this ride myself, from every single stitch to thest piece of leather seat."


    ''Never in my life did I think I''d be friends with a lich,'' Sylvester was just amused by the skeleton. Raz was peculiar, and too lively for his species. The man loved ying with children, teaching, sewing, writing, and fashion as well. Clear from the ck leather trench coat, ck pants, boots, and cowboy hat on his head. The funniest part was that there was no such thing as a cowboy hat in the world, so Emperor Raz invented it.


    "I''m envious," Sylvester replied. "I would have loved to have a dragon to ride. But I''m sure the ones at Greenpeaks won''t be happy with that."


    "You can always bring me a dead one. I''ll turn it into an obedient steed for you." Raz offered, not truly understanding how big of a thing it was to turn a dragon into an undead dragon.


    Soon, they turned their discussion to serious matters. As they headed northwards, they first arrived over Miraj City, the second Holy Land where Sylvester was supposed to spend at least three months each year and focus on the development of the western region.


    "The city looks amazing." Sylvester nced at the massive, walled city with its pale red bricks being the unique point. The dwarves also lived beneath the entire city. It appeared very clean from the sky and modern as well since the trams had already begun operating with the electricity generated from the nearby smaller river dam. It was more of an experiment, so it wasn''t showcased as a big invention.


    Miraj City was also the first to have a dedicated municipal administration that was responsible for cleaning and maintenance. Even a police system was formed, abiding by the new constitution that Sylvester had released. On top of that, wealth gathered in the city as it acted like a bridge between the east and west.


    Felix was still the Count of Sandwall County and earned a lot of gold from the region. Not that he cared since his wife-to-be was quite literally the Queen.


    "Don''t go too low. You might frighten the people," Sylvester warned Raz.


    With that, they quickly made their way into the north. Once the wind turned freezing cold, they knew they were close. They passed by Mount Dimos, the highest one, and approached Mount Primis.


    "I''ll handle the fighting if ites to that," Sylvester geared himself up for the battle. "The two of you should watch my back, and if we find Bloodrain, secure him."


    ''I can feel it¡­ There''s rage; there''s anger; there''s hopelessness,'' Sylvester stood up and stared at the mountain nearest to them. The undead dragon slowly descended to get closer to it over time, but Sylvester didn''t want to waste time there.


    "Follow the path I make and maintain a distance," Sylvester ordered the two and, without warning, jumped down with Miraj.


    The cold wind tried its best to freeze Sylvester, but other than his clothes, it couldn''t affect him. The solidified light sword he made in one hand was hot enough to keep him and Miraj warm.


    Boom!


    Atst, hended with a loud bang and quickly began walking toward the scents. He nearly melted all of the snow wherever he stepped, forming a path for Lord Inquisitor and Emperor Raz.


    ''He''s noticed me,'' Sylvester suddenly smelled the curiosity in the air.


    "Julius Aurelius Alexander!" He called the man out loudly. "Let''s sit and talk!"


    He tried to pinpoint where the man was, but other than snow and deep ravines or cliffs from the mountain, he found nothing. However, he still kept going and felt the scents growing stronger. ''Inside the mountain? There must be an entrance.''


    As a Master of Elder Magic, he started using the srium in the air itself and attempted to sense if there was any secret opening behind the snow.


    ''If it''s hidden behind the snow, it must mean he hasn''te out in a long time.''


    "Where are you, Julius? Won''t you greet the new Pope?" He bellowed.


    Right at that instant, he smelled something. Anger and hatred abruptly surged in the air. ''Bitterness with burns, and the burning pungent feeling¡ªdoes this mean¡­''


    To test his theory, he shouted once more, "I am Sylvester Maximilian! Pope of the faith of Solis!"


    Boom!


    All of a sudden, the entire mountain vibrated, triggering avnches everywhere. But that wasn''t the problem. The immense increase in scents rted to negative emotions was.


    "Alright¡­ he hates me," Sylvester stopped moving and prepared his sword. "Chonky, get ready for battle."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 619 618. Battle Of Mount Primis II: That Hopeless Emptiness

    Chapter 619 618. Battle Of Mount Primis II: That Hopeless Emptiness


    [A/N: Sorry, a long one.]


    ______________________


    Boom!


    The avnches bombarded Sylvester. However, a single slice from his Light Sword turned everything into steam before it could touch him. He never lost his way or allowed the snow to cover his path. He kept his focus on the scents and walked closer to what he guessed was an entrance. A cave entrance was hidden behind a sheet of snow.


    "Chonky, start sniffing for the scent of blood," Sylvester ordered.


    Quickly, Miraj stood up on Sylvester''s head and began moving his nose around, making loud sounds from his intense sniffs.


    "Maxy! I hear something!" Miraj''s fluffy tail stood straight. "Dig down!"


    "Down? But the cave entrance is ahead." Sylvester asked, unsure if Miraj was right this time.


    Miraj''s little ears twitched. "Umm¡­ I think there''s something down here. Just make a hole, Maxy."


    Sylvester looked down and plunged his sword without further question. There was no point in doubting Miraj too much, so he attempted to create a hole as suggested. He quickly reached the hard rocks and, from there, easily melted away the surface to make a path.


    Slowly, he kept going deeper, and surprisingly, the surface became easier to drill into. The heat radiating from his de quickly created a meter-wide tunnel, a perfect circle going down.


    "We''re close!" Miraj chirped.


    ''A cavern underneath? If the entrance is ahead, then this should be a shortcut,'' Sylvester thought, preparing himself to battle at a moment''s notice.


    The sizzling sound of the stones melting continued to spread. His feet sank in slowly, expecting to fall down at any moment. He didn''t wear any powerful armor since it was all useless in a battle against a Supreme Wizard. No material could withstand what he was about to do.


    "Right there," Miraj meowed.


    Boom!


    Right then, Sylvester felt his feet plunge into emptiness. With that, the entire thin crust crumbled apart, and he fell into the underground dark cavern. Without wasting a moment, he formed Light Tiles beneath his feet, and they illuminated the surroundings on their own.


    He immediately realized how massive was the cavern they were in. Even his Light Tiles couldn''t illuminate all of it, and he had no idea how far down the ground was. He only noticed there were a lot of stctites around him, huge and sharp.


    Sniff! Sniff!


    "They''re down there." Miraj alerted him with his sniffs.


    Sylvester quickly started making his way down whilemunicating mentally with the Lord Inquisitor and guiding them on how to enter the ce. Cautiously, he tried to keep all of his surroundings covered with his senses.


    "I''m here, Julius!" Sylvester shouted.


    ''That way,'' he corrected his course toward the scent.


    It took a few minutes, but he eventually saw the cave floor covered in stgmites as tall as buildings. Instead of stepping down between them, he walked above them with his magic. The darkness was a problem, so he changed theposition of his Light Sword and made it shine.


    In an instant, he could see much farther ahead. And right at the edge of the light before him, he noticed what he was looking for. Not in the condition he wanted to, nor with the man he hoped to.


    At the edge, between Sylvester''s flickering light and the cavern''s enveloping darkness, a man appeared, kneeling and shirtless. His entire body was covered in hundreds of deep scratch wounds. Eyes bloodshot red, almost shining, with dark ck circles underneath them. He was barefoot, his pants torn around his lower legs. Julius looked like a caveman with his long, unkempt beard and hair.


    But what worried Sylvester was the stripped, bloodied man tied to a stgmite behind him. His bleeding eyes seemed damaged, almost as if they were non-existent. The rest of the body was covered with deep gashes, and a few fingers were missing.


    "Bloodrain!!" Sylvester shouted for the tied man.


    "Why must this be your end? Julius, release Guardian Bloodrain and cease your actions. I fulfilled our bet and became the Pope within a "Your H-Holiness?!" Bloodrain reacted to the voice, painfully so. "Leave¡­ Let this be my end!"


    Sylvester had no clue why the man was saying such a thing. Bloodrain was a proud man with unwavering respect for the faith. "Why must this be your end? Julius, release Guardian Bloodrain and cease your actions. I fulfilled our bet and became the Pope within a year!"


    The Chief of Anti-light, Julius Aurelius Alexander, didn''t move. His bloodshot eyes kept ring at Sylvester, with his hatred seeping out with such intense scent that Sylvester almost noticed a hint of bitterness from death.


    ''I need to de-escte this.''


    "I know why you agreed to help me in Masan," Sylvester began, taking small steps closer. "By killing all of Masan''s Grand Wizards, you weakened me instead of helping me. You took away any chance I had to gain their allegiance¡ªtwenty grand wizards! You reduced my chance of bing the Pope with their help. But you didn''t expect your wager would backfire, and I''d be the Pope despite everything against me."


    ''No change in his emotions,'' Sylvester found himself in a pickle. ''A fight seems inevitable.''


    "Why have you tortured Lord Bloodrain like this? What did he do to you?" He questioned, at least trying to find answers to the strange situation.


    "You will never understand." Finally, Julius spoke and stood up. His chest heaved with long breaths, wild fury taking over him. His fist clenched so hard that his palms began to bleed, but it looked like the man was trying to hold himself back. "Leave, Bard¡ªI have no desire to kill you."


    "Not without Bloodrain," Sylvester insisted, practically inviting the man to fight. "I have lost too much and need experts like him."


    "So you stand with a sinner? The butcher of innocents?" Julius growled, fuming with anger. "You choose to stand with the wrong side of history?"


    Sylvester continued to walk forward, "If you don''t tell me, I can''t imagine what history you''re talking about."


    "YOUR FAITH!" Julius abruptly boomed, his emotions driving him. "That night, my vige merely refused to entertain your Inquisitors. We refused to feed them or entertain them when we were barely surviving in the harsh winter. But your faith deemed us heathens¡ª


    your loyal Inquisitors still stormed through, enraged and out for blood."


    "ckrock?!" Sylvester suddenly eximed. The story Aurora once told him echoed in his head, the story that had led to Bloodrain blinding himself in repentance and as a reminder of his mistake.


    "They burned everything! Piged, raped daughters in front of fathers, wives in front of their husbands, and mothers in front of their sons¡ªthey killed slowly, tormenting everyone for days, just for their amusement. I¡ªthe vige chief, they spared to tell the tale!" Unbridled rage consumed Julius'' mind, clouding everything. He, too, began to walk toward Sylvester, his eyes revealing a semnce of tears. "Your faith is demonic! Bloodrain, themander of the Inquisitors, still lives¡ªwhy?"


    ''He''s¡­ blinded by thirst for revenge.'' Sylvester clenched his Light Sword firmly, ''I know this feeling all too well.''


    "Bloodrain wasn''t there. Nor did he hide the crime. He hunted each one of those thousand Inquisitors down and publically killed them¡ª


    he destroyed his eyes to remind himself of his oversight forever," Sylvester tried to argue. "You have no more enemies left to kill, Julius. Your battle is with your own mind."


    "Aaaaaa!" Julius abruptly roared and flew headfirst faster than Sylvester could react. "Tell that to my son! Tell that to my daughter! Tell my wife! You can''t¡ªbecause they were murdered!"


    Boom!


    Julius struck Sylvester''s chest and grabbed his waist. He never stopped flying and soon began to m Sylvester onto the stgmites, as big asrge buildings. The trail of destruction shook the entire cavern like arge earthquake, and atst, they reached the cavern walls.


    "No mercy for killers!" Julius roared, abandoning any semnce of holding back. He picked up speed and struck the massive, thick cavern walls inside the mountain.


    "Gah!" Sylvester''s back cracked in several ces as he was mmed into the walls. But it didn''t stop him as the massive force created arge hole. Julius kept pushing him, creating a tunnel.


    "I''ll kill anyone who stands in my way!"


    Boom!


    Woosh!


    Sylvester felt the cold air brush his face, and he looked around. Finally, they were out of the trembling mountain, flying through the air. He kept his teeth clenched as the pain was unbearable, but this wasn''t the end of the fight, merely the start of his n. ''They should have gotten Bloodrain by now.''


    "Haaaa!" Sylvester gathered his strength and locked his hands together. Then, he hammered hisbined fist at Julius'' back, using his peak tinum Knight power. "Open your damn eyes!"


    A deafening, loud thump echoed in the deste mountains. Julius was thrown down from the sky, crashing onto a smaller mountain with such force that the peak ttened upon impact, forming numerous avnches in the deadly endless wilderness of the north.


    ''Good thing my body can withstand this,'''' Sylvester prayed in gratitude to Solis and Nehilius for all the help. ''Now to knock some senses into him.''


    Woosh!


    Julius wasn''t harmed. He flew up toward him at a speed too rapid, even for Sylvester. But this time, Sylvester dodged by a hair''s breadth. This was Julius'' advantage. He was a Supreme Wizard and could fly.


    "Don''t stand in my way!" Julius roared and formed a massive ck Orb of pure dark magical energy on the palm over his head. ck thunder crackled around the entire orb and seemingly tried to pull everything into as if it were a ck hole.


    ''Is that a real ck hole?'' Sylvester wondered and prepared himself in worry.


    "Leave!" Julius finally released the massive ck orb toward Sylvester. It didn''t approach slowly¨Cin fact, it moved even faster than his flight speed.


    "Aaaargh!" Sylvester soon realized it was more than a ck hole. It tried to eat his energy and rip his skin apart, with the ck thunder holding his physical body back for maximum effect from pulling force. "Dark magic¡­ can''t harm me!"


    Sylvester gritted his teeth and formed the Light Sword in his hands. He didn''t bother giving it a physical texture, allowing it to remain in the form of pure shining light. However, he made it bigger this time, tens of meters in length¡ªall so he could reach the orb.


    His eyes glowed red, and the halo formed behind his head as well. Elder Runes formed around the massive Light Sword and began reinforcing the magic. If the ck Orb was a ck hole, Sylvester''s sword became a gigantic sun that spread soothing warmth.


    "Haaaa!" Sylvester swung the de atst, aiming to hit the orb.


    "You thought I would stop?" Julius appeared on Sylvester''s left and tried to stab his neck with a w made of dark energy. "I will kill you if I must."


    "You can''t!" Sylvester began humming under his breath, and a golden translucent sphere formed around his body.


    Boom!


    Julius''s w struck the shield and couldn''t go through. It amazed the man, but in his frenzied state, instead of standing back and thinking of a n, he started pounding the shield like a madman.


    Bam!


    Bam!


    Sylvester knew he couldn''t keep up with such a drain on his srium. He pushed his Light Sword at the ck Orb that was still headed toward him. The orb was hard to pierce, but he gave it his all, gritting his teeth, with veins popping up all over his face, arms, and neck. A few even burst under pressure, covering his entire body with blood.


    ''I need a moment of relief from him to attack the orb first.''


    "NOW!"


    Boom!


    Right behind Julius, out of thin air, a beam of white light materialized and struck him in the back. It contained Sylvester''s peak attack and pushed the man aside, even if it couldn''t harm him entirely.


    "Enough!" Sylvester found an opportunity, kicked the Light Tile under his feet, and pushed forward at the ck Orb. With the Light Sword, he pierced the ckness right in the middle and seemingly split it apart, canceling the dark magic with his light.


    Grrrr!


    The ck Orb, although split apart, didn''t lose its energy. The two sides of the orb fell down and destroyed thendscape in a slow, mind-numbing fury. Eating up everything it touched, be it hills, mountains, or trees¡ªonly gigantic craters formed. Mount Primis itself appeared to lose half of its side.


    ''This would have killed me if not for light magic,'' Sylvester sucked in a cold breath.


    "You!" Julius approached Sylvester again, ready to strike.


    But this time, Sylvester was ready with a counter since he was already exerting himself to the fullest. "Haaaa!"


    Sylvester swung his monstrouslyrge Light Sword at the man, which continued to grow longer. His de touched a few mountain peaks and sliced through them, causing deafening destruction. But the trajectory never faltered, heading straight for Julius.


    CLACK!


    "Ugh!" Sylvester frowned. The de was caught by Julius with a single hand, not even throwing him off his flight path. "I understand you, Julius! Stop this!"


    Lost in his arrogant, mindless rage, Julius stared at Sylvester while holding the Light Sword''s edge with his hand, seemingly unaffected by the light magic. "The pain of losing your family right before your eyes and being helpless to do anything¡ªYou will never understand my anger and pain, Sylvester Maximilian!"


    Sylvester gritted his teeth, hoping his next actions would do something. His Light Sword slowly started to turn into ropes made of solidified light itself. Without letting Julius feel any change in his hand, the ropes began to encircle him, slowlying closer to tighten their grip.


    "The emptiness in your heart, the sensation of something eating you inside. The self-loathing!" Sylvester replied, beingpletely honest by letting his own experiences speak. "The infinite questions in your mind, imagining what you could have done¡ªI do understand that, Julius."


    The Light Ropes finally knitted themselves close enough for the final squeeze.


    Julius had yet to realize it, however. His eyes flickered for a split second, showing he did understand the pain in Sylvester''s words, "Then move aside and let me finish what I intended¡ªLet me have my revenge."


    "Hah!" Sylvester painfully chuckled as a beautiful smiling face shed before his eyes, "Even after revenge, it doesn''t get better, Julius¡­ You''ll never forget the faces, the words, the voices, the emotions¡ªthat hopeless emptiness in your heart never goes away."


    Creak!

 Chapter 620 619. Battle Of Mount Primis III: Once, I Was You

    Chapter 620 619. Battle Of Mount Primis III: Once, I Was You


    Creak!


    The Light Ropes tightened around Julius, catching him off guard. But instead of resisting or striving to be free, he continued to speak with Sylvester. "If the pain never goes away, then what is the point of living?"


    Wounded and bleeding profusely, Sylvester clenched his teeth, feeling an invisible force attempting to sever the Light Ropes binding Julius. Yet he managed to respond, "We live in hell, Julius¡ª


    What do you expect in hell but to be burned and damaged? Yet to live is to aspire to see past this hell¡ªTo keep moving forward to see what lies beyond."


    "Ugh!" Sylvester groaned, struggling to restrain Julius.


    "Haha¡­" Julius startedughing uncontrobly, almost manically. "Hahaha¡­ What if limitless darkness is all that awaits beyond?"


    "Then your journey is not yet finishe¡ª"


    BOOM!


    The Light Ropes fractured suddenly, producing a crackling noise akin to thunder. The bacsh harmed Sylvester, too; he spat blood from his mouth, bracing himself for an imminent attack.


    "I have no interest in a journey where I walk alone. If darkness is the only thing I can have, then why shouldn''t there be darkness for all?" Boomed Julius and turned back toward Mount Primis. "Your tricks will not work on me¡ªI will kill him and anything that stands in my way."


    With a groan, Sylvester lunged forward, desperate to intercept Julius before he could take flight. Light Tiles shattered beneath his urgency as he hastened. "What after you kill him? Only more misery!"


    "Then I will embrace misery." Julius soared, his departure reverberating like a tumultuous p of thunder. Sylvester elerated, too, but the man was faster.


    ''If I don''t stop him now, he will forever be a nuke ready to destroy the world¡ªBloodrain must not die.'' Despite his severe injuries, Sylvester exerted every ounce of his strength. The frigid, biting wind assaulted his face as he pursued Julius, venturing into the remnants of Mount Primis through the narrow passage.


    Everything was copsing around him. The very earth shook as the fury of a Supreme Wizard was not something nature could bear. Sylvester could visualize Julius upheaving the entire mountain in his restless search for Bloodrain.


    Sylvester kept following the scent of rage. "Calm down, Julius! You won''t find him here!"


    Bam!


    "Then where?" Julius appeared out of nowhere in the tight, body-sized tunnel. He grabbed Sylvester''s head and pulled him upwards through the dense stones and earth of Mount Primis. "Where is Bloodrain?"


    Woosh!


    Once again, Julius dragged Sylvester out in the open sky, this time above the mountain''s peak, more than ten thousand meters in the sky.


    Grasping Sylvester by his hair, Julius brought him ufortably close to his face, his voice thick with menace. "Let me kill him¡ªor die."


    Sylvester surveyed the state of the man. Eyes so red he could glimpse blood pooling in the pupils. Julius was a grim spectacle, coated in blood from head to toe, as veins burst open from the surge in blood pressure incited by rage.


    The halo returned behind Sylvester''s head, and he replied in a painful voice of hymn. Something he hoped would find reason in Julius'' heart.


    <nulli>?The giggles andughs awaited you at home. <nulli>In pursuit of them, throughout Sol you roam.


    <nulli>In the boundless night, yearning for their affection. <nulli>Hatred they''ll harbor as you tread the wrong direction.?


    A momentary flicker of vulnerability crossed Julius'' face as a few tears escaped his eyes. Yet, it was fleeting, for he promptly struck Sylvester square in the face, shattering his nose and fracturing his skull, momentarily robbing him of vision in one eye.


    "What makes you so different from the other Popes? Dozens of them came, and dozens of them left¡ªwhy the misery still gue thesends? Where is your so-called light of Solis? Why is there still such coldness?" Julius questioned Sylvester and raised his fist to strike again. "You are no better, merely younger and even more dangerous!"


    Boom!


    Julius punched Sylvester in the face again, hurling him into the vast distance. Sylvester fell down from the great heights. It took him time to return to his senses after the second punch.


    ''I can''t feel the right side of my face.'' Sylvester groaned and tried to halt his fall and stand on a Light Tile. ''I cannot win against him a direct battle. There has to be a way to enter his mind.''


    "Maxy!" Miraj came from below, panting and fluttering his wings. "I looked for you everywhere! You''re bleeding¡­ Let''s go away."


    "Not yet, Chonky. Stay back now and let me fight¡ªI cannot rely on miracles each time to win." Sylvester said and looked up, forming his light sword again. "Our enemies will keep getting stronger as we go, buddy."


    Crafting Light Tiles, Sylvester ascended steadily, aligning with Julius'' elevation. "What''s left? Your Supreme Void?"


    Julius growled and brought his palms together. In the middle, he created a tiny ck ball. It was a void so profound that even the ckest ck appeared vibrant beside it. "I wanted to let you live, but you invite death. When my void consumes you, do not curse me, for you chose this¡ªto stand where nothingsts. The void devoures all!"


    Sylvester held his ground and watched as Julius did his magic. The dark ck ball began to ooze a lot of srium from it, clearly channeling much of Julius'' energy.


    ''As long as the Void doesn''t affect me, he will be the easiest to beat inside it.'' Sylvester didn''t rush to attack and hoped his four years of training would help.


    Then, like a blink, the small ball of darkness in Julius'' hands expanded and covered Sylvester inside it. Almost instantly, shadows enveloped him, but he was careful enough to keep a shield of pure, solidified light magic around his body. And from that, he understood an extremely terrifying thing.


    ''This¡­ Darkness is not rted to light.'' He realized that the shield he had made reacted as if it was constantly attacked by something unnoticeable but strong. ''This void is trying to eat me and turn me into finer particles.''


    "Remarkable that you can withstand my Supreme Void." Julius voiced, floating closer to Sylvester. "But for how long, especially when I unleash my attacks?"


    Simr to Sylvester, Julius created a sword of pure dark magic in his hands, seemingly inspired by him. Then, he began to hit the shield.


    Boom!


    ''Ugh! It''s already cracking!'' In desperation, Sylvester gasped, attempting to bolster his shield while earning some time to think. ''He has lost control. His strikes are aggressive but mindless.''


    Boom!


    Boom!


    The strikes were constant, and the damage was double. The Supreme Void tried to eat his shield, and if it seeded, he had no doubt he''d be disintegrated into nothingness.


    "Haaaa!" Continuously, Julius struck, roaring in madness.


    ''There is only one option then¡ªI hope this one works.'' Sylvester raised his hand toward Julius and rested it on his shield as if reaching for the man''s face. ''In this void, I can be the sun.''


    Boom!


    The cracks continued to spread across the shield.


    However, Sylvester closed his eyes and tried to channel the srium energy surrounding him through his body, harnessing his elven magic to its fullest extent. In that moment, the training he had received from Nehilius was all that mattered, as the countless civilizations he had conquered were built upon dark magic itself.


    First, Sylvester''s body became enveloped in a brilliant golden light. Then, a halo formed behind his head, making him appear otherworldly, not human. The entire spherical shield that Sylvester had made started to get filled up with liquid sma that was light magic as well, simr to the Wrath of Heavens he had mastered.


    The radiance was blinding, causing even Julius to squint, but he never ceased his onught with the dark sword. However, this time, the shield did not fracture; instead, it began to mend.


    ''I am the light itself, and the fuel is my spirit¡ªI am its origin and its limit.'' Sylvester muttered his observation and lost his mind in the five-meter-wide orb made of pure light sma. It felt as though the and body, yet in harmony with his magic.


    "Ha!" Julius tried to slice the orb that covered Sylvester.


    sphere had be his body, and as Julius'' Supreme Void disintegrated him, more liquid sma took its ce. He was as boundless as the srium enveloping him¡ªdemanding on his mind and body, yet in harmony with his magic.


    "Ha!" Julius tried to slice the orb that covered Sylvester.


    nk!


    However, he received only astonishment as his dark sword shed against a luminous Light Sword that emerged from the orb. But on another look, the entire surface of the orb on all sides was covered with swords or spears.


    "What are you?!" Julius eximed in amazement.


    sh!


    Mindlessly, Julius tried to strike, but Sylvester''s des and spears neutralized him. Certainly, he wasn''t as potent as Julius, but every time his orb got damaged, more srium replenished the spot.


    Gradually, Julius began to pant from exhaustion and retreated. He raised his hands high and conjured enormous spears of dark elemental magic, hurling them toward Sylvester.


    Bzzzz!


    Sylvester''s radiant magic orb dissolved the pure dark magical energy, consuming it as if it were a feast.


    Julius attempted various dark elemental attacks, from physical to ult, but nothing proved effective. No runes, no incantations worked against the orb that had now be Sylvester''s body.


    Like an eternal, ethereal sun in the sky, emanating immense blinding light and energy, its swords and spears resembling sr res.


    "The sun!" Atst, Julius muttered what he felt.


    "You are right." Sylvester, from within the shield of light around him, voiced. His voice got muffled due to the liquid light and came out as echoey and otherworldly. His voice became muffled due to the liquid light, emerging as an eerie and otherworldly echo. "Darkness triumphs over light when the source is feeble, but when the source is darkness itself, my light shall remain eternal!"


    Boom!


    Sylvester unleashed a sma beam of light toward Julius. It was colossal, epassing Julius'' size. Nevertheless, Julius was still a Supreme Wizard and countered with a simr ck beam of pure Dark magical energy. It remained invisible in the ck void, but Sylvester''s beam shed against it.


    Shhhh!


    The sparks erupted, on one side Sylvester''s sun-like orb body, and on the other side the battered and bloodied Julius Aurelius Alexander.


    "Haaaa!" Julius roared and pushed forward against Sylvester.


    "You are my fuel!" Sylvester voiced and gave his all in pushing against Julius. He broke the weak equilibrium and pushed back. However, in doing so, he had to expend more srium than he absorbed, causing the protective orb around his body to shrink.


    "This world is not your enemy!" Sylvester shouted as he pushed forward. He was so injured and battered that his body had almost lost all sensation of pain and touch. He had no idea how he managed to stay alive. The exhaustion of srium didn''t frighten him, but the overuse of his body as a medium did. Every muscle in his body tore, and every blood cell in his veins screamed under the strain.


    "Do not fall into the void I fell." he continued, inching closer to Julius, hoping to be within arm''s reach one more time.


    "Hyaaaa... I... Have... Nothing..." Julius growled, his long beard and hair stained with blood, as he pushed himself to the brink and unleashed all the magic he had left in his body. After all, he was just a first-level Supreme Wizard. "All... Is lost!"


    Tip!


    Tap!


    "What?!" Julius eximed suddenly, looking above himself. Out of nowhere, golden raindrops fell on his face, and upon closer look, they fell everywhere, even piercing through his Supreme Void, and likely the entire world.


    ''He''s¡ªAscending¡­'' Julius realized and stared at Sylvester. ''Why is he doing this?''


    "Julius!" Sylvester, unaware of any golden rain outside his orb of liquid light, gave ast push as if he found it easier. "There is still some light to be found¡ª"


    Pa!


    Shocking Julius, Sylvester''s arm emerged from the massive, raging beam of light and touched his forehead. The arm instantly began to sumb to the Supreme Void''s effects, the skin disintegrating, revealing exposed muscles. It was excruciating, and Julius knew it, but he couldn''t react, for his eyes had turnedpletely white, radiating with light.


    "Aaaa¡­!" Sylvester groaned in agony, feeling his arm disintegratingyer byyer. But he could not afford to retract his arm, as his move required the touch with the mind. "Look at the pain, the loss, the suffering, the misery¡ªOnce, I was you, so learn from my history!"


    A portion of Sylvester''s life flickered in Julius'' mind, modified to seem like it belonged to this world. Not the intricate details that might cause issues but the joyful moments he had experienced, followed by his eventual sorrow and torment. His memories consistently drew parallels with Julius'' own.


    "Y-Your loss¡­ Then why do you try so hard?"


    Woosh!


    Julius felt Sylvester''s palm leave his head. He opened his eyes and looked, but to his panic, the protective white orb of light around Sylvester''s body was gone, his clothes had vanished, and now his skin was disintegrating, revealing his muscles. Quickly, Julius nullified his Supreme Void in an attempt to stop the damage.


    But as Sylvester felt himself sumbing to the pain, he managed to utter his final words through gritted teeth in the hope that through experiences of his old age, Julius would find some wisdom and change his course.


    "Why?" Sylvester grunted. "To not be a failure... To not be ashamed of myself when I see her again¡ªsomeday."


    Tap!


    Tap!


    Before Sylvester''s sanity slipped away, he smiled while gazing at the sky, raindrops pattering on his face.


    For so long, the envious golden celestial rain he longed¡ªTo him, it finally belonged.

 Chapter 621 620. Battle Of Mount Primis IV: Triumph

    Chapter 621 620. Battle Of Mount Primis IV:Triumph


    A celestial sign, telling every being in the world that one more Supreme Wizard has been born¡ª Rain fell everywhere across the world at the same time, from the deste areas of the Divine Desert to the hostile Greenpeaks of the dragons. The world looked up when the golden drops fell. Some curiously wondered who it was, some felt scared, and some simply ignored it.


    In the Holy Land, it was a matter of great enthusiasm, as most of the higher Clergymen knew who was the closest to bing a Supreme Wizard. As the rain fell from the sky, many walked over to the windows of their offices, smiling.


    Xavia knew where Sylvester had gone, and the worry slowly gnawed at her peace of mind. Choosing to remain at home, she paced back and forth in the living room while thinking about negative scenarios and hoping some news would arrive soon.


    But just then, she noticed it started to rain outside, "Golden?"


    That was all she could mutter before sitting down on the balcony floor and watching the message from the heavens. It was proof that Sylvester wasn''t only alive but growing stronger.


    Meanwhile, inside the Holy Land, there was one man delighted to see the golden rain. However, beyond Sylvester''s rise, he had another reason to be excited about it.


    "That madman did it!" Felix clenched his fist. "I can finally have my balls back!"


    ¡­


    At the same time, across the Continent in Beastaria, there were some mixed reactions. Unlike Sol, where everyone rejoiced, in Beastaria, there was only one man who smiled while looking at the gentle golden rain from the window of his chambers.


    ''He did it¡ªWee to the big table, my son.'' Rathagun muttered, smiling. Despite the humiliation he had faced in Sol, he still couldn''t bring himself to hate his son. Especially not when his blood had proven to be so powerful, wise, and better than him. ''I wish we lived in a different world.''


    "He did it! Brother, look outside!" Avanss burst into the room, cheering. "We can deal with the Demon now! I knew he was waiting for his rise to the Supreme Wizard before he came back here!"


    Rathagun nodded, albeit ufortably, "The gue has almost been dealt with. What''s left is the Demon. The dragons are too busy fighting each other¡ªWe can only rely on ourselves."


    Avanss chuckled loudly at the mention of the dragons, "I can imagine Malisius'' reaction to this rain. He must know it''s Sylvester."


    ¡­


    Avanss was right to some degree.


    "Noooo! How can this be?!" Malisius roared at the sky, spewing gigantic mes from his mouth. "He was nowhere close to peak Grand Wizard¡­ It can''t be that human."


    Destruction trailed behind him as he took out his rage on anything he could reach. His breath was ragged, his eyes red, and his scales sizzled with steam.


    "But then, who?!"


    ¡­


    Back in the Pentapeak Mountain Range near Mount Primis, the aftermath of the destructive battle started to settle down. Thendscape was uprooted, small mountains ttened, and valleys were now nds¡ªthe unimaginable madness was caused by just two humans.


    Sylvester sat in one such ttened valley, his back resting on a boulder. His body slowly tried to heal and cover the exposed wounds. In the cold winter, he didn''t feel anything, but his breath billowed out like clouds of smoke.


    His eyes were barely open from the exhaustion, but he smiled at seeing a much calmer Julius sitting before him. The golden rain had stopped, and he could still feel changes urring in his body. It was excruciatingly painful, but he held himself back from showing it.


    "Bloodrain¡­" Sylvester started, trying to advocate for the good. "He helped me end Prince Daemon, and saved me from a Grand Wizard. He¡­ stood by the poor and needy. He stood against Niel¡ªYour enemies are dead, Julius."


    Julius just sat there cross-legged, his back slouched forward and face looking down at nothing. His eyes were open and didn''t look red, but his bloodied body was still terrifying to look at. The man was aimless. He had no idea where to go or what to do anymore. His life''s purpose had boiled down to a thirst for revenge, nothing more.


    Sylvester ignored his pain and raised his hand toward Julius. With some effort, he was able to touch the man''s head again and show him something. A purpose worth fighting for, a danger worth protecting the world against. Something his family would be proud of.


    "J-Julius¡­ Our battle won''t end until we defeat those who control us like puppets. You asked me why the world is still so rotten? That''s because it was forcefully designed to remain rotten¡ªBecause those who came before were mere puppets."


    Julius still didn''t respond and kept looking down at the ground. But he soon spoke, albeit in a hoarse and broken voice. "Ignus¡­ my son. Wanted to be a knight in the King''s army. My daughter, Alnia, loved embroidery¡ªWhy do the simple folks suffer the most in a battle that isn''t theirs?"


    Sylvester sighed, wondering the same thing. He remembered being screwed over by those he served in his past life, which ended with Diana''s death. She didn''t deserve it; they merely wanted to live a happy, normal life.


    "As long as free will exists, there will always be criminals. But to squash free will is to render our world colorless¡ªwithout feelings, without any joys. What we can fight for is a world where evil is crushed before it takes root and where sinners are punished without bias. It will take work, but it''s possible in our lifetime," Sylvester answered, taking in examples from his past. Of course, the modern world was wed too; the rich always got away, but those were the lessons he could use now to create a better society.


    "Argh¡­" At that moment, Julius moved and tried to stand up. However, there was no longer any hostility, just a lot of confusion and regret. He turned to look toward the north and seemingly made a decision. "You shall receive the names of the high-ranking and most radicalized members of the anti-light. You cannot change their minds; only kill them. Their hate, too, stems from injustice caused by the faith."


    Sylvester nodded firmly, "For a peaceful future, I must do what I need to."


    "We''re in the same boat, it seems," Julius muttered, looking toward the sky. "I hope they will ept me when I arrive there."


    ''Is he thinking of killing himself?'' Sylvester was worried, as that would contradict what he wanted.


    "You still have years to grow and do good. I, alone, can''t keep this world free from chaos," Sylvester said, indirectly extending an offer. "You and I have blood on our hands, and unless we wash it away, I doubt even Solis would embrace us, let alone those we cherish."


    Sylvester didn''t consider the blood on his hands as evil, but for the sake of keeping Julius with him, he ced himself in the same shoes. Sure, he killed countless, but it was all to turn the world into a better ce. He knew his actions today would change the lives of millions in the future, so his conscience was mostly clear.


    Sylvester didn''t try to stop him at that moment. He could only hope that the man wouldn''t kill himself in depression. He had already "I must think before I take another step," Julius said and kept walking into the distance. "I have been mindlessly moving for the past hundreds of years¡ªI need to sit down and think¡­ I can''t afford not to."


    Sylvester didn''t try to stop him at that moment. He could only hope that the man wouldn''t kill himself in depression. He had already shown him a path to atonement. Now, it was up to Julius to walk on it. He hoped Julius would, because then the Church would have two Supreme Wizards.


    Eventually, Julius vanished from his line of sight, and he finally heaved a sigh of relief. In triumph, he raised his hand up. "Finally, a Supreme Wizard."


    "Maxyyyyyyy!"


    Bam!


    Miraj came diving down from the sky and crashnded on Sylvester''s chest, hugging the life out of his human. "I was so worried¡­ I looked for you everywhere, but that ck circle was too strong. Are you okay? I will put healthy potions on you."


    Miraj quickly vomited out the bags filled with supplies and overturned containers filled with healing potions; all brewed to the highest grade. Sylvester had the privilege to take as many as he wanted since he was the Pope.


    "I''m fine, Miraj," Sylvester replied with a groan. "It''s just¡­ the changes in my body are painful."


    "Changes?" Miraj looked at Sylvester closely and soon started licking his face to clean the blood. "Oh! Did you see what happened, Maxy?"


    "W-What?" Sylvester asked, waiting for Lord Inquisitor and Emperor Raz to find him since it took all his willpower to not fall unconscious at that point.


    Miraj gasped and replied, "Someone peed on us from the sky!"


    "Pfft!" Sylvester almostughed, but the pain all over his body stopped him. "Aargh¡­ That was because I ranked up to Supreme Wizard, Chonky."


    "Woah!" Miraj was in awe of his human and hugged Sylvester''s face. "You grew stronger then? Will we go to Beastaria and look for my friends next?"


    ''This boy¡ªHe won''t be satisfied unless he gets an answer.''


    "Yes, we''ll head there very soon," Sylvester relented and stared at the sky. Finally, he noticed a dot slowly increasing in size. Eventually, Lord Inquisitor and Emperor Raz appeared. With that, exhaustion began to overwhelm him. His face and skull were still cracked and needed proper medical attention.


    "Your Holiness!" Lord Inquisitor quickly jumped from the sky, using his crimson fire tond softly.


    Sylvester smiled as his final act and raised his right hand, showing his thumb to the old man. A sign that, atst, the remaining threat looming over Sol was neutralized. Finally, it was time to work toward creating a better society.


    At least in the eyes of the mortals, thest threatening chapter in Sol''s story was over¡ªAnd for the future celestial threats, they need not have such exposure.


    It was only a few people''s burden to carry.


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 622 621. The Pope Speaks

    Chapter 622 621. The Pope Speaks


    Sylvester soon felt the strong winds hitting him in the face. On the back of the undead dragon, they made their way back toward the Holy Land.


    Still conscious, Sylvester looked behind at the distant mountains, "Has Mount Primis beenpletely destroyed?"


    "Yes, it fell towards the south just as we were retreating. It will take some time for the region to heal itself," Emperor Raz replied. "But you won¡ªThat''s great."


    Sylvester nodded, humming a reply, and rested to heal his wounds. By the time they would return, he reckoned there wouldn''t be any need for medical aid, "I didn''t win, Raz. I lost in a way that''s hard toprehend¡ªMore than me, I''d say Sol lost even more. Mistakes were made, wounds were inflicted and never mended."


    He didn''t talk too much, knowing he''d have to repeat the story anyway. So, with Miraj sleeping on his chest, he also closed his eyes. Sleep wasn''t his sce, however, at least not until he reached his house. As that was the only ce he felt at home.


    ''In a way, Julius'' rebellion against the Church worked better for me. If he hadn''t been harmed, he''d have likely worked for the Church. But in all likelihood, he would have merely lived as a simple family man, never realizing his full potential.''


    There were too many what-ifs that interested him. But such was the nature of time; even gods had to bow to its whims.


    It took them many hours to reach home. The Holy Land was still in celebration of the rise of their Pope to Supreme Wizardhood. With the new status, everyone knew that nobody could ever disobey Sylvester anymore. There weren''t enough Grand Wizards in the entire Sol to battle Sylvester; on top of that, he had an undead lich who was also a Supreme Wizard.


    Boom!


    The massive dragonnded in front of the Pope''s Pce at the base of the long stairs that led to the main gates. There were a lot of Clergymen gathered, cheering for Sylvester, and more wereing.


    "Long live the Pope!"


    "Long live His Holiness!"


    "Long live Pope Sylvester!"


    It made sense. He was akin to Light Crystals shining in a long, dark night. The Holy Land had suffered, and the Clergymen had lost their faith. But finally, they witnessed the light conquering every enemy with their own eyes. In their minds, and from the various stories, Sylvester was, after all, the Son of Solis.


    "Thank you for gathering here!" Sylvester raised his hand and addressed the Clergymen before heading to the pce. "It''s not untrue to say that Solis has blessed us. One after another, each and every enemy of the faith shall kneel before us. But now is not the time to waste these precious moments, for the realm requires our hard work. For the realm to flourish, it demands the sacrifice of our blood, sweat, and sleep!"


    "Long live the¡ª"


    Sylvester took a short breath and bellowed abruptly, silencing all the chants, "Get back to your work! Solis will not be pleased with your chants! To make him and me proud, prove your worth! So get back to work!"


    "..."


    The crowd felt confused. Was the Pope scolding them or praising them? They felt apprehensive and couldn''t muster the courage to chant anymore. Eventually, they simply turned around and left to do their work.


    "That was harsh," Emperor Raz muttered, scratching his skull with a bone finger.


    Sylvester scoffed and jumped off the dragon''s back, "They were hoping I''d announce a week of festivities or something. I have no time to waste on such events unless I''ve achievedplete victory over all the immediate threats."


    "Admirable!" Emperor Raz followed behind. "You''re quite the workaholic. I was like you five hundred years ag¡­ or was it one thousand years ago? Somewhere close¡­ Well, I was focused on working and building a massive castle for myself, but¡­ I failed."


    "Why?"


    "Climate change." Emperor Raz blurted, sighing and showing some sorrow in his voice. "When I was almost done with my magnificent ice castle, an earthquake struck under the frozen sea, and oil began to leak out. It corroded my castle and turned it into a ck mess¡ª


    Oh, such a loss. My White Phoenix Castle was turned into Ugly Raven Castle."


    ''How lonely was he?'' Sylvester wondered and patted the poor undead on the back for unknowingly giving him the treasure of oil.


    Wasting no time, he entered the pce, and Sylvester summoned all members of the Sanctum Council and the Guardians of Light. He went to his office with Emperor Raz and Lord Inquisitor and waited. Bloodrain couldn''te since he had to be treated in the sick bay.


    In no time, all the members rushed to see him as soon as possible. Chairs were arranged, and Sylvester started the briefing. He didn''t trust many people with his greater secrets, but at least when it came to faith, he trusted those in the room.


    "Anti-Light was a Demon of our own making," Sylvester started with the story of Julius and revealed how he was pushed to take up arms after being harmed by the Church''s most loyal soldiers, the Inquisitors. "I tried my best to ensure that what had happened remained in the past. So, Julius Aurelius Alexander will eventually be arriving here, to join us and serve ourmon goal of making this world better. I hope that you''ll treat him better and show him that we''re not the rotten administration of the past."


    Multiple sighs came from mouths in the room.


    Eventually, Felix raised his hand, "Did you be a Supreme Wizard?"


    All heads turned to look at Sylvester, wanting that answer.


    "Yes, I did."


    Instantly, smiles spread across all the faces there. The scent of excitement, hopefulness, worship, and happiness spread. Despite being the strongest people in Sol, they all still regarded Sylvester as a pir of leadership. So, the stronger he got, the more at peace they felt.


    "Lord Inquisitor," Sylvester wrote something on a piece of paper and signed it with his seal. "Since I''ve be a Supreme Wizard, you may proceed with the execution of all the corrupted members of Council of Thirty-Two. Use any means necessary to learn where they have hidden their ill-gotten wealth¡ªgive them pain."


    At that moment, Gabriel spoke up, "Your Holiness, I support killing them. But to disassemble the Council of Thirty-Two¡­ they will brand you a tyrant if you don''t share your power."


    Sylvester didn''t smile, nor did he show anger. However, using just the srium in the air, he made everyone aware of what a Supreme Wizard was. Using metal maniption, he instilled an unsettling feeling in their bodies. Without even moving, he could kill them.


    "The moment I step down from the Pope''s seat, the Council of Thirty-Two will be reinstated. Until then, I will rule supreme¡ªif anyone has a problem, send them to me. We tried their method once and saw no improvement, and now it''s our turn," Sylvester firmly ordered, as the Pope this time, not their close friend. "I know that Pope Atrox in the past did the same and ended up ruining the faith and bringing about a dark age. But he was a puppet, and I''m the anomaly¡ªso have some faith in me."


    ''Atrox was d The Impaler, after all.'' Sylvester muttered to himself and adjourned the little briefing.


    "Not you, Felix," he stopped his good friend, and waited until the rest of the members had left the room and the door was closed. "I know you''re dying to ask it."


    Felix smiled broadly and jumped over to Sylvester, "Can you do it?!"


    "Yes, but not right now." Sylvester didn''t give Felix a chance to feel bad and exined his fears. "I need to experiment on animals first. I''m sure you don''t want me to give you balls that would only produce demons with five arms, six legs, and two heads."


    Felix calmed himself and rubbed his stubble beard, much to Sylvester''s annoyance, "As interesting as that sounds, I think I''d rather not have a kid with an ass on his forehead. So I can understand, do test your doubts before anything. But, at least now I can cheer Isabe up¡ªshe''s been drowning herself in work."


    "Walk with me," Sylvester ced his arm on Felix''s shoulder and walked toward the Holy Court''s hall. "How are the designs for the new Green Citying along? I gave a lot of suggestions to future-proof the city as we''ll make progress as a society."


    "She''lle to you with the final draft once it''splete. Your knowledge of what the future looks like is better than anybody else," Felix said, talking casually as they walked. "By the way, just to give you a warning, I think there''s some trouble brewing in the west. It''s rted to a carriage my County''s soldiers caught at Miraj City. It was filled with Tears of Solis."


    Sylvester stopped midway, a frown on his face, "A carriage full of it? It''s impossible to grow and refine that much Tears of Solis. If it were to reach the public¡­"


    "Chaos," Felix blurted. "Iunched an investigation, hoping toe to you once I have enough evidence. But, my investigation met a dead-end at Marashia City''s port. I have some theories that it could being from the Sand Continent."


    Sylvester rubbed his face with a palm, annoyed that, yet again, a mess had appeared, "If people get addicted to it, only death could be their salvation¡ªbefore anything happens, we need to find the source."


    Worry filled his mind as Sylvester went to the Holy Court and took a seat on the wooden, golden throne. The court was in session, and all the necessary assistants of various Sanctum Council members had arrived since not all council members could be there every time.


    ''If this drug spreads around in Sol, the dwindling poption will fall even faster,'' Sylvester worried about the situation Felix mentioned. ''If it''sing from the Sand Continent, then finding the true culprit would be even harder.''


    "Your Holiness?"


    "Hmm?" Sylvester looked up. Gabriel stood at the side of his throne.


    "There are no nned meetings for you today, Your Holiness. Since we had no idea when you would return, we postponed everything," Gabriel exined. "Perhaps you should rest for a day."


    "I can''t," Sylvester muttered and stared at the faces of hundreds of Clergymen who stood around at the sides of the walkway. They all stared at him with reverence in their eyes, waiting for him to say something. They seemed eager to work for him and prove their worth.


    ''At this point, my word is the word of Solis,'' He felt and wondered if he could do something with that. ''If that''s the case then¡­''


    Sylvester abruptly closed his eyes and ced one palm on his chest and the other toward the hall. Then, he began to sing a hymn under his breath and formed a bright halo behind the head. Soon after, he used Elder Magic tomit a feat that no other being could in the world.


    The Clergymen in the vicinity prepared themselves to receive his holy sermon. But minutes passed, and nothing happened.


    "What''s going on?" A Clergyman asked.


    "Maybe he''s meditating?" Another suggested.


    Woosh!


    However, all of a sudden, they felt their minds going numb, and an invisible, heavy aura enveloped them from all around. No thoughts hearts and minds of all, even when the Pope didn''t move his mouth. 16:30


    Some found it terrifying, while others cherished it. His soothing leaked from their minds as they felt empty. Confusion was there, but so was aforting warmth.


    But it wasn''t just them; it was felt everywhere throughout the continent, even to those beyond the south¡ªWords reached the hearts and minds of all, even when the Pope didn''t move his mouth. Some found it terrifying, while others cherished it. His soothing voice reverberated everywhere, oveing all the clutter.


    Every man, woman, or child¡ªWorking, sleeping, or ying, felt as though heavenly eyes held them in their gaze¡ªCombined with the words, it felt like basking in Solis'' rays.


    "To all the children of Solis! I am Sylvester Maximilian, the Pope¡ª


    The answer to all your dreams and hopes!"


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 623 622. A Hymn For All

    <h4>Chapter 623 622. A Hymn For All</h4>


    As if the air itself froze, the confused faces of all the people turned static. Be it Sol, the Sand Continent, or the Central Continent. Every sentient being in the region, be it a human or even non-human, heard Sylvester speak directly to their minds. His voice reverberated with a soothing warmth.


    "To all the children of Solis! I am Sylvester Maximilian, the Pope¡ªThe answer to all your dreams and hopes! Do not be frightened, for I speak through the ancient magic I inherited, with the power of a Supreme Wizard."


    While Sylvester spoke, he wondered if he could do something more now that he was a Supreme Wizard. From what he had realized, he could hear what was happening in people''s minds around him using the srium. Then, in theory, it was also possible to show them a visible image.


    ''Let''s make this otherworldly.''


    Sylvester resumed speaking and used the Elder Magic. It cost him more srium, but nothing he couldn''t manage. Soon, he attempted to form a static image of himself in the people''s minds. He didn''t make it seem urate, but rather, he made himself appear as a man sitting on a throne with a halo behind his head and his face covered in some shadow. It was aimed to draw awe from them as well as intimidate them.


    "For many millennia, you have been betrayed, hurt, and ignored. You have suffered for generations as the mindless wars stained ournds with blood. Corruption is rampant, and murder and deviant behavior are all toomon. Kingdoms fighting kingdoms, lords fighting lords¡ªin the end, who suffers the most?


    "What is the value of your life? What gives someone the right to kill you merely because they wanted to? What makes amoner lower than a noble? Where is thew? Where is the order? Where is justice?"


    Sylvester''s words echoed in the people''s minds, along with the image of a terrifying yet majestic form; they couldn''t help but take him seriously and ponder on everything he said. His words were bound to be engraved in their thoughts for ages toe.


    "In my reign, justice shall hold no prejudice. None have the right to kill, noble or not¡ªvery is the sin of the devil, none are lowborn, and none are special. A new order shall be formed based on mutual respect and safety that shall be provided by the Church and the Kingdoms.


    "But those who are corrupt, those who kill, rape, steal, smuggle Tears of Solis¡ªI am watching you, and you shall face justice under the wrath of my burning light. For the rays of Solis brighten our world, but if you anger it enough, it can burn¡ªThe sooner, the better, this lesson you learn."


    The limitation of being a divine voice in their minds was that he couldn''t speak too much, as it would reduce the majesty of the moment. So, he decided to finish his experiment with a hymn that was bound to energize the people. A sort of proof that, indeed, the Lord''s Bard, their new Pope, was the one behind the voice.


    ?Sons and daughters of the supreme deity,


    Rejoice, for the shadows now flee.


    Endured long, now rise and be free,


    Join my song, and unleash your inner spree.?


    ?O'' Solis, the architect, the axis of this domain,


    Bestow upon us your boon; let your radiance rain.


    With true-hearted folk, and their Holy Pope''s reign,


    We''ll shape this world as your shining, prime ne.?


    ?Such, we await your embrace and the final judgment,


    If we''ve sinned, please guide us to a path of atonement.


    We vow from our depths never to forget this moment,


    May your light forever grace us with enlightenment.?


    Sylvester stopped his speech after that and began withdrawing his senses from the srium around him that connected to people''s minds around half of the world. He didn''t know what his actions would bring upon him, but he reckoned it''d be something good. But how good, it was yet to be known.


    A few secondster, he opened his eyes and looked around at the Holy Court. The Clergymen also seemed to wake up from a slumber, fixing their robes and standing straight. They had an expression of renewed vigor on their faces, and the scent of worship permeated much stronger than before.


    ''Was I able to reach the Sand Continent?'' Sylvester wondered since he only tried to reach as far as possible in the south, without knowing where his limitations were.


    "Holy Court is adjourned," Sylvester announced and stood up.


    Thud!


    "Your Holiness!"


    Just as Sylvester walked between the groups of Clergymen to exit the ce, the men knelt and kept their heads held low. They didn''t shout or chant anything as they were wiser. But the respect they showed seemed toe from the bottom of their hearts.


    ''Did it work a bit too well?''


    He waved at them and left the building with Gabriel beside him.


    As they walked down the stairs, Sylvester gave him his new task, "Tell Lazark to find out how far my mind messages went. If they reach the Sand Continent, immediately inform me. I''ll go home now and get some sleep."


    Yes, he needed much rest after his ranking up and the battle. In essence, he hadn''t slept in months since he had also trained continuously inside Nehilius'' void.


    "Have a good night then, Max," Gabriel patted Sylvester''s shoulder, smiling maturely. He had a tired look on his face too. "You did more than enough, so now let the rest of us take up our tasks. I''ll handle the administration, and you focus on your goals for social improvement. You don''t have to work on everything."


    Sylvester appreciated his good friend''s words. But he couldn''t help but feel annoyed, "When was thest time you shaved?"


    "..."


    "Been a few days. I was just too busy. Why? Do I look ugly?" Gabriel rubbed his face in confusion.


    Sylvester sighed and walked away, "Nothing¡ªJust paying a price for my blood. See you tomorrow, Gab."


    Leaving Gabriel clueless, Sylvester walked down and looked around. The stagecoach waited for him, and the happy, smiling Archbishop reinsman waited for him to climb in. But as always, to his dismay, Sylvester picked up his bicycle and began pedaling toward his house. It was muscle memory at that point.


    "Chonky, we''re going to test your limitster," Sylvester told Miraj, who sat in the custom basket he had made that was attached to the bicycle handle.


    "Test?" Miraj tilted his head cutely, his ears twitched in wonder. "What test?"


    "To see how fat your butt can grow. You''re a force to be reckoned with, Chonky. But we need to find your limit first."


    Miraj quickly turned his head and looked at his butt, squishing it with his paws, "But¡­ If I drink all the water here, the fish will die. What will I eat then? I love bananas, but sometimes fish is the best."


    "Hah¡­" Sylvester patted Miraj''s head. "True, I''m afraid this world isn''t ready for the wrath of Mega-Chonky. We''ll ask Nehilius to create arge with infinite water."


    Soon enough, Sylvester arrived back home. But since it wasn''t night yet, Xavia and Zeke hadn''t returned from their work. So, he used his own key, went inside, and without even bothering to turn the Light Crystalmps on, jumped onto his bed to sleep. He tried his best to stay awake, but he knew that sleep would soon envelop him.


    "Good night, Chonky." Sylvester ced Miraj underneath his nket, beside his chest, and waved his hand to shut the door.


    "Nya¡­" Miraj meowed softly as he yawned and closed his eyes.


    Within a second, both of them found themselves in the realm of dreams. Where Sylvester saw an optimistic future, where the dragons and elves knelt before him. He stood on a raised rock, covered in golden armor, his blonde hair fluttering with the wind, his old spear back in his hands, and a magnificent beard adorning his face¡ªhe couldn''t help but smile in his sleep.


    At the same time, Miraj saw himself drowning in a sea of banana smoothies. It was a nightmare, but Mirajughed instead of crying as he began to devour all of the banana smoothies. Effectively, the furball converted his nightmare into the best dream he could hope for. Even in his sleep, he couldn''t help but giggle and burp.


    Such was the nap they had. They hoped to sleep all the way until morning and feel refreshed. Sylvester knew that Xavia wouldn''t disturb him even if she saw he had returned. Being a mother, she understood that sleep was more important than a few exchanges of words with her son.


    However, what Sylvester hadn''t expected was to be greeted by the loudest banshee upon waking up.


    Bam!


    Sylvester, a Supreme Wizard, had bone density strong enough that mere kicks wouldn''t hurt him, or even wake him unless he wanted to. So he slowly opened his eyes with a groan, feeling the warm light from the window.


    "Grrrr¡­"


    "Chonky''s snoring again," Sylvester mumbled and decided to get up and meet Xavia.


    However, just then, he felt some weight on his right shoulder, and a new scent assaulted his nose. He turned his face to the right and looked. There was long, brown hair¡ªa woman was hugging him like a pillow, snoring; her face was almost resting on his shoulder, and drool was falling.


    "Aurora!" Sylvester jumped back from his bed, throwing away Miraj, who was sleeping happily on his other side.


    "Who attacked?!" Miraj immediately hissed.


    Sylvester shouted at the woman, "What are you doing in my bed?!"


    "Hmmm?" Aurora opened her eyes and woke up. She slowly sat up on the bed, rubbing her eyes and tucking her unkempt hair back. "Sylvester? When did you co¡ª"


    Right away, her head looked down, and the twin peaks dangled in all their glory.


    "Noooooo¡­!" She shouted and pulled the sheets to cover herself. "Why did you sleep with me?!"


    "What? It''s you who entered my bed! This is my room!" Sylvester shouted back, denying the allegation.


    Aurora threw the pillow at him, "I''ve been sleeping here since yesterday morning! I''ve been here since before you returned, you fiend!"


    Sylvester scoffed, folding his arms as he felt no sexual attraction toward the woman, no matter how beautiful she was. He just tried to defuse the situation in a calm manner, "How can you speak like that to your Pope? This is my room to begin with, so it was a misunderstanding. And you snore and drool too much; look at my robes¡ªthey''re dirty."


    Bam!


    This time, the pillow hit Sylvester''s face.


    "Pervert!"


    Sylvester took a long, calming breath and noticed the scent of happiness, surprise, worship, calm, and excitement. He understood she was merely teasing him at that point. Both of them had seen each other naked in past missions, so it made no sense to scream like children.


    "I heard from Felix. It must have been an exhausting investigation in Marashia. How did it go?" He asked as he threw clothes at her.


    "Hmph!" Aurora scoffed and stood up on the bed, throwing away the nket and also her shame. In her naked glory, she proudly picked up her clothes to wear, "Forget me. I should be the one to congratte our new Supreme Wizard."


    Creak!


    Just then, the door to the room opened, and Xavia entered, a big smile on her face that sadly didn''tst long. "Max, did you¡ª"


    Sylvester looked back at the shamelessly naked Aurora on the bed and then at Xaiva''s face. He looked back and forth a few more times and just sighed. Knowing the more he tried to rify, the more it''d sound suspicious. He just kept his mouth shut.


    ''What a start of the day.''


    "Oh! I smell honey and pancakes!" Aurora chirped, however. "You''re a lifesaver, Xavia. I''m famished after sleeping with Sylvester."


    "..."


    Aurora quickly dressed up and left the room, but Sylvester and Xavia were left behind, looking at each other''s faces.


    "She''s just joking, Mum," he tried to rify. "I''m still a virgin."


    But somewhere deep in his heart, he felt it was the wrong thing to say.


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 624 623. The Taste Of Big Meat

    ?


    After seeing the look on Xavia''s face, he understood that, if anything, she wanted him not to be a virgin and make a family. But he couldn''t do it due to his position, nor did he want to do it as his personal choice.


    Sweeping the incident under the rug, Sylvester took a bath, changed his clothes, and went to have breakfast with his family. Though, Aurora had hijacked the pace of his morning that day. She gobbled down food like there was no tomorrow¡ªXavia''s cuisines were her favorite.


    "Zeke happy for Sylvester," Zeke said while eating.


    Sylvester understood the big man, "Thank you, Zeke. It took some time, but finally, a Supreme Wizard."


    Aurora nearly choked on her water, "Some time? You''re merely twenty-six years old and a Supreme Wizard. I''m more than a century older and just a Grand Wizard."


    "Skill issues, perhaps," Sylvester hit back jokingly. "What was your peak talent when you were tested as a child?"


    "Grand Wizard," Aurora chirped.


    Sylvester nodded and piled a dozen more pancakes on his te. "Then you have nothing toin about. In a way, you achieved the Grand Wizard title pretty quickly too. As for me, I have some suspicions that Pope Axel shared with me. He said the talent testing crystals have an upper limit."


    nk!


    Aurora''s spoon slipped from her hand, and her jaw hung open, "Y-You mean¡­ Your talent is much high¡ª"


    "Nothing''s been proven yet," Sylvester stopped her.


    "But it makes sense!" She barked with excitement. "For a person with the talent of a Grand Wizard, moving up from the initial ranks is easierpared to someone with mediocre talent. If you be a Supreme Wizard this fast, then¡­ what''s the upper limit?"


    Sylvester shrugged and passed a few pancakes with bananas to Chonky under the table, "Her blood runs through my veins. Ask her."


    "What?!" Xavia eximed and looked at their faces. "I don''t know what he''s talking about. I''m not even a mediocre wizard."


    ''And that frightens me.'' Sylvester reminded himself.


    He quickly finished his breakfast and stood up, "In any case, since I''m a Supreme Wizard now, I''m going to try and see if I can fly."


    "I want to see!" Aurora followed behind Sylvester without saying another word. But then Xavia, Zeke, and Miraj also went along.


    They all arrived at the terrace of the five-story building. In reality, the building was taller since the ceiling of each floor was rtively high. But for Sylvester, it was simr to jumping over a small puddle, so even if he couldn''t fly, he''d be alright.


    ''Since it''s an ability limited by rank and not by magical maniption, air elemental or any other element can''t be the basis for flying.'' Sylvester tried to think of a strategy on how to fly. ''Could it be rted to srium? Since my body is more receptive to this invisible element, and I can feel it much better in my surroundings?''


    He walked over to the edge of the building and looked down, ''It must be rted to a Supreme Wizard''s body and the srium. But¡­ What should I do to start it up?''


    Sylvester closed his eyes and took a long, calming breath. After that, he stepped over the ledge and simply jumped forward. He instantly felt the wind and tried to keep himself afloat by feeling the srium around him and trying to make his body''s srium react to it. However, without knowing, he started to use Elder Magic. Sadly, that wasn''t the trick.


    Thud!


    Face first, Sylvester fell to the ground, making a dent in the concrete flooring. He annoyedly groaned and sat back up, scratching his head in confusion. He ignored Aurora''sugh from the terrace and wondered what he did wrong. ''I felt nothing¡­ Maybe asking Emperor Raz will help.''


    "I''m going to the Pce," Sylvester waved his hand and walked away as if nothing had happened.


    He grabbed his bicycle and quickly arrived at his office to start the day''s work. He had sessfully be a Supreme Wizard, and now it was time to n the subjugation of Beastaria without waging an all-out war.


    Thankfully, the Beastkins had already taken his side, so that only left dragons and elves to be subjugated. As long as they epted him as their overlord, the other species would do the same. As for Merkins, he believed defeating the demon would be enough to win them over.


    He called Gabriel to his office and began dictating a letter to be sent. The first one was for King Malisius of the Dragons. He had effectively slowed down the dragons enough by inciting a civil war between them to buy himself some time. However, he wanted them to take the Demon threat seriously now.


    "Write it down as I say, Gab," Sylvester instructed. "...As per the promise made in the Holy Land, I have decided to visit Beastaria in seven days. I look forward to cooperating with the dragons to bring down the abomination that threatens our world. I do hope that the magical runes I provided you were engraved around the border of the Demon''s territory so we can effectively destroy it¡ªSylvester Maximilian, Supreme Pontiff of the Faith of Solis."


    Sylvester took the paper and gave it a final read. "Great, make a duplicate of it and send one to Malisius and the other to the Greenpeaks faction that opposed him. Now, start writing the letter for the elves.


    "King Rathagun Xeek Eldaron, I have decided to visit Beastaria in seven days. I fulfilled my promise by healing your people, but my responsibility to thisnd does not end there. Be it Beastaria or Sol, the rise of evil dark entities must be quashed by my light.


    "I hope to visit Alfia officially as a representative of the entire continent of Sol. I would like to receive a confirmation from you regarding my wee in Alfia, or whether the tragedy of Desmond will be repeated¡ªSylvester Maximilian, Supreme Pontiff of the Faith of Solis."


    Finishing the letter, he rechecked it, personally enveloped it, and ced his seal on it. "Send this immediately so we can expect a reply by the end of the week."


    Gabriel''s job was to follow his order, but he had to ask him some questions as well, "I hope you know what you are doing by wanting to visit Alfia."


    "The dragons and elves have signed a peace treaty with me when they knelt before me. But I''ve decided to be the bigger person and extend the first hand of cooperation. Other than starting a ve exchange program to return the disced humans and elves, I''ll try to set up trade ties. Remember, the more the world is interlinked, the less incentives there would be for one kingdom or continent to attack another," Sylvester exined, a basic lesson he had learned from his past life.


    Gabriel sighed and raised his hands in surrender. "I''ve read everything I could find rted to religion, administration, and economics. But the things you bring up are new. I''ve never heard of things such as free-market, supremew, and now this."


    Sylvester chuckled and stood up. He patted his good friend''s shoulder and handed him a stack of papers from his drawer. "These are new concepts for this world, but the core of my ideology is outlined in these papers. Read them and destroy them, because slowly, I''ll be writing books rted to each topic. But this should give you some insight."


    Gabriel took a quick nce at it, "World Economics¡­ Controlled Free Market¡­ Politics of Nations and¡­ There is a lot."


    "Then go and read them. I''ll be staying down ''there'' for two hours." Sylvester pushed Gabriel to the door and walked out with him. "asionally, give Felix a few lessons as well. That way, he can work better as Isabe''s King Consort and my Saint Viceman."


    "Will he remain the Viceman after he''s married?" Gabriel asked with concern.


    Sighing, Sylvester couldn''te to a decision just yet. "We''ll see¡ªLet''s get him his balls back first."


    "Pfft¡­ Alright. See youter, Sylvester."


    Sylvester took a turn and headed downstairs toward the basement levels and arrived at the door to Nehilius. The Elder God had been left blind for a few years, if time contraction was taken into consideration.


    "Let''s share the word of victory with him and see whates next for us." He used the key and opened the door. In a way, he felt excited because he had arrived at thest rank, and what came after was anyone''s guess.


    Woosh!


    Immediately, he felt the darkness sh before his eyes, and in the next moment, he arrived before Nehilius'' gigantic body. The tentacles and the huge shining blob head on the creature were as shiny as ever. Merely gazing at it was always a humbling experience for Sylvester, a reminder that he was still nothing but an ant.


    "The transformation I sense within you is a divine harbinger of an odyssey that has merely begun," Nehilius spoke right away, his voice reverberating and echoing all around.


    Sylvester maintained a serious attitude and asked back, "So what is the next step in achieving greater power and inheriting your legacy?"


    "Adhere to the edicts of Saint Scepter. The legacy I bestow is not confined to my wisdom alone but also inherent in my physical form. To undergo evolution and ascend biologically¡ªyou arepelled to consume my entirety."


    Sylvester sighed and rubbed his face. He knew this would happen someday, and he honestly didn''t want to do it. Just looking at Nehilius'' massive, dark purple body, churned his stomach, and the thought of what it''d taste like left a bad taste in his mouth.


    But he had to do it, so he willed himself to move closer to the body and formed a de with his light magic. He had tried it before, but surprisingly, this time, he was able to cut a piece of the tentacle. It was miniscule inparison to the whole body, but for Sylvester, it was as big as an entire chicken.


    He chopped a small, bite-sized piece of it. There was no blood in it, only muscle or skin. He had no idea what the Elder God was even made of.


    ''I hope I don''t regret this.''


    With that, he ced the piece in his mouth and began to chew. As expected, it was very chewy and slowly dissolved into a liquid mess in his mouth. At first, there was no taste, but once he chewed it for a few seconds, he felt it.


    "Ugh!" He scowled, and his mouth widened. His tongue fell out as a few veins popped on his forehead. "Uwaaaa¡­!"


    Sylvester threw up before he could swallow it whole. The taste was so repulsive that he couldn''t tell what it was. The taste was new and, sadly, in a bad way. Even worse, the aftertaste lingered for far too long.


    "Maxy!" Miraj cried, patting Sylvester''s back.


    "This tastes like garbage! I can''t eat you like this!" Sylvester eximed.


    However, the Elder God remained unphased in his following words.


    "In pursuit of unparalleled power, certain sacrifices are imperative. I advise you to manage your resources wisely and focus on your growth¡ªthat which has been squandered, you must replenish and consume anew," Nehilius said, this time in a stern tone.


    Sylvester angrily red at the massive creature, "You want me to eat my vomit?!"''


    "Do not be wasteful, Sylvester Maximilian¡ªFor celestial might, this is a puny price, a small sacrifice that shall suffice."


    "..."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 625 624. Constitution Of Light

    <h4>Chapter 625 624. Constitution Of Light?</h4>


    Sylvester had spent almost two months inside Nehilius'' realm. He tried to eat as much as possible, but in reality, it still wasn''t even a millionth of the whole body. It was appalling to eat, and even gulping it down in his throat felt like an impossible task, tougher than any battle he had fought.


    But s, the time to head out had arrived. And for the final task, he decided to test Miraj''s ability to grow in size. For that, Nehilius was gracious enough to create a mega in the void entirely made of water. Simply put, it was just a round drop of water for Miraj to swallow. But, since the thing was so massive, it acted like a as well.


    "Chonky, just do what you did that time and drink all this water to grow," Sylvester instructed the excited cat as they sat on a small wooden boat on the water. "Go all out."


    "Aye, aye!" Chonky meowed and opened his mouth wide. He activated his powers just as he did thest time and began sucking in all the water.


    His size also grew rapidly, and Sylvester found it troublesome to stay beside him. So, he had to move away a little to avoid being pulled in himself. As time passed, the speed at which Miraj drank the water grew, and within a few hours, he emptied the entire water to thest drop.


    And, there was now a massive-sized Miraj.


    "I¡­ feel¡­ full!" Miraj''s voice rumbled as if a giant was speaking in slow motion.


    Sylvester sweated, a distance away from the furry body. "H-He''s¡­ The size of a small or moon¡­ Can he even hear me?"


    Sylvester felt a force of attraction from Miraj''s body. Yes, the cat had its own gravity at that size. However, at that point, Miraj looked more like a blob than a cat. So it was clear he had stretched the ability too much. Without maneuverability, it was useless.


    "Chonky!" Sylvester shouted. "Start releasing water until you feel you can move around!"


    "Haaaa?" Miraj questioned, as it was hard to hear Sylvester. "Release the water? Why? I can just¡­"


    Suddenly, Miraj''s size began to decrease rapidly, much faster than it took him to gain his size. In no time, Miraj lost it all and returned to his regr small size.


    "Where did the water go?" Sylvester questioned in shock.


    Proudly, Miraj thumped his chest, "To the Chonky Bank! Hehe¡­ I can now get big with water whenever I want. Isn''t that awesome, Maxy?"


    ''What in the gods'' name is he?'' Sylvester questioned himself much more severely. There was no biological lifeform that came close to being simr to Miraj. There were no cats like him, let alone ult things.


    "Yourpanion is peculiar. The more feats he shows, the more Ie to believe that he is one of us¡ªan Elder God with his own void where all the things vanish into his mouth." Nehiliusmented, revealing a hint of interest in Miraj.


    Sylvester nodded and grabbed Miraj to leave the void. Even if Miraj was an Elder God, it didn''t change anything about their rtionship. "Thank you for helping with the experiment. I should head out now."


    Right away, Sylvester left the void. But he also took a chunk of the Elder God''s flesh with him, hoping to find a way to make it tasty by cooking it. He didn''t have much hope, but at least coating it with honey was one of the ideas.


    "Maxy, what else can I eat? Can I eat the moon as well?" Miraj suddenly asked, interested in knowing how far his abilities could go.


    Sylvester rubbed his hairless chin and wondered. "It depends. Because to eat the moon, you will have to have enough suction power in your mouth to crack its entire surface and draw it inside."


    "Hmm¡­" Miraj wondered silently about it.


    Sylvester, in the meantime, arrived at the Holy Court. It was time to return to regr work and listen to the various issues faced by the people or the nobles. Anything from food, water, or safety was something he could solve with a simple order.


    In reality, Sylvester did not need to conduct so many Holy Court sessions, as no other Pope had previously done so. However, he wanted to do it to spread his name and create an indestructible positive image in the minds of his people.


    Thud!


    The soldiers saluted as Sylvester walked into the massive hall. There were a few more people since the Season of Solis officially began. Soon, the Holy Land was going to be covered with pilgrims, and more people would wish to see him. Althoughmoners couldn''t stay in the Holy Court, nobles were allowed to take visitor''s seats on the extreme sides of the hall, where a raised tform was set for them. It was Sylvester''s way of teaching them how to govern things.


    Court was quickly in session, and some of the Guardians and Sanctum Council members arrived. Gabriel stood beside Sylvester''s throne and began reading through the names of the people who were permitted to meet the Pope that day.


    "This one is a little unique, but I allowed him to see you," Gabriel whispered to Sylvester. "It''s a ten-year-old kid who traveled from Count Midsnow''s region."


    Sylvester''s brows rose in surprise, "A ten-year-old? Call him in."


    Right away, Gabriel gestured at the herald at therge double doors, and the doors opened. Then, a young boy walked in, timidly looking left and right. He sweated profusely the whole time and tried to keep his gaze lowered to the floor. Thin-bodied, ck-haired, and dark-skinned, he was the definition of a kid from a poor family.


    Resting on his ordinary throne, Sylvester still looked too majestic with the mitre. "Young man, it''s bad manners not to make eye contact with the person you''vee to meet."


    "Forgive me!" The boy almost cried and looked up at Sylvester. For a few seconds, he felt overwhelmed because the Pope looked so young. But then, he gathered himself and tried to voice out what he had practiced. "Y-Your Holiness¡­ My name is ng vige¡­ No, I mean Ie from ng vige, and my name is Hector¡­ I-I am looking for a cure for my Mum¡­ Please help me save my Mum."


    Sylvester nodded his head and looked at Gabriel to confirm something, "Isn''t ng vige at the border of Raftel County?"


    "That''s right, Your Holiness."


    Sylvester looked back at the boy, "Hector, do you not know about Grace Hospitals? One of the biggest Grace Hospitals is in Raftel County. Despite that, what brought you here?"


    The boy sped his hands together and stared at Sylvester with desperate eyes of hopelessness, "W-We¡­ We can''t go there¡­ The Baron won''t let us!"


    A strange, soft sigh left the mouths of the Clergymen in the massive hall. As for the nobles who were watching, they facepalmed themselves, showing their frustration with their fellow noble. Clearly, they already knew what was going to happen next.


    "What is the name of this Baron, and what did he do? Tell me everything in detail." Sylvester requested.


    The boy found some confidence in Sylvester''s humble tone. Being a kid, he had seen how nobody ever took him seriously before. "Your Holiness, Baron Of keeps my family in the basement. Many more too! He only brings us out to work in the fields and then locks us back in. I ran away toe here¡ªI went to Count Midsnow too, but they didn''t let me speak with him and beat me for entering the castle. Your Holiness¡­ I¡­ My Mum is very sick¡­ They''ll kill her but won''t let me take her to ho-hopinal¡­"


    Sylvester sighed and waved at Gabriel. Immediately, a small table was brought before Sylvester with some paper and a pen that he had made. He began to write, as well as speak with the nobles who were in attendance.


    "If nobles do their job correctly, children and people such as Hector would never have toe and seek my help. If nobles truly fear the wrath of God¡ªthey''d hold daily courts like I do and hear the problems of the residents of their regions," Sylvester said and started to speak about what he wrote in the papers. "As per the Constitution of Light, enving someone is a crime punishable by death¡ªThis Baron, if found guilty, will be reced."


    Bam!


    Atst, Sylvester stamped the letter, which was almost a death sentence to a noble. "Saint Viceman should be the fastest. Send him to Baron Of, and if he''s found guilty¡ªthe judgment is written in this paper."


    Atst, Sylvester nced back at the boy, "Hector, was your family called ves before?"


    Hector nodded frantically, "Yes, Your Holiness. We were more free before and lived in our little house. But then the Baron locked us up."


    Sylvester nced at the nobles, "So that''s how some nobles want to ignore my order? Hiding the ex-ves and keeping them as forcedborers? Saint Gabriel, send a letter to Count Midsnow, tell him to give me a reason why I shouldn''t treat him simrly to Baron Of."


    With that, Sylvester took out a healing potion from Chonky Bank and floated it to the boy, "Hector, this is a healing potion. If this doesn''t help your Mum, then take her to Grace Hospital. As for the Baron¡ªHe will be punished. My good friend Felix will go with you back to your vige, so rest easy."


    The ten-year-old silently shed some tears as he looked at the ss vial as if it were a treasure. He understood that the little vial was worth decades of ie for his family. This was a new experience for him since people in power rarely acted kindly to him, as far as he had seen in his short life.


    "Thank you."


    "You''re a courageous boy, Hector. Never forget what you did today. Now, go to the waiting hall and eat something, it''s all free. Saint Felix will meet you there," Sylvester dismissed him.


    Right away, a Bright Mother came and guided the boy out to the waiting room.


    "Resume the court," Sylvester ordered.


    With that, Gabriel looked at the sheets of paper he had gathered. His face showed a sudden scowl, but he didn''t speak with Sylvester as he already knew what would happen soon.


    Like before, the gates were opened. Seven men walked in this time. All of them were fatter than cows and couldn''t even walk properly. Draped in the finest, expensive silk robes, gold jewelry, and leather boots, they used fancy canes to walk. Their faces had so many folds of fat that it was surprising they could even look around, as their eyes were nearly closed shut.


    "What is this?" Sylvester looked at Gabriel. "I don''t remember a ritual needing pig ughter today."


    "But you still might want to do it," Gabriel answered.


    It took some time, but eventually, the seven men stopped near the stairs leading to Sylvester''s throne. The men couldn''t kneel nor salute, so they verbally praised the lord and got to speaking about their issues.


    ''Scent of greed is there, but worship is missing.'' Sylvester sternly red at the seven.


    "Speak, children of Solis. What has brought you here?" Sylvester questioned.


    A blonde-haired member of the seven stepped forward with great effort, "Ah¡­ I am Quartis Rnd, Your Holiness. Collectively, we are known as the Septem Council¡ªA merchant group that generates more money annually than the entire Kingdom of Hignd."


    Sylvester watched them with suspicion. ''Why have I never heard of them before?''


    "And what brings you here?"


    Quartis smiled, or at least tried to, "Your Holiness, I mean no disrespect to any, and this is merely a suggestion. But due to a recent policy of the Holy Land, our trade has suffered drastically. We used to earn more than five million Graces in a month. But now we barely make a million¡ªPlease, I beg you to change your decision¡­ just a little."


    ''I smell fear.''


    "Speak clearly," Sylvester ordered.


    Quartis began sweating, but he still tried to smile. "We are willing to offer twenty percent of our ie to the Holy Land. It''s just¡­ we hoped that¡­ Not human! But the sub-human ve trade could be resumed. It generates a lot of revenue, Your Holiness. And I vow to strictly trade with subhumans onl¡ª"


    Pa!


    Pa!


    Smack!


    Quartis shut up suddenly and looked around. To his shock, from Clergymen to the nobles in the back, they all facepalmed themselves.


    Right away, he and his friends began sweating, and their strained hearts tried to scream, telling them to run. However, their fat was so thick that those screams took too long to reach their minds.


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 626 625. The Final Nail

    <h4>Chapter 626 625. The Final Nail</h4>


    The Clergymen and the nobles in the Holy Court felt bewildered as to what the seven men were even thinking in the first ce. It wasmon knowledge by now that the Pope hated very, and anybody who attempted it only faced his wrath.


    Perhaps they were confident they could sway the Pope with their offering of wealth. But now, whatever the consequences the seven faced, they had brought it upon themselves.


    "So you want me to resume the ve trade?" Sylvester''s cold, frightening voice reverberated in the hall. A sudden chilling aura covered the whole crowd.


    "Five million a month? Still earning a million?"


    Thud!


    Sylvester stood up and began walking down from his throne. His eyes shined golden, and a halo formed behind his head. His right and left hands started to form a sword, each made of solidified light magic.


    "In my rule, there is no ce for vers¡ªnor men like you!"


    Woosh!


    Sylvester vanished from his spot for a split second and then returned to his throne once again. Instantly, the seven men shrieked in agony as they found their torso falling to the ground. All of a sudden, they couldn''t feel their arms and legs¡ªonly pain.


    "Aaaaa!"


    "It hurts!"


    "Gaaaa!"


    Their blood-curdling screams echoed in the hall, and blood oozed out of their open wounds. However, Sylvester merely waved his hand, and a fire started at their open wounds, burning them and cauterizing them.


    "If you still earn a million, then that means the ve trade is ongoing¡ªA crime punishable by death. But death is a waste on you," Sylvester bellowed. "Lord Inquisitor! They must be holding ves somewhere and keeping money hidden away. I want it all¡ªbe quick."


    Thud!


    Lord Inquisitor stepped forward, tapping his staff on the floor, "Such heresy in the house of the Lord, a sin that none wish to afford. I shall be quick, Your Holiness, and make them sing their records."


    Immediately after, a few inquisitors entered the hall and dragged the bodies of the seven ughtered pigs. The floor was then quickly cleaned by a court wizard, and the court returned to its usual activities.


    However, Sylvester looked at Gabriel and whispered something to him, "Order Bloodrain to prepare himself with a Field Army. We''re holding a military exercise at the second Holy Land."


    Gabriel eyed Sylvester strangely, already having guessed what Sylvester''s n was, "So it''s finally time? I will forward the order right away."


    Sylvester nodded and continued the Holy Court proceedings. Since it was the Season of Solis, there were some groups ofmoners who came just to see him and get his blessings. Not all came with a request, and some even came to give or show something. For example, someone made a special dagger for the Pope, a special robe for the Pope, or perhaps an invention that they wanted to show.


    From morning until evening, Sylvester met with almost eight hundred people and conversed with each to some degree. Hundreds of pictures were also taken with the magical camera so the propaganda department under Gabriel could spread the word. As of now, Sylvester and Gabriel were nning on starting a real newspaper business. But the only issue was information gathering, and for that, Sylvester eagerly waited for the wirelessmunication equipment toplete the research cycle.


    As the sun went down, Sylvester decided to prepare for the silent mission with utmost seriousness. This time, he didn''t want to leave things to luck or improvisation because so many lives depended on his actions. He could guess that some hidden ploys were likely involved that stopped previous Popes from dealing with the issue for so long.


    Knock! Knock!


    Sylvester''s office door opened. It was almost night, and most of the Clergymen had gone to their rooms to rest. However, Sylvester remained engrossed in various books and records, nning his next move.


    "Your Holiness."


    "Take a seat," Sylvester gestured at Bloodrain and Lord Inquisitor. "You two are the oldest living high-ranking men in the Holy Land. So I need you to tell me anything and everything you know about the Tower of Godless."


    "So Saint Gabriel presumed correctly," Bloodrain said. He was now healthy and back in his fighting form. His face was covered with a dirty silver visor, and his head was covered with a conical helmet. He and Lord Inquisitor somewhat shared a simr style.


    "I had decided to take it down the day I learned about it. I have ouwed very, but as long as the Tower of Godless, the biggest source of very, isn''t eliminated, my work remains unfinished. But what amuses me is why no Pope in the past dared act against them. Was it merely because of political reasons? Or is there some secret involved?" Sylvester questioned them before deciding on a n.


    The Inquisitor High Lord spoke first without holding back, "Your Holiness, when a castle is built upon venom, only evil would be the oue. It isn''t often that there''s a Supreme Wizard Pope; they were usually Grand Wizards. And the painful aspect of such is that they changed minds like color-changing lizards. very had the support of the realm; each Lord anddy wanted to have some for work or to entertain themselves. Once the Great War began, the Church promoted it to benefit ourselves."


    "Indeed," Bloodrain added. "The Tower of Godless was still under construction during that time. Once the war began, the Church lost all its focus on what urred within Sol and ced all efforts into fighting Beastaria. Money was being spent like water, and eventually, the Church had to think of a way to keep its coffers filled.


    "It was then that the Tower of Godless offered to give a percentage of their ie to the Holy Land. The amount was so massive that we readily agreed, turning a blind eye towards them. The war continued, and for a thousand years, the Tower of Godless grew in floors. Their hold on the ve trade tightened, stronger than the finest chains¡ªUntil now, we simply couldn''t afford to take action against them¡ªbe it economically or militarily."


    Lord Inquisitor seemed saddened by that as he made a low grunt. "And above the tower lies the ve Imperia Council, made up of 5 ve Gods¡ªthree of them being Grand Wizards and two being Diamond Knights. They are old, and their greed is such that they''d do anything for more gold."


    Sylvester sighed and looked at the map before him, "All the historical ounts say that no Clergyman has ever gone beyond ten floors above and ten floors below. This tower is said to have fifty floors in each direction. I''ll be going there personally in disguise and gathering as much information as I can.


    "If they cherish their creation this much, I can imagine there being a self-destruction mechanism to destroy everything before we can take it. This would mean the death of tens of thousands, and it would be troublesome for my new policy regarding Beastaria."


    "Beastaria?" Bloodrain interjected.


    Sylvester immediately borated, "Human very was amon, ordinary thing. The Tower of Godless specializes in more extreme forms of very to derive higher profits. Children, and especially the species from Beastaria, are what they trade in most. I n to return the non-human ves to Beastaria and earn some goodwill in order to force them to reciprocate my generosity."


    With that, Sylvester stood up and picked up his things to head home and prepare for the mission, "Tensions between us and the Tower of Godless are fated to increase. Before they can put together a scheme, I want to erase their existence. The seven pigs who came to my court today were only bolstered because the Tower of Godless still stands¡ªbut no more."


    The two Guardians stood up and saluted as Sylvester proceeded to leave. They both had received their orders beforehand. A ''military exercise'' was to be held in Miraj City, after all.


    ¡­


    "Maxy, are we going to save kiddies again?" Miraj chirped while eating the wind on his front seat of the bicycle.


    "And much more," Sylvester replied, patting the furry cat. "Chonky Bank will also be receiving a lot of donations. All that money will help me modernize some aspects of the world and create some semnce ofw and order."


    "And then?" Miraj inquired.


    Sylvester shrugged, "We take over Beastaria."


    "Then?"


    "What then? We''ll keep fighting until we have our calm peace. We''ll also search for others of your kind wherever we can," Sylvester replied, very aware of what Miraj wanted to hear.


    Right away, Miraj giggled and melted in the little basket, "Hehe¡­ I can''t wait to meet more like me. I''ll make them all Maxy''s good friends."


    ''I do hope your dreames true, buddy. Being left alone is a curse worse than a painful death.'' Sylvester sighed and paddled his way home.


    However, it was all a ruse. He went to his home and informed Xavia about a routine, harmless mission. After that, he sneaked out of his home using light maniption for invisibility. With that, he walked away in the air using Light Tiles and secretly arrived at The Bard''s outside the Holy Land.


    There, standing before a mirror, he started to craft a disguise for himself. He went with the stereotypical look of an old enver since he wanted to blend in. So, using magic, he created fake prosthetics from hardened soil. He gave himself arge belly and a general thick stature. Then, with fake hair, he gave himself a brown, ugly beard with no mustache and colored his hair brown as well.


    Atst, no ver wasplete without their expensive clothing. So Sylvester wore fine silk clothes and hung a few gold chains around his neck and simr bracelets.


    To enter the Tower of Godless, one needed tokens that only a few registered buyers had. Thankfully, the seven pigs who hade that morning were one of them. The tokens were simr to gold coins but had runes that helped identify people. However, with Elder Magic, changing that was easy.


    "How do I look?" Sylvester finished applying his disguise.


    Miraj''s ears twitched, "Woah! You look pregnant!"


    "..."


    "Fat is the word, Chonky," Sylvester replied and slowly began changing his entire demeanor to that of an older, slimy man. With a big, nastyugh and a hoarse voice, he erased any trace of ''Sylvester.'' "Hahaha¡­ Look at these fine muscles. But not a silver more¡ªthrow in his wife and daughter too, and then we''ll talk about two silver¡­ Hahaha¡­"


    As Sylvester trained and got better and better, his tongue increasingly got vile with each second. Miraj began to doubt if this was still Sylvester.


    "Good day, nice to meet you." Sylvester practiced shaking hands. "I am John Lincoln¡ªAh, of course, bring me to the finest ves."


    "..."


    "Maxy?" Miraj meekly questioned.


    Sylvester looked down at Miraj''s confused face andughed, "Hah, don''t tell me you got fooled."


    "I did."


    "Good," Sylvester picked Miraj up and secretly left the building. "Let''s go then¡ªTime to end very for good."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 627 626. Welcome To Hell

    <h4>Chapter 627 626. Wee To Hell?</h4>


    Sylvester got himself a white horse and started making his way westward on the Green Road. There was a lot more activity on the road now, much more than he had ever seen before. The towns and viges were getting filled up again as people started to return to their homes. Subsidized by the Kingdom''s royal treasury and the Church, as well as Sylvester''s personal wealth, repairs were being made.


    The roads were being widened, and ane system was implemented¡ªstaying on the right side of the road was slowly being poprized. Even sidewalks were being made as not everyone had money to get horses or travel in carriages. With trees nted at the side of the roads, the shade made it somewhat easier formoners.


    "This warms my heart," Sylvester muttered as he liked seeing such economic activity happening. It was proof that things were going in the right direction.


    Sniff!


    "I smell food!" Miraj suddenly muttered.


    Sylvester did so too, and noticed a mobile food stall in a horse carriage. It had stopped at the side of the road, away from the moving traffic. People on foot or even other carriages stopped to buy something from the stall. Even a few Gracia soldiers stood nearby, watching over everything.


    "I smell¡­ Chicken and bread?" Sylvester muttered and rode his horse close to it. "Wait¡­ That looks like¡­"


    The owner of the shop seemed to be a couple. They were shredding chicken on arge pan, mixing some sauces, rolling them on a thin, round bread, and wrapping it in a cleanrge leaf before handing it to customers.


    "Shawarma? Burrito? I don''t think I introduced this in Bard''s. That means they made it?" Sylvester mumbled and went ahead to taste some because he had been craving earthly food. "Want some, Chonky?"


    "Yes! The one with the fish!"


    It was fast, as the pan was huge. Sylvester bought two and went to a secluded spot to eat it. It was piping hot, and once he took the bite, the vors bombarded his tongue. It was a shock to him, "Did they make these sauces?"


    Instantly, the capitalist heart in Sylvester''s body saw an opportunity. He didn''t have time to waste, so he gave the couple a card for the Bard''s and told them to see the manager there if they wanted an investment to open a shop in a big city.


    With a few more wraps of tasty delight, they made their way south. As they started toe close to the Tower of Godless, they began to notice some suspicious activities. A few box-like carriages with no air outlet appeared on the road. A simple use of Elder Magic to check the srium told him that ves were in them. He sneakily marked such carriages with a white cross on the back to alert soldiers to check.


    But soon, another hurdley in his path. To reach the Tower of Godless, he had to cross the Snake River. Crossing the river wasn''t an issue, but doing it properly was. He needed to act like a ver.


    ''The fact that Clergymen haven''t been able to look inside it much shows they''re careful.'' He muttered and rode the horse along the shore of the Snake River. He could see the Tower of Godless in the distance, hidden amidst the clouds.


    Soon enough, he arrived at the ck Pit, the ce he had visited a long time ago when he was a child. It was the source of the gue in the Pitfall town. Like in the past, it still appeared frightening and foul-smelling, with the sound of water echoing from within.


    "Whaaa!" Miraj made a scowling face. "I feel like vomiting¡­ The real one this time."


    Sylvester felt it too. The stench was too nasty. However, it was precisely the repulsiveness that turned visitors away, and he was able to monitor the Tower of Godless. Since there was a river on one side and the Wall of Void behind it, the only way to enter the ce was by boat.


    So, Sylvester calmly kept an eye on the river. There were many merchant boats and small ships traveling on it. But he noticed only a few of them turning into a canal near the shore of the Tower of Godless. From there, Sylvester tried to see what separated those boats and the rest. Knowing how very now operated in secrecy, he was sure a few boatmen were covertly working for the vers.


    ''Hmm¡­ They look normal¡­'' Sylvester mumbled to himself, noting down any details. ''No special markings. The sails are ordinary¡­ No, the ones stopping have a thicker sail¡­ better quality sails due to more money from very?''


    However, his theory was soon debunked as he noticed other ships with simr sails. Annoyed, he considered simply jumping across.


    "Maxy! Look there! That mark on the side of the boat!" Miraj suddenly chirped, keeping his nose pinched with one paw.


    Sylvester looked over and finally noticed it. There were two marks of sharp hooks on the sides of the boats that always stopped at the Tower of Godless. It was evident on both sides of the boats¡ªlikely due to the docking method at the port he couldn''t see.


    "Good catch, Chonky. Let''s go to the Port near Kinman City then," Sylvester picked Miraj up and spurred his horse forward.


    A few hourster, he reached the port and left the horse at the stables. After that, he silently began walking around and observing the boats with the two marks. There were quite a few, and they seemed to always be on the move.


    ''What''s that? The token?'' He noticed that some people who were hiring those boats showed their tokens from the Tower of Godless to the boatmen.


    Confidently, he took out one as well and started making his way to a boat. Without speaking, he secretly showed his token to the boat owner and flipped a bronze coin as payment. It was an advance, of course.


    "Wait!"


    Just as Sylvester stepped onto the boat, another man came rushing to them and secretly showed his token to the boat owner. He was short and heavily built but not fat, and his head was bald. However, he had a bushy mustache on his pale face. He didn''t wait and jumped in, seemingly in a hurry.


    Once they were on the river, the man extended his hand toward Sylvester, "Never seen you before. I''m Paul Youngman. What are you looking to buy today?"


    "Hahaha!" Sylvester knew this was bad, but he stayed in character andughed disgustingly, coughing saliva on the man. He disyed his nasty, rotten, ckened teeth. "Some nice young whores¡ªwhat about you?"


    The look of disgust and regret was clear on Paul''s face. But he still talked since their business required connections. "The usual. Demand for sacrifices from some dark wizards is high. I sometimes feel like they''re trying to summon a demon or something like it¡ªbut gold is gold."


    "Indeed, my friend." Sylvesterughingly put his arm around Paul''s shoulder, letting him smell his smelly armpits. Heck, his mouth was also full of stench. It was a decisive act to keep people away from him. "Young whore, old whore¡ªsome even like boys. But they pay a good price, hahaha!"


    "Heh¡­" Paul awkwardlyughed, trying to get away from Sylvester, but was unable to, as Sylvester didn''t let him go. "Say, my friend, if you ever have a few elven whores to sell, find me at any time¡ªThe name''s John Lincoln. I''ll give you the best price in the entire bloody Sol."


    Paul smiled wryly and nodded, "Non-human goods have be more expensive these days. The pirate fleets were destroyed, and the Church keeps a close eye."


    Sylvester groaned, making an ugly expression, "Ah! That fucking blonde Pope, he''s the bane of us good folks. How old is he? Twenty?"


    "Twenty-six."


    Sylvester scoffed, "Ah, the prime age for a whore¡ªbut not enough for a Pope. That blonde bastard has too much fire in him. He hates money, hahah¡ªlet''s see how long hests fighting us."


    "..."


    Paul Youngman was left in shock at Sylvester''s crazy tongue. He had always held back from talking badly about the faith or the Pope himself. After all, bing the Pope at a young age was proof of might, not weakness.


    But Sylvester just kept annoying him so he wouldn''t ask any questions he couldn''t answer, "Paul, where are you from originally? Did you join some guild?"


    "No, I''m independent. I work from the Trade Corridor."


    "Brilliant!" Sylvester eximed. "I was invited by the Septem Council¡ªHahaha, those fools went to see the blonde Pope and got killed by him. When did those fat pigs get so dumb? They were supposed to be the best of us¡ªbut I must thank them for opening up the market for us to fill in."


    "The Septem Council are all dead?!" Paul eximed in shock. "Are you sure?"


    "I am¡ªHeard about it just before heading out. Hahaha¡­ Isn''t that the most wonderful thing? You should seize the opportunity and buy more goods¡ªI''ll surely do that. Perhaps, if I get a nice deal, I might buy a hundred beautiful ones¡ªI''d prefer elves, but sadly, they are hard to get these days. Damn that blonde Pope," Sylvester didn''t hold back his words.


    "..."


    Paul remained speechless the entire time, silent and watching as they moved on the boat.


    ''I hope he doesn''t follow me now.''


    Sylvester left Paul and went to annoy the boat owner instead. Eventually, the boat approached the other side of the river and finally entered a canal leading directly into neatly concealed docks built under a massive structure made of mud walls. It had a ceiling, and sunlight came in from various holes. It was filled to the brim with activity; many small andrge boats and ships were there, loading or unloading. ves were also lined up in a few ces, belonging to various species and ages¡ªchained and looking hopeless. The ves outnumbered the ve buyers by far, but there was still order. A few armored soldiers were there to ensure it was maintained.


    The stench was nasty, akin to a mix of blood and sweat. Even the water inside the canal under that roofed dock seemed as ck as the hopelessness of the poor ves.


    Bam!


    Bam!


    The flow of water in the canal was rapid. So, as the boat approached an empty part of the dock, two men in ragged clothes used long metal hooks. The hooks dug into the sides of the boat, and with that, the boat was pulled to a halt.


    Silvester flipped two more bronze coins at the boat owner and stepped out. Paul followed behind. After that, the hooks were released, and the boat left immediately. It cleared the mystery of why some boats had the marks¡ªan information he didn''t hesitate to mentally send to Bloodrain.


    "Uwaaa¡­ Uwaaaa¡­!"


    All of a sudden, Sylvester found his head turning toward the sound of crying babies. Right there, he noticed arge, wooden crate with tiny finger-sized holes. The sound wasing from within¡ªthe crate was filled with babies.


    Keeping himself under control, he used Elder Magic and sensed his surroundings with srium. He immediately noticed everything in the docks¡ªfrom what was visible to the naked eye to what was hidden inside boxes and ships.


    It took a lot of self-control for him to keep his eyes from turning crimson in anger.


    ''This is¡­ hell.''


    _________________


    A/N: Sorry, got dyed due to some personal reasons. Another chapter will be up in 2-3 hours.


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 628 627. No Way Out!

    As Sylvester looked around, he slowly began to understand how deep the evil permeated. very wasn''t a mere trade there. It was a way of life; And it had been like that for a thousand years. The workers working there were most likely born and bred there¡ªas he presumed from how unhinged they seemed. The chains around the necks of the workers clearly showed that they were also ves, but their better clothes told a different story.


    ''Destroying this ce is easier¡ªbut fixing the broken minds will be the real challenge.'' Sylvester muttered to himself and remembered the path to take ording to the avable maps he had seen.


    He turned around and walked through a ve waiting area. It was a massive hall where hundreds of ves of all types and ages were chained together and made to sit as they were being prepared to be sent off through secretive means. It was usually in wooden crates or some hiddenpartments of ships.


    ''I hate the scent here.'' For Sylvester, who could smell emotions, being there was a nightmare. The hopelessness and sadness blended together and smelled like the scent of bitter death itself. It was evident that most in the Tower of Godless wished for a swift end rather than prolonged suffering.


    But there was something Sylvester found strange, ''I still don''t see any high-value ves. No elven women, dwarven men, or giants.''


    He walked across the hall and arrived at what he could only describe as chaos. The ceiling was high, but it was visible. At a nce, it felt like he was inside a cave since he was in the first underground level.


    However, the market started from there. Long pathways were set with intersections. The paths aligned with shops on both sides, some looking like open stalls, and some had formal structures. They all showcased ves, some naked and others not. cksmiths, goldsmiths, literate ones¡ªves for all sorts of work were avable for sale there. But he didn''t notice any ves younger than ten yet. It was a sign that the more heinous and less socially epted sale was done on different, much higher, or deeper floors.


    "Ugh¡­ The prices are so much higher this month¡­"


    "This might be myst purchase¡­"


    "Nobles are scared of buying ves now¡­"


    Sylvester heard chatter from the crowd of buyers. It was clear that his policies had started to show results, and very was on the decline. But he knew that as long as the Tower of Godless existed with all its riches, they''d do anything possible to keep the business going.


    Avoiding most hawkers selling their ''merchandise,'' Sylvester went one level upward since his destination was the top, where the five ve Gods resided. As he arrived at the first floor, he was stopped by the soldiers standing at the entrance to the massive hall. This one was different and looked artificially made with high ceilings, gigantic pirs, and brightly lit with Light Crystals.


    "Token."


    Sylvester assessed the soldiers. There were about a dozen. In ck-colored metal armor, they looked like sentinels without even a single part of their body visible. Even their helmets only had a tiny gap for two eyes.


    ''No emotions¡ªves turned guards?'' Sylvester found the emotional state of the soldiers somewhat strange, as if they were conditioned for that work.


    Sylvester immediately handed over the token and waited for the soldiers to assess it carefully. They ced it through arge round ring. Soon enough, the ring began to shine white through the various runes inscribed on it.


    "Wee, John Lincoln." The guard greeted and returned the token to Sylvester.


    "Haha¡­ Thank you," He kept himself nasty and walked forward, having already tempered with the ring. It had some runes on it, and overpowering the runes with his Elder Magic was all too easy. Not to mention, he had a backup n as well, something that would help him even now.


    "Halt! How did you enter?!"


    As Sylvester walked onto the floor, he heard chaos behind him. A simple smirk remained on his face as he sacrificed a random ve buyer by causing his token to seem fake. The tokens were simple objects for him, but for themon world, they were high-level crafts. They weren''t easy to overpower for simple wizards, and the detector runes could easily see through false tokens.


    With that, Sylvester began going up through the floors. It was easy to overpower the checkpoints, as all detection rings were the same. However, he didn''t let his guard down as he expected something different on the fifth floor¡ªa reason why most other Clergymen got caught going beyond the fifth level.


    ''The quality of ves has been improving in terms of looks and physical condition. The crowd is also less. It''ll be hard to blend in as I go up.'' Sylvester spent much time on the fourth floor to assess every possible situation.


    The sellers weren''t shouting but weed potential buyers into their stalls with big smiles. The buyers also appeared far richer through their attire and mannerisms. Of course, Sylvester still kept his persona of an erratic man.


    "What are you selling, boy?" Sylvester asked one of the shop owners. The man, despite having a white beard and a hunched back, didn''t mind being called ''boy.''


    The old man merrily invited Sylvester over, "What are you looking for, my good friend?"


    "Whores."


    "Those I have the finest!"


    Sylvester smiled, "Then lead me right in, boy."


    Sylvester was sure he was under someone''s gaze at that point. So, he attempted to act like a genuine buyer. He silently followed the man into his shop and soon arrived in a long room at most two meters wide. Throughout the entire length, ves stood at the sides, shoulder to shoulder¡ªall of them naked.


    ''No tears¡ªMust have already shed all they could cry.'' Sylvester reckoned as he looked at the ''merchandise.'' They all avoided looking at Sylvester in the eye and kept their gaze down. They didn''t flinch and made sure they covered no part of their bodies.


    "All women, turn around!" The ve owner shouted.


    Immediately, Sylvester began nodding his head, "Give me the number by age group."


    "We have twenty under thirty, fifteen under twenty¡ªand if you want better ones, I can get you connected with the right folks," the ve owner said, openly revealing what he shouldn''t have.


    ''No lies¡ªI sense desperation. It seems my policies at the Holy Land have pushed them to the edge..''


    "Perfect! I shall buy all the under-twenty you have, boy. But such are the times, I won''t pay you more than five gold," Sylvester haggled right away, as it was supposed to be his character.


    The old man merely smiled and invited Sylvester to the side for a drink, "One of the girls is the daughter of a minor noble, and others are also from good backgrounds. They are fine women who will serve you well¡ªWorth more than five gold, my friend."


    Sylvester didn''t even bother asking the man his name and took out seven gold coins, "You either take this and seal the deal, or I walk out and find another ce."


    There was an immediate silence. Sylvester smelled the desperation in him and knew the deal was almost done.


    So, he used the oldest trick in the game and stood up to leave, "Fine, I''ll look elsewhere then."


    "Wait! Deal¡ªI''ll sell them. Let''s sign the sale deed!"


    But Sylvester didn''t give in anymore, "My hand will only shake yours if you point me to better merchandise. Business is good. The Septem Council is dead¡ªdemand for elven goods is more than ever; even Vampires are being asked for. I''ll give you a silver if you help your friend here."


    The old man immediately jumped to grab Sylvester''s hand, "Of course¡­ My brother sits on the tenth floor. The good, non-human goods start from there. Can you show me your token?"


    Sylvester kept his sense of emotion sharp and revealed his token, but never handed it over.


    "Oh!" The old man eximed in shock. "I don''t know what you are doing on this floor when you can be at the fortieth¡ªBut I thank you for doing business with me."


    ''Fortieth?'' Sylvester had no idea his token meant that. ''Of course, the Septem Council would have such ess. But I can''t risk going up, as the crowd will thin out.''


    "I merely hoped to find some good deals on the lower floors before I got serious with my visit. Have the ves fitted with clothes¡ªI don''t want those holy men sniffing out my goods." Sylvester ordered the man and decided to go before any more questions were asked.


    "That will require five silvers, my friend."


    ''So that''s how they make higher profits?'' Sylvester came to a realization. It wasmon sense that one wouldn''t take ves outside naked.


    But he didn''t waste any more time and flipped a coin toward him. Right away, with the certificate of purchase, he made his way toward the staircase that led to the fifth floor. However, he took his time, allowed a few men to go before him, and observed the entire process. It looked the same, but now, along with therge ring for tokens, a metallic square frame was used to check the identity of each person entering.


    ''There must be some form of registry attached to the square.'' Sylvester tried to check the strange contraption from a distance using the srium in the air. With Elder Magic''s maniption, he attempted to probe the contraption and learn everything.


    He soon went ahead and stood in the line and tried to change the runes. It was pretty tiring as he had to ensure the tool didn''t malfunction before arriving at it. Silently, he watched two men being checked thoroughly.


    "Token."


    Atst, he handed the golden token and passed through the square frame. A white light emerged from runes soon after, and he found the token returning in his pocket. However, the two dozen guards there didn''t clear his path.


    "John Lincoln¡ªWhich floor do you wish to tour?" the one checking the tokens asked.


    Sylvester replied in the usual persona, "Haha, I''m merely looking around for a good catch. But my destiny is the fortieth floor¡ªthe finest goods are there, aren''t they?"


    "Certainly. Please follow us to the moving room¡ªwe shall escort you to the fortieth floor." The guard replied and gestured for Sylvester to follow.


    ''No emotions¡ªIt''s hard to make anything of this.''


    "Of course, lead the way then," he decided to follow, since not going could mean a fight would erupt. "Have there been any additions to the eleven goods? Perhaps I might buy them all today."


    The guards didn''t say a word and led Sylvester to an elevator. It had no door and just a wooden frame inside the elevator shaft that was continuously moved by an operator''s control panel. It was a very rudimentary style elevator. But it was quite spacious.


    Right away, as Sylvester walked in, a dozen armored guards followed and crowded him to a corner. He turned around and noticed the guards were still facing him.


    ''No wonder nobody ever went beyond the fifth floor.''


    Click!


    He noticed the elevator moving through many floors and much faster. However, what alerted him was the increasing number of guards on each floor facing the elevator, appearing as a fleeting image as he moved up.


    ''A battle seems imminent.''


    Click!


    The floors went by very fast, and before Sylvester knew it, the speed began toe to a slow halt.


    Woosh!


    All the guards unsheathed their swords, ck in color and very thin¡ªbut sharp. Outside the elevator, countless guards crowded the space. The entire floor seemed ck as he could only see the ck armors and des.


    Sylvesterughed in his disguised persona, "Hahaha¡ªWhy so many for this lowly one''s escort? I''m flustered."


    "John Lincoln, follow us." The guard who hade with him from the fifth floor''s entrance said. "The ve Gods wish to speak with you. There is no way out."


    Sylvester just smiled and walked forward. He didn''t even have to make any effort as he pushed the massive crowd of armored guards back. He pressed onto their bodies. Their armors nked and smashed onto each other, denting and caving in, making them groan. He plowed through them but very slowly.


    "Oh, apologies for moving so suddenly. I didn''t realize you''re this fragile¡ªIt seems there truly is no way out."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 629 628. Slave Gods & Sylvester

    Sylvester didn''t feel threatened since there was no reason to. There were only a handful of beings capable of pushing him into a corner. And none of them existed in Sol at the moment.


    Seeing his overwhelming strength, the guards began to part and make way for him. They still kept their swords at the ready, however. They stillcked any sense of emotion¡ªno confusion or fear, perhaps prepared to die.


    Considering they were also ves, Sylvester decided to not go overboard with them and kill them. So he quietly followed the path made in the crowd. It led to the end of the long corridor, and a sizeable double-door entrance awaited him.


    Once he approached it, the doors opened wide, and blinding light came through. Sylvester squinted his eyes and tried to take a clear look. It was definitely sunlight; he could feel it. Soon, he noticed he wasn''t entering a room but rather a massive hall with one side wide open, giving a view of the outside from the steep height he was at.


    ''Is this the top floor?'' He wondered and looked carefully.


    The hall was mostly empty but beautiful. The walls seemed to be made of gold itself, including the pirs. The gold walls were then engraved and decorated with patterns created from precious stones and diamonds. There was also an abundance of runes on the flooring¡ªalso made of gold. It was so shiny that he could see his own reflection on it.


    Just after entering, he could see five thrones set on a different tform. And behind the thrones was theck of wall¡ªleading straight to the edge of the building with no safety rails, letting in all the fresh air and sunlight.


    "Wee to the Tower of Godless," spoke the man on the leftmost throne. He had dark skin and appeared almost naked except for leather pants and boots. His entire body was covered with white runic tattoos, and on the short-haired head was a crown made of white gold, molded to seem like it was crude and made of bones. "Godless¡ªthe name is such, for it means the very same. So what are you doing here, holy man? Once again, here to investigate and satiate your senseless hunger for justice?"


    Sylvester rubbed his bearded chin while staring at the man''s green eyes, "Your eyes would have looked wonderful with good mounds, hips, and long hair¡ªwithout the instrument, of course. Ah, forgive me, were you saying something?"


    "..."


    "Godless¡ªIf I, Ma''kalinga Zofis, decide to kill you for this insult, nobody wille here to find you," Ma''kalinga said boastfully, looking angered by Sylvester''sments.


    "Please leave, holy man," the woman sitting on the middle throne voiced. She was a giant of a human being, at least seven feet in height and heavier than three horsesbined. Red-haired, pale-skinned, with a face that''d put a bulldog to shame. It was a question if she could even walk, as her arms and legs seemed to have sunken into her blob-like body. ves were always wandering around her to fan her and feed her fruits.


    Sylvester held hisughter but still made a few noises, "And you could have done without such massive mounds and hips."


    "..."


    "How dare you! The beauty of Minerva Lenis is famed across the continent!"


    "If you think that, you truly need a God in here," Sylvester replied and began walking toward the thrones. "On thisnd blessed by Solis, anything the light touches is governed by the faith¡ªanything that resists will be erased as if a wraith."


    The rightmost man sitting on the throne straightened his back immediately and stood up soon after. He looked old with short, curly white hair and a well-built average body, and his clothes appeared regal red but ordinary without any extreme extravagance.


    "I am Maire Martin, and I wish to make a deal," the man knelt aftering down from his throne.


    The other four ve Gods stared at their colleague in shock and disgust, finding his cowardice to their distaste.


    "I knew he''d be a weakling! His father should have lived a few more years and seen us further the glory of Godless!" The second throne upant said, looking bald with not even an eyebrow. He was dark-skinned, small-eyed, very skinny, and in a single-piece, ck clothing that was so tight, every part of his body could be made out. "Why do you fear this holy man? Who is he? Solis?"


    Maire stared back at his fellow ve Gods and bellowed, "Worse!"


    "Is that so? Then who is this holy man, care to enlighten me?" The skinny bald man mockingly asked. "Let this Aku also bask in the same fright as you."


    At that moment, Sylvester smiled and continued, "The one who sings¡ªwho sits above the kings. The one who brings light, the one whoughs at your forting plight."


    There was a change in Sylvester''s voice at that moment, and the four ve Gods straightened their backs. Of course, they knew about Sylvester''s rhymes. It was their job to predict danger before it reached them.


    ''Good thing I had prepared backup ns for backup ns.'' Sylvester told himself and took off the disguise from his face. He lost his beard, cleared the color from his hair, and removed the belly and heavy frame of his body. However, that left him with oversized clothes.


    "Should we talk business? I don''t really enjoy this ugly tower restricting my view of the Wall of Void," Sylvester talked normally from then on. "The days of very are over¡ªAs the Pope, I have given my judgment. Your continued existence will only be seen as a challenge to my authority, and I''ll have tounch a crusade or perhaps an Inquisition."


    By now, three more ve Gods had stood up, and the woman was at least attempting to do it with the help of her ves. They didn''tugh or smile anymore. The fear was rather clear. The scent was rampant.


    "P-Pope Sylvester?" Aku, the thin, proud ve God, stuttered. "We knew you w-would visit us soon enough."


    "Good, then you must havee up with a n to avoid dying," Sylvester was blunt with his threats.


    "Compromise!" The fourth ve God spoke for the first time. A tall, burly man with unkempt blond hair, looking like a homeless man. "If you wish to destroy the Tower of Godless, there is nothing we can do to stop you¡ªBut in exchange for letting us leave and live our lives silently, we will offer you¡ª"


    "Ownership of ves?" Sylvesterpleted the man''s words.


    "Yes," Aku replied.


    Sylvester folded his arms, "I can simply take them and kill you."


    "Hehe!" Minerva Lenis giggled. "Our lives are their lives¡ªUnless we let them go, they''re merely our properties. You can kill us, but with it, you will inherit a tower of corpses."


    Sylvester frowned, "You don''t own all the ves in the tower."


    "No, but we hold the power to do so." Maire Martin, the one who kneeled, spoke out. "The most important rule all sellers here must follow is to sign a Blood Contract with us¡ªthrough them, we own the ves and can control their life or death."


    With a sigh, Sylvester red at each of the ve Gods. However, it didn''t take too long for him to make a decision, "I''ll give you one day to leave the Tower of Godless. Failure will mean death. And you must relinquish your ve ownership right away."


    "Never! You won''t honor your word," Minerva Lenis opposed. "You get the ownership the moment we leave the Tower of Godless."


    Sylvester sighed and tapped his foot on the ground once. Since there was gold, he made himself a nice chair. "Fine¡ªYou''re free to move. Except for the ves, take anything you want."


    No more words were shared between them. All five ve Gods rushed out of the room. Well, Minerva could not and had to be carried away by two dozen ves in a very strong pnquin. She was going to die. There was no doubt about it. The chances of her being able to hide from Sylvester and escape in time were slimmer than Felix''s balls¡ªnonexistent.


    "And now we wait," Sylvester sat there silently, looking down from the open side of the hall. The view was mesmerizing, almost touching the clouds but still somewhat below. He could see Pitfall Town, a shadow of Kinman City, and even the Snake River down there.


    "Maxy¡­ I did it!" Miraj came flying from somewhere and sat down on Sylvester''s chest. "It was very easy. Where''s my treat?"


    Sylvester sighed and allowed Miraj to take a banana from his belly and eat it. It was strange, but Miraj never ate without asking for Sylvester''s permission. But this time, he also ate since he had a whole day to wait. Although he knew that, if they were smart, they''d try to leave within an hour.


    nk!


    Maire Martin, the one who knelt, came back first with a single bag on his back. In a highly terrified manner, he walked over to Sylvester and extended a parchment and a bracelet, "T-This is the Blood Contract and the ve key."


    Sylvester took it and amusedly nced at Maire as the man walked over to the edge of the open side of the hall.


    "My father sinned. I''ve merely been a ve God for a year," Maire said before pacing faster and jumping off from the fiftieth-storey height.


    Sylvester shook his head, "Perks of being a Diamond Knight."


    Next, Lors Thond came and gave the parchment as well as a locket. Aku gave a ring, Ma''kalinga handed his whole crown as the key, and atst, three hourster, Minerva sent a person from her family to hand over what appeared like a golden tooth.


    With that, Sylvester found himself as the sole owner of the Tower of Godless, "I don''t even know how many there are¡ªgood to know they won''t be dying."


    He walked out of the hall and arrived at the long corridor. It was still filled with hundreds of ck-armored guards of the tower. Walking in the middle of them, he arrived at the elevator and found the guard from earlier.


    "I own it all now, and I am setting you free. Go out there and try to live a normal life," Sylvester gave the order. "Is there anything you want in life?"


    The guard didn''t flinch and answered back monotonously, "Death¡­"


    Sylvester''s brows rose, "Death?"


    "Without a master, I have no purpose," the guard replied. Soon, all the others spoke the same thing in unison, "Without a master, I have no purpose¡ªgive me death."


    "...give me death."


    "...give me death."


    Listening to the way those words were spoken without any emotions was haunting. Being brainwashed to believe serving a master is the highest fulfillment in life¡ªit was akin to killing a person while keeping them alive.


    "I knew you''d say that," Sylvester sighed and stepped into the elevator. "Fine, follow mymand. Lock down the entire Tower of Godless. Nothing shall leave from anywhere anymore¡ªarrest all buyers and sellers, send ves back to their holding cells without hurting them or scaring them."


    Thud!


    All the men mmed their feet to the ground simultaneously and started moving toward the stairway somewhere.


    ''I don''t even know what lies in the deepest of the floors yet¡ªI hope it''s not what I think it is,'' Sylvester muttered and took the elevator to the ground floor.


    "Maxy, won''t we punish the Sheep Gods?"


    "You mean ve Gods?" Sylvester mumbled as he walked to the exit, ignoring the chaos around him as the guards began taking action. "Just wait and watch."


    He went all the way out of the building from the massive iron gates. This was a different entrance than the port.


    Boom!


    And just as he reached it, a fireball fell from the sky, and from it emerged the Inquisitor High Lord, his entire body steaming from his rare magical move.


    "Is it done?" Sylvester inquired.


    "To bring down an Elder Witch was a task too light. But I wonder, how can such a vile creature help in our fight?" the Inquisitor High Lord respectfully asked.


    Sylvester simply turned around and looked upward, taking in the massive height of the tower in his eyes. "Nothing much, just an borate form of punishment for the so-called ve Gods¡ªI simply need the witch to make a few dolls for me... to y, of course."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 630 629. School Of Sylvester?

    ?


    Boom!


    The military exercise at Miraj City turned out to be real. The exploding magic crystals resounded in the mock battlefield as the soldiers prepared to participate in a mock battle. With edgeless swords marked with yellow or green paint, the two divided armies were to fight each other. The aim was to protect the white cloth on their bodies. In the end, depending on where the pain marks are on the body, points would be given¡ªhead, neck, and chest were considered death.


    Yes, they had armor. But the goal was to make them into such warriors that even with armor, they''d be swift enough to dodge strikes from the enemy. It was a war game but on a massive scale.


    However, the presence of so many troops also meant that the people going through Miraj city had to go through many checkpoints. The only route into the west was now heavily guarded, with the distant sounds of explosives resounding at all times.


    Maire Martin, the one who knelt before Sylvester, found his only exit to the west blocked. The crowd of caravans was being checked thoroughly, and with the amount of gold he had, he knew he wouldn''t be able to escape. Even his strength couldn''t help him force his way through.


    The previous ve God had to turn around and find another way to reach the west.


    But he wasn''t the only one having such an experience.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, inside the Tower of Godless, Sylvester immediately checked the entire tower with his supreme authority over everything in that giant building. He left the Inquisitor High Lord with the body samples of the ve Gods that Miraj had collected. The body samples, including hair, nails, sweat, or even saliva; were going to be used to make the dolls.


    Floor by floor, Sylvester meticulously checked everywhere. As he had expected, the uppermost floors included the most ''exotic'' ves. The first ten floors in both directions were for regr ves, primarily humans. Then, from the tenth to the twenty floors, there were specialized ves in various things¡ªincluding wizards and knights. From the thirtieth to the fortieth floor, there were non-human ves from a wide range of species. From forty to forty-nine, the most high-priced ves were kept in a rtively healthy environment. Elven women, elven men, vampire women, highly trained dwarves, and good-looking Beastkins were the top merchandise of the Tower of Godless.


    However, unlike the fiftieth floor above, which was reserved for the ve Gods, the fiftieth floor underground was reserved for something entirely different and sinister.


    Sylvester arrived underground through the same elevator, along with a few guards. It was a dimly lit floor, and a designated guard presence was on the floor as well. However, what amazed him was the sound of little babies crying.


    Soon enough, he arrived in a massive hall,rger than the arena in the Holy Land. It was filled with metal-barred cages, arranged in long rows, and stacked one on top of another for at least ten cages high.


    Inside the cages were women with either bloated bellies or holding little babies in their arms. From human to non-human, the madness was indiscriminate. This was the ce for those suffering the worst of fates.


    "It''s a breeding farm for more ves," Sylvester immediately realized what was happening. This was how the Tower of Godless kept selling high-value ves even when piracy was destroyed. This was how the Tower of Godless hoped to achieve their twisted form of glory.


    Sylvester looked at the nearest guard to him and asked, "Were you also born here?"


    The man nodded with no emotions, "Everyone who works in the tower is."


    Sylvester heaved a long sigh and raised his hand. From his palm came out an orb of bright white light. It floated above toward the ceiling and remained there as if an artificial sun. It brought the much-needed warmth and light to inhabitants of the breeding ground.


    "I am Pope Sylvester Maximilian," Sylvester bellowed as gently as possible. "I have ouwed very throughout Sol, be it human or non-human. As such, the ve Gods have been dealt with. All ves in the Tower of Godless shall be rehabilitated to their homes¡­ or continents. For now, you shall be provided with good food and newer clothing until we can find a way to house all of you in better conditions."


    The ves silently listened. They felt no joy, no fear, and no pain anymore. They had heard empty promises far too many times; words only meant to torture them mentally.


    Sylvester turned around annoyedly and walked to a different part of the deepest floor. He found arge chamber with small cradles filled with babies. Some female ves were caring for them there. Then, there was anotherrge hall filled with kids who had started walking but hadn''t grown more than five years of age. The floor above housed all the kids ages five to ten, and any above that age were treated as adults.


    With a sigh, he turned back and went to the ground floor of the tower. "The poption of the tower stands at three hundred thousand ves, and a hundred thousand guards, fifty thousand sellers¡ªIt won''t be easy to rehabilitate them all."


    "Why not send them all home?" Miraj chirped from his shoulder.


    Sylvester shook his head since he knew human nature all too well. "Society won''t ept those women¡ªtainted ones, they will be called. Be it humans or elves¡ªI know these women won''t be epted back so easily. Some of the ves have probably been here for generations; they have no home outside. I''m their only bridge toward a new independent life."


    Miraj bobbed his head and looked around. "Then¡­ They''re like me before I met Maxy?"


    "Yes."


    "Hehe¡­ Then they have nothing to fear," Miraj proudly patted Sylvester''s head with his soft white paw. "My dearest son will make everyone happy!"


    ''I''m surprised he still remembers adopting me,'' Sylvester thought and continued his work.


    Within a few hours, groups of men from the Holy Land began to arrive. A contingent of Inquisitors also arrived on time, and slowly, the Tower of Godless transformed into the Tower of Light.


    A massive kitchen was set up to cook a hearty meal for all the ves. The captured sellers and buyers were stripped naked and thrown into tiny prison cells, with all their money confiscated. They were in the midst of being interrogated one by one to reveal their hidden money stash or the chain of supply. Yes, Sylvester was going to make them fund the rehabilitation of so many ves.


    "That seemed easier than I imagined."


    While evaluating the kitchen, Sylvester heard a known voice, "Felix, you came right on time. I think I found you a hundred thousand brothers."


    Felix had just returned after finishing his assignment from the Duchy of Iceling, after punishing the Baron who used forcedbor. "What do you mean?"


    Sylvester smirked and pointed at the ck armored guards, "All the guards hereck the same thing as you¡ªballs."


    "..."


    Felix squinted his eyes painfully, as he always did whenever his balls were mentioned. "Ah¡­ Poords. But, you can heal them too."


    "Before that, I''ll have to somehow heal their minds first," Sylvester muttered and led Felix into the tower to exin his job. "Your job is to manage the children along with the Bright Mothers. Write down their names, gender, and if they''re born here or brought in from the outside world¡ªif they remember where they''re from."


    Felix groaned but epted the task. "What will you do with them?"


    "If they have nowhere to go, then perhaps I will start my school and adopt all of them. I certainly have the money and resources to teach them my ideals, smarts, and way of thinking. Perhaps, one day, they''ll grow and spread around the world as my proxies¡ªmaking the world better for all. But above all, they require a happy and healthy life first," Sylvester revealed his simple but borate n. In practical terms, it was a logistical nightmare to aplish, but it was doable.


    "What about the Tower?"


    This time, Sylvester didn''t say much since he was still contemting what to do with it. "The tower is massive and quite masterfully designed. Destroying it would be a waste of space. Perhaps I should take ownership of it and turn this into the school I talked about¡ªAn entire city can be housed here, after all."


    The n was to renovate the floors of the building into something better. Give the entire tower a makeover, and then do some holy rituals for its purification. Then, spread the word around and make it a Tower of Solis instead of Godless.


    Bam!


    "Leave me alone! Let me go!"


    "How dare you touch me?"


    "Do you have any idea who I am? Aaaa¡­!"


    Just then, some loud noises came. Sylvester and Felix turned back toward the tower entrance and noticed six horses entering. From the horse saddle, five thick ropes were attached, and the horses appeared to be straining themselves while trying to pull something.


    "Aaaaargh! My face!"


    Soon, the sound of something heavy being dragged resounded. A few momentster, what was at the end of the ropes revealed itself¡ªa massive, fat blob of a human.


    "Your Holiness, we caught her. She was hiding in a pigsty as her family and freed ves stole her wealth and threw her away. She could only drag herself to a farm beyond the river," an Inquisitormander reported.


    "Who is he?" Felix stared at the monstrosity of a human being. The creature was far from human, not even able to stand up.


    Sylvester shook his head and walked over to stand beside the huge body. He noticed the woman crying in hopelessness. "How does this helplessness feel?"


    "P-Please let me go¡­ You''re a good man¡­ I will pray to Solis." She cried, having turned into a mess with parts of her skin chipped and what was left of her sparse hair. She had been dragged all the way there by horses.


    Bam!


    Sylvester stepped on her huge face, "But Solis has already passed the judgment¡ªYou are to be eradicated as if an ailment."


    "Nooo¡­ Please!"


    Sylvester looked at themander, "There should be a pigsty here too. Throw her in there. Let her rot there and be eaten."


    "What? You can''t do th¡ª"


    Felix abruptly came over and stared at her face, "Wait! This is a woman? What an annoying ''thing''."


    "I''m Minerva, the most beautif¡ª"


    Bam!


    Felix kicked her jaw this time, breaking it, "Thing! Just like how you called your ves¡ªan object deserving no pity. It''s useless to ask for mercy. In fact, I believe His Holiness is not being harsh enough with the punishment."


    "Hmmm¡­" Sylvester rubbed his chin. "Is that so? Then perhaps I should throw her to the cannibal ves from the Divine Desert."


    Minerva couldn''t say anything, for her jaw was broken. She merely made noises and cried in a pool of her own blood. She hadn''t expected her end toe that way.


    "Ummmm¡­ Mmmm¡­" She groaned.


    "Don''t worry, the others shall join you soon," Sylvester waved and allowed the guards to take her away. "They''ll suffer a worse fate once my toys are prepared."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 631 630. Chonky Got New Toys

    <h4>Chapter 631 630. Chonky Got New Toys</h4>


    "Prepare fiftyrge ships. I''ll be heading to Beastaria immediately after reaching the Holy Land, together with the non-human ves," Sylvester spoke to Gabriel through the Srium Web while sitting on the tower''s top floor and working. "I''ll be taking Soulbreaker and Bloodrain with me, as their magic affects all species equally."


    "But King Rathagun doesn''t seem excited about it," Gabriel replied, reading the reply from the elven king. "He says, ''I will be delighted to wee you, and I''m sure all the elders will feel the same.'' Your Holiness, I don''t think they''re very keen on having you."


    ''He''s being pressured?'' Sylvester wondered what was going on in Alfia.


    "In any case, I have to send all these ves back home, so I have to go there no matter what. Our arrogance and pride have caused countless casualties for a thousand years. If I must be the one to take the first step, I will," Sylvester stated and moved on with work. "Anything else?"


    "Yes, Marcia and Sond Kingdoms'' rtions have soured, and threats of war are being thrown around by the Kings you ced. The melting point was a massive gold vein found in the middle of the border of the two kingdoms. Now, both sides are iming extrand in each other''s territory to get more gold," Gabriel exined the issue briefly. "What should I do? Send someone to mediate?"


    Sylvester groaned, rubbing his head as he knew this would happen eventually. Unless they share too manymon interests, kingdoms would always go to war. "Yes, send some arbitrators and try to bring back peace. Holy Land is the issuer of money now, so even if they gain some gold, it must go through us."


    "Understood, Your Holiness. I''ve sent the important documents that need your personal approval, and they should be arriving soon. I''ll prepare the ships in the meantime," Gabriel finished his report.


    But Sylvester only let out a sigh as he ended the connection. He wasn''t a big admirer of paperwork, but it was a part of his job. Since he was a Supreme Wizard and could stay awake for a long time, he was also expected to work more hours now. However, he didn''tin too much since the goals were too high and required sleepless work.


    Knock! Knock!


    Right away, the door opened, and an Inquisitormander walked in. Behind him, a few more Inquisitors came, pushing in manyrge trolley tables.


    "Your Holiness, these arrived from the Holy Land."


    "..."


    Sylvester stared at the massive stacks of paper and files, "All of this?"


    "Yes, Your Holiness. This contains the index of everything," the Inquisitor Commander replied.


    "..."


    "That''s the index? It took a whole single trolley!" Sylvester stood up and walked over to see what it even was.


    But soon enough, he calmed down, as he understood this was his own burden to bear. This was the review he needed to do as it was rted to the experimental technologies he had suggested. ''I could''ve given this work to Felix as the Viceman, but he''s not smart enough for this¡­ nobody is.''


    "Leave them beside the table." Sylvester returned to his seat and started working right away. From checking the designs and experiment results of the dam he had suggested, to the results of the wirelessmunication device that was being produced. Evaluation of the new Green City''s designs, to various strategic canal projects to bring water deep inside the regions of ckhart Kingdom.


    There was no war to fight anymore, and he had to win only through his intellect. Most problems faced by people now tend to rte to society, economy, or technological backwardness.


    ''Food security remains unpredictable,'' Sylvester mumbled while looking at the reports from the Hignd Kingdom, where he was conducting thergest agricultural experiment. ''We need to enter a surplus on every harvest to keep the poption well-fed. It seems like I''ll need to think of a way to make growing food more effective and profitable for farmers; Fertilizer subsidies, perhaps?


    ''As far as I remember, energy, agriculture, and transportation were the most subsidized industries in the world back on Earth¡ªWith my almost dictatorial powers, I can keep it under control and away from bing a monopoly.''


    Sylvester contemted a lot, but he didn''t make a decision there unterally, as the idea was too big and would cost gold to kingdoms.


    Knock! Knock!


    "I have returned, Your Holiness." The Inquisitor High Lord entered the room just then. "As per your desire, the Elder Witch has made what you require. These are the five blood idols, prepared for your righteous trials."


    Sylvester enthusiastically took the five cloth dolls. They looked ordinary and in no shape or form represented the real images of the people. But they were still tied through Dark Magic.


    "Great timing, Lord Inquisitor. I needed something to keep myself upied while dealing with these reports. Please ce them on my table," Sylvester requested the old man and scooted down a little from his chair to take something out. "Found it!"


    Soon, Sylvester held a hammer in one hand and a box of sharp, small nails in the other. He ced the five dolls on the side of the table and struck down.


    Bam!


    One nail in each doll, right where the right-hand palm was supposed to be. He nailed the dolls to his table and got to work immediately after, uncaring what the effects on the real bodies were since he knew this was merely the beginning.


    "What happened to the Elder Witch?"


    "She won''t be missed, as she no longer exists." Lord Inquisitor replied and asked for another task. "You have fulfilled one of my dreams, for I hated this ce with fervor. How else may I be of service further?"


    "Arrange for as many carriages as you can. I shall take the non-humans who desire to return to Beastaria to the Holy Land. Those who wish to remain will be settled in Happy Vige," Sylvester ordered and drowned himself in the papers.


    Silently, Inquisitor High Lord''s eyes shone red. He saluted and left the hall.


    "Meow! Meow¡­"


    Hearing Miraj''s voice, Sylvester looked to the side and almost choked on his saliva. The fur ball was in the middle of ying with the nailed dolls, scratching them, pressing down on them, and sitting on them.


    ''I do wonder what those five must be feeling.''


    ¡­


    Hell!


    The five ve Gods suddenly found themselves suffering through hell. Minerva was in the pigsty, and when she screamed from the sudden pain in her hand, the pigs got agitated and began stomping her, biting her. She was so fat she couldn''t even roll over or push the pigs away.


    At the same time, outside the Tower of Godless, a good distance away on the Desert Road leading down south, Ma''kalinga Zofis traveled in ck robes and an oversized hood on his head. His noticeable white runic tattoos did very little to hide him.


    "Argh!"


    But he suddenly fell down with immense pain in his right hand, as if it was pierced by something. Yet, there was no wound on him.


    "Gah¡­ I can''t breathe!" He began kicking his feet in desperation, feeling as if something had smothered his face and blocked his airways.


    "Gold?!"


    To Ma''kalinga Zofis''s bad luck, the people he was traveling with around him saw something fall out of the bag on his back. Rather than helping him, they rushed over and checked, only to find a lot of gold.


    Within a few seconds, it was all taken away. Ma''kalinga Zofis was left alone on the Desert Road to groan and rot. In pain and broke.


    The experiences of the other ve Gods varied a little but were primarily simr. Some even fainted because a sudden, powerful punch of airnded on their chests, instantly breaking their rib cage. Meanwhile, others had their entire body carved with deep gashes for no reason.


    Confusion overwhelmed their minds. They had no clue what was going on¡ªit felt like hell, their worst nightmares bing a reality.


    ¡­


    Beastaria, Alfia of the elves.


    "How can we allow our greatest enemy to set foot on our blessednds?!"


    "Do you hear yourself, Rathagun?! You may be a King, but we do not ept dictators!"


    "Agreed¡ªmany have tried and failed!"


    In the massive hall of the elven royal castle, covered with green vines all around and fragrant flowers, the Elder Council sat together and discussed the matters at hand. Of course, like any court, there were groups that supported the king and those that opposed him. Sadly, the opposition was led by the Queen''s father.


    Sitting on his throne and listening to the elders seated before him, Rathagun watched with annoyance as they bickered while he had already made up his mind and sent a reply. No matter what, he simply wanted to show his son the Kingdom of Elves at least once.


    "Enough!" Rathagun bellowed to silence them. With his voice, the nts in the vicinity shivered and curled back. "For a thousand years, countless elves have died. If establishing peace with Sol allows us to end the senseless war, then what is the harm? Goddess Remira would never want to see her children die for nothing but our inted pride."


    "Haha!" The Queen''s father abruptlyughed. With his blonde hair, green eyes, and tall and slim frame, he looked quite young despite being a millennia old. "Pride? Ah, the thing you ced at that arrogant boy''s feet when you knelt. Rathagun, you betrayed the trust of this council! Without consulting us, you chose to be weak¡ªyouck the spine that befits a ruler of elves! Your forefathers must be utterly disappointed in you, son¡­ utterly devastated."


    Rathagun''s deep gray eyes showed a hint of anger as he rose from his throne, "Ellitran, don''t carry the notion that I am silent because you''re my wife''s father. Tell me, what stopped the gue? That arrogant boy did! Tell me, who is taking the biggest step to end the thousand-year struggle with no end in sight? That¡ªarrogant¡ªboy!


    "He is twenty-six years old and a Supreme Wizard¡ªthat golden rain was because of him! Now tell me who is the one showing true humility in taking the step forward anding to and he knows will surely despise him."


    "His Majesty is correct," the First Elder, the right-hand man of the king, spoke. "If the animosity with Sol can be ended, perhaps we can ce more of our focus on increasing our numbers. The price we have paid in the war and the gue has been grave."


    "We should kill him!" Ellitran Dalor Malgath proposed. "If he''s this young and so powerful, perhaps one day he will ascend beyond the Supreme¡ªLet us strike now; let this be Remira''s blessing!"


    Thud!


    "A curse!" Rathagun roared, kicking his foot on the ground to show some of his might as a Supreme Wizard. "For a man a millennia-old, youck the wisdom, ''father.'' Do you honestly believe the human who defeated two Supreme Wizards to be the Pope would not predict the possibility of our attack? Let me remind this council¡ªtoo much pride can lead to arrogance, and too much arrogance leads to mistakes¡ªmistakes that the human Pope has never made.


    "In his entire life, every time someone has gone against him, they have suffered tremendously. So I propose that we be patient and allow him to arrive¡ªlet us see what he has to offer, and if we do not like it, we can use him to rid the Divider Swamp of the vile demon."


    Rathagun''s chest rose and fell as he finished his small, passionate speech, which was a hidden plea to allow Sylvester one visit.


    "Agreed!"


    "Patience is our virtue."


    "As elves, it is against our nature to be impatient."


    "Let us see what this human has nned."


    Slowly, the council members discussed with each other and agreed on the point of at least weing the Pope into Alfia. It was unknown whether they genuinely thought that or felt scared of angering their king too much.


    However, Ellitran remained unmoved. There was a hint of scheming and disgust in his eyes, something Rathagun noticed very well since he was once a proud student of the same man.


    "If an attack not sanctioned by me urs on the human Pope while he is in Alfia, I will consider it treason¡ªI will not show kindness then, I swear by Mother Remira."


    The entire council knew to whom those words were directed. Wanting not to meddle in their feud, the elders promptly left the hall. Ellitran also left, having nothing but contempt in every move he made.


    "That was entertaining."


    Just when Rathagun took a sigh of relief, he heard Avanss'' voice from behind his throne, unsure of when he got there in the first ce.


    "Frustration is the word, little brother."


    "Haha!" Avanssughed teasingly. "You should be happy. The overachiever of the family ising here. I''m quite excited to see what he has nned after seeing how he dealt with you¡ªso ruthless."


    Pa!


    Rathagun pped his forehead and rubbed his face, "That is what I fear the most, Avanss. He''s too¡­ entric."


    "Meticulous is the word, Brother," Avanss replied and stood beside the throne and overlooking the room.


    "Only time will tell what he has in mind," Rathagun wearily replied and stood up to return to work. "If he desires peace, then so do I¡­ But if he desires war, I will die fighting for my kingdom."


    "Oh? I thought you had forgotten your loyalties."


    "I had¡­" Rathagun left the chamber. "But he reminded me¡­ when he made me kneel."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 632 631. Blood And Beyond

    <h4>Chapter 632 631. Blood And Beyond</h4>


    Time passes by quickly when you get lost in work. Although Sylvester hated paperwork, he wasn''t someone who would do a job half-heartedly. He read every document with utmost focus and wrote down replies and corrections wherever needed. He gave approvals and stamped his seal on some others.


    For the entire night, he worked tirelessly and, asionally, oversaw the creation of a directory to ount for the ves andpile data about them. The n was to head out in the morning since there wasn''t much time left before he needed to be in Beastaria.


    "Mewmewmew¡­ B-banana¡­ hehe¡­"


    Sylvester enviously looked at Miraj sleeping on his desk, spreading his paws wide and resting on his belly as if he were made of jelly. The furball snored and mumbled in sleep as always¡ªtruly, his joys in life were quite simple. As long as he had his Maxy beside him, life was good.


    Eventually, Sylvester finished his work and headed out to see how everything was going. Thankfully, to his satisfaction, everything had been managed well. The sellers and buyers had been interrogated well, and all those connected with any noble families were soon going to be used as traps to lure those families into epting their crimes. Meanwhile, the ve sellers were shown no mercy. They were tied with long chains and made to march toward the Holy Land for their joint trial.


    But atst, as the sun dawned on the horizon, Sylvester got ready to leave as well. He looked for Felix, who was to remain behind and manage the Tower of Solis and ensure the children who were going to stay behind were treated well.


    "Felix, I''ll speak with you daily, so prepare a report at the end of each day. If anything happens, I''ll instruct you on how to handle it." Sylvester readied himself to head out with the long convoy of carriages prepared to move the non-human ves, "Wish me luck in Beastaria."


    "May God bless those fools in Beastaria so they don''t end up on your bad side," Felix prayed.


    "..."


    Sylvester simplyughed and left his good friend. He knew Felix was a much more mature person now, far more professional, but the little jokes were something that made him unique and likable.


    He went out and climbed into the massive, six-horse-drawn carriage of the Inquisitor High Lord and took a seat. They were at the lead of the almost one-hundred-carriage convoy.


    "We shall only stop at our destination. For each carriage has been provided supplies to deal with any situation." The Lord Inquisitor informed him as soon as they started to move.


    Sylvester settled into the spacious seat and gazed out the window. It felt somewhat nostalgic as he remembered the first ride in the very same carriage as a baby. He got to see the world for the first time. Now, here he was.


    "Do you remember the first time you told me about the Divine Desert and the Wall of Void?" Sylvester asked him.


    "As vividly as if it were yesterday¡ªIt''s a memory that shall never go away." Lord Inquisitor replied.


    Sylvester smiled gently, nodding his head, "We''vee so far, and yet so much still remains¡ªMy next journey shall tell us what Sol''s destiny contains."


    "Solis is with you, and your light is with Sol. I am certain, with you, we all shall surpass our goal." The Inquisitor High Lord replied, maintaining that rageful voice and fervor. "I have never seen such trust as the people of Sol have in you¡ªthey truly believe in everything you choose to pursue."


    Sylvester sighed and agreed. But deep down, he knew how that loyalty had been earned. Through unending propaganda and his asional actions that solely focused on gaining poprity¡ªit was a loyalty he had coerced from the people.


    With countless thoughts swirling in his mind, they journeyed and passed by Green City, undergoing reconstruction. The non-human ex-ves noticed all the development from the windows of their carriages, seeing human society like that for the first time.


    Eventually, almost a dayter, they reached Happy Vige, which was close to the Holy Land. Aurora was already there with a group of soldiers, as a small number of the non-humans wanted to remain in Sol since they had been born and raised in captivity. Other than thenguage of humans, they knew nothing about their own kind.


    "Live here with the non-humans and help them settle. Remember, they are no different from us, so treat them with kindness," Sylvester warned Aurora and resumed his journey forward.


    Without dy, they entered the Holy Land, and the carriages stopped at the port. Large, three-mast ships were waiting for them there, a part of the Holy Land''s navy.


    Soon, the non-humans were guided into the ships in lines. Luxury couldn''t be afforded at that moment, so simple hammocks were provided for each person to sleep during the night.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester went to the Pope''s Pce for a quick visit to find the two Grand Wizards joining him. Additionally, he needed armor to look imposing. So he went directly to his private armory, picked a neat golden armor, and wore it over snug, leather clothing. Then he draped a red cape on his back and looked at himself in therge mirror.


    "How do I look, Chonky?"


    "The best!" Miraj chirped, something he''d say even if Sylvester looked homeless.


    "Alright then, let''s go to Beastaria, " Sylvester picked up the Pope''s staff in one hand and left for the port again.


    However, Gabriel joined him on the short walk,


    "Anything new?" Sylvester asked.


    "Everything has been prepared in the ship marked with a cat''s paw on the g. It has everything you requested," Gabriel informed discreetly. "Are you sure that bringing such technology to them won''t be seen as an attempt to attack?"


    "Haha, they won''t if they can''t see it. Don''t worry, Gab," Sylvester patted his Wazir''s shoulder and boarded the ship with Bloodrain and Soulbreaker. "If everything goes well, I should return within a month."


    "And if it doesn''t?" Gabriel asked.


    Sylvester waved his hand, "My friend, did you forget the rule I follow when picking a fight?"


    "Never pick a fight you know you can''t win," Gabriel sighed and waved back, replying in a low hum so no one could hear him. "Ah, he probably already plotted the hidden schemes for a fight before any of this."


    With that, the fleet of ships began moving through the Blood Sea. It was a slow journey as all the ships traveled in a close formation. And since they wanted to reach Alfia directly, they had to go way into the south and circle around the west coast of Beastaria.


    However, since it was the Holy Land''s fleet, they utilized magic to push the sails forward and water magic to smoothen the ride on the waves. Where the normal travel time for such a distance would have been over a week, the fleet was able to make the journey in three days and two nights.


    A few of the non-humans fell sick on the ship ride, having never been through that experience. Sylvester healed most of them and tried to uplift his image in their minds. Again and again, he kept telling them that if they felt ostracized in theirmunities in Beastaria, they could return to Sol, and he''d give them a home and respect.


    Even if there was hate toward humans, the ex-ves at least felt somewhat positive about Sylvester due to that. And by the time they curved around thend of centaurs, a region inside Alfia, the ex-ves began to give off the scent of some reverence as well.


    Noon came as they began approaching the secondary port of Alfia. It was a river port, sitting between two walls that divided thend of dryads and the High Ragnum, the elven capital city. As expected, they weren''t given direct entry into the elven capital, and Sylvester didn''t mind it¡ªseeing so many ships, such a reaction was expected.


    Baaaaa!


    A deep-sounding horn resounded just then as the ships began to dock at the port. History in the making as a fleet bearing the gs of the Holy Land arrived in thend of the elves. The elves working around at the docks or the nearby town came to watch themotion with interest¡ªhowever, most who recognized the g maintained their distance.


    The sailors had been advised beforehand not to disembark the ship no matter what. Only Sylvester, Bloodrain, and Soulbreaker moved out along with all the elven ex-ves, which mainly included elven women who had tears in their eyes at the sight of familiar faces belonging to their own species.


    There were almost a thousand elven ex-ves there, although some had stayed behind as well. Sylvester walked into the lead and quickly spotted a familiar face.


    "A pleasure to see you again, Prince Avanss."


    Avanss smiled and shook Sylvester''s hand while looking at the crowd behind him, "Wee to Alfia, Pope Sylvester. Out of all things, this was not a present I was expecting."


    "I didn''t like them having ''Godless'' in their name," Sylvester replied.


    "That''s great to hear. Now, please follow me." Avanss said and began walking with Sylvester toward the gate that led into the High Ragnum. Along the way, a good number of elves began to gather to observe the young blonde man they had no clue about. He looked handsome, like an elf, but theck of ears was confusing.


    Though elven guards were also present, just in case someone had any funny ideas.


    Just a short walkter, they stopped before massive bronze gates adorned with rune inscriptions. With Sylvester at the front and the ex-ves behind, he watched as the gates parted open, revealing the distant city with its towering towers. But first, there was arge crowd of elves in regal clothing, some even supporting white beards. Leading them all was a tall, ck-haired elf sporting silver armor and a green cape on his back.


    No words needed to be said when Sylvester and Rathagun locked eyes. A son and a father, harboring the fear of their hidden little secret being revealed.


    "Pope Sylvester of Sol," King Rathagun talked with respect and grace. "As the King of the elven race and the ruler of Alfia, on behalf of myself and the Elder Council, I wee you to thisnd. By the grace of Remira, may this historic meeting turn into something beneficially grand."


    Sylvester bowed his head a little in reply, but the words that came from his mouth echoed as a holy sermon. In no time, a magnificent halo of bright golden, simmering light formed behind his head, enveloping all the ex-ves behind him in warmth¡ªan otherworldly experience they were feeling for the first time.


    ?Greetings, my friends, from distant shores and lea,


    Ie as bearer of a message, pure and free.


    Against the evil of godless, I vehemently decree,


    Hoping for equal benevolence here; I will see.?


    Rathagun and the Elder Council were taken by surprise. They couldn''t help but gawk at the magnificent sight. Sylvester looked perfect with that shining radiance, his face seemingly carved to exemplify elven brilliance.


    Just then, Sylvester stepped forward and crossed through the gate, proceeding closer to Rathagun with an outstretched hand.


    ?In this epoch-making, sacred hour we''re lent,


    For far too long, we stood as foes, proponents.


    With sped hands, our unity shall be divinely potent,


    For lives lost senselessly, let this be atonement.?


    Rathagun, taken aback by his meaningful words and the awe-inspiring halo of light. No matter what, he couldn''t bring himself out of being quiet. As if Mother Remira herself moved him, and his hand rose. Before he couldprehend it, he stepped close.


    sp!


    Pope Sylvester Maximilian and King Rathagun Xeek Eldaron¡ªTwo names that shared a secret bond¡ªgreater than blood and beyond.


    History was made without the use of a de. No inquisition or crusade, but simple words were the mode of trade¡ªenough for all thoughts to be conveyed.


    _________________


    [A/N: See Sylvester]


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 633 632. A Tense Dinner

    <h4>Chapter 633 632. A Tense Dinner</h4>


    Sylvester didn''t care much about the Elder Council of the Elves. As long as King Rathagun was with him, he knew he could move on with the n slowly and bring peace between their species.


    He wanted to showcase his majesty before them and earn their awe and curiosity. That was the only way to earn respect from beings who were likely millennia-old, if not older. At just twenty-six, he knew his strength was the only thing that would earn him respect¡ªbut he chose not to use it due to the risks.


    He sensed the scent of admiration and surprise from the crowd of elves around him. It was precisely what he wanted. He shook King Rathagun''s hand without reservation.


    But as always, someone had to ruin the mood. An elf came, looking slightly older and more mature than Rathagun. However, when he spoke, that maturity seemed superficial. He had blond hair and was handsome, yet his mouth was equally repulsive.


    "What is this? I thought we were receiving the Pope of humans, not a songster."


    Sylvester noticed the expression of repulsiveness on Rathagun''s face, as well as the uneasiness of the other elven elders. Right away, he knew who this blonde elf was. "The beauty of having a long life is that we get to explore everything¡ªexperience everything. Not everyone has the mental capacity to cherish what others do¡ªbut it is alright."


    "Spoken like a wise man," King Rathagun was already fond of Sylvester for indirectly shaming Elder Ellitran. "I appreciate you for saving my people from the clutches of very. They will be respected and cared for in their homnd."


    Sylvester nodded and chose to remind the man that this was a two-way exchange, "Being generous is something that never goes unappreciated¡ªone way or another, the universe gives something back."


    With that, Rathagun led Sylvester to meet with some of the senior elven elders. Most of them looked like middle-aged men at most, and just a few of them had beards. The mostmon thing they all had was their tall stature and handsome faces¡ªtruly, it was as if they had made a deal with the devil to look this good. But considering how hard it was for them to procreate¡ªit was indeed akin to a pact with the devil.


    "This is the First Elder and my second inmand, Florian Daeleth," Rathagun introduced the man with respect in his voice. Florian had such long red hair that they touched his lower back. At the same time, he looked muscr in his green, silky robes. He wore a constant gentle smile, and it was genuine.


    ''The scents of respect¡ªatst, a decent elf,'' Sylvester shook the man''s hand.


    After that, Rathagun took Sylvester to the man he hated the most. "This here is Elder Ellitran Dalor Malgath, the queen''s father."


    ''The thorn in Rathagun''s side.'' Sylvester also shook hands with the man, ''It will be interesting to deal with him.''


    "I heard a lot about you, Elder Ellitran¡ªYou trained King Rathagun and are his father-inw. Your opinion must be highly valued here," Sylvester said, acting knowledgeable as well as ignorant at the same time¡ªthe perfect blend for subtle mockery.


    Ellitran''s mouth twitched in a curve. "Of course, the King considers everything I suggest¡ªwho to kill and defend."


    ''Oh, is that a threat?'' Sylvester felt amused by the man but didn''t hate him since he understood why he hated King Rathagun so much.


    "Let us go to the royal castle, Pope Sylvester. Let us show you our elven cuisine and hospitality." King Rathagun said, sounding a lot more enthusiastic than he should be.


    Sylvester followed beside King Rathagun, walking through the capital of the elven kingdom. He genuinely liked thendscape and the way of life. There was a lot more nature everywhere. There were tall trees covering almost every piece ofnd, and all the roads and buildings were surrounded by wide branches with lush greeneries. Small fountains and canals were everywhere, as were flowerbeds.


    The elves residing there appeared both wealthy and beautiful. But what irked Sylvester was how openly they disyed their ves, not much different from the past Sol. He saw humans following various elves, holding luggage or something else. He didn''t find any physical abuse, but from the hopeless look on their faces, he knew it likely happened behind closed doors.


    ''If they refuse to give up very, I''ll have no choice but to take a harder approach,'' Sylvester thought while admiring what he could.


    Soon enough, they arrived at what seemed like arge dining hall. It was a massive room with an elevated ceiling and strategic windows to optimize natural light. Decorated with bright light, silky green and purple curtains, and various showpieces around the walls. In the middle of it all was a massive, long table made of white stone, and the chairs were the same. He couldn''t find much made from wood.


    "Let me introduce you to the delicacies of Alfia first," King Rathagun proudly took a seat at the end of the table. He invited Sylvester to sit on his right side while Bloodrain and Soulbreaker took the other two seats beside Sylvester.


    At that moment, Sylvester stood up again and walked around the table behind King Rathagun, "Greetings, you must be Queen Delimira."


    The famed beauty of Alfia, the Queen, with her mature-looking face and long blonde hair, walked in wearing pale golden robes, elegant and regal in style. Her eyes were big and shining as if also admiring him back. Yet, there was some coldness in the way she looked and moved.


    She raised her hand in courtesy, and Sylvester held it in his palm before kissing the back of her hand.


    He smiled radiantly, the bane of most women. "You are as beautiful as the rumors say, Queen Delimira."


    She almost chuckled, but she held herself back in the presence of all the elders, "You¡­ don''t appear as old as I expected from a Pope."


    "Haha!" Sylvester didn''t need to hold back andughed. "Well, fortune favors the brave, and I''ve been battling since I was born¡ªI was quite favored, I have no doubt."


    Rathagun''s face fell when he heard the part about battling since he was born. He knew Sylvester would have lived a far better life if he had been more brave in the past.


    After flirting with his stepmother, Sylvester moved back to his seat and spoke with the rest of the elders sitting around the table. There were a total of ten elders with the Queen''s father and excluding the King. Avanss wasn''t a part of the elders and only sat beside Queen Delimira.


    "This is quite a historic day," Sylvester said and raised a hand toward the middle of therge empty table since the food hadn''t arrived yet. "This is akin to the first official contact between two civilizations¡ªfor a thousand years, we have been led to wars for mistakes made by our ancestors. The death of Pope Desmond remains shrouded in mystery, and who killed him is still unknown¡ªNo more the past will be allowed to manipte our future. So, I came bearing gifts."


    Woosh!


    Instantly, Miraj opened his mouth on Sylvester''s hand and spewed boxes upon boxes, warped in beautifully painted papers tied with ribbons. There were also bottles of Sunshine Nectar, the alcohol that had no alcohol. There were musical instruments as well, and copies of hymns that Sylvester had written, as well as various other exciting books about elementary science.


    However, the elders were clearly more shocked by his space magic than the gifts. They just watched as a pile of gifts formed on the table, obscuring the view of some elders on the other side.


    Crunch!


    "Oh, great Mother Nature!" All of a sudden, the oldest elder among the group, the one with the longest white beard and actual old facial features, eximed. "This is quite delicious! What is this?"


    King Rathagun waved his hand, moving the gifts out of the way to look. There, the long white bearded elf was eating something brown, simr to a tile, "What are you eating, General Zelphar?"


    ''What?!'' Sylvester''s head turned toward the old man in the faraway seat near the other end of the table. ''That''s General Zelphar?! I thought he died. That''s what the books told us back during our school days.''


    Sylvester stared at the jolly-looking old man, still very muscr and tall, but his face looked more like an old happy-go-lucky grandpa.


    ''He''s killed almost a dozen Grand Wizards of Sol in a thousand years? Did he retire?'' Sylvester wondered and chose to speak directly.


    "That is called chocte, General Zelphar. It''s made from seeds that I found and developed¡ªknown for its smooth and sweet texture whenbined with sugar. Eating a moderate amount of this can help one''s body with better blood cirction and raise energy levels, especially in activities involving the bed."


    Crunch!


    Almost all the Elders immediately unwrapped a chocte bar and began eating it. Of course, they wanted to have kids with their wives. Anything that could help in that was a goddess'' blessing.


    "I thought General Zelphar had passed away in battle with Pope Axel?" Sylvester asked King Rathagun in a low voice.


    "He didn''t lose," Rathagun answered in an even lower tone. "He simply got bored of fighting for a thousand years and decided to retire and be an elder. Now, he mostly spends time eating, writing, training, singing, and courting women."


    "..."


    Sylvester almost saw Felix in General Zelphar. ''They''d make great friends.''


    Cough!


    But as usual, Elder Ellitran couldn''t bear the positive air in the hall and chose to speak, "Your Majesty, you wished to show the Pope our hospitality. Why not begin with reciprocating their hospitality?"


    ''Here ites.'' Sylvester knew where this was going.


    "What do you mean, Elder?" Rathagun question.


    ''The Queen looks ufortable,'' Sylvester noticed the annoyed gaze of the woman.


    "Your Majesty, when you visited the Holy Land, you created a spectacle¡ªI''m sure Pope Sylvester would like to kneel before you as well and show his desire for genuine peace."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 634 633. Suggesting A Possibility

    <h4>Chapter 634 633. Suggesting A Possibility?</h4>


    The hall instantly fell silent. All the elders stared at their fellow elf with some confusion and admiration. To cause such tension with two Supreme Wizards sitting there was something none of them felt they could do.


    Sylvester cleared his throat and stopped Bloodrain and Soulbreaker from reacting to the tension. Then he addressed the crowd with some actual facts that he had spent so long creating, "Forgive me, but I don''t remember a gue ravaging through Sol. Nor do I remember a Demon of Supreme Wizard rank expanding its darkness in thend of light¡ªI am not here for a cure, nor to request help¡ªI''m here as a possible friend on equal terms."


    Feeling the unease, King Rathagun pped and called the servants to serve the food, "Let''s carry on with dinner. The serious matters can be discussedter in my private chamber."


    Unsurprisingly, the servants who brought the food were human ves¡ªthe men were tall, handsome, and clean-shaven with elegant clothes, and the women were beautiful, curvaceous, with light makeup and gowns akin to a human noble in Sol.


    As they entered the hall to clean up the table off the gifts first, they took nces at Sylvester intently, as if they were pleading for help from their expressionless but screaming eyes. The scent of desperation, hope, and sadness raged wild in the air as they walked around the table.


    "The future of this world depends on this exchange," Sylvester muttered enough for King Rathagun, Queen Delimira, and Avanss to hear. His eyes remained focused on the ves walking around, wondering how life was for Xavia when she was a ve.


    Soon after, the ves returned with trolleys full of utensils. The tes were set around the table, and then the food was served. The elders didn''t mistreat the ves, nor did they even nce at them. They spoke softly for whatever they needed, and the ves ced it on their tes.


    ''ves are made to wear gloves so they don''t taint the food?'' Sylvester wondered at the attire and the actions of the ves. ''They seem gruesomely trained for this.''


    "Your Holiness?" A female ve came to his side and offered to scoop something from therge saucier onto his te. She looked to be in her early thirties, was slightly shorter than six feet, and beautiful enough to shame most noble women of Sol. Her brown hair was delicately tied behind her head, and dark raven eyes looked at him with ring focus.


    He couldn''t talk to her physically, so he decided to speak mentally. He rxed in his seat and nodded, allowed her to move forward, and poured the dish, which seemed to contain a lot of thick red gravy and minced meat of some creature.


    ''My sister in faith¡ª''


    Woosh!


    The moment his voice rang in her head, she was startled and almost dropped the heavy saucier from her hand. However, with a mere twitch of a finger, Sylvester let the saucier float right where she let go.


    ''Calm down. It is your Pope speaking into your mind through the magic bestowed by Solis. Tell me, how much do they torment you here?'' He asked while she resumed moving as usual. ''Speak in your mind, and I will hear.''


    Her response soon came, her voice gentle like a siren, ''A lot, Your Holiness¡ªthey don''t torment us physically anymore because we need to look good. But they abuse us, starve us, and¡­ y with our bodies.''


    ''These men on this table? Have they abused you?'' Sylvester asked.


    ''No, not these, but the other elven soldiers and cooks¡ªthey use us for entertainment and make us do things¡­ Lately, because of Elder Zelphar, the abuse has decreased. Otherwise, before, we weren''t allowed to sleep at night until they were satisfied¡ªbut I have it easier. There are many more with worse fates. The previous week, Ursa died from her legs being stretched apart so far her body was split in half.''


    ''Who did it?''


    ''It was Knight Captain Kharis Trafir. He fancied her and used to take her along to his bed chambers every evening¡ªshe would usuallye back all bruised up, but since that night, she never returned¡­ Are you here to help us, Your Holiness? I want to go back home.'' She honestly answered while doing her work with focus, but in the end, she couldn''t help but cry out for help; the fear in her mind was clear. The fear of suffering the same fate as the woman named Ursa.


    Sylvester nodded and began eating, ''Thank you for speaking with me, dear. May I know your name?''


    ''I''m ire Stone, from a vige near Forever Port in Riveria.''


    ''ire, I have ouwed very in Sol and wish to do the same here, so have faith in me and tolerate this suffering for a few days more.'' He assured her, for he hade up with a contingency n. A n he didn''t wish to act on since it came too close to being genocide.


    She nodded while walking around, ''I can do a few days, Your Holiness. I will never forget this kindness.''


    Sylvester hummed back and stopped speaking with her. Instead, he told Bloodrain and Soulbreaker to snoop around about this Knight Captain Kharis.


    "What is this dish called?" Sylvester voiced to lighten up the mood. "I taste tomatoes."


    Queen Delimira spoke before her husband could, "It''s called deer soup, Pope Sylvester. Meat from each part of the body of a deer is used with tomatoes and milk cream."


    "Hm¡­" Sylvester rubbed his chin and made Chonky throw up the strategic taste-saving box, a little box that they carried around that had small jars of all sorts of spices and seasonings in it. "This will make it much better."


    With no reservation, he poured some chilly kes in it, added more salt, ck pepper from the Sand Continent, and then, atst, a little bit of dried honey chili powder¡ªa creation of his own.


    "This is the peak!" Sylvester tasted the meat again, and it was perfect this time. "Here, why don''t you try tasting some, Queen Delimira?"


    "Oh, thank you," Queen Delimira leaned forward on the table, as did Sylvester while extending his te. The elven woman took a spoonful of meat and ate it. However, when she saw King Rathagun raising his spoon to taste some, the Queen took another bite and pushed her husband''s hand away.


    ''She''s trying to annoy him?'' Sylvester inwardly chuckled.


    "This¡­ is unique." Queen Delimira muttered after tasting the food. "I don''t believe I have tasted this vor before."


    Sylvester nodded smugly and stored the strategic vor reserve back, "I understand why. The spice trade between Sol and Alfia is non-existent. The dragons, meanwhile, buy an extensive amount of chili from Sol."


    "Those damn lizards!"


    "Traitors!"


    "Greedy snakes!"


    The elders unanimously hated the dragons and cursed them together.


    Sylvester simply smiled and ate his food. He had no idea what most of the dishes were, but they didn''t taste that bad. There was definitely more meat than vegetables. From what he understood, it appeared the elves were fine with eating harvest from only those nts that grow like trees and don''t require it to be uprooted. That meant no potatoes, onions, carrots, and such.


    Thankfully, the dinner didn''tst too long. As the night dawned, the elders soon retreated to their chambers. Sylvester was left with King Rathagun, Avanss, Elder Ellitran, and First Elder Florian.


    They all retreated to the King''s personal chambers and took seats around the marble table by the window. The air was tense due to Ellitran, as he constantly seemed hostile toward Sylvester.


    "Let us conclude this visit of the Pope before the word spreads through all of Alfia," Ellitran suggested to the King while sitting away from Sylvester, with Avanss in the middle.


    King Rathagun folded his arms and scoffed, "Pope Sylvester is a guest, and he shall remain one as long as he wishes to. We have signed a peace treaty beforehand, so there is no need for animosity anymore, Ellitran. But I do wonder what brings the Pope here. The Demon?"


    "And more," Sylvester replied, taking out something from his pocket, a book written in elven tongue. "I found this deep under the Pope''s Pce, lost in a pile of forgotten artifacts. Please read the first page, as the rest you won''t be able to understand without the knowledge of Elder Runes."


    King Rathagun picked up the book and turned its page. He invited the First Elder and the rest to stand behind his chair and look while he read in a low voice.


    "...Elroth is the name of my Kingdom, home of the elves¡­ I am thest King. The curse mother Remira has warned of remains unchanged¡­ May the one whoes next beware¡ªdo not fall for the tricks, or you shall suffer the pain you cannot bear¡­" Rathagun finished reading and looked at Sylvester. "What are thesest words?"


    Sylvester replied, "The King of Elroth, Ayre Zaerin¡ªyear ten thousand six hundred and fifty-eight."


    "..."


    The four elves looked at Sylvester with confused expressions.


    "You are rightfully confused, for I felt the same when I read it. We are a century above ''year five thousand'' in this age." Sylvester continued speaking, "Which means this could be the answer to why your library was abruptly burned away five thousand years ago and why your oldest elders died mysteriously. Why I''m yet to find any written history beyond five thousand years in the Holy Land."


    Bewildered, King Rathagun looked at the book, "You suggest that this Kingdom of Elroth precedes Alfia?"


    "The possibility is high," Sylvester answered. "Over the years, I have had experiences that have led me to believe that we all have been fooled by this mysterious entity stronger than what we can imagine. I now firmly believe that the Thousand Year War was not a natural urrence but rather instigated to cause harm to our continents. Why? I have yet to learn¡ªbut the evidence suggests so."


    "Dragons?" Ellitran eximed. Atst, the man showcased some of his maturity by not dismissing Sylveser''s doubts.


    "No, they aren''t strong enough. But I''m searching for answers, and I wish to meet with all the patriarchs of every species in Beastaria. I wonder if they have any ancient artifacts they can''t read, which I can through my understanding of Elder Runes," Sylvester respectfully suggested, not demeaning or mocking them in any way. "If my doubts are correct, then I fear this ''curse'' mentioned in the book..."


    "I''ll apany you," Avanss immediately showed interest. "The giants of Gantis have been the species that has mostly remained closed off within their walls for most of the history that we know. I''m sure they know something, or worse¡ªfear something."


    King Rathagun nodded and looked at his father-inw, "What do you think, Elder?"


    It was surprising that despite their differences, Rathagun and Ellitran forgo their animosity when needed.


    The elder responded carefully, measuring each of his words, "I¡­ Your Majesty, as someone older than a millennium, I have seen the question about the death of our past elders and the burning of the library arise time and time again. I do not wish to, but I find some sense in Pope Sylvester''s¡­ theory. The dragons lost their ancient elders at the same time, as did the dryads and fairies¡ªit''s unnatural that the urrence was natural."


    King Rathagun silently stared at the book for the next few minutes. However, after seemingly making up his mind, he looked back at Sylvester, "Everyone, leave us be. I wish to converse with Pope Sylvester alone."


    "As you wish," Avanss left first, dragging First Elder and Ellitran with him.


    As soon as the door was closed, King Rathagun smiled widely and stood up to walk toward Sylvester''s chair.


    "I have also deciphered the book Avanss gave me during the t¡ª"


    However, King Rathagun cut Sylvester''s words off and ced his palm gently on his shoulder.


    "Max¡­ How is my Xavia?"


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 635 634. The Good And The Ugly

    Chapter 635 634. The Good And The Ugly


    "Max¡­ How is my Xavia?"


    Sylvester sighed and looked up at the man''s face. He could still see the strange obsession, "She''s well and in a much better condition than ever."


    "Sylvester, I regret not leaving everything behind to be with you two. I''d give anything to have my family back¡ªto see us being together again." Rathagun said, almost pleadingly.


    Sylvester picked up Rathagun''s palm from his shoulder and set it aside. Then he stood up. He was now taller than Rathagun, as well as overbearing in aura, "I don''t understand why you feel this way. I have no recollection of having a father around, nor have you spent time with any of us¡ªhow long were you with Mum? A year or two at most? What''s fueling this obsession?"


    "My desire to be with my family! That is all I feel¡ªI try my best, but every moment, my mind reminds me of my mistakes. Of how greatly I desire to be with Xavia and you¡ªmy own blood," Rathagun replied passionately.


    Sylvester wanted to get back to talking about the main thing, but he decided to address the current issue. "You''re an elf, and even with my Supreme Wizard might, you will outlive me, let alone Mum, who I fear won''tst a hundred years¡ªYou talk of love, but it''s not something you impose on another. If it''s meant to be, it will grow on its own."


    "Then let me help you find a way to make her live longer," Rathagun suggested. "We can look around the entire world! There has to be a longevity elixir somewhere."


    Sylvester shook his head and pointed at the diary, "I wasn''t suggesting a mere theory, King Rathagun, but a fact. There are beings above us, Supreme Wizards, whose might we cannot fathom. And they have something against our world, which means we have very little time. While finding a way to defeat them, I''ll also look for an elixir. As for you, I suggest you let your actions speak for itself."


    He couldn''t help but feel how strange it was that he was speaking to Rathagun as if he were the older and wiser man.


    "Both of us have duties to our people, and to abandon them now would be the worst form of betrayal. I suggest you take the job of a King more seriously and give this kingdom a prince before thinking of retiring and leaving¡ªMum would have said the same," Sylvester added, hoping the man would think with logic and not with emotions.


    Thud!


    Rathagun sighed and wearily returned to his seat. Taking a long breath, he rubbed his face with his palms and brushed back his hair. "You are indeed right. We cannot leave things behind. Xavia has a limited lifespan, and you have too many responsibilities¡ªbut nothing will change the fact that we are rted."


    "I never denied that," Sylvester responded. "We form connections over time, slowly and steadily. We care for each other, fight for each other, and earn respect, admiration, and perhaps love¡ªwe are adults, Father."


    Sylvester didn''t want to, but he strategically used ''father'' to calm the man down. In reality, he still felt unsure if he wanted to see the elven man as a father.


    Rathagun nodded and steered the conversation to the serious topic, "So you wish for me to end very and return all the humans?"


    "I ended very in Sol and expect the same from Beastaria. I will not see humans being caught and enved anymore¡ªI''m prepared to go to war for this," Sylvester clearly stated with a hint of a threat in his voice. "For this world to prepare for the greater threats and to push our society to a better future, we have to start acting more civilized."


    "It won''t be simple. The use of ves in Alfia is a necessity, not a choice. Most of the jobs have been relegated to ves, and to push the popce back to menial work will cause an uprising. ves are an important part of society here," Rathagun replied, giving his reasoning.


    Sylvester walked back and forth before the table, "Of course¡­ So important that your Knight Captain is allowed to rip apart a poor woman by her legs and kill her. So important that rape is a culture among you¡ªall this is leading me to believe that elves aren''t that civilized after all. I''ve seen mountain barbarians have better social culture and honor than here."


    Rathagun annoyedly stared at Sylvester, "You don''te to my kingdom and call us uncivilized. I know what urred to elven women ves in Sol too."


    "A mistake I am attempting to solve while you are merely giving me excuses. You are the King, a Supreme Wizard. Your word is supreme in Alfia¡ªwhat scares you then? Remira? She would have wanted you to end very too." Sylvester took a hard approach to make the man agree with his n.


    Rathagun groaned and clenched his hand on the table. He found himself in a dilemma where his morality told him to end very, but at the same time, logic told him he should not. ves were needed to do almost all the minor but essential tasks. Without ves, Alfia would be dirty, food wouldn''t be cooked, and so much more.


    "I will speak with the Elder Council about this," Rathagun decided, unable to give a concrete answer. "I do want peace between us."


    Sylvester scoffed, seeing how weak his father was when it came to control of Alfia. Even after being a Supreme Wizard, the man doubted everything and wanted to discuss it all.


    "I want peace too, King Rathagun¡ªBut if we go to war this time, it will be to end very, and I shall have the moral high ground. All of Sol will stand behind me, as well as the Sand and Central Continents, perhaps even Libertia and Beastkins¡ªLet''s not forget, I have another Supreme Wizard in the Holy Land, and perhaps another soon." Sylvester warned Rathagun and decided to leave and rest for the night.


    Though, to ease the tension, he took out a box from the Chonky bank, "Ah, I forgot to hand this over. Mum sent this for you and said you loved this dish."


    "Xavia?" Rathagun immediately chirped like a happy bird. "Let me guess, sweet and sour honey zed chicken?"


    ''There''s honey in this?'' Sylvester only now found out what was inside it.


    "By any chance, do you enjoy honey too?" Sylvester inquired out of curiosity.


    Rathagun nodded vigorously as he opened the box of chicken as hot and fresh as when it was cooked in the Holy Land. "Indeed¡ªI can''t live without honey."


    ''I sure am his son.'' Sylvester silently chuckled and stepped back.


    "I''ll find a room to rest." Sylvester left the room, leaving the man to enjoy his food happily in silence.


    With a mouth full of food, Rathagun looked at Sylvester and waved, unable to say the words normally. "Umm¡­ Avassh whill bhe there¡­ Ashk whim¡­ Thish ish good!"


    ''Was I too harsh on him?'' Sylvester wondered after seeing the man''s goofy side. ''But I can''t afford to be too gentle for now.''


    With that, he left and found Avanss outside. The others were also standing there, waiting to be called inside.


    "He''s busy. Prince Avanss, will you please show me my room to rest?"


    "Of course!" Avanss chirped and led Sylvester away with delight, talking endlessly about the adventures he wanted to go on with him. "Now that you''re a Supreme Wizard, I''m sure you can help me explore some of the more dangerous parts of the world. Perhaps we''ll find more clues of the past there."


    "But first, we need to establish peace and deal with the Demon in the Divider Swamp," Sylvester reminded him why he hade. "If things go well, perhaps you will be able to visit Sol more openly next time."


    "Can''t wait! I couldn''t try out the cuisine of Sol in the past." Avanss had stars in his eyes already.


    ''He''d be great friends with Chonky if he could see him,'' Sylvester thought, considering the personality.


    Eventually, they arrived at the end of a higher-floor corridor. Avanss led him into a massive room decorated to the teeth. The room also had giant windows on one side of the wall, covering floor to ceiling from the left edge to the right. Outside, he could see the vast wilderness and the moonlight from the sky.


    "The room overlooks the royal gardens and the distant resting grounds of deceased elves. All the trees you see in the distance are deceased elves on whose bodies a seed was nted. Good night, I''ll see you in the morning. Ring the bell beside the bed to call a ve if you need anything," Avanss exined everything and left the room swiftly after, not wanting to disturb Sylvester.


    "Maxy! I''m hungry!" Miraj abruptly meowed since he couldn''t eat anything at the dinner table. The risk was too high.


    Sylvester patted the furball and ced him on the bed. Then, he asked Chonky Bank to give him some ingredients. With them, he cooked a hearty meal for Miraj and a banana smoothie to go along with it.


    "Here you go, Chonky. While you eat, I''ll be out there in the garden. Fly to me after eating," Sylvester locked the door of the room with runes and then opened the window before jumping out into the royal gardens.


    ''The trees seem different here,'' he mumbled as he noticed new varieties of nts. ''Quite tall and strong¡ªdefinitely something to do with elven corpses.''


    Nonstop, Sylvester walked through the neatly nted forest with equally distanced trees. However, he soon came across a vast empty field with tiny saplings nted in the soil in a simr fashion as the trees.


    However, the strange part was that he felt no trace of an elf''s body underneath the saplings. But it didn''t take him too long to realize this was the graveyard of the elves who died from the gue that he had spread. Since the bodies had to be burned and destroyed, only their ashes could be used to nt the trees.


    He walked closer to a sapling and raised his palm toward it. Using his Elven Magic, Elder Magic, and control over srium, he made the nt grow faster and turn slightly bigger. He then raised his head and looked around, measuring the number of saplings¡ªthere were thousands.


    "Your sacrifices will lead to a longsting peace," Sylvester mumbled with a heavy heart and used more of the same magic. Instantly, he turned all the thousands of saplings into five-foot-tall trees.


    He didn''t take their death lightly, and the sight of the graveyard did make him question if spreading the gue was the best decision. The elves already had a hard time procreating, and now he reduced their numbers even more.


    But on second thought, he also couldn''t bring himself to feel true guilt, as he understood how upromising the elves were and what it required to make them kneel.


    With a sigh, he looked at his palm and wondered. ''In my pursuit of the end goal, I wonder if I''m bing the monster everyone warns themselves not to foster?''


    Crunch!


    The sound of a twig being stepped on resonated behind him.


    Sylvester didn''t need to look back as he sensed the presence already. He smiled and greeted yet another troubled soul senselessly being hurt by his mere existence in the world. Of all the people, he pitied this one a bit more.


    "What brings you here thiste, Queen Delimira?"


    _________________


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 Chapter 636 635. Delimiras Pain

    Chapter 636 635.Delimira''s Pain


    "What brings you here thiste, Queen Delimira?"


    Sylvester''s questioned, seemingly shocking the woman enough to stop her in her tracks. However, she soon walked forward and stood beside him, overlooking the graveyard that suddenly hadrger trees now. It came as a shock to her since she had seen when the saplings were nted.


    "I didn''t know you mastered Green Magic as well, Pope Sylvester," Queen Delimira said with amusement in her voice. "Or perhaps it is some other rare ability that none know of?"


    ''Hostility?'' Sylvester felt the change in her scent. It seemed even more confronting than before.


    "Magic isn''t something that''s restrained by the elements¡ªit''s our understanding of srium that restricts it. The nts use it to grow, the animals use it to live, nature uses it to exist; magic is everywhere, merely harnessing it is the challenge," Sylvester replied in a wise but somewhat cryptic manner.


    Delimira hummed and folded her arms below her chest, "I wonder if this peace you propose willst that long. I don''t mean to be disrespectful, merely curious."


    Sylvester chuckled and looked at the twin moons in the sky. "I will outlive everyone who lives in the Holy Land right now. You will outlive me and the many more Popes who will rise after me¡ª


    Respected Queen, you are an elf; I''m sure you will have plenty of time to see if this peace endures, or for the worse, the fate of this world detours."


    "Don''t be so pessimistic about your life, Pope. I''m sure you will live for many more years than you expect, and I think you know that deep down," she responded with slight ridicule evident in her tone.


    ''She knows?'' Sylvester deduced in that instant. ''Then why isn''t she creaming it to the world?''


    "You can speak with me openly, Queen Delimira. I know you were the one who sent those elves to Sol," Sylvester brought the matter out in the open, confronting her directly.


    She stared at Sylvester, her brows creasing together, revealing the contempt she held toward him. "Do you know what the most painful feeling in this world is? When you are born and brought up for a purpose, and you give your everything to aplish it, but no matter how much you try, that purpose remains unfulfilled¡ªall because of things you cannot control. You spend years hoping that things will change, but they never do."


    Sylvester sighed, unable to bring himself to hate this woman as he understood where her anguishy, "And yet you me yourself?"


    "The entire kingdom does! Thedies of the court do¡ªthe way they look at me..." Delimira replied, slowly losing control over her emotions. "I and Rathagun were born in the same year. We shared the same cradle. We''ve been together since our birth, our education, our training¡ªwe''ve been by each other''s side, and he promised to never leave me. Yet¡­"


    Sylvester caught a whiff of the slight hint of fear. He noticed Delimira worrying her words would anger him too much.


    "Speak freely, Queen Delimira¡ªNo matter what you say today, it won''t anger me," he assured her.


    "S-She¡­" Delimira still measured her words properly. "Despite our eventual marriage being certain ever since we were born, he betrayed me¡­ He went mad for that ve woman Xavia¡­ Everything was perfect, and then it all changed with her. Am I not beautiful enough? Am I not kind enough? What do Ick that she had? All my life, I lived to amodate Rathagun''s happiness and needs, so why am I always ignored?"


    "Do you truly love him? Or is it because your father forced you to be obsessed with him? Does he truly hate you? Or is it hate towards your father that extends to you?" Sylvester asked her back, direct and unfiltered questions that sent the woman into a shocking self-reflection.


    She looked down, unsure. "I¡­ I''m sure he used to love me, but now he only thinks about that woman¡­ It''s been so many years, and yet¡­ My father only hates him for not taking the union with me seriously. Before, my father used to treat him like his own son¡ªas his most cherished student."


    Sylvester could understand that, as even he didn''t know why Rathagun was so obsessed with a short period of romance he had in his long life that wouldst thousands of years toe. By all means, the man should have forgotten them, but on another note, he knew he shouldn''t judge the man like that, as even he remembered Diana so fondly to this day.


    "If you hate me, why haven''t you dered it to the world?" He asked.


    Delimira nced at Sylvester, to his surprise, a little fondly. "I want to, but I cannot¡­ Despite everything, you still have his blood in your veins, and I love him too much. Don''t worry, I have no desire to hurt her either, not anymore."


    Saying that, Delimira turned around to leave, holding her tears back. The sound of the various insects and the gentle breeze did little to uplift her mood that evening. Seeing Sylvester only made her feel emotions that had been growing for years.


    "If¡­" She suddenly stopped a few steps away but never looked back at Sylvester, for her eyes were shedding some tears, making a mess of her mascara. "Sometimes I wonder how perfect things would have been if it was my womb you were born from."


    Sylvester turned around and watched her leave. But before she went too far, he voiced to her. "He feels the same!"


    "What?" Delimira paused and looked behind, soon feeling embarrassed at her ruined face from the tears.


    Sylvester walked closer to her and, with no ulterior motives, produced a small piece of cloth before wiping her tears, "What Rathagun feels is probably not love, but desperation. He is obsessed not because of his desire to be with his family but rather to have me by his side¡ªthe son that was supposed to be his. The strongest person to have ever lived, a Supreme Wizard at such a young age."


    Delimira cried uncontrobly at that instant, sensing his concerns for hercking any wrong thoughts. "Why are you being kind to me? I attempted to kill your mother..."


    Sylvester smiled and borderline lied to avoid any animosity from rising in the upper echelon of elves. He wanted to earn Delimira''s trust and friendship, and in any case, he wasn''t wrong in saying it. "Yes, I should hate you, but at the end of the day, are you not akin to my mother as well?"


    Delimira fell silent, not making any sound even while crying. His words took her by surprise on a scale she didn''t expect was possible. A strange warmth arose in her heart for some reason, and his smiling face began to feel so much more sincere as if there was a connection between them.


    By instinct, she raised her hand and touched his cheek softly, carefully, "Y-You do¡­ resemble him a little."


    "Haha, if anything, I resemble you the most, Queen Delimira," Sylvesterughingly replied, trying to cheer up her mood. "Look at my hair. Both of us are blonde."


    "Hah¡­" She chuckled while still crying. "You truly have a way with words."


    "My job requires that," he replied and walked with her back towards the castle. "I shall head back to rest now. I''m sure the Elder Council will be very busy and annoyed tomorrow. I will see you there, Queen Delimira."


    "Only Delimira," the queen responded before heading to the main entrance. "I will try to find some sce in your existence, Pope Sylvester. So I hope you can address me by my name when suitable."


    "The same goes for you, Delimira," Sylvester replied, waving his hand and bidding farewell.


    He jumped away and returned to his room through the window. There, he found Miraj already snoring after having finished his dinner. The bowls were still lying on the bed beside his fluffy body.


    Sylvester also joined Miraj on the bed and rested calmly, looking at the intricate ceiling and thinking about the man whose blood ran through his veins. "Rathagun, you need to grow a damn spine. You don''t run a kingdom by ignoring your noble duties, your queen, and obsessing over something you never had¡ªYou can''t even make a decision without crying in front of the council."


    He felt frustrated by the King of the elves. Although he tried his best to remind the man where his duties and loyalty should lie, it wasn''t that simple.


    "Everything depends on his ability to stop very now."


    "Mmm¡­ v-ely bad¡­!" Miraj mumbled under his breath as if talking to Sylvester.


    Sylvester chuckled and closed his eyes to rest, or at least seem as if resting.


    ¡­


    During that same time, two men wandered the hallways of the elven castle. Bloodrain and Soulbreaker, two terrifying entities of the Holy Land. It wasn''t tough for them to fool the guards with Soulbreaker''s control over souls¡ªa magic that was nigh impossible to fight against.


    Silently, they made their way straight to the guards'' quarters. Easily, they made the entire hall full of bunk beds with sleeping elven guards fall unconscious. They then went further into a small lobby that led to multiple rooms, each reserved for the high-ranking officers.


    d in theirplete armours, Soulbreaker had his usual terrifying facete. Bloodrain also sported the usual bloodied conical hat and visor with bleeding eye sockets.


    Knock! Knock!


    A few secondster, a groaning voice came, and an elven man could be heard opening the door in anger. He waspletely naked, with long ck hair and fiery red eyes. "Who dares distur¡ª"


    It didn''t take too long before the elven man wet the floor. Anyone would after seeing the terrifying, tall forms of the two Guardians.


    "Knight Captain Kharis Trafir?" Bloodrain asked in his usual emotionless tone.


    "Y-ye-yes¡­ Wh-who are you?"


    Bloodrain and Soulbreaker sped their hands together and prayed, "O'' the mighty Lord, we serve justice in the name of the Bard."


    "What?" Kharis Trafir eximed and almost ran back to take his sword from the room. But abruptly, he found his body frozen, sending shivers of fear across his mind.


    Soulbreaker came forward and gently tapped on the elven man''s shoulder, "Your insane deviancy knows no bounds, and you call yourself a guard? Cry not when His Holiness sends his regards."


    "Humans?!" Kharis realised, but it was toote.


    Piercing pain overtook him, and he soon realised his body had begun disintegrating into nothingness. His body, losing its soul, was left as an empty husk held together by nothing. By nature, he was born, and into nature, his existence returned.


    "May the Lord guide you to the rightful path," Bloodrain prayed for the dead man as the bodypletely vanished.


    A perfect crime in all sense, no trace remained. No one saw them walk out of their rooms or return.


    _________________


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 Chapter 637 636. Father & Son

    Chapter 637 636. Father & Son


    The morning came, and Sylvester met with Bloodrain and Soulbreaker, who reported to him in his room. The two informed him about what urred the previous night.


    "You killed him? But I only asked you to look for him," Sylvester eximed in a hushed tone. "How did you kill him?"


    "Nobody saw us," Bloodrain assured.


    "The corpse was disintegrated with my soul magic, Your Holiness," Soulbreaker added proudly. "The entire guards'' resting hall was put to deep sleep, so no one heard what urred."


    Sylvester sighed and shrugged as it wasn''t a matter to worry about too much. "In that case, good job, Guardians. Let''s go and see how the Elder Council''s discussion regarding abolishment of very is going."


    Putting his armour back on, Sylvester fixed his hair and prepared to leave. He picked sleepy Miraj up, ced him on his shoulder like a sack of rice and moved.


    "What if they insist on keeping it?" Soulbreaker inquired.


    "Then I''ll be forced to start my second n."


    "How many ns are there, Your Holiness?" Bloodrain stoically asked.


    Sylvester merely smiled as he walked on, "Almost a dozen."


    "..."


    At that moment, the two men remembered who they were speaking to. And realized why he was the Pope, and they were the Guardians. Counter ns for ns, and ns within a n, prepared for contingencies that could arise in another contingency¡ªthat''s how he became the Pope at a young age.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, inside the meeting hall of the Elder Council, an intense discussion was in progress. The elders and the King discussed the matter of very and what to do about it. However, before the debate on how to remove it could start, the opposition against removing it had already begun.


    "You cannot be serious about opposing this!?" King Rathagun roared in frustration. "If we do not end very, the war will never end. The peace will never be permanent."


    "The peace you talk of will be achieved from the destruction of our society, Your Majesty. We cannot allow you to ruin the kingdom we have built through our years of hard work." Ellitran opposed Rathagun as usual. But this time, he had more than half of the Elder Council supporting him, as none of them wanted very to end.


    Right then, another elder spoke, this one being the only fat elf in the room with ck hair and no facial growth other than his triple chin, his name being Folmer Torhorn, "Elder Elittran is speaking the truth. How do you expect me to aplish my daily tasks without ves? Who will bathe me, put clothes on, feed me, or help me with countless other tasks? Do you want us to take in those hideous goblins and orcs as ves now?"


    King Rathagun rubbed his face in frustration, looking at the group of elves who failed to understand what he was even proposing, "No


    ¡ªWhat I want is ouwing all very of any kind. Elders, the humans have done it already. They have not only ended very of non-humans but also humans. If they object to our practices now, we shall have no moral high grounds. If a war over very urs, the entire human race will stand by each other on this, including the Beastkins."


    "Humans are humans, and elves are elves. Our society cannot function without ves!" Elittran raised his voice again, refuting Rathagun. "By a report from your own administration, it was revealed that, ording to per capita numbers, each elf owns two ves on average. Now tell us how all the tasks performed by these ves can be maintained after they''re gone!"


    "By that number, we have more ves than there are elves. That''s a good enough reason for humans to attack us in the name of abolishing very. As for the tasks performed, we shall take the same route as the humans and hire workers and give them protective rights¡ªno more torture or mistreatment. They shall work for us as it shall be their jobs," King Rathagun proposed the only offer that made any sense.


    However, King Rathagun was a man who never had firm control over the Elder Council. There was ack of fear and a general contempt towards his leadership. Despite being a Supreme Wizard, he never levied his power and enforced his decisions. The years of subpar leadership had rendered the council to have more weight in their words than the King himself. Especially when it came to topics such as now.


    "I refuse," Ellitran raised his hand. "Let''s not waste our time on this matter and reach a conclusion. All those who refuse to abolish very, raise your hands with me."


    Soon, out of ten elves, seven raised their hands. Only the First Elder, General Zelphar and another elder kept their hands down.


    King Rathagun sighed and rested back in his seat, looking upward. His fist clenched, and anger controlled, he soon stood up to leave, "If that is your choice, then I shall respect it. But when the wares to our shores, I want each of you to raise your swords and join me on the battlefield¡ªbecause this time, the war is of your choosing, not mine!"


    The elders ufortably looked at each other, feeling nervous as it had been centuries since they stored their weapons away for good and became politicians.


    "Elder Ellitran, please speak with His Majesty. He cannot send us to death with his impulsive decisions," Elder Folmerined.


    Ellitran silently nodded and left, following the King, wanting to speak privately about the matter. However, he stopped as he reached the doors of the King''s private chambers and heard Sylvester''s voice inside. Taking the smarter approach, he decided to listen silently.


    ¡­


    Sylvester was waiting for King Rathagun outside his office. As soon as he noticed the frowning King had returned, Sylvester opened the door and followed him inside the private chamber. He could see it already; the meeting did not go well.


    Bam!


    "That damn Ellitran! He will doom Alfia!" Rathagun boomed in anger, smacking the table. "He can''t see what''s right and wrong. If you humans stop torturing elves, we can''t justify capturing humans as ves!¡ªany incursion into Sol''s shores to capture human ves will be an act of war!"


    Sylvester folded his arms and stood in front of the table, "So they disagreed?"


    "A majority of them did. They do not wish to empty their coffers when free very is much more lucrative. Forgive me, Pope Sylvester, but I don''t think I can end very in Alfia." Rathagun apologized.


    "Are you not the King?" Sylvester questioned him in a ridiculing tone.


    "I am!"


    "Are you not a Supreme Wizard?"


    "I am, b¡ª"


    "Is there another Supreme Wizard elf?"


    "No, there isn''t. But it''s much more¡ª"


    "All I see is the weakness of your heart and mind. The inability to stand for what''s right is called a spineless act in Sol. You have left me with nothing but disappointment, King Rathagun," Sylvester overbearingly said. His aura showed nothing but anger, felt by anyone near him.


    King Rathagun reacted in kind and stared at Sylvester with hostility, "Do not forget you stand in my house, Pope Sylvester. We don''t want the incident of Pope Desmond to repeat."


    "Are you suggesting elves killed Pope Desmond?"


    Rathagun sneered and turned around to look out of the massive window behind his chair, "You are not wee in Alfia anymore¡ª


    You may leave and return to Sol, or anywhere but Alfia."


    Sylvester let out a loud sigh, "So you stand by what your council of spoiled children decided?"


    "They are my elders, and I will not stand disrespect towards them¡ª


    Leave!"


    "How much I regret allowing you inside the Holy Land... Perhaps I should have rejected your request for the cure to the gue. Maybe I wouldn''t have had elves to worry about then¡ªand my people freed from your vile fetishes," Sylvester said scornfully and turned to leave, reaching the door. "I will see you on the battlefield, King Rathagun."


    "What of the Demon?" Rathagun question atst.


    Sylvester shrugged and opened the door, "Such is the warmth of the Lord¡ªhis bard shall triumph even when his mercy you cannot afford."


    "Oh!"


    But just as Sylvester tried to leave, he bumped into Delimira. He held her hand to stop her from falling and helped her.


    Her eyes sparkled at the sight of him, her son in all but blood and name, "Pope Sylvester, where are you going in such a hurry?"


    "Home," Sylvester replied.


    Her brows furrowed, and she looked inside the room at the angered face of her husband, "Did my husband say something to offend you, Pope?"


    "Rather, it is abination of your Elder Council and your husband," Sylvester replied, letting her walk in to speak with Rathagun angrily. Meanwhile, he looked around to see if the person he sensed was still there.


    He ignored the scolding Delimira gave Rathagun for no particr reason, even leaving the man in shock as this was unlike how his wife usually behaved. Above all, Rathagun was amazed that she was defending the human Pope.


    However, Rathagun ignored her and looked at the door, Sylvester still standing there, "Is he gone?"


    "I think he is," Sylvester replied and retreated, closing the door again. He then turned around and stared at the man he shared his blood with, and smiled ear to ear, "You did good, King Rathagun."


    The elven King sighed in relief and rubbed his face before breaking out inughter, "Haha¡­ I didn''t know I could do that either."


    "Do what?" Confused, poor Delimira stared at her husband and her stepson''s faces.


    "And that is how you y the game of politics," Sylvester smirked, stretching his neck and cracking his knuckles. "A little bit of wait, and some well-ced bait."


    _________________


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 Chapter 638 637. Virideus

    Chapter 638 637. Virideus


    "What happened?" Queen Delimira questioned as she felt confused as to why Sylvester and Rathagun startedughing after looking like they had a fallout.


    Sylvester smiled and turned around to head out of Alfia for good this time, "It''s nothing, Queen Delimira, just a few steps forward and a few steps backwards. The usual game of kings and pawns."


    Delimira rubbed her head tiredly and fixed her hair. She found the two men so simr in some situations, such as now. Apparently, they both loved acting mysterious. "I don''t understand, and it''s not my ce to care. Pope Sylvester, I came to take you on a tour of Alfia, as nned."


    Rathagun looked strangely at his wife, wondering what evil she was nning on his son, "I''m sure Avanss will be enough to show Pope Sylvester around."


    But Sylvester quickly mediated, as he wanted to spend more time with her and leave a better impression. "It''s alright, King Rathagun. I''m sure Queen Delimira will be more respected as we go through the elven settlements¡ªthey will mind themselves more in her presence. Moreover, I''ll be heading to Divider Swamp right after my tour."


    Rathagun forgot to argue at the strategic mention of Divider Swamp, "I''ll meet you there as well, Pope Sylvester."


    The reason Sylvester didn''t ask Rathagun toe along with him was because he had yet to understand how flying worked. So, he didn''t want to embarrass himself by walking on Light Tiles while the elven King flew.


    Sylvester left with the elven Queen and soon arrived outside the castle, where Bloodrain and Soulbreaker were waiting for him on one side of the road. On the other side, about a dozen elven guards d in armour waited. Clearly, the guards were there to escort the Queen as they travelled around Alfia.


    Sylvester and Delimira soon climbed atop a carriage without a roof. It was open from all sides, and only luxurious cushioned seats adorned in green velvet were around them. A single elven man sat at the front as the reinsman, controlling beasts that looked like a mix of a horse and a lizard. Perhaps it was meant to mock the dragons.


    "I will show you the High Regum first, the inner sanctum of Aflia, where only the elves reside, while other species are only allowed as temporary visitors," Delimira exined and gave the reinsman some orders.


    Right away, two more carriages in the front and two more in the back joined to escort them. However, Bloodrain and Soulbreaker had their own horses that Sylvester had brought on a ship from Sol. So they rode near his carriage, nking the side he sat at.


    They left the royal castle''s enclosure in no time and started riding through the regr streets that normal elves used. The one thing that Sylvester envied was how utterly beautiful the elven race was. Every single man and woman he saw was beautiful, and children were rare but held the same curious charm.


    Eventually, they passed through what he''d call a town square in Sol. It was arge, wide road going through the middle of rows of buildings, leading to arger space where many more elves were gathered, likely called by the Queen, to see the Pope.


    However, the carriage never stopped moving, and he noticed Queen Delimira avoiding looking at the crowd in the town square.


    ''Fear, shame, sadness? What a sudden influx of scents.'' Sylvester noticed the condition of her emotions and looked at the crowd of elves. To his surprise, despite him being there, he felt their gazes were more focused on the Queen.


    "It''s the ice queen!"


    "The spoiled goods!"


    "Why can''t she just make our King happy?"


    "She''s probably infertile¡ªI heard many things about her¡­"


    "She''s a spoiled rich princess, that''s all."


    Sylvester heard faint words despite how far the crowd were. His abilities allowed him to see what the people wanted, and he noticed their general dislike toward the Queen. It made him wonder how things got so bad.


    "I can hear them," Queen Delimira muttered, looking unhurt on the outside. "They know it too."


    "Don''t they fear you?" Sylvester asked.


    She scoffed in self-ridicule, "They only fear my father and my husband, both men, the main reason for my misery. Ignore them, Sylvester¡­ they say such things because they know nothing better."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin, wondering if he could help, "Are you? Infertile?"


    "I don''t know¡­ We never tried to produce a child," she replied truthfully. "The rumours spread from the time a few ves and servants heard Rathagun and I in a verbal argument. In anger, he called me a barren, self-centred woman."


    Sylvester sighed, not knowing how Rathagun could allow the situation to go so out of hand. But knowing that not all people were calctive like him, he could see it as a human error, in this case, an elven error.


    "What kind of personality do you show themoners, Queen Delimira? You must have interacted with the servants andmoners, I presume."


    She responded immediately, "I generally ignore them since they are not worth my attention. I maintain distance and never speak with any unless I require something."


    "Are there poor elves out there? Who can''t eat and find a ce to live?" He continued to ask.


    "Of course, there are a fewzy ones. They me society for all their shorings. My husband holds the same thought that such elves are better off left as outcasts," she proudly imed, telling him their foolish domestic policy.


    However, since his goal was to earn her trust, he offered her a way to earn respect in society, "Do you know what kind of people were the first to believe in me? Call me Son of Solis, and ept me as the next Pope?"


    "Who?"


    "The poor," Sylvester replied. "Queen Delimira, if you wish to improve your public standing, learn to be a politician and how to maintain a gentle face no matter the turmoil in your heart. Start visiting the poor elves, especially the families, all in the name of Mother Remira. Give them food and money, and suggest them to various ces where they can be hired. Once they join society again, they will never forget your kindness and spread the word. You''re the Queen; you''re like a mother to the entire kingdom¡ªact like one."


    Queen Delimira looked at Sylvester and had no doubt that her stepson was giving her genuine advice, "Is that how you rule?"


    "My kindness is genuine, as I truly desire to make the lives of all better. But in general, most nobles are like that. They don''t want an uprising against them, after all," he exined, and soon noticed their surroundings change as they rode through the massive gates.


    The road led them to a small canal, and once they crossed it, they were surrounded by trees on both sides of the dirt road. However, looking closer, Sylvester noticed some figures peeking over from behind the trees.


    "Dryads," Queen Delimira introduced him to the area. "They are spirits of nature, each attached to a tree. They rarely take physical form. Alfia has dered them as protected species due to their affinity with nts. So they live here in this reserved region."


    Sylvester watched the many faces behind the trees. The dryads were all women, as beautiful as elves, if not more. They had slim, alluring bodies and barely covered themselves with leaves. Their eyes had the same colour as their hair, which was simr to the colour of the leaves of the tree they were connected to. Green, yellow, pale orange, red, and even pink¡ªthey were truly beautiful creatures.


    "He''s here!"


    "Look!"


    "Strong!"


    Shocking Sylvester, the dryads began toe out of their shy little covers behind the trees and stood proudly in the open. They continuously looked at Sylvester, and as the carriages moved, more and more dryads walked out of the forest and stood near the roads to see him.


    ''Such overwhelming scent of worship¡­ Don''t tell me their God is also involved somehow,'' Sylvester hypothesised, but didn''t acknowledge any yet. ''Or is it due to my affinity with srium? These are spirits in physical form, after all.''


    "Peculiar!" Queen Delimira eximed in awe. "They nevere out in the open for anyone, not even me or the King. Not unless they find a male worthy enough to mate with."


    Sylvester chuckled wryly, "I''m quite sure they don''t want to mate with me¡ªnot all thousands of them."


    She smirked, giggling, "Who knows, there has never been a twenty-six year old Supreme Wizard either."


    "Hmm¡­" Sylvester stared at the Dryads and wondered something, a possibility that had some chance ofing true. "I wish to speak with them. I wonder how old the oldest dryad among them is."


    "Halt!" Queen Delimira bellowed and stepped down from the carriage, staring at the beautiful female tree spirits. "The legends say they are a species older than any. Long before elves, dragons, dwarves, or humans walked this world. They thrived here."


    Interested, Sylvester jumped down as well and walked toward the dryads. Noticing his iing steps, some of them ran back, while others remained proudly standing with their heads held low. He felt respect, worship, and expectations in the air as the scents spread.


    So he eventually stopped a few meters from a dark-red-haired Dryad, who also seemed the tallest and the oldest among them. However, there was no way of knowing their age from their looks, as they all remained beautiful.


    "How old are you?" He asked straight away.


    "..."


    Queen Delimira found herself speechless at his straightforwardness.


    "Three thousand and two hundred years old."


    "It worked!" Delimira eximed.


    Sylvester nodded his head, standing with his folded arms. Soon, he closed his eyes. It seemed as if he was in deep thought. But when his nostrils red a little, the Queen and the dryads wondered what it was.


    Sadly, none of them were ever going to learn the escapade of Chonky the Great.


    "Maxy!" Miraj, who was flying in the sky above the carriage all that time, abruptly came back down andnded on Sylvester''s shoulders before whispering excitedly. "I saw something awesome! I saw humans¡­ But they were not humans! They were horses!"


    Sylvester held himself fromughing in that situation and spoke with Miraj in his mind. "Centaurs."


    "Cunt¡ªers?" Miraj curiously repeated.


    "..."


    "Cent¡ªaurs, that''s how you say it," Sylvester corrected him.


    But the curious cat remained curious as always, "Cent¡ªours? Are they mine?"


    Sylvester sighed and opened his eyes to focus on the pretty dryad again, "How old is your oldest member?"


    The red-headed dryad thought for a moment, "Seven thousand? Close to it, Respected Virideus."


    Taken aback, Sylvester noticed the strange name. "Viri-deus? What does that mean?"


    With a nonchnt expression, the dryad responded, and following her words, the rest of the dryads lowered their heads.


    "Virideus is the God of Green."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated

 Chapter 639 638. Three Supreme Wizards

    Chapter 639 638. Three Supreme Wizards


    "Virideus is the God of Green."


    Sylvester raised both his hands, "Wait, calm down. I''m no Virideus. I am Sylvester Maximilian, Pope of the faith of Solis."


    "God of Green, yes," the redhead dryad repeated. "Sun makes nts grow. Then you are the God of Green."


    Sylvester hummed in annoyance, "In that case, I''m the preacher of God of Green. Now, I only wish to ask a few questions regarding the history from your eldest member of your species. Knowing those answers will greatly help me in my journey."


    Crack!


    Right then, a new figure came from within the forest. This one was even taller than the redhead, reaching the heights of being called a giant. The dryad had dark green hair, a size as tall as nine feet, and yet her physical shape and beauty remained at its peak. Clearly, this was the oldest elder he was looking for.


    "What does a human wish to ask? Your puny lifespans do not allow you to explore the truths of this world. Only to live in self-centred greed is what you can afford¡ªthe reason why you humans killed our kind from yournd five thousand years ago," The tall dryad said in a not-so-kind tone.


    But her mention of ''five thousand years'' instantly rang bells in Sylvester''s head. "I have reason to believe that the state of this world is unnatural, rather, artificial¡ªcurated for a certain result that we don''t know. I am the Pope, and I have been unable to find any record of history beyond five thousand years in the past. At that same time, old elves and dragons also died mysteriously. Its as if¡ª"


    "And attempt to hide the history beyond five thousand years," the old, colossal dryad interjected.


    Nodding, Sylvester questioned her further, "That is why I ask you this since you are older than five thousand years."


    "I know nothing," she immediately replied. "I hold no memory of my life from my initial years in this world. However, I do remember some things, such as the fact that once, dryads were not extinct in Sol. There used to be a faith of Luna and a few others. The faith of Solis appeared out of thin air one day and spread like wildfire¡ª


    starting the ethnocentric trend of you humans calling everything non-human heathens."


    Sylvester sighed, not knowing what he even expected from them. Clearly, if she had known something significant, she''d have already died by now at the hands of those who wanted to keep it a secret.


    "Speak with the giants of Gantis," dryad suggested. "They were known to hoard precious treasures during ancient times. But something made them seal themselves off; what it was is unknown, and it could be rted to something they learned."


    Sylvester could only trust her words and visit the giants and explore. "Thank you for this information. I am slowly changing Sol, and I''m sure in the future, all species will be weed there. But first, I must defeat those who pushed our world towards chaos."


    The giant of a dryad stared at Sylvester with her green eyes, "You seem certain of such an existence."


    He smiled and stepped back while still looking at her serene form, "Let''s just say I''ve had the opportunity of peeking into the past, and what I saw can not mean anything but what I suspect. The future doesn''t seem bright if we don''t band together in theing years."


    The giant dryad nodded and extended her pale hand toward Sylvester, "Then you will require proof to bring the world together against themon foe. When you do that, we will be there to support you."


    "I don''t need it," Sylvester quickly replied, almost in desperation and making his voice seem unsure. "The enemy we''re against is powerful enough to erase our thoughts, our memories, alter them, snap this entire reality from existence, or recreate it from scratch¡ª


    No mortal can battle such a foe. All I require is peace in ournd, so my focus can solely be on the challenge."


    ''Wait! Why am I sharing so much with her? What''s happening?'' Sylvester suddenly realised his own abnormal behaviour. He was someone who remained confident and secretive at all times. And yet, he now breathed out words so mindlessly. ''I should leave¡­ There''s definitely some magic involved with her.''


    "Peace¡­ A word so easily spoken but nigh impossible to achieve. I wish you great luck, Virideus," the dryad said. "I am the only elder of my species. Xeniphe is what I am called."


    "Xeniphe. It''s a unique name," Sylvester mumbled and retreated his steps. "I shall take my leave now. If my wishes prevail, perhaps we will meet again in better circumstances."


    He went back to the carriage with Queen Delimira and jumped towards his seat. He didn''t feel like spending any more time with the Elder Dryad. Despite being a Supreme Wizard, he was worried and curious about how she affected him. Because as far as he could sense, she was nowhere near a Supreme Wizard in strength.


    "Peace?" Delimira muttered as the carriage began moving again.


    Sylvester shrugged and only focused ahead, "A man can dream."


    "I can''t see Beastariaing together as one, even in my lifespan," she truthfully said, doubting if such a dream was even worth watching. "We''d rather kill each other than get along."


    ''Unless someone rightfully forces them.'' Sylvester didn''t say it out loud since it was yet to be a reality.


    Soon, they crossed anotherrge gate and arrived in thest region protected by elven walls. It was a massive farnd, with Centaurs living in their forest on the western shore, and on the eastern side beside the river, the Fairies lived in a tiny colourful forest.


    However, he was only able to see Centaurs in the distance, majestic beings with muscr horse bodies below their waist. As for Fairies, he was informed they were palm-sized beings with magic and an almost infinite lifespan. They only needed protection due to their blood having anti-ageing properties. Since elves didn''t care about beauty due to their natural bodies, a natural trust and partnership was built.


    Eventually, they arrived at the river power, where a single small ship from Sylvester''s fleet awaited him. It would take him closer to the Merkins''ke, close to the region under the influence of the demon.


    "If things go well, perhaps we will meet again, Queen Delimira," Sylvester bid the woman farewell and kissed the back of her hand. "Remember my suggestion: the poor are the quickest way to win the hearts of the people."


    Warmly, Delimira smiled. Having been childless for so long, and longing to be a mother, she couldn''t help but see Sylvester as someone close to herself due to the shared blood with Rathagun and the features with her.


    "Be careful, Pope Sylvester. And please don''t let Rathagun do anything foolish and die. Alfia is not prepared to deal with such a loss yet," she requested, clearly giving the scent of love she truly felt for the elven King.


    ''What a tragedy.'' Sylvester thought as he climbed onto the ship. ''Despite her love for him being genuine, he only sees her and doubts her as a pawn of Elder Ellitran.''


    Eventually, the ship began moving, and they crossed the edge of Alfia. Two massive towers nked the sides of the river, overlooking anything that entered or passed. But it was a short ride as the Merkins''ke was entirely under the demon''s control, and the influence only expanded.


    The ship had to stop where thend of Orcs began. Sylvester jumped out from there and ordered Bloodrain, as well as Soulbreaker, to visit the Beastkins and protect them from the battle that was going to take ce. With four Supreme Wizards in one ce, the damage was going to devastate the entire region, and much of the effects were going to be felt far in the distance.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us," Bloodrain saluted Sylvester solemnly.


    "May victory be in your palms, your Holiness," Soulbreaker knelt for a blessing.


    Sylvester raised his hands and enveloped them in his magical light. Then, he wasted no time and kicked the ground to leap high into the sky, instantly reaching the clouds. Sadly, he couldn''t fly and had to use Light Steps.


    But his movement was still rapid and reached above the edge of the Divider Swamp in a short instance. The ce brought some horrifying memories of the time he almost died there. The spear was something he still wanted back, and he wondered where it even was in such a massive area.


    "So, I arrived on time."


    Sylvester looked behind him towards the familiar voice. King Rathagun had appeared in his full-bodied armour, with a straight, long sword already out of its sheath. The armour was golden with a tint of green, and there were vines etched all over it like runes.


    ''He can fly.'' Sylvester felt envious seeing the man hovering in the air while he stood over the invisible Light Tile.


    "I''m waiting for King Malisius," Sylvester said, ncing toward the north at Greenpeaks. "He''s close."


    They noticed a tiny dot in the distance that slowly grew bigger. It turned out to be a massive dragon, in its full size. Since it had red scales, it was clear the dragon was Malisius. As the dragon approached them, its body started to shrink and deform, eventually taking the humanoid shape of a ten-foot-tall mutated dragon.


    With the ever-present rageful aura, Malisius flew towards them and stopped a few meters away, "The runes have been inscribed around the edge as you pleaded."


    "Suggested," Sylvester corrected the dragon. "What are your main elements?"


    "Fire," Malisius replied, quite obviously.


    "Earth," Rathagun added.


    "Unsurprising," Sylvester muttered, looking down at the mist-covered swamp with dark shadows underneath. "Mine is light. To get rid of the demon, a ritual must be done as we fight it. Every demon has a key attached to it¡ªa physical object to which the demon''s consciousness is tied, and they use the key to possess a being''s body."


    "So it''s in there?" Rathagun interjected, as he didn''t have much experience with Demons.


    Malisius knew more about it, "You can''t be suggesting we look for the key in this massive swamp."


    But there was no other way, as far as Sylvester knew. "We need to find it and destroy the key to eliminate the demon. Otherwise, even if we destroy the demon''s body today, it will return in a few years."


    The King of dragons and the King of elves stared at each other''s faces. Measuring each other up, being enemies for as long as they could remember. They didn''t know how much they could trust each other to watch their backs.


    Rathagun folded his arms and seriously looked at Sylvester, letting him make the n, "What do you suggest?"


    "The swamp is deeper than one can imagine," Malicious warned.


    "Well¡­" Sylvester raised his right hand and created a small, palm-sized sphere of pure light energy, so hot that the two other Supreme Wizards felt threatened by it. "We drain the swamp."


    _________________

 Chapter 640 639. Battle Of Divider Swamp I: Zamatar

    Chapter 640 639. Battle Of Divider Swamp I: Zama''tar


    Thest time Sylvester was there, he was a mere Grand Wizard. But now, things had changed. Not only was he a Supreme Wizard, but he also had the backing of Elder Magic and training from Nehilius. This meant that he wasn''t going to be mentally affected by the Demon as he was before, and his control over the light element was also much higher.


    ''Good thing I know the name of the Demon, at least. The ritual will be much easier this time.'' Sylvester muttered and reinforced the orb of white light that hovered over his palm. It was small, as big as his fist, but it held power most wizards couldn''t imagine. Reinforced with a faint, almost invisible, circting sphere of elder runes over the orb, the srium in the air and the srium that the Demon possessed was going to be its fuel.


    "If even the three of us can''t defeat this Demon together, we should start looking for a new world to live in," Sylvester ominously said and released the orb of white light towards the almost ck swamp.


    Rathagun and Malisius watched the bright orb slowly go down. They expected nothing much from an attack of that size, but in their hearts, they knew this wasn''t something normal. Anything from a Supreme Wizard would never be normal.


    Shhhh¡­!


    The orb of light slowly reached the swamp''s surface. The sizzling sound of the water being scorched and evaporated began to resonate, and eventually, the thick, gooey mass of the swamp caught fire. The orb slowly dug in and vanished. It started forming a blob underneath the surface.


    "I suggest we move a little further from the orb," Sylvester advised and stepped away on his Light Tiles. "King Rathagun, when the st urs, I need you to hold all the earth elemental mass that will rise in the air and throw it away in the distance outside the edge of the swamp. King Malisius, any residual water needs to be vaporized¡ª


    From today, Beastaria shall know this region not as Divider Swamp but as Divider Canyon."


    The two Beastaria monarchs watched the surface of the swamp in anticipation. Of course, they could do what Sylvester had asked them. However, they didn''t want to reply to his orders, not wanting to disy themselves as his subordinates.


    p!


    However, right then, Sylvester pped his palms together and closed his eyes before he started singing a hymn. A massive, meter-wide bright halo of golden light formed behind his head, and his body radiated warmth akin to nothing the two kings had experienced before.


    In reality, Sylvester had no need to use the hymns at that moment. But he still did it because the halo had proven to be quite effective in making others feel inferior to him. They usually made the other person feel that he was heavenly blessed, no matter what God they followed. And on this asion, he wanted to influence Malisius'' mind.


    <nulli>?In thisnd defiled by the devil. <nulli>Heed, leave your possessed vessel.


    <nulli>By the grace of light, you shan''t rebel.


    <nulli>For in your death, today we shall revel.?


    Boom!


    Right then, a deafening, zing sound of something cutting the air echoed in the vicinity. Sylvester ignored it, but Rathagun and Malisius looked around themselves. Far in the distance, or close to them, the entire border surrounding the Divider Swamp began to shine with golden light and slowly formed itself into a massive, translucent golden wall that seemed to be made of ss. It eventually began to curve after reaching a height and formed a gigantic dome all above the Divider Swamp.


    Sylvester looked at the vignt faces of the two monarchs, "Now, I believe the Demon won''t be able to escape or replenish its srium as it fights us."


    "What is the meaning of this?" Malisius roared with his dragon voice. "You''ve trapped us here with the Demon. Do you n to kill us here?"


    Sylvester smiled and shook his head, looking like a saint with the halo still behind his head. "The Demon is trapped here with us, King Malisius, not the other way around. Don''t you have faith in your own abilities?"


    He hit the right nerves at the right time. Malisius didn''t speak further and prepared himself for battle.


    Right below them, a massive blob was forming in the distance, rising like a hill. It was from the effects of Sylvester''s magical orb, and they had no idea what to expect from it.


    "Prepare yourself," Sylvester warned, creating his old and trusted sword made of solidified light magic. It wasrge in size, at least three metres in length and twenty centimetres in width. However, he didn''t bother giving it a colour and texture, as it didn''t matter.


    Just then, a blinding light shed down on the swamp. It was so sharp that it reached them before the sound could.


    Boom!


    A littleter, they felt a strong gust of wind pass through, and they heard a boom. The light also began to dim a little and revealed a massive explosion still rising in the sky with a mushroom cloud made of steam and dust.


    "King Rathagun!"


    "On it!" Rathagun shouted back and raised his right hand horizontally away from himself. With that, he used his control over the Earth elemental magic and started to gather all the thrown-out matter from the swamp into a giant round ball.


    Without asking, Malisius also did his job and incinerated all the water or steam until nothing was left. His palms and mouth spewed fire and covered almost the majority of the swamp with his crimson mes.


    It was a point to be remembered that the size of Divider Swamp was simr to the Kingdom of Riveria or Hignd, and they were covering that massive size ofnd under the influence of their magic without falling unconscious from srium depletion. This was why the Supreme Wizards were considered kingdom-ending entities, and also why two Supreme Wizards would always avoid battling each other, since it always meant massive destruction for both sides.


    In no time, a majority of the Divider Swamp ceased to exist. However, there was still much to be covered, so Sylvester created more srium orbs and threw them down to sink into the swamp. They also exploded soon enough, destroying the hiding spot of the creature he had seen.


    "Wraaaa!"


    "There!" Sylvester heard the groaning roar and threw more orbs towards it.


    But sadly, the swamp was too deep, and the creature was swift. So they had to put all their focus on removing the water and the matter first. It took them a few minutes, but as they hovered far in the sky, they felt safe.


    "Maxy!" Miraj suddenly eximed from Sylvester''s shoulder. "Look! Your spear is there!"


    Sylvester followed Miraj''s paw with his gaze and noticed the shining tip of the spear protruding out of the ground. However, he couldn''t go and get it yet.


    "Graaaaa!"


    They watched as the creature finally became visible to their eyes since Malisius got rid of all the steam and mist covering the ce. The thing was still as terrifying as Sylvester remembered. It was humongous, with countless sharp teeth-covered tentacles that were tens of metres in thickness and hundreds of metres in length, spread around the entire Divider Swamp¡ªfinally visible as the swamp was obliterated. The tentacles also had tiny humanoid arms formed in multiple clusters all over, as if they were little blisters.


    Finally, the three Supreme Wizards found out how the creature took over thend under its influence¡ªthe tentacles were quite literally spreading around, having already reached Merkins''ke.


    However, what was at the centre of the tentacles was more terrifying. The body of the Demon appeared with countless round eyes and a gaping wide jaw, open withyers uponyers of sharp teeth, going deeper and deeper. Inside the middle of the mouth was also a floating single-eye.


    Covered in mud and dark in its colour, the creature sent shivers down the bodies of the three men. They didn''t feel like going down there as the thing was bigger than even all the dragonsbined.


    ''This is more scary than I remember. The darkness and the mist had saved me from this sight that time,'' Sylvester felt sweat form on his forehead.


    "Disgusting!" Rathagun scowled and spat.


    Woosh!


    Just then, a few shadows appeared from the creature''s gigantic pit-like mouth. The figures were dark in colour but had variations in their sizes and shapes. They all had wings and floated towards them at a speed simr to that of a Grand Wizard.


    ''Death!'' Sylvester smelled the scent. It wasn''t the scent of his own death but instead came from the nature of the creatures. Instantly, he remembered the other times he had smelled a simr thing and knew what they were.


    "Bloodlings!" Sylvester shouted. "The Demon has countless Bloodlings under its control!"


    Woosh!


    Sylvester elongated his sword further and swung it with lightning speed. In one hit, he split the flying Bloodling in half, burning it away in ashes. The other Supreme Wizards did the same, one using fire magic and the other using his sword, which seemed to have light magic properties.


    But they couldn''t rest as they noticed countless more Bloodlings flying out of the Demon''s mouth from below. It looked like a swarm of darkness, spreading around slowly and trying to surround them from all directions.


    "Weak!" Malisius scoffed and roared with zing fire from his mouth.


    "This isn''t right!" Sylvester muttered and used his sword to keep a distance from the Bloodlings. "Why is it using useless Bloodlings?"


    Nevertheless, Sylvester used his magic to the fullest. The halo behind his head made sure the Bloodlings didn''te too close to him. But he then noticed Malisius and Rathagun going further and further away from him.


    "Ugh! It''s a distraction meant to divide us!" Sylvester realized and roared towards the two.


    Woosh!


    However, he seemed to be a littlete as one of the gigantic tentacles swung from the ground and aimed to strike them. Rathagun dodged, but Malisius, so engrossed in killing Bloodlings, failed to escape in time.


    "Aaargh!" Malisius groaned in pain as one of the sharp teeth on the dark tentacle brushed past the red scales on his arm, gashing him deeply despite his strength.


    The two monarchs learned their lesson and retreated to Sylvester.


    "Show me your arm," Sylvester told the dragon.


    Malisius shrugged, "It''s a mere scratch."


    "Poisoned with dark element," Sylvester imed and pointed, "Look at the wound. It''s turning ck, and the rotten puss is already oozing out. You will die from this¡­ unknown poison."


    sh!


    Malisius extended the ws in his other hand and, in a surprising move, chopped away his entire arm that was wounded. He didn''t even react with a flinch and returned to blowing mes on the iing Bloodlings. "It shall grow within a minute!"


    "..."


    Sylvester sighed and let the man be. In his mind, various scenarios yed out. He stared down at the giant demonic creature with tentacles.


    ''Is this it? Is this Zama''tar?'' He questioned himself and looked further around at the entire swamp.


    "I think¡­ This entire swamp field is the Demon''s Supreme Void!" Sylvester made an observation, a very dangerous one. "This void seems to be influencing the surroundings and turning things darker in nature, ruining the habitats¡ªAll these Bloodlings are none but people of Beastaria!"


    Malisius and Rathagun frowned upon hearing him and retreated towards him until their backs touched each other.


    "Let''s use our Supreme Voids then," Malisius suggested.


    "I agree." Rathagun was onboard.


    "No," Sylvester still couldn''t help looking at the Demon on the ground. "If my understanding of this Demon is correct¡ªThe thing with tentacles we see isn''t the actual Demon, but its mere pet!"


    Boom!


    "Hahaha¡­ Correct!"


    After an unknown sonic boom, Loudughs erupted in the surroundings, everywhere, no matter the direction. It was a muffled, heavy voice with a hint of evil.


    "They''re retreating!" Malisius noted as the Bloodlings stopped attacking.


    Finally, with some rest, the three looked down at the tentacle creature. Its wide, round mouth was shining brightly red now. In front of that light was a humanoid figure, only appearing as a shadow with horns on its head.


    "Three Supreme Wizards to fight a single me?" The shadow slowly became more and more defined, revealing its yellow, shining eyes. "I''m ttered, creatures of Artius!"

 Chapter 641 640. Battle Of Divider Swamp II: Dont Get Caught!

    Chapter 641 640. Battle Of Divider Swamp II: Don''t Get Caught!


    "Three Supreme Wizards to fight a single me?" The shadow slowly became more and more defined, revealing its yellow, shining eyes. "I''m ttered, creatures of Artius!"


    Sylvester, Malisius and Rathagun watched the Demone out in the open. Emerging from the jaws of the tentacle creature. The Demon slowly floated upwards toward the sky, finally revealing itsplete form.


    It was humanoid, standing six feet tall with an average build. There were no clothes on its muscr upper body, and its head looked like a skull with hair and two sharp, long horns.


    There was a ck, smoke-like piece of cloth tied around its waist. His entire body was dark ashen, and there was no visible armour on him.


    "He can speak," Rathagun eximed.


    Sylvester was as shocked as the rest, "This is my first time seeing such a Demon¡ªall the others in the past could say one or two words at most."


    "Let''s kill it," Malisius said with a lot of malice.


    Sylvester agreed with him, but he didn''t know how easy it was going to be. However, he didn''t bother warning the others since the two men were full of confidence and would not take his words seriously in any case. The best course was to let them face the consequences of their actions as long as they didn''t lead to death.


    "I know the name of the Demon, so I''ll start the ritual to banish it," Sylvester told the two monarchs. "I''ll need you to keep it upied."


    "Easy!" Mailisius roared and sharpened his ws.


    Sylvester shared a nce with King Rathagun, "Be careful! Do remember that he can absorb your magical power. It probably has all the natural abilities of all species."


    Rathagun carefully nodded and brandished his sword, "I understand, Pope Sylvester."


    Right away, the elven King moved with King Malisius toward the Demon. They flew carefully, unaware of how the Demon would react or fight them. They expected dark elemental attacks, but having heard Sylvester, they also expected the other elements.


    "Two against one? I''ll take my chances," Zama''tar''s mouth on the skull curved into a creepy smile.


    Boom!


    "Ugh!" Malisius groaned, noticing the creature''s countless tentacles below swinging in the air around them at a sharp speed, forcing them to dodge it.


    Malisius suddenly changed his size and grew his ws out, appearing as sharp as a sword. He didn''t dodge the tentacles anymore and swung his w anytime they came close. He easily cut through them. However, they soon realised the tentacles instantly grew back.


    This merely being the phase to test the waters, King Rathagun also attempted it and sliced the tentacles with his light elemental sword. This time, it took some time to grow back.


    Woosh!


    Right then, a beam of light came zooming in from behind the two monarchs and struck a cluster of tentacles as they rose from the ground like countless trees and branches.


    The light beam was tens of metres wide, shining gold and zed through. It burned all the tentacles it touched and formed a hole in the mass as far as the beam went.


    Sylvester watched as the damage he did healed back. But with one look, he realised what they were truly up against.


    "That''s not a Demon! It''s a massive Bloodling created from the amalgamation of many other Bloodings. I''ll take care of it. You two focus on the Demon!" Sylvester told them and started to chant under his breath. This was the only way he knew how to defeat the Demons.


    "Chonky," he whispered to the furry cat on his shoulder. "Go to the edge of the swamp on the ridge. Set up one of the bigger Srium Light Cannons that I made with Elder Magic. Shoot it at the monster Bloodling down there¡ªit should be able to deal some damage."


    Miraj''s eyes sparkled as he got to do something, "Aye, Aye, Maxy! I will kill it!"


    With Miraj gone, Sylvester went all out without worrying about his little friend''s well-being. His golden eyes began to shine with light, and using the Elder Magic, he created rune inscriptions in the middle of the air that came out of his body from all sides. They looked like tightly knit chains but were instead runes meant to hold Zama''tar in ce and exorcise it.


    ''Now that I understand runes better¡ªThese exorcism runes don''t have anything rted to God or light. It''s as if¡­ it''s rted to the space element.'' Sylvester noticed when millions of lines sprawled from his body and flew towards the Demon. ''A demon''s body would never be in harmony with this realm''sws if it came from a different realm, with a different set of rules.''


    "Hahaha¡­" Zama''tarughed maniacally and started flying around. Around his legs was a constant stream of ck smoke that left a trail in the air. He was fast and swung his arms rapidly, controlling the tentacles from the ground and throwing them around at will as if they were his weapons.


    "You underestimate us," King Rathagun finally got serious and ced his sword back in its sheath. He was a wizard in the end. His ck hair began floating abruptly, and his armour flickered green. "Mother Remira is mighty, for nature exists everywhere."


    Boom!


    As Rathagun began chasing after Zama''tar while avoiding the tentacles at lightning speed, the dried, destroyed swamp began to suffer through a massive earthquake. Cracks formed in ces, and from them came massive, thick roots asrge as the tentacles. They slowly began to grip the monster Bloodling, stopping its tentacles from hindering them.


    "Wonderful!" Zama''tar praised while floating around. "All these years, I''ve been waiting for this moment to absorb a few Supreme Wizards¡ªI will cherish your abilities, Rathagun. But¡­"


    Click!


    Zama''tar snapped his fingers once, and immediately, the vines that stopped the monster Bloodling began to dry up and crumble.


    "Which elf did you absorb?!" Rathagun roared, his eyes bloodshot since he understood how umon green magical elemental abilities were and how cherished they were among the elves.


    "Wraaaa!"


    Before Zama''tar could reply, King Malisius roared in front of him, jaw wide open and hot, intense mes spewing from his mouth. His entire body was on fire, appearing like armour all over him. Only his eyes were discernible and shined like beams of bloodied crimson lights.


    Woosh!


    Zama''tar dodged, but Malisius swung his majestic wings, sending tornadoes of brilliant fire at him, covering the Demon.


    Rathagun immediately flung his arms, grabbing giant pieces of ground as if huge boulders and sending them flying all around Zama''tar''s body.


    Boom!


    The boulders gathered together and fused with each other, forming a spherical cage of boulders around the Demon.


    Crush!


    Rathagun pressed his palms together, and the spherical cage of boulders squeezed into itself, crushing Zama''tar inside it. Veins bulged on Rathagun''s face as he gave it his all, putting all his power into crushing the enemy.


    "Wraaa!"


    Malisius circled the floating prison of rocks and spewed his mes, melting it all into a mess, turning the individual boulders into fused pieces, and eventually leaving the sphere as a single piece.


    "Human Pope! Do it!" The dragon roared.


    Sylvester walked forward on his Light Tiles, and the chains of Elder Runes shined gold surrounding the cage. Round and round, weaving itself about in all directions. It began to look like an actual cage.


    "Keep the hold tight!" Sylvester ordered the two.


    Rathagun was already sweating, and Malisius began using his fire elemental magic to mould any cracks that would appear from the resistance Zama''tar likely showed inside.


    ?From the world beyond, we ept no Demon,


    May you be banished with my holy sermon.


    You are the reason for countless people''s plight,


    Begon¡ªbellows the earth, fright in my light.?


    Ting!


    Sylvester''s halo suddenly turned crimson as he noticed some of the chains cracked and fell apart, the Elder Runes proving to be ineffective. He could see many cracks forming all over the cage of boulders faster than Malisius could mend.


    ''Is the ritual useless now? Zama''tar was granted a perfect body as a medium by Lazark''s teacher¡­ Is he no different from a human now?'' Sylvester wondered, doubts forming in his heart.


    Woosh!


    Bam!


    "Argh!" Lost in thought and so much more, Sylvester failed to notice the tentacles of the Bloodling below being freed once again. They scraped his back quite heavily. But he immediately used healing on himself, not resorting to muttion like Malisius.


    ''What is Chonky doing?''


    Left with no other choice and wanting to focus on Zama''tar, he looked down, looking scary with his bright halo and shining eyes. He pointed one finger toward the massive Bloodling.


    Just like when Rathagun did it, the ground shook. But this time, even bigger roots and vines came out of the cracks. They squeezed the massive, disgusting creature of death, freezing it in ce. All the tentacles were also trapped, covered with green that appeared out of nowhere.


    "You can also¡ª!" Rathagun eximed, ncing at his son with pride in his eyes.


    Sylvester shook his head and focused back on the Demon as the pressure against his chains of runes increased. "Solis or Remira, I''m blessed plenty."


    Crack!


    "He''sing out!" Malisius abruptly roared, sounding like a cry for help. "It caught my leg!"


    Sylvester frowned and looked. A skeleton arm hade out from a tiny gap in the rune chains since no normal arm could from that small space. It had caught Malisius'' leg, and just from the toxicity of the Demon''s dark element, his entire leg began to turn ck¡ªrotting.


    "Chop it!" Sylvester bellowed.


    Boom!


    Right then, Zama''tar''s skull-like head emerged from the rune cage, having dug to the edge of the boulder prison.


    His mouth still curved in a creepy smile. Heughed at Malisius, "Haha¡­ You can''t win against General Zama''tar, Artiusians¡ªGive me your magic!"


    "Cut your leg! It''s draining your magical abilities!" Sylvester shouted.


    "I can''t! Human! I can''t move!" Malisius roared in panic.


    Sylvester showed an angry and worried expression for the first time. He stopped using the rune chains since they had turned out to be ineffective. But it took some time for the chains to vanish, and in that duration, he kicked the Light Tile and moved like a sh of lightning, a light sword already formed in his hand.


    Woosh!


    He chopped Malisius'' leg and threw the King of dragons away.


    "Don''t get caught by him!" Sylvester shouted and retreated, creating some distance. He watched as Zama''tar freed himself and created flesh on his exposed skeleton arm.


    "NO!" Malisius'' enraged roar echoed right then. "My magic! It''s two levels down!"


    "Good mother Remira!" Rathagun prayed to the goddess. "It only took him a few blinks of the eye¡ªHow do we kill it now?"


    ''How?'' Sylvester wondered the same.


    Bzzz¡­!


    "Hmm?" At that moment, all of them, including the Demon, looked to the right, towards the swamp''s edge. A humongous surge of magical energy formed there, and a blinding light shed, akin to nothing they had seen before. It was the middle of the day, and yet the light was such that everything turned white.


    Seeing that, Sylvester only had one name under his breath.


    ''Chonky?! What did you do now?''


    ______________________


    A/N: See Zama''tar

 Chapter 642 641. Battle Of Divider Swamp III: Sylvesters Own Magic

    Chapter 642 641. Battle Of Divider Swamp III: Sylvester''s Own Magic


    "I will help Maxy the best!"


    Miraj left Sylvester and quickly flew to the distant edge of the dried swamp. Hended on top of a ridge and quickly vomited the massive cannon. However, once he did that, he found his brain going nk.


    He had no damn clue how to operate the thing. Every single time Sylvester had operated it, he was busy with something. So he never really saw what goes where and what needed to be pressed.


    "Umm¡­ Light crystals and Srium crystals!" Miraj remembered and immediately vomited out bags of the said material.


    But then again, he had no idea which crystal went into which ce. The boxes to store the crystals were massive, after all, and he didn''t even know how many to put in. But he wanted to help, and seeing the battlefield, he felt the need to rush it.


    "Umm¡­ What do I do? Shiny crystal go here?" He mumbled, using his little paws to fill up the boxes where the crystals were stored. But he felt annoyed and shoved the entire bags of crystal into the two ces, as many as he could fit inside it. However, he failed to notice the red marker inside the storage boxes.


    Bam!


    He closed the storage boxes and began to aim the cannon using his mighty paws. There was a well-thought-out aiming system, but since it required some mathematics, Miraj only relied on his instincts.


    "Now what?" He had no clue how tounch the cannon. He noticed various runes here and there and started to tap on them randomly, rubbing the cannon from all sides, frantically meowing and cursing himself for not being more diligent.


    "Mewaaaaa¡­ I hate this!" He growled and randomly smacked the back of the muzzle, where a tiny ''Press Here'' was written that he didn''t see.


    BOOM!


    A blinding light instantly erupted and drowned everything in it. The sound came afterwards, and Chonky reacted by running away from the shining cannon. All the runes on it began to sparkle, and soon, cracks appeared on the cannon itself.


    "Nyo! Don''t break!" Miraj screamed.


    But soon, the massive, tens of meters-wide beam of burning light akin to the Wrath of Heavens shot out of the cannon, while the cannon itself broke apart. It was all too blinding for anyone to notice, but to Miraj''s luck, he had set the target correctly.


    A littleter, when the light diminished, and Miraj took a look, he couldn''t help but giggle in excitement and threw his arms at the sky in triumph.


    "Oopsies!" He meowed in shock. "I knew I could do it! Hehe¡­ Maybe I can help him again with more cannons? I got so many."


    Miraj, the menace, now knew how to operate the cannon. Being smart from some lessons he had learned, he shifted away to a new ce and took out two cannons this time. He shoved in some crystals soon after and pressed the button.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    "Mwahaha!" he roared in triumph, shooting beams of light with no care. All were aimed at the monster Bloodling, and they did hit the spot.


    ¡­


    Sylvester, Malisius and Rathagun watched the sudden release of uncontrolled energy beams hit the monster Bloodling. It was so powerful that the creature couldn''t even let out a cry of pain as it got obliterated in the searing light. But then, more beams of light followed and hit the dead body of the creature until it began to burn into ashes, and even the ashes vanished.


    "J-Just stop¡­ It''s already dead," Sylvester mumbled his breath, shocked and proud at how Chonky handled the cannon so masterfully.


    Zama''tar watched his pet die so quickly. It angered him, and it was visible, with his dark horns turning bright red and his yellow eyes starting to glow. His hands began to change; the five fingers divided themselves and turned into ten fingers in each hand as if they were flowers of fingers.


    "I had named it Orion¡ªmy little pet," Zama''tar said coldly. "A pet for a pet, then, don''t you think?"


    Zama''tar aimed his disgusting, creepy-looking hand toward Miraj, who was working on the cannons. In his palm, a ck bolt of lightning began to form, and the fingers seemingly added a ck mist to it as if it were pure srium from nature, an ability of the elves.


    Woosh!


    Then, bolts of ck thunder shot out of his palms and travelled towards Miraj. There were dozens of more bolts let out before the first one even reached the target.


    "You can sulkter," Zama''tar said and changed the arm''s direction toward Sylvester and the rest. At the same time, his other hand changed shape again, and his fingers stretched out, forming themselves into a long, sharp spear.


    Boom!


    However, before Zama''tar could react, another beam of light came from the edge of the swamp and hit him. Then one more, and after that, a few more sts came and hit him dead centre, throwing him far into the distance in the air and leaving his body steaming and scorched.


    Sylvester chuckled, knowing very well Zama''tar had made Miraj angry. ''Chonky probably ate the ck thunderbolts. Let''s wait how long it takes for him to realise he can shoot the thunderbolts back.''


    "Attack him at the same time," Sylvester suggested and prepared with his Light Sword in one hand. At the same time, he began to use the Wrath of Heaven beam with the other hand without effort and nned for arger attack.


    Boom!


    Sylvester vanished from his spot faster than most eyes could see. Beside him, Rathagun and Malisius followed. When Sylvester immediately indulged Zama''tar in a duel, using the des and nullifying the ck bolts of lightning the demon fired with his own Wrath of Heavens.


    Woosh!


    Rathagun joined Sylvester''s side and thrust his sword toward Zamatar''s head. On top of the sword,yers of green, muddy brown runes and circles hovered.


    Bam!


    Countless, thin, sharp arrows appeared out of the runes and hit the demon in the face, surprising him. The arrows had bodies of wood, and the arrowhead was made of hardened stones¡ªthe mastery of Earth and Green magic was utilised with the elven martial arts.


    Sylvester supplemented that attack and stepped above his Light Tiles, gaining altitude. Then he swung his arms toward the sky, and the entire ceiling of the dome-shaped shield Sylvester had made began to shine.


    A secondter, billions upon billions of sharp, needle-like raindrops of solid, scorching light began falling. They didn''t harm Rathagun and Malisius, but when they struck Zama''tar. They pierced into his mortal human skin and imploded, leaving bloodied holes all over him.


    "Wraaaa!" Zama''tar roared like a Demon, his cries muffled and rage rising. "General Zama''tar knows no defeat!"


    Snap!


    Zama''tar vanished from his spot and appeared in the distance. It was akin to teleportation, an ability likely learned after absorbing a wizard with such talent. But following that, Zama''tar smirked and raised his palms toward the sky, mimicking Sylvester.


    "No¡ªThat''s not possible!" Rathagun eximed in shock.


    Woosh!


    Just like Sylvester, countless needles of solidified light showered everywhere. Sylvester immediately nullified them before they could touch them and do damage. However, this made the sort of situation they were in very obvious. Zama''tar likely had every magical knowledge possible and controlled every element imaginable.


    "Not so fast!" Malisius'' draconic voice reverberated throughout the swamp. He appeared from down below Zama''tar, in hisplete dragon form. With his jaws wide open, he was ready to devour the demon with his mouth.


    Sylvester rushed forward in that instant, knowing that this wasn''t going to work, "You may know what others do¡ªBut you can never learn what I invented. Rathagun! Save Malisius. That fool will get himself killed!"


    "It''s pointless!" Rathagun shouted back, albeit rushing to stop the dragon. "His pride has been hurt. He won''t listen to any of us now."


    Sylvester gritted his teeth and raised both his hands toward Zama''tar, as if he was trying to squeeze him. Sylvester felt his entire body strain itself, and his entire face was overtaken by reddening veins. Blood started to spread in his golden eyes, and his nose bled out rapidly. His palms shook uncontrobly, for the force of nature he attempted to manipte was supreme and too powerful.


    "Please work!" Sylvester gritted his teeth, watching everything happen in a slow motion in his keen eyes. Foolishly, Malisius barely took Zama''tar in his gigantic jaws, and Rathagun missed by a few inches from hitting Zama''tar.


    Bzzzz!


    A circr, almost invisible, but solid air appeared around Zama''tar, and he stared at Sylvester in shock. The creepy smile vanished from the demon''s face, and he tried to fly out of Malisius'' jaws instead of going in like before.


    "You can''t escape!" Sylvester shouted and stepped forward, straining each of his steps and bleeding through his veins. "Electromaism spares none!"


    "Aaaaa!" Zama''tar groaned, and his flesh started to tear apart as he fought against Sylvester''s localised electromaic field around him. He tried to use all the magic he knew to get away, but there was nothing akin to what Sylvester was doing.


    "General¡­ Zama''tar¡­ does not lose!" Zama''tar growled and ripped his own flesh apart, appearing like nothing but a punctured corpse of the mostly exposed skeleton.


    "He''s too powerful¡­ Level ten?!" Sylvester grunted, finding himself at his limits. "Even a thousand times, the gravity isn''t bringing him down¡­ then let''s try more!"


    Sylvester had to get closer for that, but each time he took a step, he felt resistance as well. He had never attempted this ability, nor was it natural for his body.


    "Die! Demon!" Malisius roared and, atst, closed his jaws, gulping down Zama''tarpletely. An inferno razed inside his mouth, and crimson mes came out of his nostrils. As if it were a furnace, the dragon tried to burn everything to ashes.


    Sylvester never allowed his magic to die down and kept the electromaic field ready. He could still feel Zama''tar inside the jaws.


    ''Malisius is too weak for him.''


    "Sylvester!" Rathagun bellowed just then. "Look down!"


    "Hmm?" By instinct, he did, and right on the dried swampnd, he noticed the skeleton body of Zama''tar standing, waving at him and smiling.


    "Haha!" Malisiusughed in victory. "And the dragon wins!"


    But Sylvester knew there was more to it as he noticed Rathagun''s horrified expression. No matter how strained he felt, he walked on Light Tiles beside him and took a look.


    "Dear Solis!" Sylvester eximed in helplessness.


    "He doesn''t know," Rathagun added, sweating profusely at how easily one of them fell to the demon.


    Behind Malisius'' dragon body was a massive gaping hole big enough that they could see the giant beating punctured heart covered in mes. Blood was oozing out, and death seemed guaranteed.


    In the false sense of victory, Malisius remained hovering. Not even aware that his body was now beyond repair¡ªIt wasn''t long before there was going to be despair, and he''d be able to afford no cure but just prayers.

 Chapter 643 642. Battle Of Divider Swamp IV: A Demons Duty

    Chapter 643 642. Battle Of Divider Swamp IV: A Demon''s Duty


    "Ah¡­" Malisius groaned all of a sudden and felt the pain sweep all over his body. He slowly began to realise there was something wrong as the heat in his body began to die down. His fluttering wings felt weak, unable to keep him hovering in the air.


    "What''s happening¡­ to¡­ me?" Confusion took over as his brain lost the necessary blood to function.


    Soon after, his massive body dived down like a massive meteor. His body, still burning with fire, eventuallynded with a loud thud, forming a small crater around itself. With that, King Malisius, a Supreme Wizard, took hisst breaths. Angered, confused and desperate to live, but there was nothing they could do.


    Sylvester and Rathagun watched the giant fall helplessly. If they had attempted to heal him in that state, they were sure to have expanded all their srium reserves. Fighting the Demon would have be impossible.


    However, deep in their hearts, both Sylvester and Rathagun knew that this was a blessing in disguise. With Malisius'' death, the dragons were left with no Supreme Wizard. Now, the father and son could truly capture the continent and bring some order.


    "What''s the n?" Rathagun asked. "The Demon knows every element we know."


    "Not mine," Sylvester grunted back, still keeping Zama''tar on the ground with more than a thousand times gravity imposed on him. "I suspect he''s already a level ten Supreme Wizard¡ªany more than this means we won''t be able to stop him even in our wildest dreams. I don''t know what urs beyond Supreme Wizards, but that''s something I''d rather explore personally than watch."


    They both decided to go down and fight the man on the ground. Since the rune walls were set to ensure Zama''tar couldn''t gain back his srium, they only had to make the Demon deplete his srium.


    "I must say, you''re as much of a genius as I''ve heard in the rumours," Zama''tar spoke while staring at Sylvester, the flesh across his body already regrown. "I don''t know what this strange ability you possess. It''s certainly not as simple as Gravity Maniption."


    Sylvester didn''t speak and divulge his secrets. He was already experiencing pushback from tampering with thews of nature at such a scale. "Why did youe to this world? Who sent you? Who is your ruler? Your king?"


    "King? Hah, we have our Empress Mother¡ªThe purest and kindest soul of all," Zama''tar replied, ridiculing Sylvester a little. "Compared to your civilisation, ours is far more advanced, civilised and honourable."


    "I can see¡ªvery civilised indeed," Rathagun taunted back. "Does everyone look as ugly as you in your world?"


    Sylvester remained silent as they talked since he remembered the vision he once had of the Demon''s body under the Pope''s Pce. ''From the visions, it''s clear the Demons are indeed far more advanced than us. I saw those massive, tall skyscrapers¡­ But if that''s the case, why attack this ce?''


    "Then why are you here?" Sylvester seriously questioned.


    "To fulfil my mission," Zama''tar replied and raised his creepy, ten-fingered hands towards Sylvester, albeit showing a lot of struggle to do so. The gravity wasn''t as untroublesome to him as he made it seem. "In case you don''t know yet. General Zama''tar never loses."


    Sylvester sneered and stepped forward, keeping his electromaic magic going. That was the only way to restrain Zama''tar enough and ensure no more casualties urred. "Let me prove otherwise."


    Sylvester stomped his foot on the ground, and massive, sharp vines beganing out and attacking Zama''tar from below, forcing him to step aside, but gravity slowed him. His flesh was damaged, leaving holes in it.


    "Wraaaa!" Right then, Sylvester roared like a dragon, and simr to Lord Inquisitor, breathed fire at the Demon. Massive, long-distance and powerful¡ªthat was the way to fight him.


    Bam!


    Bam!


    Rathagun began throwing spears made of wood at Zama''tar. Each spear was reinforced with magical runes that gave them fire or air properties. They hit Zama''tar''s skeleton and injured him physically.


    ''There must be a key somewhere.'' Sylvester reminded himself he was dealing with a Demon. He knew he had to be quick as the electromaic magic was eating away at his srium reserves, faster than what he could absorb from the nature around him.


    "Haaaa!" Sylvester gave it his all and ran forward at normal speed. As if drifting on the ground, he used Earth elemental magic, threw sharp stones at Zama''tar, and hit him with pirs that rose from the ground. But they didn''t always work as Zama''tar also used Earth elemental magic to negate it.


    Boom!


    Sylvester again spewed a st of fire from his mouth, covering the Demon whole. But right then, the Demon copied him and blew out a ball of fire at Sylvester. After that, Sylvester kicked the air towards Zama''tar, sending des of invisible air that could destroy towns in a single move. However, Zama''tar did the same and negated it.


    Woosh!


    Bam!


    Thud!


    Sylvester sent out all the elemental attacks he could while keeping the gravity heavy. However, each time, the Demon countered with the same magic, revealing that he had everything Sylvester did.


    ''Got you!'' Sylvester abruptly jumped back after the exchange of moves. ''The key is in his heart.''


    He had been using Elder magic to scan everything around him and see what was inside everything. He was able to see inside Zama''tar''s body as well. There seemed to be a beating heart, and inside it was a small thing that oozed out a lot of srium.


    "King Rathagun!" Sylvester jumped beside the elven king and told him the n. "I''ll release the pressure that''s keeping him on the ground. The n is simple¡­"


    "It''s too dangerous!" Rathagun objected.


    Sylvester shook his head, "Without destroying the key, we can''t defeat him. We have to do this, King Rathagun¡ªThis is the only way."


    Rathagun stared back at the Demon and sighed, "Fine¡­ I trust your words."


    Sylvester nodded and looked at the sky. Invisible to others, he saw Miraj flying above and dropping the fine Spear of Infinity, his cherished weapon.


    nk!


    Just as he raised his hands and caught the spear, the electromaic field vanished and released the Demon from its invisible restraints. Zama''tar vanished from the spot and moved at a speed no less than light. Both its arms had turned into long spears of bones, covered with ck poisonous mist. Under his feet was fire magic. On his back was air magic propelling him forward.


    Sylvester had done the same and went even faster than Zama''tar. He activated the Spear of Infinity and increased its length. A dozen elder runes of light elemental magic formed on the spear''s tip, spiralling and shining bright, massive and round.


    Reacting to him, Zama''tar did the same and formed a dozen light runes.


    Both sprung at each other with their full strength and before one could even reach them, they collided. Zama''tar''s bone spears and Sylvester''s Spear of Infinity. Both sides with their magic runes.


    BOOM!


    sh!


    The dozens of light runes collide with each other first and are shattered with spectacr explosions of white light. The energy released hollowed the ground around them, deepening the massive swamp by hundreds of meters. The crater wasrge enough to be called another Merkins''ke. The scorching air burned away any remaining roots and tentacles left of the monster Bloodling. And the dirt itself melted, turning into red, hot ss.


    "Haaaa!" Sylvester pushed forward, not leaving his feet on the ground. "You can copy my magic¡ªbut never my knowledge!"


    sh!


    Sylvester sensed two of his rune circles break in front of the spear, and at the same time, Zama''tar was at thest rune circle. The difference was Elder Magic, something Zama''tar didn''t have.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester finally made it through, and his spear prated through Zama''tar''s body. He pushed the Demon along with his momentum and dragged him all the way to the edge of the cliff, the boundary of the massive swamp.


    Boom!


    Sylvester pushed his spear forward, pinning the Demon to the rocky wall. But just then, he sensed something. He couldn''t feel Zama''tar''s body anymore.


    "Maxy! He vanished in ck mist!" Miraj''s voice rang from the top of the cliff.


    Sylvester stopped using his magic and turned around. There, he noticed an injured Zama''tar rushing toward Rathagun with the same move. There was desperation in the air, and Sylvester could smell it. That left him in the utmost confusion, as he was the person the Demon should be focused on killing.


    ''Why is he after Rathagun?!''


    Woosh!


    Sylvester couldn''t spend any more time thinking and went with his final move. He jumped thousands of feet into the sky with the Spear of Infinity in his hand. He reached almost the edge of the atmosphere, from where he could see some of the space beyond.


    "Piercing Hell¡­ I hope it works!" He muttered and, from that height, dived straight downward. He matched the direction Zama''tar moved, and adjusted himself. He held the spear close to his chest, with the tip protruding outward. Soon, elder light magic was utilised to engulf the head of the spear with dozens of light magic runes. Meanwhile, behind the spear at the tail, both light and fire magic runes took form.


    He fell like a shooting star, with a long tail behind him. The speed exceeded anything he had ever achieved in his life. The destruction he was going to cause was something he didn''t even want to imagine.


    For all his life, he had heard Supreme Wizards could alone destroy kingdoms. Now he knew¡ªthis was how they could destroy kingdoms.


    "Haaaaaa!" Sylvester tried to gain any speed he could as Zama''tar was closing in on Rathagun and shed his de with the elven king. No sword could handle such strikes, and soon Rathagun was left without a weapon. But still, he used his magic and slowed Zama''tar with sharp vines and some water magic; throwing massive spikes at the creature.


    Zama''tar roared and quickly freed himself from the vines.


    "Father!" Sylvester''s worried voice rang out.


    "Hahaha¡­ Just die, elf!"


    Swooooo!


    Right then, a sound came from the sky, cutting through the wind, "Just die, Demon!"


    BOOM!


    And Sylvester finallynded the striking blow straight through Zama''tar''s body. Not just the body, he struck his heart and pierced right through. His hand also followed the spear''s trajectory and captured the Demon''s heart with his palm.


    The destruction that ensued was massive and longsting; everything was covered in dirt everywhere, and Rathagun was blown away from the impact.


    How far deep he had fallen into the crater, Sylvester didn''t know. But he had Zama''tar''s heart in his palm as he stood on top of the Demon''s tattered chest, his spear resting there as well, scorching red.


    Squelch!


    Sylvester squeezed the heart and destroyed it, sensing the small key that brought the Demon into this world in the first ce. But when he looked at the thing, he couldn''t help but shake his head. The texture, the shape¡ªit was a pendant. He recognised it as he made it long ago with his own hands, for the first anniversary.


    "D-Diana?" He eximed.


    "Father? Haha¡­ That means¡­ T-This¡­ General Zama''tar has fulfilled his duty¡ªAll for the prosperous future''s beauty." Zama''tar''s groaning voice reverberated as its sharp yellow eyes slowly lost colour. His skin began to form countless cracks of decay as he smiled with a different scent of peace. "N-Not an enemy, but a tool¡ªwill you be wise or a fool? The realm awaits your arrival¡ªawaiting the end of the vicious cycle¡­ Johnathan King Westerling."

 Chapter 644 643. The Clash Of Fates I: Future Of The World

    Chapter 644 643. The sh Of Fates I: Future Of The World


    Amidst the cloud of dust from his powerful move, Sylvester watched as Zama''tar''s body started to turn into dust. He knelt down quickly and tried to interrogate the creature, hoping to know more.


    "Who gave you this pendant? How do you know my full name?" Sylvester questioned with a sharp glow of fierce fury and confusion in his eyes. "Speak¡ªIt''s useless to talk in riddles."


    The skeleton face of the Demon kept the smile as it was, "They can hear us¡­ Human¡­ They hear everything."


    Sylvester''s heart nearly skipped a beat, and he looked up toward the sky, "Not me¡­ Someone sacrificed themselves for my protection. Tell me, what is your world called? How do I get there? Is Diana there?"


    "What you want me to speak; is reachable as long as you seek¡ªDo not be a fool... do not waste this chance to rule," Zama''tar exhaled and finished hisst words as hepletely dusted away with countless cracks all over him.


    Sylvester realised something then, just as the dust was settling, "You! For how long have you Demons invaded this world just to reach me? Did you kill the dragon to assist me?"


    Sadly, the Demon was gone, and there was no way to get answers anymore. Only the little pendant that was the Demon''s key rested in his hand, but he knew it needed to be destroyed as well, to fully free Zama''tar from the shackles that held his soul.


    Crush!


    He clenched his palm and made some fire inside, burning and melting away the pendant. He failed to notice when the dust swept away, and Rathagun began approaching him. All he could think about were questions, countless and each more grave than the other. The slight possibility that Diana could be there made his breath ragged and his heart pound heavily. He wanted to go there right away but didn''t know how to.


    "Sylvester! Where is the Demon?" Rathagun''s voice echoed behind him.


    But Sylvester only came out of the daze when the elven king tapped his shoulder.


    Sylvester shook his head and stood up, turning to look at the man. He brought his mind back to focus and asserted the situation. "Yes¡­ The Demon is dead. I was able to destroy the key. Divider Swamp is free from the dark forces now¡­ I believe the Merkins will be able to return to their habitats soon."


    "What happened to you? You seem strange." Rathagun asked, having noticed a slight change in Sylvester.


    ''It''s useless to share these things with anyone right now. I need to confirm my doubts about the demon world myself before spreading the word,'' Sylvester made up his mind and smiled rather forcibly.


    "Nothing, just wondered why and who sent the Demon here¡ªWe seem to have enemies that we aren''t even aware of. If the demon realm is as advanced and massive as Zama''tar said, I fear it will pose a challenge in the future," Sylvester gave a redacted version of his thoughts and picked up his spear from the ground.


    Woosh!


    He swung the spear with one hand so fast that a humongous tornado formed, sucking all the dust and piling it under him. Eventually, he began to notice the destruction he had caused with Piercing Hell''s move.


    He found himself inside a gigantic crater, evenrger than the Divider Swamp. This meant the swamp didn''t exist anymore, nor did the walls around it. The entire region had turned into a massive crater with sloping walls at the edges.


    Rathagun sighed, knowing if such an attack had fallen over Alfia, his kingdom would have vanished. "W-We won, Sylvester."


    "Not yet," Sylvester refuted and looked at the far edge toward the rising slopes of the crater. He noticed two men sliding down anding towards him. They were easily recognised to be Bloodrain and Soulbreaker.


    At the same time, on the other side, Sylvester saw a few elves appearing, all d in armour and their des unsheathed. There were ten of them, and he easily recognised them from the Elder Council.


    "The Demon is dead!" Sylvester bellowed before the new arrivals coulde close. His purpose was to make sure they heard him. "But this peace we have earned won''tst for long. For the elves still wish to enve my people¡ªDeplorable, but not something I didn''t expect. So hear me, King of Elves! I challenge you to a duel since only the two of us remain at the peak¡ªthe victor shall be the ruler of all, the spearhead that shall guide our civilisations as a just ruler."


    "May the Holy Light bless us!" Bloodrain reached them and prayed for Sylvester''s victory right away; the bleeding eye sockets on his visor clearly showed how deep his belief went.


    Soulbreaker wasn''t far behind, either. "Only His Holiness can guide our world to a better future. ept your fate, elf¡ªdon''t be the healthy mind''s disgusting tumour."


    "..."


    Sylvester wasn''t expecting that sort of insult, but he weed them as the Elder Council of the elves were agitated by those words.


    Ellitran, the king''s father-inw, scoffed and raised his spear toward Soulbreaker, "Hold your tongue, human. A mere Supreme Wizard who was born yesterday cannot win against the strongest bloodline of the elves¡ªKing Rathagun will quash your foolish Pope and rule yournds. Your kind are only worthy of being our good servants¡ªnothing more, nothing less."


    Sylvester sneered, finding some genuine hatred for the elven man, "And that''s exactly why there can''t be peace unless I step on your head¡­ I don''t speak of all the elves, but only you, Elder Ellitran¡ªAlfia may have ten problems, and I have no doubt you are the reason for nine of them."


    "Indeed¡­ I mean, how dare you!" First Elder, Rathagun''s loyalist, Florian, shouted out of instinct but changed his mind midway.


    "No goodes out of violence," the legendary eleven General, now a retired elder, Zelphar, suggested. "I have seen countless young elves die for nothing¡ªLet us discuss the matter of very and find a solution."


    Out of ten, almost half of the elders nodded at Zelphar''s words. After seeing the destruction their battle had caused, the elders couldn''t help but ept reality. There was nothing good in getting the two monsters to fight anymore.


    "NO!" However, not all of them thought that, as Ellitran still firmly believed in the superiority of rank. Sylvester had be a Supreme Wizard merely a few weeks ago, and at the same time, Rathagun had been a Supreme Wizard for almost half a decade. "We need a definite answer to see who the true victor of the Thousand Year War is. Malisius is dead¡ªthat only leaves us and the humans."


    "Do not be swept away in your greed for victory, Ellitran," Elder Zelphar voiced sternly. "I have fought in the battles as much as you have. We both know there is no good in continuing it. Not when humans desire peace as well."


    Looking furiously red, Ellitran''s long blonde hair fluttered as he firmly pointed his spear toward Sylvester, "What will you tell our people? How will you justify their years of sacrifices after epting a truce without a proper concession from humans?"


    Sylvester sighed and lifted his spear as well. His armour was very dirty and broken in ces. His hair was messy as well. However, he still appeared as the brightest in the crowd. "Elder Ellitran, will you be able to tell your people that their king lost to humans? That the elves must surrender to the Pope? Because that is exactly what is going to happen today, and you will be responsible for it."


    Ellitrian prepared himself to fight despite knowing he was going to die, "So be it! Let''s see how a boy born yesterday battles against us with millennia of experience."


    Sylvester scoffed and prepared to strike, "Your millennia of experience is akin to an ant under my foot¡ªabsolute power absolutely triumphs."


    Just as Sylvester stepped forward to strike the old man, King Rathagun stepped forward and covered Elder Ellitran. "He may have a hateable mouth and an appalling personality, but he is still an elder, my teacher and my father-inw. To harm him, you must go through me."


    "Then, let us begin," Sylvester created Light Tiles for himself rather embarrassingly and walked towards the sky. "Guardian Bloodrain and Guardian Soulbreaker¡ªgive them hell!"


    The two masked men bowed their heads towards Sylvester. Bloodrain unsheathed his longsword, dripping in blood. Soulbreaker began swinging his thurible, a chained contraption that gave out streams of smoke.


    Boom!


    The moment Sylvester and Rathagun''s magic struck each other and created a loud sound, the battle began. On the ground, the two Guardians and Ten Elders fought while two Supreme Wizards exchanged blows in the sky.


    Sylvester quickly made perfect Light Clones for himself. They were perfected to such a degree now they even looked like Sylvester and matched the aura from his body. Even the fake spear they held in their hands was rather painful to regr foes.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester began to run around Rathagun; more than twenty of his clones confused him easily. Since the elven king had also lost his sword, he had nothing but his magic and hands to fight.


    "You never stop surprising me, my son," Rathagun muttered so only Sylvester could hear. "I wonder what else you have in store."


    Sylvester chuckled and began forming the Wrath of Heaven beam using both his hands, "I must say your acting skills have improved in such a short time."


    "Haha¡ªAll thanks to you," Rathagunughed and reacted the same way. He was able to fly faster than Sylvester, so he formed some distance and punched the air multiple times towards Sylvester''s clones. However, to Sylvester''s surprise, instead of an Air Elemental attack, it was a Green Elemental attack.


    Snap!


    Out of nothing, multiple sharp rods of wood formed and pierced through the clones, destroying them. That left only Sylvester visible, who had already prepared his Wrath of Heaven.


    ?O'' mighty king of the elven kind,


    To the power of light, do not be blind.?


    Boom!


    The massive, shimmering beam of white and golden light flew from Sylvester''s palms and headed towards King Rathagun. It ttered through the air as if it contained thunder from the sky. The air itself burned away in its path, forming hints of mists.


    "Hah¡ªNot today, son," Rathagun eximed and took a stance as if shooting an arrow through a bow. However, he had no bow or arrow in his arms. But not for long, as wood formed from his very skin, radiant in its golden colour, covered with beautiful green vines and flowers as the bow formed. It was massive in Rathagun''s arms.


    Then, a bright, shining green arrow formed over the bow, being stretched backwards along with the invisible thread. The mere arrow radiated such energy that even Sylvester felt it from a distance.


    BOOM!


    And with that, father and son collided. The echoing st of their sh rang blindingly radiant throughout the northern and southern edges of the continent.


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 645 644. The Clash Of Fates II: Sylvesters Supreme Void

    Chapter 645 644. The sh Of Fates II: Sylvester''s Supreme Void


    The moment Sylvester''s Wrath of Heavens and Rathagun''s magical arrow of green light touched each other, a blinding light sted off in all directions. A mix of white and green, the energy produced from their sh was astonishing and fear-striking.


    The crater was already proof of the destruction they had caused, but this was different, as two Supreme Wizards were colliding. The sounds of their battle were heard even inside the most secretive walls of the Kingdom of Giants and the most secluded gardens of Alfia in the far south.


    For those on the ground, it was a situation far worse. Blinded by the sudden rush of light, the elven Elders couldn''t move. However, Bloodrain, who was already blind and yet a master, had no problem moving.


    His senses told him all he needed to know, and he pounced on one of the elven Elders who had mistakenly backed further away from the group in the midst of the confusion.


    Woosh!


    With a simple strike to the neck, the elven Elder died with his severed head falling towards the group. Bloodrain didn''t stop there and changed his position to n his next surprise move.


    Soon, while the echoes of the two Supreme Wizards shing still resounded, the blinding light vanished. Once everyone could see, a sense of panic spread among the Elder elves.


    "Elder Houron!" Shouted Elder Ellitran at the top of his lungs. The severed, fear-stricken face of Elder Houron rested beside his feet.


    In the sky, Rathagun paused and nced downward. He, too, reacted like Ellitran, "Elder Houron! Who killed him?!"


    Bam!


    Sylvester elongated his spear rapidly, striking Rathagun on his shoulder armor, breaking it and chipping it away. "That''s why they say¡ªDon''t pick fights you cannot win."


    "Haaa!" Rathagun roared and charged toward Sylvester. He flew fast and shot a smaller arrow from the magical bow that came out of his body.


    Sylvester deflected the bows made of pure energy with his Spear of Infinity and replied with fierce strikes, the tip covered with fire runes. "Shouting won''t turn your dreams into a reality!"


    nk!


    Sylvester''s spear struck Rathagun once again, this time on his stomach. Seeing that, Sylvester also charged ahead on the Light Tiles. Once again, the Wrath of Heavens formed on his palms, but this time, the spear was going to be aponent as well.


    Rathagun noticed it and retreated some distance before charging his arrow as well. This time, it was much bigger than before, bing thick enough to stretch the string almost all the way back and the bow bent. Its length was more than Rathagun''s height. With green shining light, it also included some brown and purple sparks pertaining to other elements.


    Once again, their moves collide and spread light everywhere. Bloodrain was also prepared and appeared behind the elders this time and imed one more nape with his bleeding sword.


    BOOM!


    However, a loud st echoed in the sky just then, and Sylvester''s white light vanished. Only the green flickering of Rathagun''s arrow remained. Once the lights disappeared, Sylvester was nowhere to be seen, and Rathagun was fully focused on Bloodrain, Soulbreaker and the two severed heads on the ground.


    "You dare y tricks in mynd!" Boomed Rathagun, preparing himself to strike.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in the sky, some distance away, Sylvester found himself yanked with force. He wasn''t injured at all, but the force at which their strikes collided and the fact that Rathagun''s strike was stronger threw him off.


    "I misjudged his strike¡ªIs he trying to fight me for real?" Sylvester wondered and soon found his trajectory changed thanks to gravity. Before he knew it, somewhere in the Beastkin region, hended right on top of a small house with a tiled roof.


    Bam!


    Breaking in, through the roof and a lot of dust, hended inside the house. He made sure tond softly, not to kill anybody. But when he looked at who was nearest to him, he postponed returning.


    "Oh, hello there," He greeted the little girl with the face of a baby tigress, sitting in a cute flowery dress on a chair and eating her food.


    He was on the floor beside her chair with all the rubble on him. Thanks to their instincts, the girl''s parents were taken aback and jumped. Sadly, the girl had yet to develop those instincts.


    "Whaa! Elf!" The little girl chirped, having dropped her spoon already. With her big, yellow kitten eyes, she stared at Sylvester in awe.


    He chuckled and started to stand up, patting his clothes clean, "Not every handsome being is an elf, little girl. I''m the human Pope."


    "Poop?"


    "..."


    Sylvester sighed and crouched a little to jump out high, "Ah¡­ Chonky would have loved to meet you. In any case, sorry for the trouble and the damage. Be well, eat your meals on time and¡­"


    He quickly fiddled into his pockets and took out three small pouches full of gold coins, "This should be enough for the damages and a lot of toys for you¡ªfarewell."


    With that, Sylvester leapt out of the roof and vanished into the sky. The little family of three was left in shock and confusion. Everything happened so fast that they didn''t even get to react.


    "W-Was that ''the'' Pope?" The father Tigerkin wondered.


    The mama Tigerkin nodded vigorously, "I¡­ I''ve seen the painting in the temple¡­ I think that was the real Pope."


    "No!" The little girl eximed, fiddling with some gold coins. "That was Poop!"


    "..."


    ¡­


    Sylvester kicked the air in the sky and flew back towards Divider Swamp. As he loudly burst through the sound barrier, he found himself at his destination in no time. He noticed Rathagun attacking Bloodrain, attempting to kill him.


    Boom!


    Sylvesternded near the elven Elders and savagely kicked Ellitran right on his back, crushing his backbone into pieces and folding the man as if he were a piece of cloth. "Fight someone of your own size."


    "Aaaargh!" Ellitran cried in immense pain as he found himself on the scorched ground in a painful position. He couldn''t feel his legs at all.


    Bam!


    Sylvester and Rathagun lunged at each other again and violently fought only with their arms and legs. However, it was soon apparent that Sylvester was better at that. He was also a tinum Knight of the highest level and easily took Rathagun''s kicks and punches. While the same couldn''t be said about the elven man.


    Bam!


    "You''re getting good at this," Sylvesterplimented.


    Rathagun smirked, "It''s in the blood, it seems."


    Woosh!


    Sylvester threw him into the sky again and kicked his feet to jump. He held the spear upwards and spiralled like a tornado. He cut through the air and struck Rathagun in the chest, taking him high up into the skies above the clouds.


    "I''ve got many more moves," Sylvester said, using the variation of metal maniption. Once again, he tried electromaism on Rathagun and slowed him down a little. Afterwards, he utilised metal maniption to toy with Rathagun''s blood. It wasn''t easy to do, but he tried it anyway.


    "Aaaaargh!" Rathagun roared in pain, his voice likely heard down below.


    Sylvester continued and used Aquafire, a move thatbined fire and water elemental magic. Using it, he covered Rathagun in a fire that couldn''t be removed easily.


    With his movements restricted, Rathagun found himself at a loss.


    "I still have my Supreme Void," Rathagun remarked.


    Sylvester chuckled, "Is that so? Go ahead and try."


    Red veins popped up on Rathagun''s face as he attempted to use the most powerful tool in a Supreme Wizard''s possession. An absolute territory wherews of nature belonged to the supreme ruler, the caster.


    "Can''t?" Sylvester''s ridiculing voice came, shocking the elven King. "Do you know why you can''t use it?"


    "I-It can''t be!" Rathagun panicked and looked around, still in pain from Sylvester''s triple magical attack. "That means¡­ I''m already inside a Supreme Void! But there''s nothing¡­ We''re out in the open!"


    Snap!


    Sylvester flicked his fingers, and darkness instantly shrouded them.


    Snap!


    He did it again, and a red hue surrounded him.


    Snap!


    This time, it was green.


    He kept at it, changing colours. Eventually, he even changed the scenery, making them appear inside snowy mountains, over the sea on a ship, inside a cave, at the beach, or inside a room. What was even more shocking was that they felt the physical effects¡ªcold and warmth, air and scents; everything.


    Sylvester smirked and released Rathagun from his magical attacks, "I''m perhaps the only Supreme Wizard in history with my level of advanced affinity with light magic. Generally, people believe light is merely whatever shines. But the truth is, light is all around us¡ªwe''re able to see because there is light in the first ce. And whoever can control those spectrums of light¡ªcontrols what we see."


    "But the sensations!" Rathagun eximed.


    Sylvester smiled and raised his arms sideways. Giant balls of elements appeared behind him, rotating in themselves. Fire, earth, water, air, and light all looked majestic behind him as if they were his halo.


    "I was born with an affinity for all elements, andbining them allows me to create whatever situation I desire¡ªor do as much damage as I want," Sylvester said, finishing his little exnation. "Now, it''s time to honour the agreement we made before."


    Rathagun nodded and took a fighting stance, "Our battle willst days, if not weeks¡ªI hope you came prepared."


    Sylvester coldly nodded and raised his spear, "As I said¡­ I don''t pick fights I can''t win. I''ve waited years for this¡ªmere days are easy to dismiss."


    Boom!


    And with that, the constant sounds of their battles resounded all over. For hours, Bloodrain, Soulbreaker and the remaining elven Elders also battled each other. However, due to the legendary retired General Zelphar, the Guardians couldn''t kill anyone anymore.


    Eventually, they got tired and set up their camps while listening to the sounds of a raging battle in the sky. They gulped and sweated the whole time, wondering who was winning or if any stray attacks might fall on them and kill them.


    Still, the entire time, they didn''t dare to leave. As a few more visitors they had to receive. Countless experts from various species sought the origin of the sounds. It was an opportunity, a possibility of gaining some treasures which they sniffed out like hounds.


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 646 645. The Clash Of Fates III: Ruler Of The World

    Chapter 646 645. The sh Of Fates III: Ruler Of The World


    "I hate this¡­ Why do I have to do the boring work? I''llin to Big Mum when we get back." Miraj, the ultimate chonkers of the sky, flew away from the battle site towards the open sea to the west.


    He was fast, but even then, it took him time as he had to traverse arge stretch ofnd. Although that only took him a few minutes, even that felt like hours to him, unable to see the magnificent battle of his Maxy and Rat-Rat.


    Eventually, he reached the sea and began to suck in much of the water in his dimensional belly. He was told not to growrger or take in all the water. Sylvester had already calcted his speed of intake, so Miraj was to count to ten while drinking the water and storing it.


    "Nine¡­"


    "Ten! Let''s go back!" Miraj chirped, finishing his task and headed straight back to Sylvester to see how the battle was going. However, he had no idea about the surprise waiting for him.


    ¡­


    The battle between Sylvester and Rathagun went on for over a day, and the end of it still wasn''t in sight. The loud explosions and the asional blinding lights were frightening, but the Guardians or the elven Elders couldn''t even look above them as they had trouble surrounding them.


    Like hyenas, some members of various species had appeared. Wanting to take advantage of the situation, they all surrounded them and attacked. In the end, Bloodrain, Soulbreaker and the remaining elders had to join hands and fight against the attackers.


    However, they had no idea what was going on in the sky inside Sylvester''s Supreme Void that they couldn''t even see. To their eyes, the battle was raging, but reality was more than meets the eye.


    "The meat is cooked."


    "No, it''s not, son. I know my well-done meat."


    "Why don''t you just eat dry paper then?" Sylvester replied and ate his fill.


    The two men sat inside what appeared to be a cave. It was all an ingenious contraption Sylvester had made. Inside his Supreme Void, being the master of all elements, he was able to create a small ce to rest. For those outside, all they could see was the ongoing battle


    ¡ªall thanks to the maniption of light elements.


    After Miraj eventually found them, they cooked meat, drank some juice and Sunshine Nectar while talking. This was the only way Sylvester could earn some private time with the man he shared his blood with.


    There were many moments of silence between them. Both had some questions, but they didn''t know where to begin. But Sylvester eventually took a leap of faith and asked him directly.


    "Why didn''t you just leave with Mum? You could have built a new life in Libertia or cut your ears and lived as a human. I''m sure it would have been easy for you as a Supreme Wizard," Sylvester asked him the main question.


    Ashamed, Rathagun looked down, unable to match Sylvester''s eyes, "I¡­ I hesitated back then. The tensions with the dragons were high, and the war with Sol had only halted a while back. If I had left Alfia, it would have been destroyed¡ªI regret it now, seeing what has be of my kingdom. A narcissistic, self-absorbed society that''s unable to consider what''s beyond the walls."


    Amidst the crackling of the small fire between them, the two stared at the mes and fell deep into thought. Sylvester remembered how desperate Xavia was when he was born and what she did to raise him. Rathagun remembered thest moment before he sent Xavia away across the sea.


    "Did you even love her? Or was it a mistake that you felt responsible for?" Sylvester questioned, still unable to understand how a Supreme Wizard fell in love with a simple human ve who wasn''t even magically strong.


    Rathagun smiled widely and reminisced about his life, "She¡­ She is the kindest person I''ve met in my entire life. Elves killed her father and enved her, and despite that, she used her meagre magic to heal me once. The look of worry I saw on her face, despite being her enemy, woke something in me¡ªa realization that the boundaries of species we created among us only existed in our minds, not in reality."


    Sylvester''s brows red up as he nodded. Indeed, Xavia was someone like that. But he didn''t let the words cloud his judgment and kept his feelings at bay. "Why still pursue her? You have a beautiful wife who''s living as a broken woman. I had the chance to speak with Delimira, and she genuinely seemed to be a good person who loves you as dearly as you say you love Xavia. Isn''t Delimira your childhood friend? A girl tutored since her birth to be your perfect wife? I say, don''t repeat the mistakes youmitted with my Mum¡ªbe a man for once."


    Rathagun frowned, not knowing what Sylvester saw in Delimira, "She''s a two-faced pawn of Ellitran."


    "She''s an innocent, stuck between her duties as a daughter and a wife. Just for once, try and take her side, hold her hand and assure her you''ll stand by her. I have no doubt she will stand against her father for you¡ªI saw that fire in her," Sylvester advised him out of his selfishness and genuineness.


    "I guess¡­" Rathagun sighed with a long breath and wearily rubbed his face. "I do remember Delimira being kind and caring¡­ But then, what of Xavia¡­ I love her."


    Sylvester had no clue how he was going to do it. But he had made up his mind to not give up the only mother he ever had and knew in both his lives.


    "Forget her as long as she remains a mortal with less than a century left to live. Forget her because she has no desire to be a member of your harem. You either take being the King of Alfia seriously or give up everything and join Xavia for as long as she lives. Either you break your own heart by stomping on your desires to be with Xavia, or break Delimira''s heart by leaving her alone after being prepared for centuries to be your wife." He painted the picture clearly to the man. There were only two options to consider.


    "What about you?" Asked Rathagun. "What do you desire?"


    "Peace and happiness. I respect Mum''s wishes, and as long as she''s happy, I will agree to anything. Tomorrow, if she wishes to be with you, I will let her go," he stated without a second wasted on thinking.


    "Even if it means living alone?"


    "I''m used to it now. Besides, the foes I must defeat to safeguard this world are something only achievable by my own sacrifices¡ªas long as I can maintain the lives and smiles on the faces I cherish, I consider it all worth it," Sylvester replied and stood up.


    He wasn''t very sure of what the future held, but he knew that somewhere on the journey, his pursuit of peace had transformed into something far greater, with an impact on a number of lives he couldn''t even count.


    He hated it, but to preserve his life, the world where Xavia lived, and leave behind a ce where Miraj could openly reveal himself¡ª


    He knew he had to struggle a bit more.


    "Almost two days have passed. Let''s end this now," Sylvester picked up his spear and quashed the fire while Miraj ate all the leftover food.


    Rathagun proudly looked at his son and went forward to hug him without warning, "I can see you are struggling in your mind, my son. You have a burden on your shoulders that I cannot see nor imagine, but you only have to ask, and I will dly share it."


    ''He''s not that bad, I guess,'' Sylvester thought.


    "You know the endgame. I ask for forgiveness beforehand for all the pain you''re about to suffer," Sylvester apologized as the n to subjugate Alfia came to an end¡ªa n to not only win over the kingdom but also make the King the absolute ruling authority.


    "Haha¡­ It''s all for the greater good. For the first time in Alfia''s history, the King will finally have the ultimate authority, not the council," Rathagun said, excited for a better future.


    "Here I go." Sylvester took a calming breath and broke the Supreme Void. In an instant, they found themselves in the open skies; it was time for the sunrise, and thend below was dimly lit.


    Boom!


    Sylvester leapt forward towards Rathagun and punched him in the face, throwing him downward towards the ground. He didn''t go easy. The punches were real, to inflict pain and wounds, to seempletely lifelike.


    Rathagunnded on the ground with an earth-shattering force. His entire armor was now removed, and his clothes were torn in ces. His face was covered with blood, and he coughed out much more.


    Thud!


    Right after, Sylvesternded and grabbed Rathagun''s face as the man tried to stand up. He shoved the face back on the dirt, breaking the elven King''s nose. The elders and the guardians were not far away, and there seemed to be a few more spectators.


    "Do you ept defeat?" Sylvester boomed.


    "I-I can''t¡­" Rathagun weakly whispered, appearing too injured.


    Sylvester looked towards the Elders and punched Rathagun on the back of his head again and shoved his face into the dirt. "Do you ept your defeat?"


    "I-I can''t¡­ I''m merely a king¡­ not the c-council." Rathagun replied in a breaking, painful voice that only seemed full of air and less substance.


    The sunlight finally began to fall on them, and Sylvester''s body shone under it as if the heavens had spoken and dered his victory already. He was the one still standing triumphantly, and the elven King was on the ground under his feet.


    Bam!


    Sylvester kicked King Rathagun''s back and asked again while staring at the elders, "Death or surrender?! Answer me! Do you ept defeat and acknowledge me as the ruler of all¡ªthe spearhead of all your destiny?"


    Bam!


    He didn''t stop punching the elven King and kept his eyes staring at the remaining members of the council.


    Bam!


    The eight elders watched their King being beaten bloody, his life being punched out of him. Rathagun didn''t even move or react to the attacks anymore. The defeat was clear as day.


    "W-We ept!" Elder Ellitran groaned, still in pain from Sylvester''s kick on his back. "You won¡­ Pope Sylvester."


    Bam!


    Sylvester didn''t stop and pointed behind towards Soulbreaker, "Guardian, bring me the deration of unconditional surrender."


    Soulbreaker quickly took out a folded parchment and handed it to Sylvester, "It''s written as per your suggestions, Your Holiness."


    For a few quick seconds, Sylvester read the parchment and nodded. "Elders of the elfs, sign on this, and I shall ept your defeat officially¡ªrefuse, and I will kill your King, you, and then call forth all my armies toy siege on Alfia."


    The eight elders helplessly looked at Ellitran for his decision. However, to their shock, even the unwavering, iron-willed Ellitran seemed to be shaking in fright. A twenty-six-year-old boy had defeated Alfia, and they didn''t wish to imagine what an entity the Pope would be in a decade or a century.


    "We shall sign." Ellitran weakly decided.


    With that, Soulbreaker brought the parchment to each elder and received their signature on the left side below the terms and conditions. Then, atst, Sylvester signed on the right side of the paper, with witness signatories being Soulbreaker, Bloodrain, a random Dwarf, and a Rabbit Beastkin.


    As soon as all that was done, Sylvester stumbled back away from Rathagun''s body. A sudden surge of exhaustion swept through him


    ¡ªfirst, the exhaustive battle with the Demon and then the whole theatrics with Rathagun. Years and months of schemes had finallye to fruition.


    Back in Alfia, the elders were going to be hated for surrendering, while the King would be seen as the hero who fought with his life on the line. The borate n to win two games in one strike had worked wonders.


    "Finally!" Sylvester roared towards the sky, his hands raised in a fist as the sunlight shined on his being. "Victory!"


    Almost twenty-seven years, countless battles, schemes and loss¡ªatst, he was the unofficial ruler of the world all across.


    ________________

 Chapter 647 646. A Gift To A Species

    Chapter 647 646. A Gift To A Species


    The surrender of the elven elders didn''te as a surprise. But the nning went slightly deeper than simply those theatrics. Rathagun was still lying on the ground, bleeding profusely. Part of it was acting, and part of it was a genuine beating from Sylvester.


    "I do not ask you to obey and ept my faith. I do not demand that you be my servants¡ªwhat I do hope for is peace and that my guidance toward a better future for all of us is followed," Sylvester tried to give the elves some reassurance with his words and walked towards the elven King''s body.


    "Stay away from the King! We have surrendered!" Ellitran shouted with much effort, almost growling to protect his son-inw and student.


    ''Oh, I smell worry for the King. So he isn''t that heartless?'' Sylvester smirked inside but felt no remorse in folding the man with his spine-shattering kick.


    Sylvester approached the King and knelt down beside him before gently cing his palm on the man''s face, which was mostly destroyed. "Let this be my first act as the victor. In might, I am supreme, but in status, we stand with equality and understanding."


    Before the eyes of the Elders, Sylvester healed Rathagun to a point where he could stand normally and look around. However, he didn''t get rid of all the bruises; he left those to show everyone that a battle was involved.


    Bam!


    Rathagun tried to punch Sylvester as soon as his eyes opened. But Sylvester caught his arm and showed him the parchment with clear written words in the elvennguage and human tongue. "The Elders have already surrendered¡ªThe battle is over, Rathagun."


    Rathagun''s eyes widened, and he stared at the Elders, "W-Why?"


    ''Hah! This man¡­ He''s still keeping the act,'' Sylvester worked hard to hold his chuckle. Yes, the beating was real, and he believed Rathagun deserved some for leaving Xavia alone, and the man likely believed it, too. But this was just the cherry on top.


    Elder Ellitran looked down in shame, clenching his fist, "He would have killed you otherwise, Your Majesty. Alfia needs a king who is a Supreme Wizard¡ªespecially after the death of King Malisius of the dragons. With you, they will remain fearful and at bay."


    "But now we must agree to the terms of Pope Sylvester! We will have to follow his word until ''he'' breaks the contract!" Rathagun roared, his voice containing worry and anguish.


    ''I can smell the calm, excitement and a bit of joy?'' Sylvester saw through the emotions. ''Perhaps enjoying the power of being an absolute king of elves for the first time?''


    "Let us return to Alfia and announce the verdict of our battle with the Demon, as well as our duel," Sylvester suggested in amanding tone.


    Hearing his suggestion, the Elders seemed to go pale. All of them, even those that Sylvester considered better, showed expressions of shame shrouding their faces, as well as the scents.


    "We would rather im our own lives right now than face our people and tell them we lost so suddenly¡ªso shamefully," Ellitran said, unable to look Rathagun in the eye, hiding behind his rage and helplessness. epting that the foe they had kept at bay for a thousand years was now upon them wasn''t easy. And it was even harder to tell that to the people.


    "The people don''t need to know," Sylvester said, surprising the man. He knew that this was the time to be more political, and pushing them further would be counterproductive. "I have no desire to enve Alfia, the elves, or any other Beastaria species. I merely want the abolishment of very between all species, the life, reducing injustice, and establishing order in all our lives."


    He keenly watched the Elders'' faces, wanting them to agree to his suggestion. As long as they agreed, he knew they''d be fullyplicit in the conspiracy and would do anything he ordered to keep the truth of their surrender hidden.


    "We¡­" Ellitran looked down in worry. "There are no such things as a reward without a price. I''m sure there are a few conditions to your suggestion."


    "I want Alfia to be my advocate in Beastaria. I don''t wish to bring war, but I do wish to bring order. To keep your surrender hidden, all of Beastaria must be on the same table, agreeing to the same things," Sylvester said cryptically.


    "You want consensus from Deca Imperia?" Rathagun realised what he wanted. "The dragons won''t agree."


    Sylvesterughed and pointed towards the demolished battlefield, "Does it even matter? They will agree to our terms or be history. You merely need to forward and implement the policies that I shall bring to Alfia, which will benefit you all financially¡ªyou only need to push it onto the rest."


    ''But yearster, you will realise the implications of my vague words.'' Sylvester thought and stepped back a little. He just wanted Alfia to take the weight of the me for his actions if there were any mishappenings due to his policies.


    "You can discuss. I shall survey the swamp until and see if any dark elements still loom over this ce," Sylvester said and retreated away with Bloodrain and Soulbreaker.


    The spectators who hade to watch and the two they used as witnesses had already been dealt with. So once again, the scorched, dry wastnd was as empty as the Divine Desert.


    The three walked around, looking to find any treasures or valuables kept by the great numbers of Bloodlings that had gathered there. They looked aimlessly but didn''t even find a single speck of particle implementation of a fewws that I create for the preservation of that wasn''t scorched sand.


    "If there was anything, I don''t think it could have survived mine and King Rathagun''s attacks," Sylvester mumbled, feeling somewhat dejected even though he was likely the wealthiest man in the history of the right now.


    "Such power¡­" Bloodrain mumbled when he gazed around with his senses since his eyes were forever shut. "I wonder if this ce will ever see something alive again. I don''t believe even nts can grow here¡ªsuch tragedy."


    "Actually, I do have a n," Sylvester interjected, raising his palm towards the empty vastness. "This shall be my gift to the Merkins. Sol has had no qualms with the Merkins for as long as I can remember, as they''ve remained geographically isted in theirke. So this shall be my final seal of friendship between two speci¡ª"


    Sylvester abruptly stopped talking and looked behind, "So, what have the Elders decided?"


    Rathagun, having healed Elder Ellitran, came forward with a parchment in his hand, "We have decided to agree to the proposal, but there are a few conditions that you must agree to. I personally believe there should be no problems unless you don''t mean what you say."


    Sylvester''s brows rose as he hadn''t discussed it with the man before. So he took the parchment and gave it a read under his breath. ''In return for representing and implementing Pope Sylvester''s desires in Beastaria, a few conditions need to be agreed. Firstly, Alfia can reject amand that poses an existential threat to the elves. Second, Alfia will not be forced to show subservience to the Pope in public and retain its honour as a proud and powerful kingdom of elves.''


    Sylvester stared at his father with a suspecting gaze, ''So the King finally decided toe out now?''


    "I would like to agree to the second condition, but the first appears too vague. Who decides what is an existential threat? From what I can see, you might reject my economic policies, calling it a threat to Alfia''s finances and, in turn, a threat to your species," he pointed out. "The better wording is ''Alfia can reject a specificmand to put itself in mortal danger through warfare.'' and I''m ready to agree to that."


    The elders scowled or sneered hearing thatmand since they wanted to give themselves some room to oppose Sylvester.


    "Must I remind you that I''m the victor, and if I so desire, I can openly dere your kingdom as my reward to be plundered? Do not take my kindness for granted, as even I can be angered if you push too far. ept the terms, or you can try exining to your people why you surrendered to the Pope," Sylvester bellowed a little louder, slightly threatening them.


    "Agreed!" Ellitran barked furiously.


    Rathagun allowed Sylvester to change the wording on the parchment, and after that, they both signed it. With that, the official and secretive pact was in effect.


    "Your first task is to end very and remove hatred in your society towards Sol, humans, the faith of Solis and all other species¡ªof course, not the Goblins, for they are going to be extinct in Beastaria in theing weeks."


    "That''s what I wanted to hear!" Ex-general Zelphar roared in delight. "They deserve to be extinct¡ªfilthy waste on these benignnds."


    ''So the hatred towards Goblins ismon across all species,'' Sylvester almost chuckled and made Light Steps to walk up to exit the massive crater that used to be the swamp.


    "Let us return then," he ordered.


    The eight remaining Elders and Rathagun followed and climbed out of the steeply sloped walls of the crater. It took them a few minutes to trek it fully in their condition. But when they reached the top, they found Sylvester''s hand raised towards the vast, empty crater.


    They were too afraid to say anything, as Sylvester''s eyes seemed shining in a golden hue, lost in deep thought about something profound.


    ''Zama''tar¡­ How do I enter the demon world? I should try to find more Demons and interrogate them. If they''re attempting to contact me¡­ they should respond.''


    Atst, he began speaking again, but in hymns.


    ?Merkins of the gentleke.


    May it be resolved with this gift?


    Boom!


    A surging, magical and powerful torrent of water came out of his palms,bined with a cat''s purr. It exploded where itnded below the crater''s steep slopes and filled it entirely.


    Since the water of Merkin''s Lake and Divider Swamp used to be one, and their origin was the sea, Sylvesterbined the two habitats into one. In a few minutes, he erged theke for Merkins by double the size and enriched the soil with the minerals of the sea.


    Behind his head, the halo remained shining. He knew the Merkins were watching him, having been lured by the sudden detoxification of theirke. However, they remained hidden from the unknown destructive surge of magic from the father and son duel.


    ?Watch this rising, beautiful tide.


    The bright future takes a stride.


    Remember, I was here when you cried.


    In-kind¡ªI rest the case for my side.?


    And so there was anotherke¡ªa species full of hope and a divine blessing of the Pope.


    A moment never to be forgotten¡ªwhen the man in gold appeared from across the sea for the downtrodden.


    ________________

 Chapter 648 647. The Hive Project

    Chapter 648 647. The Hive Project


    The Hive Project was something Sylvester had started the instant he had gained control over the faith while still fighting for Popehood. It was nned and realised in Miraj City, the known second Holy Land.


    ording to ''The Hive Project'', Sylvester personally formted a test paper that was meant to test the cognitive abilities of each individual. In simple words, it was meant to test the intelligence quotient of the people across all of Sol.


    Within a few months, the test papers were printed in massive printing presses under Miraj City and then were sent off to each and every monastery across Sol. Being the ce of worship, people were asked to take the test for free, and whoever came to take the test was offered a tasty, special meal that day.


    The lure was enough to attract everyone. While the rich just wanted to take the test to show their support and see if they were smart, the poor merely wanted food.


    It had been months since the tests had been concluded. Sylvester had won the battle for Popehood, destroyed the Tower of Godless, and had be a Supreme Wizard. Finally, right at that time, the massivebined effort of countless Bright Mothers and low-ranking Priests to evaluate the papers was finished.


    With that, the list was made ording to the IQ noted. While everyone was to be awarded a right to education, those above average were to be sent to special schools to study magic and various subjects rted to science, arts and economics. Then, the next group, those with high IQs and considered gifted, were to be sent to another school where their talents would be honed, tested and nurtured in a safe and healthy environment under the direct supervision of the Holy Land.


    However, despite all odds, the test revealed a few monster intellects hiding in the wild, living the life of amoner when their minds were meant for something far greater. These individuals were the top scorers on the tests. There were almost fifty people with their IQ crossing the two hundred mark, and the top five were what ''The Hive Project'' was all about.


    The rest were still to be brought to the Holy Land and enrolled in a special private school owned and run by Sylvester personally as the unofficial Headmaster.


    ¡­


    In a small town under the rule of Count Lowtide on the easternmost edge of the Duchy of Zon, a man named Noah lived. Just another normal, average man in the vastness of countless mighty and famed names across the world. Or so he thought.


    "...Grandma, this is a deration of wealth to the Holy Land. You need to write down how muchnd you own, if you have a house, how many people are in your home and how much money you earn monthly and yearly."


    "What?!" The old woman with a hunched back looked at the parchment in her hand, unable to read it. "B-But¡­ I''m just a poor olddy. Why does the Holy Land want such information? W-Will they take mynd and money? Did Imit a crime?"


    "Wait-wait!" The young, ck-haired man in his twenties, neatly shaved and in dirty work clothes, stood by a horse stable as he spoke with the old woman. "I believe this is an idea of His Holiness. Considering the wonderful policies he has implemented in the past months, I can see this as an attempt to calcte how many people live on Sol, how rich they are, and how many are struggling.


    "Perhaps he wishes to help the poorest of the society and help them with subsidised food, clothing and education. Like how he subsidised the new miracle fertilisers for farmers."


    Bam!


    "Argh!" The young man groaned in pain all of a sudden as a grumpy, heavily built man came behind him and knocked on his head. "Noah, get back to your damn job. Old Yonis warned you not to speak with people when working."


    Noah groaned, rubbing his head, "I''ve already cleaned the stable. The shit is shovelled away. Besides, Granny here lost her two sons in the Pope''s War. She can''t read, and this is the least we can do."


    "Whatever. Don''te to me when the master cuts your pay again."


    The old woman frantically tried to apologise, "Forgive me, dear¡­ I don''t have anyone else to rely on. They ask for money for a little help, and I have two grandkids to feed."


    Noah rubbed his face annoyedly, "Those helpers are paid by the Church to help those who can''t read and write understand the Pope''s policies. It''s tant corruption¡ªI know the Archpriest is also involved."


    Thud!


    "Corruption, you said?"


    "Aaaaa!" The old granny screamed at the sudden presence that appeared behind her. She looked back; there was a tall man armoured in a pitch-ck suit, his massive ck sword tied behind him, and the red cape behind him bore the mark of the Church of Solis.


    "Are you Noah?" the armoured, masked warrior questioned.


    Noah didn''t flinch, "I am."


    "Brilliant. I am Felix Sandwall, Saint Viceman of the Holy Land. You took part in a test conducted by the Holy Land in the monastery. Your score of two-hundred and fifty-five has piqued the Pope''s interest. You are invited to the Holy Land¡ªConsider this the moment your life changes forever."


    "You''re ''the'' Felix Sandwall?" Noah asked, unable to believe his eyes for a moment.


    ''I''m famous? I never knew it,'' Felix silently gloated in his mind. ''Heh, take that, Max. Even these far-away folks know me."


    "Who''s Felix Sandwall?" The old granny asked Noah suddenly, stepping on Felix''s hidden happiness.


    "..."


    "The right-hand man of Pope Sylvester. Respected Saint, may I know why someone with a rank as high as you came to see me? I''m a nobody who cleans the stables for a living," Noah keenly wondered.


    Felix ignored the man and instead took out a small pouch full of gold coins and handed it to the old woman. "Thank you for your sacrifice, my sister in faith. I''m sure your sons are in the embrace of the Lord. The Holy Land will never forget you¡ªthe corrupt helpers and the monastery staff shall be publicly hanged to death for corruption.


    "And you, Noah. You scored the third highest rank. This makes you quite special, and with a good education, you can serve the realm''s upliftment to a better society as envisioned by His Holiness. I came here to validate your intelligence, and I''m satisfied. Pack your bags. We''ll be leaving."


    "Third in the kingdom? I did better than I expected then," Noah chirped.


    "Third in the entire Sol," Felix rified, cing his heavy palm on Noah''s lean shoulder. "Stop with this farce of yours. I know you understand everything before I even speak¡ªyou need not act like a fool anymore to fit into society."


    Noah sighed abruptly as his shoulders rxed. Then, he began tough a little. "Fine, if I follow you, then what? Once again, be hated for my mind that never stops thinking? Once again, be forced to fit in with others?"


    ''Holy Solis, Max was right. These are indeed some pitiful monsters in the wild,'' Felix thought and revealed a parchment with the Pope''s seal on it.


    "Upon arrival, you shall be given the rank of Bishop and ced directly under the Pope as his student. You have a gift that His Holiness values¡ªyou can cower and continue living in mediocrity, or join me and explore your peak."


    "..."


    "P-Pope''s¡­ S-Student?" Noah stuttered.


    ''So even these smartasses get shocked. But I wonder what the first rank would be like


    ¡ªMay the Lord have mercy on you, Aurora.''


    ¡­


    In an isted vige in the Hignd Kingdom. There lived a ten-year-old girl named E¡ªdaughter of a farmer. Poor, but now better, thanks to Sylvester''s new policies. It was an average family of a mother, father, daughter and a newborn boy.


    It was daytime, and most adults went to work in the fields. E remained at home to care for her little brother, as the monastery''s school services with meals weren''t established there yet.


    The little, ten-year-old, thin, and straight-faced girl had a small stature. Clearly, her physical growth was hampered due to theck of nutrition. Her dirty blonde short hair was meant to make her look like a boy, and her blue eyescked any glow of naivety a child usually had.


    Knock! Knock!


    In the middle of the day, Aurora arrived at the little isted vige and knocked on the door of the modest home made of mud bricks and thatched roof. The proof of poverty was quite evident.


    ck!


    "Hello, I''m here to see E. She ranked number one in the tes¡ª" Aurora voiced as soon as the door began to open. But she stopped when the tiny, dirty-blonde head peeked out at her.


    The girl stared at her with strange, nk expressions,cking any emotions, "How much did I score?"


    "Three hundred and one," Aurora replied.


    The girl didn''t react. "I''ll go with you if you give me a lot of gold for my family."


    Aurora heaved a long breath once she heard that. She hade fully expecting to be mind blown, and yet this was a shock.


    "You¡­ How did you know that test would lead to this?"


    The girl opened the door fully, "I counted the chances¡ªThis felt like the most likely thing."


    ''She counted the probability of all possibilities? She''s just ten.''


    Aurora shook her head in amazement before smiling, "Gold, food, a bigger house¡ªthe entire vige will receive the Pope''s blessing, my dear. You are going to be the Pope''s Student from now on."


    "And help him make ns for the future?"


    "..."


    ''She even realised that¡ªMay the Lord have mercy on you, Max. I''m afraid she might be too much for even you.''


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 649 648. The World Isnt Kind

    Chapter 649 648. The World Isn''t Kind


    While Aurora was shocked by how smart the little girl was, the fifth-ranked boy was present in the same kingdom. However, this one was different, as he lived in extreme luxury yet had a kind nature and empathy towards others. His belief in the faith of Solis was unquestionable, and his bond with the Pope was personal.


    "Bwahaha! Take him. I don''t care as long as the Pope teaches him," bellowed King Atrox of Hignd inughter.


    In his private chamber stood Saint Elyon with the results and a letter from Sylvester.


    "Prince Rex was found to have scored one-eighty, but when we adjusted it to fit the criteria of his age group, it was amended to two hundred and thirty. Prince Rex is quite gifted, and His Holiness believes it''s likely due to both his parents being Grand Wizards." Elyon exined that this particr case was different from the rest. The boy was the next King of a Kingdom and likely gifted in magic.


    Queen Trinity looked at her son standing beside her chair, "His Holiness did promise to teach him personally. He''s been asking to go to the Holy Land as well. As long as you don''t make him a celibate Clergyman, I will allow him to go."


    "YES!" Rex jumped in triumph. "I''ll go and pack my luggage. Bye-bye, I love you, Mother, Father¡ªlots and lots!"


    The mighty King and Queen warmly smiled at their son''s words. They didn''t mind him going as the Queen was about to give birth to the second blessing to their family. And they understood the newborn would demand all their attention, leaving Rex to feel left out.


    "What is the situation in Beastaria, Saint Elyon?" King Atrox inquired with his sword hilt firmly in hand. "If you ever need me to assist, my sword is always prepared."


    Elyon diplomatically smiled and gave a few details, "His Holiness has defeated the Demon. King Malisius of the dragons is dead, and His Holiness has brought down the elves into a contract favouring us. He shall be returning to the Holy Land very soon."


    "I''m not even surprised," Queen Trinity said as she caressed her long, ashen blond hair with her hands. "After he became a Supreme Wizard at such a young age¡­ I don''t believe there is anything he can do that would shock me."


    "Indeed!" The King interjected. "You said Rex was fifth. Who are the other four?"


    "The number one is from your kingdom itself, Your Majesty," Saint Elyon replied.


    "..."


    For a few seconds, Atrox was taken aback. "Why? I''m proud, but¡­ How did my kingdom be this blessed? His Holiness is from here. Many Guardians have been from here. Sir Dolorem was also from thesends."


    ¡­


    At the same time, the fourth-ranked person was approached in Riveria''s southern coastal vige, newly set up to house the Beastkins that came from Beastaria, to live in Sol under the Holy Land''s guarantees.


    The Nend vige was quickly built with the help of wizards and master craftsmen from the Beastkins themselves. But this fourth-ranked intellect was someone of a ratherrger size, slightly bigger than the Inquisitor High Lord''s eight-foot stature.


    It was an elephant beastkin named Noby, one who was already sixty years old. He was the wisest member of his tribe when they lived in Beastaria, but now he lived as a mere retiree. When the Holy Land contacted him, he merrily agreed in search of something new and more meaningful to do.


    ¡­


    But it was the second-ranked person who had suffered the worst of fate before being finally found. Living in the slums of the Marashia region, formerly known as the capital of the Masan Empire.


    Where the poorest of the poor lived, where even the city''s soldiers feared walking through the filth and the crime, a poor family of five lived: a mother, a father, two sons and one daughter. They all lived in a single-room home with no ce to cook or relieve themselves. To call life miserable was an understatement since this was hell in thend of the living.


    "You''re my fucking wife! Why would you hide money from me?! I''m trying my best¡­ There are no jobs! Do you think you''re greater than me just because you earn?"


    Themotion sprang up in one of the narrow streets. It wasn''t rare to hear of such fights across the entire slum, as strained rtionships were moremon there than money in people''s pockets.


    Bam!


    A door opened, and a woman was thrown outside, slightly tanned in skin colour, with curly ck hair and a tall height with an attractive frame, covered in simple brown robes.


    She fell hard on the dirty street and groaned in pain while trying to stand up. There were tears in her eyes as her children soon peeked out at her in fear from the sides of the door.


    "I earn that with my hard work. It''s for our children! And you only know how to waste money on liquor¡­ How will we afford food?" The woman cried in a broken voice while the crowds of passersby merely watched, enjoying the show.


    "Tsk! Hard work? Whoring yourself isn''t hard work! Ugh¡­ Now, you forced me to say it in front of the kids. See what you did?! Just for a single bronze mud¡ªDid you forget everything I did for you when we were ves?" The man of the house, a dark-skinned man with the facial features of Warsong natives, howled to shame the woman, his own wife.


    Her tears didn''t stop, feeling betrayed and stripped of her dignity, "I¡­ I''m not a whore! I count the money for the brothel¡­ I''m not a whore¡­"


    nk!


    nk!


    "MOVE ASIDE OR BE KILLED!"


    Right then, loud orders from soldiers started resounding behind the massive crowd. The nking of steel boots and swords made it clear the numbers were huge. However, the peculiar, loud metallic thump on the streets was unique.


    Soon enough, a tall, red metallic conical hat became visible when the crowd parted aside. Eventually, the crowd ran to their homes and peeked out from their windows and doors at the presence of the tall-framed Inquisitor High Lord.


    "No ordinary woman sells her body until she is helpless and all paths appear closed. They take such steps after a great battle with their self-respect, their mind fervently opposed." Inquisitor High Lord''s deep, burning voice reverberated throughout the narrow streets. "Thus, a whore has more respect in my eyes than a lowly man who lives on lies."


    The Inquisitor High Lord knelt slightly and gently hovered his palm over the woman''s shoulder, healing her injury. Then, he grabbed her arm with his massive hand and pulled her to her feet.


    "You were ves once?" He questioned. "Speak. You stand before a servant of the light. I am the Inquisitor High Lord and stand only for what is right."


    The woman had heard Lord Inquisitor''s name and knew how high he was in the chain ofmand. She had a thousand questions about why he was there and why he was so kind to her.


    "I-I''m Emara, my Lord¡­"


    "Your eminence!" An Inquisitor barked from the side, scaring the woman.


    Lord Inquisitor red at the Inquisitor, "Twentyshes for misuse of power and intimidation of the victim¡ªThe sound must echo beyond your training ground."


    The Inquisitor shrank his neck and hid behind his brothers. His fanatic worship and loyalty were appreciated, but not to the point of it being a nuisance.


    "Continue, my child." Lord Inquisitor insisted.


    Emara nodded and timidly spoke, "Y-Your Eminence, we were ves until quite recently when the Pope¡­ His Holiness abolished it. He is my husband. I married him while working on our Lord''s farm. We had three children from our marriage."


    Lord Inquisitor nced at the man standing at the door frame, and his eyes red red. "The scent of devil''s nectar has him shrouded. No doubt, his mind is utterly clouded. Tell me, my child, are there no jobs? For I remember the Pope starting an employment counselling service from the monasteries for this cause."


    "No, no!" Emara shook her head vigorously. "There are plenty of jobs, Your Eminence. He just won''t do any¡­ He says they are too beneath him now."


    "A man who does not contribute to his family is nothing but a walking cmity. Emara, the Holy Land calls on you for the highest duty. A work that insults all the others with its beauty. Bring your children as well, they shall find homely refuge and warm meals in thend where everyone kneels," Lord Inquisitor firmlymanded.


    Emara looked at the holy man in confusion, "B-But¡­ I''m not chaste, Your Eminence."


    "You took the test in the monastery months ago. That action led to this moment to show."


    Emara gasped, having almost forgotten about it, "T-That? I only went because my children could eat a good meal there¡­ Was it a test for holy service? I can work at the Holy La¡ª"


    "Stop!" Her husband suddenly spoke up. "I have a say in this. She can go if she wants to, but the children remain with me."


    Thud!


    legs began to shake in fright. "A man must know when to speak and when not. Yet again, you have proven to be nothing but filthy rot. You will sell them, I know your mind¡ªIt''s a crime worthy of death, must I remind?"


    The man cowered in fear and stepped back, shoving his kids in front of him.


    Lord Inquisitor felt even more enraged but held back from burning him, "By the powers vested in me by my oath and the Pope¡ªI dissolve this marriage and cut this fate''s rope. Emara, my child, gather your goods and follow behind. Not by this, but by your future you are to be defined¡ªno more living in lowliness, you shall be the student of His Holiness."


    "What?!" No matter how calm and collected she tried to be, this was something she couldn''t ept just like that.


    For this was beyond her wildest fantasies, something that only ever happened in stories. She didn''t sense any foul y either since she had never seen the Pope, nor the other way around. The test was genuine, and the probabilities spoke with a rush of adrenaline.


    ¡­


    Beastaria, Alfia


    "...The Thousand Year War nowes to a permanent end as per the amicable agreement reached between Sol and Alfia. No more shall our young elves die in a battle that has brought us nothing but pain for a thousand years. No more shall the dragons attempt to wage war against us. Peace shall prevail, and with it, so will our numbers¡ªGlory to Mother Remira!"


    King Rathagun Xeek Eldaron finished his loud speech from the balcony of the royal castle. As per the n, none were told what happened in reality.


    Sylvester watched it all from behind, feeling satisfied with the oue. The journey was long and took a lot of maniption and sacrifices, but finally, all the pieces were where he wanted them. Lord Inquisitor walked towards the door, scaring the man until his The elves had a lot to lose if they chose to oppose him now.


    "Your Holiness," Soulbreaker came to him and whispered behind his head. "A missive came from the Holy Land. Saint Wazir wishes to know what to do with Marcia and Sond in the West. The two kingdoms have officially waged an all-out war for the goldmines."


    "So the mediators failed," Sylvester sighed, his arms folded. "It''s alright. I will speak with Wazir myself. It''s time we return to the Holy Land and focus on some important reforms."


    The matter of war wasn''t something he even felt worried about, for it was something he could easily stop.


    ''Maybe Nehilius can help me travel to the demon realm¡ªhe should at least have a solution.''


    ________________

 Chapter 650 649. A Surprising Invention

    Chapter 650 649.A Surprising Invention


    The manner of speaking the elven Elders had towards Sylvester changed drastically in Alfia. No more did they try to argue with him or show him their usual pride. Rather, they even feared looking him in the eye.


    It was a matter of shame to the Elders. The way they had dismissed Sylvester as a Supreme Wizard, someone weaker than their King. It all had thoroughly backfired for them.


    "I''ll be taking all the human and Beastkin ves you have in Alfia with me. It doesn''t matter to me how you abolish very, nor do I care. Alfia, as a civilisation, must learn to exist with their own hard work and innovate to automate processes with magic. Or, if you really want servants¡ªhire them with money. Right to life and dignity is a thing I have introduced in Sol. Alfia can use it as well," Sylvester voiced his thoughts while sitting in the room with the Elders.


    With heads hanging low, the Elders could only ept his wishes as this one was absolute.


    "I want very abolished throughout Beastaria as well. How you make the other species agree without causing a war is something you must n. I can advise you if you need me to, but I will not meddle until you ept your failure," Sylvester added, sitting back in his seat, quite rxed.


    The awkward silence in the room wasn''t broken by anyone, as there was nothing to say. They feared Sylvester''s sharp tongue at that point.


    "Meow!"


    "Cat?" All of the Elders eximed all of a sudden and looked around.


    Sylvester almost sweated, knowing very well that Rathagun would be able to feel Miraj''s presence. So he quickly spoke mentally with his little friend, sitting on hisp.


    ''What happened? What was that for?''


    ''Feed me, Maxy¡ªYou promised me treats if I drank all that water. There were also a lot of fishies I had to throw out. Where are my fish?''


    Sylvester sighed, ''Boy, you''re acting less like my mature father and more like my spoiled son now. Which one are you?''


    ''Whaaat? I''m just hungry¡­ You want me to fly away and find my own food?''


    ''Alright, there will be dinner after this meeting. I''ll feed you there.'' Sylvester promised again and caressed the boy to silence.


    "Ah, on the matter of goblins," Sylvester diverted everyone''s attention.


    Bam!


    "Finally, some real talk!" ex-general Zelphar mmed his fist on the table. "When do we go out to eradicate those pests?"


    "Let''s n a joint campaign after you announce the end of the Thousand Year War to all the species in Beastaria," Sylvester suggested and got up. "I shall depart tomorrow, so I hope you can also decide on an ambassador who will represent Alfia in Sol. I shall send an ambassador to Beastaria as well. They shall sit in a private office in Deca Imperia, representing the humans, me, and the continent of Sol."


    "I''ll go as Alfia''s ambassador!" Avanss eximed all of a sudden.


    However, the thing was, he wasn''t a member of the council and wasn''t supposed to be in the room. He came down from the ceiling andnded beside King Rathagun out of nowhere.


    "..."


    "It was Pope Sylvester who saved me from my confinement in the Masan Empire. I believe there''s none here who understands human society better than I do," Avanss rested his case and stared at Rathagun with puppy eyes.


    The older brother, King of Alfia, sighed and nodded. He didn''t need to listen to the Elders anymore or consider their vote. "Since Avanss already has a level of understanding with Pope Sylvester, I believe he is indeed the right choice. I do hope none here question my brother''s loyalty now."


    And no one did. The bnce of power had shifted to favour the King more now than ever.


    "Great, let''s eat now. I''m famished," Sylvester pped his hands and left the room as if it were his own home.


    With him gone, the Elders raised their heads again and breathed in relief. They looked at their King annoyedly but held back any contempt they had.


    "We shouldn''t waste time and elect two elders," Elder Ellitran proposed, with the agreement of some Elders. However, his camp was now weaker, as two of his most staunch supporters had died.


    "I don''t believe this is the right time. Let us deal with Deca Imperia first and bring order to Alfia. Once we end very, things can get out of hand very quickly," King Rathagun sternly replied, openly opposing Ellitran for the first time. "Council is adjourned¡ªLet us proceed with the dinner."


    ¡­


    Sylvester arrived at the dining hall and saw Queen Delimira already sitting there, waiting for the rest. The ce was empty at the time, as the servants and the guards stood out of sight.


    He walked over and sat beside her, "Good evening, Delimira. As promised, Rathagun is back in one piece."


    She smiled with a new glow of delight on her face. "I must thank you for everything, Sylvester. I don''t know what you did, but Rathagun hasn''t insulted me or made me feel lesser than him ever since he returned. There''s a change in his demeanour, and I''m cherishing it, however long thissts."


    Sylvester folded his arms proudly and sat back, "Well, I did tell him to stop being dumb. I guess it worked."


    "Hehe¡­" She giggled like a girl newly in love. "Thank you for everything, Sylvester. With peace, we will have one less thing to worry about. The gue is gone, the Demon is killed, and the Supreme Wizard from the dragon''s side is also dead¡ªAkin to what you are to Sol, Rathagun is to Beastaria now."


    He decided not to burst her bubble of fancy. There was no equal to him and the Holy Land. He was supreme in Sol and now supreme in Beastaria as well.


    Bam!


    The Elders and the King finally entered the hall and took their seats. Soon enough, the magnificent feast began, and Sylvester resumed his theatrics by adding his strategic spices. This time, some elders were also interested and asked for some.


    Sylvester, the spice dealer, was born that day since the Elders got hooked on the taste. They were all old monsters, and the taste was something new. A magical way to make the nd food delicious.


    "I wish to acquire five tonnes of each of these spices!" Roared Zelphar greedily. "I''m sure it will be popr all across Alfia and beyond."


    "No! Give me ten tonnes!" Another elder shouted.


    "Three for me!"


    "Silence!" Rathagun suddenly roared and mmed his fist on the table, nking the tes. "Pope Sylvester, please forgive their impudence. Such behaviour is unbing of an elder¡ªsuch a brazen disy of greed!"


    The old Elders looked down in shame.


    Rathagun scoffed and continued, "How can you all be so blind to the greater picture? Pope Sylvester, I''ll take eighty tonnes of this spice."


    "..."


    "..."


    "Shameless," Ellitran muttered under his breath and kept eating silently.


    The other Elders stared at the man foolishly, taken aback by this new persona of the King. There was less tension and more calm now, and they liked it no matter what.


    ¡­


    As the morning came, Sylvester arrived at the official royal port of Alfia. Sylvester''s entire fleet was anchored there, and the ex-ves were being directed to the ships.


    He had beenpletely thorough in his pursuit to get each ve home. So he asked Rathagun to use his soldiers to check each and every elven family to make sure no ve was being forcefully held back. And sure enough, there were a few such cases.


    By morning, all the ves had been gathered and freed, and they couldn''t be more excited to head home to somewhere safer and freer. However, since the number of ves was twice the number of elves, Sylvester had to borrow some ships from Rathagun, even though he called a few additional ones with a fleetmander from the Holy Land.


    Eventually, a massive fleet of almost five hundred ships prepared to head to the Holy Land.


    "Pope Sylvester, I hope the peace you speak ofsts longer than anything we''ve had in the past," Rathagun came forward to bid farewell and hugged Sylvester. But he whispered what was truly in his heart into Sylvester''s ear.


    ''Thank you for the help, my son. I pondered what you said, and I''ve decided to make amends. I''ll help you look for a means to prolong Xavia''s life. At the same time, I''ll try to give this kingdom an heir. It''s hard for us elves to procreate¡ªso ''if'' Delimira gets pregnant, I vow to forget Xavia.''


    Emotionally, Rathagun clearly had a few doubts left. But like Sylvester, he wanted to move on now.


    Sylvester smiled and whispered back. ''No matter what happens in the end, nothing will change the fact that I have your blood in me. Xavia is my mother, and so is Delimira¡ªI may have no family other than Mum officially, but I hope we can count on each other in a moment of need.''


    "I will see you again very soon, King Rathagun," Sylvester stepped back and bid his farewell.


    After that, he approached his main ship''s deck and waved back. However, there weren''t many enthusiastic elves since he had taken their way of life from them.


    "Don''t mind it. They will change soon," Avanss followed Sylvester and watched as the ship began to move.


    The journey towards the Holy Land was nothing short of majestic. As the massive fleet travelled through the sea, all gave way. The viges on the coast of Beastaria watched them go. Meanwhile, as they passed near the shore of Libertia, thend of the free, loud cheers were heard as the g of the Holy Land and the Pope fluttered in the soothing winds.


    In a few days, using magical sails, they began approaching the Holy Land.


    Trrrrrrr! Trrrrrrr!


    "What was that?" Sylvester eximed at the peculiar sound he heard for the first time in his life.


    "It came from Captain''s cabin, Your Holiness," Soulbreaker noticed.


    "What made it?" Sylvester inquired and walked towards the noise. He walked into the Captain''s cabin on the top deck, just behind the helm.


    Trrrrrr! Trrrrrr!


    nk!


    "Captain Edward speaking¡­ Yes, we''re half a day from the port. Prepare for a fleet of five hundred. Ten ships shall dock in the Pope''s reserved area¡­ May the Holy Light enlighten us."


    "..."


    Sylvester stared at the peculiar thing the white-haired Captain of the ship and the master of the fleet used. It was a ck box on which two semi-spherical objects were attached with wire. One semi-sphere was ced on the ear and the other on the mouth.


    "What was that?"


    "Oh¡­ Y-Your Holiness!" Captain Edward almost jumped in fright at Sylvester''s sudden presence in his room. "This¡­ This is a Magic Communicator, Your Holiness¡ªYou invented it¡­ Such a marvellous instrument to speak across great distances."


    "Speak?!" Sylvester eximed in shock. "But I only made the design of a simple telegraph."


    _________________

 Chapter 651 650. A Strange Welcome

    Chapter 651 650. A Strange Wee


    Sylvester''s heart beat fast and heavy as he walked closer to see the instrument. It looked like a crude telephone or something simr from the early era of the world he had almoste to consider a dream.


    "They¡­ They finally made it?" He eximed and took a closer look.


    "A few top officers were given these prototypes to test, Your Holiness," Captain Edward exined. "I used it to inform the port about our arrival so they can start taking all the necessary steps to amodate us. This would lessen the time it would take for us to dock."


    Sylvester picked up the receiver and transmitter, "What''s the range?"


    The old, bearded Captain Edward looked towards the sea from his cabin window. "They fitted a strange rod above the crow''s nest of the ship before I headed to Beastaria. I believe we''re still half a day away from the Holy Land¡­ I believe that''s almost¡­ two-hundred kilometres."


    Sylvester''s eyes looked at the instrument in his hand with excitement. The fact that they were at sea meant it was clearly wireless. At the same time, he noticed a few buttons, switches and dials on the ck box with which the receiver and microphone were connected.


    ''As great as this seems, it will also mean that soon someone will invent a way to tap into themunications to spy. And what about signal loss due to too many signals travelling in a single area?''


    "This is a great first step," Sylvester muttered and ced the magicmunicator back. "What else have they done?"


    Captain Edward rubbed his beard while remembering, "I didn''t see it personally, but I heard they attempted to move a ship without sails, using electric genders?"


    "Generators," Sylvester corrected him. "What''s the result?"


    "It worked for a while, but then the generator caught fire, and the ship sank. I heard an admiral say the generator was in heat."


    "Overheating," Sylvester again corrected him and understood what the issue likely was. A cont was required to keep the machines from running too hot in cases of long throttles.


    Silently, Sylvester sat with the Captain for the rest of the day until the ship began to approach the port of the Holy Land. He was surprised to learn that the Captain was also a Bishop of the Clergy and not a warrior. That meant the old man was celibate with no family, and his entire life was devoted to the faith.


    That was just a little reminder to Sylvester that there were people who were doing their duty diligently, despite all the temptations. And he had no reason to rx and sit down. Hidden dangers were creeping closer towards the world. Aveda and Ashraska were names he still knew nothing about.


    Koooo!


    "What?" Just as Sylvester walked to disembark the ship, he heard a sharp and long whistle that made him almost feel nostalgic. But then he noticed it; at the port beside where the ships docked and their cargo loading gates were, arge machine rested, spewing steam from a chimney in front of it. Behind it, there were carriages attached.


    "Steam train?" Sylvester eximed in shock, as he didn''t expect it toe into existence so soon. And by the looks of it, the machine was being used to move cargo from the ships to various massive sheds. However, it appeared to be the only steam train working in the entire port.


    Right then, Captain Edward walked beside him and marvelled at the machine, "Ah, another addition to your great discoveries, Your Holiness. Cardinal Robert Maxim and Cardinal Jinn seem to be manning the research and development department quite well."


    ''My Oppenhimers?'' Sylvester thought and smiled, satisfied by the work.


    "You''re correct, Edward. Folks like them, and you keep the Holy Land working and respected across the Sol. I''ll see you around, my brother, in faith," Sylvester patted the old man''s shoulder and left for the Pope''s Pce.


    "Soulbreaker, oversee the people being transported. They have already suffered enough, and I don''t want them to suffer more. I had ordered Wazir to organise good meals for them already, so feed them and start registering their names and issuing them identity papers. If they remember where they used to live in Sol, ask them if they wish to go back. If not, they are to be kept here until we rehabilitate them in new viges. Same for the Beastkins, as all of them are new here," Sylvester sternly ordered his Guardian subordinate and continued to make his way to the Pope''s Pce.


    Just as he exited the port area, he found his usual regal carriage waiting for him, with the Archbishop reinsman keenly watching Sylvester.


    "Chonky, give it to me."


    "Uwaaaa!"


    Thud!


    Instantly, a magnificent modest bicycle appeared. Sylvester wasted no time and zoomed past his regal carriage, much to the annoyance of the poor reinsman who longed to have the Pope sit in his carriage.


    ''I''m seeing more people using bicycles. Perhaps it''s time to introduce bicycle tracks.'' Sylvester noticed as soon as he began going through the administrative blocks of the Holy Land. The various Priests to Cardinals were riding the bicycles in groups of three or four, chatting with each other.


    Pa!


    Pa!


    Eeeek!


    Sylvester pulled the brakes hard, making the bicycle skid. He looked towards the sky, where the loud sound came from. It came from behind him, at the Port, and left him frowning with a little bit of embarrassment, "Aren''t they a little bit toote?"


    In the sky, cannonballs exploded like fireworks and created words in sparkling lights. ''Wee back, Pope Sylvester,'' the words read.


    "Maxy, are they dumb?" Miraj asked cutely while staring at the sky.


    Sylvester shrugged and peddled once again, "Perhaps they are, Chonky¡ªyou never know."


    Boom!


    Boom!


    But then the explosions resounded again, this time right on top of their heads. Right away, a lot of flower petals began raining down on them, spreading soothing scents.


    "Ah!" Sylvester realised something and facepalmed himself, "I ruined their nned wee ceremony by not using the carriage."


    "We go back now?" Miraj asked.


    "It''s already ruined¡ªno need to go back and make them feel embarrassed. Let''s just get to the office and start working. Being the boss doesn''t mean I can ck off¡ªyou need to continue your training as well. We need to know why your back still itches." Sylvester continued moving and finally arrived at the Pope''s Pce.


    Thud!


    The Soldiers guarding the ce quickly went down on their knees. The Clergymen and Bright Mothers walking about, doing their work, also took to their knees and saluted them in the way of the church, arms crossed on their chests.


    "Your Holiness¡ªYour light reigned supreme, as we all believed," Gabriel came to wee Sylvester just as he entered the main gates. "Wee back from your sessful voyage¡ªthe elves know their ce atst, and the dragons sit in their homes in fear."


    "You aplished what all those before you failed at. You did it all in a singlebat," the Inquisitor High Lord arrived, proudly looking at Sylvester. "If any had doubts in your blessing before. This they can never ignore."


    Sylvester raised his hands and made them shine to acknowledge everyone''s salutes. However, he didn''t stop in one ce as more and more Clergymen and Bright mothers kept gathering.


    He continued to make his way and soon arrived at his modest office. In no time, the entire Sanctum Council stood in front of him. They didn''t sit as all the chairs were moved to the side, and even Sylvester remained standing while looking at the map on the table.


    "What''s the status of the war between Marcia and Sond?" Sylvester questioned them right away.


    "Ongoing," Gabriel notified. "They''ve had small skirmishes before, but now the two sides have fortified their borders with wooden walls and outposts. Their armies gather every few days and sh with each other."


    Cardinal Lazark stepped forward and ced a box on the table, "The gold is merely a guise. This is what they''re actually fighting over."


    As the spymaster opened the box, a rock became visible. Dark ck with blue veins all over it, the sign of something far more precious than mere gold.


    "Skygem?" Sylvester questioned.


    "I sent some of my undead to check it. They discovered a massive chunk of Skygem under the ground, right in the middle of the two kingdoms'' boundaries. It appears the massive piece fell from the sky thousands and thousands of years ago and eventually got covered by the elements. There must be a few thousand tonnes of it, enough to equip all armies of Sol with a full body of Skygem armour." Cardinal Lazark briefed Sylvester on the situation.


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and thought about how to take the skygemwfully. "What about the mediators?"


    "Ignored. The two kings didn''t meet with them." Gabriel answered.


    "Casualties?"


    "More than ten thousand each on both sides¡ªless than half of them were civilians killed in small raids by each side."


    Sylvester sighed and looked at the map. "Tell me, has any clergyman died in this skirmish yet?"


    "Fifteen in total. Two were archpriests, and the rest were normal priests. We have strongly warned them to control their war, or we will get involved." Gabriel said since he was denied by Sylvester before from meddling in it.


    "The army is ready for yourmand. Your orders we shall swiftly amend, your holiness." The Inquisitor High Lord offered.


    But Sylvester shook his head with something else in his head. "Law of non-interference can only go so far. All of you are to address one of the two archpriests who died there as one of our mediators who was wrongfully murdered by their war. This means I have enough grounds to be personally involved and punish both sides."


    With that, Sylvester picked up his spear again. "I will head to the West alone and bring them to justice."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 652 651. The Victims Of War

    Chapter 652 651. The Victims Of War


    ''When will this war end? When will this misery be over? When can I go home and see my family? When will my deathe?''


    Sir Leyon asked those questions to himself every single moment he found himself standing on the hellish battlefield littered with dead bodies, poison, and mud from the rain as if even the heavens went for them.


    "Second army! Prepare to charge ahead!"


    Sir Leyon, merely twenty years old, anointed a knight just a day ago for the ''bravery'' he showed, just like five thousand others like him, watched as the General of the Armymanded them. He was excited a few months ago, but now he knew the offer of being knighted was merely a gimmick to lure men to fight.


    All for what? A few silvers of payment? Losing limbs? Seeing all the friends you''ve known die; and scared of making more friends, fearing their deaths?


    There was no end to the mindless battle. Both sides stood almost equally powerful, and both sides refused to negotiate. Both sides fanatically pushed forward without any change of ns, as if what failed before would miraculously seed now.


    "Leyon, wear your helmet, dammit. Do you wanna die?"


    "I don''t care anymore." Battered, his armor almost ruined, his entire body looking dirty, and having lost the shine of a cheerful man, he stared ahead with his spear raised. "Our lives don''t matter."


    "I don''t want to fight either," another voice spoke from the formation.


    "Me neither!" One more came.


    "My sister was going to get married today¡ªher fiance died right beside mest week!"


    "My father and brother died. It''s just me left! My mother is waiting¡­"


    "I want to confess my love¡­"


    "I lost four brothers¡­"


    "Just one good meal before I die..."


    "I feel like running away¡­"


    "I don''t want to die¡­"


    Each cry came from a different voice. Hearts were beating strong, hard, and fast in both armies across the bloodied battlefield. All the men nervously prayed or remembered theirst wishes, regrets, and pains. They wanted to cry, but society would call them weak. They wanted to run away, but they''d still be killed.


    There was no way out from the chaos, and now even a quick death had begun to look like a blessing on that agony-filled battlefield.


    "Archers¡­ Lose!" The Generalmanded, and the opposite army charged forward.


    Leyon, from the side of Sond, got ready as well.


    "Charge ahead! Kill them all!" the General roared atst, and the beginning of an end to many lives arrived.


    "Haaaa!" Leyon, with his hoarse voice that had left his ruined throat, already charged forward with all he had, blindly and recklessly. He had no hope left for better days, for any miracles to happen. They were far away from thend of Solis, and it appeared as though the blissful warmth of the faith didn''t reach as far, all across the Divine Desert.


    Boom!


    Atst, the cannons resounded, spreading chaos among the charging soldiers. The cannonballs had no explosives, merely balls of solid metal filled with concrete. But it did far more devastating damage, with limbs and bodies being destroyed. It was such a weapon that it didn''t kill as much as it destroyed many lives by ruining limbs.


    Boom!


    However, Leyon couldn''tin since he knew that somewhere on the opposite side, there was also a ''Leyon'' struggling the same way.


    Shwooo!


    He heard a cannonball fly by right beside his head and hit one of his fellow soldiers, ripping one''s entire head off and then destroying the legs of those behind. He felt his heart shiver in fear, but his body refused to stop, and he simply stabbed ahead with his spear as soon as the two armies collided.


    ''Just kill me¡­ please make it quick,'' he muttered under his breath each time he gave someone a swift death. It was the only small act of kindness he could afford in that hell on earth.


    "Arrgh!"


    "No¡­ I don''t want to¡ª"


    "Kha¡­"


    Thud!


    nk!


    "Please don¡ª"


    "Mercy¡ª!"


    All across the battlefield, Leyon saw dead bodies fall. In any direction he looked, he only saw chaos and mindless violence for something that wasn''t going to benefit him or the majority of those fighting and dying. Heck, he didn''t even know why they were fighting; only rumors said it had something to do with gold.


    Thest time he had seen King Elmond was only at the beginning of the war inside the recruitment grounds. He remembered the speech made by the King. So full of vigor and positivity, talking about duty to the kingdom as the mothend.


    ''Lies!¡­ What else had been a lie?'' Leyon wondered at that moment of deadly affairs. All doors were open to him at that moment, while the future looked unpredictable. ''Was Masan better? Is the faith truly kind? Is Solis¡­''


    He looked up at the mention of the god on his tongue. He hoped to see the zing heating sun. However, he noticed something else, a figure of a man descending towards the battlefield.


    ''Solis¡­ is real!?''


    Leyon muttered as the shining, gigantic halo and the blonde hair appeared majestic. The fine, golden armor was contrasting, and the spear in hand looked precious. The Mitre that became visible on the head looked like a massive crown, one only the strongest deserved to wear.


    "Have youe to take me? Has my timee?" Leyon asked, surrendering himself to fate and dropping his spear.


    Then, a few moments passed, and he didn''t feel any piercing pain. Confused, he looked around and noticed everyone was looking towards the sky like him.


    And then, it all made sense. No, his time hadn''te, but rather, the Lord had finally acknowledged their cries and pleading.


    Woosh!


    Shhhh¡­!


    A zing beam of light erupted from the ground and rose towards the sky. They came out like massive golden walls that formed onnd and parted the two, battling armies aside, creating arge empty area in between, like the one before their charge.


    The two walls of light were fiery, pouring over the dead bodies, giving them a gentle goodbye from the Holy Light.


    More holy was the aura of the man that eventuallynded on the ground between them. Then, the two golden walls vanished, but not a single soldier dared to move forward to attack the man. They all knew too well what kind of people could fly in the sky.


    And there was only one Supreme Wizard the realm knew of, who had a halo of light behind their head and a mitre on their scalp. This was the Pope, the one who always wins.


    "Commanders!" The Pope roared afternding on the ground. "Commanders of both armies! I want your Kings standing before me by midnight. Failure toply shall mean you forfeit your life and your bloodline¡ªeach male member of your family shall be killed, and children made celibate priests to cleanse the sin of their ancestor¡ªChoose, or watch as everything you lose!"


    Right away, a few heads from across the battlefield appeared to move. Multiplemanders rushed to get a horse, and they galloped towards the distant base behind the battlefield. To a lesser extent, they, too, were a ''Leyon.''


    "All soldiers, walk back calmly to your sides¡ªany show of aggression shall mean disrespect to the faith!" The Pope ordered again.


    Leyon, shocked at how quickly hell started to turn into a hall of light, realized that only strength mattered in this world. That the only way to break the chains was to forge unbreakable chains on all others.


    Step!


    Step!


    With a mind of their own, Leyon''s feet moved towards the shining Pope with the halo, looking majestic and supreme, above all mortals of the world, like himself.


    He ignored all the murmurs of worry and the hands on his shoulder that tried to stop him. Dodging everything, he soon walked off the frontline into the open field, sticking out like a sore thumb.


    nk!


    He held no weapon, but his armor made noise and alerted the Pope while the entire battlefield, from all sides, stared at him in confusion.


    "Pope!" Leyon called.


    The Pope smiled and walked to him. He expected to be scolded, shamed or pushed back. But instead, the Pope''s gentle hands patted his injured shoulder and healed his wound. The soothing, bright palm emitted light on his body that made him feel energized.


    Yet, his mouth moved on its own. "Pope¡­ If I can kill you, will I rule the world?"


    The armies couldn''t hear what he said since they were too far away. However, Leyon knew in his heart that everyone questioned it once in their lifetime. Imagine what it feels like to hold supreme power to make entire kingdoms kneel.


    "To break my chains, must I forge one on those around me?"


    ¡­


    Sylvester couldn''t fly, but he sessfullynded while looking majestic. He then easily stopped the war and waited for the two kings to arrive. But never in his wildest fantasies had he thought he''d find a man like the one who approached him.


    Despite being shorter than him, thinner, and clearly far weaker, the man asked a question that most would never dare not, even if he were to promise no retaliation.


    But he then noticed something in the young man''s eyes. There was a fire that he knew needed guidance, or else the world might see the rise of another Anti-Light, another Julius.


    Sylvester smiled and handed the man a vial of healing potion, "Do I rule the world?"


    "Don''t you?" Asked the man.


    "Isn''t this war proof that I don''t? There is free will, so there is greed that led to this conflict. If I were the ruler, this wouldn''t have ever happened. But if I ruled the world, I would be called a dictator, not a preacher." Sylvester answered back with careful words. "My friend, even I am not free from chains that one can never break, and that is called fate¡ªBut let me tell you, I am not the mightiest being out there, for Solis does exist, and so do all those who rose above the limits of this world''s chains."


    The man lowered his gaze, "Then¡­ sadness, death, and misery all that''s written in the fate of people like me¡­? How can I stop such wars from happening?"


    "It''s a question you and others like you must ask yourself because I do have a solution. But are you willing to ept it? Are you willing to stop being sheep? Are you willing to overthrow the monarchy with your own hands? Bring a new system that''s run onws set by the people that are equal for all?"


    Sylvester noticed the silence and patted the man''s shoulder before sending him away, "Think about it, my friend."


    "Leyon¡ªplease remember this name, Your Holiness."


    "I will," Sylvester nodded and watched him go.


    After that small interaction, he waited silently for many more hours without moving. In his mind, he just yed a game of chess with himself as the opponent. It was tedious at times, but Miraj was there to entertain him with some of his songs.


    But punctual they were. Just an hour before midnight, themanders finally returned with many more soldiers behind, likely the entire armies left at the hands of the kings.


    "Elmond! I am so disappointed in you!" Sylvester angrily looked at the King of Sond before turning to the King of Marcia, "Hathem, you were an Archbishop whom I allowed to be king¡ªis this how you repay me?"


    The two kings walked towards him pridefully with their retinues behind them.


    "I came back to Sol after ending the war with Beastaria, and here I see my own brothers in faith battling for what? Gold?" Sylvester roared, deliberately hiding the mention of Skygem so he could take itter.


    Bam!


    Sylvester stomped the butt of his spear on the ground, cracking it and sending shockwaves of anger everywhere.


    However, in the next moment, a chair formed behind Sylvester, made of stone. He then sat on it, crossed his legs, and stared at the two kings.


    "Fine, so you want war, I''ll give you something better¡ªthat will decide a winner much quicker," Sylvester stared at each one of them alternately. "Both of you shall fight each other until death. The winner wins the war."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 653 652. The One Condition

    Chapter 653 652. The One Condition


    "Both of you shall fight each other until death. The winner wins the war."


    Sylvester''s words fell like a deadly sword over their fates. The two kings looked at each other''s faces with a hint of fright, which they suppressed with a little pride. The two men weren''t in their prime, and fighting was out of the question for them.


    King Elmond of Sond shook his head, "Your Holiness¡­ We respect you dearly. But you are breaking thew that you wrote yourself. We, as independent kingdoms, have the right to settle our own dispute¡ª"


    Sylvester raised his palm and silenced the man. He looked at King Hathem, who used to be an Archbishop. "Tell me, Hathem, what happens when multiple Clergymen are killed because of a noble person''s actions? What is thew that shall be imposed in this situation?"


    King Hathem frowned, knowing very well what the answer was. However, he couldn''t bring himself to say it, as he, too, was to be punished ordingly.


    Sylvester sighed and started listing thews to be evoked. He kept his voice loud so the soldiers could also listen, "Article 5A for creating hindrance in the workings of a Clergyman. Article 12F stiptes that a nobility must assist the church in solving a case when needed. The entirety of Article 4, with all its subsections, details the basic respect for a child of Solis. Article 10, which is punishable by death for harming a Clergyman¡ªYou two ignored the high-ranking Cardinals sent here as mediators. You killed fifteen Clergymen with your actions, one of whom was a low-level mediator¡ªWhy must I not invoke Article 66 on both of you?"


    The two kings felt their legs shiver. If they didn''t fight, that meant both of them would be punished, and it''d mean death. If they fought, one of them could at least be considered a winner.


    "I will duel with Hathem," King Elmond announced, taking his sword from one of his attendant knights. "I will put an end to this war!"


    "Then I have no mercy for you either!" King Hathem did the same and raised his sword.


    Sylvester stayed seated in his chair and pped, "Start anytime. Thest man standing will be the victor."


    "Haaaa!" King Hathem charged forward.


    Both men were old with white hair on their heads. Elmond was fat, while Hathem was thin and tall. They both had advantages, but in general, they were at a disadvantage as they couldn''t even swing their swords properly. Every time they swung, the swords pulled them along with the momentum.


    sh!


    Atst, they struck, and their des shed. Afterward, a battle to push each other began. The two roared like madmen despite their battle looking nowhere near as exciting. They spat on each other. They fell at the same time and rolled around in the mud.


    Ugly, weak, and untrained¡ªthat was all people could say. The soldiers felt disgusted that they were fighting for these two men while themanders began to plot their retirement.


    "Haaaa!"


    sh!


    The two fell, stood up, and swung their des. Other than minor flesh wounds, they could notnd a finishing blow. They looked tired already, with their breaths ragged and faces covered with mucusing from their noses and mouths. The fear of death took over their minds as their eyes burned red.


    Thud!


    A few minutester, the two men fell to the ground away from each other. Both were still alive, and they no longer tried to stand up and fight.


    Sylvester grew annoyed and stood up, "Even now, you two give me nothing but disappointment. As I am the Pope, the Judge above Judges, I shall give the verdict of this duel. Both of you shall be publicly hanged to death, for your crimes were against the people. The gold you lusted for belongs to the two kingdoms and its people¡ªit shall be used to enrich the lives of all and not a selected few."


    "Nooo!"


    "We will fight!"


    "You two have done enough," Sylvester snapped his fingers and melted the mouths of the two men into a single piece of flesh, painfully so.


    Then, looking around at the soldiers, he announced the war''s end "The senseless war is over, but the investigation is not. Any of you whomitted a sin against the civilians by raiding their viges, stealing, raping, and murdering¡ªshall face the same fate as these two. Know this; I despise war, but I despise the people who use it as an excuse to further their heretic fetishes even more.


    "Go back to your home now. Each of you will be awarded an amount from your King''s personal treasury. I shall personally oversee the two kingdoms until a fitting new ruler appears or a new system of administration is formalized," Sylvester sternly warned them all.


    With that, themanders of the army took the reins and began to organize the armies to retreat and eventual disbandment. It was also at that moment that a unit of Inquisitors came on their horses from the nearest major monastery.


    "Take these kings and hang them in their respective capital cities. Read their crimes out loud, and dere them heathens before they take theirst breaths," Sylvester ordered the Inquisitors.


    After that, he silently looked around to find where the massive chunk of Skygem was. The great thing about Skygem was that it was the best natural conductor of srium known in the world. That meant sensing it with his Elder Magic was the easiest way to find it.


    "We looking for pebbles now?" Miraj asked as Sylvester walked around the shared boundary of the two kingdoms.


    Sylvester kept his focus on the ground the entire time, "Yes. A very big pebble¡ªexpensive as well."


    Miraj''s eyes shined, and he flew around to help, "Finally, you are learning to cherish the shiny pebbles like me¡ªI''m so proud of you, son!"


    "..."


    Sylvester chose not to respond to Miraj at that moment and kept his search going. He reckoned the ce was going to be the most guarded, as it may contain the biggest treasure in the entire world.


    But eventually, he came across a suspiciously untouched, empty part of the border. As far as he could see, there weren''t even many footprints.


    ''Let''s see.''


    He stood there and let his senses take over. The Elder Magic, allowing him to manipte the srium itself, allowed him to feel everything that was in the surroundings, including under the ground.


    It wasn''t easy, but he was not a Supreme Wizard for nothing. He went a few meters deep, then tens of meters deep, and atst.


    "FOUND IT!" He eximed. "Good god, it''s far bigger than what Gabriel said. Chonky, get ready to devour something. I''ll give you ten bananas and squishes in return."


    "No squishes, but I''ll take the banana," Miraj chirped back and prepared himself.


    Boom!


    And with that, Sylvester used some Earth Elemental magic and removed all the dirt, sand, and stones in the ground. He made a massive hole that went very deep, freeing the dark ck stone with blue veins. It was huge, and there was no telling how deep it went. But in Chonky, Sylvester trusted.


    "Go ahead. Take the entire stone into your belly," Sylvester signaled and stepped back.


    "Aye Aye¡­" Miraj activated his innate magic, and his mouth began to suck everything in like a ck hole. A lot of dirt entered as well, and the ground felt as if it was shaking, but ultimately, the hole Sylvester had made began to widen, signaling the entire size was far bigger than the tip.


    Boom!


    Like a faint shadow, something emerged from the ground and instantly vanished into Miraj''s mouth at lightning speed. With that, the noises vanished, and the massive hole in the ground became the only evidence left.


    "It was very big," Miraj mumbled, rubbing his squishy belly. "That deserves twenty bananas, not ten."


    Sylvester again chose to ignore that. However, he also decided to give him fifteen bananas just to cheer him up some more.


    "Well, our job is done here. The administration work is for Gabriel to handle, and Lazark will provide all the intelligence. We still have to meet with Nehilius quickly, so let''s return," Sylvester quickly soared to the sky before anyone saw him and started making his way toward the east.


    He didn''t go north and decided to fly directly over the Divine Desert. He''d have thought about it a thousand times if it was the past him, but with the strength of a Supreme Wizard, nothing in the desert could hurt him.


    "Faster! Go faster, Maxy! Let me feel the wind!" Miraj, sitting on Sylvester''s head, meowed in delight. The furball had been living in holiday mode ever since he had met Sylvester, enjoying every moment of his life.


    Sylvester agreed and kicked his feet. Each time he stepped forward, the Light Tile underneath his feet cracked and broke apart. He knew he could have gone faster, but sadly, it was an ability he simply couldn''t master for some reason.


    Woosh!


    ''What was that?!''


    Sylvester abruptly paused.


    ''This scent of hope and hopelessnessbined¡­ I''ve sensed it before.''


    Sylvester was alerted as there shouldn''t be anyone nearby in the Divine Desert. But then, he looked to his left at the distant sky and noticed a ck spot that continued to grow bigger, and with it, the scents intensified.


    ''Is that?''


    "Chonky, be careful," he notified the happy cat and received a spear from Miraj''s belly.


    Boom!


    The ck spot soon formed details, and the person stopped before Sylvester, hovering in the middle of the air. Wearing brown dirty robes, hair that was gray, sunken eyes with dark circles, and no will to live in his eyes.


    "We meet again, Julius," Sylvester addressed from a distance, turningpletely serious. He had often wondered where the man was but never found the time to search for him.


    Julius only looked slightly better than their previous encounter, "Pope Sylvester, I presume you ended the mindless war?"


    "I did," Sylvester answered. "Where are you headed?"


    "To the Holy Land."


    "To do what?" Sylvester became vignt, as the man was akin to a great natural disaster. He was confident in defeating him but not sure in doing that without paying some heavy price.


    Julius stared into Sylvester''s golden eyes, his own appearing cold and calctive, "To take up your offer. I shall see you make this world a better ce with my own eyes and help you¡ªbut if you falter; end you."


    Silence ensued. The warm, dry air over the Divine Desert seemingly made Sylvester sweat. But in reality, it was merely his mind that was busy thinking about all the possibilities if things went wrong. After all, he knew that Julius would be able to see how he controlled the world through proxies.


    ''Having another Supreme Wizard can be a boon, but if he can''t ept my way of doing things, he''ll be a bane.''


    "I sense hesitations," Julius questioned, being a smart manparable to Sylvester in wits. "Do you fear I will backstab you? That I would not understand your path to peace?"


    Sylvester shook his head, "No, but there is a condition that you must agree to before I ept you into the administration of the Holy Land."


    Julius'' emotionless eyes narrowed, and a dangerous aura red from him. Both pams began flickering with a ck aura, his magic ring up. "What is it? A Blood Contract? If such is your desire, I believe we should battle and kill each o¡ª"


    "I won''t ept you¡­" Sylvester interrupted and revealed his condition. "Unless you teach me how to fly."


    "..."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 654 653. A New Guardian of Light

    Chapter 654 653. A New Guardian of Light


    "I won''t ept you¡­" Sylvester interrupted and revealed his condition. "Unless you teach me how to fly."


    "..."


    bbergasted, shocked, bewildered, confused, amazed, call it what one may, but the scents were clear. Any hostility that was being exuded by Julius vanished that very second. The man stared at Sylvester''s with creased brows, his emotionless eyes showing amusement.


    "You don''t know how to fly?"


    Sylvester, feeling embarrassed, nodded, "More like I haven''t been able to practice it enough yet."


    "Practice?" Julius eximed. "You don''t need to practice. Ites naturally once you be a Supreme Wizard. I could fly the moment I ascended to the supreme."


    "..."


    Sylvester frowned and looked at his palms, ''That can''t be the case¡­ I felt nothing like that. I''m not even fat.''


    "What elements does it require?" Sylvester inquired.


    "None," Julius answered straightforwardly. "The ability to fly is rted to your physical body, not maniption of magic. After ascending to Supreme Wizardhood, one''s body bes pure enough to be able to naturally float in the srium all around us."


    Sylvester almost cursed at that information. But it made sense because otherwise, flying would have also consumed a lot of srium. Making it a problematic ability to use in the middle of a fight.


    Julius stroked the white beard on his chin and asked a few questions, now being genuinely curious why Sylvester couldn''t fly. "What elements have you mastered? You also know Elder Magic, I presume?"


    "All elements except darkness," Sylvester answered since it wasmon knowledge in the Holy Land that the man would soon learn in any case. "Yes, I know Elder Magic."


    "A first in history," Julius mumbled. "I don''t remember there being a Supreme Wizard with this many masteriesing naturally to them. Perhaps too many magical affiliations are reacting negatively in your body, not allowing your physical biology to adapt to the supreme rank."


    ''There is a thing like that?'' This was the first time Sylvester had heard of it.


    "In that case, I believe there is nothing we can do," Sylvester epted his condition and continued moving toward the Holy Land. "Let''s reach the Holy Land then. But before we go, I need your word that if you have any issues with me one day, you wille straight to me and not harm the Holy Land or the faith. There will be ups and downs, but I stand firm on my path, and you must have some faith in me."


    "You have my word," Julius softly nodded without moving. "If I didn''t have high hopes for you, I would have killed you long ago when I was called Jax, and you were a mere Sanctum Inspector Archpriest."


    "What made you believe in me?" Sylvester asked as the two began moving at the same speed.


    "Your willingness to help anyone who came to seek your aid, all for nothing in return but their blessing and worship. Helping the drought in Hignd, helping the North with Mountain Barbarians, and healing the sorrow inflicted on the ckhart Kingdom. Your inventions for medical aid and further discoveries aimed to improve the lives of all¡ªlike the recent abolishment of very," Julius listed a few things he remembered. "Despite your many ws, you have aplished more than any Pope in history."


    "I just ended the Thousand Year war," Sylvester barked proudly. "Dragons have lost their only Supreme Wizard, and the elven King lost to me in a private duel in front of all his Elders."


    "Which increases the burden on you to prove yourself. From now on, not only the humans, but the non-humans also depend on you," Julius said, not showing any hint of dislike towards the non-human species.


    ''The fate of the world depends on me, I am afraid.'' Sylvester told himself. He knew it sounded very corny and felt like a heroplex. But the truth was that he knew he was a reincarnator. He had no idea who brought him into this world, and there were two Primordial Gods he knew nothing about, who wanted the world ruined.


    "I understand that," Sylvester said, and journeyed the rest of the way in silence, thinking about the tough days ahead. Getting into the Demon World was the only clue he had at the moment because Zama''tar''s words implied they were aware of the two gods.


    Over the Divine Desert, then flying above the flourishing and healingnds of the Gracia Kingdom, the two eventually made their way to the Holy Land. However, there weren''t any protective means set against someone entering the Holy Land from the sky. So the two neatlynded in front of the Pope''s Pce instead of the terrace.


    The guards were alerted but calmed down at the sight of Sylvester. However, when they noticed another person who was flying, they grew nervous and quickly sent men to buzz the silent rms to prepare for any sudden movements.


    "Have you ever been to the Holy Land before?" Sylvester asked.


    Julius shook his head, "I was a nobody before I was turned into your enemy. Lowly people like me weren''t weed in this ''pure''nd."


    "Things have changed," Sylvester said, leading him into the massive building, through the beautiful central hall, and then towards his personal office in one of the corridors.


    Almost every person walking by stopped and watched as Julius was wearing dirty, brown robes that were closer to being called rags than clothes. Even from his face, he appeared more like a homeless man than anybody important to be walking beside the Pope.


    ck!


    "Your Holiness!"


    Just as Sylvester entered his officeplex, he saw his personal assistant, a Bright Mother, who sat outside his office and prepared his schedule.


    "How are you, Anya." Sylvester was almost the same age as Anya, a trainee Bright Mother he had met years ago, and the one who took care of Xavia when she was injured. "I hope you''re not beingzy."


    "N-Never¡­ Your Holiness," she stuttered in defense, still not used to being the Pope''s personal assistant. Being Sylvester''s friend before was different, but now the burden on her young mind was too great.


    "Rx, and inform the Sanctum Council to report to my office immediately. Oh, tell the Bard''s restaurant to send two premiumbo meals¡­ no, make it three with banana smoothies. Wait¡­ It''s lunchtime, so get some for the whole Sanctum Council and yourself," Sylvester quickly changed his order at the cat''s grunt near his ear, then entered the office.


    Anya Moller, the young Bright Mother, sat back in her seat, picked up the prototype magicmunicator to contact the staffer''s office, and made history''s first on-call food delivery order. Before her, nobody had the guts to use it for something so trivial, but the Pope''s food was important enough for it.


    ¡­


    "I expected more¡­ luxury," Juliusmented as he nced at Sylvester''s room while sitting.


    "Luxuries are useless. They don''t increase our efficiency in any way," Sylvester replied, taking his seat behind the table and waiting for the Sanctum Council members to arrive. "Let''s discuss what you''ll do as a new addition to the Holy Land. We arecking many Guardians of Light, but the new first Guardian of Light has already been chosen to be Emperor Raz Mi''ul Naseer."


    Julius looked interested, "An undead Emperor Lich will be your First Guardian of Light?"


    "That man has more warmth in his bones than most people I know," Sylvester openlyplimented the extremely old undead man who loved stylish clothes, writing jokes, and ying with orphans. "The man single-handedly used his tens of thousands of undeads to build gigantic orphanages for children who lost their families in all the chaos."


    "A respectable being."


    Sylvester nodded and wrote down an appointment letter, "Instead, I''m making you the Fifth Guardian of Light. Years ago, an old man we used to call Grandpa Monk held this position. He was loved by all, good or bad, me or the past Pope. It''s a number closer to me, so I hope you will continue his legacy of kindness, honesty, and wisdom."


    ck!


    Just then, the door opened, and all the Sanctum Council members poured into the room. Each of them went ahead as usual, picked a chair from the side, and set it around Julius and behind him, neatly surrounding Sylvester''s table.


    The members looked at Julius with questions as no one recognized him.


    However, Sylvester didn''t keep them in confusion for much longer, "Saint Gabriel, anything to report?"


    Gabriel pulled back his focus from the strange new man and forwarded a file, "These are the experiment results from the research and development. Cardinal Robert and Jinn have started a friendlypetition with each other, hence the increased productivity."


    "Ah, my Oppenhimers," Sylvester smiled proudly, reading the report. "The dam''s structure is alsoplete? That''s brilliant news. Let us first showcase the miracles of controlled electricity across the Holy Land and nearby viges. But why do I see no work being done on propagating the electric current? Everything is useless if we don''ty down wires to connect the regions¡­ those fools!"


    In the middle, Sylvester cursed at the two men, "Why are they fighting for the type of current? Ah¡­ I didn''t give them the concept of a transformer..."


    Sylvester mumbled to himself continuously as if he were an old man rambling from insanity. His words wereplex, and no one in the room understood it. However, none interrupted Sylvester or appeared annoyed by their inability to understand.


    "It happens a lot. He''s too smart for us mere mortals," Aurora jokingly mumbled to Julius in hopes of making small talk and learning who this man was. "Have I seen you before? I feel I have..."


    "Saint Keymaster, Darius. How is our treasury?" Sylvester suddenly ced the file aside and questioned his chief economist.


    Darius proudly gave the statistics, "Economic activity has risen six hundred percent overall through the entire Sol, Your Holiness. Holy Land is seeing the highest growth ever recorded, and soon, we will be able to trade with Beastaria. The treasury is being drained, but it''s also filling up faster."


    "Brilliant! I''m nning for one more Holy Land to be set up in the Marashia region of the west. The ce boasts a massive poption, and they can''t be left out of the Light of Solis just because of distance. Furthermore, that ce requires keen oversight to ensure corruption, depravity, and unholiness do not dwell. Beyond this, we shall be making two Grand monasteries in the Warsong Kingdom and ckhart Kingdom.


    "Every year, during the Season of Solis, the pilgrims will be rmended to make it their life''s goal to see all five Holy Sites in one season. This will boost economies all across Sol due to increased activities from the movement of the people. Businesses to carry people, shops, taverns, rest houses¡ªeverything will be promoted," Sylvester concluded by revealing his grand n to not only increase the wealth of the continent but also his control.


    Darius wrote it down and agreed, "Costly, but if longsting peace prevails, I believe we will earn it back many times over."


    "Just use First Guardian Raz''s undead for construction. Moreover, since we''ll have three great Holy Lands soon, I have decided to house at least one Supreme Wizard in each of them at any given time," Sylvester announced.


    "But how?" Felix questioned.


    All the Council members looked at Sylvester in confusion.


    "Ah!" Sylvester remembered just then and pointed at the new face in the room. "I forgot to introduce him. Everyone, this is the new Fifth Guardian of Light, a Supreme Wizard, Julius Aurelius Alexander¡ªpreviously known as Chief of Anti-Light."


    Bam!


    Every member of the council jumped to their feet, their hearts caught in their throats, hands reaching for their weapons of choice.


    _________________


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 Chapter 655 654. Shouldnt Have Said That

    Chapter 655 654. Shouldn''t Have Said That


    Sylvester felt the hostility in the air and unleashed a storm of manipted srium in the air while staying seated. The srium was heavy enough to be noticeable by everyone in the room, making it harder for them to breathe or even move, as their senses kept screaming that they stood at the jaws of death.


    "I won''t repeat it¡ªsit down," Sylvester ordered,cking the usual rxed and kind tone to his words. "I made an offer to Julius when we fought at Mount Primis. The church wronged him and many others throughout history. Hence, I invited him to watch as I change the world for the better¡ªhe will not serve the light or the faith, but rather, he shall serve the people of this world. If something happens to me, Julius and Emperor Raz will ensure no new Pope ruins the world as those in the past did."


    "But¡­ You''re just twenty-seven," Felix eximed as he took his seat. "You''re going to be the Pope for the next few hundred years."


    Sylvester shook his head, "Remember my words. Never take things for granted, never be too rxed, never bezy, for anything can happen at any moment. None of us here can see the future. We all are mighty, but ultimately, we''re controlled by the same strings of life that no one can control. You can never know when one of those strings will break under tension."


    "There is truth in His Holiness'' speech," the Inquisitor High Lord agreed. "A moment ofpse is enough for the darkness to breach. No matter the interpretation¡ªconstant vignce and honest duty to the faith is our only path to salvation."


    Julius respectfully nced at the Inquisitor High Lord and agreed. "I see you have surrounded yourself with the best of servants of the faith. Men like Lord Inquisitor are rare, and so are others around me. But always remember, Pope Sylvester, you are the root that nurtures this tree¡ªIf this tree begins to rot, my patience and kindness I cannot guarantee."


    Sylvester sighed, taking the threats seriously. But he no longer feared the man as he knew his strength would only increase in preparation for the real threats of the Primordial Gods. "Thank you for understanding. Aurora, will you please guide Julius to the Administration department so he can receive his church robes and the identity token of a Cardinal? Maybe tell him all the rules and give him a print of the Constitution."


    Aurora sprang to her feet dutifully. She was, after all, still a trainee Inquisitor High Lord. "Understood, Your Holiness."


    Julius and Sylvester nodded at each other, and with that, the man left the room. Right then, the rest of the Sanctum Council took a deep breath of relief.


    "Don''t be afraid. I can defeat him," Sylvester reassured the members.


    "I suggest you reconsider this decision, Your Holiness," Gabriel spoke with worry in his tone. "Keeping him here is akin to an explosive that can erupt at any moment. The definition of ''rot'' he spoke about is too vague, and we know the church will always have some level of corruption. It''s a disease that can''t be eliminated."


    Sylvester ignored their worries and brought their focus to a more critical topic, "The corruption will soon be reduced to none, so don''t worry about that. Instead of worrying about Julius, we have bigger matters to focus on. The realm needs to be under our constant probing eyes. Troubles such as what happened in the West will keep arising. The Tears of Solis is still spreading, and I''m sure there are more matters we aren''t aware of yet.


    "These issues need to be dealt with constantly; you solve one, and another will arise. That''s what ruling is all about. The moment we rx, decay will start. I can lead and suggest, but I need you all to implement my ideas while I focus on arger, more threatening matter. When the time is right, I''ll tell you who our real enemy is¡­ but let me be clear, that enemy is not in this world."


    "Demons?" Felix abruptly asked.


    Sylvester shook his head, "No, worse than them. I need to confirm a few things before I can propose a theory, so I won''t make assumptions right now. But I want you all to start acting like who we are¡ªthe rulers of the world. We are the provider of peace and the spearhead that guides¡ªSol, Beastaria, Sand Continent, or the Central Continent¡ªwe are supreme."


    "Amen." Lord Inquisitor interjected out of sheer marvel at what Sylvester had aplished.


    "You can return to your work now¡ªexcept for Saint Lazark."


    Quickly, they all saluted and left the room. Outside, they all received their packedbo meals Sylvester had ordered. Even the Inquisitor High Lord took one since it was just so delightful. He still had an inferno in his body, but at heart, he found himself at a calm peace.


    Back in the room, Bright Mother Anya brought the meals to them. Sylvester opened one and ced it under his table first since the cat was getting quite grumpy. Then, as they ate, he spoke with Lazark about a little spy project.


    "How is Project Skyeye going?"


    Saint Seer, the spymaster, Lazark proudly answered the inquiry, "After experimentation, I was able to make it. Now, we just need to mass produce it and distribute it to all of the Clergy members."


    "Brilliant! How will the information be gathered? It''s useless if we''re going to require a thousand people to record it all."


    "Emperor Raz helped me create a new undead creature based on spiders for this purpose. We created an enchanted underground hall for it, where the undead mother spider, with its thousands of smaller spiders, acts like an interconnected machinery. They will organize all the information gathered from the Clergy member''s identity token, which we will distributeter.


    "Since all the tokens will consist of a small undead insect, all the information will directly reach the mother spider¡ªit was quite aplex thing to do involving various runes, enchantments, and dark magical knowledge. Without Emperor Raz, this would have been impossible."


    ''Did they just create aputer¡­ but with magic?'' Sylvester wondered and hoped to see the thing working soon.


    "Where is Emperor Raz?"


    "Let me check," Lazark closed his eyes for a few seconds and looked through the eyes of various undead birds in the sky.


    "He is¡­" Lazark took a few seconds. "He''s in the ckhart Kingdom, building irrigation canals."


    "Haha!" Sylvesterughed. "At this rate, he''ll be more beloved by the people than me."


    "He longed for someone to talk to for thousands of years. I''m sure he cherishes this new life."


    Sylvester liked that everyone was working their hardest. So, he stood up to fulfill another one of his duties. "Inform me when you reach the final stage of the project. I''ll go home and see Mum now."


    "Understood, Your Holiness."


    "Oh! Bring the five selected people for the Hive Project to meet me tomorrow," Sylvester added just before he left through the door and in the opposite direction from Lazark.


    ¡­


    Sylvester arrived at the Bright Mother''splex and knocked on the door. His clothes were a little dirty since he never rested, traveling continents and kingdoms over the past few weeks.


    ck!


    The door finally opened, and Xavia stood there with her arms crossed and face looking grumpy. However, it didn''t help that she was just too beautiful to look threatening.


    "Meow?" Miraj jumped at Xavia right away, asking for hugs.


    Bonk!


    But Miraj received a light knuckle to his head from Xavia and then lots of tight hugs, "Why didn''t you bring him home faster?"


    Miraj snuggled in her arms, "Maxy is not easy to handle, Big Mum. He never listens to me¡­ he thinks he''s older than me."


    ''Is he me-shifting?''


    "Oho¡­ How are you, Mum?" Sylvester smiled as if there was nothing wrong and went in for a hug. "I missed you so much."


    Bam!


    Sylvester also received a soft knuckle on his head. Though Xavia looked cute instead as she had to rise on her toes to reach his head. But afterward, a warm hug came.


    "If you actually missed me, you''d have returned to me before going to the west," Xavia argued and shut the door, leading them to the living room.


    Sylvester feltpletely rxed as soon as he entered his home. With a smile on his face, he went over and sat down in front of the couch seat instead of sitting on it. "I had to stop a war, Mum."


    "Why are you sitting on the floor?"


    "Because I need my rxing head massage," Sylvester requested. Something that Xavia used to do all his life whenever he appeared nervous. Her hands scrubbing his scalp used to almost always put him to sleep. And she was the only person he trusted enough to touch his head like that.


    Xavia melted in nostalgia and quickly came over to sit on the couch behind Sylvester, "So you still remember those? I thought you forgot about it."


    "Never," Sylvester eased back, feeling Xavia''s hands sinking into his long hair. "Yes! That''s the spot¡­ you''re the best, Mum."


    Xavia giggled, even more so when she remembered this was the Pope. A terrifying figure for the world, but now¡­ simply her son.


    "Nyoooo!" Miraj suddenly meowed as he returned from his home inspection. "Where is my massage?"


    Sylvester called his furball, "You sit in front of me. I will give you a massage."


    "Nyo! I want one from Big Mum."


    "She can''t see you, Chonky."


    "..."


    Silently, Miraj came over and sat down on Sylvester''sp and let his back trust-fall on Sylvester''s belly, rxing happily. Soon, he began purring as Sylvester''s gentle but firm fingers rubbed his head.


    "That''s that''s the spot," Miraj''s one leg twitched from the heavenly feeling.


    ''This is the sort of peaceful life I want tost forever¡­ this is so perfect,'' Sylvester closed his eyes and allowed his back to rest on Xavia''s legs.


    "Did your mission go well, dear? Did Rathagun trouble you?" Xavia inquired, clearly dying to ask.


    "Not at all, Mum. I won against all of them. The Demon is gone, King Malisius is dead, and even Rathagun lost to me," Sylvester didn''t think before replying, "In fact, we bonded quite well. On top of that, I found out that my stepmother is quite a sweet yet troubleddy."


    "You what?!"


    "..."


    Sylvester''s eyes sparked open instantly, and he looked up at Xavia''s inverted face. Immediately, he smelled something in the air, something intense¡ªsour and salty.


    ''I-I smell¡­ Jealousy?''


    _________________


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 Chapter 656 655. A Diary Of Emotions

    Chapter 656 655. A Diary Of Emotions


    Sylvester quickly tried to do some damage control. "I meant that as a fellow human being, not as your son, Mum. I learned her story¡ªshe was brought up since childhood to be Rathagun''s queen and bear him children, the future of Alfia. But over the years, Rathagun has only looked at her scornfully, ignored her, doubted her love, and refused to touch her, allowing rumors to foster in Alfia that she''s the thorn at Rathagun''s side¡ªa woman who can''t bear children."


    Xavia sighed and resumed massaging Sylvester''s head, "I think¡­ I can understand her feelings to a degree. She tried to kill me once, but I think if I were in her ce and had the power, I''d have tried it too."


    Sylvester chortled, "Mum, you think twice before even killing an insect."


    "Well, all lives are created by Solis, aren''t they? So they deserve respect from us¡ªeven an insect," Xavia proudly replied, adhering to the teachings of the church.


    Sylvester sighed and rxed, not countering her words. Instead, he decided to get a little yful. "Mum¡­ what would you do if I were to suddenly bring home a wife out of nowhere?"


    "I would dance and pray to Solis six times a day."


    "..."


    Sylvester sighed, realizing it was pointless to ask in the first ce. Xavia only wanted to see him have dozens of children. Sadly, it was the one thing he couldn''t give her.


    "I''ll go and take a bath now."


    "Wait!" Xavia suddenly stood up and sprang to a bookcase on the wall nearby. She took out a small diary from it and handed it to Sylvester, taking her seat. "Aurora handed these things over. It came with the belongings of thete Sir Dolorem."


    "His diary!" Sylvester recognized the thing right away. "He used to write in this for as long as I can remember."


    He took it and opened the first page while Xavia continued to massage his scalp. However, as soon as Sylvester nced at the words, the handwriting; his emotions and memories flooded into his head, rendering him fully lost, reading it under his lips.


    ''Memoirs of Sir Dolorem¡ªyear 5100 of the Lord¡ªI have beenpletely loyal to the faith for so many years. I have fought with my life on the line. I have given it my all. Yet, I''m merely seen as worthy of being a babysitter. I hope this is a test from the Lord, for¡­''


    A big smile appeared on Sylvester''s face as he guessed this was written just after he was saved from the Deserte vige. It amused him to see how Sir Dolorem saw him in the initial days. But he continued to another page and read it.


    ''I have no doubt this child is destined for greatness. Not only Lord Inquisitor but the Pope was mesmerized with his holy hymns¡ªperhaps it''s a duty given to me by Solis to watch over this young one until he''s ready for the world.''


    ''May your souls rest in peace, my Nics, my Livia.''


    That was all he found in the diary that talked about the tragic death of Sir Dolorem''s son and wife. For no reason, Sylvester felt quite emotional since he knew how hard it must have been even to write this small string of words.


    But then he turned the page, and a cherishing memory left him in a daze. The scenes, still so vivid, shed before his eyes. The first time Sir Dolorem tried to teach him magic, Whirling Storm and Whirling Fire¡ªthe subsequent hymn he sang to lure the knight to be his servant.


    He read the words written while holding back some "sweat" in his eyes. ''I have begun to teach the young bard how to wield magic, and he has already surpassed me inprehension. A true master, a genius of no equal¡ªit fills me with a thrill to imagine the future. May the Holy Light guide him through all the trials. May the Lord bless this small knight with enough strength to stand by the young bard no matter how scarred, no matter how marred, no matter how charred¡ªI will always stand as his guard.''


    p!


    Sylvester closed the diary immediately and wiped the corners of his eyes before Xavia could see him being so emotional.


    ''So many people I befriended and manipted for the sake of my own benefit¡ªnow I cherish them with my life. Years have passed, and I still have nothing to show them but strife.''


    "Thank you for giving it to me, Mum." He sighed and stood up, "I''ll read this whole thingter. But I will return to the Pope''s Pce after dinner."


    "You won''t be sleeping here?" Xavia asked with worry, seeing his red eyes.


    ''I can''t afford to.''


    He shook his head and looked down at his dirty clothes, "No, I have some important work to take care of. I''ll take a quick bath and¡­ bathe Chonky as well."


    Sylvester grabbed the rxed cat and dragged him along to the bathroom. With a simple wave of his hand, the bathtub was filled with hot water. He felt a hurry to do things before something unforeseen struck the world again, but at the same time, he didn''t wish to hurt Xavia and held to his promise of having dinner with her.


    After a small grumpy bath with Miraj, the two boys came out fresh and smelled good. Having cheered himself up again, Sylvester sat with Xavia to eat, and Zeke also returned home by then from his work at the School of Dawn.


    "Maybe we should find Zeke a wife. He''s not a Clergyman, after all," Xavia suddenly brought up the matter. If not Sylvester, she wanted to see her other adopted son get married.


    Cough!


    Zeke suddenly choked on his food and looked embarrassed, "Zeke can''t marry anyone¡­ Zeke only likes Lady Iris."


    "..."


    The simple-minded man, who had now grown into a mighty knight with a tall and sturdy body to back it, had shocked Sylvester and Xavia.


    The mother and son stared at each other''s faces, amazed that Zeke was showing so much cognitive progress as he socially mingled with people and grew in strength.


    "Who is Lady Iris?" Sylvester asked.


    "Wait!" Xavia suddenly eximed. "Is it the healer at the School of Dawn?"


    "A teacher?" Sylvester inquired.


    "No, she''s assigned there to heal children in case they get injured performing magic or during knight training. She doesn''t teach."


    ''Zeke fell in love with the school nurse?'' Sylvester realized and nced slyly at his brother in all but name. ''Should I manipte a few things? No¡­ that''s low even for me¡­ love should be natural to be longsting.''


    "Does she like Zeke back?" He asked.


    Zeke shyly looked up, "Zeke gave her flowers, and Lady Iris kissed Zeke on the cheek."


    "..."


    Xavia folded her arms, "Already kissing? Perhaps I should speak with this Lady Iris."


    ''A background check should be in order. She could be someone trying to get closer to me through Zeke.'' Sylvester made a mental note to order Saint Lazarkter. He in no way doubted that Zeke couldn''t pull in a girl. Heck, he could pull princesses with his knight rank alone. On top of that, he was quite handsome. But Sylvester still feared for Zeke''s well-being since he was too gullible.


    "Let them be, Mum. He''s not a child. His interests should be his to pursue. Let the romance grow naturally, and if somethinges out of it, I shall give my blessings to their union," Sylvester warned Xavia not to interfere and stood up to head out. "I''ll see you in the morning then. Good luck, Zeke."


    He changed into another set of work robes and left the house on his usual bicycle. This time, there was no carriage waiting to take him to the Pope''s Pce as it wasn''t in his schedule. The roads, the buildings, and most of the ces were deste. However, as he passed by the Administration building, he noticed the lights in the top floor''s windows, it being Gabriel''s department.


    ''When they''re giving it their all, I have no excuse to rx now.'' He muttered and quickly reached the Pce and went downstairs towards the secret room with the door to the Elder God''s void.


    He used the key and walked in. As always, he got sucked into the darkness and soon found himself floating before the massive body of Nehilius,rger thansbined,rger than a star.


    ''How can I eat all of this? It''ll take me centuries.'' Sylvester always felt lost and defeated when remembering what he needed to do.


    "I hope it was a triumph that you achieved," Elder God Nehilius'' echoing, muffled demonic voice reverberated through the void.


    Sylvester nodded, being respectful to the creature while not fully trusting it. "Thankfully, your training helped me quite a lot. I''ve defeated Beastaria, and almost the entire world is now under my direct or indirect influence. I''ve also secured the carcass of a Supreme Wizard dragon for my evolution process."


    "Then let us begin with the process for the elder power that you must harness," the Elder God''s-sized orb on the head shined a little brighter.


    "I need your help in training my Metal Maniption and the Electromaism maniption. It''s a power I discovered that can destroys," Sylvester requested before starting anything new. "I have reasons to believe the two Primordial Gods have done something to the Demon World as well. Through a Demon, I found out the monarch of that world is trying to speak with me, and I n to go there. But¡­ if they turn out to be enemies, I wish to end their civilization, their entire by manipting the maic fields."


    "Evil to some, but effective in my eyes."


    Sylvester agreed, "But first, can you help me find a path to enter the Demon World?"


    "Enter through where demonse out," Nehilius suggested.


    "You mean the Void Anomaly? It''s not reliable. Only two Void Anomalies have been recorded, and there is no telling when a new one will appear," Sylvester argued, having already thought of many usible ways.


    The Elder God fell silent for a few seconds before speaking again, "A door must lie within your world, a key you must possess to open it. A part of your world where creatures appear otherworldly, akin to none elsewhere, mysterious and worthy of striking fear?"


    "The Darkpit Sea?!" Sylvester eximed. "It does possess creatures with impossibly high levels of strength."


    "And the key?" Nehilius questioned him as if the otherworldly godly being knew the answers before Sylvester spoke of them, and he was merely guiding him.


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and remembered a meeting with Solis. The words rang in his ears, the mention of the girl being the key to his destiny.


    "Xylena!"


    _________________


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 Chapter 657 656. Doubts & Honor

    Chapter 657 656. Doubts & Honor


    "Xylena?!" Sylvester eximed, remembering how she had been in his visions for so long during the initial years of his life. He had seen her entire life, and somehow, she had seen his as well. Her abilities tomunicate through magic and learn Elder Magic to a minor degree were also quite interesting.


    "She''s the key?" Sylvester wondered.


    "That is for you to find out," Nehilius said, having given Sylvester all the clues that he could. "We shall continue your training now."


    Sylvester silently nodded, even though his mind was filled with questions and possibilities. He wanted to go out and rush to find Xylena quickly. But he knew how important patience was and, even more importantly, this training. Without it, even if he knew where to find the Primordial Gods, it''d make no difference.


    "How do we start?"


    "We begin by reconstructing your body with the blood of the dragon," Nehilius briefly exined. "It will be painful and grant you the physical strength of a dragon and its affinity to fire, effectively turning you into a higher life-form."


    "How long will it take? What do I need to do for that to happen?"


    "It will take a year in this world, a night in yours. What I require from you is nothing, but your tolerance to pain shall decide everything," Nehilius informed him.


    But right then, Sylvester''s mind went into paranoia mode, ''How can I be sure he won''t do something to my body? This could be his attempt to turn me into a perfect body for him to possess.''


    At the end of the day, it was a fact that this Elder God was a supreme being, able to creates, lifeforms, and memories out of thin air. Before him, Sylvester knew his existence was nothing.


    ''If he wants to pass on his knowledge, what''s stopping him from passing on his consciousness as well.''


    It was a dreadful conflict in his mind. He knew he needed all the power he could get, but at the same time, he had to be sure the pursuit didn''t leave him on the losing side.


    "Distrust?" Nehilius sensed it.


    Sylvester directly responded, "Learning from you is one thing. But to allow you to meddle with my biology is a danger I can''t bring myself to take. You could be plotting anything, and I would never know until it''s toote."


    "You stand correct, human," Nehilius was honest as well. "But understand that if I desired to do something, I would have done it the moment you stepped into this realm. I am the controller, the ruler, the creator, and the destroyer here¡ªI do not need your approval to harm you or rebuild your body. If I wanted to control you, I would have done so long ago."


    "That means you do possess the ability to take over my physical body?" Sylvester questioned, his suspicions growing even more.


    "Naturally, I do. But I have no desire to battle against the Primordial Gods."


    "And how do I believe that?"


    "You cannot without trusting it. It is a gamble for you and nothing for me."


    Sylvester silently thought about it for a long time. But in the end, he couldn''t allow this to happen. Not unless he had the means to fight against the control that the Elder God may try to ce on him. He had read too many stories, and there was a reason why they all appeared so hideous with evil intentions.


    "I''ll have to spend some time contemting. So let''s ignore the evolution and focus on Electromaic Maniption," Sylvester decided and changed the topic. "Can you create a sun-sized with its own intense maic fields? I''ll attempt to destroy that."


    "As long as it leads to a path of progress, we shall proceed," Nehilius used his powers and moved Sylvester through time and space inside his realm.


    Out of nowhere, they arrived in space, outside of a massive that appeared like any other world with water,nd, and atmosphere.


    "This world contains a strong maic field, arger core, and¡ªa primitive civilization of minor hunters and gatherers," Nehilius pushed Sylvester towards the and ced him on the surface. "Destroy this world¡ªits species¡ªall its life."


    "I asked for one without any life on it."


    Nehilius didn''t care, "If you cannot destroy this, you do not possess enough fortitude to destroy your enemy''s world."


    Sylvester sighed and silently looked at the. He had already killed so many over his period of training, and he wanted to retain his humanity by remainingpassionate towards the living. However, it seemed like he needed to be indifferent to rise as an Elder God''s apprentice.


    ''He created them just a moment ago anyway.'' He told himself beforending his feet on the.


    However, it wasn''t going to be easy. His control over the electromaic fields still wasn''t that high. So, to even sense the''s maic field, it was going to take a lot of time.


    "Maxy, what do I do?"


    "Train your abilities to change in size, and maybe flight? Try to strengthen your back to be able to lift more weight while flying." Sylvester gave his little friend a few vague tasks.


    ''I can feel it slightly¡­ this is much bigger than usual, after all,'' Sylvester felt the difference; even the gravity was slightly heavier. ''This is going to take a very long time.''


    ¡­


    While Sylvester was training, a special mission arrived at a particr ce in Beastaria. Elrog, the chief elder of the dwarves of Sol, found his way through the mountains of Whiskeypeak of the dwarves of Beastaria and finally reached the capital city¡ªIronstead.


    With the finest warriors of dwarves of Sol and some powerful knights and wizards, he safely traveled the vast distance. Now, with the thousand-year war over and very abolished, and the elves overseeing it all¡ªBeastaria was a safer ce.


    Elrog had no clue about the original home of the dwarves since he was born and raised in captivity in the Masan Empire. His culture had been isted, and he had no idea what a dwarven society looked like.


    However, now that he looked at the city etched into the mountains, he found it wasn''t that different after all. He noticed a lot of men and women going to work, returning from work, a lot of taverns with loud dwarves drinking, and others selling items to creatures of other species.


    "You said someone wille to guide us?" Elrog asked his main protector, Dagorith, a man who now mostly worked for Sylvester as a Grand Wizard for hire. He didn''t mind since the pay was high. He received a lot of respect, a lifetime of free food at the Bard''s, and the ability to walk around and live inside the Holy Land.


    "I may or may not have miscalcted the time difference," Dagorith confessed. "But worry not. Thete Sir Dolorem and I once came here in the past, to meet with the dwarves. The name of the Dwarven King is Ggar Ironcloak, and he even follows the faith of Solis alongside the Iron Gods."


    Elrog felt excited, and they soon walked out of one mountain tunnel and arrived at a massive, open valley. However, what they saw before them made their jaws drop. It was a gigantic statue under construction with hundreds of dwarves hanging around its parts, hammering and smithing. The statue was made of iron and stood over two hundred feet tall.


    "T-That''s¡­" Elrogcked the words to say.


    "That''s His Holiness!" Dagorith eximed and grabbed a random dwarf walking by. "Why are you making the statue of the human Pope?"


    The random dwarf annoyedly barked back, "Why? Because your mum wants to sit on it¡­ Annoying tourists¡­"


    "..."


    Dagorith''s face fell under his tight ck cloth mask. However, instead of making a scene, he stepped back and pushed Elrog forward to ask the same thing. And this time, the random dwarf was much kinder, annoying Dagorith even more.


    "...The Merkinsmissioned it. They want to erect in the middle of the body of water created from the destruction of the Divider Swamp. They want it to be their sign of appreciation and gratefulness towards the human Pope."


    Elrog and Dagorith looked at the statue in awe after that, wondering if the Pope knew this was happening.


    Once again, the two felt at ease, knowing that following Sylvester was the greatest decision of their lives. If even the Merkins liked him, there was no reason for dwarves to hate him.


    "I hope King Ironcloak feels the same as the Merkins," Elrog muttered, continuing his way for the fateful meeting.


    ¡­


    Alfia, High Ragnum.


    As always, the Elder Council gathered to discuss various matters. This time, there was a much more serious matter to discuss as they were about to lose one-tenth of their poption, and it wasn''t the ves.


    "Your Majesty, if the half-elves leave, we won''t even have people to hire. The humans have all left, and there are no other species in Beastaria who look even a part as delicate and refined as us. We have to stop them by any means," Elder Ellitran insisted, urging the King to take action.


    In a rare moment, even the First Elder, Florian, agreed, "It will be an economic catastrophe for us. Half-elves have been the ones to run most of our businesses, manage them, and even man the royal trade fleet. Now, if they follow the ves and go to Sol, we will lose a good portion of our economy."


    King Rathagun sighed, sitting rxed in his seat, "We can''t force them to stay as that would vite the terms we agreed on with Pope Sylvester."


    "But¡ª"


    Rathagun raised his palm and silenced Elder Folmer. "From the way I see it. It is time we elves stop being a species ofzy leeches and start doing work with our own hands. We have to man our own business and take care of our own interests."


    "That will upset the popce! You''re stripping away their way of life, King Rathagun!" Elder Ellitran warned him in a threatening tone, "They might rise against you."


    Rathagun''s gaze turned sharper, and he stared at his father-inw like a lion looking at amb, "Forgive me if I''m mistaken, but wasn''t it you who agreed on the terms written by Pope Sylvester? Was it not you who signed the surrender? Why do you shout at me instead of finding solutions to a problem of your own creation?"


    Speechless! Every single man at the table lost their tongue. Their heads hung low in shame and difort. Even Ellitran looked away furiously, knowing he couldn''t argue.


    ''Oh, my dear son, such an amazing tool you have handed me,'' Rathagun enjoyed silencing the Elders like that.


    "Nevertheless, I will look into this matter and ask Avanss to find good-looking humans we can hire to work for us under the new terms." Having had enough, he got up to leave, "I must go now. My beautiful queen awaits me for a private dinner under the moonlight."


    Elder Ellitran''s eyes widened as he looked at Rathagun. Gone was his anger, his difort. Just hearing his son-inw call his daughter beautiful and spend time with her was worth everything.


    "Of course¡­ I will take care of these old ones. Go, Your Majesty," Ellitran nudged, losing all his shame.


    ''So easy to manipte,'' Rathagun sighed and left, silently thanking Sylvester for teaching him his ways.


    _________________


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 Chapter 658 657. Adopted!

    Chapter 658 657. Adopted!


    For Sylvester, a year passed, living on the in that void. He tried his best to destroy the huge rock in space, but it wasn''t that easy. The more he tried to manipte the maic fields, the more nature tried to fight him to return to its natural state.


    Tired, sore, and mentally exhausted, he had enough of it. At best, he could bring about some earthquakes and kill the natives by increasing gravity on their bodies so much they''d stter t on the ground. Mass, apocalyptic-scale destruction was still hard to do.


    "Chonky, let''s go back," Sylvester tiredly sat up on his hammock by the sea. "You must be bored."


    Miraj yawned and woke up from the sandcastle he had made with his paws, "I''ve been bored for so long, Maxy¡ªI wanna go home and snuggle in Big Mum''s arms."


    ''I should avoid bringing him next time,'' Sylvester decided, picking up the fluff beforemunicating with the Elder God. With a n of returning soon to continue his training, he quickly exited the realm. He never talked about the evolution process with the Elder God again, as he still searched for a way to discover what Nehilius truly wanted.


    "We''rete," he muttered as soon as he exited the door and nced around at the interior of the basement. He could sense the temperature change and knew what time of the day it was.


    Quickly, he walked upstairs and entered his personal office to change into spare clothes before preparing himself for the activities of the day. The staff hadn''te in to work yet, so he silently got to work, checking the stacks of documents on the table.


    ''Let''s go and meet Xylena in ckhart,'' he decided and tried to finish all his work.


    Knock! Knock!


    "Your Holiness," Gabriel entered, poking his head in from a gap at the door. "The five people selected for the Hive Project are here."


    Sylvester got up and waved, "Bring them in."


    The door fully opened, and five figures walked in. However, one of them was too excited and came jumping in to hug Sylvester. It was Prince Rex, looking as bright and cheerful as ever. And being his godfather, Sylvester reciprocated the hug.


    However, the rest of the people weren''t as calm. He looked at all of them; the middle-aged man, the little girl, the Elephantkin, and the woman likely from the West.


    Despite not wearing any regal clothes, Sylvester simply had the aurora of someone important, and his looks, albeit young, never allowed people to take their eyes off of him so easily, making them feel nervous.


    "Wee to the Holy Land," Sylvester walked over to greet them with a weing smile. "I hope you''ve had a pleasant experience over the past few days. I''ll be training you from now on in the subjects of administration, science, ethics, and a few other things until you realize your expertise. But before that, I would like to hear your introductions."


    The middle-aged, ck-haired man stepped forward first. He had grown a thin beard by now, and his figure looked rtively healthy. "I''m the third-ranked Noah, Your Holiness. I can read and write thenguages of the West, take care of horses, and clean the stables. But I reckon I won''t be doing that anymore."


    ''Someone with a sense of humor?'' Sylvester silently judged the man based on the scents. There was a mix of excitement, worship, and hope. ''He wants something from me.''


    Then, Sylvester looked at the tall Elephantkin. The massive, likely eight-foot-tall being had the head of an elephant and a humanoid body but with gray skin under the loose robes. With two small tusks and sses on his eyes, it was quite a strange sight.


    "I am the fourth-ranked Noby, Your Holiness," Noby said, his voice sounding hoarse and old. "I''m honored to work here alongside you and learn a great many things."


    ''Excitement, interest and curiosity? He''s merely here to spend time.''


    Sylvester then stepped before the brown-skinned woman, probably in her thirties but physically fit. "Ah, you must be Emara. The Lord Inquisitor informed me about you."


    This time, there was some fear, hope, happiness, and a whole lot of worship, more than what the Clergymen usually had.


    "T-Thank you¡­ Thank you for everything, Your Holiness," Emara cried her tears out right away. "I-I''m second rank, Emara. I was a ve before you abolished it, and then a pained mother, abused wife¡­ Thank you for your grace."


    Sylvester patted her shoulder to calm her down, "The rough days are gone, Emara. With your wits, it is time to pave a new path forward. Were you treated well? How are your children?"


    "They are well, Your Holiness. They have been epted into the monastery school¡ªthe house we are given is also beautiful. I don''t know how I can repay this kindness."


    "With your service to the faith and honesty towards the realm," Sylvester said and moved on to the next person; the amusing little girl with dirty blonde hair, eyes that seemed uninterested, and a face that had no expression.


    ''The one who shows no emotions.'' He looked at her for a while. Just a ten-year-old child, her body was initially malnourished from what he had read in the reports. And the first thing she wanted was money for her family.


    "E, rank one," E replied monotonously.


    Sylvester chuckled, "You are¡­"


    "Small, hence more likely to grow the most. I should work hard and follow your guidance," E replied as if she waspleting what Sylvester was about to say.


    ''Fear? She''s afraid of falling out of favor? Or getting punished?'' Sylvester smelled the scents and wondered. ''Is that why she''s trying to predict everything?''


    Pat!


    He patted her head, "Haha, you are a very cute little child."


    Confused, E looked up, thinking she had guessed the wrong thing. This was the first time she actually took a direct, good look at Sylvester, and no matter what, she found herself charmed by this big brother who happened to be the Pope.


    "Cute?"


    "Adopted!" Sylvester barked, looking at his Wazir. "Gabriel, finish the documentation. From now on, E shall be my adopted daughter."


    "..."


    "A-Are you sure?" Gabriel questioned.


    Sylvester shrugged and looked back at E. The little girl had the most likely possibility of achieving immensely great things with her intelligence quotient, which showed how great herprehension abilities were. He wanted to nurture her mind in the right environment, where there was happiness and warmth. Besides, he had another reason to take in a cute little child.


    ''This should keep Mum happy and upied. She even has blonde hair like me.''


    He understood how hard it was going to be to teach the five who had such great minds. He had no doubt that his own intelligence quotient was high, but it was definitely not as high as the five in the room, at best equal to Rex in the best possibility.


    E kept staring at Sylvester in a daze as her life changed so drastically with a single order from this man.


    "Gabriel, did you prepare what I ordered?" Sylvester asked further as he stepped back.


    "Of course."


    p!


    At Gabriel''s signal, the room''s door opened, and Bright Mother Anya entered with a trolley with five boxes stacked on it. With a big smile, she handed one box to each of the five and swiftly left as she came.


    Sylvester gestured with his hand, "Open it."


    "Meow!"


    "Mo?"


    "Mew."


    "Mow mow."


    "Nya?"


    From each box came a cat, all neatly trimmed and white in color. Cuteness was immeasurable. They were expertly trained by the one and only Miraj, the Lord of Chonkers.


    "These are your little pets, friends, and emotional support. They have been trained to understand yourmands, so you can bring them everywhere you wish to. By rank, these five cats are honorary Priests, so they must be treated with respect," Sylvester rified to them.


    He knew from past knowledge that highly intelligent people often suffer when ites to making meaningful connections, making friends, falling in love, or simply the inability to deal with the stress of life. With a mind that thinks too much, it wasn''t just calctions; their emotions were also enhanced.


    "I love it!" Rex was happy already, hugging the white cat. Noby the elephant was delighted to let the cat sit on his giant head. Emara and Noah just smiled and acted normal. But E didn''t react much and merely held the cat against her chest like a stuffed bear.


    ''Yep, she''s happy.'' She didn''t show it, but Sylvester had other ways to observe her emotions.


    p!


    Sylvester got back their main focus, "I''m heading down south to the ckhart Kingdom, and all five of you will being along. There''s a ce that you must see before I begin your formal training. Go back and pack your clothes."


    "Understood, Your Holiness."


    The five quickly left his office, letting Sylvester and Gabriel talk alone. The two took their seats and rxed, returning to their friendly roles.


    "Where are you taking them?" Gabriel asked.


    Sylvester smiled and pointed at therge map behind his seat on the wall, "To the ce where it all began, my friend."


    "Deserte Vige?"


    "Correct," Sylvester muttered and stood up, getting a closer look at the new map of Sol with all the development and changes in locations marked. "I want to see the vige healer Sophia, who helped bring me into this world. I have a few questions to ask her."


    "Do you want me or Felix toe along?" Gabriel asked, worried for his good friend as he felt there was something extremely personal regarding the visit.


    Sylvester shook his head and locked the table drawers before leaving, "You''re needed here, same for Felix. I will be fine¡­ keep an eye on the Tears of Solis and inform me if arge consignment is caught."


    "I will do that, but you¡ª"


    Sylvester left before Gabriel could ask any more questions.


    "What happened to Max?" the Saint Wazir couldn''t help but wonder and worry. "He looks so rushed these days."


    _________________


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 Chapter 659 658. Questionable Existence

    Chapter 659 658. Questionable Existence


    "And there you see the beautiful and lush agricultural fields of Riveria Kingdom." Sylvester, sitting in the reinsman seat, drove the carriage he had borrowed from Aurora. With E and Rex sitting beside him, the rest of the adults were in the back, with slightly more windows added to the carriage''s frame.


    "What''s that?!" Rex eximed, pointing his little finger toward a building structure in the middle of the fields.


    At that, the little girl E replied with a monotone voice. "That is the water tower. Its height helps move the water in the pipes and irrigates the field."


    Sylvester smiled and passed a candy to the girl for her correct answer, which she happily epted. "That is right."


    Through the many fields of the Riveria, they soon entered the Hignd Kingdom from the Fort Sunflower. Too many memories were connected to that ce, but he didn''t stop and kept going down south while showing his students the various ces he had battled.


    He told them the stories of how poor and backward the Hignd Kingdom used to be once upon a time, but now before them was so much activity and greenery that it was impossible to believe the history.


    There wererge, wide canals every now and then that they crossed through the bridges. There were now newer viges as the refugee problem once upon a time had now vanished, as the people settled down. Farnds sprawled all across, not as lush as Riveria, but much better than the dry desertnd the Kingdom once was.


    "I heard you were born in this kingdom, Your Holiness?" Asked Emara, the ex-ve woman and mother of three.


    "Of course!" Rex proudly proimed, being the Crown prince of the kingdom. "Godfather was born on a cold night in a vige near the start of the Tame River. The stars were shining brighter that night, and all the oracles fell on their butt in shock."


    ''When did that happen? Did someone cook stories and tell him?''


    "I was born in Deserte vige. It''s close to the Desert Road, but back then, the road wasn''t much in use due to its poor condition and a surge of bandits. In fact, we are going there right now¡ªwhat better way to learn about your Pope than to see where he was born." He revealed the first stop of their destination, a ce that excited them all.


    They continued on the path through the Desert Road this time. But on the way, Sylvester noticed an old town that was entirely empty and crumbling apart. It was the ce where it all began, where he made up his mind to be the Pope.


    ''I hope you''re resting well, little Shane¡ªI did be the Pope.'' He muttered while silently moving along the road, deep in thought.


    There was some traffic now, a sign of economic activity. Even the Foothill vige that had been destroyed due to a Bloodling years ago was now rehabilitated and had turned into a city. Many of therge viges were in the process of turning into a city. But Sylvester had ced importance on ensuring no corners were cut, and cleanliness, sewage, road, and such matters were taken care of during these expansions. It was all to avoid low-quality towns that seemed like unproductive slums.


    There were no stops on the entire way ahead anymore, and by the evening, they crossed the bridge over the Tame River and arrived at the Deserte Vige, the ce of his beginning in this new world.


    "And this is Deserte Vige," Sylvester announced as soon as they crossed therge signboard on the side of the road. "I aming here for the first time since my birth¡ªbelieve me, this vige used to look like a dry, deste slum with no roads before."


    But now, there were paved roads, the houses looked cleaner, and there seemed to be no mud brick houses with thatched roofs, the likes of which he was born in and lived for a month. But what amazed him was thergest building, a massive Monastery that usually was not built in small viges.


    "Woah! Statue of Godfather!" Rex shouted in awe as they came to a stop in front of the monastery.


    It was quite beautiful, and arge water fountain was present in front of the entrance, acting as a roundabout. In its middle was a fifty-meter-tall statue of him¡ªbut seeing it was from his early days, it was clearly the statue was ced long before he became the Pope.


    "Aaaaa! Your Holiness!"


    From inside the magnificent, five stories tall monastery, an old man came running, having the mitre of a Cardinal on his head, supporting a long white beard and simple clergy robes. Hended right beside Sylvester''s feet in a kowtow.


    "If this lowly servant has made any mistake, I beg you for forgiveness. I¡­ I didn''t mean to eat that child''s apple pie¡­ I didn''t know it was his¡­ Forgive me!"


    "..."


    ''That''s the biggest crime he has evermitted?'' Sylvester amusedly grabbed the old man''s shoulders and made him stand up. ''Extreme worship¡ªno wonder he serves in this small vige despite being a Cardinal.''


    "What is your name, Cardinal?"


    "I am Lionhart¡­ Edward Lionhart, Your Holiness." The old man meekly replied, his blue eyes shining with worry, not knowing why the Pope was there all of a sudden without any entourage or notice.


    Sylvester smiled and patted the man''s shoulder. "I simply came to show my students where I was born, Cardinal. Do not mind my presence here. Keep working as you would normally do. But please prepare rooms for us to stay in."


    "Ah! Of course, of course." The old man felt his fleeting soul returning to his body. "I will get the finest rooms prepared, as well as a great fest. I shall inform the vige Chief as well."


    "Is it Chief Sophia?" Sylvester inquired as he only came to see her.


    The old Cardinal rubbed his chin. "Sophia? No, the Chief is named Roger Fortis, a fine young man with words of god always on his lips. Sophia is his grandmother¡­ she is bedridden now, her bones have deteriorated, and the age has not been kind to her."


    Sylvester sighed, expecting that much. Sophia was just a simple, low-level healer who had less magic and more knowledge of herbs and such. She was the first teacher who taught Xavia healing as well¡ªand she was already old back then.


    "Where is her home? I wish to meet her."


    "I will lead you to it myself." The Cardinal enthusiastically agreed and began walking. "It''s very close to her."


    Solemnly, Sylvester followed the man behind, hearing him talk about all the changes that had urred in the vige and how it was different from the time when Sylvester was born there.


    "You will be surprised to know that recently, many pilgrims have begun toe here during the Season of Solis. That is why I had to make the Monastery so big. The people of the vige don''t mind it either as they have constructed many guest houses which earn them money. Recently, we have decided to name this a town as well and receive further aid from the Royal Administration." Cardinal Edward happily exined the little things, all the roads that were named after him, his spear, Xavia, and even Lord Inquisitor and Sir Dolorem.


    ''This looks less worship of Solis and more of mine.'' Sylvester realized but decided not to change anything.


    "This is it!" They stopped in front of a modest, twin-story house with a garden area around it. It was certainly not for the poor, but again, all houses in the vige now looked like that.


    Sylvester looked at the sky. The sun had almost set fully. Then he looked behind at his students. "I will be going in alone. Archbishop Noah, Noby, and Emara, take care of Rex and E. Cardinal Edward, wait for me here with them."


    "Of course, Your Holiness."


    ''Only she is inside the house.'' Sylvester sensed it through the srium in the air and walked forward, opening the door without knocking, making sure his feet made enough creaking noise on the wooden floor that she''d know someone was home.


    "Roger?"


    Sylvester followed the voice through the clean and painted loving room and arrived in a bedroom with faint light from antern. He didn''t go in abruptly and gently called back her name with a bit of his magic in it, utilizing the air as well as fire to make her feel warm.


    "Healer Sophia?" He said and opened the door, remaining standing at the frame.


    White-haired, extremely wrinkled in her face, and eyes that had grown to lose their color¡ªthe old woman looked at him while seated on the bed and reclined on a few pillows. Her gaze stuck to him, and pupils dted at the notice of his features¡ªthe long blonde hair, the golden eyes that she could never forget in her lifetime.


    For no reason, gentle tears slid down the corners of her eyes, and a shivering smile creased on her lips. "Y-Your Holiness¡­ You really came to see me?"


    ''She wanted to see me?'' Sylvester had no idea.


    "I¡­ I saw you calling my name in my dream just now, and I thought¡­ I thought you hade to guide me." She muttered and suddenly realized something. "A-Am I deceased?"


    Sylvester walked closer to her and dragged a chair to sit beside her bed. He took one of her hands and pressed it between his palms, causing a green hue to cover her arms and then her entire body. He could not de-age her, but he could surely heal all her diseases and injuries so she could be active again.


    "You only ever had to write me a letter, and I would havee to see you, Lady Sophia. I have not forgotten the kindness you showed to my mother. If not for you, I would not be in this world." He said with genuine feelings, making her bawl her eyes out.


    In no time, he healed herpletely, and she felt it all over her body. The heightened energy, her body not aching anywhere. She knew it was the grace of the Pope.


    But Sylvester felt a hint of rush and asked her what troubled his mind. "Lady Sophia, I wanted to see you but also ask you a few questions about my birth."


    "Your birth?" She eximed, wiping her tears.


    Sylvester didn''t want to raise any suspicions, so he tried to appear calm and collected. "I wondered if there was anything strange about my birth¡ªanything magical that happened or anything out of the ordinary?"


    "Magical? I don''t believe there was anything like that." Sophia''s brows creased as she tried to remember the details. "Initially, I had thought you were stillborn¡ªbut I was wrong, and you opened your eyes."


    ''Stillborn?''


    _________________


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 Chapter 660 659. Existential Doubts

    ?


    "Stillborn? Can you borate on that, Lady Sophia? Was there anything else that you noticed during my birth? Physical, magical, spiritual, or anything out of the ordinary, or something that made you doubt." Sylvester inquired, as this was the first time he had learned about the stillborn incident. He was certain that not even Xavia was aware of this, or she would have disclosed it during their asional one-on-one conversations.


    Sophia looked at Sylvester with worry. "Your Holiness, is there a matter of great concern? Why pose such questions? You are a Supreme Wizard, the one above all."


    ''Ah, I acted too hastily,'' Sylvester sighed and quicklyposed himself.


    He smiled and tried to make a story. "Certainly, I am aware that I am truly blessed by the Lord. That''s why I wish to know if any extraordinary events urred during my birth. Some of the Holy Land''s scribes wish to record it in the annals of history."


    It was a tough pill to swallow. But if he weren''t the Pope and peak powerhouse, she would not have believed him.


    "Oh? Will my name be included in this historical record?"


    "On the very first page."


    Completely speechless and filled with excitement, Sophia seemed to grow ten years younger upon hearing this news. Her elderly heart raced so fast that Sylvester had to keep a close watch over her.


    But she eventually began to recollect and share everything she knew. "That night¡­ It was quite chilly. I could only spare a brief moment to watch over Xavia since several more women were set to give birth that same night. I was in a hurry, but proceeded with caution¡ªit was a difficult childbirth. The umbilical cord was entangled around your neck, and you were suffocating. I had to employ magical healing to free you as swiftly as possible.


    "When you were born lifeless, I feared I had arrived toote to save you. However, you showed movement and opened your eyes as soon as I ced you in Xavia''s arms. Since I was in a rush and you were healthy, I departed shortly after and never had the opportunity to discuss the perilous birth with her."


    "Anything else?" Sylvester persisted, manipting the Srium in the air around them to create a more soothing atmosphere. "Even the smallest details are significant."


    But Sophia shook her head, murmuring to herself and stroking her chin thoughtfully. "There was... but it was likely just an illusion caused by the dim light of thentern."


    "What do you mean?"


    As if it were nothing, she replied, "When your head emerged, I thought you had brown hair. I quickly wrapped you in a towel after you were fully out and cleaned your face. But at that moment, I realized you actually had blonde hair. Strange how light yed tricks on my eyes¡ªI was too tired."


    Eyes frozen, breath so slow that he appeared like a statue. Sylvester''s head flushed with various possibilities. The things only he knew gave Sophia''s little statement significant meaning. He didn''t speak for a few moments until Sophia touched him.


    "Your Holiness?"


    "Ah, yes¡­ Thank you for these details, Lady Sophia. I will make sure everything is recorded." He spoke normally and stood up. "I heard your grandson became the new chief. I am delighted to hear that."


    "What happened that night¡­" Sorrowfully, Sophia remembered the whole ordeal of how she became the new chief. "The entire vige had thought we would be severely punished by the holynd. But instead, the Royal Administration sent more aid, and the Church established a permanent monastery here¡ªdespite harming you, the people here only flourished due to your grace."


    "Not mine, Solis''." Sylvester replied and decided to leave. "I will depart now, Lady Sophia. But do attend the dinner at the monastery with your grandson. I''m sure you can move without the pain now."


    She just smiled uncontrobly as the pain was indeed gone. There was still ack of strength and speed, but that was just the old age.


    "I will, Your Holiness."


    "May the Holy Light forever enlighten you." Sylvester blessed her with a small spark of light from his palm and left the house. He tried to control his thoughts all the way, hoping to digest it all when alone.


    "Godfather! I''m hungry!"


    Just as Sylvester walked out of the house, Rex shouted and lunged at him, climbing on his back. The boy had grown toofortable around him. Even King Hignd couldn''t be as direct anymore.


    But Sylvester, as if he didn''t even feel Rex on his back, took everyone to the monastery. "Let''s go and eat then. We will continue our journey tomorrow morning."v


    Over the next few hours, Sylvester spent time meeting the vigers during the dinner in the monastery. Some came to apologize for what happened years ago, and some sought his blessing for their children, themselves, or their parents.


    But when the cold night of the desert arrived, and everyone went to sleep, he went to the monastery''s terrace from where he could oversee the entire vige and the distantnds with ease. The sound of the cold air and some insects created a strange, mncholic atmosphere. This was heightened by the questions he had nowhere to seek answers from.


    "Maxy, what happened? You''re not talking ever since we met that granny." Miraj asked, concern in his voice as he hovered in front of Sylvester''s face.


    Sylvester grasped Miraj by his chubby belly and spoke solemnly, "Chonky, do you know what reincarnation is?"


    "Nation? Is it like a kingdom?" Miraj asked, his chubby paw rubbing his even chubbier face in confusion.


    Sylvester nearly chuckled, "It''s the idea of someone passing away and then being born again in another world as a new baby. Sometimes they remember their previous life, and sometimes they don''t."


    Eyes open wide, Miraj jolted. "Then Maxy is a nation?"


    Sylvester chose neither to confirm nor deny. He wasn''t afraid of sharing everything with Miraj but was concerned about the little fluffball''s loose tongue. "Maybe... What I do know is that I came into this world for a specific reason, and it certainly isn''t to be the Pope."


    "Of course!" Miraj chirped. "It''s to meet me and get adopted by me."


    ''I''ll take that over everything else that I am specting.'' Sylvester thought silently as he cuddled Miraj and gazed at the sky, recalling Sophia''s revtions. ''Was I naturally born in this world, or was I forcefully inserted here by some entity? Did I¡­ rece Xavia''s real son at birth?''


    In his mind, it all started to make sense. Genes didn''t lie, and Rathagun had ck hair and grey eyes, while Xavia had red hair and blue eyes. His golden eyes and blonde hair made no sense unless external forces were at y.


    ''Solis isn''t powerful for something like this, nor is Nehilius. The two Primordial gods are my enemies, so it wouldn''t make sense for them to do it. But then, who brought me into this world?''


    Tug! Tug!


    "Hmm?" Sylvester looked down to his side as he felt someone tugging at his clergy robes. "E?"


    The little blonde girl, with her emotionless face, stared up at him, her blue eyes gleaming in the light of the twin moons. "Why so sad?"


    ''Sad?'' Sylvester amused at the girl''s ability to sense the surroundings at least. ''But she should be asleep.''


    "I''m not sad, just thinking about a few things," he replied, changing the subject. "E, do you believe in gods?"


    The girl, who stood shorter than Sylvester''s waist, nodded softly and folded her arms, resembling a wise elder despite her young age. "You are a god, so I believe in gods."


    Amused, as this was the first time he''d heard someone respond in this manner, Sylvester said, "Me? Why me? Solis is the god."


    E mumbled something under her breath and kept her gaze fixed on him, almost tilting her head all the way back. "But... You are the strongest. You help people. You punish the bad people. You maintain peace, and you teach everyone¡ªso you are a god."


    "Haha." Sylvesterughed and just picked the girl up in his arms since she was just a little ten-year-old kid. Together, both of them gazed at the vastnds around the vige while he imparted some words. "Well, I want you to be a God like me then. Let''s go now and test your magical talents in the monastery. It was never tested, am I right?"


    She bobbed her head but showed a faint, rare emotion of worry. "What if I am weak?"


    ''She''s afraid she''ll be rejected and sent back?'' Sylvester immediately discerned her thoughts through her scent.


    He squeezed her a little while holding her in his arms, giving her a reassuring hug. After all, she was now his adopted daughter. "My dear, the realm I am forging won''t rely solely on magical prowess but intellect. And aren''t you already the brightest of the bunch?"


    "I can kill people with my brain?" She amusedly asked.


    "..."


    Sylvester almost coughed. "Yes, but you mustn''t¡ªuse your superior intellect to help. Invent things that can reshape the world for the better. Enhance modes of travel, devise methods for abundant food production, craft machines for manufacturing goods, concoct chemicals, create gadgets, and even delve into magical incantations, and much more."


    E nodded strongly, showing some of her childfulness. But then again, she was probably the most intellectually gifted person, and she was able to connect the dots and predict certain situations that could arise in the future. "But even if we make a world that relies on science, new inventions, and intellect, there will always be magic, and there will always be powerful Grand Wizards and Supreme Wizards."


    "That is right." He knew where she was going.


    "Then¡­ There will always be someone bad with Grand Wizards or Supreme Wizard power who wants to rule the world. How can we stop them from destroying everything good we make?" She asked in her meek, in, and childish voice.


    Sylvester rubbed his chin, nodding in agreement as he began descending the stairs to find an orb to measure her talents. "Well, this is a problem I am still solving. To neutralize all evil Grand Wizards and Supreme Wizards in the future will require a permanent solution. But you must always remember that magic can be used for both evil and good."


    "I will only use it for good, Pope." she dered firmly, clenching her fist tightly, her only disy of emotion.


    "And you must never let your heart be corrupted by greed, for it leads to the greater sin. However, I understand the importance of wealth, and rest assured that you''ll never need to worry about it," Sylvester reassured her since he remembered her asking for money. "If you prove yourself to me, all my wealth will be inherited by you when I am gone."


    "Gone? But you are young." E cast a close gaze at him, nestled securely in his arms. "Why leave?"


    "Because nothingsts forever, E¡ªalways remember that," Sylvester replied with a heavy heart. "That''s why you must live each day to the fullest, giving your all to achieve your desires before the end arrives."


    "I''ll give my all," she chirped.


    ''And I will get to the demon realm¡ªto Diana.''


    "Excellent! Let''s check your talents now."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 661 660. Guardians Dilemma

    "Alright, don''t make a lot of noise. The Cardinal was sleeping. I had to steal this out of his room." Sylvester whispered while crouching in the corridor outside the Cardinal''s room. Beside him sat the bright-eyed, secretly excited E, looking at the crystal ball.


    "Just put your hand on it and try to send Srium in," Sylvester instructed her.


    Somewhat scared but also interested, E raised her little hand and pressed it. Soon, a bright light began to shine on it, and it changed color from ck to bronze, then silver, golden, and finally.


    "Diamond pattern!" Sylvester read it. "That''s brilliant, E. It seems your gic gifts have affected your entire body and not just the mind. You will one day be a Grand Wizard, and it is my duty to make you one as fast as possible."


    "Like sister Aurora?" E inquired, appearing to be inspired by the Inquisitor High Lord in training.


    Click!


    "Who''s there?"


    "Busted!" Sylvester left the testing orb in front of Cardinal''s door and ran away, picking E in his arms. He knew he didn''t have to, but just to make it more memorable, interesting, and fun, he entertained the little girl who appeared tock any happiness in her life. At least his little escapade brought a smile to her lips.


    Finally, he brought her to the little room she shared with Emara, the only other woman in the Hive Project. He tucked her into her bed and bid goodnight.


    "Just rest and be healthy. Don''t worry about too many things. If it''s your family, they are being taken care of very well. You can even meet them when we go to ckhart Kingdom tomorrow." Sylvester reassured her and left.


    With that, he went to his own room. But, there was someone who was a little jealous.


    "Meow meow¡­ Maxy, tuck me in the bed too." Miraj shyly called for Sylvester. "I''m small too."


    Sylvester justughed and did so, knowing the furball wouldin with Xaviater otherwise. "Want me to sing a luby too?"


    "Yes!"


    "..."


    "I was only kidding." Sylvester switched off the lights andy down on the bed as well. Of course, he didn''t need to sleep, so he just nned and plotted with his eyes closed, visualizing certain possibilities and the aftermaths.


    ¡­


    The morning came, and Sylvester prepared to leave. The monastery cooked the breakfast, but the Cardinal didn''t appear to be in a very good mood.


    "Ugh¡­ I will find the one who ced that orb in front of my door. How dare they plot and trip this old man¡ªmy back aches now."


    "..."


    Sylvester and E looked at each other for a second and decided to keep their mouths shut. It wasn''t like they wanted to hurt the old man.


    "You have done a good job maintaining this monastery, Cardinal Edward." Sylvesterplimented the man and washed all his pains and sorrows away. "I will grant a thousand Graces to the monastery to build more resthouses for the future as there will soon be many more pilgrims traveling."


    The old man was just all smiles and nothing else. "I am honored to receive your praise, Your Holiness. But I would like a few more priests as well¡ªIck staff."


    "Send a letter to Saint Wazir. I will inform him to pay attention to your request." Sylvester got up with that as he finished the breakfast.


    He left the monastery and saw almost the entire vige had gathered outside to bid him farewell. Hands sped together, their eyes full of worship, and the scent in the air, they shouted nothing but silently watched.


    Sylvester got atop the reinsman seat of therge carriage and waved his hand toward the people while singing a hymn and shining some light upon them.


    ?Believe in Solis, for he sees it all,


    We are equal, rich, big or small.


    Everyone stumbles, and all may fall,


    But when he speaks, answer his call.?


    ?May the Lord''s light enlighten this ce,


    Smiles and worship remain on your face.


    This is life, not a sinful, wasteful race,


    Be honest, and you, the Lord will embrace.?


    A few faces smiled, and a few cried. As Sylvester was merely twenty-seven, a majority of the people in the vige were also alive on that fateful night. In their hearts, they all knew they had supported the burning of the two innocent women and the baby boy, who was imed to be the demon when he was the god''s apostle.


    With that, Sylvester moved the horses, and the journey began once again. Beside him, this time, sat Emara and Noah as the children were still asleep in the back.


    Soon, the carriage passed over arge, open area, an intersection in the vige. It brought plenty of memories, the fear for the life he had felt.


    "This is where the chief of the vige tried to burn me when I was a month old. But Inquisitor High Lord came and saved me." Sylvester pointed, telling the two intellectuals.


    The two gulped their saliva and looked at the ce. Not now, but they knew one day it would be deemed a historical ce.


    "You were fated to be the Pope from that moment?" Emara asked, somewhat feeling blessed.


    Sylvester bobbed his head. "And much more."


    ''I remember being in mum''s womb. It makes no sense that I took over some other baby''s body.'' Sylvester reminded himself as they left the vige, slowly trying to dismiss what he had learned in that journey.


    Sadly, it was not easy to travel all the way down to the south. What was supposed to be a four-day journey from Deserte Vige turned into a week-long trip. The ckhart Kingdom, once known as the Sorrow Kingdom, was still not fully healed from the catastrophic earthquake that had destroyed everything. The first priority was to rebuild the cities, towns, and viges and mend the fields, not prepare the roads.


    So, Sylvester took it upon himself to at least smoothen and repair the road that he traveled on. But over time, he decided to help each small vige and town as well, erect their protection walls, and use earth magic for plowing and harrowing thend for agriculture.


    The people worshiped him, and he decided to reply in kind, leaving behind a permanent memory of himself in the minds of old, young, and children for decades toe.


    ''Now that there is peace, this is what I should be doing until a real clue to enter Demon Realm is found.''


    ¡­


    Holy Land,


    As one of the world''s most powerful beings, many would think he had a lot of work to do. Especially when he worked for the most powerful organization in the world that oversaw all sorts of welfare projects for the people.


    However, Julius Aurelius Alexander found himself with nothing to do. Although he had been assigned a private office, fifth rank as a Guardian of Light, he did not have any defined duties to do.


    "As the Saint Wazir, I''m sure you would know where my abilities can be of use." Julius, wearing new and clean church robes, his beard trimmed and hair shining white, spoke with Saint Wazir, Gabriel.


    Gabriel had his tes full, surrounded with stacks of papers that reached the ceiling, and even more were continuously being brought. "Fifth Guardian, I fear I do not have enough authority to give you a task. The Pope decides the long-term duties of the Guardians, and I can only ask you for help in case of an emergency. But as of now, there is no such thing."


    Julius frowned, bored beyond words. Heck, he had already read all the church''s holy books, and there were almost a thousand of them. "What of the other Guardians? Where are they?"


    Gabriel sighed and quickly opened a drawer to look at the list. "Emperor Raz, as the first Guardian, is still in the ckhart Kingdom. Bloodrain and Soulbreaker are on the basement floor of this building. Inquisitor High Lord is training the Inquisitors and Lady Aurora. Headmaster Geralt is at the School of Dawn. The Sixth, Seventh, and Eight Guardian positions are still empty."


    "So there is nothing for me?" Asked Julius again.


    Gabriel shrugged. "I''m afraid there isn''t, Fifth Guardian. Why don''t you tour the Holy Land? I''m sure you will find something worthy of your interest. If nothing, you can simply inspect the Guild Penins to ensure nothing illegal is happening there."


    "Yes, I do that every single day."


    "..."


    Gabriel didn''t reply, feeling speechless and somewhat suffocated by the imposing presence of the Supreme Wizard.


    "Understood, I will not hinder your work." Julius eventually stood up to leave Wazir''s office. He didn''t say any church greetings, however.


    ''The Guardians appear to be far more independent than what I previously assumed. Does this mean I can leave the Holy Land at will?''


    He wondered and walked downstairs. Over the various floors, he saw the Priests, Archpriests, Bishops, Archbishops, and Cardinals running around with papers, working or shouting about various deadlines, reports, or some minor mistakes.


    ''Quite professional.'' He didn''t lie to himself and admired the work ethic.


    So, out of sheer intrigue, he decided to go downstairs and look for Bloodrain and Soulbreaker. Although he still slightly disdained Bloodrain, he had agreed to give Sylvester a chance first.


    Click! ck! Click!


    "Oh?" Amused and marveled at the scene. He saw the massive underground floor covered with thousands of printing machines, working overtime with hundreds of priests running around. The scent of the ink and the paper was something he never knew could be this pleasant.


    He walked over to one machine and nced at what was being printed.


    "Biology for Beginners, Art of Construction, Elements of Nature, Magic of Physics, Mathematics for Beginners, History of Sol¡­ Amusing, these are not religious books."


    Once again, amused, he continued to walk in and soon found arge room reserved for the manager of the printing press. However, to his amusement, he found Bloodrain and Soulbreaker inside.


    ''W-What are they doing here?''


    "Cardinal Julius?!" Soulbreaker, d in his imposing robes and visor, saw the new Fifth Guardian. "Come, join us in this battle of minds. His Holiness created this amusing thing recently."


    "What is this thing?" Julius came forward and looked at the small table ced between the two Guardians as they sat on opposite sides.


    Bloodrain didn''t speak as he still felt highly regretful about what led to the rise of Anti-Light. But he did wave his hand and pulled another chair for the man.


    "This marvelous thing is called the game of Chess," Soulbreaker revealed, ying his move on the table.


    "Do you have no work?"


    Soulbreaker looked at his opponent for a moment, Bloodrain, before replying solemnly, his heavy voice echoing under his visor. "That is correct, Fifth Guardian¡­ There is no work."


    "..."


    At that moment, Julius realized something.


    ''I-I''m not alone. These two¡­ There is just too much peace. There is nothing to do.''


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 662 661. Boy Becomes A Man

    Chapter 662 661. Boy Bes A Man


    "That''s the Burning Mountain. Home of what used to be the Wild Forge," Sylvester pointed at the distant shining peak of a mountain. Normally, they''d have seen it from up close, but as they were traveling on the Desert Road, the mountain was some distance away.


    "Woah! I read about it in books. Can''t you stop that fire and start the Forge again, Godfather?" Rex asked with intrigue. "I want a legendary sword too."


    Sylvester hummed and looked, remembering the frightening experience he had when he tried to explore the ruins. Although Nehlius had told him there was an entrance to his realm, he still believed there was some other creature living there since he had sensed life.


    "Why do you want a legendary sword?" Sylvester turned the little slip of the tongue from the boy into a full-fledged lecture about duty, honor, and kindness, a true signature move from someone as old as him.


    Boom!


    "Godfather! Look above!"


    Sylvester looked up and noticed a few boulders falling down from the Wall of Void adjacent to which the Desert Road ran. However, since the boulders were further in the distance ahead, he didn''t react other than stopping.


    "My students, today you will see how non-violence can solve anything as long as you have absolute strength," Sylvester announced all of a sudden and waited a few seconds. "There they are."


    From a distance on the left, behind the various dead trees, thirteen men came running, some of them on horses. They looked like crooks with bald heads, well-proportioned muscr bodies, and skin filled with scars.


    "Hehe¡­ Who would have thought it''d be our lucky day? Hand over all you have, Clergyman, or we will kill you!"


    Sylvester smiled and waved his hand. The thirteen men were instantly affected as if they were ragdolls and got thrown into a hole at the side of the road that Sylvester made with simple Earth magic. Then, he filled the hole so that only their heads were visible while they struggled to free themselves.


    "Do you regret it now, bandits?" Sylvester asked the thirteen men.


    "Y-Yes¡­ M-Mercy please¡­ Lord¡­?"


    "The Pope."


    "..."


    Sylvester didn''t bother anymore and moved the carriage, "By the evening, the sun will be directly hitting them. If they can''t get out, they shall be cooked."


    "But¡­ That''s not non-violence," Rex pointed out.


    "I wasn''t violent. It''s the sun that will be taking care of them. I left them a chance to leave if they can, so if it''s in their fate to live, they shall be safe," Sylvester replied and continued towards their destination.


    Much different from the past, Sylvester noticed thend didn''t look as barren as before. Instead, there appeared to be crops starting to grow on a vast field ofnd. But, the real shock came when they had to cross a bridge over a wide canal.


    Slowly, but eventually, the distant massive castle came into their view. Standing upon a highernd than the rest of the city around it.


    "That is Castle Ashstone, and the city around it is called Ebony City," Sylvester introduced the five to this ce. "A few years ago, when I fought against the Grand Duke of the Path, this castle was destroyed. But Lord Einarr did a great job and rebuilt it in preparation for the rightful heir, Queen Xylena, whom I saved from the Divine Desert."


    "I wanna save a princess too!" Rex chirped and looked at the massive castle with expectations. "Is it surrounded byva like the books say?"


    "Of course. That is one of the reasons why this castle was thest stronghold against the tyrannical Grand Duke," Sylvester added and finally entered the city. Since he was wearing the Clergyman''s robes, flying the Pope''s g, the guards didn''t stop him.


    Unlike other cities, Ebony City didn''t need to worry about protecting the royal castle as the naturalva moat protected it. So, the city guards were moreid-back. Traders were pouring in and out; the crowd was bustling as the refugees that ran away had returned.


    "Business seems to be booming," Sylvester muttered, seeing the various shops as he made his way to the drawbridge over theva moat.


    Of course, this time, they were stopped. But Sylvester simply raised his hand and made lighte out of his palm while illuminating the back of his head with a halo. "My brothers in faith, your Pope hase to meet with your young Queen."


    With widened eyes, the four Royal guards frantically fumbled with their spears and shouted around to lower the drawbridge for the Pope to pass. They didn''t know if they should let the Pope in first or kneel first.


    Thud!


    "Wee back, Your Holiness¡ªI¡­ I was with you in the peasant army against the Grand Duke years ago," one of the guards voiced excitedly.


    Sylvester felt amused. ''I only gave them a few days of training at best. It seems Einarr didn''t disband the peasant army after I left.''


    "May you be blessed and rise in the ranks, young man," Sylvester waved and moved the carriage over the moat that was spewing hot air, trying to burn their breaths. Magical runes were inscribed on the bridge to keep it from copsing under that incredible heat.


    It was over fifty meters wide, and another gate waited for them on the other side. However, it was already open, so Sylvester picked up the pace and quickly went in. Soon, the scenery changed around them as lush trees appeared on the sides of the road. Though they weren''t green, they held vibrant yellow or orange colors.


    Thud! Thud!


    Just as he came closer to Castle Ashstone, he noticed various horsesing towards them from the front. They were galloping towards them. At the front was thergest stallion with an even more excited person sitting on its back.


    "That''s Queen Xylena ckhart," Sylvester pointed, teaching the five. "Be at ease. You all are Bishops and members of the higher Clergy. You represent me."


    Woosh!


    "Father!"


    Xylena brought her horse to the side of his carriage and masterfully leaped out right on top of him. She grabbed him by his neck, embracing him in a tight hug. Wearing leather pants, robust boots, and a tunic with light chainmail above, she looked more like a warrior than a Queen. But her cute, innocent face had slowly turned into a charming beauty by now, with her ashen ck hair contrasting her ivory skin.


    "Father?" Rex, E, Emara, and the rest eximed.


    Sylvesterughed and patted his adopted daughter''s head, "Well, I saved her from desert cannibals and adopted her. Xye, meet this little one. Her name is E, and she is your sister¡ªmy new adopted daughter."


    Xylena left Sylvester''s embrace and looked at the little girl sitting beside him. Her short blonde hair and little baby face were all that Xylena needed to invoke her big sister persona. She grabbed E quickly and hugged her. "My little sister? Hehe¡­ So cute!"


    ''She''s still as cheerful as ever,'' Sylvester at least felt calm, knowing things were going well for the ckhart kingdom.


    The rest of the way, Xylena didn''t leave his carriage and doted on E, while yfully teasing Rex as she knew him already as the Prince of Hignd.


    Eventually, they stopped at the huge castle''s entrance and got down. Once again, Xylena jumped and hugged Sylvester for a longer while. "Woah¡­ your body feels as solid as rocks."


    Sylvester patted her head and walked in with her, "I became a Supreme Wizard."


    "I know, and I have much to thank you for," Xylena said and pointed at the stacks of wooden crates sitting near the wall of the castle''s entrance. "As you ended the war with Beastaria, the elves, dwarves, and dragons have begun ordering our spice wine in massive amounts. I had to hire another person to do ounting for the money."


    "Your Holiness," Lord Einarr, the time-stopping Grand Wizard, arrived just then and knelt. "May the Holy Light enlighten us."


    "You got better?" Sylvester amusedly asked, sensing a higher concentration of srium in the man''s body.


    The ck-haired, short-bearded man bowed his head in respect, "All because of your blessings, Your Holiness. Without your financial support, the ckhart kingdom would still be in ruins."


    Sylvester went ahead and gently gave the man a brotherly hug since they had previously battled for life, "Forget what has passed, my friend. Since I came here for a much more important matter."


    "What is it? Another war? Can I fight, too?" Xylena excitedly asked.


    Sylvester shook his head and stared at his adopted daughter to give her a scare, "I''m here to talk about your marriage."


    "What? Fuck no!"


    "..."


    Sylvester''s brows furrowed, "Felix¡­ That scoundrel. He''s been a bad influence on you."


    Xylena scoffed and folded her arms. She had an utterly beautiful face, but her mannerisms were of a warrior, proud and wild, "I will only marry when I find a strong man as smart as you, Father¡ªnone other can ever interest me."


    "Ehm!" Right away, Noah, the ck-haired middle-aged member of the Hive Project with the third rank, stepped forward cheekily. "Allow me to introduce myself, Your Majesty. I am Bishop Noah, with wits that rank third in the entire So¡ª"


    Bam!


    Noah suddenly found himself lifted off the ground as someone caught his cor from behind. He couldn''t see but heard the voice and felt shivers.


    "Hands off my daughter¡ªI didn''t bring you here to flirt."


    "..."


    "U-Understood, Your Holiness. I was merely joking."


    Sylvester turned the man around while dangling in the air and brought his spine-chilling face close to him. "Is that so? They why do I smell the aroma of rose and sweat?"


    "I-It''s natural¡­ Even my blood smells of roses¡­ Your Holiness."


    "Should we check it then?"


    Noah gulped.


    "Be a Grand Wizard first, then I might consider marrying you to her," Sylvester suddenly ced him on the ground and grabbed Xylena''s hand to lead her away. "Lord Einarr, please bring these five to their rooms. I must discuss something important with Xylena first."


    "Understood."


    With that, Sylvester and Xylena left swiftly. However, amidst all that, they failed to realize that the one who should be making the most noise at that moment was too silent.


    Rex, just a little over ten years of age, stared at Xylena''s leaving figure, his eyes shining with a strange hue at the same time. For no reason, he felt his heart race a little, his face warm, but he didn''t understand why.


    ''Then¡­ If I be a Grand Wizard¡­ I can marry the pretty big sister?''


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 663 662. Beyond The Beauty

    Chapter 663 662. Beyond The Beauty


    Sylvester and Xylena arrived atop one of the high towers of Ashstone Castle and talked privately. With chairs present and the smooth, warm breeze of the south surrounding them, this was the only likely ce where none would be able to spy on them.


    "Look there, Father!" Xylena excitedly pointed at the distance in the city. "We''re building your statue there. It will be massive, and it''ll have a working halo behind the head, which will use light crystals. It''ll illuminate the city at night¡­ it will look so pretty!"


    Sylvester watched her excitedly jump around and talk. It was truly heartwarming to see he was able to give her a good life despite having lost everything. After spending years of her childhood running around for her life, working small jobs to survive, Xylena had her home back.


    "I hope you''re studying well with the tutors I sent," he said, entering his old-man role. "As the Queen, you can''t be seen as someone who only squanders money and lives in luxury. You''re akin to a mother to this kingdom, and its subjects are your children. In their prosperity is your longsting future."


    Xylena turned to him, pouting, "I''ve already finished the intermediary books you prepared for me. I''m quite a genius, Father¡ªask the instructors."


    Sylvester smelled no lies, so he calmed down and praised her, "I expected it from you, Xye. Failure would''ve been a taint on my own evaluation of you. But I didn''te here to scold you. I came to talk about the visions you saw about me over the years."


    "Visions? I never got them after you saved me," she eximed, surprised Sylvester was bringing them up again. "Did something happen? You seem troubled."


    ''How is she the key to my destiny?'' Sylvester looked at her and wondered what the words of Solis meant. She was just a simple girl with a rough life. Even her magical abilities didn''t exceed Arch Wizard''s rank.


    But the fact she could use Elder Magic, had an affinity with space magic, and even saw visions of him, changed much of what was considered normal.


    "Did you ever see visions of something other than me?"


    She took a seat beside Sylvester again and thought about it since the visions stopped over five years ago. "Umm¡­ I don''t think so. I did feel like someone was watching me on asions, but whenever I saw something, it was just you."


    "How do you feel about your affinity with space magic?"


    "Oh!" She immediately straightened up, looking excited, "I can do this now!"


    Pop!


    Xylena raised her hand towards a fine ss bottle of water on a side table. The bottle instantly vanished into nothing and appeared on her palm.


    "Hehe!" She grinned proudly. "I can grab items without even moving."


    Sylvester''s brows went up. He was amazed by her ability since he had never seen a wizard perform true space magic before. Although the Supreme Void was also magic with some space elements, but that wasn''t as exciting.


    "Can you also sense if there are any spatial distortions around you? For example, if someone uses spatial magic near you, or if there is a rift in space¡ªcan you feel it?"


    "Umm¡­ I haven''t met any other person with spatial abilities, so I don''t know. Maybe I could?"


    Sylvester quickly spoke with his favorite fluffball soaking in the sunlight on hisp. ''Chonky, activate your magical belly power. But don''t eat anything.''


    ''I get a bananya~~?''


    ''Alright, I''ll give you one,'' Sylvester didn''t reject it since it was merely a formality for Miraj to ask him when he was fully capable of stealing all the bananas in the world.


    "Do you feel anything now?" he asked her.


    Xylena understood that Sylvester had done something and tried to feel any spatial distortion around her. She closed her eyes and softly moved her head around to feel the air. Then, a few momentster, she raised her palm, waving it around and slowly but surely getting closer to Miraj''s direction.


    Miraj stopped rxing and felt alert as he watched Xylena move around. His furry brows creased together as he rested on Sylvester''sp, belly facing the sun.


    "I¡­ think there''s some sort of an invisible force of attraction here¡­" Xylena said, not sounding very sure about it. "If you are testing me, I believe there is something."


    ''So she can detect it, but considering how powerful Chonky''s abilities are, it shouldn''t be so hard to feel,'' Sylvester concluded and pushed Miraj''s mouth close to stop him. ''I don''t think she would be able to sense a spatial breach inside the Darkpit Sea with such abilities.''


    "Xye, I''ll be training you in this ability in theing days. There''s something I need you to detect in the Darkpit Seater that could be rted to spatial distortion. It could be the reason why the sea has so many otherworldly, evolved, and powerful creatures," he informed her and gave a reason as well. "Once the issue is resolved, perhaps the west can be connected to the east coast of Beastaria."


    "Then¡­ that means you''ll be staying here for several days?" Xylena''s eyes sparkled as if they were the sun itself. "Yes! I''ll show you around the city and eat amazing dishes I''ve always wanted to try. I need to n everything¡­ Wait, have you seen the amazing open-air baths? It''s created from the water heated with theva itself, and masters from Warsong designed it. You have to try it!"


    "..."


    "I''m not here on vacation, Xye."


    "But that doesn''t mean you can''t enjoy your stay," she sternly said, cing her hands on her waist proudly. "What happened to you? You feel like an old man now. You were so awesome back then in Masan."


    ''Old man?'' Sylvester knew he was more than a century old. But for some reason, Xylena''s words felt a little too sharp.


    "Alright, I will try to visit a few ces. But for ten hours a day, you will be training with me." Sylvester got up, not wanting to appear old anymore. "Let''s return to the others now."


    Xylena nodded firmly and smirked before taking a running stance, "Thest one to reach them is the loser and pays for the most expensive dish for dinner."


    Woosh!


    "What?!" Xylena felt a storm pass nearby, leaving her in a state of shock. "Father?"


    But Sylvester was long gone, teaching her the lesson to neverpete with a Supreme Wizard.


    ¡­


    "Why did you make such a bet with a Supreme Wizard?" At the dinner table, Lord Einarr scolded Xylena. "You know how expensive Kraken meat is."


    Xylena begrudgingly ate, "I know¡­ I thought he''d still go easy on me like in the past."


    "You were a little kid back then," Sylvester countered, taking a big, vourful bite.


    "I''m still a kid to you," she barked back.


    "No, E is the kid now," Sylvester replied and ced some more food on the girl''s te who sat beside his chair. "Eat well, little one. Your body needs lots of energy."


    "I feel jealous," Xylena muttered and silently began devouring as much Kraken meat as she could. "Might as well get my money''s worth."


    "That''s not verydy-like, Your Majesty," Lord Einarr scolded her.


    "Grrr!" She took an even bigger bite. "I''m the Queen. You can''t stop me."


    "..."


    Sylvester chuckled and ate in silence while secretly feeding Miraj. Beneath his tough persona, he felt pretty rxed seeing all the shenanigans from Xylena.


    Soon, the dinner also came to an end, and at Xylena''s wishes, he decided to check out the natural hot spring for a bath. She took E and Emara while he went with Rex only. Noby the Elephantkin only wanted to read a few books, and Noah wanted to see the city.


    The ce was located inside the grounds of the royal castle, so it was restricted to only the nobles and the highest-ranking officers. Situated inside a massive, rooflessplex, it reminded Sylvester of a particr nation''s hot springs from his past life.


    Beautiful decorations of fragrant nts were all around, and stones were used forndscaping to make the pool look natural. The steam wasing off the surface of the water as the night got colder in the desert kingdom.


    "Godfather! Look at me. I learned to manipte water!" Rex went to jump into the water fully naked, creating flowers from the sshes of water. "I''ll master it soon and help all the farmers. Father said they are the most important people in Hignd."


    ''Good upbringing, I see,'' Sylvester, covering his crotch with a towel, also entered the water and sat down while resting his back on the edge. He rxed in the warm water, closing his eyes and letting his mind unwind.


    Krr¡­!


    Just then, the sliding door of the hot spring enclosure opened, and three men walked in. Tall, old but muscr, they emitted an aura of authority and power. From the topic they were busy discussing, it was clear they were military officers.


    "General Emmanuel, the Queen does not wish to be disturbed with puny matters such as mere transfer orders. Perhaps asking Lord Einarr will suit you better."


    "But only the Queen can grant transfers to Generals. You know it better than most, General ud. After reaching our age, it''s moreforting to live near our families."


    "Move to Ebony City with your family. Why go to the distant dying city?" Asked the third man, Admiral Jack. "It''s a ruined city."


    "Because it''s my ancestralnd, and I wish to bring back Dying City to its former glor¡ªOh, we havepany here already!" General Emmanuel stopped mid-speech as they saw the pool of water already upied.


    "Oh my, look at this hot blondie," General ud giggled at the view. "It seems you havee to the wrong bath with your son, mydy."


    Admiral Jack smiled and walked forward, "Such fine skin¡ªYou''re in the wrong bath, mydy¡­ or perhaps the right bath? Why don''t we find out?"


    The three men came over and stopped behind the figure near the edge.


    "Why don''t you turn around and show us the beauty of that face and¡­ the rest?" General Emmanuel started, slowly leaning down to touch the shoulder, seemingly shivering in fright.


    "Why?"


    "Hmm?" The three Generals got alerted and took a step back once they heard a voice far from feminine as they expected.


    "Why can''t I grow a damn beard?" Sylvester turned his face to look back at the men, his eyes contracting and red veins bulging around his sclera. "In the name of Solis, I will not forget this slight¡ªyou want to see me, go ahead, but first, be prepared to fight!"


    _________________


    A/N: I know thest few chaps have been filler-ish. But no worries, the next major arc starts with the next chapter.


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 664 663. God Among Mortals

    Chapter 664 663. God Among Mortals


    Pa!


    "Too slow." Bam!


    "Get up and fight again." Sylvester, handing over some tough love to Xylena, trained her in the art of fighting. Being a Queen with only a single Grand Wizard to help her, he needed her to be able to defend herself. Although her major abilities were magical, he still tried to make her physically stronger. "Is that all you can do? Channel your inner rage and push beyond the boundaries. That''s how I was able to rise through the ranks without much training. Since the month I was born until now, I''ve been fighting for my life again and again," Sylvester scolded her while swatting her around like a fly, making sure she felt powerless and weak. "Aaaaaa!" She lunged at him again with the treasured sword of her family, once belonging to her father. "But you''re a Supreme Wizard!" "I''ve killed Grand Wizards while being an Arch Wizard. You also practice Elder Magic, and beyond that, you know space magic, something I don''t. The wizard and knight ranks are not absolute, Xye. With enough training and nning, one can punch way above their weight," he replied and showed her one of his new abilities. He increased the effects of gravity on her body. "Ugh¡­ It''s hard to move." "Exactly. If I wanted to, I could kill you right away without batting an eye. Simply with metal maniption, I can puncture your heart. With electromaism, I can implode your brain and also control gravity. There are abilities beyond the basic elements that people master, Xye. You have space and Elder Magic; go crazy with them and train them to the peak." Panting and bleeding from a few ces, Xylena stared at Sylvester and tried to utilize her magic along with the sword. Quick on her feet, with one hand, she threw her sword at Sylvester, making him dodge as the de flew past him. "Haaa!" But Xylena didn''t stop rushing towards him, and out of nowhere, her sword appeared back in her hand as she tried to swing it at Sylvester. Ting!


    She struck him with her de, using as much strength as she had in her body. Yet, all she heard was metal hitting something hard. The de didn''t even make a dent in his clothes. Sylvester smiled and started pping for her, "That was wonderful, Xye. That sort of ingeniousness is what I wish to see in a fight. Be unique and confuse your foes. However, against folks like me, there is no shame in running."


    Woosh!


    Sylvester blew air from his mouth towards Xylena. It created such a strong gust of wind that she was thrown hundreds of meters away, forming a long trail of dust as she dragged her feet to stop herself. "Have you ever run away?" She asked, shouting from a distance. "I''ve spent a few years running from thete Shadow Knight. Remember, as long as you''re alive, you can have your revenge and aplish all your goals. So, never let your pride and ego take over your mind," Sylvester walked closer to her. "Kill, scheme, backstab, curse, cheat¡ªdo anything you can to gain an upper hand. Because I can tell you that your enemies will never go easy; they will do worse things to you than you might do to them." She smiled, appreciating his lessons, "Is this a lesson of the brain or the brawn?"


    "You''re too young, Xye. You have a lot to learn, and there isn''t enough time. At the speed I''m nning things, the world will be changing too rapidly once the engine of growth turns on. You will have to be ruthless and political, while not losing your humanity," he said, giving her a warning about what wasing. "I can be firm, have morals, and dictate the order across the world because I have the strength to back it. Otherwise, I used to scheme a lot¡ªstill do." She quickly saluted, "Understood! Win at all costs, as long as the cost is not me?" "Almost there, yes." Sylvester rxed a bit and removed the gravity suppression from Xylena. "Let''s go and check the Darkpit Sea again today. Your affinity with gravity is high, and control has significantly increased. I have no doubt you will be able to teleport one day." Xylena''s lips curved into a big smile, her eyes appearing like a cat''s. "Hehe¡­ Stab, stab, stab¡­ I''ll win so easily with it." "..."


    Sylvester couldn''t help but chuckle and wonder what Xylena''s future would be like.


    ''Perhaps I''m creating a monster¡­ a pretty one at that.'' ¡­


    In no time, the two rode a bone dragon they borrowed from Emperor Raz, who was nearby. Flying over the blue ocean with its ever-changing weather, they ensured to stay above the clouds at least. "Why aren''t you flying, father?" "..."


    Sylvester solemnly sat on the back of the bone dragon, arms folded while surveying the sea. "There are some treasures not all men are destined to carry, my daughter." Xylena stared and saw the look of disappointment in his eyes. This was a first in her entire life, making her even more curious. But she focused on the sea to find the spatial distortion. "That''s a big fish!" "That''s just its head. The real body is big enough to devour three hundred three mast ships in one go." Xylena shut her mouth, absolutely terrified of the sea they were flying over. The little outing with her father she enjoyed a little while ago started to seem like an anxiety-filled journey. "Can you sense anything?" "I can''t." Silently, they flew around as much as they could and covered the sea. Sylvester tried to feel the concentration of srium around them to find any abnormalities. But the problem was that the creatures were so massive that their collective energies confused his senses, making it hard to differentiate if it was a creature or an abnormality. Woosh!


    Still, with a swing of his hand, he easily repelled the clouds away to get a better look. Being a Supreme Wizard, he could do many things, but entering that sea was still something he felt ufortable with. Gigantic octopuses, shark creatures, and so many strange things they saw from the sky. The Darkpit Sea was beyond salvation. But then again, it brought up the question as to why those creatures weren''t moving from the Darkpit Sea to the other areas.


    "Let''s focus on the density of these creatures instead," Sylvester decided and steered the bone dragon around. There was nothing much to do when traversing the ocean. For as far as one could see in all directions, there was just a blue ocean. It was boring, but they diligently tried to follow the creatures andpare their numbers in various ces. "There!" Sylvester''s head turned to where Xylena suddenly pointed, "You felt something?" "Yes¡­ like a force of attraction. Simr to what you made me feel that day." Sylvester steered the bone dragon. ''Force of attraction? Then, it could be simr to a portal. But technically, it should be spewing out matter, not taking it in.''


    "Tell me when the sensation increases or decreases. Let''s pinpoint it today before heading back." He lost all the drowsiness from the constant scenery of the sea and focused on his senses to feel the srium change as well.


    The creatures slowly began to change. Xylena led him in the right direction. Along with the numbers, the creatures appeared far bigger and seemingly swimming in arge circle. The farther they were, the bigger the circle became. And in that moment, Sylvester realized something. ''All the creatures in this sea are circting around this center. I only saw them from one ce and didn''t notice it before.'' "There!" Sylvester again changed direction and swung his palm to remove all the clouds. The sea surface became even more clear, and the size of the creature left him and Xylena in horror.


    Large enough to swallow even the Pope''s Pce in one gulp, it was a mix of a whale, shark, and a caterpir. Disgusting and frightening, every single unique living thing in those waters was an abomination of nature itself.


    "You want to go in there?" Xylena asked, feeling goosebumps on her skin. Sylvester kept steering and slowly but surely found what the center was. "I don''t have a choice." Atst, they arrived right near the center of the circting creatures. There was a massive ck hole in the sea, as if it was a bottomless well, kilometers wide, dark as an abyss with an unknown depth. The water of the sea was entering it, but where it was going was unknown. Only the creatures circting around it were worth mentioning.


    "Grand Wizards!" Sylvester eximed, feeling some sweat on his face. "Every single creature from the center to five hundred kilometers around it is as physically strong as a Grand Wizard."


    "They can kill you?" Xylena realized.


    "No¡­ Not unless they also possess high intelligence," Sylvester replied, already plotting how he was going to enter it and find where the hole in the sea led. "Let''s return for now. I''ll start preparing to enter itter."


    He feltfortable with returning since the creepy feeling in that area of the sea was unsettling. But it was a simrly long ride home, and thankfully, the bone dragon didn''t feel tired. "Father, who else will you be bringing along to explore that hole?" She inquired, wondering if there was any uing adventure. "Just me." "But you''re the Pope." "Just me, since I am the Pope," Sylvester rified. "We''re near the shore now. Remember to keep what we found a secret."


    "Understoo¡ª"


    BOOM!


    Xylena''s voice was suddenly cut off as, out of nowhere, a deafening explosion echoed throughout the sky, and all the clouds were pushed away, followed by intense sound waves and heat waves brushing against their faces. "No!" Xylena cried out at the fright. Sylvester rushed forward, bringing the dragon down. "Jump to your castle and oversee the evacuation of the viges. I''ll keep Mount Eternal from fully detonating!" "Can you? It''s an ancient volcano!" "We''re called gods among mortals, Xye." Sylvester held not an ounce of doubt in himself. "This is why." ________________

 Chapter 665 664. The Hole Is The Goal

    Chapter 665 664.The Hole Is The Goal


    Mount Eternal, thergest volcano in Sol, spewed itsva at all times. But for as far as history remembered, it had been gentle, never going beyond being a mere torch in the night. One of its underground veins was responsible for theva moat around the Castle Ashstone.


    But now the volcano had burst, and the explosion was far more deafening and frightening than any had expected. Massive chunks of rocks went flying around, burning red like balls of fire. Ash spewed out with no end, turning the entire sky dark in no time.


    The people of Wailing City cried and ran for their lives, crowding at the city''s gates. The small viges near Mount Eternal were already in the death zone, and rivers ofva rushed toward them. Meanwhile, Shadow Town, on the other side, rested at the edge of the Desert Road; on its left was the Wall of Void, on the right was the sea, and behind was the sea ofva that crept towards them. There weren''t enough ships to evacuate the city in time.


    "Should I eat it?" Miraj asked while perched on Sylvester''s shoulder.


    Still sitting on the bone dragon, Sylvester looked around at the entire situation from the sky. Xylena had returned to the royal castle already and was organizing everything. However, it was all useless since only he could do something.


    "Chonky, I think this volcano eruption isn''t a curse but a blessing for the people of ckhart Kingdom," Sylvester saw things differently. "First of all, this happened when I was here. Secondly, volcanic rock and ash are extremely fertile when they settle down."


    "But people will die."


    "No, nobody will die today." Sylvester stepped away from the bone dragon and walked on Light Tiles. Being at a vantage point, he saw everything in all directions. Then, he waved his arms towards the volcano and its flowing rivers ofva.


    Thend cracked as the earthquake spread due to Sylvester''s maniption of Earth elemental. But it remained restricted to the volcano, making the massive hellish mountain spew more of its ash andva.


    "The air is going towards the sea," he realized it soon enough, but this wasn''t what he wanted. The air needed to go directly towards the east, onto the infertilends of the kingdom. If it were to go north, then thend already under cultivation due to the aid of new canals would be affected.


    Grrr!


    It was deafening. He went down andnded on the ground, then asked Chonky to give him the Pope''s staff. It was simply a medium that allowed one to better control the basic elements of magic.


    Thud!


    He stomped the butt of the staff on the ground and controlled the earth. Gigantic walls ofnd, ten meters wide and fifty meters high, rose all around Mount Eternal. Effectively turning it into a reservoir for theva, saving the city and the viges nearby.


    "Now, onto directing the wind."


    He used one of the most basic magical moves that he knew, one taught by Sir Dolorem. The Whirling Storm was a great Air elemental attack. But, with greater control, Sylvester turned it into a sort of horizontal funnel that collected all the ashing from the volcano and spread it eastward. Since the Barrier Mountain Range was there in the distance, he didn''t worry about the ash going too far either.


    The sheer ease at which he could change nature and manipte it to his will made him agree with something that may or may not be true.


    "Indeed, anyone stronger than a Supreme Wizard shouldn''t be allowed to exist here. If I can do this with ease, what can those above do? Change the molecr structure of everything in the world?"


    After setting up the tornadoes, he once again stepped up into the air to look around and see if anything more was needed.


    Noticing a part of the Desert Road ruined by theva, he immediately removed it with a bit of magic. Shadow Town was now safe as well, but the viges near the volcano were now covered in ash.


    Once again, a light wave of wind solved the issue. But a light drizzle of rain was also needed to settle the dust. Otherwise, the ash would get into people''s lungs and create health issues.


    "Chonky, you still got water in your belly?"


    "Aye, aye¡ªlots of it."


    "Good, we''ll use itter. Let''s go to the castle now and rest. The volcano won''t be a problem anymore." Sylvester grabbed Miraj and walked straight toward the castle, "I might need you to drain the entire Darkpit Seater as well. I don''t feelfortable swimming there to find the source of the spatial distortion."


    Pa!


    Miraj patted his fluffy chest. "Worry not, Maxy. I''ll turn very big and stomp all those fishies¡­ They''re so ugly, I don''t even wanna eat them."


    "Will you be joining me in the Demon World too?"


    "Of course¡ªI must protect my son," Miraj tried to fold his arms, but they were too short.


    "Who will protect Xavia then?"


    Miraj fell into contemtion, "Umm¡­ We have Felix, Aurawra, Cone-hat, Gab, Boney Raz¡­ She''ll be safe."


    ''Cone Hat? Is that the Lord Inquisitor?'' It wasn''t hard, but Miraj''s constantly changing nicknames were sometimes a struggle to understand.


    The twonded on the castle terrace and found almost the entire administration of the Royal Family there, along with the five Hive Project members.


    "That was so awesome!" Prince Rex shouted in excitement. "Can you teach me to do all that? Can I also stop volcanoes? Can I make those tornadoes?"


    Sylvester took out a strategic banana reserved for Miraj and handed it to the boy, "Calm down and focus on your training. One day, you''ll be able to do the same. In any case, Xye, inform your local lords anddies not to panic. Mount Eternal will calm down soon. Tell your wizards to only clean the cities, towns, and viges while leaving the ash to settle in the rest of the fields. From next year, start cultivating thend as well."


    Lord Einarr flinched and understood the corrtion, "Ash makes the ground fertile?"


    "Minerals make the soil fertile. ckhart Kingdom''s soil didn''t have the said minerals; hence, nothing grew. Where do these mineralse from? Rivers. Which you don''t have. What do rivers carry? Silt.


    "Thend we stand on is full of minerals, but they don''t always appear on the surface. Volcanic ash, which brings the trapped minerals out, is what your soilcks," Sylvester exined briefly and didn''t forget to do a small product advertisement. "Nobody has ever taught this before. But the new books I''ve prepared in the Holy Land ''Basics of Geography'' cover such topics."


    "Can I read it?" E inly asked.


    "You''ll get it and many more books the day you start your sses at the School of Dawn. But for now, I have some business to deal with at the Darkpit Sea. I''ll call forth the Fifth Guardian, Julius, as well. Do not mind my presence in the Kingdom from now on. Resume with your royal duties," Sylvester dismissed the crowd and walked downstairs to contact Julius and call him.


    Before taking any steps further, he hoped to get some help from the other two Supreme Wizards at his side and see what could be done. Especially Emperor Raz, since he was thousands of years old.


    ¡­


    Merely a dayter, Julius arrived at Wailing City by flying at his maximum speed. It only took him a few minutes to cover the entire journey, much to Sylvester''s slight jealousy.


    Emperor Raz, meanwhile, was already in the Kingdom. So the three of them quickly got on top of the bone dragon again and flew to the spot Sylvester had recorded in his head. Much faster and quicker, they soon found themselves staring down at the dark pit in the sea, with countless gigantic sea creatures circling it.


    "You believe this is causing the Darkpit Sea to be untraversable?" Julius asked, wearing his normal white robes and looking like a random priest. "First Guardian, were people able to traverse this when you were alive?"


    The skeleton man, suited in luxury robes with a fur coat, shook his head. He nkly stared at the dark ck pit with his hollow eyes. "When I was alive, my family''s priority was finding food. What urred beyond the boundaries of our vige didn''t concern us. But, the Dark Wizard who made me a Lich used to talk about exotic experimental materials and resources he gathered from the Western Ports¡ªrich in dark energy, he used call them."


    Sylvester agreed with that assessment, "Indeed, and that''s exactly why I called you two here. You two have the highest affinity with the darkness element in this world. What do you make of this? Does this hole in the sea corrte to the beastly creatures?"


    Julius Aurelius Alexander didn''t waste another moment and dived straight down. Avoiding the dark, bottomless pit, he plunged into the water around it. In the next moment, he came out with a massive creature hovering behind him, dead from the looks of it, surrounded with chains made of dark elemental chaotic energy.


    "A fusion of creatures," Julius evaluated after returning to stand on the bone dragon, keeping the sea creature in the air as well. "Head of a snake, body of a crocodile, and legs of a turtle. This is akin to some godly being ying with the origin of life."


    "Quite a lot of dark elemental energy in this," Emperor Raz flew closer to the creature and caressed its body with his skeleton fingers. "If I were to make these my undead¡ªthey''ll be stronger than this dragon of mine."


    Sylvester silently nodded his head the entire time, slowly finding his hypothesis turning into reality.


    "I feel you are aware of the origin of this darkness?" Julius questioned right away, being a man who had studied Sylvester for years, after all. "You came to the South to seek this knowingly, didn''t you?"


    "Door to the demon realm."


    One sentence and the two Supreme Wizards turned alert, staring down at the gaping ck hole.


    "You can''t seriously be thinking of going in there," Julius deduced Sylvester''s intentions further. "ying with spatial anomalies can be deadly, even for a Supreme Wizard."


    Sylvester folded his arms, sighing and weaving a false story for the time being.


    "Attacking from the inside¡ªis the only way to end one of the greatest threats to our world."


    ''Unless they''re the victims of the same mysteries as us.''


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 666 665. The Warning Signs

    <h4>Chapter 666 665. The Warning Signs</h4>


    "We don''t understand how powerful their world is, and you wish to go there? Isn''t that akin to suicide?" Julius asked, dissatisfied by Sylvester''s n. "In my long life, I have only evere across five Demons, so they''re clearly not as great of a threat to our world."


    "Did you forget what happened in Beastaria? The Demon that killed King Malisius, and it took mine and King Rathagun''s might to defeat it. There was another Souleater a few years ago right in Sol¡ªthe threat of the Demons is hidden, Julius. They''re constantly waiting to grow and devour our world," Sylvester argued, reminding him of many instances. "There won''t always be three Supreme Wizards in this world on friendly terms."


    "His Holiness is right," Emperor Raz took Sylvester''s side, surprisingly. "I''ve lived a long life, and I have seen things. Fifth Guardian, it may surprise you to learn how many times our world hase close to ruins, but each time, due to someone''s heroic actions or good luck, the demonic threat was neutralized."


    Julius sighed disappointedly, "Chances of the Pope surviving this are too low. If you proceed, I''ll have to question my agreement with you."


    Sylvester threateningly nced at the man, "This is in alignment with my duties¡ªprotecting Sol and this world. If you make such threats, then I''ll have to take precautions, Julius."


    "Calm down," Raz intervened. "As much as I agree with you, Your Holiness, I also agree with Fifth Guardian. Going in there is suicide."


    Sylvester sighed. He needed their support and trust if he wanted to enter the Demon Realm. The two were the safeguards to protect Sol in his absence. But he didn''t want to tell them too much either.


    "Alright, let me tell you a few things that may interest you in the Demon realm as much as I do. It all started with visions when I was a kid¡­" Sylvester told the two men the story of how he saved Xylena ckhart and ended it with Zama''tar. "...that was a General under the ruler of the Demon realm. He had the power to destroy the world if he wished to, but he waited until his death by my hands to deliver the message."


    "Solis is real?!" Julius eximed in shock.


    "History is manipted?!" Raz was interested in another point.


    Sylvester nodded to answer both. "Of course, Solis is real. How else do you think I got so strong so fast? As for history, yes¡ªall the signs indicate it. The two unknown beings of immeasurable power are nning something, and I believe the Demons suffer the same fate. Space and time are rtive, and it''s possible the Demons have been trying to contact me or someone in Sol for thousands of years."


    "How do you exin their violent tendencies then?" Julius interrogated.


    Sylvester shrugged, "We''ll know if we seek that answ¡ª"


    He stopped speaking abruptly and stared down at the dark pit. As if his soul was screaming, goosebumps rose all over his body. The scent of death suffocated him, bringing out fear from the very depths of his being.


    "MOVE!" He roared and jumped away from the dark pit underneath, as far away as he could.


    Reacting to him, Raz and Julius did the same, despite their confusion, as they felt nothing from the hole underneath. They reached Sylvester''s side, trusting his instincts.


    "What happened?" Julius asked.


    Sylvester kept staring at the hole, confused and afraid for the first time in a long time. ''There''s still something in the mortal world that can kill me?''


    "Did you not feel the presence? Something dark and powerful is looming in there. Something¡­ dangerous to even us," Sylvester said, his gaze never leaving the darkness.


    ''I can''t take this big of a risk before exploring further options. Even if this leads to the Demon realm, I have no idea where I''ll end up¡ªit could be some creature''sir, a creature strong enough to pose a challenge.''


    "I felt nothing," Raz muttered.


    "Let''s return," Sylvester made up his mind to let this matter rest for now. "I''ll visit the giants of Gantis before making up my mind. Guardian Raz, stay in ckhart Kingdom and help them deal with the volcano eruption. Guardian Julius, you may return. I''ll head back too."


    The skeleton Guardian of Light saluted Sylvester, "Understood, Your Holiness."


    "I shall return," Julius flew back without them, much faster than the bone dragon. Within a few minutes, he was likely going to reach the Holy Land as well.


    Sylvester, with Raz, returned to the bone dragon, discussing various matters with the undead being. He appreciated the man''s efforts to help the people in various ways. From building roads to houses and canals.


    Afternding back at Castle Ashstone, instead of going downstairs, he covertly jumped across theva moat and entered Wailing City. Keeping himself invisible with advanced light magic, he reached the monastery and looked for the Head Bright Mother.


    "Eyes smell, ears see."


    The Bright Mother didn''t lose herposure and turned around, finding Sylvester standing there. "The mouth listens, and the nose speaks."


    Strange code words, but Sylvester wasn''t the one that set them up. He saluted the old woman and cast magic that would alert him if anyone wasing towards them or spying. "May the Holy Light enlighten us, Mother Pam. Do you have anything for me?"


    White-haired and darker-skinned, Pam whispered in a low and careful voice, albeit full of smiles and feeling giddy to see the Pope. "I do, Your Holiness. I have received word from Bright Mothers across the ckhart Kingdom. The Tears of Solis is clutching the lives of young ones like a demon in disguise. All these young ones are mostly those without jobs, without an aim in life. They try the devil''s nectar once and fall into addiction. The Wailing City itself has an entire building designated to imprison these addicts¡ªtheir screams echo even during the night."


    Sylvester sighed, finding the spread of Tears of Solis faster than he expected. "We know that it''sing from the Sand Continent. How is it getting distributed? Who is producing it?"


    "I don''t know about the production, but its distribution is being handled by a few trading groups who used to sell ves before," she revealed.


    Sylvester sighed, rubbing his face wearily. "Once you taste the blood money, it''s hard to return to the rightful path. I''ll do something about it, Mother Pam. But beyond this, are there any issues that you''re personally facing? Or other Bright Mothers?"


    The old woman smiled warmly, cherishing the care Sylvester showed. "You worry for us, and that is enough, Your Holiness. We suffer no hunger; we suffer no crime. The fear and love for Solis has allowed us to serve the faith better than ever before."


    "That''s great to hear." Sylvester took out a small pouch filled with gold before he left, "Use this to treat yourself and other Bright Mothers to the Bard''s. Its new branch is opening in the city in a few days."


    "Oh dear, this is too much," Mother Pam took it, but her morals didn''t waver. "Perhaps I shall take the poor children with us."


    ''Thesedies¡­ The faith of Solis would have vanished if not for these kind, mother-like figures.''


    He respectfully saluted her and headed out of the monastery under invisibility again. Walking through the city, he noticed his statue that was under construction. The volcano eruption didn''t damage it, and only some ash stained it.


    ''Years of propaganda, traveling, and hymns¡ªthe long n finallyes to fruition.''


    He returned to Castle Ashstone and jumped to its roof again to speak with Gabriel through the Srium Web. Finding a spot where no soldiers stood, he closed his eyes and let his senses probe towards the north and, with ease, found the srium signature of the Wazir in his office.


    "Gab, stop writing the budget allocation report and listen to me," Sylvester spontaneously interrupted him. "I need you to make a list."


    Gabriel jolted for a second but soon remembered there was only one being able to speak in his mind. "What happened? Are you alright? Why did Julius leave so abruptly?"


    "I called him. But that''s not important. I need you to make a list of every single ve trading group that used to operate throughout Sol in the past. Especially those that have contacts in the Sand Continent. I''ve uncovered that these old ve traders are now trading in Tears of Solis," Sylvester ordered him.


    Gabriel quickly began writing down the orders on his side. "I''ll tell my assistants topile the report in a day. We had uncovered all the information regarding each and every ve trader from the Tower of Godless. This should be easy."


    ''Tower of Godless? What happened to it after I left?'' Sylvester remembered that he had forgotten about that massive building. ''Did Gab turn it into a school as I had nned?''


    "That would be great, Gab. I''ll be returning to the Holy Land in three days."


    "Wait!" Gab eximed. "It''ll be better if youe early. The Dragons are here, ten of them representing their entire species from all across their different tribes and mountains."


    Sylvester threateningly asked back, "Do they want another war?"


    "No, they want to surrender to us," Gab himself sounded dumbfounded. "They hate the elves so much that they flew over the entire Blood Sea toe here and seek our protection. But they wish to speak with you¡ªDivine Dragons are also among them."


    "The peaceful sect?" Sylvester remembered them, the ones who flew over the Holy Land once to warn against the cmity. "Let them wait and feel nervous. There''s no need to spread the red carpet for them or give them special treatment. Send them to one of the empty peninss with a mountain."


    "Even their remaining King?"


    "Mistreat him especially," Sylvester responded nonchntly. "But give more respect to the Divine Dragon Sect. I value and cherish peace, so they''re worth befriending. Hand them some picture books, try and see if they can be brainwashed so we can keep them here."


    "..."


    "I''ll see what can be done, Your Holiness." Gabriel signed and felt the connection break.


    Quickly, Gabriel took out a diary from his table drawer, something given to him by Sylvester a long time ago.


    ''Let''s see... ''How To Subdue Felix In Heat,'' ''How To Lure A Dwarf,'' ''How To Impress Women''... Ah! Page sixty-one, ''How To Brainwash'' this should help.''


    The Book of Knowledge by Sylvester, his greatest treasure, yet again helped him at his job.


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 667 666. Father & Daughter

    Chapter 667 666. Father & Daughter


    "It''s time for us to return to the Holy Land. But, before that, tell me what you did over thesest few weeks while I was busy teaching Queen Xylena and dealing with other matters." Sylvester sat in arge chair in a workspace assigned to him by the Queen¡ªit was the Queen''s office.


    And yes, the Queen was stuck to his side like a bee on nectar, following him around everywhere to learn whatever she could.


    Despite the Queen cutely munching on some good old fried chicken that Sylvester had made, he maintained a stern expression while interrogating the five students he had taken in. It was time to see if they failed to be worthy of his time or earned themselves a ticket to the highest echelons of power.


    "Let''s start from the fifth. Rex, what have you done during this time?" he interrogated.


    The chubby, young-faced, blonde-haired Prince Rex stepped forward nervously, feeling this way for the first time with Sylvester. He didn''t want to disappoint his godfather. "Your Holiness, first, I helped with the road construction. They were miscalcting the slope and making it too steep for carriages to go through, so I helped them with the calctions. I read your book and learned the meth forms."


    "Math¡ªnot meth." Sylvester didn''t let the boy go so easily, "How do you calcte road slope gradient force?"


    Rex rubbed his blonde hair to think firmly and ensured he gave the right answer. "Umm¡­ If we have a road with the slope angle ¦È [¡ã], if we dpose the weight force W [N] of the vehicle along the longitudinal and vertical axes of the vehicle, we get the expression of the road slope force¡­"


    Sylvester''s brows rose, shocked and proud, "You learned all that from the book?"


    Rex energetically nodded, "I also learned to calcte the amount of power needed at the driving wheels for the vehicle to climb a hill with a slope. But then the volcano erupted, so I got busy with cleaning the city."


    p! p!


    Xylena suddenly started to p frantically, "I didn''t understand a single word, but I am proud. You sounded quite smart."


    Bam!


    Sylvester knocked on his adopted daughter''s head, silencing her. "You ought to study all these subjects too. Not this thorough, but enough so that you won''t be fooled. As for you, Rex Magnus Hignd. I appreciate your hard work and dedication to make me proud¡ªCongrattions, you are now an honorary Archbishop of the Holy Land."


    "Really?!" Rex jumped for joy. "That means I can also preach? Pass judgment and work in the Holy Land? Can I also take the vow?"


    Sylvester smiled jovially and teased the boy, "Vow of celibacy? Are you sure? You won''t be able to marry anyer on."


    Instantly, Rex''s eyes darted towards Xylena for a second, and he instantly changed his mind. "Umm¡­ No¡­ Mum and Dad will be angry. Sorry, I won''t ask again."


    ''Ah, youth...'' Sylvester sighed, not against the boy''s interest in any way. Rex was ten, and Xylena was merely in her middle teens. The two had enough years to grow and look around.


    "Bishop Noby, what about you?" Sylvester questioned the Elephantkin.


    Noby, the old giant of a being, bowed his head respectfully before answering. "I traveled the city and noticed a thriving cksmith industry, but its functioning is crude. So, taking into ount the ores this kingdom possesses, I have designed a meticulous workshop that can efficiently and continuously produce iron using thermal energy from theva moat to run the furnace. Here are the designs."


    The Elephantkin ced a parchment on Sylvester''s table.


    ''So he designed a factory with a production line, automated by steam-powered machines.'' Sylvester nced at it, ''Not bad. He must have studied the power of steam from the Holy Land.''


    It wasn''t perfect, but worth appreciating. "Good work, you are now an honorary Archbishop. Noah, you''re next."


    Awkwardly, Noah came forward and ced down a stack of papers. He feared being the biggest disappointment of the lot. "I¡­ didn''t invent anything. But I wrote a book¡­ a storybook. It''s aption of some little stories that I¡­ hoped would entertain the kids at the orphanage."


    Sylvester didn''t expect much and opened the book. He flipped over page after page and read through lines at a very fast pace. Every five pages was one story, and each had a childish undertone. However, there was something more behind it.


    "Indirect messages of morals, ethics, duty, and worship? You were an orphan?"


    Noah nodded his head.


    Sylvester stacked the papers back and ced them aside. "Being talented doesn''t mean one must be a great inventor, warrior, or thinker. Being a great musician, entertainer, or writer is equally appreciated¡ªYou are promoted to honorary Archbishop as well, Noah. This book shall be published and distributed to all monasteries, orphanages, and schools. Now,e forward, Emara."


    Second ranked, mother of two, meekly came forward. She held something wrapped in a piece of cloth in her hands. Her hands fumbled and shivered while standing before Sylvester''s table. "Y-Your Grace, I fear it isn''t suitable to show in front of children."


    Sylvester nced at E and Rex, "They are far smarter than children. I''m sure they have read enough books to know the details of human biology. Don''t be ashamed, and don''t be doubtful of your creation, Emara."


    Emara''s eyes widened, "Your Holiness, y-you know what this is?!"


    Sylvester nodded and watched her unwrap the cloth and present the item. "I do, and I feel regretful to not have thought of producing it when I call Bright Mothers my own mothers."


    "This is the thing, Your Holiness. It can¡­" Emara hesitated there. "Absorb blood during that time of the month and help women carry on with their work as usual."


    Sylvester picked it up and observed it with no hesitation. It looked to be made of heavily pressed cotton strips,yer uponyer. Just to test it, he created water and poured it over. "You have done a good job. For further protection, an ultraviolet disinfectant box can be made. These shall be mass-produced by Bright Mother''s Economic Aid Association and distributed to Bright Mothers for free. For the public, the price shall be kept negligible. This won''t merely help women work, but also avoid some genital diseases or infections¡ªyou''re promoted."


    "Just stop now, Father," Xylena blurted. "You''re embarrassing me."


    Bam!


    Sylvester softly knocked on her head again. "There is nothing to be embarrassed about. The Lord made us this way, and we must respect his creation."


    She sighed, epting his teachings, "I know, I know, Father. I will distribute these to the women in my kingdom with my own hands. That should be enough to make them use it."


    Sylvester nodded and focused on the next, first-ranked. The bias couldn''t be more evident in his voice, "And what has our dear E achieved?"


    E was short, but her prideful and emotionless demeanor only made her more adorable in Sylvester''s eyes. She seemed like an angry chipmunk to his eyes, no different than grumpy Chonky.


    "I studied," E proimed. "I read as many books in the library as I could. But there''s still eighty left."


    "So many books? But what do you wish to do with all that knowledge when you have no practical experience?" Sylvester asked, still smiling warmly.


    E sternly stared into Sylvester''s golden eyes. "I''ll be the Pope. I also n to use this knowledge practically, but first, I must make my foundation strong by learning the history of all the kingdoms, the battles, the people, the cultures, the rituals, and everything else."


    ''This girl¡­ She keeps on surprising me. I''ve never heard a woman say she wants to be the Pope,'' Sylvester didn''t know what to feel about her ambitions.


    "Pfft¡­ Women can''t be the Pope," Rex suddenlyughed, pointing his finger at E childishly.


    "Who said that?" Sylvester came to the girl''s defense. "By the time I retire, the world will be different. She can be the Pope then¡ªanybody can be."


    "Really? Can I also be the Pope?" Rex''s eyes beamed with excitement.


    "You''ll have to take the vow of celibacy and never marry."


    "Forget what I said, Godfather," Rex immediately shut his mouth, his joy turning intopromise. "I''ll try to be a good king."


    With that, Sylvester stood up, satisfied with his five students. "If any of you had failed, I''d have left you here. But since you''ve worked hard, it is time we return. The five of you may go and prepare the carriage. I''lle downstairs in a moment."


    The five quickly left, leaving Sylvester and Xylena alone in the room.


    "I know, I know¡­ I was just ying around. I''ll be serious from now on," Xylena mumbled, expecting a scolding.


    However, Sylvester moved closer and embraced her in a familial hug. Patting her back and caressing her head, he knew he was the only father figure she had, the only closest family she considered blindly trustable.


    Taken aback, she jolted and then rxed into his arms and rested her face on his shoulder, feeling emotional.


    "I''m proud of you, Xye," he praised. "I walked around the city, and your name was never spoken with a curse, always with a blessing."


    Somewhere along the line, before he even knew it, Sylvester found his way of life had changed. No more scheming and extracting the greatest benefit from all around him was his goal. Now, respecting the personal connections and caring for those he valued held a higher priority¡ªespecially after losing Sir Dolorem, a reminder that he will live with the curse of ousting all those he cherished.


    "I don''t wanna live here. Can''t I juste with you and live in the Holy Land? It''s tiring here¡­ I feel so alone," sheined like a child would since he was all she had to be childish with.


    Sylvester chuckled and caressed her hair, "Being the Queen is your destiny. But if you feel lonely, perhaps I should look for a suitable groo¡ª"


    Bam!


    She punched his chest, "Not with that again."


    "Alright, alright, I''ll stop. But I''ll be leaving Emperor Raz stationed here. He''s a very kind¡­ creature, and will keep you safe and entertained. With his undead army, you can get much of therge-scale infrastructure built, such as viaducts. I''ll also send a capable Cardinal as your advisor soon so your burden can be lessened."


    She hugged him tight again, knowing he''d be going. Physically, it felt strange since Sylvester did look so young, but at the same time, for some reason, she saw him as an old man in her heart.


    "Remember, never stop training your abilities. I will always be there to fight every battle by your side, but even I can''t appear everywhere instantly. Sometimes, you''ll have to fend off the enemy''s first strike on your own," he said and ced a stone in her palm, covered with ancient Elder Runes. "Use magic on this if you''re ever in trouble and need my help. I''lle right away."


    "Really?" Xylena immediately used magic on the stone.


    Ting!


    A ring on Sylvester''s right index finger lit up brightly in red, vibrated, and rang.


    Bam!


    Once again, the Queen of ckhart received a soft knock on her head from the only man who could do so.


    "Farewell."


    Xylena followed Sylvester all the way out of the castle and watched him sit on the carriage seat to steer it. Just as he drove away, she ran along while waving.


    "Take care," she shouted. "I''ll pray so that you can grow a nice beard soon."


    "..."


    Normally, he''d never let that slide. But this time, it was alright.


    "Haha¡­" He simplyughed. "What do you think, Chonky? Can I grow a beard?"


    Miraj, sitting on the horse''s back, looked back at Sylvester, "Umm¡­ No."


    "..."


    "But nyo problem! Take my softy fur and make a beard!"


    Surprisingly, he didn''t find that an outrageous suggestion.


    ''Perhaps that would suit my actual age better.''


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 668 667. The Demons Cry

    Chapter 668 667. The Demon''s Cry


    "Suppose Rex is traveling at the speed of three hundred kilometers per hour. He''s fifty kilograms heavy and collides with an immobile object. What would the impact force be if the time of impact is two seconds?"


    "Why am I in the question again?"


    "Because you talk the most. Now, be silent and solve the question. It''s utterly easy," Sylvester gave questions to the five students sitting behind in the carriage while he alone steered from the reinsman seat.


    As they traveled on the Holy Road, heading through the Barrier Mountain Range, he asked them many questions rted to all the subjects.


    "What is the name of the Pope whose body was mummified in the Mountain of Tears?" he asked.


    "I know!" E raised her hand proudly. "It''s Pope Carwyn Giltbert, the thirteenth Pope. He''s the Pope who served the least number of years."


    "Absolutely correct, E," Sylvester pped in praise. "You seem to like reading history."


    Wraaaaa¡­!


    They heard a deafening, blood-curdling scream just as they made their way through the mountain pass covered in snow. The slopes on both sides were dense with trees. It spooked the horses, but Sylvester immediately calmed them down.


    "What was that?!" Rex poked his head out. "Should I take out my sword?"


    "That''s a dagger," Sylvester shoved the boy''s head back in and got down from the carriage. "Stay inside, all of you. There''s nothing in this world that can threaten us anymore."


    "A Demon?" Elephantkin, Noby voiced. "I have read it in the books. It''s a Demon that has possessed a humanpletely and now uses the human''s cry for help to lure victims."


    Sylvester didn''t feel an ounce of fear or even concern but rather excitement. "A Demon? Perhaps I can make it talk?"


    Silently, he sent Miraj into the sky to look and inform if the Demon was in sight. He waited in the cool, snowy breeze, keeping his senses alert and maintaining his gaze on Miraj''s form.


    "Maxy! Towards the sun!"


    Sylvester was alerted and, right away, swung his Spear of Infinity towards the west, where the sun rose. His swing didn''t even contain any magic, and with mere raw, physical strength, he cut the air so violently that a massive valley formed in the mountainside, going deep.


    "It''s stilling at you!" Miraj informed him. "It''s crawling like a dog!"


    ''Dog?'' Sylvester retracted the spear''s length, ced it back on his back, and waited for the creature to reach him instead.


    He waited and waited. The entire time, Miraj kept notifying him.


    "Maxy! It''s too dumb. It fell into a ditch¡­ oh wait, it came out¡­ No! It bumped into a boulder¡­ Now it''s going in the wrong direction¡­ now it''s going back up!"


    "..."


    Speechless, Sylvester sighed, created Light Tiles for himself, and began walking toward the sky. Soon, he looked where Miraj pointed and noticed the creature. A zombie-like creature with rotten flesh, half of its body already skeletonized. It crawled like a dog, running mindlessly while screaming like a human calling for help.


    "Does it not have a brain, Maxy?"


    "It''s a Demon in possession of a rotten body, Chonky. But after seeing this, I don''t think it''ll be able to answer any questions. Only higher Demons can speak." Sylvester sighed and raised his palm towards the creature. In no time, he sent a beam of white light of pure destruction, devouring the Demon in the scorching heat.


    With the Demon dead, Sylvester returned to the carriage, and they started moving again. He continued the lessons as if nothing had happened, and to some degree, the students were also getting used to all his actions that seemed ordinary while, in reality, were otherworldly.


    "So, tell me theyers of atmosphere that I wrote down in the basics of geography," Sylvester began to quiz them once again.


    Just like that, they soon began to exit the mountain pass and arrived at the greener, fertile eastern region of ckhart Kingdom. From the height of the mountains, seeing the green tnds in the distance was quite a sight. However, Sylvester only felt disappointment.


    ''This isn''t enough to support billions of people. Dung fertilizer won''t take us far,'' he mumbled to himself while descending and heading towards the Last Haven, a major resting town for those traversing the Mountain Range. ''Perhaps it''s time to introduce Ammonium Nitrate¡­ but if used the wrong way...''


    He knew with the introduction of basic education, eventually, someone would realize how to make TNT as well. He wished to avoid that, but going straight to urea fertilizer wasn''t much different either, as Ammonium was still needed.


    "All of you. Tell me what''s the use of a sword in one word," Sylvester suddenly asked them.


    "Attack!" Rez bellowed.


    "Cut?"


    "Kill?"


    "Stab?"


    "Slice?"


    Sylvester chuckled, "Why did none of you say defend? Can''t a sword be used to defend?"


    Hence, Sylvester felt sure that if even these high-IQ students thought of killing before defending, there was no doubt whatever he invented would be used for the worseter on. The only question left now was whether the benefits outweigh the risk.


    In time, they began approaching Last Haven town. It was bustling with activity, as one would expect. The entire town was filled with inns and taverns where travelers could rest and eat. As the ckhart Kingdom moved on a trajectory to develop itself, there was a lot of money to be made from various jobs.


    But Sylvester never had to worry about his residence since each town had a monastery.


    "YOUR HOLINESS!"


    From the Town''s Bishop to a dozen of his staff members, they all ran out and knelt before Sylvester. They started crying for no reason. Their hands were sped together as they tried to speak simultaneously.


    "Save us, please. We can''t handle it anymore," the Bishop cried.


    Sylvester had juste down from the carriage, "What happened?"


    "Demons! There were five possessions the previous night. We can''t keep them inside the monastery for too long¡­ they''re making the Priests and the Bright Mothers sick," the Bishop pleaded, forgetting even to introduce himself.


    ''Demons? This can''t be a coincidence. They''re supposed to be rare,'' Sylvester could sense there was something more to the story.


    "First, tell me your name."


    "Bishop Lancel, Your Holiness."


    "Good. Lead me to the dungeon, Lancel," Sylvester ordered, raising his spear in one hand. "Tell all of the workers in the monastery to evacuate."


    Just as he walked into the three-story monastery building, all the Priests and Bright Mothers ran out. He left his five students behind as well and followed the Bishop downstairs to the dungeon meant to hold heretics. However, from the looks of it, the ce was used more like a storeroom.


    Grrr¡­!


    Keke¡­!


    Strange groaning noises reverberated in the darkness. It was cold and dry, almost freezing enough that they saw their mouths breathing out mist.


    "When did these possessions happen?" Sylvester questioned while creating light in his palm.


    "Last night. I-I was called by the Town''s Chief. His son was possessed, but just then, the Town''s Chief, his wife, his mother, and the servant were also possessed before my eyes¡ªall in the same room in one night."


    ''This is new. Multiple possessions of the same family?'' Sylvester tried to remember if there was any historical precedent for it, but there was none. ''Could it be something like the Soul Eater? One Demon spreading itself like a hivemind?''


    "Here¡­ Please be careful, Your Holiness."


    Finally, the Bishop opened a metal door and entered arge room with multiple metal cells. Inside one were five bodies standing like lifeless dolls. However, the moment Sylvester''s light touched them, they shrieked and began growling heavily.


    Right away, he noticed their stage of possession already. "They''ve already entered the A-ss stage this fast. The signs of them being demonic are visible¡­ There''s only a fifty percent chance to save them. I''ll have to exorcize them right away."


    "I''ll bring the book of light!" The Bishop was ready to run to his office.


    Sylvester refused and, with a single hand, pulled apart the metal bar of the holding cell to enter, "My light is enough to exorcize Demons, Bishop Lancel."


    "Unholy possession of the vile Demon.


    Screech and hear my holy sermon¡­"


    Sylvester began to say a hymn and formed a halo behind his head. The entire dungeon radiated with warm energy, and the five demons shrank back towards a corner in utter fright.


    "Did you find the key?" Sylvester asked while making the Demons scream.


    "None¡­ There was no key the¡ªGhk! Aargh! S-Sav¡­ meh¡­"


    "What happened?" Sylvester quickly created a solidified light shield and caught the five Demons in a corner. Then, he looked back and¡­


    Bishop Lancel''s face turned ugly, red as a tomato, and veins bulged all over. His eyes seemed on the verge of popping out as he wed at his own throat, groaning in absolute pain. His hands lost color and began cracking like the skin was too dry.


    "Bishop!" Sylvester wasted no time and shrouded the Bishop with his light. He probed his body with Elder Magic''s maniption of srium and immediately noticed the presence of a second soul, one possessing dark energy. "Another possession?!"


    Poof!


    Sylvester punctured a hole in the Bishop''s throat first to clear whatever was blocking his air passage and let him take a breath. But the demonic presence tried to fight against the Bishop''s soul, trying to overpower it and take over.


    ''So this is how possessions take ce¡­ It''s a battle of souls. No wonder those who return from advance-possessions lose a part of their sanity¡ªa part of their soul.'' Sylvester saw in real time how possession worked. He wanted to see it until the end and allowed the Bishop to be fully possessed as he knew how to save himter.


    Closing his eyes, he sensed the surroundings and found something producing a dark aura. It was a small piece of cloth, an armpatch tied around the Bishop''s forearm.


    ''Found the key!''


    He watched the fight between the two souls until the Bishop began losingpletely. That was when he moved in and destroyed the Key with fire. After that, all he needed to do was chant a hymn and create the exorcism rune circle under them.


    "Wraaaaaa!" Bishop roared with a muffled voice that wasn''t his own. "Naaaaa¡­ Hea¡­. hisss¡­"


    ''It tried to speak.'' Sylvester could feel it.


    But the Demon wasn''t powerful enough to speak fluently. So, Sylvester chose to finish it and save the Bishop since there was something far more terrifying that he just theorized. A reason why five members of the same family were possessed, a reason why a Bishop of all things was possessed.


    Thud!


    The Bishop fell to the floor, gasping for breath and slowly returning to his senses, "S-save me¡­"


    Pa!


    Sylvester pped the man, earning his attention. "What was that armstrap you were wearing? Who gave it to you?"


    "T¡­ The¡­ Festival¡­" Bishop Lancel murmured weakly, gasping. "Free¡­ It''s free."


    "Fuck!" Sylvester cursed, an extremely rare urrence. "How many people are in town?"


    "Eight thousan-nd¡­ S-save meh¡­"


    Sylvester sighed deeply and looked back at the five demon-possessed. He raised his hands and transfigured the metal rods of the holding cell into chains to lock them by their necks. Then, he picked the Bishop on his shoulder and rushed out of the dungeon.


    "Who distributed the arm straps?"


    "B-Baron¡­"


    Sylvester gritted his teeth and, using his immense knightly strength, jumped up and broke through the monastery ceiling instead of going through various doors. He came out, falling down from the third-story height, taking in the view of the entire town.


    "Good heavens!"


    "Godfather!"


    Sylvester looked down andnded right beside the carriage. Rex was standing atop it and throwing basic elemental attack spells around. The entire carriage was surrounded by a human wall of Priests who cast some magic while the Bright Mothers hid behind.


    "Grrr¡­"


    "S¡­eekh¡­"


    "Aaarrrrr¡­"


    "What''s happening?" Rex asked. "Why are there so many undeads?"


    The entire carriage waspletely surrounded by thousands of people from all directions. As far as they could see, there was a crowd growling and looking red with anger, or even worse¡ªrotten. But their movements were sloppy, and their physical attackscked power. However, they were visibly improving.


    It was a mind-numbing sight for most, but Sylvester knew this was no threat to him. However, he wasn''t ignorant of the misery that thousands of souls were facing in those bodies.


    Sylvester sighed, having expected this, and easily cast a massive dome of solidified light to protect themselves. "Someone sabotaged! The entire town is now possessed by Demons."


    Bam!


    The Demon-possessed tried to attack the dome-shaped shield.


    "Ghk¡­ Argh¡­ What¡­ is happe-ning?!"


    "Help!"


    "I can''t br-breathe¡­"


    Suddenly, a few Bright Mothers and the Priests he had just saved began to growl, simr to the Bishop before. They fell down and groaned, wing and scratching their necks or faces, some punching their own noses.


    Sylvester looked all around and noticed the attempts of the Demons to speak with him as they all kept staring at his form.


    ''It seems¡­ The ruler of Demons is getting restless to speak with me.''


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 669 668. Same Shit, Different Day

    Chapter 669 668. Same Shit, Different Day


    Surrounded by demon-possessed people on all sides, Sylvester had all but one option to employ. He took a deep breath and activated the Supreme Void, taking everyone inside it, but no one could see any change.


    Every single thing in the Supreme Void came under his influence. He felt every particle there, visible or not, no matter how many. Bolstered with his Elder Magic, he swept the entire area with his senses and felt the demonic souls taking over the human souls, some havingpleted it already. The change was urring too fast.


    However, he saw the arm straps on every single one that was possessed. The Bright Mothers and the Priests near him who had the arm straps were quickly healed by him by cing an exorcism rune.


    Woosh!


    Out of nowhere, invisible des appeared inside the Supreme Void, right beside each Demon-possessed. The des cut the arm straps away with ease, following which the light magic burned the Keys that were used to possess the human bodies.


    "Feel the charm of gravity," Sylvester removed the protective light shield around them and watched as the demon-possessed growled and stared at him while being immobilized, some falling to their knees due to the heightened gravity.


    "Heeee¡­ arrrh!"


    "Haaaaassss!"


    The Demons began to growl differently all of a sudden. Unlike before, it was devoid of any struggle. The way they seemed fixated on him showed a purpose in their existence, something they were trying to convey.


    "Quick, kill them, Godfather!"


    Sylvester didn''t want to, not unless he knew why this was even happening. This was perhaps the biggest demonic possession ever. In that single town, there were more demonic possessions than in the entire recorded history.


    "Faa¡­"


    "Aaassst¡­!"


    The Demons growled in groups, each group making a different sound as if they were being instructed. But Sylvester noticed their bodies were mutating too fast, turning demonic. Their faces began to turn devilish, red with cracks on their skin, and their eyes almosting out of their skulls.


    ''There are children as well,'' he noticed and realized he had to make a choice. ''I want to know what they''re saying, but¡­ if I let them die, the Pope''s name would be tarnished.''


    "Speak quick!"


    "Jaaaaaa¡­"


    "Aaaamph¡­"


    "Hiiiin¡­"


    ''Jump in?" Sylvester concluded and decided not to wait anymore. Using light magic, he created a glowing rune circle on thend covered by the Supreme Void. Following that, his lips began to chant a hymn while the other Priests shouted exorcism chants.


    "Wraaaa!"


    The runes began to shine, and the bodies of all the possessed gave off a red, steamy mist as the demonic souls within their bodies began to be exorcized.


    "You stand before the servant of Solis,


    Your own doom you failed to notice.


    Wretched demons of the sinful realm,


    In this world, as protector, I''m at the helm."


    Bzzzz!


    The exorcism runes began to ze. However, right then, the effects of the demonic possession intensified, and many of the possessed began bleeding from their eyes, nose, ears, and mouths.


    "Tyeee¡­"


    "Grrrr¡­"


    "Hymmmm¡­"


    ''This is bad. They''re fighting back too much.''


    Sylvester joined the rest of the Priests to chant. Exorcizing a thousand people at the same time wasn''t easy.


    Poof!


    "Your Holiness!" A Priest suddenly shouted. "The head exploded!"


    Sylvester gritted his teeth as he saw one of the possessed die. This wasn''t something that could simply be decided with his strength. Exorcism was dependent on the ritual of exorcizing, and there was no way to make it faster since the human soul was involved.


    With his fluent elemental control, he attempted to freeze their bodies with ice to restrict their movements. However, he still saw blood sttering inside the frozen cubes of ice.


    The heads kept exploding, and the people kept dying beyond healing.


    "Sylvester!"


    Just then, one of the demon-possessed bellowed and exploded. But following that, the one beside it roared and exploded the same way. A chain reaction seemingly started, and they kept dying.


    "Enter!"


    "World!"


    "Fast!"


    "End!"


    "Nears!"


    ''They will all die at this rate!'' Sylvester jumped towards the massive crowd and tried to suppress the bodies from exploding any further. His halo radiant, his hands showering the holy light all over the bodies, he tried to hasten the purification in any way possible.


    Poof!


    However, the bodies kept exploding until the Demons had said what they wanted to. There was nothing Sylvester could do despite being a Supreme Wizard. All his light and power felt useless in that field of blood and death. Even if he were to force the heads to remain intact, the explosions still urred and destroyed the brain matter inside.


    ''The Demons use all the brain power they had left to say a word and die.'' He figured and continued his useless attempts.


    A few minutes passed, and eventually, the carnage subsided on its own. Out of almost eight thousand people in town, nearly one-fourth of them died with their heads sttered on the ground. Women, men, and children, it was all random.


    Sylvester sighed, seeing the field of unconscious bodies. ''Even if the demons turn out to be good folks, it will be much harder to make the world ept them now¡­ What have you fools done?''


    "Start healing the victims," he ordered the Priests and Bright Mothers around him. "Use the healing potions I have."


    He handed them a sack of supplies from Chonky''s belly. With his mind upied with a myriad of thoughts, he went around healing people as well. Some had severed veins, paralyzed bodies, broken limbs, and blinded eyes. The people had gone through absolute torture.


    Just like that, hours passed, and people began to regain their consciousness. Healers, Priests, and Bright Mothers from nearby monasteries also arrived by that time. Some vigers also came to help, but seeing the bloodied town square left many with weak stomachs.


    "Your Holiness," Bishop Lancel came to see Sylvester in the monastery''s office. "Everyone is awake¡ªfive people couldn''t be saved. Their hearts had been punctured by the broken ribs. The city''s poption now rests at six thousand and forty-two."


    "Such a loss," Sylvester sighed. "Then I''ll be on my way, Bishop. A team of healers, exorcists, and ritual experts will soon arrive to purify the town. They''ll also arrest the Baron and investigate what urred here. Keep doing God''s work, my brother in faith."


    Sylvester ced a pouch filled with Gold Graces on the table and got up. He could have stayed to investigate the Baron but chose not to since doing everything with his own hands would take too much of his time. Besides, he expected the Baron to be dead by now.


    "Use the money to aid the families. If any child is orphaned, send them to Wailing City''s monastery orphanage."


    The old Bishop bowed his head deeply, grateful that his life was saved because of Sylvester. His heart was now even more firmly devoted to his duty, and he saluted with pride.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us."


    Sylvester quickly returned outside and got on the carriage. This time, there was nomoner there to bid farewell as they were all scared, injured, or dead. Silently, he whipped the horse gently and continued the journey.


    ''I hope these demon possessions don''t increase too much. It''ll put me in a tough position.''


    "Godfather, why did the Demons say your name?" Rex asked something that was on everyone''s mind.


    He sighed and indulged, "Who is the strongest being in this world? I am. Who is the unofficial ruler of this world? I am. So, who will the Demons go to if they wish to make a threat?"


    "You!" The boy eximed.


    "Indeed. Now, let us continue with the lessons. Tell me what is a Step-up and Step-down Transformer. I wrote about it in thetest Intermediary Physics book."


    He didn''t want to worry his students with too much tension about the hidden events of the world. The fear of the Primordial Gods wasn''t theirs to bear since there was nothing they or anybody else could do. Knowing about them would only cause panic and anxiety in one''s own helplessness.


    In time, they passed by the secondrgest castle in the ckhart Kingdom, the ce where the Grand Duke used to live once before. Now, it remained as the Queen''s second residence. Then, they crossed the bridge on the Tame River and traveled through a small patch of the Hignd Kingdom.


    As soon as they entered Riveria, the roads instantly became much better. Many more vibrant towns and viges sprawled all across the roadside, and there were plenty of horses, carriages, and walking travelers there.


    Then, the massive Trade Corridor began, and they traversed through endless huge cities, each with specialized crafts. The money generated from it was what made Riveria the wealthiest.


    Without anything special urring, they continued and crossed the massive Gift River to finally enter Gracia Kingdom. Less industrialized than Southern Riveria, Southern Gracia had its own charm of farnds, nature, and beautifully nted trees on the side of the smooth road.


    "Woah! Is that Ranthburg?!" shouted Rex from his seat beside Sylvester. "Isn''t that where you first went for a mission and initiated Article Sixty-Six and erased the Ranthburg bloodline?"


    "Which was a trick by Saint Seer of the past, who made memit that sin so the Shadow Knight would hunt me down," Sylvester revealed a massive secret, as they had to know it. "I shouldn''t have killed the young ones that day. But my orders forced me to erase everyone."


    "May their souls rest in peace," prayed the big Elephantkin.


    "Wasn''t it this Duchy of Ironstone where many noble lords died abruptly for no reason some time ago? Their heads exploded just like the demon-possessed we saw," Noah asked, staring at the passing scenery.


    Sylvester didn''t add anything to it since he was the one behind those deaths.


    Another day passed, and they eventually crossed by the high walls of the Yggdrasil School of Magic, getting closer and closer to the Holy Land. But, right when they thought nothing could go wrong, they found the Holy Road leading to the bridge to cross the Gold River being blocked by countless people.


    His carriage, bearing the church g, moved past the traffic and reached the front of the line, finally seeing what was the reason for the huge crowd.


    "Follow me," Sylvester got down and walked to the front of the crowd with his students.


    Eventually, he reached the center of the crowd from where a woman''s wailing was echoing. She was sitting on the ground, holding a man''s body and crying. Then, on the side, there were four armored knights beaten and subdued.


    ''The battle against sin is never-ending, it seems.'' Sylvester sighed and looked at Noah, giving him a nod to start shouting.


    "Move! Move back!" Noah roared at the crowd to make some space. "His Holiness, Pope Sylvester Maximilian is here to oversee!"


    Sylvester noticed the woman didn''t react to Noah''s shouts. So he knelt down beside the dead body and checked it.


    ''Marks from a rope?'' He quickly deduced they were marks from suicide, not murder.


    "What happened, my sister in faith?" Sylvester tried to ask the woman. Yet, she kept crying in a daze, not reacting to him.


    Sighing, he looked behind at the people. "Who caused this?"


    "Count Folksire!"


    "Aye! It was him!"


    "That arrogant bastard!"


    "That thief!"


    ''And so it begins,'' Sylvester already expected it. ''Another mess, another noble at the helm.''


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 670 669. A Different Kind Of Inquisition

    Chapter 670 669. A Different Kind Of Inquisition


    Sylvester nced around and noticed a few men in church robes, "Which monastery are you two from?"


    The Clergymen were alerted and seemingly came out of their stupor. They immediately took to their knees after noticing his golden eyes and golden blonde hair. There were five of them, and they saluted him in unison.


    "Your Holiness! May the Holy Light enlighten us!"


    "We''re from Baron Redman''snd, Your Grace," one of them exined afterward. "We were on our way home after buying supplies for the monastery."


    Sylvester smelled no lies and looked down at the woman, "Where is she from? Who is this man, and what led to his demise?"


    "She''s from my vige, Your Holiness," Just then, a young man walked forward, donning casualmoner clothing and looking decently bright. "Rivereign is the name of our vige. But I don''t know her personally. I have only seen her a few times."


    Getting no answers, he decided to get to the bottom of it.


    "Then go to Count Folksire''s keep and call him here. Inform him that Pope Sylvester summons him to the road¡ªthe longer he keeps me waiting, the more my doubts shall arise," Sylvester ordered the five Priests. "Leave!"


    The five men scurried and cleaved through the crowd to leave. However, that wasn''t enough, as Sylvester still held some disdain for the Duchy of Ironstone. It had been the cause of too many problems ever since he started his career.


    Count Ranthburg at the start, then Prince Daemon, the Witch, all the nobles rebelling, and now this. Thend appeared cursed with ipetency, sin, and corruption.


    He sat down beside the corpse of the man and raised his palm towards the crying woman. He spilled some golden light onto her, which did nothing but make her feel warm, giving her some semnce of hope and calming her down.


    Closing his eyes, Sylvester chose to speak with Cardinal Suprima mentally. As per the standard protocol he set, he had the Srium Signature of all Cardinals recorded in his mind.


    "Cardinal Moris," he spoke into the mind of a previous Bishop he had known since his younger days, a man who was just and had admired Sylvester when he was young. "This is a summon by the voice of His Holiness, Sylvester Maximilian. Immediately present yourself at the Holy Road, near the Riveridge Vige."


    Instead of talking, he chose to act as if this was an automated summon. In any case, the Cardinal Suprima''s residence was now in the Yggdrasil School of Magic, so it was going to take him some time to arrive.


    Thankfully, by the time Sylvester opened his eyes again, the woman had stopped crying.


    "Sister, what happened?" He asked softly.


    The woman, middle-aged, not that neatly dressed, with signs of poverty evident on her dry, bony face, looked up. "Demon¡­ Demon rules ournd."


    ''Hatred,'' Sylvester smelled it.


    "How did Count Folksire do this?"


    Her eyes red red just at the mention of the name. "He deserves to die a thousand times. How could he do this? This is torture¡­ this is¡­ Why?"


    She wasn''t in her right mind and aimlessly spoke, unable to tell him exactly what had happened. But he still tried to gather whatever information he could from her mumbling.


    "Taking more than double the tax¡­ that''s not what the neww said. How could we pay so much? We spent it all on our son. How could we?"


    ''Corruption?''


    "Where is your son?"


    "He is at the School of Magic¡­ Our son is a wizard!" A faint, fond smile appeared on her face, but it quickly turned into anger. "Not enough for the Count¡­ Adept Wizard talent is nothing in his eyes."


    That was enough for Sylvester to make sense of the situation.


    Yet again, he found himself wondering if allowing the nobility to continue its existence was the right thing to do. Noble lords held significant amounts of power, so much so that unless a bigger noble, the monarch, or a powerful Clergyman appears, their crimes go unpunished.


    Meanwhile, in a normal pyramid administration, a Police could exist who, in ideal situations, would treat nobles andmoners the same way byw.


    For now, all he could do was wait and let the Counte. However, the crowd only got bigger. Seeing the Pope in the wild wasn''t a regr urrence, so they all gossiped in suppressed voices, some in awe and some in doubt if this was even the real Pope.


    Just like that, three hours passed, and before the Count, Cardinal Suprima arrived, rushing and panting on his galloping horse. He speared through the crowd while shouting and jumped directly into a kneeling position before Sylvester.


    "Your Holiness! What happened? Did someonemit heresy?" Cardinal Moris asked, anxious to know what happened.


    "Let the man speak for himself," Sylvester got up to his feet and watched a contingent of fully armored soldiers, about three dozen, arrive at the scene. They were all on armored horses, with the Count at the front, also armed.


    "Halt!" The Count roared, raising his expensive metallic armor-covered arm. He lifted his visor and looked at Sylvester. "Greetings, Pope."


    ''Lack of respect, no scent of worship, and quite a lot of hatred,'' Sylvester smelled the scent of the man''s emotions.


    In honesty, the Count left him surprised. He expected it to be some old, fat oaf who thought too highly of himself. But here, he saw a man probably in histe thirties, looking muscr, cleanly shaven, having the discipline of a warrior. There was a sign of higher intelligence in his eyes.


    "Did you force your subjects to pay more than double taxation?" Sylvester got to the point right away.


    Count Folksire got down from his horse and looked at the dead body first, then at the crowd, and finally at Sylvester. "I am Count Rupert Folksire. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Pope Sylvester. And yes, I enforced double taxation. Not because I wanted to, but because it was a must."


    ''Straight to the point? Does he seriously believe he can outwit me?'' Sylvester stared at the Count with interest.


    "And why was it necessary?"


    "Because of you, Pope Sylvester."


    "..."


    The people gasped, and Cardinal Suprima jumped to stand between Sylvester and the Count.


    He pushed the Count back, scolding him, "How can you speak like that to His Holiness? Do you have no shame? No fear of the Lord?"


    "Calm down," Sylvester gestured, silencing everyone. "Count Folksire, that is a very interesting conclusion you came to. Care to borate?"


    "My father was a coward, I am not," Full of disdain, the Count barked. "You wrote the economic policies, taking into ount only the Kings and Queens that you share a table with. A mere thirty percent tax on all produce is not what we agreed to. Even from that thirty percent, the Monarchy and the Church take away twenty percent.


    "That is not even slightly close to what we nobles used to earn, Pope Sylvester. So, I had no choice but to tax them twice at sixty percent to ensure my living. I''ve met many more nobles, and none of us support your taxws. I suggest His Holiness reconsider it, or I fear there will be a rebell¡ªAh!"


    Crack!


    Sylvester''s palm suddenly found its way to Count Folksire''s face, grabbing it so firmly that even his steel helmet started to crush around his skull. Soon, the man''s feet were off the ground as he dangled in the air.


    "Are you threatening a rebellion? Is that what has be of the nobility in the Duchy of Ironstone?" Sylvester questioned with contempt.


    "He''s lying!" Shouted a man from the crowd.


    "He takes more than that!" Another added.


    Sylvester looked at the crowd, "Be more specific. How much does he take from you?"


    "He takes seventy-two percent of all our produce!" The smart man from before added. "He first takes thirty percent officially; then he takes sixty percent from the leftover seventy percent."


    Sylvester looked back at the Count in his grasp, "See, you were lying to me. Not so honest, are you now?"


    "Ghk!" Count Folksire struggled to kick his feet. "S-So what? I am the Count¡­ I am the lord¡­ You cannot meddle in noble affairs. The Queen does not bother, so what right do you have? A Pope is not the Emperor."


    Sylvester nodded firmly, agreeing with him. "Indeed, I cannot interfere as the Pope. But, you seem to be forgetting that I am also the Field Marshal of Gracia, which puts me above you, allowing me to judge you. Furthermore, by abusing the people who are considered Children of Solis byw, you have broken Articles Four, Four A, and Four B. I have enough jurisdiction, Count."


    Thud!


    Sylvester mmed the man onto the ground hard. As he fell t on his back, he coughed out blood, and his helmet came off, revealing his long ck hair and quite the handsome face, which nowy ruined in crimson.


    "Lord Fol¡ª"


    Three dozen armed knights tried to rush to their liege and help him.


    nk!


    But Sylvester raised his hand towards them and used Electromaic maniption. With that, the sound of multiple twigs snapping echoed, and the men fell to the ground like dolls, the bones in their legs broken, gravity on their bodies multiplied many folds.


    Bam!


    Sylvester stepped on the Count''s chest. "The strong rule the weak, and that is thew of the world. But nowhere is it written that the strong can bully the weak. Yes, I know the nobles receive less money now. But while all the share of the money you make sits in your treasury, the money the Royal Treasury and the Church earns is spent on the welfare of the people of this realm¡ªroads, food for the poor, fertilizer subsidization, repairing viges, towns, and cities¡ªall that cost is not borne by you, but us."


    "Aaargh¡­ Stay away!" The Count finally lost all his pride and screamed like a dying pig. Of course, Chonky pped him a few times secretly as well, which scared him more. "Look, everyone¡­ Look at your Pope! He''s going to kill me."


    Sylvester looked at the people and then back at the Count. "You want them to pity you? Why should they when it''s the Queen and the Church that pay for their children''s free education in the monastery, where they get two meals a day so these people can work¡ªwhy should they pity a man who only knows how to take all his life, and never give."


    Crunch!


    Count Folksire''s ribcage began to crack, but Sylvester only pressed enough to puncture his lungs so he would bleed very slowly to death, not making it seem that he killed him.


    "Cardinal Suprima, the Count, and his entire family are, from this instance, removed from the registry of nobles. They shall bemon-ss civilians, all their property and money shall be confiscated, and only four years'' worth of a carpenter''s pay shall be provided to him as a starting capital. Enforce this with the help of the Inquisitors," Sylvester decreed while stepping back. "Since only one season has passed, return the overtaxed money to the people from the treasury."


    "Who will be the new Count, Your Holiness?"


    Sylvester quickly made a decision, "Queen Isabe will appoint someone soon. Until then, you will temporarily manage the County."


    With something big in mind, Sylvester decided to continue the journey quickly. However, he noticed the dead body again and felt pity as the woman wasn''t going to be able to survive on her own and pay her son''s fees¡ªthe young wizard would have to return home.


    "Cardinal, I will pay for her son''s fee. Inform the School of Magic and warn them of the consequences if they dare mistreat him."


    With that, he receded from the crowd, heading to his carriage. The people parted on their own and made way, but then one of them pped, which started a chain. Like heavy raindrops falling from the sky, the massive crowd cheered at the justice served, a noble punished by someone. Not just a no-name Baron, but a powerful Count.


    Sylvester spoke with his five students as they followed behind. "No matter how powerful you may get, you must walk amongst the people and hear their plights from time to time, for it reveals the hidden crimes. Do you know what will happen after this?"


    "Change thews?" Emara asked. "Nobles will always be unsatisfied if they aren''t given something."


    "A new Inquisition will begin." Sylvester shook his head, a dangerous air emanating from him. "Now, the Holy Land will investigate every noble in Sol. Heads will roll, many ancient noble houses will vanish¡ªthere is no ce for corruption, and it is one of the highest sins in the Constitution."


    Finally, the crowd let his carriage move and cross, reaching closer to the Holy Land. But with the reins in hand, his mind constantly pondered over something.


    ''Abolishing nobility is the most logical path to take. But they already call me a dictator. If I do more, they''ll call me an Emperor, a conqueror¡ªI have to find a natural path to end nobility.''


    Once again, Sylvester the schemer had to take the front seat, for this time, absolute power could earn him results, but at a grave cost. A cost he didn''t wish to pay as stabilization of the realm mattered more.


    _________________


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 Chapter 671 670. The Fear Of Fleeting Time

    Chapter 671 670. The Fear Of Fleeting Time


    They soon arrived at the Holy Land. But Sylvester didn''t stop by the Pope''s Pce and instead went straight to his home. He took his five students along as it was time for Xavia to meet his godson and adopted daughter, who were going to live with them.


    Even Emara was given a ce in the same building as she only had two little kids with her. Meanwhile, Noby and Noah were provided a ce in a different area. It was still not too far from him, as their duties involved being around him on many asions.


    Sylvester led them up the stairs to the top floor and knocked on the door. He had already informed Xavia about his arrival, so she was able to prepare dinner with a few helpful Bright Mothers. He was the Pope, so the Bright Mothers didn''t have to worry about not going to work that day.


    "Your Holiness!"


    Sylvester chuckled, seeing Xavia calling him by his official designation, "No need, Mum. This is my home, not the pce. You''re my mother, not a Bright Mother right now. Let''s just sit together and have a great meal.


    "This big man is Noby, that man is Noah, thatdy is Emara, and she''ll live in this building with her two sons. Then this young boy is Prince Rex, son of King Hignd and also my godson. And finally, this little one is my adopted daughter, which technically makes her your granddaughter," Sylvester introduced everyone and dropped the bomb at the end.


    Xavia stupidly blinked and looked at everyone, then finally Rex and E. The two kids looked like siblings in reality, as they had blonde hair. In a way, she saw Sylvester in them, and if Sylvester had kids, she reckoned they''d looked like them.


    Quickly, she knelt down to the two''s level and patted their shoulders.


    "My grandma?" Rex was like a happy puppy most of the time. So he just jumped and hugged Xavia.


    E was somewhat reserved, but even she stepped forward since Xavia didn''t look like a bad person, and she was Sylvester''s mother, her role model.


    "The Lord has blessed me today." Xavia doted on the two kids, caressing their hair. More than Rex, it was E who needed it as she had lived her entire life neglected in a poor family. "I''ll go and buy you two new clothes tomorrow. We have extra rooms as well, so don''t worry about anything."


    Sylvester smiled, watching the exchange. Xavia''s smile was everything to him. ''Now, this is what I fight for.''


    "Dinner is ready. Why don''t you take your seats at the table? Zeke and I will bring the dishes," Xavia weed everyone with much enthusiasm since guests were rare at their abode.


    However, Sylvester didn''t stay there and went to help Xavia. In a little attempt to keep himself somewhat humble, he at least tried to act like amon man in his home.


    "Just go and sit there. I''ll bring everything," she scolded him in a whisper, like all mothers do.


    He chuckled and stayed, "Mum, they''re my students. I won''t be treating them kindly, you know."


    "Still, a guest is a guest," she said and moved around the kitchen. "How was your work this time?"


    "Good as always. Xylena is bored, but there are some responsibilities we can''t run away from. Besides that, everything is good. By the wa¡ª"


    All of a sudden, Sylvester found his voice vanish, and his eyes got stuck to Xavia''s face. His mind went nk all of a sudden, and there was nothing but anxiety. Right there on Xavia''s forehead were a few age lines that he just noticed. They were faint but plenty in number. But that wasn''t the end, as he soon noticed a few more near her eyes and lips.


    ''She''s growing older¡ªalready fifty or so years old. Without any greater magical talent, she won''t live for too long. I can''t rx. I have to find an elixir or something simr.''


    "What happened?"


    "N-nothing¡­ I''ll take these tes."


    Keeping himself focused, he silently went along with the dinner. Talking, joking, and eating with his students and his family. Exchanging stories, knowledge, various rumors or legends from distantnds. Noby the Elephantkin had vast knowledge as well as stories. While Emara had various funny or humiliating information about some nobles.


    Eventually, hours passed, and the darkness spread, the dinner came to an end. Noby and Noah left quickly for their homes since their special education would start the next day in the Pope''s Pce itself, not the School of Dawn. They didn''t want to bete.


    Emara returned to her apartment to be with her two kids, taking packed food along. As for Rex and E, they stayed behind.


    Click!


    Sylvester didn''t go to his room either and instead went to the exit door and put on his shoes.


    "Where are you going?" Xavia came rushing at the noise.


    "Work. There''s something important I need to do at the Pope''s Pce. Take care of Rex and E. The little girl might want to sleep beside you¡ªbe easy on her. Her life has been very harsh," Sylvester informed her and changed the topic in one go.


    Xavia stepped closer to him and caressed his face, "Look at you. I thought you''d have more time to sit and rx once you be the Pope. But now you''re running around more than ever."


    ''I can''t, or it would all crumble,'' he thought.


    "Well, this work is temporary, Mum. Don''t worry about me. I''ll be back very soon." He didn''t feel like staying there for too long, fearing his emotions would take the front seat. "See you in the morning. And oh, I''m leaving Chonky behind."


    Click!


    He left home and directly walked on Light Tiles into the air from the fifth floor. His fist remained clenched tight, his teeth gritting as he thought about the only thing that scared him the most in this life.


    The fear of being left alone once again.


    ''If I can''t even solve this issue, what good is all this power?'' He wondered and soon reached the Pope''s Pce. ''I''ll have to get stronger and find a solution.''


    As soon as hended in front of the Pope''s Pce, the Priests ran around to inform all the Sanctum Council members of his arrival. It was the cue to have them prepare all the reports they had and be ready to appear at any moment.


    However, only Gabriel was called as he was the Wazir, and he was supposed to know everything. It was nighttime, normally the time to sleep, but being wizards and knights of higher order, they easily went through multiple days working nonstop.


    Knock! Knock!


    Gabriel looked tired, and just like him, Sylvester looked tired. The two boys looked at each other''s faces, pitied each other, and then got to work at the table. No more did they talk like boss and worker, but old friends.


    "Tough days?" Sylvester asked.


    "Don''t ask. There''s too much work and too many reportsing in from across the world. Then sending replies, handling all the Clergymen," Gabrielined but still ced the reports on the table. "How about you?"


    "Found a possible portal to the Demon realm, and even felt threatened by its entrance."


    "..."


    Utterly speechless, Gabriel stared at him for a few blinks. "I take back my words. Your work is harder. I''m happy in my little office, my brother. But don''t tell me you''re going to enter it."


    "..."


    "..."


    The silence from Sylvester left Gabriel even more speechless. "I won''t even say anything. You''re going to do whatever''s on your mind, but please don''t die. In any case, these are the major things that urred. Sir Dolorem''s giant statue is almostplete at the harbor."


    Sylvester looked at thetest photograph taken with the magical camera. "Hmm¡­ Tell them to leave it bronze. Don''t paint it with anything."


    "Understood. Now, these are the snippets of intelligence from the West. It seems another uprising is on the brink of eruption," Gabriel revealed, pointing at the maps. "A few spies were caught."


    Sylvester shrugged since it was too beneath him at this point, "Anything ult?"


    "Yes, there has been a surge of demon-possessions urring around Sol. This is unusual. We have never received this many requests for an exorcist to be sent before. But we''re managing," Gabriel dropped the biggest information without realizing it.


    Once again, feeling anxious, Sylvester got up and paced back and forth in the room. ''The Demon realm is getting desperate now. If I don''t do something, it''ll be bad.''


    "The dragons are also waiting," Gabriel added.


    Sylvester shrugged, "Let them wait. I need you to quickly go and find Soulbreaker for me now. I have a few questions to ask him."


    Sensing the seriousness in Sylvester''s voice, Gabriel got up. "Understood. I''ll leave the file here. There are a few more matters that need your approval."


    "Wait!"


    Gabriel looked back from the door.


    "Do you feel anything different, Gab? Any sort of magical fluctuation, suffocation, headache, or something else?" Sylvester asked.


    It was a very peculiar question. "Umm¡­ I''m just tired. But that''s the normal state of my mind and body."


    ''So it worked.''


    "Thank you, Gab. You can go now."


    Finally, Gabriel left, and the door was closed. Sylvester stopped pacing around after reaching the window and looked outside at the gardens, the trees, and various light poles.


    Woosh!


    With a mere thought, a tree in the garden was chopped into pieces, so tiny that it seemed like fine powder.


    ''Hah¡ªPassive Supreme Void is quite interesting. Who knew I could keep it going for two entire days.''


    It was a triumph over one of the greatest tools of a Supreme Wizard. And the best thing about his was that no one could ever see it until it was toote.


    ''But it''s still quite exhausting¡ªJust a little more help from Soulbreaker and Nehilius should be manageable.''


    _________________


    A/N: Check out this fanart by reader @Salvation.


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 672 671. An Ants Dream

    Chapter 672 671. An Ant''s Dream


    "Your Holiness, you asked for me?" Soulbreaker promptly reported to Sylvester in the middle of the night.


    Sylvester remained in his office and worked on evaluating various projects. It was the budding stage of many new technologies and concepts. He had to look after them to ensure everything went smoothly.


    "Have a seat, Fourth Guardian. I have some questions regarding souls I wish to ask you," Sylvester invited him and got down to business. "What are the ways to protect your soul from a foreign control, and what are the ways to kill one''s soul in case it bes evident that peril is upon you."


    Donning his usual robes and visor that terrified even the strongest of hearts, Soulbreaker raised his palm and created a green mist from strange energy. "What you see is a projection of my own soul, Your Holiness. It appears like a glowing orb of varying color, depending on the person. Most beings, unless they have an affinity to Soul Magic, are not even aware of their own soul. They cannot sense anything within their physical husk. Some even refuse to believe something such as a soul exists."


    Sylvester carefully observed it. Thankfully, he was at least aware he had a soul due to the entire reincarnation ordeal. "How do you protect it or kill it?"


    "Killing it is effortless. You merely need to corrupt the soul until it ceases to exist in the same form as before. It is painful, however. As the body does not quickly realize what has urred. Slowly, over the next few days, it rots and loses vitality," Soulbreaker exined while wondering why the Pope needed to ask that.


    "As for protecting it, there is not a lot one can do. For example, if you were to attack my soul, I would not be able to protect myself, no matter how much mastery I have over this magic. Because, in your base soul, you are a more powerful, elevated being than me¡ªthe superiority of the soul is akin to the ranks of magic casters."


    ''So trying to protect my soul from Nehilius is not an option?'' Sylvester realized, disappointed but not disheartened as he already believed that much.


    "Then, is there any way to ce a self-destruct magic on your soul? In case someone tries to probe and take over without you realizing?" Sylvester asked further. "You must know that the knowledge I possess can be misused if it falls into the wrong hands."


    "But¡­" Soulbreaker measured his words. "Who in this world can even think of harming you?"


    "Not in this world," Sylvester replied promptly, gesturing in a direction.


    Hidden behind the visor, Soulbreaker''s eyes widened in shock. He didn''t take Sylvester''s words lightly and, at the same time, didn''t want to ask him what exactly he was talking about. Demons? Or something else?


    "There is no way to ce automatic self-destruction on a soul. But, once you start the decay, it cannot be stopped. No matter how powerful the being, once a soul is lost, it cannot be brought back."


    ''Unless it''s the Primordial Gods or whoever brought me into this world.''


    "Then, will you teach me this technique? I must know it in case something urs," he implored.


    Although a bit hesitant, Soulbreaker had no grounds to deny it since the Pope demanded it. "Your order is my duty, Your Holiness. When should we start?"


    "Right away."


    ¡­


    When the East slept, the West woke up to work. The sun shone on the warmnd of the West, and a particr crowd gathered in the Lowhide City of Sond Kingdom, the southernmost kingdom that was carved out of the Masan Empire.


    The people listened carefully as one man stood on the city wall and shouted. His words rang in the hearts of all the men there, giving them the courage to do what the man demanded.


    "Remember! Nobody will evere to save you. No one has an obligation toe and help us. The chains that shackle us cannot be broken but only be transferred. If you do not wish to be trampled on, you must be prepared to trample others¡ªfollow me if you want to be the rulers of your destiny, stay here if you wish to be ves of the so-called fate."


    With no arms, des, or armor, the man marched towards the Grand Monastery of the city. Behind him also marched six thousand men with various healing flesh wounds, their faces full of seriousness and desperation.


    But not a single one of them attacked the monastery and only shouted toward it in unison, making sure the entire city heard them as they took over the city with their own hands.


    "Cardinal, surrender your authority!"


    "We mean no harm!"


    "We shall rule our kingdom on our own!"


    "Surrender, or we will stop all supplies from entering the monastery. All of you will starve¡ªDo not think you have a lot in your storage either, for we took care of it beforehand," The leading man shouted resolutely, emotionless in his expression.


    Of course, how could the Cardinal surrender? He was the temporary King of the kingdom ever since the Pope executed the Kings of Sond and Marcia for waging war against each other.


    And so, the blockade of the monastery started. Water and food were stopped from entering the monastery. But knowing how fanatically the Church protects the Bright Mothers and to not earn the Pope''s direct ire, the Bright Mothers were allowed toe out and move to a smaller monastery.


    The rest of the hundreds of Clergymen were left to starve to death if they wished to. A week passed, then a month passed, and the Clergymen inside suffered greatly but never gave up.


    Eventually, the Cardinal came forward on the monastery''s balcony and pleaded for the other Clergymen to be released and not allow the needless torture of good men.


    The leader of the mob agreed since killing the Clergymen was not their goal.


    After that, the Cardinal alone remained in the building, starving himself. Slowly, days passed, and all responses stoppeding from inside. The mob shouted again and again, but no reaction came.


    "March behind me, my brothers. But do not plunder, for this remains a house of God. We are not heathens."


    Proud and disciplined, the men entered the building and soon found the dead body of the Cardinal. Thin, dry, and with the sigil of the faith of Soli resting on his hands over his chest.


    "Cardinal Morison did his duty until the very end. He was not our enemy but a mere man who did not betray his orders even when his life came in danger. Withplete honor, he shall be burned on the pyre."


    "Found it!" Just then, the second-inmand found a crown in the Cardinal''s desk. "Take it, General Leyon!"


    Leyon held the crowd, a puny worthless thing in his eyes, and ced it atop his head without a second thought. All the men around him just watched him silently, awaiting his secondmand.


    "King Leyon, what should we do¡ª"


    Leyone raised his hand and silenced everyone. "Not long ago, I was a mere footsoldier, and then you made me your General. I am honored but not satisfied, for the evil shackles still hold us and suffocate us. No more¡ªNo King¡ªI am Emperor Leyon. Prepare yourselves. We head north in the morning and take Marcia Kingdom by storm!"


    ''To be free of the uncertain future, I will carve myself a shackle that sits above all.''


    "Emperor Leyon!"


    "Emperor Leyon!"


    Watching the men shout his name, he slowly came to understand how easy it was to make people cheer for him. With just a little hope, they willingly epted him despite knowing how the Masan Empire ruled not too long ago.


    ''Marcia, Masan Nond and then Warsong. When the time is right, and we stand strong, I''ll go where I belong¡ªWe shall meet again, Pope Sylvester.''


    ¡­


    Aware but uncaring that another ant was attempting to be a dragon in the West, Sylvester remained busy with his work. He trained diligently to be somewhat knowledgeable about Soul Magic.


    It wasn''t easy since he didn''t have an affinity with it. But, with Elder Magic, controlling the srium itself to mimic real Soul Magic was possible. Yet, it took him a while to learn it.


    Once again, he woke up early to head to work. There were no holidays for him, and he also needed to hold the Holy Courts.


    "Mum, I might go somewhere for a few da¡ª"


    He fell silent once he entered Xavia''s room. He noticed the redheaded woman was carefully and slowly getting out of bed. It was all to make sure E didn''t wake up as she still slept beside Xavia.


    "Shhhhh¡­" Xavia gestured for him to stay silent.


    ''She sure is enjoying being a grandma.''


    Soon, she came out of the room and closed the door behind her. After taking a sigh of relief, she smiled at Sylvester, "I will make breakfast for you."


    "No need; I''ll eat at the pce. I just came to tell you I might stay at the Pope''s Pce for a week. I''m leaving Chonky behind, so feed him from time to time," he informed her and gave her a quick hug. "Take care of yourself, and don''t worry too much."


    Xavia sensed there was something wrong. She was his mother, after all. "Are you lying to me?"


    "Yes."


    "Can''t you tell me?"


    "Not right now¡ªnot until I''m sure of my doubts, Mum. There are some conspiracies that are too grand to ept, even for me."


    Xavia sighed and embraced him tighter, patting his back, "Be careful, Max."


    With that, he quickly left the house. He didn''t inform Miraj what he was actually going to do, knowing the furball would want toe along. Going to Nehilius'' realm was a boring task for Miraj, after all.


    "Your Holiness," Gabriel greeted him at the steps of the Pope''s Pce. There was an exquisite-looking wooden box in his hands. "This came for you early this morning. I went to receive it at the port myself."


    "What is it?"


    Gabriel had the same confused expression, "I don''t know, but a heart-shaped parchment was stuck on it. Why would the Queen of the Elves send you something? Did something happen between you two?"


    "..."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 673 672. Breaking Evolution I: The Divine Shackles

    Chapter 673 672. Breaking Evolution I: The Divine Shackles


    Sylvester didn''t dare open the box outside. But at the same time, Gabriel was too interested in knowing what the hell was in it since the little parchment was shaped like a heart. And as far as he knew, only lovers did that sort of foolery.


    ''Don''t tell me he charmed the elf Queen to establish peace,'' Gabriel felt his heart sink. Fear arose as he thought about what would happen if King Rathagun found out.


    "Quick! Hide the box, Sylvester," Gabriel ran to walk in front of Sylvester and tried hiding the box. "We can''t let anyone see it."


    "..."


    "What''s gotten in you?" Sylvester asked and ignored him, eventually arriving inside his office and setting the box on the table. "Let''s see what''s in it."


    ''Holy Solis, please prove me wrong. Please prove my doubts as mere seeds of the devil in my thoughts,'' Gabriel prayed in his head, lips pressed together firmly, his face sweating nervously.


    "Oho!" Sylvester eximed as the box opened. "She sent me the ginseng I gave her to grow. I always wondered if nts grown by elves would be better."


    "G-Ginseng? Isn''t that what you used to¡­ help King Hignd?"


    "Indeed. Let''s see what else is here," Sylvester continued to fiddle. "Some flowers, fragrant perfumes, even fruits¡ªwonderful! I''m sure Mum will love them. Queen Delimira must miss me a lot to send me so many things."


    "W-W-What do you mean? Why would she miss you?" Gabriel stuttered. "What happened between you two?"


    Sylvester was almost at the edge of his seat, controlling hisughter, "Well, you know. What happens between a young boy and an older woman."


    "What? What happens?"


    "Things," Sylvester replied and finally found a neatly folded letter inside the box. This was what he was looking for.


    Bam!


    Gabriel mmed his palm on the table, "Sylvester, you need to exin clearly. What happened between you and the elf Queen?"


    Sylvester looked up, smiling wickedly, "She desired a child of her own, and the King refused to give her one all these years. So, I helped her."


    "Oh, my Lord!" Gabriel gasped. "You fuc¡ª"


    "Adopted! I allowed her to take me as her adopted son. She considers me as her own now and cherishes me like my real Mum. Our rtionship is that of a son and mother," Sylvester finally stopped messing around and opened the letter to read. Soon, he smiled as he read it. "And it appears this son has already brought her great blessings."


    Under his breath, he read the letter written with great love and delight. The feeling was oozing from every word.


    [Pope Sylvester, I hope you are doing wonderful, as I am. Everything in the box was picked from my gardens by my own hands, so please make sure nothing of it goes to waste.


    I hope you can visit me again someday. I yearn to speak with you again as I found a true friend in your words, one who understands me, one whose ideas truly helped me. I am deeply thankful for everything you have done for the world, the elves, and my husband¡ªhe has changed because of you. Changed for the better, as he now pays attention to me and takes an interest.


    Perhaps when we meet the next time, you might have a little brother or sister waiting to y on yourp and receive your blessings as the one above all in this world.


    Do send me letters from time to time. I would love to know anything new in your life.


    Your Wellwisher,


    Delimira]


    With a satisfied smile on his face, Sylvester folded the letter again before burning it to ashes, so fine that they simply vanished once thrown in the air. "Well, at least someone''s happy. Let''s go now, Gab. Is the magic camera prepared?"


    Gabriel quickly responded by helping Sylvester don his metallic winged armor forged by the dwarves. Then handed him a holy book of light and the Spear of Infinity. "Baron Lovnd prepared for it the entire night. The secondary meeting hall has been neatly decorated with special projection lights."


    Sylvester nodded and fixed his long hair atst. "You go and wear the armor as well. It''s not every day the Guardians and Sanctum Council get to have a group photograph taken."


    "I''m the Saint Wazir. My uniform is my robes, not armor. I''ll merely don my mitre and go with you," Gabriel said, following Sylvester out of the office. "By the way, you still haven''t told me where you''ll be going for theing days? You''re the Pope, Max¡ªsomeone must always know where you are to avoid any panic."


    "I will be going downstairs. You know I can''t borate further than that," Sylvester replied, eventually arriving in therge, decorated hall. It was brightly lit in all ces in a way that shadows were avoided as much as possible.


    All the Guardians of Light and the Sanctum Council members were present there, each wearing their working clothes, armor or robes. Baron Lee Da Lovnd was busy directing all the high-ranking Clergymen to stand in the spots he had marked with crosses on the floor.


    The individual photos had already been taken, and the group photos were now being organized. First were the Guardians of Light, although there were a few missing.


    "Smile!" Baron Lovnd carefully operated therge magical camera and clicked the photo. The first was with just the Guardians, and the second was with Sylvester standing in the middle.


    After that, the Sanctum Council members were photographed alone and then with Sylvester. Atst, a massive group picture was taken with all of them in one frame, as the Sanctum Council and the Guardians were the highest decision-making and protection body.


    Sylvester was at the center, with his spear in one hand and a book in the other. On his right side stood Saint Wazir, and on the left stood Saint Viceman, while behind him was the Inquisitor High Lord looking menacing.


    Ke-Chak!


    The sh from the light crystals illuminated the entire hall. With that, the little event came to an end.


    "Back to your offices now. Don''t dy your work," Sylvester pped and ordered everyone to return to their positions across the Holy Land.


    However, Felix''s office was right in the Pope''s Pce. So he came up to Sylvester, having been notified that he would be presiding over the Holy Court for theing days. "Where are you going?"


    "Down there," Sylvester replied without borating too much. "But, if everything goes well, you''ll be able to fulfill Isabe''s wish."


    Felix chuckled and put a hand on his best friend''s shoulder. "As delighted as I am to hear that, I don''t want it toe at a grave cost. So you better not do something so crazy that even I seem sane."


    "Everythinges with a price, Felix. That''s how the universe works. That''s how magic works." Sylvester stopped them from following him as he reached the stairways to the dungeons. "It might take me a few days this time."


    "Rest assured, I''ll take care of everything. We even got two Supreme Wizards to help," Felix assured him.


    "I''ll keep a good eye on everything, Max," Gabriel added. "I have no clue where you''re going or what you will do. But be safe¡ªlet''s not make Mother Xavia cry."


    "I don''t n to."


    Sylvester waved his hand and walked downstairs alone. This time, even Miraj wasn''t with him, which made him a little anxious.


    ''Let''s hope I don''t have to use Soulbreaker''s technique.''


    Atst, he reached the single door in the secret chamber of the dungeon. Beside the door was also arge wooden box he was to take alone.


    He took the key hung around his neck and unlocked it, then entered into the familiar sensation of the dark void, standing on something and yet on nothing. With him, the box was also sucked into the door before closing itself.


    "Conviction, suffering affliction, seeking benediction¡ªyou return again, Sylvester Maximilian," Eldritch God Nehilius'' voice reverberated as he pulled Sylvester to his body again, bringing him to the endless void where his body rested. "What have you decided? What do you seek?"


    Sylvester silently stared at the creature, thinking nothing in particr. If the creature was an all-powerful entity, he was sure that not even his thoughts were safe.


    "I found a pathway to enter the Demon Realm, and I believe I can find some answers regarding the two Primordial Gods there. But, I fear I''m not strong enough to go there yet¡ªI''m willing to go through the evolution you suggested, Nehlius," Sylvester confidently revealed his intentions, masterfully hiding his fears.


    "So be it!" Nehilius''s no-nonsense attitude was far more frightening, however. "Pain in mind and body is not what you should fear the most. Fear what you are about to see¡ªfocus, maintain your thoughts, do not falter on your path, or everything will be lost."


    "What exactl¡ª"


    Before Sylvester could ask what Nehilius was talking about, something happened. He found himself floating in absolute darkness again. Every single piece of clothing from his body vanished, and his body began to curl into a fetal position without his desire.


    "Argh!"


    Searing pain came, taking over his entire body. All over his skin, he felt as if his veins had turned into little worms that forced themselves to crawl all over his body. It burned, it ached, and it was not exinable.


    "Aaaa¡­!" Sylvester groaned in pain, his face turning into a bloody mess as he felt every single pore on his body bleed; His nose, ears, and mouth too, while his eyes began to bulge out as if they were swollen, unable to fit his skull.


    Pop!


    "Noooo!" The eyes popped apart with a squelching sound. It was utter darkness, but he could feel his vision was gone. Everything was failing,yer byyer. Everything was being destroyed.


    "Haaaaaa¡­ Stop this!" He roared, having lost his mind. This was unlike anything he had ever experienced in his life. Everything hurt as if even the smallest cells of his body were being torn apart.


    Crack!


    His bones broke apart with a billion small cracks. Muscles shattered long ago. Nothing held his body together as everything failed, even his heart.


    "End this¡­ End this madness!" He appeared like a demon while roaring, but his voice also cracked and vanished, trapping him in his body.


    ''What is this? My Soul¡­ I must focus!'' Panic ensued, as it was a massive risk to trust the Eldritch God.


    However, just as he started to feel his consciousness fading, a multitude of voices began to echo all around him. Surprisingly, he felt his ears still worked, or was it just in his mind?


    With clenched teeth, he heard them. They were recognizable and close to his heart.


    ''...It''s a boy, Xavia.''


    ''...You must live, Jonathan.''


    ''...Father, I missed you.''


    ''...I am not your father, but I''m proud.''


    But then his own voice also reverberated to him.


    ''...For your family, would you kill that man?''


    ''...I''ll be the Pope.''


    ''...You are like a father to me, Sir Dolorem.''


    Slowly, the voicesbined into a satanic chant that began to harm his mind. Just like his body, he began losing his mind. The pain exploded, leaving him in aatose state.


    "Is that it?!"


    ''W-Who?'' Sylvester heard a voice out of nowhere. It didn''t belong to Nehilius. It held immense power and felt warm in his heart. "S¡­ Solis?"


    "Rise, Sylvester Maximilian¡ªRemove that veil, for you were never a gentleman. Unleash your ruthlessness, reveal your fangs, and burn all who oppose you. Use all the power and magic I have blessed you with and ascend to the pinnacle. Only then will your true destiny be revealed."


    ''These words¡­'' Sylvester realized he had heard them before, precisely the same. ''Another memory?''


    "Stop being weak! Stand up and ignite with my fire that zes through you!" Solis'' voice continued to run through his mind, and surprisingly, it felt warm, suppressing the pain.


    ''ze? Fire? Dragon?''


    The clues were there all along; only some guidance was needed.


    To forge anything, a proper furnace was needed. All proper furnaces required divine fire, and he realized the fire rested within.


    ''Your blessing¡ªthen let me borrow!''


    BOOM!


    And so there was light in the endless void of darkness¡ªA mortal attempted to break the divine shackles, the epitome of power he attempted to harness.


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 674 673. Breaking Evolution II: Creator & Destroyer

    Chapter 674 673. Breaking Evolution II: Creator & Destroyer


    What was evolution to Sylvester?


    Hell was one of the words. His body was broken apart, mutated, upgraded, changed on a molecr scale, and then put back together. The wooden box that carried King Malisius'' dead body was empty, already turned into invisible things that attacked his being.


    It was akin to an invisible fight of his own cells for domination over the cells of King Malisius'' body. But, the realization that he needed to use fire on himself turned things manageable, and his situation seemed to be getting better. He felt the warmth, the heat of the cells from the dragonbined into him.


    But that was just the first wave of heat, a mere whisper of the inferno toe,pping at his skin with a deceptive gentleness. However, as the moments passed, the mes began to sear, transforming from ethereal red to a ravenous blue that sought to consume all it touched. To his shock, even he felt pain.


    Sylvester''s breaths came in ragged gasps as the magic within the fire delved into him, not just burning his flesh but sundering his very being.


    His muscles that he thought were healing snapped and hissed, like dry twigs thrown into a bonfire. Once again, bones shattered, fracturing under the relentless pressure of the trial that seemed like the repeated beating of a cksmith''s hammer, forging his body slowly.


    "Aaaargh¡­!"


    Sylvester''s screams echoed through the void that shone blue from the light, a symphony of pain and determination. Each breath was a scorching torment, and he could feel his body breaking apart, disintegrating into mes that refused to die down.


    "Nooo!" He tried to keep himself sane, not letting the pain dictate his mind. The process must not be stopped under any circumstances.


    To find some inspiration, he tried to remember the words of Solis again and again, which angered him, giving him motivation to keep going.


    "Use all the power and magic I have blessed you with and ascend to the pinnacle. Only then will your true destiny be revealed."


    "I¡ªControl¡ªMy destiny!" Sylvester grunted under his breath, his throat that had healed once again shattered with it. His bleeding blind eyes never stopped blinking, as if trying to see and being unable to.


    Sylvester wasn''t one to be quenched so easily.


    Squelch!


    His heart finally gave away, bursting apart like a mushed rodent under foot. His chesty therepletely open, surprisingly having fire within, burning crimson red and fighting the blue mes covering the outside of his skin.


    A beacon of pure, incandescent defiance. The dragon''s blue fire, which hade to destroy him, now met the fire that burned within him. With every fiber of his being screaming for surrender, Sylvester instinctively reached inward and grasped that inner me with the force of his palm, absorbing it and fighting against the blue mes that surrounded and burned him.


    It was a tug of war. One wished for destruction, and the other creation. Call it rage, anger, desperation, or simple resistance, but the fire within his heart slowly overcame the dead dragon. He was living, blessed by Solis himself; losing was not an option.


    The fire from Sylvester''s heart surged forth like a golden phoenix rising from the ashes of his former self. It met the external blue ze with a furious roar, and with that, the gushing sound of a storm resonated in that ancient void. The blue light that shrouded the darkness slowly turned into white and then golden.


    "Haaaaa!" He roared, this time not in pain. The feeling was far too different from before.


    Right then, he noticed something as he faced down. His body, which looked nothing less than an eldritch mess made of sttered blood, bones, and flesh, began toe together to heal.


    Once broken, his body began to knit together in a spectacle of miraculous healing. Muscles weaved into stronger fibers, bones fused into unbreakable fortressesparable to the body of a dragon, and his skin shimmered with a newfound resilience. It was as though the fire itself was bing a part of him, reinforcing him.


    In time, his entire body was surrounded by the crimson mes, dousing thest of the blue mes that were left. His body stood transformed. The pain was gone, reced by a strength that pulsated in his veins, physically feeling stronger than ever, humanly impossible from what he could feel.


    His eyes, once deted and shattered, now glinted with a golden hue, having more vigor than before and shining brighter than ever. Something had changed, and he could feel it within his body.


    Snap!


    With a snap of his finger and thumb together, he created sparks so massive that they engulfed everything around him in crimson. He was also covered in it, but the mes didn''t hurt him as he was the master.


    Then he looked down at his naked form. His height had slightly increased, and his build had be more defined. Each muscle seemed like the strongest armor ever forged¡ªdragon''s strength, no doubt.


    "With this much affinity with fire¡­ entire kingdoms can be razed to ashes with a single wave of my hand," he muttered, feeling the oozing magical feeling in his veins. This much power was inconceivable, and he could notice within his body that his upper limit had been changed. The srium reserves in his body had widened beyond what a Supreme Wizard should have.


    "I feel¡ªsomething. This Void is¡­ This is actual space!" Sylvester mumbled and looked around himself. His body still radiated with fire, just a tinyyer that covered him all around, from his fluttering long hair to his feet.


    Pop!


    Abruptly, he was pulled back to stand before the carcass of the Eldritch God again. The pain he felt still hadn''t fully subsided, but it was now manageable, along with his calming breath. ''My Soul!''


    The sight of Nehilius reminded him of something. Quickly, he used everything that Soulbreaker had taught him and looked within himself.


    ''It''s changed!'' He noticed something was different. It felt heavier and defined like a sphere. ''I don''t feel any tampering by Nehilius¡ªbut can I ever be sure?''


    "You are bing one with nature itself, Sylvester Maximilian," Nehilius'' voice reverberated. "An Eldritch entity is nature¡ªI am the origin and the end of this reality."


    Sylvester stared at the giant godly being''s head. The blob was still shining. "What now?"


    Woosh!


    Out of nowhere, a massive asteroid appeared in front of Sylvester. It was almost five hundred kilometers in radius but with an uneven surface. It was dirty brown with some ice and lots of smaller craters. It floated in one ce, not even rotating on its own axis.


    "The next phase of your training shall begin, Sylvester Maximilian. To be a supreme entity, you must learn the art of creation and destruction. You are to destroy and rebuild this asteroid with the elemental powers you possess," Nehilius exined his next task, the first step, apparently. "As you will evolve further, you shall learn to construct and destroy even moreplex things and beings¡ªgaining a higher understanding of everything that exists and that does not."


    Sylvester''s brows furrowed, being a scientific man. "How is that possible? The conservation of mass states that mass can neither be created nor vanishpletely, but transformed from one to another. Destroying is understandable, but how can I create something out of nothing?"


    "Elevate your mind, look forward but not behind. You are nature, and thews are of your creation. A new realm, you have ventured higher. Here, you can create anything that you desire," Nehilius said and revealed something, a feat of magic that left Sylvester astonished.


    Slowly, the asteroid right before his eyes started to change. It grew bigger in size, more and more, and then started to rotate around on its axis. After a while, volcanoes erupted on it as the rock grew a core out of nowhere. But then, acid rain urred, the atmosphere appeared, and the maic fields took effect. nts grew, and strange animals with no limbs appeared, which eventually evolved into various species until one of the species ended up bing humanoid with blue skin and bird feathers.


    Right before his eyes, Nehilius created an entire with life on it. But the Eldritch God didn''t stop there and continued to propagate life. The grew into an agricultural society. Empires came, wars ravaged the world, gues appeared, and then many inventions¡ªcities formed, tall skyscrapers akin to the original world he hade from¡ªEarth, as he remembered the name.


    It all urred so fast that it felt like a dream.


    "Reality can be whatever you desire when you control creation and destruction," Nehilius voiced, and right away, the began to rotate too fast, bringing catastrophes across it with tsunamis, monster cyclones, and all volcanoes erupting at the same time. All life ceased to exist in no time. "The void is nothing, but as soon as youe into existence, you be the source of all creation. Your energy itself bes the originator of life and bringer of destruction."


    Boom!


    The exploded, leaving nothing but the same old asteroid that it was before.


    ''And Primordial Gods are stronger than this,'' Sylvester felt hopeless; that was perhaps an understatement. ''I''m not even at a decimal point one percent of Nehilius'' power.''


    "Sylvester Maximilian, you have started the journey, so now you must not doubt your ste¡ª"


    "Can I increase the lifespan of a person if I learn this?" Sylvester interrupted the godly being with a personal question.


    Nehilius shook his head, "I have warned you before, and I warn you now¡ªnever go against fate, for that reality is not yours to be ruled. The moment you attempt to utilize these divine powers in your reality, the two Primordial Gods will be alerted."


    Sylvester found himself without words. He knew Nehilius could create and destroy entire gxies on a whim, yet the being was scared of the two above.


    "Defeat them!" Nehilius added, sensing the dwelling trouble in his mind. "Kill the two Primordial Gods and rule your reality."


    "Hah, please don''t jest, Nehilius," Sylvester self-deprecatinglyughed. "Suggest me something that is not impossible."


    "Are you not already en route to face them eventually? Is that not written in your dest¡ª"


    "Enough! No more talk of destiny," Sylvester raised his hand and focused on the asteroid. "Let''s not fantasize too much. I don''t even know if I can do what you ask me to yet."


    "You can," Nehilius responded. "That is why you are my inheritor."


    "I hope you''re right."


    ''When I''m not even from this world.''


    _________________


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 Chapter 675 674. Felix, The Saint Viceman

    Chapter 675 674. Felix, The Saint Viceman


    Boom!


    For the nth time, the massive asteroid sted into pieces. It wasn''t a satisfactory result since he was supposed to destroy ityer byyer, slowly, while feeling its existence. It wasn''t easy, however, since his immensely enhanced fire elemental affinity overpowered everything, raising his destructiveness.


    "Bnce your elements. The same force that can unmake can also rebuild. Everything that is before you is built from the same energy that powers your magic. Srium is a real thing, but it is merely another name for the energy that surrounds all, be it a void or a space full of life¡ªthis invisible energy powers everything," Nehilius taught him with words of advice from time to time.


    Sylvester grunted and tried it again as the asteroid quickly returned to its previous shape. Every single time, he attempted to do things differently, but nothing seemed to work. And in Nehilius'' words, this was something he had to learn on his own.


    "When you are unaware, it seems impossible. But a moment will arrive when you will suddenly feel aware¡ªand everything will make sense," Nehilius added, clearly stating he couldn''t help.


    Sylvester kept at it, thinking about what it was that was supposed to make sense to him. Again and again, he tried his best, and in the end, the asteroid always blew apart with the slightest re of magic from him.


    ''Calm down¡ªI have mastered Elder Magic in six years. This shouldn''t be too hard. What is it that I need to understand?'' Sylvester tried to keep his cool.


    With a deep breath that drew on the vacuum itself, he extended his hands. A fiery me leapt from his palms, streaking toward the asteroid. The impact was cataclysmic, a silent explosion of light and heat, and the asteroid fractured, its ancient unity cast asunder into a million shards of stone. This was better as it didn''t explode but broke apart.


    Now, he decided to try and bring it all together. He reached out again, this time not with force but with a gentle coaxing. Elemental magic surged, a delicate dance of earth, air, fire, and water weaving through the void. Shards of the asteroid began to drift together, aligning with tentative slowness.


    Sweat formed on Sylvester''s brow, each droplet instantly freezing in the void as he struggled to maintain the bnce. The shards shivered, some spinning back into the darkness, others colliding with a chime that reverberated through space. His face twisted in frustration as the asteroid remained stubbornly deconstructed.


    "Patience," Nehilius''s voice echoed again. "Creation is a symphony, not amand. You must be both the conductor and a part of the symphony."


    "Alright," Sylvester muttered and focused deeply, slowlying to the realization that he didn''t need to use elemental magic, but rather his simple control over srium, the invisible particle. That was enough.


    For hours, or perhaps years¡ªit mattered little in the void¡ªSylvester toiled. His initial clumsy, forceful attempts softened into a graceful melding of power and patience. Piece by piece, the asteroid reformed, bing whole once more. It was not perfect; craters were misshapen, and valleys were shallower than before, but it was whole.


    Crack!


    "Aaargh!" Just when he thought he seeded, the asteroid broke into pieces again, and it wasn''t repaired perfectly.


    Exhausted, Sylvester let his arms fall to his sides. He gazed at his work, a failure, but he learned a few new things.


    "This is going to take time¡­ I wonder what everyone else is doing outside."


    ''Let''s try a different approach this time.''


    ¡­


    "It''s been eight days. I miss Maxy." Miraj sat in Xavia''sp, bathing in the sunlight as the woman didn''t go to work that day and stayed with him. "Scold him when hees back, Big Mum."


    Xavia chuckled, caressing Miraj''s fluffy hair, although she couldn''t see him. "I sure will, Lord Chonky. Oh¡ªyour wings are so soft."


    "Hehe, of course they are. I lick them clean every morning and before bed. Oh, oh, why don''t I fly you out? Let''s go to Pope''s Phallus."


    "..."


    "Pce, you mean Pce. But I''m scared of heights, so even if we go, let''s not fly." Xavia got up and donned her simple Bright Mother robes before locking the house and going out. Thankfully for the reinsman of her personal carriage, his life was far better than Sylvester''s carriage reinsman.


    She got in and soon arrived at the massive Pce under which Sylvester was training secretly. She didn''t want to disturb him and kept herself restrained. However, that wasn''t possible for the second-highest-ranked Bright Mother and the blood mother of the Pope.


    "High Mother!" The knights standing guard outside the Pce knelt down quickly.


    High Mother was what they called her ever since Sylvester became the Pope. Just being the woman who gave birth to a Pope was enough to grant her the honor of a lifetime. But in her case, she was also an amazing Bright Mother. However, they chose to only call her High Mother and not Great Mother since thetter was an official designation.


    "High Mother!" The herald standing at the door noticed her entering the Holy Court. "Should I announce your arrival?"


    She still wasn''t used to this much respect. It felt out of ce when men thousands of times stronger than she knelt and showed fanatic respect. "Please don''t. I only came here as a spectator from the stands."


    "Ah, then let me call my assistant. He will guide you to the seat nearest to His Eminence, Saint Sandwall."


    She didn''t object to it since the special seats would keep her hidden, allowing her to talk with Miraj.


    "It''s empty," Miraj chirped, looking left and right. "Hehe¡ªAs expected, Fe-Fe can''t beat Maxy. The court isn''t even half filled."


    Xavia chuckled and watched as the proceedings went on. She rarely ever came to the Holy Court, so this was new to her. The way people had lined outside with variousrge boxes was peculiar, and she wondered what was inside.


    Thud! Thud!


    The guards at the gate stomped on their feet to alert the court that the next pilgrim was entering. Just then, a man entered with two others behind him, both carrying massive wooden crates on their backs.


    Felix watched the three men enter from the throne of the Pope. Of course, he didn''t have the same authority as the Supreme Pontiff, but it was enough to oversee most of the daily tasks. Not that he liked the job, as it contained him to one seat for hours at a stretch.


    ''Damn you, Max. It''s been eight days already. When are youing back?''


    "Woody Wilbert greets Saint Viceman." The pilgrim finally reached the bottom of the stairs to the Pope''s throne. "I am a simple inventor who was inspired by the magnificent books that his holiness wrote. I wished to show this to His Holiness, but I am running out of funds to stay in the Guild Penins, so I implore you to allow me to show my invention, Your Eminence."


    ''Fuck! Not a big-headed one again. I didn''t understand half of the things they say,'' Felix cursed in his head but smiled outside.


    "What kind of invention have you made?" He asked.


    The man was old, with almost balding hair and some semnce of white hair. His eyes were dark and sunken, his body thin. Even when he spoke, his entire body trembled. "Your Eminence, when I was young, my vige would always suffer from water scarcity. There was never enough to drink, let alone bathe.


    "So, after I read through His Holiness'' new book about chemistry and physics, I came up with this solution to filter any sort of water into drinkable water. It uses a semi-permeable membrane, which is a thin biological material that allows certain molecules to pass through it more easily than others."


    The man set up his machine and powdered it with heat crystals. Only water needed to be pumped, after all. The machine looked like arge metal container with an inlet and outlet, and on the inlet side was a bucket of dirty water filled with sand, while on the other side was an empty bucket.


    "Your Eminence, semipermeable membranes are used for reverse osmosis, where an applied pressure selectively forces water from a solution through the membrane, to separate it from the solute¡ªlook!"


    Excitedly, Woody Wilbert pumped in water from one side, and the other side showed clean watering out.


    "Is that all? It''s just water that a wizard can make with a wave of his hand," Felixmented abruptly.


    Woody frowned, desperately getting closer to the stairs. "But Your Eminence, the number of wizards in the world is nowhere enough to quench everyone''s thirst. There are still viges in the west where not a single well holds clean water. People die there of stomach disease every day."


    ''Ugh, I spoke too early,'' Felix regretted his abrupt question and remembered Sylvester''s teachings. ''Alright, I should think of myself as amoner without magic when sitting here. In that case, this is quite priceless.''


    "Oh, I meant to ask how scble this invention is. How many can you make? Can you make them smaller? If the Church invests in your business, can you fulfill our needs?"


    "We can!" Woody knelt down excitedly. "I have boughtnd near the new Green City, Your Eminence. As soon as I have the funds, I can start mass-producing this machine."


    "Good. The realm will not forget your contribution. Your further stay will be sponsored by the Church, so wait for His Holiness to evaluate your inventionter," Felix tried to act diplomatically, keeping himself in control.


    Thud! Thud!


    Soon after, the herald announced another entry. But this time, it was a string of names, and even the herald''s voice seemed to crack, which was very rare.


    ''Which noble is it no¡ª'' Felix shut his mouth when he saw the arrivals.


    "Women?!" He eximed in surprise.


    Eight of them, walking in revealing robes and confidence oozing from their charming forms.


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 676 675. A Hopeful Cure

    Chapter 676 675. A Hopeful Cure


    The eight women were all the epitome of beauty, the likes of which people had rarely seen, confusing even Felix with what they were doing there. Blonde, redhead, ck-haired, ashen-haired, brown-haired, and all sorts of skin types, heights, and other sizes were on disy.


    The eight women were also quite proud as they walked gracefully, swaying their hips. Yet, there was tension in the air as the eight didn''t seem to get along with each other.


    ''What in the Lord''s name is this now? I''m a taken man¡ªI can''t be admiring these beauties now,'' Felix cursed his luck under his breath, knowing very well Isabe was staring at him from the sides. ''Must stay serious.''


    "Gab, who are these women?" Felix looked at the man beside the throne. "Help your brother here."


    Gabriel unrolled a parchment and read the details. "Oh, these are all daughters of noblemen, from Barons to Counts. The one at the front is Lady Arabe."


    Felix looked down from his throne at the woman. She had hair like cascading golden sunlight and eyes piercing blue. She glided in a gown of velvet blue, the intricate silver embroidery at her hem mirroring the night sky.


    "The one with emerald eyes and ck hair is Lady Elowen. The auburn one is Lady Seraphina. Then there''s Lady Liora, the curly brte; Lady Isolde with her ashen hair; Lady Gwendolyn, Anara, and Elise¡­ Quite a few wealthy noble houses," Gabriel finished reading the little details in the parchment provided to him by the herald.


    "Speak, my sisters of faith," Felix mimicked Sylvester''s stoicism.


    "We came to meet the supreme authority, His Holiness, but in his absence, please be the judge, Your Eminence," the leading woman, a blonde-haired, six-foot-tall goddess, said. Her words came out like songs of a cuckoo. "The eight of us are considered to be the most beautiful women in the entire Sol, but we seek to find out who is the most beautiful¡ªplease judge us, Your Eminence."


    "..."


    The court fell into loud murmurs.


    Felix was drenched with cold sweat, feeling a sharp gaze from the side.


    ''Damn you, Max¡ªThis wasn''t in the job description.''


    "Yes, Your Eminence!" The ashen-haired beauty added, her deep neckline revealing an ample view of her cleavage, a ck mole clearly visible. She stepped her leg out, too, giving people a view of her pale, smooth flesh. "I am the most beautiful, aren''t I?"


    ''Should I emunicate them for sullying the house of God? That should save me from having to choose,'' he wondered about his options. ''But they''d be hung.''


    "Please choose, Your Eminence," the redhead added, trying to act cute with her lithe stature.


    "..."


    Felix gulped and tried to hold a solemn face. In the end, unlike Sylvester, he hadn''t lived two lives. He was still prone to being influenced by the elements of nature.


    Atst, he sighed and folded his arms, "I know who the most beautiful woman is. She''s my fiance, Queen Isabe."


    "..."


    The eight women were taken aback, not expecting such a response. They thought Felix would say they were all beautiful, but instead, they all lost. However, they were smart and knew any man would choose his wife if he didn''t want to sleep on the floor.


    "Second?" The blonde asked.


    Felix was smarter than them, "My mother."


    "Third?" Raven-haired one questioned.


    "Isabe, on the day I fell in love with her."


    "Fourth?"


    "Isabe, that will be ten years from now on."


    "Fifth?"


    "Sister Aurora."


    "Sixth?"


    "Daughter of Isabe and me in the future."


    "Seventh?" Another girl asked.


    Felix, shameless, kept at it, "My second daughter with Isabe."


    "Eighth?" That was thest number among them. "Don''t say your th¡ª"


    "My third daughter with Isabe in the future."


    "..."


    Utterly speechless. Not just the eight women but also the entire court. The Clergymen admired Felix''s thick skin and wits to get out of situations. After all, it wasn''t the Church''s duty to hold beauty pageants.


    Silence fell over the court. Felix looked at Isabe proudly, his queen in heart, who also happens to be the Queen of the kingdom. He noticed the cute smile on the love of his life, and in that moment, he didn''t care how beautiful the eight women were.


    "I shall write letters to your fathers to marry you somewhere quickly. Wasting the time of this holy sanctum for your selfish narcissist lust is akin to a si¡ª"


    "Your Holiness~!"


    Felix shut up and looked at the back entrance reserved for the Pope. It was indeed Sylvester there, but in rugged clothes and looking like a country bumpkin. Furthermore, to his delight, the eight banshees charged at him.


    nk!


    "Stand back!"


    Trained, tall soldiers immediately blocked the way of the eight women with their spears. They had the order to kill if anyone was to run up to the Pope like that in the Holy Court.


    But Sylvester had to maintain his image, so he just smiled and greeted the eight, "What can I do for my sisters?"


    "Who is the most beautiful among us, Your Holiness?" Blonde Arabelle asked pleadingly.


    Sylvester''s brows furrowed, and he gave an angry nce at Felix while speaking to him mentally. ''Why didn''t you throw them out?''


    ''Hah, then how could I have witnessed this? Go ahead, my friend. Judge these women,'' Felix scoffed.


    Sylvester sighed and pped his palms together, a hymn starting to echo under his breath that formed the beautiful halo behind his head. Then, he gave them his answer, "Such nonsense questions hold no merit. The most beautiful in the world is the one whose blood I inherited¡ªmy Mum!"


    "..."


    Once again, the eight asked for the other ranks.


    "Second?"


    "Still, my Mum."


    "...Eight?"


    "Always my Mum," Sylvester gave the same reply to each of them. And surprisingly, every Clergyman in the court nodded frantically.


    Sylvester ignored them and walked over to the throne, "In any case, if there are no other pilgrims here to see me, the Holy Court is adjourned. Herald, do not let anyone in if they have intentions simr to these nobledies."


    As expected, the eight women were allowed entry only because there was nobody else left in line. So, the Holy Court ended, and all the visitors and the Clergymen left.


    Sylvester climbed the stairs and reached Felix, "How was it? Getting used to being Saint Viceman?"


    "I hate it. Make me a footsoldier of the Holy Army, and I''ll dly ept," Felix replied while scratching his head. "You can never guess who will walk in from that door and ask you something shocking."


    Sylvesterughed and pulled Felix alongside to walk with him. "I can understand. But with time, you get used to it. You''ll get better at predicting people. Their faces, attire, and manners tell you almost everything about them."


    Felix shrugged, stretching his shoulders. "I only came to the Pce to see if you were back. I''ve found some new information rted to the Tears of Solis. A shipment was caught, and we sent a lot of spies. By now, we can guarantee that it''s being made in the Sand Continent. However, a wealthy merchant from the neutralnd of Libertia is the one funding them."


    Sylvester hummed with many nods. "Libertia? I''ve never been to Libertia before. Perhaps it''s time to finally pay a visit to the legendarynd that stayed neutral throughout history."


    Finally, the two arrived in the Pope''s office. However, two men were already sitting inside. One being Julius and the other being the stylish Emperor Lich, Raz. The two Supreme Wizards were in the midst of some argument when Sylvester entered and interrupted them.


    "Good, both of you are on time." Sylvester got to business straight away and took a seat, "I had a breakthrough in my understanding of srium recently. I feel I''ve grown significantly stronger, and I need proof. So, I want the both of you to spar against me outside."


    "Both of us?" Asked Raz.


    "You can''t win against the two of us," Julius dismissed Sylvester''s idea as well. "We''re Supreme Wizards. We have been Supreme Wizards for a while now. You''re just in the first level."


    But Sylvester wasn''t swayed. "The goal is not to defeat me. You only need to go all out, and I''ll try to survive and retreat."


    Raz and Julius looked at each other''s faces. They both understood what Sylvester was proposing. The young Pope wanted to officially rewrite the order of the food chain and, at least to them, prove that he was the strongest.


    Sylvester noticed their silent agreement and looked at his best friend again. "However, before we go any further, I feel like I should fulfill one of my vows."


    Felix looked at Sylvester with shock and expectation, wondering if it was really going to happen now. "Your Holiness¡ªcan you now?"


    Sylvester smiled, understanding how silently painful it must have been for Felix.


    "It''s time you fulfill Isabe''s wish and get married, Felix."


    This was it, the unspoken agreement. For his ailment, there was now a treatment.


    _________________


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 Chapter 677 676. The Past Haunts

    Chapter 677 676.The Past Haunts


    This was it, the moment Felix had been waiting for. The moment even Isabe was waiting for. Although he neverined since he had seen plenty of other people being dealt a worse hand than him, there was always that desire to have a few kids and bring his Sandwall bloodline back to prominence.


    "Are you sure?" Felix asked, not wanting to be a bother. "I know there are plenty of other things that require your focu¡ª"


    Bam!


    For no apparent reason, Sylvester punched Felix in the face; it wasn''t even gentle. "Since when did you be this well-behaved? Who are you? What did you do to our horny, shameless Felix?"


    "..."


    Felix felt his nose bleeding, but instead of getting angry, heughed, "Well, I just wanted to be sure you could do it correctly."


    Sylvester agreed, "Don''t worry, I''m quite confident this time¡ªalmost sixty percent."


    "..."


    "W-What? Sixty percent?" Felix desperately grabbed Sylvester''s shoulders. "I don''t know whether to consider it high or low. Max, don''t you give me a useless elephant''s trunk that can''t even spray water."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll try not to make it useless," Sylvester reassured him with a thumbs up.


    ''The things I''ve learned about creation should be enough to make something minor like this. It''s easier than creating life from scratch and developing it to maturity,'' Sylvester reaffirmed himself of his decision.


    "But it will be painful," he warned.


    Felix shrugged, "Nothing can be more painful than what I went through. So, when do we start?"


    "Whenever you''re ready. I''ll make you unconscious just in case it bes too unbearable for you. I''ll practically be creating the most powerful tool on a man''s body, which gives us the ability to procreate. I''ll be creating everythingyer byyer¡ªI can''t believe I''m saying this, but I think I''ll know you better than Isabe from now on."


    "..."


    "I didn''t need to know that," Felix mumbled annoyedly.


    Knock! Knock!


    Sylvester looked at the door, finding Gabriel entering. "Keep my schedule empty until tomorrow morning. I''ll try toplete Felix''s healing by then."


    "But¡ªthe dragons, Your Holiness," Gabriel sounded pitiful this time. "They''ve been waiting to meet you for a long time now."


    Sylvester shrugged, "Let them wait some more. They need to remember this for the rest of their long lives. Remember, Gab, those slimy dragons will outlive you and me both, and if they don''te to respect this peace now, I fear they''ll once againunch a war once I''m gone."


    Gabriel sighed, having to deal with the angry dragons himself. "Alright. I will handle them. Don''t worry about the schedule. I will send Guardian Raz to scare them for now."


    "Come now, Felix," Sylvester ced one arm around Felix''s shoulder and pulled him along. "Let''s patch you up with a new machine."


    "Don''t tell Isabe about anything that will happen from here on," Felix requested in a meek voice. "She''ll never let me forget it in this life."


    "Haha, understood. I''ll make sure to take a few photographs and give them to Isabe," Sylvester reveled in his best friend''s torment. "You''ll be unconscious, so you won''t even know anything."


    "..."


    Bam!


    Just then, something invisible came flying and hit Sylvester on his back. So powerful that he felt his spine shake. It was soft, squishy, and furry, and that was all he needed to know who it was.


    ''Chonky? What''s he doing here?''


    Quickly, he surveyed the hallway as he left the office and noticed Xavia in the distance. He waved at her and received her cheerful smile back.


    ''Chonky must have troubled her toe here,'' he thought and grabbed the cat stuck on his back and squished him tight in his arms while continuing his way to the sick bay where Saint Medico, Healer Hendrix worked.


    It was a massive new building made just for Saint Medico. Five stories tall, spanning more than a hundred meters in four directions. Half of it was an actual sick bay, and the other half of it was a research facility where newer methods of healing were developed. From eye recement to even heart recement. Hendrix had been given free rein to develop new things¡ªof course, criminals were used for human trials.


    "I hate this smell," Felix muttered as soon as they entered the building.


    "That''s the scent of hope, my friend. People remember this as the ce where one gets healed, treated, and given a second life. The scentes from the medicine we spread to kill the grime in the surroundings that can cause an infection. Do you want an infection on your tool?" Sylvester exined to him while leading him to the operation room.


    "I love this scent¡ªI want to lick the floor," Felix jokingly mumbled.


    Atst, Sylvester pushed the final door open and brought him to a newly designed operation room he and Hendrix had created together. It was massive, with walls riddled with magical runes, glowing in the light and giving the room a warm and uniform hue.


    There were lines of shelves on the walls containing countless jars and instruments, oozing a magical aura. While in the middle rested arge table made out of a white crystalline substance, whose origin only a few knew about.


    "Drop your clothes andy down on the table," Sylvester ordered him and moved to a side to start disinfecting himself. Although he was a Supreme Wizard and knew he was clean, he still followed the procedure that he had written down.


    "Let''s begin," the door opened, and another figure walked in.


    Felix frowned as he looked up from the table. "Why him? I thought only you''d be doing it."


    "Healer Hendrix is the only known healer with Grand Wizard rank. Whatever I do today, I hope he can find some inspiration that may lead to various miraculous treatments in the future," Sylvester said and stood beside the table. "I''ll knock you out now."


    "How?"


    Bam!


    Sylvester smacked his knuckle on Felix''s head, "Sorry, my friend. There aren''t any natural anesthetics that would work on you."


    Healer Hendrix didn''tment on Sylvester''s unconventional ways, but he did keep a keen eye on everything Sylvester did. In a way, Hendrix believed that he wasn''t the best healer in the world, not when Sylvester with his supreme rank was there.


    "I''ll be your assistant in this process, so tell me what I need to do," Healer Hendrix asked, getting serious. Although he still liked to mess around with Sylvester, he knew when to be fully serious.


    "We won''t be needing any modern tools for this." Sylvester prepared for the healing.


    He walked closer to Felix''s naked body. He had removed the armor that was infused on his skin long ago, and the scars had all healed by now. But the situation around the groin wasn''t very uplifting, and that made his hate for the previous Church administration rise manifold.


    "You don''t have to be a demon to act like one," he muttered, seeing the botched-up castration that was operated on, likely just to deliver more pain without putting the victim into aa. He could see and imagine how rough and imperfect the de must have been, purposefully made less sharp. He noticed the unevenness that must havee from Felix struggling in pain.


    "Hmm¡­ Not enough. I''ll kill every single Clergyman rted to this madness. Any man who sees this insanity and keeps working there is a demon not wee in this Holy Land," Sylvester said with some anger and finally began to move his hands.


    His method of healing Felix didn''t involve any surgery. It was all rted to magic on the most basic level. His elevated power, control, and abilities were now beyond a simple wizard''s realm. His level may still be on the lower side of a Supreme Wizard, but in basic terms, he was superior.


    Layer byyer, that''s how the magic of creation worked. It was immensely, impossibly hard to do. So even Sylvester sweated when trying to focus all his attention on the healing procedure.


    First, the wounds were reopened, and from there, he began healing and reconstructing everyyer of flesh, the insides, the veins, and the main parts. The magic was only rted to the maniption of srium itself and, in turn, all the elements that made up a person''s body.


    "Keep an eye on his pulse. If it dips dangerously, you must inform me," he ordered Healer Hendrix and continued the reconstruction. The sight was quite nasty, and much of the blood was oozing.


    From the testicles, he connected the other parts and slowly formed the skin as well. Hours were spent just to achieve even the slightest progress. Healing that part of the body was a delicate matter.


    "Pulse is falling!" Hendrix suddenly notified. "Too fast."


    Sylvester didn''t panic and quickly ced his palm on Felix''s mouth to clean his air passage and allow him to breathe. The operating table made of strange crystals also began to shine in warm white light, helping Srium circte around Felix''s body to aid the healing process.


    "Still falling!" Hendrix cautioned.


    Sylvester quickly began using Elder magic to see what the real problem was by sending his own body''s Srium into Felix. The blood loss was being replenished, so the situation didn''t make any sense.


    "Ghk!" Felix''s body suddenly jolted and gagged.


    Bam!


    "Your Holiness! It''s almost negligible!"


    Sylvester sweated and moved his hands around to heal Felix''s body overall as he abandoned the healing of his groin. He tried to stabilize him while checking the body with Elder Magic. Going from the brain to the lungs and then the heart¡ª


    "Those damned bastards!" Rage filled Sylvester abruptly. "They ced a contraption in his heart! It''s magical¡ªit''s clenching one of his major arteries."


    "NO!" Hendrix yelped. "He''s dead! He''dead!"


    "What?!" Sylvester eximed in shock. "Quick! Feed him the potions. I will remove the magical contraption."


    _________________


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 Chapter 678 677. The Fight of Supreme

    Chapter 678 677. The Fight of Supreme


    "He''s dead!"


    Sylvester didn''t react much and meticulously focused on removing the contraption in Felix''s heart. "Calm down, Hendrix. He''s a peak tinum knight. Even when his heart isn''t beating, he''s not dead¡ªhe won''t be fully dead for many hours toe, and I only need a few moments."


    Wet sounds resounded in the operating room as Sylvester wed open Felix''s chest with his de created from the solid light element. Beyond the ribcage, he didn''t use his hands and instead created little strings of light magic and controlled them to move meticulously around without hurting the heart and cutting apart the contraption.


    Of course, there were a few runes ced on it. But they were far too inferior to Sylvester''s knowledge from the Elder Runes.


    ck!


    Not long after, he sessfully took out the contraption ced on his heart. It was like a ring locking around the artery. It was programmed with runes to clench in case someone attempted to change the physical characteristic of the victim¡ªin this case, a missing organ was being brought back.


    "The fact that they didn''t even tell the victims about it means they wanted to kill anyone with even the slightest amount of resistance in their thoughts. Anyone trying to heal themselves was a traitor in their eyes." Sylvester muttered and clenched the ring in his palm, breaking it apart.


    Quickly, he healed the minor bruising left on Felix''s heart and then began closing the wounds on the chest. It took a few extra hours before he could move on to the groin. By then, the heartbeat had also returned with a little bit of manual heart squeezing using electromaic field maniption.


    "He''s stable," Hendrixmented.


    "Let''s finish the whole thing then." Sylvester once again moved on to reconstruct Felix''s tool.


    It took hours, and the sun came up again outside. The morning dew settled, and noon came, and it was then that Sylvester finished the procedure and stepped back from the operating table.


    "He will wake up soon. Only then we will be able to see if it worked or not." Sylvester mumbled, took a seat away from the operating table, and invited Hendrix as well.


    The white-haired healer Grand Wizard joined him and started talking immediately, being more talkative than usual. "How did you know a tinum Knight can survive that long without a beating heart?"


    "I''ve had my fair share of adventures and run-ins with powerhouses. I try not to let any opportunity go to waste." Sylvester replied and stared at the table. "How is your family? I hope ine and Daline can live here openly since elves are no longer enemies."


    "They do feel much more rxed now," Hendrix replied fondly, smiling. "ine was particrly ted when she heard you ended the long war and established peace and trade with Alfia. She truly thinks you''re a reincarnation of elven goddess Remira."


    Sylvester chuckled, "She won''t be the first. Even the Dryads think I''m rted to their ancient gods, as did the Desert Cannibals."


    "Then perhaps you are. Every legend, every rumor has some truth in it, Your Holiness. If they find simrity in you and the rumors, it merely means you are walking the same path that once those ''gods'' possibly walked." Hendrix said while thinking deeply about everything.


    "Ah¡­ Where am I?"


    Right then, Felix began gaining consciousness and groaning now and then. His eyes twitched and slowly started to open. There was confusion in them, as well as some relief.


    "Felix, can you feel it?" Sylvester questioned him immediately. "Do you feel any pain around your groin?"


    "Groin?" Felix tried to raise his head, but fell back quickly. "Uh¡­ My head feels heavy, and everything is hazy. I do feel something down there¡­ Are you done?"


    Sylvester checked Felix''s physical body and made sure there was nothing wrong with him. "You''re physically fine. You just died for a few moments. There is nothing to worry about."


    "What?!" Felix jolted up and fell back again. "I was dead? Wait, is that why I saw all that? I felt like I was standing in darkness. There were so many things shing around me that I couldn''t make sense of anything."


    ''Afterlife?'' Sylvester reckoned, interested since his afterlife experience was quite different and nasty.


    "You are fine now." Sylvester patted his shoulder and informed him about the issue with the secret ring in his heart. "...It''s lucky I was able to find it. You''d have died otherwise."


    "Ah! Makes sense now. This is how so many of my colleagues at the start died one after another." Felix mumbled, tiredly resting on the operating table. "Can you recheck my body and see if they did anything else?"


    "I already did, but I''ll do it again more thoroughly." Sylvester let Felix rest and ced his palm on his chest. By infusing his Srium into the blood pumped by the heart, he could thoroughly check every part of the body, every inch where blood could go.


    Within a minute, he looked through everywhere and confirmed his findings.


    "You are good to go, Felix." He helped Felix get up and sit down. A soft cotton cloth was already ced atop his groin. Since no surgery was involved, there were no stitches or wounds to heal. "Maybe wait till night to try it out. Inform me tomorrow if everything is fine."


    "Well, the real moment of truth won''te until my kid is born," Felix mumbled as he wore a loose gown over his body.


    Sylvester nodded, noticing something different about Felix at that moment. ''A scent of confusion, sadness, and respect? Shouldn''t he be happy?''


    He stepped back and approached Healer Hendrix, who was frantically writing in his notebook. This was a sight to behold in itself since the notebook was only made possible due to the mass production of paper, and the pen was something he had invented long ago. Slowly but finally, minor changes had started to appear in all walks of life.


    "Any new ideas?" He asked.


    Hendrix nodded and showed what he wrote, along with a few diagrams. "Your Holiness said that srium can be used to do this creation magic. So I wondered what is stopping us from trying the same using the Srium crystals as well as all the elemental crystals? Even if regenerating manhood isn''t viable, we should be able to regenerate bones and muscles¡ªbringing back limbs."


    Sylvester thought about it deeply and began writing down a rune scheme on the paper. "Perhaps we can make a machine where we only have to feed the crystals and point it to the area we want to heal. This rune scheme and a few more should be able to direct the released energy. This is truly wonderful, Hendrix. If we''re able to make it, we can ce them in all Grace hospitals across Sol and beyond."


    "But I''ll need the cooperation of the research and development."


    "You''ll have it," Sylvester assured and looked back. "Take care of Felix for now. Let him go after he relieves himself once. I must go now. Raz and Julius must be waiting for me."


    "You are really going to fight both of them?" Felix asked weakly. "I want to see it."


    "Nobody can. We will be fighting in the middle of the Endless Sea. Otherwise, Sol will be in ruins from our battle. Besides, I have no idea how long it willst." Sylvester cleaned up the operating theater and sanitized his hands before heading to the exit. "I will see youter."


    Felix sighed as he watched Sylvester leave and disappear beyond the door. He looked at Hendrix andughed. "Why do you look worried?"


    "He has no idea how important he is to maintain this feeble, peaceful bnce in the world he created. If he keeps putting himself at risk, one day it might not go as he wishes." Hendrix said, being a realist and secretly worrying for his family.


    "Haha!" Felixughed, however. "Oh, he knows it very well. There is nobody more paranoid and careful than Sylvester. He has ns for ns, backups for backups, and a dozen ways to deal with a problem before he even attempts to solve it. Don''t worry too much¡ªlet''s just do our part honestly and hope for the best."


    "Too confident?"


    Felix shrugged and closed his eyes to rest. "No, I just know him very well¡­ A little too well."


    ¡­


    East off the coast of the Holy Land, Sylvester, Julius, and Raz moved at lightning speed, two flying and one running on light times. They covered almost a thousand kilometers beforeing to a halt and preparing themselves for the battle.


    "Are you sure you want to battle both of us?" Julius once again asked to be sure. "I will not hold back."


    "I don''t want you to hold back. This is not a spar but a test of my abilities. A test to see if I am prepared for the next stage." Sylvester replied and maintained some distance as the three stood in a triangle formation.


    "What next stage?" Emperor Raz asked, who considered Sylvester a friend with all his heart¡ªnot that he had one.


    Sylvester wondered how he could tell them about the doom that awaited them without making it sound too absurd. But the two were important in the equation as he needed assurance when he goes to the Demon realm.


    "You''re going to enter it?" Julius asked. It was not that hard to guess. "If we are to believe the demon realm is simr to here, then there should be two or three Supreme Wizards present. If they have internal conflicts like we did, you might have a chance to kill them individually. But, if they are as united as we are now¡ªyou will die."


    ''Or there could be allies to be made.'' Sylvester thought but didn''t voice his thoughts.


    "All the more reason for me to prepare. Let us begin now, and please go all out against me," he insisted, beginning to control his breath.


    "As you wish."


    "I will respect your decision."


    None of them wore any major armor since it was useless at their level of power. In his white guardian robes, Julius raised his hand towards the sky and created countless gigantic swords made of solidified dark energy. Each sword was at least as tall as a twin-story building, while dark blue thunder crackled around each of the millions of swords that covered the sky.


    "Rise, my little friends!" Emperor Raz instead began waving his palms toward the sea and created massive water sprouts, hundreds of meters wide, dozens of them. As the sprouts rose, giant sharks and other creatures started toe out¡ªall undead.


    Woosh!


    The undead creatures got covered with a ckyer of dark elemental magic, and they began to fly around, containing the power of Raz''s strikes. At the same time, Raz created bone spurs on his back that could pierce through a Supreme Wizard''s skin and even poison one fatally.


    ''Good, they''re not holding back.'' Sylvester muttered and closed his eyes for a split second, knowing very well the colossal destruction they were about to bring.


    He focused on what he learned from Eldrich God Nehilius.


    ''Creation helped Felix, now destruction will help here. Layer byyer, for everything, is made of Srium¡ªthere are no elements but mere universal nature. The one who controls nature rules all¡­''


    Atst, he began stepping forward toward the two on Light Tiles. Unlike the two others, he didn''t make any shy moves and just held his treasured spear in one hand.


    "Fight!" He boomed.


    Woosh!


    Millions of dark swords fell from the sky. The countless undeads swarmed at him.


    Sylvester, in the center, just raised his palm up. But this time, there was no light, no halo.


    _________________


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 Chapter 679 678. Two Against One

    Chapter 679 678. Two Against One


    The swords of dark energy fell upon him just as the undead reached him. The ferocious attacks from the two Supreme Wizards fought to split the air apart, distorting even the space from the energy the attacks contained.


    Shhh¡­!


    A smoke screen made of steam spread all around Sylvester, engulfing him in white mist. But Julius and Raz kept pushing forward and tried to strike him physically as well.


    "Stop!" Julius shouted suddenly. "The swords¡­ I can''t feel them anymore. It''s as if they vanished."


    Raz reacted simrly, alerted by the events. "I can''t feel my undead either. As if¡­ they were removed from existence. But I sensed no attack."


    "Clear the mist first," Julius said and waved his hand gently, sending a massive gust of wind toward Sylvester. The air was enough to remove all the mist and reveal what Sylvester was actually doing.


    The ck swords were still falling from the sky. However, as they almost touched Sylvester, the swords disintegrated into nothingness. The same was the case for the undead. Sylvester merely stood there doing nothing but raising his palm.


    "So it works," Sylvester mumbled, ncing at the two Supreme Wizards. "What you saw wasn''t magic¡ªit was harnessing thews of nature itself. Now, let''s see how well creation goes against you."


    Of course, Julius and Raz had no clue what Sylvester was even talking about.


    ''Light and fire, let''s see how the two canplement each other.'' Sylvester decided to utilize the two of his strongest elements and fight. One hand shined with light, and the other was covered with fire. While there was a meaningful hymn in his mouth for the situation, there was a halo behind his head.


    It was intimidating, making him appear like an enraged god of war about to unleash his full potential. Raz and Julius instinctively felt like they had to get into a defensive formation to protect themselves.


    ?Tumultuous times have presented themselves.


    Danger looms for all: humans, dragons, or elves.


    Appeared a mystery in our history that delves.


    Tales of caution that ancient books clearly tells.?


    He walked closer towards both of them, trailing between them. He noticed that Raz and Julius were trying to bring him into the center of their two-man formation, trying to divide his attention.


    But, since he started doing it on himself, they both felt utterly confused.


    ?The times have changed, as have thews.


    Unified we must stand for the deadly cause.


    Sharpen your des as the enemy draws.


    As I do, will you ovee your daft ws?


    Boom!


    Fire blew through his palm toward Raz, and a beam of light at Julius. Each hand controlled a different element that couldn''t be more simr. They were bright and they burned equally. However, that wasn''t his final attempt, as he only tried to use creation magic. Which meant he didn''t use too much of his body''s srium reserves.


    At the same time, the beam and the fire struck Julius and Raz. Both were heavily pushed back until they flew against the attack at full force.


    The water underneath the two Supreme Wizards began to change, and gigantic, sharp spikes started to form out of it. They weren''t made of ice but rather the water itself, which was forcefully maintained sharply like that.


    Snap!


    Sylvester snapped one finger, and instantly, everything in the surroundings turned pitch-ck. Only he could see all around; This was his Supreme Void. The two Supreme Wizards had entered it long before they even started fighting him.


    Thud!


    In that darkness, Sylvester stopped bombarding them with his magic and allowed them to move freely. Being stuck there, they couldn''t activate their Supreme Void, nor could they escape. They tried to talk with each other the entire time and find Sylvester, but it was Sylvester who saw them clearly.


    Woosh!


    Massive zing spears of light emerged out of nowhere and speared towards Julius and Raz. Both Supreme Wizards created shields for themselves, one with solid dark energy and the other with a wall of bones.


    "Your Supreme Void is quite unique, Your Holiness," Julius said, pushing back against the massive light spears from Sylvester. "But I don''t believe you''ve seen my Supreme Void yet."


    "Nor mine," Raz added. "I have no doubt I would have lost if it was just me. But with Julius¡ªIt shall be different."


    "Ugh!" Sylvester suddenly felt some pushback. It felt as if something was trying to rip his Supreme Void apart. The dark space he had created felt like it was expanding under the mounting pressure.


    ''They''re trying to initiate their Voids at the same time? If I can fight this off¡ªI can go to the Demon Realm without worry.''


    It was stillplete darkness for Julius and Raz. So he decided to get closer to them and attack physically, as magical attacks gave away his location. But to further confuse the two Supreme Wizards, he used Light Clones and made multiple figures of himself spread around and cast magic.


    Boom!


    His clones were sted with a wave of dark energy every time they made a move. The two Supreme Wizards gave their all simultaneously and almost sted through Sylvester''s Supreme Void.


    ck!


    "Aargh!" Julius groaned in pain as something struck him from behind all of a sudden. It was shrouded in darkness, just as the space around them. But what shocked him the most was that he felt no magic.


    "What happened?" Raz questioned.


    "He''s engaging us physically!" Julius created a massive dark sword of ck energy and prepared to swing it everywhere.


    Woosh!


    A gust of wind hit them both. If Raz had skin, he knew he''d have goosebumps at that moment. He felt utterly isted for no reason. There was no sound, no movement around him.


    "Julius!" Raz called for the other man.


    But no reply came, only absolute silence.


    ck! ck!


    Then, the sound of nking bones started to echo. It slowly grew louder and kept vanishing abruptly, only to appear in another direction. It felt less like a battle now and more like a horror story, facing the unknown in the darkness.


    "Haha, you''re trying to scare an Emperor Lich?" Raz asked,ughing as he took off his hood and raised his skeleton arms wide. Tiny chunks of his bones started toe off of his body, appearing like ants that could fly as they spread everywhere. "I can still find you."


    However, no reply came from Sylvester.


    The same was the case for Julius at that moment. Confused, isted, and struggling to break through Sylvester''s Supreme Void, he had no clue what he was actually fighting against. What kind of magic it was.


    Bam!


    At the same time, both of them got hit with a beam of energy as dark as the darkness around them. They didn''t even notice it until they were hit, leaving a hole in the back of their clothes and some burn marks.


    Boom!


    Another one came from the front.


    Boom!


    Then another, and more and more. The beams of energy soon started to strike them from all sides like someone''s punches. They tried to block it but couldn''t see or even sense it before it hit them.


    "Got you!" Sylvester''s voice rang everywhere, and just like that, the darkness vanished.


    Julius and Raz found themselves hovering in the sky, over the water once again, and in the daylight. Confused, they looked around and noticed something peculiar. Millions of sharp spearheads surrounded them, all of them shining in golden light. The spearheads were so close to their bodies that even if they breathed too hard, the sharp spearheads would plunge in.


    "Forgive me. I''m not a brute who likes to fight with only magic and might. For me, strategy is more important in order to minimize my energy use." Sylvester said from a distance, looking at them while both his hands outwardly pointed at them.


    Raz admired the light spears. "shy moves won''t always work when battle is between beings of our ranks, Your Holiness. Even I would have attempted to strategize my win. That is the only way one can survive."


    "Agreed," Julius nodded, not feeling much worried about the sharp edges that surrounded him. "If you had taken a direct approach, you''d have died."


    "But!" Raz interjected. "This is not the end. You chose to remove the Supreme Void to test your true limits¡ªlet''s do that now."


    Emperor Raz''s body started to disintegrate into fine white particles. They squeezed out of Sylvester''s hold with ease and gathered back into a skeleton body on the side, now free. Of course, this time, there were no clothes on Raz''s body.


    "Let''s spar, Your Holiness."


    BOOM!


    Raz kicked his feet in the air, shattered through the sound barrier, and aimed his de-shaped bone arm at Sylvester. His speed was so high that the water underneath him vaporized as he flew, creating a mist of a sizzling storm.


    Sylvester also created dual swords of solid light elements since he didn''t need a free hand to cast magic anymore. It was hard, but he was able to trace Raz as he came flying at him, and he braced himself for the impact.


    "With all due respect, Your Holiness!" Raz roared and thrust at Sylvester''s chest.


    Sylvester crossed his swords in front of himself to block the oing strike that could shatter mountains. He braced his feet on the light tiles to keep himself from being thrown away.


    Woosh!


    "Did you forget me, Your Holiness!" Julius appeared behind Sylvester just then, his own hands holding a long, dark energy sword that he shed at Sylvester''s nape.


    But only a hidden smirk appeared on Sylvester''s face, "Not at all."


    Gravity increased, bodies convulsed, and Sylvester''s true might was finally unleashed. What Supreme Void? What Light Magic? When he ruled over the most basic and yet hidden force of nature.


    BOOM!


    _________________


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 Chapter 680 679. Magic Meets Science

    Chapter 680 679. Magic Meets Science


    Gravity can bend light. So, what were the magical attacks before it?


    Sylvester knew that very well and used his vast array of skills to his advantage. While focusing on derailing Raz''s strike, he focused all his magical power on increasing the effects of gravity on Julius''s body. Since it worked on the Demon Zama''tar, there was no doubt it''d work on Julius, too.


    Shwooo!


    Julius found his body dragged straight down into the sea, while the bone de on Raz''s arm was blocked by Sylvester in a resounding exchange. Sparks flew, and Sylvester quickly countered, swinging back at Raz.


    sh!


    Raz used his own skull to block Sylvester''s strike and hit back with his bone spears that instantly grew from his ribcage.


    Every move they made was devastating, causing destruction on an unknown scale as they remained in the sky. However, Sylvester went all out, attempting to finish Raz before Julius could find a way to return, since holding a Supreme Wizard back was burdening on his body, too.


    ''Suppressing one Supreme Wizard with physical might while the other with magical might. This seems doable, but what happens where there is a third one?'' Sylvester evaluated his own performance in real-time and sometimes knowingly made mistakes to give himself more of a challenge. ''I know their talents, but what happens if I meet a Supreme Wizard whose abilities I can''tprehend?''


    Wanting to make it more challenging, he stopped keeping Julius at bay and removed the effects of gravity from him.


    Boom!


    The water exploded underneath them, and a massive crater appeared that took some seconds to fill up with water once again. Julius came out flying, his face somewhat appearing annoyed as he hadn''t been able to defend against Sylvester''s invisible attack. There was simply no way to counter it.


    "What you did made me feel helpless like never before," Julius said andunched at Sylvester right away, his body radiating with a dark aura, with two longswords of hardened dark element in his hands.


    He struck with all his might.


    sh!


    Sylvester created a shield of light magic behind himself. But the shield quickly showed signs of cracking, which prompted Julius to strike even more vigorously.


    But Julius had too many attacks in his arsenal. He once again created millions of swords in the air all around them and made them fall on Sylvester, while from down below, he created a ck inferno, zing with ck fire which mes attempted to engulf Sylvester, locking him on all sides with that.


    ''They''re trying to pull me into their Supreme Void as well,'' Sylvester noted as his own transparent Supreme Void that he had maintained in the air continuously fought against the pressure. But that ced more strain on his magic reserves.


    Crack!


    Boom!


    Sylvester gritted his teeth and epted the pain, "Ugh¡­"


    Julius'' dark de struck him on the back and pierced through the skin on the ck of his shoulder. It was burning and painful, but Sylvester saw that as an opportunity.


    "Haaaaa!" He roared with his mouth wide open and spewed mes like a dragon at Raz, who remained in front of him. The undead was pushed back by his mes, giving him time to step up with his light sword.


    "Gah!" Julius received the strike on his belly, but it was much more painful and burning than the ck sword of his.


    Snap!


    Sylvester didn''t end it there and looked ahead at Raz. The Emperor Lich wasing back towards him with greater force. His ribcage opened up and revealed a dark abyss from where tentacles started toe out, filled with sharp spikes and poison.


    "You can''t stand my fire anymore," Sylvester said and raised his palm at him before sending a storm of fire. A multitude of rune circles formed before the fire went out, mainly belonging to air elemental, to give the fire more speed and vigor.


    "Wraaaa!" Whatever creature it was inside Raz''s chest, it growled like a demonic beast while swaying its tentacles around in search of some prey.


    Boom!


    The fire exploded on Raz''s face and sent him flying back, albeit the strange tentacle creature showed resilience and ate the fire itself. Raz was mostly fine and even talking when that happened.


    ''What Eldritch Horror is he hiding in his body?'' Sylvester wondered and pushed forth. ''Maintaining the Supreme Void is getting hard now.''


    "What is that thing?"


    "Oh, this?" Raz turned lively instantly and proudly ced his w bones on his bony pelvis. "I caught this thing when I was lost in the frozen north for three hundred years. There''s an ocean under the deep sheet of ice. This little one was ying there alone, so I kept it."


    ''There''s an ocean under the north ice?'' Sylvester was hearing that for the first time. ''He was lost for three hundred years? No wonder he''s so lively with people.''


    "This is probably the ancient ancestor of today''s Krakens. Its flesh is extremely resilient. That''s how it remained alive for so long¡ªmillions of years, perhaps." Raz proudly revealed, introducing his pet. "I''ve named it Deathbringer. Isn''t it cute?"


    "..."


    ''Anything named Deathbringer could be cute,'' Sylvester thought and focused on the battle once again as Julius had freed himself from the impaling light sword in his stomach. He was clearly bleeding, but not wavering.


    Crack!


    He caught Julius'' sword with his bare hands and cracked it with destructive power. But Julius didn''t stop and threw his fist at Sylvester, and itnded.


    "That''s new," Sylvester muttered, feeling blood ooze out of his nostrils. "Then, take this."


    Bam!


    Sylvester grabbed Julius by the throat and threw him at Raz, where he fell onto the tentacles. But the tentacles threw Julius back. The former leader of Anti-Light looked like he had turned into a flying superhero, his fist out, aiming in front of him.


    "Two can y this," Sylvester kicked a Light Tile andunched himself simrly, fist out.


    BOOM!


    They both collided, and the soundwave from their collision echoed so loud that it resonated at the shores of both continents. However, they didn''t stop and kept kicking, punching, or wrestling, trying to choke each other. Raz joined the fray and started throwing hands around.


    The three didn''t even realize when the battle turned from a one versus two, everyone for themselves. They hit each other mercilessly, kicked, and threw each other around. Far from the graceful battle from before, they simply brawled like madmen¡ªa brawl that could destroy kingdoms, however.


    "My jaw!" Raz groaned.


    Bam!


    "My back!" Julius felt the effects of his age.


    "Ah!" Sylvester was the same. "Don''t you pull my damn hair!"


    It was a mess. Sylvester even stopped deploying his Supreme Void, and none of them used magic. With just their physical might, they continued, and Sylvester seemingly inched closer to victory as he was also peak tinum Knight.


    But one thing was clear. Their brawl had done more damage to each other than their previous magical battle. Bruises on the face, swollen eyes, and cracked bones were amon sight. Their blood drops also fell into the sea underneath them as the creatures of the water all escaped as far as possible from the area.


    Bam!


    Crack!


    "Who took my elbow!" Raz roared frantically.


    Julius smirked and threw something in the water, "Go, fetch!"


    "Heh, I''ll just grow another one!" Raz red at Julius with his hollow eye sockets.


    Sylvester wasn''t even fighting at that point. He watched the two Guardians of Light brawl with each other for no particr reason.


    ''How did it turn into this?''


    "Alright, calm down, both of you." He had no option but to meddle and stop them from fighting further. "Let''s go back to the Holy Land now. I''ve assessed my strength well enough."


    "Indeed, we shoul¡ª"


    Ting!


    Just as Julius was speaking, a shocking, eclipsing sh of light appeared far in the distance from the direction of the Holy Land. The sh was so bright that everything turned white for a split second, followed by a massive mushroom cloud of fiery ze and dust that rose so high into the sky that it was visible to even them.


    BOOM!


    "Such power!" Raz eximed.


    Sylvester only frowned as soon as the shockwave and crackling sound of the explosion reached him. He knew the Holy Land was in that direction, and such an explosion wasn''t possible unless a Supreme Wizard caused it.


    "Quick! Fly back as fast as possible!" He ordered and rushed before the other two.


    Cleaving through the high waves of the sea, the three flew or jumped back to the Holy Land faster than they had left. Not minding talking or thinking, they followed the mushroom cloud that still kept on going and going higher, telling them just how vast its size was.


    ''An attack?'' Sylvester felt his heart drown in fear for Xavia and the others''. All those he cherished.


    In no time, they got closer to the Holy Land and saw where the explosion happened.


    "It''s not at the Pope''s Penins," Sylvester realized, breathing a sigh of relief with the rest. "But... Why did it happen at the Training Penins?"


    The Training Penins was deste and only filled with nature as it was used to train the various groups of the Holy Land. But, the size of the explosion was such that nobody training there could have caused it. Heck, from the sky, it appeared the penins was almost destroyed.


    Sylvester and the two made their way to the Training Penins andnded amidst piles upon piles of rubble. They curiously went to inspect the crater of the explosion to see what caused it.


    Cough!


    Sylvester heard the faint coughs and looked around. He activated his Elder Magic and sensed the srium in the air. Right away, the first thing he noticed was the massive spike in srium where the crater was. But then he looked towards the coughs and saw two bodies stuck under the pile of rubble.


    "There!" He pointed.


    Bam!


    He and Julius dug their hands into the ground and caught some clothes. So, with a good pull, they dug the bodies out, keeping them dangling in front of themselves.


    "Cardinal Jin¡­ Cardinal Robert?!" Sylvester recognized the two. The head of the research and development, his two cherished scientists with a knack for innovation. "What did you do?"


    Cough!


    The two were in pitiful condition, coughing and panting, their clothes torn and looking utterly dirty. But Jin was in a better state as he had magical and knightly talents, while Robert was just a simple human with a scientific brain.


    "Your Holiness," Jin voiced, fear evident in his voice. "W-We were¡­ We read your advanced books about chemistry and physics. We were inspired by the Particle Theory of Matter that you wrote and decided to test it by isting srium particles. We seeded."


    "That can''t cause this explosion," Sylvester reasoned. "What did you do?"


    Jin started sweating, just remembering what had urred. "After reading a few more exnations of how the sun works, we saw srium particles match the description and tried Fusion on it. We¡­ It was all so perfect! We made the chamber safely, isted srium, and used the finest source of heat¡ªBut the chamber couldn''t hold onto that sudden burst of energy."


    "..."


    Sylvester''s brows rose, jaw fell, and heart pounded. He nced at the massive crater, the mushroom cloud, and back at the two men.


    "You created a fusion bomb?!"


    _________________


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 Chapter 681 680. Standing Before True Talent

    Chapter 681 680. Standing Before True Talent


    "Fusion bomb? What is that?" Intrigued at the destruction, Julius asked while rubbing his old beard. "This is akin to a strong attack from a Supreme Wizard."


    Sylvester rubbed his forehead, sweating. Thest thing he wanted was for normal people to learn how to make nukes. "I''m beyond annoyed at this."


    Bam!


    He knocked on Cardinal Jinn and Robert''s heads and made them sit down on their knees for interrogation. Exhausted and dirty, they didn''t dare look into Sylvester''s eyes for fear of further enraging him.


    "Does anyone else know what you did? Or how you did it?" Sylvester asked.


    "No. It was just us two experimenting. Most can''t understand what''s written in your books, Your Holiness. They''re still going through the intermediate books," Cardinal Robert exined, apologizing. "We didn''t know it would cause such destruction. Something small and yet¡ªthis marvelous."


    "Indeed!" Jinn enthusiastically chimed in. "If we can harness this energy, we wouldn''t need to make dams and coal factories to produce electricity. This is a marvelous discovery, Your Holiness. But from your reaction, it seems like¡­ you knew about this beforehand."


    "Of course I did. Now you also know why I didn''t write it down in my books," Sylvester said, wearily sighing and rubbing his face with a palm. "What happened here must not be spread to anyone. If regr folks learn about this, then the entire world''s social harmony would be in danger. But you can focus on trying to harness its power for generating electricity.


    "The fact that we don''t need to find deuterium or any such particles for it is a boon. Srium is truly magical but simrly dangerous. The theory is harmless, but its application can kill you. Be careful with anything you read in my books from now on."


    "Understood!"


    "I will never forget that now!"


    Sylvester''s two Oppenhimers finally took a breath of relief as Sylvester forgave them, allowing them to stand back up.


    "But¡­ What about this penins? Where will the soldiers train now?" Jinn asked.


    Sylvester shrugged and created visible Light Tiles for all of them to step on. "We''ll simply have to rebuild it. Earth elemental maniption will be enough. Guardian Julius, Guardian Raz, follow my lead."


    They all climbed to a high altitude behind Sylvester and soon stood high enough to create tall mountains and forests. But they couldn''t really make trees out of thin air and had to let nature take its course.


    "I''ll create mountains in the northern part. You two fill the destroyed area, make deep crevices and ins," Sylvester assigned the two and got to work. With mere hand movements and various enormous magical rune schemes, the ground rose and took shape.


    Jinn and Robert watched it all in awe as if they were little kids.


    "Three Supreme Wizards are morphing our reality to their will. No matter how advanced our inventions might be, magic will never cease to amaze me," Robert said, as someone unable to cast magic.


    "Even for me, this feels too marvelous," Jinn replied in simr awe. "They can probably create fortresses with a wave of their hands. But why don''t they fly across Sol and rebuild all the destroyed viges and cities is beyond my understanding."


    "Lesson," Sylvester replied to Jinn''s words. "As the Pope, my job was to spread the faith, but I went beyond my duty and fought against injustice. I stopped the Thousand Year War, and now there''s peace. If I go further and supply prosperity to the realm, it won''tst long, since it wouldn''t be earned but gifted."


    Julian also spoke, reacting to his words. "Agreed. Us gifting the realm prosperity would be akin to a lord who found a goldmine in hisnd. He might spend all his riches needlessly only toter realize it wasn''t a goldmine, but a single rock of gold."


    "I''ve seen that happen," Emperor Lich Raz said. "A thousand years after I became a lich, I was bored and spent a hundred years disguised as a traveling merchant with a masked face, looking around at the people. So many greedy men and women I saw who livedvishly only to fall into ruinter."


    "Everything you talk about is centuries-old," Sylvester said, looking at the undead being. "You should start writing books detailing your life. The amazing stories that you have lived through can entertain and inspire people for thousands of years toe."


    "Hoh!" Razughed with his jaw bones cking. "I''ll do that one day. After all, I''m currently living the best story of my long life. I would like to include you in my book¡ªfrom the start till the end."


    ''So he wants to wait until I die?'' Sylvester realized the meaning behind his words. ''Somewhat disheartening. But it''s nature. Perhaps he and Miraj can be friends and live forever together¡ªa Supreme Wizard Lich and an immortal cat who can devour the world.''


    That did bring a smile to his face, letting him focus on redeveloping the Training Penins. Silently, under the gentle breeze of the sea, the three Supreme Wizards creatednd out of nothing. Gods among the living, there was no doubt the description of Supreme Wizards was correct.


    "Let''s return to the Pce now." Sylvester finished cing thest mountaintop and made his way on the Light Tiles, keeping others behind himself. "The two of you will have your sry deducted for a month. Let this be a warning."


    "Understood, Your Holiness!" Jinn and Robert kept apologizing time and time again. They knew Sylvester was more worried about them dying from their foolishness than some piece ofnd.


    On the way, Sylvester dropped the two mad scientists at the research and development restricted area and then continued to the Pope''s Pce since the Guardians also sat there.


    "Pope Sylvester, I want you to assign a task to me this time," Julius suddenly voiced, sounding frustrated. "I admire what you have done and currently hold no qualms. The peace you have created ismendable, but I''m not used to sitting around and doing nothing."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin as if he had a beard. In the body, he was too young, but at heart, he saw himself as old. "You are right, Guardian Julius. This peace has ced my attention on a problem that I never thought could exist. Just recently, an army of five thousand Inquisitors killed two hundred people. They turned out to be an illegally operated thief guild. All for what? Because one of their thieves tried to steal the money pouch of a Bright Mother, during which the poor Bright Mother fell to the ground and broke her pinky finger."


    "That does appear extreme."


    Sylvester shrugged. "They evenunched a manhunt for three members who were able to run away. That''s all because they aren''t used to sitting in peace. All their lives, they''ve only known bloodlust. Guardian Julius, why don''t you travel around Sol and make a record book of all the hidden monsters out there?"


    "Hidden monsters?" Julius interjected. "The Grand Wizards are living in peace."


    "Grand Wizards, Diamond Knights, Archwizards, or Golden Knights. Recently, Gabriel handed me a report. An unknown Grand Wizard was found traveling around the world. He said he was a professional connoisseur of food. He even wrote for my newspaper, and I had no idea about it," Sylvester revealed; it was a problem. "We can''t leave these hidden beasts unknown, only to suddenly explode and cause a crisis."


    Julius thought about it. The job did seem exciting enough as he''d be traveling around the world. "May I also track down some of the rogue members of my Anti-Light?"


    "Especially them. They held a deep hatred for the Holy Land, after all. We don''t want them turning evil without you leading them. Either kill them or help them start a new life," Sylvester ordered.


    "I will leave right away then," Julius replied and began flying up in the air. "I''ll return every week and report to you, Pope Sylvester."


    Right away, the old man left with a newfound purpose. Seeing him go, Sylvester still felt somewhat stressed. It was merely his upational hazard as a spy.


    "Raz, does he know about Project Sky Eye?"


    "I don''t think he does."


    "Good. Keep an eye on him indirectly, or else he might notice our eye on him. If he does anything that goes against the Church''s policy, inform me." With utter seriousness, Sylvester ordered Emperor Lich.


    It was somewhat strange, but Sylvester found himself trusting an undead more than a living man. After all, the undead just wanted to live happily around people, and he was the key to that life.


    Thud!


    Finally, hended at the stairway of the Pope''s Pce. The soldiers knelt to pay respect, and the passing clergymen saluted.


    "Your Holiness!"


    "Ah, I knew he''d appear," Sylvester saw Gabriel rushing to him with a file in his hands. "What happened now?"


    "Headmaster Geralt of the School of Dawn has summoned you. It''s regarding E, as you are her official guardian and adopted father."


    Sylvester''s forehead got covered with veins, "What happened to my girl?"


    "I don''t know."


    Boom!


    Sylvester kicked his feet and instantly leaped into the sky, aiming his trajectory tond on the School of Dawn''s main terrace since the ce wasn''t that far away.


    He controlled his fall with Air Elemental and made his way downstairs to the Headmaster''s office. He remembered going there before. The creepy door with a face was hard to forget. But unlike before, he didn''t need a key to enter anymore.


    "Cardinal Geralt! What happened to E? Who bullied her?" He rushed into the office room and saw E in her little clergy robes, sitting in front of the headmaster at the table. Looking cute with butterfly hair clips that Xavia used on her hair, she silently swung her little feet while sitting on the high chair.


    Geralt stood up stiffly. He was old and had seen Sylvester grow up from a small kid, but for some reason, he always felt he was talking with another old man, not a young Pope. "Your Holiness, please calm down. Although she was bullied at the beginning, and Prince Rex beat them up bloody, that''s not why I called you here."


    Sylvester frowned, hearing that she was bullied for the first time. But at the same time, he felt proud of Rex.


    "Then what happened? Did some heretic Bishop try to harm her? Like what happened to me at that time?" Sylvester asked, remembering the old days.


    "Not at all. Nobody has a death wish in this school, Your Holiness," Headmaster Geralt sweated as he remembered it. "I called you here to hand you young E''s graduation certificate."


    "Graduation? It''s barely been a month since she started school," Sylvester confusedly pointed out.


    "I know, Your Holiness. But E is unique. After merely learning the basics, she derived all the advanced theories on her own, without ever needing to read any books. But since she is physically young, she cannot train in advanced magic." It almost sounded like pleading as the Headmaster exined, "I tried teaching her personally, but¡­ but there is really nothing left to teach her in this school."


    "..."


    "..."


    The two old men, one physically and one mentally, stared at each other''s faces before looking at E. She sat there with her usual emotionless face, unbothered with them.


    ''All these years, I thought I was smart, but¡­'' Sylvester questioned his own capabilities.


    "E, let''s go¡­ I''ll treat you to Bard''s."


    "Really?" she chirped, revealing a rare smile. After all, she was still a child. "I want fried chicken and ice cream."


    "Of course," he extended his finger so she could hold it.


    ''And I need time to n out what to teach you next. I can''t be looking dumb to you now¡ªI won''t allow that.''


    _________________


    See E here.


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 682 681. Matters Of Broken Heart

    <h4>Chapter 682 681. Matters Of Broken Heart</h4>


    Jack Johnson was a measly Priest in the Holy Land. He was twenty-one years old and, hence, considered himself quite blessed as he knew he had plenty of time to grow and climb high on thedder of ranks.


    However, for now, what he needed was money. Although, as a Priest, he was supposed to cut off all his connections with his family, he still couldn''t just watch his parents and siblings starve to death. So, he looked for a job and finallynded one.


    He was now a well-respected cashier at the Bard''s eatery inside the Holy Land. And the best thing was that he got to interact with high-ranking clergy members, allowing him opportunities to secure his future.


    Ting! Ting!


    ''Ah, the sound of the bell. Another customer entering this fine establishment,'' he thought while preparing the catalog on the counter and getting ready to take an order.


    "What can I get for you today?"


    "Father, I want spicy fried chicken and strawberry ice cream."


    "Good choice, E. But I''ll only drink some fruit juice. It''s good for my bones."


    "You''re not old yet, Father."


    "In my heart I am."


    Jack felt amused since it was the Holy Land, and no Clergyman had children there. So, a child calling a man father was new. So, he wrote down the order and finally looked up at the customer.


    "Anything els¡ªP-P-P-P¡­ Pho¡­"


    "Pope Sylvester Maximilian, yes," Sylvester introduced himself to the bbergasted Priest. "Pack a banana shake as well."


    "U-u-understoo~"


    E looked up at Sylvester. "Who''s going to drink the banana shake? Is there someone secretly hiding in the house? I always feel like there''s another person, but I couldn''t see them."


    ''Keeping Chonky a secret from her is going to be impossible,'' Sylvester realized it right then.


    "This is for Zeke," Sylvester lied and led her to take a seat with the food. "Ah, about that, I suddenly remembered. How is Zeke doing with his rtionship? He was interested in that school nurse of yours."


    E dug into the food while talking back, openly showing her childish side to Sylvester. "Lady Iris got married a few days ago,"


    "What?!" Sylvester almost jumped to his feet. "Not to Zeke, right?"


    "Uncle Zeke was very sad," E replied. "He didn''t go to work for three days."


    ''Heartbreak, it''s hard to deal with. Especially the first time,'' Sylvester felt bad for Zeke. ''I should have a talk with himter.''


    He still couldn''t help but feel somewhat unsure about the whole situation. After all, even if that nurse didn''t love Zeke, any woman would jump at the opportunity of bing the Pope''s sister-inw. How did the nurse find someone to marry so quickly? He wanted to know since he had read her detailed report from Saint Seer.


    "Can I get one more strawberry milkshake?" E cutely asked, pulling Sylvester out of his thoughts.


    "Sure," he looked at the attentive Priest standing at the cashier''s counter. "Bring me a strawberry milkshake. Put the bill on my tab."


    "Tab?" Jack confusedly looked down, and then it clicked. "Ah! I almost forgot you''re the owner!"


    E heard it and looked at Sylvester with interest. Her innocent blue eyes appeared amused and curious. "Father, how rich are you?"


    Sylvester thought deeply about it, "Um¡­ I''m the richest man in the world, E."


    E''s jaw fell. "Richer than Queen Isabe? King Kaecilius? Or¡­ Or the elves and dragons?"


    "I am," Sylvester replied nonchntly. "Once you grow older, you''ll realize how easy it is to earn money for people like us. But the true treasure is learning to control your greed. Because your real wealth is not in gold but in the people you surround yourself with. If I were to lose all my wealth today, I wouldn''t mind, but if I were to lose you, Mum, or my friends, I would be heartbroken."


    "Un-un," E nodded vigorously while eating. "Where do I go to study now?"


    ''That is what I am thinking about. It''s too early for you to stay by my side and learn to scheme and rule,'' Sylvester found himself in an utterly tough spot. ''Perhaps a project to work on?''


    "How about working on a project? I want to find a way to use srium with a tool. Perhaps an instrument that can use srium and create fire, water, or air¡ªwithout the use of crystals," Sylvester suggested, since doing such research would require her to study not only magic theory and runes, but also smithing.


    E thought about it for a while and agreed, "I''ve learned the magic theory of particles. Which felt simr to the particle theory you wrote, Father. Maybe a type of converter can be made, like the electric motor¡ªSrium is everywhere, if we can control it¡­"


    ''Such raw talent in deduction. I have to cherish her and guide her well.''


    "E, do you understand how different you are?" He suddenly asked.


    She nodded softly, looking down at the te. A hint of the scent of sadness came from her. "I know."


    Sylvester knew she was a lonely girl. Kids her age were too naive for her to feelfortable around, while the adults only saw her as a child or felt disdain because she was already better than they were. It was a vicious cycle since she could only befriend other intellectual monsters like Emara and Rex.


    "You''re likely even smarter than me, dear. So, you must learn to understand that other people are simply not as quick-minded as you, and it may take them time to learn what you can in mere minutes. Try to be patient with people, and teach them if they''re doing something wrong," he tried to give her some life advice. "Remember, you will always have me, Rex, and Emara to talk to. If you ever find yourself in any trouble, you cane to me right away."


    "I''m fine, Father. I don''t need other people to pity me," E said, trying to hide her true self with false words. She still had a lot to learn about Sylvester.


    Tap!


    Sylvester knocked on her head softly, "You may think that right now, but let me tell you. More than dying, more than any illness, the greatest torture a person can experience isplete loneliness. When you want to talk and have nobody to talk to, when you want to share your joys but have none to share with¡ªit turns your heart and mind hollow."


    "Is that why you keep Uncle Felix as your friend?"


    "Haha, he might have a few screws loose in his head. But he''s an honest, trustable man. I cherish my friendship with him, and so should you if you find a good friend. Ah, about Felix, I just remembered I needed to find him and ask how it went. But it''ste in the evening now. He must be busy."


    "Busy with what?"


    "Fulfilling his dream," Sylvester didn''t borate and picked up the packed cup of banana shake for Miraj. "Let''s go home now. Mum should be waiting."


    While she held onto his index finger, he took her on a breezy and scenic walk home. Using the Light Tiles, he took her straight towards the Bright Mothers'' housing. Walking over the massive buildings and parks, she happily, but somewhat with a bit of fear, walked close to him.


    "Nya, nya, nyaaaa, nyo nyaaa¡­"


    "Cats!" E got excited once they arrived at the door of the fifth-floor housing unit. "Did Grandma bring the cats?"


    ''What is Chonky doing?'' Sylvester carefully opened the door and nced inside. ''Five cats? Ah, Chonky''s training them since they can''t see him.''


    "I think the others sent their cats here." Sylvester let E in and y with the furballs.


    In the meantime, he went to find Xavia in the kitchen. Zeke was also there, helping her silently. He likely hadn''t shared his heartbreak with Xavia either, and simply from his sullen expressions, Sylvester could notice he was hurt.


    "Mum, what''s for dinner?"


    "Roasted chicken, soup, rice, pudding, and honey-baked bread," Xavia chirped back, loving her life as Sylvester would usually return home for dinner. "Why don''t you go and take a bath? It will still take an hour to be ready."


    "Zeke,e with me. I need someone to scrub my back," He called the big man over, not even waiting for a reply.


    The bathroom was huge enough, so he didn''t mind. He threw his upper clothes off and sat down on a high stool to scrub himself before dipping in therge tub.


    Zeke silently came in and used the scrubbing stone on Sylvester''s back. He didn''t say a single word the entire time, holding himself back.


    Sylvester saw through it all and asked him directly, "I heard what happened. Did that nurse really get married? But, I thought she was single."


    "Zeke thought that too. But Iris came with her husband."


    "Did her husband say something?"


    Zeke clenched harder onto the scrubbing stone, cracking it. "He said he''ll tell everyone I''m bad if I don''t stop talking with Iris."


    ''Ah, the ssic tough guy act,'' Sylvester instantly saw through it all. ''Does that man have a death wish? Zeke is a Golden Knight. This Iris woman, she probably asked the man to threaten Zeke to stay away.''


    "Did you do something to Iris?"


    "Zeke gave Iris flowers every day and asked Iris to marry Zeke," Zeke replied. "She even kissed Zeke''s cheek before but stopped since then."


    ''She panicked and did something foolish to push Zeke away instead of directly confronting him and rejecting the proposal? I can understand her fears.'' Sylvester deduced. It wasn''t that hard after having lived for so long.


    "Don''t worry, Zeke. There are millions of women out there in the world who are kinder and prettier than Iris. I''m sure you''ll find one very soon," he cheered him up and finally stood up. "Now, how about we have a bout like old times?"


    "Bout?"


    Bam!


    He pushed Zeke into therge bathtub. "Wrestling, my brother. It''s time I test how strong you''ve gotten."


    "Zeke is not weak anymore, brother," Zeke stood up again and took a fighting stance. "Zeke can hold you now."


    Bam!


    Sylvester vanished from the sight and sent a flying knuckle to Zeke''s head. "Oh really? Then what''s this? You can''t even react. Have you been cking? Did you stop training?"


    "Zeke didn''t!" Zeke tried to tackle Sylvester.


    Sylvester didn''t go too rough on him, either. He allowed the simple-minded brother of hisnd a few harmless punches. However, they did end up making a mess of the entire bathroom, with water sttered everywhere¡ªeven the ceiling.


    Afterward, the two came out refreshed and ate dinner with the family. There being two overly strong men in the house, the quantity of food on the table was always high. And seeing the two men eat so much, even E started eating more and bing healthier. However, there was also a furball under the table who chomped on some food.


    Later, they sat together in the living room and talked about a few things. Not always rted to work, but more rted to gossip, events around the world, or workce incidents. Once their eyes started getting heavy, they all headed to their bedrooms one by one.


    But not Sylvester, since he did not need to sleep. He just waited until everyone was snoring to enter the kitchen and start doing a few experiments of his own.


    "Ugh¡­ It still smells nasty," he groaned at the sight of Nehilius'' meat, dark in texture with purple blood. But it gave off an energy that eclipsed any elixir or treasure Sylvester had ever seen.


    "Maxy, whatcha doing?" Miraj smelled the scent and came running, jumping onto Sylvester''s shoulder and slumping downzily, looking down at his hands. "Oh, it''s the shitty-patty."


    Indeed, that was the name Miraj had given to Nehilius'' meat.


    "I''m marinating it in various ways to find a way to make it ptable. If I''m to eat that massive being, I can''t be vomiting with every bite," Sylvester exined.


    He quickly ignited three stoves with fire crystals and started cooking.


    He used various techniques and ingredients. From different spices to cheese, from honey to even medicinal herbs. He smoked it, grilled it, and fried it KFC style. He tried everything and prepared a few tes for himself.


    "I still feel like vomiting, Maxy."


    "Chonky, if you don''t quiet up, I''ll force-feed it to you," Sylvester grumpily warned him and took a bite from the first te.


    "Uwaaaa!"


    He vomited. But then he continued and ate from another te, only to throw up again. Slowly, he reached the final te, the one he had the most expectations from.


    Crunch!


    He took a bite and chewed it with his eyes closed. His nostrils red up, and his breath hastened. But he kept chewing and eventually gulped it down. This was it¡ªthe recipe that would work.


    "Deep fried with batter to crisp, then tossed with honey, sesame seeds, chili, and a few sauces," he muttered, remembering the dish. "But¡­ There isn''t enough honey or other ingredients in the world to cook Nehilius entirely."


    "Is it tasty?" Miraj jumped down from his shoulder and looked at the te with a drooling mouth.


    Right then, Sylvester felt an epiphany. "Chonky, can you teach me your ability to devour? If it''s rted to space magic, I can find a way to directly insert the meat into my stomach."


    "My ability?" Miraj curiously thought about it and showed it to Sylvester. He opened his jaw wide and activated the ck hole-like suction, and the few tes instantly vanished into his belly.


    "Yes, how do you do it? Exin it to me."


    Miraj once again fell into deep contemtion, "Ummmm¡­ I don''t know. It''s very easy, Maxy. You just open your mouth and do sucky sucky."


    "..."


    "Forget it. I shouldn''t have asked," Sylvester sighed, caressing the furball. "And never use those words like that again."


    "What? I did an oopsie again?"


    "You did. Go to sleep now."


    _________________


    See E here.


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 683 682. Wasted Beauty

    <h4>Chapter 683 682. Wasted Beauty</h4>


    "Hehe¡­ One more fishy¡­ so fishy fish¡­ ehe¡­"


    Sylvester didn''t sleep, but he did rest his body on the bed. As the morning birds started chirping outside, he started getting annoyed by Miraj''s strange sleep talking. He genuinely felt interested in what the heck the furball dreamt of.


    On top of that, Miraj had the bad habit of snuggling near his neck, which made all his little snores audible.


    "Wake up, Chonky. It''s time to get back to work. We''ll go and see how Felix''s night went," Sylvester got out of bed. "I''ll start finishing the urgent work as well. Let''s start the countdown to head into the Demon Realm. Perhaps ten months? That should be enough to gain a few more levels in the Supreme Wizard rank."


    What Sylvester just said would have made Julius, or any other Supreme Wizard in the world or in history, vomit blood. The fact that he wanted to level up in ten months at such a high rank was akin to challenging thews of the world. Even a decade was too small for a Supreme Wizard to level up.


    "Nyoo¡­ Let me sleep more," Miraj meowed like a spoiled cat and slid under the sheets again to sleep.


    Sylvester, meanwhile, walked over to his wardrobe to dress up and get to work. It was all filled with the same set of clothes, from left to right, top to bottom. But then his gaze fell on a package. It looked luxurious.


    "Ah, isn''t this the robes gifted by the Warsong royal family?" he mumbled, opened the box, and donned the clothes. They were very loose with variousyers. They were also stylish, with a white with a golden vest underneath. They reminded Sylvester of ancient eastern robes from his past world.


    "Interesting. I look like those torch-sword swinging space monks from that story," Sylvester mumbled and checked himself out in the mirror. He then tied his hair back and nodded in appreciation. "I think I''m much stronger than that green toad by now."


    Knock! Knock!


    "Max, breakf¡ª" Xavia opened the door and just stood there with words half stuck in her mouth. Her eyes widely stared at Sylvester, mesmerized.


    Sylvester awkwardly fixed his robes, "How do I look?"


    Xavia rubbed her forehead. "Dear, if you weren''t celibate, I''d be blessed with the most beautiful daughter-inw by now. You look impable."


    "Haha," Sylvesterughed.


    He walked over to her and put his arm on her shoulder like she was his buddy. "Learn to live with the small happy things, Mum. Why dream of something we both know isn''t possible?"


    She just sighed wearily, "At least you got me an amazing granddaughter."


    "Indeed. E is amazing."


    Following that, he ate breakfast with his family and soon headed out to work with a fluffy sack on his shoulder. Since the schedule was decided beforehand, he used the carriage this time to arrive at the Holy Land''s Port. There, he inaugurated the massive statue of Sir Dolorem at the harbor with a lighthouse at the top.


    Afterward, he went to check on the various developments. The dam was nearpletion, and themunication devices were going through thest testing phase. Their mass production had already started.


    "How is the Pope''s Museuming?" He reached his office and called for Gabriel. "Make sure it has the best security mechanism. Various old belongings of previous Popes will be disyed there. Those things are no less than godly treasures."


    Gabriel sat rxed in his seat, drinking some tea from Warsong. "Baron Lovnd is building it. He knows his work well, and a few Guardians are also helping with the magical aspects. But are you sure you want to worry about that? That man named Leyon in the West has already conquered the Marcia Kingdom after taking over Sond. He calls himself Emperor Leyon now."


    Sylvester shrugged, took out a book from his drawer, and began to write on it. "Let themoners deal with this issue. This so-called Emperor hasn''t challenged the rule of the Holy Land yet, nor has he dared to harm the clergy. We have no usible reason to meddle. Ah, send a letter to King Keilib of Nond Kingdom, tell him to just surrender if something happens. He used to be a ve alongside me back in the day. I''d hate to see him die."


    Gabriel exhaustedly stared at Sylvester''s face, unable to gauge what was actually going on. After all, Sylvester had killed plenty of nobles in the past for much less than causing a multi-kingdom war.


    "In that case, I''ll leave it all to you. I came to report thepletion of the restructuring of the Holy Army. It''s now turned into the ''Police Force'' as you named it. Each Grand Monastery is now a headquarters, and each ordinary Monastery is an outpost. The Inquisitors are now the main battle force of the Holy Land under themand of the Lord Inquisitor."


    "How did the judicial examination go? Did Diana, that little orphan girl pass?" Sylvester remembered the golden-eyed orphan child he had taken in.


    "She did, and she became the youngest traveling judge of the lot. As of now, she''s deployed in Riveria, mainly the Northern Duchy," Gabriel proudly revealed, but then noticed Sylvester''s dissatisfaction. "I know, I know. We''re still working on dividing each kingdom into smaller districts. It will take some time, Max. We have to cooperate with the local lords, monarchs, and clergy."


    "I didn''t say anything," Sylvester shrugged and kept writing Gauss''sw, its forms, derivations, and uses. He knew physics could help his two Oppenheimers a lot, so he tried to write as much as he knew. It wasn''t easy, since he studied it so many years ago. However, a little bit of pondering was usually enough to refresh his memory.


    "Why are you rushing everything these days?" Gabriel asked him what was on everyone''s mind.


    Sylvester didn''t even bother lying anymore, "I''m going to enter the Demon Realm in ten months. So I simply want to finish most of the major projects before I leave."


    "You already told me you''d go there. But so soon?" Gabriel sighed, and his head fell back on the seat. "I guess there''s nobody left in this world to pose a challenge to you anymore. But after the Demon World, what then?"


    "Haha, you seem confident I can win over them."


    "I never doubted you. Never after seeing you deal with Romel that night," Gabriel reminisced about the old days. "I still remember your words, ''Would you kill that man for your sister?'' Yes, I''d destroy the world for my sister if I must, even if I physically can''t. I thought about you all these years and came to the realization that you never really fought to be the Pope specifically. You fought to survive, as every ambitious man considered you an enemy."


    Amused, Sylvester looked up at his friend. "Gods."


    "What?"


    "Gods¡ªThat''s who I''ll fight after dealing with the Demons. Two Gods, specifically. They''re behind all the mysteries in our world, behind the actions of Saint Scepter, the hidden history, and the death of the First Pope. To this day, they want to stop me as I bring order to the chaos they desire," Sylvester revealed everything and keenly watched to see his reaction. From the facial to the scent, he noted it all down.


    ''Fear, but trust. I''ve been lucky enough to have trustable friends in this life.''


    Gabriel tiredly rubbed his face and hunched forward on the table. "I''ll probably die fighting them then."


    "Only I''ll be doing the fighting, Gab. All I need from you is help in keeping this world at peace, to watch my back. Felix, as well; All of you¡ªI just need you to maintain what we''ve created," Sylvester rified and stood up to walk over to a small locker. He took out a hand-drawn portrait with four boys in it and ced it on the table. "For Markus, for Shane, for Sir Dolorem, for all those we lost in this long journey. Let''s not disappoint them."


    Gabriel stood up. "I''m celibate, so I can''t have a family of my own. But, I wish to see my nephews and nieces born in a world where no war exists¡ªjustice and kindness aremon virtues. Where evil is quashed before it takes root. I will stand behind you to achieve that goal until myst breath!"


    Bam!


    Suddenly, the door to his office was kicked open, and a ck-haired man haughtily walked in with a massive smile that revealed all his teeth.


    "Max! I did it!"


    Sylvester sighed and sat down again, "That''s great to hear, Felix. I hope she gives birth to a healthy baby soon."


    "No happening," Felix eximed excitedly. The happiness on his face was worth noting. "Isabe wants to get married first, then spend a year as a married couple, and then think about children. She said she wants to enjoy this life first."


    "Hmph!" Gabriel snorted. "You just want to act like rabbits in heat."


    "Exactly!" Felix shamelessly epted. "It was fucking glorious, or should I say it was glorious fucking! Holy Solis, I feel like kissing you, Max¡ªmy brother from the most amazing mother. Oh, I still hear Isabe''s voice. I had to plead to her to evene here. She''s still waiting for me in the room."


    ''Ah, youth¡­'' Sylvester sighed.


    "When are you getting married?"


    "In a week," Felix blurted out. "I know, it''s too quick. But I don''t even care since we''re already doing the married couple things. Oh, it''s time. I should head back. See youter, my brothers."


    Bam!


    As fast as the storm had entered, it vanished.


    Gabriel grumpily picked up his papers to leave, "I think he came here to make us jealous."


    Scratch! Scratch!


    To Gabriel''s shock, Sylvester was already back to writing the book. And like that, he was once again reminded of who he worked for.


    ''Supreme god of virgins¡ªYou''re rightfully titled, my brother,'' he thought and sighed even more when he noticed Sylvester''s looks. ''Lord works in strange ways. What a waste of peak beauty.''


    "Hm? Did you say something?" Sylvester suddenly felt strange and looked up.


    "Ah, nothing. May the Holy Light enlighten us."


    "..."


    With his furrowed brows, Sylvester watched him leave, feeling suspicious towards his good friend.


    ''Why did I smell worship and lust at the same time?''


    _________________


    [A/N: See Sylvester in Warsong robes here]


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 684 683. Peace & Crime

    <h4>Chapter 684 683. Peace & Crime</h4>


    "Do you understand what you must do?"


    "I understand, Father."


    In the hall so tall that even the mightiest empires and churches would feel ashamed. In a kingdom locked away from the eyes of those unknown and even famed. The King of Giants sat on his majestic Throne of Eternal Tree. Before him knelt his son, his cherished blood.


    "You are the Prince of Gantis. The blood of Fortius Gralith runs through your veins. Do not fear any; bow to none. Your fist is firm, your body unyielding, and your mind nourished. Go, and fulfill the destiny of this Kingdom¡ªGuide the one named ten thousand years ago. To his destiny that he may not know," King Fortius Gralith concluded his royal decree. "Rise, Castell Gralith of Gantis¡ªMay you write your legend with your might."


    And so the gates that had remained shut for eons opened. Humongous, full of dust. The rumble they caused shook thends. It was the start of a new era. A tall, young giant ventured into thends of the myth he only knew stories of. With his trusted sword, the golden armor, his long amber hair, and a yful giant eagle.


    Excitement, fear, and a sense of duty hid behind the smile on his lightly-tanned face.


    "What do you think, Bajj? How long will it take us to reach the Destined One?"


    "A month, Cas."


    The eagle spoke.


    ¡­


    The research and development department of the Holy Land was in chaos for the past two days. A new member had joined their ranks, and it was someone they couldn''t provoke, scold, or punish. Not that they could find anything wrong with the person, since their wits were at an end in dealing with her.


    Merely ten years old. E Maximilian had made almost all the old foggies of the department realize they were dumber than a rock. A lot of self-esteem was hurt, confidence was broken, and minds were left in confusion. The productivity only went higher as a consequence.


    "What do we do?" The former Prince, now Cardinal Jinn, looked at his usualpetition, hisrade at work, Cardinal Robert. "It''s been two days, and she''s solved themunication device''s rune problem."


    "Jinn, I think we''re just dense," Robert sternly replied, sitting cross-armed. "Let''s just ept it and continue working."


    "But¡­ I feel a strange weight in my chest. She''s ten years old, Robert. I was still figuring out the best way to wipe myself at that age."


    "...Really?"


    "Don''t focus on that part," Jinn changed the subject. "Could she be someone sent by His Holiness to test us? He must have taught her everything and sent her to humble us."


    Jinn, in fact, couldn''t be more wrong. Sylvester simply didn''t want to be in the same state that they were in now.


    "Hmm¡­ It''s possible. His Holiness is the greatest mind to ever live. Solis is the one who''s behind his marvelous ideas and knowledge, so a mere child can never be so knowledgeable without His Holiness'' teachings,'''' Robert ate the same misunderstanding and doubled down. "If this is a test, we can''t be brooding here. Let''s impress Lady E and show her our worth. I''ll work on a fully automated printing press, much bigger and faster, and you''ll work on the Srium-Combustion-Engine for the carriages that His Holiness hypothesized."


    "Let''s do it," Jinn agreed and sped his friend''s hand. "Let''s make Lady E and His Holiness proud."


    "Aye, we shall!"


    ¡­


    Hignd Kingdom, Sand City


    "Your Majesty, a letter hase from Prince Rex," the King''s Prima, dius, handed over the sealed package.


    King Hignd eagerly took the letter and opened it since he was alone in his study. In no time, a proudugh echoed in the chamber. "Bwahaha¡­ He''s asking me how I impressed his mother. Could it be that my son is showing interest in women? Perhaps he has his eyes on some fine youngdy."


    "But," dius, also being the King''s younger brother, spoke candidly. "Your Majesty, it''s the Holy Land. Statistically speaking, there are no women that he could meet there. So if this letter is a hint, then I''m afraid¡­"


    King Hignd''s face fell. "You''re to depart to the Holy Land right away and find out who the young Prince is interested in. Report to me immediately."


    "But what of the trade coalition meeting today? I must attend it, Brother. You''re a warrior, not a negotiator. They will take advantage of you," dius warned as he knew his brother the best. Atrox Hignd was a simple man who knew how to swing his sword the most, a man with a kind heart.


    King Hignd scoffed and rxed. "Did you forget who my wife is? I''ll let Trinity sit beside me and spearhead the meeting. Those money hungry bastards won''t even know how they lose their precious gold."


    "In that case, I understand, Your Majesty. I will depart for the Holy Land." dius bowed his head and left the room.


    Just as he left an hourter, a meeting took ce in the King''s minor courtroom. Ten representatives of a trade coalition had arrived, representing the interests of various unions and groups across the Hignd Kingdom. Each man in that room was the wealthiest in the kingdom after him and a few nobles, and their wealth was all thanks to Sylvester and King Hignd. So, respect was not lost towards the crown.


    But not the King. It was the Queen who sat on the throne-like chair. Queen Trinity was an enigma to most. With her striking ash-blonde hair, sharp blue eyes, fair skin, and a six-foot stature; she seemed like a Goddess of War to most as her standing as a Grand Wizard was renowned.


    "What is this nonsense?" Queen Trinity boomed once she read the trade policy that was to be enforced for the next five years. "ording to this, you want to pay only five percent tax for the next five years, while allowing the crown to buy discounted goods from you at a thirty percent discount? Do you think we''re fools? Has greed blinded your eyes? Have you forgotten who secures your trade routes?! I don''t even see a mention of a pledge to the Holy Land in this draft."


    The ten men silently lowered their heads. She was a beauty, but also an old woman, after all, old enough to be their mother. So, her sharp tongue did feel like a scolding.


    "Your Majesty, this is just a draft. You can make sugge¡ª"


    "Silence!" Queen Trinity boomed. "We allowed the Trade Coalition to write the draft in hopes of seeing if you will act sincerely. But with this, you''ve proven your greed ovees everything. The Royal Administration will have to keep a keen eye on you now. As for this draft? A t fifteen percent tax will be imposed on all of you, along with a five percent tax as a pledge to the Holy Land. Furthermore, a fifty-percent discount on purchases made for the infrastructural development across the Kingdom¡ªroads, bridges, structures, and the newly proposed concept of rail-line by His Holiness, which will require great quantities of high-grade steel."


    "B-But, Your Majesty. The local Lords also take a ten percent tax."


    "What local lords? My husband, your King, abolished most of the nobility and put in ce the administrative services. The nobles of the old days are now mere businessmen with vastnds¡ªa new era has dawned, and you all must learn to live in it. Law, honesty, and equality. Obey, or perish, that''s it!" Queen Trinity didn''t listen to them and stood up to leave. "Any attempts to steal tax will be reported to His Holiness. He hates corruption more than anything."


    "But¡­"


    "Please, Your Majesty."


    "We ept."


    "Not His Holiness¡­"


    "We will obey!"


    The ten men stood up in fright as soon as Sylvester''s name was mentioned.


    Queen Trinity simply smiled and chose to leave, "You are dismissed. I must go and care for my daughter now."


    With her gone, the ten men looked at the King.


    "Bwahaha¡ªWho''d have thought I''d see a day when this castle would hold such meetings? I remember when most gatherings were about fear of Riveria attacking us. Now, it''s just prosperity," King Atrox Hignd loudly chortled and took his throne. "This peace is brought upon us by the blessings of the Pope. If anyone here has a problem with it, I can help you greet the de of my sword. I swear its caressing touch will take your breath away."


    Quite literally; they all knew it.


    And just like that, without Sylvester even being there, his mere name got the job done. He was the de-facto, but unofficial ruler of the world. Be it a king, a merchant, or amoner, everyone knew that simple fact.


    Even in Beastaria.


    ¡­


    Holy Land,


    Sylvester held the Holy Court as usual and listened to the worries of the people. With the new system in ce, only the most troublesome and serious cases reached him personally. And most of the time, they turn out to be truly rming.


    "Your Holiness, I''m Winston, a meremoner. I work in the Pentapeak Mountain Range. I am the manager of a minor silver mine near the base of Quaris." A tall man in rough robes made of wool stood before Sylvester. He looked smart and clean, with fire in his eyes to convey his message.


    "Speak your mind, Winston." Sylvester gestured from his throne.


    The man bowed his head in respect and firmly spoke, each word sharp and loud. "Your Holiness, the miningpany I work for hasmitted atrocities against the followers of Solis. As the blessed court may know, a group of ex-barbarians who epted Solis returned to the mountains to maintain their way of life, unable to adjust to life in the south."


    "We are aware," Gabriel affirmed.


    So Winston continued, reaching the gruesome part. "Theirrgest camp was recently attacked by the Pentapeak Mining Company for no reason. With weapons, the hired soldiers ransacked, burned, piged the vige, raped the women, killed the children, and forced the men to work in the mines as forcedbor¡ªI only found out as they sent the first batch of forcedbor to work at my mine. As a faithful servant of the Lord, I can''t ept it."


    Silence fell in the Holy Court. Everyone''s face looked towards Sylvester to see his reaction. There was going to be a bloodbath, and they knew it. But who''d deliver it? Lord Inquisitor? Saint Viceman? Or perhaps someone else?


    But no one expected the Pope to stand up and lift his Spear of Infinity.


    Sylvester''s eyes burned crimson, and his anger was clear despite the in expression. "That vige¡­ I had promised them personally that their way of life would be respected. From this moment, I forbid all mining activities in the North and revoke all mining permits."


    Gabriel agreed and wrote it down on his to-do list. "Who should I send to deal with the criminals?"


    He shook his head and walked down the stairs with the spear in hand.


    "Sylvester Maximilian."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 685 684. Heresy In The North

    <h4>Chapter 685 684. Heresy In The North</h4>


    Sylvester didn''t think the world would be all butterflies and rainbows after taking over as Pope. He didn''t have any delusions that crimes wouldn''t happen¡ªmost heinous crimes wouldn''t happen. It was human nature to fall into madness, especially when arge group was involved, as the sense of individual responsibility bes diluted.


    As he made his way to the north with his sounds bursting dashes in the sky, his mind was only upied with thoughts of the people who had suffered the injustice. Sylvester didn''t care about two knights or wizards killing each other. But whenmon people, just trying to live their normal lives earnestly, get harmed for no reason but existing¡ªit boils his blood.


    Boom!


    The resounding sound of the sound barrier being pierced through echoed throughout the sky of Northern Gracia. In no time, Sylvester arrived at the sky-high peaks of the Pentapeak Mountain Range. The name of thepany was also Pentapeak Mining Company, the biggest one in the entire region. It was also run by a group of wealthy merchants who had stayed on the right side of history over the past few years.


    But clearly, they didn''t learn the lessons.


    Knowing the ce where the ex-barbarians had set their camp, Sylvester chose tond at the same spot and judge the situation. However, even from the sky, he noticed the camp thaty in ruins. A fewrge tents had been burned, and a few others were still standing erect. There were also a few bonfires that he noticed, but they were surrounded by armed men from the south, not ex-barbarians.


    Thud!


    Hended right in the middle of the dpidated camp. It was mostly covered with snow, but he could hear all sorts of noises. He used Elder Magic in abundance and allowed the srium in the air to speak to him through his senses. He felt the tiniest vibrations, the voices. The low grunts of men in a few tents, the faint sniffling voices of women, the crackling of wood burning, the coughs and curses, the ps and cries for help.


    Fury burned through his thoughts. Sylvester knew he was toote; the signs told him days had passed since the piging began.


    ''No matter the world, crimes are all the same,'' he told himself.


    He raised his spear a foot up and then mmed it back down on the ground. The sound and the intense shockwave spread all around, rming every being in the camp. All the soldiers rushed to pick up their weapons and find the source of the noise.


    In no time, hundreds of footsteps came, followed by armored men with spears or swords surrounding him. They all looked utterly filthy, most with unkempt beards, hideous teeth, dirty clothes, and skin so dry it was questionable if they even felt anything.


    "I will not kill you," Sylvester said in a low voice since talking to them was pointless. "However, I will make you regret being alive."


    "Who are you?" One of the wise men asked.


    Sylvester sighed and didn''t even feel like responding, "You will have plenty of time to guess."


    Boom!


    A surge of invisible energy originating from Sylvester spread in all directions. The entire region was in his Supreme Void already, covering all minds and bodies. He saw everything: all the victims in variousrge tents, the dug holes with dead bodies piled together, now covered with snow.


    The absolute control over the elements allowed him to reign over all the bodies. Thin, invisible des of air elemental flew around the men and cut away all their clothes. The cuts were harsh as they also made incisions on the skins of all the men.


    "Aaargh!"


    "Stop!"


    "We work for¡­"


    Sylvester moved on to the next part of his borate punishment. With absolute control over Earth Elemental, he first turned the ground into a swamp, and once all the men were knee-deep in it, he froze thend again and turned it into solid rock.


    Bam!


    "Aaaaaa¡­"


    "Fuck!"


    Moving on, he used his control over nature thanks to being an elf. Since a few trees were near the camp, he made their roots grow ande out from below every single man there. The roots dug into the bodies of the men from various parts¡ªknees, backbone, neck, and palms. By the end, each one of them stood there naked with their arms forcefully spread wide like scarecrows.


    And with that, he finished the preparation. He stopped using the Supreme Void and allowed the cold air of nature that he had stopped until now to hit their naked, wounded bodies. Other than their heads, they couldn''t move a thing.


    "Feel the pain and the fear. Feel the slow death as hopelessness creeps further and near. For your crimes, many more shall suffer. Every single man who knew and turned a blind eye, every man who abused the innocents¡ªThere are many left to be cursed. You are merely the first," Sylvester spoke menacingly, his voice devoid of any kindness. "But, I will give you all a quick death if you answer my queries."


    After that, Sylvester didn''t speak and silently waited. He knew they would break soon enough as the freezing weather only turned worse as the night was creeping closer. It was impossible to stay alive in the cold north without clothes and fire, and they knew it.


    "Please¡­ ask!" Someone shouted in desperation.


    Sylvester didn''t even bother looking. "Whose idea was it to attack these camps? How many more did you attack? What did you do to the people?"


    "Lord H-H-Helmond!" A man cried out a name.


    But then anotherpleted the answer, albeit while gritting his teeth. "He''s t-the¡­ the overseer o-oh-of the north for the Evergold Merchant Group!"


    Sylvester remembered all that and moved to the next question. "How many more camps? Why? What did you do to the people?"


    Answers started toe randomly at that point since the desperation for release from that torture increased.


    "All camps."


    "They needed ves to keep profits high."


    "Men work at mines¡­"


    "W-Women warm beds¡­"


    "Children d-do¡­ both¡­death¡­ if too young."


    Sylvester felt his fist clenching harder. He saw this as his failure since allowing privateers to mine in the Pentapeak mountain range was his decision. He hoped to extract resources and enrich thends, but his oversight was too severe. He ced too much faith in the idea.


    "Where can I find this Lord Helmond?" He questioned.


    "Base of Mount Dimos¡­"


    That was enough for Sylvester. He decided to focus on the survivors in the camp and make things right for them. So he left the men as they were and turned away.


    "No!"


    "You promised!"


    Sylvester shrugged, remaining stoic to their misery. "Just like you did to your humanity¡ªI lied."


    ¡­


    Four more camps, each as sad as the one before. Sylvester found all the survivors and made them a warm resthouse. Then, he went to Mount Dimos, thergest of them all. At its base was the biggest mining camp of the Pentapeak Mining Company.


    It was a massive mining town, almost housing twenty-thousand miners. The living conditions there were worse than the poorest vige in the ckhart Kingdom. The people looked unhygienic. In the name of housing, there were just tents and shacks. However, he found no ves, understandably, as they all lived in the mines only.


    Boom!


    Once again, Sylvesternded at the camp. But he didn''t causerge-scale destruction there, as many of the miners were no better than ves. However, his eyes did notice the armored men.


    ''I''m tired of repeating this again and again.'' Sylvester walked towards the most prominent building in the town. Arge three-story mansion with fencing around it and the presence of guards. It was also painted beautifully, and the chimney spewing steam was proof it was well-heated inside.


    "Halt!"


    "Tell your Lord that the Pope is here."


    "Haha, the Po¡ª"


    Bam!


    Sylvester gently tapped the guard standing on the right side of the gate. It was a simple touch from his fingertip, and the man was turned into shredded meat, even bones turned into tiny pieces.


    With that, he looked to the guard on the left. "Do as I say. If you speak, you will die."


    Sylvester tried his best not to look down on people. To not let the power get to his head and keep his humanity alive. But he couldn''t bring himself to treat them like humans in cases like this. It scared him that he didn''t even feel anything while killing them.


    The guard on the left ran right into the mansion, screaming like a madman.


    "He spoke," Sylvester muttered and chose to follow in. Nobody stopped him anymore, and he made his way to the main office of Lord Helmond.


    The mansion was utterlyvish. Every inch of any showpiece in there was gilded with shining gold. Chandeliers were shining with light crystals. The servants were well-dressed, and the marble flooring so polished he could see his own face.


    But then he looked at Lord Helmond, standing behind his desk, terrified.


    "Fat, as I expected. Middle-aged, as I expected. Ugly, perhaps subjective. A dead man walking, that''s a face." Sylvester stepped closer, "By the authority of Pope Sylvester Maximilian, I hold you ountable for atrocities against mankind. As the supreme judge, I sentence you to die¡ªbut not now."


    "N-no! You are not the Pope! I have Pope''s permission to mine here," Helmond shouted, his saliva falling out. His belly throbbed whenever his triple-chinned face attempted to shout. His blonde hair was so short that he was practically bald.


    Sylvester gave no heed, grabbed Lord Helmond by his cor, and dragged him out. He was fat, but it was nothing for him.


    "Your trial will be held at the Holy Land, in front of every other member of your merchant group and any other significant merchant of Sol," Sylvester announced and prepared to leap into the sky and head back with the pig in his grasp. "Rejoice. You shall soon be feeding on what you love the most¡ªgold, precious gems, and crystals."


    "M-Mercy!" Cried Lord Helmond while being dragged through the sky.


    Sylvester nodded firmly, "Indeed¡ªHeresy. That''s what you''vemitted."


    ¡­


    Two dayster, newspapers fell from the skies like usual. However, they had be amodity now, and small shops sold them after receiving a bunch from the sky delivery of the undead birds. The little shops had turned into quite the gathering spot for people as they discussed the various events reported in the paper.


    This time, the first page had arge image of a kneeling fat man in the Holy Court. His mouth was bloated, andrge bags of precious minerals were around him.


    "Heresy In the Mountains! very & piging uncovered by the Pope! Sinners brought to justice!" A man who could read spoke loudly for others to hear. "Lord Helmond of the¡­"


    They were allmoners but different from the past. They actively discussed matters that happened a kingdom away from them because now they had ess to information.


    "Old man Gozira, you knew this Lord Helmond, no?"


    Kobo Gozira, a bear Beastkin man, sat with humans and other Beastkins in a vige at the eastern shore of Hignd Kingdom. Being someone who had met Sylvester personally in the past, he was very famous. "No, but I''ve heard about thepany. They are very rich."


    "Read more, please," an old human man requested, being too old to study reading.


    Kobo shrugged and turned the page. But just then, a single page got loose from the newspaper binding and fell down. It was a massive page with a face on it, "Wanted, the reward is a thousand Gold Graces?"


    "Reward? Show me! What does it say?" The old human man almost jumped from his seat.


    Kobo read the name, "Crue Lampart."


    "Wait!" The old man snatched the poster. "I-Isn''t this our vige healer?"


    _________________


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 Chapter 686 685. Seeking Answers

    Chapter 686 685. Seeking Answers


    "Your Holiness, he''s still not dead," Gabriel informed Sylvester about the new prisoner, Lord Helmond. "He has eaten plenty of gold and precious stones, but he''s still breathing. The other major merchants are crying to be let out." "Don''t show them mercy, Gabriel. Helmond will die eventually, there''s no doubt. But the other traders must watch his misery and remember this lesson. This will be their punishment if they allow their greed to surmount." Sylvester didn''t bother thinking further about the issue and focused on other duties. "What of the Holy Land''s trade fleet?" "Almost a thousand ships have been inducted. Adding a thousand more to reach your target will take time since we have to make them from scratch. But we can start the operations already. We''ve selected Hydra Bay at Beastaria as the base on the other side. It''s Beastkins'' area, and they''re mostly believers of Solis now, so investing there is good for us," Gabriel detailed everything, it being a usual morning briefing to the Pope. Sylvester checked all the papers and wrote a few things down. "Good. We need to focus on making the two continents dependent on each other with trade. What''s the situation with the steel ships I proposed?"


    "The dwarves are working on it. It''s not that easy, Sylvester. We have to expand everything for such unprecedented demand for steel. From mining to processing, it''s a massive undertaking. There is also your railway proposal¡ªso much to do," Gabriel frustratingly answered, but he neverined about his job. "But at least the unemployment numbers have decreased to the lowest ever."


    Sylvester liked hearing such news. It helps cleanse the spoiled mood after the recent madness he witnessed in the north. "That''s brilliant. It means people are getting wealthy; Tax revenue is increasing. Ensure corruption doesn''t take root and all the money is invested in infrastructure. Upgrading cities, towns, and viges, making Economic Corridors like the one in Riveria, better homes, and sewers. Make sure progress is nned and clean, and avoid the creation of slums as much as possible." Knock! Knock!


    "Your Holiness," Anya Moller peeked in. "The dragons have arrived. The Lord Inquisitor is also with them." "Can they fit through the door?" Sylvester asked. Anya, his assistant, looked back momentarily and then peeked in again. "I think¡­ they will. They might have to crouch a little." "Ah, I need a bigger office," Sylvester muttered, gesturing with his hand. "Let them in." In no time, six dragons came in through the door. They were mutated and had humanoid forms, but they were still too tall and broad with their wings. As expected, they had to crouch and turn a little to fit in through the door. ''The scent of fear. I like it,'' Sylvester noticed the nervousness in their being. They were rightfully afraid, as Sylvester had the monopoly of power. Heck, even if they were to somehow cultivate a Supreme Wizard now, it''d be pointless. "Wee to the Holy Land. I apologize for the small door. My predecessors never thought dragons would ever visit us here. Some renovations are in order, I believe." Sylvester tried to act like the good guy, while the dragons knew he was the devil.


    A pale-blue scaled dragon with two curved horns on his head came forward first, "I am King Egomorius, Pope Sylvester. I am thest remaining dragon king of Greenpeaks. It is my honor to be in your esteemed presence. We pay respects in the highest regard to you." ''Too much fear,'' Sylvester noticed and knew this wasn''t the right way to deal with dragons. Too much fear meant too much hatred, making it hard for the dragons to swallow their pride. "Likewise," Sylvester stood up. "There aren''t big enough chairs to have you in this room, so let''s speak while standing. What can I do for you folks?" For a fact, everyone knew what the dragons wanted. But Sylvester simply wanted to hear it from their mouths. "Pope Sylvester, we believe that the hostilities between the dragons and the Holy Land still haven''t ceased. So, I wish to form a peace pact between our two distinguishedmunities officially. So we can usher in a new age of prosperity," King Egomorius humbly replied. ''He sounds like me,'' Sylvester couldn''t help but notice that. ''From what I remember, Rathagun is also antagonizing them. No wonder the dragons are scared.''


    "Of course, who doesn''t like peace? The Holy Land would be delighted to form friendly rtions with Greenpeaks. But, I''m unsure if Greenpeaks will agree to my terms." "We will agree!" King Egomorius couldn''t be more desperate. "We know what the elves agreed upon and are willing to do the same. We will open the economy of Greenpeaks to the rest of the world." Sylvester shrugged, making himself appear disappointed. "But¡­ that''s not what I had in mind. As far as my knowledge goes, the dragons of Greenpeaks don''t really produce anything. You mainly import things with the gold that you hoard or make the ves mine for you. But, since I abolished very, you can''t do that anymore." "That¡­" Egomorius'' face contorted. After all, the dragons hadn''t agreed to abolish very yet. They still kept many dwarves as their ves to mine gold. "How will we survive then, Pope Sylvester?" "By doing honest work as the rest of the world. Either mine gold yourself or start working at various other jobs. I think I read somewhere that dragon fire and dwarven smithing can create the finest products out there. Here in Sol, we''re having an unprecedented demand for steel, and I think therge smithies will be delighted to hire dragons," Sylvester proposed. Instantly, Gabriel''s eyes widened, and he stared at Sylvester with a knowing look. ''Ah, that''s what you were nning.'' It all made sense now. Why the dragons were kept there for so long. It was a pressure tactic to make them even more desperate and ept whatever Sylvester was going to throw at them. They wouldn''t have epted being used as furnaces if peace hade too quickly. "You''ll be working as protected workers and get paid," Sylvester added and gave them time to think about it. "The Divine Dragons have already epted the deal. They will be working at the Steelworth Viscounty and also living there in the mountains to maintain their peaceful lifestyle." Egomorius gritted his teeth and looked at the elders he had brought. Every single one of them was nodding like their necks were machines. "We¡­ We ept the proposal by the esteemed Pope Sylvester." ''Got you!'' Sylvester smiled and went forward to shake hands with the dragon. "That is wonderful, King Egomorius. I will include Greenpeaks as a destination in my new continental trade fleet. Saint Wazir, please make an addition for five hundred more ships to the trade fleet."


    Gabriel looked at Sylvester in confusion since they alreadycked a thousand ships. But he nodded and went with the flow. "It shall be done, Your Holiness." "Lord Inquisitor, add more soldiers to the trade outpost we''re making in Hydra Bay. It shall amodate the dragons as well," Sylvester added proudly, putting more pressure on them. The tall Lord Inquisitor, with a burning gaze, saluted. "I shall choose a thousand men for this glorious task. But before they leave, for your blessing, they might ask." "They shall have it," Sylvester responded, taking a parchment from his desk drawer. "Let us sign this agreement and officially dere the peace between us, King Egomorius." Egomorius stared at the parchment and began to sweat. He could read humannguage, and the wordings and terms on the agreement were just as what Sylvester had told him. This meant he got yed right into the hands of the Pope, as the agreement was already written. ''How did thise to happen? How did I fall for his tricks so easily?'' He wondered and felt overwhelmed by his opponent''s wits. Now, if he were to renege on the deal, he''d be the problem, not the Pope. With his draconic head held low and shoulders plummeting in defeat, he signed the parchment with his thumb. As witnesses, the six elders, Gabriel and Lord Inquisitors, also signed, and of course, Sylvester as the unofficial conqueror. And just like that, Greenpeaks, the region considered unconquerable, epted its defeat and Sylvester as the overlord. p p!


    Gabriel shamelessly started pping and cheering or perhaps gaslighting. "Wonderful. The entire Sol shall know of this great event by tomorrow. The dragons of Greenpeaks are now our people."


    "..."


    There were no cheers. The dragons didn''t have smiling faces. So they just stared at Gabriel the whole time. "Ah, I have something importanting soon," Sylvester excused himself from the awkwardness. "I shall get to it then."


    "We will also swiftly return to Greenpeaks," King Egomorius notified. "It''s been a while¡­ since we came here."


    ''I know,'' Sylvester thought. With that, Lord Inquisitor guided the dragons out. The cramped room finally began to feel spacious once more. Gabriel smirked and extended his hand towards Sylvester, "Well yed, my friend." Sylvester shook it, "You''re not too bad either." "You''re one scheming bastard," Gabrielplimented with a big smile on his face. Sylvester almost choked on his saliva. "In this game, you''re either the scheming bastard, or the losing fool. But I want to ask you something before you leave today¡­ You must answer me truthfully." Gabriel''s brows furrowed as he felt Sylvester''s grip on his hand tighten. Though, he didn''t notice any hostility. "W-What is it?" Sylvester kept staring at his best friend''s face, carefully assessing every emotion and twitch of the facial muscle. "Gab, by any chance¡­ Do you like men?" "..."


    _________________

 Chapter 687 686. The Miracle Of Flesh

    Chapter 687 686. The Miracle Of Flesh


    The Masan Kingdom, the Kingdom carved out of the Masan Empire, was initially left for Prince Jinn to inherit and rule, but as the Prince decided to follow the Pope, a man named Okaris was handed the reins of the Kingdom. Under him, the Kingdom saw prosperity as he followed the Pope''s guidelines to the teeth. Focus on trade and development was utmost, and corruption was at its lowest. But, previously devastated by the Masan Empire''s Civil War, the Masan Kingdom stillcked a significant army. Okaris believed they didn''t need one, but as a threat now stood at the border, he realized how wrong he was. "Your Majesty, it''s all up to you now," the Chief Knight of the Kingdom addressed King Okaris at the war council. It was a rather desperate situation as the time given by Leyon The Conqueror for surrender was running out. The fortnight was about to pass. Only a day was left until the mad tyrantunched aplete siege. King Okaris wasn''t a young and strong-bodied man. He was thin and more of a diplomat than a warrior. Silently, he stared at the table with the map of West Sol. Only long signs left his mouth every few moments. "The army we have been able to gather in such short notice is as good as farmers swinging sickles before trained knights with longswords. Fighting the mad tyrant is impossible."


    "Then¡­"


    Okaris stepped away from the table and looked out of the window of the room. The capital, the Rivep City, was bustling with activity, and he could hear the noises. "I don''t want to use the scorched earth tactic either. I''m not that power-hungry, nor can I see these people suffer just so I can be the King." "Your Majesty, you can''t," the Chief Knight pleaded, predicting his idea.


    "I will surrender," Okaris firmly dered. "I shall head to the southern border and surrender to Leyon the Conqueror. Whether he lets me live or kills me¡ªlet fate decide."


    "We can ask the Holy Land for help. His Holiness made you King, Your Majesty." "We can''t. This is not a matter that concerns the Church. He already graced us by defeating the tyranny of the Empire. Now, these matters are for us to solve ourselves," Okaris replied, hopeful of the future. "Everything happens for a reason. I''m sure His Holiness knows of Leyon. I''m confident he will mediate if Leyon does something too horrific¡ªsomething he''s yet to." "He''s conquering kingdoms!" The Chief Knight almost shouted. "What can be worse?" "Genocide, piging, destruction. But until now, Leyon never attacked civilians or the Church members. He has won through pure military strategy and might, and that is something we all must acknowledge. Do not worry too much, Sir Barley. Go home and rest, wait and watch before joining your duties again¡­ under a new ruler." Okair patted his Chief Knight''s shoulder and left the meeting room. Hoping to reach the southern border by midnight.


    ####


    Work had be simpler for Saint Seer, Cardinal Lazark, the favorite necromancer of the Holy Land. Ever since Project Skyeye reached its final phase, spying on the realm became easier, especially on all the Clergymen spread everywhere. Catching corrupt Clergymen had never been easier.


    The moment someonemits a crime, theplex custom spider undead in the secure room creates an entry with its baby spiders, and everything gets documented. Only a handful of people knew about the existence of such surveince equipment. For most, Saint Seer was just working too hard. But now, Project Skyeye needs to be expanded. It was essential to infiltrate the noble houses, especially the offices and courts of the noblemen. Only then could Lazark feelfortable.


    But, what he didn''t expect was to catch a much bigger fish. Or it was better to call it a school of fish perhaps, since the crime went very wide, spanning the kingdom, Clergymen, nobles, and numerous traders. "So much work just to sell crack," Sylvester mumbled while reading the detailed report. "They created their own codenguage tomunicate. But it''s so easy to decrypt. I could have done it in my sleep." "I-It took me a week, Your Holiness," Lazark embarrassingly revealed. Sylvester chuckled awkwardly. "Of course. That''s because you''re not me. In any case, this confirms that the mastermind is someone extremely intelligent and cunning. Our previous conclusion that a merchant in Libertia is responsible was wrong. ce most of your focus on finding the culprit now, and don''t leave the Holy Land from your investigation." "You suspect someone from here?" "No, but you never know. In my life, I''ve been backstabbed by the Holy Land more times than any outsider." Sylvester recalled how many times the previous Saint Seer tried to ruin him. Lazark stood up and saluted with his orders received. "I''ll begin the investigation right away, Your Holiness." Sylvester saluted back and waited until the man left the office room. Then, he opened thergest drawer of his table and took out a small stove, a frying pan, and a few bottles of ingredients. "Ah, Maxy gonna eat the yucky meat again?" Miraj scowled as soon as he heard the nks of utensils. It had be an hourly ritual for them at this point, and Miraj hated it. "Many a little makes a mickle, Chonky. Did you forget the size of that creature? I''m afraid I can''t eat it even if I live for a thousand years. I have to find a better way while using this conventional means of eating," Sylvester said as he cooked a big block of dark ck-ish purple meat. It smelled nasty, but the scents were diluted since he added some garlic. As usual, he used the recipe with honey. Miraj jumped away from Sylvester''s desk and sat down on a showpiece near the wall. It was the bust statue of Pope Atrox. "I feel like vomiting again."


    "Me too." Sylvester almost felt tears in his eyes as soon as he took a bite. It wasn''t easy, but he consistently made it his schedule to eat as much Nehilius as possible. He didn''t even know what to expect since he felt no changes urring in his body. Was it supposed to make him stronger? He didn''t know. Crunch!


    "Hmm?!" Sylvester was abruptly alerted and stood up after eating thest bite. "I think I feel something¡­ It''s hard to describe. It''s like I always had this¡­" "What?" Miraj flew back to Sylvester''s shoulder and began to sniff around his body. Sylvester continuously looked left and right as if trying to feel something. In the end, he went to the window and jumped out, taking to the sky with Light Tiles. He kept walking in the sky until he reached the port of the Holy Land. He looked down at the various steam-powered trains running around from warehouse to warehouse, a short experiment that had been too sessful. But what he actually found interesting was how well he could see it all. After all, he stood almost ten kilometers above in the sky, almost touching the stratosphere. "This is so¡­ new. I can see the written tags on the various small crates being unloaded from the ship. I can even see the detailed strands of the mustaches on sailors¡­ faintly hear them as well," Sylvester eximed in shock to himself. "I¡­ I don''t feel the urge to eat, drink, sleep, or excrete anymore¡­ I think I can survive for a few weeks without air as well." Miraj flew around Sylvester''s body in amazement. "Nehilius'' meat is magical."


    "It might just be," Sylvester liked to entertain that idea. "Let''s return and eat some more. I want to use Elder Magic and finely evaluate what happens once it enters my body." Woosh!


    Like a meteor, he allowed his body to fall down towards the Pope''s Pce. It was an exciting feeling, no matter how many times he tried it. The surge of power and the guarantee that nothing would happen even if he didn''t stop himself was exciting. However, he didn''t want to destroy the Holy Land. So, at the final moment, he used Air Elemental for reverse thrust andnded smoothly in the garden, before jumping back into his office. But this time, he locked his door before cooking the meat. "You eat a bite too," Sylvester extended the fork towards the chubby furball. "Aye, aye." Miraj was excited to see if he could get stronger too, so he took the bite and sat back. Sylvester followed soon and closed his eyes once he gulped down the bite. Quickly, he used Elder Magic and made his senses overly sensitive to srium, especially what was in his body. He was able to look at himself on the most minute scale, at the highest precision and magnification. He watched the piece of meat slowly break down into tiny particles. However, unlike regr food that left a lot of waste, Nehilius'' meat vanished entirely over time, turning into tiny particles that were definitely not srium. It was so strange as they seemed to turn intangible and pass through the walls of his intestine, stomach, and veins. The particles slowly spread around everywhere evenly. But the real magic happened afterward when he carefully observed just a tiny patch of his arteries, the size of a millimeter. ''It vanished¡­ As if absorbed by my flesh.'' He noticed, ''Oh, the walls of my artery got sturdier¡­ No, everything got sturdier. But the size is the same, and only the density increased.'' Quickly, he opened his eyes, filled his mouth with many bites of the meat, and observed it again. This time, he focused on the optic nerve. And as expected, as soon as the intangible particles vanished into the nerve, it got stronger. But it wasn''t just limited to the nerve, every single thing got sturdier¡ªmuscles, veins, sma, blood cells, and yes, the little white snakes as well. He checked it. Finally, satisfied with his findings, he stopped using Elder Magic and opened his eyes to look around. He looked at the side of his table, and there Mirajy on his belly, having thrown up the piece of meat he had eaten. "Makes sense since I''m the sessor of his inheritance," he reckoned and patted Miraj. "I think I know why he wants me to eat his flesh." "To vomit?" Miraj murmured weakly. "To help me be what I must, to defeat those we cannot evenprehend," Sylvester muttered with the realization, feeling all the repulsion to the unsavory flesh vanishing away. "This is the beginning of an end."


    ________________

 Chapter 688 687. Dwarven King On Pilgrimage

    Chapter 688 687. Dwarven King On Pilgrimage


    Thrilling¡ªSylvester never thought he''d use such a word to describe his experience eating Nehilius'' nasty meat. Even saying its name always felt wrong to him before. But no more, since this was proving to be beneficial to his body. "What are you eating?" Xavia asked on one asion as they all sat down in the living room after dinner. "You''re always eating that these days." "Flesh of a god." "Haha, that''s funny," she chuckled, not realizing Sylvester was being honest with his answer. Indeed, the mere idea that he was eating a god was too absurd to even think about. Sylvester smiled and stopped Rex from taking a bite of it by swatting away his hand. "You want to die, boy? It has poison in it. It will kill anyone below the Supreme Wizard rank." "Ugh," Rex shed some fake tears while rubbing his reddened hand. "Then why are you eating it, Godfather?" "Because what doesn''t kill you makes you stronger." Sylvester was in a good mood as things were going great, so he messed around with the young ones. "Take E, for example. She finishes all her veggies. Look at her growing so well. Her skin looks so much better. She will soon leave you behind in magical rank too." "B-But¡­ I have allergies to vegetables." "Weakness is what I hear," Sylvester teased the boy a little but took his worries seriously. "Your allergies are due to raw vegetables, uncooked fruits, spices, and nuts. Just make sure you avoid those and keep rising in magic levels. As you grow stronger, your body will start adjusting as well." Rex took the advice seriously and took out a small notepad from his pocket to write it down. "What about E not drinking milk?" "She''sctose intolerant."


    "Lettuce intolerant? But I''m talking about milk, Godfather," Rex folded his arms. "..."


    Sylvester sighed and rxed beside Xavia''s feet on the floor as she massaged his scalp with some strange oil she made. Sometimes, he liked being spoiled. "Forget that. I received a letter from your father. Why did you ask him about impressing someone and romance? He now thinks you''re interested in some Clergyman or a Deacon," Sylvester scolded Rex calmly. "He even sent your uncle to keep an eye on you. If you''re interested in a girl, you should''ve just asked me for advice." "But¡­" Rex''s brows furrowed like he had heard the most outrageous thing. "But Uncle Felix said you''re the God of Virgins. How would you know anything about impressing girls?"


    "Pff¡­" Xavia snorted, trying to hold in herughter. "..." Sylvester was speechless. But what hurt him the most was E''s pressed lips as she tried not to smile.


    "Yes, brother Max only loves Solis. Zeke knows more, ask Zeke," Even Zeke threw some jabs in unknowingly, pouring salt on the wounds. "You know, I''m still the Pope. So maintain some dignity." Sylvester went along with their little games and acted hurt. After all, he couldn''t tell them he once had the best romance one could dream of. Rex scoffed and looked at E, "But you asked to be treated like a normal person inside the house."


    "You want more homework?" Thud!


    Rex fell to his knees and bowed to Sylvester, "Forgive this young one, Your Holiness."


    "Come and massage my shoulders then." Sylvester used freebor when he had some. After all, he was treating them all as his own family. "When are the Guardiansing for lunch?" Xavia changed the topic and asked. "You told me you wanted to invite them." "The day after tomorrow. I wanted to make them feel connected to me on a personal level, so I thought getting them to eat your homemade food would be the best way to do it. But invite some Bright Mothers to help you cook. I don''t want you to be tired by the time we dine," he rified, trying his best not to remember how she was aging. "I''m meeting the Dwarf King from Beastaria tomorrow. I''ll have lunch with him. E and Rex will be joining us." Rex''s eyes shined in excitement. "Really? Do we get to help you scheme against him? Make him kneel?" "No, it''s going to be a friendly meeting. King Ggar Ironcloak follows the faith of Solis, and this is his pilgrimage." "Then why are you taking us?" Rex asked, already predicting he''d be bored there.


    "Because you two are the same height as him," Sylvester bluntly replied before following up. "I don''t want to make him feel self-conscious now, do I." "..."


    Speechlessness; That was all Rex and E felt.


    ¡­


    The next day, Sylvester greeted the Dwarf King in his Holy Court. The man was short, as expected, but he was built like a boulder. Wearing a sleeveless-vest shaped armor of unknown material, filled with countless dwarven runes, he looked majestic with his deep red hair and beard braided to fashion. There was even a double-sided battle ax on his back. ''A Grand Wizard. Expected from a King of such a species.'' Sylvester felt the power of the man, who surprisingly knelt to him. ''I smell quite a lot of worship. He truly does follow the faith of Solis.'' "Wee to the Holy Land, King Ggar," Sylvester voiced majestically and stood up from his modest throne, picking up his spear as well. He also started to sing a hymn to appear majestic while walking towards the man. ''Time for you to convert all the dwarves for me, my friend.'' Sylvester nned it all in his head. His hymn was meant to suggest it all to him. ?Mighty servant from the Whiskeypeaks, To me, your faith in Solis loudly speaks.


    Free from all the sinful, worldly deeds,


    The light of the Lord, you sowed the seeds.?


    Atst, Sylvester stopped in front of the kneeling dwarven King and lifted his spear to tap on the man''s shoulder, copying a certain ritual he recalled seeing somewhere in the past but couldn''t remember where.


    ?By the heavenly powers vested within this Bard.


    Of any sin left, I absolve you in the name of the Lord. Among the first, your name shall be written in the record.


    Rise, Champion of the Faith; this is your rightful reward.?


    As Sylvester ced the spear''s de''s t side on King Ggar''s head, the spear began to shine brightly with magical runes, making the man feel warm all over his body. It was simple Light Elemental magic, but to a man''s mind who believed in Solis, this was like a blessing. Sylvester had no clue why singing hymns always triggered the halo, nor did he know if his blessings worked. But they would always work for him politically, so he cherished them. Champion of the Faith was not really a title. He just made it up right there and then, and it held no importance. It was meant to make important people feel important. Ke-Chak!


    And just like that, another one bit the dust. The magical photograph was taken, but the headlines would be somewhat nicer this time, calling the Dwarven King a Champion of Faith, not an enemy who surrendered. After all, they were never really enemies.


    p p!


    As he had trained previously, all the Guardians and spectators began to p at the announcement of the worthless title. ''Ah, I smell uncontroble happiness and excitement.'' Sylvester noticed the change in expressions, and it couldn''t have been better. "Let''s go and have lunch together, my friend," Sylvester invited. King Ggar excitedly nodded, caressing his beard the whole time. "I do feel quite hungry after the voyage. But I must say, the ship you sent was faster than I expected." "It was merely an experimental ship. It uses runes and magic crystals to gain speed. But in the future, we will have faster ships, and crossing the ocean will be even faster," Sylvester chatted about the various innovations that were being explored and brought the man to a big, sea-and-garden-facingrge balcony, where the dining table was ced. "Ah!" "Nice to meet you, Your Majesty, Your Holiness." E and Rex were already there, getting bored. ''They are actually the same height,'' Sylvester''s brows rose. "These are the future of this realm. Rex is my godson and the son of King Hignd of Hignd Kingdom., also my personal student. And E is my adopted daughter, simrly a student of mine," Sylvester introduced the two kids. "I wanna grow a beard like you," Rex suddenlymented. ''Me too,'' Sylvester thought. "Bwahaha¡­ Even my dwarven brothers and sisters envy my beard. It''s not that easy, my little friend. It takes years of hammering the anvil, sweat, and training to attain this majestic beard. The stronger you are, the better your beard will grow." King Ggar proudly, and jovially proimed. But that prompted E and Rex to look at the current strongest man in the world, Sylvester, and his chin that was smoother than a newborn''s butt. ''Ah, I''ve already lost hope. Don''t look at me.'' Sylvester sighed and gestured for everyone to take a seat. ''But one thing is clear. King Ggar was full of shit.''


    Soon enough, the finest food from the Bard''s was brought to the table. Indeed, it wasn''t fully healthy, and yes, it was utterly tasty. Besides, for men of their level, eating unhealthy food did nothing. Also, Sylvester hoped to open branches of the Bard''s in Beastaria. "Oh my Lord!" Ggar eximed as soon as he took a bite of the honey-zed chicken with spices and sesame seeds. "This is¡­ This is the finest art I have ever witnessed." "Try the steak, pizza, burger, french fries, and the cheesy pasta," Sylvester kept pushing forward tes of food at the man. "Ah, try that water-like drink as well. I''m sure you will like it. It''s called Sunshine Nectar, and it was invented by Grandpa Monk, the Fifth Guardian of Light, who isn''t with us anymore." As expected, the dwarven King''s eyes sparkled like a kid with a new toy. He let go of all manners and used both hands to devour the food. His beard, which was graceful not too long ago, turned into a mess. Heck, the man was licking his fingers every few seconds to clean them. ''How bad is their food?'' Sylvester wondered and ate in small bites. But then he noticed Rex eating almost as nastily as the dwarf. ''So it''s not just the height that''s simr.'' But his dear daughter E was still like a well-behaved princess. "Your Holiness, the ice cream." A servant came and ced the tray with cups on the table before serving each one. Gulp!


    "One more, please!" E suddenly voiced out loud, proving Sylvester wrong. "Oh my hammer!" King Ggar almost barked once he tasted the ice cream. "What is this cold thing? This is magical!" It took almost an hour for the dwarven King to be satisfied. The man stood true to the stereotypes and ate like a giant. He single-handedly wiped clean almost all the tes on the table. Burp!


    Finally, the short King began cleaning his beard with a dozen pieces of cloth and some water. "This was the greatest lunch I''ve had in my life, Your Holiness. I would love to have this back at home." "I''ll make sure to open a branch of the shop that sells it at Ironstead." Sylvester pped for himself in his head. "How about we shift to a more serious topic now?"


    "Of course," King Ggar stood up from the chair. "I was informed by Elder Elrog of Sol''s dwarves that you wish to make fine armor with Skygem. Especially now, since dragons are willing to work in forges? How much Skygem have you been able to collect? I should be able to make the finest armor for you."


    "Not much, but I was able to find a decently big rock." Sylvester didn''t boast and took him to the underground armory, "Let me show it to you." Through various security checks, trap runes, and then more checks, they finally arrived in front of a gigantic gate, where more soldiers were sitting as guards. Sylvester went ahead and ced his palm on the door to open it. That was also proof that he was the Pope to the guards. Woosh!


    Gusts of heavy, sandy wind came from the room inside, making Ggar''s beard flutter majestically. Once the doors fully opened, the light runes were activated, and the gigantic storage room lit uppletely, showcasing the contents.


    "Hmm?" At first, Ggar thought there was no light in the giant room as he only saw darkness in front of him. But then he noticed blue, shining lines in front of him, the characteristics of the Skygem. That made him look up, and he kept looking up until his neck couldn''t turn anymore. Pure shock, horror, and confusion dawned across the dwarven King''s face. "R-rock?" Ggar almost panted, excited and sweating. "T-This is¡­ a fucking mountain!" ________________

 Chapter 689 688. A Lunch With Guardians

    Chapter 689 688. A Lunch With Guardians


    "R-rock?" Ggar almost panted, excited and sweating. "T-This is¡­ a fucking mountain!" "I don''t need any armor. But I want three hundred sets of finest armors made from a part of this. They will be for my most elite troops," Sylvester ced his order. "Of course, payment will be made for your great service." "Why don''t you want armor, Your Holiness? I will personally make one, and it will be the finest work of my life," asked King Ggar. "Skygem isn''t the toughest material when ites to a sh between Supreme Wizards, my friend. What good is the armor if it''s going to break from a single punch of mine? But I will need ten finest pieces for the Guardians of Light," Sylvester requested and gently punched a tiny spot on the gem, wing a handful of it like it was delicate snow. "But¡­ The production must happen jointly with the dwarves of Sol." That was the n. The dwarves of Sol were utterly loyal to Sylvester, but since they were kept locked underground for hundreds of years, they had lost much of their forging knowledge. So, this little endeavor was meant to teach them everything once again. "If you wish to train Elrog and his people? I can open a minor forging and smithing branch in Sol itself," King Ggar was still a King. He knew what Sylvester wanted and offered a better deal in order to win the Pope''s favor. "Perhaps I can live here for a week every few months and savor the delights Sol has to offer."


    Sylvester smiled, agreeing to the n. "Then why don''t we go and pay a visit to the nearest smithy street of the Guild Penins? I''m sure the advanced methods we use will excite you." "For that, you don''t have to ask me, Your Holiness." Ggar was just happy to be there, in a continent he never thought of stepping foot in, being friendly with powerful people he knew he couldn''t resist. On top of that, knowing that he was valued by the man was almost proud-provoking. So, Sylvester took the man in his carriage to the ce. At first, he wanted to go there on a bicycle, but when he realized he didn''t have a child bicycle, he decided to make his reinsman happy for the day. The smile on that man''s face that day was truly¡­ pitiful.


    Soon enough, they arrived at the Guild Penins. It had been revamped by a degree as the buildings were renovated to go all the way to five stories high while maintaining the charm. The streets were paved, sewers were added,ne system was created with flower foliage dividing the road. The open entrances of the shops were filled with orderly disys of goods, and nobody was allowed to resort to hawking and causing too much annoying noise. nk!


    nk!


    Eventually, they took a turn and finally heard the sound of hammers striking hot iron. Simrly, the street was beautiful but warmer than the others. The wide open entrances of the shops revealed men at work, wearing their leather aprons. However, Ggar immediately noticed something as they began walking on the street. The men weren''t using their arms to hammer the iron. But instead, it was a strange metal contraption that rose and fell at varying speeds on the hot iron. On top of that, he noticed the furnaces were surging hot without anyone using hand blowers to blow air in them. Trrr¡­!


    Then he noticed another strange contraption. A man was polishing a sword by simply pressing it against a rotating device. It was marvelous, since he saw how skinny the man was.


    "How?" Ggar asked. "I have never seen such magic. What pathway runes did you use for such results?"


    "Science," Sylvester replied. "Science? Is this a new rune branch? I have never heard of it."


    "What I meant by science was that no magic was used to move these things. It''s the forces of nature that we harnessed. Come with me, I''ll show it to you. This is how I wish to allow evenmoners without magic to produceplex products." Sylvester invited him into one of the workshops. After all, just like humans, not all dwarves could use magic, the same goes for elves and dragons. There were stars in Ggar''s eyes. "With this¡­ Even the dwarves without magic can learn advanced techniques and increase their output. But¡­ If productivity rises, I don''t think there will be enough buyers." "To buy what?" "Our armor and weapons."


    "That''s where you took the wrong step," Sylvester steered the man into his second goal. "With the changing world and peace ensured, there would be less demand for weapons in the first ce. But, with peace, there will be a demand for various metal products to buildplex buildings, bridges, towers, facilities for special purposes¡­ Railways, for example. Or steel cargo ships I have nned. King Ggar, if you''re willing to form a jointpany with me, I can help you find better employment where your talents are utilized, challenged, and rewarded." "I will have to speak with my council before making such a decision," Ggar responded. Sylvester didn''t mind. In fact, he would''ve considered Ggar foolish if he hadn''t shown any signs of doubts and pushback. "I will be waiting for a reply. Come, I will also show you some textile shops. They also use such machines." Ggar just sighed in amazement, formally recognizing that Sol had moved way past Beastaria in every possible field. But Ggar didn''t stay in the Holy Land and went to Miraj City to see the dwarves of Sol and share a few drinks with Elder Elrog. So Sylvester returned to his work for the day and sent invitations for lunch the next day.


    ¡­


    As the night fell, Sylvester got busy helping Xavia prepare some things for the next day. However, he still asked the Bard''s to send a lot of their items as well, to keep the table full. Since massive people like the Lord Inquisitor would being, quantity was an issue. Eventually, Sylvester spent the night in his room, working on a few things he assumed would be possible to be made using magical means. He conceptualized a flying machine, one that ran on an engine powered by magical runes, that were powered by srium crystals. In theory, it was doable. Other than that, a few moments were spent looking at the portrait of a woman he had meticulously drawn after carefully recalling his memories. The cherished face was something he never wanted to forget, albeit having ovee most of the crippling grief. But at the same time, he couldn''t help but look forward to going to the Demon Realm. He didn''t care if his hypothesis was true or false anymore. He just wanted to find an answer. Why did that Demon know his real name? Why were the Demons calling him so desperately? "Whatcha'' doing?" Chonky suddenly woke up, jumped onto his desk, and looked at the portrait closely. So close that he shoved his head between Sylvester and the portrait. "Oh, I remember seeing this before." Sylvester nodded and folded the parchment back to put it in his pocket. "Why did you wake up?"


    "Open the window. I gotta poop." "..."


    So, he allowed Miraj to go out of the building and do his business. ¡­


    The next day, lunchtime arrived, and Sylvester came home early. Using simple elemental magic, he made a big table in the living room to amodate all of them. Then helped ce all the food and therge saucers with various dishes. There was no need to fear the food might get cold because¨C''magic''. "I''ll sit beside the Lord Inquisitor," Rex requested. "You aren''t afraid of him?" Sylvester asked in a surprise. "Afraid? Why would I fear him? He''s so cool and huge. I wanna be as tall as him one day." Sylvester shrugged, knowing well that Rex would be running away from the big man once he took off the mask. Not because of his face, but because of the fire he breathes. "Suit yourself." Knock! Knock!


    Atst, the Guardians began to arrive. As expected, the first to enter was none other than the self-proimed sister of Xavia, Aurora.


    "Did you miss me?" She asked everyone, having been unable to meet Sylvester or Xavia after getting too busy in the past few months. Sylvester called her to the kitchen and handed her a stack of tes, "Put these on the table."


    "..."


    "I''m the guest here!" She grumpilyined. "You should be spoiling me, Your Holiness. I''m your junior." "You''re old enough to be my granny," Sylvester jested, hitting her where it always hurt. "You couldn''t even seduce that knight. You thought I didn''t know you were after him?" Aurora sighed and followed him around. "I gave up on him. I realized I was just attracted to his amazing looks. While he was a decent man, his talents were barely considerable. I would have only watched him grow old and die." Sylvester agreed. This was a burden that almost all of the strongest people suffered. Of course, unless one is as lucky as King Hignd. Eventually, other Guardians also appeared one by one, and the house began to look vibrant with varying voices. As Zeke, E, and Rex were also there, the Guardians had more topics to talk about. But no doubt, many things had changed as Lord Inquisitor proudly took off his visor. The same was the case for Bloodrain, who kept his eyes tied behind a cloth to not disgust anyone. As for Soulbreaker, he was a handsome man already and merely liked wearing the visor. The First Guardian, Emperor Raz, was also there despite being unable to eat anything. He just liked interacting with people. Then there was Julius, the man who usually kept calm; But today talked with E with various expressions of being impressed. The Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Guardians still haven''t been selected. As for the Tenth, Geralt was there and chatting with Emperor Raz. "Let''s eat!" Sylvester pped and gained everyone''s attention. "The ones in ck saucers are made by Mum. The rest are from Bard''s." "Mother Xavia? Then I must taste some!" Aurora jumped in. Soon enough, everyone began to eat and chatter at times. Sylvester sat beside Xavia on one side and Julius on the other. Out of all the people around that table, he still considered Julius the most dangerous, as he had the intellect and tenacity to see through long-term ns. "Pass me the chicken." "Give me more of Mother Xavia''s dish." "I like everything." "Oh, it fell right through my belly!" Raz eximed. The nking of tes, the sounds of spoons. All the Guardians in the room enjoyed themselves while feeling at home, but they all knew Sylvester never did anything for no reason. They knew something was going to happen after lunch, so they ate calmly without bringing up any major topics. "I''m full." One after another, they finished their meals and started rxing back in their chairs. The tes were then collected and moved by Sylvester, Xavia, and then eventually everyone, since the Pope was doing it. But in the end, they all returned to their seats and waited to hear what Sylvester had to say. Of course, Zeke, E, and Rex were sent to a different room, as they were too young or too simple.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester flicked his hand and activated Elder Runes carved in the walls of the house. They weren''t visible unless activated. Right away, all the windows and doors closed up. No sound came in anymore; they could even hear each other''s hearts beating. It was quite an intense atmosphere developing, bringing everyone to the edge of their seats in wait. "Guardians," Sylvester voiced from his seat, serious and utterly devoid of emotions. "I''m going to tell you something today. An answer to many questions, a revtion about the state of our world, and the names of those behind it. Who, even now, threatens this world''s existence, and what''s disheartening¡ªwe can''t do anything about it¡­ yet."


    Long breaths, and shifts in their seats were heard. The Guardians didn''t even gulp, lest they make too much distraction. "Primordial Gods."


    ________________

 Chapter 690 689. Legend Continues

    Chapter 690 689. Legend Continues


    Sylvester held some details back while openly revealing some others. The Guardians were the people he was going to leave the world to when he went to the Demon Realm, or focused on battling the two Primordial Gods, although he had no idea how he was going to do that.


    "...These two Primordial Gods are more powerful than any entity you can imagine. Space, time, fate, past, present, or future; Everything rests within their control. They were the ones who forced Saint Scepter to do all that he did. They are the ones who destroyed all our knowledge that goes beyond five thousand years in the past. They killed all beings that knew about that era.


    "I still don''t know what their ultimate goal is. But from what we''ve already seen, it can be anything but our well-being," Sylvester exined what kind of threat they were facing. He went into detail, informing them of various events throughout history, even showing them the Tome of the Gods he had received from Avanss in the past. "Not even Solis?" Soulbreaker asked. "Can''t Solis defeat them?" "I don''t think so. But it would exin why I was born with the abilities I have. Why I''ve been led to this very moment.. It''s all to prepare us for the inevitable," Sylvester said, a grand hypothesis in itself. "I believe the Demon Realm is under the same threat as we are. Thus, I''ve decided to pay them a visit."


    The Guardians silently digested the revtions Sylvester made. Each of them tried to think of a reason, a way to defeat the so-called Primordial Gods. They didn''t doubt Sylvester''s words, but did wonder if the enemy was really that powerful. "What do you wish to gain from going to the Demon Realm?" Asked Julius with a stoic expression, even though he and Raz already knew about his n to go there. "They have done nothing but bring destruction and death to our world all these years." "That is one of the things I wish to uncover," Sylvester exined. "The time I fought Zama''tar, he acted much wiser than any Demon I''ve ever seen. He spoke of urgency. But considering the increased number of demon possessions in the past few months, I wish to either end them or find out if they want to ally with me. I''ll see if they possess information about these gods, more than us." "It''s dangerous," Aurora eximed with worry clear in her voice. After all, Sylvester was like a brother to her. "How many Supreme Wizards will be there? What if there''s someone above a Supreme Wizard there? We know nothing about that world." "And that''s what makes it dangerous to us as well. What if they attack us when we''re busy? All our hard work to bring peace will fall to ruins," Sylvester argued, his eyes noticing Xavia''s unusually silent behavior. He expected her to shed a few tears in worry. "Xavia, tell him it''s a bad idea," Aurora nudged her self-proimed sister. Xavia looked at Sylvester, finally showing some worry. But she didn''t seem too scared. "I have doubted Sylvester''s decisions many times in the past. But every time, I was proven wrong. Every time, he overcame, albeit with some losses. He is the Pope, and I am in no position to stop him. I can only bless him as a mother, and follow his guidance as a Bright Mother."


    "If it is His Holiness'' decision, then that is the Lord''s will," Inquisitor High Lord voiced just then, his tone sounding much clearer without his visor. "The Demons have caused chaos for us oftentimes in the past. The massive unpaid toll has now amassed. So believe in the Pope''s decision. Believe in the idea he envisions." ''As always, my most loyal guardian.'' Sylvester nodded appreciatively. "All of you. Consider it a fact that I will leave, and it will happen in ten months. At this time, I want all of you to focus on erasing all the core problems that gue our society. The Tears of Solis issue, the surveince of Beastaria, and its subsequent inclusion into our economy, as well as various minor issues. I have no idea how long it will keep me away from the Holy Land, so I''ll be putting the administration of the Holy Land in your hands," Sylvester announced, giving them a major purpose and goal atst. No more were they to sit idly and wait for something to happen. With that, Sylvester stood up and looked at everyone''s faces. "Guardians of the faith¡­ You are now also the Guardians of this world. We have a purpose, a magnificent purpose. If we fail, the evil gods win, and if we win¡ªwe shall design the destiny of this reality. The dragons, elves, and all the kingdoms have been subdued¡ªit''s time this story concludes."


    "We shall fight any enemy, any evil god thates our way. No matter their power, no amount of fear shall have us sway." Lord Inquisitor also stood up and ced his visor back on, "If this battle is the end and a new beginning of this world''s story¡ªin battle, in death for this purposey my glory."


    "So will I." Emperor Raz stood up next, "I have no reason to exist after spending the past few thousand years as a wandering, aimless lich. His Holiness showed me a path to happiness and eptance by the people. I never would have imagined children would ever swing on my femur bone andugh, stealing my arm and ying chase. To protect this little happiness I got, I will fight with everything I have." ''Of all the people, this one is perhaps living the most unique and interesting life,'' Sylvester couldn''t help but think that after hearing Raz''s oath-like words. "Agreed. There has never been this much peace in Sol or Beastaria, and I''m a few hundred years old," Even Julius agreed with that. "I know the circumstances by which I joined you all. But that does not change the fact that I appreciate this peace. And I will protect it." One by one, all of the members agreed to do whatever was needed to maintain peace in Sylvester''s absence. Aurora agreedst. "At this rate, you will soon rise above Supreme Wizard," Auroramented after agreeing and standing up. ''I think I already have, physically,'' Sylvester reckoned. But Nehilius needed to remain a mystery. "And that''s what I am aiming for. That''s what we need to fight those iprehensible creatures," Sylvester replied and walked over to the side of the room to pick up his mitre and the spear. "Let''s go to the Soul Penins to discuss the rest of the matters. It''s been a while since I saw Ashra, the serpent." However, before he left, he looked at the kitchen sink where all the tes were. They were all made of ceramics, which meant earth. So, not wanting to leave too much work for Xavia, he raised his hand towards it, and magic happened. All the tes broke apart with noise and eventually turned into fine powder. The waste was removed from it, and after that, Sylvester re-formed all the tes. Properly stacked, looking brand new. "T-That¡­" Headmaster Geralt eximed. "What a marvelous way to wash dishes. Perhaps the kitchen wizards in School of Dawn will find this helpful." "You can''t do it." Julius bluntly replied. "You need absolute control over Earth Elemental for this. Most don''t have that¡­ not even Grand Wizards." "Indeed," Bloodrain affirmed. "Kitchen magic¡­.." Geralt still insisted. "Perhaps a new branch of magic can be added to the curriculum."


    "..."


    Sylvester was speechless but didn''t interrupt and just led the Guardians out of the balcony, making them walk behind him on the Light Tiles he had created for everyone. ¡­


    "Hissss¡­!"


    As soon as Sylvesternded on one of the massive branches of the Soul Tree, he heard the slithering voice of Ashra, the beautiful giant snake with scales of Mythril. She seemed to have a sixth sense regarding Sylvester, always knowing when he was in close proximity. "Haha," Sylvester allowed her to rub her head on his chest. The size difference was huge, but no matter how much force she applied, Sylvester didn''t even move an inch. Rather, he patted her head and cooed. "Have you been good?" The big snake bobbed her head vigorously; her round eyes showed nothing but delight. ''I think I have an affinity with animals,'' Sylvester reckoned and let Miraj fly to her and talk in secret. Meanwhile, Sylvester focused on the group of Guardians he had brought. They were being too silent for some reason, so he looked back. To his amusement, they were all focused on something else¡ªstaring at a part of the massive vertical branch of the Soul Tree, close to the one they stood on. "What happened?" He asked and walked over to them. "We found something written on the tree, Your Holiness," Soulbreaker notified. ''No¡­ It can''t be.'' Sylvester felt his interest piqued like nothing else. Parting the small crowd, he arrived in front and looked at the words. And there they were in all their glory. "When I thought it couldn''t get any worse."


    "It got worse," Lord Inquisitor muttered, aware of the other inscriptions as well. "That wretched, unholy knight. It seems he never fought someone to bring him to light."


    "This could mean he became a Clergyman at some point. Perhaps we can find clues about him in the records," Bloodrain suggested.


    Aurora looked at them confusedly and read the words out loud. "O'' Solis, what have I done? This is the heresy of the highest order. Why am I like this? Why can''t I control myself? The Countess gave birth to my son, the Count''s daughter, sister, and mother too¡­ And Lord Count made me their godfather. O'' Solis, just kill me¡­ I''m such a fiend. Maybe I should chop my tool and join those pathetic celibate preachers¡­ Who wrote this?"


    All the Guardians look at each other''s faces awkwardly since they were the ''pathetic celibate preachers'' mentioned in that message.


    "What a nice branch. It''d be a shame if I used it to make a special carriage for myself," Sylvester annoyedly muttered.


    "I shall speak with the dwarves," Aurora added.


    "..."


    _________________

 Chapter 691 690. Just Three Brothers & Chonky

    Chapter 691 690. Just Three Brothers & Chonky


    Sylvester wondered what else was written by the sick man on the tree. It was likely impossible that he''d have remained sane even after bing a Clergyman. "Before we start looking around in the countless records, let''sunch a silent inspection of the entire tree. Who knows where else he scribbled down." "Indeed. Perhaps the special guards stationed at the Soul Penins can take this task," Aurora suggested while scraping the words off with her dagger. "It''s better this filth is removed from the Soul Tree. They''re rare to begin with. Let''s not tarnish it with despicable deeds."


    ''I''m afraid the tree has already been tarnished.'' "Let''s do that then. In any case, I conclude this meeting of ours. You will all be handed a task book in theing days. They''re meant to be finished in under ten months so that I can leave for the Demon Realm with peace of mind," Sylvester ended their little walk in the park as he had something else in his mind. "It''s been years since I sat here and meditated, and I would like to do that again. So I won''t be seeing you off."


    "I shall wish for your rewarding meditation in my evening prayers. May the light guide you to your chosen stairs." Lord Inquisitor bowed his head and respectfully walked away to continue doing his job in the Inquisitor camp. He also dragged Aurora along as she was his trainee. One after another, the Guardians left after bidding their salutes. Each firmly reaffirmed their pledge to support him. "Can I speak now, Maxy?" Miraj boredly yawned and voiced from his shoulder. "I felt so itchy in my tummy trying not to talk." "Come here." Sylvester grabbed the furball and squished him against his chest, something he hated. "You can even shout now, Chonky. But first, let me see if you''re smelly." "Nyooo¡­ I''m not smelly. No squishes, please!" Miraj groaned while getting his face smacked against Sylvester''s chest. The poor fur ball wasn''t strong enough to escape Sylvester''s mighty ws. "Come and sit with me. It''s time to meditate." Sylvester made Miraj sit beside him on his hind legs, supported by his tail, making him appear as if he was sitting like a human. "Close your eyes and do what I do. No more escaping. If I can see Solis like this, you should be able to see some cat god of yours." "I have a cat god?" Miraj eximed, looking up at Sylvester''s face while still being squashed against his chest. "But¡­ I thought I was the cat god." Sylvester felt a little speechless at that. ''At this point. I don''t think I can even refute that.'' "In that case, you should try to act like a god and meditate to hear the cries of your cat people." Sylvester still forced him to sit down, "Now, copy what I do word for word. Close your eyes¡­ No peeking. Then take long breaths and feel the srium around you or the air flow through your body. Slowly, clear your mind of all thoughts and only focus on your breaths with an empty head." Prrrrrr¡­


    Sylvester opened his eyes and nced. The cat had fallen on its back and was currently in the middle of heavy snoring. ''As always¡­ He falls asleep.'' So, he focused on his own meditation. He hoped to find some answers. He needed them to find a direction¡ªone which he could feelpletely confident in.


    Like many times before, he flushed all the thoughts from his mind. He made sure to look for Solis this time as he tried to imagine the flickering of light inside his mind and focused on it specifically. He didn''t know how long it took him, but he eventually felt himself lost in the flickering light.


    "What you need¡­" "Solis?!" Sylvester suddenly eximed. But to his dismay, he didn''t find anything around him. He didn''t see any endless space of light, any throne, or any god sitting on it. There was just the voice, a familiar and frightening voice. "What you need, you already have. The guidance you desire. To be what you aspire. You have what it requires. Do not waver in your strides, or the doubts shall lead to many divides. You possess my blessing¡ªgo, it''s time for conviction, not guessing." Sylvester kept focusing more on that voice. However, beyond that voice, he saw nothing. "I already knew that. What I needed was something more concrete. You told me to be ruthless, to pay whatever cost it may require. Now I stand having lost Sir Dolorem, and so many more. I need more than just your words¡­ I need your guarantee." "This path you walk upon is not for me, you foolish, misguided soul of destiny. This is your battle for a change, or see the repeating history. To let the truth remain shrouded in mystery. No longer am I to hold your hand and be a guide. You are the wave now, and it''s time for your tide." Sylvester felt the words were useless andmented on the hopelessness. He sighed and allowed the mes that came with the voice of Solis to vanish. Meeting with Solis turned out to be utterly pointless.


    "You''re turning into a god as useless as I thought gods would be," Sylvester mumbled and opened his eyes. Surprisingly, it was still night, and Miraj was sleeping beside him, meaning it hadn''t been that long since he sat down. So, he just picked Miraj up and made his way back home. Today, he didn''t feel like working at night. He just wanted to go home and rest beside Xavia and hear some words offort from her. Thud!


    Hended directly in front of the fifth-floor door to his house. But, to his surprise, Felix and Gabriel were there, standing in clothes that didn''t belong to the clergy. They were wearing regr, brown robes ofmoners. "What''s the asion?" He asked. "Gab sent word. He wanted to celebrate the night with us," Felix shrugged, being as clueless as Sylvester. ''Happiness?'' Sylvester noticed the scent and looked towards the stairs. "Let''s go to the terrace." Soon, the three boys and one dazedly waking up furball went to the terrace and lit a small bonfire. It was slightly cold, but it was nothing for them. And surprisingly, Gab came prepared with a few snacks of various salted nuts and seeds, and some soft drinks.


    Once they all sat down, they began talking about the mundane. "How''s the new love life with Isabe?" Sylvester asked his experiment subject. "I hope it''s working fine. If you ever feel even a hint of pain there,e tell me as quickly as possible." But Felix was just smiling widely as he revealed a thumbs up. "Hehe¡­ Almost three times a day, even five times on some rare asions. For the first time in my life, I look forward to going home after work and spending the night doing nothing but talking with a person." "And a lot more," Gabrielmented. "You got your dream fulfilled. I''m happy for you, my brother. But I wonder what Max''s dream is. I don''t think you ever talked about it." As the two boys looked at him while munching on snacks, Sylvester reminded them what he had told everyone. "Nothing¡­ I just want peace in my life. Such a peace that I can just buy myself somend in the countryside and live peacefully with my family. Nobodying to challenge me because I''m a Supreme Wizard, nobodying to rob me because I''m rich." "Hah, good luck with that. As long as there are humans, there will be chaos." Gabriel scoffed, but smiled in the end, "However, I have to thank you this time. Because of you, I was finally able to catch that bitch."


    It was rare for Gabriel to curse. "Which bitch?" Felix asked rather excitedly. "Crue Lampart. The one who used to steal the money I''d send to my sister, and kept her malnourished. Some time ago I had put a wanted notice in the newspaper. Surprisingly, I received a reaction right away. A few vigers tied her up where she was living and informed the monastery," Gabriel exined, finally finding some relief to one of the long-forgotten memories. "With that, I can now bid farewell to my past for good." "Kill her," Felix suggested. Sylvester wasn''t against that idea either, "But after a trial. If she was truly evil, it woulde up in the trials." "That''s what I n to do. I don''t want this to be a power trip. I want her to know what she did was wrong. To assault and abuse a young child out of greed¡­ Ah, forget it. How did the meeting with Guardians go?" Gabriel changed the topic, not wanting to get emotional by remembering his family. Sylvester picked up a piece of almond and munched it while feeding Miraj some as he had woken up. "They believed me and wished to follow my guidance. I just hope I''m right¡­ Ever since I was born, I had actual, tangible goals and reasons to fight. I had a pathway set for me to follow. But now that I sit at the top, I find myself having to create new paths for myself and those around me¡ªthere are no fixed goals. It''s all uncharted territory, and somehow¡­ I''m worried."


    "That¡­ is a lot," Felix muttered, sympathizing with his brother.


    "Serves you right," Gabriel scoffed. "Working for you is the most stressful thing I''ve done in my life. But, considering my magical abilities. I''ll die long before you two. Then I''ll just look over you two with Markus." "You never know," Felix argued. Sylvester nodded firmly. "Gab¡­ The stronger you are, the harder you fight, and the faster you fall. That''s how the story has gone on for most of those who have reached the pinnacle." "And now I''m depressed." Felix lowered his head, the scent of real sadnessing from him. "Isabe¡­ I don''t want to lose her. See her grow old as I remain the same." "I understand that¡­ very well." Sylvester remembered Xavia once again. Defeating the Primordial Gods was now one of the goals in his path to gaining the ability to change the fate of mortals. If those gods could pull his soul from one reality to another. He hoped to at least be able to extend someone''s time. "I don''t have much going on in my life when ites to rtives. My wedding is in a few days, and now I can''t stop thinking about death," Felix continued to spiral into depressive what-ifs.


    Pat! Pat!


    Chonky suddenly went behind Felix and patted his back. "I-Is that¡­ the Guardian angel?" Felix asked as Sylvester had introduced Miraj to them that way.


    "It is. He''s telling you to shut your bitching." "..."


    Felix suddenlyughed, "Haha, then I think I''d get along with this as good as my other pus¡ª." "I''m going home," Gabriel immediately stood up. "I can''t taint my ears with this unholiness." "Me too," Sylvester got up. "What if it''s contagious?" "..."


    Left alone, Felix simplyughed and got ready to go home. "Ah, you two¡­ I''d die for my brothers¡­ I wonder what Be is doing."


    That was the attention span of a horndog.


    If one had heard their conversation. They''d surely have questioned the faith and the three abysmally high rankers in the same faith. ________________

 Chapter 692 691. A City Was Born

    Chapter 692 691. A City Was Born


    "You wish to take more of my flesh?" Nehilius sounded almost faintly surprised when Sylvester came with a massive bucket this time, wishing to store it well. This had been the second time he had appeared in the past two weeks, and it was a speed he didn''t expect. Sylvester nodded and created a de from his pure magic, the magic of creation, to manipte elements. Right away, he started chopping various parts of the massive body in wonder if different parts would taste different. "I understand how helpful your flesh is for me, Lord Nehilius. I don''t wish to waste time anymore and focus on gaining more strength. We never know when the Primordial Gods would strike. I don''t have a naive belief that they wouldn''t know what I''m doing. Saint Scepter''s magic only hides me, but they can still see the rest of the world and its development," Sylvester talked while working and moving around. "The true omnipotence resides within the arcane arts thy kind dubs ''magic.'' To attain such mastery, you must ascend as a celestial entity, a perpetual metamorphosis until I am no more, and you reign supreme over this abyss, this boundless dominion of mine," Nehilius said.


    "I know, and that''s what I''m trying. You''ve already reforged my body once. So tell me what I need to bring for the next stage," Sylvester asked as he ended his chopping spree and closed the lid of the metal container.


    Nehilius immediately started listing the things required, "To elevate your mortal essence into a semnce of my own divine self. You shall require the Essence of Life, which is the soul of a sacrifice. The stronger, the better."


    "That''s like getting the dragon?"


    "A soul proves elusive, resisting captivity in its intangible essence. The manner in which you surmount this challenge lies within your grasp. But the Essence of Life stands as the simplest of tasks. The subsequent item to secure is the Source of Elements. Bring me items with greater affinity to each element. Then, atst, the Source of Existence, which is also called the Source of Star¡ª"


    "You can''t be serious," Sylvester eximed. "Don''t tell me you want me to get you the core of a sun."


    "How you aplish this is up to you." ''Seriously? Even I don''t feelfortable ripping out the core of a sun. And which sun should I target?'' Sylvester wondered. "I shall make it," Nehilius proposed, knowing Sylvester''s thoughts. "You only need to take out the Source." "Then why don''t you take out the Source as well if you can make it?" "The voyage holds equal significance to the ultimate destination."


    Sylvester sighed and finally agreed. He knew he was in no position to negotiate with this being. Nehilius was one individual he couldn''t outsmart or overpower, no matter how cunning he was. "I''ll return after getting the Essence of Life and Source of Elements. Until then, I''ll focus on making my physical body stronger."


    With that, Nehilius sent Sylvester back to the exit, and Sylvester left with the massive metal container on his back. Outside, Chonky was already waiting for him, sleeping on the side near a torch and taking its warmth. "Let''s go." "Ummm¡­" Without even opening his eyes, Mirajzily fluttered his wings andnded on Sylvester''s head, hugging him and again falling asleep. "Put this container in the Chonky Bank." "Aaaa¡­" Once again, Mirajzily opened his mouth, or was it a yawn? But he drew the metal container into his belly. "Too much foodst night¡­ My belly¡­ oh¡­ it''s tickling from the inside." "You mean bellyache?" Sylvester asked. "You never ate that much before?" "Nyo¡­ There was never that much to steal." "Oh," Sylvester remembered what kind of sad life Miraj lived before meeting him. Unable to be seen, the furball likely had to resort to stealing from various Bright Mothers. "Drink water and walk around a little. It''ll go away soon."


    "Umhmm¡­" Miraj remainedzy. "We''re going to inspect the newly built Green City today. It''s almostplete now, and Isabe wants me to inaugurate it," Sylvester muttered, talking to the humming Miraj. "I''m interested in seeing how all the modern elements I introduce worked out for them."


    "Yes, yes¡­ mew too¡­"


    Leaving Miraj to rest, Sylvester went out to get into his carriage this time. Since it was an official visit, he had to take the Holy Knights with him as his regal guards. The city wasn''t that far away, now even less so with upgraded roads andne separation. ¡­


    The newly built Green City, the capital of the Gracia Kingdom, wasn''t inaugurated. But residents had already started to return to their homes. Newer, better, and with stricter regtions, it wasn''t easy for the people to adjust to so many new things. But, after experiencing the convenient changes, digesting the rules became less of a hassle. "Look at you. I think you''re addicted to bathing." "Of course I am. The wateres directly into my house now. I don''t have to bother going out and see all your ugly faces," Replied Old Hank from the neighborhood as he arrived at the corner shop where his old friends gathered to sit and read the newspapers. Now, even their city had a local newspaper that gave them all sorts of snippets of major crimes or events in the city. "You used to bathe once a month." "Now I bathe once every three days," Old Hank replied while brushing his wless white hair with his fingers and rubbing his beard. "What''s new?"


    "The Pope ising to inaugurate the city." "Really? The City Center will be crowded then. Let''s go early and find a good spot¡­ Ah, I feel excited just thinking about riding that metal box again. So convenient, so smooth, and breezy. The city stinks less of horseshit now." Old Hank dreamily thought about the tram system that was already operational across the city streets. "I''ll go to nightschool right from there." "Alright, alright¡­ You and your fetish with the Pope." "Not fetish. It''s called faith."


    ¡­


    Sylvester arrived in the city just as nned. It had been months since hest saw the ce as he handed over the construction work to the dwarves and many other wizards who wanted to form a constructionpany to utilize their Earth Elemental magic. More so now, since there was peace.


    "T-This is the city I designed?!" Sylvester looked at the magnificent, massive city sprawling on a huge river ind that sat between the branches of White River, where they met the Gold River. The entire ind was a city, and now much better, bigger, and more beautiful than in the past. "Why are there so many tall structures?" Sylvester asked in shock. "I don''t remember designing these many tall buildings." Beside him, Isabe, Felix, and Elrog of the Sol''s dwarves rode on their horses. They all made their way through the wide streets surrounded by tall buildings, but they looked beautiful as there was a lot of greenery everywhere. Foliages, vines, flower pots¡ªclearly, the Gracia family hadn''t forgotten their roots. "What do you mean, Your Holiness? I worked just as you instructed in the requirement list." Elrog said, being the chief architect. "It said that residential buildings can be as tall as thirteen stories high." "What?" Sylvester was taken aback. "Thirteen? I only remember writing three." "..." Elrog was speechless. "I¡­ It can''t be¡­"


    "Ah!" Sylvester just realized something. The written script of this world had argerma, and the number one was also very simr to the shape of ama. "Thema before three¡­ At least tell me you didn''tpromise the integrity of the buildings. Because I can easily see there are buildings way higher than thirteen floors in the distance." Elrog scoffed at that. "Of course, Your Holiness. When I read the requirement of thirteen floors, I knew conventional methods wouldn''t work. So I read about the book you wrote about basic engineering. Don''t worry, the foundation of all the buildings is strengthened with steel rods, and even the pirs of floors use steel and reinforced stones with magic. The entire city willst thousands of years, I have no doubt." Ting! Ting! Ting!


    "Halt!" Felix shouted just then. Right there in front of them, as they were crossing a street, the tram passed by with its three carriages. It ran on electricity provided by overhead wires, making a loud sound of its metal wheels sliding on the track. It was filled with people, and they all took to cheers and cries as soon as they saw Sylvester there. ''This¡­ warms my heart.'' Sylvester felt while looking at the happy faces of the people. Overall, everything felt so clean now. The entire city was a marvel to him. Everything seemed perfect, but that was merely the beginning. "The trams use bells to alert people. But we''re thinking of finding a different, sharper sounding method as bells don''t always alert, considering the monasteries also use them." Isabe exined as they continued their journey. "Let''s pick the pace now. I will show you around the city during the night when it''s empty, after the banquet." Sylvester slyly nced at her and japed. "Are you sure you''ll be free during the night?"


    A deep, red blush appeared on her cheeks right away. "I¡­ It''s alright for one night."


    "Stop teasing my wife-to-be," Felix barked at Sylvester. "Only I can do that." "From that, I remembered. Why did you two postpone your marriage?" Sylvester inquired since the initial date had passed weeks ago. "The Holy Land would have delightfully hosted you two." "But then we wouldn''t be able to include the people in it," Isabe said, her voice containing the firmness of a Queen. "I want this to be a wedding worth remembering. A celebration of the people across the city. Of course, you and Mother Xavia are toe and bless us¡ªand this kingdom."


    ''She grew up fine,'' Sylvester nodded silently and followed the entourage to the City Center. A massive open, paved area in the middle of the city where festivals were usually held. But today, it was filled with people, crowd managers, and a high stage at one end. "Pope!"


    "Pope!"


    The people began chanting his designation for no reason as soon as their horses reached the stage. The inauguration had no ribbon to cut; rather, the tradition was to nt a tree so the inauguration may be remembered forever.


    However, before Sylvester could take one step onto the stage, he froze and kept staring at the massive cloth hoarding on the stage, tied high with two poles. It had the name of the city on it, but the name was something he didn''t recognize. But after reading it, a hypothesis arose. "This¡­ Are you sure?"


    Isabe had donned her regal cloak with fur and green silk, with the crown on her head. She lowered her head toward Sylvester with respect and invited him over. "Without His Holiness, there would be no Gracia, no Sol¡ªNo Queen Isabe."


    Sylvester walked closer to her and gazed at the massive crowd with her on his side. The scent of pure worship was so strong that it was almost ufortable for his nose. "I just did what was right." "And that is why this ce will no longer be called Green City," Isabe spoke loudly into some magical contraption that amplified her voice, "From today, this will be Maximilia, the blessed city."


    Just like that, there was chaos in the city. Chaos of worship, cries, screams, prayers¡ªImmortalising Sylvester''s name with countless happy tears.


    The city of Maximilia was born.


    _________________


    [See the city here. Many more images on Discord.]

 Chapter 693 692. Paying A Visit

    Chapter 693 692. Paying A Visit


    Sylvester was taken aback by the announcement. A city named after him, and it wasn''t just any city but the capital of Gracia Kingdom. "Maximilia?" Sylvester muttered and looked at the people. "Would they agree with this? I hope this won''t be a thing that divides your people politically." Sylvester had seen it happen too many times in his past life. He had no doubt that there were people who weren''t that into the faith and didn''t hold much love for the Pope. So, would they be happy living in a city named after a Pope? "Just look at them, Your Holiness," Isabe insisted, gesturing towards the crowd. "They love you. This Kingdom exists because of you. Because of your sacrifices, Masan wasn''t able to ruin thisnd. Because of you, my elder brother couldn''t take over this Kingdom. Now, this city stands with all its luxuries."


    Sylvester nodded and admired the ce. Moments like these were moments when he felt that all the hard work was worth it. "Then¡­ I''ll ept this honor, Queen Isabe."


    "Then let us proceed with the tree-nting ceremony," Isabe gestured and led Sylvester down from the stage. At hermand, heavily armored guards came and parted the crowd efficiently, making a thin pathway to the middle of the massive City Center. There, arge metal mesh cage was ced on the paved floor. Inside it was the only unpaved area with exposed ground underneath. A tiny hole was already prepared there, along with some sacks full of fertilizers and mud. "Please nt the tree here, Your Holiness." Isabe acted respectfully with Sylvester in front of the crowd, not as a friend. Sylvester picked up the tree sapling from the tray a knight had brought over and ced it into the hole in the ground. After that, using his own hands, he filled the hole and watered the nt. However, he decided to go beyond a normal ceremony and make the event an eternally memorable one. "Stand back," Sylvestermanded everyone, and they followed¡ªeven themoners. Following that, Sylvester raised his palm towards the sapling and tried to use multiple types of magic¡ªelven and Creation Magic. At the same time, he sang a hymn under his breath and earned a halo behind his head. Woosh!


    The tree began to grow at a visible pace. From a sapling, it grewrger with a firm trunk. Then the scales appeared, and its width continued to spread. Soon enough, its height exceeded Sylvester''s, and the branches started stretching out. Even those in the distance behind the crowd finally began to see the magic happening. Bigger and wider, the tree kept growing. From merely half a meter to ten meters, then eventually fifty meters.


    "This is impossible!" Someone from the crowd shouted. "How is it that big?"


    "It''s just a mango tree!" Sylvester heard them and smiled. Indeed, it was a mango tree, but now it was also a magical tree. No more was it the same as the others as its lifespan wouldst hundreds of years, and its fruits would be the sweetest and most nourishing. He realized Elven Magicbined with Creation Magic was a deadlybination when it came to nt maniption.


    Thud!


    The first mango fell from a branch right into Sylvester''s palm just then. With that, he stopped using magic and looked at Isabe behind him. "Take this."


    Isabe silently took the mango. Sylvester blessed her in front of all the people, reaffirming Isabe''s status as the rightful Queen who was the best for the task of ruling them. "May this blessing strengthen your mind and body. As your offspring may this blessing embody." Isabe blushed, understanding the meaning behind his words. "Thank you, Your Holiness. Please, share a few words with the people of my Kingdom." Sylvester nodded and rose up into the air using his Light Tiles. He maintained the halo behind his head so that everyone could see him in the daylight and focus on him. As for his voice, it naturally reached every single mind in the vicinity and even those who were outside the city. Such was Elder Magic. "People of Gracia," he started. "You are blessed with a just Queen, a strong soon-to-be King Consort. You are blessed with the Holy Land as your neighbor. You are blessed with masterful beings like the dwarves living in yournds. "Now, you have witnessed the miracles and the convenience of the changing technology. The electricity that shines in your city at night, the fertilizers that grow bountiful crops each season, ess to clean water, and sewers that keep your homes clean are luxuries that not even the nobles lived through before. But let this be my warning and guidance¡ªnever let these miracles make youzy. Always strive to do more, better, and be greater¡ªfor these conveniences only exist to aid you. "No more you have to worry about food, or water, or traveling all the time. All you must focus on is self-improvement. Study, train, invent, pray, and be good¡ª


    that''s the definition of a living being who has achieved the peak of happiness.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten all those who reside in Gracia and Sol. May the new era cleanse your soul and bring you closer to your goals." With that, Sylvester stopped speaking andnded back on the ground. He walked back to the stage with Isabe and watched as she gave another short speech before ending the ceremony. Officially, Green City was not Maximilia. ¡­


    After the ceremony, Sylvester spent time mingling with the nobles in the new Royal Castle, a massive cluster of towers surrounded by boundary walls. It wasn''t as spread out as the previous castle, but this one went much higher


    ¡ªhigher than any building in the city. However, only after dinner was Sylvester able to rx. Isabe changed clothes intomoner brown robes and guided him around the city with Felix, to show him around. The view was magnificent as streetlights were spread out, and a lot of the buildings also had signs of light inside from their ss windows. "What''s that building?" Sylvester asked when he noticed arge, ten-story building with all its windows brightly lit. He even noticed there were people inside. "Isn''t it toote to be awake at this hour?"


    "That''s the night school," Isabe exined proudly. "Some time ago, I realized that people wanted to study but could not, as their day jobs were too important for their survival. So, I started this night school, where people from across the citye and study various subjects to elevate themselves and open up more opportunities for work."


    Sylvester nodded in appreciation. "That is¡­ very thoughtful of you, Isabe. Make sure you reward these peopleter if they show good progress. Always cherish talent, and always confirm things with your own eyes and ears, lest it leads to corruption and nepotism. The teachers who teach in those schools could push their rtives or children up while pulling down real talents." "Like Romel and that Bishop," Felix muttered, remembering what had happened to Sylvester back then. "I''ll do the inspection personallyter." "You''re the Saint Viceman of the Church," Sylvester looked at his good friend.


    "I can do two jobs at once. I love helping my wife with anything she needs." Sylvester felt shivers of cringe run through his body. "Ugh¡­ Youth and romance. Let''s continue the tour now. Show me the newly built dam, if you may." So, Isabe led the way to the city''s eastern side, where one of the White River''s tributaries flowed. As they arrived there, they noticed an extended part of the city wall, which was directly connected to the top of the hydroelectric dam. This was a prototype built by the research and development team of the Holy Land. Water was being released from the many gates when they arrived. The heavy sound of nature and the soothing breeze was mesmerizing. "How did you even think of making something like this?" Isabe asked him, standing close beside him and looking down from the steep drop of the dam at the falling water. "How does one even start trying to conceptualize a way to harness lightning and use it to brighten thends? This goes beyond simple innovation and creation."


    ''I can''t answer this question, Isabe. Those old men from my past world should be left alone. But I feel an unpleasant taste in my mouth if I take the credit.'' "Just a few ideas, Isabe. When you''re as strong and rich as me, you start to experiment with any idea you may have. In fact, soon, we won''t even need to make these dams to light up the city. Actually, we''ll soon be able to light up every single street and room of every single house throughout Sol," Sylvester revealed the n but didn''t name the massive discovery. "My two Oppenhimers discovered something great recently."


    "Opp who?" Felix confusedly eximed. Sylvester shrugged and started walking again. "In any case, it''s toote now. You two should go and start your daily exercise. Just hand me the address, and I''ll visit her on my own." "You¡ª" Isabe sighed at his suddenness and shifted closer to hug him. "Thank you for everything, Max. Never forget that Mother Xavia isn''t your only family."


    She pecked his cheek and stepped back before grabbing Felix''s hand to leave. "Good night."


    Sylvester silently smiled and watched them leave. "That''s why I''m going to beat those so-called gods."


    Finally, alone, he strolled back into the city and made his way toward the administrative block where most of the high-ranking officials lived. This was the most beautiful and guarded part of the city. There, he went to a double door by a major street and knocked on it. He waited before knocking again, making sure to wake up the person inside. ck!


    Finally, the doors opened, and a young face peeked out. Right away, the golden eyes were starkly visible, as they both locked gazes¡ªone ted and one in shock.


    "It''s been a while, Diana." Sylvester smiled. "I heard you passed the judge test."


    ________________

 Chapter 694 693. A Conqueror And A Giant Approaches

    Chapter 694 693. A Conqueror And A Giant Approaches


    "Old man!" "..." Sylvester looked behind himself and then back at the girl with blonde hair and golden eyes just like him. "What do you mean by old man? I''m not even thirty."


    "I mean¡­ In my mind, you are an old man," Diana replied and opened the door fully. "I didn''t expect you to visit me¡­ I thought that¡ª"


    "I forgot about you?" Sylvester finished her words. He could smell the nervousness despite her trying her best to appear calm. This was the little girl who, alongside her younger brother, tried to assassinate him all those years ago. Oddly, she and her brother had the rare golden eyes. "Normally, anyone would." "Normally, people don''t adopt every orphan they meet," Sylvester said, walking into her house. "I knew you were taking the Judge recruitment exam, Diana. I was watching over you all this time and cheering for your sess. I''m very proud of what you have aplished."


    The scent of happiness red up in the air and a bright beaming smile lit up on Diana''s face. She had grown up beautifully. Tall, fit, and pretty¡ªany man would be blessed to have her by his side. Of course, they need to be vetted by the mighty Pope first. "Ah¡­ Please take a seat." She just realized they were still standing near the door, inside now. Quickly, she grabbed Sylvester''s hand and pulled him over to the living room. "I''ll bring you water and something to eat."


    ''Still acting like a kid.'' Sylvester chuckled and took a seat while looking around. ''It seems Judges are granted pretty good houses.'' He noticed a few portraits on the wall as well. Some had her brother, and a few were his mass-produced images from the newspapers. There was even the special edition first page that had his entire face from coronation day. It was purposefully printed so people could cut it and keep it, remembering him firmly. "I got some biscuits," Diana returned with a ss of water, juice, and biscuits. "Have you had dinner?"


    "Calm down, girl. I came to see you, not to make you work. Just sit with me and talk," Sylvester said, perfectly sounding like an old man. However, he avoided saying her name, as it always reminded him of another Diana. Diana sheepishly took a seat opposite Sylvester and kept her back straight. "I understand, Your Holiness."


    "Just call me Sylvester or brother since I''m not that older than you," Sylvester suggested while sipping some of the juice. "What were you doing? Seeing all the lights on, I don''t think you were sleeping." She nodded vigorously. "I was writing down a few verdicts for tomorrow''s hearings, Your¡­ Brother. I''m a District Judge, and I preside over cases that are rted to crimes less than murder, sexual assault, or very."


    "All the crimes that don''t involve a death sentence, you mean?" Sylvester understood. It was expected since Diana was still a new judge. "How is the new job? Anything you want to report to the Pope? Any suggestions? Or maybe someint?"


    Diana looked down, rubbing her hands together. "I¡­ I wanted to ask how you''re going to stop judges from saving their families. I''ve heard that multiple judges have gotten together already to help each other as their families live in each other''s jurisdiction."


    Sylvester''s brows rose in alert, "Did you notice a significant case?"


    "A judge recently saved his nephew after he was caught drinking and beating a tavern waitress. She died as he mmed a bottle on her head. In normal circumstances, the man would have been sentenced to death, but instead, he was let go due to insufficient evidence. I read the case¡ª


    there was more than enough evidence," Diana revealed with genuine worry in her voice.


    Sylvester sighed and rubbed his face wearily. "I guess the Judge recruitment examination needs to include a better psychological evaluation. As for what you told me¡­ That judge will be used to set an example. While all the others will be under strict surveince. Don''t worry, dear, I''m working on a method to solve these instances of corruption." She breathed in relief and rxed in her seat. "That''s great to hear. I really love my new job and hope all the others can be as honest as I want to be. Even Max wants to join me¡­ But as an investigator instead." Max was the name of her younger brother. Indeed, it was a strange coincidence the two names had appeared together. "That''s a dangerous job. Perhaps you can hire him as your assistant first and let him experience various kinds of cases. I don''t want the two of you to take unnecessary risks," Sylvester said, showing concern and taking out a piece of paper from his pocket before starting to write on it. "I''ll write a rmendation letter for Max so you can hire him without anyone meddling." Sylvester spent another hour talking with Diana, listening to her stories and anything she wanted to share about her life. He listened with full focus, giving her advice and sometimesughing with her. It was nothing to him, but it meant the world to the girl. He was her role model, after all. But eventually, he decided to get back to work and walked to the exit. "Take care of yourself, Diana. If you ever find yourself in trouble, contact me without any worry." "Please take care of yourself, Brother." She waved merrily, her mind refreshed and her will to strive for the best reinforced. It was a simple meeting, nothing too personal or important. But Sylvester appreciated it, as this was the proof of his sessful policies. "Chonky, let''s go and eat at the Bard''s." "Thiste? Won''t they be closed?"


    "No, there is one outlet that remains open at all times in this new city. It caters to the night owls and the massive number of city guards throughout the night." Sylvester had already memorized the map and made his way toward the ce. "Banana shake and fish," Miraj instantly chirped. "Ten tes!"


    "You''re being greedy again." "Because I am!" Miraj didn''t hold back his shamelessness. ¡­


    "I do not conquer because of greed."


    "I only see a liar hungry for power and wealth," King Keilib of Nond growled at Leyon The Conqueror, who had defeated him to his knees. "You will never find peace. You will never be their ruler¡ªan animal. That is what they will consider you." Leyon shook his head and kicked King Keilib to the ground. "People don''t care who rules them as long as they don''t suffer. As such, you are meaningless¡­ Every noble is meaningless¡­ Every King is meaningless."


    "And you?" "And am the result of all the unheard cries ofmoners by the likes of you. I am the answer to the pleas of the people. All are equal before me¡ªyour status and wealth will be quashed if you stand against me, or my people," Leyon replied with resolution in his eyes. His de already rested on Keilib''s throat, and there was no doubt he was going to kill the King. "All I hear are contradictions¡­" Keilib coughed out a mouthful of blood. "What next? Did you take the Warsong Kingdom? Going east? You will have to battle the Holy Land." Leyon smiled under his armor helmet. "Warsong is already mine, my naive friend. All it took was a little spark to start a peasant uprising. Do you think people lived a happy life there? Do you think the rulers there were any different than all other ces? King Omshi Warsong has abdicated to me."


    "Haha," Keilibughed in reply. "In that case, you will be shing with Gracia? Good luck, because you will need plenty of it. The Queen''s husband-to-be is Saint Viceman of the faith. You''ll be dead before you ste¡ª"


    Leyon smacked the butt of his sword on Keilib''s head and knocked him out. "You foolish man. Despite having been a ve, you misunderstood thebined might of the people. The east shall fall, just as the west did."


    "What of the faith?" A man voiced from behind Leyon, donning loose noble robes of white and red, with a mask of a golden crow on his face. "I have spent too much money on you for you to lose now." "Pope Sylvester can''t be taken lightly, of that I agree. But even he requires a reason to meddle, and I won''t give him one. Use whatever means you have and ensure no civilian dies, no atrocity is inflicted, and no Clergyman is harmed," Leyon ordered the mysterious figure. "Do that, and you shall have the prize you so dearly desire."


    "Good." The mystery man turned and left, "I will see you in Gracia then."


    ¡­


    At the same time, in Beastaria, the son of the King of Giants tried to make his way toward the western shore of the continent and catch a ship to the Holy Land. But somewhere in the middle, he lost all his money and had to look for it. "Wraaaa!" He roared and mmed his metal club on the tiny, green creature with long ears and nose. There were so many that, even after having created a mountain of their dead bodies, more hade and climbed over. Boom!


    "What are these dumb things? They''re like ants!" Prince Castell Gralith wondered while massacring the creatures, who, to their best attempts, tried to stab him with their little daggers but were unable to. "Goblins." The wonderful, huge eagle sitting on Castell''s shoulder replied. "I know their kind. They are evil, and they breed faster than rabbits. Nor do they taste good."


    "Aaaaarh¡­ Die, you worms!" Castell left no stones unturned and used Earth magic as he kicked the ground and sent out a wave of earthquake, creating small cracks in thend that devoured the goblins. "Give me my money back! I know your kind stole it!" Boom!


    Unstoppable, he was a force of nature before the horde of goblins. But what Castell didn''t know was how his actions would alert the elves. After all, the sudden vanishing of half of the goblin poption was a concerning instance. Although, even Castell the giant had no idea how many he killed. It wasn''t that hard. "Give me my money!" Castell kept killing them and headed towards the path they''d appeared from. "And yours too!"


    "Kehehe¡­" Bajj, the eagle on the giant''s shoulder,ughed. "I''m proud of you, Cas."


    ________________

 Chapter 695 694. The Richest

    Chapter 695 694. The Richest


    Sylvester finished his short visit to the new City of Maximilia and decided to head back to the Holy Land the very next day. Thoroughly impressed by the results of all the advancements he had designed for the city, he now wished to implement it around the entire continent of Sol. However, it was no easy feat. Implementing everything in new cities was easier than those old ones with their broken down infrastructures and narrow streets. But magic was a thing, and he was going to use it to the fullest. "Your Holiness, this is the most recent report on Leyon the Conqueror." Gabriel came running as soon as he smelled Sylvester entering the Pope''s Pce. It was expected by Sylvester at that point. "Did you ce some spying instrument in my office or what? How do you always know when I''m back?" Sylvester asked him while taking the file from him. Gabriel shrugged proudly, "I ordered the guards to inform me as soon as you appear." "Tsk¡­ You''re making me work like a ve," Sylvester joked and looked down at the report with no amusement or shock. "Ah, so he''s already taken over West Sol. I''m not much surprised. They weren''t very strong after what I did to the Empire. But I am indeed amused by the fall of Warsong." "That''s it?! Your Holiness, he''s an enemy of the entire Sol. He''s a menace to all the kingdoms," Gabriel argued and pointed his finger at the paper. "Look at the soldiers in his army. It''s exceeded ten million already. Every kingdom he absorbed, he somehow made the soldiers join his side as well." "A good speaker, then." Sylvester suddenly remembered a certain man with a tiny square mustache, but Leyon wasn''t evil like that one. "From what I can see in this report, we have no grounds to meddle in this situation. Leyon hasn''t even killed ten thousand soldiers yet, nor civilians or Clergymen. Most of the Kingdoms surrendered to him." "But now he stands at the border of Gracia, near Sandwall County''s Miraj City."


    "And we''ll wait for him to move before taking any action. Let''s not forget that Miraj City is designated as the second Holy Land. It may be Sandwall County''s capital, but it''s also the Pope''s second residence. Leyon is smart, and he knows he can''t offend me. Now, I''m just curious about how he is going to pass this hurdle."


    ¡­


    "Rivers." Leyon the Conqueror stood in his military camp''s main tent and strategized with the Generals he had chosen to work for him.


    Men who weren''t personally that powerful but had enough mental fortitude and wit to manage andmand armies. On top of that, his movement had gained many talents who came to serve him. Of course, some came with the intention of killing him and recing him¡ªdeath is mercy, was a famous quote in the camp.


    "Your Majesty, even if we reach all the capital cities in each kingdom, we won''t be able to win. Each of them has at least one Grand Wizard. While we have only been able to attain two Grand Wizards from the Warsong Kingdom." Commander Bayek of Warsong, now a member of the Leyon Empire, voiced his concern. It was a narcissistic thing to name a kingdom after one''s first name, and not the surname. Sadly, Leyon didn''t have ast name as he was once the lowest of the lowest amongmoners. "Commander Bayek, the n is to enter these cities secretly. Dealing with the West was easy with military might, but dealing with the East would require deeper nning. Sol is still recuperating from the devastation caused by previous wars, and we shall take advantage of it. We are not going to focus on the capital cities but rather the other poption centers. Instigate the people, fund the militia, the thieves, the murderers, and overload the kingdom with heightened responsibility towards their citizens. "Once their armies are spread around far and wide, I shall attack the royal castles with our powerhouses. A few more Grand Wizards will soon be joining us, so do not worry about the end result," Leyon detailed his n and looked at hismanders. "Commander Bayek, Commander Fritz, Commander Shing, and Commander Ornald, you are to head to one kingdom each, from top to bottom, in order. Take your time and y the game with patience, pride, and precision¡ªMay the Holy Light enlighten you." Pat!


    The four men saluted back.


    "Long Live the Emperor!"


    ¡­


    Back in the Holy Land, a certain invention was being tested for thest time before being deployed. Considering how significant it was for his ns, Sylvester tested them out himself to ensure there were no backdoors or security threats. "It looks quite portable," Sylvester muttered when he saw the wireless magicmunicator. No longer was it a massive box with a wire that connected to a huge tower somewhere outside. What Sylvester was looking at was the soldier''s mobilemunications unit. "How long can it be powered?" Sylvester asked while checking the backpack-like thing with a single, tall antennae of metal protruding out. It reminded him of his previous life''s portable transceiver from that time in Vietnam. Cardinal Robert proudly showcased it. "Your Holiness, it can work continuously for one hour with each inch-sized Srium Crystal. So, its operation limit is restricted by how many Srium Crystals one has. We have tried to test the limits, and this unit has been running for the past three months without interruption." Sylvester looked at it with amusement, "Range?" "That antenna connects it with the nearest major tower and helpsmunicate through it. The range varies ording to the terrain. In innds, it can go for almost five hundred kilometers. In the mountains, it depends on how high the tower is, and the position of the receiver as well as the transmitter," Cardinal Jinn exined in detail and also showcased a booklet that had the rune systems used to make the connections. "This is likely the most well-researched thing we have developed here, Your Holiness." Sylvester carefully checked everything. Thest thing he wanted was for someone to be able to intercept themunication. He knew it was going to happen eventually, but he wanted at least a few decades of growth before it happened. "How far has your research for the reactor and the traine? I hope you two understand that electricity and railways will be the backbone of the new world we''re creating. To increase the manufacturing output, we need these two as quickly as possible." Sylvester moved on to the next topic, "Ask me anything if you stumble across a hurdle." "Ehm." Cardinal Jinn had utter pride in his eyes. "The first prototype of the Srium-Fusion Reactor is in the works. It''s not hard, nor easy. A lot of it has to do with structural engineering, as we have to test various materials to see which suits best to hold that amount of tremendous energy. In the end, only Skygem worked for us. On top of that, I''m having to design an entire power station for the electric circuitry, as well as a grid system for the entire Sol that will need to be built before electricity can reach throughout." Sylvester hummed and oversaw all the information provided to him. ''I don''t want to invent stic. But finding its alternative isn''t easy either. It seems like I''ll have to work on this element myself. Otherwise, the speed of all the other projects will be hindered.''


    He understood that not everything could be made from metals or wood. "What of the trains?" "Ah, that''s something I shall answer," Saint Keymaster, the chief economist of the Holy Land, spoke up. It was the noble turned ve turned Clergyman with the ability to memorize anything, Cardinal Darius. "The rail lines are beingid in the Hignd Kingdom, Riveria, and Gracia Kingdom. As for the ckhart Kingdom, we are having some trouble. The temperature in the harsh south goes too high, and the steel rails can melt at times, Your Holiness." Sylvester understood that much. "Then start building a major roadwork in the ckhart Kingdom. Connect it to train terminals in Hignd. Remember, I don''t want one kingdom to feel blessed and another to be cursed. That''s what leads to internal strife and eventual rebellions. "Gabriel, I''ll be speaking with Queen Xylena. Write it down on my to-do list," Sylvester ordered, giving hismands left and right as most of the Sanctum Council was there. "Felix, you are to go to the south, meet with the major administration position holders, and reaffirm to them that they are not forgotten. Saint Medico, how many Grace Hospitals have been built by now?" The old man, Healer Hendrix, groaned and replied. He hated participating in meetings since research, his wife, and his daughter were his only love. "Thirty in Gracia, nearly forty in Riveria, twenty-two in Hignd, and ten in ckhart Kingdom. While in the West, we have only begun, and ten Grace Hospitals have been built." Sylvester made an ugly, displeased face. "Too slow, Saint Medico. I want the thousand hospitals mark reached as soon as possible. Right away, order the construction of thirty more in ckhart simultaneously. We need to pacify them with something, or else they will misunderstand theck of railway as our bias."


    "Not possible." Healer Hendrix was a blunt man, even towards the Pope. But he was still respectable. "Your Holiness, that''s not possible since we don''t have as many healers."


    "Then train them."


    "We don''t have enough schools and funds. And to train healers, it takes years." Hendrix said.


    "I will fund it," Sylvester instantly replied. Gabriel and Saint Keymaster''s eyes sparkled at the idea as they stared at him. They were always worried about funds, even though the treasury was constantly filling.


    "How rich are you, Your Holiness?" Gabriel asked. Sylvester folded his arms. "The richest."


    "Of course, you''re the richest in Sol." Gabriel self-depreciatinglyughed. "In the world." "..."


    ________________

 Chapter 696 695. The Great Harvest Festival

    Chapter 696 695. The Great Harvest Festival


    Crunch!


    Crunch!


    Crrr¡ªunch!


    "What are you eating?" Sylvester looked at his personal furball sitting near the window in his office room. "Nyothing." Miraj ignored it and began to munch sneakily. But still, the sounds were loud. Sylvester red at the cat and walked over. He could feel Miraj being on alert and not chewing anymore. The furball also hid something under his body right then. "I¡­ I smell something," Sylvester sniffed the air. "It''s like¡­ You greedy cat!" "Nyoooo~" Miraj meowed. "It''s my cookie! Big Mum gave it to me!" "She probably asked you to share it with me." Sylvester tried to move Miraj. "Don''t be greedy and give me some." Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!


    Miraj tried to eat quickly and gulp it all down. "It''s mine!" "You know honey cookies are my favorite. So give me some." Sylvester nudged him, shoving his hand into the cat''s mouth so he couldn''t eat anymore. "Nnnn¡­ Noh-th honeyh¡­" Miraj tried to speak while nibbling on Sylvester''s hand. "Bahnana-h cookie."


    "Banana cookie?" Sylvester retreated his hand and shrugged before walking back. "Ah, then I don''t want it. Go on, eat slowly, Chonky."


    "Meanie!" Miraj growled and rxed on his window seat again, bathing in sunlight and eating. Sylvester chuckled and got to work again. He simply liked messing with Miraj since both of them had spent so many years together, and no matter what, they just couldn''t get angry with one another. On top of that, they knew they had a few more centuries ofpanionship, so acting crazy was the only option to pass the time. Knock! Knock!


    "Your Holiness." Gabriel peeked into the room. "It''s time to go. The Great Harvest Festival is going to start. It will take us days to reach River City." Sylvester shrugged and kept reading the reports and writing some more ns. For example, he was nning on adding massive clock towers to all monasteries from now on. "You can go. I''ll leave an hour before it starts and fly there."


    "You can''t fly."


    "..."


    Sylvester felt a string tugging at his heart. "Sry deducted for a month." "..."


    "You don''t pay me," Gabriel barked back. "Really?" Sylvester had no idea. "That''s not possible. How do you even survive?" "Food is free for me from the Bard''s. Living is also free since I have my office, and travel expenses are borne by the Holy Land''s Administration¡ªmy department. I had foregone my sry years ago when I became a Bishop, Your Holiness. That money is better used on something better," Gabriel revealed. Sylvester silently looked at his friend, impressed by his faith. "Only if every other Clergyman was like you. I''ll see you at River City, Gab. You can go first." Noticing Gabriel had gone, Miraj flew from his ce andnded on the table. "What''s the Great Horny Festival? Will Felix be there?" "Even if it was a Horny Festival, I don''t think Felix can go there. But this one is the Harvest Festival. It''s a new thing, a day meant to celebrate the start of the harvest season across East Sol. It takes ce in most of the cities, towns, and viges. Peoplee together. Free food is cooked in massive cauldrons and eaten by everyone," Sylvester exined, thinking about the idea behind proposing such festivals. It was a means of entertainment for the people, a means to take away their focus from all their troubles. A way for young ones toe together, fall in love, and increase Sol''s poption. ''I can''t wait to reach the one billion mark. More people, more economic activity, more money, more faith, more development, and finally peace¡ªah, I feel like an evil viin.'' Sylvester rxed in his chair. ''Just one more little game, and everything will be prepared for me to venture into the Demon Realm.''


    "Uwaaa!"


    "Chonky, you greedy glutton! You overate again, didn''t you? How many cookies did you eat?" Sylvester grunted at the sight of Miraj vomiting on his desk. "Meow¡­ Just¡­" Miraj groaned. "A few dozen."


    "Let me guess. It wasn''t Mum who gave them to you. You stole the jar, didn''t you?" Sylvester folded his arms, scolding him. "Serves you right." "Nyo! Don''t tell Big Mum."


    "As if she won''t notice the missing jar." "Mewaaaaa!" Miraj cried in misery of his own bringing.


    ¡­


    Riveria was a different kingdom now than it was a few years ago. Riveria''s royal family was dead to the veryst member, and the new King was Kaecilius. very had been abolished long ago, and even the nobility was under a lot of pressure to be just and perform well ording to thews. Being the richest Kingdom, it also had the most poption and prosperity. It was able to invest money in projects that Sylvester proposed. The extensive railwayworks and roadwayworks, upgrading cities, towns and viges, Grace Hospitals, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, and so much more. Even basic education had been made free in the Kingdom. Higher education was also free as long as the students signed contracts to serve ten years under Riveria''s government service in various professions. That also meant the offer was open to people of other kingdoms. Effectively, Riveria was brain-draining its neighbors. But Sylvester didn''t meddle in it. He considered it the failure of other kingdoms if they couldn''t realize what was happening. "Ah, look at all the hustle and bustle." Sylvester arrived at River City a day early instead of an hour early. He donnedmoner''s clothes, a simple tunic, belt, and breeches. But he still didn''t bother changing his eye and hair color, letting the smart ones know the Pope was in the city. "Fishy!" Miraj excitedly jumped on Sylvester''s shoulder.


    "It''s a game, Chonky. You''re to scoop out fish using that paper scooper. But it''s a scam in reality because the paper is too thin," Sylvester exined and decided to y. He was a wizard, and it didn''t take much to win it, scooping every single fish out of the tub. "And that''s how you win with simple water magic."


    "Eh!" The shopkeeper coughed and angrily pointed to a signboard. "No wizards allowed. Please put the fish back."


    ''What a shrewd man. He knew I was a wizard from the start but let my performance gather the crowd before speaking.'' Sylvester admired the shopkeeper and walked away. ''Sadly for him, his scam won''t work anymore.''


    They walked around the market, ate the festive dishes and the junk food at the Bard''s, and yed many more games. Miraj also enjoyed his time as he got to taste new things while Sylvester observed the city''s situation. ''River City was in good condition to begin with, but now it''s even better. The poption seems to have greatly increased.'' Thud!


    Sylvester bumped shoulders with another man, robbed in a heavy cloak and a hood. "Apologies." "No problem, my friend." Sylvester let the man go, smiling. Once the man vanished, he ced his hand in his tunic''s pocket and took out a folded paper. "This brings me back to the early days." "What is it?" Chonky hung from his shoulder. "It''s telling me to go and visit the ckteeth Tavern in the Southern District," Sylvester read. "Let''s go then."


    "Maxy, could it be a trap?"


    "Could be, or a cry for help." ¡­


    Sylvester asked around a little and soon found himself in the good part of the city from the looks of it. It was less crowded and cleaner, had wider streets, better buildings, and people with ssist personalities. The ckteeth Tavern turned out to be quite an establishment¡ªa massive eatery with its own legal gambling floor, spanning two stories. However, when Sylvester entered, he found ack of people there. All the food tables were empty except for a few men sitting by the bar''s counter, drinking. ''Yet, I feel a great deal of srium oozing from this building.'' Sylvester felt alert and utilized Elder Magic to do Srium Imaging and look through the walls. He looked up and simrly found a mostly empty gambling floor. But then he looked down, and he just kept looking. "A cry for help." "Maxy, who''s throat should I slit?" Miraj also took to the air, revealing his ws. Sylvester shook his head and snapped his fingers. "Anyone who tries to escape the building."


    Thud! ck! ck!


    In response to Sylvester''s snap, all the doors of the establishment closed up, and then the windows shut fully, making the inside of the eatery seem as if it was night. The three men drinking, and the four bartenders, servers, and the manager were alerted. Sylvester sighed and walked to the man in fine silk clothes. "Lead me downstairs if you don''t want to die." "Who are you? Do you know who owns this ce? Count B


    ¡ª"


    Thud!


    Sylvester didn''t even move. It was Chonky who flew by the man''s neck. A momentter, his head fell onto the floor, rolling aside with blood spraying everywhere. "Counts, Dukes, Kings¡ªFlesh that can be stabbed and slit, that''s all I see." Sylvester walked to the next best-clothed man. "Lead me downstairs, or die."


    "Y-Yes¡­ Sire," the middle-aged, brown-haired waiter agreed and meekly walked to the back of the bar, into the kitchen, and then into the magical pantry with freezing runes. Inside, from the secret door on the floor, the man led Sylvester ten or so meters downstairs into the brightly lit room. "Who is he?" There were two armored knights standing guard before an ivory-white door with a golden knob. Thud!


    Once again, Sylvester didn''t move. But, with a simple overload of srium he produced in their bodies made their hearts explode, leaving their lips covered with blood and their bodies dead. "Lead me in," Sylvester ordered the waiter. "What''s your name?"


    "M-My name is Eric, Sire," the waiter replied, his legs shivering already. "P-Please don''t kill me. I have a family."


    "And those being exploited don''t?" Sylvester returned the words and followed him in through the door. Right away, loud music was audible, a mix of guitars, pianos, and even someone singing in a soothing, womanly voice. As he passed through a corridor, with every single soldier dropping dead on their own, he eventually found himself in a massive hall. There were dozens of round sofas with tables in the middle, a stage at one end of the hall with a few utterly beautiful women ying the instruments and singingpletely naked. More women were walking around the tables, simrly naked, with big serving saucers to hand over food and drinks. There were also handsome men, equally naked, doing the serving. Following that, he noticed the men and women sitting on the sofas.


    Most were questionably dressed. Some without their upper clothes, some without their lower, and otherspletely naked. But what they were doing was the cause of anger. ''Once again, I''m reminded of how simr our worlds are.''


    The guests were being sexually pleasured by attractive women and men, and at some tables, he saw a few tearful faces that clearly didn''t belong there. They belonged to schools, ygrounds, and homes, smiling and ying. Not clutched in the arms of unsightly men and women.


    "Who are the guests?" Sylvester asked the waiter again. "I''ll kill you if you don''t answer."


    "B-But¡­ they will also kil¡­"


    Sylvester clutched the waiter''s neck from behind and brought his face closer to his own, gaining a few gazes from the disgusting audience. "Look at my eyes and hair¡ªI am the Pope! Now speak, or you will definitely die alongside them."


    "D-Duke L-Longwin, Marquis Ignis, Count Lenord¡­ Many more¡­ rich merchants, Y-Your M-Majesty!"


    Sylvester sighed after hearing the names and released the waiter. He gazed at the noblesughing there, not even knowing they were already dead.


    "Nothing of value will be lost."


    ________________

 Chapter 697 696. Cardinal Morgan

    Chapter 697 696. Cardinal Morgan


    He didn''t wish to show any shy moves or make any light shine upon them. He didn''t want them to see any hope or feel any positivity before their painful death greeted them. Nor did he want to spill too much blood as there were children around, albeit deeply hurt and their innocence destroyed. Snap!


    With the flick of his fingers, all the children in the big hall fell unconscious. It caused amotion as the various Lords, Ladies, and rich merchant customers startedining right away. The music came to a halt soon after as Sylvester walked over and climbed the stage, pushing aside the band of naked women. "How dare you be a dictator! How dare you insult nobility! Without us, this realm will rot," Sylvester voiced, mimicking the words of many powerful people he had heard over the past few months. "But I say¡ªthe world is already rotten, and you''re the cause." "Errr¡­ Get down from there, whoever you-ugh¡­ arrre!" Roared a man too drunk to even speak normally. Standing naked with his willy hanging out, he swung his arm and threw his ss at Sylvester. "Do you¡­ you who I¡­ am? I am the Duke!"


    Ssh!


    Sylvester caught the ss and threw it back. It zoomed past so fast that no one even saw it, but the result they all saw. Duke Longwin''s head exploded as if something struck it with unimaginable force, ripping apart a huge chunk of his face above his jaw, leaving only his tongue falling out, but the rest missing. Surprisingly, no blood sprayed around as if the body was instantly frozen. "I try to avoid violence as the Pope. But even I have limits, and what I truly hate is¡­" Sylvester walked down from the stage towards the still-standing dead body of the Duke, tapping it so it would fall. "Powerful people who misuse their authority tomit the unspeakable." "P-P-Po¡­" The man nearest to the Duke forgot how to speak. "Marquis Ignis, I presume?" Sylvester looked at the partially naked, bare-chested man; his bloated, hairy belly was a sign of how hard-working he was. "Don''t you agree with me, Marquis? Nobles are the scum of this world."


    "Ah, y-yes¡­"


    "Then please die for me." Sylvester raised his palm towards the man, and a silent implosion urred in the man''s heart, leaving the man dead with blood oozing out of his nose and freezing right away. "All of you¡ªplease die for me, and for the sake of this world."


    "Run!" Someone among the nobles shouted, and they tried to jump from their seats towards the exit. "But where to?" Sylvester calmly questioned, flicking his hand and shutting the doors close. "Do you think you can run away from the Pope? I know all your faces. And as the Supreme Judge, as mentioned in the constitution that you all epted, I condemn you all to death¡ªimmediately." Thud!


    "Nooo¡­"


    Thud!


    sh!


    Some fell on the floor, some on the tables, and some hit the walls as they were running. One after another, all the nobles indiscriminately died, be it men or women among them. Counts, Viscounts, Barons, merchants; none were spared.


    It took just a few moments for silence to take over the hall. ''Ah, I killed almost half of the high and powerful nobles of Riveria.'' Sylvester realized and proudly nodded. ''What a great day.''


    "Were you forced into this profession, or did you enter it on your own?" Sylvester asked one of the naked waitresses beside him. "F-Forced¡­ Your Majesty. I was just like these children once." ''This must have been going on for decades then. I should have caught onto this thest time I was here.'' Sylvester felt displeased in himself and looked at the many young, unconscious faces. ''The Grand Monastery should be able to take them in and rehabilitate them.'' "I''ll be sending the King''s Prima and the Cardinal of the Church here. Go, wear some clothes, and wait here for them to arrive. If any of you have a guilty conscience and try to run away¡ªI will find you." Sylvester swept his gaze at all those standing there. "May the Holy Light enlighten you." Sylvester returned upstairs after the little carnage and saw all the remaining men there were dead, their heads split apart and now resting on the floor with blood everywhere. "Chonky, let''s go." "Okie!" Miraj flew back to him and sat down on the shoulder. "They tried to run away, so I chop-chop their necks, Maxy."


    "Good job." Sylvester patted him in praise and left the building, heading straight to the royal castle, also known as the River Castle of Riveria; A beautiful walledplex of high structures with fountains, gardens, and even artificial waterfalls. Boom!


    Sylvesternded in the training courtyard of the main castle, announcing his arrival with a loud sonic boom. There were a few elite knights trained there, who were alerted and quickly raised their swords. "Stand down!" The Commander of the Elite Knights roared. "That is the Pope! Learn to recognize the almighty, you fools!"


    ''This man¡­ I think I''ve seen him before.'' Sylvester tried hard to remember. "Your Holiness," themander approached him by then and knelt down. "I am Ronald, the Commander of Elite Knights. You may not remember, but we met once in the Fort Sunflower years ago. I used to be a Gate Scribe then, but after His Majesty gave me a chance, I rose."


    ''Ah! The one who recognizes me despite the disguise.'' Sylvester instantly remembered the awkward incident. "It appears the Lord blessed you, my brother, in faith." Sylvester patted his shoulder and walked towards the entrance. "I shall go and meet with the King. You continue with the training." Having infiltrated River Castle, and killed the previous King Riveria, he knew every door and turn in the building. After asking the servants, he soon found his way to the top floor of one of the mighty towers of the castle, where the King''s Sr was, a ce for him to work in peace and also look at the city from the height. "Your Holiness." Sylvester paused at the closed door as a man stood before him, a man who should have been dead. "Jeremiah Freeman. You were King Conrad''s Prima. How are you still alive?"


    "I am King Kaecilius'' Prima now, Your Holiness." "How did that happen?" "I was looking for an opportunity to kill Duke Conrad, then King Conrad, until His Majesty Kaecilius fulfilled my dream," Jeremiah revealed, being a double agent. "I was once a ve too, one whom Conrad freed and forced into servitude. He caused the death of my family, and yet expected me to serve him honestly."


    ''I smell no lies.'' Sylvester evaluated and moved forward, patting his shoulder and opening the door. "Then, I wish you a prosperous life ahead, Jeremiah. Now, please wait here. I must have a word with Kaecilius privately." Sylvester entered the sr and looked around, right away noticing Kaecilius sitting behind a table. ''He looks the same as ever, just a little older.'' Sylvester remembered the days and years he had spent nurturing his own Spartacus. ''At least he''s a good King.''


    "Your Holiness." Kaecilius stood up, his attire being simple robes with leather armor, and a sword resting on his table''s side. Sylvester scoffed and threw back the little piece of paper at him. "You could have dealt with the nobles yourself, instead of sneaking around in the streets and passing me little parchments."


    Kaecilius solemnly smiled, gesturing for Sylvester to a seat. "So you knew it was me."


    "You thought I wouldn''t be aware of a mysterious figure secretly watching and following me? You''re good, but you forgot who I am." Sylvester took a seat. "Forgive me, Your Holiness. The moment I realized you were in the city, I thought of taking your help in dealing with those animals as quickly as possible. They have been on my watch for years, but they hold so much influence, money, and power, that if I had gone against them, it would have started another civil war in the kingdom. "But if you were to announce them as emunicated, then I would be able to deal with them justly, without any chance of a rebellion. I hope you saw their vile deeds, and announce their heresy." "They''re dead," Sylvester blurted. "..."


    Kaecilius found himself at a loss of words, "I¡­ That''s even better."


    "Their families will still be dered emunicated. Hold detailed trials and kill every member of their families who knew of these activities. Strip them of their noble status, take away all their wealth, and only leave them with three years'' worth of a cksmith''s wage. Use some of the money gained to rehabilitate the victims," Sylvester ordered him, a standard procedure in cases such as this. Kaecilius nodded his head firmly and clenched his fist. "This will help me consolidate the kingdom more and focus on development. Please join me for lunch, Your Holiness. I have called for a few jesters to entertain us." "Lead the way." Sylvester decided to mingle with the King as he had arrived a day early. He also wanted to evaluate the man and see if he had made the right choice in picking him as the King. After all, Kaecilius was the only monarch he wasn''t as deeply involved with as the others¡ªKing Hignd, Queen Isabe, and Queen Xylena. He followed the man to one of the major dining halls. A few men and women were already there, sitting around at the table. "This is my council, Your Holiness," Kaecilius introduced the people. "I took the example of the Holy Land and formed something akin to the Sanctum Council. Now, I have a person responsible for each aspect of the kingdom


    ¡ªCouncilman Medico, Councilwoman Wazir, Councilman Keymaster, Councilman Seer, and I added a few more to focus on trade and agriculture."


    ''Commendable that he''s thought this much. If I remember correctly, he was a merchant before falling into very.'' Sylvester agreed with the changes. This was better than depending on just one Prima. "Youc Holiness! Youc esteemed Holiness! Why didn''t you meet me ficst?!"


    Sylvester sighed as soon as he heard the strange fanatic words nearing from behind. "Don''t tell me¡­ The Cardinal of this city is Morgan!"


    "Who?" Kaecilius narrowed his gaze in confusion. "Is he corrupt?"


    "No." Sylvester tiredly looked back. "He was infamous in the Holy Land¡­ For his habit of recing ''R'' with ''C'' and a few others."


    "Your Holiness!" The old Cardinal with a healthy, tall body came running frantically, "I have cemained loyal to you like an unmoving cock on a mountain that is the faith!"


    "..."


    "Oh¡­" Keacilius understood Sylvester''s dilemma right away. _______________

 Chapter 698 697. A Dwarfs Tears

    Chapter 698 697. A Dwarf''s Tears


    "You were punished for speaking carelessly before and sent here, and yet you continue tomit the same thing." Sylvester didn''t greet the Cardinal warmly. "I thought Saint Wazir sent you to some backwater Duchy or city."


    "Hecesy?" Cardinal Morgan looked at Sylvester confusedly with great reverence. "Peculiar," King Kaecilius muttered, seeing the exchange. "He must be good at his work to be sent to a kingdom''s capital." Sylvester nodded with a deep sigh. "He''s just one rank away from bing a Grand Wizard. In a way, he''s being nurtured to be a Grand Wizard and soon join the ranks of Guardians. It''s only his slip of the tongue that''s making me question it."


    "Ah!" Morgan realized just then. "I said the sinful again?"


    "He''s been told to avoid using words with ''R'' in them," Sylvester muttered and greeted the Cardinal. He didn''t hate the man, after all. It was likely a mental or physical condition that made him like that. "Youc Holiness!" Morgan was rather unusual and jumped in to hug Sylvester like the young man was his father. "Youc devotee pays cespect."


    "Alright, alright." Sylvester patted his shoulder since he was also a tall man. Even muscr and rugged-looking with his folded sleeves. "Let''s go now. His Majesty has organized entertainment for us. I have other things to discuss with you at the same time." "Undecstood."


    After that, Sylvester followed Kaecilius to sit down at the lunch table''s longer side, with him being given the middle and bigger seat. It was understandable since he was higher than a King at the current stage. Paaa!


    As soon as they began eating lunch, trumpets and loud drums started booming. A momentter, a group of dwarves entered¡ªnot real dwarves, but humans who were born utterly short. They came in wearing various costumes, from Clergymen tomoners, nobles, and even armored knights. "Haaa!" An armored dwarven man came in on the back of a pig with ance in his hands. Then came another, and both went to the wide side of the hall and faced each other. There were ten of them in total, so the rest took the positions of spectatormoners, a king and queen, and one announcer. "Hear, hear¡ªSir Shortwood and Sir Littletoes shall joust for the hand of the princess," the announcer shouted. Soon after, the mock jousting took ce rather professionally. However, the aim wasedy, so they fell from their pigs, and even got attacked by the same pigs. There was even a story to their whole little y. After one of the short knights won and came to give flowers to the princess, the princess demanded a joust as well. "Princess Thickfinger challenges Sir Littletoes!"


    And so the female dwarven woman got on top of a pig and won, then went to the audience and proposed to amoner boy there. It was a y, and there was a lot of stumbling around, self-deprecating jokes, fart jokes, and so on.


    Sylvester didn''tugh seeing all that, but everyone else seemed to be enjoying it. Every time one of the dwarf men or women fell from a pig, theughs were almost hysterical. When the King got pped by the princess, the audience pped. Soon, the y came to an end, and Kaecilius gifted a few silver coins to the jester troupe. By then, the lunch also came to an end. "It seems the entertainment wasn''t to your enjoyment, Your Holiness," Kaecilius said. Sylvester nodded, not keeping his thoughts hidden. "It felt dehumanizing, Kaecilius. But I don''t me you for not knowing better. This is just the norm of this world, tough at another''s misery. I prefer listening to simple bards, or musicians perform."


    After finishing up, they began heading to King''s Sr again, to sit down and discuss a few more things about the Kingdom and the nobles. But as they walked from one massive hall to another, and then to a hallway, Sylvester noticed the same dwarf jesters packing their luggage to head to another ce. He noticed a particr young girl among them who had yed the role of princess, sitting at the side on the stairs alone, hands clenched together and staring at her colleagues packing luggage. There was mncholy in her eyes, and he could feel the scent of emptiness from that far away. "Tell them to wait in the castle. Invite them to have dinner with me tonight¡ªall of them. Show them good rooms to rest, and give them new clothes, I shall pay for it," Sylvester gave Jeremiah Freeman, the King''s Prima, orders. Jeremiah nced at Kaecilius and received a nod to do as the Pope had ordered. In a way, Kaecilius was also interested in knowing what Sylvester wanted. As a faithful follower of the religion, he believed in Sylvester, but as a king, he felt his duty towards the people was as much as to the faith¡ªSylvester was not the king, but an outsider instead. There was respect, but also a healthy dose of skepticism, he believed. Sylvester didn''t bother reacting to the doubtful scents the King he had chosen was producing. Silently, he went to the sr on the top floor of one of the towers. "Y-Your Holiness?!" Sylvester saw Gabriel sitting in the sr alone. "You''rete." Gabriel grunted and stood up to salute. "I¡­ I had to inspect a few monasteries on the way. I just arrived in the city. How long have you been here?"


    "Since morning."


    "..."


    At that moment, Gabriel began regretting making fun of Sylvester''s inability to fly. He hated traveling in the carriages since it made his back hurt and his ass sore. Not all of the roads were paved and smoothened yet, even less so of those leading to distant monasteries. "I was also called to a crime scene as soon as I entered the city. They said I was the highest-ranking Clergyman in the city to manage something like that." Gabriel reported what he had been up to. "Apparently, someone killed more than a dozen or high nob¡ª"


    When he noticed the smiles on Sylvester''s and Kaecilius''s faces, he knew there was no point in telling them anything. He was standing in front of the damn culprits. "Why?"


    "Heresy," Sylvester blurted.


    "Ah, understandable." Gabriel sighed and took his seat again. "Even the Duke?"


    "Especially the Duke," Sylvester answered and sat down beside him. "They were running a secret tavern for the rich where flesh was sold. Their death was just the beginning of the end of their bloodlines and legacy. In any case, Kaecilius, if you wish to get rid of nobility, try to implement a system simr to the one I proposed in the ckhart Kingdom.


    "Bi-yearly examinations for Civil Services; Use governors appointed by the rank, hierarchy, and experience, transfer them periodically to keep the corruption in check. And in case of wrongdoing, demote them, remove them, kill them. This worked like a charm in ckhart, and the people are particrly happy since they don''t have to pay brutally high taxes to their feudal lord who only hoards it."


    "But it will take time." Jeremiah involved himself. "I have been to the south and seen the system there. While it is better in terms of being just and clean, it gives rise to sloppiness and slowness in justice." Sylvester eyed the man with some repulsion. "What do you suggest then? Letting nobles do whatever they want? Tell me, Lord Prima, why is it that crimes against children are somon in this world? You can answer it too, Kaecilius."


    "Weakness?" Kaecilius suggested. "They cannot protect themselves."


    "True, but whose responsibility is it to protect them?" Sylvester asked back. "Adults, the powerful." Kaecilius looked down in shame. "Mine."


    "Exactly! But those meant to protect are the ones who exploit them. An adult man or woman can shout when they are wronged, but when a child is wronged, they are ignored and shoved aside as low priority¡ªthat is how evil is born, Keacilius. That is how you get anti-Light and all the other violent anti-establishment groups. Wronged, and nobody there to listen to their cries¡ªYou are this Kingdom''s father, regardless of people''s age. Act like one." Sylvester stood up after saying that much. "I am the Pope. It''s not my ce to lecture you. But I suggest you forget your status as a King and remind yourself of your roots¡ª


    your struggle as a ve."


    Kaecilius silently stared as Sylvester left the room; behind him, Cardinal Morgan and Saint Wazir Gabriel also left. Finally, alone, the King looked at his Prima. "You got me scolded by the Pope."


    "I was merely pointing out the setbacks, Your Majesty."


    "Doing that without a better n to suggest is what fools do. Quickly go and call Elder Markson and Lorenzo. The two Grand Wizards will head the new task force I am making to address every child''s cry in this Kingdom. No matter what, His Holiness was right¡­ I am a father, and I should act like one." Kaecilius ordered, remembering the child that he lost during his struggling days. There was more meaning to Sylvester''s words. He understood that much. ¡­


    Eventually, night came, and Sylvester sat down to have dinner with the team of dwarf jesters. They all looked clean and neatlybed, and the female among them even put on some makeup. But they were never told who they''d be eating dinner with. "P-P-Phooooo¡­" The eldest of them could only exhale a breath, instead of his name.


    "Your Majesty!" Gabriel coughed quickly and corrected them. "The Pope is addressed as His Holiness."


    "Ah! Forgive us for this heresy!" The troupe of ten knelt down quickly. "Weck the etiquettes of nobles, Your Holiness."


    Sylvester smiled and pped his hands, inviting them all to the table. "Don''t be so scared. Come and join me for dinner. Sit beside me and share your adventures. I''m sure you have traveled a great many ces."


    Just then, it dawned on them that it was the Pope who invited them. So they introduced themselves quickly. First was the oldest one, who took a seat beside him. "I am Henzo, Your Holiness."


    "I am Polly,"


    "I''m Unix,"


    "Nobby,"


    One by one, they all introduced themselves and took their seats. The servants came soon after, and the feast began. It was certainly the first time the ten of them were being treated like that. With a lot of tension and hesitation, they ate as silently as possible, chewing with their mouths closed. But Sylvester noticed the girl beside him not eating. ''There is some hope, but apanied by the scent of emptiness. Just like you, my old friend Augustus.''


    "Why are you not eating, Maddy?" Sylvester asked her. She looked at Sylvester with narrow and emotional eyes. "Y-Your Holiness¡­ All this will¡­ Feel like a dream if I enjoy it too much."


    "I will be working tirelessly back in the Holy Land from tomorrow morning. I hate working too much, but everyone is bound by their duty, and one must fulfill it. Isn''t that the case?" Sylvester said, trying to make her open up.


    But what he didn''t expect was for her outburst to be so meaningful. A reminder to him that his work was far from over in changing the world and bringing true peace.


    "Why am I like this, Your Holiness? You must know, right?" Maddy cried as if she was recalling her whole life. "Your Holiness, in the world of mighty knights and wizards, it''s a sin to be born a weak dwarf, a human one at that. A peasant can farm andbor, but we¡­ We are destined to make a fool of ourselves to earn our coin. I don''t wish for such a life, even for my enemies¡­ it''s humiliating."


    Other members of the group also stopped eating and looked down at their full tes silently, holding their tears much better than Maddy.


    Sylvester sighed and patted her shoulder. "I''m sorry, Your Holiness," she apologized quickly, panicking. "I have ruined this auspicious asion for all of us. One cannot fight fate. We can only y the hand life has dealt us."


    "It''s nonsense." Sylvester blurted, shocking all of them. "W-what?" Henzo, their leader, asked back, thinking he was mocking them.


    "Fate, my brothers and sisters in faith¡­ It''s nonsense." _________________

 Chapter 699 698. Little Green Frogs, But Bigger

    Chapter 699 698. Little Green Frogs, But Bigger


    Sylvester did pity them. They were normal humans, but because of their stature, they were deemed unfit to possessplex intellect. He never recalled seeing a Clergyman from this social group.


    "It won''t be wrong to say that I am also an entertainer." Sylvester cheered up the mood. "I have been singing for the pleasure of the faithful. Perhaps you can do the same. The new faith is different, and people from all walks of life are wee to be its working members. Be it as a Priest or a Bright Mother."


    "We can?" Maddy beamed with newfound hope¡ªa hope to live life with dignity.


    "I didn''t know you couldn''t before. But now, I am allowing you to," Sylvester dered openly. "I do not discriminate against you for your stature or species. As long as you have Solis in your heart, you are my brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters."


    Sitting on the other side of the table, Gabriel nodded vehemently. The Church was in the middle of expansion, and there was a greater need for more Priests at the lower levels. This time, the n was to include various species from Beastaria as well.


    "Now, go on and tell me about your adventures." Sylvester changed the topic and uplifted the mood of the dinner. "Let me start with my own. Let me tell you about the time I caught a man masquerading as me right in this castle. He didn''t look like me from any side, and yet people somehow believed him because of his blonde hair and eyes¡­"


    Like that, the dinner went by with littleughter, and stories shared. It was perhaps the best for the ten-member jesting troupe. They had never felt this honored in their lives before, and in all honesty, they wanted to be a part of what Sylvester was now. He was charismatic, kind, and powerful; a perfectbination for a man worth following. "That was needless," Gabriel muttered as they watched the troupe leave on their carriages. "But they will never forget this event for the rest of their lives."


    "That''s what we all should strive for, Gab. You must learn to treat people while rising above any prejudice. No matter the species, or looks, a life is a life." Sylvester taught his Saint Wazir and patted his shoulder before making his way toward the main monastery in the city. "The Church must always remain impartial."


    "Where are you going?"


    "To rest at the monastery, Gab. I''m the Pope. I can''t be staying in a King''s castle as it''d send the wrong message."


    "B-But you lived in Queen Xylena''s castle."


    "Because she''s my adopted daughter, it''s not the same. Now move your slow ass¡ªthest to reach the monastery will sleep on the floor."


    "What?!" Gabriel''s pupils shrank in amusement at the sudden task. "I already got my own room. Why would I sleep on the floor."


    "Because you''ll lose the bet."


    "I know I''ll lose!" Gabriel growled. Woosh!


    But Sylvester was already gone. ''No wonder all the old Grand Wizards were weird or creepy. With a lifespan so long, they have to be anything but normal.'' Gabriel sighed and walked at his own pace. ¡­


    Boom! Boom!


    The very next day, the Great Harvest Festival started with much apuse and fireworks. The entire city and region outside of it were filled with visitors. In every district, a massive, fifty-meter-wide cauldron was ced on a raised furnace in which thick, rich stewden with vegetables, meat, and lots of herbs was being prepared. Near it was another cauldron, but smaller, which constantly cooked rice, and arge oven where more than a hundred men and women baked fresh bread. The food was free, and the official feast was to start with the King taking a bite. But this time, with Sylvester invited; he was to eat first. "This is quite tasty," Sylvester muttered after taking a bite on a raised tform with the crowd all around. "Of course, the royal chief made this one. He decides the recipe for the whole festival," Kaecilius exined. "No matter the rich or poor part of the city. The food remains the same on this day."


    "That''s good to hear. But if there''s no need for me here, I shall return to the Holy Land now," Sylvester said, seeming abrupt. "D-did something displeases you here, Your Holiness?" Kaecilius inquired with worry. "I¡­"


    "What is it that you wanted to talk about?" Sylvester got to the point right away. "I know you didn''t invite me here just for the festival." "The war," Kaecilius blurted after gesturing to his Prima to alert all the guards. "I heard troubling words from the west and Sandwall County. Leyon the Conqueror has now approached the border of the East. I was wondering if you n on taking action¡­ or if we will have to do it this time." Sylvester sighed and stared at the King''s bearded face. "I get called a dictator by the nobles, despite having no intention of ruling thends. This isn''t the Church''s war, Kaecilius. From what my Seer has informed me, Leyon and his army also firmly believe in Solis, and beyond enemy soldiers, they inflict no pain, and no innocent blood was spilled." Kaecilius sighed and nodded firmly. "I respect your decision, Your Holiness. I will speak with the other Kings and Queens to discuss this matter. Against the invader, the East needs to unify."


    "Then I shall be on my wa¡ª"


    "However! A greater concern has risen¡­" Kaecilius suddenly added. "A few of my people have reported to me that the Assassin Guilds have started showing unusual activity, especially the SSS-ranked Guild."


    "Weeping Ghosts?" Sylvester recalled the name as they were the only SSS-ranked Assassin Guild in Sol, housed in the Isle of None. "Warlocks, Red Knights, and the Legendary Assassin Mistwalker have also been, reportedly, hired by Leyon the Conqueror. He has the gold of the entire West to splurge, Your Holiness." "And why would you tell me all this?" Sylvester asked, looking back at Kaecilius'' gaze, which held a deeper meaning. Kaecilius lowered his head as if he were surrendering himself. "They remained dormant all this time in fear of you. Now, they''ve be active as a possibility has appeared¡­ a possibility to defeat the East and the Church using the tyrant."


    ''Telling me this is my problem without saying it?'' Sylvester understood the meaning behind Kaecilius''s words. ''Weeping Ghosts? They should have one or two Grand Wizards.''


    "Good luck, Kaecilius." Sylvester kept walking away. "The battle ahead of you will be hard, but always know that the light of the Lord always watches over you."


    Even more so with Leyon bringing in more and more Grand Wizards to his cause and evening out the ying field. No more could East Sol sit around and rx. "What if we need you?" Kaecilius shouted. Sylvester merely revealed a raised thumb and left silently. ¡­


    "Maxy, why are you not helping them? What if Be and Xye get hurt? Or the beardy King?" Miraj asked as Sylvester made his way back to the Holy Land. "Who said I''m not helping them? I''ll be keeping an eye on everything. But this time, I need them toe together and tackle this challenge. This world needs to learn to run itself, Chonky. I won''t always be there for them," Sylvester said. Miraj was sad hearing that and hugged Sylvester''s neck with his soft paws. "I will go wherever you go, Maxy¡­ Even the ce where dead people go."


    "Don''t be so attached to someone, Chonky. It bes really hard to forget otherwise."


    "But I don''t wanna forget." Sylvester had no answer to that. ¡­


    Beastaria,


    "Finally! Yes, yes¡­ this is it! This is the sea, isn''t it?" Castell Gralith, the Prince of the Giants, roared at the sky at the sight of endless water before him.


    "No, it''s just the Merkins''ke. It''s so big that one can confuse it for the sea," the talking eagle, Bajj, responded exhaustingly from his shoulder. "What?!" Castell couldn''t believe it. "We walked for so many days and yed so many of those little green frogs. How did we go deeper into the continent? Why didn''t Father give me a good map?" "Because he wanted you to explore and learn everything on your own," Bajj exined. "Who wants that? I have a divine message to deliver to the Pope of humans. How can I aplish this task if I can''t even reach the western shore? We should have already met him by now¡­" Castell bbered without stopping, voicing his displeasure. "Bajj, go into the sky and guide me." "Can''t do that. His Majesty made me swear in the name of the Gods," Bajj refused, remainingzy on Castell''s shoulder. "But I can give you a little advice." "Please!"


    "Where does the sun rise from?"


    "West."


    "Where do we want to go?"


    "West¡­ Wait!" Castell connected the dots and looked at the sky. "It''s evening now¡­ then that means that side is east? My mighty gods, I am such a fool. I kept following the sun without caring if it was sunrise or sunset."


    "That''s why your father sent me with you." Bajj threw some salt on his wounds. "But you don''t do anythi¡ª" Castell abruptly stopped talking and looked behind at the mighty, tall green mountains and forest with a strange green mist in them. "Did you hear that? It feels like¡­ a giant is walking." "Orcs," Bajj blurted.


    "B-But we were in thend of those green frogs!"


    "Wraaaaaaa! Who dares enter the realm of Chiefking?!"


    Castell nervously raised his metal club and looked at the wide treeline behind him near the shore. He heard countless footsteps getting louder, and the roars were now clearer.


    "Who dares¡ª"


    BOOM!


    As soon as the first Orc appeared, Castell jumped with his mighty legs and mmed his metal club on the Orc''s head, turning it into a filthy mush of flesh and blood. "Wait!" Castell eximed as soon as another Orc appeared. "They''re like those little green frogs¡­ but bigger!"


    "Those were Goblins, but these are Orcs," Bajj corrected him. "But¡­ they''re so easy to kill."


    "You''re a giant, Cas. Most things are easy to kill for you." "No, I lost to a dragon once," Castell corrected the eagle. "You were just a year old back then, Cas." Bajj rolled her eyes and jumped from his shoulder to fly and spot enemies, or more like ythings for him. _________________

 Chapter 700 699. Marriage Matters I: A Grand Photoshoot

    Chapter 700 699. Marriage Matters I: A Grand Photoshoot


    Sylvester had just returned to the Holy Land and began focusing on helping the research and development department to make things he was knowledgeable about¡ª


    food processing technology and methods. After all, as an undercover spy in hisst life, he was a businessman in the USSR who dealt with food processing. It was one thing that led him to get cozy with all sorts of military officers and party seniors. "Aluminum? Your Holiness, the prototype looks brilliant, and its properties are the best to hold food, but it''s an exotic material. It''s too expensive to make aluminum containers to store food," Cardinal Jinn said while observing the prototype Sylvester had made and presented. "Increase the mining then. Use the steam trains and other tools that can be run on steam and electricity to increase the efficiency and the output," Sylvester ordered him in return. "Implement everything we make here, Jinn, otherwise it''s useless. Perhaps we should form a whole new department for the implementation of technologies." "Father." Sylvester looked at the door of the workshop''s private office. He smiled at the sight of his precious little girl, E, with her short blonde hair tied in little pigtails on each side with little red ribbons shaped like butterflies. She was clearly out of ce with all the old men in the room, but her expressions never let anyone think they were dealing with a child. "My favorite!" Miraj abruptly chirped but kept himself silent. Even E only knew Chonky was a squishy guardian angel, and sleeping while hugging him was the best. "Father, I made something to help you." E entered with a jute bag on her shoulder, filled with things. "I made a box that''s easy to make and heats the food on demand." Sylvester looked at Jinn and Robert, his two Oppenheimers, and sighed. The boys were bested by a little girl this time. "Really? What is it?"


    E narrowed her eyes at Sylvester and looked annoyed. "Don''t treat me like a little baby, Father." ''Well, at least she''s started calling me father. Oh, Diana, you''d have loved to meet this one.'' Sylvester couldn''t help but fawn over her. "Sorry, sorry¡­ Go on, Bishop E, what have you prepared?" Sylvester asked like the Pope this time, albeit noticing Jinn and Robert smiling from ear to ear. "After reading the material science book you prepared for me, I found out that itcked the information about most magical materials." "Because the book was meant for everyone¡ªmagic user or not," Sylvester told her. E bobbed her head energetically, her little pigtails fluttering with that. "I know, that''s why I added information. You want to use aluminum because it''s malleable. Then why not use magic to extract aluminum? I experimented and found Mythril can help the refining process of bauxite with its magical properties. I think we can ask Ashra and see if she can be a living, breathing, mining powerhouse. Her leftover scales can also be used to do the same manually." Sylvester listened to the girl with great amusement. As far as he knew, Mythril was a great conductor of srium and a very hard material. "I''ll do the experiments and confirm your findingster, E. What about the heating you were talking about?"


    "Oh, that''s easy." E picked up the square can she had made, and showed him its underside, where a little thread was hanging. She pulled it, and immediately the can started turning warm. "A very low-grade fire crystal was ced inside this little chamber under the can, and got activated when I pulled the thread, letting the rune scheme drawn inside it beplete and activating the fire crystal."


    "..."


    Robert and Jinn were speechless, and Sylvester was proud. Sure, he could think of a hundred other ways the design could be improved, but the fact that this concept was workable, solved many things. "This invention and discovery will be patented to you, E. A little amount of royalties will be given to you over the next fifty years, as long as the concept is used," Sylvester announced right away. "This can solve the issues of our soldiers, sailors, Clergymen, and Bright Mothers who go on long journeys or serve in harsh ces. With this, we can even make the cold north habitable."


    E smiled proudly, "Thank you, Father. But, as a reward, can I get some Skygem from you? And meet with Ashra personally?" Ashra was a gigantic snake on par with a Grand Wizard in terms of power. So Sylvester had some worries. "I''ll allow it, but you can never meet her without having one of the Guardians of Light beside you. Or take Felix with you when others are busy."


    "But¡­ He''s busy with his marriage preparations." "Wait!" Sylvester suddenly jumped from his seat. "When is his wedding?"


    "Tomorrow."


    "..."


    "I need to be there." Sylvester quickly wrapped up the meeting and picked E up by her waist at his side as if she was a doll. "He asked me toe a day early. Let''s go. We all need to be there before the evening!"


    "Aaaa¡­" E yelped once Sylvester leaped into the air, although she found it exciting nheless. "Why hurry so much, Father?"


    "Because." Sylvester felt a little emotional. "Because Gab and I are his only family." ¡­


    One festival after another. Not long ago, the Great Harvest Festival had urred, and now it was the entire Gracia celebrating the royal marriage that every little toddler who had just started school knew about. Maximilia City was modern and beautiful, the peak of what a city could look like. Happy people, easy transport, clean, and with a general air of positivity in everyone''s hearts. But for the asion of the royal marriage, most of the central city, the roads leading to the royal castle, and all the shops were decorated to the teeth. There were special discounts and increased economic activity as tourists and guests poured in for the big day. Even the Church had sent hundreds of low and high-ranking men, while Bright Mothers were working with the various Grace Hospitals as well as smaller healing bays. "What do you think? Isn''t the city pretty?" Sylvester asked as he reached the city using magic boats and then used horses. He had brought half of the Guardians, Gabriel, Xavia, and his five students. E and Rex were awed at the marvelous city. The same was true for Xavia and the others who didn''t leave the Holy Land much. "Father should make Sand City like this," Rex eximed excitedly. "I want those trams and the shining lights!"


    "Some of it is possible, but the rest isn''t. Sand City is ancient, and unless it''spletely uprooted, it''s hard to fully modernize it, nor should you aim to do it. There is beauty in history, Rex, so cherish your roots. Instead, making a new city is more feasible." "Sounds like a n," Rex was already nning to erect a few such cities after bing the King. "This ce is brilliant for my size," Noby, the Elephantkin, said as he walked instead of riding on a horse. "My folks can easily live here."


    "I designed it while keeping dragons in mind," Sylvester revealed as they finally approached the Royal Castle. "Open the gates!" The royal guards roared frantically and knelt down on one knee, something they didn''t do even for other monarchs. Being the leader of a religion was one hell of a thing. Sylvester smiled and waved his hand as if blessing them all and rode into the massive gates beyond the deep moat filled with nasty giant snakes with poison so strong that even the water was poisonous. Boom! "You''rete!" Felixnded in front of their little entourage, seemingly having jumped from the top floor of one of the towers. "I was looking for a good present, my brother. How is everything? Ready to repopte both the Sandwall and Gracia bloodline?" Sylvester teasingly asked as he hugged Felix. The man was now wearing regal clothes, instead of his regr armor. "You bet." Felix was as shameless as ever. "Come, Baron Lovnd has brought his new magic camera. Let''s get our photos taken." "Let''s go then."


    Quickly, Felix brought them to the main royal throne room of the new castle. Most of the seats were removed, and a bigger throne was ced on a heightened tform, big enough to seat two people. "Mother Xavia!" Isabe was there, speaking with her Prima, looking absolutely stunning in her regal red gown and the crown on her head. She ran to hug Xavia right away, having lived with her for a long time in the past. Xavia was all smiles and returned the hug as if she were her real daughter. In a way, even Isabe considered Xavia like a mother since her real mother never demonstrated her love, not even a speck of it. "Your Holiness." She gracefully raised her skirt and greeted Sylvester with a curtsey. "Sylvester, that''s who I am when it''s just us. Nowe and give me a hug." Sylvester widened his arms and epted the girl. Who would have thought the distressed Princess who ran from home and saved Sir Dolorem''s life would be this close and important to him? ''Everything happens for a reason, I guess.'' Sylvester thought when he patted her back. Ke-Chak!


    Just then, an intense camera sh came. Everyone looked to the side, and there he was, Baron Leo Da Lovnd, the man who loved everything rted to art and fashion, and refused every chance of nobility promotion to avoid further responsibilities that could hinder his hobbies. A man of true culture. But he looked much older now, wrinkles covering every inch of his skin. "Forgive me, Your Holiness, Your Majesty. You two looked brilliant like that. I couldn''t keep myself from taking a picture," Baron Lovnd apologized. Sylvester left Isabe and walked towards the old man with an angry face, his fist clenched. The halo behind his head appeared, scaring the old noble until he backed a few steps. "F-Forg¡ª"


    "Come here, you old man." Sylvesterughed at the end and embraced the Baron who made his and Xavia''s first ever portrait. "Take more pictures, and don''t forget to include yourself in some of them."


    "Agreed," Isabe gave her approval. And so, the photo session happened. Sylvester, Gab, and Felix took a picture together, then Sylvester and Xavia, followed by others¡ªnone knew how valuable they were going to be in the future. How cherished they would be by an entire civilization. The faces of people who built the foundation of the new world¡ªthe face of the Pope, who was a bright light to the world. For a few hours, they remained in the throne room and got hundreds of pictures taken, including the Guardians, such as Aurora and Lord Inquisitor. But as the night fell, and everyone was busy with wedding preparations for the next day, Sylvester received an undead raven from the Holy Land, from his Saint Seer, Lazark. Crunch!


    "Chonky, no! Bad manners, leave the poor raven alone. You''ll kill it with your powerful jaws."


    "But it''s already dead, Maxy." "...I need it to send the reply back."


    "So boring, I''m going to Big Mum," Miraj chirped and flew out of the balcony to another room. Sylvester sighed and opened the folded paper, only to smile eventually. ''Ah, so it''s begun.''


    _________________

 Chapter 701 700. Marriage Matters II: A Crisis Looms

    Chapter 701 700. Marriage Matters II: A Crisis Looms


    Sylvester didn''t want to ruin the wedding, nor was it his problem this time to discuss the matter. The threat of Leyon was for the kingdoms of East Sol to deal with. ''But considering what Leyon has nned, it''ll be hard for these kingdoms to even react before it''s toote. How ignorant they have be just because I won the war of Popes.'' Sylvester couldn''t help but feel somewhat disappointed. Of all the monarchs, only Kaecilius seemed worried about the matter. He looked from his room at the bustling city as the morning came and the preparation for the grand marriage ceremony finished. All the major guests had arrived, and a few minor nobles were pouring in and reaching the massive throne room. For him, there was no need to dress up since his normal clothes were his regal clothes, simple Clergyman robes, with the miter on his head. He just grabbed sleepy Chonky, who returnedte after ying with Xavia and Est night. "Stopzing around, Chonky. We only have a few months before we head to the Demon World. Once we do that, Saint Scepter''s protection won''t help¡ªThe Gods will see us, and it''ll be a constant uphill battle."


    "Mmm¡­ Don''t worry¡­" Miraj mumbled in sleep. "Chonky will protect Maxy."


    ''But who will protect you?'' Sylvester wondered since there was no safety even if Miraj was somehow a dormant hidden god. The two Primordial Gods were even above Nehilius. ¡­


    Not long after, Sylvester stood at the high tform on which Gracia''s Throne rested. In front of it, Isabe and Felix stood in their ceremonial garbs, clothes so fine that they were worthy of being considered the Kingdom''s treasure. Hand in hand, they faced each other while Sylvester tied a cloth around their hands and began reading from the Holy Book of Light. However, beyond his actions, there were a few rituals local to the Kingdom that needed to be performed by the monarch''s family''s personal priests. The Gracia family was called the Green family a long time ago, and the reason for their initial prosperity was the fertile soil and great harvests. Hence, the ritual consisted of both. It was called the Ritual of Green. It required the couple to make six mud dolls, each signifying a duchy of the Kingdom. Once upon a time, when the Gracia Empire existed, there used to be many more mud dolls. After that, the couple was required to nt a simr number of trees and give free seeds to the people of the city to nt somewhere and increase the greenery throughout the city.


    All that alone took half a day, and only after that could Sylvester finish the deal and announce the officiation of their marriage with a first of its kind¡ªCertificate of Marriage, made by the local monastery. This was a step forward to a more sane world with records of who marries whom; if a man has cheated and left his wife, or a woman has done the same, they could be tracked.


    "I have seen Felix grow from a little mumbling boy to a mighty warrior. We have worked together on almost everything as far as I can remember, and I am d he is able to find happiness with another great friend of mine. Isabe, I remember meeting her for the first time. A distressed Princess who ran from her home to avoid being married to some rich merchant by thete Queen." Sylvester didn''t care about pulling back his words since it was public knowledge. "She found a home in the Holy Land, and as we all say, everything happens for a reason. Love bloomed, and we are here. As the people of Maximilia witness, with the blessings of Solis, and all the authority vested in me, I announce Isabe Gracia and Felix Sandwall as husband and wife. May you two reign over all the strife, stand by each other if one has to walk on the knife¡ªmay your love never fade for all of your life."


    Boom!


    With that, empty cannon shots rang from the city walls as well as the castle''s walls, and the magnificent giant bell at the main monastery rang at the same time. The people who gathered outside the castle understood the message and rejoiced with the resuming festivities. Felix was a famous man, after all. Considered to be the closest to the Pope, and powerful in his own rights. The people were happy to have him as their new King Consort, anotheryer of protection for the Kingdom. But people didn''t go away and silently waited until one of the towers of the castle that overlooked the moat and crowd, showed some activity. One of the balconies opened, and the married couple came out to wave. Sylvester stood behind, not wanting the people to start chanting his name or some holy hymn. But he did notice something interesting from there. Gracia''s Grand Wizard, Gideon Gracia, came rushing and whispered something in Isabe''s ears. The Queen flinched a little but rposed herself, and continued to wave at the crowd. ''The fire has spread.'' Sylvester realized and looked behind himself at Gabriel. With a single gesture from him and a mental message, the Saint Wazir spoke with all the Guardians present and took them aside to hold a meeting. ¡­


    The Hignd Kingdom wasn''t weak, nor was it too strong. In terms of change, however, it was the kingdom that had gone from the brink of starvation into an economic powerhouse. Hignd received the most aid from Sylvester, and his ideas helped thend change its destiny. But, as people say, greed is the root of all evil. Riots erupted in Gravel City, which sat adjacent to Sand City, the royal home of the Hignd Family. It was organized by cksmiths, goldsmiths, and a few other trade groups. They called for the closure of all shops and forced others who didn''t agree. As expected, an opposing group appeared who didn''t agree with the demands, and then soldiers appeared. It didn''t matter who threw the first punch anymore; As soon as the first drop of blood was spilled, chaos erupted. Bam!


    "Your Majesty!" The Royal Castle was in uproar. dius, the Prima of the King, and his younger brother rushed to inform the King about the sudden riot. "W-Wha¡­"


    But as soon as he entered the throne room, he saw something that left him horrified. Dead bodies littered the floor, belonging to the Royal Guards. All around, there were a few figures draped in loose ck robes that covered their entire figures, even their faces were covered, including their heads. They had no weapons in their palms, yet they had somehow¡­


    "Let them go!" dius boomed and picked up a sword from one of the dead bodies. He made a run for the throne, where King Hignd, Queen Trinity, and Princess Athena were tied, while two ck-robed men kept their palms raised towards them. Thud!


    One of them raised their palm towards him as well, and he fell down with a resounding m. It was painful, and he found himself unable to raise himself. It was some sort of magic, something that had to do with gravity, or the human body. "Who are you?!" "Destiny," a voice finally came, but it appeared from behind


    ¡ªa man entered from the main gates of the throne room, wearing simple metal armor. There was nothing remarkable about him. King Hignd scoffed from his throne. "Don''t struggle, dius."


    "Indeed, you should not struggle and surrender to me. I cannot guarantee wealth and luxury, but you will have your life." King Hignd spat on the ground. "I don''t kneel to pathetic lowlives who take the help of filthy Assassin Guilds. Do you think you can win against all of us with Weeping Ghosts? Leyon of the West, you are no conqueror. You''ve just been lucky!"


    "Careful, is the word." Leyon amusedly replied and continued to walk closer to King Hignd. "I won because I was careful. Because I didn''t underestimate my opponents. Because I didn''t grow ipetent in the peace that His Holiness has brought us."


    "Why did you incite the riot? Those innocents don''t deserve any more pain. They have nothing to do with your ambitions." Queen Trinity asked from her throne, coldly staring. "Greed won," Leyon replied with a hateful sneer. "Those lowlives. I only had to meet the wealthiest merchants and make them believe they were being mistreated. That they could earn more if the King wasn''t so greedy for high taxes. Gold is something that is never enough, King Hignd. But in a way, it was you who left that greed unchecked. I incited the riot, but your ipetence aided it."


    King Hignd sighed and calmly asked him back, "What do you want?"


    "ept me as your Emperor, and I shall let you remain as King." "Keep dreaming." "Then I shall begin with your brother, then with your wife, and finally your daughter. If it is your desire to see them die before you, I shall fulfill it," Leyone proimed and walked closer to dius, still subdued on the ground. "You may do that, but then I cannot guarantee your survival. His Holiness sees us as family, and Princess Athena is his goddaughter," King Hignd revealed while staring at the invader. And, as he had expected, he noticed a hint of doubt and fright. "You came here to be an Emperor, but I don''t think you will exit as a living man¡ª


    same for the Weeping Ghosts." "And what makes you believe that?" "Haha!" King Atroxughed, surprisingly. "Because we knew you wereing!"


    Boom!


    ¡­


    Back in Maximilia City, Sylvester sat down with Gabriel, Lord Inquisitor, Aurora, and Emperor Raz, the Lich. "Your Holiness, we have to act now before the damage spreads too far. Simr riots have been reported across East Sol." Gabriel read the report he got from Lazark. "Stop this Leyon. You can easily do it." Sylvester didn''t react and simply wrote something on paper. "Gabriel, you still have a long way to go."


    "We are men of faith, preachers, not rulers of thisnd." He stood up and looked at the faces around the table. "No Clergymen, without my order, is allowed to participate in this conflict. Let this be their test¡ªLet the song write itself."


    "Song?" Gabriel confusedly muttered. "You''ll understandter. Let''s go to the feast."


    ________________

 Chapter 702 701. Return Of General Bob

    Chapter 702 701. Return Of General Bob


    "What do you mean riots?! Kinman City is so close to the western border. If it falls, we will lose ourst defense against the invaders." Queen Isabes stormed into the war meeting immediately after the marriage ceremony, and the feast ended. "Your Majesty, we have yet to receive the second round of reports. But since Duchess Bethany didn''t attend the wedding, we have high hopes that the riot will be dealt with soon enough. She''s a Grand Wizard, after all," Gideon Gracia suggested. "But this sudden riot makes no sense. We''re implementing life-changing policies that are helping themoners live a life offort akin to nobles. There is nothing to riot for." Isabe stated, as she could feel there was something fishy about the whole situation. Bam!


    "Your Majesty!" Count Harvard Zeelif came running in, the Queen''s Prima. "An awful report! The new and budding city of Broken Bay has also reported riots. Goldstown and Pitfall Town have also sent the same distressing words." "This is not normal," Isabe announced. "It must have something to do with Leyon the Conqueror. King Hignd warned us about him." "What do you wish to do, Your Majesty? Should we dispatch soldiers?" The Prima asked. "Don''t even think about that. From what I''ve studied while living with His Holiness and learning from him, I can see this is Leyon''s borate n. He wants to divide our attention so he can attack the ce he needs to conquer¡ª


    the heart of Gracia, the city of Maximilia. Elder Gideon, ce all of the city guards on alert and keep the reserve army ready to act at any moment," Isabe began ordering the people in the room, doing exactly what she was trained to do and had studied for. One after another, she sent everyone away to manage everything. "What about me?" Isabe looked behind at her husband, now in his armor with his sword at the ready. "I''m sorry, Felix. It seems our first night of marriage will have to wait." "We''ve waited for years. What''s a few more nights? But are you sure you don''t want to act and help the riot-filled towns and cities?" Felix asked as he walked closer to stand beside her. Isabe lovingly and tightly took hold of his hand. "Leyon has been careful not to spread mindless death and chaos because then he would be deemed a heretic criminal by the Holy Land. If that happens, he will have to deal with three Supreme Wizards. The manufactured riot in the cities is his ploy."


    "I hope you''re right. But I believe I will have to go now¡­ Despite my heart telling me not to," Felix informed her and pecked a little kiss on her lips. "I may be the King Consort of Gracia, but officially, I am Saint Viceman of the Holy Land. If I meddle, it would be akin to the Church meddling." Isabe hugged him and simply remained like that. "I know¡­ such a start to our married life¡­" "Such a start indeed."


    ¡­


    Leyon escaped the Sand City alive and without any injury. But in his path, he left rivers of blood flowing through the streets as any knight that was seen was killed. The Weeping Ghost Assassin Guild followed behind the conqueror in his bloodbath and retreated. "They are aware of us," Leyon met with his fourmanders and briefed them. "The riots were sessful, but from here on, the battle will be fought hard and long. We will start from the north and the south at the same time."


    "Your Majesty, why did you attack Sand City?" Commander Bayek asked. "We gained nothing there."


    "We gained the knowledge that they knew about us and were preparing. This changes our ns as we can''t win this war covertly anymore. Go and pass on the orders. Bring the soldiers into the east through the river, the mountains, and the seas. Start by attacking what used to be The Patch in the days of Sorrow Kingdom. As for the north, I''ll lead the charge myself. The goal is to converge in the middle while dividing them on two fronts. We have the numbers and even the experts¡ªwe have nothing to fear." Calm and collected, Leyon didn''t seem like a man who had just killed hundreds of knights in the capital of a kingdom. It was perhaps the reason he was able to reach this far. However, the real test of his leadership was going to be pushed to the limit now. "Commander Shing, you will remain behind and gather intelligence regarding their numbers with me. The various kingdoms must have sent a call to all the noble houses to gather the armies. We must make sure there are no hidden experts." The men saluted the conqueror and busied themselves. Finally thest y of the long game was starting. And Leyon couldn''t help but pray to Solis for his blessing. ''Bless me so I can uproot all the evil that ys with the lives of your devotees. Give me strength to destroy all the corrupt and fulfill my duty. May your light shine bright upon this new world I am creating.''


    ¡­


    Across the various noble houses of the East Sol, the trumpets of war rang with the arrival of the royal decree to gather the troops and stop the invaders. Of course, almost all the nobles with half a brain already knew about Leyon the Conqueror, so they understood the risk. Be it Duchess Iceling, Duke of Zon, Duke of Colorwood, Count Raftel, Baron Strongarm, or other nobles from various kingdoms. The preparation for war began almost immediately, and the nobles who never held a standing army began recruiting and giving quick training to the men who came forward. Food, medicines, and other necessary materials for war were also gathered inrge quantities, which in turn increased the price of almost all goods across the East. Commoners began to understand that a war wasing. Riveria and Hignd hadn''t seen war in a long time, so people grew wary and scared, fueling the riots further. Slowly, it became clear why Leyon started riots before officially starting his campaign. It was all a tactic to weaken the enemy from within. But still, the various lords wasted no time to start marching and regrouping with the Royal Army. In many cases, the lords went along; in others, they only sent their seniormanders. Unbeknownst to them, they weren''t just fighting the conqueror, but also someone who had already conquered them. ¡­


    As an undead serving the Emperor Lich, who serves the apostle of light, General Bob never thought a day like this woulde. But again, he wasn''t someone withplex, intricate thoughts to begin with. Now, he had a great responsibility bestowed upon him by the Pope himself. A task that was monumental to the future of the world, or so he was told. With the blessings of Emperor Raz, he proceeded with his mission, alongside a hundred thousand undead troops, a mere fraction of the nightmarish army of the ancient lich. "The name of the Emperor rests on our shoulders, my soldiers!" General Bob, the skeleton undead with magnificent leather robes on him, tried to address his army. "Let us bring glory to our lord creator, the one our lord creator follows, and the God who he follows!" Chirp! Chirp!


    Sadly, the undead army he had didn''t have enough intelligence to be able to speak. All it could do was follow the orders that he could give them. So, in response to his blood-pumping call, only the chirpings of the insects came. "Good! Start digging!" Unbothered, General Bob folded his arms and proudly watched his army dig a hole. They weren''t too far from Count Baltimov''s castle in the Duchy of Ironstone. "Be quick! We have thousands of other ces to be in theing weeks!" Once again, only the noise of the undead digging came back. But he was still motivated and led his army to make a tunnel big enough for them to crawl. Soon, they began making their way towards the noble castle and kept digging deeper as per the floor ns they had been provided with. "Ten meters further down!" Hemanded. In no time, the resilient skeletons hit something harder than simple mud. General Bob took notice of it and went to the forefront. "It looks like a wall¡­ The bricks match the castle above."


    nk!


    nk!


    Being an elevated undead, he turned one arm into a sharp, pointy bone spear and began digging into the wall. He did it slowly to make sure no loud noise was made. Still, he was fast enough that in a few minutes, he formed a hole for all of them to crawl in. "Follow me, my soldiers." Thud!


    One after another, they all began falling into the darkness. The floor was a few meters below where they entered. Bob was lucky, but the other undead started to make a hill of bones. "Back to your feet, you weaklings! Do not tarnish the name of His Majesty the Emperor, our creator Raz, and the one he follows!" Soundless, the undead reorganized themselves and started lighting up the Light Crystal each had. In an instant, the dark space they entered turned bright, and the view was awe-inspiring. "M-Marvelous!" General Bob eximed. "S-So much gold¡­ With this, I can¡­ I can¡­ make a beautiful throne for my Emperor¡­ and the one he follows!" "Quick! Start working. Make a line from the hole all the way to outside and start extracting everything in here. Make sure you tie all the bags well. Not a single coin should spill!" Bobmanded the soldiers and started emptying Count Baltimov''s massive vault.


    Although war preparations had cost a lot of money, a significant chunk of the wealth still sat there. Bricks of gold were stacked to the ceiling, coins of gold piled up like small hills, and other precious gems were neatly ced in giant cauldrons, which were also made of gold. "Empty everything!" Bob roared. "Whatever you can''t take into the tunnel, break into pieces!" Three hours¡ªThat was all it took for General Bob. From starting the digging to emptying thest speck of treasure from the vault. Repairing the hole in the wall, and the thin tunnel they had made. It was as if they were never there. As soon as they arrived back outside in the darkness of the night, the next team of undead was waiting for him. It included thousands of undead albatrosses, vultures, and pelicans, who soon picked up bags filled with gold whole, dropping more empty ones, and flew away towards the north, somewhere discrete.


    "His Majesty, and the one he follows, shall be delighted." General Bob couldn''t help but feel proud of his work. But still, much was left to do. "We have fifteen more noble houses to visit tonight. My soldiers, march forward, for the night is dark, and the mooncks its spark!"


    Trrr¡­! Trrr¡­!


    With only the sound of insects, a massive silent undead army, and an overenthusiastic skeleton moved.


    ________________

 Chapter 703 702. Something Feels Wrong

    <h4>Chapter 703 702. Something Feels Wrong</h4>


    ?Shiny sun in the shiny sky.


    I''m am strong. I never cry.


    I like fish, but make them fry.


    Oh, I can fly very-very high.?


    ?Chonky is my good name.


    Yes, I love ying many games.


    But helping Maxy is my only aim.


    If I kill you, I will not take the me.?


    ps! ps!


    "That was beautiful!" Sylvester, Xavia, and E pped their hands as they heard Miraj sing his little songs to entertain them all. It was the usual family night, where they all ate together and spent time talking about various things. But today, Rex was missing as he remained at school to study more, while Zeke was called by the Holy Army for some regr training.


    "I love you, Chonky!" E jumped to hug the squishy cat. She couldn''t see him, but being so smart, it wasn''t hard for her to calcte where the furball was by the direction and intensity of the sounds.


    "Nyoooo¡­ No squishes!" Miraj, as always, tried to wriggle away from her. "Only Big Mum can squish me!"


    "What?!" E acted shocked and showed a teary face.


    Miraj felt bad and surrendered. "Fine, you can squish me."


    Sylvesterughed seeing them. It appeared E had learned to use her adorable cuteness to her advantage. Even manipting the mighty Chonky.


    "Max, will everything be alright? Isabe just got married, and now she has to wage war against invaders," Xavia worriedly asked. "Felix must be feeling very anxious."


    "Don''t worry, Mum. I''ve briefed Felix already. Besides, this battle isn''t the Church''s battle. Let them solve their issues on their own, and if they can''t, they should simply surrender their authority to me," Sylvester dered for the first time, hinting at something other than feigning ignorance towards the war.


    E was smart and noticed something. "They can''t win, can they?"


    Sylvester smiled and shrugged. "Well, who knows? They''re going to sh for the first time tomorrow. I''ll share the battle report with you, so look forward to it."


    Still, E squinted her eyes and stared at Sylvester. He was her role model, after all, and she wanted to be as smart and sly as him. Already, she knew that in terms of basic knowledge, ability to deduce, and learning things, she was superior to Sylvester. Yet, she always felt inferior to him and his wits.


    There ought to be something that made him so much better than her. And she wanted to know what it was.


    ''I''ll be the Pope one day¡­ Just like you, Father!''


    Sylvester noticed the scent of love, excitement, hope, and worshiping from E. That only made him cherish his adopted daughter more.


    ¡­


    Kinman City had fallen, and Leyon''s colossal army had marched past Miraj City, which showed no resistance as it was a second Holy Land. Nor did the invading soldiers bother to enter the city. They bypassed and directly attacked Kinman City, the capital of the Duchy of Normani.


    Duchess Bethany Normani was captured, and that was a bad start to a conflict that was yet to reach its peak. One of the main Grand Wizards of Gracia had already fallen.


    So, on the vast sprawling grasnds, under the midday sun, two colossal armies stood poised for a battle of unprecedented scale. The location was east of Kinman City, the empty nds that were full of grass in summer and snow in winter. Sadly, now was summer, the perfect time for the troops from the warm West.


    The air was thick with anticipation and the faint, electric hum of gathered magic as so many experts gathered around.


    On one side, Leyon the Conqueror, a figure of imposing fame and steely resolve, surveyed his ranks with a confident gaze. His army, an impressive array of skilled wizards from the West and battle-hardened warriors, stood ready, their armor gleaming and spells at the ready.


    Opposite them, the alliance led by Queen Isabe, King Hignd, Queen Trinity, and Elder Gideon, radiated a formidable presence. Their forces were a diverse mix of powerful wizards and valiant knights, united under the banners of their respective kingdoms.


    Initially, Riveria was going to join the northern front, but with Leyon personally appearing there, Riveria decided to help the ckhart Kingdom in the South.


    "How many do they have?" King Hignd asked his younger brother.


    "From the information I have received, Leyon himself is nothing, holding just the talent of a Diamond Knight, while only being a Golden Knight right now. But he has two Grand Wizards from the West, followed by three Grand Wizards from Weeping Ghosts. As for the legendary assassin, Mistwalker, he has gone to the South," dius answered.


    Queen Isabe sighed, looking down at the map. "We have to change the strategy then. We only have three Grand Wizards, while they have five. We should focus on killing Leyon, their weakest link."


    "Or divide their Grand Wizards by giving them false intel that we will attack their leader. They will likely leave one or two Grand Wizards to protect Leyon," Queen Trinity suggested.


    Paaaaa!


    "What?!" Isabe panicked at the sound of the horn.


    "Those bastards!" King Hignd picked up his sword. "They attacked us already¡­ They haven''t even set up their supply lines yet. Move!"


    Panic spread across the coalition army as they rushed to pick up their weapons and take positions. It was utter chaos, which they hadn''t expected. It felt as if Leyon was more desperate for the win than they were.


    The earth trembled, and Leyon appeared in the distant horizon of the tnds, raising his sword and his army surging forward with a thunderous roar. Magical energy crackled across the battlefield as spells and counter-spells collided in a dazzling disy of power as the first wave of distant attacks, followed by thousands of arrows that covered the sky dark.


    Boom!


    Queen Trinity, a master of Air elemental magic, summoned a fierce gale, attempting to scatter Leyon''s front lines. But Leyon, in a deft motion,manded his wizard battalion beside him to erect a shimmering barrier, deflecting the gushing, sharp winds.


    "You damn wastrels! Just when the world knew peace, you had to raise your heads!" King Hignd wasn''t having any of it and went in like a boulder, jumping deep behind the enemy lines shing his massive sword, and cutting men in half like they were made of butter.


    He was like a behemoth in his war armor, creating chaos and panic. No matter what, the soldiers from the West were still humans. At the same time, they hadn''t seen anyrge-scale battles during their campaign in the West, since all the kingdoms simply surrendered.


    To them, the psychological effect was far more deadly. Even the slightest of injury made them cower in fear and stay down.


    "You want to conquer Sol with this pathetic excuse of an army?!" King Hignd boomed.


    The same was the case in other ces on the battlefield as the East Sol''s army was far more experienced and proper. But despite thebined might of the four wizards, Leyon''s forces advanced steadily because of their sheer numbers. His strategy was impable, and his warriors'' discipline was unbreakable as they used themselves as meat shields. Leyon himself moved through the battlefield like a slithering snake, hismand absolute.


    Boom!


    "A rune! Be careful!" Queen Trinity roared. "Noooo!"


    But to their shock, King Hignd fell all too suddenly. The Weeping Ghosts were too mysterious as a guild, and their assassination techniques were unknown. They trapped King Hignd inside a rune formation. The King, no matter how much he struggled, was unable to free himself.


    At the start, there was a glimmer of hope for the coalition army. But the tide of battle seemed to turn ruthlessly in Leyon''s favor. His army, a seemingly unstoppable force, pushed the allied forces back step by step, despite incurring heavy casualties.


    Queen Trinity was conflicted in fighting and saving her husband, while Elder Gideon was surrounded by two Grand Wizards. Isabe hadn''t joined the battle directly as she wasn''t a warrior wizard, but a healer.


    As the sun reached its peak, casting long shadows across the battlefield, it became clear that Leyon the Conqueror was living up to his name. The allied army, though fighting bravely and with all their might, couldn''t stem the tide.


    The grasnds, once a serene expanse, were now a witness to spilled blood¡ªa ce where the fate of kingdoms was being decided. The battle raged on, but Leyon''s victory seemed more and more certain with each passing moment.


    Tired, Queen Trinity fell to her knees while trying to help King Hignd. Gideon Gracia, meanwhile, was stabbed with a dozen spears in his back by two Grand Wizards from Leyon''s personal army.


    Dead bodies were littered everywhere, and painful groans of men echoed. Limbs were spread everywhere, entire spines exposed, beheaded bodies adorning the battlefield in crimson sheets.


    There was nothing the coalition forces could do. Leyon, unscathed, unbothered, and still not tired, eventually reached the backline where Isabe helplessly stood with a handful of other healers.


    "Queen Isabe Gracia, kneel, or die!"


    Isabe looked for some calming breaths, but she couldn''t find any. Not a single Grand Wizard from Leyon''s side was defeated. How? How did some upstart man win so easily? She couldn''t find any answers.


    "What will happen to my Kingdom?" She inquired.


    "Nothing," Leyon announced. "You will simply be a vassal of me¡ªEmperor Leyon."


    "What about me?"


    Leyon saluted her in the way of the church. "You are a nobledy, a newlywed. Your honor is as important to me as my own. You will remain a queen but under my rule."


    The choice was simple. But she only felt her mouth going dry. She wanted to ept the terms, not wanting to die so young. But at the same time, she felt like this would be betraying her people.


    "Make a decision, Queen Isabe."


    "I¡­"


    ¡­


    Holy Land


    Sylvester received the report from Saint Seer, Lazark, right away. Gabriel also stood there, biting his nails and worrying about the future of the world, as Sylvester constantly refused to take any action.


    "Your Holiness, please do something." Gabriel requested, pleading almost. "You defeated Masan, so why are you allowing another Empire to form? It''s a challenge to your authority."


    Sylvester didn''t reply and kept reading the report. "So Leyon won?"


    "Yes, he won!" Gabriel repeated.


    "Good," said Sylvester, leaving Saint Seer and Saint Wazir speechless.


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 704 703. The Old Sylvester

    Chapter 704 703. The Old Sylvester


    "Good?!" Gabriel eximed. "Why are you celebrating the fall of Gracia and Hignd? So many soldiers have lost their lives at the same time."


    "They all pray to the same God," Sylvester countered. "Aren''t you being biased, Gabriel? I was against Masan because they were heretics who undermined the authority of the Church and even murdered the Cardinal of the West. But Leyon has adhered to the faith, and I have received word from our Seer that he regrly prays and chants in the glory of the light."


    Gabriel nced at Saint Seer, to which the man nodded.


    "His Holiness speaks the truth, Saint Wazir. I have received enough information about his affiliations. He once served in the army of King Elmond and hated the war with Marcia. I believe he is waging this war to conquer everything and make it thest war to end all wars," Cardinal Lazark exined what he knew.


    "Will you be able to control the masses after this new empire is formed?" Gabriel asked.


    Sylvester shrugged. "I don''t have to. We''re not in the business of monarchy, Gab. We are preachers of Solis. Just praise the Lord and have faith in me. Nothing is out of my sight. No matter where they fight, in the end, their destinies are something that I write."


    Another game was being yed by Sylvester; Gabriel realized that much. Not knowing what it was made it frustrating for him as he was the Saint Wazir, and it was his duty to handle the administration. Right now, he was drowning in questions from Clergymen who wanted to know why the three most powerful beings in the Sol were not stopping the mindless violence.


    "What should I say when questions are raised?" Gabriel asked.


    Sylvester shrugged and pushed a copy of the Holy Constitution toward him. "The truth, of course. Simply tell them that we''re not kings and nobles. That this time, the enemy prays as much as them. The Holy Land belongs to all people of faith, not just one part of the realm."


    In the end, what the Pope decides bes the official policy of the faith. So Gabriel simply saluted and left for his office. As for Saint Seer, he received a few moremands before leaving.


    Finally alone, Sylvester rxed in his seat and closed his eyes to mentally speak with someone. He kept it all under his lips, not wanting anything to slip out and ruin things before they matured.


    But it onlysted a few seconds as he opened his eyes and looked towards the window. "Chonky, why are you sleeping? Have you finished the task I gave you?"


    "Of course, it was easy peasy."


    "Let me see." Sylvester got up and walked over to the window-side table, ced there specifically for the furball to bask in the sun.


    He had given Miraj a geometric shape sorter puzzle cube, for him to develop his mind, and also see how smart Miraj actually was. Now, there rested the block in front of him. It was solved, but not the way he wanted.


    "What is this? Chonky, did you just randomly shove any shape into any hole and stick it in with sheer force?" Sylvester inspected the mangled mess of the cube. The circle was shoved into a square, the square was molded to fit in a triangle, and the triangle was nicely resting in a circle. The star was now somehow shaped like a banana, and a hexagon was now a pentagon. "And why is the real Pentagon missing?"


    "Oh, I ate that," Miraj proudly dered. "It was easy peasy, Maxy. Didn''t even take the time it takes me to eat fifteen¡­ no thirteen bananas."


    Sylvester rubbed his chin with a sense of helplessness. "I have no idea if you''re dumb or justzy. How much is five plus five?"


    "Ten."


    "How much is ny-nine subtracted by thirteen?"


    "Eighty-six."


    Sylvester was amazed. "How much is one million subtracted by nine hundred and seventy-eight."


    "Umm¡­ I don''t know. I never ate that many bananas in one go."


    Sylvester silently pondered on what he said and realized why Miraj seemed so good at math just now. "Do you only remember the calctions till the maximum number of bananas you have eaten in one go? How much is that?"


    "Nine thousand," Chonky answeredzily.


    "No wonder you''ve grown so fat."


    "Not fat, only fluffy. Even Big Mum calls me handsome."


    Sylvester chortled. "She can''t see you, boy."


    It took a few seconds, but Miraj''s little jaw fell in the end. "N-No! You mean she lied to me?"


    "Hah, that''s just how mothers are. She calls me a handsome man too, but I know I look like a young boy without a beard¡ªsometimes even misrecognized as¡­ a woman." Sylvester felt pain in his little heart, remembering the incident. "Don''t think too much. Let''s go. It''s time to hold the Holy Court. I''m sure there will be a lot more peopleing to plead today. After all, war is a dirty business."


    ¡­


    Sylvester went to the massive room where the Holy Throne was ced. He noticed a much bigger crowd today than most of the days before. A lot of nobles were also there, and many moremoners were in the spectator seats. All the seats reserved for Clergymen were also upied by Cardinals, Archbishops, and Bishops. It felt like his Popehood ceremony all over again.


    However, he knew there would be a lot of chaos this time¡ªcontrolled chaos.


    "Are you ready for the madness?" Gabriel asked in a low voice while standing beside Sylvester''s throne. "There are more than a hundred applicants today to plead with you."


    Sylvester sighed, not feeling interested in seeing them one by one. "Group all those who are here to discuss the war into a nobles group andmoners group. Let the otherse forward one by one."


    "I already did that." Gabriel looked towards the gates and gestured to the herald to make the announcement.


    Right away, the twin doors opened, and a crowd entered. This one was in fine, silken clothes of nobles, their robes fluttering, shoes made of the finest leather, and some even had various jewelry of gold, from rings to bracelets.


    ''These must be my victims, not the war''s victims.'' Sylvester realized this before they even spoke.


    "What brings the esteemed nobles here?" Sylvester asked them from his throne.


    "Your Holiness!" Like a wave, they all took to their knees one after another and sped their hands together. "I am Count Baltimov. Please help me catch the perpetrators of the grand thievery. That Leyon, that animal, has sent spies and thieves into our homes and stole all our wealth. Our treasuries nowy empty!"


    ''Raz''s General turned out to be much more efficient than I had expected.'' Sylvester nodded in hidden admiration.


    "Why do youe to me for such a civil issue, nobles? Go to your monarch, the Holy Land cannot help you unless there''s heresy to report," Sylvester proimed, sending the nobles down to their hands with his words. "You are all powerful men with your own soldiers. I''m sure you can find and recover your stolen goods."


    "But Your Holiness! We have no armies anymore, as all our men have gone to battle. Please, do something and save our families. Our entire generation''s wealth was taken," Count An of Ironstone Duchy pleaded.


    "I am from Hignd, Your Holiness. I used to be a noble, but now I''m a merchant. Even I was not spared. I know this is not heresy, but our losses will cause civil disturbance. Please, help us," the solemn-looking man with a magnificent white mustache begged. "I am the head of the Southern Trade Convoy. I will face too many losses."


    ''Raz is going too far?''


    Sylvester sighed and nodded his head. "I will think about responding to this. Please return to your seats and let the court continue."


    The nobles couldn''t defy the Pope, so they silently returned to their ces. With that, the second batch entered. This one was of themoners. Much different; They looked ordinary, wore simple clothes, and looked rugged.


    "Speak, my brothers and sisters in faith." Sylvester sounded far more inviting and calm with this group.


    "Your Holiness, I am Yom, from thend of Count Newman in the Duchy of Colorwood. Gracia has fallen to the Western invaders. We don''t know what will happen now, and we hope to know how much tax we will have to pay as we have finished harvesting ournds and feel confused about how much produce we should sell and how much to hand over to the¡­ Emperor," Yom informed him of his concerns.


    Sylvester looked at the other men and women. "Do you have the same problems? If it''s something else, go ahead and speak."


    "What about the trade and prices, Your Holiness? How long will the war continue? We''re unable to find an answer from Queen Isabe, so we came to you. Our sons have gone to the battlefield. Many of us have lost them already¡­ Without all the hands, we can''t sow the seeds in ournds as efficiently anymore."


    Sylvester didn''t like hearing about that, but this was the cold, harsh truth about war. He couldn''t be soft right now. "In the case of the tax, you will pay what you have been paying before. No matter the ruler, the tax limit is decided by the Church to ensure no cruelty takes ce. And about the war¡­ I''m afraid my hands are tied. It is not a holy war. It''s a war of kings and queens, nobles and soldiers. Please return to your seats, I will try to speak with your monarchs and see what can be done."


    Once again, with sullen faces, themoners left. But the third group unexpectedly rose from their seats. It was a mix of high-ranking Clergymen of the big three ranks: Cardinals, Archbishops, and Bishops.


    An old man with a hunched back led them. Of course, Sylvester knew them all by name, so he stepped down from his throne to help the old man. He wasn''t a powerful wizard, after all.


    "Cardinal Henson, why did youe out of your resting house?" Sylvester held the man up warmly.


    "War, Your Holiness," the old man weakly spoke. "Please do something¡­ We Clergymen are not bound by families, but the harsh reality is that we all have heard of losing someone already. A nephew, a father, or brother¡­ I havee for them, Your Holiness."


    Sylvester sternly stared at the man and stepped away from him. He looked around at the massive hall, meeting the eyes of nobles andmoners. They all had puppy eyes, pleading with him silently.


    "Do you not know who I am?" Sylvester roared without trying. "Do you not know the rules that I abide by? Youe here, and I feel your pain, but if I proceed and act, do you know what will be the result of my campaign? My hands are tied, for I am no King, nor Emperor. I am merely a servant of God!"


    There was silence everywhere. Slowly, they all began to realize what Sylvester was trying to say.


    "If I make this my own war, then I will have to fight not just Leyon of the West, but the Kingdoms of the East too, for this time there are no heathers¡ªboth sides belong to sons and daughters of the faith." Sylvester finally led them to the main point, "If I move, no longer will I be just the Pope¡ªI will be much more, far more than what you might hope."


    There were heavy breaths in the hall.


    "Do you want that?" Sylvester roared atst. "Do you want me to absolve the monarchy? Do you want me to turn this realm into a theocracy? Because if I move, that will be the reality."


    There was still silence, as everyone had wide eyes of confusion, shock, and even excitement.


    "I thought so," Sylvester muttered, returning to his throne on the high tform, slowly climbing the steps.


    "Yes!"


    "What?" Sylvester looked back, and there was Cardinal Henson excitedly standing straight again as if the effects of his age had vanished.


    "Please, help us!" Someone from the nobles voiced.


    "Who better than you?" Themoners joined in.


    "We ept your rule!"


    "The strong should lead the weak!"


    Sylvester silently nced around the rising echoes and sighed as if he didn''t want it. Indeed, he didn''t want this, but there was no other way. Constant wars, greed, and hatred were deep fractures in the society that he couldn''t ignore anymore. For what wasing, the world needed to be united, and it needed a leader who was loved and epted.


    ''The fish takes the bait.''


    With that, a magnificent halo appeared behind his head, and he raised his hand towards all of them in a blessing.


    "So be it!"


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 705 704. Leyon Of Sol

    <h4>Chapter 705 704. Leyon Of Sol</h4>


    ck!


    ck!


    ck!


    The mother spider worked its way around, and its children sorted everything they received. Boxes upon boxes, as big as a dozen meters wide and deep. Filled with pages with dotted codes, a hundred, a thousand, a million¡ªunquantifiable.


    Project Sky Eye worked wlessly under the hidden floor of the Pope''s Pce. Intelligence gathered from every part of Sol, from every single noble house, whore house, tavern, gambling den, monastery, and even the battlefield. The ever-expandingwork was still not at its full capacity, and yet the informationing into that room seemed impossible to manage.


    But magic was magic, and miracles were amon sight in thend of Solis. Complex machinery working on magical energy continued to sort everything, from coded dots to words, then sorted based on the area, the category, and the severity.


    Anythinging from monarchs was in one ce, Dukes, Marquis, Counts, Viscounts, and Barons all had different categories. The Sky Eye wasn''t in the sky, but in the pockets, in the buttons, in the little bracelets, rings, or Rank tes issued to all wizards and knights by none other than the Holy Land.


    And at its help were only a select few men: Cardinal Rex, Cardinal Lazark, Cardinal Gabriel, and Pope Sylvester. Of course, the undeads were a great help in ensuring operations and notification methods in case something important was found.


    Reports werepiled by the hour and reviewed. In case anything happened, it was reported.


    Just like now.


    ¡­


    Back on the upper floor of the Pope''s Pce, Sylvester called the Sanctum Council toe and report as soon as he finished the day''s Holy Court.


    After the dramatic turn of events that he easily predicted and steered, he decided to act openly, but slowly; allowing all the pieces to fall into their ces before he even made one move. The aim was minimal violence and minimal resistance by any.


    "Start preparing to interfere in the war. Leyon has already won over Gracia and Hignd Kingdom. Riveria and ckhart are left, but I have no doubt they will fall as well. However, we must wait until that happens so that I don''t have to reprimand or fight our allied monarchs. By simply dealing with Leyon, we''ll be taking back all of Sol¡ªas the new rulers," Sylvester dered to his most important Cardinals. There were even the older Cardinals present who lived through the purge, such as the ex-Saint Wazir, Ethias Lovecraft.


    After a brief silence, Gabriel tried to speak and resume the discussion, "What would you have us do, Your Holiness? Anything specific?"


    "I''ll do all the fighting alone, but if everything goes well, there won''t be any fighting needed. You all only need to ensure efficient administration across Sol. Once Leyon falls, the territories he has conquered in the West will be without any leaders. Bad elements could arise, orw and order could deteriorate into excessive riots. We don''t want that, so put all your focus on administration.


    "First Guardian, Raz, you will go and set up your office in the West, at the Marashia Combined Economic Zone. Oversee the security and administration from there. Guardian Julius, you will do the same on this side of the continent. Saint Medico, send any spare relief medicinal material you have to the areas that require it.


    "Intion also harms bellies. So ensure no illegal hoarding of food takes ce, the prices remain stable, and nobody sleeps hungry. We had built grain storages a long time ago, so it''s time to use it. Remember, we can''t afford riots or an unhappy poption at this stage."


    Sylvester gave plenty of instructions to each of them. Although there weren''t enough Guardians of Light, there were still plenty of intelligent minds in the council. There was also Felix, and Elyon, who were free to focus on the security aspect of the two sides.


    Eventually, everyone agreed with his n and left one by one.


    ''Why is he remaining behind?'' Sylvester noticed Julius eyeing him longer than anyone else and even staying behind in the meeting room.


    "Is this it?" Julius asked. "Is this what you always wanted? To be the world''s single ruler?"


    ''He must have suspected my involvement already.'' Sylvester had no doubt about that.


    Sylvester silently gazed away from Julius and looked down at the white stone table. A deep breath escaped his mouth, a sense of helplessness appearing. "Julius, I have zero confidence that we can stop the Primordial Gods from doing whatever they want to do to us. But if we want to have even a speck of a chance, we have to be united. My shoulders need to be protected and peaceful.


    "I gave them a chance, many actually. But you have witnessed it all with your own eyes. The war in the West, the appearance of the Tears of Solis, the inhumanity in the northern mountains, and the recent actions of the biggest Assassin Guilds. With such conditions, could you have guaranteed me that the world would have remained peaceful behind my back? When I''m battling who-knows-what inside the Demon Realm?"


    "Bing the Emperor is your solution?" Julius interrogated back. "I understand your reasoning, but you can''t be changing one Emperor with another. What is stopping another powerful man from rising and challenging it in the future?"


    "I never said I would be an Emperor, Julius. This is merely the first step to abolish nobility. The first step is to dere everyone as equal."


    "Where will the nobles go then?" Julius followed up.


    "They will remain where they are. They won''t own all of thends, but will still be given plenty, and they will get to keep their castles. They can be merchants, or perhaps turn their magnificent castles into luxury inns for all I care. But the point is that there shall be equality, and even amoner will be able to ownnd with his own name on the deed, not at the mercy of some noble."


    Julius didn''t ask any more questions after that and simply looked down in a daze. Trying to visualize the dream that Sylvester had shared, he couldn''t help but agree that it sounded great.


    "What if we can''t defeat those ''gods''?" Julius asked onest question before leaving.


    Sylvester shrugged tiredly. "Then nothing matters, my friend. We''re all nothing but dead men walking."


    Knock! Knock!


    The door was mmed open just after the knocks, and Gabriel reappeared with a page in his hands.


    "It''s over! Thest two have fallen."


    ¡­


    Leyon the Conqueror, the name was known by every man and woman in Sol by now. The speed at which he conquered kingdoms was nothing magical, and even those nobles who saw their sides fall couldn''t help but be left in awe.


    Once Gracia and Hignd fell, Riveria was stuck between two kingdoms that were already Leyon''s. From there, all the supply lines to the southern battlefield in The Patch were cut, and with that, Riveria fell with ease.


    Thereafter, the ckhart Kingdom had no choice but to surrender before too much damage was inflicted on an already healingnd. One by one, all of the monarchs knelt before Leyon, a man ofmon origin, who didn''t even have a surname.


    But, he still proimed himself a man of God, a man of faith, and loyal to the service of the Church. So, with the kings and queens who surrendered to him, he chose to travel to the Holy Land in order to receive the holy permission to form his Empire.


    With just a handful of soldiers, he reached the Pope''s Pce, and under the scrutiny of hundreds of Holy Knights, he was guided into the Holy Court. The ce was packed with people, more than ever in its history. This time, there were fewermoners, and many more nobles and Clergymen.


    "Enters the self-proimed Emperor of Sol, Leyon of Sond," the herald shouted once the gates opened. "Following him are Queen Isabe Gracia, King Atrox Hignd, King Kaecilius Silvanus, and Queen Xylena ckhart."


    Amidst the intense murmurs of the waters, the entourage walked into the hall, between the onlookers, and arrived at the base of the tform of the Pope''s Throne. There, they all knelt down without a word spoken.


    nk!


    Sylvester rose from his seat then, and with that, the crowd went utterly silent. He raised his spear, with his body covered with fine regal armor made by the dwarves. He walked down the stairs slowly, making metallic sounds with his armored boots.


    "Why have youe here?" He asked.


    Leyon, still in his normal-looking leather armor, looked up. His brown eyes and average looks hid his achievements well. "I wish to receive your blessings before I formally create the Leyon Empire, Your Holiness."


    "And why should I bless you for such?"


    "Because I believe in the guidance of Solis. Born as a meremoner, I have arrived here only because the Lord blessed me. I have the mandate of the light, Your Holiness. I am the one chosen to spread peace," Leyon added.


    Sylvester finally reached the main floor and stopped a foot away from kneeling Leyon, looking down at his face. "Yet, all you have done is spread chaos and death. You tried to repair what was never broken."


    Leyon smiled and silently stared at Sylvester''s face. Just as thest time he had seen it; Just as warm and powerful as that time. His lips shivered, and his eyes started to well up with unknown tears. He felt no fear, nor pain. There was only happiness and excitement¡ªyet tears.


    "Y-Your Holiness¡­" Leyon called him.


    Sylvester leaned down a little, his eyes filled withpassion and admiration as he whispered. "Well done, son of Solis."


    Leyon broke down in silent tears and smiles, prepared for what was toe.


    "Thank you¡­ For giving me a reason to live. A goal so grand, so divine, so kind¡­ to a meremoner¡­ Thank you, for your blessings¡ª"


    Thud!


    And so there was blood, a head on the floor, and a body still sitting. So sudden, so crimson, for the grand, divine hall, it didn''t seem fitting.


    But this was the reality, and in pursuit of life, there was no ce for morality.


    ''You won an empire by yourself, and the history shan''t forget. May your soul rest in peace, Leyon of Sol¡­ May you find the holy grace, may you feel the Lord''s embrace.''


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 706 705. A New Title Acquired

    Chapter 706 705. A New Title Acquired


    "Pope¡­ If I can kill you, will I rule the world?"


    "Do I rule the world?"


    "¡­Leyon¡ªplease remember this name, Your Holiness."


    The first time Sylvester met Leyon was some time ago on that battlefield. Just a young soldier conscripted into the army to fight a battle he didn''t want to take part in, for a man who was their King, but in reality, a greedy bastard.


    On the surface, the talks happened, but in Leyon''s mind, he saw visions that came from Sylvester himself. Visions of all the atrocities across the world that Sylvester had seen personally, atrocities that may happen in the future too. It was proof that as long as there were noble lords, there would be mindless violence for somend, women, or gold.


    With his teeth clenched, Leyon silently retreated back to his brothers, but with a greater, new aim¡ªan aim to eradicate nobility from the world, an aim to bring peace.


    Yet, history would remember him as a great Conqueror, a great mind that brought all of Sol to its knees.


    ¡­


    Present Time,


    Thud!


    Leyon''s head was severed away and fell on the floor, while blood sprayed everywhere.


    Every noble,moner, and Clergyman felt their breaths were stuck in their throats at the sight. Just like that, it was over. How quickly and easily, the man who had spread fear and chaos across Sol was now dead. The great military campaign ended with a single swing of the spear.


    "All hail Emperor S¡ª"


    "Silence!" Sylvester roared before someone from the crowds could foolishlyplete his chant. "I am no emperor! There shall be no emperor, ever again! Only light and its servants fulfilling the Lord''s will¡ªthat is the true direction this realm will take. Onew, enforced and overseen by the Holy Land, holding Solis as witness."


    He looked at the still kneeling four monarchs of East Sol, and raised his bloodied spear at them. "Speak, kings and queens of the East. Do you surrender your rule to this holy authority?"


    Sylvester''s golden gaze felt so heavy and overbearing that Isabe, Kaecilius, King Hignd, and Xylena felt utterly small and powerless.


    "I surrender my authority to His Holiness." Queen Isabe was the first to salute with crossed arms.


    "I ept the rule of the lord." Kaecilius did the same.


    King Hignd did the same after that. "My wife will be upset if I don''t do this."


    "Anything for fathe¡­ I mean His Holiness!" Xylena was thest one, and the most excited one. After all, she hated being the Queen, as it gave her no time to do what she wanted. It was boring to her, and now she was free to travel, train, study, or y around.


    ''This girl.'' Sylvester almost smacked her on the head for nearly calling him father there.


    nk!


    Sylvester mmed the butt of his spear onto the marble flooring, making it ring and silence all the chatter. "In this auspicious year of the Lord, I, Sylvester Maximilian, the Supreme Pontiff of the Church of Solis, pronounce the establishment of the Sol Theocracy! May this realm see the light of prosperity for eternity toe. In thisnd of light, may the ones lost find themselves a warm, weing home."


    "Amen!" chanted the crowd in the Holy Court.


    Atst, Sylvester''s gaze fell on Leyon''s dead body, and a silent sigh left his mouth. "Leyon of Sol may have been a conqueror, but what he did was merely the role he was born to y. Like all of us, he came, fulfilled his destiny, and left us¡ªI pay respect, for we are now more united than ever because of this man. He was an Emperor, and he shall be given the funeral of an Emperor¡ªwithplete holy rituals."


    After that historical moment, Sylvester didn''t say anything and silently left the Holy Court. He needed to appear mysterious and troubled for some time, to make sure nobody believed that he nned it all; That this massive responsibility wasn''t his desire, but an unwanted burden.


    ¡­


    Soon, the massive printing press in the Holy Land, with thousands of machines, started to print the posters for the next day. The big words were only a few, but very important.


    "War Ended! Sol Is United!"


    Furthermore, there was the announcement of the abolishment of nobility. Of course, it caused panic among all the noble lords anddies as they had no idea what would happen to them. Were they nowmoners? Do they still hold authority over the people in theirnd?


    But one thing was clear, the majority of the realm was delighted, as it consisted ofmoners who were usually jealous of their lords anddies. But more than that, the revtion that the Holy Land was now the main governing body of the entire Sol came as a shock and delightful surprise.


    Sylvester was the most famous man in the world and, at the same time, the most loved and respected. Various bards across Sol had spread hundreds of Holy Hymns and stories about him, while the newspapers carried word about him, or from him, almost weekly. Almost every single household in Sol had the newspaper cut-out image of Sylvester in their homes, which they framed and hung right beside the insignia of the Holy Land.


    But those in the west were the happiest as they had suffered at the hands of one nobility after another. First, the Masan Empire, then the warring kingdoms, then came Leyon, and now finally, the one ruler they wanted was overseeing them.


    The prices ofmodities also started toe down as soon as the Holy Army, Inquisitors, and the various Clergymen started to take charge of security and administration. The trust in the Holy Land that was already high reached the levels of fanaticism.


    And the wall separating Sylvester and the faith of Solis started to slowly show cracks.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us" saw an addition and change to the phrase. "May His Holiness send blessings upon us" became widely used.


    And it all happened in three days'' time, after the establishment of the Sol Theocracy. Everything was perfectly curated and executed, just as how it was meant to be.


    ¡­


    Back in the Holy Land, Sylvester sat in his office, filled with the entire Sanctum Council and the Guardians of Light. Sylvester himself was in his battle armor, as he chose to address instances of riots, violence, and unruly nobles himself.


    "Your Holiness, what will the new hierarchy of the social order be?" Gabriel asked with a notepad ready in his hands, his eyes wide open, but the dark circles under them betrayed how restless and exhausted he was.


    Sylvester opened his table drawer and ced sheets upon sheets of paper on the desk. "There is no social hierarchy, Gab. Solis made everyone from the same blood and flesh as all others, so we are born equal. The difference is what we made, not God. So, from today, be it me, themoners, or any ex-noble, are all equal in the eyes of thew. But of course, some people are important and may require extra protection.


    "As for the nobility, they are all nowmoners. All the noble lords are allowed to retain five percent of theirnds, their castles, and five percent of the businesses operating on their territory¡ªthe limit is equal from Baron to Duke."


    Just then, Julius raised his hands. "What of the monarchs? Do you really want to turn them intomoners?"


    "No, they will remain kings and queens, just their titles will be ceremonial. I believe the ruling families have legacies that go thousands of years in history, so it''s unwise to remove them. Even the other noble lords will retain their titles, but will hold no power. But different from them, the kings and queens possess a vast number of properties that require management, so they will receive a little amount from their Kingdom''s taxes to maintain their livelihoods." Sylvester borated on the basic structure of the ruling ss that was now powerless. "Everything is detailed in this paper, so read them carefully afterward."


    Thud!


    Inquisitor High Lord stood up from his seat, his staff making a heavy sound. His aura was still as fearsome as ever. "Your Holiness, this new achievement of yours has brought the faith to a new height. But at the same time, you must select a new title for yourself that will resound right. You are more than the Pope now¡ªa leader of mankind to whom all bow."


    Sylvester agreed, and rubbed his chin while trying to think about a word for himself. After all, he was going to be the first and thest of whatever title he would choose. "It cannot be rted to a King, Emperor, or something simr."


    ''President? But it holds no meaning to this world.'' He tried to brainstorm.


    "May I?" A hand made of bone raised high in the crowded room. It was none other than the Emperor Lich, Raz. "I have a suggestion."


    As every eye looked towards the undead Lich, Sylvester allowed him. "Go on, First Guardian."


    Scratching his skull face, the stylish lich rose from his chair and jovially spoke. "Since you are still the Pope, and only your rule has extended, why not title be¡­ Holy Sovereign?"


    "Holy Sovereign?"


    "Interesting."


    "Impactful."


    "I can feel the goosebumps¡­"


    The members discussed it among themselves and finally waited for Sylvester''s decision.


    But Sylvester remained silent for a long time, as he was busy hearing the little fluff ball on his shoulder whispering a suggestion into his ears.


    "Maxy, since you''re above everyone, why not just be Big Pope? Like Big Mum?"


    "..."


    "Approved!" Sylvester abruptly bellowed.


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 707 706. The Sol Theocracy

    <h4>Chapter 707 706. The Sol Theocracy</h4>


    "Approved!" Sylvester abruptly bellowed but corrected himself right after that, "Holy Sovereign sounds brilliant, First Guardian. I shall be holdingplete authority over every aspect of Sol and its administration from now on. Everyw that is proposed must pass through me, with my signature. As for the kingdoms, there shall be none anymore. Sol will be divided into various districts of varying sizes ording to the poption."


    Furiously, almost every single member present started writing down whatever Sylvester said. But some of them still had utterly great memories and didn''t bother with writing it.


    "Your Holiness¡­ I mean Holy So¡ª"


    "My designation is Holy Sovereign, like the Pope. You are still to call me His Holiness." Sylvester corrected Aurora before she finished.


    "Yes, Your Holiness. I was wondering who will be managing these districts. A Clergyman?" She inquired.


    Sylvester shook his head and pointed at the map of Sol behind him on the wall. "Just like the Judge examination, an Administrative Service Examination will be held to pick candidates to work as administrators. At the lowest levels will be the various overseers of departments, and in the middle levels will be the Magistrates who will administer whole districts, with its security forces under their limited control. On the higher levels, there will be Division Chiefs, who will oversee a cluster of districts.


    "All of the previous duchies will be called States from now on, and a senior Clergyman personally appointed and evaluated by me will be at its help. All the Magistrates and Division Chiefs will report to the said Senior Clergymen, who will be called State Councilmen."


    One after another, they all narrowed down the list of matters that needed to be solved at the quickest. What sort of structures would the various essential departments, such as Road Construction, Agriculture, Waterways, and Water Supply, have?


    "From now on, a new Tax Department will be created in the Holy Land, which will work under the leadership of the Saint Keymaster. It will be responsible for focusing on District-level Tax Sub-offices, and collecting tax throughout Sol. All that money will gather here, and will then be distributed across the realm as per the need in focus," Sylvester announced and concluded the short meeting with the clergy, as there was another group desperate to meet him there.


    "I will be here for the next seven days with no break. Come to me at any time if there is any confusion, or if you encounter a problem that requires further expansion of departments." He dismissed them and called his pretty and bubbly assistant in. "Mother Anya, call the kings and queens waiting outside."


    Sylvester moved the chairs around his table in the meantime, as the major crowd had left.


    The ce had undoubtedly be a yground for Miraj as he jumped around and tried to catch the sunlight''s reflection in the room. He wasn''t dumb, just yful, despite knowing what it was.


    Bam!


    "Chonky, stop messing around. You''ll break the portraits." Sylvester was quick to scold the bored cat. "If you''re so bored, just go home to Mum."


    "Nyo! I wanna be here and see everything. You''re the Big Pope now, and I''m the Big Chonky protector. I can''t leave your side, Maxy," Miraj argued and continued his yful chase.


    Knock! Knock!


    Just then, the door opened, and Queen Xylena peeked inside with a huge grin on her face. "There''s my favorite father!"


    "There is myzy daughter?" Sylvester joked. "Get in here and sit down."


    One after another, all of the ex-monarchs entered and took their seats. Despite losing their kingdoms, they didn''t seem annoyed, or depressed. There was a solemn smile on their faces as they silently looked at Sylvester to start.


    "How are you?" Sylvester asked about them before anything else.


    King Hignd, sitting very closely with his beautiful wife, held up his thumb to Sylvester. "Alive and unharmed, Your Holiness. After losing to Leyon, I had lost my dignity. But now, you brought me my honor back, and lifted off my burden at the same time. I have no reason to be wary or hateful anymore. Perhaps¡­ I can focus more on my marriage now."


    ''That Ginseng did really well, it seems. Or perhaps it was a cebo needed to heal him subconsciously.'' Sylvester pondered, knowing what the ex-King had meant. It appeared Rex was going to have some more siblings soon.


    "I will, however, feel empty without the reports about the kingdom''s various issues to read." Queen Trinity added.


    Sylvester had something for them but waited until other monarchs concluded their words. "And you, Kaecilius? I know Isabe is happy as she can live her newly married life in peace now. The same is true for Xylena, who will surely pester me here every now and then. What do you think about this change?"


    Kaecilius sighed and stood up. Suddenly, he ced his hand in his regal coat and took out a crowd, cing it on the table. "I wish to surrender my kingship, Your Holiness. I was a merchant, then a ve, and finally a King because of your aid. I was never supposed to be a monarch, Your Holiness. Unlike my fellow monarchs here, I do note from a long line of nobles, nor does my bloodline have thousands of years of enriching history."


    Sylvester picked up the crown and checked it carefully. But then he chuckled and threw it back at Kaecilius. "Don''t be so quick with this decision, my friend. I have abolished royalty as a title of power, but it still remains a title of prestige. You may not have direct control over your kingdoms anymore, but you can still be a special inspector assigned by me.


    "Citizens can stille to you to share their troubles, or you can visitmon spaces to see if the people are facing any issues. After that, you have a directmunication priority with me to ry those issues. Be itck of water, poor harvest, or even corruption in administration.


    "Consider yourselves a King and Queen who still has to honor their title¡ªbe thest bastion to save the people''s rights to a decent, respectful life."


    The four monarchs silently sat there and thought about the opportunity. It appeared they wouldn''t be so useless after all.


    "Furthermore, as monarchs, you will still be able to knight people ceremoniously for their great contribution in particr fields. Such as a great inventor, someone who saved a lot of people, someone who brought great social change, or perhaps a valiant soldier," Sylvester added and ced four documents on the table. "And this is the official deration of the ession of your kingdoms into the union called Sol Theocracy. Please sign it to make it official."


    "I''ll go first!" Xylena, being the youngest, jumped forward and picked up the pen to sign before the opportunity slipped away from her. Nobody could be sure, after all. "With this, I proim freedom from the mountains of paperwork, and snobbery of the nobles¡ªamen!"


    "We just need to find a suitable groom for you now," Sylvester teased her where it hurt the most.


    "Hmph, as if there''s anyone good enough for I, Xylena Sor Maximilian ckhart," she proimed proudly, puffing her chest out and flicking her ashen-ck hair with one hand.


    "..." Sylvestercked the words. "When did you add myst name to yours?"


    "Just now, of course. I''m a queen, I can do anything." Xylena replied, taking a softer and more emotional tone. "If not for you, I wouldn''t be alive, nor would I be a Queen. I owe you a debt of life, and as a daughter in all but blood, I wish to slowly repay it¡­ somehow."


    ''If you are the key that was foretold, you''ve already repaid the debt and done much more, Xye.'' Sadly, Sylvester couldn''t say it aloud.


    "Then make sure you study hard and work directly under me. Due to its past tragedies, the ckhart Kingdom requires the most work oversight." He sternly instructed her and moved on.


    Next, Isabe signed her name on the agreement. "This is the greatest marriage gift I could have hoped for, Your Holiness."


    Sylvester simply smiled and let her sit again, for King Hignd and Queen Trinity toe and sign their names. It appeared the two held the rank of monarch equally, instead of just one.


    But when Kaecilius showed hesitation, King Hignd mmed his fatherly palm on the man''s back. "Just go and sign your name, boy. I know what you''ve done in your life. Surviving those ve-fighting pits for so many years was no small deed. You led the uprising, and the people of Riveria unanimously supported you. You still have a duty to them¡ªto ensure they get the best."


    ''My old Spartacus.'' Sylvester reminisced about the time he plotted to have this man loyal to himself. The schemes he had to y to lure him over. ''Without any power to oppose me, you will certainly be a decent King.''


    "King Hignd is right, Kaecilius." Sylvester gave thest push.


    With that, the burly, strong man, now showing signs of age, rose and signed his name on the ession agreement. But he went further and wrote down another use in it. "After my death, I want my family to return to beingmoners, Your Holiness. If my children have enough talents, they will make a name and life for themselves."


    ''And that''s why I chose you.'' Sylvester nodded, affirming his own choice.


    Sylvester picked up the papers again atst and signed on each of them one after another, and as a witness, there was space left for Gabriel to signter. But unknown to any, a secret witness had already signed.


    A little paw mark was present at the corner of each historical paper¡ªa mystery for historians to ponder for eons toe.


    _________________


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 Chapter 708 707. Where To Now?

    Chapter 708 707. Where To Now?


    Hignd Kingdom,


    In the Weeping Lake, there rested the small ind called Isle of None, the headquarters of the Weeping Ghosts Assassin Guild. Once filled with green and scattered wooden buildings, it nowy inplete ruin as a single Supreme Wizard had wreaked havoc.


    Boom!


    Specially tasked, Julius arrived on the ind with the sole aim of destroying everything within the site and removing the Assassin Guild from existence. The SSS-ranked guild was a scary and powerful thing for most, but for the Holy Land, it was a nuisance, even more so after it supported Leyon.


    Of course, Sylvester had lured them tomit the folly, but it was all a grand n to clean the world before he left for the Demon Realm. Being a naturally paranoid man, he tried to think of any negative scenario that could arise and hoped to stop a few of them.


    "I wished to erase you all for a long time, and finally, the auspicious moment has arrived." Julius moved at a speed unmatched, and his thundering sts of dark elemental energy left holes in buildings, incinerating bodies of even Grand Wizards among the guild members.


    There wasn''t even a struggle, just a one-sided massacre.


    ¡­


    Simrly, Emperor Raz was busy doing a little bit of cleaning on his end. Leyon wasn''t just a conqueror but also a ma of all sorts of scum of society. Anyone who wanted the Church to lose had flocked to his side in hopes of receiving some rewards when he finally won all of Sol.


    So, the few leftover Assassin Guilds approached him. Amongst them was also a wealthy man with a mask on his face, who extensively funded the army and the campaign. He was the man behind the Tears of Solis.


    "I hope I can stop doing this now, First Guardian. I''m a preacher, not a drug lord." Comined Cardinal Bison, who had lived his life under disguise for the past year or so. "It''s been a while since I returned from Beastaria¡­ I wish to stay in the Holy Land now."


    Raz chuckled, his bony, skeleton jaws cking together. "Don''t worry, His Holiness has marked all the targets because of your great work, Cardinal Bison. I''m sure you''re soon going to be assigned as one of the first State Councilmen to one of the new States of Sol."


    Cardinal Bison, burly and old, sighed and rxed in his seat while staring at the thousands of men and women lined up and made to kneel without any clothes on them, their future already decided.


    "After being the overseer of operations in Beastaria for so long, I''m willing to take any normal job in Sol, First Guardian," Bison sounded utterly spent. "Luring all of these good-for-nothing drug producers and peddlers with that unholy Tears of Solis was the easy part. Making them believe I was the Drug Lord was the hardest. The vile words I had to use, the actions¡­ I hope the Lord will forgive me for my sins."


    "Well, if an undead Lich can be embraced by the God of Light, anyone can be forgiven¡­ Not them, of course." Emperor Raz sighed and patted the old man''s shoulder before looking at the gathered criminals. "The first-time offenders among you are to be imprisoned and educated for five years, and the rest of you are to be killed. May you find salvation in the world beyond?"


    Thud!


    With that, the undead soldiers, under themand of Emperor Raz, swung their des in unison and severed heads from bodies. A major cancer from society was removed, and to ensure it never grows again, Project Sky Eye was enough.


    A thorough cleaning was slowly urring throughout Sol. However, that still left the fate of the other two human continents in question.


    What of the Sand Continent and Central Continent?


    ¡­


    Inside the Holy Land, Leyon of Sol''s body was finally put to rest.


    The man had no family of his own, so Sylvester performed all the rituals for thest rights and ced the fire on the pyre. Afterward, he collected the ashes and put them in a golden jar, wanting to keep it in his office as a reminder of what it cost to form the Sol Theocracy.


    As decided, Sylvester never left the Holy Land for theing days and worked day and night without stopping. At best, visiting his home was some of the sce he could afford, before he once again started focusing on his personal evolution under Nehilius'' guidance.


    "It took twenty-eight years," Sylvester muttered as he ced the jar of ashes on a showpiece cab with ss doors. "Yet everyone thinks I''m blessed to have aplished this in such a short time."


    "Because you have, Max. It''s strange to most that you live as if you aren''t a Supreme Wizard, but a regr person with a regr lifespan," Gabrielmented, sitting in the visitor''s chair.


    Gabriel and Felix hade to visit him as friends, not Preachers, not Cardinals, nor subordinates.


    "In any case," Felix broke the silence and fumbled into his clergy robe''s pockets to take out a little box. "Happy Birthday, Max."


    "What''s in it?" Sylvester received the box and opened it to see. "Hmm? It''s the¡­ Desert Cannibals'' dagger¡­ This brings back memories."


    Felixughed heartily, remembering their first day in the School of Dawn. "I still remember the way you punched Romel and won one like this. I reckoned I''d give you mine¡­ I earned it after defeating a Cannibal leader at the age of six, in one of my father''s forced campaigns to make me stronger."


    Sylvester cherished it and ced it in the same showpiece wall. "I remember it¡­ I remember Markus too. Did you find anything about his family? We promised him to take care of them."


    "We did," Gabriel started. "His little sister, Elis, is now married to the elder son of a goldsmith and lives a happy life. His brother, Moris, is studying at the Blessed School of All Arts in the Hignd Kingdom. He doesn''t have talent in magic, but he has a good analytical mind, and studies architecture there."


    "His mother? Gianna?" Sylvester recalled the name.


    "She¡­ She passed away a few years ago," Gabriel revealed with a heavy heart. "She didn''t live a happy,fortable life for most of her years, Max. The sacrifices she made as a single mother to raise her three children weighed heavy, and the toll on her body increased with her age. Despite being rtively wealthy now, one of the winters imed her life."


    A moment of silence formed among them on its own. Sylvester remembered the woman''s tired face from years ago. "If there is an afterlife, I hope she meets Markus. What of the siblings? Help them if they are in any financial need."


    "You don''t need to, Max. It was Queen Trinity Hignd who found a perfect match for Elis. It was also her who made Moris take various tests to see what he was good at," Gabriel added.


    That brought a smile to Sylvester''s face. Initially, he was so wary of the Hignd Royal Family, but it turns out, among all the monarchs he had met, they were the only ones he never thought of recing.


    "It appears even the swamp of filth can nurture a few righteous ones," Sylvester mumbled his thoughts. "But I''m sure it''s their peak strength that allowed them to remain incorruptible, and just."


    Bam!


    "Ah! What was that for?!" Felix suddenly felt a strong smack on his face and looked around. "Why did your guardian angel hit me?"


    Sylvester looked down under the table and chuckled. "You stepped on his tail."


    With a slight change in mood, Sylvester took his seat and looked at his two friends. "So, what are your ns now? I can also sign your resignation and request to end abstinence if you want to."


    "Also? How many did you receive?" Felix asked in amusement.


    "Ehm." Gabriel was the Wazir, so he had the numbers. "We have received nearly five thousand requests from various Clergymen and Bright Mothers. Among them, twenty were Cardinals."


    "But why?!"


    Sylvesterughed painfully while answering that. "Good times, my friend. There are no wars to fight anymore. The realm knows peace not just in terms of society, but also economy. There are no nobles to harass you. All the criminals are too scared. Many Clergymen hope to start families, and Bright Mothers who joined us in fear for their lives wish to go back¡­ I expected it, but it still rms me."


    "Suffering from sess, ha?" Felix jested and rxed. "But I''m not going anywhere. With the kingdom gone, I can freely work as Saint Viceman for the Church. At the same time¡­ I need you to help me train. The talent-testing orbs don''t show one''s talent beyond the highest rank. I''m already a tinum Knight, and I wish to see if I can go beyond."


    Sylvester easily saw through what Felix was trying to do. "Forget it, Felix. You don''t need to do this. Just go and focus on making kids with Isabe. There are no more battles left¡­ for you."


    "I''m a free man, and I decide my own fate!" Felix angrily bellowed this time. "Don''t try to paint yourself as some damn tragic hero and battle those ''whatever'' gods on your own. If the First Pope was elevated beyond Supreme Wizardhood, then I, Julius, Raz, and King Rathagun can also go beyond."


    "It won''t be enough," Sylvester bluntly replied.


    Felix remained firm in his decision. "You call us brother and act like a mother. Isabe will be with my child soon enough, Max. I''ll have a family, a big one, I''m sure. But it''s all useless if we''re going to die anyway. So, I don''t care about the cost, I want in on the n. No matter the price¡­ once, twice, as many as it takes, I will keep going beyond the limit."


    ''The problem is, I don''t know if it''s even possible.'' Sylvester silently sighed, feeling worried.


    "You think I don''t want to? But what''s the point if you''ll vanish like the First Pope as soon as you ascend? There are hidden powers that manipte the very basic nature of this world, Felix. I''m not strong enough to challenge that¡­ yet."


    Felix didn''t fail to notice thest bit. "Then I''ll wait for that ''yet'' to be a reality. Until then, I will continue to grow stronger."


    Sylvester sighed and looked at Gabriel. "What about you?"


    "All I can do is be your Wazir, my friend. I''m not strong enough to challenge the limits of anything." There was a hint of disappointment in Gabriel''s voice.


    ''Perhaps Nehilius can help me with this.''


    Sylvester smiled and pushed a document toward Gabriel. "Then maybe you would like to push the limit of your work tolerance."


    Gabriel felt sweat form on his forehead as he picked up the paper and read. "N-No¡­ I don''t want this."


    "What is it¡­" Felix snatched it and read, only to bellow inughter. "Haha¡­ Poor you, Gab."


    Sylvester extended his hand. "Congrattions on being the first Deputy Pope, Gabriel Maxwell."


    _________________


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 Chapter 709 708. Something Long and Heavy

    Chapter 709 708. Something Long and Heavy


    "Deputy Pope? Why? Aren''t you enough?" Gabriel jumped up from his seat. "I''m not even a Grand Wizard¡­ How can I¡­"


    "Calm down, Gab." Sylvester poured a ss of water for his friend. "You won''t be a Pope in the true sense but merely my proxy. I have no idea what I''ll find once I get to the Demon Realm. We don''t even know how big that world is, smaller than here? Bigger? Or simr? There are too many unknown variables, and we can''t afford mismanagement in the Holy Land when I''m gone. Especially not now, when we are the direct rulers."


    "What''s the scope of my power?" Gabriel asked.


    "Pope."


    "..."


    Almost on the verge of flipping the table, Gabriel sat down. "That''s going to be a lot of work. Are you sure you''re not just doing this to reduce your workload?"


    "That''s true," Sylvester straightforwardly confessed. "I need time to train and n for whatever is approaching us. With so much going on, I can''t be spending all my time inside this room, signing papers. I can, at best, help in decision-making, and the development of new inventions that can make life better for everyone."


    "What about me?" Felix inquired. "I''m the Saint Viceman, and I still have no idea what my job description is."


    "It''s almost the same as the Deputy Pope. But, where Gabriel will handle the administration, the Holy Court, and the rest of internal decision-making, you, as the Saint Viceman, will be taking care of the security aspect of the whole continent. You can''t wage wars, but you can investigate crimes, corruption, and conspiracies, and ensure a smooth decade of the world''s development," Sylvester exined the distribution of responsibilities.


    Over the past few months, he had seen that Felix was utterly wasted in administration and Holy Court, but his prowess in fieldwork was rather masterful. So, making them his right hand and left hand was the best possible solution.


    "A decade?!" Gabriel eximed.


    "I''m not nning on vanishing for that long, Gab. But after so many fundamental changes we''ve brought to the world, I feel like we need this much time for everything to normalize and be a way of life¡ª"


    "Absolutely! I never expected to be able to go to an Inn in Maximilia city and get hot, running water for a nice shower. I can even wipe my ass with hot water. And the royal bathroom in Isabe''s castle is just¡­" Felix interrupted and kissed his finger loudly like a chef. "Our baths together are wonderful."


    "..."


    "..."


    Sylvester and Gabriel both felt like kicking their dear friend in the balls, so he would stop talking about his married life. But, they held back at the pity, for the Gracia and Sandwall families needed revival.


    "Go now. I''ll make the official announcement to make a Deputy Pope in a few days. Focus on promoting peace, business, and public welfare. Remember, everyone is equal in the eyes of Solis, even those across the sea." Sylvester dismissed the two men and got back to work.


    He had to consider every worst-case scenario and make counter ns for them, and more counter ns in case the previous ones failed, or gave an adverse aftereffect. The written material could be what would help Gabriel and Felix work when he''s not there.


    ''Alrighty, Section One: How to kill someone without killing them. Sub-Section One¡­ The Plot¡­''


    It was a bit mundane for a Pope to spend so much time in his office, but with the changing world, this was precisely what the world needed¡ªCompetent Administrators.


    At least until he decided to visit the two other southern continents.


    ¡­


    Riveria, Southern Duchy, now known as the South River State, was filled with noise that day. The Trade Corridor, the secret behind Riveria''s massive wealth, was about to see a new miracle of mankind, and the blessing of the Pope.


    With the help of dragons and all of the dwarvesbined, theck of steel was changed into a surplus, and that meant an increased pace of construction. With earth elemental wizards being used and many more guilds based around construction using magic appearing, the developments of various projects picked up the pace.


    However, the first modern miracle was about to be witnessed by the people after more than a year''s worth of trials and testing.


    For a long time, people of the South River State had seen wizards working toy down strange metal lines with concrete blocks in between them. Heck, the entire track was built on an elevated track on viaducts as it passed through the busy ces of the Trade Corridor.


    But not just the people, even King Kaecilius and the newly appointed State Councilman of the South River State, Cardinal Cornelius, had appeared. The ce was the Forge City of the Trade Corridor, a ce filled with the constant sound of industrial activities. With new methods of forging and the dawn of techniques of using magic crystals to automate various tasks, the output had increased more than what roads and carts could handle.


    "Do you know what it looks like?" Cardinal Cornelius asked excitedly. Being someone who had followed Sylvester for so many years, he knew firsthand it was something to be excited about.


    "I have seen it once in the trials," Kaecilius stoically replied. "It''s long, heavy, but surprisingly not as noisy. Its horn is quite something, however."


    "Horn?" Cornelius instantly imagined a massive spike on the steel carriage. "Why a horn?"


    "To keep the people away."


    "Ah, makes sense. Scaring away people so they don''t die." Cornelius still thought it would be a ''horn'' like an animal.


    "It''s here!" Someone in the crowd shouted, and following that, the crowd at the station curiously turned to look.


    The sounds continued to grow louder, confusing at the beginning, but soon it began to sound like thumps. Heavy and fast, it kept oning closer. But eventually, they all noticed a steam cloud in the distanceing down from the viaduct.


    Cornelius was at the forefront with the King and saw everything clearly. He turned into a happy little child in the excitement of the iing metal beast, spewing out clouds of smoke, pure white in color.


    However, he soon got confused as he failed to notice something. "Where is the horn?"


    Choooo!


    "Ah!" Cornelius realized at that point what horn was being talked about. "I still do feel scared."


    Slowing down with time, and its clouds of steam calming out, the train eventually reached the station and proceeded to stop. Behind it were ten long and big carriages, out of which only two had ces for people to sit, and the rest held goods.


    "Interesting," King Kaecilius eximed and waited for the staff that came from the Holy Land to set up the inauguration ceremony for the train. Being a ceremonial King, Kaecilius was to cut the ribbon so the official operations on the train line could start.


    The engine was painted deep ck in color, while the passenger carriages were given wooden brown color, and the rest were boxcars for goods, simrly ck in color. Some of them even had a little extra height, holding the ice elemental crystals, effectively turning the boxcars into cold storage.


    Thud!


    All of a sudden, all the eyes moved towards one of the strange boxcars. It was the only one with windows and double doors. However, soon the crowd sucked in a fearful breath, and anyone who had the slightest guilty conscience stepped back a few paces.


    "L-Lo¡­" Even Cardinal Cornelius felt weak before this giant of a man d in red armor, a red cape, and his massive metal staff. "Lord Inquisitor! Wee to the South River State¡­ May the Holy Light enlighten us!"


    Lord Inquisitor looked around at the vast crowd of people. Surprisingly, there were faces of various Beastkins as well. From foxkins to lionkins, all standing shoulder to shoulder with humans.


    ''Only one man could have brought this. For such a man to be born in my lifetime¡ªsuch bliss.'' Lord Inquisitor''s eyes, behind the visor, shined bright red, scaring the crowd.


    "I''m here too, you know," a feminine voice came from behind Lord Inquisitor.


    Cardinal Cornelius almost choked and bowed respectfully. "Guardian Aurora, how can I forget a respected one like you? I¡­ I was just uninformed about this visit."


    "You don''t know anything about this train, so His Holiness sent us to give a speech and inform the masses of its uses," Aurora exined and snapped her fingers. A few Inquisitors traveling with them immediately came and ced a wooden podium near the steaming engine. "Lord Inquisitor will say a few words now."


    The Inquisitor High Lord solemnly walked forward and faced the crowd of modern Sol with great reverence for Solis and respect for Sylvester in the heart. He raised his metal staff towards the crowd and started as his eyes burned in worship.


    "Blood! That is what it costs to push this realm to greatness. To the history in the making, you stand here as a witness. Not a mere gadget but a blessing from the Pope. Not a tool, this is a culmination of all your hopes," Lord Inquisitor sounded utterly rageful, and his words began to take effect, filling the hearts of everyone there with pride and worship. "Merely a beginning, you were born in the most auspicious time. Do not waver, do not fall to the devil of mind, nevermit a crime.


    "For if you were to be a hindrance, I will be there to remind you of the cost of your interference. Beyond species, I stand indifferent. But I will not tolerate a world made by His Holiness¡ªso magnificent. Now rejoice for this invention so refreshinge and ept this blessing."


    As soon as hisst words came, the masses stood in attention as if they were soldiers, and some even clumsily saluted in the Church''s way. Even the ones who didn''t follow the faith of Solis strictly felt like throwing their life away and pledging to celibacy.


    Aurora awkwardly kept smiling. ''Father, you were supposed to tell them about the train but¡­ I guess this works too.''


    _________________


    [A/N: Sorry for no chapter. Had a serious medical emergency.]


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 710 709. Talent, Tiredness & Tears

    Chapter 710 709. Talent, Tiredness & Tears


    "Water! We have water!"


    The people of Lankel Vige cheered with great excitement as they almost started dancing around the water outlet, spewing the nectar of life that every being needed to survive. It was the middle of nowhere in the ckhart Kingdom, so dry that even the grass felt shy from showing its des.


    Dry, harsh, and days of burning hell, while the nights were freezing purgatory. Yet, there was joy and worship in front of a seemingly ordinary metal pipe of water that protruded out of the ground.


    "We will finish extending the outlets to a few more parts of the vige, so please be patient. His Holiness'' blessing will not ignore your plight," Archpriest Jon Pense reassured the Vige Chief. "Soon, a road extension will also be made to connect this ce with the Desert Road Highway."


    The vige chief, a man in histe eighties, with eyes almost blind, a bald head, and a hunched back, gripped Archpriest Jon''s hand and kept shaking it as tears welled in his eyes.


    Having lived his entire life and seen his parents and grandparents all sumb to the harsh nature and life in the vige was a haunting memory. The young men and women leaving the vige to live in the cities were a reminder of the doom that the vige faced.


    "Sire¡­" Vige chief Ralph cried. "Thank you¡­ T-Thank you¡­ W-With this, our children migh¡­"


    The man was simply unable to say anything without breaking down. That was the real luxury for amoner, this was the real blessing of God for a man already suffering, not the sermon of some god, or preaching or some Priest.


    Ke-Chak!


    And sure enough, a Clergyman there always had a magic camera for the now bi-weekly newspaper to showcase. It was propaganda from Sylvester but also a silent message of hope. After all, Emperor Raz''s undead birds'' reached even the remotest ces to drop off the newspapers.


    "The new given name of your vige has also been approved. It will start appearing on thetest maps soon. A Clergyman will also be assigned to make a small monastery here and oversee the Church''s welfare ns," Archpriest Jon added, proudly loving his job; an honest job.


    It was the reality. Viges like Lankel vige were like drops of water in the rain. Small, nameless, and in such a faraway ce that nobody ever bothered naming it. But with the new mapping work being done by the Holy Land, such viges were receiving names. Naming was also simple. Every vige was being named after the most famous person to have ever lived there, or perhaps a legendary figure''s name.


    "Then, I will leave for now. Many more viges need my supervision. Five members from my team will remain here and oversee the expansion." Jon saluted the vige chief and the crowd of impoverished and barely clothed people. "Please be sa¡ª"


    "Sire¡­" Chief Ralph interrupted. "I will kneel and show my gratitude to you for this blessing. But¡­ we don''t even have anything to grow after this harvest was ruined by the heatwave."


    Archpriest Jon hummed and opened his personal diary to write something in it. "Don''t worry about that. With your vige being registered, you will receive free fertilizer for the first harvest. After that, it will be subsidized by the Holy Land. However, you will only sow the seeds we will provide you. They are made to grow in such dry ces without needing too much water."


    There was a solution to every problem.


    "We are blessed."


    "Long live the Pope."


    Eventually, embarrassing Jon, everyone got down to their knees on the hard ground. To them, he was nothing less than an angel from God.


    "P-Please¡­ Don''t do this. Only kneel in the monastery when it''s made. His Holiness has strictly warned all. In the new Sol, none are born different, and none are deemed different. Rich, poor, from anynd or species, are equal in the eyes of thew. Now, I must leave." Jon saluted them again and returned with his assistant to his modest stagecoach.


    Next destination, another recently named town. With problems different, with challenges new, Jon''s desire knew no fatigue. In the end, seeing those smiling faces all felt worth it.


    "Giving up knight training and studying engineering was worth it," he muttered, speaking with his assistant Priest. "With the talent of a meager ck Knight¡­ This is so much more rewarding."


    "But you have to travel a lot, Sire." His assistant Priestined, "I haven''t slept on a good soft bed in seven months."


    Jon chuckled and gently reprimanded the man, "Priest Lang, it''s a reminder. As long as we find hard beds, we know there is someone to be helped. Another smile to be earned¡ªbeing the bringer of a blessing to someone who yearned."


    ¡­


    In the Holy Land, the underground base of Project Sky Eye reacted in real time, and the little spiders moved, doing their magic and noting down information. Right then, a new note dropped on a special box reserved for a few exceptional names.


    [Archpriest Jon Pense - Action Points +5(1001) - Exceptional Rank - Promotion Review Due]


    Right away, an undead skeleton appeared and picked up the paper before folding it into an envelope and stamping the name of the destination with a golden seal¡ªOffice of Saint Wazir.


    ¡­


    Knock! Knock!


    "Ah, no more, Mother Amanda!" Sain Wazir, Gabriel, cried as he noticed his assistant, an old Bright Mother with a smile of a true grandma, enter with a box of papers.


    "Dear, it''s a burden thates with responsibility, and yours is greater only after His Holiness. Perhaps a little reward will be able to cheer you up?" Mother Amanda treated him like her grandchild. "Perhaps a healthy mango shake with some unhealthy scoop of ice cream, and a garnish of healthy dried fruits and nuts?"


    Gabriel smiled and melted in his soft,fortable seat. "You know me too well, Mother Amanda. I would lov¡ªWait, is that a golden stamp?"


    "I thought you''d never notice, Saint. This just came in, so I ced it on top." Mother Amanda smiled and watched Gabriel rush to open the letter. "I will disturb you again once the refreshments are here, dear."


    "Wait!" Gabriel suddenly put the important envelope to the side and took out another one from his table drawer. "I have one for you as well, signed by His Holiness."


    Mother Amanda''s white brows rose in confusion as she epted it. "Ah, another golden stamp?"


    "Well, since I''m being promoted to Deputy Pope, you deserve one too."


    Mother Amanda sighed and looked at the contents, then sighed some more. "You mean more work?"


    Click!


    Gabriel abruptly picked up the newly ced magicmunicator, also named Magic Telephone, on his table and dialed a number with the rotating dial. "Yes, Bard''s? This is Saint Wazir. Send me my usual Mango shake, and add the special strawberry one¡­ yes, with vani ice cream."


    ck!


    He ended the call and looked back at the old Bright Mother, smirking. "Congrattions to more tiring days of overwork, Mother Amanda."


    "Oh dear, this will be the death of me," she groaned and proceeded to leave.


    "It won''t!" Gabriel responded before she disappeared. "You''re an Arch Wizard. You still have a few more decades of God''s work."


    He loved the chemistry between them, and the fact that she could quite literally beat him to a pulp truly gave it the aura of a grandmother-and-grandson rtionship. But, in the end, he was always Saint Wazir, and was respected.


    "Alright, who do we have here?" He finally focused on the envelope from Sky Eye, which only he knew. "Hmm¡­ Archpriest Jon, quite young and already exceptional rank? I''ll let Max do the evaluation."


    He shrugged and called a special messenger before happily throwing the work on another overworked man''s shoulder.


    ¡­


    Pope''s Pce,


    "That damn Gabriel! This is the fifth evaluation request he sent me. That bastard''s doing it on purpose, I''m telling you," Sylvester grunted andined like an old man while his young, bubbly assistant, Bright Mother Anya Moler, handed him the letter.


    "Y-Your Holiness, you mustn''t curse Saint Wazir," she requested with good intentions.


    Sylvester shrugged. "I''m his boss, I can do it¡­ At least in private¡­ unless someone were to snitch on me."


    "Never!" Anya felt like rifying as soon as Sylvester''s gaze fell on her. "I promise, my soul, my life, and even my body belongs to y¡ª"


    "Oopsie!"


    Anya looked left and right in confusion as the third voice rang from nowhere, reminding her of the wrong words she had chosen. "Ah, forgive me, Your Holiness. I will leave now."


    Once she left, Miraj proudly sat in front of Sylvester on the table, his fluffy butt nted on the papers, while his chest protruded out, and a smirk stered on his face. "I caught an oopsie."


    Sylvester chuckled and patted his head, ying with Miraj''s ears. "Chonky, the problem is that you only catch other''s oopsie, never your own."


    Miraj puffed his chubby cheeks. "But¡­ Oopsie is an oopsie, so gimme my reward."


    "I''m out of bananas. Go home and ask Mum for it." Sylvester pushed the fluffball aside to focus on the letter on the table. "And tell her I want to eat honey cream pudding today. She loves it whenever I ask for any food."


    "Mew mew?"


    "Fine, you can ask for a banana-vored one too."


    "Nyaaaa!" Miraj excitedly jumped and flew straight out of the window. Yes, it was closed, yes he broke through the magical ss with ease. And yes, Sylvester waved his hand to fix it for the umpteenth time.


    "L¡­ eh¡­ n¡­"


    "Hmm?" Sylvester noticed noiseing from outside his office door. "Who is it?"


    Bam!


    "You can''t enter like that¡­ Cardinal Jinn¡­ please!"


    "I must, Mother Anya! I must give my resignation to His Holiness!"


    Sylvester sighed and waved, letting the man enter. "What happened now, my Oppenheimer? This much anger? This is new."


    "Oppen¡­ what? No, I-I''m done working in the research and development department. I''m useless, Your Holiness. We''re all useless," Jinn cried, mming his hands on the table. "S-She¡­ E did it again!"


    "..."


    Sylvester felt his heart racing already. "W-What did she do now?"


    Jinn, in the most self-deprecating and tiring manner possible, replied. "She made it, Your Holiness. By simply looking at my and Robert''s research, she fixed the designs and developed the Cyclic Srium Electric Engine for trains!"


    BOOM!


    Sylvester abruptly jumped to his feet, almost flipping his desk, but then remembered he''d have to collect the paperster. "That''s impossible! I only gave her that task this morning¡­ I¡­ You worked on that design for almost two years."


    "I know¡­ I fucking know, Your Holiness. I feel utterly dim-witted. Please demote me, I just¡­ I don''t know if I''m capable of being the co-head of research and development."


    Thud!


    Sylvester fell back in his chair.


    ''It''s hard enough to make sure I don''t look too foolish in front of my daughter. But it''s getting impossible now.'' Sylvester felt he was at wit''s end. ''So this is the difference between being born too smart and bing smart with repetitive training?''


    "Exception!" Sylvester dered. "From now on, I am deeming E an exception to all normal norms in all fields of studies. It''s not us who are dumb, Jinn. It''s she who is utterly better than anyone else."


    "Then, can I be her student?" Jinn requested.


    ''Perhaps that''s the only way to save this poor man''s dignity.''


    "Not just you. I will allow Robert to do the same. But where is he?"


    "At the sick bay," Jinn revealed. "After losing to her so many times, he stopped eating and studied day and night, only to faint after this recent loss."


    Sylvester could do nothing but sigh and feel for the two men. He knew the rest of the researchers and experimenters must also be feeling down.


    ''Oh, my dear E, I''m so proud but¡­ Show some pity on these poords.''


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 711 710. Once In A Lifetime

    Chapter 711 710. Once In A Lifetime


    "So, how does this work?" Sylvester followed Cardinal Jinn to the research and development area to see the Cyclic Srium Electric Engine with his own eyes. This was something he hoped would be developed in the next five years, but with this sudden surprise, he knew he had to recalibrate his development ns.


    E stood before Sylvester proudly, with all the other engineers and testers behind her. "Father, they were using the wrong runes to make the system. I was working on making what you asked me to and found a better way for srium distribution through an engraved rune scheme.


    "Now, the Srium Crystals can, on their own, produce energy to move the engine, and not only that, but the motion of the engine will also charge the depleted Srium Crystals with the wasted energy, further enhancing the efficiency."


    Sylvester silently stared at the moving engine, producing a sound akin to the humming of a big giant bee. It was significantly less noisy than the steam engines they were currently running. "How are the readings? Have you calcted the top speed of the trains if they were pulled by this type of engine?"


    "At least a hundred kilometers per hour," E answered stoically as if this was just a tiny thing for her. "It can be a lot more, but we cannot take such risks as the tracks won''t be able to handle it. However, I think a smaller version of this engine can be put into a carriage and be used as a horseless carriage that only needs to be steered and moved forward or backward with the help of gears."


    ''She just conceptualized cars!'' Sylvester honestly started to wonder if she was a reincarnator. ''It shouldn''t be the case since Saint Scepter was still alive. The Primordial Gods won''t bring another yer into the game until the previous one is dead.''


    "What about airnes?" Sylvester asked her, seeing if she''d recognize the name. "Can they be made with the same engine?"


    "What''s that?" she asked right away.


    ''Not a reincarnator then?''


    "What about a motorcycle? A hovercraft, maybe?"


    E silently thought about it. "Motorcycle? Like adding a small engine to the bicycle? I think that should work. But how will you bnce it? And what''s a hovercraft, Father?"


    ''Good, not a reincarnator.'' Sylvester finally took a brief sigh of relief. ''But the fact that she''s so quick to connect the dots between motor and bike is marvelous. No wonder even my Oppenhimers are depressed in front of her.''


    "An airne is a flying machine that can cover vast spaces in a matter of hours. It works on Bernoulli''s principle that I mentioned in my boo¡ª"


    "Aaaa¡­ I remember!" E shouted all of a sudden as if a light bulb lit up in her head. "I know how it can work. I can make the design."


    Sylvester chuckled and waved his hand, dismissing everyone else except for E. "I know you can, E. I know the other members of the Hive Project can do the same, but why do you think I didn''t give the project to you?"


    "Because it''s too easy for us, and hence would waste our time," E deduced every possible answer and gave the one most likely to be true.


    "No," Sylvester shocked her. "I didn''t give it to you because I know you can solve it alone. However, for this world to move forward, the knowledge must be learned by multiple people and then passed over to others indefinitely. Tell me, did you allow any of the workers here toe near you while you worked, so they can learn something? Did you teach them anything?"


    E quickly realized the mistake in her approach. "I¡­ Are they angry with me?"


    "No, they are depressed because you, a young child, are many times better than them. It frustrates them, dear. Tell me, if I had acted like this, would the members of the Church have followed me? Would the people of Sol have loved and epted me as their Pope?" Sylvester tried to teach her a soft life lesson. "I know, it''s frustrating to deal with people of less intellect than you. It''s akin to dumbing yourself down to their level. But, that is how one bes a leader¡ªbe likable, humble, thoughtful about others, and simultaneously manage your individuality."


    Nobody could have a bigger lesson to teach about that than him. After all, after being born as a child, he had to deal with other children for so long and even had to act like a child. All the while, he was an old man at heart.


    E looked down apologetically, but she was devoid of any emotions from something as small as this. Her mind, which was always reasoning and calcting, didn''t allow her to. "I''m sorry."


    "You little devil." Sylvester knelt down and patted her head before pulling her in for a hug. "I''m not scolding you. Your invention of this engine will greatly help the world progress, and history will remember your name for this. I''m merely giving you advice so you won''t suffer from what I did¡ªyou''ve read the history books about me, haven''t you?"


    "I have." She adorably bobbed her head, her blonde hair fluttering with it. Anyone who saw them felt as if they were looking at a father and daughter.


    "Then be mindful of the people around you. We''re gifted people, my dear, and not everyone is on par with us. Meanwhile, some might be even better than us. So be proud of your abilities, but never overconfident." He patted her back and released her from the embrace. "Now, why don''t you go and work on what I suggested?"


    "I''ll go," she resolutely responded and ran away like a child. Rare, but at least she was a kid in her subconscious mind.


    Alone, Sylvester sighed and looked around. "I don''t want to return to that damn office room again. Perhaps an inspection of the Continent will do me some good, to feel refreshed."


    "Your Holiness, what should we do with the engine?" Cardinal Robert appeared right then, looking like a zombie with baggy eyes.


    Sylvester sighed at the poor man''s travesty. "Rece the steam engine since these are more efficient. But do proper testing first, and get some sleep, for Lord''s sake. I don''t want any idents to happen because of you."


    Robert looked down in shame. "I understand, Your Holiness. Cardinal Jinn informed me about the meeting with you. Forgive me, I''ve disappointed you."


    ''Am I being too harsh?''


    Sylvester sighed and patted the man''s shoulder. "It''s not me who you should fear disappointing, my friend. It''s the people of this realm of God that you serve. Be well."


    ¡­


    The railway line recently inaugurated in the South River State was not that long, and covered the Trade Corridor and the Ironstone State, previously known as Ironstone Duchy of Gracia. The two very wealthy states were now linked to do business, but that wasn''t enough.


    So, the railway line was to be connected to the Holy Land, and from the Holy Land, the rest of the North of Gracia region, all the way to Miraj City. However, it was supposed to be the longest railway line project currently going on, traversing almost an entire kingdom. It was also meant to have two parallel tracks and dozens of major and hundreds of minor stations.


    Cardinal Smeaton Bradfield was the name of the man responsible for the development of the Holy Land''s Railway Services. From the construction to the administration, and then the training school for the engineman and conductors, along with station masters, signaling systems, and much more.


    "What''s the matter now? We''ve onlyid a kilometer of track in the past six days. At this speed, most of you would be dead from old age by the end," Cardinal Smeaton said, scolding the high-ranking officers working for him. "You can''t even manage the Construction Guild?"


    Faces hung low, bodies covered in dirt and sweat, all men in regr clothes or clergy robes felt ashamed of letting down their boss.


    "We can''t do anything," an Archbishop voiced, being the second inmand of the Cardinal. "Your Eminence, you know it too. The Brownd Construction Guild has started to grow too greedy andzy. If they don''t help us dig the tunnels and make the bridges on time, how can wey the tracks?"


    Cardinal Smeaton sighed and took his seat in the massive field tent near the mass storage site for the construction supplies. "What is it now? I spoke with their guildmaster a month ago."


    "They say they can''t work more than five hours a day, no more than ten days in a fortnight. Unless we agree with it, they will simply ignore ourmands, and justze around. It''s their tactic to force us to renegotiate the project fee after they saw the sess of the South River trains. They know we can''t afford dys," the Archbishop exined.


    "These damn maggots of this blessednd," Cardinal Smeaton openly cursed and rubbed his forehead. "His Holiness personally appointed me for this task. I can''t go before him with such low-level problems."


    BOOM!


    Just then, an explosion resounded in the sky. Those who lived in the Holy Land were used to it and knew exactly what it meant.


    "Yes!" The officers cheered.


    Meanwhile, Cardinal Smeaton grinned, his old wrinkly face showing the cunningness that the Pope was known for. "Archbishop, call the Construction Guild''s chief for an emergency meeting. We have a special guest everyone should meet and greet¡­ at least once in a lifetime."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 712 711. Supreme Wizard Engineer

    Chapter 712 711. Supreme Wizard Engineer


    "Why the long faces?" Sylvester strolled into therge tent and saw Cardinal Smeaton and his officers looking depressed and devastated.


    Thud!


    They dropped to their knees and saluted him.


    ''Scent of hope, and at the same time anger? What did I do to them?'' Sylvester noticed the mix of smells and tried to deduce what had happened. ''Did I overwork them?''


    "Your Holiness, I ask for forgiveness," Cardinal Smeaton bellowed like a dying rooster. "We tried our best, but despite that, we came across some people who didn''t understand thenguage of kindness; Who did not understand the value of this project; Whose greed is such that even the demons would feel ashamed."


    ''Ah, the anger is directed to someone else?'' Sylvester realized and calmed down.


    "Speak clearly, Cardinal. What is the matter?"


    "The Brownd Construction Guild is trying to extort money from us, Your Holiness. They are refusing to work while knowing our urgency. They want to renegotiate the contract and increase their fee for the whole project. This is heretic behavior, going back on their word because they smell more gold," Cardinal Smeaton exined with real hatred in his voice.


    Sylvester scoffed and walked over to take a seat beside the table. "That''s it? Haven''t you read the contract, Cardinal Smeaton?"


    Feeling he had made a mistake, Cardinal Smeaton apologetically shook his head. "Forgive me, Your Holiness. I have not read it yet."


    "You don''t need to. It''s the guilds who should read it as thoroughly as possible. It''s not just a sheet of paper but a contract bound by thew. Holy Land''smerce department under the Saint Keymaster handles these contracts, which are made on a temte I designed. In clear words, it''s written that if the Guild renegades on the contract, they will have to pay back ten times the price fixed for them.


    "If they don''t have that much wealth, then all their personal properties will be seized, and they will be forced to share a part of their sry for the rest of their lives, no matter where they work, until the money is paid in full," Sylvester rified to everyone, giving them some refreshing space to breathe. "The Holy Land is the backer of these contracts, Cardinal. They can''t extort money from us."


    Thud!


    "Your Eminence, Smeaton. Guildmaster Brandon of the Brownd Construction Guild has arrived," the guards at the door announced.


    Sylvester amusedly smiled. "Is that him?"


    "Y-Yes, Your Holiness."


    "Let him in."


    Cardinal Smeaton knew something entertaining was about to happen. He quickly gestured to his assistant, and the guards allowed the guildmaster to enter. It was a tall man, an Archwizard with superior Earth Elemental abilities. One of the victims of the changingndscape, as the need for warrior wizards and knights had reduced significantly, and the monopoly on violence was in the hands of the Church.


    "You know what I want, Cardinal Smeaton. You''re wasting your time if you didn''t invite me to negotiate." The burly man walked in with the pride of an Archwizard. In the old times, an Archwizard could easily be considered a Count-level noble if in service of a Kingdom. Simrly, this man also had that air, and his clothes were a testament to that.


    Cardinal Smeaton acted calmly and greeted him. "Wee, Guildmaster Brandon. I invited you so you may greet His Holiness, the Holy Sovereign of thend we all live on."


    Guildmaster Brandon silently sneered at the Cardinal when he heard the mention of the Pope. He had noticed the new man and already guessed it to be him. ''Smeaton, you slimy old fox.''


    "Ah, I greet His Holiness with all my heart."


    Sylvester nodded and stayed seated, arms folded and facial expressions unchanging. "I heard you have grown the seed of greed in your heart. What did you do before starting the Construction Guild?"


    Brandon clenched his teeth, knowing that the man before him was like a God. No matter what he believed in, the others followed the Pope. And the Pope''s power was a fact, not a spection. ''Why is he meddling in something so small? Isn''t the Church rich enough to simply throw money at problems to solve them?''


    That''s what the world was like before. It was Brandon''s own mistake of not noticing the change in the air.


    He smiled ingratiatingly and weakly answered. "I¡­ I was in the service of Duke Grimton, Your Holiness."


    "Why were you let go?"


    "With the end of nobility, Duke Grimton reduced his soldiers and experts. More than half of us were let go, and the ones he trusted the most, and who had served him the longest, were kept." Brandon answered straightforwardly, "I formed this Guild after being let go."


    "He didn''t trust you then?" Sylvestermented, and Brandon couldn''t refute it. "Returning to the part about the contract. Why do you think I would agree to renegotiate? Did you not read it before signing it? Let''s say you truly miscalcted and epted the project for less money, but isn''t that your own mistake? Does your word hold no honor?"


    Brandon looked down, speechless. "I¡­ I have to think about my workers, Your Holiness."


    "I can smell your lie from a continent away," Sylvester refuted. "It is you who realized the wealth that can be generated by the trains from the example in South River State. You thought this work was worth more than what you were being paid and allowed your greed to guide you. Never realizing that this single railway line is merely one of the thousands more that will be developed in the short years toe."


    "No!" Brandon realized his folly.


    However, Sylvester had no mercy. But of course, he wasn''t going to kill the man just for that. "You allowed your greed to ruin your Guild''s rtions with the Church, the one spending the most on these projects."


    "Please, I apologize, Your Holiness. I will resume the work right away."


    "Congrattions, Guildmaster Brandon. You have now cklisted your Guild from being employed by the Holy Land for the next fifty years. Someone who can''t even honor a legally binding contract is not worth working with." Sylvester ignored his pleading. "As for the work, you better resume it and finish it by the deadline, or else, the contract will be considered breached, and you will have to pay back ten times the amount paid to you."


    Thud!


    "N-No¡­ Please." Brandon fell to his knees to plead. "I knowingly did it, Your Holiness. Yes, I was greedy, and I have learned my lesson. This won''t happen aga¡ª"


    "It wasn''t a lesson, Brandon." Sylvester rose to his feet. "It was setting an example to all those who are brave enough to scheme the same."


    Ke-chak!


    A light shed, and a Clergyman took a picture.


    Sylvester scoffed and focused on the Cardinal. "Word of what happened here will be spread around Sol through the papers. As for this railway track, we don''t need the Guild anymore. Cardinal Smeaton, focus on the next project."


    "But what about this one, Your Holiness? This is the longest route, and it connects the Holy Land to Miraj City, the second Holy Land," The Cardinal asked, wondering if he was also being punished by being thrown off the project.


    Sylvester smiled and patted the old man''s shoulder. "I''ll build this railway line by myself."


    "What of my workers?!" Guildmaster Brandon, still on the floor, asked.


    Sylvester shrugged and felt no pity. "Well, you aren''t the only one running a Construction Guild. In fact, the demand for workers is rising, and these guilds arepeting with one another to expand. I''m sure they''ll be delighted to take your burden away."


    Brandon could only grit his teeth and remain on the floor. Atst, he learned the lesson, a true reminder of why Duke Grimton had let him go despite being an Archwizard. This was an injury inflicted by himself, there was no doubt about it.


    "How will you make the railway line alone, Your Holiness?" Cardinal Smeaton asked.


    Sylvester stretched his neck and cracked his knuckles. "Magic, of course. Pass my order quickly, and store as many tracks as possible in this storage yard. I shall go and prepare thend first,y the track beds, and set the sleepers."


    He walked out of the tent and slowly walked up into the sky. He raised his hands around and felt the magic in his body and the air, the abundance of srium all around him, giving him a sense of all that was there. Electromaism was also a coreponent for this one, and he felt it intensely.


    "Be quick!" he ordered and kicked his feet, generating a sting echo before vanishing from the sky. Cardinal Smeaton stayed still for a few moments and then ran around like a maniac, giving orders.


    ¡­


    "This is brilliant!" Sylvester bellowed while running in the air. His two hands remained spread wide, and palms facing downward on the passing ground underneath. "What a perfectly fruitful training exercise. The Creation and Destruction magic is much easier to deal with when it''s just one element."


    Woosh!


    Anyone who saw it with their own eyes was left speechless. They all fell to their knees and began praying to Solis. The miracle was beyond one''s understanding, be it a wizard, Clergyman, or amoner.


    With great speed, Sylvester ran. Right under him, things formed out of thin air. High, in, and orderly hills of track beds appeared, made of crushed stone. Then, right on top of them, at equal intervals and with precise cement, the railroad sleepers were ced, looking like blocks of concrete.


    At a speed faster than imaginable, he covered a distance that would have taken the normal construction team months. Within a few hours, he came close to reaching Miraj City, dyed because, at ces, he had to build bridges, viaducts, and tunnels. But it was exciting to work away from the office.


    Before anyone knew it, he returned to the storage yard and noticed piles upon piles of metal tracks stored there.


    "Leave this to me," Sylvester ordered them, and all of the metallic tracks followed behind him, hovering in the air. The quantity was so much that even the strongest of the wizards there felt weak before this seemingly non-violent act of magic.


    nk!


    nk!


    nk!


    The metal tracks fell into their ces on their own, and the screws fell in the holes at the same time, tightening themselves. The speed was slower this time as he had to be mindful of many things, but there was no doubt that he was faster than any Construction Guild possible. This was the speed of a Supreme Wizard.


    nk!


    nk!


    Sadly, although he hoped to finishying the whole track that day, he ran out of metal tracks toy. So, he returned to the storage yard and barely found any change there.


    "I''veid the base of the tracks all the way to Miraj City and the tracks till Maximilian City''s second bridge. I''ll need more tracks, as many as you can, to finish this railway line by the night," Sylvester ordered Cardinal Smeaton.


    Thud!


    "Your Holiness!" Cardinal Smeaton, surprisingly, fell to his knees and prayed. "We will take it from here, Your Holiness. Have mercy on the poor souls here¡­ we have hired many local people as well, and they will lose their chance to work and earn if you finish it so quickly."


    "..."


    ''Ah, I overdid it.'' Sylvester realized what he had just done out of boredom. As a Supreme Wizard, he didn''t even sweat despite using so much magic. ''Has my upper limit increased because of evolution with Nehilius?''


    Suffering from sess, Sylvester sighed and agreed. "I understand, Cardinal. Compensate the people you hired with the fee for the whole project. I was merely trying to show you what can be done with magic, and how dysing from people who can use magic sound like nothing but excuses."


    Cardinal Smeaton hung his head low in shame. "I beg your forgiveness, Your Holiness. This incident shall not repeat again."


    "I hope so."


    With that, Sylvester kicked his feet and jumped toward the direction of the Holy Land. His little break was over once again, and it was time to sit at the desk and stare at thousands of documents. Thankfully, nobody seemed to have noticed his disappearance as he found his office as it was before his escape.


    ''Even Chonky went home.'' He sighed and sat down again. ''The things I do for peace.''


    Knock! Knock!


    "It''s Saint Seer, Your Holiness," Anya informed.


    ''Lazark?'' Sylvester was surprised as the spymaster never visited him unless something serious happened.


    "Let him in."


    Quickly, in his usual dark, oversized robes, Cardinal Lazark entered and saluted. "May the Holy Light enlighten us¡­ and the Central Continent."


    "What happened there?" Sylvester loved the man''s to-the-point attitude.


    Right away, Lazark ced a parchment on the table. "It came from one of my newly ced contacts in the Central Continent. We finally know why the four kingdoms have always been at war with each other."


    "Isn''t it because of the Soul Tree?"


    "Yes, but," Lazark pointed at the third line on the parchment. "The tree seems to be corrupted by demonic energy."


    "What!?" Sylvester jumped to his feet. "That makes no sense. Soul Trees are Srium generators, and Srium is a natural deterrent to demonic energies."


    _________________


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 Chapter 713 712. I Absolutely Love Trains

    Chapter 713 712. I Absolutely Love Trains


    "What!?" Sylvester jumped to his feet. "That makes no sense. Soul Trees are srium generators, and srium is a natural deterrent to demonic energies. Do you have any proof or theory confirming that it''s possessed?"


    The Saint Seer shook his head, but proposed a possibility. "Your Holiness, we all know the Central Continent''s four kingdoms have always been at war. But, beyond that, I''ve found out thatmon crimes are also utterly regr there. There is so much deviancy that murder is a word mentioned by every single mouth, at least once every single day. Thievery, rapes, very, trafficking, and anything else that you can imagine is a way of life there."


    Silently, Sylvester rubbed his chin and remembered what he had found out in the Darkpit Sea. ''That portal in the sea corrupted the creatures, mutated them, and turned them into monstrosities. Could that also be a¡­ portal?''


    But the fact that it appeared at the ce with the most srium concentration didn''t sit well with him. ''Did the demons evolve? Or did they find a way to ignore the repulsion of the srium?''


    "Send a team of official envoys from the Holy Land to confirm the findings. ce the devices on them and keep them under strict supervision. In case they get mentally influenced by the demonic energy, I''ll go there personally," Sylvester gave the orders and felt the urgency to act. It was time to visit Nehilius again.


    Saint Seer saluted and left right away. "I shall report to you once they reach the Central Continent."


    Again, alone, Sylvester looked at Sol''s map. ''The Essence of Life is easy to gather, and the Source of Elements can be made with my own hands, but the Source of existence is¡ªthe core of a star.''


    "WAIT!" Sylvester suddenly thought of something. "The core of the sun is nothing but a fusion reactor. If that''s the case, a Srium-Fusion reaction might be able to substitute the Source of Existence."


    Finally, he rolled his sleeves up and decided to get his hands dirty personally. It was time to go and make a reactor with his own hands, alongside his five students, Project Hive.


    ¡­


    ''Where is it? Why are they keeping it so hidden?''


    A dwarf who had epted the faith of Solis, with a bald head, but a long beard, sneaked around the research and developmentplex of the Holy Land. He was no intruder and worked there in the metallurgy branch. But today, he had chosen to visit a different warehouse secretly.


    Rummaging through various lockers and papers, he looked for something, but despite his best efforts, only defeated grunts came out of his mouth. His clergy robes turned dirty in doing so, as the grease covered him all over.


    ''I have to find it¡­ Otherwise, I will never be able to sleep. Where, where is it?'' He muttered to himself the entire time and slowly got careless.


    Thud!


    "Who are you?!"


    Just then, a voice came, and the dwarf looked behind himself. His heart almost climbed up his throat. It was another human Clergyman, and this one worked in that warehouse. "I¡­ I was looking for the mana¡ª"


    "GUARDS! Intruder!" But the human Clergyman ran and rang the alerting bells. In an instant, armored soldiers surrounded the warehouse and entered to arrest the dwarf.


    "A spy?" The Knight Commander dered and pointed his de. "Surrender, or you will be killed."


    "No! I''m not a spy. I''m Uldrac Windpike, an Archpriest. I work in the metallurgy department," the dwarf tried to rify in surrender. "I''m really not a spy, broth¡ª"


    Bam!


    But, he received the butt of the sword on his head, knocking him out cold. Whatever they needed to know would be uncoveredter in interrogation.


    ¡­


    In a different part of the R&Dplex, Sylvester worked on the Fusion Reactor with his two Oppenheimers and the five prodigies. Sadly, he was a mechanical engineer in his past life, and beyond that expertise, he couldn''t help them with much, other than matters of magic and runes since srium was the fuel.


    "We have enough Skygem to create reactors and spread light to the entire world, so don''t worry about the quantity. Focus on making bigger, more efficient, and more powerful reactors," Sylvester ordered them and stood around a work nning table.


    They were all wearing coveralls, as clergy robes were too troublesome when working. In addition, the multiple pockets helped a lot.


    "Controlling the rate of reaction is the main issue. That''s why it exploded thest time we tried. We''ve already found out the breaking and melting point of the Skygem, so we''re good to go. But any runes we ce in it, to control the reaction, get destroyed by the fusion," Cardinal Jinn exined the issues hindering the development.


    Sylvester nodded and thought about it. "Maybe Elder Runes can help? I''ll have to experiment with it."


    "Why not just make a machine for it?" Emara, the second-ranked IQ talent, voiced. "Why not create a rod from Skygem that''s connected to the main core chamber and lets in srium particles as per the controlled need?"


    "Double chambers in the rod!" E interjected. "A container chamber for particles, and then an inlet chamber that will hold the dosage of the particles that need to be inserted. Or else, once the rod''s door is opened, the reactor will react with the entire containing chamber."


    ''Sounds much better than using Elder Magic, since only I know that. To make the world less reliant on me, I should let them experiment.'' Sylvester made up his mind.


    "Go ahead and make it then. Let''s do the testing and see if we need to add anything to it. I will focus on making the secondary circuit, turbine, and generators. Considering how massive their size will be, I''ll have to teach the metallurgy department how to make them," Sylvester allowed them to work on the reactor part and focused on the mechanical parts that were his specialty. He knew the turbine would need a lot of testing, and the main thing was the efficiency of the reactor.


    Noah, the third-ranked, joined Sylvester''s side. "I have some experience in smithing. I worked as a helping hand in the town''s workshop. May I join you and learn from you, Your Holiness?"


    ''Oh? His mannerism has changed a lot.'' Sylvester noticed a nobler attitude from Noah.


    "Good, you can joi¡ª"


    Bam!


    "Your Holiness, we caught an intruder!"


    Sylvester grunted and looked at the warehouse''s door. "About time you came looking for me. I was wondering why nothing happened until now."


    Having lived through so many unpredictable incidents, he was now used to things going wrong and falling onto his head all the time. In fact, nowadays, too much peace feels suspicious.


    "Where?"


    The Knight Commander seriously reported, "It was a dwarf, Your Holiness. He was sneaking around the engine research warehouse during lunchtime."


    "Where is he?"


    "Held at the guard outpost."


    Sighing, Sylvester took off the overalls, wearing only his regr robes. "Lead the way, Commander. The rest of you return to work. This doesn''t concern you."


    "I wanna see." E still followed.


    ''Seeking entertainment?'' Sylvester thought, but then he remembered something about her. ''Ah, she wants to be the Pope in the future. Seeking knowledge by seeing how I deal with things, I see.''


    "Suit yourself."


    After that, Sylvester followed the men to the guard outpost near the main gates of the special zone under heavy protection. ''How would an intruder even enter? Curious¡­'' Sylvester pondered.


    ''Sent by the Dwarven King? But we have such great rtions, and he''s even a Solis believer.'' Sylvester wondered and soon arrived at therge building, then followed to the undergroundplex of jail cells.


    "There he is, Your Holiness." The Knight Commander stopped in front of a brightly lit cell. "His name is Uldrac Windpike, and he ims to be an Archpriest working in the metallurgy department. We have requested a background check from the office of Saint Wazir."


    Sylvester silently looked at the dwarven man sitting inside the jail cell, appearing scared to a degree but still proud. He was bald and had a long red beard, almost reaching his knees. From his facial features, he appeared to be middle-aged at best.


    "Open the cell," Sylvester ordered and stepped inside. "Speak, but only the truth."


    The dwarf looked up at Sylvester with big, shining eyes. He was already short, so when he knelt down and sped his hands, he couldn''t even reach Sylvester''s waist. "Your Holiness, I''m innocent. I''m not a spy. I was merely looking for the blueprints."


    "That is called spying, my friend."


    "No!" Uldrac refused loudly. "That''s false, Your Holiness! I''m just¡­ I absolutely love trains!"


    "Trains?" E came forward, appearing taller to the kneeling dwarf, which seemed to hurt the poor man''s pride as he stood up. "But there are no train blueprints there. Only the engine blueprints are kept there."


    "Yes, I want those, miss," Uldrac replied and took an almost fanatic look while speaking. "The heart of the steel beast, running on the tracks with the resounding ngs, oh so beautiful. I sat in it once.


    "Your Holiness, I absolutely love trains! I even made new designs to make it faster and stronger, make the carriages asfortable as possible using the suspension system you designed so many years ago."


    ''Oh, I know what he is now.'' Sylvester rubbed his forehead as he came to realize. ''He''s not a spy, but just a¡­ shameless train fanatic.''


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 714 713. Money, Scams & The Bank

    Chapter 714 713. Money, Scams & The Bank


    Sylvester scratched his head. He knew train fanatics would appear soon enough, but this was too early. "Do you have the design ns for these upgrades?" "Of course, Your Holiness. I work at the metallurgy department, and I''ve found a way to make the trains lighter and ensure high speed with a slight curvature in the tracks, as well as the shape of the train wheels." Uldrac, the dwarf, answered with never-ending excitement. "I want to contribute, Your Holiness. Please allow me to work on the trains." Sylvester sighed and waved his hand, effectively unlocking the handcuffs holding the dwarf down. "Show me the designs then. Knight Commander, go with him and bring the blueprints." After that, Sylvester went to the surface level of the outpost and waited there. "E, take the helm on this one. Compare the designs with the current ones and evaluate if his designs are actually good." "Understood, Father." E was excited to work. In a few minutes, Uldrac returned with a stack of rolled sheets and presented them. "This is the design I made, Your Holiness." E stepped forward and took the papers, eyeing the dwarf on the same level of height as her. Quickly, she assessed it and hummed to herself, furrowing her brows and appearing too serious for her stature and age. ''So adorable.'' Sylvester nodded from the side. "He wants to make the carriages with aluminum that was recently introduced in manufacturing. Its light weight can reduce the train''s weight significantly. At the same time, he wants to ce the new Cyclic Srium Electric Engine not in the front engine, but rather small ones in each of the carriages, giving every carriage its own small generator that powers the motors in each wheel," E started evaluating the designs and sounded impressed. "With this, the eleration of the train, speed, as well as breaking power can be enhanced by manifolds." ''Isn''t that the high-speed train design?'' Sylvester remembered it from his past world and walked closer to E and looked at the designs. ''I nned to make it eventually, but if we already have a talent with such an idea, I don''t have to worry about the technology being too advanced for their minds.'' "Good idea, but it''s useless and too expensive for cargo trains. This can be useful for passenger trains, but we don''t know how many people will even use it. Let''s not forget that even today, most people are born in one vige, grow up and marry in one vige, and die in the same ce. With theck of movement in the masses, our focus should remain on cargo transportation to boost trade," Sylvester made the decision but didn''t make the dwarf feel disheartened. "My friend, your designs are too advanced for our times. But it clearly shows your talent, so you can join the railway department if you wish to." "I am blessed!" Uldrac chirped and saluted Sylvester. "I will spend the rest of my life working on trains¡­ forever!"


    ''A talentless freak is just a freak, but a talented freak is an genius entric man.'' Sylvester thought as he looked at Uldrac''s theatrics. "Good luck, my friend. Everyone else, return to your work. The realm depends on us." Sylvester pped and shooed everyone away. "E, go back to the project room. I shall head back to the Pce. Be home on time." E nodded and ran away before Sylvester could give her any more instructions. She didn''t like involving herself in anything other than studies. ''I should return and work on the instruction book. Only three weeks left before entering the Demon Realm now.'' Sylvester wearily left for the room he hade to hate by now.


    ¡­


    It was a fact that the more miserable Sylvester and his administration were, the happier the realm became. It wasn''t just overworking, but rather efficient overworking. From builders to judges, all the government workers tried to finish as much work as possible. As the trade volume grew, many more regtion-rted issues arose, and they, in turn, posed security challenges to ensure no smuggling or ck marketing urred. The more the world developed, the more newer problems appeared that no one could have imagined before. Felix, responsible for Sol''s security, traveled across the continent almost every single day. His name became asmon on people''s tongues as the Pope''s. But where the Pope was like a demigod, the Saint Viceman was the source of fear. "Let me get this straight, you fooled the Keaton Traders into believing that you''re from the Holy Land, and the entire railway line is for sale?" Felix sat on a simple chair in the middle of a tavern, keeping another man locked below him, between the legs of the chair. "How?" "I¡­ I didn''t fool them, Your Eminence. I actually sold it for three million Gold Graces," the caught man confessed with pride. "It''s not my fault they were so foolish."


    Felix sighed and smacked him in the face. "You think we''re ying here? What you did was heresy, and its punishment is still execution."


    "But the deal fell apart because you caught me. The crime was never fullymitted, Your Eminence. It''s wrong to punish me for something I haven''t done." "You intended to do it."


    "It''s not a tangible proof as per thew," the swindler argued. ''This fucker knows thew. Well, he needs to if he''s masquerading as a Clergyman selling the entire railway line.'' Felix felt impressed and, at the same time, annoyed. Pa!


    Felix smacked him again. "How did you do it? The seal you forged was as good as the Pope''s seal. Your identity token and the rank te were also too close to being real." "..."


    Pa!


    A harder smack turned the swindler almost blind in one eye, leaving him writhing in pain. "You will lose that eye if I don''t apply the healing potion in the next ten minutes. Make a decision, will you speak? Or will you sacrifice your eye?" "..."


    Bam!


    "Same goes for the other eye. I will keep going and cripple your legs, leaving you as nothing but a helpless criminal in prison." Felix did the interrogation openly in the pub for everyone to see. "Let me tell you, the prison is not a kind ce for cripples. Being left at the mercy of others, they can do anything they want to you." Sweating and bleeding, the swindler shivered in uncertainty. "It wasn''t just me. I''m just the face of the whole operation. A few ex-nobles of the Ironstone Duchy are the¡ª"


    "Enough!" Felix stood up and poured healing potions on the man''s eyes. "What about the seal?" "Some high-ranking Clergymen were also involved in the whole n. They knew what the seal looked like and replicated it. I''m¡­ I''m just Sam the Swindler, Your Eminence," Sam confessed. "I''m the people''s man with a decent face and trustable voice, that''s it. They haven''t even paid me yet." "Arrest him," Felix ordered and sighed to himself. "It''s the Ironstone State again. It''s been a problematic region since that damn Prince." "And you!" Felix finally stared at the father and son duo, Keaton Traders Company''s owners. "How can you be foolish enough to fall for such a scam? Why would the Holy Land make the railway line if they just wanted to sell it?" "T-The stamps and proof seemed too real, Your Eminence," the old man, Bill Keaton, replied. "Thank you¡­ Thank you very much. You saved us from losing everything." ''This isn''t good. If someone is audacious enough to sell something so big, and someone is foolish enough to buy it, then the likelihood that many more unreported scams are happening out there is quite high.'' Felix reckoned and looked at the father and son pitifully, wondering how long their business would survive. ''Perhaps Max can find a solution to scams.'' "Be careful from now on." He patted the Keaton duo''s shoulders and left with his soldiers. ¡­ n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Holy Land, When the report arrived, Sylvester almost reached the end of his instruction manual for Felix and Gabriel. Seeing its severity, he quickly called Saint Keymaster, Cardinal Darius Vulcan, the man who could remember everything. "This is indeed a problem," Darius mumbled while reading the report from Felix. "With a booming business environment, financial crimes are also on the rise. Some cases have been reported to me, but this is too much." Sylvester agreed and gave a suggestion, "The most ideal solution is to ensure that there''s a way for the mary transaction to be verified by some entity. So that, even if the purchase is made, the criminals can''t use that money anywhere without being caught." "How, Your Holiness? These transactions are done in Gold Graces and Silver Crowns. It''s just gold and silver. We can''t be cing tracing runes on each coin now," Darius said, understanding the problem. At that, Sylvester crossed his arms and smirked. "That''s where wee in, my friend. Let''s create a new bank entirely owned by the Holy Land. We''ll move from hard gold and silver coins to paper currency, which will be backed by gold. This means that a set amount of paper currency will be equal to the equivalent amount of gold worldwide. "Since the Holy Land and our bank will be the guarantor of the paper currency, the people will be allowed to store their wealth in our banks. For anyrge transaction, proof of the sale or purchase will be needed, which can be verified by the Bank, which will have ess to the Administration."


    Darius profoundly thought about it and agreed. "How will we make people ept it?" "Loans, of course. Our bank will give loans to people at a good interest. Since trade is increasing, I''m sure many people would like to start their own business, but theyck money. Of course, we will also need people in the bank who can do risk evaluation of their ideas. But let''s try this in the South River State on a trial basis for now. If the results are positive, we''ll introduce the system across the continent." Sylvester exined the rough details and wrote down the authorization letter for forming a bank. He had enough trust in Darius that the man would handle the task well. Or else, he wouldn''t have made him the Saint Keymaster. "Your Holiness," Darius stopped near the door just as he was leaving. "What if other nations ask for a loan? Such as Dragonpeaks, Whiskeypeaks, or Alfia?" Sylvester smiled slyly, sending shivers down Darius'' body. "Even better, Saint Keymaster¡ªpeople, states, countries¡ªthe more the merrier." "But it will require so much gold."


    "We have it," Sylvester responded. ''I have it.'' ________________

 Chapter 715 714. Central Continent

    Chapter 715 714. Central Continent


    Nend Vige, South River State


    "So, you''re telling me that if I put my money in this building, it will grow on its own?"


    Irked, the Clergyman kept his patience and exined again. "It''s called interest, my friend. If you ce your money in this bank, you will receive an interest amount on it. Just like how one pays interest on loans."


    "You want me to give you a loan? But you''re the bank." "..."


    "Listen, old man. Unlike the other banks, our bank is different. Besides safety, we reward people for putting their money here. Tell me, do you want to travel with Gold Graces in your pocket? Do you know how easy it is for people to steal?" the Clergyman, clerk of the newly established bank, responded. "Ten Gold Graces? How much is that? I haven''t even held a Gold grace in my entire life," the old man replied. "But I understand you. I heard the neighbor''s son was mugged when he was returning from selling crops. Poor fes, if not for the Monastery''s help, they''d have died from starvation this year. Son, tell me, are you married?" "..."


    The Clergyman felt like his patience was being tested by the Lord. "Why are you asking?" "I have a granddaughter, and you look like a well-mannered youngd. Why don''t you take retirement like many others I''ve seen and settle down?" the old man said, rubbing his beard. "Is your granddaughter pretty?" "Heavenly beauty." "How old?" "Oh, she''s a widow." "NEXT!" The Clergyman shouted for the next customer in line. The old man sighed, "But she is indeed a beauty. Six foot five tall, built like a warrior because she trained as a knight for a few years an¡ª"


    The Clergyman suddenly jumped over the counter and stopped the old man, a smile stered on his face. "What''s her biceps size?" "G-God Lord!" The old man eximed, almost in fright. "How short are you, son?" "Five foot five¡ªtell me, how big is she?" The old man grinned. "You won''t be disappointed. Come with me, son. She must be at home right now."


    "..."


    The crowd of people waiting for their turn silently watched the strange y unfold. ''The damn bank clerk was poached by a customer. What in God''s name is going on with the world?''


    A tall old man standing far back in the line thought of the same thing. His long white beard fluttered, and his white shoulder-length hair appeared like silk, no worse than the silky gold embroidered robes he wore. The invisible cat sitting on his shoulder was simrly in awe of the scene. "Maxy! Alergyman likes big aunties." Disguised, Sylvester sighed. "Clergyman, Chonky¡­ And that right there is a man whose dreams areing true."


    "Dreams of aunties?" "No, a strong, muscr, martial woman¡­ I guess." Miraj curiously tilted his head back and forth. "But¡­ won''t she hurt him if he''s too smol?" "My friend, some men just like to feel that pain. Never forget this, all sorts of people exist out there. Today, you saw a unique one." Sylvester nodded at the scene. "That young man must have done some good deeds in hisst life to be this blessed in this life." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Still confused, Miraj simply epted it the way it was. "Umm¡­ Maxy likes big aunties too?" "Why are you calling them aunties? That''s not a word we use," Sylvester asked him while exiting the bank, having done his inspection. Miraj melted on Sylvester''s shoulderszily. "Dagorith said that they call olddies ''aunties'' in his country." "He''s from Warsong, so it''s their culture¡­ probably. But we don''t do that here. Alldies aredies¡­ unless they are annoying and evil, then they are hags." Sylvester shared some wisdom with him and got on his horse to go further south, towards the Central Continent. An initial report had been sent to him, and it detailed some utterly problematic things. It was revealed that as soon as one steps inside the Central Continent, their moralpass takes a dive for the worse, and things ordinarily evil start to seem normal. The traders who had gone to the Central Continent and returned were interviewed, and they told a simr story. Likewise, the team sent by Saint Seer had reported a simr thing. Hence, they retreated before the corruption could fully take over their minds. As for why he was riding, and not walking in the air. He hoped to inspect the new policies he had implemented and see if everything was going smoothly. So he checked the monasteries that were teaching and feeding kids while their parents were away for work, ensured the subsidies on fertilizers were being given out without corruption, and many other things. "Chonky, do you still feel an itch on your back?" Mirajzily turned his head fully around to look at his proud wings. "Sometimes. It only increases when I push myself or use my powers too much."


    ''Another mutation?'' Sylvester theorized. "What else can grow besides wings?" He wondered. "One more head?" Miraj suggested excitedly. "Then I can eat more bananas and Big Mum''s tasty food at the same time. Yesss~ I want one more head!" ''Why did I even ask?'' Sylvester sighed, and made his way to the south and arrived at Wailing City, the capital of the old ckhart Kingdom, now known as the ckhart State. It was the only ce where official ferries traveled to and from the Central Continent. However, as soon as he arrived at the port, he found no boat or ship willing to take him there. A scent of distrust, hatred, greed, and anger was in the air, all around the port. The docks were filled with all sorts of ships, and the crowd was more than what he had seen in the past. There was even an abundant presence of the guards and Clergymen, yet something felt wrong. Being quick to deduce things, Sylvester thought of all possible things. ''Considering the Central Continent is home to all sorts of deviancy, I won''t be surprised if people are being abducted from Sol and sold as ves in the Central Continent.'' "Why don''t you just say you''re Poopy? They''ll make a bridge with their own drowning bodies for you," Miraj suggested a possible idea. "Haha, I can imagine that happening." Sylvester had a goodugh at the goofy cat. "Or I can simply jump across the sea. We may not be able to see the other shore, but we know the general direction, don''t we?" And so, Sylvester first moved to a secluded ce and, from there, jumped straight into the sky like a shooting arrow, piercing the air, reaching above the clouds with no effort. From there, he simply walked toward the southeast. Choosing to reach the Soul Tree in the center right away, he didn''t bother going below the clouds and simply tried to sense the srium in the air to see how far he was from the Soul Tree. ''They have quite an abundance of farnd. Almost all of thend towards the sea has been deforested.'' Sylvester noticed the view. ''But the srium here¡­ it''s certainly contaminated.'' Soon, he found himself passing over dense forests, and eventually noticed a huge tree protruding out in the distance, going way up into the sky and almost touching the clouds. In size, it wasparable to the Soul Tree in the Holy Land. ''But the mist around it isn''t natural.'' He could feel the demonic presence all over his body. Being so highly tied with Light Magic and having almost no talent in Dark Element, he felt sensitive to every minute change. "Do you feel anything, Chonky?" "It smells bad." "Smell?" Sylvester took intense sniffs and looked straight down near the base of the Soul Tree. "It smells like¡­ burning flesh." He decided to go down and take a look. Then, eventually, hended on one of the thick branches of the Soul Tree and started to climb down physically. The further down he went, the stronger the smell became. ''The tree bark feels odd.'' He noticed as his hands touched the surface. ''It''s too fragile¡­ as if it''s drying up. But what could be strong enough to dry out a Soul Tree?'' "Ugh¡­ I feel like vomiting," Mirajined at the nasty scent. Sylvester quickly tore off a piece of the sleeve of his robes and tied it around Miraj''s little nose. Then he hid the furball inside his robes, just beside his chest. "Try to only breathe from your mouth." Down and down, it was a long climb, and Sylvester felt his senses tingling. He didn''t feel threatened at all, but the strong scents made him second guess, taking any further step downwards. The scent of death, denoted by its utter bitterness, was as strong as the time he met with Nehilius. The scent of hatred, the bitterness with a slight burning sensation, was enormous. Along with that, the foul smell of rotten meat, denoting sadness, was also high, but this was separate from the smell of burning flesh that even Miraj could notice. "Aaaaaaargh¡­"


    "Noooo¡­"


    "Mother¡­"


    Sylvester stopped for a moment as the faint, distant screams became noticeable. He also noticed the temperature rising the further down he went and the darker the area became under the shade. ''What in God''s name is going on here?'' He wondered and took out his spear to keep it ready. Soon, he jumped many more branches down and approached the lower parts of the tree. From there, he noticed the crimsonness of the mes, and it wasn''t just one, but the fire appeared all around the thickness of the massive tree. ''Why are they burning the tree?'' He wondered and blocked his own senses of smell as it became too much. Woosh!


    Atst, he reached the lowest branch and got a perfect, open view of the area covered under the massive canopy of the tree. And the word speechless came nowhere close to describing what he saw. The screams had multiplied, and the fire had intensified, but the fire wasn''t just in one single ce; rather, multiple lit pyres were there. Thousands upon thousands of them, and on them were human bodies. Some were still alive and screaming. ''What in the Lord''s name is this?'' "Aaaaaargh¡­ Save me!" Sylvester almost jumped at the oing scream but stopped when he noticed something. The entire ground between the pyres was covered in something shining red¡ªcrystals, from what he could sense. "Nooo¡­"


    Right before his eyes, one of the dead bodies melted away, but its blood didn''t evaporate. Instead, a shining bulge of red crystals formed where the pyre stood. It was all a massive sea of fire, death, and blood everywhere. ''For what?''


    Sylvester had no clue. _________________

 Chapter 716 715. Bond… James Bond

    Chapter 716 715. Bond¡­ James Bond


    ??716  715. Bond¡­ James Bond


    Sylvester silently watched and tried to make sense of what was even happening there. He couldn''t see anyone moving around and setting the fire, nor was there anyone tying people to the pyres.


    ''How long were these people tied here before being set on fire?'' He wondered and maintained caution while going down. He dared not step foot on the cursednd and maintained the light tiles. ''This Soul Tree¡­ it''s not dying, yet it feels different. The energying from it isn''t just srium.''


    Seeing that there wasn''t much left to be saved under the massive Soul Tree, Sylvester decided to do the investigation under disguise first, instead of revealing himself as the Pope. Just in case there was a high-ranking Demon like Zama''tar, things could get ugly very fast.


    Quickly, he jumped towards the sky and left the area. He moved towards the North, where the Northod Kingdom resided, and its massive capital, North City, was established. Unlike the rest of the kingdoms across the world, the Central Continent was somewhat unique.


    A majority of each kingdom''s poption in the Central Continent was cramped in the capital cities. If any towns and viges existed outside, they were all called trade outposts that overlooked the mining and other rigid industries.


    This gave the rulers of the four kingdoms a firm hold over their poption. But it also meant that in case of a gue, the entire Kingdom''s existence came in danger. Just like the gue some years ago, if not for Sylvester''s cure, the Central Continent would have turned into a graveyard.


    After a few minutes of traveling in the sky, he soonnded on the outskirts of the North City. The ce reminded him of how old and dirty the cities of East Sol used to look some years ago. Narrow roads, wet mud all over the streets, with horseshit stench everywhere. People in dirty clothes and a generally gloomy and colorless life.


    ''A true medieval experience,'' he muttered and quickly threw some dirt on his clothes and beard to blend in with the unhygienic environment.


    Thankfully, thenguage of Central Continent and East Sol was the same, so other than managing the ent, Sylvester found no trouble making his way through the city. The poption seemed dense, and the number of soldiers patrolling the streets was also not that scarce.


    ''Such depressing scent from the city.'' He noticed the mncholy in the air and tried to look around for a sketchy tavern, the best ce to gain some knowledge.


    Silently, he surveyed the surroundings. With an abundance of magic within him, he could notice who was drunk and who wasn''t and then followed those who were drunk. The sense of hearing also increased as he walked between the crowd, listening to everything.


    "Did you find your son?"


    "No, still missing."


    "My neighbor''s mother is also missing. So many kidnappings these days."


    "Must be the animals from the Sand Continent."


    Sylvester mused over the exchange. ''Kidnappings? Could they be the fuel to the fire under the tree?''


    Soon, he followed a few men into a shady tavern with too much noise. Once he walked in, he felt overwhelmed by the stench already, and it wasn''t just limited to the smell of alcohol. There was the stench of feces, vomits, and sweat. But surprisingly, a piano was being yed at one side of the room¡ªsomething he had invented.


    ''So my inventions have reached beyond the boundaries of Sol already?''


    Ultimately, he chose to go to the bar counter and sit there, as all the other tables were upied. He kept his ears open and heard almost everything in the entire building.


    "What d''you want?"


    Sylvester looked at the middle-aged bartender with teeth ugly enough to make one lose appetite. "Orange juice and a ss of milk."


    "We sell only alcohol here, buddy. The nursery is on the other street," the bartender grunted.


    In his old man disguise, Sylvester didn''t have to worry about being found out. So, to gather some attention from the wrong crowd, he fumbled in his pocket and took out a Gold Grace before tossing it at the man. "Now?"


    "Hehe." The bartender nastily grinned. "A big man? Should have said that before, boss. Juice, milk, whores, all you want¡ªI got it! Orange juice and a ss of milking up."


    ''Good, they''re all looking at me.'' Sylvester noticed all the gazes on his back when he took out a gold coin.


    "Never seen you here before, my friend."


    ''Herees the hyenas.''


    Sylvester smiled at the man sitting beside him with a questionably dressed woman wrapped against his chest as she giggled at his touches. "First time in Central Continent. I''m just a simple merchant from Riveria."


    ''More eyes? Good, let''s see what they''ll do.''


    "Riveria? I heard it''s the richest of all kingdoms up there. Is that true?" The woman ying with the man asked, her makeup so smudged that it was hard to tell if she was even a woman.


    "There are no kingdoms in Sol anymore. The Pope dissolved the monarchy and brought in an administration run by the Holy Land, and the qualified, educated administrators. Riveria is now divided into two states, but yes, it is still the richest region," Sylvester revealed, making sure they believed he was from up north.


    "Here you go." The bartender gave him the drinks just then. "So, what brought a big man like you here?"


    "Trade, of course."


    ''Such a reaction from the mention of trade. Must be rted to trafficking humans,'' Sylvester deduced and slowly began to understand how deeply rotten the Central Continent had be. From what he remembered, the four kingdoms had been at war since before thest Pope even ascended to his seat.


    "Will you be making more trips down here? If you are, then I know a few friends who would love to order a few things from Sol," the bartender offered. "Name''s Merrifield, by the way. A small member of the Northod Trade Federation."


    ''I smell malice¡ªsweet!''


    "I wasn''t going to, but if there''s good money to be made, who would say no? Bring me to your friends, Merrifield. I''ll be staying in an inn until then," Sylvester agreed, downed the entire ss of orange juice, and picked up the milk ss to take along.


    "Which inn are you staying at? And I still don''t know your name," Merrifield asked, hunching forward towards Sylvester. "If you still haven''t found an inn, I know one with the best service. It''s called Four Leaves, not too far from here. Expensive, but worth it."


    Sylvester smiled and flipped a silver coin at him. "Much obliged, and name''s Bond¡­ James Bond."


    ''Haha, I can''t believe I''m being this childish. Am I growing too old and senile?'' Sylvesterughed internally and left the tavern. But on the way, he made sure to appear as if he had stumbled on his feet. ''The juice was drugged¡­ should act like it, at least.''


    He walked the dirty streets again towards the inn that was suggested to him. On the way, a few beggar kids approached him, asking for change. So he poured the ss of milk into their begging bowls. Of course, the toxin was removed from it first.


    ''Central Continent seems to be in dire need of a good old Inquisition like the old days.'' He muttered and reached the three-story tall inn, which looked more like a whorehouse as neatly dressed, beautiful women stood in its balconies and at the entrance. Rarely anyone entered, but whenever they did, the women weed them. ''Felix would have loved this ce¡­ if he wasn''t married.''


    "Wee to Four Leaves!"


    "Greetings, Sire."


    Sylvester ignored the women and went to the counter, where another beauty stood, and this one had particrly revealing clothes. ''The scent of greed is so strong here.''


    "Give me your best room." Like always, he flipped a gold coin at her with a toothy grin. The goal was to gain all the attention possible, after all. Even from the royal pce, if possible.


    In no time, he was given the keys, and three women escorted him all the way to the top floor. The room was massive enough to be called an apartment with its own dining area and bedroom, and the bathroom with a massive wooden tub was a new sight to him.


    "Sire, would you like us to fill the tub?"


    "We can wash you well."


    "And tuck you in bed."


    Sylvester sighed and shoved them out of the door before mming it shut, loud enough that the frame shook. ''Wenches¡­ I can''t betray Solis at this point.''


    Interested in seeing what Merrifield had nned for him, he quickly jumped into bed and acted like he was falling unconscious. As for Miraj, he was already snoring after bearing all those nasty scents under the Soul Tree.


    Hours passed slowly, and Sylvester didn''t move an inch from where he had fallen on the bed. Night fell outside, and once the streets started to seem empty, he finally noticed muffled footstepsing into the room.


    "Shh¡­ Don''t make noise."


    "Put the cloth on his face."


    Sylvester helped them lift him up. Otherwise, not even a thousand of them would have been able to. Intrigued, he controlled his breath, letting them believe their potion had worked on him.


    "What the hell, Tommy, be fucking gentle. Don''t throw him!"


    "He''s a dead man anyway. Why bother?"


    "Lord Two decides that, not us. Just drive the cart now."


    Sylvester heard it all silently and made a mental map of all the turns they made in the streets. With Elder Magic and Srium Mapping, he knew exactly what was around him.


    ''We crossed a stream of water? Then this must be somewhere close to the Royal Pce. And who is Lord Two, such a strange name.''


    ck!


    Finally, the carriage came to a halt after an hour, and the door opened. The men picked up his body once again and seemingly ced him on a chair before tying his arms and legs with metal chains.


    ''Seems like arge warehouse.'' Sylvester could see everything without even looking. ''Let''s wait for Lord Two.''


    "Where is Merrifield?"


    "He''sing with Lord Two¡­ here theye! Quickly, kneel!"


    Sylvester widened his senses and heard two horses entering the area and stopping very close to him. It was hard to determine what the two people looked like with just his senses, but he could feel one was Merrifield, and the other almost seven-foot-tall man was Lord Two.


    "Wake him up."


    "Understood, my lord."


    ''Such a muffled voice.'' Sylvester was intrigued by this new man. ''Oh? What''s this? The srium particles are resisting against him.''


    Woosh!


    Just then, a ssh of water came and drenched Sylvester cold. With a jolt, he acted like he was just waking up and looking around in confusion and fright.


    "W-Where am I? Where is th¡ª"


    Sylvester swallowed his words back as soon as he looked at Lord Two.


    ''H-How is this possible? A fully formed Demon? A lord?''


    _________________


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 Chapter 717 716. Slaver Sylvester & Sneaky Chonky

    Chapter 717 716. ver Sylvester & Sneaky Chonky


    ??717  716. ver Sylvester & Sneaky Chonky


    Shocked or confused, call it anything, but Sylvester was woken out of calmness. How was it possible that a full Demon could survive so effortlessly with all that srium in the air?


    Was it a perfect host? Was it something simr to Zama''tar?


    Sylvester tried to assess how powerful the Demon was. But no matter what, the reason why humans were following the Demon was a point of concern. But he chose not to reveal his identity and acted like a scared merchant all the way.


    "W-Who¡­ What are you? No, let me go!" Sylvester yed a masterful role of a terrified man and wriggled on the chair.


    Bam!


    Merrifield came up and pped Sylvester on the face. "Shut up! You''re in the presence of Lord Two."


    "Gah!" Sylvester acted like he was hurt. "W-what do you want?"


    Finally, Lord Two moved. He looked like a humanoid Demon with a dark blue body. Veins filled with strange yellow liquid were visible all over him, and he had four eyes, two on each side. There was no nose, and his mouth had long protruding fangs.


    "Human, as a trader, you are to make a deal today. Either be a ve, or bring us ves. Of course, you will be paid for the merchandise you bring," Lord Twomanded with a muffled, demonic voice.


    Sylvester cowered in fear. "B-But¡­ The Holy Land has ouwed very. They''ll kill me before you do."


    "We know that, which is why many of your friends still work for us. In the end, gold is more valuable than any human life. We pay double the price of what was epted during the time of very," Lord Two responded and took out a silver bracelet from his cloak''s pocket. "Make a decision."


    ''That must be some sort of artifact to make sure I don''t just run away.'' Sylvester could see rune inscriptions on the bracelet. But to his amusement, they were totally different from what he knew. ''Demonnguage?''


    "I-I''ll do it! I''ll do it, my lord." Sylvester cried and epted his fate. "I''ll bring you ves, Lord Two."


    "Extend your hand."


    Sylvester did so and watched the Demon ce the bracelet on his wrist. In an instant, he felt its magic as it tried to send some sort of energy into his body, dissimr to the srium.


    Fearing that the device might not work on him, he forced it to stick to his skin and not break. He had no idea if it would still work, but visually, it appeared normal.


    "This will ensure you stand by your words, human. You have one week to bring ves to any kingdom of the Central Continent. Inability to do so will result in death."


    Sylvester silently bobbed his head while realizing something from the Demon''s words. ''Any of the four? That means they have control over the entire Continent?''


    After that, he nced at Merrifield and the other men who had brought him there. Right away, he noticed a simr bracelet on their wrists. ''Is that why they''re so subservient to the Demon? But this Merrifield reeks of delight.''


    "Send him away." Lord Two stepped away after everything and got on his horse before leaving.


    "James Bond, you better take Lord Two''s words seriously. You''ll got on his horse before leaving.


    "James Bond, you better take Lord Two''s words seriously. You''ll really die if you don''t fulfill themand." Merrifield came over and unlocked his arms and legs. "Go and bring the ¡ª"


    Pa!


    Sylvester pped the man right on his face, so hard that his ear bled out, a few of his teeth were knocked out, and the red sizzling mark of a palm glowed on his chin. "Fucking peasant, how dare you touch me? Know your ce!"


    "..."


    "You two, bring me that horse." Sylvester looked at the two men who had kidnapped him from his hotel. "I don''t mind bringing ves, but I do not tolerate any disrespect!"


    Ting!


    Before he mounted Merrifield''s horse, he flipped a gold coin to the man. "Get yourself fixed. And take a damn bath, you reek of piss."


    "But¡­" One of his kidnappers voiced. "H-He did piss himself."


    "Hmm?" Sylvester looked at the groaning Merrifield. There was a liquid mess under his pants. "Weakling!"


    ''I''ll kill you soon enough. ept this gift from me until then.'' Sylvester nned and left the warehouse on his own.


    Quickly, he headed to the port while making sure nobody was following him. As expected, he was followed, but after easily losing them, he soared into the morning sky and looked at the massive chunk ofndmass with disgust.


    "The entire Continent is rotten to the core," he muttered and looked at the royal castle of the Northod Kingdom. "The King must be a Demon too then, or controlled by demons. Are there four of them, or just one mastermind?"


    "Nyaaaaa~" Miraj woke up just then. "Ah, we''re flying? What happened? Did I miss a fight?"


    "I was kidnapped by a Demon."


    "..."


    Miraj looked left and right in shock. "When?"


    "While you were snoring."


    "B-But¡­ Why didn''t you wake me up?"


    "As my self-proimed bodyguard, shouldn''t you always be awake to save me?" Sylvester asked back.


    Miraj''s head fell forward in defeat. "Oh nyo, maybe I should just retire."


    "But you can help me with something else. How about retiring as my bodyguard and bing my number one spy student?" Sylvester proposed while holding Miraj in his hands right in front of his own face.


    Stars sparkled in the furball''s eyes. "Chonky can be a Spycat?"


    "Of course, every James Bond needs a sidekick, after all," Sylvester added, not making any sense to Miraj. "The n is simple, in and out, a twenty-minute adventure, Chonky."


    "Nyaaaaa!" Overdosed with excitement, Chonky exploded with sheer energy to y along. His little nostrils red up, and his paws revealed his sharp ws. "How many, Maxy? How many are we killing today? Ten? Ten thousand?"


    "..."


    After a brief moment of speechlessness, Sylvester corrected the little killing machine. "Easy there, tiger. What are you? Shere Khan? It''s not a hit job. That''s not how spies work. A good spy is the one who''s never caught and never seen. We work in the shadows, in stealth. This time, you are to enter the Royal Castles of four kingdoms and stick around the spying tools connected with Sky Eye."


    "I gotta be sneaky?" Miraj puffed up with an excited breath and wriggled out of Sylvester''s grasp to fly on his own. "When?"


    "Right now."


    ¡­


    Sylvester used Light Magic and turned himself invisible by redirecting the reflections from his body and controlling the color spectrum. Easily, he averted all the security measures around the Royal Castle and reached one of its open windows.


    ''Go, Chonky.'' Sylvester pushed the furball inside while remaining connected using the Srium Web. He also utilized Elder Magic to try Srium Mapping and find any hidden rooms or pathways in the massive castleplex. It was a typical, ancient building with no vor to it. At least six stories tall, and spread across tens of acres ofnd.


    ''Maxy, I see something!''


    ''What is it?''


    ''It''s the maid¡­ she''s taking a tray¡­ smells yum yum.''


    ''No Chonky! Don''t you get greedy on the mission now. Just follow the maid and stick the device in whichever room she enters. Escape along with the maid as well.''


    Thankfully, Miraj was mature enough to obey the orders and hid underneath the maid''s big skirt, following sneakily, albeit with his nose sniffing profusely.


    ''Maxy, I see something. It''s someone lying on the bed. He''s so thin! He looks like that stick food you made once.''


    Sylvester tried to remember since this was the way Miraj talked most of the time. ''You mean breadsticks?''


    ''Yes, Maxy. This man looks very thin, like a breadstick, and his skin is dry¡­ there are cracks¡­ and puss¡­ Oh, oh, the maid called him King.''


    Sylvester realized what must have been going on. ''Good, just ce the device under the king''s bed and escape with the maid.''


    ''Got it.''


    A few hourster, Miraj finished his mission and returned to Sylvester. Other than the King''s room, the kitchen, the throne room, and many more rooms were bugged with the spying device.


    Immediately after that, Sylvester repeated the work with the other three Royal Castles, belonging to Zachod of the West, Orienta of the East, and Meridia of the South. The three kingdoms were almost simr, other than the species of trees that grew around their massive capital cities.


    ''Spycat Chonky on duty.'' Miraj chirped and jumped into each of the four buildings.


    However, Meridia''s royal castle was the most dangerous, as Miraj saw demons right inside the castle there. The King was untraceable in the whole building, and after bugging every corner manageable, they called it a day.


    "Other than thest one, all the three kingdoms had their kings bedridden. This can''t be a coincidence," Sylvester deduced after pondering for a while. He had set up camp in the secluded mountains east of Meridia.


    "Maxy, I want more spy work."


    Sylvester just patted the white ball of fur. "Rest now. We''ll have more work to do tomorrow. But first, I need to speak with our friends in Sol. We have to locate all the merchants selling the people of Sol to these demons."


    Sensing a rush, he quickly closed his eyes and felt the abundance of srium. He remembered the srium signature and made his way north with his senses, quickly finding himself hearing the voices of people in the Holy Land.


    However, he only focused on five of them and spoke to their minds simultaneously, like a god sending his sermon from the distant heaven. His voice echoed warmly; hismand came as a shock.


    ''Hear me, for your Pope speaks to you directly. Felix, Aurora, Soulbreaker, Julius, and Geralt, heed my orders daftly. Change your attire to amoner as a disguise and travel to ckhart. Abundance of heresy lives in the newnd, let this be the purge''s start.''


    The five stopped doing whatever they weremitted to and prepared themselves to move immediately.


    ''Across the waves, the demons have created countless graves. We are thest frontier, soe and be my ves.''


    "..."


    "What? ve?" Felix eximed.


    Thatst word was utterly confusing.


    _________________


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 Chapter 718 717. Interrogation

    Chapter 718 717. Interrogation


    ??718  717. Interrogation


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us."


    "Nice¡­ fake beard."


    "Demons?"


    "Who daresmit heresy?"


    "Are we ves?"


    Geralt, Felix, Julius, Soulbreaker, and Aurora greeted Sylvester in that order. They had readily arrived at the port of ckhart Kingdom.


    Sylvester felt irked by Felix''s remark about his disguise and fake beard but ignored him. "You all have wornmoner''s clothes, yet you don''t look like them. Too clean, too beautiful, that''s not what ves are supposed to look like."


    "So we are indeed ves," Felix eximed. "Why us?"


    "The demons in the Central Continent have trapped and forced merchants from Sol to kidnap people and sell to them as a sacrifice to whatever heretic ritual they aremitting. I suspect they''re trying to do something to the Soul Tree. I masqueraded as an old merchant named James Bond and caught a Demon''s eye, who made me a ve merchant as well," Sylvester briefly exined and walked to them one by one to make some cuts on their clothes, ruin their hair and smear some dirt on their skin. "You''ll be acting as my ves and wreak havoc with me."


    "Yes, boss!" Aurora saluted.


    "Put the chains on your wrists." Sylvester gave them metal chains and guided them to board a small ship manned by another human trafficker that he had caught and forced to do as ordered or die.


    Bam!


    Sylvester suddenly smacked Felix on the back of his head. "Move your ass, ve!"


    "You! That was intentional!" Felix barked back.


    Sylvester scoffed, smiling the whole time. "It''s meant to be intentional, my friend. This is the genuine ve experience."


    Bam!


    "Move!"


    Felix knew all too well Sylvester was messing with him. But he couldn''t do anything right now and epted the beating. However, what annoyed him was that he was the only one getting the so-called ''genuine ve experience.'' It was frustrating.


    "Hit them too," he grunted.


    Sylvester scoffed. "Julius, Soulbreaker, and Geralt are older than me, so I can''t do that out of respect. Meanwhile, Aurora is a woman, and I don''t hit women."


    "Bullshit! I''ve seen you rip women''s skulls apart," Felix barked.


    "Hey, don''t you underestimate me?" Aurora also added.


    Sylvester chuckled and rubbed his palms together. "Really? Then do you want me to hit you, Aurora?"


    "Ah¡­ I''m just a little maiden, Sire." Aurora instantly changed her tone.


    Bam!


    "And that is why you, my friend, get to experience this." Sylvester continued bullying his best friend. "Maybe I should also make you bald."


    "Don''t you dare! Just because you can''t grow a beard doesn''t mean you have to hate people''s fabulous hair," Felix barked and finally took a seat on the lower deck of the ship.


    Sylvester scoffed, leaving him there, "I''ll tell Isabe what happened that day in Prince Daemon''s castle."


    "Ah, Master¡­ mercy." Felix changedpletely in an instant.


    ''This guy¡­ Always knows when to mess around.'' Sylvesterughed and went to the ship''s main deck and started his journey towards the Central Continent.


    ¡­


    A dayter, they arrived across the sea at the shores of the Northod Kingdom. Sylvester gave his ''ves'' instructions and led them out, making sure they looked utterly dejected and hopeless from the voyage¡ªpure cosmetics.


    "Ah!" Sylvester saw a familiar face. "Merrifield, my friend. How''s your teeth now? I hope the wenches didn''t reject you with that face."


    "Pff¡­"


    Sylvester red at Felix and Aurora, who suppressed theirughs with snorts. After all, Merrifield did look utterly disgusting, his face swollen like a balloon from one side and his mouthcking the support of teeth.


    "Sire, Lord Two will be pleased with your service." Merrifield acted kind and submissive.


    ''A mere ruse, the scent of hatred is through the roof.'' Sylvester didn''t change his decision to kill the man. ''Just a few more days.''


    "Where should I take the ves?" He asked.


    "Leave them to me, Sire. I''ll lead them to the warehouse for further processing. Meanwhile, I have prepared afortable stagecoach to take you to Lord Two. He wishes to speak with you." Merrifield gestured towards his back, where the two men who had kidnapped Sylvester previously helmed the horses of the carriage.


    Sylvester quickly spoke with his five ''ves'' mentally.


    ''Be careful, and follow themand. Guardian Julius, you''re the team leader for this.''


    "Very well, my friend." With that, Sylvester left his group and got into the carriage. He maintained a Srium Web connection with their minds the whole time in case any grave emergency arose.


    Soon enough, his carriage moved and transported him into the North City through the same old streets, beyond the river, and then into the area near the Royal Pce. There were multiple warehouses in the area, and yet there seemed to be no activity going on around them.


    ''What were those red crystals under the tree?'' He still hadn''t forgotten the repulsive sight from under the Soul Tree.


    "Maxy, I smell something¡­" Miraj voiced all of a sudden. "It''s like those burning bodies."


    Confused, Sylvester closed his eyes and focused on his sense of smell, heightening it with the help of magic. ''Could these warehouses be¡­ filled with people?''


    "We''re here, Sire." The reinsmen finally stopped the carriage.


    Sylvester got down and looked behind. "You''re noting?"


    "N-Not today, Sire."


    ''I smell fear? Must be something special nned for me.''


    Nevertheless, Sylvester walked into the warehouse through the normal door. It was massive from the inside, empty, airy, and almost dark. But in the middle, he could see Lord Two''s back, standing alone with something in front of him.


    ''Blood?''


    "Greetings, Lord Two." Sylvester walked meekly closer and maintained some distance while approaching. "I-I have brought the ves¡­ my lord."


    "Watch."


    At the demonic voice, Sylvester silently approached closer and looked at what was before the Demon. And sure enough, it was something demonic, pitiful, and distressing. A human man was kneeling. His eyes appeared ovee with pain and panic.


    Completely naked, he was bleeding profusely as his chesty open, along with his ribcage, as if he were a machine. His moving lungs and beating heart could be seen as he was somehow kept alive.


    ''The more I see these demons, the less confident I feel about making them my allies,'' Sylvester thought and maintained the disguise.


    "Humans¡­ such strange creatures, so weak by birth. Less gifted in magic, less gifted in mind, what a pitiful world you have," Lord Two addressed Sylvester without looking at him. "You should rejoice that we have arrived to usher your world in the marvels of technology you cannot even perceive. Devoid of sorrow, devoid of illness, devoid of wars¡ªyour kind will serve us well."


    ''Here to conquer?'' Sylvester tried to surmise. ''Why do it so openly then?''


    "I-I am¡­ grateful for your mercy, Lord Two."


    "Hah, of course you should be. Being the first among those to serve us, you shall be rightfully rewarded. Do you have family, human?"


    Sylvester replied, showing hesitation. "I¡­ I do not, my lord. They died during the earthquake and famine in the ckhart Kingdom."


    "Pitty." It was just a word; Lord Two showed no such emotion. "You may choose a wife for yourself and make a family¡ªanyone you desire from Sol. You have my blessing, consider it a gift from your master, for your willing service."


    "W-Who is he¡­ my lord?"


    "A traitor," Lord Two said, malice oozing from his being. "A spy of that despicable Pope of yours¡­ A so-called Clergyman."


    "A Clergyman?!" Sylvester''s personality suddenly changed, and any submissive attitude he had in his bodynguage disappeared in an instant. "What''s his name?"


    Lord Two noticed it and turned his face to look. "What will you do after knowing?"


    Sylvester ignored the Demon''s words and stepped forward to the kneeling man in pain. Still in disguise and unrecognized, he raised his palm towards the Clergyman. A zing golden light of warmth came out and covered him, then followed the green, healing energy. The very basic unit of magic, srium, got to work, and under the ensuing painful groans, the rib cage closed up, and his blood was replenished.


    Finally, once Sylvester felt sure that the Clergyman wouldn''t die, he stopped and replied to the Demon. "What will I do? Reward him, of course¡­ as his Pope."


    BOOM!


    As if the sky exploded, the ceiling of the massive warehouse was ripped apart as if a tornado had taken it away. All its walls chipped away and turned into dust, but to the utter confusion of the Demon, there was nothing outside¡ªit appeared as if they were standing in a void of white light.


    Thud!


    Lord Two fell to his knees, grunting and gritting his fangs, squinting his four red eyes. He felt unprecedented pressure on his shoulders, bringing his knees to the brink of breaking if not knelt. "P-Pope?"


    Sylvester grabbed his beard and threw it away, and then removed his facial disguise, made of y using Earth Magic. "I was going to continue ying this game, but I couldn''t just stand and watch a brother of mine be killed¡­ by filth like you!"


    Bam!


    "Aaaargh! The generals¡­ won''t let you go!" Lord Two bellowed and fell on his back, sensing the earth pulling him down, the gravity seeming manifolds higher suddenly. "W-What have you done?!"


    Not his own death, but the void of whiteness everywhere scared Lord Two more.


    Sylvester cracked his knuckles and made a w in one hand before raising it towards Lord Two''s chest.


    Crack!


    Just like the poor Clergyman, Lord Two''s chest was ripped, and the fouryered ribcage of his, something alien to Sylvester, was forced open, revealing gruesome insides that made no sense to Sylvester. Multiple hearts, no lungs, and something more. It was an alien anatomy.


    "The moment I stepped inside this city..." Sylvester stepped closer to him and knelt down on one knee to his eye level, starting the interrogation. "...It fell into my Supreme Void."


    "N-No!"


    Sylvester liked the panic on the Demon''s face.


    "Yes, including that Royal Pce¡­ With your so-called General."


    _________________


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 Chapter 719 718. Different Species, Same Emotions

    Chapter 719 718. Different Species, Same Emotions


    ??719  718. Different Species, Same Emotions


    Crack!


    Lord Two felt his bones cracking and the body losing its functions. He continued to stare at Sylvester in disbelief, "You shouldn''t be this strong for a new Supreme Wizard."


    Sylvester shrugged and tried to check the Demon''s anatomy and see what kind of energy they used in their body. "Well, people don''t be Supreme Wizards in their twenties either. Yet here I am. Tell me, what did you expect would happen once I''d found out?"


    "Haa¡­" Lord Two began bleeding from his mouth. It was red, surprisingly. "Y-You weren''t supposed to be this strong¡­"


    "I still have three more Supreme Wizards as my aid," Sylvester added. He wed his hand into the open chest and pulled out what he guessed was one of the hearts. "Still not dead? Amusing."


    Like fruits being plucked from a tree, Sylvester wed out another heart from Lord Two''s chest. "So, why did youe to this world? Colonize it? But why? If your world is so technologically advanced and peaceful, whye here?"


    Lord Two, surprisingly, answered him, albeit struggling with the loss of two out of his three heart-like organs. "T-Too many of us¡­ Overpoption."


    ''Overpoption? That¡­ I wasn''t expecting such a reason.'' Sylvester felt somewhat speechless there. ''How advanced is their world?''


    "So what''s the n? Taking over ournd and settling your people?" He asked. "Did your Empress Mother sanction this mission? Is this what her goal is?"


    "Hah, she''s too soft to take such drastic measures to solve my world''s greatest problem."


    "So you''re rebels?" Sylvester slowly started to build a theory in his head. "How did you enter into my world? Did you possess a human body?"


    "..."


    But Lord Two didn''t speak anymore and silently continued to bleed. Clearly, he wanted to hide the means of their entry.


    "No problem, I''ll question your ''Generals'' directly. By now, they should have rounded all of you up." Sylvester stood up and changed the interior of the Supreme Void, making it invisible to anyone''s eyes and making it seem like they were still sitting at the center of the destroyed warehouse.


    "You-ugh¡­" Lord Two groaned with a mix of hate and pain. "You uncultured, backward creatures! Do not refuse the enlightenment of knowledge¡­ We can make your world gr¡ª"


    Sylvester didn''t like his words, so he stomped on Lord Two''s face, shutting him down since the entire mouth caved in. "For someone lecturing about culture and modernity, what is it that you''re doing under the Soul Tree? Public service? Hypocritical filth."


    Bam!


    Sylvester finally kicked Lord Two''s head, leaving him almost dead. He still refrained from killing him for now since he could be of useter.


    ''So Zama''tar was from a different faction all along. But how powerful is this Empress Mother then? Does she even have control over her whole world?'' Sylvester worried if entering the Demon World was even worth it. After all, beyond the fact that Diana might be there, there was nothing to be gained.


    ¡­


    At the same time, outside North City, near the port, Julius led the team of Grand Wizards and one tinum Knight. It was the worst day for Merrifield as he once again found his teeth knocked out, and his spine broken when he tried to touch Aurora improperly.


    But after leaving the man to cry in agony, the team looked around the entire port, searching every ship and building for ves or vers. At their speed, it didn''t even take them an hour to round up every single ver they could find and lock them up.


    However, that was only the start of their real job, as they all rushed to the Zachod Kingdom and did the same at the port first. Afterward, they entered West City and easily overtook the Royal Pce.


    With Julius there to support them, his Supreme Void alone was enough to ovee any obstacle. Their task was to take the King and round up any demonic presence they could find. All of it was supposed to be done covertly without making any noise.


    Then came the Meridia Kingdom, and finally Orienta Kingdom in the east. But one Kingdomcked a King, so they picked up all the demons they could before finally making their way to Northod, where Sylvester was already waiting for them.


    ¡­


    "You''rete," Sylvester said, looking at the team of five entering North City''s Royal Pce. It was the spacious, royal throne room, and Sylvester had already brought the sick King''s bed there, along with three demons forcibly made to kneel. "Did you catch the fish?"


    Julius pulled in a ball of Dark Elemental magic behind himself, hovering in the air as his hand remotely controlled it. "All of them."


    Thud!


    The ball of dark element burst and released a dozen demons, and two sickly old men, likely the Kings of the remaining kingdoms. They all looked beaten and defeated. A few demons didn''t have an arm, and some had lost one of their legs. They were all dressed in ck oversized robes, hiding their bodies, but their facial features were simr to Lord Two: four eyes, no nose, and sharp fangs.


    "Amusing. This is the first time I''ve seen demons with uniform facial and bodily features," Sylvestermented.


    "Likewise," Julius added. "These are certainly no possessed demons. I feel they''vee directly from whatever realm they live in."


    Sylvester agreed and walked closer to the defeated demons. "Which one of you are called Generals? Your Lord Two talked about you."


    "Lord Two? Where is he?"


    ''I smell panic.'' Sylvester noticed, and felt thankful for his strange abilities that also seemed effective on demons. ''A little too panicked for a mere colleague.''


    "Alive, but not for long. I have plucked two of his hearts, or whatever it was in his chest." Sylvester replied as mercilessly as possible, "Why? You want me to kill him faster?"


    "No!"


    "Shut up!" Just then, another Demon growled and tried to shut the previous one up. "Makils hina ywahl ha Dalgan."


    Sylvester sighed and walked to the one who tried to silence the other. "You don''t seem to be aware of your situation. Let me show you¡­"


    "Aaaaargh¡­"


    With a single wave of his hand, Sylvester sent a zing, expanding beam of invisible srium into the Demon''s skull, making it explode like a balloon, spreading blood and fleshy matter all around on his allies.


    "This is what''ll happen to Lord Two if my questions aren''t answered. Which one of you are the Generals, and how did youe to my world?"


    "My son!"


    ''Ah, so that''s why he was panicking? No matter the world or species, blood is blood, it seems.'' Sylvester finally realized why one Demon appeared so desperate. ''Good, it seems that I won''t have to work too hard.''


    "Answer me, and you shall have your son."


    "I''m a General! There are four of us. You just killed one. I''m called Darlgan¡­ Where is my son?" Dalgan questioned in a heavily ented humannguage.


    Sylvester nodded and began killing the demons who weren''t Generals. He made sure it was slow and bloody to ce some psychological pressure on them. "I don''t think my question was answeredpletely. I''ll ask again, how did you demons enter my world? What are your ns with the Soul Tree?"


    Thud!


    The more Dalgan waited, the more of his juniors fell to their death. They all screamed in pain, pleading in their demonnguage. They tried to struggle, but in the end, Sylvester blew up their bodies or chopped their limbs with a de made of Light Element. So much blood was spilled that there was crimson all over the floors.


    "Answer me!"


    "Soul Tree!" Dalgan shouted.


    "Ikali hwuo dhjr hwuo!"


    "Opiud hjuo qioklp unilopa!"


    Sylvester sneered at the two other Generals who tried to shut Dalgan up. "Julius, stitch their mouths. Dalgan, if you don''t answer, I''ll run out of bodies. Then, I''ll kill your son right in front of you."


    "It''s a portal!" Dalgan eximed. "The Soul Tree¡­ We made a portal inside it¡­ the energies from my world are modifying your Soul Tree into something that produces not srium, but our magic¡­ This Continent, the sea around it, Eastern parts of the Sand Continent, and the ckhart Kingdom will soon be shrouded in the energies of my world."


    "What about the fire under the tree? And those human sacrifices?"


    "Catalyst to increase the speed of mutation of the tree! Once thisnd has fallen, all the people under its energy''s influence would mutate into lesser versions of us¡­ that you call demons," Dalgan revealed, much to the anger of the other two Generals. They were, at best, as strong as low-level Grand Wizards.


    Sylvester sighed and looked at the faces of his team and then back at the two other Generals. "Who is your leader?"


    "Grand Prince Zorthror¡­ He is the Grand General of the Northern Imperial Forces."


    "What about Empress Mother?"


    "She''s not aware¡­ Grand General wishes to make this world his new base and challenge Mother Empress for the throne... Where is my son?!" Dalgan knew he couldn''t return to his former employer anymore, so he asked for his son, wanting to escape somewhere else.


    ''The political situation of the Demon World doesn''t seem as simple as what Zama''tar led me to believe.'' Sylvester tried to count the possibilities. He only had a few days left before entering the demon world anyway.


    "He is alive and well, and you can see him. But you can''t meet him unless you tell me everything there is to know about your world. Fromnguage to cultures, power levels, technology levels, your geography, as well as your religion." Sylvester offered him mercy with a few terms and conditions applied. "You''ll then lead me back into your world¡ªto this Empress Mother."


    "M-My son?"


    Snap!


    Sylvester only had to click his fingers together for the Supreme Void that had remained invisible until now, to reveal the dying body of Lord Two.


    "He''ll die if not cared for swiftly, General Dalgan," Sylvester added. "So choose quickly and wisely."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 720 719. The Portal

    Chapter 720 719.The Portal


    ??720  719.The Portal


    Desperation and worry for one''s own blood fueled General Dalgan''s decision. Against the two Supreme Wizards present there, what could they even do? The n of slowly taking over the Central Continent was now ruined.


    "I ept."


    Sylvester silently rejoiced. "Wonderful, now lead me to the portal you made inside the Soul Tree."


    "What about these?" Julius interrupted, holding the other two generals hostage.


    Sylvester sighed and shrugged. "Well, I have gotten what I needed. I''m sure these two have nothing more valuable to offer than what my new friend Dalgan could. So kill them."


    "No! Wait!"


    "We know things!"


    Sylvester maintained an uninterested attitude. "Such as?"


    "Where Grand Prince Zorthror is hiding his weapons!"


    "Or where he is hiding his family! We know everything about him."


    But right then, General Dalgan interrupted. "Even I know that much. Human Pope, these two are hoping to find a chance and slip into the portal, and return home. Please kill them, or else they''ll be a threat to me and my son''s safety."


    ''What a brutal man. For his son, he''s willing to betray his ownrades and allies,'' Sylvester was in awe but also rmed. ''A man who can''t be trusted.''


    But instead of jumping to conclusions, he chose to go along with it and acted. "Well, what if you give me wrong information? I won''t have any way to be sure. Julius, keep them tied up but close. If Dalgan lies, he and his son will die. And you two, if you find Dalgan lying, you''ll take his ce and live to lead me into your world."


    "Why do you wish to visit our world?" Asked one of the other generals. "You''ll simply die there due to the inversed atmosphere."


    "I''ve taken that into ount. You don''t need to bother with it." Sylvester ignored his concerns and made them stand up. "Let''s move to the Soul Tree. The dark ritual you''re conducting there needs to be stopped, and that portal must be checked."


    "You don''t need to be worried about it," Dalgan suggested while meekly following Sylvester, his son hovering in the middle of the air beside Sylvester. "It''s a one-time use portal, which means that someone cane out of it only once and also enter only once."


    ''I don''t sense any lies.'' Sylvester still nced at the other two demons.


    "He''s not lying."


    "We haven''tmunicated with the Grand Prince ever since we came here. We doubt he even thinks we survived the trip."


    "What are your names?" Sylvester inquired.


    "I''m General Vogthil."


    "I''m General Alvath."


    "Vogthil and Alvath, why do you think your Grand Prince will even care about you if he hasn''t attempted tomunicate with you? I reckon you''ve been on this Continent for hundreds of years." Sylvester slowly tried to sow the seeds of doubt and mistrust. "Do you know someone named General Zama''tar?"


    The three Generals stared at each other''s faces, and finally, Dalgan spoke. "He is one of the five Supreme Commanders under Empress Mother."


    ''Five?!'' Sylvester was rmed.


    "Are these Supreme Commanders equally strong? What was Zama''tar''s rank?"


    "First," General Vogthil answered. "He is the most renowned warrior in our world, respected even by his enemies for his strength, wit, and honor."


    "Why do you know him? Did he alsoe here?" Alvath asked further.


    Sylvester heaved a slightly calming breath at that information. He was confident enough to defeat Zama''tar alone now, so if he was the most powerful weapon in the Demon Empress'' arsenal, he feltfortable.


    "Came and died by my hands," Sylvester revealed. "Perhaps one of the toughest challenges I ever faced, but in the end, he also fell. However, before he died, he pleaded for me to visit your world and meet your Empress."


    The fact that Sylvester killed a warrior they could never dream of defeating scared them, and the further mystery amused them.


    "Why would he? We''re enemies of each other. Every child of Carus knows about this weak, uncivilized world of humans. We were taught from young that it''s our grand purpose to overtake this realm and rule it," General Alvath talked with an air of pride in his voice. "It is not only our need to take your world, but also our dream."


    ''That much I guessed from the start.'' Sylvester wasn''t even shocked. ''Even our previous Popes often hoped to take over the Demon Realm and wage a Holy War to spread the light of Solis.''


    "But Empress Mother has forgotten the grand dream," Vogthil sneered, almost cursing the monarch of his world. "She speaks of a greater responsibility and love for life, while assassinating so many opponents over the years. Only the Grand Prince could stand up to her imperial authority and do what is right!"


    ''Diana?'' Sylvester found that name in his mind again. For a world brainwashed about conquering the humane world, the sudden change in the mind of its monarch made no sense.


    "What does this Empress look like? How powerful is she?"


    The demons, except Dalgan, held no love for the Empress and revealed everything as if hoping that Sylvester would kill her. They divulged information nonstop, one after another, while the group made their way to the Soul Tree, walking on the Light Tiles.


    "She''s the strongest."


    "Eldest daughter of the former Emperor."


    "Defeated all the rebellingnds and conquered the ones that were never ours."


    "The old Emperor ruled a joke of an Empire. But the Empress Mother changed it all and truly brought everything under her reign¡ªand the foolish people epted it!"


    "The lies, the promises¡ªthat backstabbing¡­"


    The more Sylvester heard them talk, the more he felt like visiting the world as soon as possible. Sadly, he knew he couldn''t just leave his duties. "How many years of history does your world retain in books?"


    It was a confusing question, and they silently gazed at Sylvester for more information.


    But by then, they arrived at the Soul Tree. Quickly, Sylvester made steps leading them down with the Light Tiles. The further down they went, the darker it became. The tree''s roots, colossal and sinuous, emerged from the earth like ancient serpents, their gnarled forms weaving a subterranean tapestry. The tree was massive enough that Sylvester had no hope of finding the secret portal on his own that quickly.


    "Where is it?" Felix barked from behind. "I say we should start slicing their limbs if they aren''t quick enough."


    "Agreed," Aurora added.


    "Or perhaps I can wound their souls," Soulbreaker chimed in.


    That was enough of a nudge to push the three demons to rush their footsteps. Jumping from one branch to another, they slowly made their way closer to the ground. But just before they jumped from thest high branch, the three demons tried to go in different directions.


    ck!


    However, an invisible chain of Light Magic held them back. They didn''t know about it, and now they knew they had messed up their only chance of survival.


    "You three!" Sylvester furiously red. "We shall go where Dalgan is taking us. If he brings us to the real portal, I''ll kill one of the other two. You two can decide which one should die."


    "No! Spare us!"


    "I was taking you to the fire below¡ªahk!"


    Julius stepped behind the two and gripped their necks as if they were mere twigs. He raised them up effortlessly, "If you dare disrespect the Pope more, you shall receive the same treatment that heretics do."


    ''Oh!'' Sylvester''s eyes shined at Julius'' words. ''I-Is this the seconding of the Lord Inquisitor?''


    In reality, Julius was merely more interested in learning about the whole conspiracy. Initially, believing in Sylvester''s words that some unknown two gods want to destroy them seemed too far-fetched. But slowly, as he watched Sylvester and experienced events simr to the ones now, he began believing in Sylvester''s words.


    "This way." General Dalgan instantly turned into a scared cat. He simply wanted to live and save his son. "The portal is inside the trunk of the tree. We didn''t purposefully make it, but rather, we discovered it as if it''s always been there."


    "How? Where was the entry point in your world?" Sylvester immediately remembered the Void Anomaly.


    "Inside Mount Doomsday. It''s the highest Dark Energy peak in my world and is said to be the tomb of our ancient God¡ªthe progenitor of my species," Dalgun revealed proudly, and seemingly prayed under his breath.


    Amused, Sylvester asked for a name. "Ours is called Solis. What is yours called?"


    "Nothing, we believe that his presence is everywhere, no matter how far or close, in the air, in the dirt, and the existence itself¡ª


    Void, is what we often refer to him as."


    ''Sounds like something an Eldritch God like Nehilius would call himself.'' Sylvester mused over the name as they finally approached the trunk of the tree at a branch''s base.


    "It''s behind this," Dalgan replied, stepping forward to ce his demonic w-like hands on the tree trunk. He closed all four of his eyes and lowered his head while his lips continued to move. From his hands, a few dark red, shining lines came out and made a door-like shape on the bark of the trunk.


    ''Demonic runes?'' Sylvester observed everything. ''I didn''t sense any srium maniption.''


    Crack!


    The area covered in the red lines began to crack slowly and eventually chipped apart. However, nothing appeared behind it other than darkness. It was so dark that even pitch-ck seemedcking in describing it.


    "MEOW!"


    Miraj meowed all of a sudden, grabbing everyone''s attention. Demons were clueless, but the Guardians and Felix knew it was Sylvester''s guardian angel.


    ''What''s the matter, Chonky?'' Sylvester spoke mentally, noticing Miraj''s overly excited behavior, standing erect on his shoulder.


    Sniff! Sniff!


    Miraj''s nostrils spewed air like they were air cannons. ''M-Maxy! I feel something¡­''


    ''What?''


    Crack!


    Right then, thest of the cracks fell apart on the tree trunk, revealing an utterly dark passage shaped like a door.


    ''Maxy¡­ That darkness¡­ I feel like it''s my belly!''

 Chapter 721 720. A Godly Pact

    Chapter 721 720. A Godly Pact


    ??721  720. A Godly Pact


    ''Maxy¡­ That darkness¡­ I feel like it''s my belly!''


    Sylvester silently stared at the darkness in the tree. ''What? What do you mean? This portal is a simr spatial distortion as your belly? Chonky, are you a Demon?''


    Miraj shook his head. ''I''m just a cat¡­ But this darkness feels so¡­ so normal.''


    ''You have wings, Chonky. A cat with wings isn''t normal. And what do you mean by normal? Do you mean non-threatening?''


    Miraj kept staring at the darkness in the shape of a door. His chubby face tilted every few seconds, confused and amused with what he was feeling. ''I don''t know, Maxy. I don''t have an answer.''


    In the end, Sylvester decided to ignore it. He was going to enter it one way or another. ''We''ll investigate itter. Perhaps it''s just a spatial distortion, and you have a natural affinity with the Space Element.''


    "So, Vogthil and Alvath, which one of you is dying?" Sylvester nced at the two generals who had tried to escape. "I''m a man who likes to keep his promises."


    The two demons pointed at each other.


    Sylvester sighed and looked at Aurora while extending two of his fingers. "Pick one."


    She came forward and tapped on the right finger. The two demons deduced what it was about, and the selection ced the one on the right in despair.


    Boom!


    Sylvester merely waved his hand at the neck. The one on the left, Alvath, found his head falling to the ground. His life slowly receded from his consciousness, and with the shocked expressions permanently etched on his face, he died.


    "Vogthil, if you do something foolish again, this will be your reward," Sylvester warned him.


    Then he walked closer to the tree trunk before making a wooden gate on it, enforced by Elder Runes. "Let''s put a cover on this until it''s needed again. Dalgan, lead us down to the fire and stop your followers from putting humans on fire. You ruled this continent, and you better solve the mess."


    General Dalgan readily agreed. "Once we stop the process of reforming the tree, the effects on their minds will stop as the supply of the altered energies will vanish."


    "Then do it."


    At the order, they all jumped down from the branches and soonnded on a part of the ground that was still green. There were still burning pyres all around them, but they were significantly less as most of the trafficked humans had been saved beforehand, and the demons were absent all over the continent. There was nobody tomand the servants.


    "Please kill all those putting the pyres on fire," Dalgan suggested. "Only thosepletely brainwashede here to do this work. There''s no hope for them to return to normal."


    ''No lies.'' Sylvester looked at Felix and Aurora, gesturing for them to go and do the job quickly.


    "We shall enter the portal in two weeks. Until then, you''ll work here under the eyes of Julius, and bring this continent back to normality. Failure to do so will mean your death. I''ll be taking your son, Lord Two, and your colleague, General Vogthil, with me to the Holy Land," Sylvester gavemands one after another.


    Normally, he''d hope to stay back and do this work himself. But knowing only two weeks were left, he needed to return home and start preparing¡ªespecially the training sessions with Nehilius, as well as the next stage of his evolution.


    ''I hope the Srium-Fusion Reactor is in its advanced stages by now.''


    ¡­


    While Sylvester nned for the oing vital excursion into a new world, a strange meeting took ce between two beings so powerful that their mere existence broke thews of reality.


    Floating in the immense, nigh-infinite void of darkness, Nehilius''s dead body remained as fresh as the day he was killed. His remaining soul, however, constantly observed everything that was around him. And today, he noticed a difference in the darkness.


    A speck of light appeared from nowhere, and as that light grew and becamerger, Nehilius felt rmed and prepared himself to destroy whoever dared intrude in his realm. His realm already had a new master. It wasn''t for another, otherworldly being, to take.


    "Show yourself intruder. Why have you dared to infiltrate the realm of this Eldritch God?"


    Ting!


    With a resonating vibration, the light grew and almost battled with the darkness around Nehilius. However, he tried to fight off the light and contained it away from his gigantic body. But before he could make a move, the other entity spoke.


    "Beings of different realms, and yet our goal is the same. We are beings of opposite nature, and yet we teach the same student."


    Nehiliu was a god, after all, and instantly understood who this being shrouded in light was. Even if he couldn''t see the face or form of this godly creature. "Solis?"


    "Darkness and Light, enemies when different, but the strongest entity whenbined. Nehilius, the time hase for a pact to be signed. For his young mind to remove the veil keeping him blind." Solis spoke in his usual warm and godly tone of voice.


    Nehilius was a being with dignity, after all, and refused to allow an intruder to make the terms. "Return to the realm you came from, Solis. I can see your might is trapped, encased, and suppressed by those we cannot defeat."


    "Indeed, we are powerless before them, as were those who came before. But are we not preparing him for the inevitable war?"


    "I''m not. He''s my inheritor. That is all I hope for from him. He''s too weak to battle them. Even in a billion years, he shall remain weak," Nehilius replied. "We grow strong, but they¡­ they are born with that power. They are supreme beings not to be trifled with."


    "What if they can be defeated?" Solis asked.


    To that question, Nehilius honestly had no answer. "What pact do you propose?"


    "Mutual destruction!" Solis answered.


    ¡­


    Unaware of what the two godly beings were speaking to each other, Sylvester returned to the Holy Land and busied himself in organizing his final affairs. Quickly, he finished all the administration work and pulled Gabriel into his office.


    "ept the seat and sign on the take-over order."


    Gabriel sighed and did as asked. "Yes, master¡­ your ve is ready to die in paperwork."


    "Haha, take a break every once in a while, my friend. You still have the Sky Eye, Emperor Rex, and Julius at your service. Never in history has the Church had this many peak powerhouses. As long as you manage everything well, nothing major will ur."


    "I know." Gabriel started setting the table for his work. "Go and spend some time with Mother Xavia now. She must be the one most worried about your journey."


    "That, I know. And sadly, there''s nothing I can do. As a mother, it''s natural for her to worry. Even when I leave home every morning to work at the Pope''s Pce, she feels worried," Sylvester replied, his voice holding an immense trace of endearment. "That''s just how mothers are."


    "I can agree there," Gabriel remembered the faint memories of his own mother from the time she was alive. "Go now, and prepare well. You better not die, because then¡­ this realm dies."


    "Don''t ce so much importance on me, Gab. This world existed before me, and it will continue after me. The only question is how corrupt." Sylvester picked up a cotton bag with his items and headed to the door. "All the best, Gab. Felix will be back in a day or two. He''s helping Julius clean the Central Continent."


    "What about the Sand Continent?"


    "Summon the Special Judge sent there. Ask him for regr reports, and expand Sky Eye into it to cross-check the reports."


    Bam!


    "Your Holiness!" Anya Moller stormed into the room, eyes wide and scared. She would normally never do such a thing. "G-


    Giant! There''s a giant spotted climbing the port of the Holy Land!"


    "Giant?" Sylvester looked at Gab''s face.


    "When was thest time they were seen outside the Kingdom of Gantis?" Gabriel wondered. "Why now all of a sudden?"


    ''I don''t like the feeling of this.'' Sylvester cursed under his breath and stormed out of the room. ''Just before I leave. This can''t be a coincidence. Are they going to attack? But that''d be suicide¡­ Could it be rted to what those Dryads said?''


    Choosing to find answers on his own, Sylvester jumped towards the sky and headed straight towards the port of the Holy Land. From high in the sky, he easily noticed the turmoil down there. The Clergymen, the soldiers, and the port workers were running around to save their lives from the twenty-


    meter-tall giant masculine creature.


    "Haaaaaaa!" The giant roared towards the sky, raising his colossal metal club. His voice was so heavy that it reverberated in waves, even causing high sea waves and gusting winds onnd. "Finally, I''ve arrived!"


    Sylvester frowned and went down, only to stop midair after reaching face level with the giant. "Who are you, kid? Why have youe to the Holy Land?"


    "Pope?!" The giant looked at Sylvester and blurted instantly. "Y-


    You''re the Pope? I saw your paintings!"


    ''My paintings? In Gantis?''


    "Who are you?"


    Pat!


    The giant patted his chest and proudly voiced while his body, still soaking, dripped sea water on thend and caused massive puddles. "I am Castell Gralith, son of King Fortius Gralith of Gantis Kingdom. I have crossed the mountains, the rivers, and the sea just to meet you¡ªO'' fated one! The man of the legends, the ancient texts!"


    "..."


    Speechless, Sylvester looked behind the giant and noticed there was no particrlyrge ship. And that begged the crazy question¡­


    "Prince Castell, did you just¡­ Swim across the Blood Sea?"


    "Eeeee!" A massive eagle cried in the sky and descended tond on Castell''s shoulder. "Aye, Pope¡­ Regretfully, he did."


    The eagle spoke, exciting a particr cat.


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 722 721. Ten Thousand Years Ago

    Chapter 722 721. Ten Thousand Years Ago


    ??722  721. Ten Thousand Years Ago


    "Eeeee!" A massive eagle cried in the sky and descended tond on Castell''s shoulder. "Aye, Pope¡­ Regretfully, he did."


    Amused and at the same time questioning if this giant boy was mentally challenged, Sylvester shrugged and weed him regardless. He didn''t fail to hear the part about the ''O''fated one, the man of the legends, the ancient texts.''


    "Prince Castell, why were you sent by your father?" Sylvester asked him.


    "For my glorious purpose, of course. I''m the Crown Prince, and I shall spread the name of the Giants across the world once again. No longer w¡ª"


    "He has a message to give," the eagle on his shoulder cried, shortening Castell''s response to six words. "But we need proof that you are indeed the Pope. The giants went into seclusion to keep it secure for millennials."


    Sylvester shrugged and raised his palm towards the giant, and spoke a sermon vocally, audible to everyone across the massive port. Immediately after, a warm halo of light appeared behind his head, enshrining everyone in a positive light.


    ?Wee to the Holy Land, Prince of Giants,


    May this journey lead to a fruitful alliance.


    I bless you to bask in the warmth of the Lord,


    Stand before the Pope, sometimes called a bard.?


    Castell, like a little kid, stared at Sylvester with sparkles in his eyes. It was as if he was just a step away from throwing away his inheritance and epting the faith of Solis.


    ?Let''s sit together and break bread.


    Let''s eat for the tough journey ahead.


    By the Holy Light, may we always be led.


    May our enemies shiver in utter dread.?


    Sylvester chose his words carefully, keeping in mind that this man before him was likely just a kid. And kids always liked to hear exciting things.


    "Woooaaaah!" Castell eximed excitedly. "That was so amazing. I feel goosebumps all over me. Don''t you think so, Bajj?"


    "What a gullible child." Bajj sighed in disappointment. "No wonder His Majesty had to send me with you."


    Sylvester chuckled and invited them, "Come with me to the Pope''s Pce. It''s almost lunchtime."


    "Yes, I''m starving!" Castell didn''t think twice before following Sylvester.


    Meanwhile, Sylvester had to keep a flying furball tightly captured in his arms as he tried to fly towards the talking bird and check it out. Saying it could be rted to his species, which was clearly impossible.


    ¡­


    Pope''s Pce,


    The special kitchen in the first basement of the Pce was in chaos. Almost two hundred cooks worked together to make the meals, and yet they all looked tired and almost dead. Running around, shouting at each other, no matter what they made, how much they made, the massive saucers kept returning to them empty with a desire for more.


    "T-This is insanity! We can''t cook this much," the chief chef said, holding up a white g and falling down to his knees. "I''ll go and ask His Holiness for mercyter. We''re almost out of ingredients in just three hours. Even the dragons didn''t eat this much."


    Ting! Ting!


    "Saint Wazir ising! Get up and salute!" A guard came running in and shouted for everyone to get ready.


    "I''ll ask him for help," the Chief Chef decided and got up tiredly.


    A few momentster, Gabriel entered the kitchen with a curious gaze. The cooking stations appeared scarcely manned, far from the activity he was hoping for. "What''s going on here? Prince Castell wishes for more meat."


    "There is none left, respected Saint. We were never informed about this special guest. We''re no wizards either¡ªour bodies are at breaking point. We cannot cook anymore, Saint."


    Gabriel sighed and rubbed his eyes, cursing Sylvester under his breath. "Fine, I will trouble them. Do you have amunicator installed?"


    "O-Of course, Saint." The Chief Chef quickly brought Gabriel to the magicalmunicator.


    Gabriel quickly dialed a number on it and spoke in an official manner. "Good afternoon, this is Saint Wazir. Write down an urgent order for the Bards, directly for the Pope and Prince of Giants. Yes, five hundred buckets of fried chicken, change the vor and spices for each fifty buckets. A hundred cheeseburgers, two hundred bags of french fries, and fifty milkshakes, divide equal numbers into all the vors. Add thirtyrge pizzas, the loaded ones. Sixty tes of fish and chips, and atst, five whole buckets of ice-cream. Bring them immediately."


    "O-Oh Solis¡­" the Chief Chef sighed in pity. "Have mercy on those poor souls."


    ¡­


    Sylvester sat with Castell beside a special table that he modified for themselves. It was beside a balcony overlooking the sea and the beautiful gardens. The smooth breeze was making the lunch much more soothing, albeit all the unsavory noises of a giant chewing his food messily, and getting scolded each time by the big eagle.


    "You can continue eating. More food must be on the way." Sylvester was done with his lunch hours ago. "Enlighten me about the reason for your visit, please."


    "Oh¡­ father said," Castell quickly gulped down his food and answered. "He said that ''You are the prince of Gantis. Blood of Fortius Gralith runs through your veins. Do not fear any; bow to none. Your fist is firm, your body unyielding, and your mind nourished. Go, and fulfill the destiny of this Kingdom¡ªGuide the one named ten thousand years ago. To his destiny that he may not know,'' So I came to tell you about your destiny, because my family believes you are the one named ten thousand years ago."


    ''Ten thousand years ago? Ugh, I''m not even going to try to think with logic this time.'' Sylvester surrendered himself to the mention of such grand timeframes. ''But this means the giants know about history beyond the past five thousand years.''


    "And what is this destiny of mine?" He inquired.


    "Cas, say those words." The eagle named Bajj patted the giant boy.


    "What?"


    "The spell your father taught you."


    Castell closed his eyes and tried to remember. "Umm! Oh, that one? Yes, yes, it goes like this¡ªInomiki Onomiki Iris Egris Kaecel Sylvathon'' I think that''s i¡ª"


    Thud!


    "Prince!" Sylvester jumped to his feet in rm as the giant boy fell face-first on the empty te he was eating from. "What happened¡­"


    "M-Maxy¡­ I feel dizzy."


    Sylvester looked below his table and found Miraj falling asleep as well. Once again, he looked at the table and noticed Bajj had also fallen asleep. Yet, he felt nothing other than a massive explosion of invisible srium from Castell''s body.


    ''A Trojan horse?''


    Immediately, Sylvester tried to speak with Gabriel and call for a lockdown of the Holy Land. However, despite his best efforts, he couldn''t find the Srium Signature. ''Is he asleep? No, is he also unconscious like this?''


    "Ten thousand years¡­"


    ''It''s not his voice.'' Sylvester prepared for battle as Castell''s body began to wake up. But there was something different about him. His voice was different, and the Srium explosioning from his body was creating something simr to an illusion around them. Like a dark void, with a superimposed ghostly figure on Castell''s body.


    "Who are you?" Sylvester questioned him. "Did that spell activate something?"


    The ghostly figure on Catell''s body formed a vibrant, white beard, and his hair grew long as well. The facial features made it seem old, and the shape of the body was more than muscr¡ª


    a beast was a better description.


    "I am Gargamon Gralith, the fifth King of Giants," the voice echoed, old and majestic, filled with power and wisdom. "The invocation of the secret spell must mean the named one has been found¡­ Are you, Sylvester Maximilian? Jonathan Colt Westerling?"


    ''Once again, someone takes the name I''ve almost forgotten.'' Sylvester''s gaze narrowed down, and he established his Supreme Void to ensure nobody could hear them. ''Fifth King? I don''t know how far in the past it was.''


    "I am."


    Gargamon stared at Sylvester''s face silently, as if he was evaluating him. "The visions of the golden god were urate. You look as I was shown¡­ ten thousand years ago. Foretold of the one who shall end the cycle, for this is thest chance."


    "Be more precise and borative, Your Majesty," Sylvester respectfully said. "I don''t understand anything, as the worldcks history beyond the past five thousand years. Whatst chance do you speak about?"


    "Of course." King Gargamon raised his right hand, moving Castell''s body as if it were his own. All around them, faint shing images started appearing, showing a bloody battlefield. "It was a war that encircled the world, and spread chaos in the life of every living creature in existence.


    "The humans, the dwarves, the elves, the giants¡ªa battle for survival, a battle beyond the control of gods, yet under their gaze. I made the decision to close the gates of Gantis, never to be opened until you were to appear. The ancient lords and kings of humans, dragons, and elves killed one another, but I made sure the visions and your destiny were passed down by my generations for this very moment."


    ''A war five thousand years ago?'' Sylvester frowned.


    "Why do we not remember anything about this war? It''s unlikely that everyone died, since your descendants are alive."


    King Gargamon smiled in a self-deprecating way and changed the shing holographic image. It was now a grand bird''s eye view from the sky, as a vast amount ofnd was suddenly engulfed in a mystic white hue, making castles turn to dust, cities vanish, and people fall unconscious, while many others vanish.


    "The history is written by the victor, Sylvester Maximilian." He answered. "And we lost that bloody war."


    "Against whom?"


    "The demons."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 723 722. A Surprise In Waiting

    Chapter 723 722. A Surprise In Waiting


    ??723  722. A Surprise In Waiting


    "The demons," King Gargamon revealed, continuing to stare at Sylvester. "You don''t seem shocked by this."


    "If it''s a war that spans the entire world, it''s not too hard to guess who the enemies could be if not gods," Sylvester replied, appearing calm on the surface but a little frustrated inside. "You said the world was ruined, memories were wiped, and some were killed after we lost the war five thousand years ago. But then how did youe to know of my name supposedly spoken ten thousand years ago?"


    "This specter of mine exists for the blessing of the messenger, the being of light who enlightened me. Many faiths in history have known your name, Sylvester Maximilian. The Faith of Luna, the God of Dryads, the one worshiped by the cannibals¡ªYour name has been passed down generation after generation, but sadly forgotten. The reason for which I shut the gates of Gantis," King Gargamon answered and quickly changed the topic. "I am but a dead man, a messenger."


    Sylvester sighed and wondered if this changed anything. At this point, he knew more than King Gargamon, as he also knew the names of the two Primordial Gods. "Does this mean that the demons have developed and advanced themselves as a species for the past ten thousand years? We are five thousand years less developed?"


    "That I do not know. The realm of demons remains a mystery to me, and most of my generation. But I do know that this shall be thest chance for us. If we lose once again, it will be the end of this world."


    "And what is the message that you wish to pass down?" Sylvester asked.


    "Not a message, but a sight," King Gargamon replied and raised his hand, changing the scenery of the projection around them. It started to look like the insides of a massive cavern, and there was a hand-drawn formation all around the ceiling. "What this is, or what it teaches, I do not know. But remember this mysterious rune scheme¡ªThis is the message, the hope, thest chance."


    ''Elder Runes? But this many?'' Sylvester stared at the rocky ceiling. The hand-drawn, white lines that formed a massive rune scheme with letters everywhere in the Elder Rune script, left him baffled. This was far bigger than even what the First Pope had taught him in the Ancient Temple.


    "Space," he eximed once he deduced the main goal behind the rune scheme. But then he focused on memorizing the whole thing and silently noting it down while evaluating each aspect of it.


    ''This¡­ It feels like coordinates, but three-dimensional.'' Sylvester spent a few minutes in some confusion and finished memorizing it.


    "I''m done," he said. "Any idea where it leads to?"


    "Matters of the gods are beyond the understanding of someone like me. How strong are you, Sylvester Maximilian?" King Gargamon asked, wondering how this young man could be the one.


    "Stronger than any Supreme Wizards to have existed," Sylvester bluntly answered. "Before you ask, I''m almost twenty-eight years old."


    "Haha, then it makes sense." A bellowingughter echoed from the ancient King''s mouth as his form slowly started to fade away. "Farewell, the one named ten thousand years ago. May you seed¡ªMay you write your legend with your might."


    Sylvester nodded and took his seat again, pondering deeply on what had just happened. ''If the demons are this advanced, Lord Two''s words shouldn''t be nonsense. But if the monarch of the Demon World wishes to form a partnership, she must have discovered the two gods. But that begs the question, why this periodic war?''


    "Aaaaah! What happened to me? Did I fall asleep?"


    Just then, Prince Castell woke up with a roaring yawn and mmed some food into his mouth. Soon after him, Bajj woke up, and finally, Miraj.


    "You did well, Prince Castell. I''ve received the message you came to give me." Sylvester thanked him and silently spoke with Gabriel to make sure panic didn''t spread. "It seems that the ancient spell you recited was a secret message for me, left by your ancestors. You can return home now, you have fulfilled your destiny."


    "What? So soon? But I came to win fame and respect, to spread the name of the giants across the world," Castellined like a kid.


    "How old are you?"


    "Eleven years and five months old."


    ''What in the Solis'' name?! He looks like a fully grown giant already.'' Sylvester amusedly stared at the tall boy. ''Ah, a ripe age to be brainwashed. Thank you, King of Giants. Your future generations will thank me for this.''


    "In that case, why don''t you go to the School of Dawn? We teach everything there; perhaps you can find something that suits you and then rise to be the best in it. World famous, as you desire." Sylvester threw out the juicy bait. "I''m sure your father would like it if you could learn about this side of the world. Much has changed since your Kingdom closed its borders."


    "But I''m a warrio¡ª"


    Sylvester interrupted him right there. "The headmaster of the school is a Grand Wizard; at the same time, we have a peak tinum Knight. We also have two Supreme Wizards whom you can spar with at any time and see where you stand."


    Excitement washed over Prince Castell''s face. He let go of the spoon and cleaned his face, grinning with something cooking in his thick head. "In that case, I want to check where I stand right away. Human Pope! I challenge you to a duel!"


    "..."


    Pa!


    Castell''spanion, Eagle Bajj, mmed her feathery wing on her face. "Just when I thought you can''t do something even dumber¡­ Oh dear, may the gods have mercy on your thick bones."


    Sylvester chuckled and stood up. "Why battle when we can simply measure each other''s strength with a simple arm-


    wrestling match?"


    "Ooooh! That''s my favorite game! Let''s do that, Human Pope."


    Sylvester shrugged and waved his hand, using levitation as well as Green Magic at the same time, to modify the shape of the table. He shrunk it so it was sturdier and small enough for both of them.


    "Alright, which hand?" Sylvester looked like a midget before the giant boy, whose fist alone was bigger than Sylvester''s entire face and chestbined. But this was one of the instances where size didn''t matter.


    Castell quickly rested his right elbow on the table. "Right!"


    "Cas, you still have time to back out. He''s the ruler of more than half of the world¡ªit''s insane to even think you can defeat him." Bajj tried to be the voice of reason. "Your father will be angry."


    "We''ll never know if we never try, and who will tell Father?" Castell was too excited and lived in the moment. "I''m ready, Human Pope."


    Sylvester made a magical tform for his elbow so he could sp the palm with his. In fact, his entire fist and wrist vanished inside Castell''s grasp.


    "Bajj, will you please count till three?" Sylvester asked the magical eagle with respect.


    "Of course¡ªOne, two, three!"


    BOOM!


    What happened was as Bajj had expected. But how it happened was beyond her expectations. As soon as she counted to three, she lost sight of their arms and, soon, lost the sight of Castell as well.


    A massive cloud of dust spread everywhere, followed by the noise of cracking and breaking bricks and, finally, a booming ssh in the water. It took some time for the dust to settle and for her to see what had actually happened.


    Her eyes nearly fell out. There was a gaping hole in the side of the Pope''s Pce, so wide that she could see many floors below, etching outwards, and eventually towards the outside garden. There, a wide canal had formed, created from the brute strength in which Castell was thrown away, finallynding in the seawater with such intensity that the ssh created huge rainbows in the sky.


    Crack!


    "Oh dear." Sylvester stared at his palm as if he was disappointed. "I still haven''t gotten used to controlling this strength. Ah, Gabriel will cry rivers. Better fix all this destruction."


    Bajj, who was already baffled at the madness, now lost her breath as Sylvester just waved his arms around, and matter formed out of thin air, fixing the wide hole and destruction spanning many floors in the building.


    "Kaw!" Bajj almost forgot she was an eagle, not a crow. "I mean¡­ Forgive us, Your Holiness. Castell may look big, but he''s still a child. He''s just toopetitive and never found a match."


    "No worries, little friend." Sylvester smiled like he should, as the warm and loving Pope. "This much is expected from a strong kid like him. In fact, I know a grown man who acts like him."


    "Oh¡­ must have fallen on his head when he was young," Bajj quipped, a habit of hers. "I¡­ I mean¡­"


    "No, I think you''re right," Sylvester hummed in agreement. "Go and check on your friend now. Bring him to my office afterward."


    ¡­


    Maximilia City, Royal Castle


    Sniff sniff!


    "I¡­ I smell something," Felix muttered while sitting in a massive royal library, on afortable couch beside a firece. "Is¡­ Is one of those bastards badmouthing me?"


    Thud!


    "Stop finding excuses and just study, Felix." Looking as beautiful as always, Isabe arrived with a stack of ten books in her arms and sat beside him. "You need to finish learning all this."


    "Fuck no!" Felix jumped to his feet, annoyed. "I''m a peak Knight, a man of sword and des, Be. I speak with my weapon¡­ I am the bringer of justice, a¡ª"


    Isabe red at him and easily shut him up. So was the angry gaze of a wife. "Felix, we are going to be parents very soon. I don''t want them to turn out to be brutes, so we must study and be their role models. Mathematics, Science, Geography, Poetry; we must know everything to a degree."


    Felix sighed and slumped back in his seat before wrapping one arm around his wife''s shoulder and pulling her closer. It was the coziest feeling he knew, and he absolutely loved it. Sitting infortable clothes before a firece with the woman he dearly loved.


    "We''ll just make Max teach them. He''s the perfect brute with a brain," Felix suggested.


    "Hehe¡­ that''s true." She chuckled and ced her head on his chest, hugging him from the side, and listened to his heartbeat. "When are you nning on telling him about my pregnancy? I''m sure he''ll be extremely happy."


    "I n to surprise him." Felix nned, smiling like a man content with life. "Let''s wait until he returns from the other world."


    _________________


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 Chapter 724 723. Rise Beyond Humanity

    Chapter 724  723. Rise Beyond Humanity


    ??724  723. Rise Beyond Humanity


    "What else will you need for this journey, Max?" Xavia asked while suppressing the worrying thoughts that stormed through her mind. "Do you need more clothes? Or perhaps more crystals and potions?"


    Sylvester simply smiled and grabbed her hand to pull her to a seat. "Calm down, Mum. I''m a Supreme Wizard now, and no amount of crystals or potions can help me. So just sit down and rx with me."


    "You know I can''t do that. If I don''t do something, I''ll start thinking about the worst." She confessed and sighed a few times. "I feel like I''ll die from anxiety these past few days."


    There was no denying that there wasn''t anything to be anxious about. Sylvester was going to a different world, where nobody in the past ever ventured into. So, he understood her worries.


    Taking her hand in his, he tried to reassure her. "This is something that I must do, Mum. Otherwise, we''ll just be waiting for our eventual doom. All the great things that we have done and continue to do will be meaningless. As your son, I understand your worries. But as the Pope, you must understand my responsibility."


    "I know that, Max. I won''t try to stop you, but I''m still your mother. None of us know what''s on the other side? What if they have dozens of Supreme Wizards? What if they¡­"


    "Nya!" Miraj suddenly voiced andnded on Xavia''sp. "Don''t worry, Big Mum. I''ll protect Maxy there! If anyone tries to harm him, I will roar and eat them whole."


    Her lips curved into a warm smile as her arms hugged the fluffball. "Thank you, Lord Chonky. I''ll pack lots of banana cookies for you."


    She couldn''t see him but clearly felt Chonky''s excited exhales from his nose. "Big Mum is the best!"


    "Greedy," Sylvester snarled. "I''ll eat half of your cookies."


    "Hah, you can try! I''ll hide them in my belly forever!"


    "No bananas then."


    "I''ll give twenty at most."


    "Heh¡­ Is this how you always fight each other?" Xavia asked, listening to them bicker. "You''re like real siblings. Indeed, I feel better knowing you won''t be entirely alone there. But how can I be at ease, knowing you might be in mortal danger there?"


    Pat-pat!


    Sylvester got up, walked behind the couch, and massaged Xavia''s forehead. "Look at all those creases you make with your furrowed brows. You''ll form permanent wrinkles at that pace, Mum. For you to live long and healthy, and look pretty, you must never overwork yourself. You must never stop exercising. You still have E and Rex living here with you. Call Aurora as well, maybe even Isabe at times. There''s also ex-Duchess Bethany. She''s training to join the ranks of Guardians here."


    "''I''ll do that," Xavia agreed, knowing Sylvester would never stop otherwise. "You must promise me to return as quickly as possible, and if you find a way, inform us that you''re alive."


    "That''s the n, Mum. In any case, I''ve handed over all the work to Gabriel already. So, I''ll mainly focus on my final preparations now. I''ll be back at night. Let''s eat dinner together with the others." Sylvester stopped massaging her head and picked up his bag to leave. "See youter. Chonky, you can stay home."


    "Oh¡­ Okay, okay." Miraj quickly realized that Sylvester was going to meet Nehilius, and he hated going in that time capsule-like void.


    ¡­


    Before going to meet Nehilius, Sylvester chose to enter the Research and Development restricted area, to see how the progress of the Srium-Fusion Reactor was going. The ce was full of activity, and the sounds generated were more than ear-shattering.


    However, amidst it all, there was one rumbling hum that Sylvester enjoyed the most. It was the first test reactor that had been made, and it moved a massive turbine with the help of regted steam. In return, it generated electricity¡ªenough to power an entire state with basic infrastructure such as city-


    wide trams, streetlights, and other simpler electric appliances.


    "Identification?"


    Sylvester showed it to the guards. It was a new identity token given to the Clergymen. Of course, he didn''t have the snooping device attached to it.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us!"


    "You too." Sylvester entered the massive warehouse and found a significantly smaller reactor working on its own. It was the size of a horse-driven stagecoach, enough to be lifted by even a ck Knight.


    "Father!" E noticed him and came rushing. "It''s all done!"


    Sylvester hugged his little daughter first and then looked at everything. "You made two of them?"


    "Of course."


    "Good, so where''s Jinn and Robert? Shouldn''t they be working on this?" Sylvester looked left and right. But other than the usual scientific staff, the two chiefs of departments were missing.


    "They went to work on other projects. They said they''re making small engines that can run on Srium Crystals. They want to put those in carriages with a steering mechanism. Like a train that runs on the road, but much smaller," E exined the n. "I find it useless as I''m working on that airne you mentioned¡­ I want to fly in the sky like you."


    ''Sorry, my child. Your father hasn''t been able to fly yet.'' Sylvester silently sulked over his failure.


    "Well, if all the tests are done, we should proceed with the n of electrification and mass production of energy. Tell Robert and Jinn to install it in Maximilia City and examine the load capacity there," Sylvester ordered and went to pick up another reactor that sat dormant. "Oh,e home tonight. Let''s have dinner together."


    "Will you be home?"


    "Of course."


    "Chonky?" She asked for her favorite fluff ball cushion.


    "He''s at home already."


    E''s nose red up and exhaled like Chonky not long ago. "Then¡­ I''m done with work for today. I''ll go home."


    "It''s still morning."


    "I''m very quick, Father," she proudly replied and ran away to get her things. After all, it wasn''t every day that Chonky was at home for very long.


    ''Haha, good luck handling her, Chonky.'' Sylvesterughed to himself, knowing Miraj hated squishes, and E loved them.


    ¡­


    Lifting the stagecoach-sized reactor, Sylvester arrived at the Pope''s Pce. Then, from a secret entrance, he went multiple levels down the stairs and eventually reached the locked and secured chamber with a lone door that didn''t look very important.


    ''Been a while since Ist saw Nehilius.''


    ck!


    He inserted the key in the door and opened it. There was the utter void of darkness before him, smelling of death, and sucking him in. Having done this so many times, Sylvester stepped inside with the reactor behind him, which got squeezed into the door like it was made of rubber.


    Being sucked through the darkness, and feeling the sensation of being pulled through a squeezing portal, he muttered to himself. "Hello darkness, my old friend¡­ Ah, am I going insane? I talk to myself too much these days."


    Woosh!


    And just like that, he stood before the mighty form of Nehilius, now without a finger as he had eaten some of it. But that was the issue, he had only eaten a finger, and there was no possible way of eating the whole body in time.


    ''I hope this new evolution helps.''


    "It will, Sylvester Maximilian," Nehilius'' echoing voice reverberated. "You have returned atst. Have you borne the offerings as beseeched of you?"


    "I have," Sylvester replied, resting the items before the giant body. "That metal box is a Srium-Fusion Reactor, which is what a sun is. The bag contains the elemental stones that I created by solidifying each element using Creation Magic. Atst, thest vial contains the soul of a sacrifice¡ªa demon, however."


    "The Essence of Life and the Source of Elements are as demanded. Yet the Origin of Existence remains wanting. A sun is not a mere contraption, Sylvester Maximilian. The heart of the sun outshines the feeble tool you present," Nehilius said, outright rejecting Sylvester''s reactor.


    Sylvester scratched his head in annoyance. "I only have one sun in my world, and you want me to somehow rip it apart and bring you its core? Forgive me, Nehilius, but that''s nonsensical. I will not plunge my world into darkness, even if that''s somehow possible."


    "If it were in the past, I would have sent you back," Nehilius replied and manufactured a sun right there beside his body. "But I have been made aware of a few circumstances by an acquaintance of yours. Circumstances that I cannot ignore¡ª


    Come forth, Sylvester Maximilian. Prepare yourself for your second evolution."


    ''An acquaintance?''


    Before he could ask, he found his body engulfed in a bright golden light, something he didn''t expect from a dark entity like Nehilius. It burned him all around, painfully so. Yet he had no idea what true pain was yet.


    "Essence of Life¡ªMay it be your second soul of sacrifice. A barrier to shield you from life''s finality, an instrument to guide your journey," Nehilius voiced as if chanting some ritual and somehow shoved the entire ss vial into his body as if he was nothing but a ghost.


    "Source of Elements¡ªLet them be the base of your physical body. The ingredient of the finest creation, worthy of harboring this God''s foundation." Next, the solidified elements were ced into his body, while he was slowly being pulled towards the massive sun.


    "Aaargh¡­ Directions¡­ What must I do?" Sylvester questioned before he lost himself in the burning pain. This sun looked too big, bigger than his world''s. And to think that Nehilius had simply made it on a whim left him in speechless awe. "Tell me before I lose myself!"


    "You already have," Nehilius replied as Sylvester''s body vanished into the sun and eventually reached its core. The pressure around him was such that Sylvester could feel his body turning into charcoal, while the burns slowly destroyed his body, his screams already lost in the pain.


    Nehilius'' voice still reached his ears, and it was less of a guidance and more of a deration.


    "Reform yourself with your own mind. Little by little with your own design¡ªThis isn''t mere evolution, but the birth of a being greatly divine!"


    No longer there remained a physical vessel of a soul inside the sun, all turned to ashes and lost. Left only as a soul with a mind. It was now up to Sylvester''s consciousness to shatter what kept him confined.


    To rise beyond humanity¡ªTo be a righteous, breathing, godly cmity.


    _________________


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 Chapter 725 724. I Feel Different

    <h4>Chapter 725 724. I Feel Different</h4>


    ?725 724. I Feel Different


    Sylvester could still feel his mind and memories intact, but he couldn''t feel his body anywhere. No arms, no legs; He couldn''t move them, nor could he feel pain. But he was sure that he was still inside the core of the sun, and from what Nehilius had said, he had to construct a body of his own using all the ingredients now.


    ''I''m sure he doesn''t want me to make another body with water and other minerals like the previous one. But where do I even start?'' Sylvester wondered in silence, contemting what he was even supposed to do.


    What he knew was that there were elemental sources, a sacrifice, and the sun. The only way forward seemed to assimte all three of them and make a body with it, but what should the constitution be?


    ''A body made purely from elements? But then, what am I to do with the sacrificial soul and the sun?'' Sylvester wondered as a mere metaphysical consciousness in the vast void of scorching heat. He couldn''t see anything as he had no eyes, but he could still feel some warmth. It was a strange feeling that brought him back to his despicable origin in the new life.


    He pondered and pondered. Time passed, and he still tried to think about what to do. He could feel the presence of the elemental sources resting within him, as well as the vial of the soul.


    ''What did Nehilius say about the soul? May it be my second soul of sacrifice? A barrier to shield me from life''s finality, an instrument to guide my journey? In that case, is it supposed to be my firstyer of vessel?'' He wondered and tried to do as Nehilius had instructed, in the same order.


    Crack!


    The sound was something he only imagined as he let the vial containing the sacrificial soul pour out and spread all around his consciousness.


    ''Argh!'' He felt attacked all of a sudden as if something was trying to take over his entire being. ''Demon? Ah, it must be Alvath, the one that I killed¡­ In your dream, pest!''


    With a simple thought and his firm will, he was able to subdue Alvath''s soul and maintain the whole process. The sensation of being engulfed in something viscous increased, and the scorching heat of the sun slowly reduced.


    ''It''s working?'' He wondered and focused on the next thing Nehilius had said. ''Let them be the base of my physical body. The ingredient of the finest creation, worthy of harboring a god''s foundation? The elemental sources are supposed to be the base of my physical body? But then¡­ I already reached peak affinity. What would happen afterward?''


    But still, he felt the elemental sources go loose inside the new container of his soul. They were like stones, breaking apart into fine powder and coating the outside of his soul container¡ª


    Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Light, and Darkness.


    ''Ughk!'' Sylvester groaned when the Darkness element began to assimte. ''The others didn''t cause me any pain¡­ Ah! It''s increasing¡­ Why?''


    In a precarious situation, he tried to calcte everything that could have gone wrong. And in the end, only one thing made sense. ''I''ve neverprehended the Darkness element. This is entirely new to not only my senses but also my soul¡­ I need to understand this quickly.''


    Taking a calming break, he focused on the Darkness elemental source only, while the others continued to form the shape of a humanoid body around him. He had experienced the Darkness element in battles before, but never felt it inside his body.


    ''Opposite of light? No, it can''t be the opposite since its base is still srium¡­ Yes, srium is the answer for everything rted to magic.'' Sylvester tried to understand the element as if it was a race against time. The increasing, piercing pain in his intangible body kept soaring, trying to break his concentration. ''Ugh¡­ To make light, I use srium and a hint of Fire element sometimes¡­ Darkness¡­ By reducing everything rted to light?''


    Crack!


    ''It''s working?!'' He felt the Darkness Elemental Source cracking apart, while the others were almost at thest stage of assimting with him. ''Yes, by removing all the light from the srium, I can turn it into Darkness!''


    Boom!


    Finally, the formation finished, and a god''s foundation was created amidst the center of the sun. Humanoid, but without skin or features, it remained hovering in one ce while the res of the sun began to absorb into his body.


    "Aaaaargh¡­ What now?!" Sylvester groaned in physical pain this time and could feel his voiceing out. "The sun¡­ I''m absorbing it all¡­"


    "Ugh¡­ It''s¡­ burning everything¡­!" Sylvester tried to control the flow of the mes into himself. He attempted to remember what Nehilius had said, but there was nothing about the sun. The only clue was that this was the Source of Existence.


    "My existence?" He questioned, wondering what the aim was behind absorbing an entire sun. All he could do was go through the excruciating pain and let the fire converge inside his body. He didn''t know if he had any veins anymore, but all he knew was that this sun''s energy was filling his vessel and burning something inside him.


    "Ah! The soul for sacrifice!" He remembered just then and focused to see what was going on inside himself. Sure enough, the firstyer of defense around his body was the Essence of Life. It was slowly eroding but too fast tost all the way. "This is the real trial! To protect my soul from this scorching energy!"


    "Aaaaaargh¡­"


    His groaning, pained screams fell on deaf ears as Nehilius and one more entity watched the whole trial from a distance, silently waiting for the moment a new divine entity was going to be born.


    "Surviving this is impossible for a mortal of such low origin," Nehilius said, somewhat disappointed that his chosen heir was going to die.


    "He will survive and thrive," the second voice replied, appearing like a shining blob of light. "He is finally riding on a path he was born to drive¡ªHe will live, and he will fulfill the reason for which he is still alive."


    The two remained silent beyond that, harboring only hope for the hopeful end.


    Sylvester remained stuck as the sacrificial soul slowly burnt away. He tried all he could to reduce the speed and did something by using the elemental source he had just deposited all over himself. But to his shock, the more those elements fought against the Source of Existence¡ªthe sun¡ªthe stronger the elements became.


    This was a double-edged sword as the moment the harmony between the two was to break. One would ovee the other and ruin everything, leaving him without a physical vessel. What would happen after that was something he chose not to think about.


    Time passed, and the struggle continued. Sylvester wondered if he would be able to make it in time for the evening dinner with his family. Thest thing he wanted was to miss it this time.


    ''If I can''t even handle this, there''s no possibility of battling the Primordial Gods,'' he reminded himself, reaffirming his will to focus on dealing with this situation. No matter the exhaustion, he continued to absorb the energies from the sun and assimte them into the elemental sources.


    Over time, he could feel the intensity of the sun decreasing, as well as its size. The sacrificial soul was barely holding on with his help. It took an arm and leg to secure himself.


    ''Hmm?'' He noticed something atst. ''Why is there a solidyering closer?''


    He reckoned he was nearly finished with the whole ordeal when he noticed a solid sphereyer around him. It was getting smaller and surrounding him like a cocoon.


    "Ugh¡­ It''s getting too narrow. At this rate, this sphere will crush me." But at the same time, he couldn''t stop absorbing the energy, which made the sphere smaller. "What now?"


    As time went by, he could finally feel the walls of the hard crystalline sphere touching his newly formed body that he had yet to check. But first, he had to save himself, and no matter how much he tried to attack it with elemental energy, it didn''t budge.


    "If not elements, then what? Srium?" He wondered and tried to manipte the magical particles that were in abundance inside his body and break the sphere apart. "Still nothing¡­ It''s crushing me! Aaaaa¡­"


    Outside the small sphere, Nehilius alone awaited. "Think, Sylvester Maximilian¡ªA god''s tool is not mortals'' magic. A god wills to make, and wills to destroy¡ªRemember thews."


    Crack!


    "Aaaaa!" Sylvester''s voice suddenly echoed when a miniature crack formed on the outer shell of the crystal. "Creation! Destruction!"


    BOOM!


    Like a massive ss orb exploding, the sphere shattered and vanished everywhere, leaving a lone humanoid form engulfed in mes all around, absorbing what was left of the Source of Existence.


    res upon res shot in every direction, some striking Nehilius and shockingly left charred cut marks.


    As thest of the res began to vanish into the humanoid body, physical features began to form. A nose, facial features, hair, and muscles. Merely cosmetics that coated the scorching core of a divine being.


    Sylvester, free from all the confines, felt an immense surge of raw power flow through his body. But it was unlike anything, as it didn''t seem physical or magical. He simply felt powerful¡ª


    elevated.


    "Sylvester Maximilian, through the trials and evolution, you were torn." Nehilius''s words rang everywhere, gaining Sylvester''s attention. "Forgotten once, today Iy witness to another almighty being born."


    Boom!


    A wave of fiery energy shot everywhere in the shape of a spiral gxy as Sylvester clenched his right fist and mmed it on his other palm.


    "I do¡­ feel¡­ different."


    _________________


    A/N: See Sylvester out of the sphere.


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 726 725. My Greatest Present

    <h4>Chapter 726 725. My Greatest Present</h4>


    ?Sylvester nced down at his body as it was still being formed. He could see that there were no internal organs anymore, and that confused him. "What am I?"


    "You are not human, nor a God."


    Sylvester mused over Nehilius'' words as he saw his normal body form itself around him as if nothing had happened. Heck, he could even make clothes for himself at will, since magic felt like a mere second thought now. Creation and Destruction¡ªthat was all he needed to will anything toe into existence.


    "What is a god, then?" He asked.


    Nehilius responded in kind, seemingly in a great mood since his chosen heir overcame the tormenting trial that he hadn''t nned initially. "The moment you can obliterate my consciousness from this realm and take its ownership¡ªYou will be a god."


    "Am I as strong as Solis?"


    "No, not even close," Nehilius responded. "Different from myself, they are beings who are in the true sense¡­ gods. Mere possession of boundless power does not ascend one to godhood, Sylvester Maximilian."


    "Then what am I? I don''t feel like I have any organs in me. It''s more like a whirling storm of energy within me. Do I still need to sleep or eat? Can I simply absorb your physical body now? How strong am I?" Sylvester questioned him since he couldn''t put a grade to his power.


    ''Still a Supreme Wizard? That shouldn''t be the case,'' he felt.


    "Venture forth, and the truth shall reveal itself."


    "Trial and error, then?" Sylvester was used to deducing Nehilius'' meaning by now. "Before I try, what was the reason for the previous evolution if I was going to lose my physical body no matter what?"


    "This path, Sylvester Maximilian, was not the one I originally destined for you. The trial you have conquered was ordained for your fourth evolution. Yet, by your overseer''s intervention, this course was set," Nehilius responded with unwavering truth. "Henceforth, most of the limiters on your physical being have been unshackled. The onus now rests upon your shoulders to chart the course of your ascension. As the reservoir of magic and energy within you swells, so too shall your strength expand."


    "Solis?" Sylvester asked quickly.


    "Indeed."


    ''Why did he meddle this time? Thest time I talked with him, he didn''t show much interest in helping me,'' Sylvester questioned silently. ''Did something change?''


    "Do not delve too profoundly. The mind of a god is beyond mortal grasp. A realm understood only when mortal feet walk on the same divine path."


    "Well, in that case, I''ll try to explore this new¡­ body," Sylvester replied, flying towards Nehilius'' hand that he had previously cut to eat. "Since Creation and Destruction is the base, I should be able to deconstruct your body into energy for me to absorb."


    Nehilius said nothing and silently observed everything. His body was dead anyway, and it was unknown how he was alive just as a mere voice and thought.


    "Hmm¡­" Sylvester ced his palm on the remaining piece of Nehilius'' finger. The deep purple flesh of the dead Eldritch God was still warm as if he was living. But it held no blood or bones. "Not easy¡­ But not impossible."


    It was a vastly slow process as he could feel Nehilius'' flesh disintegrating into invisible particles, and he could directly absorb them. But now, since he didn''t have any veins or muscles, the change was different. It was pure energy that was being absorbed into him¡ªsomething he could use at any moment.


    ''Is this what gods are? Vessels of boundless energy? Then there should be a limit to how much they can hold.'' Sylvester wondered through the whole process. ''How much must the Primordial Gods have?''


    It was a time-consuming process but a step in the right direction. Sylvester was able to remove an entire finger from the massive body, something that had taken him almost a year previously. "This will greatly help, no doubt. But I have to return for now and meet with my family. What must I gather for the next evolution?"


    "Yourself," Nehilius said. "What''s left to gather is one''s own might. Once you are strong enough and have consumed my entire body, you will be ready for the next evolution."


    ''An indefinite goal.'' Sylvester sighed. ''It could take months or decades, and I''ll never know how far I have to go¡­ There goes my n for peace.''


    "You shall sense it¡­ Especially after your oing adventure. Be well, and be wise, Sylvester Maximilian. I, whose sight extends only within my dominion, am blind to the realms beyond. Yet, the realm you are destined for harbors its own deities, perhaps even a Primordial God. The shield bestowed upon you by the noble sacrifice of Marcus Aurelius shall wane in that foreign world."


    "I expected that much," Sylvester resolutely replied. "I don''t know what''s going to happen, but it''s going to be a constant uphill battle as soon as I enter that portal."


    "May good fortune favor you, Sylvester Maximilian."


    Sylvester stared at the creature''s body and sighed. "Forgive me if I can''t bring myself to trust you, Nehilius, since that is my nature. Perhaps you still hold some evil scheme hidden behind this veil of nobility, but still, thank you for this gift of knowledge and power."


    The ancient being didn''t respond in words and simply pushed Sylvester away outside his realm and towards the door that led to the outside world. In no time, Sylvester opened the door and left, leaving Nehilius alone to ponder.


    "Despite being an Eldritch God, I sumbed to the fear of a higher existence. You, despite being a mere mortal, dare to show resistance¡ªYou have my respect."


    ¡­


    "I don''t feel anything different." Sylvester exited the Pope''s Pce, stood under the open sky, and took a long breath. He didn''t notice his chest heaving since there were no lungs anymore. "Better not inform anyone about this for now."


    nk!


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us!"


    Sylvester nced and noticed a soldier saluting stiffly, standing in his full-bodied armor with ance. "May you be enlightened. How long do you stand here on guard?"


    "..." The knight was speechless as he didn''t expect the Pope to actually talk to him. "I¡­ I stand for twelve hours dutifully, Your Holiness!"


    "Really?"


    "F-Forgive me, Your Holiness! I will stand here for longer and do more work."


    "What? No, I think twelve hours is a lot. Perhaps a monthly eight-hour cycle will do better. It''s a waste to utilize knights for guard duty all the time. You''ll never gain field experience otherwise." Sylvester said as he continued to mutter to himself and decided. "Alright, I shall send the proposal to the Deputy Pope. Be well, my friend."


    Seeing it was already evening, and the sun had vanished, Sylvester walked towards his home to have dinner, the final one, as he had decided to journey to the south conventionally while ensuring everything was normal.


    Knock! Knock!


    "Maxy!"


    The door opened, and it was none other than Miraj, who was hanging on the doorknob as it rested in his mighty cute jaw, his wings fluttering to aid the door''s swing.


    ''He''s like a forever happy, excited little kid.'' Sylvester caught the furry cat and closed the door behind.


    "What did you do at home since morning?"


    "I made cookies with Big Mum and yed hide and seek with E,"


    Sylvester''s brows rose. "Hide and seek? But she can''t see you."


    "Oh, I tied a bell on my neck and hid. But she always shouted funny jokes that made meugh, and the bell would ring. I think I''m bad at hide and seek, Maxy," Miraj depressingly revealed. "The haunting squishes¡­ I can still feel them."


    "Is that so?" Sylvester grinned and squeezed Miraj. "What about my squishies?"


    "Nyoooo¡­" Like a boneless creature, Miraj slipped out and flew towards the ceiling. "Only Big Mum can squish me."


    "Why?"


    "Because shebs my spoiled fur afterward."


    "I canb you too, Chonky."


    "Nyo! You''re not gentle, and my fur is precious."


    Sylvester scoffed and stepped in the air before grabbing the cat again. "You''re just biased because she''s Mum. Come here now. Let me squish you."


    "Ummm¡­ Nyo!"


    "Wee back." Xavia came out of the kitchen, hearing all thatmotion. "How was your day?"


    "Otherworldly¡­ What''s for dinner?"


    "Everything that you like," Xavia replied, pulling him into the dining area. E and Rex were already there, helping Xavia put the tes on the table. Meanwhile, Zeke was in the kitchen, flipping meat patties.


    "It sure is lively here." Sylvester took a seat and waited for everyone else to join him. With warmth in his heart and warmth in the room, he felt at peace in the only ce he truly considered home¡ªthe small apartment. Seeing E run around with a wide smile on her face was a victory in itself.


    ''How many more kids like her got to smile in this world because of the work we all put in.'' He wondered and couldn''t help but feel rxed atst. ''I wish you were here to see all this, Sir Dolorem.''


    "Happy birthday, Father!"


    "What?!" Sylvester eximed as E brought a small cake all of a sudden, with twenty-eight candles on it. "Really? What''s the day today?"


    Rex sighed and ced a knife beside the cake. "Old man, you''re losing memory already?"


    "You want homework?"


    "Ah¡­ Forgive this little boy, Big Brother!" Rex changed his tone in a heartbeat.


    "Go ahead, blow on it." Xavia stood beside him on the right, while tall Zeke stood behind her with a massive face, ready to p like a little kid. E sat on the chair on his other side, with Rex beside her. And Chonky, as always, was nted on his head with his greedy drool, almost on the verge of falling.


    ''This is¡­'' Sylvester smiled faintly, feeling a little too emotional, and blew on the candles. ''If wishes doe true¡ªMay we all find warm peace devoid of any enemies in this life.''


    "It''s present time!" Rex bellowed immediately after and ran away to bring over the box he had prepared. "Open it, Godfather. I spent my month''s allowance on it."


    "What is it?" Amused, Sylvester unwrapped the wooden box covered with paper and looked. "A painting? Of all of us?"


    "Yes!" Rex eximed. "That old man Lovnd is expensive, but I made him paint it. It''s you, Grandma Xavia, E, Zeke, Xylena, and even Chonky¡­ Oh, there''s that sword at the back as well. It''s the one old man Sir Dolorem used."


    Not just that, Sylvester noticed more details in the background. ''That old Lovnd¡­ He added the conical hat of Lord Inquisitor as well¡­ and so many more details.''


    "I like it. Let''s put it on a wall here." Sylvester got up from his seat and ced it in the living room.


    Afterward, Zeke came forward and presented a dagger. "Zeke made this."


    ''When did he learn weapon crafting?''


    "Thank you, my brother. I''ll make sure to use it and gut heathens with it." Sylvester ced it in his side pocket and looked at E, who shyly came with a small palm-sized box. "What''s this?"


    "I-I made this for your mission."


    Instead of exining it, E allowed Sylvester to open the box and find the marvel of a machine inside.


    He gasped and put it on. "A wristwatch¡­ It shows not only the day and month but also the year¡­ It must have taken a lot of fine crafting and calctions to make!"


    She proudly raised her chin. "That other world could have different seasons, day and night cycles. I made this so you can keep track of time back home."


    ''This girl¡­ I didn''t even think about this before.'' Sylvester amusedly stared at the prodigy and went ahead to pat her head.


    "As for me, I made you a hand-made sweater, since you can buy the world with the money you have." Xavia came forward with a beautiful red woolen sweater with golden words on the chest saying ''POPE''. It was cute and funny.


    He wasted no time and wore it. "I''ll cherish this with my life. Let''s eat now!"


    Quickly, the cake was divided into pieces, and the food was put on the tes. Relishing the delicate dishes, they all merrily chatted and ate.


    "Sorry, Maxy," Miraj whispered sadly into Sylvester''s ears. "I didn''t get you a present."


    "No, Chonky¡­ I think I already got the best present I could hope for." Sylvester simply smiled.


    "Where, Maxy?"


    "You all are my greatest present."


    _________________


    Thank you for the Castle, Prolegy


    Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 727 726. Into The Portal I: A Horrifying Possibility

    Chapter 727 726. Into The Portal I: A Horrifying Possibility


    ??That night, Sylvesterid the mattresses in the living room itself, and they all had a big sleepover in one ce. Sharing jokes and stories with Miraj jumping on all their bellies was a source ofughter for all of them. It was a joyous evening worth remembering.


    "Tell me about your adventures, Godfather! I want to be like you."


    "Me too!" E chirped there while lying beside Xavia under the quilt, getting the spoiled little granddaughter treatment.


    Sylvester chuckled, seeing that no matter how smart, kids are always kids. "Hmm¡­ Most of it has already been written in books. Only the little tidbits were left out, for example, the time I was a ve undercover. Or the time I was lost in the Divine Desert and almost died in the scorching heat.


    "Oh, the adventure through the Darkpit sea was also utterly haunting. Disgusting-looking, dangerous creatures as big as a castle roamed that sea, with power sometimes equal to that of a Grand Wizard. The weather changes every fifteen minutes there. There was also a singing creature that could lure you with its beautiful voice, only for it to eat you whole."


    "How did you cross it?" Rex asked.


    "Because I was strong," Sylvester replied and continued on with other stories, for everyone to eventually fall asleep in weariness.


    As the morning slowly dawned, Sylvester got up amidst the snoring of the cat and Rex beside him. Of course, he had no need to sleep, so he spent the entire night silently nning his next few steps. That was all he could afford when he had no idea what to expect.


    Guesswork was the best he could do.


    "Nyooo! Don''t take my cookies!"


    Bam!


    "You spoiled cat!" Sylvester groaned as Miraj suddenly kicked his face while asleep. God knows what he was seeing in his dreams. "Wake up, it''s time to go."


    "Hmm?" Miraj woke up and looked around. "My cookies?"


    "They''re still in the jars."


    Taking a sigh of relief, the furball fell back and rxed. "Oh, then it''s fine. I thought you ate all of them."


    "Why would I do that? I don''t like your banana cookies. My favorites are only the honey ones, and they''re going to be my personal stash that you can''t touch." Sylvester scoffed and picked Miraj up like a doll. It was time for a bath since it was unknown what they''d encounter in the Demon Realm.


    "Where are we going?"


    "To take a bath."


    "..."


    Just like that, Miraj felt like he lost his will to live and surrendered himself to the way of water.


    ¡­


    After eating breakfast, Sylvester went to the Pope''s Pce with his family following behind to see him off. Worried, excited, and somewhat jealous, the myriad of emotions in the air made Sylvester''s nose feel ticklish.


    "Is everything ready?" Sylvester arrived at a basement level in the Pope''s Pce, where the Guardians and the Sanctum Council awaited him, each with a solemn face that wasn''t too far from appearing depressed.


    "The luggage has been prepared." Gabriel stepped forward as the Deputy-Pope. "The containers behind you have clothes, food, and precious materials. Be safe, Your Holiness."


    "And you all must stay vignt," Sylvester responded in a sharp tone. "Once I leave, the Primordial Gods will be able to feel my presence and the possible threat I pose. They might try to do something here, perhaps ensue chaos to bring this world into the same mess we lifted it from."


    Thud!


    "Do not be worried about the matters of this side. We shall put our lives on the line, no matter how high the tide," the Inquisitor High Lord reassured. "Be well, Your Holiness. Much is left to be done. Your work has only begun."


    "You too, Lord Inquisitor. All of you, let''s bring the mysterious enemies of our world to their heels. For eternal peace, none of us can afford to bow and kneel. May the Holy Light enlighten us, may our paths be paved by the light of victory." Sylvester prayed for them and sent Miraj to eat up all therge containers filled with goods. "Gabriel shall be the Deputy-Pope for now, so please advise him and stand by him. His word is my word¡ªnever forget."


    Quickly after, he hugged Xavia and bid her farewell, followed by Zeke, E, Rex, and his two good friends. A short exchange with Julius and Raz followed, ending with him mounting the horse with two more on his side on which the Demon Dalgan and his son, Lord Two rode.


    Without making a big announcement, Sylvester silently left the Holy Land. It was unknown how long he''d be gone, so he hoped to avoid any ambitious fools from trying to take advantage of his absence.


    Down on the Green Road, he passed Maximilia City. But he didn''t visit it and instead, went straight to the Desert Road, from where he traveled south, adjacent to the Wall of Void, in its shadows.


    "Where are we headed to, Pope Sylvester?" Dalgan asked, wearingmon oversized brown hooded robes over his body that also covered his face, the same for his son and Sylvester. "I believe taking the Holy Road would have brought us to the South faster."


    "I know that, Dalgan. But I have a ce I must visit first." Sylvester didn''t borate further and urged his horse faster before the sun could set.


    It was a long journey, taking them five days just to cross the Desert Road beside the North River State, previously known as the Northern Duchy of Riveria.


    They rested beside small bonfires at night and continued soon after the horses were good to go. As the three were more than strong enough to withstand continuous travel, they didn''t sleep at all.


    Then eventually, on the eighth day, they arrived at the ruins of a ce. A walled town with ck marks everywhere, as if messengers of a horrific story loomed there.


    Sylvester got off the horse after arriving at the rundown entrance of the walled city, confusing the Demon father and son pair.


    "Where are we?" Lord Two asked, still somewhat angered at losing to Sylvester. But he knew he was nowhere near strong enough to challenge that human.


    Sylvester silently walked into the burned-down town and looked left and right. Nature had imed the area since the region had traces of groundwater now, with new canals made everywhere. Hints of grass and other nts were everywhere.


    But still, he saw the remnants of a burndown monastery over a hill, almost a heap of ash with only a few broken wooden beams left.


    "This ce was once called Sphinx Town," Sylvester muttered while the tall Demon father and son listened and followed. "I was sixteen or seventeen years old when I came here to conduct an investigation regarding Demon presence, only for it to turn out to be a Bloodling''s doing."


    Finally, Sylvester reached the top of the hill and walked to an open area. A little stone was protruding out there on the dirt, covered in grass and thick dust. He blew on it and cleaned it with his own hands, revealing the etched words on it.


    "Here lived the kind and strong Shane Kolt, the little bard, apprentice of Sylvester Maximilian," Sylvester read it with a faint smile.


    "Your student?!" Daldgan eximed. "What happened to him?"


    "He was murdered by the Church''s previous administration." Sylvester cleaned the memorial stone and waved his palm across the ground around it, magically growing flowers of varied colors. "This little boy is the reason I decided to be the Pope. The reason why I fought for so long¡­ and continue to do so."


    Silence lingered amidst the calm breeze on that hill. Speechlessly, Sylvester sat there for a while as if he was talking under his breath. He was, actually, and only Miraj could hear him speak.


    ''Look at me, kid. Not just the Pope, but now, I''m sort of the ruler of the world. You would''ve grown up to love this new reality, I''m sure. All the musical instruments as well¡­ I hope you found peace.'' Sylvester still wasn''t sure if there was an actual afterlife for souls. ''I''ll meet you there eventually. But I think you were my lucky charm, so wish me luck in this battle toe.''


    Sometimeter, he finally got up and turned around to head towards ckhart Kingdom. "Dalgan, do you think your Empress is a fool?"


    "What?" The old demon General couldn''tprehend where that question came from so suddenly. "What do you mean, Pope?"


    "Do you think she isn''t aware of what she''s doing? Why is she trying to bring peace between our two species?" Sylvester asked more clearly as they moved rapidly down the road.


    Dalgan thought about it, "She''s too powerful to be a fool. Her actions, albeit against the age-old teachings, must hold some merit, some reason."


    "Isn''t the enemy of your enemy a friend?" Sylvester added.


    "Sometimes, they are."


    Sylvester tried to bring some light to the two before they entered the portal. "Dalgan, there aremon enemies to our two worlds that wish to destroy us. A third party who has something to gain with the constant, periodical wars between our two species."


    "Who?" Lord Two barked.


    "Primordial Gods."


    "Who are they?" Dalgan inquired.


    "Beings far stronger than Solis, or any other god to speak of. Beings who have total control over time and space, life and death, as well as reality itself¡ªbeings whom we can''t evenprehend. That is why your Empress likely preaches peace, and why she wishes to meet me."


    It was expected that something so significant was extremely hard to believe with mere words. More so for the two demons who were his enemies.


    "Why tell us now? We are enemies of the Empress. There is nothing to be gained by being friendly with us," Dalgan said. "I wouldn''t have bothered if I was you."


    Sighing, Sylvester responded and left the two in utter despair.


    "Because once we cross that portal, those Primordial Gods will be aware of me. The best case scenario is that they won''t bother because I''m too puny."


    "And worst?" Lord Two wondered, gulping.


    "They might snap and destroy reality as we know it."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 728 727. Into The Portal II: Demons Can Fly?

    <h4>Chapter 728 727. Into The Portal II: Demons Can Fly?</h4>


    ?"They might snap and destroy reality as we know it."


    "Hah, you aren''t very good at making jokes, Pope," Lord Two said,ughing to himself.


    "He''s not joking," Dalgan immediately realized that Sylvester didn''tugh or smile. "If what the Pope says is real, then Empress Mother''s actions are understandable. The true enemy would then be the Grand Prince."


    The Demon father and son silently followed Sylvester after that, talking among themselves, at times wondering what this enemy might be aiming for. The fact that all of reality could be destroyed in the blink of an eye didn''t leave much room for confidence.


    But in any case, they knew they couldn''t live in the human world, nor would the Pope allow them to live.


    "We''re arriving at Wailing City very soon. You two will live there for a day, and then we''ll depart for the Central Continent." Sylvester ordered the two without borating any further and entered the city through a questionable secret pathway. Away from the eyes of any Clergyman or worshippers.


    Keeping themselves fully covered and hidden, Sylvester headed straight to the Royal estate, Ebony Castle. There were guards everywhere, but through his Srium Web, Sylvester had contacted Lord Einarr and called him to the gates.


    ''Don''t kneel, don''t act like I''m the Pope,'' Sylvester warned Lord Einarr.


    "Wee back to Ebony Castle, Sire. We were waiting for your arrival," Lord Einarr spoke as if he was a long-lost friend. The old man still had his ck hair that was on the verge of going white. His tall stature seemed as formidable as ever,bined with his unique Time Magic.


    "Likewise, my friend." Sylvester joined his side and walked into the estate with him. The guards simply stepped aside and allowed them to enter without question, albeit staring at the two demons with a suspicious gaze as they were too tall for usual human standards.


    After entering the gates, where no one else could hear them, Einarr saluted officially. "Wee back, Your Holiness. Who are these two guests?"


    "Demons."


    "..."


    Einarr found himself at a loss of words. ''Demons? Weren''t they the bad guys? The enemies of mankind and the Holy Land?''


    "Ah¡­ Disguised as demons?"


    "No, they are demons I caught in the Central Continent. Unlike the possessed humans, these are actual demons with their real, original bodies. The one on the right is General Dalgan and the one on the left is his son, Lord Two." Sylvester introduced them as if they were kids. "You two, this is the Prima of Queen Xylena, a very powerful Grand Wizard. So don''t mess around near him."


    ''Near him? We don''t even want to be in the same world as you,'' Lord Two thought in his head.


    "Where is Xylena?" Sylvester asked.


    "She''s at the terrace, painting the scenery of the city. With the monarchy abolished, she''s been having the time of her life. She eats, trains, and travels as she desires. I''m looking for a suitable groom for her now¡­ But it''s utterly difficult to find one," Einarr revealed, his shoulders plummeting like a weary father. In a way, he was a father figure for her.


    Sylvester patted his back. "Don''t worry, she''ll live a long life. There will be enough time to prolong the family line. For now, I need you to show Dalgan and his son to a room. I''ll go and meet with Xylena."


    "Understood, Your Holiness." Einarr stopped and allowed Sylvester to leave alone before gesturing for the two demons to follow him. "So, why did youe to this world?"


    "To take over it and make it our new home," Dalgan answered.


    Einarr almost choked on his saliva. "The usual things. Let me guess, the Pope easily stopped you? Ruining years of your ns?"


    "And killing my fellow generals."


    "Necessary sacrifices," Einarr muttered and finally showed them the room. "Well, I hope you show me your best behavior. Or else, I will tell His Holiness. The food will be brought to you very soon, so don''t go out, please."


    With that, Einarr shut the door and locked it.


    ¡­


    Sylvester reached the top of the castle and found Xylena standing under the shade of a pavilion and painting on a canvas. Wearing a normal loose gown, tightened around her with a corset, she looked absolutely beautiful. That made Sylvester realize that many men must be hoping to win the favor of this Queen.


    ''They will have to pass the test of my sword first.'' Sylvester made a mental note and stepped closer to her without making a noise to see what she was even making. ''Hmm¡­ a painting of the city? She has a long way to go, I must say.''


    "Booo!"


    "Aaaa!" Xylena jumped and picked up her sword resting beside the canvas frame. "Who dar¡ªFather?"


    "Sylvester, that''s what you should call me."


    "Got it, Father." Xylena was still Xylena, and perhaps more chaotic now. "What do you think? Isn''t this a masterpiece worth a fortune?"


    Sylvester, like a typical father, couldn''t bring himself to call her art bad. "Certainly beautiful, Xye. I like the vivid colors. Give me the brush, and I''ll add a few things and teach you how to add more details. The city''s details are beautiful, but the in blue skycks vor."


    So, he spent a few minutes teaching her how to make clouds with the brush and make it seem realistic. The canvas was a meter wide and tall, so there was a lot of space to add a few more things.


    "Now it''s a priceless artifact," Xylenamented and asked him to sign at the corner. "I''ll put it in the treasury as a family heirloom."


    ''Did I just get scammed to give an autograph?'' Sylvester wondered but didn''t bother with it.


    "How are you these days? Is the construction of new cities and infrastructure going well?" He asked after creating chairs for themselves out of nothing. "I didn''t see a report from you in the Holy Land for the past month."


    "I''m waiting for the artificial riverwork to bepleted. The rest is going well, too, since the Administration Services Exam was something you started here many years ago. Einarr did well too, and almost all of the ex-nobles were already powerless before you announced the end of nobility and monarchy powers," she exined and looked left and right. "Where is the fluffball?"


    "Hiding on my shoulder."


    "Come to Xye, Chonky. I''ll give you ten bananas."


    Bam!


    The bribe worked, and Miraj mmed himself into Xylena''s chest. She loved it and hugged him tightly despite the cat''s dismay. "So, what brought you here?"


    "I''m going to enter the Demon World today, Xye," Sylvester revealed the news. "But to this day, I don''t know what Solis meant by calling you the key to my destiny. However, I won''t be taking you along since the Demon World''s atmosphere is inverse of here. You won''t survive a single moment there."


    "Then you?!" She stood up in a fight and dragged the seat closer to him.


    Sylvester smiled and created a dagger in his hand before using it to slice a noticeable wide wound on his palm. No blood dropped from it. "I''ve elevated myself from the constraints of a human body, Xye. I''ll be fine, trust me. But I may need your help at some point, so for theing days until I return, I want you to live in the Central Continent, in the Royal Castle of the Northern Kingdom."


    Worried for him, she caught Sylvester''s hand. "Why must you go now?"


    "There isn''t enough time left, Xye. We don''t know when those ''Gods'' will act. We don''t know what their n is or why they''re after us. Recently, I found out that the Demon side faces the same challenge from the ''Gods''. I must go and meet with the leader of that world," Sylvester rified and got up. "Get serious with your training. There are rough days ahead, Xye."


    Somewhat dejected but understanding, Xylena sighed and agreed. "I''ll wait for you at the Central Continent then. But what am I even supposed to do?"


    "Focus on elevating the understanding of Elder Magic that I taught you in the Divine Desert. It''s akin to thenguage of gods and will open many pathways for you." He patted her ashen-ck hair, reminding her of their harsh days in the Divine Desert. "You''re a strong girl, Xye. I don''t know how the so-called ''fate'' connects us. But whatever it is, I know you can ovee all challenges."


    "When do you leave?"


    "Right away," Sylvester said, walked with her to the lower floors, and eventually arriving at the demons'' room. "You can gather your luggage and travel to the Central Continentter."


    "These are demons?!" she eximed, seeing the two tall creatures. "Ugh¡­ four eyes."


    "I''m considered handsome in my world," Lord Two scoffed and replied.


    Sylvester red at him for a split second and shut the overambitious Demon up. The man reminded him of a somewhat spoiled son of a humble King¡ªDalgan being the King in this case.


    "We shall head to the Central Continent''s Soul Tree through the air now," Sylvester announced, leading everyone to a secluded training field. "Einarr, take care of Xylena. Don''t you dare choose someone for her without my permission."


    "..."


    "I understand, Your Holiness."


    "We don''t know how to fly," Dalgan informed Sylvester before they got ready to leave.


    Sylvester scoffed and spread his arms while standing between the two. Chains made of solid light came out of his palm and created a metal harness around the two''s chest and waist. Following that, Sylvester slightly bent his knees, smirking the whole time.


    "Hah, then prepare yourself for the once-in-a-lifetime experience."


    BOOM!


    Everything happened so fast, but Dalgan and Lord Two saw Sylvester jump into the sky. The chain that captured them nked and extended rapidly, prompting the two to look at each other''s faces right before the sudden pull came.


    "Save us, o'' eternal Void!"


    "Aaaaaa¡­ Father!"


    And that''s how two demons learned how to fly¡ªor fall with style.


    _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 729 728. Into The Portal III: The Voices

    Chapter 729 728. Into The Portal III: The Voices


    "Aaaaaaa¡­"


    General Dalgan and his son came falling from the sky behind Sylvester. Their throats had gone sore by then as they truly felt terrified. No matter how strong, the height Sylvester had dragged them to was dangerous for them. "Calm down, you two. You won''t die from something like this," Sylvester scolded the two and began to descend straight toward the Soul Tree of the Central Continent. Truly, they had crossed the sea with a simple jump. Crack! N?v(el)B\\jnn


    As they reached the small branches, the branches started to break apart and slow their descent. Of course, Sylvester avoided them easily, but the Demon father and son got hit on their faces a few times. "Ah!"


    "Slow down!"


    Sylvester did not and eventuallynded on a major branch of the tree, many meters down from the top. There, he allowed the two to get some rest and gather themselves. ''The nasty scents have vanished.'' Sylvester noted. ''It seems like Julius cleared the ce before leaving.'' "Let''s continue." Sylvester kept the two demons restrained with the chains and dragged them all the way down to the branch where the secret portal existed behind the fake wall of wood. "Untouched, good. Tell me, are there any special requirements, or magical chants that need to be done to enter the portal? Be careful there. If you hide anything, you will be facing the consequences with me." Dalgan and Lord Two looked at each other''s faces. They both knew what was in the other''s mind. They wondered if they were actually aiding a monster to enter their world and destroy it from the inside. After having seen some of the things that Sylvester did without even batting an eye, they were sure he was absurdly strong. And what would his ''fighting with everything he got'' be? It made them shiver a bit. "No, there is no requirement. When we entered, we stepped in at the same time," Dalgan revealed and pulled his son closer to himself. "We should do the same while we enter."


    "What should I expect after crossing over?" Sylvester asked. "Death," Dalgan blurted. "The atmosphere of my world is the inverse of yours. If you don''t die because of that, then there will likely be a major battle base set around the portal by now. The Grand Prince had ced a lot of hope into this project. He must be desperately waiting for our return." Sylvester nodded and took his spear out of Chonky''s mouth. "Then I''m prepared. Stand beside me and take your steps at the same time. If you try to act smart, I won''t even flinch before killing you two." "We understand." With that, Sylvester removed the false wall of wood hiding the ck portal. He sighed at the darkness ahead of him. Many negative and positive thoughts ran through his mind. He hugged Miraj to his chest and tucked him under the robes as well, not wanting to lose him. ''Chonky said this felt like his belly. If that''s the case, then chances are, I''m about to enter a special void that either connects the two worlds or contains our two worlds,'' Sylvester hypothesized and took the first step, which the other two matched. Shhh¡­.!


    Just as they got as close as an inch to it, Sylvester began to hear the whistling sound of the breeze, but it felt much darker and deeper, as if it was devoid of any sensation. It was confusing and haunting. "I''ll count to three. We''ll enter the darkness at three," Sylvester notified them and took a long breath, not that there were any lungs. It was just a habit he maintained to seem human. "One¡­ Two¡­ Three!"


    Snap!


    As soon as they stepped inside, there was nothing but absolute darkness. The hint of light behind also vanished, and they found themselves floating through nothing. There was no light anywhere, and Sylvester couldn''t even see Darlgan or his son but felt them through the tug of the chains he had tied to them. ''What do you feel, Chonky?'' He asked Miraj without bringing him out of his robes. ''Does this still feel like your belly?''


    ''Aye, Aye, Maxy. It feels exactly the same as my belly. But, this ce feels much bigger.'' ''Wait, you know how big your belly is?''


    ''No, but this ce still feels bigger.'' Sylvester nodded and turned his face left and right to see anything he could or feel something. It truly felt like a massive void in space. He didn''t even know if his body was in motion; other than waiting, there was nothing to be done. ''There''s no such thing as srium in this ce. But I still feel energy everywhere¡­ Like what Nehilius had.'' He felt around and tried to absorb some of the unknown energy to feel its contents. ''It''s like air.''


    Time went by, and Sylvester eventually felt tired. He raised his left hand and created some light¡ªa big mistake. "What in God''s name¡­ is this?!" Not only Sylvester but also Dalgan and Lord Two had the same reaction to the light. They looked around themselves and didn''t find an empty dark space, but something mind-numbing, making them feel like their skin was crawling. Countless, trillions upon trillions of ck eel-like creatures were everywhere, below them, above them, all around. Intertwined into each other, they all constantly moved like slimy branches of a massive tree. There were no eyes, nor were any heads visible. What was it, they had no clue. All they knew was that this wasn''t a ce they could rx in.


    Snap!


    Sylvester immediately stopped the light and closed his eyes to calm his nerves. ''Where the hell are we? Is this inside Chonky''s belly too?'' "Here¡­."


    "Hmm?" Sylvester heard something all of a sudden. "Whose voice was that? Dalgan, did you hear that?" "W-What, Pope?" "A feminine voi¡ªThere it is again!"


    Sylvester shut his mouth and tried to listen to the voice and focus on it. It was soothing and kind, holding not an ounce of repulsion of any kind. "Follow me¡­ Here¡­ Hear me¡­ John¡­"


    "Diana?!" Sylvester eximed abruptly. "Is that you?"


    Dalgan heard him talking to himself. "Who is it, Pope? We hear nothing." ''Then why am I hearing her? Hallucination?'' He tried to make sense of what was going on there. ''It''s not Diana''s voice, however. But the name¡­''


    "Maxy, I hear it too," Chonky spoke all of a sudden. "It called me Chonky."


    ''Now that''s strange. Could it be some sort of a creature who can read our minds? Something like those singing creatures in the Darkpit Sea, meant to lure us?'' He was alert and prepared himself to go all out at a moment''s notice. He ensured his sense of smell was also reinforced with magic. ''No scent here despite those eels surrounding us.'' "Dalgan, how long does it take?"


    "We don''t know, Pope. The sense of time is lost in this ce. We''ll simply find ourselves abruptly standing at the destination. We can''t predict it." ''That''s not helping.'' Sylvester cursed and looked upwards, wondering what those eels were. He tried to feel their presence using Elder Magic and map the surroundings as if he had X-ray vision. ''They have no insides? I can see clearly¡­ we''re moving.''


    He kept at it and noticed a peculiar thing. To confirm himself, while keeping his Srium Mapping, he created light from one hand to illuminate the creatures. As if they all reacted to his light, their bodies became much more visible but remained translucent enough to see through. He checked left and right, up and down, and came to one conclusion. ''These eels are paving a path for us¡­ Only one direction of eels keeps moving further from us and creating space, leading us somewhere.''


    "Space-eels?" Sylvester seemingly named the creatures of nightmare.


    "Come to me, Johnathan¡­"


    He ignored the calling of the voice and let the eels take them. "This way¡­ Quick!"


    ''This¡­ the eels change direction whenever I focus on the voice.'' Sylvester noted it with his Srium Mapping. ''Should I follow? Is it a trap?'' Being a spy, and having an unhealthy amount of distrust towards everything, he couldn''t decide what to do. He didn''t want to be lost in that void of space, but at the same time, there could be some godly monster lurking in there. "It''s me¡­ Diana¡­"


    ''Too direct now.'' "All this time¡­ I waited for you¡­"


    It was getting harder and harder to ignore the voice. The more it spoke, the more it felt like it really was Diana. Only she could know some things unless the monster could read memories¡ªhighly possible. "I searched for you for so long¡­ Sent so many messengers¡­ Centuries¡­ Where are you, John?"


    ''Hmm?'' Thest bit alerted Sylvester. ''It''s not a real-time call¡­ Is it a leftover message?'' "Come to me, Johnathan¡­"


    ''Indeed, it''s a leftover message.'' Sylvester noticed the repeating words. ''If it''s really you then¡­''


    No more did Sylvester ignore the voice and focused on it with all his will. He noticed the eels moving madly and paving a pathway for them, faster the more he focused. The hope of meeting Diana grew stronger with each passing moment. His heartless chest seemingly throbbed again in excitement. ''We''re close!'' He noticed an end to the darkness in front of them as the eels parted and created some space. Woosh!


    And just like that, they feltnd under their feet, and light all around them. "No!" Dalgan instantly cried. "What happened here?!" Sylvester rubbed his eyes and looked, seeing the sky bright red and the ground pale ck. There was destruction everywhere in what seemed to be a camp with multiple small buildings and tents. However, there were no dead bodies or skeletons. "Is this from where you entered the portal?" Sylvester questioned while ncing around. It seemed to be a valley surrounded by high mountains. "Y-Yes!" Dalgan eximed. "Where is the Grand Prince? Why isn''t he here?"


    ck!


    "I think I know the answer," Sylvestermented, staring at the wristwatch that E had gifted, his face holding a shocked and haunted expression.

 Chapter 730 729. The Tribute

    Chapter 730 729. The Tribute


    Boom!


    Red lighting thundered across the sky right then. The Demon World''s weather seemed to turn worse, as if it was greeting them with hostility. But the three of them didn''t bother with it and just stared at the watch on Sylvester''s wrist.


    "W-What is the meaning of this?" Dalgan asked, his four eyes frowning. "Why is the date so drastically different?" Lord Two inquired. "What is this contraption?" Sylvester looked behind himself. There was no portal anymore, and no quick way to return home. "It''s a watch my daughter made me¡­ An instrument to measure time." Lord Two looked around at the destruction and back at the watch. "Y-You mean¡­ Ten years have passed?" "More for you." Sylvester heavy-heartedly focused his mind back on the current situation. "It seems traveling through that portal had effects on time, hastening it. Ten years have passed since we stepped in. For you two, I''m sure it''s been more than a decade." ''Gab, Felix¡­ Mum¡­ I hope the time slip was only rtive to the portal, and not you all.'' Sylvester felt depressed and anxious, but in the enemy territory, he couldn''t show any weakness. ''I''lle back as soon as possible.'' Boom!


    ''Gab, Felix¡­ Mum¡­ I hope the time slip was only rtive to the portal, and not you all.'' Sylvester felt depressed and anxious, but in the enemy territory, he couldn''t show any weakness. ''I''lle back as soon as possible.'' Boom! n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Thunder continued to roar in the sky. "We need to move from here. The acid rain can melt stones, it could be harmful to us, if now the Po¡ªHow are you alive?!" Dalgan stared at Sylvester in shock. "I''m not your average Supreme Wizard, buddy. Now, lead me to your Empress Mother." Sylvester still held them through invisible chains of light. At the same time, he changed his body to look simr to Dalgan. An extra pair of fake eyes appeared on his forehead, and his fangs grew out. His height also increased a few inches, while his hair remained blonde as they weren''t rare.


    Lord Two blinked dumbly. "You look like my cousin." "That''s good. If you mess up, it''ll implicate your entire family. So do a good job, or see your entire bloodline vanish from the face of this world." Sylvester didn''t hold himselfback at all and treated the two as his prisoners¡ªwhich they were. "..."


    Dalgan silently hunched his back as if he had aged a century and started walking. "Let''s get out of the iing storm. If the rain won''t kill us, the lightning strike might. From the speed of the wind and the color of lightning, it''s a Type Three storm¡ªdeadly for those under the rank of your world''s Master Wizards. "There are types? What''s the highest?" Sylvester amusedly asked, learning new things about the Demon World. "There are five types, the lowest being simple water rain, and type five being acidva raining down, with lightning strong enough to kill a Grand Wizard with ease. There is also a mythical sixth type, but it''s never been observed. It can supposedly kill your Supreme Wizards," Dalgan exined as they slowly walked towards a rocky mountain. A cave was in their sight. The entire area was like a massive, dry, rocky mountain range with almost no nts in the vicinity, with even the dirt having a pale ck color. With the red lighting in the sky, it looked as if they were in hell. "Where are we right now?" Sylvester asked since he had no map of the Demon World. Everything was new to him, as no Popes had gotten this far in the past.


    "We are on the southwest edge of the Redscape Continent, the biggest and the center of my world. The seat of power resides here¡­ but right now, we are on Mount Doomsday, the most uninhabitable region of our world," Dalgan exined just as they finally found shelter inside a cave. The storm began to rage outside, and steaming acid rain that created small holes in the stones started to pour down.


    But, to Sylvester''s surprise, the raindrops turned solid within seconds, and the size of the rocks increased. That meant that the entire mountain range was constantly getting bigger and taller. Thud!


    Thud!


    "Someone''sing closer!" Sylvester alerted them to the footsteps he heard. "You two cover for me. I''d like to avoid needless violence... if possible." Dalgan frowned. "Someone? Here? Could it be someone from the army?" "Make some space!" A voice came just then, demonic and distant, in the Demonnguage as well. Dalgan and Lord Two made some space, shouting back at the three figures in the distance. "Run faster! The rain''s getting stronger." As they came closer, Sylvester felt his senses tingling. The three were taller than six feet, with long, scaly red limbs. They wore loose hooded robes that were made of fine ck and white leather. But the amusing part was the glowing red hue on the robes that seemingly protected them from the rain. ''They have weapons.'' Sylvester noticed the dangerous part. Each of the three figures had rifle-like instruments on their backs, while daggers and short swords dangled by their waists. "Thank you¡­" Gasping, they finally reached the cave, and their leader voiced while removing his hood, revealing his ck hair and four red eyes. "The damn storm came out of nowhere."


    ''Lies? Why lie about something so small?'' Sylvester noticed the peculiar scent and right away knew they were up to no good. After all, when in a secluded forest, the animals weren''t the real perils¡ªhumans were. For they had no reason to be there. "Who are you people?" Dalgan conversed with them in themon tongue. "You don''t look like you''re from the army." "Army? We''re explorers. The ckmines were discovered by the Grand Prince a few years ago. But after they extracted everything and left, we came to find more veins." The leader answered and extended his hand towards Dalgan, "I''m Molman." "General Dalgan, it''s a¡ª"


    Woosh!


    "Aaaaaaargh! Fuck!" Right before Dalgan could sp the man''s hand, Sylvester moved. He swung his spear and chopped the man''s arm as if it were a little twig, turning the floor into a mess of red blood. "Speak the truth! Who are you?" Sylvester stepped forward and raised his hand towards the other twockeys, choking them and raising them a few feet above the ground with simple magic, like a certain Darth-something. "Molman is not your name!" "What?!" Dalgan jumped back, finally oveing the aftereffects of his homesickness. "And you can speak mynguage?" Sylvester scoffed and walked closer to the imposter. "I''m no fool, Dalgan. I''ve been preparing for this eventual day for years. Now, restrain the other two."


    As if Sylvester had be their superiormander, they moved quickly and restrained the other two. Pushed down to their knees, their hoods were removed to reveal their faces. ''Two eyes?'' Sylvester was amused. He had thought all demons had four eyes in this world. ''The skin even resembles a human''s. Other than the strange eyes, teeth, and small horns on their heads, they''re pretty much human.'' "Fuck!" The armless demon groaned in pain on the ground, rolling and gritting his teeth. "I-I''ll kill you!" Sylvester scoffed and stomped on his back, pushing him down on the hard ground while the rain still poured outside. "First, focus on surviving this. If you don''t answer me correctly, I''ll rip out your other arm. If you still don''t answer me truthfully, I''ll rip out your legs. Little by little, I will cut you apart until I get what I want. Of course, if you''re honest, I''ll rejoin your severed limbs." "That''s imp-possible!" The demon groaned. Sylvester sighed and demonstrated it right away. He left the demon and kicked his arm, which was bleeding on the side. He sloppily ced it on the demon''s wound and hovered his palm over the wound. The magic of Creation was such that the tissues regrew and attached themselves. "Believable now?" Sylvester asked. "But I attached it the wrong way."


    "Aaaaargh!"


    Sylvester swung his spear again and sliced the arm as before. "My words must be clearer now."


    "Uuugh!" The demon spat out some blood from his mouth, along with mucus. The pain was unbearable, "Y-You monster!"


    "I suppose there''s some truth in it. You thought you were the hunter a moment ago, but now you have be the prey." Sylvester pressed harder on his back. "Let''s start with a name." "Ostrag! I-I am Ostrag, the Commander of Grand Prince Zorthror''s Elite Guards." Dalgan frowned. "Ostrag? I know no such Elite Guard."


    However, Sylvester shook his head as he smelled no lies. "He''s not lying, Dalgan. It seems much has changed since your disappearance. Your Grand Prince has probably forgotten you." Ostrag noticed Dalgan showing a sense of familiarity with the Grand Prince. When he repeated that name in his head, he remembered something. "No¡­ Dalgan? One of the four Generals sent to the human world?! But you were dead!"


    Dalgan frowned, realizing he had been forgotten. Most likely, his family must also believe he''s dead. "We weremitted to our mission! We were waiting for the Grand Prince to contact us¡­ How could he dere us dead?" "The portal disappeared. There was no way of knowing if you reached the human world. He waited, but no response ca¡ª"


    Sylvester stopped them by pressing his back. "I''m the only one asking questions. Now tell me, who are these two, and what were you doing here? If you lie, I''ll rip their arms as wel¡ª"


    "No! You can''t do that. Dalgan¡­ General Dalgan, we serve on the same side. Please protect those two! The Grand Prince is being hunted down by that Empress whore¡­ You must hide the two Princes," Ostrag cried.


    "Princes?" Sylvester quickly stared at the two almost human-like demons, both tall and strong-looking. "These two are sons of the Grand Prince?" "Yes! You''re strong enough to protect them with Dalgan. I assure you, the Grand Prince will reward yo¡ª"


    Snap!


    Ostrag lost his voice, the light in his eyes, and also his life. His heady severed from the neck, dead at the swift move of Sylvester''s spear in a single instant.


    "Good." Sylvester turned to the two leftovers. "It seems we have the perfect tribute for a face-to-face meeting with Empress Mother." _________________


    Thank you for reading. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 731 730. Wait A Minute!

    Chapter 731 730. Wait A Minute!


    Dalgan, Lord Two, and the two other demons silently watched Ostrag''s head roll on the cave''s floor. Once they were sure the man was thoroughly dead, they looked at Sylvester. "Don''t," Sylvester warned the two demons. "Don''t even try to run; it''ll spell your doom. By the time anyonees searching for you, you''ll be nothing but bones."


    "Then kill us. It''s better than falling into the hands of the Empress. She''ll torture us to get to our Father," one of the two demons said.


    Sylvester nodded and wiped his spear clean of the blood. "I can, but I wish to avoid unnecessary bloodshed." "..."


    They wanted to point at the headless body, but they chose to be smart and stayed silent. "Tell me your names," Sylvester asked them as he sat down to wait for the rain to end. "Leave them be. They can''t run away even if they want to."


    "I''m Zostris."


    "Orzoth." Sylvester sighed, "Your names are hard to remember. What about yourst name?" "Only the Empress has an extended name," Dalgan exined. "We can, however, have a long single name divided with a backtick."


    "Which one of you is older?" "I am," Zostris voiced in a frustrated tone. "What do you want from the Empress? Our Father can give you more."


    "How old are you?" Sylvester didn''t answer his questions. "Twenty years old," Zostris answered. ''The gravity of this world feels almost the same,'' Sylvester evaluated and looked outside the cave. ''It''s not possible to see the sky.''


    "How many moons does this world have? How long is a year?" He asked Dalgan.


    "We only have one moon, and the day-night cycle, as well as the year''s length, is almost the same as your world."


    "His world? Where is he from?" Zostris eyed Sylvester with a confusing gaze. Right then, Zostris'' younger brother, Orzoth, pulled him by the shoulder, asking him to stay silent and not annoy the one who could kill them in an instant. Sylvester remained unbothered by the two. They were barely as strong as a Master Wizard or a Golden Knight. What did amuse him was their clothes and the rifle-like contraption on their backs. "What are those on your backs?"


    "Weapons," Dalgan said and picked it up from the elder Prince. "Your world doesn''t have anything like this. This can shoot energy projectiles that can lead to severe burns, and holes in the body of the target if they''re too weak. These are quitemon in the armies of our world." Sylvester took it and inspected it on his own, checking out its various parts. The barrel didn''t seem like an empty hole, but rather like a coil filled with something. "What fuel does it use?" "It can use a user''s own energy, as well as special Fuel Crystals with limited rounds of shots. This rifle can shoot three hundred times once full. But in your hand, it''s infinite." Dalgan felt proud while revealing it to Sylvester. After all, he wasn''t from any particr faction at the moment. If anything, he was Sylvester''sckey in the eyes of everyone else. Sylvester nodded and tried to use it. The feeling was very nostalgic, just like a big rifle. The butt went against his shoulder, and his finger went to the trigger, which in this case wasn''t a pull trigger but a button on the side. The length was almost a meter long, and was certainly heavier than any rifle Sylvester knew of in his past life. Boom!


    "Interesting." Sylvester looked at the discharge of energy that shot out. It wasn''t srium, but it was still energy that he felt he could turn into srium and feed his body. "Nothing''s stopping me from doing the opposite." Once again, Sylvester tried to use the gun, but this time, he supplied it with srium that acted as the energy source. The mechanism of the rifle also became clear as he sensed every part of it. It was based on runes as well, but the runguage was different. There was energy circuitry created with runes that formed the bullet. BOOM!


    This time, a much bigger and visually terrifying st came from the rifle. It traveled through the rain, evaporating the acid, and struck a big boulder in the distance, forming a gaping hole inside it. "Oh!" Sylvester felt excited for no reason. "How big can it get?" Once again, he aimed the gun and gave it some more energy than before. The whole body of the gun rattled like it would break apart at any moment. But Sylvester still tried it. BOOM!


    Atst, a much bigger energy bullet went out, the size of a cannonball. It struck the same boulder and this time, obliterated it into tiny pieces, while most of it turned into a molten mess. However, the price was also paid. "Your weapon got sted open." Sylvester threw the ruined rifle back at the elder Prince. "The barrel can be made stronger, I think. What else do you have, Dalgan? Do you have palm-sized bombs as well? Or perhaps a smaller version of these bigger weapons?" "Much more, Pope. We have multi-shot cannons that can fire fifty rounds per minute. The range is also quite high. We added them to our flying vehicles,nd vehicles, water vehic¡ª"


    "What do you mean by vehicles?" Sylvester interrupted and stood up. "You know what, let''s start moving. I''ll keep you under a shield so the rain won''t affect you." N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "But we will be climb¡ª"


    "No, we''ll be walking in the air." Sylvester didn''t wait for them and created Light Tiles for them to walk on. "Follow me. And you two Princes, if you try anything, I''ll throw you down from the sky. Now, tell me which direction is your closest city." nk!


    Though invisible, Dalgan and Lord Two felt the chains holding them once again, prompting them to sigh and simply follow. "The closest city is in that direction. The capital of the southern province." ¡­


    Imperial Capital of Carus,


    "Empress, I beg your forgiveness. The Grand Prince was able to escape the hunt." "Despite being a Supreme Commander, you couldn''t hunt him down. Tell me, should I enter the battlefield myself now that your ipetence has been proven? Zama''tar would have ended that traitor''s bloodline by now, and you can''t catch a single man." Head hung low, the Supreme Commander knelt on one knee before the modest ck throne, upied by the Empress, armored from head to toe in the Divine Armor of Void; pitch ck, glistening with the flickering of fire andva around the throne room. "Give me one more chance, Empress Mother. I will bring you his head this time." "No, I''m sending Supreme Commander Bakin with you. If even the two of you can''t get him, there''s no need to return alive." Her voice reverberated with power, yet there were no emotions of anger or malice. "Leave." Quickly, the Supreme General left. In haste, he passed by a woman cloaked in an oversized ck hooded gown. Her face remained covered, and her stature seemed too small for someone to be in the Imperial Capital.


    He gritted his teeth and sneered at the passing woman, finally exiting, but not before hearing thest few words. "Empress Mother Zartha, a spatial anomaly was detected in the deep South. As your Oracle, I request your permission to go there and observe it."


    "Hmm¡­" Empress Mother hummed and tapped her chin with her finger. An amusing smile adorned her face. "You may go, but whatever you find, you must bring it to me¡ªalive."


    ¡­


    Southern Province, Sylvester arrived at the capital of the Southern Province; he couldn''t help but feel numb and somewhat worried for his poor and inferior world. The vision he had seen a long time ago in the past about the Demon world reminded him of where he was. This was the reality, the true power of the enemy. Tall massive buildings, bustling city with what seemed to be cars but oddly shaped. Well-clothed people were walking on the sidewalks, and shops were everywhere. ''This is ten thousand years of uninterrupted development.'' He remembered what the ancestor of Giants had told him. "What is the name of this city? Compared to other cities, where does this stand?" He asked. "This city is called Vls." Dalgan was smiling at the sight of his people and society. "Southern Province is not that rich, so this city is not even among the best ten in the world. The greatest one is, of course, the Imperial City at the Continent''s capital. It has the tallest buildings, but I don''t like that ce. Reeks of snobbery and depression, hidden behind the veil of a happy society."


    "Are people not happy?" Sylvester asked since all he saw were happy demons walking by. Even demon kids walked around unsupervised. "They certainly are happy since food, water, and many more necessities are cheap and easy to afford. But somehow, people have be depressed and distant from each other. But no doubt, Empress Mother did uplift the standard of life by a great margin." Dalgan chattered. He was undoubtedly boasting. "Look there, that''s a food court. Are you hungry?"


    "No, but I am interested." Sylvester changed their direction. "I''m sure these two princes are famished after our long walk." The two were like zombies already. With theirck of physical and magical powers, they had to give their all to keep up with Sylvester, Dalgan, and Lord Two. Soon enough, the five walked into a big hall with countless tables ced everywhere, upied by families and loners. The fashion of the demon society seemed very uniform, most wearing oversized robes over their bodies. "Aha! They have the Okini!" Dalgan chirped excitedly. "It''s the most famous and cherished dish of our world." "Bring me some." Sylvester allowed them to move freely as he went and took an empty seat. He observed the people all around and then noticed the food they were eating. ''Wait a minute, that''s bloody Pizza! But with a purple dough and¡­ strange toppings!''


    Busy looking around, he never realized when Dalgan returned with a big tray in his hands. "Here it is!"


    Sylvester frowned. "This¡­"


    "Hah, don''t be ufortable with the deep green color. It''s made of fried waterbirds." "No." Sylvester grabbed a piece. "This is just¡­ green KFC fried chicken!"


    _________________

 Chapter 732 731. Infinite Money Scheme

    Chapter 732 731. Infinite Money Scheme


    Sylvester stared at the juicy, tender-looking fried piece of meat in his hand. It looked like a leg piece of a chicken, but three times bigger. Even the texture of the fried batter coating looked simr to normal, except for the different colors. "Bring me a menu," Sylvester demanded. "No, bring me one item of each dish from the menu." "What?!" Dalgan almost cursed there. "But¡­ I don''t have that much money."


    "Don''t they ept gold?" "No, only paper currency is used that''s regted by the Imperial Bank. Gold was demized even before I was born." Dalgan exined and ced the money he had left with on the table. "This is the currency. I only have a few. Ites in five, twenty, hundred, and a thousand denominations."


    "How much did this meal cost?" "Fifteen." Sylvester hummed and picked the hundred. He looked at it carefully from each side, careful about any special spots on it. Sure enough, he noticed a little hidden colored strip between the middle of the note. "Shouldn''t be hard¡­"


    To Dalgan''s dismay, Sylvester shoved the hundred bill in his robe''s pocket and fiddled with it there for a few seconds. His eyes remained shut. No one knew what he was doing. "Let''s see." Once done with it, he took out his hand but now with a whole thick stack of folded bills of hundreds. "This should be enough for our expenses. I even made them look old."


    "..."


    "..."


    Father, son, and the two princes lost words in their throats and simply stared at the money that came out of nowhere. What was this sorcery? They wanted to know it too!


    "How?!" Dalgan snatched the stack. "Magic," Sylvester replied, shooing him away to buy what he requested. It was no help telling him about creation magic anyway since no one could do it realistically. "Come on," Prince Zostris came sliding on the seat towards Sylvester. "How did you do it? You said you made it." "Have you forgotten I can kill you?" "That''s why you should tell me. Since I''m a dead man walking, your secret is safe with me." Sylvester''s brows twitched, and he knocked his knuckles on the Prince''s head. "You think you''re fooling a baby with your words? Go and sit there silently, or I''ll keep you hungry." "I gave them the order. They will bring us the food on their own." Dalgan returned atst and sat down to eat. "Don''t you have all this in Sol?" Sylvester shook his head, staring into the pile of fried chicken. "We have it, Dalgan. Not just this, but most of the other things I''ve seen people eat here¡ªI invented them." Plop!


    The chicken fell from Dalgan''s hand. "E-Empress Mother invented most of this too¡­ this food court is owned by her." "Here''s your food." Right then, a young Demoness waitress came. She had a short stature, pale yellow skin, and three eyes, surprisingly, one being vertical at the center of her forehead. Her red hair swayed around as she bubblingly moved and ced the food. "I hope you can eat all of it." ''It''s all the same.'' Sylvester silently lost himself at the sight of tes upon tes that looked different, but were clearly the same things he recognized them as. ''Pancakes, fish and chips, milkshakes, spaghetti, ice cream, burgers, pizzas, pasta¡­ It''s too much for a coincidence.'' "Don''t worry, we can finish this all," Sylvester assured her and handed a ''totally not fake'' hundred bill. "Thank you for the food." "No, no¡­ Thank you!" ''So even demons can look cute when happy.'' Sylvester watched the girl run away happily back to work, letting him focus back on the food. ''Considering all the things I can recognize, Diana must have lived here for a long time, if it''s even her.'' n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Wondering what it must taste like, he took a bite. "Almost simr, but not repulsive. Tell me, Dalgan, how long has the Empress Mother been ruling?" "Long enough for everyone to know her. The previous King had a brilliant grip already, but when the Princess was born, she took on the task of subduing the rest of the world and crowning herself as Empress. Initially, we were all delighted. She brought changes to this world. But it wasn''t as if we were suffering much previously."


    "Do you have a Church for your faith too?" "No, the Empress Mother is the default head of faith, so we don''t have a separate church. The Imperial authority serves that role as well." Continuing to eat, Sylvester fell into deep contemtion. ''After living here for possibly a century, would she still be the same Diana? Can I blindly trust her? It''s been so long¡­ Does she even remember me, or did she try to meet me out of necessity?'' He realized that his choice couldn''t be made based on connections of the past. His world, Xavia, E, and his friends were counting on him. Being selfish was thest thing he could do. It was a struggle between picking a side, and he certainly knew which side he''d choose. ''Such a beautiful world you''ve made. I hope we don''t end up ruining it all.'' He muttered and looked at the two Princes. ''They may just prove to be more useful than simple tributes.'' While eating, Sylvester began to cook something. A n that would aid him in his victory no matter who turns out to be the better person, the Demon Empress or the Grand Prince. It was a fact that hecked the information to pick one side, so he chose both. "Take me to the Imperial Capital after this," Sylvester ordered and began feeding the hidden cat under the table. "We will have to take the airship then."


    ''They even have an airship. Why did this world not face the same chaos as mine? It''s like¡­ everything is opposite here. The demonic world is more humane than the human side.'' Sylvester felt disappointed as well as frustrated. Simply losing a war couldn''t exin the differences in the societies. "You have the money, so go ahead and make the arrangements," Sylvester ordered as if the ex-general was his real underling. "And buy better clothes for yourselves." Conflicted¡ªthat''s what Dalgan felt about Sylvester. He seemed evil at times and, in other instances, a kind soul. "I understand." ¡­


    Marveling the new world and its creations, Sylvester got onboard the vehicle called an airship. It was precisely what he expected¡ªa magical hot air balloon. However, this one had a massive steel frame, cabins,vish rooms, a sightseeing deck, and a fully operational kitchen. It was powered by steam from the looks of it, as multiple turbines ran to propel it in various directions. It was certainly faster than Earth''s airships. "I''ve never seen the luxury rooms before," Lord Two eximed, looking at every corner with greed in his eyes. "Having infinite money is the best."


    "It''s still illegal," Sylvester corrected and rxed in the private room with a private deck with big ss windows that showed the scenery at the bottom. The room was more like a little apartment with a living space and bedrooms. Of course, the regr folks were all huddled inside the cramped seats that wereid out as rows of three, side by side. "P-Pope." Dalgan came forward when everyone else was rxing and enjoying the luxury. "I¡­ I have a personal request. I don''t know how long I''ll survive while traveling with you, so I wish to see my family once. It''s on the way." "Why not." Sylvester sensed a genuine scent of hope, fear, and sadnessing off the four-eyed Demon. "But we will be jumping from the airship, not deboarding it at the station." "What?! Why?" "Because we''re being followed, and I don''t want to leave behind a trail." Dalgan looked left and right, trying to find anything hostile in the room. ''Who''s following us?'' He was a General, after all. ''How could I not sense it?'' he wondered. "Help?!" Prince Zostris and Orzoth cheered up. But Sylvester drowned their hopes very quickly. "They''re not here for you."


    "How many?" Dalgan inquired. "One, a female, most likely. Inform me when your home is the closest. We''ll walk in the air and descend physically." Sylvestermanded andid down on thefortable bed to rest and just¡­ think. Preparing himself in case he''d have to battle the one he cherished. BOOM!


    "Aaargh!" The two princes fell to their knees and cried.


    The whole airship jolted in an explosion and started losing altitude all of a sudden, but still quite slowly. It began to turn in one direction uncontrobly, and Sylvester was all prepared to jump out. "Amusing, I didn''t expect there would be someone tailing the one tailing us," Sylvester eximed and walked over to the massive sightseeing window and made a gaping hole in it. "Follow me if you don''t want to die." "How did you know?!" Lord Two questioned. Sylvester offhandedly answered. "I see everything within this whole structure."


    "I don''t wanna die!" Prince Orzoth, the younger one, ran first and jumped at Sylvester, holding onto his leg as if a precious treasure. BOOM!


    "Aaaaaa~ I don''t wann¡ª!" Sylvester kicked the Prince away, created visible chains from Light Magic, and caught all of them close to himself. The speed of the airship''s fall increased rapidly this time. He looked down from the window. They were falling towards somewhere in an endless forest full of tall, blue-colored trees. At best, only ten or so seconds were left for the airship to crash on the ground. "Let''s go¡­ Why are you waiting?!" Prince Zostris shouted in panic. Sylvester sighed and nced at General Dalgan, who also looked at him and gave a nod as if he understood Sylvester''s mind. "I can''t¡­" Sylvester sighed and changed direction to enter the lobby of the airship, "...ignore the innocent cries."


    His magic red out of his body like heavy radiation, even visible to the naked eye in the form of a gentle, sprinkling sparkle of golden dust in the air, formless, as if it were mist. "Dalgan, Lord Two, I''ll stop the airship from crashing. Handle the crowd." "Understood!"

 Chapter 733 732. A Forgotten Man

    Chapter 733 732. A Forgotten Man


    Sylvester didn''t need to move too fast. After the recent change in his body, he was more in tune with the magical energies than a Srium Crystal. It was as if he breathed magic itself. So, as he walked towards the main deck where all the chaos was likely happening, he used Electromaic Maniption and Metal Maniption to mend the broken airship and slow its descent to the ground. By then, Dalgan was able to manage the crowd as well, since the airship wasn''t descending that fast anymore. The pilots were able to steer at the same time and bring therge vehicle to a slow descent over the treeline. "We''re leaving." Sylvester gathered the four and led them away from the crowd. "We''ll continue moving towards your home, Dalgan." Crack!


    Making a big hole in the steel wall in one location, Sylvester walked out and stepped on the air itself using Light Steps. Behind him, the two Princes were dragged with chains. Meanwhile, the father and son followed on their own. "Why would the one following us be attacked? With such arrogance too. Empress Mother will be infuriated once she hears about this," Dalgan wondered since he wasn''t able to locate the criminals. "She''s known to be cruel to those who create senseless, violent chaos."


    "So am I," Sylvester muttered and gained altitude. At the same time, the airship continued to descend and eventuallynded above the trees, getting stuck on the forest canopy and saving everyone from the harsh drop. No explosions came, and the demonfolk jumped out of it safely. "How close is the nearest civilization from where?" Sylvester asked. "Don''t worry about that. The pilot told me he hadmunicated with the base station as soon as the first explosion happened. The relief staff must be on its way already," Dalgan exined. Slightly humming, Sylvester still raised his palm towards the crash site and did something magical. The ground and all the trees in a hundred-meter radius around the airship started shaking. All the trees in that area began to vanish as if they were sprouting in reverse and going back into the ground itself, eventually leaving behind a huge area only covered in grass. "Surprisingly, not too different from the nts I know. Only the color pigment is different," Sylvester muttered and started walking. "The relief airship will have some space tond now. Let''s start moving." ¡­


    When the masses at the crash site were confused and scared, a lone hooded woman stared at the sky, her gaze fixed on the floating figures, especially the one with blonde hair. She watched the whole magical scene of vanishing trees in silence, knowing who caused it. "There wille an imposter, bearing the looks of your own. Powers to mend nature to his will and end worlds, he will possess alone. Do not be afraid of the unknown, seek once such a sight is shown¡ªGreet the traveler, another one in this unknown life thrown."


    She muttered in a low hum from her lips as if a memorized song she knew unconsciously. Her covered gaze sparkled as if a longsting wish had been fulfilled. "Sadly, I can''t follow. These traitors must be interrogated first." ¡­


    It was an endless walk towards the North. Sylvester, Dalgan, and Lord Two walked as if it was a stroll in the park, gazing at the beautifulndscape from such a wondrous height. But Prince Zostris and Orzoth groaned and panted like dying donkeys. "How can you two be princes of the Grand Prince? I don''t remember him having such a weak body." Dalgan wasn''t being very patient with them. Perhaps more excited about seeing his family.


    "Spoiled in wealth," Sylvestermented. "The usual," Lord Two started. "Lucky bastards. Meanwhile, I was forced to wake up before sunrise by my Father and made to train until sunset."


    "It was for your own good. Look how strong you are now." Dalgan didn''t like that tone from his son. "When I was your age, I walked through kingdoms and deserts in the marching armies." "I was one year old!" Lord Two barked. "That was abuse, not training!" ''Have these two forgotten that they''re my hostages?'' Sylvester wondered in silence but didn''t interrupt the family bonding session as he was too busy talking with the fur ball on his shoulder. ''Feel anything?'' ''No, it feels like our world. Only that dark space felt like my belly¡­ they can''t see me either.'' Miraj murmured sadly, snuggling beside Sylvester''s neck. ''You said there might be someone like me here.''


    ''We haven''t even seen one percent of this world, Chonky. Don''t worry. If they are here, we''d know,'' Sylvester consoled him. ''For now, let''s focus on the n. Keep an eye on the two Princes, lead them as I told you.''


    ''Aye, aye, viting them is easy!''


    ''...You mean Isting, Chonky¡­ you did an oopsie again.'' Miraj, not even caring anymore, flew to the two princes to follow up on the n. Perhaps it was no longer a policy to avoid an oopsie. With that, Sylvester focused on Dalgan. "Tell me more about your world. The geography, perhaps. Do you have other species too? Like the elves and dragons?" "Of course we do. We have dark elves, devils who are like your world''s goblins, massive inds filled with undead, and even hell dragons. Of course, everything has been conquered by the Empress. Only the Grand Prince is left to oppose her. But¡­ I don''t think he''ll survive for very long." Dalgan looked behind at the two princes. "I don''t think they''ll survive very long¡­ or me."


    "Nor will I if I can''t win against those foes I told you about," Sylvester added, matching Dalgan''s mental state. "You must not believe me, do you?" In total surrender of his thoughts, Dalgan sighed and shrugged. "I believe you¡­ now I do. Only a madman would jump into a deadly enemy world for no solid reason, and you''re no madman. I''ve lived a long life, and a few times, I''ve also questioned some things. The strange ruins we used to find in explorations, the various prophecies famous across the world¡­ No history books could answer those things." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "What prophecies?"


    "Who knows? They always sound like random words jumbled together. Eventually, when people started panicking that they foretold about the world''s doom, the Imperial Authority decided to hide the prophecies andpile them in a safe environment." Dalgan revealed, "I was a General, but even I don''t know what actually went on in the upper echelons." ''Sounds like the old religions in my world.'' Sylvester silently drew parallels. ''But no matter what, this world seems to have been managed far better.'' "We''re close!" Lord Two interrupted them. "Father, the town looks so much bigger now!" Right there in the distance, the outlines of a cluster of buildings appeared in their view. Tall buildings, paved roads, and even some airships were rising and descending there. Sitting beside a tall mountain, the town seemed to be amon deste ce with a thriving local economy. "What''s the name?" Sylvester asked. "It''s called Redhill Town, known for its magnificent red cactus, a vegetable pickle loved everywhere. My family is thergest farmer of Red Cactus." They continued to walk and eventuallynded on the ground outside the city. From there, they entered the gates of the walled boundary on foot, and since there was no checkpoint, they found no issue entering. "Much has changed." Dalgan stared at everything with wide eyes, cherishing the new buildings and the bustling streets. "This street used to have small homes. Now they have buildings." Sylvester silently followed them while being careful. He kept everything around them under his senses, even what was happening behind him, and under Miraj''s watchful gaze¡ªjust as nned. "Father!" Lord Two shouted. "Look at the intersection, t-that''s your statue!" Dalgan smiled ear to ear, showcasing his demonic fangs. "Of course, they had asked for my permission back then before we went on the mission. I''m the most famous man from this town in its entire history, after all. Let''s go and greet your mother. Reren must have grown up too." So, they strolled through the busy streets and reached a somewhat better and richer neighborhood of the town. It was less crowded and had more of nature''s beauty, aligning the roads with trees of colorful leaves. The vehicles moved past and looked luxurious. "Red Cactus has gotten even more popr, it seems," muttered Dalgan. "I can even smell it in the air."


    "Where does this cactus grow? I saw nothing red from the sky," Sylvester questioned him.


    "Inside the mountain. It only grows in darkness¡­ Look, that''s my house. The structure is the same as I left, but the paint is new." Dalgan couldn''t hold himself back and ran forward with his son to the end of the street. A big, ten-foot-tall wall stood there, with twin doors made of iron. It boasted power, money, and authority with the mere presence of the overbearing entrance. Knock! Knock!


    "Agerza! I''m back!" Dalgan shouted, nearly getting teary-eyed. "Mother! Reren!" Lord Two shouted as well, while Sylvester stood behind with the Princes.


    ck!


    ck!


    Sounds came, and one of the twin doors opened. "Yes?"


    Dalgan stepped back and looked around as if making sure it was the right ce. "Who are you?" "You knocked at my door, buddy. Who are you?"


    Dalgan looked at his son''s face at the side before introducing themselves. "You must be a hired servant. It''s alright, years have passed. I''m General Dalgan, and this is my son, Lord Two, as was named by Supreme Commander Koznox! Where is my wif¡ª"


    Seeing the unmoving, proud expressions of the strange man standing before him, Dalgan began to think of the worst. "W-Who are you?" "I''m the man of this house, Commander Byeren." The tall, two-eyed, red-skinned Demon spoke. "If you''re looking for money by being an imposter, I suggest you start digging your grave."


    ck!


    The other door opened just then, and a female demoness appeared, matching some features with Lord Two. She came with smile but lost it halfway. "Who is it, Byer¡ªDalgan?!"


    Dalgan had no words to say. Homeless and heartbroken, the man had lost everything that day. Silently, he just stepped back, looking more and more haggard.


    Thud!


    Without realizing, he bumped into Sylvester, only to find a patting palm on his shoulder, pitying him, reassuring him. "How many years has it been?" Sylvester asked them. "Thirty years." Byeren, half in front of the demoness, as if protecting her, spoke up. "We thought you died, General."


    Sylvester sighed, having no words, since such time was enough for one to be forgotten.


    ________________

 Chapter 734 733. Traveler From Another World

    Chapter 734 733. Traveler From Another World


    ??"We thought you were dead, Dalgan." The demoness said, tearful and devastated as well. "The Grand Prince came himself and informed us about your demise along with the other four Generals."


    Dalgan gritted his teeth, his fist clenched. "I-I was on a mission in another world! How could you do this, Agerza¡­ You¡­"


    "She didn''t marry for a decade and grieved for you, General. She waited for you, but once her health started deteriorating, Reren brought her to the hospital," Byeren said, his voice shivering, knowing the man before him was abysmally powerful. "I am a healer, General¡ªA military healer¡­"


    "Enough. I have no interest in knowing about your love story." Dalgan rubbed his face, cleaning the tears around the corner of his four eyes. "Clearly, I should have died instead of returning."


    Dalgan turned around after that and started walking away. "I won''t disturb your happy little family again. Pope, let''s go. I''ll guide you to the capital."


    "Father!" Lord Two ran after Dalgan, followed by Sylvester. Behind them, Agerza fell to her knees in a sense of grief, as she felt like she betrayed Dalgan. Yes, three decades, but that didn''t feel relevant anymore.


    Sylvester wasn''t expecting to witness such a family drama, but he did sympathize with Dalgan. It was the usual trope of the soldier returning home to find a wife married to someone else, but it was somewhat more reasonable in this case.


    Sylvester took the man to what he guessed was a small restaurant to calm his nerves. Modest, with multiple wooden tables; the aroma was mouthwatering. Of course, food wasn''t the focus, at least for everyone other than a furball.


    "Dalgan, it''s not your fault or hers. It''s that Grand Prince''s fault. Didn''t he create the whole confusion? Why did he just assume that you were dead? I''m sure the same fate befell the other Generals who had gone with you," Sylvester consoled him¡ªhis so-called hostage.


    Thud!


    Dalgan mmed his forehead on the table. "It was worthless to have joined the Prince. I have gained nothing and lost everything."


    ''Maxy? Why is he crying?'' Just then, Miraj whispered into Sylvester''s ears.


    Sylvester sighed and replied mentally. ''His wife left him, Chonky. He''s sad because he just found out.''


    ''Then why is he crying? Can''t he just find another wife?''


    ''It doesn''t work like that, buddy. It''s a matter of the heart. It''s a matter of love. Once you marry someone for love, it''s not easy to forget them¡­ in most cases,'' Sylvester taught him, knowing Miraj had probably never fallen in love.


    ''Really? Then it''s like you and me? I love you so much. Should we get married?''


    Sylvester worked really hard to control hisugh. ''Love you too, buddy. But we''re already family, so we don''t need to get married. Marriage happens between people of two different families.''


    ''Oh, oh¡­ Like Fe-Fe marrying Be? Will you marry someone too?''


    ''No, I''ve had enough love for one lifetime. I''m devoted to my work and retiring in peace now. Ah, your food ising. Eat it sneakily.'' Sylvester changed the topic and hid Miraj under the table on hisp.


    "Father, what are we going to do now?" Lord Two asked, feeling somewhat hurt too, but not as much.


    Dalgan snarled and smacked Lord Two in the head. "What do you mean ''we''? You''ll go back home and take care of your mother and sister. No matter what, you are still her son."


    "And you?" Lord Two asked.


    The defeated man rxed in the chair and looked at the table. There were a plethora of dishes present now, most made from Red Cactus. As if in rage, he started gobbling them down. "I''m fine¡­ I''ll go with the Pope and be his guide. If there really is someone supreme above all of us; who wishes to destroy this world, I''ll fight alongside the Pope. I still love my family¡­ I can''t have you dying."


    But then Dalgan realized that his son was also a captive. "P-Pope, I plead with you to let go of my son. I''ll serve you in anything you require."


    "Sure, as long as he''s willing to sign the Blood Contract and vow not to act against me or divulge any information regarding me to anyone," Sylvester proposed and ced a magical piece of paper he created out of thin air. "Just punch your bloodied thumb here, and it''s done. Of course, if you break the contract, I''ll know it immediately ande for you."


    "Sign it." Dalgan pushed his son to go ahead. "Forget we ever went to that world. Forget you ever met the Pope. Start a new life, son. You''re strong and wise, so just manage the Red Cactus farms and grow some wealth. Get married and have a lot of kids. Don''t join the military again¡­ it''s given us nothing."


    Lord Two didn''t want to. Clearly, he cherished his father. "I''m more worried about you. You''re growing old, Father."


    "I''m still a General, both in rank and might. Worry about yourself, boy," Dalgan shrugged and focused on the meal, holding back his tears.


    And so, Lord Two signed the contract with his thumb. "Please don''t kill him, Pope."


    Sylvester shrugged, "I don''t n to as long as he doesn''t betray me. Go home now, kid."


    "Go home." Dalgan also pushed Lord Two away. "Take care of them, and kill that bastard if he ever hurts your mother and sister."


    "I-I will." This time, the son didn''t hold back his tears and jumped to hug his father. "Pleasee back once you''re free to do so."


    Pat! Pat!


    With Lord Two gone, Dalgan sat back down and looked at Sylvester sternly. "Pope, if I die¡­ Please make it honorable."


    "You''re helping save two worlds, my friend. There''s nothing more honorable than that. Come, eat now, and forget your sorrow." Sylvester gave him more food to eat. "We leave for the capital in the next airship."


    "Understood, I''ll go to the bank and close my ount there before we g¡ªWait! Where did the princes go?!" Dalgan stood up and frantically looked left and right. "They were with us a moment ago!"


    "Calm down." Sylvester didn''t bother much and just ate the spicy vegetable that reminded him of radishes. "They have a greater purpose to fulfill. Ah, I can see why Red Cactus is so loved. I''m sure folks in my world would have loved this too. Perhaps someday we''ll have permanent portals through which our two worlds could establish a trade."


    Confused, Dalgan decided not to ask about the Princes. He didn''t care about anything anymore. "Trade? Do you really wish to establish peace with us?"


    Sylvester nodded. "I know this world has an overpoption problem. But that doesn''t mean we need to conquer each other. We still have multiple moons, and there''s the whole sky. There are others out there where life can thrive. With mastery of spatial magic, I believe we can explore the universe and beyond."


    "Ambitious."


    "I''m barely thirty years old, Dalgan. My career can be defined by that word. Anyhow, let''s move."


    ¡­


    Following lunch, Dalgan went to the local bank. With the proof of his life easily provided with his magical signature, he got ess to all his wealth. He immediately withdrew everything and divided his wealth into three parts¡ªone for his son, one for his daughter, and a part for his wife. Making sure the new man wouldn''t get anything, he took out everything else that was left.


    After finishing everything up, he met with Sylvester at the airship station on his own ord. There were no longer any chains binding him. He truly served Sylvester because he wanted to see where everything would lead to.


    "I got the tickets." Dalgan approached Sylvester in the waiting area. "The next airship will head to the capital. But it will make a few stops along the way to refuel."


    "Understandable. Let''s board then." Sylvester didn''t make a fuss since he wanted to experience the Demon World. "By the way, what are the ranks of power in this world?"


    As they walked over to board the massive vehicle, Dalgan exined. "It''s the same as our military ranks. All the wizards get officer ranks by default¡ªLieutenant being the lowest, and Supreme Commander being the highest. As a General, I''m equivalent to your world''s Grand Wizard."


    ''Acolyte is a Lieutenant then? And I''d be a Supreme Commander?''


    "Then why does the Empress have five Supreme Commanders?"


    "It''s just a powery. Only Zama''tar was a Supreme Wizard. The rest are on the brink of bing one. The rank puts them above everyone else, so it''s convenient. Every single user of magic in this world gets assigned a military rank, even if they don''t wish to serve. It''s great to keep track of everyone." Dalgan stopped at the door of the private room for Sylvester and opened it. "The Empress is said to be a Supreme Wizard too."


    ck!


    Sylvester entered the room, but he didn''t walk beyond the door. "It seems we havepany, Dalgan."


    "Who?!" Dalgan peeked inside confusedly, finding a woman sitting inside the room on the luxury sofa, covered from head to toe in white robes, her face also covered with a hood. "But I''m sure we''re in the right room."


    "We are." Sylvester smiled, prepared to fight the woman. "Not a very good spy, are you?"


    "Greetings, traveler¡­ from another world."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading the book. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 735 734. The Imperial Welcome

    <h4>Chapter 735 734. The Imperial Wee</h4>


    ?"Greetings, traveler¡­ from another world."


    "You are?" Sylvester inquired and stepped further into the room. "I don''t take kindly to those who sneak behind my back."


    "But I''m right in front of you," the feminine voice came, and the woman walked towards him. "Is that hair real?"


    Sylvester nodded and folded his arms. "What of it?"


    "An Imposter, bearing the looks of your own," she replied, taking off her hood from her head. "I am Oracle of the Empress, Sylvester Maximilian. You have been prophesied more than the end of the world¡ªThe history speaks of your descriptions, and the ancient scriptures foretell your great purpose."


    ''No wonder they were desperate to find me.'' Sylvester didn''t say anything and waited to look at her face, wondering if this was the person he was looking for.


    "When I was informed about the spatial anomaly, I believed it was the doing of the Grand Prince again. But this is a much better surprise." She finally removed her hood and revealed her features. She appeared old, with almost wrinkly pale blue skin. Her hair was white, and she had only two shining yellow eyes. "Oracle is what I am called."


    "No name?"


    "Forgotten in the millennia passed."


    Sylvester didn''t bring down his guards. Clearly, the other party was being careful, so it was counterintuitive toy all his cards out openly. For all he knew, Diana might not even be there.


    "If we''re going to fight, I suggest moving away from the innocent people." Sylvester took the moral high ground before anything happened.


    "Fight? Didn''t youe here to meet the Empress? We are not barbarians, traveler. Your world may call us demons, but to us, you are the same¡ªdemons, aliens; Many names," the Oracle replied and retreated to sit down on the couch. "We are headed to the Imperial Capital."


    Sylvester sat down opposite her. "The previous airship was attacked. The fact that you arrived here so fast¡­ You must be able to fly quite fast."


    "Some ''demons'' have working wings."


    "Ah, you''re from those ns!" Dalgan eximed just then, earning her attention.


    "Greetings, General Dalgan. It seems despite going into Artius for the Grand Prince. You ended up bing a major key behind fulfilling the Prophecy. You will be rewarded by the Empress," the Oracle praised him in her usual monotonous tone.


    Dalgan sighed and didn''t react to her. "I chase no glory anymore. I have nobody waiting for me at home."


    "Why were they after you?" Sylvester quickly changed the topic. "Who was it that bombed the airship?"


    "They were men under themand of one of the Supreme Commanders. Of course, he will soon be an exmander. He may hold hatred towards my kind, but going after my life was a sin worse than treason."


    "Why the hate?"


    She sighed and looked out of the window. "Ignorance. Those with wings are an extreme minority, and on top of that, I am an Oracle with yellow eyes, considered to be a devotee of the Anti-God¡ªa mere hoax."


    ''The scent never lies in the end.'' Sylvester noticed the hint of bitterness with a burning sensation. It was hate within her heart. ''If I was the Empress, I would have never trusted her.''


    "Do you know why I''m here?" Sylvester inquired, keeping his senses open to everything.


    "I have only hints. The truth is only passed down through the generations of the Empress. I am a mere guide¡­"


    "Sylvester is my name."


    "Sylvester. I am the advisor, the guide of the Empress. I am tasked to warn of danger before it arrives. Alerting her to all the hidden spies and knives," she spoke, her yellow eyes glittering. "She is the only one who will lead us forward. Just as the visions say, as the Void ordered."


    ''She reminds me of myself.'' Sylvester felt her manner of speech was too simr to his own. And the fact she could see visions alerted him. ''What if you''re the one with knives? I can''t correctly assess her strength either. Could she be a reincarnator like the previous Popes and Saint Scepters?''


    He decided to test her reaction, "I know someone who said the same back in America once."


    ''No flinch, no reaction in eyes. The scent is ordinary too.'' He didn''t know whether to feel good or bad about that.


    "America? Where is this?"


    "Just a ce not worth remembering anymore. So, what is the name of the Empress? How old is she?" Sylvester asked, more interested in the uing meeting now that he had a direct lead into the pce.


    "Her name is Zartha, as for her age. I don''t think there is a need to know tha¡ª"


    "Is that another airship headed towards us?" Dalgan abruptly interrupted and stood up, staring out of the window.


    Sylvester calmly nced, and indeed, a massive airship was headed straight toward them in a collision course. "It seems your friends found you, Oracle. Once again, not a very good spy."


    Oracle nced back at Sylvester''s face. "Won''t you do something? It''s a military airship."


    "I''m just a visitor." Sylvester remained rxed, aiming to see how strong the Oracle even was. "I can say for a fact that even if they blew this ship apart, I wouldn''t be hurt. But the innocents¡­ aren''t they your responsibility?"


    Oracle''s old, wrinkly face grew tense, but instead of standing up, she closed her eyes and sped her hands. A momentter, she began to intensely pray in a loud voice. "O'' the ruler of the Void, may my enemiesy destroyed. Your blessed soul, your Oracle speaks. Cleanse the insanity that makes the air reek. O'' the rul¡­"


    BOOM!


    "What th¡ª!" Sylvester jumped to his feet this time. He stared outside, and the entire enemy airship blew apart with a gigantic yellow lightning strike from the sky. But the interesting part was that the sky waspletely clear and sunny. "Zeus?"


    The entire airship vanished from sight in no time, falling down in the deste dryndscape, burning away into ashes.


    Sylvester watched the woman open her eyes and look proud. "Oracle, by any chance, is your name Sylvia or something like that?"


    "What? I don''t remember my name."


    "What was that? A blessing from your god?" Sylvester questioned. "I''ve never seen gods intervene so openly before. Was that the same Void that you pray to?"


    She proudly nodded. "My faith is strong. I am blessed as long as I sing his song."


    ''That''s me!'' Sylvester internally eximed.


    "They are getting desperate now. The previous time I left the Imperial Capital twenty years ago, they had nearly captured me. But now they aren''t even considering the innocent lives they might hurt," the Oracle muttered, a surprising wave of anger rising within her.


    "Why weren''t they killed if they''re traitors?"


    "Supreme Commanders are the first line of defense. They are needed to keep the world secure and ordered. Since their target was only me, I pleaded to the Empress to ignore their attempts. I have no fear, however, for my faith is strong," she exined, slowly easing up to Sylvester. "I apologize for the inconvenience."


    ''No matter what, she''s a very good-mannereddy.'' Sylvester nodded in appreciation. ''What a sad fate to be constantly hunted by your own.''


    "But why? Just to kill you?"


    "I never got to ask them."


    ''Understandable.''


    Sylvester rxed after that, since the trip would take hours to reach their destination. Although air travel was still nothing other than aplex hot air balloon. There was a limit to its speed.


    So, he decided to share some nice snacks with the Oracle and Dalgan that he had brought from his world. The Bard''s had worked overtime to fill up the massive containers, working overtime through multiple shifts.


    "These are french fries. I got the uncooked ones to fry them with my hands." Sylvester seemingly brought out some food out of nowhere and cooked it with a wave of his magical hands. As if air frying it, they crisped up in no time. "Try it."


    "You have spatial abilities?" she asked in shock.


    "Something like that."


    Crunch!


    "Oh!" Dalgan ate it with no reservation. "I had heard about the Bard''s before."


    Crunch!


    Oracle also tried it eventually. "We don''t have these here."


    "You don''t have potatoes?" Sylvester asked. "In that case, we have the first eligible product to trade between our worlds. Mind if I show you a few more things?"


    From there, Sylvester, the merchant, got to work.


    ¡­


    It took them almost a day to arrive at the Imperial Capital. The magnificent, humongous city was so crowded that even the airship had to wait for its turn to enter the region. Eventually, with the Oracle''s ess level, they were able to head straight towards the Imperial Pce, a seeming city within a city reserved for Imperial administration matters.


    Sylvester watched the mesmerizing view from the window. It was nighttime, and he could see lights everywhere as if in a futuristic sci-fi city with sky-high skyscrapers, the gap between which wasn''t easily distinguishable.


    "What do you use to light up the city?" He asked as they proceeded towards thending site inside the Pce. "And what''s the city''s poption?"


    "A discovery of the Empress. She harnessed thunder using the warmth beneath our world. The subterraneanva fields helped produce all the electricity we need in the city¡ªhome to eight million people."


    ''Geothermal power nts? Makes more sense if the heat is widely avable throughout the world.'' Sylvester whistles at the size and numbers. ''At best, only Maximilia City has a million people back home.''


    "We have arrived." The Oracle got up, "Follow me, I shall lead you to the Empress."


    "It won''t be easy," Sylvestermented out of nowhere. "Your friends are waiting outside¡­ I can see it."


    Confused, the Oracle looked left and right but saw nobody.


    "He can see everything, Lady Oracle," Dalgan rified like a good assistant. "They are probably outside."


    "Perfect opportunity to ask them what they want from you," Sylvester suggested, walking faster than the Oracle, reaching the main exit.


    Amidst the shing lights from various tall buildings outside, Sylvester walked down the stairs and stepped on the huge tarmac area. Before him, there were almost a hundred demons in armor and weapons, with four tall and golden-cloaked ones in the lead.


    ''All four Supreme Commanders want to kill her?''


    "Greetings," Sylvester spoke when the Oracle arrived behind him. "Can you tell me why you wis¡ª"


    "Catch the sacrifice!"


    "Go!"


    The four Commanders shouted all of a sudden. A few soldiers detached from the formation and rushed at them. But, amusing Sylvester, they passed him and grabbed the Oracle''s arms before cuffing her wrists behind her old, fragile body.


    "Sacrifice?" Sylvester was amused. "What would that achieve?"


    "Take the two men as well!"


    Quickly, the demons tried to grab Sylvester''s arms, but they couldn''t, no matter how much they tried. From two, their number increased to four, and they still couldn''t move Sylvester, or even make him twitch. The same was the case for Dalgan, who was a Grand Wizard in his own right.


    "You know, I can predict the future for the four of you," Sylvester started speaking, making no sense. "O'' lord, with great sadness, I am having to bring you this news¡­"


    "Shut his mouth!" Amander roared, aiming his spear-like weapon forward.


    "My sisters, I feel your pain¡­" Sylvester continued even when six men tried to subdue him.


    Finally, the fourmanders became more serious, realizing these were no ordinary men.


    "What are you rambling? Why are you? Why are you with the heathen? Speak, or I will y you myself!" roared one of themanders. "Supreme Commander Bakin orders you to!"


    Sylvester sighed and started moving with ease. "...I know it''s hard to swallow¡­ but your husbandsmitted suicide!"


    BOOM!

 Chapter 736 735. The Empress

    <h4>Chapter 736 735. The Empress</h4>


    ?Boom!


    The ground cracked open, the wide tarmac fornding airships was destroyed, and ravines formed everywhere. The entire army of soldiers that the fourmanders had brought nowy t on the floor, and the fourmanders groaned while being restrained on their knees.


    They gritted their teeth, trying to stand up, but an invisible force kept them down and continued to increase the more they struggled against it. Every bone in their powerful bodies rattled under the pressure.


    The soldiers trying to stop Sylvester were left behind as he continued to walk and eventually arrived in front of the four Supreme Commanders. He looked down on them, but they couldn''t look up due to the gravity.


    "Tell me your names," Sylvester asked. "Every moment spent unanswered, your bodies will feel more pressure and eventually reach the point of breaking."


    Crack!


    "Ugh!"


    They fell face-first on the ground with the increase in gravity.


    "Speak," Sylvester repeated.


    "Commander Bakin."


    "C-Commander Koznox."


    "Commander Jaek"


    "Commander Onik."


    Sylvester nodded while humming and looked behind at the Oracle. "Why are you after her? What did you mean by sacrifice? What can you possibly get by sacrificing her? No doubt, if I was the Emperor, I would have beheaded you long ago."


    "S-She''s¡­ she''s the perfect sacrifice for the ritual¡­"


    "To get a direct blessing from God."


    "A blessing to grow stronger."


    "Like Zama''tar."


    Bam!


    Sylvester chuckled and mmed a foot on Commander Bakin''s head, pushing his face further down into the dirt. "Zama''tar? But he was weak! Getting that stronger is worth killing an Oracle who can tell you your fortune?"


    Bam!


    Sylvester stomped on the secondmander, giving them the genuine boot camp experience. What could they even do since it was impossible to even move. "Because of your meddling, my visit here was dyed."


    Yes, Sylvester became the young master. But, a young master who had actual power to back it all up couldn''t be a ''young master''. No, this was the main character energy.


    ''Maxy, should I eat them?'' Just then, the real main character whispered into Sylvester''s ears. ''They wille after you when you let them move. They always do.''


    Sylvester agreed with that assessment. That was what normally happens in such scenarios. "Do you know how I''ve kept you on the ground?"


    "Gravity!" Supreme Commander Koznox said. "W-Who are you, Sire?"


    Sylvester rubbed his chin and tried to think of a good demonic name for himself. But then he chose to go with the old, tried and tested name. "I am Lucifer, a hermit from the southern mountains."


    "What''s a hermit?"


    ''They don''t have this concept?'' Sylvester realized and proceeded to spout a more believable nonsense.


    "A hermit is a man who lives his life in seclusion and focuses every moment of his life on one goal¡ªdevotion and power," he exined. "Like I did, and received the gift of boundless magic¡ªenough to hold all four of you down."


    ''Maxy, you tell me to never lie. What is this?'' Mirajined from his shoulder.


    Sylvester sighed, ''Chonky, sometimes you do bad things for the greater good. And no, stealing cookies is not the greater good.''


    "W-Why have youe here?" Commander Jaek questioned.


    "Fate wills it." Oracle stepped forward at that. "He is to be the Empress'' guest. Step aside, Commanders. Your animosity with me should not be the reason for the destruction of this world."


    Bam!


    Sylvester stomped on their heads once again. "Bullying an olddy while being powerful Supreme Commanders, such pathetic weaklings you truly are. Has mind rot gotten you? If you desire power, then go and pray to God, train until your body breaks, and live as an honest man."


    Without realizing it, Sylvester began singing a hymn as a reflex, since it came so naturally to him to scold subordinates and push them towards the right path with a few words.


    "You serve the people at God''s behest.


    All your struggles are nothing but his test.


    When the time is right, you shall be blessed.


    Honesty and worship¡ªhold them in your chest."


    "Y¡ª" Just as Sylvester was about to continue singing, he realized the mess he had caused. But to his surprise, the halo hadn''t appeared behind his head. Yet, when he looked down, he noticed the four men shaking.


    ''They''re exploding with anger.'' Sylvester stepped back and freed them from the gravity a bit.


    But the four of them raised their faces at the same time and stared at Sylvester. Two had four eyes, and two only had two, some red and some blue¡ªall were shining with a watery hue.


    ''What did I do?''


    "Sage Lucifer! Take us as your students!" Commander Jaek roared, his blue scales akin to a reptile shining on his smooth forehead.


    Right then, Commander Koznox started. His head was adorned with three horns akin to a crown. "Sage, after our leader, Zama''tar, left us. We''ve be aimless, stuck in our struggles for even a minute increase inprehension of magic and might. Please teach us."


    ''No, no¡­ You are supposed to fear me, not admire me.''


    Sylvester scratched his face, "Well, I''ll meet the Empress first. If she can satisfy my curiosity, I might be willing."


    "Oracle, lead me into the Imperial Pce, please." Sylvester stopped talking and walked away, the woman and Dalgan following behind in rapid steps.


    "You did not have to do that," Oracle said.


    Dalgan wasn''t much different from the fourmanders, however. "I feel nothing but admiration. They''re supposed to be the strongest powerhouses of this world."


    "It''s not that they''re weak," Sylvester replied, trying to sound as less smug as possible. "I''m simply stronger than you can imagine."


    Soon enough, the three arrived at a normal, small entrance that looked futuristic as it waspletely electrified. The massive metal door slid aside and revealed a long lobby.


    "The main pce is further from here. This lobby will take us through the buildings that surround the pce," the Oracle exined everything. "Let''s take the moving road."


    Yes, as Sylvester expected, it was a moving walkway in the middle of the lobby, going far into the distance ahead. ''The advancements are insane. It''s impossible for the Empress to have done this in one lifetime. Other reincarnations have to be the reason.''


    The entire walkway was an extremely long lobby with hundreds of passing doors on the sides. They saw nobody else there, and only beautiful paintings on the walls were there to greet them. Huge, showcasing battles and many faces he had no idea about.


    Even the lights on the ceiling were definitely simr to LED lights, unlike him who had just reached the light bulb recently. ''This world is a goldmine that I can use to kickstart many things back home. But it all rests on how this meeting goes.''


    "Here." The Oracle stepped away from the moving walkway and proceeded to open a small, regr wooden door on the side. As soon as they entered, they saw another much smaller lobby with hundreds of armored guards standing against the wall at a simr distance.


    The Oracle didn''t lead them further from there. "Please inform the Empress that the fated day has arrived."


    Sylvester assessed the guards in the meantime, since they appeared ustomed to Oracle''s cryptic words. They were different from the soldiers under the Commanders. These guards had much more extravagant armors, but they weren''t primitive like his world.


    No, they seemed futuristic, full-bodied exoskeleton armors. Golden in color, with many lines on them, as if they were circuitry. He had no doubt they were running on magic, but what they did was confusing.


    ''Unless I destroy this world, there''s no doubt the Demon World will win against my world in a battle of civilizations and worlds.''


    Sighing, he waited for the permission to enter. There was nothing else to look at around him but much to prepare to meet the ruler of the world. So much death and chaos had been caused because of the demons. It was time to get their answers.


    "The permission to enter has been granted." The soldier returned with someone else behind him, an old-looking Demon with typical red skin, and there were spikes on his back hidden inside oversized white and golden robes.


    "But only the visitor may see the Empress." the old man stepped forward. "I am the Empress'' adjutant. Please follow me."


    Oracle gave him a nod, while Dalgan waved his hand as if he hade for a special tour. Clearly, he was on the verge of changing sides sometime soon.


    Sylvester silently followed behind the old man while maintaining his sharp senses. It was the home of the enemy, and the Empress was one demon he chose to remain vignt against. Miraj also sat on his shoulder, ready to spew out his weapons, and also beams of light that he had eaten beforehand.


    However, as soon as they exited the small lobby and entered the main pce, he realized it was just another regr building. There were massive ss windows on one side overlooking vast gardens, while on the right were doors upon doors. There were also servants passing by, keeping their heads low, but they didn''t seem like ves.


    "This way."


    A turn came, and Sylvester found himself descending down the stairs. It felt neverending as half an hour passed, and they were still walking down. The only source of light became the artificial lights on the ceiling, this time magical.


    The paved and painted walls and stairs had receded long ago. Now, all he saw was a crude staircase made by carving the rocky underground exterior, seemingly made of some sort of ck stone.


    Eventually, he noticed heat rising from further down. ''Why would the Empress meet me here?''


    "Please go further down on your own." The old Demon stopped there. "The Empress will see you there."


    Sylvester nodded and continued on the path. He picked up his pace and ran downwards, almost gliding over the stairs. Even then, it took him minutes before he noticed two massive gates made of bronze with unknown engravings on them.


    ''The heat is overwhelming.'' He felt and pushed the gates.


    Woosh!


    A strong gust of warm air brushed against his face, throwing off the hood on his head and making his hair flutter.


    Sylvester firmly looked around while walking. It was a massive cavern with ake of red-searingva, illuminating everything. But his gaze never left the string of stones protruding in theke leading to its middle where what he came to see rested.


    A throne made of the same ck stones that constructed the cavern. On top of it was a figure vastly different from most demons he had seen before. Covered in shining ck, body- hugging armor from head to toe, with two massive horns arching upwards from the sides of her forehead. Her w-like fingers tapped on the armrest, while her red eyes dug into Sylvester''s figure.


    There was mostly silence other than the searing and boiling ofva. Sylvester could sense she was dangerous, but her true strength eluded him.


    "To send your most powerful Commander to die, just to hand me a message of invitation." Sylvester measured his words carefully. "I hope the reason is equally substantial."


    The Empress didn''t respond at first and rose from her throne. The hint of caution and distrust in their eyes went both ways.


    "Follow me, Sylvester Maximilian."


    _________________


    [See the Empress Here]


    Thank you for reading the book. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 737 736. First Exchange

    Chapter 737 736. First Exchange


    ??Sylvester stared at the demoness, trying to take a whiff of her emotions. But surprisingly, he couldn''t feel much magic in the air there. He couldn''t feel anything else besides theva and warm energy.


    "To where?"


    The Empress looked behind for a moment and then resumed her steps. She walked right on top of the field ofva. As soon as she stepped a foot, rocks emerged from beneath to support her. "They watch everything."


    This time when she walked, Sylvester followed behind. True, he already expected the ''Gods'' to be watching him by now. The fact that he still breathed was already a victory in a way.


    The stones appeared under his feet just as the Empress''. They walked behind her throne, and then further into the sea ofva. The air was thick with the acrid scent of sulfur, assaulting the senses with a relentless reminder of the demonic malevolence.


    Eventually, the throne vanished behind in the distance, and they kept on going. No, it wasn''t ake ofva, but perhaps a river, as it kept flowing and getting bigger. asional geysers of molten fire erupt sporadically around them, casting an eerie glow that danced along the cavern walls, revealing grotesque, contorted formations and etched shapes.


    ''Not the way I expected the first meeting to go like. A trap?'' Sylvester raked his brain, trying to understand where she was leading him. ''Ready to kill then.''


    Staying alert, he looked up at the overhead stctites of obsidian hanging like lethal daggers, threatening to plunge below.


    Eventually, the river ofva ended, and they arrived on solid ck ground made of stone. But as they entered a massive opening, Sylvester noticed they were walking on a very thin and long bridge, with deep, dark ravines on each side and no end in sight.


    All of a sudden, from the swarming bright light of theva, they had entered the darkness. But the heat was only rising there.


    "We''re here," the Empress notified at the end of the thin pathway. She ced her armored w on the wall as it seemed like a dead end. But then the wall opened like twin doors. However, as they walked inside, it was still utter darkness.


    "Follow my voice," the Empress instructed and vanished deeper into the room. "Here¡­ this way¡­"


    The entire time, she called out to Sylvester, guiding him towards herself. But she had no idea what Sylvester could do. He saw everything, even in that darkness, and it made his skin crawl.


    ''The same snakes I saw in the portal?!''


    They were everywhere, as he could see them under his feet and even above. It didn''t require making light anymore. However, he did keep Miraj tightly close to his body.


    "Where are we going?" he asked her again. "I know the reason. I need the name of the location."


    "Where they can''t hear." She replied.


    Sylvester didn''t buy it since even Nehilius couldn''t hide from the Primordial Gods. "That''s impossible."


    "Or so we thought," the Empress said and finally exited a door simr to the one they entered. They had traveled through the tunnel of those space worms by then. If time maniption was also one of its side effects, he didn''t know.


    Zzzzzzz~


    After exiting the portal-like space, the Empress closed the door behind them, and as if in response, the whole area began to illuminate with a sizzling noise. It seemed like a t surface with a dome above it, covering the entire area around them. It was small, with enough space for the two of them to stand upfortably.


    The illumination inside the dome came in the form of rune patterns, wide and long, covering the dome ceiling to the ground. They all shined in a uniform blue light, and surprisingly, some of them were runes from Sylvester''s world, others from the Demon World, and others he couldn''t recognize.


    "Generations it took to make this ce possible. Knowledge of all the predecessors helped build this room." The Empress finally seemed to speak with a rxed tone. "Not hidden, but lost from the sight of ''them''. We can talk openly here and hope none will hear us."


    Sylvester''s brows rose up, and he looked at all the runes around. "That portal tunnel was for this? That would mean you''ve mastered the art of making those sorts of portals?"


    "Not mastered, but I haveprehended," she answered Sylvester, walking to the dome''s middle. There, she raised her palm forward, and a small pir protruded out with what seemed to be a magical control panel. "Again, the knowledge I gained because of the well-recorded research and findings of my ancestors."


    Sylvester found it hard to get a read on her. Her emotions didn''t re up, leaving him to rely only on instincts. "If you had such mastery, why did your kind spread so much chaos in my world for so many centuries?"


    "Lost in the transition. The trusted men and women I sent from my side were never able to arrive in your world unharmed. Their physical matter was broken, only leaving their souls that were corrupted and had totch on to the closest object to survive¡ª


    bing a Key, as your people call it," she exined and started taking off her armor, starting with her helmet. "Only the strongest of the strong could survive it. Even Zama''tar barely kept his mind intact."


    He agreed with her about that. Zama''tar had to possess a human body, but he retained his honor, integrity, and knowledge, "And what is the grand reason you have to attempt tomunicate with me to such an extent."


    "To share my knowledge with you and help you understand the kind of threat our two worlds face. It''s substantial and life-


    threatening for all of us. Sylvester Maximilian, your world lost thest war," the Empress informed him, hoping to find him bbergasted and then exin everything. But to her surprise, he knew everything beforehand.


    "I know. I was recently informed about it by the secluded Kingdom of Giants. Your world won thest war, and mine won the one before. The consequences were also grave, as I can see. You''ve been able to make magnificent cities while mine has just begun to rise." Sylvester waited for her topletely take off her helmet.


    Slowly, she ended up doing something that deactivated her entire suit of armor. The ck, figure-hugging metal began to fold into itself on her body and vanish, revealing loose-fitted clothes inside. He didn''t expect that, but he soon got to view her entirely.


    Standing a few inches taller than him, she was a woman of a warrior''s figure. Her fit, red and white clothes were more than simple robes, but the hood was still present. Her two eyes were yellow, and her skin was extremely white. However, the horns on her had vanished. As for any other demonic altercations on her body, they remained hidden.


    ''I wasn''t expecting this beneath the armor.'' Sylvester felt somewhat speechless. She wasn''t ugly at all.


    "Zenith," he muttered her name. "That still didn''t answer my question. You''ve been trying to find and speak with me for over a century, even before I was born. Why such rush?"


    "Because judgment day ising. The war between our two worlds is not far away. The more time passed, the more desperation grew. Sylvester Maximilian, if we don''te together, our already slim chances of winning will disappearpletely," The Empress replied and clicked a finger on her ring, forming a metal, engraved rod in her hands.


    Sylvester was alerted and got his spear from Chonky. "I have been preparing against ''them''. What have you been doing?"


    "So you knew." She sighed and looked down, her yellow gaze showing some emotions. "I feel less burdened now. I had expected that you''d dismiss my ims of there being Gods, so powerful we cannot imagine. I''ve seen and heard plenty through my oracle."


    ''Does she want to fight me?'' Sylvester brought up his guard.


    "Tell me, Empress. How much do you know? What do you know about our entire situation? Why are we being used like this?" Sylvester directly asked the main questions.


    She began walking closer to Sylvester in a fighting stance. "Since I was born, I saw my family''s ancestors work day and night to build something to help the people. I wanted to follow that tradition and invent a few things. Everything was going brilliantly until I met my Oracle¡ªthe grander fate unfolded, and now we stand face to face."


    ''She''s still keeping secrets.'' He could feel it.


    Sylvester also took a battle stance. "I''ve had simr experiences, but perhaps not as smooth a rise. Almost got killed at a month old, fought all the way here¡­ still searching for answers."


    "I will give you the answers." The Empress stopped moving. "But first, I must know if you''re capable."


    "Hah," Sylvester chuckled and raised his spear. "You took the words out of my mouth, Empress. But let me warn you, don''t be too surprised when defeated."


    Under that dome''s light, they prepared their mental strategy. Sylvester had no clue how powerful she was, and the Empress had only heard words about Sylvester from various reports. They both wanted to be careful and, at the same time, go all out to measure each other.


    "Sylvester Maximilian, I hold no animosity towards you," she muttered and positioned herself to strike. "We''re doing this to defeat Aveda and Ashraska!"


    "So you know their names."


    _________________


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 Chapter 738 737. I Need Answers!

    Chapter 738 737. I Need Answers!


    ??"Generations have known their names in my world. Only we couldn''t do anything before a response from your side." The Empress said while starting to step sideways like a lioness on a hunt.


    "Then you should rejoice that your message didn''t reach any Pope before me." Sylvester reciprocated by matching her actions. "All the Popes before me were controlled by ''them''. Even if they had learned about you, they would have been more interested in finding a way to send their armies here¡ªto conquer."


    The Empress hummed, "I didn''t know this."


    "You don''t look too different from humans," Sylvestermented before she could jump towards him to attack. "Your eyes, lips, hair, even the body matches a regr human."


    She grunted and leaped forward like a tigress. Her movement was faster than a Grand Wizard. Her arms aimed to m her fighting bo staff at Sylvester. "Hence the armor!"


    ''Not as fast as I expected.'' Sylvester frowned and didn''t even use his spear. With only his left palm, he grasped the staff and tried to shake it loose from her grip.


    The Empress defied gravity, seemingly stepping into the air as she ascended higher. With a swift turn, she inverted herself, flying towards Sylvester''s exposed back. Freeing the bo staff from her grasp, she descended with precision, shouting, "Here!"


    It wasn''t for Sylvester.


    Bam!


    The stick vanished from Sylvester''s hands and reappeared in hers as if it had teleported. With a rapid and forceful move, she executed a stabbing strike aimed at his back. The impact was potent, pushing Sylvester away, yet it strangely felt like nothing more than a tickle.


    Unfazed, he quickly regained his stance, ready for the continued battle. "Have you reached the peak of power in this world?"


    "Ha!" She jumped towards him again, making quick strides as if gliding on the ground. The scene around them also changed somehow. The dome turned into open, rocky grounds and a sky.


    Sylvester ducked at her quick swing and swiped a kick at her feet.


    She jumped again like an acrobat, creating some distance between them while spinning the bo staff above her head. It went faster and faster, eventually raising a storm of dirt that came from the changed scenery.


    "Tricks." Sylvester started walking towards her, sensing something amiss.


    The Empress created a tornado of dust around her, growing bigger as she spun the bo staff even more. Then she began moving towards Sylvester too, faster than him and reaching him in one quick motion.


    nk!


    The tornado had countless des in it. They spun and struck Sylvester''s clothes and face. However, no cuts appeared anywhere on him, only sparks and sounds. The tornado grew faster after that, but Sylvester remained standing as if the attack didn''t even faze him.


    Thud!


    Sylvester ced his arm above his head, stopping the sneak strike from the Empress. "So that bo staff lets you teleport? But how fast can you go?"


    Finally, Sylvester decided to start attacking her. The Spear of Infinity sped in his palms firmly. Quick stabs came a second after, faster than one could see. His hands moved like a machine, and even the afterimage of the spear''s head vanished.


    The air whistled due to his speed. But the move had only begun as the Empress tried to step back.


    Ting! Ting!


    Sylvester activated the spear, extending it. Keeping the stabs flying at her, the spear reached her on its own. She tried to stop him, but to her dismay, his stabs pushed her back.


    "I''ll start moving then," Sylvester replied monotonously and pushed forward. His feet made heavy steps, digging into the dirt each time. He didn''t even break a sweat, as it was one of the most basic moves.


    The Empress remained tight-lipped the whole time, seemingly struggling against Sylvester''s simple attacks. He hadn''t even started using his powers yet.


    But just then, she used her powers. A ck mist came out of her body and started spreading everywhere. It glimmered with little sparks of white lightning in it. Farther and wider, the faint ck mist eventually covered all of the area around them.


    Woosh!


    She disappeared.


    Bam!


    A stabbing and somewhat painful sensation suddenly struck Sylvester from behind. But there was nobody behind him.


    Bam!


    The same stab came from the side now.


    Bam!


    From above this time.


    He couldn''t find the Empress in any direction. The ck mist remained there too, but it didn''t block his vision at all. In fact, the more attacks he faced, the more it sparked.


    Bam!


    She moved so fast that even his senses couldn''t zero in on her presence. But Sylvester didn''t panic and tried to feel the air. The magic of creation and destruction was the base of everything. He tried to sense the energies around him, especially the mist.


    nk!


    He effectively started blocking her strikes as well. Running on pure instincts, he moved his spear with his hands faster than the blink of an eye.


    ''Aha! The mist is the base¡­ she''s teleporting, but much faster and repeatedly.'' Sylvester realized her trick. The little sparks were proof that her control over space magic wasn''t perfect yet. The sparks were minute collisions of the spatial energies with the space they upied by default.


    "Let''s see if you can block me as well." Sylvester crouched his feet a little and kicked the ground.


    Boom!


    He vanished as well, so fast that the Empress had to stop teleporting, as she had no target anymore.


    Woosh!


    A gust of wind disturbed the mist.


    "Behind you." Sylvester punched first and announcedter. A fist to her liver, or where he believed it''d be, if she were human.


    Thud!


    He used a lot of strength, throwing the Empress so hard she physically flew sideways andnded roughly on her crouching feet. The hood also fell back, revealing her moon-like white face and the simrly white hair. Her yellow eyes narrowed, with her cat-like irises contracting.


    Bam!


    "How?!" she questioned, trying her best to find out how Sylvester was moving. "How are you teleporting? There are no spatial disturbances."


    "Haha!" Sylvester''sughter echoed from all around, sometimes from right beside her ear, and at times from far in the distance.


    Boom!


    "Aaargh!"


    For the first time, the Empress felt pain. A punchnded right on the left side of her jaw, throwing her onto a rock like a ragdoll.


    Boom!


    "Gah!" She felt a kick stomping her belly, leaving her gasping for air as only her saliva burst out of her lips with a cough. Her brows frowned in panic, and she tried to stand up quickly.


    "I''m not teleporting," Sylvester announced.


    Thud!


    She felt a punch on her right this time, and it was so powerful that she didn''t even get thrown away. Her body simply fell to the left, her head mming onto the ground of hard red stones.


    "Ugh!" She groaned and bled even¡ªred, of course; From her lips, from her temples. Her clothes were now dirty, and her staff fell away from her grasp.


    Finally, Sylvester appeared in front of her, looking down at her face like she was an insect. His eyes expressed anger, and his brows furrowed. He was no longer neutral. Possibly a decade had been stolen from him in his endeavor, and he wanted straight answers.


    "I wasn''t teleporting. I''m simply moving faster than you can imagine." He revealed and crouched down, making her feel fear for the first time as she crawled backwards until she couldn''t anymore, hindered by a boulder.


    Bam!


    Sylvester punched her face with no mercy. He could heal her at any momentter. "You''re pathetically weak, ''Empress''."


    Bam!


    He punched her face again and again, using both his hands.


    Bam!


    It ruptured her skin and made her bleed heavily. But he didn''t break her jaw, since he needed answers. "Who are you? The Demon Empress couldn''t have been this weak!"


    "I am the Empress!"


    Sylvester''s gaze turned furious, and he didn''t stop to speak this time. A long and painful flurry of punchesnded on her face, her shoulder, and her chest. She gasped, groaned, and bled profusely. Her eyes swelled up, and her pretty face turned hideous. He couldn''t afford to show mercy to a woman¡ª


    anyone being smart against him was an enemy. This was the world of enemies.


    "You will only speak the truth!" He roared at her face. "I can smell that fear, don''t make me turn that into the scent of death. If you waste any more of my time, I''ll destroy your whole world before it can wage a war against mine."


    Just one barely open eye was left that she could see with. Her body couldn''t move. It failed to respond to her orders. "I¡­ I am not lying. I am the Empress¡­ the new Empress¡­ I took the throne ten years ago."


    "If that''s the case." Sylvester pressed one knee on her belly, and one hand grabbed her forehead in his palm. His other hand raised the spear and held its tip right under her chin, ready to pass through her skull.


    "N-No¡­" She groaned a few words. "Y-You''re too powerful¡ª"


    "I know!" Sylvester pressed the spear''s tip harder. "Now answer me, how did you know my other name?"


    "W-What¡­ Aaah!"


    The spear entered her chin half an inch.


    "Why did Zama''tar call me Johnathan?"


    _________________


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 Chapter 739 738. The Room

    Chapter 739 738. The Room


    ??"Why did Zama''tar call me Johnathan?"


    Battered and bloodied, she struggled to voice the words in her throat. Pain ran through her body, and the fear of death seemed real. "Z-Zama''tar was¡­ sent over a century ago!"


    Sylvester pressed his knee on her belly even more. "And?"


    "I¡­ I don''t know¡­ I wasn''t the Empress. But I¡­" She groaned in pain. "I know where you might find answers."


    Sylvester tried to sniff for any lies in her words but found none of them. She genuinely appeared frightened, far from what he expected from an Empress. But that begged the question of where the real Empress was.


    "Where is the answer?"


    "In the pce above," she insisted.


    ''No scent of lies.'' Sylvester noticed and retreated from pressing her down. ''I hope this trip wasn''t a waste of my time.''


    "Stand up," he ordered her while healing all her wounds as if nothing had happened. In a disy of his control over his abilities, he even cleaned the bloodstains from her face and hair, and fixed all the damaged parts of her robes too.


    "How did you¡­?" She looked down. "I saw no magic initiation."


    "I''ve grown beyond what you consider the limit, Empress," Sylvester replied and stood up. "Now, lead the way. If you try to act smart, I''ll make you watch as I ruin your world."


    She nodded seriously and activated her armor, which covered her entirely in ck again, finally erecting the horns on her forehead. She looked far more formidable like that, and certainly had the aura of a ruler.


    "I know, Sylvester Maximilian," she responded and started walking as the dome they were in started turning back to normal. "I wasn''t the one who invited you, but the prophecies talked about you plenty."


    Sylvester didn''t respond to her attempts to ease the air. His mood was spoiled already as he considered the worst possible scenarios.


    ¡­


    Somewhere across the cosmos, outside the darkness that held the fabric of reality. There were two beings who stood above all, the survivors of an eternally long war that left only them as the victors.


    "So he has manifested in your realm now," said one voice of consciousness.


    In the resounding echoes of the divine, the other voice resonated in harmonious ord, "This is the most amusing phase yet."


    "Veiled from my omniscient gaze for this long, he shall atone for the grievous disgrace."


    "Do not¡ªthis has been the rule. We are to observe and await the unfolding of the path ahead."


    The voices receded back into a silent yet intelligible slumber afterward. Their vision spread everywhere, their senses taking notice of every minuscule change. Boundless power and limitless age, they were the ones above all.


    Such was the fact of their existence they could recall.


    ¡­


    Sylvester, unaware of the curious gazes on him, walked behind the Empress. After climbing the stairs back up all the way to the ground floor, they arrived in the regr hallways of the pce.


    Towering columns adorned with intricate carvings rose majestically on either side, whispering tales of regal history. Gilded tapestries, depicting the exploits of bygone rulers, hung gracefully, catching the soft glow of ornate chandeliers.


    The soldiers, servants, and others bowed deeply to the Empress and stepped aside as if in fright. The soldiers also saluted each time, guarding every corner and wall. The deeper they walked into the pce, the more extravagant it became. The walls showed countless sceneries from history, which Sylvester tried to memorize as they told him about the world.


    "Where are you leading me?" Sylvester asked.


    "The room that I was never allowed to enter," the Empress replied and kept walking, ignoring everyone that came their way. "I didn''t mean to be deceitful. I''m genuinely hopeful for your cooperation in this hidden war."


    "With your strength, you won''t be able to perceive them even if they were standing before you," Sylvester replied apathetically. "They can control time as if it were a child''s toy. They can control the souls, the lives, and reality itself by their will. You haven''t even reached the peak of this world''s power."


    She turned a bit disappointed hearing that, apparent from the way her shoulders loosened. "I have no other choice but to do anything I can to save this world¡­ this is all I have."


    "That feeling is mutual."


    They continued to walk for a long time. Then, the Empress took a turn and entered a guarded door. But the amusing thing was just how many doors they had to cross, and how many keys the Empress had in her possession.


    They entered the first guarded door and into a massive hall. From there, they entered a side room which looked like an office. There, the Empress inserted a key in a hidden slot on one of the bookcases, opening the entire wall like it was a door.


    From there, they walked into another room, seemingly full of dirt. But just like that, they kept crossing from one room to another, sometimes even climbing downstairs, finding hidden keyholes and doors in the ceilings, walls, or the floor.


    They finally arrived at thest one after crossing what seemed like five dozen doors. It was inside an absolutely dark room with no airflow anywhere. Sylvester was using his light magic to make light, so they saw a very ordinary wooden door with a marker on it¡ªStay Out.


    The Empress fumbled with the keys and inserted thest one in the door. "We both are the first ones to look inside this room. Be careful. I don''t know what she ced in there."


    "She?" Sylvester caught on.


    "The previous Empress." The Empress turned the key, and a click resounded. The door looked loose and ready to be opened.


    ck!


    "Hold your breath," Sylvester ordered her and walked in front of her as a shield.


    He slowly opened the door, pushing it carefully with his palm, oozing light into the dark space. No dust blew at his face, nor any scent that could be harmful. He tried to sense any magic inside, but that wasn''t to be found either.


    "It''s safe." He fully opened the door and stepped inside. "And small."


    Blink!


    They suddenly looked up as a light turned on, illuminating the entire room. Barely bigger than ten feet by ten feet, its walls were covered with countless papers stuck on it, photographs, and markers, with red lines of threads traveling from one point to another.


    Sylvester easily knew what it was. "It''s a crazy wall."


    "What''s that?"


    Rxing, he walked closer to the wall and tried to analyze everything. At first, he found the writing on the papers very confusing. But then, he remembered something, and it almost burst his heart in shock.


    "I-It''s Russian!"


    The walls of text, the papers everywhere, they all had just onenguage. The images of people, sometimes hand-drawn and sometimes photographs, had names under them. The dates also denoted the time.


    "What year is it here?" He questioned frantically.


    "It''s year ten thousand and nine of the Void," Empress Zenith answered. "What is Russian? Can you read this?"


    Sylvester silently stared at the wall and followed the red lines. It was something he had made a few times in the past, especially nearing the end of his life, in order to find the traitor¡ªthe crazy wall, or also known as an evidence board.


    "I can¡­ read this," Sylvester replied and, like a child who saw candy, stared at everything and read it. The room was small, but since all of its walls were covered, and even behind the door, there was so much material to digest.


    "This! Who is this?!" He pointed at a sketch of something. It didn''t look like a human.


    "That''s the ancient sketch of Void, the god of our world," she answered, following his gaze everywhere. "But why did she put grandfather''s photograph here?"


    Sylvester ignored her babbling and made notes in his head. ''The lines all direct towards the top, but only three walls seem connected. The fourth wall is a separate investigation on its own.''


    Obsessed, he kept walking around,prehending. Hours passed, and since the Empress didn''t understand anything, she just sat down in the middle of the floor, waiting for Sylvester to say something.


    "Hmm?" He mumbled and finished the first three walls. "It seems your Void was fighting against the two above as well. Your sister, did she write all this? How strong was she? Where is she?"


    "Big sister is stronger than you, I''m sure of it. She wrote on this wall but never let anyone inside, not even me." With her armor removed, her yellow eyes sparkled fondly. "I don''t know about her age, though. It must be more than a thousand, wait¡­ She isn''t my direct sister¡­ No, she is probably my ancestral aunt or something. I just call her sister since she always looks so pretty."


    "Did she get married?" Sylvester inquired with a palm on his chest.


    "Never, she hates the idea of marriage."


    ''As expected.'' Sylvester hummed, now almost sure that it was his Diana.


    "Where is she?"


    "Downstairs," Zenith answered and then asked. "How do you know thisnguage?"


    Sylvester sighed and looked at thest wall. He followed the red lines as the wall had the least content. There were a few sketches, but no photographs. To his surprise, even his own name was there, as well as other Popes. Up and up, it eventuallynded at a mark named Solis.


    That encouraged him to look further up since it didn''t make any sense.


    Blink!


    And right when his gaze stared towards the ceiling, the lights from above turned off, and they lit up from the floor.


    There were three massive words written above, enough to throw Sylvester to the floor.


    "Void is Solis!"


    _________________


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 Chapter 740 739. Once Again, Where It Began

    Chapter 740 739. Once Again, Where It Began


    ??"Void is Solis!"


    Sylvester eximed with shock and surprise in his voice. He looked at the walls and the ceiling again just to make sure, and there was no doubt it was written in Russian.


    "What do you mean? Our gods are the same?" Empress Zenith stood up from the floor. "How is that possible? Yours is the harbinger of light, and ours is the opposite¡ªkeeper of darkness that is the Void."


    Sylvester wasn''t sure, but he didn''t feel like rejecting the idea. "Solis¡­ I''ve met him in person a few times. He''s guided me plenty and even helped me rise up. If he''s the secret driving force behind the war against the Primordial Gods, then this would make sense. After all, Solis appeared five thousand years ago in my world, and your Void appeared ten thousand years ago."


    Zenith walked closer to the wall and touched the handwritten notes. "For so long, my sister must have pondered and fought alone. For so long, she kept these secrets hidden in her heart. Are you two really from a different world?"


    Sylvester stared at Zenith. "What do you mean by ''different'' world?"


    "Only that could exin how you two can understand thisnguage; Why she was obsessed about getting in contact with you. She used to call you Johnathan¡­ so fondly. She never told me a lot, but I wasn''t naive enough to not understand a few things," Zenith said. "Were you two close?"


    "Close? Yes." Sylvester muttered. "Take me to her. I''ll speak with her directly."


    Zenith frowned there, averting her gaze from Sylvester. "I¡­ I don''t think that''s possible."


    "Why?"


    Zenith kept looking down, "The reason why I am now the Empress and she''s not standing before you...."


    Silence ensued. Sylvester seemingly lost the spark in his golden eyes. The worst possible situation he could imagine had somehowe true. "No, no¡­ But you were talking about her like she''s here and with us¡­ don''t lie to me, Empress."


    At Sylvester''s rising angry tone, Zenith stepped back in fright. "I''m not lying, I have no reason to. Please,e with me. You''ll understand everything. She is downstairs."


    ''Is?'' Sylvester silently nodded and gestured for her to lead the way.


    Zenith started locking the doors the same way they had entered. Door after door, entrances after entrances. The entire way, the air of mncholy and dread increased the more time they spent going downstairs.


    Finally, they entered the main hallway of the castle, and Zenith led him towards a regr staircase leading downwards this time. But still, there were a few locks in ce, revealing the fact that this wasn''t an easily essible ce either.


    However, they didn''t have to walk downstairs too much this time as they eventually arrived in front of massive wooden twin doors. The markings of the world''s god, Void, were inscribed on the wood.


    "Here." Zenith pushed one door open and entered.


    The ce was humongous, with a ceiling so high that the topmost part was shrouded in darkness. It seemed like the inside of a high cathedral with big pirs, walls painted with beautiful art, and stained ss tapestries. The only thing making it different was theck of any benches.


    "This is the Hall of Xikami, the eternal Empress," Zenith added and walked to the side of one of the pirs and tapped on it. "Eternal, even now."


    Click!


    Lights illuminated the massive cathedral from all corners. Coming from behind the stained ss artwork, it looked as if sunlight wasing from outside.


    But the one thing that stood out from everything else was the end of the hall. On a short raised tform rested a cuboid ss box, upon which light was falling down from the ceiling, bringing it into focus.


    Sylvester''s lips shivered as if trying to find words. Without his body''smand, his feet moved and brought him closer to the ss box. He could see the figure of something, or someone lying inside it.


    A feminine shape with long ashen hair, and a pristine face simr to Zenith. Her head donning a regal ck and golden gown, her wrist held various bracelets, and on her finger was a ring that he recognized¡ªa replica of the original.


    "W-When?" Sylvester questioned in a devastated tone.


    "A decade ago, when I became the Empress," she confessed. "To maintain peace across the world, I had to act as if I''m her. I had to keep her body here. But it''s been ten years, and not a speck of her has changed. Herplexion is as vibrant as when she walked."


    "No¡­" Sylvester reached the ss box and nearly stumbled. He gently ced his palm on it, over her face. "Diana¡­"


    Eyes sunken back, his fleshless heart screaming with each beat. His hand trembled while caressing the ss. Her face still looked young, and her lips still remained curved in a smile.


    Zenith didn''t know what to do. She walked behind Sylvester and gently ced her palm on his shoulder. "She tried to contact you for a very long time, Sylvester."


    And that was what made him feel even more in pain. For so long, he remained skeptical about the secret messages he received from the Demon World. Always thinking it was a trap, always second-guessing his decision to enter the strange world.


    "Leave us¡­" he ordered, voice trembling. "Let me have some peace."


    Zenith didn''t say anything and retreated, leaving the hall and closing the door behind her.


    Left alone, Sylvester lifted the ss cuboid from her body. He tried to touch her face but stopped his hand from reaching close. For more than a thousand years, she had lived and kept him in her memories. What right did he have to shed tears anymore?


    Yet, in matters of the heart, true feelings alwayse out. Creased brows, veins popping on his forehead, disheveled hair, his eyes silently began to shout. Faint drops of water down on his face found their own route.


    Atst, he couldn''t hold himself and knelt beside the body. He caressed her ivory hair. No matter how much he hoped for those eyes to open, it remained a hopeful dream. Realizing he had failed to respond to her hopeful cries, he knew not how he would redeem.


    He remembered all the instances he had faced the demons. The first time in Sphinx town, when the Demon tried to speak to him. It devastated him to think those were Diana''s attempts to contact him. To tell him she lives and awaits him.


    But once again, toote, he sat beside her body. His breath was intact, while hers long ceased. His life continues, while hersy deceased.


    Unable to hold his grief, he hugged her head closer to his chest, her hair falling all over his arms. So many times, he had told himself that he had ovee the past loss. But now, he knew he had merely kept running away from facing reality. Throwing himself into the ''holy'' duty, a ruse to keep his mind busy.


    "Once again..." he stared at her gentle face, different from the Diana he remembered, yet the situation made it seem all the same as then. "Once again, you have broken my heart. In thest, and in this too. You didn''t let me say onest goodbye."


    "John."


    Sylvester looked left and right at the feminine voice. There was nobody, but then he felt something. As if two arms wrapped around his shoulder and neck. He could feel the words close to his ears. There was warmth.


    "Diana?!" He eximed.


    "John, don''t shed tears."


    He was now sure it was Diana speaking to him somehow. He tried to use any magic he could, turning his body into an overbearing furnace of srium. Elder magic, creation magic, but no matter what, he could see nothing.


    Only the sensation of a hug from behind him could be felt. "Diana? Is that you? Show yourself¡­ just once."


    "John, the Primordial Gods are not invincible. You can defeat them, you were born to do it. We were born to do it. I have lived my part and prepared for two thousand years, the rest is up to you. Take the locket and find the cave in Mount Doomsday."


    Sylvester realized this was something akin to a pre-recorded message. She couldn''t respond to him in real-time.


    But then, as if she had predicted his state of mind, she spoke to him like they were face to face. The warmth around Sylvester''s neck also increased, and the sensation of her embrace intensified.


    "I''m sure of it now, John. This life is meant to be retribution for all the bad we did. I know yours must have been far more painful and harsh, for your world rested under the control of the demonic Primordial God. I hope you ovee all the challenges like you always did."


    Sylvester nodded silently as a drop of tears slid down and fell on Diana''s face. "If there is another life, I hope we meet again¡­ alive."


    "Let''s meet in the next life." She added, and the warm embrace vanished, leaving him suffocated despite plenty of air.


    Left alone with her body in his embrace, he looked at her neck where the locket was ced. He gently took it and observed. Shaped like a key with a hollow center, it was the work of Diana that took her two thousand years.


    For some reason, he felt enraged. How their lives had been yed with filled him with fury.


    He caressed her face, gently ced her back on the tform, and positioned the ss box back in ce.


    He rose to his feet with a fire burning in his heart.


    "Your sacrifice will not be in vain¡ªGods or not, I will purge them all! Until nothing remains!"


    _____________________


    [See Sylvester Here]


    A/N: Read the prologue chapter if you haven''t. It tells the story of Johnathan and Diana before the start of the story.

 Chapter 741 740. Life Goes On

    Chapter 741 740. Life Goes On


    When you don''t have an answer, you live in hope. But when you get those answers, what is one left with? Sylvester knew the answer. It was sorrow, anger, and a thirst for vengeance. And one thing the heavens had already witnessed was his persistence in enacting that vengeance. No matter how long it may take, no matter who the enemy was, in the end, he will have the cure for his burning heart. "This is no ce for you to remain buried." He fondly looked at the body. "I''ll be back to take you, Diana. Once all this is over, I''ll return¡­ dead or alive."


    With a heavy heart, he headed off towards the gates, holding himself asposed as possible. But for once, he looked behind at the distance, her face illuminated under the light. How could the sorrow just vanish after their lives were yed with? "When will this misery end?"


    Sadly, no voice replied. Nor could he find an answer within. ¡­


    Sylvester came out of the cathedral and found Empress Zenith waiting for him there. Now that he looked at her, she seemed more like a young woman who had found herself in a position with unbearable burden. Like a little kid sitting silently against the wall, the Empress also sat there while shaking her head to keep herself upied. ''I was too harsh on her.'' Sylvester felt after realizing she was unofficially family. ''But she''s too weak to be involved in my affairs.'' "Let''s return outside," he voiced. "You''re done?" She jumped to her feet. "How did it go? I mean, I heard some voices from inside. Did my sister wake up?What happened?" "No, it was a message she left behind for me." Sylvester had to douse her hopes. "She did her part and¡­ passed on when her time came. Let''s go now, Empress. We must do our part now." She locked the cathedral''s door and paced behind him in a rush. "Where are we going? What''s the n? And how did you know my sister so closely? I don''t think she''s ever been to your world before." "Our bond goes beyond life and death, space and time, Empress. In simple words, it''s beyond your understanding. Just know that we were very close." "Are you the reason why she never married?" She inquired. "Maybe," Sylvester responded and arrived at the main floor of the Pce. "I''m going to Mount Doomsday to find some clues. If you wish to, you can join me."


    His voice, as if it had lost any semnce of emotions, sounded very stale and constant. It was somewhat unsettling for the Empress, even more so after knowing the extent of Sylvester''s abilities. She wanted to go with him but found herself second-guessing it. ''The scent of fear.'' Sylvester noticed it and took a softer tone. Others didn''t need to suffer because he was suffering inside. "Diana gave me a few hints. Perhaps you might find something in Mount Doomsday about her, and I might possibly need your help in case I need to decipher something." He worded his offer in a way that gave her a motive to join. She looked at his face intently. "What''s the n?" "We don''t know enough to make one yet," he said. "That''s why I''m going to Mount Doomsday."


    Zenith strode away ahead of him. "Let''s hurry then."


    ¡­


    Outside the Pce,


    "So, how does your Oracle thing work?" Bored, Dalgan tried to talk to the old woman beside him. The old Oracle scoffed as if Dalgan was some lowly peasant. "It''s no use telling you. You can''t do it."


    "You will never know unless you try." "Many have said that to me before." "I''m¡ª"


    She interrupted. "I''m better, I''m this, I''m blessed, or I''m that. I''m ancient, General Dalgan. I''ve seen everything that''s there to see." Dalgan scoffed and folded his arms. "Well, I''ve seen the other world. Have you seen that too, you arrogant old hag?" "What did you say? If I''m an old hag, what are you? Even your wife forgot you so easily." "..."


    "Perhaps I shouldmit the Seka." Oracle immediately felt remorseful for her little outburst. The wounds were still too fresh, after all. "Death by self-starvation is a coward''s path. If you think the Lord will embrace you with respect, you are mistaken."


    "What should I do then, Oracle?" "Go and bring me a ss of cold milk." "..."


    "Old hag." Dalgan cursed after a brief moment of speechlessness. "Says the traitor who chose to serve the treasonous Grand Prince," she barked back. "What''s going on here?" Sylvester arrived just then. The Empress was beside him in herpletely armored form. The armor belonged to the previous Empress, of course, but she had to keep the charade going. "Your esteemed Majesty!" Dalgan took to his knee for the Empress. Sylvester didn''t force them to stop their greetings. "Dalgan, I''m going to Mount Doomsday. You can eithere or remain here in the capital. You are pardoned, so you need not fear being arrested." "I am?" Dalgan looked at the Empress. "I am grateful for this graciousness, Your Majesty. But I would like to go with the Pope. I have decided to follow him and find my answers."


    "You may proceed as you desire, General Dalgan; For I shall be joining him too," she proimed. "Oracle, you''ll remain behind and oversee any issues."


    "The only issue is the Supreme Commanders," the Oracle replied. "They might feel confident again toe after me."


    "They won''t," Sylvester interrupted them. "When I left them on the tarmac, I broke not only their bones but also their will. Once a man experiences absolute strength that they can''t even respond against, they easily submit." How could he forget the sense of helplessness whenever facing Nehilius? "In that case, we have nothing to worry about. Strictly stay inside my pce," the Empress ordered Oracle. "Contact me if anything suspicious urs." With the matters at the capital dealt with, Sylvester exited the royal pce with the Empress. They went to a different tarmac this time, where the Empress'' personal flying machine was parked. Much faster, a little smaller andpact. "I''m sure you and I can fly, Sylvester. But Dalgan will hinder us. Let''s proceed in my airship. It will give us some time to discuss a few matters." ''I smell lies.'' Sylvester noticed something and saw the little aversion in her gaze. ''Ah, she can''t fly either.''


    Shrugging, he followed her into the airship, and soon, the journey began. This time, there was no need to stop and refuel anywhere, and the destination was directly set as the distant southern mountains. The entire time, however, the Empress kept staring at him with her radiant yellow eyes. In her armor, they looked far more overbearing and clear. She tried to talk to him at every chance but only received rejection from Sylvester. In the end, Sylvester got up and went to stand on the open deck to look outside from the high altitude. Being reminded of Diana, he began to remember the finer memories he thought he had forgotten. "Maxy, don''t be sad." Miraj chirped while sitting in front of him on the wooden frame of the ss window. "I''m not sad, Chonky," he replied and sighed. "I''m just thinking, remembering a few things. It''s not always easy to ept the circumstances. Even less so when you have someone to me, and you can''t do anything about it." Miraj bobbed his head sideways a few times, contemting. "So you''re angry?"


    "That I am. How can I not be? Wouldn''t you be angry if you thought your old caretaker might be alive, only to find you were mistaken?"


    "I''d be furious!" Miraj meowed, baring his fangs. "But¡­ What can I do? She''s still gone even if I''m angry." Sometimes, somehow, Miraj would hit the nail on the head. Sylvester didn''t know how, but he appreciated it since there was no way to refute or argue against it. "You''re right, Chonky. What''s done is done. We can only continue forward," he muttered and leaned over to the window. "Amidst the chaos, time never stops; life goes on."


    "Hmm¡­" Miraj agreed and looked outside with Sylvester. What was going on in his little fluffy head was unknown, but matching Sylvester, he breathed heavily every few instances, deeply pondering while his eyes shined. Behind them, a distance away, Empress Zenith silently gazed at his back, slouched towards the edge. She felt like going and striking up a conversation, but she suddenly felt a deep sense of mncholy and tiredness in the air. The more she watched him silently stare at the passing scenes, the more she felt lost in her thoughts. It reminded her of someone else, someone with the same empty, lonesome aura. ''Sister, why didn''t you tell me more about yourself? About him?'' She questioned herself. ''Why does he remind me of you?''


    The more she pondered, the more she felt lost. But then her curiousness was piqued as she noticed Sylvester was writing something on a piece of paper with a face full of warm smiles. She waited until he was done to approach. "What were you writing?" "What I was born to," he replied. "Just a little hymn, a poem to remember someone when the light may seem very dim."


    "You write songs?" He almost chuckled. "Something of the sorts."


    _______________


    [Our Unyielding Fate]


    Twice it has been, our hopes shattered,


    Our sanguine future ruined & scattered.


    I awaited words on your lips that mattered, They never came¡ªits absence left me tattered. Diana, into this painful, dark hell they''ve sent us,


    Given tasks of implications that are momentous.


    When will this end? This chase so tremendous,


    Endless, this weight is growing horrendous. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Sometimes, I feel I''ve arrived at the end''s gate,


    I know, you expect me to be nothing but great.


    But I won''t stop unless perfection, I can create,


    I vow to you, I will change this unyielding fate.


    Please don''t forget me, these are mere short dys,


    Once again, in another life, let''s cross each other''s ways.

 Chapter 742 741. The Filter

    Chapter 742 741. The Filter


    Over the clouds, they crossed the vast distance much faster than it had taken Sylvester to reach the capital. Above the cities, vast deands, and changing scenery, they moved further and further south towards the uninhabitable mountains. Eventually, the signs of civilizationspletely vanished, and the view changed. Beneath the ominous, blood-red sky was a mountain range of colossal proportions, a sight of both beauty and terror. Towering peaks, reaching into the heavens that defied mortalprehension, cast long, sinister shadows over the rugged terrain below. The ground below, an expansive tapestry of crimson-hued stones, stretches endlessly, bearing witness to the weight of eons. A realm untouched by the greenery of life, save for sporadic patches where rare and toxic flora emerge, their twisted forms a testament to the sinister essence that permeated the air.


    "That''s Mount Doomsday." "I know," Sylvester responded. "We initially arrived here from that portal. But¡­ I failed to realize how enormous it truly was because of the storm." Mount Doomsday stood out in the deste mountain range like a ck sheep in a white herd. It was the tallest, possibly reaching the upperyers of the atmosphere. Its width was humongous, also surrounded by smaller mountain ranges that were, in their own right, tall.


    There seemed no way to scale the colossal nature''s creation other than a primal, physical climb with arms and legs. "We''ll have to go down from here. The airship can''tnd here. The storms would destroy it," Zenith suggested. "You lead us from here, Sylvester. You''re more qualified for this than I am." "Agreed, Empress," Sylvester didn''t waste a moment and walked with her and Dalgan to an open hatch. "Follow me."


    He created Light Steps behind himself and walked downwards towards one of the smaller mountains, wishing tond on its peak. There was no snow, thankfully, and in fact, the air felt very hot there, no matter the altitude. "Mount Doomsday is just one mountain. Is there any other special mountain in this vicinity?" he asked, getting straight to work to narrow down the areas he needed to check. After all, ''go to Mount Doomsday'' didn''t simply imply something was inside it. On top of that, it was the most popr mountain that was explored the most. Empress Zenith looked at Dalgan. "I don''t remember such a legend. But I believe the Grand Prince spent more time around these parts. General Dalgan must know something."


    So, both of them stared at the ex-general. The old Demon nervously looked around at the view. "I don''t think there was anything special around these mountains. There were a few unique and splendidkes, some caves for hiding, and some mines. But nothing came close to being something like Mount Doomsday."


    Sylvester hummed and finallynded on top of a mountain peak. It was rocky, sprawling with tiny pebbles. "In that case, I''ll do an initial survey of the mountains. The area is too big, and we don''t have that much time to spend searching each of them." "But how will you survey them all from the outside?" Zenith asked. "Magic of the ancients and elders," Sylvester responded. "The magic of those above us."


    He started walking in the air, going upwards far above the mountains but still below the peak of Mount Doomsday. The air was warmer the higher he went, and also dry. The sky was clear and red, giving a clean view of the vicinity. But then, like a beacon of blinding light, Sylvester''s body began to shinepletely golden-white. The hue of light kept on spreading in all directions and forming little sparks that came out as if lightning strikes. Boom!


    The light even crackled like lightning with Sylvester at the center. His bodypletely vanished in the brightness, and then, the magical sight befell their eyes. Woosh!


    With Sylvester at the center, thousands of unending, crackling beams of light came out in every direction. They all struck the mountains in the vicinity and entered the stony surface. Mount Doomsday, or the mountains nearby, all of them were probed by the lightning rods. Boom!


    The earth began to shake at the same time as Sylvester''s energy started to be overbearing to the air around them. The warmth that resonated from him heated up the atmosphere, making it hard for Zenith and Dalgan to breathe. Itsted a few long minutes before the beams of light started receding into Sylvester''s body. The heat began to subside, and the light diminished. Eventually, Sylvester''s form appeared again as if nothing had happened, and he made his way back down to them.


    "Including Mount Doomsday, I sensed hidden chambers and caverns inside eight more of the mountains. But, let''s start with Mount Doomsday," he revealed afternding. "I''ll make way using Earth magic to form a tunnel path for us, directly into the hidden chambers. The regr pathway is riddled with traps." Dalgan and Zenith were still a little speechless, however. "How did you do that? What was that magic?" the Empress asked. "I thought you were going to kill us."


    "Ah, then I must have gone overboard." He apologized. "Using higher forms of magic can induce those sorts of feelings in people who can''tprehend it. I simply used nature itself to see inside the entire mountain range." "Entire¡­ mountain range?" Dalgan eximed, "It''s bigger than an entire Kingdom." Sylvester simply shrugged and looked at the massive mountain. "Let''s move now. We don''t have too much time to waste here. We don''t know when ''they'' might start reacting."


    "Understood." Zenith got serious and stepped forward. "Please lead the way."


    And so, Sylvester walked in the air to an altitude from where he could make a straight horizontal tunnel leading to the hidden deep chamber. He didn''t even have to raise his hand to change anything. The mountain simply started melting and making a wide hole for them to walk inside. Even his body glowed faintly, providing them with enough light to see the way. All the while, they didn''t exchange a single word. Where Sylvester just wanted to rush in and finish his work in the Demon World, the Empress was in awe and somewhat envious of the power Sylvester had. As for Dalgan, he didn''t care about anything anymore. Crack! N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "We''re here," Sylvester warned and slowed down his steps. The wall in front of them began to crack instead of melting, revealing the empty cavity behind it. Eventually, the pieces crumbled apart and exposed the endless darkness ahead. Sylvester carefully stepped forward and raised his hand forward to create a ball of light. He threw it in, using it like an external sun to light up the cavern. "God!" Dalgan eximed, jaw hanging open. "I-It''s like a whole new world in here!"


    It was a small ecosystem, different from the outside. The area was massive, and there were even rivers of water,va, and nt life. Some hills also seem to be covered with red grass, but no sign of moving life was evident.


    "All the hills you see are made of gold." Sylvester shocked them even further. "I can also sense some metals in the air. Ancient¡­ is an understatement. This ce seems to be a tomb or something, on which Mount Doomsday grew over." "Tomb of Void!" Empress Zenith eximed excitedly. "Mount Doomsday is where the tomb of the ancient God, Void, is located¡­ is this the tomb?!" Sylvester had no idea, so he walked into the cavern. They were standing very high on the walls, so he helped them follow him down and step on the untouched grounds. He could feel there was a treasure hidden underneath the surface of the nature around them. "Tomb or not, it seems you got richer bying here," he muttered and tried to sense the extent of the subterranean world. There was no sense of any moving life, thankfully. "What we''re looking for isn''t here. This is, at best, a ce where someone in the past hid their wealth. Perhaps from the time before you lost the war." "Wait, let me look around this ce!" Sylvester ignored Zenith''s request. "You''ll have a lifetime to do that. Right now, we need to find the ce ''she'' mentioned." Through the same way they entered, Sylvester led them back out. Wasting no time, he chose another mountain and started making his way in. Simrly, a cave formed ahead of him, and eventually, they arrived in an empty space. "Just a mineral ore deposit," Sylvester mumbled and turned around. "T-This!" Dalgan didn''t move, however. "This is worth more than any gold! It''s¡­ Your Majesty¡­"


    Honestly, Zenith just hummed and followed Sylvester, not wanting to annoy him for now. Eventually, they looked into more mountains. Sometimes, they found empty and in caverns¡ªother times, hidden treasures of someone ancient, and at times, just a mineral deposit. A day passed, but they continued. "Stop!" Sylvester disyed a different reaction this time, already walking inside another mountain. "Do you feel anything different here?"


    "Different?" Zenith looked at the red walls left and right. It''s hotter, but nothing else."


    "Me neither," Dalgan added. Sylvester''s brows furrowed, and he continued making his way forward. However, just after moving a couple of meters, he stopped again. He looked at his palms, which were shaking, and he felt his vision turning hazy. The air started to feel oppressive as well; every single atom in his body seemed to resist reality itself.


    "So this is where it starts?" He walked forward a little more to confirm his doubts. Indeed, the effects intensified. "This reality has finally begun to reject me." ________________

 Chapter 743 742. Just Like Me

    <h4>Chapter 743 742. Just Like Me </h4>


    ?"What happened?" Zenith noticed Sylvester''s expression and got closer to him, worried.


    He didn''t respond until he started moving again. "We''re on the right path. Let''s keep going."


    But the signs were visible. He wasn''t walking as fast or as firmly any more. His legs seemed to be under great strain, and each step appeared to take great effort. However, he still kept moving forward. The tunnel kept on forming with Earth maniption.


    ''This doesn''t feel natural.'' Sylvester could feel it in his body. He hadn''t done anything to increase his power, so the sudden repulsion from the fabric of reality didn''t make sense. He had already breached the upper limit of the world, but it was done by circumventing the Supreme Wizard rank. ''Are they finally starting to react? But this is still too early. I''m still nothing against them.''


    The further he stepped towards the center of the cavity inside the mountain, the more he felt the very essence of his physical form rejecting him. It was as if he wasn''tpatible with the nature around him. ''What did she ce there to cause such a reaction?''


    "If you two feel anything, retreat immediately, " he ordered them. "I can survive the unsurvivable; you can''t."


    "We don''t know what we''re supposed to be feeling," Zenith said. "If you tell u¡ª"


    "Death¡­ nature will reject your physical being. I don''t know if you will feel it too. Still, at any sign of pain and unease, run back," Sylvester answered her, his teeth gritting together on their own as he tried to keep himself held together with the help of Creation magic, using srium stored in his body to keep himself intact.


    Zenith noticed everything and felt somewhat panicked. "How bad is it?"


    Sylvester raised his palm and looked at it while moving, "Utterly bad."


    The skin over his palm had started to chip away and vanish as if it had never existed. Despite his best efforts, he couldn''t hold his body intactpletely. It felt as if there was an absolute suction force all around him, and a blower inside his body¡ªboth working together to break his body apart into tiny invisible particles.


    ''If their goal is to keep the information inside hidden, why would they allow us to walk in?'' Sylvester stopped right there and looked behind him, at Zenith and Dalgan. He also raised his hand around to create a bigger chamber for them to rest in.


    "You two should stop here. If it''s something ''they'' are doing, then they will likely stop you from reaching the center too. So I suggest you two stay here and wait for me," he proposed in good faith but instantly noticed their reluctance. "They might suddenly kill you right in front of me to throw me into a shock. Anything could happen. You have a world to rule over, Empress."


    She couldn''t show her expressions in that armor, but she was frowning inside. It felt wrong to let Sylvester take all the risks when her people were the ones who called him over. But at the same time, he had already humbled her enough to know where she stood in power levels.


    "What if they kill you instead? Do you want us to wait here forever? How would we know if you''re still alive?" She inquired.


    Sylvester quickly stepped closer to her and ced his palm on her forehead, right between the horns. Just a tiny hint of it, he deposited srium in her. "I''ll be able to speak with you directly in your mind now. Until I reach the end and return, I''ll remain connected and keep you informed."


    "Then I cane with you? I have nothing to lose. Even if I die, it doesn''t matter. I''m nobody to you, and certainly nothing to my family." Dalgan questioned.


    Sylvester saw through his n and denied it right away. "You think dying like that is honorable? No, it''s shameful and pitiful. To be unable to even battle and simply fade away from existence as if you were nothing¡ªI''d hate to die like that. As for your family, you still have a son and a daughter. Impart your life''s knowledge to them, don''t chase an untimely death."


    "This world needs people like you," Empress Zenith also added. "If not your family, you can give your life to public service."


    Dalgan sneered, "So you want me to be a government''s ve?"


    "The people''s ve, like I am," she responded. "This world has only thrived because of my ancestor''s unyielding spirit to help the people and make their lives better. I wish to do the same."


    Seeing them well suited for each other, Sylvester chose to leave. "Then it''s decided. You two are to remain here. I''ll see youter."


    They didn''t try to stop him anymore, and Sylvester silently left. Each step was carefully taken, and each foot gained killed his physical body even more. His best attempts failed, and his mighty powers started to feel puny before thews of reality.


    "Ugh¡­" It wasn''t as painful, but he could see more of his flesh fading away from his body. The real body he had inside began to be visible as he no longer had any internal body parts. It was just a fiery, ming core of fire-like light.


    "Damn it!" Just when he saw the end in the distance, a single, massive iron door, he could no longer continue moving forward. Feeling a repulsive force from ahead, his body seemingly froze. "How did you do it, Diana? Chonky, do you feel anything?"


    "Feel? I feel nothing¡­ but you look very shiny." Miraj looked down at Sylvester''s body, which had less flesh. "Where is the bone-bone?"


    Miraj wasn''t there during hisst visit to Nehilius, so Sylvester could understand the shock. "I don''t think I''m a human anymore, Chonky."


    Miraj excitedly flew up from his shoulder and looked at his face, his big chubby cheeks bulging as he grinned. "Then, you''re like me now? I don''t think I have bones, either. I can slide in anywhere."


    "You''re a cat, Chonky. You have a smooth brain and a smooth body."


    "What''s a smooth brain?"


    "That means you''re utterly intelligent."


    Miraj grinned harder, "Hehe¡­ I knew it."


    ''I wish Diana could have met you, my boy.'' Sylvester sighed and looked for a way to move forward and deal with the situation. ''Whatever she ced in there must also be protected in some way. Even if the ''Gods'' didn''t stop her here, she must have been strong enough to set protections.''


    He looked down at himself again and noticed his robes almost entirely gone as they withered away. His skin had also vanished, revealing a zing fiery humanoid form from his waist below, with some patches around his chest.


    "Chonky, don''t panic."


    "Why?"


    Sylvester closed his eyes and still tried to move forward. However, there was a very slight change now. He didn''t try to use Creation magic to hold himself together anymore. He allowed the effects of his surroundings to take over and chip away any semnce of flesh left on his body.


    He thanked himself for leaving Zenith and Dalgan behind as he looked like some horror entity with nothing but a formless humanoid body made of fire. Was it even fire?


    "Maxy, you''re hot!"


    "Burning, Chonky. But just as a precaution, try not to touch me." He was still able to speak and see everything with just the consciousness of his godly form.


    But what dide as a surprise was the ability to resume walking. There was still some pressure that tried to push him back, but it only felt like some resisting wind.


    Atst, he reached the door and tried to push it open. It was a single piece of metal, but it was massive. There was no keyhole, nor any handlebar to open the gate.


    ''It''s Diana, then it must be some password,'' he thought and tried to think of something only the two of them would ever know. ''Our English names aremon in this world too.''


    "Artyom?"


    Nothing happened.


    "Twenty-sixth June of neen eighty?"


    Grrr¡­!


    The single door began moving upwards and vanished into the ceiling of the tunnel. He had no face, but he smiled giddily. After all, she remembered the date of the day they first met.


    He waited for the door topletely open before taking a step inside. There was no light, but his shining body provided enough of that. However, there was ack of material too. It was just a massive empty hall.


    Yet there was a lone thing awaiting him in the center. A small, waist-high square pir protruded out of the ground. On it was a lone book, very thick and its sides wide. Its cover was ordinary and made of leather, with no words on it.


    ''This is what she wanted me to have?''


    He already imagined what it might be and reached out to pick it up. But then he quickly stepped back, seeing he was still in his fiery form. But, no matter what he did, he couldn''t make himself a new body of flesh once again. The pressure was still there, suppressing his physical body.


    "Chonky, open the book and show me the first page," he ordered.


    Miraj flew down andnded beside the book. Carefully, he moved his fluffy paw and turned open the leather cover. "Like this?"


    But Sylvester didn''t reply as all he could see was clear Russian on the first page, addressing him directly.


    ''John, if you''re reading this, you''re alive and powerful enough to take the next step. From the moment I closed my eyes, to the¡­ disgusting experience of being conceived and born, and until myst breath¡ªI have written everything in this journal. There are answers, my feelings, and my hope encased in this¡­''


    "Chonky, turn the page." Sylvester suddenly stopped reading the introduction and looked for something particr. "Ah, that''s it."


    He read thest few lines on the second page. ''...Stuck in the endless sea of darkness, yet I could see countless white snakes around me. But then, suddenly, I felt as if something was squeezing and pushing me in a certain direction. I tried resisting but had no control¡ªthe other snakes were in the same situation as me. We all moved in the same direction like a sea of


    ¡ªwhite, thick-headed, and thin-tailed snakes¡­ that was the moment I realized what I truly was, and to thest breath of mine, I will remember that traumatizing experience.''


    "Bahaha!" Sylvester suddenly boomed inughter, holding his belly, which was just a matter made of fire. "So you went through it too! Oh, Diana¡­ the disgust is mutual."


    _________________


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 Chapter 744 743. Diana’s Legacy

    <h4>Chapter 744 743. Diana''s Legacy </h4>


    ?Putting theughing matters to the side, he silently began to read the entire journal. It was the life of Diana, after all, and it contained the history of two thousand years and revtions of tens of thousands of years.


    [I was born a month earlier than natural, but healthier than normal children. I was named Xikami by my father, then Emperor of only the Redscape continent. Confused, pained, and devastated by the memories of you, my childhood went by in the luxury of the Pce.


    At a very early stage, I realized what kind of world I was born in, and when my talents were tested and proven, I chose to grow in might. It took almost a century to go from a weak baby to a world-renowned warrior.


    But that was when things started to change. When I began my campaign to unite the entire world under one banner, I came across ruins, temples, ancient artifacts, and tomes about historical events. I came across species still living in seclusion and passing down history from word of mouth.


    It was bloody, but nothingpared to the life you were cursed to live. I was made aware of it after I was crowned as the Empress Mother of my entire world. A century after my birth, I saw a dream so vivid that it couldn''t have been a dream.


    In a world with human-like people, I saw the birth of a child. Born with light oozing from his very being, his intelligent eyes felt so familiar to me. But soon thrown into turmoil, almost killed, saved, and shoved into a battle of fanatic faith. I saw the rise of a man who was merely stuck in a child''s body¡ªa tale so familiar to mine.


    I woke up when he cast his first spell, but I never forgot that dream. Time passed, and the dream returned, seemingly attached to the same person. Now a grown youngster, going to his first task outside.


    The more I watched, the more I realized it had to be more than just a dream. I read books, spoke to wise sages, and eventually found out about the Faith of Solis in a distant world. Curious, I tried to make contact and send my people, but failure was all I gained.


    More time passed, and the boy became a man; a warrior who faced the trials of blood and sorrow. What a pitiful life, I used to feel, what a repulsive world. But then¡­ I saw him draw a face on a piece of paper one night, and that changed everything.


    It took me so long to realize that it was you, John.


    From there, I never stopped trying to reach out to you. Yet, all my attempts failed, and all my hopes slowly turned into sorrow. A thousand years passed when I finally received a hint.


    It was a heavenly connection, a message from the Gods, from the Void. I was grateful and blessed, but when I learned that my dreams were mere visions of the future, I was devastated. But I could not afford to stop. I had to continue to grow and make my world better. In doing so, I had a purpose to divert my attention.


    But all that changed with the revtion of ''them'' and the past beyond ten thousand years. The fateful sh of our two civilizations was inevitable, and I wanted to stop that. The Void helped me, and I journeyed my world, exploring secrets and ancient tombs in search of a clue. As time went on, and I found myself nearing the end phase of my life, the picture began to look whole and clear.


    John, they can''t be defeated. They are made to be the overlords of all reality by nature. They were born as they are now; they do not know how to grow or struggle. I nearly lost myself to insanity in my attempt to glimpse into their realm.


    Aveda and Ashraska are brothers, and yet opposite in nature. I could only look inside for a split second, and I felt contrasting sensations, and yet canceling each other out like equals. One was filled with kindness, life, and warmth, while the other was all about death, hatred, and chaos.


    They are thest of the two remaining supreme beings, and I don''t know what purpose it serves them to y with our two worlds. But to defeat them, you will have to grow stronger, further than any mortal has ever done. Understanding spatial magic will help you achieve that goal¡ªthe rest of this journal holds a thousand years'' worth of my understanding of this magic. Please use it¡­ Please be victorious¡­ Please take care of yourself¡­ Please don''t be upset¡­]


    "Yes, it was my Diana." Sylvester sighed and sat down after a quick read of the facts. He wanted to take the book in his hands and read the entire thing slowly, but he couldn''t touch it with his burning form. "As always, the meticulous one. For two thousand years, you lived for the sake of others, toiled to save our two worlds, even after knowing we could never meet face to face."


    What else could he do other than admire her? But nheless, he thought about her words. "Thank you for this help. I may have a gist of why our two worlds are so different. Why mine holds chaos, and yours prosperity? But still, I don''t know who brought us two into these worlds; it''s certainly no longer mere coincidence anymore, but a thought-out n."


    Chonky continued to flip the pages, "Maxy, what are these pictures?"


    Sylvester looked at the pages and noticed some physics equations, as well as runic symbols. "A mix of real-world physics and magic? Interesting¡­"


    It was hard to make sense of anything other than normal physics as he didn''t know much about the Demon World''s magic. But he could still read the remaining pages to get a sense of it. Real-world physics seemed to be all about helping one make precise calctions regarding coordinates rted to jumping in space.


    "Finished!" Miraj finally turned thest page.


    Sylvester noticed three big words written there with a little heart at the end: ''Love you, Diana.'' It brought a smile to his non-existent face and left him feeling strange. There was loss, yet warmth. There was sadness, yet loving smiles.


    "Love you too."


    "Hehe, I love you too, Maxy."


    "..."


    Some misunderstandings were not worth clearing, even less so when Miraj said it from his heart. He simply stopped reading and stood back up to look around at the massive open area. Other than the walls and ceiling, he couldn''t see anything there. However, there was bound to be something that was exerting so much pressure on his physical body.


    "Put that book carefully in your belly, Chonky. We''re leaving this ce," he decided instead of trying to explore further. "Whatever magic was used here, it''s beyond ourprehension and certainly above my level."


    "Aye, aye!"


    After that, he started retreating carefully. This time, the metal gate opened on its own and shut behind them. He watched it close down and seemingly hallucinated seeing Diana''s face inside, standing there and waving goodbye at him.


    ''Solis, you better show yourself soon and exin all this meddling.''


    He continued to walk back towards the tunnel''s exit while continuously trying to recreate his body. He could feel the pressure decrease too, and slowly, some pieces of flesh started to form.


    ''Was this supposed to be a test of my strength?'' he wondered, since that could be the only reason his humanoid flesh was rejected. ''I reckon she only expected one human to ever visit this ce.''


    "You''re back!"


    Sylvester was able to create most of his body and brown loose robes on himself by the time he reached therger cavern where Dalgan and Zenith were sitting. They came rushing towards him when they saw him.


    He nodded but never stopped walking. "Our work here is done, you two. Empress Xikami''s words have been received. Let''s return and start preparing. I must learn spatial magic to prepare for the next steps."


    "What was in there?" Zenith walked closely behind him.


    "A book by her. It was akin to her life''s biography, and some words were left for me. You wouldn''t understand it even if you received it." He didn''t hide it from her since he could feel that she was close to Diana. "She wrote about you also."


    "Really?" Zenith got excited. "What did it say?"


    "To smack you if you let down the realm."


    "..."


    "Hah, ssic sister Xikami." Zenith giggled fondly and silently reminisced about the past. "Did you get any clues about ''them''?"


    "I did, and yet so much is yet to be explored. ''They'' are like nature, and to go against it¡­ One does not simply go against nature. The battle ahead is going to be hard, Empress," he exined without saying the names of the beings directly.


    "Stop!" Dalgan suddenly shouted from a few steps ahead of them.


    Sylvester and Zenith focused ahead. They had arrived at the exit of the tunnel that Sylvester had made, and from the darkness ahead, it seemed it was night already.


    But quickly, his brows rose in confusion, and his arms captured Miraj tightly. "Can the two of you sense anything?"


    The three tried to look outside the tunnel, but there was nothing other than darkness. Even when they looked up, there didn''t appear to be any moon. Furthermore, the darkness was constantly ck everywhere, and even when Sylvester shined some light outside, it didn''t illuminate anything.


    Zenith knelt down and tried to extend her hand out. "It feels as if¡­ there is nothing. Like it''s¡ª"


    "An empty void," Sylvester finished her words.


    _________________


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 Chapter 745 744. A Young Voice

    <h4>Chapter 745 744. A Young Voice </h4>


    ?Staring at the void of darkness, Sylvester found himself speechless. ''What happened?'' He was sure he didn''t feel any spatial distortion, magic, or energy ring up. So, how did the entire mountain seemingly teleport into nothing?


    "S-Sylvester¡­ what is this?" Even Empress Zenith seemed to show hints of panic. "Where are we?"


    "Certainly not home," Sylvester replied and knelt down at the edge of the tunnel he had formed. He looked at the endless darkness and used Elder Magic to see the magic in the air. Sure enough, he noticed an endless sea of the same ck eel-like worms tangled everywhere.


    ''Chonky, do you feel something?'' he asked, using Srium Web to express his thoughts.


    Miraj nodded strongly, ''Like my belly again, same as before, Maxy. Where are we? It feels¡­ nice.''


    "Was this a trap?" Dalgan wondered.


    Sylvester shook his head at that, "No, we''re right where we belong. The only way to cross this endless dark space is to master spatial magic. Your previous empress wrote about this in the journal."


    "It took me more than a hundred years to learn what I do with spatial magic now. How will you master it to¡­ cross an entire uncharted space? It''s suicide," Zenith warned him.


    Sylvester chuckled, "With the way things are, we''re already headed towards suicide, Empress. Let''s not waste time. I need your help understanding your world''s runes and magical schemes. Teach me everything you know so we can leave this ce."


    "Shouldn''t I be the one to cross this space? It''d be faster for me to lea¡ª"


    "It took me twenty-six years to be as strong as a Supreme Wizard, and two more to break beyond that limit," Sylvester blurted to her face. "Besides, the method she wrote involves more than magic that you can''t simply learn without a thorough understanding of the basics."


    "Forgive me. I''m just worried about the Oracle. If we''re toote¡­" She rubbed her face annoyedly and nodded, "What do you need to learn?"


    "This," Sylvester took the book from Miraj and sat down in front of Zenith. He pointed at the magical forms and the schemes that were in the Demon World''snguage. "Help me understand all of this."


    Zenith frowned, staring at the other side of the page. "I don''t think I know that part,"


    "That''s physics, don''t worry about that." He steered her to focus only on the magical aspect, "Diana¡­ I mean, your previous Empress knowingly wrote this down for me."


    Zenith nodded and silently began to look through the pages to understand what the whole scope of the written materials was. Sylvester even handed her pieces of paper and pen with the help of Miraj, and watched her write down magical runes in the shape ofrger patterns. Sylvester already knew how to speak the Demon Realmnguage, but the written script was a different thing.


    "It''s mostly advanced magic. Even I don''t know most of it, but I do know how to read it," Zenith said, her brows frowning underneath her helmet. "I''ll try my best, Sylvester."


    "That will be sufficient, Empress."


    "Just call me Zenith¡­ we''re equals in stature, even if not might."


    "Self-aware," Sylvester quipped. "Then let''s begin, Zenith."


    She ced a sheet of paper before Sylvester and began pointing. "These are the core shapes that make up the individual letters of mynguage. The runes are derived from these as well, and learning one will help you learn the other."


    Like a little boy back in school, Sylvester learned the alphabet of the Demon World. Fortunately, it wasn''t hard for him. However, the same couldn''t be said about a certain furry cat who tried to study as well.


    Clearly, the alphabetcked any mention of bananas for him to retain it in his brain.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, back in the Empress'' Pce, the Oracle paced back and forth in her room. It had been a month since the Empress left with the otherworlder, and the four Supreme Commanders had begun to ask questions.


    Knock! Knock!


    "Oracle, open the door, or we shall break it! Where is the Empress?"


    "We''ll count to ten!"


    The Oracle bit her lips and tried to find cover for herself. But what could even protect her from the four peak powerhouses of the world? So, at best, she found some cover behind a couch.


    Boom!


    The door was blown open to pieces. Four tall men in their regal cloaks entered with heavy steps. Their weapons held low as they searched the room for the Oracle.


    "Come out, Oracle. Just tell us where the Empress is!" shouted Commander Koznox.


    There was nothing she could do, so she rose from her hiding ce and stared at the tall men. "The Empress went to a secret training session with the guest Lucifer."


    Thud!


    "We''rete!" Commander Bakin cried, falling to his knees in defeat. "We should have begged harder."


    The Oracle speechlessly stared at the four men. She expected them to pounce on her and try to kill her like they always wished to. "What do you mean, Commander?"


    "We wanted to receive training from Sage Lucifer," Commander Jaek devastatingly added.


    "I hope he''ll return."


    "How strong will the Empress be when she returns?"


    At that moment, the Oracle realized something. The four Commanders were something much more than just heartless killers.


    They were also muscleheads.


    ¡­


    How long had it been? Sylvester had no clue. Since he and the Empress were in the realm of Supreme Wizards, they did not need to sleep and rest. Continuously, Sylvester went from one goal to another, learning everything he could from the Empress.


    Starting from thenguage and then to the runes. Once he was able to understand the runes, everything was easy since magic was mostly simr to what he had in his world. With minor changes, he made significant progress, and bybining it with the physics forms that Diana had written, he felt like he could make the jump into space now.


    ''If we were back at home, you would have received a Nobel prize, Diana. To create an entirely new theory and form for space travel, exining the breaking of thews of physics and proving it¡ªI''m in awe.'' He sighed every single time he looked at the physics side of the journal.


    "Are you sure you don''t want to train more? You only learned to read it," Zenith asked, seeing him getting prepared to make the jump.


    "I don''t have the luxury of spare time, Zenith. If I don''t end this trip here quickly, I might not have a home to return to," Sylvester exined, taking out metal chains from the Chonky Bank. "Tie them to your wrist. If I lose you while traversing space, you might be lost forever."


    "Give me another," Zenith blurted.


    "I don''t even care." Suicidal Dalgan was still the same as ever.


    Sylvester quickly gathered all the things they had used over the unknown time spent there and tied Miraj to his chest with a harness. It confused the other two about what he was doing, but they didn''t bother asking.


    There was nervousness, but Sylvester didn''t show it on his face.


    "Do you have the coordinates of my or your world?" asked Zenith.


    Sylvester shook his head rather casually. "I don''t have a reference point to calcte them. For now, the methods of calctions are useless. They can only help me set up a destination that is in line of sight."


    "Then how are we going to return home? I don''t suppose going straight from here will get us to my world." Zenith started to doubt if following this n was the right thing to do. "Maybe we should n more."


    "Nothing wille from doing that. We have no point of reference, no matter what we do. But I do have something in mind¡­ Just trust me." Sylvester walked to the edge of the tunnel he had built and closed his eyes.


    Opening himself up to magic, he utilized elder magic to look around at the countless eel-like creatures. Currently, they were blocking everything in front of him. In the suitable case, there was supposed to be a tunnel between them.


    ''A point of reference.'' He tried to focus on something that he himself wasn''t particrly sure about. ''If my memory serves me right, I did experience spatial travel before. It should be enough as a point of interest.''


    Minutes passed, and then hours went by. Silently, Sylvester remained standing in one ce, unmoving like a dead man. Dalgan and Zenith also remained silent the whole time. As for Miraj, he was snoring in the harness.


    "Hmm?" Sylvester reacted all of a sudden and opened his eyes, looking left and right. "Did you hear that voice?"


    "What voice?" Dalgan eximed, as this was precisely what Sylvester had asked when traveling to the Demon World.


    Sylvester shook his head and tried to focus. "I-It''s the voice of a child. Speaking human tongue."


    He focused on it again and heard the words much clearer this time.


    ''I''m hungry¡­ Why did Roger hit me?''


    Sylvester was now confident that it was the voice of a child¡ª


    possibly five to nine years old, but certainly not more than ten¡ª


    a girl from the mannerisms and the changes in pitch. But the content of those words took him by surprise.


    ''Ah, my hands. It''s so painful¡­ why won''t he give me a brush to wash the dishes?''


    Sylvester took a leap of faith and stepped forward while keeping his focus on the voice. He was strong enough to easily pull the two behind himself and floated in the sea of ck invisible eels.


    But Sylvester could see the tunnel-like path the eels were creating for him. The more he focused, the farther and faster they moved through space.


    ''Is God real?''


    By that point, Sylvester had no clue what this girl was even going through. It seemed like abuse.


    ''If I''m a good girl, will my wishe true?''


    Faster and faster, he felt hisprehension of spatial magic rising with each moment. The voice of the girl felt like it was getting closer as well.


    ''Then, can I have tasty food? An-and lots of sweets¡­ No, no¡­ forget that, I want a big brother, or father¡­ I wanna go home¡­ I¡­ don''t wanna run anymore¡­ please¡­''


    Utterly shocked, Sylvester felt scent through time and space. So much sorrow and depression that he could taste the foul scent of rotten meat. Hopelessness, fear, hunger.


    "Who are you, girl?"


    _________________


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 Chapter 746 745. Where Are We?

    <h4>Chapter 746 745. Where Are We? </h4>


    ?She felt utterly warm in her bedding that night. Her entire body was sweating like a water tap had been left open. Her lips let out faint groans and whimpers while her face turned left and right as if a nightmare haunted her.


    In the darkness of night in the Holy Land, in a room shared by three women and a young girl, one had be the focus of attention. They tried to wake her up from the nightmare, but she couldn''t, no matter what.


    Her body sweltered in fever, and her lips began to turn pale from theck of water in her system.


    "Xye, wake up!"


    "What''s happening to you?"


    "Looks like a seizure, Mother Xavia."


    "No, it''s not that. I checked her body, and there are no such signs," Xavia confirmed quickly and ran off to get her borate medical toolkit. "She''s losing too much fluids too quickly. I''ll have to give it through her veins. Isabe, inform the sick bay."


    "Noooo¡­" Xylena suddenly roared with a teeth-biting grunt. "Help me¡­ don''t leave!"


    Worried and scared, Xavia tried to calm Xylena with whatever she could.


    But nothing seemed to help at that moment.


    ¡­


    "Are you sure we''re not lost?"


    Inside the void, Sylvester and the others continued to move. Other than Sylvester, no one else heard those voices, nor any idea if they were on the right path. To them, even the eels were invisible, leaving them distraught.


    "No, we''re on the right path," Sylvester responded, focusing back on the voice as it became louder and more emotional. He could smell every single change in the feelings as well. On top of that, he noticed Miraj waking up and sniffing the void left and right while being stuck on his chest.


    "What do you feel?"


    "I don''t know, Maxy. I feel like I wanna stay here forever. But I don''t wanna stay here forever either because it''ll be lonely," Miraj answered, his own confusing thoughts clouding his senses. "It''s like I belong here."


    Sylvester frowned, "Can you see the eels?"


    "Heels? Whose heel?"


    Sighing, Sylvester felt the mystery behind Miraj went even deeper the more he traveled in that space. ''The darkness of space can''t be all filled with these eels. This has to be some sort of medium space that bridges long distances.''


    "Could this be your ce of origin, Chonky?" he asked, the possibility seeming highly usible.


    Miraj''s furry white face turned in confusion. "Here? How? It''s all ck here."


    "That''s something we''ll need to find an answer to, Chonky. But if you feel more at home here, then this ce has to be rted to you in some ways."


    Miraj fell silent and simply looked left and right in wonder about himself. It felt ticklish in his belly by being there. He felt like he could control everything there just as he could control his belly and knew what he ced where, even though the extent of the space was unknown.


    Sylvester kept moving, flying through the void towards the voice. No matter what, he felt some pity for whoever the girl was. The life she had experienced gave him the scent of her true hardships.


    ''I ran away again. I hate Roger! He tried to send me off with those bad people again.''


    ''The monastery grandpa is very bad. Why did he lock me here? Help! Can someone hear me?''


    ''Priest¡­ I hate everyone! Everyone is bad. Everyone wants to kill me. They took Jane¡­ my only friend¡­ why?!''


    Sylvester started to feel a headache from the information overload he was receiving from the cosmic voice of this girl. As time passed by, he did start to make an assumption, but until he could confirm it with his own eyes, he decided to remain skeptical.


    ''I ran from the monastery. They''re all so terrible! I hate everyone!''


    ''I''m hungry.''


    ''I shouldn''t have eaten garbage¡­ ugh¡­ belly hurts.''


    ''I wish that dream I sawes true.''


    ''What''s suicide?''


    ''My feet hurt.''


    ''Hehe¡­ cats are so cute.''


    ''No! Puppies are cuter.''


    ''Both are the best.''


    Sylvester sighed and tried to ignore the searing headache piercing through his head. It was taking far more time than what it took him to reach the Demon Realm. Somewhat scared and very alert, it took every ounce of magic he had stored in his body to look as far ahead as he could in the tunnel.


    The sight of tangled eels moving and wriggling made his skin crawl. It was a good thing the others couldn''t see it.


    "Maxy, can I try to eat the space here?"


    "Hmm?" Sylvester looked down at his chest, where Miraj was excitedly staring at him. "Why? It could be dangerous, Chonky. We have no clue about the nature of this ce."


    "But I feel like I can control it. It''s like breathing. It feels like that¡­" Miraj replied, requesting even further. "I''ll just open my mouth for a jiffy and then shut it. I wanna feel what the space here is like."


    ''Eels, that''s what it''s like.''


    "I don''t rmend it, Miraj. This ce is so uncharted and confusing that if something happens, I won''t be able to react. I don''t even know if we could get out of here by following the voice. Let''s try to focus on one thing at a time. Besides, I have learned spatial magic to a greater degree. I''ll let you try this againter." Sylvester vetoed the request and continued the journey. Reaching home was the first and foremost goal.


    Miraj sulked with mischief in his eyes. "But¡­ what if I can control this space?"


    "Yes, ''what if'' is the word I''m worried about."


    "But¡­ Let me try a little."


    Meanwhile, Zenith and Dalgan were being dragged by Sylvester. They noticed him muttering to himself, and it surprisingly felt like there was another person.


    "Is he alright?" Zenith asked, worried about him and herself.


    Dalgan shrugged, "I''ve heard the rumors. The Pope is known to be a little¡­ entric, at times. Must be his way of thinking."


    "entric?" Zenith stared ahead. "If he wasn''t so strong, entric would have meant mentally unstable."


    "Empress, I''ve seen so many strange things in life that the Pope feels like one of the sanest at this point. I trust him."


    "You''re supposed to be on my side."


    "There are no sides if ''they'' are real and against us," Dalgan added, silencing the Empress, who was younger than him. "Nor am I in a position to suggest something else. I have no idea how we can even oppose creators and managers of reality."


    Zenith agreed at that, "I have no clue ab¡ª"


    Her words were abruptly cut off when she felt they weren''t moving anymore. Although there was no environment or gravity around them, she could still feel the subtle changes in position. But it was missing now.


    "Where is he?!" Dalgan shouted, finding the chain connected to Sylvester now lost.


    Zenith frowned and immediately tied the leftover chain with Dalgan''s, "He just disappeared out of nowhere. As if¡­ he got swallowed into something."


    Atst, real panic began to appear.


    ¡­


    Sylvester felt the subtle but noticeable loss of weight being dragged behind him. He hadn''t felt any change in the surroundings or his speed, but he looked behind.


    "What?!" He came to a halt. "Where are Dalgan and Zenith?!"


    Up, down, left, and right; he just realized something. There were no eels anymore. In a true sense, it felt like a void of darkness.


    Immediately, something clicked in his head, and he looked down at his own chest. "Chonky, what did you do? Tell me!"


    Miraj tried to avert his gaze in panic, shrinking his head in the harness as much as possible. "I-I tried to¡­ eat the space."


    "..."


    His fingersbed through his blonde hair, and his lips released a sigh. Sylvester rubbed his face in annoyance and tried to make a sense of where he was. Miraj had already done it, and getting angry now wasn''t going to help. His punishment was going to be handledter.


    "Any idea where we are? Do you know exactly what happened?"


    Miraj worriedly detailed everything. "I just opened my mouth to eat the space and feel what''s in it. But then I felt tickles in my belly, and we got squeezed into somewhere. I''m sorry, Maxy."


    "Leave that forter." Sylvester tightened the harness securing Miraj, and started flying in that void of space once again. "This ce is different. We''re not traversing space and time anymore. Do you feel anything different?"


    Miraj bobbed his head vigorously, "I feel like I can control this ce."


    "..."


    "Not that again."


    "I''m very confident this time. No, I can do it!"


    The worst had already happened, so Sylvester nodded. "Go ahead, see what you feel."


    "Aye, aye." Miraj opened his sharp jaws as wide as he could and activated his magical belly. An endless dark pit formed inside his jaws, leading to somewhere unknown. "Yes!"


    All of a sudden, there was a spark in the distance, as if responding to Sylvester''s own body that had been shining since before. The spark kept growing, bigger and bigger. The more Sylvester made his body shine in light, the greater the spark ahead of him became.


    "It''s getting closer!" Sylvester realized and raised his hand to create a humongous re to illuminate as much as possible. He looked down and noticed Miraj''s mouth was still open. "What are you doing?"


    "Unnngh¡­" Miraj replied with open jaws.


    nk!


    Cank!


    "That''s¡­" For the first time in so many years, Sylvester felt his jaw drop. "It''s gold¡­ so much of it."


    It was a massive sea filled with gold coins and mountains made of gold bricks, diamonds, precious gems, and various artifacts. Going higher than what he could see and farther than what was possible.


    His feet eventually found themselves upon the surface of coins. He hadn''t moved, the entire sea of gold hade to him.


    "Ah, finished," Mirajmented.


    Sylvester''s brows rose when he looked at the markings on the coins. His gaze alternated between the gold, the void around them, and Miraj.


    "Chonky, we''re inside your damn belly!"


    _________________


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 Chapter 747 746. Same But Bigger

    <h4>Chapter 747 746. Same But Bigger </h4>


    ?"Chonky, we''re inside your damn belly!"


    "What?!" Miraj eximed in shock and looked down at himself, kneading his fat fur. "But my belly is here. How can we be inside?"


    "Your belly is a dimensional space itself. It''s not impossible for both of us to be inside it. Besides, this sea of gold exins it. This is the wealth we''ve stol¡ªearned in my lifetime." Sylvester guessed, even if it was just a usible theory.


    With the space eels, he was able to discern that there was something around him. But now, he found himself utterly helpless, as it was just a simple, dark, empty void. The ce likely had things that Miraj had eaten in his long life.


    "Can''t you throw us back out?" Sylvester asked.


    "Uwaaa¡­!" Miraj began to force himself to vomit. But a stagecoach came out and floated in front of them. "I don''t think so, Maxy."


    All hope seemed lost, but also more questions arose. It was a fact that nothing alivested in Miraj''s belly. So, how was he alive? He tried to use the newly learned spatial magic as well, but he couldn''t even feel the space around him to be able to move in space. As far as he could feel, it was just a void of nothing. No coordinates could be felt or made out there.


    "Oww¡­ What are you doing?" Miraj suddenly yelped when Sylvester grabbed his fluffy body and started squeezing him, turning him around and looking at him carefully.


    "Trying to see what you even are."


    "I''m a cute little fluffy cat!"


    "With wings?"


    Miraj blinked rapidly, thinking vigorously. "God of cats?"


    "That you might just be." Sylvester sighed and defeatedly looked around. Nothing came to his mind that could help them. At best, he could still feel srium there, and his abilities were intact. "We have no idea about the time rtivity here either. Dalgan and Zenith are trapped there as much as we are here."


    He was absolutely angry. But he controlled himself to the best of his abilities and tried to think of a way out. "Start thinking, Chonky. Otherwise, we''ll die here from old age."


    Miraj did understand his folly and silently pondered on what to do. He knew he wasn''t that smart, but since it was his own belly, he felt he should be able to do something about it. If he''s able to eat themselves up, he should be able to throw up himself and Sylvester as well.


    Unable to do anything, Sylvester began moving around in that darkness, leaving behind the sea of gold. He didn''t even remember all the things he had made Miraj eat up all those years, and Miraj also had a life before meeting him. There ought to be a lot of things, he reckoned.


    ''What''s that?'' He finally noticed something in the great distance, appearing like a shadow against his shining body. It was massive to say the least.


    "What''s that?" He asked.


    Miraj stopped using his ability and looked. "Hmm? That? I don''t know."


    "What do you mean? It''s inside y¡ª" Sylvester stopped midway as he finally saw the thing in a better light. It''s just a mountain of dirt. Why did you eat so much dirt?"


    "I did? When?"


    Sylvester sighed and massaged his temples. It was just a simple massive pile of nothing but dirt. Formed into a cluster that was almost round like a. In fact, it was big enough to be called a moon.


    He stepped away from the dirt mountain and continued to move aimlessly. Once again, he saw a reflection, and this time came across a huge blob of nothing but water. Deep blue and utterly clean, it was the size of an actual. There were also fish inside, but they were all dead, yet preserved.


    nk!


    However, the next thing he found left him numb. Just as he came close to the giant structure, he felt something had struck him. On further inspection, it turned out to be a loosely packed area filled with skeletons, discarded clothes, and other personal items that were likely the possessions of those skeletons.


    ''I''ve killed plenty in my short life here, but it''s definitely not this many. When did Chonky kill this many people?'' He wondered in confusion and nced at the leftover armor of the bodies. As far as he remembered, he had already used all the armor he had gained in his wars.


    ''These have the seal of the Church. When did Chonky massacre this many of them?'' The mystery deepened, and he looked at the fluffball who was making popping noises from his mouth. ''He has partial memory loss too.''


    "Oh! I feel itchy on my back again." Miraj eximed all of a sudden and looked at Sylvester. "Can you give me scratchies?"


    Sylvester quickly lifted Chonky and patted his back. The itch was just under his wings on the lower side. He rubbed his fingers there to feel what was going on inside it. It had been years since the itch had started to develop, and thest time it gave the cat some wings.


    "Hmm¡­ I feel bone formations again," he hummed. "You''re probably going to grow two more wings, Chonky."


    "More? But why?"


    "The question is why now." Sylvester focused more on the timing. "It started after you tried to use your abilities more than usual. Evenst time, your wings appeared because you used the ability more. If I can grow by practicing my magic repeatedly, perhaps you can change, too."


    "Change?" Miraj turned his head almost one-eighty and tried to look at his own back. "If I use my power more, can I grow strong?"


    "It''s a hypothesis. Why don''t we test it out? Fly ten meters from me and open your mouth with the power activated. I''ll use a continuous light beam attack and throw it at you. When you swallow it, try to direct where it goes and see if you can control the destination by bringing that beam of light here." Sylvester nned borately. "If you can master it, we might find a way out."


    No words were spoken. Miraj flew away and sternly opened his jaws in wait. He knew punishment wasing, and this was a little attempt to avoid it. He tried to speak with his ability activated. "Thradyyy-eh!"


    Sylvester raised a single finger towards Miraj and used creation magic instead of light element. Immediately, a harmless, but voluminous beam of golden-white light ushered towards the furball. He aimed it perfectly.


    ''It can''t be an infinite loop.'' Sylvester felt truly curious.


    Meanwhile, Miraj watched the beam of light vanish between his jaws. His fluffy tail wagged the whole time without stopping. His eyes closed shut because of too much light. But he didn''t stop trying to sense the magic.


    Before, he never really bothered to feel where the things going in his bellynded. He just usually knew what was where when it came to throwing things out. But this time, he tried to do the opposite, selecting a designated area and then guiding the beam there.


    "Ummm¡­" He hummed the whole time, his patience waning. He wasn''t very patient to begin with, losing interest in things at the first sign of inconvenience. But he wanted to return home and sleep on Big Mum''sp. He didn''t want to spend the rest of his time in that dark space.


    His whiskers twitched, as did his invisible brows. He concentrated so hard that he already felt a headache. However, the itch on his back also increased, and it got to the point that it started to physically annoy him.


    "Nnnyooo¡­" He roared, trying to ignore the increasing itch.


    But then he sniffed and noticed something. It was a smell, so strange and yet familiar. Then he felt something hot behind him, as if burning. Once again he ignored it, but when it got too much, he just moved away from the beam and looked.


    "Oh, fire¡­ FIRE!" At first normal, he soon roared when he noticed it was his own tail burning. "Beam hit me on my booty! Nyaaaaa!"


    From a distance, Sylvester watched every single aspect with his senses open. He didn''t bother with panicking Miraj since he had made the fire to be unharmful. But what amused him was that Miraj was able to direct the beam of light.


    It had appeared from far away in the distance behind Miraj, hitting him on his own tail. Clearly, Miraj could control it.


    "Chonky, prepare for another one!" Sylvester shouted and, without warning, fired another beam.


    Surprised, Miraj tried to run away from it at the start. But when the bean followed him, he just opened his jaws and tried to direct it again. This time, he was faster and highly efficient, not hitting his own tail anymore.


    Woosh!


    The beam entered Miraj''s jaws and appeared out of nowhere just beside Sylvester. It was continuous, and when Sylvester tested it by breaking the beam a few times, the beam that appeared out of nowhere also showed the same sequence.


    ''It''s like a portal inside his belly that opens to let items in.'' He realized and looked back at Miraj. ''His mouth is a portal to a different dimension and¡­ I don''t think it''s all in his belly.''


    He kept going for a few more minutes before stopping the experiment and flying over to Miraj. It was time to see if they could quickly escape the void.


    But he forgot the n as soon as he reached the furball. There was something different about him, something more powerful.


    "Maxy! Look at me! Look at my teeth. They are so big!" Miraj had noticed it already. "Oh, look at my back. I got two more wings."


    Sylvester shook his head and flew around him, checking his body.


    "No, Chonky. You grew bigger and fatter overall."


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 Chapter 748 747. The Fabric Of Reality

    <h4>Chapter 748 747. The Fabric Of Reality</h4>


    ?Aye, Chonky had grown up to be a bigger chonker.


    Sylvester grabbed the cat by the fluffy belly and checked him thoroughly. The size had doubled, and there were two more wings on the back. His fangs had also grown bigger, but other than that, there was no change. He still looked as cute as ever with the same round, greedy eyes, always hungry for a banana.


    "Do you feel anything different?"


    "Aye, aye, I''m a bigger boy now."


    Sylvester hummed and rubbed his chin, thinking deeply about the next steps. He didn''t feelfortable cing Miraj away from his body since anything could happen at any moment, so he strapped him against his chest again. But now, due to his increased size, his fluffy head also brushed against Sylvester''s lower chin.


    "Let''s continue the experiment, Chonky. I''ll continue to make that beam of light. You need to keep gobbling it down and try to control where ites out. Try to observe the portal that brings the beam back into this space." He instructed Miraj and used creation magic to form the beam of light in thin air, hurling towards them and entering the cat''s jaws.


    Sylvester kept instructing him into his ears the whole time, trying to tell him where to focus.


    Woosh!


    In no time, he saw a new portal forming in the distance and a beam appearing from it. With the space magic he had learned, he noticed the minuscule spatial distortion. "Chonky, focus on that portal around the beam."


    "Fo-hus?"


    "Try to look where the beam is entering your mouth and how it appears outside in front of us. I know it''s confusing, but there has to be an entry and exit."


    Miraj used his paw and pointed at his wide-open jaws.


    Sylvester interpreted the meaning and started speaking to him mentally. "You mean the jaw is the only entry?"


    "I think so. I''m not doing anything but keeping my mouth open, Maxy. I tried to make the beam appear nearby only, and it did." It wasn''t clear to Miraj either.


    Over time, Sylvester watched Miraj change the position of the teleported beam of light, sometimes going away and at times getting closer. It seemed tough as Miraj''s brows twitched, but eventually, it seemed his control got better.


    "Maxy, what do I do next?" Miraj asked. "I don''t know how to feel space magic, and I don''t know how to feel magic either."


    Sylvester felt helpless. "Try to bring that beam as close as possible. Make it a point away from us. I will try to get a read on the portal."


    In utter darkness, with Sylvester''s body and the beam of light making all the light near them, the two carefully worked on the mystery of finding a way out. Miraj, getting better at his control, made the beam appear close to them after his fifth try.


    Sylvester observed it and hoped to make sense of the spatial distortion inside what he considered to be a spatial anomaly. If the void wasn''t inside Miraj''s belly, then it had to be somewhere. There had to be a container for all that darkness.


    "O-oh!"


    Sylvester''s ears perked up, "What do you mea¡ª"


    Pop!


    And once again, there was darkness everywhere. Sylvester thanked himself for keeping Miraj''s body strapped to his body. But, as he looked around this time, he noticed flickering distant stars everywhere in all directions. There was also some coldness in the air and a strange mass.


    "What did you do this time?" He questioned Miraj.


    "I didn''t do anything! I promise, Maxy! I just felt that portal getting angry and unstable," Miraj answered, trying to save himself from adding one more punishment. "And I think we''re out of my belly now."


    "That we sure are." Sylvester agreed as he was now sure the stars sparkling in the distance were real. He couldn''t see any eels either, but the space felt simr to what he expected from normal space outside the atmosphere of his home.


    "Oooh! Again!"


    Woosh!


    Just as they had appeared in that space, they vanished again. Sylvester kept his senses sharp and looked left and right. There were no stars in the distance anymore, but he could see the eels once again, tangled in themselves all around him.


    "What''s going on? Are you doing this, Chonky?"


    Miraj was more scared than Sylvester as he hugged his chest. "I don''t know, Maxy. But I''m not doing it knowingly."


    Sylvester sighed and tried to listen to the same voice that was guiding him towards itself. ''I hope Dalgan and Zenith didn''t move anywhere.''


    "Ah! Again!" Miraj quickly warned.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester almost cursed when, once again, he found himself disappearing and reappearing somewhere else. But, this time, instead of darkness, he noticed an abundance of light all around him.


    However, when he turned around, he almost lost his mind.


    "Fuck, fuck, fuck! Chonky, do whatever the hell you were doing! Get us out of here!"


    "What?" Miraj looked too, and his eyes sparkled. "So prett¡ª"


    "No!" Sylvester roared, feeling his body getting shoved in a direction by forces he couldn''t fight against. Feeling so tiny before the majestic, massive force of nature, he felt helpless. "We''re stuck on a damn retion Disk of a ck hole! I don''t think I''m strong enough to fight against a singrity yet!"


    Miraj had no idea what a ck hole was. To him, the spinning giant thing with a dark hole in the center was beautiful. It certainly was, but deadly for those cursed with knowledge.


    "But I don''t know how to."


    Sylvester gritted his teeth, wondering how he was even alive. "Chonky, we''re out of time. If we get stuck in the Event Horizon, I''d have to fly at the speed of light to escape the gravity. I don''t think I can do that."


    Miraj tried his best, but he had no idea how to do it. "But h¡ª"


    Woosh!


    "Fuck!" Once again the lights didn''t diminish and instead changed color. "Goddammit, Chonky. You picked me up from a ck hole and dropped me near a fucking dying star. But we''re away enough to watch safely."


    "But I''m not doing anything." Miraj was already crying, feeling helpless.


    Sylvester sighed and tried to find some solution to what was happening. With the beautiful sight of a supernova in the distance, he tried to keep his senses awake to notice what spatial distortion was throwing them around space, and perhaps time also.


    "I know."


    Woosh!


    "Got it!" Sylvester barked as soon as the spatial distortion happened again, and they were hurled through a portal. Once again, they found themselves inside an empty space with stars everywhere around them. "Let''s keep going until we find those eels again."


    Again.


    Then once more.


    And many more times.


    Sylvester and Miraj were thrown into space at various ces. More ck Holes, Supernovas, Hypernovas, Suns,s, and other unexinable entities that seemed to be Eldritch Horror than anything else.


    But each time, their visit onlysted around ten seconds to one minute at maximum. Sylvester overanalyzed every single thing and felt his understanding of spatial magic was getting better. In time, he began to form a roadmap in his head, and ce coordinates whenever they''d rarely stumble back in the eel-


    filled space.


    Miraj had gone tired by then. The space jumps likely took a toll on his body. Sylvester tried his best to help him do something about it. Eventually, they found the culprit to be his new size, which hindered his control of himself, including his mighty jaws and ability.


    "Miraj, from now on, activate your mouth ability when I tell you to. I might have found a method to find our way back to that space." Sylvester instructed him, closing his eyes to focus on reaching that middle space with eels. "Now!"


    Woosh!


    Left and right, up and down. Sylvester closed Miraj''s mouth with his own hands while looking everywhere. "Yes! We''re back to where we left off."


    "Really?!"


    Sylvester forced Miraj''s mouth shut again. "Don''t, Chonky. We don''t know when your ability might cause a blunder. Let''s explore it after reaching the Demon World again."


    But they had to find Dalgan and Zenith first. Returning without them was no different than dering war on the Demon Realm.


    ''Let''s try Srium Web.''


    Sylvester closed his eyes and used the energies around him, searching everywhere, in the hope of contacting the two travelers. He also hoped to hear the voice of the young girl who was guiding him beforehand.


    Miraj stayed silent, and Sylvester stayed still. There was no concept of time in that ce, so Sylvester had no clue for how long he stood there trying to reach out to the two. Eventually, he started to feel a sizable dent in his srium reserves, and yet the two travelers were nowhere to be found.


    ''No, I can''t lose them here. This is worse than death!'' Sylvester cursed under his breath and tried to focus more. ''The young girl''s voice isn''ting either. Why did she stop?''


    A lot more time passed, and Sylvester continued to observe his surroundings. Of course, he felt the slimy-looking ck-colored eels everywhere. They didn''t even create an open space around him since he didn''t have a path to go to.


    They were all weightless and matterless, but they were so packed around him that if he was to somehow breathe there, he''d have suffocated. Curious, he forgot everything and simply observed the intertwined little long eels. They were too long, however, simr to snakes but with no eyes.


    ''What''s this?'' He noticed a strange pattern on one of the eels that passed by. That earned his curiosity, and he started to look at the bodies of every eel. To his shock, he noticed there were some differences in each of them.


    "No!" He eximed and opened his eyes. What he justprehended was too wild to even think about.


    "What happened?" Miraj, after trying his best not to, asked.


    Sylvester was still shaken, however. He stared absently at the countless, endless ocean of ck eels traveling in all directions.


    "T-The eels are¡­" he stuttered heavily, gulping even when there was nothing inside his body. "C-Chonky, the eels are c-


    containers of countless¡­ No, this feels too ridiculous."


    "What is it?" Miraj pressed on.


    Sylvester stared at his own palm helplessly, for the first time showing such defeated expressions.


    "Chonky, each eel contains a reality across time and space¡ª


    each one holds an entire universe inside it! We just visited some of them!" He felt his lips bing heavy. "Your belly is in one of them! Our world and the Demon World are in one of them!"


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 Chapter 749 748. An Exciting Possibility

    Chapter 749 748. An Exciting Possibility


    ??"What happened to her?" The Inquisitor High Lord arrived at the Pope''s Pce.


    "She was mumbling something in her sleep and started sweating. She has no fever nor any poison in her system. None of us know what happened." Healer Hendrix, one of the Sanctum Council members, diagnosed Xylena as she was brought to the sick bay.


    "Such ominous events continue to take us by surprise. This is not natural, we can surmise." Lord Inquisitor pondered and nced at the Deputy Pope, "It has been a year since His Holiness left. We should raise the rms and prepare to do our best. I sense there lurks an evil, out to cause upheaval."


    With a stale face and dark eyes, Gabriel nodded without showing many expressions. After officially bing the temporary Pope, he experienced firsthand how often Sylvester had to deal with crises. One after another, it was as if the world was on the brink of erupting in chaos at every given time.


    "The fact that we don''t understand what happened to Queen Xylena is what worries me the most. Felix hasn''t responded back from his visit to Beastaria either. There is certainly a force acting behind our backs," Gabriel said.


    "A force that doesn''t belong to this world," added King Rathagun of Alfia, a surprising presence in the Holy Land but a weed one. "Every single mountain has been toppled. Every piece ofnd has been searched. Saint Viceman is nowhere to be seen."


    "The Darkpit Sea remains." Guardian Julius suggested, "Emperor Raz and I can search it if we both go. Two Supreme Wizards shouldn''t find trouble traversing the ce."


    "I shall join too," Rathagun added. "The Pope will be furious if I don''t."


    "I''ll also go!" The Prince of Giants, Castell shouted. "I''vepleted my training and education here."


    The room was filled with an air of mncholy. There was confusion since no one had any clue what was happening. Before, they always had a goal, a pathway that Sylvester suggested. Somehow, that path also always led to victory.


    But now, they truly felt they were on their own. No amount of ancient wisdom was helpful.


    "What should I tell Isabe? She just recently gave birth." Aurora changed the depressing topic, but the new one was even more gloomy.


    They all silently looked down.


    "Nothing," Gabriel decided. "Unless we have conclusive information to tell her, we''ll keep the matter between us. Mother Xavia, please remain by Xylena''s side."


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in a time unknown, in a ce that technically didn''t exist, standing between the countless moving eels, Sylvester felt so small and pointless. It was a feeling he had never felt before, as if he didn''t even matter. A greatly humbling experience that seemingly yearned to alter his worldview, and in this case, his view on reality.


    Nothing mattered as he was surrounded by infinite realities. Each eel contained a universe with its own set of rules. Each probably possessed life and people who hoped to grow strong like gods, never to realize the true extent of whaty beyond.


    This view, this little peek into what the actual ''Gods'' ruled over, made Sylvester almost give up. How could someone fight against something that controlled all of that? Who made all that?


    "Each eel contains a reality across time and space."


    "What do you mean, Maxy?"


    "That, even I don''t understand. Yet it makes sense." Sylvester shook his head, feeling uneasy. "Where do we stand now then? What is this space?"


    Woosh!


    "Maxy, I can''t control it!" Miraj cried as he realized they had once again changed their location. "I don''t know what''s happening."


    ''Nehilius merely controls one of those universes, in one of those eels, or whatever those creatures are. Primordial Gods are above all this.'' Sylvester''s mind spun like a storm, trying to make sense of their situation. ''Only because I''m no longer a human I can survive the extremities of jumping between spaces.''


    Woosh!


    Once again, they jumped to a different reality. As they appeared in the new ce, a massive cloud-like hand shining in cosmic red came descending towards them from above, as if trying to grab a hold of them.


    ''Another Nehilius-like creature?''


    Having turned numb to the changes, as if it were a scripted y, they jumped into space just when they were about to be squashed by the creature.


    The whole time, he kept his focus on Miraj, stuck on his chest. He tried to see what was making the cat''s spatial magic so unstable. Again and again, they flickered through worlds. Sometimes, they also found themselves back in the eel-infested space.


    ''His body is phasing out.'' Sylvester noticed something after a long time of observing. ''Every single time we jump, his body turns translucent.''


    It happened for a very slight, flickering moment, but he saw it happen every single time. He could see Miraj wasn''t even using his jaw''s ability to make the portal to his belly or whatever dimension he could control.


    Brows furrowed, the furball''s hair stood up in tension. Miraj tried his best to control the magic, but he couldn''t make any sense of it.


    "Calm down, Chonky." Sylvester massaged the furry head. "Let''s sort this out. We''re not going anywhere until we can stay in one ce."


    Miraj was frustrated already, "I feel tired, Maxy. It''s like¡­ it''s like someone is eating all my energy."


    ''So the spatial jumps are indeed because of you,'' Sylvester silently confirmed. ''But how can they be stopped?''


    Woosh!


    Once again, Miraj flickered as if he was glitching, and they changed locations. Sylvester maintained his senses sharp this time and tried to feel the spatial changes. It was a boon to him as it helped in cultivating the spatial magic, elevating his understanding.


    ''What? How is that possible?'' He noticed something. ''It''s not Chonky phasing and flickering. It''s the darn space around him reacting to¡­ his existence?''


    It made absolutely no sense. Why would the supreme reality around them controlled by the Primordial Gods, react against Miraj, a minuscule being of seemingly no significance?


    ''It''s also draining his energy. He already looks barely awake.'' Sylvester was rmed, as he didn''t know how far Miraj could be drained of his energy. ''How do I stop this¡­ Yes, me!''


    A fact that his body was no longer human and that he wasn''t phasing out like Miraj. A mere being made of unknown energies, he wrapped his arms around Miraj''s body and hugged him tightly, squishing him. Exhausted, Miraj didn''t evenin this time.


    ''I can be any shape I desire to be in,'' he muttered and attempted to extend the energy that made him over to Miraj. The skin over his hands began to dissolve into nothingness as shining red matter, looking like mist, began covering the furball.


    "Maxy¡­ It''s warm." Miraj looked at the shining orange mist covering him. His half-open eyes blinked curiously, and his little tongue tried to lick and see what it was. "Tasteless."


    ''Did he just eat me?'' Sylvester mused, continuing to try to protect Miraj. In the process of doing so, they continuously changed ces, flickering into different universes or perhaps different ces in the same universe.


    The possibilities were endless. However, Sylvester wondered if the Primordial Gods hadn''t noticed them yet.


    In little time, Sylvester covered Miraj entirely with the same energy that made his body. It didn''t feel like he was doing anything extraordinary. He was now only more aware of Miraj''s body and his movements. He was still his own being.


    After that, he waited for something to happen. Hovering in the dark space with flickering stars in the distance, there was nothing to do. Normally, the jumps between spaces happened in seconds or a minute apart.


    He counted to sixty seconds. Then, he counted for five minutes more to be sure of it.


    ''The space around us and his body isn''tpatible? But that makes so much sense. We''re all constructs of the same reality.''


    But now the issue was how he was going to return to the space in between all the worlds.


    ''That nihility¡­ Only Chonky can take me back there. But how many more attempts will it take?'' He wondered and looked at the tired Miraj.


    "Chonky, will you gain back your energy if you eat something?" He asked.


    "I don''t know. I''ve never felt like this."


    Sadly, there was no other way but to try it. So, he allowed Miraj to take out as many bananas or whatever he had kept in store and eat it. Of course, Sylvester had to protect all the food from shattering away in the coldness of the dark space they hovered in.


    Chomp!


    Miraj took big and greedy bites and ate the cookies packed by Xavia. He ate bananas and even the cookies that were reserved for Sylvester. Adding a few more things from the Bard''s eatery, Miraj started to move faster than before.


    "Alright, now you''re just eating for the sake of eating."


    "But it''s so tasty. I don''t like to waste food."


    ''Yeah, he''s alright again.'' That was enough for Sylvester to be sure. ''Time to find Dalgan and Zenith. I hope they''re still alive.''


    Woosh!


    Sylvester simply made a small gap in the shield protecting Miraj, and they zoomed through space in no time. In quick repetitions, they went from one ce to another, one deadly situation to another.


    After almost three dozen jumps, Sylvester finally saw the mysterious eels.


    "Stop!" He covered Miraj again and hugged him so tight that Miraj made a squeal from his mouth. "Don''t try anything right now, Chonky."


    "I didn''t do anything anyway."


    Sylvester still hadn''t forgotten Miraj''s folly. But for now, he quickly closed his eyes and tried to listen to the girl''s voice that guided him through the mysterious space where he shouldn''t be existing.


    It required much deeper concentration this time, and yet he felt it was somewhat easier when it came to sensing the surroundings.


    ''Could be my increasingprehension of spatial magic,'' he reckoned, and focused with eyes closed. ''Where are you?''


    And just when he hoped for it, a faint, desperate plea resonated in his ears.


    ''God, when will my wishe true?''


    "There!" Sylvester''s eyes opened wide, and he noticed the eels before him creating a pathway akin to a tunnel. He began moving immediately in the empty space, hopeful of finding Dalgan and Zenith along the way.


    ''I thought praying to you helps people. When will you help me?''


    As he traveled, the little girl''s voice became much clearer. Of course, he felt even more desperate.


    "Maxy! Look!"


    Sylvester looked to his right and skidded to a halt in that space. Since it was a tunnel, all he saw were eels that contained universes in them. It was a wall of them, but in between, Zenith''s helmet was stuck.


    "Zenith?!" He shouted.


    "Sylvester!"


    "They''re stuck!" Sylvester rushed as fast as he could. He stopped using Elder Magic, which made his vision clearer as he couldn''t see the eels anymore. With that, he noticed Zenith right there with Dalgan, hovering aimlessly, unable to move in any direction.


    "What happened?!" Dalgan questioned, looking as if he had aged by years.


    Sylvester sighed, wondering how much time actually passed. "Fate had something else nned, I''m afraid."


    Zenith, without her armored helmet, stared at Sylvester''s torso. Her eyes never moved, and soon, her hand pointed at him. "What''s that on your chest?"


    Shocked, Sylvester raised his brows as he looked down at Miraj''s fluffy head. He alternated between them until he fixed his gaze on Zenith. "You can see Chonky?"


    "Chonky? That''s his name?" Dalgan blurted.


    Sylvester again looked down, and then back at the man, "You can see him too?"


    "Meow?"


    Miraj''s nostrils red, and his tail wagged like never before as he realized a particr, very exciting possibility.

 Chapter 750 749. A Fissure Of Hope

    Chapter 750 749. A Fissure Of Hope


    ??"Meow?" Miraj''s ears twitched as if someone was tickling them. His cute little nose blew out so much air that it was audible. He purred loudly and stared at Zenith with stars in his eyes. "You can see me?"


    "It talks!" Zenith eximed. "What is that thing?"


    "It''s a cat," Dalgan exined. "A small, sometimes wild, and sometimes domesticated creature of the human world. They can be friendly at times and violent at others."


    Sylvester looked down again and wondered if it was his energy that surrounded Miraj, which made him visible. "Don''t worry, he doesn''t bite."


    "Why do I feel this strange sensation?" Zenith suddenly asked. "Something feels different in my chest, something tickling."


    ''And there she goes, getting obsessed with Chonky''s cuteness.'' Sylvester sighed and noticed the two couldn''t move even though they were hovering in a void. ''The eels are invisible, but they still upy some space?''


    However, Sylvester could move freely and quickly moved to grab hold of the two and pull them into the empty space formed by the tunnel pathway. He chained them to his own body again and prepared to start moving.


    "How much time passed?" He asked.


    "We don''t know." Dalgan answered, "But it''s certainly been a while."


    ''He even looks older.'' Sylvester noticed but feigned ignorance. ''How much time passed outside?''


    Pondering on that little question brought him anxiety. "Let''s start moving then. Stay close to me this time, and keep one hand on my shoulder. No matter what happens, don''t lose contact with my body."


    The two didn''t need to be reminded a second time. They rushed and gripped Sylvester''s shoulder so hard that their nails dug into his skin. But there was no blood inside.


    Sylvester closed his eyes and focused on the girl''s voice again. It was constantly echoing in that space without stopping. In a few moments, he started moving through that tunnel. It had been so long by now that he had begun to feel suffocated, despite it being an endless expanse of space.


    "He''s cute," Zenithmented midway.


    "Hehe," Miraj giggled in his ce beside Sylvester''s chest. "I can''t wait to go home and squash Big Mum with my paws."


    "And E," Sylvester added.


    Miraj''s face lost color, and his jaw swung open, scared already. Yes, he only liked squishes and snuggles from Big Mum. "Nyooo~"


    Sylvesterughed and tried to go faster. It was like moving in a vacuum of space; the only difference was that he was surrounded by countless universes. Emotions flowed through the space as he drowned himself in the voice.


    He was almost certain by now who this voice belonged to.


    "Sylvester, do you see this?" Zenith abruptly alerted him.


    "What?" Sylvester woke up from that trance-like state and gazed towards the rear. "Ugh¡­"


    His Elder Magic was at work, helping him look at the curling, twisting eels. But in that moment, he stopped that magic as all he saw was absolute whiteness behind him. However, once he stopped, he noticed what seemed like growing orange and yellow dots.


    Expanding further and further, it looked like a chain reaction behind them.


    He kept moving, however, and sometimes activated the Elder Magic to see everything. Right then, he noticed whiteness spreading to the sides as well. Without Elder Magic, he could see extremely tiny and countless red dots.


    "Yes, I''m seeing this." He responded and picked up the pace, giving everything to moving as fast as he could.


    But then he felt it. A soul-shattering force that pushed to rip his every being apart. A suppression from all around him in the form of energies, making him feel like he''d get crushed into nothingness.


    "The universes!" He realized what was happening. "They''re exploding!"


    The eels behind him had exploded, and those around them were in the process of bursting. The energy released was like an infinite number of Big Bangs urring at a much greater speed.


    "You won''t survive this!" He shouted and attempted to cover Dalgan and Zenith with the same energy as he had done with Miraj. His entire back lost its skin, and ring red, mist-like energy shrouded the two demons. "No matter what, do not let go of my shoulder¡ªArgh!"


    Sylvester had started to believe he was incapable of feeling pain anymore. But right then, he felt a pain like nothing else. A pain that scared his very soul and existence, a pain that made him smell something he had almost forgotten.


    ''No, no¡­ Why now? Why are you choosing to attack me now?'' He asked the ''Gods'' as the taste and scent in his mouth turned so bitter that it felt damaging. ''Death is¡­ inevitable!''


    "Aaaa¡­" No, this wasn''t just pain. "Do whatever you can to propel us!"


    He was losing his mind and a piece of himself. The energy behind him wasn''t just an explosion; it was the end of entire seemingly infinite universe with all its stars, beings, and matter. It was the end of countless lives if they existed. It was a force that he knew he couldn''t go against.


    It was killing him slowly. The energy it took to push forward while keeping Dalgan and Zenith alive, along with Miraj, was too much. But he couldn''t stop.


    ''This is how small I am? Are you mocking me?'' He questioned in rage. ''Showing me my ce?''


    It was a soundless and seamless orchestra of the entire void of darkness turning red, golden, and yellow. Countless dreams got quashed, countless times, spaces, and realities were removed. For no reason but his existence and the will of the ''Gods''.


    ''Why don''t you erase me then?'' He asked, hoping to get no replies.


    Everything around him seemed to be caving in. He felt suffocated despite not breathing. He felt pain despite not having the ability to feel it. His energy, which he once thought was seamless, was now turning out to be a mere fool''s confidence.


    "Aaaaaa¡­ Keep moving!" He groaned, unable to hear anything even if the others said something.


    Yet, other than moving, they had no choice. Death was surrounding them faster than they could move.


    ¡­


    Pope''s Pce, Sick Bay


    "Noooo! Father!" Xylena suddenly roared in her unconscious state. Her hands rose up towards the ceiling as if trying to grab onto something. "Please¡­ hold my hand!"


    Xavia and Healer Hendrix were there, rushing around to help her. They quickly injected medicine to calm her down and put her to sleep again.


    Thud!


    "Hear me¡­! Please!" But nothing seemed to work as both her hands violently thrashed up, almost yanking her own body up. Tears flowed from her eyes. Her body began shivering and shaking as if possessed. "Let me¡­ pay back! No¡­ Don''t leave¡­!"


    "What''s happening?" Xavia, frustrated and teary-eyed, looked at Healer Hendrix as he held the most knowledge.


    Hendrix shook his head, his brows creased. "I have no idea, Mother Xavia. There''s nothing wrong with her body. I-It''s¡­ magic that''s causing all this."


    "Father! Come to me!"


    Xylena continued, and everyone helplessly watched as nothing worked. They did, however, strap her body to the bed except for her arms that remained thrown towards the ceiling, frantically wing the air.


    Crank!


    Crank!


    The medical bed started making creaking noises during her violent movements. Eventually, it became so loud that the bed''s legs started making high-pitched screeching noises on the tiled floor.


    Bright Mothers moved away from the bed, and Healer Hendrix called in more men to hold Xylena down since she was also a powerful wizard.


    Crack!


    "What?!" Hendrix eximed when a massive crack appeared on the ceiling just above Xylena. "Move back! It''s¡­ something beyond our understanding!"


    The crack wasn''t on the ceiling, however, but the space touching the ceiling. Sharp, with nothing but ck inside, the crack started to widen, and Xylena''s body shook further, the bed rocking so hard that it almost started jumping.


    Hendrix gritted his teeth and trusted his instincts. Being a Grand Wizard, he stepped closer to the bed and, with one quick move of his hand, freed Xylena''s body from the straps.


    Woosh!


    As soon as she was freed, her body flew up horizontally, and her arm pushed itself into the crack in the space. It wasn''t big enough for her entire body to go in, however, only one arm.


    "I''m here! Father, I''m here¡­ please listen to my voice!" With desperate pleadings, cries, and tears, her voice became hoarse. Her eyes were still closed, yet it felt as if she were awake.


    "Don''t leave me¡­ Let me¡­ repay!"


    ¡­


    "I might not survive this." Sylvester clearly dered. No longer did he resemble the Pope in human skin. It was all gone, melted away.


    Like a humanoid form of fiery red energy, he kept Dalgan, Zenith, and Miraj in his grasp in front of himself. Behind him, the trail of red energy was being destroyed like ashes. It was his very being, his body, his soul¡ªhim¡ªdying slowly.


    The explosions had caught up to them. No longer just behind them, they were also around, and ahead of them. Universes copsed like mere bombs.


    "Maxy, no!" Miraj cried, trying to free himself from Sylvester''s grasp and do something¡ªanything.


    "Hugh¡­" Sylvester''s voice was nothing but grunts now. "This isn''t how it was supposed to go¡­ They won''t let us¡­ stand¡­ against them!"


    "Don''t give up so easily¡­ My sister can''t be wrong. Diana can''t be wrong. This was bound to happen, Sylvester." Zenith couldn''t help at that moment, but she had words: "Trust yourself!"


    Death had finally caught up to him. There was no point in speaking.


    "You three must live!" Sylvester roared and gave his everything to simply move forward. "Treat¡­ Chonky good¡­ Try to¡­ understand."


    Dalgan and Zenith watched the fiery red form fade before their eyes. They could feel the presence vanishing behind them. In the end, they were nothing against the ''Gods''.


    Crack!


    "W-What?" he couldn''t see anything, but he could absolutely feel the change in space around him with his almost peak spatial magicalprehension now. There was something new, a fissure ahead.


    "Father! It''s me¡­ Xye¡­ Hold my hand!"

 Chapter 751 750. The Living, The Dead & The Dying

    Chapter 751 750. The Living, The Dead & The Dying


    "Father! It''s me¡­ Xye¡­ Hold my hand!" Sylvester heard that voice, and as if every cell in his body worked towards it, he tried to reach for it. "Xye-Xylena?" "Take my hand!"


    He didn''t know what he was reaching for, but that voice, filled with so muchpassion, fear, and desperation, moved his body on its own. His fading, dying body that was nothing more than a formless essence found thest ounce of hope. He had no hands, so he simply tried to feel the crack in that void. Giving off a very different sensation, he reached in, with Dalgan, Zenith, and Miraj shoved before him. But to his utter shock, an actual hand came out of that crack.


    "Hold it!" Sylvester roared and pushed Dalgan, Zenith, and Miraj forward. "Meow!" Miraj tried to resist being pushed forward. "Youe too, Max! I won''t go!"


    Sylvester pushed forward, "I''m not leaving you¡­ don''t worry." But there was much to be worried about; Barely anything was left of his form. So weak and powerless, almost all of his boundless energy was used up. The red, ring mist that formed him had turned translucent with tiny hints of tint. But there was much to be worried about; Barely anything was left of his form. So weak and powerless, almost all of his boundless energy was used up. The red, ring mist that formed him had turned translucent with tiny hints of tint. Crack!


    As if thunder boomed, Sylvester noticed his body turning lighter and the figures in his embrace vanishing. The explosions surrounded all around them by then, nowhere to escape, and yet there was one. ''Lesson learned.'' He thought atst, before losing himself to the sensation. A hand caught him and pulled him into a strange feeling. It was warm but not painful. It was soothing but not overwhelming. Everything felt just right as if he was finally home once again. But he couldn''t see anything or sense any voices. Something was wrong, and he couldn''t find an answer. ¡­


    Chirp!


    Chirp!


    There was some noise akin to insects and creatures of the night in a dense forest. The breezy sound of rustling leaves also echoed all around, and slowly, Sylvester found his senses waking up to it all. He could once again feel his hands and feet, see around him, and smell nature. It was a calming and soothing experience as the stars shone in the night sky above, with the moonlight providing ample illumination. ''What is this ce?'' He wondered and simply started walking without much thought. It all felt so surreal that he was almost certain this was a dream. However, he soon heard the crackling sound of fire burning some wood. Then he noticed a flickering yellow light ahead, signifying there was indeed a fire. So he continued on that path between the trees and eventually came to a round grassy opening with logs of wood on the ground, a person sitting on it, and a bonfire in the middle. "Where am I?" He asked the man sitting alone by the fire. He could only see his back¡ªa regr tunic, brown pants, and a bald head. The manughed without looking at him and patted the log right beside him, inviting him to sit. "Not home, Lord Bard."


    "That voice!" Sylvester''s mind went numb. His heart pounded rapidly in his chest. Countless memories and moments of his life shed before his eyes, and before he knew it, there was ''sweat'' in his eyes. He rushed and jumped over the log to turn and looked at the man''s face. Yes, he recognized it. "Sir Dolorem?!" The same face as the one he saw that wretched and fateful night in the Deserte vige¡ªthe ebony-skinned, bald man with a smile of a kind father. Sylvester almost fell down, but scurried over to sit on the log beside the man. "H-How? Where is this ce?" Sir Dolorem silently looked at him the whole time, his smile never leaving his lips. Finally, he moved and ced his palm on Sylvester''s shoulder. "You''ve grown up so well, Lord Bard¡­ Pope¡­ You kept your promise."


    That broke Sylvester, as he felt everything had been going wrong ever since the old man died. He abruptly hugged him, "It wasn''t worth losing you¡­ there is no way forward. It wasn''t your time to go¡­ I needed you beside the throne."


    While he remained embracing Sir Dolorem, he noticed a young boy had just arrived behind them. Innocent faced, probably nine years old or so. He was grinning and scratching his red hair. Sylvester left Sir Dolorem''s embrace and felt dumbfounded. "Shane?"


    "But you kept the promise with me, Teacher." The boy came over and sat beside Sylvester on his other side. "You became the Pope and made everyone happy." Sylvester kept looking around, wondering what the ce was. Was it thend of the dead? Was he dead? Was this where the dead go? Crunch!


    More rustling of leaves echoed, and three more figures came walking out of the forest and into the open area with a bonfire. They all took seats on the wooden logs around the fire, and sure enough, Sylvester recognized them all. "Am I dead?" He asked right away. "Grandpa Monk? Pope?... Markus?" With the same old white-bearded kind face, the former Pope looked even more at peace now than what Sylvester remembered before. Beside him, Grandpa Monk looked old but much more energetic as his old eyes opened wider now. As for Markus, he still looked like what Sylvester remembered when they had turned eighteen¡ªyoung, tall, and thin. "Thank you for proving that my life wasn''t a waste." Pope Axel Tar Kreed voiced. "This old man here believed I wasted my life."


    "That you did, my son," Grandpa Monk replied in his usual bickering tone toward his adopted son. "You failed to aid the fated Pope better. Sir Dolorem did not need to die."


    "I did." Sir Dolorem interrupted them. "I knew it wasing. After having served Sylvester for so long. I had realized I wouldn''t be able to stand beside him forever. At the speed he grew, I was nothing but an ant before the opponents he faced. I was a mere moral supp¡ª"


    "You were much more than that." Sylvester stopped Sir Dolorem from finishing his words, feeling overwhelmed with emotions. "You guided me, you aided me and kept me focused on the goal. You were the father I never had¡ªa good father."


    Bam!


    Grandpa Monk suddenly knocked his wooden staff on Pope Axel''s head, "Learn from Sir Dolorem. That''s how you earn one''s goodwill."


    "My time is over. Why bother with it now?" Pope Axel barked back. "And why do you hit me so much now? Is that because I''m no longer the Pope?"


    "That''s precisely right." Shamelessly, the old Monk replied. Sylvester chuckled at the sight and looked at Markus, "Your time came too soon."


    Markus shook his head. "I''m thankful to you for keeping the promise, Sylvester. You helped my family so much. But this isn''t the time or ce for you to be. Go back, my brother. You have so much more to do."


    "Yep, yep!" Shane chirped. "There must be so many more like me who wanna be bards, Teacher. Teach them how to sing¡­ I also practice a lot here. Sir Dolorem helps me, too."


    Feeling utterly devastated and depressed at the sight of what he had lost, he stood up with doubtful thoughts. "I''m afraid it''s not a fight we can¡ª"


    "No!"


    All of a sudden, they all spoke at the same time, capturing Sylvester''s undivided attention. "This isn''t where you belong!"


    Woosh!


    The voices multiplied and echoed together. They had a strange magical substance in them that threw Sylvester off his feet and into the sky towards the single massive moon. "Nooo¡­" Sylvester tried totch onto Sir Dolorem, but he was sucked into the huge moon. Everything turned white all around him once again. But he still had his human body, and soon, he noticed the floor beneath his feet. "Don''t leave me, please." "Hmm?" He looked down, and there stood a very young, probably six-year-old girl holding his hand. Her ashen ck hair was recognizable, her teal eyes contrasting in that white space. She wore nothing but dirty brown rags, torn in ces; her entire body smelling of dirt. "Xye?"


    The little girl smiled so warmly that it seemed to sparkle. Her little head bobbed as she tried to pull him behind her. "Let''s go."


    When his gaze fell on her hand, which held his, he felt a surge of countless memories enter his mind. They clearly didn''t belong to him; no, they were Xylena''s. They were the memories that had been calling him through that void of dreadful darkness. He watched all the misery Xylena faced from the day she was forced to escape her kingdom alone. Merely a little five or six year old girl, unaware of the cruel world thaty beyond the walls of the castle. He watched her struggle the entire time, but growing as well. Xyelna ate rats she caught, insects she found, and she ate grass when times were too desperate. She drank from rivers, bathed in rain, and hid from vers and traffickers. She wore cotton sacks as clothes, and she walked barefoot across East Sol.


    Not even adults could survive that misery, let alone a child.


    At the age of six, she worked in vige taverns, cleaning dishes and serving tables. She escaped when assaulted, or someone from people who tried to sell her. She grew far beyond her years, honing her sense of danger and knowing when to escape. She watched her best friend get abused in unspeakable ways right before her eyes. She fought her best for years until she was betrayed by a Bishop, and got sold to the Cannibals. Fate brought them together, and the years of misery she faced was a journey. "You¡­" Sylvester lost the words in his mouth when he looked down at the girl beside him. This was what she looked at six. There was still some naivety in her eyes. "I have no right to call myself a victim of fate."


    "Let''s go now, Father. Everyone''s waiting." Xylena chirped once again and exerted herself to pull him.


    But Sylvester didn''t budge, still unable to forget the peaceful calm he felt while sitting by that fire with Sir Dolorem and the rest. He wanted to remain there. He looked behind, and to his amusement, the whole crowd stood there staring back at him. "Go on!" Pope Axel boomed in the old voice of the Pope that Sylvester remembered. "Don''t choose a coward''s path. Your destiny is still being written."


    "By you!" Sir Dolorem concluded and stepped forward from the crowd to reach behind him and push him forward with his hand. "Go, my son."


    All of a sudden, Sylvester realized he was having to look upwards to see Sir Dolorem''s face. So he looked down and noticed his hands and legs had turned small and his palms chubby. He looked to the side and noticed that Xylena was the same height as him.


    "Argh¡­!"


    In the next moment, he felt his body had once again gained height, but his back was arched. His hands now looked old and dirty, with countless small wrinkles on his skin. He caressed his own face; This wasn''t him. This was old Johnathan.


    A pool of tears gleamed in his eyes, and he started following wherever the small Xylena was leading him. His body eventually changed again back to adult Sylvester. And he could swear he heard Diana''s original voice ringing everywhere. "You don''t live for yourself, John¡­ I didn''t."


    Her voice didn''t appear again, and he just kept walking with Xylena. As he moved, he noticed the little girl was also growing up over time. From six years to nine years old, then in her teens, and finally bing a youngdy. Yet, there remained a smile on her lips after all she went through. Before he knew it, he began to lose his physical body once again and turned into a very small, palm-sized re of yellow and orange fiery mist. It was all that was left of him after the whole ordeal. "Wake up, Father."


    "Hmm?" He looked for Xylena, but she was nowhere to be seen.


    "Wake up!"


    The white light started to twist and curl around him, spiraling into a vortex. He felt as if he was sucked into it, but it wasn''t painful. "Wake up!" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Maxy!"


    "Where''s Sylvester?!"


    "Who are you two demons?!" "Call the guards!"


    "What happened to the Pope?"


    Sylvester heard countless voices but he recognized all of them. Xavia, Aurora, Healer Hendrix, and Gabriel were there. The white space eventually began to dissipate and leave behind flickering images of a room.


    ''Sickbay?'' He recognized the ce. But instead of standing, he felt his body hovering near the ceiling, and nobody was able to see him. He could still feel his mind losing its senses, and the ability to think. ''Ah¡­ I''m still dying. I can''t¡­''


    Dalgan and Zenith were there too, looking tired and out of breath, sitting in the corner of the room. Meanwhile, Miraj was once again invisible as he tried to tell Xavia about Sylvester. Sylvester, in that tiny, invisible, palm-sized energy form, flew past their faces toward the window. "Open the window!" Xylena abruptly opened her eyes and jumped from the bed. She ran to the window before mming her fist onto the ss. "Don''t you die!" ________________

 Chapter 752 751. A God Or A Monster?

    752 751. A God Or A Monster?


    ''So that''s how you''re the key to my fate?'' he nced at shouting Xylena, who was in a pitiful state herself. Not waiting, he flew out of the little gap in the window and zoomed straight towards arge chimney at the top of the Pope''s Pce that was disguised as a simple chimney meant for beautification. Having used it a few times before, he knew the way. Time was of the essence as he could feel his thoughts getting dull. His memories and consciousness were at risk of vanishing as well with his constantly weakening and dying body. Everything felt like a chore on that short journey that seemed endless. Through the narrow chimney, he promptly arrived inside the basement, level one of the Pope''s Pce. From there, his faint, flickering life flew further down the stairs. Invisible to the naked eye, he went past the guards. The further he moved, the more his size reduced. Eventually, it turned so small that barely a keyhole-sized form of his soul was left. But that was as much a boon as a bane as he found passing through the safety doors much easier. However, by that point, there was no semnce of Sylvester left in there. Like a little worm flying in space, all he had were two goals. The destination¡ªto survive. Floors after floor, atst, he arrived at the safely guarded and secured ce and felt the cold, harsh scent of death grace him. The door at the edge of the room was as gloomy as ever but now appeared as a ray of hope. He didn''t have a key, but he still flew as fast as possible toward it in the hope of getting through somehow. Aiming at the keyhole, the speck of his existence struggled against the pressure. ''What even am I?'' he wondered. Humanity was as distant from his existence as the holiness from the Holy Land.


    He had no voice to make cries, no eyes in that guise. ck!


    Just as he dared to enter the keyhole, the doorknob began turning. A rush of dread overcame the room and sucked Sylvester in through a tiny crack as the door opened. Once again, into the darkness. He was so weak that he was harmless. Nehilius could be the one to end him, or the one to revive him. However, he was the only option left. Sylvester stopped trying to move as he realized he wasn''t losing his specter-like body anymore. But it remained as small as a micro pebble, hovering in the darkness before the mighty form that only looked far more significant now. "Against odds untamed, your victory proimed. The battle you fought and survived, I did not expect you to win, to have thrived." Nehilius''s echoey ancient voice rang throughout the space. "You glimpsed into the end of existence. A yfield for those against whom you show resistance. I know there cannot be coexistence. As such, I shall be your subsistence¡ªyou learned well, Sylvester Maximilian."


    Unable to speak or hold any semnce of greater thought, Sylvester''s leftover consciousness in that little pebble flew towards the massive head of the ethereal Eldritch God. Not of his own ord, but by Nehilius'' control, he found his mist-like bodye in contact with the glowing orb at the top of the massive head. Despite the size difference, Sylvester''s body began to absorb the energy that formed Nehilius''s body. It started slowly, but as the big orb lost its blue radiance, Sylvester''s body started to grow bigger. At first, only his yellowish misty body grewrge without any shape. But with time, Sylvester found his ability to think return, and eventually, his ability to speak and control the energy that made his body. From a single thought, the ideas multiplied. Seeing Nehilius willingly allowing him to absorb his own body rmed his spy instinct. But was there any other option? Hadn''t the giant being already proven himself? "I wouldn''t have survived if you hadn''t forced that higher evolution onto me." He gave credit where credit was due. "Thank you, Nehilius."


    "Merely a predestined path we all walk on, Sylvester. Yours was to cross paths with mine. That''s all there is." The absorption picked up the pace, and Sylvester''s pure energy form started to take a humanoid shape. The orb on Nehilius'' head lost all its glow and started to shrink down. "Did you know this was going to happen?" Sylvester inquired with calming thoughts. "I was made aware¡­ of greater things than myself," Nehilius answered. It was unknown what the mighty being was thinking while witnessing the end of his life with his own senses. Was he feeling pain, or was this merely the end of a thought?


    Sylvester understood it was Solis'' doing. The being that had meddled in his life so much had altered his fate again without asking. "Do you know that there is an afterlife?" "Not for creatures such as I." Nehilius replied, appearing to be rather responsive, "A ''god'' has no graveyard. We either exist, or we don''t. For there is no afterlife mighty enough to hold all of us."


    "But your soul mu¡ª"


    Nehilius interrupted him, "After a certain point, we have no soul. Our physical and spectral body joins together for greater control. When we die, we die as a whole." N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Sylvester nodded and looked down at his own energy form. "Am I also¡­ abined being?" "That was the previous evolution. That was the most perilous, and yet you were victorious. You have risen, Sylvester Maximilian. Risen above the shackles of mortality. But what lies ahead of you is where dies immortality."


    Gone was the shining orb. Now Sylvester was absorbing Nehilius'' entire head. Much faster, and its size reduced at a visible speed. Sylvester''s own body stopped looking like a misty hue and turned into solid humanoid sma of burning yellow and golden, like the purest ofva. Woosh! "Hmm?" Sylvester noticed his body erupting in pure golden mes. "Where will this end?"


    Nehilius responded to it even when he wasn''t asked. "Ruler of my will, the limit of might is an arduous neverending hill. There are plenty more to consume, plenty more to kill. Rests within you the hopes of Marcus, you have a destiny to fulfill."


    Sylvester''s nonexistent face turned into a sneer at the mention of that word he hated the most. "Destiny¡­ Such an iprehensible, uncontroble concept."


    "You, I, them¡ªwe are governed by the Great Will."


    "And I presume that it isn''t just a grand meaningless word?" Sylvester asked back as he finally reached Nehilius''s torso after absorbing the whole of his two arms. The mes around his body had gotten so big that a few suns could fit in his halo of light. Nehilius''s voice sternly responded, "The Great Will is the beginning and the end of all. From insects to gods, we are all still under the confines of a greater destiny."


    "Even them?" Sylvester interrupted. "If not, you wouldn''t be standing before I, Sylvester." said Nehilius, "None know what lies above it all. The creator is all said to be gone, yet everything lives, moves, dies. All this matter, there has to be an originator."


    Now, the ancient being was being philosophical. However, Sylvester did feel there was some truth to his words. "Perhaps there is something. It makes no sense that the Primordial Gods would bring me to this reality. Even less sense after knowing that their previous pawn, Marcus, was alive."


    Torso gone, Sylvester soon reached thest foot. Now, he eclipsed the leftover body of Nehilius, bigger than countlesss and starsbined. Sylvester''s humanoid, solid, hard body of bright gold was now covered in a ming glow that could very well be mistaken as a cosmic cloud.


    Clearly, the end was just a moment away for Nehilius now. "That is why you are the chosen inheritor of my will." Nehilius shared thest of his words, "There exists a greater purpose for you, my fated incarnation. From the Great Will, there is perhaps something for you at the beginning of creation."


    "What does that mean?" Sylvester tried to ask. But Nehilius remained enigmatic in hisst moments. "I was made aware, and soon you shall be too."


    When just a single toe was left, Sylvester decided to end this confusing conversation and the chapter of the Eldritch God. "Farewell, Nehilius."


    "So long, Sylvester Maximilian. May that light gleam enough to ovee the darkness oing. You are a greater piece now in the realm of nothing."


    Sylvester nodded in his godly form and took away thest speck of energy left. "So long indeed." Snap!


    Woosh!


    As soon as Nehiliuspletely disappeared, Sylvester found the reality warping around his cosmic gaze. As if he stood at the center of a Big Bang, he saw lights flickering and flying out of his ming rays of light. Spreading in every single direction, they sparkled and began appearing like stars and gxies in the distance. Splendid space clouds, ck holes, dying stars, birthing stars,s, and life; It was all there. "It feels¡­" he stared at everything while remaining in ce. "Mesmerizing."


    He was mesmerized, not by the power he felt but by what he sensed through his thoughts. Every single inch of the universe and void he stood in seemed to be under his gaze. What was where¡ªlife, death, birth¡ªall under his knowledge. "I am the master of this reality." He realized fairly quickly and tried to control the unbridled being of pure energy that he had be. "This is Nehilius'' domain¡­ his universe."


    Thriving ancient civilizations, space-faring advanced species, he could see the universe was massive, and some even worshiped Nehilius directly somehow, evident with their murals depicting a massive humanoid being with tentacles, the shining orb looking like a sun or a halo.


    Snap!


    Merely to test, he lifted his arm and snapped his finger. Out of nothing, there was now something born¡ªa new sun rested on the top of his index finger. The difference in size was simply insane, beyond what he could consider conceivable with his still very much mortal and human mindset. "Can I even return home now? Won''t I just destroy it? Or worse, invite the wrath of the Primordial Gods?" A dilemma once again rested before him. But not for long, as he realized the meaning behind everything. The reason behind his perilous journey to the Demon World. The meaning behind Diana''s words, sacrifices, and her life. It was all to lead him to this very moment.


    Where he stood with the power of an Eldritch God. Was he a god? It mattered not, for there was now an idea to rise even beyond. "You were right, Nehilius. There is plenty more to consume."


    Snap!

 Chapter 753 752. I Have Become Life, Creator Of Worlds

    Chapter 753 752. I Have Be Life, Creator Of Worlds


    ??"Finally!" A thunderous roar echoed through the vast, boundless void of darkness with flickering stars and celestial bodies in the distance of lightyears. "After eons¡ªI, Winmammu, have be an Elder God!"


    His body, bigger than any celestial object in that entire universe, eclipsed the deepest and greatest of the voids. Shining in dark green, his ten-headed body was a gruesome sight to see. As if rotting with blisters full of pus and whatnot, he held no humanoid form. Right below the cluster of heads was a single giant octopus tentacle, its little pores so big they could swallow a sun in them.


    The ten heads were simrly covered with hundreds of round eyes, randomly ced. There was no mouth or nose, however. Just nasty pus oozing holes everywhere.


    "Hah! Just a few thousand years more, and I shall defeat you, Prometheus!" Bellowed the creature despite there being none to hear him.


    Crack!


    "Hmm?" But just then, he noticed something through his boundless senses that watched every nook and cranny of the space. A crack appeared like the space was ss. From within it, a light spilled out, so bright that even he felt threatened by the energy.


    Crack!


    The gap in space grew bigger, and a palm came out. Made of pure, shining red and golden energy, the fingers were big enough to ruin gxies with ease. Yet, the hand seemed careful not to hurt any celestial body.


    "W-Who are you?!" Winmammu questioned, preparing himself to face the foe. "Who sent you? Prometheus?!"


    Crack!


    The crack grew so wide that Winmammu felt utterly scared. Enough to retreat as far away as he could. But then a head came out of the crack, followed by the entire body of the illuminating being. The halo and the fiery mes that surrounded him were so bright that half of the universe started to appear white, not ck.


    "Prometheus? Who?" the shining being voiced, "I am Sylvester¡­ Pardon my intrusion."


    "What?"


    Sylvester fully appeared out of the crack in space, making it vanish. But then he punched his fist forward into nothingness. Just before it fully stretched forward, another crack appeared in space, the other side opening on top of Winmammu.


    A shining, burning w emerged and captured Winmammu''s heads.


    "Thank you for your sacrifice. You shall be remembered." Sylvester apologized and began the absorption of the Eldritch horror before him. This was much uglier than Nehilius. The absorption was far stronger and faster this time, as one Eldritch entity was defeating another.


    Thankfully, because Nehilius was so ancient as an Eldritch God, his power far surpassed Winmammu, a newly elevated Eldritch entity who had ground his way to what he thought was the top.


    "No! Why now? Who are you? Why me?!"


    "For the greater good," Sylvester answered, finishing the massive entity within a few human minutes. It was such a fast end to an entity so strong that even Sylvester was left speechless. "I-I didn''t get to ask its name..."


    Boom!


    Yet, as soon as Winmammu vanishedpletely, Sylvester felt a Big Bang-like invisible explosioning out of his body. Once again, he had won control over a universe, a concept he was still in the process of epting.


    ''One down, plenty more to go.'' Sylvester swept his senses all over the universe under his control and checked how many sentient species existed. After taking an ount and stopping natural annihtion events befalling a few of them, he made another crack in space and left for the next destination. ''Thank you, Diana, Xye.''


    Gratitude was rightfully expressed. After all, these were the same Eldritch Gods whose realms Sylvester was able to nce into during his entrapment in that Void of Nothingness with Chonky. Although his stay onlysted a few seconds in each of those realms, he was able to return to them now, with his vastly superior control and understanding of spatial magic.


    Crack!


    ¡­


    As expected, Sylvester''s actions no longer went unnoticed by those he tried to stand against.


    Outside what one conceived as time and space, outside what was once conceived as the container of time and space, two supreme entities discussed the matter as mere voices with no bodies.


    "He''s rising faster than expected, Aveda."


    Ashraska, the counterpart, musingly watched Sylvester through his omniscient gaze, going from realm to realm and devouring the Eldritch Gods with ease. "Prometheus failed to kill Nehilius in time. He failed to kill the Eldritch Gods we are witnessing being devoured."


    Aveda''s voice gave a hint of intrigue, "Makes me wonder if we were toote in adopting Prometheus."


    "Or, we were wrong to adopt Prometheus."


    "A betrayal?" Aveda reacted. "Does he not fear us?"


    "Marcus did not," Ashraska said, and the view before his gaze changed from Sylvester to a different lone entity going from universes to universes, killing Eldritch entities as if stepping on ants. "We have a traitor deserving punishment."


    "What better punishment than to send him to kill the one he''s protecting," Aveda suggested.


    "We cannot. The existence of Sylvester eludes our minds as well. To engage with him directly before understanding the one behind him will be our downfall," Ashraska warned. "Let Sylvester consume as many Eldritch Gods as he can. In the end, we shall strengthen Prometheus equally. Fate shall eventually bring them face to face when only they are left."


    Aveda gave a silent agreement and faded into silence. As Primordial Gods, they existed as mere consciousness in the vastness. They could form a body for themselves if they wished to, but there was no need.


    For their mere thoughts were enough to fulfill their wants.


    ¡­


    Unaware of the plot, Sylvester continued his ruthless massacre of gods. Every time he moved to a new realm, he became stronger and faster. A new universe entered his domain of consciousness, bing his absolute vessel. He controlled every life form in it, and every natural element was his toy.


    "Who are you to challenge I, the mighty Yelema''nasura''monkee


    ¡ª?"


    "Thank you for your sacrifice, Yele."


    Crack!


    At one point, the process moved so fast that he had to shorten the names of some Elder Gods, for some had truly long names. A simple smack of his enormous palm extinguished the existence of the Eldritch Gods.


    As Nehilius had suggested, Sylvester caught all the fish he could. He entered all the realms he remembered from his perilous experience. Eventually, he came to a stop when there was nowhere left to go.


    Hovering in another universe under his control, he tried to process all the power he had gained andpress it into a smaller form.


    ''Where to now?'' he asked himself while trying to get rid of the mes and glow surrounding him. He attempted to reduce his own size to form a humanoid shape and look like Sylvester Maximilian once again.


    Smaller and smaller, he reduced his size to that of a.


    ''I haven''t seen Mum in so long,'' he muttered. ''She must be in tears.''


    Further decreasing, Sylvester was reduced to the size of a humanoid moon. But from there, it started to feel more challenging topress the energies within himself without losing control and bursting apart.


    He felt the need to store his energy somewhere else now. Somewhere easily essible. Of course, he took an example from Miraj, with the endless void in his mouth.


    ''I guess I''m the Maxy Bank now,'' he japed with himself in that moment of cosmic silence. He then decided to use Nehilius'' realm to store chunks of his energy, which was easy since he had absorbed it in the first ce.


    Secured as orbs of flickering energy in the universe, he finally reduced his size further to a tall human. Perhaps a little too tall, reaching close to seven feet. But it was a matter so small he didn''t bother storing more energy.


    ''Sadly, still no beard.'' he sighed to himself. Of course, he could create a beard for himself on his self-made body. But that felt like cheating, and hence not real.


    In the end, white robes draped Sylvester''s body. Simr to his Pope uniform, but without the mitre on his head. There was no difference in his looks except for a betterplexion that could make all the Bright Mothers and queens feel jealous.


    "Alright, where to next?" Finally done with self-care, he nced left and right. "Too bad I couldn''t inherit Nehilius or other Eldritch Gods'' memories."


    Feeling clueless, he wondered if making random cracks in space would help, since he remembered the coordinates for his home world.


    Crack!


    That was a very simr sensation, but this time he knew he wasn''t the cause. Human-sized now, he looked behind himself. A crack in space that was far bigger than what he used had formed with no care for the gxies that came in its way.


    Crack!


    "Who is it now?" the tables turned. Sylvester prepared to battle as the crack further widened, and a gigantic being made of dark matter came out. Its body looked as if it was bending the space itself, but on a closer look, it turned out to be something much different. Its body was a container of countless gxies and celestial bodies.


    Humanoid, it crept out of the crack with a scythe-shaped hook in its clutches, made of unknown material. It appeared to be made out of wood, and the de seemed like multiyer steel with some patterns.


    ''Another Eldritch God?''


    Sylvester formed his trusted sword made of solidified light, just big enough to match the size of the scythe.


    "Who are you?" he inquired carefully.


    But before the mysterious creature replied, it began to shrink in proportions at a visible pace and eventually matched Sylvester''s.


    "I am Prometheus¡ªI am You."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading the book. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 754 753. We Meet Again

    Chapter 754 753. We Meet Again


    ??"I am Prometheus¡ªI am You."


    Sylvester looked at the mysterious being before him. Much different from a regr Eldritch God, this appeared more in tune with a humanoid being. Other than having a cosmic body consisting of ck matter and celestial objects, his shape waspletely identical to his.


    "Me?" He asked him. The little introduction had sounded a bit too strange. "I am Sylvester."


    "No, you are Johnathan Colt Westerling," the entity replied.


    By now, Sylvester had gotten so used to every powerful creature mentioning his previous name that it didn''t shock him. Intrigued, yes, but in this case, he really wasn''t. For a creature able to travel between spaces, that knowledge wasn''t shocking.


    "Both in my case. What about you, Prometheus¡ªone of the Titans, the supreme trickster, the God of Fire?" Sylvester questioned him back regarding his name. "Here to steal my fire and give it to those two?"


    Prometheus didn''t answer immediately and instead began growing skin all over his cosmic body. It felt no different from Sylvester''s ability, as in his case, his skin was a mere shell over the body of shining, radiating, solid energy.


    However, at the first sign of facial features, Sylvester instinctively stepped away from the unknown being. Despite not having a normal body anymore, he felt his lips going dry. Was it nervousness? It amused him since it was hard to earn that reaction from him.


    "I was born an orphan," Prometheus spoke, creating his lower body as well with all the clothes on it. It was indeed human, with pale skin alongside a few age lines and wrinkles. The eyes were blue, and the ear-length hair on his head was white and unkempt. The nose was sharp, and a thick white beard adorned the rest of the face.


    Sylvester moved further back when the face becamepletely visible. "Who are you?"


    "Right after high school, I was selected for a special program to be a spy¡­"


    "Who are you?" Sylvester interrupted him and asked again.


    Prometheus finished creating the entire body with simple clothes, a white shirt and blue jeans. "I am you¡ªI am Johnathan Colt Westerling."


    Complete silence took over the space between them. Both staring at each other as if they knew one another on a level simply not possible. Sylvester recognized that old man''s face and stature¡ªIt was him from a forgotten time.


    "From another time?"


    "I was taken by the Primordial Gods to be their de against you. I was tasked with destroying all the Eldritch Gods so you can have none to absorb and grow." Prometheus answered surprisingly quickly, without showing any hint of scheme or second thought. "Of course, that didn''t happen."


    Right then, Sylvester remembered the first Eldritch God he killed after Nehilius. It had mentioned Prometheus as if it was an enemy. "If you''re their pawn, why did I seed?"


    Johnathan''s old, pained face with dark, baggy eyes showed no emotion, "Because I am you."


    Sylvester took everything with a grain of salt. "That''s not enough for an answer."


    "I didn''t choose to be their pawn. I wasn''t asked for this¡ªsimply ordered to do it. Like in the old days."


    Sylvester noted the meaning behind those words. By the old days, Prometheus was talking about the spy missions that were absolute, no questions asked. Of course, at that point, it had nothing to do with their desires but rather the obligation to fulfill the orders.


    "They are scared of you," Prometheus proudly added. "I am not the first Johnathan they picked to deal with you. They know diamond cuts diamond. They know only you can defeat yourself."


    Sylvester raised his guards up, "And why did they name you Prometheus?"


    Atst, Jonathan''s face had a little smirk. "They didn''t. I gave that name to myself."


    Tap!


    Jonathan vanished in the blink of an eye and appeared behind Sylvester, patting his shoulder. "I''ve been preparing for this moment for over ten millennia."


    Sylvester noticed Johnathan''s hand on his shoulder as it vanished and appeared on his other shoulder. "Why?"


    "Because I am you." Yet again, Jonathan gave a simr reply. "Because I derive my power from them. Because I had always been aiming to gift it to you¡ªmy fire."


    "The Titan who stole fire from the gods and gifted it to humans." Sylvester blurted the meaning behind Prometheus'' name. "If they rule you? Can''t they stop you?"


    "Their pride blinds them. They are afraid to approach you, for they fear the one who created you. They offered me godhood, they offered me power, they offered me eternity¡ªDiana, they offered me." Prometheus added andunched an invisible radiating energy wave from his body that was absorbed into Sylvester. "To kill you¡ªto be the diamond that cuts diamond."


    Sylvester gulped nonexistent saliva and felt the surge of energy of countless more Eldritch Gods entering him. "Why? Don''t you want to live with Diana again?"


    Prometheus smiled fondly at the mention of that name. "Why would I?"


    "Because you are me," Sylvester repeated.


    "Exactly."


    Sylvester sighed and shut his mouth. Yes, if he were in Prometheus'' ce, he''d have sacrificed the chance to do what was right instead of agreeing to be the Primordial Gods'' stooge. Yes, he''d have given up his own power to help the version of himself that was already on a path better than his own.


    "How many of us are out there?"


    Prometheus shook his head, "As many universes are out there."


    "Infinite?" Sylvester felt overwhelmed. "An infinite number of Johnathans out there with their own stories. Their own lives, goals, orders¡ªto kill me?"


    "They won''t," Prometheus added as he began to lose the human skin he had made for himself. "Because they are you."


    It was hard to digest.


    "That''s impossible. At one point, some version of me has to be more evil than any other. One more greedy, more desperate, more heartbroken," Sylvester argued. "Where can I expect to face them?"


    Prometheus'' body started to lose its shape. It became harder to see if he was still there since his form was that of space itself. His hand on Sylvester began to feel lighter as well, and his voice lowered.


    ''Is he going to give me his own life force as well?''


    Prometheus finally responded in whispers when he was on the verge of vanishing into nothing. "So you don''t know about it yet?"


    "About what?"


    "Why you¡ªwhy us¡ªwhy Johnathan Colt Westerling became Sylvester Maximilian."


    If Sylvester had a heart, he knew it would''ve exploded with a frenzied beating. The situation was so bizarre that it was hard to ept. Yet, it made enough sense that it felt believable. He was speaking to himself about his enemies that were also himself.


    "Where must I look to get these answers?" He questioned, knowing Prometheus wasn''t going to tell him anything.


    "You will be made aware¡­ soon." The voice broke, and the hand vanished from Sylvester''s shoulder. "Believe in yourself¡ªfor you are me¡­ I am you."


    Once again, standing alone, Sylvester looked at his palms. Yes, he could now feel many times stronger than just a few moments ago. Prometheus stood true to his name¡ªhe stole the power from the Primordial Gods and gifted it to him.


    Yet, he couldn''t feel happiness. He had just witnessed himselfmitting suicide for the sake of himself. For the sake of his own version, where there were countless others.


    Snap!


    He snapped two fingers to check his newfound abilities. The space and time around him changed so drastically that he rewrote thews of space itself, turning the darkness into light and light into darkness. Inversing everything, from the tiniest particles to reality itself.


    He could feel countless universes through his senses. Universes that once belonged to some Eldritch God that he or Prometheus had yed. Overwhelming, mind-numbing, and yet¡ªso¡­ unimpressive.


    "What''s wrong with me?" He asked himself, snapping his finger to return the universe back to how it was. "I¡­ I''m losing my sense¡­ of life. I don''t want this."


    He had never thought about it before.


    But now that he did, he felt terrified of himself. Terrified of slowly bing exactly what he was battling against.


    "This is too much power."


    Being able to rewrite reality itself wasn''t godhood. It was a more¡­ higher form. And to know that there existed someone even above himself.


    "I can''t be like them in this pursuit."


    "And you won''t," came a second voice reverberating through the cosmos.


    Sylvester raised his face fiercely, and for the first time he watched the shining being standing and not sitting on his throne. It no longer felt shocking or overwhelming. He no longer felt scared or suppressed by the being before him. In fact¡­ he felt on par¡­ almost there.


    "Solis?!"


    "We meet again, Sylvester Maximilian." No longer did Solis'' voice sound muffled. "You have grown outstandingly."


    Staring at the absent face of the humanoid being slightly taller than himself, Sylvester felt conflicted. Who was Solis? What was behind that shining body, that grand warm halo? What was his aim? Was he the First Pope? What was his end game?


    There was ack of antagonism and anger from Solis that he used to feel before. It appeared that much had undoubtedly changed.


    "I''m losing myself." Sylvester stated and asked, "When can I stop?"


    Solis once again took his throne that appeared behind him. His body gained size, overarching Sylvester''s. His presence also grew, and the pressure once again returned.


    "You are not supposed to. You have a purpose to fulfill."


    "What purpose?!" Annoyed, Sylvester barked. It thundered with such intensity that the space around him showed signs of breaking apart in horrifying spirals, cuts, and twists.


    Solis''s size kept on growing, making Sylvester appear smaller than his toenail. When he spoke again, Sylvester felt as if his ears would burst¡ªhe had no ears.


    "For which you were brought to this reality as an unquantifiable element of surprise. You are a piece that does not belong here¡ª


    you never will."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading the book. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 755 754. Home

    Chapter 755 754. Home


    ??"...You are a piece that does not belong here¡ªyou never will."


    It felt as if one lived their entire life, and in the end, they were told it was all a lie, and they were dreaming all the while. What did it mean that he didn''t belong there? He had lived, fought, struggled, and lost so much in pursuit of a goal he never asked for.


    Sylvester looked up at the gigantic form of Solis. How powerful was this creature, he wondered. "If you know that, you must also know who brought me here. It has to be someone powerful enough to ignore the boundaries of fate, reality, life, death, destiny, and the senses of those Primordial Gods¡ªfor even they sit in confusion and fright."


    Solis didn''t move an inch and replied as if his words were absolute. "I am yet to realize the answer to that. But it is true that you are an anomaly that isn''t supposed to exist¡ªyour life outshines those destined to be the face of change."


    "Be more clear!" Sylvester barked, faintly annoyed by the riddles.


    "You are a means to an end."


    "Everyone is," Sylvester argued back.


    Solis continued, "You exist here, not because you were meant to. But because only you were the right choice for this."


    Right then, Sylvester remembered the words from Prometheus. "He talked about ''why Johnathan Colt Westerling became Sylvester Maximilian.'' Do you know the answer?"


    "The answer awaits you back home. An answer you will realize, courtesy of the pride that oozes those above us. Their arrogance shall be your guide," Solis responded, and the halo behind his head started to shine brighter, engulfing him from all sides. "Go home, Sylvester Maximilian."


    For a long time, Sylvester silently pondered on everything Solis had said. Ignoring the frustrating secrets, he tried to make sense of the ''Your life outshines those destined to be the face of change'' statement.


    He tried to think deeper about every person he had met in his life as Sylvester. Whose destiny had he outshined?


    However, somewhere in the middle, the face of a little, sad, malnourished, and yet firm-willed girl shed before his eyes. Like a light bulb lit up, he felt it all made sense. A girl whose talents went beyond just being born with a higher IQ. A girl whose life story was no less than an inspiration.


    "So I''m living in Xylena''s story?" He asked Solis, not hoping for any answers. "But she''s merely a girl, a queen with no power."


    "Once, you were a baby who couldn''t walk,"


    That more or less confirmed Sylvester''s guess. And when he pondered over it, it started to make sense. There had to be a reason why she was able to learn Elder Magic alongside him with such ease. Why was she able to appear in his visions and reach out to him beyond the realm of reality in the void of nothingness?


    An unparalleled talent in space magic. An innate talent for learning Elder Magic. A life full of struggles, an attitude that was humble. And above all, a heart that was pure.


    "I outshined her destiny? But she was on the verge of dying. I saved her."


    "What has happened no longer matters, for ''they'' ruled from the shadows of your world." Solis''s halo surrounded his entire form in light, reducing his shape to a mere shadow. "You are here to fulfill a task. Much is still left for you to unmask."


    ''Aren''t the Primordial Gods absolute beings? The fate of Sol was doomed no matter what, same for Xye.'' Sylvester had so many questions that it was impossible to ponder over them all. ''If not for me, the war between the Demon and the human world was inevitable.''


    "We shall meet again very soon¡ªfor thest time."


    "What?!" Sylvester looked up. The light was fading. "Are you dying?"


    "The answer, you shall be made aware."


    He felt like wing his hair out in frustration. For every single question, the answer was the same. He had heard it so many times by now that it sounded like an excuse.


    "The end is near," Solis added right before thest speck of his spark vanished. "Trust yourself, Sylvester Maximilian. Your path now lies clear. Do not waver, do not fear¡ªOr the price shall be very dear."


    Solis vanished with that.


    "It has always been dear, Solis," Sylvester mumbled, wondering if he was the cause of many deaths since he wasn''t supposed to be in that world.


    Despite having be stronger than any human being in history, or perhaps any mortal in history, Sylvester felt shackles around him¡ªchains holding him from all sides. It was suffocating, being told you''re a puppet.


    You''re a tool.


    You don''t matter beyond your use.


    Atst, he understood what Diana meant when she said, ''You don''t live for yourself.''


    "When will this end?"


    He had lost count of how many times he had asked that question to himself.


    "Home?" He sighed out of habit and chose to make a small crack in space, leading to the spatial coordinates he couldn''t afford to forget. "To hell with Solis and destiny. It''s still my home¡­ wherever Mum, Chonky, and E are¡­ is my home."


    Finding a little sce in his own words, he made the jump.


    ¡­


    "I''m telling you he''s alright, Mother Xavia. He''ll be with us very soon."


    "You''ve been saying that for days now, Xylena. There has been no sign of Sylvester, nothing to give me hope." Xavia had no tears in her eyes anymore, but her eyes still appeared red and sore. "The demons don''t know anything either. Their ount¡­ it tells the worst of possi¡ªeven Chonky has disappeared."


    "There are things that are beyond our control, Mother Xavia. Things that we can''t fathom, beings that we can''t imagine. Sylvester is¡­ he has be something more now." Even Xylena found trouble exining what she had seen. How could she exin that Sylvester lived on as a pebble-sized orb of mist? It made no sense.


    Knock! Knock!


    "Come in," Xylena responded, it being her hospital room.


    Gabriel entered with a face as devoid of expression and vitality as Xavia. "Felix is still missing."


    "I was informed, Your Holiness."


    "Any word of Sylvester?" Xavia asked again.


    Gabriel simply looked down in shame, anger, and sadness. "The Sanctum Council is losing hope. They''re suggesting that we hold a funeral."


    "No!" Xylena barked like someone had stepped on her reverse scale. "How dumb are you all? I have been saying it again and again¡ªhe''s bloody alive! Sylvester will be back!"


    Yet, her words fell on deaf ears. Dismissed as the rambling of a traumatized girl unable to cope with the loss.


    "Your Majesty, the two demons have given their statements. The female is the ruler of the Demon World. She alone can destroy the Holy Land and Sol, yet she weeps for the loss of Pope Sylveste¡ª"


    "She''s dumb too!" Xylena barked and got off her bed. "You''re all annoying me now. How could you ever lose faith in Father? Did he not survive Sandwall? The Divine Desert? The Masan Empire? He is destined for something greater. He won''t die so easily."


    "I believe you." Xavia patted her shoulder to calm her down before looking back at Gabriel. "Any word about Chonky? Where is he?"


    "It''s impossible to find him unless he wants to be found out." Gabriel, yet again, held his head low in shame. Feeling like an utter failure as the Pope, he even hated holding that position now. "I shall resign from my position tomorrow morning. Someone from the Sanctum Council will rece me as the next Pope."


    Xylena wanted to scold him, but she didn''t. Xylena neither, as she too felt helpless and almost hopeless.


    ''Pleasee back, Max. Give us a sign that you''re alive.''


    ¡­


    Deep underground in the Pope''s Pce, before the closed door that still gave off a very depressing, dark, and deadly air, sat a lone white-furred beast that one might mistake for a mythical griffin¡ªif anyone could see him.


    ''Maxy, I''ll always be with you.''


    He felt heartbroken, for he realized he had failed his promise. Sylvester vanished right before his eyes, and he couldn''t do anything. Yet he held onto a faint glimmer of hope that Sylvester was impossible to kill so easily.


    "Maxy can''t die like that." His voice echoed there. "He mighte out any moment."


    In truth, he didn''t want to go home as seeing Xavia''s sad and crying face reminded him of his own failure. Having proudly proimed himself as Sylvester''s protector, his guardian, he felt ashamed.


    Seeing E simrly sad but never shedding a tear broke his innocent heart.


    "I''ll take Maxy home and roar again."


    k!


    "Yes, just like that, the door will open, and Maxy wi¡ª" Miraj opened his eyes and stood up, raising his head towards the door. "T-The door opened?!"


    "Maxy~" Miraj howled like no tomorrow.


    "Chonky?"


    Thud!


    That voice, that smell, that face¡ªthe poor giant ball of fur couldn''t take it and knocked himself out.


    No, he was snoring.


    At least he had peace.


    Finally, he could rest with a rxed heart and mind after days of being awake. His Maxy was home.


    _________________


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 Chapter 756 755. Not A Warm Welcome

    Chapter 756 755. Not A Warm Wee


    ??Sylvester made the opening in space, which appeared like a crack in ss. It was small, onlyrge enough to let him in. However, he put more care into it than ever since his existence could possibly inflict harm upon his home reality.


    ''The First Pope was forcibly rejected by reality because of his increased power. I''m far beyond that point at this stage.'' Sylvester remembered and gently entered with alertness, trying to feel if there was any sort of pushback.


    One leg, then the other, followed by his entire body. He didn''t dare appear directly inside the home universe and instead went to Nehilius'' realm that was connected to the door in the Pope''s Pce basement.


    It was also his storage universe for a lot of his own energy, and it felt like home, too. But, he quickly recalled where the door was in the dark vastness and flew directly to it¡ªyes, fly. It was finally possible. It only took him to lose his humanity and be an Eldritch being¡­ or perhaps even above that.


    ck!


    He grabbed the doorknob and turned it. Now even more careful and gentle, not knowing if his home had been put under some sort of protection by the Primordial Gods.


    ''Nothing for now.''


    "Maxy~!"


    "Chonky?" Sylvester heard a voice that was slightly different, but still sounded like music to his ears. He opened the door fully, and there he was, his favorite furball, now bigger and more handsome.


    Thud!


    "What the¡ª" Sylvester rushed out the door and picked up Miraj''s sleeping body, noticing his snores. "How long were you sitting here, boy?"


    Patting Miraj''s face and finally letting him sleep, he tightly kept him in his arms. He nced around the room and then behind him at the door. It felt strangeing out of the door he once used to meet with one he considered a supreme being¡ªnow himself having surpassed him.


    ''I feel no repulsion of any kind.'' He noticed and started walking out of the room, then towards the staircase leading to the upper floors. ''What about the Orb of Purity? It was ced here to suppress the First Pope¡­ can I take care of it now?''


    Somewhere deep down in his heart, he wanted to spread his senses throughout this universe and make it his own like the others. But he chose not to, as to not antagonize his two enemies. He had no doubt the two were watching his every move now.


    ''I wish I could still breathe with normal lungs,'' he muttered, feeling nostalgic about the ce, the walls he almost felt connected to.


    "Y-Y-Your Holiness!"


    "YOUR HOLINESS!"


    Just when Sylvester reached thest staircase, bringing him to the ground floor of the Pce, he was greeted by the two Holy Knights standing guard at the basement''s entrance. Both their spears fell from their grasp when they noticed someone¡ªhiming out.


    Looking not a day older since thest time they saw him. His white robes were intact with golden embroidery, his blonde hair was loose behind his head, and his golden eyes shined as bright as ever. There was no mistaking it. This was the Pope.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us." Sylvester greeted them, a phrase he hadn''t said in such a long time.


    "Waaaa¡­ it''s really you!" One of the Holy Knights threw away his helmet, his eyes burning with worship and tears, the scent telling the same story. Brown-headed, pale-skinned, and with a scar on lips; He crawled over to catch Sylveser''s leg. "Your Holiness, they were saying you were dead! They wanted to rece you¡­ I¡­ I never believed them! You can never die. You''re the supreme!"


    ''Were they always this fanatic, or did something happen while I was gone?''


    "How many years has it been since I was gone?" Sylvester asked the main question as he remembered a decade had passed in the Demon World when he went.


    "More than a year, Your Holiness." The Holy Knight answered.


    ''Such drastic time differences. No wonder Diana found troublemunicating with this world her entire life,'' Sylvester deduced. ''But this is good. A year is manageable.''


    "Where''s Gabriel?"


    "W-We don''t know, Your Holiness," the knight answered.


    Of course, they wouldn''t know. They were simple knights guarding a door. So Sylvester patted their shoulders, gifted them a faint flicker of light, inspected their bodies for any ailment, healed it, and ordered them to stand guard again.


    In simple words, he was indeed a god walking on earth by now.


    ''They didn''t react to Chonky. So he''s invisible again?'' Sylvester noted that as well. ''He''s only visible if my energy surrounds him?''


    nk!


    Thud!


    "What?!"


    "Oh, sweet Solis!"


    "Yes!"


    As Sylvester walked towards the Pope''s office, plenty of Clergymen and Bright Mothers passed by him. Some lost their minds and could only stare. Some fell and fainted; a few couldn''t believe it, and others rejoiced as if they had won the lottery.


    ''Should I do it?'' He pondered something, and in the end, went with it. ''They need a reminder.''


    Instead of making people try to recognize him and question reality, Sylvester created a warm, golden halo behind his head. It shined brightly and warmly, and something happened wherever the light fell. The nts in the flowerpots grew. The Clergymen facing any ailment felt better, while all the old ones were energized with strengthened bones.


    Disbelief turned into utter eptance, and one after another, they simply fell to their knees and closed their eyes before sping their hands together to pray. But, this time, they prayed to Pope Sylvester, not Solis.


    "Mmm¡­ Nya¡­"


    Right then, Sylvester noticed Miraj waking up from his very short power nap. Cutely, he rubbed his eyes with his paws, feeling cuddled and happy in Sylvester''s arms.


    "Wow¡­ I''m dreaming of Maxy again," Miraj muttered, still unable to ept that Sylvester was holding him. "Come back quick, M


    ¡ª"


    "You''re not sleeping, Chonky." Sylvester stared at the fluffy face and tapped his finger on the kitty''s nose. "I''m back."


    "..."


    "You want me to pinch you?"


    "..."


    Miraj''s eyes turned watery, but he quickly wiped them to hide his embarrassment. "R-Really?"


    "I''m heading over to see Gab," Sylvester replied andbed Miraj''s hair, a habit of his to keep the boy clean and smell-free. "Let''s have a fine meal at hometer. I''m sure Mum will be happy, and I''ll cook."


    "..."


    Miraj was in simple disbelief the whole time. "But you don''t feel like my Maxy."


    "What do you mean?"


    "You smell the same, you look the same, but..." Miraj''s head tilted sideways in confusion. "Umm¡­ I don''t know. Something''s different."


    ''He can feel my elevated being?''


    Atst, Sylvester arrived at the massive lobby that led to the grand door of the Pope''s office. Just outside the office, however, was the assistant''s table.


    "Greetings, Mother Anya Moller," Sylvester hailed his assistant.


    "..."


    The young Bright Mother dumbly stared at Sylvester. But instead of excitement, her face turned paler, as if she just saw death. "I-INTRUDERS! Ghosts have invaded the Holy Land!"


    ''Ghost? How dead does she think I am?''


    "Mother Moller, calm down. I have returned from my journey." Sylvester acted normal and walked towards the door. "I''ll have a word with Gabriel. Don''t let anyone disturb us."


    "Are you really the Pope?"


    "Don''t you see the halo behind my head?"


    "So many imposters havee to the Holy Land this year, also with a halo," she blurted back, picking up the magicalmunicator, the telephone. "I-I''ll call the soldiers if you don''t tell me the truth."


    Sylvester hummed and rubbed his chin. It was indeed a problem since others might ask him for proof too. ''Mum won''t find trouble recognizing me, that''s for sure. But the rest might doubt. Perhaps a disy of supreme might will suffice?''


    Beep!


    Right then, Sylvester noticed Anya had clicked some buttons on the magicmunicator. From what he could guess, it was definitely an emergency call for backup or something simr.


    "P-Pope Gabriel isn''t in the room. He went to see Queen Xylena," Anya spoke with stutters and fear in her voice, clearly trying to stall the situation until backup arrived.


    ''What in God''s name did my imposters do to warrant such a reaction?'' Sylvester wondered, remembering a fat imposter of himself he had seen many years ago. ''Could they be the other Johnathans?''


    "In that case, I shall wait inside. Send them in when they arrive here." Sylvester proceeded to the door and effortlessly opened it. Yes, he had felt countless safety runes on it and other magical mechanisms to only allow the Pope inside, or those the Pope wills.


    He went ahead and sat down on the modest wooden chair with seat cushions. The office was much bigger now; Its ceiling was now at least fifty feet high, and the office area was hundreds of feet.


    The main table was also massive, with a magical mechanism for it to be raised. At one corner were alsorger chairs.


    ''They resized it to fit the Giants and the Dragons?'' Sylvester approved of the changes.


    "He''s inside!"


    Sylvester noted Anya''s screaming voice from the other side and rxed back in the chair.


    Boom!


    The door was kicked open by someone utterly tall and powerful.


    "Who dares sully the pure?" Red-robed, big-bodied, conical helmet and a red visor with shining eyes, "Of your painful demise, I assure. Show y¡ª"


    The doorpletely flung open, and the view inside became visible. The big-bodied man froze in his ce, as well as his lips.


    "Is that how you''ll wee me back, old man?"


    When Lord Inquisitor froze, a woman squeezed from his side and tried to enter with her unsheathed sword. "Who is it, fath¡ª"


    Sylvester smiled warmly, finally feeling at home.


    "You look older, Aurora."


    _________________


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 Chapter 757 756. A Visitor Comes

    Chapter 757 756. A Visitor Comes


    ??"Sylvester?!" Aurora stepped forward, dumbfounded and excited at the same time. "Am I seeing things?"


    ''She looks so¡­ different?'' Sylvester noticed the effects of age on her face. Although still young and beautiful, he noticed sparse gray strands mixed in her brown hair. Tiny hints of aging wrinkles had also appeared around the edge of her eyes. ''Must have been under great stress.''


    "Stop staring at me. I know I''m handsome," Sylvester jested and stood up. It had been a while, and a hug was the least she deserved, alongside his invisible blessing that healed any ailments in her body, whether dormant or ongoing.


    So speechless, it took a few moments before she reacted to Sylvester''s embrace and hugged him back. She patted his back and touched his blonde hair to make sure it was him.


    "Where were you?"


    "Almost dead, lost, and getting stronger. It''s a long story, Aurora." Sylvester let her go and looked up at the Lord Inquisitor. "Still going strong?"


    "The only time I shall rest will be on my pyre. Until then, I stand to aid in whatever you may require." Lord Inquisitor, like always, maintained his unique method of speaking. "Wee back, Your Holiness."


    ''He''s getting older.'' Sylvester didn''t fail to notice the extremely faint shiver in Lord Inquisitor''s arm that held onto the weighty metal staff. ''But he''ll be against me healing him now.''


    Even then, Sylvester shook the man''s free hand and eased some of the pain he felt due to his unique physical body. The burning breath that scorched him from inside and outside under the visor. The bones that were growing weaker needed a little reinforcement, too.


    "Good, I can''t have you leaving us now, Lord Inquisitor. I''ve seen much during my journey, and against what ising, I will need all your aid." Sylvester stepped back and leaned against the table in wait for the others. "I''ve returned, but I fear I will have to leave again. This time, it may be for a very long time."


    "What will happen to the faith?" Aurora questioned. "Without you, the cracks have already started to appear. Corruption and heresy are on the rise. Deviancy is being supported and promoted, while morality is silently quashed."


    "If I win, you won''t even feel my disappearance," Sylvester added in the end. "To defeat a god, you need to be a god."


    "And what are you now?" A third voice came from behind Lord Inquisitor.


    As the big red-draped man moved aside, Guardian Julius entered, a Supreme Wizard and currently the second strongest powerhouse of the faith¡ªofficially. He didn''t look a day older from the time Sylvester left. Such was the vitality and long lifespan of peak power.


    "What do you mean?" Sylvester questioned back.


    "As a Supreme Wizard, we can sense when another powerhouse is in the vicinity. I could sense you before. I can sense where Raz is. But now¡­" Julius stepped in and walked closer to Sylvester, stopping just four feet away. "Now I can''t even feel you standing before me¡ªjust air, nature, nothing."


    ''Is this what Chonky was talking about?''


    Sylvester rubbed his face and mused over it. "What do you consider a god? If it''s Solis, then I''m afraid our understanding is different. There are only two ''gods'' that I recognize who hold the power to be called such."


    "Which one are you?" Julius questioned, expressions missing from his face.


    Sylvester hummed, once again asking himself what he should name himself. After all, he was clearly not as strong as Solis yet, but definitely close to him. He was far more than an Eldritch God too.


    "Somewhere between Solis and those who rise beyond the shackles of this world," Sylvester replied in words only those with half a brain would understand.


    Julius took in a sharp breath and stepped back before crossing his arms on his chest and saluting. "May the Holy Light enlighten us. Wee back, Your Holiness."


    "Let''s go to the Sick Bay." Sylvester walked forward. "It''s better than waiting for Gabriel here. And where is our happily married Saint Viceman? Did he be a father yet? I''m sure Isabe was pregnant when he tried to hide it from me."


    "Triplets." Aurora blurted. "Three daughters."


    "Sweet!" Sylvester grinned with genuine joy. "I can''t wait to spoil them. But I hope that fool is spending enough time with his children. One of the biggest reasons noble children turn sour is the ignorance of parents."


    "Felix is missing," Julius announced.


    That grin instantly turned into a frown. "What happened?"


    Aurora tried to speak before Julius since the mancked nuance of emotions. "He went to Beastaria to investigate something in the Greenpeaks. We lostmunication with him after a while, and the search parties never found any clues. Raz, Rathagun, and Guardian Julius have toppled thends and the seas, but still nothing."


    ''Johnathans?''


    Sylvester''s doubts deepened the more he learned. "Does Isabe know?"


    "No, we told her that Felix is on a secret duty. But it''s been months, and she''s starting to demand answers." Aurora looked down frustratingly. "Where could he go, Your Holiness? We looked everywhere."


    "Except for one ce," Julius added.


    Aurora immediately denied it. "Isabe was just about to give birth. He may be insane at times, but he''s not foolish to enter the portal."


    ''The Darkpit Sea portal?'' Sylvester recalled the phenomenon.


    "If he had a good enough reason, then yes, he''s insane enough to jump in it." Sylvester dered and abruptly closed his eyes. "Be silent for a moment. I''ll search the entire."


    How outrageous that sounded was evident by the frozen faces of Aurora and even Julius. A Supreme Wizard was a kingdom-


    ending entity already. So what was Sylvester now? A world-


    ending being?


    They had no idea how vastly mistaken they were.


    ¡­


    Sylvester could, but didn''t want to use the conventional Eldritch God means to spread his senses around the universe. He had another trick to surround the entire with his gaze.


    Srium particles were still a thing. His knowledge of Elder Magic had already allowed him to sense them in his surroundings. In addition, the entire world, from inanimate to animate beings, had srium particles infused within.


    ''This''ll be easy.''


    As if he were the center of a circle, an invisible field of magic sted off his being. It spread out at great speed, only sensed faintly by Julius due to his deeper understanding of the magical particle.


    First, covering the entire surface of the Holy Land, it spread in all directions simultaneously. On one side, it took over the regions of Gracia, while on the other side, it took over the Blood Sea. The West, the East, the South, or the North¡ªeverything entered Sylvester''s indirect vision within a minute.


    It took him that long since this was an unconventional and slower means. But he wasn''t done, as the moment the entire surface of the was covered, the magic entered into the ground and the ocean, all the way to the center of the core, thousands of kilometers deep.


    After that was done, Sylvester finally stopped and began checking the world. So much information entered his head at the same time, but he felt nothing anymore. He noticed his father in Alfia, having noticed his magical actions.


    He watched the various riots ongoing in Deca Imperia and some other parts of the world. He watched every single State Councilman appointed, their corruption, and all those under him. The humans, the dragons, the dwarves, the Beastkins¡ª


    everything fell directly under his gaze.


    However, nowhere did he find the ck-haired man in his prime. Forget the surface, he didn''t find him in dirt or water either, not even his bones.


    ''He either disappeared or jumped into the damn portal.''


    But Sylvester did find someone rather interesting. And to his surprise, that person was right outside the Pope''s Pce, being escorted in by a group of Holy Knights.


    Before that, he opened his eyes as he saw the Deputy Popeing in, his feet rushing. "Herees Gabriel."


    Lord Inquisitor, Aurora, and Julius looked behind at the open door.


    "What are you all doing in the office?" Gabriel interrogated, "Ah, ignore that. It''s better you''re here. I''ll need your help interrogating this man. He came to the Holy Land''s gates and said he knows where Felix is."


    Instead of telling Gabriel, the three Guardians of Light stepped aside and cleared the path.


    "Y-You''re ali¡ª" Like everyone else, Gabriel was at a loss for words and froze. His dark eyes, and face that appeared older than it should twitched. His lips tried to utter something but failed to do so.


    ''I was selfish.'' Sylvester felt such when he noticed the aged and tired look on his best friend''s face. ''But I couldn''t trust anyone other than you two.''


    With a bit of guilt and a little warmth, Sylvester walked up to Gabriel and hugged the living hell out of his brother-like friend. Of course, giving the same magical treatment as the others.


    "You did well, my friend."


    "No, I failed. Felix is missing, and peace is slowly falling apart."


    Sylvester patted his back, letting him embrace back, "It''s not your fault if Felix had another fit of insanity. Don''t worry, I''ll find him and bring him back."


    Gabriel stepped back, his heart still racing. But he didn''t have the luxury to celebrate Sylvester''s return yet or ask him countless questions. "Then we''re in luck. A man nam¡ª"


    Sylvester finished his friend''s words.


    "Named Johnathan?"


    _________________


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 Chapter 758 757. Johnathan Colt Westerling

    Chapter 758 757. Johnathan Colt Westerling


    ??"Named Johnathan?"


    "You know him?" Gabriel questioned, suppressing his curious heart as much as he could. He wanted to go back and scream to Xylena and Xavia that Sylvester was back, but this matter took precedence.


    Sylvester nodded but didn''t borate. "Lord Inquisitor, Aurora, and Julius. Stand outside when this manes. Gabriel, you stay inside with me. Let this be a minor example of what the true ''Gods'' are able to do with a fraction of their power."


    Immediately, the three Guardians left the office. Alone, Sylvester took a seat, calling Gabriel to do the same. They didn''t talk, knowing it''d be a waste since that little moment wasn''t enough to satisfy their questions.


    Eventually, a knock came from the door.


    "Send him in," Sylvester ordered.


    The door opened, and an old man with white hair and beard entered. His clothes were more ustomed to this world, at least. With a wrinkled face and sharp eyes, the man exuded the energy of a hunter.


    Sylvester recognized him, of course. He had seen that face for an entire lifetime in the mirror. "Take a seat, Johnathan."


    "I was told you''d be here today," Jonathan responded and sat down beside Gabriel on the second visitor''s chair. "I was curious what you looked like personally. What a cursed life."


    Sylvester shared the same mindset. "Why are you here?"


    "How was Diana?" Jonathan questioned back instead of answering.


    "She was born thousands of years before," Sylvester answered. "Once again, it was toote to save her, to tell her anyst few words. So now, tell me, why are you here? For Diana? Did they promise you that?"


    "Of course, what else could drive us?" Jonathan responded and put forward a bag on the table that he had brought along. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I don''t believe the promise, and even if it was the truth, I don''t want it."


    "Don''t you want to be with Diana?" Sylvester amusedly asked. After all, it took him so many years and devastating experiences to get over her. It was impossible that his other versions would give up so easily.


    Gabriel was absolutely confused by their exchange but tried to focus on it nheless. He knew he''d get the exnationter on. But it scared him to a degree since Johnathan appeared to have known Sylvester better than even he himself did, from the way they talked.


    "Even if we do all they say, and their promise is real. Can they guarantee that it''s my Diana? Not a version of her plucked from some other time and space, forced to be with me?" Jonathan said and finally took out a little dagger from his bag. "None of us ever epted ''their''mands. We were brought here against our will, and we responded ordingly. We''re intruders, and there can only be one Johnathan¡ªfor this world."


    "What was the mission?"


    "To kill Sylvester Maximilian. We were given all the information on you, except for the fact that I was you, and you are me, just from a different variation. We were dropped across various times throughout your life¡ªyes, that child who tried to kill you with Moonshade Poison was one of us."


    Sylvester fell silent, remembering his extremely active life. Faintly, he remembered a boy trying to kill him many years ago when he was young. It happened somewhere near Goldstown''s port.


    "So you''re epting that you''re here to kill me?"


    Johnathan chuckled and pulled out a crown this time from the bag. "All the rest of us were sent here as adults. Only he was a kid¡ªa forever kid. He chose to die by your hands after gauging your identity."


    "Gauging?"


    "We were only ordered to kill Sylvester. The rest we had to find out on our own¡ªfind out why they wanted you dead. One of us watched you in Sphinx Vige. Another watched you in Jartel County. We were there when you fought the Soul Eater. We heard all your hymns and witnessed your miracles.


    "Your actions were textbook urate ording to us, things we would have done exactly the same. When you began inventing revolutionizing things, that was the answer to all our questions, an endpoint of our varying lives of struggles."


    The entire time, Jonathan kept on taking out things: a ring, a bracelet, an earring, a monocle, a piece of stone.


    Sylvester eased back into his chair, slowly thinking about life from another Johnathan''s point of view. ''If I were thrown here, I''d have tried to investigate too before killing ''Sylvester'', a young man who was doing nothing but good for the world. But how can every single Johnathan be the same?''


    "Why can''t I sense their existence then?" He questioned.


    Johnathan promptly answered, "Dead."


    "What about you?"


    "I was tasked to wait and meet you. All of us Johnathans hade together¡ªtwenty of us. Other than investigating your origin, we also investigated the two ''gods''. You likely know more than us, but we were able to find out that only this world and the Demon World are not under the direct control of any one of the two gods," Johnathan revealed as he finished emptying the bag. "These are the artifacts we either created or discovered throughout our lives. It allows one to expand their mentalprehension beyond the physical world, and turn invisible from the eyes of the two gods."


    The whole ordeal felt too charitable. Sylvester expected some type of confrontation.


    "So all of you lived your entire lives for this moment? To hand me all this? Are you sure?"


    "We''re not supposed to be here, Sylvester." Johnathan got up from the seat, taking the dagger he had first taken out of the bag. He went to the exit door and knelt down. "From the moment we realized who you were, we knew what must be done. This isn''t our story, not our reality, nor our destiny."


    Sylvester also stood up, knowing what the counterpart was going to do. After all, this man him, with the same thought process.


    "Where do you go now?" Sylvester questioned.


    Johnathan smiled, his old wrinkly face appearing at peace. He untied his tunic so his chest was bare. "Like the rest, it''s the end for me. Those artifacts number twenty in total. This dagger is what I made."


    Gabriel realized what was going to happen just then and jumped up, "Stop him, Your Holiness."


    Sylvester shook his head and raised his hand to stop Gabriel. "We don''t change the order of nature, Gab. This is merely a correction in the order of things that was forcibly disturbed by the gods."


    "Precisely." Johnathan firmly ced the dagger''s tip on his chest, right where his heart was. "All of us had no regrets, no enemies, Sylvester. For some reason, they picked us just after we enacted our revenge on that traitor. We had epted our fate already¡ªthis was a mere pointless extension."


    ''This could have been me.'' Sylvester thought while watching. ''The only thing separating us is this body of mine.''


    "This isn''t my story either."


    Johnathanughed like an old man at that. "Then patiently wait for your end."


    "You don''t want to take my ce?" Sylvester asked further.


    "I don''t." The dagger gently slid into Johnathan''s chest. "None of us did. We were mere tourists here against our will. This one''s your canvas, and you are the quill."


    Sylvester chuckled, "So you learned to rhyme?"


    "You''re not too bad either." Despite the dagger killing him, Johnathan was able to quip. "Kill those two bastards, will you? They troubled Diana too¡ªuneptable."


    ''Is this what''s mostmon among us? Love for Diana?'' Sylvester wondered and waited for Johnathan to find his peace against the forced prison he was thrown into.


    Sylvester finally thought about the entire experience, especially what Solis had said to him. ''Are all Johnathans simr?''


    By then, Johnathan''s heart was punctured, and he began to die rather quickly. The dagger stabbed through the lungs, too, making him cough blood. But there was no sign of fear or pain on his face.


    Just an old, wise smile remaining constant.


    "G-Good luck, old boy." Johnathan blurted hisst words with a mouth full of blood and fell backward, his body rxing but not hitting the ground, locked by the knees. His white beard was stained crimson, his heart stopped beating, and his lungs empty.


    Sylvester walked closer to the dead body and pulled out the bloodied dagger. As if in a stupor, he stared at it without saying a word. Not even noticing Gabriel''s shouting words, and shaking body.


    "Why did you let him die?! He didn''t tell us where Felix is!" Gabriel bellowed.


    "Ha ha¡­" But Sylvester abruptly exploded in a burst of hystericalughter. His face stared at the ceiling as if he could see something there, something that Gabriel could not. "So this is the reason? This is why Johnathan became Sylvester?"


    Heughed even more at the two gods who were undoubtedly watching him and seething in rage or something. Their grand ns had all failed, and each time, Sylvester was the reason in one way or another.


    "You failed to realize what made Johnathan Colt Westerling umon!" Sylvester boomed, "No version of me will ever betray himself!"


    In simple words, Johnathan Colt Westerling was made to be Sylvester Maximilian.


    Sylvester Maximilian was made to be the end of Aveda and Ashraska.


    _________________


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 Chapter 759 758. Double Surprise

    Chapter 759 758. Double Surprise


    ??"This proves it." Aveda voiced after listening to Sylvester''s roaring statement. "It must be father''s doing."


    "Do not make hasty decisions in panic, Aveda. We watched Father fade away from existence before us." Ashraska refuted his brother, "We merely have to find out how and why thesest two remaining worlds hold such resistance towards us. This mortal should not be untouchable for us."


    "But he is, and we witnessed our loss. If every iteration of this mortal is mentally the same, then his mere existence goes beyondmonws of existence. It goes against the principles of alternate space and time, againstmon sense." Aveda added, being more extensive in his deliberation. "Our meddling not only gave him answers but also a weapon to conceal himself from our notice."


    Ashraska''s voice sneered, "We were too proud and overconfident. He must have someone''s blessing, someone who wishes to see us fall."


    "Solis?"


    "He''s not strong enough."


    "Then why is he still alive?" Aveda questioned further. "Be it your ything or mine. Both have shown us resistance we never expected. The appearance of Johnathan and Diana was not natural¡ªit''s a preconceived n."


    The anger Ashraska felt couldn''t be contained, as the helplessness they felt made no sense. As if there was an invisible wall between them and their enemy that even they couldn''tprehend. "There is no one who can go against us. We are the absolute! We are above all! There are only two Primordial Gods left, Aveda¡ªus!"


    Indeed, the current situation made no sense. Despite their omniscient existence, Sylvester was one creature they couldn''t look through.


    "Let us not lose ourselves in rage," Aveda advised.


    "And wait for him toe for us?"


    "He''s not strong enough."


    "Yet!" Ashraska barked back. The realm beyond existence crackled. "We have watched him enough, and his rise is swift. No more! It''s time we start responding directly."


    However, Aveda was more cautious. "What of the one behind him?"


    "We cannot live in fear of that. It is time to lure our real enemy out. See who dares challenge us. For far too long, we have allowed this mortal to y his little schemes and earn glory. We''ll put an end to his story."


    Two brothers but inherently different. Ashraska was confident in dealing with Sylvester no matter what, and took a more direct approach. But Aveda didn''t feel the same. Nheless, he supported his brother.


    ¡­


    Holy Land, Pope''s Pce,


    Sylvester calmed his nerves and knelt before the dead body of Johnathan. It was the strangest feeling to see himself from the old times. Seeing the dark circles under his eyes and the wrinkly skin; they reminded him of how miserable he was living during those times, chasing after the traitor who blew his and Diana''s cover.


    "I hope you find peace," Sylvester muttered, disintegrating the entire body as if it never existed. He couldn''t let someone get their hands on his original blood or body, just in case some forbidden magic he didn''t know about existed.


    p!


    Atst, he pped his hands clean and turned to Gabriel, "So, how are you?"


    Gabriel was still as dumbfounded as before. "How are you? Seriously?! What about Felix? He said he knew about Felix!"


    "Felix jumped into the damn portal," Sylvester immediately rified. "That''s why Johnathan mentioned the two words that aren''t under the direct control of one of the two gods. Don''t worry, I''ll bring him back."


    "And who was this Johnathan?" Gabriel asked further.


    Sylvester moved to gather the artifacts left behind while answering. "Do you believe in reincarnation, Gab?"


    "I don''t know. It''s a concept rarely anyone believes in since all souls are either embraced by Solis or punished by Solis," Gabriel responded, but also gave his nuances. He had read all the books in the Holy Land, after all. "But if you say that Solis isn''t the highest God, then maybe reincarnation could be real."


    "It is." Sylvester blurted. "Not for everyone, but it is."


    "Like Johnathan?"


    Sylvester corrected him, "Like me. The man you saw was one of the infinite versions of myself from my past life. Before I was born as Sylvester Maximilian in this world."


    Thud!


    Gabriel''s arm waved back to look for a chair and fell back on it, his face in disbelief. "T-Then you¡­ have memories of your past life?"


    "I''ve had them since I was born," Sylvester answered truthfully. It didn''t matter anymore, not after what he had be. Even less so when Gabriel also knew about his elven blood, which he did not have anymore. Of course, Gabriel and Felix were the only people he felt confident telling. "But what matters is that the Primordial Gods plucked the past versions of myself from alternate realities and threw them in here with a mission to kill me¡ªa version of themselves."


    Wide-eyed, Gabriel still had the look of disbelief. Reincarnation was real. It was something not all mortals could ept. "T-Then what happens to those who don''t get reincarnated?"


    "I don''t know, but they do find a ce. In my journey, when I was on the verge of death, I saw beyond the wall of the dead and the living, Gab. I spoke with Shane, Sir Dolorem, Grandpa Monk, the Pope, and Markus. It was them¡ªreally them."


    Gabriel gulped upon hearing that. He had absolute trust in Sylvester''s words, and that''s why it felt scary. He wondered if he had done enough good to join the better side after death.


    "How much are you Johnathan, and how much are you Sylvester? What even were you in thest life? Who is Diana?" Gabriel barked everything that was running through his mind. "What were you saying whileughing just now?"


    Sylvester chuckled and stepped closer to Gabriel. He gently ced his palm on Gabriel''s head, "See for yourself, my brother."


    Gabriel''s eyes rolled to the back of his head with the influx of information. It was a lot, but within his mortal limits. Sylvester carefully showed him bits from his past life without giving away too much.


    His birth, his parents, the abandonment by his parents, followed by life in foster homes. Education, recruitment by the government, and turning into a spy. Meeting Diana, betrayal, thirst for vengeance, and then death.


    Immediately after came the birth of Sylvester Maximilian. Many parallels drew on their own. Sylvester was thrown into a cruel world to fend for himself in both lives. To survive by any means possible.


    However, he didn''t need to show all of Sylvester''s bits since Gabriel was a major part of it. But Sylvester showed what happened throughout his journey to the Demon World,ing close to an inch from his death and more.


    Bam!


    When Sylvester stepped back from Gabriel, Gabriel fell face-first on the table. He panted for breath and held his head with both palms. He felt suffocated and had to drink a ss of water quickly.


    "A-A spy? That exins so much¡­" Gabriel muttered, "There isn''t much difference in your two lives then, is there?"


    "I''d agree. In one, I had Diana, whom I loved to death. Here I have Xavia and many more for whom I''d dly give my life." Sylvester answered and settled in the adjacent seat. "Any more questions?"


    Gabriel nodded, "T-Those massive cities¡­ those steel carriages and flying machines. How advanced was that world?"


    "Technologically far ahead, but socially on the same page. No magic there either, so there were other sorts of weapons made with chemicals and technology."


    Gabriel sighed, "This is so much to process. And somehow all the Johnathans, no matter from which world, will never betray you? How is that possible?"


    This was something even Sylvester found trouble epting. But from what he had seen and heard, it made all the sense. "I don''t know, Gab. And I''m sure even the Primordial Gods don''t know. A few questions still remain to be answered, but now you know most of it."


    "I was better off not knowing. I feel my heart will never be at peace now. Will I be reincarnated after death? Will I get the good ending or the bad ending? I feel nervous all of a sudden."


    Sylvester chuckled and pulled his friend by the arm. "Don''t think too much, my friend. I''m sure we''re all going to hell."


    "..."


    "Come, take me to Mum and Xye now." Sylvester dragged him along.


    He opened the door and addressed the Guardians waiting there like hounds, ready to kill anyone who dares try to enter.


    "The visitor has left this world." Sylvester''s words were indirect but very clear. "You''re free to return to your duty. Or you can follow me to the Sick Bay."


    As expected, Julius left while Aurora and Lord Inquisitor followed behind Sylvester. They had never felt it before, but now they couldn''t bring themselves to make small talk with Sylvester. Mainly Aurora, who felt an invisible pressure on her being just by being close to him.


    "Come over to my home this evening. I''ll cook dinner for all of us." Sylvester invited them to do some catching-upter.


    But for now, he had a double dose of delightful surprises for Xavia.


    ''Chonky, do you want to make Mum happy?'' He spoke mentally.


    ''Aye, aye!'' Miraj chirped.


    ''Then do as I tell you to.''


    After a short walk, they all entered the massive building of the Sick Bay. All the staff and visitors dumbfoundedly stared at the Pope''s back, walking as if he wasn''t just rumored to be dead a day ago.


    "This room." Gabriel brought them to the top floor''s private suits.


    Sylvester smiled and turned the doorknob. "Go in, Chonky."


    "Meow meow!" Miraj chirped and flew off through the wide gap in the door Sylvester made. The big ball of fur made as much noise as possible with his fluttering wings and melodious meowing. "I''m back, Big Mum!"


    Inside the room, all heads turned towards the voice¡ªXavia, Xylena, and E were there.


    "Chonky?!" Xavia called for him, being worried for so many days due to his disappearance. But, to her utter surprise, it wasn''t just the sound she heard this time. No, she could even see him too, for the first time, like a fluffy white cloud in the air.


    The reaction was the same for others. E was the first to rush forward and try to grab Miraj from the air. "We can see Chonky now, Grandma!"


    Knock! Knock!


    "Of course you can." Sylvester entered the room. "Since I''m back."


    _________________


    A/N: Pretty much Xylena, Xavia, and E''s faces after seeing Maxy.

 Chapter 760 759. A Mothers Plea

    Chapter 760 759. A Mother''s Plea


    ??Sylvester chuckled at Xavia''s frozen face. He knew what her mind was going through. Although there was hope in her heart, her mind had already decided that Sylvester was dead for good this time.


    "I feel sad that you all even thought I could die." Sylvester entered and hugged Xavia tightly against his chest. In no time, he felt drops of her tears rolling down on his shoulder. "But, such is the bond of blood. I''m home, Mum."


    Xavia didn''t let him leave her tight embrace either. Her voice shook at ces, but she spoke nheless. "I''m getting old, Max. S-Stop scaring my weak heart like this."


    Sylvester smiled, but that was something he couldn''t promise. "I promise everything will be fixed after this onest time. The end is approaching faster than you think, Mum."


    "Where to now?" Xavia looked up at his face.


    "To the ce that matters. Beyond the boundaries of what we see as reality. That''s where our enemiesy." Sylvester exined without any reservation. After all, he had no idea if he would win this one. His power was still a far cry from that of the Primordial Gods. "But Mum, have you thanked Xylena yet?"


    Xavia finally stepped away from him and looked at the bed. "Thank her?"


    Sylvester nodded and walked to the side of the bed before leaning down, allowing Xylena to hug him. "Of course. If not for Xye, I wouldn''t be alive right now. She guided me through the cosmic void outside space and time. She gave me her hand when I had lost all hope."


    Xylena teared up as well. "I finally know why I saw you in my visions."


    "Same for me, Xye." Sylvester patted her head, making a mess of her ashen ck hair. "I''ll be teaching you martial magic, literary knowledge, and science from now on. You have a bigger role to y in this world than being a Queen in nothing but name."


    "What?!"


    That came out of nowhere and surprised Xylena. Up until now, she believed she was, at best, average with a single unique magical talent in spatial elements.


    Of course, Sylvester saw it differently. After meeting Solis, he had the answer of whose story he was living in. He was a traveler, a guest at best, while Xylena was to be the real main driving force of the world, or at least, supposed to be.


    If anything, he now knew who his sessor should be. Who had the best mental capacity and fate''s blessing to guide the world after him.


    "Do you think I''ll be the unofficial ruler of the world forever?" Sylvester replied in a scolding tone. "I want to retire as soon as possible and live a peaceful life. Away from the Holy Land, perhaps somewhere on a little farm. With Mum by my side, along with Chonky, I''d grow what I eat and make music as I see fit."


    "And me?" E stepped forward just then, desperately looking at Sylvester to see what he had nned for her.


    Sylvester always doted on her, his officially adopted daughter, ording to thew. He rushed up to her, grabbed her in his arms, and picked her up. She had grown a year older now and, hence taller. But still much shorter than him.


    Her blonde hair was still shoulder length, and her blue eyes now held a little morepassion and emotions than what she had started with.


    "My E will live with me, and I''ll teach you everything I know. Unless you don''t want to¡­?"


    "I want to!" E chirped, "I want to be with Father, Grandma, and Chonky."


    Just imagining that sort of life made Sylvester feel ticklish in his chest. Sadly, he no longer had a heart, now a monstrosity of nature.


    He tapped on E''s little nose and let her down. "In that case, why don''t you go and give Chonky a few squishes?"


    "Nyooooo~!" Miraj cried and tried to climb onto Xavia''s shoulder. But he was too big now, and his own fur made it harder. In addition, Xavia wasn''t strong enough to carry his weight. "Maxy, why~?"


    Sylvesterughed and let the two y. He turned a little serious and called Xavia closer to Xylena''s bed. Gabriel, Aurora, and Lord Inquisitor also came nearer.


    "Felix is stuck in the Demon World, so I''ll go and bring him back. This time, it will be as easy as moving my finger¡ªmuch has changed." Sylvester assured them and walked to Xylena''s bedside table to pick up the magicmunicator. "I''ll have the holy scribes take a photograph of me and publish it in tomorrow''s newspaper. Let the world know I''m back. Much of the corruption and bad actors will halt their activities on their own."


    "You won''t punish them?" Gabriel asked.


    "I never said that. The moment they decided to rebel against the peaceful order for their petty, selfish desires, they forfeited their lives. A hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, I don''t care how many they number. They''ll be purged from existence," Sylvester sternlymanded, his mere words holding an invisible force that froze the deputy Pope and the two Guardians. "Lead me to Empress Zenith and Dalgan first."


    "I knew how preposterous were their demand," Lord Inquisitor responded to hismand at the quickest, feeling energized again. "I shall prepare the Inquisitors to move out as youmand."


    "The demons are in the dungeon," Gabriel added. "We haven''t touched them since doing so could earn the Demon Empress'' ire."


    "You did well. The demons are not our enemies. They suffer the same fate as our world does, and face the same dangers as us. The two Primordial Gods are after their lives, pushing them towards a war with our side." Sylvester rified but didn''t justify all the deaths the demons had caused. "Lead me to them."


    However, before heading out, Sylvester looked back. "Mum, I''ve invited the Council to home. I''ll cook dinner tonight."


    Xavia couldn''t be happier. "I''ll send someone to buy the supplies quickly."


    "Maxy!"


    "Stay with Mum, Chonky. I''m not going anywhere before morning."


    Before morning was the word that most failed to notice.


    ¡­


    Dungeons of the Pope''s Pce,


    It being the Pope''s Pce, even the dungeons were prepared ordingly. After all, prisoners of the Pope were also of high status. Even then, there existed various prison zones with varied qualities.


    Sylvester was led to the one with the best features. It looked more like a massive apartment with multiple rooms, a massive hall, and even a recreation room with musical instruments and some board games.


    ck! Click!


    Gabriel unlocked the door and allowed Sylvester to enter first. "We treated them with respect, Sylvester. Three meals a day, plenty of refreshments. We even fed them the Bard''s food, and they asked for more."


    ''Are they here on a pic?'' Sylvester''s brows twitched. ''Who knows what the Demon World is like now without the Empress''s presence?''


    He walked inside but didn''t see the two anywhere. So, he went deeper and eventually arrived in a smaller living room with a low coffee table in the middle. He noticed they were sitting on the floor on each side of the table.


    Bam!


    "How dare you?! The rules are written behind the box, Dalgan!"


    "Empress Mother, the rules make no sense."


    "Dalgan, don''t try to act smart with me. You can''t stack a plus-


    four on my plus-four. You have to take four cards and lose your turn," the Empress bellowed.


    At the gate of the door, Sylvester sighed in amusement. Uno was a game he had created long ago and handed over to the various trade guilds to produce and promote. Sadly, the card game never became famous in this world.


    "What''s going on here?" Sylvester voiced just then.


    Zenith and Dalgan''s faces turned towards him at the same time. A short moment of shock overcame them, but the very next moment, Zenith picked up the card box, and Dalgan picked up his card.


    "Sylvester, tell this buffoon how this game is yed," Zenith roared.


    "Pope Sylvester, your rules make no sense."


    "..."


    Sylvester wondered if letting them stay in the dungeon was a better option. ''Have they gone insane from the confinement?''


    "If you two want to go back home, follow me. If you want to continue bickering on this game, stay here." Sylvester didn''t even stand there for long and turned around to leave.


    "Tsk." Zenith sneered at Dalgan and rushed behind him after draping her armor back with a big hooded cloak on her head. "When did youe back to life, Sylvester?"


    "I was never dead," Sylvester blurted, realizing they had added to the rumor that he was dead. "Why did you think I died?"


    "Because you asked us to take care of Chonky," Dalgan chimed in, covered from head to toe. "Sadly, we couldn''t see that furball after we arrived in this world."


    Sylvester didn''t me them for it. Even he had thought he was going to die. "I''ll take you back home tomorrow morning."


    "How? There are no other portals," Zenith questioned.


    "There is one, but it likely leads to somewhere extremely dangerous in your world. It alone has mutated an entire ocean here, turning its creatures into demonic monstrosities, no offense."


    "None taken, and Darkpit Sea?!" Zenith eximed. "I read about it here. So that''s why it''s so dangerous?"


    "We''ll know when we get in¡ª" Sylvester abruptly lost the words in his mouth as soon as they arrived at the ground floor of the Pce, near the entry gates.


    Gabriel also panicked and stepped in front of Sylvester, "Q-


    Queen Isabe, His Holiness just arriv¡ª"


    Sylvester pushed his friend aside and walked forward. At the entry gate stood Isabe with her long hair unkempt, her white, in, long-sleeved ankle-length maternity gown loosely tied on her body. She had clearlye in haste, and from the tears in her eyes, she had undoubtedlye to see him.


    "A-Are they?" He reached her and noticed three little bundles of soft clothes in her tight embrace, each holding sleeping babies. "Are they the triplets?"


    Isabe didn''t respond, as if she couldn''t hear him. Her gray eyes, reddened and tired, drowned themselves in tears. She abruptly pushed her forehead into his chest, hiding her face. She was one of those who were told Sylvester had died, after all.


    "S-Sylvester¡­" She wailed uncontrobly, "Nobody tells me anything... Where is Felix? Please tell me something¡­ I beg you."


    _________________


    Thank you for reading the book. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 761 760. Triplets & Zeniths Inexperience

    Chapter 761 760. Triplets & Zenith''s Inexperience


    ??The scent of fear, helplessness, anger, and desperation permeated the air. Sylvester could understand the pain and fear Isabe was going through. Everyone was so worried and scared that they couldn''t bring themselves to tell her the truth since none really had any answers to give.


    But Sylvester had no such restrictions. With her head leaning on his chest, he patted Isabe''s shoulder with one hand, and the other patted the back of her head, caressing her unkempt hair as if she were a little child and he was an old man. She shushed her, trying to calm her down before telling her anything.


    "Don''t cry, Isabe. Think of the kids. Do you want them to see you crying?" He asked, using some light magic to make her body feel warm and give her hope. "I know where Felix is, and he will be back here with you by tomorrow night. That is my promise to you."


    Isabe stopped whimpering and looked up at his face. "Where is he?"


    "For some unknown reason, he jumped into the portal leading into the Demon World. The portal is somewhere in the Darkpit Sea," Sylvester truthfully answered her worries. "Don''t worry, he''s strong enough to fight against the four strongest demons there. I''ve met them."


    "How will you bring him back? You just came back¡­ barely alive," she asked further, not wanting to lose Sylvester either. No matter what, he was like a brother to her now. "I can''t ask you to risk your lif¡ª"


    Sylvester stopped her from speaking further and stepped back a little to look at the little bundles of joy in her arms. "Don''t worry about me, Isabe. Much has changed, and even if all Supreme Wizards and Grand Wizards to ever exist in history stand against me, I''d win without moving."


    Gabriel and Isabe both stared at his smiling face, trying to find any hint that he was merely jesting. But they found nothing.


    "Now, introduce me to my three little nieces." Sylvester focused on the babies. "Have you named them?"


    "Not yet, I''m waiting for Felix," Isabe replied. Although not fully calm, having Sylvester there made her anxiety much more manageable. It was a known fact that Sylvester always fulfilled his promises. "They were all born a minute apart, all girls that I''m sure will be spoiled plenty by you and Felix."


    "You got that right." Sylvester extended his arms and received all three of the babies. They were all ced in a single big nket, tightly securing them.


    Being much bigger and broader, he easily hugged the three warm and squishy babies. Much to his delight, they also began opening their eyes to look at who this new presence was.


    ''I can see the simrities with the father and mother.'' Sylvester noticed the three were quite big and heavy as babies. Undoubtedly, Felix''s martial genes had passed on to them. But in terms of beauty, he had no doubt they''d surpass Isabe too. With their blonde hair and blueish-gray eyes, he could see them stealing hearts.


    "They have jaundice?" He asked.


    Isabe nodded and moved the onesies a little so they could bask in the sun a little more. "They were born with it. But it''s almost gone now."


    "Common in babies," Sylvester mumbled and smiled like a fool from ear to ear. "But how can I let my little tigresses have jaundice? Your uncle is almost a god."


    Yes, he was boasting now, and he had no shame. However, he was still being humble since ''almost a god'' was an understatement of grand proportions.


    Sylvester perceived every cell in the bodies of the three girls. Just to entertain them, he also made a halo appear behind his head, which made all the onlookers except for Gabriel and Isabe kneel down. The warmth that oozed him was much warmer but not hot. It soothed the mind and body like a potion from the gods.


    "My children of an ancient lineage, have my blessing. Healthy hearts, perfect bodies, and supreme talents you shall be possessing." Sylvester''s voice and magic made the three little girls stare at his face and giggle, "Go ahead and brighten minds with your radiant smiles. Be the pir of support for this world''s countless future trials."


    "Gaga!"


    "Wooo!"


    "Bububaa~"


    The three girls made different noises, iling their little arms and legs. A mere look at them was enough to wash away any fatigue. All the hardships felt worth it now. All the oing trials felt conquerable.


    "I can''t wait to see Felix crying when he holds them tomorrow," Sylvestermented and started walking, "Follow me, Be. We''re going to my home. The Council has been invited, and I''m cooking."


    Isabe looked at her three kids happily making bubbles from their mouths and chirping excitedly. It was the first time she smiled so genuinely in the past few months. "Then I''ll follow, Your Holiness."


    "Ah, one more thing Gab. Let Isabe and Felix live in the Holy Land for as long as they want from now on. Give them one of the Cardinal''s vis. I think we had one with orchids. The girls will enjoy life growing up there," Sylvester ordered his Deputy.


    Gabriel eyed his friend with a narrow gaze, "Does this mean I''m going back to being Saint Wazir? No longer the acting Pope? Can I hand you my resignation?"


    Sylvester''s brows furrowed, "What are you talking about? You''re the real Pope now, Gabriel. I''m never taking that position back."


    Gabriel stopped in his tracks, on the verge of cursing. "I can''t do this, Your Holiness. I''m not as strong as you nor as wise and experienced."


    "Then learn from me. I''ll be teaching the promising young ones from the next generation too. If there''s something you can''t fix, I''ll help you. You''re confused? I''ll guide you. You can''t win a fight? I''ll stand by you," Sylvester replied nonchntly, turning around before entering his stagecoach.


    Pat!


    One of the three girls in his arms tapped on Gabriel''s forehead.


    Sylvester chuckled, "There you go. Now you have my and my nieces'' blessing."


    And the blessing was what Gabriel received. Although he had been healed by Sylvester long ago when he had received a hug, now there was something different. He could clearly feel his magical and knightly limits were the same as before, but he felt stronger, more alert, and sharper.


    "What did you do?"


    "Removed the impurities in your magic veins that contained srium. You''ll find many long-term benefits from it." Sylvester turned back and entered the massive stagecoach, big enough to fit them all inside, even Zenith and Dalgan.


    Gabriel looked at his palms after sitting inside, "Why are you doing this, Your Holiness?"


    "He''s not sure he''ll survive the next battle."


    Sylvester furiously turned his head and stared at Empress Zenith until she shrank her neck and looked down. "Don''t speak more than what''s required, Empress."


    "I will tell Mother Xavia," Gabriel eximed. "Don''t try to shut up the Empress. What she said is the truth, and you were hiding it."


    "Gab, if I don''t win this battle, we will all die. If I win, I''ll return home. It''s that simple." Sylvester rified. "What the Empress said was the half-truth."


    "Then you don''t want to be the Pope after you return?"


    "There won''t be a need, Gab. If I win, we''ll enter an era where we need better administrators, not muscleheads. The peace in this world is fragile, and I''m ruling over it with might. I don''t want that to be the case forever. Eventually, we will need to find a way to make this peace permanent, and to do that, I''ll have to step back from the limelight." Sylvester tried to give an eptable answer. "But that doesn''t mean I''ll be leaving you alone. I''ll still live in the Holy Land as the full-time Holy Sovereign."


    "What does that even mean?"


    "It means that my duty is to the world, not just the faith and Sol," Sylvester said and opened the stagecoach door as they arrived at the Bright Mother''s housing. "Let''s go. I have a lot of cooking to do."


    Sighing, Gabriel followed behind silently. Sylvester still held the three babies in his arms, greeting many Bright Mothers along the way. Just to reach the top floor, it took him an hour since each interactionsted emotionally long.


    Knock! Knock!


    Eventually, Xavia opened the door and beamed even brighter than before. She quickly took the triplets in her arms and went in.


    "Maxy! Save me!" Chonky''s cry echoed from E''s closed room. There was another voice from inside, likely belonging to Rex.


    That drama queen. If he wanted to get away, he could have done that easily. Sylvester didn''t bother to look and went straight to the kitchen. Home looks just as I left it¡­ and there''s the jar of honey.


    Before starting anything, he washed his hands and took a spoonful of honey to satiate his hunger for its strong vor. Like a drug addict taking a dose after a long time, he took a deep breath while tasting the spoon.


    "Let''s go, Isabe." Gabriel pulled the Queen to the living room. "Sylvester''s back in his home climate."


    Much calmer now, Isabe giggled and went to see her kids. It was time to feed them.


    Alone now, Sylvester went through various cabs and took outrge utensils. Then he walked into the small pantry room and brought out buckets full of onion, potatoes, carrots, garlic, and many more vegetables.


    "P-Pope Sylvester¡­"


    Sylvester looked up, seeing Zenith and Dalgan still standing at the entry of the kitchen. "What is it?"


    Zenith stepped forward, "I apologize for speaking too much before."


    Was I that angry? Sylvester wondered, But I didn''t even make an angry face.


    "Cheer up, Zenith. I''m not angry." He walked to the tall demoness and patted the side of her arm. "Everything has a time and ce, and every word spoken must be calcted whening from the mouths of people like us. What you did wasn''t calcted. If Mum was there, she''d have shed tears, and I wouldn''t have forgiven you for that."


    Dalgan nodded on the side while Zenith looked down in shame. In the end, she was still new to being the Empress.


    "But a punishment is in order," Sylvester added and dragged Zenith by her armored gauntlet to one of the side isles in the kitchen. "You are going to chop all the onions."


    "..."


    "That''s a punishment?" she questioned.


    "Without using magic," Sylvester smirked, "Without your helmet."


    _________________


    [A/N: See the triplets here.]


    Thank you for reading the book. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 762 761. Godly Woes

    Chapter 762 761. Godly Woes


    ??Sniff!


    Sniff!


    "I guess Demon or not, an onion is still an onion." Sylvester watched Zenith cut the onions with a little knife and cry rivers from her eyes. "Don''t you have these in your world?"


    "I never entered the kitchen in my life, Sylvester," she blurted, voice annoyed as the tears made her feel uneasy. "I know the names, but I never worked on these items in my world."


    "Quite a privileged life you''ve lived," Dalganmented from the side, forgetting this was his Empress. "I wish I had that image-capturing box."


    Sylvester scoffed and red at Dalgan, "What are you gloating over? Pick up a knife and start chopping other vegetables."


    "Me too?"


    "Why? Your hands are too delicate for this work? Didn''t you vow to die serving me?" Sylvester reminded the old demon general, "Get to work now."


    "Understood!"


    It''s nice to have helping hands. Sylvester proudly nodded and started working with other ingredients. All sorts of meat and spices were going to be used for the big meal. On top of that, being so powerful, he didn''t need to use small fire crystals. His magic was enough to heat all the pans and pots evenly.


    "Do you often cook food?" Zenith asked, getting used to the onions.


    "Not often, but I do enjoy the few rare asions when I do. All the dishes you ate from the Bard''s were made by me." Sylvester boasted, "Didn''t they taste very simr to your world''s food courts?"


    Zenith''s eyes widened, remembering Diana shared a life with this man. "It makes sense now!"


    Knock! Knock!


    As Sylvester finally started cooking the dishes, the guests began to appear. The first one to arrive was none other than Emperor Raz, the holy Emperor Lich.


    "Ho ho! I knew it was you when I felt that magical shiver in my pelvic bone!" Raz bellowed, his bony jaws cking together. There was a fake blonde wig on his head now, and below were overly decorated red robes.


    Sylvester''s brows creased together. Every time he saw Emperor Raz, the creature supported a different style. Clearly, there was no other being in the Holy Land who was living a more interesting and colorful life than Raz.


    "You felt what and where?" Sylvester asked him.


    "Wee back, Your Holiness." Raz ignored the question and stepped inside. "Where are Saint Viceman''s daughters?"


    ''He came to see them?''


    "Living room." Sylvester waved his hand and focused on the cooking.


    Knock! Knock!


    But then Julius arrived and, after giving a simple greeting, sat alone at the empty dining table. Following him, Healer Hendrix and his elven-wife ine came, along with his daughter Daline, who had grown a lot by now.


    ''Ugh, he''s still overprotective of them.'' Sylvester sighed, seeing Hendrix covering his wife and daughter with his body.


    "I''m delighted to see you''re alive and well, Your Holiness," Hendrix greeted with a serious, narrow gaze.


    Sylvester gave a slight nod, "Goodness, you''re still alive? Sorry, Daline, maybe in a few more years."


    "Hehe¡­" The girl giggled, seeing her father turn red and drag her away to the living room. "Don''t make it too spicy, Your Holiness."


    Sylvester simply winked andughed. ''Great to see you doing well, old man.''


    Laughs and pulling at each other''s legs were all that could keep them entertained, after all. They were nothing less than freaks of nature with centuries-long lifespans.


    Next arrived Saint Keymaster, Darius, the man with a perfect memory. He was a very young man with a noble upbringing. So he saluted like a soldier and silently walked in. But after him arrived Sylvester''s favorite necromancer, his Saint Seer, Lazark.


    "How is the eye working?"


    "We are in its third phase, Your Holiness." Straight to the point, Lazark answered. "The fourth phase shall begin in three months. Once that happens, the minor riots we see rising will be easily suppressed."


    Hearing that gave Sylvester more assurances that his decision was right. ''There''s no need for me to be the Pope after all this.''


    Eventually, Lord Inquisitor and Aurora arrived. Thest one toe was Elyon. The Saint Externum, a sort of foreign rtions manager for the Holy Land. Sadly, the absence of Felix was heavily felt.


    Eventually, Bloodrain, Soulbreaker, Geralt, and Dagorith came. With that, all the Guardians and Council members were present.


    ''More talents need to be inducted into the Guardian order.'' Sylvester noted and focused on the cooking¡ªthis time without any disturbance. Though Miraj''s asional loud meows came, it was nothing new.


    Soon, the sunpletely set, and Sylvester called the others to help him while he joined the table. As the head of the faith, the world, and the family, he sat down at the short end and silently nced at the faces.


    ''I wouldn''t mind having these moments weekly,'' he pondered and looked forward to winning, if he could.


    "Maxy, did you make some for me?" Miraj soon came flying, all his fur puffed up, unkempt. Hended in Sylvester''sp and received plenty of caresses that fixed his fluff. "I deserve some bananas after the torture."


    "I made banana pies and shakes."


    "That''s what I''m talking about!" Miraj melted on hisp, loving the messages from his favorite human¡­ no, son.


    Almost everyone had faint smiles in the room. Dying to ask Sylvester questions.


    "What is the Demon World like?" Aurora finally asked. "Seeing the Empress'' face, it can''t be that ugl¡ªvisually different."


    "She''s a rarity among her species. But the Demon World is highly advanced and civilized. More than us, I''m afraid. There is peace. There is prosperity and unity among species. Plenty of food, wealth, and mingling of various cultures." Sylvester fondly told them about his adventures. Even more so since this was Diana''s legacy, something worth admiring. "We can learn plenty from them."


    "What of the chaos they spread here?" Asked Bloodrain.


    "Unintended consequences of their actions. There is an uneven time difference between here and the Demon World, which bes more chaotic during the spatial, dimensional travel. The previous Empress of the Demon World has been trying to contact us and tell us about the threat of the Primordial Gods for centuries, but every time the demons sent would lose their minds in the journey and turn vile, corrupted," Sylvester exined, attempting to reduce the animosity to a degree.


    Lord Inquisitor ced his hand on the table, causing a thud. "For how long have we been led astray by these ''gods'' we do not pray? So devastating, painful, and heavy price they made us pay. Our history has lied to us every step of the way."


    "Such is the power of ''gods.'' that are born that way," Sylvester added.


    At that, Julius faced Sylvester and asked. "Can you block me from using my abilities now?"


    "That and more," Sylvester responded. "Don''t try to understand the true extent. Don''t try to chase it. There is far more to lose on this path than gain."


    ''Like your humanity.''


    Tap!


    "Food''s here!" Xavia nted the big pot on the table, silencing their serious talk. "Let''s not crave depression on the table."


    "Aye, aye!" Miraj chirped, only his head protruding above the table while on Sylvester''sp. He loved that everyone could hear him and see him now.


    With that, the big dinner started. They talk among themselves,ughing, giggling, and jesting with each other. The women shared their daily experiences, mainly Isabe''s ount of raising triplets. The men shared their work challenges or simply pulled each other''s legs. Even Dalgan and Zenith got to join the crowd.


    Only Sylvester ate silently the whole time, his eyes and ears open to them all. This was the peace he craved for, the calm he wished to bring upon permanently now. Though he missed his best friend, an empty seat remained empty in his wait.


    ''You better have a good enough reason to jump into that portal, Felix.''


    "Maxy, more."


    Sylvester grabbed Miraj''s bowl from under the table and filled it to the brim again.


    ''The mystery of his belly has been unraveled. But I still have no clue what he is.'' Sylvester pondered on Miraj''s existence. ''How does a cat go on about getting those abilities? Was it really an experiment?''


    "Your Holiness," noting his silence, Lord Inquisitor spoke to him, being the closest to him just around the corner. "Believe in your destiny. It has led you this far, and it will lead you to your harmony."


    "I''m afraid destiny won''t take you further than here, Lord Inquisitor," Sylvester said, sipping some delightful sunshine nectar. "But I''m grateful for your trust in me."


    "Grateful?" Lord Inquisitor looked around the table, "I''m certain the realm feels that way. Without you, there wouldn''t be today."


    Sylvester smirked, "Thank destiny then, not me. Wasn''t this bound to happen no matter what?"


    "Not without you. You are the guide that led us through."


    Sylvester nodded his head and breathed out tiredly. He grabbed some more food to eat, not that he needed it anymore. But he still liked the taste. It made him feel human. "Have you thought about retiring after we win?"


    "And do what?" Lord Inquisitor asked.


    "You''re good at rhymes. Why not join the order of bards?" Sylvester suggested.


    The old man under the visor smiled gently, maintaining a calm breath. "They will be too scared of me to hear my lyrics. I''m afraid, more than the faithful, I shall earn critics."


    "In that case, I''ll travel with you," Sylvester said. "I''ll be semi-


    retired after winning the battle."


    Lord Inquisitor nodded and said nothing more. He could feel the air of uncertainty looming in Sylvester''s words.


    Nothing shameful, however, since he understood that even gods sometimes felt fright. Questioning themselves if their actions are wrong or right.


    And clearly, it wasn''t just Sylvester in those shoes. There were two more with their own woes.


    _________________


    Thank you for reading the book. Gifts and GT votes are highly appreciated.

 Chapter 763 762. Ashraskas Reply

    Chapter 763 762. Ashraska''s Reply


    ??When the rest of the Council realized that Sylvester was going back to the Demon World, they decided to stay the night and wait till he left. Once again, they felt a little worried about this new excursion, but Sylvester made sure they felt confident.


    "Raz, Julius, try to use your strongest ability on me." Sylvester stood at the terrace and challenged the two strongest members of the faith. "Don''t worry, you won''t be able to harm any part of me."


    Julius and Raz looked at each other first and came to a tacit understanding with a nod. They had done this before as well, to test the true extent of Sylvester''s abilities. So they proceeded the same way and prepared their best attacks.


    Julius raised both his palms towards Sylvester. Raz did the same, but his hands aimed at the ground Sylvester stood on. A few bone spurs also protruded out of his back, aiming to strike Sylvester physically as well.


    "Proceed anytime you want to." Sylvester kept his hands locked behind his back, like an old man on a stroll in the park.


    There were also witnesses. Almost everyone that came to the dinner hade up on the terrace for fresh air. More Bright Mothers had soon joined in order to meet Sylvester after so long.


    Everyone waited for something to happen. Eventually, a minute passed, and Julius stopped keeping his arms raised. A frown garnished his face as he looked down at his palms. The same was the case for Raz, unable to cast any sort of attack.


    Sylvester smiled from the distance, "As you can see, I''ve stopped you from creating magic with your body. It''s utterly simple since magic is nothing but a reaction between the srium in nature and the srium in your body. By stopping nature from reacting to you, I''ve rendered you useless."


    "In other words, you''ve be nature itself?" Questioned Aurora from a distance. She had no ego in asking Sylvester questions after having seen him grow from being a little boy in the School of Dawn to this. The speed was so fast that his childhood felt like a memory of yesterday.


    "I suppose something beyond that," Sylvester answered, and pointed towards the sky. "How many moons are there?"


    "Two," Aurora, Xavia, E, and many others answered at the same time.


    "Are you sure?" Sylvester asked again and pointed up, "Look again."


    Thud!


    Gabriel fell down on his back, and many others stumbled and sat down silently. Even Julius and Raz joined the rest in gazing up. Speechless with racing hearts, they felt incredibly overwhelmed by this disy of might.


    No explosions, no destructive moves. The show was silent, and yet so godly.


    "H-How? How can you make an entire new moon? Won''t it harm our world''s climate, sea waves?" Gabriel questioned, aware of the intricate science behind nature. "It looks bigger than the original two too."


    "To bepletely honest, I feel the same." Sylvester joined them on the floor. "My powers may be boundless now. I haven''t gotten used to them yet. It feels unreal, like a dream you can''t wake up from. I can make suns,s, moons, and entire universes with a simple thought¡­ yet it feels like nothing¡­ empty."


    "Universes?" Lord Inquisitor eximed, his voice raised high. First time anyone had ever heard him like that. "His Holiness has risen beyond humanity? Thews of nature are now mere vanity?"


    Sylvester nodded and stood up again. He looked towards the sea, at the Golden Penins where the Magna Sanctum temple stood tall with the Orb of Purity inside it. "That''s right, Lord Inquisitor."


    "Yet weaker than the Primordial Gods?" The old Inquisitor continued. "Of our victory, what are the odds?"


    Sylvester candidly replied, "There are no odds. How can you measure chances when you don''t know the extent of your enemy''s powers? They probably know my past, present, and the future."


    "Yet you stand," Julius chimed in, being old and wise in his own right. "What''s holding them back?"


    "Fear of the unknown. My existence wasn''t something they nned, Julius. And nothing happens in any reality without their will," Sylvester answered, raising his hands towards the Golden Penins. "They were behind the death of the first Pope. They were behind the vile roots of this church¡­ Roots that I shall destroy now."


    Boom!


    In the distance, a bright, gigantic explosion resonated. The shockwave was so powerful they all felt it on the rooftop. The mushroom cloud was also grand, illuminating the sky so brightly that it felt as if the sun had risen.


    But instead of a sun, it was like a moon¡ªa massive orb of pure white energy, shining bright and deadly. If released out of the confines of the temple premises made to contain its destructive energies, it could kill every creature in the Holy Land and half of Gracia region with its suppressive energy.


    But Sylvester easily contained it in an invisible ball of his own energy.


    "Let this be a new start for this faith," Sylvester proimed and pulled the orb towards himself, and made it hover above the building. Slowly, he began absorbing its energies since it was nothing but a huge, concentrated cluster of srium. "When I return, let there be free will¡ªtrue free will."


    The wind picked up speed across the Holy Land, turning into a little storm. Their clothes fluttered in the wind as the huge orb lost its size and, in the end, all of its light.


    ''Once a fear object, now like a tiny drop of water in the ocean,'' Sylvester muttered,paring the orb with the energies he already had in his body.


    "Empress Zenith, Dalgan, let''s take you back." Sylvester readied himself to make the journey atst. "No need to wait till morning."


    "I don''t wish to return," Dalgan suddenly spoke up. "There''s nothing waiting for me back home. I have lost my family, and my son is a man of his own now."


    Empress Zenith didn''t like that and grabbed Dalgan by the cor of his robes, "What are you saying? I need good men like you back home, Dalgan. I can''t trust the Supreme Commanders."


    Her words shocked Dalgan, "And you can trust me? But I betrayed you, Your Majesty. I joined the Prince''s side."


    "I don''t care what happened in the past. My sister was the Empress back then, but now it''s me, and I need you to help me serve our world better." Zenith requested sternly, "If you live here, you''ll be wasting your talents. Look at yourself, Dalgan. You don''t look human, nor an elf, or a dragon."


    There was truth in that. Dalgan even had an extra pair of eyes. But in the end, the man looked at Sylvester.


    "If you''re worried about the promise you made, you don''t have to. In fact, I would like you to help Empress Zenith to run your world better," Sylvester requested. "You''ll be doing me a great favor by preserving thest Empress'' legacy."


    Dalgan sighed and looked down.


    "I''ll get you married to a finedy back home. Don''t worry, and just start a new family," Zenith added, luring him.


    But, the man was old, a General who had served for a long time. "I have no such desires, Your Majesty. But I will join if that''s what the Pope wants."


    Sylvester pped at that, "In that case, let''s not waste any time and head to the Darkpit Sea. Chonky, let''s go."


    He walked over to Xavia and hugged her tightly. For a few moments, he didn''t let her go and whispered something into her ears that pushed her eyes to tear up uncontrobly. She didn''t whimper and just hugged him back tightly.


    After that, Sylvester gave Gabriel a hug, and finally, Isabe. Promising her to bring Felix back in a day.


    "May the Holy Light enlighten us." Sylvester looked at all the Guardians and Council members.


    Thud!


    All of them saluted him back and replied in one single, mingled voice.


    "We are enlightened."


    ''That''s new. When did they start doing this?''


    Sylvester didn''t mind their strange goodbye and called the two demons to stand behind him. Knowing what needed to be done, Zenith and Dalgan ced their palms on his shoulder. Miraj also came flying andnded tightly in Sylvester''s embrace.


    Snap!


    And just like that, their figures vanished from the terrace. Was it flying? Was it teleporting? None there had any idea. Sylvester had be an existence that was officially way above their pay grade.


    "Why did you salute Father like that?" E went over to Aurora and asked. "Isn''t that the wrong way?"


    "It''s something we decided to do previously. In our eyes, Sylvester is the Holy Light that enlightens us now." Aurora smiled, taking E''s little hand to walk towards Xavia, whose eyes were still wet. "What did he say to make you cry?"


    Xavia wiped her eyes clean and smiled. "H-He thanked me¡­ for bringing him into this world."


    ¡­


    Snap!


    "This''s the portal." Sylvester hovered in the air above the massive hole in the middle of the Darkpit Sea. Yes, it was still nighttime, but Sylvester made his own body illuminate with such light that the entire hole and hundreds of miles around it were visible to them as if it were day. "Let''s go in."


    "Wait, are you sure?" Zenith questioned, "I don''t feel any energies resembling my worlding from it. It should have them if it''s a portal."


    Her words held some truth. So Sylvester checked the entire sea again and noticed something peculiar. "Strange, those mutated creatures used to flock to this ce and circle it inyers. But now they all seem to maintain distance¡­ as if¡­. They''re frightened."


    Zenith tried to step away from Sylvester, but she didn''t know how to fly. "I don''t think we should jump in there."


    ''She''s scared?'' Sylvester smelled her fear. ''Is it because of the recent experience?''


    "Empress Zenith, don''t be scared by how it looks. I can feel that this hole is still a portal to somewhere. You witnessed my powers before, so have faith in me. Even if we don''t end up in your world, I know how to make a way back here," he reassured her.


    Dalgan patted the Empress'' shoulder, "Have faith in the Pope, Your Majesty. He could have let us die back then but chose to save us instead at the cost of himself."


    Zenith breathed deeply and closed her eyes. "I-I won''t look. Just drag me in there."


    "Fine." Sylvester didn''t ask a second time and grabbed her gauntlet by the wrist. With a fierce pull, he dived straight down into the dark hole in the sea.


    In a moment, they went past the sea level and continued to go further in, unrestricted. No matter how much depth, Sylvester failed to sense any of the monstrous creatures. It raised his suspicions greatly.


    ''Is this why Felix jumped in?''


    Finally, he felt a spatial distortion. To protect the passengers, he surrounded them in a sphere of energy that made Miraj visible.


    Atst, they all felt as if their bodies were being stretched to a thin rope. Yet there was no pain or difort. The spatial distortions increased to their peak and eventually started to fade away.


    Their stretched bodies turned back to normal after a while, and intense heat started to take over. It was manageable, however.


    "Lava?" Sylvester eximed when he looked above. It felt as if they were in freefall but upwards, and at the roof was a sea of redva.


    Ssh!


    It turned out to be just that. But the moment their bodies were about to touch theva ceiling, it became the floor, and all the darkness around them faded away, leaving behind what seemed to be rocky walls all around them.


    "We''re inside a volcano," Sylvester realized and flew upwards towards the volcano''s mouth. However, just aftering out of it, Sylvester stopped moving and hovered in the same ce.


    Crack!


    Woosh!


    "What the!" Zenith eximed as a massive, castle-sized boulder flew past them toward the sky. "Who threw that?!"


    "Look up," Dalgan muttered, his voice defeated.


    Zenith followed the gaze and shut her mouth. Dread took over her being, and the fear of failing the legacy of her ancestors now felt imminent. "I-It''s a¡­ ck Hole! How? It wasn''t there before!"


    "This world is already stuck in the event horizon." Sylvester mumbled, "Point of no return."


    "How is that possible? There was no ck hole anywhere near this sr system!" Zenith asked, panic clear in her eyes.


    Somewhere deep down, Sylvester knew the answer.


    "They have started to react."


    _________________


    [A/N: Hello, my lovely readers. Sylvester''s journey ising close to an end. Due to that, I will not be posting every day and focus more on ensuring I''m able to write an end that I''m satisfied with.


    A daily upload target will make me write and post a chapter just for the sake of it. But at this stage, doing that is not the best choice.


    So, I ask for some patience. I will be posting the chapters in bulk from now on until the very end.


    Again, thank you for reading this book. I really enjoy doing this, and I hope to keep it up for as long as I can.


    - Gori out.]

 Chapter 764 763. Crisis In the Demon World

    Chapter 764 763. Crisis In the Demon World


    ??Sylvester lowered his gaze and looked at the area around the volcano. It was riddled with dead bodies of the giant sea monsters of the Darkpit Sea. Likely sucked into the portal and ejected out. The heat and theck of water brought a tormenting death soon after.


    "Where are we?" Sylvester asked.


    "The Devil Inds," Dalgan responded. "They have this type of sand and volcanoes. It''s inhabited by undead creatures thatck a mind of their own. It''s a graveyard for the most part, and asional appearances of powerful creatures make it uninhabitable."


    "Do you two not see the ck Hole up there?" Zenith bellowed in the middle, "How can you still talk so calmly?"


    "I''ve epted my death long ago," Dalgan blurted.


    "It''s under control," Sylvester responded. "I''ll try to deal with the ck Hole. You two return to your Imperial Capital and see what the situation is. If I find any trouble stopping that, I''ll inform you."


    "What happens if you can''t deal with it?"


    "Then it''s the will of the ''Gods'' and we can''t do anything," Sylvester answered, not giving any false hopes. "Inform me if you find Felix too. I''ll send him home immediately."


    Zenith nodded, wasting no time. Being in her home world again, she was able to make minor teleportation portals for herself and Dalgan. So she made one directly to the inner sanctum of her Imperial Pce. "Please don''t die."


    "I can''t afford to," Sylvester said and left the two on the ground away from the volcano before flying up towards the ck Hole. The massive cosmic marvel was so close that its shining disc seemed more beautiful than threatening.


    Sadly, Sylvester soon watched the real horrors it was inflicting on the Demon World that killed any joy from the view. He could see in the far distance chunks ofnd being broken apart and sucked into the sky. The gravity being changed in the region, and the atmosphere in shambles. It was the death of a with a trillion cuts, only in this case, they were invisible and extremely fast.


    ''The cities must be in chaos.''


    Despite having no rtion with the species, he pitied them. It wasn''t a natural phenomenon, simply a forced end of a civilization.


    A ck Hole was a minor object for him now. So, while hovering midair, he spread his arms and tried to remove the ck Hole from existence itself by transferring it to a void in space. In theory, it was as easy as moving his finger.


    However, moments passed, and Sylvester felt nothing changing. So, he decided to destroy the ck Hole, which was even easier than moving it. He simply started to absorb the energies emitting from the ck Hole at a pace fast enough to kill the cosmic horror.


    Yet, moments passed, and the size didn''t change. In fact, it looked the same as when he started.


    "Pushback?" He concluded it was definitely the work of the two gods. All his attempts were being canceled out by the will of the Primordial Gods since they were the managers, the writers of the rules. If they decided the ck Hole was invincible, then it was indeed invincible.


    ''I can''t let this go on.'' Sylvester mumbled and changed his tactic. Preserving life was the most important part for now.


    So, like he did with his home, he enveloped this Demon with his consciousness, energies that made every nook and cranny of thend a part of him. The demons on it as a piece of himself.


    He stood between the and the ck hole like a shield. He stopped the cities, mountains, oceans, and rivers from being ripped apart and removed from existence.


    "How long will you stand as their shield?"


    Sylvester heard a thunderous voiceing from the deepest parts of the universe he was in. It felt as if it came at him from all sides, overbearing, but also personal. Only he could hear it, he was sure, and it could be none other than them.


    "As long as I must."


    "Even when your world faces the same sealed fate?"


    Sylvester''s jaw tightened at that. Countless theories, doubts, and cases arose in his thoughts. Was this a trap to take him away from his home? Or was it a different scheme he was yet to look past?


    ''I need to hide from them,'' he felt, and quickly took out the artifacts left behind by twenty Johnathans. He wore them all and hoped it would work to hide him from the Primordial Gods. ''Now off to the next part.''


    Even if his home faced the same threat, he couldn''t just leave this world to die. It would mean his absolute failure.


    So, he tried to speak with Zenith in her head. ''They''re opposing my control over the ck Hole. And it isn''t the ck Hole that was moved here, but it''s your that was plucked from its system and thrown into the Event Horizon of a ck Hole."


    Zenith answered the call right away, "What will you do now? It''s chaotic everywhere here. I can''t find the Oracle or the Supreme Commanders either."


    Sylvester took a very short break to think. It was important to take everything into ount before doing what he slowly prepared for. "I won''t be able to save this, but I can save all your people. Zenith, when I tell you, you need to repeat what I say. Don''t ask questions. Just say it, and the entire world of yours will hear you."


    "Understood. I will continue to search for the Supreme Commanders." Zenith, as told, didn''t ask questions. "Please save my people, Sylvester."


    It didn''t need to be asked. Sylvester silently began preparing the entire for his next move. He didn''t n for it or even think deeply about it in fear that the Primordial Gods could see through his mind or his future.


    ''Chonky, I''ll be sending you too.'' Sylvester spoke directly in Miraj''s head. ''I need someone at home who''s strong enough to protect the Holy Land and Mum.''


    "What are you going to do, Maxy?"


    ''Just a little poption migration,'' Sylvester muttered and closed his eyes while remaining as a shield against the ck Hole. He could sense every single living thing, every speck of dirt on the Demon by the time he finished spreading his senses.


    After a while of preparing, Sylvester smirked a little. "I bet you thought I wouldn''t see through your little scheme."


    The two gods didn''t reply to him.


    But Sylvester was sure they were watching. "You thought I''d end up being the one to trigger a species war by bringing the demonkind to my world? Sadly, you underestimate me."


    This maneuver wasn''t simple, however. Even for Sylveser, handling this many teleportations through the boundaries of universes was akin to rewriting their existence into the nature of another universe.


    It ate a lot of Sylvester''s energy, but he did it anyway. And finally, when he was sure all the demons were magically tagged to be moved away, he contacted Zenith.


    "Repeat after me, Zenith," he notified her, and right then, huge floating images appeared in the field of view of every single demon on the. "I, your Void, alongside the human God Solis, havee to aid your rescue."


    Zenith was in utter shock. While Sylvester waspletely focused on making Zenith''s image appear simr to the shape of their god, Void. A dark creature made of shadows that were akin to strips of clothing. Meanwhile, Sylvester had it easier masquerading as Solis since it only took bright light behind the look and nothing in the ce of a face.


    "Us, or them. Void, or Solis. Humans, or demons¡ªWe have amon enemy," Sylvester bellowed, and with him, Zenith repeated as the Void. "First, they came after our home. Next, they wille for the home of the humans. Yet, kindness is not lost, and against all odds, Solis and I havee to an understanding. My voices, my preachers, my followers¡ªept the warmth surrounding your being. ept the newnd as if it were thend of your dream. Live by peace, love, and calm¡ª


    that is the key to the blessing from my palm."


    Sylvester finished that broadcast and started to send the demons one after another to his home world. It was an extremely risky move, but this was all he knew. Still, it took everything he had to change the natural order of his home world.


    Changing the Sand Continent and the Central Continent into a singlendmass, with all the human poption teleported away into Sol was aplex task that was bound to create a lot of chaos. And then sending the demons to that new continent was even more difficult.


    But Sylvester did it. The bodies of young, old, and ordinary were covered in a golden hue, and their bodies started to disappear into tiny cracks that appeared beside them.


    The poption was more than a billion. There were a lot of people to feed as well, so Sylvester tried to deal with that too. But first, he had to address someone he had finally found on the.


    ''Chonky, you need to return home with Felix.''


    Miraj looked left and right, "Where is he?"


    And right there, Sylvester saw Felix from his senses that covered the. His best friend stood cornered by a lone enemy whose body appeared mutated beyond the worst of nightmares. What was that thing, a human or a creature of the night?


    "Need help?" Sylvester''s words reverberated in the sky above.


    Felix grinned, having recognized that voice.


    "Sleeping beauty finally wakes up?" Felix barked. "No need.

 Chapter 765 764. A Provocaton

    Chapter 765 764. A Provocaton


    ??Sylvester moved from his ce and appeared where he sensed Felix to be. It was at the northernmost point of the, right at the pole. It was scorching hot, with fields ofva and little to nond.


    Standing alone in front of a demonic entity, even by the world''s standard, Felix raised his de. He looked bloodied, battered, and seriously malnourished from the appearance of his frame. Around him alsoy the defeated bodies of the four Supreme Commanders.


    "Who is he?" Sylvester questioned, appearing with his arms spread wide as if he was holding onto something. Standing on the surface not far behind Felix.


    Felix rubbed the corner of his lips with his free hand, clearing the trailing drop of blood. "That''s the Grand Prince. He made a deal with some ''god'' and received all these powers. But he paid the price with his sanity."


    Sylvester had never seen the Grand Prince before, but from the looks of the creature before him, he knew the man was gone by now¡ªrotten-bodied, nine foot in height, gruesomely muscr with no skin on its deep gray body. Red veins bulging everywhere, no eyes, and its entire body covered with teeth. Even calling it a Bloodling felt shameful to the name of Bloodlings.


    "Need help?" Sylvester asked, holding the from splitting apart from the forces of the ck Hole. The Demon-kind were still in the midst of getting transported. "I can simply erase him from existence."


    Felix''s head turned in surprise, "He''s likely stronger than a Supreme Wizard."


    "And?"


    Felix looked back at the demonic creature, and let out a deep sigh, "Fuck! How strong did you grow this time? And why are you calling me over for a hug?"


    "Hug?" Sylvester looked down and realized the misunderstanding. "Buddy, I''m holding the fabric of this reality with my palms."


    "..."


    Felix waited for Sylvester tough and say it was a joke. But nothing came, and he let out an even bigger sigh. His injured shoulders fell in weariness, his sword finding its way into the scabbard on his back. "Are you really Sylvester?"


    "I think so," Sylvester responded, and looked at the Demon slowly getting enraged, preparing some attack. "What are you doing here? Why did you jump into the portal? You missed the birth of your daughters."


    Felix smiled broadly like a fool, "You met them?"


    "Met them, blessed them, and spoiled them a bit." Sylvester fondly remembered, "They''re as beautiful as Be, and as strong as you. Good luck getting all your hair pulled out by their ws."


    Felix giggled even more, "Now I can''t wait to have a son¡ªa good, strong boy to protect his big sisters. But I''ll have to calm Be down first. I had no choice, Max. That Oracle somehow spoke to my mind and pleaded that Ie and help this world. She said you and the Demon Empress were missing, and the Supreme Commanders were losing."


    ''A plot to lure me away in Felix''s pursuit?'' Sylvester wondered and nced at the Grand Prince turned mutated Demon. As he burned the man with his simple gaze, the Grand Prince''s tall, demonic body turned into ashes. ''I can''t put this battle on hold anymore.''


    "I''m sending all the demons from this world to our world, Felix. The Primordial Gods have begun to personally take action, and I can''t save both worlds at the same time. So you have to return home and help Gab deal with this mess," Sylvester said, his tone carrying a great deal of emotions, something he rarely let leaked out. His arms came down as well, and right then, the earth started to shake.


    Felix bnced himself on his feet and looked at Sylvester''s face. "What are you going to do?"


    "Since they won''t stop, I can only try and turn this realm into their graveyard."


    "Need any help?" Felix asked.


    Sylvester nodded and walked over to him. Miraj, having received all the strict orders, jumped from his shoulder to Felix''s. After that, Sylvester raised his palm towards Felix''s chest, and closed his eyes for a second to recheck and ensure the dying was empty.


    Crack!


    "Yes, you can help." A ss-like crack appeared in the air behind Felix, and in his confusion, Sylvester mmed his palm on Felix''s chest, throwing his good friend into the portal. "Tell Mum¡­ I''ll be home."


    Bam!


    "No! Fuck!" Felix tried to stop himself from fallingpletely. But Sylvester''s will superseded his, like how his will meant nothing to the Primordial Gods. In one clear fall, Felix disappeared into the portal, and then the portal itself vanished.


    Sylvester rubbed his tired face, feeling scared, confident, helpless, and yet empowered. This confrontation had been in the making for years.


    ''It''s either going to be their graveyard, or mine.''


    The Demon World was ripped apart and shredded to pieces. Its gravity was in ruins, its maic field destroyed. The temperature increased until the entire orb took the shape of an elongated ball with rivers of flowingva.


    Sylvester remained standing, watching the world end. A bit disappointed, feeling like he had failed Diana.


    ''Forgive me, Diana.'' He apologized and found sce that at least her body was secured. ''Just a little more¡­ I promise.''


    ¡­


    "Where is he?!" Roared the ancient, godly voice outside the realm of reality. Ashraska frantically searched for Sylvester''s existence, but all he got in return was nothingness.


    Aveda silently heard his brother, disappointed at how the events had unfolded. It wasn''t his n, but he had allowed his brother to do as he wished and see how far he''d go with his simple ns that only involved chaos and death.


    "He used the artifacts his other versions left him," Aveda reminded his brother. "If we cannot see him, we cannot see his future," Aveda said. His unchanging, unvarying tone held a different kind of threat, one that actually felt dangerous. "He saw through your n."


    "Who is helping him? Why does every move he makes turn out right?" Ashraska questioned, for he was still a Primordial God in the end. "Now he has unified both the worlds into one so he can defend them better."


    "He would not have done so if you had not moved the Demon World to the ck Hole." Aveda reminded his brother, "Must I remind you that you had no jurisdiction over this world. It was mine to prepare for the final battle."


    Ashraska annoyedly responded, "It matters not as long as that mortal lives."


    "No longer a mortal." Aveda reminded him, "Calm your anger. Father warned you of this, and yet you repeat the same mistakes. I shall handle the human world now, and I expect you''d follow my lead. Like I have done for you."


    There wasn''t much he could do any more with Sylvester disappearing from their view. "How is he doing this?"


    Indeed, that question arose in Aveda''s mind as well. But instead of raging about it, he chose to act and find the answer himself.


    "Our mistake was underestimating him. There is something more going on behind him that we are not aware of yet." Aveda dered, "We cannot see his future. The key lies there."


    ####


    "Noooo~" Felix fell out of the portal, right on top of the grassy ground somewhere in the Holy Land. However, he didn''t look around, and tried to jump back into the portal. Despite that, it quickly closed away. "Don''t you fight alone! Max!"


    "Fe-Fe, don''t shout." Miraj was also there, sitting on the ground and licking his paws clean. He was in a foul mood too, forced into agreeing to Sylvester''s n. "Maxy knows what he''s doing."


    "Who are you?" Felix looked down.


    Miraj hissed, baring his fangs. "How did you forget the guardian angel? I am Miraj, known as Chonky by some."


    "Did he tell you what he''s nning on doing?" Felix asked him. "Why didn''t he join us?"


    "He''s going to fight the big bad Gods and defeat them. I know he can beat them. He always does," Miraj said, sounding like he was giving himself some reassurance. "He always wins no matter what."


    Thud!


    Felix knelt down at that, tired and frustrated. "This isn''t how it was supposed to go. No matter how strong I get, I can never get closer to his side."


    Pat!


    Miraj came flying andnded on Felix''s shoulder before patting his ck-haired head, "Don''t worry, Fe-Fe. Nobody can stand beside him. He''s very strong now."


    "I know that." Felix sighed. "I can''t face Mother Xavia like this."


    Miraj didn''t say anything at that since he shared the sentiments.


    ¡­


    Crack!


    "Why aren''t you joining?!" Empress Zenith stood at the crossing of the portal and looked at Sylvester behind her. "You''re not strong enough to go against them yet."


    Sylvester shook his head, sending off the woman as the veryst. "It''s not something I can decide anymore, Zenith. They wish to destroy this world and me now, and I can''t stop them."


    Zenith sighed and fully crossed the portal while keeping her gaze behind herself, looking through the gradually closing portal. "What if you lose even after all this?"


    "Losing means the death of all. I can''t afford that," Sylvester replied and fully closed off the ss-like portal.


    Atst, he stood alonepletely. The melted away, and the ck Hole simply became a decorative thing in his gaze. It couldn''t harm him, nor could it pull him in.


    He had no idea how to approach the Primordial Gods. So he openly called them forth.


    "Come out, Aveda! Ashraska!" Sylvester roared, "Is this not enough humiliation? How much longer will you be cowards in the shadows?"


    ''Will they take the bait?''


    Sylvester continued to berate them. "Couldn''t even deal with a mere mortal like me. I now wonder if you''re truly the overlords of all existence."


    Nothing happened, making Sylvester feel a little panicked.


    ''Wait! Can they really not see me?'' Just then, Sylvester realized that he was wearing the artifacts. ''Am I truly invisible?''


    Seeing no reason, a plot arose in his mind. But for that, he needed knowledge that was forbidden and still eluded him.


    ''If I can reach into where they live, will I remain invisible?''


    A perfect means of attack? Or a false hope?


    Sylvester chose to gamble on the odds.

 Chapter 766 765. Suck Terrance

    Chapter 766 765. Suck Terrance


    ??Holy Land,


    "What?!" Gabriel fell into his seat in the Pope''s office. "But he said he''d be back¡­"


    Midway somewhere, he realized Sylvester had never said that. Only the return of Felix was talked about. But that didn''t mean the fear and the frustration decreased.


    "That''s why he made me the official Pope," Gabriel mumbled. "Empress Zenith was right all along."


    "What are you rambling about? Max is battling those rotten things alone. Don''t go insane now," Felix barked, having reached the Pope''s Pce right after arriving, instead of going home. "The Demon World has been destroyed. All of the Demon World''s poption had been moved to the Sand Continent and the Central Continent by him. There''s going to be chaos if we don''t manage this situation quickly."


    Gabriel pped his own forehead, "So that''s what''s happening? I received a report from the Sky Eye. A lot of people appeared out of nowhere all over Sol, near all the monasteries. They imed to be from the southern continents."


    "They were moved by Sylvester. You must dere the Sand Continent and the Central Continent off-limits for everyone immediately. We can''t have the first civilian contact be violent," Felix advised, and got up, picking up his battered sword. "I''ll go there and try to manage the situation."


    "No, you''re going home to Isabe and your daughters." Gabriel rejected Felix''s decision.


    "I''m the Saint Viceman, and I won''t sit here when Sylvester is fighting for us."


    "I''m the Pope, and I can order you." Gabriel insisted, standing up and sternly ordering him. "Look at yourself. Even a sewer rat looks better. Go home, clean yourself, meet your daughters, and then report back. Until then, I will send Emperor Raz and Julian to the south. I''ll speak with King Rathagun too and advise him ordingly."


    Felix silently grabbed the hilt of his sword so tight that the metal creaked, "I don''t want to go home, Gab. I can''t¡­ That look on Sylvester''s face wasn''t optimistic. He said he''ll be home, but in what condition?"


    Sighing, Gabriel walked over and patted Felix''s shoulder. "Sylvester told me something recently. If he does not win, it''s the end of life for all of us. You, me, Isabe, your daughters, the world, and even Mother Xavia¡­ You know there is only one oue eptable to him."


    Felix looked down in anger, not wanting to think about a situation where Sylvester wouldn''t win. "Fine, I''ll go home. But what can I help you with?"


    "If it''s all of the demons, then we''re going to have a financial and food crisis, I''m afraid. The Church is rich, but not that rich," Gabriel muttered, the idea of failing already looming. If the demons were to be too desperate and attack, it would lead to an ugly war.


    "Meow meow, boys." Miraj made his presence known just then. Clearly visible and appearing like a big ball of fur with angelic wings. Hended on the Pope''s table, "I and Maxy stol¡ªI mean earned lots and lots of money during our adventures. Don''t worry about the gold. The Chonky Bank is here."


    Felix and Gabriel stared at the cute chubby cat like he was some god''s angel sent to help them. Which, in this case, was absolutely true.


    "How much do you have?" Asked Gabriel.


    Miraj''s pouty mouth smirked, "A lot."


    "How much is a lot? I need a number to make the ns ordingly," Gabriel asked further.


    Miraj further smirked, folded his cute paws together, and sat back on his legs, rising up, "I have so much money that I can buy all the world''s bananas infinite times."


    "..."


    Now that was a unit of scale that Gabriel and Felix were both unaware of. They didn''t even know how many bananas were out there. But, since it was infinite times, the gold had to be a lot.


    So not straining the cat''s brain too much, Gabriel moved on. "In that case, I will write letters to all the traders for a bulk order. Food is the main thing the demons will need for sustenance."


    "Nya?" Miraj tilted his head left and right in confusion, "Why do the demons need to suck Terrance? Who is Terrance?"


    Gabriel shared a look with Felix, and then back with the cat. He wondered if this was what Sylvester dealt with on a daily basis. "What do you mean? I didn''t talk about sucking anyone, that''s unholy."


    "Oh!" Miraj suddenly turned to look at Felix, "I remember now! Fe-Fe used to y under the sheets. He made happy noises, and the sheets used to move up and down on his belly from all theughter."


    Felix almost choked on his saliva despite his throat being dry, "When did you see that?"


    "You did what?!" Gabriel eyed his friend with a different look, "You better stop such unholy acts. Or I will tell Queen Isabe."


    "What? I haven''t done that in years. I''m married now, and she''s hot as fu¡ª"


    "Don''tplete that sentence!" Gabriel stopped him, "Umm¡­ Miraj? I was talking about feeding the demons food, that''s it."


    "You need food? Don''t worry, Chonky Bank got that as much as gold." Miraj proudly dered, "Maxy always said we should prepare ourselves for everything."


    "Wait!" Felix barked just then, "The cat''s lying. Where can he even store all those things?"


    Miraj''s chubby brows furrowed, and the look of anger covered his face, "I never lie! Big Mum said lying is bad."


    "Then where''s the gold and food?" Felix questioned, folding his arms as if enacting revenge.


    "Hmph! If I leave it all here, the room will go boom and break apart."


    Gabriel sighed and locked the drawers of his table before heading out. "So you need a storage space. Come with me then. We have empty underground halls."


    "Okie!" Miraj chirped andnded on Gabriel''s shoulder.


    Quickly after that, Gabriel brought Miraj to the second underground level. Felix also followed to see what magic the cat could do. Sadly, he wasn''t prepared for it.


    "Stand at the door," Miraj chirped and opened his jaws wide before starting his ability. "Look at this!"


    Woosh!


    It was like a jet of watering out of a dam''s reservoir. The flow of bright golden grains of wheat was such that the entire underground hall was filled in a matter of seconds.


    "Need bigger room." Miraj stopped when the grains overflowed out of the room and spilled out of the hall''s door.


    Bam!


    Felix grabbed Miraj by his belly and raised him in the air, face to face, looking and checking the creature from top to bottom. "Are you sure you''re a cat? Where did all thate from? What did you do?"


    "Chonky Bank!" Miraj chirped.


    "Space magic?" Gabriel eximed. "Is that it?"


    "Aye, aye." Miraj added, "Where do you want to store the money?"


    Bam!


    When Gabriel heard that, he rushed forward and snatched Miraj from Felix''s arms, pushing the dark-haired wizard-knight away. "Unhand Lord Miraj. He''s precious. He''s like an angel¡ªYes, he''s Max''s Guardian Angel."


    "Lord?" Felix grunted.


    Gabriel scoffed and babied the fat cat in his arms, princess carrying him. Caressing the head, and giving him belly rubs. "He''s precious. You go home, Felix."


    "He-he, Big Mum says that too." Miraj giggled from the belly rubs, iling his paws around like a baby. "You''re a good boy, Gab-Gab."


    Perhaps a small sacrifice of dignity, but Gabriel decided to suck it up and let Miraj call him whatever he wanted. For now, what mattered the most was survival of their world''s peace.


    "I want a banana."


    Gabriel sighed and carried the spoiled cat to his office.


    "How many?"


    Miraj''s eyes shined since Sylvester never asked him that and just gave him a few limited numbers.


    "F-Five hundred? No! Six hundred, I''ll keep a hundred for Maxy."


    "Understood."


    ¡­


    Sylvester realized that his existence was safe from the eyes of the Primordial Gods. It opened countless paths for him, but the one he wished to take still remained a mystery. How to reach the realm where the two gods resided was a concept outside hisprehension.


    ''Why don''t they just erase me?'' Sylvester wondered, but it was useless.


    There was only one ce he knew from where reaching the Primordial Gods was possible. The Void of Nothingness. He knew how to get there, but a subtle fear also rested in his heart. He had almost lost himself there, after all.


    ''Their explosions shouldn''t be enough to harm me anymore.''


    So, he decided to take his chances and moved. A small crack in the space made a passage out of space and time. A ce he remembered so vividly, as the moment he used Elder Magic and looked through his eyes, the eel-like creatures became visible.


    Swarming like nothing had happened, tangled with each other; The shining lights in their bodies containing universes.


    ''Ugh! They''re surrounding me.'' He grunted but felt no pain. They weren''t strong enough to harm him.


    He had no aim this time, so the eels made no tunnel for him to move. And knowing where he was, he believed his real destiny was beyond the space that consisted of those eel-like creatures.


    "But how?" He questioned himself. "I know nothing about the Primordial Gods but their nam¡ª"


    He halted his words, instantly remembering the story of the First Pope. ''What killed him?''


    "Yes! The Orb of Purity!" He roared, uncaring since his existence remained hidden. "If ''they'' made it, then it contained their energy signature!... I absorbed it!"


    Finally, he found a path again. But unknown of the challenges, in the highest ne, how was he going to keep himself sane?


    He did not care and closed his eyes. For there was only one end to this misery, his only prize.

 Chapter 767 766. Landfall

    Chapter 767 766. Landfall


    ??How much time passed in that ce?


    How long were his eyes closed in search of that faint flicker of the energy he had received from the Orb of Purity.


    Sylvester, standing at the edge of existence itself, surrounded by the wrangling, eel-like creatures, gave his everything to find a clue to his enemies. He felt the urge to hurry as well since, without the Demon World, all the focus of the two gods were likely on his home world.


    But, no matter the rush, he had no choice but to go through all of the energy stored within his body and inside the realm of Nehilius.


    ''Where is it?'' Annoyedly he checked everything. ''It couldn''t have assimted that easily if the Primordial Gods made it.''


    He cursed himself since it was a folly on his part. To consume the Orb of Infinity without giving it a second thought might have been a powerful move, but if he had evaluated the energy inside it before, it could have saved him precious time.


    In the end, despite bing almost as powerful as a god, he still possessed the mind of a human. Hence, susceptible to mistakes.


    ''I can''t afford to be wrong.'' He knew that, however. Being invisible from their gaze also meant they must be anxious. In that state, they could do anything.


    ¡­


    Sol, The Holy Land


    "The Empress of the demons has arrived." Felix entered the Pope''s office and led Empress Zenith with her new adjutant, Dalgan, inside. "The proposal has received a consensus. A temporary ban on civilian entry and exit from the Silver Continent is agreeable to them. Only the officials shall enter and exit from both sides."


    It had been a week, and a war between two worlds had been averted. But more than that war, the bigger problem was the poption that had appeared from the Sand and Central Continent.


    In fact, the bigger issue was that of the Central Continent. Since thend was known to be full of micro-kingdoms with their kings, queens, and other nobles; their lifestyle was snatched away from them. Appearing in Sol with nothing angered them, turning them into wandering refugees.


    Food was given to them plenty, but their desire was luxury. That was one thing the Holy Land couldn''t provide. Even less so when aristocracy had ended in Sol, and royalty existed only in name.


    So, the most feared man was sent to subdue all the new ambitious royalties and nobles, who, in reality, were no richer than a small merchant of Sol while living in the Sand Continent.


    Lord Inquisitor''s furious gaze, his speech, fire, and aura were enough to remind them who ruled the world, let alone thend they were on.


    In a week''s time, over five thousand ''kings'' and ''queens'' surrendered their nobility in return for a small amount of money and somend to live on, build a house upon, and farm on. No different from minormoners. As for realmoners, they were divided into their mastery.


    cksmiths were absorbed in rted guilds, the same for goldsmiths, weavers, traders, and adventurers.


    "My people are dying," Empress Zenith revealed as soon as she walked in. "It''s not the food but the air. It''s not suitable for us. We will need to change the climate of the entire continent."


    Gabriel frowned since this was something the original dwellers wouldn''t be able to ept. After all, changing the climate meant making the region uninhabitable by non-demons.


    "Is there no other way? You stand herefortably," he asked.


    "That''s because I was the strongest in my world. In fact, most of those who can harness the magical energies are untouched. It''s themon people who are suffering and dying a slow death from suffocation. Ites so gently that they pass away in their sleep." Zenith exined and insisted, "I understand your worries, Pope Gabriel. I respect Sylvester as well, and I have no desire to do any wrong. Allow me to change the climate until Sylvester returns."


    "Holy Sovereign¡­" Gabriel corrected Zenith in her manner of calling Sylvester, "You are right. He will be able to revert any changes with a wave of his hand. You can go ahead."


    "I will require the help of one of your Supreme Wizards," Zenith added.


    Gabriel looked at Felix while pondering, "Julius is too serious. Send Emperor Raz with her. I hope you won''t have any problem with an undead Supreme Wizard."


    "That one?" She remembered the creature. "I still can''t fathom how he came to serve the light faction. But I will be grateful for his help."


    With that, Empress Zenith took Raz and his bone dragon to the newly made continent in the far south. The undead creature talked nonstop throughout the journey, curious about the Demon Realm to which his existence had been associated with for so many years.


    "I don''t worry about work these days. My greatest General, Bob, is enough to handle almost everything. The goodd rose from being a brain-dead skeleton to a General," Raz babbled the whole time. "I remember that day so vividly."


    Empress Zenith sighed, as did Dalgan. They already felt exhausted through the journey. But thankfully, they saw the shores of the new continent on the horizon.


    "Emperor Raz, I will need you to help me power a sealing ritual that will create an invisible shield on the continent that will create an enclosed environment suitable for my kind." She interrupted Raz''s self monologue.


    "Sure, sure," Raz muttered, uncaring about life since his was endless. No longer a curse since he surely enjoyed it now.


    The bone dragon soonnded in the middle of the Silver Continent, abination of Sand and Central Continent. The ce was barren, so without any interruption, Zenith drew the huge ritual rune using demonguage.


    It alone took ten hours since the rune needed to go very deep into the ground for it to be firm enough. They were going to perform something akin to terraforming, so the fear of the rune breaking was high.


    "Please stand here with me, Emperor Raz." Zenith eventually prepared everything and stood at the center of a one-mile-


    wide rune circle. "The ritual requires my blood and chants. You merely need to provide the magical energy. Srium will do."


    Everything was prepared. All the inscriptions on the ground were perfect. Zenith closed her eyes and prepared to start the rune scheme with her magic and perform the ritual. A de ready in one hand to cut a wound on another.


    Drop!


    Her blood drops fell.


    "What?!"


    But nothing happened.


    "The rune circle should have emitted energy by now!" She eximed, confused. "Dalgan, look at the runes again. Is there any mistake?"


    Hours went by. Frustration grew more and more.


    "Let''s try again." Zenith poured her blood on the rune circle, "Still nothing!"


    "Strange..." Emperor Raz voiced all of a sudden. "I can''t seem to be able to use magic anymore."


    "What?!" Zenith eximed and tried to create a simple fireball. "I can''t either."


    Dalgan did the same. "Me neither. What''s going on?"


    Boom!


    All heads looked up. The dark clouds gathered in the sky for no reason, so dark that they almost turned the whole world ck. There was no wind, no stormy sights, just ck clouds and thunderous roars.


    "What we gave, we can take. Your magic is now your wagering stake."


    Raz looked left and right, "Who was that? I heard a voice¡­ so inhuman and terrifying. Even I felt shivers, and I have no skin."


    Zenith''s face had turned ugly, however. "I-It''s them¡­ The Primordial Gods. They''re now targeting this world. They took away our ability to manipte magic."


    "To go against your creator, you overstepped your boundaries. It''s a parent''s right to take the child''s toy, your magic I now seize."


    Boom!


    Thunder boomed continuously, and then slowly, the dark clouds began dissipating. The ''Gods'' were done speaking.


    "There will be chaos in the world." Dalgan worried, "Without magic, there can be a rebellion. Mass violence¡­ nothing to fear. ''They'' have made the Church vulnerable."


    An indirect way to strike Sylvester where it hurts. This was much different than directly using a ck Hole.


    "Something tells me we''re not dealing with the same god this time," Zenith muttered, frustratingly looking at her palms. Feeling weak, like amon mortal once more. "But our bones still retain the strength of a powerful being."


    Perhaps, things weren''t as bad as they thought.


    ¡­


    Beyond The Existence,


    "That is your n? To suffocate them?" Ashraska watched in his formless conscious state, his brother ying a slow game to his annoyance. "This will only give that mortal more time to reach us."


    Aveda didn''t react intensely, "To suffocate them is to suffocate him. The more frightened, and hasty he bes, the more mistakes he shallmit. Perhaps no longer a mortal, but he retains the mind of one. Burdened by feelings, emotions, like those ants do."


    "Then how are we¡ª" Ashraska paused midspeech, a surprise and delight in his voice, "Did you feel the tear in space?"


    "I did." Aveda, once again, didn''t react, "What was inevitable has happened."


    "He''s not alone."


    "I know, Ashraska."

 Chapter 768 767. The One Behind All

    Chapter 768 767. The One Behind All


    ??Exhausting all his knowledge and methods, Sylvester found himself at his wit''s end. There was simply no way to reach into the realm of the Primordial Gods. Even after exploring the energy they used to make the Orb of Purity, it was impossible.


    "You can''t make a tear into their realm with simpleprehension."


    Sylvester didn''t have to look around anymore to know who the voice belonged to. The sensation he felt every time he heard it was nothing strange to him. "Then how do I confront them?"


    "I shall be your guiding light, while you should only worry about fulfilling the role you were born for without fright." Said the voice.


    Sylvester noticed a flickering light in front of his body that made a path between the eel-like universe-carrying creatures. The light made a tunnel, much smaller and tighter than normal. "How do you know how to enter their realm, Solis?"


    Although the light was his only clue in the confusing void, he didn''t forget to be vignt. From the start till now, he still didn''t know about Solis'' goals. Why does he always know when to appear and help him? What was in it for the godly being?


    "Because I have seen countless others try and pry their way into the realm of Primordial Gods," Solis answered and continued to pave a path for Sylvester through his light. He appeared like an orb of light and nothing else. Even his voice sounded high-pitched, but muffled.


    "Who are these ''others''?" Sylvester asked but followed the guiding light nheless.


    "You know them."


    Sylvester quickly thought of the other gods that he had heard about during his travels. "Remira and the other gods?"


    "Not all, but some tried," Solis clearly answered. "But it wasn''t their time, nor was it in their fate to oppose them, only to weaken. They merely served a purpose that resulted in this moment. You are the final nail in the coffin, Sylvester Maximilian. You exist for that reason."


    Sylvester silently followed, pondering over everything that Solis had said that whole time. Yes, he knew that his sole purpose of existing was to oppose the Primordial Gods. It was one of the reasons he still had some confidence to keep going forward.


    At a rapid speed, they speared through the endless space filled with the eel creatures. How they were going to enter the realm of the Primordial Gods was beyond his understanding.


    "But unlike what you believe in, they did not die," Solis continued all of a sudden. "To this day, they try, with their spirits unwavering and high. From the confines of our invisible prison, we found a purpose, a reason."


    Woosh!


    The flickering light in front of Sylvester picked up its speed and suddenly collided with something, vanishing slowly. Sylvester also followed behind, and shed his physical state, leaving it only a malleable body.


    Woosh!


    Just like Solis, Sylvester felt something ahead of him. Although it looked like darkness with the eels everywhere, physically, he felt a tight crack there, through which he could squeeze in like water.


    ''Where is he taking me?'' Sylvester wondered, ''Is this the door to the realm of Primordial Gods?''


    Little by little, he eased into the gap that seemed like a tear in space. The further he went ahead, the more he felt warm, almost the opposite of the cold darkness of the void. After a while, he found light on the other side, as if it were an entirely different world.


    Then like a flicker, there was light all around. Sylvester''s body started to take back its humanoid shape as he felt the area was far more open. Just too bright, almost as if the entire space was white, and the ground was a lighter shade of gray.


    "Where are we?"


    "Our invisible prison," Solis repeated, and his golden form continued to move, "Those who dared to oppose and grew too ambitious eventually found their way here."


    "What do you mean?" Sylvester questioned, creating aplete body once again. "Where is the way into their realm? Are we already in it?"


    "No, this is the middle ground." Solis finally stopped moving, "Greet him, warriors forgotten, yet worshiped. The fateful moment is upon us."


    Sylvester carefully kept a watch at all sides around him. "Who are you tal¡ª"


    He didn''t have to ask that question. In the distance in front of him, he noticed multiple figuresing out of the flickering white light of the space. There were more than two dozen silhouettes, varying in size and shape.


    The closer they got, the more Sylvester felt a surging magical presence before him that continued to grow stronger. Individually, he didn''t feel anything from them, but as a group, he could sense their strength reaching close to him.


    "You finally arrived, Sylvester Maximilian."


    "That voice¡­" Sylvester looked at the forefront humanoid tall figure in the crowd. He was the first to show hisplete appearance, "Pope Hermington?!"


    Once the silhouettes became clear, he confirmed it to be him. But not only that, he saw a female elf behind him, dwarfs with long red beards on the other side, a humanoid mutated dragon, a lion, a giant, and so many more.


    "Remira? Iron Gods? Luna?" Sylvester blurted the names of all the godly entities prayed to in his world, and also those that existed before, like Luna. "This is where you live?"


    "Where we''re imprisoned," Luther Vas Hermington, the first Pope to ascend beyond the limit, replied. "This is from where we watched your journey as you fulfilled the countless fated prophecies."


    ''Watching me?'' Sylvester didn''t feelfortable with that.


    "So all of you were once like me? But ended up getting stuck here?" Sylvester asked them, "What''s stopping them from capturing me here too?"


    "Because we''re not captured here. We are here to protect ourselves from them, a small crack in the spaces between their realm and ours, where we can find some shelter from their control," the first Pope answered. "We were to await you, Sylvester. All of us, for countless years, have been awaiting you."


    Sylvester nced at Remira and the rest, "Do all of you have the same story?"


    "Identical," Remira responded, her hair green, her clothes made of bunched-up leaves that covered her bosom and the lower parts. Her long ears were a little longer than any elf Sylvester had seen before. She held fondness towards him as he initially shared blood of her kind. "But yours will be different."


    Sylvester had grown to ignore all the fate-rted talk and focus only on what was in front of him. His suspicions were rising now regarding everything, an upational hazard after having experienced so many hidden schemes.


    "What have you been doing here all this time? What''s your purpose?"


    "To make the rift in space for you," voiced another creature this time, the strong, muscr, red-bearded dwarf, an iron hammer in his hands. "To defeat the Primordial Gods, you need to reach them first. While you ascended from being a mortal to a god, we carved you a pathway."


    "Forged slowly so they won''t notice." The dragon-like being added, likely the god of dragons. "The element of surprise is your greatest tool."


    "There is no element of surprise when ites to them," Sylvester replied, dismissing their optimistic ideas. "They are always aware of everything. They are omniscient unless you possess an artifact to hide from their gaze. There are no surprises."


    "There is, however," the First Pope interjected. "The same surprise that has led you throughout your journey with words, with goals, with replies to your worship."


    Sylvester immediately looked at his side, but Solis'' flickering light wasn''t there anymore.


    "I shall be going there with you." Solis'' voice came just then. For the first time, he appeared to be walking like a human. Cutting through the crowd of the gods of his worlds, Solis arrived at the forefront, a staff in one hand, his tall stature eclipsing even the giants. His face was still surrounded by darkness, but the halo behind his head was visible, as was his shoulder-length white hair.


    Sylvester felt genuinely overwhelmed by this entity, just like before. Despite having grown so strong, Solis still remained above him by a margin. And now, the being wasing with him where the rulers of reality were going to die.


    ''I can''t help but doubt his motives.'' Sylvester silently stared at the mighty form. ''Too convenient that he found me in the mortal world when even the Primordial Gods couldn''t.''


    "To go alone knowing that the enemy outnumbers you is a fool''s mistake. This is beyond you and me, Sylvester; such are the stakes," Solis spoke and stopped in front of the crowd of gods. "Many have perished to see you rise. You must stand prepared for any surprise, for their lies can even deceive my eyes."


    Sylvester silently nodded, knowing he couldn''t say no. But before he continued, he looked back at the First Pope and directly asked, "Pope Hermington, who brought you to this ''prison sanctuary?'', what about the rest of you?"


    "It was Solis," the First Pope replied.


    "Solis."


    "None but Solis."


    "Respected Solis."


    All of them gave all but one answer. Just one name behind everything. It rang rm bells in Sylvester''s head, louder than any scent of death he had ever smelled.


    His jaw tightened.


    ''Him again¡­ every time.''

 Chapter 769 768. GODs Vs gods I: The Highest Realm

    Chapter 769 768. GODs Vs gods I: The Highest Realm


    ??''Him again¡­ every time.'' Sylvester felt uneasy. Solis was one more cog in the wheel to be careful of. But first, getting rid of the Primordial Gods was the priority, ''With him behind him, I''ll have to grow a second pair of eyes.''


    "Then let''s proceed," Sylvester suggested and forged a single sword out of solidified light. The Spear of Infinity, sadly, was underpowered now. "The more time we spend here, the more time they get to do us harm."


    Solis agreed, "Walk behind me, my bard. The path ahead will leave us plenty marred."


    It was less walking and more flying at that point. Sylvester could easily make his body weightless and move in any direction, his mobility far more advanced now. To that moment, he was still in the process of learning new things about himself. And that was what worried him¡ªnot being able to utilize his might to the fullest.


    "How do you n to defeat them?" Sylvester asked Solis, getting past the gap between the crowd of other ''gods''. "You''ve been nning this for eons. You must have nned ahead too."


    "There is a n, but not the means to an end. We will only know the true destination when you stand to defend," said Solis.


    After flying for a long time, the two arrived at what seemed like a spiraling dark circle in that fully white space. It seemed threatening just from the looks of it, and its size no more than Sylvester''s width, shoulder to shoulder.


    "To make this small incision into their reality, it took them hundreds of thousands of years. Constantly living in their fears, they eventually seeded in making this tear. I can survive their reality, for I have been preparing myself for that. But you will not, not against the suppression and change in thews of reality. It will destroy all your vitality," Solis warned Sylvester sternly.


    "What are you?" Sylvester instead questioned him. "Was everything you ever did to live this moment?"


    "You will be made aware very soon." Like always, Solis dismissed his question, "For you to survive inside it, you must try toprehend their reality as quickly as possible and be immune. The fundamental rules are simple¡ªNothing is impossible, everything can be created out of nothing, and you be what you perceive."


    Sylvester nodded, "Can''t you teach them to me right away?"


    "Mere words won''t suffice. I have learned it the hard way, with a heavy price," Solis replied and moved closer to the portal. His behemoth of a body adorned in white robes stood very close to the spiral. "Never forget it, Sylvester. You were born for this."


    Sylvester sighed and stepped closer to him to enter at the same time, "I believe the ''why'' and ''how'' won''t be answered?"


    Solis simply gave a slight nod with his darkness-covered face, "You shall enter before me. The time difference is drastic, and it will give you enough gap that we don''t collide, and you canprehend their reality. Remember, let go of any thought of mortality or morality. In there, from everything, expect nothing but hostility."


    Pat!


    Solis patted on Sylvester''s shoulder and pushed him into the portal.


    Just as a fleeting thought, Sylvester looked back, "From you too?"


    "I am everything," said Solis before jumping in as well, just a few blinks of an eye apart.


    Woosh!


    But such was the pull inside the portal, the twists, the stretches, and the orchestra of time and space that even those tiny moments of gap becamerger than years.


    ¡­


    Sylvester felt no pain, but he lost the sense of everything. He couldn''t feel time, he couldn''t feel space, he couldn''t even feel his existence. Was he still in a ne of existence, or was he¡­ nothing?


    ''There''s nothing here. What am I toprehend?'' Sylvester asked himself, confused and clueless. ''Hm, Nothing is impossible? Everything can be created out of nothing, and you be what you perceive?''


    Sylvester repeated Solis'' words and tried to base an idea around it. ording to the first, he just had to imagine himself that he wasn''t formless, not timeless, not fateless. He had matter and thought.


    But it was easier said than done. In theory, the Primordial Gods lived beyond space and time, beyond existence. So what kind of world was this? What kind of ne of existence was he inside?


    ''I don''t feel srium or any kind of energy either.'' He felt rmed, ''I won''tst forever if I can''t find a path out.''


    A fleeting memory, that''s what he felt like at the moment. Formless, mindless, just a consciousness in the vastness of space. Yet, powerful in his own right.


    ''Anything can be created out of nothing?'' Sylvester muttered and immediately tried to create srium around him, a particle he had absolute mastery over and had studied its structure. But still, the goal was to make it out of nothing, not produce it from his own body.


    "Ah!" He felt real pain this time. His body released srium instead of making more.


    ''Out of nothing? What is nothing?''


    A particle? Or truly theck of anything in the air?


    His frustrations grew. How could he perceive nothingness?


    ''You be what you perceive?'' Sylvester focused on thest rule that Solis gave him and tried to form a body for himself. However, nothing happened since he couldn''t create anything.


    Round and round, he circled through thews Solis had told him and attempted to do something. Forced himself to make a body, to cast magic, or to simply imagine a world around him.


    Time went by, unknown how long. Frustrations and anger surmounted, and the rage slowly started to appear. Just one clue, he hoped to receive just one.


    "Once again, you have forgotten how powerful you are, Sylvester Maximilian. You were born for this."


    "Hmm?" Sylvester felt he heard Solis'' voice. "What do you mean? I''m nothing here! I don''t exist. I have no upying spa


    ¡ª"


    Right in the middle of those words, he felt something. As if new connections formed inside his mind that didn''t exist before. As if he felt a flicker of something. An idea, aprehension; not of what the world was around him, but what he was.


    This realm beyond existence wasn''t physical at all.


    "It''s metaphysical! Nothing exists here in any form but a consciousness!" Sylvester eximed.


    Boom!


    And just like that, as if a big bang took ce somewhere inside his body, he felt branches form in a metaphysical sense. Everything felt like it made absolute sense, like this was the real end of life he was supposed to achieve.


    A being of mere thoughts and will.


    "Nothing is impossible!" Sylvester eximed, finally understanding the meaning. "The Primordial Gods have no body. They''re mere ideas that were born from the mind of the creator."


    "Everything can be created out of nothing," Sylvester repeated, and could feel his control over the lower worlds, especially all of those tiny streams of eel-like creatures traveling with universes inside them. Now looking from the outside, that stream wasn''t even the only one.


    Every reality had its own pipeline filled with eels that carried the alternate universes inside it. Every minor choice any sentient creature made created a new universe. Every minor cosmic miscalction drastically changes the universes.


    "T-The Demon World and my home world are a piece of the same universe, just different due to cosmic calctions!" Sylvester realized, and his questions about why the Primordial Gods didn''t destroy them strengthened.


    But atst, he came to thestw. "You be what you perceive."


    And this was what finally gave Sylvester his vision inside the realm. Being a mere consciousness, his will was the force beyond creation, and nothing was merely the space ready to be manipted by his will. Finally, what he perceived became his reality¡ªif he thought of himself as a cosmic entity, he was that! If he thought of himself as a human, he''d be perceived as one! His true powers rested in his thoughts.


    There was no time, space, or reality. There was nothing to see, and everything to perceive. Which he could already do, sensing something very close to him. Another mind, another thought with burning, scorching warmth.


    ''Is this it? Is this what it means to be Gods? To be ideas? To consider yourself supreme?''


    "You were born for this." Solis''s words reached Sylvester. Not as a voice, but as a mere thought, and intent, "Wee to the godly abyss."


    "Where are they?" Sylvester felt rmed, still not having any idea of how to use all of his abilities. "How much time has passed? What am I now?"


    Solis''s voice answered and helped Sylvester by extending his own field of consciousness to touch on Sylvester''s. "They are aware."


    Pure horror!


    Sylvester lost his words and almost his mind. He forgot to even curse, for his senses screamed at him to escape as quickly as possible.


    ''They were already around them¡ª''They'' were the body of time and space he and Solis had entered into. ''They'' were the body of the highest realm.


    "Time is a matter of naught, Sylvester," Solis added, seeing a hellish fight iing, "We are now somewhere between their existence, and what was before. They are the GODS, and we are almost gods¡ªPrepare for war!"


    Sylvester fell silent, unaware of what to even do. They had already spawned inside the field of control of the Primordial Gods.


    What war?


    This felt one-sided.

 Chapter 770 769. GODs Vs gods II: The Plan

    Chapter 770 769. GODs Vs gods II: The n


    ??They were aware. Sylvester knew it. But how were they going to react?


    "How should I prepare¡ª"


    As he was about to ask Solis, he felt something change around him. As if the entire reality was morphing around him, despite there being nothing. It was an empty infinite space that consisted of nothing but two upying forces¡ªtwo consciousnesses¡ªAveda and Ashraska.


    Just as expected, voices began reverberating from all sides. It was immense enough to make Sylvester feel like the smallest fish in an entire ocean.


    "Amused, proud, and angered. I know not what to feel about you, mortal."


    Sylvester reacted quickly, "Which one is speaking?"


    "The one whose ything no longer exists."


    "Aveda?"


    "So you have theorized it. Expected from the one who reached this far. But beyond this is nowhere, nor is this your realm to exist. Return to your world and be our messenger, Sylvester Maximilian. Or perish here, to be forgotten in the next cycle," Aveda stated, giving Sylvester thest offer to turn around and save his life.


    Sylvester, formless, a mere thought, felt his own existence slowly being surrounded by something, someone, pushing him away from Solis. He knew there was only one other enemy in that same ne of existence.


    "I never wanted any of this," Sylvester replied, trying to keep himself gathered. He had to umte and ustom himself to the surroundings, or else he''d be at the mercy of the God''s will. "You pushed me into this uphill climb."


    "You cannot save your world," Aveda added.


    "But I will." Sylvester silently grunted, feeling Ashraska trying to rip his consciousness, like an insect that got noticed; step all over him and show him his ce. "I will¡­ when I be you!"


    "Ha ha! I like this insanity." A second voice reverberated just then, much more cruel, muffled, and utterly evil. "Let''s give him what he wants, Aveda. A mortal wishes to take our ce. Laughable, but admirable, for he reached this far."


    ''Too proud of himself, conceited, overconfident, selfish, greedy, and evil.'' Sylvester immediately made a character profile of the being. ''Being the highest two entities, it must have been an eternity since theyst had to experience a life-threatening battle.''


    "We would be repeating the ignorance that led to his rise." Aveda denied his brother''s offer, "A mortal must die like a mortal¡ªmiserably."


    ''The thoughtful one.'' Sylvester assessed Aveda, ''His voice is less cruel and holds warmth. Like a real god. Careful nner¡­ like me.''


    "Whatever your choice may be, your end shall be here." Sylvester antagonized, a mere attempt to measure the depth of his situation.


    "See that pride."


    "He''s manipting you," Aveda warned his brother. "Do not forget what Father warned you of."


    Ashraska still chose to ignore it, "You truly believe we cannot defeat him? We are the creator, the destroyer, the ruler of the very vessel this creature was born into."


    Sylvester pushed the two closer towards the edge. He needed a battle at all costs. "Perhaps your brother is afraid of a mortal who rose so fast and so far."


    "Indeed," Aveda didn''t refute.


    But that angered Ashraska to no end, "That''s enough. Cowardice is something I have never known! Speak, human, how do you wish to battle me? Or do you prefer to simply have your consciousness removed?"


    ''Extreme arrogance.'' Sylvester felt he had found Ashraska''s sensitive nerve. ''But an intelligent ant still remains an ant before an elephant.''


    "A physical battle with real bodies." Sylvester demanded something he was well-trained in.


    "The way of the lowly brutes." Ashraska disgraced that demand, but agreed in the end, "If you think you can defeat me through a physical body. Let me prove you wrong."


    "Don''t do this, Ashraska. He''s getting what he wants." Aveda warned his brother.


    "No more will I heed your cowardly warnings, Aveda. We are Gods!" Ashraska boomed and began to take a physical form. "Do not interfere in this¡­ inconvenience. Bother with that ''god'' instead."


    Sylvester sensed freedom in that instant as Ashraska stopped trying to suppress him with his higher control over the space they were upying. It left him free to construct a body of his own, albeit struggling to.


    However, Ashraska had already started to form a body for himself. It was unknown if this was his true form, or merely something he connected with. As he took a humanoid shape, his skin began to form in glistening dark silver, which at times seemed as ck as the deepest void in space.


    It was as if looking at a human being created from scratch, first the veins, the bones, the flesh, and then the skin. But in this case, the blood looked like tar, and the flesh as if charcoal. On his waist formed a ck, fluttering, multiyered sirwal trousers, made from nothing but more of the skin. Even a cape formed on his back, also made of skin, but it looked like cloth.


    Then, atst, a humanoid face with an evil look, two shining blue eyes, and a vertical red eye slit on the middle of his forehead. White hair longer than his height, and two horns protruding out.


    "So you were the one ruling over my world," Sylvestermented as he attempted to create his usual human form¡ªSylvester''s form.


    A sadistic smirk formed on Ashraska''s face, "What gave it away?"


    "Your looks and the history of my world," Sylvester replied. "Widespread chaos, madness, hunger, degeneracy, inhumanity, violence, suppression of anything that could make things better. What else but a Demon like you can find joy in that."


    "Survival of the fittest is what I call that, human." Ashraska didn''t get offended by that. "To prepare your world for the battle against my brother''s realm, I needed warriors. Not pathetic meatbags content with life."


    Sylvester remained silent after that, not feeling the need to antagonize him anymore. ''It exins all the misery I''ve seen at home. Even the finest jewel would lose its shine when in the hands of an uncaring brute.''


    As his bodypletely formed, long golden blonde hair fell down his back, and white robes formed on his body, for no armor could help in that battle. No weapons, however, since he didn''t know how the battle was going to be fought.


    "Why even do all this?" Sylvester asked, feeling nothing but empty dark space around him. There was no time, no air, no vacuum¡ªthey were truly in nothing¡ªa realm beyond existence itself.


    "Why?" Ashraska raised his massive w-like arm, his whole body thrice the size of Sylvester''s. "Because we can."


    Boom!


    Faster than anything ever seen, Sylvester didn''t realize when something connected with his belly and wed out a hole in it. An entire arm passing through his belly and pushed him with the momentum.


    Sylvester groaned. The pain was real this time, despite the body being a mere piece of flesh representing his overall consciousness and energy. Right there, Ashraska''s entire hand passed through him.


    "Because we are Gods!"


    Bam!


    "Argh!"


    Ashraska stabbed the twin horns on his head into Sylvester''s chest. Sylvester tried to stop them by grabbing them, but the difference in force was too vast. The two horns entered his skin and ruptured his lungs and heart.


    Other than pain, Sylvester felt nothing since the organs served no use. However, they reminded him that he needed to be smart in this battle.


    Crack!


    "Hah! You think your light sword will hurt me?"


    Sylvester honestly had no idea and just swung it down on the horns that were stabbing him. Extending from his right fist, the long shining white de made contact, and sizzling sounds soon ensued.


    ''It''s not working. Only the skin is burning.'' Sylvester gritted his teeth, his body still pushed further into the infinite dark space. ''Half of this entire realm contains his energies. No wounds would be sufficient enough to kill him.''


    How do you even kill a god that''s merely a consciousness and energy?


    "Quit!" Ashraska spoke again, retracing his horns from Sylvester''s chest; his hand was still stuck in the regenerating hole in Sylvester''s belly. As he pulled, he formed a new open wound, only to grab Sylvester''s neck at an untraceable speed. "Quit and be my loyal dog."


    Sylvester struggled against every move Ashraska made. He was stronger and faster. "You¡­ should have asked¡­ nicely."


    "Arrogance!" Ashraska boomed and threw Sylvester away like a ragdoll.


    ''Such self-reflection.'' Sylvester mumbled and immediately gathered himself. This time, he chose to use magic and created the strongest shields around him, made of hardened light through Creation Magic. Formed like a sphere all over and transparent, he tried to think of a strategy.


    transparent, he tried to think of a strategy.


    ''Any weakness?''


    "We create you, kill you, and pluck you out of your worlds as if nothing." Ashraska made a dashing flight towards Sylvester, both his ws out. "You think a mere lesser shield will protect you? You underestimate us, boy!"


    Crack!


    "Fuc¡ª!" Those were thest words Sylvester could muster before Ashraska speared through his shield like a hot knife on butter. The ws came at Sylvester''s neck and, in a single moment, snapped everything away.


    The torso remained there, and the head separated, thrown away in the distance. Sylvester''s long golden hair wrinkled around his shocked and somewhat distraught face, eyes still blinking. His torso, in the distance, disappeared in a puff of smoke and began forming again below his neck.


    ''It''s impossible.''


    As his regenerating body and head remained flying like a projectile, he tried to speak with Solis directly. "What''s the n? You''ve guided me to this ce since I was born!"


    You''ve guided me to this ce since I was born!"


    Solis, like Aveda, remained on the side and didn''t interfere.


    But Solis did answer vocally.


    "It''s your n, Sylvester¡ªalways has been."

 Chapter 771 770. GODs Vs gods III: Godslayer

    Chapter 771 770. GODs Vs gods III: Godyer


    ??Sylvester, as always, remained confused even after hearing Solis'' reply. "What do you mean ''my n''? You were my reinsman!"


    There was indifference and warning in Solis'' tone, "Then continue to follow the path you''ve been put on. The rest¡­ you will be made aware."


    "Amusing," Aveda interjected right then. "What are you two nning?"


    Sylvester gritted his teeth and focused on Ashraska. Hitting him was like mming his head on a rock wall. It was only hurting himself and gave Ashraska a chance to reply with stronger attacks.


    "Hah! It seems your ''god'' isn''t willing to help." Ashraska bellowed with a mockingugh andunched at Sylvester.


    ''Not again.'' Sylvester tried to dodge the iing ws that could rip him apart.


    Woosh!


    Toote once again.


    An entire chunk of the right side of Sylvester''s chest, right below his shoulder, blew apart. Blood flowed in drops and sprays, and chunks of his flesh exploded into the distance. Once again forced to regenerate and ponder what to do.


    "You asked for this rough lesson," Ashraska mocked and turned around, flying at a speed unseen by Sylvester. "I will slice you slowly and force you to consume every bit of your energy until nothing is left."


    Boom!


    The third eye on Ashraska''s forehead opened, and a ck beam of energy came out, covering Sylvester entirely. The beam went unnoticed since the realm they were in was of a simr color.


    "Burn in the true fire!"


    Sylvester tried to move away, but he found himself locked. However, he noticed something highly peculiar. This was pure energy from Ashraska¡ªunfiltered and unrestricted. Yet, he felt no harm to himself other than his remaining energy depleting at a rapid pace.


    ''This fire can''t harm me?'' He asked himself, and tried to feel the ck energy around him, ''It''s so dense and violent. So¡­ savage. As if he''s fighting by instinct.''


    "What?!" Ashraska was shocked by Sylvester''s unchanged appearance. "Immune to fire?"


    Sylvester had something else in mind, however. He started moving as fast as he could, unrestricted in the endless space. He tried to gain as much speed as possible, and at the same time, began to chant a hymn to sew as much confusion as possible.


    His tried and trusted, Wrath of Heaven beam of light, also started to form in his palms, protruding out as he flew.


    ?In the shadow of giants, I stand,


    Your fall shall be a tale across thend.


    Though your might seem grand and swell,


    In every heart, only defiance dwells.


    No fortress too strong, no magic spell,


    If there is any, I shall take you to hell.?


    Soundless, frictionless, Sylvester flew towards Ashraska while spending his own energy at a pace that scared him. A magnificent, massive halo formed behind his head, illuminating the space that still looked dark from its vastness.


    "Ha!" Sylvester roared as loud as he could and pushed forward one of his palms. A huge, white beam of sma erupted from his hand andunched toward Ashraska while he himself continued to move closer.


    "Mere antics¡­" Ashraksa didn''t bother moving and faced the beam head-on.


    Boom!


    The beam of light didn''t do anything.


    But Sylvester didn''t stop. His other hand raised forward towards Ashraska. Equipped with a long, thick de made of hardened light, aided by his rapidly increased and peaked speed in flying.


    Crack!


    He mmed onto Ashraksa''s chest with a boom; The hardened de of light also revealed cracks. However, with Ashraska preupied by the beam of light from before, Sylvester found the moments of opportunity and pushed on.


    Crack!


    ''No, no! Don''t break!'' Sylvester grunted and gave it his all, depleting almost half of his strength that was preserved for so long.


    "Hah, you thought this would be eff¡ª"


    It was. Sylvester noticed an inch of his de thrusting into Ashraska''s chest. It took everything he had to offer, and that was all he could achieve¡ªhe felt excited. But now was not the time to cheer as Ashraska grabbed his neck again and, this time snapped it.


    ''It fucking hurts!'' Sylvester groaned and fixed his neck by cracking it back into ce. ''But I can''t repeat this too many times. I''m already at half of my strength.''


    Sylvester looked at Ashraska. His chest was slowly healing. Much slower than what Sylvester had expected. A sign there was more to Ashraska''s mortal body than what meets the eye. The rate of energy replenishment wasn''t high.


    ''The mightier they are, the harder they fall.''


    "So you don''t bleed," Sylvester muttered, gathering himself to send out a stronger attack this time. ''If I can wound him faster than he can heal himself, will that do something?''


    Even then, he felt somewhat less motivated since half of the entire space they were in belonged to Ashraska and his might. Was destroying a mere body even the end of him? Was his own sacrifice enough to bring an end? He still had Aveda to deal with, after all.


    ''Here~''


    Sylvester looked at the back of his shoulder on the right. A strange hissing voice brushed past his ears. ''Am I imagining things?''


    ''Closer~''


    The voice came again. He looked around, and although he could feel Solis'' presence, he knew it wasn''t him speaking.


    Not finding anything, he again began moving, flying away from Ashraska and then making a turn to spearhead toward him once again. His speed increased this time, with his feet helping him with propulsion, a variation of his Piercing Hell move, just without a spear. The halo behind his head returned.


    ''Argh¡­ I''m losing myself too fast.'' He groaned silently, every passing moment a big chunk of his cosmic powers depleting. ''I need a good strike.''


    ?I''ll strike once; I''ll strike twice, no matter the cost,


    Only in the name of God, of vileness, limits crossed.


    Generations and civilizations await for your demise,


    Cutting through your lies, a new dawn longs to arise.?


    He gained the momentum he needed, and Ashraska didn''t seem to react. Still drunk in his pride and arrogance. He remained in ce and prepared himself to face Sylvester again.


    "Shut your pathetic singing! There is no god above me; there is none beyond here."


    Sylvester didn''t react to the provocation and focused the sword he had made over his aiming arm, sharp and big, sweltering white and reinforced with multipleyers of creation magic to rebuild over time.


    It was a dark void, yet Sylvester formed a strange shape around his body like a cone of vapor. But in this case, it was a literal tear through the very space that Ashraska and Aveda ruled over.


    "Haaa¡­!" It contained Sylvester''s best. If this strike didn''t do enough damage, nothing could. It was the end.


    ''Come here~''


    Sylvester''s attention was suddenly diverted, and his trajectory shifted. ''This voice¡­ I know this voice.''


    "Running away?" Ashraska bellowed and moved, instantly gaining as much speed as Sylvester and chasing him.


    Sylvester didn''t bother with that and moved towards the whispering voice.


    ''This way~''


    ''Closer~''


    ''Cut him off~''


    The more that voice spoke the closer and clearer it felt. Sylvester didn''t know what it was, but any hope was better than no hope. So his frantic rush continued even when Ashraska was already behind him and wed at his back.


    ''What am I doing?'' Sylvester questioned himself midway, ''If I do this, I won''t have enough to strike him. I¡­ I''ll die.''


    ''Take care of my people~''


    ''Absorb me~''


    What it was, he cared not, already feeling desperate as if death crept closer. He tried to absorb the energy like he had absorbed Nehilius long ago.


    sh!


    "How?!"


    Sylvester abruptly turned around and blocked Ashraska''s strike with his Light Sword. Shocked and enraged, Ashraska couldn''t believe Sylvester did that.


    ''This surge of energy in me¡­ so much more...'' Sylvester himself felt shocked. Not long ago, feeling hopeless and on the verge of losing, and now this. ''What did I absorb?''


    Not for long, sadly, as the Light Sword began to crack against the pressure. He tried to swing the de in a parrying move and make some distance while aiming for Ashraska''s head.


    Woosh!


    Ashraska didn''t dodge, a big mistake. He felt it, the edge of Sylvester''s shining, sweltering de shaving against his corporeal throat. There was a deep ck cut, seeping out tar that was his blood.


    ''I grew stronger?'' Sylvester looked at his own hands in confused wonder.


    Ashraska didn''t jump at Sylvester anymore, "Hiding your true strength? Mere tricks won''t end me. You may destroy this body, but I can make countless more. While you have all but finite chances."


    Sylvester dared not speak and focused on creating some space between them.


    ''Human, follow this voice~''


    Sylvester''s head turned again towards his left, ''Another one?''


    He wasted no time and chased after the voice. This time he found Ashraska maintaining distance, his behavior very erratic even for the ''God'' to understand. Despite his omniscience, Ashraska couldn''t look into the future since, in that realm, there was no time, a void beyond its measure.


    ''Give respect to my kind~''


    What did that mean, Sylvester wondered.


    ''Cut him off~''


    Woosh!


    Once again, he felt as if he had walked through an immense cloud of pure cosmic energy on the scale of a thousand Nehilius''. He didn''t waste a moment to absorb it all. It was all he could take as Ashraska and Aveda''s cosmic energies were too risky to meddle with.


    ''Cutting him off?'' Sylvester turned around right after absorbing it all and, this time gained faster speed. Slicing through the space itself, he seemingly teleported¡ªfaster than ever heading towards his target.


    Boom!


    "What is the depth of your secrets?" Ashraska ragingly interrogated, his chest now with a gaping hole like the one he made on Sylvester before.


    ''How?'' Sylvester himself remained in shock. His speed was so fast that he found it hard to maneuver and stop. Not even realizing it when his de broke through the tough skin of Ashraska and went beyond it.


    ?Such is mortality, short lifespans, yet so much achieved,


    Own blessings created; miracles themselves conceived.


    O'' mighty ''God'', for so long you had the innocent deceived,


    Pity¡ªAs your end draws near, you will not be grieved.?


    Sylvester sang, this time the wordsing out on their own. The halo behind his head surged on its own, bigger and brighter than before, his hair fluttering with smooth movements. His eyes glowed crimson as realization dawned¡ªyes, he could fight them, even if to them, reality belonged.


    Frustrations triumphed, visible from the creasing nose on Ashraska''s face. The twin horns on his forehead began forming a small ck orb that was invisible, but no longer absent from Sylvester''s reforged senses.


    "Stop¡­ that¡­ singing!" Ashraska boomed andunched a bombardment, a first sign of his superior magic. The orbs came out rapidly, thousands in every blink of an eye, all aiming towards Sylvester.


    However, Sylvester could see them, calcte their trajectory, and doge them while flying towards the demonic body. "The hymns saved me when I was born. To never forget them, I am sworn."


    ''Cut him off.''


    ''Here.''


    Sylvester had a different aim in dodging the attacks from Ashraska despite it bing hard. He chased the voices that made him stronger with each passing moment. He chased them even when the ck orbs brushed past him, each time hurting less and less.


    ''As expected, his experience in physical battle is nil.'' Sylvester realized the difference between strategy and nned movements. ''But how to end this?''


    "Running will not help you live!" Ashraska bellowed, "Worry not, I shall leave a speck of your life as a witness when I rip apart your world¡ªyour so-called emotional support. Your beloved¡ª"


    "Enough!" Sylvester charged at him, the voices nowing from Ashraska''s direction itself. Almost two dozen times he had gone through that invisible cluster of energies already, and he considered this to be thest one if his guess was right.


    Bam!


    "What?!"


    Sylvester, once again leaving Ashraska in shock, pped away one of the ck orbsing his way. Once, twice¡ªhe did that with each one of them.


    Something was wrong, and Ashraska could feel it. Sylvester was different from a few moments ago. Too much advancement in might, too fast.


    "Cat got your tongue?" Sylvester moved as if he teleported, appearing right in front of Ashraska, and absorbed thest cluster of energy.


    "Wraaa!" Ashraska tried to jab at his chest with a w, "Arrogan


    ¡ª"


    This time his tongue was truly caught. His w didn''t even leave a scratch on Sylvester''s chest.


    "Impossible!" Ashraska tried again, using more of his energy since there was no limit.


    Boom!


    Each time Ashraska jabbed, he used more power. His punches started creating thunderous booms of energy even in that empty space. Each punch made a ripple of mist, yet none left a mark on Sylvester, who was busy in his own mind.


    ''Cut him off~''


    ''What do you mean?'' Sylvester finally tried tomunicate as he took in all the cluster of energies. ''It''s you, isn''t it¡ªFirst Pope? How did you get in here?''


    ''You showed us a path when you gave your all and tore through the space for a minuscule moment. You lead us; you are the tip of this spear. It was written in your fate, Sylvester¡ªthis is all written in your journey. You were meant to be here, we were meant to be here¡ªI am meant to be here.''


    Sylvester finally started to feel some punches push him back a little. He felt he had to end it before Ashraska truly went full-


    power.


    ''If you know my journey, what has psed, and what is toe. Tell me, how do I end this? I''m not them. I''m still a mortal against them.'' Sylvester asked, requesting with a tone of helplessness, ''For thest time, help me, Your Holiness.''


    A mere specter visible to Sylvester''s gaze, he saw Pope Louis'' face appear in the dark void above Ashraska''s head, smiling. ''Oh, that title, as meaningless as the reason behind all this. You know the answer, Your Holiness¡ªCut him off.''


    ''What do you mean?''


    The First Pope didn''t answer that, however he continued. ''I am grateful to have witnessed your rise. I am grateful for your direction¡ªFarewell, Sylvester, what we couldn''t, you became the perfection. I will see you on the other side, until then, please grant the innocent your protection.''


    Before Sylvester''s gaze, that specter vanished, and thest of the energy was absorbed. Sylvester realized now that all the clusters of energies he absorbed were all the gods he had seen on hisst stop. All the gods who had spent millenniums in this battle, who knowingly sacrificed themselves just so he could stand before the mighty.


    ''And to think I started to believe I was a great man¡ªwhen so many far greater lived in the shadows.''


    Boom!


    "Cut him off," Sylvester mumbled those words and focused. Ashraska was in arm''s reach as the maddened, raging god slowly increased his power in a show of might. He never wanted to kill Sylvester. He wanted to toy with him.


    After all, Ashraska rightfully knew he was invincible and immortal as the co-ruler of all.


    Sylvester nced down at his chest, starting to feel pain as well. Yet confusion clouded him, knowing ''Cut him off'' had a bigger meaning.


    He looked up into nothingness, which enraged Ashraska even more. He could feel the consciousness of Aveda and Solis watching everything in silence.


    "If this is your home, your source¡­" Sylvester mumbled, lowered his head, and red eye-to-eye at Ashraska, "Indeed¡­ the answer is to cut you off!"


    "Gibberish!" Ashraska scowled.


    Woosh!


    Sylvester let go of himself, allowing his skin to vaporize, and leave behind a simple humanoid figure of crimson-yellow energy. It was tough, and covered in bright golden frames that started to grow bigger and surround Ashraska as well.


    "Losing hope?" Ashraska taunted, "Started to realize you can''t even win physically?"


    "No." Sylvester barked. Both his hands moved at rippling speed, fists catching onto the two horns of the demon, "I''m cutting you off."


    Shhh¡­!


    Sylvester''s body became a sun, mes that escaped him held physical matter. Energy so condensed that it was tangible. It wrapped around the two of them from all sides, creating a sphere.


    Crack!


    Sylvester''s grip turned so strong that the horns began to show signs of fracture.


    "Ah!" Ashraska groaned, feeling disturbed, "P-Pain?! Impossible!"


    Sylvester sneered at the creature. Since Ashraska was so taller than him, Sylvester suddenly hit his face with a knee. It created a real audible sound with the addition of Sylvester''s energy particles as a medium¡ªYes, the nose broke.


    "Hah!" Sylvesterughed, "How does it feel to be mortal?"


    Ashraska felt sore on his face. He touched his nose with a hand and found ck tar, his blood seeping out. His shining blue eye stared at Sylvester and tried to punch him or push him away.


    "Aaaaaa!"


    In reply to the punch, Sylvester''s grip tightened, and he broke Ashraska''s twin horns apart with a thunderous boom, leaving a spray of ck blood filling up the ming orb of energy they were inside.


    "What did you do?!" Ashraska panicked, unable to feel the outside space, and sensing pain for the first time. He felt smaller all of a sudden, as if his limbs were cut off, his spiritual expanse was blocked, and all that existed was just him in that body. "How are you doing this? I cannot be contained!"


    "But you did that for me," Sylvester replied, moving inside the orb of ming energy faster than Ashraska could track. He appeared behind the massive godly body and locked Ashraska''s neck in a chokehold. They didn''t breathe, but the hold threatened to snap his neck and behead the being. "You contained yourself in this form. You are the heart to the body thatys outside¡ªI cut you off!"


    Crack!


    "No, no, no, no¡­ It''s impossible! You cannot contain me!" Ashraska, now truly terrified, tried to move. Not to free himself from the chokehold, but to break out of the sphere of crimson fire and energy around him.


    Bam!


    Bam!


    "Never¡­ I am the God! You cannot take my essence away!"


    Sylvester squeezed harder, and heard some cracks, "But you are the core of the essence. To kill you is to kill¡­ Ashraska!"


    Crunch!


    "Argk!" Ashraska felt it became harder to speak; Fear, dread, and panic took over, emotions he never knew existed. This body he controlled was all that he had, yet what scared him most was sensing his brother still watching in silence. "N-never¡­ how? No, no¡­ No! Aveda! Aveda! Show this mortal his ce!"


    Ashraska desperately called his brother. He waited, Sylvester waited, yet nothing happened. It filled Ashraska with horror to see how his own brother ignored him, with that unbothered, unmoving attitude. His fear and dread turned into panic and hate.


    "Ha ha!" Sylvester, genuinely relishing in Ashraska''s misery, tightened the grip on his throat. So hard this time that itpletely deformed, squeezing to a t piece of skin, all the bones and muscles squeezed, the ability to speak almost gone.


    "A-Akh-Avedaaaa~! My b-brother!"


    Yet, there was silence and apathy from Aveda.


    "D-Don''t-ugh¡­ Brother¡­ Wh-Why?"


    Sylvester finally began to rip the head up with one hand and push the torso down with the other. "He can hear you."


    "W-Wha¡­ N-N-Nooo¡­~"


    Utter hopelessness took over Ashraska as the realization dawned. No help wasing. His pride and arrogance got the better of him.


    "This is exactly what Aveda wants¡ªYour end!"


    Snap!

 Chapter 772 771. GODs Vs gods IV: Only One End

    Chapter 772 771. GODs Vs gods IV: Only One End


    ??Snap!


    The flesh of the immortal ripped apart like a piece of cloth. Sylvester''s one hand wed the head off of the torso, leaving a spige of ck tar-like blood everywhere, floating without any gravity or forces of nature.


    On one hand, the severed head, and on the other, the neck of the torso. Sylvester kept the body in his grasp since he knew this wasn''t the end of Ashraska''s story. He picked up the severed head and faced it, finding signs of life.


    "Without you, there shall be no need for war," Sylvester said. "Without you, Aveda will be the sole Primordial God. You are alone in this, and you shall die alone."


    Fear lingered on the demonic face, its horns already broken by Sylvester in that raging sphere of light around them. Ashraska had epted his brother''s betrayal. "H-He won''t help you¡­ human!"


    "But there won''t be a need for war." Sylvester ignored the pleading, dying voice of Ashraska, "With your death, there shall be a new chance to live¡­ so, fade away into nothing!"


    "It''s a never-ending cycle. You can try, but you will never escape its jaws." The supreme God felt helpless. He felt all those emotions he never knew existed. He never knew what it felt like to be a mortal until now. "No matter what, you shall remain a lesser being¡ªunlike I, you remain a mortal!"


    Sylvester clenched the body and the head harder in his palms. He knew Ashraska still thought Sylvester couldn''tpletely kill him. "I''m grateful to countless people in this life. One of them is Nehilius¡ªGod or not, creation and destruction work the same in this reality of yours."


    "You will be killing yourself if you push your mortality," Ashraska warned in a disguised attempt to plead.


    "Maybe," Sylvester didn''t care. "But I''ll definitely die if I don''t."


    Sylvester felt energized by the sacrifices of his predecessor gods and used that energy to turn Ashraska''s body into a mist of blood. Squeezing the head so hard that it caved and sttered everywhere.


    Ashraska couldn''t speak anymore, but he was still alive. As long as even a speck of his dust remained, he was alive.


    But in the end, the blood, the body, the flesh of Ashraska was nothing but energy. The energy that Sylvester could absorb through his abilities. Just like how he had devoured countless Eldritch Gods, he repeated it.


    However, this time, the release was too much. Even Ashraska''s condensed energy inside the sphere of fiery light around Sylvester''s humanoid but nonhuman form, was more than all the energies Sylvester had absorbed in the pastbined.


    And worse¡ªit was corrupted.


    "Ugh!"


    Although incapable of feeling physical pain in that form, Sylvester could feel the cosmic energy he started to absorb, trying to take over¡ªIt was violent, it was dense, and it was alive. It fought against his control, turning his radiant crimson and golden energy a shade darker.


    ''I can''t lose my mind.'' He reminded himself. Mind was the key to taming this new form of energy that predated and superseded reality itself. It was a tiny fraction of Ashraska''s true form that was isted outside the sphere, yet it felt too much to handle.


    It filled Sylvester with some dread. He could see there was no way of winning against Ashraska if he hadn''t isted the physical body. But there was still Aveda to face outside.


    The god resisted, and Sylvester persisted. Slowly but surely, he reduced Ashraska''s body to nothingness. The entire head was gone and Sylvester focused on the torso. It was harsh on him as flickering sparks appeared across his shining body.


    Darkness tried to take him, but he fought against it the best he could. It was like explosion after explosion urring, all inside of him. Every cosmic, godly particle of Ashraska was like a whole Nehilius. It made sense how and why the two Primordial Gods were so powerful.


    They were born with this might from the very beginning.


    Sylvester tried to calm his senses, imagining the faces of Miraj, Xavia, and his friends. He felt his control over his own body waning, disappearing slowly. But this was the risk he had epted the moment he left home.


    ''How will I defeat Aveda?'' He asked himself, starting to n for the next battle while struggling with the current one. ''He''s much wiser and calmer than Ashraska¡­ No! I''m losing my mind!''


    He quickly realized his thoughts were drifting into space. He had to remain collected to fend off Ashraska''s dark influence. Although absorbing the energy was easy, making it his own and giving it space to exist within his control was hard.


    Time passed, and Ashraska''s body eventually vanished. Sylvester started to make the burning sphere around him reduce its size and slowly envelop him from all sides as if forming anotheryer of skin on his body.


    It kept on getting smaller and eventually morphed into Sylvester''s humanoid shape, coating him.


    It was a choice Sylvester made. He still feared that an unsensed particle from Ashraska could be lingering somewhere in that small space. So he squeezed it all and continued to absorb everything, even his own energies. Not leaving even a tiny gap for anything to leak out, he only started forming flesh on himself after he was sure.


    By then, the zing, fiery, shining light around had vanished. The ck particles still continued to flicker, Ashraska''s might still wreaking havoc within Sylvester.


    "You did not let me down."


    Sylvester noticed Aveda''s voice, so majestic, warm, and deep. Like a true god, unlike Ashraska''s demonic nature. It made him even more cautious of this one. "You could have stopped me."


    "I could have stopped you eons ago."


    ''Eons?''


    Aveda sensed his confusion, and appeared to muse over it, "So you are still unaware?"


    "Unaware of what?" Sylvester questioned, sensing there was more to the story. "The reasons behind your childish actions? Two primordial beings warring for thest universe remaining? Countless lives ruined, misery made, and killed¡ªall for a mere division of assets?"


    Aveda entertained his questions, his voice once again a monotone flow of words. "When Father left, there were many of us. Through long battles and plots, Ashraska and I won against them all until only we remained. But our sh was inevitable, and yet we intimately knew one another''s strength. We both understood how equally gifted we were in might¡ªexcept for thoughts."


    Sylvester also maintained a calm and monotonous aura and finished Aveda''s exnation. "So you divided all of the existence between yourselves until all but my universe remained? Then used my world and the Demon World as chess pieces. You won one, Ashraska won one, and this was thest?"


    "Wonderful." Aveda muttered, "For a mortal, I truly admire you."


    Snap!


    Abruptly, things started to feel different. Sylvester, much stronger now and his senses sharper, felt the energies in the space moving and concentrated not far from him. In no time, he noticed a small white orb forming. It constantly grew bigger until it took the humanoid form of a newborn baby.


    "You did what I could not. You ended Ashraska without losing yourself¡ªyou won me all of existence." Aveda''s voice still reverberated from all sides. "You did exactly what I needed you to do."


    The size of the baby grew and took the form of an adolescent boy, and from there came adulthood. More refined, more human, and more adult-sized. Aveda was unlike his brother¡ªhis skin was so pale that even the color white paled inparison. His hair was longer than his waist, and twin wings were made of what appeared to be the same skin.


    A single blue gem also adorned the middle of his chest. What its purpose was remained elusive to Sylvester. However, he did clearly feel the raging power condensing in that body¡ªmore than Ashraska.


    "I have been watching you from the day you were born. An anomaly in the world under my brother''s control. He did not notice you, but I did. While he remained preupied, trying to mimic a fraction of my wisdom in creating new Popes, or Saint Scepters¡ªI watched your rise, your thoughts, and your desires."


    Sylvester knew something was going to happen. Aveda was being too talkative for someone who valued plotting and wisdom above everything else.


    Woosh!


    Just when Aveda finished creating his physical body, a wave of disturbance spread out in all directions from his body.


    ''He has it!'' Sylvester felt it. Aveda just tried to im control over the other half of the space that was upied by Ashraska''s leftover energies. ''He''s fighting¡­ and winning.''


    Right before his senses, he could feel Ashraska''s energy flowing into Aveda''s body. It was invisible, but it could be felt.


    God of the entire existence¡ªThe very being that gave birth to Aveda and his siblings.


    ''He''s trying to be the one true God.''


    Aveda tried, but he didn''t look human at all. Hecked any color but ashen white. And somehow, in Sylvester''s gaze he looked more demonic than Ashraska.


    "Along the way, to have theorized the purpose of the war of two worlds, and yet remaining silent despite it being so petty and meaningless." Aveda''s lips curved in a smile, but it held no warmth. "I shall spare your world. The feud remains no more. The existence lies undivided now¡ªmine."


    Sylvester knew there was more, so he waited for the rest of the words.


    "As much as I desire this control over reality¡ªI desire you."


    Sylvester frowned and prepared for his next move right away. Both his arms raised on his sides, palms spread open.


    "Sylvester Maximilian, be the enforcer of the one true God." Aveda offered, or rather demanded. "Be what I used to be¡ªBe my only Primordial God and rule with me."


    "Hah!" Sylvester sneered a chuckle, "Aveda, there can only be one end to this insanity¡ªonly your death will purify this reality!"


    _________________

 Chapter 773 772. At The End Of Existence I: Solis

    Chapter 773 772. At The End Of Existence I: Solis


    ??"Has arrogance finally consumed you? Do you not see who stands before you?"


    Sylvester shook his head, forging a confident smile on his face. "I was confused and lost before. I was aimless and doubtful¡ªno more."


    "And where does that confidence arise from?" Aveda asked amusedly.


    "I never fight a losing battle." Sylvester didn''t shout, yet his voice bellowed. His arms were raised wide. His hands started glowing with golden hue orbs. "And this fight¡ªI can''t afford to lose."


    A sh of concern shrouded Aveda''s face. For the master of that reality, nothing remained hidden. "Brave or a buffoon¡ªwhat you consumed of Ashraska was a fraction of his being. To covet more is denying reality."


    Sylvester didn''t show an ounce of doubt in himself. He continued to use the newfound buff in power. But Ashraska''s traces were still in him, and they were wreaking havoc.


    What happens when a balloon is filled more than it can hold? What happens when something is pressed more than its tensile strength?


    Sylvester felt it all. Although he had no physical body anymore, he still had a limit to what he could hold; to how far he could stretch his control.


    But did it matter?


    Not anymore.


    "You are in pain," Aveda spoke in ridicule. "When I haven''t done anything yet."


    Sylvester remained quiet. It felt like explosions were taking over every inch of his being. Every particle that made him bloated and ruptured at the seams.


    Trillions¡ªInfinite explosions ruptured everything. Every particle, a sun in its own way¡ªfusing, bursting, and fusing again to grow.


    The flesh Sylvester had made on himself began showing shattering ripples throughout. Tiny missing chunks that grew bigger at each moment.


    "If that is what you desire. Let me show you what Ashraska could not," Aveda bellowed.


    Sylvester persisted, his teeth gritted shut. His eyes red with controlled rage. His humanity battled against the creeping insanity.


    He never gave up. Every particle of his existence screamed at him to stop.


    But he didn''t¡ªWhy? Why, even when the chances were so slim? When the cost of losing was beyond death, when Victory was nowhere in sight?


    Why?


    Maybe because some people, when they have been through a lot and have been pushed beyond the point of endurance, ept defeat and give up. Some, however¡ªa minority of a minority, who were, for some iprehensible reason unconquerable¡ªnothing, neither pain, nor torture, nor death could make them give up.


    Sylvester, perhaps, was a minority even among those unconquerable. For more than his will, he was driven by his desire for a dream¡ªa little peaceful life somewhere remote¡ªwith loved ones, to live as a nameless man¡­ In peace.


    From day one, from his first battle, beyond bing the Pope, beyond all the might and authority¡ªthere was a simple old man¡ªtired¡­ Very tired.


    Very very tired.


    "I honestly didn''t want this. Your little n to get rid of your brother may have been an insignificant game for you, but for me, it was a source of great pain. Sir Dolorem, Pope Axel, Saint Sceptre¡ªI am their hope, beholder of their will. Whatever happens next is what you brought onto yourself."


    Crack!


    Soundless and yet physically tormenting, Sylvester''s body started ripping apart and growing in size. Invisible, wavy strings of energy started forming all around him, connecting to his body and being absorbed by him.


    He groaned in pain and desperation to not lose his sanity. He had no mouth as a being made of pure energy, but he knew if he did, he''d be gritting his teeth bloody. But Ashraska''s legacy had to be his. It was the only way to even be able to stand against Aveda.


    "Futile attempts." Aveda showed his displeasure and waved his physical hand. His white wings suddenly changed shape, shredding into long strands and flew from his back like long chains and captured whatever was left of Sylvester''s humanoid body.


    Wrapped around his head, his arms, his legs; They tried to stop the transformation Sylvester was going through. Stopping the energy transfer into his body, and restraining him physically. After all, unlike Aveda, Sylvester''s only life and consciousness resided in that body.


    He had be an elevated being, but he was still a lowly mortal.


    "Do not resist, Sylvester. You cannot win." Aveda tried to stop him and contain his expansion of control. "You can be a God! The God of your world! You can have your peace, the life you desired."


    Sylvester didn''t respond no matter what. He couldn''t anymore, for all his focus rested in gaining as much leftover might of Ashraska as possible. To fight against the restraints that Aveda had shrouded him in.


    His entire flesh that made him Sylvester had vanished away by then, leaving behind only a concentrated, deep, dark red humanoid figure that was also losing its shape. Like eruptions, a zing, fiery red mass ejected out of his humanoid figure.


    Easing out through the gaps between Aveda''s white chains¡ªspreading in all directions as if they were countless ribbons of different sizes.


    "Stop him, Solis," Aveda said. "He will kill himself this way."


    Solis remained in ce, being the only creature that didn''t have a physical body in that space. "Why stop when this is fate''s choice?"


    "What do you mean? I am his fate."


    "There is a reason behind everything," Solis added, his voice changing with a sense of purpose. "If you cannot control it, are you truly the end of fate''s strings?"


    Aveda was at a loss for words, his cosmic mind unable toprehend what Solis was saying. Yes, he couldn''t see the future or the past in that space since those things didn''t exist. But the rest he already knew. "I am the one who paved his path here."


    Solis''s voice started moving, edging closer to Sylvester''s raging, flickering form. The mass of his body grewrger, and other than his humanoid head and glowing eyes, the rest was just a chaos of dark red colored beams of energy, spreading in each direction like branches of a tree, torn sheets of red clothes fluttering everywhere chaotically.


    "You paved the path of his rise." Solis finally reached Sylvester, "But was it your choice?"


    Absolute silence took over Aveda. Silently, he gazed at Sylvester''s constantly changing form. The mortal no longer resembled a human or a godly being¡ªan abomination that made no sense.


    So much of Ashraska''s energy was absorbed that it spilled out of Sylvester''s control. Bigger thans, bigger than stars, Sylvester''s gigantic form continued to swell and turn into a spiraling, changing mesh of dark red fiery energy. The same ribbons from before now looked like the red mes of a sun, escaping everywhere with a mind of their own,tching onto more energy to consume.


    However, as only the humanoid head with two shining eyes remained, a red halo started forming. Its own size increased with Sylvester''s size¡ªshining, burning, searing hotter than anything nature could create.


    "He has lost control," Aveda murmured.


    Solis came within the reach of one of the mes willingly. "For that, he shall be made aware."


    "You will let him consume you?!" For the first time, Aveda showed hesitation and moved away from Sylvester''s form.


    "Everything happens for a reason," Solis replied back, repeating his previous words again. "To oppose the fate of my own creation would be treason."


    Aveda realized there was something going on beyond his control. Something he missed to calcte.


    "This is a crisis of your own making that you prepared." Solis uttered hisst audible words, "Aveda, be scared."


    Snap!


    "No!" Aveda''s face turned left and right. The sensation of Solis upying the realm around him waspletely lost to him. Only Sylvester remained the second being there.


    But right then, he noticed a change. Sylvester''s humanoid face showed a difference. His two eye sockets started to shine in a golden light instead of red. The halo behind his head, which could eclipsed anything in the mortal universe, glowed golden as well, the red slowly drowning away.


    From the chaotic, fiery ze, the mesh of Sylvester''s ming body started to feel golden warm instead.


    "I brought you here!"


    "I elevated you from a mere mortal!"


    Aveda''s words fell on empty space, however. Sylvester only grew bigger, consuming any ounce of energy that touched the edges of his threadlike mes.


    What did Solis do? What did Sylvester do?


    Aveda was as blind to Sylvester''s future in that space. And he needed answers.


    ¡­


    Sylvester hoped not to lose control over his own mind. He tried to make sure every new addition to the cosmic energy in him was under his thumb. But when he reached the limit, he started to feel pain and loss of consciousness.


    Before he knew it, he couldn''t stop or hold himself back anymore. It turned into a chain reaction that consumed him. That took away his sanity. Every part of him expanded, multiplied, ripped apart, and started burning.


    He tried to keep his humanoid form intact, but that didn''tst long. At first, his legs sttered away like flesh and bones, and the energy that ruptured from it sshed around and formed strings of mes. Then, the rest of his torso followed and shattered.


    He could only maintain his humanoid, faceless head intact. But even that took all his focus and might. The energy and power he was trying to control now began to surround him and suppress him.


    Containing him from all sides to turn him into nothing but a mindless blob of dead cosmic energy.


    ?From the mortal reality¡­ to the end of existence,


    H-how far I have journeyed, so much distance.?


    Sylvester only had control over his thoughts now, and he chose to do the only feat of magic that didn''t require his control. Staying true to his birth, he sang like a bard, but he didn''t praise the lord¡ªhe called him.


    ?N-No matter what, I shall not end this resistance,


    It is I or them¡ªthere can never be coexistence.?


    The halo formed like it always did. Larger and more violent than ever before, taking the color red instead of the usual white and golden. It burned in the space of nothingness, taking a toll on Sylvester''s leftover body.


    As blood sttered, it was violent energy for him.


    But he didn''t stop singing despite his mind on the brink of copse.


    ?Hear me, Solis! This is thest song of your bard,


    I obeyed, I followed, I stand here dying and marred.?


    ''It worked!'' Sylvester felt something. The chain reaction didn''t end, nor did he find new control. But he could feel his unresponsive body had consumed something new¡ªsomething that didn''t belong to Ashraska or Aveda.


    ?In this race or superiority, my humanity I have discarded,


    Solis! You must be my shield now when I stand unguarded!?


    Snap!


    He felt something all of a sudden. A surge of warmth traced through the countless ming ribbons and strings around him. It reached for him, as if traversing in the sea of his massive body.


    It arrived at his halo, and took home there. Finally, Sylvester felt a newfound gentle warmth, his halo taking back its control away from insane rage¡ªthe crimson turned to golden.


    "Solis?!" Sylvester cried out in thought, hoping to hear something. "W-What do I do? I can''t control this!"


    There was silence, panic and frustration. The wait was too daunting.


    "Do what you must¡ªyou are already aware."


    "Solis!" Sylvester felt a ray of hope. "What do you mean? I''m barely holding on to my sanity."


    "You can do it."


    "How? I don''t even know the n!"


    "You do," Solis repeated, his voice fading slowly as the crimson halo gradually turned fully gold. "You made the n."


    "What do you mean?" Sylvester interrogated in haste and distress.


    But from Solis, only one final string of words came.


    "Because you are me¡ªI am you."


    _________________


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